LEE KONITZ - From Newport to Nice (1992) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This compilation consists of live tracks from various sources, including festivals, television and radio broadcasts over a quarter century. While the playing of Konitz and his various band mates is first rate, the sound quality ranges from excellent to poor, probably due to the condition of the tapes and the fact that some of the songs likely come from audience tapes. Highlights include "All The Things You Are," heard in a swinging quintet that included guitarist Rene Thomas and pianist Misha Mengleberg; Lennie Tristano's "At Twilight," by a quartet that featured the late guitarist Atilla Zoller; and the lengthy but delightful second version of "Lover Man," in a quartet with Shelly Manne, Red Mitchell and Jimmy Rowles. Konitz fans should not let the sometimes dismal sound quality keep them from acquiring this excellent CD. Ken Dryden
Tracklist :
1     Two Not One 5:41
Lennie Tristano
2     My Melancholy Baby 3:09
Ernie Burnett / George Norton
3     I'm Getting Sentimental over You 3:38
George Bassman / Ned Washington
4     Easy Living 3:53
Ralph Rainger / Leo Robin
5     Some of These Days 4:14
Shelton Brooks
6     Lover Man 4:19
Jimmy Davis / Roger "Ram" Ramirez / Jimmy Sherman
7     Will You Still Be Mine? 4:05
Tom Adair / Matt Dennis
8     'Round Midnight 5:10
Bernie Hanighen / Thelonious Monk / Cootie Williams
9     All the Things You Are 9:20
Oscar Hammerstein II / Jerome Kern
10     317 East 32nd Street 6:17
Lennie Tristano
11     At Twilight 7:59
Maceo Pinkard
12     Lover Man 10:05
Jimmy Davis / Roger "Ram" Ramirez / Jimmy Sherman
13     Body and Soul 5:54
Frank Eyton / Johnny Green / Edward Heyman / Robert Sour
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Lee Konitz
Contrabass – Barre Phillips (pistas: 10, 11), Bob Carter (pistas: 1), Frank Carroll (pistas: 2), Henry Grimes (pistas: 5 to 7), Johnny Fischer (pistas: 3, 4), Red Mitchell (pistas: 12), Rob Langereis (pistas: 8, 9)
Drums – Buzzy Drootin (pistas: 1), Don Lamond (pistas: 2), Ed Levinson (pistas: 5 to 7), Han Bennink (pistas: 8, 9), Rudi Sehring (pistas: 3), Shelly Manne (pistas: 12), Stu Martin (pistas: 10, 11)
Guitar – Attila Zoller (pistas: 10, 11), Jimmy Raney (pistas: 13), Johnny Smith (pistas: 2), René Thomas (pistas: 8, 9)
Piano – Jimmy Rowles (pistas: 12), Misha Mengelberg (pistas: 8, 9), Roland Kovac (pistas: 3), Russ Freeman (pistas: 1)
Tenor Saxophone – Warne Marsh (pistas: 1)

