What Are You Listening To?

[Dennie]

Gaucho

Steely Dan

1980/2008 MCA Records 180gram Reissue

Amazon.com

The multiplatinum success of Aja made Steely Dan, the musical conceit of Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, a household name. But that prosperity came bundled with a fateful triple-whammy for rock's dyspeptic duo: unrealistic commercial expectations, a critical backlash spawned by punk's nascent mewling, and the long-simmering meltdown of their artistic partnership. But the cool, perfect sheen of 1980's Gaucho tipped its hand to none of it. Ironically, those fashion victims who sniffed up their sleeves at Don and Walt's decadence-tinged Me Decade manifesto couldn't have had a clue that just maybe Gaucho's typically oblique protagonists had uncomfortably blurred from the third-person to the first this time 'round. At least that's what Becker and Fagen hint at in their smart-assed notes to this digitally remastered, definitive edition (all original artwork and printed lyrics restored) of the final album before their 20-year hiatus. Pristine and sonically polished (three years and seven studios worth), time has served Gaucho well. Even its sense of laconic detachment now seems but a logical bridge to the two-decade removed Dan of Two Against Nature. To their credit, Becker and Fagen didn't trash the first half of Steely Dan's legacy on Gaucho, they simply burnished it to oblivion. -Jerry McCulley

All songs written by Becker and Fagen, except where noted

Side one

"Babylon Sisters" – 5:49
"Hey Nineteen" – 5:06
"Glamour Profession" – 7:28

Side two

"Gaucho" (Becker, Fagen, Keith Jarrett) – 5:30
"Time Out of Mind" – 4:11
"My Rival" – 4:30
"Third World Man" – 5:18

 

[Dennie]

My last one for the evening...

The Fall

Norah Jones

2009 Blue Note Records

Vinyl LP pressing. 2009 release from the best-selling singer/songwriter. Norah has taken a new direction on the The Fall, experimenting with different sounds and a new set of collaborators, including Jacquire King, a noted producer and engineer who has worked with Kings of Leon, Tom Waits and Modest Mouse. Jones enlisted several songwriting collaborators, including Ryan Adams and Okkervil River's Will Sheff, as well as her frequent partners Jesse Harris and Richard Julian. Musicians include drummers Joey Waronker and James Gadson, keyboardist James Poyser and guitarists Marc Ribot and Smokey Hormel. The first single lifted from the album is 'Chasing Pirates'.

1. "Chasing Pirates" Norah Jones 2:40
2. "Even Though" Jones, Jesse Harris 3:52
3. "Light As a Feather" Jones, Ryan Adams 3:52
4. "Young Blood" Jones, Mike Martin[disambiguation needed ] 3:38
5. "I Wouldn't Need You" Jones 3:30
6. "Waiting" Jones 3:31
7. "It's Gonna Be" Jones 3:11
8. "You've Ruined Me" Jones 2:45
9. "Back to Manhattan" Jones 4:09
10. "Stuck" Jones, Will Sheff 5:15
11. "December" Jones 3:05
12. "Tell Yer Mama" Jones, Harris, Richard Julian 3:25
13. "Man of the Hour" Jones 2:56

 

[Dennie]

Superpickers

Chet Atkins

1973 RCA Quadradisc

Writing for Allmusic, critic William Ruhlmann wrote of the album "Atkins joins together with an A-list of Nashville session musicians for a set of picking extravaganzas... Atkins himself is goaded into some wonderful playing as a result, and Superpickers is one of his best albums."
Side one

"Paramaribo" (John D. Loudermilk) – 2:27
"Fiddlin' Around" (Johnny Gimble) – 3:06
"Mr. Bojangles" (Jerry Jeff Walker) – 4:35
"Beef and Biscuits" (Mat Camison) – 2:35
"Sweet Dreams" (Don Gibson) – 2:44

Side two

"Just Another Rag" (Atkins, Jerry Reed Hubbard) – 2:38
"Canadian Pacific" (Ray Griff) – 3:50
"City of New Orleans" (Steve Goodman) – 3:26
"Bell's of Saint Mary's" (Doug Tringer) – 2:51
"Are You from Dixie?" (George L. Cobb, Jack Yellen) – 3:02

 

