THE CURTIS FULLER QUINTET ft. ZOOT SIMS — South American Cookin' (1961-2014) RM | Serie Jazz Collection 1000 | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist & Credits :

CURTIS FULLER — Soul Trombone + Cabin in the Sky (2011) RM | Serie Impulse! 2-On-1 | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This budget two-fer in Impulse's 2011 reissue series offers trombonist Curtis Fuller's first two releases for the label, both recorded in 1961; they are his 18th and 19th overall. The first, Soul Trombone, recorded in November, is aptly titled and places Fuller as the leader of a stellar band that includes pianist Cedar Walton, trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, tenor saxophonist Jimmy Heath, Granville T. Hogan on drums, and either Jimmy Cobb or Jymie Merritt on bass. Of the six track on the set, three are originals, and they include the stellar hard bop offering "The Clan," the swinging "Newdles," and the breezy "Ladies Night." Two standard ballads here, "In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning," and Stan Getz's arrangement of "Dear Old Stockholm," are also beautifully delivered. On this date, Fuller allowed all of his sidemen to stretch out and engage with one another generously. Cabin in the Sky is an entirely different kind of outing, and almost experimental -- though not in the avant-garde sense -- with Fuller leading a pair of different large bands that include a full string section arranged by Harry Lookofsky and conducted by Manny Albam. This date relies heavily (but not exclusively) on the tunes of Vernon Duke and John Latouche. The emphasis here is on texture, color, and harmony, but as a result, some of Fuller's authority is overshadowed by the elaborate and restrictive arrangements. That said, this set is far from uninteresting, and given the price tag, irresistible. Some of the players on this date include Bob Brookmeyer, Kai Winding, Hank Jones, Milt Hinton, and Osie Johnson. Standouts include non string-arranged tracks such as "Honey in the Honeycomb" and "Savannah."
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Tracklist & Credits :

JIMMY SMITH - Stay Loose (1968-2005) RM / APE (image+.cue), lossless

Jimmy Smith, of course, was known mostly for his Hammond B3 organ skills, where his fingers skittered over the keys with piano-like speed, and his bluesy, soulful approach to jazz, which bordered on light funk at times. There is plenty of all of that on Stay Loose...Jimmy Smith Sings Again, and yes, as advertised, he sings, which really wasn't all that unusual, just that he did it more here than he normally did. Smith had a wonderful voice, gruff and full of gravel, but also full of wry amusement and a whole lot of joy, and his vocal adaptation of "I'm Gonna Move to the Outskirts of Town" which kicks off this set (backed by a trumpet and trombone horn section) may well be the definitive version of this old blues standard. He comes close to repeating the trick on "Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby," a pop hit from the 1940s. Elsewhere he mostly groans and hums in the background, which gives everything here a kind of gospel-blues feel. Other standout tracks include the title jam, "Stay Loose," which is wonderfully funky (a remix of "Stay Loose" by Lyrics Born, funked up even more, was the centerpiece for Verve Remixed 3), and a similarly loose and soulful take on Don Covay's "Chain of Fools," a hit in 1968 for Aretha Franklin. Grady Tate shines on drums throughout Stay Loose, and Stanley Turrentine's bluesy tenor sax gives two of the instrumentals, "One for Members" and "Grabbin' Hold" a nice lift. Stay Loose isn't a typical Jimmy Smith album, but it isn't radically different, either, and it belongs on a short list of the best he ever recorded. by Steve Leggett  
Tracklist :
1    I'm Gonna Move to the Outskirts of Town 4:44
Louis Jordan / Andy Razaf / Will Weldon
2    Stay Loose 3:55
Jimmy Smith
3    If You Ain't Got It 3:07
Tom McIntosh
4    One for Members 6:47
Jimmy Smith
5    Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby? 3:32
Bill Austin / Louis Jordan
6    Chain of Fools 5:02
Don Covay
7    Grabbin' Hold 9:41
Jimmy Smith / Stanley Turrentine
Credits :
Arranged By, Conductor – Tom McIntosh (tracks: 1, 3, 5)
Bass – James Tyrell (tracks: 1, 3, 5), Jimmy Merritt (tracks: 4, 6, 7)
Drums – Grady Tate
Guitar – Carl Lynch (tracks: 1, 3, 5), Phil Upchurch (tracks: 4, 6, 7)
Organ – Jimmy Smith
Percussion – Johnny Pacheco (tracks: 1, 3, 5)
Reeds – Hubert Laws (tracks: 1, 3, 5), Jerome Richardson (tracks: 1, 3, 5), Joe Farrell (tracks: 1, 3, 5), Pepper Adams (tracks: 1, 3, 5)
Tenor Saxophone – Stanley Turrentine (tracks: 4, 6, 7)
Trombone – Alan Raph (tracks: 1, 3, 5), Garnet Brown (tracks: 1, 3, 5), Jimmy Cleveland (tracks: 1, 3, 5)
Trumpet – Ernie Royal (tracks: 1, 3, 5), Joe Newman (tracks: 1, 3, 5), Snookie Young (tracks: 1, 3, 5)
Vocals – Carline Ray (tracks: 2, 6), Eileen Gilbert (tracks: 2, 6), Jimmy Smith, (tracks: 1, 3, 5), Melba Moorman (tracks: 2, 6) 

