A fine example of Geri
Allen's advanced music (which holds on to tradition without merely recreating
the past), this CD matches the talented pianist with veteran trumpeter Marcus
Belgrave, altoist Kenny Garrett, bassist Robert Hurst, drummer Jeff Watts and
percussionist Eli Fountain on group originals and two obscurities. Everyone is
in fine form, and the Belgrave-Garrett combination works quite well. ~ by Scott
Yanow, AMG.
The music is highly
interesting! Bold, complex, energetic, beautiful acoustic jazz, typical of its
period. There's some effortless blending of different subdivisions of rhythm
(Watts and Hurst have teamed up before...), some spirited almost-free blowing,
some serious loose and groovy second-line blues romping, floating,
all-encompassing jazz music. All the players deliver, and the band sound is
great. Geri Allen rocks. Open your ears and dig in. ~ B.A.H., Amazon.com.
Blue Note, CDP 7 95139 2, 1991
Recorded 5th &
6th January, 1990 At Sound On Sound, New York, NY
Musicians:
Geri Allen - Piano
Marcus Belgrave - Trumpet,
Flugelhorn
Kenny Garrett - Alto &
Straight-Alto Saxophones
Robert Hurst - Bass
Jeff Watts - Drums
Eli Fountain - Percussion
Tracks:
1. Night's Shadow {Eli
Fountain} (8:26)
2. No. 3 {Lawrence Williams}
(8:17)
3. It's Good To Be Home Again
{Lawrence Williams, Arr. Gene Kee} (4:32)
4. Batista's Groove {Marcus
Belgrave} (5:24)
5. Night Of Power [For My
Daughter Laila] {Geri Allen} (2:19)
6. Our Gang {Robert Hurst}
(5:38)
7. Silence And Song / The
Nurturer {Geri Allen} (9:51)
Born in Italy and active in
the Netherlands, this is Francesca Tandoi's 2nd album, released within less
than a year since her previous Japanese debut album "For Elvira".
Regardless of being a beautiful woman, she has equally been heralded as an
exceptional new talent, both a brilliant pianist and vocalist. This enthusiasm
is reflected in Sawano Kobo's push for a second release in such a short time.
On this CD standards are the prime focus, but with the addition of two of her
own tunes and more vocals. Her singing voice is clear and feminine, forming a
style although not as robust as other divas, but still remains complementary to
her playing. No doubt over time both talents will continue to evolve with her
maturity and expanding expertise. She is joined again by her Dutch friends,
bassist Frans Van Geest and drummer Frits Landesbergen and their cohesion as a
trio clearly shows through their continued association. It is an album that
creates an easy-listening atmosphere with some of the highlights being; the
moody "The Days of Wine and Roses", and both "Something
Blue" and "Green Heels" swing well. Overall another charming
expression of the talented Francesca Tandoi.
Atelier Sawano, AS 142, 2014
Recorded Trio At WedgeView
Studios, Woerdense Verlaat, Netherlands
Recorded Vocals At Power
Sound Studio, Amsterdam
Musicians:
Francesca Tandoi - Piano,
Vocals
Frans Van Geest - Bass
Frits Landesbergen - Drums
Tracks:
01. Tricotism {Oscar
Pettiford} (4:17)
02. Waltz For Debby {Bill
Evans, Gene Lees} (4:08)
03. That Old Feeling {Lew
Brown, Sammy Fain} (5:33)
04. Too Marvelous For Words
{Johnny Mercer, Richard Whiting} (3:58)
05. The Days Of Wine And
Roses {Henry Mancini, Johnny Mercer} (6:54)
06. You Must Believe In
Spring {A & M Bergman, J. Demy, Michel Legrand} (4:15)
07. Something Blue {Francesca
Tandoi} (3:31)
08. Volare {Domenico Modugno}
(5:15)
09. Teach Me Tonight {Gene de
Paul, Sammy Cahn} (4:10)
10. Save Your Love For Me
{Buddy Johnson, Nancy Wilson} (5:14)
11. Green Heels {Francesca
Tandoi} (3:58)
12. Someone To Watch Over Me
{George & Ira Gershwin} (5:46)
The Jazz Version of No
Strings is an album by saxophonist
Coleman Hawkins featuring tracks from the musical drama No Strings
written by Richard Rodgers, which was recorded in 1962 and released on the
Moodsville label. Hawk gives each of these splendidly harmonious tunes a broad
and warm and moving treatment. Tommy Flanagan is his usual collected,
delightfully swinging self, instinctively comprehending the feeling of the
tunes and revealing he was among the best pianists, technically and artistically,
exceptional as a soloist and a splendid accompanist. On drums, Eddie Locke is
typically proficient, and bassist Major Holley contributes some enjoyably
entertaining solos in a quartet that displays how to play superior, effortless
and truly entertaining music.
