ELVIN JONES — Time Capsule (1977-2002) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Drummer Elvin Jones' Vanguard recordings of 1975-77, of which this was the final one, generally found him playing with all-stars or augmenting his band with guests. The five obscurities on this LP (three by altoist Bunky Green, who emerges as the date's top soloist) matches Jones with Green, tenor saxophonist George Coleman, the electric piano of Kenny Barron, bassist Junie Booth, guitarist Ryo Kawasaki, and percussionist Angel Allende. Two of the songs ("Frost Bite" and "Digital Display") have bassist Milt Hinton and flutist Frank Wess; the latter piece also adds the soprano of Frank Foster. Overall, the music is worthwhile, although not quite adding up to the sum of its many parts; the set has very little unity despite some individual fireworks. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1    Frost Bite 7:53
Composed By – Ryo Kawasaki
2    Digital Display 7:31
Composed By – Ed Bland
3    Moon Dance 6:20
Composed By – Bunky Green
4    Time Capsule 8:07
Composed By – Bunky Green
5    Spacing 10:35
Composed By – Bunky Green
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Bunky Green
Bass – Junie Booth (tracks: 3 to 5), Milt Hinton (tracks: 1, 2)
Drums – Elvin Jones
Electric Piano – Kenny Barron
Flute – Frank Wess (tracks: 1, 2)
Guitar – Ryo Kawasaki
Percussion – Angel Allende
Soprano Saxophone – Frank Foster (tracks: 2)
Tenor Saxophone – George Coleman (tracks: 1, 3 to 5)

JON FADDIS — Legacy (1986) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

After too long a period in the studios, talented trumpeter Jon Faddis returned to jazz with this brilliant effort. Best known for his ability to closely emulate his idol, Dizzy Gillespie (far from an easy feat), Faddis pays tribute to Gillespie with "Night in Tunisia" and "Things to Come." However, he also does a close imitation of Roy Eldridge on "Little Jazz," pays homage to Louis Armstrong on "West End Blues," shows sensitivity on Thad Jones' "A Child Is Born," and performs three other numbers. With the assistance of tenor saxophonist Harold Land, pianist Kenny Barron, bassist Ray Brown, and drummer Mel Lewis, Jon Faddis is in superb form throughout this outstanding release, his definitive recording. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1    West End Blues 5:35
Written-By – Clarence Williams, Joe "King" Oliver
2    Little Jazz 5:37
Written-By – Roy Eldridge
3    Night In Tunisia 6:02
Written-By – Dizzy Gillespie, Frank Paparelli, Jon Hendricks
4    Instigator 4:44
Written-By – Jon Faddis
5    Things To Come 3:31
Written-By – Dizzy Gillespie, Gil Fuller
6    A Child Is Born 7:00
Written-By – Thad Jones
7    Li'l Darlin' 4:09
Written-By – Neal Hefti
8    Whisper Not 5:31
Written-By – Benny Golson, Leonard Feather
Credits
Bass – Ray Brown
Drums – Mel Lewis
Flugelhorn, Trumpet – Jon Faddis
Piano – Kenny Barron
Tenor Saxophone – Harold Land

CHET BAKER | JIM HALL | HUBERT LAWS — Studio Trieste (1982-2007) RM | Serie CTI Timeless Collection | FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1.    Swan Lake 8:42
Composed By – Tchaikovsky
2.    All Blues 9:43
Composed By – Miles Davis
3    Malagueña 9:44
Composed By – Ernesto Lecuona
4    Django 10:02
Composed By – John Lewis
Credits :
Arranged By – Don Sebesky
Bass – George Mraz (tracks: 1, 4)
Drums – Steve Gadd
Electric Bass – Gary King (tracks: 2, 3)
Engineer – Rudy Van Gelder
Flugelhorn, Trumpet – Chet Baker (tracks: 1, 2, 3)
Flute – Hubert Laws (tracks: 1, 2, 3)
Guitar – Jack Wilkins (tracks: 2), Jim Hall (tracks: 1, 3, 4)
Keyboards – Jorge Dalto (tracks: 2, 3)
Percussion – Sammy Figueroa
Piano, Electric Piano, Synthesizer – Kenny Barron (tracks: 1, 4)
Producer – Creed Taylor

