Into the Rhythm

Horace Silver - Song for My Father

2009-11-07T06:53:00.001-08:00

One of Blue Note's greatest mainstream hard bop dates, Song for My Father is Horace Silver's signature LP and the peak of a discography already studded with classics. Silver was always a master at balancing jumping rhythms with complex harmonies for a unique blend of earthiness and sophistication, and Song for My Father has perhaps the most sophisticated air of all his albums. Part of the reason is the faintly exotic tint that comes from Silver's flowering fascination with rhythms and modes from overseas -- the bossa nova beat of the classic "Song for My Father," for example, or the Eastern-flavored theme of "Calcutta Cutie," or the tropical-sounding rhythms of "Que Pasa?" Subtle touches like these alter Silver's core sound just enough to bring out its hidden class, which is why the album has become such a favorite source of upscale ambience. Song for My Father was actually far less focused in its origins than the typical Silver project; it dates from the period when Silver was disbanding his classic quintet and assembling a new group, and it features performances from both bands (and, on the CD reissue with bonus tracks, three different sessions). Still, it hangs together remarkably well, and Silver's writing is at its tightest and catchiest. The title cut became Silver's best-known composition, partly because it provided the musical basis for jazz-rock group Steely Dan's biggest pop hit "Rikki Don't Lose That Number." Another hard bop standard is introduced here in the lone non-Silver tune, tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson's "The Kicker," covered often for the challenge of its stuttering phrases and intricate rhythms. Yet somehow it comes off as warm and inviting as the rest of the album, which is necessary for all jazz collections -- mainstream hard bop rarely comes as good as Song for My Father. - by Steve Huey, AMG

Artist: Horace Silver Quintet
Album: Song for My Father
Year: 1963/64
Label: Blue Note (1989)
Total time: 61:27

Personnel:
Horace Silver (Piano)
Carmell Jones (Trumpet) - 1-6
Joe Henderson (Tenor Saxophone) - 1-6
Teddy Smith (Double Bass) - 1-6
Roger Humphries (Drums) - 1-6
Blue Mitchell (Trumpet) - 7,9,10
Junior Cook (Tenor Saxophone) - 7,9,10
Gene Taylor (Double Bass) - 7-10
Roy Brooks (Drums) - 7-10

Tracks:
1. Song For My Father (Horace Silver) 7:20
2. The Natives Are Restless Tonight (Horace Silver) 6:12
3. Calcutta Cutie (Horace Silver) 8:33
4. Que Pasa (Horace Silver) 7:49
5. The Kicker (Joe Henderson) 5:28
6. Lonely Woman (Horace Silver) 7:03
7. Sanctimonious Sam (Musa Kaleem) 3:57
8. Que Pasa (trio version) (Horace Silver) 5:41
9. Sighin' and Cryin' (Horace Silver) 5:29
10. Silver Treads Among My Soul (Horace Silver) 3:50

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Steve Coleman - Myths, Modes and Means

2009-11-06T07:24:00.000-08:00

One of a trio of RCA CDs taken from altoist Steve Coleman's week at Paris's Hot Brass Club, three of the six performances on this set ("Finger of God," "Song of the Beginnings" and "Transits") are over 19 minutes long, and, with the exception of a rap on "The Initiate" and one during the last part of "Song of the Beginnings," this is a jazz set. On "Finger of God," Yassir Chadly's spiritual chant is followed by some intense Coleman alto over a drone by the keyboards. Other selections feature passionate free funk with plenty of Coleman alto and Ralph Alessi trumpet solos; Vijay Iyer's spooky keyboards and Miya Masaoka's koto are assets in the ensembles. - by Scott Yanow, AMG

The Mystic Rhythm Society is dedicated to exploring the structure of the universe and expressing these forms through music. Steve Coleman brought the musicians together in 1994 as a result of a desire to explore the essential ethereal relationships between humanity and creation. For this special purpose a unique group of people had to be assembled. The musicians, each in their own way, had individually matured to the point of seeing music as a language that is capable of expressing our existence on many levels. The challenge for Steve and the musicians was to unify these varying conceptions under a guiding philosophy and then express these ideas through sound. It would be pointless to go on about the technical nature of this music as the original inspiration was perceived through vision, and it is the vision that is the point. The main idea is that the universe creates impressions, a kind of imprint, at any given time relative to a given place. The goal of The Mystic Rhythm Society is to capture the essence of these impressions using analogous musical forms and structures, then convey the various feelings, thoughts and experiences of the musicians through musical compositions constructed of specific universal impressions. Most of the compositions were conceived spontaneously within the sonic structures representing these impressions. This recording represents an initial move in this direction and is sure to influence any subsequent music of Steve Coleman. The lofty goal of the musicians was actually felt and expressed by many members of the audience present during these performances. It is the hope of all present on this recording that you enjoy the music and that you also can experience, through sound, the wonders of unity. - from the CD cover

Artist: Steve Coleman and The Mystic Rhythm Society
Album: Myths, Modes and Means
Year: 1995
Label: RCA
Total time: 75:40

Personnel:
Steve Coleman (Alto Saxophone)
Ralph Alessi (Trumpet)
Andy Milne (Piano and Keyboards)
Reggie Washington (Bass)
Gene Lake (Drums)
Vijay Iyer (Keyboards)
Miya Masaoka (Koto)
Josh Jones (Percussion)
Ramesh Shotham (Percussion)
Kokayi (Lyricist)
Yassir Chadly (Vocals and Percussion)

Tracks:
1. Mystic Dub 2:06
2. Finger of God 24:37
3. The Initiate 3:50
4. Madras 3:43
5. Song of the Beginnings 19:16
6. Numerology 1:42
7. Transits 20:23
All compositions by Steve Coleman

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Sonny Rollins - Freedom Suite

2009-11-05T10:11:00.001-08:00

Tenor saxophonist Sonny Rollins' last Riverside album was reissued on this Original Jazz Classics CD. Jamming in a pianoless trio with bassist Oscar Pettiford and drummer Max Roach, Rollins is very creative, stretching out on his lengthy "Freedom Suite," clearly enjoying investigating the obscure Noel Coward melody "Someday I'll Find You," turning the show tune "Till There Was You" into jazz, and finding beauty in "Shadow Waltz" and "Will You Still Be Mine?" A near masterpiece. - by Scott Yanow, AMG

Artist: Sonny Rollins
Album: Freedom Suite
Year: 1958 (Riverside)
Label: OJC (1989)
Total time: 41:23

Personnel:
Sonny Rollins (Tenor Saxophone)
Oscar Pettiford (Double Bass)
Max Roach (Drums)

Tracks:
1. The Freedom Suite (Sonny Rollins) 19:31
2. Someday I'll Find You (Noel Coward) 4:41
3. Will You Still Be Mine? (Tom Adair/Matt Dennis) 3:00
4. Till There Was You (Take 3) (Meredith Wilson) 4:58
5. Till There Was You (Take 4) (Meredith Wilson) 4:59
6. Shadow Waltz (Al Dubin/Harry Warren) 4:13

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Jimmy Smith - The Sermon!

