JOHN COLTRANE — The Prestige Recordings (1991) 16-CD BOX-SET | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The 16 CDs in this compendium represent nearly everything that John Coltrane recorded for the Prestige label during a 32-month period between May 7, 1956, and December 26, 1958. What's missing are Coltrane's contributions to the mid-'50s Miles Davis band, which are on the equally exhaustive and highly recommended Davis Chronicle box set released in 1990. Otherwise, listeners are treated to the sessions that produced the seminal long-players Coltrane, Cattin' with Coltrane and Quinichette, Traneing In, Soultrane, Lush Life, Settin' the Pace, Standard Coltrane, Stardust, The Believer, Black Pearls, Bahia, and The Last Trane -- all of which highlight the artist as either a leader or co-leader. Not included in that list are an additional 19 albums that boast Coltrane's involvement as a support musician. The music is presented primarily in a chronological fashion -- commencing with a pair of May 1956 outings with pianist Elmo Hope and tenor saxophonist

Sonny Rollins. Wrapping things up are five tunes cut the day after Christmas of 1958 alongside trumpeter Freddie Hubbard. Coltrane's legend is ingrained in the grooves of such indispensable entries as "How Deep Is the Ocean?" flanked by tenor saxophonists Zoot Sims, Hank Mobley, and Al Cohn -- as originally heard on Tenor Conclave. There is also the Tadd Dameron-commanded "Soultrane" and the definitive "The Way You Look Tonight," during one of the many Mal Waldron confabs, plus "Undecided," sporting Red Garland at the helm. And who could forget the Great American Songbook selections "Lush Life," "Come Rain or Come Shine," "Lover," "Russian Lullaby," "Why Was I Born?," "Lover Come Back to Me," "Stardust," and "Time After Time"? Accompanying the music is a 32-page liner notes booklet. Inside are a historical essay from Doug Ramsey, a session-by-session breakdown by Carl Woideck (and the occasional notation from producer Orrin Keepnews), and several different cross-references of the contents. Overall, the audio quality is excellent throughout, especially considering that the original tapes were transferred during the infancy of digital audio technology. Since 1991, the majority of the music has been remastered and issued on the individual album titles with even more astonishing results. Lindsay Planer
All Tracks & Credits :

CLIFFORD BROWN – Brownie : The Complete EmArcy Recordings of Clifford Brown (1989) RM | 11xCD BOX-SET | MONO | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Although undoubtedly an expensive acquisition, this ten-CD set is perfectly done and contains dozens of gems. The remarkable but short-lived trumpeter Clifford Brown has the second half of his career fully documented (other than his final performance) and he is showcased in a wide variety of settings. The bulk of the numbers are of Brownie's quintet with co-leader and drummer Max Roach, either Harold Land or Sonny Rollins on tenor, pianist Richie Powell, and bassist George Morrow (including some previously unheard alternate takes), but there is also much more. Brown stars at several jam sessions (including a meeting with fellow trumpeters Clark Terry and Maynard Ferguson), accompanies such singers as Dinah Washington, Helen Merrill, and Sarah Vaughan, and is backed by strings on one date. Everything is here, including classic versions of "Parisian Thoroughfare," "Joy Spring," "Daahoud," "Coronado," a ridiculously fast "Move," "Portrait of Jenny," "Cherokee," "Sandu," "I'll Remember April," and "What Is This Thing Called Love?" Get this set while it stays in print. Scott Yanow   Tracklist + Credits :

