30 December, 2013

Kai Winding & J.J. Johnson - Nuf Said (1955)

Kai Winding & J.J. Johnson - Nuf Said (1955)
jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 210MB
Betlehem-Avenue R2 7599
Allmusic:
At times sounding indistinguishable soloing side by side, trombonists Kai Winding and J.J. Johnson gained unexpected fame from a series of collaborative efforts cut during the mid-'50s. Sandwiched between their initial Savoy outing and several Columbia releases (and a later reunion session for Impulse), 1955's Nuf Said features the soloists in a buoyant West Coast mood on several medium- to fast-tempo swingers. Winding and Johnson both turn in fluid, tonally rounded statements, while pianist Dick Katz, bassists Milt Hinton and Wendell Marshall, and drummer Al Harewood (using brushes most of the time) provide plush rhythmic support. In addition to impressively arranged covers like "Mad About the Boy" and "Out of This World," Johnson and Winding each contribute two attractive originals -­ Winding's "Gong Rock" gets special note not only for its then-exotic incorporation of gong sounds, but also for the title's evocation of a time-travel meeting between the trombonist and glam rocker T. Rex. Musical fantasy aside, this Bethlehem reissue by Avenue Jazz pads the original set with seven worthwhile alternate takes and tops things off with superb sound and helpful liner notes. And though some might find the music here a bit thin (a common criticism of the West Coast sound which, ironically, gets turned on its ear this time around since all the musicians involved are from the East Coast), the arrangements and playing are so engaging and of such high quality that categorization dilemmas disappear. A fine disc.

Tracks
-01. "Out of This World" - Harold Arlen / Johnny Mercer - 2:20
-02. "Thou Swell" - Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers - 2:55
-03. "Lover" - Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers - 5:34
-04. "Lope City" - J.J. Johnson - 3:32
-05. "Stolen Bass" - J.J. Johnson - 2:56
-06. "It's All Right With Me" - Cole - 5:06
-07. "Mad About the Boy" - Noël Coward - 3:32
-08. "Yes Sir, That's My Baby" - Walter Donaldson / Gus Kahn - 4:06
-09. "That's How I Feel About You" - Kai Winding - 3:59
-10. "Gong Rock" - Kai Winding - 3:25
-11. "It's All Right With Me" - Cole Porter - 5:31
-12. "Lover" - Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers - 5:39
-13. "Gong Rock" - Kai Winding - 3:25
-14. "Lope City" - J.J. Johnson - 3:42
-15. "It's All Right With Me" - Cole Porter - 6:24
-16. "Out of This World" - Harold Arlen / Johnny Mercer - 2:28
-17. "That's How I Feel About You" - Kai Winding - 4:08

Personnel
* Kai Winding (trombone)
* J.J. Johnson (trombone)
* Dick Katz (piano)
* Al Harewood (drums)

 

28 December, 2013

Third Ear Band - Alchemy & Elements (1969 & 70)

Third Ear Band - Alchemy & Elements (1969 & 70)
avantgarde | 2cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 590MB
EMI-GOTT GOTTCD010
Allmusic:
Alchemy: Started in 1968 by percussionist Glen Sweeney and reedist Paul Minns, Third Ear Band was formed from the ashes of a previous Sweeney project, the psych band Hydrogen Juke Box. While generally overlooked in the history of British and improvised music, Third Ear Band developed a distinctive and aesthetically important sound -- equal parts Indian, psychedelic, and minimalist -- dubbed "electric-acid-raga" by Sweeney. Alchemy, their first release, is a wonderful record. With shorter tracks than found on later albums, Third Ear Band here makes excursions into improvised chamber music. In the opener, "Mosaic," which is at seven minutes one of the longest cuts, guitar meets recorder and violin in a disharmonic free jazz summit that fades away before building into a trancy mini-crescendo. On "Stone Circle," recorder lines interweave over an unadorned drum's repetitive rhythm. At times the recorder lines are so fluid and unnatural they sound like they're being played backwards -- which indeed they just might be. Generally the remainder of the tracks run the course between half-structured improv and droning chaos. Comparisons could be drawn to Soft Machine or the Dream Syndicate, but neither quite has the sense of "collective first" nor the repetitive insistence of Third Ear Band. The songs, to quote Sweeney again, are "alike or unlike as trees." For those even vaguely interested in the history of innovative music, Alchemy is worth hunting down.
Elements (aka Third Ear Band ): Their self-titled, second album is probably their definitive statement, consisting of four lengthy tracks devoted to the primary elements ("Air," "Earth, " "Fire, " "Water"). The feeling is one of improvised (though well-conceived) pieces that build up from initial drones to multi-layered ragas built around the same initial patterns. Their strong debts to both Indian music and contemporary experimental/minimalist compositions are evident. It's not accessible enough for the average rock (or even average progressive rock) listener. But it's certainly more geared toward the adventurous rock listener than the most challenging and/or difficult contemporary avant-garde music.

Tracks
cd1:
-1. Mosaic – 6:31
-2. Ghetto Raga – 10:32
-3. Druid One – 3:49
-4. Stone Circle – 3:28
-5. Egyptian Book of the Dead – 8:55
-6. Area Three – 8:33
-7. Dragon Lines – 5:33
-8. Lark Rise – 2:46
cd2:
-1. Air – 10:30
-2. Earth – 9:53
-3. Fire – 9:19
-4. Water – 7:04

Personnel
* Paul Minns – oboe, recorder
* Mel Davis – cello, pipe
* Glen Sweeney – chimes, drums, tabla, wind chimes, hand drums
* Richard Coff – violin, viola
* Dave Tomlin – violin
* John Peel – harmonica, jaw harp
---
* Paul Minns – oboe
* Glen Sweeney – percussion
* Ursula Smith – cello
* Richard Coff – violin and viola

 


22 December, 2013

Oscar Peterson - Tristeza on Piano (1970)

Oscar Peterson - Tristeza on Piano (1970)
jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 290MB
MPS 06024 9827010 24bit remaster
Allmusic:
At the beginning of this set Oscar Peterson so overwhelms the normally gentle "Tristeza" that it almost becomes a parody. Fortunately the remainder of the bossa nova-flavored CD reissue is more tasteful and, even if Peterson is overly hyper in spots, he is able to bring out the beauty of such songs as George Gershwin's "Porgy," Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Trieste" and "Watch What Happens" in addition to stomping through the straightahead "You Stepped out of a Dream."

