All reviews from Amazon entry unless otherwise indicated.
total 115M 4.7M 01 - Bukka White - I'm Gettin' Ready.mp3 4.1M 02 - Bukka White - Aberdeen Blues.mp3 3.9M 03 - Big Joe Williams - My Baby Is Gone.mp3 3.2M 04 - Big Joe Williams - My Boots & Shoes.mp3 6.0M 05 - Robert Pete Williams - Look Here Woman.mp3 4.8M 06 - Roosevelt Sykes - Drivin' Wheel.mp3 3.5M 07 - Roosevelt Sykes - Sweet Home Chicago.mp3 6.0M 08 - Memphis Slim & Michael Denis - Lonesome Traveller.mp3 5.8M 09 - Memphis Slim & Michael Denis - Boogin' and Bluesin'.mp3 6.4M 10 - Johnny Young, W.D. Kent & Billy Davenport - Instrumental Boogie.mp3 9.1M 11 - Big Mama Thornton - Tell Me Baby.mp3 11M 12 - Big Mama Thornton - Ball In Chain.mp3 9.9M 13 - T-Bone Walker - Shake It Baby.mp3 8.5M 14 - T-Bone Walker - Goin' Back To Church.mp3 6.0M 15 - Jimmy Rogers, Whispering Smith & W.D. Kent - Tricky Woman.mp3 5.9M 16 - Lightning Slim & Whispering Smith - Winter Time Blues.mp3 8.8M 17 - Jimmy Dawkins Chicago Blues Band - Don't Ever Leave Me.mp3 8.1M 18 - Jimmy Dawkins Chicago Blues Band - Got My Mojo Workin'.mp3
total 118M 5.0M 01 - Louisiana Red - Pretty Woman.mp3 3.8M 02 - Louisiana Red - I Wonder Who.mp3 5.0M 03 - Louisiana Red - Lonesome Train.mp3 6.1M 04 - Willie Mabon, Hubert Sumlin & Eddie Taylor - Lonesome Train.mp3 7.9M 05 - Willie Mabon & Hubert Sumlin - Mabon's Boogie.mp3 8.2M 06 - Louisiana Red, Washboard Doc, Lucky & Flash - Shake, Rattle and Roll.mp3 5.0M 07 - Louisiana Red, Washboard Doc, Lucky & Flash - Flip, Flop and Fly.mp3 8.7M 08 - Sunnyland Slim & Louisiana Red - Rock Little Daddy.mp3 5.7M 09 - Hubert Sumlin, Carey Bell & Eddie Taylor - Gamblin' Woman.mp3 4.7M 10 - Eddie Taylor & Carey Bell - I Got a Little Thing They Call It Swing.mp3 6.9M 11 - Hubert Sumlin, Eddie Taylor & Robert Stroger - One Day I Get Lucky.mp3 8.2M 12 - Hubert Sumlin, Eddie Taylor & Robert Stroger - Nineteen Years Old.mp3 6.9M 13 - Hubert Sumlin, Eddie Taylor & Robert Stroger - What My Moma Told Me.mp3 6.4M 14 - Hubert Sumlin, Eddie Taylor & Robert Stroger - Everytime I Get to Drinking.mp3 8.4M 15 - Sunnyland Slim, Carey Bell & Hubert Sumlin - Sunnyland's New Orleans Boogie.mp3 7.4M 16 - Hubert Sumlin, Eddie Taylor & Roger Stoger - Dust My Broom.mp3 6.7M 17 - Hubert Sumlin, Eddie Taylor & Roger Stoger - There'll Be A Day.mp3 7.7M 18 - Louisiana Red, Hubert Sumlin & Roger Stoger - Labour Blues.mp3 4.0K American Folk Blues Fest 1980.md5 3.5K American Folk Blues Fest 1980.sfv
total 119M 4.1M 01 - Bowling Green John - Bowling Green Bag.mp3 6.6M 02 - Bowling Green John - Bye Bye Baby.mp3 5.1M 03 - Bowling Green John - Last Fair Deal.mp3 8.2M 04 - Sunnyland Slim - One Room Country Shack.mp3 7.4M 05 - Sunnyland Slim - Tin Pan Alley.mp3 6.0M 06 - Sunnyland Slim - Dust My Broom.mp3 8.7M 07 - Louisiana Red - Woodchopping Blues.mp3 6.7M 08 - Hubert Sumlin - I Love.mp3 5.7M 09 - Hubert Sumlin - Everything I Do Gonna Be Funky.mp3 12M 10 - Carey Bell's Blues Harp Band - I Need You So Bad.mp3 12M 11 - Carey Bell's Blues Harp Band - Man and The Blues.mp3 4.7M 12 - Margie Evans - 29 Ways.mp3 11M 13 - Margie Evans - Trouble Trouble.mp3 7.2M 14 - Margie Evans - Hound Dog.mp3 15M 15 - Margie Evans - Next Time I See You.mp3 2.5K American Folk Blues Fest 1981.md5 2.5K American Folk Blues Fest 1981.sfv
total 118M 5.7M 01. James 'Son' Thomas - Beefsteak Blues.mp3 6.2M 02. James 'Son' Thomas - Catfish Blues.mp3 1.2M 03. by John Cephas - Introducing Archie Edwards.mp3 4.8M 04. Archie Edwards - How Long Blues.mp3 3.7M 05. Archie Edwards - That Won't Do.mp3 4.4M 06. Archie Edwards - Take Me Back Baby.mp3 5.7M 07. Cephas and Wiggins - Big Boss Man.mp3 5.7M 08. Cephas and Wiggins - Burn Your Bridges.mp3 12M 09. Lurrie Bell and Billy Branch - Detroit Michigan.mp3 7.5M 10. Carey Bell, Billy Branch & Phil Wiggins - Tribute to Big Walter.mp3 8.8M 11. Cephas and Wiggins - Running and Hiding.mp3 4.3M 12. James 'Son' Thomas - Good Morning Little Schoolgirl.mp3 5.0M 13. James 'Son' Thomas - Stormy Monday Blues.mp3 9.0M 14. Carey Bell - Goin' On Main Street.mp3 11M 15. Carey Bell - Blues Harp Blues By Three.mp3 9.0M 16. Margie Evans - That Dirty Black Rat.mp3 8.9M 17. Margie Evans - Sometimes I'll Be Gone.mp3 6.3M 18. Margie Evans - Bye Bye Baby.mp3 3.5K American Folk Blues Fest 1982.md5 3.0K American Folk Blues Fest 1982.sfv
total 116M 6.3M 01. James 'Sparky' Rucker - Rock Me Baby.mp3 7.0M 02. James 'Sparky' Rucker - Crossroads.mp3 6.5M 03. Larry Johnson - Midnight Hour.mp3 3.8M 04. Larry Johnson - That's The Wrong Woman.mp3 12M 05. Louisiana Red - Red's Tribute to Muddy Waters.mp3 11M 06. Louisiana Red - Boy From Black Bayou.mp3 6.0M 07. Louisiana Red - She Is Worse.mp3 4.5M 08. Lonnie Pitchford - One-String Boogie.mp3 4.6M 09. Lonnie Pitchford - My Baby Walked Away.mp3 5.6M 10. Lonnie Pitchford - C.C. Rider.mp3 9.1M 11. Louisiana Red & Carey Bell - When I Lay Down To Rest.mp3 5.2M 12. Louisiana Red & Carey Bell - Who's Louisiana Red.mp3 4.3M 13. Louisiana Red & Carey Bell - Reagan is for The Rich Man.mp3 3.7M 14. Lovie Lee - Flip, Flop and Fly.mp3 4.3M 15. Lovie Lee - Mind To Ramble.mp3 3.0M 16. Lovie Lee - Iko-Iko.mp3 12M 17. Queen Sylvia & Friends - I Love You.mp3 8.7M 18. Queen Sylvia & Friends - Baby What Do I Do.mp3 3.0K American Folk Blues Fest 1983.md5 3.0K American Folk Blues Fest 1983.sfv
total 67M 5.9M 01. James 'Sparky' Rucker - Walkin' Blues.mp3 5.8M 02. Blind Joe Hill - Fanny Mae.mp3 11M 03. Cash McCall - I Can't Quit You Baby.mp3 4.7M 04. James Thomas - Smokey Mountain Blues.mp3 8.0M 05. Eddie 'Cleanhead' Vinson - Hold It Right There.mp3 8.6M 06. The Young Blues Thrillers - From Boogie To Funk.mp3 14M 07. The Young Blues Thrillers - Gettin' Closer.mp3 2.6M 08. The Young Blues Thrillers - The Young Blues Thrillers' Theme.mp3 7.2M 09. Margie Evans - Two Lovers In One.mp3 2.0K American Folk Blues Fest 1985.md5 1.5K American Folk Blues Fest 1985.sfv
Vol. 1 total 54M 2.0M Up Country Blues - 01 - Barrel House Blues- Ed Andrews.mp3 2.4M Up Country Blues - 02 - Georgia Stockade Blues- Tom Delany.mp3 2.4M Up Country Blues - 03 - Sun Brimmers Blues- Memphis Jug Band.mp3 2.0M Up Country Blues - 04 - Goin' To Leave You Blues- Big Boy Cleveland.mp3 1.9M Up Country Blues - 05 - Dry Bone Shuffle- Blind Blake.mp3 2.3M Up Country Blues - 06 - Up Country Blues- De Ford Bailey.mp3 2.3M Up Country Blues - 07 - Dead Drunk Blues- Sippie Wallace.mp3 1.9M Up Country Blues - 08 - Original Stack O'Lee Blues- Long 'Cleve' Reed, Little Harvey Hull.mp3 2.1M Up Country Blues - 09 - Easy Rider Don't You Deny My Name- Barbecue Bob.mp3 1.9M Up Country Blues - 10 - Bo-Lita- Kid Brown.mp3 1.7M Up Country Blues - 11 - Everybody Help The Boys Come Home- William & Versey Smith.mp3 2.3M Up Country Blues - 12 - Church Bells Blues- Luke Jordan.mp3 2.2M Up Country Blues - 13 - Two Ways To Texas- Emery Glen.mp3 2.4M Up Country Blues - 14 - It Won't Be Long Now- Barbecue Bob & Laughing Charley.mp3 2.1M Up Country Blues - 15 - Bottleneck Blues- Weaver & Beasley.mp3 2.1M Up Country Blues - 16 - Rock Island Blues- Lewis Black.mp3 1.9M Up Country Blues - 17 - Midnight Blues- William (Bill) Moore.mp3 1.8M Up Country Blues - 18 - Fare Thee Blues, Pt. 1- Johnnie Head.mp3 2.2M Up Country Blues - 19 - My Monday Woman Blues- Jim Jackson.mp3 2.1M Up Country Blues - 20 - What's The Matter Blues- Frank Stokes.mp3 2.3M Up Country Blues - 21 - School Girl Blues- Rosie Mae Moore.mp3 2.4M Up Country Blues - 22 - Cool Drink Of Water Blues- Tommy Johnson.mp3 2.4M Up Country Blues - 23 - Left Alone Blues- Ishman Bracey.mp3 2.3M Up Country Blues - 24 - T And T Blues- 'Mooch' Richardson.mp3 2.4M Up Country Blues - 25 - T.C. Johnson Blues- T.C. Johnson & 'Blue Coat' Tom Nelson.mp3 681K Up Country Blues (back).jpg 204K Up Country Blues (disc).jpg 443K Up Country Blues (front).jpg Vol. 2 total 55M 2.1M Broke, Black & Blue - Volume Two-Broke And Hungry Blues - 01 - Ham Hound Crave- Rube Lacy.mp3 2.1M Broke, Black & Blue - Volume Two-Broke And Hungry Blues - 02 - No More Women Blues- Texas Alexander.mp3 2.1M Broke, Black & Blue - Volume Two-Broke And Hungry Blues - 03 - How Long-How Long Blues- 'New Orleans' Willie Jackson.mp3 2.2M Broke, Black & Blue - Volume Two-Broke And Hungry Blues - 04 - Unknown Blues- Tarter And Gay.mp3 2.2M Broke, Black & Blue - Volume Two-Broke And Hungry Blues - 05 - Chicken Wilson Blues- Chicken Wilson And Skeeter Hinton.mp3 2.1M Broke, Black & Blue - Volume Two-Broke And Hungry Blues - 06 - Stack O'Lee Blues- Mississippi John Hurt.mp3 2.4M Broke, Black & Blue - Volume Two-Broke And Hungry Blues - 07 - Broke And Hungry Blues- Peg Leg Howell.mp3 2.3M Broke, Black & Blue - Volume Two-Broke And Hungry Blues - 08 - Funny Feathers- Victoria Spivey.mp3 2.2M Broke, Black & Blue - Volume Two-Broke And Hungry Blues - 09 - Pitchin' Boogie- Will Ezell.mp3 2.2M Broke, Black & Blue - Volume Two-Broke And Hungry Blues - 10 - Mr. Devil Blues- Jed Davenport.mp3 2.0M Broke, Black & Blue - Volume Two-Broke And Hungry Blues - 11 - Mississippi Bottom Blues- Kid Bailey.mp3 1.9M Broke, Black & Blue - Volume Two-Broke And Hungry Blues - 12 - Weary Heart Blues- James Wiggins.mp3 2.1M Broke, Black & Blue - Volume Two-Broke And Hungry Blues - 13 - Poor Man Blues- Henry Townsend.mp3 2.2M Broke, Black & Blue - Volume Two-Broke And Hungry Blues - 14 - Framer's Blues- Eli Framer.mp3 2.2M Broke, Black & Blue - Volume Two-Broke And Hungry Blues - 15 - Trinity River Blues- Aaron 'T-Bone' Walker.mp3 2.2M Broke, Black & Blue - Volume Two-Broke And Hungry Blues - 16 - Heavy Suitcase Blues- Charley Taylor.mp3 2.3M Broke, Black & Blue - Volume Two-Broke And Hungry Blues - 17 - Traveling Mama Blues- Joe Calicott.mp3 2.2M Broke, Black & Blue - Volume Two-Broke And Hungry Blues - 18 - Jumpin' And Shoutin' Blues- Garlield Akers.mp3 2.2M Broke, Black & Blue - Volume Two-Broke And Hungry Blues - 19 - Bedside Blues- Jim Thompkins.mp3 2.1M Broke, Black & Blue - Volume Two-Broke And Hungry Blues - 20 - Walking Blues- Son House.mp3 2.1M Broke, Black & Blue - Volume Two-Broke And Hungry Blues - 21 - Future Blues- Willie Brown.mp3 2.4M Broke, Black & Blue - Volume Two-Broke And Hungry Blues - 22 - Long Ways From Home- Louise Johnson.mp3 2.2M Broke, Black & Blue - Volume Two-Broke And Hungry Blues - 23 - Frisco Blues- Bayless Rose.mp3 2.2M Broke, Black & Blue - Volume Two-Broke And Hungry Blues - 24 - Good Boy Blues- Arthur Pettis.mp3 2.0M Broke, Black & Blue - Volume Two-Broke And Hungry Blues - 25 - No Special Rider Blues- Little Brother Montgomery.mp3 668K Broke, Black & Blue - Volume Two-Broke And Hungry Blues (back).jpg 207K Broke, Black & Blue - Volume Two-Broke And Hungry Blues (disc).jpg 499K Broke, Black & Blue - Volume Two-Broke And Hungry Blues (front).jpg Vol. 3 total 53M 2.3M Broke, Black & Blue - Volume Three-Good Whiskey Blues - 01 - Married Man Blues- Blind Willie Reynolds.mp3 2.5M Broke, Black & Blue - Volume Three-Good Whiskey Blues - 02 - Dupree Blues- Willie Walker.mp3 2.0M Broke, Black & Blue - Volume Three-Good Whiskey Blues - 03 - 22-20 Blues- Skip James.mp3 2.2M Broke, Black & Blue - Volume Three-Good Whiskey Blues - 04 - Lonesome Road Blues- Sam Collins.mp3 2.2M Broke, Black & Blue - Volume Three-Good Whiskey Blues - 05 - Midnight Hour Blues- Leroy Carr & Scrapper Blackwell.mp3 2.3M Broke, Black & Blue - Volume Three-Good Whiskey Blues - 06 - Fat Mama Blues- Jabo Williams.mp3 2.3M Broke, Black & Blue - Volume Three-Good Whiskey Blues - 07 - Never Mind Blues- Georgia Boyd.mp3 2.3M Broke, Black & Blue - Volume Three-Good Whiskey Blues - 08 - The Twelves (Dirty Dozen)- Kokomo Arnold.mp3 2.2M Broke, Black & Blue - Volume Three-Good Whiskey Blues - 09 - Little Leg Woman- Big Joe Williams.mp3 2.1M Broke, Black & Blue - Volume Three-Good Whiskey Blues - 10 - That's What My Baby Likes- Bessie Jackson.mp3 2.2M Broke, Black & Blue - Volume Three-Good Whiskey Blues - 11 - Good Whiskey Blues- Peetie Wheatstraw.mp3 2.1M Broke, Black & Blue - Volume Three-Good Whiskey Blues - 12 - Strut That Thing- Cripple Clarence Lofton.mp3 2.0M Broke, Black & Blue - Volume Three-Good Whiskey Blues - 13 - Teasin' Brown Blues- Louie Lasky.mp3 2.1M Broke, Black & Blue - Volume Three-Good Whiskey Blues - 14 - Cold Blooded Murder, No.2- Bumble Bee Slim.mp3 2.3M Broke, Black & Blue - Volume Three-Good Whiskey Blues - 15 - Baby, You Gotta Change Your Mind- Blind Boy Fuller.mp3 1.9M Broke, Black & Blue - Volume Three-Good Whiskey Blues - 16 - Ashes In My Whiskey- Walter Davis.mp3 2.0M Broke, Black & Blue - Volume Three-Good Whiskey Blues - 17 - It's Cold In China Blues- The Mississippi Moaner (Isaiah Nettles).mp3 2.0M Broke, Black & Blue - Volume Three-Good Whiskey Blues - 18 - Jockey Blues- Jazz Gillum.mp3 2.2M Broke, Black & Blue - Volume Three-Good Whiskey Blues - 19 - Prisoner Blues- George Clarke.mp3 2.2M Broke, Black & Blue - Volume Three-Good Whiskey Blues - 20 - Back Door Blues- Casey Bill Weldon.mp3 1.8M Broke, Black & Blue - Volume Three-Good Whiskey Blues - 21 - Don't Sell It (Don't Give It Away)- Buddy Woods.mp3 1.9M Broke, Black & Blue - Volume Three-Good Whiskey Blues - 22 - Booker T. Blues- Washboard Sam.mp3 1.9M Broke, Black & Blue - Volume Three-Good Whiskey Blues - 23 - Hard Scufflin' Blues- Little Buddy Doyle.mp3 2.1M Broke, Black & Blue - Volume Three-Good Whiskey Blues - 24 - Jersey Belle Blues- Lonnie Johnson.mp3 2.0M Broke, Black & Blue - Volume Three-Good Whiskey Blues - 25 - Baby, Please Don't Tell On Me- Tommy McLennan.mp3 685K Broke, Black & Blue - Volume Three-Good Whiskey Blues (back).jpg 202K Broke, Black & Blue - Volume Three-Good Whiskey Blues (disc).jpg 433K Broke, Black & Blue - Volume Three-Good Whiskey Blues (front).jpg Vol. 4 total 51M 2.0M Jumpin' At The Club Blue Flame - 01 - East St. Louis Blues- Faber Smith & Jimmy Yancey.mp3 1.9M Jumpin' At The Club Blue Flame - 02 - Bukka's Jitterbug Swing- Bukka White.mp3 2.2M Jumpin' At The Club Blue Flame - 03 - Can't You Read- Big Maceo.mp3 2.1M Jumpin' At The Club Blue Flame - 04 - Life Is Like That- Memphis Slim.mp3 2.3M Jumpin' At The Club Blue Flame - 05 - Memory Of Sonny Boy- Forest City Joe.mp3 2.1M Jumpin' At The Club Blue Flame - 06 - Horse Shoe Boogie- Lee Brown.mp3 2.1M Jumpin' At The Club Blue Flame - 07 - Ruby Moore Blues- Lee Brown.mp3 2.0M Jumpin' At The Club Blue Flame - 08 - Low Land Blues- Lee Brown.mp3 2.1M Jumpin' At The Club Blue Flame - 09 - Round The World Boogie- Lee Brown.mp3 1.9M Jumpin' At The Club Blue Flame - 10 - Rock That Boogie- Jimmie Gordon.mp3 2.1M Jumpin' At The Club Blue Flame - 11 - Fast Life- Jimmie Gordon.mp3 1.8M Jumpin' At The Club Blue Flame - 12 - Mistreated Blues- Jimmie Gordon.mp3 2.0M Jumpin' At The Club Blue Flame - 13 - I Ain't Like That No More- Jimmie Gordon.mp3 2.0M Jumpin' At The Club Blue Flame - 14 - Chain Gang Blues- Johnny Temple.mp3 1.9M Jumpin' At The Club Blue Flame - 15 - Yum, Yum, Yum- Johnny Temple.mp3 1.9M Jumpin' At The Club Blue Flame - 16 - My Baby's Acting Funny- Jimmie Gordon.mp3 1.9M Jumpin' At The Club Blue Flame - 17 - It's Time To Go- Jimmie Gordon.mp3 2.0M Jumpin' At The Club Blue Flame - 18 - That Woman's A Pearl Diver- Jimmie Gordon.mp3 1.9M Jumpin' At The Club Blue Flame - 19 - Jumpin' At The Club Blue Flame- Jimmie Gordon.mp3 2.0M Jumpin' At The Club Blue Flame - 20 - I Believe I'll Go Downtown Again- Johnny Temple.mp3 1.9M Jumpin' At The Club Blue Flame - 21 - Something In The Moon That Gives Me A Thrill- Johnny Temple.mp3 2.0M Jumpin' At The Club Blue Flame - 22 - Dixie Flyer- Johnny Temple.mp3 1.9M Jumpin' At The Club Blue Flame - 23 - Believe My Sins Have Found Me Out- Johnny Temple.mp3 2.0M Jumpin' At The Club Blue Flame - 24 - Rhythm Mama- Johnny Temple.mp3 1.9M Jumpin' At The Club Blue Flame - 25 - New Little Girl, Little Girl- Lee Brown.mp3 673K Jumpin' At The Club Blue Flame (back).jpg 194K Jumpin' At The Club Blue Flame (disc).jpg 438K Jumpin' At The Club Blue Flame (front).jpg
total 38M 3.0M 01 - Ain't It Hard.mp3 2.9M 02 - Big Boss Man.mp3 3.2M 03 - 'Bout A Spoonful.mp3 2.5M 04 - Freddie.mp3 2.2M 05 - Knockin' Down Windows.mp3 2.3M 06 - Mama Don't Allow.mp3 2.3M 07 - Mama, Let Me Lay It On You.mp3 2.6M 08 - Motherless Children.mp3 1.9M 09 - Rag In G.mp3 2.7M 10 - Shake, Shake Mama.mp3 2.9M 11 - So Different Blues.mp3 2.0M 12 - Sugar Babe.mp3 1.9M 13 - Take Me Back.mp3 2.8M 14 - Willie Poor Boy.mp3 2.3M 15 - You Got To Reap What You Sow.mp3 707K Mance Lipscomb - Texas Blues Guitar - Scans.zip
Vol. 1 total 60M 2.0M 01 - Sugar Babe (It's All Over Now).mp3 2.9M 02 - Going Down Slow.mp3 2.5M 03 - Freddie.mp3 3.8M 04 - Jack O' Diamonds.mp3 1.7M 05 - Baby Please Don't Go.mp3 2.8M 06 - One Thin Dime.mp3 2.7M 07 - Shake, Shake, Mama.mp3 2.4M 08 - Ella Speed.mp3 2.3M 09 - Mama Don't Allow.mp3 3.1M 10 - Ain't It Hard.mp3 3.2M 11 - 'Bout A Spoonful.mp3 1.9M 12 - Take Me Back Babe.mp3 1.9M 13 - Rag in G.mp3 2.9M 14 - Big Boss Man.mp3 2.5M 15 - You Gonna Quit Me.mp3 3.9M 16 - Blues in G.mp3 3.2M 17 - Mama, Don't Dog Me.mp3 2.8M 18 - Willie Poor Boy.mp3 2.6M 19 - Tell Me Where You Stayed Last Night.mp3 2.3M 20 - Knock Down Windows.mp3 1.4M 21 - Nobody's Fault But Mine.mp3 2.5M 22 - Motherless Children.mp3 3.7M Mance Lipscomb - Texas Songster - Scans.zip Vol. 2 total 73M 3.4M 01 - Charlie James.mp3 3.8M 02 - Come Back Baby.mp3 1.9M 03 - Spanish Flang Dang.mp3 2.3M 04 - You Got To Reap What You Sow.mp3 1.3M 05 - Cocaine Done Killed My Baby.mp3 4.2M 06 - Joe Turner Killed A Man.mp3 3.1M 07 - Bumble Bee.mp3 2.3M 08 - Boogie In 'A'.mp3 3.5M 09 - Hattie Green.mp3 3.4M 10 - Silver City.mp3 3.0M 11 - The Titanic.mp3 3.8M 12 - If I Miss The Train.mp3 1.6M 13 - Lord Thomas.mp3 5.2M 14 - Tom Moore Blues.mp3 2.9M 15 - So Different Blues.mp3 2.5M 16 - Tall Angel At The BAr.mp3 3.9M 17 - Mama, Don't Dog Me.mp3 2.8M 18 - Long Way To Tipperary.mp3 3.2M 19 - Willie Poor Boy.mp3 3.4M 20 - You Rascal You.mp3 3.6M 21 - I Looked Down The Road And I Wondered.mp3 2.5M 22 - Sentimental Blues.mp3 2.5M 23 - Police Station Blues.mp3 2.0M 24 - Missouri Waltz.mp3 1.8M Mance Lipscomb - You Got To Reap What You Sow - The Texas Songster - Vol. 2 - Scans.zip Vol. 3 total 65M 3.0M 01 - Captain, Captain!.mp3 2.2M 02 - Ain't You Sorry.mp3 3.7M 03 - Night Time is the Right Time.mp3 2.0M 04 - Mr. Tom's Rag.mp3 2.4M 05 - I Want to Do Something for You.mp3 2.5M 06 - Long Tall Girl Got Stuck on Me.mp3 1.4M 07 - Rag in 'A'.mp3 3.7M 08 - Goin' up North to See My Pony Run.mp3 3.0M 09 - Santa Fe Blues.mp3 1.7M 10 - Frankie and Albert.mp3 2.9M 11 - Sentimental Piece in 'G'.mp3 3.5M 12 - Farewell Blues.mp3 2.5M 13 - Shorty George.mp3 3.4M 14 - Angel Child.mp3 2.1M 15 - Black Rat.mp3 3.3M 16 - Tom Moore's Farm - take 2.mp3 3.0M 17 - Foggy Bottom Blues.mp3 1.6M 18 - Heel and Toe Polka.mp3 2.0M 19 - Going Back to Georgia.mp3 3.0M 20 - Easy Rider Blues.mp3 3.0M 21 - Why did You Leave Me.mp3 2.5M 22 - Me and My Baby.mp3 2.0M 23 - Mance's Talking Blues.mp3 3.5M 24 - Segregation Done Past.mp3 2.2M Mance Lipscomb - Captain Captain - The Texas Songster - Vol. 3 - Scans.zip Vol. 4 total 67M 2.3M 01 - Baby, Don't You Lay It on Me.mp3 2.5M 02 - Meet Me in the Bottom.mp3 2.7M 03 - You Gonna Miss Me.mp3 1.8M 04 - Keep on Truckin'.mp3 2.7M 05 - Trobule in Mind.mp3 3.4M 06 - Tom Moore Blues.mp3 3.4M 07 - Mance's Short-haired Woman.mp3 2.3M 08 - Tra-La-Ra-La Doodle All Day.mp3 2.3M 09 - Shine on Harvest Moon.mp3 2.5M 10 - Run, Sinner, Run.mp3 3.2M 11 - Key to the Highway.mp3 3.4M 12 - Rock Me, Mama.mp3 2.5M 13 - Wonder Where My Easy Rider Done Gone.mp3 4.9M 14 - Late Night Blues & Boogie Woogie.mp3 11M 15 - Early Days Back Home.mp3 2.3M 16 - Cocaine Done Killed My Baby.mp3 4.4M 17 - I Wonder Why.mp3 2.3M 18 - It Ain't Gonna Rain No More.mp3 2.4M 19 - You Gonna Quit Me, Baby.mp3 2.2M 20 - When the Saints Go Marching In.mp3 2.1M 21 - Mother Had a Sick Child.mp3 1.9M Mance Lipscomb - Live! At The Cabale - The Texas Songster - Vol. 4 - Scans.zip Vol. 5 total 126M 7.6M 01 - Texas Blues.mp3 7.1M 02 - Black Gal.mp3 8.1M 03 - Oh, Baby! (You Don't Have To Go).mp3 7.9M 04 - Whiskey Blues.mp3 5.3M 05 - Haunted House Blues.mp3 8.6M 06 - Mance's Blues.mp3 8.5M 07 - Does She Ever Think Of Me.mp3 4.1M 08 - I Just Hang Down My Head And I Cry.mp3 4.7M 09 - Rag In F.mp3 5.7M 10 - Wonder Where My Easy Rider Gone.mp3 11M 11 - Tell Me Where You Stayed Last Night.mp3 5.1M 12 - Corrine, Corrina.mp3 5.2M 13 - Evil Blues.mp3 4.2M 14 - Mama, Let Me Lay It On You.mp3 8.1M 15 - Louise.mp3 7.8M 16 - Sometimes I Feel Like.mp3 6.5M 17 - Blues In The Bottle.mp3 9.7M 18 - Angel Child.mp3 1.3M Mance Lipscomb - Texas Country Blues - Texas Songster - Vol. 5 - Scans.zip
Vol. 1 total 124M 2.2M Jaco Pastorius -Punk Jazz - CD 1 -01 -The Chicken.mp3 6.7M Jaco Pastorius -Punk Jazz - CD 1 -02 -Amelia.mp3 9.5M Jaco Pastorius -Punk Jazz - CD 1 -03 -I Can Dig It Baby.mp3 8.4M Jaco Pastorius -Punk Jazz - CD 1 -04 -Batterie.mp3 7.4M Jaco Pastorius -Punk Jazz - CD 1 -05 -Continuum.mp3 9.7M Jaco Pastorius -Punk Jazz - CD 1 -06 -Midwestern Nights Dream.mp3 13M Jaco Pastorius -Punk Jazz - CD 1 -07 -Foreign Fun.mp3 9.7M Jaco Pastorius -Punk Jazz - CD 1 -08 -Birdland.mp3 11M Jaco Pastorius -Punk Jazz - CD 1 -09 -Nativity.mp3 7.2M Jaco Pastorius -Punk Jazz - CD 1 -10 -Las Olas.mp3 7.0M Jaco Pastorius -Punk Jazz - CD 1 -11 -Sunday.mp3 9.5M Jaco Pastorius -Punk Jazz - CD 1 -12 -Layas.mp3 9.1M Jaco Pastorius -Punk Jazz - CD 1 -13 -Goodbye Pork Pie Hat.mp3 7.3M Jaco Pastorius -Punk Jazz - CD 1 -14 -The Dry Cleaner From Des Moines.mp3 7.4M Jaco Pastorius -Punk Jazz - CD 1 -15 -Punk Jazz.mp3 Vol. 2 total 129M 9.9M Jaco Pastorius -Punk Jazz - CD2 -01 -3 Views of a Secret.mp3 20M Jaco Pastorius -Punk Jazz - CD2 -02 -Liberty City.mp3 4.9M Jaco Pastorius -Punk Jazz - CD2 -03 -Chromatic Fantasy.mp3 4.5M Jaco Pastorius -Punk Jazz - CD2 -04 -Blackbird.mp3 5.9M Jaco Pastorius -Punk Jazz - CD2 -05 -Word of Mouth.mp3 18M Jaco Pastorius -Punk Jazz - CD2 -06 -John and Mary.mp3 10M Jaco Pastorius -Punk Jazz - CD2 -07 -Good Morning Anya.mp3 14M Jaco Pastorius -Punk Jazz - CD2 -08 -Invitation.mp3 11M Jaco Pastorius -Punk Jazz - CD2 -09 -Soul Intro.The Chicken.mp3 1.9M Jaco Pastorius -Punk Jazz - CD2 -10 -Amerika.mp3 12M Jaco Pastorius -Punk Jazz - CD2 -11 -Okonkole' Y Trompa.mp3 9.8M Jaco Pastorius -Punk Jazz - CD2 -12 -Mood Swings.mp3 8.4M Jaco Pastorius -Punk Jazz - CD2 -13-Out of the Night.mp3
total 99M 33M Dave Holland Quintet - Live Theatre St-Denis - 01 - Jumpin' In.mp3 15M Dave Holland Quintet - Live Theatre St-Denis - 02 - Brother Tie.mp3 11M Dave Holland Quintet - Live Theatre St-Denis - 03 - Nexus.mp3 41M Dave Holland Quintet - Live Theatre St-Denis - 04 - Wights Waits for Weights - Vor.mp3 4.0K Dave Holland Quintet - Live Theatre St-Denis - 05 - info.txt
"From 1964, Archie Shepp's first date as a leader featured -- as one would expect from the title -- four tunes by John Coltrane, his mentor, his major influence, and his bandleader. The fact that this album holds up better than almost any of Shepp's records nearly 40 years after the fact has plenty to do with the band he chose for this session, and everything to do with the arranging skills of trombonist Roswell Rudd. The band here is Shepp on tenor, John Tchicai on alto, Rudd on trombone, Trane's bassist Reggie Workman, and Ornette Coleman's drummer Charles Moffett. Even in 1964, this was a powerhouse, beginning with a bluesed-out wailing version of "Syeeda's Song Flute." This version is ingenious, with Shepp allowing Rudd to arrange for solos for himself and Tchicai up front and Rudd punching in the blues and gospel in the middle, before giving way to double time by Workman and Moffett. The rawness of the whole thing is so down-home you're ready to tell someone to pass the butter beans when listening. Rudd's arrangement of "Naima" is also stunningly beautiful: He reharmonizes the piece for the mid-register tone of Shepp, who does his best Ben Webster and adds a microtonal tag onto the front and back, dislocating the tune before it begins and after it ends, while keeping it just out of the range of the consonant throughout. Wonderful! The only Shepp original here is "Rufus (Swung, His Face at Last to the Wind, Then His Neck Snapped)." It's not a terribly sophisticated tune, but it works in the context of this band largely because of the soloing prowess of all the members -- particularly Tchicai -- here. There is barely any melody, the key changes are commensurate with tempo shifts, and the harmonics are of the sliding scale variety. Still, there are the blues; no one can dig into them and honk them better than Shepp. When it came to sheer exuberance and expression, he was a force to be reckoned with in his youth, and it shows in each of the tunes recorded here. Four for Trane is a truly fine, original, and lasting album from an under-celebrated musician." - Thom Jurek
"Tenor saxophonist Archie Shepp's third release for the Impulse label collects valuable loose ends recorded between March and August 1965. Among the highlights are a passionate reading of Duke Ellington's "In a Sentimental Mood" and the title piece, a moving tribute to WEB DuBois, featuring the haunting soprano vocalist Christine Spencer employing a distinct 20th century classical influence, with Shepp on piano. The CD version of On This Night includes an alternate take of "The Mac Man," three of "The Chased," and a reading of his poem "Malcolm, Malcolm, Semper Malcolm." Shepp is the solo horn on these dates, playing at peak form with contributions from vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson early in his career, David Izenzon or Henry Grimes on bass, and four rotating drummers, including Rashied Ali, J.C. Moses, Joe Chambers, and Ed Blackwell, playing a variety of percussion." - Al Campbell
"Not at the same level as their debut (My Feet Can't Fail Me Now), this second outing by the Dirty Dozen Brass Band (taken from a couple sets performed at the 1985 Montreux Jazz Festival) is overly loose in spots and has some lightweight material that was better heard live than on record. The party music does have its strong moments, the mightly sousaphone playing of Kirk Joseph (who simulates an electric bass) pushes the group and the joy of the band is not to be denied, but "The Flintstones Meets the President" is only worth hearing once." - Scott Yanow
total 107M 4.0K 00 - The Dirty Dozen Brass Band - Live Mardi Gras in Montreux.txt 8.6M 01 - Who Took The Happiness Out.mp3 13M 02 - Mardi Gras In New Orleans.mp3 10M 03 - It Ain't What You Think.mp3 16M 04 - Do It Fluid - Do It Again.mp3 8.6M 05 - The Flintstones Meet The President (Meets The Dirty Dozen).mp3 9.8M 06 - Night Train.mp3 20M 07 - Blue Monk - Stormy Monday.mp3 9.5M 08 - Lickety Split.mp3 13M 09 - Encore- Blackbird Special Part 2.mp3
"The Dirty Dozen Brass Band sticks to originals (except for Johnny Dyani's "Eyomzi") on this fairly adventurous set. The octet (which consists of two trumpets, two saxes, one trombone, sousaphone, snare drum and bass drum) still had a unique sound in 1991 but three songs on the date only used part of the unit and the DDBB seemed to be trying to escape the sound of the brass band tradition (they had long had a more modern repertoire). Not all of the pieces work although the music in general is pretty colorful and somewhat unpredictable, even if it falls short of essential." - Scott Yanow
"The Dirty Dozen Brass Band certainly knew how to have a good time while playing their music. Their spirited blending of New Orleans jazz parade rhythms with R&Bish horn riffs made them flexible enough to welcome guests Dr. John (who sings and play piano on "It's All Over Now"), Dizzy Gillespie ("Oop Pop A Dah") and Branford Marsalis ("Moose the Mooche") to their Columbia debut without altering their music at all. With Gregory Davis and Efrem Towns playing strong trumpet in the ensembles and occasional solos, and with sousaphonist Kirk Joseph not letting up for a moment, this is a typically spirited set by the unique DDBB." - Scott Yanow
"Chris Anderson is one of the unsung heroes of modern jazz piano. A revered figure among musicians, largely for his role as mentor to a young Herbie Hancock, Anderson has long been hindered by illness from aggressively pursuing his rightful place in the jazz limelight. A Chicago native reared on the blues and the music of Nat King Cole, Art Tatum, and Duke Ellington, Anderson years ago developed a rich harmonic sensibility that bears the influence of Ravel and Debussy. His playing remains moody and impressionistic, built on chordal improvisation rather than speedy right-hand runs, yet he never strays too far from his blues roots. One hopes that this outstanding, quietly brilliant duo effort with bass master Haden helps earn him some richly deserved acclaim." - Joel Roberts
"While it's true this set has been given the highest rating AMG awards, it comes with a qualifier: the rating is for the music and the package, not necessarily the presentation. Presentation is a compiler's nightmare in the case of artists like John Coltrane and Ornette Coleman, who recorded often and at different times and had most of their recordings issued from the wealth of material available at the time a record was needed rather than culling an album from a particular session. Why is this a problem? It's twofold: First is that listeners got acquainted with recordings such as The Shape of Jazz to Come, This Is Our Music, Change of the Century, Twins, or any of the other four records Ornette Coleman released on Atlantic during that period. The other is one of economics; for those collectors who believe in the integrity of the original albums, they need to own both those recordings and this set, since the box features one album that was only issued in Japan as well as six unreleased tunes and the three Coleman compositions that appeared on Gunther Schuller's Jazz Abstractions record. Politically what's interesting about this box is that though the folks at Rhino and Atlantic essentially created a completely different document here, putting Coleman's music in a very different context than the way in which it was originally presented, his royalty rate was unchanged -- he refused to do any publicity for this set when it was issued as a result. As for the plus side of such a collection, there is a certain satisfaction at hearing complete sessions in context. That cannot be argued -- what is at stake is at what price to the original recorded presentations. Enough complaining. As for the music, as mentioned, the original eight albums Coleman recorded for Atlantic are here, in one form or another, in their entirety: Shape of Jazz to Come, Change of the Century, The Art of the Improvisers, Twins, This Is Our Music, Free Jazz, Ornette, and Ornette 'n' Tenor, plus To Whom Keeps a Record, comprised of recordings dating from 1959 to 1960. In fact all of the material here was recorded between 1959 and 1961. Given that there is a total of six completely unreleased compositions as well as alternate takes and masters, this is a formidable mountain of material recorded with not only the classic quartet of Coleman, Don Cherry, Charlie Haden, and Billy Higgins, but also the large double quartet who produced the two-sided improvisation that is Free Jazz with personalities as diverse as Eric Dolphy, Freddie Hubbard, and Scott LaFaro, as well as Coleman, Cherry, Haden, and Ed Blackwell, who had replaced Higgins on the music for To Whom Keeps a Record and This Is Our Music -- though Higgins does play on Free Jazz.
