Dexter Gordon - Dexter Calling... (1961) (RVG)

Dexter Gordon - Dexter Calling... (1961)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 335MB

Blue Note | RVG 24-bit remaster

Allmusic:
Dexter Gordon's second recording for the Blue Note label is a solidly swinging affair, yet constantly full of surprises. It's not unexpected that Gordon's tenor at this time -- 1961 -- is one of the most enjoyable in mainstream jazz, but his transition from the cool California scene to the hotter music environs of New York City had energized his sound and attitude. A first-time pairing with bassist Paul Chambers has something to do with this, but it also inspires pianist Kenny Drew to a great extent, while drummer Philly Joe Jones is his reliable, energetic self, and always works well with Gordon. This SACD edition features a broad range of jazz that Gordon mastered with wisdom and a bit of mad abandon on his solos. Where Gordon's fluent melodic sense is perfectly demonstrated during the simple-as-pie groove waltz "Soul Sister," the steady, steamy bopper "I Want More," and the familiar Charlie Chaplin evergreen "Smile," his sense of expanding the specific line upon soloing is truly remarkable. He constantly keeps the song form in mind, riffing on and on without violating the basic note structures, constantly reharmonizing, shuffling the chords like a card dealer and updating the song form. "The End of a Love Affair" takes this concept into an area where his deep, subtle voice is translated directly into the low-slung voicings of his horn. The remarkable "Modal Mood" combines hard bop with Drew's three-chord piano repetitions and Gordon's soulful, simplified sax, while the equally impressive "Clear the Dex" steamrolls the competition as the band -- cued by Jones -- skillfully pushes or pull tension and release elements, then busts loose into joyous swinging in a true signature tune that is immediately recognizable as only the long, tall tenor man. The sad ballad "Ernie's Tune" is based on a yin/yang theme via Freddie Redd's stage play The Connection and the crazy character that ran wild or tame. There's a previously unissued track, "Landslide," which sounds slightly like a knock-off of one of his other tunes -- perhaps "Cheesecake" -- but considering the time frame, it could be a prelude to one of his most famous songs of all time. The excellent band, solid musicianship, and memorable music on every track make this one of the more essential recordings of Gordon's career, enhanced by the improved audio quality.

Tracks
-1. "Soul Sister" - 7:45
-2. "Modal Mood" (Kenny Drew) - 5:23
-3. "I Want More" - 5:20
-4. "The End of a Love Affair" (Edward Redding) - 6:53
-5. "Clear the Dex" (Drew) - 4:54
-6. "Ernie's Tune" - 4:16
-7. "Smile" (Charlie Chaplin) - 3:23
-8. "Landslide" - 5:15 Bonus track
All compositions by Dexter Gordon except as indicated

Personnel
* Dexter Gordon - tenor saxophone
* Kenny Drew - piano
* Paul Chambers - bass
* Philly Joe Jones - drums

sample & buy: Dexter Calling

RCA Living Stereo: Beethoven - Symphony Nos. 5 & 6 (1955)

RCA Living Stereo: Beethoven - Symphony Nos. 5 & 6 (1955)
Charles Munch & Boston S O
classical | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 390MB

RCA | SACD | rel.: 2005

Arkivmusic.com:
Charles Munch is not the first conductor one associates with Beethoven’s symphonies, but excellent, privately issued French broadcast recordings from the 1960s show him to have been a strong, vigorous Beethovenian. So, too, do a few commercial recordings for RCA during his Boston Symphony years, although these haven’t circulated very widely in the post-LP era. Indeed, RCA skipped over Munch’s Beethoven Fifth and Sixth during its Living Stereo reissue go-round in the 1990s, but here they are making a welcome addition to the new Living Stereo SACD catalog. The two-channel sound here is vibrant but hardly astonishing; the main point of interest remains the performances.
The Fifth benefits from fleet tempos, tight ensemble, and punchy attacks, with the woodwinds nicely cutting through the string-centered sonority. Munch tends to set a course and push through without offering any of the telling details of phrasing and pacing provided by, say, Carlos Kleiber and the Vienna Philharmonic (on a distant-sounding two-channel SACD reissue from DG, coupled with the Seventh), to say nothing of the splendid recent Vänskä/Minnesota surround version on BIS (coupled with the Fourth). Still, it’s a fine performance comparable to the early 1960s Karajan (also on SACD), but with greater textural variety.
The “Pastoral” Symphony is even better. My favorite recording is the genial Monteux/London Symphony on Decca (not reissued in a DSD version, alas); Munch comes very close to this standard, burbling along with gentle delight in the first two movements, and then pulling out all the stops in the symphony’s second half, with superb wind solos in the third movement, a powerful storm sequence, and a concluding hymn that’s managed so well that for once it doesn’t wear out its welcome. Again, Munch is stingy with repeats, but that’s not really critical in this symphony. A very good Fifth and an outstanding “Pastoral” gain a well-deserved new lease on life.

-1. Symphony no 5 in C minor, Op. 67 by Ludwig van Beethoven
Conductor: Charles Munch
Orchestra/Ensemble: Boston Symphony Orchestra
Written: 1807-1808; Vienna, Austria
Date of Recording: 05/02/1955
Venue: Symphony Hall, Boston, Massachusetts

-2. Symphony no 6 in F major, Op. 68 "Pastoral" by Ludwig van Beethoven
Conductor: Charles Munch
Orchestra/Ensemble: Boston Symphony Orchestra
Written: 1808; Vienna, Austria
Date of Recording: 08/16/1955
Venue: Symphony Hall, Boston, Massachusetts

sample & buy: Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 5 & 6

Art Blakey - Kyoto (1964)

Art Blakey - Kyoto (1964)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 210MB

OJC

Allmusic:
Reissued on Fantasy's OJC series, this album finds Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers paying tribute to Japan (where they had toured to great acclaim) on two selections, featuring Art Blakey's cousin as a vocalist on "Wellington's Blues" (a real rarity in The Jazz Messengers' discography) and debuting Curtis Fuller's "The High Priest." With trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, tenorman Wayne Shorter and trombonist Fuller in fine form, this is one of literally dozens of recommended Jazz Messengers recordings.

Tracks
-1. "The High Priest" - Fuller - 5:55
-2. "Never Never Land" - Comden, Green, Styne - 5:50
-3. "Wellington's Blues" - Blakey - 5:03
-4. "Nihon Bashi" - Watanabe - 8:30
-5. "Kyoto" - Hubbard - 7:03

Personnel
* Bass – Reggie Workman
* Drums – Art Blakey
* Piano – Cedar Walton
* Tenor Saxophone – Wayne Shorter
* Trombone – Curtis Fuller
* Trumpet – Freddie Hubbard
* Vocals – Wellington Blakey (tracks: 3)

sample & buy: Kyoto

London, Sklamberg, Caine - Nigunim (1998)

London, Sklamberg, Caine - Nigunim (1998)

jazz, avantgarde, klezmer | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 285MB

Savoy

Allmusic:
An excellent album of nigunim -- Hasidic melodies traditionally composed by Jewish spiritual leaders for Sabbath and holidays -- from the Gerer, Lubavitch, and Belzer (all European) traditions. The musicians here are not only klezmer revivalists, but also accomplished jazz and classical musicians. The trio consists of trumpeter Frank London, pianist Uri Caine, and the classic Hasidic stylings of vocalist Lorin Sklamberg, with a guest appearance by organist Brian Mitchell, and all present add keyboard work at some point on harmonium, Fender Rhodes, etc. Nigunim opens with "Eyli Ato," a nostalgic, classically sung rendition of a melody composed by an Alter Lubavitcher Rebbe (a Lubavitch Elder Rabbi) for singing Psalms 118:28. Other tunes from the Lubavitch tradition: the longing-filled, nearly melancholic "Esn Est Zikh," during which Uri Caine's piano at times brings to mind Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata"; and "Tsomo Lekho Nafshi," which opens with a warm trumpet solo filled with promise for the song that's about to unfold, after which the piano and accordion come in with a simple looping melody as London uses his mute, the piano solos over the top, then Sklamberg belts out in Middle Eastern-like bending moans. The "Gerer Medley" is a festive and upbeat tune composed for the meal following the Havdalah, or night service marking the end of Sabbath. Nigunim have long drawn from secular, as well as religious, sources, incorporating them into the Jewish tradition by giving them distinctly Jewish musical traits. Thus, the soul gospel stylings of the closing track, "Tayere Brider," during which Mitchell adds the anointed handclaps of his Hammond B-3. Nigunim is an excellent album for those who already know and own nigunim recordings, and for those who don't yet, but are open to enjoying incredible Jewish music from inspired musicians.

