Jazz Blues Club

Jazz Blues Club http://jazzbluesclub.com/ ru Jazz Blues Club DataLife Engine 1977: Harold Ousley - The People's Groove http://jazzbluesclub.com/2012/02/09/1977_harold_ousley__the_peoples_groove.html http://jazzbluesclub.com/2012/02/09/1977_harold_ousley__the_peoples_groove.html

     Artist: Harold Ousley
     Album: The People's Groove
     Label: Muse Records (Catalog#: MR 5107)
     Year: 1977
     Format: FLAC (LP-Rip)
     Size: 235.61MB
     Time: 46:23
     AMG Rating: 1977: Harold Ousley - The People's Groove

In 1977, the Chicago-born saxophonist Harold Ousley put out the album "The People's Groove". In essence it is a Soul Jazz/Jazz Funk masterpiece. Some of tunes are taken from a live context and as a result are full of energy. With "Little Virgo" the listener is treated to a great piece of jazz funk. Another definite highlight is the Samba-Fused recording "El Exi-Hente" with its thrilling high-speed electric piano intertwined with nicely delivered scat vocals. The rest of the compositions are of equal merit, in fact there are no disappointments. Ousley as a producer has chosen some of the great jazz luminaries of the time together with an impressive rhythm section of players noted within the black music movement. Overall, the album is very entertaining whereby Ousley gets to showcase his skills on both tenor and alto.

Saxophonist who worked with Dinah Washington. The all-star cast includes Ray McKinney (bass), Bobby Rose (guitar), and Norman Simmons (piano).

~ Michael G. Nasto, All Music Guide

]]> kriztof Thu, 09 Feb 2012 09:36:07 +0300 Eddie Bert - Biography http://jazzbluesclub.com/2012/02/08/eddie_bert__biography.html http://jazzbluesclub.com/2012/02/08/eddie_bert__biography.html

Краткая биография талантливого музыканта.

]]> lex Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:21:21 +0300 1945-1949: Charles "Baron" Mingus: West Coast, 1945-1949 http://jazzbluesclub.com/2012/02/08/2001_charles_baron_mingus_west_coast_194549.html http://jazzbluesclub.com/2012/02/08/2001_charles_baron_mingus_west_coast_194549.html

     Artist: Charles Mingus
     Album: West Coast, 1945-49
     Label: UPTOWN JAZZ
     Year: 1945-49 ; release: 2001
     Format, bitrate: MP3, LAME 320 kbps
     Time: 72:11
     Size: 163 MB

     This anthology collects a number of obscure 78s by Charles Mingus, many of which have not been reissued since they were originally released during the 1940s. Many of the vocal features are fairly traditional ballads, and Mingus was by no means an inventive lyricist, but it is the strong solos by the musicians within these tracks and the often rather progressive arrangements (even if their execution is not always perfect) that generally merit the most attention. One notable exception is Helen Carr's performance on the standard "Say It Isn't So," which opens with a superb bass solo by Mingus. Carr's sultry vocal is also accompanied by her then-husband Donn Trenner on piano; tragically, her only other recordings prior to her premature death were two records for Bethlehem. Among the instrumental tracks, "Shuffle Bass Boogie" is a lively 12-bar blues featuring Mingus at the forefront and fine solos by saxophonists Lucky Thompson and Willie Smith (two of the bigger names among the cast of lesser-known players). Buddy Collette's "Bedspread" is a mid-tempo swinger that is obviously influenced by Duke Ellington, and features some choice solos, especially by tenor saxophonist William "Brother" Woodman and the composer on alto sax. The exotic "Mingus Fingers," originally written by Mingus for Lionel Hampton, showcases Mingus in a boppish solo. Herb Caro, who died at 22, is heard on baritone sax on a big-band version of Mingus' "Story of Love" and on tenor sax in a later remake, which also features Eric Dolphy on alto sax and Russ Freeman on piano. Among the many other musicians heard on this CD are Roy Porter, Art Pepper, Richard Wyands, and Red Callender. Andrew Homzy's thorough liner notes and the many period photographs included provide additional insight into the early career of Charles Mingus. Highly recommended.

