ABBEY LINCOLN — Through the Years : 1956-2007 (2010) 3CD SET | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Anyone who has followed Abbey Lincoln’s career with any regularity understands that she has followed a fiercely individual path and has paid the cost for those choices. Through the Years is a cross-licensed, three-disc retrospective expertly compiled and assembled by the artist and her longtime producer, Jean-Philippe Allard. Covering more than 50 years in her storied career, it establishes from the outset that Lincoln was always a true jazz singer and unique stylist. Though it contains no unreleased material, it does offer the first true picture of he range of expression. Her accompanists include former husband Max Roach, Benny Carter, Kenny Dorham, Charlie Haden, Sonny Rollins, Wynton Kelly, Benny Golson, J.J. Johnson, Art Farmer, Stan Getz, and Hank Jones, to name scant few.

Disc one commences with “This Can’t Be Love” from 1956; one of the best-known tunes off her debut album, arranged and conducted by Golson. But the story begins to change immediately with "I Must Have That Man" with her fronting the Riverside Jazz All-Stars in 1957. Tracks from It’s Magic, Abbey Is Blue, and Straight Ahead are here, and the story moves ahead chronologically and aesthetically all the way to 1984. But there are also big breaks stylistically, with her primal performance on “Triptych: Prayer/Protest/Peace” from We Insist! Max Roach’s Freedom Now Suite in 1960 and the amazing “Lonesome Lover” from It’s Time: Max Roach and His Orchestra and Choir in 1962, which is where her story takes its first recording break. It picks up in 1973 with "Africa" from People in Me. It breaks again until 1980, with “Throw It Away” off the beautiful Painted Lady, and continues through appearances with Cedar Walton and Sun Ra. There is another break in the narrative between discs one and two, commencing again in 1990 with the issue of the brilliant The World Is Falling Down on Verve when she began her association with Allard and recorded regularly. This disc contains a dozen tracks all recorded between 1990 and 1992. Disc three commences in 1995 and goes straight through to 2007. The latter two discs reflect the periods when Lincoln finally assumed her rightful status as a true jazz icon; individual track performances from standards to self-written tunes and folk songs are all done in her inimitable style and are well-known to fans. This set is gorgeously compiled and sequenced. As a listen, Through the Years is literally astonishing in its breadth and depth. It establishes her commitment to artistic freedom, and her fierce dedication to discipline, song, and performance. The box features liners by Gary Giddins, and great photographs, as well as stellar sound quality.  
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Tracklist :
1-1    This Can't Be Love 2:22
Composed By – Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers
Directed By, Arranged By – Benny Carter
Engineer – John Kraus
Orchestra – Benny Carter And His Orchestra
Producer – Russell Keith
1-2    Don't Explain 6:35
Bass – Wynton Kelly
Composed By – Arthur Herzog, Jr., Billie Holiday
Drums – Max Roach
Engineer – Jack Higgins
Producer – Bill Grauer, Orrin Keepnews
Tenor Saxophone – Sonny Rollins
Trumpet – Kenny Dorham
1-3    I Must Have That Man 3:37
Bass – Paul Chambers
Composed By – Dorothy Fields, Jimmy McHugh