RON CARTER — Yellow And Green (1976-1987) RM | Serie The Original CTI Recordings Digitally Remastered For Compact Disc | APE (image+.cue), lossless

A low point for bassist Ron Carter, this aimless set suffers from the malaise that hit the jazz scene after the fusion boom of the late '60s and early '70s. Somewhere about the time of this 1976 release, fusion's creative energies were being overtaken by a new drive to blend jazz with pop music. The theory was this would expand the jazz audience. The reality was music that only alienated jazz fans and held limited appeal to pop audiences. Yellow and Green is a representative product of this era. For the most part, it's a hollow, pointless exercise, afflicted by the stylistic tug of war inherent in the jazz-pop hybrids of the late '70s. The writing is directionless and the playing mainly indifferent. The LP chiefly serves as a showcase for Carter's overdubbed piccolo and acoustic basses. Unfortunately, the performances are too often a clutter of busy fingers, with the bassist's overly enthusiastic virtuosity getting in the way of any chance for musical dialogue between his instruments. Not surprisingly, the best tracks -- the respectable ballad "Opus 1.5" and a jaunty version of Thelonious Monk's "Epistrophy" -- are the most straight-ahead, done without overdubbing and with some decent piano from Kenny Barron. Elsewhere, Don Grolnick chimes blandly on electric piano and Hugh McCracken contributes wispy guitar accompaniment that serves no purpose, while drummer Billy Cobham tries to keep from being overwhelmed by the dullness of it all. An episode best forgotten. Jim Todd
Tracklist :
1    Tenaj 7:44
Composed By – Ron Carter
2    Receipt, Please 7:05
Composed By – Ron Carter
3    Willow Weep For Me 2:39
Composed By – Ann Ronell
4    Yellow & Green 6:13
Composed By – Ron Carter
Electric Bass – Ron Carter
Harmonica – Hugh McCracken
5    Opus 1.5 6:54
Composed By – Ron Carter
6    Epistrophy 6:08
Composed By – Kenny Clarke, Thelonious Monk
Drums – Ben Riley
– BONUS TRACK – (Alternate Takes)    
7    Receipt, Please 5:25
Composed By – R. Carter
8    Yellow & Green 5:03
Composed By – R. Carter
Credits :
Acoustic Bass – Ron Carter (tracks: 1, 2, 4 to 8)
Arranged By – Ron Carter
Bass [Piccolo Bass] – Ron Carter (tracks: 2 to 4)
Cowbell, Tambourine – Ron Carter (tracks: 2, 4)
Drums – Billy Cobham (tracks: 1, 2, 4, 5), Steve Gadd (tracks: 7, 8)
Electric Piano – Don Grolnick (tracks: 2, 4), Richard Tee (tracks: 7, 8)
Engineer – Rudy Van Gelder
Flute – Hubert Laws (tracks: 7, 8)
Guitar – Eric Gale (tracks: 7, 8), Hugh McCracken (tracks: 1, 2, 4, 5)
Percussion – Arthur Jenkins (tracks: 7, 8), Dom Um Romao (tracks: 2, 5), George Devens (tracks: 7, 8), Ralph MacDonald (tracks: 7, 8)
Piano – Don Grolnick (tracks: 2), Kenny Barron (tracks: 1, 5, 6)
Producer – Creed Taylor
Saxophone – Dave Sanborn (tracks: 7, 8), Mike Brecker (tracks: 7, 8), Phil Woods (tracks: 7, 8)
Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Alan Rubin (tracks: 7, 8), Randy Brecker (tracks: 7, 8)

