THELONIOUS MONK SEPTET - Monk's Music (1957) Two Version (1986, RM | MONO | Riverside CD Masterpiece Series – 6) + (2011, RM | Serie Original Jazz Classics Remasters) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Monk's Music is often cited as one of the focal points of Thelonious Monk's six-year affiliation (1955-1961) with the Riverside label. Although the original disc clocked in at slightly over 30 minutes, packed into that half hour are not only the introduction of a few of Monk's signature compositions, but also some amazing interactions from the assembled ensemble. Joining Thelonious Monk (piano) during these two recording sessions are Ray Copeland (trumpet), Gigi Gryce (alto sax), Coleman Hawkins (tenor sax), John Coltrane (tenor sax), Wilbur Ware (bass), and Art Blakey (drums). The true meaning of the album's title exists beyond just Thelonious, as the opening sacred prelude, "Abide With Me," was written by William H. Monk. This brief piece features only the horn quartet, foreshadowing their importance throughout the album. The angular stride style featured during the chorus of "Well You Needn't" is tackled with the same nimble authority as Monk's completely unfettered solos. If his ability to swing and his utilization of atomic clock accuracy have ever been questioned, the answer lies no further. So utterly free and fantastic, certain passages command immediate review to be fully comprehended. Hearing Coltrane and Hawkins together is admittedly part of the charm in these sides. "Ruby, My Dear" is bathed in the smoky essence of Hawkins' rich textures and Coltrane's playful cat-and-mouse aggression. Blakey gently propels the rhythm, never getting in the way and sporting a serene snare groove throughout. "Off Minor" is largely led by Monk, with solos that follow into and out of the memorable chorus that sparkles with the full involvement of the horn and rhythm sections. The same is true for this definitive version of "Epistrophy" -- perhaps the zenith collaborative effort between Coltrane and Monk. AdAdditionally, Blakey is in top form, with a solo that borders on spastic precision. Lindsay Planer
Tracklist :
1    Abide with Me 0:55    
Henry Francis Lyte / Thelonious Monk
2    Well, You Needn't 11:27
Thelonious Monk
3    Ruby, My Dear 5:28    
Thelonious Monk
4    Off Minor (Take 5) 5:11    
Thelonious Monk
5    Epistrophy  10:48
Kenny Clarke / Thelonious Monk
6    Crepuscule with Nellie (Take 6) 4:40    
Thelonious Monk
– BONUS TRACK –
7    Off Minor (Take 4) 5:15    
Thelonious Monk
 8    Crepuscule with Nellie (Take 4 & 5) 4:44
Thelonious Monk
9    Blues For Tomorrow    13:33
Credits :
Trumpet – Ray Copeland
Alto Saxophone – Gigi Gryce
Bass – Wilbur Ware
Drums – Art Blakey
Piano – Thelonious Monk
Tenor Saxophone – Coleman Hawkins, John Coltrane

