This is the Charles Tolliver record to get, although it may be hard to find. The masterful trumpeter, in a quartet with pianist Stanley Cowell, bassist Steve Novosel, and drummer Jimmy Hopps, plays five of his strongest compositions. Highlights include the powerful "On the Nile," "The Ringer," and "Spur," but each of the numbers has its memorable moments. Tolliver is heard at the peak of his creative powers; it is strange that he never received the fame and recognition that he deserved. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1 Plight 7:09
Written-By – Charles Tolliver
2 On The Nile 12:31
Written-By – Charles Tolliver
3 The Ringer 5:46
Written-By – Charles Tolliver
4 Mother Wit 8:46
Written-By – Charles Tolliver
5 Spur 5:02
Written-By – Charles Tolliver
Credits :
Bass – Steve Novosel
Drums – Jimmy Hopps
Piano – Stanley Cowell
Trumpet – Charles Tolliver
10.7.24
CHARLES TOLLIVER — The Ringer (1969-1992) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless
9.7.24
SAMMY PRICE — Barrelhouse And Blues (1969-1991) APE (image+.cue), lossless
After being largely off records (at least as a leader) since 1961, pianist Sammy Price recorded four sets in Europe for Black & Blue and Black Lion before disappearing from records again until 1975. This CD reissues a surprisingly Dixieland-ish outing with a British sextet that includes trumpeter Keith Smith, trombonist Roy Williams and clarinetist Sandy Brown. Since Price loved to play boogie-woogie and blues, there is a fair sampling of that music on the date (including "West End Boogie" and "Boogie Woogie Minuet"), and such Dixieland favorites as "Rosetta," "Keeping Out of Mischief Now" and "Royal Garden Blues." An exuberant, spirited set with all of the musicians playing in fine form. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1 Honey Grove Blues 3:45
Written-By – Price
2 Rosetta 4:29
Written-By – Hines, Woode
3 St. James Infirmary 3:01
Written-By – Primrose
4 West End Boogie 6:32
Written-By – Price
5 In The Evening (Take 2) 5:20
Written-By – Carr
6 Keepin' Out Of Mischief Now 2:50
Written-By – Razaf, Waller
7 Struttin' With Georgia 9:43
Written-By – Price
8 Royal Garden Blues 5:04
Written-By – Williams, Williams
9 Jelly On My Mind 4:05
Written-By – Price
10 Boogie Woogie Minuet 2:52
Written-By – Price
11 How Long Blues 3:51
Written-By – Carr
12 Hungarian Rhapsody 3:14
Arranged By – Price
Written-By [Incorrectly Attributed] – Traditional
Written-By [Uncredited] – Franz Liszt
13 In The Evening (Take 1) 5:34
Written-By – Carr
14 Blues For The Bluesicians 3:07
Written-By – Price
15 Just A Lonesome Babe In The Wood 9:11
Written-By – Price
Credits :
Bass – Harvey Weston
Clarinet – Sandy Brown
Drums – Lennie Hastings
Guitar – Ruan O'Lochlainn
Piano, Vocals – Sammy Price
Trombone – Roy Williams
Trumpet – Keith Smith
7.7.24
Stephane Grappelli — Just One of Those Things (1973-1992) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless
This is a typically swinging live set by the great violinist Stephane Grappelli, who is featured in a quartet with pianist Marc Hemmeler, bassist Jack Sewing and drummer Daniel Humair at the 1973 Montreux Jazz Festival. Grappelli, who was experiencing a bit of a renaissance at the time, sounds quite exuberant on many of the tunes, particularly "Just One of Those Things," "All God's Chillun Got Rhythm" and "Them There Eyes." This CD reissue gives listeners a fine example of Grappelli's joyous playing. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1 Just One Of Those Things 6:36
