Elvin Jones & Richard Davis - Heavy Sounds (1967) (20-b SBM)

Elvin Jones & Richard Davis - Heavy Sounds (1967)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 265MB

Impulse! | 20-bit SBM

Allmusic:
For this CD reissue, an Impulse! session co-led by drummer Elvin Jones and bassist Richard Davis was brought back by MCA. Tenor saxophonist Frank Foster and pianist Billy Green complete the quartet, which performs an erratic but generally interesting set of music including "Shiny Stockings," Foster's funky "Raunchy Rita," and "Elvin's Guitar Blues"; the latter briefly features Jones making his first and only appearance on guitar. The music is essentially advanced hard bop but is not all that essential. [The 1999 CD reissue is a 20-bit remaster.]

Tracks:
-1. "Raunchy Rita" 11:32
-2. "Shiny Stockings" 5:10
-3. "M.E." 2:37
-4. "Summertime" 11:35
-5. "Elvin's Guitar Blues" 3:25
-6. "Here's That Rainy Day" 7:02

Personnel:
* Frank Foster, tenor saxophone (except on #4)
* Billy Greene, piano (except on #2 and #4)
* Richard Davis, bass
* Elvin Jones, drums;guitar (on intro of #5 only)
* Produced by Bob Thiele

sample & buy: Heavy Sounds

Leonard Cohen - Live at the Isle of Wight (1970) CD+DVD

Leonard Cohen - Live at the Isle of Wight (1970) CD+DVD

rock | 1cd + 1dvd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover; iso-mds | 420+3940MB

Sony/Legacy 2009

Amazon:
Nearly 40 summers ago on August 31, 1970, 35-year-old Leonard Cohen was awakened at 2 a.m. from a nap in his trailer and brought onstage to perform with his band at the third annual Isle Of Wight music festival. The audience of 600,000 was in a fiery and frenzied mood, after turning the festival into a political arena, trampling the fences, setting fire to structures and equipment - and stoked by the most incendiary performance of Jimi Hendrix's career.
As Cohen followed Hendrix's set, onlookers and (fellow festival headliners) Joan Baez, Kris Kristofferson, Judy Collins and others stood sidestage in awe as the Canadian folksinger-songwriter-poet-novelist quietly tamed the crowd. Academy Award-winning documentary filmmaker Murray Lerner (From Mao To Mozart, Festival, Message To Love), perfectly captured Cohen's performance. Likewise, Columbia Records staff A&R producer Teo Macero did a brilliant job of supervising the live audio recording.
This CD/DVD package contains the new, beautiful film documentary by Lerner featuring interviews with fellow festival performers, as well as Cohen's full performance on CD. All tracks are previously unreleased (sans bits of "Suzanne" which were featured in the documentary Message to Love, also by Lerner). Included are live versions of classic songs from the first two Leonard Cohen LPs: "So Long, Marianne," "The Stranger Song," "Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye," "Suzanne," "Bird On The Wire," "You Know Who I Am," and "The Partisan" as well as spoken word and poetry.

Tracks:
CD
-01. Introduction - 3:05
-02. Bird On The Wire - 4:15
-03. Intro to So Long, Marianne - 0:15
-04. So Long, Marianne - 7:07
-05. Intro/Let's Renew Ourselves 0:51
-06. You Know Who I Am - 3:58
-07. Intro To Poems - 0:29
-08. Lady Midnight - 3:37
-09. They Locked Up A Man (Poem)/A Person Who Eats Meat/Intro - 1:59
-10. One Of Us Cannot Be Wrong - 4:54
-11. The Stranger Song - 6:47
-12. Tonight Will Be Fine - 6:39
-13. Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye - 3:34
-14. Diamonds In The Mine - 5:22
-15. Suzanne - 4:26
-16. Sing Another Song, Boys - 6:31
-17. The Partisan - 5:13
-18. Famous Blue Raincoat - 6:15
-19. Seems So Long Ago, Nancy - 4:18

DVD:
-01. Intro: Diamonds In The Mine
-02. Famous Blue Raincoat
-03. "It's A Large Nation"
-04. Bird On The Wire
-05. One Of Us Cannot Be Wrong
-06. The Stranger Song
-07. Tonight Will Be Fine
-08. "They've Surrounded The Island"
-09. Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye
-10. Sing Another Song Boys
-11. Judy Collins Introduces Suzanne
-12. Suzanne
-13. Joan Baez On The Isle Of Wight
-14. The Partisan
-15. Seems So Long Ago, Nancy
-16. Credits: So Long, Marianne
-Bonus Interviews: Bob Johnston, Judy Collins, Joan Baez, Kris Kristofferson.

sample & buy: Live At The Isle of Wight (CD/DVD)

Meredith Monk - Atlas: An Opera in 3 Parts (1993) (eac-log-cover)

Meredith Monk - Atlas: An Opera in 3 Parts (1993)

avantgarde, contemporary | 2cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 680MB

ECM

Allmusic:
The soundtrack to Monk's 1993 opera Atlas does sound incomplete without the performance. And yes, it is long and difficult. And, in terms of Monk's self-professed ambition to make this release stand alone on the strength of the music only, it is a failure. But with knowledge of the libretto (luckily summarized in the CD booklet), this recording can easily be considered one of Monk's greatest works. Portraying the story of Alexandra, an adolescent girl/adult woman with dreams of exploration, the opera portrays her travels and experiences using very few actual words -- mostly assonant syllables. Dreamy and emotive for the first "Personal Climate" section, the mood of the piece becomes at times shrill, and at other times chaotic as Alexandra travels the world in the second "Night Travel" portion of the opera. The third and final part, "Invisible Light," closes the opera with a somewhat "celestial" sounding cadence. High points include "Ice Demons," "Choosing Companions," and "Airport."

Tracks:
cd1
-01. Atlas - Part 1: Personal Climate - Overture (Out Of Body 1) *Wilbur Pauley 3:07
-02. Atlas - Part 1: Personal Climate - Travel Dream Song *Dina Emerson 5:07
-03. Atlas - Part 1: Personal Climate - Home Scene *Wendy Hill 2:38
-04. Atlas - Part 1: Personal Climate - Future Quest (The Call) *Dina Emerson 11:15
-05. Atlas - Part 1: Personal Climate - Rite Of Passage A *Robert Een 0:57
-06. Atlas - Part 1: Personal Climate - Choosing Companions *Meredith Monk 7:44
-07. Atlas - Part 1: Personal Climate - Airport *Meredith Monk 9:19
-08. Atlas - Part 2: Night Travel - Night Travel *Wayne Hankin 3:14
-09. Atlas - Part 2: Night Travel - Guides' Dance *Allison Easter 1:51
-10. Atlas - Part 2: Night Travel - Agricultural Community *Meredith Monk 14:36
cd2
-01. Atlas - Part 2: Night Travel - Loss Song *Wendy Hill 4:14
-02. Atlas - Part 2: Night Travel - Campfire/Hungry Ghost *Meredith Monk 7:43
-03. Atlas - Part 2: Night Travel - Father's Hope *Thomas Bogdan 1:13
-04. Atlas - Part 2: Night Travel - Ice Demons *Wendy Hill 6:20
-05. Atlas - Part 2: Night Travel - Explorer #5/Lesson/Explorers' Procession *Robert Een 6:04
-06. Atlas - Part 2: Night Travel - Lonely Spirit *Meredith Monk 3:33
-07. Atlas - Part 2: Night Travel - Forest Questions *Meredith Monk 10:19
-08. Atlas - Part 2: Night Travel - Desert Tango *Meredith Monk 7:52
-09. Atlas - Part 2: Night Travel - Treachery (Temptation) *Robert Een 2:11
-10. Atlas - Part 2: Night Travel - Possibility Of Destruction *Meredith Monk 2:46
-11. Atlas - Part 3: Invisible Light - Out Of Body 2 *Victoria Boomsma 2:58
-12. Atlas - Part 3: Invisible Light - Other Worlds Revealed *Meredith Monk 1:28
-13. Atlas - Part 3: Invisible Light - Explorers' Junctures *Meredith Monk 2:42
-14. Atlas - Part 3: Invisible Light - Earth Seen From Above *Meredith Monk 7:34
-15. Atlas - Part 3: Invisible Light - Rite Of Passage B *Robert Een 1:42

sample & buy: Atlas - An Opera in Three Parts

Hank Mobley - Straight No Filter (1963&66) (Connoisseur Ltd edition)

Hank Mobley  - Straight No Filter (1963&66)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 405MB

Blue Note | Connoisseur Limited Edition 24-bit remaster

Allmusic:
Straight No Filter finds tenor Hank Mobley in several settings from the mid-'60s, each of them excellent. The overall roster is quite impressive, starting with the first set which features trumpeter Lee Morgan, pianist McCoy Tyner, bassist Bob Cranshaw, and drummer Billy Higgins. The upbeat title cut is given a loose, post-bop feel by Tyner's comping, but things are brought back to earth by Mobley's emotional playing. A number of exchanges between Morgan and Mobley's horns give the piece an effective ending. "Chain Reaction" gives this group nearly 11 minutes to stretch things out, while "Soft Impressions" features a heavy blues groove. A couple of other standouts on this album -- "This Feelin's Good" and "Yes Indeed" -- feature trumpeter Donald Byrd, pianist Herbie Hancock, bassist Butch Warren, and drummer Philly Joe Jones. Hancock provides a distinctive backdrop for Mobley and Morgan's solos while turning in some fine work himself. Mobley shines on Sy Oliver's "Yes Indeed," delivering a soulful solo, shot through with the blues. His playing throughout Straight No Filter is warm, accessible, and inventive, and it is instructive to have these sessions side by side, giving the listener a chance to compare Mobley's work in different settings. It should be mentioned that he penned eight out of the nine of these fine compositions. Bob Blumenthal's liner notes are helpful, breaking down the individual sessions and providing a good overview of Mobley's career. Straight No Filter will be welcomed by Mobley's fans and lovers of hard bop. It shouldn't be missed.

Tracks:
-1. "Straight No Filter" - 5:56
-2. "Chain Reaction" - 11:00
-3. "Soft Impressions" - 4:46
-4. "Third Time Around" - 6:23
-5. "Hank's Waltz" - 7:41
-6. "Syrup and Biscuits" - 5:34
-7. "Comin' Back" - 6:24
-8. "The Feelin's Good" - 5:38
-9. "Yes Indeed" (Oliver) - 5:34
All compositions by Hank Mobley except as indicated

* Recorded at Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, March 7 & October 2, 1963, February 4, 1965 and June 17, 1966

Personnel:
* Hank Mobley - tenor saxophone (all tracks)
* Lee Morgan - trumpet (tracks 1-3,6,7)
* McCoy Tyner - piano (tracks 1-3)
* Bob Cranshaw - bass (tracks 1-3)
* Billy Higgins - drums (tracks 1-5)
* Freddie Hubbard - trumpet (tracks 4,5)
* Barry Harris - piano (tracks 4,5)
* Paul Chambers - bass (tracks 4,5)
* Andrew Hill - piano (tracks 6,7)
* John Ore - bass (tracks 6,7)
* Donald Byrd - trumpet (tracks 8,9)
* Herbie Hancock - piano (tracks 8,9)
* Butch Warren - bass (tracks 8,9)
* Philly Joe Jones - drums (tracks 6-9)

sample & buy: Straight No Filter (Limited Edition) (Connoisseur CD Series)

Charles Mingus - The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady (1963)

Charles Mingus - The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady (1963)

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

Impulse/GRP | 20-bit SBM

Allmusic:
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady is one of the greatest achievements in orchestration by any composer in jazz history. Charles Mingus consciously designed the six-part ballet as his magnum opus, and -- implied in his famous inclusion of liner notes by his psychologist -- it's as much an examination of his own tortured psyche as it is a conceptual piece about love and struggle. It veers between so many emotions that it defies easy encapsulation; for that matter, it can be difficult just to assimilate in the first place. Yet the work soon reveals itself as a masterpiece of rich, multi-layered texture and swirling tonal colors, manipulated with a painter's attention to detail. There are a few stylistic reference points -- Ellington, the contemporary avant-garde, several flamenco guitar breaks -- but the totality is quite unlike what came before it. Mingus relies heavily on the timbral contrasts between expressively vocal-like muted brass, a rumbling mass of low voices (including tuba and baritone sax), and achingly lyrical upper woodwinds, highlighted by altoist Charlie Mariano. Within that framework, Mingus plays shifting rhythms, moaning dissonances, and multiple lines off one another in the most complex, interlaced fashion he'd ever attempted. Mingus was sometimes pigeonholed as a firebrand, but the personal exorcism of Black Saint deserves the reputation -- one needn't be able to follow the story line to hear the suffering, mourning, frustration, and caged fury pouring out of the music. The 11-piece group rehearsed the original score during a Village Vanguard engagement, where Mingus allowed the players to mold the music further; in the studio, however, his exacting perfectionism made The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady the first jazz album to rely on overdubbing technology. The result is one of the high-water marks for avant-garde jazz in the '60s and arguably Mingus' most brilliant moment.

Tracks:
-1. "Track A — Solo Dancer" – 6:38
Stop! Look! and Listen, Sinner Jim Whitney!
-2. "Track B — Duet Solo Dancers" – 6:45
Hearts' Beat and Shades in Physical Embraces
-3. "Track C — Group Dancers" – 7:22
(Soul Fusion) Freewoman and Oh, This Freedom's Slave Cries
-4. – 18:39
>"Mode D — Trio and Group Dancers"
Stop! Look! and Sing Songs of Revolutions!
>"Mode E — Single Solos and Group Dance"
Saint and Sinner Join in Merriment on Battle Front
>"Mode F — Group and Solo Dance"
Of Love, Pain, and Passioned Revolt, then Farewell, My Beloved, 'til It's Freedom Day

Personnel:
* Charles Mingus — bass, piano, leader
* Jerome Richardson — soprano, baritone saxophones, flute
* Charlie Mariano — alto saxophone
* Dick Hafer — tenor saxophone, flute
* Rolf Ericson — trumpet
* Richard Williams — trumpet
* Quentin Jackson — trombone
* Don Butterfield — tuba, contrabass trombone
* Jaki Byard — piano
* Jay Berliner — acoustic guitar
* Dannie Richmond — drums
* Bob Simpson — recording engineer

sample & buy: The Black Saint & The Sinner Lady

Bobby Jaspar - Jazz in Paris: Modern Jazz au Club Saint Germain (1955)

