What Are You Listening To?

[Dennie]

As Time Goes By and other Classic Movie Love Songs -- CD-- Dolby Surround(?)

Henry Mancini and The Mancini Pops Orchestra

1992 RCA Victor

The Mancini Touch Lives On As Time Goes By January 16, 2006
By Rebecca*rhapsodyinblue* VINE™ VOICE
Format:Audio CD

Henry Mancini was one of the legendary musical icons in the history of pop music. He had created countless of beautiful melodies to last for a lifetime of listening enjoyment. I believe that he had accomplished the ultimate goals in his career: fame, recognition, achievements, respect, awards and great tributes after his death.

In this recording, Mr. Mancini conducted The Mancini Pops Orchestra and arranged all the tracks and he also played solo piano on some of the tunes. This CD is a collection of theme songs from fifteen motion picture films from 1930s through 1990s.

The prototypical movie love song, "As Time Goes By," welcomes the listeners with its grand arrangement and its melancholic music. Herman Hupfield composed it in 1931 for a Broadway show "Everybody's Welcome," and in 1942, it was incorporated in the musical score of "Casablanca."

You'll be mesmerized by the classical-flavored and marvelous arrangement of "Stella By Starlight," a hauntingly beautiful gem from Victor Young and Ned Washington. This is my top favorite. It's so enchanting and I could listen to it endlessly.

"Unchained Melody," "Mona Lisa," "Two For The Road" and a medley of "Call Me Irresponsible/The Second Time Around" will leave the listeners in a relaxed mood. These tunes have that calming effect that would soothe your cares away. It's just perfect for relaxation and unwinding after a busy day at work, or just background music for a cozy home-cooked-dinner with the company of dear friends.

"The Summer Knows" is also one fabulous track from the movie "Summer of '42," a movie about the pain of a romance that was lost and its haunting memories. The musical score by Michel Legrand won the Oscar for Best Original Score in 1971.

I had a great and enjoyable listening experience with this CD. I wholeheartedly recommend it. You'll enjoy listening to it, too.

Track Listing
1. As Time Goes By
2. One For My Baby
3. Everything I Do (I Do It For You)
4. Stella by Starlight
5. Windmills of My Mind
6. Crazy World
7. That Old Black Magic
8. Unchained Melody
9. Mona Lisa
10. Call Me Irresponsible
11. Two For the Road
12. It's All There
13. Summer Knows, The
14. Tender Is the Night
15. Charade

 

[Dennie]

Time Further Out - Miro Reflections -- Remastered CD

The Dave Brubeck Quartet

1961/1996 Columbia Legacy

TIME OUT is Dave Brubeck's most popular album and one of the most famous small-group jazz recordings of all time. The 1959 LP features the odd-metered hit "Take Five" (penned by saxophonist Paul Desmond), which became a calling card for the pianist. As a 1961 follow-up to TIME OUT, Brubeck and his band decided to work from that album's momentum and record a musical sequel. The result was an ambitious nine-part blues suite called TIME FURTHER OUT: MIRO REFLECTIONS. (The latter part of the title is a tribute to the renowned painter Joan Miro, whose work is featured on the cover.) Not surprisingly, TIME FURTHER OUT continues where TIME OUT left off. For example, Brubeck's "Far More Blue" and "Far More Drums," are both reminiscent of "Take Five." The latter even includes a long drum solo by percussionist extraordinaire Joe Morello. "Unsquare Dance" continues the trend toward odd meters, and serves as a kind of lopsided hoedown, replete with handclaps and a funky bass groove. Much of the remaining album is in waltz time, including the ballads "Bluette," "Blue Shadows in the Street," and "It's a Raggy Waltz" (which is reprised as a live bonus track on the 1996 reissue).

Track Listing
1. It's a Raggy Waltz
2. Bluette
3. Charles Matthew Hallelujah
4. Far More Blue
5. Far More Drums
6. Maori Blues
7. Unsquare Dance
8. Bru's Boogie Woogie
9. Blue Shadows in the Street
10. Slow and Easy (A.K.A. Lawless Mike) - (bonus track)
11. It's a Raggy Waltz - (bonus track)

Dave Brubeck Quartet: Dave Brubeck (piano); Paul Desmond (alto saxophone); Eugene Wright (bass); Joe Morello (drums).Producer: Teo Macero.Reissue producer: Russell Gloyd.Recorded in New York, New York between May 3 and June 8, 1961. The bonus live track was recorded at Carnegie Hall, New York, New York in 1963.

