DEBUSSY : 12 Etudes (Mitsuko Uchida) (1990) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Collectors may want to know how Philips' latest incarnation of Mitsuko Uchida's 1989 Debussy Etudes differs from earlier CD issues. A 2001 reissue in Philips' "50 Great Recordings" series offered 24-bit remastering that yielded more palpable room ambience, clearer definition, and a more natural equalization of the piano than the excellent-sounding original release. The warmer, rounder impact I glean from the present "Originals" transfer appears to result from slightly beefing up the bass. Admittedly, these are hair-splitting considerations, and you can't go wrong with either reissue, but if you already own the 2001 version (my personal preference), you need not replace it.
Uchida's interpretations are distinguished by her ability to reconcile fastidious observation of the composer's markings with her acute instincts for nuance and flexibility. The first etude's burlesqued piano-practice scales are clearly articulated without ever sounding notey, while the three double-note etudes stand out for supple, ultra-secure fingerwork and ravishing tone color. Uchida's stunning dispatch of the seventh etude, "Pour les huit doigts", adds up to a master class on the subject of when and when not to pedal.

So does the pianist's vividly characterized eighth etude. Here's a case where taking interpretive liberties works to the music's benefit. For example, Debussy wants the penultimate measures sustained. However, Uchida lifts the pedal on the second to last measure so that the final cluster makes a more surprising and humorous impact. She leans into etude eleven's gorgeous polytextural writing for all it's worth, and brings sweeping ferocity to the chord/octave leaps in the final etude's outer sections. In short, Uchida's Debussy Etudes proudly retains its status as a classic, notwithstanding subsequent and serious rivalry from Florent Bouffard (Harmonia Mundi) and Ju-Ying Song (Pro Piano). Absolutely essential! Claude Debussy at Allmusic / Claude Debussy at Wiki

Claude Debussy (1862-1918)
1-12. Douze Etudes Pour Piano (47:12)
Piano – Mitsuko Uchida

LEE MORGAN SEPTET — Dizzy Atmosphere (1957-2008) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

This somewhat obscure Lee Morgan set (originally cut for Specialty and made available on CD in the OJC series) features the trumpeter with other then-current members of the Dizzy Gillespie big band: trombonist Al Grey, tenor saxophonist Billy Mitchell, baritonist Billy Root, pianist Wynton Kelly, bassist Paul West, and drummer Charlie Persip. With arrangements provided by Benny Golson and Roger Spotts, the music is modern bop for the period. Highlights include the ten-and-a-half-minute "Dishwater," "Over the Rainbow," and what was probably the first-ever version of Golson's "Whisper Not." Morgan plays extremely well throughout the spirited set, and he was just 18 at the time. Scott Yanow
Tracklist  :
1    Dishwater (Take 4–Master) 10:38
Written-By – Roger Spotts
2    Someone I Know (Take 6–Master) 3:58
Written-By – Roger Spotts, W. Douglas
3    D.D.T. (Take 5–Master) 3:58
Written-By – Roger Spotts
4    Whisper Not (Take 5–Master) 5:46
Written-By – Benny Golson
5    About Time (Take 5 –Master) 3:00
Written-By – Roger Spotts
6    Day By Day (Take 2–Master) 3:10
Written-By – Alex Stordahl, Paul Weston, Sammy Cahn
7    Rite Of Swing (Take 3–Master) 3:00
Written-By – Roger Spotts
8    Over The Rainbow (Take 4–Master) 4:10
Written-By – E. Y. "Yip" Harburg, Harold Arlen
– BONUS TRACKS –
9    Whisper Not (Alt Take)    5:58
10    Reggie Of Chester    4:40
11    Blues After Dark    7:46
12    A Bid for Sid    4:27
13    Suspended Sentence    5:22
14    Minor Strain    6:21
Credits :
Lee Morgan - Trumpet
Wynton Kelly - Piano
Billy Mitchell - Tenor Saxophone
Billy Root - Baritone Saxophone
Al Grey - Trombone
Paul West - Bass
Charles Persip - Drums

OSCAR PETERSON — Oscar Peterson Plays the George Gershwin Song Book (1996) RM | FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Oscar Peterson Plays the George Gershwin Songbook is a 1959 album by pianist Oscar Peterson of compositions written by George Gershwin. Peterson had recorded many of the pieces for his 1952 album Oscar Peterson Plays
Tracklist  :
1. It Ain't Necessarily So – 2:48
 George Gershwin
2. The Man I Love – 3:09
 George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
3. Love Walked In – 2:49
 George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
4. I Was Doing All Right – 2:50
 George Gershwin
5. A Foggy Day – 2:55
 George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
6. Oh, Lady be Good – 3:02
 George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
7. Our Love is Here to Stay – 2:59
 George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
8. They All Laughed – 2:31
 George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
9. Let's Call the Whole Thing Off – 2:20
 George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
10. Summertime (DuBose Heyward) – 2:58
 George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin / DuBose Heyward
11. Nice Work If You Can Get It – 2:07
 George Gershwin
12. Shall We Dance? – 2:18
 George Gershwin / Ira Gershwin
13. The Man I Love    3:30
14. Fascinating Rhythm    2:56
15. It Ain't Necessarily So    3:13
16. Somebody Loves Me 3:22
Composed By – Ballard MacDonald, B. G. DeSylva, George Gershwin
17. Strike Up The Band    3:14
18. I've Got A Crush On You    2:52
19. I Was Doing All Right    2:41
20. 'S Wonderful    2:36
21. Oh, Lady, Be Good!    3:49
22. I Got Rhythm    3:16
23. A Foggy Day    3:38
24. Love Walked In    3:06
Credits :
Oscar Peterson – Piano
Ray Brown – Double Bass
Ed Thigpen – Drums
Notes :
2 LPs on 1 CD
Tracks 1 to 12 recorded between July 21 and August 1, 1959 at Universal Recording Studios, Chicago - Original LP issue: The Oscar Peterson Trio - Oscar Peterson Plays The George Gershwin Song Book.
Tracks 13 to 24 recorded probably between November 1 and December 4, 1952 in Los Angeles - Original LP issue: Oscar Peterson - Oscar Peterson Plays George Gershwin.

