Woody Shaw - Love Dance (1975) [Jap-CD]

A fantastic album by Woody Shaw - spiritual, soulful, and filled with some nice modal grooving! The group's one of the best he ever worked with on Muse - with Billy Harper on tenor, plus Rene McLean, Steve Turre, Joe Bonner, and Cecil McBee - and the approach reminds us of some of the work on Strata East from the same time. The highlight of the record is the cut "Sunbath", which was done in a more famous jazz dance version by singer Joyce Hurley - but Shaw's version has a very similar groove. Harper makes many of the other tracks shine brilliantly, and titles include "Love Dance", "Obsequious", and Harper's own beautiful composition "Soulfully I Love You". ~ Dusty Groove.

Muse Records, MR 5074, 1976
Sony Records, SRCS 9405, 1998
Recorded November, 1975 at Blue Rock Studio, New York City 

Musicians:
Woody Shaw - Trumpet
Steve Turre - Trombone, Bass Trombone
Rene McLean - Alto & Soprano Saxophones
Billy Harper - Tenor Saxophone
Joe Bonner - Piano, Electric Piano
Cecil McBee - Bass
Victor Lewis - Drums
Guilherme Franco - Percussion
Tony Waters - Congas 

Tracks:
1. Love Dance {Joe Bonner} (12:37)
2. Obsequious {Larry Young} (9:28)
3. Sunbath {Peggy Stern} (6:33)
4. Zoltan {Woody Shaw} (6:48)
5. Soulfully I Love You [Black Spiritual Of Love] {Billy Harper} (8:13) 

Total Time: 43:58 

Credits:
Producer - Michael Cuscuna
Engineer - Eddie Korvin
Mastering - Joe Brescio
Art Direction, Design, Photography - Hal Wilson
Liner Notes - Dan Morgenstern 

Love Dance

Woody Shaw - Jazz At The Maintenance Shop (1979)

Here we have a unique video recording catching the Woody Shaw Quintet in action. For this concert Woody showcases a dynamic group especially including Carter Jefferson on saxophones, pianist Onaje Allan Gumbs, bassist Stafford James and drummer Victor Lewis. The group sets about to enthrall the audience with a number of standards and contemporary tunes. Thanks to the Iowa Public Broadcasting Network this concert was preserved on DVD. For its time the picture quality is reasonable, but the real captivation is the music!!!

Recorded at "The Maintenance Shop", Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 

Musicians:
Woody Shaw - Trumpet
Carter Jefferson - Tenor Sax, Soprano Sax
Onaje Allan Gumbs - Piano
Stafford James - Bass
Victor Lewis - Drums 

Setlist:
1. Bye Bye Blackbird {Mort Dixon, Ray Henderson}
2. On Green Dolphin Street {Ned Washington, Bronislau Kaper}
3. Seventh Avenue {Victor Lewis}
4. Sun Bath {Peggy Stern}
5. Dolphin Dance {Herbie Hancock}
6. It All Comes Back To You
7. Theme For Maxine 

Video info from: https://www.loc.gov/item/jots.200016535/ 

Lineage: Broadcast > VHS > DVD
DVD to MKV using HandBrake cropping flickering borders preserving aspect ratio at the same and apply filters in an attempt to improve video quality.
Screenshots of the artists taken from running MKV using K-Lite Media Player.

Buried Treasure in your yard, Part 2

 Umm... I really am kind of baffled by this one, how did I not know that I had this and where the hell did it come from? I am a BIG fan of this particular band and the idea that I have one that has missed attention in the recent wave of live Woody Shaw recordings being both issued or widely circulated seems, well... almost inconceivable! I have looked high and low and compared against every set list I could see for 1979 and this does not match anything that I see. It seems unlikely, however, that it would be 1979, this lineup suggests 1977. The text document in the file lists Clint Houston on bass and Onaje Alan Gumbs on piano - my ears tell me that is not true in either case and there is no reason to assume it is not the normal band with Stafford James and Larry Willis. It is a radio broadcast from a Seattle jazz club, Parnell's... James is a little too prominent in the mix, but your ears adjust quickly: 

 The best part for me is that we get one more small scrap of Carter Jefferson to add to the precious little around! I have not done any editing to this so it has some warts.

Chris' video post has convinced me that it really is Gumbs rather than Willis in 1979, but there is still no way that is Clint Houston.

Buddy Terry - Natural Soul (1967) [re-rip]

I have a lot to be thankful for. I am blessed as a leader, saxophonist, flutist, composer/arranger and soloist. I am well represented as a composer/arranger; whereas out of the six tunes included in this album, five were written and arranged by me. Notice the variety of the tunes. I have a blues, a ballad, a church-type song in six-four time, a calypso and jazz rooted boogaloo tune. All are different, but on the other hand they do have an affinity--they all are soulful. They have a Natural Soul which is brought about, in part, by the honesty and integrity of the musicians involved. To all the people who buy this album and read these notes I would like to say "GOD BLESS YOU". ~ Extract from Liner Notes by Buddy Terry

Prestige Records, PRST 7541, 1968

Recorded 15^th November, 1967 at Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ

Personnel:

Buddy Terry - Tenor Saxophone, Flute

Woody Shaw - Trumpet, Flugelhorn (#A2,A4,B1)

Joe Thomas - Tenor Saxophone, Flute (A1,A3)

Robbie Porter - Baritone Saxophone (#A2)

Larry Young - Organ, Piano (#A1,A3)

Jiggs Chase - Organ (#A1)

Wally Richardson - Guitar (#A1,A2)

Jimmy Lewis - Bass [Fender] (#A1,A3,B2)

Eddie Gladden - Drums

Tracks:

A1. A Natural Woman {Goffin And King, Jerry Wexler} (3:19)

A2. Natural Soul [Sunday Go To Meetin' Blues] {Buddy Terry} (5:41)

A3. Pedro The One Arm Bandit {Buddy Terry} (6:31)

A4. Don't Be So Mean {Buddy Terry} (5:47)

B1. The Revealing Time {Buddy Terry} (12:12)

B2. Quiet Days And Lonely Nights {Buddy Terry} (7:15)

Credits:

Producer - Cal Lampley

Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder
Design, Photo - Don Schlitten

Liner Notes - Buddy Terry (Jan. 1968)

BOOKER ERVIN - BACK FROM THE GIG (1976 COMPILATION) 24~48 VINYL

1976
Blue Note BN-LA488-H2
MY Vinyl Rip
Front, Back, & Inside Covers
DR Value 13
WAVE
994 MB

 AllMusic Review by Scott Yanow

This two-LP set consists of a pair of classic Blue Note sets that were not originally released until 1976. The great tenor Booker Ervin (whose hard passionate sound was always immediately recognizable) is well-showcased with the Horace Parlan Sextet in 1963 (a group also featuring pianist Parlan, trumpeter Johnny Coles and guitarist Grant Green) and with his own all-star quintet from 1968 (which also stars trumpeter Woody Shaw and pianist Kenny Barron). The stimulating group originals and advanced solos (which fall somewhere between hard bop and the avant-garde) still sound fresh and frequently exciting.

The Tracks:

01 Home In Africa / 02 A Tune For Richard / 03 Back From The Gig / 04 Dexi / 05 Kucheza Blues / 

06 Happy Frame Of Mind / 07 Gichi / 08 Den Tex / 09 In A Capicornian Way / 10 Lynn's Tune / 11 204

Woody Shaw/Anthony Braxton - The Iron Men [24/49 vinyl rip]

From 40 year old Mint vinyl!

"This is a particularly interesting set by Woody Shaw because it teams the trumpeter with the great saxophonist Anthony Braxton and such forward-thinking players as altoist Arthur Blythe, pianist Muhal Richard Abrams, bassist Cecil McBee and drummer Joe Chambers. Highlights are versions of Eric Dolphy's "Iron Man" and Fats Waller's "Jitterbug Waltz" that are based on renditions Shaw had recorded with Dolphy back in 1963; the latter has Braxton playing clarinet. A couple of brief free improvisations by the trio of Shaw, Abrams and McBee in addition to Andrew Hill's "Symmetry" and the trumpeter's epic "Song Of Songs" round out this continually intriguing and adventurous program."

