GIL EVANS — The Complete Pacific Jazz Sessions (2006) Blue Note Connoisseur Series | APE (tracks+.cue), lossless

Gil Evans released two records on World Pacific in 1958 and 1959. They were among his earliest dates as a leader. Gil Evans & Ten was issued by Prestige in 1957, but these dates stand out more. New Bottle, Old Wine was the first of the pair and the band included four trumpets, a trio of trombones, French horn (played by Julius Watkins), a pair of tubas, Cannonball Adderley as the lone saxophonist, and a rhythm section that included either Philly Joe Jones or Art Blakey on drums, Paul Chambers on bass, and Chuck Wayne on guitar. The reading of "King Porter Stomp" is the stunner here, with Adderley's solo being a prized moment. There isn't a weak cut in the whole mess, though. Other standouts include Fats Waller's "Willow Tree," "Lester Leaps In," with great solos by Wayne and Adderley, the burning finale of Dizzy Gillespie's "Manteca," and Charlie Parker's "Bird Feathers" closing it out.

The second of these albums, Great Jazz Standards, featured a similar band with some notable differences. For one, the inclusion of soprano saxophonist Steve Lacy as a soloist and rhythm sections that included either Dennis Charles or Elvin Jones on drums, Curtis Fuller on trombone, and Budd Johnson on tenor for about half the set. The finer moments here include "Ballad of the Sad Young Men" (a newish tune at the time with a fine piano solo by Evans) and John Lewis' "Django," with a truly brilliant and understated solo by Lacy, who also does a commendable job on "Straight No Chaser." Johnson wails on Gil Evans' "La Nevada (Theme)." Evans' arrangement of Clifford Brown's "Joy Spring" is also a killer, with his and guitarist Ray Crawford's solos. The Complete Pacific Jazz Sessions is a fine collection issued by Blue Note, which, as part of the Connoisseur Series, is limited and will be out of print again soon. Don't wait.
-> This comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our blog 'O Púbis da Rosa' <-    Tracklist & Credits :

GIL EVANS ORCHESTRA — Great Jazz Standards (1959-1988) Pacific Jazz Series | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

A follow-up to New Bottle, Old Wine, this Gil Evans set has colorful arrangements of five jazz standards plus "Ballad of the Sad Young Men" and Evans' "Theme." Using a band consisting of three trumpets, three trombones, a French horn, Bill Barber's tuba, soprano-saxophonist Steve Lacy (the first important post-swing player on his instrument), tenor saxophonist Budd Johnson (on half of the program), and a four-piece rhythm section (including the leader's piano), Evans contributes some very memorable written ensemble passages, most notably on "Straight No Chaser." In addition to Lacy and Johnson, the main soloists are trumpeter Johnny Coles, trombonists Curtis Fuller and Jimmy Cleveland, and guitarist Ray Crawford. Highly recommended. Scott Yanow    Tracklist & Credits :

THE GIL EVANS ORCHESTRA — Out of the Cool (1961-1996) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Out of the Cool, released in 1960, was the first recording Gil Evans issued after three straight albums with Miles Davis -- Sketches of Spain being the final one before this. Evans had learned much from Davis about improvisation, instinct, and space (the trumpeter learned plenty, too, especially about color, texture, and dynamic tension). Evans orchestrates less here, instead concentrating on the rhythm section built around Elvin Jones, Charlie Persip, bassist Ron Carter, and guitarist Ray Crawford. The maestro in the piano chair also assembled a crack horn section for this date, with Ray Beckinstein, Budd Johnson, and Eddie Caine on saxophones, trombonists Jimmy Knepper, Keg Johnson, and bass trombonist Tony Studd, with Johnny Coles and Phil Sunkel on trumpet, Bill Barber on tuba, and Bob Tricarico on flute, bassoon, and piccolo. The music here is of a wondrous variety, bookended by two stellar Evans compositions in "La Nevada," and "Sunken Treasure." The middle of the record is filled out by the lovely standard "Where Flamingos Fly," Kurt Weill-Bertolt Brecht's "Bilbao Song," and George Russell's classic "Stratusphunk." The sonics are alternately warm, breezy, and nocturnal, especially on the 15-plus-minute opener which captures the laid-back West Coast cool jazz feel juxtaposed by the percolating, even bubbling hot rhythmic pulse of the tough streets of Las Vegas. The horns are held back for long periods in the mix and the drums pop right up front, Crawford's solo -- drenched in funky blues -- is smoking. When the trombones re-enter, they are slow and moaning, and the piccolo digs in for an in the pocket, pulsing break. Whoa.