ART BLAKEY — Paris Jam Session (1959-2000) RM | Serie Jazz In Paris – 40 | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This 1959 concert in Paris by Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers has been sporadically available on various labels, but this reissue in Verve's Jazz in Paris series is the best sounding and best packaged of the lot. Blakey's group of this period (Lee Morgan, Wayne Shorter, Jymie Merritt, and Walter Davis, Jr.) is in great form during an extended workout of Morgan's intense blues "The Midget," and Dizzy Gillespie's timeless "A Night in Tunisia" is kicked off by Blakey's an electrifying solo. But it is the addition of some special guests for the first two numbers that proves to be extra special. Bud Powell, sitting in for Davis, and French saxophonist Barney Wilen, on alto rather than his normal tenor sax, are both added to the band for inspired versions of Powell's "Dance of the Infidels" and "Bouncing with Bud." Morgan's trumpet playing is outstanding throughout the concert. This is one of the essential live dates in Art Blakey's rather extensive discography. Ken Dryden
Tracklist :
1     Dance of the Infidels 12:26
Bud Powell
2     Bouncing with Bud 11:38
Gil Fuller / Bud Powell
3     The Midget 11:05
Lee Morgan
4     A Night in Tunisia 7:02
Dizzy Gillespie / Frank Paparelli
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Barney Wilen (faixas: 1, 2)
Bass – Jymie Merritt
Drums – Art Blakey
Piano – Bud Powell (faixas: 1, 2), Walter Davis Jr. (faixas: 3, 4)
Tenor Saxophone – Wayne Shorter
Trumpet – Lee Morgan
Nota :
Recorded live December 18, 1959 at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, Paris
Reissue of the Fontana LP 832 692 

GEORGES ARVANITAS / ART BLAKEY / JAZZ AT THE PHILHARMONIC - Jazz & Cinéma, Vol. 2 (2001) Jazz In Paris 50 / RM / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This compilation in the Verve Jazz in Paris reissue series gathers three separate recording sessions originally issued on various French EP discs. The first four tracks were recorded for the movie Les Tricheurs, with Oscar Peterson, Herb Ellis, Ray Brown, and Gus Johnson backing various horn soloists. The title track is a blues, composed on the spot, featuring Stan Getz and Roy Eldridge; the trumpeter easily wins the solo battle as Getz is a bit sloppy with several reed squeaks during his chance. Coleman Hawkins, Dizzy Gillespie, and Eldridge each are individually featured performing originals with the rhythm section, with Gillespie taking top honors for his driving bop tune "Mic's Jump." The 1958 edition of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, including Lee Morgan and Benny Golson in the front line, are featured in 18 mostly brief tracks from the soundtrack to Les Femmes Disparaissent, with music composed by Blakey and Golson. Because of their brevity and separation from the film, most of the selections don't stand that well on their own. The music is occasionally interesting but, as a whole, not exciting enough to interest the vast majority of Art Blakey fans. The final two songs represent only a part of the music recorded for the Roger Vadim film La Bride sur le Cou. The compositions by James Campbell are not that impressive; the introduction to "La Bride sur le Cou" is almost identical to the theme of the standard "My Old Flame," while the hard bop tune "Brigitte Strip Blues" is rather generic. The all-French quintet, which includes pianist Georges Arvanitas, tenor saxophonist François Jeanneau, and Bernard Vitet on flügelhorn, seems to be going through the motions. Overall, this CD is one of the more disappointing titles in the generally laudable Jazz in Paris series. by Kurt Morris  
Tracklist :
1    Jazz At The Philharmonic– Les Tricheurs 3:13
Written-By – Roy Eldridge, Stan Getz
2    Jazz At The Philharmonic– Clo's Blues 3:22
Written-By – Coleman Hawkins
3    Jazz At The Philharmonic– Phil's Tune 4:20
Written-By – Roy Eldridge
4    Jazz At The Philharmonic– Mic's Jump 2:17
Written-By – Dizzy Gillespie
5    Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers – Générique    2:46
6    Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers– Pierre Et Béatrice    1:04
7    Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers– Nasol    0:42
8    Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers– Tom    1:15
9    Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers– Poursuite Dans La Ruelle    0:21
10    Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers– Ne Chuchote Pas    1:26
11    Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers– Mambo Dans La Voiture    1:18
Art Blakey / Benny Golson
12    Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers– Merlin    0:46
13    Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers– Juste Pour Eux Seuls    2:26
14    Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers– Blues Pour Doudou    3:15
15    Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers– Blues Pour Marcel    4:20
16    Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers– Blues Pour Vava    3:31
17    Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers– Pasquier    1:02
18    Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers– Quaglio    0:47
19    Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers– La Divorcée De Léo Fall    2:12
20    Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers– Suspense, Tom Et Nasol    0:40
21    Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers– Des Femmes Disparaissent    1:03
22    Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers– Final Pour Pierre Et Béatrice    1:00
23    Georges Arvanitas Quintet– La Bride Sur Le Cou    3:11
James Campbell
24    Georges Arvanitas Quintet– Brigitte Strip Blues    2:37
James Campbell
Credits :
Double Bass – Jymie Merritt (faixas: 5 to 22), Louis Trussardi (faixas: 23, 24), Ray Brown (faixas: 1 to 4)
Drums – Gus Johnson (faixas: 1 to 4), Michel Babault (faixas: 23, 24)
Drums, Composed By, Arranged By – Art Blakey (faixas: 5 to 22)
Flugelhorn – Bernard Vitet (faixas: 23, 24)
Guitar – Herb Ellis (faixas: 1 to 4)
Piano – Bobby Timmons (faixas: 5 to 22), Georges Arvanitas (faixas: 23, 24), Oscar Peterson (faixas: 1 to 4)
Saxophone [Tenor] – Coleman Hawkins (faixas: 2), François Jeanneau (faixas: 23, 24), Stan Getz (faixas: 1)
Saxophone [Tenor], Composed By, Arranged By – Benny Golson (faixas: 5 to 22)
Trumpet – Dizzy Gillespie (faixas: 4), Lee Morgan (faixas: 5 to 22), Roy Eldridge (faixas: 1, 3)
Nota :
Jazz At The Philharmonic: Les Tricheurs
Original Soundtrack of Marcel Carné's Movie
Recorded May 1, 1958 at Hoche studio, Paris
Reissue of the Barclay EP 74 024

