James Spaulding - Plays The Legacy Of Duke Ellington

Duke Ellington's passing in 1974 left a giant hole not only in Jazz, but in music itself.  Undoubtedly one of the 20th century's most important artists.  Many musicians were moved to pay tribute, and James Spaulding was one of them.

There are no shortage of Duke tribute albums, and I certainly have my favorites.  A couple that stand out for me are Art Farmer's - To Duke With Love; and Sempre Amore from the duo of  Steve Lacy & Mal Waldron.  That said, Spaulding has given us a solid upbeat treatment of some Ellington classics.

A few things stand out on this record for me.  Firstly, Spaulding moves between several instruments and is technically wonderful on all.  His flute work is particularly incredible.  The addition of Avery Brooks also makes this session a touch different.  The vocalist has a baritone voice, akin to Paul Robeson and adds a nice flavour to the chosen songs.  Mtume's presence is also strongly felt, and helps to drive the band with an upbeat and joyous feel to all of the songs.  Overall, a really strong album which serves to honour the great Duke Ellington.  I would say it's a must have for fans of James Spaulding.

This minty vinyl was ripped at 24/48 wav and compressed to 24/48 FLAC for your convenience.  As always, hi-rez scans of the cover are included.  Remember people... "it don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing!!"  Enjoy!!

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Storyville ‎– SLP 4034

1978

Willis Jackson - Swivel Hips (1968) [vinyl]

Swivel Hips; Music to party by, exercise to or swing along with, low and inspirational sounds to help elevate your spirits and move your body. Sounds to be played over the vacuum cleaner as you clean up the pad the morning after the party; sounds to remind the head as it clears the pad that was a party in the first place. Swivel Hips is a party by itself. Extracts from Liner Notes by Linda Solomon (January 1969).

Great stuff! Like the rest of his late 60's Prestige recordings, this is a lively session with a good late 60's funky jazz sound that widen's Gator's range past the usual tenor/organ bag of his early 60's records. He plays tenor and his trademark Gator horn on this one, and he's backed by Jackie Ivory on organ and Bill Jennings on guitar. The tracks are long, with a stretched out groove, and include "Swivel Hips", "Y'Understand Me", and "Florence Of Arabia". Tough LP to find, too! © Dusty Groove America, Inc.

Prestige Records, PRST 7602, 1968

Recorded 9^th September, 1968 At Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ

Personnel:

Willis Jackson - Tenor Saxophone, Gator Horn (#B2)

Jackie Ivory - Organ

Bill Jennings - Guitar

Ben Tucker - Bass, Electric Bass

Jerry Potter - Drums

Ralph Dorsey - Conga

Track Listing:

A1. Swivel Hips {Willis Jackson} (6:55)

A2. In A Mellow Tone {Duke Ellington, Milt Gabler} (8:55)

A3. Win, Lose Or Draw {Willis Jackson} (3:56)

B1. Y’Understand Me {Willis Jackson} (9:04)

B2. By The Time I Get To Phoenix {Jimmy Webb, Burt Bacharach} (6:05)

B3. Florence Of Arabia {Howard Roberts} (7:07)

Credits:

Supervisor - Bob Porter

Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder

Liner Photo - Don Schlitten
Liner Notes - Linda Solomon (January 1969)

Willis Jackson - The Good Life (1963) [vinyl]

A sweet soul jazz burner from Willis Jackson - one that features his combo with Pat Martino on guitar and Carl Wilson on organ, as well as some great trumpet lines form Frank Robinson - shimmering nicely over the top of the tunes! The style here is a bit more laidback and late nite than some of Jackson's other cookers from the time - but there's still a really strong tenor/organ approach on the whole set, one that transforms familiar tunes wonderfully! Titles include "As Long As She Needs Me", "Troubled Times", "Fly Me To The Moon", and "Days Of Wine & Roses". © Dusty Groove America, Inc.

Cut at the same May 1963 session as Jackson's LP Grease 'n' Gravy, this too features an 18-year-old Pat Martino on guitar and Carl Wilson (not the Beach Boys guitarist) on organ. It's pleasing, if unsurprising, early-'60s organ soul-jazz with a good balance between brass, organ, and guitar, perhaps more useful as club groove music than home listening. They verge on cooking when the rhythm gets choked on "Troubled Times," the sole original, and the version of "Fly Me to the Moon" has some lively exuberance (and a Latin rhythm) not matched by the other tracks. Indeed, "Days of Wine and Roses" and "Walk Right In" are kinda hokey choices for the organ soul-jazz repertoire. If you have to choose between Grease 'n' Gravy and The Good Life, The Good Life is at a disadvantage, due to its greater reliance on covers of pop standards. ~ by Richie Unterberger, AMG.

I don’t necessarily agree that this is ordinary. Young Pat Martino’s solos are wonderful and both organ and trumpet blend beautifully. Overall a mixture of great Soul Jazz tunes. Enjoy!

Prestige Records, PRST 7296, 1963

Recorded 23rd (#A1-B1) & 24th (#B2,B3) May, 1963
at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Personnel:

Willis Jackson - Tenor Saxophone

Frank Robinson - Trumpet

Carl Wilson - Organ

Pat Martino - Guitar

Leonard Gaskin - Bass (#B2,B3)

Joe Hadrick - Drums

Track Listing:

A1. The Good Life {Sacha Distel, Jack Reardon} (5:03)

A2. Days Of Wine And Roses {Henry Mancini, Johnny Mercer} (4:03)

A3. As Long As She Needs Me {Lionel Bart} (3:42)

A4. Fly Me To The Moon {Bart Howard} (2:55)

B1. Angel Eyes {Earl Brent, Matt Dennis} (4:13)

B2. Troubled Times {Willis Jackson, Wade Marcus, William "Mickey" Stevenson} (4:51)

B3. Walk Right In {Gus Cannon, Hosea Woods} (6:06)

Credits:

Producer - Ozzie Cadena

Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder

Design - Don Schlitten

Cover Photo - Lawrence N. Shustak

Liner Notes - H. G. MacGill

Dorothy Ashby - Concierto de Aranjuez (1984)

Here is a later example of the superb mastery of Dorothy Ashby; a rare 1984 Phillips album released in Europe and Japan. This album was released in Europe two years before the death of Dorothy Ashby.

There have been very few jazz harpists in history and Dorothy Ashby was one of the greats. Somehow, she was able to play credible bebop on her instrument. As a pianist she studied at Wayne State University, and in 1952 she switched to harp. Within two years, Ashby was gigging in jazz, and in 1956 she made her first recording as a leader. Between 1956-1970, she led ten albums for such labels as Savoy, Prestige, New Jazz, Argo, Jazzland, Atlantic, and Cadet, guested on many records, and was firmly established as a top studio and session player. She moved to the West Coast in the 1970s and was active up until her death. ~ AMG.

Philips Records, 814 197-2, 1984

Digitally Recorded 7^th-8^th March, 1983 At Capital Recording Studio, Hollywood, California

Dorothy Ashby - Harp, Arranger

Tracks:

1. Concierto De Aranjuez {Joaquín Rodrigo} (9:34)

2. Gypsy Airs {Pablo de Sarasate} (3:58)

3. Greensleeves {Traditional} (4:36)

4. Gershwin Medley: Summer Time, Someone To Watch Over Me, Porgy {George Gershwin} (7:55)

5. Autumn Leaves {Joseph Kosma} (5:22)

6. Dear Old Stockholm {Stan Getz, Traditional} (4:23)

7. Yesterday {John Lennon, Paul McCartney} (2:59)

Credits:

Producer - Kiyoshi Koyama

Recording Engineer - John L. Mills

Assistant Engineer - Steve Himelfarb

Illustration - Yoko Ochida

Album Design - Naoe Arano

Photography - Bruce Talamon

Lou Donaldson - Hot Dog (1969) [re-rip>flac]

From the title, to the cover, to the gritty grooves way down in the wax - this has got to be one of the funkiest Blue Note albums ever - a real landmark from the legendary Lou Donaldson! The set kicks off with a hard and heavy groove from the very first note - thanks to some super-tight drumming by a young Idris Muhammad - still billed under his birth name of Leo Morris on the sleeve, but already hitting the kit with that snapping post-Popcorn style that would revolutionize funky jazz in years to come! Donaldson's plenty smoking himself on electrified alto sax - played with that great mix of flatness and echo that you'd hear in Eddie Harris' albums of the same time - and the rest of the lineup is equally cooking, with Melvin Sparks on guitar, Charles Earland on organ, and Ed Williams blasting away on funky trumpet! Titles include killer remakes of "It's Your Thing" and "Who's Making Love" - plus Donaldson originals "Hot Dog" and "Turtle Walk" - all nice and long, and with a really raw sound!  © Dusty Groove, Inc.

A wildly erratic slice of funky soul-jazz in keeping with Lou Donaldson's late-'60s commercial accessibility, Hot Dog isn't a total washout, but it's just as hit-and-miss as many of Donaldson's albums from the era (even if you are a fan of the style). The main sticking points are the contemporary R&B covers that open and close the album. "Who's Making Love" has an out-of-tune group vocal that fails to be charming in its amateurishness, and the funk of "It's Your Thing" sounds leaden and lifeless despite the best efforts of breakbeat legend Leo Morris (later Idris Muhammad) on drums. Take those away and Hot Dog would be a fairly decent effort. Also featuring guitarist Melvin Sparks, organist Charles Earland, and trumpeter Ed Williams, the ensemble really catches fire on "Turtle Walk," a Donaldson original where the groove sounds natural and helps push the soloists. The Donaldson-penned title cut also gets pretty funky, though the underlying vamp is a little insubstantial to stretch out over ten minutes. The Tommy Turrentine ballad "Bonnie" returns Donaldson to the sweet, romantic territory he's mined so well over the years. So Hot Dog does have some worthwhile moments; it's just a pity the overall finished product isn't more consistent -- the cover photo is great. ~ by Steve Huey, AMG.

Blue Note, BST 84318, 1969

Recorded 25^th April, 1969 at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Personnel:

Lou Donaldson - Alto Sax [Varitone], Vocals (#A1,B2)

Ed Williams - Trumpet

Charles Earland - Organ

Melvin Sparks - Guitar

Leo Morris - Drums

Track Listing:

A1. Who's Making Love? {Homer Banks, Bettye Crutcher, Don Davis, Raymond Jackson} (6:44)

A2. Turtle Walk {Lou Donaldson} (7:53)

A3. Bonnie {Tommy Turrentine} (4:55)

B1. Hot Dog {Denny Dedmon, Lou Donaldson, Buck Owens} (10:42)

B2. It's Your Thing {Rudolph Isley, O'Kelly Isley, Ronald Isley} (8:58)

Credits:

Producer - Francis Wolff

Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder

Art Direction, Cover Photo - Frank Guana

Back & Inside Photos - Clyde Stringer

Liner Notes - George Butler

Neal Creque - Contrast! (1972) [vinyl>flac]

Neal Creque was a soul-jazz luminary of the late ‘60’s and ‘70’s, recording extensively with Grant Green, and writing and arranging many of Cuban conguero Mongo Santamaria’s funkiest efforts. This album of his is all over the map stylistically, from solo piano tunes to Latin-funk fusion, and it encapsulates a number of varied moods within its relatively short playing time. Not easy to acquire. ~ by dmay28.

Ripped from a well-used LP, contains a few artifacts, otherwise a great listen, Enjoy!

Cobblestone Records, CST 9023, 1972

Personnel:

Neal Creque - Piano, Electric Piano, Clavinet, Organ, Bells

Billy Butler - Guitar

John Hart - Fender Bass

Kermit Moore - Cello

Al Foster - Drums

James Morrison, Leo Flemming, Richard Landrum, Steve Kroon, William Bivins:
Congas, Bongos, Tambourine, Triangle, Cuica, Shekere, Bells, Oboe [African],
Bajo Quinto, Claves, Guiro, Percussion [Other Miscellaneous]

Alfred Brown, Selwart Clarke, Winston Collymore - Viola

Tracks:

A1. Kenya (8:00)

A2. Help Yourself (4:32)

A3. Bacalau (4:24)

A4. Happy Go Lucky (2:23)

A5. Just A Moment (2:52)

B1. D Train (3:27)

B2. Love And Life (5:18)

B3. Jasmine (2:59)

B4. Two Loving Hearts (3:19)

B5. All This World Has To Offer (6:00)

All Compositions by Neal Creque

Credits:

Producer, Design, Photography - Don Schlitten

Executive-Producer, A&R Coordinator - Joe Fields

Recording Engineer - Paul Goodman

Mastering - Sam-Feldman (Bell Sound Studios, New York City)

Composer, Arranger - Neal Creque

The Jazztet - Nostalgia (1983) [vinyl>flac]

NEW LINK in comments.

