JACQUES LOUSSIER TRIO - Vivaldi : The Four Seasons (1997) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Pianist Jacques Loussier has certainly had an unusual career, much of it spent performing jazz interpretations of Bach's music. While his original works have been noteworthy, Loussier's most famous projects have been his transformations of Bach's music. In 1997 he tackled Vivaldi's Four Seasons, four concertos that he performed and recorded with his trio. As with Bach's pieces, Loussier pays respect to Vivaldi's melodies and the development of the works while swinging the music. He divides each of the concertos into three parts, improvises tastefully while keeping the themes in mind, and leads his trio through some uncharted territory. Loussier occasionally recalls the style of John Lewis and Allegro Non Molto from the Summer piece has some resemblances to Lewis' "Django." Due to Loussier's impressive technique, respect for both idioms and his well thought-out concept, this unique set is a complete by Scott Yanow
Tracklist:
La Primavera - Spring (Concerto No. 1 In E Major)    
L'Estate - Summer (Concerto No. 2 In G Minor)    
L'Autunno - Autumn (Concerto No. 3 In F Major)    
L'Inverno - Winter (Concerto No. 4 In F Minor)     
Credits:
Composed By – Vivaldi
Double Bass – Vincent Charbonnier
Drums – André Arpino
Piano, Producer, Arranged By – Jacques Loussier

JACQUES LOUSSIER TRIO - Satie : Gymnopédies • Gnossiennes (1998) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

 
Tracklist:
1     Gymnopédie No.1 / Var.1     4:35
2     Gymnopédie No.1 / Var. 2     4:32
3     Gnossienne No.3     4:25
4     Gnossienne No.6     5:22
5     Gnossienne No.2     4:16
6     Gymnopédie No.1 / Var. 3     5:03
7     Gnossienne No.4     7:08
8     Gnossienne No.5     4:12
9     Gymnopédie No.1 / Var. 4     3:42
10     Gnossienne No.1     3:52
11     Pas À Pas     3:44
Credits:
Bass – Benoit Dunoyer de Segonzac
Drums – André Arpino
Piano – Jacques Loussier
 

JACQUES LOUSSIER TRIO - Ravel's Bolero (1999) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Ravel: Bolero continues Jacques Loussier's series of jazz-inspired interpretations of classical music. His version of "Bolero" emphasizes the hypnotic, rhythmic structure of the work, and highlights his inspired, energetic playing. by Heather Phares
Tracklist:
1     Ravel's Boléro 17:10
    Arranged By – Jacques Loussier
    Nympheás
2     I. Allegro 6:06
    Composed By – Jacques Loussier
3     II. Andante 5:41
    Composed By – Jacques Loussier
4     III. Vivace 5:23
    Composed By – Jacques Loussier
5     IV. Largo 5:57
    Composed By – Jacques Loussier
6     V. Presto 3:50
    Composed By – Jacques Loussier
7     VI. Cantabile 3:03
    Composed By – Jacques Loussier
8     VII. Prestissimo 4:09
    Composed By – Jacques Loussier
Credits:
Bass – Benoît Dunoyer de Segonzac
Drums – André Arpino
Piano – Jacques Loussier

JACQUES LOUSSIER TRIO - The Music of Debussy (2000) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

