Mostrando postagens com marcador Kai Winding. Mostrar todas as postagens
Mostrando postagens com marcador Kai Winding. Mostrar todas as postagens

13.4.24

KING PLEASURE | ANNIE ROSS — King Pleasure Sings | Annie Ross Sings (1958-1987) APE (image+.cue), lossless

The brief life span of classic jazz vocalese singing found its first inspiration in these King Pleasure sides. Pleasure vocalized many bebop solos by the likes of James Moody, Charlie Parker, and Lester Young, often adding his own hip and witty lyrics to the mix. Initially issued on his debut, Moody's Mood for Love, the first eight sides here include solid senders like "Parker's Mood," "Red Top" (based on a Gene Ammons solo and featuring singer Betty Carter), and "Jumpin' With Symphony Sid" (Lester Young). Balancing out the boppish fare, Pleasure also delivers ballads like "This Is Always" (featuring the Dave Lambert Singers) and his own composition, "Don't Be Scared" (up-and-coming vocalese star Jon Hendriks guests). Future Hendriks cohort Annie Ross co-headlines this LP, matching Pleasure's best with hits like "Twisted" (Wardell Gray) and "Farmer's Market" (Art Farmer). Her wordless scat feature, "Annie's Lament," is a highlight as well. A must for bop and vocal jazz fans. Stephen Cook 
Tracklist :
King Pleasure Sings
King Pleasure - Red Top 3:12
Bass – Peck Morrison
Drums – Herbie Lovelle
Piano – Ed Swanston
Tenor Saxophone – Charlie Ferguson
Trumpet – Eddie Lewis
Vocals – Betty Carter
King Pleasure - Jumpin' With Symphony Sid 2:34
Bass – Peck Morrison
Drums – Herbie Lovelle
Piano – Ed Swanston
Tenor Saxophone – Charlie Ferguson
Trumpet – Eddie Lewis
King Pleasure - Sometimes I'm Happy 2:55
Bass – Percy Heath
Drums – Kenny Clarke
Piano – John Lewis 
Vocals – Dave Lambert Singers
King Pleasure - This Is Always 3:12
Bass – Percy Heath
Drums – Kenny Clarke
Piano – John Lewis 
Vocals – Dave Lambert Singers
King Pleasure - What Can I Say Dear 3:09
Bass – Percy Heath
Drums – Kenny Clarke
Piano – John Lewis 
King Pleasure - Don't Get Scared 3:18
Baritone Saxophone – Danny Bank
Bass – Paul Chambers 
Drums – Joe Harris 
Piano – Jimmy Jones 
Tenor Saxophone – Lucky Thompson
Trombone – J.J. Johnson, Kai Winding
Vocals – Eddie Jefferson, Jon Hendricks
King Pleasure - Parker's Mood 2:55
Bass – Percy Heath
Drums – Kenny Clarke
Piano – John Lewis 
King Pleasure - I'm Gone 3:27
Baritone Saxophone – Danny Bank
Bass – Paul Chambers 
Drums – Kenny Clarke
Piano – Jimmy Jones 
Tenor Saxophone – Lucky Thompson
Trombone – J.J. Johnson, Kai Winding
Vocals – Eddie Jefferson, The Three Riffs
Annie Ross Sings
Annie Ross - Twisted 2:37
Bass – Percy Heath
Drums – Art Blakey
Organ – Ram Ramirez
Piano – Teacho Wiltshire
Annie Ross - Farmer's Market 2:43
Bass – Percy Heath
Drums – Art Blakey
Organ – Ram Ramirez
Piano – Teacho Wiltshire
Annie Ross - The Time Was Right 3:16
Bass – Percy Heath
Drums – Art Blakey
Organ – Ram Ramirez
Piano – George Wallington
Annie Ross - Annie's Lament 2:58
Bass – Percy Heath
Drums – Art Blakey
Organ – Ram Ramirez
Piano – George Wallington

19.2.24

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."
-> This comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our blog 'O Púbis da Rosa' <-
Tracklist & Credits :

17.2.24

KAI WINDING | CURTIS FULLER — Bone Appétit (1980--2002) Serie The Definitive Black & Blue Sessions | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

One of the finest trombonists to emerge from the bebop era, Kai Winding was always to an extent overshadowed by J.J. Johnson, although they co-led one of the most popular jazz groups of the mid-'50s. Born in Denmark, Winding emigrated to the U.S. with his family when he was 12. He had short stints with the orchestras of Alvino Rey and Sonny Dunham, and played in a service band in the Coast Guard for three years. Winding's first burst of fame occurred during his year with Stan Kenton's Orchestra (1946-1947), during which his phrasing influenced and was adopted by the other trombonists, leading to a permanent change in the Kenton sound. He also participated in some early bop sessions, played with Tadd Dameron (1948-1949), and was on one of the Miles Davis' nonet's famous recording sessions. After playing with the big bands of Charlie Ventura and Benny Goodman, he formed a quintet with J.J. Johnson (1954-1956); the two trombonists (who sounded nearly identical at the time) had occasional reunions after going their separate ways. Winding led a four-trombone septet off and on through the latter half of the 1950s and into the '60s, was music director for the Playboy clubs in New York, and during 1971-1972 worked with the Giants of Jazz (an all-star group with Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Stitt, and Thelonious Monk). Although he recorded frequently both as a leader and a sideman throughout his career, most of Winding's sessions are not currently available on CD. Scott Yanow   Tracklist & Credits :

4.9.23

BUCK CLAYTON – 1949-1953 | The Chronogical Classics – 1362 (2004) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

