31 October, 2010

Meredith Monk - Impermanence (2008) (eac-log-cover)

Meredith Monk - Impermanence (2008)
avantgarde, contemporary | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 290MB
ECM | rec: 2007
AMG:
In her album Impermanence, Meredith Monk succeeds in creating pieces that fit her theme well and much of this music does indeed seem ephemeral, fleeting. These works are not casually or routinely constructed, though; their apparent simplicity masks a psychological and musical sophistication that's evident in the way their carefully placed details contribute to their surprising impact. The prevailing mood of the album is melancholy, but not passive sadness; even the songs that deal most explicitly with loss, such as Last Song (which opens the album) and Liminal, are punctuated with astonishing, defiant gestural outbursts that make it clear that Monk has no intention of going gentle into that good night. One of the strengths of the album is the variety of its pieces; Monk is never repeating herself or just recycling ideas. Pieces such as Particular Dance, for voices and mixed ensemble, are lively and full of unpredictable humor, and Maybe 1, for eight pianos, is a quirky, minimalist-inspired bagatelle. The textural variety of the pieces is also appealing; almost all of them use voices in one way or another, but the voice is often used instrumentally or as accompaniment to the instruments. Monk and her ensemble perform with great delicacy and sensitivity to each other; this is clearly a group of singers and instrumentalists that knows how to listen, and each member is constantly calibrating his or her contribution with the sounds of the others, as in the best chamber music performances. ECM's sound is immaculate. The album is a significant addition to Monk's discography and should be of strong interest to fans of new vocal music that pushes the envelope but is still accessible and engaging.

Tracks:
-01-last song 7:16
-02-maybe 1 2:03
-03-little breath 1:43
-04-liminal 10:56
-05-disequilibrium 2:26
-06-particular dance 4:57
-07-between song 6:08
-08-passage 1:55
-09-maybe 2 3:07
-10-skeleton lines 4:19
-11-slow dissolve 2:35
-12-totentanz 3:59
-13-sweep 1 1:28
-14-rocking 5:17
-15-sweep 2 1:24
-16-mieke's melody#5 5:15

Personnel:
Meredith Monk and Vocal Ensemble
*Theo Bleckmann voice
*Ellen Fisher voice
*Katie Geissinger voice
*Ching Gonzalez voice
*Meredith Monk voice
*Allison Sniffin voice
*Sasha Bogdanowitsch voice
*Silvie Jensen voice
*Allison Sniffin piano, violin
*John Hollenbeck percussion
*Bohdan Hilash woodwinds

Dexter Gordon - GO! (1962) (RVG) (eac-log-cover)

Dexter Gordon - GO! (1962)
jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 300MB
Blue Note | RVG edition 24-bit remaster
AMG:
From the first moments when Dexter Gordon sails into the opening song full of brightness and confidence, it is obvious that Go! is going to be one of those albums where everything just seems to come together magically. A stellar quartet including the stylish pianist Sonny Clark, the agile drummer Billy Higgins, and the solid yet flexible bassist Butch Warren are absolutely crucial in making this album work, but it is still Gordon who shines. Whether he is dropping quotes into "Three O'Clock in the Morning" or running around with spritely bop phrases in "Cheese Cake," the album pops and crackles with energy and exuberance. Beautiful ballads like "I Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out to Dry" metamorphosize that energy into emotion and passion, but you can still see it there nonetheless. Gordon had many high points in his five decade-long career, but this is certainly the peak of it all.

Tracks:
-1. "Cheese Cake" (Dexter Gordon) – 6:33
-2. "Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out to Dry" (Jule Styne, Sammy Cahn) – 5:23
-3. "Second Balcony Jump" (Billy Eckstine, Gerald Valentine) – 7:05
-4. "Love for Sale" (Cole Porter) – 7:40
-5. "Where Are You" (Jimmy McHugh, Harold Adamson) – 5:21
-6. "Three O'Clock in the Morning" (Dorothy Terris, Julian Robledo) – 5:40


Personnel:
* Dexter Gordon — tenor saxophone
* Sonny Clark — piano
* Butch Warren — bass
* Billy Higgins — drums

30 October, 2010

Jackie McLean - A Long Drink Of The Blues (1957) (eac-log-cover)

Jackie McLean - A Long Drink Of The Blues (1957)
jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 305MB
OJC
AMG:
This CD reissue begins with what is titled "Take 1" of "A Long Drink of the Blues." After a false start, the musicians argue for two minutes about the tempo; why was this ever released? "Take 2" is a much more successful 20-minute jam featuring Jackie McLean (doubling on alto and tenor), trombonist Curtis Fuller, trumpeter Webster Young, pianist Gil Coggins, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Louis Hayes. The second half of this reissue is from a quartet session that showcases McLean on three standard ballads with pianist Mal Waldron, bassist Arthur Phipps, and drummer Art Taylor. Although not quite as intense as McLean's later Blue Note dates, the ballad renditions show just how mature and original a soloist he was even at this early stage. Despite "Take 1," this CD is worth getting.

Tracks:
-1. Long Drink Of The Blues (take 1) 2:18
-2. Long Drink Of The Blues (take 2) 20:45
-3. Embraceable You 7:05
-4. I Cover The Waterfront 6:24
-5. These Foolish Things 8:19

Personnel:
1-2:
Webster Young, trumpet
Curtis Fuller, trombone
Jackie McLean, alto sax
Gil Coggins, piano
Paul Chambers, bass
Louis Hayes, drums
Recorded: August. 30, 1957
3-5:
Jackie McLean, alto sax
Mal Waldron, piano
Arthur Phipps, bass
Art Taylor, drums
Recorded: Feb. 15, 1957

29 October, 2010

Coleman Hawkins - The Hawk Flies High (1957) ( MFSL & OJC 20-bit)

Coleman Hawkins - The Hawk Flies High (1957)
MFSL + OJC 20-bit remastered
jazz | 1+1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 130+240MB
AMG:
Coleman Hawkins' 1957 session for Riverside, aside from an oral documentary record in a short-lived series, was his only recording for the label under his name. Yet producer Orrin Keepnews had the good sense to invite the legendary tenor saxophonist to pick his own musicians, and Hawkins surprised him by asking for young boppers J.J. Johnson and Idrees Sulieman in addition to the potent rhythm section of Hank Jones, Oscar Pettiford, Barry Galbraith, and Jo Jones. The two days of sessions produced a number of strong performances, with Hawkins still very much at the top of his game, while both Johnson and Sulieman catch fire as well. Even though most of the focus was on new material contributed by the participants, the musicians quickly adapted to the unfamiliar music, especially the leader's old-fashioned swinger "Sancticity" (which sounds like it could have been part of Count Basie's repertoire) and the pianist's tightly woven bop vehicle "Chant." Hawkins was one of the great ballad interpreters, and his majestic performance of the standard "Laura" is no exception.

