Raffaele Casarano - Medina (2015)

Raffaele and his quintet meet two very special guests: the Norwegian star Erik Honoré, and a great orchestra from the region he has born. An album full of opposite sides that try to find a common place where a total and complete idea of music lives. The admirable balance between the various souls is fascinating, the result of Casarano's intuition of drawing a canvas where the individual parts could express themselves freely but coherently, and his meticulous direction in an ambitious project like Medina gives us proof of full artistic maturity.~ tukmusic.com. 

An album by my friend Raffaele Casarano of which I took care of direction, arrangements and orchestration. Unique project of its kind and full of jazz, electronic and symphonic sounds. Thanks to Marco Bardoscia, Mirko Signorile, Alessandro Monteduro, Cristiano Calcagnile, to the splendid timbres of Erik Honoré, to the fabulous Orchestra Ico Tito Schipa and to Paolo Fresu because he believes in these beautiful projects! ~ Alfonso Girardo, alfonsogirardo.com. 

Tǔk Music, TUK008, 2015 

Musicians:
Raffaele Casarano - Alto & Soprano Saxes, Electronics
Mirko Signorile - Piano
Marco Bardoscia - Double Bass, Electronics
Cristiano Calcagnile - Drums
Alessandro Monteduro - Percussion
Erik Honoré - Live Samples
Orchestra Sinfonica Tito Schipa
Alfonso Girardo - Arranger, Conductor

Tracks:
1. Remembering Esbjorn (4:43)
2. A Due (6:39)
3. Click Clock (10:34)
4. Il Paradiso Degli Sciocchi (4:23)
5. L'Istrione (5:22)
6. Se Vuoi Andare Vai (7:37)
7. Un Amico Immaginario (4:51)
8. Africa (3:54)
9. L'Allegra Tristezza (3:38) 

All compositions by Raffaele Casarano 

Total Time: 51:46

Remembering Esbjorn

Ron McClure Quintet - Descendants (1980)

Recorded in New York in July 1980. I participated in the work of Ron McClure, who was also with the Dave Liebman Quintet. Originally recorded for New Zealand's Ode Records, it was released by Ken Music when it was made into a CD. I read the liner notes, I couldn't find the word "Ode Records". Moreover, the album title has been changed from the original "Home Base" to "Descendants", and the jacket has been redesigned. What makes this CD great is that it has 2 more songs than the analog version, and the sound source was remixed in March 1990! I don't need analog records except for collectors. John Scofield has played a very notch performance over the whole volume, and it is by far the best guest participation work recorded in 1980. And Tom Harrell's flugelhorn is good! Maybe it's a synergistic effect, John Scofield and the trumpeter originally had a great compatibility, and Tom's play inspired him to play lively. ~ JohnScoMania, johnscomania.blog.com. 

Ken Music, 660-56-007, 1992
Recorded July, 1980 at Garden Studio, New York City 

Musicians:
Ron McClure - Acoustic Bass, Solo (#6)
Tom Harrell - Flugelhorn
John Scofield - Guitar
Mark Gray - Piano [Electric]
Jimmy Madison - Drums 

Tracks:
1. Boat People (8:37)
2. Dance Of The Scorpion (6:40)
3. Descendants (7:15)
4. Scorpitarius (8:46)
5. Line (5:32)
6. Life Isn't Everything (2:49)
7. Sunny Day (4:59)
8. The Calling (7:03)
9. M Street Shuffle (5:05) 

All compositions and arrangements by Ron McClure 

Total Time: 56:48 

Credits:
Producer, Liner Notes - Ron McClure
Executive Producer - Ken Fujiwara
Recording, Mixing, Editing & Remix - James H. Madison
Design & Edit - Peacock Pii 

Sunny Day

Makiko Hirabayashi, Klavs Hovman, Marilyn Mazur - Surely (2013)

Another prodigious album, the third by the gifted Makiko Hirabayashi and her trio partners: bassist Klavs Hovman and drummer, percussionist Marilyn Mazur. Recorded in 2013 the trio entered the Realistic Sound studio in Munich and laid down thirteen tracks. Makiko is predominantly credited for writing eight of the tunes, but Marilyn Mazur also contributes three first-rate compositions and the remaining two small tracks are attributed to the trio as a whole. Fundamentally, the album showcases Makiko wonderful skills as pianist and compelling composer. Her sound is bright and alluring, sumptuously balanced by Klavs Hovman's exalting bass-lines, all the while backed by Marilyn Mazur's driving drum set. The listener is taken on a wide-ranging journey becoming truly lost in the scintillating rhythms and the majestic composure of Makiko's piano playing. In addition, on a few tunes Marilyn Mazur adds further colouring with her unique voicing. The interplay among the players is very sharp and crisp, utterly captivating and instantly enjoyable. In many ways, it is not an easy-listening album but one that engages the listener into a musical experience that is truly memorable, if not paradoxical. The trio ushers forth music that is seemingly full of contradictions, but this trifling simplicity is sustained by subtle complexity, creating an encounter that’s not diminished by further playtime, enjoy! 

Enja\Yellowbird Records, yeb7738, 2013
Recorded 22nd, 23rd April, 2013 at Realistic Sound, Munich, Germany 

Musicians:
Makiko Hirabayashi - Piano
Klavs Hovman - Bass
Marilyn Mazur - Drums, Percussions, Voice (#7,11) 

Tracks:
01. Surely {Makiko Hirabayashi} (4:14)
02. Moon Bells {Makiko Hirabayashi, Klavs Hovman, Marilyn Mazur} (1:08)
03. Asunder Asunder {Makiko Hirabayashi} (5:38)
04. Life Of A Cactus {Makiko Hirabayashi} (6:29)
05. Stepping On It {Makiko Hirabayashi} (4:08)
06. Black {Makiko Hirabayashi, Klavs Hovman, Marilyn Mazur} (1:28)
07. Ode To Okinawa {Makiko Hirabayashi} (4:31)
08. Eagles And Angels {Marilyn Mazur} (5:22)
09. Parachute City {Makiko Hirabayashi} (2:25)
10. Våd Vinkel [Wet Angle] {Marilyn Mazur} (5:19)
11. Paradox {Makiko Hirabayashi} (5:49)
12. Challenge {Marilyn Mazur} (2:05)
13. Indigo {Makiko Hirabayashi} (2:30) 

