DIZZY GILLESPIE – 1952-1953 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1347 (2004) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Longtime collectors of vintage Dizzy Gillespie recordings will be delighted with this package of predominantly but not exclusively Parisian blowing sessions. The eighth installment in the Classics Dizzy Gillespie chronology opens with three selections from a Blue Star date that took place in Paris on April 6, 1952. A hauntingly soulful "Summertime" is followed by a refreshing "Blue Moon." This is Diz in his early maturity, full of cool whimsy. "Blues Chanté" is essentially a rehearsal take for the excellent "Cripple Crapple Crutch," a humorous blues containing references to a blind sow, a crippled crab, and an elephant's member. This and seven subsequent tracks were recorded for the Vogue label with a sextet featuring tenor saxophonist Don Byas, the brothers Hubert and Raymond Fol, and aspiring bassist Pierre Michelot on April 11, 1952. With the exception of the aforementioned blues and a smart version of Tadd Dameron's "Lady Bird" (here titled "Dizzy Song") the play list for this richly rewarding session is all standards and ballads. Back in the U.S.A. on July 18th, Gillespie presided over a Dee Gee recording date in Chicago with 20-year-old pianist Wynton Kelly and outrageous vocalist Joe "Be Bop" Carroll. In addition to the definitive version of "Oo-Shoo-Be-Doo-Be," this date resulted in a hilarious version of "Blue Skies" (wherein Diz and Joe ponder the possibility of getting eaten by a whale), a really nutty take on "Umbrella Man," a wild Louis Armstrong impersonation by Diz, and a gorgeous version of "They Can't Take That Away from Me." On November 24, 1952, Gillespie participated in one of those "jazz battles" contrived by music critics. Presented live at Birdland, "Hot vs. Cool" placed a team of young "modern" musicians (Dizzy Gillespie, tenor man Ray Abrams, bassist Al McKibbon, and drummer Max Roach) alongside players who were more closely associated with "traditional" fare. Trumpeter Jimmy McPartland, the most conspicuous member of this contingent, verbally introduces "Muskrat Ramble." (McPartland's professional career reached back into the mid-'20s when he recorded with the Wolverines after the departure of Bix Beiderbecke.) "Battle of the Blues" quickly develops into a kicking R&B jam, while "How High the Moon," naturally, belongs to the boppers. In truth, of course, McPartland and Gillespie got along marvelously and the only real conflict was between opinionated journalists. The packaging of this CD includes a wonderfully weird snapshot of the two men fingering each other's trumpets while simultaneously trying to blow their horns and smoke tobacco; from the corners of their mouths McPartland dangles a cigarette while Dizzy chews a big cigar. On February 22, 1953, Gillespie and Joe Carroll were back in Paris recording for Vogue. The cream of this session and one of Gillespie's all-time best recordings is their very hip version of Irving Berlin's "Always.". arwulf arwulf    Tracklist + Credits :

