PAUL BLEY — Plays Carla Bley (1991) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Most of Carla Bley's earliest compositions were first recorded by her then-husband, pianist Paul Bley, during the first half of the 1960s. For this 1991 trio date with bassist Marc Johnson and drummer Jeff Williams, Bley revisits ten of his former wife's songs, most of which date from the early era. While "Ida Lupino" has been explored in more definitive fashion by Bley elsewhere, his versions of such songs as "Vashkar," "Seven," "Turns" and "Ictus" work quite well. The music falls somewhere between advanced bop and the avant-garde, often swinging but with surprising turns and twists and often-unusual chord sequences. An intriguing set. Scott Yanow    Tracklist & Credits :

LEE KONITZ | PEGGY STERN - Lunasea (1992) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Altoist Lee Konitz certainly covers a lot of ground on this Soul Note CD. Performing with his recent discovery Peggy Stern on piano, guitarist Vic Juris, bassist Harvie Swartz, drummer Jeff Williams and percussionist Guilherme Franco, Konitz and his players perform everything from jams in the Lennie Tristano tradition and Brazilian pieces that are almost pop-oriented to free improvisations. Stern is quite impressive throughout the date. Classically trained, she proves from the start that she has a real talent at improvisation and is not afraid to take chances. Konitz sounds inspired by her presence and their interplay makes this an easily recommended set for adventurous listeners.  Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     Subconscious Lee, No. 2 7:10
Lee Konitz
2     Femaleon 4:06
Lee Konitz / Peggy Stern
3     Bossa Tia 5:49
Peggy Stern
4     The Final Blow 4:31
Lee Konitz / Peggy Stern
5     Lunasea 5:27
Peggy Stern
6     Matter of Opinion 4:26
Peggy Stern
7     The Aerie 5:46
Peggy Stern
8     Leeway 6:13
Peggy Stern
9     Stanbye 4:20
Peggy Stern
10     To Peggy 3:25
Vic Juris / Lee Konitz
11     Solo Too 1:40
Peggy Stern
12     Opertune 6:00
Peggy Stern
13     Djuo 4:17
Lee Konitz / Peggy Stern
14     S'gone 5:52
Peggy Stern
15     P.s. 1:27
Lee Konitz / Peggy Stern
Credits :
Alto Saxophone, Producer – Lee Konitz
Artwork [Cover Art] – Xerios
Bass – Harvie Schwarz
Drums – Jeff Williams
Guitar – Vic Juris
Painting [Cover] – Ann Kiehm
Percussion – Guilherme Franco
Piano, Producer – Peggy Stern

LEE KONITZ - Rhapsody (1995) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Lee Konitz's Evidence release has seven selections from the veteran altoist that utilize different all-star personnel. The performances all have a similar commitment to relaxed and melodic freedom, but some work better than others. "I Hear a Rhapsody" (featuring a haunting vocal by Helen Merrill) precedes a more abstract "Rhapsody" (titled "Lo-Ko-Mo-And Frizz") which has wandering interplay by Konitz (on alto, soprano, and tenor), Joe Lovano (switching between tenor, alto clarinet, and soprano), guitarist Bill Frisell, and drummer Paul Motian. Jay Clayton's beautiful voice and adventurous style is well displayed on "The Aerie," and baritone great Gerry Mulligan sounds reasonably comfortable on a free improvisation with Konitz and pianist Peggy Stern, but a fairly straightforward vocal by Judy Niemack on "All the Things You Are" is followed by an overlong (19-minute) exploration of the same chord changes (renamed "Exposition") by the quartet of Konitz, clarinetist Jimmy Giuffre, pianist Paul Bley, and bassist Gary Peacock; their different approaches never really mesh together, and this selection is a bit of a bore. The final performance, an extroverted duet by Konitz (on soprano) and flügelhornist Clark Terry (titled "Flyin': Mumbles and Jumbles") adds some badly needed humor to the set. While one can admire Lee Konitz for still challenging himself after all this time, some of the dryer material on the CD (especially the two quartet numbers) should have been performed again; maybe the next versions would have been more inspired. Scott Yanow  
Tracklist :
1     I Hear a Rhapsody 4:31
Jack Baker / George Fragos / Dick Gasparre
Alto Saxophone – Lee Konitz
Piano – Peggy Stern
Vocals – Helen Merrill
2     Lo-Ko-Mo-And Frizz 12:05
Bill Frisell / Lee Konitz / Joe Lovano / Paul Motian
Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Lee Konitz
Drums – Paul Motian
Guitar – Bill Frisell
Tenor Saxophone, Alto Clarinet, Soprano Saxophone – Joe Lovano
3     The Aerie 7:11
Peggy Stern
Alto Saxophone – Lee Konitz
Bass – Ben Allison
Drums – Jeff Williams
Piano – Peggy Stern
Vocals – Jay Clayton
4     Trio, No. 1 8:52
Lee Konitz / Gerry Mulligan / Peggy Stern
Baritone Saxophone – Gerry Mulligan
Piano – Peggy Stern
Soprano Saxophone – Lee Konitz
5     All the Things You Are 5:07
Oscar Hammerstein II / Jerome Kern
Guitar – Jean François Prins
Soprano Saxophone – Lee Konitz
Vocals – Judy Niemack
6     Exposition 19:00
Paul Bely / Paul Bley / Jimmy Giuffre / Lee Konitz / Gary Peacock
Bass – Gary Peacock
Clarinet – Jimmy Giuffre
Piano – Paul Bley
Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone – Lee Konitz
7     Flyin': Mumbles and Jumbles 5:55
Lee Konitz / Clark Terry
Flugelhorn, Scat – Clark Terry
Soprano Saxophone, Scat – Lee Konitz

