Stan Getz - Cafe Montmartre (1987&91)

Stan Getz - Cafe Montmartre (1987&91)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 390MB

Universal 2002

Allmusic:
Before his death after a several year battle with cancer, Stan Getz continued to release a flurry of outstanding recordings. Cafe Montmartre is a compilation of several live performances at the famous Copenhagen club with pianist Kenny Barron, selected from three earlier CDs, the 1987 quartet dates Anniversary! and Serenity, plus the two-disc set People Time from 1991. Getz was a masterful ballad interpreter and delivers with the mournful tribute "I Remember Clifford" and an absolutely haunting, emotionally charged take of Billy Strayhorn's "Blood Count" (written as its composer lay dying of cancer). Barron makes a strong case as one of Getz's very best accompanists, while bassist Rufus Reid and drummer Ben Riley (present only on the 1987 material), are also superb. With the tenor saxophonist and his musicians delivering one outstanding take after another on the original releases, it must have been very difficult to choose only nine of the 26; those on a budget will want this anthology, but Getz fans owe it to themselves to seek out the complete original discs instead.

Tracks
-01. "People TimeSee All" - 6:10
-02. "I Thought About You" - 8:07
-03. "Soul Eyes" - 7:20
-04. "I Can't Get Started" - 11:12
-05. "I'm Okay" - 5:21
-06. "Falling In Love" - 9:00
-07. "I Remember Clifford" - 8:51
-08. "Blood Count" - 4:04
-09. "First Song (For Ruth)" - 10:02

Personnel
* Sran Getz -sax- 1987, 91
* Kenny Barron -piano- 1987, 91
* Rufus Reid -double bass- 1987
* Victor Lewis -drums- 1987

 sample & buy: Cafe Montmartre

 

Stan Getz - What The World Needs Now (1966 & 68)

Stan Getz  - What The World Needs Now (1966&68)

Stan Getz Plays Bacharach and David

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

Verve

Allmusic:
Long ignored by jazz folk who once thought the music of Burt Bacharach was beneath contempt, Stan Getz's collection of Bacharach-iana was no doubt rushed back into print in 1998 by the surprising resurgence of the composer's popularity among Generation X. Truth to tell, though, is that this isn't one of Getz's better gigs; his tone is not in the best of shape, and he sounds bored with some of the tunes (like lazily throwing in a jaded quote from "Tea for Two" in the middle of "Alfie"). However, "Any Old Time of the Day" is pretty good, as is "Trains and Boats and Planes," and "A House Is Not a Home" really engages Getz's attention (it is the only track to top four minutes in length). Richard Evans supplies the routine string and brass charts on most of the tracks; Claus Ogerman kicks in some others on three tracks, including some thoroughly useless voices. There are some top-flight jazzmen in the ranks -- Herbie Hancock, Jim Hall, Kenny Burrell, Chick Corea, Phil Upchurch -- but listeners only get to hear the latter two in the solo spotlight. The original 11-track LP is topped off on CD by worthy outtakes of "A House Is Not a Home" and "In Between the Heartaches" along with, inexplicably, two versions of "Tara's Theme" by Max Steiner, whom even the deaf would not mistake for Burt Bacharach.

Tracks
-01. "Wives and Lovers" - Bacharach, David - 3:36
-02. "Windows of the World" - Bacharach, David - 2:43
-03. "The Look of Love" - Bacharach, David - 2:39
-04. "Any Old Time of Day" - Bacharach, David - 3:33
-05. "Alfie" - Bacharach, David - 2:51
-06. "In Times Like These" - Bacharach, David - 2:44
-07. "A House Is Not a Home [Master Take]" - Bacharach, David - 4:13
-08. "Trains and Boats and Planes" - Bacharach, David - 3:01
-09. "What the World Needs Now Is Love" - Bacharach, David - 2:58
-10. "In Between the Heartaches [Edited Master Take]" - Bacharach, David - 2:17
-11. "Walk on By" - Bacharach, David - 3:32
-12. "A House Is Not a Home" - Bacharach, David - 4:25
-13. "In Between the Heartaches" - Bacharach, David - 2:35
-14. "My Own True Love" - David, Steiner - 2:29
-15. "Tara's Theme" - Steiner - 2:36

 sample & buy: What The World Needs Now

 

Stan Getz & Bob Brookmeyer - Recorded Fall (1961)

Stan Getz & Bob Brookmeyer - Recorded Fall (1961)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 315MB

Verve Master Edition

Allmusic:
Shortly after returning to the U.S. (following three years in Copenhagen) Stan Getz had a musical reunion with Bob Brookmeyer. As usual the cool-toned tenor blends in very well with the valve trombonist and, backed by a fine rhythm section (pianist Steve Kuhn, bassist John Neves and drummer Roy Haynes), they perform three Brookmeyer pieces (including one titled "Minuet Circa '61"), two standards and Buck Clayton's "Love Jumped Out." This little-known session is often quite memorable.

Tracks
-1. "Minuet Circa '61" (Bob Brookmeyer) - 10:38
-2. "Who Could Care?" (Brookmeyer) - 4:46
-3. "Nice Work If You Can Get It" (George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin) - 5:58
-4. "Thump, Thump, Thump" (Brookmeyer) - 6:52
-5. "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square" (Eric Maschwitz, Manning Sherwin) - 6:59
-6. "Love Jumped Out" (Buck Clayton) - 7:46

Personnel
* Bob Brookmeyer - valve trombone
* Stan Getz - tenor saxophone
* Steve Kuhn - piano
* John Neves - double bass
* Roy Haynes - drums

sample & buy: Recorded Fall 1961

Dizzy Gillespie, Stan Getz - Diz And Getz (1955)

Dizzy Gillespie, Stan Getz - Diz And Getz (1955)

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

Verve

Allmusic:
Dizzy Gillespie was at the peak of his powers throughout the 1950s, still the pacesetter among trumpeters. This CD matches Dizzy with Stan Getz, the Oscar Peterson Trio and drummer Max Roach. Getz, although identified with the "cool" school, thrived on competition and is both relaxed and combative on the uptempo explorations of "It Don't Mean a Thing" and "Impromptu."

Tracks
-1. "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" (Duke Ellington, Irving Mills) – 6:40
-2. "I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart" (Ellington, Mills, Henry Nemo, John Redmond) – 6:19
-3. "Exactly Like You" (Dorothy Fields, Jimmy McHugh) – 5:01
-4. "It's the Talk of the Town" (Jerry Livingston, Al J. Neiburg, Marty Symes) – 6:55
-5. "Impromptu" (Dizzy Gillespie) – 7:50
-6. "One Alone" (Gillespie) – 3:04
-7. "Girl of My Dreams" (Sunny Clapp) – 3:19
-8. "Siboney, Pt. 1" (Ernesto Lecuona, Theodora Morse) – 4:23
-9. "Siboney, Pt. 2" – 4:10

Personnel
* Dizzy Gillespie – trumpet
* Stan Getz - tenor saxophone
* Herb Ellis - guitar
* Oscar Peterson – piano
* Ray Brown – double bass
* Max Roach - drums

sample & buy: Diz and Getz

Stan Getz - Complete Roost Recordings (1950-54)

Stan Getz - Complete Roost Recordings (1950-54)

jazz | 3cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 570MB

Roost/Capitol | rel: 1997

Allmusic:
The Complete Roost Recordings is a three-disc, 59-track box set that contains all of the recordings Stan Getz made for the Roost Record label in the '50s. The set includes all of his officially released sessions -- including the date led by guitarist Johnny Smith, the live performances with Count Basie, and a full disc of live performances with his quintet -- as well as many unreleased and alternate takes. Roost was the first label Getz recorded for as a leader, and what's surprising about these sessions is how mature he sounds here. He had already arrived at his full, rich tone and was able to improvise with skill and grace. That's what makes this box set so rewarding -- it's not only historically important, but it offers a wealth of excellent music.

59 track on 3 cd

Personnel
*Stan Getz (tenor saxophone);
*Billie Holiday (vocals);
*Al Haig, Horace Silver, Duke Jordan Sanfold Gold, Jimmy Raney (piano);
*Johnny Smith Tommy Potter, Joe Gallaway, Leonard Gaskin, Eddie Safranski (guitar);
*Bob Carter, Roy Haynes, Walter Bolden, Don Lamond, Frank Isola (drums);
*Leonard Gaskin, Bill Crow, Eddie Safranski (bass)
and others

sample & buy: Complete Roost Recordings

Stan Getz and J.J. Johnson - At The Opera House (1957)

Stan Getz and J.J. Johnson - At The Opera House (1957)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 440MB

Verve

Allmusic:
Whatever Norman Granz was using as a thinking man's energy drink in 1957 when he formulated this Jazz at the Philharmonic all-star band should be bottled and sold to the world. This stroke of genius was manifested in pairing Stan Getz with J.J. Johnson, backing them up with pianist Oscar Peterson's legendary trio including bassist Ray Brown and guitarist Herb Ellis, and adding MJQ drummer Connie Kay to this truly classic jazz sextet. Two JATP concerts done in Chicago (in stereo) and Los Angeles (in mono) comprise this expanded edition CD, with some stretched-out jams, repeat tunes, and extra material. Originally tabbed as an unusual teaming of tenor sax and trombone, the two principals sound well-suited, very compatible in their dynamic levels, and especially congruous when they play together, while Peterson is absolutely supportive so that these two giants of jazz can cut loose. The shorter concert in Chi-Town has the band absolutely on fire from the get-go, burning up the definitive bop flag-waver "Billie's Bounce" over ten minutes of hard-swinging perfection. Neither Getz nor Johnson had ever played the Charlie Parker evergreen before, nor had either of them done "My Funny Valentine," offered here with Getz's lead line as the trombonist follows gently in his footsteps via a midtempo pace. The swing-era standard "Crazy Rhythm" is cranked up very fast, and features a clever harmony from Johnson, while "Blues in the Closet" closes the show with the simplest bop idea turned into a brilliant, long-winded discourse from all the participants. For the L.A. show, the program also starts with "Billie's Bounce," done differently on the harmonic end just for kicks, while "My Funny Valentine" uses a completely different introduction from the horns. Peterson charges up "Crazy Rhythm" as the sax and 'bone play more in sync, while "Blues in the Closet" again closes the set, but is much shorter, faster, and a bit sloppy at the outset. The add-ons include a short (under four-minute) and easygoing feature for Johnson on "Yesterdays" and another brief rendering of the ballad "It Never Entered My Mind," exclusively for the soulful Getz and a more pronounced Ellis. The extraordinary playing by these expert jazzmen elevates this album to legendary status. It is some of their best work (from a pivotal year in modern jazz recording), and a shining example of how professionally Granz could mix and match musicians to form optimal results.

Tracks
-01. "Billie's Bounce" (Charlie Parker) – 9:45
-02. "My Funny Valentine" (Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart) – 8:10
-03 ."Crazy Rhythm" (Irving Caesar, Joseph Meyer, Roger Wolfe Kahn) – 7:59
-04. "Blues In the Closet" (Oscar Pettiford) – 9:04
-05. "Billie's Bounce" – 7:57
-06. "My Funny Valentine" – 8:28
-07. "Crazy Rhythm" – 7:47
-08. "Yesterdays" (Jerome Kern, Otto Harbach) – 3:42
-09. "It Never Entered My Mind" (Rodgers, Hart) – 3:52
-10. "Blues In the Closet" – 6:18

Personnel
* Stan Getz – tenor saxophone
* J.J. Johnson – trombone
* Oscar Peterson – piano
* Herb Ellis – guitar
* Ray Brown – double bass
* Connie Kay – drums

sample & buy: At the Opera House

Stan Getz - Stan Getz with Cal Tjader (XRCD) (1958)

Stan Getz - Stan Getz with Cal Tjader (1958)

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

JVC XRCD

Allmusic:
In the vein of many a smooth West Coast jazz outing, this 1958 disc finds original cool stylist Getz paired with vibraphonist Cal Tjader on a very enjoyable selection of jazz standards and Tjader originals. The lineup includes pianist Vince Guaraldi, guitarist Eddie Duran, bassist Scott La Faro, and drummer Billy Higgins (this was one of the earliest record dates for either La Faro or Higgins, both of whom were playing with Getz at San Francisco's Black Hawk in between recording sessions). Guaraldi's spry "Ginza Samba" kicks thing off with nimble and imaginative statements by all the soloists. Tjader's swinging originals "Crow's Nest" and "Big Bear" provide prime solo vehicles as well, while his lovely waltz number "Liz-Anne" adds some nice contrast to the set, eliciting one of Getz's best solos in the process. The group rounds things out with fine ballad readings of "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face" and "For All We Know." A suitable title for both Getz and Tjader fans. Highly recommended.

