Charlie Byrd was teamed up with Barney Kessel and Herb Ellis (along with bassist Joe Byrd and drummer John Rae) for this rather exciting concert. While Ellis and Kessel have three unaccompanied duets, the inclusion of Byrd (thought of as a Brazilian specialist rather than a bopper) is the wild card that makes this set a major success. While Byrd is excellent on his features "Charlie's Blues" and "O Barquinho," it is the three stomps featuring all the guitarists ("Undecided," "Topsy" and "Benny's Bugle") that are most memorable. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1 Undecided 6:19
Sydney Robin / Charlie Shavers
2 O Barquinho 4:41
Ronaldo Bôscoli / Roberto Menescal
3 Slow Burn 5:33
Barney Kessel
4 Charlie's Blues 8:17
Charlie Byrd
5 Topsy 5:44
Edgar Battle / Eddie Durham
6 Latin Groove 4:26
Barney Kessel
7 Down Home Blues 3:57
Herb Ellis / Barney Kessel
8 H And B Guitar Boogie 4:08
Herb Ellis / Barney Kessel
9 Benny's Bugle 5:37
Benny Goodman
Credits :
Bass – Joe Byrd
Drums – John Rae
Guitar – Barney Kessel, Charlie Byrd, Herb Ellis
23.6.24
CHARLIE BYRD | BARNEY KESSEL | HERB ELLIS — Great Guitars (1975) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless
11.7.21
HELEN MERRILL - The Artistry of Helen Merrill (1965-2014) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless
This is a rare Helen Merrill folk-oriented album from 1965, with songs from all over the world. Perhaps it was her Croatian upbringing, but very few jazz singers sound as natural singing non-jazz material as Merrill does. She sounds just like herself (which she always does anyway), with no particular adjustment to a straighter idiom, as if she had to shed herself of jazz sophistication in order to become more "innocent." Highlights include the quasi-folk bossa nova "Quiet Nights" and "Itsi No Komoriuta." The great Charlie Byrd is on board, to provide the requisite acoustic accompaniment, as is Jimmy Giuffre on clarinet. Richard Mortifoglio
Tracklist :
1 Quiet Nights (Corcavado) 2:44
2 Careless Love 3:30
3 Scarlet Ribbons 3:01
4 The House Of The Rising Sun 2:37
5 I Left My Heart Behind 2:20
6 Cannetella 2:18
7 The River (Sciummo) 2:58
8 Minha Rocca 2:29
9 Itsi No Komoriuta 2:18
10 Forbidden Games 2:35
11 John Anderson, My Love 2:07
Credits
Keter Betts - Bass
Charlie Byrd - Guitar
Jimmy Giuffre - Clarinet
Osie Johnson - Drums
Teddy Kotick - Bass
Hal McKusick - Flute
Helen Merrill - Vocals
Jimmy Raney - Guitar
11.4.21
CHARLIE BYRD - Byrd's Word! (1958-2000) RM / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless
Byrd's Word! is an early Charlie Byrd recording that finds the guitarist in a variety of settings. The idea seems to be showcasing Byrd with a number of friends, including valve trombonist Bobby Felder, tenor saxophonist Buck Hill, and pianist Tee Carson. Though there are really no bad cuts on the album, the content is so diverse -- acoustic trios, electric guitar with brass, and acoustic guitar with vocals -- that the album doesn't flow as a whole. "Byrd's Word" opens the album, with a big brassy sound, complete with Byrd cutting loose on electric guitar. On this cut, and even more so on "Bobby in Bassoonville," his electric guitar sounds derivative of Charlie Christian or Herb Ellis. The best material finds an acoustic Byrd already in his small combo niche, as on "Satin Doll," with bassist Keter Betts and drummer Eddlie Phyfe. On "Conversation Piece," Byrd and Betts perform an intimate, bluesy instrumental with lots of interplay. Two quiet cuts, "Blue Turning Grey Over You" and "Don't Explain," feature Ginny Byrd on vocals. These quiet songs, with her airy, pleasant vocals, backed only by Byrd's guitar, make for great listening. The variety of material and styles gives the impression that Byrd was experimenting, but even so, his experimentation was conservative. His electric playing looks back toward swing while his acoustic playing leans toward quieter ballads. The issue then is less about style than approach: To plug in or to not plug in, that is the question. Byrd's Word! may not be a great album, but it is certainly a good place to get a look at Byrd's early development. by Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr.
Tracklist:
1 Byrd's Word 5:31
Bob Felder
2 Blue Truning Grey over You 2:55
Andy Razaf / Fats Waller
3 Bobby in Bassoonville 4:27
Bob Felder
4 Satin Doll 4:42
Duke Ellington / Johnny Mercer / Billy Strayhorn
5 Tri-X 4:32
Bob Felder
6 Conversation Piece 3:33
Keter Betts / Charlie Byrd
7 What's New? 4:15
Johnny Burke / Bob Haggart
6 Stompin' at the Savoy 3:24
Benny Goodman / Andy Razaf / Edgar Sampson / Chick Webb
9 Don't Explain 3:29
Billie Holiday / Arthur Herzog, Jr.