Moodsville Records, MVST 25, 1962
Recorded 30th March (#A1,A3,B1,B4)
4th April (#A2,A4,A5,B2,B3) 1962
At Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey
Having both cut his teeth and
come into his own with Dizzy Gillespie, Freddie Hubbard, and Yusef Lateef,
among others, pianist Kenny Barron began to carve out what has proven to be a
lengthy and fruitful solo career by 1973. This fine duo outing, which has Ron
Carter and Michael Moore trading off on bass, certainly shows Barron was in
full control of his vigorous and tuneful style by the mid-'80s. Cut for the
independent Black Hawk label before Barron would eventually find more exposure
via such high-profile companies as Enja and Verve, 1 + 1 + 1 features a tasty
program of numbers by Monk, Ellington, Coltrane, Dave Brubeck, and others. Of
particular note are Barron and Carter's treatments of the Gershwin opener,
"The Man I Love," and Brubeck's "In Your Own Sweet Way."
Carter also contributes the lone original here, "United Blues," which
features Moore handling the bass duties. Topped off with a fine solo
exploration of "Round Midnight" (Barron has to be one of the best
modern interpreters of Monk's work), 1 + 1 + 1 is certainly a must for fans of
contemporary hard bop. ~ by Stephen Cook, AMG.
BlackHawk Records, BKH 50601,
1984
Recorded 23rd &
24th April, 1984 in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey
Personnel:
Kenny Barron - Piano (All),
Solo (#B3)
Ron Carter - Bass
(#A2,A3,B2,B4)
Michael Moore - Bass
(#A1,A4,B1)
Tracks:
A1. The Man I Love {George
Gershwin, Ira Gershwin} (5:13)
A2. United Blues {Ron Carter}
(3:37)
A3. Prelude To A Kiss {Duke
Ellington, Irving Gordon, Irving Mills} (5:13)
A4. C Jam Blues {Barney
Bigard, Duke Ellington} (4:22)
In November of 2000 aboard a
ship adrift on the Atlantic Ocean, reedman Joe Temperley joined pianist Junior
Mance's Floating Jazz Festival Trio in what proved to be a perfect setting for
a tribute to the music of Thelonious Monk. Like Monk, the waters beneath them
were capable of powerful swings and torrents, and also like Monk, their music
was pronounced amid a shroud of relative isolation.
Throughout this live set,
Temperley and Mance - joined by the gifted rhythm section of bassist Peter
Washington and veteran drummer Mickey Roker—drive Monk's music to deserved
heights and moody lows. The opener, "Blue Monk," is given a
gin-soaked treatment by Temperley's swaying bass clarinet, which is then
reinforced by an appropriately blue-hued Mance solo and finally cemented by
Washington's spot-lit rolls and picks.
On "Ask Me Now,"
Temperley cedes the floor to the trio, leaving them to take on one of Monk's
more lyrical and melancholic works. They do so ably and with utmost care - evoking
an image of Monk as the delicate dynamo he was. Another highlight is the
group's work on the infectiously swinging "Rhythm-A-Ning." Mance
pulls out all the stops from gate to gate, while Temperley, on baritone sax,
flutters and flips his way through with remarkable dexterity.
From start to finish, it is
evident that these four know their Monk. In fact, so familiar are they with the
material that they infused it with a charming, lived-in quality which few other
ensembles could manage. Their approach to the artist is hardly revolutionary,
but rather warm, intimate and accustomed.
It's hard to say whether Monk
ever sailed the seas on a sprawling cruiseliner, but thanks to Mance, Temperley
and company we now know that setting would have agreed with him just fine. ~ by
Riel Lazarus, AAJ.
