BOB JAMES — In Hi-Fi (2003) SACD | APE (image+.cue), lossless

11 favorites compiled by Bob James from the Tappan Zee years. Making this collection even more special are Bob's own liner notes giving his personal insights into each of the recordings.
Tracklist :
1. Touchdown 5:41
 Bob James
2. Spunky 6:59
 Bob James
3. Rush Hour 6:39
 Bob James
4. Zebra Man 6:06
 Marcus Miller
5. Heads 6:40
 Dave Brock / Bob James / R. Neville
6. Westchester Lady 7:25
 Bob James
7. Tappan Zee 6:51
 Bob James
8. Blue Lick 5:31
 Bob James
9. Nautilus 5:45
 Bob James
10. Angela (Theme From 'Taxi') 5:42
 Bob James
11. Farandole 8:33
 Georges Bizet
Credits :
ft. Hiram Bullock, Steve Khan, Eric Gale - Guitar
Jon Faddis, Art Farmer - Trumpet
Harvey Mason, Sr., Steve Gadd - Drums
Leonard "Doc" Gibbs - Percussion
Groover Washington, Jr., David Sanborn - Sax
Hubert Laws - Flute

CHICK COREA — The Ultimate Adventure (2007) Two Version | APE (image+.cue), lossless + FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

For the second time in two years, Chick Corea has assembled a band to give aural illustration to the fantasy writings of L. Ron Hubbard. For those who have trouble with Hubbard and his teachings, this may be a red flag to avoid the record altogether. The Ultimate Adventure is a tale that draws on characters from the Arabian Nights -- there is an ad for the book in the back of the CD booklet. With that out of the way, one has to deal with the music entirely on its own terms. Corea has spent decades playing both electric and acoustic jazz. This is the first time since 1976's My Spanish Heart that he has woven his love of both so completely into a single album. There are more than a few echoes here that call upon the ghosts of the earliest Return to Forever band -- primarily in the gorgeous flute playing of Hubert Laws and Jorge Pardo, in the saxophone artistry of Tim Garland, the drumming of Steve Gadd, and the percussion wizardry of not only Airto Moreira, but also of Hossam Ramzy -- just to name a few of this album's players. But as always, it's Corea's compositions and playing that make or break any of his outings. This one is complex, knotty, and contains nuevo flamenco sketches and exotic melodic grooves and rhythms from "North Africa" and the Middle East. The second part of the opening suite "Three Ghouls" -- which makes it ghoul number two, apparently -- showcases Corea on the electric piano and electronic percussion with Laws playing soulful and slightly funky. His flute gets double-tracked as it floats above Moreira and bassist Carles Benavent. It's spacey, airy groove is intoxicating. It morphs into the knotty percussive and slightly "out" part three, where palmas -- handclapped rhythms -- by Corea, Gadd, and Benavent are contrasted to the dissonant acoustic piano and funky Rhodes woven side by side in counterpoint. This stands in contrast to the electric, short, fused-out, three-part suite entitled "Moseb the Executioner." The first part is a tangled mix up of Garland and Corea's Rhodes. It ends in a percussion orgy by Moreira and Ruben Dantas with palmas by the entire band. There are gorgeous melodic interludes in "North Africa" courtesy of Pardo and Corea. "Flight from Karoof" is simply a fusion gem. Ultimately, Ultimate Adventure works extremely well; it's inspired, takes chances, and is compositionally a small wonder. Above all, it sounds like Corea and his band had a ball making it. Recommended for fusion-heads.
-> This comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our blog 'O Púbis da Rosa' <-
Tracklist :
Three Ghouls    
1    Part 1    1:38
2    Part 2    4:01
3    Part 3    3:11
4    City Of Brass    6:39
5    Queen Tedmur    5:15
El Stephen    
6    Part 1    6:39
7    Part 2    1:47
8    King & Queen    6:06
Moseb The Executioner    
9    Part 1    1:39
10    Part 2    2:20
11    Part 3    1:55
12    North Africa    6:24
Flight From Karoof    
13    Part 1    6:12
14    Part 2    1:36
15    Planes Of Existence, Part 1    5:26
Arabian Nights    
16    Part 1    4:31
17    Part 2    2:38
18    Gods & Devils    2:16
19    Planes Of Existence, Part 2    2:50
Credits :
Acoustic Guitar, Guitar – Frank Gambale
Bass Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone – Tim Garland
Bass, Handclaps [Palmas] – Carlos Benavent
Drums – Tom Brechtlein, Vinnie Colaiuta
Drums, Handclaps [Palmas] – Steve Gadd
Flute – Hubert Laws
Flute [C-Flute], Soprano Saxophone, Handclaps [Palmas], Alto Flute – Jorge Pardo
Percussion – Hossam Ramzy
Percussion, Shaker, Voice – Airto Moreira
Percussion, Tambourine, Pandeiro, Handclaps [Palmas] – Rubem Dantas
Synthesizer, Percussion, Piano, Producer, Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes], Percussion [Electronic], Handclaps [Palmas] – Chick Corea

JOHN TROPEA — Tropea (1975) Two Version (1996, Fusion Super 1800 Series) + (2014, RM | Blu-spec CD | FLAC (image+tracks+.cue), lossless

