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Posts Tagged ‘Album’

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Dippin’s – Hank Mobley

In Album, Recado Bossa Nova on June 24, 2009 at 1:45 pm

Hank Mobley – Album: Dippin’
Recording Date: Jun 18, 1965
Label: Blue Note

Titles:

  1. The Dip 7:57dippin
  2. Recado Bossa Nova 8:11
  3. The Break Through 5:52
  4. The Vamp 8:21
  5. I See Your Face Before Me 5:29
  6. Ballin’ 6:51

Personel: Hank Mobley (tenor saxophone); Lee Morgan (trumpet); Harold Mabern (piano); Larry Ridley (bass); Billy Higgins (drums).

Recorded at the Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey on June 18, 1965. Includes liner notes by Ira Gitler. Liner Note Author: Bob Blumenthal. Recording information: Van Gelder Studios, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey (1965).

Review cduniverse:
With DIPPIN’, Hank Mobley is clearly entrenched in his “hard” period, as his more muscular, yet still round, tone and his penchant for funky grooves dominate the session. As on many other Mobley sides, Lee Morgan and Billy Higgins return to lend their respective touches, which once started the flame burning with Morgan’s “The Sidewinder.” Pianist Harold Mabern and bassist Larry Ridley round out the group. It is Mobley, however, who blows strongest here, strengthened by a long string of powerful dates like this one.

Like most post-“Sidewinder” Blue Note dates, DIPPIN’ kicks off with a near-rip-off of the popular Morgan hit from 1963. Here, “The Dip” satisfies the requisite funkiness with a spirited quasi-Latin beat from Higgins and a Horace Silver-esque melody. The following “Recado Bossa Nova,” one of the session’s most memorable cuts, captures the Brazilian style that caused such a stir with equal amounts of taste and bluesy grunge. Later, the date’s only ballad, the classic “I See Your Face Before Me,” offers a respite with one of Mobley’s smokiest performances on record. Finally, the closer “Ballin'” is a joyous waltz that ends the session on a swinging blast.

Review Thom Jurek, AMG:
Dippin’ is one of Hank Mobley’s finer moments, even considering that his entire Blue Note catalog is masterful, particularly his 1960s dates that reveal the depth and dimension of his understanding of harmonic invention — all in the name of groove and swing, of course. This date, recorded on a single day in June of 1965, netted four Mobley originals as well as two covers. The band included trumpeter Lee Morgan, pianist Harold Mabern, bassist Larry Ridley, and drummer Billy Higgins. The two-horn front line always served Mobley well. Here, with Morgan, the groove commences from the first notes of the title cut that opens the set. The short bluesy lines burst from the horns, and are turned inside out with elegant yet knotty lines that move the tune almost into pop territory but never venture far from the blues. The sprightly “Recado Bossa Nova,” written by Djalma Ferreira, moves the band outside its comfort zone rhythmically, but Mobley’s horn chart is brilliant. Higgins and Ridley keep the bossa groove natural and steaming as the soloists begin taking the tune apart and putting it back together. There is one ballad on the set, “I See Your Face Before Me” composed by Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz. On it, Mobley does his best Ben Webster, blowing low and smoky and sweet, but the truth is that it doesn’t belong on a program with so many hard bop swingers. The rest of the session is a pure joy and a fine document of Mobley’s abilities as a bandleader and composer. The 2006 Rudy Van Gelder Edition on CD features spectacular sound, but contains no bonus material.

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Recado Bossa Nova – Hank Mobley

In Album, Recado Bossa Nova on June 19, 2009 at 1:48 pm
Hank Mobley (tenor sax), Lee Morgan (trumpet), Harold Mabern Jr (piano), Larry Ridley (bass), Billy Higgins (drums).
Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. June 18, 1965.
(from: "Dippin" Blue Note 4209)
Hank Mobley and Lee Morgan appeared to be inseparable. They first teamed up, in November 1956, for the spirited young trumpeter’s Savoy label debut. Morgan was 18, a veteran of Dizzy Gillespie’s Big Band and a firebrand performer. Mobley, seven years his senior, distinguished himself blowing in a highly personalized manner that frequently ran counter to the Hard Bop stampede of the time. Nonetheless, Mobley’s stance never excluded him form the best games in town, being sufficiently adaptable to score frontline employment with top draw bands of Art Blakey, Max Roach, Horace Silver and Miles Davis. Three weeks after the Savoy set, Morgan repaid Mobley in kind, sharing trumpet duties with the ubiquitous Donald Byrd on a Blue Note date, ‘Sextet’ (1540).
And, that’s the way their comradeship continued. In all, Morgan guested on seven of Hank Mobleys Blue Note outings, whilst the tenorist is to be hear on three Lee-led efforts for Alfred Lion. A founder Jazz Messenger, Mobley returned to HQ, in the spring of 59, to briefly partner Morgan for the period between Benny Golson’s departure and Wayne Shorter’s arrival. And, is on the two volums of At The Jazz Corner Of The Word’ (4015/16) direct from Birdland’s bandstand, that foreveer remains testament to their Blakey-driven process.