[Dennie]

Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon

James Taylor

1971 Warner Bros. Records

Sweet and moving., June 22, 1998
By A Customer
This review is from: Mud Slide Slim And The Blue Horizon (Audio CD)

Mud Slide Slim is probably my favorite JT album, the one I consistently go back to -- like comfort food. I've listened to the album hundreds of times since I first discovered it in the early eighties, and I still don't think I'll ever tire of hearing it. My album favorites? I guess they'd have to be "You Can Close Your Eyes" and "Long Ago and Far Away." I've even learned to play them in rudimentary fashion on the guitar. Thank you, James, for nearly half a lifetime of musical nourishment for my soul! All songs by James Taylor unless otherwise noted.

"Love Has Brought Me Around" – 2:41
"You've Got a Friend" (Carole King) – 4:28
"Places in My Past" – 2:01
"Riding on a Railroad" – 2:41
"Soldiers" – 1:13
"Mud Slide Slim" – 5:20
"Hey Mister, That's Me up on the Jukebox" – 3:46
"You Can Close Your Eyes" – 2:31
"Machine Gun Kelly" (Danny Kortchmar) – 2:37
"Long Ago and Far Away" – 2:20
"Let Me Ride" – 2:42
"Highway Song" – 3:51
"Isn't It Nice to Be Home Again" – 0:55

 

[Dennie]

Abandoned Luncheonette

Daryl Hall & John Oates

1973 Atlantic Records

1973 was an amazing year for Hall & Oates as they ushered their superstardom further with the incredible masterpiece Abandoned Luncheonette. Produced by the great Arif Mardin, this nine song album fused with classic Philly soul, rock and acoustic pop anthems delivered in a big way for the history making duo. Including the huge hit single She's Gone, as well as the celebrated title track, Abandoned Lunchonette was a watershed album which has rewarded them with non-stop success for the past 4 decades. Comes with LTD.ED.GATEFOLD Album cover & 5 Star Mastering from the original Atlantic Tapes!

1. "When The Morning Comes" (Daryl Hall) - 3:12
2. "Had I Known You Better Then" (John Oates) - 3:22
3. "Las Vegas Turnaround (The Stewardess Song)" (Oates) - 2:57
4. "She's Gone" (Hall, Oates) - 5:15
5. "I'm Just A Kid (Don't Make Me Feel Like A Man)" (Oates) - 3:20
6. "Abandoned Luncheonette" (Hall) - 3:55
7. "Lady Rain" (Hall, Oates) - 4:26
8. "Laughing Boy" (Hall) - 3:20
9. "Everytime I Look At You" (Hall) - 7:04

 

[Dennie]

Indianola Mississippi Seeds

B.B. King

1970 ABC Records

Indianola Mississippi Seeds is a 1970 album in which B. B. King mixed elements of blues and pop/rock. Producer Bill Szymczyk decided to follow up on the success of the hit "The Thrill is Gone" by matching King with a musical all-star cast. The result was one of King's most critically acclaimed albums and one of the most highly regarded blues crossover albums of all time.

The album appeared on several of Billboard's album charts in 1970, reaching number 26 on the Pop album chart, number seven on the Jazz album chart and eight on Billboard's listing for "Black Albums." The album also generated several hit singles, "Chains and Things", King's own "Ask Me No Questions" and Leon Russell's "Hummingbird".

King himself, also, views the album as one of his greatest achievements. When asked about his best work, King has said, "I know the critics always mention Live & Well or Live at the Regal, but I think that Indianola Mississippi Seeds was the best album that I've done artistically."

1 Nobody Loves Me But My Mother 1:26
2 You're Still My Woman 6:04
3 Ask Me No Questions 3:08
4 Until I'm Dead And Cold 4:45
5 King's Special 5:10
6 Ain't Gonna Worry My Life Anymore 5:18
7 Chains And Things 4:53
8 Go Underground 4:03
9 Hummingbird 4:38

 

[Dennie]

"But Seriously Folks..."

Joe Walsh

1978 Elektra Records

"But Seriously, Folks..." is the fourth studio album by Joe Walsh, released in 1978 (see 1978 in music). It included the reggae-styled satirical song "Life's Been Good". The original 9-minute album version of this track was edited down to 4½ minutes for single release and this became Walsh's biggest solo hit, peaking at #12 on the Billboard chart.

