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)

JOHN LEWIS - The Wonderful World Of Jazz (1961-2012) RM / Jazz Best Collection 1000 / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

This is one of pianist John Lewis' most rewarding albums outside of his work with the Modern Jazz Quartet. Three numbers (including a remake of "Two Degrees East, Three Degrees West") showcase his piano in a quartet with guitarist Jim Hall, bassist George Duvivier, and drummer Connie Kay. A 15-and-a-half-minute rendition of "Body and Soul" has one of tenor saxophonist Paul Gonsalves' finest solos, while "Afternoon in Paris" features a diverse cast with trumpeter Herb Pomeroy, Gunther Schuller on French horn, tenor man Benny Golson, baritonist Jimmy Giuffre, and guitarist Jim Hall; altoist Eric Dolphy cuts everyone. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist:
1    Body and Soul 15:24
Frank Eyton / Johnny Green / Edward Heyman / Robert Sour
2    I Should Care 04:50    
Sammy Cahn / Axel Stordahl / Paul Weston
3    Two Degrees East, Three Degrees West 5:35
John Lewis
4    Afternoon in Paris 9:55
John Lewis
5    I Remember Clifford     3:25
Benny Golson
6    The Stranger 5:39    
Arif Mardin
7    If You Could See Me Now 10:21
Tadd Dameron / Carl Sigman
Credits:
Alto Saxophone – Eric Dolphy (tracks: 4, 6)
Baritone Saxophone – James Rivers (tracks: 4, 6)
Bass – George Duvivier
Drums – Connie Kay
French Horn – Gunther Schuller (tracks: 4, 6)
Guitar – Jim Hall
Piano, Arranged By – John Lewis
Tenor Saxophone – Benny Golson (tracks: 4, 6), Paul Gonsalves (tracks: 1)
Trumpet – Herb Pomeroy (tracks: 1, 4, 6)

 

MILT JACKSON & JOHN COLTRANE — Bags & Trane (1959-2006) RM | Atlantic 60th Series | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Vibraphonist Milt Jackson and tenor saxophonist John Coltrane make for a surprisingly complementary team on this 1959 studio session, their only joint recording. With fine backup by pianist Hank Jones, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Connie Kay, Bags and Trane stretch out on two of Jackson's originals (including "The Late Late Blues") and three standards: a romping "Three Little Words," "The Night We Called It a Day," and the rapid "Be-Bop." This enjoyable music has been included as part of Rhino's Heavyweight Champion: The Complete Atlantic Recordings box. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1 Bags & Trane 7:29
Written-By – Milt Jackson
2 Three Little Words 7:32
Written-By – Bert Kalmar, Harry Ruby
3 The Night We Called It A Day 4:25
Written-By – Matt Dennis, Tom Adair
4 Be-Bop 8:02
Written-By – Dizzy Gillespie
5 The Late Late Blues 9:43
Written-By – Milt Jackson
- Bonus Tracks -
6 Stairway To The Stars (Alternate Take) 3:33
Written-By – Frank Signorelli, Matty Malneck, Milchell Parish
7 Blues Legacy (Alternate Take) 9:03
Written-By – Milt Jackson
8 Centerpiece (Alternate Take) 7:06
Written-By – Harry Edison, B. Tennyson
Credits:
Bass – Paul Chambers
Drums – Connie Kay
Piano – Hank Jones
Tenor Saxophone – John Coltrane
Vibraphone – Milt Jackson

PAUL DESMOND — Take Ten (1963-1999) Serie Classic Edition | APE (image+.cue), lossless

Now listeners enter the heart of the Paul Desmond/Jim Hall sessions, a great quartet date with Gene Cherico manning the bass (Gene Wright deputizes on the title track) and MJQ drummer Connie Kay displaying other sides of his personality. Everyone wanted Desmond to come up with a sequel to the monster hit "Take Five"; and so he did, reworking the tune and playfully designating the meter as 10/8. Hence "Take Ten," a worthy sequel with a solo that has a Middle-Eastern feeling akin to Desmond's famous extemporaneous excursion with Brubeck in "Le Souk" back in 1954. It was here that Desmond also unveiled a spin-off of the then-red-hot bossa nova groove that he called "bossa antigua" (a sardonic play-on-words meaning "old thing"), which laid the ground for Desmond's next album and a few more later in the decade. Two of the best examples are his own tunes, the samba-like "El Prince" (named after arranger Bob Prince), an infectious number with on-the-wing solo flights that you can't get out of your head, and the haunting "Embarcadero." Hall now gets plenty of room to stretch out, supported by Kay's gently dropped bombs, and he is the perfect understated swinging foil for the wistful altoist. There is not a single track here that isn't loaded with ingeniously worked out, always melodic ideas. Richard S. Ginell 
Tracklist:
1 Take Ten 3:11
Paul Desmond
2 El Prince 3:38
Paul Desmond
3 Alone Together 6:52
Howard Dietz / Arthur Schwartz
4 Embarcadero 4:07
Paul Desmond
5 Theme from "Black Orpheus" 4:14
Luiz Bonfá / Luigi Creatore / Antônio Maria / Hugo Peretti
6 Nancy (With the Laughing Face) 6:05
James Van Heusen / Phil Silvers
7 Samba de Orfeu 4:29
Luiz Bonfá
8 The One I Love (Belongs to Somebody Else) 5:37
Isham Jones / Gus Kahn
- Bonus Tracks -
9 Out Of Nowhere 6:54
Written-By – Edward Heyman, Johnny Green
10 Embarcadero (Alternate Take) 4:53
Written-By – Paul Desmond
11 El Prince (Alternate Take) 5:35
Written-By – Paul Desmond
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Paul Desmond
Bass – Eugene Wright (tracks: 1), Gene Cherico (tracks: 2 to 8, 10, 11), George Duvivier (tracks: 9)
Drums – Connie Kay
Guitar – Jim Hall