Finch - Glory of the Inner Force (1975)

The debut album from one of the best prog bands to come from the Netherlands during the 70s: "Glory of the Inner Force" is a record full of musical glory and lively force. Right from the starting point, the opener 'Register Magister' shows a bombastic explosion of sound, fed by the fire of hard rock and the sophistication of jazz rock, ordained by the progressive laws of variations and unexpected twists in melody, rhythm and mood. Each individual musician's skill is top-notch, and all four of them know how to work effectively in togetherness: this opener is a clear example of how the band can use the melodic structure of the main motifs and expand their potential strength without over-indulging in excessive improvisation, always keeping the focus on the logic of the motifs themselves. As points of reference, I could cite Akkerman and McLaughlin as major influences on van Nimwegen's guitar playing, while keyboardist Determeijer sounds clearly inspired by the Canterbury scene, but mostly what these guys do is find their own voice while challenging each other during the performances. The rhythm section is awesome, too: they remind me of van der Linden-Ruiter in terms of energy and precision. The high standards of Finch's intensity level is reaffirmed in 'Paradoxical Moods' - including an incendiary organ solo by Determeijer and some of Klaase's best drum rolls in the album. This piece sound to me very reminiscent of 72-73 era Focus, since its framework is heavily leaned on jamming: finally, the closing section is similar to early Camel with a harder edge. Things certainly don't get much softer with the opening section of 'Pisces', which once again sees the band mainly focused on jamming (once again Determeijer exposes his talent brilliantly, this time on electric piano), until a slower section gets in and gives room for an intense guitar solo by van Nimwegen, and somewhere in the middle, a bass extravaganza by Vink, too. I feel the symphonic ending comes somewhat abruptly, not too naturally, as if its potential bombast had been aborted, but all in all, it's still a great track. Things go back to plain perfection with the majestic closure 'A Bridge to Alice', which is also the longest and most intense piece of the album's official repertoire. All throughout the series of successive motifs there is a predominant somberness performed in a bombastic ambience. Somewhere in the middle there is a captivating acoustic guitar solo, and immediately afterwards, a spacey section that enhances the air of mystery that is displayed in many places all over the track. What a splendid closure! But the CD edition has got some more for the avid prog fan: a bonus track titled 'Colosus', divided in 2 parts that occupied both sides of a single. It is a catchy piece, indeed, but not simplistic: the prototypical Finch sophistication is overtly there. Overall rating: the maximum mark, which is just what every masterpiece deserves.

Styles:
Fusion
Progressive Rock

Tracks:
01 - Register magister (09:22)
02 - Parodoxical moods (10:43)
03 - Pisces (09:29)
04 - A bridge to Alice (13:13)
05 - Colossus Part I (03:28)
06 - Colossus Part II (03:36)

Line-up:
- Jan Van Nimwegen - guitars
- Cleem Determejer - keyboards
- Beer Klaasse - drums
- Peter Vink - bass

Weather Report - Live At Montreux (1976)

Tracks:
01 - Elegant People (07:23)
02 - Scarlet Woman (08:09)
03 - Barbary Coast (09:29)
04 - Portrait of Tracy (05:02)
05 - Cannon Ball (06:23)
06 - Black Market (10:25)
07 - Drum and Percussion Duet (Rumba Mama) (06:21)
08 - Piano and Saxophone Duet (04:42)
09 - Dr. Honoris Causa/Directions (07:57)
10 - Badia (06:09)
11 - Gibraltar (12:15)


Line-up:
Joe Zawinul - Keyboards
Wayne Shorter - Saxophones
Jaco Pastorius - Bass
Alex Acuna - Drums
Manolo Badrena - Percussion

Sonny Sharrock - Black Woman (1969)

Black Woman documents Sonny Sharrock's temporary departure from the confines of Herbie Mann's always invaluable patronage. Around the time of recording, Sharrock was struggling to express his own musical ideas within the rigid framework of the successful Mann bands. Black Woman marks an early opportunity for Sharrock's own voice to be heard; he composed all the songs except "Bailero" and personally chose the band to reflect his own interests. The music is full of Sharrock's skittering, trademark clusters of notes and remains at a consistently high-intensity level with Linda Sharrock, Milford Graves, and Teddy Daniel on board. At times the music reaches for the sublime as on "Peanut" with its mandolin-like, vibrato theme and otherworldly improvisations; can music evoke visions like Dante's Rings of Hell? The beauteous "Bialero" with piano and bass figures oscillating around Linda's lilting yet unpredictable voice and "Portrait of Linda in Three Colors, All Black" are Sonny Sharrock in glory. Linda Sharrock's vocals could be alarming to the uninitiated; she doesn't enunciate a single word throughout, except on the traditional "Bialero," instead using her instrument, her voice to express, like her husband does, the inexpressible: those emotions, passions, or exaltations that cannot be rationally shared, only referred to comparatively vaguely by the "knower." The results in this instance were later dubbed "energy music" by some well-intentioned critic. This album is not for everyone, even Sonny Sharrock fans may find the music beyond their wildest expectations.

By Wilson McCloy in All Music Guide

Styles:
Free-Jazz
Avant-Garde
Spiritual

Tracks:
01 - Black Woman (05:16)
02 - Peanut (09:16)
03 - Bialero (04:52)
04 - Blind Willy (03:22)
05 - Portrait of Linda in Three Colors, All Black (08:34)

Line-up:
Sonny Sharrock - guitar
Linda Sharrock - volcals
Teddy Daniel - trumpet
Dave Burrell - piano
Norris Jones - bass
Richard Pierce - bass
Milford Graves - drums

Arthur Doyle - Alabama Feeling (1978)

In late 1977, Arthur Doyle brought his quintet to New York to play at the Brook, a loft space on West 17th Street managed by Charles Tyler, with whom Doyle formed the label Dra that same year. The saxophonist/flutist/vocalist was joined by old friends from his hometown of Birmingham, AL, Charles Stephens on trombone and Rashied Sinan on drums (whose only other memorable appearance was on Frank Lowe's 1973 ESP album Black Beings). Sinan turned up with a student of his, Bruce Moore, "to give it more rhythmic feel," and Richard Williams was brought in on Fender Bass to take on both drummers. From the opening splendidly titled "November 8th or 9th -- I Can't Remember When," Alabama Feeling pounds the listener into the ground with thrilling energy, playing easily on a par with classic albums on labels such as ESP and BYG Actuel. Doyle released this recording of the concert, whose dreadful sound quality was perfectly in keeping with the prevailing no wave ethos of the period (Doyle was, incidentally, one of the first jazz musicians to play Max's Kansas City in 1978, with Rudolph Grey and Beaver Harris as the Blue Humans), on Dra in an edition of 1,000, and the first CD reissue 20 years later in 1998 (also limited to 1,000 copies) was transferred by Glenn Branca's house percussionist, Wharton Tiers, direct from vinyl, complete with surface noise and dodgy editing. Connoisseurs of Sun Ra (with whom Arthur Doyle also played but, alas, never recorded) have long been prepared to forego quality sound in the name of great music, and any listener prepared to do the same will not be disappointed. It's worth it for Doyle's snarling entry on "Ancestor" alone.
By Dan Warburton in All Music

Styles:
Free Jazz
Avant-Garde

Tracks:
01 - November 8th or 9th – I Can’t Remember When (04:04)
02 - Something for Caserlo, Larry, & Irma (03:36)
03 - A Little Linda, Debra, Omita, Barry & Maria (09:01)
04 - Ancestor (07:22)
05 - Mother Image, Father Image (06:02)
06 - Development/ BaBi Music for Milford & Huge/ Alabama Soul for Arthur/ Ramie & Master Charles of the Trombone (07:52)

Line-up:
Arthur Doyle - tenor sax, bass clarinet, flute
Richard Williams - Fender bass
Rashied Sinan - drums
Bruce Moore - drums
Charles Stephens - trombone

Carlos Santana & Gato Barbieri - Europa (1977)

Gato Barbieri - Chapter One: Latin America (1973)