It wasn't until Buck Clayton made the European scene in 1949 that he had a chance to begin making records as a leader. Clayton cooked up 13 exceptionally fine tracks before heading back to New York. "High Tide" was a modern notion of Count Basie's. "Swingin' at Sundown" is immediately recognizable as "At Sundown," an old Walter Donaldson tune dating from the 1920s. The composer does not receive credit. Saxophonist Don Byas interacts busily with Clayton on "Who's Sorry Now" and the venerable "Sugar Blues." The trumpet is solely featured on "Blues in First," while "Blues in Second" is taken at almost exactly the same tempo, amounting to little more than a second take. "Don's Blues" is based on "Lester Leaps In." The second of the Parisian sessions brought in saxophonists Armand Conrad and Alix Combelle, trumpeter Bill Coleman, and the young pianist André Persiany. Clayton and Coleman interact on "Uncle Buck" and blend dazzlingly during "B.C. and B.C.," a walking blues for two in which they are billed as Duo de Trompettes. The ensemble's third-chair trumpeter, Merrill Stepter, is brought in to form the Trio de Trompettes on "Sweet Georgia Brown." Crucial support throughout all of these developments is provided by bassist Georges Hadjo. The four tracks recorded back in New York in September of 1951 seem strangely foolish by comparison. Vocalist Johnny Davis comes across as a bit of a twit, although it is interesting to hear the lyrics to "The World Is Waiting for the Sunrise." During "Whispering" he keeps whispering the word "whisper" and is loudly answered by the band hollering "Don't shout!," "Don't scream!," and "Don't yell!" It's really kind of stupid. "Sixty Minute Man" is not the R&B hit, but "The Syncopated Clock" is played by the rhythm section only. Davis tries scatting like early Babs Gonzales on "Smooth Sailing," an easygoing boppish bit of blues. The saving graces on this date are the presences of trombonist Kai Winding, clarinetist Peanuts Hucko, and pianist Bernie Leighton, who held the somewhat dubious distinction of being the leader. In February of 1953, Buck Clayton sat in with the Marlowe Morris Trio, an early modern organ combo. Morris sounds uncannily like later-period Fats Waller as he tickles the upper registers of the Hammond organ on "I Want a Little Girl." Organ and guitar devise an ostinato backdrop for Clayton's horn on "Blue Moon." The guitar handles the bridge and the organ solo is tough. The final two tracks are extended jams. "Basic Organ Blues" walks an exceedingly cool path with Clayton in fine, sassy form. The electrified guitar lays down a boogie and commences to rock. The piece even turns into "Night Train" for a while. This smart little band's take on "'S Wonderful" gradually comes to a boil as Clayton enunciates the melody with elegant precision. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist + Credits :

6.6.23

OSCAR PETTIFORD – 1951-1954 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1409 (2005) FLAC (tracks), lossless

In 2006. a survey of recordings made during the years 1951-1954 by groups under the leadership of bassist, cellist, and composer Oscar Pettiford was released as part of the Classics Chronological Series. During this period, Pettiford was making history as one of the very first improvising cellists in jazz. Swingin' ‘Til the Girls Come Home and "Bei Mir Bist du Schon" were recorded under the supervision of Leonard Feather on April 28, 1951 for Mercer Records, the label named for Duke Ellington's son. The sextet, billed as Oscar Pettiford, His Cello and Orkette, included trumpeter Howard McGhee, vibraphonist Joe Roland (whose other specialty was scoring bop charts for string ensembles à la Charlie Parker with Strings); pianist Kenny Drew, bassist Tommy Potter, and drummer Art Taylor. Arrangements were provided by Quincy Jones. During the summer of 1951, Pettiford worked with bands led by Jimmy Mundy, Wynton Kelly, and Budd Johnson. In the autumn he assembled a six-piece unit for a series of USO shows (this was during the Korean War) in New Jersey, New York, Japan, Korea, and various islands in the Pacific. In late 1951/early 1952, the group was recorded live in Guam. Those recordings, which include interpretations of older traditional standards played by the young boppers, were subsequently released under Howard McGhee's name, and are not included here. On February 21, 1952 Pettiford recorded again with his cello, now backed by bassist Charles Mingus, pianist Billy Taylor, and drummer Charlie Smith. As if to signal that this was not Pettiford's maiden voyage using the violoncello, one of the pieces was titled "Cello Again." Over the next several months, Pettiford would operate as a member of the Beryl Booker Trio, the Miles Davis Sextet, the Billy Taylor Quartet, and a unit led by pianist George Wallington. He also engaged in collective improvisations with Mary Lou Williams and Kenny Clarke at the Downbeat, where nobody recorded what must have been a series of remarkable experiments in early modern jazz.


In February 1953, Pettiford joined the Duke Ellington orchestra, replacing Charles Mingus, who was fired after tussling with valve trombonist Juan Tizol in front of a live audience. While swiftly becoming an important ingredient in Duke's ensemble, Pettiford sat in with Bud Powell and Roy Haynes at Birdland. After playing the Apollo Theater with Duke, he toured with the Ellington orchestra to Albuquerque and Pasadena. While in Los Angeles in June of 1953, he recorded his masterpiece "Blues in the Closet" and three other numbers with his All-Stars, a quintet which featured himself and Harry Babasin on celli. After gigging with Wardell Gray in August and September, Pettiford joined a Norman Granz package tour with Ellington. On December 29, 1953 the New Oscar Pettiford Sextet cut five tracks for the Mingus/Roach-owned and operated Debut label, again featuring the leader on cello, with Julius Watkins blowing French horn, Phil Urso on tenor sax, and a rhythm section of Walter Bishop, Charles Mingus, and Percy Brice. Quincy Jones wrote the arrangements for "Tamalpais Love Song" (later shortened to "Tamalpais") which featured Pettiford on the bass, and Quincy's own "Stockholm Sweetnin'." Pettiford began the year 1954 sitting in with a small band led by Illinois Jacquet's big brother, trumpeter Russell Jacquet. On March 21, Pettiford, the trailblazing jazz cellist, recorded six titles (four of which are included here) for the Vogue label with tenor saxophonist Al Cohn, trombonist Kai Winding, guitarist Tal Farlow, bassist Henri Renaud, and drummer Max Roach. The producers of the Classics Chronological Series are to be commended for having assembled these cello-centered recordings of Oscar Pettiford on one album for all to enjoy and learn from.. arwulf arwulf
Tracklist + Credits :


