ROY AYERS UBIQUITY — Virgo Red (1973-2009) RM | Serie Verve Originals | FLAC (tracks+.cue) lossless

Despite contributions from an abundance of soul-jazz greats including Dee Dee Bridgewater, Jimmy Owens, and Garnett Brown, Virgo Red is the most stripped-down and nuanced of Roy Ayers' Ubiquity LPs. Its sinuous funk grooves are first and foremost a showcase for the intuitive interplay of Ayers and electric keyboardist Harry Whitaker, whose Fender Rhodes' fills orbit Ayers' vibes' solos like a planet circling the sun. The material is a crazy quilt of righteously soulful originals and deeply funky covers spanning Leroy Hutson's soul classic "Giving Love" to Stories' soft pop smash "Brother Louie" to absolute treacle like The Poseidon Adventure's "The Morning After" -- by all rights it shouldn't work, but as the astrological overtones winding through Virgo Red attest, sometimes the stars align. Jason Ankeny
Tracklist :
1    Brother Louie 6:08
Composed By – E. Brown, T. Wilson
2    Virgo Red 2:58
Composed By – C. Clay, R. Ayers
3    I Am Your Mind 6:13
Composed By – C. Clay, R. Ayers
4    The Morning After 4:37
Composed By – A. Kasha, J. Hirschhorn
5    Love From The Sun 2:43
Composed By – C. Clay, R. Clay, W. Garfield
6    It's So Sweet 4:23
Composed By – R. Alderson, W. Salter
7    Giving Love 4:26
Composed By – J. Reaves, L. Hutson
8    Des Nude Soul 4:49
Composed By – R. Ayers
Credits
Arranged By [Vocals] – Bert DeCoteaux
Artwork – Haruo Miyauchi
Baritone Vocals – Argerie Ayers, Arthur Clark, D.D Bridgewater, Leslie Carter, Seldon Powell, Willie Michael
Bass – David Johnson, Gordon Edwards
Congas, Bongos, Vocals – Chano O'Ferral
Drums, Percussion – Dennis Davis
Guitar – Dennis Heaven, Will Hawes
Percussion – Adrian Dey, Stephen Sadiz Shbazzberrios
Piano, Electric Piano, Organ – Harry Whitaker
Sitar [Electric Sitar] – Jerry Friedman
Trombone – Garnett Brown
Trumpet – Cecil Bridgewater, Jimmie Owens
Vibraphone, Organ, Vocals, Percussion, Arranged By [Vocals] – Roy Ayers

RAY BROWN — With The All-Star Big Band ft. Cannonball Adderley + Ray Brown & Milt Jackson (2012) RM | SHM-CD | Two Original Albums On One CD | FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Tracklist & Credits : 

1-9 With The All-Star Big Band
10-17 Ray Brown / Milt Jackson

HOT LIPS PAGE – 1950-1953 | The Chronogical Classics – 1342 (2004) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Hopping from label to label and from style to style, in July of 1950 Hot Lips Page found himself on a Columbia R&B date with Little Sylvia Vanderpool, who sounds just a bit like a young Dinah Washington. A smooth doo wop group called the Magichords harmonize neatly on cue, Seldon Powell and Haywood Henry blow beefy sax solos, and Page barks back at Vanderpool in a voice as corroded as hers is young and perky. Powell liked to squeal his tenor like Illinois Jacquet. Henry illustrates why the baritone sax became increasingly popular as a tool to be used for rocking and rolling. A burlesque duet with Mildred Anderson pales when compared with its flip side, the amazing "Let Me In," one of Page's best routines from this period. There's a party going on but they won't let him in, even as he pleads with someone named Zebedee to open up the door. Page's voice is crispy in its upper register and elephantine in the bass clef. That's Paul Quinichette back there with the tenor sax. None of this stuff is profound. It's straight up rowdy entertainment, and in 1951 that meant rocking and rolling, preferably with a singalong arrangement as in "I Want to Ride Like the Cowboys Do." Lips had a voice that could plunge as deep as Louis Armstrong's, but his middle range was more intact. When he dips to the bottom of his voice, as he does on "Strike While the Iron's Hot," the effect is bracing. Whereas after a certain point Armstrong pretty well stayed in the same octave for the rest of his life, Page's larynx was able to produce quite a range of sandblasted tonalities. This issue became more complex when he teamed up with a tin whistler! It's the most bizarre chapter in Page's entire career: not only is the tin whistle heavily featured, but the lyrics are about tin whistles exclusively.

