STEVE KUHN | STEVE SWALLOW — Two By 2 (1996-2007) RM | Confluences Series | FLAC (tracks), lossless

The verve of a duet recording between pianist Steve Kuhn and electric bass guitarist Steve Swallow cannot be underestimated. An inherent telepathy, shared concern for beauty, and high level of musicianship should lead one to believe, on paper, that this would be a perfect joining, and indeed it is. So many outstanding pieces highlight this disc, especially considering they play no standards. Of Kuhn's compositions, you get the stunning "Deep Tango," with its stop-start tendencies, and Kuhn vocally reciting "Poem for #15" (never previously recorded with the verse), also known as "The Saga of Harrison Crabfeathers." Both of these classics were previously heard on the ECM recording Playground, which Kuhn did in collaboration with Sheila Jordan. There's the bluesy title selection, the fun "Mr. Calypso Kuhn" (rivaling the Sonny Rollins evergreen "St. Thomas"), and the utterly gorgeous "Gentle Thoughts." Swallow assimilates legitimate single-string high-octave guitar leads on "Deep Tango" and "Gentle Thoughts," but sticks with traditional basslines on most of the record, and he is an unquestioned master at that. His compositional contributions are his more famous than ever melody of "Eiderdown" (a great rendition), the noir drama samba "Ladies in Mercedes" (popularized by Carla Bley), and the spirit waltz "Remember." All pieces are played with a modern luster and shine rivaling a mirror-like polished piece of chrome. Whether pristine and pretty, pensive and moody, or bright and bouncy, Kuhn and Swallow consistently deliver a timeless recording that should stand all tests of time, and is definitely recommended. Michael G. Nastos
Tracklist :
1    Gentle Thoughts 4:01
Composed By – Steve Kuhn
2    Two By Two 3:51
Composed By – Steve Kuhn
3    Remember 5:56
Composed By – Steve Swallow
4    Wrong Together 4:33
Composed By – Steve Swallow
5    Eiderdown 5:33
Composed By – Steve Swallow
6    Lullaby 5:47
Composed By – Steve Kuhn
7    Ladies In Mercedes 6:30
Composed By – Steve Swallow
8    Deep Tango 6:31
Composed By – Steve Kuhn
9    Poem For #15 6:39
Composed By – Steve Kuhn
10    Mr Calypso Kuhn 2:55
Composed By – Steve Kuhn
11    Emmanuel 5:39
Composed By – Michel Colombier
Credits :
Electric Bass – Steve Swallow
Piano – Steve Kuhn

STEVE KUHN — Love Walked In (1998-2003) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Pianist Steve Kuhn has played a wide variety of music throughout his career, including his own intriguing originals and collaborations with Sheila Jordan. This set, a straight-ahead swinger with bassist Buster Williams and drummer Bill Stewart, should greatly satisfy bop-oriented jazz fans, for it finds Kuhn coming up with consistently fresh ideas in a conventional but far from exhausted setting. Whether digging into Duke Jordan's "No Problem," "Love Walked In," a passionate version of "Autumn Leaves," or even "Sunny," Kuhn is heard throughout at the top of his game. The presence of Williams and Stewart in supporting but stimulating roles clearly inspired Steve Kuhn, making this an easily recommended date. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1    No Problem 7:29
Composed By – Duke Jordan
2    Land Of The Living Dead 6:58
Composed By – Al Gafa
3    Sunny 6:08
Composed By – Bobby Hebb
4    Love Walked In 6:08
Composed By – George Gershwin
5    Saharan 5:15
Composed By – Steve Kuhn
6    Prelude To A Kiss 6:20
Composed By – Duke Ellington
7    All Alone 5:21
Composed By – Irving Berlin
8    Autumn Leaves 5:10
Composed By – Joseph Kosma
9    Lines 5:45
Composed By – Vigleik Storaas
10    You've Changed 7:36
Composed By – Cole Porter
Credits :
Bass – Buster Williams
Drums – Bill Stewart
Piano – Steve Kuhn

