TERESA BREWER — Live At Carnegie Hall & Montreaux, Switzerland (2001) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Two previously unissued live concerts from 1978 and 1983 find Teresa in rare form, singing and swinging in front of big bands simply top-heavy with great players. Kicking off with a duet with Dizzy Gillespie on "It Don't Mean a Thing" (where Dizzy plays a Jew's harp funkier than any electronic gizmo you can think of), Brewer puts the torch to tunes like "After You've Gone," "St. Louis Blues," and a smoky medley of "It Had to Be You" and "I've Got a Crush on You." The Montreux set repeats many of the same tunes, but with Clark Terry in the fold, Teresa is recharged, and the different interpretations make for very interesting comparisons. Anyone who wants to file Brewer in the "pop singer" category only needs to hear her sink her formidable chops into this material with a hot band kicking behind her. Cub Koda

Tracklist :
1    It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)    3:54
Duke Ellington / Irving Mills
2    Breakin' Up Is Hard To Do    3:32
Howard Greenfield / Neil Sedaka
3    St. Louis Blues    3:14
W.C. Handy
4    After You've Gone    4:12
Henry Creamer / Turner Layton
5    Medley: It Had To Be You / I've Got A Crush On You    4:07
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin / Isham Jones / Gus Kahn
6    Romance In The Dark    3:49
Lillian "Lil" Green
7    Mood Indigo    4:53
Barney Bigard / Duke Ellington / Irving Mills
8    Some Songs    3:52
Dennis Linde
9    That's When The Music Takes Me    3:20
Neil Sedaka
10    Medley: I Ain't Got Nobody / Baby Won't You Please Come Home    5:29
Roger Graham / Charles Warfield / Clarence Williams / Spencer Williams
11    Fats Waller Medley: We Love You Fats / Ain't Misbehavin' / Find Out What They Like / The Joint Is Jumpin'    6:22
Teresa Brewer / Harry Brooks / J.C. Johnson / Frank Owens / Andy Razaf / Bob Thiele / Fats Waller
12    Come On And Drive Me Crazy    3:30
Teresa Brewer
13    It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)    4:01
Duke Ellington / Irving Mills
14    Mood Indigo    4:27
Barney Bigard / Duke Ellington / Irving Mills
15    St. Louis Blues    3:34
W.C. Handy
16    New Orleans    5:47
Frank Guida
Personnel Includes :
Teresa Brewer - Vocals
Dizzy Gillespie - Vocals, Jews Harp
Cootie Williams, Clark Terry - Trumpet
Bucky Pizzarelli - Acoustic Guitar
Hiram Bullock - Electric Guitar
Derek Smith, Patrick Coil - Piano

DIZZY GILLESPIE — The Verve/Philips Dizzy Gillespie Small Group Sessions (2006) RM | 7CD | APE (tracks+.cue), lossless

 Dizzy Gillespie's career soared with the surge of interest in bop, but after the failure of his independent Dee Gee label, his career was in the doldrums. In 1953, Norman Granz added the trumpeter to his successful Jazz at the Philharmonic all-star roster for tours and also signed him to a non-exclusive recording contract, where the producer was very open to most anything Gillespie wished to record. This seven-CD boxed set, a limited edition of 10,000 compiled by Mosaic, draws material from selected studio and live sessions made for Granz between 1954 and 1961, in addition to a number of studio dates made for Philips, all of which featured his working bands of the time.

The Verve tracks are a treasure trove, as a good deal of these performances were not reissued on CD until this compilation, with six selections appearing for the first time in this collection. Aside from some of the early novelty songs like "Hey Pete! Let's Eat More Meat," the calypso-flavored "Money Honey," and the perennial jive number "Swing Low, Sweet Cadillac," which wear out their welcome quickly, the remaining material is very strong. Up and coming musicians in his bands include saxophonists Hank Mobley, Gigi Gryce, and Benny Golson, along with pianists Ray Bryant and Junior Mance. One of the obvious highlights is alto sax great Johnny Hodges' guest appearance on "Squatty Roo," which bolsters Gillespie's playing to its highest level. The addition of the relatively unheralded Leo Wright (who doubles on flute and alto sax) and young pianist Lalo Schifrin for a brief concert at the Museum of Modern Art marks the end of his association with Verve, which was sold by Granz that very same year.

