Coleman Hawkins - Desafinado

That Coleman Hawkins jumped on the jazz/bossa nova bandwagon craze initiated by Stan Getz in 1962 was a bit of a surprise to his fans, but that he was comfortable in the idiom should not be off-putting. Able to adapt to any style over his lengthy career, the legendary tenor saxophonist chose classic standards adapted to Brazilian rhythms, music from masters like Antonio Carlos Jobim and João Gilberto, and a Manny Albam original. Producer Bob Thiele and music director Albam  were strong in their resolve directing Hawkins to do this project, and the results are fairly predictable, especially considering that every single track is played in midtempo. The difference is the deployment of two guitarists in Barry Galbraith (lead) and Howard Collins (rhythm) split into separate stereo channels, with bassist Major Holley and no full kit drummer, although Eddie Locke with a minimal and stripped-down setup, Willie Rodriguez, and even Tommy Flanagan play small Latin percussion instruments. Themes derived from nights in Rio such as the beautifully rendered title track and "One Note Samba" are quite typical, but "O Pato" (The Duck) has a component added on from Duke Ellington's "Take the 'A' Train," while the Hawkins original "Stumpy" is adapted into "Stumpy Bossa Nova," derived from Dizzy Gillespie's "Groovin' High" with a taste of "The Man I Love" tacked on at the end. Albam's "Samba Para Bean" is standardized cool with Locke's accents via brushes on closed hi-hat cymbals, while "I Remember You" is a completely unforced, pretty rendition of this well-worn standard. Gilberto's tribute to Luiz Bonfá, "Um Abraco No Bonfa," sports a guitar lead by Galbraith  in a stretched-out frame. The curve ball is a somewhat weird crossbred samba take of "I'm Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover," a truly corny song the band tried to make cool, only marginally succeeding. The simplified style of this album overall perfectly suited the amiable, good-natured, and laid-back Hawkins at a time when the world was somewhat in political turmoil regarding Caribbean nations and the role of South America in the emerging so-called Third World. He passed away seven years later, leaving a legacy as the most revered tenor saxophonist in jazz, and this very nice recording in his long discography, unique even unto itself. - by Michael G. Nastos, AMG

Artist: Coleman Hawkins
Album: Desafinado
Year: 1962
Quality: eac-flac, cue, log, artw.
Label: GRP (1997)
Total time: 35:45

Tracks:
1.  Desafinado (Antonio Carlos Jobim/Newton Mendonca) 5:49
2.  I'm Looking Over A Four Leaf Clover (Jazz Samba) (Mort Dixon/Harry Woods) 2:53
3.  Samba Para Bean (Manny Albam) 5:29
4.  I Remember You (Johnny Mercer/Victor Schertzinger) 3:59
5.  One Note Samba (Samba De Uma Nota So) (Antonio Carlos Jobim/Newton Mendonca) 6:01
6.  O Pato (The Duck) (Jayme Silva/Neuza Texeiro) 4:12
7.  Un Abraco No Bonfa (An Embrace To Bonfa) (Joao Gilberto) 4:52
8.  Stumpy Bossa Nova (Coleman Hawkins) 2:30

Personnel:
Coleman Hawkins (Tenor Saxophone)
Barry Galbraith (Guitar)
Howard Collins (Guitar)
Major Holley (Double Bass)
Eddie Locke (Drums)
Willie Rodriguez (Percussion)
Tommy Flanagan (Claves)

Oliver Nelson - Sound Pieces

This CD reissue features Oliver Nelson in two very different settings. Although best-known as an altoist and a tenor-saxophonist, Nelson sticks exclusively to soprano throughout the set. He leads a 20-piece big band on three of his compositions which, although interesting, are not overly memorable. Best are five other numbers (two of which were originally issued on the record Three Dimensions) that showcase Nelson's soprano playing with a quartet also includes pianist Steve Kuhn, bassist Ron Carter and drumer Grady Tate. Although one would not think of Nelson as a soprano stylist, his strong playing actually put him near the top of his field on such numbers as "The Shadow Of Your Smile," "Straight No Chaser" and his own "Patterns." - by Scott Yanow, AMG

Artist: Oliver Nelson
Album: Sound Pieces
Year: 1966
Quality: eac, flac, cue, log, artw.
Label: GRP (1991)
Total time: 54:59

Tracks:
1.  Sound Pieces For Jazz Orchestra (Oliver Nelson) 9:40
2.  Flute Salad (Oliver Nelson) 2:47
3.  The Lady From Girl Talk (Oliver Nelson) 4:55
4.  The Shadow Of Your Smile (Johnny Mandel/Paul Francis Webster) 9:44
5.  Patterns (Oliver Nelson) 6:19
6.  Elegy For A Duck (Oliver Nelson) 6:23
7.  Straight No Chaser (Thelonius Monk) 9:10
8.  Example 78 (Oliver Nelson) 6:01

Personnel:
Oliver Nelson (Soprano Saxophone)
Gabe Baltazar (Reeds) - 1-3
Bill Green (Reeds) - 1-3
Bill Perkins (Reeds) - 1-3
Plas Johnson (Reeds) - 1-3
Jack Nimitz (Reeds) - 1-3
John Audino (Trumpet) - 1
Ollie Mitchell (Trumpet) - 1
Conte Candoli (Trumpet) - 1
Bobby Bryant (Trumpet) - 1
Al Porcino (Trumpet) - 2,3
Richard Leith (Trombone) - 1
Mike Barone (Trombone) - 1
Ernie Tack (Trombone) - 1
Dick Noel (Trombone) - 1
Bill Bryers (Trombone) - 2,3
Bill Hinshaw (French Horn) - 1-3
Richard Perissi (French Horn) - 1-3
Red Callender (Tuba) - 1-3
Mike Melvoin (Piano) - 1-3
Ray Brown (Double Bass) - 1-3
Shelly Manne (Drums) - 1-3
Steve Khun (Piano) - 4-8
Ron Carter (Double Bass) - 4-8
Grady Tate (Drums) - 4-8

Horace Silver - Further Explorations by the Horace Silver Quintet

For a brief time, tenor saxophonist Clifford Jordan and trumpeter Art Farmer were the frontline of the Horace Silver Quintet. This 1997 CD reissue finds the group (which also includes bassist Teddy Kotick and drummer Louis Hayes) performing five of Silver's lesser-known originals and the standard "Ill Wind." The lyrical Farmer  and the up-and-coming Jordan  have plenty of fine solos, as does the influential Silver, whose funky, witty style stood apart from the prevailing Bud Powell influence of the era. Although none of the newer songs caught on as standards, this set (which has plenty of mood and groove variation) holds together very well and still sounds fresh 40 years later. - by Scott Yanow, AMG

Artist: Horace Silver Quintet
Album. Further Explorations by the...
Year: 1958
Label: Blue Note (20-bit SBM remastered, 1997)
Total time: 42:40

Tracks:
1.  The Outlaw (Horace Silver) 6:10
2.  Melancholy Mood (Horace Silver) 6:37
3.  Pyramid (Horace Silver) 6:42
4.  Moon Rays (Horace Silver) 10:59
5.  Safari (Horace Silver) 5:14
6.  Ill Wind (Harold Arlen/Ted Koehler) 6:55

Personnel:
Horace Silver (Piano)
Art Farmer (Trumpet)
Clifford Jordan (Tenor Saxophone)
Teddy Kottick (Double Bass)
Louis Hayes (Drums)

Elemer Balazs Quintet - Always That Moment

Standard, in the dictionary this word means something set up as a rule for a measuring or as a model to be followed. According to a different meaning it stands for a figure adopted as an emblem by a people, or the flag. In jazz this means a well-proven repertory coming from the outside, mainly from the realm of popular music. Jazz musicians use this material since the first initiations of Louis Armstrong in the twenties. The list starts from Cole Porter with the Gershwin brothers, Jerome Kern, Richard Rodgers, through the composers of the prevailing superstars like Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, the Beatles, to the pop music of these days. Hungarian light music is also in possession of this musical layer, although our jazz musicians used it rather infrequentley, preferring American composers. These five Hungarian musicians have chosen the standards of Iván Szenes, Szabolcs Fényes, István Mihály, Jeno Horváth, András Bágya, the elité of Hungarian light music as basis of their performance; proving that Hungarian composers created music equal in value to that of their world famous American contemporaries; although these pieces were written some decades ago, they still have something to tell today. - From the CD cover

Artist: Elemer Balazs Quintet
Album: Always That Moment
Year: 2000
Label: BMC
Total time: 61:40

Tracks:
1.  The Best Moment Is Always That Moment (Mihály István/Fényes Szabolcs) 8:19
2.  No Mercy (Sándor Jeno/Füredi Imre) 7:07
3.  Who Knows If You'll See Me Again (Mihály István/Fényes Szabolcs) 8:47
4.  Happiness and I (Bágya István/Szenes Iván) 7:01
5.  The Longest Day (Szenes Iván) 9:03
6.  Deadly Spring (Polgár Tibor/Nadányi Zoltán) 6:07
7.  I Take the Backstreets to See You (Horváth Jeno/Halász Rudolf) 7:31
8.  Madly in Love (Szenes Iván/Fényes Szabolcs) 7:45

Personnel:
Mihaly Dresch (Tenor and Soprano Saxophone and Kaval)
Csaba Tuzko (Tenor Saxophone)
Gabor Juhasz (Guitar)
Janos Egri (Double Bass)
Elemer Balazs (Drums)