The album also features the other four members of the Eagles -- which Walsh had joined by the time the album was released—as well as singer-guitarist Jay Ferguson, a former member of the group Spirit (who co-wrote one track on the album), drummer Joe Vitale from Walsh's former band Barnstorm, and renowned bassist Willie Weeks, who is well known for his association with singer Donny Hathaway.

1. "Over and Over" – 4:53
2. "Second Hand Store" (Murphy, Walsh) – 3:35
3. "Indian Summer" – 3:03
4. "At the Station" (Joe Vitale, Walsh) – 5:08
5. "Tomorrow" – 3:39
6. "Inner Tube" – 1:25
7. "Theme from Boat Weirdos" (Jay Ferguson, Bill Szymczyk, Vitale, Walsh, Willie Weeks) – 4:43
8. "Life's Been Good" – 8:56

 

[Dennie]

Landing On Water

Neil Young

1986 Geffen Records

too many bad reviews..., October 20, 2002
By James Porter "beinfang" (Houston, TX USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)
This review is from: Landing on Water (Audio CD)

How can you not like this album? This is experimental Neil at his best, trying to tackle something new and infuse it with his own Neilness.

So, you think of the 80s, and you think of synthesizers. New Wave? Synth pop?

Neil puts together this album that is largely synthesizer-driven. Actually, that's not true. This album is primarily driven by Steve Jordan's drums, mic'd in such a way that it sounds like you're in a closet with them. Keyboards are layered on top of the drums, and last... BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST... Neil's trademark tortured distorted guitar periodically cuts through and slaps you senseless.

This album has a LOT of charm to it.

Lyrically:
"Take my advice, don't listen to me..."
"The wooden ships were just a hippie dream..."
An angelic-voiced boys choir singing "Got to fight to control the violent side..."

Samples & sound effects:
Breaking glass as percussion.
Screams punctuating that song "Pressure".
...and DAMN I don't know what they did to those drums throughout the album to make 'em sound so in-your-face, but... Damn...Damn.

1. Weight Of The World
2. Violent Side
3. Hippie Dream
4. Bad News Beat
5. Touch The Night
6. People On The Street
7. Hard Luck Stories
8. I Got A Problem
9. Pressure
10. Drifter

 

[Dennie]

Journey To Love

Stanley Clarke

1975 Nemperor Records

Take the Perfect Path, June 6, 2010
By J.A.B. - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)
This review is from: Journey to Love (Audio CD)

As fusion began to take a tight grip around the music industry - and elbow its way onto FM rock playlists and earn grudging slots in jazz formats - many young artists demonstrated the motivation and energy to hack out of the trail paved by Miles Davis and find their own way.

In arguably the finest solo effort from Stanley Clarke, an all-star lineup - that includes Jeff Beck, John McLaughlin, Chick Corea, Lenny White, Jon Faddis, George Duke, Steve Gadd, David Sancious and Tom "Bones" Malone - bolsters the punch from the six tracks that clock in at nearly 40 minutes.

The 14:25 of "Concerto for Jazz/Rock Orchestra, Parts 1-4" is as impressive a composition ever penned by Clarke and captures the meticulous artistry of the jazz/rock sound. Beck propels the title cut and struts with hot licks on "Hello Jeff." The two-part tribute to John Coltrane - "Song to John, Part 1 and Part 2" - has the sweet canvas painted by the touching acoustic piano of Corea and acoustic guitar of McLaughlin. "Silly Putty" is a slick kick-off with Clarke seizing the spotlight.