When Jacques Loussier gave the music of Johann Sebastian Bach the jazz treatment (as others, notably the Modern Jazz Quartet, had before him), it worked really well. The tumbling flow of Bach's contrapuntal lines, the square rhythms that just beg to be played with a swing feel -- everything about Bach that makes his music the farthest thing from jazz seems to make jazz adaptations inevitable. The French composer Claude Debussy is a less obvious choice, and on this album you see why. Debussy was a much more impressionistic composer, and his music doesn't have either the rhythmic vitality or the sense of driving tonal logic that fuels the music of Bach. That makes it harder to fit his compositions into a jazz context. That Loussier succeeds as much as he does is a compliment to his sensitivity as a pianist and to his trio's ability to work with him intuitively. Loussier's renditions of "Prelude a l'Apres-Midi d'un Faune" and "Reverie" sound a lot like Bill Evans at his most ethereal; things pick up a bit on "L'Isle Joyeuse," but even that relatively energetic track is pretty well lacking in swing. The final result is music that doesn't sound much like jazz, but is quite enjoyable anyway. by Rick Anderson 
Tracklist:
1    Clair de Lune 8:03       
2    Prelude a l'Apres-Midi d'Un Faune 10:47  
3    Araesque 6:23       
4    La Fille aux Cheveux de Lin 4:43  
5    L' Isle Joyeuse 6:06   
6    Reverie 5:10   
7    La Cathédrale Engloutie 6:23  
8    Syrinx 3:54
Credits:
Piano, Arranged By – Jacques Loussier
Bass – Benoit Dunoyer de Segonzac
Composed By – Claude Debussy
Drums – André Arpino

JACQUES LOUSSIER - Solo Piano : Impressions on Chopin's Nocturnes (2004) Mp3

Jacques Loussier has made a career out of playing classical themes in a jazz setting. Born in France in 1934, he came to fame in the late 1950s with his Play Bach Trio, a group that stayed together 20 years, transforming the themes of Bach into creative and melodic jazz. Since then he has put together another trio in which he interprets not just the music of Bach but Beethoven, Debussy, Ravel, Satie and other classical giants. This set (which is subtitled Impressions on Chopin's Nocturnes) is a bit of a departure in that Loussier performs Frédéric Chopin's 21 nocturnes as unaccompanied piano solos. Nocturne No. 2 in E-Flat Major, Op, 9., No. 2 is the most famous of these melodies although a few of the other nocturnes may be familiar even to non-classical listeners. Generally Loussier states the right-hand melody while altering the patterns written for the left-hand, and then builds from there. The essence of Chopin's music is retained while Loussier is free to improvise his own ideas based on the themes. Most of his interpretations are gentle and subtle while never neglecting the rich melodies, and the treatments are at times slightly reminiscent of early film music and ragtime. Classical purists may not love this approach but they should be thankful, for Jacques Loussier has consistently introduced the beauty of classical music to jazz listeners. This is a very enjoyable set. by Scott Yanow

JACQUES LOUSSIER TRIO - Bach : The Brandenburgs (2006) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Depending on who you talk to, the third stream movement of the '50s was either an absolute blessing or an absolute curse. There are racial separatists who claim that third stream was an assault on African-American culture because it tried to "whiten" jazz, and there are equally silly individuals who insist that Beethoven and Mozart were jazz musicians but that Chick Corea, Michael Brecker and Pat Metheny are not. Discussions of third stream tend to inspire moronic comments from both pro-third stream and anti-third stream people, but the bottom line is that third stream has had both its ups and downs creatively (more ups than downs). Not everything that French pianist Jacques Loussier (one of Europe's leading third stream proponents) has recorded is great -- some of his jazz/Euro-classical experiments have worked well, some not so well -- but his risk-taking spirit clearly serves him well on Bach: The Brandenburgs. This 2006 recording finds Loussier's trio (which also includes bassist Benoit Dunoyer de Segonzac and drummer André Arpino) interpreting the six Brandenburg concertos that Johann Sebastian Bach (b. 1685, d. 1750) composed between 1708 and 1720, and interpret is definitely the operative word. Unlike a musician who plays Euro-classical music exclusively, Loussier does not play Bach's material note for note; he improvises, offering personal and introspective performances. Loussier is quite tasteful, and he makes Bach's compositions sound perfectly natural in a jazz setting. Bach: The Brandenburgs is not recommended to classical purists; this is an album for jazz piano enthusiasts who also happen to appreciate Bach's legacy, and those who fit that description will find Bach: The Brandenburgs to be one of Loussier's more lucid and artistically successful offerings. by Alex Henderson 
Tracklist:
Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 in F major, BWV 1046   
Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 in F major, BWV 1047   
Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G major, BWV 1048   
Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G major, BWV 1049   
Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D major, BWV 1050   
Brandenburg Concerto No. 6 in B flat major, BWV 1051
Credits:
Bass – Benoit Dunoyer De Segonzac
Drums – Andre Arpino
Piano – Jacques Loussier

JOHN LEWIS - John Lewis Presents : Jazz Abstractions (1961-2013) RM / Jazz Best Collection 1000 / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Although John Lewis is listed as the leader (this album's alternate title is "John Lewis Presents Contemporary Music"), the pianist does not actually appear on this record and only contributed one piece ("Django"). On what is very much a Gunther Schuller project, Schuller composed "Abstraction" and was responsible for the adventurous three-part "Variants on a Theme of John Lewis (Django)" and the four-part "Variants on a Theme of Thelonious Monk (Criss-Cross)"; Jim Hall contributed "Piece for Guitar & Strings." One of the most successful third stream efforts, this LP combines avant-garde jazz with aspects of classical music. Among the more notable stars, altoist Ornette Coleman is on "Abstraction" and "Criss Cross" (both of which have been reissued in his Rhino CD box) and multi-instrumentalist Eric Dolphy is on both of the "Variants." Other musicians in the eclectic cast include guitarist Hall, bassist Scott LaFaro, pianist Bill Evans, and several classical string players. This is very interesting music. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist:
1    Abstraction    4:06
Gunther Schuller
John Lewis ft. Gunther Schuller
2    Piece For Guitar & Strings    6:22
Jim Hall
John Lewis ft. Gunther Schuller
Variants On A Theme Of John Lewis (Django)    10:15
3    Variant I    5:27
4    Variant II    1:38
5    Variant III    3:10
Gunther Schuller
John Lewis ft. Gunther Schuller
Variants On A Theme Of Thelonious Monk (Criss-Cross)    15:23
6    Variant I    6:22
7    Variant II    1:49
8    Variant III    4:12
9    Variant IV    3:00
Gunther Schuller
John Lewis ft. Gunther Schuller
Credits:
Alto Saxophone – Ornette Coleman (tracks: 1, 6 to 9)
Alto Saxophone, Bass Clarinet, Flute – Eric Dolphy (tracks: 3 to 9)
Bass – Alvin Brehm (tracks: 1), George Duvivier (tracks: 3 to 9), Scott LaFaro
Cello – Joseph Tekula
Composed By – Gunther Schuller (tracks: 1, 3 to 9), Jim Hall (tracks: 2 )
Drums – Stick Evans (tracks: 1, 3 to 9)
Flute – Robert DiDomenica (tracks: 3 to 9)
Guitar – Jim Hall
Piano – Bill Evans (tracks: 3 to 9)
Vibraphone [Vibes] – Eddie Costa (tracks: 3 to 9)
Viola – Alfred Brown (tracks: 2), Harry Zaratzian
Violin – Charles Libove, Roland Vamos 

JOHN LEWIS - Original Sin + Essence (2000) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

 This Collectables reissue pairs up two albums by pianist, arranger, and Modern Jazz Quartet musical director John Lewis. Original Sin was Lewis' second experiment with a symphony orchestra. This ballet was originally performed in 1961 at the Alcazar Theatre in San Francisco, CA, with the libretto provided by beat poet Kenneth Rexroth based on Adam and Eve. Without the added excitement that improvisation could have provided, Original Sin comes across stiff. On the other hand, Essence, released in 1964, allows space for improvising around the charts provided by vibraphonist Gary McFarland. Arranged by Lewis, it featuring an array of jazz greats including Eric Dolphy, Phil Woods, Freddie Hubbard, Benny Golson, Jimmy Giuffre, and Jim Hall. Both sessions have their moments, but Essence is the main attraction on this disc. by Al Campbell