Drums – Max Roach
Engineer – Jack Higgins
Piano – Wynton Kelly
Producer – Bill Grauer, Orrin Keepnews
Tenor Saxophone – Sonny Rollins
Trumpet – Kenny Dorham
1-4    Little Niles 4:59
Bass – Sam Jones
Composed By – Jon Hendricks, Randy Weston
Drums – "Philly" Joe Jones
Engineer – Jack Higgins
Piano – Wynton Kelly
Producer – Orrin Keepnews
Tenor Saxophone – Benny Golson
Trumpet – Art Farmer
1-5    Let Up 5:19
Bass – Bob Boswell
Composed By – Abbey Lincoln
Drums – Max Roach
Engineer – Jack Higgins
Piano – Cedar Walton
Producer – Bill Grauer, Orrin Keepnews
Tenor Saxophone – Stanley Turrentine
Trombone – Julian Priester
Trumpet – Tommy Turrentine
1-6    Come Sunday 5:07
Bass – Sam Jones
Composed By – Duke Ellington
Drums – "Philly" Joe Jones
Engineer – Jack Higgins
Guitar – Les Spann
Piano – Phillip Wright
Producer – Bill Grauer, Orrin Keepnews
1-7    Triptych: Prayer / Protest / Peace 7:58
Composed By – Max Roach
Drums – Max Roach
Engineer – Bob D'Orleans
1-8    Left Alone 6:46
Bass – Art Davis
Bass Clarinet – Eric Dolphy
Composed By – Billie Holiday, Mal Waldron
Drums – Max Roach
Piano – Mal Waldron
Tenor Saxophone – Walter Benton
Tenor Saxophone, Soloist – Coleman Hawkins
Trombone, Arranged By – Julian Priester
Trumpet – Booker Little
1-9    Lonesome Lover 7:01
Backing Vocals, Conductor – Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson
Bass – Art Davis
Composed By – Abbey Lincoln
Composed By, Orchestrated By – Max Roach
Drums – Max Roach
Engineer, Mixed By – George Piros, Rudy Van Gelder
Piano – Mal Waldron
Producer – Bob Thiele
Tenor Saxophone – Clifford Jordan
Trombone – Julian Priester
1-10    Africa 7:08
Bass – Kunimitsu Inaba
Composed By – Abbey Lincoln, John Coltrane
Drums – Al Foster
Engineer, Mixed By – Suenori Fukui
Percussion – James Mtume
Piano – Hiromasa Suzuki
Producer – Toshinari Koinuma
Tenor Saxophone – David Liebman
1-11    Throw It Away 6:35
Bass – Jack Gregg
Composed By – Abbey Lincoln
Drums – Freddie Waits
Engineer, Mixed By – Emile Flock, Jean-Claude Talar
Piano – Hilton Ruiz
Producer – Emile De La Tour, Gérard Terronès, Odile Terronès, Éric Terronès
Tenor Saxophone – Archie Shepp
Trumpet – Roy Burrowes
1-12    The Maestro 4:38
Bass – David Williams (2)
Composed By – Cedar Walton
Drums – Billy Higgins
Engineer, Mixed By – Malcolm Addey
Piano – Cedar Walton
Producer – Cedar Walton
Tenor Saxophone – Bob Berg
1-13    The River 4:57
Alto Saxophone – Steve Coleman
Backing Vocals – Arlene Knox, Bemshee Shirer, Naima Williams
Bass – Billy Johnson
Composed By – Abbey Lincoln
Drums – Mark Johnson
Engineer, Mixed By – David Baker
Percussion – Jerry Gonzalez
Piano – James Weidman
Producer – Horst Weber, Mathias Winkelmann
2-1    The World is Falling Down 6:20
Alto Saxophone – Jerry Dodgion
Alto Saxophone, Soloist – Jackie McLean
Arranged By – Ron Carter
Bass – Charlie Haden
Composed By – Abbey Lincoln
Drums – Billy Higgins
Piano – Alain Jean-Marie
Producer – Daniel Richard, Jean-Philippe Allard
Recorded By, Mixed By – David Baker
Trumpet – Clark Terry
2-2    You Must Believe in Spring and Love 5:57
Alto Saxophone – Jackie McLean
Arranged By – Ron Carter
Bass – Charlie Haden
Composed By – Alan & Marilyn Bergman, Michel Legrand
Drums – Billy Higgins
Flugelhorn – Clark Terry
Piano – Alain Jean-Marie
Producer – Daniel Richard, Jean-Philippe Allard
Recorded By, Mixed By – David Baker
2-3    First Song 6:31
Alto Saxophone – Jerry Dodgion
Bass – Charlie Haden
Composed By – Abbey Lincoln, Charlie Haden
Piano – Alain Jean-Marie
Producer – Daniel Richard, Jean-Philippe Allard
Recorded By, Mixed By – David Baker
Trumpet – Clark Terry
2-4    Bird Alone 8:34
Arranged By – Randolph Noël
Bass – Charlie Haden
Composed By – Abbey Lincoln
Drums – Mark Johnson
Piano – Hank Jones
Producer – Jean-Philippe Allard
Recorded By, Mixed By – Richard Applegate
Tenor Saxophone – Stan Getz
Viola – Maxine Roach
2-5    I'm In Love 6:11
Bass – Charlie Haden
Composed By – Joan Griffin
Drums – Mark Johnson
Piano – Hank Jones
Producer – Jean-Philippe Allard
Recorded By, Mixed By – Richard Applegate
Tenor Saxophone – Stan Getz
2-6    A Time For Love 8:40
Arranged By – Randolph Noël
Bass – Charlie Haden
Composed By – Johnny Mandel, Paul Francis Webster
Drums – Mark Johnson
Piano – Hank Jones
