ABBEY LINCOLN — Through the Years : 1956-2007 (2010) 3CD SET | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Anyone who has followed Abbey Lincoln’s career with any regularity understands that she has followed a fiercely individual path and has paid the cost for those choices. Through the Years is a cross-licensed, three-disc retrospective expertly compiled and assembled by the artist and her longtime producer, Jean-Philippe Allard. Covering more than 50 years in her storied career, it establishes from the outset that Lincoln was always a true jazz singer and unique stylist. Though it contains no unreleased material, it does offer the first true picture of he range of expression. Her accompanists include former husband Max Roach, Benny Carter, Kenny Dorham, Charlie Haden, Sonny Rollins, Wynton Kelly, Benny Golson, J.J. Johnson, Art Farmer, Stan Getz, and Hank Jones, to name scant few.

Disc one commences with “This Can’t Be Love” from 1956; one of the best-known tunes off her debut album, arranged and conducted by Golson. But the story begins to change immediately with "I Must Have That Man" with her fronting the Riverside Jazz All-Stars in 1957. Tracks from It’s Magic, Abbey Is Blue, and Straight Ahead are here, and the story moves ahead chronologically and aesthetically all the way to 1984. But there are also big breaks stylistically, with her primal performance on “Triptych: Prayer/Protest/Peace” from We Insist! Max Roach’s Freedom Now Suite in 1960 and the amazing “Lonesome Lover” from It’s Time: Max Roach and His Orchestra and Choir in 1962, which is where her story takes its first recording break. It picks up in 1973 with "Africa" from People in Me. It breaks again until 1980, with “Throw It Away” off the beautiful Painted Lady, and continues through appearances with Cedar Walton and Sun Ra. There is another break in the narrative between discs one and two, commencing again in 1990 with the issue of the brilliant The World Is Falling Down on Verve when she began her association with Allard and recorded regularly. This disc contains a dozen tracks all recorded between 1990 and 1992. Disc three commences in 1995 and goes straight through to 2007. The latter two discs reflect the periods when Lincoln finally assumed her rightful status as a true jazz icon; individual track performances from standards to self-written tunes and folk songs are all done in her inimitable style and are well-known to fans. This set is gorgeously compiled and sequenced. As a listen, Through the Years is literally astonishing in its breadth and depth. It establishes her commitment to artistic freedom, and her fierce dedication to discipline, song, and performance. The box features liners by Gary Giddins, and great photographs, as well as stellar sound quality.  
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Tracklist :
1-1    This Can't Be Love 2:22
Composed By – Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers
Directed By, Arranged By – Benny Carter
Engineer – John Kraus
Orchestra – Benny Carter And His Orchestra
Producer – Russell Keith
1-2    Don't Explain 6:35
Bass – Wynton Kelly
Composed By – Arthur Herzog, Jr., Billie Holiday
Drums – Max Roach
Engineer – Jack Higgins
Producer – Bill Grauer, Orrin Keepnews
Tenor Saxophone – Sonny Rollins
Trumpet – Kenny Dorham
1-3    I Must Have That Man 3:37
Bass – Paul Chambers
Composed By – Dorothy Fields, Jimmy McHugh

Drums – Max Roach
Engineer – Jack Higgins
Piano – Wynton Kelly
Producer – Bill Grauer, Orrin Keepnews
Tenor Saxophone – Sonny Rollins
Trumpet – Kenny Dorham
1-4    Little Niles 4:59
Bass – Sam Jones
Composed By – Jon Hendricks, Randy Weston
Drums – "Philly" Joe Jones
Engineer – Jack Higgins
Piano – Wynton Kelly
Producer – Orrin Keepnews
Tenor Saxophone – Benny Golson
Trumpet – Art Farmer
1-5    Let Up 5:19
Bass – Bob Boswell
Composed By – Abbey Lincoln
Drums – Max Roach
Engineer – Jack Higgins
Piano – Cedar Walton
Producer – Bill Grauer, Orrin Keepnews
