ERIC DOLPHY — Muses (2013) MONO | Historical Series | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This Marshmallow release in its Historical Series features Eric Dolphy's previously unreleased studio recordings from the so-called "Douglas Sessions," supposedly produced by Alan Douglas who was an A&R man for United Artists. Some materials from these sessions have been released over the years from several different labels, including the album Conversations from the FM label and Iron Man from the Douglas label.
Tracks 1 and 3-5 are previously unreleased alternate takes from these sessions, and Track 2 is a newly discovered tune that was supposedly "rejected" and therefore thought to have been erased. The album opens with two stunning duo performances by Dolphy and bassist Richard Davis. Their interplay is intimate and at times telepathetic. "Iron Man" and "Mandrake" are played by a quintet featuring Woody Shaw on trumpet and Bobby Hutcherson on vibraphone. "Love Me" is a searing alto sax solo performance by Dolphy.
Tracklist :
1    Alone Together 12:07
Written-By – A. Schwartz
2    Muses 8:48
Written-By – E. Dolphy
3    Iron Man 8:27
Written-By – E. Dolphy
4    Love Me 3:39
Written-By – V. Young
5    Mandrake 4:18
Written-By – E. Dolphy
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Eric Dolphy (tracks: 3 to 5)
Bass – Eddie Khan (tracks: 3), Richard Davis (tracks: 1, 2, 5)
Bass Clarinet – Eric Dolphy (tracks: 1, 2)
Drums – J.C. Moses (tracks: 3, 5)
Trumpet – Woody Shaw (tracks: 3, 5)
Vibraphone – Bobby Hutcherson (tracks: 3, 5)
Recorded in New York, July 1st (1,2), July 3rd or 4th, 1963.

OLIVER NELSON SEXTET ft. ERIC DOLPHY | RICHARD WILLIAMS — Screamin' the Blues (1960) Two Version | 1991, RM | Original Jazz Classics – OJCCD-080-2 + 2018, SACD | The Prestige Stereo Series | FLAC (tracks+.image+.cue), lossless

Oliver Nelson (on tenor and alto sax) meets Eric Dolphy (alto, bass clarinet and flute) on this frequently exciting sextet session with trumpeter Richard Williams, pianist Richard Wyands, bassist George Duvivier, and drummer Roy Haynes. Although Dolphy is too unique and skilled to be overshadowed in a setting such as this, Nelson holds his own. He contributed five of the six compositions (including "Screamin' the Blues," "The Meetin'," and "Alto-Itis") and effectively matches wits and creative ideas with Dolphy. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1 Screamin' the Blues 10:59
Oliver Nelson
2 March on, March On 4:59
Esmond Edwards
3 The Drive 5:48
Oliver Nelson
4 The Meetin' 6:43
Oliver Nelson
5 Three Seconds 6:25
Oliver Nelson
6 Alto-Itis 4:58
Oliver Nelson
Credits:
Alto Saxophone, Bass Clarinet – Eric Dolphy
Bass – George Duvivier
Drums – Roy Haynes
Piano – Richard Wyands
Recorded By, Remastered By – Rudy Van Gelder
Tenor Saxophone, Alto Saxophone – Oliver Nelson
Trumpet – Richard Williams

OLIVER NELSON WITH ERIC DOLPHY — Straight Ahead (1961-1989) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

A very interesting quintet set, Straight Ahead matches together Oliver Nelson (on alto and tenor) and Eric Dolphy (tripling on alto, flute, and bass clarinet). With the assistance of pianist Richard Wyands, bassist George Duvivier, and drummer Roy Haynes, the two reedmen battle it out on six compositions (five of Nelson's originals plus Milt Jackson's "Ralph's New Blues." Although none of Nelson's tunes caught on, this is a pretty memorable date. It certainly took a lot of courage for Oliver Nelson to share the front line with the colorful Eric Dolphy, but his own strong musical personality holds its own on this straight-ahead date. Scott Yanow    Tracklist & Credits :