Nico - Desertshore

While Nico was the member of the Velvet Underground who had had the least experience in music prior to joining the group (while she had recorded a pop single in England, she'd never been a member of a working band before Andy Warhol introduced her to the Velvets), she was also the one who strayed farthest from traditional rock & roll after her brief tenure with the band, and by the time she recorded Desertshore, her work had little (if anything) to do with traditional Western pop. John Cale, who produced and arranged Desertshore, once described the music as having more to do with 20th century classical music than anything else, and while that may be going a bit far to make a point, even compared to the avant-rock frenzy of the Velvet Underground's early material, Desertshore is challenging stuff. Nico's dour Teutonic monotone is a compelling but hardly welcoming vocal presence, and the songs, centered around the steady drone of her harmonium, are often grim meditations on fate that are crafted and performed with inarguable skill and intelligence, but are also a bit samey, and the album's downbeat tone gets to be rough sledding by the end of side two. Cale's arrangements are superb throughout, and "My Only Child," "Afraid," and "The Falconer" are quite beautiful in their own ascetic way, but like the bulk of Nico's repertoire, Desertshore is an album practically designed to polarize its listeners; you'll either embrace it's darkness or give up on it before the end of side one. Then again, given the thoroughly uncompromising nature of her career as a musician, that's probably just what Nico had in mind. - by Mark Deming, AMG

Artist: Nico
Album: Desertshore
Year: 1970
Label: Reprise (1993)
Total time: 29:21

Tracks:
1.  Janitor Of Lunacy 4:05
2.  The Falconer 5:43
3.  My Only Child 3:31
4.  Le Petit Chevalier 1:15
5.  Abschied 3:05
6.  Afraid 3:31
7.  Mütterlein 4:41
8.  All That Is My Own 3:27
All selections written by Nico

Personnel:
Nico (Vocals and Harmonium)
John Cale (All other instruments)
Adam Miller (Backing Vocals)

Nico - The End

It is one of the most entrenched visions in the rock critic's vocabulary; Nico as doomed valkyrie, droning death-like through a harsh gothic monotone, a drained beauty pumping dirges from her harmonium while a voice as old as dirt hangs cobwebs round the chords. In fact she only made one album which remotely fit that bill — this one — and it's a symbol of its significance that even the cliché emerges as a thing of stunning beauty. Her first album following three years of rumor and speculation, The End was consciously designed to highlight the Nico of already pertinent myth. Stark, dark, bare, and frightening, the harmonium dominant even amid the splendor of Eno's synthesized menace, John Cale's childlike piano, and Phil Manzanera's scratchy, effects-whipped guitar, it is the howling wind upon wuthering heights, deathless secrets in airless dungeons, ancient mysteries in the guise of modern icons. Live, Nico took to dedicating the final cut, a sparse but heartstoppingly beautiful interpretation of the former German national anthem, to terrorist Andreas Baader, even as the song itself conjured demons of its own from an impressionable Anglo-American audience. Nico later admitted she intended the performance in the same spirit as Jimi Hendrix rendered "Star Spangled Banner." But "Das Lied der Deutschen" — "Deutschland Uber Alles" — has connotations which neither tribute nor parody could ever undermine. It is only in the '90s that even Germany has reclaimed the anthem for its own. In 1974, it was positively leperous. Listen without prejudice, though, and you catch Nico's meaning regardless, even as her voice tiptoes on the edge of childlike, all but duetting with the little girl she once was, on a song which she'd been singing since the cradle. The ghosts pack in. Former lover Jim Morrison haunts the stately "You Forgot to Answer," a song written about the last time Nico saw him, in a hired limousine on the day of his death; of course he reappears in the title track, an epic recounting of the Doors' own "The End," but blacker than even they envisioned it, an echoing maze of torchlit corridors and spectral children, and so intense that, by the time Nico reaches the "mother...father" passage, she is too weary even to scream. The cracked groan which emerges instead is all the more chilling for its understatement, and the musicians were as affected as the listener. The mutant funk coda with which the performance concludes is more than an incongruous bridge. It is the sound of the universe cracking under the pressure. But to dwell on the fear is to overlook the beauty — The End, first and foremost, is an album of intimate simplicity and deceptive depths. Nico's voice stuns, soaring and swooping into unimagined corners. No less than "Das Lied der Deutschen," both "Valley of the Kings" and "It Has Not Taken Long" make a mockery of the lazy critical complaints that she simply grumbled along in a one-note wail, while the arrangements (most of which were Nico's own; producer Cale admits he spent most of his time in the studio simply marveling) utterly rerout even the most generous interpretation of what "rock music" should sound like. The End doesn't simply subvert categorization. It defies time itself. - by Dave Thompson, AMG

Artist: Nico
Album: The End
Year: 1974
Label: Island
Total time: 42:05

Tracks:
1.  It Has Not Taken Long 4:11
2.  Secret Side 4:08
3.  You Forgot To Answer 5:07
4.  Innocent And Vain 3:51
5.  Valley Of The Kings 3:57
6.  We've Got The Gold 5:44
7.  The End 9:36
8.  Das Lied Der Deutschen 5:27
All titles written by Nico, except trk 7 written by The Doors

Personnel:
Nico (Vocals and Harmonium)
Phil Manzanera (Electric Guitar)
Brian Eno (Synthesizer)
John Cale (Bass Guitar, Xylophone, Acoustic Guitar, Keyboards, Percussion, Glockenspiel)
Vicki Woo (Backing Vocals)
Annagh Wood (Backing Vocals)

Weather Report - Tale Spinnin'

Weather Report's ever-changing lineup shifts again, with the somewhat heavier funk-oriented Leon "Ndugu" Chancler dropping into the drummer's chair and Alyrio Lima taking over the percussion table. As a result, Tale Spinnin' has a weightier feel than Mysterious Traveller, while continuing the latter's explorations in Latin-spiced electric jazz/funk. Zawinul's pioneering interest in what we now call world music is more in evidence with the African percussion, wordless vocals, and sandy sound effects of "Badia," and his synthesizer sophistication is growing along with the available technology. Wayne Shorter's work on soprano sax is more animated than on the previous two albums and Alphonso Johnson puts his melodic bass more to the fore. While not quite as inventive as its two predecessors, this remains an absorbing extension of WR's mid-'70s direction. - by Richard S. Ginell, AMG

Artist: Weather Report
Album: Tale Spinnin'
Year: 1975
Quality: eac-flac, cue, log, artw.
Label: Columbia (2002, 24-bit Remastered)
Total time: 43:12

Tracks:
1.  Man in the Green Shirt (Joe Zawinul) 6:29
2.  Lusitanos (Wayne Shorter) 7:25
3.  Between the Thighs (Joe Zawinul) 9:30
4.  Badia (Joe Zawinul) 5:21
5.  Freezing Fire (Wayne Shorter) 7:29
6.  Five Short Stories (Joe Zawinul) 6:56

Personnel:
Joe Zawinul (Melodica, Keyboards, Steel Drums and Vocal)
Wayne Shorter (Soprano and Tenor Saxophone)
Alphonso Johnson (Bass Guitar) - 1-5
Alyrio Lima (Percussion) - 1-5
Ndugu Chancler (Drums) - 1-5

Stanley Turrentine - Don't Mess With Mister T.

Stanley Turrentine's mellow, 'creamy' sound was heard at its best in this excellent album, the last one he recorded for CTI in 1973. Arranged by Bob James, and with a band that featured Richard Tee, Eric Gale, Idris Muhammad and Ron Carter, it enabled the tenor saxophonist to display his smooth, easygoing style in tunes that were catchy and broad-ranging. Contains three previously unreleased selections. - from the CD cover

Artist: Stanley Turrentine
Album: Don't Mess With Mister T.
Year: 1973 (CTI)
Label: Sony (CTI Master Series, 2001)
Total time: 63:57

Tracks:
1.  Don't Mess With Mister T. (Marvin Gaye) 9:51
2.  Two For T. (Stanley Turrentine) 7:06
3.  Too Blue (Stanley Turrentine) 7:21
4.  I Could Never Repay Your Love (Bruce Hawes) 8:22
5.  Pieces Of Dreams (Michel Legrand/Marilyn Bergman) 7:31
6.  Don't Mess With Mister "T." (Alt. Take) (Marvin Gaye) 7:12
7.  Mississippi City Strut (Billy Cobham) 8:42
8.  Harlem Dawn (Bob James) 7:49

Personnel:
Stanley Turrentine (Tenor Saxophone)
Bob James (Piano and Electric Piano)
Richard Tee (Organ)
Eric Gale (Guitar)
Ron Carter (Bass)
Idris Muhammad (Drums)

Cannonball Adderley - The Cannonball Adderley Quintet Plus

For this CD reissue of a Riverside date, altoist Cannonball Adderley's 1961 Quintet (which includes cornetist Nat Adderley, pianist Victor Feldman, bassist Sam Jones and drummer Louis Hayes) is joined by guest pianist Wynton Kelly on five of the eight selections, during which Feldman switches quite effectively to vibes. The music falls between funky soul-jazz and hard bop, and each of the performances (particularly "Star Eyes" and "Well You Needn't") is enjoyable. The CD adds a new alternate take of "Lisa" and the previously unissued "O.P." to the original program. - by Scott Yanow, AMG

 Artist: The Cannonball Adderley Quintet
Album: Plus
Year: 1961
Label: OJC (1987)
Total time: 55:19

Tracks:
1.  Arriving Soon (Eddie Vinson)  8:17
2.  Well, You Needn't (Thelonius Monk) 6:33
3.  New Delhi (Victor Feldman) 7:03
4.  Winetone (Wynton Kelly) 7:04
5.  Star Eyes (Don Raye/Gene De Paul) 7:12
6.  Lisa (Victor Feldman/Zito) 6:47
7.  Lisa 2 (Victor Feldman/Zito) 7:06
8.  "O.P." (Sam Jones) 5:12

Personnel:
Cannonball Adderley (Alto Saxophone)
Nat Adderley (Cornet)
Victor Feldman (Vibraphone and Piano) - 2-5
Wynton Kelly (Piano) - 2-5,8
Sam Jones (Double Bass and Cello)
Ron Carter (Double Bass) - 8
Louis Hayes (Drums)