2009-11-04T06:46:00.000-08:00

The seven sides on The Sermon! (1958) come from a pair of studio dates, the first of which was held August 25, 1957 and includes Jimmy Smith (organ), Lee Morgan (trumpet), George Coleman (alto sax), Curtis Fuller (trombone), Eddie McFadden (guitar), Kenny Burrell (guitar) and Donald Bailey (drums). This was followed by a second exactly six months (to the day) later on February 25, 1958. Along with Smith, present and accounted for during the session were Lou Donaldson (alto sax) replacing Coleman in addition to contributions from Tina Brooks (tenor sax) and the ubiquitous Art Blakey (drums). From the '57 confab are the popular music standards "S'Wonderful" and "Blue Room". The former is given an unhurried mid-tempo workout as Morgan banters sublime licks with McFadden. Fuller's full round tones effortlessly manoeuvre "Blue Room" with the intimate trio of Bailey and Smith in support. The real essence can be heard in the variety of styles utilized in the latter gathering. An emotive "Lover Man" is punctuated by Donaldson's fluid leads behind Smith's heartfelt changes. This is sharply distinguished by the longer jams featuring Burrell, Blakey and mighty impressive blows throughout from Morgan and Brooks. They ride hard on the Bird classics "Confirmation" and an intense "Au Privave". Brooks' solos are much of the reason why each excels with such bop finesse and are best experienced rather than simply read about. "Flamingo" is a sumptuous ballad that allows Morgan and Burrell to trade some laid back lines within the context of an unencumbered rhythm section. Whether upgrading the mid ‘80s CD or discovering the platter for the first time, The Sermon! is a prime example of Smith and company's myriad of talents. - by Lindsay Planer, AMG

Artist: Jimmy Smith
ALbum: The Sermon!
Year: 1957-58
Label: Blue Note (24-bit remastering by R. Van Gelder, 1999)
Total time: 40:13

Personnel:
Jimmy Smith (Organ)
Lee Morgan (Trumpet)
Lou Donaldson (Alto Saxophone) - 1
George Coleman (Alto Saxophone) - 2
Tina Brooks (Tenor Saxophone) - 1
Kenny Burrell (Guitar) - 1,3
Eddie McFadden (Guitar) - 2
Art Blakey (Drums) - 1,3
Donald Bailey (Drums) - 2

Tracks:
1. The Sermon (Jimmy Smith) 20:12
2. J.O.S. (Jimmy Smith) 11:59
3. Flamingo (Edmund Anderson/Ted Grouya) 8:01

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Stephan Micus - Twilight Fields

2009-11-03T04:13:00.000-08:00

… remarkable, haunting and truly timeless. - Down Beat, USA

Twilight Fields is a set of smooth acoustic ambience from Stephan Micus, a master of the craft. He uses flutes, marimbas, xylophones, and ethnic percussion devices to generate this atmospheric experience. Each instrument has its own sonority and Micus uses a natural reverberation to strike an overtone appeal. His sound design has some remnants of dissonance and avant-garde tendencies, and, within that realm, Micus uses experimental techniques to forge space music properties with acoustic tools. This CD will appeal to fans of Riley Lee, Stan Richardson, Nawang Khechog, and R. Carlos Nakai. - by Jim Brenholts, AMG

Artist: Stephan Micus
Album: Twilight Fields
Year: 1987
Label: ECM
Total time: 46:04

Personnel:
Stephan Micus (Flowerpots, Hammered Dulcimer, Zither, Shakuhachi and Ney)

Tracks:
1. Part 1 8:39
2. Part 2 8:04
3. Part 3 4:28
4. Part 4 10:02
5. Part 5 14:48
All compositions by Stephan Micus

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Mark Isham - Tibet

2009-11-02T05:31:00.001-08:00

Tibet is an electro-tribal world music symphony composed to honor that country. Mark Isham handles the task tastefully and tactfully. He uses Japanese haiku as a basis for rhythm and repetition. The only ethnic instrument is the bamboo flute. Isham's sound design incorporates traditional western instruments in honor of Tibet and its culture. This is not Tibetan music, but it does evoke imagery of the Himalayas and "the place where the earth and the heavens meet." The atmospheres are subtle and mysterious. Isham's soundscapes waver from new age to ambient to minimalism to worldbeat. The fluctuations are random. This disc will appeal to fans of Jon Jenkins, Greg Klamt, John Flomer, and Patrick O'Hearn. - by Jim Brenholts, AMG

The use of haiku in this work stems first and foremost from a perception of it as music. Its rhythmic form, its tradition of repetition, the quality of the Japanese language itself as purely sound. The basic level of apprecitation pf its contribution then would be as a musical element solely - without significance or meaning to the words. The listener may choose whether or not to correlate a relationship of their own design between the poetry, the picture and the music. - by Mark Isham

Artist: Mark Isham
Album: Tibet
Year: 1989
Label: Windham Hill
Total time: 48:30

Personnel:
Mark Isham (Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Perkiphone, Gongs and Electronics)
Bill Douglass (Bamboo Flutes)
Ken Kugler (Bass Trombone)
Doug Lunn (Electric Bass)
Peter Maunu (Guitar)
Jean Roth (French Horn)
Tom Sassa (Voice)
Kim Scharnberg (Tenor Trombone)
Richard Todd (French Horn)
David Torn (Guitar)
Kurt Wortman (Percussion and Gongs)

Tracks:
1. Part I 13:14
2. Part II 4:52
3. Part III 6:23
4. Part IV 9:06
5. Part V 14:52
All compositions by Mark Isham

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George Coleman - I Could Write A Book

2009-11-01T07:02:00.001-08:00

Inspired by a guest spot in a Carnegie Hall Jazz Band tribute to Rodgers and Hart, Coleman organized an entire album around the theme -- with a touch of Hammerstein too. It's a mostly mainstream hard bop session, with Coleman's slightly dry, plain-spoken tone on all three of his instruments -- soprano, alto and tenor -- lending an appropriately lyrical bend to the collection of well-known Rodgers standards; well, its mostly hard bop, "My Favorite Things" is cast perhaps inevitably in the modal Coltrane mold, with Coleman on soprano for good measure, and once in a great while, Coleman lets fly outside the changes. A fine, flexible rhythm section of veterans -- two fellow Memphis colleagues (pianist Harold Mabern, bassist Jamil Nasser) and one Angeleno drummer (Billy Higgins) -- sends Coleman on his way in style. As if in tribute to his rhythm section, Coleman sits out "People Will Say We're in Love" entirely and dukes it out with Higgins on a brief "Thou Swell." This is almost an echo of fellow saxman Joe Henderson's successful tribute formula of the early 1990s, although Henderson's CDs were somewhat more emotionally involving than this. - by Richard S. Ginell, AMG