GIL EVANS — The Individualism of Gil Evans (1964-2003) RM | Serie Jazz The Best | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Although Gil Evans had gained a lot of acclaim for his three collaborations with Miles Davis in the 1950s and his own albums, this CD contains (with the exception of two tracks purposely left off), Evans's only dates as a leader during 1961-68. The personnel varies on the six sessions that comprise the CD (which adds five numbers including two previously unreleased to the original Lp) with such major soloists featured as tenorman Wayne Shorter, trombonist Jimmy Cleveland, trumpeter Johnny Coles and guitarist Kenny Burrell. Highlights include "Time of the Barracudas," "The Barbara Song," "Las Vegas Tango" and "Spoonful." Highly recommended to Gil Evans fans; it is a pity he did not record more during this era. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1 Time Of The Barracudas 7:26
Bass – Gary Peacock
Drums – Elvin Jones
Engineer – Rudy Van Gelder
French Horn – Julius Watkins, Ray Alonge
Guitar – Kenny Burrell
Harp – Bob Maxwell
Reeds, Woodwind – Al Block, Andy Fitzgerald, Bob Tricarico, George Marge, Wayne Shorter
Trombone – Frank Rehak
Tuba – Bill Barber
Written-By – Gil Evans, Miles Davis
2 The Barbara Song 9:59
Bass – Gary Peacock
Drums – Elvin Jones
Engineer – Rudy Van Gelder
French Horn – Julius Watkins, Ray Alonge
Harp – Bob Maxwell
Reeds, Woodwind – Al Block, Andy Fitzgerald, Bob Tricarico, George Marge, Wayne Shorter
Trombone – Frank Rehak
Tuba – Bill Barber
Written-By – Bertolt Brecht, Kurt Weill
3 Las Vegas Tango 6:35
Bass – Paul Chambers, Ron Carter
Drums – Elvin Jones
Engineer – Bob Simpson
French Horn – Ray Alonge
Guitar – Kenny Burrell
Reeds, Woodwind – Bob Tricarico, Eric Dolphy, Garvin Bushell, Steve Lacy
Trombone – Jimmy Cleveland, Tony Studd
Trumpet – Bernie Glow, Johnny Coles
Tuba – Bill Barber
Written-By – Gil Evans
Flute Song / Hotel Me (12:29)
4a Flute Song
Bass – Ben Tucker, Paul Chambers, Richard Davis 
Drums – Elvin Jones
Engineer – Phil Ramone
French Horn – Don Corado, Gil Cohen, Julius Watkins
Guitar – Barry Galbraith
Harp – Margret Ross
Reeds, Woodwind – Al Block, Bob Tricarico, Eric Dolphy, Steve Lacy
Trombone – Jimmy Cleveland
Written-By – Gil Evans
4b Hotel Me
Bass – Paul Chambers, Ron Carter
Drums – Elvin Jones
Engineer – Bob Simpson, Phil Ramone
French Horn – Ray Alonge
Guitar – Kenny Burrell
Reeds, Woodwind – Bob Tricarico, Eric Dolphy, Garvin Bushell, Steve Lacy
Trombone – Jimmy Cleveland, Tony Studd
Trumpet – Bernie Glow, Johnny Coles
Tuba – Bill Barber
Written-By – Gil Evans, Miles Davis
5 El Toreador 3:26
Bass – Milt Hinton, Paul Chambers, Richard Davis 
Drums – Osie Johnson
Engineer – Phil Ramone
French Horn – Jim Buffington, Bob Northern
Reeds, Woodwind – Bob Tricarico, Eric Dolphy, Jerome Richardson, Steve Lacy
Trombone – Jimmy Cleveland, Tony Studd
Trumpet – Ernie Royal, Johnny Coles, Louis Mucci
Written-By – Gil Evans
– BONUS TRACKS –
6 Proclamation 3:55
Bass – Gary Peacock
Drums – Elvin Jones
Engineer – Rudy Van Gelder
French Horn – Julius Watkins, Ray Alonge
Guitar – Kenny Burrell
Harp – Bob Maxwell
Reeds, Woodwind – Al Block, Andy Fitzgerald, Bob Tricarico, George Marge, Wayne Shorter
Trombone – Frank Rehak
Trumpet – Johnny Coles
Tuba – Bill Barber
Written-By – Gil Evans
7 Nothing Like You 2:36
Bass – Gary Peacock
Drums – Elvin Jones
Engineer – Rudy Van Gelder
French Horn – Julius Watkins, Ray Alonge
Guitar – Kenny Burrell
Harp – Bob Maxwell
Reeds, Woodwind – Al Block, Andy Fitzgerald, Bob Tricarico, George Marge, Wayne Shorter
Trombone – Frank Rehak
Trumpet – Johnny Coles
Tuba – Bill Barber
Written-By – Bob Dorough
8 Concorde 7:39
Bass – Paul Chambers  
Drums – Elvin Jones
Engineer – Bob Simpson
French Horn – Julius Watkins, Ray Alonge
Guitar – Kenny Burrell
Reeds, Woodwind – Andy Fitzgerald, Bob Tricarico, George Marge, Phil Woods
Trombone – Jimmy Cleveland, Jimmy Knepper
Trumpet – Bernie Glow, Louis Mucci, Thad Jones
Tuba – Bill Barber
Violin [Tenor] – Harry Lookofsky
Written-By – John Lewis 
9 Spoonful 13:46
Bass – Paul Chambers  
Drums – Elvin Jones
Engineer – Bob Simpson
French Horn – Julius Watkins, Ray Alonge
Guitar – Kenny Burrell
Reeds, Woodwind – Andy Fitzgerald, Bob Tricarico, George Marge, Phil Woods
Trombone – Jimmy Cleveland, Jimmy Knepper
Trumpet – Bernie Glow, Louis Mucci, Thad Jones
Tuba – Bill Barber
Violin [Tenor] – Harry Lookofsky
Written-By – Willie Dixon
Credits : Arranged By, Conductor, Piano – Gil Evans

OLIVER NELSON — The Blues and the Abstract Truth (1961-2010) RM | SACD, Hybrid | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