DJANGO REINHARDT – 1947-1951 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1317 (2003) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Anyone intimately familiar with Django Reinhardt's later recorded works might wonder how one CD can contain all of his recordings from late 1947 through 1951. While it is a fact that Reinhardt experienced increasing periods of unemployment after 1947 as his popularity waned, he certainly made enough records during this time period to fill more than one compact disc. The solution to this puzzle apparently involves issues of licensing, copyright, and ownership. During January and February 1949, and then again in April and May of 1950, Django Reinhardt, using small groups containing both French and Italian musicians and featuring either Stéphane Grappelli or Andre Ekyan, made a number of excellent recordings for radio broadcast purposes in Rome. Although the producers of the Classics Chronological Series usually seem able to procure the recordings necessary for a thorough survey of each artist they feature, whoever owns the rights to the Roman Reinhardt acetates either wouldn't allow them to be used by the folks at Classics, or perhaps the Italians wanted more money than the French company was willing or able to afford. In any case, there's a gap of about 18 months in this overview, but it doesn't sound that way at all because what you get is a mighty dose of late-period Django Reinhardt, and every nanosecond of music is precious and fine. The first ten tracks were recorded in Paris in late 1947 and early 1948 by a Quintet of the Hot Club of France featuring the violin and piano of Stéphane Grappelli. "Si Tu Savais" is a profound opener that feels as though it is referencing harsh realities and twists of fate. It sounds, in fact, a lot like "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?" Throughout these ten selections, both the ensemble's collective creativity and Reinhardt's improvisations are dazzling. The next block of material inadvertently calls up another incongruity. The Classics label's self-imposed delineation between studio and live material is remarkably inconsistent, as plenty of live recordings have deliberately been either included or excluded from their extensive catalog. Lots of live Reinhardt didn't make it into his chronology on Classics. Here the producers went ahead and wove in a continuous live concert recording made in Brussels on December 1, 1948. Django Reinhardt and a small group featuring clarinetist Hubert Rostaing present a full range of moods and textures, including the Benny Carter/Ben Webster steamroller "Cadillac Slim" -- with thunderous Gene Krupa-styled drumming during the clarinet solo -- and a brief "Symphonie," which turns out to be a vigorous workout for Django's guitar. But speaking of the guitar, as the chronology leapfrogs over everything Django accomplished in Rome, listeners are treated to a pair of lovely Parisian unaccompanied guitar solos, including a breathtakingly gorgeous, landscape-sized six-and-a-half-minute version of "Nuages." If you are fortunate enough to get your hands on this amazing piece of work, play it back for yourself over and over again. Listen to it for hours if necessary. It might just be the greatest musical statement that Django Reinhardt ever played into a microphone. As he only had a few years remaining in his short life, it is a pity that he recorded so infrequently after 1950, because the clues he left behind clearly hint at fascinating developments in the art of guitar playing that would be realized and expounded upon by other guitarists further on down the road. arwulf arwulf        Tracklist :

DJANGO REINHARDT – 1951-1953 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1441 (2007) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The 17th and final installment in the Classics Django Reinhardt chronology contains the Gypsy guitarist's very last recordings. Its 22 tracks consist of Decca and Blue Star records cut in Paris between May 11, 1951, and April 8, 1953. By this time, Reinhardt had switched entirely to the electrically amplified guitar and was actively collaborating with progressive young players like alto saxophonist Hubert Fol, bassist Pierre Michelot, and pianists Raymond Fol and Martial Solal. This beautifully cool and bop-inspired music differs markedly from the Gypsy swing formula established during the 1930s by Reinhardt, Stéphane Grappelli, and the Quintet of the Hot Club of France. During the last years of his life, Reinhardt was not merely adapting to modernity -- he was actively defining it. Nowhere is this more evident than on the eccentrically reconfigured 1928 pop hit "Crazy Rhythm" and its flip side, Reinhardt's lovely "Anouman," a wistful air that feels like a Charles Mingus romance or a candidate for an early Truffaut or Godard film soundtrack. (The piece's title closely resembles the name of the monkey-faced Hindu deity Hanuman; it very well may represent one of the many links between European Gypsy culture and its East Indian ancestry.) This excellent compilation works as a moving and thought-provoking conclusion to the complete recordings of Django Reinhardt as compiled and reissued by the Classics label. (The only material that didn't make it into the series was an apparently contested body of works recorded in Rome during 1949 and 1950.) A little more than one month after recording "Le Soir," "Chez Moi," "I Cover the Waterfront," and "Deccaphonie," Django Reinhardt was felled by a stroke while fishing, was subsequently hospitalized, and left his body behind on May 16, 1953. Musically speaking, this album is his last will and testament. arwulf arwulf 