Artist: George Coleman
Album: I Could Write a Book (The Music of Richard Rodgers)
Year: 1998
Label: Telarc Jazz
Total time: 59:29

Personnel:
George Coleman (Alto, Soprano and Tenor Saxophone)
Harold Mabern (Piano)
Jamil Nasser (Double Bass)
Billy Higgins (Drums)

Tracks:
1. Falling In Love With Love (Lorenz Hart/Richard Rodgers) 5:14
2. My Funny Valentine (Lorenz Hart/Richard Rodgers) 6:20
3. Lover (Lorenz Hart/Richard Rodgers) 6:50
4. Bewitched (Lorenz Hart/Richard Rodgers) 5:20
5. I Didn't Know What Time It Was (Lorenz Hart/Richard Rodgers) 4:51
6. My Favorite Things (Oscar Hammerstein II/Richard Rodgers) 6:06
7. Have You Met Miss Jones (Lorenz Hart/Richard Rodgers) 7:57
8. People Will Say We're In Love (Oscar Hammerstein II/Richard Rodgers) 3:38
9. I Could Write A Book (Lorenz Hart/Richard Rodgers) 7:11
10. Medley: There's A Small Hotel/Where Or When/The Sweetest Sounds (Richard Rodgers) 3:47
11. Thou Swell (Lorenz Hart/Richard Rodgers) 2:15

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Chucho Valdes - Bele Bele en la Habana

2009-10-30T10:59:00.000-07:00

Issued just after his landmark two-week June 1998 gig at the Village Vanguard and subsequent U.S./Canada tour, Chucho Valdes' first album for Blue Note bears out a lot of the hype surrounding this hugely gifted Cuban pianist. Unlike many of today's younger Cuban keyboard hotshots, Valdés not only has great technical chops and musical erudition, he manages to stay closely tied to his Cuban rhythmic roots. Thus, he employs a Cuban percussionist Roberto Vizcaino Guillot along with the standard bass (Alain Perez Rodriguez) and drums (Raul Pineda Roque), which dramatically increases the possibilities for rhythmic experiments. Valdes more often than not is all over the keyboard, comfortable with everything from Ravel-ian classical complexity to Bill Evans' introspection to Cecil Taylor-like crunches. But there are surprisingly few wasted motions; all of the notes fit. He creates tremendous excitement on "Con Poco Loco" (which ends with a sly steal from "Giant Steps"), and suddenly breaks into a cornucopia of European stream-of-consciousness fireworks before returning to Cuba on "Son Montuno." However, the best moments on Bele Bele en La Habana come when Valdés hooks his fire-eating technique into the groove and doesn't let go. "El Cumbanchero" contains some sudden rhythmic shifts that will have you leaping out of your chair, and "Tres Lindas Cubanas" gradually builds a great head of steam. This CD will give you a much better idea of Valdés' pianistic capabilities than any of his records with Irakere. On a political level, it is interesting and disheartening to note that Valdes recorded this album in Toronto under the auspices of EMI Music Canada; a direct signing with Blue Note would have exposed the American company to charges of trading with the enemy. Obviously, as of 1998, the Cold War was not completely over. - by Richard S. Ginell, AMG

Artist: Jesus "Chucho" Valdes
Album: Bele Bele en la Habana
Year: 1998
Label: Blue Note
Total time: 56:29

Personnel:
Chucho Valdes (Piano)
Alain Perez Rodriguez (Double Bass and Vocals)
Roberto Vizcaino Guillot (Congas and Percussion)
Raul Pineda Roque (Trap Drums, Cymbals)

Tracks:
1. Son Montuno (Chucho Valdes) 7:14
2. Lorraine (Chucho Valdes) 5:43
3. But Not for Me (Pero No Para Mí) (George Gershwin/Ira Gershwin) 3:09
4. Con Poco Coco (Without Much Thought) (Bebo Valdes) 8:37
5. El Cumbanchero (The Rumba Dancer) (Rafael Hernandez) 6:56
6. Tres Lindas Cubanas (Three Beautiful Cuban Women) (Guillermo Castillo) 6:31
7. La Sitiera (The Small Farm) (Rafael Lopez) 8:46
8. Los Caminos (The Pathways) (Pablo Milanes) 9:30

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Dusko Goykovich - Samba Do Mar

2009-10-29T10:25:00.000-07:00

Best known for his unmistakably melodic phrasing and his high-class ballad renditions on the trumpet, muted trumpet, and fluegelhorn, Dusko Goykovich's eventful life is like a mirror of 50 years of jazz history. Born in Bosnia, he came to prominence in Germany in the fifites, was a member of Maynard Ferguson's and Woody Herman's orchestras in the sixties and later became a pioneer of the Balkan-jazz movement. With ease and brilliance he switches from bebop to ballads, from bossa to 5/4. Goykovich's latest CD "Portrait" celebrating his 70th birthday showed his mastership developing over a course of 40 years. British "Jazz Rag" read: "From gently reflective approaches to charging tempos, the trumpeter's combination of imagination and elegance and his ever present bright tone are consistently striking. He exhibitis an arresting flow of ideas throughout. A really superb album!" On his new album "Samba Do Mar", Dusko Goykovich shows a fresh and sparkling approach to Brazilian music. Ranging from one of Villa-Lobos' Baroque-influenced compositions and a pair of Antonio Carlos Jobim's legendary bossa nova tunes to some wonderful originals by Argentinian artist Sergio Mihanovich and trumpeter Dusko Goykovich himself, the program opens up new spaces for his and his band's ever-soulful imagination. This album displays a rare kind of Brazilness – natural and relaxed but at the same time sophisticated and original. Goykovich's counterpart on this album is Hungarian guitar virtuoso Ferenc Snétberger who possesses one of the very few truly distinctive voices in the field of improvised classical guitar playing. Educated in jazz as well as classical music, Snétberger has integrated authentic Brazilian and Spanish techniques into his personal style. On this album he delivers great sounds and solos that radiate Brazilian moods touched by a free genius. Bassist Martin Gjakonovski is among Europe's best jazz bassists and previously recorded with such as Bob Berg and Michael Brecker. His dark and heavy tone brings a solid, earthy groove to this music. The youngster in the band, American drummer Jarrod Cagwin, is known for his extended studies in exotic drum languages. This time he mostly plays hand drums thus adding a taste of Afro-Brazilian heat. - from enjarecords.com

Artist: Dusko Goykovich
Album: Samba Do Mar
Enja: 2003
Label: Enja
Total time: 60:34

Personnel:
Dusko Goykovich (Trumpet and Flugelhorn)
Ferenc Snétberger (Guitar)
Martin Gjakonowski (Bass)
Jarrod Cagwin (Drums)