STEVE KUHN – Pastorale (2007) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Steve Kuhn has recorded a wide variety of music in his career, sometimes as a sideman (including with Sheila Jordan, Art Farmer, Kenny Dorham and Stan Getz), and more often as a leader. On Pastorale, he returns to his bop-oriented roots. Playing straight-ahead jazz with bassist Eddie Gomez and drummer Billy Drummond, Kuhn digs into seven vintage standards plus two of his originals. Kuhn hints at both Bud Powell and Bill Evans in spots while retaining his own musical personality. His improvisations are thoughtful, often joyful and always intriguing, really uplifting "Charade" and coming up with fresh variations to "Remember." This is one of Kuhn's most accessible dates and is highly recommended. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1    Charade     7:54
2    Remember     7:49
3    Years Later    7:10
4    Once Upon A Summertime     5:08
5    How Am I To Know?    8:13
6    My Buddy    4:53
7    I'll Take Romance    8:13
8    I'm Glad There Is You    5:07
9    Pastorale     4:23
Credits :
Bass – Eddie Gomez
Drums – Billy Drummond
Piano – Steve Kuhn

STEVE KUHN TRIO — At This Time ... (2016) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1    My Shining Hour 6:33
Written-By – Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer
2    Ah Moore 9:19
Written-By – Al Cohn
3    The Pawnbroker 6:10
Written-By – Quincy Jones
4    All The Rest Is The Same 7:33
Written-By – Steve Kuhn
5    The Feeling Within 5:49
Written-By – Steve Kuhn
6    Carousel 5:51
Written-By – Duncan Lamont
7    Lonely Town 5:47
Written-By – Leonard Bernstein
8    This Is New 5:45
Written-By – Kurt Weil
9    I Waited For You 6:06
Written-By – Gil Fuller
Credits :
Electric Bass – Steve Swallow
Drums – Joey Baron
Piano – Steve Kuhn

STEVE KUHN TRIO with STEVE SWALLOW | JOEY BARON — To And From The Heart (2018) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Tracklist :
1    Thinking Out Loud 7:49
Written-By – Steve Swallow
2    Pure Imagination 6:15
Written-By – Anthony Newly, Leslie Bricusse
3    Away 6:00
Written-By – Steve Swallow
4    Never Let Me Go 4:38
Written-By – Raymond Evans & Jay Livingston
5    Into The New World 5:29
Written-By – Michika Fukumori
6    Trance / Oceans In The Sky 16:29
Written-By – Steve Kuhn
Credits :
Bass – Steve Swallow
Drums – Joey Baron
Piano, Producer [Produced By] – Steve Kuhn

PAUL BLEY | JIMMY GIUFFRE | STEVE SWALLOW — The Life Of A Trio : Saturday (1990-2007) RM | Confluences Series | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

 The venerable Sunnyside label has re-released the two Life of a Trio nights -- originally issued in the early '90s on CD by France's Owl label -- that featured the 1989 reunion of the 1961-1962 Jimmy Giuffre 3 of Giuffre on reeds, pianist Paul Bley, and bassist Steve Swallow. The first evening, Saturday, December 16, began with a solo clarinet improvisation by Giuffre, followed by "Black Ivory," a duet between Giuffre and Bley, and then "Owl Eyes," by solo Bley, with the tension heating up as Bley duets with Swallow on "Endless Melody," until they come together all too briefly (5:22) for "Turns." Effortless, spontaneous, adventurous, and even moving, this trio released three of the most provocative -- and all but ignored -- recordings in '60s jazz: Fusion and Thesis for Verve in 1961 and the undisputed radical classic Free Fall for Columbia in 1962. Live performances from the period have appeared on Hat and ECM. As the trio plays together -- with Swallow on his electric bass -- on "Turns," time seems to be stripped away, and the microtonal and pointillistic investigations in collective improvisation embarked upon nearly three decades previously are as current as the next breath. And indeed they are, as there were no rehearsals, no extra or alternate takes, nothing but the music as it happened. There are only two other trio pieces (the others in two parts each) on Saturday night; the other pieces making up the set are solos by Bley, Swallow, and Giuffre on soprano. No matter. What comes out is an investigation of sound from the inside out, textually, tonally, spatially. Extraordinary.
-> This comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our blog 'O Púbis da Rosa' <-
Tracklist & Credits :