ROY HAYNES · PHINEAS NEWBORN · PAUL CHAMBERS — We Three (1958) Two Version (1986, RM | MONO | Serie : Prestige CD Masterpiece Series – 12) + (2007, RM | RVG Remasters Series) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

We Three, recorded in a single session on November 14, 1958, was the first American studio date as a bandleader for the diminutive and legendary jazz drummer Roy Haynes, although with pianist Phineas Newborn on board (along with bassist Paul Chambers), it really is a set dominated by Newborn, whose busy, two-handed technique here works in tandem balance with Haynes' cool refinement. Newborn was all about amazing and dazzling piano runs that on some dates created simply too much flash and clutter to allow pieces to flow and breathe properly, but Haynes has always been about grace and flow throughout his career (if a drummer's style can said to be elegant, Haynes fits the bill), and here he rubs off on Newborn, who exercises just enough restraint to keep him in the proper orbit, resulting in a fine album. Highlights include the easy, pure swing of the opener, a version of Ray Bryant's "Reflection," a wonderful and bluesy rendition of Avery Parrish's "After Hours" (which finds Newborn in perfect balance between explosive ornamentation and smooth functionality), and a jaunty, fun spin through Newborn's own "Sugar Ray," a tribute to boxer Sugar Ray Robinson. This trio had a brief recording career together, but as this solid set shows, they made the best of it. Steve Leggett
Tracklist  :
1    Reflection 4:23
Written By – Ray Bryant
2    Sugar Ray 6:26
Written By – Phineas Newborn Jr.

3    Solitaire    8:51
Guion-Borek-Nutter
4    After Hours 11:20
Written By – Avery Parrish
5    Sneakin' Around 4:23
Written By – Ray Bryant
6    Our Delight 4:04
Written By – Tadd Dameron
Credits :
Bass – Paul Chambers
Drums – Roy Haynes
Engineer – Rudy Van Gelder
Piano – Phineas Newborn

MADELINE BELL— Bell's A Poppin' (1967-2004) FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

Though born in New Jersey, smooth soul diva Madeline Bell enjoyed her greatest success in the United Kingdom (where she began living in 1963), and her first album, 1967's Bell's a Poppin', is a thoroughly enjoyable example of British pop record-making at its most poised and professional. Bell had a world-class voice and sang supper-club soul in the manner of Dionne Warwick and Dusty Springfield (the latter of whom was a friend of Bell's and often used her as a backing vocalist); those looking for Southern soul grit will be disappointed, but Bell's a Poppin' is a marvelous example of the British equivalent of Brill Building pop. The arrangements are clever and sophisticated, the musicians are spot-on throughout, producer John Franz adds just the right amount of polish without rubbing away the personality of the music, and Bell's vocals tell a story just beautifully, boasting smarts and understated passion while maintaining a firm sense of control and balance throughout. Franz also rounded up some great songs for Bell, with Doc Pomus & Mort Shuman, Burt Bacharach & Hal David, John Sebastian, and Nick Ashford & Valerie Simpson among the tunesmiths represented on this disc. Fans of the slicker side of Northern soul and great mid-'60s pop-soul will delight in Bell's a Poppin'. [RPM's 2004 reissue adds a handful of non-LP singles that are every bit as enjoyable, especially "Don't Come Running to Me" and an interesting cover of the Beatles' "You Won't See Me."] Mark Deming  
Tracklist :
1 Picture Me Gone 2:59
Al Gorgoni / Chip Taylor
2 You Don't Love Me No More 1:55
Charles Blackwell
3 Baby I'll Come Right Away 2:22
Nickolas Ashford / Valerie Simpson
4 Beat the Clock 2:47
Richard Gottehrer / Jon Stroll
5 Mr. Dream Merchant 2:43
Jerry Ross / Larry Weiss
6 Can't Get Used to Losing You 2:25
Doc Pomus / Mort Shuman
7 Soul Time 2:31
Shirley Ellis
8 I'm Gonna Make You Love Me 2:52
Kenny Gamble / Leon Huff / Jerry Ross
9 I'm Gonna Leave You 3:05
Madeline Bell / Lesley Duncan / Dusty Springfield
10 The Last One to Be Loved 3:02
Burt Bacharach / Hal David
11 I Didn't Want to Have to Do It 2:32
John Sebastian
12 Mercy Mercy Mercy 3:05
Joe Zawinul
13 What the World Needs Now Is Love 2:59
Burt Bacharach / Hal David
14 I Can't Wait Until I See My Baby's Face 2:36
Jerry Ragovoy
15 Don't Come Running to Me 2:48
Jimmy Wisner
16 I Really Got Carried Away 2:19
Margo Lewis / Gary Lyons / Doris Payne
17 One Step at a Time 2:16
Joshie Armstead / Nickolas Ashford / Valerie Simpson
18 You Won't See Me 3:26
John Lennon / Paul McCartney
19 Climb Ev'ry Mountain 2:17
Oscar Hammerstein II / Richard Rodgers
20 It Makes No Difference Now
Norman Newell / Iller Pattacini