ELVIN JONES | JAMES MOODY | CLARK TERRY | BUNKY GREEN | ROLAND PRINCE — Summit Meeting (1977-2019) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

This 1976 session led by Elvin Jones is a lot of fun, especially with the presence of Clark Terry and James Moody; rounding out the band are alto saxophonist Bunky Green, guitarist Roland Prince, pianist Albert Dailey, bassist David Matthews, and percussionist Angel Allende. Terry's matchless flügelhorn is the highlight of his original happy blues "Tee Pee Music." Green, who has devoted much of his career to being a jazz educator, contributed the challenging "Blues for Clark" and also the wild post-bop "Summit Song," the latter featuring a solo that borders on avant-garde. Duke Ellington's "Jones," a swinging blues that the maestro narrated to describe how to be cool as one listened to live jazz, is recast with a funky swagger, with Moody's smoking tenor sax and some fine call and response between the horns and the bass, though Terry steals the show by alternating back and forth between flügelhorn and muted trumpet. This somewhat obscure date is overdue to be reissued on CD. Ken Dryden
Tracklist :
1    Tee Pee Music 8:06
Written-By – Clark Terry
2    Blues For Clark 5:55
Written-By – Bunky Green
3    Moody Magic 6:09
Written-By – Ed Bland
4    Summit Song 10:11
Written-By – Bunky Green
5    Jones 9:59
Written-By – Duke Ellington, Pauline Reddon
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Bunky Green
Bass, Guest – David Williams
Drums – Elvin Jones
Guitar – Roland Prince
Percussion, Guest – Angel Allende
Piano, Guest – Al Dailey
Tenor Saxophone – James Moody
Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Clark Terry

ELVIN JONES — The Main Force (1976-2019) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This inconsistent 1976 release from the mighty Elvin Jones is most successful when it draws on the high-energy, advanced hard bop style of the drummer's post-Coltrane period. It's a different story when it comes to the date's superfluous accommodations to fusion. Ryo Kawasaki's squelchy wah-wah guitar serves as the date's chief fusion device. At times, Kawasaki functions usefully in a role somewhat based on John McLaughlin's approach with Miles Davis in the late '60s. Mostly, he comes across as an additional flavor calculated to skew the music's appeal to the rock audience. Still, the opening track, Kawasaki's "Salty Iron," is wonderful, funky, jazz fusion, but it's not a track that calls for Jones' peerless gifts. "Philomene" and "Mini Modes" are in a more hard bop vein, but their potential is undermined by Kawasaki's trendy licks and the tinny chime of Al Dailey's electric piano. The highlight is Gene Perla's "Sweet Mama." Here, guest saxophonist Dave Liebman fires up some tasty, apocalyptic mayhem over a roiling, rhythm-section tempest. There's also a magical solo spot from Jones. This track is helped considerably by Dailey more suitably playing an acoustic piano and bassist Dave Williams setting aside his electric in favor of his upright. As for the 16-plus-minute "Song of Rejoicing," this marathon of collective, percussive noodling, including extensive pad slapping from reed players Pat Labarbera and Frank Foster, is simply an ill-conceived shamble. Jim Todd
Tracklist :
1    Salty Iron 5:15
Written-By – Ryo Kawasaki
2    Sweet Mama 6:22
Written-By – Gene Perla
3    Mini Modes 10:32
Written-By – David Williams
4    Philomene 4:38
Written-By – Ed Bland
5    Song Of Rejoicing After Returning From A Hunt 15:43
Adapted By [From The Djoboko Rhythm Of The Ba-benzele Pygmies] – Elvin Jones
Arranged By – Gene Perla
Credits :
Bass – Dave Williams
Drums – Elvin Jones
Guitar – Ryo Kawasaki
Percussion – Dave Johnson (tracks: 1, 2)
Reeds – Dave Liebman (tracks: 1, 2), Frank Foster (tracks: 3 to 5), Pat LaBarbera, Steve Grossman (tracks: 2 to 5)