As Oliver Nelson is known primarily as a big band leader and arranger, he is lesser known as a saxophonist and organizer of small ensembles. Blues and the Abstract Truth is his triumph as a musician for the aspects of not only defining the sound of an era with his all-time classic "Stolen Moments," but on this recording, assembling one of the most potent modern jazz sextets ever. Lead trumpeter Freddie Hubbard is at his peak of performance, while alto saxophonists Nelson and Eric Dolphy (Nelson doubling on tenor) team to form an unlikely union that was simmered to perfection. Bill Evans (piano), Paul Chambers (bass), and Roy Haynes (drums) can do no wrong as a rhythm section. "Stolen Moments" really needs no comments, as its undisputable beauty shines through in a three-part horn harmony fronting Hubbard's lead melody. It's a thing of beauty that is more timeless as the years pass. The "Blues" aspect is best heard on "Yearnin'," a stylish, swinging, and swaying downhearted piece that is a bluesy as Evans would ever be. Both "Blues" and "Abstract Truth" combine for the darker "Teenie's Blues," a feature for Nelson and Dolphy's alto saxes, Dolphy assertive in stepping forth with his distinctive, angular, dramatic, fractured, brittle voice that marks him a maverick. Then there's "Hoedown," which has always been the black sheep of this collection with its country flavor and stereo separated upper and lower horn in snappy call-and-response barking. As surging and searing hard boppers respectively, "Cascades" and "Butch & Butch" again remind you of the era of the early '60s when this music was king, and why Hubbard was so revered as a young master of the idiom. A must buy for all jazz fans, and a Top Ten or Top Fifty favorite for many. Michael G. Nastos  
Tracklist :
1 Stolen Moments 8:47
Oliver Nelson 
2 Hoe-Down 4:44
Oliver Nelson 
3 Cascades 5:32
Oliver Nelson 
4 Yearnin' 6:24
Oliver Nelson 
5 Butch and Butch 4:37
Oliver Nelson 
6 Teenie's Blues 6:34
Oliver Nelson 
Credits :
Alto Saxophone, Flute – Eric Dolphy
Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Written-By – Oliver Nelson
Baritone Saxophone – George Barrow
Bass – Paul Chambers
Drums – Roy Haynes
Piano – Bill Evans
Producer – Creed Taylor
Trumpet – Freddie Hubbard

ERIC DOLPHY — Out to Lunch (1964) Two Version (1986, Blue Note CD Super 50 – 11 + 1999, RVG Edition | FLAC & APE (image+.cue), lossless

 Out to Lunch stands as Eric Dolphy's magnum opus, an absolute pinnacle of avant-garde jazz in any form or era. Its rhythmic complexity was perhaps unrivaled since Dave Brubeck's Time Out, and its five Dolphy originals -- the jarring Monk tribute "Hat and Beard," the aptly titled "Something Sweet, Something Tender," the weirdly jaunty flute showcase "Gazzelloni," the militaristic title track, the drunken lurch of "Straight Up and Down" -- were a perfect balance of structured frameworks, carefully calibrated timbres, and generous individual freedom. Much has been written about Dolphy's odd time signatures, wide-interval leaps, and flirtations with atonality. And those preoccupations reach their peak on Out to Lunch, which is less rooted in bop tradition than anything Dolphy had ever done. But that sort of analytical description simply doesn't do justice to the utterly alien effect of the album's jagged soundscapes. Dolphy uses those pet devices for their evocative power and unnerving hints of dementia, not some abstract intellectual exercise. His solos and themes aren't just angular and dissonant -- they're hugely so, with a definite playfulness that becomes more apparent with every listen. The whole ensemble -- trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, vibist Bobby Hutcherson, bassist Richard Davis, and drummer Tony Williams -- takes full advantage of the freedom Dolphy offers, but special mention has to be made of Hutcherson, who has fully perfected his pianoless accompaniment technique. His creepy, floating chords and quick stabs of dissonance anchor the album's texture, and he punctuates the soloists' lines at the least expected times, suggesting completely different pulses. Meanwhile, Dolphy's stuttering vocal-like effects and oddly placed pauses often make his bass clarinet lines sound like they're tripping over themselves. Just as the title Out to Lunch suggests, this is music that sounds like nothing so much as a mad gleam in its creator's eyes. Steve Huey 
Tracklist :
1 Hat And Beard 8:24
2 Something Sweet, Something Tender 6:02
3 Gazzelloni 7:22
4 Out To Lunch 12:06
5 Straight Up And Down 8:19
Credits
Alto Saxophone, Flute, Bass Clarinet, Composed By – Eric Dolphy
Bass – Richard Davis
Drums – Tony Williams
Recorded By [Recording] – Rudy Van Gelder
Trumpet – Freddie Hubbard
Vibraphone [Vibes] – Bobby Hutcherson

ORNETTE COLEMAN - Beauty Is a Rare Thing : The Complete Atlantic Recordings (1993) RM | Atlantic Jazz Gallery | 6CD | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

While it's true this set has been given the highest rating AMG awards, it comes with a qualifier: the rating is for the music and the package, not necessarily the presentation. Presentation is a compiler's nightmare in the case of artists like John Coltrane and Ornette Coleman, who recorded often and at different times and had most of their recordings issued from the wealth of material available at the time a record was needed rather than culling an album from a particular session. Why is this a problem? It's twofold: First is that listeners got acquainted with recordings such as The Shape of Jazz to Come, This Is Our Music, Change of the Century, Twins, or any of the other four records Ornette Coleman released on Atlantic during that period. The other is one of economics; for those collectors who believe in the integrity of the original albums, they need to own both those recordings and this set, since the box features one album that was only issued in Japan as well as six unreleased tunes and the three Coleman compositions that appeared on Gunther Schuller's Jazz Abstractions record. Politically what's interesting about this box is that though the folks at Rhino and Atlantic essentially created a completely different document here, putting Coleman's music in a very different context than the way in which it was originally presented, his royalty rate was unchanged -- he refused to do any publicity for this set when it was issued as a result. As for the plus side of such a collection, there is a certain satisfaction at hearing complete sessions in context. That cannot be argued -- what is at stake is at what price to the original recorded presentations. Enough complaining. As for the music, as mentioned, the original eight albums Coleman recorded for Atlantic are here, in one form or another, in their entirety: Shape of Jazz to Come, Change of the Century, The Art of the Improvisers, Twins, This Is Our Music, Free Jazz, Ornette, and Ornette on Tenor, plus To Whom Keeps a Record, comprised of recordings dating from 1959 to 1960. In fact all of the material here was recorded between 1959 and 1961. Given that there is a total of six completely unreleased compositions as well as alternate takes and masters, this is a formidable mountain of material recorded with not only the classic quartet of Coleman, Don Cherry, Charlie Haden, and Billy Higgins, but also the large double quartet who produced the two-sided improvisation that is Free Jazz with personalities as diverse as Eric Dolphy, Freddie Hubbard, and Scott LaFaro, as well as Coleman, Cherry, Haden, and Ed Blackwell, who had replaced Higgins on the music for To Whom Keeps a Record and This Is Our Music -- though Higgins does play on Free Jazz.

