JOE FARRELL — Canned Funk (1974-2011) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Joe Farrell's final of six CTI dates has fairly lengthy versions of four of his originals. Farrell, who adds baritone to his usual trio of instruments (tenor, soprano and flute), once again welcomes guitarist Joe Beck as his co-star, along with bassist Herb Bushler, drummer Jim Madison and percussionist Ray Mantilla. The music is melodic, sometimes funky, and enjoyable if not essential, but all of Joe Farrell's CTI sets are worth acquiring. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1.    Canned Funk (Joe Farrell) – 7:20
2.    Animal (Farrell) – 9:55
3.    Suite Martinique (Farrell) – 9:03
4.    Spoken Silence (Farrell) – 7:43
Credits :
Joe Farrell – Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone, Flute
Herb Bushler – Bass
Joe Beck – Guitar
Jim Madison – Drums
Ray Mantilla – Conga, Percussion

LARRY CORYELL | ALPHONSE MOUZON — Back Together Again (1977-2002) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

After going their separate ways upon the breakup of the Eleventh House, guitarist Larry Coryell, and drummer Alphonse Mouzon teamed up again for what turned out to be a disappointing reunion. This despite the added presence of guitarist Philip Catherine. The same high energy fusion that made each player so popular is on display here, but so is Mouzon's infatuation with disco. "Beneath the Earth," "Transvested Express," and "High Love" contain some impressive playing, but the disco/funk of "Get on Up (We Gonna Boogie)" and "Back Together Again" make for a dated and uneven recording. Robert Taylor

Tracklist :

1 Beneath The Earth 2:58

Composed By, Arranged By – Alphonse Mouzon

2 The Phonse 3:43

Composed By, Arranged By – John Lee

3 Transvested Express 3:49

Composed By, Arranged By – Philip Catherine

4 Crystallization 3:17

Arranged By – Larry Coryell

Composed By – Julie Coryell

5 Rock 'N' Roll Lovers 4:02

Composed By, Arranged By – Alphonse Mouzon

6 Get On Up (We Gonna Boogie) 2:49

Composed By, Arranged By – Alphonse Mouzon

7 Reconciliation 2:30

Backing Vocals – Cheryl P. Alexander, Tawatha Agee

Composed By, Arranged By – Larry Coryell

8 Back Together Again 3:07

Composed By, Arranged By – Alphonse Mouzon

9 Mr. C 3:28

Composed By, Arranged By – Larry Coryell

10 High Love 5:49

Composed By, Arranged By – Larry Coryell

Credits:

Bass – John Lee  

Drums, Vocals, Producer – Alphonse Mouzon

Guitar – Philip Catherine

Guitar, Producer – Larry Coryell

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 ZAWINUL — Concerto Retitled (1976-2007) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

As Joe Zawinul's electric band Weather Report gathered momentum in the '70s, Atlantic put together a single-LP anthology of Zawinul's earlier two albums for Atlantic and one for Vortex. The irony, of course, is that the Zawinul of most of these tracks basically did not exist as of 1976, nor has this compulsively forward-looking musician returned to his acoustic jazz roots since. Fully half of the tracks - the Tatumesque solo number, "My One and Only Love," the straight-ahead "Riverbed," and trio numbers "Del Sasser" and "Sharon's Waltz" (with Cannonball Adderley's rhythm section, Sam Jones and Louis Hayes) come from the Money in the Pocket album. "From Vienna with Love" and "Concerto Retitled" (both from The Rise and Fall of the Third Stream) are backed by William Fischer's brooding neo-classical arrangements for cello and three violas. From these relatively conventional pursuits, it is a jolt to hear two hauntingly spiritual tracks - the electronically slowed-down "His Most Journey" and "In a Silent Way - " from the Zawinul album, the prelude to Weather Report. Though all of this stuff is out on CD in complete form, this is still useful as a quick trip through Zawinul's extraordinary changes over a short span of time. Richard S. Ginell    Tracklist & Credits :  

JOHN CALE / TERRY RILEY - Church of Anthrax (1971-2008) RM / FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

A one-time-only collaboration between former Velvet Underground co-founder John Cale and minimalist composer Terry Riley, 1971's Church of Anthrax doesn't sound too much like the solo work of either. Around this time, Riley's works were along the lines of "A Rainbow in Curved Air" or "Poppy Nogood and the Phantom Band": pattern music with an obsessive attention to repetition and tricks with an analogue delay machine that gave his music a refractory, almost hallucinogenic quality. Though Cale was trained in a similar aesthetic (he played with La Monte Young, surely the most minimal of all minimalist composers), he had largely left it behind by 1971, and so Church of Anthrax mixes Riley's drones and patterns with a more muscular and melodic bent versed in both free jazz and experimental rock. Not quite modern classical music, but not at all rock & roll either, Church of Anthrax sounds in retrospect like it was a huge influence on later post-minimalist composers like Andrew Poppy, Wim Mertens, and Michael Nyman, who mix similar doses of minimalism, rock, and jazz. On its own merits, the album is always interesting, and the centerpiece "The Hall of Mirrors in the Palace at Versailles" is probably the point where Riley and Cale approach each other on the most equal footing. The low point is Cale's solo writing credit, "The Soul of Patrick Lee," a slight vocal interlude by Adam Miller that feels out of place in these surroundings. by Stewart Mason  
Tracklist :
1     Church of Anthrax 9:05
Terry Riley
2     The Hall of Mirrors in the Palace at Versailles 7:59
Terry Riley
3     The Soul of Patrick Lee 2:49
John Cale
Vocals – Adam Miller
4     Ides of March 11:03
Terry Riley
5     The Protege 2:52
Terry Riley
Credits :
Bass, Harpsichord, Piano, Guitar, Viola – John Cale
Drums – Bobby Colomby, Bobby Gregg
Piano, Organ, Soprano Saxophone – Terry Riley
 

RAMSEY LEWIS - Salongo (1976-2000) RM / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Those shocked or even dismayed by the lack of jazz on 1975's Don't It Feel Good would no doubt be pleasantly surprised by this. Released in 1976 and produced by Maurice White and Charles Stepney, Salongo offers a more substantial look at African and Latin styles. Around this time Lewis always had the good fortune to be supported by good bands and excellent side players like Verdine White, Ernie Watts, Jorge Strunz, as well as many others. The first track, "Slick" mixes Latin flourishes with straight-ahead jazz. The only less than stellar track is "Aufu Oodu," which has Lewis getting lost in the Earth Wind and Fire-derived production style. More convincing is the title track and it has a great bassline, tough drumming, strong horn arrangement, and, of course, smooth and quick electric piano solos from Lewis. The seductive "Brazilica" is a non-cloying experiment in Latin music, and is well known by fans of commercial '70s jazz and quiet storm. For the poignant "Nicole," Lewis plays both electric piano and acoustic with equal deftness and emotion. The last track, the methodical "Seventh Fold," was written by Stepney and has his characteristic adventurous approach and a sweeping string arrangement. Salongo earns most of its raves by being one of the few albums of the time to sidestep commercial considerations. The effort is also one of Lewis's best at getting his eclectic nature and is more enjoyable than the better-selling Sun Goddess. by Jason Elias  
Tracklist :
1     Slick 6:22
Charles Stepney / Maurice White
2     Aufu Oodu 4:51
Derf Reklaw-Raheem
3     Rubato 0:42
George Gershwin
4     Salongo 4:42
Byron Gregory
5     Brazilica 7:16
Maurice White / Martin Yarbrough
6     Nicole 3:49
Jon Lind
7     Seventh Fold 7:54
Charles Stepney
Credits :
Acoustic Guitar, Guitar [Electric] – Byron Gregory
Bass [Electric] – Ron Harris
Clavinet – Jimmy Bryant
Drums, Vocals – Steve Cobb
Flute, Percussion, Vocals – Derf Reklaw Raheem
Piano [Acoustic], Electric Piano – Ramsey Lewis
Vocals – Tang

MAYNARD FERGUSON - Primal Scream (1976-2004) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

