Soul Food

Marcio Montarroyos - 1977 - Stone Aliance

2011-07-25T13:46:00.000-07:00

Al Jarreau - 1977 - Look To The Rainbow (Live recorded in Europe)

2011-07-16T05:00:00.000-07:00

Singer Al Jarreau's album, Look to the Rainbow, is easily the most jazz-oriented of all of his Warner Bros. recordings. Cut shortly before Jarreau permanently switched to a more mundane version of R&B, these performances feature him as a brilliant scat singer (able to emulate practically any instrument) and a superior ballad interpreter. Unfortunately, Al Jarreau essentially started on top, artistically speaking, and has since been intent on emphasizing potential commercial appeal over any possible innovations or chance-taking.

Recorded live in Europe between January and February 1977.

Personnel:

Al Jarreau (vocals),

Tom Canning (keyboards),

Lynn Blessing (vibraphone),

Abraham Laboriel (bass),

Joe Correro (drums).

01 - Letter Perfect

02 - Rainbow In Your Eyes

03 - One Good Turn

04 - Could You Believe

05 - Burst In With The Dawn

06 - Better Than Anything

07 - So Long Girl

08 - Look To The Rainbow

09 - You Don't See Me

10 - Take Five

11 - Loving You

12 - We Got By

Link

Miles Davis

2011-07-14T04:43:00.000-07:00

I put a little work on that photo because it was in very bad condition, but it is very favorite of mine.And decided to put it here every one to enjoy it and have it.For the love of music!

Steve Grossman - 1977 - Born At The Same Time

2011-07-12T11:05:00.000-07:00

Steve Grossman - Born At The Same Time

Release Date: 1977

Recording Date: Nov 25, 1977

Label: Owl

Steve Grossman - Sax (Soprano), Sax (Tenor)

Patrice Caratini - Bass

Michel Graillier - Piano

Daniel Humair - Drums

Francois LeMaire - Producer

Jean-Jacques Pussiau - Producer, Photography

Clement Ziegler - Engineer, Mixing

Jean-Paul Darras - Digital Engineer

Bernard Amiard - Art Direction, Photography, Cover Art Concept

Richard Gallet - Assistant Engineer

1 - Capricorne

2 - Ohla Graciela

3 - Plaza Francia

4 - Capricorne

5 - March Nineteen

6 - Ohla Graciela

7 - A Chamada

8 - Pra Voce2

9 - Giminis Moon

10 - Lord Jesus Thinks on Me

Link:Download

5 - March Nineteen

Jan Garbarek - 1973 - Witchi-Tai-To

2011-04-17T02:17:00.000-07:00

Jan garbarek - Bobo stenson quartet - Witchi-Tai-To
ECM 1974

Jan Garbarek - tenor & soprano saxophones
Bobo Stenson - piano
Palle Danielsson - bass
Jon Christensen - drums

Link:Download

Pete La Roca - 1965 - Basra

2011-02-03T12:29:00.000-08:00

Pete La Roca - Basra
Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ 5/19/1965

Personnel:
Pete La Roca - drums
Steve Swallow - bass
Steve Kuhn - piano
Joe Henderson - tenor saxophone

"It is strange to realize that drummer Pete La Roca only led two albums during the prime years of his career, for this [LP] reissue of his initial date is a classic. La Roca's three originals ("Basra," which holds one's interest despite staying on one chord throughout, the blues "Candu," and the complex "Tears Come From Heaven") are stimulating but it is the other three songs that really bring out the best playing in the quartet (which is comprised of tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson, pianist Steve Kuhn, and bassist Steve Swallow in addition to La Roca). "Malaguena" is given a great deal of passion, Swallow's "Eiderdown" (heard in its initial recording) receives definitive treatment, and the ballad "Lazy Afternoon" is both haunting and very memorable; Henderson's tone perfectly fits that piece."

Scott Yanow, All Music

01 - Malaguena
02 - Candu
03 - Tears Come From Heaven
04 - Basra
05 - Lazy Afternoon
06 - Eiderdown

Link:Download

Shamek Farrah - 1974 - First Impressions

2010-11-05T10:05:00.000-07:00

Alto Sax - Shamek Farrah
Bass - Milton Suggs
Trumpet - Norman Person
Piano - Kasa Mu-Barak Allah

Piano - Sonelius Smith
Drums - Clay Herndon

Drums - Ron Warwell

Conga - Calvert "Bo" Satter-White

Percussion - Kenny Harper

Produced by Shamek Farrah / Janfar Productions
1974 Strata-East Records

As Strata-East Records got rolling, one of the admirable things it was able to do was offer a platform to some more obscure artists who weren’t being heard elsewise, folks like Billy Parker’s Fourth World (including DeeDee, Ronald, and Cecil Bridgewater); the Washington, DC ensemble Juju (who evolved from an Art Ensemble knock-off into the great jazz-funk band Oneness of Juju by the mid-70s); and alto sax player Shamek Farrah. I don’t really know too much about Shamek except that he made two great albums of spiritual jazz for Strata-East in 1974 and ’77 (the second and half of the first in collaboration with pianist Sonelius Smith).

01 "Meterologicly Tuned" (11:20) - Shamek Farrah
02 "Watch What Happens Now" (5:41) - Fredger Dupree
03 "Umoja Suite" (7:23) - Norman Person
04 "First impressions" (10:28) - Shamek Farrah

Link:Download

Paul Jackson - 1978 - Black Octopus

2010-10-08T15:43:00.001-07:00

Paul Jackson - Black Octopus
Recorded: at Toshiba EMI Studio, October 25, 27, 1978
Original track listing from vinyl on Label: Eastworld - Catalog#: EWLF-98006

Backing Vocals - Mari Kaneko , Yuka Kamebuchi (tracks: A1, B1)
Bass [Acoustic] - Paul Jackson (2) (tracks: A1)
Bass [Electric] - Paul Jackson (2)
Clarinet [Bass] - Bennie Maupin (tracks: A1)
Clavinet - Herbie Hancock (tracks: A1) , Webster Lewis (tracks: B1)
Drums - Alphonse Mouzon
Electric Piano - Webster Lewis (tracks: B1, B2)
Engineer - Bryan Bell
Engineer [Assistant] - Bill Watts , Kenichi Yamaguchi , Tameo Kawada
Engineer [Cutting] - Mitsuharu Kobayashi , Shoji Taguchi , Yoshio Okazaki
Guitar [Electric] - Ray Obiedo
Organ [Hammond] - Webster Lewis (tracks: A1, A2)
Piano, Synthesizer [Arp Odyssey] - Herbie Hancock (tracks: A1)
Producer - Paul Jackson (2)
Saxophone [Tenor] - Bennie Maupin
Synthesizer [Arp String] - Webster Lewis (tracks: B2)
Synthesizer [Yamaha Cs-80] - Webster Lewis (tracks: B2)
Vocals - Paul Jackson (2) (tracks: A1, B1, B2)

Jackson is most famous for being a founding member of the Headhunters, the band that revolutionized funk and jazz with Herbie Hancock. Octopus is the solo album that Jackson recorded back in 1978, but it is only now being released in the US. And make no mistake about it, the album is definitely a period piece. The diverse stylings borrow from disco, funk and abstract jazz in a form that could only be described as late-period fusion.

01 - Many Directions (part 1)

02 - Eight Ways Of Love (part 2)

03 - Funk Times Three

04 - Burning In The Heat [Of Your Love]

05 - Tiptoe Thru The Ghetto

06 - T-Bolt

07 - A Little Love'll Help

08 - Umi Bozu

09 - Bow Tie Dress

Link:Download

2010-10-08T03:29:00.000-07:00

Jimmy Owens - No Escaping It
1970/3/6,13 NYC
24-4031/POLYDOR/USA

Jimmy Owens(tp,flh),
Kenny Barron(p,el-p),
Chris White(b,el-b),
Billy Cobham(dr),
Howard Johnson(tuba,bs),
Billy Harper(ts,fl),
Ray Alonge(frh),
Sam Brown(g).

side A:

DIDN'T WE

LO-SLO-BLUZE

PUT IT ALL TOGETHA

COMPLICITY

side B:

CHICAGO LIGHT GREEN

NO ESCAPING IT

MILAN IS LOVE

FUNK-A-DE-MAMA

Link:Download

Reggie Moore - 1971 - Wishbone

2010-10-05T11:00:00.000-07:00

Reggie Moore - ”Wishbone”
( LP Mainstream Records, 1971 )
Catalog # MRL 341

“A Red Lion Production” Stylized Lion Logo
Produced by: Bob Shad
Engineer: Carmine Rubino
Photography: Raymond Ross
Liner Notes: Nat Hentoff

Personnel:
Reggie Moore - Piano
Hank Haynie - Electric Bass & Fender Bass
Chip Lyles - Drums

Wishbone- 3:42 (Reggie Moore)
What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life- 8:21 (M&A Bergman)
Fuzzy- 5:07 (Reggie Moore)

Pinnochio- 3:40 (Wayne Shorter)
Vonetta- 5:48 (Wayne Shorter)
Have Mercy- 4:35 (Reggie Moore)
A Love Remembered- 5:30 (Reggie Moore)

Link:Download

Freddy Robinson - 1970 - Hot Fun In The Summertime

2010-08-21T07:54:00.000-07:00

Freddy Robinson - Hot Fun In The Summertime
1970 LP
Liberty LST-11007
Pacific Jazz PJ 20176
Recorded 1970 in Los Angeles;

Freddy Robinson: guitar
unknown: piano
Henry Franklin: acoustic bass
Wilton Felder: electric bass
Paul Humphrey: drums
Al Vescovo: guitar
Bobby Bryant & Freddy Hill: trumpets
Tom Scott: alto sax
Bill Green: sax, poss.
Clydie King, Darlene Love & Edna Wright: vocals
Sid Garp's string section.

01 - Caprice's Green Grass

02 - Moon Glow

03 - I Want To Hold Your Hand

04 - I'm In Love

05 - Hot Fun in the Summertime

06 - Someday We'll Be Together

07 - Becky's Rainbow

08 - The Creeper

Link:Download

Scott Hamilton - 2000 - Ballad Essentials

2010-08-02T12:29:00.000-07:00

Original Release Date: February 22, 2000

Label: Concord Records

01 - Skylark

02 - Everything Happens to Me

03 - My Foolish Heart

04 - That's All

05 - In a Sentimental Mood

06 - I Should Care

07 - Body and Soul

08 - 'Round Midnight

09 - My Romance

10 - Stardust

11 - I'll Be Around

12 - Tonight I Shall Sleep (With a Smile on My Face)

Link:Download

George Shearing - 1974 - The Way We Are

2010-05-08T11:03:00.001-07:00

George Shearing - The Way We Are
MPS
1974

The Quintet:
George Shearing - Piano
Andy Simpkins - Bass
Rusty Jones - Drums
Sigi Schwab - Guitar
Heribert Thusek - Vibes

The Amigos;
Chino Valdes - Congas & Bongos
Carmelo Garcia - Timbales

Found in Leicester market along with some other great Jazz lp's that included Thad Jones, Charlie Parker and the Dizzy Gillespie landmark bebop LP 'Champ'. The cover looked vaguely familiar and one of the tracks sounded really familiar by name- "The World Is A Ghetto"!!!! Seeing that it had a cover of "Aquarius" on there and being on MPS it was purchased for the sizeable fee of 50 pence. Connoseirs of the breaks should be aware of this Lp for the 2 aformentioned tracks, Aquarius kicks of with what must be one of the heaviest and most begging to be sampled drum intro on any MPS recording whilst "The World Is A Ghetto" should be very familiar to most.

01 - The Way We Are
02 - Do You Know The Way To San Jose
03 - Killing Me Softly
04 - The World Is a Ghetto
05 - Superstar
06 - Eleanor Rigby
07 - Brian's Song
08 - Aquarius
09 - You Are The Sunshine Of My Life
10 - Alone Again, (Naturally)

Link:Download

Chuck Brooks - Baby Please Don't Set Me Free

2010-05-02T07:25:00.003-07:00

Fania All Stars - Our Latin Thing 2 (2006)

2010-04-14T12:32:00.000-07:00

Our Latin Thing 2 is part of Fania’s re-issue campaign, Fania being the record label that is to salsa “what Def Jam is to hip hop,” at least according to Louie Vega. It was founded in 1960s New York by Jerry Masucci and Johnny Pacheco Fania and went on to become the home of Celia Cruz, Tuti Puente and Ray Barretto.

The re-issues consist of never heard before material, re-mastered classics, some limited release DJ mixes by the likes of DJ Format, Bugz in the Attic and Ashley Beedles, and a series of samplers such as this.

Our Latin Thing 2 is an intro to the early work of Fania and 1970s New York - a time when soul, jazz and funk were finding a footing in the Latin scene. Tracks such as Ralph Robles’ ‘Come and Get It’ and Monguito Santamaria’s ‘Ne Ne’ simply ooze cool, though in very different ways; the former with its bouncy piano riffs and sexy horns topped with Robles’ smoky vocals, the latter with its bongo rhythms and fast flowing lyrics.

01 - Willie Rosario - Last Tango In Paris

02 - Willie Colon - The Hustler

03 - Ralph Robles - Come and Get It

04 - Eddie Palmieri & Cal Tjader - Bamboleate

05 - Johnny Pacheco - Dakar, Punto Final

06 - Monguito Santamaria - Ne Ne

07 - Hector Lavoe - El Todopoderoso

08 - Celia Cruz and Johnny Pacheco - No Mercedes

09 - Ruben Blades and Willie Colon - Pedro Navaja

10 - Joe Bataan - Shaft

Link:Download

Link:Listen

Paul Humphrey - 1969 - Paul Humphrey and The Cool-Aid Chemists

2010-04-09T09:10:00.000-07:00

Paul Humphrey & The Cool Aid Chemists

Lizard/P-Vine (Japan)

1969

Funky drums from the mighty Paul Humphrey, one of the standout studio players of the LA scene of the 60s and 70s, and an even better talent as a leader on this set! Paul's working here in a style that's partly in a funk mode, and partly soul instrumental, supported by small combo instrumentation from other figures on the LA scene, including David T Walker on guitar, Clarence McDonald on keyboards, and Phil Upchurch on bass. The sound is lean and mean, often with a hard-stepping feel that makes many of the cuts sound like some of the more stripped-down blacksploitation numbers from the time!

01 - Cool Aid

02 - Them Changes

03 - Sack Full Of Dreams

04 - Music Talk

05 - Something

06 - Baby Rice

07 - Detroit

08 - Ain't That Peculiar

09 - Dreams

10 - Funky L.A.

