DON CHERRY — Symphony for Improvisers (1967-2005) RM | RVG Edition Series | APE (image+.cue), lossless

For his second album, Symphony for Improvisers, Don Cherry expanded his Complete Communion quartet -- tenor saxophonist Gato Barbieri, bassist Henry Grimes, and drummer Ed Blackwell -- to a septet, adding vibraphonist Karl Berger, bassist Jean François Jenny-Clark, and tenor saxophonist Pharoah Sanders (who frequently plays piccolo here). The lineup has a real international flavor, since Barbieri was from Argentina, Berger from Germany, and Jenny-Clark from France; Cherry had gigged regularly with all three during his 1964-1965 sojourn in Europe, and brought them to New York to record. With all the added firepower, it's remarkable that Symphony for Improvisers has the same sense of shared space and controlled intelligence as its predecessor, even when things are at their most heated. Once again, Cherry sets up the album as two continuous medleys that fuse four compositions apiece, which allows the group's improvisational energy and momentum to carry straight through the entire program. The "Symphony for Improvisers" suite is the most raucous part of Cherry's Blue Note repertoire, and the "Manhattan Cry" suite pulls off the widest mood shifts Cherry had yet attempted in that format. Even though the album is full of passionate fireworks, there's also a great deal of subtlety -- the flavors added to the ensemble by Berger's vibes and Sanders' piccolo, for example, or the way other instrumental voices often support and complement a solo statement. Feverish but well-channeled, this larger-group session is probably Cherry's most gratifying for Blue Note. Steve Huey   
Tracklist
 1 Symphony for Improvisers:
 Symphony for Improvisers/Nu Creative Love 19:43
Don Cherry
2 Manhattan Cry: Manhattan Cry/Lunatic/Sparkle Plenty/Om Nu 19:17
Don Cherry
Credits
Bass – Henry Grimes, Jean-François Jenny-Clark
Cornet, Composed By – Don Cherry
Drums – Edward Blackwell
Tenor Saxophone – Gato Barbieri
Tenor Saxophone, Piccolo Flute – Pharoah Sanders
Vibraphone, Piano – Karl Berger

LEE KONITZ - The Lee Konitz Duets (1967-1986) RM | Series : Jazz CD On Gold Disc And... – 7 | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This LP comprises one of altoist Lee Konitz's greatest sessions. In 1967 he recorded a series of very diverse duets, all of which succeed on their own terms. Konitz is matched with valve trombonist Marshall Brown on a delightful version of "Struttin' with Some Barbecue" and matches wits with the tenor of Joe Henderson on "You Don't Know What Love Is." He plays "Checkerboard" with pianist Dick Katz, "Erb" with guitarist Jim Hall, "Tickle Toe" with the tenor of Richie Kamuca (Konitz switches to tenor on that cut), and an adventurous and fairly free "Duplexity" with violinist Ray Nance. Konitz also has three different duets in five versions of "Alone Together" and, on "Alphanumeric," welcomes practically everyone back for a final blowout. The music ranges from Dixieland to bop and free, and is consistently fascinating. Scott Yanow
Tracklist  
1 –Lee Konitz With Marshall Brown
_ Struttin' With Some Barbecue 3:02
Written-By – Lil Armstrong
2 –Lee Konitz With Joe Henderson
 _ You Don't Know What Love Is 3:27
Written-By – Raye, DePaul
Variations On Alone Together 14:59
3a –Lee Konitz
Variations On Alone Together I 1:03
Written-By – Dietz-Schwartz
3b –Lee Konitz With Elvin Jones
 _ Variations On Alone Together II 3:14
Written-By – Dietz-Schwartz
3c –Lee Konitz With Karl Berger
_ Variations On Alone Together III 2:23
Written-By – Dietz-Schwartz
3d –Lee Konitz With Eddie Gomez 3:28
_Variations On Alone Together IV
Written-By – Dietz-Schwartz
3e –Lee Konitz With Elvin Jones, Karl Berger & Eddie Gomez
_Variations On Alone Together V 4:40
Written-By – Dietz-Schwartz
4 –Lee Konitz With Dick Katz Checkerboard 5:44
Written-By – Dick Katz
5 –Lee Konitz With Jim Hall Erb 3:05
Written-By – Jim Hall
6 –Lee Konitz With Richie Kamuca Tickle Toe 2:53
Written-By – Lester Young
7 –Lee Konitz With Ray Nance Duplexity 6:16
Written-By – Konitz, Nance
8 –Lee Konitz Alphanumeric 5:17
Written-By – Marshall Brown
Credits :    
Alto Saxophone – Lee Konitz (tracks: 1, 2, 3.1, 3.3, 3.5, 4, 5, 8)
Baritone Saxophone – Lee Konitz (tracks: 1)
Bass – Eddie Gomez (tracks: 3.4, 3.5, 8)
Drums – Elvin Jones (tracks: 3.2, 3.5, 8)
Euphonium – Marshall Brown (tracks: 1)
Guitar – Jim Hall (tracks: 5, 8)
Piano – Dick Katz (tracks: 4, 8)
Producer – Dick Katz
Remastered By – Phil De Lancie
Supervised By – Orrin Keepnews
Tenor Saxophone – Joe Henderson (tracks: 2, 8), Lee Konitz (tracks: 3.2, 3.4, 6, 7), Richie Kamuca (tracks: 6, 8)
Valve Trombone – Marshall Brown (tracks: 1, 8)
Vibraphone – Karl Berger (tracks: 3.3, 3.5, 8)
Violin – Ray Nance (tracks: 7)