MAX ROACH — The Complete Mercury Max Roach Plus Four Sessions (2000) RM | 7xCD BOX-SET | MONO | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This seven-CD box set features 95 tracks from legendary drummer Max Roach's small group, consisting of the 1956-1960 recordings for Emarcy and Mercury Records, as these noteworthy sessions also represent the drummer's post Max Roach-Clifford Brown Quintet output. In 1956 the jazz world witnessed the tragic and untimely deaths of the great trumpeter Clifford Brown and pianist Ritchie Powell. Within these seven CDs, we find Roach maintaining his assault on jazz along with trumpeter Kenny Dorham, pianist Ray Bryant, and the drummer's bandmates from the Clifford Brown years, tenor saxophone giant Sonny Rollins and bassist George Morrow. Jazz aficionados will find a wealth of fantastic music here, as Roach also employed renowned artists such as tenor saxophonists Hank Mobley, Stanley Turrentine, and George Coleman, along with trumpeter Booker Little and many others of note. Essentially, Mosaic Records continues to excel in the reissue department, as they seemingly take great pains to portray or perhaps enhance the original LP recordings for modern day audiophiles and jazz connoisseurs. This collection also includes extensive annotations, biographies of the artists, interviews, recollections, and categorical documentation of the sessions presented in a matrix format. Here, the listener is treated to hard bop renditions of Charlie Parker's "Billie's Bounce" and "Koko," where trumpeter Kenny Dorham and tenor saxophonist George Coleman trade vicious, fierce fours, as the various aggregations and ensembles also tackle standards and originals. The infamous union of Max Roach and Buddy Rich originally titled, "Roach vs. Rich" presents an added bonus to this all encompassing package, as these works are further enhanced by Gigi Gryce's bold, fiery arrangements along with the addition of 14 previously unreleased alternate takes. Simply stated, Roach and Rich perform via a firebrand approach as the musician's distinct styles provide contrast and symmetry to Gryce's radiant horn charts. Basically, these pieces offer a glimpse of two masters/innovators whose respective techniques have often been imitated yet never duplicated. Suffice to state, Rich's blazing speed and unfathomable dexterity counterbalances Roach's complex, melodically constructed rolls, impeccable timing and bop-induced fills. Hence, the two are remarkable as they reciprocate impossibly fast motifs with cataclysmic fury. Overall, this 2000 release should be deemed required listening for astute observers of late-50's bebop and the continuing evolution of modern jazz. Highly recommended! Glenn Astarita    All Tracks & Credits :

GIGI GRYCE & DONALD BYRD — Jazz Lab (1957-2010) RM | MONO | Serie Jazz 名盤 999 Best & More, EMI Music Japan Inc. 50th Anniversary | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1    Blue Lights    4:00
Written-By – Gigi Gryce
2    Onion Head    4:44
Written-By – Donald Byrd
3    Isn't It Romantic    4:51
Written-By – Richard Rodgers - Lorenz Hart
4    Bat Land    7:05
Written-By – Gigi Gryce, Lea Sears
5    Bangoon    4:57
Written-By – Hank Jones
6    Imagination    5:40
Written-By – Jimmy Van Heusen - Johnny Burke
7    Xtacy    8:32
Written-By – Donald Byrd
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Gigi Gryce
Bass – Paul Chambers
Drums – Art Taylor
Piano – Hank Jones
Trumpet – Donald Byrd

CURTIS FULLER — The Complete Blue Note/UA Curtis Fuller Sessions (1996) 3CD BOX-SET | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Trombonist Curtis Fuller, who developed his sound out of the style of J.J. Johnson, recorded prolifically as a leader from 1957-1962. After recording three dates for Prestige and New Jazz within a seven-day period in 1957, Fuller made four albums for Blue Note from 1957-1958, and after three albums for Savoy, he cut a lone session for United Artists in 1959. All of the five Blue Note and United Artists records (plus an alternate take of "Down Home") are on this excellent three-CD limited box set, released in 1996. Fuller is heard with four different quintets that include either tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley, baritonist Tate Houston, trumpeter Art Farmer, or (on a date only previously out in Japan) fellow trombonist Slide Hampton; the rhythm sections consist of either Bobby Timmons or Sonny Clark on piano, Paul Chambers or George Tucker on bass, and Art Taylor, Louis Hayes, or Charlie Persip in the drum slot. In addition, there is a sextet session with Lee Morgan, Mobley, Tommy Flanagan, Chambers, and Elvin Jones that has arrangements by Gigi Gryce and Benny Golson. Throughout, the music is high-quality hard bop with plenty of fine features for the underrated but talented Curtis Fuller. Scott Yanow   Tracklist & Credits :