Tracks:
1.  Arriving Soon (Eddie Vinson)  8:17
2.  Well, You Needn't (Thelonius Monk) 6:33
3.  New Delhi (Victor Feldman) 7:03
4.  Winetone (Wynton Kelly) 7:04
5.  Star Eyes (Don Raye/Gene De Paul) 7:12
6.  Lisa (Victor Feldman/Zito) 6:47
7.  Lisa 2 (Victor Feldman/Zito) 7:06
8.  "O.P." (Sam Jones) 5:12

Astrud Gilberto - Gilberto With Turrentine

I have been listening to this album since I was 3 years old when my father first brought this home from the record store in 1972. It is just incredible. Astrud's voice and laid-back delivery are better here then on her earlier (and better-known) Verve albums. The real treasures of this ablum though are the outstanding arrangements by Eumir Deodato, who once again proves he is the master of this type of music. Nearly every track is full of interesting, complex, yet beautiful instrumentation. He blends mellow low strings with lots of Fender Rhodes electric piano, plenty of electric and acoustic guitar, and a wide variety of Brazilian percussion instruments. It's just a rich tapestry of sound that never fails to intrigue me, even though I've probably heard the album a hundred or more times. Stanley Turrentine is all over this record, and his solos are soulful, strong, and melodic as always. If you can get past a couple of the Carpenters songs that are included, you'll find it to be a timeless album. This is one you'll want to listen to this one over and over. - by Rob Keil, Amazon.com

Artist:
Album: Gilberto With Turrentine
Year: 1971 (CTI)
Quality: eac-flac, cue, log, artw.
Label: Columbia (1990, Digitally remastered)
Total time: 38:11

Tracks:
1.  Wanting Things (Burt Bacharch/Hal David) 3:01
2.  Brazilian Tapestry (Mulher Rendeira) 5:04
3.  To a Flame (Stephen Stills) 3:16
4.  Solo en fin (For All We Know) (Robb Wilson/Arthur James) 3:13
5.  Zazueira (Jorge Ben) 3:40
6.  Ponteio (Edu Lobo/Capinan) 3:52
7.  Traveling Light (Eumir Deodato/Martha Everett) 3:30
8.  Vera Cruz (Milton Nascimento/Gene Lees/Brant) 5:12
9.  Historia de amor (Carl Sigman/Francia Lai) 3:29
10.  Where there's a Heartache (Burt Bacharch/Hal David) 3:54

Personnel:
Astrud Gilberto (Vocals)
Stanley Turrentine (Tenor Saxophone)
Eumir Deodato (Electric Piano)
Gene Bertoncini (Guitar)
Sam Brown (Guitar)
Bob Mann (Guitar)
Sivuca (Guitar)
Ron Carter (Double Bass)
Russell George (Bass)
Airto Moreira (Drums and Percussion)
Joao Palma (Drums and Percussion)
Dom Um Romao (Percussion)
Dennis Seiwell (Drums and Percussion)
Toots Thielemans (Harmonica)
Hubert Laws (Flute)
George Marge (Flute)
Romeo Penque (Flute)
Jerome Richardson (Flute)

Miles Davis - 'Round About Midnight

Given that Round About Midnight was Miles Davis' debut Columbia recording, it was both a beginning and an ending. Certainly the beginning of his recording career with the label that issued most if not all of his important recordings; and the recording debut of an exciting new band that had within its ranks Philly Joe Jones, Paul Chambers, pianist Red Garland, and an all but unknown tenor player named John Coltrane. The title track was chosen because of its unique rendition with a muted trumpet, debuted at the Newport Jazz Festival the summer before to a thunderous reception. The date was also an ending of sorts because by the time of the album's release, Davis had already broken up the band, which reformed with Cannonball Adderley a year later as a sextet, but it was a tense year. Musically, this sound is as unusual and as beautiful as it was when issued in 1956. Davis had already led the charge through two changes in jazz -- both cool jazz and hard bop -- and was beginning to move in another direction here that wouldn't be defined for another two years. Besides the obvious lyrical and harmonic beauty of "Round About Midnight" that is arguably its definitive version even over Monk's own, there are the edges of Charlie Parker's "Au Leu-Cha" with its Bluesology leaping from every chord change in Red Garland's left hand. Coltrane's solo here too is notable for its stark contrast to Davis' own: he chooses an angular tack where he finds the heart of the mode and plays a melody in harmonic counterpoint to the changes but never sounds outside. Cole Porter's "All of You" has Davis quoting from Louis Armstrong's "Basin Street Blues" in his solo that takes out the tune, and Coltrane has never respected a melody so much. But it's in "Bye-Bye Blackbird" that we get to hear the band gel as a unit, beginning with Davis playing through the melody, muted and sweet, slightly flatted out until he reaches the harmony on the refrain and begins his solo on a high note. Garland is doing more than comping in the background; he's slipping chord shapes into those interval cracks and shifting them as the rhythm section keeps "soft time." When Coltrane moves in for his break, rather than Davis' spare method, he smatters notes quickly all though the melodic body of the tune and Garland has to compensate harmonically, moving the mode and tempo up a notch until his own solo can bring it back down again. Which he does with a gorgeous all-blues read of the tune utilizing first one hand and then both hands to create fat harmonic chords to bring Davis back in to close it out. It's breathtaking how seamless it all is. There's little else to say except that Round About Midnight is among the most essential of Davis' Columbia recordings. - by Thom Yurek, AMG

Artist: Miles Davis Quintet
Album: 'Round About Midnight
Year: 1956 (Columbia)
Label: Sony (Mono Master Sound, 2001)
Total time: 39:23

Tracks:
1.  'Round Midnight (Bernie Hanighen/Thelonious Monk/Cootie Williams) 5:59
2.  Ah-Leu-Cha (Charlie Parker) 5:56
3.  All of You (Cole Porter) 7:04
4.  Bye Bye Blackbird (Mort Dixon/Ray Henderson) 8:00
5.  Tadd's Delight (Tadd Dameron) 4:31
6.  Dear Old Stockholm (Sten Getz) 7:53

Personnel:
Miles Davis (Trumpet)
John Coltrane (Tenor Saxophone)
Red Garland (Piano)
Paul Chambers (Double Bass)
Philly Joe Jones (Drums)

Paquito D'Rivera - Havana Cafe

This excellent all-round session features Paquito D'Rivera on alto, clarinet, and soprano with his sextet, which is comprised of either Fareed Haque or Ed Cherry on guitar, the great pianist Danilo Perez, bassist David Finck, drummer Jorge Rossy, and percussionist Sammy Figueroa. The program has some strong group originals (such as "Havana Cafe," "Jean Pauline," "Who's Smoking?!," and "Bossa do Brooklyn"), and the result is an often-fiery set of modern Afro-Cuban jazz. - by Scott Yanow, AMG

Artist: Paquito D'Rivera
Album: Havana Cafe
Year: 1991
Label: Chesky (1992)
Total time: 58:37

Tracks:
1.  Havana Cafe (Danilo Perez) 6:34
2.  Jean Pauline (Ed Cherry) 8:38
3.  The Search (Fareed Haque) 8:04
4.  Look At You (David Finck) 7:16
5.  Improvalsation (Paquito D'Rivera) 1:55
6.  Contradanza (Paquito D'Rivera) 1:35
7.  Who's Smoking? (Paquito D'Rivera/Claudio Roditi) 5:58
8.  The Return (Fareed Haque) 5:56
9.  Bossa Do Brooklyn (Claudio Roditi) 6:50
10.  What Are You Doing Tomorrow Night? (Lucio Goddy) 5:47

Personnel:
Paquito d'Rivera (Clarinet, Alto and Soprano Saxophone)
Fareed Haque (Guitar)
Danilo Perez (Piano)
David Finck (Double Bass)
Jorge Rossy (Drums)
Sammy Figueroa (Percussion)
Ed Cherry (Guitar) - 2,7

Jacky Terrasson - A Paris...

Jacky Terrasson's 1999 album, What It Is, represented something of a risk. The young pianist's first three albums were barebones trio affairs that had won him rave reviews, whereas What It Is featured additional instruments and was more slickly produced. Gone, it seemed, was the sparse, acoustic approach that had originally given Terrasson his fame. But while this new direction yielded mixed results and left some fans a bit befuddled, one had to respect Terrasson's need to grow and evolve as an artist.Terrasson does much better with his follow-up, A Paris, an homage to the city of his youth and early adulthood. While not a return to the simple piano trio format (there are five guest musicians in addition to two alternating rhythm sections), the album has a spontaneous, natural sound that was lacking from the studio-centric What It Is. What's more, A Paris is packed with new and varied ideas that work, not to mention passionate, fiery playing throughout.Only the last two tracks are originals, the fewest ever on a Terrasson album. "Rue de Lombards," a funk fragment that sounds like an in-studio improvisation, is credited to Terrasson, drummer Terreon Gully, and bassist Remi Vignolo. The rest of the tracks are Terrasson's highly personal readings of songs from French culture. Most will not be familiar to American listeners, with the possible exception of "La Marseillaise" -- the French national anthem -- and the Edith Piaf classic "La Vie en Rose," played in a calypso feel by Terrasson and percussionist Minino Gara.Guitarist Bireli Lagrene's cameos on the bluesy title track and the swinging "Que Reste-T'Il de Nos Amours?" are nothing short of brilliant. The latter, which bears an uncanny likeness to Lerner & Loewe's "Almost Like Being in Love," features Terrasson on Fender Rhodes electric piano. Saxophonist Stefano di Battista also makes two fine appearances, playing tenor on the fast, tense "Jeux Interdits" and soprano on the lively and pretty "L'Aigle Noir," one of the two originals. Both Lagrene and Battista return for the brief, full-company finale, an intoxicating funk line by Terrasson titled "Métro."
Another highlight is Terrasson resuscitating his funk version of Cole Porter's "I Love Paris," the only song by an American writer and the very one that led off Terrasson's 1994 debut album. Bassist Ugonna Okegwo and drummer Leon Parker, Terrasson's trio mates from his first three albums, both return to play on the Porter track, as well as the opening Piaf number "Plaisir d'Amour" and an exquisite reading of Jacques Brel's "Ne Me Quitte Pas." The latter briefly features Gregoire Maret on harmonica, who played on What It Is. Several rather short pieces are grouped right around the middle of the album, giving that part of the program a collage-like feel that can seem a bit superficial. That aside, Terrasson has pulled off something rare: a concept album that succeeds on a variety of creative levels. In the process, he's given exposure to several excellent European musicians, not to mention some beautiful French music that American audiences ought to hear. - by David R. Adler, AMG

