Artists: Archie Shepp and Roswell Rudd
     Album: Live In New York
     Label: EmArcy 013 482-2
     Year: 2000
     Format, bitrate: mp3@320 kbs Covers Front/Back HD
     Time: ~ 67 min
     Size: 140,73 MB

Recorded live at New York's Jazz Standard in 2000, this generally excellent CD marks the reunion of two avant-garde improvisers who were separated for way too long: tenor man Archie Shepp and trombonist Roswell Rudd. The jazzmen played together a lot during the turbulent 1960s but, regrettably, they didn't record together at all in the 1970s, 1980s, or 1990s. After more than 30 years apart, was that old chemistry still there? Absolutely. A 63-year-old Shepp (who doubles on piano) and a 65-year-old Rudd have no problem bringing out the best in one another whether they are embracing pieces from the 1960s (including Shepp's remorseful "Steam") or turning their attention to songs they wrote in the 1980s or 1990s such as Rudd's "Bamako" and Shepp's "Hope No. 2." Some people might wish that the veteran jazzmen paid more attention to their 1960s work, but Live in New York isn't meant to be an exercise in nostalgia. Shepp and Rudd (who are joined by trombonist Grachan Moncur III, bassist Reggie Workman, and drummer Andrew Cyrille) aren't trying to recreate the past -- nor should they. But that doesn't mean that they aren't excited about being reunited; they bring a wealth of enthusiasm to their post-bop and avant-garde performances -- none of which are as extreme as some of the blistering free jazz that Shepp provided in the 1960s. Shepp's "Déjà-Vu," in fact, is a hauntingly pretty torch ballad that finds the saxman singing. Although Shepp's singing isn't in a class with his tenor playing, he still manages to get his points across on "Déjà-Vu" -- which is an ironic song title for an album that avoids being nostalgic. Shepp and Rudd keep things unpredictable on this inspired reunion.

    Artist: Hampton Hawes
    Album: The Green Leaves Of Summer
    Label: Contemporary/OJC
    Year: 1964 ; release: 1991
    Genre: Piano Jazz
    Format mp3, bitrate: 320 kb/s
    Time: 39:42
    Size: 91,6 Mb
    AMG Rating:

Pianist Hampton Hawes' first recording after serving five years in prison finds Hawes evolving a bit from a Bud Powell-influenced bop pianist to one familiar with more modern trends in jazz. Reissued on CD, this trio date finds Hawes interacting closely with bassist Monk Montgomery and drummer Steve Ellington (making his recording debut). Hawes had lost nothing of his swinging style while in prison, as can be heard on such numbers as "Vierd Blues," "St. Thomas" and "Secret Love," and he was just starting to hint at moving beyond bop. Recommended. - Scott Yanow at All Music Guide

     Artist: Ben Webster And His Orchestra
     Album: The Horn
     Label: Progressive
     Year: 1944, release: 1994
     Quality: MP3@320 kbps
     Size: 115 mb (sharebee)
     Total time: 55:06

     This CD contains the complete sessions of February 8, 1944, including the false starts, incomplete takes, unissued takes (even one take where nothing happens), and those takes issued on World Transcriptions.This historically important session produced by Milt Gabler was recorded in New York City by World Broadcasting System, Inc., and takes on selections one through eight were marked "choise" and issued only 16'' transcriptions and never made available for commercial purchase by the public until their first release on Circle LPs in 1982 and now available on Progressive compact disc. The remaining selections, nine through seventeen, remained unheard until 1982.

     Here is Big Ben at the top of his game - confident, swaggering, tender - all with his ravishing tone. He still has the sheen developed during his Ellington years. Here he is in the setting he liked best - a small group of musicians he knew well.

     Artist: Scott Hamilton & Danny Moss
     Album: Mainstream Giants of Jazz 2007
     Label:RWP 0026
     Year: Sep 26, 2007,Oct 17, 2007
     Release:2009
     Format, bitrate: MP3, 320kb/s
     Time:72 Min
     Size: 188MB

     Jazz musicians keep dying. Perhaps this is not surprising, as jazz is nearing its centenary. Last year's list of losses included British tenor-saxist Danny Moss, who made a name for himself playing in bands led by such people as Vic Lewis, Ted Heath and John Dankworth, before moving to Australia in 1989. He returned from the Antipodes nearly every year to tour in Britain, and this album was recorded on one of those visits in 2007. Danny died eight months later, and this CD is a good reminder of his considerable abilities.
     The album's "Giants of Jazz" phrase is justified, since the line-up includes some of the top British musicians, plus American tenorist Scott Hamilton who seems now to live virtually full-time in the UK. The repertoire of a dozen songs may look hackneyed but variety is provided by the sextet splitting up into smaller groups - from John Pearce's solo piano on Star Dust to a quintet that only omits guitarist Dave Cliff. The whole sextet is only heard on four tracks.
     Danny Moss's powerful delivery shows no signs of slackening in the opening Fine and Dandy. His outspoken style contrasts with Scott Hamilton's more restrained approach, although both men are equally adept. To generalise, you might describe Scott's tone as light and Danny's tone as dark. Martin Drew does an adroit drum solo and then plays exchanges with the two tenorists. Poinciana has a slower, more beguiling tempo, with the saxists harmonising together before Danny takes off on his own for a long solo, followed by pianist John Pearce....

