Album - Cream
      Artist - Pat Martino
      Release Date - Oct 21, 1997
      Recording Date - Mar 24, 1972-Feb 1987
      Label - 32 Jazz
      Genre - Jazz
      Type - Compilation
      Format/Bitrate - MP3/ 128 kbps
      Size - 53.91 Mb
      AMG Rating - ****


      The 32 Jazz compilation Cream collects tracks from some of guitarist Pat Martino's best albums, including Consciousness and his post-brain aneurysm 1987 comeback Return. Although 32 Jazz also reissued most of the albums these cuts come from, having them in one place makes for a nice introduction to Martino's distinctive ambient "machine gun"-like improvisational style. Review by Matt Collar

     Artist: Nat King Cole
     Album: Billy May Sessions
     Label: Capitol
     Years: 1951-1961
     Format, bitrate: MP3@320 kbit/s
     Time: 1.49:19
     Size: 251 Mb
     AMG rating: ****


     И вновь звучит в Клубе сладкий голос Нат Кинг Коула...

     Artists: Howard Johnson & Gravity
     Album: Right Now!
     Genre: Jazz
     Label: Verve Records
     Quality: MP3@320 kbps
     Recording Date: 1998
     Size: 136 Mb (96 + 40)
     AMG Rating:

     Review:
     The idea of a tuba sextet might seem a bit too daffy a defiance of the laws of gravity, but Hojo's ensemble — nicknamed Gravity — comes up with some surprisingly mellifluous textures on their second album to date. Though the playing sounds staggeringly clumsy on the opening title track, things quickly coalesce thereafter. The tuba harmonies oddly often bear a pleasing kinship with those of Steve Turre's massed conch shells, and the shadow of Gil Evans is everywhere. The eclectic sometime bluesician Taj Mahal — who first worked with Johnson's tuba ensemble back in 1971 — revives their long-dormant collaboration by appearing on three tracks, including a Ray Charles-ish "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying" (catch the echoes of Evans' "Blues for Pablo" in the tubas). As a perhaps deliberately extreme juxtaposition, Johnson also solos attractively on the tiny pennywhistle on Herbie Hancock's "Tell Me a Bedtime Story," beautifully realized by the group, and moves jaggedly out in front of the band on baritone sax as well. Elegant fun. -- by Richard S. Ginell, Courtesy All Music

     Artist: Howard Johnson
     Album: Gravity!!!
     Genre: Jazz
     Label: Polygram Records / Verve
     Quality: MP3 @320 kbps
     Original Release Date: 1995
     Size: 144 Mb (96 + 48)
     AMG Rating:

     Imagine a group that consists of piano, bass, drums, and five to seven tubas. Howard Johnson, one of the mightiest tuba players of the past 30 years, has been leading Gravity since 1968 but this is their first recording. Despite the instrumentation, the group plays the music (which ranges from Don Pullen's colorful "Big Alice" and two of Johnson's originals to such standards as "Stolen Moments," "Yesterdays," and "'Round Midnight") with swing, creativity, and more variety than one might expect. -- Scott Yanow, All Music Guide.

     Artist: Dexter Gordon
     Album: Swiss Nights Vol. 2
     Label: Steeple Chase
     Quality: MP3@320 kbps
     Recording Date: 1987 (first issue: 1975)
     Size: 144 Mb (98 + 46) NEW LINKS
     Total Time: 62'47



     The second of three volumes recorded live at the Zurich Jazz Festival, August 23 & 24, 1975.

     Artist: Dexter Gordon
     Album: Swiss Nights Vol. 1
     Label: Steeple Chase
     Quality: MP3@320 kbps
     Recording Date: 1987 (first issue : 1975)
     Size: 144 Mb (98 + 46) New links
     Total Time: 68'18



     The first of three volumes recorded live at the Zurich Jazz Festival, August 23 & 24, 1975.

