Johnny "Hammond" Smith - Gettin' Up (1967) [re-rip]

Smith came right out and declared it in the liner notes: "I'm thinking more commercially and I don't care what the critics say." That meant covering soul hits like "Knock on Wood," "Stand By Me," and "The 'In' Crowd," presumably, in addition to throwing in standards like the title cut and "Summertime," as well as three Smith originals. So what does this critic say? Good job, Johnny! This is superior organ-soul-jazz with a feistier edge than much of the genre, evident right from the opening "The Sin-In," which has riffs worthy of a TV detective show and some fine stuttering keys from the leader. The feistiness in this combo is in large part down to drummer John Harris, who really bashes it out; on "Knock on Wood," for instance, he sounds rather more like a rock drummer than a jazz one. Prestige stalwart Houston Person is on hand with tenor sax, while Virgil Jones' trumpet lends the arrangements some good complementary color. In some respects this is more of the same as far as mid- to late-'60s soul-jazz goes, particularly in repertoire ("Summertime" certainly isn't the most imaginative cover choice), but there's a brash energy that makes it a cut or two above the norm for the genre.  ~ by Richie Unterberger, AMG.

Prestige Records, PRST 7494, 1967

Recorded 3^rd March, 1967 at Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Personnel:

Johnny "Hammond" Smith - Organ

Virgil Jones - Trumpet

Houston Person - Tenor Saxophone

Thornel Schwartz - Guitar

Jimmy Lewis - Electric Bass [Fender]

John Harris - Drums

Track Listing:

A1. The Sin-In {Johnny "Hammond" Smith} (4:22)

A2. Stand By Me {Ben E. King, Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller} (2:44)

A3. Knock On Wood {Eddie Floyd, Steve Cropper} (2:43)

A4. The Soulful Blues {Johnny "Hammond" Smith} (7:30)

B1. Ebb Tide {Robert Maxwell, Carl Sigman} (2:44)

B2. Summertime {George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin, DuBose Heyward} (3:33)

B3. Gettin' Up {Johnny "Hammond" Smith} (6:15)

B4. The ‘In’ Crowd {Billy Page} (3:16)

Credits:

Producer - Cal Lampley

Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder - RIP

Liner Notes - Chris Albertson

A sweetly funky set from Johnny “Hammond” Smith - a date done right at the start of the jazz funk era on Prestige - and one that marks a nicely heavy Soul Jazz groove.

Red Rodney - Home Free (1977) [vinyl>re-rip>flac]

From 1976-79, trumpeter Red Rodney recorded three LPs with altoist Richie Cole that otherwise mostly used different lineups of musicians. This excellent outing (which also includes tenor saxophonist David Schnitter, pianist Barry Harris, bassist George Duvivier and drummer Leroy Williams) has a bit of a jam session feel to it. Cole contributed "Starburst" and "Red Rodney Rides Again"; the trio plays Rodney's "Helene," and the full group romps on "Out of Nowhere," "All the Things You Are" and "Bluebird." By 1977, Rodney's chops were back in prime form, and his mastery of bebop (along with the colorful Cole's) is obvious in these recordings. Worth searching for. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide.

Muse Records, MR 5135, 1979

Recorded 19th December, 1977 at CI Recording Studio New York City

Musicians:

Red Rodney - Trumpet

Richie Cole - Alto Saxophone

David Schnitter - Tenor Saxophone

Barry Harris - Piano

George Duvivier - Bass

Leroy Williams - Drums

Tracks:

1. Starburst {Richie Cole} (5:41)

2. Out Of Nowhere {Johnny Green} (6:17)

3. All The Things You Are {Jerome Kern} (9:16)

4. Red Rodney Rides Again {Richie Cole} (5:53)

5. Helene {Red Rodney} (5:35)

6. Bluebird {Charlie Parker} (9:35)

Credits:

Producer - Bob Porter

Engineer - Chuck Irwin

Album Design - Mark Kaplan

Barry Harris courtesy of Xanadu Records

Shirley Scott - On A Clear Day (1966) [vinyl]

One of the best Shirley Scott albums ever - a wonderfully groovy little set that seems to stand head and shoulders above some of her other trio dates of the 60s! Shirley really hits a nice clean groove here - a sense of tone we don't always hear this beautifully on earlier Prestige dates, with almost an influence from some of the 60s bossa organists, which seems to show up in the grooves as well. But there's also a deeper swing too - one that seems to come from the album's tight rhythms from Ron Carter's bass and Jimmy Cobb's drums – both of whom snap the groove very tight, and keep Shirley's solos very lean, very clean. Titles include "What The World Needs Now", "Corcovado", "Instant Blues", and "On A Clear Day". © Dusty Groove, Inc.