Tracks
-1. "Tristeza" (Haroldo Lobo, Niltinho) – 3:13
-2. "Nightingale" (Oscar Peterson, Gene Lees) – 6:42
-3. "Porgy" (George Gershwin, DuBose Heyward) – 6:12
-4. "Triste" (Antonio Carlos Jobim) – 5:21
-5. "You Stepped Out of a Dream" (Nacio Herb Brown, Gus Kahn) – 3:31
-6. "Watch What Happens" (Michel LeGrand, Norman Gimbel) – 6:10
-7. "Down Here on the Ground" (Lalo Schiffrin, Gale Garnett) – 8:46
-8. "Fly Me to the Moon" (Bart Howard) – 4:38

Personnel
* Oscar Peterson – Piano
* Sam Jones – Double bass
* Bobby Durham – drums

 



30 November, 2013

Elvin Jones - Puttin' It Together (1968)

Elvin Jones - Puttin' It Together (1968)
jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 235MB
BN CDP 7 84282 2
Allmusic:
Joe Farrell (heard on this CD reissue on tenor, soprano and flute) did some of his finest playing while with drummer Elvin Jones' trio during 1968-69. Joined by bassist Jimmy Garrison (in one of his first post-Coltrane recordings), Farrell really digs into group originals, obscurities, "For Heaven's Sake," and Jimmy Heath's "Gingerbread Boy." With Jones pushing him and Garrison sounding quite advanced, Farrell was consistently inspired to play at the peak of his creativity.

Tracks
-1. "Reza" (Ruy Guerra, Edu Lobo) - 7:14
-2. "Sweet Little Maia" (Jimmy Garrison) - 7:54
-3. "Keiko's Birthday March" (Elvin Jones) - 6:55
-4. "Village Greene" (Billy Greene) - 5:13
-5. "Jay-Ree" (Joe Farrell) - 3:52
-6. "For Heaven's Sake" (Elise Bretton, Sherman Edwards, Donald Meyer) - 5:10
-7. "Ginger Bread Boy" (Jimmy Heath) - 5:18

Personnel
* Elvin Jones - drums
* Joe Farrell - tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, flute, piccolo
* Jimmy Garrison - bass

 

Dexter Gordon - The Jumpin' Blues (1970)

Dexter Gordon - The Jumpin' Blues (1970)
jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 240MB
OJCD-899-2
Allmusic:
Although tenor saxophonist Dexter Gordon seemed to have been largely forgotten in the U.S. during his long residence in Europe, he was playing in prime form during the period and made occasional trips back to America. On this CD reissue, Gordon teams up with pianist Wynton Kelly (one of his last recordings), bassist Sam Jones and drummer Roy Brooks for an obscure original ("Evergreenish"), "The Jumpin' Blues," the veteran ballad "For Sentimental Reasons" and three songs that were long a part of Gordon's repertoire: "Star Eyes," "Rhythm-A-Ning" and "If You Could See Me Now." Dexter Gordon is in fine form on the excellent straightahead bop set.

Tracks
1. "Evergreenish" - 6:02
2. "For Sentimental Reasons" (William Best, Deek Watson) - 6:49
3. "Star Eyes" (Gene de Paul, Don Raye) - 5:21
4. "Rhythm-a-Ning" (Thelonious Monk) - 6:51
5. "If You Could See Me Now" (Tadd Dameron, Carl Sigman) - 6:34
6. "The Jumpin' Blues" (Jay McShann, Charlie Parker) - 5:46

Personnel
* Dexter Gordon - tenor saxophone
* Wynton Kelly - piano
* Sam Jones - bass
* Roy Brooks - drums

 

29 November, 2013

Iannis Xenakis - Electronic Music (1997)

Iannis Xenakis - Electronic Music (1997)
 contemorary, avangarde | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 420MB
EMF CD 003
Allmusic:
This is a collection of compositions from electronic music pioneer and 20th century legend Iannis Xenakis, deceased in the early half of 2001 after a lifetime creating one of the most significant bodies of European art. The great Greek-born Frenchman's extraordinary work covered early electronic music and post-serialist composition, architecture, and mathematics, and his mastery of diverse mediums informed his work in music composition, securing his place as one of the most important composers of avant-garde classical music. Those familiar with Xenakis the architect will know him for his pavilion at the Brussels World's Fair (1970), while instrumental classical musicians will know of his complex and abstract percussion and string works. In electronic music he is known not as the inventor but as the composer who shaped the medium into one of the most progressive and complex mediums of the late 20th century. Hence, New York's Electronic Music Foundation released this compilation of his works dating from the late '50s, when at a Paris studio he produced these artifacts that take the primitive electronics of the time into stunningly sophisticated realms. On hearing this CD in the new millennium, it is hard to believe that these abstractions were not made in the late '90s, judging from their futuristic use of electronic effects. Xenakis' work was always considerably more abrasive than that of his contemporaries, and is comparable only to the work of Karlheinz Stockhausen, who was similarly interested in noise and sonic phenomena during the '60s. The works on this CD such as "Polytopes" and "Concrete PH" are concerned with "clouds of sound" where the density is extreme, giving these tape works complex textures that can be examined for hours and at different volumes, presenting effects from curious ambience to engaging and rigorous sound worlds. This archival collection comes highly recommended. It is more than a footnote in the history of electronic music, as many reissues can be; rather, this is a vital document in the shaping of late-20th century music.

Tracks:
-1. Diamorphoses (1957)
-2. Concret PH (1958)
-3. Orient-Occident (1960)
-4. Bohor (1962)
-5. Hibiki-Hana-Ma (1970)
-6. S.709 (1992)

Performer
* I Xenakis

 

31 October, 2013

Oscar Peterson - The Good Life (1973)

Oscar Peterson - The Good Life (1973)
jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 275MB
OJC20 627-2, 20bit remastered
Allmusic:
Taken from the same live sessions that resulted in The Trio, this CD reissue of a Pablo album features three remarkable virtuosos: pianist Oscar Peterson, guitarist Joe Pass, and bassist Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen. Although not quite reaching the heights of the other set, this CD features some typically extraordinary solos and interplay from these musicians. Highlights include Peterson's "Wheatland," the blues "For Count" (which is referred to in the liner notes as "Miles"), and "The Good Life."

