ANDREW HILL — Grass Roots (1968-2014) RM | SHM-CD | Serie Blue Note Masterworks | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

As the '60s drew to a close, Blue Note spent less time than ever with adventurous music, since it didn't sell as well as soul-jazz or mainstream hard bop. So, it may seem a little strange that the label invited Andrew Hill back to record in 1968, two years after he last cut a session for the label. Hill's work for the label stands among the most challenging cerebral post-bop of the '60s, but there was another side of Hill that wasn't showcased on those records: He also had a knack for groove and melody, as indicated by his composition "The Rumproller," a hard-grooving hard-bop classic made famous by trumpeter Lee Morgan. That was the side that Blue Note wanted to showcase on Grass Roots. Hill and his band were working from the basic template of making a commercial hard-bop album, but nevertheless pushed themselves to challenging territory. Blue Note sat on the session however, and Hill went back to the studio four months later with a new group of musicians: trumpeter Lee Morgan, tenor saxophonist Booker Ervin, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Freddie Waits. This group was every bit as adventurous as the last, but they laid down a solid groove without compromising the music. The end result may not be as bracing as Hill's earlier works, but it's a pleasure to hear him in such a genial, welcoming mood. Furthermore, the record is hardly insubstantial musically -- the songs have strong melodies, even hooks, to bring casual listeners in, but they give the musicians the freedom to find a distinctive voice in their solos. It's the best of both worlds, actually -- accessible, just like Blue Note wanted, without compromising Hill's integrity. [Blue Note's 2000 CD reissue contains the entire first draft of the album as a bonus.] Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Tracklist :
1. Grass Roots 5:41
 Andrew Hill
2. Venture Inward 4:46
 Andrew Hill
3. Mira 6:20
 Andrew Hill
4. Soul Special 8:22
 Andrew Hill
5. Bayou Red 7:45
 Andrew Hill
- Bonus Tracks -
6. MC 9:11
 Andrew Hill
7. Venture Inward 4:34
 Andrew Hill
8. Soul Special 8:51
 Andrew Hill
9. Bayou Red 5:59
 Andrew Hill
Credits:
Bass – Reggie Workman (tracks: 6 to 10), Ron Carter (tracks: 1 to 5)
Drums – Freddie Waits (tracks: 1 to 5), Idris Muhammad (tracks: 6 to 10)
Guitar – Jimmy Ponder (tracks: 6, 8, 9)
Piano, Composed By – Andrew Hill
Recorded By – Rudy Van Gelder
Tenor Saxophone – Booker Ervin (tracks: 1 to 5), Frank Mitchell (tracks: 6 to 10)
Trumpet – Lee Morgan (tracks: 1 to 5), Woody Shaw (tracks: 6 to 10) 

LOU DONALDSON - Mr. Shing-A-Ling (1967-2006) RM | Blue Note 決定盤1500 - 282 | APE (image+.cue), lossless

Lou Donaldson does attempt to loosen up a bit with Mr. Shing-A-Ling, but the whole affair is a bit stilted and misconceived. Not quite the full-fledged electric funk workout that was becoming commonplace for old-guard soul-jazz musicians in the late '60s, but not quite the bop-inflected soul-jazz of the early '60s. either, Mr. Shing-A-Ling falls into a netherworld that won't connect either with jazz purists or fans of grooving jazz-funk. When the group does try to get funky on the record, the results just sound lazy -- there's no spark to the rhythms, or to Donaldson's melody lines, especially on the embarrassing cover of the pop hit "Ode to Billie Joe." When the quintet settles into a midtempo vamp, Donaldson, trumpeter Blue Mitchell, and organist Lonnie Smith do spin out some good solos, but the lack of energy and enthusiasm the group has for the material makes Mr. Shing-A-Ling a bit of a tiring listen. Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Tracklist :
1     Ode to Billie Joe 6'33
Bobbie Gentry    
2     The Humpback 5:28
Lou Donaldson    
3     The Shadow of Your Smile 6:26
Johnny Mandel / Paul Francis Webster    
4     Peepin' 8:21
Lonnie O. Smith    
5     The Kid 11:00
Harold Ousley
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Lou Donaldson
Drums – Leo Morris
Guitar – Jimmy "Fats" Ponder
Organ – Lonnie Smith
Trumpet – Blue Mitchell

LOU DONALDSON - Say It Loud ! (1969-2005) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The title of Say It Loud! is taken from James Brown's anthem "Say It Loud, I'm Black and I'm Proud," the R&B/funk classic that Lou Donaldson covers on this album. Instead of providing a thematic and musical touchstone for the rest of the record, the song is an attempt to prove that Donaldson is still on top of musical trends, but the lazy groove he and his band -- trumpeter Blue Mitchell, guitarist Jimmy Ponder, organist Charles Earland, drummer Leo Morris -- work up shows they're not quite comfortable with this contemporary funk. They sound much more at ease with standards like "Summertime" and "Caravan," which give them a chance to stretch out, even if they are arranged like commercially oriented soul-jazz. Nevertheless, their simple presence on the album puts the stiffness of Donaldson's groove-oriented soul-jazz in sharper relief. Midnight Creeper was a successful soul-jazz record because the group managed to hit the right tone and groove, but here his group sounds awkward and uneasy. There are a few good moments scattered throughout the album, particularly by Mitchell, but overall, Say It Loud! is one of the weakest records in Donaldson's catalog. Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Tracklist :
1     Say It Loud (I'm Black and I'm Proud) 7:32
James Brown / Pee Wee Ellis    
2     Summertime 5:49
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin / DuBose Heyward    
3     Caravan 5:22
Duke Ellington / Irving Mills / Juan Tizol    
4     Snake Bone 9:31
Lou Donaldson    
5     Brother Soul 8:17
Lou Donaldson / Leon Spencer
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Lou Donaldson
Drums – Leo Morris
Guitar – Jimmy Ponder
Organ – Charles Earland
Recorded By – Rudy Van Gelder
Trumpet – Blue Mitchell

Dr. LONNIE SMITH - The Turbanator (2000) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

These 1991 recordings went unreleased until 2000, and they're well-worth hearing. Smith begins with a ripping Hammond B3 reading of Duke Ellington's "Caravan," joined by guitarist Jimmy Ponder and drummer Buddy Williams. There are two more standards, "Someday My Prince Will Come" and "Cherokee," the latter surprisingly played as a ballad. But four blues-based originals fill the remainder of the program, three of which feature Smith on acoustic piano and Buster Williams on bass. Tenor saxophonist Houston Person also appears on two of the tracks. From burning swing to ballads to funk, Smith's touch on both organ and piano is highly individual and effective. For guitar fans, the presence of the underappreciated Jimmy Ponder is an added value. by David R. Adler
Tracklist :
1     Caravan 7:41
Duke Ellington / Irving Mills / Juan Tizol
2     Night Song 8:40
Dr. Lonnie Smith
3     Someday My Prince Will Come 5:39
Frank Churchill / Larry Morey
4     River Walk 9:48
Dr. Lonnie Smith
5     Monk Could Swing 9:17
Dr. Lonnie Smith
6     Cherokee 6:53
Ray Noble
7     Brushin' It 12:01
Dr. Lonnie Smith
Credits :
Bass – Buster Williams
Drums – Buddy Williams
Engineer – Rudy Van Gelder
Guitar – Jimmy Ponder
Organ – Dr. Lonnie Smith
Producer, Tenor Saxophone – Houston Person

ETTA JONES - My Mother's Eyes (1977-2003) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Although by the mid-1970s she had already been a professional singer for 30 years, Etta Jones was in reality just entering her musical prime. Having developed her individuality gradually through the years, she was heard at her very best during her long string of Muse recordings. On this fine date, Jones is joined by her husband (tenor saxophonist Houston Person) and an oversized rhythm section that features keyboardist Sonny Phillips and guitarist Jimmy Ponder. Among the highlights are "The Way You Look Tonight," "Don't Misunderstand," "You Do Something to Me" and "This Girl's In Love With Me." by Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     The Way You Look Tonight 4:50
Dorothy Fields / Jerome Kern
2     Don't Misunderstand 6:12
Gordon Parks
3     Be My Love 5:50
Nicholas Brodszky / Sammy Kahn
4     You Do Something to Me 4:44
Cole Porter
5     My Mother's Eyes 5:49
Abel Baer / Louis Wolfe Gilbert
6     This Girl's in Love With You 3:59
Burt Bacharach / Hal David
7     Gloomy Sunday 4:38
László Jávor / Rezsö Seress
Credits :
Bass – Rufus Reid
Congas, Percussion – Lawrence Killian
Drums – Idris Muhammad
Engineer – Rudy Van Gelder
Guitar – Jimmy Ponder
Keyboards – Sonny Phillips
Producer, Tenor Saxophone – Houston Person
Vibraphone – George Devens
Vocals – Etta Jones