TINA BROOKS - True Blue (1960-2010) RM / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Obscure but talented tenor saxophonist Tina Brooks is teamed with the young trumpeter Freddie Hubbard (on one of his earliest sessions), pianist Duke Jordan, bassist Sam Jones, and drummer Art Taylor for a set dominated by Brooks' originals. None of the themes may be all that memorable ("Nothing Ever Changes My Love for You" comes the closest), but the hard bop solos are consistently excellent. [Some reissues add alternate takes of "True Blue" and "Good Old Soul."] by Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1     Good Old Soul 8:07
Tina Brooks
2     Up Tight's Creek 5:17
Tina Brooks
3     Theme for Doris 5:53
Tina Brooks
4     True Blue 4:57
Tina Brooks
5     Miss Hazel 5:32
Tina Brooks
6     Nothing Ever Changes My Love for You 7:53
Fred Fisher / M. Fisher / Marvin Fisher / J. Segal / Jack Segal
Credits :
Bass – Sam Jones
Drums – Art Taylor
Piano – Duke Jordan
Tenor Saxophone – Tina Brooks
Trumpet – Freddie Hubbard

TINA BROOKS — Back to the Tracks (1960-1993) The BN Works 4000 Series | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The music that comprises Back to the Tracks was recorded in September 1960, months after the sessions for True Blue, but it sat on the shelves until Mosaic reissued it as part of their Complete Blue Note Recordings box, even though it was penciled in for release. Like Minor Move, Tina Brooks first session that stayed unreleased for over 20 years, Back to the Tracks is an excellent hard bop set, and it's hard to understand why it wasn't released at the time. Brooks leads a fantastic band featuring alto saxophonist Jackie McLean, trumpeter Blue Mitchell, pianist Kenny Drew, bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Art Taylor through three originals and two standards. Each musician has opportunity to shine, but Brooks remains the center of attention. His style is remarkably fluid, capable of graceful, elegant turns on the ballads and clean, speedy improvisations on the up-tempo bop. Each of the five songs have breathtaking moments, confirming Brooks talents as a saxophonist, composer and leader. Listening to Back to the Tracks, it's impossible to figure out why the record wasn't released at the time, but it's a hard bop gem from the early '60s to cherish. Stephen Thomas Erlewine  
Tracklist :
1     Back to the Tracks 8:00
Tina Brooks
2     Street Singer 10:17
Tina Brooks
3     The Blues and I 8:52
Tina Brooks
4     For Heaven's Sake 6:01
Elise Bretton / Sherman Edwards / Don Meyer / Donald Meyer / Sherman Edwards & Donald Meyer
5     The Ruby and the Pearl 5:05
Ray Evans / Jay Livingston
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Jackie McLean
Bass – Paul Chambers
Drums – Art Taylor
Piano – Kenny Drew
Tenor Saxophone – Tina Brooks
Trumpet – Blue Mitchell