Tracks:
-1. Chant - 5:08
-2. Juicy Fruit - 11:16
-3. Think Deep -3:24
-4. Laura -4:34
-5. Blue Lights -5:44
-6. Sancticity -9:10

Personnel:
Coleman Hawkins - tenor saxophone
J.J. Johnson - trombone
Idrees Sulieman - trumpet
Hank Jones - piano
Oscar Pettiford - bass
Barry Galbraith - guitar
Jo Jones - drums

Leonard Cohen - Cohen Live (1994)

Leonard Cohen - Cohen Live (1994)
rock | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 450MB
Sony | rec: 1988 & 1993
AMG:
Few artists have maintained such a devoted fan base for so long outside the mainstream as Leonard Cohen. With such a rich catalog, any compilation of his material is bound to invite discussion. Cohen Live opts to balance earlier material with work from his late-'80s/early-'90s period culled from two different tours. The newer songs include the lovely "Dance Me to the End of Love," the ominous "Everybody Knows," and "I'm Your Man." Cohen classics such as "Bird on a Wire," "Who By Fire?," and "Suzanne" are among the older songs. Backed by strong musicians, Cohen delivers the songs in his monotone rasp that is distinctly him. The renditions are fairly faithful to the studio versions, although the added warmth of the live performers provides an interesting contrast with Cohen's baleful persona. Cohen Live isn't necessarily essential, but fans will enjoy hearing one of the more original and enduring voices from the '60s in a different setting.

Tracks:
-01. "Dance Me to the End of Love" (Toronto, June 17, 1993)
-02. "Bird on the Wire" (Toronto, June 17, 1993)
-03. "Everybody Knows" (Vancouver, June 29, 1993)
-04. "Joan of Arc" (Toronto, June 17, 1993)
-05. "There Is a War" (Toronto, June 17, 1993)
-06. "Sisters of Mercy" (Toronto, June 18, 1993)
-07. "Hallelujah" (Austin, October 31, 1988)
-08. "I'm Your Man" (Toronto, June 17, 1993)
-09. "Who by Fire?" (Austin, October 31, 1988)
-10. "One of Us Cannot Be Wrong" (San Sebastian, May 20, 1988)
-11. "If It Be Your Will" (Austin, October 31, 1988)
-12. "Heart with No Companion" (Amsterdam, April 19, 1988)
-13. "Suzanne" (Vancouver, June 29, 1993)

Personnel:
* Leonard Cohen: guitar, keyboards, vocals
* Perla Batalla: vocals
* Julie Christensen: vocals
* Jorge Calderón: bass, vocals
* Bob Metzger: guitar, pedal steel guitar
* Stephen Zirkel: bass, trumpet, keyboards
* Bill Ginn: keyboards
* Tom McMorran: keyboards
* Paul Ostermayer: keyboards, saxophone
* Bob Furgo: violin, keyboards
* John Bilezikjian: mandolin
* Steve Meador: drums

28 October, 2010

Gerry Mulligan - Pleyel Concert v1&2 (1954) (eac-log-cover)

Gerry Mulligan - Pleyel Concert v1&2 (1954)
jazz | 2cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 630MB
Vogue
AMG:
During a 1954 trip to Europe Gerry Mulligan played several concerts in Paris at the Salle Pleyel to enthusiastic crowds, excerpts from which are heard on this CD and a second volume, issued separately. The baritone saxophonist is joined by one of his most stimulating musical partners, valve trombonist Bob Brookmeyer; the quartet's rhythm section includes bassist Red Mitchell and drummer Frank Isola (who sticks to brushes). Mulligan does his best to introduce most of the tunes in halting French to the appreciation of the audience. Mulligan and Brookmeyer work magic together as they alternate between taking the lead and providing backgrounds for one another, while also engaging in some terrific counterpoint. The set includes standards, classic jazz tunes and Mulligan's originals, all of which delight the audience. It is almost impossible to name all of the highlights within this disc, though "Bernie's Tune" (with a playful detour into a circus theme), Mulligan's loping "Walkin' Shoes" and cool "Soft Shoe" as well as "My Funny Valentine," which rivals his famous recording with trumpeter Chet Baker. This CD and its companion volume should be considered among Gerry Mulligan's most essential recordings.

Tracks:
v1:
-01. Bernie's Tune 4:50
-02. Presentation Of The Musicians 0:51
-03. Walkin' Shoes 4:50
-04. The Nearness Of You 4:34
-05. Medley "Motel / Utter Chaos" 5:48
-06. Love Me Or Leave Me 5:52
-07. Soft Shoes 4:16
-08. Bark For Barksdale 5:29
-09. My Funny Valentine 4:52
-10. I May Be Wrong 7:23
-11. Turnstile 4:50
-12. Five Brothers 4:39
-13. Gold Rush 6:27
-14. Makin' Whoopee 3:43
v2:
-01. The Lady Is A Tramp 3:45
-02. Laura 4:12
-03. Motel 0:49
-04. Five Brothers 5:07
-05. Lullaby Of The Leaves 3:28
-06. The Nearness Of You 4:39
-07. Limelight 5:07
-08. Come Out, Come Out, Wherever You Are 4:08
-09. Makin' Whoopee 2:49
-10. Love Me Or Leave Me 4:38
-11. Laura 4:15
-12. Line For Lyons 4:20
-13. Moonlight In Vermont 3:15
-14. Bark For Barkside 1:01

Personnel:
Gerry Mulligan: baritone saxophone
Bob Brookmeyer: valve trombone
Red Michell: bass
Frank Isola: drums

27 October, 2010

RCA Living Stereo: Chopin (Rubinstein) - Ballades & Scherzos (1959) (eac-log-cover)

RCA Living Stereo: Chopin - Ballades & Scherzos (1959)
Arthur Rubinstein, piano
classical | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 330MB
RCA | SACD | rel.: 2004
ClassicsToday:
Little new can be added to what's been said of these tried, true, and extremely satisfying catalog staples. Their most recent transfer in RCA's 1999 complete Rubinstein collection boasts a fullness and impact unmatched in earlier CD transfers. However, the advantage of SACD's multi-channel format allows home listeners to perceive the left, center, and right three-track stereo perspective as originally captured in the master tape, as opposed to a two-channel mixdown. The results yield a more realistic sense of how Rubinstein's fabled tone projects and congeals in the venue (New York's Manhattan Center), along with more air between the notes plus sundry bench and music-rack noises (Rubinstein's future producer Max Wilcox turning pages, I gather). While the aforementioned Rubinstein Edition CD appears to be mastered at a higher level, with slightly more emphasis in the bass, the SACD's overall ambience wins the day, even when reproduced on a conventional two-channel CD player.
In an era full of hotshot keyboard youngsters determined to put their individual stamp on Chopin's Ballades and Scherzos by way of willful rubatos and contrived inner voices, Rubinstein's respect for the score, controlled freedom, and unerring sense of proportion prove how sanity and inspiration are not mutually exclusive interpretive properties. A few examples will suffice. For instance, when the pianist lingers over the First Ballade's E-flat major subject, he still provides a strong rhythmic backbone in the left-hand accompaniment to anchor it. Many pianists blur the Second Scherzo's famous opening triplets; instead Rubinstein articulates them without compromising their spookiness. While his earlier Third and Fourth Scherzo recordings from 1932 and 1950 may dare and scintillate more, the slower stereo remakes better cohere and flow. Will further Rubinstein SACD releases capture the pianist's generous artistic presence so vividly?

Tracks:
-1. Ballade for Piano no 1 in G minor, B 66/Op. 23
-2. Ballade for Piano no 2 in F major/a minor, B 102/Op. 38
-3. Ballade for Piano no 3 in A flat major, B 136/Op. 47
-4. Ballade for Piano no 4 in F minor, B 146/Op. 52
-5. Scherzo for Piano no 1 in B minor, B 65/Op. 20
-6. Scherzo for Piano no 2 in B flat minor/D flat major, B 111/Op. 31
-7. Scherzo for Piano no 3 in C sharp minor, B 125/Op. 39
-8. Scherzo for Piano no 4 in E major, B 148/Op. 54
Written: 1831-42
Rec: 1959
Manhattan Center, NYC

Performer:
Artur Rubinstein (Piano)

Pat Martino - Strings (1967) (eac-log-cover)

Pat Martino - Strings (1967)
jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 220MB
OJC
AMG:
Guitarist Pat Martino's second recording as a leader (which has been reissued on CD) finds him essentially playing advanced bop. His quintet (with Joe Farrell on tenor and flute, pianist Cedar Walton, bassist Ben Tucker and drummer Walter Perkins) really roars on an uptempo version of "Minority" and is diverse enough to come up with meaningful statements on four of Martino's originals.

