Keno Duke Jazz Contemporaries - Sense of Values (24/48 vinyl rip)

As you will see in the comments, there was a request for a re-up and I decided to try a 24/48 re-rip. The last time I re-ripped this to 16/48 there was unquestionably a significant improvement in the depth and clarity - this time the improvement is more subtle - if you listen carefully to the cymbals for example you will hear a little more evidence of the actual note the cymbal is tuned to. I had to listen carefully and frankly I'm not entirely convinced that the degree of improvement is worth doubling the file size, but in the end I do believe it is slightly audibly better.

Keno Duke Jazz Contemporaries - Sense of Values

Strata East, 1974, Vinyl LP rip

A1 Sense Of Values 4:47
Written-By – K. Duke*
A2 Mirage 9:25
Arranged By – F. Strozier* Written-By – L. Slessinger*
A3 Tibiron 5:46
Written-By – F. Strozier*
B1 Too Late, Fall Back Baby 6:55
Written-By – H. Mabern*
B2 D.R.T. 8:15
Written-By – F. Strozier*
B3 Bajan-Bajan 6:05
Written-By – K. Duke*

Drums – Keno Duke, Flute, Alto Saxophone – Frank Strozier, Piano – Harold Mabern, Tenor Saxophone – George Coleman, Bass – Lisle Atkinson, Painting [Cover] – Roland Bloch

I don't think it would be overstatement to call this a post-bop / modal jazz masterpiece. I listen to Big George here and it makes me wish Miles had given him just a little more time, not that I would miss out on even a second of Miles with Wayne mind you.

By this, the second album, this band had clearly become a single organism with 5 voices all driven by a shared mind. This is one serious Jazz Album! All original music played with passion and intelligence and with a fabulous pair of front line voices in Coleman and Strozier but don't sleep on Harold Mabern or Lisle Atkinson because their contributions are huge too. (Lisles' eerie bowed bass line as the album closes is unforgettable) Duke's talents as a drummer and obviously as a band leader leave me wondering how he remained so obscure. This is a no-brainer here folks.

Prestigeous 1955

It really is amazing the insights you get through these kinds of exercises. My initial guess was that 1955 would be a better starting point for my 'Birth of Hard Bop' concept than my previous voyage through 1956. If you listen to these, I think you will find something quite different than you might expect. At least at Prestige, 1955 was a pretty thin year - the sessions are around 25% fewer than 1956 and the style is some sort of cool jazz/be-bop fusion. Late in the year you hear the spark of a new thing that becomes Hard Bop.

Prestige 1955, pt. 1 by Kingcake on Mixcloud

Prestige 1955, pt. 2 by Kingcake on Mixcloud

Rusty Bryant - For The Good Times (1973) [vinyl>flac]

One of Rusty Bryant's last albums for Prestige - recorded in that more-electric mode that graced the label's albums of the year 1973 - but in a style that's still pretty darn nice! The group's still a small combo - with Rusty on tenor and alto, plus with Hank Jones on electric piano, and the twin guitars of Joe Beck and Hugh McCracken. The rhythm team of Tony Levin and Steve Gadd is still pretty tight too - and there's some nice numbers on the set that cook with a warm electric soul jazz groove. Titles include the mellow "Theme From Deep Throat", a nice soundtrack groover, plus "The Last One Out", "Night In Tunisia", "Killing Me Softly", and "Appalachian Green". © Dusty Groove, Inc.

This album finds Bryant combining pop and soul-jazz with the aid of electric pianos and funky guitars. Things get started with tepid versions of the title track and Roberta Flack's "Killing Me Softly With His Song," both veering dangerously close to Muzak territory. The pieces are salvaged, however, by Joe Beck and Hugh McCracken's guitar work and Hank Jones' steady hand at the keyboards. Bryant turns in his best solo on a groovy version of "Theme From Deep Throat" that's propelled forward by bassist Tony Levin and drummer Steve Gadd. The album provides a backward glance at the strange world of jazz circa 1973. It also offers a chance to hear Bryant cut loose on a number of popular songs. ~ by Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr., AMG.

Prestige Records, P 10073, 1973

Recorded 9^th March, 1973 at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Personnel:

Rusty Bryant - Tenor & Alto Saxophones

Hank Jones - Electric Piano

Joe Beck - Guitar

Hugh McCracken - Guitar

Tony Levin - Bass, Electric Bass

Steve Gadd - Drums

Track Listing:

A1. For The Good Times {Kris Kristofferson} (5:02)

A2. Killing Me Softly {Norman Gimbel, Charles Fox} (5:29)

A3. The Last One Out {Rusty Bryant} (6:22)

B1. Appalachian Green {Don Hales} (4:57)

B2. A Night In Tunisia {Dizzy Gillespie, Frank Paparelli} (5:31)

B3. Looking Through The Eyes Of Love {Billy Barberis} (3:49)

B4. Theme From Deep Throat {Robert Whitaker} (4:25)

Credits:

Producer - Ozzie Cadena

Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder

Art Direction - Tony Lane

Photography - Lee Friedlander

Teddy Charles - Three For Duke (1957) [vinyl>flac]

"As for Duke's music," Oscar concluded, "I haven't heard anything bad by him yet. In terms of adapting some of his works for a trio, I did make some suggestions; because, having worked with Duke so long, I had a kind of insight on how he does things. So I sort of pulled their coats a little from time to time. Anyway, write whatever you want about the session; I just dig playing the music." From Nat Hentoff's liner notes (Jubilee). - "There was no drum used at all. It is a lasting tribute to the genius that was Oscar Pettiford that he was able to integrate his playing into everything that was going on and still keep the tempo going." ~ from Liner Notes by Nat Hentoff.