JAMES MOODY – 1949-1950 | The Chronogical Classics – 1169 (2001) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Whether you think you're already hip to James Moody, or if you aren't hip to him at all, be sure and check this stuff out! It's rare, it's beautiful and the solos are extraordinary. What you have here is essentially Moody's European tour journal. This phonographic diary takes us through Stockholm towards the end of 1949 and then to Paris in February and April of 1950. Moody is hanging with the French and the Swedes. They have been carefully studying the twists and turns of American bop. The arrangements are intricate and very contemporary. Don't worry about the goofy titles. "Three Bop Mice" and "Flight of the Bopple Bee" are actually fine pieces of work, hot and busy, composed and executed by this formidable sax and flute man from Georgia who got his start working with Dizzy Gillespie. Much of what we know about Moody comes from a stream of American records issued and reissued over a span of more than 50 years. His early European recordings are of inestimable value in their own light and as context for the rest of his work. "Three Bop Mice" seems to refer to the front line of three wicked tenor saxophones. Good thing this jam runs for nearly six minutes! It gives the guys kicking room. When Moody approaches a ballad, the results are often stunning. "Laura" is exquisite and "Body and Soul" pulsates with Moody's personal blend of languid urgency. "I'm in the Mood for Love" is the divine original take of a set of variations that would help to spawn the entire vocalese tradition, bearing forever the altered title "Moody's Mood for Love." Some will involuntarily detect echo-premonitions of Eddie Jefferson as the improvisations effortlessly unwind. Who would have guessed that the lovely upper register chorus, which Eddie would always sing in a disarming falsetto, was originally devised by the Swedish pianist Thore Swanerud? "Lester Leaps In" turns out to be the blueprint for Jefferson's wonderful vocalese outing "I Got The Blues." He obviously owned each of these Swedish records and learned them by heart. A pity he didn't get a chance to devise note-for-note lyrics to Moody's improvisations on "Indiana" "Dexterious" and "Good Bait," as these too are brilliant. The next jaw-dropper is "Blue and Moody," which proves to be the record that Eddie Jefferson turned into "Birdland Story," that exciting number heard on the 1956 Flute 'N the Blues album. This one CD holds the key to so many of James Moody's greatest records. Two 1950 Parisian sessions led by pianist Jack Dieval explore unusual harmonic realms, presenting ideas and tonalities that would take root over the next ten years. This is progressive music, unusually advanced for its day. Annie Ross sings in her most bizarre, pleasantly disorienting manner during "Le Vent Vert." Next, the Ernie Royal All-Stars punch out a five-minute "Period Suite." Russell Procope blossoms during a six-and-a-half-minute excursion through "Perdido," neatly bisected during Pierre Michelot's bass solo. Everybody ought to own a copy of this glorious disc. It is a glowing emerald deeply set in the precious lapidary of James Moody's music, surely some of the greatest music the world will ever hear. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist + Credits :

JAMES MOODY – 1950-1951 | The Chronogical Classics – 1263 (2002) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

April in Paris, 1950. James Moody is making records with a band led by trumpeter Ernie Royal. While two originals by Royal are based on textbook bop themes, Moody's own "Date With Kate" shows greater depth of invention. "Mean to Me" prances at a healthy clip and "Embraceable You" is presented as a slow-dance delicacy. Jumping to July of 1950, Moody leads his own "Boptet" through four remarkable exercises in modernity. Marshall "Red" Allen, who subsequently worked for decades with Sun Ra, is heard in Moody's band playing alto saxophone. These must be Allen's earliest appearances on record. "Delooney" surges ahead with peculiar chords that do in fact slightly resemble what Ra's Arkestra would be playing by 1957. "Real Cool" features the celeste and piano of Raymond Fol and some lovely bass work by Buddy Banks. "In the Anna" is a slow and harmonically altered stroll through "Back Home Again in Indiana." Moody sings a chorus of rapid-fire bop scat on "Voila." After he blows his horn for a bit, several voices sing a background chorus, which continues during a fadeout, that new effect just beginning to occur on records in 1950. Moody's last Parisian session focuses tightly upon his tenor sax backed by apparent Bud Powell devotee Raphael "Raph" Schecroun, Pierre Michelot, and the amazing Kenny "Klook" Clarke, whose solo on "Riffin' and Raphin'" is a pleasure. Hot tracks invigorate, and ballads bring on the coolest of reveries. Moody's fluidic improvisations are always full of pleasant surprises. "St. Louis Blues" gets a modern, sophisticated treatment, slipping with progressive ease into the traditional tango chorus. There are no less than three distinct renditions of "Embraceable You" on this CD. Maybe we're inside a movie and this is the recurring theme song, always returning to assist in the story line's continuity: five months in the life of James Moody. The home stretch takes listeners back to Stockholm. Backed by seven Scandinavians and bolstered by cushy arrangements, Moody delivered six gorgeous performances for the Prestige label. His balladeering is always astonishing. "How Deep Is the Ocean" has the power to reassure. So does "I'll Get By." Each of these little three-minute records should be cherished like a vision of a better world. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist + Credits :