Tracks
-01. "Eyli Ato" - 3:59
-02. "Belzer Medley" - 6:14
-03. "Mipney Ma / Peysakh Nign" - 6:24
-04. "Gerer Medley" - 5:19
-05. "Esn Est Zikh" - 3:38
-06. "Nign Leshabes Veyontev" - 9:23
-07. "Tsomo Lekho Nafshi" - 7:09
-08. "Zkhor Dovor" - 3:04
-09. "Avrom Ben Shmuel" - 4:40
-10. "Tayere Brider" - 4:14

Personnel
* Frank London - Trumpet, Harmonium, Organ, Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes]
* Uri Caine - Piano, Harmonium, Organ [Hammond B3], Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes]
* Lorin Sklamberg - vocals, accordion, harmonium

sample & buy: Nigunim

Roy Haynes with Booker Evin - Cracklin' (1963)

Roy Haynes with Booker Evin - Cracklin' (1963)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 255MB

OJC

Allmusic:
Most of drummer Roy Haynes' dates as a leader put the focus on a star soloist. For this CD reissue, Haynes is joined by pianist Ronnie Mathews, bassist Larry Ridley, and the great tenor Booker Ervin. Ervin's unique sound, soulful yet very advanced, is well showcased on "Under Paris Skies" and originals by Mathews, Haynes, and Randy Weston ("Sketch of Melba"), along with his own "Scoochie."

Tracks
-1. "Scoochie" - 5:49
-2. "Dorian" - 6:45
-3. "Sketch of Melba" - 7:35
-4. "Honeydew" - 3:42
-5. "Under Paris Skies" - 7:36
-6. "Bad News Blues" - 6:50
Recorded at the Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey on April 10, 1963. Originally released on Prestige/New Jazz (8286). Includes liner notes by Ira Gitler.

Personnel
* Roy Haynes (drums)
* Booker Ervin (tenor saxophone)
* Ronnie Mathews (piano)
* Larry Ridley (bass)

sample & buy: Cracklin

Bill Frisell - Sign Of Life: Music For 858 Quartet (2011)

Bill Frisell - Sign Of Life: Music For 858 Quartet (2011)