An all-star cast assists Maynard Ferguson in this disco-tinged big-band outing. Ferguson's trademark trumpet playing is featured in all its screaming glory, and Mark Colby contributes a couple of high-energy sax solos. "Primal Scream" and "Invitation" sound as though they were lifted right off the mid-'70s disco dancefloor, complete with T.S.O.P.-type strings and pulsing rhythms. "Pagliacci," too, has the disco beat pounding underneath a Jay Chattaway adaptation of an operatic melody, with Bobby Militello featured on an energetic, overblown flute solo. Chick Corea's "The Cheshire Cat Walk" sounds like latter-day Return to Forever, as Corea's synth trades licks with Ferguson's horn over a familiar RTF rhythmic/chordal bassline sequence. The final cut, Eric Gale's "Swamp," stands out because of its reggae beat. This album was an obvious attempt to jump on the disco-funk bandwagon, and serves as a well-played, though dated, document of that era. by Jim Newsom
Tracklist :
1     Primal Scream 7:09
Jay Chattaway / Maynard Ferguson
2     The Cheshire Cat Walk 10:09
Chick Corea
3     Invitation 5:32
Bronislaw Kaper
4     Pagliacci 5:55
Jay Chattaway / Ruggero Leoncavallo
5     Swamp 7:24
Eric Gale
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Dave Sanborn
Bass – Gary King
Bass Trombone – David Taylor, Paul Faulise
Cello – Alan Shulman, Charles McCracken
Drums – Steve Gadd
Flute, Baritone Saxophone – Bobby Militello
French Horn – Brooks Tillotson, Earl Chapin
Guitar – Eric Gale, Jeff Mirenov, Jerry Friedman
Percussion – Ralph MacDonald
Piano, Synthesizer [Arp], Clavinet – Bob James
Producer – Bob James
Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Mark Colby
Tenor Saxophone – Joe Farrell
Trombone – Tony Studd
Trumpet – Marvin Stamm
Trumpet [All Solos] – Maynard Ferguson
Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Bernie Glow, Jon Faddis, Stan Mark
Viola – Emanuel Vardi, Theodore Israel
Violin – Charles Libove, David Nadien, Emanuel Green, Frederick Buldivini, Harry Cykman, Joseph Malin, Max Ellen, Paul Gershman
Vocals – Hilda Harris, Lani Groves, Patti Austin 