JAMES MOODY – 1951 | The Chronogical Classics – 1388 (2005) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

In need of rest and recuperation after suffering under the twin scourges of alcoholism and Benzedrine addiction, saxophonist James Moody backed away from the scene in 1948 and took off to stay with his uncle in Paris for a couple of weeks, only to remain overseas for three years, making great jazz records with some of Europe's finest young players. Volume four in the Classics James Moody chronology assembles all of the recordings he made for the Metronome and Vogue labels in Stockholm and Paris between January 24 and July 27, 1951. The opening tracks, culled from the Swedish portion of the survey, are greatly enhanced by the presence of baritone saxophonist Lars Gullin, a marvelous improviser whose tonalities blend beautifully with Moody's tenor. On "Pennies From Heaven" and "Cherokee," Moody and the rhythm section are backed by a modest string ensemble; here the sonic chemistry is so pleasantly integrated as to warrant comparison with Charlie Parker's own adventures in chamber music. The next leg of Moody's European odyssey finds him backed by a rhythm section with conga drums and a huge string and wind orchestra under the direction of André Hodier. Using alto and tenor saxophones, Moody navigates well even when the monstrous ensemble threatens to engulf him. It's a relief to hear him two weeks later blowing alto sax and leading a quintet comprised of trumpeter Roger Guerin and the same trio that was used with Hodier's Orchestre: pianist Raymond Fol, bassist Pierre Michelot and drummer Pierre Lemarchand. Longtime Moody fans will thrill to hear the enclosed version of "I Cover the Waterfront," destined to serve as the basis for Eddie Jefferson's famous vocalese version on James Moody's 1956 Flute 'n the Blues album. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist + Credits :

SIDNEY BECHET – 1952 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1384 (2005) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Lionized and showered with honors, Sidney Bechet settled down in Paris during the early 1950s, performing regularly in the company of traditional-minded French musicians before enthusiastic, jazz-loving audiences. Volume 15 in the Classics Sidney Bechet chronology presents two live concert performances recorded at Salle Pleyel, Paris on January 31 and March 12, 1952. Nominally co-led with clarinetist Claude Luter, Bechet's bands churn out spirited renditions of classic jazz standards with a hale and hearty emphasis upon the historical New Orleans and Dixieland revival repertoire. Thanks to the then-newly introduced long-playing record format, some of these preserved jams extend into the eight and nine-minute range, well beyond the formerly imposed 78 rpm, three-and-a-half minute mark. A brilliant improviser and always a commanding presence, Sidney Bechet on this album is mature perfection personified. This wonderfully exciting music is greatly enhanced by the cheering crowds who go wild with joy nearly every time a title is announced. arwulf arwulf
Tracklist + Credits :