Bobby Jaspar  - Jazz in Paris: Modern Jazz au Club Saint Germain (1955)

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

Gitanes | 24-bit remastered

Allmusic:
Bobby Jaspar is in top form in this pair of sessions previously released in the 1980s on an Emarcy CD entitled Memory of Dick prior to its reappearance in 2001 as a part of Verve's ambitious Jazz in Paris series. The tenor saxophonist is joined by pianist René Urtreger, guitarist Sacha Distel, bassist Benoit Quersin, and drummer Jean-Louis Viale for this bop-oriented disc, which includes a sauntering take of Milt Jackson's "Bag's Groove," a revival of "Milestones" (an early gem by Miles Davis from his days with Charlie Parker), and a delightful romp through "You Stepped Out of a Dream." The Belgian leader puts his own stamp on a frenetic but brief arrangement of "A Night in Tunisia," but the most memorable track is "I'll Remember April," featuring his haunting flute in a captivating piano-less setting, which also has fine solos by Distel and Quersin. Jaspar's premature death in 1963 robbed the jazz world of a promising talent; this disc is among his best efforts as a leader.

Tracks:
-1. Bag's Groove 4:44
-2. Memory Of Dick 5:36
-3. Milestone 5:53
-4. Minor Drops 4:59
-5. I'll Remember April 5:44
-6. You Stepped Out Of A Dream 3:35
-7. I Can't Get Started (With You) 6:04
-8. A Night In Tunisia 4:07

Personnel:
*Bobby Jaspar - Flute, Sax (Tenor)
*René Urtreger - Piano
*Sacha Distel - Guitar
*Benoit Quersin - Double Bass
*Jean-Louis Viale - Drums

sample & buy: Jazz In Paris - Modern Jazz au Club St-Germain

Thelonious Monk - Monk In Tokyo (1963) (eac-log-cover)

Thelonious Monk - Monk In Tokyo (1963)

jazz | 2cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 530MB

Columbia/Legacy

Allmusic:
This double-CD package of a single Tokyo gig during Monk's seven-date tour of Japan is being issued in the United States for the first time on compact disc. Of the many bootlegs of the shows Monk played there in 1963, be assured that Columbia has chosen the best one for official release. Recorded in the middle of May in 1963, this was one of the last tours Monk would undertake with the rhythm section of drummer Frankie Dunlop and bassist Butch Warren. The group had been together since 1959, and Monk was looking in new rhythmic directions as he entered fully into his record deal with Columbia. The band comes out steaming with "Straight, No Chaser," with its lyrical off-meter strut swinging through a weird 5/8 time signature. Rouse solos first, winding through a Dexter Gordon ballad ("Star Eyes") and through to some of Monk's faves that would be played later that evening, such as "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You" and "Evidence." The tone is rough, raw, and punchy. Rouse swung hard his entire life and his '60s-period playing is easily his best. Monk takes up the solo with interesting counterpoint figures at harmonic odds with the key signature of the tune but, true to form, he could bend any pitch worth messing with to get the right harmonic balance. When he starts plunking down cluster chords followed by higher- to lower-register slide runs, the tune's up for grabs. It's Dunlop's dancing drumming and Warren's steady if unimaginative playing here that keeps it grounded. Given the adulation of the Tokyo audience, Monk slides easily into "Pannonica," with his solo quoting "Liza" and "Uptown" in the same eight measures. Rouse is at his level swinging best on "Just a Gigolo." After a rousing and harmonically bizarre ride through "Bemsha Swing," Monk introduces the "Epistrophy" theme and carries it through the rest of the gig in suite form. The tunes between the theme and its full-on jam treatment are "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You," "Hackensack," and a stinging "Blue Monk," which creates the seamless opportunity for the band to shift rhythms and changes and move into a harmonically dense yet flowing final round of "Epistrophy." The solos of both Monk (in which he quotes Errol Garner, Bud Powell, and Teddy Wilson) and Rouse (which uses the hard bop approach to go sailing over the band by double-timing the rhythm section) are as breathtaking as they seem effortless. The Japanese audience howls its appreciation, making for a finely recorded ending to this phase of Monk's career. The CD sound is improved over the Japanese issues and far cleaner than either of the LP versions. What's more, no additions or deletions were made from this performance, meaning it was originally issued exactly as it happened. For the many who believe Monk did his best work on the bandstand, this set is a fine point to make in your argument.

Tracks:
cd1
-01. "Straight, No Chaser" 9:46
-02. "Pannonica" 7:45
-03. "Just a Gigolo" 2:27
-04. "Evidence" 7:55
-05. "Jackie-ing" 5:07
-06. "Bemsha Swing" 4:25
-07. "Epistrophy" 1:10
cd2
-01. "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You" 9:28
-02. "Hackensack" 11:03
-03. "Blue Monk" 13:18
-04. "Epistrophy" 8:25

Personnel:
* Thelonious Monk – piano
* Frankie Dunlop – drums
* Butch Warren – bass
* Charlie Rouse - sax

sample & buy: Monk in Tokyo

Shelly Manne - The Three & The Two (1954) (eac-log-cover)

Shelly Manne - The Three & The Two (1954)
jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 220MB

OJC

Allmusic:
These two sets for the Contemporary label (reissued on CD by the OJC label) are a couple of the more unusual sessions led by drummer Shelly Manne in the 1950s. "The Three" feature trumpeter Shorty Rogers; Jimmy Giuffre alternating on clarinet, tenor, and baritone; and Manne -- there is no piano or bass. Some of the six performances (particularly the four originals) are quite free, particularly the completely improvised "Abstract No. 1." Although these selections were not influential, they rank second in chronological order (behind Lennie Tristano's performances of 1949) among free jazz records. The remainder of this set is a duet between pianist Russ Freeman and Manne ("the Two"), and is also quite advanced in spots, although in general it is a more swinging session while still being unpredictable. Overall, a very interesting reissue.

Tracks:
-01. Flip 2:56
-02. Autumn In New York 3:50
-03. Pas De Trois 4:35
-04. Three On A Row 5:08
-05. Steeplechase 2:51
-06. Abstract No. 1 3:34
-07. The Sound Effects Manne 4:00
-08. Everything Happens To Me 4:32
-09. Billie's Bounce 3:12
-10. With A Song In My Heart 3:06
-11. A Slight Minority 3:22
-12. Speak Easy 4:20
Recording information: Los Angeles, CA (09/10/1954/09/14/1954).

Personnel:
*Shelly Manne (drums) 1-12;
*Jimmy Giuffre (clarinet, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone) 1-6;
*Shorty Rogers (trumpet) 1-6;
*Russ Freeman (piano) 7-12.

sample & buy: Three & The Two

Huun-Huur-Tu - 60 Horses in My Herd (1993) (eac-log-cover)

Huun-Huur-Tu - 60 Horses in My Herd (1993)
world | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 290MB

Shanacie 64050

Allmusic:
With this album, the members of Huun-Huur-Tu prove beyond a doubt that they're the bridge between the past and present in Tuva: the past because they have deep respect for the tradition (utilizing traditional instruments such as igil and doshpuluur in addition to the wonderful ankle bones of sheep in bull testicles), and the present as they bring in contemporary elements (guitar and -- previously unknown in Tuva -- the concept of harmony singing). Of course, it's the throat singing that's the highlight, showcased perfectly on "Tuvan Internationale," where unearthly overtones are produced in the throat, amplifying harmonics, often two or three notes at a time. They take chances, although even their own material doesn't stray far from the tradition, with the omnipresent rhythm of horses (the real sound of Tuva) carrying all the songs. Perhaps the piece of greatest interest is "Song of the Caravan Drivers," included here as an homage to Frank Zappa, with whom they worked before his death. This is folk music, to be sure, but of a kind to mystify and engage the Western ear with its exotic flavors. Don't be fooled into thinking it's a novelty, however; for Huun-Huur-Tu this is a record of life in Central Asia, not just as it was, but as it remains.

Tracks:
-01 - Sygyt - Lament of the Igil
-02 - Mezhegei
-03 - Oske Cherde (Foreign Land)
-04- Eshten Charlyyry Berge (It's Hard to Be Parted from a Friend)
-05 - Kombu
-06 - Khoomei (Throat-Singing)
-07 - Kongurei
-08 - Fantasy on the Igil
-09 - Bayan Dugai
-10 - Tuvan Internationale
-11 - Kargyraa
-12 - Ching Soortukchulerining Yryzy (Song of the Caravan Drivers)

Personnel:
*Kaigal-ool Khovalyg (voice, igil, toshpuluur, chanzy);
*Sayan Bapa (voice, igil, Tuvan percussion);
*Albert Kuvezin (voice, guitar);
*Alexander Bapa (Tuvan percussion)

sample & buy: Sixty Horses in My Herd

'Rahsaan' Roland Kirk - Sweet Fire (A Jazz Hour With Roland Kirk) (1970)

'Rahsaan' Roland Kirk - Sweet Fire (A Jazz Hour With Roland Kirk) (1970)
jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 360MB

Jazz Hour

Allmusic:
Sweet Fire is an unauthorized recording of Rahsaan Roland Kirk playing live in Europe in 1970, perhaps in Paris. This may also have been a radio broadcast, but the source is not clear. Kirk was touring behind the massively underrated Rahsaan Rahsaan at the time, and a number of selections from this set reflect that LP's track list. First, the facts: Kirk's band at the time consisted of trombonist Dick Griffin, pianist Ron Burton, drummer Harold White, percussionist Joe Texudor, and bassist Vernon Martin. Most of what is here is made up of medleys, some of which are simply amazing (in terms of performance, not sound), including the outrageously soulful triptych of "Love for Sale," "Bag's Groove," and "My Cherie Amour." One of the most kinetic versions of "Three for the Festival" is here, and another medley of "Sweet Fire" and "Roller Coaster" goes on for nearly 22 minutes with plenty of heart from Kirk -- who is in excellent form, as is his surprisingly canny rhythm section. Certainly this not a proper introduction to Kirk's work, but it is a hot little item for real fans who quite understandably need every note the man ever recorded, substandard sound quality or not.

Tracks:
-1. My Little Suede Shoes/Groovin' High 6:34
-2. Petite Fleur/When the Saints Go Marching In 8:15
-3. Roller Coaster/Sweet 21:51
-4. Love for Sale/Bags Groove/My Cherie Amour 13:48
-5. Three for the Festival 7:51
-6. Boogie Man Song 5:23

Personnel:
Rahsaan Roland Kirk - Flute, Sax (Tenor)
Dick Griffin - Trombone
Ron Burton - Piano
Vernon Martin - Bass
Harold White - Drums
Joe Habad Texidor - Percussion

sample & buy: Sweet Fire

Joe Henderson - Page One (RVG) (1963) (eac-log-cover)

Joe Henderson - Page One (RVG) (1963)
jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 305MB

Blue Note | RVG 24-bit remaster 1999

AMG:
Tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson's debut as a leader is a particularly strong and historic effort. With major contributions made by trumpeter Kenny Dorham, pianist McCoy Tyner, bassist Butch Warren, and drummer Pete La Roca, Henderson (who already had a strikingly original sound and a viable inside/outside style) performs six generally memorable compositions on this CD reissue. Highlights include the original versions of Dorham's "Blue Bossa" and Henderson's "Recorda Me." It's highly recommended.

Tracks:
-1. "Blue Bossa" (Kenny Dorham) – 8:03
-2. "La Mesha" (Dorham) – 9:10
-3. "Homestretch" – 4:15
-4. "Recorda Me" – 6:03
-5. "Jinrikisha" – 7:24
-6. "Out of the Night" – 7:23
All compositions by Joe Henderson except as indicated.

Personnel:
* Kenny Dorham – trumpet
* Joe Henderson – tenor saxophone
* Pete La Roca – drums
* McCoy Tyner – piano
* Butch Warren – double bass

sample & buy: Page One

Eric Dolphy - Last Date (1964) (eac-log-cover)

Eric Dolphy - Last Date (1964)
jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 290MB

Par media music

Allmusic:
Allegedly Eric Dolphy's final recorded performance -- a fact historians roundly dispute -- this session in Hilversum, Holland, teams the masterful bass clarinetist, flutist, and alto saxophonist with a Dutch trio of performers who understand the ways in which their hero and leader modified music in such a unique, passionate, and purposeful way far from convention. In pianist Misha Mengelberg, bassist Jacques Schols, and drummer Han Bennink, Dolphy was firmly entwined with a group who understood his off-kilter, pretzel logic concept in shaping melodies and harmonies that were prime extensions of Thelonious Monk, Ornette Coleman, and Cecil Taylor. These three Dolphy originals, one from Monk, one from Mengelberg, and a standard are played so convincingly and with the utmost courage that they created a final stand in the development of how the woodwindist conceived of jazz like no one else before, during, or after his life. Utterly masterful on his flute during "You Don't Know What Love Is," Dolphy's high-drama vibrato tones are simply out of this or any other world, perfectly emoting the bittersweet intent of this song. The ribald humor demonstrated during "Miss Ann" is a signature sound of Dolphy's alto sax, angular like Monk, jovial and more out of the box while he digs in. Where "Epistrophy" might seem standard fare to some, with Dolphy on bass clarinet it is based on voicings even more obtuse than the composer's concept, bouncing along the wings of Mengelberg's piano lines. The post-bop blues of "South Street Exit" is tuneful while also breaking off into tangents, with Bennink's crazy drumming acting like shooting, exploding stars. As the definitive track on this album, "The Madrig Speaks, the Panther Walks" demonstrates the inside-out concept, with mixed tempos changed at will and a 6/8 time insert with Dolphy's choppy alto merging into playful segments as the title suggests -- a most delightful track. The ridiculously titled "Hypochristmutreefuzz" might be the most understated fare in its more simple angularity, as Schols plays his bass in the upper register while the band dances around him. Last Date is one of those legendary albums whose reputation grows with every passing year, and deservedly so. While it reveals more about the genius rhythm section than Dolphy himself, it also marks the passing of one era and the beginning of what has become a most potent and enduring legacy of European creative improvised tradition, started by Mengelberg and Bennink at this mid-'60s juncture.

Tracks:
-1 -Epistrophy 11:15
-2 -South Street Exit 7:10
-3 -The Madrig Speaks, The Panther Walks 4:50
-4 -Hypochristmutreefuzz 5:25
-5 -You Don't Know What Love Is 11:20
-6 -Miss Ann 5:25

Personnel:
Bass - Jacques Schols
Drums - Han Bennink
Flute, Clarinet [Bass], Saxophone [Alto] - Eric Dolphy
Other [Liner Notes] - Michiel de Ruyter
Piano - Misja Mengelberg*

sample & buy: Last Date

Penguin Cafe Orchestra - Penguin Cafe Orchestra (1981)

Penguin Cafe Orchestra - Penguin Cafe Orchestra (1981)

new age, chamber jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 270MB

EG Records

Allmusic:
The sophmore album from Simon Jeffes' homegrown band took over three years to record, but the signs are here that it was a labor of love. While drawing compositional and textural inspiration from both English folk and chamber music, it manages to sound like neither and a wondrous hybrid of both. "Walk Don't Run," a cover of the Ventures' classic, turns from a surf tune into a merry jig of sorts, with the violins and cellos playing the melody backed by drums, bongos, and shakers. "Telephone and Rubber Band" turns a busy signal into something full of beauty and joy. Unfailingly romantic, sunny music and an album that set the tone of all further PCO releases.

Tracks:
-01. Air à Danser - 4:30
-02. Yodel 1 - 4:07
-03. Telephone and Rubber Band - 2:28
-04. Cutting Branches for a Temporary Shelter - 3:09
-05. Pythagoras's Trousers - 3:18
-06. Numbers 1-4 - 6:57
-07. Yodel 2 - 4:34
-08. Salty Bean Fumble - 2:11
-09. Paul's Dance - 1:45
-10. The Ecstasy of Dancing Fleas - 4:01
-11. Walk Don't Run- 3:01
-12. Flux - 1:48
-13. Simon's Dream - 1:48
-14. Harmonic Necklace - 1:12
-15. Steady State - 3:36

sample & buy: Penguin Cafe Orchestra

Freddie Redd - Redd's Blues (1961) ( BN connoisseur) (eac-log-cover)

Freddie Redd - Redd's Blues (1961)
jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 320MB

Blue Note | connoisseur limited edition 20-bit SBM

Allmusic:
Redd's Blues didn't make it to LP until 1988 and CD until 2002 and that's a tip-off. It's a generic Blue Note disc, journeyman in the sense of not offering any great revelation, no undiscovered "shoulda-been-a-standard" composition, nothing to supplant The Connection as the first Freddie Redd disc to look for or add any greater luster to his welterweight reputation. The sextet lineup reads better than it plays -- it's perfectly adequate, but no one sounds inspired except for trumpeter Benny Bailey, who was back in the U.S. for a handful of recording dates. Jackie McLean's tart tone is immediately recognizable on the up-tempo opener "Now," with a solid groove from Paul Chambers and drummer Sir John Godfrey, the latter fond of Art Blakey bombs that aren't obtrusive. He's miked very high, so every stick click and cymbal sizzle is audible, which may account for why Tina Brooks' tenor never sounds more than just present in the room. Redd is a pretty fundamental player, with a bluesy feel lurking close beneath the surface that comes out on "Old Spice" and some nicely down-home soloing on the light, springy "Blues for Betsy" following Bailey's opening solo blast. But Chambers' arco solo discordantly derails the momentum and some nice horn harmonies on the head to "Love Lost" is about the only other thing worth noting. It's puzzling why the performances are so lukewarm because McLean and Brooks were well familiar with Redd's music, Chambers is Chambers, and Bailey is probably the most impressive player here apart from the leader. Great labels have their uninspired sessions, too, and Redd's Blues sounds like one of those off-days where the music just came out sounding generic and lifeless.

Tracks:
All compositions by Freddie Redd
-1. "Now" - 7:15
-2. "Cute Doot" - 6:17
-3. "Old Spice" - 7:04
-4. "Blues for Betsy" - 5:02
-5. "Somewhere" - 5:56
-6. "Love Lost" - 7:12
*All compositions by Freddie Redd
Recorded at Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey on January 17, 1961.

Personnel:
* Freddie Redd - piano
* Benny Bailey - trumpet
* Jackie McLean - alto saxophone
* Tina Brooks - tenor saxophone
* Paul Chambers - bass
* Sir John Godfrey - drums

sample & buy: Redd's Blues

Art Blakey - Like Someone In Love (1960) (RVG) (eac-log-cover)

Art Blakey - Like Someone In Love (1960)
jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 320MB

Blue Note | RVG 24-bit remaster 2004

Allmusic:
Art Blakey's Like Someone in Love is a product of the fertile group that included saxophonist Wayne Shorter, trumpeter Lee Morgan, pianist Bobby Timmons, and bassist Jymie Merritt. While it is not usually considered an essential Blakey album, it is easily one of the best. This is due not only to the impressive Jazz Messenger musicianship, but more significantly to the stellar original compositions by Shorter, who was coming into his own not only as an improviser, but perhaps more significantly as an adept and forward-thinking songwriter. Tracks such as the brisk "Noise in the Attic" and the swinging "Giantis" foreshadow the iconic mid- and late-'60s modal work the tenor saxophonist would accomplish on such albums as Night Dreamer and JuJu. Notably, "Sleeping Dancer Sleep On," while a rather obscure Shorter waltz-ballad, reveals a mellow, searching quality that would soon come to define the more reflective side of '60s hard bop. Similarly, Morgan's one addition, the danceably funky "Johnny's Blue," seems to prefigure his own classic Sidewinder to be released three years later. Interestingly, although they are not packaged together, Like Someone in Love and A Night in Tunisia both come from the same recording session. [The Rudy Van Gelder Edition of Like Someone in Love features remastered sound by original producer Van Gelder, which does significantly improve the overall sound quality over the original release.]

Tracks:
-1. "Like Someone in Love" (Burke, Van Heusen) - 8:04
-2. "Johnny's Blue" (Morgan) 9:12
-3. "Noise in the Attic" (Shorter) - 7:54
-4. "Sleeping Dancer Sleep On" (Shorter) - 8:06
-5. "Giantis" (Shorter) - 5:35
-6. "Sleeping Dancer Sleep On" [alternate take] (Shorter) - 8:05
* Recorded at Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, August 7 and 14, 1960

Personnel:
* Wayne Shorter – tenor saxophone
* Lee Morgan – trumpet, flugelhorn
* Bobby Timmons – piano
* Jymie Merritt – bass
* Art Blakey – drums

sample & buy: Like Someone in Love RVG

Nucleus - Live In Bremen (1971) (eac-log-cover)

Nucleus - Live In Bremen (1971)
jazz-rock | 2cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 590MB

Cuneiform Records | rel: 2003

AMG:
The result of a productive continuing partnership between Cuneiform Records and Radio Bremen, this double-CD captures a 1971 concert by the Nucleus sextet, led by Ian Carr on trumpet and flügelhorn, and also featuring Karl Jenkins on Hohner electric piano and oboe, Brian Smith on saxophones and flute, Ray Russell on electric guitar, Roy Babbington on bass, and John Marshall on drums. Nucleus was first formed by Carr in late 1969, and the group took first prize at a Montreux Festival competition in 1970, positively blowing away the competition (which included the very best of contemporary European jazz bands). Their prize was an appearance at the prestigious Newport Jazz Festival three weeks later, where they were reportedly very well-received. However, that was almost the high point of the group's visibility in the U.S., although they maintained a large and loyal following in Europe, and Carr kept the group together until the early '80s.

As Carr has observed in interviews, when he first assembled the personnel for Nucleus in 1969, Miles Davis had yet to record Bitches Brew, and Weather Report only existed in Joe Zawinul's mind, if at all. Calling out influences can be a fool's game, but rock, free jazz, and funk were being thrown into a blender by various groups as the ‘60s eased into the ‘70s, and the concoction developed by Nucleus had much to recommend it. Certainly Nucleus was not the first group to mix funk and jazz -- Horace Silver had brought the two together at least ten years earlier. And both Herbie Hancock (with the Miles Davis group and on his own) and Zawinul (with Cannonball Adderley) were experimenting with electric pianos in 1967 and 1968 (much to the horror of mainstream jazz critics). The prominence of rock-oriented electric guitarist Ray Russell on this Radio Bremen date perhaps comes closer to a real innovation, although the young John McLaughlin was also experimenting with fuzzboxes and wah-wah pedals during this time, in and out of the Miles Davis groups. In fact, it is the combination of the various elements, including the repetitive, hypnotic funk riffs laid down by Jenkins' electric piano and Babbington's bass -- that provides Nucleus with its distinctive sound on this recording, together with some effective compositions and some excellent solos, in particular by Carr on trumpet and Brian Smith on flute and soprano sax. And if Soft Machine enthusiasts hear strong echoes of that group's later work throughout the performance -- in particular, on the trance-groove-based "Song for the Bearded Lady," "Torrid Zone," and "Snakehips' Dream" -- it's no accident, because Jenkins, Babbington, and Marshall would all migrate to Soft Machine a few years later, when they brought a good portion of the Nucleus sound to their new band.

Thirty years after the fact, the music on this recording is no longer a revelation, and it could probably be argued that the Miles Davis group and Weather Report brought more to the table -- and captured the public's attention with their greater virtuosity and/or intensity. Nonetheless, Nucleus was no novelty act, and they demonstrate solid musicianship and a style that has worn very well over the years. Hopefully, this release will introduce them to a wider American audience, and solidify their role as jazz fusion pioneers.

Tracks:
First Set
1. Song For The Bearded Lady (Jenkins) 9:27
2. By The Pool (Wiesbaden '71) (Nucleus) 12:58
3. Kookie And The Zoom Club (Nucleus) 17:01
4. Torrid Zone (Jenkins) 9:05
5. Zoom Out (Russell) 2:16
Second Set
1. Snakehips' Dream (Carr) 13:40
2. Oasis (Jenkins) / Money Mad (Nucleus) 8:50
3. Dortmund Backtrack (Nucleus) 7:20
4. Bremen Dreams (Carr) 2:26
5. Elastic Rock (Jenkins) 8:33
6. A Bit For Vic (Marshall) 5:20
7. Persephone's Jive (Carr) 1:18

Personnel:
Ian Carr (tpt/flhn/pc) ; Brian Smith (ts/ss/fl/pc) ; Karl Jenkins (ob/elp) ;
Ray Russell (g) ; Roy Babbington (b) ; John Marshall (d/pc)

Recorded 25 May 1971 Gondel Filmkunsttheater, Bremen, Germany
Engineer Robert Friedrich - Producer Peter Schulze

sample & buy: Live in Bremen

Dizzy Gillespie - Perceptions (1961) (eac-log-cover)

Dizzy Gillespie - Perceptions (1961)
jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 230MB

Verve | limited edition

AMG:
This unusual session consists of a complex six-movement suite by J.J. Johnson featuring Dizzy Gillespie's trumpet over a brass choir (six trumpets, two trombones, two bass trombones, four French horns and two tubas), bass, drums, percussion and two harps. Often reminiscent of classical music, Johnson's writing allows plenty of room for Gillespie to improvise. The result is a rather unique set of music that is well worth searching for.

Tracks:
-1 -The Sword Of Orion 4:34
-2 -Jubelo 6:38
-3 -Blue Mist 6:53
-4 -Fantasia 7:35
-5 -Horn Of Plenty 5:09
-6 -Ballade 3:30

Personnel:
*Bass - George Duvivier
*Conductor - Gunther Schuller
*Drums - Charlie Persip
*Engineer [Recording] - Rudy Van Gelder
*French Horn - Jim Buffington , John Barrows , Paul Ingraham , Robert Northern
*Harp - Gloria Agostini , Laura Newell
*Percussion - Michael Colgrass
*Producer - Creed Taylor
*Trombone - Jimmy Knepper , Urbie Green
*Trombone [Bass] - Paul Faulise , Dick Hixson*
*Trumpet - Bernie Glow , Dizzy Gillespie , Doc Severinsen , Ernie Royal , Joe Wilder , Nick Travis , Robert Nagel
*Tuba - Bill Stanley , Harvey Phillips
*Written-By, Arranged By - J.J. Johnson

sample & buy: Perceptions

Yo La Tengo - Summer Sun (2003) (eac-log-cover)

Yo La Tengo - Summer Sun (2003)
indie, alternative, rock | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 380MB

Matador OLE 548-2

AMG:
Three years after 2000's brilliant And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out, Yo La Tengo returns with Summer Sun, an album that's as settled and smooth as the previous one was inventive and eclectic. Musically, Summer Sun continues the band's progression away from intricate, guitar-based pop both loud and soft and toward an arguably more sophisticated sound. This move resulted in masterpieces like I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One, which balanced their roots and their ambitions perfectly; on Summer Sun, it feels a little bit like a retreat. This time around, the post-rock, Krautrock, and jazz influences the band introduced on I Can Hear the Heart and perfected on And Then Nothing dominate Summer Sun, giving it a hushed, polished feel. Sometimes, this approach works, as on the lovely opener "Beach Party Tonight," which sounds appropriately warm and full of possibilities, and "Tiny Birds," a droning, spiralling track that sounds a bit like a fusion of post-rock and Pet Sounds. However, the fusion-inspired instrumental "Georga Vs. Yo La Tengo" and the jammy, ten-minute "Let's Be Still" veer dangerously close to noodling and bloat the album's length to over an hour; unfortunately, there's not quite an hour's worth of interesting music here. Much of this is due to Summer Sun's arrangements and productions: tracks like "How to Make a Baby Elephant Float" and "Don't Have to Be So Sad" are based on lighter-than-air guitars, drums, and synths and topped with whispery vocals. Individually, their understated prettiness works well, but collectively, they're slightly too understated for their own good. When the band does get a little livelier, they deliver some memorable moments, such as the percolating "Little Eyes"; the cute, poppy "The Season of the Shark"; and "Today Is the Day," a Georgia Hubley song that's nearly as gorgeous as "Shadows" or "Nowhere Near." A little more variety in volume and tempo could've made this album great instead of pretty good; for the first time in years, Yo La Tengo doesn't break out the feedback and distortion anywhere on an album. Summer Sun is so mellow and pretty that it feels uncharitable to call it one of their weakest albums in recent memory; many bands would kill to make music this accomplished. But, even though Yo La Tengo can still run circles around other groups even when they're running in place, compared to their best work Summer Sun is merely pleasant.