OSCAR PETTIFORD – 1954-1955 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1454 (2007) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

During his short, prolific, and equally tempestuous career, bassist Oscar Pettiford made potent modern jazz that stands the test of time, and is equal to or as brilliant as any you can name. These reissues, mainly from Bethlehem label recordings, showcase large ensembles and are a prelude to the orchestra Pettiford would lead before his untimely death in a European bicycle accident in 1960. There is an octet and a nonet from the Bethlehem dates, quite different and very strong. With trumpeters Clark Terry and Joe Wilder, trombonist Jimmy Cleveland, alto saxophonist Dave Schildkraut, clarinetist Jimmy Hamilton, and baritone saxophonist Danny Bank, Pettiford is able to use these members of Duke Ellington's orchestra in a manner much like Duke. There's a jam for Hamilton on Ellington's "Jack the Bear," Pettiford's reverent Jewish-sounding theme "Tamalpais," Terry's hard bopper "Chuckles" with Bank taking the lead, a typical "Mood Indigo" with Pettiford's walking bass up front in the mix, and a darker, moodier "Time on My Hands." The effortlessness of the ensemble is easy to hear, but does not really tell what Pettiford and his big band would do in the not-too-distant future. The next nine tracks, with considerable help from alto saxophonist and arranger Gigi Gryce, give definitive foreshadowing as to the charts that set Pettiford's music in an advanced stance. With trumpeters Donald Byrd and Ernie Royal, trombonist Bob Brookmeyer, multi-instrumentalist Jerome Richardson, and Gryce, a higher bar is set from a harmonic standpoint. "Titoro" is an outstanding merging of post-bop, Latin spice, and emerging progressive modernism, topped off by a scintillating solo from pianist Don Abney. The trend continues on the predatory ambush sounds of "Scorpio," the wild bird flute of Richardson on "Oscalypso," the bluesy "Don't Squawk" (a change of pace and a feature for Richardson again on flute), the happy chart "Kamman's A-Coming," Pettiford's cello feature "Another Seventh Heaven," and the famous bass-led "Bohemia After Dark." All are stellar examples of things to come in the late '50s. There are six quintet tracks with just French horn icon Julius Watkins and tenor saxophonist Charlie Rouse in the front line, ranging from the galloping bop of Gerry Mulligan's "Sextette" to the well-known tuneful melody "Tricotism" with horns comping over Pettiford's lead bassline, and the solid bop of "Cable Car" and "Rides Again," both tunes that should be standards. The CD kicks off with two tracks originally on the Swing label out of France, featuring pianist Henri Renaud and a sextet with Max Roach on drums, guitarist Tal Farlow, tenor saxophonist Al Cohn, and trombonist Kai Winding. These two tunes are from a session documented on the previous Classics Pettiford reissue, 1951-1954: another happy Mulligan bopper ("E Lag") and the Charlie Parker-like "Rhumblues" (similar to "My Little Suede Shoes"). 1954-1955 is a must-have for mainstream jazz fans, and a fully representative document of what Pettiford was capable of as a player and leader. Michael G. Nastos
Tracklist + Credits :

3.6.23

CHARLIE VENTURA – 1947-1949 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1149 (2000) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The main reasons to investigate the recordings of Charlie Ventura are of course his wonderful handling of the tenor saxophone and the excellent ensembles he led. Ventura's recordings were predominately instrumental in 1945 and 1946. As the decade drew to a close, singers dominated the recording industry and many bandleaders chose to feature more and more of them. The third volume of the complete recordings of Charlie Ventura illustrates this process in high relief. Four sides recorded for the National label in September of 1947 spotlight the vocal talents of Buddy Stewart, an able crooner who sounded best when bop scatting like a third horn alongside Ventura and trombonist Kai Winding on "East of Suez" and the dynamic "Eleven Sixty," a masterpiece of high-energy bop that Ventura had recorded in March of 1947 as "Stop and Go." A stack of sides recorded in Chicago during October of 1948 packs a few surprises. Ventura switches to baritone sax on "If I Had You" and begins to feature vocalist Jackie Cain as a lone balladeer and in bop scat tandem with pianist Roy Kral. Their cutely hip, wordless passages closely emulate a widely imitated style of singing perfected by Babs Gonzales. As nice as the vocals are, one begins to relish the sax and trombone breaks, while the increasingly rare instrumental tracks ("Oh, Lady Be Good," "Sweet Georgia Brown," and a gorgeous treatment of "Once in a While") begin to feel like precious nuggets of unaffected inspiration. Three of the four titles recorded for Victor on January 6, 1949, showcase the increasingly popular Jackie & Roy in highly charged bop scat mode. The instrumental "Body and Soul" was Ventura's second recorded outing on baritone sax. A smoky, apparently live nightclub recording of "Fine and Dandy" captures the sound of Ventura's sextet at its most unrestrained and inspired, including fine solos by Bennie Green and trumpeter Conte Candoli. Contrary to what the enclosed discography says, Jackie & Roy do not sing on "Fine and Dandy." By April of 1949, Ventura's act had practically become the Jackie & Roy show, albeit with excellent instrumentation behind the singers. "Flamingo" achieves an interesting balance as the vocalists are mainly heard in the background during the introduction, as if to pave the way for the leader's passionate, sophisticated saxophone. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist + Credits :