By the time guitarist John Tropea had recorded his solo debut on the tiny Marlin imprint in 1976, he had been a session guitarist for nearly a decade. His understated, decidedly non-show-off playing graced records by everyone from Laura Nyro to Deodato (including Prelude and Deodato 2), from Ashford & Simpson to Bo Diddley, from Billy Cobham to Peter Allen, from Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway to Paul Simon, Van Morrison, Luiz Bonfá, and Ray Bryant. After this he played with everyone from Alice Cooper to Lalo Schifrin and Kurtis Blow and way, way beyond. Tropea's cast of studio players is a who's who of the '70s, '80s, and '90s. The core band on this funky, squeaky clean, keyboard, horn, and guitar driven set are bassist Will Lee, keyboardist Don Grolnick, percussionist Rubens Bassini, and drummers Steve Gadd and Rick Marotta -- one in each channel. Some of the guest appearances are stellar: David Sanborn's trademark emotionally rich saxophone is heard on "Muff," and Bob Mintzer's wonderful flute playing on his "Cisco Disco" (which is truly funk and not disco), and Deodato plays keyboards on the beautiful "Dreams." There is a heavyweight reed section with Mintzer, Sanborn, and Michael Brecker among its members and horns that include Randy Brecker, Sam Burtis, and Dave Taylor, to name a few. Yes, this was the 1970s: there are strings with Gene Orloff among them. The tunes? Hip, funky numbers like "Tambourine," with a restrained but toothy fuzz solo by Tropea, great congas by Bassini, and a well balanced but dynamic horn chart. "7th Heaven" is a smoother workout, with punchy actual and keyboard basslines, with great breakbeat work by both drummers. Despite its mid-tempo jaunt, the thing is deep with enough of an uptown soul chorus to make it a popular stepper with the club crowd. It's tunes like these, as well as Mintzer's and Tropea's "The Jingle," that place records like this more on the CTI side of things than in the hardcore Fuzak realm. These selections are songs, not collections of riffs, vamps, and solos. When solos occur in these tunes, they do so with respect to arrangement and groove. It also sounds more lifelike than a lot of what was coming out of L.A. at the time, because it has a decidedly East Coast sensibility. Tropea's production job is expert and tight, but it's his arrangements and orchestrations that are really impressive. The opportunities for excess here with all these superchopper players are many, but not once does any of this album lapse into mere glossy show and sheen. This is one of the truly great forgotten jazz-funk sets of the '70s.
-> This comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our blog 'O Púbis da Rosa' <-
Tracklist :
 1.  Tambourine - 4:40
Arranged By, Orchestrated By – John Tropea

Bass Guitar – Will Lee
Drums [Left Drums] – Rick Marotta
Drums [Right Drums] – Stephen Gadd
Guitar [Guitars] – Tropea
Keyboards – Don Grolnick
Percussion – Rubens Bassini
Written-By – J. Tropea
2. 7th Heaven - 4:13
Bass Guitar – Will Lee
Drums [Left Drums] – Rick Marotta
Drums [Right Drums] – Stephen Gadd
Guitar [Guitars] – John Tropea
Keyboards, Arranged By, Orchestrated By – Don Grolnick
Percussion – Rubens Bassini
Written-By – Don Grolnick
3. The Jingle - 4:39
Arranged By, Orchestrated By – John Tropea
Bass Guitar – Don Payne
Contrabass [Matracca] – C. Conrad
Drums – Alan Schwartzberg
Guitar [Guitars] – John Tropea
Keyboards – Kenny Ascher
Percussion – Nick Remo, Ron Tropea, Rubens Bassini
Written-By – John Tropea
4. Just Blue - 8:17
Alto Saxophone, Soloist – George Young
Arranged By, Orchestrated By – John Tropea
Bass Guitar – Will Lee
Drums [Left Drums] – Rick Marotta
Drums [Right Drums] – Stephen Gadd
Guitar [Guitars] – John Tropea
Keyboards – Don Grolnick
Written-By – John Tropea
5. Muff - 5:59
Arranged By – R. Marotta, W. Lee
Arranged By, Orchestrated By – John Tropea
Bass Guitar – Will Lee
Drums [Left Drums] – Rick Marotta
Drums [Right Drums] – Stephen Gadd
Keyboards – Don Grolnick
Percussion – Rubens Bassini
Saxophone, Soloist – Dave Sanborn
Written-By – Marotta, Lee
Written-By, Guitar [Guitars] – John Tropea
6. Cisco Disco (Bob Mintzer) - 4:35
Arranged By, Orchestrated By – John Tropea
Bass Guitar – Will Lee
Drums [Left Drums] – Rick Marotta
Drums [Right Drums] – Stephen Gadd
Flute [Flutes] – Bob Mintzer
Guitar [Guitars] – John Tropea
Keyboards – Don Grolnick
Percussion – Rubens Bassini
Written-By – Bob Mintzer
7. Tha Bratt (David Spinozza) - 5:07
Arranged By, Orchestrated By – John Tropea
Bass Guitar – Will Lee
Drums [Left Drums] – Rick Marotta
Drums [Right Drums] – Stephen Gadd
Keyboards – Don Grolnick
Lead Guitar – John Tropea
Rhythm Guitar, Arranged By, Orchestrated By – David Spinozza
Written-By – David Spinozza
8. Dreams - 4:46
Bass – Richard Davis
Drums – Rick Marotta
Keyboards, Arranged By, Orchestrated By – Eumir Deodato
Percussion – Rubens Bassini
Trombone, Soloist – Sam Burtis
Written-By, Guitar [Guitars] – John Tropea