Artist: Jacky Terrasson
Album: A Paris...
Year: 2001
Label: Blue Note
Total time: 55:23

Tracks:
1. Plaisir d'amour (Traditional) 3:08
2. Les chemins de l'amour (Francis Poulenc/A. Jban) 4:21
3. Jeux interdits (Narciso Yepes) 6:25
4. A Paris (Francis Lemarques) 8:49
5. I Love Paris in the Springtime (Cole Porter) 3:07
6. Que reste-t'il de nos amours? (Charles Trenet) 4:17
7. Ne me quitte pas (Jacques Brel) 4:41
8. La vie en rose (E.G Gassion/Luis Guglielmo Guglielmi) 3:08
9. Nantes (Monique Andrée Serf) 1:59
10. La Marseillaise (Claude Joseph Rouget de L'Isle) 3:14
11. Rue de Lombards (Jacky Terrasson/Rémi Vignolo/Terreon Gully) 1:05
12. L'aigle noir (Monique Andrée Serf) 3:20
13. I Love You More (Jacky Terrasson) 6:19
14. Métro (Jacky Terrasson) 1:30

Personnel:
Jacky Terrasson (Piano and Fender Rhodes)
Bireli Lagrene (Guitar) - 4,6,14
Minino Garay (Percussion and Vocals) - 8,12-14
Terreon Gully (Drums) - 2-4,10,11,14
Stefano di Battista (Saxes) - 3,12,14
Grégoire Maret (Harmonica) - 7,14
Steffon Harris (Marimba) - 14
Rémi Vignolo (Bass) - 2-4,6,10-12,14
Ugonna Okegwo (Bass) - 1,5,7,14
Leon Parker (Drums and Vocals) - 1,5,7,14

Gabor Szabo - The Szabo Equation: Jazz/Myticism/Exotica

 

Gabor Szabo is a true mystic. He does not clothe himself in exotic robes or adorn himself with beads or charms. His hair does not flow about his shoulders. His hands do not form meditative postures. His mysticism does not have the visibility of a tourist attraction, but lies within, manifesting itself only in his music. Szabo appears on stage with a minimum stir. His group stationed silently behind him Szabo invariably begins to play alone till he finds the mood he is seeking. At no perceptible signal, his men join him, weaving the bare thread of a tune into intricate variations and songs-within-songs... - from the CD cover

This is an awesome cd from the master of gypsy- jazz guitar Gabor Szabo. Gabor's hypnotic guitar playing is the perfect thing to listen to when you're in a mellow mood on a rainy day. I recommend this album to fans of jazz guitar that want to hear something that is a little different. - from Amazon.com

Artist: The Gabor Szabo Sextet
Album: The Szabo Equation: Jazz/Myticism/Exotica
Year: 1968
Label: DCC Jazz (1999)
Total time: 46:16

Tracks:
1.  Galatea's Guitar (Gabor Szabo) 5:43
2.  Sunshine Superman (Donovan Leitch) 3:47
3.  Divided City (Gabor Szabo) 3:23
4.  The Look of Love (Burt Bacharach/Eddie David) 3:19
5.  Bacchanal (Gabor Szabo) 4:58
6.  Some Velvet Morning (Lee Hazlewood) 5:30
7.  Ferris Wheel (Donovan Leitch) 5:38
8.  Song of Injured Love (Manuel DeFalla) 4:14
9.  Fire Dance (Manuel DeFall) 5:51
10.  Theme from "Valley of the Dolls" (Andre Previn/Dory Previn) 3:48

Personnel:
Gabor Szabo (Guitar)
Jim Stewart (Guitar)
Mike Melvoin (Organ)
Louis Kabok (Bass Guitar)
Jim Keltner (Drums)
Hal Gordon (Percussion)

Charlie Byrd - Byrd at the Gate

This is a listening pleasure to the first degree. Unlike any other, Charlie Byrd sincerely knows how to make his instrument speak, sending graceful chords and melodies to this attentive audience. Staged at the Village Gate in New York City, Byrd pulls out a lengthy set of material from his soul, encountering everything from swing jazz to bebop (with the help of two special guests) to Latin America's candid art form. Yes, the trio plays bossa nova with grace and finesse, enlightening the crowd at this "miniature music festival," notes reviewer Joe Goldberg. Byrd prances along with his trio mates, Keter Betts on bass and Bill Reichenbach on the skins. Positively speaking, the majority of the material has a vibrant flair, with some attuned to a candid, easy listening aura, while other tunes heighten the energy with dramatic percussion and more elaborate sonic territory. For example, Byrd uses his colorful musical personality well during his originals, "Blues for Night People" and "Ela Me Deixou," while doing well to inspire with "Shiny Stockings" and an inviting "I Left My Heart in San Francisco." Melancholy and sweet, the trio brings in guests Seldon Powell on tenor sax and Clark Terry ("Some Other Spring") on trumpet to engage the listeners even further with spontaneity and creative charm. Joyous and uplifting, this record is sure to free up one's day, helping to release stress and put the swing beat, which might have been lost, back into the steps. "Where Are the Hebrew Children?," a piece registering in at eight long minutes, provides the template for a stirring free jam, eerie and haunting at times, honing in on a darker-feeling blues riff. Cheers to the Charlie Byrd Trio for a dynamic effort during this May 1963 gig. Applause, applause. - by Shawn M. Haney, AMG

Artist: The Charlie Byrd Trio
Album: Byrd at the Gate
Year: 1963
Label: OJC (20-bit remastered, 1992)
Total time: 42:30

Tracks:
1.  Shiny Stockings (Frank Foster) 4:57
2.  More (Nino Oliviero/Riz Ortolani/Marcello Ciorciolini/Norman Newell) 2:54
3.  Blues For Night People (Charlie Byrd) 7:06
4.  Butter And Egg Man (Percy Venables/Louis Armstrong) 3:40
5.  Ela Me Deixou (Charlie Byrd) 3:34
6.  Broadway (Henry Woode/Teddy McRae/Bill Bird) 4:42
7.  I Left My Heart In San Francisco (George Cory/Douglass Cross) 2:59
8.  Some Other Spring (Arthur Herzog Jr./Irene Kitchings) 4:17
9.  Where Are The Hebrew Children (Traditional) 8:21

Personnel:
Charlie Byrd (Guitar)
Keter Betts (Double Bass)
Bill Reichenbach (Drums)
Clark Terry (Trumpet) - 4,6,8
Seldon Powell (Tenor Saxophone) - 2,5,6

Ken McIntyre - Stone Blues

This early effort by Ken McIntyre (who doubles here on alto and flute) grows in interest with each listen. On a couple of his six originals (including a song called "Cornballs"), McIntyre slide humorously between notes but other selections are much more serious. McIntyre's sidemen are now somewhat obscure (trombonist John Mancebo Lewis, pianist Dizzy Sal, bassist Paul Morrison and drummer Bobby Ward) but they fit well into his conception which at this early stage was essentially advanced bop slightly influenced by the "new thing" music of Ornette Coleman. This interesting set has been reissued on CD. - by Scott Yanow, AMG

Artist : Ken McIntyre
Album: Stone Blues
Year: 1960 (New Jazz)
Label: OJC (1993)
Total time: 44:47

Tracks:
1.  Stone Blues 11:47
2.  Cornballs 4:24
3.  Blanche 6:03
4.  Mellifluous 7:17
5.  Smax 5:09
6.  Charshee 4:41
7.  I'll Close my Eyes (Billy Reid/Buddy Kaye) 5:22
All compositions by Ken McIntyre, except as indicated

Personnel:
Ken McIntyre (Alto Saxophone and Flute)
John Mancebo Lewis (Trombone)
Dizzy Sal (Piano)
Paul Morrison (Double Bass)
Bobby Ward (Drums and Percussion)

Cannonball Adderley - Country Preacher

The Reverend Jesse Jackson gives an inspiring brief speech to open the festivities, and the Quintet begins with "Walk Tall," a lively jazz/R&B number. Named in honor of Jackson "Country Preacher" and written by keyboardist Joe Zawinul, the changing tempo tribute has two contrasting grooves: one's sad and reflective, the other happy and boisterous. The album tributes Jacksons' Operation Breadbasket program in Chicago, IL. Nat Adderley composed "Hummin'," a masterfully executed piece; the Adderley brothers' stinging solo's are complemented by Zawinul's sparkling piano play. Bassist Walter Booker shines on "Oh Babe," a vamp that owes more to blues than jazz, and Cannonball sings the bluesy lyrics like he had too much to drink. "Afro Spanish Omelet" has four parts: "Umbakwen" written by Nat finds Cannoball's sax at it's inquisitive best. Booker solos the entire 3:03 seconds of "Soli Tomba." "Oiga" is Zawinul's best solo, and drummer Roy McCurdy plays like a disturbed man surrounding Zawinul's probing electric piano with some imaginative percussioning. Cannonball displays well-trained chops on "Marabi" as he battles with brother Nat's coronet. Jesse Jackson kicks off "The Scene" while Cannoball gives thanks and group introductions over a roadhouse groove. - by Andrew Hamilton, AMG

Artist: The Cannonball Adderley Quintet
Album: Country Preacher
Year: 1969
Label: Capitol Jazz (1994)
Total time: 38:50

