What Are You Listening To?

[Dennie]

Sum Serious Blues -- CD

Jimmy Smith

1993 Milestone Records

Amazon.com

Jimmy Smith may be the best known organist in jazz, but his recording, Sum Serious Blues, is essentially an upscale blues album in the style of B.B. King or Ray Charles. Instead of his usual trio, Smith is backed by a three-man rhythm section and a seven-man horn-and-harmonica section under the direction of producer-arranger Johnny Pate, who has worked in the past with King and Curtis Mayfield. It's a big, full sound, and works well on the five instrumentals (three by Smith and two by Pate). Smith's expressive vibrato on the Hammond B-3 organ often sounds like a blues singer's wail against the horns' harmonic backdrop. Smith doesn't hog the show either. He fits comfortably inside the horn charts when his well known bandmates like guitarist Phil Upchurch, trombonist George Bohanon, trumpeter Oscar Brashear, or saxophonist Buddy Collette take a solo. --Geoffrey Himes

Track Listing
1. Sum Serious Blues
2. 'Round the Corner
3. Hurry Change (If You're Coming)
4. Sermon, The
5. You've Changed
6. Moof's Blues
7. Open for Business
8. (I'd Rather) Drink Muddy Water

 

[Dennie]

Ooooh, you don' Knoooow, the Shape I'm In!

:bow-blue: :bow-blue: :bow-blue:

(I didn't realize this was a Martin Scorsese film...)

Sweet! :bow-blue:

Yeah, that was a big deal at the time for Marty, lots of controversy and a great show! :text-bravo:


Dennie :eusa-clap:

 

[Dennie]

Snowbound -- CD

Fourplay

1999 Warner Bros. Records

Amazon.com

Here's some soft jazz for that fireside glow at Christmas. Fourplay is pianist and arranger Bob James with guitarist Larry Carlton, drummer Harvey Mason, and bassist Nathan East (who handles limited vocal chores, as well). Carlton is the tastiest of the foursome (check his blues-tinged work on "Amazing Grace"), never overplaying or indulging his knowing chops. Snowbound's strong group effort shines as the band weaves in and out of each other's lines on "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" or as the rhythm section casts mellow, funky grooves in the path of the title track, under occasional trumpet and sax fills. The quartet delivers one other original piece, James's "The Ivy Variations," plus a naturally fluid reading of Joni Mitchell's often-overlooked song "River," taken from her five-star album Blue. --Martin Keller

1. "Angels We Have Heard on High" traditional 4:51
2. "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" Mendelssohn, Wesley 4:48
3. "Snowbound" Becker, Fagen 5:02
4. "The Christmas Song" Tormé, Wells 5:57
5. "The Ivy Variations" James 3:36
6. "River" Mitchell 5:48
7. "Amazing Grace" Newton 4:44
8. "Christmas Time Is Here" Guaraldi, Mendelson 4:12
9. "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" Coots, Gillespie 3:44
10. "Away in a Manger" traditional 3:30
11. "Merry Little Stroll" Blane, Martin 4:06
12. "Auld Lang Syne" traditional 4:45
Total length:
55:03

 

[Botch]

 

[Rope]

Botch -

How's Lindsey's album?

Rope

 

[Towen7]

 

[heeman]

T7 - how is this one??? I almost ordered it yesterday, but passed.

 

[Towen7]

I think it's fantastic. Great performances of songs from both of her hit albums plus a couple of covers. There's several minutes of Adele on stage talking about her inspiration for several songs. That new perspective makes listening to those songs a new experience.

The BD comes with a CD as well.

I highly suggest it.

