I've been waiting a few years already for the announced SACD of this to be released. Guess I can wait a few more.
Listened to this one today, never knew it existed until coming across it in the used bins on an excursion today: Originally recorded in swinging London in 1967 and released on LP on the Major Minor label, this is the 2000 CD release on Art of Life Records. These are really killer takes on pop fare of the day, some of it on the surface distinctly unpromising but they make it all work. Partly that is because of all the liberties taken with the more, shall we say, trifling material like "These Boots Are Made for Walking" and "Up, Up and Away" but even in those instances they still offer enough glimpses of the melody to make the piece identifiable. Beck's piano shimmers - at this point he sounded to be VERY much in thrall to Bill Evans - guitarist John (actually here still billed as "Johnny") McLaughlin is typically craggy and biting and fleet, and drummer Tony Oxley drives things along in his usual remarkable "all directions at once but still somehow moving forward" way. Bassist Jeff Clyne, who I didn't know anything about, rounds out the quartet, and he's outstanding, getting in a short but track-lifting solo in "Up, Up and Away." The mastering could be a little more sympathetic - a tad brittle - but not a deal-breaker. The superb musicians elevate a record that could have served merely as a pleasant diversion to something approaching essential. I dearly do love this early era of McLaughlin's playing, and while he is certainly more straight ahead here you can hear the roots of approaches that would coalesce into a style all his own by the time of his 1969 masterpiece debut as a leader EXTRAPOLATION (Polydor).
My first exposure to Gordon Beck was the recently released Jubilation 3 disc set from tapes owned by a forum member. I really liked it. IIRC one of the sets is the band with McLaughlin and Oxley.
A nice selection of (mostly) alternate tracks that most certainly found there way onto the Connoisseur and RVG series but not normally included in the TOCJs. I haven't yet taken the time to cross reference to see if there's any that only appear on this disc. Blue Trails: The Rare Tracks Blue Note (1996) TOCJ-1601 BN Works 1500 Unissued Series Tracklist John Coltrane - Blue Train (Alternate Take) Lee Morgan - Just One of Those Things (Alternate Take) Horace Silver - Señor Blues (Single Version) Tina Brooks - Minor Move (Alternate Take) Johnny Griffin - The Way You Look Tonight Bud Powell - Blue Pearl (Alternate Take) Johnny Griffin - Cherokee Cannonball Adderley - Alison's Uncle Kenny Dorham - K.D.'s Cab Ride J.R. Monterose - Wee-Jay (Alternate Take) Johnny Griffin - I Remember You
Dial J. J. 5 - The J. J. Johnson Quintet (Sony) Blu-spec CD2 with J. J. Johnson (trombone), Bobby Jaspar (tenor sax & flute), Tommy Flanagan (piano), Wilbur Little (bass), Elvin Jones (drums). Recorded 1957 The Blu-spec / Legacy Recordings [Mono] CD is a great sounding disc. This is a very impressive album recorded by a band of top ranking musicians.
TONY FRUSCELLA / TONY FRUSCELLA / ATLANTIC / 1955 / JAPANESE AMJY-1220 LP REISSUE OF ATLANTIC 1220 TONY FRUSCELLA - TRUMPET ALLEN EAGER - TENOR SAXOPHONE DANNY BANK - BARITONE SAXOPHONE CHAUNCEY WELSCH - TROMBONE BILL TRIGLIA - PIANO BILL ANTHONY - BASS JUNIOR BRADLEY - DRUMS PRODUCED BY NESUHI ERTEGUN. RECORDED IN MARCH AND APRIL 1955 IN NEW YORK BY FRANK ABBEY. COVER PHOTO BY HUGH BELL. LINER NOTES BY BILL SIMON.
Nice album with Allen Eager, a Lester Young-style tenor saxophonist. If I remember correctly this is another good Japanese pressing.
This is only my second AMJY pressing (the other being a Dave Fathead Newman album) and it sounds perfectly fine, taking into account the recording itself isn't exactly of "audiophile" grade.
Found this album last week at a thrift in very good condition and appears to be quite rare, first listen. Paul Bley Wing, 1954
Thanks, it even played better than anticipated and quickly climbed up to being one of my best slabs to date, loved it. As soon as I laid my eyes on it I knew it was special, a $1.29 score!
Wow, very early Bley, should be quite different from his later work. Interesting combination with Tristano students Ind and Levitt. I've never heard or seen this album. As far as I know it was never reissued, except perhaps in Japan. The only one still alive is Peter Ind, who turns 90 on July 20.
Thanks Hans it was a real treat. The album ended with a ripping version of Monk's "52nd Street Theme". Upon first listen it climbed to the top ten jazz lp's in my collection.
Tonight's commuting music: Some of the playing on "Country Son" is absolutely beautiful, especially Hancock's piano work.
Charlie Rouse - Bossa Nova Bacchanal Blue Note (1963) TOCJ-4119 BN Works 4100 Series Tenor Saxophone – Charlie Rouse Guitar – Chauncy "Lord" Westbrook, Kenny Burrell Bass – Lawrence Gales Congas – Potato Valde Percussion [Chekere] – Garvin Masseaux Drums – Willie Bobo
Byrd In Paris - Donald Byrd (Gitanes/EmArcy) CD with Donald Byrd (trumpet), Bobby Jaspar (tenor sax & flute), Walter Davis Jr. (piano), Art Taylor (drums), Doug Watkins (double bass) Recorded 1958 & originally issued on a Brunswick LP. This CD edition was digitally remastered on 24 bit by Alexis Frankel & Christophe Henault. The music is great and the disc, which sounds good was issued in digi-pak format with 8 page booklet that included notes in French & English.
Tijuana Moods - Charlie Mingus (Columbia/Legacy) 2CD Recorded 1957 Disc 1 includes all 5 tracks that were originally issued on LP, plus 4 lengthy alternate takes. Disc 2 is full of more alternate takes plus the previously unreleased 10 minute plus 'A Colloquial Dream'. Some sessions! I never did take to Columbia's use of Charlie instead of Charles on the front sleeve but at least the quote "This is the best record I ever made" on the back of the CD sleeve has been attributed to Charles Mingus.
The Gifted Ones - Count Basie and Dizzy Gillespie (Pablo/Original Jazz Classics) with Count Basie (piano), Dizzy Gillespie (trumpet), Ray Brown (bass), Mickey Roker (drums) Recorded 1977 I'm happy enough with the music here but unfortunately this is another OJC CD-R. Nowadays I automatically presume the OJC logo will generally indicate the disc in the packaging is more likely to be a CD-R than not.
(LP Blue Note King Japan GXK-8097) 1978 .... it was about time for a replay .... Hank Mobley and cohorts at their very best .....
(LP Blue Note King Japan GXK-8110) 1979 .... one of these precious Thad Jones recordings for Blue Note .... beautifully recorded bass sound supplied courtesy of George Duvivier ....