IDA SAND — The Gospel Truth (2011) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Earthy and distinctive, gospel-infused, blues and soul-soaked: Ida Sand sings classics from Nina Simone to Bobby Scott. with Raul Midón, Joe Sample and Nils Landgren as guests, among others. ACT
Tracklist :
1    Eyes On The Prize    3:35
2    Ain't No Sunshine    3:45
3    He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother    4:12
4    A Change Is Gonna Come    4:32
5    Have A Talk With God    3:37
6    I Wanna Know What Love Is    4:50
7    Until The End    3:15
8    I Wish I Would Know How    4:14
9    Have A Little Faith In Me    4:21
10    It Is To Know    3:49
11    Like A Prayer    4:00
12    God Only Knows    4:16
Credits :
Ida Sand - Vocals, Piano & Keyboards
Mattias Torell - Guitars
Thobias Gabrielson - Bass
Anders Hedlund - Drums & Percussion

Special Guests:
Raul Midón - Vocals
Joe Sample - Piano
Steve Gadd - Drums
Nils Landgren - Trombone
Magnus Lindgren - Woodwinds
The ACT Jubilee Singers - Backing Vocals

NILS LANDGREN — The Moon, The Stars And You (2011) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Re-release of a milestone in Swedish jazz history. An incredibly atmospheric interpretation of the rich Swedish folk tradition. ACT
Tracklist :
1    Moonshadow 5:11
Written-By – Cat Stevens
2    The Moon, The Stars And You 3:28
Written-By – Michael Wollny, Nils Landgren
3    Oh You Crazy Moon 3:34
Written-By – Jimmy Van Heusen, Johnny Burke
4    Joe's Moonblues 3:57
Written-By – Nils Landgren
5    Angel Of Fortune 4:52
Written-By – Cæcilie Norby, Lars Danielsson
6    Moon River 4:32
Written-By – Henry Mancini
7    Til' There Was You 3:18
Written-By – Meredith Willson
8        Stars In Your Eyes 4:28
Written-By – Herbie Hancock
9    Please Don’t Tell Me How The Story Ends 4:37
Written-By – Kris Kristofferson
10    The Moon’s A Harsh Mistress 4:45
Written-By – Jimmy Webb
11    Holofotes 5:27
Written-By – Antonio Cicero, João Bosco, Waly
12    Lost In The Stars 7:22
Written-By – Kurt Weill
Credits :
Bass – Dan Berglund (tracks: 1), James Genus (tracks: 11), Lars Danielsson (tracks: 2 to 10)
Cover [Cover Art] – Martin Noël
Drums – Kiko Freitas (tracks: 11), Rasmus Kihlberg (tracks: 2, 3, 7, 10), Robert Ikiz (tracks: 12)
Drums, Percussion – André Ferrari (tracks: 1)
Guest, Accordion – Richard Galliano (tracks: 1, 6)
Guest, Backing Band – The NDR Big Band (tracks: 10)
Guest, Drums – Steve Gadd (tracks: 4, 5, 9)
Guest, Guitar, Vocals – João Bosco (tracks: 11)
Guest, Orchestra – The Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra (tracks: 12)
Guest, Piano – Joe Sample (tracks: 4)
Piano – Michael Wollny (tracks: 1 to 5, 7 to 9)
Trombone – Nils Landgren (tracks: 2 to 12)
Vocals – Cæcilie Norby (tracks: 5), Nils Landgren (tracks: 1 to 3, 5, 7 to 10, 12)

CHET BAKER | JIM HALL | HUBERT LAWS — Studio Trieste (1982-2007) RM | Serie CTI Timeless Collection | FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1.    Swan Lake 8:42
Composed By – Tchaikovsky
2.    All Blues 9:43
Composed By – Miles Davis
3    Malagueña 9:44
Composed By – Ernesto Lecuona
4    Django 10:02
Composed By – John Lewis
Credits :
Arranged By – Don Sebesky
Bass – George Mraz (tracks: 1, 4)
Drums – Steve Gadd
Electric Bass – Gary King (tracks: 2, 3)
Engineer – Rudy Van Gelder
Flugelhorn, Trumpet – Chet Baker (tracks: 1, 2, 3)
Flute – Hubert Laws (tracks: 1, 2, 3)
Guitar – Jack Wilkins (tracks: 2), Jim Hall (tracks: 1, 3, 4)
Keyboards – Jorge Dalto (tracks: 2, 3)
Percussion – Sammy Figueroa
Piano, Electric Piano, Synthesizer – Kenny Barron (tracks: 1, 4)
Producer – Creed Taylor

LALO SCHIFRIN — Towering Toccata (1977-2017) RM | HQC | Serie CTI+RVG Ultimate Remastering Series, CTI PS | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

After scoring an unexpected high-profile success with the disco/jazz fusion of Black Widow, Lalo Schifrin quickly recorded a follow-up album in a similar vein. 1977's Towering Toccata replicates the elegant yet dance-friendly style of Black Widow to the tee, right down to the unconventional cover choices. The best of these is the title track, an insistently rhythmic piece that transforms Bach's gothic-organ extravaganza "Toccata and Prelude in F Minor" into a mid-tempo disco workout that backs up Schifrin's jazzy explorations on the electric piano and synthesizer with scratching rhythm guitar and a pronounced dance beat. Other notable moments on this album include "Most Wanted Theme," which is transformed from action-show theme music into a symphonic funk workout, and "Rollercoaster," a funky vamp from the Schifrin soundtrack of the same name that is ideally suited for Towering Toccata's disco/jazz mindset. There is even another monster-movie theme cover in the vein of the previous album's "Jaws"; this time, it's a disco-friendly treatment of John Barry's "Theme From King Kong" that layers atmospheric horn and flute lines over a bottom-heavy rhythm section fueled by wah-wah guitar and synth bass. However, other tracks on Towering Toccata fail to be as distinctive or adventurous as these highlights. For instance, the original tunes ("Macumba," "Midnight Woman") fit the album's mood but are lacking strong hooks and memorable twists in their arrangements that distinguished the originals on Black Widow. This problem of inconsistent material, combined with the fact that the album is basically a stylistic carbon copy of its predecessor, means that it isn't the ideal follow-up to Black Widow that Schifrin fans might have hoped for. That said, the album has enough strong tunes and enough of a consistent sound to please hardcore Lalo Schifrin fans and anyone who loved Black Widow. Donald A. Guarisco  
Tracklist :
1 Towering Toccata 5:02
Soloist, Flute – Jeremy Steig
2 Frances' Theme 4:19
Flute – Jeremy Steig
3 Macumba 6:31
Drums [Dahka-de-bello] – Steve Gadd
Flute – Jeremy Steig
Soloist, Guitar – Eric Gale
4 Eagles In Love 2:49
Lalo Schifrin
5 Theme From King Kong 4:12
Soloist, Guitar – Eric Gale, John Tropea
6 Most Wanted Theme 2:42
Bass – Will Lee
Soloist, Violin [Vitar] – John Blair
7 Midnight Woman 6:09
Bass – Will Lee
Soloist, Flute – Joe Farrell
Soloist, Piano – Lalo Schifrin
8 Roller Coaster 4:48
Drums – Andrew Smith
Credits:
Alto Saxophone – Gerry Niewood
Baritone Saxophone – Ronnie Cuber
Bass – Anthony Jackson
Cello – Alan Shulman, Charles McCracken
Conductor, Arranged By  – Lalo Schifrin
Drums – Steve Gadd
Flute – Dave Tofani, Lou Marini
Keyboards – Clark Spangler
Percussion – Don Armando Bonilla, Ralph MacDonald, Sue Evans
Producer – Creed Taylor
Saxophone – Dave Tofani
Tenor Saxophone – Lou Marini
Trombone – Urbie Green
Trumpet – Burt Collins, John Frosk, John Gatchell
Viola – Manny Vardi, Lamar Alsop
Violin – Charles Libove, David Nadien, Emanuel Green, Marvin Morgenstern, Matthew Raimondi, Max Ellen, Max Pollikoff, Paul Gershman

Grover Washington, Jr. — Winelight (1980-2014) RM | Serie Fusion Best Collection 1000 | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Grover Washington, Jr., has long been one of the leaders in what could be called rhythm & jazz, essentially R&B-influenced jazz. Winelight is one of his finest albums, and not primarily because of the Bill Withers hit "Just the Two of Us." It is the five instrumentals that find Washington (on soprano, alto, and tenor) really stretching out. If he had been only interested in sales, Washington's solos could have been half as long and he would have stuck closely to the melody. Instead he really pushes himself on some of these selections, particularly the title cut. A memorable set of high-quality and danceable soul-jazz. Scott Yanow

Tracklist  :
1    Winelight 7:32
Written-By – William Eaton
2    Let It Flow (For "Dr. J") 5:52
Written-By – Grover Washington, Jr.
3    In The Name Of Love 5:26
Written-By – Ralph MacDonald, William Salter
4    Take Me There 6:16
Written-By – Grover Washington, Jr.
5    Just The Two Of Us 7:23
Written-By – Bill Withers, Ralph MacDonald, William Salter
6    Make Me A Memory (Sad Samba) 6:32
Written-By – Grover Washington, Jr.
Credits :
Backing Vocals – Hilda Harris, Ullanda McCullough, Yvonne Lewis
Bass – Marcus Miller
Clavinet – Paul Griffin (tracks: 1), Raymond Chew (tracks: 1)
Congas, Percussion, Electronic Drums [Syndrums] – Ralph MacDonald
Drums – Steve Gadd
Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes] – Paul Griffin (tracks: 2, 4), Richard Tee (tracks: 1, 3, 5, 6)
Guitar – Eric Gale
Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Grover Washington, Jr.
Steel Drums – Robert Greenidge
Synthesizer [Oberheim 8-Voice] – Ed Walsh
Synthesizer [Oberheim] – Bill Eaton (tracks: 5)
Technician [Steel Drums Tuned By] – Rudolph Charles
Vocals – Bill Withers (tracks: 5)

