Susana Sheiman & Ignasi Terraza Trio - Swing Appeal (2011)

"The Sheiman-Terraza combination produces spectacular results, and this latest record, Swing appeal, is definitely one of the highlights of Spanish Jazz. Susana Sheiman gradually commands our respect and She is, without a shadow of a doubt, the best vocalist we have. In this programme they have specifically chosen lesser known themes by the best composers. They keep away from the more famous "war horses" but when it is all about well-known compositions, they are very good indeed, such as I don’t mean a thing, which Susana has transformed into something exceptional. Our singer takes risks and performs high-wire acrobatics, but she always ends up in the right place. Susana is superb. And what can I say about Ignasi? An iron fist in a velvet glove". ~ by Alfredo Papo.

Swit Records, SWIT10, 2011

Recorded 25^th & 26^th January, 2011 At Estudi Oido, Barcelona, Spain

Musicians:

Susana Sheiman - Vocals

Ignasi Terraza - Piano, Arranger

Giorgos Antoniou - Bass

Esteve Pi - Drums

Guests:

Damon Brown - Trumpet (#1,11)

Jesse Davis - Alto Saxophone (#5,7)

Oscar Alonso - Percussion (#6,12)

Tracks:

01. I'm Glad There Is You {Jimmy Dorsey, Paul Mertz} (5:35)

02. P.S. I Love You {Johnny Mercer, Gordon Jenkins} (4:15)

03. Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most {Fran Landesman, Tommy Wolf} (5:13)

04. Just One Of Those Things {Cole Porter} (3:02)

05. Good Morning Heartache {Dan Fisher, Ervin Drake, Irene Higginbotham} (6:03)

06. Where Or When {Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart} (2:56)

07. Emotional Dance {Ignasi Terraza, Susan Sheiman} (4:19)

08. Glad To Be Unhappy {Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart} (6:14)

09. Never Let Me Go {Ray Evans, Jay Livingston} (3:51)

10. Don't Ever Leave Me {Jerome Kern, Oscar Hammerstein II} (2:42)

11. It Don't Mean A Thing [If It Ain't Got That Swing] {Duke Ellington} (5:04)

12. There'll Be Another Spring {Peggy Lee, Edd Wheeler} (3:30)

Total Time: 52:14

Credits:

Producer - Ignasi Terraza

Executive Producer - Susana Sheiman

Recording & Mixing Engineer - David Casamitjana

Mastering Engineer - Pep Roig

Art Direction, Graphic Design - Natalia Cuadrado

Photography - Julio Cunill

Pucho & The Latin Soul Brothers - Tough! (1966)

A bit more jazz and pop-oriented than some of his later sessions, with covers of "Yesterday," "The Shadow of Your Smile," "And I Love Her," "Walk On By," and "Goldfinger." However, when Pucho decides to pull out the funky grooves -- as he does on "Cantaloupe Island," "Vietnam Mambo," and "Strange Thing Mambo" - he and the Latin Soul Brothers can smoke. Even at its slightest, this is decent mood music. At its best, it's significantly more than that, Enjoy!

The Latin Soul Brothers were at their best when they went for the hottest and funkiest grooves, as on their fine version of "Cantaloupe Island," or eccentrically titled originals like "Soul Yamie" and "Vietnam Mambo." The Latin Soul Brothers certainly couldn't have been accused of predictability, incorporating straight modern jazz chops, psychedelic flourishes, and soul-jazz organ grooves into their repertoire when the mood suited them. The constant factor was the active Latin percussion section, featuring conga, bongos, and Pucho's own timbales. ~ Extract by Richie Unterberger, AMG.

Prestige Records, PRST 7471, 1966

Recorded 15^th February, 1966 At Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ

Personnel:

Henry "Pucho" Brown - Timbales

Vincent McEwan - Trumpet

Claude Bartee - Tenor Saxophone

William Bivens - Vibraphone

John Spruill - Piano

Jon Hart - Bass

Richie “Pablo” Landrum - Congas

Norberto Apellaniz - Bongos

Tracks:

A1. Cantaloupe Island {Herbie Hancock} (3:49)

A2. Walk On By {Burt Bacharach, Hal David} (2:37)

A3. Just For Kicks {James Phillips} (2:37)

A4. And I Love Her {John Lennon, Paul McCartney} (3:41)

A5. Vietnam Mambo {Pucho} (4:00)

B1. The Shadow Of Your Smile {Johnny Mandel, Paul Francis Webster} (5:09)

B2. Strange Thing Mambo {Arthur Sterling} (2:30)

B3. Goldfinger {John Barry, Leslie Bricusse, Anthony Newley} (5:06)

B4. Yesterday {John Lennon, Paul McCartney} (3:07)

Total Time: 32:36

Credits:

Producer - Cal Lampley

Engineer - Rudy van Gelder

Design, Photography - Don Schlitten

Notes - Ahmad Basheer (April 1966)

Richard "Groove" Holmes - Living Soul (1966)

Tight trio material from the legendary Richard Groove Holmes - caught live at Count Basie's Nightclub in Harlem, working hard and heavy with a trio that features Gene Edwards on guitar and George Randall on drums! This live set is the kind of record that beautifully shows why Groove was so popular with live audiences in the 60s - because he can burn all night long, with no tricks, no gimmicks, just a straight-on soul jazz groove and some amazing work on the Hammond! Most cuts are pretty long - and there's some great groovers on here like Gerald Wilson's "Blues For Yna Yna", a cover of "Girl From Ipanema", Jimmy Heath's "Gemini", and Groove's own "Living Soul". © Dusty Groove, Inc.