Things are brought back to the lyrical impressionism Evans is most well known for at the beginning of "Where Flamingos Fly." Following a four-note theme on guitar, flute, tuba, and trombone, it comes out dramatic and blue, but utterly spacious and warm. The melancholy feels like the tune "Summertime" in the trombone melody, but shifts toward something less impressionistic and more expressionist entirely by the use of gentle dissonance by the second verse as the horns begin to ratchet things up just a bit, allowing Persip and Jones to play in the middle on a variety of percussion instruments before the tune takes on a New Orleans feel, and indeed traces much of orchestral jazz history over the course of its five minutes without breaking a sweat. "Stratusphunk" is the most angular tune here, but Evans and company lend such an element of swing to the tune that its edges are barely experienced by the listener. For all his seriousness, there was a great deal of warmth and humor in Evans' approach to arranging. His use of the bassoon as a sound effects instrument at the beginning is one such moment emerging right out of the bass trombone. At first, the walking bassline played by Carter feels at odds with the lithe and limber horn lines which begin to assert themselves in full finger popping swing etiquette, but Carter seamlessly blends in. Again, Crawford's guitar solo in the midst of all that brass is the voice of song itself, but it's funky before Johnny Coles' fine trumpet solo ushers in an entirely new chart for the brass. The final cut, "Sunken Treasure," is a moody piece of noir that keeps its pulse inside the role of bass trombone and tuba. Percussion here, with maracas, is more of a coloration device, and the blues emerge from the trumpets and from Carter. It's an odd way to close a record, but its deep-night feel is something that may echo the "cool" yet looks toward something deeper and hotter -- which is exactly what followed later with Into the Hot. This set is not only brilliant, it's fun.
-> This comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our blog 'O Púbis da Rosa' <-
Tracklist & Credits :

LOU DONALDSON - Possum Head (1964-2005) RM | FLAC (tracks), lossless

Possum Head reunites Lou Donaldson with organ great Big John Patton, a component of virtually all of the altoist's strongest Argo label efforts -- time and time again, Patton's sublimely funky grooves effectively sand away Donaldson's wooden edges to create rolling melodic contours. Guitarist Ray Crawford, trumpeter Bill Hardman, drummer Bill Dixon, and the presumably pseudonymous percussionist Cleopas "Mopedido" Morris round out the session, which boasts a lighter, breezier approach than the earlier Signifyin'. Donaldson circles around the hard-driving soul-jazz sensibilities of his later records but never quite commits, instead favoring lyrical solos well-matched to standards like "Laura," "Bye Bye Blackbird," and "Secret Love." An engaging and underrated record. Jason Ankeny
Tracklist :
1     Possum Head 3:15
Lou Donaldson    
2     Secret Love 5:44
Sammy Fain / Paul Francis Webster    
3     Midnight Soul 4:57
Lou Donaldson    
4     Bye Bye Blackbird 6:28
Mort Dixon / Ray Henderson    
5     Laura 4:42
Johnny Mercer / David Raksin    
6     Persimmon Tree 5:35
Lou Donaldson    
7     Frenesi 6:15
Alberto Dominguez / Leonard Whitcup    
8     Man With a Horn 5:04
Eddie DeLange / Jack Jenney / Bonnie Lake
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Lou Donaldson
Congas – Cleopas "Mopedido" Morris
Drums – Ben Dixon
Guitar – Ray Crawford
Organ – 'Big' John Patton
Trumpet – Bill Hardman