18.5.23

ARTIE SHAW AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1951-1954 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1413 (2006) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Volume 16 in the Classics Artie Shaw chronology covers a time line from January 30 1951 to March of 1954, combining ten of his excellent latter-day Gramercy Five recordings with 11 performances by what is now recognized as his last big band. The ensembles used on the sessions that took place in July of 1953 were positively gargantuan, with the group that was squeezed into the studio on July 2 weighing in as Brobdingnagian: 20 pieces + 17 string players = 37 musicians, a jazz orchestra monstrous enough to have handled one of Stan Kenton's Innovations charts, although the arrangements used here were so sugary as to suggest instead a Jackie Gleason midnight cocktail lounge set. Although those who suffer from an allergy to string ensembles might balk at the prospect, Shaw's inspired clarinet technique transforms even the sweetest of these marzipans into an intoxicating daydream of Cinemascopic proportions. The Gramercy Five sides are exceptionally satisfying, with attractive vocals by June Hutton, a mature Connee Boswell and sensuous Trudy Richards, who seems to have modeled her singing style after Dinah Washington. Of the three quintets heard in this part of the chronology, the one Shaw led during September 1953 and again in early 1954 was a particularly fine unit composed of pianist Hank Jones, vibraphonist Joe Roland, guitarist Tal Farlow, bassist Tommy Potter and drummer Irv Kluger, who got to show off during the "Stop and Go Mambo." The nearly nine minute "Sequence in B Flat" is a full-fledged exercise in modern bop. Altogether a fascinating segment of Artie Shaw's late period, this compilation features the last of his Decca recordings, a transitional date for the tiny Bell record label, and the first of Shaw's wonderful collaborations with producer Norman Granz. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist + Credits : 

13.5.23

STAN KENTON AND HIS ORCHESTRA - 1946 | The Classics Chronological Series – 949 (1997) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist:
1    All The Time 2:56
Vocals – Gene Howard
Written-By – Freed, Fain

2    That's The Least You Can Do 2:56
Vocals – Gene Howard
Written-By – Torme, Levinson

3    Intermission Riff 3:14
Written-By – Ray Wetzel
4    Four Months, Three Weeks, Two Days, One Hour Blues 3:02
Vocals – June Christy
Written-By – Torme, Levinson

5    Rika Jika Jack 3:00
Vocals – June Christy
Written-By – Dawson, Sullivan, Hagen

6    Artistry In Boogie 2:56
Written-By – Rugolo, Kenton
7    Come Back To Sorrento    3:03
Traditional
8    Ain't No Misery In Me 2:59
Vocals – June Christy
Written-By – Gene Roland

9    Artistry In Percussion 3:11
Written-By – Pete Rugolo
10    Safranski 3:06
Written-By – Pete Rugolo
11    Artistry In Bolero 3:02
Written-By – Raskin, Rugolo
12    It's A Pity To Say Goodnight 2:52
Vocals – June Christy
Written-By – Billy Reid

13    Willow Weep For Me 3:10
Vocals – June Christy
Written-By – Ann Ronnell

14    Fantasy 2:38
Written-By – Stan Kenton
15    Concerto To End All Concertos - Part 2 3:10
Written-By – Kenton
16    Concerto To End All Concertos - Part 1 3:06
Written-By – Stan Kenton
17    Collaboration 2:44
Written-By – Rugolo, Kenton
18    Don't Want That Man Around 2:54
Vocals – June Christy
Written-By – Rizzo, Braude, Volk

19    Opus In Pastels 2:48
Written-By – Stan Kenton

12.5.23

STAN KENTON AND HIS ORCHESTRA - 1947 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1011 (1998) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Bucking the tide while beginning to surf on a wave of increasingly mannered modernity, Stan Kenton's orchestra maintained its popularity during the post-WWII decline of the big bands. Volume four in the Classics Stan Kenton chronology presents all of his Capitol recordings made between January 2 and September 24, 1947. June Christy continued to be the featured vocalist, often backed by Kenton's newly formed vocal group, the Pastels. Dave Lambert was the director of this ensemble and sang with them on at least the first three tracks heard here. Noteworthy instrumentalists present in Kenton's 19-piece band during 1947 were drummer Shelly Manne, trombonists Kai Winding and Eddie Bert, as well as saxophonists Vido Musso, Boots Mussulli and the largely unknown George Weidler, who demonstrated impressive skill and dexterity on the arresting "Elegy for Alto." Kenton, who is known to have been obsessed with the notion that he was "greater than Duke Ellington," had a penchant for emulating and (he thought) one-upping African-American musicians. This seems to have manifested itself in "Machito," a spiced up portrait devised by Pete Rugolo soon after Kenton's band shared the bill with Machito's Afro Cuban Salseros at a Town Hall concert in New York. Dizzy Gillespie had this to say about Kenton and the postwar big band scene: "By 1947, a lotta bands had begun to imitate our style of playing. And some of them, especially the white bands like Stan Kenton's, did better in America, commercially, than we could at that time with segregation. No one could take our style, but we had to stay in existence to keep the style alive. They had us so penned up within the concept of race that a colored big band wasn't all that economically feasible, unless you were playing and doing just what the people ordered." Living and working within this kind of a social environment, it is unfortunate that Stan Kenton sometimes exacerbated the problem by stating publicly that white jazz musicians were victims of racial discrimination! Sadly, this sort of twisted ignorant logic has survived into the 21st century. arwulf arwulf
Tracklist :

