This set by vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson is a bit unusual in that, rather than playing complex originals, he interprets seven jazz standards. With the assistance of pianist George Cables, bassist Herbie Lewis and drummer Philly Joe Jones, Hutcherson sounds in top form on such numbers as Thelonious Monk's "I Mean You," "Star Eyes" and "If I Were A Bell." Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1 I Mean You 5:49
Composed By – T. Monk
2 All Of You 5:54
Composed By – Cole Porter
3 Spring Is Here 7:03
Composed By – Rodgers/Hart
4 Star Eyes 7:47
Composed By – Raye, De Paul
5 If I Were A Bell 5:37
Composed By – Loesser
6 Summertime 6:50
Composed By – Heyward, Gershwin
7 Autumn Leaves 6:36
Composed By – Prevert
Credits :
Bass – Herbie Lewis
Drums – Philly Joe Jones
Piano – George Cables
Vibraphone [Vibes] – Bobby Hutcherson
7.7.24
BOBBY HUTCHERSON — Four Seasons (1983-2015) RM | Serie Timeless Jazz Master Collection – 24 | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless
19.2.24
5.12.23
ART PEPPER AND GEORGE CABLES — Goin' Home (1982-1991) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless
Art Pepper's final recording sessions were comprised of duets with pianist George Cables. Pepper, who splits his time almost evenly here between alto and clarinet, is in surprisingly strong form considering that he only had a month left to live. He is heard at his best on "Goin' Home," "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying," "Isn't She Lovely," and "Lover Man," really pouring out his emotions into the ballads. Two alternate takes were added to the CD reissue, although for the complete picture, one has to acquire Art Pepper's 16-CD Galaxy box set, which contains plenty of otherwise unissued performances. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1. Goin' Home 5:28
Antonin Dvorák
2. Samba Mom Mom 4:53
Art Pepper
3. In A Mello Tone 5:30
Duke Ellington / Milt Gabler
4. Don't Let The Sun Catch You Cryin' 4:57
Joe Greene
5. Isn't She Lovely 4:10
Stevie Wonder
6. Billie's Bounce 3:55
Charlie Parker
7. Lover Man 4:57
Jimmy Davis / Roger "Ram" Ramirez / Jimmy Sherman
8. The Sweetest Sounds 5:03
Richard Rodgers
— BONUS TRACKS —
9. Don't Let The Sun Catch You Cryin' (alt. A) 5:19
10. You Go To My Head (alternate) 6:04
J. Fred Coots / Haven Gillespie
Credits :
Art Pepper – Alto Saxophone, Clarinet (tracks 1, 3 and 7),
Clarinet and Alto (track 5)
George Cables – Piano
17.11.22
ARCHIE SHEPP - California Meeting "Live On Broadway" (1987) FLAC (tracks), lossless
Archie Shepp recordings in the 1980s are hit and miss; this is one of the more interesting ones. Shepp does make the mistake of playing soprano on "A Night in Tunisia" (his abilities on that instrument pale next to his tenor) and having a guest singer (Royal Blue) brought out of the audience to sing "St. James Infirmary." But Shepp's tenor playing is excellent on a roaring "Giant Steps" and the ballad "My Romance," and his sidemen (pianist George Cables, bassist Herbie Lewis and drummer Eddie Marshall) are flexible and versatile enough for the diverse music. Not essential but this CD is worth picking up by Archie Shepp's fans. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1 St. James Infirmary 7:20
Guest, Vocals – Royal Blue
Written-By – Joe Primrose
2 A Night in Tunisia 13:42
Dizzy Gillespie / Frank Paparelli
3 Giant Steps 6:54
John Coltrane
4 My Romance 12:27
Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
Credits
Bass – Herbie Lewis
Drums – Eddie Marshall
Piano – George Cables
Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Archie Shepp
10.11.22
GARY BARTZ - Music Is My Sanctuary (1967-2014) Rare Groove Funk Best Collection 1000 | APE (image+.cue), lossless
Surrounding himself with a world-class ensemble of disco-jazz-fusion musicians and armed with the Mizell brothers at the production console (who were near the peak of their careers around this time), Gary Bartz took the route of Donald Byrd and brought new elements of funk, soul, and a foreshadowing of the soon-to-be-commercial disco craze all into a 40-minute workout on Music Is My Sanctuary. While purists shook their heads in disapproval and disdain at Bartz's new direction (one emulated by several jazz pioneers at the time), those who could take off their traditional jazz mufflers would find Bartz and the Mizells making some highly infectious, soulful music. Further accentuated by the addition of Syreeta Wright on vocals, the Mizells took Bartz into nearly uncharted territories for jazz musicians. The results of this experimentation more than paid off, with the dividends being Bartz's most polished, focused releases. Rob Theakston
Tracklist :
1 Music Is My Sanctuary 6'22
Gary Bartz
2 Carnaval de l'Esprit 5'57
Gary Bartz
3 Love Ballad 4'11
Gary Bartz
4 Swing Thing 6'53
Gary Bartz
5 Oo Baby Baby 5'55
W. Prince Moore
6 Macaroni 6'42
Gary Bartz
Credits :
Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Piano, Electric Piano, Synthesizer, Vocals – Gary Bartz
Arranged By – Gary Bartz (pistas: 1, 2, 6), Larry Mizell (pistas: 3, 4, 5)
Bass – Curtis Robinson, Jr., Welton Gite
Drums – Howard King, James Gadson, Nate Neblett
Guitar – David T. Walker, John Rowin, Juewett Bostick, Wa Wa Watson
Keyboards, Vocals – Larry Mizell
Percussion – Bill Summers, Mtume
Piano – George Cables
Trumpet – Eddie Henderson, Raymond Brown
Vocals – Sigidi, Syreeta Wright
GARY BARTZ - Love Song (1977-2001) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless
A reasonably enjoyable but not essential release, this album features altoist Gary Bartz (doubling on soprano) performing some originals and older R&B tunes with a four-piece rhythm section (which includes George Cables on electric piano and guitarist Carl McDaniels); three songs have soulful vocalists. The music overall is generally danceable and funky, sounding a bit dated despite some decent solos. Not Gary Bartz's worst (from a jazz standpoint), but also far from his best. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1 Love Song 6:35
Written-By – Gary Bartz
2 Prelude And Lonely Girl 5:50
Written-By – E. Shuman, L. Carr
3 Interlude And Don't Stop Now 6:55
Written-By – E. Holman, J. Soloman
4 You 7:35
Written-By – I. J. Hunter, J. Goga, J. Bowen
5 Interlude And Just Suppose 8:55
Written-By – George Cables
6 Afterthoughts 1:30
Written-By – Gary Bartz
Credits :
Bass – Curtis Robertson
Drums – Howard King
Guitar – Carl McDaniels
Piano – George Cables
Producer, Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Gary Bartz
Vocals – Rita Greene (pistas: 1, 5)
5.9.21
ROY HAYNES - Quiet Fire (2004) APE (tracks+.cue), lossless