 

[Dennie]

Getz/Gilberto -- SACD

Stan Getz & Joao Gilberto with Antinio Carlos Jobim and Astrud Gilberto

1964/2002 Verve Records

One of the biggest-selling jazz albums of all time, not to mention bossa nova's finest moment, Getz/Gilberto trumped Jazz Samba by bringing two of bossa nova's greatest innovators -- guitarist/singer Joao Gilberto and composer/pianist Antonio Carlos Jobim -- to New York to record with Stan Getz. The results were magic. Ever since Jazz Samba, the jazz marketplace had been flooded with bossa nova albums, and the overexposure was beginning to make the music seem like a fad. Getz/Gilberto made bossa nova a permanent part of the jazz landscape not just with its unassailable beauty, but with one of the biggest smash hit singles in jazz history -- "The Girl from Ipanema," a Jobim classic sung by Joao's wife, Astrud Gilberto, who had never performed outside of her own home prior to the recording session. Beyond that, most of the Jobim songs recorded here also became standards of the genre: "Corcovado" (which featured another vocal by Astrud), "So Danço Samba," "O Grande Amor," and a new version of "Desafinado." With such uniformly brilliant material, it's no wonder the album was such a success but, even apart from that, the musicians all play with an effortless grace that's arguably the fullest expression of bossa nova's dreamy romanticism ever brought to American listeners. Getz himself has never been more lyrical, and Gilberto and Jobim pull off the harmonic and rhythmic sophistication of the songs with a warm, relaxed charm. This music has nearly universal appeal; it's one of those rare jazz records about which the purist elite and the buying public are in total agreement. Beyond essential. [This edition of the album is presented in SACD format.] ~ Steve Huey

1. "The Girl from Ipanema" Antônio Carlos Jobim, Vinicius de Moraes, Norman Gimbel 5:24
2. "Doralice" Dorival Caymmi, Antonio Almeida 2:46
3. "Pra machucar meu coração" Ary Barroso 5:05
4. "Desafinado" Jobim, Newton Mendonça 4:15
5. "Corcovado" Jobim, Gene Lees 4:16
6. "Só danço samba" Jobim, de Moraes 3:45
7. "O grande amor" Jobim, de Moraes 5:27
8. "Vivo sonhando" Jobim 3:04
9. "The Girl from Ipanema" (45 rpm issue) Jobim, de Moraes, Gimbel 2:54
10. "Corcovado" (45 rpm issue) Jobim, Lees 2:20

Personnel: Stan Getz (tenor saxophone); Joao Gilberto (vocals, guitar); Astrud Gilberto (vocals); Antonio Carlos Jobim (piano); Milton Banana (drums).

 

[Dennie]

Brazilian Romance -- CD

Sarah Vaughan with Milton Nascimento

1987 Columbia Records

Sassy's Farewell January 30, 2000
By Edward L. Hicks
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

This Sergio Mendes-produced release from 1987 was the last complete studio effort from the greatest female jazz/pop singer of the 20th Century (apologies to Ella). It is also a beautifully sung and orchestrated compilation of latin-influenced jazz, in the vein of Jobim, Getz, Gilberto, etc. A must for any fan of the genre, or anyone who wishes to get acquainted with the incredible vocal range of the magnificant Miss V. All ten cuts are special, but listen to "Wanting More" and the closer, "Your Smile" to get chills up your spine. Sassy, you are sorely missed, and there is no one who will ever match your talent, range, and heart.


"Make This City Ours Tonight" (Tracy Mann, Milton Nascimento) - 2:57
"Romance" (Danilo Caymmi, Mann, Paulo César Pinheiro) - 3:30
"Love and Passion" (Mann, Nascimento) - 3:58
"So Many Stars" (Marilyn Bergman, Alan Bergman, Sérgio Mendes) - 4:07
"Photograph" (Caymmi, Mann, Pinheiro) - 2:31
"Nothing Will Be as It Was (Nada Será Como Antes)" (Ronaldo Basos, Nascimento, Renne Vincent) - 4:44
"It's Simple" (Caymmi, Mann, Pinheiro) - 2:58
"Obsession" (Caymmi, Mann, Gilson Peranzzetta) - 3:09
"Wanting More" (Fernando Leoporace, Mann) - 3:54
"Your Smile" (Caymmi, Pinheiro, Wolf) - 3:08

