CURTIS FULLER — Curtis Fuller and Hampton Hawes with French Horns (1957-2000) RM | Original Jazz Classics Limited Edition Series | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The French horn has rarely been used in jazz as a solo instrument until recent times. Back in the 1950s, jazz's top French horn player was Julius Watkins, with David Amram certainly ranking in the top five. For this 1957 session, trombonist Curtis Fuller and his quintet with altoist Sahib Shihab, pianist Hampton Hawes (Teddy Charles, who contributed three originals, takes his place on one number), bassist Addison Farmer, and drummer Jerry Segal are joined by both Watkins and Amram. On originals by Charles, Amram, and Salvatore Zito, the colorful ensembles and the very adept soloing by the French horns make this a particularly memorable recording. Strange that this album has been obscure for so long. Only the brief playing time keeps this intriguing set from getting a higher rating. Scott Yanow   Tracklist & Credits :

CHARLIE PARKER – The Complete Dean Benedetti Recordings Of Charlie Parker (1990) 7xCD BOX-SET | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The packaging is impeccable, this seven-CD box set has a definitive 48-page booklet, and the recording quality is as good as possible, so why the "poor" rating? Dean Benedetti, a fanatical Charlie Parker disciple, recorded Bird extensively during three periods in 1947-1948 but did his best to turn off his wire recorder whenever anyone but Parker was soloing. He became legendary, as did his long lost acetates, and Mosaic has done what it could to make the excerpts coherent but the results
are still quite unlistenable. None of the performances on this large set are complete; guests such as Thelonious Monk and Carmen McRae are introduced, play, or sing two notes and then are cut off. And, although Parker seems to play well, these performances reveal no new secrets and add nothing to his legacy. Scott Yanow    Tracklist + Credits :

ZOOT SIMS | BOB BROOKMEYER - Stretching Out + Kansas City Revisited (1958-2007) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

"Stretching Out". Like many studio sessions recorded for United Artists, this 1958 session co-led by Zoot Sims and Bob Brookmeyer can be a bit tricky to find. Brookmeyer contributed most of the charts, including the easygoing blues which serves as the title track, as well as updated treatments of Jelly Roll Morton's "King Porter Stomp" and "Ain't Misbehavin'." Al Cohn is responsible for a swinging chart of "Pennies from Heaven" during which he switches to baritone sax, while Bill Potts wrote and arranged "Bee Kay." The rest of the superb band includes Harry "Sweets" Edison, Hank Jones, bassist Eddie Jones, guitarist Freddie Green, and drummer Charlie Persip. Aside from a few innocuous reed squeaks, the music is essentially flawless and has stood the test of time very well.

"Kansas City Revisited". Cool jazz meets swing on this valuable LP. Valve trombonist Bob Brookmeyer, tenors Al Cohn and Paul Quinichette, pianist Nat Pierce, guitarist Jim Hall, bassist Addison Farmer and drummer Osie Johnson perform four songs associated with the late-'30s Count Basie Orchestra plus a couple of numbers ("A Blues" and "Travlin' Light") that are sung by the underrated vocalist Big Miller who was making his recording debut at the time. web
Stretching Out
1    Zoot Sims - Bob Brookmeyer Octet–    Stretching Out    6:08
Written-By – Bob Brookmeyer
2    Zoot Sims - Bob Brookmeyer Octet–    Now Will You Be Good 5:27   
Written-By – Terke, Jentes, Pease
3    Zoot Sims - Bob Brookmeyer Octet–    Pennies From Heaven    6:15
Written-By – Johnston, Burke
4    Zoot Sims - Bob Brookmeyer Octet–    King Porter Stomp    4:38
Written-By – Morton, Robbins, Burke
5    Zoot Sims - Bob Brookmeyer Octet–    Ain't Misbehavin'    6:54
Written-By – Razaf, Brooks, Waller
6    Zoot Sims - Bob Brookmeyer Octet–    Bee Kay    6:42
Written-By – Bill Potts
Kansas City Revisited   
7    Bob Brookmeyer's KC Seven–    Jumpin' At The Woodside    8:00
8    Bob Brookmeyer's KC Seven–    A Blues (What's On Your Mind)    5:05
9    Bob Brookmeyer's KC Seven–    Blue And Sentimental    6:53
10    Bob Brookmeyer's KC Seven–    Doggin' Around    8:40
11    Bob Brookmeyer's KC Seven–    Moten Swing    10:12
12    Bob Brookmeyer's KC Seven–    Trav'lin' Light    3:35
Credits :
1-6
Arranged By – Bill Potts
Arranged By, Baritone Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Al Cohn
Arranged By, Valve Trombone, Liner Notes – Bob Brookmeyer
Bass – Eddie Jones
Drums – Charlie Persip
Guitar – Freddie Green
Piano – Hank Jones
Tenor Saxophone – Zoot Sims
Trumpet – Harry Edison
7-12
Bass – Addison Farmer
Drums – Osie Johnson
Guitar – Jim Hall
Piano – Nat Pierce
Tenor Saxophone – Al Cohn, Paul Quinichette
Valve Trombone – Bob Brookmeyer