Tracks:
1. Samba Do Mar (Dusko Goykovich) 6:40
2. Jim's Ballad (Sergio Mihanovich) 5:42
3. Chega De Saudade (No More Blues) (Antonio Carlos Jobim) 6:07
4. Insensatez (How Insensitive) (Antonio Carlos Jobim) 8:03
5. Bachianas Braseileiras No.5 (Heitor Villa-Lobos) 6:03
6. The Fish (Sergio Mihanovich) 3:50
7. Quo Vadis (Dusko Goykovich) 6:39
8. Love And Deception (Sergio Mihanovich) 5:08
9. Danca Comigo (Dusko Goykovich) 5:35
10. Sunset (Sergio Mihanovich) 6:42

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Collegium Musicum - Live

2009-10-28T11:22:00.001-07:00

First live album from this outstanding band. Marián Varga is a fabulous organ player and their covers of some classical music to rock and fusion are incredible. Their sound is closer to ELP, but a little more jazzier. Not less virtuoso than Emerson, Fritz or Van der Linden, Varga deliver us music full of breaks, jazzier and classical parts, and otherwise, drums and also bass solos, as the ability of Hajek is very noteworthy and the bass lines played by Freso are quite strong and enjoyable, in the vein of Chris Squire. I don't know if they were the Czeschoslovakian answer to ELP, because they appeared at the same time, anyway, I can find some small similarities with The Nice, but overall, I think these guys could play very nice music and their style is rather unique. Much more original and spontaneous than Trace or Triumvirat, that's why they are one of my favourite bands. Rather precious and unique. Five stars. - by Miles, Progarchives.com

Artist: Collegium Musicum
Album: Live
Year: 1973
Label: Opus (1998)
Total time: 42:48

Personnel:
Marián Varga (Organ)
Fedor Feso (Bass Guitar)
Dusan Hajek (Drums and Percussion)

Tracks:
1. Burleska / Burlesque (Marian Varga/Fedor Feso/Dusan Hajek) 11:01
2. Si nemozná / You are impossible Part 1 (Marian Varga) 8:54
3. Si nemozná / You are impossible Part 2 (Marian Varga) 8:01
4. Monumento / Monument (Marian Varga/Fedor Feso/Dusan Hajek) 14:42

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Takis Barberis - Episodes

2009-10-26T08:56:00.001-07:00

The composer and guitarist Takis Barberis and his quintet, consisting of the most renowned musicians on the Greek jazz scene, join forces and come up with thirteen jazz 'episodes'. Ethnic, jazz and rock are the ingredients of this elaborate acoustic concoction. The timeless rhythm and flowing music - entrancing and spellbinding - convey a most fascinating atmosphere against the backdrop of the Aegean Sea. The two guest-stars, the world-acclaimed percussionist Trilok Gurtu and Petros Loucas Chalkias, one of the most renowned clarinetists in Greece, add to the whole venture. - Product info

Artist: Takis Barberis
Album: Episodes
Year: 1995
Label: Lyra
Total time: 57:07

Personnel:
Takis Barberis (Guitar and Guitar-Synthesizer)
Takis Farazis (Piano, Accordeon and Keyboards)
Pandelis Benetatos (Keyboards, Piano, Synthesizer)
Takis Paterelis (Tenor and Soprano Saxophone)
Yiannis Vassalos (Double Bass)
Costas Kalogirou (Drums)
Petros Kourtis (Percussion)
Yiotis Kiourtsoglou (Bass Guitar)
Yiannis Papayiannis (Oboe)
Trilok Gurtu (Drums, Tabla and Percussion)
Petros Loucas Chalkias (Clarinet)

Tracks:
1. Allotropia 5:36
2. Milos 6:33
3. Always With The Last Impression 6:00
4. Intermod 0:39
5. Derti 7:11
6. The Beauty And The Risk 4:32
7. Love Ode 4:52
8. Ok, Butl 6:04
9. Which Way To The Exit 6:26
10. Twin Intermod 1:17
11. Secret No More 3:50
12. Private 1:46
13. For The Passed Away 2:16
All compositions by Takis Barberis

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Cannonball Adderley - At the Lighthouse

2009-10-23T00:46:00.001-07:00

This is a fine all-around set from the Cannonball Adderley Quintet of 1960 with the altoist/leader, cornetist Nat Adderley, pianist Victor Feldman, bassist Sam Jones and drummer Louis Hayes. The fifth of seven LPs reissued by Orrin Keepnews and taken from Adderley's Riverside years finds his band in top form on the original version of "Sack O' Woe," a previously unissued "Our Delight," Jimmy Heath's "Big 'P'" and "Blue Daniel" among others. It's a strong introduction to the music of this classic hard bop group. - by Scott Yanow, AMG

At The Lighthouse is another of the Adderley albums originally recorded on Riverside but taken by Adderley when he left the company for Capitol in 1963. For a time it was available in the 1990s on Landmark records, producer Orrin Keepnews's label, but this is its first CD release in Britain. On an album with already generous playing time by vinyl standards, there is an extra track, a workout on Tadd Dameron's "Our Delight". That apart, this was a popular record in its day, bringing to Adderley's fans their first recordings by the quintet of "Work Song" and "Sack O'Woe", two of their biggest early hits. ("Work Song" first appeared on brother Nat's eponymous Riverside album just before this). Cannon is his usual imperious self, that beautiful, buoyant tone helping his improvisations glide along. Nat, as always, is less perfect but more fiery, giving the partnership his own special sensibility. The superb bass and drums of Sam Jones and Louis Hayes is given a special lift by the new arrival of Victor Feldman on piano. The audience is quiet (hooray!), Cannon is urbane in his announcements and the recording quality is, for its age, spot-on. - by Keith Shadwick

Artist: The Cannonball Adderley Quintet
Album: At the Lighthouse
Year: 1960 (Riverside)
Label: Capitol Jazz (24-bit SBM, 2001)
Total time: 53:01

Personnel:
Cannonball Adderley (Alto Saxophone)
Nat Adderley (Cornet)
Victor Feldman (Piano)
Sam Jones (Double Bass)
Louis Hayes (Drums)

Tracks:
1. Sack O' Woe (Julian Adderley) 10:44
2. Big "P" (Jimmy Heath) 5:54
3. Blue Daniel (Frank Rosolino) 7:30
4. Azule Serape (Victor Feldman) 9:29
5. Exodus (Victor Feldman) 7:40
6. What Is This Thing Called Love? (Coler Porter) 4:48
7. Our Delight (Tadd Dameron) 6:53