Link:Download

Deep Funk (compilated by me)

2010-04-05T12:23:00.000-07:00

This is something i made for those of you who love new heavy raw deep funk.. I got so many albums in my stash and this came out quickly, but i hope to enjoy it every one of you. And another thing , if don't mind, i expect a little comment bout that...

Link:Download

Ghana Funk From The 70's (2009)

2010-04-05T02:17:00.000-07:00

Ghana Funk From The 70's

Hippo (Netherlands), 1970's

Heavy funk from 70s Ghana, a sweet little set that's filled with rare and unusual grooves! The collection's got a strong focus on unreleased and very obscure material and from what we can tell, none of these tracks have been reissued at all! The work here is not only funky, but it's also got some really offbeat qualities too, a bit psyche-oriented at times, in the way the production comes together, or in the style of the instrumentation, a lot less crossover-oriented than some of the other grooves coming from other parts of the African scene in the 70s, although there's plenty of numbers here that would appeal to fans of American funk and soul.

01. C.K. Mann - Okuan Tsentsen Awar
02. Rob - Read The Bible
03. Cutlass Dance Band - Accra Makola
04. Apagya Show Band - Kwaakwa
05. Ebo Taylor - Amponsah
06. Apagya Show Band - Sika Nti
07. C.K. Mann & The Masters - Mber Papa
08. Cutlass Dance Band - Kofi Wedzidzi
09. Apagya Show Band - I Am Black
10. Gyedu-Blay Ambolley - Bolga Besia
11. Cutlass Dance Band - Sukuu Yede
12. Amartey Hedzoleh - Dza Hunu Tso

Link:Download

Billy Harper - 1975 - Black Saint

2010-04-02T04:57:00.001-07:00

Billy Harper - Title Black Saint

Date of Release: Jul 21, 1975 - Jul 22, 1975

Billy Harper - Sax (Tenor), Cowbell

Malcom Pinson - Drums

Virgil Jones - Trumpet

David Friesen - Bass

Joe Bonner - Piano

Tenor saxophonist Billy Harper helped launch the Italy-based Black Saint jazz label with this 1975 release. And not only does this represent the inaugural outing for the label, it also signifies one of the finest modern jazz releases of the '70s. Influenced by tenor sax giant John Coltrane, Harper proceeded to mold a distinctly personalized sound awash with slight inferences of R&B and hard bop. Additionally, the saxophonist's melodic gifts come to the forefront throughout this often-invigorating studio date. On the opening piece, titled "Dance Eternal Spirits, Dance," the tenor saxophonist fuses an engagingly melodic theme with lightning-fast flurries atop a peppery jazz waltz groove. Harper radiantly executes soul-searching lines atop a loosely based jazz waltz/swing vamp during "Croquet Ballet," as he alternates lower-register voicings with high-pitched, plaintive cries. Here the artist shrewdly reworks the primary melody as he literally interrogates his tenor saxophone. Highlights abound, while trumpeter Virgil Jones and pianist Joe Bonner provide Harper with buoyant frameworks via hearty soloing and intuitive support. Vigorously recommended.

Harper's solos are worth the price of the record alone searing with a raw, post-Coltrane energy as he darts in and out of the voices in the backings.

1. Dance, Eternal Spirits, Dance! (Harper) - 06:52

2. Croquet Ballet (Harper) - 13:02

3. Call of the Wild and Peaceful Heart (Harper) - 21:22

Link:Download

Dexter Gordon - 1961-1978 - Ballads

2010-03-30T13:14:00.000-07:00

1962-1965. A good collection of cuts from various Gordon Blue Note sessions. Though you can't knock the quality of the material, this remains a troublesome practice.

Along with Gene Ammons and Stanley Turrentine, Dexter Gordon was one of the top ballad players of the '60s. Having already made his name in the bebop era and as an expatriate in Europe, Gordon returned to the States to record a series of fine Blue Note discs during the first half of the decade. This edition of the label's Ballads series features Gordon at his peak and in the company of some of hard bop's best players. Whether melding nicely with trumpeter Donald Byrd from a Paris date in 1964 ("Darn That Dream") or locking in with the stellar rhythm section of Sonny Clark, Butch Warren, and Billy Higgins ("Don't Explain"), Gordon delivers his almost sleepy and smoke-filled solos with regal grace. The same can also be said of the rest of this incredible program, including a latter-day live cut from 1978. A perfect set for those in need of a provocative after-hours session in front of the stereo.

Dexter Gordon - Sax (Tenor)

George Cables - Piano

Sonny Clark - Piano

Kenny Drew - Piano

Barry Harris - Piano

Billy Higgins - Drums

Philly Joe Jones - Drums

Pierre Michelot - Bass

Horace Parlan - Piano

Bud Powell - Piano

Rufus Reid - Bass

Art Taylor - Drums

George Tucker - Bass

Butch Warren - Bass

Al Harewood - Drums

Bob Cranshaw - Bass

Todd Barkan - Producer

Donald Byrd - Trumpet

Paul Chambers - Bass

Kenny Clarke - Drums

1. Darn That Dream (DeLange/VanHeusen) - 7:32

2. Don't Explain (Herzog/Holiday) - 6:06

3. I'm a Fool to Want You (Herron/Sinatra/Wolf) - 6:45

4. Ernie's Tune (Gordon) - 4:16

5. You've Changed (Carey/Fischer) - 7:27

6. Willow Weep for Me (Ronell) - 8:48

7. Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out to Dry (Cahn/Kahn/Styne) - 5:22

8. Body and Soul (Eyton/Eyton/Green/Green/Heyman/Heyman/Sour) - 17:00

Link:Download

Mongo Santamaria - 1968 - Soul Bag

2010-03-29T14:50:00.000-07:00

Conguero Mongo Santamaria released this LP in 1968 on Columbia Records, it was produced by David Rubinson, personnel is Mongo Santamaria on congas, Bernard "Pretty" Purdie on drums, Rodgers Grant on piano & organ, Victor Venegas on bass, Hubert Laws on sax & flute, Mauricio Smith on sax & flute, Sonny Fortune on sax, Louis Gasca on trumpet, "Chihuaha" and Ray Maldonado on percussion and Stephen Berrios on timbales & drums. Arrangements by Marty Sheller.

01 - Cold Sweat

02 - Green Onions

04 - Cloud Nine

05 - Chili Beans

06 - Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay

07 - Sing a Simple Song

08 - We Got Latin Soul

Link:Download

Alice Coltrane - 1970 - Journey In Satchidananda

2010-03-17T11:57:00.000-07:00

Alice Coltrane "Journey in Satchidinanda"

Label: Impulse! Records

Released: 1970

Recorded: 8 November 1970

Producers: Alice Coltrane & Ed Michel

Alice Coltrane (harp and piano)

Pharoah Sanders (soprano sax)

Vishnu Wood (oud)

Rashied Ali (drums)

Cecil McBee (bass)

Charlie Haden (bass)

Majid Shabazz (bells, tambourine)

Tulsi (tamboura)

Alice Coltrane’s fourth album, originally released in ’70, & often regarded as her best, with good reason – this is an undeniably transcendent work, maybe the best amalgam of jazz & eastern influences ever recorded. Pharoah Sanders & Rashied Ali are again with Coltrane, Cecil McBee on bass, & the group is augmented with tambura, bells & tambourine. Rhythmically, this is a very groove oriented record – laid back, but not soft – a nice earthly grounding for the floating, swirling clouds of tambura & harp. Coltrane also plays piano, which tends to link up more with the rhythm section more than the harp which is in turns both fiery & ethereal. Both Sanders & Ali have channeled their more aggressive tendencies into to the over all spirit of peace & warmth with pervades the album. This is one of those records which transforms the atmosphere of whatever space it is being projected into (even if it is just your own head), generating a sort of paradisiacal realm of bliss & calm. The final track, “Isis & Osiris,” recorded live at around the same time, though Charlie Haden replacing McBee & oud in place of tambura, gets to a slightly different soundrealm, which is a little more unsettled, spontaneous. Coltrane mostly lets Vishnu Wood’s oud shape the piece, & there is consequently a stronger middle eastern flavor here, & the rhythm section is freer, before arriving at an end which very much recalls the previous material. Timeless, genre-transcending, classic.

