Richie Beirach & Gregor Huebner - Live at Birdland New York [2017/FLAC]

 

Fans of over-the-top piano playing: this album’s for you. Richie Beirach should probably be a far bigger name than he is. A classically trained virtuoso, he has worked with Stan Getz and Chet Baker and also enjoyed fruitful collaborations with guitarist John Abercrombie and saxophonist Dave Liebman, whilst also focusing his own deeply personal solo projects.

Red Norvo Combo - The Second Time Around (2019/FLAC)

 This album was the direct result of the Odessa Jazz Party in Texas in which vibraharpist Red Norvo participated, joined by saxophonist Kenny Davern, pianist Dave McKenna, bassist Milt Hinton and drummer Mousey Alexander. Spread over six days, the Odessa Jazz Party brings together twenty or so musicians to play in various contexts. Red brought down the house with assistance by Davern and McKenna, who realized he was tired of making solo records. So, Red invited his friends to the studio in New York in 1975 to record two sessions for this, his second "Famous Door" series album, and here we have evidence of the strongly swinging music heard by the guests at Odessa. Features four previously unissued alternate takes.

• Red Norvo, vibraharp
• Kenny Davern, soprano saxophone
• Dave McKenna, piano
• Milt Hinton, bass
• Mousey Alexander, drums

 

01. Lover, Come Back to Me (05:11)

02. Tangerine (04:30)

03. Santa Monica Blues (a Long One for Santa Monica) (04:39)

04. Witchraft (05:29)

05. Rose Room (05:16)

06. When You're Smiling (04:51)

07. Exactly Like You (05:11)

World Saxophone Quartet - The Complete Remastered Recordings on Black Saint and Soul Note [6 CD, 2012] (FLAC + 320)

  

The World Saxophone Quartet was and continues to be a potent force on the modern jazz scene. This boxed set collection includes remastered versions of some of their earliest albums recorded for the Italian Black Saint/Soul Note labels during the 1970s and 1980s. These albums feature the original lineup of Julius Hemphill on alto and soprano saxophones and flute, Oliver Lake on alto and soprano saxophones, Hamiet Bluiett on baritone saxophone and alto clarinet and David Murray on tenor saxophone and bass clarinet.

The band is very exciting and uses the different textures of its instruments and the unique voices of the members to create a memorable and distinguished sound that runs the gamut from gutbucket R&B through to outside free improvisations, and it was the balance of these disparate elements that made the band so interesting. Each musician was also a composer who brought something different to the table so there was a great deal of variety within the format. The ability of the musicians to peel off riffs that act as melodic statements and also support individual members on solo flights are particularly impressive. The WSQ became something of a sensation during the 1980s. eventually headlining festivals and securing a major label record deal. Not bad for a group of musicians who were scuffling on the loft scene a decade before.

Art Pepper - 12 Classic Albums 1954-1962 (6 CD, 2015, FLAC)

 

This six CD set contains the 12 albums, in their newly digitised, re-mastered glory, that Pepper released between 1954 and 1962, the period during which he undoubtedly made the finest music of his career. Showcasing the most exhilarating and challenging work Art ever produced, the collection demonstrates lucidly why this pioneering musician continues to receive such vast acclaim and praise in the jazz community.

 

Tony Williams - Civilization [1987/2014] (24-192)

 

Although he had recorded the year before using trumpeter Wallace Roney and pianist Mulgrew Miller on Foreign Intrigue, Civilization was the debut record by drummer Tony Williams' hard bop quintet, a group also including Billy Pierce on tenor and soprano, and bassist Charnett Moffett (who would later be succeeded by Ira Coleman). The leader's loud and forceful drumming forced the other soloists to use their maximum power, and his eight originals gave his sidemen challenging compositions to play. With Roney emulating Miles Davis as usual, Williams must have been pleased to have his former boss' sound at his disposal. Although none of the songs caught on as standards, this is an excellent effort.

