Along with its fellow CD, Groove Blues, this reissue fully documents all of the music recorded by tenor saxophonist Gene Ammons on the busy day of January 3, 1958. Although there were many guest soloists, only one of the four songs on this half of the set (Mal Waldron's "The Real McCoy") has appearances by John Coltrane (on alto) and the tenor of Paul Quinichette. However, baritonist Pepper Adams is aboard for two of the performances, and flutist Jerome Richardson (along with pianist Mal Waldron, bassist George Joyner, and drummer Art Taylor) are on all four. Ammons is easily the main star (he really excelled in this setting) and is in generally fine form on the two standards ("That's All" and "Cheek to Cheek"), his own "Blue Hymn," and the Waldron original. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1 Blue Hymn 12:37
Written-By – Gene Ammons
2 The Real McCoy 8:33
Written-By – Mal Waldron
3 Cheek To Cheek 14:12
Written-By – Irving Berlin
4 That's All 13:58
Written-By – Bob Haymes
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – John Coltrane (tracks: 3)
Baritone Saxophone – Pepper Adams (tracks: 3, 4)
Bass – George Joyner
Drums – Art Taylor
Flute – Jerome Richardson
Piano – Mal Waldron
Tenor Saxophone – Gene Ammons, Paul Quinichette (tracks: 3)
26.6.24
GENE AMMONS' ALL STARS — The Big Sound (1958-1991) RM | APE (image+.cue), lossless
13.12.23
THE RED GARLAND QUINTET WITH JOHN COLTRANE — Dig It! (1958-2009) RM | Serie RVG Remasters | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless
Taken
from "scraps" or "leftovers" of three different sessions, Dig It!
presents distinct sides of Red Garland's straight-ahead jazz persona
that manifests in trio, quartet, and quintet formats. One track was
issued as led by drummer Art Taylor (Taylor's Wailers), ostensibly John
Coltrane in Garland's quartet apart from their association with Miles
Davis, and two separate recordings have trumpeter Donald Byrd added to
comprise a five-piece combo. Memphis bassist George Joyner (aka Jamil
Nasser) is on three cuts, with Taylor present throughout. Though the
total time is shy of 34 minutes, this recording represents all of these
musicians in transition from their sideman associations to the
leadership roles they were in the process of wresting hold of. What have
always been Garland's strong suits -- high-class discourse and fleet
and fluid bebop -- are heartily dished out with no trace of arrogance.
On the swing-era standard "Crazy Rhythm," the Garland trio with bassist
Paul Chambers and Taylor plays a concise, hard-charging version with no
wasted motion and the two-fisted chord progressions of the pianist.
Coltrane's feature during Jimmy Heath's hard bop icon "C.T.A." is a bit
tentative, as he plays only eighth notes in a reserved fashion. But the
quintet take of "Billie's Bounce" has Trane rippin' it up in a fervor
that doubles the note volume, animated and fast, while also expressing a
soulful side. Byrd is fairly inconsequential, only soloing on this and
the 16-minute vintage blues "Lazy Mae." It's Garland who takes liberties
on this slow, languorous, sleepy-time jam, where he evokes the classic
sounds of Teddy Wilson, Earl "Fatha" Hines, and especially the elegant
Erroll Garner for a full eight minutes, also quoting the pop tune "Send
for Me" and the rambling staircase triplet midsection of "After Hours"
before Coltrane and Byrd settle into their own bluesy solos. Because of
the lack of extra material or alternate takes, one might buy this just
for the good music, but also the Rudy Van Gelder remastering factor that
allows you to hear these genius mmusicians cleaner and brighter. Michael G. Nastos
1 Billie's Bounce 9:24
Charlie Parker
2 Crazy Rhythm 3:26
Irving Caesar / Roger Wolfe Kahn / Joseph Meyer
3 C.T.A. 4:42
Jimmy Heath
4 Lazy Mae 16:06
Red Garland
Credits
Bass – George Joyner (tracks: 1, 4), Paul Chambers (tracks: 2, 3)
Drums – Arthur Taylor
Piano – Red Garland
Tenor Saxophone – John Coltrane (tracks: 1, 3, 4)
Trumpet – Donald Byrd (tracks: 1, 4)
THE RED GARLAND QUINTET — All Mornin' Long (1958-2001) RM | Serie Prestige 50th Anniversary Special Commemorative Edition | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless
11.12.23
THE RED GARLAND TRIO PLUS RAY BARRETTO — Rojo (1961-2014) RM | Prestige Masters Collection 1000 | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless
Pianist Red Garland recorded frequently with trios for Prestige during the second half of the 1950s. For this set (reissued on CD), Garland, bassist George Joyner and drummer Charlie Persip are joined by Ray Barretto on congas and the emphasis is on forceful swinging. Garland takes such ballads as "We Kiss in a Shadow" and "You Better Go Now" at faster-than-expected tempos. "Ralph J. Gleason Blues" and the Latin feel of "Rojo" are among the highlights of this enjoyable disc. Scott Yanow
Tracklist & Credits :
6.12.23
THE RED GARLAND QUINTET ft. JOHN COLTRANE AND DONALD BYRD — Soul Junction (1960) Two Version (1986, RM | MONO | Prestige CD Masterpiece Series – 13) + (2007, RM | Serie RVG Remasters) FLAC (image+tracks+.cue), lossless
Pianist Red Garland's very relaxed, marathon blues solo on the 16-minute
"Soul Junction" is the most memorable aspect of this CD reissue. With
such soloists as tenor saxophonist John Coltrane and trumpeter Donald
Byrd, plus steady support provided by bassist George Joyner and drummer
Art Taylor, Garland gets to stretch out on the title cut and four jazz
originals, including "Birk's Works" and "Hallelujah." Coltrane is in
excellent form, playing several stunning sheets of sound solos. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1 Soul Junction 15:26
Written-By – Red Garland
2 Woody'N You 6:48
3 Birk's Works 7:32
Written-By – Dizzy Gillespie
4 I've Got It Bad 6:12
Written-By – Duke Ellington, Paul Webster
5 Hallelujah 6:30
Written-By – Vincent Youmans
Credits :
Bass – George Joyner
Drums – Arthur Taylor
Engineer – Rudy Van Gelder
Piano – Red Garland
Tenor Saxophone – John Coltrane
Trumpet – Donald Byrd
10.11.17
THE RED GARLAND QUINTET WITH JOHN COLTRANE — High Pressure (1961-1989) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless
Benny Goodman / Fletcher Henderson
2 Solitude 8:30
Eddie DeLange / Duke Ellington / Irving Mills
3 Undecided 6:45
Sydney Robin / Charlie Shavers
4 What Is There To Say 5:55
Vernon Duke / E.Y. "Yip" Harburg
5 Two Bass Hit 8:45
Dizzy Gillespie / John Lewis
+ last month
JOACHIM KÜHN — Europeana : Jazzphony No. 1 (Michael Gibbs) (1995) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless
Europeana won the Annual German Record Critics' Award upon its initial CD release in 1995. ACT Tracklist : 1 Castle In Heaven 4:16 Fr...