HAROLD LAND — West Coast Blues! (1960-1996) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This reissue (which surprisingly has not yet come out in complete fashion on CD) was originally recorded for the Jazzland label. Tenor saxophonist Harold Land leads an all-star sextet that includes guitarist Wes Montgomery, trumpeter Joe Gordon, pianist Barry Harris, bassist Sam Jones and drummer Louis Hayes. Together, they perform three of Land's originals, "Don't Explain," and Charlie Parker's "Klactoveedsedstene," and an early version of Montgomery's "West Coast Blues." The music is as well-played and swinging as one would expect from this superior bop group. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1    Úrsula 7:05
Written-By – Harold Land
2    Klactoveedsedstene 6:01
Written-By – Charlie Parker
3    Don't Explain 9:56
Written-By – Herzog, Holiday
4    West Coast Blues 7:45
Written-By – Wes Montgomery
5    Terrain 4:52
Written-By – Land
6    Compulsion 6:47
Written-By – Land
Credits :
Bass – Sam Jones
Drums – Louis Hayes
Guitar – Wes Montgomery
Piano – Barry Harris
Tenor Saxophone – Harold Land
Trumpet – Joe Gordon

JON FADDIS — Legacy (1986) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

After too long a period in the studios, talented trumpeter Jon Faddis returned to jazz with this brilliant effort. Best known for his ability to closely emulate his idol, Dizzy Gillespie (far from an easy feat), Faddis pays tribute to Gillespie with "Night in Tunisia" and "Things to Come." However, he also does a close imitation of Roy Eldridge on "Little Jazz," pays homage to Louis Armstrong on "West End Blues," shows sensitivity on Thad Jones' "A Child Is Born," and performs three other numbers. With the assistance of tenor saxophonist Harold Land, pianist Kenny Barron, bassist Ray Brown, and drummer Mel Lewis, Jon Faddis is in superb form throughout this outstanding release, his definitive recording. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1    West End Blues 5:35
Written-By – Clarence Williams, Joe "King" Oliver
2    Little Jazz 5:37
Written-By – Roy Eldridge
3    Night In Tunisia 6:02
Written-By – Dizzy Gillespie, Frank Paparelli, Jon Hendricks
4    Instigator 4:44
Written-By – Jon Faddis
5    Things To Come 3:31
Written-By – Dizzy Gillespie, Gil Fuller
6    A Child Is Born 7:00
Written-By – Thad Jones
7    Li'l Darlin' 4:09
Written-By – Neal Hefti
8    Whisper Not 5:31
Written-By – Benny Golson, Leonard Feather
Credits
Bass – Ray Brown
Drums – Mel Lewis
Flugelhorn, Trumpet – Jon Faddis
Piano – Kenny Barron
Tenor Saxophone – Harold Land

RED GARLAND — Red Alert (1978-1991) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This is an interesting set, featuring pianist Red Garland with a sextet also including cornetist Nat Adderley, both Harold Land and Ira Sullivan on tenor, bassist Ron Carter and drummer Frank Butler. With one of the largest recording groups he ever led, Garland sounds fine, but the material (which includes "The Whiffenpoof Song," "Sweet Georgia Brown," "Stella By Starlight" and "It's Impossible") could certainly have been more inspired. Scott Yanow    Tracklist & Credits :

CLIFFORD BROWN – Brownie : The Complete EmArcy Recordings of Clifford Brown (1989) RM | 11xCD BOX-SET | MONO | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Although undoubtedly an expensive acquisition, this ten-CD set is perfectly done and contains dozens of gems. The remarkable but short-lived trumpeter Clifford Brown has the second half of his career fully documented (other than his final performance) and he is showcased in a wide variety of settings. The bulk of the numbers are of Brownie's quintet with co-leader and drummer Max Roach, either Harold Land or Sonny Rollins on tenor, pianist Richie Powell, and bassist George Morrow (including some previously unheard alternate takes), but there is also much more. Brown stars at several jam sessions (including a meeting with fellow trumpeters Clark Terry and Maynard Ferguson), accompanies such singers as Dinah Washington, Helen Merrill, and Sarah Vaughan, and is backed by strings on one date. Everything is here, including classic versions of "Parisian Thoroughfare," "Joy Spring," "Daahoud," "Coronado," a ridiculously fast "Move," "Portrait of Jenny," "Cherokee," "Sandu," "I'll Remember April," and "What Is This Thing Called Love?" Get this set while it stays in print. 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 AND MAX ROACH – Clifford Brown And Max Roach (1954-1986) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