RON CARTER — Yellow And Green (1976-1987) RM | Serie The Original CTI Recordings Digitally Remastered For Compact Disc | APE (image+.cue), lossless

A low point for bassist Ron Carter, this aimless set suffers from the malaise that hit the jazz scene after the fusion boom of the late '60s and early '70s. Somewhere about the time of this 1976 release, fusion's creative energies were being overtaken by a new drive to blend jazz with pop music. The theory was this would expand the jazz audience. The reality was music that only alienated jazz fans and held limited appeal to pop audiences. Yellow and Green is a representative product of this era. For the most part, it's a hollow, pointless exercise, afflicted by the stylistic tug of war inherent in the jazz-pop hybrids of the late '70s. The writing is directionless and the playing mainly indifferent. The LP chiefly serves as a showcase for Carter's overdubbed piccolo and acoustic basses. Unfortunately, the performances are too often a clutter of busy fingers, with the bassist's overly enthusiastic virtuosity getting in the way of any chance for musical dialogue between his instruments. Not surprisingly, the best tracks -- the respectable ballad "Opus 1.5" and a jaunty version of Thelonious Monk's "Epistrophy" -- are the most straight-ahead, done without overdubbing and with some decent piano from Kenny Barron. Elsewhere, Don Grolnick chimes blandly on electric piano and Hugh McCracken contributes wispy guitar accompaniment that serves no purpose, while drummer Billy Cobham tries to keep from being overwhelmed by the dullness of it all. An episode best forgotten. Jim Todd
Tracklist :
1    Tenaj 7:44
Composed By – Ron Carter
2    Receipt, Please 7:05
Composed By – Ron Carter
3    Willow Weep For Me 2:39
Composed By – Ann Ronell
4    Yellow & Green 6:13
Composed By – Ron Carter
Electric Bass – Ron Carter
Harmonica – Hugh McCracken
5    Opus 1.5 6:54
Composed By – Ron Carter
6    Epistrophy 6:08
Composed By – Kenny Clarke, Thelonious Monk
Drums – Ben Riley
– BONUS TRACK – (Alternate Takes)    
7    Receipt, Please 5:25
Composed By – R. Carter
8    Yellow & Green 5:03
Composed By – R. Carter
Credits :
Acoustic Bass – Ron Carter (tracks: 1, 2, 4 to 8)
Arranged By – Ron Carter
Bass [Piccolo Bass] – Ron Carter (tracks: 2 to 4)
Cowbell, Tambourine – Ron Carter (tracks: 2, 4)
Drums – Billy Cobham (tracks: 1, 2, 4, 5), Steve Gadd (tracks: 7, 8)
Electric Piano – Don Grolnick (tracks: 2, 4), Richard Tee (tracks: 7, 8)
Engineer – Rudy Van Gelder
Flute – Hubert Laws (tracks: 7, 8)
Guitar – Eric Gale (tracks: 7, 8), Hugh McCracken (tracks: 1, 2, 4, 5)
Percussion – Arthur Jenkins (tracks: 7, 8), Dom Um Romao (tracks: 2, 5), George Devens (tracks: 7, 8), Ralph MacDonald (tracks: 7, 8)
Piano – Don Grolnick (tracks: 2), Kenny Barron (tracks: 1, 5, 6)
Producer – Creed Taylor
Saxophone – Dave Sanborn (tracks: 7, 8), Mike Brecker (tracks: 7, 8), Phil Woods (tracks: 7, 8)
Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Alan Rubin (tracks: 7, 8), Randy Brecker (tracks: 7, 8)

AL DI MEOLA — Electric Rendezvous (1982) APE (image+.cue), lossless

Al di Meola's fifth of seven fusion albums as a leader for Columbia is a typically fiery effort, with di Meola joined by keyboardist Jan Hammer, electric bassist Anthony Jackson, drummer Steve Gadd, percussionist Mingo Lewis, and guest spots for flamenco guitarist Paco de Lucía ("Passion, Grace & Fire") and keyboardist Philippe Saisse. This lesser-known effort is easily recommended to fans of rock-ish jazz guitar. Scott Yanow
Tracklist  :
1 God Bird Change 3:57
Composed By – Mingo Lewis
2 Electric Rendezvous 7:55
Composed By – Al Di Meola
3 Passion, Grace & Fire 5:40
Composed By – Al Di Meola
4 Cruisin' 4:19
Composed By – Jan Hammer
5 Black Cat Shuffle 3:06
Composed By – Philippe Saisse
6 Ritmo De La Noche 4:21
Composed By – Al Di Meola
7 Somalia 1:40
Composed By – Al Di Meola
8 Jewel Inside A Dream 4:06
Composed By – Al Di Meola
Credits
Bass – Anthony Jackson (tracks: 1, 2, 4 to 8)
Drums – Steve Gadd (tracks: 1, 2, 4 to 8)
Guitar – Al Di Meola, Paco De Lucia (tracks: 3)
Keyboards – Jan Hammer (tracks: 1, 2, 4, 6 to 8), P. Saisse (tracks: 5)
Percussion – Mingo Lewis (tracks: 1, 2, 4 to 8)