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Grateful Dead - Live/Dead

2009-10-22T07:39:00.001-07:00

The Grateful Dead's fourth title was likewise their first extended concert recording. Spread over two LPs, Live/Dead (1969) finally was able to relay the intrinsic sonic magnificence of a Dead show in real time. Additionally, it unleashed several key entries into their repertoire, including the sidelong epic and Deadhead anthem"Dark Star" as well as wailing and otherwise electrified acidic covers of the Rev. Gary Davis blues standard "Death Don't Have No Mercy" and the R&B rave-up "(Turn on Your) Lovelight." Finally, the conundrum of how to bring a lengthy performance experience to the listener has been solved. The album's four sides provided the palette from which to replicate the natural ebb and flow of a typical Dead set circa early 1969. Tomes have been written about the profound impact of "Dark Star" on the Dead and their audience. It also became a cultural touchstone signifying that rock music was becoming increasingly experimental by casting aside the once-accepted demands of the short, self-contained pop song. This version was recorded on February 27, 1969, at the Fillmore West and is presented pretty much the way it went down at the show. The same is true of the seven remaining titles on Live/Dead. The rousing rendition of "St. Stephen" reinvents the Aoxomoxoa (1968) prototype with rip-roaring thunder and an extended ending which slams into an instrumental rhythmic excursion titled "The Eleven" after the jam's tricky time signature. The second LP began with a marathon cover of "(Turn on Your) Lovelight," which had significant success for both Bobby "Blue" Bland and Gene Chandler earlier in the decade. With Ron "Pigpen" McKernan at the throttle, the Dead barrel their way through the work, reproportioning and appointing it with fiery solos from Garcia and lead vocal raps courtesy of McKernan. "Death Don't Have No Mercy" is a languid noir interpretation of Rev. Gary Davis' distinct Piedmont blues. Garcia's fretwork smolders as his solos sear through the melody. Likewise notable is the criminally underrated keyboard work of Tom Constanten, whose airy counterpoint rises like a departing spirit from within the soul of the song. The final pairing of "Feedback" -- which is what is sounds like it might be -- with the "lowering down" funeral dirge "And We Bid You Goodnight" is true to the way that the band concluded a majority of their performances circa 1968-1969. They all join in on an a cappella derivative of Joseph Spence and the Pinder Family's traditional Bahamian distillation. Few recordings have ever represented the essence of an artist in performance as faithfully as Live/Dead. It has become an aural snapshot of this zenith in the Grateful Dead's 30-year evolution and as such is highly recommended for all manner of enthusiasts. - by Lindsay Planer, AMG

Artist: Grateful Dead
Album: Live/Dead
Year: 1969 (Warner)
Label: Rhino (Remastered, HDCD, 2003)
Total time: 73:04

Personnel:
Jerry Garcia (Guitar and Vocals)
Phil Lesh (Bass Guitar and Vocals)
Bob Weir (Guitar and Vocals)
Mickey Hart (Percussion)
Tom Constanten (Keyboards)
Pigpen (Vocals, Congas and Organ) - 5

Tracks:
1. Dark Star (Jerry Garcia/Mickey Hart/Bill Kreutzmann/Phil Lesh) 23:08
2. St .Stephen (Jerry Garcia/Phil Lesh/Robert Hunter) 6:32
3. The Eleven (Phil Lesh/Robert Hunter) 9:22
4. Turn On Your Love Light (Joseph Scott/Deadric Malone) 15:08
5. Death Don't Have No Mercy (Gary Davis) 10:29
6. Feedback (Tom Constanten/Mickey Hart/Bill Kreutzmann/Phil Lesh) 7:50
7. And We Bid You Goodnight (Traditional) 0:35

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Anouar Brahem - Conte de l'incroyable amour

2009-10-21T10:48:00.000-07:00

Tunisian oud master Brahem invites two Turkish musicians into his soundworld, ney player Kudsi Erguner, from the Sufi tradition, and clarinettist Barbaros Erköse, an exponent of Romany gipsy music.- ECM product info

Anouar Brahem is a Tunisian who is one of the leading present exponents of the oud, a lute-like stringed instrument. Brahem's music is anything but 'exponent'-sounding, however--he makes regular excursions into the world of jazz and crossover (a project of some years back with Norwegian saxophonist Jan Garbarek was wonderful), along with recording pieces with a more traditional sound. This cd is langorous and exotic-sounding with a good bit of a jazz feel thrown in for good measure; it is mostly quiet, introspective and wandering (even ambient), with occasional explosions of what might be termed "rhythmic urgency." It frankly takes a bit of getting used to, but if you like unpretentious, intimate music and can get into this particular blend of North African instrumentation (oud, clarinet, nai flute, and bendir and darbouka), you may well find it very attractive.- by C.H. Smith, Amazon.com

What you will hear in this album is magic solitude. Is silence. Brahem explores the mystical sounds rooted deep inside us, and only giving these his most familiar form, through his oud. This music is born for artists, for sensitive creative people. For rare moments of true happines.- by Alex Balint, Amazon.com

Artist: Anouar Brahem
Album: Conte de l'incroyable amour
Year: 1991
Label: ECM
Total time: 59:26

Personnel:
Anouar Brahem (Oud)
Barbaros Erköse (Clarinet)
Kudsi Erguner (Nai)
Lassad Hosni (Bendir and Darbouka)

Tracks:
1. Etincelles (Anouar Brahem) 3:21
2. Le Chien sur les genoux de la devineresse (Anouar Brahem) 3:44
3. L'oiseau de bois (Anouar Brahem) 4:48
4. Lumiere du silence (Anouar Brahem) 5:15
5. Conte de L'incroyable amour (Anouar Brahem) 10:51
6. Peshrev Hidjaz Homayoun (Veli Dede) 5:03
7. Diversion (Kudsi Erguner) 5:39
8. Nayzak (Anouar Brahem) 5:32
9. Battements (Anouar Brahem) 1:56
10. En souvenir d'Iram (Anouar Brahem) 3:02
11. Iram retrouvée (Anouar Brahem) 3:48
12. Epilogue (Anouar Brahem) 6:21

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Ian Simmonds - Return to X

2009-10-20T10:37:00.000-07:00

Jazz has made a vigorous come back over the last ten years, as dance artists started exhuming influences ranging from Miles Davis to Herbie Hancock. The likes of St Germain, Nightmares On Wax or the whole of the acid jazz scene have all borrowed multiple elements of the genre, modernising them, adapting them to their needs. As part of the Sandals, in the mid nineties, Ian Simmonds explored these themes, and still does to this day. After the demise of his band, Simmonds resurfaced in 1999, with Last States Of Nature, his first solo album. A year later, he released The Hill, under his Juryman alias. Return To X continues his journey into jazz, dub and electronica, and sees him ingurgitating cinematic influences as well. The work of John Barry insinuates itself at regular intervals along the album, and faces the listener from the first measures of Fathom’s Down. Building on a syncopated beat and an omnipresent bass, which forms the blueprint for the rest of the album, Simmonds add a melody played on a harpsichord. This incongruent marriage, reminiscent of the theme for TV series The Persuaders, if disconcerting at first, gives the track an unusual feel of desuetude. Swingin Millie, Ocean Hill and Jet all work along the same line, with various success. If Swingin Millie is very groovy, it is too similar to Fathom’s Down to really differentiate itself enough. Ocean Hill and Jet benefit of a more radical sound, which helps the tracks making a more enduring impact. No Bamboo, one of the best moments of Return To X, sees Simmonds adopting a more purely electronic approach, and the track evokes some of Black Dog’s work circa Bytes. The man can’t keep away from his abstract be-bop for long though, and Alvin’s Blues is another instant of pure bliss. Although the track doesn’t evolves much, the groove is overwhelmingly exciting. The rest of the album more or less navigates between these extremes, introducing some surprising moments, as in the rather upbeat Body Sound, where a piano underlines the infernal beat structure before the album comes to an end. Ian Simmonds has developed a very personal sound since Last States Of Nature, and create, with Return To X, an interesting, if sometimes too linear, record. - from themilkfactory.com