Several of the earliest Philips sessions find Gillespie incorporating Brazilian influences and exploring the music of Antonio Carlos Jobim, Luiz Bonfá, and even one extended work by Schifrin, "Mount Olive." Dizzy Gillespie & the Double Six of Paris features collaborations with a group of French vocalists arranged by Lalo Schifrin, with most of the songs utilizing Bud Powell, Pierre Michelot, and Kenny Clarke, with the trumpeter's regular group of the time on two selections. The Double Six of Paris' leader Michel Perin's vocalese interpretations of Charlie Parker's instrumental solos from Gillespie's well-known records of "Hot House" and "Groovin' High" are outstanding, as are the big-band arrangements recast for small group and voices. The final sessions feature James Moody and Kenny Barron, with Chris White and Rudy Collins. The tracks from Dizzy Goes Hollywood are enjoyable but far too brief, as most of them hover around the three-minute mark. Better are the songs from Original Score from the Cool World, an updated look at music Dizzy composed for the film, with fine arrangements by Tom McIntosh. This collection should be considered essential for any Dizzy Gillespie fan. Ken Dryden
Tracklist + Credits :

DIZZY GILLESPIE — The Complete RCA Victor Recordings (1995) 2CD | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Although the sheer scope of this double-CD roundup of all of Dizzy's Victor sessions places it most obviously within the evolution of bebop, it is absolutely essential to Latin jazz collections as well. Here listeners find the discographical launching pad of Afro-Cuban jazz on December 22, 1947, when Cuban conguero Chano Pozo added his galvanic congas and bongos to Gillespie's big band for the first time on record. One can feel the explosive effect of Pozo's subdivisions of the beat, rhythmic incantations, and grooves on the band's bebop charts. Though the musicians' styles aren't much affected, and Pozo does most of the adapting to bebop rather than vice versa, the foundation has clearly shifted. Alas, aside from recorded live gigs, Pozo only made eight tracks with the band -- four on December 22 and four more eight days later, just before the second Musicians Union recording ban kicked in. Yet even after Pozo's murder the following year, Gillespie continued to expand his Latin experiments, using two Latin percussionists who brought more rhythmic variety to the sound of tunes like "Guarachi Guaro" (later popularized by Cal Tjader as "Soul Sauce") and even commercial ballads like "That Old Black Magic." The reprocessing of these recordings from late in the 78 rpm era through the CEDAR process sounds a bit harsh, though less so than most of RCA's earlier desecrations of vault material using NoNOISE. Even so, this remains the best way to acquire these seminal Latin jazz tracks. Richard S. Ginell   Tracklist + Credits :

CHARLIE PARKER & DIZZY GILLESPIE — Diz 'N Bird At Carnegie Hall (1997) The Performance Series | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Nine years after Benny Goodman's groundbreaking concert, bebop finally came to Carnegie Hall. Most notable on this 1997 CD (which contains music that has been reissued many times, often incoherently) is the meeting between altoist Charlie Parker and trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie. Joined by the underrecorded piano of John Lewis, bassist Al McKibbon and the slightly overrecorded drums of Joe Harris, Bird and Diz generate some real fireworks on five songs, and Parker's rendition of "Confirmation," and the CD's high point, is definitive and memorable. The remainder of the set (ten selections including "Cool Breeze," "One Bass Hit," "Cubano-Be, Cubano-Bop" and "Things to Come") features the Gillespie big band in typically spirited form. Of particular interest are a few numbers ("Relaxin' at Camarillo," which was arranged by George Russell, "Hot House," and "Toccata for Trumpet") that were never recorded in the studio by the big band. Classic bebop. Scott Yanow
Nota :
Recorded live at Carnegie Hall on September 29, 1947.
Tracks 1-5 were performed by a quintet; tracks 6-15 were performed by a big band.   Tracklist + Credits :