10 Buck's Hil 4:36
Bob Felder
Credits:
Keter Betts - Bass, Cello
Charlie Byrd - Guitar
Ginny Byrd - Vocals
Bob Felder - Trombone (Valve), Vibraphone
Buck Hill - Sax (Tenor), Saxophone
Orrin Keepnews Producer
Bertell Knox - Drums
Kenneth Pasmanick - Bassoon
Eddie Phyfe - Drums
CHARLIE BYRD - Byrd in the Wind (1959-2002) RM / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless
When Charlie Byrd recorded Byrd in the Wind in 1959, he was still two years away from discovering bossa nova. The guitarist had yet to interact with Astrud and João Gilberto or record anything by Antonio Carlos Jobim, and he had yet to become a major player in the Brazilian jazz field. Nonetheless, Byrd was an impressive jazzman even before he discovered bossa nova. Byrd (who sticks to the acoustic guitar on this album) already had a recognizably melodic sound -- one that underscored his appreciation of Django Reinhardt as well as Andrés Segovia and the Spanish school of classical guitar -- and he would have left behind a worthwhile catalog even if he had retired in 1960. The guitarist's classical leanings are hard to miss on Byrd in the Wind, especially when he employs woodwind players (all of them members of the National Symphony Orchestra) on some of the selections. His love of classical music is evident on "Stars Fell on Alabama" and other standards; it is equally evident on Byrd originals like "Swing 59" and "Showboat Shuffle." Although most of these 1959 recordings are instrumental, singer Ginny Byrd (the guitarist's wife) is featured on four tracks: "You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To," "You Came a Long Way From St. Louis," "Georgia on My Mind," and "Cross Your Heart." And her cool-toned performances show her to be a pleasant and capable (although not terribly original) vocalist with a strong Chris Connor/June Christy influence. Byrd in the Wind, which Fantasy reissued on CD in 2002 for its Original Jazz Classics (OJC) series, isn't among the guitarist's essential albums, but it's still a decent and pleasing document of his pre-bossa nova, pre-'60s period. by Alex Henderson
Tracklist:
1 Swing 59 3:22
Charlie Byrd
2 You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To 2:50
Cole Porter
3 Showboat Shuffle 3:57
Duke Ellington
4 Love Letters 3:00
Edward Heyman / Victor Young
5 Cross Your Heart 2:17
Buddy DeSylva / Lewis Gensler
6 Keter's Dirty Blues 4:11
Keter Betts / Charlie Byrd
7 You're a Sweetheart 2:31
Harold Adamson / Jimmy McHugh
8 Stars Fell on Alabama 3:15
Mitchell Parish / Frank Perkins
9 You Came a Long Way From St. Louis 3:30
John Benson Brooks / Bob Russell
10 Wait Till You See Her 2:53
Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
11 Georgia on My Mind 3:38
Hoagy Carmichael / Stuart Gorrell
12 Copacabana 2:53
João de Barro / Alberto Ribeiro
Credits:
Bass – Keter Betts
Bassoon – Kenneth Pasmanick
Drums – Bertell Knox
Flute – Wallace Mann
Guitar [Unamplified] – Charlie Byrd
Oboe – Richard White
Piano – Charlie Schneer
Producer – Orrin Keepnews
Remastered By – Joe Tarantino
Tenor Saxophone – Buck Hill
Vocals – Ginny Byrd (faixas: 2, 5, 9, 11)
CHARLIE BYRD ft. THE WOODY HERMAN BIG BAND - Bamba-Samba Bossa Nova (1959-2005) RM / APE (image+.cue), lossless
Tracklist
1 Bamba Samba (Bossa Nova) 3:08
Charlie Byrd
2 Original #2 3:05
Charlie Byrd
3 Love Song Ballad 4:05
Charlie Byrd
4 Prelude a La Cha Cha 4:00
Charlie Byrd
5 Summer Sequence, Pt. 1 3:55
Ralph Burns
6 Summer Sequence, Pt. 2 2:11
Ralph Burns
7 Summer Sequence, Pt. 3 3:44
Ralph Burns
8 Summer Sequence, Pt. 4 4:08
Ralph Burns
Credits:
Acoustic Guitar – Charlie Byrd
Alto Saxophone – Sam Marowitz (faixas: 1 to 4)
Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Joe Soldo (faixas: 1 to 4)
Arranged By – Ralph Burns (faixas: 5 to 8), Sid Feller (faixas: 1 to 4)
Baritone Saxophone – Bill Slapin
Bass – Bill Betts
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Woody Herman
Drums – Jimmy Campbell
Mastered By – Rick Pantoja
Piano, Vibraphone – Eddie Costa
Tenor Saxophone – Dick Hafer (faixas: 5 to 8), Jerry Sanfino (faixas: 5 to 8), Harold Feldman (faixas: 1 to 4), Mike Tinnes (faixas: 1 to 4)
Trombone – Billy Byers (faixas: 5 to 8), Dick Lieb (faixas: 5 to 8), Ed Price (faixas: 1 to 4), Frank Rehak, Jim Dahl (faixas: 1 to 4)