JIMMY SMITH - House Party (1957-2000) RVG Edition / APE (image+.cue), lossless

 In 2000 when Blue Note upgraded 1958's House Party as part of the label's superior Rudy Van Gelder series, they augmented the title with a ten-plus minute driving blow of Charlie Parker's "Confirmation" as a well-chosen bonus track. Now the effort is bookended by some primal Bird, which was always a forte of the assembled coterie. In addition to sharing three of the five sides with the RVG edition of The Sermon! (1958), there are two selections from the August 25, 1957, confab of Lee Morgan (trumpet), George Coleman (alto sax), Curtis Fuller (trombone), Eddie McFadden (guitar), Kenny Burrell (guitar), and Donald Bailey (drums). The remaining three were recorded precisely six months later on February 25, 1958, with a slightly amended lineup featuring altoist Lou Donaldson (in for Coleman) alongside Tina Brooks (tenor sax) and the ubiquitous Art Blakey (drums) providing unique contributions of their own. "Au Privave" is a refined piece of indisputable bop mastery as Smith commands the combo through an incendiary and driving rendition that grooves unforced flair and organic charisma. Morgan bandies about with Smith and Brooks behind the flowing support of the amended rhythm section of Blakey and Burrell. Even at 16-plus minutes, the pace and timbre of the performance begs for more. "Lover Man" is splendid and sincere as Donaldson drives right to the heart, unreeling stunningly lyrical leads behind Smith's distinguished progressions."Just Friends" is a true gem and one of the two cuts not duplicated on The Sermon! Beginning with McFadden, each musician is given room to stretch and reveal his identity as both an ensemble player and soloist. "Blues After All" is a soulful outing that offers up arguably the most sublime and understated bop on the album. Concluding House Party is the aforementioned cover of Bird's "Confirmation," which is as stinging and incisive as its opening counterpart. It also questions why one should spend time reading about genius when the real pleasure lies in the experience of hearing it. by Lindsay Planer  
Tracklist :
1    Au Privave 15:09
Charlie Parker
2    Lover Man 7:00
Jimmy Davis / Roger "Ram" Ramirez / Jimmy Sherman
3    Just Friends 15:15
John Klenner / Sam M. Lewis
4    Blues After All 6:06
Kenny Burrell
5    Confirmation 10:34
Charlie Parker
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – George Coleman
Drums – Art Blakey, Donald Bailey
Guitar – Eddie McFadden, Kenny Burrell
Organ – Jimmy Smith
Recorded, Remastered By – Rudy Van Gelder
Tenor Saxophone – Tina Brooks
Trombone – Curtis Fuller
Trumpet – Lee Morgan

JIMMY SMITH - The Sermon! (1958-2000) RVG Edition / APE (image+.cue), lossless

When Jimmy Smith exploded onto the jazz scene in 1956, he changed everything about the way the organ was used and perceived in jazz. His first two years of recording were mind-bogglingly prolific, producing 13 albums. Three marathon jam sessions during this period produced some of his finest early work, including The Sermon! Smith displays both a youthful fire and a musical wisdom beyond his years throughout the album. Whether blazing through hard bop tunes like "Confirmation" and "Au Privave" (both Charlie Parker compositions) or gently caressing the ballad "Lover Man," Smith constantly proves himself the most inventive organist of the bop generation. In moving beyond the classic organ trio format, Smith takes the organ into new areas, and trading solos with the likes of Lee Morgan and Lou Donaldson, he makes it plain that his is an individual voice worthy of its eventual place in the jazz canon. A special treat here is the tenor work of the great, underrated Tina Brooks. by AllMusic
Tracklist :
1    The Sermon 20:12
Jimmy Smith
2    J.O.S. 11:56
Jimmy Smith
3    Flamingo 8:02
Edmund Anderson / Ted Grouya
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – George Coleman, Lou Donaldson
Drums – Art Blakey, Donald Bailey
Guitar – Eddie McFadden, Kenny Burrell
Organ – Jimmy Smith
Recorded, Remastered By – Rudy Van Gelder
Tenor Saxophone – Tina Brooks
Trumpet – Lee Morgan 

JIMMY SMITH - Cool Blues (1958-2005) RM / BNLT 999 – 21 / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Proof that at his start, Jimmy Smith had a greatness that knew no bounds – as the album's one of a few that Blue Note recorded in the late 50s, but never issued until many years later – even though they had already released so many amazing records from this period! The set has Jimmy really cooking away – playing live at Small's Paradise, in a group that has Lou Donaldson's alto on just about every track, and tenor from Tina Brooks on most of the others too. Tunes are tighter and shorter than on the more jam session albums, which makes for a nice change – and titles include "Groovin At Smalls", "Dark Eyes", "Cool Blues", and "A Night In Tunisia" – which begins with an announcement from Babs Gonzales! 8 tracks in all – 4 more than on the 1980 album – with better sound than before as well!
Tracklist :
1    Groovin' At Small's 11:54
Written-By – Babs Gonzales
2    Dark Eyes 11:29
Traditional
3    Cool Blues 11:02
Written-By – Charlie Parker
4    Announcement By Babs Gonzales    0:26
5    A Night In Tunisia 16:50
Written-By – D. Gillespie, F. Paparelli
6    What's New 6:34
Written-By – B. Haggart, J. Burke
7    Small's Minor 7:00
Written-By – Jimmy Smith
8    Once In A While 6:58
Written-By – B. Green, M. Edwards
Credits :
Lou Donaldson - Alto Sax
Tina Brooks - Tenor Sax
Jimmy Smith - Organ
Eddie McFadden - Guitar
Art Blakey - Drums
Donald Bailey - Drums 