Producer – Jean-Philippe Allard
Recorded By, Mixed By – Richard Applegate
Tenor Saxophone – Stan Getz
Viola – Maxine Roach
2-7    Jungle Queen 6:12
Ashiko – Kehinde O'Uhuru
Composed By – Abbey Lincoln
Djembe, Agogô – Sule O'Uhuru
Djembe, Ashiko, Shekere, Drum [Ngoma] – Babatunde Olatunji
Dunun [Jun Jun Drums] – Gordy Ryan
Producer – Jean-Philippe Allard
Recorded By, Mixed By – Richard Applegate
2-8    A Child Is Born 6:22
Bass – Marcus McLaurine
Composed By – Alec Wilder, Thad Jones
Drums – Grady Tate
Piano – Rodney Kendrick
Producer – Jean-Philippe Allard
Recorded By, Mixed By – Richard Applegate
Trombone – J.J. Johnson
2-9    You Came A Long Way From St. Louis 3:55
Composed By – Bob Russell, John Benson Brooks
Piano – Hank Jones
Producer – Jean-Philippe Allard
Recorded By, Mixed By – Claude Ermelin
2-10    I Should Care 5:45
Composed By – Axel Stordahl, Paul Weston, Sammy Cahn
Piano – Hank Jones
Producer – Jean-Philippe Allard
Recorder, Mixed By – Claude Emelin
2-11    Through The Years 5:23
Bass – Michael Bowie
Composed By – Abbey Lincoln
Composed By, Piano, Tenor Saxophone – Bheki Mseleku
Drums – Marvin "Smitty" Smith
Producer – Jean-Philippe Allard, Russell Herman
Recorded By, Mixed By – Jay Newland
2-12    When I'm Called Home 5:28
Bass – Charlie Haden
Composed By – Abbey Lincoln
Drums – Mark Johnson
Piano – Hank Jones
Producer – Jean-Philippe Allard
Recorded By, Mixed By – Richard Applegate
Tenor Saxophone – Stan Getz
3-1     Avec le temps 5:38
Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar – Pat Metheny
Bass – Charlie Haden
Composed By – Léo Ferré
Drums – Victor Lewis
Producer – Jean-Philippe Allard
Recorded By, Mixed By – Richard Applegate
3-2     Mr Tambourine Man 6:53
Bass – Michael Bowie
Composed By – Bob Dylan
Drums – Aaron Walker
Piano – Marc Cary
Producer – Jean-Philippe Allard
Recorded By, Mixed By – Richard Applegate
Tenor Saxophone – Julien Lourau
3-3    Love Has Gone Away 7:35
Alto Saxophone – Steve Coleman
Bass – Michael Bowie
Composed By – Abbey Lincoln
Drums – Aaron Walker
Piano – Marc Cary
Producer – Jean-Philippe Allard
Recorded By, Mixed By – Richard Applegate
3-4    And It's Supposed To Be Love 5:12
Backing Vocals – Maggie Brown
Bass – Michael Bowie
Composed By – Abbey Lincoln
Drums – Alvester Garnett
Marimba – Bobby Hutcherson
Percussion – Daniel Moreno
Piano – James Hurt
Producer – Jean-Philippe Allard
Recorded By, Mixed By – Jay Newland
3-5    Should've Been 7:57
Bass – Charlie Haden
Composed By – Abbey Lincoln
Drums – Victor Lewis
Electric Guitar – Pat Metheny
Producer – Jean-Philippe Allard
Recorded By, Mixed By – Richard Applegate
3-6    Nature Boy 5:04
Bass – Christian McBride
Composed By – Eden Ahbez
Drums – Victor Lewis
Piano – Rodney Kendrick
Producer – Jean-Philippe Allard
Recorded By, Mixed By – Richard Applegate
Tenor Saxophone – Julien Lourau
Trumpet – Roy Hargrove
3-7    The Windmills Of Your Mind 5:52
Bass – Jaz Sawyer, John Ormond
Composed By – Alan & Marilyn Bergman, Michel Legrand
Piano – Brandon McCune
Producer – Daniel Richard, Jean-Philippe Allard
Recorded By, Mixed By – Jay Newland
Tenor Saxophone – Joe Lovano
3-8    Skylark 5:25
Bass – Ray Drummond
Composed By – Hoagy Carmichael, Johnny Mercer
Conductor, Arranged By – Laurent Cugny
Drums – Jaz Sawyer
Piano – Kenny Barron
Producer – Daniel Richard, Jean-Philippe Allard
Recorded By, Mixed By – Jay Newland
3-9    It's Me, O' Lord 3:42
Composed By – traditional
Piano – Kenny Barron
Producer – Daniel Richard, Jean-Philippe Allard
Recorded By, Mixed By – Jay Newland
3-10    Blue Monk 5:13
Acoustic Guitar, Resonator Guitar – Larry Campbell
Bass – Scott Colley
Composed By – Abbey Lincoln, Thelonious Monk
Drums – Shawn Pelton
Producer – Jean-Philippe Allard
Producer, Recorded By, Mixed By – Jay Newland
3-11    The Music Is Magic 3:53
Bass – Scott Colley
Composed By – Abbey Lincoln
Drums – Shawn Pelton
Electric Guitar – Larry Campbell
Producer – Jean-Philippe Allard
Producer, Recorded By, Mixed By – Jay Newland
3-12    Down Here Below 8:50
Arranged By – Randolph Noël
Bass – Charlie Haden
Cello – John Robinson
Composed By – Abbey Lincoln
Drums – Victor Lewis
Piano – Kenny Barron
Producer – Jean-Philippe Allard
Recorded By, Mixed By – Richard Applegate
Violin – Sandra Bilignslea

