This seminal album (his first for ECM) arguably finds Jarrett at his most focused and at his most transparent. Every note seems perfectly placed. His intuition is on fire here and we are only too happy to be engulfed along the way. “In Front” establishes a flavorful and scintillating mood from the get go before taking things down a notch with a requisite set of ballads.
KEITH JARRETT, solo piano
Recorded November 1971 at Arne Bendiksen Studio, Oslo.
£3.00 delivered. More of my fortune spent.
Joe’s baritone facility works well with the more modern rhythm trio.
Wycliffe grumbles and growls. Eric offers up some nice Duke-al touches.
Their take on Creole is spot on.
Another Joe favourite of mine with Harry Allen.
Well recorded concert. If you do have a listen, admire Jake Hanna’s enthusiasm during the first tune.
I checked both on Quobuz and Spot.
N
A single from a future release, this is JA’s first using a Fender Rhodes piano, and this is quite different to his previous work. With Daniel Winshall on electric / upright bass, Tyson D. Jackson on drums, Jaleel Shaw on alto saxophone and Gilad Hekselman on the electric guitar.
Hank Mobley, Workout. Blue Note 84080 LP, 2015 reissue.
Fantastic album featuring Mobley and an all-star lineup (Grant Green on guitar, Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, Philly Joe Jones on drums).
I don’t have another version to compare, but it sounds really good and the pressing is impeccable.
Discovered via my sub to Jazz Journal digital and thrown up for general interest.
First and last of a series to show off Bang & O. Stereo equipment. Now issued by Storyville. So it is obviously well recorded.
Not overly exciting but a B&O customer might not want to be overly excited. NHOP shows well.
On Quobuz if you want to give it a whirl Dave.
N
Good call Nick. One of my favourite pianists and NHØP was always in demand. Sadly both died when only in their late fifties. Another album, also on the Storyville label, by the same duo, worth checking out…
John Coltrane Miles Davis - The Complete Columbia Recordings 1955-1961
AllMusic Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
As the fourth (fifth, if you count the Complete Live at the Plugged Nickel) entry in Columbia’s celebrated series of Miles Davis box sets, The Complete Columbia Recordings: Miles Davis & John Coltrane was perhaps the most anticipated set, and it’s easy to see why. The push and pull between Miles and Coltrane resulted in dynamic recordings that set the standard for modern jazz – and this was for their Prestige recordings, before they even moved to Columbia. Once Miles relocated to Columbia, he began to push the boundaries of his music. The progression from the sublime, after-hours 'Round About Midnight to the modal Milestones is remarkable – all the more so when Kind of Blue, the culmination of Davis’ modal direction, is taken into the equation. Over the course of six discs, The Complete Columbia Recordings traces this progression, including the entirety of 'Round About Midnight, Milestones, and Kind of Blue, plus selections from Someday My Prince Will Come, live album cuts, and 18 unreleased tracks, all alternate takes. Even if you’re familiar with this music – and any jazz fan will be – the chronological, session-order sequencing keeps it fresh, and it’s possible to marvel at how quickly their talents deepened. For neophytes, this isn’t really an ideal way to dive into these remarkable recordings, since there’s not only too much, but it’s arranged in a way that doesn’t ease the listener into the music. It’s designed to be a library piece for collectors, fans, and historians that have already absorbed the music fully. After all, the original album covers are not reproduced anywhere in the notes, and the discs themselves are cryptically identified with dots that parallel the numbers on a clock. For anyone who knows and loves this music though, this is an essential addition to a comprehensive jazz library.
Cal Tjader’s Brazilian explorations continue and actually deepen with this release, as he joins forces with a host of progressive young Brazilian musicians, all overseen by producer Airto Moreira. By now, Tjader had figured out how to fit into the blend, doing so by losing himself in the complex mix of Afro-Brazilian rhythms, American funk and '70s-era electronics, integrating his own identity for the sake of the ensemble. Indeed, Tjader actually appears on marimba on tracks like Joao Donato’s “Amazonas” and his collaboration with Hermeto Pascoal, “Mindoro,” his playing taking on a more brittle edge as a result. Tjader’s Southern Hemisphere cohorts include such emerging luminaries as keyboardist Egberto Gismonti, percussionist Robertinho Silva, the sometimes wild flutist Hermeto Pascoal and on one track, the superb trombonist Raul de Souza. The intricate arrangements are in the hands of George Duke, and so are the funky, occasionally spaced-out keyboard sounds (albeit under the contractually dictated pseudonym “Dawilli Gonga”).