CLIFFORD BROWN – Joy Spring (2005) 4xCD BOX-SET | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Joy Spring is a four-CD, budget-priced box set from the folks at Proper in the United Kingdom. This is a pretty handsome overview that touches on all aspects of Clifford Brown's mighty but tragically brief career. Disc one, "Dial B Fr Beauty" contains sides he cut in 1952 as a member of Chris Powell and the Blue Flames; documents from his stint with Tadd Dameron; tracks from a short-lived quintet with Lou Donaldson, Elmo Hope, Percy Heath, and Philly Joe Jones in 1953, and sides recorded when he was part of J.J. Johnson's Septet -- all these sides virtually chronicle Brown's ascent into the jazz world and serve, so to speak, as a showcase for the first three sides he cut on his own, in a band that included Charlie Rouse, Art Blakey, John Lewis, Gigi Gryce, and Heath, with material arranged by Quincy Jones. Standout cuts are "Wail Bait," and "Hymn of the Orient," as well as Dameron's "Choose Now." Disc two, entitled "Conception," begins with Brown's own sextet and his versions of "Cherokee," and "Brownie Eyes." Later in '53, Brown played with Art Farmer in Sweden, and with a European orchestra that included a number of stalwarts like Walter Williams, Gryce, and Pierre Michelot, with Jones writing the charts. But the coolest stuff here are the sides cut with the Brown/Gryce sextet and octet, these also commence disc three, entitled "Clifford's Axe," which straddles September of 1953 to October of that same year. Disc three is rounded out with the first-ever-performances-on-record of the Clifford Brown-Max Roach quintet as they cut "All God's Chillun Got Rhythm" and "Sunset." The final CD in this package is devoted almost exclusively to this last group of musicians -- the Clifford Brown-Max Roach quintet -- documenting the various phases they went through in 1954. From "Dahoud" and "Delilah" to "Jor Du" and their stellar read of "Parisian Thoroughfare." The box set closes with a cut from Sarah Vaughan backed by Brown, Roy Haynes, Paul Quinichette, Herbie Mann, Jimmy Jones, Ernie Wilkins, and Joe Benjamin, on a lovely version of "You're Not the Kind" with a sweet and moving Brown solo. This is a fine introduction to Brown, nicely priced, with decent sound, and it makes a great companion to the excellent Emarcy LPs of the Brown-Roach bands.
-> This comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our blog 'O Púbis da Rosa'<-
Tracklist :
CD1 Dial B For Beauty
CD2 Conception
CD3 Clifford's Axe
CD4 I Get A Kick Out Of You
All Tracks + Credits :

CLIFFORD BROWN – The Complete Blue Note And Pacific Jazz Recordings (1995) 4xCD BOX-SET | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This four-CD set has the exact same music as an earlier Mosaic five-LP box, but is highly recommended to those listeners not already possessing the limited-edition set. Trumpeter Clifford Brown is heard on the most significant recordings from the first half of his tragically brief career. Whether co-leading a date with altoist Lou Donaldson, playing as a sideman with trombonist J.J. Johnson, interacting with an all-star group of West Coast players, or jamming with the first (although unofficial) edition of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers (a two-disc live performance with a quintet that also includes the drummer/leader, Donaldson and pianist Horace Silver), Brown is the main star. Highlights are many, including versions of "Brownie Speaks," Elmo Hope's "De-Dah," "Cherokee," "Get Happy," "Daahoud" and "Joy Spring." The attractive packaging, with its 40 pages of text and many rare pictures, is an added bonus. Scott Yanow    Tracklist + Credits :

CLIFFORD BROWN – Memorial Album (1956-1987) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Trumpeter Clifford Brown is heard here in two unusual and unrelated sessions. On four selections, Brown is featured with arranger/pianist Tadd Dameron's Orchestra; other soloists include Benny Golson on tenor and altoist Gigi Gryce. The other date was recorded in Sweden while Brown was touring with Lionel Hampton & His Orchestra. Clifford Brown and fellow trumpeter Art Farmer play four Dameron arrangements with a Swedish group that includes altoist Arne Domnerus, baritonist Lars Gullin, and pianist Bengt Hallberg. Oscar Hammerstein II & Sigmund Romberg's "Lover Come Back to Me" really cooks and Brown and Farmer get to trade off in exciting fashion during Quincy Jones' "'Scuse These Blues." Scott Yanow    Tracklist + Credits :