Total Time: 51:14

Credits:
Producer - Makiko Hirabayashi, Werner Aldinger
Recording & Mixing - Florian H. Oestreicher
Mastering - Christoph Stickel
Photography - Karolina Zapolska
Cover Design - Franziska Erdle [Gold-Unlimited.DE] 

Våd Vinkel [Wet Angle]

Randy Weston - African Rhythms [Blue] (1984) [vinyl]

Mr. Weston is a descendant of two strong musical personalities, Duke Ellington and Thelonious Monk; but far from being absorbed by these influences, he has built a strong identity of his own... music filled with melody, rhythm and a dramatic flair that distinguishes him from any other contemporary pianist. ~ John S. Wilson, New York Times. 

His music is beyond category - not jazz, third stream, nor European classic - it is totally unique, serious, dramatic, infectious, delightful. ~ Duke Ellington. 

Randy Weston is a virtuoso, terribly sincere as an artist whose music reveals a fascinating mood. ~ Le Monde, Paris. 

Weston's ringing overtones in the extremes of the keyboard, his Middle Eastern melodies and stirring rhythms, and his lucid, nonlinear improvisation make for a mesmerizing set. ~ Village Voice. 

1750 Arch Records, S-1802, 1984
Recorded March, 1983 at Northwest Recording Studio, Seattle, Washington, DC 

Randy Weston - Piano [9 Foot Steinway Concert Grand Piano] 

Tracks:
A1. Penny Packer Blues {Randy Weston} (7:16)
A2. Earth Birth {Randy Weston} (4:34)
A3. The Last Day {Randy Weston} (4:45)
A4. Lagos {Randy Weston} (5:13)
B1. Blue In Tunisia {Randy Weston} (7:04)
B2. Mystery Of Love {Guy Warren} (5:07)
B3. Ellington Tusk {Randy Weston} (7:32) 

Total Time: 41:31 

Credits:
Producer - Tom Buckner
Production Assistant - Teo Sutton
Recording Engineer - Gerald Oshita
Cover Concept - Wm. Tony Gable
Front Illustration, Album Design - F. Glen Jones
Photography [Back Cover] - Preston M. Wadley
Sleeve Notes - Randy Weston 

Earth Birth

Jun Usuba - Jazz Roots (2001)

Jun Usuba, born May 8, 1968 in Tokyo. At the age of 14, he taught himself to play the alto saxophone, and at the age of 16, he switched to the tenor saxophone. In 1996, he started his own group "Jun Usuba Jazz Roots". On February 21, 2001, his first leader album "Jazz Roots" was released from Jazz Bank\Polystar. For this album, Jun showcases all his own original compositions, whereby he actively incorporates a wide range of genres such as funk and Brazil music, etc., into his vibrant interpretation of Jazz. In many ways his music is a modern remake of the sound of the Crusaders, a popular band that dominated the jazz fusion scene in the 70's and 80's. Indeed, he is noted for being a close friend of Wilton Felder and Joe Sample. To this day, Jun Usuba continues to perform, evidence of which can be seen at his website. 

Jazz Bank\Polystar, MTCJ-1006, 2001
Recorded 11th & 12th December, 2000 at Gok Sound, Kichijoji, Tokyo 

Musicians:
Jun Usuba - Tenor Sax, Soprano Sax, Percussion
Satoshi Sano - Trombone, Percussion
Shusei Murai - Keyboards, Piano
Takashi Yofu - Guitar
Shinichi Sato - Bass
Shu Matsuyama - Drums, Percussion
Guest:
Tsuya Honda - Percussion (#7,8)

Tracks:
1. Kagu (4:19)
2. Good Looking (5:38)
3. Spring Calypso (6:07)
4. Cheers (6:37)
5. Southern Wind (5:55)
6. Song For G-Clef (5:41)
7. Joker (6:10)
8. Sunday Brunch (2:15)
9. Dear [My Friends] (4:55) 

All tunes composed and arranged by Jun Usuba 

Total Time: 46:41 

Credits:
Producer - Jun Usuba
Executive Producer - Yoichi Nakao
Recording & Mixing Engineer - Atsushi Tanaka
Design & Photography - Yumiko Takeoka 

Dear

Bryan Savage - Soul Temptation (1998)

Fellow multi-reedsman Nelson Rangell could learn a valuable lesson from Bryan Savage, who takes the risk of switching off between flute and saxes on his Higher Octave debut Soul Temptation. Equally adept at being a classically influenced postmodern Tim Weisberg and edging robustly on alto and tenor towards the steamy Gato Barbieri sound, Savage offers a little spunky something for everyone: a rich, improvisational fireball of "Georgia on My Mind"; a disco-minded slappiness on "Party Line"; and a flashy Tower of Power-type vibe on the catchy "Kaleidoscope." Written by Rick Braun (who also adds Savage to his production resume here), that tune finds Savage like a kid in the proverbial music store carrying the slamming melody by tripling flute, alto, and tenor and wrapping that brew around Braun's punchy flügelhorn. Everyone wants the Braun horn sound on their recordings, and it's to Savage's credit that the trumpet only shows up on two cuts as harmony; Braun, however, does lay some slick grooves via his underappreciated skills as a keyboardist/programmer. ~ by Jonathan Widran, AMG. 

Higher Octave Jazz, HOJCD 45623, 1998
Recorded at: Auravision, Brauntosoarus Studios, Megatracks,
Savage Studios, Studio City, California 

Musicians:
Bryan Savage - Alto Sax, Tenor Sax, Flute, Keyboards, Programming, Synthesizer
Rick Braun - Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Keyboards, Programming, Synthesizer
Bob Carpenter - Keyboards
Joel Gaines - Keyboards, Strings
Vin D'Onofrio, Chris Standring, Todd Sharp - Guitar
Larry Antonino, Cliff Hugo, John Menzano - Bass
Joe Finger. Dave Karasony, Dee Palmer - Drums
Scott Breadman - Percussion 

Tracks:
01. Soul Temptation {Rick Braun, Bryan Savage} (4:46)
02. Mulholland Drive {Rick Braun, Bob Carpenter, Bryan Savage} (4:48)
03. Last Summer {Joe Gaines, Keith Rouster} (4:44)
04. Party Line {Bryan Savage} (4:18)
05. Saturday Night {Rick Braun, John Mahon, John Menzano} (4:05)
06. River Of Dreams {Rick Braun, Bryan Savage} (4:36)
07. Two Cool {Vin D'Onofrio} (4:53)
08. Kaleidoscope {Rick Bruan} (3:57)
09. We Have It All {Bryan Savage} (4:21)
10. Georgia On My Mind {Hoagy Carmichael, Stuart Gorrell} (5:43) 

Total Time: 45:46 

Credits:
Producer - Bryan Savage, Rick Braun
Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Editing - William Aura
Executive Producer - Matt Marshall, Dan Selene
Production Director - Maria Ehrenreich
Engineer, Mixing - Eddie King
Mastering - Stephen Marcussen
Art Direction, Design - Robert Fisher 

Soul Temptation

Gianfranco Menzella Quintet - Miriam (2009)

With Miriam, Gianfranco Menzella presents the public a study that is certainly classic in stylistic terms, linking itself to the references of black music and introducing an experimental touch for the harmonizations that evolves in the direction of free jazz, blues and fusion. The Quintet's work, however, is extremely elegant and also reflects a high basic cultural provenance which is the receptive environment, a sophisticated spatial soul that is impossible not to love. In the foreground is Menzella's tenor sax, followed by an alto sax, a sumptuous piano, as well as the classic instruments of the rhythm session such as bass, drums and trumpets, which often join together and seek a swing direction together. It must be admitted that all these categorizations in genres do not best express a work which is, instead, very fine in keeping together all the different nuances of the same musical matrix. In fact, essentiality, stylistic balance, clean lines are perceived. The only concession to greater freedom is probably an image, this one: try to close your eyes for 40 minutes of listening and you will find the right dimension to dream of New York at the end of the 40s. Miriam's aesthetic is probably in the search for solutions that are refined and at the same time understandable by everyone. The title of the album - a woman's name - who knows if it wants to be in part a tribute to the female universe, or a suggestion to approach it with much more fluidity or, why not, even an invitation to women to open up, since they often manage to make themselves unhappily unintelligible. And Miriam, just by chance, means "beloved": if therefore in jazz notes there is passion, feeling and imagination, capable of speaking to the heart, isn't Miriam perhaps the best title that could be found as a symbol of this musical choice? It must be recognized, to an excellent Italian saxophonist like Gianfranco Menzella, the ability to potentially be appreciated by a large audience. Menzella doesn't seem to have even reached the full maturity of his artistic expression yet, yet the results are already excellent. Let's look forward to other pearls on the Italian jazz scene which, we like to say, in recent years has been increasingly enriched by skilled young talents. ~ Extract by Rosanna Perrone, Jazzitalia.net. [Translated from Italian] 

Philology Records, W 416.2, 2010
Recorded 25th March, 2009 at Studio Mediterraneo di Santeramo Colle, Bari, Italy 

Musicians:
Gianfranco Menzella - Tenor Saxophone
Alfonso Deida - Piano, Alto Saxophone (#8)
Tomaso Scannapieco - Bass
Giovanni Scasciamacchia - Drums
Special Guest:
Fabrizio Bosso - Trumpet (#1,2,4,6) 

Tracks:
1. Miriam {Gianfranco Menzella} (6:48)
2. Marco Smiles {Gianfranco Menzella} (5:34)
3. Falegname {Giovanni Scasciamacchia} (3:45)
4. Tidal Breeze {Harold Danko} (5:39)
5. Hermitage {Pat Metheny} (5:40)
6. Muddy In The Bank {Steve Swallow} (4:02)
7. Amico {Giovanni Scasciamacchia} (5:03)
8. Blues For Max {Gianfranco Menzella} (4:11) 

Total Time: 40:42 

Credits:
Producer - Paolo Piangiarelli
Recording, Mixing & Mastering Engineer - Massimo Stano
Photograhy - Claudia Calavelta, Marco Lopomo
Graphic Design & Cover Concept - danilosantinelli.it 

Muddy In The Bank

Saori Yano - Best (2007) [CD + DVD]

Here we have a wonderful compilation drawn from Saori's albums pre-dating 2007. The CD is made up of thirteen choice tracks, and included is I &I, not released on her studio albums, but from an advertising promotion that brought her further fame. Incorporated in the fantastic package is a DVD that showcases video frontage of that commercial, as well as four other promotional videos. These clips give the Saori fan an insight as to the formidable company she was associated with throughout those classic early years. Looking back, she hung out with an assemblage of great jazz musicians during her recording tenure in New York City. The reader can easily see from personnel listed that she gave and was given great respect when performing. In this regard, it is important to note that she is not just a player, but also a fine composer and to this extent within this selection are five of her own tunes. Listeners can only marvel this brilliant jazz musician on the job at such an early age, enjoy! 

