Gene Ammons In Sweden

This is a re-up for Malaspina, originally posted at the "old" Crypt in 2012.

I hope everybody will have a look through our archive of Ammons - uploaded by our very own Chris!! http://kccryptredux.blogspot.ca/search/label/Gene%20Ammons

I am not a huge Ammons fan.  What I mean by that is, he's not an artist whom I have explored deeply.  I have several key sides like Boss Tenor and Happy Blues, but so do most self respecting jazz fans.

This LP takes us a bit deeper, of course because it's live, but also due to a certain charm.  We get a nice dose of Jugs on the mic, introducing songs and interacting with the crowd.  But it's his playing, well actually the whole band's playing, which grabs me unlike many of his other sides.  "Je ne sais quoi..."

The group is really relaxed and give each other all kinds of space.  The vibe really comes through as these guys stretch out on the uptempo numbers.  That would be reserved for side one, side two brings in the balladry and things get down right sublime.  Horace Parlan shows his gifts again and again, he really is a joy to listen to.  As for Ammons, he seems to know exactly what to bring...and how to bring it!  Overall we get a nice dose of his bag of tricks.

ENJA released this in 1981, but the date took place on July 14th, 1973.  There is almost a bootleg feel to this LP, both in presentation on the sleeve and in sound quality.  Sure, it's no Van Gelder, but far from unenjoyable.  I tend to over obsess about audio quality and I have no issues with this side.  It was released as part of a "two-fer", along with a Ben Webster live date, on CD but is OOP.

This album is a minty ENJA stereo LP, ripped at 24/44.1 wav and dithered to 16/44.1 FLAC.  It should be noted that there are infact 5 tracks on this album, but you are only receiving 4.  Polka Dots And Moonbeams has a seamless segueway into Lover Man, so I merged the two tracks and left them intact.  Taking liberties yes, but once you hear it I think you'll understand why.  A great way to end a gorgeous weekend, but it's always sunny at the Crypt no?  Enjoy!!

ENJA 3093
Produced by Inge Dahl
Recorded and Mixed by Berndt Berndtson
Recorded live at the Ahus Jazz Fest on July 14th, 1973 in Sweden

Gene Ammons (ts);  Horace Parlan (p);  Red Mitchell (b);  Ed Jones (d)

Cat Anderson - Old Folks

Hey gang!!!  It's been a while, but I have a treat for you.  I'm not sure if it's Cat's final album, but it was recorded only a couple years before his passing.  In 70's Europe, his music and presence was in demand and as such, he recorded in Paris.  Most notable were his Black & Blue sides, but this All Life Records LP is just as excellent - in all ways.

Firstly, when you hear how great Anderson sounds, you will realize that he was infact taken too soon.  Even at the age of 62 he had much to say, and the physicality to execute.  On Old Folks, you will get everything you love about this Ellingtonian.  Playful plunger mutes, soulful balladry and even his infamous power in the freak register.

The backing band is of course made up of notable French players, and perform much beyond their "duty".  We hear a bit from Arvanitas while Michelot & Collier keep the groove locked and interesting.  The song selection makes for a really varied and fun album.  Even standards like Caravan come out sounding fresh, but who else could do that classic better justice than an Ellington man himself?!?!

In any case, Old Folks is a fun and enjoyable mainstream album.  A must have for Anderson/Ellingtonia fans, and definitely a nice jewel for any mainstream fan.  I have ripped this minty LP at 24/48 wav & transferred to 24/48 FLAC for your convenience.  A gorgeous recording which hopefully will help you to ring in the new year!!!  See you in 2017... enjoy!

__________________________________________________________

All Life Records AL-004
1980

Recorded April 17th, 1979 and mixed July 26th, 1979
at Studio des Champs-Elysées, Paris.
Bass – Pierre Michelot
Drums – George Collier
Piano – Georges Arvanitas
Trumpet – Cat Anderson

A1   Do You Know What It Means 4:56
A2   Buddy Bolden Blues 4:04
A3   Pennies From Heaven 3:48
A4   I'm Beginning To See The Light 5:50
B1   Old Folks 4:24
B2   Caravan 4:02
B3   Eye For You 5:51
B4   How Deep Is The Ocean 4:28

Willis Jackson - Blue Gator (1959,60) [vinyl>flac]

Blue Gator is the third album led by saxophonist Willis Jackson featuring organist Jack McDuff and guitarist Bill Jennings which was recorded in 1959 and 1960 and released on the Prestige label. ~ Wikipedia.