Tenor Saxophone – Stanley Turrentine
Trombone – Julian Priester
Trumpet – Tommy Turrentine
1-6    Come Sunday 5:07
Bass – Sam Jones
Composed By – Duke Ellington
Drums – "Philly" Joe Jones
Engineer – Jack Higgins
Guitar – Les Spann
Piano – Phillip Wright
Producer – Bill Grauer, Orrin Keepnews
1-7    Triptych: Prayer / Protest / Peace 7:58
Composed By – Max Roach
Drums – Max Roach
Engineer – Bob D'Orleans
1-8    Left Alone 6:46
Bass – Art Davis
Bass Clarinet – Eric Dolphy
Composed By – Billie Holiday, Mal Waldron
Drums – Max Roach
Piano – Mal Waldron
Tenor Saxophone – Walter Benton
Tenor Saxophone, Soloist – Coleman Hawkins
Trombone, Arranged By – Julian Priester
Trumpet – Booker Little
1-9    Lonesome Lover 7:01
Backing Vocals, Conductor – Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson
Bass – Art Davis
Composed By – Abbey Lincoln
Composed By, Orchestrated By – Max Roach
Drums – Max Roach
Engineer, Mixed By – George Piros, Rudy Van Gelder
Piano – Mal Waldron
Producer – Bob Thiele
Tenor Saxophone – Clifford Jordan
Trombone – Julian Priester
1-10    Africa 7:08
Bass – Kunimitsu Inaba
Composed By – Abbey Lincoln, John Coltrane
Drums – Al Foster
Engineer, Mixed By – Suenori Fukui
Percussion – James Mtume
Piano – Hiromasa Suzuki
Producer – Toshinari Koinuma
Tenor Saxophone – David Liebman
1-11    Throw It Away 6:35
Bass – Jack Gregg
Composed By – Abbey Lincoln
Drums – Freddie Waits
Engineer, Mixed By – Emile Flock, Jean-Claude Talar
Piano – Hilton Ruiz
Producer – Emile De La Tour, Gérard Terronès, Odile Terronès, Éric Terronès
Tenor Saxophone – Archie Shepp
Trumpet – Roy Burrowes
1-12    The Maestro 4:38
Bass – David Williams (2)
Composed By – Cedar Walton
Drums – Billy Higgins
Engineer, Mixed By – Malcolm Addey
Piano – Cedar Walton
Producer – Cedar Walton
Tenor Saxophone – Bob Berg
1-13    The River 4:57
Alto Saxophone – Steve Coleman
Backing Vocals – Arlene Knox, Bemshee Shirer, Naima Williams
Bass – Billy Johnson
Composed By – Abbey Lincoln
Drums – Mark Johnson
Engineer, Mixed By – David Baker
Percussion – Jerry Gonzalez
Piano – James Weidman
Producer – Horst Weber, Mathias Winkelmann
2-1    The World is Falling Down 6:20
Alto Saxophone – Jerry Dodgion
Alto Saxophone, Soloist – Jackie McLean
Arranged By – Ron Carter
Bass – Charlie Haden
Composed By – Abbey Lincoln
Drums – Billy Higgins
Piano – Alain Jean-Marie
Producer – Daniel Richard, Jean-Philippe Allard
Recorded By, Mixed By – David Baker
Trumpet – Clark Terry
2-2    You Must Believe in Spring and Love 5:57
Alto Saxophone – Jackie McLean
Arranged By – Ron Carter
Bass – Charlie Haden
Composed By – Alan & Marilyn Bergman, Michel Legrand
Drums – Billy Higgins
Flugelhorn – Clark Terry
Piano – Alain Jean-Marie
Producer – Daniel Richard, Jean-Philippe Allard
Recorded By, Mixed By – David Baker
2-3    First Song 6:31
Alto Saxophone – Jerry Dodgion
Bass – Charlie Haden
Composed By – Abbey Lincoln, Charlie Haden
Piano – Alain Jean-Marie
Producer – Daniel Richard, Jean-Philippe Allard
Recorded By, Mixed By – David Baker
Trumpet – Clark Terry
2-4    Bird Alone 8:34
Arranged By – Randolph Noël
Bass – Charlie Haden
Composed By – Abbey Lincoln
Drums – Mark Johnson
Piano – Hank Jones
Producer – Jean-Philippe Allard
Recorded By, Mixed By – Richard Applegate
Tenor Saxophone – Stan Getz
Viola – Maxine Roach
2-5    I'm In Love 6:11
Bass – Charlie Haden
Composed By – Joan Griffin
Drums – Mark Johnson
Piano – Hank Jones
Producer – Jean-Philippe Allard
Recorded By, Mixed By – Richard Applegate
Tenor Saxophone – Stan Getz
2-6    A Time For Love 8:40
Arranged By – Randolph Noël
Bass – Charlie Haden
Composed By – Johnny Mandel, Paul Francis Webster
Drums – Mark Johnson
Piano – Hank Jones
Producer – Jean-Philippe Allard
Recorded By, Mixed By – Richard Applegate
Tenor Saxophone – Stan Getz
Viola – Maxine Roach
2-7    Jungle Queen 6:12
Ashiko – Kehinde O'Uhuru
Composed By – Abbey Lincoln
Djembe, Agogô – Sule O'Uhuru
Djembe, Ashiko, Shekere, Drum [Ngoma] – Babatunde Olatunji