Tracks
. "Wheatland" (Oscar Peterson) – 12:17
. "Wave" (Antonio Carlos Jobim) – 10:46
. "For Count" (Peterson) – 6:49
. "The Good Life" (Sacha Distel, Jack Reardon) – 7:12
. "On a Clear Day (You Can See Forever)" (Burton Lane, Alan Jay Lerner) – 7:44

Personnel
* Oscar Peterson – piano
* Joe Pass – guitar
* Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen – double bass

 

30 October, 2013

Morton Feldman - For John Cage (1997)

Morton Feldman - For John Cage (1997)
avantgarde, contemporary | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 275MB
hat[now]ART 124
Allmusic:
Morton Feldman's For John Cage, written in the final phase of his career, is, typically for this period, a long work, almost 70 minutes. It is atypical, however, when one considers on how few occasions he actually wrote for this particular pairing of instruments: In 1951 there were "Extensions 1" and "Projections IV"; in 1963, he produced "Vertical Thoughts"; and again in 1978 he composed "Spring of Chosroes." The reasons are varied, but the one constant that runs through these works is how Feldman's palette of sonances, timbres, and textures could be achieved more forcefully by using these two instruments in his quest for "stasis." This term refers in Feldman's vocabulary to the effect achieved by the visual art of Mark Rothko and Philip Guston. In For John Cage, Feldman sets the piece in three movements where a minimum of notes are written in patters, played in varying time signatures, over and again, in slightly altered combinations of chords and tones. They are consistently modified to vary textural, polytonal, and even perceptual degrees, but never to the point of any linear modulation or scheme. For John Cage may repeat each sequence of notes -- in limited range -- and repeat them asymmetrically or symmetrically, this distinction doesn't matter to Feldman, who felt that if he could just achieve "stasis" within his music, the question would forever be in his words "held in abeyance." These patterned sections proceed from one another without reorganization or discernable system. But then, this work, as in all of Feldman's middle and late pieces, was about the relationships between note and silence and instruments and tones. For John Cage, meant to be played by both performers and listened to at barely audible volume, established enough displacement to achieve a kind of stasis in sound and in its relationship to the greater stasis: silence. Despite the seemingly endless academic theorizing he involved in his work, Feldman's music, and it's concern with gentleness, stillness, is music of great, if subtly expressed, emotion. Inspired by one of his longest personal and professional relationships, For John Cage is perhaps his most haunting and beautifully wrought for all of its alien construction and perceptual ambiguity. Indeed, it appears as if Feldman were, at the end of his life, attempting to free music from the only thing that weighted it to earth: itself.

Tracks
1. I. - 25:17
2. II. - 20:37
3. III. - 23:18

Personnel
* Josje Ter Haar - violin
* John Snijders - piano

 

25 October, 2013

Christian Wallumrod 2005 - The Zoo is Far

Christian Wallumrod - The Zoo is Far (2005)
jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 320MB
ECM 171 7820
Allmusic:
Norwegian pianist and composer Christian Wallumrød has been experimenting with various sonorities and musical colors since his first trio recording for ECM, No Birch in 1998. That group contained the roots of this one with trumpeter Arve Henricksen and percussionist/drummer Per Oddvar Johansen. Saxophonist Trygve Seim made the group a quartet for 2005's A Year from Easter. The pieces juxtaposed improvisation against tightly constructed themes and melodies, using the interval as the chief vehicle for moving, ever slowly, from one place to another. On The Zoo Is Far, Wallumrød has dropped the saxophone entirely, but created a sextet by adding three string players who include Giovanna Pessi on Baroque harp (an instrument that is constructed differently from the contemporary classical instrument and has a deeper lower register), violinist Gjermund Larsen, and cellist Tanja Orning. The music here is in some ways radically different. Most of these 24 pieces are short and draw from some Baroque sources, most keenly Henry Purcell's "Fantasias," the long psalmist tradition in Norwegian sacred music, and even Pakistani music. Where improvisation is present, it is within tightly scripted parameters. The reason is that Wallumrød is interested more in textures, shapes, and tonality. Oftentimes it is difficult for the listener to pick out individual instruments. The melodies come out of sonority, as well as the use of intervals to gradually shift through one theme into another apart from basic lyric structures.
Indeed, most of these pieces are even grouped in alternating patterns to give the work a patchwork quilt feel, though no one work jars uncomfortably against another. Whether it is in the series of "Fragments," "Psalms," or the "Backwards Henry" (Purcell, of course) works, the sense of space and silence is the same, blending the individual pieces rather than simply juxtaposing them. During The Zoo Is Far's 70-minute duration, there are tracks that do stand out, such as the elegiac "Music for One Cat," where the lower registers of the harp, piano, and cello are blended almost symbiotically with the bass drum. Dissonance has its place here, but it carries no edges, such as on "Fragment No. 6," where the restrained tensions (the piano is in pianissimo for much of it) and the violin rise up from that silence to strike back at something in that chord pattern. One of the more delightful selections here is "Archdance with Trumpet," in which Henricksen plays his instrument nearly like some kind of flute; its sound is full of air and darkness, as Wallumrød plays repetitive -- nearly minimalist in structure -- patterns of single and double notes that bleed into and through one another, creating four chords from the echo of three. The hint of a glockenspiel is heard near the top of the mix. But it, too, is mysterious and ethereal. In contrast, the sketchy "Fragment No. 1" is outside the middle registers and rises from lower to middle on harp, violin, and piano. Henricksen plays these notes as well, but they are not immediately distinguishable. The final cut, "Allemande Es," seeks to combine virtually everything here in a very slow-moving, nearly murky piece. The sense of Baroque pomp asserts itself in the backdrop and in processional form, where the sharply juxtaposed tonalities of the "Fragments" are used in the spaces. Still more, the sense of the sacred that comes from the "Psalms" permeate the work, offering an anchored place for the music to unfold from and move back toward.
The Zoo Is Far is far from being an academic recording, though the music is studied. To listen to The Zoo Is Far in the abstract is almost like hearing Stephane Mallarme's poetry; it contains those elements of lines that carry over, stopping just shy of collision with others, or of those disappearing into another so that the poem reads as a whole instead of as a series of lines -- the musicality is in the language itself. It is nearly impossible to take in the entire recording at one sitting; it distracts you from whatever you are doing instead and draws you inside its sometimes eerie, sometimes utterly moving flow. Manfred Eicher's production, with its reliance on space, silence, and merely the hint of reverb, assures a snug and warm fit with the ECM aesthetic -- but more than this, Wallumrød is composing from an entirely different place than most. His attention to sonority and quiet, and the disappearance of sounds (even as they form melodies and lyric shapes) is not that far removed from the preoccupation of the late Morton Feldman with the disintegration of form, though his approach to it is entirely different. Wallumrød isn't trying to do away with form, but is looking to break it down enough to create something else, something clearly not definable from its parts. The Zoo Is Far is a major step for Wallumrød compositionally, and a major boon to anyone willing to encounter it on its own entirely strange but immediately accessible terms.

