When Crystal Silence first appeared in 1972 on the ECM label, its cover photograph depicted a stellar shot of the sun, which appeared to be setting. That duet album featured two already-seasoned jazz veterans who were in their thirties, and had been part of many of the developments in the music for a decade. Corea's credits included Miles Davis, his own Return to Forever, the "Is" sessions, Circle, and many others; Burton's included tenures with George Shearing and Stan Getz as well as Larry Coryell. But the duet album they recorded for ECM was so utterly striking and arresting because it highlighted not only an entirely new way of playing duets between piano and vibes -- which had been done previously and well by others -- but a new way of hearing them as well.
After 35 years, five duet records, and countless tours together, the pair revisit the notion of the duet in two different contexts on this delightful, compelling double-disc package from Concord. The first disc finds the pair playing live in Sydney with that city's symphony orchestra conducted by Jonathan Stockhammer and arranged by Tim Garland. The program includes five tunes, all of them composed by Corea. While it is disconcerting on first thought as to how an orchestra could add to the special intuitive communication this duo has developed since its first accidental performance at a festival in 1971, those fears disappear quickly after the orchestra's intro, when Corea's piano makes its entrance and Burton responds. It's striking there was so little rehearsal time, and that Garland's arrangements are so spot-on and attuned to the intricacy of what happens harmonically between these two. "Duende" opens the set with an enormous introductory sweep that feels more like a crescendo, but it gives way within two minutes to the exploration of extrapolated minors when Corea plays a single note that initiates his speaking voice on the piano. Burton answers and moves them into another direction, painting from the inside and pulling on certain notes as he quotes a melody that feels strangely like "The Shadow of Your Smile." Then the pair are off, the orchestra brooding and shimmering behind them, opening up spaces where there would be tension in such a focused space of minor keys that sweep this way and that way, and then they engage fully with the orchestra. This continues through "Love Castle" and the speculative intro to "Brasilia," which feels like a question. The rhythmic interplay is built layer upon layer, however sparely by the harmonic striations of vibes and piano as strings hover and cautiously seem to follow into a much more romantic and exotic flight of fancy. Of course, the title track, while seemingly an entirely new piece when played with this symphony, is no less limpid than its predecessor. The compositional notion is simply eased into more tentatively, but the interpolations between Burton and Corea are even cannier than one might expect. Everything begins in shade and shadow and is revealed in the full light of day. The set ends with a driving rendition of "La Fiesta," begun with an intensely intricate series of counterpoint exchanges between the pair.
Disc two contains a live performance from the Molde Festival in Norway, with one cut, "Señor Mouse" (also from the Crystal Silence debut), recorded in the Canary Islands. Far more breezy but perhaps more taut and far less tentative, the set starts off with Corea's "Bud Powell," and Burton shines with his solo, moving through the lyric phrases as Corea punches in spaces with tough, jaunty chord masses. It swings like crazy before giving way to a stellar reading of Bill Evans' "Waltz for Debby." The melody, instantly recognizable in Corea's hands, is nonetheless a bit heavier in touch, but that's what makes it sound new as well. The solo he opens with carries the basic lyric frame in his two-handed chords and runs before Burton slides the melody in solo, as expressive and intimate as one could ever hope for before it opens wide and sings. This happens on the other standards here as well, the deeply emotive reading of "I Loves You, Porgy," with Burton's solo as tender as a singer emoting the words, and "Sweet and Lovely," where the pair just dig in and let the tune guide them on a wonderfully engaging, swinging ride through its harmonic possibilities. The other four Corea tunes here include a very different version of "La Fiesta" as a set closer; "No Mystery," which is more mysterious in some ways because of its use of arpeggios, space, and counterpoint; and the all-too-brief rhythmic invention of "Alegria." The bottom line, of course, is that this set, as different as its two mirroring discs are, is nearly magical in both its intensity and creativity, and in its wonderfully relaxed manner of walking through the deep passageways of improvisation. Anyone who is a fan of the duet recordings between these two should own this. Anyone not familiar should check out the ECM disc first, and then move straight here, filling in the gaps later. They are wonderful counterparts to one another and immensely satisfying listens.
