In the vein of many a smooth West Coast jazz outing, this 1958 disc finds original cool stylist Getz paired with vibraphonist Cal Tjader on a very enjoyable selection of jazz standards and Tjader originals. The lineup includes pianist Vince Guaraldi, guitarist Eddie Duran, bassist Scott La Faro, and drummer Billy Higgins (this was one of the earliest record dates for either La Faro or Higgins, both of whom were playing with Getz at San Francisco’s Black Hawk in between recording sessions). Guaraldi’s spry “Ginza Samba” kicks thing off with nimble and imaginative statements by all the soloists. Tjader’s swinging originals “Crow’s Nest” and “Big Bear” provide prime solo vehicles as well, while his lovely waltz number “Liz-Anne” adds some nice contrast to the set, eliciting one of Getz’s best solos in the process. The group rounds things out with fine ballad readings of “I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face” and “For All We Know.” A recommended title for both Getz and Tjader fans.
Stan Getz leads a piano-less quartet at the Salle Pleyel in 1966, with veteran drummer Roy Haynes and two talented musicians still in their twenties at the time, bassist Steve Swallow and vibraphonist Gary Burton. The tenor saxophonist’s always-lush tone is beautifully complemented by his musicians’ sensitive accompaniment, especially on the lovely ballad “When the World Was Young.” Burton is doubly showcased by Getz in the vibraphonist’s tricky “Singing Song” and also dazzling the audience with his already well-developed four-mallet technique in a show-stopping solo interpretation of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “Edelweiss” (from The Sound of Music). Getz doesn’t disappoint his French audience’s desire for bossa nova, beginning the set with a smooth rendition of “Manha de Carnaval,” but his memorable performance of “On Green Dolphin Street” and a hard-charging arrangement of Frank Loesser’s “The Knight Rides Again” (both of which feature Haynes to good measure) leave the most lasting impressions of his abilities at this point in his long career. Finally reissued on CD in Verve’s excellent Jazz in Paris series in 2002, this disc should be purchased without delay.
I have many Stan’s,but these two remain my favourites.
The knowledge of his terminal cancer seemed to bring an urgency to his work. Gone are the Brazilian money spinners just the man’s soul laid bare.
Blood Count was a comfort to me during my recent dance with the disease. Goodness,that is raw.
N
I already have a really nice ars! pressing but this looks promising from Craft records, great album
this women’s history month, craft recordings is celebrating one of the most inspiring women in jazz, abbey lincoln, with a special reissue of her landmark lp, abbey is blue.
in stores may 28th and available for pre-order today, the 1959 album has been meticulously remastered from its original analog tapes by kevin gray at cohearent audio and pressed on 180-gram vinyl at rti.
It is fascinating how different cultures can merge in music. Turkish-born pianist Fahir Atakoglu’s trio is a fine example of a group where influences from around the world meet in original compositions that speak the international language of music.
Atakoglu brings his advanced understanding of meter and melody to his compositions and drummer Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez adds a bit of Cuban spice with his rhythms. French-Canadian bassist Alain Caron’s creamy electric bass is the final ingredient that gives the music a flavor of fusion, but he also breaks into a walking bass pattern on “Trapped.”
Together these three musicians make up a strong and rhythmically vibrant unit and their energy is captured live on the album Live at Umbria.
A composition like “Saturday” is a fine of example of how the trio is capable of bending genres and rhythms at will. A fast lane tune with lightning speed and complicated breaks is suddenly transformed into a slow romantic waltz before the tempo rises again with rolling piano thunder
Stan Getz’s 1982 band featured the harmonically advanced pianist Jim McNeely, bassist Marc Johnson and drummer Victor Lewis; Billy Hart fills in for Lewis on three numbers. This date sticks (with one exception) to high-quality jazz standards, some of which (“Sippin at Bell’s”) are not performed all that often. Getz is particularly swinging on “Tempus Fugit” and quite lyrical on Billy Strayhorn’s “Blood Count.”
Stan Getz was such a consistent performer and had such a beautiful tone that nearly all of his recordings are well worth getting. The two radio appearances heard on this 1997 CD are even on a higher level than normal. Joined by pianist Kenny Barron, either Ray Drummond or Yashuito Mori on bass, and drummer Ben Riley, Getz is heard at the peak of his powers on a pair of obscurities (Kenny Barron’s “Feijada” and Gigi Gryce’s “Stan’s Blues”) and six numbers (including “Voyage,” “Blood Count” and “Warm Valley”) that he recorded numerous times. To hear Getz adding even more beauty to Mal Waldron’s already gorgeous “Soul Eyes” is a memorable experience.