~ Ken Dryden, All Music Guide

]]> berlinerpunk Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:08:36 +0300 1927 - 1928: Bix Beiderbecke, Volume 2 - At The Jazz Band Ball http://jazzbluesclub.com/2012/02/08/1927__1928_bix_beiderbecke_volume_2__at_the_jazz_band_ball.html http://jazzbluesclub.com/2012/02/08/1927__1928_bix_beiderbecke_volume_2__at_the_jazz_band_ball.html

     Artist: Bix Beiderbecke
     Album: Volume 2 - At The Jazz Band Ball
     Label: Columbia
     Years: 1927-1958; release: 1991
     Quality: MP3@320 kbps
     Size: 155 mb
     Total time: 70:06
     AMG Rating: 1927 - 1928: Bix Beiderbecke, Volume 2 - At The Jazz Band Ball

This second installment into Bix's recorded career focuses on the sides he made while working as a member of Paul Whiteman's band. Cutting dates with old friends and bandmates like Frank Trumbauer, Adrian Rollini, Pee Wee Russell, Bill Rank, Eddie Lang, and drummer Chauncey Morehouse, these sides chronicle Bix's activities in the studios away from the "king of jazz" between 1927 and 1928. But don't consider all these sides as some sort of hot jazz oasis away from the more stilted arrangements of the Whiteman band; there's more than enough corn aboard on sides like "Mississippi Mud," two takes of "Clorinda," "Our Bungalow of Dreams," and "There'll Come a Time," several of these tracks clumsily adorned with annoying glee-club vocals. But sides like the two takes of "Three Blind Mice," "Sorry," "Jazz Me Blues," "Royal Garden Blues," and "Since My Best Gal Turned Me Down" show Bix still was full of creative ideas galore and a tone to die for. While conventional wisdom has this period as the start of Bix's musical decline, these sides show that there was much great music left in him. ~ Cub Koda, All Music Guide]]> lex Wed, 08 Feb 2012 12:11:31 +0300 2001: Red - Songs From A Room http://jazzbluesclub.com/2012/02/08/2001_red__songs_from_a_room.html http://jazzbluesclub.com/2012/02/08/2001_red__songs_from_a_room.html

      Artists: Red
      Album: Songs From A Room
      Label: Rectangle
      Year: 2001
      Format, bitrate: Mp3, 320kbs
      Time: 44:24
      Size: 92.9 Mb

      This is one of those tribute albums in which an artist even appropriates an original album title and expertly re-creates the cover art of the artist and album being so honored. In this case we have a tribute to Leonard Cohen and his album Songs From a Room performed by the Parisian musician known simply as Red, and released through his collaboration with the artistically interesting Rectangle label, also based out of Paris. Do the French take Leonard Cohen more seriously than he is taken in his homeland? Perhaps this collection is an indication that he is taken less seriously. But, in reality, many listeners might prefer the versions of Cohen songs by Red to the originals. In the case of a listener who had so little knowledge of Cohen that the cover art duplication went totally unnoticed, the effect of Red's range of vocal delivery and low-key backup was definitely positive. Fans of the music of artists such as Jandek will also enjoy this recording, as some of the tracks have the same kind of strange ambience. When the backup players get into kind of a mellow jazz groove, the sound is reminiscent of Tim Hardin, a comparison that the singer is capable of either settling into by concentrating on the handsome sound of his voice or smash to bits by growling like someone trying to scare off an exorcist. Most impressive is the fact that most of the backing is created by Red all on his own, utilizing just guitar and electronics. Let's see smarty-pants Cohen try that.

