Opus de Jazz – Frank Wess & Milt Jackson

by | Oct 17, 2020 | Quartet/Quintet

At the impressionable age of fourteen, Opus de Jazz was the first jazz album I ever bought.  While the other kids were rocking to Buddy Holly, The Del Vikings and The Platters, I was getting hooked on the likes of Gerry Mulligan, Dave Brubeck and Count Basie!  It wasn’t until I became a disc jockey (Back when we actually played those round things made of vinyl) that I developed a nodding acquaintance with Rock music … but my love affair with jazz has only intensified to this day.

Opus de Funk and Opus And Interlude were recorded at a Savoy Records session in New York, October 1955 and were released on the album Opus de Jazz (subtitled A Hi-Fi Recording for Flute, Vibes, Piano, Bass, Drums) along with two other songs in 1956.  All featured Frank Wess on flute (tenor sax on one tune), Milt Jackson on vibes, Kenny Clarke playing drums, Hank Jones at the piano and Eddie Jones on bass.

Opus de Funk

by Frank Wess & Milt Jackson | Opus de Jazz

Opus And Interlude

by Frank Wess & Milt Jackson | Opus de Jazz

Movin’ Wess

by | Sep 13, 2019 | Big Band, Quartet/Quintet

While most often listed as a saxophonist, I prefer the sound of Frank Wess on the flute. Though the tune is nameless, Flauta Jazz uses the same chords as Ellington/Strayhorn Take The ‘A’ Train.  Sound Familiar?

The Very Thought Of You is a jazz and pop standard, first recorded and published in 1934 with music and lyrics by Ray Noble. Frank Wess applies his own magic touch along with big band backing.

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.

Some Smooth Jazz

by | Apr 26, 2019 | Smooth Jazz

While the Mark of Jazz usually features more traditional jazz, I believe it is important to understand as many aspects of the genre as possible, and, after all, by any other name good music is still good music!.  Smooth jazz is one of the more recent iterations of the idiom and is represented most ably by award winning composer, producer, music publisher Dimitri K. Born in Sofia, Bulgaria, Dimitri has written more than 250 songs which can be heard on over 300 radio stations on five continents!  His recorded music is part of the Golden Music Library of the National Radio in Sofia.  His use of instruments not often found in jazz provides a unique musical experience.

Even though he plays violin, as well as some guitar and piano himself, Dimitri prefers to use only top flight soloists when recording his music.  “I Saw Her” features  Alvin L. Guile’s on piano and Jamie Strefeler on oboe; “You’ve Got Me” spotlights Harry Hall playing sax and John Valeri with the guitar; finally, on “A Day In Paris”  we have Konstantin Dimitrov with the violin, Rob Mullins on piano and John Valeri playing guitar.

You've Got Me

by Dimitri K. | Slim Profile

A Day In Paris

by Dimitri K. | 7/8

Oasis – Dave Grusin & Dave Valentin

by | Aug 24, 2018 | Big Band, Smooth Jazz

Jazz flutist Dave Valentin and pianist Dave Grusin join forces for this session videotaped in 1985, live at the famous Record Plant recording studio in Los Angeles, California.  Grusin and Valentin are joined by Lee Ritenour on guitar, Larry Williams at the sax and keyboards, Carlos Vega as the drummer man and Abraham Laboriel playing bass.

Baroque Jazz – Claude Bolling & Jean-Pierre Rampal

by | Jul 27, 2018 | Quartet/Quintet

On my “What About Dat?” page, I talk about the development of jazz and its shared influences with other types of music.  Pianist Claude Bolling and flutist Jean-Pierre Rampal provide classic — or should I say classical — examples of just such a blending of genres in these two ‘grab your socks’ pieces.  Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano was Rampal’s first non-classical recording, although he had been an avid jazz enthusiast for years. The two friends’ intricate performances raised a few eyebrows at CBS records at first, but the result was a popular album with universal appeal.

Baroque and Blue

by C. Bolling & J.P. Rampal | Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano

Fugace

by C. Bolling & J.P. Rampal | Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano