Dudley Moore - 30 Is A Dangerous Age, Cynthia (1968) [vinyl]

Dudley Moore's musical score to '30 Is A Dangerous Age, Cynthia' is original and eclectic. The music is very much a product of its time, and while written specifically for the film, stands brilliantly on its own as an album. Essentially, Dudley Moore was a successful TV personality in England, but also a professional musician. He both starred in and wrote the musical score for this 1968 movie. The soundtrack reflects his interest in broad range of music genres, especially jazz in small group arrangements. On most of the tracks the listener gets to hear some of Dudley's excellent piano playing. The soundtrack features Dudley's brilliant ability to blend his acting, vocal renditions and his piano playing alongside some cleverly arranged orchestral and smaller group ensembles. The movie itself was the first time Moore ventured out on his own without his long-termed comic partner Peter Cook and the plot about a young man having an early mid-life crisis is less enticing. However, the one thing it shares with "Bedazzled” is Moore's marvellously penned tunes, of popular renowned, is a witty vocal track called "The Real Stuff."

London Records, MS-82010, 196

Tracks:

A1. 30 Is A Dangerous Age (2:33)

A2. Head First (2:23)

A3. The Newsreel Overture (0:32)

A4. The Real Stuff (3:07)

A5. Cynthia (1:52)

A6. Legend (6:32)

B1. Waltz For Suzy (3:30)

B2. Morning Walk (2:50)

B3. Rupert Street Concerto (1:23)

B4. Madrigal (1:55)

B5. Mating Cry (1:48)

B6. The Detective (6:05)

All Compositions by Dudley Moore except #A4 Co-Written with George Hastings

Also Barbara Moore - Vocals (#B5)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062625/

Rupert Street, a piano player and composer, decides to write a musical and marry before he reaches his thirtieth birthday. One minor problem: he'll be 30 in six weeks...

Director: Joseph McGrath

Writers: Dudley Moore, Joseph McGrath

Stars: Dudley Moore, Eddie Foy Jr., Suzy Kendall

Yusef Lateef - Jazz 'Round the World (1963) [vinyl]

This one's for KingCake.

For some strange reason this doesn't seem to have made it to CD. When there was a recent spate of 2on1 Impulse reissues I was hoping for a twofer with A Flat, G Flat And C, but it was not to be. Although I had Hookfinger's vinyl rip, that was in mp3 and from a mono version, so I bought a stereo LP copy, expensive and not in perfect condition but I think it's cleaned up OK. There is something special about owning the vinyl, enhanced by the original gatefold sleeve!

Review by C. ANDREW HOVAN, allaboutjazz.com:
With a recent article in JazzTimes covering the history of Impulse Records and the role that prime mover John Coltrane made in securing the label's place in history, it occurred to me that there are still holes in the catalog's reissue program. Aside from Archie Shepp and Pharoah Sanders, both heavily caught up in Coltrane's trajectory, multi-instrumentalist Yusef Lateef was a vital member of the Impulse family who made his most mature recorded statements during the sixties while following his own path.
Prior to signing with Impulse, Lateef had made many albums for Verve, Savoy, and Prestige that while certainly a bit left of center, drove mainly down the center of the mainstream tradition. The breakthrough came with the half dozen titles that Lateef cut for Impulse, beginning with 1963's Jazz 'Round the World . The premise was very simple for his debut. Way before the term 'world music' was even coined, Lateef would fashion jazz interpretations from various ethnic melodies while utilizing his vast array of woodwind instruments. It would pay off like a charm, with Lateef's swaggering tenor making the most of "Yusef's French Brother" and "Trouble In Mind" taken to new vistas with our reedman on oboe, of all things.
The ten selections are all on the short side, but Lateef and his ensemble make the most of them. Trumpeter Richard Williams is bristling with kinetic energy and this album serves as a valid reminder of how substantial a talent Williams was, despite unjust ambivalence by the jazz masses during his brief lifetime. Pianist Hugh Lawson, bassist Ernie Farrow (incorrectly dubbed as Ernie Barrows on the original album jacket), and drummer Lex Humphries also do their part in making this one of Lateef's more memorable performances, made all the more thrilling thanks to Rudy Van Gelder's engineering genius.
Other masterpiece would follow for Lateef, particularly 1984 and The Golden Flute , but Jazz 'Round the World remains a personal favorite and serves as testament to the fact that the house of Impulse was built by more than just Trane and his followers.