WOODY SHAW - LOVE DANCE - 1975 - 24/48

Muse  MR-5074
My Vinyl Rip
Front & Back Covers
FLAC
DR Value 13

Love Dance is the fourth album led by trumpeter Woody Shaw which was recorded in 1975 and released on the Muse label.  Love Dance was reissued by Mosaic Records as part of Woody Shaw: The Complete Muse Sessions in 2013.   Shaw gives us a polished performance as he shows his versatility throughout the session.  I like the title track Love Dance as the highlight.  At over twelve minutes in length, it's a showcases of wonderful solos by all the players.    

01 Love Dance / 02 Obsequious / 03 Sunbath / 04 Zoltan /
05 Soulfully I Love You (Black Spiritual of Love)

Woody Shaw - trumpet;  Steve Turre - trombone, bass trombone;  René McLean - alto saxophone, soprano saxophone;
Billy Harper - tenor saxophone;  Joe Bonner - piano, electric piano;  Cecil McBee - bass;  Victor Lewis - drums:
Guilherme Franco - percussion;  Tony Waters - congas

Archie Shepp - For Losers (1968+1969) [vinyl]

One of the grooviest albums from Archie Shepp's post-new thing years for Impulse - a nicely grooving session that mixes soul-based tracks with more righteous spiritual jazz moments! The approach here is a nicely varied - a laidback, collaborative spirit that's even quite different from Shepp's work in France at the time, or even from some of his other sessions for Impulse. At one moment, Archie's playing in a gently spare and soulful mode - foreshadowing his late 70s sides - but at another, he'll be opening up with intensity, egged on by a group of well-matched players who include Woody Shaw, Grachan Moncur III, James Spaulding, and Cedar Walton. Side 2 features the extended "Un Croque Monsieur" - a modally building number with some free post-Coltrane energy, and a righteous poem from Chinalin Sharpe. Sharpe returns in a completely different spirit on "I Got It Bad" - singing the lyrics in a Billie Holiday mode alongside Shepp's solo - and Leon Thomas sings on the soul-based number "Stick Em Up", again very different than usual! Titles also include a great version of Cal Massey's "What Would It Be Without You" and the funky groover "Abstract". © Dusty Groove, Inc.

Impulse! Records, AS-9188, 1970

Recorded 9^th September, 1968 (#A1) at RCA Studios, New York City

Recorded 17^th February, 1969 (#A2) at RCA Studios, New York City

Recorded 26^th August, 1969 (#A3,A4,B) at RCA Studios, New York City

Personnel:

A1. Stick 'Em Up {Archie Shepp} (2:05)

Archie Shepp - Tenor Saxophone

Robin Kenyatta - Alto Saxophone

Grachan Moncur III - Trombone

Martin Banks - Trumpet, Flugelhorn

Andrew Bey - Piano

Mel Brown - Organ, Guitar

Bert Payne - Guitar

Albert Winston - Fender Bass

Wilton Felder - Fender Bass

Beaver Harris - Drums

Doris Troy - Vocals

Leon Thomas - Vocals

Tasha Thomas - Vocals

A2. Abstract {Archie Shepp} (4:21)

Archie Shepp - Tenor Saxophone

James Spaulding - Alto Saxophone

Charles Davis - Baritone Saxophone

Grachan Moncur III - Trombone

Jimmy Owens - Trumpet, Flugelhorn

Wally Richardson - Guitar

Dave Burrell - Organ

Bob Bushnell - Fender Bass

Bernard Purdie - Drums

A3. I Got It Bad [And That Ain't Good] {Duke Ellington, Paul Webster} (5:15)

Archie Shepp - Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone

Clarence Sharpe - Alto Saxophone

Cedar Walton - Piano

Wilbur Sharpe - Bass

Joe Chambers - Drums

Chinalin Sharpe - Vocals

A4. What Would It Be Without You {Cal Massey} (4:05)

