Modern Jazz Quartet - Dedicated To Connie (1960)

Modern Jazz Quartet - Dedicated To Connie (1960)

jazz | 2cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 595MB

Atlantic

Allmusic:
After drummer Connie Kay passed away, this previously unreleased concert, recorded in Slovenia in 1960, was issued on a double CD and dedicated to him. The Modern Jazz Quartet (which also includes pianist John Lewis, vibraphonist Milt Jackson and bassist Percy Heath) is heard in surprisingly inspired form playing their usual repertoire of the time. Highlights include a 23-minute medley of John Lewis compositions, "Bag's Groove," "It Don't Mean a Thing," "Django," "How High the Moon" and "Skating in Central Park." Lewis has stated that the group never played better than during this concert. Although that statement is debatable, the MJQ certainly sounds in prime form throughout the easily recommended release.

Tracks
cd1
-1. "The Little Comedy/La Cantatrice/Harlequin/Fontessa" - Lewis - 23:05
-2. "'Round Midnight" - Hanighen, Monk, Williams - 4:09
-3. "The Cylinder" - Jackson - 6:02
-4. "Bags' Groove" - Jackson - 5:28
-5. "Odds Against Tomorrow" - Lewis - 8:12
-6. "It Don't Mean a Thing (If ItAin't Got That Swing)" - Ellington, Mills - 5:13
-7. "A Social Call" - Lewis - 4:52
cd2
-1. "Django" - Lewis - 4:40
-2. "I Should Care" - Cahn, Stordahl, Weston - 6:14
-3. "How High the Moon" - Hamilton, Lewis - 7:51
-4. "Colombine/Pulcinella" - Lewis - 9:22
-5. "Spanish Steps" - Lewis - 4:08
-6. "Pyramid (Blues for Junior)" - Brown - 10:41
-7. "Milt Meets Sid" - Jackson - 3:40
-8. "I Remember Clifford" - Golson, Hendricks - 6:03
-9. "Vendome" - Lewis - 2:42
-10. "Skating in Central Park" - Lewis - 6:10
Recorded live in Ljubljana, Slovenia on May 27, 1960.

Personnel
* John Lewis (piano)
* Milt Jackson (vibraharp)
* Percy Heath (bass)
* Connie Kay (drums)

sample & buy: Dedicated to Connie

Louis Smith - Here Comes Louis Smith (1957) (20b SBM)

Louis Smith - Here Comes Louis Smith (1957)

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

Blue Note | Connoisseur Edition 20-bit SBM

Allmusic:
Louis Smith had a brilliant debut on this Blue Note album, his first of two before becoming a full-time teacher. The opener (Duke Pearson's "Tribute to Brownie") was a perfect piece for Smith to interpret, since his style was heavily influenced by Clifford Brown (who had died the previous year). He is also in excellent form on four of his basic originals and takes a particularly memorable solo on a haunting rendition of "Stardust." Altoist Cannonball Adderley (who used the pseudonym of "Buckshot La Funke" on this set, a name later used by Branford Marsalis), Duke Jordan or Tommy Flanagan on piano, bassist Doug Watkins, and drummer Art Taylor make for a potent supporting cast, but the focus is mostly on the criminally obscure Louis Smith. After cutting his second Blue Note set and switching to teaching, Smith would not record again as a leader until 1978. All bop and '50s jazz fans are strongly advised to pick up this CD reissue before it disappears.

Tracks
-1. "Tribute to Brownie" (Duke Pearson) - 6:38
-2. "Brill's Blues" - 8:22
-3. "Ande" - 6:42
-4. "Stardust" (Hoagy Carmichael) - 5:20
-5. "South Side" - 8:38
-6. "Val's Blues" - 6:37
All compositions by Louis Smith except as indicated
Recorded at Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, New Jersey on February 4 (tracks 1, 2 & 5) and February 9 (tracks 3, 4 & 6), 1957.