-> This comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our blog 'O Púbis da Rosa' <-
Tracklist 1 :
1. Duende (Chick Corea) – 10:54
2. Love Castle (Chick Corea) – 12:41
3. Brasilia (Chick Corea) – 9:38
4. Crystal Silence (Chick Corea) – 14:09
5. La Fiesta (Chick Corea) – 13:35
Tracklist 2 :
1. Bud Powell (Chick Corea) – 7:55
2. Waltz for Debby (Bill Evans) – 8:03
3. Alegria (Chick Corea) – 5:49
4. No Mystery (Chick Corea) – 9:12
5. Señor Mouse (Chick Corea) – 9:10
6. Sweet and Lovely (Gus Arnheim, Charles Daniels, H. Tobias) – 6:56
7. I Love Porgy (George & Ira Gershwin & DuBose Heyward) – 4:09
8. La Fiesta (Chick Corea) – 10:41
Credits :
Chick Corea – Piano
Gary Burton – Vibraphone
Sydney Symphony Orchestra
Jonathan Stockhammer – Conductor
22.8.25
CHICK COREA & GARY BURTON — The New Crystal Silence (2008) 2CD | Two Version | APE + FLAC (image+.tracks+.cue), lossless
22.5.25
THE GARY BURTON QUINTET with EBERHARD WEBER — Ring (1974) Three Version | APE + FLAC (image+.tracks+.cue), lossless
Burton plays the vibroharp with superb delicacy which tops off the spirals of harmonic sound. Each track shifts in mood seamlessly from the one before - with writing credits to Goodrick, Mike Gibbs and Carla Bley before an interpretation of Weber's Colours of Chloe rounds off the record.An all time favourite jazz record, for a quieter mood. A classic ECM release.
Mick Goodrick
2. Unfinished Sympathy 3:04
Michael Gibbs
3. Tunnel Of Love 5:33
Michael Gibbs
4. Intrude 4:52
Michael Gibbs
5. Silent Spring 10:35
Carla Bley
6. The Colours Of Chloe 7:12
Eberhard Weber
27.11.24
NDR BIGBAND — Bravissimo : 50 Years NDR Big Band (1996) Serie : The World Greatest Jazz Orchestras – II | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless
"An excellent cross-section of the music of one of the best jazz orchestras in Europe" - (DER SPIEGEL) ACT
Tracklist :
1 The Cat 6:04
Arranged By – Horst Mühlbradt
Written-By – J.Griffin
2 Blue Monk 7:14
Arranged By – Stan Tracey
Written-By – T.Monk
3 Voodoo Chile 5:17
Arranged By – Howard Johnson
Written-By – J.Hendrix
4 Sagma 5:19
Arranged By – Joki Freund
Written-By – H.Sauer
5 Night In Tunesia 9:27
Arranged By – Horst Mühlbradt
Written-By – D.Gillespie
6 Take The A-Train 4:22
Arranged By – Steve Gray
Written-By – B.Strayhorn
7 Supraconductivity 5:30
Arranged By – Joki Freund
Written-By – A.Mangelsdorff
8 Sister Sadie
Arranged By – Lex Jasper
Written-By – Horace Silver
9 Mood Indigo
Arranged By – Hans Hammerschmid
Written-By – D.Ellington
10 Django
Arranged By – Horst Mühlbradt
Written-By – J.Lewis
11 Descent
Arranged By – Ralf Hübner
Written-By – Ch. Lauer
12 Country Roads
Arranged By – Michael Gibbs
Written-By – B.Burton
Credits :
NDR Bigband conducted by Dieter Glawischnig
except #3 - Rob Pronk, #8 - Jiggs Wigham, #12 - Michael Gibbs
1.3.24
ASTOR PIZZOLLA | GARY BURTON - The New Tango (1987) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless
Recorded at the Montreux Festival of 1986, The New Tango is an album of
collaboration between the undisputed leader of the nuevo tango movement,
Astor Piazzolla, and American vibe master Gary Burton. All of the
pieces on the album were written by Piazzolla over the course of some 40
years of work, along with one special composition, "Vibraphonissimo,"
written expressly for Burton's usage. Surprisingly enough -- given the
virtuosity and coherence that one receives on the album -- there were a
mere three rehearsals prior to the recorded performance. As the listener
finds out, the vibraphone is perfectly suited to the tango; or at the
very least, that Gary Burton is fully capable of the job. As with all of
Piazzolla's albums, the chances of disappointment are quite slim, with a
special amount of attention given here to details by all musicians
involved. Any fan of the nuevo tango or Piazzolla will be pleased as
usual. Fans of Gary Burton or jazz vibes may find the album surprisingly
good as it shows the versatility of the vibraphonist. As Fernando
Gonzalez once said, "this music knows many dialects. And listens. There
are no lines drawn and no sides to defend. This is new tango." Adam Greenberg
26.2.24
GARY BURTON | CHICK COREA — Crystal Silence (1973) APE (image+.cue), lossless