Tracks
-1. "Ginza Samba" - Guaraldi - 11:01
-2. "I've Grown Accustomed to HerFace" - Lerner, Loewe - 4:00
-3. "For All We Know" - Coots, Lewis - 5:45
-4. "Crow's Nest" - Tjader - 8:22
-5. "Liz Anne" - Tjader - 3:49
-6. "Big Bear" - Tjader - 4:35
-7. "My Buddy" - Donaldson, Kahn - 5:15
Recorded at Circle Record Studios, San Francisco, California on February 8, 1958.

Personnel
*Stan Getz (tenor saxophone)
*Cal Tjader (vibes)
*Eddie Duran (guitar)
*Vince Guaraldi (piano)
*Billy Higgins (drums)
*Scott LaFaro (bass)

sample & buy: Stan Getz with Cal Tjader (XRCD)

Bill Evans feat. Stan Getz - But Beautiful (1974) (eac-log-cover)

Bill Evans feat. Stan Getz - But Beautiful (1974)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 390MB

Milestone | MCD9249-2

Allmusic:
Stan Getz and Bill Evans initially worked on a recording in 1964 that, much like the Getz collaboration with Gary Burton entitled Nobody Else But Me, was done on the heels of the saxophonist's commercial success in the bossa nova arena. Both efforts were scrapped and laid on the shelf to gather dust, and were eventually issued for the first time some decades later. The Getz/Burton quartet was a touring unit, whereas in 1974 Evans and Getz performed live concerts in Europe, the source material for these dates, recorded by Radio One in Antwerp, Belgium, and NOS in Laren, The Netherlands. Even after a rehearsal, the pairing of Getz with the longstanding trio of Evans featuring drummer Marty Morell and bassist Eddie Gomez for both concerts had their rough moments, tense occurrences, and in one instance, Evans laying out entirely or playing without the tenor saxophonist. It is also assumable that there was additional material not included that might have been more of a train wreck. Of course, it would be difficult for these absolute masters of jazz to play anything less than very good music, but the flaws here are evident. A version of "Funkallero" has Getz rushing through and playing barely a half chorus on the melody before stepping aside. The most evident problem is during "Stan's Blues," where Evans barely plays at all, and at the end of the program the trio seems liberated without Getz, waltzing through blue fields in playful, childlike fashion à la Dave Brubeck or Vince Guaraldi on "See Saw" and the mostly improvised take of "Lover Man." A version of the Jimmy Rowles evergreen "The Peacocks" is a piano/sax duet that ranges from pensive to brooding. The band does get it together -- albeit in spurts -- starting with the chamber inspiration of Evans on "Grandfather's Waltz" evoking the lilting tenor of Getz, and continuing with the absolutely gorgeous "But Beautiful" with a sighing sound from Getz and the always lovely "Emily" and "Lover Man," a bit stock and phoned in, but still breathtaking. The highs and lows of jazz are all too telling on this recording, where one has to wonder what the audiences were feeling and thinking as this battle of the wills went on for all to witness. Nonetheless the sound quality is good, and this will be one completists will want to add to their Evans and Getz collections.

Tracks
-01. "Grandfather's Waltz" (Farnlof, Lees) – 7:45
-02. "Stan's Blues" (Getz, Gryce) – 5:32
-03. "But Beautiful" (Burke, VanHeusen) – 5:26
-04. "Emily" (Johnny Mandel, Johnny Mercer) – 5:26
-05. "Lover Man" (Davis, Ramirez, Sherman) – 7:50
-06. "Funkallero" (Bill Evans) – 6:18
-07. "The Peacocks" (Rowles) – 6:47
-08. "You and the Night and the Music" (Howard Dietz, Arthur Schwartz) – 7:24
-09. "See-Saw" (Coleman) – 6:22
-10. "The Two Lonely People" (Evans, Hall) – 7:58

Personnel
* Bill Evans – Piano
* Stan Getz – Sax (Tenor)
* Eddie Gomez – Bass
* Helen Keane – Producer
* Marty Morell – Drums

sample & buy: But Beautiful

Stan Getz - Sweet Rain (1967) (eac-log-cover)