Chiaroscuro Records, CR(D)370,
2003
Recorded 1st, 4th
November, 2000 (#1-7) Aboard Queen Elizabeth 2, Atlantic Ocean;
Ray Bryant's fourth
recorded solo piano recital (and second in less than a year) was performed at
the 1977 Montreux Jazz Festival and is a particularly well-rounded set. Bryant
plays spirituals, blues, swing standards, John Lewis' "Django," and
the obscure "Jungle Town Jubilee." His distinctive and soulful style
fits well into every setting, making this an easily recommended set that will
satisfy most musical tastes. ~ by Scott Yanow, AMG.
Pablo Live, 2308 201, 1977
Laser Swing Productions, GB-C25-04-0043-1,
2004
Recorded 13th July,
1977 Live At Montreux Jazz Festival, Switzerland
Ray Bryant - Piano [Solo]
Tracks:
A1. Take The "A"
Train {Billy Strayhorn} (4:00)
A2. Georgia On My Mind {Hoagy
Carmichael, Stuart Gorrell} (4:24)
A3. Jungle Town Jubilee
{Lloyd Glenn} (2:51)
A4. If I Could Just Make It
To Heaven {Traditional, Arr. Ray Bryant} (3:40)
A5. Django {John Lewis}
(4:09)
B1. Blues N° 6 {Ray Bryant}
(6:59)
B2. Satin Doll {Billy Strayhorn,
Duke Ellington, Johnny Mercer} (4:00)
B3. Sometimes I Feel Like A
Motherless Child {Traditional, Arr. Ray Bryant} (4:20)
B4. St. Louis Blues {W. C.
Handy} (5:38)
B5. Things Ain't What They
Used To Be {Mercer Ellington, Ted Persons} (4:33)
Arthur Blythe, whose alto
tone has been quite original ever since the start of his career, is joined by
pianist John Hicks, bassist Cecil McBee, and drummer Bobby Battle on this
superior quartet date from Enja. Blythe really stretches out on this "Live
at the Village Vanguard" set, with six of the seven songs being over nine
minutes long. "Jana's Delight" (which is based on a five-note
pattern), "JB Blues," a remake of Blythe's "Lenox Avenue
Breakdown," and one of the best versions ever of Thelonious Monk's
"Light Blue" are the high points of the explorative program. Arthur
Blythe fans are strongly advised to pick up this particularly strong effort. ~
by Scott Yanow, AMG.
Enja Records, ENJ-8046 2, 1994
Digitally Recorded 25th
& 26th June, 1993 Live > Two-Track at The Village Vanguard, NY
"We're gonna cook a
little bit for you - is that O.K.?" With that Charles Earland celebrates
his birthday on stage - and it IS a celebration! Horns blaze, the rhythm
pounds, and you can't forget that vital organ. It’s aptly titled – this music
lives.
"The Burning
Spirit" sets off at full charge, horns shouting the angular theme with the
power of a big band. Eric Alexander runs deep, with tangy tone and lines that
run forever. Charles likes what he hears; he comps strong behind - strong
enough to drown at times. No such problem with Jim Rotundi: his tone is loud
and broad, mellow like a flugelhorn and sharp as a tack. Bob Devos snakes
everywhere: he darts long like Pat Martino, with a cleaner tone. And it's time
for The Mighty Burner. With deep smoke and happy screams, he cuts a path with
weaving fingers. Repetition is used to great effect: the hand pumps, the heat
rises. The crowd screams as the chords climb higher; Charles says “Praise the
Lord!” and the crowd affirms. The spirit is willing, and so is the listener.
The crowd is silenced, and
Charles goes churchy. The organ is solemn, full of vibrato - and then a shout.
Alexander starts "If Only For One Night" with that slow groove - a
midnight dance if there ever was one. Charles starts low and tender, shouts,
then the organ screams a while. This gets Alexander going, and he sounds a bit
like Turrentine as he does a loud swagger. Earland takes a three-note theme,
varies it deliciously, and goes loud for a rousing finish. “You know, your
hands are going on that CD,” he says.