Trumpet – Al Derisi (faixas: 5 to 8), Charlie Shavers (faixas: 1 to 4), Ernie Royal, Jimmy Maxwell (faixas: 5 to 8), Irving Markowitz (faixas: 5 to 8), Nat Adderley, Nick Travis (faixas: 1 to 4), Paul Cohen (faixas: 1 to 4)
CHARLIE BYRD - Blues Sonata (1961-2001) RM / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless
Though recorded on one day, at standard length for an LP, this is really two albums in one sleeve, showcasing two rather different formats this highly original guitarist pursued. "The Blues Sonata" is set up in a pseudo-classical three-movement manner, with a polonaise, ballad, and scherzo, and the liner notes refer to a sonata form of development. The classical trappings, if any exist, are worn very lightly by Byrd, his bassist Keter Betts, and drummer Buddy Deppenschmidt. "Polonaise Pour Pietro" is a very blues workout. "Ballade in B Minor" is Chopin-esque in melodic influence only, including the brush-stroked improvisation segment, and "Scherzo for an Old Shoe" sets up as a Latin-tinged number, then stays on one chord with an Andalusian strain. On side two, the scene abruptly becomes very urbane as Byrd switches to electric guitar, takes on Barry Harris' comping, bopping piano, and engages in straightforward swinging and balladeering without any textbook definitions getting in the way. "Alexander's Ragtime Band," "Jordu," and "Zing! Went the Strings on My Heart" are the merry swingers, and "That Ole Devil Called Love" the relaxed ballad showcase. Whatever you call the music, the whole LP goes down easily and musically. by Richard S. Ginell
Tracklist:
1 Polonaise Pour Pietro 6:59
Charlie Byrd
2 Ballad in B Minor 4:59
Charlie Byrd
3 Scherzo for an Old Shoe 9:06
Charlie Byrd
4 Alexander's Ragtime Band 5:24
Irving Berlin
5 Jordu 4:36
Duke Jordan
6 That Ole Devil Called Love 4:50
Doris Fisher / Allan Roberts
7 Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart 4:31
James F. Hanley
Credits:
Bass – Keter Betts
Drums – Buddy Deppenschmidt
Guitar – Charlie Byrd (faixas: 4 to 7)
Guitar [Unamplified] – Charlie Byrd (faixas: 1 to 3)
Piano – Barry Harris (faixas: 4 to 7)
Producer – Orrin Keepnews
Remastered By – Joe Tarantino
CHARLIE BYRD - The Guitar Artistry of Charlie Byrd (1960-1997) RM / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless
Released in 1960, The Guitar Artistry of Charlie Byrd is one of Byrd's best albums. In addition to his role in bringing bossa nova to a widespread American audience, Byrd can also be credited with bringing a heavy classical influence to the jazz repertoire. The latter approach can be heard to a large degree on this set, which features Byrd in a trio setting performing a set of standards.
Byrd's clean, beautifully articulated style is both technically impressive and easy on the ear (his approach is characterized by a gentle touch and a penchant for fluid melodic lines), and while fans of more adventurous jazz may find Byrd's improvisations wanting, there is plenty of pleasing material here. In addition to overt classical and bop stylings, one can also hear the distinct influence of Django Reinhardt, one of Byrd's heroes, who gets an homage via a reading of "Nuages." by AllMusic
Tracklist:
1 Taking a Chance on Love 1:55
Vernon Duke / Ted Fetter / John Latouche
2 Moonlight in Vermont 2:52
Bryan Blackburn / Karl Suessdorf
3 Speak Low 3:43
Ogden Nash / Kurt Weill
4 Nuages 3:01
Django Reinhardt
5 Ev'rything I've Got 2:18
Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
6 Makin' Whoopee 2:42
Walter Donaldson / Gus Kahn
7 Django 3:22
John Lewis
8 Nice Work If You Can Get It 1:45
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
9 The House of the Rising Sun 5:28
Traditional
10 Ring Them Harmonics 3:48
Keter Betts
11 Taboo 9:41
Margarita Lecuona / Bob Russell
12 To Ginny 5:25
Charlie Byrd
Credits:
Bass – Keter Betts
Drums – Buddy Deppenschmidt
Guitar – Charlie Byrd
CHARLIE BYRD - Mr. Guitar (1961-1998) RM / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless
A delightful trio outing with an adroit and light feel, also featuring Keter Betts on bass and Bertell Knox on drums. Byrd's playing combines jazz swing with influences from both Spanish guitar and classical music on a session comprised of both Byrd originals and covers, usually of Gershwin and Ellington tunes. Betts and Knox are both nimble players who flesh out Byrd's arrangements without encumbering them, Knox exhibiting a deft touch on the snares in particular. Byrd swings pretty hard on numbers like "Gypsy in My Soul," and gets more into the Spanish sound on the original "Funky Flamenco"; there is one chance for the musicians to stretch out into more space, on the six-minute "Lay the Lily Low." It sounds like this album was a substantial influence upon the noted eclectic British folk guitarist Davy Graham, whose debut LP from the early '60s, Guitar Player, has arrangements that are similar to much of what's on Mr. Guitar. by Richie Unterberger
Tracklist:
1 Blues for Felix 3:00
Charlie Byrd
2 Gypsy in My Soul 2:57
Clay Boland / Moe Jaffe
3 In a Mellow Tone 3:16
Duke Ellington / Milt Gabler
4 Prelude to a Kiss 4:45
Duke Ellington / Irving Gordon / Irving Mills
5 Travelin' On 2:36
Charlie Byrd
6 Play Fiddle Play 3:37
Altman, Deutsch, Lawrence
7 Funky Flamenco 2:51
Charlie Byrd
8 My One and Only 2:47
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
9 Mama, I'll Be Home Someday 3:16
Charlie Byrd
10 How Long Has This Been Going On? 3:43
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
11 Who Cares? 2:15
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
12 Lay the Lily Low 5:51
Charlie Byrd
Credits:
Bass – Keter Betts
Drums – Bertell Knox
Guitar – Charlie Byrd
10.4.21
CHARLIE BYRD - Charlie Byrd at the Village Vanguard (1962-1991) RM / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless
Shortly before departing on his epochal 1961 State Department tour of South America, the one that ignited his love affair with bossa nova -- and subsequently, ours -- Charlie Byrd played this trio gig at New York City's Village Vanguard. At first, "Just Squeeze Me" goes at an easygoing stroll as Byrd adheres swingingly to the beat, and "Why Was I Born" isn't terribly eventful. But then, there are definitely hints of things to come in the fluid samba-like rhythm that the trio kicks up on "You Stepped Out of a Dream." The 20-minute fantasia on the old union rouser "Which Side Are You On?" also has a Brazilian-tinged groove, and the combination of that and Byrd's low-key classical savvy keeps you as mesmerized as the quiet audience must have been. It is also significant that both of Byrd's cohorts on the date, bassist Keter Betts and drummer Buddy Deppenschmidt, would play on Byrd's historic Jazz Samba album with Stan Getz a year later. The direction is clear; Byrd was about to open the door to bossa nova, and you can hear him inching up to the starting gate here. by Richard S. Ginell
Tracklist:
1 Just Squeeze Me (But Don't Tease Me) 13:00
Duke Ellington / Lee Gaines
2 Why Was I Born? 5:57
Oscar Hammerstein II / Jerome Kern
3 You Stepped Out of a Dream 6:48
Nacio Herb Brown / Gus Kahn
4 Fantasia on Which Side Are You On? 20:32
Charlie Byrd
Credits:
Bass – Keter Betts
Drums – Buddy Deppenschmidt
Guitar – Charlie Byrd
CHARLIE BYRD - Bossa Nova Pelos Passaros (1963-1999) RM / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless
Having been a major part of Stan Getz's very popular Jazz Samba album, it was only fitting that guitarist Charlie Byrd would start recording his own bossa nova records. This CD reissue brings back the 12 songs originally on the Riverside LP Bossa Nova Pelos Passaros plus six of the 11 tunes from Once More! Bossa Nova. Byrd and his trio (which included bassist Keter Betts and drummer Bill Reichenbach) are augmented on some selections by strings, extra percussion, plus horns. In reality the background musicians are not needed since Byrd was at the top of his form in those days. Unlike some of his earlier sets, these pretty and melodic recordings are very concise (lacking a sense of adventure), clocking in between one-and-a-half and three-and-a-half minutes, and looking toward the guitarist's later Columbia dates. Highlights include "Meditation," "O Barquinho," "Desafinado," "Bim Bom," "O Passaro" and "Limehouse Blues." by Scott Yanow
Tracklist:
1 Yvone 1:56
Charlie Byrd
2 Um Abraco No Bonfa 2:20
João Gilberto
3 Meditation 3:10
Antônio Carlos Jobim / Newton Ferreira De Mendonça / Newton Mendonça
4 Voce E Eu [You and I] 2:54
Carlos Lyra / Vinícius de Moraes
5 Coisa Mais Linda 2:39
Carlos Lyra / Vinícius de Moraes
6 O Barquinho [Little Boat] 1:54
Ronaldo Bôscoli / Roberto Menescal
7 Desafinado 2:29
Antônio Carlos Jobim / Newton Ferreira De Mendonça / Newton Mendonça
8 Samba Triste 2:00