SIDNEY BECHET – 1952, Vol. 2 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1431 (2005) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Volume 16 in the complete recordings of Sidney Bechet as reissued in the Classics Chronological Series opens with two live concert recordings of Bechet in performance with Claude Luter's Orchestra at the Salle Pleyel in Paris on March 12, 1952. The balance of that evening's entertainment may be heard on the previous volume in the series. Luter, a capable clarinetist, accompanied Bechet with a band of traditional minded Frenchmen consisting of trumpeter Guy Lognon, trombonist Bernard Zacharias, pianist Raymond Fol, bassist Roland Bianchini, and drummer François "Moustache" Galépides. The seven-piece unit's renditions of "Casey Jones" and "Dippermouth Blues" typify the old-fashioned repertoire preferred by this branch of the European jazz community during the early 1950s. The Bechet/Luter band (with the addition of cornetist Claude Rabanit) is heard again, this time in a studio setting, on tracks 13-20. Although the Bechet/Luter collaborations are enjoyable, the artistic heart of this album lies within tracks three-twelve in the form of ten master takes from a trio session involving Bechet, pianist Lil Armstrong, and drummer Zutty Singleton, three jazz pioneers who were born only months apart near the close of the 19th century. An opportunity to hear them working together in an intimate studio environment is a major treat for anyone who truly loves this kind of music. Everything on this compilation was originally issued by the Vogue label. The folks at Classics should be proud to have unearthed this fine music and brought it out in this handsome edition for all to enjoy. arwulf arwulf
Tracklist : 

CLARK TERRY - Clark Terry and His Orchestra featuring Paul Gonsalves (2001) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Critics often complain that small-group sessions comprised of members of the Duke Ellington Orchestra are somewhat disappointing; this is definitely not the case with this session led by Clark Terry, recorded during a 1959 tour of Europe in the final month of the trumpeter's almost eight-year tenure with the band. Fellow Ellington sidemen Paul Gonsalves, Jimmy Woode, and Sam Woodyard are present, along with Raymond Fol at the piano. Terry was one of the most gifted trumpeters to grace the Ellington band and he blossoms when he has more opportunities to solo in a small group setting like this one. Gonsalves proves to be the perfect foil for Terry as they trade lines on several of the numbers. Unlike many dates led by Ellington veterans, this one doesn't rely heavily on songs from the vast Ellington songbook; instead, Terry includes only "Satin Doll," while choosing one standard ("Mean to Me"), a pair of Monk tunes, and five of his own compositions, with "Serenade to a Bus Seat" (a remake of his upbeat instrumental interpretation of the hectic life of a touring musician) proving to be the most memorable. This studio date was recorded for French Decca and has been almost impossible to find prior to the appearance of this Storyville CD, so it should be of great interest to fans of Clark Terry, with the added bonus of a previously unissued alternate take of "Pannonica." Ken Dryden
Tracklist :
1     Serenade to a Bus Seat 4'02
Clark Terry
2     Pannonica 5'39
Thelonious Monk
3     Pea-Eye 5'04
Clark Terry
4     Satin Doll 4'55
Duke Ellington / Johnny Mercer / Billy Strayhorn
5     Daniel's Blues 4'50
Clark Terry
6     Mean to Me 5'16
Fred E. Ahlert / Roy Turk
7     Blues for the Champ of Champs 11'04
Clark Terry
8     Circeo 4'14
Raymond Fol
9     Clark Bars 6'56
Clark Terry
10     Pannonica, No. 2 6'22
Thelonious Monk
11     Lonely One 3'21
Babs Gonzales
Credits :
Bass – Jimmy Woods
Drums – Sam Woodyard
Piano – Raymond Fol
Tenor Saxophone – Paul Gonsalves
Trumpet, Arranged By – Clark Terry

GUY LAFITTE - Blue And Sentimental (1954-2000) Jazz In Paris 24 / RM / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