Tracks:
-1 - Strings! 5:57
-2 - Minority 9:20
-3 - Lean Years 8:37
-4 - Mom 7:20
-5 - Querido 6:07

Personnel:
Drums - Walter Perkins
Guitar - Pat Martino
Percussion - Dave Levin (tracks: 1) , Ray Appleton (tracks: 1)
Piano - Ben Tucker
Saxophone [Tenor], Flute - Joe Farrell

26 October, 2010

Yungchen Lhamo - Coming Home (1998) (eac-log-cover)

Yungchen Lhamo - Coming Home (1998)
world | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 350MB
Real World Records
AMG:
Yungchen Lhamo is one of the most courageous people in the world. As a child, she was enslaved in her native Tibet by the conquerors of that country. She clung to her religious beliefs, Tibetan Buddhism, and eventually escaped to India. From that refuge she launched her performing career. She sings traditional Tibetan folk songs that she learned from her family and original compositions -- mostly a cappella. On Coming Home she has some musical accompaniment, mostly soft and acoustic. Her sweet and gentle soprano is still the main attraction. Lhamo has every reason to be angry and bitter, but she shows her courage in her kindness, her smile, her unwavering faith, and her spirituality. This superb CD will appeal to fans of Vas, Sheila Chandra, and Loreena McKennitt.

Tracks:
-01. Happiness Is...
-02. Sky
-03. Heart
-04. Per Rig Chog Sun
-05. Khyab Sangye
-06. Ngak Pai Metog
-07. Dream
-08. Defiance
-09. Coming Home

Personnel:

Yungchen Lhamo (vocals); Henry Frayne (guitar, background vocals); David Rhodes (guitar); Kent Condon (acoustic guitar, electric guitar); Timo Trovinen (kantele); Richard Bourreau (violin); Caroline LaVelle (cello); Chris Liliedahl, Hossam Ramzy (percussion); Hector Zazou (loops, sound effects); Sister Soleil, Ben Findlay (background vocals).

25 October, 2010

Pharoah Sanders - Pharoah's First (1964) (eac-log-covers)

Pharoah Sanders - Pharoah's First (1964)
jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 350MB
ESP-DISK | 2005 remaster +bonus interview
AMG:
Pharoah Sanders' first release on the ESP label is relatively tame compared to what was to come. On Pharoah's First, trumpeter Stan Foster and pianist Jane Getz are allowed as much solo space as the leader. The problem with that is they play bebop; Sanders doesn't. You can hear that Sanders is ready to go out, but restrains himself due to this mismatching of musicians. Sanders does retain the Coltrane influence on this date and, especially on the initial portion of "Seven by Seven," you can hear the beginnings of Sanders' trademark tenor screech. However, it becomes obvious by the conclusion of the track that the musical sparing between Sanders and Foster never gels. While Sanders wants to fly, Foster is content to walk. "Bethera" finds Foster and Getz taking extended solos, playing as though Sanders isn't there! It sounds as if this date was set up for someone like Dexter Gordon, who didn't show up, so they got Sanders at the last minute. Sanders really has no purpose on this conventional date besides initial name exposure as a leader. What a shame. [This release of the album includes rare interview content.]

Tracks:
-01 - Seven By Seven 26:20
-02 - Bethera 23:40
Interview
-03 - Bernard Stollman Meets Pharoah 0:57
-04 - Coming To New York 0:28
-05 - Meeting Sun Ra 1:23
-06 - Meeting John Coltrane 2:11
-07 - Comments On Other Musicians 1:52
-08 - Playing With Don Cherry 2:15
-09 - The Scene 1:18
-10 - Why The Music Changes 2:11

Personnel:
William Bennett - Bass
Marvin Pattillo - Percussion
Jane Getz - Piano
Pharoah Sanders - Saxophone [Tenor]
Stan Foster - Trumpet

24 October, 2010

Brad Mehldau - Live 2cd (2006) (eac-log-cover)

Brad Mehldau - Live (2006)
jazz | 2cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 970MB
Nonesuch | rel: 2008
AMG:
Three years passed between the release of the Brad Mehldau's Day Is Done and this live outing. What's so significant about this is simply that the former record marked the debut of drummer Jeff Ballard, who had replaced longtime kitman Jorge Rossy. Ballard is a more physical, busier, and more energetic drummer, allowing for Mehldau and bassist Larry Grenadier to up the ante in terms of dynamic and rhythmic options. Day Is Done offered a number of wonderfully contrasting moments where Mehldau, a big pop music fan from all eras, wove a tapestry from Burt Bacharach and John Lennon to Nick Drake and Colin Greenwood, from Paul Simon to Chris Cheek, as well as inserting a few of his own compositions. House on Hill was released the following year, but the material preceded the arrival of Ballard and was recorded as part of the sessions for 2004's Anything Goes. This trio has also recorded with Pat Metheny on two dates in 2006 and 2007. This is the first live date to feature the group on its own, and it is a very healthy helping.

Comprised of two discs recorded at the Village Vanguard during a six-night stint in October of 2006, it showcases the many varied strengths of this already deeply intuitive group. Disc one staggers covers of popular tunes as disparate as Noel Gallagher's (of Oasis) "Wonderwall," Chico Buarque's classic "O Que Será," Chris Cornell's (of Soundgarden) "Black Hole Sun," and Ray Noble's gorgeous ballad "The Very Thought of You" with two of his own compositions. Disc two comes more directly out of the Mehldau songbook, wit three of his own tunes, a Jimmy Heath number, and a standard, and closes with a stunning reading of John Coltrane's "Countdown." The way the trio treats "Wonderwall," beginning with Grenadier and Ballard's funky soul-jazz bass and drum interaction before Mehldau enters the melody, cutting it with large helpings of the blues and soul, is killer. Sure, it has his trademark elegance, but it's the rearrangement of the number with its taut rhythmic groove while keeping the melody all but danceable that's the treat. The beautiful breakbeat and tom tom work by Ballard is uncluttered but it's extremely knotty and busy. The groove is at the center and he brings it home while Grenadier accents it constantly.

Contrast this with the next tune, the pianist's "Ruby's Rub," that swings right out of the gate, and yet the way Mehldau changes his sense of dynamics and time with sudden starts and stops, leaving that space for Ballard and Grenadier to adorn however sparsely, is what makes this such a modern work. The Buarque song is given an extrapolated treatment here as it switches from samba to bossa to funk and even modalism while never losing its lyric sensibility, and -- what may be the best thing here -- note the hand over hand soloing Mehldau does in the middle of the tune and have your breath taken away. "Black Hole Sun" is completely re-harmonized and its melody is ever present but it is an entirely different tune in the hands of the trio. Finally, disc one closes with the Noble ballad, offering a hint as to just how subtle this rhythm section can be. It offers this lithe, almost ethereal bottom that is nonetheless circular and firm, allowing those big spaces between Mehldau's solo lines the room to float right through and enter the listener as gracefully and emotionally honest as any singer.