There's no telling what Page will do to listeners next. Reverb makes his voice almost alarming on "The Devil's Kiss," while the horns scream like a noir B-movie soundtrack. Following in the tin whistle's footsteps, a weird "chirping" sound effect competes with Page's hoarse voice as he sings the tale of a cricket. Visiting Paris in the autumn of 1952, he howled and wailed in front of a band that rocked like a steam shovel. Every conceivable topic is up for grabs. There are novelties dealing with marital infidelity, fancy cars, and French vocabulary. A calypso singalong transforms the word "bongo" into a verb. "Jungle King" cuts Cab Calloway's version, hands down. "Ain't Nothin' Wrong With That, Baby" was almost certainly the inspiration for Al Hibbler's hit record of 1958. After this variety show spanning three labels, three years, and two continents, it's a treat to end up at a live gig in Fort Monmouth, NJ, with Marian McPartland holding down the piano. The audience eats up every note, thrilling to Page's neighing horn during "St. James Infirmary" and cracking up during "On the Sunny Side of the Street" when he makes a reference to "drinking beer for lemonade." After all of that R&B mingled with wildly novel notions, 18 minutes of solid traditional jazz really hits the spot. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist + Credits :

LUCKY MILLINDER AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1951-1960 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1460 (2008) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :

ANTHONY BRAXTON - Creative Orchestra Music 1976 (1987) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This is one of Braxton's most interesting recordings. Six of his compositions are performed by groups ranging from 15-20 pieces and featuring such soloists as trumpeters Cecil Bridgewater, Leo Smith, Kenny Wheeler and Jon Faddis, baritonist Bruce Johnstone, trombonist George Lewis, reed player Roscoe Mitchell, bassist Dave Holland, pianist Muhal Richard Abrams and Braxton himself. There is a lot of variety on this set. One of the pieces finds Braxton combining free elements with a Sousa-type march while another one looks toward Ellington. There are quite a few memorable moments on this program. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1    Piece One 5:10
Alto Saxophone – Anthony Braxton, Seldon Powell
Baritone Saxophone – Bruce Johnstone
Bass – Dave Holland
Bass Trombone – Earl McIntyre
Conductor – Leo Smith
Drums – Warren Smith
Piano – Muhal Richard Abrams
Tenor Saxophone – Ronald Bridgewater
Trombone – Garrett List, George Lewis
Trumpet – Cecil Bridgewater, Jon Faddis, Kenny Wheeler
Tuba – Jonathan Dorn
2    Piece Two 7:36
Bass – Dave Holland
Bass Clarinet – Bruce Johnstone
Bass Trombone – Jack Jeffers
