Miles Davis- In Stockholm 1960 [4 CD, 1992] [FLAC]

 

This remarkable four-CD set features John Coltrane with the Miles Davis Quintet just a short time before 'Trane went out on his own. Davis sounds inspired by his star tenor and although Coltrane was reportedly bored with the repertoire ("On Green Dolphin Street," "All Blues," "Fran-Dance," "Walkin'" and two versions of "So What"), he is at his most explorative throughout this often-stunning music. In addition, the rhythm section (pianist Wynton Kelly, bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Jimmy Cobb) had been together for two years and is really tight. Although currently out of print, it is well worth any foot work that may be needed in order to acquire it. This highly recommended set also includes a brief interview with Coltrane from this period.

Bud Powell -The Scene Changes: The Amazing Bud Powell, Vol. 5 (2015) [24-192]

Pianist Bud Powell made several fine recordings for Blue Note during the 1950s, including The Scene Changes, his last album for the label in 1958. He's joined by bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Art Taylor on a handful of his own compositions. Powell is in excellent form, and there's a simple elegance to the small setting with each of the players sharing equal space in the stereo spectrum. The title cut bops along at a snappy pace before taking time out toward the end for a Taylor solo, while 'Down With It' is pushed forward by Powell's forceful, driving rhythm. Extra touches here and there, like the piano intro on 'Cleopatra's Dream' and the drum roll that kicks off 'Duid Deed,' lets the listener know these players are in the groove. Only 'Boderick' sticks out as minor, and the fact that the players only devote two minutes to this parlor-piano piece seems to indicate they felt the same way. Powell, Chambers, and Taylor make amends for this on the eight-minute 'Coming Up,' a medium-tempo piece with idiosyncratic piano lines and a thumping beat (the bonus cut includes a shorter version of the composition). The Scene Changes is a fine album filled with good compositions and nice interplay between three musicians in top form.“ 

John Coltrane - Blue Train (10 CD, 2007) [FLAC + 320]

 

Although never formally signed, an oral agreement between John Coltrane and Blue Note Records founder Alfred Lion was indeed honored on Blue Train -- Coltrane's only collection of sides as a principal artist for the venerable label. The disc is packed solid with sonic evidence of Coltrane's innate leadership abilities. He not only addresses the tunes at hand, but also simultaneously reinvents himself as a multifaceted interpreter of both hard bop as well as sensitive balladry -- touching upon all forms in between...

 

Miles Davis Quintet - The First Great Quintet 1955-56 (3 CD, 2021) [Hi-Res FLAC]

 

"In the summer of 1955, after Davis performed at the Newport Jazz Festival, he was approached by Columbia Records executive George Avakian, who offered him a contract if he could form a regular band. Davis assembled his first regular quintet to meet a commitment at the Café Bohemia in July with Sonny Rollins on tenor saxophone, Red Garland on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums. By the autumn, Rollins had left to deal with his heroin addiction, and later in the year joined the hard bop quintet led by Clifford Brown and Max Roach.

At the recommendation of drummer Jones, Davis replaced Rollins with John Coltrane, beginning a partnership that would last five years and finalizing the Quintet's first line-up. Expanded to a sextet with the addition of Cannonball Adderley on alto saxophone in 1958, the First Great Quintet was one of the definitive hard bop groups along with the Brown-Roach Quintet and the Jazz Messengers, recording the Columbia albums Round About Midnight, Milestones, and the marathon sessions for Prestige Records resulting in four albums collected on The Legendary Prestige Quintet Sessions." 

Art Pepper - Art Pepper Meets The Rhythm Section (stereo 1957-2021) [24-192]

By the time of this, Art Pepper's tenth recording as a leader, he was making his individual voice on the alto saxophone leave the cozy confines of his heroes Charlie Parker and Lee Konitz. Joining the Miles Davis rhythm section of pianist Red Garland, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Philly Joe Jones made the transformation all that more illuminating. It's a classic east meets west, cool plus hot but never lukewarm combination that provides many bright moments for the quartet during this exceptional date from that great year in music, 1957. 

• Art Pepper - alto saxophone
• Red Garland - piano
• Paul Chambers - bass
• Philly Joe Jones - drums

01 - You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To 05:26

02 - Red Pepper Blues 03:39

03 - Imagination 05:54

04 - Waltz Me Blues 02:58

05 - Straight Life 04:01

06 - Jazz Me Blues 04:49

07 - Tin Tin Deo 07:44

08 - Star Eyes 05:14

09 - Birks Works 04:19

Miles Davis - The First Great Quintet [Studio 1955-56] [2021 remaster FLAC-HD]

 In the summer of 1955, after Miles Davis performed at the Newport Jazz Festival, he was approached by Columbia Records executive George Avakian, who offered him a contract if he could form a regular band. Davis assembled his first regular quintet to meet a commitment at the Café Bohemia in July with Sonny Rollins on tenor saxophone, Red Garland on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums. By the autumn, Rollins had left to deal with his heroin addiction, and later in the year joined the hard bop quintet led by Clifford Brown and Max Roach.

At the recommendation of drummer Jones, Davis replaced Rollins with John Coltrane, beginning a partnership that would last five years and finalizing the Quintet's first line-up. Expanded to a sextet with the addition of Cannonball Adderley on alto saxophone in 1958, the First Great Quintet was one of the definitive hard bop groups along with the Brown-Roach Quintet and the Jazz Messengers, recording the Columbia albums Round About Midnight, Milestones, and the marathon sessions for Prestige Records resulting in four albums collected on The Legendary Prestige Quintet Sessions.

Miles Davis Quintet:   

Miles Davis, trumpet
John Coltrane, tenor saxophone
Red Garland, piano
Paul Chambers, double bass
Philly Joe Jones, drums

Paul Chambers - Mosaic Select 5 (3 CD, 2005/FLAC)

 

Paul Chambers finally receives the Mosaic Select treatment and there's a surprise tossed in with his catalog for fans and connoisseurs: his material recorded for the Transition label. Also included on the Paul Chambers set are the albums Chambers' Music and Whims of Chambers from 1956 and Bass on Top and The Paul Chambers Quintet from 1957. Musicians on these dates ran the gamut from Elvin Jones to Donald Byrd, Clifford Jordan, Horace Silver, Kenny Burrell, Hank Jones, and Art Taylor -- an overwhelming number of fellow Detroiters. There are some other odds and ends as well, but most importantly, the Transition material will be of prime interest to John Coltrane fans. "Trane's Strain," an 11-minute legato orgy, was recorded and released on a Transition sampler called Jazz in Translation. It features Chambers, Coltrane, Pepper Adams, Curtis Fuller, Philly Joe Jones, and Roland Alexander. Two other selections, "High Step" and "Nixon, Dixon and Yates Blues," were recorded on the same day and issued on the Blue Note sampler High Step. Two other selections, "Chamber Mates" and "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm," on which Art Blakey is featured, were originally issued on samplers as well: Blue Berlin and Blakey's Drums Around the Corner. What it all adds up to is nearly four hours of some of the most elegant, heated playing in hard bop history. Away from their membership in the Miles Davis Quintet, Chambers, Trane, and Jones created a standard for all of Chambers' recordings for Blue Note: complex yet airy arrangements, impassioned and highly stylized playing, and plenty of improvisation. This is a set that goes beyond the boundaries of standard Blue Note fare (which is high-quality fare, indeed) and extends into the realm of pure musicology as articulated by jazz. Most of the players on these sessions had their musical vocabularies altered permanently by their participation. Many harmonic ideas were born in these dates in the mid-'50s, and most are still being articulated and built upon to this day. This box is essential. 

 

John Coltrane & Friends - Sideman: Trane’s Blue Note Sessions (3 CD, 2014/FLAC-HD)

  A collection of the legendary saxophonist’s sideman sessions for Blue Note Records from 1956-1957, when Coltrane was a regular member of the Miles Davis Quintet and played with pianist Thelonious Monk. This set, conceived by former Blue Note Records president Bruce Lundvall, marks the first time Coltrane’s sideman sessions for Blue Note have been collected in one place; albums include recordings led by Paul Chambers (Chambers’ Music, a.k.a. High Step, and Whims of Chambers), Johnny Griffin (A Blowing Session) and Sonny Clark (Sonny’s Crib).

• John Coltrane - saxophone
• Paul Chambers - double bass
• Sonny Clark - piano
• Johnny Griffin - saxophone

 

 

Blue Note Works 1500 series Vol.1566-1580

 

Blue Note Records is an American jazz record label, owned by Universal Music Group and currently operates in conjunction with Decca Records. Established in 1939 by Alfred Lion and Max Margulis, it derives its name from the characteristic "blue notes" of jazz and the blues. Originally dedicated to recording traditional jazz and small group swing, from 1947 the label began to switch its attention to modern jazz. While the original company did not itself record many of the pioneers of bebop, significant exceptions are Thelonious Monk, Fats Navarro and Bud Powell.

Many great jazz musicians recorded for Blue Note, but the man responsible for the quality of label’s recordings – their high dynamic and tonal range and lifelike presence – was sound engineer, Rudy Van Gelder. It was his recording equipment, choice and placement of microphones, the work at the mixing desk, the selection and rejection of takes, and the active supervision of the whole recording process from monitoring the dials through to cutting of the master lacquer, that created the “Blue Note sound”.

Van Gelder always sought to be at the forefront of recording technology – the Scully lathe he used for cutting lacquer masters was the first to feature variable pitch/depth control to optimise groove-width and loudness. He deployed the newest Neumann/ Telefunken U-47 condenser microphone, which he had specially modified for use very close to instruments. His recordings were made on the latest Ampex tape recorders.

Blue Note made the switch to 12" LPs late in 1955. The Modern Jazz Series continued with the following 12" LPs. Many of these were issued in both monaural versions (BLP series) and stereo versions (BST 81500 series), sometimes in electronically rechanneled stereo. In certain cases, the stereo versions of recordings from 1957 onwards only appeared many years later. Beginning in 1956 with BLP 1509, Reid Miles designed most of the Blue Note LP covers. The 1500 series has been systematically reissued by Toshiba-EMI in Japan ("Blue Note Works 1500" series, 20-bit 88.2 kHz CDs); the catalog numbers are TOCJ-1501, etc.

 

BN.1566- Lou Donaldson- 1957- Swing And Soul
BN.1567- Curtis Fuller- 1957- The Opener {RVG Remaster}
BN.1568- Hank Mobley- 1957- Hank Mobley {RVG Remaster}
BN.1569- Paul Chambers- 1957- Bass on Top {RVG Remaster}
BN.1570- Sonny Clark- 1957- Dial 'S' for Sonny {RVG Remaster}
BN.1571- Bud Powell- 1957- Bud! The Amazing Bud Powell (Vol.3)
BN.1572- Curtis Fuller- 1957- Bone & Bari {RVG Remaster}
BN.1573- John Jenkins- 1957- John Jenkins with Kenny Burrell
BN.1574- Hank Mobley & Lee Mogran- 1958- Peckin' Time {RVG Remaster}
BN.1575- Lee Morgan- 1957- City Lights {RVG Remaster}
BN.1576- Sonny Clark- 1957- Sonny's Crib
BN.1577- John Coltrane- 1957- Blue Train {RVG Remaster}
BN.1578- Lee Morgan- 1957- The Cooker {RVG Remaster}
BN.1579- Sonny Clark- 1957- Sonny Clark Trio {RVG Remaster}
BN.1580- Johnny Griffin- 1957- The Congregation {RVG Remaster}

Blue Note Works 1500 series Vol.1551-1565

  

Blue Note Records is an American jazz record label, owned by Universal Music Group and currently operates in conjunction with Decca Records. Established in 1939 by Alfred Lion and Max Margulis, it derives its name from the characteristic "blue notes" of jazz and the blues. Originally dedicated to recording traditional jazz and small group swing, from 1947 the label began to switch its attention to modern jazz. While the original company did not itself record many of the pioneers of bebop, significant exceptions are Thelonious Monk, Fats Navarro and Bud Powell.

Many great jazz musicians recorded for Blue Note, but the man responsible for the quality of label’s recordings – their high dynamic and tonal range and lifelike presence – was sound engineer, Rudy Van Gelder. It was his recording equipment, choice and placement of microphones, the work at the mixing desk, the selection and rejection of takes, and the active supervision of the whole recording process from monitoring the dials through to cutting of the master lacquer, that created the “Blue Note sound”.

Van Gelder always sought to be at the forefront of recording technology – the Scully lathe he used for cutting lacquer masters was the first to feature variable pitch/depth control to optimise groove-width and loudness. He deployed the newest Neumann/ Telefunken U-47 condenser microphone, which he had specially modified for use very close to instruments. His recordings were made on the latest Ampex tape recorders.

Blue Note made the switch to 12" LPs late in 1955. The Modern Jazz Series continued with the following 12" LPs. Many of these were issued in both monaural versions (BLP series) and stereo versions (BST 81500 series), sometimes in electronically rechanneled stereo. In certain cases, the stereo versions of recordings from 1957 onwards only appeared many years later. Beginning in 1956 with BLP 1509, Reid Miles designed most of the Blue Note LP covers. The 1500 series has been systematically reissued by Toshiba-EMI in Japan ("Blue Note Works 1500" series, 20-bit 88.2 kHz CDs); the catalog numbers are TOCJ-1501, etc.

 

BN.1551- Jimmy Smith- 1957- Jimmy Smith At The Organ Volume 1
BN.1554- Art Blakey- 1957- Orgy In Rhythm Vol. 1
BN.1555- Art Blakey- 1957- Orgy In Rhythm Vol. 2
BN.1556- Jimmy Smith- 1957- The Sounds Of Jimmy Smith {RVG Remaster}
BN.1557- Lee Morgan- 1957- Lee Morgan Vol.3 {RVG Remaster}
BN.1558- Sonny Rollins- 1957- Volume Two {RVG Remaster}
BN.1559- Johnny Griffin- 1957- A Blowin' Session {RVG Remaster}
BN.1560- Hank Mobley- 1957- Hank {RVG Remaster}
BN.1561- Sabu Martinez- 1957- Palo Congo
BN.1562- Horace Silver- 1957- The Stylings Of Silver {RVG Remaster}
BN.1563- Jimmy Smith- 1957- Plays Pretty Just For You
BN.1564- Paul Chambers- 1957- Paul Chambers Quintet {RVG Remaster}
BN.1565- Cliff Jordan- 1957- Cliff Jordan {RVG Remaster}

Blue Note Works 1500 series Vol.1531-1540

 

Blue Note Records is an American jazz record label, owned by Universal Music Group and currently operates in conjunction with Decca Records. Established in 1939 by Alfred Lion and Max Margulis, it derives its name from the characteristic "blue notes" of jazz and the blues. Originally dedicated to recording traditional jazz and small group swing, from 1947 the label began to switch its attention to modern jazz. While the original company did not itself record many of the pioneers of bebop, significant exceptions are Thelonious Monk, Fats Navarro and Bud Powell.

Many great jazz musicians recorded for Blue Note, but the man responsible for the quality of label’s recordings – their high dynamic and tonal range and lifelike presence – was sound engineer, Rudy Van Gelder. It was his recording equipment, choice and placement of microphones, the work at the mixing desk, the selection and rejection of takes, and the active supervision of the whole recording process from monitoring the dials through to cutting of the master lacquer, that created the “Blue Note sound”.

Van Gelder always sought to be at the forefront of recording technology – the Scully lathe he used for cutting lacquer masters was the first to feature variable pitch/depth control to optimise groove-width and loudness. He deployed the newest Neumann/ Telefunken U-47 condenser microphone, which he had specially modified for use very close to instruments. His recordings were made on the latest Ampex tape recorders.

Blue Note made the switch to 12" LPs late in 1955. The Modern Jazz Series continued with the following 12" LPs. Many of these were issued in both monaural versions (BLP series) and stereo versions (BST 81500 series), sometimes in electronically rechanneled stereo. In certain cases, the stereo versions of recordings from 1957 onwards only appeared many years later. Beginning in 1956 with BLP 1509, Reid Miles designed most of the Blue Note LP covers. The 1500 series has been systematically reissued by Toshiba-EMI in Japan ("Blue Note Works 1500" series, 20-bit 88.2 kHz CDs); the catalog numbers are TOCJ-1501, etc.


BN.1531- Fats Navarro- 1953- The Fabulous Fats Navarro Vol.1
BN.1532- Fats Navarro- 1953- The Fabulous Fats Navarro Vol.2
BN.1533- Johnny Griffin- 1956- Introducing Johnny Griffin {RVG Remaster}
BN.1534- Paul Chambers- 1956- Whims Of Chambers
BN.1535- Kenny Dorham- 1955- Afro-Cuban {RVG Remaster}
BN.1536- J.R. Monterose- 1956- J.R. Monterose {RVG Remaster}
BN.1537- Lou Donaldson- 1954- Quartet Quintet Sextet
BN.1538- Lee Morgan- 1956- Lee Morgan Indeed! {RVG Remaster}
BN.1539- Horace Silver- 1956- Six Pieces Of Silver {RVG Remaster}
BN.1540- Hank Mobley- 1956- With Donald Byrd & Lee Morgan

The Miles Davis Quintet ‎– The Legendary Prestige Quintet Sessions (4 CD, 2006)

 The Legendary Prestige Quintet Sessions is a four compact disc box set of recordings by the Miles Davis Quintet released in 2006 by the Concord Music Group. It collates on three discs the entire set of recordings that made up the Prestige Records albums released from 1956 through 1961.

The track "'Round Midnight" was released on the album Miles Davis and the Modern Jazz Giants. The fourth disc contains live material from a television broadcast and in jazz club settings. It peaked at #15 on the Billboard jazz album chart, and was reissued on December 2, 2016, in a smaller compact disc brick packaging.

• Miles Davis — trumpet
• John Coltrane — tenor saxophone
• Red Garland — piano
• Bill Evans — piano on disc four tracks 7-10
• Paul Chambers — bass
• Philly Joe Jones — drums

Miles Davis Quintet - 1955-56 - Complete Studio Recordings - The Master Takes (4 CD, 1998/FLAC)

 In the first half of 1955 Miles Davis was in a much better shape than he was in a long time. After kicking his heroin habit at his father’s house in 1953, he came back to New York City a more complete musician. His tone on the trumpet improved and so his ability to lead groups of musicians at recording sessions and in clubs. The quality of his 1954 studio output for Prestige exceeded most of his early 1950s recordings and yielded some of the best records in his career thus far: Walkin’, Bag’s Groove and Miles Davis and the Modern Jazz Giants. He was ready to move on to the next stage of his career, gain wider recognition and prestige than what his current label (Prestige, ironically) could give him and no less important – make more money. Two factors in his professional life were lacking and prevented him from reaching his goals – a bigger, nationwide record label, and a stable working band of excellent musicians. But starting in June 1955 events started unfolding at an accelerated pace for Miles. 

Curtis Fuller - Complete Blue Note / UA Sessions [3 CD,1996/FLAC]

 

Curtis DuBois Fuller (born in Detroit, December 15, 1934) is a United States hard bop trombonist, primarily known as a member of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers.

Trombonist Curtis Fuller, who developed his sound out of the style of J.J. Johnson, recorded prolifically as a leader from 1957-1962. After recording three dates for Prestige and New Jazz within a seven-day period in 1957, Fuller made four albums for Blue Note from 1957-1958, and after three albums for Savoy, he cut a lone session for United Artists in 1959. All of the five Blue Note and United Artists records (plus an alternate take of "Down Home") are on this excellent three-CD limited box set, released in 1996.

Miles Davis - Olympia Concerts Live (1960, 1973) [5 CD, 1999]

 

This remarkable concert at the Paris Olympia in March 1960 features the same group(less Cannonball Adderley) that recorded 'Freddie Freeloader' on Miles Davis's classic album 'Kind of Blue' a year or so earlier but they sound very different here. John Coltrane was reluctant to be part of this European tour and was anxious to leave Miles and start his own band. Despite this he's in absolutely blistering form although some members of the audience are clearly perturbed by the intensity of his playing. The recording quality is excellent and it's a mystery why this concert hasn't received more attention. ”