What Are You Listening To?

[Kazaam]

; the world will thank me and hopefully make me a 1%:

With your profits, you could buy the rights to a whole ton of unavailable quadraphonic albums that never made it onto sAckdees and deeveedeeaudibles. Only pick the good ones though. Save the rest of the cash to lose on funding the creation of brand new surround mixes of more music we haven't seen in surround yet.

 

[Dennie]

Western Standard Time -- CD

Asleep At The Wheel

1988 Epic Records

As the standard-bearers for a half-century old music genre, Western swing revival band Asleep at the Wheel has always had one cowboy boot planted firmly in the past. True, the band has been known to crank out a catchy original song in its time, but its bread-and-butter is the familiar repertoire of bygone country and swing tunes. WESTERN STANDARD TIME finds the band working through 10 very familiar tunes, successfully breathing life into material that, in lesser hands, could easily degenerate into museum pieces.The mother lode for Western swing material, of course, is Bob Wills' catalog, and unsurprisingly WESTERN STANDARD TIME plucks two songs, "San Antonio Rose" and "Roly Poly," from this treasure chest. The band also revisits Hank Garland's classic "Sugarfoot Rag" with a performance that earned a Grammy for best instrumental recording. Willie Nelson chips in vocal support on "Chattanooga Choo Choo" and band leader Ray Benson demonstrates considerable moxie by taking on "That Lucky Old Sun," a song previously immortalized by both Frankie Laine and Ray Charles. Other highlights of this uniformly strong album include the two-step boogie "Hot Rod Lincoln" and the anthemic "That's What I Like About the South."

Track Listing
1. Chattanooga Choo Choo
2. Don't Let Go
3. Hot Rod Lincoln
4. That's What I Like 'Bout the South
5. That Lucky Old Sun (Just Rolls Around Heaven All Day)
6. Walk on By
7. San Antonio Rose
8. Roly Poly
9. Sugarfoot Rag
10. Walking the Floor over You

Asleep At The Wheel: Larry Franklin (vocals, guitar, fiddle); Ray Benson (vocals, guitar, 6-string bass); Tim Alexander (vocals, piano); John Ely (pedal & pedal steel guitars, Fender Hawaiian); Mike Francis (saxophone); John Mitchell (bass); David Sanger (drums).Additional personnel: Larry Seyer (vocals, guitar, Fender bass); Johnny Gimble (vocals, electric mandolin, fiddle); Willie Nelson, Chris O'Connell (vocals); Tony Garnier (6-string & upright bass).

 

[Dennie]

Rock and Roll Doctor: A Tribute To Lowell George -- CD

Various Artists

1997 Kaigan Records (Import)

He had 2 Degrees in Bebop, a PhD in Swing ..., June 4, 2001
By William H. Maruca "Bill Maruca" (Wexford, PA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)


This review is from: Rock and Roll Doctor: A Tribute to Lowell George (Audio CD)

Lowell was Da Man! Never got to see him in person but I never pass up anything associated with him. Get all the official Little Feat CDs (including their excellent and neglected post-Lowell George releases) and Thanks I'll Eat It Here before you get this, but get this anyway! It shows off George's brilliant songwriting in the hands of very sympathetic interpreters. I understand a Japanese version features Dr. John and others and includes the signature song Dixie Chicken, but you won't miss it. (There are plenty of covers of that one out there anyway.)

Track Listing

1. Cold, Cold, Cold - Bonnie Raitt/Little Feat

2. Feets Don't Fail Me Now - Taj Mahal

3. Roll Um Easy - J. D. Souther

4. Rocket in My Pocket - Bottle Rockets/David Lindley

5. Sailin' Shoes - Randy Newman/Valerie Carter

6. I've Been the One - Jackson Browne

7. Two Trains - Allen Toussaint/Leo Nocentelli

8. Long Distance Love - Keisuke Kuwata/Merry Clayton

9. Rock and Roll Doctor - Eddie Money/Buddaheads

10. Straight From the Heart - Chris Hillman/Jennifer Warnes

11. Honest Man - Little Feat

12. Spanish Moon - Phil Perry/Merry Clayton/Ricky Lawson

13. Trouble - Inara George

14. (Untitled) - (hidden track)

 

[Dennie]

Aja -- Remastered CD

Steely Dan

1977/1999 MCA Records

Timeless masterpiece, a landmark album of sheer beauty, April 3, 2000
By Sharon A. (Israel) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Aja (Audio CD)

Not many albums have influenced me as much as Steely Dan's Aja. Donald Fagen and Walter Becker have created a most unique flavour of Jazz meets Rock where beatiful melodies, genius production and perfect performance blend to produce a timeless masterpiece. This album should be on the A-List of everyone who appreciates the beauty of music. The album is full of complex musical concepts which immediately remind the progressive rock fan some of the common manoeuvres in classic progressive rock albums. Take the title song "Aja" for example. This piece takes you on a eight minutes ride to diverse musical patterns that vary between rock and jazz moods, amplified by rich orchestration. Other songs such as "Decon Blues" and "Home At Last" constantly prove to be intriguing while "Black Cow" is captivating. The presence of saxophonist Wayne Shorter on "Aja" is blessed - as a serious Shorter's fan I was delighted to see his inclusion on the album and I regard this decision as a wise one - the solo part he plays is terrific, bringing his genius and gifts to combine perfectly with the different environment he plays in. I would also like to add it is worthwhile for Steely Dan fans to get the remastered version of the album, just for the sound quality. Usually I cannot tell the difference, but since I had the original CD release and heard it so much, I could compare. The difference is amazing, the quality is much better - you can actually hear new sounds and appreciate the separation of the different instruments. The liner notes are quite disappointing, so I ordered the DVD to learn more about making of this unusual album. This album made me buy all of Steely Dan's albums, so if you like it I would recommend underrated "The Royal Scam" and "Countdown to Ecstasy" albums, although all are excellent. Get this album, it may be one of your best musical purchases ever. I know my getting to know it was a bless.

All songs written by Walter Becker and Donald Fagen.
Side one

"Black Cow" – 5:10
"Aja" – 7:57
"Deacon Blues" – 7:37

Side two

"Peg" – 3:57
"Home at Last" – 5:34
"I Got the News" – 5:06
"Josie" – 4:33

 

[Dennie]

Taking Off -- CD

David Sanborn

1975 Warner Bros. Records

Released in 1975, David Sanborn's first solo album is a fine example of the dexterous alto saxophonist's highly accessible take on jazz. Backed by brothers Randy and Michael Brecker (on trumpet and tenor saxophone, respectively), Steve Gadd (drums), and other top-notch session players, Sanborn offers a lively set that kicks off with the slick, funky "Butterfat" and is concluded by the dramatic, string-laden "Flight."

Track Listing
1. Butterfat
2. 'Way 'Cross Georgia
3. Duck Ankles
4. Funky Banana
5. The Whisperer
6. It Took a Long Time
7. Black Light
8. Blue Night
9. Flight

Personnel: David Sanborn (alto saxophone); Michael Brecker (tenor saxophone); Howard Johnson (baritone saxophone, tuba); Randy Brecker (trumpet); Peter Gordon, John Clark (French horn); Tom Malone (trombone); Don Grolnick (piano, organ, Fender Rhodes piano, Clavinet); Steve Khan, Buzzy Feiten (guitar); Joe Beck (electric guitar); John Beal, Bob Daugherty (acoustic bass); Will Lee (bass); Chris Parker, Steve Gadd (drums); Ralph MacDonald (congas, bongos, percussion); Jose Madera, Warren Smith (percussion).Recorded at A&R Studios, New York, New York.

 

[Dennie]

Hand On The Torch -- CD

Us3

1993 Blue Note Records

Contains 16 samples, including "Crisis" (as performed by Art Blakey), "Steppin' Into Tomorrow" (as performed by Donald Byrd), "Goin' Down South" (as performed by Bobby Hutcherson) and "Straight No Chaser" (as performed by Thelonious Monk).HAND ON THE TORCH combines samples of 1960's Blue Note jazz/funk grooves with 1990's production and live musicians. Samples of music by Art Blakey, Herbie Hancock, John Patton, Donald Byrd and Grant Green are interspersed throughout this release.2003 Hong Kong release of US3's HAND ON THE TORCH 2. Import includes two compact discs, one of which is the original 1993 album release from Blue Note Records and the other which is a sample track collection album that made HAND ON THE TORCH possible. The bonus disc includes material from jazz and soul artists such as Bobby Hutcherson, Horace Silver, and Art Blakey.Hip-hop/jazz fusionisters Us3 have forged the most elaborate union between the styles since the early days of Gang Starr and A Tribe Called Quest. Blue Note's vast catalog gives them a huge advantage over several similar groups in terms of source material, and classic sounds by Art Blakey, Horace Silver, and Herbie Hancock provide zest and fiber to their narratives. Indeed, when things falter, it's because the raps aren't always that creative. They are serviceable and sometimes catchy, but too often delivered without the snazzy touches or distinctive skills that make Quest and Gang Starr's material top-notch. But when words and music mesh, as on "Cantaloop" or "The Darkside," Us3 show how effectively hip-hop and jazz can blend. ~ Ron Wynn

Track Listing
1. Cantaloop (Flip Fantasia)
2. I Got It Goin' On
3. Different Rhythms Different People
4. It's Like That
5. Just Another Brother
6. Cruisin'
7. I Go to Work
8. Tukka Yoot's Riddim
9. Knowledge of Self
10. Lazy Day
11. Eleven Long Years
12. Make Tracks
13. The Darkside
14. Announcement - Pee Wee Marquette (Bonus)
15. Cantaloupe Island - Herbie Hancock (Bonus)
16. Ronnie's Bonnie - Reuben Wilson (Bonus)
17. Announcement - Art Blakey (Bonus)
18. Cool Blues - Lou Donaldson (Bonus)
19. Crisis - Art Blakey & Jazz Messengers (Bonus)
20. Straight No Chaser - Thelonious Monk (Bonus)
21. Sookie Sookie - Grant Green (Bonus)
22. Goin' Down South - Bobby Hutcherson
23. Song for My Father - Horace Silver (Bonus)
24. Steppin' Into Tomorrow - Donald Byrd (Bonus)

US3: Mel Simpson (keyboards, programming); Geoff Wilkinson (samples, scratches, programming).Additional personnel: Rahsaan, Kobie Powell, Tukka Yoot (rap vocals); Tony Remy (guitar); Ed Jones (soprano & tenor saxophones); Steve Williamson (soprano saxophone); Mike Smith (tenor saxophone); Gerard Presencer (trumpet); Dennis Rollins (trombone); Matthew Cooper (piano); Marie Harper (background vocals).Recorded at Flame Studios, London, England.

 

[Dennie]

Some Girls -- Mini LP - CD

The Rolling Stones

1978/1994 Virgin Benelux B.Y.


Amazon.com essential recording

A fresh, uncompromising attempt to incorporate 1978 pop techniques into the band's familiar sound, Some Girls opens with the disco sass of "Miss You" and closes with the self-destructive punk of "Shattered." (Both songs, especially "Miss You," with its distinctive Mel Collins sax solo, remain live showstoppers.) So the Stones declared credibility in the dance circuit without sacrificing their hard-rock reputation. Though the anti-love "Beast of Burden" and the stylishly slow "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)" continue to rack up the most airplay, the obscurities stand up surprisingly well. Worth replaying: Keith Richards's rickety rocker "Before They Make Me Run." --Steve Knopper


1. "Miss You" 4:48
2. "When the Whip Comes Down" 4:20
3. "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)" (Norman Whitfield/Barrett Strong) 4:38
4. "Some Girls" 4:36
5. "Lies" 3:11
6. "Far Away Eyes" 4:24
7. "Respectable" 3:06
8. "Before They Make Me Run" 3:25
9. "Beast of Burden" 4:25
10. "Shattered" 3:48

 

[Dennie]

Tigerlily -- 24k Gold OMR CD

Natalie Merchant

1995/2007 MFSL #2663

On Tigerlily, Natalie Merchant's warm, mellow voice, and mesmerizing yet gracefully understated musical textures are sure to please even the most discerning and contemplative music listeners. Stand out tracks include the radio hits "Wonder" and "Jealousy," which have a similar sonic signature to the unique folk rock mastery of 10,000 Maniacs and "River" an absolutely touching tribute to the late River Phoenix. Mobile Fidelity's heralded GAIN 2 mastering technique has extracted every tender nuance and note from this enduring 90's classic.

Selections:
1. San Andreas Fault
2. Wonder
3. Beloved Wife
4. River
5. Carnival
6. I May Know The Word
7. The Letter
8. Cowboy Romance
9. Jealousy
10. Where I Go
11. Seven Years

 

[Dennie]

Longing In Their Hearts -- CD

Bonnie Raitt

1994 Capitol Records

It's better than that..., February 24, 2005
By K. Parsons "Hailing from the mountaintop!" (Idyllwild, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE) (REAL NAME)
This review is from: Longing in Their Hearts (Audio CD)

This is a tremendous CD... though definitely not as glossy and smooth as the ones that came after, or as rough and textured as those before. For some reason, even though there are a few songs I can do without, (I Sho Do comes to mind) songs like "Feeling of Falling", Cool Clear Water" and the title track have remained my favorite Bonnie songs since this CD came out.

There is a funky goove here... and enough attitude to show that Bonnie Raitt is no computer enhanced lip-synching pop diva powderpuff. No way - she's the REAL DEAL. Has been for so long I can't remember... and she still belts it out better than anyone. She's made a huge mark in a world that wasn't exactly welcoming to her at first... and this CD shows why. Virtuoso musicianship, a deadly groove, sultry, strong vocals and that sensation of, well... (hey - isn't that what music is all about!!!)~~~

"Longing" has that quality of imperfect genius that makes Bonnie Raitt's music so satisfying.

"Love Sneakin' up on You" (Little Jimmy Scott, Tom Snow) – 3:41
"Longing in Their Hearts" (Michael O'Keefe, Raitt) – 4:48
"You" (John Shanks, Bob Thiele, Tonio K.) – 4:27
"Cool, Clear Water" (Raitt) – 5:27
"Circle Dance" (Raitt) – 4:11
"I Sho Do" (Billy Always, Mabon "Teenie" Hodges) – 3:38
"Dimming of the Day" (Richard Thompson) – 3:39
"Feeling of Falling" (Raitt) – 6:17
"Steal Your Heart Away" (Paul Brady) – 5:44
"Storm Warning" (Terry Britten, Lea Maalfrid) – 4:31
"Hell to Pay" (Raitt) – 4:03
"Shadow of Doubt" (Gary Nicholson) – 4:26

 

[Dennie]

Belly Of The Sun -- CD

Cassandra Wilson

2002 Blue Note Records

Amazon.com

By now, it's a moot point whether Cassandra Wilson is singing jazz or not. By unifying what were once considered disparate styles and song forms with her languorously rich vocals and offbeat instrumental textures, she has become the queen of her own genre. Largely recorded at a one-time train station in her native Mississippi, Belly of the Sun ranges from country-blues great Fred McDowell's gritty "You Gotta Move" (popularized by the Rolling Stones and here featuring acoustic-guitar wiz Richard Johnston) to Brazilian immortal Antonio Carlos Jobim's winsome "Waters of March" (featuring a children's choir) to a hauntingly feminized version of Jimmy Webb's "Wichita Lineman." Revealing her command of narrative material, Wilson draws seductive meaning from Bob Dylan's "Shelter from the Storm" and the Band's "The Weight." Featuring Kevin Breit and Marvin Sewell on all manner of guitars and related string instruments, Belly of the Sun also boasts three strong Wilson originals, including "Just Another Parade," a jazzy-soulful duet with India Arie, and "Show Me a Love." As her own producer, Wilson comes up with less compelling backgrounds than Craig Street, who produced her darker-tinged breakthrough albums. Still, this is her most seamless, smoothest-flowing, and most effortlessly expansive recording. "I need to feel some rich black soil that's moist between my toes," she sings. You can feel her Southern roots in the grooves as well. --Lloyd Sachs

1. "The Weight" (Robbie Robertson) – 6:05
2. "Justice" (Cassandra Wilson) – 5:27
3. "Darkness on the Delta" (Jay Livingston, Al J. Neiburg, Marty Symes) – 3:47
4. "Waters of March" (Antonio Carlos Jobim) – 4:26
5. "You Gotta Move" (Mississippi Fred McDowell) – 2:44
6. "Only a Dream in Rio" (James Taylor) – 4:32
7. "Just Another Parade" (Wilson) – 6:05 featuring India.Arie
8. "Wichita Lineman" (Jimmy Webb) – 5:48
9. "Shelter From the Storm" (Bob Dylan) – 5:17
10. "Drunk as Cooter Brown" (Wilson) – 4:58
11. "Show Me a Love" (Robinson, Wilson) – 3:49
12. "Road So Clear" (Richmond) – 5:22
13. "Hot Tamales" (Robert Johnson) – 1:43

 

[topper]

 

[Dennie]

Pirates -- OMR SACD

Rickie Lee Jones

1981/2009 Warner Bros./MFSL Records #4521

After her acclaimed self-titled debut in 1979, Rickie Lee Jones' follow-up plans were wildly anticipated. Finally, in 1981, again working with co-producers Russ Titelman and Lenny Waronker, the singer definitely was into exploring new territory. Impeccably recorded as usual, studio giants and stars such as Randy Brecker, Donald Fagen, Steve Gadd, Steve Lukather, Tom Scott, Chuck Rainey and Victor Feldman plus legendary jazz arranger Ralph Burns of J.A.T.P. fame, help frame the singer's new direction. The masterpiece of the set may be "Traces of the Western Slopes", an eight minute short story with Steely Dan-ish overtones. Pirates may not be as much fun or upbeat as her debut; it's much more complex and overly sad, and yet very satisfying. Retaining her quirky phrasing while honing distinctive songwriting skills, this sophomore effort, alongside her debut and the future Flying Cowboys, are her three best albums to date, hands down.

"Jones as usual, assembled an all-star supporting cast including the likes of Tom Scott, David Sanborn, Donald Fagen and Randy Brecker. In contrast to today's albums with 16 tracks and 2 listenable songs, Pirates has eight outstanding songs with the likes of "We Belong Together, Living it Up, Lucky Guy, Pirates and Skeletons." - Myles B. Astor, Positive-Feedback.com, Issue 49

Selections:
1. We Belong Together
2. Living It Up
3. Skeletons
4. Woody and Dutch on the Slow Train to Peking
5. Pirates (So Long Lonely Avenue)
6. A Lucky Guy
7. Traces of the Western Slopes
8. The Returns

 

[Dennie]

Fleetwood Mac -- CD

Fleetwood Mac

1975/1990 Reprise Records

Amazon.com

Given their monumental legacy, it's hard to imagine that the so-called "classic edition" of Fleetwood Mac essentially came together casually over chips and margaritas at an L.A. eatery; the then-obscure duo of Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks (whose own mid-'70s debut album had initially gone almost straight to the cut-out bins) became the crucial axis of the legendary band without so much as a formal audition. As the eponymous title suggests, the 1975 Mac realignment seems like a fresh start, though tracks like Christine McVie's smooth-jazz inflected "Warm Ways" hearken back to the Bob Welch/Bare Trees/Heroes Are Hard to Find era. But it's Buckingham's compelling, updated take on '60s California folk-pop, informed by the mystique of Nicks's proto-New Age song-sorceress presumptions, that breathed new life into the veteran, chameleonic band on now-familiar songs like "Monday Morning" and "Rhiannon." His chemistry with McVie is no less powerful, yielding such Mac staples as their collaboration "World Turning" and suffusing her "Over My Head" with nervous, insistent guitar rhythms.

"Monday Morning" (Lindsey Buckingham) – 2:48
"Warm Ways" (Christine McVie) – 3:54
"Blue Letter" (Rick Curtis, Mike Curtis) – 2:41
"Rhiannon" (Stevie Nicks) – 4:11
"Over My Head" (C. McVie) – 3:38
"Crystal" (Nicks) – 5:14
"Say You Love Me" (C. McVie) – 4:11
"Landslide" (Nicks) – 3:19
"World Turning" (Buckingham, C. McVie) – 4:25
"Sugar Daddy" (C. McVie) – 4:10
"I'm So Afraid" (Buckingham) – 4:22

 

[Dennie]

Today's work truck music...

Love's Been Rough On Me -- CD

Etta James

1997 Private Music, A unit of The Windham Hill Group

5.0 out of 5 stars Another side of Etta, December 18, 1998
By A Customer

This is a TREASURE that might be missed by solid R&B fans or staunch Country audiences - called Ms James' "Country Album", it's truly hard to classify. Etta is beautifully laid back on the selections, not resorting to vocal pyrotechnics but rather lets the simple truth of her voice tell the tale. Brilliant. The cuts are top notch, the production is perfect, and the musicians are wonderfully matched, with inspired guitar work and a seamless horn section. Who would have ever thought Etta James would line up with Windham Hill?! It's that kind of CD. Like the Fleetwood Mac song said, "... If I could sing like Etta James, I'd never change, I'd never change..."

1. The Rock
2. Cry Like a Rainy Day
3. Love's Been Rough on Me
4. Love It or Leave It Alone
5. Don't Touch Me
6. Hold Me (Just a Little Longer Tonight)
7. If I Had Any Pride Left at All
8. I Can Give You Everything
9. I've Been Loving You Too Long
10. Done in the Dark

 

[topper]

:handgestures-thumbup: ~ ~ thanks, Yesfan


[ya gotta love this thread . . . ]

 

[Dennie]

Willow Creek & Other Ballads -- CD

Marian McPartland

1985 Concord Jazz

Marian McPartland is so well-known as a jazz educator and host of the long-running NPR series, Piano Jazz, that it is sometimes easy to overlook her own fine piano artistry, which is very much in evidence on the 1985 solo recital WILLOW CREEK AND OTHER BALLADS. Never a sentimentalist, McPartland is always at her best on the slow ones, some of which, like Ahmad Jamal's "Without You" and Billy Strayhorn's "Blood Count," are too seldom heard. But perhaps her finest performance is on Stevie Wonder's "All In Love Is Fair," which is given an unexpectedly rich and meditative reading. Perfect for an afternoon's reading or coffee interlude, this is easy listening of the highest order.

Track Listing
1. Without You
2. The Things We Did Last Summer
3. All in Love Is Fair
4. Willow Creek
5. Long Ago (And Far Away)
6. Someday I'll Find You
7. I Saw Stars
8. Blood Count
9. I've Got a Crush on You
10. Summer Song

Personnel includes: Marian McPartland (piano).Recorded at Classic Sound Studios, New York in January, 1985.

 

[Dennie]

An Exceptional Encounter -- 24bit CD

Ben Webster and The Modern Jazz Quartet

1953/2000 Disconforme/The Jazz Factory

Recorded over two nights at an unnamed club, this rare meeting of Ben Webster and the Modern Jazz Quartet evidently originated from a radio aircheck. In spite of the fact that the audio balance is somewhat inconsistent, the playing by everyone is exemplary throughout both sessions. Webster, whose performances sometimes suffered from his bouts of heavy drinking, seems particularly stimulated by the driving piano of John Lewis and bluesy vibes of Milt Jackson. In addition to the swing standards for which the tenor saxophonist was well known, he tackles Charlie Parker's "Confirmation" and "Billie's Bounce" with equal enthusiasm. Other selections include ballad features such as "Danny Boy" and "The Nearness of You," the latter showcasing Webster's rich, big tone. Romps through "Oh Lady Be Good" and "Cotton Tail" (one of many recordings of this Duke Ellington masterpiece that is forever associated with Webster) are a delight. Unfortunately, the liner notes concentrate on a biography of Webster and provide no explanation as to how this encounter came about. ~ Ken Dryden

Track Listing
1. Confirmation
2. You Are Too Beautiful
3. Oh, Lady Be Good
4. Nearness of You, The
5. Poutin'
6. Danny Boy
7. Billie's Bounce
8. Cotton Tail

Full performer name: Ben Webster/Modern Jazz Quartet.Personnel: Ben Webster (tenor saxophone).Modern Jazz Quartet: Milt Jackson (vibraphone); John Lewis (piano); Percy Heath (bass); Kenny Clarke (drums).Recorded in New York, New York on February 21 & 23, 1953.

 

[Dennie]

Lady In Satin -- Remastered 20Bit CD

Billie Holiday with Ray Ellis and His Orchestra

1958/1997 Columbia Legacy

This was her penultimate album, recorded when her body was telling her enough was enough. During the sessions with arranger Ray Ellis she was drinking vodka neat, as if it were tap water. Yet, for all her ravaged voice (the sweetness had long gone) she was still an incredible singer. The feeling and tension she manages to put into almost every track sets this album as one of her finest achievements. 'You've Changed' and 'I Get Along Without You Very Well' are high art performances from the singer who saw life from the bottom upwards. The CD reissue masterminded by Phil Shaap is absolutely indispensable.

Track Listing
1. I'm a Fool to Want You - (edited master)
2. For Heaven's Sake
3. You Don't Know What Love Is
4. I Get Along Without You Very Well
5. For All We Know
6. Violets for Your Furs
7. You've Changed
8. It's Easy to Remember
9. But Beautiful
10. Glad to Be Unhappy
11. I'll Be Around
12. End of a Love Affair, The - (instrumental track & overdub take 8, mono)
13. I'm a Fool to Want You - (previously unreleased, Take 3, bonus track)
14. I'm a Fool to Want You - (previously unreleased, alternate take, alternate take 2, bonus track)
15. End of a Love Affair: The Audio Story, The - (previously unreleased, bonus track)
16. End of a Love Affair, The - (previously unreleased, stereo, bonus track)
17. [Pause Track]

Personnel includes: Billie Holiday (vocals); Ray Ellis (conductor); Mel Davis (trumpet); Urbie Green, J.J. Johnson, Tom Mitchell (trombone); Danny Bank, Phil Bodner, Romeo Penque (woodwinds); George Ockner (violin); David Sawyer (cello); Janet Putnam (harp); Mal Waldron (piano); Barry Galbraith (guitar); Milt Hinton (bass); Osie Johnson (drums); Phil Kraus (percussion).Recorded in New York, New York from February 19-21, 1958. Originally released on Columbia (1157). Includes liner notes by Irving Townsend, Ray Ellis and Phil Schaap.

 

[Dennie]

Plays W.C. Handy -- DVD-A

Kid Ory

1958/On Demand Verve/HDTT (http://www.highdeftapetransfers.com/)

Track Listing:

1. Aunt Hagar's Blues
2. St. Louis Blues
3. Harlem Blues
4. Friendless Blues
5. Joe Turner Blues
6. Way Down South
7. Yellow Dog Blues

Artist(s):

Double Bass – Charles Oden
Drums – Jesse Sailes
Guitar – Frank Haggerty
Piano – Cedric Haywood
Trombone, Vocals – Kid Ory
Trumpet – Teddy Buckner
Woodwind – Caughey Roberts
Recording Info: Recorded in San Francisco 1958 by Verve
Producer – Norman Granz
Transferred from a 4-track tape

"These are the same resolution we master all of our titles.
Therefore no down sampling is required and you will hear
them at the highest resolution we offer.
Our 24/96 DVD's-V will play on all DVD players the 24/192
DVD-A will only play on players that
support DVD-A playback."

 

[Dennie]

Gardenias For Lady Day -- SACD

James Carter

2003 Columbia Records

Following up his 2000 tribute to guitarist Django Reinhardt, Chasin' the Gypsy, saxophonist James Carter pays homage to iconic jazz singer Billie Holiday on Gardenias for Lady Day. Perhaps never before has the jazz iconoclast balanced so perfectly his "big top" avant-garde leanings with his more pinstriped traditionalist aesthetic. This is a beautiful album that revels as much in classic melody as it does in Carter's most torrid saxophone "skronk." Although the album largely succeeds on Carter's virtuosic performance, it gains most of its character from the deft and unpredictable orchestral arrangements of Greg Cohen and fellow Detroiter Cassius Richmond. In particular, Richmond brings a cinematic quality to the album with his treatments of "Sunset," "I Wonder Where Our Love Is Gone," and "Gloria" that breathe and swell, rubbing dramatically against Carter's muscular sound. Similarly, Cohen -- who has worked with such N.Y.C. downtown scenesters as John Zorn, David Byrne, and Tom Waits -- brings a quirky and epic quality to his tracks. Featuring a very Nina Simone-esque performance by vocalist Miche Braden, Holiday's most famous number, "Strange Fruit," is magnified by Cohen into a brooding film noir that ultimately descends into an apocalyptic barrage of screams and wails, with Carter and Braden manifesting all the anguish and anger the song implies. It is unclear if the orchestra and band recorded at the same time, but even if they did not, Carter's stellar rhythm section featuring pianist John Hicks, drummer Victor Lewis, and bassist Peter Washington lends an organic quality to the proceedings that feels natural and lithe. Continuing to display a unique and singular vision, Carter has crafted a fittingly urbane, elegant, and unnerving album that celebrates both Holiday's haunting spirituality and earthy sexuality. ~ Matt Collar

Track Listing
1. Gloria
2. Sunset
3. (I Wonder) Where Our Love Has Gone
4. I'm in a Low Down Groove
5. Strange Fruit
6. A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing
7. Indian Summer
8. More Than You Know

This is a hybrid Super Audio CD playable on both regular and Super Audio CD players.
Personnel includes: James Carter (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone, bass clarniet); Miche Braden (vocals); Phil Myers, Erik Ralske (French horn); Jeff Nelson (trombone); Erik Charlston (vibraphone); John Hicks (piano); Peter Washington (bass); Victor Lewis (drums).Recorded at Avatar, Sony Studios, New York, New York.