~ Eugene Chadbourne, All Music Guide

]]> KingSnake Wed, 08 Feb 2012 09:38:13 +0300 1963: Kenny Dorham - Una Más http://jazzbluesclub.com/2012/02/08/kenny_dorham__una_mas.html http://jazzbluesclub.com/2012/02/08/kenny_dorham__una_mas.html

     Artist: Kenny Dorham
     Album: Una Más
     Label: Blue note
     Year: 1963
     Format, bitrate: MP3, 224 VBR
     Time: 36.6 mins
     Size: 64.7 MB
     AMG Rating: 1963: Kenny Dorham - Una Más

Repost with new link from herreloco

Предлагаю вашему вниманию довольно известный альбом "Una Mas". Мне этот альбом напоминает самого Кенни - скромный, выдержанный, удивительно собранный, и очень профессиональный.
Не сковывающий, но зачаровывающий своей серьезностью, намеками и полутонами, разговор пяти интересных музыкантов.

When one thinks of great talent scouts in jazz, the name of Kenny Dorham is often overlooked. However, many top young players benefited from playing in his groups, and for proof one need look no further than the lineup on this 1963 CD reissue: tenor-saxophonist Joe Henderson, bassist Butch Warren, and (before either player joined Miles Davis) pianist Herbie Hancock and drummer Tony Williams. Together the quintet performs three of the trumpeter's originals ("Una Mas" is the most famous) along with the standard ballad "If Ever I Would Leave You." Even if the playing time (under 37 minutes) is a bit brief, the explorative yet swinging music lives up to its potential.

~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide

]]> aelia Wed, 08 Feb 2012 09:11:57 +0300 1955: The Art Tatum Group Masterpieses Vol.4 http://jazzbluesclub.com/2012/02/08/the_art_tatum_group_masterpieses_vol4_1955.html http://jazzbluesclub.com/2012/02/08/the_art_tatum_group_masterpieses_vol4_1955.html

     Artists - Art Tatum, Lionel Hampton
     Album - Group Masterpieses Vol.4
     Label - Pablo
     Year - 1955, release - 1990
     Quality - MP3@320kb/s
     Size - 112,5 mb
     Total time - 56:25

REPOST with a new link from Mr. bultra

The fourth of eight CDs featuring the pianist interacting with some of his most notable musical contemporaries is the second to match his virtuosity with that of vibraphonist Lionel Hampton and drummer Buddy Rich. The three immortals really challenge each other during this frequently heated jam session.

~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide

]]> lex Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:23:30 +0300 1954: Jeri Southern - Warm Intimate Songs in the Jeri Southern Style http://jazzbluesclub.com/2012/02/07/1954_jeri_southern__warm_intimate_songs_in_the_jeri_southern_style.html http://jazzbluesclub.com/2012/02/07/1954_jeri_southern__warm_intimate_songs_in_the_jeri_southern_style.html

     Artist: Jeri Southern
     Album: Warm Intimate Songs in the Jeri Southern Style
     Label: Decca
     Year: 1954
     Quality: MP3@320 kbps (LP-rip)
     Size: 48 mb
     Total time: 24:15

     Warm Intimate Songs in the Jeri Southern Style - Jeri Southern's first album was issued in 1954. It featured Jeri Southern, vocal and piano , with the Dave Barbour Trio . The combination is additionally described as " Vocals with Instrumental Accompaniment ".

     This session was a setting Southern preferred, herself on piano along with a small group, as she is joined by guitar player Dave Barbour and his trio. Barbour already was experienced in backing other singers of the era, such as June Christy and his wife Peggy Lee. This album also established Southern's predilection to include less familiar material on her albums, a characteristic which was to be one hallmark of her career. Tunes like "Miss Johnson Phoned Again Today" and "I'm in Love With the Honorable Mr. So-and-So" permit Southern to showcase her ability to transform a song into a very personal recitation of a tale that is, if not sorrowful, then at least melancholy. "It Never Entered My Mind" and her lovely rendition of "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye" stand out among a tasteful selection of standards. ~ Dave Nathan, All Music Guide]]> lex Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:21:27 +0300 1964: Anthony Williams - Life Time http://jazzbluesclub.com/2012/02/07/anthony_williams__life_time_1964.html http://jazzbluesclub.com/2012/02/07/anthony_williams__life_time_1964.html

