McCOY TYNER — Tender Moments (1968-1987) Serie Blue Note CD Treasury – CP32-9545 | FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

On this excellent set, McCoy Tyner had the opportunity for the first time to head a larger group. His nonet is an all-star aggregation comprised of trumpeter Lee Morgan, trombonist Julian Priester, altoist James Spaulding, Bennie Maupin on tenor, Bob Northern on French horn, Howard Johnson on tuba, bassist Herbie Lewis, and drummer Joe Chambers in addition to the pianist/leader. Tyner debuted six of his originals, and although none became standards (perhaps the best known are "The High Priest" and "All My Yesterdays"), the music is quite colorful and advanced for the period. Well worth investigating. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1    Mode To John    5:40
 McCoy Tyner
2    Man From Tanganyika    6:52
 McCoy Tyner
3    The High Priest    6:05
 McCoy Tyner
4    Utopia    7:35
 McCoy Tyner
5    All My Yesterday    6:03
 McCoy Tyner
6    Lee Plus Three    5:41
 McCoy Tyner
Credits :
Alto Saxophone, Flute – James Spaulding
Bass – Herbie Lewis
Drums – Joe Chambers
French Horn – Bob Northern
Piano – McCoy Tyner
Recorded By – Rudy Van Gelder
Tenor Saxophone – Bennie Maupin
Trombone – Julian Priester
Trumpet – Lee Morgan
Tuba – Howard Johnson

WAYNE SHORTER — Adam's Apple (1966-2003) RM | RVG Edition Series | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

With the possible exception of its song, "Footprints," which would become a jazz standard, Adam's Apple received quite a bit less attention upon its release than some of the preceding albums in Wayne Shorter's catalog. That is a shame because it really does rank with the best of his output from this incredibly fertile period. From the first moments when Shorter's sax soars out in the eponymous opening track, with its warmth and roundness and power, it is hard not to like this album. It might not be turning as sharp of a corner stylistically as some of his earlier works, like Speak No Evil, but its impact is only dulled by the fact that Shorter has already arrived at the peak of his powers. Taken in isolation, this is one of the great works of mid-'60s jazz, but when Shorter has already achieved a unique performance style, compositional excellence, and a perfectly balanced relationship with his sidemen, it is hard to be impressed by the fact that he manages to continue to do these things album after album. But Shorter does shine here, while allowing strong players like Herbie Hancock to also have their place in the sun. Especially hypnotic are two very different songs, the ballad "Teru" and Shorter's tribute to John Coltrane, "Chief Crazy Horse," both of which also allow Hancock a chance to show what he could do. Stacia Proefrock
Tracklist :
1    Adam's Apple    6:47
Wayne Shorter
2    502 Blues (Drinkin' And Drivin')    6:32
Jimmy Rowles
3    El Gaucho    6:28
Wayne Shorter
4    Footprints    7:27
Wayne Shorter
5    Teru    6:10
Wayne Shorter
6    Chief Crazy Horse    7:32
Wayne Shorter
7    The Collector    6:54
Herbie Hancock
Credits :
Bass – Reggie Workman
Drums – Joe Chambers
Piano – Herbie Hancock
Producer – Alfred Lion
Recorded By, Remastered By [2003] – Rudy Van Gelder
Tenor Saxophone – Wayne Shorter

JOE ZAWINUL — Zawinul (1971-1994) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Conceptually, sonically, this is really the first Weather Report album in all but name, confirming that Joe Zawinul was the primary creative engine behind the group from the beginning. It is also the link between WR and Miles Davis' keyboard-laden experiments on In a Silent Way; indeed, the tune "In a Silent Way" is redone in the more complex form in which Zawinul envisioned it, and Miles even contributes a brief, generous tribute to Zawinul on the liner. Two keyboardists -- Zawinul and the formidable Herbie Hancock -- form the underpinning of this stately, probing album, garnishing their work with the galactic sound effects of the Echoplex and ring modulator. Earl Turbinton provides the Wayne Shorter-like beams of light on the soprano sax, spelled by Wayne himself on "Double Image." The third founder of WR, Miroslav Vitous, checks in on bass, and hard-bopping trumpeter Woody Shaw proves to be perfectly adept at the jazz-rock game. Two short-lived standards of the jazz-rock era, the aforementioned "Double Image" and "Doctor Honoris Causa," are introduced here, yet it is mood pieces like "His Last Journey" and "Arrival in New York" that with the help of tape-speed manipulation, establish the lasting, murky, reflective ambience of this CD. Richard S. Ginell      Tracklist & Credits :

JOE ZAWINUL — Concerto Retitled (1976-2007) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