CLIFFORD BROWN – Memorial Album (1956-1989) RM | MONO | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Like swing guitarist Charlie Christian, Clifford Brown was incredibly influential for someone who died so young. The Fats Navarro-minded trumpeter was only 25 when a car accident claimed his life in 1956, but his influence remained long after his death -- Freddie Hubbard, Lee Morgan, Woody Shaw, Donald Byrd, and Carmell Jones were among the many trumpet titans who were heavily influenced by Brown. In the early to mid-'50s, Brown kept getting more and more exciting; those who found him impressive in 1952 found even more reason to be impressed in 1955. That means that when it comes to Brown's dates, excellent doesn't necessarily mean essential. Recorded in 1953, the material here isn't quite as essential as some of Brown's work with drummer Max Roach in 1954 and 1955, but it's still superb. The trumpet icon is heard at two different sessions, the first with saxmen Gigi Gryce and Charlie Rouse, pianist John Lewis, bassist Percy Heath, and drummer Art Blakey. The other includes Heath, alto saxman Lou Donaldson, pianist Elmo Hope, and drummer Philly Joe Jones (who in 1953 was two years away from joining Miles Davis' quintet). Brown's solos are consistently expressive; he swings unapologetically hard on up-tempo fare like "Carvin' the Rock," "Cherokee," and Quincy Jones' "Wail Bait," but is quite lyrical on the ballads "You Go to My Head" and "Easy Living." One thing all of the performances have in common is a strong Fats Navarro influence; Navarro was Brown's primary inspiration, although Brown became quite distinctive himself at an early age. Casual listeners would be better off starting out with some of Brown's recordings with Max Roach; nonetheless, seasoned fans will find this to be a treasure chest. Alex Henderson   Tracklist + Credits :

DIZZY GILLESPIE — The Verve/Philips Dizzy Gillespie Small Group Sessions (2006) RM | 7CD | APE (tracks+.cue), lossless

 Dizzy Gillespie's career soared with the surge of interest in bop, but after the failure of his independent Dee Gee label, his career was in the doldrums. In 1953, Norman Granz added the trumpeter to his successful Jazz at the Philharmonic all-star roster for tours and also signed him to a non-exclusive recording contract, where the producer was very open to most anything Gillespie wished to record. This seven-CD boxed set, a limited edition of 10,000 compiled by Mosaic, draws material from selected studio and live sessions made for Granz between 1954 and 1961, in addition to a number of studio dates made for Philips, all of which featured his working bands of the time.

The Verve tracks are a treasure trove, as a good deal of these performances were not reissued on CD until this compilation, with six selections appearing for the first time in this collection. Aside from some of the early novelty songs like "Hey Pete! Let's Eat More Meat," the calypso-flavored "Money Honey," and the perennial jive number "Swing Low, Sweet Cadillac," which wear out their welcome quickly, the remaining material is very strong. Up and coming musicians in his bands include saxophonists Hank Mobley, Gigi Gryce, and Benny Golson, along with pianists Ray Bryant and Junior Mance. One of the obvious highlights is alto sax great Johnny Hodges' guest appearance on "Squatty Roo," which bolsters Gillespie's playing to its highest level. The addition of the relatively unheralded Leo Wright (who doubles on flute and alto sax) and young pianist Lalo Schifrin for a brief concert at the Museum of Modern Art marks the end of his association with Verve, which was sold by Granz that very same year.

Several of the earliest Philips sessions find Gillespie incorporating Brazilian influences and exploring the music of Antonio Carlos Jobim, Luiz Bonfá, and even one extended work by Schifrin, "Mount Olive." Dizzy Gillespie & the Double Six of Paris features collaborations with a group of French vocalists arranged by Lalo Schifrin, with most of the songs utilizing Bud Powell, Pierre Michelot, and Kenny Clarke, with the trumpeter's regular group of the time on two selections. The Double Six of Paris' leader Michel Perin's vocalese interpretations of Charlie Parker's instrumental solos from Gillespie's well-known records of "Hot House" and "Groovin' High" are outstanding, as are the big-band arrangements recast for small group and voices. The final sessions feature James Moody and Kenny Barron, with Chris White and Rudy Collins. The tracks from Dizzy Goes Hollywood are enjoyable but far too brief, as most of them hover around the three-minute mark. Better are the songs from Original Score from the Cool World, an updated look at music Dizzy composed for the film, with fine arrangements by Tom McIntosh. This collection should be considered essential for any Dizzy Gillespie fan. Ken Dryden
Tracklist + Credits :