The audience starts off
"The Burner's Magic," with a great rhythm part from Devos. Alexander
screams it hot; like before, it's hard to hear him at times. Rotundi is an
architect: his solo builds ideas into a unified whole, and the audience loves
it. Devos gets in some late-night blues. Charles starts with restraint: a
four-note pattern becomes a roll, and quickly gains muscle. Greg Rockingham has
a moment: his simple drum solo is the essence of tough. He and Alexander take
the honors here, and Charles doesn’t mind sharing the spotlight. There’s enough
of the Burner's magic to go around.
The highlights come at the
end, with two cuts taken from Charles' first album. "Black Talk"
opens with a shout of "C'mon guitar!" Devos responds with the ringing
blues, similar to Melvin Sparks on the 1970 version. Alexander is once more on
target: he trills high, and screeches some rusty honks. Charles reprises his
original solo, with some fiery variations. The crowd loves it - and lets us
know. The end, with tough rhythm, lots of hands, and a slow burn from Charles,
is a keeper.
It is topped by "More
today from Yesterday", which is cheered as it opens – the fans remember.
It’s a little shorter than the original, and Earland has the only solo: you
know what happens. The crowd is there from the beginning; they sound like they
could be dancing. Earland rolls warm, as the horns punch the riff. It sounds
like the original solo, but faster, and a heart as big as the room. Now THIS is
a shout! He takes a long, lush descent - down the Spiral Staircase? And the
horns come back. The applause goes on forever – as well it should. Happy
Birthday, Charles Earland. And many more! ~ by Staff, AAJ.
Cannonball Records, CBD 27107,
1999
Recorded 24th May,
1997 At The DuSable Museum Of African-American History, Chicago, Illinois
Musicians:
Charles Earland - Organ
[Hammond B-3]
Jim Rotundi - Trumpet
Eric Alexander - Tenor
Saxophone
Bob Devos - Guitar
Greg Rockingham - Drums
Tracks:
1. The Burning Spirit
{Charles Earland} (9:43)
2. If Only For One Night
{Russel Brenda Gordon} (6:03)
3. The Burner's Magic
{Charles Earland} (11:17)
4. Black Talk {Charles
Earland} (10:44)
5. Explosion {Eric Alexander}
(7:45)
6. I Love You More Today Than
Yesterday {Patrick Upton} (8:22)
Credits:
Producer - Charles Earland,
Ron Levy
Coordinator & Event
Producer - Tracy Williams
Stage Manager - Lionel
Slaughter
Recording Engineer - Phil
Klum (Pegasus Recording Co.)
Mixing & Editing - Gary
Kahn, Ron Levy, Charles Earland
Late last year together with
trumpeter Nanouck Brassers, Frits Landesbergen a prominent Dutch drummer and
vibraphonist, launched a new label under the name ESP Records. This album
"Magic 3" was to be their début release. Essentially is a trio album
from the Italian pianist/vocalist Francesca Tandoi joined by Frits and Dutch
bassist Frans van Geest with guest Italian tenorist Max Ionata. Frits first met
Francesca while teaching at the Conservatory in the Hague. "I was taken by
her natural way of playing and recognized immediately that she had an amazing
talent and we ended up working together." he said. The two went on to
produce a number of CD's for the Japanese "Atelier Sawano" label and
while successful in Japan according to Frits the reach into Europe was limited.
We decided 'Francesca would be the perfect choice for the first release on the
new label’, he explained. The album was recorded live at the Walhalla Theatre
in Rotterdam and showcases the magnificent and exciting talent of both
Francesca, Frits, Frans and Max the essence of all players. According to Frits
"Francesca is not only an exciting pianist but also a highly accomplished
vocalist that is fully aware of the tradition. I found it fascinating that
Francesca had studied vocalists that most musicians of her age have not even
heard of let alone studied." ~ Extracts by Frits Landesbergen, Jazz
In Europe.