 

[Dennie]

What Is There To Say? -- Remastered CD

The Gerry Mulligan Quartet

1959/1994 Columbia Legacy

This is part of the Columbia Jazz Masterpieces series.WHAT IS THERE TO SAY? is undoubtedly one of the high points in Gerry Mulligan's distinguished discography. Along with Chet Baker, Miles Davis, and Ornette Coleman, Mulligan was one of the first to experiment with creating space in jazz by subtracting instrumentation and chordal comping. To this end, Mulligan released a series of albums sans piano in the 1950s, of which WHAT IS THERE TO SAY? is the most fully realized. The quartet features Mulligan on baritone sax, Art Farmer on trumpet, Bill Crow on bass, and Dave Bailey on drums.Without a piano to flesh out the midrange, the music takes on a spare, poignant chamber feel, with the bass and drums rumbling beneath Farmer and Mulligan's sinuous, interweaving lines. The set, which includes three Mulligan originals, a tune by Farmer, and a series of covers (note the delicate, moody rendition of "My Funny Valentine"), is a case study in tasteful arrangement and lyrical playing. For all of this, the album swings, and holds its own against any bop outing of the era. WHAT IS THERE TO SAY? was Mulligan's first recording as a leader for Columbia Records, and the level of skill and innovation displayed proved him a true frontrunner in the jazz big leagues.

"What Is There to Say?" – 4:03
"Just in Time" – 4:11
"News from Blueport" – 5:03
"Festive Minor" – 6:14
"As Catch Can" – 3:54
"My Funny Valentine" – 4:06
"Blueport" – 8:47
"Utter Chaos" – 4:23

Musicians:

Gerry Mulligan (baritone sax), Art Farmer (trumpet), Bill Crow (bass), Dave Bailey (drums).

Composed by Gerry Mulligan
.

 

[Dennie]

Damn! -- CD

Jimmy Smith

1995 Verve Records

After an absence of 23 years, Jimmy Smith returned to Verve (the label that saw many of the jazz legend's finest efforts in the '60s) with this 1995 recording. Backed by cast of superb musicians--including Roy Hargrove on trumpet and the late Arthur Taylor on drums--Smith sounds better than ever here. He displays not only his legendary technical prowess on the Hammond but also a looseness and vigor well in keeping with his Verve legacy.The selection of tunes speaks volumes. This set is deeply entrenched in the purest traditions of innovative jazz and funk--from a crisply arranged reading of "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag" to Dizzy Gillespie's "Woody 'N You," Herbie Hancock's "Watermelon Man," and Bird's "Scrapple From The Apple." The players swing relentlessly, drawing inspiration from and giving new life to the classics they interpret. While Hargrove and saxophonists Ron Blake and Mark Turner give standout performances, it is ultimately Smith's show. He unfurls his rhythmic and harmonically complex, mind-bogglingly fluid keyboard lines with the flourish befitting a proper homecoming.

Track listing

1. Papa's Got a Brand New Bag
2. Sister Sadie
3. Woody 'N' You
4. One Before This, The
5. Watermelon Man
6. This Here
7. Scrapple From the Apple
8. Hi-Fly
9. la Mode, A

Personnel: Jimmy Smith (organ); Abraham Burton (alto saxophone); Tim Warfield, Ron Blake, Mark Turner (tenor saxophone); Roy Hargrove, Nicholas Payton (trumpet); Mark Whitfield (guitar); Christian McBride (bass); Arthur Taylor, Bernard Purdie (drums).Recorded at the Power Station, New York, New York on January 24-25, 1995.

 

[Botch]

 

[Dennie]