STAN GETZ | KENNY BARRON — People Time (1992) 2CD | APE (image+.cue), lossless

Stan Getz's final recording, a two-CD live set of duets with pianist Kenny Barron that was cut just three months before his death, finds the great tenor in surprisingly creative form despite an occasional shortness of breath. Getz's tone is as beautiful as ever and he does not spare himself on this often exquisite set. His version of Charlie Haden's "First Song" is a highlight but none of the 14 performances are less than great. A brilliant farewell recording by a masterful jazzman. Scott Yanow
Tracklist 1 :
1     East of the Sun (And West of the Moon) 9:29
Brooks Bowman
2     Night and Day 8:16
Cole Porter
3     I'm Okay 5:24
Eduardo del Barrio
4     Like Someone in Love 8:02
Johnny Burke / James Van Heusen
5     Stablemates 8:47
Benny Golson
6     I Remember Clifford 9:04
Benny Golson
7     Gone With the Wind 7:12
Herbert Magidson / Allie Wrubel
Tracklist 2 :       
1     First Song (For Ruth) 9:55
Charlie Haden
2     There Is No Greater Love 8:36
Isham Jones / Marty Symes
3     The Surrey With the Fringe on Top 9:22
Oscar Hammerstein II / Richard Rodgers
4     People Time 6:14
Benny Carter
5     Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise 7:54
Oscar Hammerstein II / Sigmund Romberg
6     Hush-A-Bye 9:33
Sammy Fain / Jerry Seelen / Ambroise Thomas
7     Soul Eyes 7:32
Mal Waldron
Credits :
Piano – Kenny Barron
Sax Tenor – Stan Getz

DIZZY GILLESPIE — The Verve/Philips Dizzy Gillespie Small Group Sessions (2006) RM | 7CD | APE (tracks+.cue), lossless

 Dizzy Gillespie's career soared with the surge of interest in bop, but after the failure of his independent Dee Gee label, his career was in the doldrums. In 1953, Norman Granz added the trumpeter to his successful Jazz at the Philharmonic all-star roster for tours and also signed him to a non-exclusive recording contract, where the producer was very open to most anything Gillespie wished to record. This seven-CD boxed set, a limited edition of 10,000 compiled by Mosaic, draws material from selected studio and live sessions made for Granz between 1954 and 1961, in addition to a number of studio dates made for Philips, all of which featured his working bands of the time.

The Verve tracks are a treasure trove, as a good deal of these performances were not reissued on CD until this compilation, with six selections appearing for the first time in this collection. Aside from some of the early novelty songs like "Hey Pete! Let's Eat More Meat," the calypso-flavored "Money Honey," and the perennial jive number "Swing Low, Sweet Cadillac," which wear out their welcome quickly, the remaining material is very strong. Up and coming musicians in his bands include saxophonists Hank Mobley, Gigi Gryce, and Benny Golson, along with pianists Ray Bryant and Junior Mance. One of the obvious highlights is alto sax great Johnny Hodges' guest appearance on "Squatty Roo," which bolsters Gillespie's playing to its highest level. The addition of the relatively unheralded Leo Wright (who doubles on flute and alto sax) and young pianist Lalo Schifrin for a brief concert at the Museum of Modern Art marks the end of his association with Verve, which was sold by Granz that very same year.

Several of the earliest Philips sessions find Gillespie incorporating Brazilian influences and exploring the music of Antonio Carlos Jobim, Luiz Bonfá, and even one extended work by Schifrin, "Mount Olive." Dizzy Gillespie & the Double Six of Paris features collaborations with a group of French vocalists arranged by Lalo Schifrin, with most of the songs utilizing Bud Powell, Pierre Michelot, and Kenny Clarke, with the trumpeter's regular group of the time on two selections. The Double Six of Paris' leader Michel Perin's vocalese interpretations of Charlie Parker's instrumental solos from Gillespie's well-known records of "Hot House" and "Groovin' High" are outstanding, as are the big-band arrangements recast for small group and voices. The final sessions feature James Moody and Kenny Barron, with Chris White and Rudy Collins. The tracks from Dizzy Goes Hollywood are enjoyable but far too brief, as most of them hover around the three-minute mark. Better are the songs from Original Score from the Cool World, an updated look at music Dizzy composed for the film, with fine arrangements by Tom McIntosh. This collection should be considered essential for any Dizzy Gillespie fan. Ken Dryden
Tracklist + Credits :