STAN GETZ | KENNY BARRON — People Time (1992) 2CD | APE (image+.cue), lossless

Stan Getz's final recording, a two-CD live set of duets with pianist Kenny Barron that was cut just three months before his death, finds the great tenor in surprisingly creative form despite an occasional shortness of breath. Getz's tone is as beautiful as ever and he does not spare himself on this often exquisite set. His version of Charlie Haden's "First Song" is a highlight but none of the 14 performances are less than great. A brilliant farewell recording by a masterful jazzman. Scott Yanow
Tracklist 1 :
1     East of the Sun (And West of the Moon) 9:29
Brooks Bowman
2     Night and Day 8:16
Cole Porter
3     I'm Okay 5:24
Eduardo del Barrio
4     Like Someone in Love 8:02
Johnny Burke / James Van Heusen
5     Stablemates 8:47
Benny Golson
6     I Remember Clifford 9:04
Benny Golson
7     Gone With the Wind 7:12
Herbert Magidson / Allie Wrubel
Tracklist 2 :       
1     First Song (For Ruth) 9:55
Charlie Haden
2     There Is No Greater Love 8:36
Isham Jones / Marty Symes
3     The Surrey With the Fringe on Top 9:22
Oscar Hammerstein II / Richard Rodgers
4     People Time 6:14
Benny Carter
5     Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise 7:54
Oscar Hammerstein II / Sigmund Romberg
6     Hush-A-Bye 9:33
Sammy Fain / Jerry Seelen / Ambroise Thomas
7     Soul Eyes 7:32
Mal Waldron
Credits :
Piano – Kenny Barron
Sax Tenor – Stan Getz

STAN GETZ | DIZZY GILLESPIE | SONNY STITT — For Musicians Only (1957-1989) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Often in the early days of the modern jazz movement, players would come up with the most dazzling tempos, complex chord changes, intricate melodies, and tricky rhythmic breaks imaginable, as much to challenge themselves as to keep the squares from trying to get on the bandstand and jam. For Musicians Only is just that, and then some. Gillespie, the great virtuoso trumpeter, is joined on the front line by Stan Getz and Sonny Stitt for a blowing session of phenomenal proportions. Gillespie's demanding tune "Bebop," and Denzil Best's "Wee (Allen's Alley)" (based on "I Got Rhythm") are given brisk, wailing treatments. Both tunes highlight Stitt's scampering alto, Getz's dancing, mentholated tenor (very much in his Lester Young mode), and Gillespie's coiled, tempestuous trumpet. The tough, swinging rhythm section really distinguishes itself on the standards "Dark Eyes" and "Lover Come Back to Me" (particularly bassist Ray Brown). They always manage to keep a hint of the basic tune in the foreground, no matter how free the soloists get. Gillespie is inspired throughout, and For Musicians Only contains some of his spunkiest, most pugnacious solos. AllMusic   Tracklist + Credits :

DIZZY GILLESPIE | STAN GETZ — Diz And Getz (1955-1994) RM | Verve Master Edition | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Gillespie was at the peak of his powers throughout the 1950s and still the pacesetter among trumpeters. This double LP matches him with Stan Getz, the Oscar Peterson Trio, and drummer Max Roach for its first half. Getz, although identified with the "cool" school, thrived on competition and is both relaxed and combative on the uptempo explorations of "It Don't Mean a Thing" and "Impromptu." The remainder of this two-fer substitutes pianist John Lewis and drummer Stan Levey for Peterson and Roach and, most importantly, adds altoist Sonny Stitt to the frontline. The results are three uptempo stomps and just one medium-tempo performance. This is one of their better (and more explosive) studio jam sessions. Scott Yanow    Tracklist + Credits :

DIZZY GILLESPIE — Sittin' In (1958-1997) RM | Serie LP Reproduction | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

SITTIN' IN is a jazz lover's dream come true. On this historic session, recorded in the summer of 1957, Dizzy Gillespie, Stan Getz, Coleman Hawkins, and Paul Gonsalves got together to create one of the most formidable frontlines ever captured on tape. The program, which includes "Dizzy Atmosphere," the chestnut "The Way You Look Tonight," and two lengthy ballad medleys, lets each horn player take a turn in the spotlight.

The music blends West Coast cool, swing, bop, and hard-bop styles in a manner befitting each of the monumental leaders, and the whole is driven by a spry rhythm section consisting of bassist Wendell Marshall, drummer J.C. Heard, and pianist Wynton Kelly. Aficionados will relish the opportunity to identify the solos and styles of each player--Getz's cool complexity, Gillespie's athleticism, Gonsalves's unique lyricism, and Hawkins's pioneering technique and tone. SITTIN' IN is a superb slice of bop history, starring some of the most influential figures in the evolution of jazz. AllMusic    Tracklist + Credits :

STAN GETZ – 1946-1949 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1126 (2000) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

