VA - Membran Music's Jazz Ballads Series Vol. 1-5 (10 CD, 2004) [FLAC+320]

 A CD sets with the most beautiful ballads in the history of jazz.

Lyrical, imaginative, sensuous and melodic jewels from the art of music.

Precisely for those people who have maintained their taste for lasting musical values.

Jazz in its most gentle form.

Irrestible...

Jazz Ballads 1: Chet Baker & Gerry Mulligan
Jazz Ballads 2: Ben Webster
Jazz Ballads 3: Lester Young
Jazz Ballads 4: Clifford Brown & Sonny Rollins
Jazz Ballads 5: Don Byas

Sonny Rollins- The Freelance Years- The Complete Riverside & Contemporary Recordings [5 CD, 2000/FLAC]

 Gathering the sessions for both Riverside and Contemporary Records between 1956 and 1958, this five-disc box is chock-full of the magic that has made Rollins the legendary icon he is. Not only are the saxophonist's essential records WAY OUT WEST, THE SOUND OF SONNY, SONNY ROLLINS PLAYS, FREEDOM SUITE, and SONNY ROLLINS AND THE CONTEMPORARY LEADERS included, but classic sessions led by Thelonious Monk, Kenny Dorham, and Abbey Lincoln are also here.

Together these discs show Rollins as a magnificent soloist who had his style fully developed while John Coltrane and Wayne Shorter were still in finishing school. The included booklet contains a thoughtfully written essay on Rollins during this period and a priceless collection of photographs of the legendary participants herein. Even if you only dimly consider yourself a Sonny Rollins fan, these recordings should be in your collection.

Sonny Rollins - Go West!: The Contemporary Records Albums (3 CD, 2023) [24-192]

Go West!: The Contemporary Records Albums combines legendary Jazz saxophonist Sonny Rollins' two studio albums for Lester Koenig's Contemporary Records, Way Out West and And The Contemporary Leaders, with a third disc, Contemporary Alternate Takes. Featuring remastered audio by Bernie Grundman, the set is available on both RTI pressed 180g 3-LP and 3-CD formats.

• Brown, Ray - bass
• Hawes, Hampton - piano
• Kessel, Barney - guitar
• Manne, Shelly - drums
• Rollins, Sonny - tenor saxophone

Way Out West

01 - I’m An Old Cowhand 05:43

02 - Solitude 07:51

03 - Come, Gone 07:53

04 - Wagon Wheels 10:13

05 - There Is No Greater Love 05:18

06 - Way Out West 06:33

Sonny Rollins and the Contemporary Leaders

07 - I’ve Told Ev’ry Little Star 05:29

08 - Rock-A-Bye Your Baby With A Dixie Melody 04:56

09 - How High The Moon 07:47

10 - You 04:18

11 - I’ve Found A New Baby 03:41

12 - Alone Together 06:03

13 - In The Chapel In The Moonlight 06:42

14 - The Song Is You 05:43

Alternate Takes

15 - I’m An Old Cowhand (Alternate Take) 10:11

16 - Come, Gone (Alternate Take) 10:30

17 - Way Out West (Alternate Take) 06:40

18 - The Song Is You (Alternate Take) 06:17

19 - You (Alternate Take) 04:18

20 - I’ve Found A New Baby (Alternate Take) 04:21

Sonny Rollins Quartet With Don Cherry - Complete Live At The Village Gate 1962 [6 CD, 2015/FLAC]

 

The 1962 live engagement at the Village Gate marked Sonny Rollins’ first recording ever with Don Cherry, as well as one of th earliest made by the saxophonist following his three-year long selfimposed musical exile. It was all recorded in a piano-less quartet format with Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums.

While only three tunes from the gig (“Dearly Beloved” in a highly edited form) were included on the famous LP "Our Man in Paris" (RCA Victor LPM 2612), this 6-CD collection adds all existing music taped during those live sessions, totaling more than five hours of previously unreleased material in brilliant stereo sound.

Among the many highlights here are the unedited "Dearly Beloved" (which is 10 minutes longer than the LP version), the issued Oleo with an extra minute at the beginning, Rollins’ only known reading of "Alexander’s Ragtime Band", and "Home Sweet Home", plus extended renditions of songs he only rarely recorded, such as "Solitude" and "Love Walked In".