Impulse! Records, AS-9109, 1966

Recorded 6^th January, 1966 in New York City

Personnel:

Shirley Scott - Organ

Ron Carter - Bass

Jimmy Cobb - Drums

Tracks:

A1. On A Clear Day You Can See Forever {Alan J. Lerner, Burton Lane} (4:44)

A2. What'll I Do? {Irving Berlin} (4:32)

A3. Cold Winter Blues {Shirley Scott} (3:45)

A4. All Alone {Irving Berlin} (4:43)

B1. What The World Needs Now Is Love {Hal David, Burt Bacharach} (3:56)

B2. Corcovado {Antonio Carlos Jobim} (5:18)

B3. Days Of Wine And Roses {Henri Mancini, Johnny Mercer} (5:17)

B4. Instant Blues {Irving Berlin} (6:14)

Credits:

Producer - Bob Thiele

Engineer - Bob Simpson

Cover and Liner Photos - Charles Stewart

Cover Design - Robert Flynn, Viceroy

Liner Design - Joe Lebow

Liner Notes - Stanley Dance (Jazz Magazine)

Most of organist Shirley Scott's records in the 1960s featured her husband, tenor saxophonist Stanley Turrentine, so this trio effort with bassist Ron Carter and drummer Jimmy Cobb was a change of pace. As usual, Scott features an off-the-wall tune ("What The World Needs Now Is Love") in her repertoire, along with standards (including "On A Clear Day" and selections by Henry Mancini, Antonio Carlos Jobim and Irving Berlin) and a couple of basic originals. The music grooves and Scott shows that she did not need a competing horn in order to come up with soulful and swinging ideas. ~ Scott Yanow, AMG.

Freddie McCoy - Funk Drops (1966) [re-rip]

Funk Drops is the third album by American jazz vibraphonist Freddie McCoy which was recorded in 1966 for the Prestige label. This is a classic Jazz Funk/Soul Jazz LP. Just listen to ‘And I Love Her’ as a cover masterpiece. Another highlight is the Billy Taylor piece ‘Theodora’. Brackeen’s playing is a splendid counterpoint to Freddie’s vibes. Ripped from a well-loved LP, there are a few artifacts but not detrimental to the overall sound.

Holy cow! Freddie McCoy's records are amongst the hardest to find from the Prestige catalog. And why not? This funky vibes player had a great sound, and his records have a cool soul vibes sound that's very different from other players in the same vein, such as Johnny Lytle. This LP features 2 types of tracks - some jazz, and some funk - and both are played by different groups. Joanne Brackeen plays with the jazz group on tracks like "Moyé", "Tough Talk", and "Theodora"; and Pretty Purdie backs a larger group on the funkier cuts like "Funk Drops" and "My Babe". © Dusty Groove, Inc.

Prestige Records, PRST 7470, 1967

Recorded 21^st June (#A1,B1,B4) and 22^nd June (#A2-A4,B2,B3), 1966 at Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Personnel:

#A2,A3,A4,B2,B3

Freddie McCoy - Vibraphone

Joanne Brackeen - Piano

Augustus Turner - Bass

George Scott - Drums

#A1,B1,B4

Freddie McCoy - Vibraphone

James Robinson - Trumpet

Laurdine [Pat] Patrick - Baritone Saxophone

Napoleon Allen - Guitar

John Blair - Electric Violin

Albert Winston - Bass Guitar

Bernard Purdie - Drums

Track Listing:

A1. My Babe {Willie Dixon, Charles Stone} (3:25)

A2. And I Love Her {John Lennon, Paul McCartney} (6:51)

A3. High Heel Sneakers {Robert Higginbotham} (3:32)

A4. Moyé {Freddie McCoy} (6:19)

B1. Funk Drops {Freddie McCoy} (3:09)

B2. Tough Talk {Wayne Henderson, Joe Sample, Nesbert Hooper} (3:26)

B3. Theodora {Billy Taylor} (4:00)

B4. The Sleepy Lagoon {Eric Coates, Jack Lawrence} (4:24)

Credits:

Producer - Cal Lampley

Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder

Cover Design/Photo - Don Schlitten

Note:

The album cover lists Joanne Brackeen as ‘Joanne Brackeena’

Sun Ra - Sleeping Beauty [vinyl to 24/48 flac]

It isn't often that I have something new to offer anymore, but today is an exception.