 

[Dennie]

Ellis In Wonderland -- CD

Herb Ellis

1956/2006 Verve Records

The "swing machine", June 30, 2006
By Jazzcat "stef" (Genoa, Italy Italy) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)
This review is from: Ellis in Wonderland (Audio CD)

The Oscar Peterson Trio plus Herb Ellis was a terrific swing machine. Probably one of the best, if not the overall best rhythmn team in Jazz. Its swing flows with an impressive naturality. Everything seems incredibly easy and natural for these guys. This album de facto is an Oscar Peterson swing machine album plus some talented soloist, Jimmy Giuffre, Sweet Edison for the first four excellent tunes. This album is from 1956 and it has that fifties patina that is especially sweet and lovely. The program is classic, blues, standards and ballads. Herb is really focused on this album. It is clear he was playing regularly with a strong routine. His command of the instrument is total here. His ideas are brilliant, his playing precise and he swings like crazy. This album together with the album Herb preferred "Nothing but the blues" is perfect if you want to own just a couple of albums from Herb. The tunes I love the most here are the first four because of the variety and the quality of the solos from the improvisors. Edison and Giuffre were terrific, but I repeat Herb is absolutly excellent here. in this album he palyed some of his best music for sure. The opener is a splendid bop blues, a typical blues "sonic magma" from the trio. The second and the third tunes are two wonderful standards. Exceptional the rendition of the ballad It could happen to me. Pogo instead is a bebop tune, fast and "aggressive" just as bebop should be. The last four tunes are played more relaxed maybe (it was a different session). The music at some point is almost counterpoint (in the jazz sense). I think this album is a must buy for Jazz lovers.

"Sweetheart Blues" (Herb Ellis) – 4:46
"Somebody Loves Me" (Buddy DeSylva, George Gershwin, Ballard MacDonald) – 4:55
"It Could Happen to You" (Johnny Burke, Jimmy Van Heusen) – 3:47
"Pogo" (Ellis) – 4:45
"Detour Ahead" (Lou Carter, Ellis, Johnny Frigo) – 4:03
"Ellis in Wonderland" (Ellis) – 3:52
"Have You Met Miss Jones?" (Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers) – 6:20
"A Simple Tune" (Jimmy Giuffre) – 4:11

Herb Ellis – guitar
Jimmy Giuffre – baritone saxophone, tenor saxophone, clarinet
Harry "Sweets" Edison – trumpet
Charlie Mariano – alto saxophone
Oscar Peterson – piano
Ray Brown – bass
Alvin Stoller – drums

 

[Dennie]

A Vibraphonic Christmas -- CD

Vibraphonic

1996 Hollywood Records

Vibraphonic was one of the Acid Jazz label's stable artists, and it's that label's trademark sound -- a mellow blend of funky hip-hop and lite jazz -- that drives this holiday recording

1. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
2. Jingle Bells
3. Present Just for Me, A
4. Good King Wenceslas
5. Someday at Christmas
6. Merry Christmas, Baby
7. In the Bleak Midwinter
8. Christmas Bells
9. Ding Dong! Merrily on High
10. Merry Christmas to You

 

[Botch]

Goes great with the Sunday paper, slippers and a cup of hot tea... :music-listening:

 

[Dennie]

Sessions, Volume 1 -- CD

Rick Braun

2002 ARTizen Music

Our new DEMO CD!, November 22, 2006
By Glenn E. Thomas "Wireman007" (Utah, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)
This review is from: Sessions, Volume 1 (Audio CD)

This CD was recorded at a 96K sampling rate. It sounds better than any CD we have tested in the last 3 years. The sonic clarity is astounding. The bass is clear, precise and very powerful. We've replaced the DTS recording of the Eagles' Hell Freezes Over with this CD for all of our in-home demos because it's the 1st disc that has sounded better. We are Home Entertainment System designers and we HIGHLY recommend "Rick Braun... Sessions, Volume 1".

Track listing

1. Cadillac Slim
2. Notorious
3. Philadelphia
4. RSVP
5. Grazing in the Grass
6. Missing in Venice
7. Love Will Find a Way
8. Groovis
9. Tgif
10. Nightwalk
11. Marty's Party
12. Coolsville

Personnel: Rick Braun (vocals, trumpet, flugelhorn); Jeff Golub, Randy Jacobs (guitar); Dave Koz, Jimmy Roberts, Richard Elliot (saxophone); Brian Culbertson (trombone, Wurlitzer organ); Al Forman (keyboards); Rayford Griffin (drums); Luis Conte (percussion).Audio Mixers: Rick Braun; Steve Sykes; Steven Miller .Recording information: Brauntosoarus Studios; Brian Culbertson's Studio; Castle Oaks Studios.