These are the first recordings ever released under the name of Stan Getz. Four Savoy sides from July 1946 constitute one hell of a debut as Getz gets off with the expert backing of Hank Jones, Curly Russell, and Max Roach. "Opus de Bop" and "Running Water" are dazzlers, while "And the Angels Swing" and "Don't Worry 'Bout Me" reveal Getz's often-noted Lester Young influence. Six sides cut for Bob Shad's Sittin' in With record label in October 1948 are especially satisfying on account of pianist Al Haig, electric guitarist Jimmy Raney, bassist Clyde Lombardi, and drummer Charles Perry. All six tunes were composed by Getz and demonstrate an obsession with bop formulae. "Frosty," also known as "Flugelbird," was recorded about a month later for Shad's other label, Jax. The same rhythm section backs trumpeter Norman Faye and a tenor sax quartet of Getz, Zoot Sims, Allen Eager, and Al Epstein. Garnished with a bit of primitive vibrato, this record has a strange but not unpleasant quality. The Stan Getz Tenor All Stars put down four sides for the New Jazz label in April 1949, lining up Al Cohn, Allen Eager, Brew Moore, and Zoot Sims in a smooth bop experiment landing somewhere between Woody Herman's Herd and Coleman Hawkins' Keynote Sax Ensemble. Walter Bishop laid a lot of block chords while sax after sax took a shot at running the changes, and Getz even blew baritone on "Five Brothers." A Savoy session from just a few weeks later placed trombonist Earl Swope amid Getz, Cohn, and Sims, with Duke Jordan on piano. Both of these octets came across as cool and well-organized. The Stan Getz Quartet, with Al Haig, Gene Ramey, and Stan Levey, made five excellent sides for the Prestige and New Jazz labels on June 21, 1949. Their rendition of Victor Herbert's "Indian Summer" is superbly mellow. It is easy to draw a line directly from this whimsical record directly to the cool bossa novas that would make Stan Getz so famous years later, even among a record-buying public who never heard any of these marvelous early recordings by this suede-toned tenor man. arwulf arwulf     Tracklist + Credits :

STAN GETZ – 1950 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1172 (2001) FLAC (tracks), lossless

After a pair of taffy ballads sung in imitation Billy Eckstine baby talk by Junior Parker -- not the Memphis blues singer but a pseudonym for Arthur Daniels -- the 21 tracks that follow demonstrate exactly why Stan Getz went over so well with the listening public. His soft tone and gently inventive phraseology, a direct outgrowth of the Lester Young archetype, make each of these performances an ideal choice for relaxation. Getz regularly recorded with exceptional musicians. The rhythm sections of Al Haig, Tommy Potter, and Roy Haynes or Tony Aless, Percy Heath, and Don Lamond were perfectly suited to his softly searching essays in cool improvisation. On December 10, 1950, Horace Silver, Joe Calloway, and Walter Bolden kindled a hotter fire under the saxophonist, resulting in music of elevated intensity. At this point in his career, Getz sometimes engaged in bubbly noodling, which in its wilder moments sounds like a premonition of Lee Konitz as heard on his fabulous Motion sessions of 1961. This equation would also lead to Warne Marsh and Anthony Braxton, if you want to go there. As for material choices, the 1950 Getz repertoire is full of delightful surprises, from an almost calypso "The Lady in Red" to "Sweetie Pie," a cheerful number barbecued by Fats Waller & His Rhythm back in 1934. Anyone familiar with Waller's version will most likely thrill at hearing this brisk modern expansion of the old Tin Pan Alley come-on. Excellent music, good for the nerves and stimulating for the imagination. arwulf arwulf         Tracklist + Credits :

STAN GETZ – 1951 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1299 (2003) FLAC (tracks), lossless

1951 was a very busy year for Stan Getz. After leaving Woody Herman's band in 1949 and spending the greater part of a year on his own, he found his first great rhythm section at a club in Hartford and recorded with them, lived in Sweden for several months and recorded there, then formed a quintet with guitarist Jimmy Raney and recorded several sides (including a live date). The Classics label's wrap-up of a year in the life of jazz's most innovative tenor of the time finds him in great company, first at the March 1951 session spawned by a Hartford jam session where he found Horace Silver. Silver appears on the first four sides, contributing his sublime original "Split Kick" that Getz is able to weave a spell around. Barely three weeks later Getz was in Stockholm, recording eight sides -- which ranged from Porter's "Night and Day" to the traditional "Ack, Värmeland du Sköna" -- in two days with a tasteful all-star group featuring a light-fingered young pianist named Bengt Hallberg. Back in New York by August of 1951, Getz worked with a quintet for the rest of the year, initially including both Silver and Raney. The group, with drummer Roy Haynes and bassist Leonard Gaskin, really cooked on "Melody Express" and "Yvette," a pair of Gigi Gryce songs. 1951 closes with four tracks recorded in October at a Boston club named Storyville, where Raney's nimble solos do much to keep Getz focused (and challenged). A note for the Getz completist: With the exception of the eight titles from Sweden (which appeared on a Metronome LP), all of these tracks also appear on Getz's The Complete Roost Recordings, though the Proper box set The Sound does the same work at a cheaper price. John Bush      Tracklist :

STAN GETZ – 1951-1952 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1338 (2003) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