Having the backing of Columbia Records - which was heavily promoting jazz artists during this era - certainly didn't hurt, but the quality of this album would have found the turntables of top reviewers and fans even if it was only available by mail order.
All tracks composed by Stanley Clarke; except where indicated

"Silly Putty" (4:52)
"Journey to Love" (4:52)
"Hello Jeff" (5:16)
"Song to John, Part 1" (Clarke, Corea) (4:22)
"Song to John, Part 2" (Clarke, Corea) (6:09)
"Concerto for Jazz/Rock Orchestra, Parts 1-4" (14:25)

 

[Dennie]

Never Letting Go

Phoebe Snow

1977 Columbia Records

A Classic to Hold On To, February 4, 2000
By J. Michael Click (Fort Worth, Texas United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER) (VINE VOICE) (REAL NAME)
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Never Letting Go (Audio CD)

Over 20 years ago, I heard an achingly beautiful song that has haunted me ever since. I didn't catch its name, but I kept singing a bit of the chorus to record store employees and DJs, hoping someone could identify it for me. No luck! And then one day while surfing amazon.com, I started sampling audio clips and I found it: "Majesty of Life" by Phoebe Snow. I ordered the CD, hoping the song would be even half as sensitive and tender as I remembered it, filled with great hopes and fond expectations.

Happily, the album didn't disappoint me in the slightest. "Majesty of Life" is every bit as sweet an expression of yearning in the year 2000 as it was back in 1977, and the other songs on the album are equally timeless (particularly the passionate title track). Miss Snow's vocals throughout are superb; her style is undated and the recording is crisp and clear. This is an album to treasure; I, for one, will never let it go ...

"Love Makes a Woman" (Carl Davis, Eugene Record, William Sanders, Gerald Simms) – 3:21
"Majesty of Life" – 3:36
"Ride the Elevator" – 3:55
"Something So Right" (Paul Simon) – 4:02
"Never Letting Go" (Stephen Bishop) – 3:12
"We're Children" – 3:01
"Middle of the Night" – 3:33
"Electra" – 3:53
"Garden of Joy Blues" (Clifford Hayes) – 4:31

 

[Dennie]

Gone With The Wind

The Dave Brubeck Quartet

1959 Columbia Records

A Refeshingly, Cool, Inviting Wind!, November 18, 2001
By A Customer
This review is from: Gone With the Wind (Audio CD)

After personally witnessing Joe Morello execute a ONE-handed drum "roll" at a seminar of his in Madison Wi. in the early '60's,his exquisite brush-work solo on "Swanee River",was not surprising,but is nevertheless totally pleasing each time I hear it! This "jazz drummer's drummer"(in my estimation),also shines radiantly in his "Short'nin Bread" solo,on melodically-tuned tom-toms.
Eugene Wright's delightful bass solo in "Old Man River",leaves no room for criticism either,confirming that he & Morello were two, sometimes overlooked, pillars supporting this innovative,trail-blazing quartet.
Much (deserved)praise has been showered upon Brubeck & Desmond of course,& one listen to "Georgia on my Mind",with Paul's luscious,almost haunting sax solo & Dave's beautiful piano interpretation will suffice to instruct anyone unfamiliar with them,as to why their music remains so popular to this day.

"Swanee River"
"The Lonesome Road"
"Georgia on My Mind"
"Camptown Races"
"Camptown Races" (different version)
"Short'nin' Bread"
"Basin Street Blues"
"Ol' Man River"
"Gone with the Wind"

 

[Dennie]

Sunshine On Leith -- CD

The Proclaimers

1988 Chrysalis Records

Sunshine on Leith is The Proclaimers' second and best known album, released in August 1988. The album had three singles, including the title track, "I'm On My Way," and "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)," which also became a hit following its inclusion on the soundtrack to Benny & Joon five years later in 1993. It is about their birthplace, Leith, and the title track Sunshine on Leith is played by Hibernian F.C. at the beginning of matches.

All Songs Written By Craig & Charlie Reid, except where noted.

"I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)" – 3:33
"Cap in Hand" – 3:24
"Then I Met You" – 3:50
"My Old Friend the Blues" – 3:06 (Steve Earle)
"Sean" – 3:23
"Sunshine on Leith" – 5:16
"Come on Nature" – 3:34
"I'm on My Way" – 3:45
"What Do You Do?" – 3:38
"It's Saturday Night" – 3:24
"Teardrops" – 2:32
"Oh Jean" – 5:55

 

[Dennie]

Greatest Hits -- CD

Heatwave

1987 Epic Records

Two years after Heatwave enjoyed its last summit of the U.S. R&B charts with 1982's "Lettin' It Loose," Epic released the band's second hits package. The swift set doesn't pack the punch of the earlier Power Cuts compilation, touching on the heavy-hitters, of course, but ignoring other songs that should have put in an appearance. Kicking off the set with "Boogie Nights" let Greatest Hits lead on a strong note. So, too, did saving Heatwave's other massive hit, "The Groove Line," for an appearance halfway through the album, rounding that triumvirate out with 1980's "Gangsters of the Groove." Adding the slow sleeper "Always and Forever" and the snappy dance/ballad crossover Top 50 hit "Mind Blowing Decisions" rounded out the band's penchant for funked-up disco frenzy, yet still allowed plenty of room for late-era songs "Posin' 'Til Closin'" and "The Big Guns," plus a reprisal of the new wave synth-styled "Lettin' It Loose." Despite missing some crucial cuts ("Eyeballin'" and "Ain't No Half Steppin'), Greatest Hits is still a large enough slice of Heatwave's classic grooves to at least whet the appetite. Presented in absolutely no chronological order whatsoever, the album manages to keep a flow that will suffice for the casual fan. ~ Amy Hanson

Track Listing

1. Boogie Nights
2. Always and Forever
3. Lettin' It Loose
4. Look After Love
5. Groove Line, The
6. Gangsters of the Groove
7. Mind Blowing Decisions
8. Posin' til Closin'
9. Big Guns, The

 

[Dennie]

Ride -- CD

Boney James

2001 Warner Bros. Records

Amazon.com

It's no wonder Boney James is a winner of a Soul Train music award, and that his music is heard on urban radio almost as much as he's heard on smooth-jazz radio. From his first album, and on up to Ride, his eighth, James always has had a degree of funky soul and light pop mixed in his sax playing, which is a smooth-jazz staple. But here the lines are drawn more clearly and distinctly. There's no doubt that he's staking a claim in the retro-soul R&B movement with several potential hits, including "Something Inside," with its gospel-drenched Dave Hollister vocal, and "See What I'm Saying," featuring bassist Marcus Miller. With popular singer-rapper Jaheim, James manages to make at least three musical references to the '70s on the title track, including a musical nod to Con Funk Shun. The average smooth-jazz saxophonist wouldn't know Con Funk Shun from Brass Construction, which is one reason why James is not your average smooth-jazz saxophonist. He has chipped away at two different audiences and now has one big one that not only allows him headline status, but gold records. Ride will be his fourth in a row. --Mark Ruffin

1. "Heaven" (featuring Trina Broussard) 4:04
2. "Grand Central" 4:57
3. "RPM" 4:48
4. "Something Inside" (featuring Dave Hollister) 3:53
5. "So Beautiful" 4:21
6. "See What I'm Sayin'?" 4:34
7. "All About You" 4:07
8. "Ride" (featuring Jaheim) 4:33
9. "As You Are" 4:30
10. "This Is the Life" 4:59
11. "Boneyard" (Hidden Track) 3:56

 

[Dennie]

Ricochet -- CD

Richard Elliot

2003 GRP Records

High Energy Smooth Jazz, March 23, 2004
By James T. Chapman "chapjim" (No. VA)

This review is from: Ricochet (Audio CD)

To my way of thinking, jazz topped out in about 1958. Smooth Jazz is not my favorite genre and I have reached the point where I can't stand the sound of a soprano saxophone. Anyway, my smooth jazz fan wife came up with tickets to a Richard Elliott concert in the District (a Jeff Loerber-led quartet opened but he and Elliott didn't play together). While I prefer Coltrane, I gotta admit the man can PLAY that goofy-looking black and white tenor! It was very funky, energetic, and had some good moments. All in all though, it kind of ran together and started to sound like the radio in my wife's car. For me, anyway. But, if you are into smooth jazz, this has to be a good CD to get.

Track listing

1. Corner Pocket
2. Ricochet
3. Rendezvous
4. Sweet Memories
5. So Good
6. Seven Sacred Pools
7. Slam
8. You Make Me Feel Brand New
9. Sake For Two
10. Sly

 

[Dennie]

My last one for the evening....