The progression of the recording sessions musically is one of dynamics, color, and, with the addition of Blackwell, firepower. As the listener moves from the first session that would become most of The Shape of Jazz to Come, listeners can hear how the interplay between Cherry and Coleman works lyrically not so much as a system, but as system of the creation of melody from dead fragments of harmony, thereby creating a harmonic sensibility that cares not for changes and chord progressions, but for the progression of music itself in the context of a quartet. From the sharp edges on "Focus on Sanity," through "Peace" and "Congeniality," through "Lonely Woman," Coleman's approach to harmony was one of disparate yet wholly compatible elements. This is the story as the sessions unfold, one kind of lyricism evolving into itself more fully and completely with time. On Change of the Century, Twins, and This Is Our Music, Coleman shifts his emphasis slightly, adding depth and dimension and the creation of melody that comes out of the blues as direct and simply stated as possible. By the time LaFaro enters the picture on Free Jazz and Art of the Improvisers, melody has multiplied and divided itself into essence, and essence becomes an exponential force in the creation of a new musical syntax. The recordings from 1960 and 1961, along with the unreleased masters and alternates, all show Coleman fully in possession of his muse. The trek of musicians through the band -- like Jimmy Garrison and Eric Dolphy, as well as people like Jim Hall and Bill Evans where Coleman appeared in Gunther Schuller's experiments -- all reveal that from The Shape of Jazz to Come through On Tenor, Coleman was trying to put across the fully developed picture of his musical theory of the time. And unlike most, he completely succeeded. Even on the unreleased compositions, such as the flyaway storm of "Revolving Doors" or "PROOF Readers" or the slippery blues of "The Tribes of New York," Coleman took the open-door approach and let everything in -- he didn't necessarily let it all out. The package itself is, as are all Rhino boxes, handsome and original; there are three double-CD sleeves that all slip into a half box, which slips, reversed, into the whole box. There is a 68-page booklet with a ton of photographs, complete session notes, and liners by Coleman (disappointingly brief, but he was pissed off at the label), a fantastic essay by the late Robert Palmer, recollections by all the musicians, and quotes from Coleman from interviews given through the decades. The sound is wonderful and the mastering job superb. In all -- aside from the breach of pop culture's own historical context, which is at least an alternate reality -- this is, along with John Coltrane's Atlantic set and the Miles and Coltrane box, one of the most essential jazz CD purchases." - Thom Jurek
"African Magic is a sweeping 24-part suite recorded live at the 11th and final Jazz Across the Border Festival in Germany in 2001 by the Abdullah Ibrahim Trio. Ibrahim's trio features acoustic bassist Belden Bullock and drummer Sipho Kunene distilling the melodic sounds of South Africa into a personal improvisation of jazz, religious, and traditional world music coupled with European classical and chamber music influences. Recurring cubistic style fragments of Ibrahim's multi-themed tone poem "Blue Bolero" are sequenced throughout this enchanting program and encourage listeners to participate in the invigorating rhythms that are abstract yet romantic. African Magic, which was inspired by nature, Duke Ellington, and Africa's Diaspora, also features "Duke 88," a 16-second sampling of "Solitude," and "In a Sentimental Mood" in recognition of Ellington's outstanding talent as a songwriter whose jazz standards have left enough room for reinterpretation by artists from around the world. Ibrahim's six-minute tribute to John Coltrane also epitomizes the depth of Ibrahim's talents as a composer and attests to his cubistic style of deconstructing and reconstructing, which he has also lent to such film scores as those for Chocolat and No Fear No Die. Overall, African Magic cannot be compared to any of Ibrahim's previous concerts. However, it deftly captures the emotion, exploration, and exciting impulses generated from the stage that evening. A must-have for any serious jazz collection." - Paula Edelstein
"Ever since Artie Shaw and Charlie Parker, most jazz musicians have had a desire to record at least once in their lives with strings, often considering it a prestigious honor. Altoist Art Pepper finally had his chance on this album and fortunately the string arrangements (by Bill Holman and Jimmy Bond) do not weigh down the proceedings. Pepper sounds quite inspired performing seven strong compositions highlighted by Hoagy Carmichael's "Winter Moon," "When the Sun Comes Out" and a clarinet feature on "Blues in the Night." This material (plus four alternate takes and two other songs from the same sessions) is included in the massive Art Pepper Galaxy box set." - Scott Yanow
"This CD features Dizzy Gillespie's second great big band at the peak of its powers. On the rapid "Dizzy's Blues" and a truly blazing "Cool Breeze," the orchestra really roars; the latter performance features extraordinary solos by Gillespie, trombonist Al Grey, and tenor saxophonist Billy Mitchell. In addition to fine renditions of "Manteca" and Benny Golson's then-recent composition "I Remember Clifford," the humorous "Doodlin'" is given a definitive treatment, there is a fresh version of "A Night in Tunisia," and pianist Mary Lou Williams sits in for a lengthy medley of selections from her "Zodiac Suite." This brilliant CD captures one of the high points of Dizzy Gillespie's remarkable career and is highly recommended." - Scott Yanow
"A cross-section of cuts matching Mulligan with most of the great sax players, among them Ben Webster, Paul Desmond, Stan Getz, Johnny Hodges, and Zoot Sims." - Ron Wynn
"After the success of Song for My Father and its hit title cut, Horace Silver was moved to pay further tribute to his dad, not to mention connect with some of his roots. Silver's father was born in the island nation of Cape Verde (near West Africa) before emigrating to the United States, and that's the inspiration behind The Cape Verdean Blues. Not all of the tracks are directly influenced by the music of Cape Verde (though some do incorporate Silver's taste for light exoticism); however, there's a spirit of adventure that pervades the entire album, a sense of exploration that wouldn't have been quite the same with Silver's quintet of old. On average, the tracks are longer than usual, and the lineup -- featuring tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson (a holdover from the Song for My Father sessions) and trumpeter Woody Shaw -- is one of the most modernist-leaning Silver ever recorded with. They push Silver into more advanced territory than he was normally accustomed to working, with mild dissonances and (especially in Henderson's case) a rawer edge to the playing. What's more, bop trombone legend J.J. Johnson appears on half of the six tracks, and Silver sounds excited to finally work with a collaborator he'd been pursuing for some time. Johnson ably handles some of the album's most challenging material, like the moody, swelling "Bonita" and the complex, up-tempo rhythms of "Nutville." Most interesting, though, is the lilting title track, which conjures the flavor of the islands with a blend of Latin-tinged rhythms and calypso melodies that nonetheless don't sound quite Caribbean in origin. Also noteworthy are "The African Queen," with its blend of emotional power and drifting hints of freedom, and "Pretty Eyes," Silver's first original waltz. Yet another worthwhile Silver album." - Steve Huey
total 68M 20M 01 Haitian Fight Song.mp3 16M 02 Invisible Lady.mp3 16M 03 Moanin'.mp3 18M 04 Oh Lord Don't Let Them Drop That Atomic Bomb On Me.mp3
"In his early prime and well-respected, tenor saxophonist Sonny Rollins cut this fine hard bop date as one of several late-'50s sessions for Blue Note. The record is part classic date, part blowing session, sporting a mix of engaging head statements and lengthy solos. Rollins takes to the spacious quartet setting, stretching out on taut versions of Miles Davis' '50s concert opener "Tune Up" and Kenny Dorham's "Asiatic Raes." Keeping the swing hard but supple are drummer Philly Joe Jones, bassist Doug Watkins, and pianist Wynton Kelly; Jones was certainly the standout in this well-respected sampling of the best young players of the period, as he oftentimes matched the intensity and ingenuity of the star soloists he backed. Jones, in fact, puts in some career highlights on "Wonderful! Wonderful!" and "The Surrey With the Fringe on Top," just two of many wholly unique Tin Pan Alley song interpretations Rollins has done in his long career. From a career-defining period before the legendary Williamsburg Bridge layoff of two years, Rollins' Newk's Time may not make classic status in jazz roundups, but it certainly is a must for fans of this most important of classic hard bop soloists." - Sonny Rollins
"Big Brass is an appropiate name for the large ensemble arranged and conducted by Ernie Wilkins that accompanies the huge sound of Sonny Rollins. The energy within the leader's gospel-flavored shout "Grand Street" is considerable, while a swinging but no less powerful version of George & Ira Gershwin's "Who Cares" features a choice solo by guitarist Rene Thomas. Also added to this compilation are trio recordings with bassist Henry Grimes and drummer Specs Wright, including a brilliant leisurely stroll through "Manhattan," along with Rollins' tour de force unaccompanied tenor sax on "Body and Soul." Another bonus is the presence of four tracks recorded at the Music Inn with three-quarters of the Modern Jazz Quartet (without Milt Jackson); an easygoing version of Rollins' well-known "Doxy" and a tense "Limehouse Blues" are especially noteworthy. The alternate endings to "Grand Street" from the mono version of the original LP and a later reissue LP are included only for the most fanatic completists." - Ken Dryden
"On this Mobile Fidelity CD reissue of a live Atlantic set from 1966, The Modern Jazz Quartet performs eight blues-based compositions. In addition to such familiar pieces as the inevitable "Bags' Groove," "Ralph's New Blues" (dedicated to jazz critic Ralph Gleason) and "The Cylinder," there are a few newer pieces (including "Home" which is similar to Lee Morgan's hit "The Sidewinder") included for variety. This predictable but consistently swinging set is particularly recommended to fans of vibraphonist Milt Jackson." - Scott Yanow
"This LP has a particularly strong all-around set by The Modern Jazz Quartet. While John Lewis' "Versailles" and an 11-minute "Fontessa" show the seriousness of the group (and the influence of Western classical music), other pieces (such as "Bluesology," "Woody'n You" and a pair of ballads) look toward the group's roots in bop and permit the band to swing hard." - Scott Yanow
"This is a tribute album that works quite well. The Modern Jazz Quartet is heard at their best on such Duke Ellington tunes as "Rockin' in Rhythm," "Jack the Bear" and "Ko-Ko." Also quite noteworthy are their two newer pieces, John Lewis's "For Ellington" and Milt Jackson's "Maestro E.K.E." which perfectly capture the spirit of Ellington's music. The ballads sometimes get a little sleepy but on a whole this is a very enjoyable release." - Scott Yanow
"On this long player, Milt Jackson (vibraphone) teams up with two different ensembles from a pair of early- to mid-'50s dates. First up is the familiar setting of the Modern Jazz Quartet (MJQ) with John Lewis (piano), Percy Heath (bass), and Kenny Clarke (drums) joining Jackson during a December 1952 session. The Jerome Kern ballad "All the Things You Are" is given additional radiance with a slightly Polynesian-flavored introduction leading directly into a bopping up-tempo reading. Jackson's leads soar over the MJQ's rock-solid backing. The Lewis original "La Ronde" is based on, or perhaps more accurately derived from, Dizzy Gillespie's "Two Bass Hit." They congeal the tricky timing, providing clever interjections throughout for added emphasis. "Vendome" is another Lewis composition with a brisk and slinky syncopation that possesses a classical charm, around which the band built its impressive interaction. Duke Ellington's "Rose of the Rio Grande" joyously frolics as it likewise supplies a framework for the band to assert its respective musical personas. The concluding four sides hail from a June 1954 date with Jackson, Heath, Clarke, Horace Silver (piano), and Henry Boozier (trumpet). The adaptation of the latter also reveals a palpable noir quality to the cuts they contribute to. Silver's "Opus de Funk" glides about Jackson's resounding solos, which the pianist supports with some nicely placed alternate lines. "Buhaina" is another Silver tune and spotlights Boozier's highly affable accompaniment, contrasting his work as a soloist. The elegant "I've Lost Your Love" shines with a dusky glint. Finally, "Soma" wraps up the LP with another round of profound interplay from Jackson and Boozier. MJQ is a recommended platter for all manner of jazz listeners." - Lindsay Planer
"This is a strong recording from The Modern Jazz Quartet with inventive versions of John Lewis's "Vendome," and Ray Brown's "Pyramid," Jim Hall's "Romaine," Lewis's famous "Django," and cooking jams on "How High the Moon" and "It Don't Mean a Thing." The MJQ had become a jazz institution by this time, but they never lost their creative edge, and their performances (even on the remakes) are quite stimulating, enthusiastic and fresh." - Scott Yanow
"Marcus Miller is one of the great hyphenates of contemporary rhythm and jazz, equally successful as a producer (Luther Vandross, David Sanborn), songwriter (numerous Vandross hits, James/Sanborn's "Maputo"), and artist in his own right. It's not easy to capture every aspect of the man who has been called the "Superman of Soul" on one disc, but Live and More -- which draws from sold out performances in Los Angeles, Montreux, and throughout Japan -- gives it a solid effort. While Miller plays everything but the kitchen sink himself (bass, bass clarinet, guitar, and vocoder), the genuine excitement here emerges from giving space to and interacting and stretching out with his sea of all-stars. Miller wrote the moody trumpet-led seduction "Tutu" for Miles, but Michael "Patches" Stewart carries on in those muted footsteps (complemented by a flügelhorn solo) above a controlled Miller bass line and Poogie Bell's subtle drum brushes. Miller emerges as a halfway decent singer on the Crusaders-like "Funny" but leaves the bulk of the instrumental work to Kenny Garrett's gentle soprano and Hiram Bullock's increasingly raucous guitar. Miller also offers the studio ballad "Sophie" on which he adds yet another voice to his repertoire -- soprano sax." - Jonathan Widran
"This is the Marcus Miller everybody always knew existed yet never really heard on record. This is the man who can play bass, saxophone, and bass clarinet, and also compose, produce, arrange, etc., and usually does so in a slick studio setting. The Ozell Tapes is reported to be an "official bootleg"; it's official to be sure but it's no bootleg. These are tapes from the band's 2002 tour straight from the soundboard without any remixing. The tapes are not from a single show, however, but the best performances from the entire tour. It's a small complaint, really, that it doesn't have the complete languid feel of a single show, because this is easily the best record Miller has ever released. His combined talents come into focus in spontaneous settings, where he walks the tightrope between composed or covered material, and between arranged and improvised material. And the material: There are two sets, on a pair of CDs. The music vacillates between the sacred and profane, but it's all from the heart of the groove. First there's the jam "Power," an early showcase of the band's strengths, and it's immediately followed by an elegant and emotionally played funked-up version of Miles Davis' "So What," with a two-piece horn section and Miller on electric bass turning the groove over and back accompanied by an atmospheric airy (à la "In a Silent Way") piano. From here the band moves to John Coltrane's "Lonnie's Lament," and turns it upside down into groove jazz meets gutter funk. The Coltrane vibe is replaced by something quite beautiful and lovely, and there is no irreverence in the interpretation.