31.3.23

LENNIE TRISTANO - Requiem (1996) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Towards the end of the 20th century, the Giants of Jazz reissue label came out with a series of compilations that paid tribute to the amazingly creative musical mind of Lennie Tristano. Requiem offers 13 tracks recorded in New York City between the years 1949 and 1955, beginning with a pair of piano solos (the gnarly overdubbed "Turkish Mambo" and the beautiful reflective blues "Requiem") along with two studies for trio involving bassist Peter Ind and drummer Jeff Morton. "East Thirty-Second" was named for the address of Tristano's home recording studio, where these first four titles were taped in 1954 and 1955. Tracks five through nine and track 11 were distilled from the first and fourth of a five-set marathon recording session that took place live in the Sing Song Room of the Confucius Restaurant on June 11, 1955 with saxophonist Lee Konitz, drummer Art Taylor and bassist Gene Ramey, whose eventful career traces a trajectory from Lester Young through Charlie Parker to Lennie Tristano. Originally released on the Atlantic label, these wonderfully cohesive and consistently inspired performances still convey the intimate immediacy of relaxed collective improvisation. "Sax of a Kind" was extracted from the Capitol recording session of May 16, 1949, with Lee Konitz and Warne Marsh in front of Tristano, guitarist Billy Bauer, bassist Arnold Fishkin and drummer Denzil Best. For dessert the producers tacked on the short takes from the famous RCA Metronome All Stars date of January 3, 1949, stoked by a formidable 13-piece ensemble with a front line made up of Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Fats Navarro, Miles Davis, Charlie Ventura, J.J. Johnson, Buddy DeFranco and Ernie Caceres. Legend has it that Bird deliberately feigned befuddlement at Pete Rugolo's arrangement in order to stall for time and draw a few unionized "Overtime" dollars for himself and his 12 session mates. Tristano's "Victory Ball" helped to establish a modern tradition that was still bearing fruit when Anthony Braxton included it on his hatART album Eight (+3) Tristano Compositions 1989 for Warne Marsh. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist :
1     East Thirty-Second 4:31
Lennie Tristano
2     Turkish Mambo 3:29
Lennie Tristano
3     Requiem 4:51
Lennie Tristano
4     Line Up 3:31
Lennie Tristano
5     These Foolish Things 5:43
Harry Link / Holt Marvell / Jack Strachey
6     All the Things You Are 6:10
Oscar Hammerstein II / Jerome Kern
7     You Go to My Head 5:22
J. Fred Coots / Haven Gillespie
8     I Don't Stand a Ghost of a Chance with You 6:03
Bing Crosby / Ned Washington / Victor Young
9     If I Had You 6:26
Jimmy Campbell / Reginald Connelly / Ted Shapiro
10     Sax of a Kind 5:11
Lennie Tristano
11     Confucius Blues 6:38
Lennie Tristano
12     Overtime 3:07
Pete Rugolo
13     Victory Ball 2:40
Lennie Tristano
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Charlie Parker (tracks: 12, 13), Lee Konitz (tracks: 5 to 11)
Baritone Saxophone – Ernie Caceres (tracks: 12, 13)
Bass – Eddie Safranski (tracks: 12, 13), Gene Ramey (tracks: 5 to 9, 11), Joe Shulman (tracks: 10), Peter Ind (tracks: 1, 4)
Clarinet – Buddy De Franco (tracks: 12, 13)
Drums – Arthur Taylor (tracks: 5 to 9, 11), Jeff Morton (tracks: 1, 4, 10), Shelly Manne (tracks: 12, 13), Unknown Artist (tracks: 2)
Guitar – Billy Bauer (tracks: 10, 12, 13)
Orchestra – Metronome All Stars (tracks: 12, 13)
Piano – Lennie Tristano
Tenor Saxophone – Charlie Ventura (tracks: 12, 13), Warne Marsh (tracks: 10)
Trombone – J.J. Johnson (tracks: 12, 13), Kai Winding (tracks: 12, 13)
Trumpet – Dizzy Gillespie (tracks: 12, 13), Fats Navarro (tracks: 12, 13), Miles Davis (tracks: 12, 13)

19.10.22

STAN GETZ | ZOOT SIMS — The Brothers (1956-1989) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The music on this LP recalls the airy "Four Brothers" sound that tenor saxophonists Stan Getz, Zoot Sims and Herbie Steward, and baritone saxophonist Serge Charloff, plied in Woody Herman's band of 1947. For this outing, Steward and Charloff exit, and four become five with the addition of tenor luminaries Al Cohn, Brew Moore, and Allen Eager. The set appropriately kicks off with Gerry Mulligan's "Five Brothers," a tune reminiscent of Jimmy Giuffre's original "Four Brothers" in its fluid and bouncy arrangement. Three other attractive and similarly disposed originals (one more by Mulligan and two by Cohn) complete the saxophone session from 1949, all featuring swinging statements by each soloist. A 1952 sextet date led by Sims and Cohn is also included, offering up another round of original and buoyantly swinging cuts, bolstered by lively contributions from trombonist Kai Winding and solid rhythmic support by pianist George Wallington, bassist Percy Heath, and drummer Art Blakey. A fine release that nicely showcases the cool, proto-West Coast bop forged by both these soloists and Miles Davis. Stephen Cook  