JOE FARRELL— Penny Arcade (1974-2011) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Joe Farrell gained his greatest fame with his popular string of CTI recordings. For this set, he performs three of his originals (none of which caught on), guitarist Joe Beck's "Penny Arcade," and a 13-minute version of Stevie Wonder's "Too High." Farrell (heard on tenor, soprano, flute and piccolo) is in excellent form, as are keyboardist Herbie Hancock, Beck, bassist Herb Bushler, drummer Steve Gadd and Don Alias on conga. As is true of his other CTI sets, this Joe Farrell effort expertly mixes together some slightly commercial elements and superior recording quality with strong solos. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1. Penny Arcade (Joe Beck) – 4:45
2. Too High (Stevie Wonder) – 13:15
3. Hurricane Jane (Joe Farrell) – 4:25
4. Cloud Cream (Joe Farrell) – 6:15
5. Geo Blue (Joe Farrell) – 7:30
Credits :
Joe Farrell – Tenor and Soprano Sax, Flute, Piccolo
Herbie Hancock – Piano
Joe Beck – Guitar
Steve Gadd- Drums
Herb Bushler – Bass
Don Alias – Conga

JOE SAMPLE AND THE SOUL COMMITTEE — Did You Feel That? (1994-2014) RN | Serie Fusion Best Collection 1000 | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

There is some serious shaking going on in the studio here, and it appears the veteran Sample has found a great situation to let out his more aggressive edges. What must it be like to be a legend and try to somehow uncover a path you haven't driven on before? How can a cat like Sample top himself? It's always rewarding when a veteran artist twists expectations with a brand new sound, even if reaching into his past for the germ of the idea. Sample darts at the listener with a whole new, nonstop brass funk approach, allowing his all-star Soul Committee to lay down the grooves beneath his still plucky ivory spirit. Though Did You Feel That? cooks from start to finish, employing inventive rhythmic touches, simmering cool, and a flashy retro production style, it's sometimes too easy to compare the wild horn tandem of Oscar Brashear and Joel Peskin with old Sample cohorts Wilton Felder and Wayne Henderson. Sort of a Crusaders for the modern age. What shines through, however, is Sample's successful execution as a leader of a true ensemble, rather than just a slew of sessionaires. He takes some tasty solos, but makes sure that members of the Committee are allowed their own voices as they chime in with the Chairman of the Board. And just for the record, the other Committee members include drummer Steve Gadd, bassist Freddie Washington, guitarists Michael Landau and Arthur Adams, plus percussionist Lenny Castro. An added treat is the funky historical artwork, an Aaron Douglas painting called "Aspects of Negro Life" from "Slavery Through Reconstruction." It shows the joy of the culture, perfectly mirroring the excitement found on the album. Jonathan Widran    Tracklist & Credits :

JOE SAMPLE — Sample This (1997) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

In case anyone has forgotten how ingratiating and prolific Joe Sample the songwriter has been, the master of elegant funk re-records 14 songs here. And it is a cooler, more reflective light in which Sample and producer George Duke see his old tunes in the '90s: with relaxed, uncomplicated, to-the-point acoustic piano leads; a mildly percolating beat; and a veneer-thin garnish of electronics. It is both safe and risky to revisit the past -- safe because one is surrounded by comfortable material and risky because artists seldom recapture all of the old spark. Alas, more often than not, the latter applies to Sample's attempt to go home again, though the good tunes remain good tunes. Some of the songs go back to the Crusaders; "Free as the Wind" especially lacks the energy of the original, but "Put It Where You Want It," thanks in part to Sample's use of a funky old Wurlitzer electric piano, has a nice groove. Finally, just for fun, Sample slips in a jaunty solo benediction courtesy of Jelly Roll Morton, "Shreveport Stomp." Richard S. Ginell
Tracklist & Credits :

RANDY CRAWFORD & JOE SAMPLE — Feeling Good (2006) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

After a quarter of a century in the Warner Bros. camp and five years on the recording sidelines, Randy Crawford drew a circle back to the beginning, reuniting with keyboardist Joe Sample. In turn, the old Crusader put together a genuinely distinguished rhythm section, bassist Christian McBride and drummer Steve Gadd, and called upon Tommy LiPuma to produce the disc. That combination ought to guarantee a certain floor of competence from the get-go -- and it's great to report that this disc always rises above it, sometimes considerably above it. By this time, both Crawford and Sample were established veterans -- and the music they make here seems to come so easily from within, with only minimal backing and nothing getting in their way. Gadd puts out a propulsive beat on brushes that pushes the title track along just fine -- and his work on "See Line Woman" and "Last Night at Danceland" generates something resembling the irresistible Crusaders groove, giving Sample something to trip lightly and soulfully through. Every track seems to change style with a smooth movement of the clutch -- the slinky R&B funk of "Lovetown," the gentle Latin beat of "Rio de Janeiro Blue," the pure mainstream piano trio jazz of "But Beautiful," the heavy blues atmosphere of "Tell Me More and More and Then Some," a trip back to the 1960s' Top 40 with "Everybody's Talking" (dig Randy's fervent high note that Harry Nilsson once hit in falsetto). A very gratifying release -- considering how tempting it would have been to crank this out on autopilot. Richard S. Ginell
Tracklist & Credits :

