Astor Piazzolla - Astor Piazzolla en el Teatro Colon (1983) (eac-log-cover)

Astor Piazzolla - Astor Piazzolla en el Teatro Colon (1983)
classical, latin | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | cover | 320MB
La Batuta | rar +5% recovery

piazzolla.org:
Recorded live at Teatro Colon, Buenos Aires, on June 11, 1983. By this time Piazzolla was working with the quintet, however it appears that Piazzolla tried to recompose the Conjunto 9 (although not exactly) for this concert at Teatro Colon with the Philarmonic Orquestra.
This concert has also been released (not all the songs however) as "Concierto de Nacar" by Milan Records. Concerto for Bandoneon and Orquestra is listed as as Concerto for Bandoneon, Piano, Strings, and Percussion, which is equivalent but the piece is better known otherwise.

Tracks:
-01 Fuga y Misterio
-02 Adios Nonino
-03 Concierto para Bandoneon y Orquesta: 1st Movement
-04 Concierto para Bandoneon y Orquesta: 2nd Movement
-05 Concierto para Bandoneon y Orquesta: 3rd Movement
-06 Vardarito
-07 Verano Porteño
-08 Concierto de Nacar (para Nueve Tanguistas y Orquesta Filarmonica)

Musicians:
Piazzolla (Astor) - bandoneon
Calderon (Pedro Ignacio) - director of the Teatro Colon Philarmonic
Suarez Paz (Fernando) - violin
Baralis (Hugo) - violin
Ziegler (Pablo) - piano
Roizner (Enrique) - drums
Bragato (Jose) - violoncello
Console (Hector) - bass
Quarleri (Delmar) - viola
Lopez Ruiz (Oscar) - guitar

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Shelly Manne - Steps To The Desert (1962) (eac-log-cover)

Shelly Manne - Steps To The Desert (1962)

- Modern Jazz Versions of Favorite Jewish and Israeli Songs -

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 330MB

Contemporary Records | rar +5% recovery

AMG:
When Shelly Manne recorded Steps to the Desert in 1962, John Coltrane was among the most controversial musicians in jazz. Some people praised Coltrane's modal innovations; others detested his post-bop work and even went so far as to describe it as "anti-jazz" (which is simply ridiculous). Arguably, Steps to the Desert is Manne's way of acknowledging the influential saxophonist; the CD has a modal orientation, and it indicates that the Los Angeles-based drummer was paying close attention to Coltrane in the early '60s. Not that Steps to the Desert is actually meant to be a tribute to the influential saxman -- if Coltrane (or for that matter, Miles Davis or Yusef Lateef) showed Manne the possibilities of modal jazz, he certainly embraces it on his own terms. Steps to the Desert finds Manne and five other West Coast jazzmen (including trumpeter/flugelhornist Shorty Rogers, tenor saxman Teddy Edwards, vibist/pianist Victor Feldman, guitarist Al Viola and bassist Monty Budwig) providing post-bop interpretations of songs that have some type of Jewish connection, and the material ranges from traditional favorites like "Hava Nagila," "Yossel, Yossel" (also known as "Joseph, Joseph") and "Zamar Nodad" to Ernest Gold's "Exodus" (which a hit for French vocalist Edith Piaf). Coltrane never recorded an album with a Jewish theme; he did, however, show a strong appreciation of modal music from India, the Middle East and North Africa, and Jewish music is certainly part of the modal family. If Coltrane had decided to record a bunch of Yiddish and Israeli songs, they probably would have worked as well for him as they work for Manne on Steps to the Desert -- which is among the most intriguing and memorable sessions that he recorded in the early '60s.

Tracks:
01. Hava Nagila (Come Let's Be Happy)
02. Bei Mir Bist du Schoen
03. Yossel, Yossel
04. Zamar Nodad
05. Bokrei Lachish
06. Tzena
07. Exodus
08. Die Greene Koseene
09. My Yiddishe Momme
10. Orchah Bamidbar (Steps to the Desert)
11. Zamar Nodad - (single edit)
12. Exodus - (single edit)
13. Tzena - (single edit)
14. Hava Nagila - (single edit)

Personnel:
Shelly Manne (drums); Teddy Edwards (tenor saxophone); Shorty Rogers (trumpet, flugelhorn); Victor Feldman (piano, vibraphone); Al Viola (guitar); Monty Budwig (bass).

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Marianne Faithfull - Vagabond Ways (1999) (eac-log-cover)

Marianne Faithfull - Vagabond Ways (1999)

rock | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 275MB

Instinct |  rar +5% recovery

AMG:
Following a pair of albums that delved into cabaret and one which paired her with Angelo Badalamenti (an affair that yielded mixed results), the Grande dame of rock & roll returned with her most striking effort in a while. Faithfull, an amazing interpreter of others' material, co-wrote most of the songs here, including the haunting title track. In fact, haunting is the best way to describe the first several cuts. "Incarceration of a Flower Child," written by Roger Waters, is emotionally wrenching, and "File It Under Fun From the Past" has an air of wistful resignation. Some of the material wavers a bit ("Marathon Kiss," the somewhat overly dramatic, spoke word "After the Ceasefire"), but Faithfull is never anything less than riveting. For long-time fans, Vagabond Ways is a worthy addition to her body of work. For newcomers, it's a suitable introduction to one of the true icons of rock history and one who has become more relevant with age.

Tracks:
01. "Vagabond Ways" (Marianne Faithfull, David Courts) – 3:22
02. "Incarceration of a Flower Child" (Roger Waters) – 5:34
03. "File It Under Fun From The Past" (Marianne Faithfull, Barry Reynolds) – 4:50
04. "Electra" (Marianne Faithfull, Barry Reynolds, Frank McGuinness) – 3:24
05. "Wilder Shores of Love" (Marianne Faithfull, Barry Reynolds, Guy Pratt) – 5:40
06. "Marathon Kiss" (Daniel Lanois) – 4:00
07. "For Wanting You" (Elton John, Bernie Taupin) – 3:57
08. "Great Expectations" (Marianne Faithfull, Daniel Lanois) – 3:13
09. "Tower of Song" (Leonard Cohen) – 4:35
10. "After The Ceasefire" (Daniel Lanois, Frank McGuinness) – 4:22

Personnel:
* Marianne Faithfull: Vocals
* Daniel Lanois: Producer, Drums, Snare, Organ, Bass, Guitar, Percussion, Loops
* Mark Howard: Producer, Synthesizer, Percussion, Loops, Mixing
* Barry Reynolds: Guitar, Slide Guitar, Tremolo, Bass, Piano
* Roger Waters: Synthesizer Bass
* Brian Blade: Percussion, Snare, Drums
* Michael Chaves: Electric and Acoustic Guitar
* Danny Frankel: Percussion, Snare, Drums
* Emmylou Harris: Background Vocals
* Victor Indrizzi: Guitar
* Novi Novog: Viola
* Glenn Patscha: Organ, Piano, Bass Pedals, String Arrangements
* Chris Thomas: Bass, Fuzz Bass, Double Bass

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Chet Baker - Baker's Holiday Plays and Sings Billie Holiday (1965) (eac-log-cover)

Chet Baker  - Baker's Holiday Plays and Sings Billie Holiday (1965)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 250MB

Polygram | rar +5% recovery

AMG:
Baker's Holiday finds Chet Baker effectively paying tribute to Billie Holiday with mellow trumpet solos and occasional vocals. Baker is backed by a full sax section and a four-piece rhythm section that includes pianist Hank Jones; Jimmy Mundy contributed the colorful arrangements. His performance of ten songs associated with Lady Day (most of which he had not recorded previously) is often exquisite.

Tracks
01 - Travelin' Light
02 - Easy Living
03 - That Ole Devil Called Love
04 - You're My Thrill
05 - Crazy She Calls Me
06 - When Your Lover Has Gone
07 - Mean To Me
08 - These Foolish Things (Remind Me Of You)
09 - There Is No Greater Love
10 - Don't Explain

Personnel
Chet Baker Flugelhorn
Everett Barksdale Guitar
Richard Anthony Davis Bass
Hank Jones Piano
Connie Kay Drums
Henry Freeman Reeds
Wilford Holcombe Reeds
Leon Cohen Reeds
Seldon Powell Reeds
Alan Ross Reeds

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Les McCann - Invitation To Openness (1971) (eac-log-cover)

Les McCann - Invitation To Openness (1971)

jazz-rock | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 320MB

Label M | rar +5% recovery

AMG:
Label M has reissued the classic 1972 Les McCann album Invitation to Openness on CD with the majority of the tunes receiving the benefit of advanced technology. On this recording, the 26-minute "The Lovers" is more illustrative, freer in its essence and translation of the predominant free love theme of the '60s and '70s. Every nuance of McCann's stream of consciousness comes through loud and clear, as do the excellent solos by Yusef Lateef on a wide array of reeds, flutes, and percussion. David Spinozza's electric guitar chops and Alphonse Mouzon's drum and percussion feelings on McCann's completely improvised composition are an auditory delight for fusion fans. McCann adds a couple of piano melody lines and a couple of basslines, but other than that this composition is freely improvised by the musicians. Two other compositions, "Beaux J. Poo Boo" and "Poo Pye McGoochie (And His Friends)" round out the set with both adding different sonorous characters and musical back stories.