RENÉ THOMAS - The Real Cat (2000) Jazz In Paris 16 / RM / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Rene Thomas was a Belgian guitarist who hoped to make it big on the international jazz scene following his move to Paris and a flurry of recording activity in the 1950s and early 1960s, though his goal ultimately eluded him. This CD in Verve's Jazz in Paris reissue series combines two separate dates originally made for Barclay and Polydor. For the most part, Thomas' approach to the guitar is rather laid back, particularly in his spacious arrangement to "All the Things You Are." As a result, the music throughout both dates is enjoyable though it falls short of being an essential purchase. by Ken Dryden
Tracklist :
1     L' Imbécile 3:13
René Thomas
2     How About You? 2:37
Ralph Freed / Burton Lane
3     All the Things You Are 3:41
Oscar Hammerstein II / Jerome Kern
4     Relaxin' at the Grand Balcon 3:17
René Thomas
5     The Continental 2:54
Con Conrad / Herbert Magidson
6     There Will Never Be Another You 2:27
Mack Gordon / Harry Warren
7     Lover Man 3:38
Jimmy Davis / Roger "Ram" Ramirez / Jimmy Sherman
8     If I Had You 4:15
Jimmy Campbell / Reginald Connelly / Ted Shapiro
9     Shine 2:59
Lew Brown / Ford Dabney / Cecil Mack
10     My Old Flame 4:47
Sam Coslow / Arthur Johnston
11     Goodnight, Wherever You Are 4:01
Al Hoffman / Dick Robertson / Frank Weldon
12     Easy to Love 2:42
Cole Porter
13     The Real Cat 4:18
René Thomas
14     Someone to Watch over Me 3:19
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
15     Get Happy 3:16
Harold Arlen / Ted Koehler
16     A Night in Tunisia 4:41
Dizzy Gillespie / Frank Paparelli
Credits :
Double Bass – Benoît Quersin, Jean-Marie Ingrand (faixas: 1 to 8)
Drums – Jean-Louis Viale (faixas: 1 to 8), José Bourguignon (faixas: 9 to 16)
Guitar – René Thomas
Piano – René Urtreger (faixas: 1 to 8), Roland Ronchaud (faixas: 9 to 16)
Tenor Saxophone – André Ross (faixas: 1, 3, 8), Serge "Bib" Monville (faixas: 9 to 16)
Nota :
Tracks 1 ton 8 recorded April 17, 1954 at the Magellan studio, Paris and March 22, 1956 in Paris (9-16)
Tracks 1 to 8 reissue of the Barclay LP 84 030 René Thomas And His Orchestra
Tracks 9 to 12 reissue of the Polydor EP 20 706
Tracks 13 to 16 reissue of the Polydor EP 20 707
In tracks 1-8 Double Bass is played either by Benoit Quersin or Jean-Marie Ingrand
(P): 1954 (1-8) & 1956 (9-16) Universal Music S.A. France 

SONNY CRISS - Mr Blues Pour Flirter (1963-2000) Jazz In Paris 23 / RM / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

 Sonny Criss was relatively inactive as a leader in the first half of the 1960s, though he did produce outstanding music during two trips to Paris. The latter visit in 1963 resulted in these studio sessions, originally released by Brunswick and reissued in complete form (with three unreleased tracks) by Polydor, before reverting to the initial version on this Verve CD reissue. Powered by some of France's finest musicians, including guitarist Rene Thomas, bassist Pierre Michelot, drummer Philippe Combelle and pianist Georges Arvanitas, the hard bop alto saxophonist mixes it up with a set which contains classic jazz compositions, standards and an original. Arvanitas switches to organ for a peppy take of "Don't Get Around Much Anymore" and Criss' two part blues "Early and Later." But the leader's best solo comes during the smoking interpretation of "On Green Dolphin Street." Arvanitas' introductory vamp to the softly played "God Bless the Child" hints at "One for My Baby (and One for the Road)" before Criss makes his entrance. Highly recommended! by Ken Dryden  
Tracklist :
1     Don't Get Around Much Anymore 6:16
Duke Ellington / Bob Russell
2     This Can't Be Love 3:29
Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers
3     Early and Later, Pt. 1 4:20
Sonny Criss
4     Early and Later, Pt. 2 4:36
Sonny Criss
5     Once in a While 3:41
Michael Edwards / Bud Green
6     St. Louis Blues 5:01
W.C. Handy
7     Day Dream 4:42
Duke Ellington / John Latouche / Billy Strayhorn
8     On Green Dolphin Street 3:28
Ned Washington
9     God Bless the Child 6:07
Billie Holiday / Arthur Herzog, Jr.
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Sonny Criss
Double Bass – Pierre Michelot
Drums – Philippe Combelle
Guitar – René Thomas
Organ – Georges Arvanitas (faixas: 1, 3, 4, 6)
Piano – Georges Arvanitas (faixas: 2, 5, 7 to 9)
Nota :
Recorded 1963 in Paris on April 22 (5, 6, 7), April 23 (1, 3, 4) and April 25 (2, 8, 9).
Reissue of the Brunswick LP 87 519.  