Archie Shepp - Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone

Cecil Payne - Baritone Saxophone, Flute

Cedar Walton - Piano

Wilbur Sharpe - Bass

Joe Chambers - Drums

B. Un Croque Monsieur [Poem: For Losers] {Archie Shepp} (21:47)

Archie Shepp - Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone

Cecil Payne - Baritone Saxophone

Clarence Sharpe - Alto Saxophone

Woody Shaw - Trumpet

Matthew Gee - Trombone

Cedar Walton - Piano

Wilbur Sharpe - Bass

Joe Chambers - Drums

Chinalin Sharpe - Vocals

Credits:

Producer - Ed Michel

Supervision - Bob Thiele (#A1,A2), Ed Michel (#A4,A4,B)

Artwork Design - George Whiteman

Photography - Chuck Stewart

Liner Notes - Archie Shepp

Tracklist:

A1. Stick 'Em Up {Archie Shepp} (2:05)

A2. Abstract {Archie Shepp} (4:21)

A3. I Got It Bad [And That Ain't Good] {Duke Ellington, Paul Webster} (5:15)

A4. What Would It Be Without You {Cal Massey} (4:06)

B. Un Croque Monsieur [Poem: For Losers] {Archie Shepp} (21:47)

At the time this record was recorded, Shepp was bouncing back and forth between Paris and New York. He also bounced between the Impulse! and BYG labels. He also bounced between styles. For BYG, his music reached to grasp the bare beginnings of black music, back to Africa and the blues. His music for Impulse! tried to embrace the contemporary sounds of R&B, with very mixed results that to this day divide his fans. This record is a transitional one. For the traditionalists, there's his shattering and amusing cover of "I've Got It Bad" performed by the usual suspects one would think to find on an Archie Shepp record, including Cecil Payne and Joe Chambers. For those enraptured by albums like Attica Blues, songs like "Stick 'Em Up" will fascinate, as Shepp's raspy tenor is joined not only by a legion of avant-garde brethren (including names like Beaver Harris and Grachan Moncur), but also by the funky wood of electric bass, guitar, and organ. Some will find those later tracks a bit hard to take. Some will even find themselves snickering. But for anyone wishing to understand the music and career of this brilliant musician, this is an undervalued piece of the puzzle. ~ Rob Ferrier, AMG.

Woody Shaw Quintet - Seattle 1979: Live At Parnell's

Here's a really exciting live show from the zenith of Shaw's legendary quintet.  It's a bootleg, but of considerable quality.  The mix is fantastic and as far as bootlegs go, excellent.  The original uploader is unknown, as are the details surrounding the recording - it was an FM broadcast.  I was able to capture the audio in full WAV format, and then transferred it to FLAC 16/44.1.  This concert is another example of how not only Woody Shaw, but his entire quintet came to be masters of the form.  The musicianship is second to none while the band interaction is almost psychic in its depth.  This is jazz at its finest... enjoy!!!








Parnell's,
Seattle, WA USA
November 21, 1979

01. Intro
02. Rosewood
03. Why
04. Body and Soul
05. Stepping Stones
06. In Your Own Sweet Way

Personnel:

Woody Shaw - trumpet
Onaje Allan Gumbs - piano
Carter Jefferson - tenor sax
Clint Houston - bass
Victor Lewis - drums

Neil Swainson - 49th Parallel (with Woody Shaw & Joe Henderson)

"Bassist Neil Swainson is known more as an accompanist (most notably with George Shearing) than as a bandleader, and this was his first opportunity to head his own recording date. Swainson was able to secure the services of both trumpeter Woody Shaw (on his final studio session just two years before his death) and tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson, in addition to a couple of Toronto-based musicians: pianist Gary Williamson and drummer Jerry Fuller. Swainson, who has long had impressive technique and a beautiful tone, performs five of his originals, plus Henderson's "Homestretch." Overall, this is an underrated, high-quality advanced hard bop date worth exploring."  Scott Yanow

A very good session made all the more important in historical context because it is our last studio session for Woody and now Joe is gone as well. I'm starting a little Joe Henderson fest, some lesser known examples of his art. I invite the guys to join in - I imagine we can all find some gems.