The ensemble is tight to the point of instinctual reaction, and on the covers it becomes obvious very quickly how well attuned the bandmembers are to Miller's seemingly endless musical palette. There are readings of "I Loves You Porgy" and Talking Heads' "Burning Down the House," Joe Sample and Will Jennings' "When Your Life Was Low," Thom Bell's "You Make the World Go Round," and "Killing Me Softly" -- all with stunning vocal appearances by the divine Lalah Hathaway. But the covers only show one side; on the band's originals such as "Scoop," "Panther," and "3 Deuces," the easy looseness is evident even though these cats play their asses off. Nowhere is this more evident than on the set's final track, a medley of the Miller/Miles Davis-penned tunes "Hannibal," "Tutu," and "Amandla." Miller pushes his bandmembers to play the same unexpected twists and turns Miles was famous for, tossing changeups into the mix at odd moments, moving a time signature, changing a groove, shifting an interval -- and they respond without a seam. They make it gritty and beautiful, improvising with grace, aplomb, and grit. The Ozell Tapes proves that Marcus Miller is not a "smooth jazz" musician or a "fusion" musician or a "pop" musician; this proves he is a jazz musician who plays thoroughly modern, emotionally and intellectually satisfying electric jazz. If rhythm, subtle harmony, melody, a touch of funkiness, and a bucket of soul are your thing, then this is for you no matter what kind of music you listen to." - Thom Jurek
total 107M 2.6M 10 Ray Charles - Basin Street Blues.mp3 3.9M 11 Louis Prima - Basin Street Blues.mp3 8.2M 12 Louis Armstrong - Basin Street Blues.mp3 3.0M 13 Peggy Lee - Basin Street Blues.mp3 3.3M 14 Dutch Swing College Band - Basin Street Blues.mp3 3.8M 15 Peddlers - Basin' Street Blues.mp3 17M 16 Miles Davis - Basin Street Blues.mp3 8.5M 17 Keith Jarrett - Basin Street Blues.mp3 6.6M 18 Kid Koala - Basin Street Blues.mp3 2.9M 19 Julie London - Basin Street Blues3.mp3 3.0M 1 The Charleston Chasers - Basin Street Blues.mp3 1.2M 20 Golden Gate Quartet - Basin Street Blues.mp3 2.5M 21 Shirley Bassey - Basin Street Blues.mp3 7.6M 22 Shirley Horn - Basin Street Blues.mp3 3.1M 2 Louis Armstrong & Sidney Bechet - Basin Street Blues.mp3 6.7M 3 Glenn Miller & Louis Armstrong - Basin Street Blues.mp3 3.6M 4 Ella Fitzgerald - Basin Street Blues.mp3 4.4M 5 Dave Brubeck & Gerry Mulligan - Basin Street Blues.mp3 4.7M 6 Al Hirt & Pete Fountain - Basin Street Blues.mp3 3.7M 7 Jimmy Smith - Basin Street Blues.mp3 5.2M 8 Louis Amstrong - Basin Street Blues.mp3 2.6M 9 Nicola Arigliano - Basin Street Blues.mp3
"When this double-album set was first released, the "two-fer" fad in jazz and blues reissues was not exactly new, but a consensus on what to do with alternate takes had not been reached, if it ever has. Compact discs made the entire situation easier to deal with, as machines could be programmed to play the selections in any order, and the perception of monotony that lingers just under the surface of any alternate-takes collection could be avoided with the click of a button. Back in the vinyl days, the way this set was programmed would have been bad news for anyone who had problems listening to four takes of "Exercise in Swing" in a row -- although obviously, the thing for such a person to do would be avoid buying this collection entirely. All the versions of a given tune are presented right in a row, with an average of three different titles per side. The takes presented would all have been considered usable, so this is not a case of listening to out-of-tune versions or breakdowns. And in the end, this set is much more varied and interesting to listen to than it might appear from a glance at the track list. Hearing the difference in the solos from version to version would be the major draw for the typical jazz fan, and these recordings are totally satisfying from that perspective. Young is a master soloist who never fails to come up with a odd slant on the melody, usually after lulling the listener into a false sense of calm. He is heard with a selection of players that are at the very least pleasant and swinging. The arrangements and brevity of the tracks means things move along quickly; hearing one soloist who is a genius followed by another who simply plays well is part of the fun, as a pure spirit of jazz flows through all the participants. The 1944 tracks were originally issued under the name of Earl Warren and His Orchestra, but it is actually the Count Basie band in disguise. Due to contract hassles, Basie turned the piano bench over to Clyde Hart, and alto saxophonist and amusing vocalist Earl Warren assumed mock leadership. These tracks absolutely defy the idea that listening to different versions of the same songs is dull. For one thing, the charts are complicated, and it will probably take multiple listens until one even gets used to the melodies enough to become bored by them. It is also thrilling to hear this totally tight band whip through these arrangements and the sequences of quick, energized, and clever solos that follow. At the same session, Young cut some tunes with a smaller band that has an exquisitely polished sound. Pianist Johnny Guarnieri plays wonderfully, a bit of Basie here, a touch of Tatum there, a wash of Wilson to wrap it up. Drummer Cozy Cole is tasteful, while Young's masterful phrasing is well-balanced in a horn lineup of trumpet and clarinet. This takes us to side C, which perhaps should have been identified as the third side to avoid the mediocrity associated with a C grade. Because now Basie himself is on the scene in a small band grouping that is some of the best recorded work of all concerned. It is simple material, played without a touch of pomposity. Some of the titles are only done once, such as "Jump Lester Jump," which everyone must have agreed could not possibly have been improved upon. The tunes that are done twice provide a tremendous opportunity to compare happenings. Rhythm-section fanatics can follow the strumming of Freddie Green or the snare drum of Shadow Wilson, because this is all about details. What happens exactly, that makes one version of tune six seconds longer than another? In the case of "Ding Dong," two of the three versions are exactly the same length, to the second, while the third is only a single second longer. The final session jumps ahead to 1949 and presents Young in a combo with several youngsters that went on to greater jazz glory. Roy Haynes, in his early twenties at the time of these recordings, is as delightful as he is on his Alladin sessions with Young, while the bluesy touch of pianist Junior Mance is right up Young's alley. It is sad to say Mance never backed up anyone as good as this again -- but in a way, nobody did." - Eugene Chadbourne
total 252M 14M Tommy Dorsey - Early Groups - Part 1.mp3 12M Tommy Dorsey - Early Groups - Part 2.mp3 14M Tommy Dorsey - Part 1.mp3 11M Tommy Dorsey - Part 2.mp3 15M Tony Pastor & Teddy Powell - Part 1.mp3 12M Tony Pastor & Teddy Powell - Part 2.mp3 15M Various - 01 - Tribute Show - Part 1.mp3 14M Various - 01 - Tribute to John Hammond - Part 1.mp3 13M Various - 02 - Tribute Show - Part 2.mp3 12M Various - 02 - Tribute To John Hammond - Part 2.mp3 14M Various - The Birth Of Swing - Part 1.mp3 11M Various - The Birth Of Swing - Part 2.mp3 15M Various - The Guitar Players - Part 1.mp3 11M Various - The Guitar Players - Part 2.mp3 13M Will Bradley - Part 1.mp3 12M Will Bradley - Part 2.mp3 14M Woody Herman - 01 - Carnegie Hall Concert - Part 1.mp3 12M Woody Herman - 02 - Carnegie Hall Concert - Part 2.mp3 13M Woody Herman - The First 3 Herds - Part 1.mp3 13M Woody Herman - The First 3 Herds - Part 2.mp3
"Recorded in NYC. Produced by Creed Taylor. Three sessions. Note: this is Smith with a large group, not the small-combo setting." - Michael Erlewine
"On his first album in more than five years, Jimmy Smith, who turned 75 shortly before the release date, attempts the soul-jazz version of what Santana did on Supernatural -- heavily featuring guest stars in an attempt to broaden his appeal. The basic band consists of Smith on organ, Reggie McBride on bass guitar, and Harvey Mason on drums, but this trio is never featured alone, although four tracks feature the trio joined only by guitarist Russell Malone -- "C C Rider," "Mood Indigo" (with John Clayton replacing McBride on acoustic bass), and two new Smith originals, the title track and "Tuition Blues." (On a fifth song, a remake of Smith's "8 Counts for Rita," the quartet is joined by percussionist Lenny Castro.) Not surprisingly, these are the most jazz-oriented performances on the album. The rest of the disc takes a blues turn, with Dr. John contributing vocals and piano on his own composition, the lead-off track "Only in It for the Money"; Taj Mahal singing and playing guitar on his own "Strut"; Etta James singing the Muddy Waters hit "I Just Wanna Make Love to You"; Keb' Mo' taking guitar and vocal duties on his composition "Over & Over"; and B.B. King doing the same on his old favorite "Three O'Clock Blues." Thus, half the album is given over to guest stars who sing, making this the most vocal-dominated album ever released under Jimmy Smith's name. As a consequence, it is also something of a blues sampler with Smith playing a prominent role rather than a Jimmy Smith album. Jazz fans will be happy to know that, after more than 40 years of recording, Smith retains his ability to play, but Dot Com Blues is anything but a showcase for the man whose name is on the cover." - William Ruhlmann
"Most of organist Jimmy Smith's recordings for Verve during the mid-to-late '60s were with big bands, making this trio outing with guitarist Kenny Burrell and drummer Grady Tate a special treat. This CD reissue is a throwback to Smith's Blue Note sets (which had concluded two years earlier) and gives the organists the opportunity to stretch out on three blues and three standards. This release shows that, even with all of his commercial success during the period, Jimmy Smith was always a masterful jazz player." - Scott Yanow
"Prayer Meeting was organist Jimmy Smith's final Blue Note recording until 1986. On this CD reissue two earlier selections featuring Smith, tenor saxophonist Stanley Turrentine, guitarist Quentin Warren, bassist Sam Jones (the only time on Blue Note that Smith used a bassist), and drummer Donald Bailey jam on versions of "Lonesome Road" and the original "Smith Walk"; both selections went unreleased until popping up on a 1984 Japanese CD. The bulk of this set is from February 8, 1963, featuring the same personnel without Jones. Highlights include the title cut, a soulful version of "When the Saints Go Marching In," and the Gene Ammons blues "Red Top." Excellent music." - Scott Yanow
"Organist Jimmy Smith's next-to-last LP for Blue Note after a very extensive seven-year period is up to his usual level. With altoist Lou Donaldson joining Smith's regular group (which included guitarist Quentin Warren and drummer Donald Bailey), the quartet swings with soul on such fine numbers as "When My Dream Boat Comes Home," "Can Heat," "Please Send Me Someone to Love" and "Just a Closer Walk with Thee." With the exception of the closing ballad, "Trust in Me," all seven of the selections are closely related to the blues." - Scott Yanow
"Most of the music on this four-CD set from 1997 has been reissued many times, both on LP and CD, but this is the most "complete" set thus far. Louis Armstrong recorded for RCA during two separate times. During 1932-33, he led an erratic (and under-rehearsed) big band on a series of numbers, but all of the selections have their moments of interest. Although not up to the level of his Hot Five and Seven recordings of five years earlier, these spirited tracks find Armstrong mostly in excellent form both instrumentally and vocally, and the reissue has four alternate takes never released before. Highlights include the two-part "Hits Medley," "That's My Home," "I've Got the World On a String," "There's a Cabin In the Pines," "Hustlin' and Bustlin' for Baby," a unique 1930 collaboration with country singer Jimmie Rodgers, and the two bizarre versions of "Laughin' Louis." The second half of the reissue features Armstrong during 1946-47, including appearances with the Esquire poll winners (Louis takes a surprisingly modern solo on "Snafu"), the last titles by his big band, a few wonderful combo performances (including the classic "Jack-Armstrong Blues") and the first songs by Armstrong's All-Stars (co-starring Jack Teagarden); this collection concludes with two unrelated 1956 orchestral tracks. Overall, this is wonderful music, although collectors who already have everything other than the alternates have a right to hesitate." - Scott Yanow
Vol. 1, Disc 1 total 118M 4.5M 01David Bowie - That's Where My Heart Is.mp3 28K 01 info.doc 4.9M 02David Bowie - I Want My Baby Back.mp3 3.8M 03David Bowie - Bars Of The County Jail.mp3 3.7M 04David Bowie - I'll Follow You.mp3 4.6M 05David Bowie - Glad I've Got Nobody.mp3 4.4M 06David Bowie - That's A Promise.mp3 5.5M 07David Bowie - Silly Boy Blue.mp3 6.0M 08David Bowie - Love You Till Tuesday.mp3 5.1M 09David Bowie - Over The Wall We Go.mp3 6.9M 10David Bowie - When I Live My Dream.mp3 6.1M 11David Bowie - Let Me Sleep Beside You.mp3 5.6M 12David Bowie - Karma Man.mp3 3.6M 13David Bowie - Threepenny Pierrot.mp3 2.9M 14David Bowie - Columbine.mp3 2.7M 15David Bowie - The Mirror.mp3 6.6M 16David Bowie - When I Live My Dream.mp3 5.0M 17David Bowie - In The Heat Of The Morning.mp3 4.8M 18David Bowie - London Bye Ta Ta.mp3 5.9M 19David Bowie - Little Toy Soldier.mp3 5.5M 20David Bowie - Rupert The Riley.mp3 5.5M 21David Bowie - Over The Wall We Go.mp3 4.0M 22David Bowie - Silver Treetop School For Boys.mp3 Vol. 1, Disc 2 total 102M 9.9M 01David Bowie - Space Oddity Demo2.mp3 7.2M 02David Bowie - Janine.mp3 24K 02 info.doc 5.8M 03David Bowie - An Occasional Dream.mp3 6.4M 04David Bowie - Conversation Piece.mp3 6.2M 05David Bowie - Ching-A-Ling.mp3 5.4M 06David Bowie - I'm Not Quite.mp3 7.4M 07David Bowie - Love Song.mp3 4.6M 08David Bowie - When I'm Five.mp3 11M 09David Bowie - Life Is A Circus.mp3 8.5M 10David Bowie - Lover To The Dawn.mp3 4.4M 11David Bowie - Buzz The Fuzz.mp3 9.6M 12David Bowie - Bonus Space Oddity Demo2.mp3 956K 13David Bowie - Bonus The Mask Intro.mp3 5.8M 14David Bowie - Bonus The Mask Narration.mp3
Disc 6 total 107M 15M 01-Two Guitar Jam.mp3 12M 02-San Francisco Bay Blues.mp3 6.0M 03-Gypsie Eyes.mp3 9.8M 04-Cherokee Mist .mp3 7.3M 05-The Street Thing.mp3 5.2M 06-In From The Storm.mp3 4.8M 07-Freedom.mp3 5.0M 08-Somewhere Over The Rainbow.mp3 6.6M 09-Belly Button Window.mp3 8.6M 10-Captain Coconut II~Cherokee Mist .mp3 16M 11-Rider Blues.mp3 6.2M 12-Electric Ladyland Theme.mp3 6.8M 13-Jazzy Jamming.mp3 4.0K 51st CD6.md5 4.0K 51st CD6.sfv Disc 7 total 214M 3.6M 01-She's So Fine.mp3 4.9M 02-Axis Bold As Love.mp3 2.7M 03-EXP.mp3 4.1M 04-Up From The Skies.mp3 18M 05-Love Jam.mp3 8.8M 06-Electric Ladyland Jam.mp3 11M 07-Pass It On.mp3 8.7M 08-Hey Baby.mp3 5.6M 09-Stone Free.mp3 6.8M 10-Hey Joe.mp3 7.2M 11-Freedom.mp3 11M 12-Red House.mp3 9.1M 13-Ezy Rider.mp3 6.8M 14-New Rising Sun Theme.mp3 4.0K 51st CD7.md5 4.0K 51st CD7.sfv Disc 8 total 104M 5.1M 01-Fire.mp3 9.7M 02-Getting My Heart Back Together Again.mp3 15M 03-Spanish Castle Magic.mp3 9.5M 04-Purple Haze.mp3 21M 05-Tax Free.mp3 5.0M 06-Message To Love.mp3 7.3M 07-Red House.mp3 8.3M 08-Voodoo Child.mp3 15M 09-Machine Gun.mp3 11M 10-Hey Baby.mp3 4.0K 51st CD8.md5 4.0K 51st CD8.sfv
"This live performance from the Knitting Factory certainly features a wide range of emotions and tempos. Thomas Chapin is featured on alto, soprano, flute, and baritone with his regular trio (bassist Mario Pavone and drummer Michael Sarin) augmented by three strings (violinist Mark Feldman, cellist Boris Rayskin, and bassist Kiyoto Fujiwara). Feldman's heated solos and very active accompaniment of Chapin adds a great deal to the program, which consists of seven Chapin originals plus one song by Enrico Rava. With moods ranging from mildly introspective to riotous with a rousing closer in "Geek Gawkin'," this is one of Chapin's better recordings." - Scott Yanow
"Recorded in 1992, Night Bird Song remained in the can for seven years before Knitting Factory released it in 1999. Thomas Chapin had met an untimely death from leukemia in February 1998 (he was only 40), and this posthumous release was greeted with great enthusiasm by those who were hip to the saxman/flutist's music. It's regrettable that this avant-garde/post-bop recording went unreleased for so long, for Chapin's trio (which included bassist Mario Pavone and drummer Michael Sarin) is inspired, unpredictable, and cohesive throughout the album. Sticking to his own compositions, Chapin favors an inside/outside approach and fluctuates between moments of quiet, AACM-influenced reflection and intensely emotional playing. Chapin's pieces tend to be cerebral and angular and don't go out of their way to be accessible, but they're well worth exploring because the expressive improviser had a lot to say. Whether he's playing the alto sax, sopranino sax, flute, or alto flute, Chapin's restless spirit serves him well throughout Night Bird Song." - Alex Henderson
"Easily the best album to date by talented jazz/world music percussionist Trilok Gurtu, The Glimpse is a brilliant blend of musical styles paying tribute to the Indian drummer's dearly departed friend, jazz legend Don Cherry. Like Cherry, Gurtu's multicultural influences are often central to his compositions, and with guest musicians like Morocco's Jaya Deva (a member of Cherry's band), India's Geetha Ramanathan Bennett, and Bulgaria's Teodosii Spassov, this is his most ethnically diverse album to date. Nearly every track here is a standout, from the Moroccan groove of "Cherry Town" and the dazzling spoken percussion of "1-2 Beaucoup" to the melancholy balladry of Ornette Coleman's "Law Years." A must-have for fans of world-jazz fusion." - Bret Love
"The recordings from which the contents of Portrait of Angelo Debarre were drawn were originally recorded and released on a variety of labels between 1989 and, strangely enough, 2002 (the same year as the compilation's release). Most of these tracks, though not all, find Angelo DeBarre paying tribute to the legendary Django Reinhardt, either by playing Reinhardt's compositions ("Anouman," and the inevitable "Minor Blues"), or by playing originals and other modern compositions in a style clearly indebted to the gypsy jazz master. The oldest -- and the most recent -- of these performances are the ones most explicitly based on the Reinhardt-Grappelli quintets of the 1930s; the 1989 cuts, which include thrilling renditions of "La Gitane" and "Minor Blues," feature DeBarre in a trio format, backed up only by acoustic rhythm guitar and bass; "There'll Never Be Another You" and " Swing Gitane" both add Ola Kvernberg's violin to the mix (and feature an almost all-Norwegian ensemble). Elsewhere, Gabriel Androne adds a melancholy accordion to "Coeur de Bois" and "Swing Chez Toto," and a balalaika makes an appearance on "Romano Trajo." What this all amounts to is a nice balance between slavish tribute and creative boundary-pushing. Highly recommended." - Rick Anderson
"Altoist Antonio Hart's recording starts out with an eerie re-creation of the Cannonball Adderley version of "Sticks" from 1968 which, like the original, even has a live audience shouting out encouragement and clapping along more or less in time. After that the music gets more original, featuring trumpeter Darren Barrett (who shows an impressive amount of versatility), either Carlos McKinney or Mulgrew Miller on piano, and a guest spot from cornetist Nat Adderley on "Sack o'Woe." In addition to the Adderley tributes, there are several Woody Shaw pieces that generally contain new arrangements for an expanded group, based more on the spirit of the original '70s versions rather than the notes. Antonio Hart is in top form throughout this well-conceived release." - Scott Yanow
"Accordionist Gianni Coscia sets the temperament for this delightful outing, via his recollections of Italy's street market stalls (La Bancarella). A drummer-less quartet, the leader of this date interlaces jazzy lines along with trombonist Dino Piana, vibraphonist Andrea Dulbecco and bassist Enzo Pietropaoli's spirited interplay. With this release, the band provides the listener with a quintet of multipart, extended works.
The musicians pursue daintily executed choruses intertwined with variable rhythmic sequences and upbeat exchanges, amid a Mediterranean vibe. In addition, they incorporate lushly exotic melodies into this grand mix, awash with cabaret style interludes, breezy passages, and subtle deviations from previously applied strategies. Hence, a cleverly executed and thoroughly entertaining affair that offers a great deal of staying power, especially during subsequent spins. Dulbecco's crisp mallet work is at times so soft; it would seem difficult for him to break eggs. But much of this outing features deceptively dense frameworks, in concert with peppery swing vamps, pumping lines and sentimentally inclined musings. This project represents yet another glimmering example of Italy's forward thinking jazz artists, willing to parallel their dreams and passions through hybrid, jazz-based ventures." - Glenn Astarita
"The listener who buys Killer Tumbao based on the title will be disappointed; this is not driving, salsified Latin jazz. Rather, it is a beautifully played jazz release that is alternately upbeat and introspective. Fans of sparkling piano playing will enjoy the clarity and facility displayed by Durán. Flautist/saxophonist Jane Bunnett, a leading promoter of Cuban jazz, is heard to good effect. The horn section cooks and the percussion mostly stays back in a supporting role; overall, the musicianship, arrangements, and production are first rate and enhance the leader's virtuosity." - Janet Rosen
"Tenor legend Von Freeman rarely plays outside his native Chicago, but this belated release documents a two-night stay in St. Paul, MN, in the spring of 1996. The septuagenarian is in tiptop shape, joined by a superb local trio: pianist Bobby Peterson, bassist Terry Burns, and drummer Phil Hey. Like the younger Johnny Griffin, Freeman is an endurance player, as the opening, 12-plus minute "Bye Bye Blackbird" attests. (Listen for Peterson's quote of "Two Bass Hit.") And like the younger James Moody, Freeman is an entertainer and a charmer, taking every opportunity to address the audience. His playing can get pretty far out, as on Wayne Shorter's "Footprints" and even Duke Ellington's "Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me." Indeed, part of his uniqueness lies in the way he incorporates certain expressive elements of the avant-garde, despite his unshakable foundation in bebop and the blues. This comes through whether he's playing ballads ("Crazy She Calls Me"), all-out swing ("Caravan"), or unaccompanied ("My Little Brown Book")." - David R. Adler
"No thanks to the paucity of musical genius in the latter half of the 1990s, tribute albums to the departed just kept pouring forth, although in Shirley Horn's case, she was repaying an old personal debt to her subject. After all, it was Miles Davis who originally got Horn out of D.C. in 1960 as his opening act at the Village Vanguard and contributed his trumpet to one of her comeback albums (1990's You Won't Forget Me). Not only that, Horn's understated, laconic, deceptively casual ballad manner is a natural fit for the brooding Miles persona, and she doesn't have to change a thing in this relaxed, wistfully sung, solidly played collection. She doesn't actually perform any Davis compositions; everything here consists of standards that Miles covered or transformed in the 1950s, including three numbers from Porgy and Bess. Roy Hargrove adds his effective muted Miles imitations on "I Fall In Love Too Fast" and open flurries on "I Got Plenty O' Nuttin'"; and Toots Thielemans makes like a long, lonesome train whistle on "Summertime." Former Davis cohorts Ron Carter and Al Foster join the rhythm section in a remarkably searching, extended "My Man's Gone Now," the only track which takes note of the electric music that consumed so much of Miles' output (in this case, inspired by the We Want Miles version, not the more familiar Gil Evans interpretation). In a sad way, the very idea of a Miles tribute is an oxymoronic denial of the ever-restless spirit of this genius who didn't believe in looking backwards. But Shirley Horn certainly serves the man's sensitive side well." - Richard S. Ginell
"For this change of pace, singer/pianist Shirley Horn performs 15 songs associated with Ray Charles. Of course, Horn sounds nothing like Charles, but she sometimes captures his spirit on such songs as "Hit the Road, Jack," "You Don't Know Me" (which finds her switching to organ), "Makin' Whoopee" and "How Long Has This Been Going On." Joined by her regular trio (with bassist Charles Ables and drummer Steve Willliams), some of the songs have Ables switching effectively to guitar, while Tyler Mitchell fills in on bass. Altoist Gary Bartz guests on five of the dozen selections. While emphasizing ballads, as one always expects, this is a fun set that includes more medium-tempo tunes than usual for a Shirley Horn set." - Scott Yanow
"This Shirley Horn CD is a little unusual, as it was recorded at her home. The four sessions utilized some of her favorite musicians, including bassists Steve Novosel and Charles Ables, drummers Steve Williams, Elvin Jones and Billy Hart, trumpeter Roy Hargrove (on "The Meaning of the Blues") and Joe Henderson and Buck Hill on tenors. As usual, virtually all of the songs are taken at slow tempos, with "All or Nothing at All" given a definitive treatment. Other highlights include "The Look of Love," "Fever" and Henderson's playing on "You Go to My Head."" - Scott Yanow
"With You Won't Forget Me, Shirley Horn's star continued to rise. While mostly ballads, this recording also includes swinging takes on "I Just Found Out About Love" and "Foolin' Myself." Toots Thielemans stars with his distinctive harmonica sound on "Beautiful Love" and "Soothe Me," and the unmistakable trumpet of Miles Davis weaves around Horn's vocal on the title track. The opening medley moves from the almost-whispered ballad "The Music That Makes Me Dance," to a funkily midtempo "Come Dance with Me." "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying" is absolutely gorgeous, with Wynton Marsalis stepping in to trade phrases with Horn's voice. The music here is mostly taken at a very leisurely tempo, and the spare arrangements allow plenty of room for the music to breathe, proving that less is often more. The only complaint is that such spaciousness generates is a certain sameness to the material, but this is leavened by the guest appearances of Thielemans, Davis, the brothers Marsalis and tenorman Buck Hill." - Jim Newsom
"This CD by the Charles Lloyd Quartet avoids fitting into any of the stereotypes that one might have about ECM's recordings. Pianist Bobo Stenson has carved his own identity out of the styles of Bill Evans and Keith Jarrett, drummer Billy Hart is stimulating in support and Anders Jormin provides a walking bass on many of the tracks; a rarity for ECM sessions. As one might expect, the main focus is on Charles Lloyd whose playing during the past decade has been some of the finest of his career. He mostly sticks to tenor (just playing flute on "Little Peace" and Chinese oboe on the very brief "Milarepa"), and although traces of John Coltrane's sound will always be in his tone, Lloyd comes up with quite a few original ideas. He is best on "Thelonious Theonlyus" (which has a slight calypso feel to it), the episodic "Cape to Cairo Suite" (a tribute to Nelson Mandela), a long tenor/drums duet on "All My Relations" (which is a mix between "Chasin' the 'Trane" and "Bessie's Blues") and the brooding spiritual "Hymne to the Mother." A strong effort." - Scott Yanow
"On Notes From Big Sur, Charles Lloyd retains pianist Bobo Stenson but opts for a new rhythm section in bassist Anders Jormin and drummer Ralph Peterson. The program begins with two elegant jazz ballads, "Requiem" and "Sister" (the former would reappear on 1999's Voice in the Night). Lloyd turns toward abstraction on "Takur" and the two-part "Pilgrimage to the Mountain"; the second part, "Surrender," closes the album as a kind of benediction. The middle of the program is pretty meaty: "Sam Song," with its swinging tempo, does much to brighten the mood, as does the waltz "Monk in Paris" and the heavy, slow groove of "When Miss Jessye Sings" -- an homage, one can assume, to the opera singer Jessye Norman. With an unapologetically assertive rhythm team and scintillating solo flights from Lloyd and Stenson, Notes From Big Sur successfully portrays the California coastline for which it is named -- picturesque and soothing, although rugged and at times forbidding." - David R. Adler
"Like 1999's Voice in the Night, The Water Is Wide features Charles Lloyd in the company of one of his dearest friends, drummer Billy Higgins, who would pass away less than a year after the album's release. Guitarist John Abercrombie also remains on board, but Lloyd extends the group's generational span by recruiting two younger players: pianist Brad Mehldau and bassist Larry Grenadier. The album begins with a straightforward, elegant reading of Hoagy Carmichael's "Georgia." Lloyd goes on to lead his ensemble through two lesser-known Ellington pieces, "Black Butterfly" and "Heaven"; Strayhorn's "Lotus Blossom"; two original ballads, "Figure In Blue" and "Lady Day"; and Cecil McBee's "Song of Her," a track from Lloyd's 1968 classic, Forest Flower. It's a glorious amalgam of sound: the leader's unique, glissando-laden phraseology, Mehldau's harmonic nuances, unerring rhythmic backbone from Grenadier and the majestic Higgins -- and only occasionally, pointed and eloquent guitarism from Abercrombie. The session ascends to an even higher level with the inclusion of two spirituals, "The Water Is Wide" and "There Is a Balm in Gilead." The latter features just Lloyd and Higgins, starkly setting the melody against a hypnotic drum chant. In addition, Lloyd's closing "Prayer," written for Higgins during a life-threatening episode back in 1996, features just the composer, Abercrombie, and guest bassist Darek Oles. (Oddly, Oles' credit is relegated to the fine print.) These tracks, most of all, resonate with personal meaning and profundity." - David R. Adler
"Charles Lloyd teams with a different band here, replacing Bobo Stenson's piano with John Abercrombie's guitar, bassist Anders Jormin with Dave Holland, and drummer Billy Hart with Billy Higgins. The title references the feeling on the album in that Lloyd was going for more of a jazz sound, something more basic and lyrical as opposed to exotic and unusual. Of the eight tunes here, six are Lloyd originals, one is a cover of the Elvis Costello/Burt Bacharach hit "God Give Me Strength," and one is the Billy Strayhorn classic, "A Flower Is a Lonesome Thing," which follows a gorgeous reprise of Lloyd's own "Forest Flower" from the '60s. The Costello/Bacharach tune is the most telling for this band in that they take a standard pop melody and turn it into a modal exploration of harmony and chromatic invention. As Lloyd plays variations on the melody, the band turns one harmonic sequence into a pillar from Coltrane's version of "My Favorite Things" and back. The "Forest Flower" suite is awesome. The interplay between Lloyd and Abercrombie is fully realized as they trade flatted sevenths and then Abercrombie moves into augmented ninths and diminished sixths before both Lloyd and he solo against the harmonic body of the tune while retaining its melodic sensibility. It's just breathtaking." - Thom Jurek
"Reed king Charles Lloyd has consistently exceeded expectations throughout his career, breaking ground in any number of jazz forms, particularly those associated with the employing of the various folk musics of the world as elemental melodic and harmonic components of his signature practice in the idiom. Canto reveals Lloyd's inner restlessness at work once again with longtime pianist Bobo Stenson, bassist Anders Jormin, and the legendary American drummer Billy Hart. The set opens with "Tales of Rumi," which has Stenson playing inside the piano, and Hart sliding around the kit without ever actually hitting it. When Lloyd enters after a lengthy intro, he does so in a post-bop phraseology that brings the tune full circle, transforming from a folk melody to a blues tune. Later, on "Nichiketa's Lament," Lloyd uses a Tibetan oboe with its high, reedy tone to play funeral music that actually becomes an exercise in pan-modalism. The title track is actually a song of sorts, based on Jimmy Giuffre's harmonic methodology and Coltrane's breather and note theory. The set closes with an unbelievably beautiful, cascading ballad where the band falls through its changes like water in a brook, and Lloyd blows through them with a heartbreaking lyrical intensity. Canto is the song of a master who employs all of his tools in the creation of a work of art." - Thom Jurek
"As Charles Lloyd prepared to kick off a gig at New York's Blue Note club the night of Tuesday September 11, 2001, some murderous terrorists had some other plans for that morning a bit further south. The gig thus didn't begin until that Friday, and the wheels in Lloyd's mind kept on rolling through the aftermath, resulting in this double-CD album. Going his own way, he drew from public-domain spirituals, pop/rock songs, protest R&B, folk songs, and Ellingtonia and mixed them with his own compositions and meditations, assembling and reining in top-notch musicians like pianist Geri Allen, guitarist John Abercrombie, bassists Marc Johnson and Larry Grenadier, and drummer Billy Hart. The result is one of the most unusual and deeply spiritual recordings in Lloyd's always-unusual career, one that says more with fewer means. The leadoff track itself is an ear-opener, Lloyd's "Hymn to the Mother," which opens the gates with an Indian flavor, with its arco bass drone on a single chord and sitar-like articulation from Abercrombie. It's a miraculously subtle yet compelling way to grab your attention, like the introduction to a raga, thoughtfully sustained over 15 minutes. Somehow, the rest of the 130-minute album manages to maintain and develop the rapt atmosphere, reaching its central pivot of emotion three tracks into the second disc with the Coltrane quartet-like treatment of "Go Down Moses." As is often the case in a Lloyd performance, the tenor saxophonist is tempted to go to the outside, but usually in a gentle way, his head now in a thoughtful fog. Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" stays largely with the tune except toward the close, matching the haunted, dazed mood of the original. Billy Strayhorn is appropriately represented by "Blood Count"; Lloyd's own "Beyond Darkness" finds him on flute. Even "Amazing Grace," the over-exposed staple of every other folk or gospel revival, sounds fresh, devout, and genuine. Each disc concludes with something meaningful: Lloyd mourns alone and soulfully on "Hafez, Shattered Heart" at disc one's close and one more lengthy meditation, followed by an up-tempo release, "Prayer, the Crossing," ends disc two. Let responses like this from the jazz world be the real legacy of the aftermath of 9/11." - Richard S. Ginell
"The Call features the same lineup as Notes From Big Sur (pianist Bobo Stenson and bassist Anders Jormin), save for drummer Billy Hart, who replaces Ralph Peterson. (Lloyd has referred to this group as his "Full Service Orchestra of Love.") While the record documents plenty of stirring musicianship, Lloyd the composer seems to be running low on fresh ideas and distinctive melodies. In sum, The Call is a bit too similar in thrust to his two previous ECM outings. (It's also over 16 minutes longer, which doesn't help.) There are a couple of unexpected twists, however -- like Lloyd's surging, surprising entrance toward the end of "Song," and the quick yet perpetually unsettled tempo of the brief "Imke." The closing Lloyd/Hart duet, "Brother on the Rooftop," is partially based on the second movement of Beethoven's Pathétique Sonata, although there's no acknowledgement of this anywhere on the CD package." - David R. Adler
"The Quintessential Billie Holdiay, Vols. 1-9 is a terrific multi-volume series that chronicles all of Holiday's master takes for Columbia Records between 1933 and 1942. The set is available as nine separate discs, all of which are essential for true Holiday fans. Neophytes who are slightly intimidated by the size of this series should look to Volume 2 as a starting point." - Stephen Thomas Erlewine
"After years of reissuing Billie Holiday's recordings in piecemeal fashion, Columbia finally got it right with this nine-CD Quintessential series. All of Lady Day's 1933-1942 studio recordings (although without the alternate takes) receive the treatment they deserve in this program. Vol. 1 has Holiday's first two tentative performances from 1933 along with her initial recordings with Teddy Wilson's all-star bands. High points include "I Wished on the Moon," "What a Little Moonlight Can Do," "Miss Brown to You," and "Twenty-Four Hours a Day."" - Scott Yanow
"The second of nine volumes in this essential series (all are highly recommended) continues the complete reissue of Billie Holiday's early recordings (although the alternate takes are bypassed). This set is highlighted by "I Cried for You" (which has a classic alto solo from Johnny Hodges), "Billie's Blues" (from Holiday's first session as a leader), "A Fine Romance," and "Easy to Love." Holiday's backup crew includes such greats as pianist Teddy Wilson, baritonist Harry Carney, trumpeters Jonah Jones and Bunny Berigan, and clarinetist Artie Shaw. There's lots of great small-group swing." - Scott Yanow
"The third of nine CDs that document all of Billie Holiday's studio recordings of 1933-1942 for Columbia has classic versions of "Pennies From Heaven," "I Can't Give You Anything but Love" (on which she shows the influence of Louis Armstrong), and "My Last Affair," along with Lady Day's first meeting on record with tenor saxophonist Lester Young. Their initial encounter resulted in four songs, including "This Year's Kisses" and "I Must Have That Man." All nine volumes in this admirable series (if only the alternate takes had been included) are highly recommended." - Scott Yanow
"The fourth of nine CDs in this essential series of Billie Holiday's studio recordings of 1933-1942 features the great tenor Lester Young on eight of the 16 performances. Prez and Lady Day make a perfect match on "I'll Get By" (although altoist Johnny Hodges steals the honors on that song), "Mean to Me," "Easy Living," "Me, Myself and I," and "A Sailboat in the Moonlight." Other strong selections without Young include "Moanin' Low," "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off," and "Where Is the Sun?" It's highly recommended, along with all of the other CDs in this perfectly done Billie Holiday reissue program." - Scott Yanow
"The fifth of nine CDs in the complete reissue of Billie Holiday's early recordings (sans alternate takes), this great set has 18 selections, all but four featuring tenor saxophonist Lester Young and trumpeter Buck Clayton. Among the classics are "Getting Some Fun Out of Life," "Trav'lin' All Alone," "He's Funny That Way," "My Man," "When You're Smiling" (on which Prez takes a perfect solo), "If Dreams Come True," and "Now They Call It Swing." All nine volumes in this series are highly recommended, but if one can only acquire a single entry, this is the one." - Scott Yanow
"The sixth of nine CDs in this very worthy series traces Billie Holiday's recording career throughout much of 1938. Although not containing as many true classics as Vol. 5, most of these 18 selections are quite enjoyable, particularly "You Go to My Head," "Having Myself a Time," "The Very Thought of You," and "They Say." All of the sets in this reissue program are recommended, featuring Lady Day when she was youthful and still optimistic about life." - Scott Yanow
"By 1939 when the bulk of these 17 selections were recorded, Billie Holiday was dominating her own recordings, allocating less space for her sidemen to solo. This was not really a bad thing since Lady Day's voice was getting stronger each year. On the seventh of nine CD volumes that reissue all of Holiday's 1933-42 Columbia recordings (other than the alternate takes which have been bypassed), Holiday sounds at her best on "More than You Know, Sugar" (featuring a superb Benny Carter alto solo), "Long Gone Blues" and "Some Other Spring." It's recommended along with all of the other entries in the Quintessential series." - Scott Yanow
"The eighth of nine volumes that feature all of the master takes from Billie Holiday's Columbia recordings of 1933-1942 is one of the better sets, although all nine CDs are recommended. High points include "Them There Eyes," "Swing, Brother, Swing," "The Man I Love," "Ghost of Yesterday," "Body and Soul," "Falling in Love Again," and "I Hear Music." Among the variety of all-stars backing her, tenor saxophonist Lester Young makes his presence known on eight of the 18 numbers." - Scott Yanow
"The final volume in this nine-CD series contains all of Billie Holiday's recordings from her final 16 months with the label. Highlights include "St. Louis Blues," "Loveless Love," "Let's Do It," "All of Me" (arguably the greatest version ever of this veteran standard), "Am I Blue," "Gloomy Sunday" and "God Bless the Child." All 153 of Lady Day's Columbia recordings (even the occasional weak item) are well worth hearing and savoring." - Scott Yanow
"This CD was the debut of the talented singer Karrin Allyson, a creative scat singer also very capable of holding her own on ballads. She primarily utilizes top Kansas City musicians (including pianists Paul Smith, Russ Long and Joe Cartwright, guitarists Danny Embrey and Rod Fleeman, bassists Bob Bowman and Gerald Spaits, drummer Todd Strait, cornetist Gary Sivils and flugelhornist Mike Metheny) on a variety of bop-based material. Among the highlights are "Nature Boy," Karrin's chancetaking duet with drummer Strait on "What A Little Moonlight Can Do," a rapid version of "'S Wonderful" and a bossa-novatized "It Might As Well Be Spring." Karrin Allyson, who also plays piano on three numbers, shows a great deal of potential throughout her rewarding debut." - Scott Yanow
"Cassandra Wilson is ostensibly a jazz singer, but more often than not crosses the creative line between folk, pop, and jazz. This collection of previously released tracks features Wilson on various jazz standards giving one a nice view of Wilson as simply a jazz vocalist. While this is in no way a "must have" for fans of the much lauded singer, it is a nice place for jazz aficionados to begin listening to this singular artist." - Matt Collar