Tracks:
01 - The Lovers
02 - Beaux J. Poo Boo
03 - Poo Pye McGoochie (and his friends)

Personnel:
Les McCann- piano, electric piano, Moog synth; Corky Hale- harp; Yusef Lateef- flute, oboe, sax, percussion; David Spinozza, Cornell Dupree- guitars; Jimmy Rowser, Bill Salter- bass; Buck Clarke, William Clarke, Donald Dean, Alphonze Mouzon, Bernard Purdie- percussion, drums

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Nat Adderley - A Little New York Midtown Music (1978) (eac-log-cover)

Nat Adderley - A Little New York Midtown Music (1978)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 260MB

OJC | rar +5% recovery

AMG:
Cornetist Nat Adderley is heard with an all-star quintet also featuring tenor saxophonist Johnny Griffin and keyboardist Victor Feldman on this enjoyable set. Except for "Come Rain or Come Shine," all of the melodies are group originals (including four by Adderley). The music is essentially modern hard bop and is as well-played as one would expect from this strong personnel.

Tracks:
1-Fortunes Child 6:17
2-A Little New York Midtown Music 7:42
3-Sunshine Sammy 7:44
4-Yeehaw Junction 5:41
5-Come Rain Or Come Shine 5:28
6-Whipitup 3:26
7-Saguaro 7:19

Personnel:
Bass - Ron Carter
Cornet - Nat Adderley
Drums - Roy McCurdy
Piano - Victor Feldman
Producer - Orrin Keepnews
Saxophone - Johnny Griffin

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Brian Jonestown Massacre - Take It From The Man (1996) (eac-log-cover)

Brian Jonestown Massacre - Take It From The Man (1996)

rock, indie | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 530MB

Bomp | rar +5% recovery

AMG:
The Brian Jonestown Massacre's obsession with the Rolling Stones continues unabated on the brilliant Take It From the Man!; where the group resurrected psychedelic-era excesses on the previous Their Satanic Majesties' Second Request, here they jump further back in time to the Stones' mid-'60s period, with even more superlative results. From the opening "Vacuum Boots" onward, Take It From the Man! is gritty, swaggering R&B-influenced rock, delivered with remarkable assurance and attitude; singer Anton Newcombe is half madman and half shaman, and he commands each delirious moment with absolute mastery, emerging not so much a disciple of Mick Jagger but as a serious threat to the throne. Tracks like "Who?," "(David Bowie I Love You) Since I Was Six," and the epic finale, "Straight up and Down," are simply amazing, evoking rock's golden age without ever disintegrating into slavish devotion -- clearly, the BJM is a group that believes in killing their idols, and their intensity begs the question: just who is the World's Greatest Rock & Roll Band again?

Tracks:
-01. "Vacuum Boots" – 3:02
-02. "Who?" – 2:54
-03. "Oh Lord" – 3:20
-04. "Caress" – 2:30
-05. "(David Bowie I Love You) Since I Was Six" – 3:24
-06. "Straight Up and Down" – 4:30
-07. "Monster" – 3:16
-08. "Take It from the Man" – 2:40
-09. "B.S.A." – 4:32
-10. "Mary, Please" – 4:10
-11. "Monkey Puzzle" – 4:03
-12. "Fucker" – 2:12
-13. "Dawn" – 2:00
-14. "Cabin Fever" – 7:56
-15. "In My Life" – 2:22
-16. "The Be Song" – 3:26
-17. "My Man Syd" – 1:50
-18. "Straight Up and Down" – 11:07

Personnel:
* Anton Newcombe - Guitar, bass, drums, vocals
* Matt Hollywood - Bass, guitar
* Dean Taylor - Guitar
* Jeff Davies - Guitar
* Brian Glaze - Drums
* Joel Gion - Percussion
* Mara Keagle - Guitar

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Oscar Pettiford - The New Oscar Pettiford Sextet (1953) (eac-log-cover)

Oscar Pettiford - The New Oscar Pettiford Sextet (1953)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 220MB

OJC limited edition | rec 1949&53 | rar +5% recovery

AMG:
One of the earliest bassists on the bebop scene in 1940s New York, Oscar Pettiford was also an unusually intrepid experimenter when it came to instrumentation. His cello playing is justly famous, and on the seven tracks that form the core of this reissue CD Pettiford includes a French horn (played by Julian Watkins) in the sextet. But most noteworthy of all is the quality of his compositions. "Pendulum at Falcon's Lair" is a piece of world-class bebop writing, while "Tamalpais Love Song" is almost classical in its structure, achieving a counterintuitive combination of complexity and simple beauty. In addition to the seven tracks from Pettiford's original 1953 session, this reissue includes four more that he recorded as sideman to saxophonist Serge Chaloff in 1949 -- the four are more strictly in the bop tradition and are, unfortunately, not recorded quite as well, but they demonstrate Pettiford's exceptional skill as an accompanist.

Tracks:
01 - Pendulum At Falcon's Lair
02 - Tamalpais Love Song
03 - Jack, The Fieldstalker
04 - Fru Bruel
05 - Stockholm Sweetnin'
06 - Low And Behold
07 - I Succumb To Temptation
08 - Chickasaw
09 - Bop Scotch
10 - The Most
11 - Chasin' The Bass

Personnel:
Barbara Carroll (Piano), Serge Chaloff (Sax (Baritone)), Terry Gibbs (Vibraphone), Charles Mingus (Bass), Oscar Pettiford (Bass, Cello), Red Rodney (Trumpet), Phil Urso (Sax (Tenor)), Julius Watkins (French Horn), Jan Johansson (Piano), Earl Swope (Trombone), Al Cohn (Sax (Tenor)), Denzil Best (Drums (Snare)), Walter Bishop, Sr. (Piano), Percy Brice (Drums (Snare)), Louis Hjulmand (Vibraphone)

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Sonny Rollins & Coleman Hawkins - Sonny Meets Hawk! (24brem) (eac-log-cover)

Sonny Rollins & Coleman Hawkins - Sonny Meets Hawk! (24brem)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 270MB

RCA Gold series 24-bit rem | rar +5% recovery

AMG:
Throughout a career that spanned more than 40 years, Coleman Hawkins consistently maintained a progressive attitude, operating at or near the cutting edge of developments in jazz. If Hawk's versatility came in handy when he backed Abbey Lincoln during Max Roach's 1960 We Insist! Freedom Now Suite, he took on an assignment of challenging dimensions when in 1963 he cut an entire album with Sonny Rollins in the company of pianist Paul Bley, bassists Bob Cranshaw and Henry Grimes, and drummer Roy McCurdy. Coleman Hawkins and Sonny Rollins each virtually defined the tenor saxophone for his respective generation. To hear the two of them interacting freely is a deliciously exciting experience. Hawkins is able to cut loose like never before. Sometimes the two collide, locking horns and wrestling happily without holding back. For this reason one might detect just a whiff of Albert Ayler's good-natured punchiness, particularly in the basement of both horns; such energies were very much in the air during the first half of the 1960s. Rather than comparing this date with the albums Hawkins shared with Ben Webster (1957), Henry "Red" Allen (1957), Pee Wee Russell (1961), or Duke Ellington (1962), one might refer instead to Hawk's wild adventures in Brussels during 1962 (see Stash CD 538, Dali) or Rollins' recordings from around this time period, particularly his Impulse! East Broadway Run Down album of 1965. Check out how the Hawk interacts with Rollins' drawn-out high-pitched squeaking during the last minute of "Lover Man." On Sonny Meets Hawk!, possibly more than at any other point in his long professional evolution, Hawkins was able to attain heights of unfettered creativity that must have felt bracing, even exhilarating. He obviously relished the opportunity to improvise intuitively in the company of a tenor saxophonist every bit as accomplished, resourceful, and inventive as he was.