Written-By – Porter
2 Misty 5:25
Written By – Garner & Burke
3 More 8:50
Written By – Ortolani, Oliviero & Newell
4 All God's Chillun' Got Rhythm 5:06
Written-By – Kahn, Kper, Jurmann
5 Que Restent-Ils De Nos Amours? 4:54
Written-By – Charles Trenet
6 Don't Get Around Much Anymore 5:31
Written By – Russell & Ellington
7 Them There Eyes 5:15
Written By – Pinkard, Tracey & Tauber
8 Honeysuckle Rose 5:14
Written By – Waller & Razaf
Credits :
Bass – Jack Sewing
Drums – Daniel Humair
Piano – Marc Hemmeler
Violin – Stéphane Grappelli
12.3.23
LEE KONITZ - At Storyville (1988) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless
This excellent set gives one a definitive look at altoist Lee Konitz at a period of time when he was breaking away from being a sideman and a student of Lennie Tristano and asserting himself as a leader. With pianist Ronnie Ball, bassist Percy Heath, and drummer Alan Levitt, Konitz explores a variety of his favorite chord changes, some of which were disguised by newer melodies such as "Hi Beck," "Subconscious Lee," and "Sound Lee." Among the other high points of this well-recorded set are "Foolin' Myself" and a lengthy exploration of "If I Had You." Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1 Introduction by John McLelland 0:52
2 Hi Beck 7:38
Lee Konitz
3 If I Had You 11:19
Jimmy Campbell / Reginald Connelly / Ted Shapiro
4 Subconscious Lee 5:34
Lee Konitz
5 Sound Lee 6:39
Lee Konitz
6 Foolin' Myself 6:01
Jack Lawrence / Glenn Tinturin / Peter Tinturin
7 Introduction by John McLelland 0:45
8 Ablution 4:43
Lee Konitz
9 These Foolish Things 4:09
Harry Link / Holt Marvell / Jack Strachey
10 End Announcement by John McLelland 0:39
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Lee Konitz
Bass – Percy Heath
Drums – Alan Levitt
Piano – Ronnie Ball
Notas.
Recorded at the Storyville Club in the Copley Square Hotel, Boston, 5th January 1954.
9.1.23
ANTHONY BRAXTON | RICHARD TEITELBAUM - Silence / Time Zones (1996) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless
Tracklist :
1 Anthony Braxton, Leroy Jenkins, Leo Smith– Off The Top Of My Head 16:43
Composed By – Jenkins
Saxophone, Instruments [Miscellaneous] – Anthony Braxton
Trumpet, Instruments [Miscellaneous] – Leo Smith
Violin, Instruments [Miscellaneous] – Leroy Jenkins
2 Anthony Braxton, Leroy Jenkins, Leo Smith– Silence 14:43
Composed By – Smith
Saxophone, Instruments [Miscellaneous] – Anthony Braxton
Trumpet, Instruments [Miscellaneous] – Leo Smith
Violin, Instruments [Miscellaneous] – Leroy Jenkins
3 Richard Teitelbaum With Anthony Braxton– Crossing (Dedicated To Roscoe Mitchell) 23:08
Composed By – Teitelbaum
Recorded By – Bill Warrell
Sopranino Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Contrabass Clarinet – Anthony Braxton
Synthesizer [Modular Moog], Synthesizer [Micromoog] – Richard Teitelbaum
4 Richard Teitelbaum With Anthony Braxton– Behmoth Dreams (Dedicated To Maryanne Amacher) 18:24
Composed By – Teitelbaum
Recorded By – Thomas Mark
Sopranino Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Contrabass Clarinet – Anthony Braxton
Synthesizer [Modular Moog], Synthesizer [Micromoog] – Richard Teitelbaum
Notas.
1, 2 recorded on July 18, 1969 in Paris, France.
3 recorded live in concert on June 10, 1976 at the Creative Music Festival, Mount Temper, N. Y., and mixed at Sound Ideas, New York City.
4 recorded on September 16, 1976 at Bearsville Sound, Woodstock, New York.