See also article here: http://www.thewire.co.uk/in-writing/essays/jazz-searches-for-new-lands_yusef-lateef-jazz_round-the-world

01 - Abana
02 - India
03 - You, So Tender And Wistful
04 - Yusef's French Brother
05 - The Volga River Song
06 - Trouble In Mind
07 - The Good Old Roast Beef Of England
08 - Raisins And Almonds
09 - Utopia
10 - Ringo Oiwake

Richard Williams (trumpet) Yusef Lateef (tenor sax, flute, bassoon) Hugh Lawson (piano) Ernie Farrow (bass) Lex Humphries (drums)
NYC, December 19 & 20, 1963
[Impulse AS-56]

A note from KC

It certainly can't have escaped many folks attention that I closed The Crypt and Bolden's the other day in the wake of yet another spate of complaints and arguments over our choices of dl sites. I became so sick and tired of the whole mess that I was ready to call it quits and end this blog's 11 year run. Then something somewhat miraculous happened that has changed my mind - the primary party with whom grumpy and I were arguing actually came to my Chitlin Circuit blog and offered a sincere apology (something which has NEVER happened before!). A little while ago I posted the following advice at Chitlins... and I'm re-opening the blog and passing on that advice here

"Lately there has been a growing number of people getting hostile over choices of dl link providers and some peoples' inability to navigate them to get to the desired link. Most of these sites are something of a minefield to navigate; what appears to be the proper button often isn't and they frequently lead to areas that anti-virus and browser programs read as malware. Usually that is a false positive, but no one needs to take that chance of creating a mess they don't know how to eradicate. There IS, however, an easy solution to this frustrating situation (frustrating to both y'all AND me for different reasons).

I'm going to once more strongly suggest that you take this very easy solution that will prevent you from ever having to go to any of those dl sites ever again; the solution is a freeware program called jdownloader2. (Notice that I have put a link to the clean installers) The program is super easy to learn and all you will need to do is highlite the desired link and the program will show you the direct link and you can then tell it to run the download. Simple eh?

So here is my point, if you don't wish to take this advice then DO NOT come complaining to me about your problems dl-ing a post. I am, quite frankly, not interested."

Count Basie & His Atomic Band - Complete Live at the Crescendo 1958

While I prefer to post LP rips here, this was just too good not to share.

 "EU-only five CD set. This superb collection compiles all existing live recordings made by the Atomic Band at the Crescendo Club, in Hollywood, in the summer of 1958, for the first time ever on a single edition. The sound quality is excellent throughout the set. Count Basie's career was revived in late 1957 thanks to the success of the Neal Hefti-arranged LP Atomic Basie, which became one of his biggest hits. The orchestra was filled with stars, and Joe Williams' vocals were heard to great effect supported by Hefti's excellent scores and the superb quality of the band. This long unavailable material includes amazing extended live versions of many of the perennial Hefti arrangements, plus a variety of songs that formed part of the orchestra's repertoire at the time, and Sammy Davis Jr. As a guest star singing with the band on Ray Charles' "Hallelujah, I Love Her So". As a bonus, we have added the soundtrack from a complete 17-minute TV show featuring the same band shortly before it started the Crescendo engagement. Our comprehensive booklet contains detailed information, as well as a rare Count Basie interview published in Down Beat during the band's stay at the Crescendo."

The Al Grey ~ Jimmy Forrest Quintet - Live At Rick's (1978) [vinyl]

The short-lived Al Grey-Jimmy Forrest quintet was formed when the pair left Count Basie's Orchestra in 1977 and ended upon Forrest's death in 1980.

Extract from the liner notes by Jerry Valburn, 1979:
It began with a telephone call. The soft spoken voice on the other end said, 'This is Al Grey. Jimmy Forrest and I would like to put out a record on your Aviva label." ... With the major companies concentrating on the disco and rock scene, recording activity with jazz musicians is completely overlooked and neglected. The result is for the small companies to fill this void and this in turn helps these musicians. … Needless to say, I was overwhelmed and honored that both Grey and Forrest would consider releasing their high quality and exciting blend of music on Aviva and I told Al this.
The quartet (with Shirley Scott on piano and Bobby Durham on drums) came into Hopper's in New York in May. Al came out to my studio along with Bobby Durham and brought some unmixed tapes of the group that had been made on location a few months earlier. As could be expected, these were excellent and exciting performance of the quartet. My only misgiving was one of a personal preference. It has always been my feeling that Shirley Scott, one of the most gifted women talents in jazz, has never been featured enough (on records) on the piano. Most recordings find her playing organ, and at the piano she has no peers. Over lunch, that day, I learned that the group would be going into Rick's on the Lake in Chicago for a two week engagement. Shirley Scott would be playing piano during that stand. We made a decision to record, and Al Grey decided to add the veteran bassist, John Duke for the engagement. My close friend, John Gill, is an outstanding recording engineer and audio expert. We asked John to handle the actual recording (John is one of the most talented sound engineers on the scene today, and he had done many pickups at Rick's and was thoroughly familiar with the acoustics of the room). John went in to record during the second week of their engagement (second week in July 1978) and some of the best captured performances of that week are combined on this album.