As Joe Zawinul's electric band Weather Report gathered momentum in the '70s, Atlantic put together a single-LP anthology of Zawinul's earlier two albums for Atlantic and one for Vortex. The irony, of course, is that the Zawinul of most of these tracks basically did not exist as of 1976, nor has this compulsively forward-looking musician returned to his acoustic jazz roots since. Fully half of the tracks - the Tatumesque solo number, "My One and Only Love," the straight-ahead "Riverbed," and trio numbers "Del Sasser" and "Sharon's Waltz" (with Cannonball Adderley's rhythm section, Sam Jones and Louis Hayes) come from the Money in the Pocket album. "From Vienna with Love" and "Concerto Retitled" (both from The Rise and Fall of the Third Stream) are backed by William Fischer's brooding neo-classical arrangements for cello and three violas. From these relatively conventional pursuits, it is a jolt to hear two hauntingly spiritual tracks - the electronically slowed-down "His Most Journey" and "In a Silent Way - " from the Zawinul album, the prelude to Weather Report. Though all of this stuff is out on CD in complete form, this is still useful as a quick trip through Zawinul's extraordinary changes over a short span of time. Richard S. Ginell    Tracklist & Credits :  

ARCHIE SHEPP - The Impulse Story (2007) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Archie Shepp's volume in The Impulse Story series, with liner notes by Ashley Kahn, author of The House That Trane Built: The Impulse Story, is arguably the best and most representative of any of the editions in it. These ten cuts capture Shepp's many faces. There's his wonderful look inside the music of his mentor John Coltrane ("Naima" from Four for Trane), through to his gaze at the jazz tradition (Duke Ellington's "Sophisticated Lady"), to bossa nova (a very unique read of "Girl from Ipanema") to the weighty concerns of his own compositions that engaged everything from the avant-garde "Les Matin des Noires" to politics ("Malcolm Malcolm -- Semper Malcolm"), to R&B and soul ("Damn If I Know" "Mama Too Tight," and "Attica Blues"). While certain albums are not represented here -- the magnificent Magic of Ju-Ju being one -- the breadth and depth of Shepp's true genius is all here. That said, it is a shame that many of his albums recorded for Impulse (the classic Fire Music and Magic of Ju-Ju just to name two) are currently out of print. Of all the volumes in this fine collection, Shepp's stands, with Alice Coltrane's as the very best in that it gives a true introduction to an artist often misunderstood, but during his tenure for this label, he was creatively unstoppable.
-> This comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our blog 'O Púbis da Rosa' <-
Tracklist :
1     Naima 7'10
(John Coltrane)
Bass – Reggie Workman
Drums – Charles Moffett
Flugelhorn – Alan Shorter
Producer – John Coltrane
Trombone – Roswell Rudd
2     Los Olvidados 8'56
(Archie Shepp)
Alto Saxophone – Marion Brown
Bass – Reggie Johnson
Drums – Joe Chambers
Trumpet – Ted Curson
3     The Girl from Ipanema 8'35
(Norman Gimbel / Antônio Carlos Jobim / Vinícius de Moraes)
Alto Saxophone – Marion Brown
Bass – Reggie Johnson
Drums – Joe Chambers
Trumpet – Ted Curson
4     Malcolm, Malcolm - Semper Malcolm 4'51
(Archie Shepp)
Bass – David Izenzon
Drums – J.C. Moses
Vocals [Recitation] – Archie Shepp
5     Le Matin des Noires 8'00
(Archie Shepp)
Bass – Barre Phillips
Drums – Joe Chambers
Vibraphone – Bobby Hutcherson     
6     Scag 3'23
(Archie Shepp)
Bass – Barre Phillips
Drums – Joe Chambers
Vibraphone – Bobby Hutcherson
Vocals [Recitation] – Archie Shepp
7     Mama Too Tight 5'25
(Archie Shepp)
Bass – Charlie Haden
Clarinet – Perry Robinson
Drums – Beaver Harris
Trombone – Grachan Moncur III, Roswell Rudd
Trumpet – Tommy Turrentine
Tuba – Howard Johnson
8     Damn If I Know (The Stroller) 6'19
(Walter Davis, Jr.)
Bass – Ron Carter
Drums – Beaver Harris
Trombone – Grachan Moncur III
Trumpet – Jimmy Owens
9     Sophisticated Lady 7'10
(Duke Ellington / Irving Mills / Mitchell Parish)
Bass – Ron Carter
Drums – Roy Haynes
Trombone – Grachan Moncur III
Trumpet – Jimmy Owen
10     Attica Blues 4'47
(Beaver Harris / Archie Shepp)
Alto Saxophone – Clarence White, Marion Brown
Backing Vocals – Albertine Robinson, Joshie Armstead
Baritone Saxophone – James Ware
Bass [Fender] – Jerry Jemmott, Roland Wilson
Cello – Calo Scott, Ronald Lipscomb
Cornet – Clifford Thornton
Drums – Beaver Harris
Guitar – Cornell Dupree
Lead Vocals – Henry Hull
Percussion – Juma Sutan*, Nene DeFense, Ollie Anderson
Producer – Ed Michel
Tenor Saxophone – Roland Alexander
Trombone – Charles Greenlee, Charles Stephens, Kiane Zawadi
Trumpet – Charles McGhee, Michael Ridley
Tuba – Hakim Jami
Violin – John Blake, Leroy Jenkins, Shankar