For Crystal Silence, the first of several partnerships between Chick Corea and vibraphonist Gary Burton in the 1970s, the two musicians selected an interesting array of material. The compositions on this record are all modern ones, either by Steve Swallow, Mike Gibbs, or Corea himself. It is a mostly downtempo affair, which allows each player to stretch out and play highly melodic solos over the often difficult changes. In keeping with most ECM releases, there is a distinct presence of European elements to the improvisations. There are few overt blues or bebop phrases, Corea and Burton opting instead for modern melodies to fuel their improvisations. Burton has managed to internalize the Spanish and modal implications of Corea's tunes with little difficulty, and solos with joyful ease through such tracks as "Señor Mouse." Corea himself is absolutely burning. His solo contribution on the same track is both fiery and introspective, combining in one statement the poles for which he is best-known. The title track is also the centerpiece of the album, a nine-minute exploration of the Corea ballad that first appeared on his Return to Forever record in 1972. In keeping with the tradition of the great masters of the ballad form, time seems to disappear as Burton and Corea lovingly caress the song's simple melody and dance effortlessly around the chords, building intensity only to let it subside once more. Crystal Silence is a sublime indication of what two master improvisers can do given quality raw material, with the first side of this record being particularly flawless. Improvised music is rarely this coherent and melodic. Essential for fans of Corea, Burton, or jazz in general. Daniel Gioffre
Tracklist :
1. Señor Mouse (Chick Corea) - 6:20
2. Arise, Her Eyes (Steve Swallow) - 5:08
3. I'm Your Pal (Steve Swallow) - 4:02
4. Desert Air (Chick Corea) - 6:26
5. Crystal Silence (Chick Corea) - 9:05
6. Falling Grace (Steve Swallow) - 2:42
7. Feelings And Things (Mike Gibbs) - 4:46
8. Children's Song (Chick Corea) - 2:11
9. What Game Shall We Play Today (Chick Corea) - 3:46
Chick Corea – Piano
Gary Burton – Vibraphone
28.11.23
GARY BURTON — Times Square (1978) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless
After a decade of leading quartets that matched his vibes with a variety of top young guitarists, Gary Burton decided that it was time for a change. While he is joined by a pair of longtime associates (bassist Steve Swallow and drummer Roy Haynes), the fourth member of the group on this set is the young trumpeter Tiger Okoshi. Since Burton has never been a major composer, there are five Swallow originals, two from Keith Jarrett, and Jim Hall's "Careful." Okoshi's presence adds more fire to this session than was typical of most of Burton's previous records. A fine outing. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1 Semblence 4:00
Keith Jarrett
2 Coral 5:47
Keith Jarrett
3 Careful 4:42
Jim Hall
4 Peau Douce 4:55
Steve Swallow
5 Midnight 4:20
Steve Swallow
6 Radio 4:41
Steve Swallow
7 True Or False 2:20
Roy Haynes, Steve Swallow
8 Como En Vietnam 6:43
Steve Swallow
Credits
Bass – Steve Swallow
Drums – Roy Haynes
Producer – Manfred Eicher
Trumpet – Tiger Okoshi
Vibraphone [Vibes] – Gary Burton
31.5.21
EBERHARD WEBER - Stages Of A Long Journey (2007) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless
Stages of a Long Journey was recorded in Stuttgart in March of 2005, as part of a celebration of both the 20th anniversary of the Theaterhaus Jazzstage festival and as a 65th birthday celebration for bassist Eberhard Weber. Weber was asked to pick a number of his own compositions, rearrange them by writing new charts for the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra, and select his own band as well. Weber picked on former and current bandmates such as Gary Burton, Jan Garbarek, Rainer Bruninghaus, Marilyn Mazur, Wolfgang Dauner, Reto Weber, and human beatbox Nino G., and carefully chose material from his own catalog and pieces he had performed on in their initial recordings, such as Bruninghaus's "Piano Transition," Jerome Kern's "Yesterdays," Mazur's "Percussion Transition," and Carla Bley's "Syndrome." Those wondering if there is any actual "jazz" on this record need look no further than the gorgeous version of Bley's tune here, where Burton, Garbarek, and the bassist all shine. Another consideration for the listener is in Weber's beautiful, inventive, rhythmic charts for the orchestra (under the direction of Roland Kluttig). "Silent Feet," which opens the set, is one such exercise. What begins as a slow bowed bassline is colored and enlarged by the orchestra entering gradually, tensely, and dramatically, as grey dawn emerges from the night sky. A pulse begins just after Mazur's percussion entry, the band plays these intricate rhythmic phrases, and the orchestra adds genuine color, texture, and depth. They follow rhythmic signature perfectly, allowing the tune to evolve and bring its delightfully understated melodic frame (which is not inseparable from the pulse) to the fore. By the time Garbarek takes his solo and Weber plays double time behind him, the big brassy horns are ready to push and drop out only as Burton enters with a truly lovely and poetic solo.