Billy Blanco / Baden Powell
9 Bim-Bom 1:49
João Gilberto
10 Ho-Ba La-La 2:12
João Gilberto
11 Ela Me Deixou 2:33
Charlie Byrd / Benito DiPaula
12 O Passaro [The Bird] 3:09
Charlie Byrd
- Bonus Tracks -
13 Outra Vez 3:14
Irving Berlin / Antônio Carlos Jobim
14 Presente De Natal [Christmas Gift] 3:26
Nelcy Noronha
15 Insensatez 2:57
Norman Gimbel / Antônio Carlos Jobim / Vinícius de Moraes
16 Three Note Samba 2:21
Charlie Byrd / James F. Hanley
17 Samba Da Minha Terra 2:01
Dorival Caymmi
18 Limehouse Blues 3:00
Philip Braham / Douglas Furber
Credits:
Acoustic Guitar – Charlie Byrd
Bass – Keter Betts
Drums, Percussion – Bill Reichenbach
Mastered By – Phil De Lancie
THE CHARLIE BYRD TRIO - Byrd at the Gate : Charlie Byrd Trio at the Villiage Gate (1963-1988) RM / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless
This is a listening pleasure to the first degree. Unlike any other, Charlie Byrd sincerely knows how to make his instrument speak, sending graceful chords and melodies to this attentive audience. Staged at the Village Gate in New York City, Byrd pulls out a lengthy set of material from his soul, encountering everything from swing jazz to bebop (with the help of two special guests) to Latin America's candid art form. Yes, the trio plays bossa nova with grace and finesse, enlightening the crowd at this "miniature music festival," notes reviewer Joe Goldberg. Byrd prances along with his trio mates, Keter Betts on bass and Bill Reichenbach on the skins. Positively speaking, the majority of the material has a vibrant flair, with some attuned to a candid, easy listening aura, while other tunes heighten the energy with dramatic percussion and more elaborate sonic territory. For example, Byrd uses his colorful musical personality well during his originals, "Blues for Night People" and "Ela Me Deixou," while doing well to inspire with "Shiny Stockings" and an inviting "I Left My Heart in San Francisco." Melancholy and sweet, the trio brings in guests Seldon Powell on tenor sax and Clark Terry ("Some Other Spring") on trumpet to engage the listeners even further with spontaneity and creative charm. Joyous and uplifting, this record is sure to free up one's day, helping to release stress and put the swing beat, which might have been lost, back into the steps. "Where Are the Hebrew Children?," a piece registering in at eight long minutes, provides the template for a stirring free jam, eerie and haunting at times, honing in on a darker-feeling blues riff. Cheers to the Charlie Byrd Trio for a dynamic effort during this May 1963 gig. Applause, applause. by Shawn M. Haney
Tracklist:
1 Shiny Stockings 4:57
Frank Foster
2 More 2:53
Nino Oliviero / Riz Ortolani
3 Blues for Night People 7:07
Charlie Byrd
4 Butter and Egg Man 3:40
Louis Armstrong / Percy Venable
5 Ela Me Deixou 3:34
Charlie Byrd
6 Broadway 4:42
Billy Bird / Teddy McRae / Henri Woode
7 I Left My Heart in San Francisco 2:59
George Cory / Douglass Cross
8 Some Other Spring 4:18
Herzog, Kitchings
9 Where Are the Hebrew Children? 8:20
Arranged By – Byrd
Written-By – Traditional
10 Let's Do It (Let's Fall in Love) 4:26
Cole Porter
11 Jive at Five 7:11
Count Basie / Harry "Sweets" Edison
Credits:
Bass – Keter Betts
Drums – Bill Reichenbach
Guitar – Charlie Byrd
Mastered By – Phil De Lancie
Producer – Orrin Keepnews
Tenor Saxophone – Seldon Powell
Trumpet – Clark Terry
CHARLIE BYRD - Brazilian Byrd (1965-1994) RM / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless
The arrangements by Tommy Newsom for strings, brass, and woodwinds may be a bit sweet and the 13 performances are often under three minutes, but the resulting music is strangely pleasing. Acoustic guitarist Charlie Byrd always had a strong affinity for Brazilian jazz, and he sticks exclusively to Antonio Carlos Jobim songs (including "Só Danço Samba," "Corcovado," "Dindi," and "The Girl from Ipanema") during this tasteful and melodic effort. Truly beautiful music. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist:
1 Jazz 'n' Samba 2:23
Norman Gimbel / Antônio Carlos Jobim / Vinícius de Moraes
2 Corcovado 2:56
Antônio Carlos Jobim
3 That Look You Wear 2:32
Antônio Carlos Jobim / Gene Lees
4 The Girl from Ipanema 2:48
Norman Gimbel / Antônio Carlos Jobim / Vinícius de Moraes
5 Samba do Avião 2:25
Antônio Carlos Jobim
6 Engaño 2:25