     Artist: Bill Evans
     Album: Live In London
     Label: Harkit Records HRKCD 5058
     Years: 1965/1966, release: 2003
     Format, bitrate: mp3@320 kbs Covers Front/Back HD
     Time: ~ 64 min
     Size: 109,48 MB
     AMG Rating

Since the death of Bill Evans in 1980, many previously unknown live recordings have turned up. This is one of the better releases, consisting of parts of a pair of sessions during the Bill Evans Trio's first visit to London for an extended gig at Ronnie Scott's Club. Jazz journalist Leslie Tomkins was given permission to record the artist, without any intention of releasing these performances. Although these are not professional recordings (the bass sounds somewhat distant), the sound is actually very good, considering the circumstances under which the recordings must have been made. The music chosen from two days of sets makes for an unusual play list, concentrating almost exclusively on standards from the Great American Songbook, with none of Evans' brilliant originals, though he is in top form throughout the disc. "Someday My Prince Will Come" is playfully introduced with a brisk marching vamp, then Evans resorts to his favorite gliding waltz arrangement. "Who Can I Turn To?" is the piece of most recent vintage, taken from a Broadway production by Anthony Newley. As on many interpretations of Miles Davis' "Nardis," Evans quickly fades into the background early in order to feature Chuck Israels first. He also delves into Johnny Frigo's "Detour Ahead" (a piece
written in the 1940s for the trio the Soft Winds). The only Evans original present is a rapid fire miniature interpretation of his theme song "Five" that also includes a drum solo plus snatches of various classic bop anthems. Tomkins' interview with Evans, recorded during a 1972 visit to London, is informative. Fans of Bill Evans will definitely want to pick up this CD, issued by the English label Harkit.

     Artist: Shorty Rogers and The Lighthouse All Stars
     Album: Eight Brothers
     Label: Bandid CCD79821
     Year: 1992
     Format, bitrate: mp3, 320 kbs
     Time: 67 min
     Size: 156,80 MB (+Covers)
     AMG rating:

     The 1992 Lighthouse All-Stars, a reunion group of 1950s Los Angeles veterans, consisted of flugelhornist Shorty Rogers, trumpeter Conte Candoli, altoist Bud Shank, tenor saxophonist Bob Cooper, Bill Perkins on baritone, tenor and soprano, pianist Pete Jolly, bassist Monty Budwig and drummer Larance Marable. Budwig passed away from cancer just a couple months after this recording, which may have been the last of his very productive career. Although one thinks of the Lighthouse All-Stars as being a cool jazz group, the music on their Candid date -- eight then-new Rogers compositions and one apiece from Shank and Cooper along with a reworking of "Battle Hymn of the Republic" -- is actually more in the hard bop and even post-bop vein. The CD is billed as being co-led by Shorty Rogers and Bud Shank -- Rogers because of the writing and Shank since he had emerged into the band's most prominent soloist. All of the veteran musicians play up to par, and the results are quite enjoyable, even if none of the new songs became standards. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide

    Artist: Eddie Higgins & Scott Hamilton & Ken Peplowski
    Album: Essential Best
    Label: Venus Jap/Zoom
    Year: ; release: 2009
    Genre: Jazz
    Format mp3, bitrate: 320 kb/s
    Time: 1:13:01
    Size: 180 Mb (full covers)
    Bubu's Rating:

What more bad surprises can you expect in this world of global climate changes, terrorism, hatery and dishonesty? Well I can tell you for sure. The manufacturer of this beautiful record stopped the item and AMG is not even mentioning it...
Attention, the HQ on the label is for real. The sound is incredible.
On these standards and covers, Eddie’s band playing is extraordinarily moving and touching. The album in its entirety reaches an second to none quality in mixing the styles, compositions choice and audio fidelity. Although a compilation, this album is highly recommended to all jazz fans for both sound quality and selection of tracks (do I need to say more?) - Bubu Hans

     Artist: Grachan Moncur III
     Album: Evolution
     Label: Blue Note
     Year: Nov. 21, 1963
     Format, bitrate: 256 kbps (VBR)
     Time: 40:59
     Size: 84.4 MB
     AMG Rating:

One of the New Thing's extremely few trombonists and a greatly underappreciated composer of tremendous evocative power, Grachan Moncur III got his first major exposure on Jackie McLean's groundbreaking 1963 masterpiece, One Step Beyond. Toward the end of the year, most of the same musicians reconvened for Moncur's debut as a leader, Evolution; McLean, vibist Bobby Hutcherson, and drummer Tony Williams are all back, with Bob Cranshaw on bass and an extra voice in trumpeter Lee Morgan, moonlighting from his usual groovy hard bop style. While Moncur takes a little more solo space here, the main emphasis is on his talent as a composer. The four originals are all extended, multi-sectioned works (the shortest is around eight minutes), all quite ambitious, and all terrifically moody; much of the album sounds sinister and foreboding, and even the brighter material has a twisted, surreal fun-house undercurrent. Part of that is due to the accuracy with which the musicians interpret Moncur's vision. Hutcherson provides his trademark floating chordal accompaniment, which is crucial to the overall texture; what's more, the album features some of McLean's weirdest playing ever, and some of Morgan's most impressively advanced, as he makes the most of a situation he longed to be in more often. Of the pieces, "Monk in Wonderland" is the most memorable; its whimsical, angular theme is offset by Hutcherson's mysterious vibes, which create a trippy effect in keeping with the title. "Air Raid" is alternately ominous and terrifyingly frantic, and the funereal title track keeps time only in the pulse of the horns and the backing, which is based entirely on whole notes. With such an inventive debut, it's a shame Moncur didn't record more as a leader, which makes Evolution an even more important item for fans of Blue Note's avant-garde to track down. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide

     Artist: Aldo Romano
     Album: Palatino Chap.3
     Label: Universal Music
     Year: 2001
     Format, Bit Rate: Mp3 320 Kbps
     Time: 56:00
     Size: 101 Mb

     All four members of the collective calling itself Palatino have often carved out niches that place them just outside popular currents, and this one is no exception. There is a gentle though propulsive quality to the pianoless quartet that relies on the unusual instrumentation of trombone, trumpet, bass, and drums. All the tunes are originals by each of these seasoned bandmembers, except Tadd Dameron's "On a Misty Night." This is the sort of fare that grows on you, the kind that requires close attention to appreciate its nuances. The short lengths of the tunes prevent any meandering, though there is a sameness to some of the pieces as a result of the limited instrumentation. The two horns, trombonist Glenn Ferris and trumpeter Paolo Fresu, are stylistically similar, each offering understated and clearly articulated improvisations -- clean, sparse, and economical. A good example of how good they can sound together comes on Ferris' "Sud-Ouest Jump," taken at a brisk clip with the horns soloing together intimately and intricately, the harmonies tight and crisp. Another winner is Romano's "Sapore di Si Minore" with its nostalgic laid-back ambience, 1950s-like solo from Fresu, and a beautiful muted contribution from the trombonist. Throughout, Romano carefully navigates, never letting the core explode and keeping the focus on an easy delicacy. Bassist Michel Benita plays an important part harmonically, and his short "Juke" gives Romano some breathing space, which complements his solo feature on his own "Drum Strum." The Dameron piece, which closes the album, features some particularly inspired work from Ferris. ~ Steven Loewy, All Music Guide

    Artist: Ahmad Jamal
    Album: Picture Perfect (70th Anniversary)
    Label: Birdology
    Year: May 20, 2000-Jun 6, 2000 ; release: 2001
    Genre: Piano Jazz
    Format mp3, bitrate: 320 kb/s
    Time: 1:04:48
    Size: 148 Mb

Critic Stanley Crouch cites AHMAD JAMAL's impact on the fresh form in jazz as an outstanding conceptionalist. Crouch considers Mr. Jamal's distinctive style as having had an influence on the same level as "Jelly Roll Morton, Fletcher Henderson, Duke Ellington, Art Tatum, Count Basie, Theolonius Monk, Horace Silver and John Lewis, all thinkers whose wrestling with form and content influenced the shape and texture of the music, and whose ensembles were models of their music visions." - Amazon.com

     Artist: J.J.Johnson
     Album:Concepts In Blue
     Label:Pablo/OJC
     Year:rec.Sep 23, 1980-Sep 26, 1980 / rel.1980
     Format:MP3 @ 320 Kb/s
     Time: 43:51
     Size: 94,8 Mb
     AMG rating:

     Artist: Ahmad Jamal
     Album: Pittsburgh
     Year: rec./rel. 1989
     Label: Atlantic Jazz
     Format: MP3 @ 320 Kb/s
     Time: 52:01
     Size: 118,9 Mb Mb
     AMG rating: