BUNKY GREEN — Playin' For Keeps (2007) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Playin' for Keeps draws on inspirations spanning from Tin Pan Alley to bossa nova to the British Invasion to forge a soul-jazz groove with its own distinct sensibility. Though rooted in bop, Bunky Green embraces both pop and avant-garde idioms as well, channeling his myriad influences to create a soulful and lithe sound with an impressive command of space and time. Bassist Cleveland Eaton, pianist Willie Pickens, and drummer Harold Jones are all in fine form throughout, clearly relishing the indelible melodies of selections like "The Shadow of Your Smile" and "Yesterday." Green's edgy, forceful alto is nevertheless the focal point, navigating the material with skill and finesse. Jason Ankeny
Tracklist :
1    On Green Dolphin Street    5:21
2    My Ship    4:03
3    Yesterday    3:39
4    Playin' For Keeps    4:17
5    What I Can Do    5:43
6    Mi Compasion    4:09
7    My Man's Gone Now    3:51
8    Brazilano    5:29
9    Step High    5:31
10    Tamra    4:17
11    Silver Dollar    3:39
12    When The Sun Comes Out    4:31
13    Testifyin' Time    3:37
14    Tweedlee Dee    4:21
15    Orbit Six    3:27
16    The Shadow Of Your Smile (Love Theme From "The Sandpiper")    3:25
17    Mama Looka Boo Boo    4:32
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Bunky Green
Bass – Cleveland Eaton (tracks: 1-8, 10-17), Larry Ridley (tracks: 9)
Congas – Eli Gutierrez (tracks: 16-17)
Drums – Harold Jones (tracks: 3-8), Jimmy Cobb (tracks: 9), Marshall Thompson (tracks: 1-2, 10-17)
Piano – Billy Wallace (tracks: 1-2, 10-15), Charles Stepney (tracks: 16-17), Willie Pickens (tracks: 3-8), Wynton Kelly (tracks: 9)
Saxophone – Kenny Soderblom (tracks: 16-17)
Tenor Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone – James Meyer (tracks: 10-15)
Trombone – John Avant (tracks: 16-17)
Trumpet – Paul Serrano (tracks: 16-17), Walter Strickland (tracks: 10-15), Warren Kime (tracks: 16-17)

ELVIN JONES | JAMES MOODY | CLARK TERRY | BUNKY GREEN | ROLAND PRINCE — Summit Meeting (1977-2019) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

This 1976 session led by Elvin Jones is a lot of fun, especially with the presence of Clark Terry and James Moody; rounding out the band are alto saxophonist Bunky Green, guitarist Roland Prince, pianist Albert Dailey, bassist David Matthews, and percussionist Angel Allende. Terry's matchless flügelhorn is the highlight of his original happy blues "Tee Pee Music." Green, who has devoted much of his career to being a jazz educator, contributed the challenging "Blues for Clark" and also the wild post-bop "Summit Song," the latter featuring a solo that borders on avant-garde. Duke Ellington's "Jones," a swinging blues that the maestro narrated to describe how to be cool as one listened to live jazz, is recast with a funky swagger, with Moody's smoking tenor sax and some fine call and response between the horns and the bass, though Terry steals the show by alternating back and forth between flügelhorn and muted trumpet. This somewhat obscure date is overdue to be reissued on CD. Ken Dryden
Tracklist :
1    Tee Pee Music 8:06
Written-By – Clark Terry
2    Blues For Clark 5:55
Written-By – Bunky Green
3    Moody Magic 6:09
Written-By – Ed Bland
4    Summit Song 10:11
Written-By – Bunky Green
5    Jones 9:59
Written-By – Duke Ellington, Pauline Reddon
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Bunky Green
Bass, Guest – David Williams
Drums – Elvin Jones
Guitar – Roland Prince
Percussion, Guest – Angel Allende
Piano, Guest – Al Dailey
Tenor Saxophone – James Moody
Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Clark Terry

ELVIN JONES — Time Capsule (1977-2002) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Drummer Elvin Jones' Vanguard recordings of 1975-77, of which this was the final one, generally found him playing with all-stars or augmenting his band with guests. The five obscurities on this LP (three by altoist Bunky Green, who emerges as the date's top soloist) matches Jones with Green, tenor saxophonist George Coleman, the electric piano of Kenny Barron, bassist Junie Booth, guitarist Ryo Kawasaki, and percussionist Angel Allende. Two of the songs ("Frost Bite" and "Digital Display") have bassist Milt Hinton and flutist Frank Wess; the latter piece also adds the soprano of Frank Foster. Overall, the music is worthwhile, although not quite adding up to the sum of its many parts; the set has very little unity despite some individual fireworks. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1    Frost Bite 7:53
Composed By – Ryo Kawasaki
2    Digital Display 7:31
Composed By – Ed Bland
3    Moon Dance 6:20
Composed By – Bunky Green
4    Time Capsule 8:07
Composed By – Bunky Green
5    Spacing 10:35
Composed By – Bunky Green
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Bunky Green
Bass – Junie Booth (tracks: 3 to 5), Milt Hinton (tracks: 1, 2)
Drums – Elvin Jones
Electric Piano – Kenny Barron
Flute – Frank Wess (tracks: 1, 2)
Guitar – Ryo Kawasaki
Percussion – Angel Allende
Soprano Saxophone – Frank Foster (tracks: 2)
Tenor Saxophone – George Coleman (tracks: 1, 3 to 5)

ELVIN JONES | JAMES MOODY | CLARK TERRY | BUNKY GREEN ROLAND PRINCE - Summit Meeting (1977-2001) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This 1976 session led by Elvin Jones is a lot of fun, especially with the presence of Clark Terry and James Moody; rounding out the band are alto saxophonist Bunky Green, guitarist Roland Prince, pianist Albert Dailey, bassist David Matthews, and percussionist Angel Allende. Terry's matchless flügelhorn is the highlight of his original happy blues "Tee Pee Music." Green, who has devoted much of his career to being a jazz educator, contributed the challenging "Blues for Clark" and also the wild post-bop "Summit Song," the latter featuring a solo that borders on avant-garde. Duke Ellington's "Jones," a swinging blues that the maestro narrated to describe how to be cool as one listened to live jazz, is recast with a funky swagger, with Moody's smoking tenor sax and some fine call and response between the horns and the bass, though Terry steals the show by alternating back and forth between flügelhorn and muted trumpet. This somewhat obscure date is overdue to be reissued on CD. Ken Dryden
Tracklist :
1     Tee Pee Music 8'09
Clark Terry
2     Blues for Clark 5'56
Bunky Green
3     Moody Magic 6'10
Ed Bland
4     Summit Song 10'13
Bunky Green
5     Jones 9'47
Clark Terry
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Bunky Green
Bass – David Williams
Drums – Elvin Jones
Guitar – Roland Prince
Percussion – Angel Allende
Piano – Al Dailey
Tenor Saxophone – James Moody
Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Clark Terry