Tracklist :
1 Stan Getz And His Four Brothers- Five Brothers 3:10
Gerry Mulligan    
2 Stan Getz And His Four Brothers- Five Brothers [Alternate Take] 3:34
Gerry Mulligan    
3 Stan Getz And His Four Brothers- Battle of the Saxes 3:52
Al Cohn    
4 Stan Getz And His Four Brothers- Battleground 3:46
Al Cohn    
5 Stan Getz And His Four Brothers- Battleground [Alternate Take] 3:31
Al Cohn    
6 Stan Getz And His Four Brothers- Four and One Moore 3:22
Gerry Mulligan    
7 Stan Getz And His Four Brothers- Four and One Moore [Alternate Take] 3:15
Gerry Mulligan    
8 Zoot Sims And Al Cohn– The Red Door 4:34
Zoot Sims    
9 Zoot Sims And Al Cohn– Zootcase 4:18
Zoot Sims
10 Zoot Sims And Al Cohn– Tangerine 4:24
Victor Schertzinger    
11 Zoot Sims And Al Cohn– Morning Fun 5:37  
Al Cohn
Credits :
1-7
Bass – Gene Ramey
Drums – Charlie Perry
Piano – Walter Bishop
Tenor Saxophone – Brew Moore, Stan Getz, Zoot Sims, Al Cohn, Allen Eager
8-11
Bass – Percy Heath
Drums – Art Blakey
Piano – George Wallington
Tenor Saxophone – Al Cohn, , Zoot Sims
Trombone – Kai Winding
Notas.
#1-7 recorded April 8, 1949. #8-11 recorded September 8, 1952.
#2, 5 and 7 are bonus tracks.
Remastered By [Digital Remastering] – Joe Tarantino
Artwork – Don Martin

7.9.22

COLEMAN HAWKINS - 1946-1947 | The Classics Chronological Series – 984 (1998) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Classics continues its excavation of Coleman Hawkins' career with this mid-'40s slice of "Bean" during the burgeoning bebop revolution. In fact, Hawkins made some of his best sides with a few of those beboppers, including "Cocktails for Two" and his own "Bean and the Boys"; the likes of J.J. Johnson, Fats Navarro, Max Roach, and Hank Jones are heard on these and two other sides here, with plenty more bop-centric dates on other roundups still to be had. Not really a good sampler or primer, 1946-1947 will make Hawkins' completists happy all the same. Stephen Cook
Tracklist :
1     Say It Isn't So 2:59
Irving Berlin
2     Spotlite 3:05
Coleman Hawkins
3     Low Flame 3:06
Leonard Feather    
4     Allen's Alley 3:02     
Denzil Best    
5     Indiana Winter 2:27
Leonard Feather    
6     Indian Summer 3:10
Al Dubin / Victor Herbert    
7     Blow Me Down 2:52
Coleman Hawkins    
8     Buckin' the Blues 2:57
Leonard Feather    
9     Dixieland Stomp 2:33
feat: Chubby Jackson         
10     I Mean You 2:58     
Coleman Hawkins / Thelonious Monk
11     Bean and the Boys 2:40
Coleman Hawkins    
12     You Go to My Head 2:56
J. Fred Coots / Haven Gillespie    
13     Cocktails for Two 3:00
Sam Coslow / Arthur Johnston    
14     The Old Songs 2:58
15     You Said Good-Bye 3:05     
16     Bean-A-Re-Bop 2:29
Coleman Hawkins / Hank Jones
17     Isn't It Romantic? 2:59
Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers    
18     The Way You Look Tonight 2:43
Dorothy Fields / Jerome Kern    
19     Phantomesque 2:54
Coleman Hawkins    
20     How Did She Look? 3:00
Gladys Shelley / Abner Silver    
21     Under a Blanket of Blue 2:58
Jerry Livingston / Al J. Neiburg / Marty Symes    
22     Never in a Million Years 3:00
Mack Gordon / Harry Revel    
23     You Were Meant for Me 2:49
Nacio Herb Brown / Arthur Freed

4.9.22

COLEMAN HAWKINS - Hollywood Stampede (1945-1989) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Hawkins led one of his finest bands in 1945, a sextet with the fiery trumpeter Howard McGhee that fell somewhere between small-group swing and bebop. This CD contains all of that group's 12 recordings, including memorable versions of "Rifftide" and "Stuffy"; trombonist Vic Dickenson guests on four tracks. This CD concludes with one of Hawkins' rarest sessions, an Aladdin date from 1947 that finds the veteran tenor leading a septet that includes 20-year-old trumpeter Miles Davis. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     April in Paris 2'54
Vernon Duke / E.Y. "Yip" Harburg
2     Rifftide 2'52
Coleman Hawkins
3     Stardust 3'11
Hoagy Carmichael / Mitchell Parish
4     Stuffy 3'00
Coleman Hawkins
5     Hollywood Stampede 3'07
Coleman Hawkins
6     I'm Through With Love 3'11
Gus Kahn / Fud Livingston / Matty Malneck
7     What Is There to Say? 3'17
Vernon Duke / E.Y. "Yip" Harburg
8     Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams (And Dream Your Troubles Away) 3'04
Harry Barris / Ted Koehler / Billy Moll
9     Too Much of a Good Thing 2'50
Coleman Hawkins
10     Bean Soup 3'04
Coleman Hawkins
11     Someone to Watch over Me 2'46
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
12     It's the Talk of the Town 3'04
Jerry Livingston / Al J. Neiburg / Marty Symes
13     Isn't It Romantic? 3'04
Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
14     Bean-A-Re-Bop 2'30
Coleman Hawkins / Hank Jones
15     The Way You Look Tonight 2'46
Dorothy Fields / Jerome Kern
16     Phantomesque 2'53
Coleman Hawkins
Credits :
Tracks 1-4: Los Angeles, February 23, 1945
Howard McGhee: t
Coleman Hawkins: ts
Sir Charles Thompson: p
Allan Reuss: g
Oscar Pettiford:b
Denzil Best: d
Tracks 5-8: Los Angeles, March 2, 1945
Same as above, except Vic Dickenson: tb is added.
"Rifftide" from the same session was unissued but a tape exists.
Tracks 9-12: Los Angeles, March 9, 1945
Same as tracks 1-4, except John Simmons replaces Pettiford.
Tracks 13-16: NYC, June, 1947
Miles Davis: t
Kai Winding: tb
Howard Johnson: as
Coleman Hawkins: ts
Hank Jones: p
Curly Russell: b
Max Roach: d
Digital transfers: Ron McMaster