     Artist: Tony Williams
     Album: Life Time
     Label: Blue Note
     Year: 1964
     Format, Bitrate: MP3 192 kbps :S
     Time: 38.3 min
     Size: 51 Mb
     AMG Rating: 1964: Anthony Williams - Life Time

Drummer Tony Williams' first recording as a leader (made when he was 18 and still billed as Anthony Williams) gave him an opportunity to utilize an advanced group of musicians: tenor saxophonist Sam Rivers, vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson, pianist Herbie Hancock, and both Richard Davis and Gary Peacock on bass. Williams wrote all four of the pieces and has a different combination of players on each song. The freely improvised "Memory" features Hutcherson, Hancock, and Williams in some colorful and at times spacy interplay; "Barb's Song to the Wizard" is a Hancock-Ron Carter duet; "Tomorrow Afternoon" has Rivers, Peacock and Williams in a trio; and all of the musicians (except Hutcherson) are on the sidelong "2 Pieces of One." The unpredictable music holds one's interest; a very strong debut for the masterful drummer. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide]]> herreloco Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:20:54 +0300 1963: Grachan Moncur iii - Evolution http://jazzbluesclub.com/2012/02/07/grachan_moncur_iii__evolution_1963.html http://jazzbluesclub.com/2012/02/07/grachan_moncur_iii__evolution_1963.html

     Artist: Grachan Moncur III
     Album: Evolution
     Label: Blue Note
     Year: 1963
     Format, bitrate: M4A, 256 kbps (VBR)
     Time: 41,2 min
     Size: 84.45 Mb
     AMG Rating: 1963: Grachan Moncur iii - Evolution

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. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide]]> herreloco Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:19:26 +0300 1990: Clark Terry - Having Fun http://jazzbluesclub.com/2012/02/07/1990_clark_terry__having_fun.html http://jazzbluesclub.com/2012/02/07/1990_clark_terry__having_fun.html

     Artist: Clark Terry
     Album: Having Fun
     Label: Delos
     Year: 1999
     Quality: MP3@320 kbps
     Size: 158 mb
     Total time: 69:37
     AMG rating 1990: Clark Terry - Having Fun

The title of this CD definitely fits not only its music but Clark Terry's career. The colorful flugelhornist is teamed with Red Holloway doubling on tenor and alto, bassist Major Holley (who sings along with his bass in his solos), pianist Jon Campbell and drummer Lewis Nash. Since C.T., Holloway and Holley were all humorists, the music is not only swinging, but quite enthusiastic. With titles like "Mumbles," "Meet the Flintstones," "The Snapper" and "Mule's Soft Claw," the humor isn't unexpected. An excellent and consistently swinging date. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide
]]> lex Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:04:52 +0300 2010: Lou Donaldson Quartet - Forgotten Man http://jazzbluesclub.com/2012/02/07/2010_lou_donaldson_quartet__forgotten_man.html http://jazzbluesclub.com/2012/02/07/2010_lou_donaldson_quartet__forgotten_man.html

     Artist: Lou Donaldson Quartet
     Album: Forgotten Man
     Label: Timeless Jazz Legacy /Challenge Records
     Year: 1981
     Release: 2010
     Format, bitrate: mp3, 320kb/s
     Size: 88 MB

