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

 

Art Ensemble Of Chicago - Fanfare for The Warriorsl (1973)

Art Ensemble Of Chicago  - Fanfare for The Warriorsl (1973)

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

Atlantic

Allmusic:
The Art Ensemble of Chicago's first (and arguably most significant) period concluded with this high-quality studio session, Fanfare for the Warriors. The quintet (trumpeter Lester Bowie, Roscoe Mitchell and Joseph Jarman on reeds, bassist Malachi Favors and drummer Don Moye) provides concise but adventurous performances. High points include Mitchell's "Nonnaah," Bowie's humorous "Barnyard Scuffel Shuffle" and "Tnoona," but all of the selections have their own musical personality. It's a fine showcase for this important avant-garde unit.

Tracks
1. "Illistrum" (Favors) - 8:17
2. "Barnyard Scuffel Shuffel" (Bowie) - 5:12
3. "Nonaah" (Mitchell) - 5:44
4. "Fanfare for the Warriors" (Jarman) - 7:58
5. "What's to Say" (Jarman) - 4:02
6. "Tnoona" (Mitchell) - 6:25
7. "The Key" (Mitchell) - 1:15
Recorded at Paragon Studios, Chicago, Ill., on September 6–8, 1973

Personnel
* Lester Bowie: trumpet, percussion instruments
* Malachi Favors Maghostut: bass, percussion instruments, vocals
* Joseph Jarman: saxophones, clarinets, percussion instruments
* Roscoe Mitchell: saxophones, clarinets, flute, percussion instruments
* Don Moye: drums, percussion
* Muhal Richard Abrams: piano

 sample & buy: Fanfare for the Warriors

 

Tinariwen - Amassakoul (2003)

Tinariwen - Amassakoul (2003)

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

Emma

Allmusic:
Tinariwen strip rock down to its basic building blocks of rhythm, guitars, and voice. On their second CD there are no fancy studio tricks or multiple overdubs. They stick to what they've shown they do well -- keep the music raw and emotional. While there are similarities to the desert blues of Mali, these Tuareg nomads from the Western Sahara are as much as rock band as the Stones at their best, capable of conjuring up magic with a guitar riff or lick. Oftentimes, the music has the same bluesy, undulating, hypnotic rhythm of a camel crossing the sand, as on "Aldhechen Manin." But they can also crank the amps and unleash something to tingle the spine and feet, which they do on "Oualahila Ar Tesninam," as frantic and primal a piece of rock & roll as you're likely to find. There's even a touch of rap on "Arawan." But there's a complexity in their basic approach, the interlocking layers of electric guitars and the plaintive, defiant voices. To listen to Tinariwen is to believe once more in rock and its power. This is angry and passionate; it's dangerous music in the very best sense. Western bands might have forgotten how to rock as if their lives depended on it; Tinariwen can teach them.

Tracks
-01. "Amassakoul 'N' Ténéré" (Alhabib) 3:24
-02. "Oualahila Ar Tesninam" (Alhabib) 3:47
-03. "Chatma" (Alhabib) 5:36
-04. "Arawan" (Abdoulahi) 4:06
-05. "Chet Boghassa" (Abdoulahi) 3:52
-06. "Amidnin" (Touhami) 2:51
-07. "Ténéré Daféo Nikchan" (Alhabib) 4:51
-08. "Aldhechen Manin" (Alhabib) 3:54
-09. "Alkhar Dessouf" (Alhabib) 4:55
-10. "Eh Massina Sintadoben" (Touhami) 4:29
-11. "Assoul" (Alhabib) 4:08

 sample & buy: Amassakoul

 

Bobby Timmons - The Soul Man (1966)

Bobby Timmons - The Soul Man (1966)

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

Prestige

Amazon
The Soul Man! is beautiful, elegant music and, contrary to what one might expect from a straightforward Prestige session, it's made up entirely of compelling, memorable originals. When the album was recorded, both Wayne Shorter and Ron Carter were in the second Miles Davis quintet, and it appears from this record that they were willing to contribute original compositions for a smaller unit under someone else's leadership, even someone as modest as Bobby Timmons, who was essentially just a reliable, bluesy pianist, while Miles was a giant.
The result actually is a small gem. Shorter is at the height of his maturity as a player, delivering eloquent, lyrical statements in that rich, confident tone, while Timmons lays down solos as witty as he ever played with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, the "school" that gave him (and Shorter, incidentally) an assured place in the business.
What surprises me to this day is just how unknown and obscure this record is. The closing piece, Ron Carter's "Little Waltz" is a minor masterpiece, and ought to have become a standard straight away (it appears in several recordings made throughout the 70s featuring Ron Carter).

Tracks
-1. "Cut Me Loose Charlie" - 5:46
-2. "Tom Thumb" (Wayne Shorter) - 7:09
-3. "Ein Bahn Strasse (One Way Street)" (Ron Carter) - 7:21
-4. "Damned If I Know" - 6:31
-5. "Tenaj" (Carter) - 7:08
-6. "Little Waltz" (Carter) - 6:37
All compositions by Bobby Timmons except as indicated
Recorded at Rudy Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey on January 20, 1966.