Exclusive Session Productions,
ESPCD101, 2018
Recorded 29th May,
2018 Live At Walhalla Theater, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Musicians:
Francesca Tandoi - Piano,
Vocals
Frans van Geest - Bass
Frits Landesbergen - Drums
Guest:
Max Ionata - Tenor Saxophone
(#3,4,7-9)
Tracks:
01. Magic 3 {Francesca
Tandoi} (5:20)
02. Yours Is My Heart Alone
{Franz Lehár, Fritz Löhner-Beda} (6:38)
03. Just In Time {Jule Styne,
Adolph Green, Betty Comden} (3:54)
04. Bewitched, Bothered And
Bewildered {Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart} (6:41)
05. Night Mist Blues {Ahmad
Jamal} (7:26))
06. Tricotism {Oscar
Pettiford} (6:30)
07. You're Driving Me Crazy
{Walter Donaldson} (6:36)
08. Maybe You'll Be There
{Rube Bloom, Sammy Gallop} (6:13)
09. You've Changed {Bill
Carey, Carl Fischer} (8:00)
10. My Favorite Things
{Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II} (5:18)
11. The Sheik Of Araby {Ted
Snyder, Harry B. Smith, Francis Wheeler} (6:29)
Note:
CD ripped to WAV, excess
applause trimmed, tagged and encoded to FLAC.
Credits:
Producer - Exclusive Session
Productions, The Hague, The Netherlands
Trumpeter Jeremy Pelt
occupies an enviably open-minded space in the modern jazz landscape. A capable
traditionalist, Pelt has built his career around making acoustic post-bop, with
increasing forays into electrified, electronic-tinged fusion. His mutable choices
keep you in suspense as a listener -- you’re never sure what to expect from one
album to the next. While there are no such electronic flourishes on Pelt's 2017
effort, the warmly sophisticated Make Noise! It still pops with much of the
same cross-genre creativity he's explored in the past. The album follows his
similarly inclined 2016 effort #Jiveculture, which also featured an inventive
acoustic sound accented by legendary bassist Ron Carter. This time out, Pelt
brings along a slightly less-high-profile, if no less talented, ensemble
including pianist Victor Gould, bassist Vicente Archer, drummer Jonathan
Barber, and percussionist Jacquelene Acevedo. Together, they take an intimate
approach to expansive post-bop that straddles the line between Miles Davis'
'60s albums and Terence Blanchard's early-'80s work. Pelt has a broad,
enveloping trumpet tone and a knack for laying down highly engaging solos that
never hold a listener at arm's length. It's a skill he puts to good use
throughout Make Noise! and one complemented by his bandmates, especially
pianist Gould, who layers these tracks with a sparkling delicacy reminiscent of
the late Mulgrew Miller. Similarly, with Acevedo's kinetic percussion filtered
throughout, Make Noise! also has a strong Afro-Latin influence, a vibe
especially apparent on the roiling title track and frenetic, salsa-infused
"Bodega Social." Equally compelling, "Chateau d'Eau" has a
languid, R&B-inflected melody set to a midtempo Afro-Latin groove.
Elsewhere, Pelt pushes toward harmonically nuanced modalism, offering a
fittingly elegiac and noir-ish tribute to the departed pop icon on
"Prince," and evincing the angular, classically influenced style of
Black Codes-era Wynton Marsalis on "Cry Freedom." While much of
Pelt's work fits nicely into the jazz canon, he clearly has an open ear for
melody, a gift he exercises on "Your First Touch...", which sounds
like a Leonard Cohen song reworked as a sensuous jazz ballad. Ultimately, Make
Noise! continues to reveal Pelt's maturation into a confident artist,
comfortable enough with his place in the jazz tradition to keep subtly pushing
the edges of audience expectation. ~ Matt Collar, AMG. 4.5/5
Stars
This CD is dedicated to Amma
Sakyibea Pelt
HighNote Records, HCD 7299,
2017
Recorded 9th September, 2016
At Systems Two Recording Studios, Brooklyn, New York
Musicians:
Jeremy Pelt - Trumpet
Victor Gould - Piano
Vicente Archer - Bass
Jonathan Barber - Drums
Jacquelene Acevedo -
Percussion
Tracks:
01. Prologue: Introduction to
"Make Noise!" {Jacquelene Acevedo} (0:51)
02. Make Noise! {Jeremy Pelt}
(5:23)
03. Prince {Jeremy Pelt}
(8:14)
04. Cry Freedom {Jeremy Pelt}
(5:24)
05. Digression {Simona
Premazzi} (8:35)
06. Introduction to
"Evolution" {Jonathan Barber} (2:05)
07. Evolution {Jeremy Pelt}
(5:43)
08. Chateau D'Eau {Jeremy
Pelt} (5:55)
09. Your First Touch... {Jeremy
Pelt} (5:24)
10. Bodega Social {Jeremy
Pelt} (5:07)
Credits:
Producer - Jeremy Pelt
Executive Producer - Joe
Fields
Recording Engineer - Joe
Marciano
Mixing and Mastering Engineer
- Katsuhiko Naito
Photography - Ra-Re Valverde
Design - Keiji Obata, Peter Muller, Littlefield
& Company
"I believe that this new
CD is one of the most beautiful things I have been able to do in my life: for
the musical result, and because it brings together people for whom I feel a
profound human and musical admiration, and because I believe that after almost
5 years of working together, it marks the consolidation of Andrea as an artist
and a jazz musician." ~ Joan Chamorro, Bandcamp.com.