In response to shortsighted comments implying that Stan Getz and Zoot Sims sounded too much like each other and too similar to Lester Young, Ira Gitler liked to use the analogy of "...a friend calling you on the telephone. You know who it is immediately. It's the same thing when you hear a musician play." The secret, of course, is to listen so carefully and consistently that you feel as though you have become a friend of the artist. This sort of empathy is a vital ingredient in jazz -- the empathy between composers, players, and listeners. Hearing Stan Getz recorded live in performance at Boston's Storyville club on October 28, 1951, spells it out marvelously. Backed by pianist Al Haig, guitarist Jimmy Raney, bassist Teddy Kotick, and drummer Tiny Kahn, Getz sounds as though he has arrived at a hard-won maturity. One great aspect of this music lies within the comparative nature of every sound. In Getz listeners can hear Jimmy Giuffre, Lee Konitz, even Charles Lloyd -- but best of all, Getz himself. By this time his artistry had evolved well beyond where he had been only a couple of years earlier. In some of these bands there's something of the marvelous complexity of Lennie Tristano's fascinating ensembles. Eight 1952 recordings originally released on 78-rpm singles bearing the baby-blue Roost label appeared under the heading of the Johnny Smith Quintet. Smith's quicksilver guitar, heard most dynamically on the rapid Tristano-like "Jaguar" and a fantastic cruising theme called "Tabu," acts as a stunning foil for the tenor. The slower numbers are positively intoxicating. Even with the guitar predominating, "Moonlight in Vermont" stands among the loveliest ballad recordings this saxophonist ever participated in. The band's next session took place in November of 1952, and resulted in music of comparable excellence. On December 12, Getz collaborated for the very first time with producer Norman Granz. Backed by a rhythm section including pianist Duke Jordan, the saxophonist had clearly found his own voice. "The Way You Look Tonight" is a powerful closer for this outstanding album of vintage early modern jazz. arwulf arwulf     Tracklist :

STAN GETZ – 1952-1953 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1379 (2003) FLAC (tracks), lossless

This fifth installment in the Classics Stan Getz chronology opens with a 60-mph workout on Sigmund Romberg's "Lover, Come Back to Me." Accompanied by pianist Duke Jordan, guitarist Jimmy Raney, bassist Bill Crow, and drummer Frank Isola, and using everything he learned about saxophones from Lester Young and Charlie Parker, Getz also sounds at times a tiny bit like his contemporaries John LaPorta and Lee Konitz. Several of these 12 sides recorded for the Mercury, Norgran, and Royal Roost labels during December 1952 are slow luxurious ballads, a treat for anyone enamored of Getz's intoxicating suede-toned manner. "Lullaby of Birdland," "Fools Rush In," "How Deep Is the Ocean?," and especially this band's spirited rendition of Gigi Gryce's "Hymn to the Orient" are invigorating examples of what Getz could accomplish at higher velocities. Four Mercury/Clef sides recorded on April 16, 1953, are infused with composer and valve trombonist Bob Brookmeyer's smooth ideas and cool textures. "Erudition" is a particularly rewarding dose of hot modernity. The rhythm section of Bill Crow, drummer Al Levitt, and pianist John Williams works wonders here behind the pleasantly paired horns. The four tracks closing this excellent compilation were recorded for Prestige on April 23, 1953, with Frank Isola behind the drums, pianist Hall Overton, bassist Red Mitchell, and heavily featured guitarist Jimmy Raney, who composed three of the four tunes rendered on that day. Note also that a few years later, some of the players heard on this disc -- Brookmeyer, Mitchell, and Isola -- would show up gigging with Lee Konitz in Paris. arwulf arwulf 

STAN GETZ – 1953 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1395 (2005) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Tracklist + Credits :

STAN GETZ – 1954 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1435 (2007) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Stan Getz was one of Lester Young's very best students. From Pres he learned the fine arts of inspired improvisation and smooth, intimate tonality. Every chapter in the Classics Stan Getz chronology is guaranteed to please. The eighth installment contains about an hour's worth of excellent jazz that was preserved for posterity by producer Norman Granz. Tracks one through four were recorded in Los Angeles on January 23, 1954, with Getz supported by pianist Jimmy Rowles, bassist Bob Whitlock, and drummer Max Roach. On November 8, 1954, Granz presented Getz in concert within the Shrine Auditorium at 649 W. Jefferson Boulevard in Los Angeles. Released on a long-playing album entitled Stan Getz at the Shrine, the superb live jazz heard on this disc also featured valve trombonist Bob Brookmeyer, who was one of Getz's close collaborators. These recordings, some of them marvelous stretched-out jams lasting more than eight minutes, are still cherished for the profound empathy that existed between the two men. The rhythm section was composed of pianist Johnny Williams, bassist Bill Anthony, and drummer Art Mardigan. The MC was none other than Duke Ellington! arwulf arwulf     Tracklist :