01 - In A Mellotone
02 - The Jumpin' Blues
03 - Summertime
04 - C.B. And Me
05 - Truly Wonderful
06 - I Can't Get Started
07 - Salty Papa

Al Grey (trombone) Jimmy Forrest (tenor sax) Shirley Scott (piano) John Duke (bass) Bobby Durham (drums)
"Rick's", Chicago, IL, July 19-21, 1978
(Aviva 6002)

Dudley Moore Trio - The Theme From "Beyond The Fringe" And All That Jazz (1962) [vinyl]

Although recorded in England, originally issued by Atlantic in the US. This is ripped from the UK 1970 reissue.

01 - I Love Paris
02 - Theme From Beyond The Fringe
03 - What's New
04 - I Get A Kickout Of You
05 - Just In Time
06 - Chicago
07 - I Didn't Know What Time It Was
08 - Just One Of Those Things

Dudley Moore (piano) Pete McGurk (bass) Chris Karan (drums)
London, England, August, 1962
Atlantic 1404

The Other Side Of Dudley Moore (1965) [vinyl>flac]

Jazz musician and writer Simon Spillett said of this album: "This is a true classic and illustrates the breadth and depth of the musical mind that lay behind the comic persona. "My Blue Heaven" and "Baubles, Bangles and Beads" are out-and-out groovers, smack in the middle of the great piano trio tradition, but Moore's own compositions take in a far wider trawl for inspiration and influence. "Lysie Does It" would not sit too awkwardly on an Andrew Hill album; "Poova Nova" is bossa nova lounge music as only a performer from the 1960s could envisage it, whilst "Sooz Blues" takes its cue from the unexpected resource of John Coltrane's "Equinox". The ballad "Sad One For George" is among Moore's greatest compositions, touching upon the melancholy of Bill Evans, and it is Evans who the trio evoke explicitly in its rearrangement of the old Dixieland warhorse "Indiana", surely one of the most brilliant transformations of a standard tune imaginable..."

From biography by Heather Phares:
"Though he was renowned as a groundbreaking British comedian and achieved Hollywood stardom thanks to his roles in 10 and Arthur, Dudley Moore took the most pride in his accomplishments as a musician and composer. A choirboy at age six and the organist at church weddings by 14, as a child Moore found refuge in music from the hospital stays and taunting from other children he endured because of his club foot. Eventually, he won a scholarship to Magdalen College at Oxford to study the organ, but he left the school to play jazz piano with Johnny Dankford and tour the U.S. with Vic Lewis. When he returned to Oxford, he met comedian Peter Cook and joined the satirical sketch comedy revue Beyond the Fringe, where his over-the-top piano solos earned him his first widespread success. Moore's witty, whimsical musical and comedic stylings complemented Cook's more acerbic sense of humor perfectly, and throughout the '60s and '70s the pair continued to mix humor and music in projects like the BBC show Not Only But Also and their foul-mouthed alter-egos Derek and Clive. Moore and Cook also made several films together, and Moore composed the music for movies including 30 Is a Dangerous Age, Cynthia and the classic Bedazzled. During the '70s and '80s, Moore found the time to release several albums' worth of piano-based jazz, including Dudley Moore at the Waredon Festival and Come Again, in between his film, television, and stage work. Both his comedy and music careers waned in the '90s due to health problems."

Dudley Moore (p), Pete McGurk (b), Chris Karan (d)
Rec 1965

My Blue Heaven/Lysie Does It/Poova Nova/Take Your Time/Indiana/Sooz Blooz/Baubles, Bangles And Beads/Sad One For George/Autumn Leaves.

Ornette Coleman - The Best Of Ornette Coleman (1970) [vinyl>flac]

A great compilation of various quartets led by Ornette Coleman from 1959-1960. Even though this LP is a random selection taken from Coleman’s classic Atlantic albums, the sound of the LP is outstanding, Enjoy!

