Sunday, February 24, 2008

Charlie Parker - South of the Border

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Charlie Parker's work with Latin jazz groups departs from his classic bebop playing primarily in its approach to rhythm. The more groove-oriented patterns of Latin jazz are in marked contrast to the sometimes irregular accents of bebop. This collection has each master take from the sessions that featured Parker blowing in front of the great Latin-Jazz percussionists - who provided the alto saxophonist with a perfect environment for him to take off from.

This Verve CD pulls together recordings from 1949-52 that were originally scattered across a handful of 10" LPs. Seven of the tunes here come from the original SOUTH OF THE BORDER 10," which featured a typical Parker ensemble of the period (Walter Bishop, Jr., piano; Teddy Kotick, bass; Roy Haynes or Max Roach, drums) augmented by Latin percussionists Jose Mangual and Luis Miranda. The three opening cuts feature Bird blowing through arrangements played by Machito and His Afro-Cuban Orchestra (originally released on MACHITO JAZZ WITH FLIP AND BIRD); Machito and orchestra return for the extended "Afro-Cuban Jazz Suite" composed by Chico O'Farill.

The small group recordings sound like small group Bird recordings without the driving tempos, ornate melodic structure or reliance on either blues or "I Got Rhythm" chord changes. On "No Noise (Part 1)", one of the shorter Machito tunes, it's particularly interesting to hear Parker stretch out over the simple two-chord vamp. The "Afro-Cuban Jazz Suite" includes solos by Bird but was not written with the altoist in mind. Rather, O'Farill wrote the piece as an extended jazz composition with occasional soloists; Parker was called in during the session to replace Harry "Sweets" Edison.


Personnel:

Charlie Parker (alto saxophone)on all tracks with....


Benny Harris (trumpet); Walter Bishop, Jr. (piano); Teddy Kotick (bass); Roy Haynes, Max Roach (drums)

Machito & His Afro-Cuban Orchestra includes: Machito (maracas); Chico O'Farrill (conductor); Gene Johnson, Fred Skerritt (alto saxophone); Jose Madera, Flip Phillips, Sol Rabinowitz (tenor saxophone); Leslie Johnakins (baritone saxophone); Mario Bauza (trumpet, clarinet); Paquito Davilla, Harry "Sweets" Edison, Al Stewart, Bobby Woodlen (trumpet); Rene Hernandez (piano, bass); Roberto Rodriguez (bass); Buddy Rich (drums); Jose Mangual (bongos); Luis Miranda, Chano Pozo (congas); Ubaldo Nieto (timbales)



P.S. This was on my old blog "The Sly Mongoose", I will be transfering the Jazz from over there to here in the next couple of weeks.



http://www.mediafire.com/?09dmm1mz4bg

^^^Download Link

Tito Puente/Woody Herman - Puente's Beat-Herman's Heat

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A budget-priced 13-track collection of recordings from Tito Puente and Woody Herman, featuring Charlie Byrd on guitar. PUENTE'S BEAT/HERMAN'S HEAT documents the collaboration of two great talents of 20th century music: Tito Puente and Woody Herman. Puente takes easily to Herman's swinging sound. "Latin Flight" is a highlight, serving as a call to dance that even the most uptight can't ignore. Also noteworthy are "Tito Meets Woody," a swinging mambo, and "Cha-Cha Chick," a slow and sexy swinger. "Mambo Herd" is purely a vehicle for Puente to show off at the timbales, despite its being named after Herman, who is the real star here; it's the Herd's distinctive sound that defines this recording, despite the fact that Puente's touch has a great impact on the final sound.