DIZZY GILLESPIE – 1953 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1380 (2005) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The first three tracks on this ninth installment in the Classics Dizzy Gillespie chronology were recorded for the Vogue label in Paris on February 22, 1953. Note the presence of pianist Wade Legge. A stunning exercise in reflective meditation entitled "This Is the Way" is followed by a nutty study on "'S Wonderful" that begins like Dixieland corn and suddenly shifts into a 65-mph bop mode. The session finishes off with a patented Joe Carroll doubletalk scat-bop vocal. Gillespie and his quintet spent the rest of February 22, 1953, recording for Blue Star, the competitor to Vogue. After two very solid numbers, the band cut six more tracks backed by what Diz called his "Operatic String Orchestra." For those who aren't allergic to this kind of theatrical instrumentation, this is an opportunity to compare Gillespie's stringed adventure with Bird's famous Charlie Parker with Strings sessions. The effect here is something like a saucy '50s film soundtrack, often exciting and never tedious. Two sides cut in New York for the Showcase label in June of 1953 feature alto and baritone saxophonist Sahib Shihab, and still more of that fine piano from Wade Legge. This outstanding compilation closes with six titles recorded in Los Angeles on December 9, 1953, for Norman Granz's Norgran label. The music, like the lineup, with tenor saxophonist Stan Getz, pianist Oscar Peterson, guitarist Herb Ellis, bassist Ray Brown, and drummer Max Roach, is breathtaking. arwulf arwulf      Tracklist + Credits :

DIZZY GILLESPIE – 1953-1954 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1424 (2006) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Volume ten in the Classics Dizzy Gillespie chronology documents this trumpeter's recording activities from December 9, 1953 to June 8, 1954. As one of producer Norman Granz's many star players, Diz was able to organize both hard bop and Cuban-styled bop bands comprised of able improvisers. The opening track, "Impromptu," is a nearly-eight-minute jam taken at 75mph by the "Dizzy Gillespie-Stan Getz Sextet" with lightning-fingered pianist Oscar Peterson, guitarist Herb Ellis (heard here in an unusually rambunctious mood); bassist Ray Brown, and drummer Max Roach. The 20-piece big band assembled on May 24, 1954 recorded a piquant 16-and-a-half-minute "Manteca" suite in five movements using arrangements by Chico O'Farrill. The personnel listing is extraordinary, with J.J. Johnson, Ernie Royal and Quincy Jones in the brass section with Diz; Hilton Jefferson, Hank Mobley, Lucky Thompson and Danny Bank in the reed department, as well as two bassists and four expert Latin American percussionists augmenting the kit drumming of Charlie Persip. On the following day, four members of this mammoth ensemble returned to form a quintet; in addition to pianist Wade Legge and bassist Lou Hackney, Hank Mobley was the designated saxophonist for this assignment, a relaxed blowing session with two vocals by the leader. Gillespie put together an octet for the next date, which took place on June 3, 1954, using flautist Gilbert Valdez and a lively Latino rhythm section including conga master Candido Camero. Four titles cut on June 8, 1954 by the Dizzy Gillespie Sextet featured trombonist Jimmy Cleveland in addition to the five men who comprised the Quintet from two weeks earlier. (Although a note in the enclosed discography claims that Cleveland is omitted on "Rumbola," he is clearly audible throughout). This last session, and indeed this entire segment of Gillespie's career, resulted in substantial music of great passion and depth. "Blue Mood" is particularly satisfying because Gillespie, like Charlie Parker, was an adept bluesman. arwulf arwulf    Tracklist :

BENNY GOODMAN AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1945, Vol. 2 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1366 (2004) FLAC (tracks), lossless

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BENNY GOODMAN AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1946 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1375 (2004) FLAC (tracks), lossless

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BENNY GOODMAN AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1947 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1396 (2005) FLAC (tracks), lossless