Prestige Records, PRST 7468, 1966

Recorded 22^nd April, 1965 Live! At Count Basie's, New York

Musicians:

Richard "Groove" Holmes - Organ

Gene Edwards - Guitar

George Randall - Drums

Tracks:

A1. Living Soul {Richard "Groove" Holmes} (8:41)

A2. Blue For Yna Yna {Gerald Wilson} (5:17)

A3. The Girl From Ipanema {Gimbel, Jobim, Moraes} (5:03)

B1. Gemini {Jimmy Heath} (9:19)

B2. Over The Rainbow {Harold Arlen, E.Y. "Yip" Harburg} (7:03)

Total Time: 35:23

Credits:

Producer - Cal Lampley

Recording & Mastering - Rudy van Gelder

Design, Photography - Don Schlitten

Liner Notes - Ahmad Basheer

Note:

Photo taken at the Front Room Newark, New Jersey

Charles Fambrough - Upright Citizen (1997)

The heart of a jazz fan beats like Fambrough's bass, driving the lifeblood of warm sounds through the speakers and into the brain. Some bassists, in their own sessions, favor percussive and percolating arrangements that place the instrument in the role of soloist. Charles Fambrough actually seems to downplay the bass on Upright Citizen, ceding the spotlight to guests like Grover Washington, Jr. and Joe Ford. Fambrough's domain here is the rhythm section, adding programmed drums to his basslines in order to get the right foundation in place. As the captain of this ship, Fambrough ensures a smooth ride, absorbing the shock in Alex Bugnon's potentially bumpy "In Stride" and making sure a track like "D's Song" has the right amount of snap to it. Though Fambrough built his reputation largely on bop, Upright Citizen is more of a crossover album, lyrical and light on its feet. There are certainly stretches of substance, such as George Duke's piano solo on "It's Not Easy Havin' Fun," but even here the soprano sax washes away the intellectualism in a simple, cleansing motion. This session doesn't completely qualify as smooth jazz; there's more afoot than sweet sounds and mildly funky rhythms, yet even the most complex passages are never far removed from an ingratiating and warmly rendered melody. If you enjoy the sound of the soprano sax but find Kenny G a little light for your tastes, Upright Citizen might be right for you. The disc was reissued by Random Chance in 2002, with a different cover and slightly scrambled track order that essentially flip-flopped the opening and closing songs, among other things. The original 1997 Nu Groove recording is rich, vibrant, and clean, so you can't go wrong with either copy. ~ by Dave Connolly.

NuGroove Records, NUG-3003, 1997

Random Chance Records, RCD-7, 2002

Musicians:

Charles Fambrough - Bass (#1,2-4,6-9), Keyboards (#1), Programmed Drums (#3,4,7,8)

John Swana - Trumpet (#1), Muted Trumpet (#6,8), EUI (#6,7)

Gerald Albright - Alto Saxophone (#6)

Joe Ford - Soprano Saxophone (#1-3,5,7,8)

Grover Washington Jr. - Soprano Saxophone (#4,9)

Alex Bugnon - Piano (#1,5), Keyboards (#1,5,8)

Bruce Barth - Piano (#2), Keyboards (#2)

Mulgrew Miller - Piano (#3), Keyboards (#3,4)

George Duke - Piano [Solo] (#4), Keyboards (#4,6)

Rich Budesa - Piano [Solo] (#8)

Bill O'Connell - Piano (#9)

Nick Sistrun - Guitar (#1)

Gerald Brown - Drums (#2,9)

N'Dugu Chancelor - Drums (#4,6)

Pete Vinson - Drums, Poogie Bell-Trumpet, Programmed Drums (#5)

Marlon Simon - Percussion (#1,9)

Edson D'Silva (cafe) - Percussion (#2,9)

Munyungo Jackson - Percussion (#1,6)

Jon Lucien - Vocals (#2)

Tracks:

1. Fun City {Charles Fambrough} (4:25)

2. Bright Eyes {Charles Fambrough} (7:40)

3. D's Song {Charles Fambrough} (5:04)

4. It's Not Easy Having Fun {Charles Fambrough} (5:43)

5. In Stride {Alex Bugnon} (5:01)

6. Disguises {John Swana, Charles Fambrough} (7:59)

7. Dina {Charles Fambrough} (5:09)

8. Down The Way {Charles Fambrough} (4:17)

9. Main Street {Bill O'Connell} (4:00)

Total Time: 46:18

Credits:

Producer - Charles Fambrough, Stuart Alan Love

Executive Producer - David Chackler

Al Casey - The Al Casey Quartet (1960)

Albert Aloysius Casey, guitarist and bandleader: born Louisville, Kentucky 15 September 1915; married (one son); died New York 11 September 2005. Casey came from a musical family and was forced to learn the violin. He hated the sound of it and as soon as he could jettisoned it for the ukulele. Once in New York he studied guitar at DeWitt Clinton High School before his uncles sent him to the Martin Smith Music School for three years.

