MICHEL CAMILO — Rhapsody in Blue (2006) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Jazz pianist Michel Camilo, working with the Barcelona Symphony Orchestra under Ernest Martinez Izquierdo, attempts here to make something new out of George Gershwin's heavily recorded Rhapsody in Blue and Concerto in F -- broadly speaking, he tries to tie these jazz-classical fusions more closely to their jazz roots. Given the fluency with which Gershwin moved between the worlds of classical music, jazz, and pop, the experiment would seem a worthwhile and interesting one, but the recording, at least for those with the usual ways of performing Gershwin in their ears, is likely to come off as neither fish nor fowl. Gershwin's genre-bending status is eloquently attested to by the multiple extant versions of the Rhapsody in Blue, which is heard here in its familiar arrangement by Ferde Grofé. Camilo, however, bases his solo part on Gershwin's original version, a freer, jazzier thing with a language reminiscent in some ways of Gershwin's own Song-Book improvisations. Camilo is an adept, exciting player with plenty of experience in classical music, but the effect of this combination is perhaps to plunk Gershwin's living room down in the middle of a symphonic stage. Or perhaps to give an idea of what Art Tatum might have sounded like playing the Rhapsody in Blue. The recording seems to blur some strands that Gershwin kept clear as he wove them together. The big, soupy lyricism that is such an essential component of the Rhapsody is partly lost. Camilo plays it straighter in the concerto, but this work too ends up sounding more like modern jazz than it should. Gershwin's music has always served as a stimulus for new creativity. And a bit of experiment is necessary to realize his aims fully. Perhaps Camilo's approach will emerge as the standard in time, but for now it's a detour down a Gershwin byway. James Manheim 

Tracklist :
1. Rhapsody in Blue, for piano & orchestra (orchestrated by F. Grofé) 16:46
2-4. Concerto in F, for piano & orchestra
5. Prelude No. 2 6:38
Credits :
Barcelona Symphony and Catalonia National Orchestra
Michel Camilo - Piano
Ernest Martínez Izquierdo - Conductor

McCOY TYNER — Prelude and Sonata (1995) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

McCoy Tyner's Prelude and Sonata adds a different twist from what one typically expects of the pianist; the seasoned veteran invited a trio of young lions (Joshua Redman, Antonio Hart, and Christian McBride) along with drummer Marvin "Smitty" Smith to the date. The two showpieces are classical yet arranged in jazz settings. Chopin's "Prelude in E Minor Op. 28, No. 4" is set as a brisk bossa nova, with a wailing tenor sax solo by Redman which follows alto saxophonist Antonio Hart's laid-back effort. Beethoven's "Piano Sonata No. 8 in C Minor" captures Hart in a more adventurous mood as Tyner interjects some lively changes behind him. Hart's mournful sax is a key ingredient within Henry Mancini's melancholy ballad "Loss of Love," as well as in Mal Waldron's "Soul Eyes." Tyner also has some fun with some old chestnuts like Charlie Chaplin's "Smile"; the pianist's lively re-harmonization and unusually brisk arrangement give it a new lease on life. He also brings out the rich textures within "Good Morning Heartache" in a superb trio chart. "Contemplation" is Tyner's only original of the date, but it has an infectious melancholy theme that inspires some of the best improvisations during the session. This release is definitely off the beaten path for McCoy Tyner, but it is well worth acquiring. Ken Dryden
Tracklist  :
 1. Prelude In E Minor Op. 28, No. 4 (6:14)
 Frédéric Chopin
2. Loss Of Love (8:34)
 Henry Mancini / Bob Merrill
3. Contemplation (11:04)
 McCoy Tyner
4. For All We Know (6:57)
 J. Fred Coots / Sam M. Lewis
5. I Will Wait For You (7:04)
 Jacques Demy / Norman Gimbel / Michel Legrand
6. Soul Eyes (6:33)
 Mal Waldron
7. Smile (4:14)
 Charles Chaplin
8. Good Morning Heartache (4:16)
 Ervin Drake / Dan Fisher / Irene Higginbotham
9. Piano Sonata No. 8 In C Minor (7:04)
 Ludwig van Beethoven
Credits :
Alto Saxophone – Antonio Hart
Bass – Christian McBride
Drums – Marvin "Smitty" Smith
Piano – McCoy Tyner
Tenor Saxophone – Joshua Redman (tracks: 1, 3, 4)

JOE HENDERSON — Lush Life : The Music of Billy Strayhorn (1992+2005) Two Version | WV + FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