Personnel
* Louis Smith - trumpet
* Cannonball Adderley (credited as "Buckshot LeFonque") - alto saxophone (tracks 1-3, 5 & 6)
* Tommy Flanagan (tracks 3, 4 & 6), Duke Jordan (tracks 1, 2 & 5) - piano
* Doug Watkins - bass
* Art Taylor - drums

sample & buy: Here Comes Louis Smith

 

Big Satan - Live in Cognito (2006)

Big Satan - Live in Cognito (2006)

jazz | 2cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 960MB

Screwgun

allaboutjazz:
Some bands are best experienced live. There's simply no denying the energy and element of surprise that occurs when playing in front of an audience. In recent years, advances in technology and a corresponding reduction in costs have closed the gap between studio and concert recordings to the point where an increasing number of artists now favor live recordings—some, like pianist Keith Jarrett, exclusively so. Livein Cognito isn't Big Satan's first live recording, but given that this trio has convened at irregular intervals for a over decade, it's undeniably its best.
Unlike Tim Berne's other groups—Science Friction, Hard Cell and the wholly improvisational Paraphrase—Big Satan is a more democratic collective which splits compositional duties between the saxophonist and guitarist Marc Ducret. Ducret is a charter member of Science Friction, as well as two earlier Berne groups, Bloodcount and Caos Totale, so there's plenty of shared history that gives both writers an equally shared vision in providing material for Big Satan. Tom Rainey has been Berne's exclusive drummer of choice for ten years, and while he may not contribute formal composition, he's an equal partner when it comes to shaping the trio's sound.
It's a surprisingly big sound for a group that has nothing anchoring the bottom end. Bass-less groups are hardly unique these days, but Big Satan has always differentiated itself through its complete avoidance of apportioning out what might be considered a bassist's role amongst its members. Rainey often anchors the trio rhythmically when the emphasis is on form; but regardless of the composer, it's usually so idiosyncratic that one may feel a pulse, but most will be challenged to actually define it.
Even given the opportunity to watch the group, its ability to navigate between spontaneity and tight structure is remarkable. This is not music for the faint at heart, but it's far removed from a style that some consider disconnected navel-gazing. If the abstruseness of the writing and improvisation seems to mask a greater purpose on first glance, repeated listens reveal a responsive unit that, while no doubt capable of surprising itself at times, remains unequivocally intentioned.
As much focused on texture as phrasing, Berne, Ducret and Rainey are all capable of extending the sonic capabilities of their instruments beyond the expected. And while there's little here that could be called beautiful, the trio uses dynamics to create music that's emotionally far-reaching, with its own ebb and flow.
Dark and spacious in places, visceral, dense and penetrating in others, the impact of Livein Cognito can be heard in the audience's response. They may not always know how they're getting where they're going, but Big Satan fans can always be assured an intriguing trip.

Tracks
cd1
-1. "Deadpan" - 10:59
-2. "L'Ombra di Verdi" - 11:48
-3. "Untitled" - 14:13
-4. "Ce Sont les Noms des Mots" - 17:05
-5. "Un Peu d'Histoire" - 9:36
cd2
-1. "Mechanicals Failure" - 10:30
-2. "Mr. Subliminal" - 12:32
-3. "Untitled" - 16:19
-4. "The Mini-Bar Incident" - 11:00
-5. "Cause and Reflect" - 11:27
-6. "BG... uh-oh" - 9:14

Personnel
* Marc Ducret: guitar
* Tom Rainey: drums
* Tim Berne: saxophone

sample & buy: Live in Cognito

Dexter Gordon - Daddy Plays The Horn (1955)

Dexter Gordon - Daddy Plays The Horn (1955)