Dunun [Jun Jun Drums] – Gordy Ryan
Producer – Jean-Philippe Allard
Recorded By, Mixed By – Richard Applegate
2-8    A Child Is Born 6:22
Bass – Marcus McLaurine
Composed By – Alec Wilder, Thad Jones
Drums – Grady Tate
Piano – Rodney Kendrick
Producer – Jean-Philippe Allard
Recorded By, Mixed By – Richard Applegate
Trombone – J.J. Johnson
2-9    You Came A Long Way From St. Louis 3:55
Composed By – Bob Russell, John Benson Brooks
Piano – Hank Jones
Producer – Jean-Philippe Allard
Recorded By, Mixed By – Claude Ermelin
2-10    I Should Care 5:45
Composed By – Axel Stordahl, Paul Weston, Sammy Cahn
Piano – Hank Jones
Producer – Jean-Philippe Allard
Recorder, Mixed By – Claude Emelin
2-11    Through The Years 5:23
Bass – Michael Bowie
Composed By – Abbey Lincoln
Composed By, Piano, Tenor Saxophone – Bheki Mseleku
Drums – Marvin "Smitty" Smith
Producer – Jean-Philippe Allard, Russell Herman
Recorded By, Mixed By – Jay Newland
2-12    When I'm Called Home 5:28
Bass – Charlie Haden
Composed By – Abbey Lincoln
Drums – Mark Johnson
Piano – Hank Jones
Producer – Jean-Philippe Allard
Recorded By, Mixed By – Richard Applegate
Tenor Saxophone – Stan Getz
3-1     Avec le temps 5:38
Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar – Pat Metheny
Bass – Charlie Haden
Composed By – Léo Ferré
Drums – Victor Lewis
Producer – Jean-Philippe Allard
Recorded By, Mixed By – Richard Applegate
3-2     Mr Tambourine Man 6:53
Bass – Michael Bowie
Composed By – Bob Dylan
Drums – Aaron Walker
Piano – Marc Cary
Producer – Jean-Philippe Allard
Recorded By, Mixed By – Richard Applegate
Tenor Saxophone – Julien Lourau
3-3    Love Has Gone Away 7:35
Alto Saxophone – Steve Coleman
Bass – Michael Bowie
Composed By – Abbey Lincoln
Drums – Aaron Walker
Piano – Marc Cary
Producer – Jean-Philippe Allard
Recorded By, Mixed By – Richard Applegate
3-4    And It's Supposed To Be Love 5:12
Backing Vocals – Maggie Brown
Bass – Michael Bowie
Composed By – Abbey Lincoln
Drums – Alvester Garnett
Marimba – Bobby Hutcherson
Percussion – Daniel Moreno
Piano – James Hurt
Producer – Jean-Philippe Allard
Recorded By, Mixed By – Jay Newland
3-5    Should've Been 7:57
Bass – Charlie Haden
Composed By – Abbey Lincoln
Drums – Victor Lewis
Electric Guitar – Pat Metheny
Producer – Jean-Philippe Allard
Recorded By, Mixed By – Richard Applegate
3-6    Nature Boy 5:04
Bass – Christian McBride
Composed By – Eden Ahbez
Drums – Victor Lewis
Piano – Rodney Kendrick
Producer – Jean-Philippe Allard
Recorded By, Mixed By – Richard Applegate
Tenor Saxophone – Julien Lourau
Trumpet – Roy Hargrove
3-7    The Windmills Of Your Mind 5:52
Bass – Jaz Sawyer, John Ormond
Composed By – Alan & Marilyn Bergman, Michel Legrand
Piano – Brandon McCune
Producer – Daniel Richard, Jean-Philippe Allard
Recorded By, Mixed By – Jay Newland
Tenor Saxophone – Joe Lovano
3-8    Skylark 5:25
Bass – Ray Drummond
Composed By – Hoagy Carmichael, Johnny Mercer
Conductor, Arranged By – Laurent Cugny
Drums – Jaz Sawyer
Piano – Kenny Barron
Producer – Daniel Richard, Jean-Philippe Allard
Recorded By, Mixed By – Jay Newland
3-9    It's Me, O' Lord 3:42
Composed By – traditional
Piano – Kenny Barron
Producer – Daniel Richard, Jean-Philippe Allard
Recorded By, Mixed By – Jay Newland
3-10    Blue Monk 5:13
Acoustic Guitar, Resonator Guitar – Larry Campbell
Bass – Scott Colley
Composed By – Abbey Lincoln, Thelonious Monk
Drums – Shawn Pelton
Producer – Jean-Philippe Allard
Producer, Recorded By, Mixed By – Jay Newland
3-11    The Music Is Magic 3:53
Bass – Scott Colley
Composed By – Abbey Lincoln
Drums – Shawn Pelton
Electric Guitar – Larry Campbell
Producer – Jean-Philippe Allard
Producer, Recorded By, Mixed By – Jay Newland
3-12    Down Here Below 8:50
Arranged By – Randolph Noël
Bass – Charlie Haden
Cello – John Robinson
Composed By – Abbey Lincoln
Drums – Victor Lewis
Piano – Kenny Barron
Producer – Jean-Philippe Allard
Recorded By, Mixed By – Richard Applegate
Violin – Sandra Bilignslea