What Are You Listening To?

[Dennie]

Zoot! -- Remastered CD

Zoot Sims

1956/2013 Riverside/Real Gone Records

Absolutely Delightful From Start To Finish! August 12, 2008
By Donnie The B
Format:Audio CD

This album is a complete delight. George Handy's arrangements give the tunes a structure that is somtimes lacking in Zoot's records. The ensemble playing from the two horns just flat works great. If you dig small group cool jazz, you'll love the sound here.

Zoot Sims was such a great improviser that producers occasionally would ask Zoot to get a group into the studio and just blow! That has a charm as well, and produced some of the most memorable sax solos ever recorded, but these well thought-out arrangements make this album a totally listenable experience from start to finish. And the charts certainly don't inhibit Zoot's creativity. He swings hard as usual. And he never plays an inappropriate phrase!

Nick Travis on trumpet (another Woody Herman alum) keeps up with Zoot quite well in the improvisation department, although his chops weren't the best here. He splatters some notes here and there. But Miles did too! George Handy contributes some nice fills and solos on piano while Ossie Johnson on drums and Wilbur Ware on bass make you wonder why they aren't better known. Zoot's soaring alto work is featured on a couple of the cuts, while his better known tenor is used on the balance.

This album was originally a Riverside label release, recorded in late 1956. Fantasy/Original Jazz Classics reissued the album on LP in the early 1980's and on CD some years later. The sound is good on any of these. If you're new to Zoot Sims, one of the very best jazz saxophonists of all time, this would be a great place to start or continue your appreciation of his talent. There's no waste here - an easy 5 star rating!

Track Listing
1. 9:20 Special
2. The Man I Love
3. 55th Street
4. The Blue Room
5. Gus's Blues
6. That Old Feeling
7. Bohemia After Dark
8. Woody'n You

 

[Dennie]

Groove Yard -- 20bit K2 Remastered XRCD

The Montgomery Brothers

1961/1994 Riverside/Fantasy/JVC

This record makes you wonder why there weren't more great hard-bop albums made by guitarist-led quartets -- or, for that matter, why Wes didn't record more with his brothers. The guitarist is joined by brothers Buddy on piano and Monk on string bass, with Bobby Thomas on drums. There are two originals by Buddy and one by Wes ('Doujie') as well as tunes by Milt Jackson, Harold Land and others. These are tunes the brothers were playing as part of a regular gig they had in New York City at the time of the recording in 1961.As a result the arrangements are remarkably tight and the interplay is exhilarating--there's plenty of blowing, but it's hardly a "blowing session" per se. The album is rightly credited as a group effort; even though Wes has plenty of room to stretch out, the emphasis, as the title suggests, is on grooving as an ensemble. The brothers tend to hang in the middle tempos, further contributing to the sense of relaxation that runs throughout the eight tunes here. Highly recommended.

Track listing

"Bock to Bock (Back to Back)" (Buddy Montgomery) – 6:48
"Groove Yard" (Carl Perkins) – 3:05
"If I Should Lose You" (Ralph Rainger, Leo Robin) – 5:52
"Delirium" (Harold Land) – 3:41
"Just For Now" (Buddy Montgomery) – 5:00
"Doujie" (Wes Montgomery) – 4:39
"Heart Strings" (Milt Jackson) – 4:38
"Remember" (Irving Berlin) – 5:36

The song "Groove Yard" is usually titled "Grooveyard".

Personnel includes: Wes Montgomery (arch top electric guitar); Buddy Montgomery (piano); Monk Montgomery (Fender bass); Bobby Thomas (drums).Recorded in January, 1961. Originally released on Riverside (9362).Digitally remastered by JVC using XRCD (extended resolution compact disc).

I'm giving this a second spin! :banana-dance:




Dennie :music-listening:

 

[Dennie]

Happy Sunday everyone..... :banana-dance:

Yes, Dennie!!!! It's a great day for music & birthdays!!!!

Turning on the music soon while I bake one of Danny's favorite baked goods!
Orange Madeleines!!!! :happy-smileygiantred:

Orange Madelines.... :scared-eek:


I hope you made enough for the whole class Young Lady..... :angry-tappingfoot:

...... :laughing-rolling:


Enjoy and enjoy your/his day!

Dennie

 

[Babs]

Happy Sunday everyone..... :banana-dance:

Yes, Dennie!!!! It's a great day for music & birthdays!!!!