Luiz Bonfá / Antônio Carlos Jobim
7 O Amor em Paz 3:12
Antônio Carlos Jobim / Vinícius de Moraes
8 Dindi 3:57
Ray Gilbert / Antônio Carlos Jobim
9 Canção do Amor Demais 2:23
Antônio Carlos Jobim / Vinícius de Moraes
10 As Praias Desertas 4:05
Antônio Carlos Jobim / Aloysio de Oliveira
11 Samba Torto 2:18
Antônio Carlos Jobim / Aloysio de Oliveira
12 Someone to Light Up My Life 3:14
Antônio Carlos Jobim / Gene Lees / Vinícius de Moraes
- Bonus Tracks -
13 Engaño 2:21
Luiz Bonfá / Antônio Carlos Jobim
Credits:
Arranged By – Charlie Byrd (faixas: 3, 6, 9), Tommy Newsom (faixas: 1-2, 4-5, 7, 8, 10, 12)
CHARLIE BYRD WITH VOICES - Byrd Song (1965-2003) RM / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless
"Charlie Byrd With Voices" is an odd subtitle for this mid-'60s album, considering that vocals are only heard sporadically; that voices aren't even heard on some of the tracks; and that, when the vocals are heard, they're wordless background choral bits, not a vocalist or vocalists actually singing lyrics. In truth, it seems like a gimmick or an attempt to sell the album to a crossover audience, the vocal component of the record feeling like an afterthought. And not an especially inspired one, either; the white-bread soothing choruses sound like refugees from straight easy listening records. The album's actually for the most part a typical, if low-key, Byrd session, on which his only instrumental accompaniment consists of Keter Betts on bass and Bill Reichenbach on drums. Just a couple of Byrd originals, "Action Painting" and "Swing 59," are on a collection slanted toward covers of popular standards, including "I Left My Heart in San Francisco," Lionel Bart's "Who Will Buy?," Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Felicidade," Rodgers & Hart's "This Can't Be Love," Cole Porter's "Let's Do It," Rodgers & Hammerstein's "My Favorite Things," and Billie Holiday's "God Bless the Child." When played just by the trio, it's fine, with sterling Byrd guitar, though the less sappy and more forceful material (like "Wildcat") overshadows the more conventional romantic standards. When those voices enter, though, it treads on the annoyingly saccharine. by Richie Unterberger
Tracklist:
1 I Left My Heart in San Francisco 3:22
George Cory / Douglass Cross
2 Who Will Buy? 3:11
Lionel Bart
3 The Night We Called It a Day 2:23
Tom Adair / Matt Dennis
4 Wildcat 2:30
Cy Coleman / Carolyn Leigh
5 Felicidade 2:42
Antônio Carlos Jobim
6 Action Painting 3:06
Charlie Byrd
7 This Can't Be Love 2:38
Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
8 Let's Do It (Let's Fall in Love) 3:26
Cole Porter
9 God Bless the Child 2:47
Billie Holiday / Arthur Herzog, Jr.
10 My Favorite Things 4:15
Oscar Hammerstein II / Richard Rodgers
11 Swing '59 3:21
Charlie Byrd
12 Born to Be Blue 2:16
Mel Tormé / Robert Wells
Credits:
Acoustic Guitar – Charlie Byrd
Bass – Keter Betts
Drums – Bill Reichenbach
CHARLIE BYRD — Solo Flight (1965-2003) RM | APE (image+.cue), lossless
Tracklist :
1 Am I Blue 2:42
Harry Akst / Grant Clarke
2 Easy Living 3:46
Ralph Rainger / Leo Robin
3 House of the Rising Sun 3:28
Traditional
4 Mood Indigo 3:26
Barney Bigard / Duke Ellington / Irving Mills
5 You Took Advantage of Me 3:25
Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
6 Li'l Darlin' 2:40
Neal Hefti
7 Tears 3:21
Stéphane Grappelli / Django Reinhardt
8 Nocturne 3:45
Stéphane Grappelli / Ivan Lins / Vitor Martins / Django Reinhardt
9 Satin Doll 2:40
Duke Ellington / Johnny Mercer / Billy Strayhorn
10 Blue Mobile 3:53
Charlie Byrd
11 Sweet Sue, Just You 1:18
Will J. Harris / Victor Young
Credits:
Guitar – Charlie Byrd
CHARLIE BYRD - Sugarload Suite (1980) FLAC (tracks), lossless
For this trio album with bassist Joe Byrd and drummer Wayne Phillips, Charlie Byrd (who long ago became an innovator by bringing the classical guitar into jazz) performs a bossa-nova oriented program which, in addition to a pair of Antonio Carlos Jobim tunes, Luiz Bonfa's "The Gentle Rain" and Dori Caymmi's "Saudade Da Bihia," includes four of Byrd's own compositions in the style. The music is typically exquisite, pretty and subtle and the performances grow in interest with each listen. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist:
1 Primeira Palavra (The First Word) 6:44
Charlie Byrd
2 Triste 4:06
Antônio Carlos Jobim
3 Favela 4:06