Art Blakey And The Jazz Messengers: Des Femmes Disparaissent
Original Soundtrack of Edouard Molinaro's movie
Recorded December 1958 in Paris
Partial reissue of the Fontana EP 660 224

Georges Arvanitas Quintet: La Bride Sur Le Cou
Original Soundtrack of Roger Vadim's movie
Recorded April 19, 1961 at Hoche Studio Hoche, Paris
Partial reissue of the Barclay EP 72 471 

ART BLAKEY - 1958 Paris Olympia (1958-2001) Jazz In Paris 69 / RM / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The 1958 version of the Jazz Messengers were widely recorded during their stay in Paris, but this LP does not duplicate any of the other recordings previously released. This band (with trumpeter Lee Morgan, Benny Golson on tenor, and pianist Bobby Timmons) was particularly strong, and it is quite enjoyable to hear them stretch out on such songs as "I Remember Clifford," "Moanin'," "Blues March," and "Whisper Not." Hard bop at its best, all of it propelled by the powerful drumming of Art Blakey. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     Just By Myself 4:35
Benny Golson
2     I Remember Clifford 5:36
Benny Golson
3     Are You Real 10:17
Benny Golson
4     Moanin 13:18
Bobby Timmons
5     Justice 9:16
Thelonious Monk
6     Blues March 5:46
Benny Golson
7     Whisper Not 7:11
Benny Golson
Credits :
Artwork – Les Télécréateurs Design
Double Bass – Jymie Merritt
Drums – Art Blakey
Photography By – Jean-Pierre Leloir
Piano – Bobby Timmons
Tenor Saxophone – Benny Golson
Trumpet – Lee MorganWritten-By – Benny Golson (faixas: 1 to 3, 6, 7)
Nota :
(P) 1959 Universal Music S.A. France
(C) 2001 Universal Music S.A. France
Recorded at "L'Olympia", Paris, France, November 22, 1958 (Tracks 1, 2, 3)
Recorded at "L'Olympia", Paris, France, December 17, 1958 (Tracks 4, 5, 6, 7)

ART BLAKEY AND THE JAZZ MESSENGERS - Moanin' (1958-1984) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Moanin' includes some of the greatest music Blakey produced in the studio with arguably his very best band. There are three tracks that are immortal and will always stand the test of time. The title selection is a pure tuneful melody stewed in a bluesy shuffle penned by pianist Bobby Timmons, while tenor saxophonist Benny Golson's classy, slowed "Along Came Betty" and the static, militaristic "Blues March" will always have a home in the repertoire of every student or professional jazz band. "Are You Real?" has the most subtle of melody lines, and "Drum Thunder Suite" has Blakey's quick blasting tom-tom-based rudiments reigning on high as the horns sigh, leading to hard bop. "Come Rain or Come Shine" is the piece that commands the most attention, a highly modified, lilting arrangement where the accompanying staggered, staccato rhythms contrast the light-hearted refrains. Certainly a complete and wholly satisfying album, Moanin' ranks with the very best of Blakey and what modern jazz offered in the late '50s and beyond. by Michael G. Nastos
Tracklist:

1 Moanin' 9:30

Bobby Timmons
2 Are You Real 4:47
Benny Golson
3 Along Came Betty 6:08
Benny Golson
4 The Drum Thunder Suite: First Theme: Drum Thunder/Second Theme: Cry a Blue 7:30
Art Blakey
5 Blues March 6:13
Benny Golson
6 Come Rain or Come Shine 5:45
Harold Arlen / Johnny Mercer
Credits:
Bass – Jymie Merritt
Drums – Art Blakey
Piano – Bobby Timmons
Tenor Saxophone – Benny Golson
Trumpet – Lee Morgan