Seminal early work from Willis Jackson. Blue Gator is a massive early Prestige set from tenorist Willis - and just the kind of record that set him firmly in the soul jazz camp for the 60s! By the time of the set, Jackson had already won plenty of fame for his R&B-tinged work - but here, he stretches out a bit more, and really gets creative on his solos - working with a very hip group that includes Jack McDuff on organ and Wild Bill Jennings on guitar - both players making a similar shift in their music at the time. The tracks are lively, recorded with a bold, loud tone, and have lots of those great open-mouthed tones from Jackson - quite possibly a good reason for his "Gator" nickname! Tracks include "Blue Gator", "East Breeze", "The Gator Jumps", and "Try A Little Tenderness". ~ Extract from Dusty Groove Inc.

Prestige Records, PRST 7850, 1972 [Reissue]

Recorded 25^th May (#A3,B3), 1959 at Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, New Jersey;

9^th November (#B2), 1959; 25^th February (#B1) & 16^th August (#A1,A2), 1960

at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Musicians:

Willis Jackson - Tenor Saxophone

Jack McDuff - Organ

Bill Jennings - Guitar

Wendell Marshall - Bass (#A1,A2,B2)

Tommy Potter - Bass (#A3,B3)

Milt Hinton - Bass (#B1)

Bill Elliot - Drums (#A1,A2)

Alvin Johnson - Drums (#A3-B3)

Buck Clarke - Congas (#B1)

Tracks:

A1. Blue Gator {Willis Jackson} (9:13)

A2. Try A Little Tenderness {Jimmy Campbell, Reg Connelly, Harry Woods} (5:59)

A3. The Gator Jumps {Willis Jackson} (3:40)

B1. This Nearly Was Mine {Oscar Hammerstein II, Richard Rodgers} (4:32)

B2. East Breeze {Esmond Edwards} (10:02)

B3. She's Funny That Way {Neil Moret, Richard Whiting} (5:12)

Credits:

Supervisor - Esmond Edwards

Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder

Liner Notes - Tom Curry (January 1971)

Mose Allison - Ever Since The World Ended

When I stop and think about it, Mose Allison records were rarely something that I consciously pursued...they just kind of showed up on my shelves in all kinds of ways not normal for a collector; found in closets, left by roommates, random garage sale purchases, equally random gifts...you get it. Each one became a 'certain niche' favorite. I always felt just a little hipper when I'd finished listening to something from my Mose stash. The funny thing is...I snatched this one the moment I saw it, the only Mose thing I ever did that with. For whatever the reason, I knew it was meant for my ears...What's your movie?

Ted Curson & Co. - Ode To Booker Ervin (1970) [vinyl>flac]

A rare Finnish album from the great trumpeter Ted Curson - and easily one of his greatest albums ever! The Ted heard here is a bit like the Curson of the famous early 70s Paris sessions - soulful, soaring, and still every bit as modern as his initial moments in the 60s - yet somehow a bit more focused too - able to really hit a groove when he wanted to, but all without ever losing his edge! The lineup here features some excellent reeds from Eero Koivistoinen - who plays tenor, alto, and soprano sax in the lead - almost with an edge as sharp as Curson's frequent partner Bill Barron. The group also has some heavy Fender Rhodes from Pentti Hietanen, plus sharp rhythms from Pekka Sarmanto on bass and Reino Laine on drums - on titles that include "Ode To Booker Ervin", "LSD Takes Holiday", "Airi's Tune", "Montreux", "Festival Blue", and "Typical Ted". © Dusty Groove, Inc.

Ode to Booker Ervin is an album by American trumpeter Ted Curson which was recorded in Helsinki and first released on the Finnish EMI Columbia label in 1970. The album features Curson with a band composed of local Finnish jazz musicians. All compositions by Ted Curson except "Montreux" and "Festival Blue" are penned by Finnish pianist Pentti Hietanen. ~ Extract Wikipedia

With Finnish sidemen, Curson eulogizes Booker Ervin. ~ by Ron Wynn, AMG.