Tracks:
1.  Walk Tall (Queen Esther Marrow/Jim Rein/Joe Zawinul) 5:12
2.  Country Preacher (Joe Zawinul) 4:28
3.  Hummin' (Nat Adderley) 6:35
4.  Oh Babe (Nat Adderley/Julian Adderley) 4:50
5.  Afro-Spanish Omlet (Nat Adderley/W. Booker/Joe Zawinul/Julian Adderley) 15:40
6.  The Scene (Joe Zawinul/Nat Adderley) 2:03

Personnel:
Cannonball Adderley (Alto and Soprano Saxophone)
Nat Adderley (Cornet)
Joe Zawinul (Keyboards)
Walter Booker (Double Bass)
Roy McCurdy (Drums)

Kenny Burrell & Grover Washington - Togethering

In the early '70s, Kenny Burrell met Grover Washington, Jr. in Chicago where they jammed together at the Jazz Showcase, promising someday to get together and make a record. In 1984, well after Washington's massive commercial disco hit "Mr. Magic," the saxophonist had the inclination to do a straight-ahead jazz record, and reconnected with master guitarist Burrell to do this one-off project. Drummer Jack DeJohnette, bassist Ron Carter, and percussionist Ralph MacDonald joined the front men, the entire combo being CTI label refugees, to do this project for Blue Note records. This turned out to be a most satisfying session, with few -- if any -- commercial concessions. Only standards, originals, and Brazilian-tinged tunes are played, with not a hint of rote funk or fusion as these players had produced a decade prior. Togethering is a great title in that many of the melodies are practiced and well rehearsed for Burrell and Washington  to play in tandem. They strike an attractive sonic pose on the modern, airy Richard Evans tune "Soulero" that goes earthy and funky, a really good song with fine solos. The quirky and intriguing title track has the principals playing alongside each other, but diving off in angular degrees a la Thelonious Monk. Carter's deep soul hues during "Asphalt Canyon Blues" with Burrell's guitar tagging along also makes for interesting, non-standardized listening. There are two Duke Ellington offerings, including Burrell's popping sounds setting off the straight-ahead "What Am I Here For?," while the regretful ballad "Day Dream" has Washington's soprano all wistful and imaginary during this inspired, spatial take. The lone tune on tenor saxophone for Washington  is "A Beautiful Friendship," and he assimilates the languid, relaxed tone of his first hero, Sonny Rollins. If any purist mainstream jazz listeners ever had problems with these musicians going for a buck by putting more R&B into their music, all is forgiven with the issuance of this marvelous album, which is more of a showcase for their true colors and collective musicianship beyond their commercialized efforts. Burrell and Washington  proved to be a fine pairing -- a subtle, effective jazz partnership. - by Michael G. Nastos, AMG

Artist: Kenny Burrell
Album: Kenny Burrell & Grover Washington
Year: 1985
Label: Blue Note
Total time: 52:27

Tracks:
1.  Soulero (Richard Evans) 4:36
2.  Sails of Your Soul (Grover Washington) 5:23
3.  Day Dream (Duke Ellington/John Latouche/Billy Strayhorn) 5:01
4.  A Beautiful Friendship (Donald Kahn/Stanley Styne) 5:04
5.  Togethering (Kenny Burrell)  4:36
6.  Romance Dance (Kenny Burrell) 3:28
7.  Asphalt Canyon Blues (Kenny Burrell)  6:19
8.  What am I Here For? (Duke Ellington/Frankie Laine) 4:46
9.  Summertime (George Gerschwin/Ira Greschwin/Dubose Heyward) 7:19
10.  I'm Glad There is You (Jimmy Dorsey/Paul Mertz) 5:51

Personnel:
Kenny Burrell (Guitar)
Grover Washington Jr. (Soprano and Tenor Saxophone)
Ron Carter (Double Bass) - 1-8
Jack DeJohnette (Drums) - 1-8
Ralph MacDonald (Percussion) - 2,6
Reggie Workman (Double Bass) - 9,10
Grady Tate (Drums) - 9,10

Joe Zawinul - My People

If one must indulge in categories, My People, featuring the Zawinul Syndicate and a United Nations coterie of guests, probably belongs on the vast world music shelf, the links to so-called jazz now so tenuous as to be nearly, but not quite, invisible. On the percolating "Slivovitz Trail," "Orient Express," "Many Churches," and the Caribbean-tinged cleverly titled "In an Island Way," the music does suggest earlier versions of the Syndicate, and Joe Zawinul's nostalgic evocations of Wayne Shorter on the Korg Pepe reach back even further. Otherwise, Zawinul is looking entirely toward ethnic cultures for musical sustenance. The musical structures are linear, the rhythms full of intricacies welded to Zawinul's love affair with the groove, the synthesizer textures usually sparer than ever. There are vocals in several languages by Zawinul's longtime colleague Salif Keita (for whom Zawinul produced a great album in 1991), Syndicate  percussionist Arto Tuncboyaciyan, a throat vocal specialist from South Siberia named Bolot, Thania Sanchez, Zawinul himself, and several others. When translated, the lyrics speak of joy and unity among the cultures, and there isn't any doubt that Zawinul's bubbling music feeds the message of uplift. Hear it; you purists may be jiggling along in spite of yourselves.  - by Richard S. Ginell, AMG

Artist: Joe Zawinul
Album: My People
Year: 1992-1996
Label: Escapade Music (1996)
Total time: 52:40

Tracks:
1.  Introduction To A Mighty Theme (Joe Zawinul) 1:53
2.  Waraya (Salif Keita) 6:03
3.  Bimoya (Salif Keita/Joe Zawinul) 6:36
4.  You Want Some tea Grandpa? (Arto Tuncboyaciyan)  3:20
5.  Slivovitz Trail (Joe Zawinul) 4:12
6.  Ochy-Bala (Traditional/arr. Bolot) 2:29
7.  Orient Express (Joe Zawinul) 7:53
8.  Eradapfee Blues(Potato Blues) (Joe Zawinul) 4:53
9.  Mi Gente (Joe Zawinul/Rudy Regalado) 6:13
10.  In An Island Way (Joe Zawinul/Robert Thomas Jr.) 4:48
11.  Many Churches (Joe Zawinul) 4:16

Personnel:
Joe Zawinul (Keyboards and Vocals)
Paco Sery (Drums and Percussion, Kalimba) - 2,3,5
Matthew Garrison (Bass) - 2,3,5,8
Gary Poulson (Guitar) - 2,3,6,9
Arto Tuncboyaciyan (Percussion and Vocals) - 2,4,5,7,10,11
Alex Acuna (Percussion) - 9
Bobby Malach (Tenor Saxophone) - 2,3,8-10
Mike Mossman (Trumpet and Trombone, Piccolo Trumpet) - 2,3,8-10
Salif Keita (Vocals) - 3
Djene Doumbouya (Backing Vocals) - 3
Assitan Dembele (Backing Vocals) - 3
Cheik Tidiane Seck (Keyboards) - 3
Osmane Kouyake (Guitar) - 3
Souleymane Doumbia (Percussion) - 3
Trilok Gurtu (Percussion) - 3,7,8
Amit Chatterjee (Guitar) - 5,7,9,11
Bolot (Throat Vocals and Tapshur) - 6
Richard Bona (Vocals and Bass Guitar) - 7,10
Burhan Öcal (Vocals) - 7
Broadhlan (Backing Vocals) - 8
Thania Sanchez (Vocals) - 9
Rudy Regalado (Percussion) - 9
Michito Sanchez (Percussion) - 9
Kevin Richard (Percussion) - 9
Beto Sabala (Backing Vocals) - 9
Kenny O'Braian (Backing Vocals) - 9
Lucho Avellaneda (Backing Vocals) - 9
Tal Bergman (Drums) - 11

Ron Sexsmith - Other Songs

The quandary of the whole solo singer/songwriter thing is that one listener's deeply personal and affecting music is another's boringly self-absorbed slop. And the fine line between them, between naked emotion and unadulterated pap, is the production, its intent, and above all, the talent trapped in it -- so highly exposed, after all. In this second LP by Sexsmith, it's clear he's a composer of ability, as his lyrics have a quietly moving air and his delicate picking and fingering of his acoustic silently charms. The drums bubble so lightly in the back you never notice them, and the pretty piano on tracks such as "Average Joe" is employed with grace. Best of all, Sexsmith's voice is a dead ringer for 1966-1967 Tim Hardin (circa his best work, Tim Hardin I and Tim Hardin II), only without Hardin's more breathy trills (and without the late legend's incredible, arrestingly sweet melancholia, woeful lamentation, and bleeding heart). Sexsmith's throat is smoky menthol, yet gentle and soothing, the kind that wraps around the melodies like a mother's most serene lullaby. Maybe there's a little 1971 Jackson Browne in Sexsmith, too, only without the reedy dweebness. On the negative side, ubiquitous producer Mitchell Froom elicits nice takes but envelops them in a slightly glossy sheen. He makes Sexsmith fall in line with so much ho-hum singer/songwriter pop, when the playing and singing suggested more direct emotional immediacy, like Hardin, or young Neil Young, or the late-'60s Paul Simon before he regrettably lost his Garfunkel. That Sexsmith has the stuff to overcome such sanitation for listeners' protection is a credit to a modest prize at work. And love that mellifluous voice. - by Jack Rabid, AMG

Artist: Ron Sexsmith
Album: Other Songs
Year: 1997
Label: Interscope
Total time: 40:18

Tracks:
1.  Thinking Out Loud 2:45
2.  Strawberry Blonde 3:29
3.  Average Joe 2:44
4.  Thinly Veiled Disguise 2:31
5.  Nothing Good 3:10
6.  Pretty Little Cemetary 3:07
7.  It Never Fails 2:29
8.  Clown in Broad Daylight 2:17
9.  At Different Times 2:35
10.  Child Star 2:56
11.  Honest Mistake 3:33
12.  So Young 2:20
13.  While You Were Waiting 3:43
14.  April After All 2:33
All compositions by R. Sexsmith