• Tony Williams, drums
• Billy Pierce, soprano & tenor saxophones
• Wallace Roney, trumpet
• Mulgrew Miller, piano
• Charnette Moffett, bass

Recorded at Capitol Records, Studio B, on November 24, 25 and 26, 1986

01. Geo Rose (7:26)

02. Warrior (5:34)

03. Ancient Eyes (5:27)

04. Soweto Nights (6:39)

05. The Slump (6:29)

06. Civilization (4:29)

07. Mutants On The Beach (5:56)

08. Citadel (6:43)

  

Mal Waldron Quintets - The Complete Remastered Recordings on Black Saint & Soul Note (4 CD, 2012/FLAC)

 Malcolm Earl "Mal" Waldron (August 16, 1925 – December 2, 2002) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger. He started playing professionally in New York in 1950, after graduating from college. In the following dozen years or so Waldron led his own bands and played for those led by Charles Mingus, Jackie McLean, John Coltrane, and Eric Dolphy, among others. During Waldron's period as house pianist for Prestige Records in the late 1950s, he appeared on dozens of albums and composed for many of them, including writing his most famous song, "Soul Eyes", for Coltrane. Waldron was often an accompanist for vocalists, and was Billie Holiday's regular accompanist from April 1957 until her death in July 1959. 

Sun Ra All Stars - Milan, Zurich, West Berlin, Paris (5 CD, 2008/FLAC)

 5 concerts from Milan, Zurich, West Berlin and Paris. Recorded on the European tour between October 27, 1983 and November 1, 1983.

• Sun Ra - piano, keyboards, vocals
• Lester Bowie - trumpet
• Don Cherry - trumpet, vocals
• Marshall Allen - alto saxophone, flute, oboe
• John Gilmore - tenor saxophone, vocals
• Archie Shepp - tenor & soprano saxophones, vocals
• Richard Davis - bass
• Famoudou Don Moye - drums, percussion
• Philly Joe Jones - drums
• Clifford Jarvis - drums

 

John Patitucci discography [1987-2019]

 

John Patitucci (born December 22, 1959, Brooklyn, New York) is an American Grammy-winning jazz double bass and jazz fusion electric bass player.

Patitucci was born in Brooklyn, New York, where he began playing the electric bass at age 10, composing and performing at age 12, as well as playing the acoustic bass at 15, and the piano one year later. After moving west, he studied classical bass at San Francisco State University and Long Beach State University.

Patitucci has released 13 albums as a leader. In addition to his solo work, he has played on albums by B.B. King, Chick Corea, Clare Fischer, Joanne Brackeen, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Michael Brecker, John Abercrombie, George Benson, Dizzy Gillespie, Was Not Was, Roby Duke, Dave Grusin, Natalie Cole, Bon Jovi, Queen Latifah, Sting, The Manhattan Transfer, Carly Simon, Everything But The Girl and Twila Paris.

JAPO Records releases [1970-1985, 41 CD]

 

 JAPO Records was a German record label founded in 1970 that specialized in jazz. It was a division of ECM Records. JAPO stands for Jazz by Post. The label existed from 1970 until 1985 and produced over 40 jazz fusion and free jazz records from musicians all over the world, the majority of them European. It was based in Munich, Germany.

JAPO's catalogue includes Dollar Brand, Mal Waldron, Elton Dean, George Gruntz, Barry Guy, Alfred Harth, Ken Hyder, Herbert Joos, Bobby Naughton, Manfred Schoof, Barre Phillips, Jiří Stivín & Rudolf Dašek, Stephan Micus, Enrico Rava, Lennart Åberg, Edward Vesala, and the Globe Unity Orchestra.

Ron Carter, Herbie Hancock, Tony Williams - Third Plane (1977-2015) [192-24]

 Third Plane is an album by jazz bassist Ron Carter, released on the Milestone label in 1977. It features performances by Carter, Herbie Hancock and Tony Williams. 

• Ron Carter – bass
• Herbie Hancock – piano
• Tony Williams – drums

01. Third Plane (5:54) 

02. Quiet Times (7:55)

03. Lawra (6:07) 

04. Stella By Starlight (8:26)

05. United Blues (3:02) 

06. Dolphin Dance (8:18)