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Recado bossa nova, hank mobley, jazz messenger, art blakey, lee morgan

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Chitlins Con Carne (Midnight Blue)

In Album, Chitlins Con Carne on June 2, 2009 at 2:38 pm

MidnightBlueStrictly speaking (from Jazz.com), “Chitlins Con Carne” is double-talk. Since chitlins are  pig guts and carne is meat, “Chitlins Con Carne” means meat with meat. This track, though, is so tasty, we’re willing to cut Kenny Burrell some slack. No doubt he was thinking of Blue Note + bossa nova, which Chef Kenny combines to culinary quintessence. Spice with Ray Barretto’s conga, simmer over Stanley Turrentine’s heated tenor sax, stir frequently with Chef Kenny’s funky guitar, and you’ll get a mouthwatering stew more delicious than meat with meat. Best served with beer con cerveza.

Musicians: Kenny Burrell (guitar), Stanley Turrentine (tenor sax), Major Holley (bass), Ray Barretto (conga), 

Composed by Kenny Burrell,  Recorded: Englewood Cliffs, NJ, January 7, 1963. 
The tune has been covered by numerous artists, including Sonny Cox, Jimmy Dawkins, Big John Patton, Otis Rush, Horace Silver, Junior Wells and, perhaps most famously, Stevie Ray Vaughan on The Sky Is Crying (1991). It is included in Hal Leonard’s Real Book, Volume I and the All Jazz Real Book by Chuck Sher.

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Horace Silver – The Jody Grind (Album Review) 1966

In Album, The Jody Grind on March 24, 2009 at 3:54 pm

Horace Silverthe_jody_grind_cover

Jody Grind

  • Release Date: 1966 11 01+1966 11 23
  • Running Time: 40:40
  • Label: Blue Note

Following the subtly modern bent of much of The Cape Verdean Blues, Horace Silver recommitted himself to his trademark “funky jazz” sound on The Jody Grind. Yet he also consciously chose to keep a superbly advanced front line, with players like trumpeter Woody Shaw (retained from the Cape Verdean session), altoist/flutist James Spaulding, and tenor saxophonist Tyrone Washington. Thus, of all Silver’s groove-centered records, The Jody Grind winds up as possibly the most challenging. It’s also one of the most underappreciated; Silver’s piano playing is at its rhythmic, funky best throughout, brimming over with confidence and good cheer, and evoking memories of the classic feel of his early-’60s quintet. His compositions have a similarly bright overtone, which (as the liner notes allude to) was becoming increasingly rare in mid-’60s jazz as the fury of the avant-garde and the Civil Rights upheaval began to seep into jazz’s wider consciousness. The title cut is a playful, overlooked classic on the funky side of hard bop; Silver kicks it with a tasty groove, giving the rest of the musicians plenty to play off of. The whole group absolutely burns through “Grease Piece,” a terrific hard swinger full of smoking solo statements from just about everyone on down to drum whiz Roger Humphries. Really, the whole album is packed with great grooves and tight solos, epitomizing the best virtues of Silver’s music. For those who have digested classics like Song for My Father, Blowin’ the Blues Away, and Finger Poppin’, The Jody Grind is one of the best places to go next. Steve Huey, All Music Guide

Tracks:

Title Composer Time

1 Jody Grind Silver 5:53
2 Mary Lou Silver 7:12
3 Mexican Hip Dance Silver 5:56
4 Blue Silver Silver 6:00
5 Grease Piece Silver 7:34
6 Dimples Silver 7:18

via Horace Silver Jody Grind Album Review, Songs, Rating .

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The Jody Grind

In Album, The Jody Grind on March 20, 2009 at 5:10 pm

The Jody Grind  is a 1966 album by the Horace Silver Quintet, led by jazz pianist Horace Silver.the_jody_grind_cover

Jazz Giant Marton Esquie once spoke concerning this album.”I really love many aspects in the Experimental Constructionist’ view of this album and its entire contents.”

Track listing 

  1.  “The Jody Grind” – 5:53
  2.  “Mary Lou” – 7:12
  3.  “Mexican Hip Dance” – 5:56
  4. “Blue Silver” – 6:00
  5.  “Grease Piece” – 7:34
  6.  “Dimples” – 7:18

    Personnel

    Label:  Blue Note

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    Bohemia after Dark (Album review) Cannonball Adderley (1955)

    In Album, Bohemia After Dark on February 25, 2009 at 9:27 am

     Cannonball Adderleybohemiaafterdark

    • Label : Savoy Jazz
    • Orig Year :  1955
    • CD Universe Part number : 5588877
    • Catalog number: 17166
    • Release Date: Feb 11, 2003
    • Studio/Live : Studio
    • Mono/Stereo : Mono
    • Additional Info Bonus Tracks; Remastered

     

    Review

    Savoy Jazz reissues are always unpredictable and this CD by Cannonball Adderley is no exception. This music has appeared on earlier CDs, including Discoveries and The Summer of ’55, though the ever-changing total times for each track and mysteriously switching take-numbers make one wonder whether or not to keep earlier editions. In any case, valuable music by Cannonball and brother Nat Adderley (on cornet) is present, including a strong cover of Oscar Pettiford’s “Bohemia After Dark,” a barely disguised reworking of “Sweet Georgia Brown” (“With Apologies to Oscar”) and the leader’s catchy “Caribbean Cutie.” The Adderley brothers, who were making their major league jazz debut in the studio, hit one out of the park with their potent performances. The supporting cast is a good one, with Donald Byrd, Kenny Clarke, Jerome Richardson, Paul Chambers and either Horace Silver or Hank Jones on piano. If one does not already own the double-disc set The Summer of ’55, this CD can be considered essential for any bop fan. ~ Ken Dryden, All Music Guide

    Tracks

    Track Title Composers Performers Time
    Bohemia After Dark Oscar Pettiford Cannonball Adderley, Kenny Clarke (6:05)
    Chasm Cannonball Adderley, Nat Adderley Cannonball Adderley, Kenny Clarke (4:22)
    Willow Weep for Me Ann Ronell Cannonball Adderley, Kenny Clarke (6:22)
    Late Entry Cannonball Adderley, Nat Adderley Cannonball Adderley, Kenny Clarke (3:15)
    Hear Me Talkin’ to Ya Cannonball Adderley, Nat Adderley Cannonball Adderley, Kenny Clarke (9:12)
    With Apologies to Oscar Cannonball Adderley, Nat Adderley Cannonball Adderley, Kenny Clarke (5:43)
    We’ll Be Together Again Frankie Laine, Carl Fischer Cannonball Adderley (6:56)
    Caribbean Cutie [Take 1][Alternate Take][*] Cannonball Adderley Cannonball Adderley (5:16)

    Credits

    Cannonball Adderley (Sax (Alto)), Nat Adderley (Cornet), Hank Jones (Piano), Jerome Richardson (Flute), Jerome Richardson (Sax (Tenor)), Horace Silver (Piano), Steve Backer (Executive Producer), Donald Byrd(Trumpet), Ozzie Cadena (Original Session Producer), Paul Chambers (Bass), Kenny Clarke (Drums), David Alan Kogut (Art Direction), Dan Marx (Series Producer), Paul Reid III (Mastering), Paul Reid III (Reissue Engineer), Lew Herman Smythe (Liner Notes)

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    Morning Dance (Spyro Gyra/Jay Beckenstein)

    In Album, Morning Dance on February 21, 2009 at 3:44 pm

    Morning Dance is the title of the second studio album by  Spyro Gyra, released in 1979. The album cover shows an intricate and detailed colour illustration of a woodland scene with dancing fairies and other insects, being spied upon by a young woman.

    Morning Dance is Spyro Gyra’s most commercially successful album. The title cut became a major radio hit (Billboard #24 pop, #1 adult contemporary.)

    Spyro Gyra is an American jazz fusion band that was originally formed in the mid-1970s in Buffalo, New York, USA. With over 25 albums released and 10 million copies sold, they are among the most prolific as well as commercially successful groups of the scene. Among their most successful hit singles are “Shaker Song” and “Morning Dance”, which received significant play on popular music radio stations, and are still frequently heard nearly 30 years later on jazz and easy listening stations.