     Artist: (Rahsaan) Roland Kirk
     Album: We Free Kings
     Year: 1961
     Label: Mercury
     Time: 38:40
     Format: MP3 @320kbps
     Size: 107mb (RS.com, w/ 5% file recovery)
     AMG Rating: 4 stars

     We Free Kings, Roland Kirk's third long-player, is among the most consistent of his early efforts. The assembled quartet provides an ample balance of bop and soul compliments to Kirk's decidedly individual polyphonic performance style. His inimitable writing and arranging techniques develop into some great originals, as well as personalize the chosen cover tunes. With a nod to the contemporary performance style of John Coltrane, as well as a measure of his influences -- most notably Clifford Brown and Sidney Bechet -- Kirk maneuvers into and out of some inspiring situations. His decidedly 'Trane-esque solos on "My Delight" are supported with a high degree of flexibility by one-time Charles Mingus' pianist Richard Wyands and Dizzy Gillespie percussionist Charlie Persip. -- AMG (continued)

     Artist: Jackie McLean
     Album: McLean's Scene
     Year: 1957
     Label: New Jazz/OJC
     Time: 40:17
     Format: MP3 @320kbps
     Size: 84mb (RS.com, w/ 5% file recovery)
     Includes Covers + Liner Notes
     AMG Rating: 4 stars

     Altoist Jackie McLean tends to downgrade his Prestige recordings due to the low pay, the little prior preparation and the jam session feel of the music. Although all of the above is true, the music (while not on a par with his Blue Notes of the 1960s) is still pretty worthy, particularly when compared to the output of his contemporaries. McLean never really copied Charlie Parker and was one of the first in his generation to develop his own sound. Three of the six selections on this CD reissue (a pair of standards and a blues) feature McLean with trumpeter Bill Hardman, pianist Red Garland, bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Art Taylor. The remainder of the set is from a marathon quartet set with pianist Mal Waldron, bassist Arthur Phipps and drummer Taylor that would result in material that was used as part of five separate albums. McLean is in lyrical form on "Our Love Is Here to Stay" and "Old Folks" while playing with great intensity on his accurately-titled original "Outburst." -- AMG

     Artist - Tommy Flanagan
     Album - Lonely Town
     Label - Blue Note
     Year - 1959, release - 1999
     Quality - MP3 @ 320kbps
     Size - 71,4mb

     It’s hard to understand why this recording sat on the shelf for 40 years. It was recorded in 1959, two years after Tommy’s Overseas record (his first as a leader), it reunites him with Elvin Jones (who alternates between sticks and brushes), it includes bassist Joe Benjamin (known mainly as a member of the Ellington band and who alternates between pizzacato and violin-like arco playing) and it features the music from Leonard Bernstein’s popular at-the-time Broadway show, West Side Story. When this recording finally saw the light of day it was 1999 and released in Japan only. This recording quickly became my number two favorite Tommy Flanagan recording, with Overseas being number one. It’s interesting to compare this trio with the Overseas trio. Both groups were working trios where the musicians listened to one another and not just followed one another but actually anticipated where the other musicians were going. As always, I’m interested in what others think of this recording.

     Artist: Eric Sardinas
     Album: Eric Sardinas And Big Motor
     Genre: Blues
     Original Release Date: February 23, 2008
     Quality/Bitrate: MP3/256 kbit/s/44.1 Khz/Joint Stereo
     File Size: 88,3 Mb




     19 февраля 2008 года в США,состоялся официальный релиз четвертого альбома уникального хеви-рок-блюзмена-слайдиста Эрика Сардинаса (Eric Sardinas).
     Один из моих любимых гитаристов, неоднократно уже был представлен у нас в Клубе.

     Artist - Herbie Mann
     Album - Soltry Serenades
     Label - Riverside
     Year - 1957
     Quality - MP3@192kbps
     Size - 54,4mb
     Total time - 39:11


     This date should not be forgotten as one of Herbie Mann's best. ~ Michael G. Nastos, All Music Guide

     Artist:Donald Byrd
     Album: A New Perspective
     Label: Blue Note
     Year: rec. January 12, 1963/rel.1999
     Format: MP 3 @ 320 Kb/s
     Time:40:55
     Size:88.6 Mb

     

     Artists: Dizzy Gillespie and Arturo Sandoval
     Album: To a Finland station
     Year: 1982
     Label: Original Jazz Classics
     Genre: Jazz
     Format, bitrate: MP3 320 kbps (vinil rip)
     Time: 21+24
     Size: 108,1 mb
     AMG Rating: 4 stars