JERRY GOODMAN & JAN HAMMER — Like Children (1974-2006) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Violinist Jerry Goodman and keyboardist Jan Hammer away from Mahavishnu. They play all instruments (overdubbed). "Country and Eastern Music" and "Steppings Tones" were high-water marks for this new breed (at the time). Like Children was reissued on CD by Wounded Bird in 2006. Michael G. Nastos
Tracklist :
1    Country And Eastern Music 5:37
Electric Guitar, Violin [Violins], Viola [Violas], Viol [Violows], Electric Violin, Vocals – Jerry
Piano, Drums, Bass [Moog Bass], Synthesizer [Moog Lead], Percussion, Vocals – Jan
Written-By – Jan Hammer
2    No Fear 3:28
Synthesizer [Moog], Sequencer [Oberheim Digital Sequencer] – Jan
Written-By – Jan Hammer
3    I Remember Me 3:49
Acoustic Guitar, Violin [Violins], Viola [Violas], Viol [Violows] – Jerry
Piano, Synthesizer [Moog] – Jan
Written-By – Jan Hammer
4    Earth (Still Our Only Home) 4:17
Drums, Bass [Moog Bass], Synthesizer [Moog Lead], Electric Piano, Sequencer, Vocals – Jan
Electric Guitar [Electric Guitars], Electric Violin, Vocals – Jerry
Written-By – Jan Hammer
5    Topeka 2:57
Acoustic Guitar [Acoustic Guitars], Electric Guitar, Mandolin [Electric Mandolin], Electric Violin – Jerry
Drums, Synthesizer [Moog Bass & Lead], Electric Piano – Jan
Written-By – Jerry Goodman
6    Steppings Tones 3:30
Synthesizer [Moog Bass & Lead], Piano [Acoustic], Electric Piano, Drums, Percussion – Jan
Violin [Acoustic], Electric Violin, Mandolin [Electric Mandolin] – Jerry
Written-By – Rick Laird
7    Night 5:49
Synthesizer [Moog Bass & Lead], Sequencer, Percussion, Drums – Jan
Viola [Violas], Viol [Violows], Violin [Acoustic], Electric Violin – Jerry
Written-By – David Earle Johnson, Jan Hammer
8    Full Moon Boogie 4:13
Drums, Electric Piano, Piano [Acoustic], Synthesizer [Moog Lead & Bass], Vocals – Jan
Electric Violin, Electric Guitar, Lead Vocals – Jerry
Written-By – Jan Hammer, Jerry Goodman
Giving In Gently / I Wonder    (4:44)
9a    Giving In Gently
Acoustic Guitar [Acoustic Guitars], Electric Guitar, Violin, Viola, Viol [Violow], Lead Vocals – Jerry
Synthesizer [Moog Lead & Bass], Electric Piano, Drums, Percussion, Vocals – Jan
Written-By – Ivona Reich, Jan Hammer
9b    I Wonder
Drums, Synthesizer [Moog Lead & Bass], Electric Piano, Piano [Acoustic] – Jan
Lead Guitar, Mandolin [Electric Mandolin], Violin [Violins], Viol [Violow] – Jerry
Written-By – Jerry Goodman

CORYELL | CATHERINE — Splendid (1978-2007) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The companion to Twin House proves to be just as good as the first. This session is a bit more experimental than the first and includes the always reliable Joachim Kühn on piano ("Dues Xango"). Like their first effort, it is not just their remarkable technique that makes this a worthy effort, but also the energetic compositions. Splendid is just as good, if not better, than Twin House, hence, both are recommended. Robert Taylor
Tracklist :
1    One Plus Two Blues 5:17
Written-By – Larry Coryell
2    Snowshadows 3:29
Written-By – Larry Coryell
3    Transvested Express 5:20
Written-By – Philip Catherine
4    Deus Xango 5:27
Piano – Joachim Kühn
Written-By – Astor Piazzolla
5    My Serenade 4:54
Written-By – Django Reinhardt
6    No More Booze 3:43
Written-By – Larry Coryell
7    Father Christmas 2:29
Written-By – Philip Catherine
8    A Quiet Day In Spring 4:02
Written-By – Julie Coryell
9    The Train And The River 4:48
Written-By – Jimmy Giuffre
Credits
Acoustic Guitar [6-string, 12-string] – Larry Coryell
Acoustic Guitar [6-string, 12-string], Electric Guitar [Fretless] – Philip Catherine