Disc two kicks off with the bandleader's "Buddha Realm." It contains all of the deep rhythmic interplay that this trio does best. As the pianist articulates one of his knottier melodies with long lines that twist and turn inside themselves, Ballard double- and triple-times the band while rolling the ride cymbal enough for a solid pulse to come shimmering through. Grenadier follows both men, offering the middle ground between the flights of two brilliant soloists. It's exciting, innovative, and offers proof that piano jazz, or at least the true rubber-meets-the-road-jazz piano trio still has lots of tricks up its sleeve in the present day. This is genuinely new jazz, not just a showcase over a rhythm section. More evidence is on the Heath number "C.T.A.," where the hard bop charge roars from the starting line and becomes a multi-valent harmonic bank of ideas and extensive methodical and wire-walking creative articulations as Grenadier's tough solo indicates. The nearly 15-minute reading of Coltrane's "Count Down" makes great use of the energy of the original, but the knotty counterpoint solo Mehldau uses to open it is a throw off; a momentary feint. His opening volley of intensely pointed ranginess is worthy of Oscar Peterson. The solo is wildly inventive because the entire harmonic structure of the tune is in there, pushed to the brink by the deep register, right-hand chord voicings he employs that walk the line between stride and post-bop. When the rhythm section enters, the mood changes. It's still very quick and athletic, but it is brighter as well; colorful as well as dynamic and fast.
Live is deeply satisfying on all levels including the price point. Mehldau and Nonesuch have made the purchase of the double-disc set very attractive. Those new or curious about the trio will be astonished by what's here, pure and simple. For seasoned jazz fans and those of the pianist in particular, this is nothing short of total delight.

Tracks:
CD 1
-01 Introduction (:14)
-02 Wonderwall (Noel Gallagher)(8:44)
-03 Ruby's Rub (Brad Mehldau) (13:07)
-04 O Que Será Chico Buarque (10:37)
-05 B-Flat Waltz (Brad Mehldau) (9:10)
-06 Black Hole Sun (Chris Cornell) (23:30)
-07 The Very Thought of You (Ray Noble) (13:03)
CD 2
-01 Buddha Realm (Brad Mehldau) (11:59)
-02 Fit Cat (Brad Mehldau)(10:40)
-03 Secret Beach (Brad Mehldau) (11:35)
-04 C.T.A. (Jimmy Heath) (16:16)
-05 More Than You Know (Vincent Youmans, Edward Eliscu)(12:08)
-06 Countdown (John Coltrane) (14:56)

Personnel:
Brad Mehldau: piano; Larry Grenadier: bass; Jeff Ballard: drums

23 October, 2010

Residents - Gingerbread Man (1994) (eac-log-cover)

Residents - Gingerbread Man (1994)
rock, alternative | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 220MB
ESD
AMG:
The marriage of music and CD-ROM technology will never be fully consummated until developers, artists, and record companies collectively seek to create (and consumers begin to demand) a new kind of content, one native to the medium, rather than simply slapping pre-existing video, photos and other artifacts into a game-like environment. With Gingerbread Man, San Francisco's notorious, experimental music combo The Residents demonstrate one radical extreme of the artistic/technological spectrum. After wetting their feet last year with the decidedly uncentered Freak Show -- not a game, nor a music title, but a multimedia universe all unto itself -- the group now applies the knowledge gained to one of its own music projects. On an audio CD player, Gingerbread Man offers ten odd, thematically linked musical vignettes by the anonymous group, totaling some 37 minutes. But the real mind-expanding experience comes from plugging this doughboy into your computer's CD-ROM drive. In a manner similar to Ebeneezer Scrooge's final, speechless phantom guide in A Christmas Carol, the program's "gingerbread man" character escorts you through the cortexes of nine hapless protagonists, ranging from "The Dying Oilman" and "The Confused Transexual" to "The Sold Out Artist" and "The Aging Musician." These lost souls are trapped on some inner voyage of the damned and, as you explore, you are given various cryptic visual and soundbite clues to their past that (may or may not) serve to explain their current torment. The disc's haunting, repetitive theme music echoes throughout the scenarios whenever the grim gingerbread man appears encrusted with hieroglyphs, a baked-goods-from-hell roaming the computer screen on a relentless treadmill, the audiovisual representation of the numbing futility that life can sometimes represent. This somewhat unnerving, disturbing experience is not the thing to spend a lot of time with alone late at night (if you want to get any sleep afterwards) or if you already border on manic depressive. Visitors can access Gingerbread Man in leisure mode, which allows the passive viewing of a predetermined multimedia track that accompanies the songs in sequence. An extra dimension of surreality is added by going "interactive," where every mouse or keyboard click generates seemingly random, unpredictable results. In fact, Gingerbread Man never seems to play exactly the same way twice. One fault here, of the variety that movie critics often point out, is the lack of sympathetic characters. Each is pathetic and/or revolting, which doesn't exactly draw you enthusiastically back to enjoy their company. Such facile concessions are not to be expected from The Residents, however, and none are offered. Gingerbread Man is not the sort of title that will bring music CD-ROMs to the masses -- that was never its intent -- but it certainly stands to develop a strong cult following.

Tracks:
-01. The Weaver: The fool and the death-maker die alone
-02. The Dying Oilman: Blinded by the hostages of fortune
-03. The Confused Transsexual: Stamen and pistillate together again
-04. The Sold-Out Artist: Black are the legs inside the white sepulchre
-05. The Ascetic: Shadows doubt the strength of the sun
-06. The Old Soldier: Safety sells, but war always wins
-07. The Aging Musician: Narcissus knows no one naked
-08. The Butcher: The flesh of animals angers anew… and moos
-09. The Old Woman: Kissless are the isolated, rootless are their tongues
-10. Ginger's Lament
rc

Cannonball Adderley - African Waltz (1961) (OJC 20-bit rem) (eac-log-cover)

Cannonball Adderley - African Waltz (1961)
jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 240MB
OJC 20-bit remastered
AMG:
The music on this CD reissue is better than it should be. Cannonball Adderley had a fluke hit with "African Waltz" so a full album was recorded with the hope of coming up with additional hits. These 11 selections (which include "African Waltz") feature altoist Adderley backed by an 18-piece big band with arrangements provided by Ernie Wilkins and Bob Brookmeyer. The tunes clock in between two and five minutes and leave little room for much improvising by anyone other than Cannonball, his brother Nat on cornet, and pianist Wynton Kelly. There is some strong material on the set (including "West Coast Blues," "Stockholm Sweetnin'" and a remake of "This Here") but the results are not too substantial and this was not that big a seller; it is still a reasonably enjoyable effort. [Originally released in 1963, African Waltz was remastered on CD in 1993.]

Tracks:
-01. "Something Different" (Chuck Mangione) - 3:04
-02. "West Coast Blues" (Wes Montgomery) - 4:04
-03. "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" (Jerome Kern) - 3:02
-04. "The Uptown" (Junior Mance) - 2:15
-05. "Stockholm Sweetnin'" (Quincy Jones) - 3:41
-06. "African Waltz" (Galt MacDermot) - 2:12
-07. "Blue Brass Groove" (Nat Adderley) - 4:52
-08. "Kelly Blue" (Wynton Kelly) 3:51
-09. "Letter from Home" (Mance) - 2:00
-10. "I'll Close My Eyes" (Buddy Kaye, Billy Reid) - 3:42
-11. "This Here" (Bobby Timmons) - 3:00 Bonus track on CD
* Recorded at Plaza Sound Studio, NYC on February 28 (tracks 6 & 8), May 9 (tracks 1-3, 7, 9 & 11), and May 15, (tracks 4, 5, 10 & 12), 1961

Personnel:
* Cannonball Adderley - alto saxophone
* Nat Adderley, Joe Newman, Ernie Royal, Clark Terry, Nick Travis - trumpet
* Jimmy Cleveland, George Matthews, Arnett Sparrow, Melba Liston - trombone
* Bob Brookmeyer - valve trombone
* Paul Faulise - bass trombone
* Don Butterfield - tuba
* George Dorsey - alto saxophone, flute
* Oliver Nelson - tenor saxophone, flute
* Jerome Richardson - tenor saxophone, flute, piccolo
* Arthur Clarke - baritone saxophone
* Wynton Kelly - piano
* Sam Jones - bass
* Charlie Persip, Louis Hayes - drums
* Michael Olatunji - congas, bongos
* Ray Barretto - congas
* Ernie Wilkins - arranger

rc

22 October, 2010

McCoy Tyner - Supertrios (1977) (eac-log-cover)

McCoy Tyner - Supertrios (1977)
jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 490MB
Milestone
AMG:
This album features the great pianist McCoy Tyner with two separate trios, either bassist Ron Carter and drummer Tony Williams or bassist Eddie Gomez and drummer Jack DeJohnette. The former session, which has a Tyner/Williams duet on "I Mean You" and a collaboration between Tyner and Carter on "Prelude to a Kiss," is the more interesting of the two, with the pianist interacting with Miles Davis's former rhythm section on six highquality songs. But the Gomez-DeJohnette date (which includes four Tyner compositions plus "Stella by Starlight" and "Lush Life") also has its classic moments. Throughout, the percussive and highly influential pianist sounds inspired by the opportunity to create music with his peers. Recommended.

Tracks:
-01. "Wave" (Jobim) - 7:27
-02. "Blues on the Corner" - 6:28
-03. "I Mean You" (Hawkins, Monk) - 4:21
-04. "The Greeting" - 7:56
-05. "Prelude to a Kiss" (Ellington, Gordon, Mills) - 4:35
-06. "Moment's Notice" (Coltrane) - 5:49
-07. "Hymn-Song" - 5:11
-08. "Consensus" - 9:34
-09. "Four by Five" - 5:30
-10. "Stella by Starlight" (Washington, Young) - 8:05
-11. "Lush Life" (Strayhorn) - 6:24
-12. "Blues for Ball" - 4:53
All compositions by McCoy Tyner except as indicated
* Recorded at Fantasy Studios, Berkeley, CA, April 9 & 10 (tracks 1-6), 11 & 12 (tracks 7-12), 1977


Personnel:
* McCoy Tyner: piano
* Ron Carter: bass (tracks 1-6)
* Tony Williams: drums (tracks 1-6)
* Eddie Gomez: bass (tracks 7-12)
* Jack DeJohnette: drums (tracks 7-12)
rc

21 October, 2010

Nina Simone - Baltimore (1978) (eac-log-cover)

Nina Simone - Baltimore (1978)
jazz, vocal | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 230MB
Sony
AMG:
After an uncharacteristic (for her) four-year hiatus from recording, Nina Simone returned to the fringes of the pop world with Baltimore, the only album she recorded for the CTI label. While it bears some of the musical stylings of the period -- light reggae inflections that hint of Steely Dan's "Haitian Divorce" -- the vocals are unmistakably Simone's. Like many of her albums, the content is wildly uneven; Simone simply covers too much ground and there's too little attention paid to how songs flow together. As a result, a robust torch piano ballad like "Music for Lovers" is followed immediately by one of Simone's more awkward moments, an attempt to keep up with a jaunty rhythm track on a cover of Hall & Oates' "Rich Girl." Still, one must give her credit for always being provocative in her cover song choices, as she clearly scores on the Randy Newman-penned title track and a dramatic reading of Judy Collins' "My Father." Her voice throughout is in fine form, even when she phones it in on the album-closing traditional gospel tunes, but arranger David Matthews is a mismatch for her: He blows the arrangements with excessive string overlays and needlessly blaring background vocals. Simone herself all but disavowed the album shortly after its release, testament to her eternally contrarian, iconic nature. Despite her misgivings, though, Baltimore is an occasionally spellbinding if erratic album, a challenging and worthwhile listen for people ready to dip into the lesser-known entries in Nina Simone's vast catalog.

Tracks:
-01. "Baltimore" (Randy Newman) - 4:39
-02. "Everything Must Change" (Benard Ighner) - 3:58
-03. "The Family" (John Hurley, Ronnie Wilkins) - 4:58
-04. "My Father" (Judy Collins) - 4:54
-05. "Music For Lovers" (Bart Howard) - 3:41
-06. "Rich Girl" (Daryl Hall) -
-07. "That's All I Want From You" (Fritz Rotter) - 2:52
-08. "Forget" (Rocky "Cole" Coluccio, David Matthews) - 2:54
-09. "Balm In Gilead" (Traditional) - 2:24
-10. "If You Pray Right" (Traditional) - 3:18

Personnel:
Jonathan Abramowitz: cello; Lamar Alsop: viola; Joshie Armstead: vocals; John Beal: bass; Alfred Brown: viola; Max Ellen: violin; Barry Finclair: violin; Babi Floyd: vocals; Frank Floyd: vocals; Jerry Friedman: guitar; Harry Glickman: violin; Milt Grayson: vocals; Chuck Israels: bass; Gary King: bass; Will Lee: bass; Charles Libove: violin; Harry Lookofsky: violin; James Madison: drums; Nicky Marrero: percussion; David Matthews: piano; Charles McCracken: cello; Deborah McDuffie: vocals; Homer Mensch: bass; Marvin Morgenstern: violin; David Nadien: violin; Andy Newmark: drums; Albertine Robinson: vocals; Al Schackman: piano, tambourine; Alan Shulman: cello; Nina Simone: keyboards, vocals; Ray Simpson: vocals; Herbert Sorkin: violin; Richard Sortomme: violin; Maretha Stewart: vocals; Emanuel Vardi: viola.

rc

Neil Young - American Stars 'N Bars (1977) DVD-audio

Neil Young - American Stars 'N Bars (1977) DVD-audio
rock | 1dvd | iso | cover | 2700MB
Rhino / Wea
AMG:
Neil Young made a point of listing the recording dates of the songs on American Stars 'n Bars; the dates even appeared on the LP labels. They revealed that the songs had been cut at four different sessions dating back to 1974. But even without such documentation, it would have been easy to tell that the album was a stylistic hodgepodge, its first side consisting of country-tinged material featuring steel guitar and fiddle, plus backup vocals from Linda Ronstadt and the then-unknown Nicolette Larson, while the four songs on the second side varied from acoustic solo numbers like "Will to Love" to raging rockers such as "Like a Hurricane." Just as apparent was the album's unevenness: side one consisted of lightweight compositions, while side two had more ambitious ones, with "Will to Love," for example, extending the romantic metaphor of a salmon swimming upstream across seven minutes. The album's saving grace was "Like a Hurricane," one of Young's classic hard rock songs and guitar workouts, and a perennial concert favorite. Without it, American Stars 'n Bars would have been one of Young's least memorable albums, and since it turned up the following year on the compilation Decade, the LP was rendered inessential.