HUBERT FOL / MICHEL DE VILLERS / SONNY CRISS - Saxophones à Saint-Germain des Prés (2001) Jazz In Paris 55 / RM / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1    Hubert Fol–    A Fine Romance 3:19
Written-By – Dorothy Fields, Jerome Kern
2    Hubert Fol–    They Can't Take That Away From Me 3:38
Written-By – Ira And George Gershwin
3    Hubert Fol–    You Go To My Head 5:27
Written-By – Haven Gillespie, J. Fred Coots
4    Michel de Villers–    Cat On The Stairs 2:06
Written-By [Prob.] – Michel de Villers
5    Michel de Villers–    These Foolish Things 2:45
Written-By – Harry Link, Holt Marvell, Jack Strachey
6    Michel de Villers–    I Only Have Eyes For You 2:18
Written-By – Al Dubin, Harry Warren
7    Michel de Villers–    Penitas De Amor 2:36
Written-By [Prob.] – Michel de Villers
8    Sonny Criss–    Mighty Low 3:49
Written-By – Milt Buckner
9    Sonny Criss–    Don't Blame Me 2:49
Written-By – Dorothy Fields / Jimmy McHugh
10    Sonny Criss–    Black Coffee 2:44
Written-By – Paul Francis Webster, Sonny Burke
11    Sonny Criss–    We'll Be Together Again 2:59
Written-By – Carl Fischer, Frankie Laine
12    Sonny Criss–    Early And Later (Part 1) 3:22
Written-By – Sonny Criss
13    Sonny Criss–    Early And Later (Part 2) 2:41
Written-By – Sonny Criss
14    Sonny Criss–    Blues Pour Flirter Nº 2 5:07
Written-By – Sonny Criss
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Hubert Fol (faixas: 1 to 7), Sonny Criss (faixas: 8 to 14)
Baritone Saxophone – Michel de Villers (faixas: 4 to 7)
Double Bass – Alix Bret (faixas: 4 to 7), Jean-Marie Ingrand (faixas: 1 to 3), Michel Gaudry (faixas: 8 to 11), Pierre Michelot (faixas: 12 to 14)
Drums – Bernard Planchenault (faixas: 4 to 7), Jean-Louis Viale (faixas: 1 to 3), Philippe Combelle (faixas: 8 to 14)
Guitar – René Thomas (faixas: 12 to 14)
Piano – Henri Renaud (faixas: 8 to 11), René Urtreger (faixas: 1 to 3)
Piano, Arranged By – André Persiany (faixas: 4 to 7)
Piano, Organ – Georges Arvanitas (faixas: 12 to 14)
Tenor Saxophone – Maurice Meunier (faixas: 4 to 7)
Trombone – Charles Verstraete (faixas: 4 to 7)
Vibraphone – Géo Daly (faixas: 4 to 7)
Nota :
Recorded in Paris on January 18, 1956 (1-3), in 1954 (4-7), on October 10, 1962 (8-11) and in April 1963 (12-14)
Reissue of the Barclay EP 74 016 (1-3), Decca EP 450 511 (4-7), Polydor EP 27 004 (8-11) and Polydor EP 27 049 (12-14) 

RENÉ THOMAS - Meeting Mister Thomas (1963-2001) Jazz In Paris 57 / RM / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1     Meeting 6:34
René Thomas
2     If You Were the Only Girl in the World 7:10
Nat D. Ayer / Clifford Grey
3     Wonderful, Wonderful 5:44
Sherman Edwards & Donald Meyer / Ben Raleigh
4     Doctor Jackle 6:10
Jackie McLean
5     Hannie's Dream 7:29
René Thomas
6     West Coast Blues 5:41
Wes Montgomery
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Jacques Pelzer (faixas: 1, 4)
Double Bass – Benoît Quersin (faixas: 4 to 6), Gilbert Rovère
Drums – Charles Bellonzi
Flute – Jacques Pelzer (faixas: 5)
Guitar – René Thomas
Organ – Lou Bennett
Nota :
Recorded March 22, 1963 at the Hoche studio, Paris
Reissue of the Barclay LP 84 091