ARCHIE SHEPP - Fire Music (1965-1995) RM | Impulse! Master Sessions | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

One of forward-looking tenor man Archie Shepp's definitive early albums, 1965's Fire Music set the tone for much of what was to come over the next several years, both in Shepp's own career and in the jazz scene as a whole. Moving far beyond bebop toward more avant-garde realms, Fire Music was simultaneously a central document of the mid-'60s "New Thing" school of jazz and an arrow that pointed towards the subsequent explorations of Cecil Taylor, Ornette Coleman, et al. The title refers to an African ceremony, and there's an urgency here that's fueled by the civil rights unrest of the day and aimed towards the burgeoning Black Power movement, both of which would remain key jazz subtexts for some time. Fire Music is far from the first free jazz album; Coleman and others had already experimented with free-form improvisation before this. But it subverts the conventions of the bebop generation thoroughly, turning melodies and harmonies both inward and outward upon themselves, throwing open the doors to open-ended structures and tonal experimentation. Even the "straight" tunes interpreted here are given a funhouse-mirror treatment, stretching them beyond expectations. Just as psychedelia expanded rock's palette in the '60s, so Shepp's Fire Music helped broaden the possibilities of jazz. Jim Allen  
Tracklist :
1    Hambone 12:28
Written-By – Archie Shepp
2    Los Olvidados 8:53
Written-By – Archie Shepp
3    Malcolm, Malcolm - Semper Malcolm 4:48
Written-By – Archie Shepp
4    Prelude To A Kiss 4:49
Written-By – Duke Ellington
5    The Girl From Ipanema 8:33
Written-By – Antonie Carlos Jobim, Norman Gimbel, Vinicius De Moraes
6    Hambone (Live Version) 11:50
Written-By – Archie Shepp
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Marion Brown (pistas: 1, 2, 4 to 6)
Baritone Saxophone – Fred Pirtle (pistas: 6)
Bass – David Izenzon (pistas: 3), Reggie Johnson (pistas: 1, 2, 4 to 6)
Drums – J.C. Moses (pistas: 3), Joe Chambers (pistas: 1, 2, 4, 5), Roger Blank (pistas: 6)
Engineer – Rudy Van Gelder
Tenor Saxophone – Archie Shepp
Trombone – Ashley Fennell (pistas: 6), Joseph Orange (pistas: 1, 2, 4, 5)
Trumpet – Ted Curson (pistas: 1, 2, 4, 5), Virgil Jones (pistas: 6)

ARCHIE SHEPP - On This Night (1966-1993) RM | GRP Presents The Legendary Masters Of Jazz | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tenor saxophonist Archie Shepp's third release for the Impulse label collects valuable loose ends recorded between March and August 1965. Among the highlights are a passionate reading of Duke Ellington's "In a Sentimental Mood" and the title piece, a moving tribute to W.E.B. DuBois, featuring the haunting soprano vocalist Christine Spencer employing a distinct 20th century classical influence, with Shepp on piano. Shepp is the solo horn on these dates, playing at peak form with contributions from vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson early in his career, David Izenzon or Henry Grimes on bass, and four rotating drummers, including Rashied Ali, J.C. Moses, Joe Chambers, and Ed Blackwell, playing a variety of percussion. Al Campbell
Tracklist :
1    On This Night (If That Great Day Would Come) 10'00
Bass – Henry Grimes
Drums – Rashied Ali
Tenor Saxophone, Piano – Archie Shepp
Timpani – Joe Chambers
Vibraphone [Vibes] – Bobby Hutcherson
Vocals [Soprano Voice] – Chirstine Spencer
2    The Mac Man 7'27
Bass – Henry Grimes
Drums – Rashied Ali
Percussion [Rhythm Logs] – Ed Blackwell
Tenor Saxophone – Archie Shepp
Vibraphone [Vibes] – Bobby Hutcherson
3    The Mac Man (Alternate Take) 9'27
Bass – Henry Grimes
Drums – Rashied Ali
Percussion [Rhythm Logs] – Ed Blackwell
Tenor Saxophone – Archie Shepp
Vibraphone [Vibes] – Bobby Hutcherson
4    The Original Mr. Sonny Boy Williamson 5'58
Bass – Henry Grimes
Drums – J.C. Moses
Percussion [Rhythm Logs] – Ed Blackwell
Tenor Saxophone – Archie Shepp
Vibraphone [Vibes] – Bobby Hutcherson
5    In A Sentimental Mood 3'18
Bass – Henry Grimes
Drums – Joe Chambers
Tenor Saxophone – Archie Shepp
Vibraphone [Vibes] – Bobby Hutcherson
Written-By – Duke Ellington
6    The Chased (Take 1) 11'42
Bass – David Izenzon
Drums – J.C. Moses
Tenor Saxophone – Archie Shepp
7    The Chased (Take 2) 6'10
Bass – David Izenzon
Drums – J.C. Moses
Tenor Saxophone – Archie Shepp
8    The Chased (Take 3) 5'11
Bass – David Izenzon
Drums – J.C. Moses
Tenor Saxophone – Archie Shepp
9    The Pickaninny (Picked Clean -- No More -- Or Can You Back Back Doodlebug) 7'22
Bass – David Izenzon
Drums – J.C. Moses
Tenor Saxophone – Archie Shepp
10    Malcolm, Malcolm, Malcolm, Semper Malcolm 4'50
Bass – David Izenzon
Drums – J.C. Moses
Tenor Saxophone, Voice [Recitation] – Archie Shepp
Note:
Recorded at the Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey on August 12, 1965 (#1-5) and March 9, 1965 (#6-10)
Tracks 3, 6 to 8, 10: Bonus cuts, not included on the original album [tray insert]
"Gingerbread, Gingerbread Boy" which appeared on the original LP of On This Night, was recorded live at Newport and now appears on the CD of New Thing At Newport by Shepp and John Coltrane.
"Malcolm" originally appeared on Fire Music (AS-86). The Third Take of "The Chase" originally appeared on The Definitive Jazz Scene - Volume Three (AS 9101). The first two takes of "The Chase" and the alternate take of "The Mac Man" first appeared on Further Fire Music (IA-9357). The output of these August and March, 1965 sessions is presented completely on this CD.
[booklet]