I've remarked elsewhere that it's a damning indictment of the American Record industry that so much of the best jazz recorded by American musicians in the US itself, in the 70s and 80s, was done by European or Japanese companies!

Here’s atypical example. The Jazztet reformed in 1982. The first studio album to result was recorded by East Wind in Japan, the second by the Italian Soul Note label in Milan and then this in New York by the Japanese Baystate label. It was to be another three years before the next studio recording, also in New York but at last by a US company, the resurrected Contemporary label.

The New York Times: The Jazztet Comes In , But Leaves Nostalgia Out
By John S. Wilson, Published: November 18, 1983:

When a jazz group that was once a great success gets together again after a long separation, the expectation is that there will be a good deal of nostalgia involved, a revival of tunes and arrangements associated with the group. But when the Jazztet - a sextet organized in 1959 by Art Farmer, then a trumpeter and now a flugelhornist, and Benny Golson, the saxophonist - came together in 1982 after a lapse of two decades, the musicians made a point of not getting out their old arrangements.
''Never would we play that stuff again!'' Mr. Golson declared the other day as the Jazztet prepared to go into Fat Tuesday's for the third time since its revival a year and a half ago.
''Initially, the Jazztet was a sensation,'' the saxophonist continued. ''But after about a year, there was growing criticism that the group was too organized, too tight, too big-little- bandish, like the old John Kirby group but a little more up to date.''
To get away from both the appearance and the sound of organized formality, Mr. Golson recalled, the six musicians got rid of their music and their music stands and held ''memorizing rehearsals.'' ''We rehearsed mentally,'' he explained. ''We'd just look at a new arrangement before we played a note - just look and look and look. Then we'd go up on the stand with no music and no rehearsal and play it.''

Just Two Holdovers
The only holdovers from the Jazztet's original scores are Mr. Golson's ''Killer Joe'' and Mr. Farmer's ''Mox Nix.'' Otherwise, Mr. Golson's new arrangements are structured to give either Mr. Farmer or himself the melody, while the trombonist Curtis Fuller, another member of the old Jazztet, weaves around them.
After the 1962 breakup of the original group, which also included McCoy Tyner on piano, Mr. Farmer's late brother Addison on bass and Dave Bailey on drums, Mr. Golson and Mr. Farmer went on to separate careers. Mr. Farmer led his own groups for several years, and in the late 1960's, settled in Vienna and toured the world, picking up rhythm sections wherever he played.
Mr. Golson stayed in New York, working in recording studios, making television commercials and playing for pop singers while he studied the techniques of writing for movies and television. When he finally pulled up stakes and moved to Hollywood in 1967, he began working steadily on both films and television series, including ''It Takes a Thief'' and ''M*A*S*H.''
''Once I got to Hollywood, I made a conscious effort not to play,'' Mr. Golson said. ''I didn't want to be labeled a be-bopper or a jazzman or an orchestrator. Out there, you can fall into a niche that you can never get out of. I wanted to be labeled a composer.''
But in 1975, he got a call from New York to play a concert of his own compositions at Town Hall with the 18- piece Collective Black Artists Ensemble.
'I'd Be Playing in My Mind'
''By then I'd found that when I was listening to music, I'd be playing in my mind,'' Mr. Golson said. ''My fingers were moving mentally, and I was getting the emotional feeling that I had when I was actually playing. I was beginning to get the itch to play and when the Town Hall offer came, I took it.''
He began practicing and discovered, to his surprise, that his style had completely changed.
The success of that concert led him into what he describes as ''semi-retirment'': every eight or nine months, he would do a short tour in Japan or Europe, then go back to his writing.
Two years ago he got a call from a European promoter, Alexander Zivkovic, suggesting that he come to Europe and asking what ideas he had for a group. ''I'd been working in Japan with Curtis Fuller, who was the trombonist in the Jazztet, and I suggested that he and I might be part of a quartet,'' Mr. Golson recalled. ''Then I added, on the spur of the moment, 'Maybe we could put the Jazztet together again.' '' ''Fantastic!'' Zivkovic exclaimed. So I called Art and Curtis and Tootie Heath, who had followed Dave Bailey as our drummer. I knew it was too late to get McCoy Tyner because he'd become a star, and stars don't like to travel in somebody else's group.''

01 - Autumn Leaves
02 - Jam 'n Boogie
03 - Caribbean Runabout
04 - Dark Eyes
05 - Red Dragonfly
06 - Solstice
07 - From Dream To Dream

Benny Golson (ts), Art Farmer (fh), Curtis Fuller (tb), Mickey Tucker (p), Rufus Reid (b), Billy Hart (d)
New York City, November 22 & 23, 1983
(Baystate LP)

Helen Humes - New Million Dollar Secret

Every now and then an album fits both here and at Chitlins. Most of us who know Helen Humes are more aware of her as a Jazz singer, but in this rare 1950's recording she is more on the Blues/R&B side much like Dinah Washington in this same era. This is my 24/48 FLAC rip of this rare LP.

Art Blakey - Art's Break (1976) [vinyl>flac]

New link in comments.

This obscure Blakey release on the Italian Lotus label presents a typical Messengers' live date from the group with Hardman & Schnitter. The recording date of 1972, given on the sleeve, is obviously incorrect and 1976 seems far more likely, this being the same band that appeared on an Umbria Jazz Festival video.

Bird Like
Whisper Not
Blues March
Perception

Bill Hardman (tp) David Schnitter (ts) Mickey Tucker (p) Cameron Brown (b) Art Blakey (d)
label claims: Oslo, Norway & Tunis, Tunisia, 1972 but most likely Tunis, 1976.

Alpax suggests Perception sounds like it's from another date, possibly 1969 or 1972 with Woody Shaw on trumpet.

Art Farmer - Plays The Great Jazz Hits (1967) [vinyl.flac]

New link in comments.

