Billie Holiday - At Jazz At The Philharmonic (1954/2015/FLAC)

 

Billie Holiday's At Jazz At The Philharmonic was originally recorded live February 12th, 19454 and October 3rd, 1946 at the Shrine Auditorium in LA, California. The performance was part of the touring jazz series At Jazz At The Philharmonic installed by American jazz producer Norman Granz. The album features popular song titles "Body and Soul", "Gee, Baby, Ain't I Good to You" and "All of Me".

There is a noticible difference in vocal timbre in the Newport recordings-- thicker, darker and more bluesy. While not as techinically proficient as her earlier work, there is an appeal to this style as well-- since the sweet, sexy embellishments in 'Nice Work If You Can Get It' and the sustained notes in 'My Man' suggest new approaches to time and phrasing. Jazz At The Philharmonic is a memorable collection and, at moments, manages to capture Holiday at her finest."

• Billie Holiday - vocals
• Lester Young, Illinois Jacquet - tenor saxophone
• George Auld - alto saxophone
• Buck Clayton, trumpet
• Trummy Young - trombone
• Ken Kersey - piano
• Tiny Grimes, Barney Kessel - guitar
• Al McKibbon, Charlie Drayton - bass
• JC Heard, Jack Mills - drums

Live At The Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, 1945

01. Body And Soul (3:27)

02. Strange Fruit (2:55)

03. Trav'lin' Light (3:26)

04. He's Funny That Way (2:52)

Live At Carnegie Hall, 1946

05. The Man I Love (3:04)

06. Gee, Baby, Ain't I Good To You? (2:20)

07. All Of Me (2:02)

08. Billie's Blues (3:33)

Illinois Jacquet - Memories of You (4 CD, 2005/FLAC)

 Jean-Baptiste Illinois Jacquet (October 31, 1922–July 22, 2004) was a jazz tenor saxophonist most famous for his solo on "Flying Home". He is better known simply as Illinois Jacquet. Although he was a pioneer of the honking tenor sax that became a regular feature of jazz playing and a hallmark of early rock and roll, he was a skilled and melodic improviser, both on up-tempo tunes and ballads. He doubled on the bassoon, one of only a few jazz musicians to use this instrument.

The Complete Candid Recordings Of Cecil Taylor And Buell Neidlinger (4 CD, 1960/FLAC)

 

The sessions that comprise the four discs on this first-rate Mosaic boxed set were done in 1960 and 1961 for the short-lived Candid label. Taylor's concept had not yet evolved into a finished package; he wasn't always sure where he was going. There are solos that begin in one direction, break in the middle, and conclude in another. Tenor saxophonist Archie Shepp often sounds unsure about what to play and whether to try and interact or establish his own direction. At the same time, there is plenty of exceptional playing from Taylor, Shepp, and the drum/bass combination of Buell Neidlinger and Dennis Charles. You cannot honestly say everything works on these four discs, but there is never a dull moment. It won't please everyone, but listeners ready for a challenge should step right up. 

Django Reinhardt - Retrospective 1934 - 1953 (3 CD, 2003/FLAC)

This gorgeously packaged three-disc box set collects a range of guitar genius Django Reinhardt's work from the pre- and post-war periods. 

The first disc consists almost exclusively of the recordings he made with the original Quintette du Hot Club de France between 1934 and 1940. These are some of Reinhardt's most enduring sides, and include classics like "Minor Swing," "Sweet Georgia Brown," and "Swing 39," with plenty of chugging rhythmic intensity from the drumless ensemble and showers of dazzling leads from violinist Stephane Grappelli. 

The second disc, which covers '40 through '47, mixes Quintette du Hot Club dates with some of the artist's other sessions--including big-band recordings--on a range of standards ("Embraceable You") and originals (the beautiful "Nuages"). 

The third disc spans '47 through '53, and finds Reinhardt moving away somewhat from his "gypsy jazz" and more toward a mainstream swing sound. The thread through the entire set, naturally, is the virtuosity of Reinhardt's playing, the speed and grace of his lines, and the poetry of his expression. 

 

Count Basie - 1969 - Basie On The Beatles [FLAC-HD]

 Basie on the Beatles is an album by pianist and bandleader Count Basie featuring performances recorded in late 1969 and released on the short-lived Happy Tiger label. It was Basie's second album of Beatles' compositions following 1966's Basie's Beatle Bag and featured liner notes by Ringo Starr. 

•     Count Basie - piano, organ
•     Sonny Cohn, Gene Goe, Luis Gasca - trumpet
•     Waymon Reed - trumpet, flugelhorn
•     Grover Mitchell, Mel Wanzo - trombone
•     Bill Hughes - bass trombone
•     Marshal Royal - alto saxophone, clarinet
•     Bobby Plater - alto saxophone, flute
•     Eric Dixon - tenor saxophone, flute
•     Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis - tenor saxophone
•     Charlie Fowlkes - baritone saxophone
•     Freddie Green - guitar
•     Norman Keenan - bass, electric bass
•     Carol Kaye - electric bass
•     Harold Jones - drums
•     Bob Florence - arranger

A1 Norwegian Wood 2:54

A2 (The) Fool On The Hill 3:15

A3 Something 3:15

A4 With A Little Help From My Friends 3:21

A5 Here, There And Everywhere 2:32

A6 Get Back 3:20

B1 Hey Jude 4:17

B2 Eleanor Rigby 2:55

B3 Penny Lane 3:12

B4 Come Together 2:42

B5 Yesterday 3:19

Jimmie Lunceford And His Orchestra The Chronological Classics (7 CD, 1990-1992/FLAC)

 

The Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra has always been a bit difficult to evaluate. Contemporary observers rated Lunceford's big band at the top with Duke Ellington and Count Basie but, when judging the music solely on their records (and not taking into account their visual show, appearance, and showmanship), Lunceford's ensemble has to be placed on the second tier. His orchestra lacked any really classic soloists (altoist Willie Smith and trombonist Trummy Young came the closest), and a large portion of the band's repertoire either featured the dated vocals of Dan Grissom, or were pleasant novelties. And yet, the well-rehearsed ensembles were very impressive, some of the arrangements (particularly those of Sy Oliver) were quite original, and the use of glee-club vocalists and short, concise solos were pleasing and often memorable. Plus Lunceford's was the first orchestra to feature high-note trumpeters (starting with Tommy Stevenson in 1934) and had a strong influence on the early Stan Kenton Orchestra.

Gateway (John Abercrombie, Dave Holland, Jack DeJohnette) discography [1976-1996/FLAC]

 Gateway was an American jazz trio formed in 1975. The members were guitarist John Abercrombie, bassist Dave Holland, and drummer Jack DeJohnette. The group has also joined Collin Walcott on his debut album Cloud Dance (ECM 1062) recorded in 1975. The trio reunited temporarily for a performance in 2012 to mark DeJohnette's 70th birthday.

    1976: Gateway 

    1978: Gateway 2 

    1995: Homecoming 

    1996: In the Moment 

Art Ensemble of Chicago – A Jackson in Your House / Message to Our Folks (2001/FLAC)

 The Art Ensemble of Chicago is an avant-garde jazz group that grew out of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM) in the late 1960s. The ensemble integrates many jazz styles and plays many instruments, including "little instruments": bells, bicycle horns, birthday party noisemakers, wind chimes, and various forms of percussion. The musicians would wear costumes and face paint while performing. These characteristics combined to make the ensemble's performances both aural and visual. While playing in Europe in 1969, five hundred instruments were used

• Lester Bowie – Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Bass, Drum, Horns
• Roscoe Mitchell – Soprano, Alto and Bass Sax, Clarinet, Flute, Cymbals, Gongs, Conga Drums, Logs, Bells, Siren, Whistles, Steel Drum, etc.
• Joseph Jarman – Soprano and Alto Saxophones, Clarinet, Oboe, Flute, Marimba, Vibes, Gongs, Conga Drums, Bells, Siren, Whistles, Guitar
• Malachi Favors Maghostut – Bass, Electric Bass, Banjo, Logs, Cythar, Percussion, etc.

A Jackson in Your House

1. A Jackson in Your House (Roscoe Mitchell) 5:44

2. Get in Line (Roscoe Mitchell) 5:44

3. The Waltz (Roscoe Mitchell) 1:17

4. Ericka (Joseph Jarman) 3:23

5. Song for Charles (Roscoe Mitchell) 17:36

Message to Our Folks

6. Old Time Religion (Roscoe Mitchell) 7:41

7. Dexterity (Charlie Parker) 4:05

8. Rock Out (Roscoe Mitchell) 8:36

9. A Brain for the Seine (Art Ensemble of Chicago) 20:19

Tracks 1-5 recorded on June 23, 1969 at Studios Davout, Paris, France.

Tracks 6-9 recorded on August 12, 1969 at Studios Davout also. 

VA - Blue Note : Music for Lovers [9 CD, 2006/FLAC]

 

CD compilation series by the Blue Note label

Polar Bear discography 2004-2015 [FLAC]

Not to be confused with the American alternative rock outfit of the same name, Polar Bear are a British experimental post-jazz five-piece influenced by the likes of Beethoven, Stevie Wonder, and Björk. Formed in London in 2004 by drummer Sebastian Rochford, previously an early member of Babyshambles, saxophonists Pete Wareham and Mark Lockheart, double bassist Tom Herbert, and electronic musician/guitarist Leafcutter John, the band first attracted attention with its 2004 debut album, Dim Lit, whose eclectic fusion of avant jazz, folk, electronica, and punk earned them a nomination for Best Band at the BBC Jazz Awards.

They received their highest-profile accolades to date in 2005, when their sophomore effort, Held on the Tips of Fingers, was nominated for the prestigious Mercury Music Prize. After headlining Noel Fielding's Mighty Boosh Festival in 2008, they released their self-titled third album, and followed it up two years later with Peepers. After intensive touring and a brief period of rest to reassess their direction, the band returned with In Each and Every One in 2014, a multifaceted album that veered from sprawling ambient compositions to hip-hop-flavored electronic beats. It was issued by The Leaf Label, and was also shortlisted for the Mercury Prize. Assured of their new direction, Polar Bear played shows and festivals in support, then immediately returned to the studio. The end result was Same as You, another diverse offering that revealed the group had permanently moved beyond genre restrictions. Released in the spring of 2015, it featured a guest appearance from Shabaka Hutchings (Sons of Kemet, Melt Yourself Down), and earned the band a nomination for a MOBO Award in the category of Best Jazz.  

Polar Bear - 2004 Dim Lit

Polar Bear - 2005 Held On The Tips Of Fingers

Polar Bear - 2008 Polar Bear

Polar Bear - 2010 Peepers

Polar Bear - 2014 In Each And Every One

Polar Bear - 2015 Same as You