ARCHIE SHEPP - For Losers + Kwanza (2011) RM | Impulse! 2-On-1 | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Though the two titles featured on this Impulse two-fer were originally issued four years apart, they were recorded pretty much at the same time. For Losers, released in 1970, reflects Archie Shepp's deep fascination with rhythm & blues and soul, as well as showing how vanguard jazz drew directly from the tradition. Produced by Ed Michel, this album (and Kwanza) features Shepp in the company of Grachan Moncur III, Jimmy Owens, Woody Shaw, Charles Davis, Dave Burrell, Cedar Walton, Andy Bey, Robin Kenyatta, Cecil Payne, James Spaulding, Wilbur Ware, Beaver Harris, Bernard Purdie, Joe Chambers, Leon Thomas, and Doris Troy, to name a few. It ranges from the funky stomp of "Stick 'Em Up" with Thomas up front and which draws equally on James Brown and Rufus Thomas, through to an avant version of Duke Ellington's "I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)," with Troy's vocal atop a warm but angular and elastic harmonic arrangement, to a nearly straight version of Cal Massey's classic ballad "What Would It Be Without You," with beautiful interplay between Shepp's tenor and Payne's flute. The entire second side is taken up by "Un Croque Monsieur (Poem: For Losers)," an outside jazz jam of epic proportions. Kwanza, though it was recorded at nearly the same time, was not released until 1974. Its cuts display the same lineups as those on For Losers. While on the surface it would seem to be a collection of outtakes and leftovers from the earlier album, it doesn't doesn't play like one. With Michel producing only one track, and the balance by Bob Thiele, it sounds more like a direct follow-up. Shepp composed three tunes here; two of which ("Back Back" and "Slow Drag," with killer trumpet work by Shaw) reflect the tough, nasty soul and rhythm & blues foundations of the earlier album, while the other, "Spoo Pee Doo," while brief, is a curiously strange midtempo jazz ballad sung by Thomas. Moncur's modally based free workout "New Africa" appears as the set's longest and most satisfying number, with another Massey number, "Makai," which has its repetitive, labyrinthine counterpoint played to the hilt by Shepp and bassist Walter Booker. Together, For Losers and Kwanza are hotly debated but essential parts of the Shepp Impulse discography; they embody not merely the paradoxes of his vision, but the enormity of it.
-> This comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our blog 'O Púbis da Rosa' <-
For Losers    
1    Stick 'Em Up 2:05
Alto Saxophone – Robin Kenyatta
Bass [Fender] – Albert Winston, Wilton Felder
Drums – Beaver Harris
Guitar – Bert Payne
Organ, Guitar – Mel Brown
Piano – Andrew Bey
Trombone – Grachan Moncur III
Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Martin Banks
Vocals – Doris Troy, Leon Thomas, Tasha Thomas
2    Abstract 4:20
Alto Saxophone – James Spaulding
Baritone Saxophone – Charles Davis
Bass [Fender] – Bob Bushnell
Drums – Bernard Purdie
Guitar – Wally Richardson
Organ – Dave Burrell
Trombone – Grachan Moncur III
Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Jimmy Owens
3    I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good) 5:16
Alto Saxophone – Clarence Sharpe
Bass – Wilbur Ware
Drums – Joe Chambers
Piano – Cedar Walton
Soprano Saxophone – Archie Shepp
Vocals – Chinalin Sharpe
4    What Would It Be Without You 4:05
Baritone Saxophone, Flute – Cecil Payne
Bass – Wilbur Ware
Drums – Joe Chambers
Piano – Cedar Walton
Soprano Saxophone – Archie Shepp
5    Un Croque Monsieur (Poem: For Losers) 21:49
Alto Saxophone – Clarence Sharpe
Baritone Saxophone – Cecil Payne
Bass – Wilbur Ware
Drums – Joe Chambers
Piano – Cedar Walton
Soprano Saxophone – Archie Shepp
Trombone – Matthew Gee
Trumpet – Woody Shaw
Vocals – Chinalin Sharpe
Kwanza    
6    Back Back 5:45
Alto Saxophone – James Spaulding
Baritone Saxophone – Charles Davis
Bass [Fender] – Bob Bushnell
Drums – Bernard 'Pretty' Purdie
Guitar – Wally Richardson
Organ – Dave Burrell
Trombone – Grachan Moncur III
Trumpet – Jimmy Owens
7    Spoo Pee Doo 2:37
Bass – Albert Winston
Drums – Beaver Harris
Guitar – Bert Payne
Piano – Andrew Bey
Trumpet – Martin Banks
Vocals – Doris Troy, Leon Thomas, Tasha Thomas
8    New Africa 12:47
Baritone Saxophone – Charles Davis
Bass – Walter Booker
Drums – Beaver Harris
Piano – Dave Burrell
Trombone – Grachan Moncur III
Trumpet – Jimmy Owens
Vocals – Archie Shepp
9    Slow Drag 10:08
Bass – Wilbur Ware
Drums – Joe Chambers
Piano – Cedar Walton
Soprano Saxophone – Archie Shepp
Trumpet – Woody Shaw
10    Bakai 9:57
Baritone Saxophone – Charles Davis
Bass – Walter Booker
Drums – Beaver Harris
Piano – Dave Burrell
Trombone – Grachan Moncur III
Trumpet – Jimmy Owens