According to the original 1955 liner notes to Clifford Brown & Max Roach, the announcement that Clifford Brown and Max Roach had begun recording and playing together sent shock waves throughout the jazz community and predictions ran rampant about how the two might shape bop to come. The last duo to really shape the music had begun over ten years earlier, with the relationship between Bird and Diz. This recording was early fruit from a tree that would only live as long as Clifford Brown was around to water it (1956, the year of his tragic auto accident). The result is by far some of the warmest and most sincere bebop performed and committed to tape. Brown's tone is undeniably and characteristically warm, and he keeps the heat on alongside Roach's lilting vamps and pummeling solos. What really keeps this record on the orange side of things (other than the decidedly orange cover) is the solo work of saxophonist Harold Land, who plays part Bird and part Benny Goodman. His tone is as delightful as it gets on the sultry "Deliah" and as bop-expressive as it gets on "The Blues Walk" and "Parisian Thoroughfare," where he and Brownie go head to head blowing expressive runs of sheer New York-style jazz. This collection of songs runs a nice gamut between boplicity and pleasant balladry. It represents bop at its best and is recommended for collectors and casual fans alike. Sam Samuelson   Tracklist + Credits :

CLIFFORD BROWN AND MAX ROACH – Study in Brown (1955-1985) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

 Study in Brown features the 1955 version of the Clifford Brown/Max Roach Quintet, a group also including tenor saxophonist Harold Land, pianist Richie Powell, and bassist George Morrow. One of the premiere early hard bop units, this band had unlimited potential. Highlights of this set are "Cherokee" (during which trumpeter Brown is brilliant), "Swingin'," and "Sandu." All of this group's recordings are well worth acquiring. Scott Yanow   Tracklist + Credits :

CURTIS COUNCE — You Get More Bounce With Curtis Counce! (1957-1988) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Although the title and even the cover photo have been changed, this CD reissue has the same music as was earlier issued as Counceltation; the "bonus cut" "Woody 'n You" has also been reissued on Sonority. In any case, the program features the underrated but talented Curtis Counce Quintet of 1956-1957, a group consisting of the bassist/leader, trumpeter Jack Sheldon, tenor saxophonist Harold Land, pianist Carl Perkins, and drummer Frank Butler. Counce contributed two originals but otherwise the band sticks to jazz standards, with some of the best moments being on "Too Close for Comfort," "Mean to Me," and Charlie Parker's "Big Foot." Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     Complete 5:51
Curtis Counce
2     How Deep Is the Ocean? 6:35
Irving Berlin
3     Too Close for Comfort 5:36
Jerry Bock / Larry Holofcener / George David Weiss
4     Mean to Me 4:31
Fred E. Ahlert
5     Stranger in Paradise 7:03
Alexander Borodin / George Forrest / Robert Wright
6     Counceltation 6:01
Curtis Counce     
7     Big Foot 9:02
Charlie Parker
8     Woody 'n You 6:14
Dizzy Gillespie
Credits :
Bass – Curtis Counce
Drums – Frank Butler
Piano – Carl Perkins
Tenor Saxophone – Harold Land
Trumpet – Jack Sheldon

HAMPTON HAWES – For Real! (1961-1992) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

 Although For Real! was at least Hampton Hawes' 11th record as a leader, it was his first (and one of his relatively few) that included a horn player. The pianist matches quite well with the hard bop tenor of Harold Land (heard in his early prime), and the quartet outing, which also includes drummer Frank Butler, has an extra bonus in the playing of the brilliant bassist Scott LaFaro. Performing three bop standards (including "Crazeology") and three originals (two of which were co-written by Land), pianist Hawes sounds inspired by the other players and is in top form throughout the generally memorable outing. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1 Hip 6:14
Written-By – Hampton Hawes
2 Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams 9:20
Written-By – Billy Moll, Harry Barris, Ted Koehler
3 Crazeology 6:40
Written-By – Bennie Harris
4 Numbers Game 8:04
Written-By – Hampton Hawes, Harold Land
5 For Real 11:21
Written-By – Hampton Hawes, Harold Land
6 I Love You 3:50
Written-By – Cole Porter
Credits
Bass – Scott La Faro
Drums – Frank Butler
Piano – Hampton Hawes
Tenor Saxophone – Harold Land