The progression of the recording sessions musically is one of dynamics, color, and, with the addition of Blackwell, firepower. As the listener moves from the first session that would become most of The Shape of Jazz to Come, listeners can hear how the interplay between Cherry and Coleman works lyrically not so much as a system, but as system of the creation of melody from dead fragments of harmony, thereby creating a harmonic sensibility that cares not for changes and chord progressions, but for the progression of music itself in the context of a quartet. From the sharp edges on "Focus on Sanity," through "Peace" and "Congeniality," through "Lonely Woman," Coleman's approach to harmony was one of disparate yet wholly compatible elements. This is the story as the sessions unfold, one kind of lyricism evolving into itself more fully and completely with time. On Change of the Century, Twins, and This Is Our Music, Coleman shifts his emphasis slightly, adding depth and dimension and the creation of melody that comes out of the blues as direct and simply stated as possible. By the time LaFaro enters the picture on Free Jazz and Art of the Improvisers, melody has multiplied and divided itself into essence, and essence becomes an exponential force in the creation of a new musical syntax. The recordings from 1960 and 1961, along with the unreleased masters and alternates, all show Coleman fully in possession of his muse. The trek of musicians through the band -- like Jimmy Garrison and Eric Dolphy, as well as people like Jim Hall and Bill Evans where Coleman appeared in Gunther Schuller's experiments -- all reveal that from The Shape of Jazz to Come through Ornette on Tenor, Coleman was trying to put across the fully developed picture of his musical theory of the time. And unlike most, he completely succeeded. Even on the unreleased compositions, such as the flyaway storm of "Revolving Doors" or "PROOF Readers" or the slippery blues of "The Tribes of New York," Coleman took the open-door approach and let everything in -- he didn't necessarily let it all out. The package itself is, as are all Rhino boxes, handsome and original; there are three double-CD sleeves that all slip into a half box, which slips, reversed, into the whole box. There is a 68-page booklet with a ton of photographs, complete session notes, and liners by Coleman (disappointingly brief, but he was pissed off at the label), a fantastic essay by the late Robert Palmer, recollections by all the musicians, and quotes from Coleman from interviews given through the decades. The sound is wonderful and the mastering job superb. In all -- aside from the breach of pop culture's own historical context, which is at least an alternate reality -- this is, along with John Coltrane's Atlantic set and the Miles & Coltrane box, one of the most essential jazz CD purchases.
-> This comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our blog 'O Púbis da Rosa' <-
All Tracks & Credits :
Notas.
This six-CD set contains the entirely of Ornette Coleman's recorded output for the Atlantic label, including the contents of the following albums:
The Shape Of Jazz To Come
Change Of The Century
This Is Our Music
Free Jazz
Ornette!
Ornette On Tenor
The Art Of The Improvisers
Twins
To Whom Who Keeps A Record
Also included are six previously unreleased compositions (2-7, 2-9, 2-10, 2-12, 3-2, 5-1) and two selections from (composer) Gunther Schuller's Jazz Abstractions featuring Ornette Coleman on alto saxophone.

ORNETTE COLEMAN - "Free Jazz" (1996) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Tracklist :
1    Little Symphony    5:14
Ornette Coleman
2    Rise And Shine    6:12
Ornette Coleman
3    Kaleidoscope    6:34
Ornette Coleman
4    Revolving Doors    4:26
Ornette Coleman
5    The Legend Of Bebop    7:16
Ornette Coleman
6    Embraceable You 4:55
Composed By – G. Gershwin, I. Gershwin
7    Folk Tale    4:48
Ornette Coleman
8    Free Jazz    37:04
Ornette Coleman
Credits :
1-7
Alto Saxophone – Ornette Coleman
Trumpet [Pocket] – Don Cherry
Bass – Charlie Haden
Drums – Ed Blackwell
New York City, July 19, 26, August 2, 1960
1-8
The Ornette Coleman Double Quartet
Left Channel
Alto Saxophone – Ornette Coleman
Trumpet [Pocket] – Don Cherry
Drums – Billy Higgins
Bass – Scott LaFaro
Right Channel
Bass Clarinet – Eric Dolphy
Trumpet – Freddie Hubbard
Bass – Charlie Haden
Drums – Ed Blackwell
New York City, December 21, 1960

ORNETTE COLEMAN DOUBLE QUARTET - Free Jazz (1961-2003) RM | Atlantic Masters | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