PAUL BLEY | JIMMY GIUFFRE | STEVE SWALLOW — The Life Of A Trio : Sunday (1990-2007) RM | Confluences Series | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The second night of the 1989 reunion in New York of the 1961-1962 Jimmy Giuffre 3 with pianist Paul Bley and (now electric) bassist Steve Swallow in some ways eclipses the first. The fact that there is more integration between the trio members as a whole than on the first evening is certainly one place to start. At the very beginning, "Sensing" -- with Giuffre on soprano and Bley playing bass notes in the lowest register as Swallow enters and takes over the role and Bley moves to the middle -- is a stunner, though it is only four minutes and 13 seconds long. The breadth of the players seems to have come back to them as a unit with these live, as-they-happened, no-second-take performances. There are six full performances here -- and oddly enough the most satisfying of them is a composed piece by Carla Bley entitled "Where Were We?" -- instead of three from the previous evening. Giuffre is more comfortable on the soprano here, and the duos are quite literally amazing. Bley has a pair of piano solos, Giuffre has one clarinet solo, and the rest are duos made up of either bass and piano, clarinet and bass, soprano and piano, soprano and bass, etc. The joy of music-making and the inherent lyricism in these pieces reflect not only a sense of familiarity with the dialogue and improvisational feel of each player, but the true desire to communicate from inside the sound being explored to the listener as well. There may have been a few more viscerally exciting performances by vanguard jazz trios during 1989, but few of them that revealed -- via the strength of restraint -- what tonality, dissonance, and harmony can achieve when what is explored is music for its own sake. Highly recommended.
-> This comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our blog 'O Púbis da Rosa' <-
Tracklist & Credits :

ABSOLUTE ENSEMBLE ft. JOE ZAWINUL — Absolute Zawinul (2009) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Of the many projects for Estonian-born Kristjan Jarvi and the Absolute Ensemble, this one likely required the most work, and is dearest to their hearts. A collaboration with Joe Zawinul before he passed away is the result, and Absolute Zawinul is a perfect title. While there are inferences to Weather Report, this music is what Zawinul was performing prior to his death -- a steamy multi-ethnic brew of electronic and natural sounds, in this case with his band and the Absolute Enemble Orchestra via arrangements by Gene Pritsker. Except for one track at the Zawinul Tribute Concert in Vienna, Austria shorty after he died, this is a studio date with the keyboardist and friends in full-flight. A vocoder is used frequently, and the near-30-piece orchestra fairly roars in approval with a reverential, at-times hushed, but constant underlying tone. Themes dedicated to the Ottoman Empire, Japan, American gospel music, and Euro-dance (check out the extraordinary "Good Day") or rock music are clearly present. The heavy, celebratory beat of "Bimoya," the obvious influence of "Sultan," and the speaking-in-tongues effects during the Asian-flavored "Great Empire" are much more direct and focused than subtle. "The Peasant" is electronically synthesized in an Eastern Indian classical motif, while the concert piece without Zawinul, "Ice Pick Willy," lashes out rocking à la Gil Evans in his Jimi Hendrix period. Overdubs are used liberally, and the standout musicians are Linley Marthe on electric bass guitar, Absolute flutist Hayley Melitta Reid, and vocalist Aziz Sahmaoui. It's a fine tribute to the genius of Joe Zawinul musically, while the CD also includes QuickTime videos adaptable to PC or Mac users, and a PDF file for credits and photos. Absolute Zawinul comes with a heartily high recommendation. Michael G. Nastos      Tracklist & Credits :