DIZZY GILLESPIE & THE DOUBLE SIX — Dizzy Gillespie & The Double Six of Paris (1963-1986) APE (image+.cue), lossless

This odd but successful pairing finds the Double Six of Paris singing vocalese in French to a dozen bebop classics associated with Dizzy Gillespie. Gillespie, with pianist Bud Powell and a rhythm section, take solos that uplift this date; two songs feature his quintet (with James Moody on alto). Not for all tastes, but this is a unique and colorful addition to Gillespie's discography. Scott Yanow
Tracklist + Credits :

DIZZY GILLESPIE — The Cool World (Original Score) (1964-2008) RM | Serie Verve Originals | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Finally available again after a 30-plus year absence from American shelves is the soundtrack to Shirley Clarke's gritty but brilliant 1964 film, Cool World, about young people growing up in Harlem. The score was written and arranged by pianist Mal Waldron but was performed and recorded by Dizzy Gillespie's quintet of the time. This set is one of Diz's best records of the 1960s (which is saying something), and one of the best jazz film scores period. Diz's band at the time included James Moody on tenor and flute, a young Kenny Barron on piano, bassist Chris White, and Rudy Collins on drums. The 11 cues that range between two and five minutes are deeply rooted in the language of hard bop and blues with some excellent, if brief, modal touches by Waldron. The opening theme, the set's longest cut, sets out all the tropes the quintet will visit over and again; lean, tough, expressive blues. Barron's piano sets out a fast, hard swinging groove that sets a pace for the cut time, skittering snare, and frenetic bassline; they urge the two horn players to wail the head and they do. The three solos are as intense and popping as anything on Blue Note at the time, and offer a portal into the rest of the set. The blues articulation of every cue here is on purpose because, if anything, Cool World is a film drenched in them. Waldron's sense of economy in picking both impressionistic and expressionist avenues for blues to speak through jazz in an inspired quintet like this is remarkable -- the temptation would be to excess at every turn, especially given Waldron's gift for sophisticated harmonies and spacy lyrical concerns. There is little that is subtle about this music, but there is nothing overblown about it either. Check the happy-go-lucky flow of "Enter Priest," which signals the arrival onscreen of Duke's (main character) mentor: though he is an underworld figure and a gang leader, his outward appearance to Duke, and his first impression of him, is one of freedom and admiration. The free-flowing cut-time rim shot from Collins and the breezy, open horn section underscores this; Duke's eyes are wide and happy because he thinks he's found a way out of his predicament. On "Duke's Awakening," Waldron deviates -- momentarily -- from the blues/hard bop lexicon. He uses a minor-key modal theme in the intro before unfolding a slow blues. Waldron follows this with a stunning hard bebop cue called "Duke on the Run," that echoes back to the '40s in its unrelenting action and pace -- though Moody's solo is a deeply soulful one. There is also the wonderfully lilting "Coney Island," (where the main character escorts his Bonnie, his love interest, to the seashore, it's her first time seeing the ocean despite having grown up in Harlem). The open octave spill between saxophone and muted trumpeter are the character's voice, and the drums and bassline become the sea and sand -- the only place the pair is free is on the shore. Moody solos on flute to outline just how different this moment is than either character has known before. Ultimately, the soundtrack to Cool World is an enormous success artistically, standing head and shoulders over virtually every other such effort of the period, and a welcome addition to the Gillespie catalog, offering a very keen and muscular view of his 1964 band. Previously available only as a very expensive import, this disc is a must for anyone interested in '60s Gillespie and in hard bop jazz in general.
-> This comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our blog 'O Púbis da Rosa'<-
Tracklist + Credits :

DIZZY GILLESPIE – Something Old, Something New (1963) lp | 24bits-96Hz | FLAC (tracks), lossless

Reissued on CD in 1998, this was one of Dizzy Gillespie's finest sessions of the 1960s. His quintet (which includes James Moody on tenor, flute and alto, pianist Kenny Barron, bassist Chris White and drummer Rudy Collins) sounds quite inspired. The "Something Old" portion of the set is the main reason to acquire it, since it consists of rapid versions of "Bebop" and "Dizzy Atmosphere," a memorable rendition of "Good Bait" and a definitive medley of "I Can't Get Started" and "'Round Midnight." The "New" part of the release consists of four then-recent pieces (three by Tom McIntosh), best known of which is "Cup Bearers." The CD reissue adds a brief "Early Mornin' Blues" to the program. Highly recommended. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
 1 Bebop 6:17
Dizzy Gillespie
2 Good Bait 3:03
Count Basie / Tadd Dameron
 3 Medley: I Can't Get Started/Round Midnight 6:23
Vernon Duke / Ira Gershwin / Thelonious Monk / Cootie Williams
 4 Dizzy Atmosphere 6:12
Dizzy Gillespie
 5 November Afternoon 4:19
Tom McIntosh
 6 This Lovely Feeling  4:19
Margo Guryan / Arif Mardin
 7 The Day After 4:33
Tom McIntosh
 8 Cup Bearers 6:11  
Tom McIntosh
 9 Early Mornin' Blues 2:55
Dizzy Gillespie
Credits :
Bass – Chris White 
Drums – Rudy Collins
Flute, Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – James Moody
Piano – Kenny Barron
Trumpet – Dizzy Gillespie

DIZZY GILLESPIE – Jambo Caribe (1964-1998) RM | FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

The populist Dizzy Gillespie gets full rein in this lively, happy collection of tunes exploring rhythms and idioms from the Caribbean. Gillespie is in an ebullient mood, even offering some sly lead calypso vocals on three numbers (perhaps his lighthearted presidential "campaign" of 1964 contributed to the high spirits; the sessions began a day after Election Day). Much of the material comes from Dizzy's band on the session -- which includes the formidable James Moody on tenor and flute, Kenny Barron on piano, and percussionist Kansas Fields -- and there are some genuine calypsos by Joe Willoughby to round out the package. The cut with the biggest quota of fun is "Barbados Carnival," with guitarist Chris White doubling as a calypso singer, and the lengthy "Trinidad, Goodbye" offers the largest amount of straight-ahead playing. This slice of enjoyable minor Gillespie, originally on Limelight, was reissued on Verve with the original cover on its By Request series in 1998. Richard S. Ginell
Tracklist  :
1 Fiesta Mo-Jo 3:50
Written-By – Dizzy Gillespie
2 Barbados Carnival 3:15
Written-By – Chris White
3 Jambo 5:00
Written-By – Dizzy Gillespie
4 Trinidad, Hello 4:20
Composed By – Kenny Barron
5 Poor Joe 2:39
Composed By – Joe Willoughby
6 And Then She Stopped 3:17
Written-By – Dizzy Gillespie
7 Don't Try To Keep Up With The Joneses 2:35
Composed By – Joe Willoughby
8 Trinidad, Goodbye 8:27
Written-By – Kenny Barron
Credits
Bass, Guitar, Vocals – Chris White
Bass, Piano – Kenny Barron
Drums – Rudy Collins
Percussion – Kansas Fields
Tenor Saxophone, Flute – James Moody
Trumpet, Vocals – Dizzy Gillespie 

LEE KONITZ QUARTET - Jazz Nocturne (1993-2008) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Although never a poll winner, altoist Lee Konitz has had a more productive and consistently stimulating career than most of his contemporaries, never afraid to improvise fairly freely in his relaxed style. For this Evidence CD, Konitz digs into seven standards with an impressive rhythm section (pianist Kenny Barron, bassist James Genus and drummer Kenny Washington) and constantly comes up with interesting ideas and new twists. There are no phony disguises of familiar tunes with new titles on this date; just creative blowing. Konitz uplifts such often-overplayed material as "You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To," "Misty," "Alone Together," "Body and Soul" and "My Funny Valentine" without ever becoming predictable; Kenny Barron is in excellent form, too. This CD is recommended as a strong example of Lee Konitz's playing in the '90s. [Jazz Nocturne was reissued on an import-only CD in 1999.] Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To 6:14
Cole Porter
2     Everything Happens to Me 7:18
Tom Adair / Matt Dennis
3     Alone Together 9:15
Howard Dietz / Arthur Schwartz
4     Misty 5:50
Johnny Burke / Erroll Garner
5     Body and Soul 8:52
Frank Eyton / Johnny Green / Edward Heyman / Robert Sour
6     My Funny Valentine 7:04
Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
7     In a Sentimental Mood 6:21
Duke Ellington / Manny Kurtz / Irving Mills
Credits :    
Alto Saxophone – Lee Konitz
Bass – James Genus
Drums – Kenny Washington
Piano – Kenny Barron 