Savoy Records, COZY 263 + COZY 264, 2007 

Yano Saori (2003)
#5,10
02 (2004)
#2,4,11,13
Sakura Stamp (2005)
#1,3,12
Groovin' High (2006)
#6,8,9
DVD "ASIENCE" TV-CF
#7 

Musicians:
Saori Yano - Alto Saxophone
Nicholas Payton - Trumpet (#1,3,12)
Randy Brecker - Trumpet (#6,8,9)
Slide Hampton - Trombone (#6,8,9)
Eric Alexander - Tenor Saxophone (#1,3,4,12)
Jimmy Heath - Tenor Saxophone (#6,8,9)
James Moody - Tenor Saxophone, Flute (#6,8,9)
Gary Smulyan - Baritone Saxophone (#6,8,9)
Masaaki Imaizumi - Piano (#5,6,8,9,10)
Harold Mabern - Piano (#2,4,11,13)
Mike LeDonne - Organ (#1,3,12)
Peter Bernstein - Guitar (#1-3,11-13)
Shin Kamimura - Bass (#5,10)
Nat Reeves - Bass (#2,4,11,13)
Ray Drummond - Bass (#6,8,9)
Masahiko Osaka - Drums (#5,10)
Joe Farnsworth - Drums (#1-4,11-13)
Adam Nussbaum - Drums (#6,8,9)

Tracks:
01. Donna Lee {Charlie Parker} (1:55)
02. Sand And Skirt {Saori Yano} (6:56)
03. Crazy He Calls Me {Bob Russell, Carl Sigmon} (7:56)
04. RIZLLA {Saori Yano} (5:32)
05. In A Sentimental Mood {Duke Ellington} (6:51)
06. Manteca {Dizzy Gillespie} (6:55)
07. I & I {Saori Yano} (3:58)
08. Greenism {Saori Yano} (4:44)
09. My Ideal {Newell Chase, Richard A. Whiting} (6:10)
10. How To Make A Pearl {Saori Yano} (4:14)
11. Lover Man {Roger Ram Ramirez, Jimmy Davis} (6:13)
12. Tico Tico {Zequinha Abreu} (5:31)
13. Open Mind {Takashi Matsunaga} (4:37) 

Total Time: 71:38 

DVD:
1. I & I {Saori Yano} (Movie)
2. Greenism {Saori Yano} (PV)
3. I Got Rhythm {George Gershwin} (PV)
4. RIZILLA {Saori Yano} (Movie)
5. How To Make A Pearl {Saori Yano} (PV) 

Crazy He Calls Me

Saori Yano - Little Tiny (2007)

Saori started playing alto saxophone in a brass band at the age of nine. She was enthralled by the music and playing of Charlie Parker and got quite obsessed with jazz. At the age of 14, she was captivated by Billie Holiday's autobiography and so started her live activities by negotiating to appear at a jazz club. In September 2003, she made her sensational debut at the age of 16 and as the second Japanese artist to be signed to the prestigious Savoy jazz label. In the spring of 2007, she appeared in a commercial as a new Asian beauty of Kao "Asience". She recorded the original song "I & I" used in the commercial, and with her first best album at the age of 20 won the 22nd Japan Gold Disc Award and Jazz Album of the Year. Overall, she got a lot of attention beyond the boundaries of jazz. From that time on she earnestly worked on "Bebop", the origin of modern jazz, and at the same time performed live not only in Japan but also in New York. By enlarge, she made the world aware of the coming of a new generation of jazz. In this regard, this album is a testament of her talent/s as a bright new emerging star in the jazz world today! 

Savoy Records, COCB-53685, 2007
Recorded 26th & 27th September, 2007 at Clinton Recording Studio, New York 

Musicians:
Saori Yano - Alto Saxophone
Doctor Lonnie Smith - Organ [Hammond] (#1-9)
Yuta Kaneko - Organ [Hammond] (#10)
Peter Bernstein - Guitar (#1-9)
Yoshihiko Hosono - Guitar (#10)
Lewis Nash - Drums (#1-9)
Nobuyuki Komatsu - Drums (#10)
Hibari Misora - Vocals (#10) 

Tracks:
01. My Baby Shot Me Down {Saori Yano} (8:18)
02. Split Kick {Horace Silver} (6:43)
03. Close To You {Burt Bacharach} (7:27)
04. She Rote {Charlie Parker} (5:30)
05. Velvet Easter {Yumi Arai} (6:36)
06. Boplicity {Cleo Henry} (8:35)
07. Pardon Lucy {Saori Yano} (7:46)
08. KC Blues {Charlie Parker} (8:42)
09. Danny Boy {Irish Folk Song} (5:31)
10. Take The "A" Train {Billy Strayhorn} (3:49) * 

Total Time: 69:03

* Special Tribute Track 

Boplicity

Saori Yano - Groovin' High (2006)

Saori Yano, celebrated her 20th birthday on 27th October, 2006, and released this album "Groovin' High" that marks the end of her teenage years and the start of her 20s and beyond. The theme of this, her fifth album as leader is based around jazz expression in an ensemble format utilizing such jazz greats as: Randy Brecker (tp), Slide Hampton (tb), Jimmy Heath (ts), James Moody (ts,fl), Gary Smulyan (bs), Masaaki Imaizumi (p), Ray Drummond (b) and Adam Nussbaum (ds) in a mode reminiscent of her much loved and admired Dizzy Gillespie, whom was equally noted for his own big band groupings. Recorded at Clinton Studio, New York, Saori chose as her setlist a vivid array of well-known jazz standards. Listeners of Saori, even at this early age can truly appreciate her versatile and expansive performance/s, whilst accompanied by the some of the best modern day jazz masters. Her prowess lies in her ability to express herself freely at the same time showcasing her virtuosity, laying down the ground to be recognised as a bright new contender in the jazz world today. Overall, for any jazz fan this album serves as one not to be overlooked, enjoy! 