There are a fine pair of duets played here as well, between Dauner on piano and Weber's bass on the lovely Kern number, and also "Seven Movements," shared by the bassist and Garbarek. They set the stage for what follows, the elongated "Birthday Suite" that encompasses five pieces -- bookended by gorgeous readings of two of Weber's best-known pieces, "The Colours of Cloë" and "Yellow Fields." On "Hang Around," a trio of Nino G., Weber's downright funky acoustic bass, and the self-designed percussion instrument played by Reto Weber (no relation) called the "hang," are in deep intuitive interplay. The work by G. is not a novelty, but something inventive, utterly fresh, and full of the energy -- especially in G.'s solo. The final two pieces of the evening are in many ways the most satisfying. The full band returns on "The Last Stage of a Long Journey," where the orchestra introduces the brooding and melancholy composition. Strings and the deep brass of tuba and euphonium gradually bring up the tempo and introduce the lithe melody, as Weber brings his bass up from the ether. When Bruninghaus restates the theme on the piano and Weber is allowed free play inside the rhythm, Burton begins to color it. When Garbarek's icy soprano saxophone cries out, it is arresting and rings true. The concert ends with a brief bass solo by Weber on "Air." In just over three minutes, the great bassist is not remotely interested in showing his chops but in playing this bittersweet little song as a folk tune. This is a watershed moment in Weber's recorded output, because it reveals his collective gifts as a musician, which, even when understated, are shining examples of the European jazz, folk, classical, and new music he has forged these last 40 years as a leader and as a valued sideman and composer.
(This comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our blog 'O Púbis da Rosa')
Tracklist :
1 Silent Feet 7:37
Bass, Written-By – Eberhard Weber
Conductor – Roland Klutting
Orchestra – SWR Radio Symphony Orchestra Stuttgart
Percussion – Marilyn Mazur
Piano – Rainer Brüninghaus
Soprano Saxophone – Jan Garbarek
Vibraphone – Gary Burton
2 Syndrome 7:44
Bass – Eberhard Weber
Percussion – Marilyn Mazur
Piano – Rainer Brüninghaus
Tenor Saxophone – Jan Garbarek
Vibraphone – Gary Burton
Written-By – Carla Bley
3 Yesterdays 5:03
Double Bass [Double-Bass] – Eberhard Weber
Piano – Wolfgang Dauner
Written-By – Jerome Kern
4 Seven Movements 5:54
Bass, Written-By – Eberhard Weber
Soprano Saxophone – Jan Garbarek
5 The Colours of Chloë
Bass – Eberhard Weber
Conductor – Roland Kluttig
Orchestra – SWR Radio Symphony Orchestra Stuttgart
Percussion – Marilyn Mazur
Piano – Rainer Brüninghaus
Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Jan Garbarek
Vibraphone – Gary Burton
6 Piano Transition 4:11
Written-By [From "Solo Piano Suite"] – Rainer Brüninghaus
7 Maurizius 7:04
Eberhard Weber
8 Percussion Transition 3:03
Marilyn Mazur
9 Yellow Fields 7:01
Eberhard Weber
10 Hang Around 4:17
Bass – Eberhard Weber
Hang Drum [Hang], Written-By – Reto Weber
Human Beatbox [Beatbox] – Nino G.