Review by Scott Yanow:
The title of this reissue LP is a bit ironic for jazz was really struggling commercially in 1967 and the "hits" were few and far between. In fact flugelhornist Art Farmer, who leads the notable hard bop quintet (with Jimmy Heath on tenor, pianist Cedar Walton, bassist Walter Booker and drummer Mickey Roker), would be moving to Europe the following year where he would work much more often than he had in the U.S. The ten numbers on this LP were fairly popular, particularly such tunes as "Song for My Father," "The Sidewinder," "Watermelon Man" and "Take Five." The quintet's concise interpretations (no performance is over six minutes) are melodic without being overly predictable. As usual Farmer's lyricism by itself is a good reason to search for this underrated album.

01 - Song For My Father
02 - Round Midnight
03 - Sidewinder
04 - Moanin'
05 - Watermelon Man
06 - Mercy, Mercy, Mercy
07 - I Remember Clifford
08 - Take Five
09 - Gemini
10 - The In Crowd

Art Farmer (flh) Jimmy Heath (ts) Cedar Walton (p) Walter Booker (b) Mickey Roker (d)

CANNONBALL ADDERLEY - with ERNIE ANDREWS - LIVE SESSION! 1964 VINYL (FLAC)

1964
Capitol ST 2284
My Vinyl Rip
Front & Back Covers
DR Value 13
FLAC 8 (250 MB)

While Cannonball Adderley is a fine and well-known alto saxophonist, his equal partner on Live Session!, vocalist Ernie Andrews, is a more obscure figure.  Andrews recorded frequently during the late '40s and throughout the '50s, but retained a lower profile during the '60s.  That's one reason why Live Session!, recorded in 1964, is such a special work.  Backed by Adderley, cornetist Nat Adderley, pianist Joe Zawinul, bassist Sam Jones, and drummer Louis Hayes, Andrews' warm, rich vocals offer lovely interpretations of an even dozen songs.  The material cuts a wide swath across non-jazz genres, from the bluesy "Next Time I See You," to the popular "Since I Fell for You," to the fun nonsense of "Green Door."  Although the instrumental work takes a backseat to the vocals, both Adderleys find room to offer pithy solos that spice up the proceedings.  The accompaniment is an active one, too, with intricate piano and horns highlighting and underlining Andrews as needed.  Interestingly, the songs were recorded live on two different dates, two years apart.  The album nonetheless flows as a piece.   AllMusic Review by Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr.  

The Tracks:
A1 Big City
A2 Next Time I See You
A3 I'm Always Drunk In San Francisco
A4 Ten Years Of Tears
A5 Bill Bailey
B1 I'm A Born World Shaker
B2 Don't Be Afraid Of Love
B3 Since I Fell For You
B4 If You Never Fall In Love With Me

RON CARTER - PARADE - 1979 - VINYL - FLAC

1979
Milestone 9088
My Vinyl Rip
DR Value 14
Front & Back Covers
FLAC (8) 357mb

Bassist Carter heads a sterling mid-sized band with three trumpeters and saxophonists and two trombones. He handles the job of being both the primary and secondary rhythm support, while guests Joe Henderson, Jon Faddis, and Frank Wess, among others, provide some standout solos. The ensemble interaction clicks as well....AllMusic Review by Ron Wynn

The Tracks:
A1 Parade / A2 A Theme In 3 Quarter / A3 Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child
B1 Tinderbox / B2 Gypsy / B3 G.J.T.

Marion Brown - Passion Flower (1978)

Marion Brown whilst alive was a desperately underappreciated jazz artist. He spent the bulk of his active musical life delving into a highly emotive and improvisational form of free and avant-garde jazz. He expounded a truly lyrical voice and on this rare album he showcases his great ability to also play rich expressions of straight-ahead compositions in a tribute to Johnny Hodges. Working alongside superb players such as pianist Stanley Cowell, bassist Reggie Workman and drummer Roy Haynes, Brown adds magical touches to beautiful tunes penned by Strayhorn, Hodges, Ellington and others. This is an album that can't not please any jazz enthusiast, Enjoy!

Baystate Records, BVCJ 1030, 1994

Recorded 3^rd July, 1978 At Sound Ideas Studio "C", New York

Musicians:

Marion Brown - Alto Saxophone

Stanley Cowell - Piano

Reggie Workman - Bass

Roy Haynes - Drums

Tracks:

1. Passion Flower {Billy Strayhorn} (4:53)

2. Smada {Billy Strayhorn} (8:52)

3. Prelude To A Kiss {Irving Gordon, Irving Mills, Duke Ellington} (2:22)

4. Spotted Dog {Johnny Hodges} (5:57)

5. Solitude {Duke Ellington, Eddie DeLange, Irving Mills} (13:00)

6. Day Dream {John Latouche, Billy Strayhorn, Duke Ellington} (7:41)

Credits:

Producer - Yoshio Ozawa

Co-Producer - Fumimaru Kawashima

Recording & Mixing Engineer - Jim McCurdy

Mastering Engineer - T. Kotetsu

Photos - Y. Yoneda

Design [Front Cover] - K. Iida

Design [Back Cover] - T. Aoyagi

Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers - Copenhagen 1959

Hello everybody!!  I have not been actively posting in quite some time.  The reasons are two fold.  First and foremost, my young family & job extract most of my time and energy.  Secondly, I had been downloading & collecting with great intensity, but not listening.  I had gathered most of what I wanted, and of course more than any single human could possibly listen to in a lifetime.

That said, I have finally struck a balance in my personal life that allows me some time, and motivation, for sharing music.  As some of you may know, I am infact on Youtube and have been slowly sharing albums which were otherwise unavailable to that platform.  Those are albums which I already have in my digital collection, so not much effort is required.

Apologies for the decidedly unmusical intro!!  I found this CD in a thrift shop and wasn't really sure what I had.  As it turns out, it's a legit recording from Blakey's '59 tour of Europe.  The set list is of course, similar to all of the other dates you will find, with the exception of Nellie Blye.  I find myself regularily irritated with people who complain about the sound quality of these various live recordings.  My own opinion, is that this is a good live recording & we are blessed to have it available to us.  If you are truly listening for the music, you won't be disappointed.

