TERRI LYNE CRRINGTON — Jazz is a Spirit (2002) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

In the male-dominated jazz genre, this veteran drummer has been happily accepted as one of the guys and has forged a strong touring career (Al Jarreau, David Sanborn) as she has, on her solo projects, pushed the improvisational and conceptual boundaries. This free-spirited recording emerges from the fun of bebop and traditional jazz balladry into the more challenging realm of tribal rhythms and global-mindedness -- a wacky journey to be sure, but true to her heart of wanderlust and her contention that, indeed, jazz can only be defined as a spirit. She opens with a weird, mystical ambience behind Cosby Show kid Malcolm Jamal Warner's spoken-word definition, then jams in a live setting with longtime associates like Herbie Hancock, Terence Blanchard, and Paul Bollenback (guitar) on tunes that range from the avant-garde ("Little Jump") to the smoky and romantic ("Samsara," a thoughtful tribute to Wayne Shorter). Throwing off the shackles, she does a long tribal drum roll piece and opens the door for a "Journey East From West" with Kevin Eubanks. "Journey of Now" combines the best of all worlds, with Wallace Roney's traditional trumpet, Jeff Richman's fusion guitar edges, and an irrepressible percussive tribalism. The remaining tracks are a balance between measured craziness and gentle tradition, with a bit of advice offered to Terri Lyne Carrington as she plays before the spoken words of Papa Jo Jones on "Mr Jo Jones." Innovative yet sometimes maddening, this is above all else her truest heart. Jonathan Widran
Tracklist :
1    Jazz Is    2:28
Written-By – Terri Lyne Carrington
2    Little Jump 7:30
Performer [Introduction] – Wren T. Brown
Written-By – Lars Danielsson
3    The Corner    7:02
Written-By – Terri Lyne Carrington
4    Lost Star    4:11
Written-By – Terri Lyne Carrington
5    Samsara (For Wayne)    7:23
Written-By – Terri Lyne Carrington
6    Journey Agent    1:31
Written-By – Terri Lyne Carrington
7    Journey East From West    0:49
Written-By – Terri Lyne Carrington
8    Journey Of Now 4:13
Written-By – Bob Hurst, Terri Lyne Carrington
9    Giggles    6:12
Written-By – Terri Lyne Carrington
10    Middle Way    6:55
Written-By – Terri Lyne Carrington
11    Princess 5:30
Written-By – Niels Lan Doky, Terri Lyne Carrington
12    Witch Hunt 3:09
Written-By – Wayne Shorter
13    Mr. Jo Jones 2:25
Speech [Speaking To Terri Lyne In 1984] – Papa Jo Jones
14    Jazz Is A Spirit    3:47
Written-By – Terri Lyne Carrington
Credits :
Bass – Bob Hurst (tracks: 2 to 5, 7 to 12)
Bass, Speech [Spoken Word] – Malcolm-Jamal Warner (tracks: 1, 14)
Drums – Terri Lyne Carrington
Flute – Gary Thomas (tracks: 3)
Guitar – Danny Robinson (tracks: 1, 14), Jeff Richman (tracks: 8, 12), Kevin Eubanks (tracks: 5, 7), Paul Bollenback (tracks: 2 to 4, 9, 11)
Keyboards – Greg Kurstin (tracks: 1, 3, 7, 12, 14)
Percussion – Ed Barguiarena (tracks: 1, 7, 14), Darryl "Munyungo”"Jackson (tracks: 3, 8, 14)
Piano – Greg Kurstin (tracks: 3, 4, 7 to 9), Herbie Hancock (tracks: 2, 5, 10)
Soprano Saxophone – Katisse Buckingham (tracks: 3)
Tenor Saxophone – Gary Thomas (tracks: 2 to 5, 9 to 12)
Trumpet – Terence Blanchard (tracks: 10), Wallace Roney (tracks: 2, 7, 8, 14)

DIANNE REEVES — I Remember (1991) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

When she wants to sing jazz, Dianne Reeves has always had the ability to reach the top of her field, but she has long seemed unable to make up her mind between jazz, R&B, world music, and pop. This Blue Note disc fortunately finds her mostly sticking to jazz and in consistently superb form. Reeves' treatments of such numbers as "Afro Blue" (which is particularly memorable), "Love for Sale," "Softly As in a Morning Sunrise," "How High the Moon," and McCoy Tyner's "You Taught My Heart to Sing" all border on the classic. Joined by such illustrious sidemen as pianists Billy Childs, Mulgrew Miller, and Donald Brown; bassists Charnett Moffett and Chris Severin; and drummers Billy Kilson and Marvin "Smitty" Smith, plus guest appearances by vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson, altoist Greg Osby, and guitarist Kevin Eubanks, Reeves sounds inspired by the company. If only she would stick to this direction. Highly recommended. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1    Afro Blue 4:49
Bass – Chris Severin
Drums – Billy Kilson
Percussion – Bill Summers, Luis Conte
Saxophone – Justo Almario
Written-By – M. Santamaria, O. Brown Jr.
2    The Nearness Of You / Misty 3:12
Arranged By – Dianne Reeves
Bass – Chris Severin
Drums – Billy Kilson
Piano – Billy Childs
Written-By – Garner, Carmichael, Burke, Washington
3    I Remember Sky 4:23
Bass – Chris Severin
Drums – Billy Kilson
Piano, Arranged By – Billy Childs
Written-By – Stephen Sondheim
4    Love For Sale 3:43
Arranged By – David Torkanowsky
Bass – Chris Severin
Drums – Billy Kilson
Piano – Billy Childs
Written-By – Cole Porter
5    Softly As In The Morning Sunrise 4:52
Alto Saxophone – Greg Osby
Arranged By – David Torkanowsky
Bass – Charnett Moffett
Drums – Marvin Smitty Smith
Percussion – Ron Powell
Piano – Donald Brown
Vibraphone – Bobby Hutcherson
Written-By – Hammerstein, Romberg
6    Like A Lover 5:37
Acoustic Guitar – Kevin Eubanks
Wind Chimes – Ron Powell
Written-By – A. Bergman-M. Bergman, D. Caymmi
7    How High The Moon 4:05
Arranged By – Richard R. Cummings
Bass – Charnett Moffett
Drums – Terri Lyne Carrington
Percussion – Ron Powell
Piano – Mulgrew Miller
Written-By – Lewis, Hamilton
8    You Taught My Heart To Sing 6:14
Bass – Charnett Moffett
Drums – Marvin Smitty Smith
Piano – Mulgrew Miller
Written-By – M. Tyner, S. Cahn
9    For All We Know 8:02
Bass – Charnett Moffett
Drums – Marvin Smitty Smith
Piano – Mulgrew Miller
Written-By – Coots, Lewis

DAVE HOLLAND QUARTET - Extensions (1989) APE (image+.cue), lossless

For this tight and enjoyable quartet date, bassist Dave Holland spread the composing opportunities around, his sidemen accounting for four of the six pieces. Arguably, none of these musicians ever sounded better, or more adventurous, than when performing in Holland's bands. While the leader himself retreated a good deal from his more routinely avant-garde recordings of the '70s, he appeared unwilling to allow his younger compadres to simply coast, instead evoking probing and thoughtful playing from them. Altoist Steve Coleman derives particular benefit from Holland's supervision, sounding far more fluid and confident than own his own rather more stilted albums. The pieces follow a general head-solos-head format, though with substantial elasticity and enough variation that no sense of sameness settles in. Holland, of course, is masterful throughout, and one can easily imagine simply listening exclusively to his basslines, the amazing imagination they convey, and being very satisfied. One of his better albums from this period, Extensions should please any Holland fan, and is an agreeable and non-threatening jumping in point for the curious. by Brian Olewnick  
Tracklist :
1     Nemesis    11:36
Kevin Eubanks
2     Processional    7:21
Dave Holland
3     Black Hole    10:15
Steve Coleman
4     The Oracle    14:37
Dave Holland
5     101° Fahrenheit (Slow Meltdown)    4:56
Steve Coleman
6     Color of Mind    10:11
Kevin Eubanks
Credits :
Bass – Dave Holland
 Drums – Marvin "Smitty" Smith
 Guitar – Kevin Eubanks
 Producer – Manfred Eicher
 Saxophone – Steve Coleman