     On "Forgotten Man" alto saxophonist Lou Donaldson improvises, as he does during his concerts, to four sorts of themes: own compositions as the 32-measures counting "Tracy", jazz-standards like the samba "This is Happiness", "low down blues" such as "Wiskey Drinkin' Woman" and at last Charlie Parker-vehicles like "Confirmation", "Melancholy Baby", "Don't Blame Me" and "Exactly Like You". He expresses himself on this record in a typical post-Parkerian style. Striking is his choice of the material to be improvised in the form of attractive and charming "songs" with a melodic line. In his ballads he evokes something of the purity of a Johnny Hodges. As a creative artist he joins an innate liking for the melody to a special sense for the re-creation of the themes into own flesh and blood. In this way he carries on "Bird" Parker's message with almost the same instrumental virtuosity. His sonority stands for a True revelation. His tone possesses this special vibration which made Parker so touching during his golden ages. It leaves a sophisticated, delicate and muffled impression. Moreover, Donaldson is served by a natural and faultless timing. His swing of performance links up with the mainstream jazz and the postbop. Technically he experiences not one difficulty to cast the ideas that are flowing through his mind into a suitable form Since he does not reflect Parker's torture in any way, he appears more classicistical to us. His chorusses seem to be carried by a profound lyricism, the basis of all good music. On top of this he affirms on this album his personal and wordly approach of the blues, which gains in relief thanks to his vocal contribution and his ironical undertone. In this field, we consider him even as one of the greatest saxophonists of the contemporary jazzscene. Indeed, these interpretations show that Lou is no longer a "forgotten man", but has recovered his own strong identily. Together with the prominent Phil Woods and the enthusiastic Richie Cole, he probably cinstitutes the presentday top of altosaxes in the postbop-idiom.

~ Juul Anthonissen, Challenge Records International

]]> ninikoo Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:42:48 +0300 1997: Billy Kyle - Billy Kyle: 1939-1946 http://jazzbluesclub.com/2012/02/07/1997_billy_kyle_19391946.html http://jazzbluesclub.com/2012/02/07/1997_billy_kyle_19391946.html

     Artist: Billy Kyle
     Album: Billy Kyle 1939-1946
     Label: Chronological Classics 941
     Year: 1939-1946, release 1997
     Format, bitrate: MP3@320 kbit/s
     Time: 1:06:03
     Size: 151 Mb
     AMG rating: 1997: Billy Kyle - Billy Kyle: 1939-1946

The second of two Classics Billy Kyle CDs has all of the remaining titles the superior swing pianist led during his life (although he lived until 1966). Ten of the 23 numbers are lesser performances, with four featuring the dated organist Bob Hamilton and the vocals of O'Neil Spencer; two are jivey numbers by singer Jack Sneed and his Sneezers, and four others also emphasize O'Neil Spencer's singing along with the organ of Milt Herth. However, the other 13 selections are full of classic swing-oriented performances. The talented British trumpeter Nat Gonella is heard fronting a hot septet also including Kyle, clarinetist Buster Bailey and altoist Benny Carter (their version of "You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby" is a highlight); Kyle leads a couple of high-quality trio sets from 1939 and 1946, and he also heads a 1946 octet also featuring trumpeter Dick Vance, trombonist Trummy Young, clarinetist Bailey and tenor saxophonist John Hardee. The better half of this CD is so strong that it makes the entire set well worth acquiring despite the organists.

~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide

]]> JamesJazz Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:43:57 +0300 1969: Muddy Waters - After The Rain http://jazzbluesclub.com/2012/02/06/1969_muddy_waters__after_the_rain.html http://jazzbluesclub.com/2012/02/06/1969_muddy_waters__after_the_rain.html

     Artist: Muddy Waters
     Album: After The Rain
     Label: Cadet
     Year:1969
     Format, bitrate:MP3 128kbps (LP-rip)
     Time:34 min
     Size: 36 mb

     The second of two electric-blues albums released on Chess Records and Cadet Concept imprint in the late 60s, Muddy Waters' After the Rain has achieved cult-like status amongst blues fans in the years since his death in 1983. After taking a backlash from critics with first attempt at adopting psychedelic influences on Electric Mud, Muddy made adjustments for the follow-up, despite keeping a majority of the same session players. This time, he toned down the psychedelic elements and put them in balance with his classic Chicago blues sound, and the results yield some vintage tracks that glow with fuzzy guitars and bass: "I Am the Blues", "Ramblin' Mind", "Bottom of the Sea", and "Blues Trouble." After being out of print for years, Get On Down is proud to present this rare classic from Muddy Waters pulled from the original masters. ~ Editorial Reviews ]]> Kawasaki1012 Mon, 06 Feb 2012 21:00:52 +0300 1927: Bix Beiderbecke - Singin' the Blues (Vol.1) http://jazzbluesclub.com/2012/02/06/1927_bix_beiderbecke__singin_the_blues_vol1.html http://jazzbluesclub.com/2012/02/06/1927_bix_beiderbecke__singin_the_blues_vol1.html