Tracks
01. Nash Lontano
02. Backwards Henry II
03. Parkins Cembalo
04. Fragment no. 6
05. Psalm Kvæn, solo
06. Fragment no. 2
07. Music For One Cat
08. Arch Dance
09. Psalm Kvæn, tutti
10. The Zoo Is Far
11. Fragment no. 7
12. Backwards Henry I
13. Fragment no. 3
14. Detach A
15. Need Elp
16. Psalm Kvæn, trio
17. Detach B
18. Backwards Henry With Drums
19. Arpa
20. Detach C
21. Arch Dance With Trumpet
22. Fragment no. 1
23. Psalm Kvæn, quartet
24. Allemande Es

Personnel
* Christian Wallumrød - Piano, Harmonium, Toy Piano
* Arve Henriksen - Trumpet
* Gjermund Larsen - Violin, Hardanger Fiddle, Viola
* Tanja Orning - Cello
* Giovanna Pessi - Baroque Harp
* Per Oddvar Johansen - Drunms, Percussion, Glockenspiel

 

03 October, 2013

Steve Tibbetts - Steve Tibbetts (1977)

Steve Tibbetts - Steve Tibbetts (1977)
jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 195MB
Cuneiform 55009
Allmusic:
At once his most accessible work and also very experimental, Tibbetts' first album was released independently in 1976 before being picked up by Frammis. He began recording it while an art student at Macalaster College in Minnesota in the electronic music studio of the school on a four-track recorder. Still working on the album when he graduated, he ended up finishing it clandestinely late at night by sneaking into the school. The resulting album of totally self realized songs is great fun to listen to, as he used the studio as an instrument, mixing tape loops and effects with impressionistic acoustic guitar playing. Even at this young age, he's equally at home with finger style guitar, psychedelic and world musics, and the soundscapes he creates are both introspective and adventurous. Highly recommended.

Tracks
-1. "Sunrise" - 4:14
-2. "The Secret" - 4:49
-3. "Desert" - 4:39
-4. "The Wonderful Day" - 2:20
-5. "Gong" - 1:43
-6. "Jungle Rhythm" - 5:37
-7. "Interlude" - 1:52
-8. "Alvin Goes to Tibet" - 4:16
-9. "How Do You Like My Buddha?" - 5:06

Personnel
* Steve Tibbetts - Instruments, tape effects, vocals and engineering
* Tim Weinhold - percussion

 

30 September, 2013

Szabados Gyorgy - The Wedding (1974)

Szabados Gyorgy - The Wedding (1974)
jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 495MB
Hungaroton HCD 71094

booklet info:

Tracks
-1. The Wedding - 11:40
-2. Improvisation, Duo For Piano And Violin - 10:33
-3. Miracle - 14:53
-4. The Interrogation Of Irma Szabo - 9:09
Bonus tracks
-5. B-A-C-H Impressions - 6:41
-6. World Dust - 12:18
-7. Ballad - 5:34

Personnel
* Sándor Vajda - double bass
* Imre Köszegi - drums
* György Szabados - piano
* Lajos Kathy-Horváth - violin, double bass



26 September, 2013

Bill Frisell - Have a Little Faith (1993)

Bill Frisell  - Have a Little Faith (1993)
jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 330MB
Elektra/Nonesuch 7559-79301-2
Allmusic:
Bill Frisell has long been one of the most unique guitarists around. Able to switch on a moment's notice from sounding like a Nashville studio player to heavy metal, several styles of jazz, and just pure noise, Frisell can get a remarkable variety of sounds and tones out of his instrument. This set features Frisell in a quintet with Don Byron (on clarinet and bass clarinet), Guy Klucevsek on accordion, bassist Kermit Driscoll, and drummer Joey Baron. To call the repertoire wide-ranging would be an understatement. In addition to eight melodies from Aaron Copland's Billy the Kid, Frisell and company explore (and often reinvent) pieces written by Charles Ives, Bob Dylan, Muddy Waters, Madonna, Sonny Rollins, Stephen Foster, and John Phillip Sousa. This is one of the most inventive recordings of the 1990s and should delight most listeners from any genre.

Tracks
01. "The Open Prairie": from Billy the Kid (Copland) - 3:11
02. "Street Scene in a Frontier Town": from Billy the Kid (Copland) - 1:45
03. "Mexican Dance and Finale": from Billy the Kid (Copland) - 3:44
04. "Prairie Night (Card Game at Night)/Gun Battle": from Billy the Kid (Copland) - 5:02
05. "Celebration After Billy's Capture": from Billy the Kid (Copland) - 2:17
06. "Billy in Prison": from Billy the Kid (Copland) - 1:33
07. "The Open Prairie Again": from Billy the Kid (Copland) - 2:34
08. "The Saint-Gaudens in Boston Common": Excerpt 1 (Ives) - 0:41
09. "Just Like a Woman" (Dylan) - 4:49
10. "I Can't Be Satisfied" (Morganfield) (3:00)
11. "Live to Tell" (Leonard, Madonna) - 10:10
12. "The Saint-Gaudens in Boston Common": Excerpt 2 (Ives) - 3:05
13. "No Moe" (Rollins) - 2:37
14. "Washington Post March" (Sousa) - 2:05
15. "When I Fall in Love" (Heyman, Young) - 3:26
16. "Little Jenny Dow" (Foster) - 3:30
17. "Have a Little Faith in Me" (Hiatt) - 5:39
18. "Billy Boy" (Traditional) - 1:38
* Recorded at RPM Studios NYC March 1992

Personnel
* Bill Frisell – guitar
* Don Byron – clarinet, bass clarinet
* Guy Klucevsek – accordion
* Kermit Driscoll – bass
* Joey Baron – drums

 




09 September, 2013

Baby Face Willette - Face To Face (1961)

Baby Face Willette - Face To Face (1961)
jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 375MB
Blue Note/EMI | RVG 2007
Allmusic:
While it's true that Baby Face Willette's Stop and Listen is widely regarded as his finest recording, this, his Blue Note debut from January of 1961, should not by any means be overlooked. After all, before this session he had the same lot as most Blue Note artists at the time; they played as sidemen on other's recordings before being allowed to headline their own dates. Willette performed on dates by Grant Green (Grant's First Stand) and Lou Donaldson (Here 'Tis). Face to Face boasts a mighty meat and potatoes soul-jazz lineup: Green on guitar, Fred Jackson on tenor, and drummer Ben Dixon. Comprised of six cuts, five of them are Willette originals. The evidence of the rough and rowdy side of Willette's playing is evident from the opener, "Swinging at Sugar Ray's." His approach to the B-3 is far more percussive than Jimmy Smith's, each note is a distinct punch; not only in his solos, but in his chord and head approaches. His solo is a nasty, knotty blues sprint that encompasses gospel licks and R&B fills, too. The other notable thing about the cut is Green's guitar break that shows a side of him we seldom got to hear early on, where he's bending strings, playing in the high register, and using intense single-note runs. It's nearly a breathless way to open a record. Things slow down on the blues "Goin' Down" that features a nice emotive solo by Jackson. The mambo-infused "Whatever Lola Wants" by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross comes next and includes some beautiful stop-and-and start moves in the melody, as well as beautiful call and response between Jackson and Willette, while Dixon's drums shift around the outside before the whole thing breaks down into a groover. The poppin' funky title track has one of those beautiful hard bop heads that's instantly memorable. Sure, it's not terribly sophisticated but it's full of soul and a relaxed yet quick group of changes before Jackson begins to blow. "Somethin' Strange" is pure blues, Chicago style, before moving into tough funky soul. The set closes with "High 'N' Low," a relaxed show-closing groove joint; it's all blues with fine contributions from Green, Jackson, and Willette. The two alternates are not necessarily revelatory, but they do keep the solid vibes happening for another 13 minutes or so. Certainly it's true that these compositions don't show a ton of imagination conceptually, but that doesn't mean anything. The group interplay here is the thing, it works seamlessly. The other notable is the looseness with which Green was playing on the date, and the true introduction of Willette's trademark approach to the B-3. That's all here. These tunes have their own little trademark knots and notches all over them. Highly recommended.

Tracks
1. "Swingin' at Sugar Ray's" - 6:35
2. "Goin' Down" - 7:24
3. "Whatever Lola Wants" (Richard Adler, Jerry Ross) - 7:21
4. "Face to Face" - 6:17
5. "Something Strange" - 6:42
6. "High 'N' Low" - 7:07
7. "Face to Face" [Alternate take] - 6:52 Bonus track on CD reissue
8. "Something Strange" [Alternate take] - 6:41 Bonus track on CD reissue
All compositions by Baby Face Willette except as indicated

Personnel
* Baby Face Willette – organ
* Grant Green – guitar
* Fred Jackson - tenor saxophone
* Ben Dixon – drums



06 September, 2013

Cristina Branco - Corpo Iluminado (2001)

Cristina Branco - Corpo Iluminado (2001)
world, fado | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 250MB
EmArcy 014 151-2
Allmusic:
Cristina Branco might just be the best fado singer since the great Amalia Rodrigues, the woman who defined the genre. There's a subtlety to her voice that catches the emotions -- and fado, like blues or flamenco, is about feel -- and she never becomes histrionic, letting things stay in check, with the understatement much more eloquent. With this disc she refines and expands upon her two previous studio albums, even to the extent of the unaccompanied "Molinera" that closes the record, a song in a 13th century dialect. The musical relationship between Branco and husband Custodio Castelo, who arranges and plays the difficult Portuguese guitar (which gives fado its distinctive, mournful instrumental sound), continues to grow and deepen, while the other instruments -- guitar and double bass, build a framework for songs like the delicate "Musa." As with all fado, the lyrics are the crux of the matter, and Branco has chosen some beautiful poems (all well translated in the booklet), with "Tu Tens de Me Acontecer" a particular standout. But with a set this sublime, it's almost impossible to single out any one song above the others. There's a floating, breathless beauty about the whole thing that makes it timeless -- and over all too soon.

Tracks
01 - Corpo Illuminado
02 - Meu Amor, Meu Amor (Meu Limao de Amargura)
03 - Musa
04 - Aconteceu
05 - Meu Amor e Marinheiro
06 - Memoria de Meu Bem
07 - Que Fazes ai Lisboa
08 - Portos
09 - Aquele Tao Triste Dia
10 - Locais
11 - Disse-te Adeus e Morri
12 - Mill Janelas
13 - Rio de Nuvens VIII
14 - Tu Tens de Me Acontecer
15 - No Fundo do Pensamento
16 - Molinera

 

04 September, 2013

Oscar Peterson - With Respect To Nat (1965)

Oscar Peterson - With Respect To Nat (1965)
jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 270MB
Verve by Request 557 486-2
Allmusic:
This album is quite unusual. Recorded shortly after Nat King Cole's death, pianist Oscar Peterson takes vocals on all but one of the dozen selections, sounding almost exactly like Cole. Peterson, who rarely ever sang, is very effective on the well-rounded program, whether being backed by a big band (arranged by Manny Albam) on half of the selections or re-creating both the spirit of the Nat King Cole Trio and his own group of the late '50s during a reunion with guitarist Herb Ellis and bassist Ray Brown.

Tracks
1. "When My Sugar Walks Down the Street" (Gene Austin, Jimmy McHugh, Irving Mills) – 2:18
2. "It's Only a Paper Moon" (Harold Arlen, Yip Harburg, Billy Rose) – 2:29
3. "Walkin' My Baby Back Home" (Fred E. Ahlert, Roy Turk) – 2:31
4. "Sweet Lorraine" (Cliff Burwell, Mitchell Parish) – 3:31
5. "Unforgettable" (Irving Gordon) – 2:37
6. "Little Girl" (Francis Henry, Matt Hyde) – 2:35
7. "Gee, Baby, Ain't I Good to You" (Andy Razaf, Don Redman) – 2:56
8. "Orange Colored Sky" (Milton DeLugg, William Stein) – 2:12
9. "Straighten Up and Fly Right" (Nat King Cole, Irving Mills) – 2:25
10. "Calypso Blues" (Clifford Carmen, Cole, Don George) – 3:34
11. "What Can I Say After I Say I'm Sorry?" (Walter Donaldson, Abe Lyman) – 2:39
12. "Easy Listening Blues" (Nadine Robinson) – 3:23

Personnel
* Oscar Peterson - piano, vocals
* Hank Jones - piano
* Ray Brown - double bass
* Richard Davis - double bass
* Herb Ellis - guitar
* Barry Galbraith - guitar
* Mel Lewis - drums
* Wayne Andre - trombone
* Jimmy Cleveland - trombone
* J. J. Johnson - trombone
* Tony Studd - bass trombone
* Seldon Powell - alto flute, tenor flute
* Jerome Richardson - bass flute, tenor flute
* John Frosk - trumpet
* Joe Newman - trumpet
* Ernie Royal - trumpet, flugelhorn
* Danny Stiles - trumpet, flugelhorn
* Phil Woods - alto saxophone
* Manny Albam - arranger, conductor

 

29 August, 2013

Alice Coltrane - Universal Consciousness (1971)