Columbia Records, 5E 062-34201, 1970

Recorded 3^rd September, 1970 at Finnvox Studio, Helsinki, Finland

Musicians:

Ted Curson - Trumpet, Piccolo Trumpet

Pentti Hietanen - Piano, Fender Jazz Piano

Eero Koivistoinen - Tenor, Alto & Soprano Saxophones

Pekka Sarmanto - Bass

Reino Laine - Drums

Tracks:

A1. Ode To Booker Ervin {Ted Curson} (2:07)

A2. LSD Takes Holiday {Ted Curson} (5:43)

A3. Airi’s Tune {Ted Curson} (7:42)

A4. Montreux {Pentti Hietanen} (6:39)

B1. Festival Blue {Pentti Hietanen} (6:44)

B2. Typical Ted {Ted Curson} (7:06)

B3. The Leopard {Ted Curson} (8:33)

Credits:

Engineer - Antti Joki

Photo - Seppo Kosting, Sakari Parkkinen

Hank Marr - Sounds From The Marr-Ket Place 1964 (LP-24-48-flac)

For those that like the Hammond B3 and artists like Jimmy McGriff, Jack McDuff, Jimmy Smith, Richard 'Groove' Holmes, Bill Doggett etc. you will like this album by Hank Marr. Plus, this marks the recording debut of future avant-gardists George Adams and James 'Blood' Ulmer. Soul Jazz at it's finest.

****There is some question about this being Rusty Bryant and not George Adams on tenor. From what I have read the consensus is that it is Adams. I do not particularly like avant-garde or free jazz or Adams later work so I cannot tell by listening, although avant-garde is not what he is playing here as this is his earliest work. Perhaps there may be a George Adams fan who reads this and DL's the music who may be able to shed some light on this question.

Hank Marr - Organ
George Adams - Tenor Sax
James Ulmer - Guitar
Taylor Orr - Drums

A1 - The Marr-Ket Place
A2 - Soup Spoon
A3 - Smothered Soul
A4 - I Remember Acapulco
A5 - Greens A-Go-Go
B1 - Down In The Bottom
B2 - My Dream Just Passed
B3 - Home Fries
B4 - Come And Get It
B5 - Get On Down

My LP > 24/48 flac > Full 600 dpi Scans > Properly Tagged Files > 4% Recovery Record = 449 MB

Mose Allison - Your Mind is on Vacation

Dedicated to our new Potus and Vice-Potus elect. I don't believe any explanation is needed.

AllMusic Review by Scott Yanow

"It seems strange to realize that this was Mose Allison's only recording during the 1973-1981 period. In addition to his trio with bassist Jack Hannah and drummer Jerry Granelli, such guests as altoist David Sanborn, Al Cohn, and Joe Farrell on tenors and trumpeter Al Porcino pop up on a few selections. However, Mose Allison is easily the main star, performing ten of his originals (including a remake of the famous title cut, "What Do You Do After You Ruin Your Life," and "Swingin' Machine") plus renditions of the standards "Foolin' Myself" and "I Can't See for Lookin'."

I just noticed while listening that there is a lovely Monkish bounce to this Mississippi Be-Bop!

Carmen McRae - Carmen For Cool Ones (1957) [vinyl>flac]

Hip early work from Carmen McCrae - with jazzy arrangements by Fred Katz, featuring mostly west coast players running through some off-kilter backings that give Carmen a different sound than usual. The album's definitely got the "cool" in the title, but Carmen's sophisticated phrasing of the songs brings a lot of warmth to the tracks - in a kind of counterpoint that works really well with the music. Titles include "I Remember Clifford", "What's New", "Weak For The Man", "A Shoulder To Cry On", "Any Old Time", "Without A Word Of Warning", and "The Night We Called It A Day". © Dusty Groove, Inc.

Decca Records, DL 8738, 1958

Recorded 1957

Personnel:

Carmen McRae - Vocals

Pete Candoli - Trumpet (#A6)

Ray Lion - Trumpet (#A6)

Milt Bernhart - Trombone (#A6)

Bob Enevoldsen - Trombone (#A6)

Tommy Johnson - Tuba (#A6)

Buddy Collette - Flute, Alto Saxophone (#A2,A4,B4,B6)

George W. Smith - Clarinet (#A1,A2,A4,B1,B3,B4,B6)

Justin Gordon - Bass Clarinet (#A1,A2,A4,B1,B3,B4,B6)

Mahlon Clark - Bass Clarinet (#A1,B1,B3)

Bill Green - Flute (#A1,B1,B3)

Harry Klee - Flute [Solo] (#A1,B1,B3)

Warren Webb - Oboe (#A2,A4,B4,B6)

Larry Bunker - Vibraphone (#A3,A5,B2,B5), Drums (#A6)

Frank Emilio Flynn - Vibraphone, Marimba (#A3,A5,B2,B5)

John T. Williams - Piano (#A3,A5,B2,B5)

Joe Marino - Piano (#A2,A4,B4,B6), Celeste (#A3,A5,B2,B5)

Calvin Jackson - Piano (#A6)

Joseph R. Gibbons - Guitar (#A2,A4,B4,B6)

Billy Bean - Guitar (#A6)

Fred Katz - Cello (#B5)

Ike Isaacs - Bass (#A1-A5,B1-B6)

Red Mitchell - Bass (#A6)

Specs Wright - Drums (#A1-A5,B1-B6)

Tracks:

A1. All The Things You Are {Jerome Kern, Oscar Hammerstein II} (2:25)

A2. A Shoulder To Cry On {Chuck Darwin, Paulette Girard} (3:52)

A3. Any Old Time {Artie Shaw} (3:09)

A4. Weak For The Man {Jeanne Burns} (4:08)

A5. What's New {Bob Haggart, Johnny Burke} (2:29)

A6. I Get A Kick Out Of You {Cole Porter} (2:14)

B1. [What Can I Say] After I Say {Walter Donaldson, Abe Lyman} (1:46)

B2. Without A Word Of Warning (Mack Gordon, Harry Revel} (3:19)

B3. You Are Mine {Frank Loesser} (3:26)

B4. If I Were A Bell {Ted Snyder, Sam Lewis, Joe Young} (1:54)

B5. The Night We Called It A Day {Matt Dennis, Tom Adair} (4:28)

B6. I Remember Clifford {Benny Golson, Jon Hendricks} (3:00)

Orchestra Director, Arranger - Fred Katz

Liner Notes - Burt Korall

Mose Allison - I Love The Life I Live (1960) [vinyl, mono>flac]

Here’s my tribute to a great musician, singer & composer.

Recorded In the mid-1960, this Mose's second album with Columbia Records, captures the artist and his trio as he develops as a pianist, vocalist and composer. With signature passion and prowess, Mose Allison has created another ripe with personality. Known for his work on the trumpet as well as the piano Mose has played with the likes of Stan Getz and Zoot Sims among others as he has spread his own version of blues inflected jazz across the land. Sticking to the piano on this outing Mose sings and plays a few of his own compositions and a nice selection of other works. His piano presence is light and tasty and the blend of the trio sounds just right ever changing directions from song to song as Mose follows his muse.

When this album was recorded in 1960, this laconic Mississippian wasn't the brilliant lyricist he would later become. But he had great taste. The title track, written by Willie Dixon, sure sounds like a Mose song; "Fool's Paradise" is another gem. Mose's four tunes are instrumentals. The production by Teo Macero makes it feel like you're perched on one end of the piano bench. ~ by Mark Allan, AMG.

Columbia Records, CL 1565 [Mono], 1960

Recorded 28^th June, 1960 - 9^th September, 1960

Personnel:

Mose Allison - Piano, Vocals

Henry Grimes - Bass (#A1,A2,B4)

Addison Farmer - Bass (#A3,A4,B1,B3)

Bill Crow - Bass (#A5,B5,B6)

Paul Motian - Drums (#A1,A2,B4)

Jerry Segal - Drums (#A3,A4,B1,B3)

Gus Johnson - Drums (#A5,B5,B6)

Tracks:

A1. I Love The Life I Live, I Live The Life I Love {Willie Dixon} (2:29)

A2. News {Mose Allison} (3:21)

A3. Fool's Paradise {Jerry Fuller, Robert Geddins, Dan Rosenbaum} (3:39)

A4. You Turned The Tables On Me {Louis Alter, Sidney Mitchell} (4:01)

A5. Isobel {Al Cohn} (4:09)

A6. You're A Sweetheart {Harold Adamson, Jimmy McHugh} (2:18)

B1. Night Ride {Mose Allison} (3:16)

B2. Path {Mose Allison} (3:37)

B3. Mad With You {Lightnin' Hopkins} (2:12)

B4. Hittin' On One {Mose Allison} (3:36)

B5. I Ain't Got Nobody {Roger Graham, Don Peyton, Spencer Williams} (1:53)

B6. Can't We Be Friends {Paul James, Kay Swift} (4:31)

Credits:

Producer - Teo Macero

Cover Photo - Bernie Friedman (Columbia Records Studio)

Liner Notes - Mose Allison

Mose Allison - My Backyard

By special request: Mose checks out his 'backyard' by coming to New Orleans and recording with most of Astral Project.

AllMusic Review by Michael G. Nastos
Mose Allison's career in his golden and quite fruitful years has yielded many surprises and challenges, not the least of which is this delightful offering. He continues to write attractive, bouncy, and fun tunes carried by his signature roiling piano style and sly lyrics. For this effort, producer and Allison disciple Ben Sidran hooked him up with musicians from the modern New Orleans jazz scene, including Astral Project members -- the extraordinary drummer John Vidacovich, tenor saxophonist Tony Dagradi, and guitarist Steve Masakowski. Veteran bassist Bill Huntington rounds out this very talented ensemble that happily works with Allison step by step to produce some of the singer/songwriter/instrumentalist's most enjoyable music, a tall order but easily recognizable once the listening commences. John D. Loudermilk's "You Call It Joggin'," with the retort "but I call it runnin' around," is one of the all-time classic skeptical lyric lines, as applicable to contemporary lifestyles as anything in the urban lexicon. His revisit of "That's Your Red Wagon" is another timeless tale of emotional baggage; Percy Mayfield's "Stranger In My Own Hometown" is purely autobiographical; while "Sleepy Lagoon" is an easygoing, romantic fantasy theme. Of the eight Allison originals, "The Getting Paid Waltz" depicts every musician's nightmare playing in a nightclub, impatiently waiting for the cheapskate owner eventually to pay up. "Was" is a light waltz for has-beens; "Sentimental Fool" talks about the paradox that he "messed around and got humanized"; and the New Orleans shuffle "Big Brother" -- including smart tradeoffs with Dagradi -- is a post-technology cautionary tale, even more relevant in modern times with the advent of Skype, Twitter, and Facebook. A statement on the music industry and jazz in particular, the slinky "Long Song" delineates in four minutes what need and not need be present in popular commercial or creative progressive music, and is a perfect companion to his song "My Top 40 Hit Record." Allison is always a delight to hear, a consistently marvelous piano player, and in very good company with this expert band that suits his style and personality perfectly. My Backyard is one of the best records of his career.

Mose Allison - Autumn Song

A lesser known light amongst the Prestige albums, but it showcases Moses' personal brand of Missisippi BeBop.

AllMusic Review by Scott Yanow

Mose Allison recorded six albums as a leader for Prestige between 1957 and 1959, an era when he was better known as a jazz pianist than a folk/country blues vocalist and masterful lyricist. On his final Prestige date, Allison (in a trio with bassist Addison Farmer and drummer Ronnie Free) performs seven instrumentals (including "It's Crazy," "Autumn Song," and "Groovin' High") but it's the three vocals ("Eyesight to the Blind," "That's All Right," and Duke Ellington's "Do Nothin' 'til You Hear from Me") that are most memorable. One realizes why Allison was soon emphasizing his vocals; he was a much more distinctive singer than pianist, although his piano playing was actually pretty inventive. This is an excellent all-around set.

Da Imp Dreams DEEP

A new series dedicated to an old friend.

Piano Trios T to Z

Well gang, that's it for the trios this time through - got a new series started and volume 1 already in the can (i.e. coming very soon).

Mose Allison - Local Color and Down Home Piano

And now a world without Mose Allison...sigh...Cool takes a huge hit. Privileged to have seen him a few times. A unique and remarkable pianist as well as song writer/humorist/philosopher and political commentator. I miss him already...

David "Fathead" Newman - Scratch My Back (1979) [vinyl>flac]

Here's another LP by David "Fathead" Newman which has been cast aside; this time from 1979 when Disco/Jazz Funk was trying to counteract the onslaught of Rock music and all its derivatives. This album is arranged and co-produced by William Fischer whom also co-writes with Newman four tunes. Many of the tracks are backed by vocals, especially Side A, but the balance showcase many well-known artists giving the listener many an opportunity to hear some great playing. These include: Randy Brecker, Earl McIntyre, James Buffington on horns, Richard Tee, Kevin Toney on keyboards, Cornell Dupree, Eric Gale on guitar, Ron Carter on bass, Harvey Mason on drums and Bill Summers on congas etc.,. Highlights include "Two Can Do It", "Scratch My Back", "After The Ball" & “The Buggs”. An album easily overlooked or put down by jazz purists but in many ways it is a great example of a new style that was emerging in the late seventies, listen with revived appreciation and enjoy!

Prestige Records, P-10108, 1979

Recorded March, 1979 at Fantasy Studios, Berkeley, California

Personnel:

David Newman - Flute, Soprano, Alto & Tenor Saxophones

Randy Brecker, Jon Faddis - Trumpet

Earl McIntyre - Trombone

James Buffington - French Horn (#A3)

Jerry Dodgion, Kenneth Harris, George Marge - Flute

Richard Tee - Acoustic Piano (#A1-A3,B3,B4)

Kevin Toney - Electric Piano, Clavinet, Synthesizers

Cornell Dupree - Guitar (#A3,B1-B4)

Eric Gale - Guitar (#A1,A2)

Ron Carter - Acoustic Bass (#A1-A3,B3,B4)

Wilbur Bascomb, Jr. - Electric Bass (#A3,B1,B2)

Harvey Mason - Drums

Bill Summers - Congas, Percussion

Flame Braithwaite, Deborah McGriff, Bessie Ruth Scott, Tanyette - Vocals

and Strings

Tracks:

A1-A2. One Step At A Time_You Gotta Keep Gotta Keep Dancin' {Newman, Fischer} (12:22)

A3. Two Can Do It {David "Fathead" Newman, William Fischer} (6:32)

B1. Scratch My Back {Kevin Toney} (5:51)

B2. Rock Me,Baby [Like My Back Ain't Got No Bone] {Kevin Toney, Bessie Scott} (5:32)

B3. After The Ball {David "Fathead" Newman, William Fischer} (3:40)

B4. The Buggs {Claude Johnson} (3:26)

Credits:

Producer - Orrin Keepnews, William Fischer

Arranger - William Fischer

Recording Engineer - Vince McGarry

Assistant Engineer - James Faber

Art Direction - Phil Carroll

Design - Kris Johnson

Photography - Phil Bray

Piano Trios P,Q,R,S

More of the great trios, by request: 1. Peter Madsen - Snuggling Snakes (7:11) 2. Phil Parnell Trio (PP3) - Suddenly (5:52) 3. Phineas Newborn - After Hours (11:21) 4. Ramsey Lewis - Opus #5 (5:38) 5. Randy Weston - Honeysuckle Rose (6:30) 6. Ray Bryant Trio - Blues Changes (5:03) 7. Red Garland - What Can I Say (After I Say I'm Sorry)? (7:10) 8. Roland Hanna - Orange Funk (4:37) 9. Roy Haynes - Cymbalism (6:35) 10. Scott LaFaro - Woody'n You (5:38) 11. Sonny Clark Trio - Softly As In A Morning Sunrise (6:31) 12. Stanley Cowell - Equipoise (5:39) 13. Stephen Scott - Cheek To Cheek (7:46) 14. Steve Kuhn/Scott LaFaro/Pete LaRoca/Steve Kuhn - So What (5:33) 15. The Shirley Horn Trio - Gentle Rain (9:58) 16. The Super Jazz Trio - Angel Eyes (6:07)

Houston Person - Pure Pleasure (1976) [vinyl>alac]

Slicker than usual for Houston Person, but still a pretty nice album of tighly produced R&B-oriented jazz. The group includes a lot of hip players, like Cecil Bridgewater, Paul Griffin, and Bruce Nazarian – and the record has arrangements by Jimmy Roach. Tracks are long, and titles include "Deja Vu", "Pure Pleasure", "Inseparable", and "Dancing Feet". © Dusty Groove, Inc.