Artist: Ian Simmonds
Album: Return to X
Year: 2000
Label: !K7
Total time: 59:00

Personnel:
Ian Simmonds (All Instruments, Mixing and Programming)

Tracks:
1. Fathom's Down 7:08
2. Swingin Millie 6:58
3. No Bamboo 6:23
4. Alvin's Blues 4:35
5. Ocean Hill 8:32
6. Jet 3:59
7. Blues for V.C. 8:30
8. The Manta 8:18
9. Body Sound 4:33
All compositions by Ian Simmonds

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Red Garland - Soul Junction

2009-10-19T09:27:00.001-07:00

Pianist Red Garland's very relaxed, marathon blues solo on the 16-minute "Soul Junction" is the most memorable aspect of this CD reissue. With such soloists as tenor saxophonist John Coltrane and trumpeter Donald Byrd, plus steady support provided by bassist George Joyner and drummer Art Taylor, Garland gets to stretch out on the title cut and four jazz originals, including "Birk's Works" and "Hallelujah." Coltrane is in excellent form, playing several stunning sheets of sound solos. - by Scott Yanow, AMG

Combined with the companion CD "All Morning Long", and the third CD "High Pressure", this may well be the peak of the 'straight-ahead' jazz genre mountain. The chemistry is perfect. John Coltrane is at his best and Donald Byrd soars. Red and drummer Art Taylor are nearly telepathic at times on this session (check out Dizzy Gillespie's 'Woody'n You'). In the end, it is Red Garland's flawless blues, ballads, block chording, and sense of time that puts this session over the top. November and December, 1957. It doesn't get any better than this... - by Douglas Negley, Amazon.com

Artist: Red Garland Quintet
Album: Soul Junction
Year: 1957 (Prestige)
Label: OJC (1990)
Total time: 42:42

Personnel:
Red Garland (Piano)
John Coltrane (Tenor Saxophone)
Donald Byrd (Trumpet)
Art Taylor (Double Bass)
George Joyner (Drums)

Tracks:
1. Soul Junction (Red Garland) 15:30
2. Woody' N You (Dizzy Gillespie) 6:52
3. Birk's Works (Dizzy Gillespie) 7:35
4. I've Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good) (Duke Ellington/Paul Francis Webster) 6:16
5. Hallelujah (Clifford Grey/Leo Robin/Vincent Youmans) 6:29

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Barney Kessel - Plays Standards

2009-10-18T02:22:00.000-07:00

Guitarist Barney Kessel teams up with Bob Cooper (mostly on oboe but also doubling a bit on tenor), either Claude Williamson or Hampton Hawes on piano, Monty Budwig or Red Mitchell on bass, and Shelly Manne or Chuck Thompson on drums. Other than his own "64 Bars on Wilshire" and "Barney's Blues," the repertoire on this CD reissue is comprised of jazz standards. Inventive frameworks and the utilization of Cooper's jazz oboe (a real rarity in jazz of the time) give the otherwise boppish reissue its own personality. - by Scott Yanow, AMG

Artist: Barney Kessel
Album: Kessel Plays Standards
Year: 1955
Label: OJC (1987, Dig. Remastered)
Total time: 39:52

Personnel:
Barney Kessel (Guitar)
Bob Cooper (Tenor Saxophone and Oboe)
Hampton Hawes (Piano) - 5,6,10,11
Claude Williamson (Piano) - 1-4,7-9,12
Monty Budwig (Double Bass) - 1-4,7-9,12
Shelly Manne (Drums) - 1-5,7-12
Red Mitchell (Double Bass) - 5,6,10,11
Chuck Thompson (Drums) - 6

Tracks:
1. Speak Low (Kurt Weil/Ogden Nash) 2:45
2. Love is Here to Stay (George Gershwin/Ira Gerswin) 3:26
3. On a Slow Boat to China (Frank Loester) 3:18
4. How Long Has This Been Going On? (George Gershwin/Ira Gerswin) 3:19
5. My Old Flame (Arthur Johnson/Sam Coslow) 3:39
6. Jeepers Creepers (Johnny Mercer/Harry Warren) 3:51
7. Barney's Blues (Barney Kessel) 3:00
8. Prelude to a Kiss (Duke Ellington) 3:13
9. A Foggy Day (George Gershwin/Ira Gerswin) 3:10
10. You Stepped Out of a Dream (Nacio Herb Brown/Gus Kahn) 2:53
11. I Didn't Know What Time it Was (Richard Rodgers/Lorenz Hart) 3:57
12. 64 Bars on Wilshire (Barney Kessel) 3:16

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Nando Carneiro - Violao

2009-10-16T00:11:00.000-07:00

Nando Carneiro was born in 1953 in Belo Horizonte, Brasil. He started his piano studies in 1960, and the acoustic guitar in 1972, both with well known professors in Rio de Janeiro. In 1981 - '82 he was musical director, arranger and musician in the 1st and 2nd LPs of singer Beth Goulart, also doing shows around the country. He played in a few shows with Egberto Gismonti and in 1982 did his yearly Brazilian tour, along with André Geraissati.In the beginning of 1983 his first solo LP, "Violao", was recorded. It was produced by Gismonti and was released in May. - from Europe Jazz Network

Artist: Nando Carneiro
Album: Violao
Year: 1983
Label: Carmo (1984)
Total time: 38:45

Personnel:
Nando Carneiro (Acoustic Guitar, Piano and Vocal)
Egberto Gismonti (Synthesizer, Percussion and Flute)
André Geraissati (Guitar) - 4,5
Beth Goulart (Vocals) - 1

Tracks:
1. Violão - Espelho - Companheiro - João Gabriel 10:38
2. Charada 1:10
3. Poromim 3:19
4. Juliana 4:35
5. As Gralhas - Paranóia - Música 5:23
6. GRES Luxo Artezanal 3:59
7. O Campones 2:12
8. Liza 7:26
All compositions by Nando Carneiro