LEE KONITZ - Frescalalto (2017) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1     Stella by Starlight 9:35
Victor Young
2     Thingin 6:26
Lee Konitz
3     Darn That Dream 4:58
James Van Heusen
4     Kary's Trance 5:18
Lee Konitz
5     Out of Nowhere 7:27
Johnny Green
6     Gundula 3:26
Lee Konitz    
7     Invitation 9:20
Bronislaw Kaper    
8     Cherokee 3:56
Ray Noble
Credits :
Alto Saxophone, Vocals – Lee Konitz
Double Bass – Peter Washington
Drums, Producer – Kenny Washington
Painting, Cover – Patrice Beauséjour
Piano – Kenny Barron

GARY BARTZ - There Goes The Neighborhood! (1991) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Although he dismissed notions about a comeback, this '90 album was the triumphant, exuberant vehicle Gary Bartz hadn't made in quite a while. His rippling solos and dominant presence were welcome for fans who wondered if he had squandered the potential he'd shown in the '60s. Ron Wynn
Tracklist :
1    Racism (Blues In Double Bb Minor) 9:41
Composed By – Gary Bartz
2    On A Misty Night 8:35
Composed By – Tadd Dameron
3    Laura 13:27
Composed By – David Raksin, Johnny Mercer
4    Tadd's Delight 8:54
Composed By – Tadd Dameron
5    Impressions 10:06
Composed By – John Coltrane
6    I've Never Been In Love Before 10:08
Composed By – Frank Loesser
7    Flight Path 8:44
Composed By – Kenny Barron
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Gary Bartz
Bass – Ray Drummond
Drums – Ben Riley
Piano – Kenny Barron

GARY BARTZ | SONNY FORTUNE - Alto Momories (1995) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Tracklist :
1    Stolen Moments    8:36
2    U.F.O    5:13
3    Jeannine    9:13
4    Minority    5:40
5    Billie's Bounce    3:49
6    Embraceable You    5:59
7    Capuchin Swing    6:11
8    Lonely Woman    9:50
9    When Lights Are Low    4:56
10    Warm Valley    7:32
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Gary Bartz, Sonny Fortune
Double Bass – Buster Williams
Drums – Jack DeJohnette
Piano – Kenny Barron

JIMMY HEATH - The Gap Sealer + Love and Understanding (1972-2008) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Some of Heath's finest, most aggressive playing. He is a standout on soprano, flute, and tenor. Ron Wynn

This is one of Jimmy Heath's more unusual and versatile records, and fortunately it has been reissued on CD. Heath switches between tenor, soprano and flute on a diverse program (five originals plus Duke Ellington's "In a Sentimental Mood") that ranges from hard bop to light funk and R&Bish jazz. Heath's sidemen (trombonist Curtis Fuller, cellist Bernard Fennell, keyboardist Stanley Cowell, electric bassist Bob Cranshaw and drummer Billy Higgins) sound quite inspired by the material and Heath plays at his most inventive throughout the underrated set. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     Heritage Hum 7'48
Jimmy Heath
2     Invitation 5:46
Kaper    
3     A Sound For Sore Ears  7'20
Jimmy Heath
4     Gap Sealer 7'28
Jimmy Heath
5     Angel Man 7'20
Jimmy Heath
6     Alkebu-Lan (Land of the Blacks) 7'34
James Mtume
 Love and Understanding (1973)
7     One For Juan 7'04
Jimmy Heath
8     Hands Up! Feet Down! 7'06
Jimmy Heath
9     Far Away Lands 5'02
Jimmy Heath
10     Smilin' Billy 5'46
Jimmy Heath
11     Gemini 7'53
Jimmy Heath
Credits :
1-6
Bass – Bob Cranshaw
Drums – Al "Tootie" Heath
Percussion – Mtume
Piano – Kenny Barron
Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Jimmy Heath
7-11
Cello – Bernard Fennell
Drums, Tambourine – Billy Higgins
Electric Bass – Bob Cranshaw
Piano, Electric Piano – Stanley Cowell
Flute, Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Jimmy Heath
Trombone – Curtis Fuller