This was ripped using EAC and compressed to FLAC 16/44.1 for your convenience.  Golden age Messengers... how can you lose?!?!?!  Enjoy!!!

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Earl Klugh - Finger Paintings (1977)

This might be one of Earl's greatest albums whereby the intricacies and yet simple music only Earl can produce. The music in the album ranges from slow heartbreaking "Christina" to finger snapping "Cabo Frio". The arrangements in "summer song" is nice. His renditions of Dance with Me, This Time (another great song from a great jazz artist, Al Jarreau),John Taylor's "Long ago and far away" are timeless classics! ~ C. Tongol, Amazon.com

I've been listening to Earl Klugh for over 30 years and this is one of my favorites. Great for dedicated listening and for just having in the background, very accessible and relaxing. ~ ejr1953, Amazon.com

Blue Note; BN-LA737-H, 1977

Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab, UDCD 549, 1991

Recorded, Mixed, and Mastered at Kendun Recorders, Burbank, California

Personnel:

Earl Klugh - Acoustic Guitar

Dave Grusin - Fender Rhodes, Synthesizer, Percussion (#5,6)

Lee Ritenour - Electric Guitar (#1-3,5,9), 12-String Guitar (#9)

Chuck Findley, Dick Hyde, Jack Nimitz, Jerome Richardson, Tom Scott, Lawrence Williams - Horns

Anthony Jackson - Electric Bass (#1-3,5,9)

Louis Johnson - Electric Bass (#4,6,7)

Francisco Centeno - Electric Bass (#8)

Harvey Mason - Drums (#2,3,5,9)

Steve Gadd - Drums (#1,4,6-8)

Ralph MacDonald - Percussion (#1,2,7,9)

Steve Forman - Percussion (#3,4,8)

Arnold Belnick, Pamela Goldsmith, Endre Granat, Allan Harshman, Karen Jones, Jacob Krachmalnick, Bernard Kundell,

Edgar Lustgarten, David Montagu, Constance Pressman, Dana L. Rees, Sheldon Sanov, Marshall Sosson, Ann M. Stockton, and Gerald Vince - Strings

Alexandra Brown, Lisa Roberts, Stephanie Spruill - Vocals (#4)

Dave Grusin - Arranger, Conductor

Tom Scott - Arranger [Horns] (#4)

Tracks:

1. Dr. Macumba {Earl Klugh} (4:26)

2. Long Ago And Far Away {James Taylor} (5:36)

3. Cabo Frio {Earl Klugh} (3:32)

4. Keep Your Eyes On The Sparrow{Dave Grusin, Morgan Ames} (4:40)

5. Catherine {Earl Klugh} (4:11)

6. Dance With Me {Johanna Hall, John Joseph Hall} (3:26)

7. Jolanta {Earl Klugh} (3:02)

8. Summer Song {Earl Klugh} (4:09)

9. This Time {Earl Klugh} (3:41)

Credits:

Producer - Dave Grusin, Larry Rosen

Executive-Producer - Dr. George Butler

Recording & Mixing Engineer - Larry Rosen

Mastering Engineer - John Golden

Recording [Strings & Horns] - Phil Schier

Photography - Greg Heisler

Design - Bill Burks

Notes:

"Summer Song" recorded at Electric Lady Studios, New York

Strings recorded at Columbia Studios, 30th Street, New York

Al Grey - Boss Bone (1964) [vinyl]

Soul jazz trombone session, recorded in Chicago, with players like John Young on piano, Leo Blevins on guitar, and Ike Isaacs on bass. The groove is tight and hard, and Grey wrote a lot of catchy originals for the session. Titles include "Tacos & Grits", "Salty Mama", "The Give Off", and "Grey Being Blue". © Dusty Groove, Inc.

This well-loved LP truly demonstrates that Al Grey at the time of recording was the ‘Boss Bone’. He has such a sweet tone that just literally sings along with the music. In addition, Al showcases his writing ability; six out of the nine compositions are his creation, the other three are reliable jazz standards which he plays with great finesse. This is all achievable by the wondrously harmonic playing of the rest of the group. Both the pianist and guitarist in particular blend perfectly with Al’s bone with some marvelous soloing. Considering the condition of the vinyl, with some tweaking the sound comes off well, Enjoy!

Argo Records, LP-731, 1964

Recorded 17^th December, 1963 at Ter Mar Studios, Chicago, Illinois

Musicians:

Al Grey - Trombone

John Young - Piano

Leo Blevins - Guitar

Ike Isaacs - Bass

Phil Thomas - Drums

Tracks:

A1. Smile {John Turner, Geoffrey Parsons, Charlie Chaplin} (2:38)

A2. Terrible Cap {Al Grey} (3:01)

A3. Mona Lisa {Jay Livingston, Ray Evans} (3:27)

A4. Tacos And Grits {Al Grey} (3:18)

A5. Can't You Feel It {Al Grey} (3:59)

B1. Salty Mama {Al Grey} (3:24)

B2. The Give Off {Al Grey} (4:06)

B3. Day In Day Out {Robe Bloom, Johnny Mercer} (5:13)

B4. Grey Being Blue {Al Grey} (3:45)

Credits:

Supervision - Esmond Edwards

Engineer - Ron Malo

Cover Photo - Don Bronstein

Liner Notes - Daddy-O Daylie

Freddie McCoy - Listen Here (1968) [re-rip]

One of the hardest to find albums by this lost 60s soul jazz vibist - and all of his albums are pretty darn hard to find! The album's also perhaps his best - as Freddie takes a little more straight funky jazz approach, and loses some of the pop feel of his other albums. There's 2 different groups on here - one a bit large, and with Wally Richardson, Bernard Purdie, and Dud Bascomb; the other a groovy quintet with Joanne Brackeen on electric piano and Gene Walker on Varitone. The album includes a great cover of "Listen Here", plus "Stone Wall" and "Short Circuit". ~ Dusty Groove, Inc.