P.S. I found this cd very, very, mucho, mucho boring!!!! I decided to post it before I get rid of it.


http://www.mediafire.com/?amoycmcvtdj

^^^Download Link

Prince Lasha Quintet featuring Sonny Simmons - The Cry

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Give a quick listen to this CD and you might be tempted to write off Prince Lasha and Sonny Simmons as Ornette Coleman knockoffs, albeit good ones. The reality is that Lasha had been playing with Coleman since high school, swapping ideas and looking for fellow players in a world that wasn’t quite ready for what they had to offer. Coleman broke through first, and finally people were ready for Lasha; The Cry, one of Lasha and Simmons’ only appearances on record, present them as a fine working unit that never quite garnered that much attention. Both Coleman and Lasha have similar approaches, yet Lasha’s compositions are more accessible than Coleman’s. Unlike Haden and Higgins, the rhythm section is content to follow a very consistent pulse (unusual for Peacock), providing a firm base that allows the two horns to explore all sorts of terrain. The heads (such as they are) are practically hummable and almost pretty. Simmons sounds quite a bit like a Coleman with more precision, and in fact may be using a plastic alto; Lasha prefers a wooden flute, which gives his passages a dark, earthy tone that contrasts well with the bitter, vibratoless sax. One can be forgiven for thinking that this is Simmon’s date; he gets two songs all to himself without Lasha, both of which show that he could have been a major player in the free jazz area if the cards were dealt differently. These guys probably don’t understand harmolodics any more than you do, but are still capable of creating fine free jazz that succeeds at being adventurous without being demanding.

~David Rickert




Prince Lasha : flute (#1, 3-6, 8), bass clarinet (#4)
Sonny Simmons : alto saxophone
Gary Peacock : bass
Mark Proctor : bass (#1, 3-6)
Gene Stone : drums


http://www.mediafire.com/?jvmnyzyc3gz

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Johnny Griffin/Milt Jackson - Griff n' Bags

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Chicago tenor great Johnny (”Griff”) Griffin is heard on five tunes and Milt (”Bags”) Jackson, whose intention was to reunite with fellow MJQ founder Kenny Clarke for a Clarke-Boland Big Band project that never materialized, is heard on five different tunes.

Despite slightly inaccurate labeling and packaging that doesn't explain itself until you open it, Griff 'n' Bags is an excellent collection of four Francy Boland-Jimmy Woode-Kenny Clarke sessions recorded between 1967 and 1969. The 16 pieces enclosed here seem to have been recorded when all the members of the sensational, underrated C-BBB were unable to assemble in full.

The first three titles, from 1967 (Woode's “Gamal Sady'n'Em” and “Gyson's Bag” and Neal Hefti's “Lonely Girl”), focus the diverse and interesting rhythmic moxy on what made the C-BBB's engine run so swiftly and smoothly - the trio of Boland, Woode and Clarke. Three horns are added for sessions a year and a half later yielding three superb numbers with standouts including Boland's wondrously Latinesque “The Turk's Bolero,” a feature for Sahib Shihab, and the swinging “Muvaffak's Pad” spotlighting the ever-amazing Boland's piano and the graceful trumpet of Idrees Sulieman. Bags's 1969 pieces are highlighted by his own typically-soulful “Blues For K” and his vocal (no vibes) on “I'm A Fool To Want You.” Griffin, a charter C-BBB member, is brought forward on his 1968 pieces and swings hard and happily on five titles, and in tip-top form on the New Orleans drawl of “Foot Patting” and the Nat Adderley like “Deep Eight.”

The Italian Rearward label is now releasing many of producer Gigi Campi's 1960s sessions in attractive packages with boxes, booklets and typically superb notes by Mike Hennessy. These are all worthwhile, often inspired productions well worth investigating. They're also a testament to the beauty and enduring appeal of European stalwarts like pianist, composer and arranger Francy Boland and American expatriates Sahib Shihab, Idrees Sulieman, Benny Bailey and Johnny Griffin. Despite the slightly misleading packaging here, Griff 'n' Bags is also excellent and highly recommended.


