STEVE KUHN — Non-Fiction (1978) Vinyl, LP | 24-96Hz | FLAC (tracks), lossless

An interesting set of inside/outside music with a bit more energy than the more stereotypical ECM set, this set of five originals is performed by pianist Steve Kuhn (who was really developing his own original sound around this time), Steve Slagle (heard on alto, soprano and flute), bassist Harvie Swartz, and drummer Bob Moses. This is a fine release that was soon overshadowed by Kuhn's collaborations with singer Sheila Jordan. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
A1    Firewalk 8:00
Written-By – Harvie Swartz
A2    Random Thoughts 8:08
Written-By – Steve Kuhn
A3    A Dance With The Wind 5:48
Written-By – Harvie Swartz
B1    The Fruit Fly 5:54
Written-By – Steve Kuhn
B2    Alias Dash Grapey 11:57
Written-By – Steve Kuhn
Credits :
Bass – Harvie Swartz
Drums – Bob Moses
Piano, Percussion – Steve Kuhn
Producer – Manfred Eicher
Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Flute, Percussion – Steve Slagle

STEVE KUHN — Life's Backward Glances : Solo and Quartet (2008) 3CD BOX-SET | Serie Old & New Masters Edition | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This collection brings together three much sought-after recordings by Steve Kuhn: the solo piano album “Ecstasy” (recorded 1974), and two quartet albums. “Motility” (1977) features the band of the same name with saxophonist Steve Slagle in the front line, while “Playground” (1979) is the album that introduced the Steve Kuhn-Sheila Jordan Quartet. Singer Jordan is of course one of the great jazz vocalists, and this was an inspired teaming. Kuhn himself is a superlative pianist of vast gifts; each of these recordings illuminates another aspect of his work. Of these three discs only “Ecstasy” was previously available on compact disc, and then only in Japan. “Motility” and “Playground” here receive their first CD releases. ECM
Tracklist :
(CD1) 1977 - Motility (ECM 2090)
1    The Rain Forest    6:20
2    Oceans In The Sky    5:07
3    Catherine    5:33
4    Bittersweet Passages    4:55
5    Deep Tango    7:28
6    Motility / The Child Is Gone    7:21
7    A Danse For One    3:00
8    Places I've Never Been    4:53
(CD2) 1979 - Playground (ECM 2091)
1    Tomorrow's Son    6:02
2    Gentle Thoughts    7:22
3    Poem For No. 15    7:08
4    The Zoo    4:32
5    Deep Tango    10:40
6    Life's Backward Glance    5:36
(CD3) 1974 - Ecstasy (ECM 2092)
1    Silver    8:53
2    Prelude In G    4:26
3    Ulla    7:23
4    Thoughts Of A Gentleman – The Saga Of Harrison Crabfeathers    12:16
5    Life's Backward Glance    4:50
Credits :
Double Bass – Harvie Swartz (tracks: 1-1 to 2-6)
Drums – Bob Moses (tracks: 2-1 to 2-6), Michael Smith (tracks: 1-1 to 1-8)
Executive-Producer – Manfred Eicher (tracks: 2-1 to 2-6)
Piano – Steve Kuhn
Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Flute – Steve Slagle (tracks: 1-1 to 1-8)
Voice – Sheila Jordan (tracks: 2-1 to 2-6)

STEVE KUHN QUARTET — Last Year's Waltz (1982) Vinyl, LP | 24-48Hz | FLAC (tracks), lossless

For a time, singer Sheila Jordan was a regular member of pianist Steve Kuhn's quartet, a group also including bassist Harvie Swartz and drummer Bob Moses. This live set finds the band performing five Kuhn originals, one apiece by Swartz and Steve Swallow, plus "I Remember You," "Confirmation," and a brief medley. Although Jordan functions as a member of the band, her highly appealing singing is the main reason to acquire this memorable and well-rounded disc. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
A1        Turn To Gold 3:45
Written-By – S. Kuhn
A2    The Drinking Song 5:42
Written-By – S. Kuhn
A3    Last Year's Waltz 4:04
Written-By – S. Kuhn
A4    I Remember You 8:19
Written-By – J. Mercer, V. Schertzinger
B1    México 5:02
Written-By – H. Swartz
B2    The Fruit Fly 5:37
Written-By – S. Kuhn
B3    The Feeling Within 4:46
Written-By – S. Kuhn
Medley    (2:00)
B4a    Old Folks
Written-By – D. Hill, W. Robinson
B4b    Well You Needn't
Written-By – T. Monk
B5    Confirmation 5:24
Written-By – C. Parker
B6    The City Of Dallas 2:55
Written-By – S. Swallow
Credits :
Bass – Harvie Swartz
Drums – Bob Moses
Piano – Steve Kuhn
Voice – Sheila Jordan