Prestige Records, PRST 7582, 1968

Recorded 10^th June, 1968 at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Personnel:

Freddie McCoy - Vibraphone

Wilbur Buscomb, Edward Williams - Trumpet (#A1,B2)

Quentin Jackson, Melba Liston - Trombone (#A1,B2)

Gene Walker - Varitone (#A1,B2)

JoAnne Brackeen - Electric Piano (#A2-A3,B1,B3), Organ (#A1,B2)

Wally Richardson - Guitar (#A1,B2)

Raymond McKinney - Bass (#A2-B1,B3)

Jimmy Lewis - Electric Bass (#A1,B2)

Bernard Purdie - Drums (#A1,B2)

Al Dreares - Drums (#A2-B1,B3)

Montego Joe - Congas (#A1,B2)

Tracks:

A1. Don't Tell Me That {Freddie McCoy} (4:51)

A2. Short Circuit {Freddie McCoy} (6:44)

A3. Love For Sale {Cole Porter} (5:25)

B1. Listen Here {Eddie Harris} (7:24)

B2. MacArthur Park {Jimmy Webb} (7:45)

B3. Stone Wall {Milt Jackson} (3:17)

Credits:

Producer - Cal Lampley

Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder

Arranger, Conductor - Dave Blum

Cover Design - Don Schlitten

Cover Art - Jo Schwalbach

Sleeve Notes - Fred Norsworthy

Enrico Rava Quartet - Ah (1979) [vinyl]

>>Ah<< features bassist Giovanni Tommaso, drummer Bruce Ditmas and Franco D'Adrea, whose pianism lights up even the darkest corners.

Feeling a little under the weather? Then open up and say Ah, because Doctor Rava is in! This warm rainy day session is the perfect sonic elixir for what ails you. The sumptuous diagnostics of “Lulu” lay their pianistic hands upon us first, and with them the album’s leitmotif. Rava and D’Andrea are in fine conversational form here, as they ever are, cracking open a Pandora’s Box of free improv before re-attuning to a smoldering vamp. Rava starts us off strongly in “Outsider,” in which he swings his rhythm section around and around like children holding hands in a field. A swift kick from Ditmas brings us solid thematic closure. “Small Talk” allows Tommaso his just airtime in what is by far the highlight of the examination. Rava checks our pulse in the groovier “Rose Selavy,” breezes wistfully through the title track, and gives way to “Trombonauta,” the album’s brief yet impactful ballad, before ending “At The Movies.” This eclectic ode breathes with the magic of Cinema Paradiso while threatening to topple from the weight of its own remembrance. ~ by Tyran Grillo, ecmreviews.com.

ECM Records, ECM 1166, 1980

Recorded December, 1979 at Tonstudio Bauer, Ludwigsburg, Germany

Musicians:

Enrico Rava - Trumpet

Franco D'Andrea - Piano

Giovanni Tommaso - Bass

Bruce Ditmas - Drums

Tracks:

A1. Lulu (8:05)

A2. Outsider (6:16)

A3. Small Talk (5:00)

B1. Rose Selavy (4:51)

B2. Ah (6:00)

B3. Trombonauta (2:46)

B4. At The Movies (5:45)

All Compositions by Enrico Rava

Credits:

Producer - Thomas Stowsand

Engineer - Martin Wieland

Cover - Michelango Pistoletto

Layout - Dieter Rehm

Grover Washington, Jr. - All The King's Horses (1972) [vinyl]

Grover Washington, Jr.'s sophomore date for Creed Taylor's Kudu imprint was released in late 1972. Like its predecessor Inner City Blues, this session was produced by the label boss himself and was arranged and conducted by Bob James. Assembled for the date were large horn and string sections. The former contained stalwart talents like Detroit's Pepper Adams on baritone saxophone, and trumpeters Marvin Stamm and Ernie Royal. Other players on the session included what would become the heart of the CTI session crew: guitarists Cornell Dupree and Eric Gale, bassists Ron Carter and Gordon Edwards (who only appears on the opening cut), drummer Idris Muhammad (though Billy Cobham is also here), and percussionists like Airto Moreira and Ralph MacDonald. The real star of course is the soloist. Washington's debut, Inner City Blues, had done surprisingly well - especially since it was a date originally intended for Hank Crawford who couldn't make the scene. This time out, both Taylor and James played to Washington's tremendous strengths as an emotional player whose melodic improvising referenced everything from Motown to Stax and Volt, from Ray Charles to early James Brown and the Fabulous Flames, to Donny Hathaway, who had an uncanny knack with current pop hits. James too was discovering his own strengths in this field as a pianist and really shines behind Washington on tracks like "Where Is the Love," (written by MacDonald, actually), and Bill Withers' "Lean on Me." Washington was equally versed on both tenor and alto and possesses two very different tones on the horns. This gave James the opportunity to color the tunes with a rather startling array of colors, shades, and textures, making the two a wonderful team. Along with the aforementioned winners are the title track by Aretha Franklin with the slow, deep blue saxophone lines accompanied by hand percussion, a tight snare and hi-hat kit rhythm, and James ghostly chords on the Fender Rhodes. But the large backdrop of horns lends so much weight to the tune it almost breaks wide open. Then there's the gorgeous - and radical-re-envisioning of "Body and Soul," as a montage illustrated wonderfully by James impressionistic strings and woodwinds underneath Washington's bluesy take on the melody. The standard "Lover Man" is reintroduced here and includes a new interlude written by James. Washington's playing on the tune is actually reminiscent of Crawford's in feel (during his time with Ray Charles), but Washington also evokes Ben Webster in the chances he takes improvising on his solo. As if all this weren't adventurous enough, the set closes with "Love Song 1700," an adaptation from a song by classical composer Henry Purcell. Here is the genius of James at work. His love for Purcell and classical composition of this era shows up throughout his career, but the way he orchestrates strings and winds behind Washington - who could inject pure soul into even the dullest music of Lawrence Welk - is provocative, lovely, and haunting, even in its more overblown moments. When All the King's Horses was originally released, it wasn't received as well as Inner City Blues had been the previous year. In retrospect, however, this set has assumed its proper place in Washington's catalog: as one of his more ambitious and expertly performed sessions. ~ by Thom Jurek, AMG.