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STAN KENTON AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1940-1944 | The Classics Chronological Series – 848 (1995) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Stan Kenton's earliest recordings as a leader make this first volume in the Classics Kenton chronology the logical starting point for anyone seeking to comprehend his life and work. Beginning with a long lost "Etude for Saxophones" and plowing through nine Decca sides from late 1941 and early 1942, the producers of this compilation shed light on Kenton's pre-Capitol period. With the exception of "This Love of Mine" (sung by tenor saxophonist Red Dorris), all of the Decca recordings are instrumentals that contain premonitions of Kenton's eventual obsession with stylized modernity. Parallels could be drawn with the music of Claude Thornhill, Larry Clinton and Raymond Scott. Frankly speaking, however, some of these early Kenton routines come across as rather self-consciously put together; the band goes through the motions but the overall approach to rhythm and swing feels rather forced. "Lamento Gitano" transcends these limitations, and the catchy "Concerto for Doghouse" is built around Howard Rumsey's excellent sung-and-plucked bass solo. By the time "El Choclo" was recorded, the band was clearly beginning to find itself and was ready for its next phase of stylistic evolution. The session that took place in Los Angeles on November 19, 1943 was Kenton's inaugural involvement with Capitol Records, an exclusive business arrangement that would continue for many years, superseded only by the occasional date for the United States Armed Forces V-Disc label. Kenton always listened carefully to other bands and learned his best lessons from African-American archetypes and innovators. His signature stamp of originality begins to materialize during the second half of this compilation, betwixt and between various well-chosen covers. Red Dorris does surprisingly well with Duke Ellington's "Do Nothin' Till You Hear from Me," and after two years of experimentation the overall sound of the band has improved noticeably. The very first recorded version of "Artistry in Rhythm" signals the true inception of the Kenton sound. Seasoned early modern jazz heads will want to listen carefully to the reed section as Kenton was already beginning to employ great saxophonists like Art Pepper, Boots Mussulli and Stan Getz. Admirers of Anita O'Day will appreciate an opportunity to savor four of the six songs she is known to have recorded with the Stan Kenton Orchestra. arwulf arwulf
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STAN KENTON AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1945 | The Classics Chronological Series – 898 (1996) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Volume two in the Classics Stan Kenton chronology presents all of his Capitol and V-Disc recordings made between January 16 and December 26, 1945, with a pair of initially rejected Gene Howard vocal sides from 1944 tossed in as bonus tracks, out of sequence, like an afterthought. Singers would now become an increasingly important ingredient in the postwar entertainment industry. At the beginning of 1945, Kenton's featured female vocalist was sultry Anita O'Day, who later explained with characteristic gut level honesty why she quit after the session of January 16: "The band was great -- but it wasn't a swing band." June Christy began her own recording career with "Tampico" on May 4 after carefully studying the recordings of O'Day, who must have been a tough act to follow. There were occasional bouts of crooning from Gene Howard, and a Roy Eldridge disciple named Ray Wetzel sang and blew his trumpet on "I'm a Shy Guy." Kenton himself was one of four voices used on "I Been Down in Texas," an overbearing, embarrassingly contrived, campy combination of bop caricature and western novelty, grossly cluttered with imitation hepcat vernacular and hyped-up corn. On the more authentically hip side of things, "Around the Town," "Southern Scandal," "Opus in Pastels" and "Painted Rhythm" are among the better instrumental tracks from this part of the Kenton discography. Already the arrangements indicate the influence of Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, Buster Harding, Earl Hines and the Billy Eckstine Orchestra. With all of the innovations circulating in the air at that time, it was Kenton's steadily expanding ensemble that attracted much of the attention with its "modern" angularities, shrill brass and bop-flavored charts. Kenton's sax section continued to morph during this period; Stan Getz split around the same time as O'Day and Kenton's old running buddy Vido Musso was back with the band on October 15. arwulf arwulf   
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STAN GETZ | ZOOT SIMS — The Brothers (1956-1989) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The music on this LP recalls the airy "Four Brothers" sound that tenor saxophonists Stan Getz, Zoot Sims and Herbie Steward, and baritone saxophonist Serge Charloff, plied in Woody Herman's band of 1947. For this outing, Steward and Charloff exit, and four become five with the addition of tenor luminaries Al Cohn, Brew Moore, and Allen Eager. The set appropriately kicks off with Gerry Mulligan's "Five Brothers," a tune reminiscent of Jimmy Giuffre's original "Four Brothers" in its fluid and bouncy arrangement. Three other attractive and similarly disposed originals (one more by Mulligan and two by Cohn) complete the saxophone session from 1949, all featuring swinging statements by each soloist. A 1952 sextet date led by Sims and Cohn is also included, offering up another round of original and buoyantly swinging cuts, bolstered by lively contributions from trombonist Kai Winding and solid rhythmic support by pianist George Wallington, bassist Percy Heath, and drummer Art Blakey. A fine release that nicely showcases the cool, proto-West Coast bop forged by both these soloists and Miles Davis. Stephen Cook  

Tracklist :
1 Stan Getz And His Four Brothers- Five Brothers 3:10
Gerry Mulligan    
2 Stan Getz And His Four Brothers- Five Brothers [Alternate Take] 3:34
Gerry Mulligan    
3 Stan Getz And His Four Brothers- Battle of the Saxes 3:52
Al Cohn    
4 Stan Getz And His Four Brothers- Battleground 3:46
Al Cohn    
5 Stan Getz And His Four Brothers- Battleground [Alternate Take] 3:31
Al Cohn    
6 Stan Getz And His Four Brothers- Four and One Moore 3:22
Gerry Mulligan    
7 Stan Getz And His Four Brothers- Four and One Moore [Alternate Take] 3:15
Gerry Mulligan    
8 Zoot Sims And Al Cohn– The Red Door 4:34
Zoot Sims    
9 Zoot Sims And Al Cohn– Zootcase 4:18
Zoot Sims
10 Zoot Sims And Al Cohn– Tangerine 4:24
Victor Schertzinger    
11 Zoot Sims And Al Cohn– Morning Fun 5:37  
Al Cohn
Credits :
1-7
Bass – Gene Ramey
Drums – Charlie Perry
Piano – Walter Bishop
Tenor Saxophone – Brew Moore, Stan Getz, Zoot Sims, Al Cohn, Allen Eager
8-11
Bass – Percy Heath
Drums – Art Blakey
Piano – George Wallington
Tenor Saxophone – Al Cohn, , Zoot Sims
Trombone – Kai Winding
Notas.
#1-7 recorded April 8, 1949. #8-11 recorded September 8, 1952.
#2, 5 and 7 are bonus tracks.
Remastered By [Digital Remastering] – Joe Tarantino
Artwork – Don Martin