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

Betlehem/Avenue

Allmusic:
During a period of Dexter Gordon's (tenor sax) life -- when he was deep in the throws of chronic drug addiction -- the artist was miraculously able to reignite his career during the latter part of 1955. After several years of being out of the spotlight, Gordon resurfaced on the Big Apple-based indie Bethlehem imprint with the half-dozen sides that comprise Daddy Plays the Horn (1956). Joining him as key constituents of the credited Dexter Gordon Quartet are Kenny Drew (piano), Leroy Vinnegar (bass), and Larry Marable (drums). While the support team provides Gordon top-notch contributions throughout, it is unquestionably Drew who offers the most in terms of active interaction and his prominence can not be overstated. Nowhere is that as noticeable as the good-natured interaction heard on the disc's opener, the Gordon-penned title composition "Daddy Plays the Horn." In fact it could be argued that Drew enhances the tenor to the point of practically being a co-leader. The update of Charlie "Bird" Parker's bop standard "Confirmation" is taken at a steady mid-tempo pace, allowing plenty of room for the participants to have their say and not get in the way of the melody. Gordon seems considerably more relaxed and comfortable as he spreads line upon line of inspired improvisation. Drew is once again a real treat to hear briefly taking charge of the rhythm section. The pair of ballads on Daddy Plays the Horn are nothing short of stellar and stand as simple, emotive expressions unto themselves. "Darn That Dream" embraces the warmth of Gordon's tenor as his sensual phrasing leaves just enough space for Drew to sonically bridge the gap with his own unhurried and stylish chords. The generically monikered "Number Four" is anything but ordinary. The Gordon original jumps right from the opening and the ensemble lets loose with equally solid licks beneath his cool tone. Drew gets in the driver's seat missing nary a measure to reveal what could easily be his most tasteful contributions to date. The same can be said of bassist Vinnegar, who is briefly spotlighted on an efficient (if not somewhat sparse) solo. "Autumn in New York" -- the album's other essential ballad -- is proof that despite Gordon's addiction, he had retained his singular and precious sense of lyricism. Indeed, the Great American Songbook entry has rarely been permeated in such a meaningful way. The seamless transitions between Gordon and Drew are further evidence of their undeniable bond. Saving what may be the best example of the gathered instrumentalists flexing their respective be-bop muscle, "You Can Depend on Me" rounds out the platter with a bang. Each bandmember gets a final opportunity to shine -- which they individually take full advantage of. In 2005, the Shout! Factory label reissued Daddy Plays the Horn, placing the six selections in the correct running order, and the digital remastering by Randy Perry has the classic sounding better than ever.

Tracks
-1. "Number Four" (9:08)
-2. "Autumn in New York" (7:50)
-3. "You Can Depend On Me" (4:21)
-4. "Daddy Plays the Horn" (4:51)
-5. "Confirmation" (6:30)
-6. "Darn That Dream" (8:59)

Personnel
* Dexter Gordon — tenor saxophone
* Kenny Drew — Piano
* Leroy Vinnegar — Bass
* Lawrence Marable — Drums

sample & buy: Daddy Plays the Horn
 

Rempis Percussion Quartet - Hunter-Gatherers (2007)

Rempis Percussion Quartet - Hunter-Gatherers (2007)

jazz | 2cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 355MB

482 Music

Allmusic:
Recorded live on tour at the Hunter-Gatherer club in Columbia, South Carolina, this double CD is the third release from saxophonist Dave Rempis' The Rempis Percussion Quartet, and a logical progression for what has been called one of the best live bands in Chicago.
Rempis' most high profile gig is providing the improvisational firepower to the frontline of the Vandermark 5, but his saxophones are increasingly featured in a range of bands on the fertile Chicago scene. The Percussion Quartet reunites him with Vandermark 5 drummer, Tim Daisy, Frank Rosaly, also behind the trapset, and Anton Hatwich on bass—all regular collaborators in each others projects.
The sleeve notes state that all the music is fully improvised—a necessary disclosure as a cursory listen could easily impute compositional intent to several of the lengthy extemporizations. Such group cohesion is evident in the often steady pulse, either upfront or implied, from the tandem percussionists.
Rempis' fluent outpourings frequently turn lyrical, which when allied with his use of repetition to provide structure, often suggests the preconceived. While at his most freewheeling on alto saxophone, Rempis covers all the bases, getting down and dirty on baritone, preaching on tenor, but still skronking and squealing as the moment demands. Hatwich's bass alternates between roles as a free agent—providing commentary—and the anchoring to freer flights of fancy. When drums, bass and saxophone lock onto a riff, they don't let go, constituting a unit of fearsome power. The two drummers largely operate in close proximity, playing around and through each others patterns, and while there are moments of delicacy and calm, it is the rhythmic attack which sticks in memory.
The band stretches out in the live setting with three of the cuts clocking in at between eighteen and twenty seven minutes, and it is to their credit that they sustain the interest over the longer pieces, which evolve through multiple sections. The compelling opener "A Night At The Ranch Part 1 sets out the bands stall, pitching driving alto against bustling polyrhythms. By contrast, "The Bus and the Canyon starts out soulful before a bass solo leads into a dark riff. Each piece encompasses several moods, defying simple characterization. Of the shorter pieces, "Black Book quickly gets into a stomping groove and stays there, while the closing "Larks and Loons is a playful alto jaunt over restrained, but nonetheless buoyant percussion and bass.
While the sound is a perfectly acceptable for a live recording, I wish there was some stereo separation between the two percussionists. Jazz is all about interaction, and when it you can't tell who plays what or when, then there is a dimension missing. That gripe aside this is an exciting set and a fascinating take on the art of long form free jazz improvisation.