Scott Hamilton Sax Pulls
It Together Perfectly
Came across Joan Chamorro on
you tube by accident instantly smitten. Scott Hamilton is such a bonus, and
live performance adds to the atmosphere generated by this evocative cd. Perfect
for jazz lovers. Perfect for background in my home bar. ~ Jolly Roger, Amazon.com.
Beautiful Voice
Even though she is not
English her rendition of some songs comes across as so sexy in sound, perfect
and for a youngster she has a good grasp on what is required to make a
fantastic album, a little rough around the edges but that's what gives it that
relaxing sound. I would love to be in a small room when they perform, close and
personal. ~ Richie, Amazon.com.
Swit Records, SWIT15, 2013
Recorded 13th and
14th April, 2013 Live At Jamboree, Barcelona, Spain
Musicians:
Andrea Motis - Lead Vocals,
Trumpet, Alto Saxophone
Scott Hamilton - Tenor
Saxophone
Ignasi Terraza - Piano, Organ
[Hammond]
Josep Traver - Guitar
Joan Chamorro - Bass
Esteve Pi - Drums
Tracks:
01. Exactly Like You {Jimmy
McHugh, Dorothy Fields} (4:24)
02. Meditação {Antônio Carlos
Jobim, Newton Mendonça} (6:45)
03. I Fall In Love Too Easily
{Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne} (6:36)
04. Sun Showers {Arthur
Freed, Nacio Herb Brown} (4:33)
05. Someday My Prince Will
Come {Frank Churchill, Larry Morey} (7:41)
06. Moody's Mood For Love
{Fields, Jefferson, McHugh, Moody} (5:47)
07. Chega De Saudade {Antônio
Carlos Jobim, Vinícius de Moraes} (6:19)
This is Kontomanou’s debut
album, released in 1999 but to most quarters, something which was almost
entirely missed on the radar screen. The kind of vocal expression Elizabeth is
engaged in does not fit the popular vogue of female jazz vocalists. However, the
program here shows both elements of musical substance and extramusical content
in equal measure. The aesthetic persuasion that motivates her- the epic
romanticism that impelled the most powerful, immediate Jazz on the 60s, is
currently seen as outmoded. Put simply most listeners have a hard time
reconciling the fact a vocalist does not wish to deal with popular song forms
and instead wants to wrestle with an idiom that has been largely defined by
instrumental giants in the league of Coltrane and Sanders etc., Elizabeth Kontomanou,
like Flora Purim, is most committed to using her voice as an acoustic
instrument in the ideal sense through the great raw potential which lays in
wordless vocals. Here she surrounds herself with master soloists like Sam
Newsome and J.D. Allen so as not to make her abilities as an improviser go
untested. Indeed, it should be mentioned that time and time again both men, as
well as pianist Jean-Michel Pilc, lay out impressive statements that raise the
bar for her own expression. It's apparent if nothing else that the model of
John Coltrane is at the heart of her expression, and in this should lie much
interest for both Trane fans and those who cry for something different in the
vocal world. ~ Extract by Gerard Cox.