On Blue & Sentimental, tenor saxman Guy Laffite leads a quartet through a series of ballads originally composed by the likes of Count Basie (the title track), Duke Ellington ("Krum Elbow Blues"), and Ted Koehler ("Get Happy," "I've Got the World on a String"), among others. It's a rather laid-back and unchallenging set that's intended more for relaxing than analysis, and when approached as such, it proves quite effective. Laffite's quartet includes Raymond Fol (piano), George Daly (vibraphone), and Peanuts Holland (trumpet). by Jason Birchmeier
Tracklist :
1     Blue and Sentimental 6:38
Count Basie / Mack David / Jerry Livingston
2     She's Funny That Way 3:13
Neil Moret (Chas. N. Daniels) / Richard A. Whiting
3     If I Had You 2:50
Jimmy Campbell / Reginald Connelly / Ted Shapiro
4     Get Happy 2:57
Harold Arlen / Ted Koehler
5     Stardust 3:29
Hoagy Carmichael / Mitchell Parish
6     I've Got the World on a String 4:24
Harold Arlen / Ted Koehler
7     Where or When 4:38
Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
8     Krum Elbow Blues 5:03
Duke Ellington / Johnny Hodges
9     Boogie Blues 3:44
Gene Krupa
Credits :
Double Bass – Alix Bret (faixas: 1 to 8), Charlie Blareau (faixas: 9)
Drums – Bernard Planchenault (faixas: 1 to 8), Jean-Baptiste "Mac Kac" Reilles (faixas: 9)
Guitar – Jean Bonal (faixas: 1 to 8)
Piano – Jean-Claude Pelletier (faixas: 9), Raymond Fol (faixas: 1 to 8)
Tenor Saxophone – Guy Lafitte
Trumpet – Peanuts Holland (faixas: 9)
Vibraphone – Geo Daly
Nota :
Recorded 1954 in Paris
Reissue of the Club français du disque LP 21 except 9, which is an extract from the Club français du disque EP 6 Vacances nº 2  

LIONEL HAMPTON - Ring Dem Vibes (1976-2000) Jazz In Paris 46 / RM / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Lionel Hampton's two-day session for Blue Star in 1976 was a very productive date; he only brought along two regulars, guitarist Billy Mackel and pianist/organist Reynold Mullins, but was joined by an assortment of outstanding European players, including pianist Raymond Fol, alto saxophonist Michel Attenoux (who had worked with Hampton before), trombonist Claude Gousset, tenor saxophonist Gerard Badini, bassist Michel Gaudry, and former Ellington drummer Sam Woodyard, who was living and working in Paris. Hampton was only 68 years old at the time of the recording and still had the reputation for wearing out men a third of his age on the bandstand; his enthusiasm is infectious from the opening number, "Ring Dem Bells," as he introduces each soloist in turn in a lively jam. Dany Doriz, the man who had instigated this session, joins Hampton on vibes for a spirited if brief run through "Seven Come Eleven." The leader also revisits old favorites such as his "Vibraphone Blues" (which includes some humorous commentary in addition to his vocal) and standards like "Blue Lou" and "On the Sunny Side of the Street" with the same vigor as when he first recorded them decades earlier. One surprise inclusion is Horace Silver's "Psychedelic Sally," which turns into an extended workout with one hot chorus inspiring yet another. The players mesh very well and each of the soloists is in top form when called upon. Although Lionel Hampton recorded frequently in the second half of the 1970s, this pickup session is among the best of the two dozen or so releases made during this period of his career. by Ken Dryden  
Tracklist :
1     Ring Dem Bells  7:48
Duke Ellington / Irving Mills
2     Seven Come Eleven 2:17
Charlie Christian / Benny Goodman
3     On the Sunny Side of the Street 4:31
Dorothy Fields / Jimmy McHugh
4     Blue Lou 7:09
Irving Mills / Edgar Sampson
5     Psychedelic Sally 10:33
Horace Silver
6     Vibraphone Blues 4:40
Lionel Hampton
7     Hamp's Thing 6:25
Lionel Hampton
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Michel Attenoux
Double Bass – Michel Gaudry
Drums – Sam Woodyard
Guitar – William Mackel
Organ – Reynold Mullins (faixas: 6)
Piano – Raymond Fol, Reynold Mullins (faixas: 3, 4)
Tenor Saxophone – Gérard Badini (faixas: 1, 5, 7)
Trombone – Claude Gousset (faixas: 1, 5, 7)
Vibraphone – Dany Doriz (faixas: 2)
Vibraphone, Vocals – Lionel Hampton
Nota :
Recorded on May 25 (1, 2, 5, 7) and 26 (3, 4, 6) 1976, at the Hoche studio, Paris
Reissue of the Blue Star LP 80 706 