LEE KONITZ | MICHEL PETRUCCIANI - Toot Sweet (1982-2001) FLAC (tracks), lossless

This 1982 meeting between the veteran alto saxophonist Lee Konitz and the young pianist (19 at the time of the session) Michel Petrucciani is a success on all counts. Konitz's fragile alto is complemented by Petrucciani's lush backing in "I Hear a Rhapsody," while their abstract approach to "'Round Midnight" and "Lover Man" are both very refreshing. Konitz is unaccompanied for his wandering "Ode," while the pianist is featured alone on his complex portrait "To Erlinda," which is dedicated to his first wife. Petrucciani and Konitz wrote the brief closer, the lively blues "Lovelee," during which they initially play apart from one another before joining forces to close with a flourish. This was only Petrucciani's third recording, yet he plays far beyond his years; this recommended CD will be difficult to find due to the demise of the Owl label. Ken Dryden
Tracklist :
1     I Hear a Rhapsody 4:43
Jack Baker / George Fragos / Dick Gasparre
2     To Erlinda 5:03
Michel Petrucciani
3     'Round About Midnight 16:00
Bernie Hanighen / Thelonious Monk / Cootie Williams
4     Lover Man 15:35
Jimmy Davis / Roger "Ram" Ramirez / Jimmy Sherman
5     Ode 4:46
Lee Konitz
6     Lovelee 2:11
Lee Konitz / Michel Petrucciani
Credits :    
Alto Saxophone [Selmer] – Lee Konitz
Piano [Bosendorfer Imperial] – Michel Petrucciani
Notas.
Recorded at Centre Musical Bosendorfer, Paris on May 25, 1982

LEE KONITZ - Dovetail (1983) 24bits-44.1Hz | FLAC (tracks), lossless

Billed as the "Lee Konitz Terzet" (without ever defining what "Terzet" is), this fine trio set features Konitz on alto, tenor, soprano and even a vocal, plus pianist Harold Danko and bassist Jay Leonhart. Konitz states in the liner notes that "we played in a club for one week and found a way to create nice instant arrangements on familiar tunes..." That pretty well describes this music, for even the so-called originals by the trio have a close relationship to a familiar standard. The repertoire is certainly a bit offbeat for these modernists, particularly such songs as "I Want to Be Happy," "Sweet Georgia Brown" and "Penthouse Serenade," but the musicians come up with fresh statements on all of the tunes. A continually interesting set, like most of Lee Konitz's recordings. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     I Want to Be Happy 9:42
Irving Caesar / Vincent Youmans
2     The Night Has a Thousand Eyes 4:54
B. Bernier / Jerry Brainin / Irving Caesar / Vincent Youmans
3     Counter-Point 2:19
Harold Danko / Lee Konitz / Jay Leonhart
4     Dovetail 7:45
Harold Danko / Lee Konitz / Jay Leonhart
5     Sweet Georgia Brown 6:50
Ben Bernie / Kenneth Casey / Maceo Pinkard
6     Alone Together 7:04
Howard Dietz / Arthur Schwartz
7     Cherokee 9:11
Ray Noble
8     Penthouse Serenade (When We're Alone) 3:27
Val Burton / Will Jason
9     Play Fiddle Play 8:04
Jerry Bock / Sheldon Harnick
Credits :    
Double Bass – Jay Leonhart
Piano – Harold Danko
Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Voice, Liner Notes – Lee Konitz
Notas.
Recorded at Penthouse Recordings, NYC, February 25 & 27, 1983

LEE KONITZ NONET - Old Songs New (2019) FLAC (tracks), lossless

Tracklist :
1    Goodbye 5:55
Written-By – Gordon Jenkins
2    Foolin' Myself 4:28
Written-By – Jack Lawrence, Peter Tinturin
3    In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning 4:41
Written-By – Bob Hilliard, David Man
4    Kary's Trance 5:27
Written-By – Lee Konitz
5    I Cover The Waterfront 9:34
Written-By – Edward Heyman, Johnny Green
6    This Is Always 7:28
Written-By – Harry Warren, Mack Gordon
7    You Go To My Head 6:45
Written-By – Haven Gillespie, J. Fred Coots
8    Trio Blues 4:46
Written-By – Lee Konitz
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Lee Konitz
Arranged By, Conductor, Liner Notes, Edited By, Mixed By – Ohad Talmor
Bass – Christopher Tordini
Bass Clarinet, Liner Notes, Producer, Photography By – Denis Lee
Cello – Dimos Goudaroulis, Mariel Roberts
Clarinet – Christof Knoche
Drums, Mixed By – George Schuller
Flute, Alto Flute – Caroline Davis
Tenor Saxophone – Ohad Talmor (pistas: 5)
Viola – Judith Insell

JOHN SCREET - Sound, Space And Structures (2014) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1    Part I    3:36
2    Part II    5:41
3    Part III    4:32
4    Part IV    3:26
5    Part V    4:48
6    Part VI    3:37
7    Part VII    8:55
8    Part VIII    4:49
9    Part IX    4:28
Credits :
Double Bass – John Hébert
Drums – Tyshawn Sorey
Piano, Producer, Liner Notes, Composed By – John Escreet
Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Evan Parker

J.S. BACH | TEPFER : Goldberg Variations / Variations (Dan Tepfer) (2011) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1    Aria
2-61    Goldberg Variations alternating with Improvised Variations by Dan Tepfer
62    Aria
Credits :
Piano – Dan Tepfer

BEN WENDEL | DAN TEPFER – Small Constructions (2013) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist :
1    Still Play 5:21
Composed By – Ben Wendel
2    Pannonica 4:00
Composed By – Thelonious Monk
3    Jean and Renata 5:36
Composed By – Ben Wendel
4    Line Up 4:19
Composed By – Lennie Tristano
5    Line 1:57
Composed By – Ben Wendel
6    Nines 6:17
Composed By – Dan Tepfer
7    Gratitude 6:00
Composed By – Dan Tepfer
8    Ask Me Now 5:52
Composed By – Thelonious Monk
9    Rygabag 2:00
Composed By – Dan Tepfer
10    Darn That Dream 3:01
Composed By – Eddie Delange, Jimmy Van Heusen
11    Variation 1 in D minor 3:55
Composed By – Georg Friedrich Händel
12    Oblique Strategy 2:28
Composed By – Ben Wendel, Dan Tepfer
Créditos :
Piano, Alto Saxophone – Dan Tepfer
Saxophone, Bassoon, Melodica, Piano – Ben Wendel

LUCIANA SOUZA — Brazilian Duos (2001) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Luciana Souza's well-received third record, Brazilian Duos, is a departure in two respects. First, the gifted vocalist is backed not by a jazz quartet, but rather by three different acoustic guitarists -- Romero Lubambo, Marco Pereira (playing eight-string), and Walter Santos (her father). Second, Souza turns away from original material and toward classic Brazilian songs by figures like Dori Caymmi, Luiz Gonzaga, Djavan, Jobim, Toninho Horta, and her parents, Walter Santos and Tereza Souza. The range of moods is astounding, from the tongue-twisting virtuosity of the opening "Baião Medley" and the playfulness of "O Bolo" to the heartbreaking strains of "Pra Dizer Adeus," "Docemente," and "Suas Mãos." Souza's voice, poised and attractive enough on its own, becomes a thing of transcendent beauty when matched with these sparse yet vibrant accompaniments. David R. Adler
Tracklist + Credits :

STEVE KUHN | MIROSLAV VITOUS | ALDO ROMANO – Oceans in the Sky (1990-2003) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This fairly obscure Owl CD matches together pianist Steve Kuhn, bassist Miroslav Vitous, and drummer Aldo Romano for post-bop renditions of three group originals and a variety of standards, including "The Island," "In Your Own Sweet Way," and "The Music That Makes Me Dance." The interplay between the three advanced musicians and their ability to play both inside and outside at the same time are the main reasons to acquire this set. Scott Yanow
Tracklist  :
1 The Island   7:59
Written-By – I. Lins
2 Lotus Blossom   5:08
Written-By – K. Dorham
3 La Plus Que Lente / Passion Flower   6:39
Written-By – C. Debussy, D. Ellington
4 Do   4:35
Written-By – A. Romano
5 Oceans In The Sky   6:12
Written-By – S. Kuhn
6 Theme For Ernie   5:32
Written-By – F. Lacey
7 Angela   4:49
Written-By – A.C. Jobim
8 In Your Own Sweet Way   7:34
Written-By – D. Brubeck
9 Ulla   4:52
Written-By – S. Kuhn
10 The Music That Makes Me Dance   2:42
Written-By – J. Styne
Credits :
Bass – Miroslav Vitous
Drums – Aldo Romano
Piano – Steve Kuhn