BUDDY RICH AND HIS SEXTET — Blues Caravan (1961-2005) RM | LP Reproduction Series | APE (image+.cue), lossless

This crack sextet recording by Buddy Rich is one of the long lost treasures in his vast discography as a leader, featuring a band he took on a State Department-sponsored tour of the Far East and Asia not long after the recording sessions were completed for this album. The band includes flutist Sam Most, trumpeter Rolf Ericson (who achieved his greatest fame with Duke Ellington), Wyatt Ruther (previously a sideman with Dave Brubeck), vibraphonist Mike Mainieri, and the somewhat obscure pianist Johnny Morris. Rich's pulsing drums are right in front in their aggressive arrangement of Horace Silver's blues "Blowin' the Blues Away," in which each soloist seems stimulated by the musician preceding him. "Caravan" begins with the leader's thunderous solo, though it quickly softens with Rich taking a backseat to Most and Ruther; the remainder of the band makes a delayed entrance. Mainieri contributed the exciting blues "Young Blood," which showcases his best solo on the date. The vibraphonist is also the featured soloist in the mellow interpretation of "I Remember Clifford," where he is backed by the haunting blend of trumpet and flute, with Rich staying very much in the background. Reissued as a limited-edition CD by Verve in 2005, this should be considered an essential Buddy Rich recording. Kent Dryden
Tracklist :
1. Blow'n The Blues Away 8:40
 Horace Silver
2. BR Blues 3:14
 Buddy Rich
3. Late Date 5:12
 Waalter Maynard
4. Caravan 9:44
 Duke Ellington / Irving Mills / Juan Tizol
5. Young Blood 5:59
  Mike Mainieri
6. I Remember Clifford 3:35
 Benny Golson
Credits :
Bass – Wyatt Ruther
Drums, Leader – Buddy Rich
Flute – Sam Most
Piano – Johnny Morris
Trumpet – Rolf Ericson
Vibraphone [Vibes] – Mike Mainieri

GEORGE GERSHWIN — The Complete Porgy And Bess ★ ft. Mel Tormé · Frances Faye · Duke Ellington & Russ Garcia and His Orchestra (1956-1996) RM | 2CD MONO | Serie Mastersonic – 11 | FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