                                                       

Blue Note Works 4000-4100 series [4001-4014]

 

...The Modern Jazz Series continued into the 1970s with the LPs listed below. Many were issued in both monaural versions (BLP series) and stereo versions (BST 84000 series).  Most of the 4000 series have been reissued by Toshiba-EMI in Japan ("Blue Note Works 4000" series); the catalog numbers are TOCJ-4###


 

BN.4001- Sonny Rollins- 1957- Newk's Time {RVG Remaster}
BN.4002- Jimmy Smith- 1958- House Party {RVG Remaster}
BN.4003- Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers- 1958- Moanin' {RVG Remaster}
BN.4004- Art Blakey- 1958- Holiday for Skins, Vol.1
BN.4005- Art Blakey- 1958- Holiday for Skins, Vol.2
BN.4006- Dizzy Reece- 1958- Blues In Trinity
BN.4007- Donald Byrd- 1958- Off to the Races {RVG Remaster}
BN.4008- Horace Silver- 1959- Finger Poppin' {RVG Remaster}
BN.4009- Bud Powell- 1958- The Scene Changes. The Amazing Bud Powell (Vol. 5) {RVG Remaster}
BN.4010- Bennie Green- 1959- Walkin' & Talkin'
BN.4011- Jimmy Smith- 1958- The Sermon! {RVG Remaster}
BN.4012- Lou Donaldson with The Three Sounds- 1959- LD+3
BN.4013- Jackie McLean- 1959- New Soil
BN.4014- The Three Sounds- 1959- Bottoms Up!

Blue Note Works 1500 series Vol.1581-1590

 

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.1581- Sonny Rollins- 1957- A Night at the Village Vanguard {RVG Remaster}
BN.1582- Clifford Jordan- 1957- Cliff Craft
BN.1583- Curtis Fuller- 1957- Curtis Fuller Vol.3
BN.1584- Louis Smith- 1957- Here Comes Louis Smith {RVG Remaster}
BN.1585- Jimmy Smith- 1957- Groovin' at Smalls' Paradise vol.1 {RVG Remaster}
BN.1586- Jimmy Smith- 1957- Groovin' at Smalls' Paradise vol.2 {RVG Remaster}
BN.1587- Bennie Green- 1958- Back On The Scene
BN.1588- Sonny Clark- 1958- Cool Struttin' {RVG Remaster}
BN.1589- Horace Silver- 1958- Further Explorations {RVG Remaster}
BN.1590- Lee Morgan- 1958- Candy {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.1541-1550

 

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.1541- Lee Morgan- 1956- Lee Morgan Vol.2. Sextet {RVG Remaster}
BN.1542- Sonny Rollins- 1956- Sonny Rollins Vol.1
BN.1543- Kenny Burrell- 1956- Kenny Burrell Volume 2
BN.1544- Hank Mobley- 1957- Hank Mobley and His All Stars
BN.1545- Lou Donaldson- 1957- Wailing with Lou
BN.1546- Thad Jones- 1957- The Magnificent Thad Jones Vol.3
BN.1547- Jimmy Smith- 1957- A Date With Jimmy Smith, Vol. 1
BN.1548- Jimmy Smith- 1957- A Date With Jimmy Smith, Vol. 2
BN.1549- Clifford Jordan & John Gilmore- 1957- Blowing In From Chicago {RVG Remaster}
BN.1550- Hank Mobley- 1957- Hank Mobley Quintet {RVG Remaster}

Sonny Rollins - Original Album Classics (5 CD, 2007/FLAC)

 Sonny left the music biz in the late '50s and early '60s, then returned with a triumphant series of LPs. Here are five of 'em: 1962's Our Man in Jazz (with the jaw-dropping epic Oleo ) and What's New? (he teams with Jim Hall on If Ever I Would Leave You and his own Bluesong ), 1963's storied meeting with Coleman Hawkins, Sonny Meets Hawk! (with thrilling excursions through standards like All the Things You Are and Yesterdays ) and 1964's Now's the Time and The Standard Sonny Rollins (both with Herbie Hancock). A saxophone colossus, this is! 

 

Thelonious Monk - Eight Classic Albums (4 CD, 2010/ FLAC)

 

Eight classic albums on four discs from great Monk

CD1 - Monk, Monk's Music {76:26}

CD2 - Thelonious Monk Plays the Music of Duke Ellington, The Unique Thelonious Monk {75:46}

CD3 - Mulligan Meets Monk, Thelonious Monk and Sonny Rollins {75:12}

CD4 - Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers with Thelonious Monk, Thelonious Monk Trio {79:34}

Sonny Rollins- The Prestige Years (5 CD, 2014) [FLAC]

 Theodore Walter "Sonny" Rollins, born September 7, 1930, remains one of the most influential and important American Jazz musicians of all time and is widely recognized as the finest tenor sax player in Jazz's long history. Although now well into his 80s, Rollins continues to perform and release new recordings. Rollins was born in New York City, to parents who were themselves born in the U S Virgin Islands. Rollins received his first saxophone at age 13, initially attracted to the jump and R&B sounds of performers like Louis Jordan, but soon he became drawn into the mainstream tenor sax tradition. Rollins began to make a name for himself in 1949 as he recorded with Johnson and Bud Powell what would later be called "hard bop", with Davis in 1951, with the Modern Jazz Quartet and with Monk in 1953, but the breakthrough arrived in 1954 when he recorded his famous compositions "Oleo", "Airegin" and "Doxy" with a quintet led by Miles Davis. Rollins was invited later in 1955 to join the Clifford Brown-Max Roach quintet. After Brown's death in 1956, Rollins continued to play with Roach and released his own albums on Prestige Records, Blue Note, Riverside, and the Los Angeles label Contemporary. His widely acclaimed album Saxophone Colossus was recorded on June 22, 1956, and included his best-known composition "St. Thomas". In 1956 he also recorded Tenor Madness, using Davis' group. The title track is the only recording of Rollins with John Coltrane, who was also in the group at this time. It was this musical titan's recordings made with Prestige 1953-1956 which established Sony Rollins as one amongst the finest Jazz players to grace the genre. This 5 CD set contains all 10 LPs Sonny Rollins made for Prestige Records, in their entirety, beginning with his collaboration with Theolonius Monk and The Modern Jazz Quartet, and moving through his classic works as leader of some of the finest Jazz combos ever to record together.

Sonny Rollins - The Complete RCA Victor Recordings [6 CD, 1997/FLAC]

 This six-CD set has all of tenor saxophonist Sonny Rollins' recordings for RCA, including the complete contents of The Bridge, What's New, Our Man In Jazz, Sonny Meets Hawk, Now's the Time and The Standard Sonny Rollins, the three selections originally included in the sampler 3 for Jazz, and 11 alternate takes only previously released on the French album The Alternative Rollins. Less known than Rollins' earlier Prestige and Riverside records and slightly later Impulse albums, his output for RCA was recorded right after the great tenor came back from an extended sabbatical. The music on The Bridge (which co-stars guitarist Jim Hall) is the most famous of these dates. Rollins became increasingly interested in the avant-garde during the era, and he used two of Ornette Coleman's sidemen (trumpeter Don Cherry and drummer Billy Higgins) in his group for a period. On Sonny Meets Hawk, Rollins challenged his idol Coleman Hawkins by playing as outside as possible (Hawkins responded well). Other musicians heard on the recordings include bassists Bob Cranshaw, Ron Carter and Henry Grimes, drummers Ben Riley and Mickey Roker, pianists Paul Bley and Herbie Hancock and (on a couple of numbers) cornetist Thad Jones. However, Rollins is the main star throughout the adventurous and sometimes eccentric performances, coming up with many remarkable ideas, often rollicking with a pianoless rhythm section and in two cases taking duets with the congas of Candido. Serious Sonny Rollins collectors will have to have this valuable set, although since most of the selections have also been reissued on individual CDs, more casual jazz fans may be satisfied with one or two of the smaller reissues.

John Coltrane - Side Steps [5 CD, 2009]

 

John Coltrane's legendary Prestige recordings as a sideman to a host of jazz luminaries including Gene Ammons, Tadd Dameron, Red Garland, and Sonny Rollins.