11 The Last Stage of a Long Journey 11:06
Bass, Written-By – Eberhard Weber
Conductor – Roland Klutting
Orchestra – SWR Radio Symphony Orchestra Stuttgart
Percussion – Marilyn Mazur
Piano – Rainer Brüninghaus
Soprano Saxophone – Jan Garbarek
Vibraphone – Gary Burton
12 Air 3:10
Eberhard Weber
17.5.21
ARTURO SANDOVAL - Dear Diz (Every Day I Think of You) (2012) APE (image+.cue), lossless
Trumpeter Arturo Sandoval's 2012 tribute to legendary jazz trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie, Dear Diz (Every Day I Think of You) is a big-band Latin and Afro-Cuban jazz tour de force. Showcasing Sandoval's long-storied titan bop trumpet chops, Dear Diz frames the Cuban-born virtuoso with layered big-band arrangements on many of Gillespie's best-known compositions. Produced by Gregg Field and Sandoval, the album also features a bevy of name jazz musicians, including Hammond B-3 master Joey DeFrancesco, vibraphonist Gary Burton, tenor saxophonist Bob Mintzer, clarinetist Eddie Daniels, and many more. Included here, among others, are such Gillespie songs as "Salt Peanuts!," "Birks Works," "Con Alma," and, of course, Gillespie's trademark theme, "A Night in Tunisia." Gillespie was Sandoval's biggest musical influence and, after the two met during Gillespie's tour of Cuba in 1977, he became one of Sandoval's most ardent champions, mentors, and friends. In that sense, Dear Diz is clearly a labor of love, a sentiment that permeates this joyously exuberant album. by Matt Collar
Tracklist :
1 Be Bop 8:19
Alto Saxophone – Zane Musa
Arranged By – Gordon Goodwin
Piano – Shelly Berg
Written-By – Dizzy Gillespie
2 Salt Peanuts! (Mani Salado) 6:48
Arranged By – Gordon Goodwin
Tenor Saxophone – Bob Mintzer
Vibraphone – Gary Burton
Written-By – Dizzy Gillespie, Kenneth Clarke
3 And Then She Stopped 5:18
Arranged By – Chris Walden
Organ [Hammond] – Joey DeFrancesco
Written-By – Dizzy Gillespie
4 Birks Works (Ala Mancini) 6:04
Arranged By – Shelly Berg
Organ [Hammond] – Joey DeFrancesco
Tenor Saxophone – Plas Johnson
Written-By – Dizzy Gillespie
5 Things To Come 7:11
Arranged By – Gordon Goodwin
Organ [Hammond] – Joey DeFrancesco
Tenor Saxophone – Bob Mintzer, Bob Sheppard
Written-By – Dizzy Gillespie, Waler Gilbert Fuller
6 Fiesta Mojo 5:09
Arranged By – Chris Walden
Clarinet – Eddie Daniels
Written-By – Dizzy Gillespie
7 Con Alma (With Soul) 6:00
Arranged By – Nan Schwartz
Cello – Trevor Handy
Viola – Roland Kato
Violin – Sara Parkins
Violin, Concertmaster – Ralph Morrison
Written-By – Dizzy Gillespie
8 Tin Tin Deo 6:52
Arranged By – Dan Higgins
Piano – Wally Minko
Vocals – Manolo Gimenez
Written-By – Chano Pozo, Walter Fuller
9 Algo Bueno (Woody And Me) 6:15
Arranged By, Alto Saxophone – Dan Higgins
Trombone – Andy Martin
Written-By – Dizzy Gillespie
10 A Night In Tunisia (Actually An Entire Weekend!) 7:23
Arranged By – Wally Minko
Tenor Saxophone – Ed Calle
Trombone – Bob McChesney
Written-By – Dizzy Gillespie, Frank Paparelli
Encore
11 Every Day I Think Of You 4:27
Arranged By – Chris Walden
Vocals – Arturo Sandoval
Written-By – Arturo Sandoval
Credits :
Alto Saxophone, Flute [Alto] – Rusty Higgins
Alto Saxophone, Flute, Piccolo Flute, Flute [Alto] – Dan Higgins
Baritone Saxophone, Bass Clarinet – Greg Huckins
Bass – Carlitos Del Puerto, Chuck Berghofer
Bongos – Andy Garcia
Drums – Gregg Field
Guitar – Brian Nova, Dustin Higgins
Organ [Hammond] – Joey DeFrancesco
Percussion – Joey De Leon, Munyungo Jackson
Piano – Shelly Berg
Tenor Saxophone – Bob Mintzer
Tenor Saxophone, Clarinet – Bob Sheppard, Brian Scanlon, Rob Lockart
Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Bruce Otto, Craig Gosnell, Steve Holtman, Wayne Bergeron
Trumpet, Vocals – Arturo Sandoval
Vibraphone – Gary Burton
9.3.20
GARY BURTON QUARTET WITH EBERHARD WEBER - Passengers (1977) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless
Track Listing
1 Sea Journey 9:15
Chick Corea
2 Nacada 4:11
Pat Metheny
3 The Whopper 5:28
Pat Metheny
4 B&G (Midwestern Night Dreams) 8:23
Pat Metheny
5 Yellow Fields 6:58
Eberhard Weber
6 Claude and Betty 6:16
Steve Swallow
Credits
Bass – Eberhard Weber
Bass Guitar – Steve Swallow
Drums – Dan Gottlieb
Electric Guitar – Pat Metheny
Producer – Manfred Eicher
Vibraphone [Vibraharp] – Gary Burton
+ last month
OUT OF FOCUS — Four Letter Monday Afternoon (1972-1992) RM | 2xCD | Two Version | FLAC (image+.tracks+.cue), lossless
Out of Focus' third album was their magnum opus, where all the stops are pulled out and the group, with the addition of a horn section ...