7.12.22
ALBERT AYLER - Goin' Home (1964-1994) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless
Albert Ayler was confronted with a spiritual anxiety that both plagued and comforted him throughout his life. This is frighteningly clear listening to the highly intense musical yin and yang that was present February 24, 1964, when the tracks for Goin' Home and Witches and Devils were recorded. Ayler plays tenor and soprano saxophones on "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot," "Deep River," "Goin Home," "Down by the Riverside," "When the Saints Go Marchin In," and "Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen." These traditional compositions are treated with reverence and a lack of improvisation, played in a quietly passionate but respectful manner. They reveal a sensitivity that was obscured with the emotionally charged tenor screeching of the Ayler originals that were also recorded at this session: "Witches and Devils," "Spirits," "Holy, Holy," and "Saints." Black Lion reissued Goin' Home with double takes of "Down by the Riverside," "Ol' Man River," and "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot." The Goin' Home rhythm section is held together by the gospel-influenced piano style of Call Cobbs. This was the first time the saxophonist had played with Cobbs, who, like Ayler, was from Cleveland and had recently moved to New York. Free jazz stalwarts Henry Grimes' bass and Sunny Murray's drums rounded out the proceedings, following Ayler and Cobbs lead, sounding more accessible than they had on previous recordings. While Goin' Home and Witches and Devils haven't been released together on one compact disc, obtaining both and playing them back to back makes for an amazing comparison in moods and styles. Al Campbell
Tracklist :
1 Goin' Home 4'26
Traditional
Arranged By – Albert Ayler
2 Ol' Man River (Take 2) 5'25
Written-By – Kern & Hammerstein
3 Down By The Riverside (Take 6) 4'39
Traditional
Arranged By – Albert Ayler
4 Swing Low, Sweet Chariot (Take 3) 4'30
Traditional
Arranged By – Albert Ayler
5 Deep River 4'15
Traditional
Arranged By – Albert Ayler
6 When The Saints Go Marchin' In 4'12
Traditional
Arranged By – Albert Ayler
7 Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen 4'44
Traditional
Arranged By – Albert Ayler
8 Ol' Man River (Take 1) 3'58
Written-By – Kern & Hammerstein
9 Swing Low, Sweet Chariot (Take 1) 4'49
Traditional
Arranged By – Albert Ayler
10 Down By The Riverside (Take 5) 4'28
Traditional
Arranged By – Albert Ayler
Credits :
Bass – Henry Grimes
Drums – Arthur 'Sonny' Murray
Piano – Call Cobbs Jr.
Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Albert Ayler
5.12.22
ALBERT AYLER - My Name Is Albert Ayler (1963-1995) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless
Hearing the soft-spoken voice of Albert Ayler at the beginning of this
1963 recording is spooky. Not because he's gone, but because he's so
calm, so young, and so hesitantly articulate: Nothing like the voice of
his saxophone playing at all. This session is a reissue of a Fantasy
recording, and one which pairs Ayler up with a Scandinavian rhythm
section that includes the 16-year-old Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen on
bass. After the weirdly wonderful spoken intro, Ayler goes for the
throat on soprano in "Bye Bye Blackbird." It's difficult to tell if
Ayler's tonality on the horn is intentional or the rhythm section is
just so stick-in-the-butt rigid that he sounds more out of tune than he
is. Ayler plays tenor on the rest of the program, which includes
"Summertime," "Billie's Bounce," "On Green Dolphin Street," and "C.T."
The session becomes irritating in that the rhythm section refuses to
give Ayler the room he needs: they play straight bop no matter what, as
if they couldn't play anything else. Only on "Summertime" does he
connect with the inner voices of his emotions and lets loose in what
would be come his trademark wail. Born equally of gospel, R&B, and
early jazz phrasing, Ayler lets loose a torrent of emotion on the tune,
making everything -- and everyone on the bandstand -- else seem
nonexistent in comparison. This is a strange record, like a soloist
mismatched with the recording of another band, but nonetheless there is
that singular tenor voice to contend with, and, on "Summertime," it is
unfathomably beautiful.