DIZZY GILLESPIE + MAX ROACH — Dizzy Gillespie Pleyel Concert 1948 + Max Roach Quintet 1949 (1997) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist + Credits :

STAN GETZ | DIZZY GILLESPIE | SONNY STITT — For Musicians Only (1957-1989) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Often in the early days of the modern jazz movement, players would come up with the most dazzling tempos, complex chord changes, intricate melodies, and tricky rhythmic breaks imaginable, as much to challenge themselves as to keep the squares from trying to get on the bandstand and jam. For Musicians Only is just that, and then some. Gillespie, the great virtuoso trumpeter, is joined on the front line by Stan Getz and Sonny Stitt for a blowing session of phenomenal proportions. Gillespie's demanding tune "Bebop," and Denzil Best's "Wee (Allen's Alley)" (based on "I Got Rhythm") are given brisk, wailing treatments. Both tunes highlight Stitt's scampering alto, Getz's dancing, mentholated tenor (very much in his Lester Young mode), and Gillespie's coiled, tempestuous trumpet. The tough, swinging rhythm section really distinguishes itself on the standards "Dark Eyes" and "Lover Come Back to Me" (particularly bassist Ray Brown). They always manage to keep a hint of the basic tune in the foreground, no matter how free the soloists get. Gillespie is inspired throughout, and For Musicians Only contains some of his spunkiest, most pugnacious solos. AllMusic   Tracklist + Credits :

DIZZY GILLESPIE | STAN GETZ — Diz And Getz (1955-1994) RM | Verve Master Edition | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Gillespie was at the peak of his powers throughout the 1950s and still the pacesetter among trumpeters. This double LP matches him with Stan Getz, the Oscar Peterson Trio, and drummer Max Roach for its first half. Getz, although identified with the "cool" school, thrived on competition and is both relaxed and combative on the uptempo explorations of "It Don't Mean a Thing" and "Impromptu." The remainder of this two-fer substitutes pianist John Lewis and drummer Stan Levey for Peterson and Roach and, most importantly, adds altoist Sonny Stitt to the frontline. The results are three uptempo stomps and just one medium-tempo performance. This is one of their better (and more explosive) studio jam sessions. Scott Yanow    Tracklist + Credits :

ROY ELDRIDGE | DIZZY GILLESPIE — Roy And Diz (1954-1994) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This set features two sizzling horns mingling in a decidedly frenetic dance contest. These songs hop and bounce with enduring vitality. A definite coolness exists within the searing solos of the two trumpet kings as they empty their lungs, executing mind-spinning, scale-like passages and high notes, and there's a palpable sense of competition as they take turns performing their acrobatic brass-work. They can both propel notes from their horns like nobody's business, yet their tonal and stylistic differences create two distinct elements within the music.

Bassist Ray Brown's tempos provide a cool structure for the flurries of notes the trumpets cast forth. Some of the most poetic moments from these 1954 recordings are when their collaboration intertwines them within the passages, but their supercharged blowing naturally finds a subtler ground and tact when they come together in a musical braid work that's no less affecting than their solos. AllMusic   Tracklist + Credits :

CHARLIE PARKER | DIZZY GILLESPIE — Bird & Dizzy (1952-1997) RM | Verve Master Edition | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

 This collection of 78 rpm singles, all recorded on June 6, 1950, was released in 1956. Several things distinguish this from numerous other quintet recordings featuring these two bebop pioneers. It was recorded during the period that Parker was working under the aegis of producer Norman Granz, whose preference for large and unusual ensembles was notorious. The end result in this case is a date that sounds very much like those that Parker and Gillespie recorded for Savoy and Dial, except with top-of-the-line production quality. Even more interesting, though, is Parker's choice of Thelonious Monk as pianist. Unfortunately, Monk is buried in the mix and gets very little solo space, so his highly idiosyncratic genius doesn't get much exposure here. Still, this is an outstanding album -- there are fine versions of Parker standards like "Leap Frog," "Mohawk," and "Relaxin' with Lee," as well as a burning performance of "Bloomdido" and twjo interesting (if not entirely thrilling) renditions of the chestnut "My Melancholy Baby."  Rick Anderson   Tracklist + Credits :