"Over the years, there have been different incarnations of Ella and Louis Again, which has been a single LP, a two-LP set, a single CD, and a two-CD audiophile set from Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab. There are no compelling reasons why someone who already owns the audiophile version of Ella and Louis Again that Mobile Fidelity put out in 1995 would find this 2003 version to be an essential purchase -- Verve hasn't added any alternate takes or bonus tracks, and this double CD contains the very same selections in the very same order. Nonetheless, Verve's 2003 version is a nicely assembled reissue -- very nicely, in fact. From attractive packaging to excellent digital remastering, Verve treats Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong's 1957 duets with the respect they deserve. Verve maintains Norman Granz' original liner notes -- a wise move -- but they have also added insightful new liner notes by John Sinclair. And the performances, of course, are first-rate. Stylistically, singer Fitzgerald and trumpeter/singer Armstrong had very different histories; he started out in Dixieland before branching out into classic jazz and swing, whereas Fitzgerald started out as a swing-oriented big-band vocalist before becoming an expert bebopper. But the two of them have no problem finding common ground on Ella and Louis Again, which is primarily a collection of vocal duets (with the backing of a solid rhythm section led by pianist Oscar Peterson). One could nit-pick about the fact that Satchmo doesn't take more trumpet solos, but the artists have such a strong rapport as vocalists that the trumpet shortage is only a minor point. Seven selections find either Fitzgerald or Armstrong singing without the other, although they're together more often than not on this fine reissue." - Alex Henderson
"When Nnenna Freelon recorded her debut album for Columbia, a string-filled affair titled Nnenna Freelon, she was quickly labeled a Sarah Vaughan imitator. However, her second date (Heritage), which featured her backed by just a trio and occasionally a couple of horns, was a major improvement and she displayed a much more adventurous and original style, showing that first impressions are not always correct. Freelon, after graduating from Simmons College, raised three children and had a career in health services in Durham, NC, before really starting her vocal career. She performed well at an Atlanta jam session with Ellis Marsalis and two years later, on the strength of that jam, she was signed to Columbia. In 1996, she switched to the Concord label and Shaking Free was released in 1996 and Maiden Voyage followed two years later. The new millennium brought the release of Soulcall in September 2000." - Scott Yanow
"Nnenna Freelon refuses to be pigeonholed into any one style of jazz, as she's always willing to perform songs from many different fields, often while taking them in unfamiliar directions. She's also blessed with a great voice and an innate ability to charm her audience, along with a superb band. These performances from a pair of concerts at the Kennedy Center have a lot to like within them. The two-faceted interpretation of the standard "All or Nothing at All" alternates between an exotic Latin setting and driving bop. Pianist Takana Miyamoto's bossa nova scoring of "Meaning of the Blues" and the humorous take of "If I Only Had a Brain" also work very well. But there are misfires, too. Johnny Green's timeless melody to "Body and Soul" is discarded in favor of a plodding, monotonous reggae arrangement. There's little to differentiate the poppish performance of "My Cherie Amour" from a typical pop performance. Far better is her slowed-down approach to another Stevie Wonder song, "Tears of a Clown," where Smokey Robinson's great lyrics can be better appreciated than even on his own hit rendition with the Temptations. For those who have yet to experience the phenomenal Nnenna Freelon in concert, this is the next best alternative." - Ken Dryden
"As an interpreter of classic American popular songs from the 1930s and 1940s, vocalist and guitarist Rebecca Kilgore helped revive the hits of yesterday for modern-era jazz audiences. Born in Waltham, MA, in 1949, she relocated to Portland, OR, at the age of 30, beginning her music career fronting an area swing band dubbed the Wholly Cats and recording a 1982 LP titled Doggin' Around. Following the group's 1984 breakup, she formed her own unit, the Rebecca Kilgore Quintet, which quickly emerged as a mainstay of the Northwest jazz scene, and in 1989, she released the cassette-only I Hear Music. Most of Kilgore's subsequent recordings were in conjunction with other performers: In 1990, she teamed with John Miller for Put on a Happy Face, and in 1993 appeared with Portland's Tall Jazz Trio on their Plays Winter Jazz disc. However, Kilgore's most fruitful collaborations were in conjunction with pianist Dave Frishberg; after teaming for 1993's Looking at You, they reunited a year later for I Saw Stars, followed in 1997 by Not a Care in the World and again in 2001 with The Starlit Hour. At the same time, Kilgore also fronted a '60s-style country band, Beck-a-Roo, and in 1994 contributed vocals to the score of the CBS animated special Tales From the Far Side, inspired by the popular Gary Larson comic strip." - Jason Ankeny
"Tierney Sutton warms the soul with Something Cool. This offering, her third as a leader for the Telarc label, finds the vocalist using an array of vocal techniques, jazz styles, and formats on 14 great songs by several Great American Songbook composers, Bobby Troup, and the masterful Duke Ellington. Sutton is accompanied by her longtime trio of Christian Jacob on piano, Trey Henry on bass, and Ray Brinker on drums. The lovely vocalist/educator charms her listeners with elongated phrasings, a strong rhythmic sense, and amazing improvisational abilities on three Lerner & Loewe themes from the Broadway musical My Fair Lady. In addition to the outstanding vocal treatments she offers her listeners on these classic songs, Sutton scats and swings through an amazing "Ding, Dong! The Witch Is Dead." This song not only shows her versatility with tempo changes and range, but also displays her unique talent for selecting songs commonly associated with another musical style and improvising them in a jazz context. She garnered international critical acclaim for this technique on her 1999 release titled Unsung Heroes. Additional highlights include Howard Dietz's "Alone Together," on which she duets with bassist Trey Henry, and her exceptional rendition of "The Best Is Yet to Come," which features her cool jazz vocal skills. Tierney Sutton is at her finest on this program and offers an impeccable selection of songs that showcase her distinct musical personality and quality sound." - Paula Edelstein
"Tierney Sutton's light, sweet voice is not yet as familiar to most jazz fans as those of Ella Fitzgerald or Sarah Vaughan, but on the evidence of her first two albums, it deserves to be. Her flexibility and control are world-class, and she has a sense of taste that has never failed her on record; although her technique is superb, she never seems to be showing off. Unsung Heroes doesn't quite achieve the magic of her debut (Introducing Tierney Sutton, on A Records), but it's never less than entrancing: the program consists of jazz standards that are more commonly performed as instrumentals (hence the album's title), and her interpretations of "Indiana/Donna Lee" and "When Lights Are Low" are effortlessly charming; her take on the Dizzy Gillespie classic "Con Alma," with its slightly eerie a capella intro, is especially strong. Sutton is supported primarily by her longtime quartet, pianist Christian Jacob, bassist Trey Henry, and drummer Ray Brinker. Highly recommended." - Rick Anderson
"Dick Hyman certainly had a lot of songs to choose from for this solo piano CD tribute to Irving Berlin (who made it past 100). Hyman is heard expertly mixing together some of Berlin's better-known tunes (such as "Let's Face the Music," "Easter Parade," "Remember" and "Always") with such notable obscurities as "Lady of the Evening," "How About Me?" and "I'll See You In C.U.B.A." Hyman's total control of the piano and his versatile style (which on this date ranges from stride and swing to Art Tatum) makes the set an obvious success." - Scott Yanow
"This CD is very much a piano recital, as Dick Hyman (on a set of unaccompanied solos) demonstrates his love for Harold Arlen's music. Nine of the fourteen selections that Hyman chose to record are very well-known, three are somewhat obscure and two are somewhere in between. The accent is on Art Tatum's style during some of the songs, along with a few snatches of Teddy Wilson's relaxed stride. Hyman reproduces the ease with which Tatum threw out impossible-to-play virtuosic runs, and (even more impressive) he hints constantly at Art's advanced harmonies without doing strict imitations. He gives a few of the songs unusual twists ("Stormy Weather" becomes a waltz, "Over the Rainbow" has a bossa nova rhythm, the last part of "A Woman's Prerogative" is played in two keys at once, etc.) but the melodies are never far away. Hyman also takes his first real vocal on record, doing a nice job on the lyrics of "In Your Own Quiet Way" with his obviously untrained voice. A fine outing." - Scott Yanow
"Pianist George Shearing and singer Mel Tormé would match together perfectly every time they shared the stage; the mutual respect they had for each other was as obvious as the fact that they had very complementary styles. This CD, their first joint recording, is consistently exciting. With bassist Brian Torff making the group a trio, Shearing and Tormé swing hard on such tunes as "All God's Chillun Got Rhythm," "Give Me the Simple Life," "Love," and "Lullaby of Birdland" (which starts off with Shearing singing). In addition, there are a pair of instrumentals including "Manhattan Hoedown," which is a feature for Torff. Tormé's touching rendition of "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square" by itself would be enough reason to acquire this highly enjoyable set." - Scott Yanow
"This was singer Mel Tormé's last recording before he was stricken with a serious stroke. Remarkably, Tormé had gradually improved both as a singer and as a jazz improviser all throughout his sixties (his voice was in phenomenal shape), and he is heard on this live set, filmed for a television special, in peak form despite being 70. Joined by his regular trio (pianist Mike Renzi, bassist John Leitham and drummer Donny Osborne), Tormé performs a typical swing-oriented program which includes a Benny Goodman medley, a memorable rendition of "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square" (he could hold notes on ballads endlessly without wavering), a heated "Pick Yourself Up," and a tribute to Ella Fitzgerald on "Lady Be Good," among other numbers. Ironically, Tormé concluded what may be his final recording with a touching rendition of "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye."" - Mel Torme
"All of the Mel Tormé-George Shearing collaborations are well worth acquiring, for the singer and the pianist constantly inspire each other. For this live concert, Tormé and Shearing perform a variety of songs popular during World War II. Shearing and bassist Neil Swainson duet on "Lilt Marlene" and "I've Heard That Song Before"; Shearing takes "I Know Why and So Do You" unaccompanied, and the duo is joined by drummer Donny Osborne and Tormé for a wide-ranging and consistently enjoyable set. Although "This Is the Army Mister Jones" is a bit dated, a four-song Duke Ellington medley, "I Could Write a Book" and a touching "We Mustn't Say Goodbye" are memorable. Recommended." - Scott Yanow
"If Verve needed a concept for Mel Tormé's last album on the label, there were certainly a few available. For one thing, My Kind of Music features five of Tormé's own songs, including chestnuts like "The Christmas Song," "A Stranger in Town," and "County Fair," as well as lesser-knowns like "Welcome to the Club." The other half-dozen compositions are by the underrated songwriting team of Howard Dietz and Arthur Schwartz, creators of the '50s Broadway hit The Bandwagon. Though they're rarely spoken of in the same breath as Rodgers & Hammerstein or Lerner & Loewe -- could it have anything to do with the lack of smoothness in pronouncing their names? -- Dietz and Schwartz wrote many standards, including "You and the Night and the Music," "I Guess I'll Have to Change My Plan," "Dancing in the Dark," and "By Myself." Also, My Kind of Music was the second LP Tormé recorded in Britain, the home of his most devoted audiences. The mellow arrangements -- by Brits Wally Stott, Geoff Love, and Tony Osborne -- wrapped Tormé in soft strings, but also allowed for many individual voices, including guitar and trumpet. It's a style of arranging that perfectly suited Tormé's growing inclination toward breezy, contemplative adult-pop during the '60s. And Stott's arrangement for the musically varied six-minute showtune "County Fair" captured a quintessentially American musical composition with flair. Call it whatever you want -- Tormé Sings Tormé, Tormé Sings Dietz & Schwartz, Tormé in London -- but My Kind of Music is a solid album that only suffers in comparison to his masterpieces of the previous few years." - John Bush
"Though it's sometimes relegated to second or third place among Tormé's best albums of the '50s (behind Mel Tormé and the Marty Paich Dek-Tette and It's a Blue World), it's difficult to hear how Mel Tormé Sings Fred Astaire can't be the best album of his entire career. Featuring an artist at the peak of his ability and talent, a collection of top-drawer songs from the best pop composers ever, and a swinging ten-piece that forms the perfect accompaniment, Sings Fred Astaire is one of the best up-tempo vocal albums ever recorded. Coming hot on the heels of Mel Tormé and the Marty Paich Dek-Tette in 1956, this tribute to Hollywood's most stylish dancer finds Tormé obliging with his nimblest and most elegant singing. Even while Marty Paich's band takes "The Way You Look Tonight" and "Cheek to Cheek" at a breakneck pace that Astaire himself would've had trouble with, Tormé floats over the top with death-defying vocal acrobatics. He's breezy and sophisticated on "They Can't Take That Away from Me," ecstatic and effervescent on "Top Hat, White Tie and Tails" (matching an exuberant solo by trumpeter Pete Candoli), and even breaks out an affectionate croon for "A Foggy Day." A collection of perfect hard-swinging pop with a few ballads thrown in for good measure makes Sings Fred Astaire a masterpiece of the vocal era." - John Bush
"Though the nominal concept for Swings Shubert Alley is Broadway standards, this last moment of pure Mel Tormé brilliance swings much too fast and hard for the concept to be anything but pure swing. Of course it starts out with a bang, the punchy "Too Close for Comfort." Tormé sounds like he's racing the band to the finish of the song on this one (and a few others: "Too Darn Hot," "Surrey with the Fringe on Top"), repeating the title over and over again with that exuberant voice. As with his other classic swing albums, Tormé does insert a few slower songs; here, "Once in Love with Amy," "A Sleepin' Bee" and "Old Devil Moon" are down-tempo -- with a smile. The overall mood, however, is unrestrained enthusiasm, and it makes for an excellent record." - John Bush
"Mel Tormé and Buddy Rich had been friends for decades prior to finally getting around to recording together. Although largely a Tormé vocal record, the Buddy Rich Orchestra, with guest altoist Phil Woods, is in top form, and the drummer/leader has several solos. Most memorable is Tormé's tribute to Ella Fitzgerald on "Lady Be Good" and a remarkable tour-de-force on "Blues in the Night." This enjoyable and somewhat historic LP, put out by Gryphon, is worthy of reissue on CD by Mobile Fidelity." - Scot Yanow
"Virtuoso pianist Brad Mehldau continues his Art of the Trio series with a two-CD set titled Art of the Trio, Vol. 5: Progression. Recorded live at the Village Vanguard in New York City, this volume is his most satisfying triad outing yet. The trio opens disc one with a swinging up-tempo rendition of "The More I See You" and, for over ten minutes, Mehldau improvises his swinging instincts with his well-organized rhythmic partners, drummer Jorge Rossy and acoustic bassist Larry Grenadier. His original "Dream's Monk" features an extended variation on his profoundly introspective bebop. This composition is the centerpiece of disc one, which otherwise features covers of such standards as "Alone Together," "It Might as Well Be Spring," and "The Folks Who Live on the Hill." Disc two is evenly programmed with three originals by Brad Mehldau and three by Great American Songbook composers George & Ira Gershwin, Jerome Kern, Sammy Fain, and Paul Francis Webster. On the nearly 15-minute rendition of the Gershwin/Kern composition "Long Ago and Far Away," Mehldau's rhythm section plays fervent bop lines over his brilliant piano arpeggios after a virtuosic introduction. Grenadier's bass solo remains one of the most memorable on this recording, with Mehldau delicately comping it with light piano chord voicings. Rossy deftly adjusts and readjusts his brushwork to provide just the right textures and musical accompaniment. Whereas The Art of the Trio, Vol. 2, Vol. 3, and Vol. 4 provided Mehldau's listeners with rich documentation of his piano mastery that often includes altered root motion and meter on standard tunes, blazing swing tempos, and poetic piano lines that can hover intensely in a ballad, his intrinsic musical signature is more substantial on Progression due to several stunning piano solos, ethereal vamps, and successive thematic transformations." - Paul Edelstein
"Recorded in 1990 in Berlin upon his return to the city where he spent a month performing and recording two years before, this document of Taylor playing piano and percussion and reciting his poems is a mixed bag. Partially it's because Taylor's poetry doesn't translate well on record. His use of elliptical language and speech devices, which has read wonderfully on the page and comes off as dramatically beautiful live, is a cipher on a compact disc. Thankfully, that of the two cuts here, the poetry, which is on the longest part of the work, is brief. Double Holy House begins with one of Taylor's most beautiful and haunting ballads, constructed of minor thirds and diminished sevenths. It's full of half-parsed chord voicings and shimmering glissandi. It's six minutes of inwardly focused, blessed-out pianism. The impenetrability of the work's vocal aspect opens part two and rolls out of Taylor's half-spoken, half-whispered text; it is unaccompanied for about six minutes and gradually percussion and piano begin to enter the text as dimensional sound effects and eventually take it over. By the 15-minute mark, the piano has completely replaced both voice and percussion instruments and becomes one of Taylor's more architecturally minded improvisations. His reliance on the middle to lower registers here creates virtual buildings in sound that he erects one after another until he exhausts his tonal possibilities in one series of motifs and begins another for approximately 50 minutes, until the entire work just vanishes from its dizzying heights of arpeggiated ecstasy." - Thom Jurek
"The 1999 discovery of a previously unknown 1963 concert by Eric Dolphy makes it one of the finds of the decade. Taped for broadcast at the University of Illinois at Champaign, it was mentioned in an Eric Dolphy Internet chat room and eventually relayed to producer Michael Cuscuna. The sound is very good, except for overly prominent drums throughout the concert and an under-miked flute on "South Street Exit." Dolphy's playing is consistently rewarding, including a lengthy workout of "Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise," a miniature of "Something Sweet, Something Tender," and his always superb solo feature of "God Bless the Child." He switches to alto sax for an adventurous new work, "Iron Man" (which he would record a few months later for Douglas International), also inserting a hilarious quote of "Comin' Through the Rye." A 23-year-old Herbie Hancock on piano, Eddie Locke on bass, and drummer J. C. Moses make up the solid rhythm section. The last two tracks, "Red Planet" and Dolphy's "G.W.," add the support of the University of Illinois Brass Ensemble, which included a young Cecil Bridgewater on trumpet. Highly recommended!-" - Ken Dryden
"Out to Lunch stands as Eric Dolphy's magnum opus, an absolute pinnacle of avant-garde jazz in any form or era. Its rhythmic complexity was perhaps unrivaled since Dave Brubeck's Time Out, and its five Dolphy originals -- the jarring Monk tribute "Hat and Beard," the aptly titled "Something Sweet, Something Tender," the weirdly jaunty flute showcase "Gazzelloni," the militaristic title track, the drunken lurch of "Straight Up and Down" -- were a perfect balance of structured frameworks, carefully calibrated timbres, and generous individual freedom. Much has been written about Dolphy's odd time signatures, wide-interval leaps, and flirtations with atonality. And those preoccupations reach their peak on Out to Lunch, which is less rooted in bop tradition than anything Dolphy had ever done. But that sort of analytical description simply doesn't do justice to the utterly alien effect of the album's jagged soundscapes. Dolphy uses those pet devices for their evocative power and unnerving hints of dementia, not some abstract intellectual exercise. His solos and themes aren't just angular and dissonant -- they're hugely so, with a definite playfulness that becomes more apparent with every listen. The whole ensemble -- trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, vibist Bobby Hutcherson, bassist Richard Davis, and drummer Tony Williams -- takes full advantage of the freedom Dolphy offers, but special mention has to be made of Hutcherson, who has fully perfected his pianoless accompaniment technique. His creepy, floating chords and quick stabs of dissonance anchor the album's texture, and he punctuates the soloists' lines at the least expected times, suggesting completely different pulses. Meanwhile, Dolphy's stuttering vocal-like effects and oddly placed pauses often make his bass clarinet lines sound like they're tripping over themselves. Just as the title Out to Lunch suggests, this is music that sounds like nothing so much as a mad gleam in its creator's eyes." - Steve Huey
"Marc Ribot's contribution to Tzadik's series of interpretive film scores, Shoe String Symphonettes features music inspired by such cinematic oddities as Jacob Burkhardt's Landlord Blues and Yakov Protazanov's 1928 farce Aelita Queen of Mars. With musical themes ranging from the edgey minimalism of 1950s suspense thrillers to Perez Prado's swanky lounge-mambo, Symphonettes features some of Ribot's most compelling work to date, both creatively augmenting the originals and sketching out cinematic spaces more or less autonomous from the films they were inspired by. Guest musicians include Greg Cohen, Andy Haas, John Zorn, Bill Ware, and Curtis Fowlkes." - Sean Cooper
"Here we go: two of the most unruly cats ever to sit behind anything, let alone a piano and a set of drums. This set was recorded in 1988, when Cecil Taylor spent a month in Germany making all sorts of musical mischief. At nearly 74 minutes, this is a mammoth duet, or at least one would think so, but apparently not these two. Judging by the energy exerted at the end when compared to that at the beginning, they were just getting revved into action. Things begin with Bennink at a furious tempo, making sounds on everything on the kit but the skins themselves. Taylor enters five minutes later, yelling and clapping and providing a spaced-out encouragement as Bennink begins to choose his beats more and more carefully. Sometimes 30 seconds will go by without a note, and at others there are rolls and rim shots on every single drum before he uses them in combination. Taylor enters in earnest with a shout and a few chords in the lower register and then the two are off to the races, colliding and swimming with and against each other. Bennink uses alternate means to control the dynamic and Taylor just starts ripping at the strings of the piano until, after nearly 15 minutes, he finds his own groove and sidles in next to Bennink for a silvery conjuring match of accented tonal scales, swept brushwork over clamoring tom toms, and a whole lot of good-natured humor for measure. This is a solid duet and an exciting one, despite its rather tense and minimal start." - Thom Jurek
"These are covers of works by Sun Ra and Funkadelic -- innovators that most acts would not think to mix, certainly to the exclusion of all others, in one album. Vandermark, McBride, and Drake offer rather minimal, though still rather busy and full-sounding, interpretations of the works. On the compositions by Sun Ra (all of them taken from that jazzman's late 1950s and early '60s material), there's a spacious clarity; the Funkadelic numbers (all from the first half of the 1970s), by contrast, have more of a percolating jazz-funk groove. It's the Funkadelic cuts that are more interesting, simply because so few jazz acts have tackled Funkadelic songs -- or music that sounds anything like Funkadelic. The musicians translate cuts like "Cosmic Slop" from wacky funk-soul-psychedelic tunes to fusiony (in the good sense) instrumentals, making them work fairly convincingly as jazz pieces. Every player does well, with Vandermark presenting his usual impressive assortment of forceful tones. McBride is particularly skilled at creating a variety of timbres and textures from both electric and acoustic basses, traversing both deep funk and buzzing cello-like lines. It's not easy to cover the works of well-known legends in a fresh fashion, or to combine material from two fairly different bodies of work, and Spaceways Incorporated acquit themselves pretty well in this attempt." - Richie Unterberger
"Carlo Actis Dato has been one of the integral members of the Italian progressive jazz scene since the mid-'80s, both as a leader of his own bands and as a member of the Italian Instabile Orchestra. On Ankara Twist, as in subsequent recordings by his small groups, the operating plan is pretty clear: use strongly melodic and rhythmic themes derived from various musical cultures as a springboard for somewhat free improvisations, all leavened with a good-naturedness and humor. If this approach begins to pall by the end of the record, it nonetheless provides an entertaining journey and is exceptionally well-played. Dato and his companion reedist Piero Ponzo are both capable (if not supremely inspired) performers and their concentration on baritone saxes and clarinets lends many of the pieces a dark and luscious charm. The stylistic terrain covered includes allusions to the music of Africa, the Mid East, Bulgaria, and a number of Italian microcultures, as well as oblique jazz references, like a nod here and there to Albert Ayler. If anything, there is some similarity, albeit on a smaller scale, to the work of Willem Breuker and the Microscopic Septet. While an enjoyable recording and a fine introduction to the myriad splendors of contemporary Italian jazz, there is a bit of an aspect of "one trick pony"-ness to Dato's groups, one that would be reinforced by the next few albums which essentially follow exactly the same model. Still, listeners should hear at least one of his discs and this is as good as any." - Brian Olewnick
"Frode Gjerstad is a bit of an anomaly: He hails from Norway, but his unfettered in-your-face free improvisational approach is closer stylistically to the Middle European or American avant-garde than to anything emanating from his homeland. Thus it is little surprise that he invited Peter Brötzmann, one of the roughest and toughest of them all, and someone with whom Gjerstad has performed and recorded previously, to join him for this live performance with the Scandinavian's regular trio. The collaboration results in some of Gjerstad's best performances on disc. He seems inspired by Brötzmann's intensity, and elevated to pursue focused lines of considerable depth. The variety of horns (alto and tenor saxophones, various clarinets, and taragato) adds to the interest, making it much more than two saxes blasting away. The volume level, too, is pleasantly varied, and even though these completely free improvisations are devoid of anything approaching melody, they are nonetheless less muscular (though not necessarily less appealing) than most of Brötzmann's recordings as a leader. Sometimes the saxes solo together, and sometimes they perform alone, but each of the four "parts" of the "suite" is a good introduction to Gjerstad, who impresses with sophisticated and surprisingly nuanced blowing. Brötzmann is in full bloom with a stunning performance on the final track that is among his finest on disc." - Steven Loewy
"Guitarist Robert Quine has claimed that Painted Desert is his session, but it wasn't released as such "because of legalities." Ikue Mori, under whose name this album was released, views it more as a meeting between Quine and herself that was directed by producer John Zorn. Either way, Painted Desert is a stunning work of guitar and drum machine/sampler trios. Mori recorded her parts, which rely primarily on tom tom and cymbal sounds, and then gave the tapes to Quine and Marc Ribot, who improvised guitar parts. The music sometimes sounds as if the guitarists decided to record a Ennio Morricone tribute. This isn't a Big Gundown-style album, however. Quine's guitar playing is very blues-influenced, while Ribot plays with unusual sedation, providing atmospheric shades of sound that occasionally recall Bill Frisell during his "volume pedal" period. The songs range from the mid-tempo title track (sounding like a spaghetti Western version of Miles Davis' Jack Johnson) to the abrasive "Gundown," which is reminiscent of DNA. Fans looking for an album that highlights Mori and her distinctive drum sounds will be disappointed with Painted Desert. Quine and Ribot enthusiasts, however, should be very pleased." - Murray Cizon
"Thanks to Handbook for the Apocalypse, many of the people who are aware of Variable Unit tend think of them as a sociopolitical group along the lines of Public Enemy, the Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy, Boogie Down Productions, and Consolidated; when a group has a political agenda and is into hip-hop, those comparisons come easily. And yet, it would be a mistake to think of V.U. as a full-time rap group. They have included some rapping, but much of their work is best described as spoken word with a track -- and, of course, spoken word isn't the same as rap. Handbook for the Apocalypse found V.U. using both spoken word and rap to get their political and social points across; however, there's nothing sociopolitical about their follow-up album, Cold Flow. In fact, they stay away from spoken word and rap on this 2003 release, which turns out to be an instrumental album. And even without any words or lyrics, V.U. continues to be musically intriguing (not to mention difficult to categorize). Although Cold Flow isn't rap, V.U. maintains a strong hip-hop influence -- one can be an instrumentalist and still be influenced by hip-hop's beats and tracks -- and the group remains cognizant of electronica as well as the funkier side of jazz; the sort of soul-jazz and jazz-funk influences that have worked well for V.U. in the past also work well on Cold Flow. In fact, the Miles Davis-like "Court of Chords" features Sonny Fortune, a veteran jazz saxophonist who has played everything from post-bop to fusion. Handbook for the Apocalypse remains the most essential album that V.U. came out with in the early 2000s, but Cold Flow is a respectable follow-up -- one that successfully shows off another side of the flexible Bay Area outfit." - Alex Henderson
"There are lots of rare and swinging performances on this valuable reissue CD from Vogue. The great swing trumpeter Buck Clayton (for whom critic Stanley Dance coined the phrase "mainstream") is heard in a sextet that co-stars tenor saxophonist Don Byas. Clayton heads a nonet that also features fellow trumpeter Bill Coleman (who gets almost as much solo space as Clayton), and tenor saxophonist Alix Combelle, and guesting with Combelle's 14-piece orchestra in 1953, the latter group performs eight of its leader's originals, all arranged in swinging fashion by Clayton. This disc is easily recommended to straight-ahead jazz fans." - Scott Yanow
"John Pizzarelli's love affair with the bossa nova stretched back over two decades prior to the making of this CD, which is his salute to the legendary João Gilberto. Accompanied by his regular group (pianist Ray Kennedy and bassist Martin Pizzarelli) and augmented by drummer Paulinho Braga and percussionist Jim Saporito, along with several others on selected tracks, Pizzarelli's soft, swinging vocals and strong but understated guitar work their magic throughout the session. While most of the pieces are Brazilian works, there are exceptions. Gershwin's "Fascinatin' Rhythm" is easily adapted into a bossa nova, adding backing vocals and the potent tenor sax of Harry Allen. Rocker James Taylor's "Your Smiling Face" benefits from the brisker setting and a flute choir backing Pizzarelli. Broadway composer Stephen Sondheim's "I Remember" adds Don Sebesky's string arrangement, carefully filling the backgrounds in this beautifully sung ballad. Of course, several songs are devoted to the timeless compositions of Antonio Carlos Jobim. All five present on this date have been recorded so frequently that it would be hard to come up with landmark interpretations, but Pizzarelli and company do justice to all of them. Also worth investigating are the leader's two originals, the swinging "Francesca" and the breezy "Soares Samba." The intimate sound throughout this recording is an additional bonus." - Ken Dryden
"For this live concert, trumpeter Randy Sandke directed the New York All-Stars (which also include Dan Barrett on trombone and trumpet, clarinetist Ken Peplowski, Scott Robinson on bass sax, C-melody sax and cornet, pianist Mark Shane, guitaristvocalist Marty Grosz, bassist Linc Milliman and drummer Dave Ratajczak) through 18 songs associated with Bix Beiderbecke. The music is sometimes arranged and programmed loosely in chronological order but essentially this concert gives the talented players an opportunity to jam on such tunes as "Fidgety Fett," "My Pretty Girl," "Riverboat Shuffle," "China Boy" and "At the Jazzband Ball." Everyone is in fine form and on two songs there are actually three trumpets (with Barrett and Robinson joining Sandke). This is fun music that is played with spirit and made available by the German Nagel-Heyer label." - Scott Yanow
"Although the liner notes claim that this Concord release was Toots Thielemans' first recording as a leader in more than a dozen years, somehow the harmonica great's 14 European dates (not to mention sets released by Stash and Pablo) were overlooked. In any case, this is a pretty definitive session by the harmonica virtuoso who is joined by pianist Fred Hersch, either Marc Johnson or Harvie Swartz on bass, and drummer Joey Baron. The material is filled with challenging and generally underplayed standards (including Wayne Shorter's "Speak No Evil," Thad Jones' "Three and One," Benny Carter's lyrical "Only Trust Your Heart," and Thelonious Monk's "Little Rootie Tootie"), plus two fine Hersch originals. Ranging from hard bop to Brazilian music and post-bop, this is a consistently enjoyable and highly recommended outing." - Scott Yanow
"With Rubisa Patrol. Some stunning compositions, four by Lande. "Corinthian Melodies" is a thing of beauty. Trumpeter Mark Isham and Lande with quartet. Contemporary improvised music with relaxed, well-paced programming." - Michael G. Nastos
"The best format to get this essential title is the 1999 Rhino Records CD reissue from their Atlantic Jazz Gallery series. Not only have the half-dozen sides from the original 1958 release been thoroughly remastered, but the amended and enhanced running order also contains a trio of otherwise unavailable alternate takes of Monk standards "Evidence," "Blue Monk," and "I Mean You." Otherwise, Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers With Thelonious Monk (1958) is a timeless meeting of the masters. Art Blakey (drums) and his Jazz Messengers -- which concurrently include Johnny Griffin (tenor sax), Bill Hardman (trumpet), and Spanky Debrest (bass) -- face off with Monk during one of the pianist's most creative and fruitful eras. With such a voluminous back catalog of seminal bop compositions, it is fitting that a majority of the album's material stems from Monk. Each of the performances is given extra emphasis, with both co-leaders unleashing their own respective instrumental articulations behind the equally impressive and expressive Jazz Messengers. Right out of the gate, Hardman's solos during "Evidence" provide a powerful introduction into Monk's slightly off-center piano gymnastics. While they never go directly head to head, each musician is clearly inspired by the other's intensity, as they likewise fuel the freewheelin' and hypnotic rhythm of "In Walked Bud." Blakey's firm hold on the combo can be felt as he unleashes a percussive torrent to commence a woozy "Blue Monk." The lackadaisical melody saunters through some adeptly executed changes from Monk with the Jazz Messengers following an effortless and unyielding swing that slices through the heart of the score. One unquestionable highlight is the frisky "Rhythm-A-Ning," sporting the inimitable brass augmentations and co-leads of Griffin and Hardman. The quirky yet catchy chorus bounces from the dual-lead horn section with the entire arrangement tautly bound by the understated Debrest and Blakey. Griffin's "Purple Shades" is a smartly syncopated blues that is more of a musical platform for the Jazz Messengers than for Monk. That said, the pianist provides an opening solo that alternately shimmers and shudders. Again, Debrest as well as Griffin and Hardman demonstrate their own pronounced capabilities over Monk's otherwise occasional counterpoint." - Lindsay Planer
"The Gateway Trio is a cooperative in the greatest sense of the word, as guitarist John Abercrombie, bassist Dave Holland, and drummer Jack DeJohnette are all respected players, composers, and bandleaders on the jazz scene. Even though this only the third Gateway recording and the group's first in 17 years, each group member collaborates frequently with the others. As a result there is always a great sense of interplay between Abercrombie's sometimes-mellow-sometimes-distorted guitar, Holland's huge toned bass, and DeJohnette's dancing drums. All of the compositions are by the band members and are wide-ranging in scope. Highlights include the title track, which begins as a medium swinger but drifts into collective improvisation before coming back to medium swing, Modern Times, with its melody reminiscent of "Yesterdays" over a samba feel, the rockish "How's Never" and "7th D," what one might call a "free blues." This is a fine return to recording for a great group." - Greg Turner
"New Directions (a quartet with Jack DeJohnette on drums and piano, guitarist John Abercrombie, trumpeter Lester Bowie and bassist Eddie Gomez) is a group that never seemed to live up to its potential. On this set of three DeJohnette compositions (including the wittily titled "Where or Wayne") and two group improvisations, the music is a bit dull, making too much use of space and featuring less of Bowie's trumpet and wit than one would hope. There are some strong moments (particularly from Abercrombie and DeJohnette) but this band (to use a cliché) was less than the sum of its parts" - Scott Yanow
"The debut recording by Jack DeJohnette's Special Edition is a classic. The drummer (who also plays some piano and melodica) is joined for three of his stimulating originals (including "Zoot Suite") and a pair of John Coltrane songs ("Central Park West" and "India") by tenor saxophonist David Murray (doubling on bass clarinet), altoist Arthur Blythe, and bassist Peter Warren (who also plays some cello). The challenging frameworks are full of color, variety, and highly expressive moods that push the musicians (both collectively and individually) to play at their very best and most explorative. This was one of the great groups of the late '70s and the finest version of DeJohnette's Special Edition; highly recommended." - Scott Yanow
"Kenny Barron began to impact the jazz scene in 1961, gigging briefly with reedman Yusef Lateef. He then spent nearly five years with Dizzy Gillespie's group before working with Freddie Hubbard and later rejoining Lateef. He is generally considered a great consolidator rather than an innovator, and his reputation as a world-class mainstream player has grown slowly but steadily over the years. Wanton Spirit further establishes him as a leader and teams him with bebop legend Roy Haynes on drums and Charlie Haden on bass. The early influences of Tatum, Powell, Monk, plus the melodic lines of Tommy Flanagan, the pentatonic harmony of McCoy Tyner, and the rhythmic fluidity of Herbie Hancock have all been thoroughly absorbed by Barron. Dizzy Gillespie's triumphal anthem "BeBop" is not taken at its traditionally frantic tempo; instead its components are decelerated and deconstructed -- revealing in its melody and harmony a hauntingly unstable edge. Barron gives us lyrical ballad interpretations of Tom Harrell's beautiful "Sail Away," Strayhorn's "Passion Flower," and Victor Lewis' "Loss of a Moment." His solo piano rendition of Ellington's "Melancholia" is gorgeous. This talented pianist's humility is evident in his choice of the title track, a composition penned by his student Earl McDonald. As a whole, Wanton Spirit is meticulously recorded, although the studio separation, coupled with digital recording and editing, can make the session sound almost too pristine -- lacking the warmth of a live performance. And though his work is masterful, Barron's playing sometimes frustrates critics since his own personal style is not always simply and readily identifiable. If one listens deeply, though, there is much to savor." - Lee Bloom
"Bassist Miroslav Vitous and Jan Garbarek (on soprano and tenor) are featured throughout this ECM CD on a set of introspective duets. Garbarek does emit some passion on soprano and Vitous augments the music at times with some percussive sounds made by hitting his bass; once in awhile he also adds brief samples from what he calls "the Miroslav Vitous Symphony Orchestra Sound Library." But in general this is a stereotypical ECM date, recommended to fans of that genre." - Scott Yanow
"Backed by pianist Brad Mehldau, bassist Larry Grenadier, and drummer Billy Hart, Chris Potter delivers yet another powerful album. His playing and writing ascend another rung on the ladder of sophistication and intensity. Leaving aside his alto sax, Potter opts for tenor on most tracks, but he plays soprano on the quasi-waltz "Book of Kells" and the standard "A Kiss to Build a Dream On" (Mehldau sits out on the latter). He also employs bass clarinet on the somber "Chorale." The multiple horn overdubs with which Potter experimented on his previous Concord album, Pure, are absent here.
