MILT JACKSON & COLEMAN HAWKINS — Bean Bags (1957) RM | HDCD | Serie Jazz Best Collection 1000 – 4 | Two Version | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Many of vibraphonist Milt Jackson's Atlantic recordings are long overdue to appear on CD, and that certainly includes Bean Bags, which features a meeting with the great tenor Coleman Hawkins. Assisted by a top-notch quartet (pianist Tommy Flanagan, guitarist Kenny Burrell, bassist Eddie Jones, and drummer Connie Kay), Bean Bags romps through "Stuffy," "Get Happy," a pair of Jackson originals, and two fine ballads, with "Don't Take Your Love From Me" being particularly memorable. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1.    Close Your Eyes  7:25
Written-By – Bernice Petkere
2.    Stuffy  5:41
Written-By – Coleman Hawkins
3.    Don't Take Your Love From Me  4:49
Written-By – Henry Nemo
4.    Get Happy  5:28
Written-By – Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler
5.    Sandra's Blues  6:38
Written-By – Milt Jackson
6.    Indian Blues  6:07
Written-By – Milt Jackson
Credits :
Bass – Eddie Jones
Drums – Connie Kay
Guitar – Kenny Burrell
Piano – Tommy Flanagan
Tenor Saxophone – Coleman Hawkins
Vibraphone [Vibraharp] – Milt Jackson

THE MODERN JAZZ QUARTET — For Ellington (1988) RM | Two Version | FLAC (image+.tracks+.cue), lossless

This is a tribute album that works quite well. The Modern Jazz Quartet is heard at their best on such Duke Ellington tunes as "Rockin' in Rhythm," "Jack the Bear" and "Ko-Ko." Also quite noteworthy are their two newer pieces, John Lewis's "For Ellington" and Milt Jackson's "Maestro E.K.E." which perfectly capture the spirit of Ellington's music. The ballads sometimes get a little sleepy but on a whole this is a very enjoyable release. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1.    For Ellington  8:01
Written-By – John Lewis 
2.    Jack The Bear  5:04
Written-By – Duke Ellington
3.    Prelude To A Kiss  5:05
Written-By – Duke Ellington, Irving Gordon, Irving Mills
4.    It Don't Mean A Thing 5:45
Written-By – Duke Ellington, Irving Mills
5.    Ko-Ko  5:44
Written-By – Duke Ellington
6.    Maestro E.K.E.  5:37
Written-By – Milt Jackson
7.    Sepia Panorama  5:32
Written-By – Billy Strayhorn
8.   Rockin' The Rhythm  6:33
Written-By – Duke Ellington, Harry Carney, Irving Mills
– BONUS TRACK –
9.   Come Sunday  4:11
Written-By – Duke Ellington
Credits :
John Lewis - Piano
Milt Jackson - Vibraharp
Percy Heath - Bass
Connie Kay - Drums, Percussion

BOBBY TIMMONS TRIO — Born to Be Blue! (1963-1995) RM | Two Version | APE + FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Throughout his career, Bobby Timmons was typecast as a soulful and blues-oriented pianist due to his hits ("Moanin '," "This Here" and "Dis Dat"). But as he shows on this 1963 trio date (with either Sam Jones or Ron Carter on bass and drummer Connie Kay), Timmons was actually a well-rounded player when inspired. The repertoire on his CD ranges from bop to spirituals, from three diverse originals to "Born to Be Blue." This is excellent music but unfortunately Timmons would not grow much musically after this period. His CD is worth picking up. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1.    Born To Be Blue    4:23
 Mel Tormé / Robert Wells 
2.    Malice Towards None    4:55
 Tom McIntosh 
3.    Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child    4:40
 Traditional 
4.    Know Not One    7:52
 Bobby Timmons 
5.    The Sit-In    4:15
 Bobby Timmons 
6.    Namely You    6:01
 Gene DePaul / Johnny Mercer 
7.    Often Annie    9:16
 Bobby Timmons 
Credits :
Bass – Ron Carter (tracks: 3, 4, 6), Sam Jones (tracks: 1, 2, 5, 7)
Drums – Connie Kay
Engineer [Recording Engineer] – Ray Fowler
Piano – Bobby Timmons
Producer [Produced By] – Orrin Keepnews
Remastered By [Remastering] – Kirk Felton 

PAUL DESMOND ft. JIM HALL — Glad To Be Unhappy (1965-2001) RM | RCA Victor Gold Series | Two Version | FLAC (image+.tracks+.cue), lossless