Tracks:
-1. "Yesterdays"
-2. "All the Things You Are"
-3. "Summertime"
-4. "Just Friends"
-5. "Lover Man"
-6. "At McKies'"

Personnel:
* Sonny Rollins - Tenor Sax
* Coleman Hawkins - Tenor Sax
* Paul Bley - Piano
* Roy McCurdy - Drums
* Henry Grimes - Bass
* Bob Cranshaw - Bass

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Bill Frisell - The Intercontinentals (2003) (eac-log-cover)

Bill Frisell - The Intercontinentals (2003)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 450MB

Nonesuch | rar +5% recovery

AMG:
Bill Frisell has been actively -- some would say obsessively -- exploring the depths and dimensions of American roots music since the release of Nashville in 1997. His subsequent recordings -- Ghost Town, Gone Just Like a Train, Blues Dream, Good Dog, Happy Man, and The Willies -- were all approaches to the various folk styles that originated on American soil: country, blues, bluegrass, field hollers, jazz, and others. He has successfully been able to blend, extract, adapt, and otherwise morph one set of music onto another through his own approach to guitar playing -- the song. More than any other contemporary guitarist, Frisell is driven by the notion of song -- what it entails, both in terms of musical and cultural expression, and what it implies. On The Intercontinentals, Frisell continues his investigation of American music, but as a way of understanding how it entwines with the folk musics of other nations. Onboard for this outing are Frisell's longtime collaborators Jenny Scheinman; pedal, dobro, and lap steel guitarist Greg Leisz; as well as Brazilian mega-guitarist and songwriter Vinicius Cantuaria; Macedonian vocalist and oud player Christos Govetas and Malian percussionist and vocalist Sidikki Camara. Frisell had played with Camara and Malian uber-guitarist Boubacar Traore a couple of years before and was intrigued enough to explore the connection further. The result of this unlikely union is one of the most seamlessly beautiful works Frisell has ever produced. On it, he and Cantuaria delve into the modern Malian guitar and percussion sound pioneered by Ali Farka Toure; blend it with the timeless emotional resonance of Greek folk songs via Govetas' oud and infectious Brazilian lyricism; and filter it through shimmering country landscapes and otherworldly string textures that reinvent harmonic properties to suit the lyric of the blues, song, indigenous folk musics, and the contemporary improvisational ideal. Frisell composed the lion's share of the tunes here, but there are also contributions by Gilberto Gil, Traore, Govetas, and Cantuaria. Scheinman's violin acts as a gorgeous signpost for virtually all of these musicians to return to; her melodic sensibility and crisp tone are beacons in the often swirling, escalating, and/or cascading whorls of plucked strings, playing as many as four melodies simultaneously with winding, almost knotty scalar interchanges. What is most fascinating is that even in the vocal tunes, or those where the Malian blues effect is the prominent force, everything else in the mix fans out and creates often contrapuntal backdrops for elegant and lush, if dense, textures. Simply put, this is the busiest record Frisell has made in years, but it doesn't feel like it. His sense of "song" is so pervasive, everything here is arranged to fit its "singing." His own tone is unmistakable, as is Leisz's and Cantuaria's. The guitars are as distinct as the oud and the violin, all of them carried into the next space by hand drums. While each song does stand on its own as a harmonic and lyrical entity, with adventurous improvisation added in the spirit of true exploration, as an album they are linked by the weave of aural tapestry, dynamics, and spaciousness that is so central to Frisell's sound. And while this is more collaborative than perhaps anything he's done in a decade, it nonetheless bears his sonic and esthetic imprint. This is a remarkable album; its sets a new watermark for Frisell's sense of adventure and taste, and displays his perception of beauty in a pronounced, uncompromising, yet wholly accessible way.

Tracks:
01. "Boubacar" - 6:13
02. "Good Old People" - 5:25
03. "For Christos" - 6:13
04. "Baba Drame" (Traoré) - 5:18
05. "Listen" - 6:47
06. "Anywhere Road" - 1:52
07. "Procissão" (Gil) - 6:43
08. "The Young Monk" (Traditional) - 2:23
09. "We Are Everywhere" - 7:06
10. "Yála" (Govetas) - 5:47
11. "Perritos" (Cantuaria) - 4:33
12. "Magic" - 5:54
13. "Eli" - 4:15
14. "Remember" - 1:36

Personnel:
* Bill Frisell: electric and acoustic guitars, loops, bass
* Sidiki Camara: calabash, djembe, congas, percussion, vocals
* Vinicius Cantuaria: electric and acoustic guitars,vocals, drums, percussion
* Christos Govetas: oud, vocals, bouzouki
* Greg Leisz: slide guitars, pedal steel guitar
* Jenny Scheinman: violin

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Pere Ubu - Story Of My Life (1993) (eac-log-cover)

Pere Ubu - Story Of My Life (1993)

avantgarde, rock | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 295MB

Fontana | rar +5% recovery

AMG:
After the grand experiments of Cloudland and Worlds in Collision failed to make Pere Ubu the darlings of America's youth, 1993's Story of My Life found them in less polished studio circumstances, though they were still in a new and different form. Pere Ubu had been pared down to a quartet when they recorded Story of My Life, and while guitarist Jim Jones, bassist Tony Maimone, and drummer Scott Krauss all manned various pieces of noisemaking equipment in the absence of Allen Ravenstine (and producer Al Clay added keyboards), this is still an uncharacteristically lean-sounding Pere Ubu album, dominated by Jones' guitars and leaving plenty of open space for Maimone and Krauss to shine through. In many respects, Story of My Life finds David Thomas sounding a great deal freer and more playful than he had on Ubu's two previous albums, but without an adversary to battle against as he had on Worlds in Collision, there aren't any moments of unexpected genius like "I Hear They Smoke the Barbecue" or "Oh Catherine," either. However, the opening track of Story of My Life -- "Wasted," which starts out as some sort of damaged sea shanty and suddenly mutates into grand-scale guitar rock -- shows that regardless of what challenges faced them in the studio, Pere Ubu never failed to deliver the goods, and the head-scratching travelogue of oddities in "Postcard," the slightly fractured folk-rock of "Kathleen," and the childhood nostalgia of the title track are superb examples of Ubu's witty side. If Story of My Life feels in retrospect like a stepping stone between Ubu's art pop period and their return to classic form with 1995's Ray Gun Suitcase, it also brings together some of the virtues of both sides of their aural personality, and it's a slightly flawed but underappreciated gem.

Tracks:

-01. "Wasted" – 2:37
-02. "Come Home" – 4:49
-03. "Louisiana Train Wreck" – 3:20
-04. "Fedora Satellite II" – 3:26
-05. "Heartbreak Garage" – 3:52
-06. "Postcard" – 2:49
-07. "Kathleen" – 4:24
-08. "Honey Moon" – 2:54
-09. "Sleep Walk" – 4:23
-10. "The Story Of My Life" – 4:06
-11. "Last Will & Testament" – 3:48

Personnel:
* David Thomas: vocals, melodeon, guitar on "Postcard"
* Jim Jones: guitar, Hammond B3, backing vox, keyboard
* Tony Maimone: bass, EML synthesizer
* Scott Krauss: drums, percussion, keyboard, shortwave
* Al Clay: vox calliope, digital keyboard, backing vocals, guitar on "Postcard".

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Blue Mitchell - Blue Soul (1959) (24-bit rem) (eac-log-cover)

Blue Mitchell - Blue Soul (1959) (24-bit rem)

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

Riverside | Keepnews 24-bit rem | rar +5% recovery

AMG:
Trumpeter Blue Mitchell left his home in Miami for a short stint in New York City, headed back to Florida, and then to Los Angeles before his brief but vital career as a jazz trumpeter ended. This sojourn identified his sound, initially branded by the warmth of the Southeast, burnished by the hustle and bustle of the Big Apple, and polished by the West Coast cool school demeanor. In 1959, as Mitchell returned to Miami, he connected with Detroit trombonist Curtis Fuller and Philadelphia tenor saxophonist Jimmy Heath to form one of the most potent three-horn front lines in jazz history. Few knew how good they were until after the fact, but this recording, the third album for Mitchell as a leader, has him and his mates in full flight. Drummer Philly Joe Jones has a lot to do with the solid booster rocket-like propulsion on this primarily hard bop date, and check out his calypso variations on the second chorus of the otherwise easy blues swing and ultra melodic "Waverley Street." Credit Mitchell's street smarts and highly developed melodic inventiveness as the focal point for this definitive session. In many ways, this is a parallel album to the Miles Davis classic Kind of Blue, with subtle undertones driven by fourth-gear swing. The CD kicks off with the famous "Minor Vamp," of which Fuller's original take for the Savoy label has been remixed and layered, and is heard in the acid jazz dancehalls. It's a familiar sparse line, a two-note vamp tacked onto a lithe, perky melody that needs no critique -- it's simply great! More concisely rendered hard bop follows on "The Head," not complex by any means, but filled with plenty o' soul. The hardest line crops up during "Top Shelf," featuring a memorable, cutting, precise solo by Heath. Fuller and Heath lay out so you can hear in full dimension the cozy and warm persona of Mitchell on the ballad "Park Avenue Petite," but especially on the bright, easy swinger "Blue Soul," which most accurately approaches Kind of Blue. In tribute to his then boss, Horace Silver, "Nica's Dream" features Mitchell's muted trumpet over an underlying fresh bed of trombone and tenor sax. Even more so, Mitchell's deep blue horn shines on the standard "Polka Dots and Moonbeams," an organ of sheer beauty and one to be studied for those who need to learn that playing fewer notes more musically is an admirable quality. This is one of the most precious jazz recordings of a year that would soon give sway to the Blue Note sound, and is in many real and important ways as much of a prelude as any other statement. It's a must-have for all serious mainstream jazz fans.

Tracks:
01. Minor Vamp
02. Head, The
03. Way You Look Tonight, The
04. Park Avenue Petite
05. Top Shelf
06. Waverly Street
07. Blue Soul
08. Polkas Dots and Moonbeams
09. Nica's Dream
10. Minor Vamp (Take 1)
11. Park Avenue Petite (Take 1)
12. Blue Soul T(Ake 2)

Personnel:
Blue Mitchell (trumpet); Curtis Fuller (trombone); Jimmy Heath (tenor saxophone); Wynton Kelly (piano); Sam Jones (bass instrument); Philly Joe Jones (drums).

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Leonard Cohen - Ten New Songs (2001) (eac-log-cover)

Leonard Cohen - Ten New Songs (2001)

rock | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 310MB

Columbia |  rar +5% recovery

AMG:
"I'm back on Boogie Street," declares Leonard Cohen on two different songs in this collection, titled with characteristic understatement Ten New Songs. (Previous album titles have included Songs of Leonard Cohen, Songs from a Room, and Recent Songs.) More poet than musician, Cohen has, since his early albums, tended to rely on collaborations with musicians to put together his music: John Lissauer on 1974's New Skin for the Old Ceremony, Henry Lewy on 1979's Recent Songs, and, notoriously, Phil Spector on 1977's Death of a Ladies' Man. On Ten New Songs, his partner is former backup singer Sharon Robinson, who co-wrote "Everybody Knows" on 1988's I'm Your Man and earns co-writing credit on all the material here. She has also conjured the musical backgrounds ("All tracks arranged, programmed, and performed by Sharon Robinson, reads the credit), and she harmonizes with Cohen throughout. But all collaborators (even Spector) are in the service of Cohen's poetic vision, which remains the dominant element on this elegiac set. After a restatement of purpose on "In My Secret Life," he turns in a moody set of reflections on decline, even alluding to fellow poet Robert Frost's famous "Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening" in "A Thousand Kisses Deep": "And maybe I had miles to drive/And promises to keep/You ditch it all to stay alive/A thousand kisses deep." The songs are full of leave-taking, with titles like "Alexandra Leaving" and "You Have Loved Enough" accurately describing the tone, concluding with the prayer-like valedictory "The Land of Plenty," which gently remonstrates with the consumer society the poet has always engaged and rejected: "May the lights in the land of plenty/Shine on the truth some day." Even in the quietude of Cohen's catalog, the result seems like a coda.

Tracks:
01. "In My Secret Life" – 4:55
02. "A Thousand Kisses Deep" – 6:29
03. "That Don't Make It Junk" – 4:28
04. "Here It Is" – 4:18
05. "Love Itself" – 5:26
06. "By the Rivers Dark" – 5:20
07. "Alexandra Leaving" – 5:25
08. "You Have Loved Enough" – 5:41
09. "Boogie Street" – 6:04
10. "The Land of Plenty" – 4:35

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Booker Ervin - That's It (1961) (eac-log-cover)

Booker Ervin - That's It (1961)

rock | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 310MB

Candid |  rar +5% recovery

AMG:
Booker Ervin, who always had a very unique sound on the tenor, is heard in prime form on his quartet set with pianist Horace Parlan, bassist George Tucker and drummer Al Harewood. In virtually all cases, the jazz and blues musicians who recorded for Candid in 1960-61 (during its original brief existence) were inspired and played more creatively than they did for other labels. That fact is true for Ervin, even if he never made an indifferent record. In addition to "Poinciana" and "Speak Low," Ervin's quartet (which was a regular if short-lived group) performs four of the leader's originals; best known is "Booker's Blues."

Tracks:
1. Mojo (07:58)
2. Uranus (04:32)
3. Poinciana (08:04)
4. Speak Low (07:12)
5. Booker's Blues (10:59)
6. Boo (04:33)

Personnel:
Booker Ervin (tenor saxophone)
Horace Parlan (piano)
George Tucker (double bass)
Al Harewood (drums)

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Art Blakey - Theory of Art (1957) (eac-log-cover)

Art Blakey - Theory of Art (1957)

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

RCA |  rar +5% recovery

AMG:
This CD contains two unique sessions in the history of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. Five numbers feature a sextet that includes both altoist Jackie McLean, who had recently left the band, and his replacement, tenor saxophonist Johnny Griffin along with trumpeter Bill Hardman; "A Night in Tunisia" best shows off this short-lived group. The remaining two numbers were unissued until this CD came out and feature Blakey heading a nonet that included future Messenger Lee Morgan, trombonist Melba Liston and Griffin. The music is consistently excellent and also succeeds as a historical curiosity that should greatly interest Blakey collectors.

Tracks:
1. "A Night in Tunisia" (Gillespie, Paparelli) — 12:50
2. "Off the Wall" (Griffin) — 7:11
3. "Couldn't It Be You?" (Blakey, McLean) — 8:06
4. "Theory of Art" (Hardman) — 9:40
5. "Evans" (Rollins) — 5:46
6. "A Night at Tony's" (Gryce) — 4:19
7. "Social Call" (Gryce, Hendricks) — 5:16

Personnel:
* Art Blakey — drums
* Johnnie Griffin — tenor saxophone
* Jackie McLean — alto saxophone
* Bill Hardman — trumpet, piano
* Spanky DeBrest — bass
* Sam Dockery — piano
* Lee Morgan — trumpet
* Melba Liston — trombone
* Cecil Payne — baritone saxophone
* Sahib Shihab — alto saxophone

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Roy Harper - Burn The World (1985) (eac-log-cover)

Roy Harper - Burn The World (1985)

rock | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 225MB

Awareness |  rar +5% recovery

AMG:
Harper's Burn the World consists of two versions of the title track, one studio, the other live (recorded at the Bloomsbury Theatre, London). Written in 1984-85, this poetic composition is comprised of several distinct movements and timely lyrics. The studio cut is the original demo Harper presented to EMI records; they rejected it, stating it lacked commercial appeal. It includes a brief but attractive guitar solo by the "Unknown Space Cadet," also known as Dave Gilmour. The live track, a solo performance that Roy terms the "more cultured" version, has an immediacy and vibrancy not found in the demo. Energetic and driving (so much so that he breaks a string during the song), Harper's guitar work and vocals are superior to the studio take. Jacqui Turner, Roy's companion of nine years, engineered the album. Their relationship ended the following year, when Awareness Records picked up the recordings (and Harper). Before folding, the label released several of his albums, including the superb Once (1990) and Death or Glory?