AllMusic Review by Sean Westergaard 

"This is the great late-night Sun Ra chillout album you never knew about. The band had been working in a more groove-oriented setting off and on for over a year, as evidenced by the albums Lanquidity and On Jupiter, with both featuring prominent electric bass and electric guitar. Sleeping Beauty picks up right where On Jupiter left off, with the gentle, swaying "Springtime Again" echoing the same mellow vibe of "Seductive Fantasy" from On Jupiter. A skittering intro coalesces as different instruments pick up bits of the melody, which is then fully expressed by the horn section and ensemble vocals. It's a simple two-chord vamp, with beautiful solos that seem to embody the reawakening and rebirth of springtime. "The Door of the Cosmos" starts with a gospel-like chant and handclaps, with comments from Ra's electric piano and electric guitar. A strong bassline enters, very reminiscent of "A Love Supreme, Pt. 1: Acknowledgement," but the accompanying chant celebrates the mysteries of the unknown rather than the universal truth of A Love Supreme. This track builds in intensity, but never loses its groove or becomes nearly as raucous as the Arkestra is sometimes known for. "Sleeping Beauty" is the album centerpiece, taking up all of side two. Ra's beautiful electric piano gets things rolling, and the band falls into a peaceful groove before the vocals enter, led by the wonderful June Tyson. These songs are all built on the simplest of structures, and the playing from everyone is understated and sublime. Sleeping Beauty is truly a high point in an unwieldy discography, and something of an anomaly at the same time. Outstanding."

Gene Ammons & Sonny Stitt - You Talk That Talk! (1971) [vinyl>flac]

A good old-fashioned duet album by Gene Ammons and Sonny Stitt, longtime friends who recorded several albums together, 1971's You Talk That Talk lacks the can-you-top-this cutting contest duels that the tenor saxophonists could occasionally engage in on-stage. Instead, a relaxed, swinging vibe prevails, as Stitt and Ammons trade choruses over a loose, funky backdrop provided by organist Leon Spencer and Ammons' usual rhythm section of guitarist George Freeman and drummer Idris Muhammad. On side one of the album, Ammons plays his new toy, the Varitone electric sax, which basically sounds like a regular saxophone played through a guitarist's chorus and delay pedals. The thick, kind of muddy sound recalls Miles Davis' contemporaneous jazz-rock experiments and contrasts not unpleasantly with Stitt's fleet-fingered solos. On the less dated-sounding second side, Ammons and Stitt settle into a more familiar all-acoustic setting, culminating in a fine pair of solos on the ballad standard "Body and Soul," both men playing tribute to the great Coleman Hawkins while maintaining their own unique styles. ~ by Stewart Mason, AMG.

Prestige Records, PRST 10019, 1971

Recorded 8^th February, 1971 at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Musicians:

Gene Ammons - Tenor Saxophone

Sonny Stitt - Tenor Saxophone

Leon Spencer - Organ

George Freeman - Guitar

Idris Muhammad - Drums

Tracks:

A1. You Talk That Talk! {Leon Spencer} (5:56)

A2. Body And Soul {Frank Eyton, Johnny Green, Edward Heyman, Robert Sour} (4:14)

A3. The People's Choice {Harold Ousley} (6:53)

B1. Katea's Dance {Sonny Stitt} (6:41)

B2. The Sun Died {Ray Charles, Hubert Giraud, André Gregory, Pierre Leroyer} (4:36)

B3. Out Of It {Harold Vick} (4:57)

Credits:

Supervision - Bob Porter

Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder

Art Direction - Tony Lane

Artwork [Lettering] - Bill Adams

Photography - Al Johnson

Liner Notes - Greg Hall

Houston Person - Soul Dance! (1968) [vinyl]

Soul Dance! is the fifth album led by saxophonist Houston Person, which was recorded in 1968 and released on the Prestige label.

With Billy Gardner on organ. Although not as well produced or engineered as his '70s and '80s Muse recordings, this late '60s date is vintage Houston Person. He's doing the same mix of blues, ballads, and soul jazz cuts as always, although with a little less confidence, edge, and control than he displays on later albums. ~ by Ron Wynn, AMG.

Prestige Records, PR 7621, 1969

Recorded 18^th November, 1968 at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Musicians:

Houston Person - Tenor Saxophone

Billy Gardner - Organ

Ivan "Boogaloo Joe" Jones - Guitar

Frankie Jones - Drums

Tracks:

A1. Snake Eyes {Houston Person} (5:22)

A2. Never Let Me Go {Jay Livingston, Ray Evans} (4:54)

A3. Groovin' And A-Groovin' {Houston Person} (5:02)

A4. What A Difference A Day Made {Stanley Adams, María Mendez Grever} (5:55)

B1. Soul Dance! {Houston Person} (4:12)

B2. Here's That Rainy Day {Johnny Burke, Jimmy Van Heusen} (6:01)

B3. Teardrops From My Eyes {Rudy Toombs} (4:56)

B4. Blue Seven {Sonny Rollins} (5:24)

Credits:

Supervisor - Bob Porter

Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder

Note:

Found crude/noisy rip on the web; decoded, cleaned-up, re-encoded and added some more artwork, Enjoy!

Cy Touff Quintet - Touff Assignment (1958) [vinyl]

Cy Touff played the bass trumpet as a lead instrument in several small jazz ensembles, though this LP, made for Argo in 1958, seems to be his final recording as a leader. His instrument sounds much like Sandy Mosse's trombone, so it is somewhat easy to confuse their respective solos, unless one is paying close attention. The strong rhythm section includes pianist Eddie Higgins, bassist Bob Cranshaw and drummer Marty Clausen. The music is a mix of cool originals by Al Cohn ("Soulsville") and Ernie Wilkins ("Tough Touff"), along with classic jazz compositions ("Keepin' Out of Mischief Now" and "I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart") plus swinging takes of standards such as "How Long Has This Been Going On" and "The Lamp Is Low." Touff continued to record on occasion as a sideman following this date. The only disappointing part of this release is the abbreviated total time of less than 28 minutes. Long out of print, the original issue will likely only be found in auction lists. ~ by Ken Dryden, AMG.

Argo Records, LP 641, 1959

Recorded 28^th-29^th August, 1958 in Chicago, Illinois

Musicians:

Cy Touff - Bass Trumpet

Sandy Mosse - Saxophone

Ed Higgins - Piano

Bob Cranshaw - Bass

Marty Clausen - Drums

Tracks:

A1. Soulsville {Al Cohn} (3:11)

A2. Cyril's Dream {Al Cohn} (3:07)

A3. How Long Has This Been Going On {George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin} (3:33)

A4. Kissin' Cousins {Ernie Wilkins} (3:01)

B1. Keeping Out Of Mischief Now {Andy Razaf, Fats Waller} (3:48)

B2. I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart {Ellington, Mills, Nemo, Redmond} (3:35)

B3. Lamp Is Low {Peter DeRose, Bert Shefter} (2:38)

B4. Tough Touff {Ernie Wilkins} (5:27)

Credits:

Producer - Dave Usher

Recording Engineer - Malcolm Chisholm

Photography [Cover] - Don Bronstein

Liner Notes - Ralph J. Gleason

Notes:

Stereo Recording made on an Ampex-3005

Sonny Stitt - Night Letter (1969) [vinyl>true flac]

A more soulful date, particularly on the gorgeous ballads When It's Sleepy Time Down South and Pretend. ~ Jazzwax.com

Fine, although a bit routine, soul jazz, blues, ballads, and standards session from saxophonist Sonny Stitt. He plays with the usual surging intensity, but the album doesn't have as much excitement as similar dates done before and after it. ~ by Ron Wynn, AMG.