Clarinet – Ronald Bridgewater, Seldon Powell
Contrabass Clarinet – Anthony Braxton
Gong [Gongs], Percussion – Barry Altschul
Percussion – Philip Wilson
Piano – Frederic Rzewski, Muhal Richard Abrams
Soprano Saxophone – Roscoe Mitchell
Synthesizer – Richard Teitelbaum
Timpani, Bass Drum – Warren Smith
Trombone – Garrett List, George Lewis
Trumpet – Cecil Bridgewater, Jon Faddis, Kenny Wheeler, Leo Smith
Tuba – Jonathan Dorn
3    Piece Three 6:43
Alto Saxophone [Alto Sax], Clarinet – Anthony Braxton
Alto Saxophone [Alto Sax], Flute – Seldon Powell
Baritone Saxophone [Baritone Sax], Bass Clarinet – Bruce Johnstone
Bass – Dave Holland
Bass Drum – Frederic Rzewski
Bass Saxophone [Bass Sax] – Roscoe Mitchell
Bass Trombone – Jack Jeffers
Cymbal [Marching Cymbals] – Philip Wilson
Glockenspiel – Karl Berger
Snare [Snare Drum] – Barry Altschul, Warren Smith
Tenor Saxophone [Tenor Sax] – Ronald Bridgewater
Trombone – Garrett List, George Lewis
Trumpet – Cecil Bridgewater, Kenny Wheeler
Trumpet [Solo Trumpet], Conductor – Leo Smith
Trumpet, Piccolo Trumpet – Jon Faddis
Tuba – Jonathan Dorn
4    Piece Four 6:26
Bass Clarinet – Bruce Johnstone
Bass Trombone – Jack Jeffers
Bells, Percussion, Chimes [Orchestra] – Barry Altschul
Cello – Dave Holland
Clarinet – Ron Bridgewater
Drums, Percussion – Philip Wilson
Flute – Seldon Powell
Flute, Bass Saxophone [Bass Sax] – Roscoe Mitchell
Flute, Contrabass Saxophone [Contrabass Sax] – Anthony Braxton
Marimba [Bass Marimba], Chimes [Orchestra] – Warren Smith
Piano – Frederic Rzewski, Muhal Richard Abrams
Trombone – Garrett List, George Lewis
Trumpet – Cecil Bridgewater, Jon Faddis, Kenny Wheeler, Wadada Leo Smith
Tuba – Jonathan Dorn
Vibraphone, Xylophone, Chimes [Orchestra] – Karl Berger
5    Piece Five 7:19
Alto Saxophone [Alto Sax] – Seldon Powell
Alto Saxophone [Alto Sax], Contrabass Saxophone [Contrabass Sax] – Anthony Braxton
Baritone Saxophone [Baritone Sax] – Bruce Johnstone
Bass – Dave Holland
Bass Trombone – Jack Jeffers
Conductor – Leo Smith
Drums – Warren Smith
Piano – Muhal Richard Abrams
Tenor Saxophone [Tenor Sax] – Ron Bridgewater
Trombone – Garrett List, George Lewis
Trumpet – Cecil Bridgewater, Jon Faddis, Kenny Wheeler
Tuba – Jonathan Dorn
Vibraphone – Karl Berger
6    Piece Six 6:40
Alto Saxophone [Alto Sax], Soprano Saxophone [Soprano Sax], Bass Saxophone [Bass Sax] – Roscoe Mitchell
Bass Clarinet – Bruce Johnstone
Bass Trombone – Earl McIntyre
Cello – Dave Holland
Clarinet – Ronald Bridgewater
Conductor – Muhal Richard Abrams
Flute – Seldon Powell
Sopranino Saxophone [Sopranino Sax], Clarinet, Contrabass Clarinet – Anthony Braxton
Trombone – Garrett List, George Lewis
Trumpet – Cecil Bridgewater, Jon Faddis, Kenny Wheeler, Leo Smith
Tuba – Jonathan Dorn
Credits :
Composed By [All Music Composed By], Arranged By [All Music Arranged By] – Anthony Braxton