Tracks:
-01. "Beach Party Tonight" — 3:06
-02. "Little Eyes" — 4:18
-03. "Nothing But You and Me" — 5:13
-04. "Season of the Shark" — 4:27
-05. "Today Is the Day" — 5:33
-06. "Tiny Birds" — 5:07
-07. "How to Make a Baby Elephant Float" — 3:29
-08. "Georgia vs. Yo La Tengo" — 3:56
-09. "Don't Have to Be So Sad" — 5:53
-10. "Winter A-Go-Go" — 3:21
-11. "Moonrock Mambo" — 4:49
-12. "Let's Be Still" — 10:22
-13. "Take Care" — 2:32 (Big Star cover)

Sample & buy: Summer Sun

Wilbur Harden, John Coltrane - Mainstream (1958) (eac-log-cover)

Wilbur Harden, John Coltrane - Mainstream (1958)
jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 205MB

Savoy | Denon digital remastering,  limited edition

dustygroove.com:
An incredible chapter of John Coltrane's early career – one of a pair of albums he cut with trumpeter Wilbur Harden for Savoy records! The title's a bit misleading, as the sound here really isn't "mainstream" at all – but more in the longer modal mode that would emerge more strongly in Coltrane's later recordings. The album is really significant – in that it almost marks the first time that Trane got to express his voice freely, and work through a more visionary sound – but big credit also goes to Wilbur Harden, who wrote all the longer tracks on the set, and who is coming at the record from kind of a Yusef Lateef exotic perspective. Other players include Tommy Flanagan and Lateef-bandmates Doug Watkins on bass and Louis Hayes on drums – and titles include "West 42nd Street", "EFFPH", "Snuffy", and "Rhodomagnetics

Tracks:
-1. "Wells Fargo" — 7:19
-2. "West 42nd Street" — 7:49
-3. "E.F.F.P.H" — 5:24
-4. "Snuffy" — 9:35
-5. "Rhodomagnetics I" — 7:08

Personnel:
* John Coltrane — tenor saxophone
* Wilbur Harden — trumpet/flugelhorn
* Tommy Flanagan — piano
* Doug Watkins — bass
* Louis Hayes — drums
Recorded March 13 1958 in Hackensack, NJ.

sample & buy: Mainstream 1958

Beethoven - Symphonies Nos. 7 & 8 (2000) DVD-audio

Beethoven - Symphonies Nos. 7 & 8 (2000) DVD-audio

Daniel Barenboim - Berliner Staatskepelle

classical | 1dvd | iso | cover | 3950MB

Teldec

dvd4music.com:
Daniel Barenboim's widely hailed interpretations of the Beethoven symphonies, recently released as a boxed set, are now available in the new DVD-Audio format. This recording of Beethoven's most famous works on DVD-Audio offers a listening experience enhanced by visual details such as images of personalities and events contemporary with the composer's life, not included in the liner notes. With the legendary Staatskapelle Berlin, this DVD-Audio set will please Beethoven lovers everywhere.

Special DVD-Audio version features exclusive optional interactive content, including discographies, photos, and historical information not included in the booklet. This release was made using the most advanced DVD-Audio multi-channel advanced resolution technology (96 kHz 24 bit) and also includes a Dolby Digital ("AC-3") mix to enable playback on all existing DVD Video players.

Symphony No. 7 in A Major, op. 92
-1. Poco sostenuto - Vivace (14:27)
-2. Allegretto (9:37)
-3. Presto (9:38)
-4. Allegro con brio (8:34)

Symphony No. 8 in F Major, op. 93
-1. Allegro vivace e con brio (9:35)
-2. Allegretto scherzando (3:40)
-3. Tempo di Menuetto (4:57)
-4. Allegro vivace (6:56)

This DVD-Audio title can be played on a DVD Video, DVD-Audio or dual compatible player only. To benefit fully from this DVD-Audio with advanced resolution sound it requires a DVD-Audio compatible player.

Thx to Al!

Watermarked!

sample & buy: Beethoven - Symphonies 7 and 8 (DVD Audio)

Ronnie Scott & The Band - Live At Ronnie Scott's (1969) (eac-log-cover)

Ronnie Scott  & The Band - Live At Ronnie Scott's (1969)
jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 295MB

Columbia | 20-bit SBM

Amazon:
Ronnie Scott's recorded output is notoriously scanty. Despite having played almost nightly at times at the club, he doesn't have too many discs to his name. This fact alone should be enough to inspire you to pick up one of the few records from such a celebrated British saxophonist.
The sessions were recorded over two nights in October 1968 with the likes of John Surman, Kenny Wheeler (trumpet), Gordon Beck (piano) and Ron Mathewson (bass). Most of Ronnie's music has a real energy and drive, presumably derived from his love of bop, which can be heard on the first two, and the last track. Ronnie was always overshadowed to a certain extent, while playing alongside Tubby Hayes in the Jazz Couriers, but his flowing and lyrical style shines well here.
Ronnie was also very fond of slower numbers, and his style of playing is incredibley well suited to them. Highlights include the Mike Westbrook tune 'Too late, Too late' and 'Lord of...' which also features some great jazz flute from Ray Warleigh.
All in all, a very good jazz set with ups and downs in tempo but consistantly great musicianship. Well worth the price and go and hunt 'Night is Scott (And You're So Swingable)' which is even better.

Tracks:
-1. Recorda Me (Remember Me) 4:33
-2. King Pete 6:46
-3. Second Question 7:22
-4. Marmacita 6:30
-5. Too Late, Too Late 6:13
-6. Lord Of The Reedy River 5:07
-7. Macumba 10:33

sample & buy: Live at Ronnie Scott's

Charlie Byrd - Latin Byrd (1962&63) (eac-log-cover)

Charlie Byrd - Latin Byrd (1962&63)
Two albums: 1962: Latin Impressions; 1963: Charlie Byrd's Bossa Nova

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

Milestone

AMG:
This single CD reissues two complete Charlie Byrd LPs (Latin Impressions and Charlie Byrd's Bossa Nova), some of which had been available previously on a 1970s two-fer. Byrd, the master of the acoustic guitar whose gentle and lyrical style perfectly fit bossa nova, is heard in prime form on 23 rather pretty numbers. There are six unaccompanied solos and many workouts with his quartet, which is sometimes augmented by four cellos, a French horn, trumpeter Hal Posey, vibraphonist Tommy Gwaltney, and/or extra percussionists. Surprisingly there are only two Antonio Carlos Jobim songs among the ones performed, but the other selections (which include five Byrd originals) are very much in the idiom. This CD shows that pretty music does not have to be Muzak or new age. Highly recommended.