SteepleChase Records, SCCD
31467, 1999
Recorded November, 1998
Musicians:
Elisabeth Kontomanou - Vocals
Sam Newsome - Soprano
Saxophone
J.D. Allen - Tenor Saxophone
Jean-Michel Pilc - Piano
Thomas Bramerie - Bass
Abdou M'Boup - Percussion
Tracks:
1. Aliki {Elisabeth
Kontomanou} (7:40)
2. Embrace {Elisabeth
Kontomanou} (6:26)
3. Where I Wanna Be
{Elisabeth Kontomanou} (3:23)
4. Spring {Elisabeth
Kontomanou} (5:55)
5. The Light Of You
{Elisabeth Kontomanou} (9:07)
6. All Music Kinds {Elisabeth
Kontomanou} (11:35)
7. Lost Letter To A Nomad {J.D.
Allen} (10:16)
8. Clear Blue Skies
{Elisabeth Kontomanou} (10:14)
Another US jazz holy grail
finally reissued by Superfly. Probably the rarest Strata-East release, this
Erotica Suite by John Gordon is just a splendid modal jazz with deep tracks
like Neleh with enchanting flute lead or the spiritual jazz 4th movement
consequences. Absolutely cult album, beautiful repress! ~ diggersdigest.com.
Top quality Superfly reissue
of the most elusive Strata East LP that even the most accomplished collectors
do not have, superb funky modal Jazz all the way. ~ superflyrecords.com.
Strata-East, SES-19780, 1978
Superfly Records, SRLP026, 2017
Recorded & Mixed in 1978
At Sound Ideas Studios, New York City
Musicians:
John Gordon - Trombone
Waymond Reed - Trumpet,
Flugelhorn
James R. Spaulding - Alto
Saxophone, Flute
John Miller - Piano,
Synthesizer, Strings [Stringmen]
Another out-of-print,
never-reissued LP from the infinite universe of Sonny Stitt recordings, this
one recorded in 1972 and released in 1975 on the Paula label. It's
above-average Stitt, which is to say it's leagues beyond what most any other
saxophonist could turn in. Sonny is supported by a cast of Chicago musicians on
both sides. The first side is all alto, a couple of commercial tunes aimed at
the "soul" market followed by two exceptional straight-ahead Stitt
improvisations on "Jeep's Blues" and "I Know That You
Know." But even the tunes with strings and Fender Rhodes piano can't
detract from inspired Stitt. Jodie Christian on piano here. The 2nd side is
Stitt on tenor, his preferred instrument at this time. It's extremely
competent, spirited Stitt playing, but not as fresh as the numbers featuring
his alto. Rhythm section on this side includes Richard Muhal Abrams, Wilbur
Campbell and Cleveland Eaton. This one should be reissued. Write your
congressman! ~ Samuel, Amazon.com.
Paula Records, LPS 4004, 1973
Recorded 27th September,
1973 At P. S. Studio, 323 East 23rd, Chicago, Illinois
Italian trumpeter Flavio
Boltro is a worthy heir to the old American hard bop masters. In the 90s, his
collaboration with the French branch of Blue Note began, resulting in several
very successful albums, among which is 40 Degrees. This album is a rare case
whereby Boltro has written the bulk of the tunes, allowing the brilliant
pianist Éric Legnini to add two, the remaining being a couple of well-stated
standards. His quartet includes a strong Italian rhythm section comprising of
bassist Remi Vignolo and drummer Frank Agulhon. The album is very much an
exemplary American hard bop outing regardless of its continental constituents.
Essentially, the Quartet plays quite traditionally but at the same time is very
much conversant with newer forms of jazz expression and does so quite
elegantly, which leads the group to introduce elements of freer and more modern
music. "Jazz A Doc" isn't a pure hard bop sound, it explores a warmer
less fixed structure. Boltro's sound is not always in the manner of, say, Lee
Morgan, but a lot looser with a very enviable feeling of blues. In short, he
doesn't for a moment overlook his orthodox jazz sound as have other European
players. A truly entertaining album that all jazz aficionados will appreciate.
Blue Note, 7243 580609 2 8, 2003
Recorded 12th, 13th,
14th August, 2002 At Studio 26, Antibes, France
After recording six acclaimed
albums with bassist Joan Chamorro, Barcelona-based trumpeter, singer and
composer Andrea Motis makes her solo debut on Impulse! Records with Emotional
Dance. The astonishing accord that she’s cultivated with Chamorro during the
past seven years is firmly intact on Emotional Dance. The sterling performances
features him as well as pianist Ignasi Terraza, drummer Esteve Pi, guitarist
Josep Traver as the core ensemble. Like with Chamorro, Motis has recorded and
toured consistently with these musicians.