For the "Three For Duke" session, of 1957 on the Jubilee label, Teddy Charles was reunited with his friend and mentor Hall Overton in a trio rounded out by the master bassist Oscar Pettiford. Six Ellington compositions were recorded including a nine-minute exploration of “Sophisticated Lady,” taken at very slow tempo, but notably avoiding the common ballad crutch of doubling the tempo. Charles had some trepidation about doing this album without a drummer, but Pettiford's strength and taste rendered such concerns unnecessary. With sketches by both Overton and Charles, the music is faithful to Ellington's legacy and thoughtful and moving solos are provided by all three participants. The concepts of group rapport and contextual appropriateness so important to all of Charles's work are ever present. This is an album that definitely merits reissue. Extract from New Directions Revisited - The Rich and Unique Legacy of Teddy Charles by Noal Cohen.

Jubilee Records, JLP 1047, 1958?

Recorded 29^th May, 1957 in New York

Personnel:

Teddy Charles - Vibraphone

Hall Overton - Piano

Oscar Pettiford - Bass

Track Listing:

A1. Main Stem {Duke Ellington} (4:57)

A2. Do Nothing 'Til You Hear From Me {Duke Ellington, Bob Russell} (5:11)

A3. Sophisticated Lady {Duke Ellington, Mitchell Parish, Irving Mills} (9:40)

B1. Don't Get Around Much Anymore {Duke Ellington, Bob Russell} (5:32)

B2. Sherman Shuffle {Duke Ellington} (6:52)

B3. The Mooch {Duke Ellington, Irving Mills} (6:11)

Credits:

Producer - Lee Kraft

Cover Design - Tom Hannan

Liner Notes - Nat Hentoff

Woody Herman - The Fourth Herd

As some of you may or may not know, I am a collector of the Jazzland label.  I began the project by firstly seeking out the sides which were issued under the labels imprint.  After acquiring the low hanging fruit, I still have a handful of sessions to find.

The Fourth Herd has crossed my path before, but in horrid condition so I was forced to pass.  My patience was rewarded when I found this copy through a local dealer.  The album is just fantastic - Herman at his best.  All of the tunes are hard swingin and uplifting, wonderfully positive vibes.  The featured players all play their asses off, particularily Adderley.

The idea of Woody's Fourth Herd was to have a band within a band.  So when the orchestra pulls back, there is a core octet to pick up the tune - this is where the featured guests really come in.  It worked out quite nicely, and of course when the full band comes in they hit hard.  Super tight, bright and brassy - a huge dynamic punch to the gut!!  The whole album is a winner, filled with excitement and interesting twists and turns.

As far as I know, this album was paired with another for a CD release by Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs (MOFI) and is the only instance of a digital release.  I haven't heard it but we can assume it would be excellent.  Well I would put this transfer against anything that may be out there.  The mono vinyl is minty, ripped at 24bit / 48kHz wav and converted to FLAC.  It's wonderfully dynamic and open... enjoy!!!

This CD is quite a bit different than most audiophile releases for it contains rare rather than famous recordings. 1959's The Fourth Herd (which features an all-star group of studio musicians and Woody Herman alumni along with his octet of the time) was only put out briefly by Jazzland while the music on 1962's The New World of Woody Herman was never available commercially before; both were originally cut for the SESAC Transcribed Library and were available only to selected radio stations on a subscription basis. The earlier session has solo spots for tenors Zoot Sims, Al Cohn and Don Lanphere, trumpeters Nat Adderley and Red Rodney, vibraphonist Eddie Costa and Herman on clarinet, a bit of alto and two vocals; Cohn and pianist Nat Pierce wrote most of the colorful and diverse arrangements. By the later session (which has charts by Pierce, Gene Roland, Phil Wilson and Bill Chase), Woody Herman once again was leading an exciting big band of his own. Trombonist Phil Wilson, Duke Ellington's tenor Paul Gonsalves (filling in for the temporarily absent Sal Nistico) and Herman are the solo stars and (as with the first date) the music swings hard and contains its share of surprises. - Scott Yanow / AMG for CD release of The Fourth Herd & the New World of Woody Herman

Jazzland JLP-17
July 31 & Aug 1, 1959

A1 Panatela
A2 Lament For Linda
A3 Misery, Stay Away From My Door
A4 In A Misty Mood
A5 Catty' Corner
A6 The Thirteenth Instant
B1 The Magpie
B2 Blues For Indian Jim
B3 The Devil And The Stoker
B4 The Swing Machine
B5 Summer Nights
B6 Johnny On The Spot

Bass – Milt Hinton
Clarinet – Woody Herman (tracks: A1, A4, A5, B2, B4, B6)
Cornet – Nat Adderley (tracks: A1, A4, A5, B2, B4, B6)
Drums – Don Lamond
Guitar – Barry Galbraith
Piano – Nat Pierce
Reeds – Al Cohn (tracks: A2, A3, A6, B1, B3, B5), Dick Hafer (tracks: A2, A3, A6, B1, B3, B5), Don Lanphere (tracks: A2, A3, A6, B1, B3, B5), Gene Allen (tracks: A2, A3, A6, B1, B3, B5), Sam Markowitz* (tracks: A2, A3, A6, B1, B3, B5), Zoot Sims (tracks: A2, A3, A6, B1, B3, B5)
Tenor Saxophone – Zoot Sims (tracks: A1, A4, A5, B2, B4, B6)
Trombone – Bob Brookmeyer (tracks: A2, A3, A6, B1, B3, B5), Frank Rehak (tracks: A2, A3, A6, B1, B3, B5), Jim Dahl* (tracks: A2, A3, A6, B1, B3, B5), Jimmy Cleveland (tracks: A2, A3, A6, B1, B3, B5)
Trumpet – Bernie Glow (tracks: A2, A3, A6, B1, B3, B5), Burt Collins (tracks: A2, A3, A6, B1, B3, B5), Ernie Royal (tracks: A2, A3, A6, B1, B3, B5), Irvin Markowitz* (tracks: A2, A3, A6, B1, B3, B5), Red Rodney (tracks: A2, A3, A6, B1, B3, B5), Reunald Jones (tracks: A2, A3, A6, B1, B3, B5)
Vibraphone [Vibes] – Eddie Costa (tracks: A1, A4, A5, B2, B4, B6)

Johnny Lytle - Good Vibes (1981) [vinyl 24/48]

One for KingCake that was missing from the Muse blog.