During the first part of his career Casey played a mainly chordal style on the guitar and it was only later, after Fats Waller's death in 1943, that he concentrated on electric guitar and the delightful single string solos that swung so much. He had such a powerful ability to swing that he had no need for complex solos and compared to other guitarists used a minimum of notes. This style can best be heard on the remarkably swinging blues feature that he recorded with Waller "Buck Jumpin' " (1941). This was a big hit at the time and Casey continued to play it regularly for the rest of his career. As far as could be judged it never lost any of its irresistible swing in later performances. ~ Extract by Steve Voce, Independent.co.uk.

Moodsville Records, MVLP 12, 1960

Recorded 10^th November, 1960 Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Musicians:

Al Casey - Guitar

Lee Anderson - Piano

Jimmy Lewis - Bass

Beltan Evans - Drums

Tracks:

A1. Blue Moon {Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart} (4:35)

A2. These Foolish Things {Harry Link, Jack Strachey, Eric Maschwitz} (6:45)

A3. All Alone {Irving Berlin} (5:25)

B1. Don't Worry About Me {Rube Bloom, Ted Koehler} (5:51)

B2. Dancing In The Dark {Howard Dietz, Arthur Schwartz} (4:23)

B3. I'm Beginning To See The Light {James, Ellington, Hodges, George} (4:47)

B4. A Case Of Blues {Jimmy Lewis} (2:52)

Total Time: 34:38

Credits:

Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder

Liner Notes - Joe Goldberg

Dave Pike - Plays The Jazz Version Of Oliver! (1963)

Dave Pike Plays the Jazz Version of Oliver! is an album by American jazz vibraphonist Dave Pike performing compositions by Lionel Bart from the musical Oliver! which was recorded in 1962 for the Moodsville label. Dave turns his hand to a well-loved musical and one that future generations will no doubt cherish. Dave's interpretation of Bart's compositions are wondrously arranged and joining him is a prominent grouping of veteran jazz musicians; including pianist Tommy Flanagan, guitarist Jimmy Raney, bassist George Tucker and Drummer Walter Perkins; all noted for their exceptional contributions to other album from this era. Dave's vibes are scintillating as per usual producing a very moving and compelling expose of these seminal writings. All tunes reflect the sensitive emotions that this Broadway musical and Hollywood movie portrayed. An included gem is the bassist's solo of the moving rendition of "Boy For Sale'. Ideally the album could easily have been expanded to include all of the tunes, but with what is offer here the listener can't and will not be disappointed, enjoy!

Moodsville Records, MVST 36, 1963

Recorded 28^th December, 1962 At Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ

Musicians:

Dave Pike - Vibraphone, Arranger

Tommy Flanagan - Piano

Jimmy Raney - Guitar

George Tucker - Bass

Walter Perkins - Drums

Tracks:

A1. I'd Do Anything {Lionel Bart} (4:52)

A2. As Long As He Needs Me {Lionel Bart} (5:44)

A3. Who Will Buy? {Lionel Bart} (6:16)

B1. Food, Glorious Food {Lionel Bart} (3:22)

B2. Boy For Sale {Lionel Bart} (1:19)

B3. Where Is Love? {Lionel Bart} (5:57)

B4. It's A Fine Life {Lionel Bart} (4:51)

Total Time: 32:21

Credits:

Producer, Design, Photo - Don Schlitten

Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder

Liner Notes - Dan Morgenstern

Maynard Ferguson - Maynard Ferguson 1969

This is probably Maynard's most enjoyable album ever. Different versions of some of the tunes were released on other albums, but this recording is special. I've heard virtually all of Maynard's recordings, and this one is the only one that uses more natural acoustics so you get to hear Maynard's sound without a lot of amplification, as it would be heard in a good concert hall. The effect is a natural, reverberant sound completely unlike super-dry jazz studio recordings or overload-the-mic "live" recordings. This is Maynard at the height of his powers, with a fantastic band, playing the big band jazz he did so well before his more commercial endeavors. Most notably, this album features Maynard's most dramatic reading of "Ole," with mind-blowing trips into the stratosphere, and a version of "Got the Spirit" that features Maynard far more than the "Live at Jimmy's" recording. Highly recommended. ~ Music Is Everything, Amazon.com.