FREDDIE HUBBARD - Open Sesame (1960-2002) RVG Edition / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Freddie Hubbard's first recording as a leader, Open Sesame features the 22-year-old trumpeter in a quintet with tenor saxophonist Tina Brooks, the up-and-coming pianist McCoy Tyner, bassist Sam Jones and drummer Clifford Jarvis. This set shows that even at this early stage, Hubbard had the potential to be one of the greats. On the ballad "But Beautiful" he shows maturity; other highlights include "Open Sesame," a driving "All or Nothing at All" and "One Mint Julep." It's an impressive start to what would be a very interesting career. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1. Open Sesame 7:14
Tina Brooks
2. But Beautiful 6:23
James Van Heusen
3. Gypsy Blue 6:25
Tina Brooks
4. All Or Nothing At All  5:36
Alterman, Lawrence
5. One Mint Julep 6:00
Rudy Toombs
6. Hub's Nub 6:51
Freddie Hubbard
7. Open Sesame (Alternate Take)    7:14
8. Gypsy Blue (Alternate Take)    7:35
Credits :
Freddie Hubbard - Trumpet
Tina Brooks - Tenor Sax
McCoy Tyner - Piano
Sam Jones - Bass
Clifford Jarvis - Drums

KENNY BURRELL - Blue Lights, Vol. 1 (1958-2000) RM / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Guitarist Kenny Burrell leads a strong jam session that features the talented but very underrated trumpeter Louis Smith (who sounds a bit like Lee Morgan), the similar but contrasting tenors of Junior Cook and Tina Brooks, pianist Duke Jordan, bassist Sam Jones, and drummer Art Blakey. Jordan's tongue-in-cheek "Scotch Blues" is a high point. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist:
1 Yes Baby 7:00
Kenny Burrell / Don Robey
2 Scotch Blues 5:35
Duke Jordan 
3 Autumn In New York 5:00
Vernon Duke
4 Caravan 7:20
Duke Ellington / Irving Mills / Juan Tizol
Credits:

Trumpet – Louis Smith (tracks: 1, 2, 4)

Bass – Sam Jones

Design [Cover] – Andy Warhol, Reid Miles
Drums – Art Blakey
Guitar – Kenny Burrell
Piano – Bobby Timmons (tracks: 3, 4), Duke Jordan (tracks: 1, 2)
Recorded, Remastered By – Rudy Van Gelder
Tenor Saxophone – Junior Cook (tracks: 1, 2, 4), Tina Brooks (tracks: 1, 2, 4)

KENNY BURRELL - Blue Lights, Vol. 2 (1958-2000) RM / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

A jam session led by guitarist Kenny Burrell features the talented if forgotten trumpeter Louis Smith, both Junior Cook and Tina Brooks on tenors, pianist Bobby Timmons (Duke Jordan was on the first volume), bassist Sam Jones, and drummer Art Blakey. The all-star group performs two standards ("Caravan" and the guitarist's feature on "Autumn in New York"), Sam Jones' "Chuckin'," and Burrell's "Rock Salt." This is excellent music that easily fits into the bop mainstream of the period. by Scott Yanow 
Tracklist:
1 Rock Salt 11:20
Kenny Burrell
2 The Man I Love 6:43
George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
3 Chuckin' 12:10
Sam Jones
4 Phinupi 9:47
Kenny Burrell
Credits:
Bass – Sam Jones
Drums – Art Blakey
Guitar – Kenny Burrell
Recorded, Remastered By – Rudy Van Gelder
Trumpet – Louis Smith
Piano – Bobby Timmons (tracks: 1, 3), Duke Jordan (tracks: 2, 4)
Tenor Saxophone – Junior Cook (tracks: 1, 3, 4), Tina Brooks (tracks: 1, 3)
Written-By – George & Ira Gershwin (tracks: 2), Kenny Burrell (tracks: 1, 4), Sam Jones (tracks: 3)