What Are You Listening To?

[Dennie]

Jazz In The Key Of Blue -- SACD

Jimmy Cobb Quartet

2009 Chesky Records

The veteran drummer Jimmy Cobb is partnered by trumpeter Roy Hargrove, guitarist Russell Malone and bassist John Webber for this collection of warm, laidback standards.

A superb, mostly self-taught musician, Jimmy Cobb is the elder statesman of all the incredible Miles David bands. Cobb's inspirational work with Miles, John Coltrane, Cannonball Adderley and co. spanned 1957 until 1963 and included the masterpiece Kind Of Blue, the most popular jazz recording in history.

This studio recording features the famous drummer with a mellow group that features mesmerizing interplay between Hargrove's spaciously-blown lines, and Malone's slow-burning and chromatic sounds. The programme is mostly ballads including classics such as "Emily", "Stairway To The Stars", "I Had The Craziest Dream", "Remembering U", "If Ever I Would Leave You", and "With You I'm Born Again".

Selections:
1. Every Time We Say Goodbye
2. With You I'm Born Again
3. I'll Still Be In Love With You
4. Emily
5. Stairway To the Stars
6. I Had the Craziest Dream
7. Remembering U
8. What Will I Do
9. If Ever I Would Leave You
10. We'll Be Together Again

Musicians:
Jimmy Cobb, drums
Roy Hargrove, trumpet, fluegelhorn
Russell Malone, guitar
John Webber, bass

 

[Dennie]

Midnight Sugar -- SACD

Tsuyoshi Yamamoto Trio

1974/2012 First Impressions Music

One of the all time great Jazz Audiophile recordings of all time is once again available on FIM SACD! This Piano Trio will mesmerize you with this great collection of standards, superb musicianship and awesome sonics. You are sure to listen to this one over and over.

The Yamamoto Trio performing Midnight Sugar, recorded March 1, 1974 at Aoi Studio. Award Winner, Best Engineering Award, Jazz Disc Award of Swing Journal, 1974.

"This is one of the finest piano recordings I have ever heard." - Bob Bantz, President of Elusive Disc, Inc.

Features:
• 2012 Re-released SACD

Musicians:
Tsuyoshi Yamamoto, piano
Isoo Fukui, bass
Tetsujiro Obara, drums

Selections:
1. Midnight Sugar
2. I'm A Fool To Want You
3. The Nearness of You
4. It Could Happen To You
5. Sweet Georgia Blues

Total Time: 39:32

 

[Dennie]

Happy Saturday everyone... :banana-dance:

Jazz At The Philharmonic - Frankfurt 1952 -- CD

Lester Young...

1997 Pablo Records

This is a previously unreleased concert performance catching the J.A.T.P. troupe (this time featuring Lester Young, Flip Phillips, Roy Eldridge, Hank Jones, Ray Brown, Max Roach and an uncredited Irving Ashby on guitar) on the last night of their European tour of 1952. After Norman Granz' introductions to an enthusiastic Frankfurt audience, the group kicks off with a swinging version of "How High the Moon" that goes on for some 11 minutes. This is followed by "Undecided," taken at an even faster pace but still clocking in at almost 12 minutes and featuring an extraordinary solos by Eldridge and Young. A "Ballad Medley" is next, spotlighting four selections interpreted as solo turns. Flip Phillips starts thing off with a nice reading of "Deep Purple," segueing into Roy Eldridge's take on "Rockin' Chair." Next up is Hank Jones' nice, understated version of "This Is Always," which sets the stage for Lester Young's stunning "I Cover the Waterfront." The concert closes with an uptempo "Dre's Blues," which speeds up to an almost impossible tempo after Max Roach's drum solo. All in all, another classic entry in this long-standing series that languished in the vaults for far too long. ~ Cub Koda

Track Listing
1. Introduction by Norman Granz
2. How High the Moon
3. Undecided
4. Ballad Medley: Deep Purple / Rockin' Chair / This Is Always / I Cover The Waterfront
5. Dre's Blues

Performers include: Lester Young, Flip Phillips, Roy Eldridge, Hank Jones, Ray Brown, Max Roach.Recorded live in Frankfurt, Germany in 1952.

 

[Dennie]

Lester Young with The Oscar Peterson Trio -- Remastered 20bit CD

1953/1997 Verve Master Edition

It could be argued that the modern saxophonist makes some musical allusion to Lester Young--no matter how remote or indirect--in every solo rendered. On this release (1952), we hear the legendary "President of the saxophone" in great company. One can't get much more polished and refined than the Oscar Peterson Quartet (the album's title is incorrect; we do not hear a trio on this recording).Indeed, Young is superbly accompanied by Peterson on piano, Barney Kessel on guitar, Ray Brown on bass, and J.C. Heard on drums. Highlights on WITH THE OSCAR PETERSON TRIO include the somber ballad version of "There Will Never Be Another You" and the lively "Tea for Two." Finally, on "(It Takes) Two to Tango" we hear Young singing: a very rare treat. His bawdy improvised lyrics and carefree delivery are quite charming, as are the number of very funny outtakes from the session itself.

Track Listing
1. Ad Lib Blues
2. I Can't Get Started
3. Just You, Just Me
4. Almost Like Being in Love
5. Tea For Two
6. There Will Never Be Another You
7. Indiana, (Back Home Again in)
8. On the Sunny Side of the Street
9. Stardust
10. I'm Confessin'
11. I Can't Give You Anything But Love
12. These Foolish Things
13. Two To Tango (It Takes) / Two To Tango (It Takes) - (rehearsal/false start chatter/master take)
14. I Can't Get Started - (previously unreleased, false start)

Personnel: Lester Young (vocals, tenor saxophone); Oscar Peterson (piano); Barney Kessel (guitar); Ray Brown (bass); J. C. Heard (drums).Recorded in New York, New York in November 1952. Includes liner notes by Douglas Henry Daniels.

 

[Dennie]

Midnight Blue -- RVG Edition 24bit CD

Kenny Burrell

1963/1999 Blue Note Records

Amazon.com

Kenny Burrell's music is a wonderful blend of elegance and conviction, musical inventiveness and thoughtful restraint. On this 1967 session, the guitarist is joined by regular associates--tenorist Stanley Turrentine, conga drummer Ray Barretto, bassist Major Holley, and drummer Bill English--and together they concentrate on the subtlest and deepest hues of the blues, combining strong rhythmic grooves with a feeling of late-night reflection. There's never a misstep or a superfluous note, from the funky Latin hit "Chitlins Con Carne" to Burrell's deeply felt solo "Soul Lament" and the concentrated swing of "Gee, Baby, Ain't I Good to You." The result is a masterpiece, and the 24-bit remastering by the original engineer, Rudy Van Gelder, adds to the spaciousness and intimacy that have always been hallmarks of the session. --Stuart Broomer

Except where otherwise noted, all songs composed by Kenny Burrell.

"Chitlins con Carne" – 5:30
"Mule" (Burrell, Major Holley, Jr.) – 6:56
"Soul Lament" – 2:43
"Midnight Blue" – 4:02
"Wavy Gravy" – 5:47
"Gee Baby, Ain't I Good to You" (Andy Razaf, Don Redman) – 4:25
"Saturday Night Blues" – 6:16
"Kenny's Sound" (reissue bonus track) – 4:43
"K Twist" (reissue bonus track)– 3:36

Kenny Burrell – guitar
Stanley Turrentine – tenor saxophone
Major Holley – bass
Billy Gene English – drums
Ray Barretto – conga

 

[v8peters]

Louis

Louis Armstrong

1966 Mercury

 

[v8peters]

World Clique

Deee-Lite

1990 Elektra

 

[Dennie]

Autumn Leaves -- 2 CD Set

Tal Farlow

1978 & 1985/2003 Concord Records

Tal Farlow recorded a wonderful series of albums that established him as one of the premiere bop/cool guitarists. He recorded less frequently in the '60s, '70s, and '80s, preferring to stay out of the limelight. Autumn Leaves consists of two discs Farlow recorded for Concord: Tal Farlow '78 and The Legendary Tal Farlow (1985). When a great player like Farlow revives his career 20 years later, it seems customary, though a bit impolite, to ask: can he play as well as he once could? The easy answer is yes, he plays with the same finesse and speed (though it's hard to tell: his fingers move extremely fast), but this should be qualified by noting that his overall approach has mellowed during the interval. On the first disc Farlow is joined by bassist Gary Mazzaroppi and drummer Tom Sayek for a straight-ahead trio set. Ballads ("Here's That Rainy Day" and "Autumn Leaves") and barnburners ("Mahoney's 11 Ohms" and "With the Wind and the Rain in Your Hair") get equal billing, which means the album goes down like a perfectly balanced glass of red wine. The trio grows to a quintet on The Legendary Tal Farlow, with special notice going to flutist/tenor saxophonist Sam Most. Most's flute work injects an airy presence into "You Stepped Out of a Dream" and "I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good," while also working as a nice counter voice to Farlow's guitar. The two satisfying sets on Autumn Leaves offer over 80 minutes of modern jazz played with elegance and style. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr.

Track Listing

DISC 1:
1. Mahoney's 11 Ohms
2. Here's That Rainy Day
3. Autumn Leaves
4. With the Wind and the Rain in Your Hair
5. Perdido
6. Medley: Ill Wind/Invitation/: Ill Wind / Invitation
7. Satin Doll
8. Gymkhana in Soho

DISC 2:
1. You Stepped Out of a Dream
2. When Your Lover Has Gone
3. I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)
4. When Lights Are Low
5. Who Cares?
6. I Can't Get Started
7. Prelude to a Kiss
8. Everything Happens to Me

2 LPs on 2 CDs: TAL FARLOW '78 (1978)/THE LEGENDARY TAL FARLOW (1985).Personnel: Tal Farlow (guitar); Sam Most (tenor saxophone, flute); Frank Strazzeri (piano); Bob Maize, Gary Mazzaroppi (bass); Tom Sayek, Al "Tootie" Heath (drums).Producers: Carl E. Jefferson, Frank Dorritie.Recorded at Bell Sound, New York, New York and Sage And Sound Studios, Hollywood, California between 1978 and 1985. Includes liner notes by Gordon Raddue, Ira Gitler.Personnel: Tal Farlow (guitar); Sam Most (flute, tenor saxophone); Frank Strazzeri (piano); Tom Sayek, Albert "Tootie" Heath (drums).Audio Remixer: Phil Edwards .Liner Note Authors: Ira Gitler; Gordon Raddue.Recording information: Bell Sound Studios, New York, NY (09/1984); Sage & Sound Studio, Hollywood, CA (09/1984).

 

[v8peters]

The Three Tenors In Concert

Carreras, Dominog and Pavarotti
Mehta

1990 London

 

[Dennie]

West of 5th -- SACD

Hank Jones - Christian McBride - Jimmy Cobb

2006 Chesky Records

From the vigor and agility with which Hank Jones plays on WEST OF 5TH, one would never guess that the pianist was 88 years old at the time of this 2006 recording. Jones is joined by a fellow legendary jazz veteran in drummer Jimmy Cobb (best known for his work on Miles Davis's KIND OF BLUE), and young-gun bassist Christian McBride. The music isn't futuristic or rule-bending, but therein lies its charm. Jones, Cobb, and McBride work through a set of standards, including "On Green Dolphin Street" and "Stella by Starlight," masterfully turning material that would otherwise seem clich‚d into fresh, vital, and totally engaging jazz for the ages.

Track Listings
1. On Green Dolphin Street
2. Mr. Walker
3. Speak Low
4. A Child Is Born
5. If I Were A Bell
6. Billie's Bounce
7. Lotus Blossom
8. Confirmation
9. We'll Be Together Again
10. Stella by Starlight
11. Eleanor

Personnel: Hank Jones (piano); Christian McBride (double bass); Jimmy Cobb (drums).Liner Note Author: Ira Gitler.Recording information: St. Peter's Episcopal Church, New York, NY (01/29/2006)

 

[Dennie]

Good Vibes -- Remastered CD

Red Norvo

1943-45/1997 Drive Records

This budget CD gives listeners highlights from several V-Disc sessions headed by vibraphonist Red Norvo during the 1943-44 period. Most of the selections feature Norvo heading an octet that has a couple of lesser-known but talented horn players (trumpeter Dale Pierce and trombonist Dick Taylor) plus clarinetist Aaron Sachs, the great tenor Flip Phillips, pianist Ralph Burns, bassist Clyde Lombardi and drummer Johnny Blowers. In addition, there are guest appearances by singer Helen Ward ("Too Marvelous for Words") and pianist Teddy Wilson. The music is essentially late-period swing, with Norvo in superb form on such numbers as "1-2-3-4 Jump," the boppish "Purple Feathers," "In a Mellow Tone" and a couple numbers ("Seven Come Eleven" and "Flying Home") more closely associated with Lionel Hampton. Although this CD is the length of an LP and the sessions are not quite complete, the music is worthwhile and inexpensively priced. ~ Scott Yanow

Track Listing
1. Seven Come Eleven
2. Lagwood Walk
3. The Sergeant on Furlough
4. Too Marvelous for Words
5. 1-2-3-4 Jump
6. Purple Feathers
7. In a Mellow Tone
8. Flying Home
9. The Bass on the Barroom Floor
10. Which Switch Witch
11. Blue Skies

Personnel: Red Norvo (vibraphone); Flip Phillips (tenor saxophone); Dale Pierce (trumpet); Dick Taylor (trombone); Aaron Sachs (clarinet); Ralph Burns, Teddy Wilson, Specs Powell (piano); Remo Palmieri (guitar); Clyde Lombardi, Al Hall (bass); Johnny Blowers, Danny Negri, Eddie Dell (drums).Recorded between October 28, 1943 and February 28, 1945.

 

[Babs]

Sssshhhh! Zing has his headphones on upstairs while gaming.

Babs... :music-listening:

 

[Zing]

Sssshhhh! Zing has his headphones on upstairs while gaming.

But my Spidey sense told me there was some "bubbly" bullshit going on in the house.

 

[Babs]

^ :happy-smileygiantred: Seriously, you are awesome for not pitching a fit.

How about this???

My personal favorite is...

Track #12...A Baby Just Like You


Zing highly dislikes this CD, period. Ouch!

I find it heart warming and old school. Reflections of Christmas and the true meaning of the holiday season with family and friends.

 

[v8peters]

Sssshhhh! Zing has his headphones on upstairs while gaming.

Babs... :music-listening:

^ :happy-smileygiantred: Seriously, you are awesome for not pitching a fit.

How about this???

My personal favorite is...

Track #12...A Baby Just Like You


Zing highly dislikes this CD, period. Ouch!

I find it heart warming and old school. Reflections of Christmas and the true meaning of the holiday season with family and friends.

Great stuff, Babs!!! :handgestures-thumbup: :handgestures-thumbup:

 

[v8peters]

Christmas Songs

Diana Krall featuring the Clayton/Hamilton Jazz Orchestra

2005 Verve

 

[v8peters]

Christmas Album

Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass

1968 A&M

 

[v8peters]

Elvis' Christmas Album

Elvis Presley

1957/1964 RCA Victor

 

[v8peters]

CHANGESBOWIE

David Bowie

1990 Rykodisc

 

[Dennie]

Happy Sunday everyone... :banana-rock:

Black, Brown and Beige -- Remastered CD

Duke Ellington and his Orchestra Featuring Mahalia Jackson

1958/1999 Columbia/Legacy

Amazon.com

As a composer and bandleader associated indelibly with the nightclub scenes of pre-Swing Era jazz, Duke Ellington would have a difficult time getting respect in the button-down world of concert music. And when Ellington premiered his first long-form piece, Black, Brown and Beige, in 1943 (available on the stunning Carnegie Hall Concerts, January 1943), he was considered a dilettante. He laid the work aside until this recording, which came in early 1958--with the added oomph of gospel vocalist Mahalia Jackson on board for all the suite's vocal parts. On this expanded reissue, Columbia has added an alternate take of the entire piece as well as two unrelated tracks recorded during the Black, Brown sessions but never before released. The suite is an expansive look, from Ellington's vantage, of course, at the evolution of African American history and culture. So there are ripples of spirited tone poetry, soaring gospel vocals from Jackson (with spare, aching piano from Ellington in spots), thundering horn-fronted swing from the band, and a consistency and unity on par with any symphonic work of the modern era. Ellington was always sensitive about this piece. After all, it showed a lot of what he held in high esteem: history, musical meditations on culture, and a full, colorful use of a band that Ellington held together for an amazingly long time. If only for Mahalia Jackson's takes on "Come Sunday," by now an acknowledged standard, this set is awesome. --Andrew Bartlett

All tracks by Duke Ellington

"Part I" – 8:17
"Part II" – 6:14
"Part III" (aka Light) – 6:26
"Part IV" (aka Come Sunday) – 7:58
"Part V" (aka Come Sunday) – 3:46
"Part VI" (23rd Psalm) – 3:01 Bonus tracks on re-releases
"Track 360" (aka Trains) (alternative take) - 2:02
"Blues in Orbit" (aka Tender) (alternative take) - 2:36
"Part I" (alternative take) – 6:49
"Part II" (alternative take) – 6:38
"Part III" (alternative take) – 3:08
"Part IV" (alternative take) – 2:23
"Part V" (alternative take) – 5:51
"Part VI" (alternative take) – 1:59
"Studio conversation" (Mahalia Swears) – 0:07
"Come Sunday" (a cappella) – 5:47
"(Pause track)" – 0:06

-------

Duke Ellington — piano
William "Cat" Anderson — trumpet
Harold Shorty Baker — trumpet
Clark Terry — trumpet
Ray Nance — trumpet, violin
John Sanders — valve trombone
Quentin Jackson — trombone
Britt Woodman — trombone
Paul Gonsalves — tenor saxophone
Bill Graham — alto saxophone
Harry Carney — baritone saxophone
Jimmy Woode — bass
Sam Woodyard — drums
Mahalia Jackson — vocals