Tracks:
1 - Burn The World (studio) - 19'40
2 - Burn The World (live) - 19'51

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Kenny Dorham - Blue Spring (1959) (eac-log-cover)

Kenny Dorham & Cannonball Adderley - Blue Spring (1959)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 250MB

OJC | rar +5% recovery

AMG:
In lieu of picking up one of the trumpeter's fine Blue Note releases (Una Mas, Whistle Stop), listeners new to the work of Kenny Dorham should definitely consider this somewhat overlooked Riverside date from 1959. The set features plenty of Dorham's varied and sophisticated horn work and four of his top-drawer originals. The theme is spring, and Dorham responds with his soon to be jazz standard "Spring Is Here" and three other fine seasonal tributes: the title track, "Poetic Spring," and "Spring Cannon." This last cut is also a tribute to Julian "Cannonball" Adderley, who guests in fine style here with a bevy of fleet and highly melodic solos. Rounding out the group, baritone saxophonist Cecil Payne, French horn player David Amram, and pianist Cedar Walton add very nicely to the album's breezy yet provocative air. Essential listening for Dorham fans.

Tracks:
1.Blue Spring
2.It Might As Well Be Spring
3.Poetic Spring
4.Spring Is Here
5.Spring Cannon
6.Passion Spring

Personnel:
Kenny Dorham (trumpet); Cannonball Adderley (alto saxophone); Cecil Payne (baritone saxophone); David Amram (French horn); Cedar Walton (piano); Paul Chambers (bass); Jimmy Cobb, Philly Joe Jones (drums).

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Marianne Faithfull - 20th Century Blues (1996) (eac-log-cover)

Marianne Faithfull - 20th Century Blues (1996)

rock | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 325MB

RCA |  rar +5% recovery

AMG:
As the liner notes to this intriguing release tell, Faithfull had a long-simmering interest in German cabaret, particularly the work of Kurt Weill. It came fully to life via her role as Pirate Jenny in a staging of The Threepenny Opera in Dublin as translated by Frank McGuinness and her attendance at a workshop organized by Allen Ginsburg. After a series of initial performances with pianist Paul Trueblood, Faithfull took her revue of many classic songs from the mid-century, titled "An Evening in the Weimar Republic," to the road. This particular recording is from a performance in Paris in 1996, showcasing both a smart selection of songs to work with and Faithfull's own dramatic, interpretive skills with them. Kicking off with the aggressive-then-smooth bite of the Brecht/Weill standard "Alabama Song," Faithfull and Trueblood show they make a great team -- her distinct vocals seem almost born for the material, while Trueblood is a sure hand on the keys, both playful and polished. Weill remains the centerpiece of the show, in both his various collaborations with Brecht -- standout tracks include withering versions of "Pirate Jenny," "Salomon Song," and "Surabaya Johnny" -- and with other partners, including "Complainte de la Seine" and "Mon Ami, My Friend." Friedrich Hollaender gets the nod twice, with a take on the eternal classic "Falling in Love Again" almost rivaling Marlene Dietrich's original interpretation. The title track, a noted Noel Coward number, gets a fine performance, as does the one nod to more contemporary times, a rendition of Harry Nilsson's "Don't Forget Me." One nod to Faithfull's previous recording past appears via a new version of "Boulevard of Broken Dreams," originally covered by her on Strange Weather. Faithfull throughout introduces songs with humor and reflection, a perfect MC for her own performance.

Tracks:
01. Alabama Song
02. Want To Buy Some Illusions
03. Pirate Jenny
04. Salomon Song
05. Boulevard Of Broken Dreams
06. Complainte De La Seine
07. The Ballad Of The Soldier's Wife
08. Intro
09. Mon Ami, My Friend
10. Falling In Love Again
11. Mack The Knife
12. 20th Century Blues
13. Don't Forget Me
14. Surabaya Johnny
15. (Outro) Street Singer's Farewell

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McCoy Tyner - Sahara (1972) (MFSL) (eac-log-cover)

McCoy Tyner - Sahara (1972) (MFSL)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 310MB

MFSL | UDSACD | rar +5% recovery

AMG:
After the death of John Coltrane, his longtime pianist McCoy Tyner was in something of a musical quandary. Keeping up with his mentor through the incredible explorations of the early '60s, he seemed to have some difficulty navigating the even further out territories explored in the two or three years before Coltrane's death in 1967. His subsequent albums as a leader were solid, enjoyable efforts but seemed oddly retrograde, as though he needed time to settle back and re-digest the information handed down to him. With Sahara, Tyner found the precise perfect "middle ground" on which to stand, more structured than late Coltrane, but exploding with a ferocity and freedom of sound that made it simply one of the greatest jazz recordings of the decade. None of the other members of his quartet ever sounded so inspired, so liberated as they do here. Sonny Fortune threatens to tear the roof off the joint on more than one occasion, Calvin Hill is more than rock-solid on bass, his roots arcing deeply into the earth, and as for Alphonse Mouzon, well, no one familiar with his later vapid meanderings in fusion would begin to recognize him here, so incendiary is his playing. And Tyner develops so much pure energy, channeled with such pinpoint precision, that one worries about the physical stability of any piano under such an assault. From the extraordinarily intense "Ebony Queen" through the ruminative solo "A Prayer for My Family, the equally intense "Rebirth," and the concluding, side-long title track, there's not a misstep to be heard. "Sahara," over the course of its 23 minutes, covers vast ground, echoing the majesty and misery of the geographical area with percussion and flute interludes to some of Tyner's very best playing on record. Even something that could have resulted in a mere exercise in exotica, his koto performance on "Valley of Life," exudes both charm and commitment to the form. Tyner would go on to create several fine albums in the mid-'70s, but never again would he scale quite these heights. Sahara is an astonishingly good record and belongs in every jazz fan's collection.

Tracks:
1. Ebony Queen — 8:58
2. A Prayer For My Family — 4:45
3. Valley of Life — 5:17
4. Rebirth — 5:19
5. Sahara — 23:28
All compositions by McCoy Tyner
* Recorded in NYC, January, 1972

Personnel:
* McCoy Tyner: piano, koto, percussion
* Sonny Fortune: alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, flute
* Calvin Hill: bass, reeds, percussion
* Alphonse Mouzon: drums, trumpet, reeds, percussion

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Sonny Clark - Cool Struttin' (1958) (DVD-A - XRCD - RVG)

Sonny Clark - Cool Struttin' (1958)

DVD-Audio - XRCD - RVG

AMG:
Recorded in 1958, this legendary date with the still-undersung Sonny Clark in the leader's chair also featured a young Jackie McLean on alto (playing with a smoother tone than he had before or ever did again), trumpeter Art Farmer, and the legendary rhythm section of bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Philly Joe Jones, both from the Miles Davis band. The set begins with one of the preeminent "swinging medium blues" pieces in jazz history: the title track with its leveraged fours and eights shoved smoothly up against the walking bass of Chambers and the backbeat shuffle of Jones. Clark's solo, with its grouped fifths and sevenths, is a wonder of both understatement and groove, while Chambers' arco solo turns the blues in on itself. While there isn't a weak note on this record, there are some other tracks that stand out, most notably Miles' "Sippin' at Bells," with its loping Latin rhythm. When McLean takes his solo against a handful of Clark's shaded minor chords, he sounds as if he may blow it -- he comes out a little quick -- but he recovers nicely and reaches for a handful of Broadway show tunes to counter the minor mood of the piece. He shifts to both Ben Webster and Lester Young before moving through Bird, and finally to McLean himself, riding the margin of the changes to slip just outside enough to add some depth in the middle register. The LP closes with Henderson and Vallée's "Deep Night," the only number in the batch not rooted in the blues. It's a classic hard bop jamming tune and features wonderful solos by Farmer, who plays weird flatted notes all over the horn against the changes, and McLean, who thinks he's playing a kind of snake charmer blues in swing tune. This set deserves its reputation for its soul appeal alone. [The CD version includes two bonus tracks: "Royal Flush" and "Lover"].

Tracks:
1. "Cool Struttin'" – 9:24
2. "Blue Minor" – 10:19
3. "Sippin' at Bells" – 8:19
4. "Deep Night" – 9:34
bonus tracks (rvg & xrcd only):
5. "Royal Flush" – 9:00[4]
6. "Lover" – 7:03

Personnel:
* Paul Chambers – bass
* Sonny Clark – piano
* Art Farmer – trumpet
* Philly Joe Jones – drums
* Jackie McLean – alto saxophone

DAD:
VIDEO_TS | LPCM Stereo 96/24 | iso-cover | "master tape sound"
Classic Records | 2000 | 1380mb
RVG:
24-bit remaster | eac-flac-log-cover
BN | 1999 | 415mb
XRCD:
XRCD24 | eac-flac-log-cover
BN-EMI | 2009 | 600mb

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Ayler/Cherry/Tchicai/Rudd/Peacock/Murray - New York Eye & Ear Control (1964) (eac-log-cover)

Ayler/Cherry/Tchicai/Rudd/Peacock/Murray - New York Eye & Ear Control (1964)

jazz, soundtrack | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover |250 MB

ESP | rar +5% recovery

AMG:
This is a very interesting set, music that was freely improvised and used as the soundtrack for the 34-minute short film New York Eye and Ear Control. Tenor saxophonist Albert Ayler leads the all-star sextet (which also includes trumpeter Don Cherry, altoist John Tchicai, trombonist Roswell Rudd, bassist Gary Peacock and drummer Sunny Murray) on two lengthy jams. The music is fiery but with enough colorful moments to hold one's interest throughout.