Kudu Records, KU-07, 1972

Recorded 19^th May-June, 1972 At Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Personnel:

Grover Washington, Jr. - Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone

Alan Rubin, Ernie Royal, Snooky Young, John Frosk, Marky Markowitz, Marvin Stamm - Trumpet, Flugelhorn

Paul Faulise, Tony Studd, Wayne Andre - Trombone

Brooks Tillotson, Donald Corrado, Fred Klein, Ray Alonge - French Horn

George Marge - Alto Saxophone, Flute, English Horn, Oboe, Recorder

Pepper Adams - Baritone Saxophone

Arthur Clarke - Baritone Saxophone, Flute

Bob James - Electric Piano, Harpsichord

Richard Tee - Organ

Cornell Dupree, David Spinozza, Eric Gale - Guitar (#A1-B1,B3)

Gene Bertoncini - Guitar

Ron Carter - Bass

Gordon Edwards - Bass (#A1)

Bernard Purdie - Drums

Billy Cobham - Drums (#A4,B2,B3)

Ralph MacDonald - Congas

Airto Moreira - Percussion

Strings:

Margaret Ross - Harp

Charles McCracken, George Ricci - Cello

Emanuel Vardi, Richard Dickler - Viola

Alexander Cores, Bernard Eichen, David Nadien, Emanuel Green, Gene Orloff,
Harold Kohon, Harry Lookofsky, Irving Spice, Joe Malin, John Pintaualle,
Max Ellen, Paul Gershman - Violin

Tracks:

A1. No Tears, In The End {Ralph MacDonald, William Salter} (3:49)

A2. All The King's Horses {Aretha Franklin} (3:48)

A3. Where Is The Love {Ralph MacDonald, William Salter} (5:07)

A4. Body And Soul [Montage] {Heyman, Sour, Eyton, Green} (3:02)

B1. Lean On Me {Bill Withers} (4:25)

B2. Lover Man {Jimmy Davis, Jimmy Sherman, Roger Ramirez}

      Interlude #2 {Bob James} (7:01)

B3. Love Song 1700 {Adapted ex Henry Purcell, Arr. Bob James} (4:51)

Credits:

Producer - Creed Taylor

Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder

Arranger, Conductor - Bob James

Design [Album] - Bob Ciano

Photography [Album] - Pete Turner

Tiziana Ghiglioni, Enrico Rava, Mal Waldron - I'll Be Around (1989)

Not many singers could pull off the kind of vulnerable, open-armed performance Tiziana Ghiglioni does on this wonderful collection of ballads. Maybe Sheila Jordan or Helen Merrill or Chet Baker when he was young. Fragile, brave, backed only by the spare piano of Mal Waldron and the trumpet of Enrico Rava, Ghiglioni gets the most out of understatement, which is a true art. ~ by Jack Fuller, Chicago Tribune.

"Music this intimate and emotionally naked is seldom risked; it's safer to show off techinique than to expose feelings.  Ghiglioni, Rava, and Waldron shed light on the dark corners of the soul, with music that is beautifully bittersweet." ~ from Liner Notes by Art Lange.

Soul Note, 121256-2, 1991

Recorded 25^th July & 1^st August, 1989 At Barigozzi Studio, Milano, Italy

Personnel:

Tiziana Ghiglioni - Vocals

Enrico Rava - Trumpet

Mal Waldron - Piano

Tracks:

01. Am I Blue? {Harry Akst, Grant Clarke} (6:15)

02. They Can't Take That Away From Me {George & Ira Gershwin} (5:14)

03. You Don't Know What Love Is {Gene DePaul, Don Raye} (7:18)

04. All Or Nothing At All {Arthur Altman, Jack Lawrence} (3:22)

05. Glad To Be Unhappy {Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart} (5:16)

06. I'll Be Around {Alec Wilder} (2:49)

07. Yesterdays {Jerome Kern, Otto Harbach} (2:23)

08. Where Are You? {Harold Adamson, Jimmy McHugh} (4:16)

09. Darn That Dream {Edgar De Lange, Jimmy Van Heusen} (5:43)

10. But Not For Me {George & Ira Gershwin} (2:09)

Credits:

Recording Engineer - Giancarlo Barigozzi

Mastering Engineer - Gennaro Carone (Phonocomp, Tribano, Milano)

Cover Painting - Giuliano Crivelli

Photo [Tiziana Ghiglioni, Enrico Rava] - Lidia Panizzut

Photo [Mal Waldron] - Brian McMillen

Cover Art by Xerios and Paola Bianchi

Liner Notes - Art Lange 

----------------------------------------------------------------------- 

It is an intimate album, modest in its pretensions and great in its results. It consists of ten standards with cause. That is, immortal. And it is delightful to hear Tiziana's nuanced voice, accompanied by the minimalists Rava and Waldron, fortunately two declared enemies of artificiality and pyrotechnics. There is a splendid version of "Am I Blue?", The best I've ever heard (along with Charlie Rich in "Pictures And Paintings" and Ray Charles in "Modern Sounds in Country & Western"), but I also love the light of "They Can not Take That Away From Me".

Neither are the melancholy interpretation of "Where Are You?" And "Darn That Dream" (yes, with the inevitable shadow of Sinatra gravitating around). Less I like the somewhat accelerated, in my opinion, of "All Or Nothing At All". And there is still the title track, "I'll Be Around," by Alec Wilder, which Carmen McRae will take to infinity. And the mere mention of such a singer already gives an idea of the category that Tiziana Ghiglioni has.

And there is place, for solo performances like Waldron's exciting "Glad To Be Unhappy" and Rava's nude and cutting of "Yesterdays". And also duos like the ghostly, black film, Rava and Waldron of "You Do not Know What Is Love Is", daquí stripped of a certain mellow of other versions. The "But Not For Me" by Tiziana and Enrico is also comforting.

In short, a very content album, very pleasant; that yes, not to listen in any way, but with the due attention that simple things require, those that we neglect daily, and that, nevertheless, form an important part of life precisely because of their vocation of transcendence, because it is the reverse of the bombast with which so many musical, literary or cinematographic works are undertaken. A blessing in these times. ~ dorotea, RYM.

