KEVIN HAYS — Open Range (2005) Serie Piano Works – III | FLAC (tracks+.cue) lossless

"Open Range is one of the most remarkable solo works of the past decade" - (JAZZTHETIK) ACT

Kevin Hays' departure from his birthplace (New York City) for Santa Fe, NM, helped inspire this collection of originals, most of which are piano solos. Hays' longtime jazz fans are in for a surprise, as this session is a great departure from his earlier recordings as a leader. The introductory track, "Open Range," has a lonely, somewhat pastoral feeling, sounding more like a classical piano sonata. "Nursery Rhyme" consists of enchanting variations on its brief opening theme in a hushed setting. "Harmonium" begins with the sounds of children playing in the distance on the shoreline, with Hays playing the keyboard with one hand and alternately dampening and plucking the strings with the other. "Homestead" is a bit erratic, with the echo of the piano in the distance and Hays' odd vocal chant, which may be easier to enjoy than the singing of Keith Jarrett, though it still is somewhat annoying. Hays does a better job singing in his subdued, richly textured interpretation of the old chestnut "You Are My Sunshine," though he gets carried away by overdubbing a harmony vocal and string sample. "Humming Bird Song" is an unusual miniature, with Hays accompanying a distorted-sounding Native American chant. Obviously, this must have been a very satisfying session for Kevin Hays, and it is well worth investigating despite its occasional distractions. Ken Dryden
Tracklist :
1    Open Range    2:28
Composed By Kevin Hays
2    Homestead    3:23
Composed By Kevin Hays
3    Desert Blues    7:38
Composed By Kevin Hays
4    Humming Bird Song    2:18
Composed By Kevin Hays
5    Improvisation    7:15
Composed By Kevin Hays
6    You Are My Sunshine    5:39
Composed By – Jimmy Davis / Arranged By – Kevin Hays
7    Fire Dance    4:23
Composed By Kevin Hays
8    Nursery Rhyme    6:31
Composed By Kevin Hays
9    Meditation    4:29
Composed By Kevin Hays
10    Harmonium    3:02
Composed By Kevin Hays
11    Sacred Circles    6:05
Composed By Kevin Hays
Credits :
Piano, Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes], Vocals – Kevin Hays

CHRIS POTTER — Gratitude (2001) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Saxophonist Chris Potter honors the legacy of some of jazz's greats on Gratitude, his debut for Verve. The award-winning virtuoso and composer is compelling on his tributes to John Coltrane, Eddie Harris, Wayne Shorter, Charlie Parker, and several other legendary saxophonists. Gratitude contains nine original compositions written by Potter, who plays tenor saxophone on the majority of the songs, switches to soprano saxophone on "Eurydice," his tribute to Wayne Shorter, and plays the alto saxophone and Chinese wood flute on "Star Eyes," the tribute to Charlie Parker. Chris Potter is outstanding on bass clarinet on his composition "The Visitor" for Lester Young and captures the ambience that reflects the many styles of these accomplished players, including sliding from one note to a higher or lower note with intermediate pitches on "The Source," his tribute to the glissandi (sheets of sound) of John Coltrane, and capturing the dense, soulful sound of Joe Henderson on "Shadow." Gratitude also includes a song titled "What's New," for the current generation which completes the set. Potter, leading his great quartet of contemporaries -- keyboardist Kevin Hayes, bassist Scott Colley, and drummer Brian Blade -- makes a significant contribution to jazz history with this project and offers musical statements and voices that are truly varied in scope and deep in their essence. Paula Edelstein   
Tracklist :
1 The Source (for John Coltrane) 6:36
2 Shadow (for Joe Henderson) 5:47
3 Sun King (for Sonny Rollins) 7:00
4 High Noon (for Eddie Harris) 8:19
5 Eurydice (for Wayne Shorter) 6:00
6 The Mind's Eye Intro 0:44
7 The Mind's Eye (for Michael Brecker And Joe Lovano) 7:14
8 Gratitude (for All The Past Masters) 3:05
9 The Visitor (for Lester Young) 7:39
10 Body And Soul (for Coleman Hawkins) 5:29
Written-By – Edward Heyman, Frank Eyton, Johnny Green, Robert Sour
11 Star Eyes (for Charlie Parker) 5:23
Written-By – Don Raye, Gene DePaul
12 Vox Humana (for Ornette Coleman) 5:24
13 What's New (for The Current Generation) 2:22
Written-By – Bob Haggart, Johnny Burke
Credits :
Alto Flute – Chris Potter (tracks: 4, 7)
Alto Saxophone – Chris Potter (tracks: 11)
Bass – Scott Colley (tracks: 1 to 12)
Bass Clarinet – Chris Potter (tracks: 4, 7, 10)
Composed By – Chris Potter (tracks: 1 to 9, 12)
Drums – Brian Blade (tracks: 1 to 12)
Electric Piano – Kevin Hays (tracks: 2, 4, 6, 7)
Flute [Chinese Wood] – Chris Potter (tracks: 12)
Piano – Kevin Hays (tracks: 1, 3, 5 to 9, 12)
Soprano Saxophone – Chris Potter (tracks: 5, 12)
Tenor Saxophone – Chris Potter (tracks: 1 to 4, 6 to 9, 13)