Fabrizio Bosso Quintet - Rome After Midnight (2004)

Here we have an excellent early release by Italian master trumpeter Fabrizio Bosso. For this date he assembles a quintet comprising of similar youngish talent that would go on to become equally well-known Italian jazz musicians. The album comprises of a lively repertoire of hard bop and post-bop classics. He is joined by Daniele Scannapieco on tenor, pianist Mike Melillo, bass player Massimo Moriconi and drummer Lorenzo Tucci. All musicians have continued to develop and have correspondingly evolved into some of the best jazz players on the continent today. Many have been part of and are still actively engaged within the European circuit and abroad. The majority have led a multitude of groups and produced a considerable number of high-quality albums. There's not a lot more to say other than that Fabrizio unites his group to produce and showcase an exhilarating assortment of great jazz music, Enjoy! 

Sound Hills, SSCD-8129, 2004
Recorded 12th & 13th October, 2004 At House Recording Studio, Rome, Italy 

Personnel:
Fabrizio Bosso - Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Daniele Scannapieco - Tenor Saxophone
Mike Melillo - Piano
Massimo Moriconi - Bass
Lorenzo Tucci - Drums 

Tracks:
01. Eye Of The Hurricane {Herbie Hancock} (3:14)
02. Ceora {Lee Morgan} (6:27)
03. Honeysuckle Rose {Fats Waller} (6:43)
04. Road Song {Wes Montgomery} (7:10)
05. Johnny Comes Lately {Billy Strayhorn} (4:14)
06. You Don't Know What Love Is {Gene DePaul, Don Raye} (7:29)
07. Birdlike {Freddie Hubbard} (3:53)
08. Have You Met Miss Jones? {Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart} (8:59)
09. Crisis {Freddie Hubbard} (7:13)
10. There Is No Greater Love {Isham Jones} (8:16)
11. I'll Remember April {Gene DePaul, Patricia Johnston, Don Raye} (9:00) 

Total Time: 72:38 

Credits:
Producer - Sergio Veschi
Executive Producer - Hirakasu Sasabe
Recording - Simone Ciammarughi, Emanuele Bossi
Photos - Daniele Molajoli

Harry Allen Quartet - A Little Touch Of Harry (1997)

Much lauded by jazz critics, 32-year-old tenor saxophonist Harry Allen is an example of perfection in motion on this collaboration with pianist Kenny Barron, bassist George Mraz, and drummer Al Foster. Throughout the 12 standards, Allen shows plenty of versatility, passion, precision, and panache. Working with one of the best New York rhythm sections, the saxophonist maintains a honey-toned sound at any tempo, not unlike performances on 17 earlier recordings. Allen is broadly talented. He capably refreshes bop-ish numbers ("From This Moment On" and "I Never Knew"), medium-swingers ("Luck Be A Lady Tonight" and "Easy To Love"), and a samba ("It Might as Well Be Spring"). Best, though, are his burnished, breathy tender tenorisms on ballads such as "Nobody’s Heart," "This Is All I Ask," "Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most," and the finale, "I Get Along Without You Very Well." Indeed, a little touch of Harry goes a long way. Factor in the skills of Barron, Mraz, and Foster, and you have a welcome addition to any album collection. ~ Nancy Ann Lee, Jazztimes.com.

Sound Hills Records, SSCD8083, 1997

Recorded in 1997

Personnel:

Harry Allen - Tenor Saxophone

Kenny Barron - Piano

George Mraz - Bass

Al Foster - Drums

Tracks:

01. From This Moment On {Cole Porter} (6:26)

02. Luck Be A Lady Tonight {Frank Loesser} (5:28)

03. Nobody's Heart {Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart} (4:48)

04. Just Like Another Dream {Harry Allen, Gloria Planner)} (4:45)

05. All God's Chillin' Got Rhythm {Walter Jurmann, Gus Kahn, Bronisław Kaper} (4:16)

06. I Wanna Be Around {Sadie Vimmerstedt, ‎Johnny Mercer} (6:36)

07. This Is All I Ask {Gordon Jenkins} (6:38)

08. I Never Knew {Gus Kahn, Ted FioRito} (4:28)

09. It Might As Well Be Spring {Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II} (6:35)

10. Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most {Tommy Wolf, Fran Landesman} (6:19)

11. Easy To Love {Cole Porter} (6:16)

12. I Get Along Without You Very Well {Hoagy Carmichael} (4:07)

Total Time: 66:42