Tracklist:
 John Lewis - Original Sin (1961)
1    Creatoin of the World & Creation of Adam 3:54
John Lewis
2    Introduction 0:48
John Lewis  
3    Zebra, Lion, Camel 1:28  
John Lewis
4    Walrus, Ape 0:52
John Lewis      
5    Lamb, Leopard 1:47  
John Lewis
6    Rabbit, Skunk 0:44
John Lewis  
7    Variant V: Mountain Sheep, Deer 1:38  
John Lewis
8    Finale 2:11      
John Lewis
9    Birth of Eve 3:47  
John Lewis
10    Adam and Eve Pas de Duex 2:36
John Lewis
11    Teaching and Temptation 4:12  
John Lewis
12    Expulsion from the Garden of Eden 2:46  
John Lewis
Credits:
Conductor, Composed By – John Lewis
John Lewis ‎– Essence (1962)
13    Hopeful Encounter 4:40  
John Lewis
14    Tillamook Two 7:11  
John Lewis
15    Night Float 4:18  
John Lewis
16    Notions 4:00  
John Lewis
17    Another Encounter 5:10  
John Lewis
18    Wish Me Well 7:44
John Lewis
Credits:
Alto Saxophone – Eric Dolphy (tracks: 15)
Baritone Saxophone – Gene Allen (tracks: 14, 17), Jimmy Giuffre (tracks: 15)
Bass – George Duvivier (tracks: 15), Richard Davis (tracks: 13, 14, 16 to 18)
Basset Horn – Don Stewart (tracks: 14, 17)
Bassoon – Loren Glickman (tracks: 14, 17)
Clarinet – Phil Woods (tracks: 14, 17)
Composed By, Arranged By – Gary McFarland
Drums – Connie Kay
Flute – Harold Jones (tracks: 14, 17)
Flute [Alto] – Eric Dolphy (tracks: 14, 17)
French Horn – Gunther Schuller (tracks: 15), Bob Northern (tracks: 13, 16, 18), Robert Swisshelm (tracks: 13, 16, 18)
Guitar – Billy Bean (tracks: 13, 16, 18), Jim Hall (tracks: 14, 15,17)
Oboe – William Arrowsmith (tracks: 14, 17)
Piano – John Lewis
Tenor Saxophone – Benny Golson (tracks: 15)
Trombone – Mike Zwerin (tracks: 13, 16, 18)
Trumpet – Freddie Hubbard (tracks: 13, 16, 18), Herb Pomeroy (tracks: 16), Louis Mucci (tracks: 13, 16, 18), Nick Travis (tracks: 13, 16, 18)
Tuba – Don Butterfield (tracks: 13, 16, 18) 

 

JOHN LEWIS / ALBERT MANGELSDORFF - Animal Dance (1962-2013) RM / Jazz Best Collection 1000 / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This studio date came about as a result of Albert Mangelsdorff's appearance at the Third Yugoslavian Jazz Festival, where pianist John Lewis was impressed enough with his performance to set up a recording session a few days later. With bassist Karl Theodor Geier and drummer Silvije Glojnaric also on hand, none of the musicians had ever played together, though it made little difference as they quickly absorbed the originals of Lewis and Mangelsdorff, along with the familiar standard "Autumn Leaves" (a trio arrangement omitting Lewis) and Gary McFarland's "Why Are You Blue." The leader's judgment is validated with Mangelsdorff's impressive work. The final track showcases a separate group, the Zagreb Jazz Quartet, featuring pianist Davor Kajfes, vibraphonist Bosko Petrovic, bassist Miljenko Prohaska and Glojnaric on drums. Long out of print, this Atlantic LP will be somewhat hard to find.  by Ken Dryden
Tracklist:
1. Animal Dance 2:39
Written-By – John Lewis
2. Autumn Leaves 6:42
Written-By – Jacques Prevert, Joseph Kosma
3. Set 'Em Up 3:18
Written-By – Albert Mangelsdorff
4. Monday In Milan 5:26
Written-By – John Lewis
5. The Sheriff 3:55
Written-By – John Lewis
6. Why Are You Blue 6:33
Written-By – Gary McFarland
7. Ornaments (The Zagreb Jazz Quartet)
Written-By – Davor Kajfes
Personnel:
#1-6:
John Lewis - piano (#1,3-6)
Albert Mangelsdorff - trombone
Karl Theodor Geier - bass
Silvije Glojnaric - drums
#7:
The Zagreb Jazz Quartet:
Davor Kajfes - piano
Bosko Petrovic - vibraharp
Miljenko Prohaska - bass
Silvije Glojnaric - drums