The Bethlehem label didn't make it out of the '50s before folding, and one of the reasons why is the ambitious yet misguided George Gershwin's Porgy and Bess, a three-LP box set that represents a complete recording of the Gershwin classic (with narration and sound effects). Bethlehem certainly had the talent to pull it off -- appearing on the label, and this production, are Mel Tormé, Duke Ellington & His Orchestra, Johnny Hartman, Bob Dorough, Betty Roche, Frances Faye, and minor period stars including vocalist Frank Rosolino, bandleader Stan Levey, and arranger Russ Garcia. And long-playing versions of theatrical productions were huge in the mid-'50s (a few sold millions of copies). The most popular of these, however, were simply easy-to-digest highlights LPs that never attempted to present the complete production. This version is a gargantuan two hours long, difficult to sit through even if every performance was stellar (and, unfortunately, that's far from the case). The recording makes a virtue of being hip, primarily through the narration of Al "Jazzbo" Collins, a radio DJ who may have been hip for the times but whose counterfeit excitement and perfect diction make the proceedings sound like a period newsreel. ("Watch out, Porgy, here comes that mean Sportin' Life!") Tormé, as the most popular vocalist on the label, was a shoe-in for the role of Porgy, despite Johnny Hartman's clear superiority, and Frances Faye received the role of Bess despite Betty Roche's ability to handle the role much better. Those mistakes are compounded by Russ Garcia's period arrangements (the Ellington group makes only one appearance) and some decidedly subpar performances from Frank Rosolino early in the program. Still, it has to be admitted that a highlights compilation of this record would sparkle very brightly, driven by Mel Tormé's swinging "I've Got Plenty o' Nuttin'" with a super-enthused backing chorus, George Kirby's "It Ain't Necessarily So," and Betty Roche's reprise of "Summertime" during the second half. John Bush  
Tracklist 1
Porgy and Bess, opera
1 Part 1. Introduction / Summertime 01:25
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé
feat: Duke Ellington / Duke Ellington & His Orchestra / The Russell Garcia Orchestra
2 Part 1. Narration 1:24
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Al "Jazzbeaux" Collins
3 Part 1. Summertime 3:48
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Betty Roché
4 Part 1. Narration 0:12
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Al "Jazzbeaux" Collins
5 Part 1. A Woman Is A Sometime Thing 2:39
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Frank Rosolino
6 Part 1. Narration / Here come de honey man... 1:20
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Al "Jazzbeaux" Collins / Joe Derise
7 Part 1. Narration 0:24
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Al "Jazzbeaux" Collins
8 Part 1. Evenin' ladies, hello boys... 0:43
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé
9 Part 1. Narration 0:15
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Al "Jazzbeaux" Collins
10 Part 1. No, no, brother, Porgy ain't soft on no woman... 1:33
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé
11 Part 1. Narration (Scene: crap game and murder) 4:31
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: The Russell Garcia Orchestra
12 Part 1. Narration 0:51
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Al "Jazzbeaux" Collins
13 Part 1. Gone, Gone, Gone 2:20
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Chorus
14 Part 1. Overflow, overflow 2:08
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé
15 Part 1. Narration 0:28
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Al "Jazzbeaux" Collins
16 Part 1. I can't puzzle this thing out... 1:18
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé
17 Part 1. Narration 0:11
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Al "Jazzbeaux" Collins
18 Part 1. My Man's Gone Now 3:49
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Sallie Blair
19 Part 1. Narration 0:35
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Al "Jazzbeaux" Collins
20 Part 1. Oh the train is at the station... 2:43
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Chorus
21 Part 1. Narration 0:37
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Al "Jazzbeaux" Collins
22 Part 1. Oh I'm agoin' out to the Blackfish banks... 2:17
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Frank Rosolino
23 Part 1. Narration 0:34
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Al "Jazzbeaux" Collins
24 Part 1. I Got Plenty o' Nuttin' 3:13
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: The Pat Moran Quartet
25 Part 1. Mornin', Lawyer. Looking for somebody?... 4:23
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: George Kirby / The Pat Moran Quartet
26 Part 1. Buzzard Song 2:43
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé
27 Part 1. Narration 0:28
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Al "Jazzbeaux" Collins
28 Part 1. Bess, You Is My Woman Now 4:57
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin 
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé
29 Part 1. Oh, I can't sit down (picnic music) 1:55
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Don Fagerquist / Don Fagerquist Group / Betty Roché
30 Part 1. Porgy, I hates to go... 1:00
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé
31 Part 1. I Got Plenty o Nuttin' (reprise) 0:37
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé
32 Part 1. It Ain't Necessarily So (instrumental) 1:52
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Russell Garcia / Betty Roché
33 Part 1. Narration 0:34
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Al "Jazzbeaux" Collins
34 Part 1. It Ain't Necessarily So 4:28
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: George Kirby
35 Part 1. Narration 0:53
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Al "Jazzbeaux" Collins
36 Part 1. What you want wid Bess?... 2:12
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Johnny Hartman
37 Part 1. Narration 00:33
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Al "Jazzbeaux" Collins
38 Part 1. Oh I'm agoin' out to the Blackfish banks... (reprise) 1:27
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Frank Rosolino
39 Part 1. Narration 0:30
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Al "Jazzbeaux" Collins
40 Part 1. Oh, doctor Jesus...
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Sallie Blair
41 Part 1. Here come de honey man... / Oh dey's so fresh and fine... / I'm talkin' about devil crabs.. 3:31
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Joe Derise / Bob Dorough / Loulie Jean Norman
Tracklist 2
Porgy and Bess, opera
1 Part 2. Narration 0:38
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Al "Jazzbeaux" Collins
2 Part 2. I Loves You, Porgy 3:17
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé
3 Part 2. Narration (Scene: storm) 3:04
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Chorus / The Russell Garcia Orchestra
4 Part 2. Summertime (reprise) 1:22
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Betty Roché
5 Part 2. Narration 0:11
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Al "Jazzbeaux" Collins
6 Part 2. Oh, dere's somebody knockin' at de do'... 1:03
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Chorus
7 Part 2. Narration 1:20
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Al "Jazzbeaux" Collins
8 Part 2. If God want to kill me... 2:05
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Johnny Hartman
9 Part 2. Narration  0:06
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Al "Jazzbeaux" Collins
10 Part 2. A red-headed woman... 1:48
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Chorus / Johnny Hartman
11 Part 2. Narration 0:59
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Al "Jazzbeaux" Collins
12 Part 2. Oh, doctor Jesus (reprise) 0:38
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Chorus
13 Part 2. Narration 00:55
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Al "Jazzbeaux" Collins
14 Part 2. Clara, Clara, don't you be downhearted... 1:36
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: The Pat Moran Quartet
15 Part 2. Narration 0:10
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Al "Jazzbeaux" Collins
16 Part 2. Summertime (reprise) 1:12
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Betty Roché
17 Part 2. Narration 1:50
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Chorus
18 Part 2. Oh, Lawd, what I goin' do?... 1:21
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé
19 Part 2. Narration 0:09
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Chorus
20 Part 2. There's a Boat Dat's Leavin' Soon for New York 1:28
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: George Kirby
21 Part 2. Narration 1:18
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Al "Jazzbeaux" Collins / The Russell Garcia Orchestra
22 Part 2. Narration 0:24
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Chorus
23 Part 2. How are you dis mornin'?... 1:41
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Chorus
24 Part 2. Narration 0:39
George Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Chorus
25 Part 2. Oh, Bess, Oh, Where's My Bess 2:19
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Sallie Blair
26 Part 2. Oh Lawd, I'm on My Way 1:57
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: Chorus
27 Suite (editied instrumental suite from Russ Garcia's orchestration) 29:12
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
Frances Faye / Mel Tormé feat: The Russell Garcia Orchestra

RAY BROWN • MONTY ALEXANDER • SAM MOST — A Ray Brown 3 (1983) RM | APE (image+.cue), lossless

Brown took a fresh approach for this 1982 date, retaining the trio format but substituting flute for drums and using Monty Alexander instead of regular pianist Gene Harris. The results were intriguing; Most provided colors and sounds that haven't been on a Brown date since, while Alexander added some Caribbean flavor and a bit more adventurous sound. Ron Wynn
Tracklist & Credits :