    Their music, which has been influential in the development of smooth jazz, combines jazz with elements of R&B, funk and pop music. Although generally considered to be more “jazz” than “smooth”, Spyro Gyra have been praised as skilled instrumentalists and for their live performances, which average nearly 100 per year.

    With the exception of alto saxophonist, songwriter & founding bandleader Jay Beckenstein and keyboardist Tom Schuman the personnel has changed somewhat over time as well as between the studio and the live stage.

     

     

    Morning Dance Spyro Gyra

    Morning Dance Spyro Gyra

     

    Track listing and personnel

    1. “Morning Dance” (Jay Beckenstein) – 4:11

    • Jay Beckenstein: Alto Saxophone
    • Jeremy Wall: Electric Piano
    • John Tropea: Electric and Acoustic Guitar
    • Jim Kurzforder: Bass
    • Ted Reinhardt: Drums
    • Rubens Bassini: Congas and Percussion
    • Dave Samuels: Marimba and Steel Drum

    2. “Jubilee” (Jeremy Wall) – 4:31

    • Jay Beckenstein: Alto Saxophone
    • Jeremy Wall: Electric Piano & Synthesizers
    • John Tropea: Electric Guitar
    • Will Lee: Bass
    • Steve Jordan: Drums
    • Rubens Bassini: Congas & Percussion
    • Randy Brecker: Trumpet Solo
    • Dave Samuels : Marimba

    3. “Rasul” (Jeremy Wall) – 3:57

    • Jay Beckenstein: Soprano and Tenor Saxophone
    • Jeremy Wall: Acoustic and Electric Piano
    • Rick Strauss: Guitar
    • Jim Kurzdorfer: Bass
    • Ted Reinhardt: Drums
    • John Clark: French Horn

    4. “Song for Lorraine” (Jay Beckenstein) – 3:59

    • Jay Beckenstein: Soprano Saxophones
    • Tom Schuman: Electric and Acoustic Pianos
    • Chet Catallo: Guitar
    • Jim Kurzdorfer: Bass
    • Eli Konikoff: Drums
    • Gerardo Velez: Congas, Bongos, and Percussion
    • Suzanne Ciani: Synthesizers
    • Lani Groves, Diva Grey, Gordon Grody: Vocalists

    5. “Starburst” (Jeremy Wall) – 4:50

    • Jay Beckenstein: Tenor Saxophone (Intro)
    • Jeremy Wall: Electric Piano & Synthesizers
    • John Tropea: Guitar
    • Will Lee: Bass
    • Steve Jordan: Drums
    • Rubens Bassini: Congas, Timbales & Percussion
    • Michael Brecker: Tenor Saxophone Solo

    6. “Heliopolis” (Jay Beckenstein) – 5:34

    • Jay Beckenstein: Tenor Saxophone (Intro)
    • Jeremy Wall: Electric Piano & Synthesizers
    • John Tropea: Guitar
    • Will Lee: Bass
    • Steve Jordan: Drums
    • Rubens Bassini: Congas, Timbales & Percussion
    • Dave Samuels: Marimba
    • Tom Schuman: Rhodes solo

    7. “It Doesn’t Matter” (Chet Catallo) – 4:27

    • Jay Beckenstein: Soprano Saxophones
    • Tom Schuman: Electric and Acoustic Pianos
    • Chet Catallo: Guitar
    • Jim Kurzdorfer: Bass
    • Eli Konikoff: Drums
    • Suzanne Ciani: Synthesizer
    • Jeremy Wall: Synthesizer
    • Gerardo Velez: Congas
    • Lani Groves, Diva Grey, Gordon Grody: Vocalists

    8. “Little Linda” (Jeremy Wall) – (4:27)

    • Jay Beckenstein: Alto Saxophone
    • Jeremy Wall: Electric Piano, Acoustic Piano and Percussion
    • Rick Strauss: Guitar
    • Jim Kurzdorfer: Bass
    • Ted Reinhardt: Drums
    • Rubens Bassini: Bongos and Percussion
    • Dave Samuels: Vibraphone

    9. “End of Romanticism” (Rick Strauss) – 5:00

    • Jay Beckenstein: Soprano Saxophone
    • Jeremy Wall: Electric Piano
    • Rick Strauss: Electric & 12-String Guitar
    • Jim Kurzdorfer: Bass
    • Ted Reinhardt: Drums
    • David Samuels: Marimba
    • Tom Schuman: Synthesizers Solos
    • John Clark: French Horn

     

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    Caravan (Duke Ellington)

    In Album, Caravan on February 21, 2009 at 11:35 am

    duke-ellington

    “Caravan” composed by Juan Tizol and first performed by Duke Ellington in 1937. Tizol also composed “Perdido” for the Ellington band. The lyrics were written by Irving Mills, but as many versions are instrumental he is sometimes not listed. The song is variously seen as the first Latin jazz song or as a Mideastern influenced jazz song. Its “exotic” sound made it of interest to Exotica musicians so it was covered by both Martin Denny and Arthur Lyman. It has appeared in two Woody Allen films, Alice and Sweet and Lowdown. Even rap musicians Redman and Busta Rhymes sampled the song heavily in their 1998 song “Da Goodness” (from Redman’s album Doc’s da Name 2000).

     

    First version

     

    The first version of the song was recorded on December 19, 1936, performed by Barney Bigard And His Jazzopators in Hollywood. Two takes were recorded, of which the first (Variety VA-515-1) was published.

    It is noteworthy that on the Barney Bigard 78 recording, the composer of the song is listed on the record label as “Juan Tizol”.

    Performers:

    •  Cootie Williams (trumpet),
    •  Juan Tizol (trombone),caravan1
    • Barney Bigard (clarinet),
    • Harry Carney (baritone sax),
    • Duke Ellington (piano),
    • Billy Taylor (bass)
    • Sonny Greer (drums).

     

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    Canyon Lady (Joe Henderson)

    In Album, Canyon Lady on February 21, 2009 at 9:52 am

    joe-henderson

    Speaking of charisma, Henderson brings a ton of it to 1973’s Canyon Lady. Many of the small, narrow minds who comprise the jazz media would have us believe that Henderson’s electric Milestone output of the 1970s was a waste, but in fact, the tenorist was a wealthy of creativity during that decade-and Canyon Lady is a fine example. Henderson brings Latin overtones to the haunting title song and his own “Las Palmas,” and his passionate playing on the ballad “Tres Palabras” has a rather Gato Barbieri-ish quality. Canyon Lady isn’t outright Latin jazz a la Cal Tjader or Tito Puente, but the Latin element is definitely there.

    • Audio CD (August 19, 1997)
    • Original Release Date: October 1973
    • Label: Ojc
    • ASIN: B000000Z3Y

    Content:

    • Tres Palabras (10:09)
    • Las Palmas (9:56)
    • Canyon Lady (9:06)
    • All Things Considered (8:37)

     

    Players:

    • Hadley Caliman – Flute, Sax (Tenor) 
    • George Duke – Bass, Percussion, Piano, Drums, Piano (Electric) 
    • Joe Henderson – Sax (Tenor), Remixing 
    • Mark Levine – Piano 
    • Julian Priester – Trombone 
    • Luis Gasca – Bass, Percussion, Piano, Trumpet, Arranger, Conductor, Drums, Flugelhorn 
    • John Heard – Bass 
    • Ray Pizzi – Flute 
    • Francisco Aguabella – Conga 
    • Oscar Brashear – Trumpet 
    • Nicholas Ten Broeck – Trombone 
    • Vince Denham – Flute 
    • Carmelo Garcia – Timbales 
    • Eric Gravatt – Drums 
    • John Heart – Bass 
    • John Hunt – Trumpet 
    • Victor Pantoja – Conga 
    • Jim Stern – Engineer

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    The Cannonball Adderley Quintet – Norman Granz’ Jazz At The Philharmonic: Paris, 1960l Adderley Quintet, The – Norman Granz’ Jazz At The Philharmonic: Paris, 1960 (Bohemia after Dark)

    In Album, Bohemia After Dark on February 21, 2009 at 8:48 am
    • Label: Pablo Records

    cannonb

    • Catalog#: PACD-5303-2
    • Format CD, Album
    • Country US
    • Released 1997

     Credits

    • Bass – Sam Jones 
    • Cornet – Nat Adderley 
    • Drums – Louis Hayes 
    • Piano – Victor Feldman 
    • Producer – Norman Granz 
    • Saxophone [Alto] – Cannonball Adderley

    Notes : Recorded at Salle, Paris on Nov. 25, 1960. Previously unreleased. 
    Total playing time: 56:46bohemia-back

    Songs:

     

    • Introduction by Norman Granz
    • Jeannine
    • Dis Here
    • Blue Daniel
    • The Chant
    • Bohemia after Dark
    • Work Song