 

JOHN LEWIS -Evolution (1999) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

John Lewis, a founding member of the Modern Jazz Quartet (and architect, with Gunther Schuller, of the "Third Stream" movement that attempted a fusion of classical music and jazz), has always been known for the delicacy and refinement of his playing and for the quality of his compositions. This solo album will only add to his reputation in both regards. That he's able to make "Sweet Georgia Brown" sound like a recital piece is testament to his sophistication (and perhaps his sense of humor); that his own "Two Degrees East, Three Degrees West" manages to evoke New Orleans and Ravel simultaneously speaks to the depth of his musicianship. "Django," perhaps Lewis' most famous composition, is given a stop-action tango treatment here, and his "At the Horse Show" is as graceful as a colt. However, Lewis' voice is far too well-miked, which means he mutters and grunts in the left channel throughout the proceedings. Recommended nevertheless. by Rick Anderson
Tracklist:
1    Sweet Georgia Brown 2:54
Ben Bernie / Kenneth Casey / Maceo Pinkard
2    September Song 5:25    
Maxwell Anderson / Kurt Weill
3    Afternoon in Paris 5:10    
John Lewis
4    Two Degrees East, Three Degrees West 4:17
John Lewis
5    I'll Remember April 3:09
Gene DePaul / Patricia Johnston / Don Raye
6    Django 7:30    
John Lewis
7    Willow Weep for Me 3:22    
Ann Ronell
8    Cherokee 4:04    
Ray Noble
9    For Ellington 5:35
John Lewis
10    Don't Blame Me 3:50    
Dorothy Fields / Jimmy McHugh
11    At the Horse Show 2:49
John Lewis
Credits:
Piano – John Lewis 

JOHN LEWIS - Evolution II (2001-2014) RM / Jazz Best Collection 1000 / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

On May 3, 2000, John Lewis turned 80 -- and almost half a century after the formation of the Modern Jazz Quartet, he could still inspire a variety of reactions. Over the years, Lewis' detractors have insisted that his piano playing is too polite and overly mannered; his admirers, however, have exalted him as the epitome of class and sophistication. To be sure, Lewis' pianism is quite sophisticated, but that doesn't mean that he doesn't swing or that he isn't soulful. Recorded in 2000 and released in early 2001, Evolution II isn't going to convert anyone who isn't already an admirer of the pianist's cool jazz/third stream approach. Anyone who has claimed that Lewis' playing is too polite won't have a change of heart after hearing this CD, but for Lewis' admirers, the rewards are great. Evolution II is the second installment of his Evolution trilogy; while the first Evolution was an unaccompanied solo piano recording, Evolution II finds him leading quartets that include Howard Alden or Howard Collins on guitar, George Mraz or Marc Johnson on upright bass, and Lewis Nash on drums. Except for the standards "Come Rain or Come Shine" and "What Is This Thing Called Love?," all of the songs are Lewis originals (including new compositions as well as familiar pieces like "Django" and "Trieste"). True to form, Lewis is elegant and swinging at the same time -- contrary to what his detractors have claimed, Lewis swings, but he does so on his own terms. For Lewis, there is no reason why jazz cannot be classical-influenced yet maintain the feelings of the blues. Although Evolution II falls short of essential, it is an enjoyable addition to the veteran pianist's catalog and demonstrates that his chops have held up well over the years. by Alex Henderson
Tracklist:
1    The Festivals 4:14   
John Lewis
2    One of Parker's Moods 3:54   
John Lewis
3    December, Remember 6:59
John Lewis
4    That! Afternoon in Paris 6:07    
John Lewis
5    Cain and Abel 6:52
John Lewis
6    Come Rain or Come Shine 5:03
Harold Arlen / Johnny Mercer
7    Trieste 4:17
John Lewis
8    Django 5:24
John Lewis
9    Sammy 4:09
John Lewis / Cole Porter
10    What Is This Thing Called Love? 5:52
Cole Porter
John Lewis feat: Cole Porter
CreditS :
Howard Alden - Guitar
Howard Collins - Guitar
Marc Johnson - Bass, Bass (Acoustic)
John Lewis - Composer, Piano, Producer
George Mraz - Bass, Bass (Acoustic),
Lewis Nash - Drums
Cole Porter - Composer, Performer