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Barney Kessel & Herb Ellis - Poor Butterfly

2009-10-15T09:19:00.000-07:00

Herb Ellis had previously recorded with fellow guitarists Charlie Byrd, Joe Pass and Freddie Green, but this early Concord album (reissued on CD) was his first meeting on records with Barney Kessel. It is of little surprise that the two complementary players (who had both been with the Oscar Peterson Trio at different times in the 1950s) work together quite well. With fine support from bassist Monty Budwig and drummer Jake Hanna, Kessel and Ellis (both generally easy to identify) swing their way through some mostly little-played standards, including "Early Autumn" and "Dearly Beloved," plus a few originals by the co-leaders. Fans of the bop guitar will want this sprightly collaboration. - by Scott Yanow, AMG

Artist: Barney Kessel & Herb Ellis
Album: Poor Butterfly
Year: 1977
Label: Concord Jazz (1995)
Total time: 42:41

Personnel:
Barney Kessel (Guitar)
Herb Ellis (Guitar)
Monty Budwig (Double Bass)
Jake Hanna (Drums)

Tracks:
1. Dearly Beloved (Jerome Kern/Johnny Mercer) 3:24
2. Monsieur Armand (Dan Kessel/David Kessel) 4:24
3. Poor Butterfly (John Golden/Raymond Hubbell) 3:49
4. Make Someone Happy (Betty Comden/Adolp Green/Jule Styne) 8:37
5. Early Autumn (Woody Herman/Ralph Burns) 4:39
6. Hello (Herb Ellis) 3:34
7. Blueberry Hill (Al Lewis/Larry Stock/Vincent Rose) 3:09
8. I'm Lover (Herb Ellis) 5:15
9. Brigitte (Betty Jane Barker) 5:45

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Donald Byrd - Free Form

2009-10-14T04:37:00.000-07:00

Donald Byrd's 1961 recording Free Form is both a smorgasbord of modern jazz styles and a breakthrough album showing the Detroit born trumpeter's versatility and interest in diversity. At age 30, turning down offers to teach and a full decade before turning to commercial funk fusion with his Blackbyrds, Byrd, alongside a wonderful collection of jazz professionals, proves his mettle as an individualist while also stylistically straddling the blurred lines of jazz. Where his brass tone is very lean and toned, he does not resort to outlandish outbursts into the ionosphere, but shows a refined yet daring approach removed from his predecessors or peers -- Clifford Brown and Lee Morgan in particular. With tenor saxophonist Wayne Shorter, a very young pianist Herbie Hancock, drummer Billy Higgins, and bassist Butch Warren, Byrd tackles different flavors of jazz with a voracious appetite, and delivers a very fresh perspective from them all. From Column A -- soul junction -- "Pentecostal Feelin'" comes straight from the Horace Silver bag, an original funk with Shorter, Hancock, and Higgins head noddin' to the band. Column B's "Nai Nai" is all straight-ahead hard bop, lighter but not wimpy as Byrd and Shorter play well together. The more modal "French Spice" is still in the hard-to-post-bop mold, but has a two-note base until the horns burst out with a rich melody. The title track spectacularly represents the so-called "new thing," a tone row-based, searching, or clarion-type spontaneous improvisation where the band is purposefully set apart from the inventive drumming of Higgins in a firmly non-established meter. Romance is also on the menu via the no frills ballad "Night Flower" as Byrd serenely leads the band into a curtain-closing venture into tenderness, with Hancock's underlying chords something to truly behold upon close listening. This may be close to Donald Byrd's best early work, a strong statement that is by no means homogeneous, but expresses many of the avenues in jazz he was exploring while finding his own unique voice on the trumpet. - by Michael G. Nastos, AMG

Artist: Donald Byrd
Artist: Free Form
Year: 1961
Label: Blue Note (1989)
Total time: 44:35
Personnel:
Donald Byrd (Trumpet)
Wayne Shorter (Tenor Saxophone)
Herbie Hancock (Piano)
Butch Warren (Double Bass)
Billy Higgins (Drums)

Tracks:
1. Pentacostal Feelin' (Donald Byrd) 6:43
2. Night Flower (Donald Byrd) 6:48
3. Nai Nai (Donald Byrd) 6:38
4. French Spice (Donald Byrd) 8:03
5. Free Form (Donald Byrd) 11:12
6. Three Wishes (Herbie Hancock) 5:11

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Oscar Peterson - Meets Roy Hargrove and Ralph Moore

2009-10-13T05:35:00.000-07:00

Ne-o-clas-si-cism: A revival of classical aesthetics and forms, especially, characterized by a regard for the classical ideals of reason, form, and restraint, by order, symmetry, and simplicity of style. Neo-classicism and Roy Hargrove have become synonymous in jazz circles. His style and focus are now completely his own. Roy possesses a hard driving spirit to excel. Volumes have been written about the virtuosity of Oscar Peterson, his competitive spirit and drive. Together you have the makings of an exciting jam session that's well worth the price of admission. In this case the cost of the CD, that finds these two jazz poets working with a strong cast of players including Peterson's long time associate, Neils-Henning Ørsted Pedersen on bass.In 1993, Oscar Peterson suffered a stroke that limited the use of his left hand, though there is little evidence to prove that poses a problem on this recording. The CD includes seven original compositions written by Oscar Peterson. "Rob Roy" written for Roy Hargove and "She Has Gone" written in memory of Ella Fitzgerald are captivating. I especially enjoy "Ecstasy," where an introspective emotional reading is heard from Peterson, Hargrove and Moore. This quintet setting gives all the players ample room to stretch and have fun. This CD is highly recommended listening pleasure. - by Jeff Duperon, All About Jazz

Artist: Oscar Peterson
Album: Oscar Peterson Meets Roy Hargrove and Ralph Moore
Year: 1996
Label: Telarc Jazz
Total time: 61:34

Personnel:
Oscar Peterson (Piano)
Niels Henning Oersted-Pedersen (Double Bass)
Lewis Nash (Drums)
Roy Hargrove (Trumpet)
Ralph Moore (Tenor Saxophone)

Tracks:
1. Tin Tin Deo (Walter Fuller) 5:48
2. Rob Roy (Oscar Peterson) 6:46
3. Blues For Stephane (Oscar Peterson) 4:58
4. My Foolish Heart (Ned Washington/Victor Young) 7:40
5. Cool Walk (Oscar Peterson) 7:21
6. Ecstasy (Oscar Peterson) 6:35
7. Just Friends (Samuel M. Lewis) 5:52
8. Truffles (Oscar Peterson) 6:30
9. She Has Gone (Oscar Peterson) 5:36
10. North York (Oscar Peterson) 4:28

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Oscar Peterson - Plays Count Basie

