VA - The Passion Of Charlie Parker (2017/FLAC-HD)

 Impulse!/Verve present “The Passion of Charlie Parker”, an album of iconic Parker songs transformed through the addition of lyrics to create a musical play that narrates Bird’s life. Produced by Larry Klein with lyrics by David Baerwald, the album features actor Jeffrey Wright in the role of Parker as narrator, with vocals provided by Wright, Gregory Porter, Madeleine Peyroux, Melody Gardot, Barbara Hannigan, Luciana Souza, Kurt Elling and Camille Bertault.

This ambitious project reimagines the music of Charlie Parker with lyrics that tell the story of Parker's life. Produced by Grammy winner Larry Klein (Joni Mitchell, Herbie Hancock) with lyrics by David Baerwald, the album features actor Jeffrey Wright portraying Parker as narrator, while Gregory Porter, Madeleine Peyroux, Melody Gardot, Barbara Hannigan, Luciana Souza, Kurt Elling and Camille Bertault lend their voices. The singers are backed by a superb band consisting of pianist Craig Taborn, saxophonist Donny McCaslin, guitarist Ben Monder, bassists Larry Grenadier and Scott Colley and drummers Mark Giuliana and Eric Harland.

 

Brian Lynch & Afro Cuban Jazz Orchestra - Bolero Nights (for Billie Holiday) [2011/FLAC-HD]

As one of the more exuberant trumpeters in Latin jazz via his stint with Eddie Palmieri, Brian Lynch might surprise his fans with this seductive and sensual album directing his Afro-Cuban-oriented orchestra. With five horns and on occasional the legendary alto saxophonist Phil Woods, Lynch and his band weave some magical and lower-key threads, not so much dedicated to Billie Holiday's music as inspired by her romantic spirit. Split between some well-chosen standards and original compositions, the band struts and sways along on the famous "Delilah," Lynch's easy cha-cha "Afinique," and the beautiful "La Sitiera." Only during the midtempo montuno version of the Charles Mingus evergreen "Celia" or the 6/8 arrangement of Mal Waldron's "Fire Dance" does the band really simmer or even moderately cook. Pianist Zaccai Curtis (of the Curtis Brothers Quartet) and Woods via counterpoint are outstanding in spots, while Lynch himself takes it down a notch throughout, setting the tone, and generously adding a sensitive but regretful feeling to the great take of "I'm a Fool to Want You." From luminous mambos or in serene, pensive underpinnings, this group really hits the mark for subtle yet clearly delineated music that Lady Day surely would have shed a tear or two over, as might we all.

• Brian Lynch - trumpet, flugelhorn
• Phil Woods (#3,6,7), Ivan Renta - alto saxophone
• Alan Hoffman - tenor saxophone
• Marshall Gilkes - trombone
• Ron Blake - baritone saxophone
• Zaccai Curtis - piano
• Boris Kozlov - bass
• Little Johnny Rivero - conga, bongo, percussion
• Marvin Diz - timbales, drums

Recorded at The Clinton Studio "A", New York on November 8-10, 2008.

01. Afinque (Lynch) - 7:51
02. La Sitiera (Lopez) - 6:32
03. Celia (Mingus) - 9:25
04. Fire Waltz (Waldron) - 6:38
05. Delilah (Young) - 9:43
06. I'm a Fool to Want You (Sinatra-Herron-Wolf) - 6:53
07. You've Changed (Fischer) - 7:15 

HR-Bigband (featuring Billy Cobham) - Meeting of the Spirits (A Celebration of the Mahavishnu Orchestra) [2006/FLAC]

 

Meeting of The Spirits / Celebrating The Music Of The Mahavishnu Orchestra. Bring together the mighty Hessische Rundfunk Big Band, the legendary drummer, Billy Cobham, the outstanding compositions of John McLaughlin and the consummate arranging skills of Colin Towns and you have an infallible recipe for success. For John McLaughlin, this project was, in his own words, a dream come true. 