Ray Gilbert / Antônio Carlos Jobim / Vinícius de Moraes
4 Na Praia (At the Seaside) 4:48
Charlie Byrd
5 Meninas Brincando 5:30
Charlie Byrd
6 Saudade da Bahia 6:19
Charlie Byrd / Dorival Caymmi
7 Sapatos Nóvos (New Shoes) 8:24
Charlie Byrd
8 The Gentle Rain 3:43
Luiz Bonfá / Matt Dubey
Credits:
Bass – Joe Byrd
Drums – Wayne Phillips
Guitar – Charlie Byrd
THE CHARLIE BYRD TRIO WITH BUD SHANK - Brazilville (1982) FLAC (tracks), lossless
This Concord release has a logical combination, teaming together guitarist Charlie Byrd's trio (which also includes bassist Joe Byrd and drummer Charles Redd) with the alto of Bud Shank. Shank had recorded an early version of bossa-nova with guitarist Laurindo Almeida in the mid-'50s while Byrd helped to popularize the attractive idiom in the early '60s. Shank and Byrd mix together very well, performing a few standards and some obscurities, mostly with samba rhythms. This music is both accessible and creative; recommended. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist:
1 Brazilville 5:11
Bill Potts
2 What You Are Doing the Rest of Your Life? 5:39
Alan Bergman / Marilyn Bergman / Michel Legrand
3 Zingaro 4:30
Antônio Carlos Jobim
4 Speak Low 5:48
Ogden Nash / Kurt Weill
5 How Insensitive 6:01
Norman Gimbel / Antônio Carlos Jobim / Vinícius de Moraes
6 Saquarema 5:08
Oscar Castro-Neves
7 Charlotte's Fancy 5:07
Charlie Byrd
8 Yesterdays 6:43
Otto Harbach / Jerome Kern
Credits:
Alto Saxophone – Bud Shank
Bass – Joe Byrd
Drums – Charles Redd
Guitar – Charlie Byrd
THE CHARLIE BYRD TRIO - Isn't It Romantic ? (1984-1992) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless
On this enjoyable set, Charlie Byrd's trio performs five classics by Rodgers & Hart and numbers by Ray Noble, Irving Berlin, Hoagy Carmichael, George Gershwin, and Jimmy Van Heusen. All of the songs are quite familiar, but Byrd (along with his brother Joe on bass and drummer Chuck Riggs) makes such potential warhorses as "Cheek to Cheek," "Thou Swell," and "I Thought About You" sound fresh and alive. Byrd's solo guitar interpretation of "Someone to Watch Over Me" is a highlight. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist:
1 Isn't It Romantic? 3:34
Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
2 I Could Write a Book 3:05
Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
3 Cheek to Cheek 4:33
Irving Berlin
4 The Very Thought of You 3:26
Ray Noble
5 Thou Swell 2:52
Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
6 I Guess I'll Have to Change My Plan 4:09
Howard Dietz / Arthur Schwartz
7 He Loves and She Loves 4:04
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
8 Last Night When We Were Young 3:48
Harold Arlen / E.Y. "Yip" Harburg
9 One Morning in May 3:07
Hoagy Carmichael / Mitchell Parish
10 I Didn't Know What Time It Was 3:54
Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
11 There's a Small Hotel 3:06
Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
12 Someone to Watch Over Me 3:52
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
13 I Thought About You 3:37
James Van Heusen / Johnny Mercer
Credits:
Bass – Joe Byrd
Drums – Chuck Redd
Guitar – Charlie Byrd
THE CHARLIE BYRD TRIO - The Bossa Nova Years (1991-2003) SACD / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless
Guitarist Charlie Byrd revisits a variety of bossa nova songs, including nine by Antonio Carlos Jobim on this pleasing and accessible set. What makes this CD stand out from his many similar dates is that Ken Peplowski's clarinet and tenor are well featured, adding variety to the music and a lead voice for Byrd to play off of. Otherwise the music is predictably excellent, with such classics as "One Note Samba," "Corcovado," "Dindi," "O Pato," and "The Girl from Ipanema" receiving very favorable treatment. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist:
1 Meditation (Meditação) 5:07
Norman Gimbel / Antônio Carlos Jobim / Newton Mendonça
2 One Note Samba 4:49
Jon Hendricks / Antônio Carlos Jobim / Newton Mendonça
3 Corcovado 7:17
Antônio Carlos Jobim / Gene Lees
4 Triste 4:35
Antônio Carlos Jobim
5 Dindi 3:47
Ray Gilbert / Antônio Carlos Jobim
6 O Pato 3:35
Alberto Goncalves Da Silva / Neuza Teixeira
7 The Girl from Ipanema 4:51
Norman Gimbel / Antônio Carlos Jobim / Vinícius de Moraes
8 Samba d'Orpheo 5:03
Luiz Bonfá / Andre Michel Salvet