HUBERT ROSTAING / MAURICE MEUNIER - Clarinettes À Saint-Germain Des Prés (2001) Jazz In Paris 54 / RM / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1    Hubert Rostaing–    Bonjour Benny    2:25
2    Hubert Rostaing–    Autour De La Femme    2:20
3    Hubert Rostaing–    Champs Elysées Club    2:57
4    Hubert Rostaing–    Trop Tôt    2:06
5    Hubert Rostaing–    Sweet Renée    3:07
6    Hubert Rostaing–    L'Heure Tourne 2:52
Written-By – Martial Solal
7    Hubert Rostaing–    J'En Suis Saisie    2:35
8    Hubert Rostaing–    Say When?    2:53
9    Hubert Rostaing–    Ça Va Bouillir    2:23
10    Hubert Rostaing–    Oh Lady Be Good 2:14
Written-By – Ira And George Gershwin
11    Hubert Rostaing–    Remember    3:06
12    Hubert Rostaing–    Cherokee 3:07
Written-By – Ray Noble
13    Maurice Meunier–    Too Marvelous For Words 4:31
Written-By – Johnny Mercer, Richard Whiting
14    Maurice Meunier–    Samakoutra 4:11
Written-By – René Urtreger
15    Maurice Meunier–    Somebody Loves Me 3:36
Written-By – Ballard MacDonald, B. G. De Sylva, George Gershwin
16    Maurice Meunier–    Sweet Mau-Mau 4:19
Written-By – Maurice Meunier
17    Maurice Meunier–    Dig 3:04
Written-By – Miles Davis
18    Maurice Meunier–    Crazy Rhythm 3:01
Written-By – Irving Caeser, Joseph Meyer, Roger Wolfe Kahn
19    Maurice Meunier–    Blues For The Reverend 3:01
Written-By – Onzy Matthews
20    Maurice Meunier–    Don't Blame Me 4:20
Written-By – Dorothy Fields, Jimmy McHugh
21    Maurice Meunier–    With The Wind And The Rain In Your Hair 3:31
Written-By – Clara Edwards, Jack Lawrence
22    Maurice Meunier–    (Back Home Again In) Indiana 3:44
Written-By – Ballard MacDonald
23    Maurice Meunier–    I Know, Don't Know How 4:31
Written-By – Gerry Mulligan
24    Maurice Meunier–    Tangerine 3:07
Written-By – Johnny Mercer, Victor Schertzinger
Credits :
Baritone Saxophone – William Boucaya (faixas: 14, 17, 21, 23)
Clarinet – Hubert Rostaing (faixas: 1 to 12)
Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Maurice Meunier (faixas: 13 to 24)
Double Bass – Alf Masselier (faixas: 1 to 12), Pierre Michelot (faixas: 13 to 24)
Drums – Christian Garros (faixas: 14, 17, 21, 23), Jean-Louis Viale (faixas: 13, 15, 16, 18 to 20, 22, 24), Roger Paraboschi (faixas: 1 to 12)
Piano – Martial Solal (faixas: 1 to 12), Raymond Fol (faixas: 14, 17, 21, 23), René Urtreger (faixas: 13, 15, 16, 18 to 20, 22, 24)
Trombone – Charles Verstraete (faixas: 5, 10, 12), Nat Peck (faixas: 5, 10, 12)
Trumpet – Fernand Verstraete (faixas: 5, 10, 12)
Vibraphone – Michel Hausser (faixas: 1 to 12)
Written-By – Hubert Rostaing (faixas: 1 to 5, 7 to 9, 11)
Nota :
Recorded May 1957 at the Pathé-Magellan studio, Paris (1-12).
Recorded in Paris on January 11th 1956 (14, 17, 21, 23).
Recorded in Paris on February 20th 1956 (13, 15, 16, 18-20, 22, 24).
Reissue of the Véga LP 30 787 (1-12).
Reissue of the Barclay LP 84 025 (13-24).