01. Journey In Satchidananda

02. Shiva-Loka

03. Stopover Bombay

04. Something About John Coltrane

05. Isis and Osiris (Live)

Link:Download

John Coltrane - 1965 - Sun Ship

2010-03-08T11:56:00.000-08:00

Sun Ship - John Coltrane

Impulse, 1965

An excellent set of tracks that was recorded by Coltrane in 1965, but not released until after his death, when Impulse were going through the vaults, and pulling out some amazing work that ranked with his best official releases of the time.

Other than First Meditations, which was not released at the time, Sun Ship was the final studio album by John Coltrane's classic quartet before Pharoah Sanders joined the band on second tenor. At this point in time, Coltrane was using very short repetitive themes as jumping-off points for explosive improvisations, often centered around one chord and a very specific spiritual mood. Tyner sounds a bit conservative in comparison, but Jones keeps up with Trane's fire (especially on "Amen"). Even in the most intense sections (and much of this music is atonal), there is a logic and thoughtfulness about Coltrane's playing.

Personnel:

John Coltrane - Tenor Saxophone

McCoy Tyner - Piano

Jimmy Garrison - Bass

Elvin Jones - Drums

1. Sun Ship 6:13

2. Dearly Beloved 6:27

3. Amen 8:16

4. Attaining 11:27

5. Ascent 10:05

Link:Download

Charles Sullivan - 1976 - Re-entry

2010-03-08T11:12:00.001-08:00

One of the few sessions ever cut as a leader by soul jazz trumpeter Charles Sullivan, a brilliant talent who shone brightly in the mid 70s, working in hip small groups that were very much in the Strata East mode. This rare, previously Japanese-only release has Sullivan working with Rene McLean, Kenny Barron, Buster Williams, and Billy Hart on a tightly crafted set of tunes that share the same lyrical searching quality as some of McLean or Barron's own work from the time. The compositions are incredibly soulful, very much in the mode of some of Billy Harper's genius Japanese recordings.

01 - Re-entry

02 - Body & Soul

03 - Carefree

04 - Waltz For Cricket

05 - Mabe's Way

06 - Body & Soul

07 - Carefree

Link:Download

Herbie Hancock - 1973 - Live In Ultrasonic Studios, Hempstead, New York

2010-02-27T08:27:00.001-08:00

HERBIE HANCOCK AND THE HEADHUNTERS

Live at Ultrasonic Recording Studios, Hempstead, NY , October 1st, 1973

PERSONNEL

Herbie Hancock: keyboards

Bennie Maupin: reeds

Paul Jackson: bass

Mike Clark: drums

TRACKS

01. Actual Proof (9.37)

02. Butterfly (12.47)

03. Sly (17.48)

04. Chameleon (15.41)

Link:Download

Herbie Hancock - 1978 - Live At Nakano Sun Plaza. Tokyo

2010-02-25T05:04:00.001-08:00

Herbie Hancock

Nakano Sun Plaza, recorded in Tokyo, September 29, 1978

4 Brothers Beats

Lineup:

Herbie Hancock - Electric Piano, Keyboards

Bennie Maupin - Soprano & Tenor Saxophones

Webster Lewis - Keyboards

Paul Jackson - Bass

Bill Summers - Percussion

Alphonse Mouzon - Drums

Tracks:

1. Butterfly

2. Sunlight

3. I Thought It Was You

4. Chameleon

5. Shifless Shuffle

Link:Download

George Coleman - 1979 - Playing Changes (Live at Ronnie Scott's Club)

2010-01-18T13:52:00.001-08:00

George Coleman - Playing Changes (Live at Ronnie Scott's Club)

1979

Personnel:

George Coleman - Tenor Saxophone

Hilton Ruiz - Piano

Ray Drummond - Bass

Billy Higgins - Drums

01 - Laura

02 - Sierra

03 - Moment's Notice

Link:Download

George Coleman - 1987 - At Yoshi's

2010-01-17T12:15:00.001-08:00

George Coleman - At Yoshi's

08/01/1987

Evidence

Credits:
George Coleman - Sax (Tenor), Producer, Main Performer
Harold Mabern - Piano
Ray Drummond - Bass
Alvin Queen - Drums

When any recording made by George Coleman is issued, it's an instant event. Though Coleman has always been busy performing, writing, and especially teaching, scant few LPs or CDs have come listeners' way. It is especially thrilling to hear him live in concert performance at the initial site of the then newly minted Yoshi's in Oakland, CA, as his extended techniques and heightened sense of tonal ideas come fully to the fore. Coleman and pianist Harold Mabern, both originally from the fertile jazz scene in Memphis, make the perfect tandem, ably supported by super pros in expatriate drummer Alvin Queen and veteran New York bassist Ray Drummond, both of whom Coleman played with when he was in Europe.There are many solemn, laid-back, and reflective moments from Coleman, as both of the opening tracks, "They Say It's Wonderful" and "Good Morning Heartache," warm slowly and simmer at their easily swinging maximum, with the tenor man progressively squeezing out more and more notes in refined fashion.Never far from the soul of his homeland, "Laig Gobblin' Blues" is a refreshing modal original by the leader, a 5/4 beat in a 12-bar idea, with 7/4 tossed in cleverly. The dignity and class of Coleman cannot be overemphasized, as he further displays on his neat and clean composition "Father." A lovely and loping "Soul Eyes" is a perfect closer over its nearly 17 minutes, giving pause to the thought that it was in fact Coleman who influenced John Coltrane. The quick, constantly forward-moving Freddie Hubbard standard waltz "Up Jumped Spring" further shows a relationship between the tenor titans, with the band quoting Trane's "Ole." The talent of Mabern is formidable, tasteful, and exciting, as showcased during his rumbling chords during "Io," a killer modal track written by Paul Arslanian, as Coleman inserts a memorable singsong line and Queen injects some calypso. This one is as definitive a track as Coleman has in his repertoire. Frankly, the whole CD from top to bottom has Coleman and his band inspired to the hilt and playing their best, and At Yoshi's is a highly recommended effort that deserves a space on each and every jazz lover's shelf.