As jazz's first extended, continuous free improvisation LP, Free Jazz practically defies superlatives in its historical importance. Ornette Coleman's music had already been tagged "free," but this album took the term to a whole new level. Aside from a predetermined order of featured soloists and several brief transition signals cued by Coleman, the entire piece was created spontaneously, right on the spot. The lineup was expanded to a double-quartet format, split into one quartet for each stereo channel: Ornette, trumpeter Don Cherry, bassist Scott LaFaro, and drummer Billy Higgins on the left; trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, bass clarinetist Eric Dolphy, bassist Charlie Haden, and drummer Ed Blackwell on the right. The rhythm sections all play at once, anchoring the whole improvisation with a steady, driving pulse. The six spotlight sections feature each horn in turn, plus a bass duet and drum duet; the "soloists" are really leading dialogues, where the other instruments are free to support, push, or punctuate the featured player's lines. Since there was no road map for this kind of recording, each player simply brought his already established style to the table. That means there are still elements of convention and melody in the individual voices, which makes Free Jazz far more accessible than the efforts that followed once more of the jazz world caught up. Still, the album was enormously controversial in its bare-bones structure and lack of repeated themes. Despite resembling the abstract painting on the cover, it wasn't quite as radical as it seemed; the concept of collective improvisation actually had deep roots in jazz history, going all the way back to the freewheeling early Dixieland ensembles of New Orleans. Jazz had long prided itself on reflecting American freedom and democracy and, with Free Jazz, Coleman simply took those ideals to the next level. A staggering achievement. Steve Huey
Tracklist :
1     Free Jazz 37:03
Ornette Coleman   
2     First Take 17:06
Ornette Coleman   
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Ornette Coleman
Bass – Charlie Haden, Scott LaFaro
Bass Clarinet – Eric Dolphy
Drums – Billy Higgins, Ed Blackwell
Trumpet – Freddie Hubbard
Trumpet [Pocket] – Don Cherry

ORNETTE COLEMAN - Twins (1971-2008) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Ornette Coleman's Twins (first issued on LP in 1971) has been looked at as an afterthought in many respects. A collection of sessions from 1959, 1960, and 1961 with different bands, they are allegedly takes from vinyl LP sessions commercially limited at that time to 40 minutes on vinyl, and not initially released until many years later. Connoisseurs consider this one of his better recordings in that it offers an overview of what Coleman was thinking in those pivotal years of the free bop movement rather than the concentrated efforts of The Art of the Improvisers, Change of the Century, The Shape of Jazz to Come, This Is Our Music, and of course the pivotal Free Jazz. There are three most definitive selections that define Coleman's sound and concept. "Monk & the Nun" is angular like Thelonious Monk, soulful as spiritualism, and golden with the rhythm team of bassist Charlie Haden and drummer Billy Higgins driving the sweet and sour alto sax of Coleman and piquant trumpeting of Don Cherry. "Check Up" is a wild roller coaster ride, mixing meters, tempos, and dynamics in a blender in an unforgettable display of sheer virtuosity, and featuring bassist Scott LaFaro. "Joy of a Toy" displays the playful Ornette Coleman in interval leaps, complicated bungee jumps, in many ways whimsical but not undecipherable. It is one of the most intriguing of all of Coleman's compositions. Less essential, "First Take" showcases his double quartet in a churning composition left off the original release This Is Our Music, loaded with interplay as a showcase for a precocious young trumpeter named Freddie Hubbard, the ribald bass clarinet of Eric Dolphy, and the first appearance with Coleman's groups for New Orleans drummer Ed Blackwell. "Little Symphony" has a great written line with room for solos in a joyful hard bop center with the quartet of Coleman, Cherry, Haden, and Blackwell. All in all an excellent outing for Coleman from a hodgepodge of recordings that gives a broader view of his vision and the music that would come later in the '60s. Michael G. Nastos  
Tracklist :
1    The Ornette Coleman Double Quartet–    First Take 17'06
Alto Saxophone [L] – Ornette Coleman
Bass Clarinet [R] – Eric Dolphy
Bass [L] – Scott Lafaro
Bass [R] – Charlie Haden
Drums [L] – Billy Higgins
Drums [R] – Ed Blackwell
Engineer [Recording] – Tom Dowd
Trumpet [Pocket Trumpet] [L] – Don Cherry
Trumpet [R] – Freddie Hubbard
2    The Ornette Coleman Quartet–    Little Symphony 5'17
Alto Saxophone – Ornette Coleman
Bass – Charlie Haden
Drums – Ed Blackwell
Engineer [Recording] – Phil Iehle, Tom Dowd
Trumpet – Don Cherry
3    The Ornette Coleman Quartet–    Monk And Nun 5'56
Alto Saxophone – Ornette Coleman
Bass – Charlie Haden
Cornet – Don Cherry
Drums – Billy Higgins
Engineer [Recording] – Bones Howe
4    The Ornette Coleman Quartet–    Check Up 10'13
Alto Saxophone – Ornette Coleman
Bass – Scott Lafaro
Drums – Ed Blackwell
Engineer [Recording] – Tom Dowd
Trumpet [Pocket Trumpet] – Don Cherry
5    The Ornette Coleman Quartet–    Joy Of A Toy 4'55
Alto Saxophone – Ornette Coleman
Bass – Charlie Haden
Drums – Ed Blackwell
Engineer [Recording] – Tom Dowd
Trumpet – Don Cherry

EDDIE 'LOCKJAW' DAVIS BIG BAND - Trane Whistle (1961-1990) RM | FLAC (tracks), lossless

