Wayne Shorter - Super Nova (1969)

Super Nova is an important transitional album for tenor saxophonist Wayne Shorter. Doubling on soprano (which he had recently begun playing), Shorter interprets five of his originals (including "Water Babies," which had been recorded previously by Miles Davis) and Antônio Carlos Jobim's "Dindi." He definitely used a forward-looking group of sidemen, because his "backup band" includes guitarists John McLaughlin and Sonny Sharrock, Walter Booker (normally a bassist) on classical guitar for "Dindi," bassist Miroslav Vitous, both Jack DeJohnette and Chick Corea (!) on drums, and percussionist Airto; Maria Booker takes a vocal on the touching version of "Dindi." The influence of Miles Davis' early fusion period is felt throughout the music, but there is nothing derivative about the often-surprising results. As with Wayne Shorter’s best albums, this set rewards repeated listenings. ~ by Scott Yanow, AMG. 

Blue Note Records, CDP 7 84332 2, 1988
Recorded 29th August and 2nd September, 1969 at A&R Studios, New York 

Musicians:
Wayne Shorter - Soprano Saxophone
Chick Corea - Vibraphone, Drums
John McLaughlin - Guitar, Classical Guitar (#2)
Sonny Sharrock - Guitar
Walter Booker - Classical Guitar (#3)
Miroslav Vitous - Bass
Jack DeJohnette - Drums, African Thumb Piano
Airto Moreira - Percussion
Maria Booker - Vocals (#3) 

Tracks:
1. Super Nova {Wayne Shorter} (4:52)
2. Swee-Pea {Wayne Shorter} (4:37)
3. Dindi {Antônio Carlos Jobim} (9:35)
4. Water Babies {Wayne Shorter} (4:54)
5. Capricorn {Wayne Shorter} (7:48)
6. More Than Human {Wayne Shorter} (6:12) 

Total Time: 37:59 

Credits:
Producer - Duke Pearson
Recording Engineer - Tony May
Digital Transfer - Ron McMaster
Art Direction - Frank Gauna
Cover Design - Tony DeStefano 

Wayne Shorter (25th August, 1933 - 2nd March, 2023)
RIP ☹

Miroslav Vitous - Guardian Angels (1979)

"Guardian Angels" showcases the comprehensive talent of virtuoso bassist, Miroslav Vitous. It puts on full display his incredible talent on electric and acoustic basses (with and without bow). One of the things that I thoroughly enjoy about this music is that it dispels the claim, attributed to former band mate and co-founder of Weather Report, Josef Zawinul, that Vitous couldn’t bring the “bottom”. On every track here, he brings it. ~ Matt Seahorn, Amazon.com. 

As a big Miroslav Vitous fan, this album is extremely satisfying outing and captures a late 70s snapshot of fusion. To start, it features a future member of his group, Kenny Kirkland, on keyboards, John Scofield sounds great on guitar and brings two originals. It also features two Japanese members who Miroslav made a few albums with; George Otsuka on drums and Mabumi Yamaguchi is on soprano sax, who were involved in two Maracaibo albums, the album Mabumi, and keyboardist Fumio Karashima's Hot Island. I'd recommend the original Evidence edition of this album, it's affordable and has great liner notes recalling first-hand details from the recording. Enjoy! ~ Frank G, Amazon.com. 

Trio Records, PAP-9154, 1979
Evidence Records, ECD 22055, 1993
Recorded 9th, 10th, 11th November, 1978 At Onkio Haus, Tokyo, Japan 

Musicians:
Miroslav Vitous - Bass, Electric Bass, Synthesizer [Mini-Moog, Solina String-Ensemble]
Mabumi Yamaguchi - Soprano Saxophone
Kenny Kirkland - Piano, Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes, Yamaha CP-70 [Electric Grand],
Synthesizer [Yamaha CS-50 (Polyphonic), Mini-Moog]
John Scofield - Guitar
George Ohtsuka - Drums [Yamaha] 

Tracks:
1. His Meaning / Rising / Resolution {Miroslav Vitous} (8:38)
2. Inner Peace {Kenny Kirkland} (6:10)
3. Guardian Angels {Miroslav Vitous} (5:54)
4. Off To Buffalo {John Scofield} (7:52)
5. Eating It Raw {John Scofield} (6:15)
6. Shinkansen {Kenny Kirkland} (6:11) 

Total Time: 40:03 

Credits:
Producer, Engineer - David Baker
Producer - Ken Inaoka
Music Director - Miroslav Vitous
Engineer [Assistant] - Takashi Ogawa
Production Coordinator - Kaz Harada
Management – Hiroaki Itoh, Mamoru Kamekawa
Photography - Shigeru Uchiyama, Yasuhisa Yoneda
Design - Breakfast 

This is another example of the type of 'fusion' that was going on in NYC in the late 70's. It was popular then for Japanese artists to hire the top guys on the scene, make a record and be big stars in their home country. This CD is cool in that we hear a young Kenny Kirkland burning on electric keyboards. Kenny was 'the cat' to be reckoned with at this time. Scofield sounds good here too, although he sounds better on Chet Baker's 'can't go home again' and his own CD 'Live', also 'Rough House' which I think were recorded around the same time. The music is basically, pentatonic scales or whatever, played in unison really fast then solos: either up-tempo samba vamps or medium tempo funk groove. It's OK I guess...if you are a Kirkland or Scofield fan. ~ Wes Green, Amazon.com.