When Gato Barbieri signed to Impulse! Records in 1973 for a series of critically lauded albums, he had already enjoyed a celebrated career as a vanguard musician who had worked with Don Cherry and Abdullah Ibrahim (then known as Dollar Brand), recorded for three labels as a leader, and scored and performed the soundtrack to director Bernardo Bertolucci's film Last Tango in Paris. Chapter One: Latin America was a huge step forward musically for the Argentinean-born saxophonist, even as it looked to the music of his heritage. This turned out to be the first of four chapters in his series on Latin America, and for it he teamed not with established jazz musicians, but instead folk and traditional musicians from his native country, and recorded four of the album's five cuts in Buenos Aires -- the final track, a multi-tracked solo piece, was recorded in Rio de Janeiro. The music found here doesn't walk a line between the two worlds, but freely indulges them. The enormous host of musicians on the date played everything from wooden flutes to electric and acoustic guitars, bomba drums and quenas, and Indian harps and charangos, creating a passionate and deeply emotive sound that echoed across not only miles but also centuries. At the helm was Barbieri, playing in his rawest and most melodic style to date, offering these melodies, harmonies, and rhythms as a singular moment in the history of jazz. While the entire album flows seamlessly from beginning to end, the A-side, comprised of Barbieri's own "Encuentros" and J. Asunción Flores and M. Ortiz Guerrero's classic "India," is the clear standout. That said, the four-part suite that commences side two -- "La China Leoncia Arreo la Correntinada Trajo Entre la Muchachada la Flor de la Juventud" -- is a work of such staggering drama and raw beauty that it is perhaps the single highest achievement in Barbieri's recorded catalog as an artist. Simply put, this album, like its remaining chapters, makes up one of the great all but forgotten masterpieces in 1970s jazz. Thankfully, Verve has brought this set back into print on CD as part of its wonderfully mastered, budget-priced Originals series.

By Thom Jurek in All Music Guide

Styles:
Avant-Garde
Free-Jazz
World Music
Fusion

Tracks:
01 - Encuentros (12:28)
02 - India (08:58)
03 - La China Leoncia Arreo La Correntinada Trajo Entre La Muchachada La Flor De La Juventud (13:33)
04 - Nunca Mas (05:25)
05 - To Be Continued (02:27)

Line-up:
Gato Barbieri - tenor saxophone
Raul Mercado - quena (1, 2, 3)
Amadeo Monges - Indian harp (1, 2, 3)
Ricardo Lew - Electric guitar (1, 3)
Quelo Palacios - acoustic guitar (1, 2, 3)
Isoca Fumero - charango (1, 3)
Antonio Pantoja - anapa, erke, siku, quena, erkencho (1, 2, 3)
Adalberto Cevasco - Fender bass (1, 2, 3, 4)
Dino Saluzzi - bandoneon (4)
Domingo Cura - bombo indio (Indian drums) (1, 2, 3)
Pocho Lapouble - drums (1, 3)
Jorge Padin - percussion (1, 3)
El Zurdo Roizner - percussion (1, 2, 3)
Osvaldo Bellingieri - piano (4)

Miles Davis Radio Project

Joseph Jarman - Song For (1966)

This was one of the early classics of the AACM. Altoist Joseph Jarman, who would become a permanent member of the Art Ensemble of Chicago shortly after this recording, is heard in a sextet with trumpeter William Brimfield, the legendary tenor Fred Anderson, pianist Christopher Gaddy, bassist Charles Clark, and either Steve McCall or Thurman Barker on drums. The four very diverse improvisations include one that showcases a Jarman recitation, a dirge, the intense "Little Fox Run," and the title cut, which contrasts sounds and a creative use of silence. Overall, this music was the next step in jazz after the high-energy passions of the earlier wave of the avant-garde started to run out of fresh ideas. It's recommended for open-eared listeners.

By Scott Yanow in All Music Guide

Styles:
Avant-Garde
Free-Jazz

Tracks:
01 - Little Fox Run (07:05)
02 - Non-Cognitive Aspects of the City (14:01)
03 - Adam's Rib (05:58)
04 - Song For (13:30)

Line-up:
Joseph Jarman - alto saxophone, recitation
Fred Anderson - tenor saxophone
Bill Brimfield - trumpet
Christopher Gaddy - piano, marimba
Charles Clark - bass
Thurman Baker - drums
Steve McCall - drums

Norman Connors - Dance of Magic (1972)

Recorded with a who's who of fusion titans including trumpeter Eddie Henderson, bassist Stanley Clarke, and keyboardist Herbie Hancock, Dance of Magic channels the lessons drummer Norman Connors learned in the employ of Pharoah Sanders, Sam Rivers, and Sun Ra, marshaling Latin rhythms, electronic textures, and cosmic mysticism to create nondenominational yet deeply spiritual funk-jazz. The sprawling 21-minute title cut spans the entirety of the record's first half, capturing a monumental jam session that explores the outer edges of free improvisation but never steps past the point of no return. Connors' furious drumming is like a trail of bread crumbs that leads his collaborators back home. The remaining three tracks are smaller in scale but no less epic in scope, culminating with the blistering "Give the Drummer Some."

By Jason Ankenny in All Music

Styles:
Fusion
Crossover
Funk-Jazz
Avant-Garde

Tracks:
01 - Dance Of Magic (21:00)
02 - Morning Change (06:29)
03 - Blue (10:20)
04 - Give The Drummer Some (02:22)

Line-up:
Norman Connors - Drums
Stanley Clarke - Bass
Cecil McBee - Bass
Herbie Hancock - Piano, Fender Rhodes, Electric Piano
Gary Bartz - Alto & Soprano Saxophones
Carlos Garnett - Tenor & Soprano, Saxophones
Art Webb - Flute
Eddie Henderson - Trumpet
Anthony Wiles - Baliphone
Airto Moreira - Percussion
Alphonse Mouzon - Percussion
Anthony Wiles - Percussion
Billy Hart - Percussion

Larry Young - Unity (1965)

On Unity, jazz organist Larry Young began to display some of the angular drive that made him a natural for the jazz-rock explosion to come barely four years later. While about as far from the groove jazz of Jimmy Smith as you could get, Young hadn't made the complete leap into freeform jazz-rock either. Here he finds himself in very distinguished company: drummer Elvin Jones, trumpeter Woody Shaw, and saxman Joe Henderson. Young was clearly taken by the explorations of saxophonists Coleman and Coltrane, as well as the tonal expressionism put in place by Sonny Rollins and the hard-edged modal music of Miles Davis and his young quintet. But the sound here is all Young: the rhythmic thrusting pulses shoved up against Henderson and Shaw as the framework for a melody that never actually emerges ("Zoltan" -- one of three Shaw tunes here), the skipping chords he uses to supplant the harmony in "Monk's Dream," and also the reiterating of front-line phrases a half step behind the beat to create an echo effect and leave a tonal trace on the soloists as they emerge into the tunes (Henderson's "If" and Shaw's "The Moontrane"). All of these are Young trademarks, displayed when he was still very young, yet enough of a wiseacre to try to drive a group of musicians as seasoned as this -- and he succeeded each and every time. As a soloist, Young is at his best on Shaw's "Beyond All Limits" and the classic nugget "Softly as in a Morning Sunrise." In his breaks, Young uses the middle register as a place of departure, staggering arpeggios against chords against harmonic inversions that swing plenty and still comes out at all angles. Unity proved that Young's debut, Into Somethin', was no fluke, and that he could play with the lions. And as an album, it holds up even better than some of the work by his sidemen here.