This CD reissue brings back an Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis session in which the distinctive tenor saxophonist is joined by a 13-piece big band arranged by Oliver Nelson. Most significant is the inclusion of the original version of "Stolen Moments" (here called "The Stolen Moment" and predating the more famous Oliver Nelson recording by several months). Eric Dolphy is in the backup group but is not heard from in a solo capacity. There are some spots for trumpeters Richard Williams, Clark Terry and Bobby Bryant along with Nelson on alto but this is primarily Davis' showcase. On a set comprised of four Oliver Nelson originals, the ballad "You Are Too Beautiful" and the leader's "Jaws," Lockjaw as usual shows plenty of emotion during his driving solos. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     Trane Whistle 6'19
Oliver Nelson
2     Whole Nelson 3'35
Oliver Nelson
3     You Are Too Beautiful 5'11
Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
4     The Stolen Moments 7'54
Oliver Nelson
5     Walk Away 5'27
Oliver Nelson
6     Jaws 4'36
Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis
Credits:
Bass – Wendell Marshall
Drums – Roy Haynes
Mastered By – Phil De Lancie
Piano – Richard Wyands
Recorded By – Rudy Van Gelder
Reeds – Eric Dolphy, George Barrow, Jerome Richardson, Oliver Nelson, Bob Ashron
Tenor Saxophone – Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis
Trombone – Jimmy Cleveland, Melba Liston
Trumpet – Clark Terry, Richard Williams

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)

 

JOHN COLTRANE - Olé Coltrane (1961-2000) RM / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The complicated rhythm patterns and diverse sonic textures on Olé Coltrane are evidence that John Coltrane was once again charting his own course. His sheer ability as a maverick -- beyond his appreciable musical skills -- guides works such as this to new levels, ultimately advancing the entire art form. Historically, it's worth noting that recording had already commenced two days prior to this session on Africa/Brass, Coltrane's debut for the burgeoning Impulse! label. The two sets complement each other, suggesting a shift in the larger scheme of Coltrane's musical motifs. The assembled musicians worked within a basic quartet setting, featuring Coltrane on soprano and tenor sax, McCoy Tyner on piano, and Elvin Jones on drums, with double-bass chores held down by Art Davis and Reggie Workman. Added to that are significant contributions and interactions with trumpeter Freddie Hubbard and Eric Dolphy on flute and alto sax (although Dolphy's contract with another record label prevented him from being properly credited on initial pressings of the album). The title track is striking in its resemblance to the Spanish influence heard on Miles Davis' Sketches of Spain. This is taken a bit further as Coltrane's combo stretches out with inspired improvisations from Dolphy, Hubbard, Tyner, and Coltrane, respectively. "Olé" likewise sports some amazing double-bass interaction. The combination of a bowed upright bass played in tandem with the same instrument that is being plucked has a sinister permeation that undoubtedly excited Coltrane, who was perpetually searching for sounds outside the norm. The haunting beauty of "Aisha" stands as one of the finest collaborative efforts between Tyner, the song's author, and Coltrane. The solos from Hubbard, Dolphy, and an uncredited Tyner gleam from within the context of a single facet in a multi-dimensional jewel. [Some reissues include an extra track cut during the same sessions, "To Her Ladyship."] by Lindsay Planer  

Tracklist:

1 Olé 18:13
Written-By – John Coltrane
2 Dahomey Dance 10:49
Written-By – John Coltrane
3 Aisha 7:37
Written-By – McCoy Tyner
- Bonus Track -
4 Original Untitled Ballad (To Her Ladyship) 8:58
Written-By – Billy Frazier 
Credits:
Alto Saxophone – George Lane (tracks: 2)
Bass – Art Davis (tracks: 1, 3, 4), Reggie Workman
Drums – Elvin Jones
Flute – Eric Dolphy (tracks: 4), George Lane
Piano – McCoy Tyner
Soprano Saxophone – John Coltrane
Tenor Saxophone – John Coltrane (tracks: 2)
Trumpet – Freddie Hubbard

THE JOHN COLTRANE QUARTET - The Complete Africa / Brass Sessions (1961-1995) 2xCD / APE (image+.cue), lossless

This two-disc collection gathers the results of two recording sessions from April and May 1961 with the John Coltrane Orchestra. As the title indicates, The Complete Africa/Brass Sessions includes both volumes of the work and relocates "The Damned Don't Cry" -- originally issued on the Trane's Modes compilation -- to this more chronologically sound release. On this collection, these recordings replicate the sequence in which they were documented. After a successful string of albums on Atlantic Records, Coltrane signed to the burgeoning and jazz-intensive Impulse! label -- a relationship which would be kept for the remainder of his career. Shortly after reprising his role in the Miles Davis Sextet on "Teo" as well as the title track for Davis' Someday My Prince Will Come long-player, Coltrane assembled a 17-piece orchestra and began recording what would become known as Africa/Brass. Among the jazz luminaries contributing to these landmark sessions are: Booker Little (trumpet), Freddie Hubbard (trumpet), Julian Priester (trombone), Eric Dolphy (alto sax/bass clarinet), McCoy Tyner (piano), Paul Chambers (bass), and Elvin Jones (drums). Coltrane manipulates their power into masterful contrasts between the syncopated rhythms of "Greensleeves" or the full-out bop onslaught of "Songs of the Underground Railroad." The amazing virtuosity in Coltrane's solos has begun to show signs of the future direction his later avant-garde sides would take. The interaction with Tyner on "Songs of the Underground Railroad" is impeccable. Coltrane allows room for Elvin Jones and Reggie Workman to likewise engage Tyner for some high-spirited improvisation. This is a key work in understanding the path John Coltrane's music took in its final phases. The Complete Africa/Brass Sessions brilliantly documents this pivotal era in Coltrane's music. by Lindsay Planer  
Tracklist 1 :
1 Greensleeves 9:57
Traditional
2 Song Of The Underground Railroad 6:44
Traditional
3 Greensleeves (Alternate Take) 10:53
Traditional
4 The Damned Don't Cry 7:34
Arranged By, Conductor – Romulus Franceschini
Written-By – Cal Massey
5 Africa (First Version) 14:08
Bass – Paul Chambers 
Written-By – John Coltrane
Tracklist 2 :