Tracks:
1. "Don's Dawn" – 0:57
2. "AY" – 20:17
3. "ITT" – 22:05

Personnel:
* Albert Ayler - tenor saxophone
* Don Cherry - trumpet
* John Tchicai - alto saxophone
* Roswell Rudd - trombone
* Gary Peacock - bass
* Sonny Murray - drums

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Donald Byrd - Mustang! (1966) (20-bit SBM) (eac-log-cover)

Donald Byrd - Mustang! (1966)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover |380 MB

BN | 20-bit SBM | rar +5% recovery

AMG:
Donald Byrd, a talented hard bop trumpeter during his prime (although rarely reaching the technical heights of Lee Morgan and Freddie Hubbard), performs a varied repertoire on Mustang!. "Dixie Lee" has dated rhythms, and "Mustang" was an attempt to achieve a hit on the level of Morgan's "The Sidewinder." However, Byrd sounds fine on those numbers; he digs into the complex chord changes of "Fly Little Bird Fly," is sensitive on "I Got It Bad," swings on his "I'm So Excited by You," and performs his memorable countermelody to "On the Trail," which had been recorded earlier by several other musicians. Teamed with a typically impressive Blue Note crew (altoist Sonny Red, tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley, pianist McCoy Tyner, bassist Walter Booker, and drummer Freddie Waits), Byrd performs high-quality straight-ahead jazz that fits the modern mainstream of the era. Also on the CD reissue are a pair of selections ("Gingerbread Boy" and "I'm So Excited by You") from an earlier quintet date (with tenorman Jimmy Heath, Tyner, bassist Walter Booker, and drummer Joe Chambers) that, despite being excellent, went unissued until 1997.

Tracks:
1. Mustang
2. Fly Little Bird Fly
3. I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good
4. Dixie Lee
5. On The Trail
6. I'm So Excited By You
7. Gingerbread Boy
8. I'm So Excited By You

Personnel:
Bass - Walter Booker
Drums - Freddie Waits
Piano - McCoy Tyner
Saxophone - Hank Mobley , Sonny Red
Trumpet - Donald Byrd

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Kenny Dorham - West 42nd Street (1961) (eac-log-cover)

Kenny Dorham - West 42nd Street (1961)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover |410 MB

Black Lion | rar +5% recovery

AMG:
The date included on this CD reissue was originally led by the obscure tenor Rocky Boyd but has come back under trumpeter Kenny Dorham's name with the six songs augmented by four alternate takes. Boyd (whose style mixes together the influences of Hank Mobley and John Coltrane) blends in well with Dorham, the rhythm section (pianist Walter Bishop, Jr., bassist Ron Carter and drummer Pete La Roca) is excellent and the repertoire (group originals plus "Samba De Orpheus" and two slow versions of "Stella by Starlight") generally inspires the players. It's funny how La Roca's original "Why Not" has exactly the same melody and chord structure as Coltrane's "Impressions." This CD is worth picking up by straightahead jazz collectors.

Tracks:
01. Avars ["Take 3"] (Boyd) - 7:35
02. Stella by Starlight ["Take 1"] (Washington/Young) - 4:59
03. Stella by Starlight ["Take 2"] (Washington/Young) - 5:12
04. Why Not? ["Take 1"] (LaRocca) - 7:19
05. Why Not? ["Take 2"] (LaRocca) - 9:15
06. Ease It ["Take 1"] (Chambers) - 10:25
07. Samba de Orfeu ["Take 5"] (Bonfa/Maria) - 4:27
08. Samba de Orfeu ["Take 6"] (Bonfa/Maria) - 4:24
09. West 42nd Street ["Take 7"] (Hardin) - 3:45
10. West 42nd Street ["Take 8"] (Hardin) - 4:45

Personnel:
* Kenny Dorham - Trumpet
* Rocky Boyd - Sax (Tenor)
* Walter Bishop, Jr. - Piano
* Ron Carter - Bass
* Pete LaRoca - Drums

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Hank Mobley - Workout (RVG 2005) (eac-log-cover)

Hank Mobley - Workout (RVG 2005)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 370MB

BN | RVG 2005 |  rar +5% recovery

AMG:
This is one of the best-known Hank Mobley recordings, and for good reason. Although none of his four originals ("Workout," "Uh Huh," "Smokin'," "Greasin' Easy") caught on, the fine saxophonist is in top form. He jams on the four tunes, plus "The Best Things in Life Are Free," with an all-star quintet of young modernists -- guitarist Grant Green, pianist Wynton Kelly, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Philly Joe Jones -- and shows that he was a much stronger player than his then-current boss Miles Davis seemed to think. This recommended CD reissue adds a version of "Three Coins in the Fountain" from the same date, originally released on Another Workout, to the original LP program.

Tracks:
1. "Workout" - 10:00
2. "Uh Huh" - 10:45
3. "Smokin'" - 7:28
4. "The Best Things in Life Are Free" (Brown, DeSylva, Henderson) - 5:16
5. "Greasin' Easy" - 6:59
6. "Three Coins in the Fountain" (Cahn, Styne) - 5:25

Personnel:
* Hank Mobley — tenor saxophone
* Grant Green — guitar
* Wynton Kelly — piano
* Paul Chambers — bass
* Philly Joe Jones — drums

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Marianne Faithfull - Blazing Away (1990) (eac-log-cover)

Marianne Faithfull - Blazing Away (1990)

rock | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 425MB

Island |  rar +5% recovery

AMG:
Fully established as a dramatic, innovative singer with astonishing appeal and energy thanks to her string of excellent '80s releases, Faithfull concluded her renaissance decade with Blazing Away, an excellent live album recorded in New York's St. Anne's Cathedral. The crackerjack backing band deserves note in and of itself, including members ranging from the Band's Garth Hudson to Dr. John, plus regular collaborators Marc Ribot, Fernando Saunders, and her key partner Barry Reynolds. Faithfull and the players fit hand in glove track for track, with the emphasis on subtler arrangements and performances suiting the hushed, striking atmosphere of the performance. When the band shows its muscle, as with the snarling strut of "Guilt," there's no question of this being anything like easy listening. In general, though, the sense of cabaret meets modern nightclub dominates, with Faithfull's singing capturing the cracking tug of her vocals just so. The selection of songs ranges from the intriguingly obscure to the familiar enough -- "As Tears Go By" and "Broken English" take unsurprising bows, as does a lengthy brood on "Sister Morphine," "She Moved Through the Fair," and a commanding rip through the harrowing "Why'd Ya Do It?" There are two new numbers as well. The title track is the one song recorded in studio, with Reynolds and Saunders, plus a number of other musicians; it's got a nice steel guitar twang to it, and Faithfull tries for the high lonesome sound in her own wonderful way. Other flat-out highlights include a grand take on "Times Square" and a slow crawl through "Working Class Hero" that seethes with fire, both from the musicians and Faithfull.