ART BLAKEY AND THE JAZZ MESSENGERS - A Night in Tunisia (1961-2013) RM / BLUE NOTE MASTERWORKS / SHM-CD / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers hit their artistic peak with the powerful A Night in Tunisia. This incarnation of the group included Lee Morgan, Wayne Shorter, Bobby Timmons, and Jymie Merritt along with their leader, Blakey. As the Messengers entered their most fruitful period for Blue Note, Blakey drove his men relentlessly with powerful grooves, heavy swinging, and shouts of encouragement. This session documents the full power of his assertive leadership and the masterful playing of his sidemen, each rising to legendary status under his tutelage. Long known for their creative arrangements within the context of small-group jazz, the Messengers push the definition of hard bop and blues to the limit here. Dizzy Gillespie's title track is evidence enough of the creative power of this group: Blakey's steam shovel-like mambo, Morgan and Shorter's wailing solos, and a dramatic ending make for a stunning piece. Shorter's contribution includes the swinging "Sincerely Diana." The soulful Bobby Timmons presents his delightful "So Tired," a bluesy number in the spirit of his classic "Dat Dere." Also included are Lee Morgan's smoky "Yama," the bouncing "Kozo's Waltz," and the classic "When Your Lover Has Gone." by Rovi Staff  
Tracklist:
1 A Night in Tunisia 11:14
Dizzy Gillespie / Frank Paparelli
2 Sincerely Diana 6:48
Wayne Shorter
3 So Tired 6:37
Bobby Timmons
4 Yama 6:23
Lee Morgan
5 Kozo's Waltz 6:46
Lee Morgan
- Bonus Tracks -
6 When Your Lover Has Gone 6:46
Einar A. Swan
7 Sincerely Diana (Alt. Take) 6:58
Wayne Shorter
Credits:

Bass – Jymie Merritt

Drums – Art Blakey
Piano – Bobby Timmons
Recorded By, Remastered By – Rudy Van Gelder
Tenor Saxophone – Wayne Shorter
Trumpet – Lee Morgan

ART BLAKEY AND THE JAZZ MESSENGERS - Roots & Herbs (1961-2014) RM / BLUE NOTE MASTERWORKS / SHM-CD / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Originally recorded in 1961, Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers' Roots & Herbs was first released in 1970. Like many titles in the Blue Note catalog, this fine Blakey outing was initially shelved by Alfred Lion for unknown reasons; thankfully, considering Blakey's large array of available Blue Note albums, this wasn't necessarily a crisis. Having already been a magnet for such talented hard bop players and writers as Hank Mobley, Benny Golson, Clifford Brown, Horace Silver (who helped form the original group), and Kenny Dorham, the Messengers' lineup of 1961 featured one of Blakey's best rosters: In addition to trumpeter Lee Morgan, who would alternate in the early '60s with Freddie Hubbard, the band featured tenor saxophonist Wayne Shorter, pianists Walter Davis, Jr. and Bobby Timmons, and bassist Jymie Merritt. Feeding off six early compositions by Shorter, all the players reel off top-notch solos atop Blakey's fluidly galvanizing swing beat. Highlights include "Ping Pong," "Look at Birdie," and "Master Mind," compositions that, in their fetchingly askew ways, nicely foreshadow the wealth of ideas to come from Shorter's pen throughout the '60s. by Stephen Cook  
Tracklist:

1 Ping Pong 7:06

Wayne Shorter
2 Roots and Herbs 6:05
Wayne Shorter
3 The Back Sliders 7:51
Wayne Shorter
4 United 7:29
Wayne Shorter
5 Look at the Birdie 6:45
Wayne Shorter

6 Master Mind 6:55

Wayne Shorter

- Bonus Tracks - 

7 The Back Sliders 7:12

Wayne Shorter

8 Ping Pong 5:58

Wayne Shorter

9 United 6:48

Wayne Shorter
Credits:
Bass – Jymie Merritt
Drums – Art Blakey
Piano – Bobby Timmons (tracks: 1, 3, 5 to 9), Walter Davis Jr. (tracks: 2, 4)
Recorded By – Rudy Van Gelder
Tenor Saxophone, Composed By [All Compositions] – Wayne Shorter
Trumpet – Lee Morgan