LEE KONITZ & KARL BERGER - Seasons Change (1979-1996) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1     Some Blues 4:53
Lee Konitz / John Scofield
2     Ballad 4:47
Lee Konitz
3     A Tuno for Bruno 4:09
Lee Konitz
4     Standard 5:33
Lee Konitz
5     Talk 5:02
Karl Berger
6     Seasons Change 4:42
Karl Berger
7     Sundance 2:10
Karl Berger
8     Mamidi II 2:10
Karl Berger
9     Taking Time 3:47
Karl Berger
10     Fun (Whole-Half Down 89) 4:57
Karl Berger
Credits :    
Alto Saxophone [Alto Sax] – Lee Konitz
Vibraphone, Piano – Karl Berger 

JOHN MCLAUGHLIN — Where Fortune Smiles (1971-1993) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Where Fortune Smiles is really a John Surman recording, but subsequent re-releases have passed the credit on to John McLaughlin (for obvious reasons). The music is similar to but more dense than Extrapolation. McLaughlin's raw sound was starting to take shape by this time and his impeccable chops are on full display. So too are those of the underrated vibraphonist Karl Berger and, of course, soprano saxophonist Surman. The foundation is held loosely in place by bassist Dave Holland and drummer Stu Martin. It's a challenging but interesting listen, especially given McLaughlin's later success and popularity. Although his creativity would peak with the Mahavishnu Orchestra and Shakti, he never sounded more free and exploratory than he does here. Highly recommended for its historical significance as well as some excellent playing. Robert Taylor
Tracklist :
1 Glancing Backwards 8:54
2 Earth Bound Hearts 4:15
3 Where Fortune Smiles 4:01
4 New Place,Old Place 10:24
5 Hope 7:19
Credits:
Bass – Dave Holland
Drums – Stu Martin
Guitar – John McLaughlin
Saxophone – John Surman
Vibraphone – Karl Berger

DON CHERRY — Eternal Rhythm (1968-2004) RM | Universal Jazz The Best – 183 | Two Version | APE + FLAC (image+.tracks+.cue), lossless

Eternal Rhythm is a masterpiece on several levels. It was one of the earliest major examples of the idea that it was possible for any and all musical cultures to exist simultaneously, a philosophy that rejected any innate musical hierarchy and had no trouble placing the earthiest blues alongside the most delicate gamelan. It was also a summit meeting between representatives of the American and European jazz avant-garde, black and white, dismissing as meaningless both the cautious attitude of American jazz musicians toward Europeans edging onto their turf and the tentative stance of Europeans playing a music that was not "theirs." More importantly, Eternal Rhythm exists as an utterly spectacular, movingly beautiful musical performance, one of the rare occasions where the listener has a visceral sense of borders falling and vast expanses of territory being revealed for the first time. Cherry balanced compositional clarity, wild free improvisation, and a totally inclusive musical consciousness in a manner seldom achieved, resulting in a cohesive, spellbinding session. His own playing throughout on both trumpet and flute is at his highest levels, but the contributions of his fellow musicians are just as amazing. Special mention should be made of guitarist Sonny Sharrock, whose "glass shards" approach is in full bloom here, and vibraphonist/pianist Karl Berger, who throws himself with sublime abandon into both the gamelan and blues aspects of the piece. If only the pallid "world music" of the succeeding decades had followed this model! Eternal Rhythm is Don Cherry's masterwork and one of the single finest recordings from the jazz avant-garde of the '60s. It is required listening. Brian Olewnick
Tracklist :
1.    Eternal Rhythm Part 1    17:49
2.    Eternal Rhythm Part 2    23:40
Credits :
Bass – Arild Andersen
Cornet, Gamelan [Gender, Saron], Flute [Bengali, Bamboo, Metal, Plastic], Performer [Haitian Guard], Composed By – Don Cherry
Drums, Gamelan [Saron], Gong, Bells, Voice – Jacques Thollot
Guitar – Sonny Sharrock
Piano, Piano [Prepared] – Joachim Kühn
Saxophone [Tenor], Oboe, Clarinet, Flute – Bernt Rosengren
Trombone – Albert Mangelsdorff, Eje Thelin
Vibraphone, Piano, Gamelan [Gender] – Karl Berger