CLIFFORD BROWN – Joy Spring (2005) 4xCD BOX-SET | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Joy Spring is a four-CD, budget-priced box set from the folks at Proper in the United Kingdom. This is a pretty handsome overview that touches on all aspects of Clifford Brown's mighty but tragically brief career. Disc one, "Dial B Fr Beauty" contains sides he cut in 1952 as a member of Chris Powell and the Blue Flames; documents from his stint with Tadd Dameron; tracks from a short-lived quintet with Lou Donaldson, Elmo Hope, Percy Heath, and Philly Joe Jones in 1953, and sides recorded when he was part of J.J. Johnson's Septet -- all these sides virtually chronicle Brown's ascent into the jazz world and serve, so to speak, as a showcase for the first three sides he cut on his own, in a band that included Charlie Rouse, Art Blakey, John Lewis, Gigi Gryce, and Heath, with material arranged by Quincy Jones. Standout cuts are "Wail Bait," and "Hymn of the Orient," as well as Dameron's "Choose Now." Disc two, entitled "Conception," begins with Brown's own sextet and his versions of "Cherokee," and "Brownie Eyes." Later in '53, Brown played with Art Farmer in Sweden, and with a European orchestra that included a number of stalwarts like Walter Williams, Gryce, and Pierre Michelot, with Jones writing the charts. But the coolest stuff here are the sides cut with the Brown/Gryce sextet and octet, these also commence disc three, entitled "Clifford's Axe," which straddles September of 1953 to October of that same year. Disc three is rounded out with the first-ever-performances-on-record of the Clifford Brown-Max Roach quintet as they cut "All God's Chillun Got Rhythm" and "Sunset." The final CD in this package is devoted almost exclusively to this last group of musicians -- the Clifford Brown-Max Roach quintet -- documenting the various phases they went through in 1954. From "Dahoud" and "Delilah" to "Jor Du" and their stellar read of "Parisian Thoroughfare." The box set closes with a cut from Sarah Vaughan backed by Brown, Roy Haynes, Paul Quinichette, Herbie Mann, Jimmy Jones, Ernie Wilkins, and Joe Benjamin, on a lovely version of "You're Not the Kind" with a sweet and moving Brown solo. This is a fine introduction to Brown, nicely priced, with decent sound, and it makes a great companion to the excellent Emarcy LPs of the Brown-Roach bands.
-> This comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our blog 'O Púbis da Rosa'<-
Tracklist :
CD1 Dial B For Beauty
CD2 Conception
CD3 Clifford's Axe
CD4 I Get A Kick Out Of You
All Tracks + Credits :

CLIFFORD BROWN – Memorial Album (1956-1987) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Trumpeter Clifford Brown is heard here in two unusual and unrelated sessions. On four selections, Brown is featured with arranger/pianist Tadd Dameron's Orchestra; other soloists include Benny Golson on tenor and altoist Gigi Gryce. The other date was recorded in Sweden while Brown was touring with Lionel Hampton & His Orchestra. Clifford Brown and fellow trumpeter Art Farmer play four Dameron arrangements with a Swedish group that includes altoist Arne Domnerus, baritonist Lars Gullin, and pianist Bengt Hallberg. Oscar Hammerstein II & Sigmund Romberg's "Lover Come Back to Me" really cooks and Brown and Farmer get to trade off in exciting fashion during Quincy Jones' "'Scuse These Blues." Scott Yanow    Tracklist + Credits :

DIZZY GILLESPIE – 1946-1947 | The Classics Chronological Series – 986 (1998) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

For bop fans inclined to thorough chronicles of their favorite stars, Classics' Chronological series might be the best place to start. Dizzy Gillespie gets the royal treatment this time out, with his 1946-1947 edition and 21 slices of rarefied and powerfully swinging work. And besides loads of the maestro's incendiary solos, the disc also spotlights other young bop talent like James Moody, Sonny Stitt, and Kenny Clarke. Beware, though: In between top-flight solo work and crack material like "Emanon" and "One Bass Hit," there are some razzy vocals and sundry hijinks, too. Still, the material all has the magic Gillespie touch and that's certainly not a bad thing. Stephen Cook     Tracklist :

DIZZY GILLESPIE AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1947-1949 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1102 (2000) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

 Classics #1102 focuses on the explosive years of 1947-1949 when Dizzy Gillespie created some of the most innovative big band recordings, combining bebop and Afro-Cuban rhythms (courtesy of percussionist Chano Pozo). These sessions, recorded for Victor in December 1947, 1948, and early 1949, include future Dizzy standards "Manteca," "Cubana Be," and "Cubana Bop." The roster of musicians Gillespie employed played an important part in the shaping of modern jazz: Yusef Lateef, John Lewis (in one of his earliest sessions), Kenny Clarke, and Cecil Payne. With arrangements by Tadd Dameron, George Russell, Gil Fuller, Gerald Wilson, and the vocals of Johnny Hartman, Kenny "Pancho" Haygood, and Joe Carroll, volume four of Dizzy's chronological recording career is highly recommended. Al Campbell     Tracklist :

DEXTER GORDON – 1947-1952 | The Chronogical Classics – 1295 (2003) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

A Classics collection of tenor saxophonist Dexter Gordon, 1947-1952 features some of the mellow jazzman's most identifiable recordings from that period. Beginning with an extended version of "The Duel," the disc also includes Gordon's epic tenor battle with Wardell Gray on "The Chase." Matt Collar
Tracklist :

HARLAN LEONARD AND HIS ROCKETS – 1940 | The Classics Chronological Series – 670 (1992) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Harlan Leonard first showed up on traditional jazz radar as a member of Bennie Moten's Kansas City Orchestra. He joined in 1923 and served as a vertebra in the backbone of the Moten reed section until 1931. Teaming up with another Moten veteran, Leonard worked with Thamon Hayes' Skyrockets, helping to steer this band until it too dissolved in 1937. Leonard formed his own Rockets in 1938. In 1940 they appeared at the Golden Gate Ballroom in New York, recorded about 23 sides for Bluebird, toured all over the continental United States, and finally disbanded in 1945 while working in California. This band contained a lot of young talent from Kansas City. Hearing all of their records in one package is a gas. Swing had matured. It was obviously ready to lunge forward into big-band modernity. Beginning with what is the only known recording of an electrically amplified guitar solo by Efferge Ware, "Rockin' With the Rockets" is as solid as its name, with a healthy dance tempo and hot solos from reeds and brass. "Hairy Joe Jump" is based on a simple line that might possibly have spawned the famous introduction to Charlie Parker's "Klactoveesedsteen." Bird almost certainly heard this band when he was still in Kansas City. Did he store this fairly flaccid melody in his brain along with hundreds of other "head arrangements," only to pull it out years later and transform it into gold? Who can say? "Contact" is a fine jam tune. The saxophones growl, and William Smith plays fine piano. "Snaky Feeling" has a cool vocal by trumpeter and arranger James Ross. "Skee" is a smoker, solid stuff for the jitterbug crowd. Myra Taylor sings a perky "World On Fire" and Ernie Williams hollers as hot as the band blows on "Ride My Blues Away." With the bouncy "Parade of the Stompers," listeners have arrived at a turning point, for the next session introduces the arrangements of Tadd Dameron, who also composed material for the Rockets. "Rock and Ride" and "400 Swing" are particularly invigorating. Suddenly, Myra Taylor is back at the microphone singing a song about pickles. Based on the 19th century melody "La Sorella," this pop tune would be irritating if the band didn't swing so hard. "Please Don't Squabble" has Ernie Williams sounding a lot like Jimmy Rushing. Tadd Dameron arranged "A la Bridges," a lush tenor saxophone ballad for Henry Bridges, who comes across like a Coleman Hawkins devotee. "Dameron Stomp" and "Take 'Um" are climactic achievements for this exciting, short-lived band. These recordings, existing at the stylistic crossroads of bebop and swing, are essential episodes in both the saga of the Kansas City scene and the rapid evolution of mid-20th century jazz. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist + Credits :

PEARL BAILEY – 1947-1950 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1293 (2003) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The second volume in Classics' welcome wrap-up of Pearl Bailey's early career begins at the end of 1947, with Bailey fresh from the success of her film debut, Variety Girl, and its career-making song, "Tired." During the next two years, she would refine her approach to jive rhythm and sweet singing, a relaxed sense of vocal cool that fused the exquisite phrasing of Billie Holiday to the hip majesty of Cab Calloway. The first two sessions include her usual studio orchestra of the time, led by Mitchell Ayres and featuring great work from Peanuts Hucko on clarinet and the Charioteers on vocal backing. Most of the rest are small-group dates, during which she recorded some of her finest material; present are two of her best performances, the gloriously swinging, exuberant duets "Baby, It's Cold Outside" featuring Hot Lips Page and "Saturday Night Fish Fry" featuring Moms Mabley. Even the obscure songs from this period are filled with great moments, as on the solos "Johnson Rag" and "Not Tonight," as well as her appearance with Tony Pastor on "Mamie Is Mimi." Fans looking to find more excellent material after enjoying a collection like Ain't She Sweet! will find much to love here on these sides, originally recorded for Columbia and Harmony. John Bush
Tracklist :