DON ELLIS - Tears of Joy (1971-2005) RM / 2CD SET / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Recorded in 1971, Tears of Joy is a Don Ellis classic. The sheer musical strength of this ensemble is pretty much unparalleled in his career. The trumpeter/leader had backed off -- a bit -- from some of his outlandish and beautifully excessive use of strange and unconventional time signatures, though there is no lack of pioneering experimentalism in tone, color, arrangement, or style. This double LP/CD features a string quartet, a brass octet (four trumpets, tuba, bass trombone, trombone, and French horn), four winds, and a rhythm section boasting two drummers, a percussionist, a bassist, and the Bulgarian jazz piano wizard Milcho Leviev. This is a sprawling album. Disc one is made up of short- to mid-length pieces, the most notable of which are the intense adrenaline surge of "5/4 Getaway" (with a killer string arrangement by Hank Levy, one of three arrangers on this set) and the blazing Eastern European klezmer meets Bulgarian wedding music meets hard bop blues of "Bulgarian Bulge." Leviev's solo on the latter comes right out of the knotty, full-on bore of the tune's melody (written by Ellis, who scored all but three selections), and cites everyone from Wynton Kelly to Scott Joplin to Mal Waldron. Elsewhere, such as on "Quiet Longing," the strings are utilized as the base and texture of color. One can hear Gil Evans' influence here, and in the restrained tenderness of this short work one can also hear Ellis' profound lyricism in his flügelhorn solo. The second disc's first moment, "How's This for Openers?," is a knotty composition that touches on bolero, Aaron Copland, and operatic overture. Levy's "Samba Bajada" is a swinging opus that uses tropes from early Deodato in his bossa years, Sergio Mendes, and Jobim, and weaves them through with an elegant, punchy sense of hard bop and the American theater. On the 17-plus minute "Strawberry Soup" (with a vocal quartet in the background), Ellis gets to show what his band is capable of in its different formations. Full of both subtle and garish colors, timbral grace and vulgarity, elegant and roughly hewn textures, and a controlled yet wildly divergent set of dynamics, this tune is one of the most adventurous and most brilliantly composed, arranged, and executed works to come out of the modern big band literature. It is virtually a big-band concerto. Ultimately, Tears of Joy stands as a singular achievement in a career full of them by a musical auteur whose creativity seemingly knew few if any bounds.
(This comment is posted on Allmusic by Thom Jurek, follower of our blog 'O Púbis da Rosa')
Tracklist 1 :
1     Tears of Joy 2:58
Don Ellis
2     5/4 Getaway 7:49
Don Ellis
3     Bulgarian Bulge 4:54
Don Ellis
4     Get It Together 5:14
Sam Falzone   
5     Quiet Longing 3:48
Don Ellis
6     Blues in Elf 6:41
Don Ellis
7     Loss 8:21
Don Ellis
Tracklist 2 :
1     How's This for Openers? 8:37
Don Ellis
2     Samba Bajada 11:31
Hank Levy
3     Strawberry Soup 17:36
Don Ellis
4     Euphoric Acid 4:25
Fred Selden
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Lonnie Shetter
Alto Saxophone, Flute – Fred Selden
Arranged By, Written-By – Don Ellis (faixas: 1-1 to 1-3, 1-5 to 2-1, 2-3), Fred Selden (faixas: 2-4), Hank Levy (faixas: 2-2), Sam Falzone (faixas: 1-4)
Bass – Dennis Parker
Bass Trombone – Kenny Sawhill
Cello – Christine Ermacoff
Clarinet – Sam Falzone
Congas – Lee Pastora
Drums – Ralph Humphrey, Ron Dunn
French Horn – Kenneth Nelson
Oboe – Jon Clarke
Piano – Milcho Leviev
Producer, Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Drums – Don Ellis
Trombone – Jim Sawyer
Trumpet – Bruce MacKay, Jack Caudill, Paul Bogosian
Tuba, Trombone – Doug Bixby
Viola – Ellen Smith
Violin – Alfredo Ebat, Earle Corry 

EDGARD VARÈSE : The Varèse Album (1972-2007) 2xCD / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Here is a collection on the indie Wounded Bird Records that was once one of the linchpins of the Columbia Masterworks LP catalog, yet it has never been issued by anyone on CD: The Varèse Album. Issued in 1972, CBS's The Varèse Album was in itself a reissue, consisting of the albums Music of Edgar Varèse (1960) and Music of Edgar Varèse, Vol. 2 (1963), both featuring pickup groups led by Robert Craft and the first volume including Varèse's own realization on tape of Poème Electronique (1958). In 1972, The Varèse Album was thought to contain near to all of the works of Varèse, and since then that short catalog hasn't expanded by much. Listening to these early '60s recordings of Varèse works that have been recorded many times in the interim is illuminating; while in the '70s this was thought to be the Cadillac of Varèse recordings, time has not been kind to all of these performances. Craft's reading of Ionisation seems a bit fast and sloppy, Intègrales a bit too casual, but Octandre and Hyperprism remain good performances, and Poème Electronique is what it is -- the one and only realization of Varèse's final fully authorized work. The original Columbia releases were inexplicably stingy in disclosing who performed what on these albums; thanks to Wounded Bird, we finally learn that flutist Arthur Gleghorn was the soloist in Varèse's Density 21.5, one of the finest performances on this set. One aspect of this reissue that is not so good is that the original album liner is reproduced at a one-to-one ratio to the CD insert. As a result, the liner notes are literally unreadable -- it is like trying to read a copy of the magna carta as included inside a fortune cookie. While recorded performances of Varèse by Kent Nagano, Pierre Boulez, and Riccardo Chailly may offer better sound and more proficient readings of these works than found in The Varèse Album, it is still an important release historically and Wounded Bird should be applauded for returning it to the active catalog. by Uncle Dave Lewis  

All tracks & credits