ART FARMER | GIGI GRYCE - When Farmer Met Gryce (1955-1994) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

When Farmer Met Gryce features trumpeter Art Farmer, altoist Gigi Gryce and two rhythm sections with either Horace Silver or Freddie Redd on piano, Percy Heath or Addison Farmer on bass, and Kenny Clarke or Art Taylor on drums. The early hard bop music is highlighted by "Social Call" (one of Gryce's best-known compositions), "Capri," "A Night at Tony's" and "Blue Concept" but all eight numbers will easily be enjoyed by straight-ahead jazz fans. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     A Night at Tony's 5'06
Gigi Gryce
2     Blue Concept 4'56
Gigi Gryce
3     Stupendous-Lee 5'47
Art Farmer
4     Deltitnu 4'18
Gigi Gryce
5     Social Call 6'04
Gigi Gryce
6     Capri 5'01
Gigi Gryce
7     Blue Lights 5'19
Gigi Gryce
8     The Infant's Song 5'15
Art Farmer
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Gigi Gryce
Bass – Addison Farmer (pistas: 5 to 8), Percy Heath (pistas: 1 to 4)
Drums – Art Taylor (pistas: 5 to 8), Kenny Clarke (pistas: 1 to 4)
Piano – Freddie Redd (pistas: 5 to 8), Horace Silver (pistas: 1 to 4)
Recorded By – Rudy Van Gelder
Trumpet – Art Farmer

ART FARMER - Portrait of Art Farmer (1958-1988) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Portrait of Art Farmer is an excellent showcase for the trumpeter in the 1950s. Farmer is showcased with a quartet that also includes pianist Hank Jones, bassist Addison Farmer, and drummer Roy Haynes. The repertoire alternates veteran standards with lesser-known material, including three of Farmer's originals and George Russell's "Nita" along with a particularly strong version of Benny Golson's "Stablemates." An excellent outing. [Some reissues add a version of "Folks Who Live on the Hill" to the original program.] Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
 1     Back in the Cage 5'04
Art Farmer
2     Stablemates 4'32
Benny Golson
3     The Very Thought of You 5'41
Ray Noble
4     And Now... 6'07
Art Farmer
5     Nita 4'28
George Russell
6     By Myself 6'15
Howard Dietz / Arthur Schwartz
7     Too Late Now 5'55
Burton Lane / Alan Jay Lerner
8     Earth 4'10
Art Farmer
9     Folks Who Live on the Hill 4'35
Oscar Hammerstein II / Jerome Kern
Credits :
Bass – Addison Farmer
Drums – Roy Haynes
Piano – Hank Jones
Trumpet – Art Farmer

ART FARMER - Early Art (1954-2006) RM / MONO / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Two of trumpeter Art Farmer's earlier sessions as a leader are reissued on this CD in the OJC series. Farmer teams up with an all-star quintet (which includes tenor-saxophonist Sonny Rollins, pianist Horace Silver, bassist Percy Heath and drummer Kenny Clarke) for four songs and dominates a quartet (with pianist Wynton Kelly, bassist Addison Farmer and drummer Herbie Lovelle) on six other tunes. Farmer's sound is lyrical even on the uptempo pieces and he is heard throughout in his early prime. Highlights include "Soft Shoe," "I'll Take Romance," "Autumn Nocturne" and an uptempo "Gone with the Wind." One should note that the programming differs from what is listed, with "Soft Shoe" (which should have been the opener) actually appearing fifth and the songs listed as appearing second through fifth moving up to first through fourth. Despite that flaw, the music is quite enjoyable and a must for 1950s bop collectors. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1 Soft Shoe 3:54
Art Farmer
2 Confab In Tempo 4:57
Art Farmer
3 I'll Take Romance 4:32
Oscar Hammerstein II / Ben Oakland
4 Wisteria 4:05
Art Farmer
5 Autumn Nocturne 4:59
Kim Gannon / Josef Myrow
6 I've Never Been In Love Before 3:49
Frank Loesser
7 I'll Walk Alone 3:55
Sammy Cahn / Jule Styne
8 Gone With The Wind 4:07
Herbert Magidson / Allie Wrubel
9 Alone Together 3:59
Howard Dietz / Arthur Schwartz
10 Pre Amp 3:35
Art Farmer
Credits :
Bass – Addison Farmer (tracks: 5 to 10), Percy Heath (tracks: 1 to 4)
Drums – Herbie Lovelle (tracks: 5 to 10), Kenny Clarke (tracks: 1 to 4)
Piano – Horace Silver (tracks: 1 to 4), Wynton Kelly (tracks: 5 to 10)
Tenor Saxophone – Sonny Rollins (tracks: 1 to 4)
Trumpet – Art Farmer

