STEVE KUHN — The Early 70's (1971-2007) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This is the almost more about the other Jazz side of Steve Khun the vocalist, not the Pianist. When he plays piano, it is within the language of avant garde classical, and the presence of a string quartet affirms that soundscape, yet the Jeckyll to the Hyde of that is the singing is mellifluous, accompanied by gentle Electric piano. It is in the spirit of Michael Franks, and a delight in being so. In a long and distinguished career with some of jazz' s greats, this is his oddity. Yet for the most part, the unusual experiment works, I think for the most part that there is a nostalgia for early fusion, and this is the sleeper in that format. The best instrumental tracks on the lp are comparable with the Return to Forever tracks with no guitarist on them. The later Kuhn ECM albums embrace that early hard to post bop language and have him back in the piano seat without the vocal mike. Mark Harrington
Tracklist :
1    The Zoo (a.k.a. Pearlie's Swine)    5:29
Written-By – Steve Kuhn
2    Silver    4:38
Written-By – Steve Kuhn
3    Tomorrow's Son (a.k.a. Time To Go)    3:23
Written-By – Steve Kuhn
4    The Heat Of The Moment    1:56
Written-By – Steve Kuhn
5    Saharan (a.k.a. The Baby)    4:46
Written-By – Steve Kuhn
6    The Drinking Song (a.k.a. Hold Out Your Hand)    3:12
Written-By – Steve Kuhn
7    The Meaning Of Love    2:54
Written-By – Steve Kuhn
8    Remembering Tomorrow (a.k.a. Ulla)    4:22
Written-By – Steve Kuhn
9    A Change Of Face    3:34
Written-By – Steve Kuhn
10    Day Dreaming 2:59
Written-By – Aretha Franklin
11    Something Everywhere    4:47
Written-By – Steve Kuhn
12    Trance    4:41
Written-By – Steve Kuhn
13    Last Tango In Paris 2:37
Written-By – Gato Barbieri
14    Life's Backward Glance    3:06
Written-By – Steve Kuhn
Credits :
Acoustic Bass, Electric Bass – Ron Carter (tracks: 1 to 8)
Arranged By – Gary McFarland (tracks: 1 to 8), Steve Kuhn (tracks: 1 to 8)
Conductor – Gary McFarland (tracks: 1 to 8)
Drums – Billy Cobham (tracks: 1 to 8), Bruce Ditmas (tracks: 9 to 14)
Electric Bass – Steve Swallow (tracks: 9 to 14)
Electric Piano – Steve Kuhn
Percussion – Susan Evans (tracks: 9 to 14)
Percussion [Latin] – Airto Moreira (tracks: 1 to 8)
Piano – Steve Kuhn (tracks: 1 to 8)
Vocals – Steve Kuhn (tracks: 1 to 8, 14)

JACO PASTORIUS | PAT METHENY | PAUL BLEY | BRUCE DITMAS — Jaco (1974-1995) Unofficial Release | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Although listeners often think of Jaco Pastorius' first solo album as 1976's Jaco on Epic, producer/keyboardist Paul Bley actually gave Pastorius his first official chance at professional recording two years earlier. Coincidentally titled Jaco (originally titled Pastorious/Metheny/Ditmas/Bley), this spontaneous set is also significant for being among guitarist Pat Metheny's first recordings; completing the quartet are Bley on electric piano and drummer Bruce Ditmas. The music consists of three songs by Bley, five from Carla Bley, and "Blood" by Annette Peacock. Pastorius sounds quite powerful, but Metheny's tone is kind of bizarre, very distorted, and not at all distinctive at this point. The recording quality is a bit shaky throughout the electronic set, and the group does not quite live up to its potential, but Pastorius shows that he was already an innovative player, making this an LP of historic interest. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1 Vashkar (Carla Bley) - 9:55
2 Poconos (Paul Bley) - 1:00
3 Donkey (Carla Bley) - 6:28
4 Vampira (Paul Bley) - 7:15
5 Overtoned (Carla Bley) - 1:04
6 Jaco (Paul Bley) - 3:45
7 Batterie (Carla Bley) - 5:12
8 King Korn (Carla Bley) - 0:29
9 Blood (Annette Peacock) - 1:28
Credits :
Jaco Pastorius - Bass Guitar
Pat Metheny - Guitar
Bruce Ditmas - Drums
Paul Bley - Electric Piano