LOREZ ALEXANDRIA - More of the Great Lorez Alexandria (1964-2007) Impulse! More Best 50 – 13 / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1 But Beautiful  4:18
Johnny Burke / James Van Heusen
2 Little Boat (O Barquinho)  2:17
Ronaldo Bôscoli / Roberto Menescal
3 Dancing on the Ceiling  1:32
Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
4 It Might as Well Be Spring  6:58
Oscar Hammerstein II / Richard Rodgers
5 Once (It S'Aim Aient)  2:20
Norman Gimbel / Guy Magenta
6 The Wildest Gal in Town  2:54
Sammy Fain / Jack Yellen
7 Angel Eyes  4:53
Earl Brent / Matt Dennis
8 This Could Be the Start of Something Big  2:20
Steve Allen
9 No More  3:09
Tutti Camarata / Bob Russell
10 That Far Away Look  2:25
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Paul Horn
Double Bass – Al McKibbon
Drums – Jimmy Cobb (tracks: 8) 
Guitar – Ray Crawford (tracks: 8) 
Piano – Wynton Kelly

LOREZ ALEXANDRIA - Alexandria the Great (1964-2004) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Lorez Alexandria has not received her due as a jazz singer, probably due in part to her long layoff from recording (11 years) for nationally distributed labels following these 1964 studio sessions for Impulse! But the vocalist is in top form throughout each of these three sessions, each with a different group of musicians. Her soulful singing also hints at her gospel background in places, though her clear enunciation, ability to swing, and touch of charm make her a delight to hear. Most of the arrangements are fairly concise, so the longer tracks shine just a bit brighter. Her swinging take of "Get Me to the Church On Time" is playful, while her soulfulness comes across in the snappy take of "I'm Through With Love," the latter featuring guitarist Ray Crawford. This is an excellent introduction to a fine vocalist worthy of much wider recognition. Ken Dryden
Тracklist :
1. Show Me (4:05)
Alan Jay Lerner / Frederick Loewe
2. I've Never Been In Love Before (2:21)
Frank Loesser
3. Satin Doll (2:48)
Duke Ellington / Johnny Mercer / Billy Strayhorn
4. My One And Only Love (4:31)
Robert Mellin / Guy Wood
Bass – Paul Chambers
5. Over The Rainbow (3:59)
Harold Arlen / E.Y. "Yip" Harburg
6. Get Me To The Church On Time (4:03)
Alan Jay Lerner / Frederick Loewe
Piano – Victor Feldman
7. The Best Is Yet To Come (2:46)
Cy Coleman / Carolyn Leigh
8. I've Grown Accustomed To His Face (4:07)
Alan Jay Lerner / Frederick Loewe
Piano – Victor Feldman
9. Give Me The Simple Life (2:23)
Rube Bloom / Harry Ruby
10. I'm Through With Love (5:24)
Gus Kahn / Fud Livingston / Matty Malneck
Bass – Paul Chambers
Credits :
Arranged By – Billy Marx (faixas: 1, 6, 8)
Bass – Al McKibbon (faixas: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
Drums – Jimmy Cobb
Flute – Bud Shank (faixas: 1, 6, 8)
Guitar – Ray Crawford (faixas: 3, 4, 95)
Piano – Wynton Kelly (faixas: 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10)
Saxophone – Paul Horn (faixas: 3, 4, 7, 9)
Vocals – Lorez Alexandria

JIMMY SMITH - Bluesmith (1972-2006) APE (image+.cue), lossless

It is ironic that one of Jimmy Smith's best Verve releases would be his next-to-last for the label. This surprisingly freewheeling but relaxed jam session also features Teddy Edwards on tenor, guitarist Ray Crawford, bassist Leroy Vinnegar, drummer Donald Dean, and the congas of Victor Pantoja. Together they perform five of Smith's fairly basic originals and Harvey Siders's "Mournin' Wes," a tribute for Wes Montgomery. Fine straight-ahead music. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1    Straight Ahead 5:25
Oliver Nelson / Jimmy Smith
2    Absolutely Funky 9:12
Jimmy Smith
3    Lolita 6:23
Jimmy Smith
4    Mournin' Wes 10:00
Harvey Siders
5    Blues for 3+1 4:52
Jimmy Smith
6    Bluesmith 6:41
Jimmy Smith
Credits :
Bass – Leroy Vinnegar
Congas – Victor Pantoja (tracks: 3, 5)
Drums – Donald Dean
Guitar – Ray Crawford (tracks: 1 to 4, 6)
Organ – Jimmy Smith
Tenor Saxophone – Teddy Edwards (tracks: 1 to 4, 6)