ARCHIE SHEPP - Kwanza (1974-2006) RM | Serie : Impulse! Originals | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Kwanza is a curious Archie Shepp recording. Released in 1969 on Impulse, it features cuts recorded between September 1968 and August 1969 with an assortment of lineups. Four of the album's five cuts were produced by Bob Thiele, and one, "Slow Drag," by Ed Michel. Shepp composed three tunes here, and he is in the company of musicians such as Grachan Moncur III (who composed "New Africa"), Jimmy Owens, Dave Burrell, Wally Richardson, Bob Bushnell, Bernard Purdie and Beaver Harris, Leon Thomas, Charles Davis, Woody Shaw, Cedar Walton, Wilbur Ware, Joe Chambers, Cecil Payne, and others. As the title might suggest, Kwanza is a joyful record, full of celebration in blues and jazz. "Back Back" opens the set with a colossal funky blues that feels like an out version of the JB's with Burrell kicking it on B-3. The all-too-brief "Spoo Dee Doo," showcases Thomas' unique, and truly awesome vocal stylings along with Tasha Thomas and Doris Troy providing a swinging backing R&B chorus. "New Africa" is the most vanguard track here, with a different rhythm section than on "Back Back," and no guitar, Burrell returns to his piano. It begins in a manner that suggests anger, but not rage. It becomes an edgeless, rounded meditation on joy and gratitude, a statement of purpose at realization and transcendence with Shepp, Owens. and Davis playing alongside Moncur as a monumental choral line in timbres; textures, big harmonic reaches and ultimately resolution. "Slow Drag," is a funky blues tune, it struts a minor key line that feels like a mutated "Wade in the Water," but its Latin rhythms and the killer bass work of Wilbur Ware make the cut a standout. The set closes with Cal Massey's "Bakai," a tune that walks a fringed line on the inside and swings like mad. Kwanza may not be one of Shepp's better known recordings, but it is certainly one of his fine ones.
-> This comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our blog 'O Púbis da Rosa' <-
Tracklist :
1     Back Back 5'45
Alto Saxophone – James Spaulding
Baritone Saxophone – Charles Davis
Bass – Bob Bushnell
Composed By – Archie Shepp
Drums – Bernard Purdie
Guitar – Wally Richardson
Organ – Dave Burrell
Tenor Saxophone – Archie Shepp
Trombone – Grachan Moncur III
Trumpet – Jimmy Owens    
2     Spoo Dee Doo 2'38
Bass – Albert Winston
Composed By – Archie Shepp
Drums – Beaver Harris
Flute – Robin Kenyatta
Guitar – Bert Payne
Piano – Andrew Bey
Tenor Saxophone – Archie Shepp
Trumpet – Martin Banks
Vocals – Doris Troy, Leon Thomas, Tasha Thomas
3     New Africa 12'50
Baritone Saxophone – Charles Davis
Bass – Walter Booker
Composed By – Grachan Moncur III
Drums – Beaver Harris
Piano – Dave Burrell
Tenor Saxophone, Vocals – Archie Shepp
Trombone – Grachan Moncur III
Trumpet – Jimmy Owens
4     Slow Drag 10'09
Alto Saxophone – Clarence Sharpe
Baritone Saxophone – Cecil Payne
Bass – Wilbur Ware
Composed By – Archie Shepp
Drums – Joe Chambers
Piano – Cedar Walton
Tenor Saxophone – Archie Shepp
Trombone – Matthew Gee
Trumpet – Woody Shaw
5     Bakai 9'59
Baritone Saxophone – Charles Davis
Bass – Walter Booker
Composed By – Cal Massey
Drums – Beaver Harris
Piano – Dave Burrell
Tenor Saxophone, Vocals – Archie Shepp
Trombone – Grachan Moncur III
Trumpet – Jimmy Owens

ARCHIE SHEPP — Further Fire Music (1978) 2 x Vinyl, LP | The Dedication Series – Vol. XVII | FLAC (tracks), lossless

Tracklist :
A1        The Chased (Take 1)    11:47
A2        The Chased (Take 2)    6:11
B1        The Chased (Take 3)    5:15
B2        The Pickaninny    7:20
B3        Malcolm, Malcolm Semper Malcolm 4:40
Vocals [Recitation] – Archie Shepp
C1        Rufus (Swung His Face At Last To The Wind, Then His Neck Snapped)    4:58
C2        Le Matin De Noire    7:39
C3        Scag 3:04
Vocals [Recitation] – Archie Shepp
C4        Call Me By My Rightful Name    6:19
D1        Gingerbread, Gingerbread Boy    10:15
D2        The Mac Man (Alternate Take) 9:30
Bass – Henry Grimes
Drums – Ed Blackwell, Rashied Ali
Credits
Bass – Barre Phillips (pistas: C1 to D1), David Izenzon (pistas: A1 to B3)
Drums – J. C. Moses (pistas: A1 to B3), Joe Chambers (pistas: C1 to D1)
Engineer – Rudy Van Gelder
Tenor Saxophone, Written-By – Archie Shepp
Vibraphone – Bobby Hutcherson (pistas: C1 to D2)
Notas.
All selections previously released on various ABC Impulse albums, except Side A and D-2 which are previously unreleased alternate takes.
A, B recorded at Van Gelder Studios, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey on March 9, 1965
C & D1 recorded live at The Newport Jazz Festival, Newport, Rhode Island on July 2, 1965
D2 recorded at Van Gelder Studios, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey on August 12, 1965

SAM RIVERS — Contours (1965-2004) RM | Blue Note Connoisseur Series | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

On Contours, his second Blue Note album, tenor saxophonist Sam Rivers fully embraced the avant-garde, but presented his music in a way that wouldn't be upsetting or confusing to hard bop loyalists. Rivers leads a quintet featuring trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, pianist Herbie Hancock, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Joe Chambers through a set of originals that walk a fine line between probing, contemplative post-bop and densely dissonant avant-jazz. Each musician is able to play the extremes equally well while remaining sensitive to the compositional subtleties. Rarely is Contours anything less than enthralling, and it remains one of the high watermarks of the mid-'60s avant-garde movement. Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Tracklist :
1    Point Of Many Returns    9:24
2    Dance Of The Tripedal    10:10
3    Euterpe    11:46
4    Mellifluous Cacophony    9:01
5    Mellifluous Cacophony [Alternative Take]    9:05
Credits :    
Bass – Ron Carter
Drums – Joe Chambers
Piano – Herbie Hancock
Recorded By – Rudy Van Gelder
Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Flute, Composed By – Sam Rivers
Trumpet – Freddie Hubbard