Stan Getz - Sweet Rain (1967)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 210MB

Verve

Allmusic:
One of Stan Getz's all-time greatest albums, Sweet Rain was his first major artistic coup after he closed the book on his bossa nova period, featuring an adventurous young group that pushed him to new heights in his solo statements. Pianist Chick Corea, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Grady Tate were all schooled in '60s concepts of rhythm-section freedom, and their continually stimulating interplay helps open things up for Getz to embark on some long, soulful explorations (four of the five tracks are over seven minutes). The neat trick of Sweet Rain is that the advanced rhythm section work remains balanced with Getz's customary loveliness and lyricism. Indeed, Getz plays with a searching, aching passion throughout the date, which undoubtedly helped Mike Gibbs' title track become a standard after Getz's tender treatment here. Technical perfectionists will hear a few squeaks on the LP's second half (Getz's drug problems were reputedly affecting his articulation somewhat), but Getz was such a master of mood, tone, and pacing that his ideas and emotions are communicated far too clearly to nit-pick. Corea's spare, understated work leaves plenty of room for Getz's lines and the busily shifting rhythms of the bass and drums, heard to best effect in Corea's challenging opener "Litha." Aside from that and the title track, the repertoire features another Corea original ("Windows"), the typically lovely Jobim tune "O Grande Amor," and Dizzy Gillespie's Latin-flavored "Con Alma." The quartet's level of musicianship remains high on every selection, and the marvelously consistent atmosphere the album evokes places it among Getz's very best. A surefire classic.

Tracks
-1. "Litha" 8:22 (Chick Corea)
-2. "O Grande Amor" 4:42 (Antonio Carlos Jobim-Vinicius DeMoraes)
-3. "Sweet Rain" 7:09 (Mike Gibbs)
-4. "Con Alma" 8:05 (Dizzy Gillespie)
-5. "Windows" 8:57 (Chick Corea)

Personnel
* Stan Getz, Tenor Sax
* Ron Carter, Bass
* Grady Tate, Drums
* Chick Corea, Piano

sample & buy: Sweet Rain

Stan Getz - Serenity (1987) (eac-log-cover)

Stan Getz - Serenity (1987)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 340MB

Emarcy

Allmusic:
From the same sessions that resulted in Anniversary, Stan Getz celebrated his 60th birthday as he had his 50th, with a gig at the Cafe Montmartre in Copenhagen. Joined by pianist Kenny Barron, bassist Rufus Reid and drummer Victor Lewis, Getz (who only had four years left) plays in peak form, really stretching out on lengthy versions of three standards, Victor Feldman's "Falling in Love" and Kenny Barron's "Voyage." His solo on "I Remember You" is particularly strong.

Tracks
-1 - "On Green Dolphin Street" - 13:38
-2 - "Voyage" - 12:05
-3 - "Falling In Love" - 9:05
-4 - "I Remember You" - 10:08
-5 - "I Love You" - 10:57
Recorded live at the Montmartre Club, Copenhagen, Denmark on July 6, 1987.

Personnel
*Stan Getz (tenor saxophone);
*Kenny Barron (piano);
*Rufus Reid (bass);
*Victor Lewis (drums).

sample & buy:Serenity

Stan Getz - Anniversary (1987) (eac-log-cover)

Stan Getz - Anniversary (1987)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 390MB

Emarcy

Allmusic:
As he did to celebrate his 50th birthday, Stan Getz performed at the Montmartre Club in Copenhagen at the time of his 60th birthday. This enjoyable set (mostly lengthy versions of standards) finds the veteran tenor still very much in his prime and greatly assisted by pianist Kenny Barron, bassist Rufus Reid and drummer Victor Lewis. Worth picking up.

Tracks
-1 - "El Cahon" -13:18
-2 - "I Can't Get Started" -11:27
-3 - "Stella By Starlight" -12:33
-4 - "Stan's Blues2 Stan Getz -10:25
-5 - "I Thought About You" -8:20
-6 - "What Is This Thing Called Love?" -9:47
-7 - "Blood Count" -4:03
Recorded live at the Montmartre Club, Copenhagen, Denmark on July 6, 1987.