Mighty tenor saxophone player Houston Person released this LP in 1976 on Mercury Records, it features a great line-up of players like Cecil Bridgewater, Bruce Nazarian, Paul Griffin, Bob Babbit, Alan Schwartzberg, Lawrence Killian and strings & vocals.

Mercury Records, SRM-1-1104, 1976

Recorded & Re-Mixed at Blue Rock Studios, New York

Personnel:

Houston Person - Tenor Saxophone

Cecil Bridgewater - Trumpet

Paul Griffin - Piano [Grand], Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes],
Clavinet, Organ [Hammond]

Bruce Nazarian - Guitar, Synthesizer [Arp]

Bob Babbitt - Bass

Allan Schwartzberg - Drums

Lawrence Killian - Congas, Percussion

David Sackson, Seymour Berman - Viola

Deborah Idol, Elliot Rosoff, Louis Haber, Louis Stone, Robert Rozek - Violin

Irving Spice - Violin [1st]

Maurice Bialkin, Seymour Barab - Cello

Gwen Guthrie, Patti Austin, Vivian Cherry - Backing Vocals

Tracks:

A1. Pure Pleasure (9:15)

A2. Déja Vu (6:37)

B1. Dancing Feet (6:54)

B2. Soul Serenade (6:12)

B3. Inseparable (5:34)

Credits:

Producer - Houston Person, Jimmy Roach, Robin McBride

Engineer - Eddie Korvin

Mastering - Gilbert Kong

Arranger, Conductor - Jimmy Roach

Art Direction - Jim Schubert

Photography - Don Hunstein

Red Rodney with Ira Sullivan - Night And Day (1981) [vinyl>re-rip>flac]

The Red Rodney-Ira Sullivan Quintet was one of the finest groups of the early 1980s. Rodney had an opportunity to play fresh material; Sullivan gained more exposure than he ever had in his career; and pianist Garry Dial was given high-profile and challenging writing assignments; bassist Barry Smith and drummer Steve Bagby completed the band in mid-1981. On this Muse LP (their fourth of six recordings), the musicians perform fresh versions of two standards ("Night and Day" and "You Leave Me Breathless"), plus four challenging originals. Sullivan plays trumpet on three of the six pieces, alto on two, and soprano on one. The exciting "Dial-A-Brew" is a highlight of this recommended (but sadly out of print) set. ~ by Scott Yanow, AMG.

This studio date was the final Muse session for this band and it is truly a monster! Ira plays trumpet along with Red on three of the tunes, alto on a couple and one on soprano. It is kind of a rare sound with two trumpets fronting a quintet but Ira's versatility gives this band a lot of sounds to work with; as a result none of these albums sounds quite like the last. Ira's alto solo on Muck and Meyer is so strong you have to wonder why he didn't use that horn more. Well worth repeated listens, Enjoy!

Muse Records, MR 5274, 1981

Recorded 15^th & 16tth June, 1981 at Nola Studio, New York City

Musicians:

Red Rodney - Trumpet (#A1,B3), Flugelhorn (#A2-B2)

Ira Sullivan - Trumpet (#A1,B3), Alto Sax (#A1,B1), Soprano Sax (#A2)

Garry Dial - Piano

Barry Smith - Double Bass

Steve Bagby - Drums

Tracks:

A1. Night And Day {Cole Porter} (4:03)

A2. You Leave Me Breathless {Frederick Hollander, Ralph Freed} (6:20)

A3. Babies {Jeff Meyer} (5:55)

B1. Muck And Meyer {Jeff Meyer} (5:25)

B2. Frito Mistos {Jeff Meyer} (5:20)

B3. Dial-A-Brew {Garry Dial} (6:11)

Credits:

Producer - Bob Porter

Engineer - Malcolm Addey

Mastering Engineer - Joe Bresco at The Master Cutting Room, NYC

Cover Concept and Photo - Arthur Paxton

Back Photo - Hugh Bell

Liner Notes - Richard M. Sudhalter