Personnel includes:

Johnny Griffin (tenor saxophone)
Sahib Shihab (baritone saxophone)
Benny Bailey (trumpet, flugelhorn)
Idrees Sulieman (trumpet)
Ake Persson (trombone)
Milt Jackson (vibraphone)
Francy Boland (piano)
Jimmy Woode Jr. (bass)
Kenny Clarke (drums)



http://www.mediafire.com/?yukm1ydj96b

^^^Download Link

George Russell - Jazz in the Space Age

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George Russell's third release as a leader combines two adventurous sessions. The first features two pianists, Bill Evans and Paul Bley, and a large ensemble including Ernie Royal, Dave Baker, Walt Levinsky, Barry Galbraith, Milt Hinton, and Don Lamond, among others. The three-part suite "Chromatic Universe" is an ambitious work which mixes free improvisation with written passages that have not only stood the test of time but still sound very fresh. "The Lydiot" focuses on the soloists, while incorporating elements from "Chromatic Universe" and other Russell compositions. The second session adds trumpeter Marky Markowitz, valve trombonist Bob Brookmeyer, alto saxophonist Hal Mckusick, and drummer Charlie Persip to the earlier group, in the slow, somewhat mysterious "Waltz From Outer Space," which incorporates an Oriental-sounding theme, and "Dimensions," described by its composer as "a sequence of freely associated moods indigenous to jazz." Previously available as an LP and as a two-LP set combined with New York, NY, this CD represents some of George Russell's greatest achievements.

~ Ken Dryden, All Music Guide


Ernie Royal, Al Kiger, Marky Markowitz (Trumpet)
Frank Rehak, David Baker, Bob Brookmeyer (Trombone)
Jimmy Buffington (French Horn)
Hal McKusick (Alto Saxophone)
Dave Young (Tenor Saxophone)
Sol Schlinger (Baritone Saxophone)
Bill Evans, Paul Bley (Piano)
Barry Galbraith, Howard Collins (Guitar)
Milt Hinton (Bass)
Don Lamond, Charlie Persip (Drums)


http://www.mediafire.com/?2y9gxcbixml

^^^Download Link

Saturday, February 23, 2008

Baby Face Willette - Stop and Listen

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Probably the greatest set in Baby Face Willette's all-too-slim discography, Stop and Listen matches the organist with the hugely sympathetic team of guitarist Grant Green and drummer Ben Dixon (the same trio lineup who recorded Green's debut LP, Grant's First Stand). With no saxophonist this second time around, it's just Willette and Green in the solo spotlight, and they play marvelously off of one another. As a soloist, Willette has a nimble, airy touch, and though he owes no debt to the modal style of Larry Young, he has a greater melodic imagination than many of his instrument's straight blues players. What's more, his playing is far less in-the-pocket than his inspiration, Jimmy Smith's; Willette can really make a groove percolate, whether he's soloing or adding keen rhythmic interest with his left hand (witness the throbbing slow blues of "Chances Are Few" or the marching beat of "Soul Walk"). Green is in prime form as well, in particular contributing some unbearably lovely solos to the standard "At Last." Nearly every selection is memorable, with other highlights coming from Willette's manic original "Jumpin' Jupiter," a breezy treatment of "Willow Weep for Me," and Nat Adderley's jauntily swinging "Worksong." There's nary a bit of sleepy meandering on this set of grooves; each musician is plugged in and ready to wail. With Blue Note's extraordinary stable of talent, it's a shame that Willette never led another session for the label, which makes Stop and Listen that much more essential for soul-jazz fans.

~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide



Baby Face Willette (Organ)
Ben Dixon (Drums)
Grant Green (Guitar)


http://www.mediafire.com/?dzco2mamb30

^^^Download Link

Young-Holt Unlimited - OH GIRL /Slide Hampton Octet - SOMETHIN' SANCTIFIED

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2 LPs on 1 CD: Young-Holt Unlimited: OH GIRL (1972)/Slide Hampton Octet: SOMETHIN' SANCTIFIED (1961)


OH GIRL:

Edlee Young (acoustic, 6-string electric & 8-string electric basses)
Isaac "Red" Holt (drums)
Marcus Curry (electric guitar)
Ken Chaney (acoustic & electric pianos)
Bobby Lyle (electric piano)
Richard Tee (organ)
Ralph McDonald (congas, percussion)
Eumir Deodato (conductor)