Tracks
cd1:
-1. "A Night At The Ranch pt1" - 18:29
-2. "The Bus And The Canyon" - 27:28
cd2:
-1. "More Green Than Giraffe" - 23:25
-2. "Black Book" - 11:17
-3. "A Night At The Ranch pt2" - 8:47
-4. "Larks And Loons" - 6:58

Personnel
* Dave Rempis: alto, tenor and baritone saxophones
* Anton Hatwich: bass
* Frank Rosaly: percussion
* Tim Daisy: percussion

sample & buy: Hunter-Gatherers

 

Hampton Hawes - All Night Session! vol 1-3

Hampton Hawes - All Night Session! vol 1-3

jazz | 3cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 225+230+225MB

OJC

Allmusic:
vol 1: On the night of November 12 and into the morning of November 13, 1956, a quartet led by pianist Hampton Hawes recorded enough material to fill three long-playing phonograph record albums. This studio session contained many elements associated with a live gig: the work took place during regular nightclub performing hours, the improvisations were mostly extended, and there were no alternate takes. A remarkable freshness and spontaneity prevailed throughout the session. Although controversy continues regarding the original sequence of titles, Duke Jordan's "Jordu" and Dizzy Gillespie's "Groovin' High" are superb openers for this first of three volumes. In addition to an invigorating run down "Broadway," Hawes improvised two original themes: "Takin' Care" and a bluesy walk entitled "Hampton's Pulpit" that stretched out for more than 11 minutes, making it the longest track of the entire all-night session. Collaborating with the pianist on this historic date were guitarist Jim Hall, bassist Red Mitchell, and drummer Eldridge "Bruz" Freeman. The interplay between these four men is marvelous, particularly when heard with headphones or through a sound system allowing for a full appreciation of the stereophonic balance achieved by the recording engineers.
vol 2: This is the second of three albums that came about as the result of an all-night recording session that took place in Los Angeles on November 12 and 13, 1956. Although Hampton Hawes spontaneously created five original tunes at this extraordinarily inspired date, everything on Vol. 2 comes directly out of the standard bop musician's working repertoire. The quartet, with bassist Red Mitchell, guitarist Jim Hall, and drummer Eldridge "Bruz" Freeman, collectively improvise their way through four attractive standards ("I Should Care" turned out to be the only slow ballad of the entire session) and three of Dizzy Gillespie's most refreshing creations. In 1958 Hawes was quoted as saying "It's hard to put into words how good it feels to play jazz when it's really swinging...I've reached a point where the music fills you up so much emotionally that you feel like shouting hallelujah -- like people do in church when they're converted to God. That's the way I was feeling the night we recorded All Night Session!"
vol 3 of the Hampton Hawes Quartet's All Night Session contains three spontaneously improvised variations on the blues, one very cool extended rendition of Duke Ellington's "Do Nothin' 'Till You Hear from Me" and a strikingly handsome treatment of Harold Arlen's "Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea." The briskly paced "Blues #4" is especially progressive and exciting. Apparently "Blues of a Sort" was a warm-up performance, as voices are audible (discussing a football game!) in the background during the bass solo. For this one-take marathon late-night session of November 12 and 13, 1956, Hawes chose to share the studio with guitarist Jim Hall, bassist Red Mitchell and drummer Eldridge "Bruz" Freeman, who had replaced Chuck Thompson following that musician's sudden inability to continue touring with the group earlier that year. "We gave Chuck what money we could and left him sitting on a hospital cot in a white bathrobe." This grim image, like much of Hawes' autobiography Raise Up Off Me, paints a stark picture of the narcotics epidemic among jazz musicians during the '50s. Although this was the first peak of his career, Hawes later admitted that "during the fall of 1956 I was messing up consistently -- showing late on gigs or missing them altogether." He had lots of offers for work, including the possibility of providing music for a film soundtrack: "Wanted to do it, would have paid good, but at the time I didn't even have the bread to get high enough to get to the studio to see what they had in mind." One of the great incongruities of bop is the fact that Charlie Parker and the musicians who were most directly influenced by him were able to be so creative and prolific while grappling with addictions that confounded, immobilized, and eventually slew them. All of these insights quietly swarm beneath the surface of what added up to more than two hours of exceptionally fine quartet jazz.