PAUL BLEY TRIO — Modern Chant : Inspiration from Gregorian Chant (1996-2009) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Can it be a coincidence that this CD, subtitled "Inspiration from Gregorian Chant," was recorded right around the time that chant music was reaching its improbable peak on the album charts? In any case, this enjoyable, offbeat trio album featuring the unusual combination of Bley's piano, David Eyges' electric cello and Bruce Ditmas' drums seems to have very little to do with Gregorian chant per se. Indeed, such numbers as "Wisecracks" and "Loose Change" are definitely based on the blues, "Decompose" has an M-base funk foundation, and "Funhouse" is a nasty, down-home bit of grooving that eventually becomes engulfed in a swirling maelstrom (so this is from whom Keith Jarrett may have picked up some of his group concepts). Only "Digitant" seems to breathe some of the ambience of chant in its thematic material. Eyges' cello usually fills in the traditional function of a bass -- albeit a very light-toned bass -- while occasionally forming dissonant arco (bowed) counterlines around the piano. Bley's playing is often brilliantly unpredictable, difficult to categorize, and thus, able to stand out from the pack. Richard S. Ginell    Tracklist & Credits :

THE GIL EVANS ORCHESTRA — Plays the Music of Jimi Hendrix (1974-2002) RM | Serie Bluebird First Editions | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This CD reissue (which adds additional material to the original LP program) is much more successful than one might have expected. Jimi Hendrix was scheduled to record with Gil Evans' Orchestra but died before the session could take place. A few years later, Evans explored ten of Hendrix's compositions with his unique 19-piece unit, an orchestra that included two French horns, the tuba of Howard Johnson, three guitars, two basses, two percussionists and such soloists as altoist David Sanborn, trumpeter Marvin "Hannibal" Peterson, Billy Harper on tenor, and guitarists Ryo Kawasaki and John Abercrombie. Evans' arrangements uplift many of Hendrix's more blues-oriented compositions and create a memorable set that is rock-oriented but retains the improvisation and personality of jazz. [This album was re-released in 2002 on the Bluebird label with four bonus tracks from the same sessions] Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1. ANGEL 4:09
Arranged By – Tom Malone
Soloist, Alto Saxophone – David Sanborn
2. CROSSTOWN TRAFFIC / LITTLE MISS LOVER 6:34
Arranged By – Tom Malone
Vocals – "Hannibal" Marvin Peterson
3. MEDLEY: CASTLES MADE OF SAND / FOXY LADY 11:30
Arranged By – Gil Evans, Warren Smith
Tenor Saxophone – Billy Harper
Tuba – Howard Johnson
4. UP FROM THE SKIES 10:39
Arranged By – Gil Evans
Electric Guitar – Ryo Kawasaki
5. 1983 – A MERMAN I SHOULD TURN TO BE 7:29
Arranged By – David Horowitz
Electric Guitar – Keith Loving
Flugelhorn – Lew Soloff
6. VOODOO CHILE 5:03
Arranged By, Tuba – Howard Johnson
7. GYPSY EYES 3:44
Arranged By, Soprano Saxophone – Trevor Koehler
8. LITTLE WING 6:34
Alto Saxophone – David Sanborn
Arranged By – Gil Evans
Electric Bass – Herb Bushler
Vocals – "Hannibal" Marvin Peterson
– Alternate And Unused Takes –
9. ANGEL (ALTERNATE TAKE) 4:07
Alto Saxophone – David Sanborn
Arranged By – Tom Malone
10. CASTLES MADE OF SAND (ALTERNATE TAKE) 5:04
Arranged By – Gil Evans
Tenor Saxophone – Billy Harper
Tuba – Howard Johnson
11. UP FROM THE SKIES (ALTERNATE TAKE) 10:02
Arranged By – Gil Evans
Electric Guitar – Ryo Kawasaki
Trumpet – "Hannibal" Marvin Peterson
12. GYPSY EYES (ALTERNATE TAKE) 3:23
Arranged By, Soprano Saxophone – Trevor Koehler
Personnel :
Gil Evans - Piano, Electric Piano, Arranger, Conductor
Hannibal Marvin Peterson - Trumpet, Vocals
Lew Soloff - Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Piccolo Trumpet
Peter Gordon - French Horn
Pete Levin - French Horn, Synthesizer
Tom Malone - Trombone, Bass Trombone, Flute, Synthesizer, Arranger
Howard Johnson - Tuba, Bass Clarinet, Electric Bass, Arranger
David Sanborn - Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Flute
Billy Harper - Tenor Saxophone, Flute
Trevor Koehler - Tenor Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Flute, Baritone Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Arranger
John Abercrombie, Ryo Kawasaki - Electric Guitar
Keith Loving - Guitar
Don Pate - Bass
Michael Moore - Electric Bass, Acoustic Bass
Bruce Ditmas - Drums
Warren Smith - Vibraphone, Marimba, Chimes, Latin Percussion
Sue Evans - Drums, Congas, Percussion