By Thom Jurek in All Music Guide

Styles:
Post-Bop
Fusion
Hard-Bop
Jazz Funk
Modal

Tracks:
01 - Zoltan (07:36)
02 - Monk's Dream (05:45)
03 - If (06:42)
04 - The Moontrane (07:18)
05 - Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise (06:20)
06 - Beyond All Limits (06:00)

Line-up:
Larry Young: organ
Woody Shaw: trumpet
Joe Henderson: saxophone
Elvin Jones: drums

Marion Brown - Three for Shepp (1966)

Marion Brown's Three for Shepp is the image-in-the-mirror companion to Archie Shepp's Four for Trane recorded the year before. The program is equally divided between Brown's originals, which occupy the first half of the album, and Shepp tunes that take up the latter half. What is immediately striking is how similar in tone, color, and texture the two men were when it came to composition. Brown arms himself here with crack bands for these recordings. Pianist Dave Burrell and drummer Bobby Capp accompany trombonist Grachan Moncur III and Norris Sirone Jones on bass on Brown's own material and Stanley Cowell and Beaver Harris sub in the piano and drum chairs on Shepp's. Brown's "New Blue" is a slow modal study in blues from the post-modal school. In fact, given the airiness and strange intervals played by Brown and Moncur, it is a new kind of modal blues. "Fortunato" is the vanguard take on post-bop swing. It honks, squeaks, and turns itself around to meet knotty changes from Burrell playing in the middle register. Of the Shepp material, "Spooks" is a kind of political statement that swings like mad. Using an early swing rhythm, 8/12, Cowell vamps his ass off on a three-chord figure and the band careens from New Orleans to minstrel-show stomp to blues to bebop, with Moncur playing a solo that could stop a clock. "West India" is a reverential, shimmering blues number, cooled out from edginess or striated distended harmonics. Despite the title, its simple structure uses both West Indian and almost Caribbean rhythms and melody lines -- calypso anyone? -- and then marries them to an African modal structure for the ultimate celebratory effect. "Delicado" is anything but. It's an out, machine-driven post-hard bop number with Cowell and Brown driving the band into a frenzied free for all, fed in amazing time by Harris. This is a classic Impulse! recording of the period by an overlooked master.

By Thom Jurek in All Music

Styles:
Avant-garde

Tracks:
01 - New Blue (05:11)
02 - Fortunado (08:54)
03 - The Shadow Knows (03:04)
04 - Spooks (04:32)
05 - West India (06:24)
06 - Delicado (06:38)

Line-up:
Marion Brown - Alto Saxophone
Grachan Moncur III - Trombone
Sirone - Bass
Dave Burrell - Piano (tracks: 01 to 03)
Stanley Cowell - Piano (tracks: 04 to 06)
Beaver Harris - Drums (tracks: 01 to 03)
Bobby Capp - Drums (tracks: 04 to 06)

Woody Shaw - The Moontrane (1974)

In a genre full of tragically short-lived performers, Woody Shaw's story is exceptionally tragic. Legally blind and beset with emotional problems, he was killed in a subway accident in 1989 without ever attaining the recognition attentive listeners knew he deserved. The Mosaic box set of his Columbia recordings a few years ago placed him in a linear development of trumpet players between Hubbard and Marsalis; this was, no doubt, a highly questionable analysis (mainly because it left out Miles Davis altogether), but it indicated the high regard and influence Shaw has had — or should have had — over other trumpet players.

The Moontrane, recorded in late 1974, was Shaw's breakthrough album. It is aptly named, for although Shaw was during his lifetime routinely (and with relative inaccuracy) compared to Hubbard, he sounds more like John Coltrane. Now to replicate Coltrane's lightning runs and dense harmonic lines on trumpet is no mean feat; Shaw not only does it repeatedly, but with impeccable precision and taste. The Moontrane sports the Coltrane-ish tenor and soprano man Azar Lawrence, who was also part of McCoy Tyner's Coltrane-ish modal recordings of the early Seventies.
"Sanyas," by a young Steve Turre, who is also part of Shaw's basic quartet, is a modal workout with some intense soprano work by Lawrence, recalling the reedy Eastern feel of many of Coltrane's soprano recordings. Shaw is simply stunning here, with long clean lines to take the breath away. Then comes pianist Onaje Allen Gumbs, a Shaw favorite, playing unplugged on this track a first-rate McCoy Tyner impersonation. Cecil McBee plays bass on three tracks, Buster Williams on two. (There are also two alternates, both featuring McBee.) Victor Lewis on drums keeps things going, but doesn't light any fires. Percussionists Tony Waters and Guilherme Franco join in here and there.
"The Moontrane" became Shaw's signature tune. Here it gets a straightforward reading enlivened by the sterling trumpet of the master himself. "Tapscott's Blues" is more passionate, with Lawrence and Shaw vying intriguingly for Best Post-Coltrane Solo honors. Turre sounds throughout the disc a little less developed than the trombonist he has subsequently become, but that doesn't mean he doesn't hold up his end. Actually, as the only one of the frontmen not to be deeply influenced by the Coltrane Quartet, he adds piquancy to the sound.
"Katrina Ballerina" is a boppish tune with more stunning work from Shaw, whose fluency in the trumpet's lower register is just as striking as his speed.
Gumbs shines on his own "Are They Only Dreams," as does Turre on the opening sections of his "Sanyas." Shaw himself penned "The Moontrane" and "Katrina Ballerina," putting him in the group of great jazz performers who could write their own great tunes. Alas that he didn't write more.

By Robert Spencer in All About Jazz

Styles:
Hard-Bop
Post-Bop

Tracks:
01 - The Moontrane (06:54)
02 - Sanyas (13:05)
03 - Tapscott´s Blues (06:41)
04 - Katrina Ballerina (07:36)
05 - Are They Only Dreams (09:12)
06 - Tapscott´s Blues (Alt.) (06:50)
07 - Katrina Ballerina (Alt.) (08:01)

Line-up:
Woody Shaw - Trumpet
Azar Lawrence - Sax tenor
Steve Turre - Trombone
Onaje Allen Gumbs - Piano
Cecil McBee - Bass except 1, 5
Buster Williams - Bass
Victor Lewis - Drums
Tony Waters - Conga
Guilherme Franco - Percussion on 2, 4, 5, 7

Miles Davis - Live Electric and Brutal in Berlin (1973)

Line-up:
Miles Davis - trumpet, organ
Dave Liebman - soprano sax, tenor sax, flute
Pete Cosey - guitar, percussion
Reggie Lucas - guitar
Michael Henderson - electric bass
Al Foster - drums
James Mtume Forman - congas, percussion

Grover Washington Jr. - Let it Flow

Grover Washington Jr. - Medley (1990)

01 - Hits Medley: Inner City Blues/Mercy Mercy Me/Where is the Love/Knucklehead/Black Frost/Santa Cruzin'/Just the Two of Us/Feels So Good/Sausalito

Charles Lloyd and Billy Higgins - Supreme Love Dance

Jaco Pastorius - Donna Lee

Coleman Hawkins - The Hawk Flies High (1957)

Coleman Hawkins' 1957 session for Riverside, aside from an oral documentary record in a short-lived series, was his only recording for the label under his name. Yet producer Orrin Keepnews had the good sense to invite the legendary tenor saxophonist to pick his own musicians, and Hawkins surprised him by asking for young boppers J.J. Johnson and Idrees Sulieman in addition to the potent rhythm section of Hank Jones, Oscar Pettiford, Barry Galbraith, and Jo Jones. The two days of sessions produced a number of strong performances, with Hawkins still very much at the top of his game, while both Johnson and Sulieman catch fire as well. Even though most of the focus was on new material contributed by the participants, the musicians quickly adapted to the unfamiliar music, especially the leader's old-fashioned swinger "Sancticity" (which sounds like it could have been part of Count Basie's repertoire) and the pianist's tightly woven bop vehicle "Chant." Hawkins was one of the great ballad interpreters, and his majestic performance of the standard "Laura" is no exception. The 2008 reissue in the Keepnews Collection series uncovered no previously unissued material, though expanded liner notes by the producer and improved 24-bit remastering make this edition an improvement over earlier versions.

By Ken Dryden in All Music Guide

Styles:
Mainstream Jazz

Tracks
01 - Chant (05:08)
02 - Juicy Fruit (11:20)
03 - Think Deep (03:27)
04 - Laura (04:36)
05 - Blue Lights (05:47)
06 - Sancticity (09:12)

Line-up:
Coleman Hawkins - tenor sax
Idrees Sulieman - trumpet
JJ Johnson - trombone
Hank Jones - piano
Barry Galbraith - guitar
Oscar Pettiford - bass
Jo Jones - drums.