OSCAR PETTIFORD – 1954-1955 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1454 (2007) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

During his short, prolific, and equally tempestuous career, bassist Oscar Pettiford made potent modern jazz that stands the test of time, and is equal to or as brilliant as any you can name. These reissues, mainly from Bethlehem label recordings, showcase large ensembles and are a prelude to the orchestra Pettiford would lead before his untimely death in a European bicycle accident in 1960. There is an octet and a nonet from the Bethlehem dates, quite different and very strong. With trumpeters Clark Terry and Joe Wilder, trombonist Jimmy Cleveland, alto saxophonist Dave Schildkraut, clarinetist Jimmy Hamilton, and baritone saxophonist Danny Bank, Pettiford is able to use these members of Duke Ellington's orchestra in a manner much like Duke. There's a jam for Hamilton on Ellington's "Jack the Bear," Pettiford's reverent Jewish-sounding theme "Tamalpais," Terry's hard bopper "Chuckles" with Bank taking the lead, a typical "Mood Indigo" with Pettiford's walking bass up front in the mix, and a darker, moodier "Time on My Hands." The effortlessness of the ensemble is easy to hear, but does not really tell what Pettiford and his big band would do in the not-too-distant future. The next nine tracks, with considerable help from alto saxophonist and arranger Gigi Gryce, give definitive foreshadowing as to the charts that set Pettiford's music in an advanced stance. With trumpeters Donald Byrd and Ernie Royal, trombonist Bob Brookmeyer, multi-instrumentalist Jerome Richardson, and Gryce, a higher bar is set from a harmonic standpoint. "Titoro" is an outstanding merging of post-bop, Latin spice, and emerging progressive modernism, topped off by a scintillating solo from pianist Don Abney. The trend continues on the predatory ambush sounds of "Scorpio," the wild bird flute of Richardson on "Oscalypso," the bluesy "Don't Squawk" (a change of pace and a feature for Richardson again on flute), the happy chart "Kamman's A-Coming," Pettiford's cello feature "Another Seventh Heaven," and the famous bass-led "Bohemia After Dark." All are stellar examples of things to come in the late '50s. There are six quintet tracks with just French horn icon Julius Watkins and tenor saxophonist Charlie Rouse in the front line, ranging from the galloping bop of Gerry Mulligan's "Sextette" to the well-known tuneful melody "Tricotism" with horns comping over Pettiford's lead bassline, and the solid bop of "Cable Car" and "Rides Again," both tunes that should be standards. The CD kicks off with two tracks originally on the Swing label out of France, featuring pianist Henri Renaud and a sextet with Max Roach on drums, guitarist Tal Farlow, tenor saxophonist Al Cohn, and trombonist Kai Winding. These two tunes are from a session documented on the previous Classics Pettiford reissue, 1951-1954: another happy Mulligan bopper ("E Lag") and the Charlie Parker-like "Rhumblues" (similar to "My Little Suede Shoes"). 1954-1955 is a must-have for mainstream jazz fans, and a fully representative document of what Pettiford was capable of as a player and leader. Michael G. Nastos
Tracklist + Credits :