Horace Silver - Live 1964 & The Natives Are Restless

Well Grumpy's post of a Silveto album got me looking back through the archives and it has been quite some time since I dragged these gold nuggets out of my stash bag. For me, the discovery of these albums was some kind of jazz wet dream. One of my personal fave periods with monsters everywhere and all captured really well and live....GASP!

All the old guard here at the Crypt will already have these of course, but maybe some new friend will have the same kind of knee buckling experience that WE had back we first heard this stuff. The view into what it was like to hear these wonderful bands in the club is like a magical Way-Back Machine opportunity not to missed!

Dexter Gordon - Homecoming (LP rip)

Ahhhh yes, it is actually me over here for a moment! Given the major sparks being thrown off this last week by all my beloved blog-mates, I just HAD to chip in with a bit of a firework of my own!

My coffee mate Cliff has pointed out to me that this particular album is more than a little over-looked in the Dex catalog, largely due to some unfortunate decisions at Columbia/Sony. Clifford recently went and bought a crispy promo copy of the original LP and gave it to me to rip; couldn't leave y'all out of the Lagniappe.

These marvelous live tracks were recorded shortly after Dex's return from Europe but I seem to recall there was a Xanadu date just prior to this. In a surprising but savvy move, Dex chose to play his first Vanguard booking with Woody Shaw and his magnificent working band of the time.

Michael Cuscuna and Columbia had the good sense to show up and record the gigs and this very well received double album set (subsequently released in 1977) was the fortunate result. Now comes the confusing part.....Despite the relative popularity (jazz-wise) of both Dex and Woody in the ensuing years, this album sees only two pressings and then disappears from print until 1990. In 1990 Columbia reissues the set with two additional tunes on a double disc CD. Great news, eh? Well....not so much... do you remember those first Columbia digital remasters on the blue cover Jazz Masterpieces series? Do you remember the way they absolutely butchered their first CD issue of Kind Of Blue? They may have done an even worse job on their reissue of this jewel! Even more baffling is the idea that they have yet to rectify this travesty to this day!

Soooo...here we are - my buddy scored this lovely copy and I've ripped it to FLAC, of course. We enter the Way-Back Machine to 1976 at the Village Vanguard, the bill says Dexter Gordon, Woody Shaw, Ronnie Mathews, Stafford James and Louis Hayes....You buying a ticket?

Azar Lawrence - Bridge into the New Age

Azar Lawrence grew up in L.A. as something of a musical prodigy. By 11 he played drums, violin and piano and he sang as well. A family friend brought a saxophone to the home right around the time Azar was ready to start viola and his musical focus was changed. By the time he graduated high school he had mastered the instrument well enough to begin a professional career.

At 19 he had a regular club gig with Woody Shaw and worked with R&B folk like Ike and Tina Turner and War. By the age of 22 he was playing with the likes of Elvin Jones, Miles Davis and McCoy Tyner. From 1972 to 1976 he was certainly one of the fastest rising stars in the jazz world. Then he kind of vanishes from the Jazz world for 20 + years.

What happened to this young man who was hailed by some as the next coming of Coltrane? Well he didn't leave music by any means. In fact, he participated in wild variety of projects from Earth, Wind and Fire, Marvin Gaye, Frank Zappa, and a funk band called Chameleon; he made some serious cash, discovered cocaine, had a down period, and has returned to jazz. (yeah, I know that is seriously condensed but I'm not his biographer now am I?)

This stunning album of what I think of as 'Spiritual Jazz' was done in 1974 and features a remarkable cast of major league players like Woody Shaw, Jean Carn, Clint Houston, John Heard, Hadley Caliman, Julian Priester, Ndugu, Mtume, Kenneth Nash... it sounds for all the world like something from Black Jazz or Strata East and yet it is a Orrin Keepnews produced Prestige/Fantasy release. It vanished from print within 5 years or so and saw one cd reissue for two or three minutes.

I picked up this copy from a long forgotten blog some three years ago or more, my original vinyl copy was long gone so I am deeply grateful to that original uploader. I really like this album and I'm very happy to pass on the share.