The group may initially sound routine but on closer inspection with Pat Martino onboard the group excels; he puts in a fine performance. In the end the listener must conclude Stitt’s ability to deliver a rich ballad. A prestige classic that is much recommended.

Prestige Records, PR 7759, 1969

Recorded 27th October, 1969 at Rudy van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Track Listing:

A1. Night Letter {Sonny Stitt} (5:14)

A2. When It's Sleepy Time Down South {Clarence Muse, Otis Rene, Leon René} (4:06)

A3. Stringin' The Jug {Gene Ammons, Sonny Stitt, Richard Carpenter} (5:23)

A4. Pretend {Dan Belloc, Lew Douglas, Cliff Parman, Frank LaVere} (3:49)

B1. Blue String {Sonny Stitt} (6:21)

B2. You'll Never Know {Harry Warren, Mack Gordon} (4:03)

B3. Loose Walk [Stitts Tune] {Johnny Richards, Sonny Stitt} (5:58)

Personnel:

Sonny Stitt - Tenor Saxophone, Varitone

Gene Ludwig - Organ

Pat Martino - Guitar

Randy Gelispie - Drums

Credits:

Producer - Bob Porter

Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder

Liner Notes - Ralph Berton

Hank Crawford - It's A Funky Thing To Do (1971) [vinyl]

Hank Crawford slides into the electric 70s with this sweet little set of funky tracks - working in a tight small combo format with Richard Tee on electric piano and Cornell Dupree on electric guitar - and grooving in a laidback slinky funk mode that's perfect for his soulful tone on the alto sax! The groove ranges from mellow funk to gentle soul – and the album's title track is an excellent version of "It's A Funky Thing To Do", with Pee Wee Ellis joining the group on electric piano! Other tracks include "Hills Of Love", "You're The One", "Sophisticated Soul", "Kingsize Man", and "Parker's Mood". © Dusty Groove, Inc.

"It's A Funky Thing To Do" was Hank Crawford's final recording for Atlantic after a commercially successful ten-year run. The soulful altoist is backed by a funky rhythm section (either Eric Gale or Cornell Dupree on guitar, keyboardist Richard Tee, Chuck Rainey or Ron Carter on electric bass, and drummer Bernard Purdie), and Crawford as usual plays well.

Cotillion Records, SD 18003, 1971

Recorded 1971 at Regent Sound Studios, New York

Musicians:

Hank Crawford - Alto Saxophone

Alfred "Pee Wee" Ellis - Electric Piano (#A1)

Richard Tee - Piano, Electric Piano

Cornell Dupree, Eric Gale - Guitar

Chuck Rainey, Ron Carter - Electric Bass

Bernard Purdie - Drums

Tracks:

A1. It's A Funky Thing To Do {Alfred "Pee Wee" Ellis} (3:29)

A2. If Ever I Should Leave You {Alan Jay Lerner, Frederick Loewe} (4:29)

A3. Hills Of Love {James Shaw, Carlos Malcolm} (5:13)

A4. Sophisticated Soul {Hank Crawford} (4:34)

B1. You're The One {Adolph Smith} (4:17)

B2. Parker's Mood {Charlie Parker} (6:17)

B3. Kingsize Man {Hank Crawford} (5:52)

Credits:

Producer - Joel Dorn

Recording Engineer - Bob Liftin

Remix Engineer - Lewis Hahn

Photography - Jim Cummins

Album Design - Loring Eutemey

Art Blakey - One By One (1979) [vinyl]

As with the Adams/Pullen albums I have never found a CD of this...

1. Gershwin Melody:
Rhapsody In Blue
Summertime
It Ain't Necessarily So
Someone To Watch Over Me
The Man I Love
2. The Song Is You
3. One By One
4. Moanin'

Valery Ponomarev (trumpet) Bobby Watson (alto saxophone) David Schnitter (tenor saxophone) James Williams (piano)
Dennis Irwin (bass) Art Blakey (drums)
Milan, Italy, November 4, 1979
(Palcoscenico (It) PAL 15005)

Piano Trios - LMNO

It's been too long since I posted one of these, here is the next volume:


 The journey continues! Names include Mal Waldron, Marian McPartland, Martial Solal, Mary Lou Williams, McCoy Tyner, Michel Petrucciani, Oscar Peterson and many more. Nearly two hours full of magical journeys.