Land Of Passion – Hubert Laws

by | May 31, 2019 | Quartet/Quintet

Whether playing jazz, pop or R&B, flutist Hubert Laws possesses  a distinctive, instantly recognizable sound.  While he swings with the best of them, his classical roots are evident throughout his music.  Laws’ contributions to the Count Basie Big Band, Gil Evans Orchestra and The Crusaders, as well as his own highly successful jazz ensembles, notably place him in the company of the most recognized and respected flutists in the history of jazz,

“Land Of Passion”, a Hubert Laws original, features Hubert on flute, David Budway, piano, Rob Mullins, keyboards, John Leftwich, bass, and Ralph Penland, on drums.

The Trumpet of Blue Mitchell

by | May 24, 2019 | Quartet/Quintet

Blue Mitchell was the complete trumpet player, with a direct, lightly swinging sound that fit right in with Blue Note records’ musical mindset of the 1960s. That sound comes through loud and clear on “Hi-Heel Sneakers” as he is joined by Junior Cook on tenor sax, Chick Corea piano, Gene Taylor on bass and Al Foster playing drums.

Hi-Heel Sneakers

by Blue Mitchell | Down With It

Mitchell often tends to be overlooked today, perhaps because he spent most of his career as a much sought after side man. Given that he led his own group for only a short period of time, he never really had the chance to stand out in the public eye, despite his considerable talent. Listening to “Park Avenue Petite” it’s easy to hear where he got the nickname “Blue”. Here he’s joined by Wynton Kelly at the piano, Sam Jones on bass and Philly Joe Jones on drums.

Park Avenue Petite

by Blue Mitchell | Blue Soul

Mr. Pastorius / Eighty One – Miles Davis

by | May 10, 2019 | Quartet/Quintet

Miles Davis and his band recorded Mr. Pastorius on October 18, 1989 at Chelsea Studios in New York City.  The tune was written by Marcus Miller as a tribute to bassist Jaco Pastorius and features Miles on trumpet, Marcus Miller on bass, Kenny Garret playing alto sax, Ricky Wellman drums and Adam Holzman on Keyboards.

Eighty-One is from the 1965 Miles Davis album E.S.P.  Call it hard bop, post bop or modal jazz … by any other name, it still features the solid sound of Miles’ trumpet and some of the top musicians in jazz. Wayne Shorter plays tenor, Herbie Hancock is at the piano, Ron Carter is on double bass and Tony Williams plays drums.  It was recorded during one of my favorite periods of Davis’ several evolutions. 

Eighty-One

by Miles Davis | E.S.P.

Poinciana – Ahmad Jamal

by | May 3, 2019 | Quartet/Quintet

“Poinciana” was written in 1936 by Nat Simon and Buddy Bernier, based on a Cuban folk song called “La canción del árbol”.  Ahmad Jamal included a jazz cover version of the song in his album “Poinciana”, released in 1963, and it has since become associated with him to the extent that it might actually be considered his theme song.  It is certainly his most requested song during personal appearances.

Thelonious Monk In Japan

by | Apr 19, 2019 | Quartet/Quintet

Bolivar Blues was recorded in 1963 in Japan just two days after the concert that produced the Columbia set Monk in Tokyo.  This studio session was created for TV broadcast while Thelonious Monk was touring the country, 

Evidence was part of that same studio session and featured Monk on piano, Frankie Dunlop drums, Butch Warren playing bass and the incomparable Charlie Rouse on sax. Charlie has the uncanny ability to match Thelonious’ unique style note for note!

Harlem Nocturne – Sam “The Man” Taylor

by | Apr 12, 2019 | Audio, Quartet/Quintet

Three weeks ago, I posted Five Faces of Harlem Nocturne and had several inquiries as to why I left out the original 1955 hit recording by Sam “The Man” Taylor. Sam was a jazz and blues player who set the standard for tenor sax solos in both rock ‘n roll and rhythm and blues … and became one of the most requested session sax players in New York during the 1950s.  Since I’ve always considered this to be the definitive version in the first place, I have no excuse.  None whatsoever.  Here to bail me out is Sam “The Man” with The Sixth Face of Harlem Nocturne.

Harlem Nocturne

by Sam "The Man" Taylor | Blue Mist

A Child Is Born – Pepper Adams

by | Apr 5, 2019 | Quartet/Quintet

This rendition of the Thad Jones standard A Child Is Born is from a French TV Broadcast, La Grande Parade du Jazz, from Nice on July 16, 1978.  The great Bill Evans is at the piano with Marc Johnson on bass, Philly Joe Jones playing drums and the perennially underrated Pepper Adams delivering a memorable solo on baritone sax.

Gettin’ Dizzy With Sonny Stitt

by | Mar 15, 2019 | Quartet/Quintet

Sunny Side of the Street is an easy, swinging piece recorded in Belgium in 1958, as were all three selections.  After solos by Sonny Stitt and Dizzy Gillespie, they cap it with a rare vocal duet … in fact, this may be a first!

Lover Man [Oh Where Can You Be] has become a standard.  Laid back and mellow, Sonny’s solo on this one shows why his playing has frequently been compared with Charlie Parker.

Blues Walk is an uptempo tune that seems to completely absorb Stitt.  Everyone is clearly having fun here … watch, particularly, the drummer’s face as Sonny soars and Dizzy patiently waits his turn!

All That Jazz Is LeGrand!

by | Feb 15, 2019 | Quartet/Quintet, Septet/Octet

If you’re like most people, when you think of Michel LeGrand you think of film scores, orchestras and swirling strings.  Well fasten your seatbelt because he was one whale of a jazz pianist as well and swung with the best of them!  His pen and his baton will be sorely missed, Michel having passed away last month at the age of 87.

“You Must Believe In Spring” was recorded at the Festival International de Jazz in Montreal.  It features Michel Legrand (p), Phil Woods (as), Eric Lagace (b) and Ray Brinker (d).

“The Jitterbug Waltz” was recorded in 1958 in New York for the album “LeGrand Jazz”.  It’s an interesting mix of Michel with artists such as Herbie Mann, Barry Galbraith, Miles Davis, Phil Woods, Jerome Richardson, Eddie Costa, Paul Chambers and Kenny Dennis.  Listen for the silky smooth changes in tempo and subtle harp glissandos of Betty Giamann … not your everyday addition to a jazz combo.

The Jitterbug Waltz

by Michel LeGrand & Miles Davis | LeGrand Jazz