1 Blues Minor 7:20

Written-By – John Coltrane
2 Africa (Alternate Take) 16:08
Bass – Art Davis
Written-By – John Coltrane
3 Africa 16:29
Bass – Art Davis 
Written-By – John Coltrane
Credits:
Alto Saxophone, Flute, Bass Clarinet – Eric Dolphy
Arranged By – John Coltrane (tracks: 1-1 to 1-3, 1-5 to 2-3), McCoy Tyner (tracks: 1-1 to 1-3, 1-5 to 2-3)
Baritone Saxophone – Pat Patrick
Bass – Reggie Workman
Conductor, Orchestrated By – Eric Dolphy (tracks: 1-1 to 1-3, 1-5 to 2-3)
Drums – Elvin Jones
Engineer [Recording] – Rudy Van Gelder
Euphonium – Carl Bowman (tracks: 2-1 to 2-3), Charles Greenlee (tracks: 1-1 to 1-5), Julian Priester (tracks: 1-1 to 1-5)
French Horn – Donald Corrado, Jimmy Buffington (tracks: 1-1 to 1-5), Julius Watkins, Bob Northern, Robert Swisshelm
Piano – McCoy Tyner
Piccolo Flute, Reeds – Garvin Bushell (tracks: 1-1 to 1-5)
Soprano Saxophone – John Coltrane (tracks: 1-1 to 1-5)
Tenor Saxophone – John Coltrane
Trombone – Britt Woodman (tracks: 2-1 to 2-3)
Trumpet – Booker Little, Freddie Hubbard (tracks: 1-1 to 1-5)
Tuba – Bill Barber

ERIC DOLPHY - The Complete Prestige Recordings (1995) 9xCD BOX-SET | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