The Paris All-Stars – Homage To Charlie Parker (1990/FLAC)

 

The city of Paris celebrated bop and the spirit of Charlie Parker with several days of all-star concerts in 1989, highlighted by this performance featuring eight giants who either played with the late alto saxophonist or built upon the foundation of his contributions, though the repertoire doesn't draw exclusively from Parker's recordings. The concert was led by trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie, with alto saxophonists Phil Woods and Jackie McLean, tenor saxophonist Stan Getz, vibraphonist Milt Jackson, pianist Hank Jones, bassist Percy Heath, and drummer Max Roach. Egos are never apparent as the men joyfully support one another and no one goes out of his way to showboat during a solo. Getz is featured in "Warm Valley," Roach is all alone during his three-part "Drummers' Sweet," it's Jackson with the rhythm section in the sentimental "Old Folks," while Heath opens a trio rendition of "Yardbird Suite" with a formidable unaccompanied solo. Dizzy's muted horn is complemented by Jones' spacious piano in a marvelous duet of "Con Alma." Woods and McLean team up for a fun romp through "Cherokee," while everyone returns to the stage for an inspired, smoking interpretation of "A Night in Tunisia," followed by Gillespie's delightful scatting in a burning take of "Oop-Pop-A-Da," which ignites his fellow players. Classical composer Mort Goode's liner notes talk more about the musicians than the performances themselves, so that explains why he didn't catch the bizarre mislabeling of "Steeplechase" as "Birk's Works," or the crediting of Gillespie's "Oop-Pop-A-Da" to Babs Gonzales. Sadly, this A&M CD has been out of print for quite some time, though it is well worth searching for a copy. 

    Alto Saxophone – Jackie McLean, Phil Woods

    Bass – Percy Heath

    Drums – Max Roach

    Piano – Hank Jones

    Tenor Saxophone – Stan Getz

    Trumpet – Dizzy Gillespie

    Vibraphone – Milt Jackson

Recorded June 15, 1989 at La Grande Hale - La Villette, Paris 

1. Steeplechase
2. Warm Valley
3. Drummer's Sweet: The Third Eye/Billy the Kid/The Drum Also Waltzes
4. Old Folks
5. Yardbird Suite
6. Con Alma
7. Cherokee
8. A Night in Tunisia
9. Oop-Pop-A-Da

John Di Martino's Romantic Jazz Trio - The Beatles In Jazz 2 (2017/FLAC)

 

• John Di Martino - piano
• Boris Kozlov - bass
• Alvin Atkinson - drums

01. For No One

02. Mother Nature’s Son

03. Something

04. You Never Give Me Your Money

05. If I Fell

06. She’s Leaving Home

07. Till There Was You

08. Hey Jude

09. I’ll Follow The Sun

10. Girl

11. You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away

12. Oh! Darling

13. Why Don’t We Do It In The Road

14. Imagine

John Di Martino's Romantic Jazz Trio - The Beatles In Jazz (2010/FLAC)

 Multiple Grammy nominee John Di Martino--composer, arranger, pianist--has recorded many albums for Venus Records with his Romantic Jazz Trio. Noted for his versatility, John has performed and recorded with such notables as Kenny Burrell, James Moody, Joe Lovano, David "Fat Head" Newman, Pat Martino, Paquito D'Rivera and Houston Person.

• John Di Martino - piano
• Boris Kozlov - bass
• Tim Horner - drums

01. The Fool On The Hill

02. Let It Be

03. Because

04. Fixing A Hole

05. In My Life

06. Norwegian Wood

07. Come Together

08. Penny Lane

09. Blackbird

10. Eleanor Rigby

11. Yesterday

12. Got To Get You Into My Life

13. Here, There And Everywhere

VA - Interpretations of Monk (w/ Muhal Richard Abrams, Barry Harris, Anthony Davis, Mal Waldron, Don Cherry, Steve Lacy) - 1981 (4 CD, 1994/FLAC)

 Three and a half months before Thelonious Monk died, two memorable tribute concerts took place at Columbia University. The lineup of musicians was perfect: soprano saxophonist Steve Lacy (long an expert on Monk's music), Thelonious' longtime tenor saxophonist Charlie Rouse, trombonist Roswell Rudd, trumpeter Don Cherry, bassist Richard Davis, either Ben Riley or Ed Blackwell on drums, and four different pianists. This legendary event was fortunately recorded, and the afternoon concert has been released in full on this 1997 double-CD set.