Atlantic Records, SD 1558, 1970

Personnel:

#A1,B1

Ornette Coleman - Alto Saxophone

Donald Cherry - Pocket Trumpet

Charlie Haden - Bass

Billy Higgins - Drums

#A2,A3

Ornette Coleman - Alto Saxophone

Donald Cherry - Pocket Trumpet

Charlie Haden - Bass

Ed Blackwell - Drums

#A4

Ornette Coleman - Alto Saxophone

Donald Cherry - Cornet

Charlie Haden - Bass

Billy Higgins - Drums

#B2

Ornette Coleman - Alto Saxophone

Donald Cherry - Pocket Trumpet

Scott LaFaro - Bass

Ed Blackwell - Drums

Track Listing:

A1. Una Muy Bonita {Ornette Coleman} (5:58)

Recorded 10th October, 1959 at Radio Recorders Studio, Hollywood, California

Recording Engineer - Bones Howe

From Atlantic LP 1327

A2. Embraceable You {George & Ira Gershwin} (4:52)

Recorded 26th July, 1960 at Atlantic Recording Studios, New York

Recording Engineer - Tom Dowd

From Atlantic LP 1353

A3. Blues Connotation {Ornette Coleman} (5:16)

Recorded 19th July, 1960 at Atlantic Recording Studios, New York

Recording Engineer - Tom Dowd, Phil Iehle

From Atlantic LP 1353

A4. Lonely Woman {Ornette Coleman} (4:58)

Recorded 10th October, 1959 at Radio Recorders Studio, Hollywood, California

Recording Engineer - Bones Howe

From Atlantic LP 1317

B1. Ramblin' {Ornette Coleman} (6:35)

Recorded 9th October, 1959 at Radio Recorders Studio, Hollywood, California

Recording Engineer - Bones Howe

From Atlantic LP 1327

B2. C & D {Ornette Coleman} (13:11)

Recorded 26th July, 1960 at Atlantic Recording Studios, New York

Recording Engineer - Tom Dowd

From Atlantic LP 1378

Credits:

Producer - Nesuhi Ertegun

Cover Photo - Lee Friedlander

Cover Design - Loring Eutemey

Liner Notes - Nat Hentoff

Sam Most - Flute Flight (1976) [vinyl>flac]

Review by Chris Sheridan, Jazz Journal, October 1978:
Anyone who believes a flute-led quartet date is a cure for insomnia is certain to be caught napping by the ferocity of Most's attack on the opener. This most neglected of flautists leaps from the stop-time theme into a brisk solo of bristling clarity. And after Lou, Monty and Donald have had a say, Most wastes no time reminding us that the technique of humming along with a solo was pioneered by himself.
It Might As Well Be Spring is a pretty duet for Sam and Lou, while neither Flying Down To Rio nor Sagittarian Samba are ordinary bossas. Bailey's drums rustle trenchantly — indeed, the entire trio is rather more snappy than one might expect on a flute album.
This is a very good record, so, as Xanadu's gaffer is wont to say - enjoy!

01 The Humming Blues 5:31
02 It Might As Well Be Spring 6:35
03 Flying Down To Rio 7:44
04 Sagittarian Samba 6:16
05 Last Night When We Were Young 5:44
06 It Happened In Monterey 3:11
07 Am I Blue 5:55

Sam Most - flute; Lou Levy - piano; Monty Budwig - bass; Donald Bailey - drums
Recorded: December 28 1976
(Xanadu 141)

Sorry - link now in comments!

Eric Kloss - Life Force (1967) [vinyl>flac]

Much of this music is unconventional, avant-garde by the standards of anyone reared in the structural tradition of 12-bar blues, 16- and 32-bar pop standards, and infinite variations thereon. Here, other structures and idioms are freely borrowed and explored, and the listener can never be sure what avenue the boys will ramble down next. But experiment, free experiment, has ever been the soul of jazz (as of the Life Force itself, according to its admirers). At 18, Eric Kloss is a worthy representative of both conceptions, and a welcome newcomer to the ranks of those select pros who can usually be counted on for something fresh and exciting in almost any vein they choose. ~ Extract from Liner Notes by Ralph Berton.

Prestige Records, PRST 7535, 1968

Recorded 18^th September, 1967

Musicians:

Eric Kloss - Alto Sax (#A2,B1,B3), Tenor Sax (#A1,A3,B2)

Jimmy Owens - Trumpet, Flugelhorn (except #B1)

Pat Martino - Guitar

Ben Tucker - Bass

Alan Dawson - Drums

Tracks:

A1. Soul Daddy {Charles Austin} (3:55)

A2. You're Turning My Dreams Around {Eric Kloss} (4:54)

A3. Life Force {Eric Kloss} (11:23)

B1. Nocturno {Bud Shank} (6:37)

B2. St. Thomas {Sonny Rollins} (5:23)

B3. My Heart Is In The Highlands {Eric Kloss} (8:28)

Credits:

Producer - Don Schlitten

Recording Engineer - Richard Alderson

Design - Don Schlitten

Artwork - Irving Riggs

Liner Notes - Ralph Berton (Jan. 1968)

Ornette Coleman - Twins (1959-1961) [vinyl>flac]