Alice Coltrane - Universal Consciousness (1971)
jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 270MB
Verve / Impulse! 24-bit remaster 2002
Allmusic:
Recorded between April and June of 1971, Alice Coltrane's Universal Consciousness stands as her classic work. As a testament to the articulation of her spiritual principles, Universal Consciousness stands even above World Galaxy as a recording where the medium of music, both composed and improvised, perfectly united the realms of body (in performance), speech (in the utterance of individual instrumentalists and group interplay), and mind (absolute focus) for the listener to take into her or his own experience. While many regard Universal Consciousness as a "jazz" album, it transcends even free jazz by its reliance on deeply thematic harmonic material and the closely controlled sonic dynamics in its richly hued chromatic palette. The set opens with the title track, where strings engage large washes of Coltrane's harp as Jack DeJohnette's drums careen in a spirit dance around the outer edge of the maelstrom. On first listen, the string section and the harp are in counter-dictum, moving against each other in a modal cascade of sounds, but this soon proves erroneous as Coltrane's harp actually embellishes the timbral glissandos pouring forth. Likewise, Jimmy Garrison's bass seeks to ground the proceedings to DeJohnette's singing rhythms, and finally Coltrane moves the entire engagement to another dimension with her organ. Leroy Jenkins' violin and Garrison's bottom two strings entwine one another in Ornette Coleman's transcription as Coltrane and the other strings offer a middling bridge for exploration. It's breathtaking. On "Battle at Armageddon," the violence depicted is internal; contrapuntal rhythmic impulses whirl around each other as Coltrane's organ and harp go head to head with Rashied Ali's drums. "Oh Allah" rounds out side one with a gorgeously droning, awe-inspiring modal approach to whole-tone music that enfolds itself into the lines of organic polyphony as the strings color each present theme intervalically. DeJohnette's brushwork lisps the edges and Garrison's bass underscores each chord and key change in Coltrane's constant flow of thought.
On side two, "Hare Krishna" is a chant-like piece that is birthed from minor-key ascendancy with a loping string figure transcribed by Coleman from Coltrane's composition on the organ. She lays deep in the cut, offering large shimmering chords that twirl -- eventually -- around high-register ostinatos and pedal work. It's easily the most beautiful and accessible track in the set, in that it sings with a devotion that has at its base the full complement of Coltrane's compositional palette. "Sita Ram" is a piece that echoes "Hare Krishna" in that it employs Garrison and drummer Clifford Jarvis, but replaces the strings with a tamboura player. Everything here moves very slowly, harp and organ drift into and out of one another like breath, and the rhythm section -- informed by the tamboura's drone -- lilts on Coltrane's every line. As the single-fingered lines engage the rhythm section more fully toward the end of the tune, it feels like a soloist improvising over a chanting choir. Finally, the album ends with another duet between Ali and Coltrane. Ali uses wind chimes as well as his trap kit, and what transpires between the two is an organically erected modal architecture, where texture and timbre offer the faces of varying intervals: Dynamic, improvisational logic and tonal exploration become elemental figures in an intimate yet universal conversation that has the search itself and the uncertain nature of arrival, either musically or spiritually, at its root. This ambiguity is the only way a recording like this could possibly end, with spiritual questioning and yearning in such a musically sophisticated and unpretentious way. The answers to those questions can perhaps be found in the heart of the music itself, but more than likely they can, just as they are articulated here, only be found in the recesses of the human heart. This is art of the highest order, conceived by a brilliant mind, poetically presented in exquisite collaboration by divinely inspired musicians and humbly offered as a gift to listeners. It is a true masterpiece. The CD reissue by Universal comes with a handsome Japanese-style five-by-five-inch paper sleeve with liner notes reprinted inside and devastatingly gorgeous 24-bit remastering.

Tracks
1. "Universal Consciousness" 5:06
2. "Battle at Armageddon" 7:20
3. "Oh Allah" 5:00
4. "Hare Krishna" 8:14
5. "Sita Ram" 4:47
6. "The Ankh of Amen-Ra" 6:09
Recorded at A&R Recording, New York City and/or at the Coltrane Studio, Dix Hills, New York

Personnel
* Alice Coltrane — harp, organ
* Jimmy Garrison - bass (1,3,4,5)
* Jack DeJohnette - drums (1,3,4)
* Clifford Jarvis - drums (4,5), percussion (4)
* Rashied Ali - drums (2,6), wind chimes (6)
* Tulsi - tamboura (4,5)
* John Blair, Julius Brand, Leroy Jenkins, Joan Kalisch - violin (1,3,4)

 

27 August, 2013

Dans Les Arbres - Dans Les Arbres (2006)

Dans Les Arbres - Dans Les Arbres (2006)
jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 270MB
ECM
ECM info:
Guitarist Ivar Grydeland (born 1976 in Trondheim) and percussionist Ingar Zach (born 1971 in Oslo) have worked together since 1998. Both are innovative and adaptive players, exponents of extended technique, musicians who’ve modified their instruments to meet the needs of the music. In 2000 they co-founded the record label SOFA providing a platform for improvised/intuitive music and, often, bringing improvisers from Norway together with players from around the globe. Collaborators have included Evan Parker, Derek Bailey, Barry Guy, Philipp Wachsmann, Tony Oxley, Jim O’Rourke, Phil Minton, Susie Ibarra and dozens more. Several of these have worked also with the large ensemble No Spaghetti Edition (NSE), of which Zach and Grydeland are core members.
Clarinettist Xavier Charles (born in France 1963) and Christian Wallumrød (born 1971) have both performed and recorded with the NSE. Wallumrød first collaborated with the Zach/Grydeland duo in 2003: they had approached him after hearing the ECM release “Sofienberg Variations”, feeling there was common ground to be investigated. In 2004 what would become the Dans les arbres quartet convened for the first time. In 2006, all four musicians recorded together on NSE’s “Sketches of a Fusion” album a project that underlined, for all participants, the potential of further collaborative work. In July of that year Charles, Grydeland, Wallumrød and Zach recorded “Dans les arbres”, the album, at the Festiviteten gallery in Eidsvoll, Norway.

Tracks
1. La Somnolence
2. L'Indifférence
3. Le Flegme
4. L'Engourdissement
5. Le Détachment
6. La Froideur
7. L'Assoupissement
8. La Rettenue.

Personnel
* Xavier Charles: clarinet, harmonica
* Ivar Grydeland: acoustic guitar, banjo, sruti box
* Christian Wallumrød: piano
* Ingar Zach: percussion, bass drum.

 

23 August, 2013

Elvin Jones - Elvin! (1962)

Elvin Jones - Elvin! (1962)
jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 250MB
OJC
Allmusic:
Drummer Elvin Jones' first full-length album as a leader (reissued on CD in the OJC series) is different than one would expect when it is taken into consideration that he was a member of the fiery John Coltrane Quartet at the time. This sextet session, which also includes his brothers Thad and Hank on cornet and piano in addition to flutist Frank Wess, Frank Foster on tenor, and bassist Art Davis, is straight-ahead with a strong Count Basie feel. Jones is still recognizable on the fairly obscure material (only "You Are Too Beautiful" qualifies as a standard) and shows that he can cook in the fairly conventional setting. All of the musicians are in fine form, and two selections feature the rhythm section as a trio.