01 - They Say It's Wonderful

02 - Good Morning Heartache

03 - Laig Gobblin' Blues

04 - Io

05 - Up Jumped Spring

06 - Father

07 - Soul Eyes

Link:Download

Bobby Hutcherson - 1970 - San Francisco Featuring Harold Land

2009-12-23T08:13:00.000-08:00

Bobby Hutcherson - San Francisco Featuring Harold Land

Blue Note

Bobby Hutcherson - Vibraphone

Harold Land - Tenor Sax, Flute, Oboe

Joe Sample - Acoustic & Electric Pianos

John Williams - Acoustic & Electric Basses

Mickey Roker - Drums

Produced by Duke Pearson at UA Studios LA

Recording Date: July 15 1970

Bobby Hutcherson's late-'60s partnership with tenor saxophonist Harold Land had always produced soulful results, but not until San Francisco did that translate into a literal flirtation with funk and rock. After watching several advanced post-bop sessions gather dust in the vaults, Hutcherson decided to experiment with his sound a bit, but San Francisco still doesn't wind up the commercial jazz-funk extravaganza that purists might fear. Instead, Hutcherson and Land stake out a warm and engaging middle ground between muscular funk and Coltrane-style modality; in other words, they have their cake and eat it too. Joined by pianist/keyboardist Joe Sample (also of the Jazz Crusaders), acoustic/electric bassist John Williams, and drummer Mickey Roker, Hutcherson and Land cook up a series of spacious, breezy grooves that sound unlike any other record in the vibist's discography (even his more commercial fusion sessions). The selections -- all group-member originals -- often skirt the edges of fusion, but rarely play it as expected; they might float some spare tradeoffs over a loping, heavy bass groove, throw in an oboe solo by Land, or -- as on the slowest piece -- keep time only with intermittently spaced piano chords. It's all done with enough imagination and harmonic sophistication to achieve the rare feat of holding appeal for traditional jazz and rare-groove fans alike. It's a shame Hutcherson didn't explore this direction more, because San Francisco is not only one of his best albums, but also one of his most appealing and accessible.

01. Goin' Down South

02. Prints Tie

03. Jazz

04. Ummh

05. Procession

06. A Night In Barcelona

Link:Download

Harold Land - 1972 - Damisi

2009-12-18T02:45:00.000-08:00

Harol Land - Damisi

Mainstream Records, MRL 367

1972

Harold Land : tenor saxophone, oboe

Ndugu (Leon Chancler) : drums

Buster Williams : Fender bass, acoustic bass

Bill Henderson : electric piano, acoustic piano

Oscar Brashear : trumpet, flugelhorn

Bobby Hutcherson : vibraphone (tracks 6 & 7 only)

"Step Right Up From The Bottom" is a straight ahead acoustic cooker by Land with some intriguing changes allowing the soloists to stretch out.

"In The Back etc"has a funky feeling-electric keyboards and bass, Brashaer on flugelhorn and the two horns interweaving in a complex, collectivly improvisational finish.

Land plays Oboe on "Pakistan" and it's exotic tone is well suited to its dark mood. Brashaers muted trumpet and Hendersons Tyneresque piano contribute to the adventurous piece. Back on tenor Land plays Ndugu's" Chocolate Mess" on which brief ensemble statements alternate with a sustained minor vamp.

"Damisi" is an attractive melodic creation, featuring Land at his most intense on two burning solos seperated by trumpet and piano passages.

1. Step Right Up To The Bottom

2. In The Back, In The Corner, In The Dark

3. Pakistan

4. Chocolate Mess

5. Damisi

6. Dark Mood

7. Up and Down

Link:Download

Matthew Halsall

2009-12-04T05:56:00.003-08:00

Already following up on his Sending My Love debut, Mancunian trumpeter Matthew Halsall teams up with labelmate Nat Birchall, pianist Adam Fairhall, bass player Gavin Barras and alternating drummers Gaz Hughes and Marek Dorcik for an album of melodic and often meditative jazz. As with its predecessor there's a pleasantly trad feel to all this, taking on the feel and character of a fairly conventional club combo, albeit with an uncommonly heightened sense of composerly intuition. Halsall sounds especially strong during the record's quieter passages, slowing the pulse to stealthy, dulcet levels on 'I've Been Here Before', leaving room for restrained, melancholy intonations counterbalanced by the prickly harpof Rachael Gladwin.

The Compositions by Matthew Halsall - http://www.gondwanarecords.com/

Booker Ervin - 1966 - Structurally Sound

2009-11-24T22:23:00.000-08:00

Booker Ervin - "Structurally Sound"

1966

Personnel:

Booker Ervin (tenor saxophone)

Charles Tolliver (trumpet)

John Hicks (piano)

Red Mitchell (bass)

Lenny McBrowne (drums)

Notes:

Mixing the dusky romanticism of Dexter Gordon and the progressive tonal ideology of John Coltrane, Booker Ervin is often filed under "A" for amalgam alongside other overlooked tenor masters such as Tina Brooks and Hank Mobley. Structurally Sound is perhaps not Ervin's most provocative album, but a solid and tasty endeavor featuring the "suspended" chord sounds popularized by McCoy Tyner during the late '60s. Here, the chords come via the brilliant pianist John Hicks, who opens the album with funky high-end triplet figures on Randy Weston's "Berkshire Blues." Joining in is a well-selected roster of musicians, many of whom were also overshadowed by their more well-known contemporaries, including Charles Tolliver on trumpet, Red Mitchell on bass, and Lenny McBrowne on drums. Tolliver contributes the original composition "Franess," a Wayne Shorter-influenced affair that features his fat and burnished tone. They also cover Oliver Nelson's blissful standard "Stolen Moments" to good effect. Originally ending with an athletic up-tempo version of "Take the 'A' Train," the Blue Note Connoisseur Series reissue includes a sparkling "Shiny Stockings," featuring an especially inspired chorus by Ervin. An oddball version of "White Christmas" also makes it onto the disc, as do alternate takes of "Franess" and "Deep Night."

Tracks:

01. Berkshire Blues

02. Dancing In The Dark

03. Stolen Moments

04. Franess

05. Boo’s Blues

06. You’re My Everything

07. Deep Night

08. Take The 'A' Train

09. Shiny Stockings

10. White Christmas

11. Franess (alternate take)

12. Deep Night (alternate take)

Link:Download

Dexter Gordon - 1962 - A Swingin' Affair

2009-10-29T03:20:00.000-07:00

Artist: Dexter Gordon

Album: A Swingin' Affair

Year: 1962

Label: Blue Note

Personnel:

Dexter Gordon (Tenor Saxophone)

Sonny Clark (Piano)

Butch Warren (Double Bass)

Billy Higgins (Drums)

Dexter Gordon was on a roll in 1962 when he recorded A Swingin' Affair. Two days earlier he and this same quartet recorded his classic album Go!; the band included pianist Sonny Clark, bassist Butch Warren, and drummer Billy Higgins. Gordon wrote two of the set's six tunes, the first of which, the Afro-Cuban-flavored "Soy Califa," is a burner. Higgins' drumming double-times the band as Gordon lays out the melody -- even his solo doesn't stray far from it and he returns to it repetitively. Clark vamps with beautiful minor-key chords that he then adds to his own solo, moving all around the lyric with his right hand. And Higgins and Warren are truly wonderful on this one. There are also three standards here. Gordon was always a master of them because his own approach to improvisation was essentially one of melodic invention. "Don't Explain" is ushered in by Clark stating the changes; Gordon's low and slow playing is romantic and sensual. On "You Stepped Out of a Dream," Gordon and Clark take the melody and invert it in the bridge; they turn it into a kind of groove as Higgins plays Latin-tinged rhythms throughout. Warren's "The Backbone" is a hard bop groover with a bossa nova flavor, as he and Gordon twin on the tune's head before Dex moves off into his solo. It's easily the best thing here. This is a hot hard bop band, playing a program that's relaxed and mostly upbeat; they even manage to stretch a bit. The Rudy Van Gelder Edition features fine sound but no bonus material.