With the release of this CD, the executives at Verve and their marketing staff proved that yes, indeed, jazz can sell. The veteran tenor Joe Henderson has had a distinctive sound and style of his own ever since he first entered the jazz major leagues yet he has spent long periods in relative obscurity before reaching his current status as a jazz superstar. As for the music on his "comeback" disc, it does deserve all of the hype. Henderson performs ten of Billy Strayhorn's most enduring compositions in a variety of settings ranging from a full quintet with trumpeter Wynton Marsalis and duets with pianist Stephen Scott, bassist Christian McBride, and drummer Gregory Hutchinson to an unaccompanied solo exploration of "Lush Life." This memorable outing succeeded both artistically and commercially and is highly recommended. Scott Yanow
Tracklist :
1. Isfahan (Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn) – 5:59
Arranged By – Don Sickler
Bass – Christian McBride
Tenor Saxophone – Joe Henderson
Written-By – Billy Strayhorn, Duke Ellington
2. Johnny Come Lately – 6:30
Bass – Christian McBride
Drums – Gregory Hutchinson
Piano – Stephen Scott
Tenor Saxophone – Joe Henderson
Trumpet – Wynton Marsalis
3. Blood Count – 7:19
Bass – Christian McBride
Drums – Gregory Hutchinson
Piano – Stephen Scott
Tenor Saxophone – Joe Henderson
4. Rain Check – 5:54
Bass – Christian McBride
Drums – Gregory Hutchinson
Tenor Saxophone – Joe Henderson
5. Lotus Blossom – 4:31
Piano – Stephen Scott
Tenor Saxophone – Joe Henderson
6. A Flower is a Lovesome Thing – 6:58
Arranged By – Don Sickler
Bass – Christian McBride
Drums – Gregory Hutchinson
Piano – Stephen Scott
Tenor Saxophone – Joe Henderson
Trumpet – Wynton Marsalis
7. Take the "A" Train – 7:11
Drums – Gregory Hutchinson
Tenor Saxophone – Joe Henderson
8. Drawing Room Blues – 7:33
Arranged By – Don Sickler
Bass – Christian McBride
Piano – Stephen Scott
Tenor Saxophone – Joe Henderson
9. U.M.M.G. (Upper Manhattan Medical Group) – 5:02
Bass – Christian McBride
Drums – Gregory Hutchinson
Piano – Stephen Scott
Tenor Saxophone – Joe Henderson
Trumpet – Wynton Marsalis
10. Lush Life – 5:03
Tenor Saxophone – Joe Henderson

Chelovek s kino-apparatom (Man With a Movie Camera) a.k.a. "Um Homem com uma Câmera" (1929, Dir. by Dziga Vertov) VIDEO (ISO)

Two versions of Dziga Vertov's fascinating montage of life in Moscow are included on this tape. The first is the original silent version, with music by the Alloy Orchestra. The second version includes a commentary by Yuri Tsivian, Russian silent cinema historian. Vertov makes innovative early use of dissolves, split screen, slow motion and freeze frames in this fascinating document of life in Twenties Russia. amazon

 Synopsis :
Soviet director Dziga Vertov's experimental film grew out of his belief, shared by his editor, Elizaveta Svilova (who was also his wife), and his cinematographer, Mikhail Kaufman (also his brother), that the true goal of cinema should be to present life as it is lived. To that end, the filmmakers offer a day-in-the-life portrait of a city from dawn until dusk, though they actually shot their footage in several cities, including Moscow, Kiev, and Odessa. After an opening statement, there are no words in the film (neither voice-over nor titles), just dazzling imagery, kinetically edited - as a celebration of the modern city with a marked emphasis on its buildings and machinery. The Image Entertainment DVD edition of the film offers a musical score composed from notes left by the director, which adds greatly to the impact of the film. Tom Wiener
Title : Man With a Movie Camera (1929)
Original Title :  Chelovek s kino-apparatom
Directed : Dziga Vertov  
Duration : 68 min.
Subtitles : English, Spanish, Germany, Portuguese
Countries : Russia

CHARLES MINGUS — Blues & Roots (1959) Two Version (2002, RM | Atlantic Masters Series) + (2007, RM | Atlantic 60th Series) APE (image+.cue), lossless & FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

In response to critical carping that his ambitious, evocative music somehow didn't swing enough, Charles Mingus returned to the earthiest and earliest sources of black musical expression, namely the blues, gospel, and old-time New Orleans jazz. The resulting LP, Blues and Roots, isn't quite as wildly eclectic as usual, but it ranks as arguably Mingus' most joyously swinging outing. Working with simple forms, Mingus boosts the complexity of the music by assembling a nine-piece outfit and arranging multiple lines to be played simultaneously -- somewhat akin to the Dixieland ensembles of old, but with an acutely modern flavor. Anyone who had heard "Haitian Fight Song" shouldn't have been surprised that such an album was well within Mingus' range, but jazz's self-appointed guardians have long greeted innovation with reactionary distaste. After Blues and Roots, there could be no question of Mingus' firm grounding in the basics, nor of his deeply felt affinity with them. Whether the music is explicitly gospel-based -- like the groundbreaking classic "Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting" -- or not, the whole album is performed with a churchy fervor that rips through both the exuberant swingers and the aching, mournful slow blues. Still, it's the blues that most prominently inform the feeling of the album, aside from the aforementioned "Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting" and the Jelly Roll Morton tribute "My Jelly Roll Soul." The recording session was reportedly very disorganized, but perhaps that actually helped give the performances the proper feel, since they wound up so loose and free-swinging. With a lineup including John Handy and Jackie McLean on alto, Booker Ervin on tenor, frequent anchor Pepper Adams on baritone, and Jimmy Knepper and Willie Dennis on trombones, among others, Blues and Roots isn't hurting for fiery soloists, and they help make the album perhaps the most soulful in Mingus' discography. Steve Huey
Tracklist  :
1. Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting 5:39
 Charles Mingus
2. Cryin' Blues 4:58
 Charles Mingus
3. Moanin 8:01
 Charles Mingus
4. Tensions 6:27
 Charles Mingus
5. My Jelly Roll Soul 6:47
 Charles Mingus
6. E's Flat Ah's Flat Too 6:37
 Charles Mingus
– BONUS TRACKS –
7. Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting (Alternate Take)    6:54
8. Tensions (Alternate Take)    5:14
9. My Jelly Roll Soul (Alternate Take)    11:20
10. E's Flat Ah's Flat Too (Alternate Take)    6:47
Credits :
Charles Mingus – Bass
John Handy, Jackie McLean – Sax Alto
Booker Ervin – Sax Tenor
Pepper Adams – Sax Baritone
Jimmy Knepper, Willie Dennis – Trombone
Dannie Richmond – Drums
Horace Parlan (tracks: 1 to 5, 7 to 9), Mal Waldron (tracks: 6, 10) - Piano