Billy Hart is especially well-suited for the rock-like rhythm of "Nero's Fiddle," the 5/4 boogaloo of "Moving In," and the oblique funk of "Rhubarb." "The Forest" contains a harmonized passage that sounds reminiscent of Chick Corea. "South for the Winter" highlights Potter's mellower side, while "Pelog" and "Old Faithful" are solid, midtempo blowing vehicles.
Concept-wise, this isn't Potter's boldest offering. But the playing is emotionally charged and technically superb." - David R. Adler
"Chris Potter gets more and more adventurous. On this follow-up to the strong Gratitude, the tenor and soprano saxophonist beefs up strong writing and heady group interplay with occasional sampled sounds and miscellaneous textures like clavinet and reed organ. True to form, he plays additional wind instruments -- alto flute and bass clarinet in this case -- and isn't afraid of overdubbing them to create lush orchestration, on tracks like "Snake Oil" and "Any Moment Now." On the haunting "Invisible Man" he even doubles the alto flute melody with his singing voice. Not until the fifth track, a Meters-like adaptation of the spiritual "Children Go," do you hear a 4/4 tempo; loping lines over odd meters prevail, with pianist Kevin Hays, bassist Scott Colley, and drummer Bill Stewart expertly laying down the edgy grooves. (Like on Gratitude, Hays doubles on Fender Rhodes.) John Scofield contributes tart solos on three tracks, while Adam Rogers adds nylon-string and slide colors on two others. The sweeping, Metheny-esque harmonies of "Highway One" bring the program to a head, followed by a closing bass clarinet/piano duo on Willie Nelson's "Just as I Am." As a jazz record, Traveling Mercies is very much a product of its post-millennial times, but it still comes across as highly individual. Its value will be lasting." - David R. Adler
"Shortly before the recording of Vertigo, Chris Potter suffered partial hearing loss after undergoing treatments for Meniere's disease, an inner ear condition. Vertigo was in fact one of the symptoms he had been experiencing. Despite (or perhaps because of) the somewhat frightening circumstance that led to its title, Vertigo is Potter's most mature and expressive work to date. "Almost Home" and "Wake Up" are two of his prettiest, most memorable melodies. "Fishy" and the title track feature bass clarinet overdubs that double Scott Colley's bass lines, to great effect. "Shiva" opens the record with an angular melodic line, stated in unison with utmost precision by Potter and guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel, whose warm yet crisp tone is a delight. Drummer Billy Drummond trades 12-bar solo statements with Colley on "Long Walk, Short Pier," the first of three tracks to feature guest tenorman Joe Lovano. ("This Will Be," based on the standard "My Shining Hour," and "Modeen's Mood," a free-form tribute to drummer Paul Motian, are the other two.) "Act III, Scene I" is a rubato meditation on the most famous Shakespeare soliloquy of them all ("to be or not to be").
Even more than Unspoken, Potter's superstar session with John Scofield, Dave Holland, and Jack DeJohnette, Vertigo reveals Potter as a player and composer with an uncommonly personal vision." - David R. Adler
"There are many jazz bassists that swing, have rock solid deep blue tones, and know their tradition forwards and backwards, but few quite like Lundy. He's had scant ops to lead a band of his own, but this is one listeners can quickly jump on, it's a very good representation of how he approaches the modern mainstream. As usual he has alto saxophonist Bobby Watson along for the ride. Pianists John Hicks and Anthony Wonsey trade shifts on the nine selections, with drummer Winard Harper throughout. Tenor saxophonist Shelley Carrol is quite prevalent as an instrumental contributor and composer, while trumpeters Roy Hargrove and Peven Everett swap places on select cuts. There's also some outstanding vocal work from sister Carmen Lundy, who is on three wonderful tracks. The very best "Blue Woman" has her soulfully emoting over a modal horn line that softly swells in six beat per bar time, accented by Hargrove's lilting trumpet solo, a fully realized, beautifully conceived idea. "Where'd It Go?" is a tale of love lost hopefully to be found again, Carmen's pining supported by Wonsey's modal piano chords as Watson's alto musically replies "I'll think about it." The most unusual number, Everett's "Groydology" is a chunky, funky blues to small swing changeling with the piano of Hicks in a repetitive boogie foundation similar to Little Richard or Jerry Lee Lewis, setting off a loping horn line, a combination immediately ear grabbing. There are several instances where the band recalls Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers style of post-bop, as on the swinger Carrol wrote "Do I Ever Cross Your Mind?" There are three ballads; Carmen's patient, sweet modal "Long Journey," Onaje Allan Gumbs "All Things Being Equal Are Not" with extended lyricism from Carrol, and what liner note writer Willard Jenkins describes as a "burnt orange" hued lament "Teardrops," the bassists lone composition on this CD, with Watson's alto and Hargrove's flugelhorn weeping as Lundy's bass offers the handkerchief. As a complete musical statement, this goes quite far in clearly defining what Lundy's all about. Other recordings, especially the exceptional "Just Be Yourself" (New Note) gave more than a hint, but this very fine CD rams the point home. Curtis Lundy, Top 10 bassist, period. Recommended." - Michael G. Nastos
"Over two CDs, these recordings of Charles Lloyd and his longtime collaborator and friend, the late Billy Higgins, offer perhaps an even more fitting epitaph for the great drummer than the previously issued Water Is Wide and companion album Hyperion With Higgins, both with the Lloyd sextet. These sides were recorded just five months before Higgins' death. The music is divided into eight suites, and the two men pulled every trick out of the kit bag for these sessions. Lloyd mans his usual array of saxophones and flutes as well as sings and plays taragato, Tibetan oboe, and piano. Higgins, on the other hand, in addition to his ever-dancing style of drumming, plays blues guitar, guimbri, various hand drums, and the Syrian one-string lute. The combinations are intimate yet the music is sprawling in its reach. Whether in duet or in the various solos included -- notable is "All This Is That: Blues Tinge," on which Higgins plays a stellar Delta blues on acoustic guitar and sings -- the notion that there are no boundaries and no time, that everything must get onto tape, is the pervasive m.o. Here are two men who know each other so well that the anticipation of utterance comes from the least likely sources. Egos have no place here, and neither does didactic discussion. Here, notions of song, tonality, sonorous expression, and spirituality are the guidelines for trying to get to feelings, nuances, and individual places that they've not traveled before. They succeed in spades. Despite its smallness and the quiet spirit that weaves these pieces together, there is crackling energy, humor, warmth, and a complete commitment to expressing what may indeed be beyond real expression. Not since John Coltrane and Rashied Ali's Interstellar Space -- though they sound nothing alike -- has there been a duet recording of such unfettered communication. Highly recommended." - Thom Jurek
"Trumpeter Kenny Wheeler and his sidemen on this quintet CD (guitarist John Abercrombie, pianist John Taylor, bassist Dave Holland and drummer Peter Erskine) had all worked together previously in different settings. Their familiarity with each other's playing came in handy for the frequently intuitive session which consists of explorations of six of Wheeler's complex but often-melodic originals (including "The Widow in the Window," "Hotel Le Hot" and the lengthy "Ana"). Kenny Wheeler's music occupies its own unique area between post bop and free jazz and virtually all of his recordings are recommended to adventurous listeners, including this one." - Scott Yanow
"This Savoy CD is a duplicate of the original LP although it lacks the fine liner notes included on the Arista/Savoy 1978 LP. The four selections (which unfortunately total under 34 minutes) are excellent, particularly a fun version of Horace Silver's blues "Opus De Funk" in which vibraphonist Milt Jackson, flutist Frank Wess and pianist Hank Jones have a long tradeoff. The quintet (which also includes bassist Eddie Jones and drummer Kenny Clarke) swings nicely throughout the three blues and lone ballad ("You Leave Me Breathless"). This is not essential, but it is enjoyable music." - Scott Yanow
"Evan Parker, Barry Guy, Paul Lytton. This trio has been going on since the mid-'80s, but the musicians were already playing together in various outfits in 1966. There is no shortage of albums by this band, but At the Vortex ranks as one of, if not downright, its strongest recording. Why? Because it was done in perfect conditions, with all musicians in astonishing shape, on home court, so to speak: downtown London in front of an enthusiastic crowd of hard-core fans. And because that night's performance is presented unedited, all 78 minutes split into two extended sets. Listen to Parker's circular breathing solo at the beginning of the second set: He is literally smoking. Guy burns his double bass to the ground; Lytton is everywhere at once. The energy is discharged in spasms of sound, one cathartic moment after another. And yet, there is no going overboard or becoming your own stereotype. The strength, the inspiration, the spirit, the simple joy of playing together: That's what this music is all about. Of course the standard saxophone/bass/drums trio format calls for something a little jazzier than usual, but Parker remains true to himself, firmly anchored in free improv waters. Unless you are incapable of a long attention span, At the Vortex is an essential recording, even a good place to start for newcomers. One tip: In order to put all the music on one CD, applause has been edited out and only five seconds were left between sets. Do yourself a favor: After the first set, press the "pause" button and take a couple of minutes off, like the musicians and the audience must have had that night. You'll feel fresher when the magic starts happening all over again. Strongly and heartily recommended." - Francois Couture
"On the road to becoming a first-class operator of the B3 Hammond organ, Columbus, OH, native Tony Monaco has had to overcome roadblocks. The major one was a polio-like debilitating disease which forced him to change from accordion to organ. Another was the demands of a family business followed by the return of the disease. Undeterred, Monaco has made two albums with his trio, Burnin' Grooves being the second. He's joined on six tracks by his organ-playing peer, Joey DeFrancesco, who sits in on the piano. Monaco's playing exudes an exuberance that combines chitlin' rhythm & blues with gospel, especially on such cuts as "Ashleen." If this were being played before a live audience, they might jump up, exclaiming "Hallelujah" at the end. The Jimmy Smith influence is evident, as it should be given Monaco's fascination with the master's recordings at a young age. Given the strength of the B3, it would be easy to let it dominate other members of the trio. Instead, regular trio guitarist Paul Bollenback stretches out on such tracks as "Bluesette." For most tracks, Joey DeFrancesco's piano is submissive to Monaco's organ. But on "Girl Talk" he lets loose, backing Monaco's vocals (so much for the doctors who diagnosed he would never sing again). The blues-hued material gets set aside for a bouncy rendition of Blue Mitchell's "Fungi Mama," the guitar again playing a major role, this time by Derek DiCenzo. This album is indisputable evidence as to why organ trios have consistently been a popular combination in jazz, especially after the adoption of the flexible, electronic Hammond B3 by Fats Waller in 1939. It's also indisputable evidence that Tony Monaco deserves a spot in the upper echelon of the instrument's leading champions." - Dave Nathan
"Tony Monaco has moved the Hammond B3 organ beyond its common niche as a vehicle for hit R&B, blues, and soul. Like Larry Young, Monaco has expanded the instrument beyond the chitlin', black beans, and funk so often associated with this musical mechanism and transformed it into a major improvisational force. The organ in his hands has as much of a modern sound to it as others on the scene, with the possible exception of Joey DeFrancesco, as evidenced by such modern jazz classics as "Take the Coltrane" and "Footprints" on the play list. Listen to the complex chordal displays on "Mellow Mood," which offers a highly listenable combination of traditional and new organ styles. By no means does Monaco abandon established uses, as he swings like mad on "Sweet Georgia Brown." But here he discards the melody line rather quickly and races down the improvisational trail with such improbable speed that if this were not a live session, one would swear there was a bit of dubbing going on. The coda to this tune is so strong it will likely make the hair on the back of your neck tingle. Monaco also has a technique which allows him to utilize a variety of riff patterns that are sufficiently diverse to assure that not everything on the album sounds the same. In other words, Monaco's CDs will appeal to those beyond B3 devotees. He is helped considerably by the understated guitar of Robert Kraut throughout, but especially on such cuts as "It's Only a Paper Moon" and a haunting "I'll Close My Eyes," which is molded by an elongated harmonic structure. Intimately Live at the 501 is another good effort from this organ trio and is recommended." - Dave Nathan
"Like his first album for the Summit label, Hammond B-3 organist and vocalist Tony Monaco opts for a play list dominated by his own compositions. But unlike the earlier release, he adds a front line of horns to his trio, plus he plays accordion as well as organ. But it's on the last instrument where Monaco makes his mark. While he draws upon his predecessors on the organ from Jimmy Smith to Groove Holmes for inspiration, he is putting his own imprimatur on the B-3. Monaco, as much as any of his peers, past and present, can offer the organ in a multiplicity of musical settings demonstrating that the instrument can be more flexible than it is often offered. He doesn't push himself into a rut with just one sound. He's joined by the Hal Singer R&B-like sax of Donny McCaslin on a chitlin and red beans treatment of "White Dude Special." A little later, Sonny Rollins' "St. Thomas" gets a full calypso treatment with meaningful give and take between Monaco's lilting organ coupled with amazing work on steel drums by Derek DiCenzo. Latin beats seem to be favored, both as a dominant or minor theme on such cuts as "Acid Wash," featuring Kenny Rampton on trumpet. Latin is the major motif on "Ya Bay BEE," with Rampton's trumpet becoming a bit cheeky as he works with a funky Monaco organ and a clean sounding DiCenzo guitar. Of the five Monaco originals, this one stands out as the most frolicking. Monaco and group swing boppishly on Woody Herman's "Apple Honey," with each horn player getting full solo play. The CD title, Master Chops T, is not self aggrandizement, but an accurate reflection of where Monaco stands with his organ playing and all around musicianship. Recommended." - Dave Nathan
"Born in 1953 in Kirklareli, a village in Thrace (the European territory of Turkey), the multi-instrumentalist and composer Burhan Oçal grew up in a musical family. From his father, he learned a variety of percussion instruments, while his mother introduced him to religious vocal music. His main instruments are darbuka (a vase-shaped drum played with the fingers), kös (kettle drum), kudüm, and bendi; he also sings and plays saz, tanbur, and oud, in addition to composing. He moved to Zürich in 1977, but he's now back in the more exciting environment of Istanbul, where he enjoys a deep network of connections with local musicians.
His percussive skills have been sought after by many players, in jazz and popular music (Sting invited him on-stage in Istanbul in 2000); but the most interesting parts of his production are his own projects: Ottoman Garden (Harmonia Mundi, 1996) dedicated to Turkish classical music of the 17th century; the Oriental Ensemble which performs traditional gypsy and Turkish folk music (Gypsy Rum, 1995). His series of Soundways focused on traditional repertoire and the wildly different duo with electronic musician Pete Namlook (Sultan Osman, 2000). The unprecedented alliance with harmolodic electric bass player Jamaladeen Tacuma (a frequent visitor to Istanbul) gave birth to Groove Alla Turca (Doublemoon, 2000), an Oriental/funk/hip-hop band where Oçal's Oriental players meet a heavy jazz group, including ex-Mingus trumpeter Jack Walrath, graced by the voice of Turkish/American rapper Sultana. The group created a sensation in jazz festivals and clubs all over the world. A spectacular virtuoso on the darbuka, from which he extracts an astonishing variety of sounds and rhythms, Oçal's wide vision includes stately Ottoman tunes and contemporary turntablists, which he's more than happy to put side by side in his projects, relishing the clash of atmospheres and the audience's puzzlement." - Francesco Martinelli
"Since their debut in 1997, Wax Poetic have been mentioned numerous times as the "hip-hop" or "downtempo electronica" band where superstar vocalist Norah Jones got her start. She returns for two cuts on their sophomore effort, and they do still have elements of hip-hop and electronica, but my have they grown. Leader/saxophonist/all-around-visionary Ilhan Ersahin has shaped a loose collection of sidemen and a revolving door full of guests into a smart, adaptable unit of players who act as a modern day version of Motown's Funk Brothers or Lee "Scratch" Perry's Upsetters. The band benefits from their breeding at Ersahin's Manhattan club Nublu, a club/performance space that has Brazilian parties one night and a broken beat DJ the next. Nublu Sessions comes off as a weeks' pass to the club with reggae, house, jazz, samba, and just about everything else that is cosmopolitan, mixing together with Ersahin and Wax Poetic's vision and spirit holding it all together. Norah Jones' high profile appearances are more humble than expected and should cushion the blow for jazz-heads if her next album is full of atmospheric pop. Gruff reggae man U-Roy sounds as effervescent as ever, and N'Dea Davenport's turn gives the album a sparkling disco detour. Saul Williams' kinetic narrative commands his track as expected, but his message serves to break up an otherwise enigmatic album. Slow electro-click and smooth house numbers show up towards the end, and they're just as captivating and moody as the organic tracks. The Hollywood soundtrack gloss throughout the album may put off the underground snobs, but Wax Poetic understand both the sleek and the deep, and are smart far beyond their merely clever name. One listen to the warm and smooth, refined yet exciting Nublu Sessions and you'll wonder how you ever slinked across the loft without it." - David Jeffries
total 520M 4.0K 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 000 - artist.txt 4.0K 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 000 - rank.txt 7.4M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 001 - Led Zeppelin - Stairway To.mp3 6.2M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 002 - Van Halen - Eruption.mp3 6.0M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 004 - Pink Floyd - Comfortably N.mp3 3.7M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 005 - Jimi Hendrix - All Along t.mp3 8.3M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 006 - Guns N' Roses - November R.mp3 6.9M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 007 - Metallica - One.mp3 6.0M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 008 - Eagles - Hotel California.mp3 4.6M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 009 - Black Sabbath - Crazy Trai.mp3 4.0M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 010 - Cream - Crossroads.mp3 4.8M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 011 - Jimi Hendrix - Voodoo Chil.mp3 2.5M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 012 - Chuck Berry - Johnny B. Go.mp3 5.0M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 013 - Stevie Ray Vaughan - Texas.mp3 6.5M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 014 - Derek & The Dominos - Layl.mp3 5.7M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 015 - Deep Purple - Highway Star.mp3 3.9M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 016 - Led Zeppelin - Heartbreake.mp3 3.9M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 017 - Eric Johnson - Cliffs of D.mp3 2.2M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 018 - Jimi Hendrix - Little Wing.mp3 6.5M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 019 - Pantera - Floods.mp3 5.5M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 020 - Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody.mp3 6.5M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 021 - Pink Floyd - Time.mp3 5.4M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 022 - Dire Straits - Sultans Of .mp3 3.6M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 023 - Rage Against The Machine -.mp3 6.4M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 024 - Metallica - Fade To Black.mp3 6.1M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 025 - Jethro Tull - Aqualung.mp3 3.4M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 027 - Stevie Ray Vaughn - Pride .mp3 4.6M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 028 - Ozzy Osbourne - Mr. Crowle.mp3 5.6M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 029 - Steve Vai - For the Love o.mp3 4.1M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 030 - Joe Satriani - Surfing Wit.mp3 7.7M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 031 - Ted Nugent - Stranglehold.mp3 12M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 032 - Jimi Hendrix - Machine Gun.mp3 5.0M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 033 - BB King - The Thrill Is Go.mp3 5.9M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 034 - Radiohead - Paranoid Andro.mp3 6.5M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 035 - Pantera - Cemetary Gates.mp3 5.5M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 037 - Guns N' Roses - Sweet Chil.mp3 5.2M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 038 - Led Zeppelin - Whole Lotta.mp3 9.0M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 039 - Neil Young - Cortez The Ki.mp3 4.3M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 040 - Steely Dan - Reeling In Th.mp3 12M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 041 - Queen - Brighton Rock.mp3 4.4M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 042 - Beatles - While My Guitar .mp3 3.9M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 043 - ZZ Top - Sharp Dressed Man.mp3 5.3M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 044 - Pearl Jam - Alive.mp3 9.9M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 045 - Doors - Light My Fire.mp3 4.4M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 046 - Van Halen - Hot For Teache.mp3 6.9M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 047 - Allman Brothers Band - Jes.mp3 6.0M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 048 - Rolling Stones - Sympathy .mp3 4.7M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 049 - Santana - Europa.mp3 3.5M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 050 - Kiss - Shock Me.mp3 7.9M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 051 - Metallica - Master of Pupp.mp3 3.8M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 052 - Jimi Hendrix - Star-Spangl.mp3 6.9M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 053 - Led Zeppelin - Since I've .mp3 4.8M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 054 - Smashing Pumpkins - Geek U.mp3 3.0M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 055 - Joe Satriani - Satch Boogi.mp3 7.8M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 056 - Black Sabbath - War Pigs.mp3 4.9M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 057 - Pantera - Walk.mp3 3.4M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 058 - Eric Clapton - Cocaine.mp3 2.1M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 059 - Kinks - You Really Got Me.mp3 3.9M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 060 - Frank Zappa - Zoot Allures.mp3 6.8M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 061 - Ozzy Osbourne - No More Te.mp3 5.9M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 062 - Pink Floyd - Money.mp3 3.4M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 063 - Red Hot Chili Peppers - Sc.mp3 4.6M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 064 - Prince - Little Red Corvet.mp3 4.7M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 065 - Allman Brothers Band - Blu.mp3 4.5M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 066 - Iron Maiden - The Number O.mp3 4.0M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 067 - Michael Jackson (With Eddi.mp3 9.5M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 068 - Yes - Starship Trooper.mp3 1.9M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 069 - The Beatles - And Your Bir.mp3 2.6M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 070 - Jimi Hendrix - Purple Haze.mp3 9.5M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 071 - Parliament Funkadelic - Ma.mp3 3.3M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 072 - Aerosmith - Walk This Way.mp3 6.6M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 073 - Phish (With Trey Anastasio.mp3 6.8M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 074 - Deep Purple - Lazy.mp3 7.9M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 075 - The Who - Won't Get Fooled.mp3 2.8M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 076 - Neil Young - Cinnamon Girl.mp3 4.4M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 077 - Alice In Chains (Jerry Can.mp3 4.8M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 078 - Grateful Dead - Truckin'.mp3 4.6M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 079 - Van Halen - Mean Street.mp3 3.6M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 080 - AC-DC - You Shook Me All N.mp3 3.9M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 081 - The Velvet Underground - S.mp3 6.8M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 082 - King Crimson - 21st Centur.mp3 1.8M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 083 - Stevie Ray Vaughan - Scutt.mp3 4.9M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 084 - UFO - Lights Out.mp3 4.3M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 085 - David Bowie - Moonage Dayd.mp3 4.9M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 086 - Allman Brothers Band - Whi.mp3 4.8M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 087 - Johnny Winter - Highway 61.mp3 4.4M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 088 - Steely Dan - Kid Charlemag.mp3 4.9M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 089 - Rage Against the Machine -.mp3 4.7M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 090 - Eric Clapton - Let It Rain.mp3 11M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 091 - Creedence Clearwater Reviv.mp3 3.1M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 092 - Stray Cat - Strut.mp3 11M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 093 - The Doors - The End.mp3 6.7M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 094 - Rush - Working Man.mp3 4.7M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 095 - Pearl Jam - Yellow Ledbett.mp3 2.9M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 096 - Rolling Stones (Keith Rich.mp3 6.4M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 097 - Judas Priest - Beyond the .mp3 6.5M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 098 - Dream Theater - Under A Gl.mp3 5.3M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 099 - Jeff Beck - 'Cause We've E.mp3 4.8M 100 Greatest Guitar Solos - 100 - Bon Jovi - Wanted Dead Or .mp3
"The Dinosaur In Motion ( Empress Valley) 7 CD box set
Seattle Center Coliseum, Seattle, WA, March 17 and 21, 1975
"Another in the limited release series from Empress Valley (although I don't know how many limited is). The production is a hard shell open ended box with a picture of P&P on the front and small colored circles containing pictures of the interior sleeve front covers with disc one through 7 listed by each circle on the back of the box. Each cd is housed in its own single pocket sleeve with a black and white picture on the front and the track listing and a colored circle containing a small reproduction of the front cover picture on the back of the sleeve. Same production type as the Dallas 75 release but he box is not embossed and no insert is included. Not bad production wise. On to the shows. I have not compared the shows all the way through with previous releases but have done a comparison with the beginning of each show and a random sample in each show. The show from the 17th was compared to Gallery Of Soldiers on Power Chord. The Gallery show sounds cleaner and better to me and may still be generationally better, the EV has some background noise and surface noise that is not present on the Gallery release. The show from the 21st was compared to Seattle Supersonic on Scorpio. The EV sounds better with more bottom end and a punchier drum sound but probably not a generational upgrade. The tape switches right before the guitar solo in Stairway and continues to the end of the show. The bass is way overloaded at the beginning of WLL but thankfully it doesn't remain for the entire end of the concert, the sound washes around a little here and there and the booming bass returns at times but the sound is still very clear and listenable. I can't compare the end of the show to previous releases that contain this portion such as the Cobla Standard or Last Stand labels because I only own the Seattle Supersonic version from this night. Overall a good release although I really don't know if it is essential if you already own the shows, depends on the extent of your illness, personally I'm on life support." - Stephen J. Christensen May 04
Disc 1 4.0K 00 Led Zeppelin - 75-03-17&21 The Dinosaur In Motion CD1.nfo 5.8M 01 Led Zeppelin - Rock and roll.mp3 13M 02 Led Zeppelin - Sick again.mp3 18M 03 Led Zeppelin - Over the hills and far away.mp3 25M 04 Led Zeppelin - In my time of dying.mp3 11M 05 Led Zeppelin - The song remains the same.mp3 18M 06 Led Zeppelin - The rain song.mp3 20M 07 Led Zeppelin - Kashmir.mp3 Disc 2 4.0K 00 Led Zeppelin - 75-03-17&21 The Dinosaur In Motion CD2.nfo 51M 01 Led Zeppelin - No quarter.mp3 16M 02 Led Zeppelin - Trampled underfoot.mp3 45M 03 Led Zeppelin - Moby Dick.mp3 Disc 3 4.0K 00 Led Zeppelin - 75-03-17&21 The Dinosaur In Motion CD3.nfo 65M 01 Led Zeppelin - Dazed and confused.mp3 28M 02 Led Zeppelin - Stairway to heaven.mp3 19M 03 Led Zeppelin - Whole lotta love.mp3 13M 04 Led Zeppelin - Black dog.mp3 Disc 4 total 95M 4.0K 00 Led Zeppelin - 75-03-17&21 The Dinosaur In Motion CD4.nfo 4.1M 01 Led Zeppelin - Introduction.mp3 6.8M 02 Led Zeppelin - Rock and roll.mp3 13M 03 Led Zeppelin - Sick again.mp3 17M 04 Led Zeppelin - Over the hills and far away.mp3 24M 05 Led Zeppelin - In my time of dying.mp3 9.8M 06 Led Zeppelin - The song remains the same.mp3 18M 07 Led Zeppelin - The rain song.mp3 Disc 5 4.0K 00 Led Zeppelin - 75-03-17&21 The Dinosaur In Motion CD5.nfo 20M 01 Led Zeppelin - Kashmir.mp3 47M 02 Led Zeppelin - No quarter.mp3 18M 03 Led Zeppelin - Since I've been loving you.mp3 21M 04 Led Zeppelin - Trampled underfoot.mp3 Disc 6 4.0K 00 Led Zeppelin - 75-03-17&21 The Dinosaur In Motion CD6.nfo 52M 01 Led Zeppelin - Moby Dick.mp3 79M 02 Led Zeppelin - Dazed and confused.mp3