Tracks:

1. Soy Califa (Dexter Gordon) 6:29

2. Don't Explain (Arthur Herzog Jr./Billie Holiday) 6:07

3. You Stepped Out Of A Dream (Nacio Herb Brown/Gus Kahn) 6:34

4. The Backbone (Butch Warren) 6:49

5. (It Will Have To Do) Until The Real Thing Comes Along (Sammy Cahn/Saul Chaplin/L.E. Freeman/Mann Holiner/Alberta Nichols) 6:50

6. Mc Splivens (Dexter Gordon) 5:42

Link:Download

Sonny Rollins, McCoy Tyner, Ron Carter, Al Foster - 1978 - Milestone Jazzstars In Concert

2009-10-09T08:52:00.001-07:00

Milestone Jazz Stars - In Concert

1978

Personnel:

Sonny Rollins - tenor and soprano saxophones

McCoy Tyner - piano

Ron Carter - bass

Al Foster - drums

Tracks:

1. The Cutting Edge

2. Alone Together

3. Continuum

4. Nubia

5. N.O. Blues

6. In A Sentimental Mood

7. A Little Pianissimo

8. Don't Stop The Carnival

Link:Download

Favourites

2009-09-30T04:44:00.001-07:00

Syl Johnson - I'm Talkin' Bout Freedom

Lillian Hale - Don't Boom Boom

Bobby Jackson - 1978 - Desiree Song

2009-08-24T02:49:00.000-07:00

Bobby Jackson - "Desiree Song"

(LP Ninth Note Records, US, 1978)

Catalog # NNR-0072

Personnel:

Bobby Jackson (piano)

Tony Moreno (drums)

Enrique Mercado Reyes (trombone)

Bobby Hughes (alto saxophone)

John Howard (bass)

Review:

I am big fan of Independent Jazz Labels. This album was first made known to me a few years back by a jazz dealer of mine. He wouldn’t sell me his copy though, so I had to look for it myself. A very strong LP - and a must for lovers of spiritual jazz. I was blown away the first time I heard "Desiree Song". The Piano and messy horn bit at the end does my head in every time. Also check out "Modetique" on the album as well: Really nice (even if I do say so myself).

Tracks:

1.Desiree Song

2.Modetique

3.Bunglers Twist

4.Peepin

5.Pressure Funk

Link:Download

Unsung: The Story Of Donny Hathaway

2009-08-19T09:12:00.000-07:00

Donny Hathaway was a Prolific Song Writer and Music Composer of the Fabulous Soul Music Era. Donny's rise to Soul Music Prominence made him the standard bearer for today's R&B Male vocalist. Indeed Donny Hathaway is responsible for creating and influencing today's modern R&B vocal style for ALL male vocalist of our time. Before Donny Hathaway, no R&B male singer or performer was singing riffs, incorporating high notes or bringing down the house with soulful, melodic vocals. Donny Hathaway was the FIRST to do it...................not Lurther Vandross, not Stevie Wonder, Not even Marvin Gaye!

Link:Download

Bridge - 1981 - Crying For Love

2009-08-19T07:45:00.000-07:00

Bridge - Crying For Love

We all know the group - their mixture of soul, funk, disco and Latin elements made this marvellous grouping a really talented band with the versatility and option to change tempo, the direction and beat at the drop of a hat. Something not many artists can do today. Still, this CD is a collection of the demo cuts that won them a recording deal with the CBS owned Bang label. These songs were recorded in 1981 and were intended to become their album for the label. Sadly this was not to pass, and these songs were to sit and gather dust. As one quick spin off of this CD will show this was a criminal act. Still, First Experience has done the decent thing and has rectified this very sorry situation. 1981 as I have said before, was a vintage year for soul music and this is reflected in every song on this CD. I cannot really pull out any clear favourites on this CD but please, if I may, direct you to a few particular songs, which I think should be given special listening treatment. Vocalists Debravon Lewis and Derick Hughes are superb; the latter is very reminiscent of the sadly missed and masterful Donny Hathaway. Both "Stella" and "Listen" are excellent readings of the 1977 Norman Connors versions, and are here performed by the writers themselves in their own right. "From The Darkness To The Light" is a superb ballad complete with flute and summary percussion background which really does the honours. Continuing the trend is "Fire Burning" which underlines how criminal it was not to have had the material released years ago. The vocals on this song are stunning, with Derick Hughes really laying out the red carpet. Surprisingly, for me, was the "Next To Me" cut that was covered by drummer Kenneth Nash. On his 1986 "Mr Ears" album. These tracks are but a few of the highlights from many gems on here.

01. Crying For Love

02. Stella

03. From The Darkness To The Light

04. Fire Burning

05. Waiting Patiently

06. He Say C. She Say Game

07. Sweet & Wonderful

08. Out There In Space

09. No Where Love Affair

10. Rivers Of Love

11. Turn To Love

12. Next To Me

13. Reach Out

14. Listen

Link:Download

Jump Back - A Tribute To James Brown (2008)

2009-07-30T02:09:00.000-07:00

01 Os Incriveis - I Feel Good

02 Jr. and The Preludes - Papa's Got a Brand New Bag

03 Soul Sounds - Lickin' Stick

04 Showmen - Voglio Restare Solo

05 Rabbits and Carrots - Give it Up Or Turn it Loose

06 Rabbits and Carrots - Sex Machine

07 Kashmere Stage Band - Super Bad

08 Soul Sound - I Got the Feelin'

09 Esquires Now - Think About it

10 The Presidents - It's my Thing

11 Victor Olaiya & His International All Stars - There Was a Time, Cold Sweat (Medley)

12 Victor Olaiya & His International All Stars - Mother Popcorn

13 Impalas - Soul

14 Big Boe and The Nighthawks - My Thing

15 The Invaders - Big Payback

16 Get Up With the Dancer - Sex Machine

17 University of Illinois Jazz Band feat. Don Smith - I Got the Feelin'

18 Harrison High School - Get on the Good Foot

19 Les Watson and The Panthers - Mother Popcorn

Link:Download

Good God! Heavy Funk Covers Of James Brown From All Over The World 1968-1974 (2007)

2009-07-29T14:30:00.000-07:00

Good God, indeed -- a masterful compilation of some of the weirdest James Brown covers you've ever heard -- a truly global assortment of tunes, all of which really keep the best funky spirit of The Godfather in place! The tracks here go way past the usual, and most of the numbers are all quite obscure -- tracks recorded not even by soul singers, but by an assortment of artists of many different genres-- all working at different points around the globe in the 60s and 70s, brought together here by their love of James' original funky vision! And in case you're worried about these tunes being some watered-down version of the JB groove, put your fears to rest -- because all the cuts here have as many funky breaks and hard riffing as any of James' best from back in the day -- sometimes even more, given the weirdness of their styles!

01. El Klan - Cold Sweat

02. Dillard Crumb & The Soul Rockers - Mother Popcorn

03. St. Vincent's Latinaires - Hot Pants I'm Comin'

04. The Dave Pike Set - I Got The Feelin'

05. Toni Tornado - Soul Negro

06. Doublass High School Stage Band 1970 - My Thing , I Made A Mistake Medley

07. Lil' Tiger - Do It (Give It Up , My Thing Medley)

08. The Philosophers - Mama's Orgy (Cold Sweat)

09. Waltel Branco - Tema De Zorra (Popcorn With A Feeling)

10. East Of Underground - Popcorn

11. Six Pack - There Was A Time

12. Willy Dickson & The Playboys - Lickin' Stick

13. Som Livre House Band - Papa Don't Take No Mess

14. Skorpyons Of Jamaica - Think (About It)

15. El Combo Xingu - Hot Pants

16. Tihomir Pop Asanovic - Hot Pants Road

Link:Download

German Funk Fieber Vol. 2

2009-06-28T13:55:00.000-07:00

01. Siegfried Schwab - High Snobiety

02. Malcolm’s Locks - Get Up Stand Up

03. Orchestra And Chorus Les Humphries – Mandrake

04. Lift - Wenn

05. James Last - Rice And Beans

06. The Cosmic Sound Orchestra - Listen to the Beat

07. Eric Thoener’s Sound Magazine - Speed Limit

08. Joy Fleming - Geld

09. Panta Rhei - Der Losverkäufer

10. Roland Kovac & The ORF Big Band - Operation Rose

11. Manfed Krug - Wenns Draußen Grün Wird

12. Jochen Brauer Sextett - Sunny

13. Kati Kovács - Sehnsucht

14. Memphis Black - Testify

15. Fredy Brock - Betwixt And Between

16. Don Anderson - Understanding

17. Jürgen Franke - Back Talk

18. Peter Thomas - Evening Air

Link:Listen

Link:Download

German Funk Fieber Vol. 1

2009-06-24T10:39:00.000-07:00

01 - Gus Brendel - Night Clipper

02 - Messengers - Gang Bang

03 - Ken Aldin - Dark Alley

04 - Was Tun Band - Es Geht

05 - SWF Tanzorchester Rolf-Hans Mueller - Gate One

06 - Veit Marvos Red Point Orchestra - Family Affair

07 - Die Melon Men - Tuesday

08 - Martin Philippi Blues Band - I Got My Mojo Workin'

09 - Klaus Wunderlich - Summertime

10 - The Rainbow Orchestra - La Avispa

11 - Dave Kamien Division - Watermelon Man

12 - Howard Carpendale - Du Hast Mich

13 - Hugo Strasser - Flashlights

14 - Peter Herbolzheimer - Rock-O-Mobile

15 - Heinz Kiessling Orchestra - Uptown

16 - Sandra Haas - Kleiner Mann

18 - Udo Lindenberg - Votan Wahnwitz

Link:Download

Avenue Blue featuring Jeff Golub

2009-06-05T03:30:00.000-07:00

In the '90s, guitarist Jeff Golub's blend of jazz, R&B, and pop earned him a reputation for being one of the edgier, more tasteful players in the crossover jazz/NAC/smooth jazz field. Although some of Golub's recordings were played on smooth jazz stations extensively, he was quoted as saying that he refuses to play outright elevator music, and to be sure, Golub's solos give the impression that he is essentially a soul-jazz improviser at heart. The Ohio native (whose influences have included Wes Montgomery, George Benson, Lee Ritenour, and Larry Carlton, among others) is quite capable of playing straight-ahead bop; he certainly has the chops for it. However, Golub chose to focus on more commercial music and has a long résumé as a rock, pop, and R&B session player. He appreciates being compared to artists like David Sanborn, the Crusaders, Ronnie Laws, Joe Sample, and the late Grover Washington, Jr., that is, instrumentalists who can be commercial and groove-oriented but still have a jazz improviser's mentality.

01 - Pick Up The Pieces

02 - Stockholm Prelude

03 - Stockholm

04 - Gimmie Some

05 - That's The Way Of The World

06 - West Side Serenade

07 - Nightingale

08 - I'll Be Around

09 - Atlanta Nights

10 - Just Goodbye

11 - Lucy, I'm Home

12 - Moon River

Link:Download

BWB - 2002 - Groovin'

2009-06-04T10:54:00.001-07:00

WB stands for the first initials in the last names of Rick Braun (trumpet) , Kirk Whalum (soprano & tenor saxophones) , and Norman Brown (guitar).

Additional personnel includes:

Dee Dee Bridgewater (vocals)

Michael Campbell (guitar)

Ricky Peterson (Fender Rhodes, Hammond B-3 organ, keyboards)

Christian McBride (bass)

Gregory Hutchinson (drums)

Bashiri Johnson (percussion)

BWB's (Rick Braun, Kirk Whalum & Norman Brown) debut album Groovin' harks back to a great '70s session vibe with a disc of classic covers given a Smooth Jazz groove, including The Radicals 'Groovin,' Booker T & The MGs 'Hip Hug Her,' Curtis Mayfield's 'Let's Do It Again,' The Isley Brothers 'It's Your Thing' and Parliament's 'Up For The Down Stroke.' The disc also includes exclusive behind-the-scenes video. Warner. 2002.

Recorded at Capitol Studios, Sunset Sound, Los Angeles, California.

01 - Groovin'

02 - Brown Sugar

03 - Ruby Baby

04 - A Woman's Worth

05 - Hip Hug Her

06 - Mercy Mercy Mercy

07 - Let's Do It Again

08 - It's Your Thing

09 - Povo

10 - Up for the Down Stroke

Link:Download

Sharpshooters - 1996 - Choked Up

2009-06-02T05:59:00.000-07:00

Sharpshooters:

A collaboration between Seattle, WA, DJs Mr. Supreme (real name Danny Clavesilla) and Sureshot (real name Shane Hunt), the Sharpshooters produce sample-heavy down-tempo hip-hop and dance tracks. The pair released their first album, Buck the Saw, on their own Conception imprint in 1994. Two years later Shadow Records released Choked Up and garnered the duo considerable underground acclaim. A few singles followed, but it wasn't until 2003 that the Sharpshooters returned will a new full-length; Twice as Nice found the pair mixing live instruments into the already dense mix of samples and beats.

Link:Part 1

Link:Part 2

The Best Of Cookin'

2009-05-08T13:43:00.000-07:00

Various Artists, Best Of Cookin’, Ubiquity URCD 063 (2CD, USA), 2000

This slammin' two-CD compilation collects works from the fabulous acid jazz compilations Home Cookin', Mo Cookin', Still Cookin', What's Cookin', and Is That Jazz?. Galactic, Greyboy, DJ Swingset, Sharpshooters and others contribute midlength jams that are a mix of soulful melodies, deep funk grooves, hip-hop beats, and rump-shaking dance music. While jazz has been influential in certain drum & bass circles since the late-'90s, these early-'90s neofusion hybrids serve as logical precursors and illuminate how well the artists on the set also serve the jam-band fans who've crossed over to improvised jazz largely on the strengths of funkateers like Medeski Martin & Wood and others. Even so, the tracks here sound incredibly fresh and fun, mixing live instruments and DJs for a party where everyone is playing spiritedly. At home on the dance floor or in the cocktail lounge, The Best of Cookin' is a fine reminder of the potency of acid jazz and a great introduction for electronic music fans who are interested in seeing a crucial early bridge between the jazz and DJ culture.

