The New Jazz Orchestra - Le Dejeuner Sur L'Herbe (1969-2020 reissue/FLAC)

 If one were asked to pick an album that represented the best of British jazz in the 1960s, Le Déjeuner Sur l’Herbe by the New Jazz Orchestra would be a serious contender. Recorded in September 1968, it draws together many of the key streams that had developed in British jazz in the preceding years, and also presages much of what was to come. Notwithstanding the line-up, which includes some of the very best British jazz musicians directed by an inventive and ingenious leader in Neil Ardley, the session features pieces written by the most distinctive jazz composers active in Britain at that time alongside idiosyncratic interpretations of works by John Coltrane and Miles Davis. And it’s all captured beautifully by engineer Howard Barrow and producer Tony Reeves and it features a stella cast of some of the greatest musicians, not just from that era or genre but beyond; Jack Bruce, who would become one of the founding members of Cream, Barbara Thompson, Ian Carr, Michael Gibbs, Dave Gelly, Dick Heckstall-Smith and Jon Hiseman, who went on to form one of the greatest jazz / progressive / rock bands – Colosseum.

 

VA - Jazz At Midnight (5 CD, 1999/FLAC)

 

Very nice compilation of jazz standards

CD1 (61:07)

01. Ike Quebec - It's All Right with Me (6:05)

02. Bud Shank - Prelude No.2 (3:57)

03. Bobby Hutcherson - Tranquility (5:03)

04. Benny Green - Me and My Baby (6:41)

05. Herbie Hancock - Cantaloupe Island (5:30)

06. Art Blakey Quintet - Along Came Betty (6:11)

07. Dexter Gordon - Don't Explain (6:06)

08. Chet Baker - Stella by Starlight (3:54)

09. The Horace Silver Quintet - Que Pasa (5:38)

10. Dexter Gordon - Willow Weep for Me (8:48)

11. Thelonious Monk - Ask Me Now (3:14)

CD2 (65:44)

01. Benny Green - Something I Dreamed Last Night (4:46)

02. Dexter Gordon - Our Love Is Here to Stay (5:41)

03. Grant Green - At Long Last Love (7:19)

04. Chet Baker - Sweet Lorraine (3:11)

05. Herbie Hancock - Mimosa (8:39)

06. The Horace Silver Quintet - Sighin' and Cryin' (5:27)

07. Ike Quebec - Like (5:21)

08. Jay Jay Johnson - Pennies from Heaven (4:26)

09. Bill Evans & Bob Brookmeyer - I Got Rhythm (8:37)

10. Serge Chaloff - Handful of Stars (5:38)

11. Thelonious Monk - Baby My Dear (3:07)

12. John Lewis - I Can't Get Started (3:32)

CD3 (61:02)

01. Billy May Orchestra - Rhapsody in Blue (3:21)

02. Chet Baker - Isn't It Romantic (3:31)

03. Dexter Gordon - Till the Real Thing Comes Along (6:49)

04. The Horace Silver Quintet - Song for My Father (7:18)

05. Frank Rosolino - Embraceable You (3:04)

06. Ike Quebec - Don't Take Your Love from Me (7:04)

07. Jimmy Smith - Jumpin' the Blues (5:27)

08. Kenny Burrell - The Man I Love (6:47)

09. Jay Jay Johnson - Groovin' (4:41)

10. Paul Chambers - You'd Be So Nice to Come Home (7:17)

11. Benny Green - Hoagie Meat (5:43)

CD4 (67:23)

01. Jimmy Smith - Midnight Special (9:55)

02. Benny Green - Cupcake (5:13)

03. Chet Baker - But Not for Me (3:04)

04. Art Pepper - Fascinating Rhythm (4:26)

05. Dexter Gordon - Stairway to the Stars (6:59)

06. Jay Jay Johnson - Time After Time (4:13)

07. The Horace Silver Quintet - Lonely Woman (7:03)

08. Joe Henderson - Blue Bossa (8:02)

09. Sonny Criss - West Coast Blues (5:02)

10. Joe Henderson - You Know I Care (7:23)

11. Ike Quebec - Me'n You (6:03)

CD5 (59:13)

01. Chet Baker - Moonlight Becomes You (3:27)

02. Benny Green - Glad to Be Unhappy (5:12)

03. Dexter Gordon - Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out to Dry (5:23)

04. Freddie Hubbard - Cry Me Not (4:49)

05. Hank Jones - Summertime (2:33)

06. Horace Silver - Pretty Eyes (7:32)

07. Ike Quebec - Louie (3:12)

08. Kenny Burrell - Chittlins con Carne (5:25)

09. John Coltrane - Trane's Blues (6:58)

10. Jimmy Smith & Lee Morgan - 'S Wonderful (5:02)

11. Coleman Hawkins - Someone to Watch over Me (2:50)

12. Wayne Shorter - House of Jade (6:50)

Gene Krupa - Chronogical Classics 1935-1945 (7 CD/FLAC)

 

Gene Krupa, in full Eugene Bertram Krupa, (born January 15, 1909, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.—died October 16, 1973, Yonkers, New York), American jazz drummer who was perhaps the most popular percussionist of the swing era.