-> This comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our blog 'O Púbis da Rosa' <-
Tracklist :
1 Introduction By Albert Ayler 1:15
2 Bye Bye Blackbird 7:30
Written-By – Dixon, Henderson
3 Billie's Bounce 5:59
Written-By – Parker
4 Summertime 8:47
Written-By – Gershwin
5 On Green Dolphin Street 9:05
Written-By – Caper, Washington
6 C.T. 12:02
Written-By – Ayler
Credits :
Bass – Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen
Drums – Ronnie Gardiner
Piano – Niels Brønsted
Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Albert Ayler
18.10.22
ZOOT SIMS | BOB BROOKMEYER - Morning Fun (1956-1989) APE (tracks+.cue), lossless
Although it claims on the back of this CD that the music was recorded in August 1956, discographies state February and that seems more logical since valve trombonist Bob Brookmeyer and tenor-saxophonist Zoot Sims did not team up for a very long period (although three records resulted from their valuable collaboration). With assistance from pianist John Williams, bassist Bill Crow and drummer Jo Jones, Sims and Brookmeyer are in fine form on such selections as a rollicking "The King," "Lullaby of the Leaves," a brief two-song ballad medley and Brookmeyer's "Whooeeeee!" Sims takes a rare (and fairly effective) vocal on "I Can't Get Started." Recommended, as is the other Black Lion Zoot Sims CD from the same period, Tonite's Music Today. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1 The King 4:44
Count Basie
2 Lullaby of the Leaves 5:16
Bernice Petkere / Joe Young
3 I Can't Get Started 4:40
Vernon Duke / Ira Gershwin
4 Snake Eyes 4:03
Al Cohn
5 Morning Fun 5:07
Al Cohn / Zoot Sims
6 Whoooeeeee! 5:10
Bob Brookmeyer
7 Someone to Watch over Me/My Old Flame 4:16
Sam Coslow / George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin / Arthur Johnston
8 Box Cars 5:24
Al Cohn
Credits :
Bass – Bill Crow
Drums – Jo Jones
Piano – Hank Jones
Tenor Saxophone – Zoot Sims
Valve Trombone – Bob Brookmeyer
ZOOT SIMS | BOB BROOKMEYER - Tonite's Music Today (1956-1988) FLAC (tracks), lossless
Valve trombonist Bob Brookmeyer's musical partnerships in the 1950s with Stan Getz and especially Gerry Mulligan were celebrated but he also recorded three fine albums with tenor-saxophonist Zoot Sims in 1956 that are quite enjoyable, feature colorful jammed ensembles and hard-swinging yet cool-toned solos that owe as much to the swing tradition as to the innovations of bebop. This Storyville CD finds Zoot and Brookmeyer accompanied by pianist Hank Jones, bassist Wyatt Reuther and drummer Gus Johnson. Highlights include "I Hear a Rhapsody," "Blue Skies" and Sims's first ever recorded vocal on a "Blues." This release is easily recommended as is its companion Storyville CD Morning Fun. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1 Mr. Moon 4:56
Steve Allen
2 I Hear a Rhapsody 2:27
Jack Baker / George Fragos / Dick Gasparre
3 The Chant 4:27
Gerry Mulligan
4 Blues 5:39
Traditional
5 Zoot's Tune 4:42
Zoot Sims
6 How Long Has This Been Going On? 4:51
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
7 Bobby's Tune 3:23
Bob Brookmeyer
8 Blue Skies 4:53
Irving Berlin
Credits :
Bass – Wyatt Ruther
Drums – Gus Johnson
Piano, Celesta [Celeste] – Hank Jones
Tenor Saxophone – Zoot Sims
Valve Trombone – Bob Brookmeyer
18.8.22
JOHNNY GRIFFIN - The Man I Love (1967-1988) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless
Teamed up with pianist Kenny Drew, bassist Niels Pedersen and drummer Albert "Tootie" Heath for a club date at Copenhagen's Montmartre in 1967 (reissued on CD by Black Lion), the great tenor saxophonist Johnny Griffin really stretches out on four numbers: "The Man I Love," "Hush-A-Bye," "Blues for Harvey" and a memorable version of "The Masquerade Is Over." Griffin shows why he was early on billed as "the world's fastest tenor" although he also displays warmth on "Sophisticated Lady." A fine example of Griffin's underrated talents. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1 The Man I Love 12'18
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
2 Hush-A-Bye 9'16
Traditional
3 Blues for Harvey 12'29
Johnny Griffin
4 The Masquerade Is Over 12'58
Herbert Magidson / Allie Wrubel
5 Sophisticated Lady 5'44
Duke Ellington / Irving Mills / Mitchell Parish
6 Wee 2'17
Denzil Best
Credits :
Bass – Nils-Henning Ørsted Pedersen
Drums – Al Heath
Piano – Kenny Drew
Tenor Saxophone – Johnny Griffin
8.10.21
ART ENSEMBLE OF CHICAGO — The Spiritual (1969-1996) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless
Originally a double LP, this stunning 1974 album, THE SPIRITUAL, finds the Art Ensemble of Chicago at their artistic height. Reduced to an unusual drummerless quartet for this session (reedsmen Joseph Jarman and Roscoe Mitchell, horn player Lester Bowie and bassist/banjo player Malachi Favors all double on various types of percussion), the group explores one of the main stems of jazz, New Orleans gospel and second-line music, without sacrificing its freer sounds. Indeed, without a traditional drummer, the group is free to play at its most unrestrained, unfettered by conventions of tempo.
Yet somehow, there's a basic earthiness to this music, especially on the magnificent title track and the mysteriously beautiful "That the Evening Sky Fell Through the Glass Wall and We Stood Alone Somewhere?," which keeps the Art Ensemble grounded. Listening to THE SPIRITUAL is an experience akin to reading Ishmael Reed's vividly ironic lampoon of Western culture, MUMBO JUMBO. AllMusic
Tracklist :
1 Toro 8:30
Roscoe Mitchell
2 Lori Song 3:58
Joseph Jarman
3 That the Evening Sky Fell Through the Glass Wall 6:00
Lester Bowie / Joseph Jarman
4 The Spiritual 20:06
Roscoe Mitchell
Credits :
Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Bass Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute, Whistle [Whistles], Siren, Bells, Percussion – Roscoe Mitchell
Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Clarinet, Oboe, Flute, Piano, Harpsichord, Guitar, Percussion – Joseph Jarman
Bass, Bass [Fender], Banjo, Zither [Cythar], Percussion – Malachi Favors
Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Horns, Bass Drum – Lester Bowie
ART ENSEMBLE OF CHICAGO - Tutankhamun (1974-1994) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless
This landmark album is one of the most influential free jazz recordings in the '60s avant-garde canon. Beginning with the bizarre vocal stylings of bassist Malachi Favors, Tutankhamun's four lengthy tracks are filled with eccentric and eclectic horn arrangements, usually followed by extended improvisations. Creating a canvas of sound that swells from intense to distant, the Art Ensemble use rubato (non-tempo) musical statements with great tonal variety. What makes the Art Ensemble's music different from others writing free jazz during this period is their use of dynamic contrast. The highlight of Tutankhamun is "The Ninth Room," a piece that emphasizes the experimental soloing abilities of saxophonist Roscoe Mitchell and trumpeter Lester Bowie. Drummer Joseph Jarman uses a variety of unconventional percussion instruments on this track, including various non-discernable metal and wooden objects. This album is for the jazz aficionado looking to explore new aural vistas. The music on Tutankhamun is more about texture than melody, harmony, or even rhythm and counterpoint. The beauty of this music, however, is that the notes we hear offer a compelling and thought-provoking journey into the possibilities of sound itself. by Rovi Staff