Cedar Walton Quartet - Naima (1976)

Line-up:
Cedar Walton - piano
George Coleman - tenor sax
Sam Jones - bass
Billy Higgins - drums.

Thelonious Monk - Epistrophy

Podcast #1 Jazz Modal

Hosted by Sr. Moai & Sr. Patrick

Podcast #1 Jazz Modal by Improvised Solo on Mixcloud

Tracklist:
01. Oliver Nelson - Stolen Moments
02. Jimmy Smith - Minor Chant
03. Sonny Rollins - In a Sentimental Mood
04. Andrew Hill - Dedication
05. Herbie Hancock - The Egg
06. John Coltrane - Olé
07. Dexter Gordon - Cheesecake
08. Freddie Hubbard - Arietis
09. Bobby Hutcherson - Catta
10. Miles Davis - Milestones
11. Cannonball Adderley - Something Else
12. John Coltrane - Greensleeves
13. Wayne Shorter - Speak no Evil
14. Bill Evans - Autumn Leaves
15. John Coltrane - Like Sonny
16. Sun Ra - Enlightenment
17. Miles Davis - 'Round Midnight
18. Yusef Lateef - Love theme from Spartacus

Return To Forever - Song To The Pharaoh Kings (Montreux 2008)

Sun Ra Arkestra - Face the Music / Space is the Place

Marion Brown - Sweet Earth Flying (1974)

The second installment of his "Georgia" trilogy, Sweet Earth Flying is arguably Marion Brown's finest work and certainly one of the underappreciated treasures of '70s jazz. Again, the words and ideas of poet Jean Toomer underlie Brown's conception (hence the album's title), though this time (unlike the appearance of Karintha on Geechee Recollections) none of Toomer's actually poetry is utilized. Instead, he calls into service the remarkable keyboard paring of Muhal Richard Abrams and Paul Bley, an inspiration that pays off in spades. The two pianists alternate acoustic and electric keyboards, bringing a slight tinge of the propulsiveness of Miles Davis' late-'60s bands, but with a grace, soul, and sense of freedom rarely achieved by Corea and Jarrett. In fact, Abrams' feature on Part Five of the title suite is one of the single most beautiful and cogent statements he ever created. Brown's sound on both soprano and alto has a unique quality; he tends to sound tentative and innocently hesitant when first entering, only to gather strength as he goes, reaching utter conviction along the way. Special mention must be made of vocalist Bill Hasson. He's featured on only one piece, but his deep-voiced recitation in a language of his own construction (drawing from West Africa, Brazil, the Caribbean, and North American down-home English) is a very special treat indeed. Very highly recommended to open-eared jazz fans of all tastes.

by Brian Olewnick in All Music Guide

Styles:
Free-Jazz
Avant-Garde
Post-Bop

Tracks:
01 - Sweet Earth Flying, part 1 (03:41)
02 - Sweet Earth Flying, part 3 (05:58)
03 - Sweet Earth Flying, part 4 (05:57)
04 - Sweet Earth Flying, part 5 (04:48)
05 - Eleven Light City, part 1 (07:17)
06 - Eleven Light City, part 2 (02:11)
07 - Eleven Light City, part 3 (05:52)
08 - Eleven Light City, part 4 (03:05)

Line-up:
Marion Brown - Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxofone
Paul Bley - Electric Piano
Muhal Richard Abrams - Piano, Organ
Bill Hasson - Narration, Percussion
James Jefferson - Bass, Electric Bass
Steve Mccall - Drums

John Coltrane - A Love Supreme Live in France (1965)

Styles:
Free Jazz
Avant-Garde
Modal
Post Bop

Tracks:
01 Acknowledgement
02 Resolution

Line-up:
John Coltrane - tenor saxophone
Jimmy Garrison - double bass
Elvin Jones- drums
McCoy Tyner - piano

Vince Guaraldi Trio - A Boy Named Charlie Brown (1964)

Originally entitled Jazz Impressions of a Boy Named Charlie Brown, this is an important album not only because it is Guaraldi's first Peanuts soundtrack, but also because the music heard here probably introduced millions of kids (and their parents) to jazz from the mid-'60s onward. Actually, this music is the score for a documentary on the Peanuts phenomenon called A Boy Named Charlie Brown, which ran before the first Peanuts specials per se appeared on the CBS network. The most remarkable thing, besides the high quality of Guaraldi's whimsically swinging tunes, is that he did not compromise his art one iota for the cartoon world; indeed, he sounds even more engaged, inventive, and lighthearted in his piano work here than ever. It must have been quite a delightful shock back then to hear a straight-ahead jazz trio (Guaraldi, Monty Budwig, bass; Colin Bailey, drums) backing all those cartoon figures and genuine children's voices, a mordant running musical commentary that made its own philosophical points. The music on this album laid the groundwork for much that was to come; here is the first appearance of the well-known bossa nova-influenced "Linus and Lucy," and fans of the series will recognize such themes from future episodes as "Baseball Theme" and "Oh, Good Grief" (which is a rewrite of the Dixie Belles' hit "Down at Papa Joe's"). The original LP came with 12 bonus lithographs of Charles Schulz's celebrated Peanuts drawings; the only extra thing the CD issue offers is a gratuitous outtake of "Fly Me to the Moon."

By Richard S. Ginell in All Music

Styles:
Soundtrack
Cool
West Coast Jazz

Tracks:
01 - Oh, Good Grief (02:26)
02 - Pebble Beach (02:51)
03 - Happiness Is (03:43)
04 - Schroeder (01:55)
05 - Charlie Brown Theme (04:26)
06 - Linus and Lucy (03:08)
07 - Blue Charlie Brown (07:08)
08 - Baseball Theme (03:16)
09 - Freda (With the Naturally Curly Hair) (04:35)
10 - Fly Me To The Moon (08:58)

Line-up:
Vince Guaraldi - Piano
Monty Budwig - Bass
Colin Bailey - Drums

Cannonball Adderley Quintet - Cannonball & Coltrane (1959)

This LP (whose contents have been reissued many times) features the Miles Davis Sextet of 1959 without the leader. Altoist Cannonball Adderley and tenor saxophonist John Coltrane really push each other on these six selections, with this version of "Limehouse Blues" really burning. Coltrane's very serious sound is a striking contrast to the jubilant Adderley alto; the latter is showcased on "Stars Fell on Alabama." With pianist Wynton Kelly, bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Jimmy Cobb playing up to their usual level, this gem is highly recommended.

by Scott Yanow in All Music Guide

Styles:
Hard-Bop

Tracks:
01 - Limehouse Blues (04:39)
02 - Stars Fell on Alabama (06:15)
03 - Wabash (05:44)
04 - Grand Central (04:33)
05 - You're a Weaver of Dreams (05:31)
06 - The Sleeper (07:15)

Line-up:
Cannonball Adderley - alto saxophone
John Coltrane - tenor saxophone
Wynton Kelly - piano
Paul Chambers - bass
Jimmy Cobb - drums

Pharoah Sanders - Heart is a Melody (2004)

Line-up:
Pharoah Sanders - tenor sax, vocals
Matthew Garrison - bass
Orrin Evans - piano
Will Calhoun - drums

Cecil Taylor Unit - Dark To Themselves (1976)

This CD reissue has a continuous 61-plus-minute performance by pianist Cecil Taylor and his 1976 quintet (which also includes such fiery players as trumpeter Raphe Malik, his longtime altoist Jimmy Lyons, tenor saxophonist David S. Ware and drummer Marc Edwards). There is a quick theme along with brief transitions that form the composition "Streams and Chorus of Seed" but the bulk of the passionate performance is taken up by spontaneous and intense solos. Listeners with very open ears and longtime fans of Cecil Taylor can consider this explosive performance to be essential.
by Scott Yanow in All Music Guide