Review by Craig Lytle, amg:
The ever-gregarious Johnny Lytle never cared too much for categorizing his music; he just loved to play all kinds, and this album is one of those outings. If he feels a beat or melody, he just goes with it. This can be witnessed on "Aaron's Theme," awhere the vibes master just palpitates his way over the groove. His rendition of the Miles Davis classic "So What" sets the mood for an uptown jazz scene, as Lytle's mallets gently patter the bars of the vibraphone. His steady rhythm is polished by the precise chords and solo of pianist Neal Creque. The Ohioan adds his own flavor to the Peabo Bryson-penned "Turn the Hands of Time." His buoyant take on the pop standard "New York, New York" illuminates with every stroke of the vibraphone, augmented by a bouncy rhythm. Lytle's cool approach to "After Supper," a mellow blues number, is contrasted by Houston Person's wailing saxophone.


So What
Turn The Hands Of Time
New York, New York
Didn't We
After Supper
Aaron's Theme

Houston Person (tenor saxophone) Johnny Lytle (vibraphone) Neal Creque (piano) David Braham (synthesizer) Melvin Sparks (guitar) Jimmy Lewis (bass) Idris Muhammad (drums) Ralph Dorsey (percussion)
NYC, October 8, 1981

Rusty Bryant - Friday Night Funk For Saturday Night Brothers (1972) [vinyl>flac]

A sweet sweet change for Rusty Bryant - as electric piano moves in on the usual Hammond heard on most of his funky sessions - with a resulting groove that's outta site! The change in keys makes for more of a soundtrack funk feel than a rough-edged one - not smooth at all, but more in a 70s class sort of area - partly CTI, but still with lots more of that loose energy that makes the Prestige jazz funk sessions so great. Unlike later dates of this nature, the group's still small, and very unified - with Khalid Kenneth Moss on electric piano and a bit of organ, Harold Young On guitar, Fred Masey on drums, and Norman Jones on percussion. Titles include "Friday Night Funk For Saturday Night Brothers", "Have You Seen Her", "Blues for a Brother", and "Mercy Mercy Mercy". © Dusty Groove, Inc.

Prestige Records, PR 10053, 1973

Recorded 17^th July, 1972 at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Personnel:

Rusty Bryant - Alto & Tenor Saxophones

Khalid [Kenneth Moss] - Electric Piano, Organ

Eddie Brookshire - Electric Bass

Fred Masey - Drums

Norman Jones - Conga, Percussion

Track Listing:

A1. Friday Night Funk For Saturday Night Brothers {Kenneth Moss} (6:33)

A2. Down By The Cuyahoga {Fred Masey} (8:27)

A3. Have You Seen Her? {Barbara Acklin, Eugene Record} (5:36)

B1. Mercy, Mercy, Mercy {Joe Zawinul} (6:53)

B2. Blues For A Brother {Rusty Bryant} (8:06)

Credits:

Producer - Ozzie Cadena

Engineer - Rudy van Gelder

Photography - Burt Goldblatt

Eiji Kitamura - Seven Stars

If you have been around the Crypt long enough, you will recall the great run of early Concord Jazz albums we did a couple years back.  The first 300 sides they issued are all great albums, if not classic.  Seven Stars falls into the great category.  Not a rare album, but generally overlooked when thinking about Concord's catalogue.

Eiji Kitamura is by no means a jazz master, but he has a wonderfully soulful style.  He plays with lots of feeling and always retains a superb swing.  If you enjoy this album I would suggest looking for some of his other titles.  He is still actively recording and performing.

I don't have too much to say about this album.  Overall it's an excellent mainstream affair, enjoyable from start to finish.  All the players dig in at some point, even if only for a couple tracks.  The vinyl itself is mint and as per usual Concord style, the recording is glorious.  Ripped at 24bit / 48kHz and transferred into FLAC, the quality is as good as it gets... enjoy!!!



Concord Jazz ‎– CJ-217

1983

Bass – Bob Maize
Vibes - Cal Tjader (tracks 1, 3, 6)

Clarinet – Eiji Kitamura
Drums – Jake Hanna
Guitar – Eddie Duran
Piano -  Teddy Wilson

Vocals - Ernestine Anderson (track 7)

1. Avalon

2. Misty
3. Old Lads
4. Stardust
5. The World Is Waiting for the Sunrise
6. Satin Doll
7. Someone to Watch Over Me
8. I Wanna Go Home

Cal Tjader - Soul Burst (1966) [vinyl>flac]

Already an incredible musical amalgam - Swedish-American, sideman to both Dave Brubeck and George Shearing, Latin-jazz pioneer - Cal Tjader's Soul Burst on the scene with unprecedented excitement in 1966. More jazz-oriented than his Soul Sauce, utilizing repertoire from Clare Fischer, Dizzy Gillespie, and Kurt Weill (and Oliver Nelson arrangements), this record features three jazz flutists, a young Chick Corea, and terrific Latin percussionists, including Patato Valdes.

Very groovy! This is one of Cal's great Verve sides from the 60's! As with most of Cal's best, the grooves are a mix of jazz vibes and Latin rhythms – and the whole session's arranged by Oliver Nelson with impeccable skill. Players include Chick Corea, Atilla Zoller, Richard Davis – and a host of Latin percussionists like Patato Valdez, Jose Mangual, and Victor Pantoja. Titles include "Descarga Cubana", "Morning", "Oran", "Curacao", and "Chuchy Frito Man". Very nice! © Dusty Groove, Inc.