Personnel
*Stan Getz (tenor saxophone);
*Kenny Barron (piano);
*Rufus Reid (bass);
*Victor Lewis (drums).

sample & buy: Anniversary

Stan Getz & Chet Baker - Stan Meets Chet (1958) (eac-log-cover)

Stan Getz & Chet Baker - Stan Meets Chet (1958)

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

Verve | rar +5% recovery

AMG:
Tenor saxophonist Stan Getz and trumpeter Chet Baker never particularly liked each other and, even though they had musically compatible styles, they only worked together briefly in three periods. Their mutual hostility can be felt in subtle ways on this session which has been reissued on CD. Getz ignores Baker's attempt to state the melody of "I'll Remember April" and he plays it himself several bars after. The two horns do not meet at all on the ballad medley and, since Baker sits out on "Jordu," they only play together on two of the four performances. Getz battles a squeaky reed on "I'll Remember April" and Baker seems a bit subpar in general although he really digs in on "Half-Breed Apache" (a very fast "Cherokee"). So overall this CD (which also includes pianist Jodie Christian, bassist Victor Sproles, and drummer Marshall Thompson), even with some good moments, does not live up to its potential.

Tracks:
-1 - I'll Remember April DePaul, Johnston, Raye 12:24
-2 - Autumn in New York/Embraceable You/What's New? Duke 14:34
-3 - Jordu Jordan 8:31
-4 - Half-Breed Apache 14:49

Personnel:
Stan Getz (tenor saxophone)
Chet Baker (trumpet)
Jodie Christian (piano)
Victor Sproles (bass)
Marshall Thompson (drums)

 sample & buy

r c

Stan Getz - Dynasty 2cd (1971) (eac-flac-cover)

Stan Getz - Dynasty 2cd (1971)

jazz | 2cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 500MB

Verve | rar +5% recovery

AMG
When Stan Getz visited Paris to witness the French Open tennis matches, he would hang out at the Blue Note nightclub to hear how the locals did it, being told their jazz scene was not up to snuff. In London, he would pick up the European band he heard in Paris for an engagement at Ronnie Scott's. Because of his stature, Getz was able to grab the very best musicians the continent could provide, in this case the brilliant Belgian guitarist René Thomas, organist Eddy Louiss from Martinique, and French classical and jazz drummer Bernard Lubat. Bringing no charts of his own, Getz was happy to play the music of his bandmates, choosing virtually no standards, and fitting in beautifully with nary a hint of brandishing his famed ego to the proceedings. This original two-fer LP has been reissued on a double CD, a whopping 88 minutes of highlights over a three day span during an unprecedented three week engagement from this club date at the legendary venue owned the British fellow tenor saxophonist Scott. Perhaps there are some recordings with this combo featuring Scott sitting in with Getz, but that will have to wait for another recording. This one is excellently documented by Beatles producer George Martin, as every instrument is cleanly articulated and heard in pure, balanced form. Getz sounds comfortable and relaxed from the outset on one of five compositions brought by Louiss on "Dum! Dum," a light and breezy but mysterious tune with an implied bossa nova beat, while the title track is a blues shuffle road song, slightly funky, and a good test in regards to the dynamism of the quartet. Louiss, as gifted a jazz organist as any, digs in with splendid two fisted chords on his popping, fairly bluesy "Song for Martine," a tune just for fun that slips back into bossa. While Thomas is most outstanding on his incredible solos, he has room to contribute his "Ballad for Leo," not at all a ballad as the stabbing tones of the organist fire up everybody in a 6/8 framework. "Theme for Emmanuel" is as pretty a song as it gets, with the pristine, classical type free time repeat lines of Thomas opening up, then deferring to the swelling organ of Louiss as a foundation before busting out into the only hard bop swinger of the performance. The lone standard "Invitation" exploits another no time motif that only slightly builds in volume with the small organ of Louiss backing the consistently great guitar lines of Thomas. A truly sweet ballad, "Mona" is written by Albert Mangelsdorff in a manner that refutes the unabashed persona of the author/trombonist, as the silver lined threads of the organ weave through the extremely difficult, molasses slow rhythm. Getz himself is somewhat sublimated, playing his familiar melodically liquid and spare lines as heads and tails, likely in awe of the incredible band he stands alongside, and clearly reveres. He does a nice duet with Thomas on "Ballad for My Dad" waxing poetically over the repeat choruses of the masterful Thomas. Long out of print, Dynasty represents an interesting period in the artistic life of Getz, well out of pure bop, in between his commercial successes with Brazilian music, and on the verge of another phase of his life with fusion pioneers like Chick Corea. This is highly recommended, a solid effort from top to bottom. One quibble -- the name Eddy Louiss is constantly misspelled as Louise in credits, though it is correct in the liner notes.