Styles:
Avant-Garde
Free-Jazz

Tracks:
01 - Streams and Chorus of Seed (61: 45)

Line-up:
Cecil Taylor: piano
Jimmy Lyons: alto saxophone
Raphe Malik: trumpet
David S. Ware: tenor saxophone
Marc Edwards: drums

Wayne Shorter - Super Nova (1969)

This CD reissue brings back an important transitional album for tenor-saxophonist Wayne Shorter. Doubling on soprano (which he had recently begun playing), Shorter interprets five of his originals (including "Water Babies" which had been recorded previously by Miles Davis) and Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Dindi." He definitely used a forward-looking group of sidemen for his "backup band" includes guitarists John McLaughlin and Sonny Sharrock, Walter Booker (normally a bassist) on classical guitar for "Dindi," bassist Miroslav Vitous, both Jack DeJohnette and Chick Corea (!) on drums and percussionist Airto; Maria Booker takes a vocal on the touching version of "Dindi." The influence of Miles Davis' early fusion period is felt throughout the music but there is nothing derivative about the often-surprising results. As with Wayne Shorter's best albums, this set rewards repeated listenings.

by Sctott Yanow in All Music Guide

Styles:
Post-Bop
Fusion

Tracks:
01 - Supernova (04:45)
02 - Sweet Pea (04:35)
03 - Dindi (09:45)
04 - Water Babies (04:50)
05 - Capricorn (07:45)
06 - More Than Human (06:10)

Line-up:
Wayne Shorter — soprano saxophone
John McLaughlin — acoustic and electric guitar (1, 2, 4 & 5)
Sonny Sharrock — electric guitar
Miroslav Vitous — bass
Jack DeJohnette — drums, thumb piano
Chick Corea — drums, vibes
Airto Moreira — percussion
Walter Booker — acoustic guitar (3)
Maria Booker — vocals (3)

Donald Byrd - Black Byrd (1973)

Purists howled with indignation when Donald Byrd released Black Byrd, a full-fledged foray into R&B that erupted into a popular phenomenon. Byrd was branded a sellout and a traitor to his hard bop credentials, especially after Black Byrd became the biggest-selling album in Blue Note history. What the elitists missed, though, was that Black Byrd was the moment when Byrd's brand of fusion finally stepped out from under the shadow of his chief influence, Miles Davis, and found a distinctive voice of its own. Never before had a jazz musician embraced the celebratory sound and style of contemporary funk as fully as Byrd did here -- not even Davis, whose dark, chaotic jungle-funk stood in sharp contrast to the bright, breezy, danceable music on Black Byrd. Byrd gives free rein to producer/arranger/composer Larry Mizell, who crafts a series of tightly focused, melodic pieces often indebted to the lengthier orchestrations of Isaac Hayes and Curtis Mayfield. They're built on the most straightforward funk rhythms Byrd had yet tackled, and if the structures aren't as loose or complex as his earlier fusion material, they make up for it with a funky sense of groove that's damn near irresistible. Byrd's solos are mostly melodic and in-the-pocket, but that allows the funk to take center stage. Sure, maybe the electric piano, sound effects, and Roger Glenn's ubiquitous flute date the music somewhat, but that's really part of its charm. Black Byrd was state-of-the-art for its time, and it set a new standard for all future jazz/R&B/funk fusions -- of which there were many. Byrd would continue to refine this sound on equally essential albums like Street Lady and the fantastic Places and Spaces, but Black Byrd stands as his groundbreaking signature statement.

by Steve Huey in All Music Guide

Styles:
Crossover Jazz
Jazz-Funk
R&B

Tracks:
01 - Flight Time (08:27)
02 - Black Byrd (08:00)
03 - Love's So Far Away (06:00)
04 - Mr. Thomas (05:15)
05 - Sky High (05:59)
06 - Slop Jar Blues (06:00)
07 - Where Are We Going? (04:40)

Line-up:
Donald Byrd - trumpet, flugelhorn, electric trumpet, vocals
Allen Curtis Barnes - flute, oboe, saxophone
Roger Glenn - saxophone, flute
Fonce Mizell - trumpet, vocals
Larry Mizell - vocals
Kevin Toney - piano
Freddie Perren - piano, synthesizer, vocals
Dean Parks - guitar
David T. Walker - guitar
Barney Perry - guitar
Joe Sample - piano, electric piano
Wilton Felder - bass
Joe Hill - bass
Harvey Mason - drums
Sr, Keith Killgo - drums
Bobbye Hall Porter - percussion
Perk Jacobs - percussion
Stephanie Spruill - percussion

Sun Ra - All Stars in Berlin (1983)

Tracks:
01 - Announcement Michael Naura
02 - Happy Birthday / Stars That Shine Darkly
03 - Title
04 - Somewhere Else
05 - Early Morning Blues
06 - Poinciana
Line-up:
Sun Ra - keyboardsDon Cherry - trumpet, vocal
Lester Bowie - trumpet
Marshall Allen - alto sax, percussion
John Gilmore - tenor sax, flute
Archie Shepp - tenor sax, vocals
Richard Davis - bass
Clifford Jarvis - drums
Philly Joe Jones - drums
Famoudou Don Moye - percussion

Duke Ellington - Duke Ellington Meets Coleman Hawkins (1962)

The combination of Duke Ellington and Coleman Hawkins alone would be ideal for the vast majority of jazz fans. But add to the front line trombonist Lawrence Brown, saxophonists Harry Carney and Johnny Hodges, and cornetist/violinist Ray Nance, and you have a modern small jazz ensemble for the ages that would be tough to beat under any criteria, not so much a showcase for Hawkins as a group effort with everyone getting more than two cents' worth in. On this collection you receive, for your hard-earned dollars, eight originals, two of which have become well-known standards. Of the familiar fare, you hear a brief but unique off-minor intro on the heart-melting ballad "Mood Indigo," and all horns united on the democratic evergreen swinger "The Jeep Is Jumpin'." Hawkins plays a bit atonally and Brown struts during the bluesy modal head-nodding "Ray Charles' Place," while the band acts sly and slinky as you hear a signature uptown Ellington melody during the purebred "You Dirty Dog." The main feature for Hawkins where you clearly hear his familiar stoic and robust vibrato tenor sax sound is the slow and bluesy "Self-Portrait (Of the Bean)." The recording is bookended by Ellington's chiming, playful, concise, and rhythmic "ricitic" piano phrasings on the all-time favorite "Limbo Jazz" and "The Ricitic," the latter piece a showcase for the singularly beautiful and distinctive violin of Nance. Over the years, this near-perfect and timeless recording has only grown and matured with age, and should be a must-own for any traditional, mainstream, or general jazz aficionado. Also -- consider that this historic session was done in a single day! [This edition of Duke Ellington Meets Coleman Hawkins includes the bonus track "Solitude."]

By Michael G. Nastos in All Music Guide

Styles:
Early Jazz
Hard-Bop
Bop

Tracks:
01 - Limbo Jazz (05:15)
02 - Mood Indigo (05:56)
03 - Ray Charles' Place (04:05)
04 - Wanderlust (05:00)
05 - You Dirty Dog (04:20)
06 - Self-Portrait (of the Bean) (03:53)
07 - The Jeep is Jumpin' (04:50)
08 - The Ricitic (05:53)
09 - Solitude (05:51)

Line-up:
Duke Ellington - piano
Coleman Hawkins - tenor saxophone
Lawrence Brown - trombone
Harry Carney - bass clarinet, baritone saxophone
Johnny Hodges - alto saxophone
Aaron Bell - bass
Ray Nance - violin, cornet
Sam Woodyard - drums

Andrew Hill - Dance with Death (1968)

Andrew Hill's Dance of Death, recorded in 1968 with a stellar band, was not issued until 1980. In the late 1960s, Blue Note was no longer the most adventurous of jazz labels. While certain titles managed to scrape through -- Eddie Gale's Ghetto Music did but only because Francis Wollf personally financed it -- many didn't. The label was firmly in the soul-jazz groove by then, and Hill's music, always on the edge, was deemed too outside for the label's roster. Musically, this is Hill at his most visionary. From hard- and post bop frames come modal and tonal inquiries of staggering complexity. Accompanied by trumpeter Charles Tolliver, saxophonist Joe Farrell, drummer Billy Higgins and bassist Victor Sproles, Hill engages, seemingly, all of his muses at once. Check out the sinister modal blues that is "Fish 'N' Rice" with its loping Eastern-tinged blues and loping horn lines around Hill's knotty fills in the head and choruses. In "Partitions" the steaming head is so rigorously tangled it's only the counterpoint of Hill's piano that makes an exit possible, with deep blues underpinnings and strident swinging soul. The title cut dances Afro-Cuban in the head, but Hill's piano is in a minor modal groove, with Higgins playing a textural, syncopated four-four as Sproles' punches on the two and four as the solos begin winding through the modes, bringing back the blues on tags. Dance of Death is a phenomenal record, one that wears its adventure and authority well.