You will find Soul Burst an album containing the magnetism of the fresh, colorful, sensitive, and thoroughly dynamic and stimulating music of Cal Tjader - a lively synopsis of the history and development of North American improvisational concepts and Afro-cuban percussion. ~ Extract from Liner Notes by Herb Wong [KJAZ-FM, San Francisco]

Verve Records, V6-8637, 1966

Recorded 9^th, 10^th, 11^th February, 1966 at Van Gelder Studios, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Personnel:

Cal Tjader - Vibraphone

Jerry Dodgion, Seldon Powell, Jerome Richardson - Flute

Chick Corea - Piano

Atilla Zoller - Guitar

Richard Davis, Bobby Roriguez - Bass

Carlos "Patato" Valdez - Conga, Vocals

Jose Mangual - Timbales

Victor Pantoja - Percussion

Track Listing:

A1. Cuchy Frito Man {Ray Rivera, Vin Roddie} (2:21)

A2. Descarga Cubana {Osvaldo Estivill} (2:56)

A3. Soul Burst [Guajera] {Cal Tjader} (4:39)

A4. The Bilbao Song {Kurt Weill, Bertolt Brecht } (2:16)

A5. Manteca {Gil Fuller, Chano Pozo, Dizzy Gillespie} (6:34)

B1. It Didn't End [Nao Se Acabou] {João Donato} (3:55)

B2. My Ship {Kurt Weill, Ira Gershwin} (3:01)

B3. Morning {Robert Cazimero, Clare Fischer} (2:57)

B4. Oran {Chick Corea} (3:59)

B5. Curacao {Cal Tjader} (6:16)

Credits:

Producer - Creed Taylor

Arranger - Chick Corea

Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder

Director of Engineering - Val Valentin

Cover Design - Acy Lehman

Cover Photograph - Bruce Friedle

Liner Notes - Herb Wong

Joe Pass - Intercontinental (24/48 vinyl rip)

Joe Pass (born Joseph Passalaqua) knew how to conjoin melody and chords. Moreover, he brought the walking bass line into the jazz guitar repertoire, as heard in his duo performances with Ella Fitzgerald. Since the American had a first-class bassist in Eberhard Weber at his side during his June 1970 MPS session in Germany’s idyllic Black Forest, Pass could concentrate on playing the melody and the chords. Weber, who comes from Stuttgart, Germany, would soon develop his own electric bass, but at this point he was still playing the traditional acoustic contrabass. Third in the group was British drummer Kenny Clare (not to be confused with American drummer Kenny Clarke). Pass chose the program for the recording, mixing standards with originals. It’s amazing how such typical big band pieces as “Stompin’ at the Savoy” and “Lil’ Darlin’” sound in trio; Pass and company swing like they were Count Basie and his orchestra. The 1970 liner notes designate “I Love You” as the album’s high point: “It is a small jewel for guitar, bass, and drums. Eberhard Weber has a short but exciting solo. Kenny Clare attacks with elaborate brush work throughout. Joe Pass plays with a feather-light sense of swing. His refined lines have a singable quality to them, and he often phrases as if he were a saxophonist.”

Prestigeous! 1956 Hard Bop

Prestige 1956, pt 1 by Kingcake on Mixcloud

Prestige 1956, pt 2 by Kingcake on Mixcloud

Urbie Green - The Fox (1976) [vinyl>flac]

Smooth and silky jazz funk from trombonist Urbie Green - a record that's much more in a mainstream R&B fusion mode than his earlier work - yet also arranged by David Matthews in a soulful style that still keeps things pretty real on the best cuts! The group's a good one for the mellow groove of the material - and includes Mike Mainieri on keyboards, Eric Gale on guitar, Jeremy Steig on flute, and Toots Thielemans laying down a bit of harmonica - all kicking back in classic 70s CTI styles. Titles include the nice modal groover "Mertensia", plus "Manteca", "Foxglove Suite", "Another Star", and "Goodbye". © Dusty Groove, Inc.

CTI Records, CTI 7070, 1977

Recorded July, Oct. & Nov., 1976 at Van Gelder Studios, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Personnel:

Urbie Green - Trombone

Fred Gripper - Piano (#A3,B2-B3)

Mike Abene - Piano (#A2)

Mike Mainieri - Vibraphone (#A2,A4,B2)

Barry Miles - Synthesizer (#A1,B1)

Jeremy Steig - Flute (#A1,B1)

Joe Farrell - Soprano Saxophone (#A3)

Eric Gale - Guitar (#A3,B2-B3)

Toots Thielemans - Harmonica (#A2,A4,B3), Whistle (#A2,A4)

George Mraz - Acoustic Bass (#A1,B1)

Anthony Jackson - Electric Bass (#A1,A3-A4,B2-B3)

Jimmy Madison - Drums (#A1,B1)

Andy Newmark - Drums (#A3,B2-B3)

Sue Evans - Percussion (#A1,B1)

Nicky Marrero - Percussion (#A2,A4)

David Matthews - Percussion [Footsteps] (#A4)

Track Listing:

A1. Another Star {Stevie Wonder} (7:14)

A2. Goodbye {Gordon Jenkins} (2:57)

A3. Mertensia {David Matthews} (4:57)

A4. You Don’t Know What Love Is {Don Raye, Gene De Paul} (3:52)

B1. Manteca {Dizzy Gillespie, Gil Fuller, Luciano Gonzales} (6:32)

B2. Foxglove Suite [From Tristan And Isolde] {Richard Wagner} (7:25)

B3. Please Send Me Someone To Love {Percy Mayfield} (5:32)

Credits:

Producer - Creed Taylor

Arranger - David Matthews

Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder

Design [Album] - Rene Schumacher

Photography [Cover & Liner] - White Gate

Illinois Jacquet - Flying Home

Without a doubt, "The Kid" was one of the greatest sax players to ever breath life on this great Earth of ours.  His sound was gritty, raw and soulful but never without subtlety when required.  Indeed, his voice is instantly recognizable by jazz fans - "Flying Home" is quite possibly the most famous sax solo of all time.