Even though Desmond was kidding when he described himself as the world's slowest alto player, this record bears out the kernel of truth within the jest. Here, Desmond set out to make a record of love songs and torch ballads, so the tempos are very slow to medium, the mood is of wistful relaxation, and the spaces between the notes grow longer. At first glance, Desmond may seem only peripherally involved with the music-making, keeping emotion at a cool, intellectual arms' length, yet his exceptionally pure tone and ruminative moods wear very well over the long haul. Again, Jim Hall is his commiserator and partner, and the guitarist gets practically as much space to unwind as the headliner; the solo on "Angel Eyes" is an encyclopedia of magnificent chording and single-string eloquence. Gene Wright returns on bass, spelled by Gene Cherico on "Poor Butterfly," and Connie Kay's brush-dominated drum work is pushed even further into the background. A lovely recording, though not the best album in the Desmond/Hall collaboration. Richard S. Ginell
Tracklist :
1.    Glad To Be Unhappy    5:33
 Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers 
2.    Poor Butterfly  7:17
 John Golden / Raymond Hubbell 
 Bass – Gene Wright
3.    Stranger In Town    6:24
 Mel Tormé 
4.    A Taste Of Honey    4:25
 Ric Marlow / Bobby Scott 
5.    Any Other Time     5:24
 Paul Desmond 
6.    Hi-Lili, Hi-Lo    4:42
 Helen Deutsch / Bronislaw Kaper 
7.     Angel Eyes    6:17
 Earl Brent / Matt Dennis 
– BONUS TRACKS –
8.   By The River Sainte Marie    6:16
 Edgar Leslie / Harry Warren 
9.    All Across The City    4:31
 Jim Hall 
10.    Through The Night    5:27
 Cole Porter 
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Paul Desmond
Bass – Gene Cherico (tracks: 1, 3 to 10)
Drums – Connie Kay
Guitar – Jim Hall

MILT JACKSON — Plenty, Plenty Soul (1957) RM | Three Version | Jazz Best Collection 1000 | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This superior reissue combines together two sessions led by vibraphonist Milt Jackson. Actually, although Bags is in fine form (and contributed four of the seven selections), he is often overshadowed by rather inspired solos from his sidemen. The first side of Plenty, Plenty Soul, which features a nine-piece group, is highlighted by the contributions of the exuberant altoist Cannonball Adderley, while the flip side has a sextet that is not hurt by the solos of tenor-saxophonist Lucky Thompson. With pianist Horace Silver helping out on both sessions, these all-star dates still sound fresh and enthusiastic decades later. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1 Plenty, Plenty Soul 9:33 
Milt Jackson / Quincy Jones
2 Boogity Boogity 4:55 
Quincy Jones
3 Heartstrings 4:53 
Milt Jackson
4 Sermonette 5:23 
Cannonball Adderley / Jon Hendricks
5 The Spirit-Feel 4:22 
Milt Jackson
6 Ignunt Oil 5:35 
Milt Jackson
7 Blues at Twilight 6:46
Quincy Jones
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Ronnie Peters (tracks: 1 to 3)
Arranged By – Quincy Jones
Baritone Saxophone – Sahib Shihab (tracks: 1 to 3)
Bass – Oscar Pettiford (tracks: 4 to 7), Percy Heath (tracks: 1 to 3)
Drums – Art Blakey (tracks: 1 to 3), Connie Kay (tracks: 4 to 7)
Piano – Horace Silver
Tenor Saxophone – Frank Foster (tracks: 1 to 3), Lucky Thompson (tracks: 4 to 7)
Trombone – Jimmy Cleveland (tracks: 1 to 3)
Trumpet – Joe Newman
Vibraphone [Vibraharp] – Milt Jackson

NANCY HARROW — You Never Know (1963) Vinyl LP | MONO | FLAC (tracks), lossless

Nancy Harrow's You Never Know is as notable for the name above the title as it is the accompanists credited on its sleeve. Boasting contributions from modern icons including pianist John Lewis, altoist Phil Woods, bassist Richard Davis, and drummer Connie Kay, this unusually dark, poignant album is as challenging as any vocal jazz session ever issued on a major label, its exquisite melancholy the product of both uncommon sensitivity and consummate skill. Lewis also wrote much of the material, and his nuanced, economical approach yields performances that balance complexity with clarity. The austere settings offer the perfect context for Harrow's imaginative vocals, which exhibit the kind of restraint rare for a stylist with such abundant talent. A great if supremely overlooked LP. Jason Ankeny
Tracklist :
1.    You Never Know 3:15
 John Lewis / Judy Spencer 
2.    Confessin' The Blues    2:28
 Walter Brown / Jay McShann 
3.    Song For The Dreamer    3:10
 Margo Guryan / John Lewis 
4.    Autumn    2:32
 Margo Guryan / John Lewis 
5.    No One Knows Me    2:27
 Bruce Phillpe 
6.    Just For The Thrill    3:43
 Lil Armstrong / Don Raye 
7.    Lover Come Back To Me    2:50
 Oscar Hammerstein II / Sigmund Romberg 
8.    My Last Man    2:51
 Margo Guryan 
9.    No One Knows Just What Love Holds In Store    2:34
 John Lewis / Judy Spencer 
10.    Tain't Nobody's Bizness If I Do    4:15
 Porter Grainger / Everett Robbins 
11.    Why Are You Blue    2:48
 Gary McFarland 
12.    If I Were Eve    2:44
 Margo Guryan / John Lewis 
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Phil Woods (1, 4, 7, 8)
Arranged By, Conductor – Gary McFarland (tracks: 3, 5, 8, 11)
Baritone Saxophone – Sol Schlinger (3, 5, 9, 11)
Bass – Richard Davis (1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12), Tommy Williams (3, 5, 9, 11)
Drums – Connie Kay
Guitar – Jim Hall
Piano – Dick Katz (3, 5, 9, 11), John Lewis (1, 2, 4, 6,8, 10, 12)
Trombone – Willie Dennis (3, 5, 9, 11)
Vocals - Nancy Harrow

PAUL DESMOND · GERRY MULLIGAN — Two Of A Mind (1962) RM | Two Version | Original Columbia Jazz Classics Series | FLAC (image+.tracks+.cue), lossless

Altoist Paul Desmond and baritonist Gerry Mulligan always made for a perfect team during their infrequent collaborations. Both of the saxophonists had immediately distinctive light tones, strong wits, and the ability to improvise melodically. Here the two masterful reed players are featured in pianoless quartets that also include Wendell Marshall, Joe Benjamin or John Beal on bass, and Connie Kay or Mel Lewis on drums. The songs all utilize common chord changes, including the two "originals" ("Two of a Mind" and "Blight of the Fumble Bee"), and the interplay between Desmond and Mulligan is consistently delightful. Highly recommended. [Some reissues add five bonus tracks: two alternate takes of album tracks, a laid-back take of "Easy Living" that shows off Mulligan's way with a ballad, and two takes of "Untitled Blues Waltz" that feature Jim Hall on guitar and a very squeaky drum pedal.] Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1    All The Things You Are 5:48
Written-By – Jerome Kern, Oscar Hammerstein II
2    Stardust 8:20
Written-By – Hoagy Carmichael, Mitchell Parish
3    Two Of A Mind 5:45
Written-By – Paul Desmond
4    Blight Of The Fumble Bee 6:33
Written-By – Gerry Mulligan
5    The Way You Look Tonight 7:19
Written-By – Dorothy Fields, Jerome Kern
6    Out Of Nowhere 6:42
Written-By – Edward Heyman, Johnny Green
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Paul Desmond
Baritone Saxophone – Gerry Mulligan
Bass – Joe Benjamin (tracks: 3, 5, 6), John Beal (tracks: 4), Wendell Marshall (tracks: 1, 2)
Drums – Connie Kay (tracks: 1, 2, 4), Mel Lewis (tracks: 3, 5, 6)

MILT JACKSON — Milt Jackson Quartet (1955) Two Version (2001, RM | 24 Bit Remastered Series) + (2013, RM | MONO | SHM-CD | 7000 Chronicle Series) FLAC (image+tracks+.cue), lossless

This 1955 date is an intriguing opportunity to hear Milt Jackson accompanied by the MJQ rhythm section, but with hard bopper Horace Silver substituting for John Lewis. Not only that, it's also a chance to hear a hitherto unknown, lushly romantic side of both Jackson and Silver, two blues-oriented players who rarely if ever recorded standards in this sort of style. With its excellent recording quality, it's a perfect album for intimate dinners and other late-night activities. Artie Shaw's exotic "Moonray" is rarely heard in any sort of context, while "My Funny Valentine" and "The Nearness of You" set the mood throughout.  Richard Mortifoglio
Tracklist  :
1 Wonder Why 5:22
Written-By – Brodszky, Cahn
2 My Funny Valentine 4:37
Written-By – Rodgers-Hart
3 Moonray 5:01
Written-By – Quenzer, Shaw, Madison
4 The Nearness Of You 4:01
Written-By – Carmichael, Washington
5 Stonewall 7:42
Written-By – Milt Jackson
6 I Should Care 4:16
Written-By – Stordal, Weston, Cahn
Credits :
Bass – Percy Heath
Drums – Connie Kay
Piano – Horace Silver
Vibraphone [Vibes] – Milt Jackson

THE LUCKY THOMPSON QUARTET — Lucky Strikes (1964-1987) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This CD reissue serves as a perfect introduction to the talents of the underrated saxophonist Lucky Thompson. Heard on four songs apiece on tenor and soprano (he was one of the first bop-oriented soprano players), Thompson plays two standards and six originals in a quartet with pianist Hank Jones, bassist Richard Davis, and drummer Connie Kay. The playing time on this straight reissue of an earlier LP is a bit brief (just over 38 minutes), but the quality is quite high. Thompson's soprano solos in particular are quite memorable. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1 In a Sentimental Mood 5:49
Duke Ellington / Manny Kurtz / Irving Mills
2 Fly With the Wind 4:01
Lucky Thompson
3 Mid-Nite Oil 5:08
Lucky Thompson
4 Reminiscent 4:04
Lucky Thompson
5 Mumba Neua 4:47
Lucky Thompson
6 I Forgot to Remember 6:36
Lucky Thompson
7 Prey-Loot 4:05
Lucky Thompson
8 Invitation 4:55
Bronislaw Kaper
Credits :
Bass – Richard Davis
Drums – Connie Kay
Piano – Hank Jones
Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Lucky Thompson

DICK KATZ — Piano & Pen (1959- 2012) RM Limited Edition | Serie Jazz Best Collection 1000 – 4 | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1    Timonium 5:08
Written-By – Dick Katz
2    Aurora 4:29
Written-By – Dick Katz
3    Duologue No.1 4:32
Written-By – Dick Katz
4    Glad To Be Unhappy 4:44
Written-By – Richard Rodgers & Lorenz Hart
5    Round Trip 3:20
Written-By – Dick Katz
6    Afternoon In Paris 6:53
Written-By – John Lewis
7    Ain't Misbehavin' 4:03
Written-By – Andy Razaf, Thomas Waller, Harry Brooks
8    Scrapple From The Apple 4:34
Written-By – Charlie Parker
Credits :
Bass – Joe Benjamin
Drums – Connie Kay
Guitar – Chuck Wayne (tracks: 1,3,4,8), Jimmy Raney (tracks: 2,5,6,7)
Piano – Dick Katz

THE MODERN JAZZ QUARTET — The Complete Modern Jazz Quartet Prestige & Pablo Recordings (2003) 4CD BOX-SET | FLAC (image+.cue), lossless|