Chill Factor -- CD

Richard Elliot

1999 Blue Note Records

GREAT CD, October 10, 2003
By A Customer
This review is from: Chill Factor (Audio CD)

If you want a contemp. jazz cd that you can put in at night and just "Chill" this is the cd to get. Right from the first track you will be put in the mood for a relaxing time. This is a cd you can play for a romantic evening or for a calm party. I own 12 of Richard Elliot's cd's and this is the one I would recommend the most. After that "On The Town" and "Richocet" tie, but those two have a more uptempo tracks compared to this one. This cd is a must have!!!!

Track Listing
1. Moomba
2. Chill Factor
3. Deep Touch
4. This Could Be Real
5. Who?
6. On the Fly
7. Adia
8. Like Butter
9. Kick It Up
10. Ain't Nothin' Like the Real Thing
11. Mikayla's Smile

 

[Dennie]

Sunflower -- CD

Milt Jackson - Herbie Hancock - Freddie Hubbard - Ron Carter - Billy Cobham

1972/1997 CTI/Epic Legacy

Recorded over two days in December of 1972 at Rudy Van Gelder's Englewood, New Jersey home studio, vibraphonist Milt Jackson's Sunflower is the first -- and best -- of his three albums for Creed Taylor's CTI imprint. (And one of the finest offerings on the label.) With a core band consisting of Herbie Hancock (playing electric and acoustic piano), bassist Ron Carter, drummer Billy Cobham, trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, drummer/percussionist Ralph McDonald, and guitarist Jay Berliner. A chamber orchestra exquisitely arranged and conducted by Don Sebesky adorns the session as well. Jackson's "For Someone I Love," opens the five-tune set, with Berliner playing solo flamenco guitar before the vibes, trumpet, and elements from the chamber orchestra delicately, impressionistically color the background. It gradually moves into a languid, bluesy ballad that slowly gains in both texture and dynamic until the strings trill tensely. Hubbard and Hancock engage them in solos that gently swing out the tune. The reading of Michel Legrand's "What Are You Doing for the Rest of Your Life" is a gorgeous showcase for Jackson; his solo dominates the arrangement. Carter gets downright funky on his upright to introduce Thom Bell's "People Make the World Go Round," and Hancock follows him on Rhodes. Jackson takes the melody, striking a layered contrast as Hubbard slips around all three playing an extension of the melody with requisite taste, fluidity, and taut phrasing. Hancock gets funky to the bone in his brief solo, as the vibes soar around and through his phrases. The title track is a Hubbard composition that floats and hovers with a Latin backbeat before shifting tempos as the solos begin. The expanded harmonic palette of trumpet with the reeds, woodwinds, and strings on the melody add an exotic textural palette for his solo. Jackson's "SKJ" closes the set with an old-school, swinging hard bop blues with barely detectable embellishments by Sebesky. While Sunflower sometimes feels more like a group session rather than a Jackson-led one, that's part of its exquisite beauty. [In 2011, Sunflower saw reissue as part of Sony's 40th Anniversary series celebrating CTI. It was remastered from the original two-track analog tapes in order to best capture the sound of the LP.] ~ Thom Jurek

1. For Someone I Love
2. What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?
3. People Make the World Go Round
4. Sunflower
5. SKJ

 

[Botch]

Aw yeah! :bow-blue: :bow-blue: :bow-blue:

Pretty amazing disk. No guitars, electric bass, trap kit or synths; 46-piece orchestra :violin: and two female backup singers (one his daughter). The most amazing lighting/tech/screens I've seen in a symphony hall (the teleprompters for the singers have the lyrics in one screen, and the conductor in the other). It must've been the soundmen's setup from Hell, every solo instrument within the orchestra is individually mic'd, and everyone is wearing headphones (something I've never seen before). I'm wondering if the audience were only season ticket-holders, they were incredibly quiet during quiet parts of the music (something you don't hear from a rock or jazz audience) and there's a lot of great, quiet parts in the music (the new arrangements of these songs, which I knew like the back of my hand) are really something, lots of reharmonizations. Subwoofer even got a workout; a standard rock kit bass drum only goes down to (iirc) 43 Hz or so; the orchestra's bass drum is much bigger and really flaps your pant legs around .

Peter. Peter is Mankind's own Yoda. His performance here is spot-on, and age has not reduced his upper vocal range at all. Some of the tracks that have impressed me so far (first viewing) are the terrifying show start with Intruder, the complete rearrangement of Biko, and Mercy Street. I'm going to be reviewing this one many, many times, and it's 162 minutes long!