During his 19 months with Prestige, Eric Dolphy recorded 13 sessions as a leader and sideman. All are included in this massive nine-CD set and, even when absorbed in two or three sittings, there is enough variety to hold on to any true jazz fan's attention. Dolphy, whether on alto, bass clarinet, flute, and even on a couple of occasions clarinet, was a true original with distinctive sounds of his own and very unique (but ultimately logical) styles. Included in this box (which has no previously unissued material) are the complete contents of the albums Outward Bound, Here & There, Dash One, Oliver Nelson's Screamin' the Blues, Ken McIntyre's Looking Ahead, Out There, Caribe (with the Latin Jazz Quintet), Eddie Lockjaw Davis' Trane Whistle (during which Dolphy is an anonymous section player), Far Cry, Oliver Nelson's Straight Ahead, Ron Carter's Where, Mal Waldron's The Quest, At the Five Spot, and Eric Dolphy in Europe. Even with the many impressive sidemen (which include trumpeters Freddie Hubbard, Richard Williams, and Booker Little; saxophonists Oliver Nelson, Ken McIntyre, Booker Ervin, and Eddie Lockjaw Davis; pianists Jaki Byard, Richard Wyands, Walter Bishop, Jr., and Mal Waldron; bassists George Tucker, George Duvivier, Sam Jones, Ron Carter (who doubles on cello), Joe Benjamin, and Richard Davis; and drummers Roy Haynes, Art Taylor, Charlie Persip, and Ed Blackwell), Eric Dolphy consistently emerges as the solo star. This often-remarkable music stands apart from the other styles prevalent during the era. by Scott Yanow 
Tracklist
Eric Dolphy Quintet "Outward Bound" (New Jazz, 1960)
1-1 G.W. 7:57
Written-By – Eric Dolphy
1-2 On Green Dolphin Street 5:42
Written-By – Bronislaw Kaper, Ned Washington
1-3 Les 5:21
Written-By – Eric Dolphy
1-4 245 6:48
Written-By – Eric Dolphy
1-5 Glad To Be Unhappy 5:26
Written-By – Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
1-6 Miss Toni 5:40
Written-By – Charles "Majeed" Greenlee
1-7 April Fool 4:07
Written-By – Eric Dolphy
1-8 G. W. (Alternate Take 1) 12:07
Written-By – Eric Dolphy
1-9 245 (Alternate Take 1) 8:08
Written-By – Eric Dolphy
Oliver Nelson Sextet "Screamin' The Blues" (New Jazz, 1960)
1-10 Screamin' The Blues 10:58
Written-By – Oliver Nelson
1-11 March On, March On 4:59
Written-By – Esmond Edwards
2-1 The Drive 5:47
Written-By – Oliver Nelson
2-2 The Meetin' 6:41
Written-By – Oliver Nelson
2-3 Three Seconds 6:23
Written-By – Oliver Nelson
2-4 Alto-itis 4:58
Written-By – Oliver Nelson
Ken McIntyre With Eric Dolphy ‎"Looking Ahead" (New Jazz, 1960)
2-5 Lautir 4:03
Written-By – Ken McIntyre
2-6 Curtsy 5:51
Written-By – Ken McIntyre
2-7 Geo's Tune 7:13
Written-By – Ken McIntyre
2-8 They All Laughed 5:06
Written-By – George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin
2-9 Head Shakin' 10:45
Written-By – Ken McIntyre 
2-10 Dianna 9:05
Written-By – Ken McIntyre
Eric Dolphy ‎"Out There" (New Jazz, 1960)
2-11 Out There 6:52
Written-By – Eric Dolphy
3-1 Serene 6:58
Written-By – Eric Dolphy
3-2 The Baron 2:54
Written-By – Eric Dolphy
3-3 Eclipse 2:43
Written-By – Charles Mingus
3-4 17 West 4:49
Written-By – Eric Dolphy
3-5 Sketch Of Melba 4:36
Written-By – Randy Weston
3-6 Feathers 4:58
Written-By – Hale Smith
The Latin Jazz Quintet + Eric Dolphy "Caribé" (New Jazz, 1960)
3-7 Caribé 10:05
Written-By – Gene Casey
3-8 Blues In 6/8 5:46
3-9 First Bass Line 4:04
Written-By – Gene Casey
3-10 Mambo Ricci 6:54
Written-By – Juan Amalbert
3-11 Spring Is Here 5:00
Written-By – Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers 
Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis Big Band ‎"Trane Whistle" (Prestige, 1961)
3-12 Sunday Go To Meetin' 5:48
Written-By – Gene Casey
3-13 Trane Whistle 6:16
Written-By – Oliver Nelson
3-14 Whole Nelson 3:32
Written-By – Oliver Nelson
4-1 You Are Too Beautiful 5:10
Written-By – Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers 
4-2 Stolen Moments 7:51
Written-By – Oliver Nelson
4-3 Walk Away 5:24
Written-By – Oliver Nelson
4-4 Jaws 4:36
Written-By – Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis
Eric Dolphy With Booker Little ‎"Far Cry" (New Jazz, 1961)
4-5 Mrs. Parker Of K.C. (Bird's Mother) 8:00
Written-By – Jaki Byard
4-6 Ode To Charlie Parker 8:41
Written-By – Jaki Byard
4-7 Far Cry 3:51
Written-By – Eric Dolphy
4-8 Miss Ann 4:14
Written-By – Eric Dolphy
4-9 Left Alone 6:39
Written-By – Billie Holiday, Mal Waldron
4-10 Tenderly 4:17
Written-By – Jack Lawrence, Walter Gross
4-11 It's Magic 5:38
Written-By – Jule Styne And Sammy Cahn
4-12 Serene 6:36
Written-By – Eric Dolphy
Oliver Nelson With Eric Dolphy ‎"Straight Ahead" (New Jazz, 1961)
4-13 Images 5:43
Written-By – Oliver Nelson
5-1 Six And Four 7:14
Written-By – Oliver Nelson
5-2 Mama Lou 5:01
Written-By – Oliver Nelson
5-3 Ralph's New Blues 9:52
Written-By – Milt Jackson
5-4 Straight Ahead 5:32
Written-By – Oliver Nelson
5-5 III-444 3:26
Written-By – Oliver Nelson
Ron Carter With Eric Dolphy, Mal Waldron ‎"Where?" (New Jazz, 1961)
5-6 Rally 5:40
Written-By – Ron Carter
5-7 Bass Duet 5:41
Written-By – Ron Carter
5-8 Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise 7:37
Written-By – Oscar Hammerstein II, Sigmund Romberg
5-9 Where? 5:58
Written-By – Randy Weston
5-10 Yes, Indeed! 5:48
Written-By – Sy Oliver
5-11 Saucer Eyes 5:06
Written-By – Randy Weston
Mall Waldron With Eric Dolphy And Booker Ervin ‎"The Quest" (New Jazz, 1962)
5-12 Status Seeking 8:52
Written-By – Mal Waldron
6-1 Duquility 4:09
Written-By – Mal Waldron
6-2 Thirteen 4:42
Written-By – Mal Waldron
6-3 We Diddit 4:23
Written-By – Mal Waldron
6-4 Warm Canto 5:37
Written-By – Mal Waldron
6-5 Warp And Woof 5:36
Written-By – Mal Waldron
6-6 Fire Waltz 7:58
Written-By – Mal Waldron
Eric Dolphy At The Five Spot
6-7 Like Someone In Love 19:27
Written-By – Jimmy Van Heusen And Johnny Burke
6-8 God Bless The Child 5:16
Written-By – Arthur Herzog, Jr., Billie Holiday
6-9 Aggression 16:34
Written-By – Booker Little
7-1 Fire Waltz 13:11
Written-By – Mal Waldron
7-2 Bee Vamp 12:11
Written-By – Booker Little
7-3 The Prophet 21:06
Written-By – Eric Dolphy
7-4 Booker's Waltz 14:40
Written-By – Booker Little
7-5 Status Seeking 13:08
Written-By – Mal Waldron
8-1 Number Eight (Potsa Lotsa) 15:27
Written-By – Eric Dolphy
8-2 Bee Vamp (Alternate Take) 9:25
Written-By – Booker Little
Eric Dolphy In Europe, Vol. 1-3
8-3 Don't Blame Me 11:02
Written-By – Jimmy McHugh & Dorothy Fields
8-4 When Lights Are Low 11:59
Written-By – Benny Carter, Spencer Williams 
8-5 Don't Blame Me (Take 2) 11:38
Written-By – Jimmy McHugh & Dorothy Fields
8-6 Les (Untitled Track) 5:42
Written-By – Eric Dolphy
8-7 The Way You Look Tonight 8:59
Written-By – Dorothy Fields, Jerome Kern
9-1 Wodd 'N You 9:48
Written-By – Dizzy Gillespie
9-2 Laura 12:56
Written-By – David Raksin, Johnny Mercer
9-3 Glad To Be Unhappy 6:02
Written-By – Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
9-4 God Bless The Child 6:47
Written-By – Arthur Herzog, Jr., Billie Holiday
9-5 In The Blues 16:48
Written-By – Eric Dolphy
9-6 Hi-Fly 13:10
Written-By – Randy Weston
9-7 Oleo 7:08
Written-By – Sonny Rollins