Jazz: Red Hot and Cool -- Remastered

The Dave Brubeck Quartet

1955/2001 Columbia Legacy

Recorded during three different stays at New York's Basin Street, Jazz: Red, Hot and Cool is making its first appearance in the U.S. on CD. It documents -- with the addition of two additional performances that were previously unissued -- the original Brubeck quartet in its final years. In 1956 Joe Morello would replace Joe Dodge, and in 1958 Eugene Wright would take over the bass chair from Bob Bates. What strikes the listener about this band, is a having been seasoned for five years when the first of these performances were recorded, the Brubeck quartet was far more immersed in the blues than anyone -- at least the critics of the time -- had given them credit for. Paul Desmond's alto tone had yet to take on the dry martini velvety texture that became his trademark, and Brubeck was not yet inserting the totality of his classical ideas about the extrapolation of dissonance from consonance and its resulting harmonic theory that was built on an elaborate contrapuntal system. These ideas, that were introduced to him by the French composer and instructor Darius Milhaud and the music of Shostakovich and Stravinsky would later result in the wildly inventive tonal identity expressed in his compositions on Jazz Impressions of Eurasia, Jazz Impressions of New York, and even Time Out. On this set, while Brubeck is playing with large augmented chords and without the use of arpeggios, his strident melodic sense keeps him rooted in the American vernacular musically. There is the gorgeous, post-bop blues in "Lover," and the Gershwin-esque balladic structure employed in "Little Girl Blue." Desmond, for his part was a constant, the most rock steady part of the band. His solos were the epitome of melodic improvisation even then. His break on "Fare the Well, Annabelle," carries the melody and harmony in its venturing. Brubeck, never content to just comp, offers Desmond a few additions on the diminished seventh and he goes for them stitching his counterpoint through them, taking the tune's body into an entirely new intervallic mode. Brubeck's solo quotes Mozart's "Eine Kleine Nacht Musik," Pachelbel's "Canon," and variations on a classical theme from the Orient -- Korea, in fact, which was provocative, given the time. The beautiful reading given here of "Love Walked In" is worthy of note because it features the band at its most intimate, hunkered down inside the tune's melody, reworking it to close it off even more from undue influence while re-creating its harmonic architecture. And then there's "The Duke," offered to Gil Evans, a simple stroll through the blues with a nod to both Gershwin and Rogers & Hart. As the band launches into "Indiana" the classic quartet flourish becomes evident; the rhythm section keeps it all steady no matter what happens, and, in Desmond's solo, crossing rhythmic patterns, full time signatures, and meter at lightning speed, this was no mean feat. The two added performances "Taking a Chance on Love" and "Closing Time Blues" were recorded a month after the previous four in August of 1955. Both of them display Brubeck's now trademark two-part counterpoint and Desmond's "in flight" manner of response. They are worthy additions to a record that was already wonderful for its inspiration and the way in which it displayed the band's innovative energy that was unique to live ...

Track Listing
1. Lover
2. Little Girl Blue
3. Fare Thee Well, Annabelle
4. Sometimes I'm Happy
5. Duke, The
6. (Back Home Again In) Indiana
7. Love Walked In
8. Taking a Chance on Love - (previously unreleased, bonus track)
9. Closing Time Blues - (previously unreleased, bonus track)

------

Dave Brubeck Quartet: Dave Brubeck (piano); Paul Desmond (saxophone); Bob Bates (bass); Joe Dodge (drums).

 

[Botch]

 

[Dennie]

One More For The Road -- CD

Toots Thielemans

2006 Verve Records

Superior Jazz-Pop February 2, 2007
By Peter Baklava
Format:Audio CD

I don't think you can find a better "duets' album than this one. From it's cool, retro-styled cover photo to its impeccable selection of Harold Arlen tunes, this album strikes all the right notes.

The arrangements are (for the most part) fresh-sounding, and the orchestration is never intrusive, but supple and buoyant--which allows the songs to 'breathe'. The strings have a nice shimmer and sheen that will transport the listener. Best of all, the album may introduce you to several sparkling young vocal talents. I myself am particularly smitten with Lizz Wright's vocal (so authoritative, warm with a little smolder)---I think there is a reason why she is featured in the opening track ("Come Rain or Come Shine"). Madeline Peyroux on "Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea" for once sounds more like Ella Fitzgerald than Billie Holiday. Beth Hart's reading of "I Gotta Right to Sing the Blues'" is so spirited and slinky that I think it is the friskiest and most fun track by far.

I have only one or two quibbles: "It's Only A Paper Moon" is given a fairly predictable, tepid arrangement. And, sorry folks, but I can't count myself among the fans of Jamie Cullum. He sounds like a young Michael J. Fox trying to do Sinatra ("One For the Road").... and he can't resist throwing in the Elton John-ish turn of phrase. But these are two minor detractions from what is overall a smashingly good album. Toots Thielemans is still at the top of his game, and his harmonica provides delicious sounding seasoning on the vocal selections, and unrestrained lyricism in the instrumentals.

Perfect accompaniment for travel.

Track Listing
1. Come Rain or Come Shine
2. Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
3. Last Night When We Were Young
4. Ill Wind
5. One for My Baby (And One More for the Road)
6. I Gotta Right to Sing the Blues
7. I Wonder What Became of Me
8. That Old Black Magic
9. This Time the Dream's on Me
10. Stormy Weather
11. It's Only a Paper Moon
12. Over the Rainbow

Personnel: Toots Thielemans (harmonica); Martijn Van Iterson (guitar); Bert Meulendijk (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, slide guitar); Ruud Breuls (trumpet); Kenny Werner (piano, Fender Rhodes piano); Mike del Ferro (piano, keyboards); Hans Vroomans (piano); Jurre Haanstra (electric piano, keyboards); Frits Landesbergen (vibraphone); Hans Van Oosterhout, Marcel Serierse (drums); Eddy Conard (percussion); Till Brönner (vocals, trumpet); Trijntje Oosterhuis, Jamie Cullum, Laura Fygi, Lizz Wright, Madeleine Peyroux, Oleta Adams, Beth Hart, Silje Nergaard (vocals).

 

[Dennie]

Have Yourself A Soulful Little Christmas -- Remastered 96/24 Bit CD

Kenny Burrell

1966/2003 Cadet/Verve Records

Kenny Burrell: Soulful Little Christmas, December 12, 2011
ByD.R.L. (Austin, Texas, USA) - See all my reviews
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Have Yourself a Soulful Little Christmas (Audio CD)

~ I have a lot of Kenny Burrell CDs in my collection. I have a fair number of Christmas CDs in my collection. Having this CD that combines the two is wonderful. I had the original 1966 LP version and wore it out by playing it so many times every Christmas season. Having it on CD allows me to play and re-play it and enjoy it even more than I did in the past.
~ The arrangements by Richard Evans, Kenny, and Esmond Edwards on various tunes are outstanding - orchestra conducted by Richard Evans.
Kenny's solos are as usual tasteful, artistic, and swinging.
~ All tracks are excellent, but "Little Drummer Boy" and "My Favorite Things" are elevated to the level of being great by the arrangements and solos.
~ If you play this CD along with Jimmy Smith's Christmas Cookin' CD you will have yourself a Jazzy Little Christmas.

Track Listing
1. Little Drummer Boy, The
2. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
3. My Favorite Things
4. Away in a Manger
5. Mary's Little Boy Chile
6. White Christmas
7. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
8. Christmas Song, The
9. Go Where I Send Thee
10. Silent Night
11. Twelve Days of Christmas
12. Merry Christmas Baby

Personnel includes: Kenny Burrell (guitar); Richard Evans (arranger, conductor); Esmond Edwards (arranger), others unknown. Recorded at Ter-Mar Studios, Chicago, Illinois in October 1966. Originally released on Cadet (779). Includes liner notes by Barbara J. Gardner

 

[Dennie]

Poinciana -- Remastered CD

Ahmad Jamal

1963/1989 Portrait/Columbia Records

POINCIANA contains material recorded between 1951 and 1955. Includes liner notes by Stanley Crouch.This fascinating date features pianist Ahmad Jamal at the beginning of his recording career. With guitarist Ray Crawford and either Eddie Calhoun or Israel Crosby on bass, Jamal showcases a style that would be a major influence on Miles Davis' music. Jamal's use of space and dynamics was very different than the style of any other jazz pianist of the era. His versions of "Old Devil Moon," "Will You Still Be Mine?," "The Surrey with the Fringe on Top," and "A Gal in Calico" inspired Miles to record the songs in a similar fashion, and his "Billy Boy" became the basis of a performance by the Red Garland Trio. Most fascinating is Jamal's inventive interpretation of "Pavanne," for it has a section very reminiscent of "So What" (which was not "composed" by Davis until over two years later) and a melody statement that is exactly the same as John Coltrane's "Impressions." ~ Scott Yanow

Track Listing
1. Old Devil Moon
2. Ahmad's Blues
3. Poinciana
4. Billy Boy
5. Will You Still Be Mine
6. Pavanne
7. Crazy He Calls Me
8. Surrey With the Fringe on Top, The
9. Aki and Ukthay
10. Slaughter on 10th Avenue
11. Gal in Calico, A
12. It's Easy to Remember

 

[heeman]

:banana-dance: :banana-rock:

Track Listings
1. Kid Charlemagne
2. The Caves Of Altamira
3. Don't Take Me Alive
4. Sign In Stranger
5. The Fez
6. Green Earrings
7. Haitian Divorce
8. Everything You Did
9. The Royal Scam

 

[Dennie]

Quiet Now - Body And Soul -- CD

Stan Getz

2000 Verve Records

The Stan Getz volume in Verve's Quiet Now series is a stellar collection of ballads from the '50s and '60s when Getz and his bands led jazz polls continually. His bossa material, which is his best known, is represented here by three cuts -- and no, "Girl from Ipanema" is not one of them -- including "Corcovado." That said, it's his interpretations of standards such as "Little Girl Blue," "It Never Entered My Mind," "Sweet Rain," and "Serenade in Blue" that the great tenorman's true lyrical gift comes into play. Getz, who had all the chops to burn down the barn, is heard here in the shining light of restraint, where his airy tone drenched in fluid blues offers a poet's sense of gentility and elegance. This is one of the finest collections in the entire Verve series and paints a vivid portrait of the artist as a melodist of the highest ability. ~ Thom Jurek

Track listing

1. Body and Soul
2. Detour Ahead - (featuring Oscar Peterson)
3. It Never Entered My Mind
4. Corcovado (Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars)
5. Alfie
6. Sweet Rain - (featuring Chick Corea)
7. Melinda - (featuring Bill Evans)
8. O Grande Amor - (featuring Joao Gilberto/Antonio Carlos Jobim)
9. Early Autumn
10. Here's That Rainy Day
11. Serenade in Blue
12. I Remember When
13. Thanks for the Memory
14. Little Girl Blue
15. Insensatez (How Insensitive) - (featuring Antonio Carlos Jobim)

Personnel includes: Stan Getz (tenor saxophone); Joao Gilberto (vocals, guitar); Astrud Gilberto (vocals); Antonio Carlos Jobim, Oscar Peterson, Chick Corea, Bill Evans (piano).

 

[Botch]

Quiet Now - Body And Soul -- CD

Stan Getz

2000 Verve Records

Ooh, I'm gonna have to add that one to my basket. bscene-drinkingcheers:

 

[Dennie]

Quiet Now - Body And Soul -- CD

Stan Getz

2000 Verve Records

Ooh, I'm gonna have to add that one to my basket. bscene-drinkingcheers:

It is a Beautiful album! :handgestures-thumbup:


Dennie

 

[Dennie]

The Roar of '74 -- CD

Buddy Rich

1974/2006 LRC Records

Absolutely Groovy, April 1, 2005
By funkybass (los angeles) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Roar Of '74 (Audio CD)

This is my 5th Buddy Rich CD...probably my favorite thus far. If there are any words I could use to compare this album to the others I've heard, I would use "thick" and "heavy". This album not only showcases Buddy's brilliant horn section recruits, but there are some groovy sounds emanated by the accompanied lead electric guitar (Joe Beck), organ (Buddy Budson), and added percussion (Sam Woodyard) to give it kind of a "Starsky & Hutch" classic 70's wa-wa sound. This ensemble infuses jazz with a rock/funk sound on several tracks (Kilimanjaro Cookout & Big Mac) but still swings harder and louder than anything else I've heard (Nuttville & Time Check). I bought this CD for the latter two tracks mentioned and worth more than what I paid for it alone. I don't have to say much about Buddy's playing because it's nothing short of stellar and I hope that most people understand that anything recorded of this drumming monster goes without saying. This is an essential CD for all Buddy Rich fanatics. Stop wasting time and just buy this album.

LP side A

"Nuttville" (Horace Silver) – 4:47
"Kilimanjaro Cookout" (Manny Albam) – 6:14
"Big Mac" (Ernie Wilkins) – 5:54
"Backwoods Sideman" (John La Barbera) – 4:29

LP side B

"Time Check" (Don Menza) – 3:45
"Prelude to a Kiss" (Duke Ellington, Mack Gordon, Irving Mills) – 3:32
"Waltz of the Mushroom Hunters" (Greg Hopkins) – 7:16
"Senator Sam" (Wilkins) – 4:40

 

[Dennie]

The Complete Village Vanguard Recordings, 1961 -- 20 bit/K2 mastered --3 CD Set

Bill Evans (Trio)

1961/2005 Riverside Records

The Complete Village Vanguard Recordings, 1961, a three-CD box set released in 2005, marks the first time the entire Bill Evans Trio's complete sets at the Village Vanguard on June 25, 1961 have been released in their entirety (outside of the twelve-disc set containing Evans' complete Riverside recordings). It also marks the first US release of the first take of "Gloria's Step," which is incomplete due to a power failure.

These sets, from which the classic LPs Sunday at the Village Vanguard and Waltz for Debby were drawn, were the trio's final live recordings. Bassist Scott LaFaro would die in an automobile accident on July 6.

Disc one
Afternoon Set 1

1. Spoken introduction
2. "Gloria's Step" (Take 1, interrupted) (Scott LaFaro)
3. "Alice in Wonderland" (Take 1) (Sammy Fain-Bob Hilliard)
4. "My Foolish Heart" (Victor Young-Ned Washington)
5. "All of You" (Take 1) (Cole Porter)
6. Announcement and intermission

Afternoon Set 2

1. "My Romance" (Take 1) (Richard Rodgers-Lorenz Hart)
2. "Some Other Time" (Leonard Bernstein-Betty Comden-Adolph Green)
3. "Solar" (Miles Davis)

Disc two
Evening Set 1

1. "Gloria's Step" (Take 2)
2. "My Man's Gone Now" (George Gershwin-Ira Gershwin-DuBose Heyward)
3. "All of You" (Take 2)
4. "Detour Ahead" (Take 1) (Lou Carter-Herb Ellis-John Freigo)

Evening Set 2

1. discussing repertoire
2. "Waltz for Debby" (Take 1) (Bill Evans-Gene Lees)
3. "Alice in Wonderland" (Take 2)
4. "Porgy (I Loves You, Porgy)" (George Gershwin-Ira Gershwin-DuBose Heyward)
5. "My Romance" (Take 2)
6. "Milestones" (Miles Davis)

Disc Three
Evening Set 3

1. "Detour Ahead" (Take 2)
2. "Gloria's Step" (Take 3)
3. "Waltz for Debby" (Take 2)
4. "All of You" (Take 3)
5. "Jade Visions" (Take 1) (Scott LaFaro)
6. "Jade Visions" (Take 2)
7. ...A few final bars

 

[Dennie]

Blue To The Bone -- CD

Jimmy McGriff

1988 Milestone Records

Funky later jazz-organ masterpiece, January 14, 2006
By Mark R. Van Wagenen "viagracat" (Elgin, Illinois USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)
This review is from: Blue to the Bone (Audio CD)

You can't go wrong with anything from Jimmy McGriff, and this is one of McGriff's best. Recorded in 1988 at Blue Note legend Rudy Van Gelder's studio, some time after other jazz-organ giants like Groove Holmes, Jimmy Smith and Jack McDuff peaked, this one still features McGriff's organ front and center, but there is also plenty of room on this CD for the other talented musicians; especially Al Grey's trombone and Bill Easley's sax (veteran sessionman Melvin Sparks plays guitar pretty well too). "Ain't that Funk for You", a classic leadoff track, best exemplifies that synergy--and energy. It's also a very funky number (if you ain't tapping your foot to it, you're dead) that like the other reviewer said, will play in your head long after you hear it. "For All We Know", the second track, is a cool slow number, but the CD picks up again with #3; his version of Duke Ellington's "Don't Get Around Much Anymore", which features a long solo by McGriff that shows off the richness of his playing (and at 10 plus minutes, the other musicians get their chance too). Perhaps the funkiest tune is "Secret Love", the fourth track, followed by "Hangin'In", a slow, bluesy tune that departs the most from the overall theme of the album, which as some have pointed out, is tight and without major mood swings. The last track, "After the Dark" ends the CD well and is almost as good as the killer leadoff track. If you're into jazz organ and are looking for a slightly more contemporary and inclusive sound without departing from the old school, you'll want this CD. Highly recommended.

Track Listing
1. Ain't That Funk for You
2. For All We Know
3. Don't Get Around Much Anymore
4. Secret Love
5. Hangin' In
6. After the Dark



Personnel: Jimmy McGriff (organ), Al Grey (trombone), Bill Easley (Alto Sax, Tenor Sax), Melvin Sparks (guitar), Bernard Purdie (drums).

 

[Dennie]

This is one of my favorites....

Midnight Sun -- CD

Herb Alpert

1992 A&M Records

"Midnight Sun" . . . I Love This CD!, November 29, 2005
By Rebecca*rhapsodyinblue* (CA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE) (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)
This review is from: Midnight Sun (Audio CD)

"This album is dedicated to my Forever "Friend" Stan Getz." ~ Herb Alpert ~

In the early seventies, Herb Alpert made his first hit single "This Guy's In Love With You." This is also the very first number one hit song by the talented songwriting team of Burt Bacharach and Hal David. And yes, this is also one of the songs my high school classmates from an exclusive school for girls and I were crazy about back then.

My late father owned a good number of Herb Alpert's LP records from his vast collection, so the trumpet player's music is not new to me when I started my very own collection. A dear friend of mine knowing how much I appreciate exquisite trumpet playing unselfishly gave this delightful CD to me as a just-because-gift and we both loved this collection of beautiful tunes and its arrangements and flawless interpretations. I call it to-die-for music and I can't stop listening to it. It's one of my Desert-Island-CDs. The kind of music you want to hear for all seasons and will never tire listening to it. Many thanks to the very talented Herb Alpert, the brilliant arranger/conductor/pianist Eddie del Barrio, the legendary sax player Stan Getz and the rest of the finest musicians in the jazz scene for making this recording stunningly pleasing to the ears, Monty Budwig (bass), John Pisano, Barry Zweig and Larry Carlton (guitar), Jeff Hamilton and Harvey Mason (drums) and Frank Collett (piano).

This CD, which was released in 1992 opens up with the hauntingly beautiful and my very favorite "Midnight Sun," a tune composed by Lionel Hampton and Sonny Burke in 1947. One of the greatest and my all-time favorite songwriters who has written lyrics to more than a thousand melodies, Johnny Mercer, penned the wonderful lyrics seven years later in 1954. There's a delightful anecdote behind Mr. Mercer's discovery of this song. He was driving along the coast one night and heard this tune being played on the radio and was enchanted by its charming melody. He then called the radio station and asked the DJ about the artist (Lionel Hampton) and the title of the tune. The rest is history.

Two of my spotlighted tracks showcase not only Mr. Alpert's expertise in trumpet but also his soft and mellow vocals, Gershwins' "Someone To Watch Over Me," and Lerner & Lowe's "I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face."

"Friends" featuring his "forever friend" Stan Getz is one of the very highlights and he co-wrote this tune with Eddie del Barrio. The tuneful "In The Wee Small Hours" is poignantly affecting as well as Charles Chaplin/John Terner/Geoffrey Parson's classic "Smile." The beauty of "All The Things You Are," "Mona Lisa," "A Taste Of Honey" and "Silent Tears And Roses" will leave any listener mesmerized.

These are the nice stuff that made this recording a special treat not only to all Herb Alpert fans but also to any music lover who appreciates charming instrumental music.

1. Herb Alpert's exquisitely beautiful trumpet playing.
2. A repertoire of impressive standards penned and composed by the most brilliant songwriters of all-time, Gershwins, Mercer, Hampton & Burke, Hammerstein & Kern, Hilliard & Mann, Lerner & Loewe, Livingston & Evans, Scott & Marlow, Chaplin, Terner & Parson, and Alpert & del Barrio.
3. A bevy of the finest back-up musicians, an outstanding arranger/conductor and a pianist, Eddie del Barrio and not to mention his special guest, Stan Getz.

Who could resist listening to this CD? Get it and enjoy it. This would be a great addition to your collection of the finest music ever recorded. You'll have a lifetime of listening enjoyment. It deserves not five but ten stars.

Very highly recommended!

Midnight Sun (Lionel Hampton, Sonny Burke, Johnny Mercer) 6:05
All The Things You Are (Oscar Hammerstein II, Jerome Kern) 3:53
Someone To Watch Over Me (George & Ira Gershwin) 5:16
In The Wee Small Hours (Bob Hilliard, David Mann) 5:53
Friends (Eddie Del Barrio, Herb Alpert) 4:21
A Taste Of Honey (Bobby Scott, Rick Marlow) 6:52
Mona Lisa (Jay Livingston, Ray Evans) 5:46
I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face (Alan Jay Lerner, Frederick Loewe) 5:07
Silent Tears And Roses (Eddie Del Barrio) 3:50
Smile (Charlie Chaplin, John Terner, Geoffrey Parsons) 4:13