Tracks:
1 ) The old country waltz
2 ) Saddle up the Palomino
3 ) Hey babe
4 ) Hold back the tears
5 ) Bite the bullet
6 ) Star of Bethlehem
7 ) Will to live
8 ) Like a hurricane
9 ) Homegrown

Recording sessions & personnel:
November 1974
* "Star of Bethlehem"
o Neil Young - acoustic guitar, harmonica, vocal
o Emmylou Harris - vocal
o Ben Keith - dobro, vocal
o Tim Drummond - bass
o Karl T. Himmel - drums
November 1975
* "Like a Hurricane" & "Homegrown"
o Neil Young & Crazy Horse:
+ Neil Young - lead guitar, vocal
+ Frank "Poncho" Sampedro - organ ("Like A Hurricane"), rhythm guitar ("Homegrown"), vocal
+ Billy Talbot - bass, vocal
+ Ralph Molina - drums, vocal
May 1976
* "Will to Love"
o Neil Young - all instruments, vocals
April 1977
* "The Old Country Waltz", "Saddle Up the Palomino", "Hey Babe", "Hold Back the Tears" & "Bite the Bullet"
o Neil Young, Crazy Horse & the Bullets:
+ Neil Young - acoustic & electric guitar, vocal
+ Frank "Poncho" Sampedro - acoustic & electric guitar
+ Billy Talbot - bass
+ Ralph Molina - drums
+ Ben Keith - pedal steel guitar
+ Carole Mayedo - violin
+ Linda Ronstadt - vocal
+ Nicolette Larson - vocal
thx to borsland
MLP 2.0 176/24_AUDIO_TS
LPCM 2.0 48/24_VIDEO_TS

Watermarked!
rc

20 October, 2010

Screamin' Jay Hawkins - Black Music For White People (1991) (eac-log-cover)

Screamin' Jay Hawkins - Black Music For White People (1991)
blues, rock | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 350MB
Stress Records
Amazon:
Hawkins was a true early Rock & Roll Pioneer. He wrote and recorded "I Put A Spell On You" way back in 1957, the same year I was born. He was the first theatrical shock rocker, so far ahead of his time that many radio stations didn't play him and many early rock venues didn't give him a shot, figuring he'd scare the white folks to death with his voodoo stage act. An act is all it really was. He played it for laughs and Lord, was he funny! I got my first taste of him in 1970 on an Detroit FM station with a totally open format. They played "Feast Of The Mau Mau" and "Constipation Blues" the latter of which has to be heard to be believed. I never owned anything by him until this came along, right about the time I saw him on David Sanborn's Night Music program. He performed "I Put A Spell On You" and an outrageous version of "Old Man River", both of which are performed on this disc.
"Black Music For White People" is not his best work, but is still pretty good. If everything else on it was junk, I would still have it just for "Old Man River". There's also the sidesplittingly funny "Ignant And Sh_t". What more can I say about that title? Just buy it and enjoy. Also included here are covers of of two Tom Waits classics. "Heart Attack And Vine" and "Ice Cream Man". That's right. Van Halen didn't write it!
If you really want a good overview of his career, try one of of the compilations available here. Just be sure that it's one with the legendary "Constipation Blues". No Screamin Jay compilation is complete without it.
Hawkins shuffled off this motal coil in 2000. I hope he's keeping my late friends and relatives entertained, leaping out of coffins, wearing a bone in his nose and grunting like a demonic wild boar. In the stupid era of political correctness we live in, Hawkins is an American treasure who is sorely missed.

Tracks:
-01 -Is You Or Is You Ain't My Baby 2:54
-02 -I Feel Allright 3:30
-03 -I Put A Spell On You (Dance Version) 3:33
-04 -I Hear You Knockin' 3:11
-05 -Heart Attack And Wine 4:22
-06 -Ignant And Shit 6:00
-07 -Swamp Gas 4:37
-08 -Voodoo Priestess 3:49
-09 -Ice Cream Man 3:22
-10 -I Want Your Body 4:07
-11 -Ol' Man River 5:56
-12 -Strokin' 5:18



Personnel:
Backing Vocals - Jill Foor , Julie Syperda-Duffey , Meredith Marshall
Bass - Mark Goldberg
Drums, Percussion, Backing Vocals - Rik Shannon
Executive Producer - Herb Cohen
Guitar - Bo Diddley, Jr.
Guitar, Keyboards, Backing Vocals - Michael Keneally*
Producer - Robert Duffey
Saxophone - Bara Southern , Dana Garrett
Vocals, Piano - Screamin' Jay Hawkins
rc

19 October, 2010

Sonny Stitt - 12! (1972) (eac-log-cover)

Sonny Stitt - 12! (1972)
jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 270MB
32Jazz
AMG:
Sonny Stitt was in prime form in the early '70s when he recorded two classics: Tune Up and Constellation. 12! from a year later tends to get overlooked but this album is also one of the saxophonist's most rewarding recordings. Assisted by pianist Barry Harris, bassist Sam Jones and drummer Louis Hayes, Stitt (switching between alto and tenor) is in superb form on five standards and two blues; highlights include "I Got It Bad," "Every Tub" and "Our Delight."

Tracks:
-01. 12! 5:21
-02. I Got It Bad 4:16
-03. I Never Knew 6:41
-04. Our Delight 5:29
-05. Night Has a Thousand Eyes 4:55
-06. Blues at the Tempo 6:53
-07. Every Tub 7:11

Personnel:
Sonny Stitt – sax
Barry Harris – piano
Sam Jones – bass
Louis Haye – drums
rc

18 October, 2010

Frank Rosolino - Four Horns and a Lush Life (1956) (miniLP) (eac-log-cover)

Frank Rosolino - Four Horns and a Lush Life (1956)
jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 180MB
Toshiba/EMI | miniLP | TOCJ-62052
AMG:
Russ Garcia was a popular arranger in the mid-'50s, often working with some of the best jazz artists of the day. On this session for Bethlehem, he conducts an octet with four trombonists (including Maynard Ferguson, Frank Rosolino, Herbie Harper and Tommy Pederson), plus baritone saxophonist Dick Houlgate, pianist Marty Paich, bassist Red Mitchell and drummer Stan Levey. Most of Garcia's cool arrangements are of standards, while his "I'll Never Forget What's Her Name (The Lo-est)" is a barely disguised reworking of the chord changes to "Fine and Dandy." Obviously, the trombonists are the primary focus of the solos, though Paich, Houlgate and Mitchell get a chance to get in a few licks of their own. Garcia's use of a trombone choir is very effective in the warm treatment of "Lush Life" and a cooking "What Is This Thing Called Love." Licensed at least once for a reissue LP in the 1970s, this enjoyable album should not be terribly hard to acquire; it was also released under Frank Rosolino's name as Four Horns and a Lush Life.