ALBERT AYLER - New Grass (1969-2005) RM | Impulse! Originals | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Possibly the most notorious Albert Ayler release and universally misunderstood (i.e., hated) by fans and critics alike. When New Grass was released in 1969 it received a hostile outcry of "sell-out." Listening to New Grass in hindsight; it must be taken into account that even though commercial elements are apparent -- a soul horn section, backup singers, boogaloo drumming from Bernard "Pretty" Purdie, and electric rock bass -- Ayler's vocals and tenor playing could hardly gain commercial radio exposure at any time. It's likely Impulse prodded Ayler to move into a more pronounced blues-oriented sound and he went willingly. Ayler wasn't a stranger to R&B or gutbucket blues; he had started his career playing saxophone with Chicago bluesman Little Walter in the '50s. Ayler's screeching tone remains intact on New Grass, but it's mixed with definite R&B riffs like the obvious honkin' nod to "Slippin and Sliddin" on "New Generation." Ayler's attempt to explain himself on the opening track with "Message from Albert Ayler," reveals his impending dread over controversy concerning the material. It is a problem many artists face at some point in their careers when trying to move in a different direction, no matter what the reason; they may end up losing a majority of their audience by taking a foreign approach. Al Campbell
Tracklist :
1     Message From Albert/New Grass 3'55
Albert Ayler / Bert DeCoteaux
Flute – Seldon Powell
Voice [Recitation On Message From Albert] – Albert Ayler
2     New Generation 5'10
Albert Ayler / Rose Marie McCoy / Mary Parks
3     Sun Watcher 7'30
Albert Ayler
Piano, Organ – Call Cobbs
Whistling – Albert Ayler
4     New Ghosts 4'12
Albert Ayler / Mary Parks
Piano – Call Cobbs
Tambourine – Unknown
Vocals – Albert Ayler    
5     Heart Love 5'34
Albert Ayler / Mary Parks    
6     Everybody's Movin' 3'44
Albert Ayler / Rose Marie McCoy / Mary Parks
7     Free at Last 3'08
Albert Ayler / Rose Marie McCoy / Mary Parks
Credits :    
Baritone Saxophone – Buddy Lucas (tracks: 1, 2, 5 to 7)
Conductor, Arranged By – Bert DeCoteaux (tracks: 1, 2, 5 to 7)
Drums – Bernard Purdie (tracks: 2 to 7)
Electric Bass – Bill Folwell
Electric Harpsichord – Call Cobbs (tracks: 2, 5 to 7)
Tenor Saxophone – Albert Ayler, Seldon Powell (tracks: 2, 5 to 7)
Trombone – Garnett Brown (tracks: 1, 2, 5 to 7)
Trumpet – Burt Collins (tracks: 1, 2, 5 to 7), Joe Newman (tracks: 1, 2, 5 to 7)
Vocals – The Soul Singers (tracks: 2, 5 to 7)

LOU DONALDSON - Sweet Lou (1974) lp | 24bits-192hz | FLAC (tracks), lossless

An examination of the famous Blue Note catalog reveals that, on the average, the style of music featured on Lou Donaldson's Sweet Lou is just as typical to the label as the recordings for which it is justifiably renowned. Few would remember the label at all if every Blue Note title was candy of the Sweet Lou sort, these sorts of productions and arrangements bringing to mind a cookie-cutter production line. Still, the passing of time has been in some ways been kind to these efforts, blurring the original impression given of careers headed downhill. Donaldson's tone on alto saxophone, regardless of setting, sounds like Charlie Parker after he has spent the night stuffed into one of those jars of pickled eggs on the menu in particularly hardcore bars. He stuffs banal compositions on this program such as "If You Can't Handle It, Give It to Me" with sublime Kansas City jazz blues licks as if festooning a National Guard unit with candy bar wrappers. The 1974 setting, following standard operating procedure for the period, is a nougat of trumpet and trombone charts plus a funky rhythm section infiltrated by trendy clavinet and synthesizer sounds. During two sessions a week apart, overlapping waves of session musicians nudged into each other's breathing room, ringers such as ex-bandleader Buddy Lucas blasting harmonica licks into the ears of A-team guitarists David Spinozza and Hugh McCracken. Bernard "Pretty" Purdie played drums on some of this, leaving behind shards of ingenuity that in some cases represent the main reason subsequent generations of listeners returned to this material, its initial impact and subsequent shelf life roughly equal to that of a baggage clam stub. Coming back from a "Hip Trip," however, a traveler may want to save such an item to trigger fond memories, in this case of nicely executed cover of a tune by Don Patterson, ace jazz organist. Things fall into place nicely on the closing "Peepin' Herman's Mambo," any variation on the Afro-Cuban jazz gestalt being as familiar to the Blue Note hellions as rice at a wedding. Furthermore, it swings. Starting over again, "You're Welcome, Stop on By" is a cover version of a funk hit associated with Bobby Womack, the presence of a female vocal team as alluring as signs announcing a chemical spill ahead. A commercial influence of a more pleasing nature is the continual copping from Stevie Wonder. Eugene Chadbourne  
Tracklist :
1     You're Welcome, Stop On By 3:57
Truman Thomas / Bobby Womack    
2     Lost Love 5:49
Lou Donaldson    
3     Hip Trip 6:30
Don Patterson    
4     If You Can't Handle It, Give It To Me 3:55
Lou Donaldson    
5     Love Eyes 3:59
Mark "Moose" Charlap / Norman Gimbel    
6     Peepin' 6:13
Lonnie O. Smith    
7     Herman's Mambo 4:40
Herman Foster
Credits :
Alto Saxophone [Alto Sax] – Lou Donaldson (pistas: 2)
Backing Vocals [Singers] – Barbara Massey, Bill Davis, Carl Williams Jr., Eileen Gilbert, Eric Figueroa, Hilda Harris, William Sample
Clavinet – Paul Griffin
Congas [Cga], Vibraphone [Vib], Percussion [Perc] – Unidentified
Drums – Bernard Purdie, Jimmie Young
Electric Bass [Fender Bass] – Wilbur Bascomb
Electronic Wind Instrument [El-as (Electronic Alto Sax)] – Lou Donaldson
Flute, Tenor Saxophone [Tenor Sax] – Arthur Clark, Seldon Powell
Guitar – Cornell Dupree, Dave Spinozza, Hugh McCracken
Harmonica – Buddy Lucas
Keyboards, Synthesizer – Horace Ott
Trombone – Garnett Brown
Trumpet – Danny Moore, Ernie Royal, Joe Shepley

CLARK TERRY ft... YUSEF LATEEF - Color Changes (1961-2000) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This is one of flügelhornist Clark Terry's finest albums. Terry had complete control over the music and, rather than have the usual jam session, he utilized an octet and arrangements by Yusef Lateef, Budd Johnson, and Al Cohn. The lineup of musicians (C.T., trombonist Jimmy Knepper, Julius Watkins on French horn, Yusef Lateef on tenor, flute, oboe, and English horn, Seldon Powell doubling on tenor and flute, pianist Tommy Flanagan, bassist Joe Benjamin, and drummer Ed Shaughnessy) lives up to its potential, and the charts make good use of the sounds of these very individual stylists. The material, which consists of originals by Terry, Duke Jordan, Lateef, and Bob Wilber, is both rare and fresh, and the interpretations always swing. Highly recommended. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     Blue Waltz (La Valse Bleue) 6:37
Chester Conn
2     Brother Terry 3:54
Yusef Lateef
3     Flutin' and Fluglin' 6:46
Clark Terry
4     No Problem 5:49
Duke Jordan
5     La Rive Gauche 5:28
Clark Terry
6     Nahstye Blues
Clark Terry    
7     Chat Qui Peche (A Cat That Fishes) 7:32
Clark Terry
Credits :    
Bass – Joe Benjamin
Drums – Ed Shaughnessy
French Horn – Julius Watkins
Piano – Budd Johnson (tracks: 6), Tommy Flanagan
Tenor Saxophone, Flute – Seldon Powell
Tenor Saxophone, Flute, English Horn, Oboe – Yusef Lateef
Trombone – Jimmy Knepper
Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Clark Terry

CLARK TERRY & HIS FRIENDS - What Makes Sammy Swing! (1964) lp | MONO | FLAC (tracks), lossless

This obscure 1963 studio session led by Clark Terry features the music from Ervin Drake's Broadway show What Makes Sammy Run, with arrangements by Pat Williams, but the real attraction to it is the cast of musicians. In addition to the always enjoyable trumpeter, Phil Woods, Urbie Green, Seldon Powell, Dave McKenna, George Duvivier, and Mel Lewis are present. "The Friendliest Thing" is a rare opportunity to hear Woods on flute, joining Terry's muted horn for this easygoing reworking of the chord changes to "Tea for Two." The swinging "Humble" showcases the leader on open horn, while Woods' matchless alto sax is center stage in the bossa nova "Maybe Some Other Time." While the music on this disc may be unfamiliar to the vast majority of jazz fans, the strong melodies and outstanding efforts of the players make this long out of print record, which was last available as a French import LP in the 1970s, worth acquiring. Ken Dryden
Tracklist:
1     A Room Without Windows 2'36
Ervin Drake
2     You're No Good 2'54
Ervin Drake
3     My Home Town 2'34
Ervin Drake
4     A New Pair of Shoes 2'21
Ervin Drake
5     The Friendliest Thing 3'16
Ervin Drake
6     Humble 3'05
Ervin Drake
7     Maybe Some Other Time 3'24
Ervin Drake
8     Something to Live For 4'02
Duke Ellington / Billy Strayhorn
9     Bachelor Gal 2'20
Ervin Drake
10     Some Days Everything Goes Wrong 3'28
Ervin Drake
Credits  
Alto Saxophone [Alto Sax], Clarinet, Flute – Phil Woods
Arranged By – Pat Williams
Bass – George Duvivier
Bass Clarinet, Baritone Saxophone [Tenor Baritone] – Seldon Powell
Drums – Mel Lewis
Piano – Dave McKenna
Trombone – Urbie Green
Trumpet – Clark Terry