LEE MORGAN – Lee Morgan, Vol. 3 Plus 1 (1957-1987) MONO | Serie Blue Note CD Treasury – 07 | FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Vol. 3 is Lee Morgan's final recording from a series done in the spring of 1957, an important year not only for the teenage trumpeter, but for the dominant hard bop sound that swept the landscape of modern jazz. Morgan preferred the sextet format at this time, recruiting alto saxophonist Gigi Gryce and retaining tenor player Benny Golson, while grabbing bassist Paul Chambers and pianist Wynton Kelly from the Miles Davis/John Coltrane combo. The selection of lesser-known but very talented drummer Charlie Persip for this date is a wise choice, as he is more homogeneous to the composed jazz of Golson, which comprises this entire set. Because of the Golson factor, the music is consistent, but not the hard bop blowing session some may have expected. "Tip-Toeing" is inspired by Persip's fanciful, cat-and-mouse-type drumming in a delicate strut drenched in blues, with wonderful solos from Chambers and the author/saxophonist. On other side of the coin, "Domingo" is not Latin-flavored, but instead a straight hard bop line, as the three horns are locked in with great invention and energy. The barren Minnesota flatlands that inspired "Mesabi Chant" are hardly represented by an arid feeling, but instead are enabled by the desolation to create a complicated construct via a 34-bar (not 32-bar) chorus, an aspect that identifies Golson's emerging ideas as a unique jazz composer. The best and most unusual track of the bunch is "Hasaan's Dream," where the expressive flute playing of Gryce and tacit piano give an open-ended Arabic or Asiatic feel to the piece, as underscored trumpet and tenor preclude the held tension of Chambers, leading to a most lovely, easily rendered bop. There's an immortal version of "I Remember Clifford" as well, with Morgan pouring his heart out, while the horns act as musical pallbearers for the late Clifford Brown, who died less than a year prior. This is one of the earliest, and best, recorded versions of this Golson-penned tribute to Brownie. A composed (in more than one way) and relaxed session for this stellar small ensemble, it also brings forth the intelligence and street smarts of all the players, one of the best recordings in Lee Morgan's early career and well worth a hearty recommendation to all. Michael G. Nastos 

Tracklist :
1. Hasaan's Dream
Benny Golson
2. Domingo
Benny Golson
3. I Remember Clifford
Benny Golson
4. Mesabi Chant
Benny Golson
5. Tip-Toeing
Benny Golson
– BONUS TRACKS –
6. Top-Toeing (alternate take)
Benny Golson
Personnel:
Lee Morgan (Trumpet),
Gigi Gryce (Alto Saxophone),
Benny Golson (Tenor Saxophone),
Wynton Kelly (Piano),
Paul Chambers (Bass),
Charlie Persip (Drums).

THELONIOUS MONK WITH JOHN COLTRANE — The Complete 1957 Riverside Recordings (2006) 2CD | APE (image+.cue), lossless

Hardcore jazzheads with no doubt be delighted with this double-disc set that includes all the recordings Thelonious Monk and John Coltrane did together in 1957 for Riverside. Never mind that the vast majority of this material has been issued several times. There are two cuts that have never appeared before: an alternate of "Crepuscule with Nellie" from the septet sessions for Monk's Music on June 25 and 26 ( with Gigi Gryce, Coleman Hawkins, bassist Wilbur Ware, and drummer Shadow Wilson), and an alternate of "Abide with Me" with just Trane, Hawkins, and Gryce. There are also two tracks -- one of them a false start with Ware and Coltrane -- of "Monk's Mood," recorded on April 12 for inclusion on the otherwise solo Thelonious Himself album. The remaining three cuts with Ware, Wilson, and Coltrane were taken form the At the Five Spot live recording. Orrin Keepnews compiled this collection and wrote a wonderful and insightful essay about recording this music. It was all arranged chronologically, meaning there are no less than five takes in total of "Crepuscule with Nellie" taking up the vast majority of disc one. For those who have to have absolutely everything.
-> This comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our blog 'O Púbis da Rosa' <-
Tracklist 1 :
1    Monk's Mood [False Start] 0:55  
Thelonious Monk
2    Monk's Mood 7:52
Thelonious Monk
3    Crepuscule with Nellie [Take 1] 4:35
Thelonious Monk
4    Crepuscule with Nellie [Take 2] 4:43  
Thelonious Monk
5    Crepuscule with Nellie [Breakdown] 0:55  
Thelonious Monk
6    Blues for Tomorrow [first stereo release] 13:34 
Gigi Gryce
7    Crepuscule with Nellie [Takes 4 & 5] 4:47 
Thelonious Monk
8    Crepuscle with Nellie 4:39  
Thelonious Monk
9    Off Minor [Take 4] 5:16 
Thelonious Monk
10    Off Minor [Take 5] 5:10  
Thelonious Monk
Tracklist 2 :
1    Abide with Me [Take 1] 0:54 
Thelonious Monk / William Henry Monk
2    Abide with Me 0:55  
Thelonious Monk / William Henry Monk
3    Epistrophy [Alternate take] 3:09  
Kenny Clarke / Thelonious Monk
4    Epistrophy 10:47  
Kenny Clarke / Thelonious Monk
5    Well You Needn't [Opening] 1:26   
Thelonious Monk
6    Well You Needn't 11:24     
Thelonious Monk
7    Ruby, My Dear 5:26  
Thelonious Monk
8    Ruby, My Dear [with John Coltrane] 6:21
Thelonious Monk
9    Nutty 6:38  
Thelonious Monk
10    Trinkle, Tinkle  6:42
Thelonious Monk
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Gigi Gryce (tracks: 1-3 to 2-7)
Double Bass – Wilbur Ware (tracks: 1-1 to 1-10, 2-3 to 2-10)
Drums – Art Blakey (tracks: 1-3 to 1-10, 2-3 to 2-7), Shadow Wilson (tracks: 2-8 to 2-10)
Piano – Thelonious Monk
Producer, Compiled By – Orrin Keepnews
Tenor Saxophone – Coleman Hawkins (tracks: 1-3 to 2-7), John Coltrane
Trumpet – Ray Copeland (tracks: 1-3 to 2-7)
Written-By – Thelonious Monk (tracks: 1-1 to 1-5, 1-7 to 1-10, 2-3 to 2-10)
Note:
Tracks 1-1 and 1-2 recorded April 12 1957 (Trio)
Tracks 1-3 to 1-6 recorded June 25th 1957 (Septet)
Tracks 1-7 to 2-7 recorded June 26th 1957 (Septet)
Tracks 2-8 to 2-10 recorded July 1957 (Quartet)

