RAY BROWN — Bass Hit! (1958-1998) RM | Serie Verve Elite Edition | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Ray Brown's earliest date as a leader features him prominently in the solo spotlight with arrangements by Marty Paich. They collaborated on a swinging original blues, "Blues for Sylvia," and the snappy "Blues for Lorraine." The rest of the release concentrates on familiar standards, with the addition to the reissue of several complete and incomplete takes of "After You've Gone," which didn't appear on the original release. The supporting cast includes the cream of the crop of musicians living on the West Coast at the time: Jimmy Rowles, Harry "Sweets" Edison, and Jimmy Giuffre among them. Out-of-print for a long time, this record was reissued in 1999, though as a limited-edition title in the Verve Elite series, so it will not remain available for long. Ken Dryden
Tracklist & Credits :

ART PEPPER — Art Pepper + Eleven (1959-1986) APE (image+.cue), lossless

This is a true classic. Altoist Art Pepper is joined by an 11-piece band playing Marty Paich arrangements of a dozen jazz standards from the bop and cool jazz era. Trumpeter Jack Sheldon has a few solos, but the focus is very much on the altoist who is in peak form for this period. Throughout, Pepper sounds quite inspired by Paich's charts which feature the band as an active part of the music rather than just in the background. Highlights of this highly enjoyable set include "Move," "Four Brothers," "Shaw Nuff," "Anthropology," and "Donna Lee," but there is not a single throwaway track to be heard. Essential music for all serious jazz collections. [Some reissues add two additional versions of "Walkin'" and one of "Donna Lee" to the original program.] 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 :

BENNY CARTER ALL-STAR ENSEMBLE - Over the Rainbow (1989) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Benny Carter has recorded so frequently since the mid-'70s that it must be a constant challenge to come up with new settings for his alto. This particular Music Masters CD finds Carter taking his place in a saxophone section with fellow altoist Herb Geller, the tenors of Jimmy Heath and Frank Wess and baritonist Joe Temperley. The program is split evenly between standards and Carter compositions with the altoist also writing all of the colorful arrangements. This swinging and tasteful Benny Carter recording is a credit to his superb series of Music Masters dates. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     Over the Rainbow 8:20
Harold Arlen / E.Y. "Yip" Harburg
2     Out of Nowhere 5:39
Johnny Green / Edward Heyman
3     Straight Talk 9:24
Benny Carter    
4     The Gal from Atlanta 7:39
Benny Carter    
5     The Pawnbroker 5:18
Quincy Jones
6     Easy Money 11:10
Benny Carter
7     Ain't Misbehavin' 9:04
Harry Brooks / Andy Razaf / Fats Waller
8     Blues for Lucky Lovers 5:38
Benny Carter
Credits :    
Alto Saxophone – Herb Geller
Alto Saxophone, Arranged By – Benny Carter
Baritone Saxophone – Joe Temperley
Bass – Milt Hinton
Drums – Ronnie Bedford
Piano – Richard Wyands
Tenor Saxophone – Frank Wess, Jimmy Heath

GALE ROBBINS - I'm a Dreamer (1958-2001) Mp3

Sometimes the most refreshing updates of familiar standards come from the most unexpected sources, and that's certainly the case with I'm a Dreamer. Although Gale Robbins never earned the fame or renown awarded other pinups of the late 1950s, this pairing with the Eddie Cano Orchestra is an absolute delight. Though by no means a powerhouse vocalist, Robbins knows her way around a melody, and her torchy, after-hours approach lends new maturity and sophistication to familiar fare like "Them There Eyes," "They Can't Take That Away from Me," and "Ain't Misbehavin'." But the real star of the session is Cano, whose vivid arrangements frame the songs from appealing and unique perspectives. The record glows with energy and warmth.  by Jason Ankeny
Tracklist
1.  What Is This Thing Called Love
2.  Them There Eyes
3.  How Deep Is The Ocean
4.  Ain't Nothin' Wrong With That Baby
5.  Golden Earings
6.  The Nearness Of You
7.  They Can't Take That Away From Me
8.  Here I Go
9.  I'm A Dreamer, Aren't We All
10. Best Of All
11. Music, Maestro, Please
12. Ain't Misbehavin'
Recorded in Hollywood, 1957
Featuring: Eddie Cano and His Orchestra: Jimmy Salko (tp), Tony Terran (tp), John Audino (tp), Milt Bernhardt (tb), Francis Howard (tb), Lloyd Ulyate (tb), Herb Geller (as), Med Flory (as), Bob Cooper (ts), Dave Pell (ts), Marty Berman (bs), Lou Levy (p), Tommy Tede

JERI SOUTHERN - Southern Breeze (1958-1989) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

One mark of a great jazz vocalist is the material she picks. Jeri Southern was one of the great students of jazz-era song, and the material she chose for Southern Breeze is strong in two ways -- they're not only great songs, but they're great for her. Never blessed with a strong voice, Southern instead realized the artistic advantages those qualities brought, and often chose torch songs or unlucky-in-love songs that accentuated her seeming weaknesses and everywoman qualities. With charts from arranger genius Marty Paich, Southern opens on a high note, the glib "Down with Love." Yet to come are happy yet forlorn choices "Who Wants to Fall in Love" and "Because He Reminds Me of You" -- Southern even finds the catch in "Crazy He Calls Me." And in true West Coast fashion, the music features brass that swings lightly and a dynamic range that frequently plumbs the depths (including tuba and baritone sax), all possible thanks to Paich's charts and able musicians including Georgie Auld, Don Fagerquist, and Bob Enevoldsen. Upbeat standards get their chance to shine as well -- "Ridin' High," "I Like the Likes of You" -- but most of Southern Breeze is gloriously melancholy. by John Bush
Tracklist :
1    Down with Love 3:14
Harold Arlen / E.Y. "Yip" Harburg
2    Crazy He Calls Me 3:49
Bob Russell / Carl Sigman
3    Lazy Bones 3:07
Hoagy Carmichael / Johnny Mercer
4    Who Wants to Fall in Love 3:17
Bart Howard
5    Then I'll Be Tired of You 3:50
E.Y. "Yip" Harburg / Arthur Schwartz
6    Ridin' High 2:24
Cole Porter
7    Because He Reminds Me of You 3:16
Mack Gordon / Harry Revel
8    Porgy 3:37
Dorothy Fields / Jimmy McHugh
9    Are These Really Mine 3:43
Robert Cook / David Saxon / Sunny Skylar
10    Isn't This a Lovely Day 3:01
Irving Berlin
11    Warm Kiss 2:58
Doris Fisher
12    I Like the Likes of You 2:55
Vernon Duke / E.Y. "Yip" Harburg
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Herb Geller
Arranged By, Conductor – Marty Paich
Baritone Saxophone – Jack Dulong
Bass – Bud Clark
Drums – Mel Lewis
French Horn – Vince De Rosa
Guitar – Bill Pittman
Tenor Saxophone – Georgie Auld
Trumpet – Don Fagerquist, Frank Beach
Tuba – John Kitzmiller
Valve Trombone – Bob Enevoldsen
Vocals – Jeri Southern