ROLAND HANNA TRIO — Dream (2001) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

One of Sir Roland Hanna's last recordings prior to his death at the end of 2002 was this session for the Japanese Venus label. With seven of the 12 songs incorporating the word "dream" in their titles, it seemed to be a fitting title for the CD. Hanna is joined by bassist Paul West and drummer Eddie Locke, kicking off with a rollicking take of "When I Grow Too Old to Dream." The pianist and the bassist trade lines throughout the lush introduction to the infrequently heard "Street of Dreams." The joyful interpretation of "This Time the Dream's on Me" (a favorite of Marian McPartland) and swinging treatment of "Dream" are also highlights. The "non-dream" tracks include a lullaby-like arrangement of "A Sleepin' Bee" and a toe-tapping "I Hear a Rhapsody." Highly recommended. Ken Dryden
Tracklist :
1    When I Grow Too Old To Dream    4:52
 Oscar Hammerstein II / Sigmund Romberg
2    Street Of Dreams    4:11
 Sam M. Lewis / Victor Young
3    You Stepped Out Of A Dream    5:58
 Nacio Herb Brown / Gus Kahn
4    Day Dream    6:33
 Duke Ellington / John Latouche / Billy Strayhorn
5    This Time The Dream's On Me    5:31
 Harold Arlen / Johnny Mercer
6    Skylark    4:27
 Hoagy Carmichael / Johnny Mercer
7    I Hear A Rhapsody    6:04
 Jack Baker / George Fragos / Dick Gasparre
8    Dream    5:07
 Johnny Mercer
9    So In Love    4:22
 Cole Porter
10    Dream Dancing    4:22
 Cole Porter
11    A Sleepin' Bee    4:53
 Harold Arlen / Truman Capote
12    You Do Something To Me    5:49
 Cole Porter
Credits :
Bass – Paul West
Drums – Eddie Locke
Piano – Roland Hanna

KENNY BURRELL WITH COLEMAN HAWKINS — Bluesey Burrell (1962-2019) RM | SACD Hybrid, DSD | The Prestige Stereo Series | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This session is valuable for the majestic playing of tenor great Coleman Hawkins, who performs on half of the eight tracks. Released on the Prestige subsidiary Moodsville -- a label that specialized in recordings with an intimate, reflective atmosphere -- the Moodsville sound doesn't sit comfortably on Hawkins. His playing is brilliantly relaxed, but it's not mood music. Leader Kenny Burrell's playing is much more in line with the Moodsville groove. The guitarist is not amplified as much as he is on his Prestige dates from this time. In fact, he performs on a nylon-string instrument almost as much as he does on his hollow-body electric. Unlike Hawkins, Burrell's subdued contribution is made to measure for this date. Listeners expecting to hear Burrell the hard bopper won't. The key moments come during the interaction between the guitarist and tenor player, especially during their exchanges on Burrell's "Montono Blues." The rhythm section, Hawkins' working band from this period (pianist Tommy Flanagan, bassist Major Holley, and drummer Eddie Locke) provides impeccable, sublime support. Jim Todd
Tracklist :
1    Tres Palabras 6:44
Written-By – Osvaldo Farres
2    No More 1:53
Written-By – Russell, Camarata
3    Guilty 4:17
Written-By – Kahn, Akst, Whiting
4    Montono Blues 4:45
Written-By – Kenny Burrell
5    I Thought About You 4:40
Written-By – Van Heusen, Mercer
6    Out Of This World 4:54
Written-By – Arlen, Mercer
7    It's Getting Dark 6:53
Written-By – Burrell
8    I Never Knew 5:19
Written-By – Kahn, Fiorito
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Leo Wright (pistas: 8)
Bass – George Tucker (pistas: 8), Major Holley (pistas: 1 to 7)
Congas – Ray Barretto (pistas: 1 to 7)
Drums – Eddie Locke (pistas: 1 to 7), Jimmie Smith (pistas: 8)
Guitar – Kenny Burrell
Piano – Gildo Mahones (pistas: 8), Tommy Flanagan (pistas: 1 to 7)
Tenor Saxophone – Coleman Hawkins (pistas: 1, 4 to 5, 7)

LEE KONITZ - Chicago 'N All That Jazz (1975-1986) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

For Chicago 'N All That Jazz, altoist Lee Konitz and his augmented nonet perform eight numbers from the musical Chicago, all songs that have been long forgotten since. However, Konitz (switching between alto and soprano) and his sidemen (who include trumpeter Richard Hurwitz, Dick Katz, and Michael Longo on keyboards, and bassist Major Holley, who also takes a couple of vocals) play with enthusiasm and melodic creativity; some of the themes are quite catchy. The playing time (around 36 minutes) is quite brief and the music is far from essential but the performances are surprisingly pleasing, making this a worthy purchase if found at a budget price. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     My Own Best Friend 3:55     
Fred Ebb / John Kander
2     Razzle Dazzle 4:09
Fred Ebb / John Kander
3     Loopin' the Loop 3:59
Fred Ebb / John Kander
4     Funny Honey 5:03
Fred Ebb / John Kander
5     Class 5:51
Fred Ebb / John Kander
6     Me and My Baby 5:20
Fred Ebb / John Kander
7     Roxie 3:30
Fred Ebb / John Kander
8     Ten Percent 4:36
Fred Ebb / John Kander
Credits :    
Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Lee Konitz
Bass, Vocals – Major Holley
Drums – Eddie Locke
Guitar – George Davis
Keyboards, Synthesizer – Michael Longo
Percussion – Ray Armando
Piano, Electric Piano – Dick Katz
Trombone – Alan Raph, Barry Maur
Trumpet – Lloyd Michels, Richard Hurwitz

COLEMAN HAWKINS | ROY ELDRIDGE | JOHNNY HODGES - Hawkins! Eldridge! Hodges! Alive! At the Village Gate! (1962-1992) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

From the mid-'50s until Coleman Hawkins's death in 1969, the tenor-saxophonist frequently teamed up with trumpeter Roy Eldridge to form a potent team. However, Hawkins rarely met altoist Johnny Hodges on the bandstand, making this encounter a special event. Long versions of "Satin Doll," "Perdido" and "The Rabbit in Jazz" give these three classic jazzmen (who are ably assisted by the Tommy Flanagan Trio) chances to stretch out and inspire each other. The remainder of this CD has Eldridge and Hodges absent while Coleman Hawkins (on "new" versions of "Mack the Knife," "It's the Talk of the Town," "Bean and the Boys" and "Caravan") heads the quartet for some excellent playing. Timeless music played by some of the top veteran stylists of the swing era. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     Satin Doll 11:15
Duke Ellington / Johnny Mercer / Billy Strayhorn
2     Perdido 11:35
Ervin Drake / Hans Lengsfelder / Juan Tizol
3     The Rabbit in Jazz 16:45
Coleman Hawkins / Johnny Hodges
4     Mack the Knife 8:29
Marc Blitzstein / Bertolt Brecht / Kurt Weill    
5     It's the Talk of the Town 7:23
Jerry Livingston / Al J. Neiburg / Marty Symes    
6     Bean and the Boys 6:53
Coleman Hawkins
7     Caravan 10:30
Duke Ellington / Irving Mills / Juan Tizol    
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Johnny Hodges
Bass – Major Holley
Drums – Edward Locke
Piano – Tommy Flanagan
Producer – Creed Taylor
Tenor Saxophone – Coleman Hawkins
Trumpet – Roy Eldridge

COLEMAN HAWKINS - Hawkins! Alive! at the Village Gate (1962-1995) RM | FLAC (tracks), lossless

The great Hawkins (who debuted on records 40 years earlier) gets to stretch out on this live outing by his 1962 quartet (which also features pianist Tommy Flanagan). This CD, which as a former LP had lengthy versions of "All the Things You Are," "Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho" "Mack the Knife" and "Talk of the Town," is augmented by previously unreleased versions of "Bean and the Boys" and "If I Had You," all of which show that Coleman Hawkins in his late 50s was still a powerful force. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     All the Things You Are 8'22
Jerome Kern
2     Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho 10'45
Traditional
3     Mack the Knife 8'59
Bertolt Brecht / Kurt Weill    
4     It's the Talk of the Town 9'25
Jerry Livingston    
5     Bean and the Boys 6'59
Coleman Hawkins
6     If I Had You 8'28
Jimmy Campbell / Reginald Connelly / Ted Shapiro
Credits :
Bass – Major Holley
Drums – Ed Locke
Piano – Tommy Flanagan
Producer – Creed Taylor
Remastered By [Digitally] – Dennis Drake
Tenor Saxophone – Coleman Hawkins

COLEMAN HAWKINS - Good Old Broadway (1962-1974) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1     I Talk to the Trees 4'23
Alan Jay Lerner / Frederick Loewe
2     Smoke Gets in Your Eyes 4'40
Otto Harbach / Jerome Kern
3     Wanting You 2'26
Oscar Hammerstein II / Sigmund Romberg
4     Strange Music 6'17
George Forrest / Edvard Grieg / Robert Wright
5     The Man That Got Away     4'08
Harold Arlen / Ira Gershwin
6     Get Out of Town 4'14
Cole Porter
7     Here I'll Stay 4'08
Alan Jay Lerner / Kurt Weill
8     A Fellow Needs a Girl 4'47
Oscar Hammerstein II / Richard Rodgers
Credits :
Bass – Major Holley, Jr.
Drums – Eddie Locke
Engineer, Recorded By – Rudy Van Gelder
Piano – Tommy Flanagan
Tenor Saxophone – Coleman Hawkins

COLEMAN HAWKINS QUARTET - Today And Now (1962-1996) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

A very nice digital reissue of a very congenial and nicely played Coleman Hawkins Quartet release. Not always the most compelling title from the Hawkins catalog, the record at least has the virtue of both being listenable and worthy of somewhat deeper inspection. Steven McDonald
Tracklist :
1    Go Lil Liza 6:23
Arranged By – Coleman Hawkins
Written-By – Traditional
2    Quintessence 4:44
Written-By – Quincy Jones
3    Don't Love Me 4:38
Written-By – Bill Katz, Pauline Rivelli, Ruth Roberts
4    Love Song From "Apache" 4:12
Written-By – D. Raksin, J. Mercer
5    Put On Your Old Grey Bonnet 9:50
Written-By – P. Wenrich, S. Murphy
6    Swingin' Scotch 5:31
Written-By – Coleman Hawkins
7    Don't Sit Under The Apple Tree 4:29
Written-By – C. Tobias, L. Brown, S. Stept
Credits :
Bass – Major Holley
Drums – Eddie Locke
Engineer – Rudy Van Gelder
Piano – Tommy Flanagan
Saxophone – Coleman Hawkins

KENNY BURRELL with COLEMAN HAWKINS - Bluesy Burrell (1962-2008) RVG Remasters | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This session is valuable for the majestic playing of tenor great Coleman Hawkins, who performs on half of the eight tracks. Released on the Prestige subsidiary Moodsville -- a label that specialized in recordings with an intimate, reflective atmosphere -- the Moodsville sound doesn't sit comfortably on Hawkins. His playing is brilliantly relaxed, but it's not mood music. Leader Kenny Burrell's playing is much more in line with the Moodsville groove. The guitarist is not amplified as much as he is on his Prestige dates from this time. In fact, he performs on a nylon-string instrument almost as much as he does on his hollow-body electric. Unlike Hawkins, Burrell's subdued contribution is made to measure for this date. Listeners expecting to hear Burrell the hard bopper won't. The key moments come during the interaction between the guitarist and tenor player, especially during their exchanges on Burrell's "Montono Blues." The rhythm section, Hawkins' working band from this period (pianist Tommy Flanagan, bassist Major Holley, and drummer Eddie Locke) provides impeccable, sublime support. Jim Todd
Tracklist :
1    Tres Palabras 6:44
Written-By – Osvaldo Farres
2    No More 1:53
Written-By – Russell, Camarata
3    Guilty 4:17
Written-By – Kahn, Akst, Whiting
4    Montono Blues 4:45
Written-By – Kenny Burrell
5    I Thought About You 4:40
Written-By – Van Heusen, Mercer
6    Out Of This World 4:54
Written-By – Arlen, Mercer
7    It's Getting Dark 6:53
Written-By – Burrell
8    I Never Knew 5:19
Written-By – Kahn, Fiorito
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Leo Wright (pistas: 8)
Bass – George Tucker (pistas: 8), Major Holley (pistas: 1 to 7)
Congas – Ray Barretto (pistas: 1 to 7)
Drums – Eddie Locke (pistas: 1 to 7), Jimmie Smith (pistas: 8)
Guitar – Kenny Burrell
Piano – Gildo Mahones (pistas: 8), Tommy Flanagan (pistas: 1 to 7)
Recorded By, Remastered By [2008] – Rudy Van Gelder
Tenor Saxophone – Coleman Hawkins (pistas: 1, 4 to 5, 7)

COLEMAN HAWKINS - Desafinado : Coleman Hawkins Plays Bossa Nova and Jazz Samba (1962-1997) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

That Coleman Hawkins jumped on the jazz/bossa nova bandwagon craze initiated by Stan Getz in 1962 was a bit of a surprise to his fans, but that he was comfortable in the idiom should not be off-putting. Able to adapt to any style over his lengthy career, the legendary tenor saxophonist chose classic standards adapted to Brazilian rhythms, music from masters like Antonio Carlos Jobim and João Gilberto, and a Manny Albam original. Producer Bob Thiele and music director Albam were strong in their resolve directing Hawkins to do this project, and the results are fairly predictable, especially considering that every single track is played in midtempo. The difference is the deployment of two guitarists in Barry Galbraith (lead) and Howard Collins (rhythm) split into separate stereo channels, with bassist Major Holley and no full kit drummer, although Eddie Locke with a minimal and stripped-down setup, Willie Rodriguez, and even Tommy Flanagan play small Latin percussion instruments. Themes derived from nights in Rio such as the beautifully rendered title track and "One Note Samba" are quite typical, but "O Pato" (The Duck) has a component added on from Duke Ellington's "Take the 'A' Train," while the Hawkins original "Stumpy" is adapted into "Stumpy Bossa Nova," derived from Dizzy Gillespie's "Groovin' High" with a taste of "The Man I Love" tacked on at the end. Albam's "Samba Para Bean" is standardized cool with Locke's accents via brushes on closed hi-hat cymbals, while "I Remember You" is a completely unforced, pretty rendition of this well-worn standard. Gilberto's tribute to Luiz Bonfá, "Um Abraco No Bonfa," sports a guitar lead by Galbraith in a stretched-out frame. The curve ball is a somewhat weird crossbred samba take of "I'm Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover," a truly corny song the band tried to make cool, only marginally succeeding. The simplified style of this album overall perfectly suited the amiable, good-natured, and laid-back Hawkins at a time when the world was somewhat in political turmoil regarding Caribbean nations and the role of South America in the emerging so-called Third World. He passed away seven years later, leaving a legacy as the most revered tenor saxophonist in jazz, and this very nice recording in his long discography, unique even unto itself. Michael G. Nastos
Tracklist :
1     Desafinado 5:49
Antônio Carlos Jobim / Newton Mendonça
2     I'm Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover 2:53
Mort Dixon / Harry Woods    
3     Samba Para Bean 5:29
Manny Albam    
4     I Remember You 3:59
Johnny Mercer / Victor Schertzinger
5     One Note Samba 6:01
Jon Hendricks / Antônio Carlos Jobim / Newton Mendonça
6     O Pato 4:12
Jayme Silva / Neuza Teixeira
7     Un Abraco No Bonfa [An Embrace to Bonfa] 4:52
João Gilberto
8     Stumpy Bossa Nova 2:30
Coleman Hawkins
Credits :
Arranged By – Manny Albam
Bass – Major Holley Jr.
Claves – Tommy Flanagan
Drums – Eddie Locke
Engineer – Rudy Van Gelder
Guitar – Barry Galbraith, Howard Collins
Percussion – Willie Rodriguez
Tenor Saxophone – Coleman Hawkins

COLEMAN HAWKINS - Sirius (1966-1995) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Hawkins's final studio session is rather sad. Due to an excess of drink and his unwillingness to eat, the great tenor-saxophonist went steadily downhill between 1965 and his death four years later. Recorded in late 1966, this quartet set finds Hawk constantly short of breath and unable to play long phrases. He is able to get away with this deficiency on the faster pieces but the ballads are rather painful to hear. Even at this late stage Hawkins still had his majestic tone but this recording is only of historical interest. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     The Man I Love 5:09
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin    
2     Don't Blame Me 4:38
Dorothy Fields / Jimmy McHugh    
3     Just a Gigolo 2:56
Julius Brammer / Irving Caesar / Leonello Casucci    
4     The One I Love (Belongs to Somebody Else) 3:53
Isham Jones / Gus Kahn     
5     Time on My Hands 4:03
Harold Adamson / Mack Gordon / Vincent Youmans    
6     Sweet and Lovely 4:24
Gus Arnheim / Jules LeMare (Chas. N. Daniels) / Harry Tobias
7     Exactly Like You 6:52
Dorothy Fields / Jimmy McHugh    
8     Street of Dreams 4:12
Sam M. Lewis / Victor Young
9     Sugar 5:13
Edna Alexander / Sidney Mitchell / Maceo Pinkard
Credits :
Bass – Bob Cranshaw
Drums – Eddie Locke
Piano – Barry Harris
Producer – Norman Granz
Remastered By – Joe Tarantino
Tenor Saxophone – Coleman Hawkins

COLEMAN HAWKINS - Wrapped Tight (1966-1991) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Hawkins's last strong recording finds the veteran, 43 years after his recording debut with Mamie Smith's Jazz Hounds, improvising creatively on a wide variety of material on this CD, ranging from "Intermezzo" and "Here's That Rainy Day" to "Red Roses for a Blue Lady" and "Indian Summer." Best is an adventurous version of "Out of Nowhere" that shows that the tenor-saxophonist was still coming up with new ideas in 1965. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1 Wrapped Tight 3:30
Written-By – Albam
2 Intermezzo 3:38
Written-By – Mascagni
3 Out Of Nowhere 3:44
Written-By – Heyman, Green
4 Indian Summer 5:04
Written-By – Dubin, Herbert
5 Red Roses For A Blue Lady 2:27
Written-By – Brodsky, Tepper
6 Marcheta 3:08
Written-By – Schartzinger
7 Beautiful Girl 4:29
Written-By – Freed, Brown
8 She's Fit 2:45
Written-By – Hawkins
9 And I Still Love You 3:14
Written-By – Rivelli, Roberts, Clayton
10 Bean's Place 2:54
Written-By – Hammer, Clayton
Credits :
Bass – Buddy Catlett
Drums – Eddie Locke
Piano – Barry Harris
Tenor Saxophone – Coleman Hawkins
Trombone – Urbie Green (tracks: 1, 8)
Trumpet – Bill Berry (tracks: 1, 2, 3, 7, 8), Snooky Young (tracks: 4, 5, 6)

PAUL GONSALVES / ROY ELDRIDGE - Mexican Bandit Meets Pittsburgh Pirate (1973-1992) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

This album teams tenor saxophonist Paul Gonsalves and trumpeter Roy Eldridge quite late in their careers. Gonsalves would pass away within a year and Eldridge would only be able to play for about five more. Actually, Eldridge is in generally good (and typically combative) form on tunes such as his "5400 North" and "C Jam Blues." The ailing Gonsalves is tentative and streaky in spots and just average throughout despite his best efforts. The rhythm section (pianist Cliff Smalls, bassist Sam Jones and drummer Eddie Locke) is perfectly up to the task and has "It's the Talk of the Town" as its feature. It's an interesting historical album although the leader has sounded much better elsewhere.
 by Scott Yanow
Tracklist:
1 5400 North 6:50
Roy Eldridge
2 I Cover the Waterfront 8:21
Johnny Green / Edward Heyman
3 C Jam Blues 5:50
Barney Bigard / Duke Ellington
4 Body and Soul 7:28
Frank Eyton / Johnny Green / Edward Heyman / Robert Sour
5 It's the Talk of the Town 7:00
Jerry Livingston / Al J. Neiburg / Marty Symes
6 Somebody Loves Me 4:52
Buddy DeSylva / George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin / Ballard MacDonald
- Bonus Track -
7 Satin Doll 5:43
Duke Ellington / Johnny Mercer / Billy Strayhorn
Credits:
Bass – Sam Jones
Drums – Eddie Locke
Piano – Cliff Smalls
Tenor Saxophone – Paul Gonsalves
Trumpet, Vocals – Roy Eldridge