By Thom Jurek in All Music Guide

Styles:
Post-Bop
Avant-Garde

Tracks:
01 - Yellow Violet (05:30)
02 - Partitions (05:49)
03 - Fish 'n Rice (07:29)
04 - Dance with Death (06:37)
05 - Love Nocturne (06:41)
06 - Black Sabbath (06:21)
07 - Dance with Death [alternate take] (07:12)

Line-up:
Andrew Hill - piano
Charles Tolliver - trumpet
Joe Farrell - soprano saxophone (track 1), tenor saxophone (tracks 2-7)
Victor Sproles - bass
Billy Higgins - drums

Art Ensemble of Chicago - Les Stances a Sophie (1970)

In 1970, the members of the Art Ensemble of Chicago were living as expatriates in Paris. The group had only recently expanded to its permanent quintet status with the addition of drummer/percussionist Don Moye when they were asked by New Wave director Moshe Misrahi to provide the soundtrack for his movie, Les Stances a Sophie. The music was never used in the film but, luckily, it was recorded. The result was one of the landmark records of the burgeoning avant-garde of the time and, simply put, one of the greatest jazz albums ever. On two of the tracks, the Art Ensemble is joined by vocalist Fontella Bass, at the time the wife of trumpeter Lester Bowie and riding the success of her pop-soul hit Rescue Me. She's featured most prominently on the opening number, Theme De Yoyo, an astounding piece that has achieved legendary status as the finest fusion of funk and avant-garde jazz ever recorded. The mix is indeed seamless, with Moye and Favors laying down a throbbing, infectious groove, Bass singing the surreally erotic lyrics with enormous soul and the horn players soloing with ecstatic abandon. The remaining pieces cover a wide range stylistically with no less beauty and imagination, including two variations on a theme by Monteverdi, intense free improvising and soft, deeply probing sonic investigations.Their extensive knowledge of prior jazz styles, love of unusual sound sources (the so-called "little instruments) and fearless exploration of the furthest reaches of both instrumental and compositional possibilities came into full flower on this record.

by Brian Olewnick in All Music Guide

Styles:
Free-Jazz
Avant-Garde

Tracks:
01 - Theme de Yoyo (09:06)
02 - Theme de Celine (03:04)
03 - Variations Sur un Theme de Monteverdi I, II (04:47)
04 - Theme de l'Amour Universal (03:52)
05 - Proverbes No. 1, No. 2 (03:55)
06 - Theme Libre (08:53)

Line-up:
Joseph Jarman - saxophones, clarinets, percussion instruments
Roscoe Mitchell - saxophones, clarinets, flute, percussion instruments
Lester Bowie - trumpet, percussion instruments
Malachi Favors Maghostut - bass, percussion instruments, vocals
Fontella Bass - vocals, piano
Don Moye - drums, percussion

John Gilmore and The Jazz Messengers - I Can't Get Started (1966)

Woody Shaw - Blackstone Legacy (1970)

Originally a two-fer on vinyl and now on one CD, Shaw's debut as a leader is one of the first "free bop" sessions, in many ways his answer to Bitches Brew. The trumpeter's ensemble extracts dense, energetic, meaty collective sounds based in pure improvisation with a skeleton of a rhythmic framework to expound upon. Saxophonists Gary Bartz & Bennie Maupin, electric pianist George Cables, twin bassists Ron Carter and Clint Houston, and drummer Lenny White respond to Shaw's heavy direction, making for some of the most kinetic jazz heard in that period of early fusion. Shaw's bright melodicism, hard edged swing and refusal to compromise are his greatest assets. They come shining through on tuneful classics like the unstoppable "Think On Me" and stop-start gymnastics of "Boo-Ann's Grand." It represents the progressive bop aesthetic at a fever pitch. The title track is as wild and wooly as Woody could be, while "Lost & Found" is free bop at its finest. "New World" is a free funk number, quite a trend setter for its time, while "A Deed For Dolphy" shows an abstract, no-time side rarely heard from Shaw. All tunes are quite lengthy, no shorter than nine, no longer than seventeen minutes. This allows the band to develop their ideas and interact in a manner more akin to a concert setting. Bartz (alto and soprano saxophone) and Maupin (tenor saxophone, bass clarinet and flute) consistently show why they are two of the best improvising jazzmen out there. As much as the music is the thing, it is the singular presence of Shaw that refracts many colors of light and dark, like a multi-hued beacon directing many ships to port. There is not a better example of this music from its inception, documented on tape, than this other worldly session that brought the trumpeter to the jazz world's attention. Furthermore, few have done it better since. Truly a landmark recording, and a pivot point in the history of post-modern music.

By Michael G. Nastos in All Music Guide

Styles:
Modern Creative
Hard-Bop
Post-Bop
Progressive Jazz

Tracks:
01 - Blackstone Legacy (15:59)
02 - Think On Me (10:44)
03 - Lost and Found (11:49)
04 - New World (18:05)
05 - Boo-Ann's Grand (14:19)
06 - A Deed for Dolphy (08:55)

Line-up:
Woody Shaw - Trumpet
Gary Bartz - Alto Sax, Soprano Sax
Bennie Maupin - Tenor Sax, Bass Clarinet, Flute
Georges Cables - Piano, Electric Piano
Ron Carter - Bass
Clint Houston - Bass
Lenny White - Drums

Gary Bartz - The Shadow Do! (1975)

Not as known as the later Music Is My Sanctuary -- which was an even further departure, in its increased smoothness, from his Ntu Troop dates, and more popular by virtue of being released on Blue Note -- The Shadow Do! was the first time Gary Bartz sought production assistance from Fonce and Larry Mizell, the sibling duo who enlivened many sessions throughout the '70s with their soaring fusion of soul, funk, and (as Bartz would say) "the j-word." At this point, some j-word purists were hip to the Mizell program, what with dates from Bobbi Humphrey, Donald Byrd, and Johnny Hammond already in circulation. Checking the back of this Prestige release supplied all the info they needed to know: production by the Mizells, and four people credited with playing some form of synthesizer. Keyboardist Hubert Eaves, bassist Michael Henderson, guitarist Reggie Lucas, percussionist Mtume, and drummer Howard King help lend a sound that is a little funkier and heavier than most Mizell-guided sessions, but it's no less sweet. The second through fourth songs of side one exude joy and love, anchoring the album in a sense of contentedness so infectious that it might have even won over a few cold souls expecting straight jazz. Bartz's saxophones are at their melodic best, dancing, skipping, and trilling through the arrangements. He also sings lead, present on most of the songs, and though he probably didn't win any publication's best vocalist award, no one sounds like him, and the Mizells' own background harmonies are on-point as ever. [The Shadow Do! was reissued on CD at least twice in Japan, in 1993 and 2007.]

by Andy Kellman in All Music Guide

Styles:
Jazz-Funk
Post-Bop
Soul Jazz

Tracks:
01 - Winding Roads (03:19)
02 - Mother Nature (06:34)
03 - Love Tones (05:15)
04 - Gentle Smiles (04:21)
05 - Make Me Feel Better (04:40)
06 - Sea Gypsy (06:17)
07 - For My Baby (04:58)
08 - Incident (03:01)