A Roy Haynes CD that incorporates funk, soul, rock, and pop elements and includes electric keyboards and electric bass? In the generally conservative jazz climate of the 21st century -- a time when Wynton Marsalis and his equally rigid associates enjoy way too much influence -- the assumption is that a CD by someone of Haynes' caliber shouldn't be anything less than 100 percent purist in its outlook. But Haynes, truth be told, has long been versatile -- his resumé includes everyone from Pat Metheny to Lester "The Pres" Young -- and Quiet Fire reflects the veteran drummer's admirable diversity. Quiet Fire reissues two Galaxy LPs (1977's Thank You Thank You and 1978's Vistalite) back to back on a 77-minute CD. Haynes was in his early fifties when the albums were recorded, and he was obviously open to trying a variety of things. Parts of Quiet Fire are essentially straight-ahead post-bop, including Stanley Cowell's reflective "Sweet Song" and a hard-swinging version of Bronislaw Kaper's "Invitation." But a poppier, more R&B-influenced Haynes asserts himself on funky offerings like "Venus Eyes" and "Water Children" -- a Haynes who gives the impression that he's hip to Grover Washington, Jr., the Crusaders, Tom Scott, Charles Earland, Ronnie Laws, and other jazz-funksters of the '70s. At their best, all of those artists exemplified tasteful commercialism back then -- and Haynes brings a similar mentality to the more commercial parts of Quiet Fire. Haynes was definitely reaching out to soul, rock, and pop audiences at the time, but he did it with integrity; he never stooped to playing the sort of abysmal, mind-numbing elevator music that dominates today's NAC/smooth jazz formats. This CD is mildly uneven -- some of the tunes are more memorable than others -- but all things considered, Quiet Fire paints an attractive picture of Haynes in 1977 and 1978. by Alex Henderson
Tracklist :
1 Thank You Thank You 6:55
Bass – Ron Carter
Drums – Roy Haynes
Electric Piano – George Cables
Tenor Saxophone – John Klemmer
Vibraphone [Vibes] – Bobby Hutcherson
Written-By – George Cables
2 Bullfight 11:13
Bass – Cecil McBee
Drums – Haynes
Electric Piano – Stanley Cowell
Guitar – Marcus Fiorillo
Percussion – Kenneth Nash
Piano – Milcho Leviev
Vibraphone [Vibes] – Hutcherson
Written-By – Roy Haynes
3 Quiet Fire 8:13
Bass – McBee
Drums – Haynes
Percussion – Nash
Piano – Cables
Written-By – George Cables
4 Processional 5:24
Drums – Haynes
Percussion – Nash
Written-By – Nash, Haynes
5 Sweet Song 6:21
Bass – McBee
Drums – Haynes
Piano – Cowell
Vibraphone [Vibes] – Hutcherson
Written-By – Stanley Cowell
6 Vistalite 5:55
Drums, Bell Tree – Haynes
Electric Bass – Dave Jackson
Electric Piano – Cowell
Flute – Ricardo Strobert
Guitar – Fiorillo
Percussion – Nash
Tenor Saxophone – Joe Henderson
Written-By – Haynes
7 More Pain Than Purpose 5:43
Drums, Bell Tree – Haynes
Electric Bass – Jackson
Flute – Strobert
Guitar – Fiorillo
Piano – Cowell
Tenor Saxophone – Henderson
Written By – Scott / Cowell
8 Wonderin' 4:06
Bass – McBee
Drums – Haynes
Electric Piano – Cables, Cowell
Guitar – Fiorillo
Percussion – Nash
Written-By – Cecil McBee
9 Venus Eyes 4:41
Alto Saxophone – Strobert
Drums – Haynes
Electric Bass – Jackson
Electric Piano – Cowell
Guitar – Fiorillo
Tambourine – Nash
Written-By – John Stubblefield
10 Rok Out 6:30
Alto Saxophone – Strobert
Cowbell – Nash
Drums – Haynes
Electric Bass – Jackson
Guitar – Fiorillo
Tenor Saxophone – Henderson
Written-By – Marcus Fiorillo
11 Water Children 6:44
Bass – McBee
Drums – Haynes
Electric Piano – Leviev
Guitar – Fiorillo
Percussion – Nash
Piano – Cables
Written-By – Kenneth Nash
12 Invitation 6:05
Drums – Haynes
Electric Bass – Jackson
Piano – Cowell
Tenor Saxophone – Henderson
Written-By – Bronislau Kaper
+ last month
e.s.t. — Retrospective 'The Very Best Of e.s.t. (2009) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless
"Retrospective - The Very Best Of e.s.t." is a retrospective of the unique work of e.s.t. and a tribute to the late mastermind Esb...