DAVE HOLLAND - Prism (2013) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Bassist Dave Holland has been at the forefront of experimental, forward-thinking jazz ever since his formative years playing in Miles Davis' fusion ensemble. His 2013 album, Prism, finds Holland returning to his crossover funk roots with an able-bodied quartet. Featured here are former Tonight Show guitarist Kevin Eubanks, pianist/Rhodes keyboardist Craig Taborn, and drummer Eric Harland. All of these musicians have reputations for playing adventurous, genre-bending styles of jazz, making them perfectly suited for the project at hand. Holland's fourth outing on his own Dare2 Records, Prism follows his 2008 sextet date Pass It On, his 2010 octet album Pathways, and his 2010 flamenco-inspired Hands. All of those records were equally engaging and progressive in their own ways, but none showcased Holland's interest in the angular, knotty funk and fusion he explores here. Tracks like the expansive "The Watcher" and the roiling "Spirals" feature explosive, frenetic soloing from the band as well as moments of layered group interplay. Elsewhere, cuts like "The Empty Chair" and "Evolution" explore a more minimalist, modal sense of atmosphere that allow for extended and far-reaching improvisational moments. For fans of Davis' Bitches Brew period, during which Holland was a member of the band, there is plenty of expansive, abstract soloing, Rhodes keyboard squelch, and fuzz-laden guitar. We also get several introspective songs on Prism, with the poignant, midtempo Eubanks feature "The Color of Iris," and the gorgeous Harland-penned "Breathe." Of course, Holland's bass is the grounding force for the ensemble, and thankfully, he gets plenty of room to stretch out from beginning to end. by Matt Collar
Tracklist :
1   The Watcher [6:56]
Kevin Eubanks
2   The Empty Chair (For Clare) [8:31]
Dave Holland
3   Spirals [8:46]
Craig Taborn
4   Choir [4:49]
Eric Harland
5   The Color Of Iris
Kevin Eubanks
6   A New Day [7:51]
Dave Holland
7   The True Meaning Of Determination [9:19]
Craig Taborn
8   Evolution [10:24]
Kevin Eubanks
9   Breathe [5:40]
Eric Harland
Credits :
Dave Holland, bass;
Kevin Eubanks, guitar;
Craig Taborn, piano and Fender Rhodes;
Eric Harland, drums.