Line-up:
Gary Bartz - Saxophone [Alto, Soprano], Synthesizer, Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals
Michael Henderson - Bass
Howard King - Drums, Synthesizer
Reggie Lucas - Guitar
Hubert Eaves - Piano, Clavinet, Synthesizer
Larry Mizell - Synthesizer
James Mtume - Percussion

Gato Barbieri - Fenix (1971)

Some artists totally change directions; some reinvent their personalities. It is hard to know exactly what to make of the case of this Argentinian tenor saxophonist, who first appeared as a sideman on several extremely important Don Cherry projects, making such an essential contribution to the overall feel of these records that listeners expected great things. After a few attempts at finding a meeting place between the energy and harshness of free jazz and the his own rhythmic roots, he created this album in which everything seemed to come together perfectly. If a judgement is to be made based on Barbieri's overall career, then a lot of credit would be given to his accompanying musicians here, who are strictly the cream of the crop. A horn player certainly couldn't complain about a rhythm section featuring bassist Ron Carter, drummer Lenny White, and pianist Lonnie Liston Smith, the last fresh out of the band of Pharoah Sanders, where he had established himself as the absolute king of modal, vaguely Latin or African sounding vamps. Smith was able to fit right in here, and he of course knew just what to do when the saxophonist went into his screaming fits, because he surely had plenty of practice with this kind of stuff playing with Sanders. The leader adds a nice touch of ethnic percussion with some congas and bongos and Na Na on berimbau; in fact, this was the first time many American listeners heard this instrument. From here, Barbieri continued to build, reaching a height with a series of collaborations with Latin American musicians playing traditional instruments. He would then switch gears, tone down the energy, and become kind of a romantic image with a saxophone in his mouth, producing music that brought on insults from reviewers, many of whom would have bit their tongues if they'd known much worse sax playing was to come via later artists such as Kenny G. But at this point in 1971, well before the Muppets would create a caricature out of him, Barbieri was absolutely smoking, and for a certain style of rhythmic free jazz, this is a captivating album indeed.

by Eugene Chadbourne in All Music Guide

Styles:
Latin Jazz
World-Fusion
Avant-Garde

Tracks:
01 - Tupac Amaru (04:13)
02 - Carnavalito (09:1o)
03 - Falsa Bahiana (05:48)
04 - El Dia Que Me Quieras (06:10)
05 - El Arriero (07:24)
06 - Bahia (06:22)

Line-up:
Gato Barbieri - Tenor Sax
Lonnie Liston Smith - Piano, Electric Piano
Na-Na* - Congas, Berimbau
Ron Carter - Electric Bass
Gene Golden - Congas, Bongos
Lenny White - Drums

Bobby Hutcherson - Components (1965)

Perhaps the single album that best sums up Bobby Hutcherson's early musical personality, Components is appropriately split into two very distinct halves. The first features four Hutcherson originals in a melodic but still advanced hard bop style, while the latter half has four free-leaning avant-garde pieces by drummer Joe Chambers. Hutcherson allots himself more solo space than on Dialogue, but that's no knock on the excellent supporting cast, which includes Herbie Hancock on piano, James Spaulding on alto sax and flute, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, and Ron Carter on bass. It's just more Hutcherson's date, and he helps unite the disparate halves with a cool-toned control that's apparent regardless of whether the material is way outside or more conventionally swinging. In the latter case, Hutcherson's originals are fairly diverse, encompassing rhythmically complex hard bop (the title track), pensive balladry ("Tranquillity," which features a lovely solo by Hancock), down-and-dirty swing ("West 22nd Street Theme"), and the gaily innocent "Little B's Poem," which went on to become one of Hutcherson's signature tunes and contains some lyrical flute work from Spaulding. The Chambers pieces tend to be deliberate explorations that emphasize texture and group interaction in the manner of Dialogue, except that there's even more freedom in terms of both structure and tonal center. (The exception is the brief but beautiful closing number, "Pastoral," an accurate title if ever there was one.) Components illustrated that Hutcherson was not only the most adventurous vibes player on the scene, but that he was also capable of playing more straightforward music with intelligence and feeling.

by Steve Huey in All Music Guide

Styles:
Modal
Post-Bop

Tracks:
01 - Components (06:23)
02 - Tranquility (05:01)
03 - Little B's Poem (05:08)
04 - West 22nd Street Theme (04:42)
05 - Movement (07:29)
06 - Juba Dance (05:21)
07 - Air (04:45)
08 - Pastoral (02:02)

Line-up:
Bobby Hutcherson: vibraphone
Joe Chambers: drums
Herbie Hancock: piano
James Spaulding: alto saxophone, flute
Freddie Hubbard: trumpet
Ron Carter: bass

Eric Dolphy - Iron Man (1963)

The companion piece to Conversations (recorded at the same mid-1963 sessions with producer Alan Douglas), Iron Man is every bit as essential and strikes a more consistent ambience than its widely varied twin. It also more clearly anticipates the detailed, abstract sound paintings of Dolphy's masterwork Out to Lunch, in large part because this time around the program is weighted toward Dolphy originals. "Iron Man," "Burning Spear," and the shorter "Mandrake" all have pretty outside themes, full of Dolphy's trademark wide interval leaps and playful sense of dissonance. Yet there's enough structure and swing to make their roots in hard bop perfectly clear, and once the front-line horns blast out the themes, the ensemble shifts into a more cerebral, exploratory mode. In the absence of a piano, Bobby Hutcherson's vibes are a crucial anchor, outlining dissonant harmonies that hang in the air almost spectrally behind the rest of the group. Most of the same musicians from Conversations appear here, including trumpeter Woody Shaw, flutist Prince Lasha, altoist Sonny Simmons, and soprano sax player Clifford Jordan. And once again, Dolphy duets with bassist Richard Davis, twice this time -- on bass clarinet for Ellington's "Come Sunday" and on flute for Jaki Byard's "Ode to C.P." Both are lovely, meditative pieces filled with conversational exchanges between the two players, illustrating what similar wavelengths they were on. Between Conversations and Iron Man, split up the way they are, one has to give a slight edge to the latter for its more cohesive presentation, yet these are classic sessions in any form and constitute some of the most brilliant work of the early-'60s avant-garde.

by Steve Huey in All Music Guide

Styles:
Avant-Garde
Free-Jazz
Post-Bop

Tracks:
01 - Iron Man (09:07)
02 - Mandrake (04:50)
03 - Come Sunday (06:24)
04 - Burning Spear (11:49)
05 - Ode to C.P. (08:05)

Line-up:
Eric Dolphy – bass clarinet, flute, alto saxophone
Richard Davis – bass
Clifford Jordan – tenor saxophone
Sonny Simmons – alto saxophone
(William) Prince Lasha – flute
Woody Shaw Jr. – trumpet
Bobby Hutcherson – vibraphone
J.C. Moses – drums
Eddie Khan – bass ("Iron Man")

Donald Byrd - A New Perspective (1963)

This unusual set (reissued on CD by Blue Note) was one of the most successful uses of a gospel choir in a jazz context. Trumpeter Donald Byrd and a septet that also includes tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley, guitarist Kenny Burrell, and pianist Herbie Hancock are joined by an eight-voice choir directed by Coleridge Perkinson. The arrangements by Duke Pearson are masterful and one song, "Cristo Redentor," became a bit of a hit. This is a memorable effort that is innovative in its own way, a milestone in Donald Byrd's career.