RAYMOND FOL - Les 4 Saisons (1965-2001) Jazz In Paris 66 / RM / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Raymond Fol's jazz arrangement of Antonio Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons" may have fallen into obscurity, but the French pianist's big band scoring of this classical favorite shows plenty of imagination. With a band of his fellow countrymen, along with expatriate Americans Johnny Griffin (tenor sax), bassist Jimmy Woode, and drummer Art Taylor, he casts a variety of moods, even within individual sections. In the first movement of "Le Printemps (The Spring)" he chooses an Afro-Cuban mood, while the second shifts to a smaller chamber jazz setting, showcasing guitarist Pierre Cullaz, vibraphonist Sadi, and the leader in turn. The first movement of "L'Automne (The Autumn)" starts in a curious blend of cool and swing before switching to a Latin setting, featuring Johnny Griffin. Recorded in 1965 for Philips and long out of print, this 2001 Universal Music CD reissue would have benefited from more detailed liner notes, but the music itself has held up very nicely, even if most jazz fans have yet to discover it. by Ken Dryden
Tracklist :
1     Concerto Nº 1 : Le Printemps - 1Er Mouvement (Allegro) 2:48
Antonio Vivaldi
2     Concerto Nº 1 : Le Printemps - 2Ème Mouvement (Largo) 3:14
Antonio Vivaldi
3     Concerto Nº 1 : Le Printemps - 3Ème Mouvement (Allegro) 3:50
Antonio Vivaldi
4     Concerto Nº 2 : I'été - 1Er Mouvement (Allegro Non Molto) 5:00
Antonio Vivaldi
5     Concerto Nº 2 : I'été - 2Ème Mouvement (Adagio) 2:16
Antonio Vivaldi
6     Concerto Nº 2 : I'été - 3Ème Mouvement (Presto) 1:57
Antonio Vivaldi
7     Concerto Nº 3 : I'automne - 1Er Mouvement (Allegro) 3:05
Antonio Vivaldi
8     Concerto Nº 3 : I'automne - 2Ème Mouvement (Adagio Molto) 2:27
Antonio Vivaldi
9     Concerto Nº 3 : I'automne - 3Ème Mouvement (Allegro) 2:45
Antonio Vivaldi
10     Concerto Nº 4 : I'hiver - 1Er Mouvement (Allegro Non Molto) 3:17
Antonio Vivaldi
11     Concerto Nº 4 : I'hiver - 2Ème Mouvement (Largo) 3:41
Antonio Vivaldi
12     Concerto Nº 4 : I'hiver - 3Ème Mouvement (Allegro) 2:47
Antonio Vivaldi
Credits :
Alto Saxophone, Bass Clarinet – Jacques Nourredine
Alto Saxophone, Clarinet – Denis Fournier
Baritone Saxophone – Jean-Louis Chautemps, Pierre Gossez
Bass – Jimmy Woode
Bass Trombone – Camille Verdier
Composed By – Antonio Vivaldi
Drums – Art Taylor
Flute – Michel Plockyn, Raymond Guy
French Horn – Pierre Dumont
Guitar – Pierre Cullaz
Percussion – Armand Cavallaro, Georges Lalue, Jean-Louis Viale
Piano, Celesta, Arranged By – Raymond Fol
Tenor Saxophone – Dominique Chanson, Johnny Griffin
Tenor Saxophone, Clarinet – Georges Grenu
Trombone – Charles Verstraete, Christian Guizien, Raymond Katarzynsky
Trumpet – Fred Gérard, Ivan Jullien, Maurice Thomas, Michel Poli, Roger Guérin
Vibraphone, Bongos – Fats Sadi
Nota :
Recorded between July 9 and 15, 1965 in Paris.
Reissue of Philips LP 70 306.