In typical Fantasy Records aplomb, this four-CD set collects the eight albums which the Modern Jazz Quartet either mentored or collaborated on during their tenure at the commencement and nadir of their reign as jazz's premier chamber ensemble. Beginning with the 1952 issue of Modern Jazz Quartet/Milt Jackson Quintet recording (the earlier Milt Jackson Quartet sides are not here for obvious reasons, as the band did not commence its fully developed form on them) featuring original drummer Kenny Clarke before Connie Kay replaced him, and ending with This One's For Basie in 1985; the association the MJQ had with Prestige was a monumental one. Signified on the band's first full-length outing included here, Django, were the quiet power and majesty the group would later showcase on its Atlantic recordings, MJQ, Fontessa, and the soundtrack for No Sun In Venice. More importantly, the band's run on Prestige showcased not only the roots of the chamber jazz sound, but a harder-edged swing than was displayed on the more expansive recordings on Atlantic. From the almost novel and humorous asides of "The Queen's Fancy," to the funkier, grittier side of the band displayed with Sonny Rollins as a guest on "No Moe," MJQ were always about swing and blues. Discs One and Two showcase the early days of the band on their debut, Django, with Sonny Rollins and Concorde recordings. Concorde is a pinnacle, and reveals John Lewis' writing and arranging to have opened up and embraced all of classical music's dynamic spectrum, while keeping the restraint of swing and the expressionism of the blues in full view. The more regal sound is the one that informed virtually all of the group's Atlantic sides in the years to come. But Concorde and Django are simply two of the first recordings that the label issued during the early 1950s. Discs Three and Four represent four Pablo albums: The Reunion at Budokan in 1981, Together Again at Montreux Jazz in 1982, Echoes from 1984, and finally, This One's For Basie. These sides offer a much more mannered and ritualistic side of MJQ, one that had its critics but nonetheless swung hard and took chances, particularly in their live encounters. There is a caveat, however, as has become typical of the Fantasy boxed sets: Perhaps they should be titled the complete "released" recordings, since there is only one unreleased track in the bunch, the deep sixed 16th alternate take of "Rockin' In Rhythm," from Topsy: This One's For Basie. Really, what is the label waiting for? Fans, no doubt, have most if not all of this material anyway, and there needs to be -- besides an excellent package, sets of liner notes by Eugene Holley and Chris Sheridan -- a definitive edition that includes the process-takes this band recorded to get to the final version: MJQ were nothing if not perfectionists. Still, it's a somewhat small complaint to have all of this material in one place and juxtaposed so brilliantly between the young jazz rebels and the celebrated masters.
-> This comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our blog 'O Púbis da Rosa' <-
Tracklist 1 :
1 All The Things You Are 3:15
 Kern, Hammerstein
2 La Ronde 3:08
 John Lewis
3 Vendome 3:12
 John Lewis
4 Rose Of The Rio Grande 2:12
 Leslie, Warren, Gorman
5 The Queen's Fancy 3:12
 John Lewis
6 Delaunay's Dilemma 3:57
 John Lewis
7 Autumn In New York 3:38
 Vernon Duke
8 But Not For Me 3:44
 Gershwin Gershwin
9 In A Sentimental Mood 3:16
 Duke Ellington
10 The Stopper 2:55
 Sonny Rollins
11 Almost Like Being In Love 3:21
 Lerner Loewe
12 No Moe 3:27
 Sonny Rollins
13 Django 7:03
 John Lewis
14 One Bass Hit 2:59
 Gillespie, Fuller, Brown
15 Milano 4:21
 John Lewis
16 La Ronde Suite 9:25
 John Lewis
17 Ralph's New Blues 7:09
 Milt Jackson
18 All Of You 4:26
 Cole Porter
Tracklist 2 :
1 I'll Remember April 5:07
 Raye, De Paul, Johnston
2 Gershwin Medley (Soon/For You, For Me, For Evermore/Love Walked In/love Is Here To Stay) 7:55
 Gershwin Gershwin
3 Concorde 3:38
 John Lewis
4 Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise 7:57
 Hammerstein, Romberg
5 Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise 5:53
 Hammerstein, Romberg
6 The Cylinder 5:01
 Milt Jackson
7 Really True Blues 5:19
 Milt Jackson
8 The Golden Striker 5:47
 John Lewis
9 Odds Against Tomorrow 8:29
 John Lewis
10 The Jasmine Tree 3:29
 John Lewis
11 Bags' Groove 5:19
 Milt Jackson
12 Django 5:12
 John Lewis
13 Django 5:25
 John Lewis
Tracklist 3 :
1 The Jasmine Tree 4:42
 John Lewis
2 Odds Against Tomorrow 8:53
 John Lewis
3 The Cylinder 5:12
 Milt Jackson
4 The Martyr 8:43
 Milt Jackson
5 Really True Blues 5:39
 Milt Jackson
6 Monterey Mist 4:05
 Milt Jackson
7 Bags' New Groove 4:15
 Milt Jackson
8 Woody'n You 3:47
 Dizzy Gillespie
9 Echoes 7:08
 Milt Jackson
10 The Watergate Blues 6:04
 Percy Heath
11 The Hornpipe 8:16
 John Lewis
12 Connie's Blues 7:21
 Milt Jackson
Tracklist 4 :
1 Sacha's March 7:54
 John Lewis
2 That Slavic Smile 8:00
 John Lewis
3 Reunion Blues 4:09
 Milt Jackson / John Lewis
4 D And E (Take 5) 9:43
 John Lewis
5 Rockin' In Rhythm (Take 16) 7:30
 Ellington, Carney, Mills
6 Valeria 6:46
 John Lewis
7 Le Cannet 8:16
 John Lewis
8 Nature Boy 5:03
 Eden Ahbez
9 Milano 5:50
 John Lewis
10 Topsy 4:40
 Durham, Battle
11 D And E (Re-take 1) 8:27
 John Lewis
Credits :
Bass – Percy Heath
Drums – Connie Kay (tracks: 1-17 to 4-11), Kenny Clarke (tracks: 1-01 to 1-16)
Piano – John Lewis
Tenor Saxophone – Sonny Rollins (tracks: 1-09 to 1-12)
Vibraphone – Milt Jackson

PAUL DESMOND — Easy Living ft. JIM HALL (1966-2000) RM | Serie RCA Victor Gold Series | FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

As the Paul Desmond/Jim Hall quartet's recording activities gradually came to a halt by 1965, RCA Victor assembled the remains of a number of their later sessions into one last album. These are anything but leftovers, however -- indeed, they constitute the best Desmond/Hall album since Take Ten, more varied in texture and mood, and by and large more inspired in solo content, than Bossa Antigua and Glad to Be Unhappy. As a near-ideal example of this collaboration at its intuitive peak, "Polka Dots and Moonbeams" opens with Hall paraphrasing the tune, and Desmond comes in on the bridge with a perfectly timed rejoinder that sounds as if he's asking a question. "Here's That Rainy Day" is another apt match of a standard to Desmond's sophisticated personality; he is at his dry, jaunty best on the uptempo "That Old Feeling"; and both have a ball jamming on the blues in Desmond's wry, quick "Blues for Fun." [Some reissues add a pair of outtakes, plus "Rude Old Man."] Richard S. Ginell
Tracklist :
1    When Joanna Loved Me 5:45
Written-By – J. Segal, R. Wells
2    That Old Feeling 5:44
Written-By – L. Brown, S.Fain
3    Polka Dots And Moonbeams 5:49
Written-By – J. V. Heusen, J. Burke
4    Here's That Rainy Day 5:42
Written-By – J. V. Heusen, J. Burke
5    Easy Living 7:05
Written-By – L. Robin, R. Rainger
6    I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face 4:15
Written-By – A. J. Lerner, F. Loewe
7    Bewitched 6:22
Written-By – R. Rogers - L. Hart
8    Blues For Fun 6:22
Written-By – P. Desmond
9    Rude Old Man 5:39
Written-By – E.Wright
10    Polka Dots And Moonbeams (Alternate Take) 6:09
Written-By – J. V. Heusen, J. Burke
11    Bewitched (Alternate Take) 7:46
Written-By – R. Rogers - L. Hart
Credits :
Paul Desmond - Alto Sax
Jim Hall - Guitar
Eugene Wright - Bass (1, 2, 6, 11)
Eugene Cherico - Bass (3, 4, 10)
Percy Heath - Bass (5, 7, 8, 9)
Connie Kay - Drums