By Scott Yanow in All Music Guide

Styles:
Hard-Bop

Tracks:
01 - Elijah (09:21)
02 - Beast of Burden (10:07)
03 - Cristo Redentor (05:43)
04 - The Black Disciple (08:12)
05 - Chant (07:31)

Line-up:
Donald Byrd - trumpet
Hank Mobley - tenor saxophone
Herbie Hancock - piano
Kenny Burrell - guitar
Donald Best - vibraphone, vocals
Butch Warren - bass
Lex Humphries - drums

Jaki Byard - The Jaki Byard Experience (1968)

Pianist Jaki Byard and the wondrous Roland Kirk (here switching between tenor, clarinet, and manzello) were two of the few jazz musicians who could play in literally every jazz style, from New Orleans to bop and free form. If only they had recorded a history-of-jazz album. Fortunately, they did meet up on a few occasions, including this brilliant quartet session with bassist Richard Davis and drummer Alan Dawson. They romp on Bud Powell's "Parisian Thoroughfare," Thelonious Monk's "Evidence," "Shine on Me," and "Teach Me Tonight." Byard duets with Davis on his own "Hazy Eve," but best of all is the pianist's duet with Kirk on "Memories of You." This set was also reissued as half of the Roland Kirk two-LP set Pre-Rahsaan.

By Steve Huey in All Music Guide

Styles:
Post-Bop

Tracks:
01 - Parisian Thoroughfare (10:05)
02 - Hazy Eve (04:34)
03 - Shine on Me (04:16)
04 - Evidence (04:24)
05 - Memories of You (07:13)
06 - Teach Me Tonight (05:23)

Line-up:
Jaki Byard: piano
Roland Kirk: tenor saxophone, manzello, clarinet, whistle, kirkbam
Richard Davis: bass
Alan Dawson: drums

Rahsaan Roland Kirk - I Say a Little Prayer (1969)

Jimmy Smith - Jimmy & Wes: The Dynamic Duo (1966)

Creed Taylor matched two of his most famous artists, Wes Montgomery and Jimmy Smith, on this session (Montgomery's last for Verve), and the results are incendiary -- a near-ideal meeting of yin and yang. Smith comes at your throat with his big attacks and blues runs while Montgomery responds with rounder, smoother octaves and single notes that still convey much heat. They are an amazing pair, complementing each other, driving each other, using their bop and blues taproots to fuse together a sound. The romping, aggressive big band charts -- Oliver Nelson at his best -- on "Down by the Riverside" and "Night Train," and the pungently haunting chart for Gary McFarland's "13" (Death March)" still leave plenty of room for the soloists to stretch out. "James and Wes" and "Baby, It's Cold Outside" include drummer Grady Tate and conguero Ray Barretto, with Smith's own feet working the organ pedals. The Verve Master Edition reissue also includes an alternate take of "O.G.D." with Tate and Barretto, a track previously surfacing on a long-gone Encyclopedia of Jazz anthology LP from the '60s -- a neat bonus that makes this the preferred version.

by Richard S. Ginell in All Music Guide

Styles:
Crossover Jazz
Hard-Bop
Soul

Tracks:
01 - Down by the Riverside (10:02)
02 - Night Train (06:48)
03 - James and Wes (08:13)
04 - 13 (Death March) (05:22)
05 - Baby, It's Cold Outside (06:05)
06 - O.G.D. (aka Road Song) (05:13)

Line-up:
Jimmy Smith – Hammond organ
Wes Montgomery – guitar
Grady Tate - drums
Jerry Dodgion - alto saxophone, clarinet, flute
Bob Ashton - tenor saxophone, clarinet, flute, alto flute
Phil Woods - baritone saxophone, bass clarinet, flute, alto flute
Clark Terry - trumpet, flugelhorn
Jimmy Maxwell - trumpet
Jimmy Cleveland - trombone
Tony Studd - bass trombone
Jerome Richardson - clarinet, alto & tenor flutes
Richard Davis - bass
Ray Barretto - conga, jingle bells

Milt Jackson - The Big 3 (1975)

This CD (a straight reissue of the original LP) features a rather notable pianoless combo: vibraphonist Milt Jackson, guitarist Joe Pass, and bassist Ray Brown. These three masterful players recorded together in many settings during the Pablo years, but only this once as a trio. The colorful repertoire (which ranges from "The Pink Panther" and "Blue Bossa" to "Nuages" and "Come Sunday") acts as a device for the musicians to construct some brilliant bop-based solos.

by Scott Yanow in All Music Guide

Styles:
Post-Bop

Tracks:
01 - The Pink Panther (05:52)
02 - Nuages (07:26)
03 - Blue Bossa (05:03)
04 - Come Sunday (03:12)
05 - Wave (06:50)
06 - Moonglow (04:57)
07 - You Stepped Out of a Dream (03:58)
08 - Blues for Sammy (06:25)

Line-up:
Milt Jackson – vibraphone
Joe Pass – guitar
Ray Brown – bass

Cedar Walton - Eastern Rebellion (1975)

This CD reissue brings back a classic set featuring four giants of the modern mainstream: pianist/leader Cedar Walton, tenor-saxophonist George Coleman, bassist Sam Jones and drummer Billy Higgins. All five performances are noteworthy, particularly a definitive version of Walton's most famous composition "Bolivia," Coleman's tricky "5/4 Thing" and Jones's boppish "Bittersweet." The veteran musicians all sound quite inspired on this advanced straightahead set. A gem.

by Scott Yanow in All Music Guide

Styles:
Hard-Bop

Tracks:
01 - Bolivia (10:10)
02 - Naima (08:38)
03 - 5/4 Thing (07:55)
04 - Bittersweet (06:54)
05 - Mode For Joe (07:41)

Line-up:
Cedar Walton - piano
George Coleman - tenor sax
Sam Jones - bass
Billy Higgins - drums

Rahsaan Roland Kirk - The Return of the 5000 Lb. Man (1976)

The Return of the 5000 Lb. Man was Rahsaan Roland Kirk's first album for Warner Brothers, recorded before the stroke that impaired him. Kirk is at full creative and musical strength. These seven tracks are an utter astonishment. Kirk's playing of saxophones, harmonica, flutes, and euphonium is deep, soulful, and even profound in places. "Theme for the Eulipions" (which opens the album), "Giant Steps," and "There Will Never Be Another You" features an all-star band that includes Charlie Persip, a young Hilton Ruiz, bassist Buster Williams, Romeo Perique on baritone saxophone, and Howard Johnson on tuba. The version of "Sweet Georgia Brown," with its wacky percussion and whistling, is so utterly joyful and funky it's perhaps the definitive jazz version of the tune. But it's the readings of Minnie Riperton's "Loving You" and Charles Mingus' "Goodbye Porkpie Hat" that take the album to an entirely new place. They are, though very different from one another, so utterly moving and aesthetically beautiful, they elevate music to the level of poetry. This is one that's utterly necessary for fans, and a very fitting intro for the novice.

By Thom Jurek in All Music Guide

Styles:
Modal
Modern Creative
Hard Bop

Tracks:
01 - Theme for the Eulipions (09:30)
02 - Sweet Georgia Brown (04:47)
03 - I'll Be Seeing You (06:09)
04 - Loving You (04:49)
05 - Goodbye Pork Pie Hat (06:22)
06 - There Will Never Be Another You (05:09)
07 - Giant Steps (06:12)

Line-up:
Roland Kirk: tenor saxophone, manzello, stritch, clarinet, flute, harmonica, euphonium
Howard Johnson: tuba (tracks 1, 6 & 7)
Romeo Penque: baritone saxophone, oboe (tracks 1, 6 & 7)
Hilton Ruiz: piano, celesta (tracks 1 & 4-7)
Buster Williams: bass (tracks 1, 6 & 7)
Charlie Persip: drums (tracks 1, 6 & 7)
Joe Habao Texidor: percussion, vocals (tracks 1 & 4-7)
Betty Neals: recitation (track 1)
Maeretha Stewart: vocals (track 1)
Hank Jones: piano (track 2)
Milt Hinton: bass (track 2)
Fred Moore: washboard (track 2)
Wilton Eaton: whistling (track 2)
Trudy Pitts: organ (track 3)
William Butler: guitar (tracks 3-5)
Bill Carney: drums (tracks 3-5)
Arthur Jenkins: keyboards (tracks 4 & 5)
Matathias Pearson: bass (tracks 4 & 5)
Jerry Griffin: drums (tracks 4 & 5)
Warren Smith: percussion (tracks 4 & 5)