MPS Records, MPS 15 166 ST, 1968

Prestige Records, PRST 7636, 1969

Recorded circa mid-December, 1967 in Baden-Baden, Germany

Personnel:

Maynard Ferguson - Trumpet

Rolf Schneebiegl - Trumpet, Flugelhorn

Klaus Mitschele, Karl Sauter, Siegfried Achhammer - Trumpet

Gerhard Lachmann, Heinz Hermannsdorfer, George Hohne - Trombone

Werner Betz - Bass Trombone

Bernd Fischer, Werner Baumgart - Alto Saxophone, Clarinet

Bert Huseman - Tenor Saxophone, Solo (#B2), Flute

Rudi Flierl - Tenor Saxophone, Bass Clarinet

Johnny Feigel - Baritone Saxophone, Solo (#A2)

Dieter Reith - Piano, Solo (#A4)

Jurgen Franke - Guitar

Werner Schulze - Bass

Herman Mutschler - Drums

Rolf-Hans Mueller - Conductor

Arranger - Michael Abene (#A1,A2)

Tracks:

A1. Almost Like Being In Love {Al Jay Lerner, Frederick Loewe} (1:51)

A2. Knarf {Michael Abene} (4:29)

A3. Ole {Maynard Ferguson, Slide Hampton} (7:07)

A4. Dancing Nitely {Bill Holman} (5:08)

B1. Tenderley {Jack Lawrence, Walter Gross} (3:02)

B2. Whisper Not {Benny Golson, Milt Jackson} (6:23)

B3. Got The Spirit {Slide Hampton} (9:26)

Total Time: 37:26

Archie Shepp - Coral Rock (1970)

Coral Rock features an absolutely monster free jazz lineup. Fans of other releases on America or the BYG Actuel series should be familiar with a number of these sidemen: Bobby Few, Clifford Thornton, Muhammad Ali, Joseph Jarman. Particularly of interest, though, might be the under-recorded Alan Shorter, who contributed the title track. This piece is especially reminiscent of "Mephistopheles," a tune that appeared (in different capacities) on his brother Wayne's similarly great Blue Note LP The All Seeing Eye and certain reissue pressings of the self-titled Marion Brown record on ESP. Like "Mephistopheles," "Coral Rock" features a lumbering, march-like bassline and incredibly dissonant head. "Coral Rock," however, is much looser and, for this reason, it would be difficult to imagine it on a Blue Note release of any kind. This is free jazz straight out of the late-'60s/early-'70s Paris scene. Very serious stuff. That having been said, the inclusion of the standard "I Should Care" may come as a surprise, but one should keep in mind that no matter how far out Archie Shepp got, his roots have always been firmly planted in the past. It is seemingly presented here more as a vehicle for pianist Bobby Few than anything else and, within Shepp's catalog, might be compared to the free blues of "Damn If I Know (The Stroller)" from his 1968 Impulse LP, The Way Ahead. This session was reissued in the States by Prestige. ~ by Brandon Burke, AMG.

America Records, 30 AM 6103, 1970

Prestige Records, PRST 10066, 1973

Recorded 23^rd July, 1970 At Studio Decca, Paris, France

Musicians:

Archie Shepp - Tenor Saxophone, Piano

Lester Bowie - Trumpet

Al Shorter - Flugelhorn

Clifford Thornton - Valve Trombone

Bobby Few - Piano

Bob Reid - Bass

Mohamed Ali - Drums

Ostaine Blue Warner - Percussion

Djibrill - Conga Drums

Tracks:

A. Coral Rock {Alan Shorter} (22:09)

B. I Should Care {Axel Stordahl, Paul Weston, Sammy Cahn} (14:05)

Total Time: 36:14

Credits:

Producer - Pierre Berjot

Photography - Gilbert Moreau

Sleeve Notes - Valerie Wilmer

Willis Jackson - In My Solitude (1961) [vinyl]

One of the rarest Willis Jackson albums of the 60s - recorded for the smaller Moodsville subsidiary of Prestige, and done in a dreamy late nite mode that's quite different from some of Jackson's other sets! The group is a quartet with Richard Wyands on piano - offering a starker, darker backing than Willis received on his organ-based albums for Prestige - a sound that allows Jackson to open up in these mellow and introspective solos, blown out of sadness into the darkness - with a tone and sound that seems to know no bottom. The set is recorded with a nice use of echo that seems to enforce this quality - and titles include "It Never Entered My Mind", "Home", "They Didn't Believe Me", "Estrellita", and "In My Solitude". © Dusty Groove, Inc.

Prestige/Moodsville Records, MVLP 17, 1961

Recorded 10^th January, 1961 (#A4) & 11^th April, 1961 (#A1-A3,B1-B4)
At Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Personnel:

Willis Jackson - Tenor Saxophone

Richard Wyands - Piano (#A1-A3,B1-B4)

Jimmy Neeley - Piano (#A4)

Peck Morrison - Bass (#A1-A3,B1-B4)

Wendell Marshall - Bass (#A4)

Mickey Roker - Drums (#A1-A3,B1-B4)

Gus Johnson - Drums (#A4)

Juan Amalbert - Congas (#A4)

Tracks:

A1. Nobody Knows The Trouble I Seen {Traditional} (4:12)

A2. Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child {Traditional} (3:41)

A3. [In My] Solitude {Eddie DeLange, Duke Ellington, Irving Mills} (5:04)

A4. Estrellita {Manuel Ponce} (4:11)

B1. It Never Entered My Mind {Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers} (4:03)

B2. They Didn't Believe Me {Jerome Kern, Michael E. Rourke} (3:38)

B3. Home {Harry Clarkson, Geoffrey Clarkson, Peter van Steeden} (5:11)