DAVE HOLLAND, KEVIN EUBANKS & OBED CALVAIRE - Another Land (2021) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Bassist Dave Holland has led many different ensembles in his 60-plus-year career. They include everything from solo and duo outings to big bands. That said, his trio dates have been among the most memorable: They include four albums with the Gateway, with guitarist John Abercrombie and drummer Jack DeJohnette, 2019's Good Hope with Chris Potter and Zakir Hussain, and 2020's Without Deception with pianist Kenny Barron and drummer Johnathan Blake. Another Land is an evolutionary trio offering. Holland's band includes guitarist Kevin Eubanks and drummer Obed Calvaire. Holland and Eubanks worked together on 1990's Extensions and 2013's quartet offering Prism. Veteran Calvaire, currently a member of the SF Jazz Collective and a prolific session drummer, has toured with Holland and Eubanks since 2015. Another Land marks the group's recorded debut; its musical approach was conceived during those gigs.
These nine tunes include four each by the bassist and guitarist, with another by Calvaire. Eubanks' "Grave Walker" lends weight to the reputation of this group as a power trio. It emerges without an intro as full-on, knotty jazz-funk. Eubanks is a wildly diverse player. He leans in with punchy chordal vamps, razor-wire single-string runs, and a rhythmic strut that meets Calvaire's funky breaks and martial snare with grease and grit. Holland emerges in the foreground, riffing and vamping, adding a colorful harmonic dimension to the rhythmic assault. "20-20" commences as a moody tonal meditation with Eubanks fingerpicking to sparse maracas and droning bass notes. He goes silent before delivering a massive blues riff ratcheting the intensity. Calvaire responds with elegant restraint -- even playing double time -- as Holland bridges their interplay with deft, pulsing pizzicato runs and accents. Eubanks' choppy rhythm vamps balance the funky soul of Nile Rogers and Prince, while his fleet, spiky jazz-rock runs recall the post-Mahavishnu John McLaughlin. This trio is capable of sublime swing too. Check the intricate, silky interplay between bassist and guitarist on the title track as Calvaire illuminates their inquiries with lithe hi-hat and snare work. Holland's three-note upright vamp introduces Calvaire's dancing kit on "Gentle Warrior." Eubanks unfolds the spectral melody in stages as the band increases the tempo. They converse in subtle yet weighty call-and-response in the bridge. The single "Mashup" is another muscular groover wedding post-bop, blues, rock, and funk across jarring, striated cadences that never lose the groove. The dialogue between Holland and Eubanks is startling; they go at one another upping the ante in rounds before Eubanks' elegant solo calms the waters a bit as Calvaire combines rockist intensity and funky breaks with post-bop swing. Closer "Bring It Back Home" is a gentle stunner. Its slippery bluesy articulation references Jimi Hendrix's later R&B-influenced work with bassist Billy Cox. Another Land finds this trio putting forth a complex rhythmic approach to jazz harmony, chromaticism, and improvisation, while sounding loose and carefree.
(This comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our blog 'O Púbis da Rosa')
Tracklist :
1     Grave Walker 6:59
Kevin Eubanks
2     Another Land 9:18
Dave Holland
3     Gentle Warrior 8:46
Obed Calvaire
4     20 20 8:24
Kevin Eubanks
5     Quiet Fire 4:39
Dave Holland
6     Mashup 6:35
Kevin Eubanks
7     Passing Time 8:08
Dave Holland
8     The Village 8:47
Kevin Eubanks
9     Bring It Back Home 5:59
Dave Holland
Credits :
Bass, Bass Guitar – Dave Holland
Drums – Obed Calvaire
Guitar – Kevin Eubanks

WILL DOWNING – A Dream Fulfilled (1991-2008) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

KEVIN EUBANKS - Guitarist [1983] FLAC

Kevin Tyrone Eubanks (born November 15, 1957 in Philadelphia) is an American jazz and fusion guitarist and composer who was the leader of the Tonight Show Band with host Jay Leno from 1995 to 2010. He also led the Primetime Band on the short-lived The Jay Leno Show.

This album, issued in the wake of the stir caused by the Young Lions compilation album on Elektra Musician, is a first-rate mix of originals and standards beautifully executed by a group of studio players who include brothers Robin Eubanks on trombone, Charles on acoustic piano, and David on bass along with tenor saxophonist Ralph Moore and drummer Ronnie Burrage. Eubanks' choice of covers is brave; from Thelonious Monk's "Evidence" and Miles Davis' "Blue in Green" to Wes Montgomery's "The Thumb" and Jerome Kern's "Yesterdays," he offers not only chops, but a keen ear for nuance and subtlety. The treatment of Monk's "Evidence" is particularly satisfying for retaining the pianist/composer's angles without sacrificing the swing quotient. Likewise, his solo reading of "The Thumb" is played with great taste, offering no show-off pyrotechnics, yet he interprets the tune for the present day. Eubanks' own tunes, such as "Inner-Vision" with Moore, Burrage, and David, are shaped and informed by not only jazz but soul and blues without falling into crossover cliché. This is a fine first effort. [After being out of print for a decade on CD, Guitarist was reissued by Wounded Bird in 2004.]  

Tracklist

01 - The Novice Bounce [03:58]

02 - Inner-Vision [04:30]

03 - Yesterdays [06:29]

04 - Evidence [06:05]

05 - Urban Heat [08:05]

06 - The Thumb/Blues For Wes [04:18]

07 - Untitled Shapes [07:42]

08 - Blue In Green [03:15]

Personnel : 

 David Eubanks - Bass [Acoustic] 

Ronnie Burrage, Roy Haynes - Drums 

Kevin Eubanks - Guitar [Acoustic, Electric]  

Ralph Moore - Saxophone [Tenor]  

Robin Eubanks - Trombone

O Púbis da Rosa