Tracks:
01 Les Prisons Du Roy 6:16
02 Strange Weather 5:12
03 Guilt 7:51
04 Working Class Hero 7:25
05 Sister Morphine 7:25
06 As Tears Go By 4:25
07 Why'd Ya Do It? 6:21
08 When I Find My Life 2:59
09 Ballad Of Lucy Jordan 5:08
10 Times Square 4:57
11 Blazing Away 4:10
12 She Moved Through The Fair 2:09
13 Broken English 7:37

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Stooges - The Stooges (1969) (2cd edition 2005) (eac-log-cover)

Stooges - The Stooges (1969) (2cd edition 2005)

rock | 2cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 600MB

Elektra |  rar +5% recovery

AMG:
While the Stooges had a few obvious points of influence -- the swagger of the early Rolling Stones, the horny pound of the Troggs, the fuzztone sneer of a thousand teenage garage bands, and the Velvet Underground's experimental eagerness to leap into the void -- they didn't really sound like anyone else around when their first album hit the streets in 1969. It's hard to say if Ron Asheton, Scott Asheton, Dave Alexander, and the man then known as Iggy Stooge were capable of making anything more sophisticated than this, but if they were, they weren't letting on, and the best moments of The Stooges document the blithering and inarticulate fury of the post-adolescent id with stunning accuracy. Ron Asheton's guitar runs (fortified with bracing use of fuzz and wah-wah) are so brutal and concise they achieve a naïve genius, while Scott Asheton's proto-Bo Diddley drums and Dave Alexander's rock-solid bass stomp these tunes into submission with a force that inspires awe. And Iggy's vividly blank vocals fill the "so what?" shrug of a thousand teenagers with a wealth of palpable arrogance and wondrous confusion. Of course, one of the problems with being a trailblazing pioneer is making yourself understood to others, and while former Velvets bassist John Cale seemed sympathetic to what the band was doing, he didn't seem to quite get it, and as a result he made a physically powerful band sound a bit sluggish on tape. This becomes all the more obvious on the deluxe edition of The Stooges that Rhino released in 2005; along with a sharply remastered version of the original LP, it features a bonus disc containing most of Cale's initial mix of the album (which was rejected by both the band and Elektra prexy Jac Holzman), and Cale's versions sound frustratingly hollow, with Iggy's vocals and Ron's guitar standing in uncomfortable relief next to the rhythm section, and the blunt force of the guitar reduced to sludge. Clipping nearly five minutes out of "Ann" didn't help either; the furious coda of the full-length version, unearthed for the first time on the bonus disc, adds a wealth of drama and emotional force to a song that sounds a bit like filler at only three minutes. But "1969," "I Wanna Be Your Dog," "Real Cool Time," "No Fun," and other classic rippers are all on board, and one listen reveals why they became clarion calls in the punk rock revolution. Part of the fun of The Stooges is, then as now, the band managed the difficult feat of sounding ahead of their time and entirely out of their time, all at once, and the expanded edition only reinforces the singular nature of that achievement.

Tracks:
cd1
1. 1969
2. I Wanna Be Your Dog
3. We Will Fall
4. No Fun
5. Real Cool Time
6. Ann
7. Not Right
8. Little Doll
cd2
1. No Fun (Original John Cale Mix)
2. 1969 (Original John Cale Mix)
3. I Wanna Be Your Dog (Original John Cale Mix)
4. Little Doll (Original John Cale Mix)
5. 1969 (Alternate Vocal)
6. I Wanna Be Your Dog (Alternate Vocal)
7. Not Right (Alternate Vocal)
8. Real Cool Time (Alternate Mix)
9. Ann (Full Version)
10. No Fun (Full Version)

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John Coltrane & Frank Wess - Wheelin' & Dealin' (1957) (eac-log-cover)

John Coltrane & Frank Wess - Wheelin' & Dealin' (1957)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 460MB

OJC | rar +5% recovery

AMG:
This two-fer from the excellent Prestige series of two-LP sets features Coltrane at a pair of jam-session-type settings in 1957. He is heard along with fellow tenor Paul Quinichette and Frank Wess on flute and tenor on two long versions apiece of "Wheelin'" and "Dealin" in addition to a fine rendition of "Things Ain't What They Used to Be" and a 15-minute version of "Robbins' Nest." In addition, there are two numbers from a sextet session with trumpeter Bill Hardman and altoist Jackie McLean. Overall the music is not all that essential (since there are so many other Coltrane recordings available) but is quite enjoyable on its own terms and worth picking up.

Tracks:
1. Things Ain't What They Used To Be 8:24
2. Wheelin' (Take 2) 11:20
3. Wheelin' (Take 1) 10:23
4. Robbins Nest 15:31
5. Dealin' (Take 2) 10:13
6. Dealin' (Take 1) 9:59

Personnel:
John Coltrane, tenor sax
Frank Wess, tenor sax, flute
Paul Quinichette, tenor sax
Mal Waldron, piano
Doug Watkins, bass
Art Taylor, drums

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John Scofield - Hand Jive (1993) (eac-log-cover)

John Scofield - Hand Jive (1993)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 470MB

BN | rar +5% recovery

AMG:
Guitarist John Scofield and tenor saxophonist Eddie Harris make a very complementary team on this upbeat set of funky jazz, for both have immediately identifiable sounds and adventurous spirits. Along with a fine rhythm section that includes Larry Goldings on piano and organ, Scofield and Harris interact joyfully on ten of the guitarist's originals.

Tracks:
1. I'll Take Les
2. Dark Blue
3. Do Like Eddie
4. She's So Lucky
5. Checkered Past
6. 7th Floor
7. Golden Daze
8. Don't Shoot The Messenger
9. Whip The Mule
10. Out Of The City

Personnel:
* John Scofield - guitar
* Eddie Harris - tenor saxophone
* Larry Goldings - piano, organ
* Dennis Irwin - bass
* Bill Stewart - drums
* Don Alias - percussion

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Freddie Redd, Hampton Hawes - Piano East West (1952&55) (eac-log-cover)

Freddie Redd, Hampton Hawes - Piano East West (1952&55)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 190MB

OJC limited edition | rar +5% recovery

AMG:
This CD reissue has two unrelated early sessions from pianists Hampton Hawes and Freddie Redd. Hawes, heard in a quartet with vibraphonist Larry Bunker, bassist Clarence Jones and drummer Larence Marable, already ranked as one of the top bop-based pianists in 1952. He performs eight straight-ahead numbers (five bop standards and three originals like "Hamp's Paws"), including a two-minute version of "Move" that lives up to its name. Redd, who recorded much less during his longer career, stretches out a bit more on four numbers (including three originals) in a trio with bassist John Ore and drummer Ron Jefferson. Excellent music, easily recommended to bop collectors.

Tracks:
01 - Hampton Hawes - Terrible T
02 - Hampton Hawes - Fanfare
03 - Hampton Hawes - Just Squeeze Me
04 - Hampton Hawes - I'll Remember April
05 - Hampton Hawes - Hamp's Paws
06 - Hampton Hawes - Move
07 - Hampton Hawes - Once In A While
08 - Hampton Hawes - Buzzy
09 - Freddie Redd - Debut
10 - Freddie Redd - the Things We Did Last Summer
11 - Freddie Redd - Lady J Blues
12 - Freddie Redd - Ready Freddie

Personnel:
Larry Bunker (vib), Hampton Hawes (p), Clarence Jones (b), Lawrence Marable (d)
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Freddie Redd (p), John Ore (b), Ron Jefferson (d)

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McCoy Tyner - Time For Tyner (1968) (RVG) (eac-log-cover)

McCoy Tyner - Time For Tyner (1968)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 270MB

BN | RVG 2004 rem | rar +5% recovery

AMG:
This CD reissue draws its music from two separate concerts nearly a year apart but utilizing the same personnel: pianist McCoy Tyner, vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson, bassist Herbie Lewis, and drummer Freddie Waits. Although three numbers were performed at a John Coltrane Memorial Concert, they are all Tyner originals; the pianist and Hutcherson blend together quite well and both are experts at coming up with inventive ideas over modal vamps. The other three selections are veteran standards. "I Didn't Know What Time It Was" is taken by the full quartet, Hutcherson sits out on "Surrey with the Fringe on Top," and a rhapsodic "I've Grown Accustomed to Your Face" is a piano solo. A fine all-round showcase for McCoy Tyner in the late '60s. [This RVG edition has been remastered.]