Chamorro coproduced Emotional
Dance with Brian Bacchus and Jay Newland. Through Bacchus and Universal
Records’, A&R director Jean-Philippe Allard's sage suggestion, Motis
augmented the personnel with a handful of U.S.-based musicians – vibraphonist
Warren Wolf, accordionist Gil Goldstein, baritone saxophonist Scott Robinson,
percussionist Café Da Silva. Three tunes also feature the famed American tenor
saxophonist Joel Frahm, who'd worked with Motis and Chamorro before. "We
invited [Joel] to play with us in Barcelona in 2016. He was so amazing that we
knew we wanted him for this album," Motis enthuses.
Even though, Motis is only
21-years-old, she displays a mature musicality beyond her years. That’s because
she began playing the trumpet at age seven; three years later she began
studying jazz at the Municipal School of Music of Sant Andreu under Chamorro,
who soon after recruited her for his band while she was still a teenager. While
at the school, she was also a member of the Sant Andreu Jazz Band for nine
years with which she recorded eight discs and played with such acclaimed
musicians as trombonist Wycliffe Gordon, saxophonist Jesse Davis, clarinetist
Bobby Gordon, and saxophonist Dick Oatts, among others. In addition to trumpet,
Motis plays alto saxophone. But it was with Chamorro's band that she began
singing. "The trumpet will always be my first instrument," Motis says
when asked if she likes being a singer or an instrumentalist the most.
"Playing the trumpet is like mediating; it’s such a part of my life. But I
never want to choose just one side of my artistic sides because I love doing
them all."
On Emotional Dance, Motis'
singing mostly takes center stage. She possesses an alluring, supple alto. With
its subtle vibrato and her succinct phrasing, Motis' singing has drawn
comparisons to such stylists as Billie Holiday and Norah Jones. Her vocal
prowess reveals itself immediately on Charles Daniels and Richard Whiting's
classic, "He's Funny That Way," which opens the disc. Perhaps, it's
no coincidence that the jazz standard has long been associated with Lady Day;
Motis and her ensemble certainly do the composition justice by underscoring it
with a quintessential swing-era shuffle that paves the way for an absorbing
solo from Robinson. Motis follows his lead by blowing a delightful trumpet solo
that accentuates her citrus tone and her assured sense of melodic swing.
Motis sees Emotional Dance as
an extension and evolution of her work with Chamorro. Like their previous
efforts, the new album contains it fair share of jazz standards. In addition to
"He's Funny That Way," Motis delivers captivating renditions of
Franck Loesser's "Never Will I Marry," Cole Porter's "You’d Be
So Nice To Come Home To," Eddie Jefferson's "Baby Girl," Johnny Mercer's
"I Remember You," Horace Silver's "Señor Blues," and
Antonio Carlos Jobim and Vinicius De Moraes' "Chega de Saudade."
Emotional Dance reveals some
of Motis' artistic growth with the presence of Frederico Sires Puig's "La
Gavina," Els Amics de les Arts' "Louisiana O Els Camps De Cotó,"
and Perico Sambeat's "Matlida." On all three tunes Motis sings in
Catalan - a first for her on disc. The latter tune even features Sambeat on a
billowing soprano saxophone accompaniment and solo.
Also, for the first time,
Motis exhibits her gifts as composer. She penned three of Emotional Dance's 13
songs. The first song she composed for the disc was "If You Give More Than
You Can," a poignant ballad containing heartfelt lyrics about being
overwhelmed with multiple responsibilities. Her ebullient, "I Didn't Tell
Them Why" shows Motis' friskier side as she sings about keeping a
blossoming romance on the down low, while her swaggering hard-bop instrumental,
"Save the Orangutan" best illustrates her command and improvisation
heft on the trumpet as she shares the frontline with Frahm.
As for the sparkling title
track, Terraza wrote it several years ago as an instrumental. Motis wasn't even
aware of Terraza's compositional abilities until she heard the song on the
radio. "We thought that the title of that song was very representative of
the feeling that we had during the making of this first album for Impulse!
Records," Motis says. "The title conveys all the positive changes and
new directions we've taken with my music while acknowledging that things are
moving forward in the right direction." ~ Andrea Motis.com.
