MICHAEL BRECKER GROUP — The Cost Of Living (1989-1994) WV (image+.cue) lossless

Tracklist :
1    Istbynne Reel    9:35
2    Chime This    18:19
3    Choices    11:16
4    The Cost Of Living    16:25
5    Nothing Personal    18:15
Credits
Drums – Adam Nussbaum
Electric Bass [El. Bass] – Jay Anderson
Piano – Joey Calderazzo
Tenor Saxophone, Electronic Wind Instrument [EWI] – Michael Brecker

PAUL BLEY TRIO — If We May (1994) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Paul Bley has long enjoyed engaging in fairly free improvising, making this set of standards (along with the title cut, an original blues) a bit of a surprise. With bassist Jay Anderson and drummer Adam Nussbaum, Bley plays such songs as "Long Ago and Far Away," "All the Things You Are" and "Confirmation" fairly straight at first, almost as if he were normally a bop-based improviser. The music is quite accessible to straightahead fans even if Bley gives these warhorses some new twists, and he shows that he can swing with the best of them (not that anyone really doubted it). Scott Yanow    Tracklist & Credits :

GIL EVANS & THE MONDAY NIGHT ORCHESTRA — Live at Sweet Basil (1985-1992) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Gil Evans ran into his share of would-be defenders of his "tradition" when he began experimenting with rock songs and electronic instruments in the '70s and '80s. One of jazz's greatest arrangers was suddenly viewed as a charlatan in certain circles, and a band loaded with great players was now being dismissed as a crew of frauds. This second volume of songs done live during the band's long run as Sweet Basil's regular Monday night attraction proves decisively that neither Evans nor his band lost anything. The versions of Shorter's "Parabola" and Hancock's "Prince of Darkness" are multi-faceted and compare favorably with almost anything done by any previous Evans aggregation. It may not have been "cool," but it was most assuredly great jazz. Ron Wynn    Tracklist & Credits :

LEE KONITZ QUARTET - The New York Album (1988) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

While jazz wars continue to rage between the neo-classicists and most everyone else, veterans like alto saxophonist Lee Konitz thankfully continue to produce great music. Having already experienced the controversy of coming out of Lennie Tristano's idiosyncratic camp during the late bebop years, Konitz seems content in exploring the endless tributaries of jazz and improvisation. The high quality of his work from the past 40 years, along with his willingness to experiment with a variety of musicians and group configurations, earned him both the prestigious Jazzpar Prize and the continued praise of critics and fans alike. For this lovely and swinging date from 1988, Konitz conjures up a fresh array of solo moods on a mix of self-penned material, contemporary originals, and standards. Backed by a stellar band made up of bassist Marc Johnson, pianist Harold Danko, and drummer Adam Nussbaum, Konitz pleasantly surprises with his mercurial phrases, varied tonal palette, and unique rhythmic sense. Highlights include "Candlelight Shadows," "Limehouse Blues," and "Monkian Round." A very enjoyable collection. Stephen Cook  
Tracklist :
1     Candlelight Shadows 9:34
Harold Danko
2     Everybody's Song But My Own 7:23
Kenny Wheeler
3     Limehouse Blues 5:252
Philip Braham / Douglas Furber
4     Monkian Round 3:24
Lee Konitz
5     September Waltz 7:01
Frank Wunsch
6     Dream Variation 4:35
Lee Konitz
7     Invitation 8:56
Bronislaw Kaper / Paul Francis Webster
Credits :    
Alto Saxophone – Lee Konitz
Bass – Marc Johnson
Cover [Painting] – Tavia Konitz
Drums – Adam Nussbaum
Piano – Harold Danko

LEE KONITZ - Round & Round (1995) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The most unusual aspect to this outing by altoist Lee Konitz is that all nine selections are performed in 3/4 time. "Someday My Prince Will Come" and Sonny Rollins's "Valse Hot" were originally waltzes but "Lover Man," "Bluesette" and particularly "Giant Steps" were never recorded in that time signature before. With the assistance of pianist Fred Hersch, bassist Mike Richmond and drummer Adam Nussbaum, Konitz manages to uplift this session above the level of a potential gimmick and finds unexpected beauty in these standards and originals. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     Round and Round and Round 7:25
Lee Konitz
2     Someday My Prince Will Come 5:04
Frank Churchill / Larry Morey
3     Luv 6:10
Teo Macero
4     Nancy (With the Laughing Face) 4:43
James Van Heusen / Phil Silvers
5     Boo Doo 5:26
Lee Konitz    
6     Valse Hot 6:22
Sonny Rollins
7     Lover Man 4:28
Jimmy Davis / Roger "Ram" Ramirez / Jimmy Sherman
8     Blusette 6:48
Norman Gimbel / Toots Thielemans
9     Giant Steps 7:00
John Coltrane
Credits :    
Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Lee Konitz
Bass – Mike Richmond
Drums – Adam Nussbaum
Piano – Fred Hersch

JOHN ABERCROMBIE TRIO - Speak of the Devil (1993) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

The follow-up to While We're Young has a less melodic, more loosely structured feel, as if it were all kinetically inspired and freely improvised within various structures. The intuition or trust level of electric guitarist John Abercrombie, organist Dan Wall, and drummer Adam Nussbaum is clearly evident: They are listening, reacting, and responding to each other from measure to measure, and that is the basis for their music making. It's a fusion of feelings, and those moods -- many times dark -- lie beneath the surface only to rise at their behest. The snarly, stealth, and swirling sound is evident on the introductory cut "Angel Food," courtesy of Abercrombie, Wall, and Nussbaum, respectively, going to a tick-tock beat that is positively blackened on the closer "Hell's Gate." In between you get two free, seemingly unstructured pieces: the unhurried "Now & Again" and the more reverent but interactive "Farewell." "Dreamland" is like "Angel Food" in attitude, while the collective improvisation "Mahat" has hopping 2/4 tom tom beats from Nussbaum moving into full drum kit swing. The melodies are either nonexistent or harder to grasp; Abercrombie's searing or lilting guitar sound requires close attention. Skating around a melody for "Chorale," you actually get the impression the leader is building disparate, multiple, chameleonic changes within a more definite swing. A true melodic motif, albeit slight, informs "BT-U" in a more rock/R&B beat, while the waltz "Early to Bed" suggests a lovely, extrapolated Bill Evans line, perhaps from "Very Early." Though "While We're Young" was a definitive recording for Abercrombie's vaunted trio, this CD simply offers a different slant. It's the sign of a group either in transition of evolution, and whatever the case, it's an intriguing step for these three uncanny sonic explorers. by Michael G. Nastos  
Tracklist :
1     Angel Food 7:52
Dan Wall
2     Now And Again 6:13
John Abercrombie / Adam Nussbaum / Dan Wall
3     Mahat 8:24
John Abercrombie / Adam Nussbaum / Dan Wall
4     Chorale 8:19
John Abercrombie
5     Farewell 6:15
John Abercrombie
6     BT-U 6:20
Adam Nussbaum
7     Early To Bed 8:17
John Abercrombie
8     Dreamland 9:08
Dan Wall
9     Hell's Gate 7:07
Dan Wall
Credits :
Design [Cover Design] – Barbara Wojirsch
Drums – Adam Nussbaum
Guitar [Guitars] – John Abercrombie
Organ [Hammond B3 Organ] – Dan Wall
Producer – Manfred Eicher

JOHN ABERCROMBIE / DAN WALL / ADAM NUSSBAUM - Tactics (1996) APE (image+.cue), lossless

This set is a little different than most ECM releases, because the trio (guitarist John Abercrombie, organist Dan Wall and drummer Adam Nussbaum) performs a couple of fairly straight-ahead standards -- "You and the Night and the Music" and "Long Ago and Far Away" -- in addition to six originals, including Wall's rhythmic "Bo Diddy." Not sounding at all like a typical soul-jazz organ group, these musicians take more advanced improvisations, with Wall (whose accompaniment of Abercrombie is quite atmospheric) emerging as the top soloist. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     Sweet Sixteen 11:21
John Abercrombie
2     Last Waltz 11:14
John Abercrombie
3     Bo Diddy 11:43
Dan Wall
4     You and the Night and the Music 10:15
Howard Dietz / Arthur Schwartz
5     Chumbida 5:46
Adam Nussbaum
6     Dear Rain 7:38
John Abercrombie
7     Mr. Magoo 8:44
Dan Wall
8     Long Ago (And Far Away) 9:42
Ira Gershwin / Jerome Kern
Credits :
Drums – Adam Nussbaum
Guitar [Guitars] – John Abercrombie
Organ [Hammond B3 Organ] – Dan Wall

CHRIS MINH DOKY - Minh (1998) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Tracklist:
1 I Told You So 3:25
2 Every Breath You Take 4:06
3 Welcome 0:11
4 Waiting On You (Jungle Vibe) 2:46
5 Sleepless Dream 5:03
6 Chhaya 0:04
7 Lean On Me 5:37
8 I Just Wanna Stop 4:53
9 A New Day 4:49
10 Ken & Mai 0:08
11 It Once Was 5:36
12 Mardi Chez Lionel 3:41
13 Messages 0:27
14 Home Sweet Home 5:40
15 New York City 0:19
16 Don't Get Funny With My Money 5:02
Credits:
Jim Beard - Keyboards
Michael Bland - Drums
Michael Brecker - Sax (Tenor), Saxophone
Randy Brecker - Composer, Guitar, Trumpet, Vocals
Hiram Bullock - Guitar
Joey Calderazzo - Piano
Joe Caro - Guitar, Guitar (Acoustic)
Chris Minh Doky - Arranger, Bass, Bass (Acoustic), Bass (Electric), Composer, Keyboards,  Producer, Vocals
David Gilmore - Guitar, Guitar (Acoustic)
Larry Goldings - Piano
Lalah Hathaway - Composer, Vocals
Lasse Janson - Piano
Norbert Lucarain - Clay Pot, Percussion, Wood Box
Adam Nussbaum - Drums
Chris Parks - Drums, Guitar, Keyboards, Producer, Programming
Ricky Peterson - Fender Rhodes, Keyboards, Organ (Hammond), Piano
Dianne Reeves - Vocals
Alex Riel - Drums
David Sanborn - Sax (Alto), Saxophone
Vivian Sessoms - Vocals
St. Paul - Drums, Guitar
Mike Stern - Guitar, Guitar (Electric)
Lenny White - Drums
Louis Winsberg - Composer, Guitar, Guitar (Acoustic)

RICHARD COLE - The Forgotten (2001) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This is tenor saxophonist Richard Cole's second album for the Origin label. Compared with the first outing, The Forgotten sports additional standards plus visits by outstanding artists such as Randy Brecker, Adam Nussbaum, and Joey Calderazzo. Cole is from the school of modern, progressive jazz. On such cuts as "Free Time," one hears the influence of Sonny Rollins with his hard bop and unique thematic improvisations, as well as the hard-driving free jazz idioms employed by the likes of Archie Shepp and Pharoah Sanders. "Somnambulist" finds Cole's sax less piercing, with a fuller and richer sound with help from the sumptuous-toned guitar of David Peterson. Matters lighten up on a swinging "Without a Song," with Randy Brecker's melodic trumpet kicking off before trading choruses with Cole. Brecker then launches into a high-speed improvisation on the melody with the rhythm of Randy Porter, Chuck Bergeron, and Gary Hobbs setting the cadence. This is a high-quality track. Ranking right up there with it is "The Midnight Sun," again with Brecker and Cole sharing solo honors and engaging in ear-catching ad libs on the melody. On this cut, Brecker's sparkling horn playing makes every note ring. Joey Calderazzo's quickly paced piano sets the pace on "The Best Thing for You." Both he and Cole use the melody and the chord structure as the points of departure for their enterprising improvisational flings. Adam Nussbaum's drum break shows why he is a drummer in demand, especially by those who are in the free, avant-garde corner of jazz. On this, his second outing, Cole shows he is still in the vanguard of hard-blowing, progressive tenors, with a softer side that emerges from time to time. Recommended. by Dave Nathan  