EMILY REMLER - Transitions (1984) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Guitarist Emily Remler's third Concord recording was a strong step forward, as she started to really get away from her early Wes Montgomery/Herb Ellis influence and find a voice of her own. Rather than a standard piano-bass-drums trio, Remler teams up with trumpeter John D'Earth, bassist Eddie Gomez and drummer Bob Moses. Her three originals are challenging, and the quartet also performs Sam Jones' swinging "Del Sasser," Duke Ellington's lesser-known "Searchin'" and Keith Jarrett's "Coral." Throughout, Remler shows that her future lay beyond straight-ahead bebop, although as it turned out, she would not live long enough to be as influential as she would have been. All in all, this is one of the strongest of the six Emily Remler Concord recordings. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     Nunca Mais 4:56
Emily Remler
2     Searchin' 6:08
Steve Allen / Duke Ellington
3     Transitions 7:56
Emily Remler
4     Del Sasser 6:44
Sam Jones / Donald Wolf
5     Coral 6:07
Keith Jarrett
6     Ode to Mali 4:41
Emily Remler
Credits :
Bass – Eddie Gomez
Drums – Bob Moses
Guitar – Emily Remler
Trumpet – John D'Earth

EMILY REMLER - Catwalk (1985) APE (image+.cue), lossless

Guitarist Emily Remler's fourth and Concord recording makes one regret even more her premature death at age 32. While her earlier dates were very much in the bop mainstream, this one (in a quartet with trumpeter John D'Earth, bassist Eddie Gomez and drummer Bob Moses) finds her looking ahead and partly finding her own voice on her seven diverse originals. Although she never became an innovator, Remler certainly had a lot to offer the jazz world and this fairly adventurous effort was one of the finest recordings of her short career. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     Mocha Spice 4:26
Emily Remler
2     Catwalk 7:19
Emily Remler
3     Gwendolyn 4:35
Emily Remler
4     Antonio 4:25
Emily Remler
5     Pedals 6:54
Emily Remler
6     Five Years 5:48
Emily Remler
7     Mozambique 7:44
Emily Remler
Credits :
Bass – Eddie Gomez
Guitar – Emily Remler
Percussion – Bob Moses
Trumpet – John D'Earth

PAT METHENY - Bright Size Life (1976) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Pat Metheny's debut studio album is a good one, a trio date that finds him already laying down the distinctively cottony, slightly withdrawn tone and asymmetrical phrasing that would serve him well through most of the swerves in direction ahead. His original material, all of it lovely, bears the bracing air of his Midwestern upbringing, with titles like "Missouri Uncompromised," "Midwestern Nights Dream," and "Omaha Celebration." There is also a sole harbinger of radical matters way down the road with the inclusion of a loose-jointed treatment of Ornette Coleman's "Round Trip/Broadway Blues," proving that Song X did not come from totally out of the blue. Besides being Metheny's debut, this LP also features one of the earliest recordings of Jaco Pastorius, a fully formed, well-matched contrapuntal force on electric bass, though content to leave the spotlight mostly to Metheny. Bob Moses, who like Metheny played in the Gary Burton Quintet at the time, is the drummer, and he can mix it up, too. by Richard S. Ginell
Tracklist:
1 Bright Size Life 4:43
2 Sirabhorn 5:25
3 Unity Village 3:38
4 Missouri Uncompromised 4:19
5 Midwestern Nights Dream 5:58
6 Unquity Road 3:33
7 Omaha Celebration 4:16
8 Round Trip/Broadway Blues 4:58
Credits:
Bass – Jaco Pastorius
Drums – Bob Moses
Guitar, Bass – Pat Metheny
Producer – Manfred Eicher