Tracks:
1. "African Village" - 12:08
2. "Little Madimba" - 8:32
3. "May Street" - 5:20
4. "I Didn't Know What Time It Was" - 7:10
5. "The Surrey with the Fringe on Top" - 5:11
6. "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face" - 4:26

Personnel:
* McCoy Tyner: piano
* Bobby Hutcherson: vibes (tracks 1-4)
* Herbie Lewis: bass (tracks 1-5)
* Freddie Waits: drums (tracks 1-5)

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'Rahsaan' Roland Kirk - Volunteered Slavery (1968) (eac-log-cover)

'Rahsaan' Roland Kirk - Volunteered Slavery (1968)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 345MB

Atlantic | rar +5% recovery

AMG:
Before the issue of Blacknuss, Rahsaan Roland Kirk was already exploring ways in which to make soul and R&B rub up against jazz and come out sounding like deep-heart party music. Volunteered Slavery, with its beat/African chanted poetry and post-bop blues ethos was certainly the first strike in the right direction. With a band that included Charles McGhee on trumpet, Dick Griffin on trombone, organist Mickey Tucker, bassist Vernon Martin, drummers Jimmy Hopps and Charles Grady, as well as Sony Brown, Kirk made it work. From the stinging blues call and response of the tile track through the killer modern creative choir jam on "Spirits Up Above" taking a small cue from Archie Shepp's Attica Blues. But it's when Kirk moves into the covers, of "My Cherie Amour," "I Say a Little Prayer," and the Coltrane medley of "Afro Blue," "Lush Life," and "Bessie's Blues," that Kirk sets it all in context: how the simplest melody that makes a record that sells millions and touches people emotionally, can be filled with the same heart as a modal, intricate masterpiece that gets a few thousand people to open up enough that they don't think the same way anymore. For Kirk, this is all part of the black musical experience. Granted, on Volunteered Slavery he's a little more formal than he would be on Blacknuss, but it's the beginning of the vein he's mining. And when the album reaches its end on "Three for the Festival," Kirk proves that he is indeed the master of any music he plays because his sense of harmony, rhythm, and melody comes not only from the masters acknowledged, but also from the collective heart of the people the masters touched. It's just awesome.

Tracks:
01. Volunteered Slavery -5:45
02. Spirits Up Above -3:39
03. My Chérie Amour -3:20
04. Search For The Reason Why -2:08
05. I Say A Little Prayer -8:01
06. Roland's Opening Remarks -0:40
07. One Ton -5:02
08. Ovation & Roland's Remarks -1:46
09. A Tribute To John Coletrane: Lush Life - Afro-Blue - Bessie's Blues -8:16
10. Three For The Festival -4:18

Personnel:
*Bass - Vernon Martin
*Drums - Charles Crosby , Jimmy Hopps , Sonny Brown
**Piano - Ron Burton
*Saxophone [Tenor], Flute, Flute [Nose], Horns [Manzello, Stritch], Gong, Vocals, Whistle - Roland Kirk
*Trombone - Dick Griffin
*Trumpet - Charles McGhee
*Vocals [Backgrounds] - Roland Kirk Spirit Choir

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Ornette Coleman - At The Golden Circle_Stockholm v1-2 (1965) (RVG) (eac-log-cover)

Ornette Coleman - At The Golden Circle_Stockholm v1-2 (1965)

jazz | 2cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 565+550MB

BN | RVG 2001 24-bit rem | rar +5% recovery

AMG:
v1
Ornette Coleman's 1965 trio with bassist David Izenzon and drummer Charles Moffett is easily the most underrated of all his bands. Coming off the light of the famed quartet in which Don Cherry, Eddie Blackwell, and Charlie Haden shone, anything might have looked a bit dimmer, it's true. But this band certainly had no apologies to make. Coleman was deep into creating a new approach to melody, since Haden and Cherry had honed his harmonic sensibilities. Izenzon proved to be the right bassist for Coleman to realize his ambitions. A stunning arco as well as pizzicato player (check his solo in "Dawn") Izenzon offered Coleman the perfect foil. No matter where Coleman's soloing moved the band, Izenzon was there at exactly the same time with an uncanny sense of counterpoint, and he often changed the harmonic mode by force. The first of these two volumes from December 3 shows Coleman in a playful, mischievous frame of mind, toying with the trio ads well as the audience on "Faces and Places" by inserting standard bop phrases and song quotes into the heart of his free soloing. On "Dee Dee," Coleman moves along to rhythmic counterpoint by Moffett, pushing Izenzon into the unlikely role of beat-keeper -- not simple for such an amazing improviser. But it's on the closer, "Dawn," that the band gels as one inseparable, ethereal unit, cascading through scalar invention and chromatic interplay as if it were second nature.
v2
The second night of Ornette Coleman's two-week stand in Sweden was even fierier than the first, if the recorded documents are to be believed. For starters, December 4 was the night that Coleman brought out the violin and the trumpet on the first tune; "Snowflakes and Sunshine" must have taken club-goers by surprise. Those first notes skitter across the neck as the bow goes "scree" in the middle registers and bassist David Izenzon moves to create an atonal bed of rock for Coleman, while Charles Moffett plays in the triple time to a cipher of a time signature. And just as the violin starts to create a tension that is difficult for the other two members of his trio to endure musically, Coleman switches to trumpet and hauls it back inside, or at least to the ledge's edge before returning to the violin a few minutes later. The rhythm sect tries to rein him in, but he careens off Izenzon's arco playing and into an entirely new harmonic language. For the rest of the gig, it's back to the alto, with Coleman even going as far as to goof on Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" on the opening bars of "Morning Song" before playing a ballad every bit as tender and angularly beautiful as one of his. "Riddles" is one of Coleman's Eastern screamers, played modally with the same kind of breathy acrobatics Coltrane used on the music that made it onto the posthumous Sunship. There are several drone modes created by Izenzon, with off-measure rhythmic figures cut by Moffett. Coleman plays the alto as one would a Tibetan oboe or a thighbone trumpet, reaching deep into the lower register to touch the drone and then sail off into scalar abandon. There is more than enough fire, but the astonishing thing is the color and texture Coleman gets from the horn. The set closes with a lovely, knotty piece called "Antiques," in which Izenzon and Coleman match modes for an interesting meeting of the minds in a dramatic wash of color and mood. This is the stronger of the two evenings, but they are both fine records by an under-recognized band in Coleman's development.

Tracks:
v1:
01. Announcement 1:09
02. Faces And Places 11:37
03. European Echoes 7:53
04. Dee Dee 10:38
05. Dawn 8:05
06. Faces And Places (Alternate Take) 8:31
07. European Echoes (Alternate Take) 14:13
08. Doughnuts 13:30
v2:
01. Snowflakes And Sunshine 10:43
02. Morning Song 10:41
03. The Riddle 9:54
04. Antiques 12:36
05. Morning Song (alternate take) 8:16
06. The Riddle (alternate take) 12:40
07. Antiques (alternate take) 13:00

Personnel:
Ornette Coleman- Alto Sax
David Izenon- Bass
Charles Moffett- Drums

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Milt Jackson & Ray Brown - Montreux '77 (music video) (DVD5) (iso-mds)

Milt Jackson & Ray Brown '77
DVD5 PAL | DD5.1; DTS5.1; PCM2.0 | 4:3 | 60 min | iso-mds | Covers | 4,1 GB
Eagle Vision - Norman Granz | Genre: jazz | rel. 2004 | RAR +5% recovery
Allaboutjazz:
The combination of Norman Granz and the Montreux Jazz Festival was a strong one. The music that Granz presented at the festival had some top notch performers. Several of the concerts are now available as part of the Norman Granz Jazz in Montreux series on DVD. There are several releases, among them performances by Mary Lou Williams, Benny Carter, Roy Eldridge, Ray Bryant and Ella Fitzgerald and Count Basie. All have been restored and remastered.

Milt Jackson and Ray Brown took the stage on July 13, 1977 with Clark Terry on trumpet and flugelhorn, Monty Alexander on piano, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis on tenor saxophone and Jimmie Smith on drums. And what an exemplary band it was! The music is electrifying, zapped by the rapport between them. There is an unmitigated joy in their playing, the passion kneaded by their virtuosity. Jackson rings the bell with his clean notes, unhurried yet filled with a rich resonance. And if Brown was of the opinion that too many notes spoilt the adventure, he shows precisely how economy can make a song sizzle. And there is Terry, often happy as is his wont, blowing some mean wah wah trumpet on "Red Top." When Davis goes into his cutting-edge solo, Jackson goes over, whispers and returns grinning ear to ear. In that closeness comes a harmony which can only go towards creating a strong emotional core. If there is one player who brings in resplendence with a chockfull of notes, it is Alexander. He is in constant ferment with thick juicy layers and emphatic chords and a nice imagination that at one time sees him invest some calypso in "You Are My Sunshine." Smith keeps the rhythm ticking, ever sensitive. In one of the many interesting camera angles, his right hand is in close cleave with Brown's conceptualization. Attention pays dividends.

There was magic in the air that night in Montreux and it is worth experiencing every moment.

Extras on the DVD come in the form of a presentation from Nat Hentoff and a short profile of Granz, drawings by David Stone Martin and photographs by Georges Braunschweig. One little error: when the pictures of the musicians come up during Hentoff's narration, Brown is identified as Alexander.

Tracks:
Slippery; Beautiful Friendship; Red Top; Mean to Me; You Are My Sunshine

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