9.6.18

ASTRUD GILBERTO - The Shadow of Your Smile [1965] VERVE / FLAC

 For her second Verve LP, Astrud Gilberto expanded her range from a raft of Gilberto/Jobim standards to embrace the large and obviously daunting catalogue of classic American pop. With arrangements by Don Sebesky and Claus Ogerman (as well as two by country-mate João Donato), The Shadow of Your Smile can't help but shine a bright spotlight on Gilberto's weak voice, especially when she's singing material previously enlightened by singers with the weight of Frank Sinatra or Sarah Vaughan. Even the intimate, understated arrangements on songs like "Day by Day," the title track, and "Fly Me to the Moon" overshadow the chanteuse's limited range. Brazilian material like the five songs by Luiz Bonfá make for better listening, though the preponderance of flutes, strings, and muted trumpet in the arrangements is very mid-'60s, for better and worse. (And the notes' description of "O Ganso" as an "exercise in vocalise based on bah and dah sounds" is being more than generous.) Certainly, no American vocalist could hope to equal the tortured syntax and somehow endearing performances on these songs; still, Verve did much better by Gilberto later on when they gave her good-time Brazilian songs to sing and didn't attempt to force comparison with standard jazz/pop vocalists.  by John Bush   
Tracklist
1 The Shadow of Your Smile 2:31
Johnny Mandel / Paul Francis Webster
2 Aruanda (Take Me to Aruanda) 2:30
Norman Gimbel
3 Manhã de Carnival 1:57
Antônio Maria
4 Fly Me to the Moon 2:22
Bart Howard
5 The Gentle Rain 2:26
Luiz Bonfá
6 Non-Stop to Brazil 2:27
Luiz Bonfá / Norman Gimbel
7 O Ganso 2:09
Luiz Bonfá
8 Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me) 2:10
Leslie Bricusse / Anthony Newley
9 Day by Day 2:09
Sammy Cahn / Axel Stordahl / Paul Weston
10 Tristeza (Goodbye Sadness) 2:23
Luiz Bonfá / Maria Toledo
11    Funny World 2:24
Alan Brandt
Credits
Arranged By, Conductor – Claus Ogerman (tracks: 4, 8, 9, 11), Don Sebesky (tracks: 1 to 3, 5, 6), João Donato (tracks: 7)
Engineer – Bob Simpson, Phil Ramone, Rudy Van Gelder
Producer – Creed Taylor
Trombone – Kai Winding (tracks: 1 to 3, 5, 6), Urbie Green (tracks: 4, 8, 9, 11)
Valve Trombone – Bob Brookmeyer (tracks: 1 to 3, 5, 6, 10)
Vocals – Astrud Gilberto
ASTRUD GILBERTO - The Shadow of Your Smile 
[1965] VERVE / FLAC / scans
O Púbis da Rosa

12.11.17

J.J. JOHNSON / KAI WINDING - Trombone For Two [1956] MOSAIC

The J.J. Johnson-Kai Winding quintet became one of the more unlikely successes of the mid-'50s, recording nine albums during their two years of steady collaborations. Their first Columbia LP (there would be five) has such likable songs as "Give Me the Simple Life," "Trombone for Two," "It's Sand Man," "Let's Get Away from It All" and "This Can't Be Love." With pianist Dick Katz, bassist Paul Chambers (who would soon join Miles Davis) and drummer Osie Johnson, the focus is almost entirely on the competitive but complementary trombonists. The results are bop-based but full of surprises, tasteful but not always predictable. All of this group's albums deserve to be reissued in coherent fashion on CD; this one will be hard to find. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist  
1 The Whiffenpoof Song 3:16
Written-By – Pomeroy, Minnigerode, Galloway
2 Give Me The Simple Life 3:51
Written-By – H. Ruby, S. Bloom
3 Close As Pages In A Book 3:37
Written-By – D. Fields, S. Romberg
4 Turnabout 3:54
Written-By – J.J. Johnson
5 Trombone For Two 3:16
Written-By – Kai Winding
6 It's Sand, Man 3:57
Written-By – Edward Lewis
7 We Two 4:05
Written-By – J.J. Johnson
8 Let's Get Away From It All 2:53
Written-By – M. Dennis, T. Adair
9 Goodbye 2:46
Written-By – Gordon Jenkins
10 This Can't Be Love 4:06
Written-By – R. Rodgers-L. Hart
Bonus Tracks
11 You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To 3:24
Written-By – Cole Porter
12 Caribé 3:06
Bongos – Candido Camero
Written-By – Kai Winding
13 Happiness Is A Thing Called Joe 4:04
Written-By – E.Y. Harburg, H. Arlen
14 The Song Is You 3:55
Written-By – J. Kern-O. Hammerstein
15 In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning 4:09
Written-By – I. James, J.M. Elliot
16 Tromboniums In Motion 3:34
Written-By – J.J. Johnson
17 How High The Moon 2:33
Written-By – W. Lewis, N. Hamilton
18 Violets For Your Furs 4:20
Written-By – M. Dennis, T. Adair
19 Too Close For Comfort 3:26
Written-By – Weiss, Bock, Holofcener
20 'S Wonderful 3:08
Written-By – G. Gershwin-I. Gershwin
Credits
Bass – Bill Crow (tracks: 16 to 20), Milt Hinton (tracks: 11 to 15), Paul Chambers (tracks: 1 to 10)
Drums – Kenny Clarke (tracks: 16 to 20), Osie Johnson (tracks: 1 to 10), Shadow Wilson (tracks: 11 to 15)
Piano – Dick Katz (tracks: 1 to 10)
Trombone, Arranged By – J.J. Johnson (tracks: 3, 4, 7, 10, 16 to 20),
                 Kai Winding (tracks: 1, 2, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11 to 15)
Notes
Recorded at Columbia 30th Street Studio on June 23, 1955 (#2, 5, 7, 8 & 10), June 24, 1955 (#1, 3, 4, 6 & 9), November 17, 1955 (#11-15) and July 18, 1956 (#16-20). 
Tracks 1-10 originally issued on J.J. Johnson And Kai Winding - Trombone For Two (Columbia CL 742). 
Tracks 11-20 originally issued on J. J. Johnson And Kai Winding - Jay And Kai (Columbia CL 973).
Barcode and Other Identifiers
J.J. JOHNSON / KAI WINDING - Trombone For Two
[1956] Mosaic Records / CBR320 / scan