Savoy Records, COCB-53576, 2006
Recorded 22nd-23rd July, 2006 at Clinton Studio, New York 

Musicians:
Saori Yano - Alto Saxophone
Randy Brecker - Trumpet
Slide Hampton - Trombone
Jimmy Heath - Tenor Saxophone
James Moody - Tenor Saxophone, Flute
Gary Smulyan - Baritone Saxophone
Masaaki Imaizumi - Piano
Ray Drummond - Bass
Adam Nussbaum - Drums 

Featured Personnel:
01. Speak Low with Slide Hampton & Randy Brecker
02. Manteca with Full Band
03. My Ideal with Quartet
04. Greenism with Quartet
05. Over The Rainbow with Quartet
06. Groovin' High with Full Band
07. Corcovado with James Moody & Gary Smulyan
08. There Will Never Be Another You with James Moody
09. Billie's Bounce with James Moody
10. Song Of The Seashore with Full Band 

Tracks:
01. Speak Low {Kurt Weill} (9:20)
02. Manteca {Dizzy Gillespie} (6:56)
03. My Ideal {Newell Chase, Richard A. Whiting} (6:11)
04. Greenism {Saori Yano} (4:44)
05. Over The Rainbow {Harold Arlen} (6:43)
06. Groovin' High {Dizzy Gillespie} (6:50)
07. Corcovado {Antônio Carlos Jobim} (7:46)
08. There Will Never Be Another You {Harry Warren, Mack Gordon} (6:37)
09. Billie's Bounce {Charlie Parker} (3:35)
10. 浜辺の歌 [Song Of The Seashore] {Tamezō Narita} (6:28) 

Total Time: 65:16 

Credits:
Producer - Hiroyuki Okano
Artist Management, Co-producer - Haruki Naoi
Recording Engineer - Bryan Smith
Assistant Recording Engineer - Sheldon Yellowhair
Mixing Engineer - Toshiyasu Shiozawa
Assistant Mixing Engineer - Masumi Iwata
Mastering Engineer - Hiroshi Sato
Art Direction, Design - Ikkun Hagi
Inner Editor - Hiroshi Ajimoto
Photography - Nicci Keller 

Groovin' High

Yuji Ohno Trio - My Little Angel (1971)

This is the first leader album by Yuji Ono, who continues to be talented in many directions such as TV animations, movie soundtracks, and collaboration with singers. For the entire album Yuji sticks with acoustic piano to create a fresh modern jazz sound with an exceptional sense of melody as he and his trio navigate through some well-known jazz standards, included are two of his own compositions. A must have outing for fans of jazz piano. 

RCA Records, JRS-7263, 1973
Sony Music Entertainment, SICP 4292, 2014
Recorded at Victor Studio, Tokyo in 1971 

Musicians:
Yuji Ohno - Piano
Yoshio Ikeda - Bass
Kazuyoshi Okayama - Drums 

Tracks:
1. Mr. Happy-Gon {Yuji Ohno} (4:23)
2. My Foolish Heart {Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart} (6:59)
3. Alone Together {Howard Dietz, Arthur Schwartz} (8:29)
4. A Boy On A Dolphin {Webster, Friedhofer, Morakis} (2:56)
5. My Little Angel {Yuji Ohno} (5:15)
6. By The Time I Get To Phoenix {Jimmy Webb} (5:23)
7. On Green Dolphin Street {Kaper, Washington} (8:30)
8. My One And Only Love {Guy Wood, Robert Mellin} (3:25) 

Total Time: 45:23 

Credits:
Producer - Hiroshi Isaka
Engineer - Tatsuo Umetsu
Photography, Design - Keijiro Kubota 

Mr. Happy-Gon

The Nagel Heyer Allstars - Uptown Lowdown + Bonus (1999)

A Jazz Salute To The Big Apple

It took a German recording team to enable trumpeter/arranger Randy Sandke to assemble this all-American, 12-piece ensemble for a panorama of New York-inspired tunes, recorded in the Big Apple in the Sylvia and Danny Kaye Playhouse as part of the 1999 JVC Jazz Festival. In doing so, he raided the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, as well as several independent history-minded players in the area, and emerged with a band that fires off the numbers with crisp virtuosity in any idiom called for. Thankfully, there is also more than enough gusto in the playing, due in no small part to the live festival recording situation. "The Harlem Medley," a lengthy leadoff stream of delicacies from the land of Ellingtonia, gets close enough to the Ellington sound to convey the idea without being slavishly imitative or ghostly. From there, the band doubles back to Dixieland, works its way up to swing, and slides without a glitch into bebop "Scrapple From the Apple", a Mingus shuffle blues "Nostalgia in Times Square", transitional Coltrane "Grand Central", and some Monk "52nd Street Theme", before being deposited back in Harlem by -- naturally -- the “A” Train." In between the main tour stops, Concord Jazz teammates guitarist Howard Alden and clarinetist Ken Peplowski serve up another of their fluid duets on Irving Berlin's "Slumming on Park Avenue." Other high points include clarinetist Allan Vaché wailing in the trad flagwaver "Chinatown" and trumpeters Sandke and Warren Vaché duking it out on "42nd Street." In all, a well-recorded souvenir of what sounds like a heartwarming local celebration. ~ by Richard S. Ginell, AMG. 

Nagel Heyer Records, nagel heyer 2004, 2004
Nagel Heyer Records, Digital DL, 2021
Recorded 16th June, 1999 Live at Sylvia & Danny Kaye Playhouse, NYC 

Musicians:
Randy Sandke, Warren Vaché - Trumpet
Wycliffe Gordon - Trombone
Joe Temperley - Saxophone
Ken Peplowski - Saxophone, Clarinet
Scott Robinson - Saxophone, Flute
Allan Vaché - Clarinet
Eric Reed - Piano (#1-6,11-13,15)
Mark Shane - Piano (#7-8,10,14)
Howard Alden - Guitar
Rodney Whitaker - Bass
Joe Ascione - Drums 