 

[Botch]

Botch -

How's Lindsey's album?

Rope

I'm liking it a lot. Amazing guitar playing, and some really quirky sound-mixing choices (like Fleetwood Mac's Tusk...)

 

[heeman]

Listening to these this AM.

 

[Botch]

 

[Dennie]

Crescent City Christmas Card -- CD

Wynton Marsalis

1990/2009 Columbia Records

Amazon.com essential recording

Christmas jazz albums come and go with each end-of-year holiday season. And while they may make for good soundtracks to that holiday spirit, rarely do they stand up as much more than that, and certainly not as anything approaching a serious listen. While the material here may be rendered in the familiar Christmas spirit of good cheer (check out Wynton Marsalis on the back cover with mismatched green and red socks decking out his white suit), and the songs are in the familiar Christian tradition of the holiday, the arrangements are fresh and are delivered with memorable turns on "Silent Night" by opera diva Kathleen Battle, and on "Sleigh Ride" by Jon Hendricks. The playing is spirited and the material is dealt with in a manner suggesting great care in both delivery and arrangement. --Willard Jenkins

Track Listing
1. Carol of the Bells, The
2. Silent Night - (featuring Kathleen Battle)
3. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
4. Little Drummer Boy, The
5. We Three Kings
6. Oh Tannenbaum
7. Sleigh Ride - (featuring Jon Hendricks)
8. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
9. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
10. Winter Wonderland
11. Jingle Bells
12. O Come All Ye Faithful
13. Twas the Night Before Christmas

 

[Dennie]

Well~Oiled Machine -- CD

Hot Buttered Rum

2006 Harmonized Records

What a joy!!!, March 27, 2006
By jljbird "jljbird" (Novi, Michigan USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Well-Oiled Machine (Dig) (Audio CD)

This is a band hitting their stride! This release is a BIG jump from their last (and only) studio release. Every song is played by musicians having FUN! Every song is strong. Retro, bluegrass, folk....kind of Leftover Salmon, kind of Blue Highway, kind of Mountain Heart, kind of Yonder Mountain String Band, kind of Cornmeal,......kind of FUN, FUN, FUN. By the way they include flute (not your typical bluegrass instrument) for some added character.

Firefly
Guns or Butter
Idaho Pines
Poison Oak
Waterpocket Fold
Always Be the Moon
Well-Oiled Machine
Waiting for a Squall
Butch & Peggy
Sweet Honey Fountain
Wedding Day

 

[Dennie]

The Good Life -- CD

Railroad Earth

2002 Sugar Hill Records

Bread in the Oven and Books on the Shelf, September 25, 2005
By Steve Jackson "stevejackson100atyahoocom" (New England) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)
This review is from: Good Life (Audio CD)

"The Good Life" is Railroad Earth's third CD. The band was formed in 2001 and came out with its first CD ("Railroad Earth") in 2001. This was followed by 2002's "Bird in the House." The band's genre might best be described as bluegrass. I'm not a huge bluegrass fan, but I did enjoy their first two CDs. With "The Good Life", the band has branched out a bit, making it my favorite RRE CD.

As reviewers note, RRE reminds the listener of other bands but manages to sound original at the same time. In addition to the influences suggested by others, I'd add The Band and Neil Young to the mix. Lead singer and principal songwriter Todd Sheaffer sounds a lot like John Lennon and a couple songs remind me of John Lennon material (Beatles and solo stuff).

In addition to the stylistic variety, the songs rang from the uplifting ("Storms"), the serious ("Goat"), the touching ("In the Basement") and the humorous (the final bonus song). It's not often that a band can range over such a wide variety of styles. My favorite song is "Long Way to Go", which starts out like late John Lennon and ends sounding like Black Gospel.

"Storms" (Sheaffer) - 4:54
"Bread and Water" (Railroad Earth, Sheaffer) - 4:24
"Mourning Flies" (Railroad Earth, Sheaffer) - 5:47
"Long Way Go To" (Sheaffer) - 4:30
"The Good Life" (Sheaffer) - 5:18
"In the Basement" (Sheaffer, Skehan) - 5:09
"Water Fountain Quicksand" (Skehan) - 2:55
"Goat" (Sheaffer) - 4:50
"Said What You Mean" (Sheaffer) - 6:32
"Way of the Buffalo" (Sheaffer) - 4:19
"'Neath the Stars" (Sheaffer) - 4:10
"(Untitled)" - 5:21

 

[Dennie]

Ella Wishes You A Swinging Christmas -- CD

Ella Fitzgerald

1960/1988 Verve Records

Amazon.com

It'd be hard to imagine a happier wish than the one this jazz vocal legend wishes her listeners on this urbane-yet-homey collection of holiday favorites. The First Lady of Song recorded these tunes in 1960, at the peak of her interpretive powers. As such, she puts her singular stamp on everything from a sultry vamp like "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve" to the sweet and cozy "The Christmas Song." Even potentially shopworn standards like "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" sound fresher when they're coming from Ella Fitzgerald. --David Sprague

Side One:

"Jingle Bells" (J.S. Pierpont) – 2:21
"Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" (J. Fred Coots, Haven Gillespie) – 2:56
"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" (Ralph Blane, Hugh Martin) – 2:56
"What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?" (Frank Loesser) – 3:32
"Sleigh Ride" (Leroy Anderson, Mitchell Parish) – 2:56
"The Christmas Song" (Mel Tormé, Bob Wells) – 3:00

Side Two:

"Good Morning Blues" (Count Basie, Eddie Durham, Jimmy Rushing) – 3:15
"Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!" (Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne) – 2:43
"Winter Wonderland" (Felix Bernard, Richard B. Smith) – 2:16
"Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" (Johnny Marks) – 2:51
"Frosty the Snowman" (Steve Nelson, Jack Rollins) – 2:12
"White Christmas" (Irving Berlin) – 3:02

 

[Dennie]

My Song -- CD

Joe Pass

1993 Telarc Jazz

"My Song" is Joe Pass at his Finest, May 10, 2000
By "takfam" - See all my reviews
This review is from: My Song (Audio CD)

I had this CD for several years and never listened to it-- guess I wasn't tuned in yet. Now, however, I play it often, and I'm struck by how brilliant Joe Pass was. I'm sure this was one of his last recordings. Now I understand what Carlos Santana meant when he said that Joe Pass' subtle, delicate jazz-playing is every bit as imaginative and powerful as Van Halen's ear-splitting pyrotechnics. Pass' playing on this CD is colorful, delicate, punchy, melodic, spontaneous. I love the way he selects excellent tunes as the basis for improvisation (rarely a bad idea!). He has the unique gift of being able to seemingly doodle for hours (but of course, "doodling" it ain't!), and captivate your ear all the while. Let's face it: Joe Pass plays the way every guitarist WISHES he/she could play! And you'll dig the liner notes, where Pass claims that he was never driven by music and never practices: "it's a gift from God." Well, get this CD. You'll enjoy the wonderful virtuosity and spirit with which he shares his gift to the world.

"Rockin' in Rhythm" (Duke Ellington, Irving Mills, Harry Carney) – 6:00
"Azure" (Ellington, Mills) – 7:17
"Keepin' Out of Mischief Now" (Fats Waller, Andy Razaf) – 7:39
"Ah Moore" (Al Cohn) – 4:08
"I Can't Kick" (Tom Ranier) – 6:11
"Rockin' Chair" (Hoagy Carmichael) – 3:52
"Song for Ellen" (Joe Pass) – 3:23
"Jitterbug Waltz" (Waller, Richard Maltby, Jr.) – 8:06
"The Duke" (Dave Brubeck) – 5:42
"Jo-Wes" (John Pisano) – 3:25
"Ain't Misbehavin''" (Harry Brooks, Razaf, Waller) – 6:12