LEE KONITZ - Lee Konitz Meets Don Friedman (1994) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Lee Konitz is one of a few alto saxophonists in jazz who avoided succumbing to copying Charlie Parker's approach, instead developing a dry, very lyrical style and an adventurous spirit in his musical instruments that rivals almost any other instrumentalist of his era. Matching him with the superb pianist Don Friedman was an inspired decision, as the two men soar in their musical explorations together, along with bassist Tsutomu Okada and drummer Jeff Williams. Their reworking of Dave Brubeck's "In Your Own Sweet Way" finds them moving further away from its famous theme (compared to its composer's performances) in a lengthy, but never dull interpretation. Konitz plays soprano sax on several tracks, including the drummer's driving "Huntington Street" and the leader's tricky "Lew 'N' Shu." Beautifully recorded in front of a respectful audience, this Japanese release is worth acquiring. Ken Dryden  
Tracklist :
1     Alone Together 11:53
Howard Dietz / Arthur Schwartz
2     In Your Own Sweet Way 10:11
Dave Brubeck
3     Huntington Street 7:45
Jeff Williams
4     Opus d'Amour 9:40
Don Friedman
5     It's You 7:52
Lee Konitz
6     My Old Flame 8:28
Sam Coslow / Arthur Johnston
7     Almost Everything 8:57
Don Friedman
8     Lew 'N' Shu 7:04
Lee Konitz
Credits :
Bass – Tsutomu Okada
Drums – Jeff Williams
Piano – Don Friedman
Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone – Lee Konitz