B4. Nancy [With The Laughing Face] {James van Heusen, Phil Silvers} (5:23)

Credits:

Producer, Photo - Esmond Edwards

Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder
Design - Don Schlitten
Liner Notes - Sidney Falco

David "Fathead" Newman - Concrete Jungle (1978) [vinyl]

David "Fathead" Newman has appeared through the years in both straight-ahead and commercial settings. This LP leans towards latter category; Newman here is and was a versatile performer and, on this album, he divides his time almost equally between alto, soprano, tenor and flute showcasing his ability to produce some wonderful Soul/Jazz-Funk. On this date he is accompanied by an electrified rhythm section that includes Pat Rebillot on keyboards and guitarist Jay Graydon backed by a string orchestra arranged by William Fischer. Included in the assemble are other players such as Jimmy Owens, Earl McIntyre, Babe Clarke, Clarence Thomas, Kenneth Harris and Kermit Moore. The tunes include McCoy Tyner's "Blues For Ball", Buddy Johnson "Save Your Love For Me", Stevie Wonder’s "Knocks Me Off My Feet", Bob Marley's "Concrete Jungle" and Marvin Gaye's "Distant Lover" and one of his own "Sun Seeds." Fischer’s arrangements truly compliment this material which can be criticised as being a bit dated, but David's skills are a truly masterful example of this late great player, Enjoy!

Prestige Records, P-10104, 1978

Recorded November, 1977 At Fantasy Studios, Berkeley, CA & New York City

Musicians:

David "Fathead" Newman - Flute, Soprano, Alto and Tenor Saxophones

Pat Rebillot - Keyboards

Jay Graydon - Electric Guitar

Abraham LaBoriel - Electric Bass

Idris Muhammad - Drums

Bill Summers - Congas, Percussion

Tracks:

A1. Knocks Me Off My Feet {Stevie Wonder} (3:58)

A2. Save Your Love For Me {Buddy Johnson} (5:20)

A3. Blues For Ball {McCoy Tyner} (4:22)

A4. Dance Of The Honey Bee And The Funky Fly {William Fischer} (6:17)

B1. Concrete Jungle {Bob Marley} (7:25)

B2. Sun Seeds {David Newman} (5:17)

B3. Distant Lover {Fuqua, Gaye, Greene} (7:25)

Total Time: 40:04

Credits:

Producer - Orrin Keepnews, William Fischer

Arranger, Conductor - William Fischer

Engineer [Basic Recording], Remix - Eddie Bill Harris

Engineer [Assistant] - Wally Buck

Engineer [Additional Recording-Strings] - Vince McGarry

Mastering Engineer - John Golden

Art Direction - Phil Carroll

Cover Art - Dennis Gassner, Roberto Morrison

Photography - Phil Bray

Note:

See Track [Personnel].txt for more player details.

Melvin Sparks - Spark Plug (1971)

Spark Plug is the 2^nd album by Melvin Sparks recorded for Prestige in 1971

Massive funkiness! This album ranks as one of the best from the early 70's period at Prestige, and it features a crack group of young heavy hitters like Sparks on guitar, Leon Spencer on organ, Grover Washington on tenor, and Idris Muhammad on drums – all wailing, just wailing, away on long funky tracks with solos that go waaaaay over the top! There's a full, extended brilliance here that has to be heard to be believed – an intensity of jazz funk energy that few groups or scenes in later years ever matched. Tracks include the wild "Conjunction Mars", "Spark Plug", and a funky cover of "Who's Gonna Take The Weight". © Dusty Groove, Inc.

Prestige Records, PR 10016, 1971

Recorded 1^st (#A1) & 8^th (#A2-B3) March, 1971
At Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Musicians:

Melvin Sparks - Guitar

Virgil Jones - Trumpet

Grover Washington Jr. - Tenor Saxophone

Leon Spencer Jr. - Organ (#A1)

Reggie Roberts - Organ (#A2-B3)

Idris Muhammad - Drums

Tracks:

A1. Who's Gonna Take The Weight? {Kool & The Gang} (9:22)

A2. Spark Plug {Melvin Sparks} (8:49)

B1. Conjunction Mars {Melvin Sparks} (8:12)

B2. Alone Together {Howard Dietz, Arthur Schwartz} (4:17)

B3. Dig Dis {Melvin Sparks} (6:48)

Total Time: 37:28

Credits:

Producer - Bob Porter

Engineer - Rudy van Gelder

Artwork [Cover] - Tony Lane

Liner Notes - Tom Curry

Kool & The Gang [Members]

Gene Redd, George Brown, Richard Westfield, Robert Mickens, Dennis Thomas, Woodrow Sparrow, Robert "Kool" Bell, Ronald Bell]

Archie Shepp - Black Gipsy (1969)