jazz, avantgarde | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 285MB

Savoy

Allmusic:
After a five-year hiatus, Bill Frisell's 858 Quartet recorded their second offering. Their elliptical debut, Richter 858, was produced by poet David Breskin (who also helmed the sessions for Nels Cline's Dirty Baby), and accompanied an exhibition by German artist Gerhard Richter. The music on Sign of Life: Music for 858 Quartet was loosely composed by Frisell, and took shape in group rehearsals. 858's other members include violinist Jenny Scheinman, violist Eyvind Kang, and cellist Hank Roberts. Recorded at Fantasy Studios in San Francisco and produced by Lee Townsend, the 17 selections on this set feel very organic. The album opens with Americana-tinged themes in the two-part "It's a Long Story" that nod to country, folk, and even Curtis Mayfield's "People Get Ready" in its melody. "Old Times" hints at bluegrass, blues, and ragtime, but because of the complex interplay between the four players, reaches far past them into a music that is 858's own. "Friend of Mine" is another two-part tune; that said, where a pastoral theme is suggested in part one, a more mischievous one responds in the second some eight tracks later. Elsewhere, improvised classical motifs, jazz modes, and folk and other roots musics shimmer through these compositions, sometimes simultaneously and often spontaneously. The haunted yet restrained "Painter," which clocks in at under two minutes, is a modal sketch immediately followed by an equally brief, slightly dissonant pointillistic exercise in counterpoint called "Teacher." "All the People, All the Time" returns to more accessible and resonant territory but, as gentle as it is, it's full of quiet surprises and unexpected twists. For all of its space and economical phrasing, "Village" is downright cartoon spooky, and "Suitcase in My Hand," which jaunts along in a striding, near reel, is transformed by Scheinman playing country-style fiddle, though the rhythmic signature never changes. "Sixty Four," with its pulsing time and repetitive, slightly shifting harmonic line, feels -- but not quite sounds -- like something Philip Glass might have written if he had a sense of humor, and is the only place on the record where Frisell lets somewhat ragged sonic edges into his playing. Sign of Life is a curious, quirky, and deceptively low-key affair that is musically labyrinthine and ambitious; it's full of gorgeous spaces, textures, utterly instinctive interplay, and unexpected delight.

Tracks
-01. "I'ts a Long Story, Pt. 1" - 2:40
-02. "Old Times" - 4:59
-03. "Sign of Life" - 2:49
-04. "Friend of Mine, Pt. 1" - 5:48
-05. "Wonderland" - 3:18
-06. "It's a Long Story, Pt. 2" - 6:32
-07. "Mother Daughter" - 2:20
-08. "Youngster" - 3:01
-09. "Recollection" - 2:54
-10. "Suitcase in My Hand" - 2:22
-11. "Sixty Four" - 3:52
-12. "Friend of Mine, Pt. 2" - 1:49
-13. "Painter" - 1:14
-14. "Teacher" - 1:28
-15. "All the People, All the Time" - 2:05
-16. "Village" - 4:20
-17. "As It Should Be" - 1:52
all compositions by Bill Frisell

Personnel
Bill Frisell: - guitar
Jenny Scheinman - violin
Eyvind Kang -  viola
Hank Roberts - cello

sample & buy: Sign Of Life, Music For 858 Quartet

John Surman - Free and Equal (2001)

John Surman - Free and Equal (2001)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 355MB

ECM 2003

Allmusic:
Free and Equal finds its place somewhere between John Surman's past collaborations with Jack DeJohnette and his Brass Project with composer Peter Warren. Less atmospheric than the duos with the drummer and less jazzy than the latter, it still bears the inimitable stamp of the British reed player. It harks back to his pastoral and even medieval leanings and his arranging skills certainly capture the spotlight, his lyrical and often fragile compositions soaring with incredible grace. Compared to his Warren collaboration, Surman chooses a different approach, since his brass section is not comprised of seasoned jazz musicians. London Brass are primarily a classical chamber music ensemble, although some of the group's members clearly show an understanding of the jazz idiom and improvisation. As a result, the leader goes for a more collective and cohesive sound. The brass ensemble often serves the same purpose as a choir, and Surman's beautiful voicings for its various sections surely benefit from that. DeJohnette appears comfortable in this setting. He is allowed on some occasions to turn up the heat, although his main role remains as a colorist. Ultimately, the album does a fine job of documenting another facet of Surman's writing for brass instruments and provides for a beautiful aural experience.

Tracks
-1. "Preamble" - 4:11
-2. "Groundwork" - 9:33
-3. "Sea Change" - 10:14
-4. "Back and Forth" - 11:51
-5. "Fire" - 6:47
-6. "Debased Line" - 5:02
-7. "In the Shadow" - 6:56
-8. "Free and Equal" - 8:47
-9. "Epilogue" - 3:42
All compositions by John Surman
Recorded at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, London in June 2001.

Personnel
* John Surman — soprano saxophone, baritone saxophone, bass clarinet
* Jack DeJohnette — drums, piano
* London Brass — trumpet, flugelhorn, horn, trombone, euphonium, tuba

sample & buy: Free and Equal