After the death of his father, Krupa went to work at age 11 as an errand boy for a music company. He soon earned enough money to purchase a musical instrument and decided upon a drum set because it was the least expensive instrument in a wholesale catalog. In the early 1920s, Krupa learned from and sometimes jammed with many of the great jazz performers who were then in Chicago, receiving his greatest inspiration from New Orleans drummer Baby Dodds. Immersing himself in the study of jazz, Krupa began to play in several Chicago-area jazz groups with musicians such as Frank Teschmacher, Bix Beiderbecke, and his future employer Benny Goodman.

 

The Three Sounds - Eight Classic Albums 1958-1961 (4 CD, 2011/FLAC)

The Three Sounds (also known as The 3 Sounds) were an American jazz piano trio that formed in 1956 and disbanded in 1973.

The band formed in Benton Harbor, Michigan, United States, as the Four Sounds. The original line-up consisted of Gene Harris on piano, Andrew Simpkins on double bass and Bill Dowdy on drums, along with saxophonist Lonnie "The Sound" Walker, who dropped out the following year. The group moved to Washington and then New York, where, as the Three Sounds, they cut a record for Riverside Records, before signing an exclusive contract with Blue Note.

Between 1958 and 1962, the group released nine albums for Blue Note. They toured nationally during this period, building a large following in jazz clubs across the country. The trio played and recorded with the likes of saxophonists Lester Young, Lou Donaldson, Stanley Turrentine and Sonny Stitt, cornet player Nat Adderley, singer Anita O'Day, and guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli, among others.  

Nat King Cole - Membran Music Box Set (10 CD, 2005)

 

10 CD collection from Membran Media

Dizzy Gillespie Big Band - Algo Bueno - The Complete Bluebird/Musicraft Recordings & The Pleyel Concert (1946-1949) (2 CD, 1999/FLAC)

 

This double CD collects all of the Dizzy Gillespie Big Band sides from 1946-1949 for the Bluebird and Musicraft labels, including seven previously unissued cuts. These bands were renowned for their hard-swinging styles that accented the toughness of bebop wailing R&B and Latin/Cuban grooves. Some of Diz's sidemen included Milt Jackson, Cecil Payne, Ray Brown, Willie Bobo, Yusef Lateef, Johnny Hartman, Leo Parker, John Lewis, Sonny Stitt, Kenny Dorham, James Moody, Ernie Henry, Al McKibbon, and dozens of others. Here are formidable versions of "Two Bass Hit," "Cubana Bop," "Jump Did-Le-Ba," "Oop-Pop-A-Da," and many others. In addition to the studio sides there is an entire Paris concert included from a radio transcription, making these sides indispensable. 

Charlie Parker - The Complete Savoy & Dial Master Takes (3 CD, 2002/FLAC)

 

Through the miracle of high-resolution digital transfer and mastering technology, Bird enthusiasts can now get an earful of the shape of Charlie Parker's musical accomplishments for Savoy and Dial in the 1940s. Available as a three-disc box set, the alto saxophonist is recorded in various configurations as performer and bandleader with such mainstream jazz greats as trumpeters Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis, pianists Bud Powell and Erroll Garner, drummer Max Roach, trombonist J.J. Johnson, and bassist Ray Brown, to name but a few. Charlie Parker draws on his pungent roots and rhythms of the Kansas City jazz scene on "Parker's Mood" and makes a deep statement of the existence of the blues in the jazz tradition. His freedom and rapid-fire sax lines on "Yardbird Suite" serve to confirm his excellence in crafting polished improvisations and solos. One of Parker's strongest compositions, "Orinithology," is pure, unadulterated bebop, and the unique sound of Parker's alto saxophone is clearly articulated through smoothly executed phrasings and cutting, focused energy. Parker picks up the tenor saxophone with the Miles Davis All-Stars on such great songs as "Milestones" and "Sippin' at Bell's." Overall, Bird audiophiles, jazz educators, and historians should be prepared to be impressed. This collection is arguably Bird's most important recording studio work.

Sidney Bechet - Mosaic Select 22 (3 CD, 2006/FLAC)

 

Sidney Bechet, the first great jazz horn soloist to be featured on records, was a remarkable soprano saxophonist and clarinetist. He dominated ensembles, often taking over the role of a trumpet or cornet, and was such a dazzling soloist that he ended up being the favorite musician of both Duke Ellington and John Coltrane.