Black Gipsy is an interesting album, not just because it's one of the very few dates where Archie Shepp plays soprano exclusively, but because the album also features a harmonica player, Leroy Jenkins on viola, and a vocalist named Chicago Beauchamp (aka Chicago Beau), who also performed with the Art Ensemble of Chicago and Jimmy Dawkins. This is in addition to Clifford Thornton, Noah Howard, Sunny Murray, and the great Dave Burrell on piano. On "Black Gipsy," after an intro by Jenkins, Murray and bassist Earl Freeman set up a powerful martial groove, pushed by Burrell's lowend piano work. The horns and harmonica use this as a launching point, while Chicago Beauchamp sporadically spouts his street poetry. "Epitaph of a Small Winner" is something of a travelogue suite, starting in Rio de Janeiro with a light, upbeat melody. Casablanca is next, where the proceedings become a bit mellower and mysterious, then it's on to a near bluesy romp for the last stop in Chicago. This music gets intense, but melody is always at its core: this is not just a free blowing session. The rhythm section keeps things well grounded, aided greatly by Burrell's marvelous comping while the horns and harmonica take the melodies and run with them. Good stuff. ~ Extract by Sean Westergaard, AMG.

America Records, 30 AM 6099, 1970

Prestige Records, PRST 10034, 1972

Recorded 9^th November, 1969 At Decca Studios, Paris, France

Personnel:

Archie Shepp - Soprano Saxophone

Clifford Thornton - Trumpet

Noah Howard - Alto Saxophone

Julio Finn - Harmonica

Dave Burrell - Piano

Leroy Jenkins - Viola

Earl Freeman - Double Bass

Sonny Murray - Drums

Chicago Beauchamp - Vocals

Tracks:

A. Black Gipsy {Augustus Arnold, Chicago Beauchamp} (25:37)

Epitaph Of A Small Winner {Chicago Beauchamp, Julio Finn} (22:34)

B1. Rio De Janeiro

B2. Casablanca

B3. Chicago

Total Time: 48:11

Credits:

Producer - Pierre Berjot

Photography - Gilbert Moreau

Liner Notes - Chicago Beauchamp, Julio Finn

Melvin Sparks - Akilah! (1972) [re-rip]

Here's another great LP from the guitarist Melvin Sparks. Akilah! is one of his best from Prestige's classic early 70s! It is his third LP and recorded at Rudy van Gelder’s Studio. Sparks is a genius guitarist, with a great talent. He played with Lou Donaldson and Jack McDuff during the late 60s, but by the 70's, he was making his own way as one of the hottest funk guitarists in jazz. The group presented is an excellent one; and features Idris Muhammad on drums, Virgil Jones on trumpet, Frank Wess on tenor, Sonny Fortune on alto and Leon Spencer on organ. Akilah is an album that features more musicians than the usual soul jazz quintet format. Included on the album are guests Ernie Royal on Trumpet, Dave Hubbard on tenor and flute, Hubert Laws on flute, and George Coleman on tenor. Melvin's guitar work is proficient and rewarding. All compositions are by Melvin Sparks except “Love The Life You Live” [Kool & The Gang] and “The Image Of Love” [Leon Spencer]. Orchestrations are arranged by Billy Ver Plank on two tracks. Some highlights include "Love The Life You Live", "Akilah", and "All Wrapped Up". Enjoy!

Prestige Records, PRST 10039, 1972
Beat Goes Public, BGPD 1066, 1993

Recorded 14^th & 21^st February, 1971 at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Personnel:

Melvin Sparks - Guitar

Virgil Jones - Trumpet (#A1,A2,B1)

Ernie Royal - Trumpet (#B1)

Sonny Fortune - Alto Saxophone (A1,A2,B1,B2)

George Coleman - Alto Saxophone (#B1)

Frank Wess - Tenor Saxophone (#A1,A2,B1)

Dave Hubbard - Tenor Saxophone (#A3), Flute (#B3)

Hubert Laws - Flute (#B3)

Leon Spencer - Organ, Piano

Idris Muhammad - Drums

Buddy Caldwell - Percussion

Tracks:

A1. Love The Life You Live {Gene Redd, Kool & The Gang} (5:35)

A2. On The Up {Melvin Sparks} (5:56)

A3. All Wrapped Up {Melvin Sparks} (4:42)

B1. Akilah {Melvin Sparks} (4:39)

B2. Blues For J.B. {Melvin Sparks} (7:04)

B3. The Image Of Love {Leon Spencer} (6:51)

Credits:

Supervision - Ozzie Cadena

Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder

Orchestrations - Billy Ver Planck (#A1,A2)

Art Direction, Photography - Tony Lane

Melvin Sparks - Sparks! (1970)

Sparks! is the debut album by soul jazz guitarist Melvin Sparks recorded for the Prestige label in 1970. On this album Melvin is joined by trumpeter Virgil Jones, saxophonists Grover Washington Jr. and Houston Person, organist Leon Spencer Jr., drummer, Idris Muhammad and percussionist Buddy Caldwell. Even though Melvin chose predominantly popular commercial tunes for this album, he skillfully turns it into a solid soul-jazz outing. The LP contains five songs: ‘Thank You’ a cover of the popular Sly and the Family Stone Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin); ‘I Didn't Know What Time It Was’ is a straight-ahead guitar swinger; ‘Charlie Brown’ turned into a funky cover of the 1958 hit by the Coasters; ‘The Stinker’ another funky blues tune with a soul-jazz feel, featuring Houston Person on tenor saxophone, and again he is heard on ‘Spill The Wine’ which is a funky jam version of the radio hit by Eric Burdon & War released earlier in 1970. Sparks would go on to release another two albums on Prestige “Spark Plug” & “Akilah!”, each showcasing his technical richness, fine improvisations and wonderful phrasing reminding the listener of the style portrayed by Grant Green, probably his most immediate precursor. Only Houston is the sole surviving member of this wonderful band, a superb start to an extraordinary career, enjoy!