Tracks
Disc 1
01 - Dum! Dum! Dum!
02 - Ballad For Leo
03 - Our Kind Of Sabi
04 - Mona
Disc 2
01 - Theme For Emmanuel
02 - Invitation
03 - Ballad For My Dad
04 - Song For Martine
05 - Dynasty

Personnel
Stan Getz (tenor saxophone);
René Thomas (guitar);
Eddy Louise (organ);
Bernard Lubat (drums)

sample & buy: Dynasty

Stan Getz - At The Shrine (1955) (eac-flac-cover)

Stan Getz - At The Shrine (1955)

jazz | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 305MB

Verve | rar +5% recovery

AMG
Tenor Stan Getz and valve-trombonist Bob Brookmeyer made a mutually beneficial team. Although they had not played together all that much in 1954 (Brookmeyer had left Getz's band earlier in the year to join the Gerry Mulligan Quartet), the strong musical communication between the two horns during this CD reissue is obvious. Eight of the ten selections are from a live concert (with pianist John Williams, bassist Bill Anthony and drummer Art Mardigan) while the final two numbers (on what was originally a pair of LPs) were cut in the studio the following day with the same personnel except that Frank Isola was on drums. Highlights of this cool-toned bop music (which, in addition to the solos, has many exciting ensembles) include "Lover Man," "Pernod," "Tasty Pudding" and "It Don't Mean a Thing."

Tracks
01 - Flamingo
02 - Lover Man
03 - Pernod
04 - Tasty Pudding
05 - I'll Remember April
06 - Polka Dots And Moonbeams
07 - Open Country
08 - It Don't Mean A Thing
09 - We'll Be Together Again
10 - Feather Mechant

Personnel
Stan Getz (tenor saxophone)
Bob Brookmeyer (valve trombone)
John Williams (piano)
Bill Anthony (upright bass)
Frank Isola, Art Mardigan (drums)

sample & buy

rc

Stan Getz - Apasionado (1990) (eac-flac-cover)

Stan Getz - Apasionado (1990)

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

Verve | rar +5% recovery

AMG
In the liner notes to this album, Stan Getz comments about how producer Herb Alpert showed him aspects of recording he had never experienced before. In this case, it's how to over-produce without overwhelming a lead soloist, as Alpert loads up this date with synthesizer players, electric instruments, and effects as a backdrop for the ultra-cool tenor of Getz. While not going overboard, it would have been nice to hear this music without the caramel-thick arrangements, leaving just Getz and a rhythm section to play sans the unnecessary sugarcoating. Initially released about a year before Getz passed away, the end result is a lazy and far too sweet group of pieces that muck up romance in a smothering fashion. Where string arrangements can sound beautiful, the sleepy synths on "Waltz for Stan" and echoplexed sax during "Madrugada" and especially the nine-minute ambling "Midnight Ride" are not just a trifle overbearing. Eddie del Barrio's "Coba" fares better in a fusion-on-the-rock-side mode mixed with Brazilian tropicalia, while the title track utilizes an acoustic big band mixed with synths and electric piano in a ballad-to-light-samba-to-heavy-beats sauce. "Española" starts with an out of tune electric bass guitar followed by some clichéd electric guitar from Michael Landau, while "Amorous Cat" reflects its title in a light funk rhythm. Some very good players are included, like drummer Jeff Porcaro (Toto), percussionist Paulinho Da Costa, acoustic guitarist Oscar Castro-Neves, and keyboardist Kenny Barron, with George Bohanon and Oscar Brashear in the big-band horn section. Otherwise, this recording is far from essential music made by Stan Getz, more suitable for mood music elevator wallpaper than a substantive listening experience.

Tracks
01 - Apasionado
02 - Coba
03 - Waltz For Stan
04 - Espanola
05 - Madrugada
06 - Amorous Cat
07 - Midnight Ride
08 - Lonely Lady

sample & buy

rc