RANDY CRAWFORD & JOE SAMPLE With STEVE GADD & NIKLAS SAMPLE — Live (2012) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Randy Crawford's and Joe Sample's musical paths have been intertwined for 36 years; they began with his keyboard work on her debut album Everything Must Change in 1976. She returned the favor a couple of years later with her vocal on the Crusaders' 1978 smash "Street Life." The pair have worked together intermittently since then, but only formally recorded as a dual entity on 2007's Feeling Good, a collection of (mostly) jazz tunes and standards. They followed it with No Regrets in 2008, a collection of blues, soul, and pop tunes. Both albums were highly regarded critically. Sample's piano was aided by drummer Steve Gadd and bassist Christian McBride. Live was recorded on various European stages between October and December of 2008, immediately prior to and just after the release of No Regrets. Gadd is present here, but it is Sample's son Nicklas in the upright bass chair. The impeccably recorded program is drawn from both albums and then some. Beginning with an in-the-pocket read of "Everyday I Have the Blues," and continuing with standards from the jazz, blues, and soul books, the set is well-sequenced and feels very much like a seamless live date. There's an excellent, jazzed-up reading of "Street Life" surprisingly enough, and a shimmering take on Tony Joe White's "Rainy Night in Georgia" (that features Sample quoting from the Crusaders' "Hard Times" in his vamps and fills. There's also moving a version of Clyde Otis' "This Bitter Earth" (first recorded by Dinah Washington in 1960). The tunes that reflect the depth of Crawford's and Sample's musical relationship best, however, are in her "Almaz," and Sample's "One Day I'll Fly Away." On the former, Crawford's vocal is haunting, spare, intimate; it is underscored by Sample's elegant playing with its restrained harmonics and Spanish tinge. The latter tune was more risky. Given that the song was a hit for Crawford and is her best-known tune, the bubbling bassline and lush strings are parts of its signature. Stripping all that back for this piano-trio setting meant letting the tune's simple melody be the sole anchor for its smoldering emotion. Crawford deliberately understates it. Sample responds by filling the spaces with poetic economy and a new version emerges that is every bit as resonant. While Live is a further inscription in the collaborative book authored by Crawford and Sample, it is more, too: a classy, soulful example of inspired musicmaking.
-> This comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our blog 'O Púbis da Rosa' <-
Tracklist & Credits :

ART FARMER - Crawl Space (1977-2016) RM | Blu-spec | CTI Supreme Collection | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Some of the finer CTI recordings of the late '70s were those led by flugelhornist Art Farmer. Although the emphasis was generally on obscure material (in this case Farmer plays one original, two songs by Dave Grusin and one piece by pianist Fritz Pauer) and often featured musicians who did not normally play together, the results were generally quite rewarding. For this CTI LP (long out-of-print), the focus is almost entirely on Farmer who is joined by keyboardist Grusin, guitarist Eric Gale, flutist Jeremy Steig, either Will Lee or George Mraz on bass and drummer Steve Gadd. The moody music holds one's interest throughout. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1    Crawl Space 8'52
Arranged By – David Grusin
2    Siddhartha 7'36
Arranged By – Fritz Pauer
3    Chanson 8'36
Arranged By – David Grusin
4    Petite Belle 9'41
Arranged By – Fritz Pauer
Credits :
Acoustic Bass – George Mraz (pistas: 2)
Drums – Steve Gadd
Electric Bass – Will Lee
Engineer – Rudy Van Gelder
Flute – Jeremy Steig
Guitar – Eric Gale
Keyboards – David Grusin
Producer – Creed Taylor
Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Art Farmer

ART FARMER WITH JOE HENDERSON - Yama (1979-2017) RM | CTI 50th Anniversary | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Flugelhornist Art Farmer's fourth and final LP for CTI also features tenor-saxophonist Joe Henderson. The material (which includes originals by Clare Fischer, Joe Zawinul, Don Grolnick and Mike Mainieri) is not the most memorable and the funky rhythm section (which is greatly expanded) does not really blend all that well with the styles of Farmer and Henderson so this set is not as exciting as one might hope. A decent but largely forgettable effort. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     Dulzura 4'10
Joe Henderson
2    Stop (Think Again) 6'48
Composed By – Barry, Robin & Maurice Gibb
3     Young and Fine 6'44
Joe Zawinul
4     Lotus Blossom 8'23
Don Grolnick
5     Blue Montreux 6'58
Mike Mainieri
Credits :
Arranged By, Producer [Associate], Synthesizer, Vibraphone – Mike Mainieri
Bass – Eddie Gomez
Drums – Steve Gadd
Electric Bass – Will Lee
Flugelhorn – Art Farmer
Guitar – David Spinozza, John Tropea
Keyboards – Don Grolnick, Fred Hersch, Warren Bernhardt
Mastered By – Rudy Van Gelder
Percussion – Sammy Figueroa
Producer – Creed Taylor
Synthesizer [Programming] – Suzanne Ciani
Tenor Saxophone – Joe Henderson