Prestige Records, PRST 10001, 1970

BGP Records, BGPD 1065, 1993

Recorded 14^th September, 1970 At Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Musicians:

Melvin Sparks - Guitar

Virgil Jones - Trumpet

Houston Person - Tenor Saxophone (#A3,B1)

John Manning - Tenor Saxophone

Leon Spencer, Jr. - Organ

Idris Muhammad - Drums

Tracks:

A1. Thank You {Sylvester Stewart} (7:59)

A2. I Didn't Know What Time It Was {Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart} (6:27)

A3. Charlie Brown {Jerry Lieber, Mike Stoller} (5:46)

B1. The Stinker {Leon Spencer, Jr.} (6:53)

B2. Spill The Wine {Papa Dee Allen, Harold Ray Brown, B.B. Dickerson, Lonnie Jordan, Charles Miller, Lee Oskar, Howard Scott} (10:56)

Total Time: 38:01

Credits:

Supervisor, Liner Notes - Bob Porter

Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder

Design - Don Schlitten

Photo - Al Johnson

Houston Person - Houston Express (1971) [re-rip]

As period soul-jazz goes, this is considerably above the average. It's funky, but not in the bland crossover sense; there's a sense of jazz ensemble discipline to the arrangements, but it's still R&B-based enough to groove to. Cecil Bridgewater (trumpet), Billy Butler (guitar), Bernard Purdie (drums), and Motown bassist Gerry Jemmott are among the more notable contributors to this 1971 session. ~ by Richie Unterberger, AMG.

There are some great players on this album. The electric piano really kicks in on a number of tunes and the brass section adds further highlights, but as usual Houston’s tone is very undeniable and full. Enjoy!

Prestige Records, PR 10017, 1971

Recorded 8^th & 9^th April, 1971 at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Personnel:

Houston Person - Tenor Saxophone

Cecil Bridgewater - Trumpet (#A4-B2)

Harold "Money" Johnson - Trumpet (#A1-A3,B3)

Thad Jones - Trumpet (#A1-A3,B3)

Ernie Royal - Trumpet (#A1-A3,B3)

Garnett Brown - Trombone (#A1-A3,B3)

Jack Jeffers - Trombone (#A1-A3,B3)

Harold Vick - Tenor Sax, Flute (#A1-A3,B3)

Babe Clarke - Baritone Sax (#A1-A3,B3), Tenor Sax (#A4-B2)

Paul Griffin - Piano, Electric Piano (#A1-A3,B3)

Jimmy Watson - Organ

Ernie Hayes - Organ, Electric Piano (#A4-B2)

Billy Butler - Guitar

Jerry Jemmott - Electric Bass

Bernard Purdie - Drums

Buddy Caldwell - Congas

Tracks:

A1. Young Gifted And Black {Nina Simone, Weldon Irvine} (5:17)

A2. The Houston Express {Horace Ott} (5:50)

A3. Enjoy {Horace Ott} (4:57)

A4. [For God's Sake] Give More Power To The People {Eugene Record} (3:42)

B1. Chains Of Love {Ahmet Nugetre} (7:33)

B2. Just My Imagination {Norman Whitfield, Barrett Strong} (5:34)

B3. Lift Every Voice {James Weldon Johnson, John Rosamond Johnson} (5:40)

Credits:

Producer - Bob Porter

Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder

Arranger, Conductor - Horace Ott (#A1-A3,B3)

Art Direction, Cover Art - Tony Lane

Back Cover Photo - Al Johnson

Note:
Ahmet Nugetre aka Ahmet Ertegün [Founder Atlantic Records]

Houston Person - Person To Person! (1970) [re-rip]

A mix of Prestige funk and earlier soul jazz - and a record that features tenorist Houston Person blowing with a group that includes Prestige masters like Virgil Jones on trumpet, Grant Green on guitar, Sonny Phillips on keyboards, and Idris Muhammad on drums! Jimmy Lewis plays a Fender bass in the group - which gives the tracks a nice round sound, and pushes the funk component a bit more than usual - and the album includes some nice groovers, like "Son Of Man" and "Up At Joe's, Down At Joe's", plus some mellower, more soulful material. © Dusty Groove, Inc.