ART BLAKEY AND THE JAZZ MESSENGERS - The Witch Doctor (1961-2014) RM / BLUE NOTE MASTERWORKS / SHM-CD / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Into the third year of utilizing late-'20s superstars trumpeter Lee Morgan and tenor saxophonist Wayne Shorter on the front line, Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers were showing a progressive compositional stance, mostly due to the emerging creativity of Shorter's sharply off-minor ideas. Pianist Bobby Timmons, a peer of the front liners, is swimming somewhere in the middle of this stylistic lake, exhibiting soulful backstrokes, straight-ahead sprinting, and the angular chordal complexities or sudden changes any potpourri of modernities might offer. Faithful bassist Jymie Merritt, no young pup at the time (seven years Blakey's junior) is solid, unspectacular, and right where this band of stars needed him to be. Writing chores continue to be split evenly between the horn players, but Shorter's pieces are distinct with a difference. "Those Who Sit and Wait" is a classic hard bop line with opposing non-sequitur melody/harmony cross sections, while "Joelle" sports two piano chords from Timmons leading to unusual phrasings, but still in a hard bop stance. Morgan contributes the title track and an alternate take with its typical and reliable hard bop shuffle buoying quirky horn and piano exchanges, and the spectacular "Afrique" with a 6/8 modal, choppy clave Latin beat merging to easy swing from the heavy tenor of Shorter -- the best of three worlds. Timmons contributes "A Little Busy" which is not far removed from the soul-jazz he is known for, a fun and funky groove biscuit where the pianist is truly in his element. "Lost & Found," penned by Clifford Jordan, showcases the straight-ahead signature sound the Jazz Messengers mined for decades -- upbeat, happy and tight. Whether this was or was not the pinnacle for this great band is still up for debate, but it assuredly ranks with Blakey's personal best aside from the popular album Moanin' of the same time frame. by Michael G. Nastos  
Tracklist:
1 The Witch Doctor 5:32
Lee Morgan
2 Afrique 6:58
Duke Ellington / Lee Morgan
3 Those Who Sit and Wait 5:54
Wayne Shorter
4 A Little Busy 6:18
Bobby Timmons
5 Joelle 5:13
Wayne Shorter
6 Lost and Found 5:06
Clifford Jordan
- Bonus Track -
7 The Witch Doctor 5:33
Lee Morgan
Credits:
Bass – Jymie Merritt
Drums – Art Blakey
Piano – Bobby Timmons
Recorded By – Rudy Van Gelder
Tenor Saxophone – Wayne Shorter
Trumpet – Lee Morgan

ART BLAKEY & THE JAZZ MESSENGERS - The Freedom Rider (1961-2015) RM / BLUE NOTE MASTERWORKS / SHM-CD / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The final recording by this edition of The Jazz Messengers (featuring trumpeter Lee Morgan, tenor saxophonist Wayne Shorter, pianist Bobby Timmons, bassist Jymie Merritt and drummer/leader Art Blakey) finds the group consolidating their year-and-a-half of experience into yet another exciting document. Blakey's unaccompanied drum feature on "The Freedom Rider" is full of drama while the rest of the program (two compositions apiece by Morgan and Shorter) makes this last chapter for this particular band quite memorable. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist:
1 Tell It Like It Is 7:53
Wayne Shorter
2 The Freedom Rider 7:25
Art Blakey
3 El Toro 6:20
Wayne Shorter
4 Petty Larceny 6:14
Lee Morgan
5 Blue Lace 5:59
Lee Morgan
6 Uptight 6:12
Lee Morgan
7 Pisces 6:52
Lee Morgan
8 Blue Ching 6:43
Kenny Dorham
Credits:
Bass – Jymie Merritt
Drums – Art Blakey
Piano – Bobby Timmons
Recorded By – Rudy Van Gelder
Tenor Saxophone – Wayne Shorter
Trumpet – Lee Morgan