STUFF SMITH — Stuff Smith, Dizzy Gillespie & Oscar Peterson (1957-1994) 2CD | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The great swing violinist Stuff Smith had not recorded as a leader since 1945 when producer Norman Granz got him to make three albums for Verve during a three-month period. Smith, who was still very much in his prime, recorded 11 selections (one previously unissued) with pianist Carl Perkins, either Red Callender or Curtis Counce on bass and Oscar Bradley or Frank Butler on drums (Have Violin Will Swing), jammed nine numbers (three released for the first time here) with the Oscar Peterson Trio (for the album titled Stuff Smith), and on five tunes teamed up with trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie and a rhythm section (Dizzy Gillespie-Stuff Smith); all are reissued in full on this generous two-CD set from 1994. In each of the settings, the violinist excels, making this an easily recommended and very satisfying release.
Scott Yanow   Tracklist + Credits :

DIZZY GILLESPIE — New Wave! (1963) Vinyl | FLAC (tracks), lossless

It is such a pity that Dizzy Gillespie Philips' LPs have yet to be reissued on CD, for the trumpeter (45 at the time of this recording) was at the peak of his powers in the early '60s. On such songs as "In a Shanty in Old Shanty Town," "Careless Love," "One Note Samba" and the "Theme from Black Orpheus," Gillespie and his expanded quintet (with guests Bola Sete or Elec Bacsik on guitar and Charlie Ventura taking a memorable bass sax solo on "No More Blues-Part II") show a great deal of spirit and creativity. Leo Wright (on alto and flute) and pianist Lalo Schifrin are also in fine form throughout this gem.  Scott Yanow   Tracklist + Credits :

DIZZY GILLESPIE — Sittin' In (1958-1997) RM | Serie LP Reproduction | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

SITTIN' IN is a jazz lover's dream come true. On this historic session, recorded in the summer of 1957, Dizzy Gillespie, Stan Getz, Coleman Hawkins, and Paul Gonsalves got together to create one of the most formidable frontlines ever captured on tape. The program, which includes "Dizzy Atmosphere," the chestnut "The Way You Look Tonight," and two lengthy ballad medleys, lets each horn player take a turn in the spotlight.

The music blends West Coast cool, swing, bop, and hard-bop styles in a manner befitting each of the monumental leaders, and the whole is driven by a spry rhythm section consisting of bassist Wendell Marshall, drummer J.C. Heard, and pianist Wynton Kelly. Aficionados will relish the opportunity to identify the solos and styles of each player--Getz's cool complexity, Gillespie's athleticism, Gonsalves's unique lyricism, and Hawkins's pioneering technique and tone. SITTIN' IN is a superb slice of bop history, starring some of the most influential figures in the evolution of jazz. AllMusic    Tracklist + Credits :

DIZZY GILLESPIE | SONNY STITT | SONNY ROLLINS — Sonny Side Up (1959-1997) RM | Verve Master Edition | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Dizzy Gillespie brings together tenor saxophonists Sonny Stitt and Sonny Rollins for four extended cuts, and in the process comes up with one of the most exciting "jam session" records in the jazz catalog. While the rhythm section of pianist Ray Bryant, bassist Tommy Bryant, and drummer Charlie Persip provides solid rhythmic support, Stitt and Rollins get down to business trading fours and reeling off solo fireworks. Apparently, Gillespie had stoked the competitive fires before the session with phone calls and some gossip, the fallout of which becomes palpable as the album progresses. On "The Eternal Triangle," in particular, Stitt and Rollins impress in their roles as tenor titans, with Stitt going in for sheer muscle as that most stout of bebop cutters and Rollins opting for some pacing as a more thematic player. In the midst of the rivalry (certainly some torch was being passed, since Rollins was soon to become the top tenor saxophonist in jazz), an embarrassment of solo riches comes tumbling out of both these men's horns. Gillespie adds his own split commentary on the proceedings with a casual solo on "After Hours" and a competitively blistering statement on "I Know That You Know." With an at ease rendition of "On the Sunny Side of the Street" rounding things out, Sonny Side Up comes off as both a highly enjoyable jazz set and something of an approximation of the music's once-revered live cutting session. Stephen Cook   Tracklist + Credits :

DIZZY GILLESPIE WITH SONNY ROLLINS AND SONNY STITT — Duets (1957-1988) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The product of a day's worth of recording at Nola Studios in 1957, this album is essentially the same as a much older release of the same on Verve, but the master tapes had been found and remastered into stereo along with the addition of a couple of tracks previously left off the album. Presumably, these are the same sessions that spawned the Sonny Side Up album. Here, Dizzy works separately with each of the Sonnys for a couple of tracks. "Wheatleigh Hall" is something of a tour de force for both Rollins and Gillespie, and the "Con Alma" tracks are certainly worthwhile listens for a glimpse of Stitt's prowess. Finally, the album ends with "Haute Mon'," a themeless blues in G minor. Before that, however, is the addition of a newly discovered yet unlabeled track from the same sessions, which was belatedly titled "Anythin', Ha Ha" by Gillespie prior to the release of this album. Overall, the highlights are many, and one would probably be better off with this album than the original release (in mono, no less). On a related note, however, one would probably be better off with the Sonny Side Up album instead of this one (given only one choice), due to the simultaneous collaboration with both sax players (and for no other reason than the sheer beauty of "Eternal Triangle"). Adam Greenberg   Tracklist + Credits :

DIZZY GILLESPIE — Dizzy on the French Riviera (1962-2009) RM | Serie Verve Originals | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Some of Dizzy Gillespie's best and most well-known material from the '60s with a truly talented band is included on this set of recordings done in France. A group of American expatriates and Europeans -- really musicians from all over the world -- accompany the trumpeter for music that spans bop, Brazilian sounds, and originals. Argentine pianist Lalo Schifrin plays piano and contributes the arrangements, and Leo Wright is Gillespie's main foil on flute and alto sax, while Hungarian Elek Bacsik plays guitar in subtle ways that reflect the overall style of the sounds inspired by the French Riviera. A classic, stretched-out take of Antonio Carlos Jobim's "No More Blues" kicks off the set, with the sound of kids on an ocean beach leading to Gillespie and Wright trading halves of the melody line as playful as the children in a perfectly played bossa. Another Jobim standard, "Desafinado," has Wright's bright flute and the muted trumpet of Diz in a more pensive but still hopeful romantic mood. "I Waited for You" is the ultimate languid, laying-in-wait ballad, with Schifrin's refrains cuing the trumpeter's procrastinations, while "Long, Long Summer" is the pianist's ode to a sullen affair with ultraviolet light -- cool shades included -- in a swinging and modal approach. "For the Gypsies," penned by the leader, has Bacsik more up-front rhythmically, as Wright's mysterious flute contrasts with Gillespie's sharply precise notes in a sneaky quick bossa rhythm. Also written by Dizzy, "Here It Is" is as memorable a tune as he ever did, a signature strutting shuffle jazz/blues that exemplifies the joy in life always present in his music. That all of the participants are extremely talented and can mix and match with Gillespie beautifully makes this an album that should appeal universally to all jazz lovers, and especially his biggest fans. Michael G. Nastos    Tracklist + Credits :

DIZZY GILLESPIE — Birks Works : The Verve Big Band Sessions (1995) 2CD | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist + Credits :

DIZZY GILLESPIE & THE DOUBLE SIX — Dizzy Gillespie & The Double Six of Paris (1963-1986) APE (image+.cue), lossless

This odd but successful pairing finds the Double Six of Paris singing vocalese in French to a dozen bebop classics associated with Dizzy Gillespie. Gillespie, with pianist Bud Powell and a rhythm section, take solos that uplift this date; two songs feature his quintet (with James Moody on alto). Not for all tastes, but this is a unique and colorful addition to Gillespie's discography. Scott Yanow
Tracklist + Credits :

DIZZY GILLESPIE — Swing Low, Sweet Cadillac (1967-1996) RM | Serie Impulse! Master Sessions | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

 A strangely popular album for Dizzy Gillespie, Swing Low, Sweet Cadillac represents a period in his career where he was adapting to the times, keeping his goof factor on board, and individually playing as well as he ever had. This club date, recorded over two days circa May of 1967 from The Memory Lane in Los Angeles, has Gillespie with soon to be longtime partners James Moody and Mike Longo, joking and jiving with their audience, presenting a relatively short program of modified pop tunes and one of the trumpeter's most revered compositions. Drummer Otis "Candy" Finch is more than up to the task, but electric bass guitarist Frank Schifano is the weak link, playing basic lines, or unfortunately out of tune. Longo moves from acoustic piano and Fender Rhodes, while Moody's tenor or alto sax and flute are as distinctive as ever. Gillespie's voice, inspired by Eddie Jefferson or perhaps Billy Eckstine, was never meant for singing, but is delightful in his attempt. "Kush" is the track that, over nearly 16 minutes, starts with Dizzy's preachings about Mother Africa and Moody's wavering flute, but Schifano's insistently off-key ostinato mars what is otherwise Gillespie's bright and fluid trumpet sparring with Moody's alto in louder, then softened dynamics and Longo's dainty piano chords. The band modifies Jorge Ben's "Mas Que Nada," made popular by Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66, into a boppish swinging and swaying tune with Latin inferences. The title track, Gillespie's singularly unique and famous adaptation of the gospel song "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" has he and Moody chatting back and forth in campy ghetto and Afro-Cuban vocal antics gleaned from Chano Pozo, degenerating into nothing, then a modest vocal line. While somewhat disingenuous, Gillespie's vocal attempt at being a romantic troubadour during "Something in Your Smile" cannot be taken seriously, but is somehow quaint and endearing. This is not an essential listing in the vast discography of such a great jazz artist, but remains a curiosity in his collection, especially considering the two-day time frame where much more music could have been considered to be issued. It is not to be completely ignored, but less worthy than many of his other seminal groundbreaking recordings. Michael G. Nastos   Tracklist + Credits :

DIZZY GILLESPIE · JOE PASS · RAY BROWN · MICKEY ROCKER — Dizzy's Big 4 (1975-1990) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Dizzy Gillespie omits a piano on these 1974 sessions, but it is never missed due to the potent rhythm section supplied by guitarist Joe Pass, bassist Ray Brown, and drummer Mickey Roker. Starting with the inspired, occasionally funky Latin-flavored "Frelimo" (which features the leader on both muted and open trumpet), Gillespie is in top form. His deliberate treatment of the forgotten chestnut "Hurry Home" is a lyrical gem, while the breezy setting of the standard "Russian Lullaby" bubbles with excitement. But the fireworks take place in the rapid-fire performance of Gillespie's "Be Bop (Dizzy's Fingers)," in which Pass seems to play at an impossible tempo. Just as much fun is the sassy, intricate interpretation of the trumpeter's blues "Birk's Works," powered by Brown's potent bass, along with the hip updated treatment of Fats Waller's "Jitterbug Waltz." This is easily one of Dizzy Gillespie's best small-group recordings from the latter portion of his career. Ken Dryden           Tracklist + Credits :

DIZZY GILLESPIE · ROY ELDRIDGE · HARRY "SWEET" EDISON · CLARKE TERRY · JOE TURNER – The Trumpet Kings Meet Joe Turner (1975-2006) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This album features a most unusual session. Veteran blues singer Joe Turner and his usual rhythm section of the mid-'70s (which includes guitarist Pee Wee Crayton) are joined by four notable trumpeters: Dizzy Gillespie, Roy Eldridge, Harry "Sweets" Edison, and Clark Terry. On three blues (including the 15-minute "I Know You Love Me Baby") and "Tain't Nobody's Bizness If I Do," the group stretches out with each of the trumpeters getting ample solo space. It is not a classic outing (a little more planning and better material might have helped), but it is colorful and unique enough to be easily recommended to straight-ahead jazz and blues fans. Scott Yanow   Tracklist + Credits :