Miroslav Vitous - Purple (1970) [vinyl]

An interesting early fusion mélange, very open settings, Vitous overdubbing electric, or even electric piano, everybody leaves a lot of space in the music for the others, like a Bitches Brew stripped down to the very essence. The complete line-up is only on part of the album. It is totally different from his US debut Infinite Search, which is powerplay, in comparison - Purple is not exactly restrained or thoughtful, but takes its time much more. Somewhere in between In a Silent Way and the first Weather Report. On side one, Zawinul on Rhodes, Vitous on acoustic and Cobham play the title track, which is a rocky Vitous original (some bowed bass solo overdubbed), and Ron Carter's Mood. I like Zawinul better here than on any other album, I must admit. Side two starts with McLaughlin, Vitous on electric bass and piano (overdubbed), and Cobham doing Water Lilie, which could have made it to Weather Report's first LP as far as the mood is concerned; Shorter's Dolores with just Vitous and Cobham, two basses, arco overdubbed, similar to Mountain in the Clouds from Infinite Search; and Vitous' It Came From Nowhere, an experimental rockish track with Vitous and Cobham, both oberdubbing electric piano and a second drumset. ~ mikeweil, organissimo.org. 

CBS/Sony Records, SOPC 57101-J, 1970
Recorded 25th August, 1970 At Apostolic Studio, New York City 

Musicians:
Miroslav Vitous - Bass, Electric Piano (#B1,B3)
Joe Zawinul - Electric Piano (#A1,A2)
John McLaughlin - Guitar (#B1)
Billy Cobham - Drums

Tracks:
A1. Purple {Miroslav Vitous} (9:33)
A2. Mood {Ron Carter} (7:25)
B1. Water Lilie {Miroslav Vitous} (8:52)
B2. Dolores {Wayne Shorter} (4:09)
B3. It Came From Knowhere {Miroslav Vitous} (5:11) 

Total Time: 35:10 

Credits:
Producer - Miroslav Vitous
Engineer - David Baker
Photography - Yuzoh Satoh 

"I made that album after Infinite Search. I was working with David Baker, the engineer, and was experimenting with different musicians and material. I had Billy Cobham, John McLaughlin and Joe Zawinul there. They experimented with me. After six months, I thought I had enough material and put together an album. I think there is some excellent music on it. Purple was made before Weather Report started, but you can already hear some material that we later played with the band. There’s a song called "Water Lily," which has an identical skeleton to a piece we recorded with Weather Report called "Morning Lake." There’s another Weather Report piece called "Seventh Arrow" that was also on Purple. There was a development of the material on Purple that ended up in Weather Report. It was a stepping stone." ~ Extract by Miroslav Vitous, innerviews.org.

Various - International Jazz Festival Prague 2 (1966) [vinyl]

A marvelous Jazz concert held in Prague in 1965 at the International Jazz Festival. At the top of the billing is Ted Curson with the junior trio consisting of Jan Hammer, Alan Vitous and Miroslav Vitous playing ‘Caravan’ and his own beautiful tune dedicated to his then wife ‘Marjo’. In addition, he attaches himself to the Gustav Brom Orchestra in a brilliant display of his trumpet playing. The remaining tracks on the LP showcase a Czechoslovakian combo and orchestra; Georgi Garanyan And His Combo and Jerzy Milian, Gustav Brom Orchestra; Jerzy being a star vibraphonist. A rare old piece of vinyl with notable mono sound, Enjoy!

Supraphon Records, SUA 15733, 1966

Second International Jazz Festival in Prague, October 1965

Personnel:

==========

#A1,A2: Georgi Garanyan And His Combo

Georgi Garanyan - Alto Saxophone

Nicolai Gromin - Guitar

Andrei Yegorov - Bass

Valeri Bulgakov - Drums

==================================

#A2,A4: Ted Curson, Junior Trio

Ted Curson - Trumpet

Jan Hammer - Piano

Miroslav Vitous - Bass

Alan Vitous - Drums

=================================

#B1,B2: Ted Curson, Gustav Brom Orchestra

Ted Curson - Trumpet

Gustav Brom And His Orchestra

==================================

#B3,B4: Jerzy Milian, Gustav Brom Orchestra

Jerzy Milian - Vibraphone

Josef Blaha - Piano

Milan Režábek - Bass

Václav Skála - Drums

Gustav Brom And His Orchestra

Tracks:

A1. Armenian Bounce {Georgi Garanyan} (5:45)

A2. Corrida {Nicolai Gromin} (6:26)

A3. Caravan {Duke Ellington, Juan Tizol} (3:44)

A4. Marjo {Ted Curson} (4:48)

B1. Blues Beneath The Surface {Jaromir Hnilicka} (5:01)

B2. Our Daily Bread Give Us - The Jazz {Milan Režábek} (6:16)

B3. Blues For Gustav {Jerzy Milian} (5:37)

B4: Darn That Dream {Eddie Delange} (5:22)

Credits:

Cover - Josef Kalousek

Photography - Zdenek Taichman