Tracks
-1. "Lady Luck" (Jones, Frank Wess) - 6:19
-2. "Buzz-At" - 6:31
-3. "Shadowland" (Sara Cassey) - 4:06
-4. "Pretty Brown" (Ernie Wilkins) - 3:30
-5. "Ray-El" - 8:03
-6. "Four and Six" (Oliver Nelson) - 5:01
-7. "You Are Too Beautiful" (Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers) - 4:20
All compositions by Elvin Jones except as indicated

Personnel
Elvin Jones - drums
Thad Jones - cornet (tracks 1-3, 5 & 7)
Frank Wess - flute (tracks 1-3, 5 & 7)
Frank Foster - tenor saxophone (tracks 1-3 & 5)
Hank Jones - piano
Art Davis - bass

 

28 June, 2013

Brew Moore - The Brew Moore Quintet (1956)

Brew Moore - The Brew Moore Quintet (1956)
jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 240MB
OJC
Allmusic:
An excellent cool-toned tenor saxophonist proud of the influence of Lester Young, Brew Moore only recorded on an infrequent basis during his career. He did make two albums for Fantasy that were reissued in the Original Jazz Classics series. The three dates included on this set were all cut in San Francisco with local (and now obscure) musicians: trumpeter Dick Mills, pianist John Marabuto, bassist Max Hartstein, drummer Gus Gustofson and an unidentified guitarist. Marabuto contributed three originals; Mills wrote "Rotation," and the other four songs are familiar standards. Moore plays well (despite a hectic lifestyle, he was pretty consistent on records) and the music is relaxed and swinging.

Tracks
-1. "Them There Eyes" - 4:57
-2. "Them Old Blues" - 4:06
-3. "Tea for Two" - 5:02
-4. "Rose" - 4:40
-5. "I Can't Believe That You're in Love With Me" - 4:23
-6. "Fools Rush In" - 4:21
-7. "Rotation" - 4:21
-8. "I Want a Little Girl" - 3:24
-9. "Five Planets in Leo" - 4:44

Personnel
* Brew Moore - tenor saxophone
* Dickie Mills - trumpet
* John Marabuto - piano
* Max Hartstein - bass
* Gus Gustofson - drums

 

Christian Wallumrod - Sofienberg Variations (2001)

Christian Wallumrod - Sofienberg Variations (2001)
jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 310MB
ECM 1809
Jazztimes:
During his development as a pianist and composer, Christian Wallumrod says, he moved explicitly away from "the need to play 'clever' lines over predictable chord sequences. I'm still intensely interested in harmonic structure and development but not in straightahead jazz contexts where you know exactly what to expect." On his new album, Sofienberg Variations, Wallumrod and his fellows-trumpeter Arve Henriksen, violinist and fiddler Nils Okland and drummer Per Oddvar Johansen-explore the style he has created in contrast to the straightahead: melodic fragments built up between deliberate pauses, gradual harmonic evolutions, inward, quiet playing from all the musicians and uniformly slow tempi.
It's certainly an approach that's different from straightahead jazz, but, unfortunately, over the course of an hour it proves to be dour, momentum-free and just as predictable as the music Wallumr_d has rejected. On tracks like "Memor," "Edith," "Psalm" and "Losing Temple," melodic fragments either don't go anywhere or go somewhere with such deliberateness that they might as well save themselves the trip. Diatonic melody as such has almost no place in Sofienberg, with the result that the listener is expected to anxiously sit through the relentlessly recurring silences to get to essentially random-sounding notes. The quietness and slowness of the music just become tedious when there is little loudness and no quickness to make a contrast.
The only successes Wallumrod has with his method are the "Sarabande Nouvelle" tracks and "Liturgia," where attractive melodies lend a natural structure to the musical line and improvisation that is otherwise lacking here. Otherwise there's too much nothing and too little change here to recommend these Variations.

Tracks
-1. "Sarabande Nouvelle" - 2:52
-2. "Memor" - 5:18
-3. "Edith" - 5:23
-4. "Alas Alert" - 5:07
-5. "Small Picture #1" - 1:31
-6. "Sarabande Nouvelle, var.1" - 4:26
-7. "Psalm" - 5:45
-8. "Liturgia" - 5:06
-9. "Small Picture #3" - 1:31
-10. "Small Picture #2" - 1:38
-11. "Small Picture #3 1/2" - 2:18
-12. "Edith, var." - 2:02
-13. "Memor, var." - 1:50
-14. "Sarabande Nouvelle, var.2" - 3:13
-15. "Losing Temple" - 5:27

Personnel
* Christian Wallumrød - piano, harmonium
* Nils Økland- -violin, Hardanger fiddle
* Arve Henriksen- -trumpet
* Per Oddvar Johansen - drums
* Trygve Seim - tenor saxophone

 

Clark Terry - Yes, The Blues (1981)

Clark Terry - Yes, The Blues (1981)
jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 255MB
OJC
Allmusic:
This blues-oriented Pablo recording has an ideal matchup: flugelhornist Clark Terry and altoist Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson. Both musicians take a good-humored vocal apiece, but the emphasis is on their playing. The complementary stylists, backed by pianist Art Hillery, bassist John Heard and drummer Roy McCurdy, work together very well on their originals, plus "Swingin' the Blues," and create some memorable, if fairly basic, music straddling the boundaries between swing, bop and early R&B.

Tracks
-1. "Diddlin" - 8:45
-2. "Railroad Porter's Blues" - 5:36
-3. "Swingin' the Blues" - 7:00
-4. "Marina Bay Rednecks" - 7:46
-5. "Quicksand" - 4:05
-6. "The Snapper" - 5:05
-7. "Kidney Stew" - 4:41

Personnel
* Clark Terry - rumpet
* Eddie "Cleanhead" Winson - sax, vocal
* Art Hillery - piano, organ
* John Heard - bass
* Roy McCurdy - drums
* "Harmonica George" Smith - harmonica

 


20 June, 2013

Oscar Peterson - The London Concert (1978)

Oscar Peterson - The London Concert (1978)
jazz | 2cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 535MB
Pablo 2CD 2620-111
Allmusic:
This two-CD set, which reissues a Pablo two-LP release, features pianist Oscar Peterson in a strong and supportive trio with bassist John Heard and drummer Louis Bellson. Although his sidemen get some solo space, the focus is primarily on the remarkable pianist on a variety of standards, his own "Hogtown Blues" and a six-song Duke Ellington medley. Whether it be on rapid stomps or sensitive ballads, this trio (which was in reality an all-star pickup group) sounds as if they had worked together regularly for years.