Personnel:
Ron Sexmith (Vocals, Guitars)
Mitchell Froom (Keyboards)
Jerry Marotta (Drums and Percussion)
Brad Jones (Bass Guitar)
Sheryl Crow (Accordion)
Kenny Wollesen (Vibraphone and Marimba)
Larry Campbell (Pedal Steel Guitar)
Dave Douglas (Trumpet)
Josh Roseman (Trombone)
Chris Speed (Tenor Saxophone and Clarinet)
Bob Stuart (Tuba)
Greg Cohen (Upright Bass) - 7,14
Don Kerr (Backing Vocals, Percussion) - 5,10

Pharoah Sanders - Oh Lord, Let Me Do No Wrong

Although Pharoah Sanders was originally considered a firebrand, thanks to his wild early free jazz work in the '60s, his later records are actually more in the tradition of players like his one-time leader John Coltrane and, especially, Rahsaan Roland Kirk. The title track from this 1987 session could have been on any of Kirk's Atlantic albums, a mixture of gospel sway and free jazz honk that builds into a hypnotic swoon under Leon Thomas' rich baritone vocals. (Thomas also appears on his own composition, the blues "If It Wasn't for a Woman," and the closing "Next Time You See Me.") On the extended, relaxed take of Coltrane's "Equinox," Sanders doesn't try to copy his former boss' phrasing, but there's certainly a Coltrane-like elegance to Sanders' lyrical solo. In fact, Sanders' playing on the standard "Polka Dots and Moonbeams," which also features a lovely Vince Guaraldi-like piano solo by William S. Henderson III, is downright pretty. Oh Lord, Let Me Do No Wrong is a mellow and peaceful set by a player who no longer needs to make noise; whether old-school fans will appreciate this is debatable. - by Stewart Mason, AMG

Artist: Pharoah Sanders
Album: Oh LOrd, Let Me Do No Wrong
Year: 1987
Label: Zillion (1989)
Total time: 43:44

Tracks:
1.  Oh Lord, Let Me Do No Wrong (Pharoah Sanders/Leon Thomas) 5:35
2.  Equinox (John Coltrane) 9:24
3.  Polka Dots And Moonbeams (Johnny Burke/James Van Heusen) 6:14
4.  If It Wasn't For A Woman (Pharoah Sanders/Leon Thomas) 4:41
5.  Clear Out Of This World (Al Dubin/Jimmy McHugh) 13:56
6.  Next Time You See Me (Earl Forest/Bill Harvey/Herman Parker) 3:54

Personnel:
Pharoah Sanders (Tenor Saxophone)
Donald Smith (Electric Piano)
William Henderson (Piano)
Tarik Shah (Double Bass)
Greg Banoy (Drums)
Leon Thomas (Vocals) - 1,4,6

O.H. Krill - The Krill Papers

For his debut album as O.H. Krill, Max Brennan joins forces with James Nye, Paul Butler and Tom Vernon to form a part-man, part-machine space collective. Seamlessly amalgamating sampled & sequenced parts with live instrumentation, the group move through an array of genre-splicing themes, giving 'The Krill Papers' a simultaneously unique and progressive ambience. From the laid back lounge of 'Reaching up' and 'Back room shuffle' to upbeat orchestrated funk (Riding High & Yesterday's Hero), diverse musical ideas and influences are pulled together by the consistent presence of eastern themes and use of devotional instruments such as tablas and tambouras. Additionally, percussion heavy Latin influenced jams such as 'Dusk till Dawn' and the double bass driven 'Broccoli Head' add yet more diversity. Brennan and co. present an album that the extends the boundaries of experimental jazz further out into the aether. - Product info from the DC website

Artits.: O.H. Krill
Album. The Krill Papers
Year: 2000
Label: DC Recordings
Total time: 69:55

Tracks:
1.  Reaching Up (Max Brennan/Rupert Brown) 6:45
2.  Fet Stoggies (James Nye) 5:52
3.  Broccoli Head (Max Brennan) 8:00
4.  Seven Up Swing (Max Brennan) 6:00
5.  Riding High (Max Brennan) 6:44
6.  Visions of the Divine (Max Brennan/Paul Butler) 5:12
7.  Yesterdays Hero (Max Brennan) 4:41
8.  Back Room Shuffle (Max Brennan/Rupert Brown/James Nye/Tom Vernon) 8:08
9.  Observation Lens (Max Brennan) 5:16
10.  Dusk Till Dawn (Max Brennan/Rupert Brown) 5:28
11.  Temperal Bliss (Max Brennan/Rupert Brown) 7:45

Personnel:
Max Brennan (Double Bass, Guitar, Drums, Percussion, Tabla, Synthesizer, Keyboards, Trumpet and Programming)
Rupert Brown (Drums and Percussion, Keyboards, Synthesizer)
James Nye (Soprano Saxophone and Keyboards)
Paul Butler (Drums and Percussion, Keyboards, Trumpet)
Tom Vernon (Acoustic Guitar)

Harry Belafonte - Belafonte Return to Carnegie Hall

 

On May 2, 1960, Harry Belafonte returned to Carnegie Hall for what was supposed to be one of the last concerts in the venerable hall's last season. Carnegie was scheduled to be torn down, although this was an edict that was thankfully short-lived. The hall was instead renovated and remains one of New York's premier showplaces. The first Carnegie Hall recording from the previous year had had such an impact on the recording industry that it opened up new vistas for live recordings. Belafonte faced the challenge of living up to his own legend. For this concert, he began what would be a concert tradition for him: sharing the spotlight with up-and-coming folk performers. Representing the new collegiate folk singing group trend was the Chad Mitchell Trio, currently appearing at New York's Blue Angel, where Belafonte had seen them perform. South African singer and activist Miriam Makeba, another Belafonte discovery, also performed, as did folk and blues singer Odetta, and the Belafonte Folk Singers. The guest stars nearly upstaged Belafonte, but this turned out to be de rigueur for his concerts. Highlights include Odetta's powerhouse medley of the work songs "I've Been Driving on Bald Mountain" and "Water Boy," the Folk Singers' exciting "Ox Drivers Song," Makeba and Belafonte's charming duet on "One More Dance," and the Mitchell Trio's exuberant Israeli song "Vaichazkem." For a finale, Belafonte turned to the Mexican folk dance "La Bamba," treating it to an eight-minute-long heels-flying festive romp. - by Cary Ginell, AMG

Artist: Harry Belafonte
Album: Belafonte Return to Carnegie Hall
Year: 1960 (RCA Victor)
Label: BMG (1994)
Total time: 71:50

Tracks:
1.  Jump Down Spin Around (Bill Attaway/Harry Belafonte) 2:15
2.  Suzanne (Harry Belafonte/Harry Thomas) 5:49
3.  A Little Lyric of Great Importance (Harry Belafonte/Gene Corman/Hughes) 1:29
4.  Chickens (C.C. Carter/Gene Corman/Fred Hellerman) 3:09
5.  Vaichazkem (Vayiven Uziaho) 1:34
6.  I Do Adore Her (Irving Burgie) 3:18
7.  The Ballad of Sigmund Freud (Larry Glasser/Bob March/Dave Lazar) 3:38
8.  I've Been Driving on Bald Mountain (Traditional) 2:19
9.  Water Boy (Odetta Gordon/Avery Robinson) 4:34
10.  A Hole in the Bucket (Harry Belafonte/Odetta Gordon) 5:19
11.  The Click Song (Miriam Makeba) 3:06
12.  One More Dance (C.C. Carter) 3:43
13.  The Ox Drivers (Harry Belafonte/Gene Corman) 2:59
14.  The Red Rosy Bush (C.C. Carter/Gene Corman) 2:51
15.  Didn't It Rain (Ned Wright/Robert Cormier) 5:27
16.  Hene Ma Tov (Harry Belafonte/Gene Corman) 3:46
17.  I Know Where I'm Going (Fred Hellerman) 3:26
18.  Old King Cole (Rosemary Primont/Oscar Brand/Gene Corman) 4:59
19.  La Bamba (Traditional) 8:03

Personnel:
Harry Belafonte (Vocals)
Odetta (Vocals) - 8-10
Miriam Makeba (Vocals) - 11,12
Millard Thomas (Guitar) - 2-4,16-19
Ernest Calabria (Guitar) - 2-4,16-19
Daniel Barrajanos (Percussion) - 2-4,16-19
Norman Keenan (Double Bass) - 2-4,16-19
Mike Pugh (Vocals) - 5,6
Chad Mitchell (Vocals) - 5,6
Roger McGuinn (Vocals) - 5,6
Dennis Collins (Guitar) - 5,6
Bill Lee (Bass) - 8-10
Perry Lopez (Guitar) - 11,12
Thomas Lopez (Guitar) - 11,12
Walter Raim (Guitar) - 1,3,4,13-19
Ned Wright (Vocals) - 13,15
The Belafonte Folk Singers (Choir) - 1,3,4,13-19

Joe Zawinul - Stories of the Danube

Billed as Joe Zawinul's First Symphony, this large-scale classical work may seem like a radical departure to the composer/keyboardist's jazz and pop fans, but it is really a logical expression of Zawinul's indestructible European roots. Moreover, it is not as alien to his jazz work as one might suppose; at times, one can hear trademark Zawinul ostinato lines in fleshed-out, orchestrated form, and rhythms and tunes of his jazz-rock days ("Doctor Honoris Causa," "Pharoah's Dance" "Unknown Soldier") turn up like old friends crashing a black-tie ceremony. The storyline of the work is a spinoff of Smetana's  "The Moldau," tracing the path of a river from its springhead through Central Europe and the deep historical currents (the Ottoman Empire, Vienna's Golden Age, World War II, etc.) that its journey suggests. Zawinul's own keyboards appear most noticeably in the brooding Third Worldish introductions to the fourth and seventh movements, and the Czech State Philharmonic Orchestra, Brno under Caspar Richter handles the long symphonic writing smoothly. At 63 minutes, this piece is a real stretch -- Zawinul is dealing with a Brucknerian timespan -- and skillful orchestrator, composer and boundless eclectic that he is, he can't quite fill the huge tapestry consistently. Yet repeated listening reveals a coherent if loose overall structure and some emotional depth; if you work at it, the rewards will come. - by Richard S. Ginell, AMG