Tracks:
The Harlem Medley:
01. Echoes Of Harlem {Duke Ellington} /
Drop Me Off In Harlem {Duke Ellington, Nick Kenny} (3:07)
02. Jungle Nights In Harlem {Duke Ellington} (3:37)
03. Boys From Harlem {Duke Ellington} (3:33)
04. Sugar Hill Penthouse {Duke Ellington} (2:31)
05. Blue Belles Of Harlem {Duke Ellington} (3:07)
06. Harlem Speaks {Duke Ellington} (5:28)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
07. Chinatown {Jean Schwartz, William Jerome} (3:09)
08. Rose Of Washington Square {James Hanley, Ballard MacDonald} /
Broadway Rose {Martin Fried, Otis Spencer} (6:43)
09. Slumming On Park Avenue {Irving Berlin} (5:13)
10. 42nd Street {Al Dubin, Harry Warren} (5:59)
11. Scrapple From The Apple {Charlie Parker} (5:48)
12. Nostalgia In Times Square {Charles Mingus} (8:14)
13. Grand Central {John Coltrane} (8:31)
14. 52nd Street Theme {Thelonious Monk} (4:42)
15. Take The "A" Train {Billy Strayhorn} (7:46) 

Bonus Track
16. What's New? {Johnny Burke, Bob Haggart} (5:09) 

Total Time: 82:45 

Credits:
Producer - Charlie Bertini
Director, Arranger - Randy Sandke
Executive-Producer - Hans Nagel-Heyer, Sabine Nagel-Heyer
Recording Engineer - David Baker
Recording Assistant - Katsuhiko Naito
Mixing Engineer - Ben Ahrens
Photography - Alan Nahigian, Ed Berger 

Bonus Track [What's New?]

Randy Sandke - I Hear Music (1993)

The superior and surprisingly flexible trumpeter Randy Sandke mostly emphasizes the mainstream swing side of himself on this highly enjoyable release. He teams up with Ken Peplowski (who sticks to tenor except for a bit of clarinet on "Muddy Water"), pianist Ray Kennedy, bassist John Goldsby, and drummer Terry Clarke for a set of mostly lesser-known standards and originals. Sandke's compositions tend to be based on earlier tunes ("Wildfire" is actually "Liza," "See You Later" is "Everybody Loves My Baby," etc.), putting new melodies to older chord changes. Overall, this is high-quality swing that both looks ahead toward bop and backwards toward 1920s jazz. Among the highlights are "Thanks a Million" (which has a dramatic statement by the trumpeter), "Muddy Water," "I Gotta Right to Sing the Blues," and "I Love Louis" (mostly based on "Shine"). Highly recommended. ~ by Scott Yanow, AMG. 

Concord Jazz, CCD-4566, 1993
Recorded 4th & 8th February, 1993 at Sear Sound Studio, New York City 

Musicians:
Randy Sandke - Trumpet, Flugelhorn (#9)
Ken Peplowski - Tenor Sax, Clarinet (#5)
Ray Kennedy - Piano
John Goldsby - Bass
Terry Clarke - Drums 

Tracks:
01. Wildfire {Randy Sandke} (4:26)
02. Thanks A Million {Arthur Johnston, Gus Kahn} (3:07)
03. Say It {Randy Sandke} (4:45)
04. Dream Song {Randy Sandke} (3:24)
05. Muddy Water {Harry Richman, Jo Trent, Peter DeRose} (4:16)
06. With A Song In My Heart {Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart} (4:48)
07. See You Later {Randy Sandke} (4:54)
08. I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues {Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler} (5:15)
09. Domino {Don Raye, Jacques Plante, Louis Ferrari} (5:06)
10. I Hear Music {Burton Lane, Frank Loesser} (3:06)
11. I Love Louis {Randy Sandke} (4:04)
12. Lullaby For Karen {Randy Sandke} (4:48)
13. Benny Goodman Postscript  (0:12) 

Total Time: 52:17 

Credits:
Producer - Randy Sandke, Ken Peplowski
Executive-Producer - Carl E. Jefferson
Recording Engineer - David Baker
Mastering Engineer - George Horn
Art Direction - Kent Judkins
Photography - Ron Schwerin
Liner Notes - Chip Deffaa 

Lullaby For Karen

Jerry Granelli - The V16 Project (2003)

Jerry Granelli reunites with guitarist Christian Kögel and picks up guitarist David Tronzo and bass player Anthony Cox for the V16 Project. However, the music this band makes is markedly different than Granelli's past two guitar, bass and drum lineups (News From the Street, Broken Circle). First off, Granelli has a hybrid electro-acoustic drum kit now, and Kögel and Tronzo are both armed with samplers (mostly for looping purposes, not sound effects) and the results are astounding. In the liner notes, Granelli claims that "this music is based on three vehicles: spontaneous composition, pre-composed pieces, and sonic adventure." There's something to be said for truth in advertising. The album starts with the only composition from outside the band, the old standard "Temptation." Acoustic and electric guitars are introduced, looped, and layered until they sound like a virtual swarm as the tune kicks into high gear. The band works extremely well together: Cox is generally the anchor, with Granelli supplying rhythm and extra "sonic adventure" through his electronic percussion. Kögel and Tronzo are basically free to indulge themselves on all manner of guitar (electric, acoustic, slide, wah-wah, fuzz), and have sufficiently different playing styles that don't interfere with each other. After the first three composed pieces, it's time for Granelli to sit out for a few improvised pieces, then rejoin for some more "spontaneous composition." In the hands of these musicians, spontaneous composition is not exactly the same as free improvisation, as there is both a strong rhythmic and melodic element present in all these tunes, and each player is a consummate listener. The tunes range from quite intense, "Temptation" and "Black Confederacy," to the beautiful and lyrical "Family Man," which features some fantastic slide work from Tronzo. Adventurous listeners and avant-guitar fans should definitely check out the V16 Project. ~ by Sean Westergaard, AMG. 