This CD covers alot of ground while bringing you some of Jacquet's best cuts.  Bluebird  originally recorded all of these as 78's, and they have been expertly remastered here.  The recordings range in date from 1947 - 1967 and in location from Hollywood to NYC.  There are some personnel changes throughout the album, but certainly nothing to disappoint - Shadow Wilson to Jo Jones!!??!  Considering that this is technically a compilation, it plays incredibly well as an album.

And with that said, the band absolutely smokes.  It helps when each member is a seasoned pro - JJ Johnson, Leo Parker, Joe Newman, etc, etc.  It varies in size from track to track, but overall the idea is a "little big band".  One thing you will notice straight away is the weight that this band can produce.  Jacquet has basically put together a small group which can operate as a big band when called upon.  I love it.  And having dual trumpet players is one unique aspect to a band of this size.  The whole thing swings hard and is overall a definite shade of blue.  We are treated to all kinds of fun as the members all get to express themselves here, including Illinois' brother Russ who puts in some vocals on Try Me One More Time.

Flying Home is essentially a "Cole's Notes" of the impeccable Mosaic boxset which captured all of Jacquet's recordings from this period.  For those of you who are fortunate enough to have the boxset, this CD is probably not for you.  However for everybody else, including anybody looking to discover Illinois Jacquet, this album is an absolute gem.  I will include the AMG review which is glowing but curiously only scored the album a 3/5 stars.  I would say this set of classic tunes is without a doubt 4/5.  I have included all the scans and ripped the disc using EAC for 16/44.1 FLAC... enjoy!!!

This is a great selection of Jacquet's late-'40s/early-'50s work, hot on the heels of his success with Jazz At The Philharmonic and his tenure with the Lionel Hampton Band. There's lots of honking and squealing coupled to Jacquet's patented abrasive tone, one of the most exciting in jazz, heard to good effect on "Jet Propulsion." Jacquet's brother Russell vocalizes on "Try Me One More Time," making himself a worthy foil, and stalwarts like Leo Parker, Shadow Wilson and J.J. Johnson are counted up in the mix. The closing track is somewhat of a ringer; recorded live in 1967 at the Newport Folk Festival, it's a high voltage take on the the title cut with Illinois' old boss Hampton making a guest appearance. - Cub Koda/AMG

Bluebird / RCA 1992

1. Jet Propulsion 

2. Try Me One More Time 

3. Riffin' at 24th Street 

4. Symphony in Sid 

5. Jacquet for Jack the Bellboy 

6. Big Foot 

7. Black Velvet 

8. B-Yot 

9. Adam's Alley 

10. Hot Rod 

11. Flying Home

David 'Fathead' Newman - Resurgence! (new 24-48 LP rip)

David Fathead Newman - Resurgence (1980)

Muse 5234, Vinyl LP

1. Everything Must Change 4:35
2. Mama Lou 5:54
3. Davey Blue 9:15
4. Carnegie Blues 8:28
5. Akua Ewie 6:24
6. To The Holy Land 7:04

Marcus Belgrave Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Ted Dunbar Guitar
Louis Hayes Drums
David "Fathead" Newman Flute, Sax (Alto), Sax (Soprano), Sax (Tenor)
Cedar Walton Piano, Piano (Electric)
Buster Williams Bass

This is one of the best David Newman albums you will ever hear and we are talking about a guy with some great albums! All the players compliment each other nicely and the session was recorded beautifully. Add to this that I have a Near Mint copy and I don't see how you can go wrong.

Mr. 'Fathead' leaves the R&B soaked sound of the Ray Charles band behind and really digs deep into some hard bop and soul jazz type material on this fine record.( I wonder what Dave and Jimmy Heath would have sounded like together?) The Walton, Williams Hayes rhythm section is as good as it gets and they shine like gold here. You also get rarer opportunities to hear guitarist Ted Dundar and trumpeter Marcus Belgrave. The version of Everything Must Change is just sublime and Cedar Walton's To The Holy Land is taken for a really satisfying spin. Davey Blue is the kind of late night, smokey, whiskey sippin' Blues that I just love and that David always excelled at. Akua Ewie could easily have come off of a classic mid 60's Blue Note LP. Anyone who can actually sit still during Carnegie Blues probably needs to go to the hospital right away. It has the kind of infectious, head bobbing swing that changes the mood of a room.

Gotta say I like 'em all, All Killa, No Filla

David Friesen & John Stowell - Other Mansions (1980) [vinyl>flac]

Bassist David Friesen teams up with guitarist John Stowell in one of their many successful jazz duo endeavors on this classic Inner City re-release, featuring eight original songs by Friesen.

David Friesen has been widely hailed - and rightly so - for his abilities as a bassist. His command of the instrument puts him in a class with few others (check out the harmonics he gets), but what makes Friesen’s music unique is his heart. All of his music has purpose; there are no flashy solos for solo’s sake. Friesen is at once an awesome instrumentalist, a master storyteller and perceptive ensemble player.

Other Mansions teams Friesen with guitarist John Stowell, who has played on all of Friesen’s previous albums except Color Pool (Muse 5109), which was recorded before they met. Their constantly expanding common language has matured here, not only because of the cumulative nature of experience, but also because this is their first strictly duo outing.

Friesen and Stowell have a complementary empathy which gives the music a band sound that is the envy of many a larger group. What makes this possible - and beautiful - is their mutual respect for one another and a willingness to use structures as foundations without allowing those structures to become barriers. They don’t worry about stepping on each other’s toes, because they are thoughtful about every step they take. There is an ongoing sense of give and take.

They are in a class with few others in that their music projects their personalities forcefully without their personalities forcing the music. [This music] will be inspirational to anyone with an open ear and an open heart. ~ Extracts from Liner Notes by W. Patrick Hinely, February, 1980.

Inner City Records, IC 1086, 1980

Recorded November, 1979 at Producer's Studio, Eugene, Oregon

Personnel:

David Friesen - Acoustic Bass, Bamboo Flute, Bell Tree, Tabla Bass, Piano, Percussion

John Stowell - 6 String and 12 String Guitars, Mandolin, African Thumb Piano, Marimba, Percussion

Track Listing:

A1. Trilogy (7:02)

A2. Roof Tops (4:18)

A3. Tomorrow's Dream (5:33)

A4. My Soul Shall Weep In Secret Places (2:59)

B1. Other Mansions (6:14)

B2. All That Has Breath And Life (4:15)

B3. Bretheren Ascending (4:05)

B4. Land Of The Living (5:36)

All Compositions by David Friesen

Credits:

Producer - David Friesen

Recording Engineer - Steve Diamond

Bass Pickup - Don Underwood

Album Design - Suzanne Hill

Cover Photographs, Liner Notes - W. Patrick Hineley

Billy Higgins - Bridgework (1980/86) [vinyl 24/48]

An mp3 rip of this was posted at the old Crypt, this is from my own LP.

One of the few times drummer, Billy Higgins recorded as a leader. This 1986 Contemporary release is comprised of two sessions: one from 1980, and another from 1986. Billy Higgins is arguably the most recorded drummer in the history of jazz. Having the ability to float between hard bop and free jazz, Higgins was the perfect drummer for the modern world. Never in your face, Billy was always there, subtly conducting his business in amazing ways ~ eat.sleep.vinyl

Review by Scott Yanow:
This LP features drummer Billy Higgins in a rare leadership role at two unrelated sessions separated by six years. The three titles from 1980 match Higgins with the underrated (and generally underrecorded) but talented tenor James Clay, pianist Cedar Walton and bassist Tony Dumas; they perform Thelonious Monk's "Evidence," a standard, and a Walton tune. The equally rewarding later set (cut in 1986) has Higgins, Walton, tenor saxophonist Harold Land, and bassist Buster Williams playing three group originals and a nearly 11-minute rendition of "I Hear a Rhapsody." The music overall is excellent hard bop with some strong moments but no major surprises.

Harold Land (tenor saxophone) Cedar Walton (piano) Buster Williams (bass) Billy Higgins (drums)
Los Angeles, CA, April 23, 1986
1. Deception
2. I Hear A Rhapsody
3. Plexus

James Clay (tenor saxophone) Cedar Walton (piano) Tony Dumas (bass) Billy Higgins (drums)
Los Angeles, CA, January 4-5, 1980
4. Evidence
5. Bridgework
6. Old Folks
7. The Theme

Steve Kuhn Trio - Watch What Happens! (1968) [vinyl>flac]

Like many pianists, Steve Kuhn seems to put out one quality disc after another but doesn't ever seem to get the attention he deserves. This beautifully recorded studio date from 1968, with bassist Palle Danielsson and drummer Jon Christensen, is a good example. Eschewing the typical easygoing approaches to Michel Legrand's "Watch What Happens," he launches into a very brisk bossa nova arrangement. J.J. Johnson's gorgeous ballad "Lament" was never in better hands as Kuhn delivers a shimmering but poignant performance; the piece segues into Gary McFarland's unjustly neglected "Once We Loved." A mini-medley of Burt Bacharach songs, "Windows of the World" and "Here I Am," with its unusual chanting introduction, has also stood the test of time. Carla Bley's "Ad Infinitum" delves briefly into the avant-garde but quickly reverts to post-bop. ~ by Ken Dryden, AMG.

The perfection and certainty of the Kuhn music are demonstrated by the fact that Steve recorded almost all numbers on this record in one single sweep. ~ Extract taken from Liner Notes by Joachim E. Berendt.

This LP was one of the original Steve Kuhn albums I bought way back in the late seventies. One I always keep coming back to with fresh ears, Enjoy!

MPS/BASF Records, CRM 676, 1971

Recorded 4^th July, 1968 at MPS Tonstudio Villingen/Black Forest, Germany

Personnel:

Steve Kuhn - Piano

Palle Danielsson - Bass

Jon Christensen - Drums

Track Listing:

A1. Watch What Happens {Michel Legrand} (2:47)

A2. Silver {Steve Kuhn} (2:14)

A3. Lament {Jay Jay Johnson}, Once We Loved {Gary McFarland} (6:54)

A4. Tom Jones {John Addison, Mack Davis} (6:37)

B1. Windows Of The World, Here I Am {Burt Bacherach} (4:17)

B2. I Fall In Love Too Easily {Sam Cahn, Jule Styne} (4:03)

B3. Ad Infinitum {Carla Bley} (8:56)

Credits:

Producer - Hans Georg Brunner-Schwer, Joachim E. Berendt

Recording Engineer - Hans Georg Brunner-Schwer

Recording Director - Willi Fruth

Photos - German Hasenfratz

Graphic Work - Heinz Bahr

Cover - Lucio Fontana

Liner Notes - Joachim E. Berendt

Sahib Shihab - Sentiments (vinyl to FLAC rip)

I can think of no higher praise for this album other than to say that more than one person when hearing this "blind" at my house was convinced it was an unknown Roland Kirk album. Now in MY world that is high praise indeed!

Was anyone more lastingly 'touched' by their association with Monk than Sahib Shihab? He always maintained a quirky edge, a 'different' slant that seemed to have it's genesis in his participation in the Blue Note Monk sessions.

On this session it is very clear that our ex-patriot jazzmen had their ears wide open to what was happening here and were making albums of equal depth that would have played well here in the States if we had only known...

Cool Yule Jazz

Cool Yule Jazz by Kingcake on Mixcloud

Red Holloway with Brother Jack McDuff Quartet - Cookin' Together (1964) [vinyl]

Groovy session that features this star tenorist of the Jack McDuff group as the leader, but which also has the same group backing him up - including McDuff on organ, George Benson on guitar, and Joe Dukes on drums. The set list has a good batch of originals, with the same sort of groove and strong sense of humor as the best McDuff recordings from the time. Tracks include "Brother Red", "No Tears", "Shout Brother", and "Something Funny".  © Dusty Groove, Inc.

Allmusic awarded the album 4½ stars stating "The material is comprised of Burt Bacharach's "Wives and Lovers," "This Can't Be Love," and five Holloway originals, which have more diversity than one might expect. An interesting aspect to the soulful and swinging set is that McDuff made his debut on piano for two songs". ~ Wikipedia

Prestige Records, PR 7325, 1972

Recorded 6^th February, 1964 in Los Angeles, California

Musicians:

Red Holloway - Tenor Saxophone

Jack McDuff - Organ (#A1,A3-B1, B4), Piano (#A2,B3)

George Benson - Guitar

Wilfred Middlebrooks - Bass

Joe Dukes - Drums

Tracks:

A1. Wives And Lovers {Burt Bacharach, Hal David} (8:01)

A2. This Can't Be Love {Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers} (5:24)

A3. Something Funny {Red Holloway} (7:05)

B1. Brother Red {Red Holloway} (3:27)

B2. Denise {Red Holloway} (6:26)

B3. No Tears {Red Holloway} (7:55)

B4. Shout Brother {Red Holloway} (4:28)

Credits:

Producer - Lew Futterman, Peter Paul

Design, Photography - Don Schlitten

Liner Notes - Michael Gold

Kiyohiko Senba & the Haniwa All Stars

20 years ago my friend Raymond Larrett who worked with me at Winterland Productions gave me a VCR tape of this entire concert and I was quite frankly blown away - the whole show was some 2 hours or more, and my copy was taken by Katrina, but today I discovered that Raymond uploaded some of it to youtube and I just can't resist sharing even tho it has no relation to our subject matter here. That beautiful lady singing is Mishio Ogawa - DO NOT MISS THE ALTO SAX SOLO!!! And for god's sake TURN IT UP!!

Willis Jackson - Gatorade (1971) [vinyl]

The music on this obscure LP was not released until 1982 and quickly disappeared. Tenor saxophonist Willis Jackson plays funky jazz that is very much of the period with organist Carl Wilson, guitarist Joe "Boogaloo" Jones, drummer Jerry Potter and Buddy Caldwell on conga. Jackson performs the current pop tunes "Hey Jude" and "The Long and Winding Road," plus a pair of blues (including his "Pow") and a couple of originals. Fun but not overly substantial music. ~ by Scott Yanow, AMG.

This is yet another non substantial appraisal from our often dionysian Scott.

This is his twenty-fifth LP for Prestige. Willis's music has changed little through the years: his bluesy, hard swinging sound has served him (and his fame) quite well. The music played here is representative of Willis at his best. "Good Bread Alley" is danceable funk while "Ivy" is an attractive 32-bar, minor-key line. "Pow" and Gatorade" are blues. Look for a quote of "Anything Goes" in the former and some stop-time breaks à la Lester Young in the latter. ~ Extract from Liner Notes by Phil Schaap, WBGO-FM, Newark, N.J.

Prestige Records, MPP 2516, 1982

Recorded August, 1971 at Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Personnel:

Willis Jackson - Tenor Saxophone

Carl Wilson - Organ

Ivan "Boogaloo Joe" Jones - Guitar

Jerry Potter - Drums

Buddy Caldwell - Conga

Track Listing:

A1. Good Bread Alley {Teddy McRae, Charlie Singleton} (7:32)

A2. Hey Jude {John Lennon, Paul McCartney} (4:22)

A3. Ivy {Hoagy Carmichael} (5:56)

B1. Pow! {Willis Jackson} (6:05)

B2. The Long And Winding Road {John Lennon, Paul McCartney} (5:08)

B3. Gatorade {Willis Jackson} (7:48)

Credits:

Producer - Bob Porter

Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder

Remastering - Gary Hobish, 1982 (Fantasy Studios, Berkeley)

Art Direction - Phil Carroll

Photography - Al Johnson

Andrzej Trzaskowski Sextet feat. Ted Curson - Seant (1966)

Andrzej Trzaskowski was one of the most important figures of Polish jazz, not only in the beginning, but he continued with its development right up until his death in 1998. One of the directions Trzaskowski ventured into within the Polish jazz scene was his own concept of Free Jazz. The most important period of his career was during the 60s, when he was most active as a composer, pianist and director of bands, and his outstanding talent, versatility and innovative concepts were recognized in his country, Europe and America. The breakthrough in his musical thinking came in 1963. By this time his compositions were predominately in hard bop style, then considering that the opportunities for this music were exhausted he developed sound languages radicalising his vision of Free Jazz. During this period Trzaskowski formed a quintet (with Tomasz Stanko, Janusz Muniak, Jacek Ostaszewski, Adam Jedrzejowski), which in 1965 grew into a sextet (Vladimir joined Nahorny and Ted Curson replaced Stanko). This album "Seant" is the result of that collaboration. The music contained on this LP consists of four tunes, the last of which takes up the whole of side 2. Trzaskowski creates tunes with the implementation of a closed composition in an open process. The musical pieces become based on determinants, points of departure, certain rhythmic and harmonic structure-color, which in turn contain instructions for improvisation of individual instruments. As a result there are lots of improvisations perfectly timed and in proportion to the elements of the compositions. This brings about added tension that creates a more dynamic interplay between the musicians enhancing the delivery the tunes. Ted Curson's playing is full of fire and right at home with Trzaskowski's compositions, Enjoy! ~ Extracts translated from biography by Peter Królikowski

Muza, XL 0378, 1966

Recorded Dec. 1965 and Dec. 1966 in National Philharmonic Hall, Warsaw

Personnel:

Andrzej Trzaskowski - Piano

Ted Curson - Trumpet

Wlodzimierz Nahorny - Alto Saxophone

Janusz Muniak - Soprano Saxophone

Jacek Ostaszewski - Bass

Adam Jedrzejowski - Drums

Track Listing:

A1. Seant (9:58)

A2. Wariacja Na Temat “Oj, Tam U Boru” (6:37)

A3. The Quibble (7:58]

B. Cosinusoida (24:45)

All Compositions written by Andrzej Trzaskowski

#2 - Variation On The Theme “Near The Forest”

Credits:

Recording Director - Antoni Karuzas

Recording Engineer - Janusz Pollo

Bosses of the B3, Part 2

Bosses of the B3, Part 2 by Kingcake on Mixcloud

Count Basie - Standing Ovation

This album was actually a request made by papycool.  

