LENNIE TRISTANO - Trio, Quartet, Quintet & Sextet : 1946-1949 (1996) APE (tracks+.cue), lossless

Giants of Jazz presents an exciting tour of Lennie Tristano's three-, four-, five- and six-piece ensemble recordings dating from the mid- to late 1940s. True to the unspoken policy of this label, the material is chronologically scrambled in an apparent attempt to avoid replicating other, tidier Tristano reissues. Six titles were harvested from Tristano's two groundbreaking Keynote sessions of 1946 and 1947; these were trio affairs involving guitarist Billy Bauer and bassists Bob Leininger or Clyde Lombardi. A lesser-known trio session from December 1947 resulted in "Parallel," "Abstraction" "Freedom" and "Dissonance," which were originally released on the Baronet record label. Regarding the quartets: saxophonist John LaPorta recorded "New Sound" with Tristano, Bauer and bassist Arnold Fishkin on the last day of 1947 (this was also issued on Baronet) and the rhythm section from this date reconvened in March 1949 with drummer Harold Granowsky to record "Yesterdays," which was issued by Capitol. A superb session for Prestige New Jazz took place on November 11, 1949, with Tristano, Bauer and Fishkin forming a marvelous quintet with saxophonist Lee Konitz and drummer Shelly Manne. The titles from this date are "Progression," "Retrospection," "Subconscious-Lee" and "Judy." As for the sextets: three choice cuts from a May 1949 Capitol session ("Intuition," "Digression" and Bauer's "Marionette") find the pianist surrounded by saxophonists Warne Marsh and Lee Konitz, Bauer, Fishkin and drummer Denzil Best. This dazzling package closes with a live rendition of "You Go to My Head" culled from a Voice of America radio broadcast from Carnegie Hall on December 24, 1949, with Konitz, Marsh, Bauer, bassist Joe Shulman and drummer Jeff Morton. Altogether an excellent sampler of early modern jazz that is creative, inspired, accessible and very enjoyable. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist :
1     Intuition 2:27
Lennie Tristano
2     Digression 3:04
Lennie Tristano
3     Marionette 3:06
Billy Bauer
4     Yesterday 2:47
Lennie Tristano
5     Crosscurrent 2:50
Lennie Tristano
6     Interlude 3:06
Dizzy Gillespie / Frank Paparelli
7     Freedom 3:36
Lennie Tristano
8     Atonement 2:28
Lennie Tristano
9     Coolin' off with Ulanov 2:49
Lennie Tristano
10     I Can't Get Started 2:56
Vernon Duke / Ira Gershwin
11     Out on a Limb 2:40
Lennie Tristano
12     I Surrender, Dear 3:06
Harry Barris / Gordon Clifford
13     Progression 2:44
Lee Konitz
14     Retrospection 3:08
Lennie Tristano
15     Subconscious-Lee 2:48
Lee Konitz
16     Judy 2:53
Lennie Tristano
17     Parallel 2:28
Lennie Tristano
18     Abstraction 2:38
Lennie Tristano
19     Dissonance 2:38
Lennie Tristano
20     New Sound 2:16
Lennie Tristano
21     You Go to My Head 4:31
J. Fred Coots / Haven Gillespie
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Lee Konitz (tracks: 1 to 3, 5, 13 to 16, 21)
Bass – Arnold Fishkin (tracks: 1 to 5, 7, 13 to 20), Bob Leininger (tracks: 8, 9), Clyde Lombardi (tracks: 6, 10 to 12), Joe Shulman (tracks: 21)
Clarinet – John LaPorta (tracks: 20)
Drums – Denzil Best (tracks: 1 to 3), Harold Granowsky (tracks: 4, 5), Jeff Morton (tracks: 21), Shelly Manne (tracks: 13, 15)
Guitar – Billy Bauer
Piano – Lennie Tristano
Tenor Saxophone – Warne Marsh (tracks: 1 to 3, 5, 21)

LENNIE TRISTANO and WARNE MARSH - Intuition (1996) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