Artist: Joe Zawinul
Album: Stories of the Danube
Year: 1995
Quality: Easy CDDA flac files, artw.
Label: Phillips (1996)
Total time: 63:23

Tracks:
1.  The Beginning 5:48
2.  Mountain Waters 3:30
3.  Empire 11:22
4.  Intro 3:52
5.  Gipsy 7:34
6.  Voice Of The Danube 5:52
7.  Unknown Soldier 10:25
8.  Intro 4:25
9.  Sultan 7:59
10.  Finale 2:48
Composed and orchestrated by Joe Zawinul

Personnel:
Joe Zawinul (Keyboards and Vocals)
Amit Chatterjee (Guitar and Vocals) - 4,5
Burhan Öcal (Ud, Percussion and Vocals) - 8,9
Arto Tuncboyaciyan (Percussion and Vocals) - 5,9
Walter Grassmann (Drums) - 5,7,9
Caspar Richter (Conducted)
Czech State Philharmonic Orchestra (Orchestra)

Renaud Garcia-Fons - Alboreá

Jazz has taken some unexpected directions in Europe. Garcia-Fons is a double-bass player, and he leads a French quartet that consists of himself, another double-bass player, an accordionist and a drummer. In this arrangement, Garcia-Fons exploits the huge range of the bass to play melody, while the other bassist large plays the traditional low part.
The well-known artist closest to Garcia-Fons' sound would have to be Astor Piazzolla, and indeed Alboreá does contain one tango, anagrammatically entitled "Natgo." Garcia-Fons also makes use of other world music sources, such as the Moorish sound of "Secret Zambra." And many of the tracks, not surprisingly, seem to owe something to French musette. Although Garcia-Fons might like to say his biggest musical influence was Charlie Mingus, it sometimes sounds as if his real mentor was André Previn, not just as jazz musician but as film score composer. Some of the tracks on Alboreá, like the title track, are very "big" and dramatic. However, the real show is, of course, the bass playing. Just to give one example, on "Amadu" you will think they snuck in an electric guitar, distortion and all, without crediting the musician -- until you realize that it's Garcia-Fons plucking and bowing away on his bass. Both those coming to this disc out of the jazz world and those interested in international music will find something to latch onto in this substantial and passionate album. - by Kurt Keefner, AMG

Artist: Renaud Garcia-Fons
Album: Alboreá
Year: 1995
Label: Enja (1996)
Total time: 52:32

Tracks:
1.  Al Camaron 5:07
2.  Alboreá 7:09
3.  Natgo 5:14
4.  Secret Zambra 4:51
5.  Eosine 3:47
6.  Gus's Smile 5:49
7.  Amadu 5:12
8.  Sacre Coeur 4:16
9.  Rue De Buci 4:19
10.  Fort Apache 4:09
11.  Tropea 2:39
All compositions by Renaud Garcia-Fons

Personnel:
Renoud Garcia-Fons (Double Bass)
Jean-Louis Matinier (Accordeon)
Yves Torchinsky (Double Bass)
Jacques Mahieux (Drums)

Larry Coryell - Live from Bahia

Nice Afro-Latin set with Coryell on acoustic guitar, recorded in Bahia. The assembled cast includes drummer Billy Cobham, alto saxophonist Donald Harrison, and several Brazilian musicians, notably vocalist Dori Caymmi. - by Ron Wynn, AMG

The greatness of this project for me was the opportunity to connect directly with Bahian strain of Brazilian music. The source is Salvador. The steamy, equatorial locale was intense - it became what we did and how we did it. The umbrellas for the super-sun, the cold drinks, the food, the coffee, the wonderful melange of great North and South Amreican musicians, the crw, the people listening and participating - all this became the creative source - by Larry Coryell

Artist: Larry Coryell
Album: Live from Bahia
Year: 1992
Quality: eac-flac, cue, log, artw.
Label: CTI
Total time: 51:26

Tracks:
1.  The Harbor (Dory Caymni) 5:42
2.  Old City New City (Larry Coryell) 4:47
3.  The Crab Peddler (Dory Caymni) 3:42
4.  Oshum, Godness Of Love (Donald Harrison) 4:09
5.  Bloco Loco (Larry Coryell) 7:10
6.  Panama (Billy Cobham) 3:37
7.  Bahian Night Walk 10:14
(Marcio Montarroyos/Luiz Avellar/Nico Assumpcao)
8.  Gabriela's Song (Dory Caymni) 3:02
9.  Vera Cruz (Milton Nascimento) 9:01

Personnel:
Larry Coryell (Acoustic and Electric Guitar)
Dori Caymni (Acoustic Guitar and Vocals)
Romero Lubambo (Acoustic and Electric Guitar)
Billy Cobham (Drums)
Donald Harrison Jr. (Soprano and Alto Saxophone)
Marcio Montarroyos (Trumpet)
Luiz Avellar (Keyboards)
Nico Assumpcao (Bass Guitar)
Monica Millet (Percussion)
Tiao Oliveira (Percussion)
Bashiri Johnson (Percussion)
Francisco Centeno (Bass Guitar)

Kenny Burrell - Love Is the Answer

In this, his latest concept involving not only his music but his words as well, he has finally revealed the length and breadth of his heart to all of us - he cares, in the most loving way, about people and the future of mankind. He's refreshing aberration in today's society, bringing a breath of fresh air an asphyxiating world. He wrote the contents not with his pen, but with his heart... LISTEN! - Benny Golson

An unorthodox fusion of jazz and church music, Love Is the Answer is the last thing jazz fans expected from Kenny Burrell in the late 1990s. This ambitious project unites the guitarist and fellow jazzmen James Williams (piano, keyboards), Ray Drummond (acoustic bass) and Ben Riley (drums) with the Boys Choir Of Harlem, whose calming, reflective vocals draw on both African-American gospel and European church music. Burrell isn't known for writing lyrics, but in fact, he wrote all of the spiritual, inspirational lyrics that the Choir sings. This is far from a typical hard bop album, and yet, Burrell's guitar solos (both acoustic and electric) are definitely jazz solos. Not surprisingly, Love Is the Answer was too ambitious for some labels, which wondered how they would market such a release and opted to pass. But thankfully, Concord was willing to take a chance on this moving, thoughtful music. - by Alex Henderson, AMG

Artist: Kenny Burrell
Album: Love Is the Answer
Year: 1998
Label: Concord Jazz
Total time: 57:17

Tracks:
1.  Listen th the Dawn 5:38
2.  Be Yourself 3:26
3.  Prelude 1:36
4.  The Eternal Search 1:56
5.  We Must Solve Our Problem 3:03
6.  The Only Answer 3:42
7.  Love is the Answer(Part I) 3:12
8.  We Win 2:19
9.  Love is the Answer(Part II) 2:00
10.  We Win(Reprise) 2:11
11.  Love is the Answer(Part I Reprise) 2:35
12.  What Happens if Nobody Wins 2:11
13.  How Do You Know 2:52
14.  It Will Work 0:33
15.  It Will Work(Development) 2:16
16.  Can We Believe It Will Work? 0:37
17.  We Must All Work Together 1:47
18.  Try Each Day 3:20
19.  Loving Is Natural High 2:52
20.  We Must Find Way 5:50
21.  I'm Gonna Do 3:13
All selection composed by Kenny Burrell

Personnel:
Kenny Burrell (Acoustic and Electric Guitar)
Ray Drummond (Double Bass)
James Williams (Piano and Synthesizer)
Ben Riley (Drums)
Greg Ryan (Bass Guitar) - 9
The Boys Choir of Harlem (Choir)

Freddie Hubbard - Ready for Freddie

Trumpeter Freddie Hubbard really came into his own during this Blue Note session. He is matched with quite an all-star group (tenor saxophonist Wayne Shorter, pianist McCoy Tyner, bassist Art Davis, and drummer Elvin Jones in addition to Bernard McKinney on euphonium), introduces two of his finest compositions ("Birdlike" and "Crisis"), and is quite lyrical on his ballad feature, "Weaver of Dreams." Hubbard's sidemen all play up to par and this memorable session is highly recommended; it's one of the trumpeter's most rewarding Blue Note albums. - by Scott Yanow, AMG

Artist: Freddie Hubbard
Album: Ready for Freddie
Year: 1961
Label: Blue Note (Toshiba EMI, 1993)
Total time: 42:06

Tracks:
1.  Arietis (Freddie Hubbard) 6:43
2.  Weaver Of Dreams (Jack Elliott/Victor Young) 6:39
3.  Marie Antoinette (Wayne Shorter) 6:41
4.  Birdlike (Freddie Hubbard) 10:19
5.  Crisis (Freddie Hubbard) 11:44

Personnel:
Freddie Hubbard (Trumpet)
Bernard McKinney (Euphonium)
Wayne Shorter (Tenor Saxophone)
McCoy Tyner (Piano)
Art Davis (Double Bass)
Elvin Jones (Drums)