Prestige Records, PRST 10003, 1970

Recorded 12^th October, 1970 At Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ

Personnel:

Houston Person - Tenor Saxophone

Virgil Jones - Trumpet

Sonny Phillips - Organ, Electric Piano (#A3,B3)

Grant Green - Guitar

Jimmy Lewis - Electric Bass [Fender]

Idris Muhammad - Drums

Buddy Caldwell - Congas

Tracks:

A1. Son Of Man {Harold Ousley} (8:29)

A2. Teardrops {Bunny Biggs} (4:38)

A3. Close To You {Burt Bacharach, Hal David} (5:17)

B1. Drown In My Own Tears {Ray Charles, Henry Glover} (7:18)

B2. Up At Joe's, Down At Jim's {Houston Person} (8:48)

B3. Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday {Bryan Wells, Ronald Dean Miller} (4:33)

Credits:

Producer - Bob Porter

Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder
Design - Don Schlitten
Photo - Al Johnson
Liner Notes - Bill Johnson, WCHD-FM (Nov. 1970)

Houston Person - Sweet Buns & Barbeque (1972) [re-rip]

One of those Prestige records sessions from the early 70's that has more of an electric keyboard groove than a hard organ one, but still a nice set of sweetly funky tracks from Houston Person and his funky tenor. There's a nice cover of "Down Here On The Ground", plus the cuts "Put It Where You Want It", "Groove Thang", and "Sweet Buns & Barbeque", which has some nice hard drums on the intro. Plus, the whole thing's got a cover that features Sweet Buns dripping with barbeque sauce – proof again that shooting soul food in a record album photo just never works! © Dusty Groove, Inc.

Prestige Records, PRT-10055, 1973

Recorded 11^th September and 7^th November, 1972
at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

Personnel:

Houston Person - Tenor Saxophone

Ernie Royal - Trumpet (#B2-B4)

Victor Paz - Trumpet (#B2-B4)

Frank Wess - Flute, Baritone Saxophone (#B2-B4)

Richard Tee - Organ, Electric Piano, Piano (#A1-A3)

Jimmy Watson - Organ (#B1)

Joe Beck - Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar (#A1,A2,A4-B3)

Hugh McCracklin - Acoustic Guitar (#A3)

Ron Carter - Bass (#A1-A3), Guitar (#A3)

George Duvivier - Bass, Electric Bass (#A4-B4)

Grady Tate - Drums

Buddy Caldwell - Congas, Percussion (#A4,B1,B3,B4)

Tracks:

A1. A Song For You {Leon Russell} (4:26)

A2. The Trouble With Hello Is Goodbye {Bergmanns, The, Dave Grusin} (4:00)

A3. Scared To Be Alone {Dory Previn} (4:08)

A4. Sweet Buns And Barbeque {Houston Person, Billy Ver Planck} (3:03)

B1. This Masquerade {Leon Russell} (6:07)

B2. Down Here On The Ground {Gale Garnett, Lalo Schifrin} (3:38)

B3. Put It Where You Want It {Joe Sample} (3:05)

B4. Groove Thang {Johnny Bristol} (3:01)

Credits:

Producer - Ozzie Cadena

Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder

Arranger - Joe Beck (#A1-A3), Billy Ver Planck (#A4-B4)

Art Direction, Photography [Cover] - Tony Lane

Photography [Back Cover] - Lee Friedlander

Pucho & The Latin Soul Brothers - Jungle Fire! (1970)

Henry “Pucho” Brown, and his Latin Soul Brothers continue in the vein of their previous albums, exploring elements of jazz, Latin music, soul, and funk. What sets this LP apart from its predecessors is the interpretation of three Norman Whitfield, Barrett Strong tunes. Both writer and lyricist are renowned for their contribution to the Motown Sound and of the late-1960s subgenre of psychedelic soul. The remaining two tracks are penned by Sonny Phillips, an organist, composer and noted soul jazz giant; also, a featured musician and leader on a number of other Prestige LPs. Apart from the great songwriting the album is boosted by the inclusion of saxophonist Seldon Powell, guitarist Billy Butler and as a regular electric pianist Neal Creque, adds his own magical touch. Of course, the Latin beats would not come to much if Pucho & his Latin Soul Brothers didn’t insurmountably fuse into each of the tunes their intoxicating rhythms. In the end another fine and entertaining album, enjoy!

Prestige Records, PRST 7765, 1970

Beat Goes Public, BGPD 1049, 1992

Recorded 12^th January, 1970 At Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ

Musicians:

Pucho - Timbales

Al Pazant - Trumpet

Seldon Powell - Tenor Saxophone, Saxophone [Varitone], Flute

Eddie Pazant - Tenor Saxophone

Earl Neal Creque - Electric Piano

Billy Bivins - Vibraphone, Percussion

Billy Butler - Guitar

Seaborn Westbrook - Bass [Fender]

Bernard "Pretty" Purdie - Drums

Joe Armstrong - Congas

Norberto Appellaniz - Bongos

Tracks:

A1. Friendship Train {Norman Whitfield, Barrett Strong} (5:10)

A2. Got Myself A Good Man {Norman Whitfield, Barrett Strong} (5:48)

A3. The Spokerman {Sonny Phillips} (5:15)

B1. Cloud 9 {Norman Whitfield, Barrett Strong} (8:59)

B2. Jamilah {Sonny Phillips} (6:17)

Total Time: 31:29

Credits:

Producer - Bob Porter

Recording Engineer - Rudy van Gelder

Design - Don Schlitten

Photo - H. Armstrong Roberts