Tracks:
-01 - The Duck 5:34
-02 - Amor Flamengo 2:01
-03 - Azul Tiple 3:33
-04 - Cancion Di Argentina 2:03
-05 - Manha De Carnaval 2:33
-06 - Homage A Villa-Lobos 3:13
-07 - Bogota 3:49
-08 - Mexican Song No 2 2:47
-09 - Mexican Song No 1 0:56
-10 - Samba De Uma Nota So 2:54
-11 - Galopera 2:10
-12 - Vals 5:33
------------------------------
-13 - Outra Vez 3:13
-14 - Presente De Natal 3:25
-15 - Insensatez 2:55
-16 - Three Note Samba 2:20
-17 - Samba Da Minha Terra 2:00
-18 - Limehouse Blues 2:59
-19 - Saudade Da Bahia 2:23
-20 - Anna 4:38
-21 - Socegadamente 2:39
-22 - Chega De Saudade 3:13
-23 - Cancao De Nina Para Carol 4:22

Personnel:
Bill Reichenbach - drums
Charlie Byrd - guitar
Gene Byrd - guitar, bass
Keter Betts - bass
Buddy Deppenschmidt - drums, latin percussion

sample & buy: Latin Byrd

Penguin Cafe Orchestra - Music from the Penguin Cafe (1976) (eac-log-cover)

Penguin Cafe Orchestra - Music from the Penguin Cafe (1976)

new age, chamber jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 250MB

EG Records

AMG:
Pegging Penguin Cafe Orchestra's sound has always proved problematic; imagine Cluster's toy melodies channeled through the Bonzo Dog Band with a hint of the Art Bears' high-mindedness, and you've at least got a point of reference. The brainchild of multi-instrumentalist Simon Jeffes, Penguin Cafe's debut was released under the imprimatur of executive producer Brian Eno, who had taken the onus of bringing like-minded minimalists (Harold Budd, Cluster, Jon Hassell) to light. But where the work of those artists demanded to be taken seriously, Jeffes and company almost defy you to take their music seriously. "Penguin Cafe Single" and "In a Sydney Motel" are playful pieces constructed to sound nonmusical, aided by Jeffes' eclectic instrumentation (e.g., the ukelele), which effectively undermines the serious sounds of cello and violin. It's not all light fare; "Surface Tension" sounds like Eno at his most morose and "Coronation" could have come from the ice queen herself, Nico. If there's a knock on Music From the Penguin Cafe (and from the vantage point of their second album, there is), it's that Jeffes merely teases listeners with his charm. On the second side (for CD owners, that's the last three songs), the Penguin Cafe Orchestra traverse artier terrain, with little of their original humor (although "Chartered Flight" does reuse themes from the first side in an effort to come across warmly). As a result, Music From the Penguin Cafe tugs from two very different directions: the avant-garde and the innocent. Listeners are trained to save room for the sweet stuff at the end; by placing it at the beginning, most listeners won't have the appetite for the heavy courses that follow. Mind you, the Penguin Cafe Orchestra are no laughing matter, but heavy artists abound, and musicians with a sense of humor about their art are cherished oddities. Music From the Penguin Cafe shows restraint, their eponymous second album is pure indulgence; reward yourself with their second album first and purchase their first album second. Note that, like Harold Budd's debut, this material was recorded in part in 1974 (with roughly half of the material dating from 1976), but the span in time has little bearing on the sound of the music.

Tracks:
-1. "Penguin Cafe Single" - 6:16
-2. "Zopf"
- -a. "From the Colonies" (for N.R.) - 1:38
- -b. "In a Sydney Motel" - 2:28
- -c. "Surface Tension (where the trees meet the sky)" - 2:22
- -d. "Milk" - 2:22
- -e. "Coronation" - 1:33
- -f. "Giles Farnaby's Dream" - 2:19
- -g. "Pigtail" - 2:44
-3. "The sound of someone you love who's going away and it doesn't matter" - 11:46
-4. "Hugebaby" - 4:48
-5. "Chartered Flight" - 6:41

sample & buy: Music From The Penguin Cafe

Keith Jarrett - Bye Bye Blackbird (1993) (eac-log-cover)

Keith Jarrett - Bye Bye Blackbird (1993)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 350MB

ECM

 AMG:
This is the Keith Jarrett Trio's -- featuring bassist Gary Peacock and drummer Jack DeJohnette -- elegy for their former employer Miles Davis, recorded only 13 days after the maestro's death. The lonely figure in shadow with a horn on the cover contrasts with the joyous spirit of many of the tracks on this CD, yet there is still a ghostly presence to deal with -- and in keeping with Miles' credo, Jarrett's choice of notes is often more purposefully spare than usual. There is symmetry in the organization of the album, with "Bye Bye Blackbird" opening and the trio's equally jaunty "Blackbird, Bye Bye" closing the album, and the interior tracks immediately following the former and preceding the latter are "You Won't Forget Me" and "I Thought About You." The centerpiece of the CD is an 18-and-a-half-minute group improvisation, "For Miles," which after some DeJohnette tumbling around becomes a dirge sometimes reminiscent of Miles' own elegy for Duke Ellington, "He Loved Him Madly." As an immediate response to a traumatic event, Jarrett and his colleagues strike the right emotional balance to create one of their more meaningful albums.

Tracks:
-1. "Bye Bye Blackbird" (Ray Henderson) 11:13
-2. "You Won't Forget Me" (Kermit Goell/Fred Spielman)10:46
-3. "Butch and Butch" (Oliver Nelson) 6:37
-4. "Summer Night" (Al Dubin, Harry Warren) 6:42
-5. "For Miles" (Jarrett/Peacock/DeJohnette) 18:43
-6. "Straight No Chaser" (Thelonious Monk) 6:46
-7. "I Thought About You" (Jimmy Van Heusen/Johnny Mercer) 4:02
-8. "Blackbird, Bye Bye" (Jarrett/Peacock/DeJohnette) 3:02

Personnel:
* Keith Jarrett - piano
* Gary Peacock - double bass
* Jack DeJohnette - drums

sample & buy: Bye Bye Blackbird

Can - Saw Delight (1977) (SACD) (eac-log-cover)

Can  - Saw Delight (1977)

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

Spoon Records | SACD 2006

AMG:
Bearing bar none the worst title pun of any Can album -- and with titles like Cannibalism, that's saying something -- 1977's Saw Delight was the German progressive group's farewell. Clearly, the core quartet had found themselves in a rut by the recording of this album, bringing in percussionist Reebop Kwaku Baah and bassist Rosko Gee from a late-era lineup of Traffic to add a sort of Afro-Cuban jazz feel to their sound. What's frustrating is that this idea could have worked brilliantly, but the execution is all wrong. Instead of the polyrhythmic fireworks expected from a drum duel between Baah and the African-influenced Jaki Liebezeit, Can's senior drummer basically rolls over, keeping time with simple beats while the percussionist takes on the hard work. Similarly, Rosko Gee's handling of the bass duties (which he performs superbly throughout, adding an almost Mingus-like rhythmic intensity to even the loosest songs) frees Holger Czukay to add electronics and sound effects to the proceedings, an opportunity he doesn't make much of. On the up side, the opening "Don't Say No" recalls the controlled fury of earlier tunes like "Moonshake," and side two, consisting of Gee's lengthy, jazz-based composition "Animal Waves" and the lovely instrumental "Fly by Night," is largely excellent, but the two lengthy tracks that close side one are melodically and rhythmically pale in comparison, and there's a tired, somewhat dispirited vibe to the whole album that makes it an unsatisfying send-off to Can's career.

Tracks:
-1. "Don't Say No" >6:36
-2. "Sunshine Day and Night" >5:52
-3. "Call Me" >5:51
-4. "Animal Waves" >15:29
-5. "Fly by Night" >4:08
Total length: 37:29

Personnel:
* Holger Czukay – wave receiver, spec. sounds & vocals on 1
* Michael Karoli – guitar, electric violin & vocals on 1, 5
* Jaki Liebezeit – drums & vocals on 1
* Irmin Schmidt – keyboard, Alpha 77 & vocals on 1
* Rosko Gee – bass & vocals on 1, 3
* Rebop Kwaku Baah – percussion & vocals on 1

sample & buy: Saw Delight (SACD)