THE GIGI GRYCE-DONALD BYRD JAZZ LABORATORY & THE CECIL TAYLOR QUARTET – At Newport (1957-2002) RM | Serie : LP Reproduction | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

At Newport is the 1957 album by two groups: The Gigi Gryce, Donald Byrd Jazz Laboratory & The Cecil Taylor Quartet. Each group has three songs each. Originally released on Verve, this was released by Verve Music Group on 20 August, 2002.

At first combining a set by Cecil Taylor with another by the Gigi Gryce-Donald Byrd Jazz Laboratory seems like an odd pairing, but it ends up working rather well. These live recordings, which come from the 1957 Newport Jazz Festival, have stood the test of time rather well. Taylor's style of piano playing is not that far removed from Thelonious Monk in his interpretation of Billy Strayhorn's "Johnny Come Lately," though his dissonant, angular approach is a bit busier; Steve Lacy's nasal-toned soprano sax and solid rhythmic support from bassist Buell Neidlinger and drummer Denis Charles fuel Taylor's fiery playing. Both Taylor's "Nona's Blues" and "Tune 2" are fairly accessible in comparison to his works in the decade which followed. The Gigi Gryce-Donald Byrd Jazz Laboratory – with pianist Hank Jones, bassist Wendell Marshall, and drummer Osie Johnson – is firmly rooted in hard bop. Oddly enough, none of the three pieces were written by either Gryce or Byrd, though they were both already budding composers at this point in their respective careers. But their brief program – which includes Ray Bryant's "Splittin' (Ray's Way)," the blues "Batland," and a rousing rendition of "Love for Sale" – is a good representation of this unfortunately short-lived and under-recorded group. Reissued as a part of Verve's limited-edition series in the summer of 2002, this valuable CD will be available until the summer of 2005. Ken Dryden

Cecil Taylor Quartet

1. Johnny Come Lately

2. Nona's Blues

3. Tune 2

The Gigi Gryce-Donald Byrd Jazz Laboratory

4. Splittin'

5. Batland

6. Love For Sale

Cecil Taylor Quartet

Cecil Taylor-piano

Steve Lacy-soprano saxophone

Buell Neidlinger-bass

Denis Charles-drums

The Gigi Gryce-Donald Byrd Jazz Laboratory

Gigi Gryce-alto saxophone

Donald Byrd-trumpet

Hank Jones-piano

Wendell Marshall-bass

Osie Johnson-drums

Recorded live at the Newport Jazz Festival, Newport, Rhode Island in July 1957