GIL EVANS AND HIS ORCHESTRA – There Comes a Time (1976-2014) Serie Jazz Collection 1000 | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

 This CD reissue of Gil Evans' There Comes a Time differs greatly from the original LP of the same name. Not only are there three previously unreleased performances ("Joy Spring," "So Long," and "Buzzard Variation"), but "The Meaning of the Blues" has been expanded from six minutes to 20, and two numbers, "Little Wing" and "Aftermath the Fourth Movement/Children of the Fire," have been dropped (the former was reissued on Evans' Jimi Hendrix tribute album) and the remaining four tracks were re-edited and remixed under Evans' direction. So in reality, this 1987 CD was really a "new" record when it came out. The remake of "King Porter Stomp," with altoist David Sanborn in Cannonball Adderley's spot, is a classic. The "new" version of "The Meaning of the Blues" is memorable, and overall the music (which also has solos by Billy Harper and George Adams on tenors, along with trumpeter Lew Soloff) is quite rewarding, it's a creative big band fusion that expertly mixes together acoustic and electric instruments. This was one of Gil Evans' last truly great sets. [This is the original issue without the bonus tracks.] Scott Yanow    Tracklist & Credits :

GIL EVANS — Svengali (1973-2012) RM | Serie Jazz Best Collection 1000 | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This is one of Gil Evans's finest recordings of the 1970s. He expertly blended together acoustic and electronic instruments, particularly on an exciting rendition of "Blues in Orbit" (which includes among its soloists a young altoist named David Sanborn). All six selections have their memorable moments (even a one-and-a-half minute version of "Eleven"); colorful solos are contributed by guitarist Ted Dunbar, Howard Johnson on tuba and flügelhorn, the passionate tenor of Billy Harper, and bassist Herb Bushler, among others; and Evans's arrangements are quite inventive and innovative. Rarely would he be so successful in balancing written and improvised sections in his later years. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1 Thoroughbred 6:33
Composed By – B. Harper
Soloist, Bass – Herb Bushler
Soloist, Guitar – Ted Dunbar
Soloist, Tuba – Howard Johnson 
2 Blues In Orbit 10:14
Composed By – G. Russell
Soloist, Alto Saxophone – David Sanborn
Soloist, Bass – Herb Bushler
Soloist, Tenor Saxophone – Billy Harper
3 Eleven 1:40
Composed By – G. Evans, M. Davis
Soloist, Trumpet – Richard Williams
4 Cry Of Hunger 10:18
Composed By – B. Harper
Soloist, Baritone Saxophone – Trevor Koehler
Soloist, Flugelhorn – Howard Johnson 
Soloist, Tenor Saxophone – Billy Harper
5 Summertime 3:55
Composed By – D. Heyward, G. Gershwin
Soloist, Guitar – Ted Dunbar
6 Zee Zee
Composed By – G. Evans 7:40
Soloist, Trumpet – Hannibal Marvin Peterson
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Dave Sanborn
Drums – Bruce Ditmas
Electric Bass – Herb Bushler
Electric Guitar – Ted Dunbar
Flute, Baritone Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Trevor Koehler
Flute, Tenor Saxophone – Billy Harper
French Horn – Peter Levin, Sharon Freeman
Other [Anagram Of Gil Evans: Svengali] – Gerry Mulligan
Percussion – Susan Evans
Piano, Electric Piano, Producer, Arranged By, Conductor – Gil Evans
Synthesizer – David Horowitz
Trombone, Tuba – Joseph Daley
Trumpet – Hannibal Marvin Peterson (tracks: 6), Richard Williams, Tex Allen (tracks: 1 to 5)
Tuba, Flugelhorn, Baritone Saxophone – Howard Johnson