 This CD brings back a formerly rare set by Warne Marsh, plus seven classic performances that serve as the high point of Lennie Tristano's career. Oddly enough, the Tristano date is programmed second. First is a full-length album which matches Warne Marsh with the cooler but complementary tone of fellow tenor Ted Brown (plus pianist Ronnie Ball, bassist George Tucker, and drummer Jeff Morton). The original eight selections are joined by four alternate takes recorded in mono. Marsh and Brown blend together well, Ball has several creative solos, and most of the "originals" are based closely on familiar standards. However, the main reason to acquire this CD is for the seven remarkable Tristano tracks which feature his finest group (consisting of the pianist/leader, altoist Lee Konitz, Marsh on tenor, guitarist Billy Bauer, bassist Arnold Fishkin, and either Harold Granowsky or Denzil Best on drums). Tristano's music was unique and even more advanced than most bop of the late '40s. While he confined the rhythm section to very quiet timekeeping, the vibrato-less horns and Tristano himself played very long melodic lines, constantly improvising. The stunning unisons performed by Konitz and Marsh (particularly on "Wow") still sound remarkable today, as does the interplay of the two horns on "Sax of a Kind." "Intuition" and "Digression" were the first recorded free improvisations in jazz, but are quite coherent due to the musicians' familiarity with each other. Due to the Lennie Tristano performances, this CD reissue (which has over 75 minutes of music) is essential for all jazz collections. Scott Yanow  
Tracklist :
1    Warne Marsh–    Smog Eyes 3:32
Written-By – Ted Brown
2    Warne Marsh–    Ear Conditioning 5:13
Written-By – Ronnie Ball
3    Warne Marsh–    Lover Man 4:28
Written-By – Davis, Sherman, Ramirez
4    Warne Marsh–    Quintessence 4:14
Written-By – Ronnie Ball
5    Warne Marsh–    Jazz Of Two Cities 4:32
Written-By – Ted Brown
6    Warne Marsh–    Dixie's Dilemma 4:20
Written-By – Warne Marsh
7    Warne Marsh–    Tschaikovsky's Opus #42, Third Movement 3:59
Traditional
8    Warne Marsh–    I Never Knew 5:00
Written-By – G. Khan, T. FioRita
9    Warne Marsh–    Ear Conditioning (Mono Master) 5:14
Written-By – Ronnie Ball
10    Warne Marsh–    Lover Man (Mono Master) 4:29
Written-By – Davis, Sherman, Ramirez
11    Warne Marsh–    Jazz Of Two Cities (Mono Take) 4:39
Written-By – Ted Brown
12    Warne Marsh–    I Never Knew (Mono Take) 5:09
Written-By – Kahn, T. FioRita
13    Lennie Tristano–    Wow 3:19
Written-By – Lennie Tristano
14    Lennie Tristano–    Crosscurrent 2:48
Written-By – Lennie Tristano
15    Lennie Tristano–    Yesterdays 2:45
Written-By – Lennie Tristano
16    Lennie Tristano–    Marionette 3:04
Written-By – Billy Bauer
17    Lennie Tristano–    Sax Of A Kind 2:59
Written-By – L. Tristano, W. Marsh
18    Lennie Tristano–    Intuition 2:27
Written-By – Lennie Tristano
19    Lennie Tristano–    Digression 3:04
Written-By – Lennie Tristano     
Credits :
1-12
Bass – Ben Tucker
Drums – Jeff Morton
Piano – Ronnie Ball
Tenor Saxophone – Warne Marsh
13-19
Alto Saxophone – Lee Konitz
Bass – Arnold Fishkin
Drums – Denzil Best (tracks: 16 to 19), Harold Granowsky (tracks: 13, 14),
Guitar – Billy Bauer
Piano – Lennie Tristano
Notas.
Tracks 1 to 8 are stereo, all other selections are mono.
The Warne Marsh album that begins this CD was issued in mono as "Jazz Of Two Cities" (Imperial LP 9027) and in stereo as "Winds Of Marsh" (Imperial LP 12013). The mono and stereo takes of "Jazz Of Two Cities" and "I Never Knew" are completely different. The second saxophone solo on "Ear Conditioning" and the piano solo on "Lover Man" differ on the stereo and mono masters. Both versions of these four tunes are therefore included here.
Tracks 1 to 4, 9 & 10 recorded on October 3, 1956 at Radio Recorders in Los Angeles.
Tracks 5 to 8, 11 & 12 recorded on October 11, 1956 at Radio Recorders in Los Angeles.
Tracks 13 & 14 recorded on March 4, 1949 in New York.
Tracks 15 recorded on March 14, 1949 in New York.
Tracks 16 to 19 recorded on May 16, 1949 in New York.

LENNIE TRISTANO QUARTET - Live At The Confucius Restaurant 1955 (2007) 2CD | Unofficial Release | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist 1 :
1    Sweet And Lovely 5:28
Written-By – Arnheim, Tobias, Lemare
2    Background Music 6:03
Written-By – Warne Marsh
3    If I Had You 6:31
Written By – Campbell
Written-By – Connelly, Shapiro
4    317 E 32nd 7:01
Written-By – Lennie Tristano
5    These Foolish Things 5:42
Written-By – Link, Marvell, Strachey
6    'S Wonderful 5:02
Written-By – George & Ira Gershwin
7    You Go To My Head 5:28
Written-By – Gillespie, Coots
8    All The Things You Are 6:17
Written-By – Kern, Hammerstein
9    Lennie-Bird 6:09
Written-By – Lennie Tristano
10    My Melancholy Baby 8:10
Written-By – Burnett, Norton
Tracklist 2 :
1    April 8:14
Written-By – Lennie Tristano
2    Pennies In Minor 6:17
Written-By – Lennie Tristano
3    Mean To Me 7:42
Written-By – Ahlert, Turk
4    Confucius Blues 6:44
Written-By – Lennie Tristano
5    A Ghost Of A Chance 6:08
Written-By – Crosby, Washington, Young
6    Whispering 4:17
Written-By – Schonberger, Coburn, Rose
7    There Will Never Be Another You 7:34
Written-By – Warren, Gordon
8    Donna Lee 6:35
Written-By – Charlie Parker
9    East Thirty Second 4:32
Written-By – Lennie Tristano
10    Line Up 3:33
Written-By – Lennie Tristano
11    Turkish Mambo 3:40
Written-By – Lennie Tristano
12    Requiem 4:53
Written-By – Lennie Tristano
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Lee Konitz
Bass – Gene Ramey, Peter Ind (tracks: 2-9 to 2-12)
Drums – Art Taylor, Jeff Morton (tracks: 2-9 to 2-12)
Piano – Lennie Tristano
Notas.
Recorded live at the Sing Song Room, Confucius Restaurant, New York City, June 11, 1955.
2-9 to 2-12 recorded at Tristano's home studio, New York City, 1954-55.
Tracks 2-9 to 2-12 previously unissued.

LENNIE TRISTANO - Lennie Tristano Personal Recordings 1946-1970 (2021) 6CD| BOX-SET | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Dot Time Records and Mosaic Records, in partnership for the first time, are thrilled to announce the release of Lennie Tristano Personal Recordings 1946 – 1970. This 6-CD set chronicles over twenty years of stunning creative output from jazz luminary Lennie Tristano offering listeners the most comprehensive portrait of Tristano’s musical genius available.
Tracklist :
CD1    Trio With Billy Bauer - Live Performances (0:59:31)
CD2    Solo Piano (0:56:08)
CD3    Sextet - Live Performances (0:56:13)
CD4    Trio Sessions (1:03:34)
CD5    Duos And Trios With Sonny Dallas (0:57:49)
CD6    1948 Free Session + Live At The Half Note (1:01:43)
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Lee Konitz (tracks: 3-1 to 3-8, 6-1 to 6-7, 6-14)
Bass – Arnold Fishkin (tracks: 1-15, 3-1 to 3-6), Joe Shulman (tracks: 3-7, 3-8), Peter Ind (tracks: 4-1 to 4-11), Sonny Dallas (tracks: 5-1 to 5-8, 6-8 to 6-14)
Drums – Al Levitt (tracks: 4-8 to 4-11), Jeff Morton (tracks: 3-1 to 3-8), Nick Stabulas (tracks: 5-7, 5-8, 6-8 to 6-14), Tom Wayburn (tracks: 4-1 to 4-7)
Guitar – Billy Bauer (tracks: 1-1 to 1-5, 1-7 to 1-15, 3-1 to 3-8, 6-1 to 6-7, 6-14)
Piano – Lennie Tristano
Tenor Saxophone – Warne Marsh (tracks: 3-1 to 3-8, 6-1 to 6-7), Zoot Sims (tracks: 6-14)

LENNIE TRISTANO QUINTET - Live at Birdland 1949 (1979-1990) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The name Lennie Tristano was conspicuously absent from Ken Burns' monolithic jazz documentary. That's no small omission; Tristano's group, which included the saxophonists Warne Marsh and Lee Konitz (also ignored by Burns) was the first to record what later came to be known as free jazz -- music improvised without pre-ordained melodies, harmonies, or meter. Needless to say, that wasn't mentioned by Burns, either. Tristano did it in 1949, the year this record was recorded, with what is essentially the same band (Konitz is absent here, though he was a regular member of Tristano's group at the time). This record gives no direct evidence of the band's free jazz experiments -- although Tristano is given composer's credit on all cuts, the disc is comprised mostly of standard harmonic frameworks played without reference to theme. However, it does reflect the band's prevailing emphasis on unfettered linear improvisation. The quintet tracks here were recorded by the group's bassist, Arnold Fishkin, during performances at the old Birdland in New York. The solo piano cuts were recorded in Chicago, four years earlier. The sound's rough, but not unlistenable, especially given the historical implication of the music. Listening to this is like being a fly on the wall of the world's most famous jazz club, witnessing history in the making. It really can't be said that Tristano's piano style was cut from whole cloth -- there's too much of a Bud Powell influence -- but there have been few musicians on any instrument who played with more spontaneous melodic invention. Two others who did were Marsh and guitarist Billy Bauer, also present here; this band placed great importance of creating "in the moment," and listening to this music made over 50 years ago reminds listeners of the value in such an approach. Little jazz being made at the turn of the millennium rivals this set in terms of raw creativity. Popular misconceptions aside, this is an important document. Chris Kelsey  
Tracklist :
1    Lennie Tristano Quintet– Remember    7:40
2    Lennie Tristano Quintet– Pennies    5:45
3    Lennie Tristano Quintet– Foolish Things    4:06
4    Lennie Tristano Quintet– Indiana    5:42
5    Lennie Tristano Quintet– I'm No Good Without You    4:19
6    Lennie Tristano– Glad I Am    2:57
7    Lennie Tristano– This Is Called Love    2:42
8    Lennie Tristano– Blame Me    2:42
9    Lennie Tristano– I Found My Baby    2:42
Credits :
Lennie Tristano Quintet
Bass, Recorded By – Arnold Fishkin
Drums – Jeff Morton
Guitar – Billy Bauer
Tenor Saxophone – Warne Marsh
Piano, Composed By – Lennie Tristano

LENNIE TRISTANO - Lennie Tristano (1956-1998) Atlantic Original Sound | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Lennie Tristano's Atlantic debut was a controversial album at the time of its release. Though Tristano was regarded as a stellar and innovative bebop pianist, he had been absent from recording for six years and had founded a jazz school where he focused instead on teaching. The first four tunes on this set shocked the jazz world at the time of their release (though not critic Barry Ulanov, who was Tristano's greatest champion and wrote the liner notes for the set). The reason was that on those four original tunes -- "Line Up," "Requiem," "Turkish Mambo," and "East Thirty-Second" -- Tristano actually overdubbed piano lines, and sped the tape up and down for effect. While the effect is quite listenable and only jarring in the most splendid sense of the word -- because of the sharp, angular arpeggios and the knotty, involved method of improvising that came directly by improvising against the rhythm section of drummer Jeff Morton and bassist Peter Ind -- it was literally unheard of at the time. The last five tunes on the disc were recorded live with a rhythm section of bassist Gene Ramey and drummer Art Taylor. Lee Konitz plays alto as well. The tunes are all standards, including "These Foolish Things," "Ghost of a Chance," and "All the Things You Are." The performance is flawless, with beautiful interplay between Lee and Lennie and stellar harmonic ideas coming down from the bandstand in a fluid relaxed manner. This is a gorgeous album with a beautiful juxtaposition between its first and second halves, with the rhythmic and intervallic genius of Tristano as an improviser on full display during the first half and the pianist as a supreme lyrical and swinging harmonist during the back half.
-> This comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our blog 'O Púbis da Rosa' <-
Tracklist :
1     Line Up 3:34
Lennie Tristano
2     Requiem 4:54
Lennie Tristano
3     Turkish Mambo 3:36
Lennie Tristano
4     East Thirty-Second 4:33
Lennie Tristano
5     These Foolish Things 5:45
Harry Link / Holt Marvell / Jack Strachey
6     You Go to My Head 5:20
J. Fred Coots
7     If I Had You 6:28
Jimmy Campbell / Reginald Connelly / Ted Shapiro
8     Ghost of a Chance 6:04
Bing Crosby / Ned Washington / Victor Young
9     All the Things You Are 6:11
Oscar Hammerstein II / Jerome Kern
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Lee Konitz (tracks: 2, 3, 5 to 9)
Bass – Gene Ramey (tracks: 2, 3, 5 to 9), Peter Ind (tracks: 1, 4)
Drums – Art Taylor (tracks: 2, 3, 5 to 9), Jeff Morton (tracks: 1, 4)
Piano – Lennie Tristano