ART FARMER – Modern Art (1958-2001) RM | Serie Super Bit Jazz Classics | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Modern Art is the prelude recording for Art Farmer prior to his partnership with Benny Golson in the Jazztet, and also foreshadows the classy, tasteful inventiveness that group brought to the modern jazz world two years after this 1958 session. Pianist Bill Evans is in here, just before his pivotal work with Miles Davis on the classic album Kind of Blue, and was the table setter for McCoy Tyner's membership in the Jazztet. Brother Addison Farmer on bass and the great drummer Dave Bailey round out this sterling quintet that specializes in playing music with a subtle approach, which is neither tame nor conservatively lazy. Included on this date is the great Junior Mance tune "Jubilation," perfectly understated in a light gospel, soul-jazz, tuneful melody with both horns wonderfully matched up in balanced unison, side by side. Farmer's lone compositional contribution, "Mox Nix," deserves similar iconic accolades, as it is an equally memorable, hopped-up shuffle with the uncharacteristically rumbling piano of Evans in soul-jazz to swing trim. Another notable track is Wade Legge's "Cold Breeze," which is hardly refrigerated, but instead a breezy hard bop vehicle, snappy, even-keeled, but not bubbling. The trumpeter, after all, is the official leader and arranger, taking the stage front and center for the ballad "Darn That Dream" and the midtempo take of "The Touch of Your Lips," with Golson in late, seconding the motions. For this time period, you clearly hear a refined and maturing Farmer, qualities he would retain for the remainder of his substantial career. He plops in the mute for Cole Porter's "I Love You," waxing poetic and effortlessly like a figure skater gliding through a simple routine, and Evans even gets to jam out a bit. Benny Golson's personal voice on tenor is also coming of age, as you hear during his feature "Like Someone in Love," but he's also starting to emerge as a writer with the moderately swinging "Fair Weather," displaying harmonic interplay that hints at things to come. The historical aspects of this recording, in retrospect, cannot be trivialized, but more importantly, some darn good straight-ahead jazz is played here by experts in their field.  Michael G. Nastos   
Tracklist  :
1 Mox Nix 4:39
Written-By – Art Farmer
2 Fair Weather 5:44
Written-By – Benny Golson
3 Darn That Dream 3:59
Written-By – DeLange, Van Heusen
4 The Touch Of Your Lips 4:54
Written-By – Ray Noble 
5 Jubilation 4:17
Written-By – Junior Mance
6 Like Someone In Love 5:56
Written-By – Burke-Van Heusen
7 I Love You 7:01
Written-By – Cole Porter
8 Cold Breeze 3:58
Written-By – Legge
Credits :
Bass – Addison Farmer
Drums – Dave Bailey
 Piano – Bill Evans
 Sleeve – Marvin Israel
Tenor Saxophone – Benny Golson
Trumpet – Art Farmer

TEDDY CHARLES - Coolin' (1957) OJC / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Although this sextet session was officially a co-op, vibraphonist Teddy Charles and pianist Mal Waldron were really the main organizers. The group plays five originals by bandmembers that often have complex melodies but familiar chord changes. Trumpeter Idrees Sulieman excels on the one standard ("Everything Happens to Me"), altoist John Jenkins (making his recording debut) has some worthy solos and both bassist Addison Farmer and drummer Jerry Segal are fine in support. This obscure session (reissued on CD in the OJC series) is an excellent outing. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist:
1 Staggers 7:52
Mal Waldron
2 Song of a Star 7:11
John Jenkins
3 The Eagle Flies 7:38
Johnny Mandel / Idrees Sulieman
4 Bunni 8:02
Teddy Charles
5 Reiteration 7:56
Mal Waldron
6 Everything Happens to Me 4:33
Tom Adair / Matt Dennis
Credits:
Alto Saxophone – John Jenkins (tracks: 1 to 5)
Bass – Addison Farmer
Drums – Jerry Segal
Piano – Mal Waldron
Producer – Teddy Charles
Trumpet – Idrees Sulieman
Vibraphone [Vibes] – Teddy Charles

 TEDDY CHARLES - Coolin' (1957) 

(1995) RM / OJC / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

O Púbis da Rosa

TEO MACERO with THE PRESTIGE JAZZ QUARTET [1957] OJC / Pestige / FLAC / 1992

Teo Macero with The Prestige Jazz Quartet is the 1957 self-titled album of the same name. Originally released by Prestige Records, this CD was released in 1992 by Original Jazz Classics/Fantasy Jazz and is remastered by Phil de Lancie.

This CD reissue features tenor saxophonist Teo Macero (who would later become much better known as a record producer) in as straight-ahead a setting as he ever appeared. With stimulating support from pianist Mal Waldron, vibraphonist Teddy Charles, bassist Addison Farmer, and drummer Jerry Segal, Macero performs a variety of then-recent ballads, of which only "Star Eyes" (arranged by Hall Overton) did not come from Teo or his associates. The music is advanced but from the jazz tradition, and overall this set is more noteworthy for Macero's interesting playing than for the tunes themselves.

1. Ghost Story

2. Please Don't Go Now

3. Just Spring

4. Star Eyes

5. Polody

6. What's Not

Recorded in Hackensack, NY, April 27, 1957

Recording engineer: Rudy Van Gelder

Digital remastering, 1992 - Phil De Lancie 

(Fantasy Studios, Berkeley)

Teo Macero-tenor saxophone

Teddy Charles-vibes

Mal Waldron-piano

Addison Farmer-bass

Jerry Segal-drums

O Púbis da Rosa