JIMMY HEATH - Love Letter (2020) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Released seven months after his death in January 2020, Love Letter finds legendary saxophonist Jimmy Heath offering a warmly rendered collection of ballads that works as a romantic capstone to his illustrious career. Known for his lyrical sound and nuanced arrangements, most notably with his siblings Percy and Tootie in the Heath Brothers, and with trumpeters like Chet Baker, Blue Mitchell, and Kenny Dorham, Heath brings all of his experience to bear on Love Letter. Joining him are pianist Kenny Barron, guitarist Russell Malone, vibraphonist Monte Croft, bassist David Wong, and drummer Lewis Nash. Together they craft a deeply heartfelt and enveloping sound that evokes Heath's classic acoustic work of the '50s and '60s. They offer sparkling and atmospheric reworkings of songs like Heath's own "Ballad From Upper Neighbors Suite," Dizzy Gillespie's "Con Alma," and Billie Holiday and Arthur Herzog, Jr.'s haunting "Don't Explain." Primarily a tenor player, Heath displays his lithe soprano skills on the yearning "Inside Your Heart." He is also joined by a handful of special guests, including vocalist Cecile McLorin Salvant, who puts her distinctive stamp on the lesser-performed Billie Holiday and Mal Waldron number "Left Alone." Equally engaging is singer Gregory Porter, who offers a soulfully burnished reading of Gordon Parks' "Don't Misunderstand." Heath also engages in dusky harmonic interplay with trumpeter Wynton Marsalis on Kenny Dorham's "La Mesha." A masterfully understated and intoxicating album, Love Letter is just the kind of low-key farewell you would expect from Heath and one that holds you in its poignantly romantic swell throughout. Matt Collar  
Tracklist :
1     Ballad From Upper Neighbors Suite 4'22
Jimmy Heath
2     Left Alone 4'29
Billie Holiday / Mal Waldron
Arranged By – Jimmy Heath
Vocals – Cécile McLorin Salvant
3     Inside Your Heart 4'51
Jimmy Heath
4     La Mesha 7'13
Kenny Dorham
Arranged By – Jimmy Heath
Trumpet – Wynton Marsalis
5     Don't Misunderstand 5'31
Gordon Parks
Arranged By – Jimmy Heath
Vocals – Gregory Porter
6     Con Alma 5'13
Dizzy Gillespie
Arranged By – Jimmy Heath
7     Fashion or Passion 5'45
Jimmy Heath
8     Don’t Explain 7'08
Billie Holiday
Credits
Bass – Herb Wong
Drums – Lewis Nash
Guitar – Russell Malone
Piano – Kenny Barron
Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Jimmy Heath
Vibraphone – Monte Croft

JOHNNY GRIFFIN - Chicago, New York, Paris (1995) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1     The Jampfs Are Coming 7'50
Johnny Griffin
2     Do It 5'47
Johnny Griffin
3     To Love 4'38
Johnny Griffin
4     Hush-A-Bye 7'26
Traditional
5     You Must Believe in Spring 6'58
Alan Bergman / Marilyn Bergman / Jacques Demy / Michel Legrand
6     Without a Song 8'19
Edward Eliscu / Billy Rose / Vincent Youmans
7     Leave Me Alone Blues 5'57
Johnny Griffin
8     My Romance 8'39
Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
9     Not Yet 7'12
Johnny Griffin
Credits :    
Acoustic Bass – Christian McBride
Drums – Greg Hutchinson, Victor Lewis
Piano – Kenny Barron
Saxophone – Johnny Griffin
Trumpet – Roy Hargrove