Ornette Coleman's Twins has been looked at as an afterthought in many respects. A collection of sessions from 1959, 1960, and 1961 with different bands, they are allegedly takes from vinyl LP sessions commercially limited at that time to 40 minutes on vinyl, and not initially released until many years later. Connoisseurs consider this one of his better recordings in that it offers an overview of what Coleman was thinking in those pivotal years of the free bop movement rather than the concentrated efforts of The Art of the Improvisers, Change of the Century, The Shape of Jazz to Come, This Is Our Music, and of course the pivotal Free Jazz. There are three most definitive selections that define Coleman's sound and concept. "Monk & the Nun" is angular like Thelonious Monk, soulful as spiritualism, and golden with the rhythm team of bassist Charlie Haden and drummer Billy Higgins driving the sweet and sour alto sax of Coleman and piquant trumpeting of Don Cherry. "Check Up" is a wild roller coaster ride, mixing meters, tempos, and dynamics in a blender in an unforgettable display of sheer virtuosity, and featuring bassist Scott LaFaro. "Joy of a Toy" displays the playful Ornette Coleman in interval leaps, complicated bungee jumps, in many ways whimsical but not undecipherable. It is one of the most intriguing of all of Coleman's compositions. Less essential, "First Take" showcases his double quartet in a churning composition left off the original release This Is Our Music, loaded with interplay as a showcase for a precocious young trumpeter named Freddie Hubbard, the ribald bass clarinet of Eric Dolphy, and the first appearance with Coleman's groups for New Orleans drummer Ed Blackwell. "Little Symphony" has a great written line with room for solos in a joyful hard bop center with the quartet of Coleman, Cherry, Haden, and Blackwell. All in all an excellent outing for Coleman from a hodgepodge of recordings that gives a broader view of his vision and the music that would come later in the '60s. ~ by Michael G. Nastos, AMG.

Atlantic Records, SD 1588, 1971

"First Take" 21^st December, 1960 at A&R Studios, New York City

"Little Symphony" 19^th July, 1960, at Atlantic Recording Studios, New York City

"Monk And The Nun" 22^nd May, 1959, at Radio Recorders, Hollywood, California

"Check Up" 31^st January, 1961, at Atlantic Recording Studios, New York City

"Joy Of A Toy" 26^th July, 1960, at Atlantic Recording Studios, New York City

Personnel:

Ornette Coleman - Alto Saxophone (#A1-B3)

Don Cherry - Pocket Trumpet (#A1,B2), Cornet (#B1), Trumpet (#A2,B3)

Freddie Hubbard - Trumpet (#A1)

Eric Dolphy - Bass Clarinet (#A1)

Scott LaFaro - Bass (#A1,B2)

Charlie Haden - Bass (#A1-B1,B3)

Ed Blackwell - Drums (#A1,A2,B2,B3)

Billy Higgins - Drums (#A1,B1)

Track Listing:

A1. First Take (16:56)

A2. Little Symphony (5:13)

B1. Monk And The Nun (5:52)

B2. Check Up (10:07)

B3. Joy Of A Toy (4:55)

Credits:

Producer - Nesuhi Ertegun

Recording Engineer - Tom Dowd (#A1,A2,B2,B3), Phil Iehle (#A2), Bones Howe (#B1)

Mastering Engineer - George Piros

Mixing [Re-Mix Engineer] - Geoffrey Haslam

Cover Design - Haig Adishian

Cover Photo - Omar Kharem

Liner Notes - Martin Williams

Eric Kloss - We're Goin' Up (1968) [re-rip]

‘We're Goin' Up’ is the sixth album by saxophonist Eric Kloss which was recorded in 1968 and released on the Prestige label. ~ Wiki

The album finds the 18 year old Kloss in serious company with Jimmy Owens on trumpet, Kenny Barron on piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass and the great Alan Dawson on drums. The music is stunning post-bop. ~ KingCake

Personally, I just love this LP. Eric playing is brilliant and as KC said clearly supported by equally marvellous players. Enjoy!

Prestige Records, PR 7565, 1968?

Recorded 22^nd December, 1967, New York City [Taken from Jazzdisco Discography]

Musicians:

Eric Kloss - Alto Saxophone

Jimmy Owens - Trumpet & Flugelhorn

Kenny Barron - Piano

Bob Cranshaw - Bass

Alan Dawson - Drums

Tracks:

1. Get The Money Bluze (2:28)

2. I Long To Belong To You (6:33)

3. Gentle Is My Lover (7:35)

4. We're Goin' Up (5:24)

5. Of Wine And You (5:53)

6. Blues Up Tight (5:48)

All Compositions by Eric Kloss

Credits:

Producer - Don Schlitten

Recording Engineer - Richard Alderson

Cover Design/Art - Irving Riggs

Don Ewell

I just can't say enough about this album - a real gem.  Ewell is a name often attached to "Dixieland" via his work with the Dukes.  We also associate "Stride" with him because of his incredible style.