JOHN ABERCROMBIE - Open Land (1999) APE (image+.cue), lossless

Here, Abercrombie grafts three soloists -- trumpeter Kenny Wheeler, tenor saxman Joe Lovano, and violinist Mark Feldman -- onto his organ trio and comes out with an absorbing set of elegantly textured, poly-styled music laced with his drifting, occasionally jagged yet never overbearing guitar. On the title track and, not unexpectedly, on "Free Piece Suit(e)," the sextet veers onto the outside, but they always do so in a relaxed ECM manner, without jangling any nerves. "Little Booker," a reversal of the names of the short-lived trumpeter, is the nicest track, outfitted with a memorable tune, and "That's for Sure" has an off-kilter, loose-jamming country feeling. Both Lovano and Wheeler play sparely and tastefully, and Feldman occasionally emits a gust of shock fiddling but mostly stays within lyrical bounds. Adam Nussbaum's drumming is loose, unpredictable, and adaptable; Dan Wall's organ discreetly lays in the background or steps forth in the usual Jimmy Smith-derived idiom.  by Richard S. Ginell
Tracklist:
1     Just in Tune    6:36   
John Abercrombie
2     Open Land    10:08   
John Abercrombie
3     Spring Song    8:59
John Abercrombie / Felix Mendelssohn
4     Gimme Five    7:23 
John Abercrombie
5     Speak Easy    6:43   
John Abercrombie
6     Little Booker    6:10 
John Abercrombie
7     Free Piece Suit(e)    6:56   
John Abercrombie / Mark Feldman / Joe Lovano / Adam Nussbaum / Dan Wall / Kenny Wheeler
8     Remember When   7:58  
John Abercrombie
9     That's for Sure    4:08
John Abercrombie
Credits
Drums – Adam Nussbaum
Guitar – John Abercrombie
Organ – Dan Wall
Tenor Saxophone – Joe Lovano
Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Kenny Wheeler
Violin – Mark Feldman

JOHN SCOFIELD - Bar Talk (1980) lp / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

1980's Bar Talk features a young John Scofield already showing the virtuosity on guitar that subsequently made him a giant in his field. Scofield -- who honed his chops with artists like Miles Davis, Gerry Mulligan, Pat Metheny, Chick Corea, Chet Baker, and Charles Mingus -- displays his talents here as both a player and composer. Scofield is joined in the venture by Steve Swallow on bass and Adam Nussbaum on drums -- a perfectly balanced trio. The Connecticut-born Scofield, who studied jazz at the renowned Berklee School of Music in Boston, spent much of his professional life gigging in Europe. This recording was made by the trio during one of its European tours. The album was well received at the time of its printing in 1980. Its influence has grown, becoming a jazz guitar classic, often listed as a favorite recording by professional critics, other musicians, and fans alike. Most of the songs are penned by Scofield himself. Steve Swallow contributed one tune, the elegiac "Never." The songs are long enough to allow the music to develop, with each musician taking his turn in the jazz conversation. "Fat Woman," "New Strings Attached," and "How to Marry a Millionaire" give the listener a good sampling of the capabilities of these musicians as they morph through a range of moods and colors. The set ends with "Nature Calls," a nod to the double-entendre titles for which Scofield is known. The musician likes to joke around and have fun, but make no mistake, John Scofield is serious about his music.  by Rose of Sharon Witmer  
Tracklist ;
1     Beckon Call 7:01
Gary Campbell
2     New Strings Attached 6:09
John Scofield
3     Never 6:46
Steve Swallow
4     How to Marry a Millionaire 6:34
John Scofield
5     Fat Dancer 6:53
John Scofield
6     Nature Calls 5:40
John Scofield
Credits :
 Drums – Adam Nussbaum
Electric Bass – Steve Swallow
Electric Guitar, Producer – John Scofield