SOMETHIN' SANCTIFIED:

Slide Hampton (trombone, baritone horn)
George Coleman (tenor saxophone)
Jay Cameron (baritone saxophone, clarinet)
Richard Williams, Hobart Dotson (trumpet)
Charlie Greenlee (trombone, baritone horn)
Laurence Ridley (bass)
Peter Sims (drums)


http://www.mediafire.com/?zmd991xzbht

^^^Oh Girl

http://www.mediafire.com/?2fd79amjqml

^^^Somethin' Sanctified


P.S. FOR MY BEATHEADS...THERE IS A NICE DRUM BREAK ON TRACK 6

Jack McDuff / David "Fathead" Newman - Change Is Gonna Come/Double Barrelled Soul

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2 LPs on 1 CD: Jack McDuff: A CHANGE IS GONNA COME (1966)/Jack McDuff/David "Fathead" Newman: DOUBLE BARRELLED SOUL (1968)


A CHANGE IS GONNA COME:

Personnel:

Jack McDuff (organ)
Danny Turner (alto saxophone)
George Coleman, Arthur Clarke (tenor saxophone)
Buddy Lucas (baritone saxophone)
John Grimes, Harold Johnson (trumpet)
Richard Harris (trombone)
Cornell Dupree (guitar, congas)
James Oliver (guitar)
Jimmy Tyrrell (bass)
Bernard Purdie, Joe Dukes (drums)
Warren Smith (percussion)


DOUBLE BARRELLED SOUL:

Personnel:
Jack McDuff (organ)
David Newman, Danny Turner (alto & tenor saxophones, flute)
Leo Johnson (tenor saxophone, flute)
Melvin Sparks (guitar)
Abe Blasingame (drums)


http://www.zshare.net/download/801381075aa2ca/

^^^Change is Gonna Come

http://www.mediafire.com/?i5jn0lbtbjn

^^^DOUBLE BARRELLED SOUL

George Adams - Sound Suggestions

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Tenor saxophonist George Adams' third recording as a leader (following two obscure releases for the Italian Horo label) is a little unusual in that the extroverted soloist is heard on the usually introverted ECM label. Adams is teamed with fellow tenor Heinz Sauer (who has a cooler sound), trumpeter Kenny Wheeler, pianist Richard Beirach, bassist Dave Holland and drummer Jack DeJohnette for five group originals. The playing is advanced but not as fiery as most of Adams' later sets.



George Adams (tenor saxophone - right channel)
Heinz Sauer (tenor saxophone - left channel)
Kenny Wheeler (trumpet, flugelhorn)
Richard Beirach (piano)
Dave Holland (bass)
Jack DeJohnette (drums)





http://sharebee.com/7b1c63b1

^^^^Download Link

Friday, February 22, 2008

Kenny Dorham - Trompeta Toccata

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Trumpeter Kenny Dorham was one of a select few jazz musicians whose career spanned the big band era, the emergence of bebop (he played with Charlie Parker), the institution of hard bop, and the 1960s "New Thing" or avant-garde (on the Andrew Hill classic POINT OF DEPARTURE). His trumpet sound was unparalleled, a melodious middle ground between Freddie Hubbard hot and Chet Baker cool. TRUMPET TOCCATA, from 1964, presents him at the height of his powers as a player, composer (three of the four tunes here are originals), and bandleader (with Richard Davis, young Joe Henderson, and pianist-for-all-seasons Tommy Flanagan).


Personnel:

Kenny Dorham (trumpet)
Joe Henderson (tenor saxophone)
Tommy Flanagan (piano)
Richard Davis (upright bass)
Albert Heath (drums)



http://sharebee.com/618e5464

^^^Download Link

THE DANCE OF THE INFIDELS!!!!!!!

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WELCOME ONE AND ALL TO THE DANCE OF THE INFIDELS!!!!

This blog is dedicated entirely to my first love of music JAZZ.