The fact is, those are both horrendous cliches which do nothing to really describe Don Ewell.  This self titled release for Chiaroscuro shows us that you simply can't put this pianist in a box.  For the sake of giving you something to relate him with, I would go with Traditional / NOLA jazz.

The music is bluesy, hard swingin and always joyous no matter the tempo or tune. This album is perfect, all the way through.  You won't find any filler or musical misgivings here, instead, we are given sides which display the best jazz has to offer.

Side 1 is a trio with Hall & Leeman, while side 2 is a quartet with Tate, Duvivier & Leeman.  The sidemen bring their A-game to these tunes, and are given plenty of room to shine.  Ewell himself gives us every reason to believe he is one of the more underrated pianists of his time.  It would be easy to overlook this album from it's unexciting cover, to it's 70's publishing date... but that would be a large mistake.  From start to finish this record delivers on all fronts and leaves you feeling upbeat.

I ripped this minty vinyl at 24/48 wav and transferred it to 24/48 FLAC for your convenience.  Superb stereo recording... enjoy!!!

______________________________________________

Chiaroscuro Records ‎– CR 130
1974

A1 Sweethearts On Parade
A2 Creole Love Call
A3 Diane
A4 Apex Blues
A5 All By Myself
B1 Coquette
B2 It Must Be True
B3 Let´s Fall In Love
B4 I Cover The Waterfront

Bass – George Duvivier (tracks: B1 to B4)
Clarinet – Herb Hall (tracks: A1 to A5)
Drums – Cliff Leeman
Piano – Don Ewell
Tenor Saxophone – Buddy Tate (tracks: B1 to B4)

Ted Curson - In Paris - Live At The Sunside (2006)

Great live material from Ted Curson - a Parisian performance that features Ted with a range of different artists, really opening up in ways that show the full range of his tremendous talents! Paris always seems to bring out the best in Curson (we consider ourselves fortunate to have caught him there live years back, sharing a stage with Rufus Harley) – and this set shows Ted really taking full advantage of the opportunities the scene offers him. Some cuts are straight small combo jazz – with Ted's trumpet burning it up over backing from the trio of pianist Alain Jean-Marie. Other numbers add in a bit of backup vocals, behind Curson's own bluesy lead. And still others feature added alto, flute, and percussion – making for a further level of expression that we don't usually hear on an album from Ted. Curson's vocal performances are peppered throughout the double-length set – and almost seem to be more crowd pleasing moments, where he might be expected to warble a standard for the overseas audience – but they do have a sort of charm, given the raspy style of singing – and one number, a hip take on "Summertime", is actually a funky groover that really makes happy that Ted decided to sing along (he gets some help on that number from soulful Sylvia Howard, too!) Titles include "Reava's Waltz", "Tears For Dolphy", "Caravan", "Dig", "Round Midnight", "Milestones", "Confirmation", "Cantaloupe Island", and "Pilma Boogie". © Dusty Groove, Inc.

Blue Marge, 1009, 2007

Recorded 30^th & 31^st August, 2006 Live at Sunside in Paris, France

Personnel:

Ted Curson - Trumpet, Piccolo Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Flute, Vocals

Alain Jean-Marie - Piano
Gilles Naturel - Bass

Philippe Soirat - Drums

Other Players:

Pierrick Pédron - Alto Saxophone [CD1: 1,3,5,7,8 & CD2: 1,3,5,7,8,9]

Guillaume Naturel - Flute [CD1: 2 & CD2: 3

Julie Saury - Percussion [CD1: 1,7 & CD2 3,6]

Voice Solos:

Daiva Starinsakite [CD1: 4]

Evrim Özsuca [CD2: 4,6,7]

Ferhat Öz [CD1: 4,6 & CD2: 2,6,7]

Jaanika Ventsel [CD1: 2,6 & CD2: 6]

Silvia Howard [CD2: 9]

Track Listing:

CD1:

1. Caravan {Juan Tizol, Duke Ellington, Irving Mills} (8:43)

2. Tears For Dolphy {Ted Curson} (8:12)

3. Dig {Miles Davis} (9:06)

4. 'Round About Midnight {Thelonious Monk} (8:54)

5. Woody 'N' You {Dizzy Gillespie} (11:33)

6. Georgia On My Mind {Hoagy Carmichael} (6:56)

7. Cantaloupe Island {Herbie Hancock} (8:06)

8. Plima Boogie {Ted Curson} (4:18)

Time: 1:05:48

CD2:

1. Reava's Waltz {Ted Curson} (7:27)

2. Blueberry Hill {Fats Domino} (5:45)

3. Tin Tin Deo {Dizzy Gillespie} (13:28)

4. Lover Man {Jimmy Davis, Ram Ramirez, James Sherman} (6:28)

5. Milestones {Miles Davis} (7:12)

6. Summertime {George Gershwin, DuBose Heyward} (6:35)

7. Cherokee {Ray Noble} (10:21)

8. Confirmation {Charlie Parker} (7:01)

9. Blues Medley {Various} (9:06)

Time: 1:13:23

Credits:

Producer - Gérard Terronès

Coordinator - Marianne Fernel

Recording, Mixing, Editing, Mastering - Alain Gandolfi

Design, Graphics - Fasm

Photography - Jacquie Dauvilliers-Morat

Liner Notes, Translation - Jean Szlamowicz

This two CD set contains over two hours of wonderfully entertaining jazz from the indefatigable Curson, 71 years old when recorded live in August of 2006. The fiery trumpeter whose early career associations included Cecil Taylor, Charles Mingus and Eric Dolphy, and then later established a notable presence on the European jazz scene, introduces us to some very talented but lesser known overseas musicians.

Pierrick Pédron is a formidable bebop altoist out of the Cannonball Adderley school, with a tone sometimes approaching the rawness of Vincent Herring. He plays with endless drive, polished technique and great clarity. Pianist Alain Jean-Marie has an absorbing, sophisticated style resembling that of Barry Harris. Bassist Gilles Naturel and drummer Philippe Soirat prove to be solid and tasteful in support, and Naturel’s lucid solos are quite effective. His brother Guillaume exhibits a pure, warm tone and nimble fingering on flute. Julie Saury, daughter of clarinetist Maxim, contributes engaging solos on congas and bongos. Sylvia Howard sings her heart out alongside Curson in a “Blues Medley.” That leaves the vocal choir, Ferhat Öz, Evrim Özsuca, Daiva Starinskaite and Jaanika Ventsel, four young singers that Curson discovered during a singing competition at the Nõmme Jazz Festival in Estonia. They all sing with great feeling, verve and individuality.

Curson himself plays with much spirit and creativity, and also sings up a storm in a blues-drenched, ingratiating voice. The program ranges from Curson’s own “Tears for Dolphy” and “Reava’s Waltz,” to many jazz classics and standards such as “Caravan,” “Dig,” “’Round About Midnight,” “Woody ’n’ You,” “Tin Tin Deo,” “Milestones,” “Cherokee,” “Confirmation,” “Georgia On My Mind,” “Lover Man” and even “Blueberry Hill.” Referring to Mingus, Curson is quoted as saying, “The older I get, the more I begin to look like my master and even act like him.” Mingus would certainly have appreciated this ambitious project, and the gusto and humor with which it’s delivered. ~ by Scott Albin, JazzTimes.

Ted Curson - Sugar 'N Spice (1999)

Ted Curson's incandescent flame burns bright in this impassioned salute to bebop, the music that inspired the trumpeter to want to play jazz. The underrated Curson, it should be pointed out, is one of modern jazz's true innovators. In the late 1950s, he was a key participant in the seminal probes of avantgardist Cecil Taylor. A year later, he and Eric Dolphy helped ignite Charlie Mingus' tempestuous upheavals. In the mid-1970s, he led one of the era's great small groups, a bop-based sextet at once open-ended and disciplined.

Here, in a congenial setting with pianist Michael Cochrane, guitarist Lenny Argese, bassist Calvin Hill, and drummer Bruce Cox, the trumpeter flies with a brio reminiscent of Clifford Brown. Also impressive is Curson's "voice." Even in his more abstract work, Tears for Dolphy (1964), for instance, the trumpeter has displayed a brassy yet warmly centered sound. It's a sonic signature that continues to serve him well. Mixing standards like "Georgia" with originals such as the exuberant title track, Curson declaims with a heart that "sings." ~ by Chuck Berg, Jazztimes.

Level Green, 22008, 1999

Recorded, Mixed and Mastered 11^th April, 1999 at BIOYA Recording Studios, Paterson, New Jersey

Personnel:

Ted Curson - Trumpet

Michael Cochrane - Piano

Lenny Argese - Guitar

Calvin Hill - Bass

Bruce Cox - Drums

Track Listing:

01. Playhouse March {Ted Curson} (6:16)

02. Jordu {Irving "Duke" Jordon} (6:26)

03. Marjo {Ted Curson} (5:39)

04. Summertime {Dubose Heyward, George Gershwin} (5:59)

05. Sugar 'N Spice {Ted Curson} (5:50)

06. All The Things You Are {Oscar Hammerstein II, Jerome Kern} (8:53)

07. Tin Tin Deo {Chano Pozo} (8:09)

08. Georgia {Hoagy Carmichael, Stuart Gorrell} (7:42)

09. Dig {Miles Davis} (7:49)

10. Milestones {Miles Davis} (5:34)

Credits:

Producer - Lenny Argese

Executive Producer - James Spitznagel

Recording, Mixing and Mastering - Lenny Argese

Photography - James Spitznagel

Design - Iron Design

Liner Comments - Ted Curson

Don Patterson - Why Not... (1978) [vinyl>flac]

Later work from Don Patterson -- but a record that still shows him in fine fine form! The tunes are all long and spacious -- no gimmicks, just straight ahead soul jazz, in that beautiful back-to-basics mode that Muse was using with Charles Earland around the same time. The group's a quintet -- bigger than usual for Patterson -- with Don on the Hammond, plus Bootsie Barnes on tenor, Eddie McFadden on guitar, Virgil Jones on trumpet, and Idris Muhammad on drums. Titles include "Aries", "Why Not", "Three Miles Out", and "Freddie Tooks Jr". © Dusty Groove America, Inc.

Don was born in Columbus, Ohio, July 22, 1936. He’s now living in Philadelphia, a city that is a mecca for artists, as well as a stronghold for organist Jimmy Smith, Jimmy McGriff, Trudy Pitts, just to name a few. “Fats” Waller in the late 1930's was one of the first to use the organ as a jazz instrument. This is the fourth Don Patterson album on Muse Records. Don Patterson is not only a master organist, but also a talented compose. There are three of his originals on this album. He uses the melodic, harmonic and rhythmic lines in their proper colors. Tonal colors are important when playing or mastering the organ. ~ rappamelo.com.

Don Patterson is among my top five favourite organists. Never heard a bad recording of his. I always found him the closest to Horace Silver of all organists, especially as a composer. I think he inspired Sonny Stitt to some of his best playing. I like all the Muse sessions. The fourth Muse "Why Not" is nice, I always have a cassette of it in the car, with a nice Horace Silver vibe in the heads. ~ Mike Weil.

Don is the MAN! Another giant we lost too soon. He's really not on enough recordings, either. Have you got the Muse dates? Those are killer! ~ Jim Alfredson.

Muse Records, MR 5148, 1978

Recorded 26^th January, 1978 at Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Personnel:

Don Patterson - Organ

Bootsi Barnes - Tenor Saxophone

Virgil Jones - Trumpet

Eddie McFadden - Guitar

Idris Muhammad - Drums

Track Listing:

A1. Why Not {Houston Person} (11:39)

A2. Aries {Don Patterson} (8:12)

B1. Dem New York Dues {Don Patterson} (8:02)

B2. Three Miles Out {Bootsi Barnes} (5:23)

B3. Freddie Tooks Jr. {Don Patterson} (6:36)

Credits:

Producer - Houston Person

Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder

Art Direction and Cover Photo - Hal Wilson

Liner Notes - Samir Ali Sadiq, WRTI FM, Philadelphia, PA

Gabor Szabo - Rambler (1973) [vinyl>flac]

Although this LP is a CTI production, guitarist Gabor Szabo is well featured in a conventional quartet (without strings, horns or "sweetening") that also includes the electric piano of Mike Wofford, bassist Wolfgang Melz and drummer Bobby Morin; Bob James sits in on some cuts on keyboards. For what would be Szabo's last significant recording, the Hungarian guitarist performs an obscurity and five of bassist Melz's originals, including "Rambler," "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye" and "Reinhardt." Although the individual melodies are not that memorable (none caught on), Gabor Szabo's distinctive sound and logical improvisations make this an album worth searching for. ~ by Scott Yanow, AMG.

CTI Records, CTI 6035, 1974

Recorded September, 1973 at Van Gelder Studios, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Personnel:

Gabor Szabo - Guitar

Bob James - Piano, Organ, Synthesizer

Mike Wofford - Electric Piano

Wolfgang Melz - Bass

Bobby Morin - Drums

Unknown - Percussion

Tracks:

A1. Rambler {Wolfgang Melz} (5:25)

A2. So Hard To Say Goodbye {Wolfgang Melz} (4:42)

A3. New Love {Wolfgang Melz} (5:19)

B1. Reinhardt {Wolfgang Melz} (6:55)

B2. Help Me Build A Lifetime {Wolfgang Melz} (4:25)

A3. All Is Well {Robert Lam} (6:21)

Credits:

Producer - Creed Taylor

Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder

Musical Supervision - Bob James

Cover Photograph - Pete Turner

Liner Photograph - Charles Stewart

Album Design - Bob Ciano