Archie Shepp - The Way Ahead

The Way Ahead was a turning point for Archie Shepp. For starters, he had looked all over the jazz/improv arena for the proper combination of players -- without a piano. One can speculate that this was because he cut his first teeth with pianist Cecil Taylor and that would perhaps ruin anybody for life. Recorded in 1969, The Way Ahead featured Ron Carter on bass, Grachan Moncur III's trombone, Jimmy Owens' trumpet, and drums by either Beaver Harris or Roy Haynes, with Walter Davis, Jr. on piano. The set is a glorious stretch of the old and new, with deep blues, gospel, and plenty of guttersnipe swing in the mix. From the post-bop blues opener "Damn If I Know (The Stroller)," the set takes its Ellington-Webster cue and goes looking for the other side of Mingus. Shepp's solo is brittle, choppy, honky, and glorious against a set of changes gracefully employed by Moncur and Owens. Harris' stuttering, skittering rhythm may keep it anchored in the blues, but holds the line for anything else to happen. Likewise, the modern edge of things evidenced by Moncur's "Frankenstein" (first recorded with Jackie McLean's group in 1963) turns up the heat a bit more. Shepp's take is wholly different, accenting pedal points and microharmonics in the breaks. On "Sophisticated Lady" and "Fiesta," Haynes fills the drum chair and cuts his manic swinging time through the arrangements, lending them more of an elegant flair than perhaps they deserve here, though they also dig deeper emotionally than one would expect. The final two tracks on the CD are sessions left over from February 1969 that replace Davis with Dave Burrell and Carter with Walter Booker, and add Charles Davis on baritone with Harris on skins. They sound apart from these sessions, though; there is a fury and darkness in them that sucks a bit of the joyous party feel from the original album. - by Thom Yurek, AMG

Artist: Archie Shepp
Album: The Way Ahead
Year: 1970
Label: Impulse (1998)
Total time: 60:23

Tracks:
1.  Damn If I know (Walter Davis Jr.) 6:19
2.  Frankenstein (Grachan Moncur III) 13:53
3.  Fiesta (Archie Shepp) 9:57
4.  Sophisticated Lady (Duke Ellington) 7:11
5.  New Africa (Grachan Moncur III) 12:57
6.  Bakai (Cal Massey) 10:04

Personnel:
Archie Shepp (Tenor Saxophone)
Jimmy Owens (Trumpet)
Grachan Moncur III (Trombone)
Walter Davis Jr. (Piano) - 1-4
Ron Carter (Double Bass) - 1-4
Beaver Harris (Drums) - 1,2,5,6
Charles Davis (Baritone Saxophone) - 5,6
Dave Burrell (Piano) - 5,6
Walter Booker (Double Bass) - 5,6

Archie Shepp - Mama Too Tight

The octet Archie Shepp surrounded himself with in 1966 was filled with new and old faces. The twin trombones of Roswell Rudd and Grachan Moncur III embodied this, but so did bassist Charlie Haden and trumpeter Tommy Turrentine, while familiar figures like drummer Beaver Harris and tubaist Howard Johnson had been part of Shepp's regular band. There are four tracks on Mama Too Tight, all of them in some way acting as extensions of the opening three-part suite, "A Portrait of Robert Thomson (As a Young Man)." Shepp had hit his stride here compositionally. The track is, at first, a seeming free jazz blowout, but then traces the history of jazz, gospel, and blues through its three sections. Certainly there is plenty of atonality, but there is plenty of harmonic and rhythmic invention too. The piece, almost 19 minutes in length, has an intricate architecture that uses foreshadowing techniques and complex resolution methods. The title track is a post-bop blues swinger with a killer front-line riff turning in and out as the trombones go head to head. And finally, "Basheer," with its Eastern modality that transposes itself toward blues and folk music, becomes a statement on the transitional ties the '60s were ushering in musically. Here again, lots of free blowing, angry bursts of energy, and shouts of pure revelry are balanced with Ellingtonian elegance and restraint that was considerable enough to let the lyric line float through and encourage more improvisation. This is Shepp at his level best. - by Thom Yurek, AMG

Artist: Archie Shepp
Album: Mama Too Tight
Year: 1966
Label: Impulse (20-bit Remasterd, 1998)
Total time: 38:23

Tracks:
1.  A Portrait of Robert Thompson (As a Young Man) (Archie Shepp) 18:57
2.  Mama Too Tight (Archie Shepp) 5:25
3.  Theme for Ernie (Fred Lacey) 3:21
4.  Basheer (Archie Shepp) 10:38

Personnel:
Archie Shepp (Tenor Saxophone)
Perry Robinson (Clarinet)
Tommy Turrentine (Trumpet)
Grachan Moncur III (Trombone)
Roswell Rudd (Trombone)
Howard Johnson (Tuba)
Charlie Haden (Double Bass)
Beaver Harris (Drums)

Popul Vuh - City Raga

Popol Vuh are pioneers of "new age" music. Not that John Tesh kind of "new age," but music that moves the soul...instead of making you want to move out of earshot. Lead by Floorian Fricke, Popol Vuh's new release, City Raga, is an eclectic mix of styles and instrumentation, once again seperating it from most of the "new age" pack, who tend to rely totally on synthesizers for their music. Fricke, along with Maya Rose (voice), Daniel Fichelscher (acoustic guitar), and Guido Hieronymus (keyboards, engineering & electric guitar) are certainly originals in a genre that falls into one of two categories: too simplistic (some - but certainly not all - Phillip Glass) or too gaudy (Tesh, Yanni). In all honesty, though, I must admit that before this album arrived on my doorstep, I had never even heard of Popol Vuh. I had heard their work before, in the 1978 Walter Herzog adaptation of Nosferatu. And after hearing City Raga, I was a bit ashamed of the fact that while I didn't know who they were, I liked their work, and never bothered to find out more. The Denver Post said that Popol Vuh "combine European classicism and Gregorian chants with acoustic-oriented sounds inspired by indigenous peoples' music." And although you can certainly hear the "indigenous peoples' music" part, this album has more in common with Deep Forest than it does with Enigma or a group of monks. The vocals of Rose, which seem to rise from your speakers effortlessly, are some of the most compelling in some time. In many ways, she's the "anti-diva." Her vocals don't make you stand back and say "Damn! That girl can sing!" as much as they bring you further into the music itself. And like the work of Tangerine Dream, who come from the same German avant-garde scene as Popol Vuh, the tracks on this album can be best described as "cinematic." Tracks like "Last Village" and "Running Deep" seem perfect for film, and it's a wonder that someone outside of Germany hasn't picked up on Popol Vuh to do more film work. If there is any other album I can compare this work to, it would have to be Tangerine Dream's Canyon Dreams album from a few years back. The album was a soundtrack for a video they scored which feature the beauty of The Grand Canyon. Likewise, City Raga could be a soundtrack for a video on...say, a rain forest or something of that nature. The music expresses an understanding for the majesty of nature that Tesh (and I know I'm guilty of Tesh-bashing, but so what) and others can't convey...no matter if they played at Red Rocks or not. - by Sean Eric McGill

Artist: Popul Vuh
Album: City Raga
Year: 1994
Quality: eac-flac,cue,log,artw.
Label: Milan
Total time: 46:22

Tracks:
1.  Wanted Maya (Florian Fricke/Guido Hieronymus/Maya Rose) 6:58
2.  Tears of Concrete (Florian Fricke/Guido Hieronymus/Maya Rose) 5:30
3.  Last Village (Florian Fricke/Guido Hieronymus) 7:10
4.  City Raga (Florian Fricke/Guido Hieronymus/Maya Rose) 8:11
5.  Morning Raga (Florian Fricke/Guido Hieronymus/Daniel Fichelscher) 5:39
6.  Running Deep (Florian Fricke/Guido Hieronymus) 6:04
7.  City Raga (Mystic House Mix) (Florian Fricke/Guido Hieronymus/Maya Rose) 6:47

Personnel:
Florian Fricke (Piano)
Daniel Fichelscher (Acoustic Guitar)
Maya Rose (Voice)
Guido Hieronymus (Keyboards)
Children Choir from Kathmandu (Vocals)

Jean-Pierre Rampal - Rampal Plays Scott Joplin

Most every fan of Scott Joplin's music knows that ragtime should not be played too fast. Joplin himself even gave this direction in every rag he wrote in the seconmd half of his career. However, I personally have always been one to like everything on the fast side (not just ragtime but in general). So when I popped in this CD and started listening, I was amazed that many of the pieces were too fast even for my taste, escecially 'Cleopha'. That matter aside, this is a wonderful CD. It's a fresh and exiting take on Joplin's great music, and Mr. Rampal plays flawlessly as always. The arrangements are great, with a nice selection of various instruments: Flute/piccolo, piano/honkey-tonk/'fortepiano'/harpsichord(!), a slew of percussion, and a tuba. There's even a train whistle for 'The Great Crush Collision'. And best of all, the extra instuments only add to the piece -- they never take away from the main melody. So overall, I recommend this CD as a great alternate collection of Joplin's works. I recommend it for any Joplin fan's collection. - by Joshua Kaufman, Amazon.com

Artist: Jean-Pierre Rampal
Album: Rampal Plays Scott Joplin
Year: 1983
Label: CBS
Total time: 45:14

Tracks:
1.  Maple Leaf Rag (1899) 2:39
2.  Elite Syncopations (1902) 2:40
3.  Bethena: A Concert Waltz (1905) 5:14
4.  Combination March (1896) 2:35
5.  The Entertainer: A Ragtime Two Step (1902) 4:55
6.  The Cascades: A Rag (1904) 2:55
7.  Cleopha: March And Two Step (1902) 2:22
8.  The Ragtime Dance (1906) 3:14
9.  The Chrysantheum: An Afro-American Intermezzo (1904) 3:25
10.  The Favorite: Ragtime Two Step (1904) 2:51
11.  Original Rags (1899) 3:47
12.  Harmony Club Waltz (1901) 5:07
13.  Great Crus Collision: March (1896) 3:23

Personnel:
Jean-Pierre Rampal (Flute, Piccolo, Train Whistle)
John Steele Ritter (Piano, Honky-Tonk Piano, Fortepiano, Harpsichord)
Shelly Manne (Drums, Duck Calls and Mouth Percussion)
Tommy Johnson (Tuba)
Gordon Gottlieb (Foot Stomps and Percussion)
Michael Riesman (Train Crossing)