Very Highly Recommended! :eusa-clap: :eusa-clap: :eusa-clap: :eusa-clap: :eusa-clap:

EDIT: Didn't realize at first, this show was also shot in 3D.

 

[Dennie]

"Speak No Evil" -- Remastered RVG Edition CD

Wayne Shorter - Freddie Hubbard - Herbie Hancock - Ron Carter - Elvin Jones

1964/1999 Blue Note Records

Few Albums Can Compare, May 12, 2004
By John Russon (Toronto, ON Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)
This review is from: Speak No Evil (Audio CD)

In the space of only about four years in the mid-1960s, Wayne Shorter put out about 7 albums, any one of which could have revolutionized jazz music. In my view, Speak No Evil is the best of them all (though the competition is incredible). Basically, jazz music entered a new and original phase through Shorter's compositions. In the '30s and '40s, people played swing and then bebop, which were "jazzed up" approaches to standard tunes. The '50s and early '60s saw a period of new jazz composition, and a self-conscious introduction of new styles that were centered around instrumental style rather than around standard tunes. These new styles definitely broke new ground, but they still were mostly built around virtuoso-style improvising that exploited the harmonic possibilities of the chord structure of a song. Though it is obviously indebted to this tradition, Shorter's compositions shifted the focus away from "blowing" and onto the beauty of the compositions. Playing these songs emphasized more the evoking of the appropriate mood and texture rather than just using them as generic platforms for playing the same scales and licks. Basically, these songs invited new forms of exploration--and for that reason they remain some of the most popular songs for contemporary jazz bands to play. This album, Speak No Evil, is a real pleasure to listen to, and that is true the first time and the five-hundredth time. This is one of the tiny handful of albums that can without question be called the greatest in the history of jazz. Everyone should have the pleasure of listening to this album.

(All pieces written by Shorter)

"Witch Hunt" 8:07
"Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum" 5:50
"Dance Cadaverous" 6:45
"Speak No Evil" 8:23
"Infant Eyes" 6:51
"Wild Flower" 6.00
"Dance Cadaverous" (alternate take) 6:35

Track 7 not part of original LP.

 

[Dennie]

Infinity -- CD

McCoy Tyner Trio featuring Michael Brecker

1995 Impulse/GRP Records

A Worthy Successor to the Classic Coltrane Quartet,
November 14, 2001
By "greensauce75"
This review is from: Infinity (Audio CD)

This is one of the best matchups of two of the most seminal figures in jazz today. There is no saxophonist alive more worthy of playing alongside the legendary pianist from the John Coltrane Quartet of the 1960s than Michael Brecker. His style is very much influenced by Coltrane's ideas and harmonic innovations but he still manages to have a completely original voice. His playing on this date is up to his usual standard of excellence and truly seems to inspire and push the trio forward. One of the reasons that Tyner and Brecker play extremely well together is that both heavily employ the use of pentatonics. Their styles mesh amazingly well.

The music itself is mostly written by Tyner with a few exceptions including their take on Coltrane's classic Impressions. Brecker truly extends himself on this modal standard but the highlight of the album is the first track, Flying High. Both Brecker and Tyner are in top form and play beautifully with extreme intensity.

This is one of my favorite jazz albums in my collection of over 200. You will not be dissapointed if you buy it.

Also, Avery Sharpe takes one the most amazing bass solos I have ever heard on Thelonious Monk's I Mean You and is truly up to the challenge of playing with such top-notch players.

"Flying High" - 10:14
"I Mean You" (Hawkins, Monk) - 7:19
"Where Is Love" - 5:31
"Changes" - 9:46
"Blues Stride" - 3:38
"Happy Days" - 9:42
"Impressions" (Coltrane) - 11:13
"Mellow Minor" - 5:26
"Good Morning Heartache" (Drake, Fisher, Higgenbotham) - 9:21

All compositions by McCoy Tyner except as indicated

Recorded at Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, April 12 (track 1 & 6), 13 (tracks 4, 7 & 8) and 14 (tracks 2, 3, 5 & 9), 1995