Personnel
* Bobby Timmons - piano
* Wayne Shorter - tenor saxophone
* Ron Carter - bass
* Jimmy Cobb - drums

 sample & buy: Soul Man!

 

Lol Coxhill - Coxhill on Ogun (1977 & 78)

Lol Coxhill - Coxhill on Ogun (1977 & 78)

Diverse & The Joy of Paranoia 

jazz | 2lp on 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 400MB

OGUN

Allmusic:
This Ogun CD is actually the reissue of two Coxhill albums from the '70s. The first, "Diverse" -- which is comprised of two improvisations ("Diver" and "Divers") with bassist Dave Green, percussionist John Mitchell, and cellist Colin Wood -- was issued in 1977 and is represented here last. The second, The Joy of Paranoia -- which features Coxhill in settings from solo to trio -- was released in 1978. The set comes out of the gate stomping with "The Wakefield Capers." It's an odd composition in that it features a funky, driven bass and electric guitar with ostinato figures from Coxhill and moves into a greasy groove before melting away temporarily to include an acoustic Spanish guitar to replace the electric in the forefront, and takes on a Brazilian rhythmic slant before shifting into reggae, soul, R&B, and free improv before winding out some 19 minutes later as a chaotic free jazz tune. "The Clück Variations" are a duet with Veryan Weston on piano that take as their inspiration a clarinet and piano duet by Webern. And there's also a lovely cover of "Loverman" with Coxhill blowing dry and sweet -- like sherry -- accompanied by Michael Garrick's electric piano in a reading of the tune that suggests it was originally written for broken tempos and scuttles harmonics. On the later material, the two long pieces that make up the Diverse album, we get Coxhill as we know him best: as a quirky, complex improviser with a sense of humor and a flair for understatement. "Diver" is completely solo, a long, loping travail through Coxhill's tonal universe as expressed by his great love of balladry. It's an unusual timbral specter he reveals, but it's a welcome one in that his phrasing, sonorities, and tonal explorations are never off the mark and always expansive harmonically. On the quartet piece, we get chamber improvisation at its finest; various dialogues and languages assert themselves only to disappear before they can take themselves too seriously. The music circles round, and turns out and in on itself before breaking onto higher ground as sound itself. In all, this is a fine retrospective view of Coxhill, even if it is only for two years. This was a particularly fertile period for him, and listeners will be more than gratified by its breadth and scope.

Tracks
-1. "The Wakefield Capers" - Coxhill - 18:46
-2. "The Clück Variations" - Coxhill, Weston - 7:49
-3. "Joy of Paranoia Waltz" - Coxhill - 2:11
-4. "Lover Man" - Davis, Ramirez, Sherman - 5:15
-5. "Perdido" - Drake, Lengsfelder, Tizol - 7:20
---
-6. "Diver" - Coxhill - 16:25
-7. "Divers" - Coxhill, Green, Mitchell-Davidson - 21:21

Personnel
* Michael Garrick: electric piano
* Dave Green : bass
* John Mitchell: drums
* Paul Michell-Davidson: bass guitar
* Ken Shaw: electric guitar
* Varyan Weston: piano
* Colin Wood: cello
* Richard Wright: spanish guitar

 sample & buy: Coxhill on Ogun

 

Biota - Invisible Map (2001)

Biota - Invisible Map (2001)

rock, electronic, avangarde | 1cd | eac-flac-cue-log-cover | 500MB

RéR

Allmusic:
The fifth album by the collective Biota (if one doesn't count the LPs under the name Mnemonists), Invisible Map carries on with the change of direction instigated on Object Holder. This time, instead of having about 20 minutes of pop songs in the middle of the group's usual dreamy landscapes, the pop material is thoroughly integrated to the music. The singer is Montrealer Geneviève Heistek (of Godspeed You Black Emperor's entourage). Her half-alternative, half-trip-hop voice appears on every third or fourth track, starting with "The Rapid Color." In 76 minutes, Biota takes the listener on a beautiful, if tormented, journey through 37 short pieces. Gordon Whitlow's David Thomas-like accordion riffs meet with Tom Katsimpalis' balalaika, William Sharp's hurdy-gurdy, and Chuck W. Vrtacek's delicate piano lines, all wrapped up with audio art fabric. With its wide range covering delicate post-folkish pop songs to ambient soundscapes, Invisible Map may be the collective's most accomplished and accessible release to date. All music styles (folk, jazz, blues, rock, musique concrète, free improv, etc.) coalesce to be filtered through the dreamer's ears: background vocals are slightly treated, soloing instruments are heard from a distance, rhythm tracks are deliberately just a bit out of sync. This way, the simple tunes never really come into focus, giving the whole album an aura of mystery. The 12-page booklet contains beautiful artwork by the Mnemonists collective. Strongly recommended to both fans and curious newcomers.