     Artist: Bix Beiderbecke
     Album: Singin' the Blues (Vol.1)
     Label: Columbia
     Year: 1927; release: 1991
     Quality: MP3@320 kbps
     Size: 132 mb
     Total time: 60:56
     AMG Rating: 1927: Bix Beiderbecke - Singin' the Blues (Vol.1)

Cornetist Bix Beiderbecke's greatest recordings were mostly made in 1927. This definitive CD (reissued in 1990) has most of Beiderbecke's best-loved work, including "Singin' the Blues," "I'm Coming Virginia," "Ostrich Walk," "Way Down Yonder in New Orleans," and his solo piano classic "In a Mist." Most of the recordings were cut with Frankie Trumbauer's Orchestra, although there are also two titles from the Broadway Bellhops, a similar group. The beauty of Beiderbecke's horn outshone virtually every other brassman in the 1920s other than Louis Armstrong, and he never sounded better than on these records. Beiderbecke is joined by such notables as C-melody saxophonist Trumbauer, guitarist Eddie Lang, clarinetist Jimmy Dorsey, trombonist Bill Rank, and clarinetist Don Murray, among others. In addition to the titles mentioned, the renditions of "Clarinet Marmalade," Hoagy Carmichael's "Riverboat Shuffle," and "Wringin' and Twistin'" are among the other highlights. Essential music that in one form or another belongs in every serious jazz collection.

~ Scott Yanow, All music Guide

]]> lex Mon, 06 Feb 2012 20:17:28 +0300 1976: Ted Curson - Blue Piccolo http://jazzbluesclub.com/2012/02/06/1976_ted_curson__blue_piccolo.html http://jazzbluesclub.com/2012/02/06/1976_ted_curson__blue_piccolo.html

     Artist: Ted Curson
     Album: Blue Piccolo
     Label: Why Not / Candid
     Year: 1976; Release: 2009
     Format, bitrate: FLAC
     Size: 235 MB

     One of the hippest records ever cut by trumpeter Ted Curson - and that's saying a lot, because all his records are pretty darn hip! Curson's working in a quartet with Jim McNeely on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, and Steve McCall on drums - and the group's a lot tighter than some of Curson's other ones from the late 70s, grooving away with a slight nod to freedom, but also a hard jazz swing that never loses its drive. The vibe is great -- soulful and soaring, but very focused too -- and titles include "Dwacki Mum Fudalick", "Blue Piccolo", "Playhouse March", and "Song Of The Lonely". CD also features bonus tracks not on the original LP! © 1996-2010, Dusty Groove America, Inc.]]> johannsebastian Mon, 06 Feb 2012 19:55:58 +0300 1952-1954: Stan Getz - Stan Getz Plays http://jazzbluesclub.com/2012/02/06/1954_stan_getz__stan_getz_plays.html http://jazzbluesclub.com/2012/02/06/1954_stan_getz__stan_getz_plays.html

      Artist: Stan Getz
      Album: Stan Getz Plays
      Label: Verve
      Year: 1952-1954
      Release: 1954
      Format, bitrate: MP3 320 kbps
      Time: 37 min
      Size: 116 mb
      AMG Rating: 1952-1954: Stan Getz - Stan Getz Plays

Tenor saxophonist Stan Getz is in excellent form playing with one of his finest groups, a quintet with guitarist Jimmy Raney and pianist Duke Jordan. Although the music does not quite reach the excitement level of the Getz-Raney Storyville session, this music (particularly the ballads) really shows off the tenor's appealing tone. This CD is rounded out by four titles that Getz cut with a quartet in 1954 that co-starred pianist Jimmy Rowles.