J.S. BACH : Preludes and Fugues, Vol. 2 (John Lewis) 1986 / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

J.S. BACH : Preludes and Fugues, Vol. 4 (John Lewis) 1990 / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

PAUL BLEY - Open, To Love (1972) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Despite the fact that pianist and composer Paul Bley had been a renowned and innovative jazzman for nearly 20 years, 1973 saw the release of his most mature and visionary work, and one that to this day remains his opus. This is one of the most influential solo piano recordings in jazz history, and certainly one that defined the sound of the German label ECM. Consisting of seven tracks, five of which were composed by Carla Bley (his ex-wife) and Annette Peacock (soon to be his ex-wife), and two originals, Bley showcased his newfound penchant for the spatial pointillism and use of silence that came to define his mature work. In Carla Bley's "Ida Lupino," the pianist took the song's harmonics and unwound them from their source, deepening the blues elements, brushing the Errol Garnerish ostinato with pastoral shades and textures of timbral elegance, and reaching the tonic chords in the middle register just as he forced the improvisation just barely into the abstract with his right hand, percussively slipping in one or two extra notes to highlight the deep lyricism in the tune's body. On his own "Started," Bley illustrates brazenly the deep influences of the Second Viennese School on his sense of harmony and counterpoint. Recalling Arnold Schöenberg's solo piano pieces in their engagement of dissonance and glissando placement, it's still Bley playing jazz and improvising, vamping on his own theme while turning melody and timbre back on themselves for the purpose of complete tonal engagement in the middle register. And in Annette Peacock's "Nothing Ever Was, Anyway," which closes the album, Bley makes full use of an element he employs throughout the recording: space and its ability to create the notion of consonance or dissonance from the simplest of melodies. Here notes appear, related, but just barely, to one another in a more or less linear sequence, and Bley stretches that connection to the breaking point by using his sense of spatial relationship in harmony to silence. He elongates the tonal sustain and allows it to bleed into his next line just enough, as if it were a ghostlike trace of another melody, a another distant lyric, attempting to impose itself on the present one, though it had just since ceased to exist. Ultimately, what Bley offers is jazz pianism as a new kind of aural poetics, one that treats the extension of the composer's line much as the poet treats the line as the extension of breath. Sheer brilliance. by Thom Jurek

Tracklist:

1 Closer 5:51

Composed By – Carla Bley

2 Ida Lupino 7:31

Composed By – Carla Bley

3 Started 5:13

Composed By – Paul Bley

4 Open, To Love 7:10

Composed By – Anette Peacock

5 Harlem 3:22

Composed By – Paul Bley

6 Seven 7:21

Composed By – Carla Bley

7 Nothing Ever Was, Anyway 6:02

Composed By – Anette Peacock

Credits

Piano – Paul Bley

Producer – Manfred Eicher