LESTER YOUNG — The Complete Lester Young Studio Sessions on Verve (2006) RM | 8xCD BOX-SET | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

All too often, jazz critics have promoted the myth that Lester Young's playing went way downhill after World War II -- that the seminal tenor man was so emotionally wounded by the racism he suffered in the military in 1944-1945 that he could no longer play as well as he had in the '30s and early '40s. To be sure, Young went through hell in the military, and his painful experiences took their toll in the form of alcohol abuse, severe depression, and various health problems. But despite Young's mental decline, he was still a fantastic soloist. This eight-CD set, which gathers most of the studio recordings that he made for Norman Granz's Clef, Norgran, and Verve labels from 1946-1959, underscores the fact that much of his postwar output was superb. At its worst, this collection is at least decent, but the Pres truly excels on sessions with Nat "King" Cole and Buddy Rich in 1946, Oscar Peterson and Barney Kessel in 1952, Roy Eldridge and Teddy Wilson in 1956, and Harry "Sweets" Edison in 1957. Disc 8 contains two recorded interviews with the saxman -- one conducted by Chris Albertson in 1958 for WCAU radio in Philadelphia, the other by French jazz enthusiast Francois Postif in Paris on February 6, 1959 (only five or six weeks before Young's death on March 15 of that year). The contrast between the fascinating interviews is striking; in Philly, Young is polite and soft-spoken, whereas in Paris, the effects of the alcohol are hard to miss. Sounding intoxicated and using profanity liberally, Young candidly tells Postif about everything from his experiences with racism to his associations with Billie Holiday and Count Basie. But as much as the set has going for it, The Complete Lester Young Studio Sessions on Verve isn't for novices, casual listeners, or those who are budget-minded (Verve's suggested retail price in the U.S. was $144). Collectors are the ones who will find this CD to be a musical feast. Alex Henderson   Tracklist & Credits :

COLEMAN HAWKINS AND ROY ELDRIDGE - Live At the Opera House (1957-1994) RM | MONO | FLAC (tracks), lossless

There have been few more logical matchups than tenor-saxophonist Coleman Hawkins and trumpeter Roy Eldridge. The combative Eldridge always seemed more inspired when he had another horn to play against and Hawkins generally played with more fire than usual when the trumpeter was egging him on. This live LP finds the two of them in top form on a variety of jam tunes and ballads. This should be reissued on CD. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1    Bean Stalkin'    7:58
2    The Nearness Of You    2:51
3    Time On My Hands    2:27
4    The Walker    7:18
5    Tea For Two    6:00
6    Blue Moon    2:23
7    Cocktails For Two    2:19
8    Kerry    7:51
9    Bean Stalkin'    7:27
10    I Can't Get Started    2:36
11    Time On My Hands    2:12
12    The Walker    7:20
13    Stuffy    15:04
Credits :
Bass – Percy Heath
Drums – Connie Kay
Piano – John Lewis (pistas: 1-12), Oscar Peterson (pistas: 13)
Producer – Norman Granz
Remastered By – Gary Mayo
Tenor Saxophone – Coleman Hawkins (pistas: 1, 3-5, 7-9, 11, 12), Lester Young (pistas: 13), Stan Getz (pistas: 13)
Trombone – J.J. Johnson (pistas: 13)
Trumpet – Roy Eldridge (pistas: 1, 2, 4-6, 8-10, 12)