Enrico Rava & Mario Rusca - D.N.A. (1997) [re-rip]

Enrico Rava needs no introduction as a great trumpet player. However here he is joined with another crack Italian jazz combo led by Mario Rusca, a highly acclaimed pianist throughout Europe, especially in his native country Italy. Born in Turin, he studied classical piano and then moved to Milan to continue his studies in harmony and composition. During the seventies he worked and recorded with the famous violinist Joe Venuti. Later he formed his own quartet "Suspension" with Tullio de Piscopo, George Baiocco and Bruno Tommaso. In later years he worked with some of the most 'important American musicians including: Gerry Mulligan, Chet Baker, Al Gray, Art Farmer, Lou Donaldson, Curtis Fuller, Lee Konitz, Bob Berg, Kay Winding, Jimmy Owens, Toot's Thielemans, Kenny Clarke, Stan Getz, Steve Lacy, Steve Grosmann, Eddie L. Joe Davis, Dusko Goykovic and Pepper Adams, Gianni Basso, Franco Ambrosetti, Woody Show and of course with Enrico Rava on this Album. Essentially “D.N.A.” is another brilliant expose for both artists, not to overlook Rusca’s well-chosen rhythm section. Together they deliver an exciting collection of both Rusca originals and some classic jazz standards. The listener cannot avoid been enthralled by the music. Enjoy!

Giants Of Jazz, 53302, 1997

Recorded 21st-24th December, 1996 at Mondial Sound, Milan, Italy

Personnel:

Enrico Rava - Trumpet (#1-5,7)

Mario Rusca - Piano

Lucio Terzano - Bass

Tony Arco - Drums

Tracks:

01. D.N.A. {Mario Rusca} (5:22)

02. How High The Moon {Nancy Hamilton, Morgan Lewis} (4:08)

03. Out Of Nowhere {Johnny Green, Edward Heyman} (10:13)

04. Flawless {Mario Rusca} (6:40)

05. Bye Bye Blackbird {Ray Henderson, Mort Dixon} (9:08)

06. Falling In Love With Love {Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers} (8:29)

07. My Foolish Heart {Ned Washington, Victor Young} (9:15)

08. You And The Night And The Music {Howard Dietz, Arthur Schwartz} (5:24)

09. Flash Steps {Mario Rusca} (4:44)

10. Chromosome Blues {Mario Rusca} (4:31)

Credits:

Producers - Walter Gürtler & Vanni Moretto

Recording Engineer - Walter Biondi

Cover Photography (Enrico Rava); Luca A. d'Agostino

Other Photos - Boris Vom Scheidt

Enrico Rava - Pupa o Crisalide (1975) [re-rip>flac]

"Pupa o Crisalide" isn't his most acclaimed record, but it's my favourite one. It's a good summary of the first phase of his solo career, and it contains tracks recorded with three different ensembles: an all-Italian line-up for the opener and closer - recorded in Rome, an Argentinean octet for the B-side of the LP - recorded in Buenos Aires, and finally an impressive American septet (just two names: Jack DeJohnette, John Abercrombie) for the A-side, recorded in New York. The musical style clearly reflects the composite nature of the album. The first half is funkier, edgier and fierier, evidently influenced by the jazz-rock/fusion tendencies that were spreading during those years. The second one is more placid and skippy, and elegantly incorporates some Latin/Samba elements in the alchemy.

The two halves are held together by the timbric similarity of the line-ups (which feature almost the same elements), and by Enrico Rava's renown trumpet style. Often compared to Miles Davis and Kenny Wheeler, his technique envisages rarefied notes, full of ambience, and erratic melodic lines which surprisingly do not undermine the "presence" of his trumpet sound. On the contrary, Rava's trumpet charisma seems to emerge right from this amazing equilibrium of detachedness and red-bloodedness. Source: Ilgolpeeluva.blogspot.com

RCA-VISTA, THP1 1116, 1975

Recorded on 15th-16th July, 1974 (#A1, B4) in Rome, Italy;

December, 1973 (#A2, A3) in New York:

April, 1974 (#B1, B2, B3) in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Personnel:

Enrico Rava - Trumpet

Tommaso Vittorini - Tenor Saxophone, Arranger (#A1,B4)

Finito Ginbert - Tenor Saxophone, Flute (#B1-B3)

David Horowitz - Piano, Electric Piano, Synthesizer (#A2,A3)

Franco D'Andrea - Piano (#A1,B4)

Matias Pizzarro - Piano (#B1-B3)

John Abercrombie - Electric Guitar (#A2,A3)

Ricardo Lew - Electric Guitar (#B1-B3)

Michele Ascolese - Guitar (#A1,B4)

Rodolfo Mederos - Bandoneon (#B1-B3)

Giovanni Tommaso - Bass (#A1,B4)

Herb Bushler - Bass, Bass Guitar (#A2,A3)

El Negro Gonzales - Double Bass (#B1- B3)

Bruno Biriaco - Drums (#A1,B4)

Jack DeJohnette - Drums (#A2,A3)

Nestor Astarita - Drums (#B1-B3)

Mandrake - Percussion (#A1,B4)

El Chino Rossi - Percussion (#B1-B3)

Ray Armando - Percussion (#A2,A3)

Warren Smith - Percussion (#A2,A3)

Tracks:

A1. Pupa O Crisalide (4:03)

A2. C.T.'s Dance (6:43)

A3. Tsakwe (8:11)

B1. El Samba Graciela (4:09)

B2. Revisione Del Processo N. 6 (10:25)

B3. Lingua Franca (4:35)

B4. Giromondo (3:35)

All Compositions by Enrico Rava

Rava's early works are strongly influenced by Miles Davis music and (fortunately!) almost don't include that honey-sweet South European melodies and over-emotional sentimentality that can destroy even good compositions. “Pupa O Crisalide” was recorded with three different ensembles in three different continents and naturally it contains a variety of music.

The album's opener and closer both were recorded in Rome with Italian musicians and are closest to Rava's later "Italian recordings". Still Miles Davis influences are obvious. The rest of the vinyl on side A was recorded in New York with an American septet (including such musicians as John Abercrombie (on electric guitar) and drummer Jack DeJohnette); these tracks are strongest part of the album. Similar to Miles Davis electric fusion period, the music here is a bit warmer, more airborne and a bit softer, but in itself sounds excellent (if not extremely original).

The first three compositions on side B were recorded in Buenos Aires with Argentinean musicians and hence contain music influenced by Latin Fusion. Overall album is can be considered variable and has some really strong moments. Very soon Enrico will start working for ECM and his music will become much more predictable. One strong Italian jazz album and excellent entry to Enrico Rava music. ~ Jazzmusicarchives.com