Tracks:
-01 - I'll Never Forget What's Her Name (3:20)
-02 - But Beautiful (2:17)
-03 - Dancing on the Ceiling (3:09)
-04 - The Boy Next Door (2:37)
-05 - Just One of Those Things (4:06)
-06 - Zigeuner Noël Coward (2:55)
-07 - Limehouse Blues (3:04)
-08 - Lush Life (2:07)
-09 - Lover, Come Back to Me (5:36)
-10 - Ramona (2:40)
-11 - Someone to Watch over Me (2:31)
-12 - What Is This Thing Called Love? (3:04)

Personnel:
Maynard Ferguson (Trombone), Herbie Harper (Trombone), Red Mitchell (Bass), Russell Garcia (Trumpet), Russell Garcia (Conductor), Stan Levey (Drums), Marty Paich (Piano), Frank Rosolino (Trombone), Tom Pederson (Trombone), Dick Houlgate (Sax (Baritone), Tommy Pederson (Trombone)

rc

17 October, 2010

Sam Rivers - Fuchsia Swing Song (1964) (BN connoisseur) (eac-log-cover)

Sam Rivers - Fuchsia Swing Song  (1964)
jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 430MB
Blue Note Connoisseur limited edition | 24-bit remaster
AMG:
Recorded in 1964 immediately after leaving the Miles Davis Quintet, Sam Rivers' Fuchsia Swing Song is one of the more auspicious debuts the label released in the mid-'60s. Rivers was a seasoned session player (his excellent work on Larry Young's Into Somethin' is a case in point) and a former member of Herb Pomeroy's Big Band before he went out with Davis. By the time of his debut, Rivers had been deep under the influence of Coltrane and Coleman, but wasn't willing to give up the blues just yet. Hence the sound on Fuchsia Swing Song is one of an artist who is at once very self-assured, and in transition. Using a rhythm section that included Tony Williams (whose Life Time he had guested on), pianist Jaki Byard, and bassist Ron Carter, Rivers took the hard bop and blues of his roots and poured them through the avant-garde colander. Today, players like Joshua Redman, Branford Marsalis, and James Carter do it all the time, but in 1964 it was unheard of. You either played hard bop or free; Davis' entire modal thing hadn't even completely blasted off yet. The title and opening track is a case in point. Rivers opens with an angular figure that is quickly translated by the band into sweeping, bopping blues. Rivers legato is lightning quick and his phrasing touches upon Coleman Hawkins, Sonny Rollins, Coleman, and Coltrane, but his embouchure is all his. He strikes the balance and then takes off on both sides of the aisle. Byard's comping is actually far more than that, building in rhythmic figures in striated minors just behind the tenor. "Downstairs Blues Upstairs" sounds, initially anyway, like it might have come out of the Davis book so deep is its blue root. But courtesy of Byard and Williams, Rivers goes to the left after only four choruses, moving onto the ledge a bit at a time, running knotty arpeggios through the center of the melody and increasingly bending his notes into succeeding intervals while shifting keys and times signatures. He never goes completely over the edge as he would on his later Blue Note dates. The most difficult cut on the date is "Luminous Monolith," with its swing-like figure introducing the melody. Eight bars in, the syncopation of the rhythm sections begins a stutter stem around the time and then the harmony with Byard building dense chords for Rivers to jump off of. On the Connoisseur Series CD (shame on Blue Note once again for making some of its best outside records "limited editions"; titles like this should be as readily available as Horace Silver's Song for My Father, but the label had been playing it ever so safe for a while and making fans buy the limited number of titles over and again) there are alternate takes of "Luminous Monolith" and three more of "Downstairs Blues Upstairs," making it a very worthwhile look at the entire session. This is a highly recommended date. Rivers never played quite like this again.

Tracks:
-01. Fuschia Swing Song - 6:01
-02. Downstairs Blues Upstairs - 5:30
-03. Cyclic Episode - 6:55
-04. Luminous Monolith - 6:29
-05. Beatrice - 6:10
-06. Ellipsis - 7:40
-07. Luminous Monolith - (alternate take, bonus track) - 6:36
-08. Downstairs Blues Upstairs - (take 1, bonus track) - 8:06
-09. Downstairs Blues Upstairs - (take 2, bonus track) - 7:44
-10. Downstairs Blues Upstairs - (take 3, bonus track) - 7:47

Personnel:

*Sam Rivers - tenor sax
*Jaky Byard - piano
*Ron Carter - bass
*Tony Williams - drums
rc

Stanley Clarke - Night School: An Evening With Stanley Clarke & Friends (2002)

Stanley Clarke - Night School: An Evening With Stanley Clarke & Friends (2002)
DVD9 NTSC | DD5.1; PCM2.0 | 4:3 | iso-mds-covers |6.5 GB
jazz | music video | Heads Up | rel. 2007 

Allaboutjazz:
Over the years, Jaco Pastorius has gained a lot of fame for delivering the electric from the bonds of background obscurity to solo freedom. However, about the time he was blazing a trail of innovation, another bassist was carving a path of his own. Stanley Clarke burst onto the jazz scene in 1971 and quickly found himself working alongside such notables as Art Blakey, Dexter Gordon, Stan Getz and Chick Corea. With Corea, Clarke was a member of Return to Forever, which recorded eight albums and scored a Grammy award and several nominations. Since then, Clarke has collaborated with George Duke and Maynard Ferguson, among others, as well as become a bandleader. Above all, he continues to be recognized as a master of not only the electric bass but also the acoustic bass and piccolo bass.
Clarke is a strong believer in teaching music—not just how to perform but also production and business aspects of the profession. Night School: An Evening with Stanley Clarke & Friends is a DVD presentation of his work with the Musician's Institute in Hollywood, California. The package, portions of which have been shown on television, features an October 2002 concert, the third annual concert for the Scholarship Fund at the Institute.
The concert features Clarke with an all-star lineup of musicians performing several of his compositions, including collaborative works with Duke and Corea, and jazz standards by Charles Mingus ("Goodbye Porkpie Hat ) and John Coltrane ("Giant Steps ). Among those performing with Clarke are violinist Karen Briggs; drummers Gerry Brown, Rayford Griffin and Stewart Copeland; Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers; Bela Fleck and Stevie Wonder. Comedian Sinbad adds a brief comedy bit during which he talks about the importance of music education and directs a few quips toward bassist Marcus Miller.
Whether fingering or slapping, Clarke makes both the acoustic and the electric bass sizzle. One high point of the performance comes during "Big Jam, on which Flea and Clarke share electric bass duties. Copeland and Sheila E. perform a drum duet before the latter solos on her trademark timbales and cowbells. Another comes at the end of the concert, when a host of bassists join in the fun for Clarke's "School Days. Among the soloists given a chance to stretch out are Miller, Alex Al, Billy Sheehan, Stewart Hamm, Jimmy Johnson, Wayman Tisdale and Brian Bromberg.
As if the concert weren't enough, the DVD includes interviews with several of the musicians, including Briggs, Flea and Copeland; film producer John Singleton, whose Boyz 'N the Hood was scored by Clarke; and musician/producer Quincy Jones. It all makes for an excellent package. Although the bass is the featured instrument, Night School is about the art of making music together.

Tracks:
  The Floor; Wild Dog; Goodbye Porkpie Hat; Song to John; The Lochs of Dread; Why Wait; Frequent Flyer; Anna Mae; Theme from Boyz 'n the Hood; Big Jam; Every Day I Have the Blues; Giant Steps; School Days

Personnel:
Stanley Clarke: acoustic and electric bass; Orchestra (1, 9); Armand Sabal-Lecco: bass (2-3, 9, 13); Rayford Griffin: drums (2-3, 10); Gerry Brown: drums (2-3, 9, 11-13); Mark Stephens: keyboards (2-3, 9, 13); Nick Smith: keyboards (2-3, 9-10, 13); Glenn Berger: saxophone (3, 10); Bob Summers and Mike McGuffrey: trumpet (3, 10); Doug Webb: saxophone (3, 9-10); Reggie Young: trombone (3, 10); Bela Fleck: banjo (4-5); Karen Briggs: violin (4-5, 10-12); Stewart Copeland: drums (5, 10, 13); Lenny White: drums (6); Patrice Rushen: keyboards (6); Benny Maupin: saxophone (6); Wallace Roney: trumpet (6); Michael Thompson: guitar (9); Paul Jackson Jr.: guitar (9-10); Flea: bass (10, 13); Sheila E.: drums and percussion (10); Rodney Franklin: keyboards (10-11); Stevie Wonder: vocals (11), keyboards (11-12); Ndugu Chancler: drums (13); Bunny Brunel, Alex Al, Billy Sheehan, Stewart Hamm, Jimmy Johnson, Wayman Tisdale, Brian Bromberg and Marcus Miller: bass (13).

Production Notes: 217 minutes. Recorded March 15, 2002 at Walt Disney Modular Theater, California Institute of the Arts, Valencia, California. Extras: interviews with members of The Vinny Golia Large Ensemble (50 minutes); rehearsal footage (10 minutes); slide show.

rc

16 October, 2010

Chet Baker - With Fifty Italian Strings (1959) (eac-log-cover)

Chet Baker - With Fifty Italian Strings (1959)
jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 210MB
OJC
AMG:
In 1959 while in Italy, Chet Baker was showcased playing trumpet and (on five of the ten songs) singing a set of ballads while backed by a large string section. Fans will want this set but, due to the mundane string arrangements and the lack of variety, more general collectors should acquire his earlier jazz-oriented dates first. (Chet Baker with Fifty Italian Strings was reissued in 2006 with a bonus track.)

Tracks:
-01. I Should Care - 2:46
-02. Violets For Your Furs - 3:16
-03. Song Is You, The - 2:30
-04. When I Fall in Love - 3:34
-05. Goodbye - 4:59
-06. Autumn in New York - 3:30
-07. Angel Eyes - 4:32
-08. Street of Dreams - 2:26
-09. Forgetful - 2:41
-10. Deep in a Dream - 4:30

Chet Baker - trumpet
(vocal chorus on selections #3, 4, 7, 8, 10)
accompanied by string orchestra
recorded in milan, Italy; October 1959.

rc

14 October, 2010

Marianne Faithfull - Come My Way (1965) (eac-log-cover)

Marianne Faithfull - Come My Way (1965)
rock | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 285MB
Decca/Lilith (2006)
AMG:
When Marianne Faithfull released her first two albums for the U.K. market in the spring of 1965, she took the unusual step of issuing them simultaneously. One, simply titled Marianne Faithfull, was the pop-oriented collection that listeners of her hit singles would have expected. The other, Come My Way, by contrast was comprised solely of folk tunes, most of them traditional, the acoustic settings arranged by guitarist Jon Mark. Faithfull at this very early stage in her career still had the tremulous soprano common to many women folksingers of the era. While her singing here is pleasant and competent, it's rather average when stacked against the emotional commitment and personality the best interpreters of such tunes brought to the material at the time. Indeed, Faithfull herself would do the same kind of repertoire, with considerably greater vocal imagination and more forceful musical backing, on her underrated third U.K. album, 1966's North Country Maid. Still, it's an OK record, Faithfull putting her pipes to reverent use on folk revival staples like "Portland Town," "House of the Rising Sun," "Once I Had a Sweetheart," and "Black Girl," and also taking on a contemporary writer with Ian Tyson's "Four Strong Winds." Her reading of "Lonesome Traveller" stands out for the propulsive backing, with hasty 12-string guitar strums and what sounds like bongos. The CD reissue, available briefly in Britain in the early '90s and then in Japan in the early '00s, adds four bonus tracks: the 1964 B-side "Blowin' in the Wind," "Et Maintenant" (from a 1965 EP), the poppy and bluesy 1966 B-side "That's Right Baby," and her classic 1969 single "Sister Morphine," which predated the Rolling Stones' version by a couple of years.

Tracks:
-01 - Come My Way (Mark). 2:08
-02 - Jaberwoc (traditional). 2:39
-03 - Portland Town (traditional). 3:04
-04 - House Of The Rising Sun (traditional). 2:32
-05 - Spanish Is A Loving Tongue (traditional). 2:47
-06 - Fare Thee Well (traditional). 2:56
-07 - Lonesome Traveller (Hays). 2:07
-08 - Down In The Salley Garden (traditional). 2:09
-09 - Mary Ann (traditional). 1:50
-10 - Full Fathom Five (traditional). 1:31
-11 - Four Strong Winds (traditional). 3:03
-12 - Black Girl (traditional). 2:33
-13 - Once I Had A Sweetheart (traditional). 2:12
-14 - Bells Of Freedom (traditional). 2:08
bonus tracks:
-15 - Blowin' In The Wind (Dylan). 3:13
-16 - Et Maintenant (Delanoe/Becaud). 3:35
-17 - That's Right Baby (Farr). 2:54
-18 - Sister Morphine (Faithfull/Jagger/Richards). 5:35
rc

13 October, 2010

Joe Henderson - Joe Henderson In Japan (1971) (eac-log-cover)

Joe Henderson - In Japan (1971)
jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 305MB
OJC
AMG:
Tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson is heard in peak form throughout this set. Performing at the Junk Club in Tokyo, Henderson is joined by an all-Japanese rhythm section (electric pianist Hideo Ichikawa, bassist Kunimitsu Inaba, and drummer Motohiko Hino) on lengthy versions of "'Round Midnight," "Blue Bossa," and his two originals "Out 'n' In" and "Junk Blues." Henderson sounds quite inspired throughout the set, and the obscure rhythm section (only Hino is known in the U.S.) really pushes him. An underrated gem.

Tracks:
-1. "'Round Midnight" (Thelonius Monk) - 12:35
-2. "Out 'N' In" (Joe Henderson) - 9:03
-3. "Blue Bossa" (Kenny Dorham) - 8:25
-4. "Junk Blues" (Henderson) - 14:46

Personnel:
* Joe Henderson - tenor saxophone
* Hideo Ichikawa - electric piano
* Kunimitsu Inaba - bass
* Motohiko Hino - drums

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John Coltrane (Cecil Taylor) - Coltrane Time (1958) (eac-log-cover)

John Coltrane (Cecil Taylor) - Coltrane Time (1958)
jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 205MB
Blue Note
AMG:
This is a most unusual CD due to the inclusion of Cecil Taylor on piano. Although Taylor and John Coltrane got along well, trumpeter Kenny Dorham (who is also on this quintet date) hated the avant-garde pianist's playing and was clearly bothered by Taylor's dissonant comping behind his solos. With bassist Chuck Israels and drummer Louis Hayes doing their best to ignore the discord, the group manages to perform two blues and two standards with Dorham playing strictly bop, Taylor coming up with fairly free abstractions and Coltrane sounding somewhere in between. The results are unintentionally fascinating.
Wikipedia:
Stereo Drive is a 1958 album by jazz musician Cecil Taylor featuring John Coltrane. The same session was released later as Hard Driving Jazz and Coltrane Time. It is the only known recording featuring both Coltrane and Taylor. The album has subsequently been rereleased under Coltrane's name many times, including on Blue Note Records.
Taylor has described how the record company determined the choice of musicians on the session: "I said 'Coltrane okay, but I want to use all the musicians that I want.' I wanted to use Ted Curson, who's a much more contemporary trumpet player than the trumpet player I ended up with, Kenny Dorham."

Tracks:
-1. "Shifting Down" — 10:37
-2. "Just Friends" — 6:13
-3. "Like Someone in Love" — 8:07
-4. "Double Clutching" — 8:18

Personnel:
* John Coltrane — tenor saxophone
* Kenny Dorham — trumpet
* Cecil Taylor — piano
* Chuck Israels — bass
* Louis Hayes — drums
Recorded October 13, 1958 in New York City.
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