ART FARMER & TOMMY FLANAGAN'S SUPER JAZZ TRIO - Stablemates (1979-2009) WV (image+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1     Au Privave 6'34
Charlie Parker    
2     Blame It on My Youth 7'40
Le Vant, G.
3     My Heart Skips a Beat 6'07
Duke Jordan
4     Here's That Rainy Day 6'00
James Van Heusen
5     Stablemates 6'24
Benny Golson
6     It Might as Well Be Spring 9'47
Oscar Hammerstein II / Richard Rodgers
7    From Dream to Dream 6'48
Benny Golson
8     Autumn Leaves 5'41
Jacques Prévert
9     Walk Soft 7'14
Jim Hall
10     Indian Summer 6'38
Herbert / Dubin
Credits :
Bass – Reggie Workman
Drums – Joe Chambers
Flugelhorn – Art Farmer
Piano – Tommy Flanagan

JOE HENDERSON - Mode for Joe (1966-2003) RVG Edition / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Given the recording date of Mode for Joe and the band lineup, it's easy to assume this is a straight-up hard bop album. However, this 1966 Joe Henderson record -- featuring trumpeter Lee Morgan, trombonist Curtis Fuller, vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson, pianist Cedar Walton, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Joe Chambers -- is a great example of modern jazz at its best. It was recorded during a time of sweeping musical changes due to developments in free jazz, soul-jazz, and even early experiments with fusion. It was a time when the bluesy and funky leanings of hard boppers were giving way to more individualized contemporary approaches. One of the best examples of this shift, Mode for Joe sounds more like the experimental work of Branford Marsalis than the groovy musings of Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers. The last track here, "Free Wheelin'," is the only dyed-in-the-wool hard bop tune heard here. Other than that, this outing's mostly uptempo songs serve as vehicles for solos. Henderson himself proves that the template for players such as Marsalis, Joe Lovano, and Joshua Redman was invented a generation earlier, as evidenced on "A Shade of Jade," "Black," and others, making this one of the sax legend's most intriguing albums.  by Eric Starr  
Tracklist :
1 A Shade Of Jade 7:07
Written-By – Joe Henderson
2 Mode For Joe 8:02
Written-By – Cedar Walton 
3 Black 6:51
Written-By – Cedar Walton
4 Black (Alternate Take) 6:47
Written-By – Cedar Walton
5 Caribbean Fire Dance 6:41
Written-By – Joe Henderson
6 Granted 7:20
Written-By – Joe Henderson
7 Free Wheelin' 6:39
Written-By – Lee Morgan
Credits :
Bass – Ron Carter
Design – Reid Miles
Drums – Joe Chambers
 Piano – Cedar Walton
 Tenor Saxophone – Joe Henderson
Trombone – Curtis Fuller
Trumpet – Lee Morgan
Vibraphone [Vibes] – Bobby Hutcherson

BOBBY HUTCHERSON - Components (1965-1994) APE (image+.cue), lossless

Perhaps the single album that best sums up Bobby Hutcherson's early musical personality, Components is appropriately split into two very distinct halves. The first features four Hutcherson originals in a melodic but still advanced hard bop style, while the latter half has four free-leaning avant-garde pieces by drummer Joe Chambers. Hutcherson allots himself more solo space than on Dialogue, but that's no knock on the excellent supporting cast, which includes Herbie Hancock on piano, James Spaulding on alto sax and flute, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, and Ron Carter on bass. It's just more Hutcherson's date, and he helps unite the disparate halves with a cool-toned control that's apparent regardless of whether the material is way outside or more conventionally swinging. In the latter case, Hutcherson's originals are fairly diverse, encompassing rhythmically complex hard bop (the title track), pensive balladry ("Tranquillity," which features a lovely solo by Hancock), down-and-dirty swing ("West 22nd Street Theme"), and the gaily innocent "Little B's Poem," which went on to become one of Hutcherson's signature tunes and contains some lyrical flute work from Spaulding. The Chambers pieces tend to be deliberate explorations that emphasize texture and group interaction in the manner of Dialogue, except that there's even more freedom in terms of both structure and tonal center. (The exception is the brief but beautiful closing number, "Pastoral," an accurate title if ever there was one.) Components illustrated that Hutcherson was not only the most adventurous vibes player on the scene, but that he was also capable of playing more straightforward music with intelligence and feeling. by Steve Huey  
Tracklist :
1    Components    6:23
Bobby Hutcherson
2    Tranquillity    5:01
Bobby Hutcherson
3    Little B's Poem    5:08
Bobby Hutcherson
4    West 22nd Street Theme    4:42
Bobby Hutcherson
5    Movement    7:29
Joe Chambers
6    Juba Dance    5:21
Joe Chambers
7    Air    4:45
Joe Chambers
8    Pastoral    2:02
Joe Chambers
Credits :
Alto Saxophone, Flute – James Spaulding
Bass – Ron Carter
Drums – Joe Chambers
Piano – Herbie Hancock
Trumpet – Freddie Hubbard
Vibraphone [Vibes], Marimba – Bobby Hutcherson