CLARK TERRY - Supreme Jazz (2006) SACD | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1    La Rive Gauche 5'27
Written-By – Terry
2    Nashtye Blues 5'59
Written-By – Terry
3    Chat Qui Peche = A Cat That Fishes 7'33
Written-By – Terry
4    Blue Waltz = La Valse Bleue 6'37
Written-By – Wilber
5    Brother Terry 3'54
Written-By – Lateef
6    Flutin' And Flugin' 6'44
Written-By – Terry
7    No Problem 5'46
Written-By – Jordan
Credits :
Bass – Joe Benjamin
Drums – Ed Shaughnessy
French Horn – Julius Watkins
Piano – Budd Johnson (pistas: 2), Tommy Flanagan
Tenor Saxophone, Flute – Seldon Powell
Tenor Saxophone, Flute, English Horn, Oboe – Yusef Lateef
Trombone – Jimmy Knepper
Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Clark Terry

AHMED ABDUL-MALIK WITH RAY NANCE AND SELDON POWELL - Spellbound (1964-2013) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Spellbound, recorded in 1964, is double bassist and oud player Ahmed Abdul-Malik's final date as a leader, though given its contents, it shouldn't have been. Abdul-Malik, an American born musician of Sudanese descent, helped to bring the sounds of the Middle East to jazz in the '50s, incorporating oud and a different set of scales in his own recordings. His sidemen for this date are ubiquitous Duke Ellington Orchestra cornetist Ray Nance, who also plays violin here, drummer Walter Perkins, saxophonist/flutist Seldon Powell, the little known pianist Paul Neves, and oud player -- on two tracks -- Sudanese musician Hamza Aldeen (not to be confused with the Egyptian composer, oud and tar player Hamza el Din). The program on this date is unusual: three of the five tunes here come from movie soundtracks. The opening title track is from the Alfred Hitchcock film of the same name and features a fine, gently swinging solo from Neves, and some excellent frontline and violin from Nance. "Never on Sunday," from the Greek film of the same name, is a showcase for Aldeen, who twins his lines with Nance's plucked violin, anchored by Abdul-Malik and Perkins. Powell's flute moves off into a solo before the piano and oud restate the theme followed by a saxophone, piano, and second flute break. It's breezy, easy, and it swings. The interplay between Nance's cornet break and Powell's tenor solo registers its emotion as Neves fills the melody with wonderful, spacious, right-hand arpeggios. Abdul-Malik's bass opens "Song of Delilah" from the film Samson & Delilah. He's followed in a complex melodic statement by flute, a gypsy jazz solo by Nance on violin, and finally, a gorgeous oud break based on a single chord -- with deep, responsorial bass from Abdul-Malik -- that eventually moves the tune into a grooving flute break. Closer "Cinema Blues" isn't from a film. Instead, it's a straight-ahead hard bop blues, with some fine muted cornet work, killer comps from Neves, and a fluid, mid-register solo by Powell, with a driving rhythm section. Spellbound isn't as groundbreaking as some of Abdul-Malik's earlier work, but it doesn't need to be: by this point, he had successfully melded jazz with Middle Eastern sounds into a seamless -- if somewhat exotically textural -- whole. The band fires on all cylinders under his inspired direction, making this a fitting sendoff to him as a bandleader. Musically, he saved one of his best for last.
(This comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our blog 'O Púbis da Rosa')
Tracklist :
1    Spellbound    4:57
Miklós Rózsa
2    Never On Sunday    5:14
Manos Hadjidakis
3    Body And Soul    7:14
Frank Eyton / Johnny Green / Edward Heyman / Robert Sour
4    Song Of Delilah    7:02
Ray Evans / Eldee Young
5    Cinema Blues    8:16
Ahmed Abdul-Malik
Credits :    
Bass – Ahmed Abdul-Malik
Cornet, Violin – Ray Nance
Drums – Walter Perkins
Oud – Hamza Aldeen (pistas: 2, 4)
Piano – Paul Neves
Tenor Saxophone, Flute – Seldon Powell