SARAH VAUGHAN – 1944-1946 | The Classics Chronological Series – 958 (1997) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This first installment in the complete chronological recordings of Sarah Vaughan is a gold mine of great jazz dating from turbulent and transitional times. It's also one of the very best Sarah Vaughan retrospectives ever made available to the public. Vaughan positively glows in front of every ensemble lucky enough to back her, as she performs in an almost bewildering series of outstanding recordings on the De Luxe, Continental, Guild, Crown, Gotham, H.R.S., and Musicraft labels. She appears as a 20-year-old featured with Billy Eckstine's Orchestra, then sitting in with Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker, with violinist Stuff Smith's Trio, and with the amazing John Kirby Sextet (here billed as his orchestra). She rubs shoulders with Trummy Young, Dicky Wells, Tony Scott, Ben Webster, Freddy Webster, Al Cohn, Serge Chaloff, Flip Phillips, Tadd Dameron, Bud Powell, Dexter Gordon, Gene Ammons, Leo Parker, Georgie Auld, Art Blakey, Max Roach, Sid Catlett, Max Roach, and pianist Jimmy Jones, destined to accompany Vaughan intermittently until 1958. The jazz talent assembled on this one disc is nothing short of formidable. Sarah Vaughan began her recording career in the eye of the hurricane of jazz in New York during the mid-'40s. This incredible compilation documents exactly how she went about it. arwulf arwulf
Tracklist + Credits :

TADD DAMERON – 1947-1949 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1106 (2000) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Although Tadd Dameron was a talented pianist, he never considered piano playing his strong point -- the bebopper was best known for his writing and arranging, and when he recorded as a leader (which wasn't all that often), Dameron was quite happy to let his sidemen take most of the solos. Dameron can hardly be accused of hogging the solo space on 1947-1949, a collection of small-group and big-band sides he recorded as a leader for Blue Note and Savoy, among others, from August 1947-April 1949. The material, most of it superb, falls into two main categories: hard-swinging bop instrumentals and romantic ballads featuring vocalists. On the instrumentals (which include "Our Delight," "Dameronia," "The Squirrel," "Lady Bird," and other Dameron originals), he features some of early bop's heavy-hitting soloists, including trumpeter Fats Navarro (a major influence on Clifford Brown), tenor saxman Wardell Gray, and alto saxman Ernie Henry (who, like Sonny Stitt, was a Charlie Parker disciple but not a clone). And Dameron's romantic side takes over when he features Kay Penton (a delightful though underexposed vocalist) on several ballads (including "What's New" and "Gone With the Wind") and employs the Billy Eckstine-influenced Kenny Hagood on "I Think I'll Go Away." Meanwhile, singer Rae Pearl (who later went by Rae Harrison) provides a wordless vocal on Dameron's dreamy "Casbah." Boasting some of Dameron's most essential work, this French release is recommended without hesitation to lovers of early bop. Alex Henderson  
Tracklist + Credits :