~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide

]]> bultra Mon, 06 Feb 2012 08:51:46 +0300 2011: David Binney - Barefooted Town http://jazzbluesclub.com/2012/02/06/david_binney__barefooted_town_2011.html http://jazzbluesclub.com/2012/02/06/david_binney__barefooted_town_2011.html

      Artist: David Binney
      Album: Barefooted Town
      Label: Criss Cross Jazz
      Year: 2011
      Format: FLAC (tracks)
      Time: 55:28
      Size: 326 mb

      David Binney’s ambitious release on his own label earlier this year, Graylen Epicenter, drew even more praise than usual from critics and fellow musicians. And this new one from Criss Cross is another winner for the much admired but largely unsung alto saxophonist and composer.
The top-flight, mostly younger players Binney has assembled for Barefooted Town—Ambrose Akinmusire on trumpet, Mark Turner on tenor saxophone, David Virelles on piano, Eivind Opsvik on bass and Dan Weiss on drums—seem happy to keep the emphasis on Binney’s complex compositions rather than their own soloing prowess. There is impressive blowing throughout the disc, especially on the high-energy opening pieces “Dignity” and “Seven Sixty.” Akinmusire and the saxes cut loose on “Secret Miracle,” and Weiss maintains a protean brilliance throughout. But the focus stays remarkably centered on ensemble work and Binney’s music. Virelles takes a strong solo on “The Edge of the Seasons” and adds luster to the quieter, more balladic “A Night Every Day,” for example, but dutifully repeats a chord throughout the title cut for hypnotic effect. And Akinmusire has no problem allowing his trumpet to be employed simply for color elsewhere.
Binney’s compositions, meanwhile, are serious without being off-putting. He supplies his own wordless vocals on three of the tracks, weaves melodic patterns with his three horns and supplies them with complicated unison lines, and shifts among tricky meters at will. For all the complexity and experimentation, however, his work maintains both passion and an engaging lyricism. This isn’t casual listening, by any means. But it is a reminder that forward-looking writing can be palatable.

~ Bill Beuttler, JazzTimes

]]> judit Mon, 06 Feb 2012 08:37:32 +0300 2004: Ralfi Pagan - Legend http://jazzbluesclub.com/2012/02/06/ralfi_pagan_legend.html http://jazzbluesclub.com/2012/02/06/ralfi_pagan_legend.html

      Artist: Ralfi Pagan
      Album: The Legend
      Label: Aries Music Entertainment Inc.
      Year: 2004
      Format, bitrate: Mp3, 256 Kbps
      Size: 92.43 MB

      Ralfi Pagan passed without making a significant mark in the music industry, but not because he didn't try. Raised on the Lower East Side of New York City, he was part of the city's bubbling salsa scene in the '60s and late '70s. His main body of work -- four albums -- was waxed for Johnny Pacheco and Gerald Masucci's Fania Records. Though a major player in the studio, he didn't achieve the notoriety of some other Fania artists, known as the Fania All Stars and which included Mongo Santamaria, Johnny Colon, Willie Bobo, Joe … Read more

~ Andrew Hamilton, All Music Guide

]]> Nava915 Mon, 06 Feb 2012 07:57:17 +0300 1989: Eddie Daniels - Blackwood http://jazzbluesclub.com/2012/02/05/1989_eddie_daniels__blackwood.html http://jazzbluesclub.com/2012/02/05/1989_eddie_daniels__blackwood.html

     Artist: Eddie Daniels
     Album: Blackwood
     Label: GRP Records
     Year: 1989
     Format, bitrate: flac
     Time: 46:32
     Size: 269mb

     Eddie Daniels is such a monster on the clarinet that all of his GRP recordings are worth acquiring. This one, however, due to the somewhat commercial nature of some of the tunes (and the lightly funky rhythm sections), is of lesser interest compared to the classics such as Breakthrough. Daniels sounds fine but he is far better than much of the material (generally written by either the clarinetist, Rob Mounsey or Dave Grusin). ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide]]> RamesesII Sun, 05 Feb 2012 23:13:30 +0300