 On this three-CD set, Mosaic Select has included some of the highlights of Bechet's recording career, although not delving into his later Paris years or his much-reissued association with the Victor label. The first disc has what are arguably his 25 best recordings from the 1920s. Mostly heard with combos put together by pianist Clarence Williams, Bechet is in stunning form on his debut session, which resulted in "Wild Cat Blues" and "Kansas City Man Blues." He interacts with such singers as Sara Martin, Mamie Smith, Eva Taylor, Margaret Johnson, Virginia Liston, and Sippie Wallace, and he battles Louis Armstrong on several numbers. Armstrong "wins" on the stunning "Cake Walking Babies from Home," but Bechet steals the show during his lone appearance on the contrabass sarrusophone during "Mandy, Make Up Your Mind." The second disc consists of four complete sessions. Bechet is featured on three numbers (and two alternate takes) with Noble Sissle's orchestra ("Dear Old Southland" is a real showcase) in 1937, on a date with Sissle's rhythm section, and teaming up with baritonist Ernie Caceres in a 1938 sextet. Best from this CD is Bechet's 1947 outing with his protégé clarinetist Bob Wilber's Wildcats, an enthusiastic and talented group of youngsters who also include pianist Dick Wellstood and trombonist Bob Mielke. The final disc has all of the music recorded at a pair of quartet dates in 1947. Most unusual is that Bechet, who was always closely associated with New Orleans jazz, sounds quite at home on such sophisticated material as "Love for Sale," "Laura," "Just One of Those Things" (for which he provides a particularly catchy riff), and the overly dramatic "The Song of Songs." Although there are a lot of alternate takes, each performance is well worth hearing. Coupled with Bechet's Victor recordings and a sampling of his work in the 1950s, this Mosaic Select set (which is a limited edition) is essential. 

Nico Wayne Toussaint discography [1998-2017]

 

Nico Wayne Toussaint (*1973, France) signs his shows with his personnality : charisme and pure energy. His repertoire is mainly originals deep rooted in the 50's Chicago Blues sound with a touch of more contemporary Blues. A tight teamwork by his group and his own unique voice complete a show of blues « a la » Nico Wayne Toussaint.

​His latest project is a 8 piece band with which he pays tribute to his all time mentor and strongest influence : James Cotton. Fall 2017 : the band is launching its new album "Nico Wayne Toussaint plays James Cotton" on Dixiefrog Records.

French harmonist, Nico Wayne Toussaint was born in 1973 in Toulon. At 15, Nico Wayne discovers blues with the album "Hard Again" by Muddy Waters. He starts the harmonica at 18 years old. The name Wayne comes from his American godfather who lives in Minnesota. Nico went to the United States regularly since 1992. At the age of 20, he formed his first band, "Vent du Sud", in duet with his father pianist. In 1996, Nico focused exclusively on blues and created a second group "Nico and Friends". During a stay in the United States, where he is a French assistant at a university near Minneapolis, he has the opportunity to play with big names in Blues: Jimmy Johnson, Billy Branch, Luther Allison, Cash Mc Call, Willy Kent and many others. 

Nico Wayne Toussaint-(1998)-My Kind Of Blue

Nico Wayne Toussaint-(2000)-Blasting The Blues

Nico Wayne Toussaint-(2002)-Transgender

Nico Wayne Toussaint-(2004)-Transatlantic Live

Nico Wayne Toussaint-(2007)-Southern Wind Blowin'

Nico Wayne Toussaint-(2009)-Blues Entre Les Dents

Nico Wayne Toussaint-(2011)-Lonely Number

Nico Wayne Toussaint-(2014)-On The Go (w. Michel Foizon)

Nico Wayne Toussaint-(2017)-Plays James Cotton

Bill Evans – Behind The Dikes: The 1969 Netherlands Recordings (2 CD, 2021/FLAC)

Zev Feldman, co-president of Resonance Records, seems to have made it his life's mission to present every unreleased note that pianist Bill Evans ever recorded. Live At Art D'Lugoff's Top Of The Gate (2012), Some Other Time (2016), Another Time: The Hilversum Concert (2017), Evans In England (2019) and Live At Ronnie Scott's (2020) represent the Bill Evans discography on the Resonance Records label, all produced by Feldman. And now 2021 finds Feldman teaming with the Elemental Music label, to release yet another long lost live recording by an Evans trio, Behind the Dikes—The 1969 Netherlands Recordings. 

The two disc's worth of music come from a pair of performances in 1969 in the Netherlands. The group was in top form, trotting out a triple handful of tunes that were familiar mainstays in the the Evans repertoire—"Emily," "Stella By Starlight," "Waltz For Debby," "Autumn Leaves" and more. These are presented by three musicians deep in a comfort zone, navigating bright up-tempo tunes and slipping into introspective reveries and breathtakingly beautiful balladry. The two takes on pianist Denny Zeitlin's "Quiet Now" are as lovely as anything this trio ever recorded, and their rendition of "Someday My Prince Will Come" is as bright and propulsive as can be in a celebratory up-tempo groove, with Morell's joyous shuffling and Gomez' assertive headlong heartbeat.

• Bill Evans - piano
• Eddie Gomez - bass
• Marty Morell - drums

with the Metropole Orkest directed by Dolf Van Der Linden (CD2#11,12).

CD1#1-CD2#3 recorded at KRO Studio I, Hilversum on March 26, 1969.
CD2#4-10 recorded at RAI Congrescentrum Amsterdam on November 28, 1969.
CD2#11-12 recorded at Vara Studio 8, HIlversum on March 25, 1969.