CHET BAKER - She Was Too Good To Me (1974-2010) CTI Records 40th Anniversary / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Baker began his comeback after five years of musical inactivity with this excellent CTI date. Highlights include "Autumn Leaves," "Tangerine," and "With a Song in My Heart." Altoist Paul Desmond is a major asset on two songs and the occasional strings give variety to this fine session. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1. Autumn Leaves  7:02
Written-By – Johnny Mercer, Joseph Kosma
2. She Was Too Good to Me 4:40
Written-By – Rodgers & Hart
3. Funk in Deep Freeze 6:06
Written-By – Hank Mobley
4. Tangerine 5:27
Written-By – Johnny Mercer, Victor Schertzinger
5. With a Song in My Heart 4:04
Written-By – Rodgers & Hart
6. What'll I Do? 3:55
Written-By – Irving Berlin
7. It's You or No One 4:28
Written-By – Jule Styne, Sammy Cahn
8. My Future Just Passed 4:46
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Paul Desmond
Arranged By, Conductor – Don Sebesky
Bass – Ron Carter
Cello – George Ricci, Jesse Levy, Warren Lash
Drums – Jack DeJohnette (faixas: 5, 6, 7), Steve Gadd (faixas: 1 to 4, 8)
Electric Piano – Bob James
Engineer – Rudy Van Gelder
Flute [Alto], Oboe [D'amore] – George Marge
Flute, Clarinet – Romeo Penque
Flute, Flute [Alto] – Hubert Laws
Producer – Creed Taylor
Trumpet, Vocals – Chet Baker
Vibraphone – Dave Friedman
Violin – Barry Finclair, David Nadien, Emanuel Green, Harold Kohon, Harry Glickman, Herbert Sorkin, Lewis Eley, Max Ellen, Paul Gershman

ART FARMER AND JIM HALL — Big Blues (1978-2006) RM | Serie CTI Timeless Collection | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Flügelhornist Art Farmer and guitarist Jim Hall had a regular group for a time in the mid-'60s but (with one exception) didn't play together again until this 1978 LP. It's an unusual effort for CTI in that it is a quintet set without added horns, strings, or keyboards. Farmer and Hall are joined by vibraphonist Mike Mainieri, bassist Michael Moore, and drummer Steve Gadd for two standards, the title cut, and a jazz adaptation of a piece by Ravel. Since Farmer and Hall have long had very complementary styles (both being lyrical, harmonically advanced, and thoughtful in their improvisations), it is little surprise that this set is a complete success. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     Whisper Not 8:44
Benny Golson
2     A Child Is Born 7:40
Thad Jones
3     Big Blues 7:23
Jim Hall
4     Pavane for a Dead Princess 10:50
Maurice Ravel
Credits :
Arranged By – David Matthews
Bass – Mike Moore
Drums – Steve Gadd
Flugelhorn – Art Farmer
Guitar – Jim Hall
Vibraphone – Mike Mainieri

HUBERT LAWS - The Chicago Theme (1974-2017) CTI+RVG / UHQ / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Hubert Laws made his finest recordings playing arrangements by Don Sebesky. Unfortunately, starting with this project, Bob James began to take over the writing chores, and the flutist's recordings became much more commercial. Rather than performing with a small group, as he did on his best sessions, Laws is joined by strings and funky rhythm sections playing now-dated commercial grooves. The six selections (which include James' forgettable "Chicago Theme," "Midnight at the Oasis" and Dvorák's "Going Home") are listenable, but nothing special. The only reason to acquire this out of print LP is for Laws' still-superb flute playing. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1    The Chicago Theme 5:37
Alto Saxophone [Solo] – David Sanborn
Arranged By – Bob James
Bass – Doug Bascomb
Guitar – Joe Beck, Phil Upchurch
Written-By – Bob James
2    Midnight At The Oasis 5:28
Arranged By – Bob James
Bass – Doug Bascomb
Guitar [Solo] – George Benson
Written-By – David Nichtern
3    You Make Me Feel Brand New 5:50
Arranged By – Bob James
Bass – Ron Carter
Guitar [Solo] – Eric Gale
Written-By – Linda Creed, Thom Bell
4    Going Home 5:04
Adapted, Arranged By – Bob James
Bass – Ron Carter
Guitar – Richie Resnicoff
Written-By – Dvorak
5    I Had A Dream 6:00
Arranged By – Hubert Laws
Bass – Doug Bascomb
Clavinet – Bob James
Piano [Solo] – Bob James
Written-By – Hubert Laws
6    Inflation Chaser 6:00
Arranged By – Hubert Laws
Bass – Stanley Clarke
Drums – Andrew Smith
Tenor Saxophone [Solo] – Mike Brecker
Written-By – Hubert Laws
Credits :
Cello – Alan Shulman, George Ricci
Drums – Steve Gadd
Flute – Hubert Laws
Keyboards – Don Grolnick
Percussion – Ralph MacDonald
Producer, Reissue Producer – Creed Taylor
Recorded By, Mixed By, Remastered by – Rudy Van Gelder
Trumpet – Randy Brecker
Viola – Al Brown, Manny Vardi
Violin – Charles Libove, David Nadien, Emanuel Green, Gayle Dixon, Harold Kohon, Harry Cykman, Harry Lookofsky, Matthew Raimondi, Max Ellen, Paul Gershman