COLEMAN HAWKINS QUINTET WITH HORACE SILVER – Complete Birdland Broadcasts (2011) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
Birdland, New York, Saturday, September 13, 1952    
1    Disorder At The Border 6'55
Bass – Curley Russell
Drums – Art Blakey
Piano – Horace Silver
Songwriter, Tenor Saxophone – Coleman Hawkins
Trumpet – Roy Eldridge
2    The Blue Room 6'55
Bass – Curley Russell
Drums – Art Blakey
Piano – Horace Silver
Songwriter – Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers
Tenor Saxophone – Coleman Hawkins
Trumpet – Roy Eldridge
3    Stuffy 7'00
Bass – Curley Russell
Drums – Art Blakey
Piano – Horace Silver
Songwriter, Tenor Saxophone – Coleman Hawkins
Trumpet – Roy Eldridge
Birdland, New York, Saturday, September 6, 1952    
4    Rifftide 5'50
Bass – Curley Russell
Drums – Connie Kay
Piano – Horace Silver
Songwriter, Tenor Saxophone – Coleman Hawkins
Trumpet – Howard McGhee
5    I Can't Get Started 4'10
Bass – Curley Russell
Drums – Connie Kay
Piano – Horace Silver
Songwriter – Ira Gershwin, Vernon Duke
Tenor Saxophone – Coleman Hawkins
Trumpet – Howard McGhee
6    Disorder At The Border #2 5'05
Bass – Curley Russell
Drums – Connie Kay
Piano – Horace Silver
Songwriter, Tenor Saxophone – Coleman Hawkins
Trumpet – Howard McGhee
Bonus Tracks - 1st Playboy Jazz Festival, Chicago, August 9, 1959    
7    All The Things You Are 6'48
Bass – Bob Cranshaw
Drums – Walter Perkins
Piano – Eddie Higgins
Songwriter – Jerome Kern, Oscar Hammerstein II
Tenor Saxophone – Coleman Hawkins
8    Centerpiece 9'00
Bass – Bob Cranshaw
Drums – Walter Perkins
Piano – Eddie Higgins
Songwriter – Harry 'Sweets' Edison, Jon Hendricks
Tenor Saxophone – Coleman Hawkins
9    Body And Soul 6'02
Bass – Bob Cranshaw
Drums – Walter Perkins
Piano – Eddie Higgins
Songwriter – Edward Heyman, Frank Eyton, Johnny Green, Robert Sour
Tenor Saxophone – Coleman Hawkins
10    Just You, Just Me 5'42
Bass – Bob Cranshaw
Drums – Walter Perkins
Piano – Eddie Higgins
Songwriter – Jesse Greer, Raymond Klages
Tenor Saxophone – Coleman Hawkins
Bonus Track - Hawkins Intervewed In London, England, CA. 1960    
11    Coleman Hawkins Interview    7:50

JIMMY HEATH AND BRASS — Swamp Seed (1963-1997) RM | Original Jazz Classics Limited Edition Series | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This is a delightful if underrated set that was reissued on CD in 1997. The multi-talented Jimmy Heath has many consistently rewarding and distinctive tenor saxophone solos; he also contributed three of the seven pieces and arranged all of them for a group also including trumpeter Donald Byrd, two French horns, Don Butterfield's tuba and a rhythm section that has bassist Percy Heath and (on three numbers) drummer Albert "Tootie" Heath. The music is straight-ahead but contains some unpredictable moments. Highlights include Heath's versions of Thelonious Monk's "Nutty" and "More Than You Know." Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1. Six Steps 4'49
Jimmy Heath
2. Nutty 4'05
Thelonious Monk
3. More Than You Know 5'09
Edward Eliscu / Billy Rose / Vincent Youmans
4. Swamp Seed 5'19
Percy Heath
5. D. Waltz 6'33
Jimmy Heath
6. Just In Time 5'28
Betty Comden / Adolph Green / Jule Styne
7. Wall To Wall 5'27
Jimmy Heath
Credits
Jimmy Heath - Tenor Saxophone
Donald Byrd - |Trumpet
Julius Watkins - French Horn
Jim Buffington - French Horn
Don Butterfield - Tuba
Harold Maybern - Piano (tracks 1, 2, 4)
Herbie Hancock - Piano
Percy Heath - Bass
Albert "Toothie" Heath - Drums (tracks 1, 2, 4)
Connie Kay - Drums

JOHN LEWIS & SACHA DISTEL – Afternoon In Paris (1957-2012) RM | MONO | Jazz Best Collection 1000 – 4 | FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

It was in Paris that John Lewis co-led this 1956 date with Sacha Distel, a French guitarist who never became well-known in the U.S. but commanded a lot of respect in French jazz circles. The same can be said about the other French players employed on Afternoon in Paris -- neither tenor saxophonist Barney Wilen nor bassist Pierre Michelot were huge names in the U.S., although both were well-known in European jazz circles. With Lewis on piano, Distel on guitar, Wilen on tenor, Michelot or Percy Heath on bass, and Kenny Clarke or Connie Kay on drums, the part-American, part-French group of improvisers provides an above-average bop album that ranges from "Willow Weep for Me," "All The Things You Are," and "I Cover the Waterfront" to Milt Jackson's "Bags' Groove" and Lewis' title song. The big-toned Wilen was only 19 when Afternoon in Paris was recorded, but as his lyrical yet hard-swinging solos demonstrate, he matured quickly as a saxman. It should be noted that all of the Americans on this album had been members of the Modern Jazz Quartet; the only MJQ member who isn't on board is vibist Jackson. Alex Henderson 
Tracklist :
1    I Cover the Waterfront 6:51   
Johnny Green / Edward Heyman
2    Dear Old Stockholm 6:07    
Traditional
3    Afternoon in Paris 9:23
John Lewis
4    All the Things You Are 5:16   
Oscar Hammerstein II / Jerome Kern
5    Bags Groove 6:12    
Milt Jackson
6    Willow Weep for Me 9:31
Ann Ronell
Credits:
Bass – Percy Heath (tracks: 4 to 6), Pierre Michelot (tracks: 1 to 3) 
Drums – Connie Kay (tracks: 1 to 3), Kenny Clarke (tracks: 4 to 6)
Guitar – Sacha Distel
Piano – John Lewis
Tenor Saxophone – Barney Wilen 

