JOHN LEWIS - The Golden Striker (1960-2013) RM / Jazz Best Collection 1000 / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

 One of the less interesting John Lewis "third-stream" projects, this LP features Lewis' "Music for Brass." Six of his originals (four songs from his ballet "The Comedy," "Odds Against Tomorrow" and "The Golden Striker") plus four brief "Fanfares" are performed by four trumpets, two trombones, four French horns, a tuba and Lewis' trio. Although the pianist takes a few solos, the music is mostly written out and frankly rather dull. This set has been long out-of-print. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist:
1    Fanfare I    0:38
Composed By – John Lewis
2    Piazza Navona    6:28
Composed By – John Lewis
3    Odds Against Tomorrow    7:45 
Composed By – John Lewis
4    Fanfare Il    0:33
Composed By – John Lewis 
5    Pulcinella    4:15
Composed By – John Lewis
6    Fanfare Il    0:23
Composed By – John Lewis
7    The Golden Striker    4:55
Composed By – John Lewis
8    Piazza Di Spagna    4:33
Composed By – John Lewis
9    Fanfare I    0:38
Composed By – John Lewis
10    La Cantatrice    5:03
Composed By – John Lewis
Credits:
Bass – George Duvivier
Drums – Connie Kay
French Horn – Albert Richman, Gunther Schuller, John Barrows, Ray Alonge
Piano, Conductor, Composed By – John Lewis
Trombone – David Baker, Dick Hixson
Trumpet – Alan Kiger, Bernie Glow, Joe Wilder, Melvyn Broiles
Tuba – Harvey Phillips (tracks: 1, 2, 4 to 10), Jay McAllister (tracks: 3, 10)

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 LEWIS - John Lewis Presents : Jazz Abstractions (1961-2013) RM / Jazz Best Collection 1000 / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Although John Lewis is listed as the leader (this album's alternate title is "John Lewis Presents Contemporary Music"), the pianist does not actually appear on this record and only contributed one piece ("Django"). On what is very much a Gunther Schuller project, Schuller composed "Abstraction" and was responsible for the adventurous three-part "Variants on a Theme of John Lewis (Django)" and the four-part "Variants on a Theme of Thelonious Monk (Criss-Cross)"; Jim Hall contributed "Piece for Guitar & Strings." One of the most successful third stream efforts, this LP combines avant-garde jazz with aspects of classical music. Among the more notable stars, altoist Ornette Coleman is on "Abstraction" and "Criss Cross" (both of which have been reissued in his Rhino CD box) and multi-instrumentalist Eric Dolphy is on both of the "Variants." Other musicians in the eclectic cast include guitarist Hall, bassist Scott LaFaro, pianist Bill Evans, and several classical string players. This is very interesting music. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist:
1    Abstraction    4:06
Gunther Schuller
John Lewis ft. Gunther Schuller
2    Piece For Guitar & Strings    6:22
Jim Hall
John Lewis ft. Gunther Schuller
Variants On A Theme Of John Lewis (Django)    10:15
3    Variant I    5:27
4    Variant II    1:38
5    Variant III    3:10
Gunther Schuller
John Lewis ft. Gunther Schuller
Variants On A Theme Of Thelonious Monk (Criss-Cross)    15:23
6    Variant I    6:22
7    Variant II    1:49
8    Variant III    4:12
9    Variant IV    3:00
Gunther Schuller
John Lewis ft. Gunther Schuller
Credits:
Alto Saxophone – Ornette Coleman (tracks: 1, 6 to 9)
Alto Saxophone, Bass Clarinet, Flute – Eric Dolphy (tracks: 3 to 9)
Bass – Alvin Brehm (tracks: 1), George Duvivier (tracks: 3 to 9), Scott LaFaro
Cello – Joseph Tekula
Composed By – Gunther Schuller (tracks: 1, 3 to 9), Jim Hall (tracks: 2 )
Drums – Stick Evans (tracks: 1, 3 to 9)
Flute – Robert DiDomenica (tracks: 3 to 9)
Guitar – Jim Hall
Piano – Bill Evans (tracks: 3 to 9)
Vibraphone [Vibes] – Eddie Costa (tracks: 3 to 9)
Viola – Alfred Brown (tracks: 2), Harry Zaratzian
Violin – Charles Libove, Roland Vamos