6.9.17

LALO SCHIFRIN - The Dissection And Reconstruction Of Music From The Past As Performed By The Inmates Of Lalo Schifrin's Demented Ensemble As A Tribute To The Memory Of The Marquis De Sade [1966] Verve / Lp / FLAC

Come again? This crackpot title -- probably the longest ever concocted for a jazz album -- actually is a front for a not-so-dangerous, hard-swinging album in which Schifrin invents or borrows 18th-century classical themes and sets them into big band or small-combo contexts. Such is Schifrin's chameleonic mastery that his own inventions are a match for the themes of the period, and he is tasteful enough not to overload the window dressing and keep the rhythm section loosely swinging nearly all the time. Once, Lalo tries something wacky; on "Beneath a Weeping Window Shade," he has singer Rose Marie Jun intoning a madrigal-like Francis Hopkinson song against some avant-garde multiphonic flute from Jerome Richardson, ministrations from a string quintet, and Schifrin's own comments on harpsichord. There is also a stimulating pastiche "Aria" that sounds like Schifrin arguing with Heitor Villa-Lobos and Henry Purcell in 9/8 time. With the cream of New York's jazz session men of the '60s on board -- including the inimitable Grady Tate on drums, Richardson on flute and tenor, Gene Bertoncini on guitar, and J.J. Johnson and Kai Winding on trombones -- and Creed Taylor's production dictating the distinctive timbres, jazz buffs will have a fine time with this collision of the centuries, which leans heavily to the jazz side. The album was reissued on CD as part of Verve's limited Elite Editions series.
Tracklist
A1. Old Laces 4:20
A2. The Wig 2:40
A3. The Blues For Johann Sebastian 3:05
A4. Renaissance 3:15
A5. Beneath A Weeping Willow Shade 2:30
B1. Versailles Promenade 3:55
B2. Troubadour 3:00
B3. Marquis De Sade 2:45
B4. Aria 2:30
B5. Bossa Antique 3:26
Arranged By, Conductor, Leader, 
Piano, Harpsichord– Lalo Schifrin
Bass – Richard Davis (2)
Cello – George Ricci (tracks: A4, A5, B4)
Drums – Grady Tate
Flute [Tenor & Alto] – Jerome Richardson
Saxophone (tracks: A2, A3, A4, A5, B2, B4, B5)
Flute, Flute [Alto] – Romeo Penque (tracks: A2, A3, B2, B5)
French Horn – James Buffington* (tracks: A2, A3, B2, B5), 
Ray Alonge (tracks: A2, A3, B2, B5), 
Richard Berg (3) (tracks: A2, A3, B2, B5)
Guitar – Gene Bertoncini (tracks: A4, A5, B4)
Guitar [Classic], Electric Guitar (tracks: A1, B1, B3)
Harp – Gloria Agostini (tracks: A4, A5, B4)
Trombone – J. J. Johnson* (tracks: A2, A3, B2, B5),
 Kai Winding (tracks: A2, A3, B2, B5), 
Thomas Mitchell (tracks: A2, A3, B2, B5), 
Urbie Green (tracks: A2, A3, B2, B5)
Trumpet – Clark Terry (tracks: A2, A3, B2, B5),
 Ernie Royal, Snooky Young* (tracks: A2, A3, B2, B5), 
Jimmy Maxwell (tracks: A2, A3, B2, B5)
Tuba – Don Butterfield (tracks: A2, A3, B2, B5)
Violin – Alfred Brown (tracks: A4, A5, B4), 
Christopher Williams (10) (tracks: A4, A5, B4), 
Gene Orloff (tracks: A4, A5, B4),
 Harry Lookofsky (tracks: A4, A5, B4)
Vocals – Rose Marie Jun (tracks: A4, A5, B4)

ESBJÖRN SVENSSON TRIO — Winter In Venice (1997) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Esbjörn Svensson has stood not only once on stage in Montreux. He was already a guest in the summer of 1998 at the jazz festival on Lake Gen...