JOHN LEWIS - The John Lewis Piano (1957-2012) RM / Jazz Best Collection 1000 / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

  Pianist John Lewis, heard on vacation from the Modern Jazz Quartet, mostly plays introverted interpretations on this out-of-print LP. He duets with drummer Connie Kay and guitarists Barry Galbraith and Jim Hall, only using a full rhythm section (bassist Percy Heath and drummer Kay) on two of the seven selections. The thoughtful and introspective selections include four Lewis originals (best-known is "D & E") and three standards (including a tender "It Never Entered My Mind"). by Scott Yanow
Tracklist:
1    Harlequin 5:14
Drums – Connie Kay
2    Little Girl Blue 4:30
Bass – Percy Heath
Drums – Connie Kay
3    The Bad And The Beautiful 4:16
Guitar – Barry Galbraith
4    D & E 4:19
Bass – Percy Heath
Drums – Connie Kay
5    It Never Entered My Mind 3:36
Guitar – Barry Galbraith
6    Warmeland 4:41
Guitar – Barry Galbraith
7    Two Lyric Pieces 10:38
Guitar – Jim Hall
Credits:
Piano – John Lewis

 

JOHN LEWIS - Improvised Meditations & Excursions (1959-2012) RM / Jazz Best Collection 1000 / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

The emphasis on this fine LP is on John Lewis' piano playing. Taking time off from the Modern Jazz Quartet and his orchestral writing, Lewis performs five standards plus two of his originals ("Delaunay's Dilemma" and "Love Me") in a trio with drummer Connie Kay and either George Duvivier or Percy Heath on bass. A master at playing blues, Lewis' versatility and solid sense of swing can be heard on such songs as his two originals as well as "Now's the Time," "Yesterdays," and "September Song." by Scott Yanow
Tracklist:
1    Now's the Time 3:48
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
2    Smoke Gets in Your Eyes 4:53   
Otto Harbach / Jerome Kern
3    Delaunay's Dilemma 4:28
John Lewis
4    Love Me 5:04    
Charlie Parker
5    Yesterdays 6:20   
John Lewis
6    How Long Has This Been Going On? 5:50   
Otto Harbach / Jerome Kern
7    September Song 6:12
Maxwell Anderson / Kurt Weill
Credits:
Bass – George Duvivier (tracks: 1 to 3, 7), Percy Heath (tracks: 4 to 6)
Drums – Connie Kay
Piano – John Lewis

JOHN LEWIS - The Golden Striker (1960-2013) RM / Jazz Best Collection 1000 / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

 One of the less interesting John Lewis "third-stream" projects, this LP features Lewis' "Music for Brass." Six of his originals (four songs from his ballet "The Comedy," "Odds Against Tomorrow" and "The Golden Striker") plus four brief "Fanfares" are performed by four trumpets, two trombones, four French horns, a tuba and Lewis' trio. Although the pianist takes a few solos, the music is mostly written out and frankly rather dull. This set has been long out-of-print. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist:
1    Fanfare I    0:38
Composed By – John Lewis
2    Piazza Navona    6:28
Composed By – John Lewis
3    Odds Against Tomorrow    7:45 
Composed By – John Lewis
4    Fanfare Il    0:33
Composed By – John Lewis 
5    Pulcinella    4:15
Composed By – John Lewis
6    Fanfare Il    0:23
Composed By – John Lewis
7    The Golden Striker    4:55
Composed By – John Lewis
8    Piazza Di Spagna    4:33
Composed By – John Lewis
9    Fanfare I    0:38
Composed By – John Lewis
10    La Cantatrice    5:03
Composed By – John Lewis
Credits:
Bass – George Duvivier
Drums – Connie Kay
French Horn – Albert Richman, Gunther Schuller, John Barrows, Ray Alonge
Piano, Conductor, Composed By – John Lewis
Trombone – David Baker, Dick Hixson
Trumpet – Alan Kiger, Bernie Glow, Joe Wilder, Melvyn Broiles
Tuba – Harvey Phillips (tracks: 1, 2, 4 to 10), Jay McAllister (tracks: 3, 10)