GEORGE AULD – 1945-1946 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1351 (2004) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This second volume in the Classics Georgie Auld chronology presents all of his studio recordings made between May 24, 1945 and April 30, 1946. Auld's big band shared some stylistic qualities with Billy Eckstine's orchestra; both groups handled the innovations of bop with intelligence and creative precision. The first two tracks on this collection were originally issued on the Guild record label; the rest appeared on Musicraft. Georgie Auld, whose career at times paralleled that of Charlie Barnet, played soprano and alto in addition to his customary tenor saxophone; also like Barnet he was a capable vocalist. There are three examples of Auld's singing voice in this part of the chronology: he delivers a fine rendering of "I Don't Know Why" (once closely associated with Russ Columbo), a tidy take on "Route 66" that closely mimics the version recorded only six weeks earlier by Nat King Cole, and a boppish `big band update of "Honey," an attractive Richard Whiting melody dating from 1928. Nine tracks feature vocalist Lynne Stevens -- she is at her best on Ellington and Strayhorn's "Just A-Settin' and A-Rockin'" -- but the truly substantial element here is the band itself, a 17-piece ensemble working with arrangements penned by Budd Johnson, Tadd Dameron, Al Cohn, Franz Jackson and Neal Hefti. Auld also used Hugo Winterhalter's excellent arrangement of "Time on My Hands," apparently the same chart used by Count Basie in 1942. Note the presence of baritone saxophonist Serge Chaloff alongside Cohn and Auld in the reeds; that's Joe Albany and Stan Levey in the rhythm section. The vocal highlight of the whole album is Sarah Vaughan's lovely interpretation of "100 Years from Today," a Victor Young melody with words by Ned Washington published in 1933. Georgie Auld had a really fine big band from 1943-1946, and led an exceptional group during the year 1949. His early-'50s recordings sometimes involve group vocals or lounge atmosphere; by 1955 and 1956 he fronted a group known as the Hollywood All Stars, using arrangements by Billy May. Most of his music is worth the effort it takes to chase it down and soak it up. arwulf arwulf
Tracklist + Credits :

BABS GONZALES – 1947-1949 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1124 (2000) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Confronted with a new, harmonically advanced music filled with rhythmic complexities, white audiences and entertainers were only able to cope with bebop by treating it as though it were a novel alternative to pig Latin. If anyone supplied the fuel for this trivialization it was Slim Gaillard and Babs Gonzales, great musicians who were also bizarre characters who invented their own forms of funny scat language. In these vintage Blue Note sides by Babs' Three Bips and a Bop, you can hear exactly where Charlie Barnet got the idea for "Bebop Spoken Here." The originals, of course, sound much better than the silly attempts of bop imitators. Babs' Blue Note vocal arrangements were by pianist Tadd Dameron, and Rudy Williams poured a whole lot of soul into his alto saxophone. "Play Dem Blues" seems to have a little bit of "Ornithology" built into its opening line. "Running Around" is a sudden switch to straight vocal ballad style. Babs sings about heartbreak. The band has been reduced to piano, bass, and guitar. With "Bab's Dream," listeners are back in full bop language mode, with reams of scat unfolding in every direction. Dameron takes fascinating solos during this easygoing minor romp, and on his own "Dob Bla Bli." Special mention should also be made of the exceptionally solid bassist Art Phipps. "Weird Lullaby" stretches out Babs' bop scat lingo to the point where listeners seem to be hearing a serenade sung by a character actor imitating a visitor from Mars. Moving over to the Apollo label, Tony Scott blows an authentic bop clarinet, Phipps continues to act as an upright axis, and Roy Haynes carries the entire band on his back. In December of 1948, Babs lined up a session with Manor, an important label in the development of early modern jazz. With a front line of James Moody, Dave Burns, and Bennie Green, this is a steamy little band. Precision arrangements make for surprisingly intricate runs. Moody sounds particularly stoked. If anyone comes looking for vestigial Fats Waller in "Honeysuckle Bop," forget about it. The reference seems to have been purely poetic. If this bop workout was somehow based upon the changes to Waller's "Honeysuckle Rose," the camouflage is so successful that nobody could ever sort it out. Jumping to Capitol Records in 1949, Babs is once again surrounded by awesome musicians: J.J. Johnson, a well-oiled Sonny Rollins, Erroll Garner's brother Linton, and Jack "The Bear" Parker. Art Pepper really cooks on "The Continental," which is one of Gonzales' most successful performances. Gonzales' voice has deepened and he seems to be growing tougher by the minute. "St. Louis Blues" is masterfully restructured and augmented with fluent bop embellishments. Hearing Don Redman and Sonny Rollins side by side with Wynton Kelly and Roy Haynes in back is a treat not to be missed. A fascinating slice of vintage bop culture, packed with restless creative energy. arwulf arwulf  
Tracklist + Credits :

ARTIE SHAW AND HIS ORCHESTRA – 1950 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1397 (2005) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tracklist + Credits