total 82M 4.0K 00 Led Zeppelin - 75-03-17&21 The Dinosaur In Motion CD7.nfo 26M 01 Led Zeppelin - Stairway to heaven.mp3 19M 02 Led Zeppelin - Whole lotta love.mp3 11M 03 Led Zeppelin - Black dog.mp3 5.1M 04 Led Zeppelin - Communicatopn breakdown.mp3 19M 05 Led Zeppelin - Heartbreaker.mp3
"There are so many compilations and reissues out on the 13th Floor Elevators that it's difficult to recommend one, but this small-scale, triple-CD box set does make the cut, if only for care and comprehensiveness. Essentially, this is everything they ever recorded for International Artists, the four official albums augmented by such choice bonus tracks as the Spades' version of "You're Gonna Miss Me" (plus its B-side, "We Sell Soul"), and the live 1966 San Francisco sides. Each is housed in a miniature reproduction of one of their original LP sleeves, and all of it is supported by a nicely annotated booklet. The sound on this box is exceptionally good, given 2002 standards." - Bruce Eder
Disc 1 total 118M 4.4M (Disc One) - 01 - The 13th Floor Elevators - You're Gonna Miss Me.mp3 8.6M (Disc One) - 02 - The 13th Floor Elevators - Roller Coaster.mp3 6.2M (Disc One) - 03 - The 13th Floor Elevators - Splash I.mp3 5.2M (Disc One) - 04 - The 13th Floor Elevators - Reverberation (Doubt).mp3 5.0M (Disc One) - 05 - The 13th Floor Elevators - Don't Fall Down.mp3 5.8M (Disc One) - 06 - The 13th Floor Elevators - Fire Engine.mp3 5.4M (Disc One) - 07 - The 13th Floor Elevators - Thru The Rhythm.mp3 5.0M (Disc One) - 08 - The 13th Floor Elevators - You Don't Know.mp3 5.9M (Disc One) - 09 - The 13th Floor Elevators - Kingdom Of Heaven.mp3 4.6M (Disc One) - 10 - The 13th Floor Elevators - Monkey Island.mp3 5.0M (Disc One) - 11 - The 13th Floor Elevators - Tried To Hide.mp3 9.9M (Disc One) - 12 - The 13th Floor Elevators - Everybody Needs Somebody To Love.mp3 4.0M (Disc One) - 13 - The 13th Floor Elevators - Before You Accuse Me.mp3 4.4M (Disc One) - 14 - The 13th Floor Elevators - You Don't Know.mp3 2.9M (Disc One) - 15 - The 13th Floor Elevators - I'm Gonna Love You Too.mp3 9.4M (Disc One) - 16 - The 13th Floor Elevators - You Really Got Me.mp3 5.3M (Disc One) - 17 - The 13th Floor Elevators - Splash I.mp3 3.9M (Disc One) - 18 - The 13th Floor Elevators - Fire Engine.mp3 3.6M (Disc One) - 19 - The 13th Floor Elevators - Roll Over Beethoven.mp3 3.5M (Disc One) - 20 - The 13th Floor Elevators - The Word.mp3 3.4M (Disc One) - 21 - The 13th Floor Elevators - Monkey Island.mp3 7.1M (Disc One) - 22 - The 13th Floor Elevators - Roller Coaster.mp3 8.0K (Disc One).LOG Disc 2 total 116M 14M (Disc Two) - 01 - The 13th Floor Elevators - Slip Inside This House.mp3 6.3M (Disc Two) - 02 - The 13th Floor Elevators - Slide Machine.mp3 5.3M (Disc Two) - 03 - The 13th Floor Elevators - She Lives (In A Time Of Her Own).mp3 5.7M (Disc Two) - 04 - The 13th Floor Elevators - Nobody To Love.mp3 8.8M (Disc Two) - 05 - The 13th Floor Elevators - Baby Blue.mp3 8.0M (Disc Two) - 06 - The 13th Floor Elevators - Earthquake.mp3 6.4M (Disc Two) - 07 - The 13th Floor Elevators - Dust.mp3 4.8M (Disc Two) - 08 - The 13th Floor Elevators - Levitation.mp3 4.0M (Disc Two) - 09 - The 13th Floor Elevators - I Had To Tell You.mp3 11M (Disc Two) - 10 - The 13th Floor Elevators - Pictures (Leave Your Body Behind).mp3 5.6M (Disc Two) - 11 - The 13th Floor Elevators - Splash I.mp3 4.1M (Disc Two) - 12 - The 13th Floor Elevators - Kingdom Of Heaven.mp3 4.4M (Disc Two) - 13 - The 13th Floor Elevators - You're Gonna Miss Me.mp3 3.7M (Disc Two) - 14 - The 13th Floor Elevators - She Lives (In A Time Of Her Own).mp3 4.4M (Disc Two) - 15 - The 13th Floor Elevators - Reverberation (Doubt).mp3 5.2M (Disc Two) - 16 - The 13th Floor Elevators - You're Gonna Miss Me (The Spades).mp3 4.7M (Disc Two) - 17 - The 13th Floor Elevators - We Sell Soul (The Spades).mp3 3.0M (Disc Two) - 18 - The 13th Floor Elevators - Fire In My Bones.mp3 4.3M (Disc Two) - 19 - The 13th Floor Elevators - Levitation (Instrumental).mp3 4.0M (Disc Two) - 20 - The 13th Floor Elevators - Slip Inside This House (Single Edited Version).mp3 8.0K (Disc Two).LOG Disc 3 total 113M 4.3M (Disc Three) - 01 - The 13th Floor Elevators - Before You Accuse Me.mp3 4.4M (Disc Three) - 02 - The 13th Floor Elevators - She Lives In A Time Of Her Own.mp3 4.5M (Disc Three) - 03 - The 13th Floor Elevators - Tried To Hide.mp3 4.5M (Disc Three) - 04 - The 13th Floor Elevators - You Gotta Take That Girl.mp3 3.3M (Disc Three) - 05 - The 13th Floor Elevators - I'm Gonna Love You Too.mp3 3.8M (Disc Three) - 06 - The 13th Floor Elevators - Everybody Needs Somebody To Love.mp3 4.1M (Disc Three) - 07 - The 13th Floor Elevators - I've Got Levitation.mp3 5.7M (Disc Three) - 08 - The 13th Floor Elevators - You Can't Hurt Me Anymore.mp3 7.4M (Disc Three) - 09 - The 13th Floor Elevators - Roller Coaster.mp3 2.6M (Disc Three) - 10 - The 13th Floor Elevators - You're Gonna Miss Me.mp3 4.8M (Disc Three) - 11 - The 13th Floor Elevators - Livin' On.mp3 4.4M (Disc Three) - 12 - The 13th Floor Elevators - Barnyard Blues.mp3 4.6M (Disc Three) - 13 - The 13th Floor Elevators - Till Then.mp3 3.8M (Disc Three) - 14 - The 13th Floor Elevators - Never Another.mp3 5.1M (Disc Three) - 15 - The 13th Floor Elevators - Rose And The Thorn.mp3 2.8M (Disc Three) - 16 - The 13th Floor Elevators - Down By The River.mp3 7.6M (Disc Three) - 17 - The 13th Floor Elevators - Scarlet And Gold.mp3 7.9M (Disc Three) - 18 - The 13th Floor Elevators - Street Song.mp3 5.0M (Disc Three) - 19 - The 13th Floor Elevators - Doctor Doom.mp3 3.5M (Disc Three) - 20 - The 13th Floor Elevators - With You.mp3 4.0M (Disc Three) - 21 - The 13th Floor Elevators - May The Circle Remain Unbroken.mp3 5.2M (Disc Three) - 22 - The 13th Floor Elevators - Wait For My Love.mp3 3.6M (Disc Three) - 23 - The 13th Floor Elevators - Splash I (Rocky Erickson & Clementine Hall).mp3 4.7M (Disc Three) - 24 - The 13th Floor Elevators - Right Track Now (Rocky Erickson & Clementine Hall).mp3 1.6M (Disc Three) - 25 - The 13th Floor Elevators - 60 Second Radio Spot for 'Bull Of The Woods' album.mp3 8.0K (Disc Three).LOG
Disc 1 total 105M 12M 01 - The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway.mp3 11M 02 - Fly On A Windshield.mp3 1.3M 03 - Broadway Melody Of 1974.mp3 5.1M 04 - Cuckoo Cocoon.mp3 19M 05 - In The Cage.mp3 6.4M 06 - The Grand Parade Of Lifeless Packaging.mp3 14M 07 - Back In N.Y.C.mp3 5.2M 08 - Hairless Heart.mp3 8.5M 09 - Counting Out Time.mp3 13M 10 - Carpet Crawlers.mp3 14M 11 - The Chamber Of 32 Doors.mp3 Disc 2 total 112M 6.2M 01 - Lilywhite Lilith.mp3 13M 02 - The Waiting Room.mp3 7.2M 03 - Anyway.mp3 6.9M 04 - Here Comes the Supernatural Anaesthetist.mp3 16M 05 - The Lamia.mp3 7.2M 06 - Silent Sorrow in Empty Boats.mp3 19M 07 - The Colony of Slippermen (The Arrival - A Visit to the Doktor - Raven).mp3 4.8M 08 - Ravine.mp3 8.2M 09 - The Light Dies Down on Broadway.mp3 9.1M 10 - Riding the Scree.mp3 5.5M 11 - In the Rapids.mp3 9.9M 12 - it.mp3
"Even among Deadheads, there's always been a sense that Jerry Garcia's studio albums have been somewhat ignored. Part of this ties back to the often repeated urban legend that the Grateful Dead were never as good in the studio as they were live -- an argument that has some truth but tends to downplay the merits of the studio albums, which had their own distinct attributes. This also applies to Garcia's studio records, but as a whole they're more problematic than the Dead's catalog. Every one of them is more tied to the production of the time, sounding like artifacts from their year of release, and apart from 1978's Cats Under the Stars -- his only collection of all-original material (counting a track by Donna Jean Godchaux) and rightly regarded by Garcia and fans as his best album -- it's hard to escape the sense that the guitarist treated the Jerry Garcia Band as a way to relax and unwind from the confines of the Grateful Dead, particularly since it turned into a touring outfit after 1982's half-hearted Run for the Roses.
For all these reasons, listening to the entirety of Rhino's exhaustive six-disc box set All Good Things: Jerry Garcia Studio Sessions can be a little exhausting. While there are undoubtedly highlights, each record apart from Cats is uneven, and the addition of wealth of previously unreleased material -- his five albums nearly double their running time with bonus tracks, and there's a whole disc of "Outtakes, Jams and Alternates" -- only highlights the flaws or attributes of an individual album, since the unheard material essentially offers more of the same of the proper album. That means the bonus cuts on Cats Under the Stars are uniformly good, the tracks on Compliments are pleasantly rambling and unfocused, Garcia is strong but heavy on alternate takes, Reflections undistinguished, and Run for the Roses bland; the bonus disc plays like these bonus tracks, with a few highlights, like a nice cover of Warren Zevon's "Accidentally Like a Martyr" standing out amid the alternate takes and winding jams. In other words, the previously unreleased material doesn't pack any revelations -- which is the opposite of the bonus material on the Dead's similar complete studio box set, The Golden Road. They simply confirm existing opinions on these albums, which remain an uneven, yet occasionally endearing, body of work. Of course, that means that All Good Things is for the diehards, the ones who enjoy hearing every scrap of tape that Garcia played, fully aware of the erratic nature of his solo career and willing to purchase an expensive box set with that in mind. They will certainly be pleased with this lovingly produced set, which boasts excellent HDCD remastering, individual digipaks, and a detailed 128-page book that contains an introduction by Robert Hunter, an overview of Garcia's solo career, and individual notes for each album. While it's unlikely that anybody outside of those dedicated fans will find this of interest -- Jerry's albums, when taken together, confirm both your best and worst feelings about his music -- the Dead have always been a band that treated their devoted very well, and this is a box targeted at those very fans. If you know what you're getting into, you will not be disappointed by the quality of All Good Things." - Stphen Thomas Erlewine
Disc 1 total 142M 6.0M Jerry Garcia - Garcia (reissue) - 01 - Deal.mp3 8.2M Jerry Garcia - Garcia (reissue) - 02 - Bird Song.mp3 11M Jerry Garcia - Garcia (reissue) - 03 - Sugaree.mp3 7.7M Jerry Garcia - Garcia (reissue) - 04 - Loser.mp3 3.0M Jerry Garcia - Garcia (reissue) - 05 - Late for Supper.mp3 6.3M Jerry Garcia - Garcia (reissue) - 06 - Spidergawd.mp3 9.5M Jerry Garcia - Garcia (reissue) - 07 - Eep Hour.mp3 12M Jerry Garcia - Garcia (reissue) - 08 - To Lay Me Down.mp3 3.1M Jerry Garcia - Garcia (reissue) - 09 - An Odd Little Place.mp3 7.8M Jerry Garcia - Garcia (reissue) - 10 - The Wheel.mp3 14M Jerry Garcia - Garcia (reissue) - 11 - Sugaree (alternate take).mp3 7.6M Jerry Garcia - Garcia (reissue) - 12 - Loser (alternate take).mp3 20M Jerry Garcia - Garcia (reissue) - 13 - Late for Supper-Spidergawd-Eep Hour (alternate takes).mp3 7.5M Jerry Garcia - Garcia (reissue) - 14 - The Wheel (alternate take #1).mp3 5.4M Jerry Garcia - Garcia (reissue) - 15 - The Wheel (alternate take #2).mp3 6.5M Jerry Garcia - Garcia (reissue) - 16 - Study for 'Eep Hour'.mp3 2.7M Jerry Garcia - Garcia (reissue) - 17 - Dealin' From the Bottom.mp3 6.2M Jerry Garcia - Garcia (reissue) - 18 - Study for 'The Wheel'.mp3 Disc 2 total 142M 6.0M Jerry Garcia - Compliments (reissue) - 01 - Let It Rock.mp3 5.2M Jerry Garcia - Compliments (reissue) - 02 - When Thew Hunter Gets Captured By The Game.mp3 7.1M Jerry Garcia - Compliments (reissue) - 03 - That's What Love Will Make You Do.mp3 5.8M Jerry Garcia - Compliments (reissue) - 04 - Russian Lullaby.mp3 11M Jerry Garcia - Compliments (reissue) - 05 - Turn On The Bright Lights.mp3 6.4M Jerry Garcia - Compliments (reissue) - 06 - He Ain't Give You None.mp3 5.8M Jerry Garcia - Compliments (reissue) - 07 - What Goes Around.mp3 6.8M Jerry Garcia - Compliments (reissue) - 08 - Let's Spend The Night Together.mp3 5.8M Jerry Garcia - Compliments (reissue) - 09 - Mississippi Moon.mp3 6.2M Jerry Garcia - Compliments (reissue) - 10 - Midnight Town.mp3 6.8M Jerry Garcia - Compliments (reissue) - 11 - That's A Touch I Like.mp3 7.7M Jerry Garcia - Compliments (reissue) - 12 - (I'm A) Road Runner.mp3 8.2M Jerry Garcia - Compliments (reissue) - 13 - It's Too Late.mp3 6.2M Jerry Garcia - Compliments (reissue) - 14 - I'll Forget You.mp3 7.2M Jerry Garcia - Compliments (reissue) - 15 - Tragedy.mp3 7.8M Jerry Garcia - Compliments (reissue) - 16 - Think.mp3 5.0M Jerry Garcia - Compliments (reissue) - 17 - I Know It's A Sin.mp3 12M Jerry Garcia - Compliments (reissue) - 18 - Lonesome Town.mp3 3.1M Jerry Garcia - Compliments (reissue) - 19 - Cardiac Arrest (Studio Jam).mp3 14M Jerry Garcia - Compliments (reissue) - 20 - Back Home In Indiana.mp3 Disc 3 total 127M 7.2M Jerry Garcia - Reflections (reissue) - 01 - Might As Well.mp3 9.4M Jerry Garcia - Reflections (reissue) - 02 - Mission in the Rain.mp3 8.5M Jerry Garcia - Reflections (reissue) - 03 - They Love Each Other.mp3 11M Jerry Garcia - Reflections (reissue) - 05 - It Must Have Been the Roses.mp3 8.3M Jerry Garcia - Reflections (reissue) - 06 - Tore Up Over You.mp3 13M Jerry Garcia - Reflections (reissue) - 07 - Catfish John.mp3 12M Jerry Garcia - Reflections (reissue) - 08 - Comes a Time.mp3 9.6M Jerry Garcia - Reflections (reissue) - 09 - Mystery Train [Studio Jam].mp3 7.7M Jerry Garcia - Reflections (reissue) - 10 - All by Myself [Studio Jam].mp3 5.9M Jerry Garcia - Reflections (reissue) - 11 - Oh Babe, It Ain't No Lie.mp3 4.5M Jerry Garcia - Reflections (reissue) - 12 - You Win Again.mp3 31M Jerry Garcia - Reflections (reissue) - 13 - Orpheus.mp3 Disc 4 total 136M 9.8M Jerry Garcia Band - Cats Under The Stars (reissue) - 01 - Rubin and Cherise.mp3 7.7M Jerry Garcia Band - Cats Under The Stars (reissue) - 02 - Love in the Afternoon.mp3 4.4M Jerry Garcia Band - Cats Under The Stars (reissue) - 03 - Palm Sunday.mp3 11M Jerry Garcia Band - Cats Under The Stars (reissue) - 04 - Cats Under the Stars.mp3 9.6M Jerry Garcia Band - Cats Under The Stars (reissue) - 05 - Rhapsody in Red.mp3 11M Jerry Garcia Band - Cats Under The Stars (reissue) - 06 - Rain.mp3 3.3M Jerry Garcia Band - Cats Under The Stars (reissue) - 07 - Down Home.mp3 10M Jerry Garcia Band - Cats Under The Stars (reissue) - 08 - Gomorrah.mp3 7.1M Jerry Garcia Band - Cats Under The Stars (reissue) - 09 - Magnificent Sanctuary Band.mp3 12M Jerry Garcia Band - Cats Under The Stars (reissue) - 10 - I'll Be With Thee.mp3 9.3M Jerry Garcia Band - Cats Under The Stars (reissue) - 11 - Way You Do the Things You Do.mp3 5.7M Jerry Garcia Band - Cats Under The Stars (reissue) - 12 - Mighty High.mp3 30M Jerry Garcia Band - Cats Under The Stars (reissue) - 13 - Don't Let Go.mp3 3.4M Jerry Garcia Band - Cats Under The Stars (reissue) - 14 - Down Home [Rehearsal Version].mp3 4.5M Jerry Garcia Band - Cats Under The Stars (reissue) - 15 - Palm Sunday [Alternate Take].mp3 Disc 5 total 125M 6.8M Jerry Garcia - Run For The Roses (reissue) - 01 - Run for the Roses.mp3 5.5M Jerry Garcia - Run For The Roses (reissue) - 02 - I Saw Her Standing There.mp3 8.2M Jerry Garcia - Run For The Roses (reissue) - 03 - Without Love.mp3 15M Jerry Garcia - Run For The Roses (reissue) - 04 - Midnight Getaway.mp3 6.7M Jerry Garcia - Run For The Roses (reissue) - 05 - Leave the Little Girl Alone.mp3 10M Jerry Garcia - Run For The Roses (reissue) - 06 - Valerie.mp3 15M Jerry Garcia - Run For The Roses (reissue) - 07 - Knockin' on Heaven's Door.mp3 10M Jerry Garcia - Run For The Roses (reissue) - 08 - Fennario.mp3 6.3M Jerry Garcia - Run For The Roses (reissue) - 09 - Alabama Getaway.mp3 12M Jerry Garcia - Run For The Roses (reissue) - 10 - Tangled Up in Blue.mp3 11M Jerry Garcia - Run For The Roses (reissue) - 11 - Simple Twist of Fate.mp3 11M Jerry Garcia - Run For The Roses (reissue) - 12 - Dear Prudence.mp3 9.9M Jerry Garcia - Run For The Roses (reissue) - 13 - Valerie [Alternate Mix].mp3
total 126M 6.3M Jerry Garcia - Outtakes, Jams & Alternates - 01 - Deal [Alternate Take].mp3 6.1M Jerry Garcia - Outtakes, Jams & Alternates - 02 - Let's Spend the Night Together [Alternate Take].mp3 5.2M Jerry Garcia - Outtakes, Jams & Alternates - 03 - Mississippi Moon [Alternate Take].mp3 9.1M Jerry Garcia - Outtakes, Jams & Alternates - 04 - Lonesome Town [Acoustic Version].mp3 12M Jerry Garcia - Outtakes, Jams & Alternates - 05 - Catfish John [Alternate Take].mp3 16M Jerry Garcia - Outtakes, Jams & Alternates - 06 - I'll Take a Melody [Alternate Take].mp3 14M Jerry Garcia - Outtakes, Jams & Alternates - 07 - My Sisters and Brothers.mp3 13M Jerry Garcia - Outtakes, Jams & Alternates - 08 - Hully Gully}Rockin' Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu [Studio Jam].mp3 14M Jerry Garcia - Outtakes, Jams & Alternates - 09 - Streamlined Cannonball [Studio Jam].mp3 7.9M Jerry Garcia - Outtakes, Jams & Alternates - 10 - Iko Iko [Studio Jam].mp3 16M Jerry Garcia - Outtakes, Jams & Alternates - 11 - Hey Bo Diddley}Hide Away [Studio Jam].mp3 9.3M Jerry Garcia - Outtakes, Jams & Alternates - 12 - Accidentally Like a Martyr.mp3
"A double-disc set that draws from all of the phases of Joe Walsh's career, with the notable exception of The Eagles, Look What I Did! features almost every worthwhile song the guitarist ever recorded, even though it does contain pure dreck like "I.L.B.T.s," which is also known as "I Love Big Tits."" - David Jehnzen
Disc 1 total 118M 1.1M Joe Walsh - Look What I Did-Anthology - Disc1 - 01 - Tuning, Part 1 -- The James Gang.mp3 9.6M Joe Walsh - Look What I Did-Anthology - Disc1 - 02 - Take A Look Around -- The James Gang.mp3 4.5M Joe Walsh - Look What I Did-Anthology - Disc1 - 03 - Funk #48 -- The James Gang.mp3 12M Joe Walsh - Look What I Did-Anthology - Disc1 - 04 - The Bomber (Long unavailable original complete version) -- The James Gang.mp3 8.9M Joe Walsh - Look What I Did-Anthology - Disc1 - 05 - Tend My Garden -- The James Gang.mp3 6.4M Joe Walsh - Look What I Did-Anthology - Disc1 - 06 - Funk #49 -- The James Gang.mp3 8.0M Joe Walsh - Look What I Did-Anthology - Disc1 - 07 - Ashes, The Rain And I -- The James Gang.mp3 5.8M Joe Walsh - Look What I Did-Anthology - Disc1 - 08 - Walk Away -- The James Gang.mp3 6.8M Joe Walsh - Look What I Did-Anthology - Disc1 - 09 - It's All The Same -- The James Gang.mp3 5.6M Joe Walsh - Look What I Did-Anthology - Disc1 - 10 - Midnight Man -- The James Gang.mp3 8.0M Joe Walsh - Look What I Did-Anthology - Disc1 - 11 - Here We Go Again -- Barnstorm.mp3 5.1M Joe Walsh - Look What I Did-Anthology - Disc1 - 12 - Midnight Visitor -- Barnstorm.mp3 9.5M Joe Walsh - Look What I Did-Anthology - Disc1 - 13 - Mother Says -- Barnstorm.mp3 8.5M Joe Walsh - Look What I Did-Anthology - Disc1 - 14 - Turn To Stone -- Barnstorm.mp3 3.0M Joe Walsh - Look What I Did-Anthology - Disc1 - 15 - Comin' Down -- Barnstorm.mp3 7.5M Joe Walsh - Look What I Did-Anthology - Disc1 - 16 - Meadows -- Barnstorm.mp3 9.2M Joe Walsh - Look What I Did-Anthology - Disc1 - 17 - Rocky Mountain Way -- Barnstorm.mp3 Disc 2 total 123M 8.3M Joe Walsh - Look What I Did-Anthology - Disc2 - 01 - Welcome To The Club -- Solo.mp3 1.7M Joe Walsh - Look What I Did-Anthology - Disc2 - 02 - All Night Laundry Mat Blues -- Solo.mp3 11M Joe Walsh - Look What I Did-Anthology - Disc2 - 03 - Country Fair -- Solo.mp3 5.9M Joe Walsh - Look What I Did-Anthology - Disc2 - 04 - Help Me Thru The Night -- Solo.mp3 13M Joe Walsh - Look What I Did-Anthology - Disc2 - 05 - Life's Been Good -- Solo.mp3 7.8M Joe Walsh - Look What I Did-Anthology - Disc2 - 06 - Over And Over -- Solo.mp3 5.7M Joe Walsh - Look What I Did-Anthology - Disc2 - 07 - All Night Long -- Solo.mp3 5.7M Joe Walsh - Look What I Did-Anthology - Disc2 - 08 - A Life Of Illusion -- Solo.mp3 5.4M Joe Walsh - Look What I Did-Anthology - Disc2 - 09 - Theme From The Island Weirdos -- Solo.mp3 4.9M Joe Walsh - Look What I Did-Anthology - Disc2 - 10 - I Can Play That Rock & Roll -- Solo.mp3 4.7M Joe Walsh - Look What I Did-Anthology - Disc2 - 11 - I.L.B.T.'s -- Solo.mp3 6.0M Joe Walsh - Look What I Did-Anthology - Disc2 - 12 - Space Age Whiz Kids -- Solo.mp3 5.6M Joe Walsh - Look What I Did-Anthology - Disc2 - 13 - Rosewood Bitters -- Solo.mp3 5.3M Joe Walsh - Look What I Did-Anthology - Disc2 - 14 - Shut Up -- Solo.mp3 20M Joe Walsh - Look What I Did-Anthology - Disc2 - 15 - Decades -- Solo.mp3 3.3M Joe Walsh - Look What I Did-Anthology - Disc2 - 16 - Song For A Dying Planet -- Solo.mp3 9.8M Joe Walsh - Look What I Did-Anthology - Disc2 - 17 - Ordinary Average Guy (Previously Unissued Live Version) -- Live wGlenn Frey.mp 3
total 258M 12M 01 - Jennings Farm Blues.mp3 4.9M 01 - Round & Round.mp3 6.3M 02 - Celebration Day.mp3 12M 02 - Feel So Bad That's Alright Mama.mp3 11M 03 - For Your Love.mp3 18M 03 - White Summery, Black Mountain Side.mp3 9.9M 04 - Black Dog.mp3 4.9M 04 - School Days.mp3 5.9M 05 - I Gotta Move.mp3 13M 05 - Over The Hills And Far Away.mp3 6.4M 06 - Immigrant Song.mp3 14M 06 - Killing Floor Sweet Jelly Roll.mp3 8.0M 07 - Money.mp3 12M 07 - The Battle Of Evermore.mp3 15M 08 - Black Country Woman, Bron-Y-Aur Stomp.mp3 3.9M 08 - Mess O' Blues.mp3 2.0M 09 - Nadine.mp3 6.9M 09 - Tangerine.mp3 7.9M 10 - Going To California.mp3 7.6M 10 - Shakin' All Over.mp3 14M 11 - Since I've Been Loving You.mp3 11M 11 - Sixes and Sevens.mp3 9.9M 12 - Misty Mountain Hop.mp3 12M 12 - Sex Machine.mp3 3.9M 13 - Something Else.mp3 13M 14 - Sitting And Thinking.mp3 12M 15 - Stand By Me.mp3 5.6M 16 - The Girl I Love.mp3
Disc 1 total 49M 3.2M 14-Pretty Girl.mp3 5.2M 16-Come In You'll Get Pneumonia.mp3 4.4M 17-For My Woman.mp3 3.0M 18-She's So Fine.mp3 4.3M 19-The Old Oak Tree.mp3 2.9M 20-Wedding Ring.mp3 3.1M 21-It's So Easy.mp3 4.0M 22-I'm A Madman.mp3 3.1M 23-She Said Alright.mp3 3.5M 24-You Got It Off Me.mp3 3.6M 26-Women (Make You Feel Alright).mp3 3.8M 27-Come And See Her.mp3 4.4M 28-I'll Make You Happy.mp3 268K CD1 front -.JPG 300K CD2 front -.JPG 132K Disc 1 -.JPG 128K Disc 2 -.JPG Disc 2 total 107M 3.0M 01-Let Me Be.mp3 3.2M 02-Somethin' Wrong.mp3 3.6M 03-Sorry.mp3 3.5M 04-Funny Feelin'.mp3 3.8M 05-Going Out Of My Mind.mp3 3.7M 06-Not In Love With You.mp3 2.8M 07-The Last Day Of May.mp3 3.1M 08-Today.mp3 2.8M 09-Can't You Leave Her.mp3 5.5M 10-River Deep, Mountain High.mp3 3.7M 11-Do You Have A Soul.mp3 4.7M 12-You Me, We Love.mp3 3.8M 13-Happy Is The Man.mp3 4.6M 14-Hound Dog.mp3 3.2M 15-All Gone Boy (Million Dollar Baby).mp3 3.2M 16-The Music Goes Round My Head (Fast Version).mp3 4.2M 17-Lay Me Down And Die (Instrumental).mp3 3.6M 18-Fancy Seeing You Here.mp3 3.4M 19-Bring A Little Lovin'.mp3 4.0M 20-Lay Me Down And Die (Vocal).mp3 4.9M 21-Can't Find Love.mp3 4.2M 22-Peculiar Hole In The Sky.mp3 3.7M 23-I Love Marie.mp3 4.5M 24-Who Are My Friends.mp3 4.5M 25-Such A Lovely Day.mp3 3.7M 26-Little Queenie.mp3 4.5M 27-Lisa.mp3 3.9M 28-Amanda Storey.mp3 380K Box back -.JPG 268K Box front -.JPG
"This remastered version of The Cheerful Insanity of Giles, Giles & Fripp features the entire 13-song album as well as an additional six bonus tracks, including two previously unissued compositions: "She Is Loaded" and "Under the Sky." This pre-King Crimson aggregate involves the talents of Michael Giles (drums/vocals), Peter Giles (bass/vocals), and Robert Fripp (guitar/vocals) accompanied by a plethora of studio musicians -- most notably keyboardist Nicky Hopkins and backing vocalists the Breakaways. By any standards The Cheerful Insanity of Giles, Giles & Fripp is one of the more eclectic albums to have been issued during the psychedelic rock movement of the late '60s. The album was initially issued in September of 1968 on the Decca Records subsidiary Deram -- whose releases were aimed specifically at the alternative or progressive rock market. That said, this disc is a far cry from the type of material that other artists on the label such as the Moody Blues, Caravan, or Pacific Drift were concurrently issuing. The original record album was divided into two sections: "The Saga of Rodney Toady" and "Just George," which were named after the respective spoken word pieces that link the musical works on the A- and B-sides. Musically, Giles, Giles & Fripp are wholly unlike anything before or since. Drawing upon folk, classical, pop, and even sacred music, each track brings a fresh listening experience. Among the highlights is the leadoff track, "North Meadow," which features some stunning fretwork from Fripp. Likewise, "Call Tomorrow" is a trippy noir tale involving an ambiguous practical joke. The classically influenced instrumental "Suite No. 1," as well as another one of Fripp's more esoteric compositions, "Erudite Eyes," likewise bear some semblance of sounds to come from the trio. The 1992 remastered CD contains six bonus tracks, four of which are various mono and stereo mixes of songs from the album. Notable is the mono single of "Newly-Weds," which is a completely different version rather than simply an alternate mix. "She Is Loaded" and "Under the Sky" were recorded along with a song called "(Why Don't You Just) Drop In" during a final Giles, Giles & Fripp session. While no known tape of "(Why Don't You Just) Drop In" has turned up, the other two compositions are included here as bonus tracks. Fripp's ethereal lyrics for "Under the Sky" beg the question why he chose not to continue honing his formidable verbal skills and vivid imagery. While not everyone's cup of tea, there is a tremendous amount to enjoy on The Cheerful Insanity Of for those whose expectations are not of King Crimson, but rather of lighthearted and decidedly folksy English tales. Parties interested in this disc should likewise be advised of The Brondesbury Tapes, which is a collection of semiprofessional demos made by this trio and original Fairport Convention vocalist Judy Dyble (vocals) and soon-to-be King Crimson member Ian McDonald (flute/sax)." - Lindsay Planer
total 69M 3.5M Giles, Giles & Fripp - The Cheerful Insanity of Giles, Giles & Fripp - 01 - North Meadow.mp3 3.0M Giles, Giles & Fripp - The Cheerful Insanity of Giles, Giles & Fripp - 02 - Newly-Weds.mp3 3.2M Giles, Giles & Fripp - The Cheerful Insanity of Giles, Giles & Fripp - 03 - One in a Million.mp3 3.4M Giles, Giles & Fripp - The Cheerful Insanity of Giles, Giles & Fripp - 04 - Call Tomorrow.mp3 2.5M Giles, Giles & Fripp - The Cheerful Insanity of Giles, Giles & Fripp - 05 - Digging My Lawn.mp3 3.3M Giles, Giles & Fripp - The Cheerful Insanity of Giles, Giles & Fripp - 06 - Little Children.mp3 1.9M Giles, Giles & Fripp - The Cheerful Insanity of Giles, Giles & Fripp - 07 - The Crukster.mp3 3.4M Giles, Giles & Fripp - The Cheerful Insanity of Giles, Giles & Fripp - 08 - Thursday Morning.mp3 2.9M Giles, Giles & Fripp - The Cheerful Insanity of Giles, Giles & Fripp - 09 - How Do They Know.mp3 4.0M Giles, Giles & Fripp - The Cheerful Insanity of Giles, Giles & Fripp - 10 - Elephant Song.mp3 3.9M Giles, Giles & Fripp - The Cheerful Insanity of Giles, Giles & Fripp - 11 - The Sun Is Shining.mp3 6.7M Giles, Giles & Fripp - The Cheerful Insanity of Giles, Giles & Fripp - 12 - Suite No. 1.mp3 6.0M Giles, Giles & Fripp - The Cheerful Insanity of Giles, Giles & Fripp - 13 - Erudite Eyes.mp3 3.8M Giles, Giles & Fripp - The Cheerful Insanity of Giles, Giles & Fripp - 14 - She Is Loaded.mp3 4.8M Giles, Giles & Fripp - The Cheerful Insanity of Giles, Giles & Fripp - 15 - Under the Sky.mp3 2.9M Giles, Giles & Fripp - The Cheerful Insanity of Giles, Giles & Fripp - 16 - One in a Million (Mono Single Version).mp3 3.3M Giles, Giles & Fripp - The Cheerful Insanity of Giles, Giles & Fripp - 17 - Newly-Weds (Mono Single Version).mp3 3.5M Giles, Giles & Fripp - The Cheerful Insanity of Giles, Giles & Fripp - 18 - Thursday Morning (Mono Single Version).mp3 3.4M Giles, Giles & Fripp - The Cheerful Insanity of Giles, Giles & Fripp - 19 - Thursday Morning (Stereo Single Version).mp3
"Rock & roll exploded in the '50s onto a cultural landscape that was so uptight and repressed as to be unrecognizable today, even to those who lived through it. Everything -- from the clothes young people wore to the music they listened to to the money they spent -- was a hard-fought statement, because no youth group before those '50s teenagers ever had that kind of freedom and did something with it. Pop music was bland, bland, bland (just like it is now) and the bigger and badder and bolder rock & roll became, the more of a threat it was to the status-quo squares who banned it every chance they got. You couldn't listen to it, you couldn't dance to it at your school, concerts in public places were banned, and artists were often jailed for performing it in public.Make no mistake about it, this music is full of abandon and release and joy. It is far more than just the roots of today's music; this is loud, nutzo, visceral, screaming-in-the-night music that is unfortunately being killed off in order to feel-good us into buying hamburgers and pantyhose.Enter Rhino Records. As America's #1 reissue label, Rhino will be the first to tell you that artists in its catalog -- like Jerry Lee Lewis, Hank Ballard, and Carl Perkins -- don't sell diddly-squat compared to the latest '60s day-glo reissue or disco box sets that regularly get all the critical kudos.To stem this tide and right this historical wrong (and no doubt shed a little light onto the darker regions of Rhino's catalog in the bargain; remember, there are still bean counters to answer to), comes this delightful four-disc collection of everything that's right about original rock and roll. There aren't any safe, cutesy Bobbies or Frankies aboard, no cloying novelties that barely passed for the real thing in the early days. What is included here is just the raw stuff that set jukeboxes and radio dials aflame, and spread the word that rock and roll was something new, fun, wicked, and dangerous.There are front-line hits from Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, and Gene Vincent, as well as sides from all of those who were influential beyond their lowly chart status (kudos to Rhino on this point alone). There are rockabilly classics galore from names both famous and super obscure (more points in their favor), R&B and jump from pioneers like Louis Prima, Wynonie Harris, Big Joe Turner, Amos Milburn, and LaVern Baker, and offbeat instrumentals, like "Woo-Hoo" by the Rock-A-Teens, that stand as testaments to rock and roll's do-it-yourself spirit.You could call this box the ultimate cruising set, except that you'll be driving 20 miles per hour faster than you were planning on once this baby starts blaring. The transfers are excellent and there are top-notch essays from Billy Vera, Michael Ventura, and producer Gary Stewart that put the music in perspective. Those searching for perfect prom night or wedding reception music are advised to look elsewhere; "At the Hop" this ain't." - Cub Koda