DONALD BYRD - "Mustang!" (1966-1997) RM / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Donald Byrd, a talented hard bop trumpeter during his prime (although rarely reaching the technical heights of Lee Morgan and Freddie Hubbard), performs a varied repertoire on Mustang!. "Dixie Lee" has dated rhythms, and "Mustang" was an attempt to achieve a hit on the level of Morgan's "The Sidewinder." However, Byrd sounds fine on those numbers; he digs into the complex chord changes of "Fly Little Bird Fly," is sensitive on "I Got It Bad," swings on his "I'm So Excited by You," and performs his memorable countermelody to "On the Trail," which had been recorded earlier by several other musicians. Teamed with a typically impressive Blue Note crew (altoist Sonny Red, tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley, pianist McCoy Tyner, bassist Walter Booker, and drummer Freddie Waits), Byrd performs high-quality straight-ahead jazz that fits the modern mainstream of the era. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist  :
1 Mustang 8:28
Written-By – Sylvester Kyner
2 Fly Little Bird Fly 5:23
Written-By – Donald Byrd
3 I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good 5:51
Written-By – Ellington, Webster 
4 Dixie Lee 6:40
Written-By – Donald Byrd
5 On The Trail 7:41
Written-By – Ferde Grofe
6 I'm So Excited By You 5:38
Written-By – Donald Byrd
7 Gingerbread Boy 8:38
Written-By – Jimmy Heath
8 I'm So Excited By You (First Version) 7:20
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Sonny Red (tracks: 1 to 6)
Bass – Walter Booker
Drums – Freddie Waits (tracks: 1 to 6), Joe Chambers (tracks: 7, 8)
Engineer [Recording] – Rudy Van Gelder
Piano – McCoy Tyner
Tenor Saxophone – Hank Mobley (tracks: 1 to 6), Jimmy Heath (tracks: 7, 8)
Trumpet – Donald Byrd

JOHN COLTRANE / ARCHIE SHEPP - New Thing At Newport (1965-2009) RM / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The classic John Coltrane Quartet made one of its final appearances at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1965. The tension among bandmembers is evident on the advanced versions of "One Down, One Up" and "My Favorite Things." Coltrane's performance is moving...yet weary. It's apparent the saxophonist wasn't getting the sound he wanted and by the end of the year he would take a different direction, hiring Pharoah Sanders and wife Alice Coltrane for the band. Tenor saxophonist Archie Shepp's earlier afternoon New Thing performance includes engaging versions of "Call Me by My Rightful Name" and "Gingerbread, Gingerbread Boy" (included as a bonus track on this package) with Bobby Hutcherson on vibes. by Al Campbell
Tracklist:
1 –Father Norman O'Connor Introduction To John Coltrane's Set 1:09
2 –John Coltrane One Down, One Up 12:28
Bass – Jimmy Garrison
Drums – Elvin Jones
Piano – McCoy Tyner
Tenor Saxophone – John Coltrane
Written-By – John Coltrane
3 –Archie Shepp Rufus (Swung His Face At Last To The Wind, Then His Neck Snapped 4:58
Written-By – Archie Shepp
4 –Archie Shepp Le Matin Des Noire 7:39
Written-By – Archie Shepp
5 –Archie Shepp Scag 3:04
Written-By – Archie Shepp
6 –Archie Shepp Call Me By My Rightful Name 6:19
Written-By – Archie Shepp
Credits:
Bass – Jimmy Garrison (track, 2)
Drums – Elvin Jones (track, 2)
Piano – McCoy Tyner (track, 2)
Tenor Saxophone – John Coltrane (track, 2)
Bass – Barre Phillips (tracks: 3 to 6)
Drums – Joe Chambers (tracks: 3 to 6)
Tenor Saxophone – Archie Shepp (tracks: 3 to 6)
Vibraphone – Bobby Hutcherson (tracks: 3 to 6)