FATS NAVARRO – 1947-1949 | The Classics Chronological Series – 1108 (2000) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Trumpeter Fats Navarro's reign in jazz was short lived. He died in 1950 at a young age due to living the Charlie Parker lifestyle. In the short period that he made records as a leader in the late '40s, it was obvious had he not burned out, he was on his way to legendary status. Along with Dizzy Gillespie, Navarro was the premiere bebop trumpet innovator, influencing Clifford Brown and everyone who followed him. These recordings captured on Classics #1108 from 1947-1949 highlight Navarro (or Fat Girl as he was often referred) at his height. Navarro leads combos on these sessions (some live) that include Tadd Dameron, Charlie Ventura, Charlie Rouse, Buddy Rich, and Art Blakey. Navarro is also heard on four cuts backing up vocalist Earl Coleman and his all-stars with drummer Max Roach. Al Campbell
Tracklist :
1     Fat Girl 2:21
Fats Navarro
2    Ice Freezes Red 2:41
Tadd Dameron / Fats Navarro
3     Eb-Pob 2:24
Fats Navarro / Leo Parker
4     Goin' to Minton's 2:52
Fats Navarro
5     Sweet Georgia Brown, Pt. 1 2:33
Ben Bernie / Kenneth Casey / Maceo Pinkard
6     Sweet Georgia Brown, Pt. 2 2:21
Ben Bernie / Kenneth Casey / Maceo Pinkard
7     Sweet Georgia Brown, Pt. 3 2:45
Ben Bernie / Kenneth Casey / Maceo Pinkard
8     High on an Open Mike, Pt. 1 2:59
Dennis Sandole / Charlie Ventura
9     High on an Open Mike, Pt. 2 2:56
Dennis Sandole / Charlie Ventura
10     High on an Open Mike, Pt. 3 2:24
Dennis Sandole / Charlie Ventura
11     Nostalgia 2:45
Fats Navarro
12     Barry's Bop 2:40
Fats Navarro
13     Be-Bop Romp 2:37
Fats Navarro
14     Fats Blows 2:51
Fats Navarro
15     Guilty 3:04
Harry Akst / Gus Kahn / Richard A. Whiting
16     Yardbird Suite 2:34
Charlie Parker
17     Stranger in Town 3:04
Johnny Hawksworth
18     As Time Goes By 3:07
Herman Hupfeld
19     Move 2:36
Denzil Best
20     Wailing Wall 3:56
Fats Navarro
21     Go 3:28
Don Lanphere
22     Infatuation 3:38
Fats Navarro
23     STP 4:03

TADD DAMERON WITH JOHN COLTRANE - Mating Call (1956-2007) RVG REMASTERS / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

These half-dozen tracks from November 30, 1956 -- containing what would be John Coltrane's final studio outing of the year -- find the tenor saxophonist in the company of Tadd Dameron (piano), John Simmons (bass), and Philly Joe Jones (drums). Recordings have been issued with Coltrane's name outranking or insinuating that he is the session leader. However Dameron not only offers up some exceptional interplay against Coltrane, the pianist actually supplied 10-percent of the top-shelf material. The unmistakable rat-a-tat-tat of Philly Joe Jones opens the exotic "Mating Call." Dameron almost immediately responds on the seductive verse that sets the pace. Coltrane bursts through with confident soul asDameron occasionally interjects his own animated punctuation. By comparison, the pianist takes his turn with consideration and subdued introspection. Yet Dameron steers clear of a mini duet between himself and Jones prior to the final reprise of the chorus. As a sidebar: parties who revel in the production work of Rudy Van Gelder are encouraged to spin "Mating Call"'s echoplex-laden fade out for some old-school excitement.
It remains unknown whether Dameron titled the lovely and melodic "Gnid" after the acronym for the social-disease yielding "Gram-Negative Intracellular Diplococci." The name aside, "Gnid" features the ensemble at their collective best. The uniform guidance of Dameron and Coltrane is explored immediately as they unfurl the spry theme before taking the respective reigns. The pianist's solo reveals hints of Duke Ellington's "Take the 'A' Train" as a build up to Coltrane's inventive and playful counterpoint. "Soultrane" may well be Dameron's greatest gift to Coltrane as the ballad is custom-built for the tenor player's tender yet empathetic sonic terminology. Nowhere is this more evident than when the rhythm hits double-time with a lack of competition from the bandstand, while Coltrane takes the combo around corners with acuity and fluidity to spare. Giving props to the pop songbook standard "September in the Rain," Dameron's "On a Misty Night" is a study in contrasts. Coltrane embraces the singsong quality of the chorus in broad, hearty strokes. On the other hand, Dameron's playing has a Thelonious Monk feel in places -- especially as the swinging backbeat vacillates in and out of a double-time pattern. The sturdy blues of "Romas" has Dameron calling the shots with a stealth-like vibe that Coltrane fleshes out in the ensuing instrumental banter.
As if building up to a high-energy conclusion, "Super Jet" is an outright bop-inspired vehicle into the pure improvisational nature of jazz. Coltrane is beginning to show signs of his mile-a-minute phrasing that would later become known as "sheets of sound." Dameron loses none of the momentum during his response and finally, Jones gets a chance to trade licks with Coltrane as the pair demonstrate their uncanny ability to complete -- or at the very least complement -- each other's performances. by Lindsay Planer 
Tracklist:
1 Mating Call 5:31
Tadd Dameron
2 Gnid 5:03
Tadd Dameron
3 Soultrane 5:18
Tadd Dameron
4 On a Misty Night 6:15
Tadd Dameron
5 Romas 6:48
Tadd Dameron