FREDA PAYNE - After The Lights Go Down Low (1963-2005) RM / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

By the year 2000, the golden oldie rotation of "Band of Gold" was the main thing keeping the memory of this singer alive. Yet, deep in the catalog of this classic jazz label lies this ambitious, largely successful recording which shows just how diverse and indeed brilliant Freda Payne can be. The album is divided half into big band tracks, half into small combo. The main presence in both cases is alto saxophonist Phil Woods, and this is one of the few recordings he doesn't turn into a football scrimmage for bebop yardage. There is an incredible wealth of material here, and it is definitely impressive to consider that Duke Ellington wrote a song specifically for the session. It is the singer's confidence and marvelous vocal abilities that steal the show at every turn, but that is not to demean the contributions of top-drawer jazz musicians such as pianist Walter Perkins and guitarist Jim Hall. The record is dominated by Tin Pan Alley material, to be sure, but on the second side some serious jazz is attempted, including a beautiful "Round Midnight" and a version of "Lonely Woman" by Ornette Coleman. When it comes to the latter tune, the author of the liner note seems to be straining to hide his contempt, referring to the song as a "composition" in italics, as if it was too touchy to print such a thing in a regular font. It is hoped that an Impulse re-issue will see the light of day in this case so that the line "all that's left is a band of gold" will no longer be true in the case of this virtuoso songstress. by Eugene Chadbourne  
Tracklist :
1. After the Lights Go Down Low 3:23
L.C. Lovett / A. White
2. Sweet Pumpkin 2:56
Ronnell Bright
3. Blue Piano 2:48
Duke Ellington / Bill Katz / Ruth Roberts / Bob Thiele
4. The Things We Love To Do 2:32
Stanley Clayton / Clara Ward
5. Awaken My Lonely One 2:07
Philip Moody / Doris Pony Sherrell
6. Sweet September 2:33
Bill McGuffie
7. I Cried for You 3:58
Gus Arnheim / Arthur Freed / Abe Lyman
8. 'Round Midnight 4:20
Bernie Hanighen / Thelonious Monk / Cootie Williams
9. Out of This World 3:10
Harold Arlen / Johnny Mercer
10. Lonely Woman 3:53
Ornette Coleman / Margo Guryan 
11. I Wish I Knew 3:50
Mack Gordon / Harry Warren
12. It's Time 1:53
Pauline Rivelli / Ruth Roberts
Credits :
Freda Payne - Vocals
Al DeRisi - Trumpet
Jimmy Nottingham - Trumpet
Ernie Royal - Trumpet
Nick Travis - Trumpet
Quentin Jackson - Trombone
Alan Raph - Trombone
Bob Brookmeyer - Valve Trombone
Phil Woods - Alto Saxophone
Seldon Powell - Tenor Saxphone
Zoot Sims - Tenor Saxphone
Sol Schlinger - Baritone Saxophone
Hank Jones - Piano
Art Davis - Bass
Gus Johnson - Drums
Manny Albam - Arranger, Conductor
Recorded September 1963
at RCA Studios, New York City
Tracks 1 and 2 on September 17
Tracks 3-6 on September 18
Tracks 7-12
Phil Woods - Alto Saxophone
Hank Jones - Piano
Jim Hall - Guitar
Art Davis - Bass
Walter Perkins - Drums