The byline on the cover says it all... 3 eras of Basie recorded live.  This album functions as a sort of "greatest hits" from the best bands Basie has put together.  I think alot of people would pass on this by virtue of the front cover.  There's a deluge of crappy Count sides on an equal amount of sub standard labels.  Dot Records has a colourful history and at this point it was a subsidiary of Paramount Pictures.  Dot was certainly not a budget label and put out top notch quality - albeit of sometimes questionable artistry.

The performance on this album is absolutely amazing.  When we look at the personnel, it's clear that this was a band in transition.  There's a few old war horses in the bandstand, but also some young blood like the incredible Oscar Brashear.  They fearlessly tackle the songs and remove certain cliches in order to bring us some fresh ideas.  One O'Clock Jump is actually done twice in order to fulfill this mandate.  Overall it's a shamefully overlooked album in Basie's discography.

Curiously enough, at least as far as I can tell, it's never made it to CD.  That makes this post extra special.  The vinyl is super minty and the fidelity is on par with any modern day live recording.  Indeed, this one is a special treat for Basie fans and jazz fans alike... big band at it's best.  Ripped at 24/44.1 wav and dithered to 16/44.1 FLAC... enjoy!!!!

This 1969 recording was subtitled "Three Eras of Basie Recorded Live at the Tropicana Hotel, Las Vegas," and that's what it is. This set features updated takes on the Basie songbook's greatest instrumental hits of the '30s, '40s, and '50s. Engineer Wally Heider set up the stereo mix to match the classic stage formation of the band, resulting in a potent sitting-in-front-of-the-band feeling for the listener. Besides Basie himself, featured soloists include trumpeter Harry "Sweets" Edison, who reunited with the band for this occasion, tenor saxman Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, and Eric Dixon on flute and tenor. Arranger Sammy Nistico has renovated several of these classics in subtle ways from their original studio recordings. The music is, of course, great, and the players respond to the excitement of the live audience. - Jim Newsome / AMG

Dot Records DLP-25938
1969

A1 Down For Double

A2 Li'l Darlin'
A3 Broadway
A4 Jive At Five
A5 Cherry Point
A6 Jumpin' At The Woodside
A7 One O'clock Jump
B1 Shiny Stockings
B2 Blue And Sentimental
B3 Every Tub
B4 Corner Pocket
B5 The Kid From Red Bank
B6 One O'clock Jump

Joe Bonner - RIP [Muse Albums - Re-Post]

Joe Bonner - The Lifesaver (1975)

Label: Muse Records

Catalog#: MR 5065

On this LP Joe Bonner is fully engaged in creating some marvellous and lyrical excursions into a variety of self-penned tunes. Apart from his evocative piano work he intelligently turns his hand to an assortment of instruments including harmonica and flute creating an intriguing percussive complement to his acoustic piano sounds. A highlight is to hear an original take on his emotive "Little Chocolate Boy". In all, it is a bold solo album that manages to entertain from the start to the finish.

Personnel:

Joe Bonner - Piano, Miscellaneous Instruments, Percussion

Track Listing:

A1. Bonner's Bounce (5:29)

A2. Tatoo (7:42)

A3. Little Chocolate Boy (5:36)

B1. The Lifesaver (4:26)

B2. Native Son (5:40)

B3. The Observer (7:43)

__________________________

Joe Bonner - Angel Eyes (1976)

Label: Muse Records

Catalog#: MR 5134

"Angel Eyes" contains a magical mix of both solo, trio and group tunes. On the title track "Angel Eyes" and "I Do" Bonner plays solo and both are very soul-searching and captivating. "Love Dance" is a blend of both solo and an added rhythm section. Yet, what makes this LP magnificent is the addition of the avant-garde violinist Leroy Jenkins and tenor saxophonist Billy Harper. Both musicians are found on "Variations On The Little Chocolate Boy" and "Celebration", which also includes the superb vocalist Linda Sharrock. The late Jenkins' violin stretches the other players to do more. In this instance Harper clearly showcases his ability to pick up the harmony and run with it. Overall Bonner's playing is incredibly evocative. The album’s highlight is Sharrock’s singing, starting out with a pervasive dark tone that later launches into a wailing mode and then returns anchored by the fusion of the groove being conveyed by the rest of the group. In a lot of ways these two tracks are very bold verging on the avant-garde. The listener cannot but desire more of the same in a follow up album. In the end Bonner concludes this work with a simple but eloquent bamboo flute solo invoking quite a rounding off and spiritual tone to the whole session.

Personnel:

Joe Bonner - Piano, Bells (#A1), Bamboo Flute (#B3)

Billy Harper - Tenor Saxophone (#B1, B2)

Leroy Jenkins - Violin (#B1, B2)

Juni Booth - Bass

Jimmy Hopps - Drums

Linda Sharrock - Vocal {#B2}

Track Listing:

A1. Angel Eyes (5:41)

A2. Love Dance (4:39)

A3. I Do (6:04)

B1. Variations On The Little Chocolate Boy (5:32)

B2. Celebration {Featuring Linda Sharrock} (9:26)

B3. Interlude (3:12)