2009-10-12T06:35:00.000-07:00

On the face of it, pianist Oscar Peterson (whose virtuosity always allowed him to play an infinite amount of notes) and Count Basie (who made inventive use of silence and space by emphasizing single rhythmic sounds) would seem to have had little in common. However they both swing, and there was a definite overlapping in their repertoire. Peterson's Basie tribute is a near-masterpiece. With guitarist Herb Ellis, bassist Ray Brown, and guest drummer Buddy Rich all playing quite sympathetically, Peterson's arrangements make the nine Basie-associated songs (along with Peterson's original "Blues for Basie") all sound quite fresh and lightly swinging. Quite a few of these renditions (particularly "Easy Does It," "9:20 Special," "Broadway," and "One O'Clock Jump") are instantly memorable. - by Scott Yanow, AMG

Artist: Oscar Peterson
Album: Plays Count Basie
Year: 1955
Label: Verve (1993)
Total time: 45:11

Personnel:
Oscar Peterson (Piano)
Herb Ellis (Guitar)
Ray Brown (Double Bass)
Buddy Rich (Drums)

Tracks:
1. Lester Leaps In (Lester Young) 4:02
2. Easy Does It (Sy Oliver/Trummy Young) 6:31
3. 9:20 Special (William Engvick/Earle Warren) 3:44
4. Jumpin' At the Woodside (Count Basie) 5:45
5. Blues For Basie (Oscar Peterson) 3:35
6. Broadway (Billy Bird/Teddy McRae/Henri Woode) 4:33
7. Blue And Sentimental (Count Basie/Mack David/Jerry Livingston) 2:30
8. Topsy (Edgar Battle/Eddie Durham) 4:24
9. One O'Clock Jump (Count Basie) 5:52
10. Jive At Five (Count Basie/Harry "Sweets" Edison) 4:13

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Hamza el Din - Escalay

2009-10-09T05:58:00.000-07:00

An album of Northern African music played on the oud (a fretless, long-necked string instrument that's the predecessor of the European lute, common in North African and Middle Eastern music), 1971's Escalay: The Water Wheel is not only the most popular album by the Nubian-born soloist Hamza El Din, it's arguably the best-known album of traditional Egyptian folk music in the west, thanks to its position as one of the early releases in the hugely popular Nonesuch Explorer series. Side one, a remarkable 21-and-a-half-minute composition, is a tone poem built on one subtly pulsing drone that rises and falls continually, creating hypnotic layers of harmonics occasionally broken by El Din's wordless calls. Some American minimalist composers, particularly Steve Reich, have claimed a strong influence in their own music from traditional North African styles; for a listener familiar with the minimalists' work, "The Water Wheel" makes the connection plain. Side two consists of two shorter pieces, the enchantingly melodic "I Remember," originally written by Egyptian composer Mohammed Abdul Wahab for electric guitar but here played on the traditional oud, and the self-explanatory "Song With Tar," an original in the Nubian folk tradition on which El Din accompanies his vocals with clapping hands and the beating of a tar, a traditional tambourine-like drum native to Nubia. This is not "folk music" in the purist sense, as all three tracks are composed music, but Escalay: The Water Wheel is a fascinating document of the musical traditions of Egypt. - by Stewart Mason, AMG

Artist: Hamza el Din
Album: Escalay (The Water Wheel)
Year: 1971
Label: Nonesuch (1998)
Total time: 38:17

Personnel:
Hamza el Din (Oud, Tar and Vocals)

Tracks:
1. The Water Wheel (Hamza el Din) 21:39
2. I Remember (Abdel Wahab) 11:55
3. Song With Tar (Traditional) 4:43

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Grant Green - Street of Dreams

2009-10-09T04:19:00.001-07:00

Grant Green's second session with organist Larry Young, Street of Dreams brings back drummer Elvin Jones and adds Bobby Hutcherson on vibes for a mellow, dreamy album that lives up to its title. There are only four selections, all standards and all around eight to ten minutes long, and the musicians approach them as extended mood pieces, creating a marvelously light, cool atmosphere that's maintained throughout the record. Hutcherson is the perfect addition for this project, able to blend in with the modal advancement of the rest of the ensemble while adding his clear, shimmering tone to the overall texture of the album. All the musicians play with a delicate touch that's quite distinct from the modal soul-jazz on Talkin' About; it's not so much romantic as thoughtful and introspective, floating along as if buoyed by clouds. There aren't really any fireworks or funky grooves, as the music is all of a piece, which makes it difficult to choose the highlights from French songwriter Charles Trenet's "I Wish You Love," "Lazy Afternoon," the title track, or "Somewhere in the Night." It's another fine record in a discography filled with them, and yet another underrated Green session. - by Steve Huey, AMG

Artist: Grant Green
Album: Street of Dreams
Year: 1964
Label: Blue Note (20-bit remastered, SBM, 1998)
Total time: 33:37

Personnel:
Grant Green (Guitar)
Bobby Hutcherson (Vibraphone)
Larry Young (Organ)
Elvin Jones (Drums)

Tracks:
1. I Wish You Love (Charles Trenet) 8:45
2. Lazy Afternoon (John Latouche/Jerome Moross) 7:45
3. Street of Dreams (Sam M. Lewis/Victor Young) 9:04
4. Somewhere in the Night (Mack Gordon/Josef Myrow) 8:01

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Larry Coryell - Moonlight Whispers

2009-10-08T07:04:00.001-07:00

Considered by many as a worthy successor to Pandit Hari Prasad Chaurasia, bansoori exponent Pandit Ronu Majumdar has over the years recorded some of the most defining Indo-fusion music. The album “Moonlight Whispers” which features Majumdar alongside guitarist Larry Coryell is one that helped define the sound of Indo fusion music. Larry Coryell pushes his acoustic guitar into Hindustani music in Moonlight Whispers,his CD with Indian musicians, flutist Ronu Majumdar, tabla player Abhjit Bannerjee and Persian percussionist Keyvan Chemirani. - from Abstractlogix.com

Artist: Larry Coryell
Album: Moonlight Whispers
Year: 2001
Label: TIM AG
Total time: 58:12

Personnel:
Larry Coryell (Acoustic Guitar)
Ronu Majumdar (Bansouri Flute)
Abhijit Banerjee (Tabla and Cajon)
Keyvan Chemirani (Zarb, Daf and Udu)
Sina Vodjani (Bass, Sythesizer, Shaker and Singing Bowls)

Tracks:
1. Ganjes (Ronu Majumdar) 6:55
2. Kawloon Jag (Larry Coryell) 5:38
3. Song Of The Swan (Ronu Majumdar) 7:48
4. Trem Brazil - India (Larry Coryell) 4:30
5. Sunrise (Ronu Majumdar) 9:12
6. Stoppin' Short (Larry Coryell) 6:30
7. Brothers (Abhijit Banerjee) 5:50
8. One-O-Eight (Larry Coryell) 7:34
9. Moonlight Whispers (Ronu Majumdar) 4:12

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