Songlines Recordings, SGL SA1544-2, 2003
Recorded 23rd-25th April, 2003 at The Terrarium, Minneapolis, Minnesota 

Musicians:
Jerry Granelli - Electro-Acoustic Percussion
Anthony Cox - Electric Bass, Acoustic Bass Guitar
Christian Kögel - Acoustic & Electric Guitars, Sampler
David Tronzo - Acoustic & Electric Guitars, Sampler 

Tracks:
01. Temptation {Nacio Herb Brown, Arthur Freed} (11:17)
02. O Bossa, Where Art Thou? {Christian Kögel} (7:01)
03. Lunch With Mr. Wong / Leaving Mr. Wong's {Jerry Granelli} (7:24)
04. Acoustic Trio {Cox, Kögel, Tronzo} (1:44)
05. Acoustic Duo {Christian Kögel, David Tronzo} (3:49)
06. Cassius {Anthony Cox} (2:51)
07. Hobo Comedies {Granelli, Cox, Kögel, Tronzo} (4:56)
08. Family Man {Anthony Cox} (2:49)
09. Walk By {Granelli, Cox, Kögel, Tronzo} (0:23)
10. Mutator {Granelli, Cox, Kögel, Tronzo} (4:05)
11. Good Wheat {Cox, Kögel, Tronzo} (2:45)
12. Texas Oklahoma Conspiracy {Granelli, Cox, Kögel, Tronzo} (3:34)
13. Black Confederacy {Anthony Cox} (4:21) 

Total Time: 57:04 

Credits:
Producer, Liner Notes - Jerry Granelli
Producer - Tony Reif
Engineer - Jeff Mee
Assistant Engineer - Eric Olsen
Engineer, Mixing - Jason Orris
Editing, Mastering - Dawn Frank
Collage, Photography - Amy Fastenau
Photography - Steven Gale, Steve Purd 

Family Man

Wallace Roney - The Kind of Blue Project, 2 live shows

A pair of rare performance worth sharing... in fact 2 shows 2 days apart in July 2000. These are mp3's. 

Date: July 13, 2000 

Location: Copenhagen Jazz Festival - Cirkusbygningen, Copenhagen, Denmark Radio broadcast A+ 

Vincent Herring (as), Mark Turner (ts), Wallace Roney (t), Benny Green (p), Buster Williams (b), Jimmy Cobb (d) 

01. So What - 17:14 (Miles Davis) 

02. Freddie Freeloader - 12:57 (Miles Davis) 

03. Blue In Green - 5:18 (Bill Evans, Miles Davis) 

04. All Blues - 14:14 (Miles Davis) 

05. Flamenco Sketches - 11:58 (Miles Davis) 

06. Milestones - 6:06 (Miles Davis) 

07. Ah-Leu-Cha (Charlie Parker)

08. The Theme (Miles Davis)

Also same Band 7/15/2000 in Ireland

1. Freddie the Freeloader

2. Blue in Green

3. All Blues

4. Flamenco Sketches

5. Milestones

 

Mickey Tucker - Mister Mysterious

Mickey Tucker - Mister Mysterious
Muse 5174, 1978

01 Plagio
02 A Prayer
03 Mr. Mysterious
04 Taurus Lullaby
05 Cecilitis
06 Basic Elements

Mickey Tucker piano, Frank Foster tenor & soprano saxes and flute, Cecil Bridgewater trumpet, Pepper Adams baritone sax, Cecil McBee bass, Eddie Gladden drums, Ray Mantilla percussion, Azeeden Weston congas

"Nothing mysterious here -- but a great little record that stands as one of Mickey Tucker's few bold statements of the 70s! The set's a soaring spiritual soul jazz affair -- featuring Mickey at the helm on acoustic piano, plus Frank Foster on reeds, Cecil Bridgewater on trumpet, Cecil McBee on bass, and Eddie Gladden on drums. (and Pepper Adams on baritone!) Tracks have a dancing joyful feel that's right up there with the best 70s soul jazz on Muse -- like work by The Visitors, or Woody Shaw -- and the numbers are all originals by Tucker, and show him to be as great a writer as he was a player, especially in these larger group settings!" amazon

I share that enthusiasm, a really terrific album! Frank Foster is just lovely in a role where you might expect to see a Carlos Garnett or Carter Jefferson. Cecil B and Pepper have strong contributions and with a foundation like Gladden and McBee the music really sails along. Another one for that 70's spiritual soul jazz category and a surprise heavyweight (maybe cruiserweight).

I got a sealed copy and as you can hear it is flawless --- at least until three minutes into the final track when I heard an horrible POP and the needle clearly skipped a chuck of Pepper's solo. HORRORS! I quickly stopped the rip and pulled the record off the turntable---it still looked pristine, not a mark on it -- I cleaned it with the D4 anyway - no change, put a dime on it - no change - I watched carefully and there was no actual skip -- the flaw was in the mastering of the record itself -- CRAP!! I then remembered that I had an mp3 320 copy that seemed to sourced from a cd so I loaded it next to my copy in Audacity and started trying to match them up to see what I could discover - turned out a BIG chuck of that solo was missing but the other version was fine - I converted the one song to wave, cut out the first part of the solo and pasted it into my rip---I got it right on the second try and it is imperceptible! -- now for some reason my final version is still a few seconds shorter but it sounds fine and complete and is sonically superior to the cd sourced one.

Jerry Granelli And Badlands - Enter, A Dragon (1998)

Granelli follows his own muse, with an eclecticism that combines an array of styles. This is his first recording with his group called Badlands, and the drummer/leader mixes offbeat compositions with scintillating solos for each of the 15 tracks. Of course, it does not hurt to head a septet whose members include such outstanding improvisers as saxophonists Briggan Krauss, Peter Epstein, and Chris Speed, and a trombonist as savvy as Curtis Hasselbring. Through it all, drummer Granelli manages to improvise duets with each of the musicians, including his talented son, J. Anthony Granelli, who plays acoustic guitar and electric bass, and deft pianist Jamie Saft, who doubles on clavinet, accordion, and slide guitar. Moods change with the drop of a coin, yet there is a coherent quality to it all that draws the listener into a magical world where just about anything goes. ~ by Steve Loewy, AMG. 

Songlines Recordings, SGL-1521-2, 1998
Recorded 13th & 14th September, 1997 at Systems Two, Brooklyn, New York 

Musicians:
Jerry Granelli - Drums, Bells
Curtis Hasselbring - Trombone
Briggan Krauss - Alto Saxophone
Peter Epstein - Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone
Chris Speed - Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone
Jamie Saft - Piano, Clavinet, Accordion, Slide Guitar
J. Anthony Granelli - Electric Bass, Bass Guitar [Acoustic] 

Tracks:
01. Enter, A Dragon {Jerry Granelli} (3:21)
02. Haiku I {Peter Epstein, Jerry Granelli} (2:10)
03. Berlin Sky {Jerry Granelli} (7:50)
04. Shih {Jerry Granelli} (4:56)
05. Bou Noura {J. Anthony Granelli} (8:39)
06. Haiku II {Jerry Granelli, Curtis Hasselbring} (1:39)
07. Haiku III {Jerry Granelli, Jamie Saft} (2:15)
08. Sting Thing {Jerry Granelli} (7:25)
09. Black Montana Cheer {Curtis Hasselbring} (3:56)
10. Haiku IV {Jerry Granelli, Briggan Krauss} (1:34)
11. Fainting Sheep {Jerry Granelli} (7:37)
12. Haiku V {Jerry Granelli, Chris Speed} (2:05)
13. Haiku VI {J. Anthony Granelli, Jerry Granelli} (1:53)
14. The Dragon {Jerry Granelli} (9:18)
15. Rhythm Aces {Jerry Granelli} (2:29) 

Total Time: 67:19 

Credits:
Producer - J. Anthony Granelli, Jerry Granelli
Executive-Producer - Tony Reif
Recording, Editing & Mastering - A.T. Michael MacDonald
Artwork [Drawings & Writings] - Jerry Granelli
Design, Photography [Brooklyn] - Heidi Bullinga 

Fainting Sheep

Noriko Kojima - Easy Come, Easy Go (1993)

Noriko has recently released what she calls her 'the phantom first album' named "Easy Come, Easy Go." For this date she assembled a quartet format comprising of herself on flute and alto flute, pianist Yuko Takada, bassist Moriyoshi Shibuya and drummer Kei Wada. She states that eight out of the nine tracks are of her own writing with the remainder "Coconut Special" by Toraji Onaka. This early outing clearly demonstrates the pathway of a virtuoso flutist and a profound jazz composer for her chosen instrument. As per usual this supposed phantom album is welcomed addition to her evolving discography; a highly entertaining and recommended work! 

No Problem
Recorded 29th & 30th June, 1993 

Musicians:
Noriko Kojima - Flute, Alto-Flute
Hiroko Takada - Piano
Moriyoshi Shibuya - Bass
Kei Wada - Drums 

Tracks:
1. Waltz In Wonderland {Noriko Kojima} (1:55)
2. Cool In The Pool {Noriko Kojima} (7:47)
3. Tune Of June [For Jun] {Noriko Kojima} (8:26)
4. Coconut Special {Toraji Onaka} (8:46)
5. Nukarumi [Have You Ever Got In The Mud?] {Noriko Kojima} (6:15)
6. So Long {Noriko Kojima} (7:36)
7. Wall [There're Many Walls Around The Way] {Noriko Kojima} (8:26)
8. Mouth Of The Mogami-River {Noriko Kojima} (8:23)
9. Easy Come, Easy Go {Noriko Kojima} (5:55) 

Total Time: 63:29

So Long

Jerry Granelli - What I Hear Now (2014)

This is what master drummer Jerry Granelli hears now: a wide variety of left-of-center music that circumvents strict harmonic corralling, thanks to the absence of guitar or piano, and makes good use of multiple horns. Of course, if you catch Granelli a few months down the road, he might hear something completely different. Over the past half a century, Jerry Granelli has been making his mark by being his own man. Who else but a staunch individualist could make his initial splash(es) by holding down the drum chairs in the Vince Guaraldi Trio and the Denny Zeitlin Trio. For nearly three decades, Granelli has been cranking out creative music under his own name. Here, Granelli builds on the trio he has with bassist Simon Fisk and saxophonist Dani Oore, adding two other saxophonists - Andrew McKelvey and Mike Murley - and trombonist Andrew Jackson to the mix. The resultant music, not surprisingly, is highly eclectic. What I Hear Now opens with "Prologue," a number that finds saxophones in search mode, looking to and fro for answers. "Run Danny Run" keeps the focus on the horns, but Granelli joins in, contributing to the pointed rhythmic dialogue that urges the song forward. Then there's the desert stroll of "Walter White," grounded by the bass-drum hookup of Granelli and Fisk; the noir-ish "Mystery," a number which is smoky and wholly seductive; the slinky and hip "Dance For Me"; the slow-moving, horn-centered "Another Place"; and "The Swamp," a killer odd-metered groove number that never feels odd. In less than forty minutes, Granelli convincingly covers more ground than plenty of other musicians could cover given several albums worth of space. ~ Extract by Dan Bilawsky, AAJ. 

Addo Records, AJR030, 2015
Recorded September, 2014 at The Sonic Temple, Halifax Nova Scotia

Musicians:
Jerry Granelli - Drums
Mike Murley - Tenor Saxophone
Dani Oore - Tenor & Soprano Saxophones
Andrew McKelvey - Alto Saxophone
Andrew Jackson - Trombone
Simon Fisk - Bass [3 String Bassetto] 

Tracks:
1. Prologue (2:04)
2. Run Danny Run (5:15)
3. Walter White (4:26)
4. Mystery (6:15)
5. Dance For Me (6:21)
6. Another Place (4:44)
7. The Swamp (8:23) 

Total Time: 37:28 

Credits:
Producer, Liner Notes - Jerry Granelli
Executive-Producer - Colin MacKenzie
Engineer - Darren van Niekerk
Photography - Hannah Thomson
Art Direction, Cover Design - Jeremy Green