STAN GETZ - VOYAGE (1986) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Tenor saxophonist Stan Getz found a perfect accompanist in pianist Kenny Barron, who would regularly play in his group for his last five years. This out-of-print Black Hawk LP finds the pair, along with bassist George Mraz and drummer Victor Lewis, performing two standards and four more recent pieces, including two ("Dreams" and "Voyage") by Barron. The music is difficult to classify (modern bop?) but relatively easy to understand; Getz never coasts. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     I Wanted to Say 9:29
Victor Lewis
2     I Thought About You 5:30
James Van Heusen
3     Yesterdays 9:21
Jerome Kern
4     Dreams 10:24
Kenny Barron
5     Falling in Love 8:25
Victor Feldman
6     Voyage 7:04
Kenny Barron
Credits :
Stan Getz - Tenor Sax
Kenny Barron - Piano
George Mraz - Bass
Victor Lewis - Drums
Babatunde - Congas and Brushes

KENNY BARRON - Scratch (1985-1999) 25th Anniversary Series / APE (image+.cue), lossless

Kenny Barron, one of those talented pianists who always seems to be underrated, breaks away from playing standards and conventional bebop on this frequently exciting trio date. Matched up with bassist Dave Holland and drummer Daniel Humair, Barron explores five of his originals and Carmen Lundy's "Quiet Times." The fresh material and close interplay between the musicians make this set one of Barron's best trio recordings to date. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist  :
1 Scratch 5:18
Written-By – Kenny Barron
2 Quite Times 5:30
Written-By – Carmen Lundy
3 Water Lily 10:16
Written-By – Kenny Barron
4 Song For Abdullah 5:30
Written-By – Kenny Barron
5 The Third Eye 6:25
Written-By – Kenny Barron
6 Jaccob's Ladder 4:04
Written-By – Dave Holland
7 And Then Again 5:18
Written-By – Kenny Barron
Credits :
Bass – Dave Holland
Drums – Daniel Humair
Piano – Kenny Barron

ROY HAYNES - Love Letters (2002) APE (image+.cue), lossless

Originally released in Japan on producer Yasohachi Itoh's 88 label, Columbia has licensed several titles from the audiophile label, including this one from veteran hard bop/new thing drummer Roy Haynes. Love Letters gathers an all-star roster, including pianists Kenny Barron and David Kikoski, bassists Dave Holland and Christian McBride, tenor player Joshua Redman, and guitarist John Scofield for a thoroughly solid set of standards. Even as he approaches his eighth decade, Haynes continues to display the drive that has made him an in-demand timekeeper since his tenure with Charlie Parker and Bud Powell. It's evident throughout the entire album, from the rock-ist suggestions of Mongo Santamaria's "Afro Blue" to the poignant take on Horace Silver's "Que Pasa." All of the groupings have their shining moments, but Haynes with Holland and Scofield is a combination that demands to be documented further. Recommended. by Wade Kergan
Tracklist :
1     The Best Thing for You 3:47
Irving Berlin
2     That Old Feeling 6:28
Lew Brown / Sammy Fain
3     Afro Blue 7:15
Mongo Santamaria
4     Qué Pasa 7:31
Horace Silver
5     How Deep Is the Ocean? 6:33
Irving Berlin
6     Love Letters 7:42
Edward Heyman / Victor Young
7     My Shining Hour 5:46
Harold Arlen / Johnny Mercer
8     Stompin' at the Savoy 7:13
Benny Goodman & His Orchestra / Edgar Sampson / Chick Webb
9     Shades of Senegal 2 4:18
Roy Haynes
Credits :
Bass – Dave Holland
Drums – Roy Haynes
Guitar – John Scofield
Piano – David Kikoski, Kenny Barron
Tenor Saxophone – Joshua Redman