9 How Insensitive 3:34
Norman Gimbel / Antônio Carlos Jobim / Vinícius de Moraes
10 Wave 4:20
Antônio Carlos Jobim
11 P'ra Dizer Adeus (To Say Goodbye) 3:20
Eduardo Lobo
12 O Nosso Amor 3:56
Antônio Carlos Jobim / François Llenas / Vinícius de Moraes
Credits:
Acoustic Guitar – Charlie Byrd
Bass – Dennis Irwin
Clarinet – Ken Peplowski (faixas: 1, 4, 6, 9, 12)
Drums – Chuck Redd
Percussion – Michael Spiro (faixas: 4, 9, 11, 12)
Tenor Saxophone – Ken Peplowski (faixas: 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11)
CHARLIE BYRD - The Washington Guitar Quintet (1992) APE (image+.cue), lossless
Romanticism, Afro-Latin voicings and classical stylings are the three primary components of Charlie Byrd's most recent release. It blends his playing with that of Carlos Barbosa-Lima, Jeffrey Meyerriecks, Myrna Sislen and Larry Snitzler, and the quintet members expertly complement and contrast each other on a program of American popular standards, compositions by Vivaldi, Mozart, Antonio Carlos Jobim and three superb interpretations of the Bix Beiderbecke masterpieces "In A Mist," "Candlelights" and "In The Dark." It's more structured than improvisatory, but the playing is so compelling and exquisite that it should appeal to both guitar lovers and music fans generally. by Ron Wynn
Tracklist:
1 Sarambeque 2:31
Ernesto Nazareth
2 Espanoleta de Camara 3:31
Laurindo Almeida
3 Django 4:56
John Lewis
4 Swing '39 5:51
Stéphane Grappelli / Django Reinhardt
5 Derradeira Primavera 2:07
Antônio Carlos Jobim
6 Correnteza 2:31
Luiz Bonfá / Antônio Carlos Jobim
7 Tears 3:25
Stéphane Grappelli / Django Reinhardt
8 El Noy de la Mare 5:18
Traditional
9 Nuages 3:28
Django Reinhardt / Spencer Williams
10 Concierto de Aranjuez/Spain 4:44
Chick Corea / Joaquín Rodrigo
11 Ashokan Farewell 3:26
Jay Ungar
12 Easy to Love 4:36
Cole Porter
13 I'm a Stranger Here With Myself 5:39
Ogden Nash / Kurt Weill
14 Speak Low 4:50
Ogden Nash / Kurt Weill
15 Cavatina 4:15
Stanley Myers
Credits:
Bass – Joe Byrd (faixas: 12-14)
Drums – Chuck Redd (faixas: 12-14)
Guitar – Carlos Barbosa-Lima (faixas: 1,5,12-15), Charlie Byrd, Howard Alden (faixas: 12-14), Jeffrey Meyerriecks (faixas: 1-11), John Marlow (faixas: 1-11), Larry Snitzler (faixas: 1-11), Myrna Sislen (faixas: 1-11)
THE CHARLIE BYRD TRIO - Au Courant (1997) FLAC (tracks), lossless
That old Django Reinhardt buff Charlie Byrd actually gets something resembling the drive of the Hot Club Quintette on this CD at times, but with unusual means. With Charlie on acoustic guitar and brother Joe Byrd on bass, Charlie's longtime drummer Chuck Redd shifts over to the vibraphone, and the three independent voices tumble intricately all around each other in a collection of standards. While not absolutely impeccable in technique, Byrd continues to get around his instrument in a swinging manner, and Redd proves to be a more than serviceable performer on the vibes. Inevitably (for Byrd), the Brazilian influence surfaces on tracks like "On a Clear Day," Jobim's "If You Never Came to Me," and Rodgers/Hart's "There's a Small Hotel," all of which bring us gently back to 1962. A modest yet pleasing experiment for the Charlie Byrd collector. by Richard S. Ginell
Tracklist:
1 This Can't Be Love 3:01
Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
2 My Romance 3:31
Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
3 St. Louis Blues 5:36
W.C. Handy
4 On a Clear Day (You Can See Forever) 4:30
Burton Lane / Alan Jay Lerner
5 There'll Be Some Changes Made 3:24
Billy Higgins / W. Benton Overstreet
6 If You Never Came to Me 5:04
Antônio Carlos Jobim / Aloysio de Oliveira
7 I Didn't Know What Time It Was 4:02
Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
8 Avalon 3:03
Buddy DeSylva / Al Jolson / Vincent Rose
9 Emily 3:09
Johnny Mandel / Johnny Mercer
10 There's a Small Hotel 4:22
Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
11 The Blue Room 4:06
Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
12 Have You Met Miss Jones? 4:16
Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
13 Willow Weep for Me 5:09
Ann Ronell
14 Days of Wine and Roses 4:10
Henry Mancini / Johnny Mercer
Credits:
Acoustic Guitar – Charlie Byrd
Vibraphone – Chuck Redd
Acoustic bass – Joe Byrd
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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...