Tracks
1. "It's a Wonderful World" (Harold Adamson, Jan Savitt, Johnny Watson) – 5:33
2. "People" (Bob Merrill, Jule Styne) – 8:02
3. "Ain't Misbehavin'" (Harry Brooks, Andy Razaf, Fats Waller) – 5:07
4. "Jitterbug Waltz" (Richard Maltby, Jr., Waller) – 5:40
5. "Pennies from Heaven" (Johnny Burke, Arthur Johnston) – 8:58
6. "I Get Along Without You Very Well (Except Sometimes)" (Hoagy Carmichael, Jane Brown Thompson) – 7:12
7. "Sweet Georgia Brown" (Ben Bernie, Kenneth Casey, Maceo Pinkard) – 7:51
cd2
1. "Falling in Love With Love" (Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers) – 6:51
2. "Hogtown Blues" (Oscar Peterson) – 8:03
3. "Emily" (Johnny Mandel, Johnny Mercer) – 6:42
4. "Satin Doll" (Duke Ellington, Mercer, Billy Strayhorn) – 5:23
5. "Duke Ellington Medley: "I Got It Bad (and That Ain't Good)"/"Do Nothing till You Hear from Me"/"C Jam Blues" – 9:30
13. "Cute" (Neal Hefti) – 8:12

Personnel
* Oscar Peterson – piano
* John Heard – double bass
* Louie Bellson – drum kit

 

Liars - They Threw Us All in a Trench and Stuck a Monument on Top (2002)

Liars - They Threw Us All in a Trench and Stuck a Monument on Top (2002)
indie, alternative | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 290MB
Blast First bffp127cd
Allmusic:
The debut LP from Brooklyn's Liars is a churning collection of jerky punk rock, funk grooves, and computerized mayhem that oddly enough comes off quite charming. With sufficiently angular guitars, British-tinged vocals, and a truly pummeling bass presence, the group rocks with phenomenal energy and absolutely no restraint. The half-hour-long closer, "The Dust That Makes the Mud," collapses into a puzzlingly repetitive, sample-ridden hip-hop beat that ends things on a bizarre note, but the lead-up is pure rock & roll, complete with the attitude and aggression that makes for a great listen. Liars have a surprisingly unique approach that distinguishes them from other groups in their willingness to experiment with different tones, volumes, and styles, all of which make They Threw Us in a Trench and Stuck a Monument On an astounding debut. Catchy group vocals are all over the disc, and just about every chorus is instantly memorable yet still somewhat pummeling. The use of digital sounds and beats only adds to the unique properties of the record, giving it a feel somewhat akin to later Les Savy Fav records, only with a much more punk-fueled sound. Liars are something special, and when a young band puts out a record like this it is hard not to pay attention. Where they'll go from here is impossible to guess, but with a band this hyperactively creative, that seems to be the point.

Tracks
-1. "Grown Men Don't Fall in the River, Just Like That" – 3:03
-2. "Mr. Your on Fire Mr."[3][4] – 2:27
-3. "Loose Nuts on the Veladrome" – 2:19
-4. "The Garden Was Crowded and Outside" – 2:44
-5. "Tumbling Walls Buried Me in the Debris With ESG" – 4:05 (vocal cover of an ESG song)
-6. "Nothing Is Ever Lost or Can Be Lost My Science Friend" – 3:03
-7. "We Live NE of Compton" – 3:01
-8. "Why Midnight Walked But Didn't Ring Her Bell" – 0:51
-9. "This Dust Makes That Mud" – 30:07


 

Johnny Coles - The Warm Sound (1961)

Johnny Coles - The Warm Sound (1961)
jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 320MB
Koch 3-7804-2
Allmusic:
Trumpeter Johnny Coles, best-known for his association with Charles Mingus in 1964, made his recording debut as a leader on this Epic session which was reissued on CD in 1995 by Koch. A bop-based trumpeter with a lyrical sound of his own, Coles is showcased here with an excellent quartet (Kenny Drew or Randy Weston on piano, bassist Peck Morrison and drummer Charlie Persip). He is in top form on a pair of standards (including "If I Should Lose You"), his own blues "Room 3" and four Weston originals; the reissue adds an alternate take of "Hi-Fly" to the original program. A fine outing.

Tracks
-1.  Room 3 (Coles)
-2.  Where ? (Weston)
-3.  Come Rain or Come Shine (Arlen, Mercer)
-4.  Hi-Fly [take 5] (Weston)
-5.  Pretty Strange (Hendricks, Weston)
-6.  If I Should Lose You (Rainger, Robin)
-7.  Babe's Blues (Weston)
-8.  Hi-Fly [take 2]* (Weston)

Personnel
* Johnny Coles - tp
* Kenny Drew - p [except # 2 & 7]
* Randy Weston - p [# 2 & 7]
* Peck Morrison - b
* Charli(e) Persip - dr

 

31 May, 2013

Oscar Peterson - The Paris Concert (1978)

Oscar Peterson - The Paris Concert (1978)
jazz | 2cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 535MB
Pablo 2PACD 2620-112
Allmusic:
Pianist Oscar Peterson made so many recordings for Norman Granz's Pablo label (and was so consistent) that while all of his records are recommended, it is difficult to pick out any one as the definitive or essential release. This two-CD set (a straight reissue of the original two-LP release) features Peterson with an all-star trio, a unit comprised of guitarist Joe Pass and bassist Niels Pedersen. Just 16 days later Peterson would record The London Concert with a different trio. This time around he mostly sticks to standards but includes three songs associated with Benny Goodman (including the riff-filled "Benny's Bugle"), features Pass (who contributed his original "Gentle Tears") unaccompanied on "Lover Man" and really romps with his fellow virtuosoes on such numbers as "Ornithology," "Donna Lee" and "Sweet Georgia Brown."

Tracks
cd1
-1. "Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone" (Sidney Clare, Sam H. Stept) – 6:54
-2. "Who Can I Turn To?" (Leslie Bricusse, Anthony Newley) – 8:09
-3. "Benny's Bugle" (Benny Goodman) – 6:09
-4. "Soft Winds" (Goodman, Fletcher Henderson) – 8:26
-5. "Goodbye" (Gordon Jenkins) – 6:19
-6. "Place St. Henri" (Oscar Peterson) – 5:01
cd2
-1. Medley: "Manha de Carnaval"/"If" (Luiz Bonfá)/(David Gates) – 9:33
-2. "Ornithology" (Benny Harris, Charlie Parker) – 4:46
-3. "Blue Lou" (Irving Mills, Edgar Sampson) – 3:28
-4. "How Long Has This Been Going On?" (George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin) – 5:10
-5. "Gentle Tears" (Joe Pass) – 6:33
-6. "Lover Man (Oh Where Can You Be?)" (J Davis, Roger ("Ram") Ramirez, J Sherman) – 5:04
-7. "Samba de Orfeu" (Bonfá, Antônio Maria) – 4:36
-8. "Donna Lee" (Miles Davis) – 2:45
-9. "Sweet Georgia Brown" (Ben Bernie, Kenneth Casey, Maceo Pinkard) – 6:24

Personnel

* Oscar Peterson – piano
* Joe Pass – guitar
* Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen – double bass

 

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