LEE KONITZ - Rhapsody II (1996) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This follow-up to Rhapsody is another eclectic mix, with 19 tracks featuring the veteran alto saxophonist in various small group settings. Baritone sax great Gerry Mulligan and the leader flesh out an inspired duet of "Lover Man" and pianist Peggy Stern joins them for the spacy, extemporaneous "Trio #2." The brilliant flugelhornist Clark Terry is only featured on three very brief improvisations based on "Indiana," which is wasting a great talent. Konitz switches to soprano sax for a moody version of "You Don't Know What Love Is" with vocalist Sheila Jordan and bassist Harvie Swartz. This is an interesting but not essential CD that falls short of its namesake predecessor and The Lee Konitz Duets (Original Jazz Classics). Ken Dryden
Tracklist :
1     Body and Soul 8:07
Frank Eyton / Johnny Green / Edward Heyman / Robert Sour
2     Short Cut, No. 2 1:10
Mark Feldman / Yuko Fujiyama / Lee Konitz
3     Another View 4:37
Lee Konitz / John Scofield
4     Lover Man 4:08
Jimmy Davis / Roger "Ram" Ramirez / Jimmy Sherman
5     Short Cut, No. 2 1:00
Mark Feldman / Yuko Fujiyama / Lee Konitz
6     Kary's Trance 5:46
Lee Konitz
7     Trio, No. 2 3:40
Lee Konitz / Gerry Mulligan / Peggy Stren
8     Indiana Jones, No. 1 0:58
Lee Konitz / Clark Terry
9     You Don't Know What Love Is 6:48
Gene DePaul / Don Raye
10     Variation, No. 1 2:09
Ben Allison / Lee Konitz / Peggy Stern / Jeff Williams
11     Variation, No. 2 5:45
Ben Allison / Lee Konitz / Peggy Stern / Jeff Williams
12     Some Blues 7:52
Lee Konitz / John Scofield
13     Short Cut, No. 3 1:16
Mark Feldman / Yuko Fujiyama / Lee Konitz
14     Indiana Jones, No. 2 1:29
Lee Konitz / Clark Terry
15     Round and Round and Round 3:32
Lee Konitz / Judy Niemack
16     Sittin' In 4:29
Lee Konitz / Kenny Werner / Frank Wunsch
17     Indiana Jones, No. 3 1:31
Lee Konitz / Clark Terry
18     Body and Soul/Finale 6:03
Frank Eyton / Johnny Green / Edward Heyman / Robert Sour
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Lee Konitz (pistas: 1 to 4, 6 to 8, 11, 12, 14, 15, 17, 18)
Baritone Saxophone – Gerry Mulligan (pistas: 4, 7)
Bass – Ben Allison (pistas: 6, 11), Harvie Swartz (pistas: 9)
Drums – Jeff Williams (pistas: 6, 11)
Flugelhorn – Clark Terry (pistas: 8, 14, 17)
Guitar – Jean François Prins (pistas: 15), John Scofield (pistas: 3, 12)
Harmonica – Toots Thielemans (pistas: 1, 18)
Piano – Frank Wunsch (pistas: 16), Kenny Werner (pistas: 1, 18), Peggy Stern (pistas: 6, 7, 10, 11), Yuko Fujiyama (pistas: 5, 13)
Soprano Saxophone – Lee Konitz (pistas: 5, 9, 13, 16)
Synthesizer – Kenny Werner (pistas: 1, 16, 18)
Tenor Saxophone – Lee Konitz (pistas: 11)
Violin – Mark Feldman (pistas: 2, 13)
Vocals [Vocal] – Judy Niemack (pistas: 15), Sheila Jordan (pistas: 9)
Notas.
Recorded June-September 1993 at The Studio, N.Y.C.

LEE KONITZ | TED BROWN - Dig-It (1999) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Tracklist :
1    Smog Eyes 8:28
Composed By – Ted Brown
2    Dig-It 8:03
Composed By – Ted Brown
3    317 E. 32nd Street 7:08
Composed By – Lennie Tristano
4    Dream Stepper    7:12
Composed By – Lee Konitz
5    Down The Drain    4:34
Composed By – Lee Konitz
6    Hi Beck    9:38
Composed By – Lee Konitz
7    Featherbed 9:04
Composed By – Ted Brown
8    Kary's Trance    6:43
Composed By – Lee Konitz
9    Subconscious Lee    11:29
Composed By – Lee Konitz
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Lee Konitz
Bass – Ron McClure
Drums – Jeff Williams
Tenor Saxophone – Ted Brown

LEE KONITZ | DAN TEPFER | MICHAEL JANISCH | JEFF WILLIAMS - First Meeting : Live in London, Vol. 1 (2014) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1     Billie's Bounce 9'20
Michael Janisch / Lee Konitz / Dan Tepfer / Jeff Williams
2     All the Things You Are 10'00
Michael Janisch / Lee Konitz / Jeff Williams
3     Stella By Starlight 9'57
Michael Janisch / Lee Konitz / Dan Tepfer / Jeff Williams
4    Giant Steps 11'37
Michael Janisch / Dan Tepfer / Jeff Williams
5     Body & Soul 5'03
Lee Konitz / Dan Tepfer
6     Alone Together 14'08
Michael Janisch / Lee Konitz / Dan Tepfer / Jeff Williams
7     Subconscious Lee 6'08
Michael Janisch / Lee Konitz / Dan Tepfer / Jeff Williams
8     Outro (Sweet & Lovely) 1'55
Lee Konitz / Jeff Williams
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Lee Konitz (pistas: 1, 3, 7, 8)
Double Bass – Michael Janisch
Drums – Jeff Williams
Piano – Dan Tepfer