Dr Lonnie Smith ( Hammond B3 Organ), Sean Jones (trumpet), Robin Eubanks (trombone), John Ellis (tenor), Jason Marshall ( baritone), Jonathan Kreisberg (guitar), Johnathan Blake (drums), Guest vocalists, Iggy Pop & Alicia Olatuja.
A new release by the iconic 78 year old New York organist Dr Lonnie Smith is always keenly anticipated, and this his third since returning to the Blue Note label after nearly 50 years absence is no exception. During his lengthy career the Hammond B 3 specialist has recorded thirty albums as a leader and appeared on very many other recordings, notably with the likes of saxophonist Lou Donaldson, guitarist George Benson and bassist Red Holloway. Now a N.E.A. Jazz Master, he was voted Organist of the year no less than nine times by The Jazz Journalists Association since 2003. A documentary film showcasing the talents of this remarkable and forward thinking musician entitled “Dr B3 The Soul Of The Music” by the award winning Canadian film maker Ed Barreveld was nearing completion as of December last year.
Six of the eight tracks on this almost one hour long, highly entertaining album were recorded during the organists 75th birthday celebrations at The Jazz Standard club in New York City during 2017. That session forms the centre piece of the recording but is top and tailed by two studio takes of the organ, guitar and drums trio with guest vocalist Iggy Pop. Jazz purists should have no concern about the presence of this 73 year old artist from Michigan once known as “The Godfather of Punk” for his time with “The Stooges” and his work with the late great David Bowie, as he fits perfectly into the context of the recording with minimalistic and subdued renderings of the Timmy Thomas tune Why Can’t We Live Together and Donovan’s 1966 hit Sunshine Superman. It is however the club session that really strikes home, most of the tunes are from the leaders pen and show great originality in both their concepts and execution. The doctor’s organ sound is almost always understated and full of intriguing subtle harmonies, the one exception being on the more up-beat Bright Eyes where overtones of the ever popular Jimmy Smith are evident, but even this is somewhat a slow burner and contains one of a number of telling solo passages during the set from the North Carolinian saxophonist John Ellis. All the numbers have an inbuilt delicacy about them without ever becoming trite or sentimental in any way. A good example of this is the rather strangely titled Track 9, which although intricate in parts has a strong searching quality about it and brings a stratospheric interlude from trumpet man Sean Jones to the fore alongside a telling contribution from the baritone of ex Roy Hargrove Big Band saxophonist Jason Marshall. A key component of the whole ambient sound of the set is the performance throughout of guitarist Jonathan Kreisberg who has now been in the band for over eleven years and supplies both superb single note runs as well as having a strong affinity when exchanging ideas with the leader. This is particularly so when the band reverts to the trio mode, such as on the twelve minute World Weeps, a truly stunning and sensitive piece to begin with that builds layers of tension as the tempo and volume increases to an almost angry level as it progresses before once more dropping down into more calmer waters. Proceedings are further enhanced on one track by the presence of the mezzo soprano Alicia Olatuja, a vocalist more than comfortable in a wide range of settings from The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir to The Julliard Jazz Ensemble, who engrained her reputation considerably with a well publicised performance at Barack Obama’s second presidential inauguration. Here she quite obviously brings the house down on Meryl Konenigsberg’s poignant lyrics to Lonnie Smiths excellent composition Pilgrimage. In summary this is a very fine album, not just for the performances of the main soloists but also for the tight ensemble sound when the band are in septet mode and the stunning but sensitive drumming of Jonathan Blake from first to last. Although it is only March it is very likely that this disc will at least be pencilled in on some peoples top ten jazz albums of 2021.
Reviewed by Jim Burlong
Just saw it, just paid for it, without a second of hesitation
Bruce is one of my favourite trumpet players. He studied at the recorded knees of Eldridge and Gillespie and when heard live has sufficient puff to reach the back of the room.
Ruben is the other side of my trumpeting taste.Always lyrical and to be found in the best of company.
Lee Gibson and a handful of British stars. I enjoy some jazz singers and always made a point of visiting the local jazz club when they were playing,the club was open and I was up to the journey.
Bennie. Because he is a favourite and Joe Newman puts in an appearance.
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