Turning on the music soon while I bake one of Danny's favorite baked goods!
Orange Madeleines!!!! :happy-smileygiantred:

Orange Madelines.... :scared-eek:


I hope you made enough for the whole class Young Lady..... :angry-tappingfoot:

...... :laughing-rolling: Dennie

Believe me, if it was possible to have everyone here to enjoy Zing's birthday treats, I would have welcomed it with open arms!!!!

The music is still going!!!! Currently listening to Lucy Woodward. The song is Ragdoll off of the album Hooked!

 

[Babs]

Oh My LORD!!!! Pachelbel...Canon in D perhaps??? If so...I need to hear it!!! Or buy it!!!! More information on this one!!!! ray:

Well, this isn't classical at all, more of a jazz jam; I'm not familiar enough with Pachelbel to know if they're using his chords or not (I'm guessing, not). Fantastic sound, however.

Thanks for the info Botch!!!! I read Pachelbel & immediately thought of one my favorite classical pieces. Canon in D is...utterly beautiful, leaves me with the most amazing feelings!!!!

 

[Botch]

I read Pachelbel & immediately thought of one my favorite classical pieces. Canon in D is...utterly beautiful, leaves me with the most amazing feelings!!!!

Well, you got my curiosity up, so went to Amazon. They did have a new copy of the piece on SACD, but at $799.98 (the highest price I've seen for a disk yet), I'm not that curious. :shock: Did buy a stereo CD of the piece that was rated 5 starts, though, anxious to hear it. :text-thankyoublue:

 

[Dennie]

The Song Is You -- CD

Stan Getz

1969/1996 LaserLight Digital

If any album by Stan Getz could be termed a sleeper, this one would be it. Released by producer Sonny Lester on his LRC label, and relatively unheralded due to distribution factors or sketchy information, this apparently is a summertime 1969 concert festival performance done somewhere in Italy. A scant few years away from teaming up with Chick Corea for the 1972 Captain Marvel date, this version of the Getz quartet is a dynamic coalition, including pianist Stanley Cowell, bassist Miroslav Vitous, and drummer Jack DeJohnette, all young and extraordinarily individualistic modern jazzmen. Getz sounds as good as he ever did, retaining some of the bossa nova tunes that boosted his rise to super stardom while allowing room for his bandmembers to bring in their own compositions and provide them a solo spotlight. Cowell is especially bold and euphoric, whether by design or his personal will power, displaying immense taste and inventiveness that also served him well during his time as a leader on his pivotal 1969 Black Lion/Arista-Freedom date Traveling Man aka Blues for the Viet Cong. From the opening strains of the title track "The Song Is You," it's clear something special is happening, as an extrapolated intro fueled by Cowell's piano expands the theme before it is settled and stated by Getz. Never straying far from his stylized bossa nova, Getz does four songs of Antonio Carlos Jobim's, anchored by the thick and sinewy basslines of Vitous during "O Grade Amor" and "Summer Night," mixing and matching contrasting implied beats courtesy of DeJohnette, 27-years-old at this time but already defining his signature sound. The drummer also composed the short, sweet, and spontaneous ballad "For Jane," and the multi-directional "Major General," morphing from the pedal point bass of Vitous to swing and bop as tight as can be, the rhythm section charged with kinetic energy. Cowell wrote "Dane's Chant," in a loose-tight churning whirl of 6/8 time inserted in 4/4 similar to a Dizzy Gillespie theme. As this is a Getz led date, you get the expected smooth and rounded tenor which he had developed in the '60s. His quietude is rendered in freer moods for the jazz/bossa medley "Tonight I Shall Sleep/Desafinado," while completely and purposefully restrained on "All the Things You Are." Vitous, at age 22, plays an unaccompanied solo, at times obtuse or harmonically sour, but lithe, quick, and diverse during "Folk Tune for Bass," advanced far beyond his years. The two-minute finale "One Note Samba" features an unattributed vocalist singing in mixed English and Portuguese, sounding similar to Flora Purim, but perhaps an Italian friend of Getz. The Song Is You is a missing link between a less than successful teaming with Bill Evans, and the more modern quartet music Getz played thereafter with Corea, Jimmy Rowles, Joanne Brackeen, or Kenny Barron. It's a very worthwhile item to own if you search for it, well recorded and performed by a group that could collectively be the most purely talented of any you might find who ever backed up Stan Getz. ~ Michael G. Nastos

Track Listing
1. Song Is You, The
2. O Grande Amor
3. For Jane
4. Dane's Chant
5. Major General
6. Folk Tune For Bass
7. Tonight I Shall Sleep / Desafinado
8. All the Things You Are
9. Summer Night
10. One Note Samba

Personnel: Stan Getz (tenor saxophone); Stanley Cowell (piano); Miroslav Vitous (bass); Jack DeJohnette (drums).Recorded in 1969.