6 Super Jet 5:50

Tadd Dameron

Credits:

Bass – John Simmons
Drums – Philly Joe Jones
Piano, Composed By – Tadd Dameron
Recorded By, Remastered By [Digital Remastering, 2007] – Rudy Van Gelder
Tenor Saxophone – John Coltrane

FATS NAVARRO - Dameronia (Jazz Archives 1947-1948) (2000) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Tragically, Fats Navarro epitomized the stereotype of the heroin-addicted bebopper who lived fast and died young. The trumpeter's potential was enormous, but like so many of his colleagues Navarro allowed heroin to rob him of what should have been a very long career. One can only speculate on the things Navarro would have accomplished had tuberculosis (a condition that his heroin addiction made him more vulnerable to) not claimed his life at the age of 26 in 1950, but we do know this much: Navarro's contributions to jazz were enormous. Navarro was Clifford Brown's primary influence, which means that his big, fat, brassy sound had a direct or indirect influence on everyone from Lee Morgan, Freddie Hubbard, and Carmell Jones, to Woody Shaw and Roy Hargrove. Focusing on Navarro's 1947 and 1948 work, this French release of 1999 boasts some of early bop's finest, most influential trumpet playing. While "Our Delight," "The Squirrel," "Dameronia," "Lady Bird," and "The Chase" are among the well known classics that find Navarro being employed as a sideman by pianist Tadd Dameron, Navarro co-leads a sextet with fellow trumpeter Howard McGhee on "Double Talk," and leads various groups of his own on exuberant gems that include "Fat Girl," "Fats Blows," "Bebop Romp," and "Barry's Bop." The sound quality is generally decent (by 78-era standards), and Navarro's virtuosity is stunning despite the toll that heroin was taking on his body. Dameronia 1947/48 is enthusiastically recommended to anyone with even a casual interest in early bebop. by Alex Henderson  
Tracklist:
1 Fat Girl 2:21
Fats Navarro
2 Ice Freezes Red 2:41
Tadd Dameron / Fats Navarro
3 Eb-Pob 2:24
Fats Navarro / Leo Parker
4 Goin' to Minton's 2:52
Fats Navarro
5 Our Delight 3:07
Tadd Dameron
6 The Squirrel 3:22
Tadd Dameron
7 The Chase 3:00
Tadd Dameron
8 Dameronia 3:15
Tadd Dameron
9 A Be-Bop Carol 3:00
Tadd Dameron
10 The Tadd Walk 2:53
Tadd Dameron
11 Nostalgia 2:44
Fats Navarro
12 Barry's Bop 2:40
13 Be-Bop Romp 2:37
14 Fats Blows 2:51
15 Lady Bird 2:53
Tadd Dameron
16 Jahbero  3:03
Tadd Dameron
17 Symphonette 3:10
Tadd Dameron
18 Double Talk 5:36
Howard McGhee / Fats Navarro
19 Fats Flat 3:00
20 Good Bait, No. 1 5:47
Tadd Dameron