Tracklist :
1 Tutankhamun 18:10
Malachi Favors
2 The Ninth Room 15:35
Roscoe Mitchell
3 Tthinitthedalen, Pt. 1 4:24
Malachi Favors / Roscoe Mitchell
4 Tthinitthedalen, Pt. 2 4:54
Malachi Favors / Roscoe Mitchell
Credits :
Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Bass Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute, Whistle, Siren, Bells, Percussion – Roscoe Mitchell
Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Clarinet, Oboe, Flute, Piano, Harpsichord, Guitar, Percussion – Joseph Jarman
Bass, Bass [Fender], Banjo, Sitar, Percussion – Malachi Favors
Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Horns, Bass Drum – Lester Bowie
10.7.21
HELEN HUMES - On The Sunny Side of the Street (1974-1993) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless
Several major jazz personalities are heard on this Black Lion reissue
CD, recorded live at the 1974 Montreux Jazz Festival. The fine singer
Helen Humes sticks to standards and blues while accompanied by either
Earl Hines or Jay McShann on piano, tenor-saxophonist Buddy Tate,
bassist Jimmy Woode and drummer Ed Thigpen. Although Hines and McShann
are not the ideal accompanists, Humes fares quite well, winning the
audience over with her enthusiasm and sincerity. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist:
1 Alright, Okay, You Win 5:08
Mayme Watts / Sidney Wyche
2 If I Could Be With You One Hour Tonight 4:30
Henry Creamer / James P. Johnson
3 Ain't Nobody's Business 6:35
Porter Grainger / Everett Robbins
4 Kansas City 4:52
Jerry Leiber / Mike Stoller
5 I'm Satisfied 3:43
Duke Ellington / Mitchell Parish
6 Blue Because Of You 4:55
Charles Carpenter / Louis Dunlap / Quinn Wilson
7 On The Sunny Side Of The Street 3:58
Dorothy Fields / Jimmy McHugh
8 I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good 6:02
Duke Ellington / Paul Francis Webster
Credits:
Bass – Jimmy Woode
Drums – Ed Thigpen
Lead Vocals – Helen Humes
Piano – Earl Hines (tracks: 5-8), Jay McShann (tracks: 1-4)
Producer – Alan Bates
Tenor Saxophone – Buddy Tate
26.10.18
TEDDY WILSON - Stomping At The Savoy [1969] Black Lion / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless
Tracklist:
1 Stompin' at the Savoy 4:16
Benny Goodman / Andy Razaf / Edgar Sampson / Chick Webb
2 Moonglow 4:30
Eddie DeLange / Will Hudson / Irving Mills
3 As Time Goes By 2:26
Herman Hupfeld
4 Honeysuckle Rose 4:01
Andy Razaf / Fats Waller
5 Flying Home 4:35
Benny Goodman / Lionel Hampton / Sydney Robin
6 I Can't Get Started 2:21
Vernon Duke / Ira Gershwin
7 Sometimes I'm Happy 4:00
Irving Caesar / Clifford Grey / Vincent Youmans
8 Body and Soul 4:33
Frank Eyton / Johnny Green / Edward Heyman / Robert Sour
9 I'll Never Be the Same 7:36
Gus Kahn / Matty Malneck / Frank Signorelli
10 Easy Living 3:07
Ralph Rainger / Leo Robin
11 On Green Dolphin Street 2:10
Bronislaw Kaper / Ned Washington
12 Honeysuckle Rose 4:04
Andy Razaf / Fats Waller
Credits
Bass – Peter Chapman
Clarinet – Dave Shepherd
Drums – Johnny Richardson
Piano – Teddy Wilson
Vibraphone – Ronnie Gleaves
+ last month
ESBJÖRN SVENSSON TRIO — Winter In Venice (1997) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless
Esbjörn Svensson has stood not only once on stage in Montreux. He was already a guest in the summer of 1998 at the jazz festival on Lake Gen...