 

[Dennie]

Nearness of You -- CD

Michael Brecker

2001 Verve Records

The seven-time Grammy award-winning tenor saxophonist, Michael Brecker brings an all-star band together on this first ever ballad project titled Nearness of You: The Ballad Book. Accompanied by Herbie Hancock on piano, Pat Metheny on guitars, Charlie Haden on bass, Jack DeJohnette on drums, and a special guest appearance by James Taylor, singing his sensational hit "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight" and Hoagy Carmichael's "The Nearness of You," the tenor saxophonist creates rich resonant statements on 11 songs collected in two chapters and their epilogue. Brecker has updated these great songs with the addition of Pat Metheny's excellent production prowess on such great ballads as Joe Zawinul's "Midnight Mood" and the Kurt Weill-Ira Gershwin standard "My Ship." "Midnight Mood" is sensual and seductive, complete with a blithe piano solo by Herbie Hancock in the middle section. Hancock fills in the beauty of Brecker's saxophone lines on this arrangement that is partially based on guitarist Wes Montgomery's version. James Taylor sings one of the best renditions of his "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight," and it's clearly due to the excellent musicians on this CD. Pat Metheny excels as a serious jazz artist with his well thought out treatment of "Nascente," which was inspired by Gil Evans' classic 1948 arrangement for Miles Davis on Miles Ahead. Michael Brecker has clearly maintained his status as one of the best tenor saxophonists on the jazz scene, and this, his eighth CD as a leader, is well within the musical excellence previously recorded. ~ Paula Edelstein

Track Listing
Chapter One:
1. Chan's Song (Never Said)
2. Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight
3. Nascente
4. Midnight Mood
5. The Nearness of You
Chapter Two:
6. Incandescence
7. Sometimes I See
8. My Ship
9. Always
10. Seven Days
Epilogue:
11. I Can See Your Dreams

Personnel: Michael Brecker (saxophone); James Taylor (vocals); Herbie Hancock (piano); Pat Metheny (guitar); Charlie Haden (bass); Jack DeJohnette (drums); Dave Samuels (percussion).Recorded at Right Track Recording, New York, New York from December 18-20, 2000."Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight" won the 2002 Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. "Chan's Song" won the 2002 Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Solo.

 

[Dennie]

This was the first session for The MJQ done specifically for 12-inch record and was also Connie Kay's first recording with the group after replacing Kenny Clarke. "I'll Remember April" was done at a separate session (discographies don't tell us this) because John Lewis, the perfectionist, was dissatisfied with the first version.

Concorde -- Remastered 20bit K2 XRCD2

The Modern Jazz Quartet

1955/1997 Prestige/JVC Records

Cool Counterpoint April 27, 2004
By A Customer
Format:Audio CD

This underrated album is an Apollonian masterpiece. It balances the cool, formalist approach to jazz (that one expects from MJQ) with a genuine swinging impulse. The recording features two originals (by Jackson and Lewis) framing a set of superb and superbly played standards. "I'll Remember April," transformed into a hard-swinging scherzo, is a real stand-out (although Erroll Garner's version from a few months later remains definitive in my book). The concluding title track is Lewis's tour-de-force, a complex jazz fugue that lends the session a strong feeling of culmination. Throughout, the album delivers subtle counterpoint ("Softly" begins by quoting from Bach's Musical Offering) and thoughtful structure; it really rewards carefully attention. If you like your jazz on the cool, cerebral side, or if you are coming to jazz from the world of classical music, this album should be mandatory listening. But the music isn't austere: in addition to being substantive, it's a lot of fun.

1. Ralph's New Blues
2. All Of You
3. I'll Remember April
4. Gershwin Medley: Soon/For You, For Me, Forevermore/ ove Walked In/Our Love Is Here To Stay
5. Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise
6. Concorde

The Modern Jazz Quartet: John Lewis (piano); Milt Jackson (vibraphone); Percy Heath (bass); Connie Kay (drums).Recorded in New York, New York on July 2, 1955. Originally released on Prestige (7109). Includes liner notes by Ira Gitler.Digitally remastered using 20-bit K2 Super Coding System technology.

 

[Dennie]

Garfunkel -- CD

Art Garfunkel

1988 Columbia Records

1970's classic, August 4, 2007
By Gary Selikow (Great Kush) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)
This review is from: Garfunkel (Audio CD)

Art Garfunkel has a far better voice than Paul Simon, and I actually prefer Garfunkel's solo work to Simon's.
This album showcases the best of Garfunkel's folkesque light rock, with some real gems.
My favourites include the laidback Breakaway (1975), the beautiful and haunting Bright Eyes (1979), the pop love song (What A) Wonderful World (1977), the exquisite All I Know (1973)(one of my all time favourite songs) with it's incredible piano work, the old blues hit I Only Have Eyes For You and the gentle A Heart In New York (1981).
This is a must have for any lover of good music, and a classic of 1970's music.

"When a Man Loves a Woman (Percy Sledge) - 4:30
"Break Away" (Benny Gallagher, Graham Lyle) –3:31
"Bright Eyes" (Mike Batt) –3:55
"(What a) Wonderful World" (Herb Alpert, Sam Cooke, Lou Adler) - 3:29
"All I Know" (Jimmy Webb) –3:48
"Scissor Cut" (Jimmy Webb) –3:52
"I Only Have Eyes For You" (Al Dubin, Harry Warren) –3:40
"So Much in Love" (George Williams, Bill Jackson, Roy Straigis)- 2:24
"99 Miles From L.A." (Albert Hammond, Hal David) –3:28
"Second Avenue" (Tim Moore) - 2:46
"A Heart in New York" (Benny Gallagher, Graham Lyle) –3:10
"I Have a Love" - 4:29

 

[Dennie]

Time Passages -- Remastered CD

Al Stewart

1978/2000 Arista Records

MR. ALAN PARSONS, PLEASE STEP FORWARD AND TAKE A BOW..., June 7, 2005
By Wayne Racine (Ottawa ON) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)
This review is from: Time Passages (Audio CD)

Sigh... if only Al Stewart and Alan Parsons were working together again - they were perfect musical soulmates not unlike Lennon/McCartney. When you get right down to it, Al is really a folkie troubadour; as such, I'm convinced that these tunes wouldn't be anywhere near as fleshed out if it weren't for Alan Parsons' musical guidance and sound expertise - and the end result is a sonic masterpiece. If you were to get only two Al Stewart CDs, it would have to be the ones where AP was working the soundboard - "Year Of The Cat" and this one. Highly recommended.

1. Time Passages
2. Valentina Way
3. Life in Dark Water
4. Man for All Seasons
5. Almost Lucy
6. Palace of Versailles
7. Timeless Skies
8. Song on the Radio
9. End of the Day

 

[Randy]

A little office music for the day.

 

[Dennie]

Irreplaceable -- CD

George Benson

2004 GRP Records

Thank God I Have My Own Mind!!!!!!!!!!!!!, June 16, 2004
By Raider Jack "Jackie D Gray-Romeyn" (San Francisco, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)
This review is from: Irreplaceable (Audio CD)

The latest effort by George Benson is a welcome addition after too long an absence. I am so glad I decided not to rely solely on the reviews of others. I actually cannot imagine what was expected here. This is vintage George Benson - tight vocals (and sterling additional vocals from some female vocalists who, while are unkown to me right now, certainly will not stay that way), excellent guitar work, smooth senusal mood, in other words, vintage George Benson.

George Benson has been blending jazz and R&B for decades. When I think hip-hop, I think R&B vocals with additional rap - that is not the case here, thank god....just good singing and excellent playing. If you are a real George Benson fan, you will not be disappointed in the least. His version of Luther's "Take You Out" is festive and while he could certainly have handled vocal chores here, he wisely decided not to but instead transformed this into a wonderful instrumental.

From the sound of some reviewers, it appears this is a futile attempt at meshing hip-hop and jazz...I submit these listeners have not been listening to George since "This Masquerade." If they had, they would have known that there is no departure whatsoever from the formula that brought George to national prominence. But everyone has the right to their opinion. That being said, you should rely totally on your own tastes.

This is quite simply an excellent project and well worth the wait. In my humble estimation, Mr. Benson has not sacrificed his art one iota and presents a clean, fresh, long-overdue smooth jazz project that will be a worthy addition to any smooth jazz collection.

1. Six Play
2. Whole Man
3. Irreplaceable
4. Loving Is Better Than Leaving
5. Strings Of Love
6. Cell Phone
7. Black Rose
8. Stairway To Love
9. Reason For Breathing
10. Missing You

 

[Dennie]

Lefty -- CD

Art Garfunkel

1988 Columbia Records

Great songs, great delivery! February 5, 2012
By L. Dey
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

After Simon and Garfunkel broke up and each artist went on to solo careers, I gravitated naturally towards Artie's silky voice and often laid-back and romantic tunes. Although I loved Simon and Garfunkel the team and the type of music Simon wrote back in the 60s, he lost me in the 70s with his corny, pop-oriented jingles like: Kodachrome and Fifty Ways to Leave your Lover. I felt Artie did a much better job of keeping some semblance of the feel of the original types of songs that made the duo famous. "Lefty" itself is diverse with every song being either fun or beautiful, and most important - creative. Amazingly, it's content has stood the test of time and does not sound dated at all even though it was released in the late techno 80s. Artie has never tried to pander to changing styles of music but instead, just does what he does best, even if there may not be a mega market for it. I greatly appreciate that about him. I also think that his rendition of, When a Man Loves a Woman, is arguably the best ever done. If you're an Art Garfunkel fan, then Lefty is a must-have for your collection.


"This Is the Moment" (D. Foster, C. Weil, L. Jenner, R. Parker)
"I Have a Love" (Stephen Sondheim, Leonard Bernstein)
"So Much in Love" (George Williams, Bill Jackson, Roy Straigis)
"Slow Breakup" (Stephen Bishop)
"Love Is the Only Chain" (Mary Ann Kennedy, Pam Rose, P. Bunch)
"When a Man Loves a Woman" (Percy Sledge)
"I Wonder Why" (B. Lovelady, M. Phillips, P. Skellern)
"King of Tonga" (Bishop)
"If Love Takes You Away" (Bishop)
"The Promise" (N. Holmes)

 

[Dennie]

Forever Love -- CD

Mark Whitfield

1997 Verve Records

Play the whole night away with this one!! March 21, 2009
By S. Clarson-Griffin
Format:Audio CD
This brilliant laid back ... romantic.... smokey music is heaven. I purchased this as my first Mark Whitfield CD and despite having a collection of over 4000 CD's this one keeps making it to the 5 disc selection without fail.

So sultry are the renditions of every song... and especially #7 "Early Autumn" with Diana Krall's earthy tones that it is simply a must have, if you simply want to listen to easy ..... glide over your skin ..... magic music.

My husband loves the Benson/Klugh sound of the Gibson.... as we romanced to those two back in late 70's and 80's... so it strikes a cord!

Great way to spend a special dinner and the continuity of pace is what I like... no stand out loud over eager song to wreck the experience!

Track Listing
1. You Don't Know What Love Is
2. Some Other Time
3. My One and Only Love
4. Nature Boy
5. It Never Entered My Mind
6. Some Other Spring
7. Early Autumn
8. Forever
9. I Wanna Talk About You
10. Only the Lonely

Personnel: Mark Whitfield (acoustic & electric guitars); Diana Krall(vocals); Jim Pryor (piano); Roland Guerin (bass); Donald Edwards (drums).Orchestra: Dale Oehler (conducter, arranger); Raymond Gneiweck, Abraham Appleman, Narciso Figueroa, Barry Finclair, Ann Leathers, Charles Libove, Paul Peabody, Joel Pitchon, Martin Stoner, Richard Sortomme, John Pintvalle, Nancy McAlhany, Regis Landiorio, Donna Tecco, Dale Stuckenbruck (violin); Julien Barber, Leonard Davis, Maryhelen Ewing, Carol Landon (viola); Jeanne LeBlanc, Richard Locker, Fred Sherry, Frederick Zlotkin (cello); Emily Mitchell (harp).Recorded at Avatar Studios, New York, New York on August 12-14, 1996.

 

[Dennie]

Down The Road -- CD

Bobby Vega with The Turtle Island String Quartet

1997 Bean Bag Records

Vega is joined by the Turtle Island String Quartet for Down the Road, which features the tracks "Elizabeth," "Until Then," "Fabiana" and "Rocco." ~ Jason Ankeny Accomplished bassist Bobby Vega began his professional career at age 16 with Sly and the Family Stone. With well over 100 albums to his credit, he continues to explore new ground. Co-founding KVHW in the late 90's, his musical craft continues to develop into a complex and heady blend of rhythm & blues, rock funk and improvisational jazz. He is instrumental in laying down thick grooves as well as being a driving creative force in all of his musical endeavors.

Born in San Francisco, Vega has significantly contributed to the city's rich musical heritage. Originally acclaimed for his funky style, Vega's reputation as a creative force has taken him into many other musical arenas. A connoisseur of the instrument, he has been called "the Jaco Pastorius of the 90's".

Vega performs worldwide and has recorded with such greats as Billy Preston, Paul Butterfield, Baba Olatunji, Joan Baez, Bob Weir, Kitaro and many, many others. While continuing to work on his own projects, Bobby has toured with artists including Tower of Power, Etta James, Mickey Hart, Jefferson Starship, Santana & Jerry Garcia.

An accomplished composer, he collaborated on various movie soundtracks, including the documentary film, "Vietnam, a Television History", the Francis Ford Coppola Film, "One from the Heart", and even composed music for the Sega video game, "Sonic, The Hedgehog III". In 1997, Vega released a solo album titled, "Down the Road", with special guest performances by The Turtle Island String Quartet, David Giribaldi, and Airto Moreira. Laying down a foundation with incredible feeling and groove, world class bassist Bobby Vega is as solid as a rock.

Elisabeth
Down The Road
Until Then
Last Time
Helicopters And The Small Planes
The Sensitive Chef
Lullaby For Lucy
Fabiana
Poonk
Rocco

Personnel: Bobby Vega (Bass); Steve Kimock (guitar); Darol Anger, Tracy Silverman (violin); Danny Seidenberg (viola); Mark Summer (cello); Pete Sears (accordion); Dennis Harper (oboe); Airto Moreira (drums, percussion); David Garibaldi (drums); Michael Spiro (percussion). Director: Frank Martin.

 

[Dennie]

Dance With My Father -- CD

Luther Vandross

2003 J Records

Life can be cruel and nowhere is this more apparent than when Luther Vandross was felled by a stroke just prior to the release of DANCE WITH MY FATHER. For the most personal of his 15 albums, Vandross dipped into the worlds of R&B and hip-hop for help on a handful of songs. Checking in are Beyonce Knowles playing Donny Hathaway to Luther's Roberta Flack on a lush reading of "The Closer I Get to You" that finds the roles flipped and Busta Rhymes hopping aboard a thumping cover of Bill Withers' "Lovely Day" (that includes a Part II). Also helping out with the heavy lifting are Queen Latifah on the snappy "Hit It Again" with its crackling rhythms, and bad-girl Foxy Brown who brings plenty of attitude to the sassy "If It Ain't One Thing." For all the celebrity cameos, Vandross is most successful when he masterfully changes gears into his guise as pop's premiere balladeer. With his velvety croon, this New York City native reminisces about better times on the wistful "Once Were Lovers" (featuring a moving Stevie Wonder harmonica solo) and also delivers the heartfelt title track, a self-described career song dedicated to Vandross' late father.

Track Listing
1. If I Didn't Know Better
2. Think About You
3. If It Ain't One Thing - (featuring Foxy Brown)
4. Buy Me a Rose
5. Closer I Get to You, The
6. Lovely Day - (remix, featuring Busta Rhymes)
7. Dance with My Father
8. She Saw You
9. Apologize
10. Hit It Again - (featuring Queen Latifah)
11. Right in the Middle
12. Once Were Lovers
13. Lovely Day, Pt. 2 - (remix, featuring Busta Rhymes)
14. They Said You Needed Me

Personnel: Luther Vandross (vocals); Beyonce Knowles, (vocals); Foxy Brown, Busta Rhymes, Queen Latifah (rap vocals); Robbie Nevil (guitar, keyboards); Brion James, Victor Vega, Paul Jackson Jr. (guitar); Stevie Wonder (harmonica); Nat Adderley Jr. (piano, electric piano, keyboards); Chris James (piano); James Porte, Marcus Miller (keyboards, programming); Skip Anderson (keyboards, vibraphone); Byron Miller (bass); Ivan Hampden (drums); Bashiri Johnson (percussion); Cissy Houston, Tawatha Agee, Cindy Mizelle, Brenda White-King, Khadijah Mohammed, Ulisa Ivey, James "D Train" Williams, Michael Harvey, Ricky McDonald, Fonzi Thornton (background vocals).Producers: Luther Vandross, Nat Adderley Jr.Recorded at The Hit Factory, New York, New York; Beartracks Studios, Suffern, New York; Hannibal Studios, Santa Monica, California; Skip Trip-Algoryhthm Studios, Belle Mead, New Jersey.DANCE WITH MY FATHER won the 2004 Grammy Award for Best R&B Album. "Dance With My Father" won for Song Of The Year and for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance. The song was also nominated for Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals and for Best R&B Song. "The Closer I Get To You" won for Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals.

 

[Dennie]

The Spirit Of St. Louis -- CD

The Manhattan Transfer

2000 Atlantic Records

Amazon.com

Clichés have gotten something of a bad rap. Essentially, they're the most instantly recognizable attributes of any artistic endeavor. Louis Armstrong's were his sweetly gruff, speaking/singing voice and deceptively simple Dixieland jazz trumpet flourishes. The Manhattan Transfer's clichés are the group's slick jazz and harmonically perfect takes on the traditional vocal quartet. The common ground of this Manhattan Transfer tribute to Armstrong may not be entirely discernable at first listen, but that's the beauty of music--influences can sometimes reveal themselves in ways that surprise and delight the performer as much as the listener. Crucially, the veteran quartet wisely dispense with their sometimes predictable MO, allowing producer Craig Street (Me'Shell Ndegeocello, k.d. lang, Cassandra Wilson) to challenge them with a series of arrangements that wed vintage instrumentation to a distinctly non-vintage set of instrumentalists (including Los Lobos' Steve Berlin, modern jazz horn great Jon Hassell, Beck alumni Smokey Hormel, and adventuresome guitarist/loopist David Torn). The producer also allowed Transfer members to pick their own Armstrong favorites for interpretation, giving the band members unusually free solo spotlights (including Tim Hauser's one-take wonder "Blue Again," a deliciously lazy reading of "Sugar" by Cheryl Bentyne, Janis Siegel's "The Blues are Bewin'," and Alan Paul's playful "Gone Fishin'"). The result is arguably the Transfer's best album in a decade, one that fuses their impeccable vocal perfectionism to Armstrong's still vibrant and soulful legacy. The result is anything but a cliché. -- Jerry McCulley

1 Stompin' at Mahogany Hall Alan Paul, Spencer Williams 2:48
2 The Blues Are Brewin' Louis Alter, Eddie DeLange 6:18
3 Sugar E. Alexander, Sidney Mitchell, M Pinkard 3:28
4 A Kiss to Build a Dream on Oscar Hammerstein II, Bert Kalmar, Harry Ruby 4:30
5 Old Man Mose Louis Armstrong, Zilner Randolph, 3:16
6 Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans? Eddie DeLange, Louis Alter, 5:29
7 Gone Fishin' Nick Kenny, Charles Kenny 4:11
8 Nothing Could Be Better Than That Lilian Armstrong 5:47
9 Blue Again Dorothy Fields, Jimmy McHugh 4:45
10 When You Wish upon a Star Leigh Harline, Ned Washington 5:46

 

[Botch]

Dennie's been listening a lot to the Modern Jazz Quartet and posting it here; they are one of the Jazz Royalty and I didn't have anything by them in my collection.
I hopped to Amazon, and found the above, four of their classic albums on 2 CDs, for $12.88!! (they have another 7 albums for a similar price, bookmarked).
Granted, the fidelity ain't AIX Records bluray (which I've been overdosing on lately) but the musical interaction and soloing are there (kinda like reading Shakespeare on the typewritten page, rather than seeing it on the stage, if that makes any sense). :ugeek:
Anyhoo, four top albums by a classic jazz band for under $13, highly recommended if you're into this kind of music! :handgestures-thumbup:

 

[PaulyT]

^--- nice - ordered! I don't have any of their albums either.