Tracks
-01 . "Moment" - Biota, Heistek - 0:44
-02 . "The Rapid Color" - Biota - 3:46
-03 . "Port" - Biota - 2:59
-04 . "Call" - Biota - 2:36
-05 . "Landless" - Biota, Heistek, Katsimpalis - 2:39
-06 . "Air on Water" - Biota - 0:29
-07 . "Mineral" - Biota - 3:19
-08 . "Common Broom" - Biota - 2:12
-09 . "Birthday" - Biota, Heistek - 3:29
-10 . "Dustman" - Biota - 0:52
-11 . "Sleeping Car" - Biota - 2:25
-12 . "Snake Out" - Biota - 3:21
-13 . "Occurrence" - Biota - 1:36
-14 . "Top Ray Done" - Biota - 1:58
-15 . "Glass Lizard" - Biota" - 2:08
-16 . "Telegraph Plant" - Biota - 0:56
-17 . "Spoonbender's Visit" - Biota - 0:54
-18 . "Remodel a Whisper" - Biota - 0:32
-19 . "Measured Not Found" - Biota - 3:22
-20 . "The Slow Forest" - Biota - 4:30
-21 . "Canopy" - Biota - 0:46
-22 . "Red's Big Day" - Biota - 1:32
-23 . "Lampblack" - Biota - 1:33
-24 . "There Is Probably Something" - Biota - 0:37
-25 . "Worry Hill" - Biota - 1:28
-26 . "Olive Drab Morionette" - Biota - 1:15
-27 . "Invisible Gap" - Biota - 1:19
-28 . "Yarn" - Biota - 3:18
-29 . "Words Disappear" - Biota, Heistek, Katsimpalis - 1:22
-30 . "Ballad Of" - Biota - 2:05
-31 . "Soil and Token" - Biota - 1:37
-32 . "Glazed Paper" - Biota, Katsimpalis - 3:21
-33 . "Paste" - Biota - 3:08
-34 . "Truth Table" - Biota - 0:56
-35 . "Dual" - Biota, Katsimpalis - 3:23
-36 . "Flicker" - Biota - 2:38
-37 . "Presto the Human" - Biota - 1:03

Personnel
Genevieve Heistek; lead vocals, violin: Steve Scholbe; slide guitars: Tom Katsimpalis; guitars, Clavioline, balalaika: Gordon Whitlow; accordion, pump organ: William Sharp; electronics, hurdy gurdy: Larry Wilson drums: James Gardner; Rhodes, noe, trumpet: C.W. Vrtacek; piano: Randy Yeates; Biomellodrone keyboard: Mark Piersel; acoustic & lap steel guitars: Andy Kredt; electric guitars

 sample & buy: Biota: Invisible Map

Eberhard Weber - Yellow Fields (1975)

Eberhard Weber - Yellow Fields (1975)

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

ECM

Progarchives:
Of all of Eberhard Weber's classic albums Yellow Fields is probably the most likely to appeal to the average prog fan. First of all because it opens with "Touch", the most "symphonic" piece Weber has ever recorded without using an actual orchestra: a lush, stately, moving instrumental ballad with gorgeous mellotron, and with the main melody played in unison by Charlie Mariano's lyrical sax, Rainer Brueninghaus's synth and Weber's own plangeant bass. "Touch" is utterly delightful, a major highlight in Weber's oeuvre.
The remainder of the album's original A-side is taken up by the fifteen-and-a-half minute "Sand-Glass", which is strongly reminiscent of mid-seventies Weather Report, especially because Brueninghaus's playing on Fender Rhodes borrows a trick or two from the late Joseph Zawinul! As the title of the piece suggests, the beat is rockier and steadier than with Weather Report (not polyrhythmic) and the main melody sounds somewhat hesitant, at least until Mariano switches from sax to an Indian wind instrument (either shenai or nagaswaram) and the piece suddenly acquires wings! It's another magic moment on a deeply satisfying album.
Yellow Fields' B-side opens with the ten-minute title track, one of the sprightliest tunes Weber has written, beautifully played by Mariano on soprano sax. The real highlight of this piece, however, is Brueninghaus's exciting Fender Rhodes solo. Together with the magisterial Weber and the energetic Jon Christensen (on drums), Brueninghaus is also the star of "Left Lane", the thirteen-and-a-half minute closing track. Once again he shines on Fender Rhodes, but the piece also contains an intriguing extended break for grand piano solo, reminiscent of Yes's "South Side of the Sky" but much better recorded and played with far greater subtlety.

Tracks
-1. "Touch" - 4:58
-2. "Sand-Glass" - 15:40
-3. "Yellow Fields" - 10:05
-4. "Left Lane" - 13:35

Personnel
* Eberhard Weber (cello)
* Jon Christensen (drums)
* Rainer Bruninghaus (keyboards)
* Charlie Mariano (saxophone, soprano saxophone)

 sample & buy: Yellow Fields