Tracks
-1. "Jordu" - Jordan - 7:07
-2. "Groovin' High" - Coburn, Gillespie, Parker, Rose… - 5:48
-3. "Takin' Care" - Hawes - 8:09
-4. "Broadway" - Bird, Henderson, McRae, Wood - 6:54
-5. "Hampton's Pulpit" - Hawes - 11:14
--
-1. "I'll Remember April" - DePaul, Johnston, Raye - 7:02
-2. "I Should Care" - Cahn, Stordahl, Weston - 4:23
-3. "Woody 'n You" - Gillespie - 5:41
-4. "Two Bass Hit" - Gillespie, Lewis - 2:50
-5. "Will You Still Be Mine?" - Adair, Dennis - 6:55
-6. "April in Paris" - Duke, Harburg - 7:30
-7. "Blue 'n' Boogie" - Gillespie, Paparelli - 8:11
--
-1. "Do Nothin' Till You Hear fromMe" - Ellington, Russell - 11:03
-2. "Blues, No. 3" - Hawes - 7:38
-3. "Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea" - Arlen, Koehler - 11:00
-4. "Blues, No. 4" - Hawes - 6:17
-5. "Blues of a Sort" - Hawes - 5:37

Personnel
* Hampton Hawes - piano
* Jim Hall - guitar
* Red Mitchell - bass
* Bruz Freeman - drums

sample & buy: All Night Session

 

Ketil Bjornstad - The Sea II (1998)

Ketil Bjornstad - The Sea II (1998)

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

ECM

Allmusic:
Pianist Ketil Bjørnstad's quartet set with cellist David Darling, guitarist Terje Rypdal, and drummer Jon Christensen is almost a stereotype of an ECM release. His ten originals all set an introspective and mostly somber mood, their themes are less important than the atmosphere that they form, and the individual solos of the musicians are less significant than the ensemble sound. The general mood is a bit sleepy and the development from song to song is quite slow, although there are a few fiery and rockish solos from guitarist Rypdal. But overall, there is little on this well-played set that rises above the level of stimulating background music.

Tracks
-01. "Laila" - 5:26
-02. "Outward Bound" - 4:52
-03. "Brand" - 5:46
-04. "The Mother" - 4:24
-05. "Song for a Planet" - 4:04
-06. "Consequences" ( Darling, Jon Christensen, K Bjørnstad, Terje Rypdal) - 6:28
-07. "Agnes" - 4:26
-08. "Mime" - 4:22
-09. "December" - 3:18
-10. "South" - 4:49
All compositions by Ketil Bjørnstad except as indicated

Personnel
* Ketil Bjørnstad - piano
* Terje Rypdal - guitar
* David Darling - cello
* Jon Christensen - drums

sample & buy: Sea 2