Disc 1 total 84M 3.2M 01. Louie, Louie - The Kingsmen.mp3 2.6M 02. Miserlou - Dick Dale and the Del-Tones.mp3 2.9M 03. The Loco-Motion - Little Eva.mp3 2.5M 04. One Fine Day - The Chiffons.mp3 3.0M 05. The Hucklebuck - Chubby Checker.mp3 2.9M 06. Muskrat Ramble - Freddy Cannon.mp3 2.9M 07. Rama Lama Ding Dong - The Edsels.mp3 2.1M 08. Ram-Bunk-Shush - The Ventures.mp3 3.2M 09. Road Runner - Bo Diddley.mp3 3.3M 10. Can I Get A Witness - Marvin Gaye.mp3 3.3M 11. New Orleans - Gary 'U.S.' Bonds.mp3 2.7M 12. Don't Hang Up - The Orlons.mp3 2.7M 13. Never Let You Go - The Five Discs.mp3 2.7M 14. You Can't Sit Down - The Dovells.mp3 3.1M 15. Wipe Out - The Surfaris.mp3 2.3M 16. From Me To You - Del Shannon.mp3 2.6M 17. Moon Dawg - The Gamblers.mp3 2.7M 18. Little Latin Lupe Lu - The Righteous Brothers.mp3 2.7M 19. Blue Moon - The Marcels.mp3 2.8M 20. He's Got The Power - The Exciters.mp3 3.3M 21. Unchain My Heart - Ray Charles.mp3 2.8M 22. Hot Potato - Dee Clark.mp3 3.1M 23. Hide Away - Freddy King.mp3 2.9M 24. He's A Rebel - The Crystals.mp3 2.5M 25. I'll Go Crazy - James Brown.mp3 2.6M 26. Let There Be Surf - The Majestics.mp3 3.1M 27. The Majestic - Dion.mp3 3.1M 28. A Mess of Blues - Elvis Presley.mp3 3.3M 29. A Fool In Love - Ike and Tina Turner.mp3 2.7M 30. Pipeline - The Chantays.mp3 Disc 2 total 87M 3.4M 01. Do You Love Me - The Contours.mp3 2.8M 02. If You Wanna Be Happy - Jimmy Soul.mp3 3.2M 03. I Wonder - The Ronettes.mp3 3.0M 04. Gypsy Woman - Rick Nelson.mp3 2.8M 05. Mean Woman Blues - Roy Orbison.mp3 2.8M 06. In The Mood - The Hawk (Jerry Lee Lewis).mp3 2.9M 07. Surfin' U.S.A. - The Beach Boys.mp3 2.1M 08. Let It Rock - Chuck Berry.mp3 2.9M 09. The Fly - Chubby Checker.mp3 2.6M 10. Beechwood 4-5789 - The Marvelettes.mp3 3.2M 11. Heat Wave - Martha and the Vandellas.mp3 3.6M 12. Let Me In - The Sensations.mp3 2.7M 13. Let The Four Winds Blow - Fats Domino.mp3 2.7M 14. Here I Am Broken-Hearted - The Four J's.mp3 2.6M 15. Barbara-Ann - The Regents.mp3 3.5M 16. Surf Beat - Dick Dale and the Del-Tones.mp3 2.7M 17. Drag City - Jan and Dean.mp3 2.8M 18. Surfin' Bird - The Trashmen.mp3 2.2M 19. Palisades Park - Freddy Cannon.mp3 2.4M 20. So Long, Baby - Del Shannon.mp3 3.4M 21. Saved - LaVern Baker.mp3 2.9M 22. Quarter To Three - Gary 'U.S.' Bonds.mp3 3.2M 23. Nothing But Good - Hank Ballard and the Midnighters.mp3 3.1M 24. Turn On Your Lovelight - Bobby 'Blue' Bland.mp3 3.3M 25. Baby, I Love You - The Ronettes.mp3 3.2M 26. Pretty Little Angel Eyes - Curtis Lee.mp3 2.6M 27. Fiberglass Jungle - The Crossfires.mp3 2.9M 28. Riot In Cell Block No. 9 - Wanda Jackson.mp3 3.0M 29. Little Sister - Elvis Presley.mp3 3.2M 30. Alley-Oop - The Hollywood Argyles.mp3 Disc 3 total 83M 2.9M 01. Working For The Man - Roy Orbison.mp3 2.9M 02. Surf City - Jan and Dean.mp3 2.5M 03. Cheater Stomp - The Fabulous Playboys.mp3 3.4M 04. Baby Workout - Jackie Wilson.mp3 2.9M 05. Not Me - The Orlons.mp3 2.6M 06. Do The Bird - Dee Dee Sharp.mp3 2.7M 07. Birdland - Chubby Checker.mp3 2.5M 08. Lonely Weekends - Charlie Rich.mp3 2.3M 09. Patty Baby - Freddy Cannon.mp3 3.7M 10. You Can't Judge A Book By Its Cover - Bo Diddley.mp3 3.2M 11. Think - James Brown.mp3 2.7M 12. Point Panic - The Surfaris.mp3 2.8M 13. School Is Out - Gary 'U.S.' Bonds.mp3 2.3M 14. Hit The Road, Jack - Ray Charles.mp3 3.0M 15. Walking The Dog - Rufus Thomas.mp3 3.4M 16. I Need Your Lovin' - Don Gardner and Dee Dee Ford.mp3 2.4M 17. Nut Rocker - B. Bumble and the Stingers.mp3 2.6M 18. Da Doo Ron Ron - The Crystals.mp3 2.8M 19. Let's Go, Let's Go, Let's Go - Hank Ballard and the Midnighters.mp3 2.4M 20. Unchained Melody - Vito and the Salutations.mp3 2.6M 21. Imagination - The Quotations.mp3 3.3M 22. Mickey's Monkey - The Miracles.mp3 3.0M 23. Tell Him - The Exciters.mp3 2.6M 24. A Little Bit of Soap - The Jarmels.mp3 2.3M 25. Crossfire Time - Dee Clark.mp3 2.8M 26. Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow - The Rivingtons.mp3 3.5M 27. Two Sides To Every Story - Etta James.mp3 2.7M 28. Chattanooga Shoeshine Boy - Freddy Cannon.mp3 3.2M 29. The Wanderer - Dion.mp3 2.5M 30. Out of Limits - The Marketts.mp3 Disc 4 total 86M 3.2M 01. A Fine, Fine Boy - Darlene Love.mp3 3.4M 02. Twistin' Matilda - Jimmy Soul.mp3 3.5M 03. Run, Red, Run - The Coasters.mp3 2.7M 04. Let's Go (Pony) - The Routers.mp3 2.7M 05. Viva Las Vegas - Elvis Presley.mp3 3.1M 06. Don't Set Me Free - Ray Charles.mp3 2.8M 07. Buzz Buzz A-Diddle-It - Freddy Cannon.mp3 2.7M 08. Let's Twist Again - Chubby Checker.mp3 2.9M 09. Dear Lady Twist - Gary 'U.S.' Bonds.mp3 2.9M 10. Twist and Shout - The Isley Brothers.mp3 2.5M 11. The Savage - The Ventures.mp3 3.5M 12. It's Gonna Work Out Fine - Ike and Tina Turner.mp3 3.1M 13. Last Night - The Mar-Keys.mp3 3.0M 14. Buttered Popcorn - The Supremes.mp3 3.0M 15. Money (That's What I Want) - Barrett Strong.mp3 2.2M 16. Keep On Dancing - The Avantis.mp3 2.6M 17. Wild Weekend - The Rockin' Rebels.mp3 2.6M 18. The Martian Hop - The Ran-Dells.mp3 3.0M 19. Heartaches - The Marcels.mp3 2.7M 20. This Old Heart - James Brown.mp3 3.3M 21. Something's Got A Hold On Me - Etta James.mp3 2.3M 22. Run, Chicken, Run - Link Wray.mp3 2.9M 23. Ride - Dee Dee Sharp.mp3 2.8M 24. Party Lights - Claudine Clark.mp3 2.9M 25. You Lost The Sweetest Boy - Mary Wells.mp3 3.2M 26. Workout, Stevie, Workout - Little Stevie Wonder.mp3 3.0M 27. Tossin' and Turnin' - Bobby Lewis.mp3 2.3M 28. Lullaby of the Leaves - The Ventures.mp3 3.4M 29. Fannie Mae - Buster Brown.mp3 3.0M 30. Shake Sherry - The Contours.mp3
"The '60s novelty act Mr. Gasser & the Weirdos was led by none other than cult artist Ed "Big Daddy" Roth, who is widely known around the world for his infamous "Rat Fink" character, who has graced numerous bits of merchandising over the years -- models, collecting cards, key chains, and t-shirts, among other items. Born on March 4, 1932, Roth developed a fascination at an early age with airplanes, fast cars, and scary monsters, which led to the youngster building things out of wood (his father was a cabinet maker who encouraged Roth to use his workshop). As a teenager, Roth's main interest became hot rods, as he majored in engineering in college and began working on cars. After a stint in the Air Force, Roth continued to rebuild cars, and supported himself by selling drawings and t-shirts of his original Rat Fink designs at races. By the early '60s, the Rat Fink phenomenon had spread to the mainstream, as mass produced model kits and shirts became all the rage with youngsters. It was around this time that Roth formed the band Mr. Gasser & the Weirdos, a whacky surf outfit that released a few recordings via Capitol Records -- 1963's Hot Rod Hootenanny, and a pair in 1964, Rods N' Ratfinks and Surfink!. In 1995, a 30-track career overview of Mr. Gasser & the Weirdos was issued, titled The Hot Rod Hootenanny: Rat Fink Collection." - Greg Prato
Disc 1 total 53M 3.6M 01 Hot Rod Hootenanny.mp3 2.7M 02 The Fastest Shift Alive.mp3 2.9M 03 You Ain't Nothing But A Honda.mp3 3.1M 04 Mr. Gasser.mp3 2.9M 05 Mad'vette.mp3 2.9M 06 Termites In My Woody.mp3 3.2M 07 Eeffen It Don't Go Chrome It.mp3 3.5M 08 1320.mp3 2.9M 09 Weirdo Wiggle.mp3 2.8M 10 Dragnuts.mp3 3.0M 11 Chopped Nash.mp3 2.6M 12 My Coupe Eefen Talks.mp3 3.0M 13 Three Kats In A Tub.mp3 2.6M 14 T.J.T.mp3 2.9M 15 Hey Rat Fink.mp3 2.9M 16 1947 Avanti.mp3 3.4M 17 Cherry Top Charlie.mp3 2.7M 18 Lonely Stocker.mp3 Disc 2 total 58M 3.7M 01 Ballad Of Eefin Fink.mp3 3.5M 02 Cool Cool Rod.mp3 3.5M 03 Hearse With A Curse.mp3 2.9M 04 Waltz Of the Rat Finks.mp3 3.3M 05 Fink Rod 409.mp3 2.9M 06 Surfink.mp3 3.4M 07 Well I'm Goin'.mp3 3.4M 08 Surfer Ghoul.mp3 3.5M 09 Doing The Surfink.mp3 2.6M 10 Little Fink Surfs Again.mp3 3.1M 11 Ratfink High.mp3 3.1M 12 Phantom Surfer.mp3 2.9M 13 Dog Gone Ding in My Ding Dong Board.mp3 3.9M 14 Big Bad Surfink.mp3 3.7M 15 Surfink Blues.mp3 3.5M 16 Finksville USA.mp3 2.7M 17 The Super Stocks - Santa Barbara.mp3 2.6M 18 The Super Stocks - Midnight Run.mp3
"Listening to I Stand Alone for the first time is a lot like first hearing the Sgt. Pepper album, except that this album challenges and rewards the listener in ways that the Beatles' psychedelic classic never tried to or could have. Al Kooper's first solo album is a dazzling, almost overpoweringly beautiful body of music, and nearly as sly at times in its humor as it is impressive in its musical sensibilities -- specifically, the overture serves its function, and also pokes knowing, savagely piercing fun at the then-current vogue for sound collage-type pieces (most especially the Beatles' "Revolution #9"). Those looking for a reference point can think of I Stand Alone as a very, very distant cousin to the second Blood, Sweat & Tears album, as well as a much closer relative to the original group's Child Is Father to the Man, drawing on a few remnants from the tail end of his tenure with the group and a bunch of new songs and compositions by others that Kooper wanted to record -- one beautiful element of his career, that helped distinguish him from a lot of other talented people of the period, is that unlike a lot of other musicians who were gifted songwriters Kooper never shied away from a good song written by someone else, especially if he could throw himself into it 100 percent or so; and he jumps in headfirst, as a stylist, singer, and musician, all over "I Stand Alone." Stylistically, it's a gloriously bold work, encompassing radiant soul, elements of jazz going back to the swing era, classical, pop, and even rockabilly -- and freely (and masterfully) mixing all of them -- into a phantasmagoric whole. The sources of inspiration (and, in some cases, songs) include Harry Nilsson ("One"), Bill Monroe (and who else, except maybe Elvis in a really inspired moment, was even thinking of covering "Blue Moon of Kentucky" in 1969?), Sam & Dave ("Toe Hold"), Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff ("Hey, Western Union Man"), the Beatles, as well as Kooper himself -- he delivers a lost classic in "Right Now for You" (which sounds like a really good lost cut from the Zombies' Odessey & Oracle album), and a hauntingly beautiful McCartney-esque nod to the Beatles in the "Eleanor Rigby"-like "Song and Dance for the Unborn Frightened Child." And, yet, for all of its diversity of sound and its free ranging repertory, and the unexpected edits and tempo changes, the album all holds together as a coherent body of work, a sort of more ambitious and personalized follow-up to Child Is Father to the Man that still leaves one kind of "whited out" (like the bleached irises of astronaut Dave Bowman's eyes at the end of his voyage through the stargate in 2001: A Space Odyssey) at the end -- not even Sgt. Pepper does that anymore. On the down side, the sound effects that Kooper dubbed in between (and sometimes during) the songs may seem strangely distracting today, but they were a product of their time -- this was the tail end of the psychedelic era, after all, and even Simon & Garfunkel had succumbed to the temptation the previous year, though it's hard to imagine too many people in the business keeping a straight face about such production techniques after hearing the fun this album has at their expense. I Stand Alone was a musical trip worth taking in 1969 -- thanks to a 2003 Japanese reissue (in 24-bit sound, with the original jacket recreated), the ticket is still there for the asking, and the value of the journey is undiminished decades later." - Bruce Eder
"One of the seminal live albums of the late '60s, Live Adventures of Al Kooper & Mike Bloomfield was a natural, organic offshoot of the hugely successful Super Session album from 1968, which contained performances by both of these groundbreaking musicians, as well as Stephen Stills. The idea of musical spontaneity both in live performance and in the recording studio had reached a certain apex in 1968, and spontaneous excursions by musicians such as Jimi Hendrix, Steve Winwood, and the Southern California musical covenant that eventually became Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, as well as a host of others, were indeed a sign of the times. But it was the union of Bloomfield and Kooper that can truly claim an origination of the phenomenon, and this album takes it to another level entirely.
Utilizing a fine and tight rhythm section of John Kahn and Skip Prokop, the two musicians duel and embrace each other on such cuts as the accurately named "Her Holy Modal Highness" and a great, revamped rock/soul re-working of Paul Simon's "Feelin' Groovy," which is buttressed by a guest studio vocal overdub by the author himself. The album's high point may be Bloomfield's rendering of Albert King's epic "Don't Throw Your Love on Me So Strong," which may indeed also be one of his finest career recordings. Like the Super Session album, history repeated itself, as Bloomfield's chronic insomnia caught up with him by the morning of the second night of the two-night gig, rendering him unavailable. Kooper enlisted the help of Steve Miller and a practically unknown Carlos Santana (himself a Bloomfield devotee) for several tracks, particularly a loose and free version of "Dear Mr. Fantasy," which sort of embodies the whole affair and era. Undoubtedly a necessity from the period, the record has been remastered for CD, and the results are truly glorious, and do this legendary album justice." - Matthew Greenwald
"At first glance, you might mistake this for unused material from the same late-1968 concerts that supplied the material for The Live Adventures of Mike Bloomfield and Al Kooper. But no, this was recorded about two and a half months later at a different venue, and with a different backup band (Paul Harris on piano, Jerry Jemmott on bass, and John Cresci on drums). There's still some similarity to the repertoire, though, and a good deal of similarity to the music, which is blues-rock with a late-'60s improvisational heaviness. And to be honest, it hasn't dated well, the undisputed instrumental talents of Bloomfield and Kooper notwithstanding. Why? Well, little original material was offered, the only song falling into that category being Bloomfield's "(Please) Tell Me Partner," a routine and (at ten minutes) overlong blues. The soul-pop cover "Together Till the End of Time" comes off the best, in part because of its relative (four-and-a-half-minute) economy, and the cover of Sonny Boy Williamson's "One Way Out" isn't bad. But the band isn't too tight (particularly the rhythm section), the lead vocals aren't strong, and the interpretations (including a nine-minute "Season of the Witch," which Kooper and Bloomfield had done on their popular Super Session album) are too long and not terribly imaginative. This disc does preserve a historic moment of sorts, when Bloomfield introduces then-unknown guest guitarist Johnny Winter, who takes some of the guitar duties on "It's My Own Fault." This was the appearance that, according to Kooper's liner notes, alerted Columbia to Winter, after which the label quickly offered him a contract." - Richie Unterberger
"A gift from heaven is the only adequate way of describing this superb double-CD set, which comes in a slip-case with a neat little booklet. It is the definitive Al Kooper solo project, and a career reconsideration and retrospective, but it's also damn close to definitive as a document of the Blues Project and the original Blood, Sweat & Tears as well. At three February 1994 gigs at New York's Bottom Line, Kooper got together the original members of both bands (with BS&T billed as "Child Is Father to the Man") and his own Rekooperators, including John Simon and Harvey Brooks, with John Sebastian sitting in on harmonica, to perform new versions of 33 years' worth of repertory. The eerie thing is that it sounds like Kooper didn't skip a beat between the last shows of any of those bands and these gigs -- his voice is better than ever, and the performance on "I Can't Quit Her" (a song he introduces by saying he hates playing it "except with these guys"--the original BS&T) and the rest of the '60s repertory has all of the energy one could wish for, and more precision than the group might have achieved in 1968 (and certainly better sound). There are some new arrangements on numbers like "My Days Are Numbered," which features a soaring trumpet duel between Randy Brecker and Lew Soloff, and some hot guitar by Jimmy Vivino -- all of which only adds to the original. And "I'll Love You More than You'll Ever Know" features such an intense performance by Kooper, that by itself it's worth the price of the double CD. The Blues Project pick up where they left off in 1967, doing hard, crunchy renditions of Muddy Waters songs ("Two Trains Runnin'") and classic originals, including a glorious nine-minute "Flute Thing." The Rekooperators, led by Mike Bloomfield-disciple Jimmy Vivino, do glowing performances of Bloomfield-Kooper repertory such as "Albert's Shuffle" and "Season of the Witch," and Kooper-related numbers like "You Can't Always Get What You Want" (part of a surging medley with "Season of the Witch"), and the Ronnie Van Zant number "Made in the Shade" (featuring Kooper on blues mandolin). The Uptown Horns and back-up soul singers Sheryl Marshall and Catherine Russell fill in the sound on various songs, on what must have been three extraordinary nights. For some reason, Steve Katz refused to allow his guitar to appear on the release, so his part has been wiped and replaced by Jimmy Vivino and other guest players on both the Blues Project and Child Is Father to the Man tracks, but that seems to be the only major sweetening done in the studio. The beautiful part of this set, beyond the superb performances and the excellent sound quality, is that the music has been treated with respect in the packaging -- the heavily annotated booklet even lists each soloist on every number, in the manner of proper jazz releases." - Bruce Eder
"As the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967) had done a year earlier, Super Session (1968) initially ushered in several new phases in rock & roll's concurrent transformation. In the space of mere months, the soundscape of rock shifted radically from two- and three-minute danceable pop songs to comparatively longer works with more attention to technical and musical subtleties. Enter the unlikely all-star triumvirate of Al Kooper (piano/organ/ondioline/vocals/guitars), Mike Bloomfield (guitar), and Stephen Stills (guitar) -- all of whom were concurrently "on hiatus" from their most recent engagements. Kooper had just split after masterminding the definitive and groundbreaking Child Is Father of the Man (1968) version of Blood, Sweat & Tears. Bloomfield was fresh from a brief stint with the likewise brass-driven Electric Flag, while Stills was late of Buffalo Springfield and still a few weeks away from a more or less full-time commitment to David Crosby and Graham Nash. Although the trio never actually performed together, the long-player was notable for idiosyncratically featuring one side led by the team of Kooper/Bloomfield and the other by Kooper/Stills. The band is ably fleshed out with the powerful rhythm section of Harvey Brooks (bass) and Eddie Hoh (drums) as well as Barry Goldberg (electric piano) on "Albert's Shuffle" and "Stop." The heavy Chicago blues contingency of Bloomfield, Brooks, and Goldberg provide a perfect outlet for the three Kooper/Bloomfield originals -- the first of which commences the project with the languid and groovy "Albert's Shuffle." The guitarist's thin tone cascades with empathetic fluidity over the propelling rhythms. Kooper's frisky organ solo alternately bops and scats along as he nudges the melody forward. The same can be said of the funky interpretation of "Stop," which had originally been a minor R&B hit for Howard Tate. Curtis Mayfield's "Man's Temptation" is given a brass-fuelled soulful reading that might have worked equally well as a Blood, Sweat & Tears cover. At over nine minutes in spin time, "His Holy Modal Majesty" is a fun trippy waltz and includes one of the most extended jams on the Kooper/Bloomfield side. The track also features the distinct hurdy-gurdy and Eastern-influenced sound of Kooper's small electric keyboard-manipulated ondioline, which has a slightly atonal and reedy timbre much like that of John Coltrane's tenor sax. Because of some physical health issues, Bloomfield was unable to complete the recording sessions and Kooper contacted Stills. Immediately his decidedly West Coast sound -- which alternated from a chiming Rickenbacker intonation to a faux pedal steel -- can be heard on the upbeat version of Bob Dylan's "It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry." One of the album's highlights is the churning and scintillating cover of "Season of the Witch." There is an undeniable synergy between Kooper and Stills, whose energies seems to aurally drive the other into providing some inspired interaction. Updating the blues standard "You Don't Love Me" allows Stills to sport some heavily amplified and distorted licks, which come off sounding like Jimi Hendrix. This is one of those albums that seems to get better with age and that gets the full reissue treatment every time a new audio format comes out. This is a super session indeed. [As a bonus, the gold disc contains an undubbed early run-through of "Albert's Shuffle" by Mike Bloomfield and Al Kooper, under the title "Blues for Nothing."]" - Lindsay Planer
"If you're not a soundtrack aficionado, you may not know who Vic Mizzy is, but you almost certainly know his two most-famous compositions: the theme songs to the TV sitcoms The Addams Family and Green Acres. While none of Mizzy's other work ever achieved quite the same notoriety, his melodic sensibility and good-humored playfulness earned him steady work in the TV and film world during the '60s, most notably scoring a raft of film comedies starring Don Knotts. Victor Mizzy was born January 9, 1922, in Brooklyn, NY, where he grew up. Mizzy began his musical education early on, starting piano lessons at age four; despite his exclusively classical training, Mizzy was more attracted to popular songs, and tried his hand at composing them as a teenager. Eventually, Mizzy met lyricist (and future comedy writer) Irving Taylor, and the pair began collaborating on songs. Their big break came with a successful audition for the radio contest show Major Bowes' Amateur Hour, and their victory on the program led to a week-long engagement at the Roxy Theater, plus a bevy of interest in their compositions. The duo landed a major number one hit with "My Dreams Are Getting Better All the Time," but their promising career was interrupted by World War II. Fortunately for Mizzy, he ended up with an assignment as an organist at a training center for Navy chaplains, which allowed him to continue to writing songs. After the war, Mizzy married singer Mary Small and returned to the New York songwriting market, but it proved to be far less lucrative than before the war. However, through a stroke of good fortune, Mizzy landed a gig working on the Hollywood musical Easy to Love with Johnny Green. That project led to several other Hollywood assignments, but for the time being, Mizzy found the majority of his work in New York radio and television. He and Small divorced after a downturn in her career, and since Mizzy's own career was on thin ice, he eventually moved to Los Angeles to pursue more television work. Mizzy's studio contacts finally paid off when NBC executive David Levy tapped him to place stock music in the pilot of what became The Addams Family. Instead, Mizzy wrote a complete original score for the series, and told Levy he'd do so free of charge, as long as he kept the publishing rights to his music -- which turned into a major financial windfall for Mizzy, as his opening title theme became one of the most popular in television history. The Addams Family led to further work for NBC on several other series, including Mizzy's second signature theme song, that of Green Acres; additionally, Mizzy's use of a theremin on his theme for The 13th Gate led Gene Roddenberry to approach him about scoring a new science fiction series called Star Trek -- an assignment Mizzy turned down because he was too busy. In addition to his TV work, Mizzy also scored a number of wacky Hollywood comedies, including vehicles for Phyllis Diller (Did You Hear the One About the Traveling Saleslady?) and Jerry Lewis (The Busybody); however, his primary association was with Don Knotts, most prominently on The Ghost and Mr. Chicken, but also on films like The Reluctant Astronaut, The Shakiest Gun in the West, The Love God?, and How to Frame a Figg. Mizzy scored several TV movies over the course of the '70s, and in a bit of irony was chosen to score the 1981 TV movie reunion of the Munsters (The Munsters' Revenge). He retired to Bel Air shortly thereafter, financially secure thanks to his Addams Family deal. Thus far, Mizzy's work is only sporadically available on CD, due in large part to the light-hearted disposability of many of the comedies he was involved in. RCA released a compilation of Mizzy's music for The Addams Family in 1991; additionally, Mizzy's 1967 score for the beach flick Don't Make Waves appeared on a 2000 two-fer (along with John Williams' -- yes, that John Williams) -- score for Penelope. In November 2000, the Percepto label released an excellent two-disc compilation of Mizzy's most memorable film and TV music, including nearly all of his main-title themes, plus extensive liner notes; titled Suites and Themes, its release was unfortunately limited to just 1,000 copies." - Steve Huey
"The Byrds' Sweetheart of the Rodeo was not the first important country-rock album (Gram Parsons managed that feat with The International Submarine Band's debut Safe at Home), and The Byrds were hardly strangers to country music, dipping their toes in the twangy stuff as early as their second album. But no major band had gone so deep into the sound and feeling of classic country (without parody or condescension) as the Byrds did on Sweetheart; at a time when most rock fans viewed country as a musical "L'il Abner" routine, the Byrds dared to declare that C&W could be hip, cool, and heartfelt. Though Gram Parsons had joined the band as a pianist and lead guitarist, his deep love of C&W soon took hold, and Roger McGuinn and Chris Hillman followed his lead; significantly, the only two original songs on the album were both written by Parsons (the achingly beautiful "Hickory Wind" and "One Hundred Years from Now"), while on the rest of the set classic tunes by Merle Haggard, the Louvin Brothers, and Woody Guthrie were sandwiched between a pair of twanged-up Bob Dylan compositions. While many cite this as more of a Gram Parsons album than a Byrds set, given the strong country influence of McGuinn and Hillman's later work, it's obvious Parsons didn't impose a style upon this band so much as he tapped into a sound that was already there, waiting to be released. If the Byrds didn't do country-rock first, they did it brilliantly, and few albums in the style are as beautiful and emotionally affecting as this. [Columbia's 1997 CD reissue of the album improves on the masterpiece by adding eight strong bonus tracks, including four cuts with Gram Parsons singing lead trimmed from the original release for legal reasons.]" - Mark Deming
"A lot of extras from the sessions for Sweetheart of the Rodeo surfaced before the 2003 release of this two-CD set, on both the 1990 Byrds box set and the 1997 single-CD expanded edition of the album. This deluxe edition, however, stretches out the body of material yet further, including everything from the official LP itself, the six outtakes and alternates from the box set, the instrumental outtake "All I Have Is Memories" (which first appeared on the 1997 expanded edition), and even a 1968 radio commercial for the album. And that's just disc one. For fans and collectors, the real bonuses are on disc two, which has no less than 14 previously unissued tracks, including alternates of "Lazy Days," "Pretty Polly," and "Hickory Wind"; two rehearsal versions apiece of "The Christian Life," "Life in Prison," "One Hundred Years from Now," and "You're Still on My Mind"; two alternate takes of "All I Have Is Memories"; and a rehearsal version of "Blue Canadian Rockies." That's not all, either, as disc two leads off with three of the four songs from the 1966 non-LP singles by Gram Parsons' pre-Byrds group, the International Submarine Band, along with three songs from the International Submarine Band's sole album, Safe at Home. For all that, a couple alternate versions that were on the 1997 expanded edition don't seem to have made it onto the deluxe edition, though you need a scorecard to figure that out with all the juggling that's gone on for the record's various configurations. So how is that added material, particularly the previously unreleased tracks on disc two? It's OK, and historically interesting in that several of the previously unreleased versions have Gram Parsons on vocals. Really, however, these songs don't differ all that much from the takes that made the final cut, and the variations are more valuable for the analysis of Byrdsmaniacs than they are for revealing different angles on the songs that were discarded. One gets the feeling that the material was picked very much with an eye toward Parsons cultists, particularly given the preponderance of Parsons-dominated selections on disc two, half a dozen of which (the International Submarine Band numbers) have no Byrds on board except Gram. Still, those three International Submarine Band non-LP cuts make a welcome appearance as they've been rare for decades, with that group's "Truck Drivin' Man" a clear indication of Parsons' country-rock direction, even if another of the non-LP single tracks, "One Day Week," sounds rather like the Dave Clark Five. Overall, this is a worthwhile and thorough excavation of the sessions that led to this early country-rock benchmark, though there's too much repetition in the form of the alternate versions to make this a great listen for the more general fan." - Richie Unterberger
CD-1 total 82M 4.3M 1-01 You Ain`t Going Nowhere.mp3 5.7M 1-02 I Am A Pilgrim.mp3 3.8M 1-03 The Christian Life.mp3 6.0M 1-04 You Don`t Miss Your Water.mp3 3.5M 1-05 You`re Still On My Mind.mp3 3.8M 1-06 Pretty Boy Floyd.mp3 5.5M 1-07 Hickory Wind.mp3 4.2M 1-08 One Hundred Years From Now.mp3 3.0M 1-09 Blue Canadian Rockies.mp3 4.6M 1-10 Life In Prison.mp3 5.0M 1-11 Nothing Was Delivered.mp3 3.6M 1-12 All Have Are Memories.mp3 4.8M 1-13 Reputation.mp3 4.3M 1-14 Pretty Polly.mp3 5.1M 1-15 Lazy Days.mp3 4.0M 1-16 The Christian Life.mp3 5.8M 1-17 You Don`t Miss Your Water.mp3 4.5M 1-18 One Hundred Years From Now.mp3 1.1M 1-19 Radio Spot; Sweetheart Of The Rodeo Album.mp3 4.0K The_Byrds_Sweetheart_of_the_Rodeo-Legacy_Edition.nfo CD-2 total 86M 2.2M 2-01 Sum Up Broke.mp3 2.1M 2-02 One Day Week.mp3 2.5M 2-03 Truck Drivin' Man.mp3 5.0M 2-04 Blue Eyes.mp3 4.9M 2-05 Luxury Liner.mp3 3.4M 2-06 Strong Boy.mp3 4.4M 2-07 Lazy Days.mp3 5.6M 2-08 Pretty Polly.mp3 5.0M 2-09 Hickory Wind.mp3 5.1M 2-10 The Christian Life (Gram Parsons Vocal).mp3 4.4M 2-11 The Christian Life (Gram Parsons Vocal).mp3 4.6M 2-12 Life In Prison (Gram Parsons Vocal).mp3 4.8M 2-13 Life In Prison (Gram Parsons Vocal).mp3 5.7M 2-14 One Hundred Years From Now (Gram Parsons Vocal).mp3 5.6M 2-15 One Hundred Years From Now (Gram Parsons Vocal).mp3 4.0M 2-16 You're Still On My Mind (Gram Parsons Vocal).mp3 3.7M 2-17 You're Still On My Mind (Gram Parsons Vocal).mp3 4.9M 2-18 All I Have Are Memories (Instrumental).mp3 4.7M 2-19 All I Have Are Memories (Instrumental).mp3 4.2M 2-20 Blue Canadian Rockies.mp3
"A sprawling masterpiece, akin to the Beatles' White Album, the Stones' Exile on Main Street or Wilco's Being There in its makeup, if not its sound. Rock, folk, blues, country, Latin, and bluegrass have all been styles touched on in Stephen Stills' career, and the skilled, energetic musicians he had gathered in Manassas played them all on this album. What could have been a disorganized mess in other hands, though, here all gelled together and formed a cohesive musical statement.
The songs are thematically grouped: Part One (Side One on the original vinyl release), is titled "The Raven," and is a composite of rock and Latin sounds that the group would often perform in full live. "The Wilderness" mainly centers on country and bluegrass (Hillman's and Perkins' talents coming to the forefront), with the track "So Begins the Task" later covered by Stills' old flame Judy Collins. Part Three, "Consider" is largely folk and folk-rock. "Johnny's Garden," reportedly for the caretaker at Stills' English manor house and not for John Lennon as is often thought, is a particular highlight. Two other notables from the "Consider" section are "It Doesn't Matter" (later redone with different lyrics by the song's uncredited co-writer Rick Roberts on the first Firefall album) and "Move Around," which features some of the first synthesizer used in a rock context. The closing section, titled "Rock & Roll Is Here to Stay," is a rock and blues set with one of the landmarks of Manassas' short life, the epic "The Treasure." A sort of zen-like meditation on love and "oneness," enlivened by the band's most inspired recorded playing it evolves into a bluesy groove washed in Stills' fierce electric slide playing. The delineation lines of the four themed song groupings aren't cut in stone, though, and one of the strengths of the album is that there is a lot of overlap in styles throughout.
The CD reissue's remastered sound is excellent, though missed is the fold out poster and handwritten lyrics from the original vinyl release. Unfortunately, the album has been somewhat overlooked over the years, even though Stills considers it some of the best work he has done. Bill Wyman (who guested on "The Love Gangster") has said he would have quit the Rolling Stones to join Manassas." - Rob Caldwell
total 100M 4.8M 01 Song Of Love.mp3 4.9M 02 Rock And Roll Crazies_Cuban Bluegrass.mp3 6.1M 03 Jet Set (Sigh).mp3 4.6M 04 Anyway.mp3 4.2M 05 Both Of Us (Bound To Lose).mp3 2.9M 06 Fallen Eagle.mp3 4.2M 07 Jesus Gave Love Away For Free.mp3 4.0M 08 Colorado.mp3 5.5M 09 So Begins The Task.mp3 3.9M 10 Hide It So Deep.mp3 3.4M 11 Don't Look At My Shadow.mp3 3.5M 12 It Doesn't Matter.mp3 3.8M 13 Johnny's Garden.mp3 2.7M 14 Bound To Fall.mp3 4.0M 15 How Far.mp3 5.9M 16 Move Around.mp3 4.0M 17 The Love Gangster.mp3 6.6M 18 What To Do.mp3 4.2M 19 Right Now.mp3 12M 20 The Treasure (Take One).mp3 5.7M 21 Blues Man.mp3
total 91M 4.0K 00-Big Pink README.nfo 6.3M 01-Tears Of Rage.mp3 4.5M 02-To Kingdom Come.mp3 4.1M 03-In A Station.mp3 3.6M 04-Caledonia Mission.mp3 6.2M 05-The Weight.mp3 4.2M 06-We Can Talk.mp3 4.0M 07-Long Black Veil.mp3 6.8M 08-Chest Fever.mp3 5.1M 09-Lonesome Suzie.mp3 4.1M 10-This Wheel's On Fire.mp3 4.1M 11-I Shall Be Released.mp3 5.0M 12-Yazoo Street Scandal (Outtake).mp3 6.4M 13-Tears Of Rage (Alternate Take).mp3 3.2M 14-Katie's Been Gone (Outtake).mp3 3.3M 15-If I Lose (outtake).mp3 5.1M 16-Long Distance Operator (Outtake).mp3 3.4M 17-Lonesome Suzie (Alternate Take).mp3.mp3 4.6M 18-Orange Juice Blues (Blues For Breakfast).mp3.mp3 2.9M 19-Key To The Highway (Outtake).mp3 4.5M 20-Ferdinand The Imposter (outtake demo).mp3 64K The_Band-Music_From_The_Big_Pink-Back.jpg 96K The_Band-Music_From_The_Big_Pink-Front.jpg
"One of the first album-oriented, "underground" groups in the United States, the Blues Project offered an electric brew of rock, blues, folk, pop, and even some jazz, classical, and psychedelia during their brief heyday in the mid-'60s. It's not quite accurate to categorize them as a blues-rock group, although they did plenty of that kind of material; they were more like a Jewish-American equivalent to British bands like the Yardbirds, who used a blues and R&B base to explore any music that interested them. Erratic songwriting talent and a lack of a truly outstanding vocalist prevented them from rising to the front line of '60s bands, but they recorded plenty of interesting material over the course of their first three albums, before the departure of their most creative members took its toll.
The Blues Project was formed in Greenwich Village in the mid-'60s by guitarist Danny Kalb (who had played sessions for various Elektra folk and folk-rock albums), Steve Katz (a guitarist with Elektra's Even Dozen Jug Band), flutist/bassist Andy Kulberg, drummer Roy Blumenfeld, and singer Tommy Flanders. Al Kooper, in his early twenties a seasoned vet of rock sessions, joined after sitting in on the band's Columbia Records audition, although they ended up signing to Verve, an MGM subsidiary. Early member Artie Traum (guitar) dropped out during early rehearsals; Flanders would leave after their first LP, Live at the Cafe Au-Go-Go (1966).
The eclectic resumes of the musicians, who came from folk, jazz, blues, and rock backgrounds, was reflected in their choice of material. Blues by Muddy Waters and Chuck Berry tunes ran alongside covers of contemporary folk-rock songs by Eric Anderson and Patrick Sky, as well as the group's own originals. These were usually penned by Kooper, who had already built songwriting credentials as the co-writer of Gary Lewis' huge smash "This Diamond Ring," and established a reputation as a major folk-rock shaker with his contributions to Dylan's mid-'60s records. Kooper also provided the band's instrumental highlights with his glowing organ riffs.
The live debut sounds rather tame and derivative; the group truly hit their stride on Projections (late 1966), which was, disappointingly, their only full-length studio recording. While they went through straight blues numbers with respectable energy, they really shone best on the folk and jazz-influenced tracks, like "Fly Away," Katz's lilting "Steve's Song," Kooper's jazz instrumental "Flute Thing" (an underground radio standard that's probably their most famous track), and Kooper's fierce adaptation of an old Blind Willie Johnson number, "I Can't Keep from Crying." A non-LP single from this era, the pop-psychedelic "No Time Like the Right Time," was their greatest achievement and one of the best "great hit singles that never were" of the decade.
The band's very eclecticism didn't augur well for their long-term stability, and in 1967 Kooper left in a dispute over musical direction (he has recalled that Kalb opposed his wishes to add a horn section). Then Kalb myseriously disappeared for months after a bad acid trip, which effectively finished the original incarnation of the band. A third album, Live at Town Hall, was a particularly half-assed project given the band's stature, pasted together from live tapes and studio outtakes, some of which were overdubbed with applause to give the impression that they had been recorded in concert.
Kooper got to fulfill his ambitions for soulful horn rock as the leader of the original Blood, Sweat & Tears, although he left that band after their first album; BS&T also included Katz (who stayed onboard for a long time). Blumenfeld and Kulberg kept the Blues Project going for a fourth album before forming Seatrain, and the group re-formed in the early '70s with various lineups, Kooper rejoining for a live 1973 album, Reunion in Central Park. The first three albums from the Kooper days are the only ones that count, though; the best material from these is on Rhino's best-of compilation." - Richie Unterberger
"The most complete Blues Project collection ever assembled, the two-disc Anthology compiles 36 tracks taken from their three albums on Verve and their two records on Capitol as well as rare singles, previously unreleased songs and alternate versions, and material from solo projects." - Jason Ankeny
CD-1 total 183M 5.9M 01 - I'm Troubled.mp3 7.7M 02 - Back Door Man.mp3 6.9M 03 - Violets Of Dawn.mp3 9.4M 04 - Goin' Down Louisiana.mp3 5.9M 05 - Hoochie Coochie Man.mp3 8.2M 06 - Parchman Farm.mp3 8.8M 07 - You Go And I'll Go With You.mp3 7.2M 08 - Catch The Wind.mp3 5.7M 09 - I Want To Be Your Driver.mp3 12M 10 - Alberta.mp3 6.4M 11 - Have You Ever Had The Blues_.mp3 7.4M 12 - The Way My Baby Walks.mp3 12M 13 - Bright Lights, Big City.mp3 11M 14 - Jelly, Jelly Blues.mp3 12M 15 - Spoonful.mp3 14M 16 - Who Do You Love_.mp3 5.5M 17 - Love Will Endure.mp3 11M 18 - I Can't Keep From Cryin' Sometimes.mp3 5.7M 19 - Friday Night City.mp3 6.0M 20 - Where There's Smoke There's Fire.mp3 CD-2 total 191M 11M 01 - I Can't Keep From Cryin' Sometimes.mp3 12M 02 - Steve's Song.mp3 9.9M 03 - You Can't Catch Me.mp3 27M 04 - Two Trains Running.mp3 13M 05 - Wake Me, Shake Me.mp3 6.2M 06 - Cheryl's Goin' Home.mp3 14M 07 - Flute Thing.mp3 17M 08 - Carress Me Baby.mp3 8.3M 09 - Fly Away.mp3 6.4M 10 - No Time Like The Right Time.mp3 5.9M 11 - Mean Old Southern.mp3 6.2M 12 - Gentle Dreams.mp3 6.9M 13 - Lost In The Shuffle.mp3 13M 14 - Black Night.mp3 7.5M 15 - Visions Of Flowers.mp3 12M 16 - Little Rain.mp3
"Fruit Tree is a four-disc box set featuring all three of Nick Drake's studio albums (Five Leaves Left, Bryter Layter, Pink Moon) and the rarities collection Time of No Reply. In other words, it contains every known recording Drake made during his brief lifetime, and listening to the set, the depth of his talent becomes abundantly clear. And the four discs are not overkill. The quality of Drake's songs was startlingly high, and anyone who purchases one disc will eventually need the other three albums, making Fruit Tree a logical way to acquire all of the records at once." - Stephen Thomas Erlewine
total 181M 6.7M At The Chime Of A City Clock.mp3 3.2M Been Smoking Too Long.mp3 4.8M Black Eyed Dog.mp3 4.8M Bryter Layter.mp3 4.5M Cello Song.mp3 3.6M Clothes Of Sand.mp3 2.3M Day Is Done.mp3 5.0M Fly_copy_2.mp3 4.2M Fly.mp3 2.9M Free Ride.mp3 2.4M From The Morning.mp3 4.5M Fruit Tree.mp3 3.9M Hanging On A Star.mp3 1.6M Harvest Breed.mp3 6.3M Hazey Jane I.mp3 5.3M Hazy Jane II.mp3 1.3M Horn.mp3 2.2M Introduction [1].mp3 1.4M Introduction.mp3 4.8M I Was Made To Love Magic.mp3 4.3M Joey.mp3 2.3M Know.mp3 4.3M Man In A Shed_copy_2.mp3 3.7M Man In A Shed.mp3 3.6M Mayfair.mp3 5.3M Northern Sky.mp3 6.8M One Of These Things First.mp3 3.4M Parasite.mp3 2.0M Pink Moon.mp3 2.6M Place To Be.mp3 8.5M Poor Boy.mp3 3.6M Rider On The Wheel.mp3 4.0M River Man.mp3 1.9M Road.mp3 3.8M Saturday Sun.mp3 5.1M Strange Meeting II.mp3 5.1M Sunday.mp3 3.1M The Thoughts Of Mary Jane_copy_2.mp3 5.3M The Thoughts Of Mary Jane.mp3 3.7M Things Behind The Sun.mp3 5.8M Three Hours.mp3 4.1M Time Has Told Me.mp3 3.9M Time Of No Reply.mp3 5.2M Voice From The Mountain.mp3 3.0M Way To Blue.mp3 2.8M Which Will.mp3
"Major label rivalry makes it unlikely that Burning Spear will ever receive a proper career retrospective set. Burning Spear signed to Island Records in 1976, debuting with the legendary Marcus Garvey album, accompanied by its dub companion Garvey's Ghost. Four new albums followed before Spear departing Island for the U.K. EMI label in 1980. A decade later, Burning Spear returned to Island for two new albums before their relationship again soured. (The situation is even more complex in the U.S., where Spear releases have been split among the Island, Heartbeat, and Slash labels.) The result of all these label relocations makes for a rather odd anthology indeed, which inevitably omits Spears' entire 1980s output, five albums in all, including the Grammy-nominated trio of Resistance, People of the World, and Mistress Music. Obviously, post-1992 material is also missing, including anything from the Grammy-winning Calling Rastafari. That's what you don't get. What you do get is a double album of some of Spear's most seminal work. The five albums released between 1975 and 1980 are all considered masterpieces, comprising a roots series that remains unparalleled. Of course, the fifth, Hail H.I.M., was not an Island release, but you do get selections from the other four. Of Babylon's 35 tracks, 20 are culled from Marcus Garvey, Man in the Hills, Dry & Heavy, and Social Living, the first four albums in this seminal set. Others also date from this period: a track from Garvey's Ghost; "Man in the Hill"'s B-side, "Cultivation"; "Jah No Dead," Spear's contribution to the Rockers soundtrack; "The Lion," taken from 1977's Live album; a previously unreleased "Jordan River," recorded live around the same time; and a non-album track culled from 1979's Harder Than the Rest compilation. The remainder are pulled from Spear's early-'90s albums, the Grammy-nominated Mek We Dweet and Jah Kingdom. The latter album included Spear's contribution to the Grateful Dead tribute album, Dedicated, a simmering "Estimated Prophet," which also appears here. Only the most persnickety fan could complain about Babylon's selections, which boast all of these albums' strongest songs. However, the musical leap between tracks five and six on disc two, which chronologically jumps a decade, remains disconcerting, but there's no avoiding it, bar squeezing the early material onto disc one. So, while not a definitive career compilation, this anthology is probably the best fans can hope for." - Jo-Ann Greene
"The momentum Burning Spear had built up with their American releases on the Island Records' subsidiary Mango in the mid-'70s, particularly 1975's Marcus Garvey, dissipated later in the decade and in the early '80s when the band left Island and recorded on their own or for British EMI, with the albums Social Living (aka Marcus' Children) and Hail H.I.M. not earning stateside release. But in 1982, the year after Bob Marley's death, Heartbeat Records leased Burning Spear's next album, Farover, giving Winston Rodney and company their first American issue since 1978's Live!. If Heartbeat was hoping Burning Spear would be able to take up the cause of reggae internationally in Marley's place, they were bound to be disappointed. Rodney shared Marley's concerns, particularly the pan-Africanism he expressed in the first three tracks -- "Farover," "Greetings," and the paean to Garvey, "Image" -- as well as the commitment to Rastafarianism evident in the last three, "The Message," "Oh Jah," and "Jah Is My Driver." And he could also take time out to consider the joys of dancing ("Rock") and the challenges of romance ("She's Mine"), even if he was doing so by remaking old songs from his days at Studio One. But Rodney's increasingly smooth vocal style and the laid-back musical tracks (played by Wailers' alumnus Aston "Family Man" Barrett, among others), while emotive, lacked Marley's fervor and didn't even stand up to his own Mango recordings. He was still good enough to address reggae's existing audience, but not to expand that audience in the way that Marley had sought to." - William Ruhlmann
"Across five seminal albums, Burning Spear would do more than just define roots; he would leave a fiery legacy that no other artist has equalled. Kicking off with the stunning Marcus Garvey in 1975 and encompassing the equally exceptional string of Man in the Hills, Dry & Heavy, Social Living, and Hail H.I.M., the final album in this series of masterpieces, Spear had undergone a continuous evolution. Over this five year period, Spear had truncated from a trio to Winston Rodney alone, grown to include the accompanying Black Disciples aggregate of elite sessionmen, then pared down to a smaller grouping, and had seen Rodney move into self-production. Along the way, Spear had developed a denser sound and mixed a variety of other genres into the deep roots atmosphere. By 1980, when work began on Hail H.I.M., Rodney had severed his ties to Island Records and most of the Black Disciples as well. However, Aston Barrett remained by his side as co-producer, bassist, and percussionist. So did saxophonists Bobby Ellis and Herman Marquis, now joined by Egbert Evans and keyboardist Earl Lindo, with fellow pianoman Tyrone Downie now also coming on board. There was a switch in sound as well; Social Living had been an almost anthemic album, while Hail H.I.M., in contrast, was transcendental. Much of the record has an almost proggy feel, as guitarist Junior Marvin jams across the heavy rhythms, the brass slices in jazzy passages, and lurking underneath, the tribal-flavored percussion and Rodney's congas. Yet there are still hints of the past found within, the breezier air of "African Teacher," and the '60s flavorings of "Columbus." "Road Foggy," which began life in those climes as the Studio One cut "Foggy Road," now re-emerges as a groove-heavy monster, with only the brass an echo of its previous incarnation. But the greatest change is found within the lyrics. Many of the songs are stripped down to minimalistic core themes, and in the case of "Follow Marcus Garvey" are little more than the reiterated command of the title itself. But these repeated refrains pack their own potent power via the concepts themselves and Rodney's phenomenal delivery, which imbues the words with such emphasis, they transform into mantras, embedded with a myriad of deeper meanings. When Rodney does expound at somewhat greater length -- as on "Road Foggy," "African Postman," and "Columbus" -- the impact is thus all the greater. The album is loaded with resonant themes: "African Postman"'s telegram calling for repatriation, the militant unity of "Cry Blood Africans," the vengeance of "Jah a Guh Raid," the deep devotion of the title track and "Jah See and Know," the desire to educate and learn found in "Columbus" and "African Teacher," respectively, and of course, an expostulation on the great Marcus Garvey. It's a stellar record, less a culmination of all that came before then a conclusion to a journey that had begun years before." - Jo-Ann Greene
"Winston Rodney embraces the pastoral much the same way he renounces slavery and oppression. Too bad this album still falls short of the remarkable Marcus Garvey. Producer Jack Ruby can't be blamed; the musical backing provided by the Black Disciples will thrill fans of the roots reggae sound. And the man in question's hypnotic chants are no less hypnotic or inspired. But idyllic recollections of anybody's upbringing are destined to lack a certain prophetic weight. Radicalism and protest are what many listeners have come to expect from Burning Spear. And it's only these selfish expectations that miss the mark." - Brian Beatty
"Marcus Garvey hit Jamaica like a force ten gale, its legacy so great that in later years many fans mistakenly came to believe it was Burning Spear's debut album (it wasn't, two earlier records were released by Studio One). It made an instant hero of Winston Rodney, and the album remains a cornerstone of the entire roots movement. Spear was accompanied by the Black Disciples, a baker's dozen of the island's best musicians, including bassists Robbie Shakespeare and Aston Barrett, guitarists Earl "Chinna" Smith and Tony Chin, and drummer Leroy Wallace. The Disciples helped the vocal trio bring their vast potential and musical vision to vinyl, one they'd threatened with previous releases, but never quite attained. Producer Jack Ruby's was equally important to the album's sound, gracing it with a deep roots mix that accentuated the haunting atmospheres of the music. Unfortunately, the listener experiences only wisps of that here. The Island subsidiary Mango believed the production too threatening, or at least too commercially inviable, for white audiences, and thus remixed it into what they considered a more palatable form. However, Marcus Garvey is so powerful a record that, even in this diluted state, it remains a masterpiece. If the music itself defined and glorified the roots sound, it was Winston Rodney which gave the movement's philosophy voice. Rodney's vocal talent is actually fairly minimal, his delivery more a chant than actual singing, but his intense passion overcame any deficiencies, with Rupert Willington and Delroy Hinds dulcet backing vocals counterpointing Rodney's rougher tones. A fervid rastafarian, Rodney used Marcus Garvey as a shining torch to light the way to political and religious consciousness. The album's twinned themes of cultural concerns and religious devotion combined to create a powerfully intertwined message of faith and political radicalism. "No-one remember old Marcus Garvey, Spear sing at the beginning of "Old Marcus Garvey"; by the time the song's over, it's unlikely anyone will forget again. These musical mnemonics of Jamaica's past heroes and history, which include the hit title track, of course, "Slavery Days," another Jamaican hit, and "The Invasion" are amongst the album's strongest tracks, with the three devotional numbers equally inspiring. Oppression may be the fate of many Jamaicans, both past and present, but by giving voice to those trampled by poverty, slavery, or politics, Spear's underlying message remains one of hope." - Jo-Ann Greene
"Even though The World Should Know was released on CD, Burning Spear was still thinking in vinyl terms, and thus this album is very much a record of two distinct halves. The first five tracks are pure culture, although the music is anything but pure roots. In fact, the entire album is underpinned by dance beats, either by the programmed drums favored by the discos or the big, booming beats so popular in Jamaican dancehalls. Winston Rodney worked hard to make World sound global, determined that it would go down just as well at home as in foreign climes. A few songs are geared more to island styling, others more to the northern market, but most are a sparkling blend of both, an excellent use of beats, brass, and synths to encompass differing genres within individual songs. Rodney had learned much during his return trip to Island Records, and now put it to use back at his former label, Heartbeat. The five cultural numbers together create a mini-concept album, which moves from the global to the personal. The title track envelops economics, unity, and consciousness, while "In a Time Like Now" specifically addresses the withering effects of the free-market policies that are impoverishing Jamaica and so many other developing countries. "I Stand Strong" and "Identity" discuss Rodney's own personal philosophy, and "It's Not a Crime" covers one of his favorite topics, the importance of loving and educating youth. That latter song resurrects the old kiddie song "I'm a Little Teapot," which the singer had utilized to such devastating effect years ago on "Fire Down Below." The rest of the record is more varied, from a pair of love songs for the ladies to the bouncy celebration of music in "Mi Gi Dem (I Give Them)" and the more ambiguous "On the Inside," which can be read both as a personal relationship number and a broader cultural song, while "Peace" combines a unity theme with a devotional message. World was an exciting change of pace after the more hypnotic Jah Kingdom; bright and bubbly, lush and dance-friendly, the album was proof positive that one could bring culture to the world's dancefloors. Deservedly, it was nominated for a Grammy." - Jo-Ann Greene
"The Sly & Robbie installment in Mango's Reggae Greats series is a skimpy and not terribly exciting collection of dub versions culled from their work with various reggae singers. The raw material is beyond reproach -- "Destination Unknown," for example, is a remix of Black Uhuru's "Chill Out," "Assault on Station 5" is based on "Revolution" by the great Dennis Brown, and "Jailbreak" is a version of Junior Delgado's "Fort Augustus." Perhaps the most effective of these tracks is "Skull & Crossbones," an excellent dub version of "Danger Zone" by Flabba Holt. In all cases, the trademark Sly & Robbie sound -- the rock-solid, minimalist basslines and the snare drum that sounds like a bullet hitting concrete -- is in full effect. However, most of these dub mixes sound tame, almost enervated, as if they were put together by someone with a hangover. All of them are pleasant enough, but few of them say anything new or especially interesting about a reggae subgenre that should always, at a minimum, be interesting." - Rick Anderson
"Anyone expecting the outright weirdness of Mad Professor's Dub Me Crazy series is going to get a shock with this. The dream team meeting of the Professor with reggae's ace rhythm section Sly & Robbie and veteran sax man Dean Fraser is a lighter dub disc, with a strong rockers rhythm feel about it (mostly due to Sly Dunbar, who is the heir to Tony Allen in the multilayered rhythm game). With a few exceptions, such as the opener "Stepping Out a Space," which is a glorious piece of knob tweaking, there's a very subtle feeling to this. Fraser takes the lead, with bass'n'drums absolutely rock solid but still wonderfully elastic -- at times recalling their supple work with Black Uhuru -- and the Professor uses the sound of the instruments, rather than effects, to create supple tones and sonics. It's soulful dub, especially on "Memphis Happiness," inspired by an Al Green song. While at times the sax can seem a little light for the genre, it does take a few listens to absorb the pleasures this disc has to offer, such as Fraser's multi-tracking on "Peaceful Dub" to sound like a horn section. Much of the material is adapted from that Dub Me Crazy series, but this time out it's not as shadowed. The Professor wanted this disc to sound as if it had been recorded in 1978, and indeed it does, with some superb arrangements that open up the music. This is a triumph for everyone concerned." - Chris Nickson
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