CD 1

01. Greyboy - Unwind Your Mind

02. Rhythm Section - Suzanne's Jam

03. Slide Five - Outerspace

04. Vibes Alive - The Spoken Word

05. Ping Pong - Goin' Downhill

06. Galactic - Black Eyed Pea

07. New Legends - Sole Food

08. Ten Bass T - Hip Hop Culture

09. Sharpshooters - Pork Pride Stride

10. Spirit Level - Solar Funk

11. Greyboy Allstars - Jungle Strut

12. Jacko Peake - SFO

13. Mock Quintet - Bolsa de Perrito

Link:Download

CD2

01. Sweet Potato - Monkey Wrench

02. Slide Five - Streamline

03. Greyboy - Grey's Groove

04. Rhythm Section - Tachyon

05. Vibes Alive - Mantra

06. Ping Pong - Be-Bop Props

07. Sky Juice - Children

08. Rhythm Section - Waiting for the Sun

09. Greyboy - Panacea

10. DJ Swingsett - Peace on the Streets

11. Sweet Potato - Wet Willie

Link:Download

Blue Mitchell - 1972 - Blues' Blues

2009-05-06T09:15:00.001-07:00

Blue Mitchell - Trumpet, Flugelhorn

Darrell Clayborn - Bass [Fender]

Ray Pounds - Drums

John Guerin - Drums

Joe Sample - Electric Piano, Piano [Acoustic]

Freddie Robinson - Guitar [Electric]

John Mayall - Harmonica

Herman Riley - Saxophone [Tenor], Flutev

At the time that this Mainstream LP was recorded, Blue Mitchell was the featured trumpeter with John Mayall's blues group. Mayall returned the favor for Blue's set, playing harmonica with an electric octet headed by Mitchell. Among the sidemen are Herman Riley (on tenor and flute), keyboardist Joe Sample and guitarist Freddy Robinson. The material (all obscure originals) is primarily blues-oriented, and the music overall is listenable and funky, but not particularly memorable. Just an average date from these fine musicians.

1. Casa Blues (8:25)

2. Just Made Up (7:32)

3. Blues' Blues (7:05)

4. Granite & Concrete (9:51)

5. I Didn't Ask To Be (10:09)

Link:Download

Push - 1996 - Can't Fight It

2009-05-05T03:27:00.001-07:00

Label: Soulciety Records

Catalog#: ME 00481

Country: Germany

Released: 1996

Bass - Ernie McKone

Drums - Crispin Taylor

Engineer - Alex Osman , Matt G

Guitar - Mark Vandergucht

Keyboards - Mike McEvoy*

Percussion - Conor Smith

Saxophone, Flute - Jacko Peake

Trumpet - Damon Brown (2)

Vocals - Eddie Saunders

1. Theme From "Push"

2. Fight It

3. Scarper

4. Contribution

5. Positive

6. The Flute Tune

7. Gimme Some More

8. Out On Sunday

9. Awesome Measure

10. It's Over

11. Jack's Jam

12. Ice

Link:Download

Joe Henderson - 1973 - Canyon Lady

2009-03-21T06:12:00.001-07:00

Joe Henderson - "Canyon Lady"

(LP Milestone Records, 1973)

Produced by Orrin Keepnews for Milestone Records

Recorded in October 1973 at Berkeley

Personnel :

Joe Henderson (ts)

Luis Gasca, Oscar Brashear, John Hunt (tp)

Julian Priester, Nicholaas TenBroek (tb)

Hadley Caliman, Ray Pizzi, Vincent Denham (flutes)

George Duke (el. piano)

Mark Levine (ac.piano)

John Heard (b)

Eric Gravatt (d)

Francisco Aguabella (perc.)

01. Tres Palabras

02. Las Palmas

03. Canyon Lady

04. All Thing Considered

Link:Download

Dizzy Gillespie & Lalo Schifrin - 1977 - Free Ride

2009-03-13T11:25:00.000-07:00

Dizzy Gillespie teamed up with Lalo Schifrin to compose and produce for him. The result is some interesting parts like a bass line with congas in Incantation, but a lot of the music is light, poppy jazz with a lot of wah wah guitar, sort of like Bob James. The best track is the last, Last Stroke Of Midnight with a dark and mysterious feel to it with keyboard work that sounds like it could be part of an Afrika Bambaataa track. Really though, most of the songs tend to merge into each other in an unmentionable mass.

01 - Unicorn

02 - Fire Dance

03 - Incantation

04 - Wrong Number

05 - Free Ride

06 - Ozone Madness

07 - Love Poem For Donna

08 - The Last Stroke Of Midnight

Link:Download

Charles Williams - 1972 - Stickball

2009-03-12T10:08:00.001-07:00

Charles Williams - Stickball

1972

Charles Williams (alto sax)

Chris Woods (alto sax, baritone sax)

David "Bubba" Brooks (tenor sax)

Frank Wess (tenor sax, flute)

Don Pullen (organ)

Clyde Lucas (drums)

Cornell Dupree (guitar)

David Spinozza (guitar)

Gordon Edwards (bass guitar)

Paul Griffin (electric piano)

Randy Brecker (flugelhorn)

Ray Barretto (congas)

David Carey (congas & marimbas)

and a 16-headedstring section, conducted by Ernie Wilkins

Recorded in NY 1972

LP: Mainstream 381

CD: Mainstream PCD 23934

Full-on funky backings for saxophonist Charles Williams -- a set that almost has him in the same territory as Stanley Turrentine during his late 70s years on Fantasy Records, or Hank Crawford over at Kudu! The style here is a bit more lush than some of the other Mainstream Records dates of the time -- full backings arranged and conducted by Ernie Wilkins -- always plenty darn soulful, and built around a mix of strings and jazzier instrumentation -- set up with the care and precision of a hip soul soundtrack, and topped by well-crafted alto sax solos by Williams.

01. Who Is He (And What Is He To You)

02. People Make The World Go 'Round

03. Where Is The Love

04. Iron Jaws

05. Drown In My Own Tears

06. Ain't No Blues

07. Just Before Day

08. Willow Weep For Me

Link:Download

Ramon Morris - 1973 - Sweet Sister Funk

2009-03-11T11:03:00.000-07:00

Ramon Morris

Sweet Sister Funk

'73 New York

Ramon Morris (ts)

Albert Daily (el-p)

Mickey Bass (b)

Granville "Mickey" Roker (dr)

Cecil Bridgewater (tp)

Lloyd Davis (g)

Tony Waters (congas)

One of the rarest albums on the Groove Merchant label -- and one of the best! Ramon Morris has a sweet tone on the tenor that works very well with the electric piano in his tight little combo -- grooving with a style that's like the best Black Jazz funk records of the time -- mixing together bright notes, funky rhythms, and plenty of great chord changes! Cecil Bridgewater's on trumpet, and the band has a really righteous feel -- with lots of real soul and thoughtful playing mixed into the jazz funk grooves of the record. Massive -- with titles that include "Sweat", "Lord Sideways", "Sweet Sister Funk", and a nice version of "People Make The World Go Round".

01. First Come, First Serve

02. Wijinia

03. Sweet Sister Funk

04. Sweat

05. Don't Ask Me

06. Lord Sideways

07. People Make The World Go Around

Link:Download

Frank McComb - 2003 - The Truth

2009-02-14T11:08:00.001-08:00

Listening to Frank McComb's album "The Truth Vol. One" artists like Steve Wonder, Donny Hathaway or Curtis Mayfield come into mind. Frank McComb is an excellent pianist and a charismatic singer. His first noticeable appearance was as a musical director for the R&B group Rude Boys, subsequently backing DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince (better known as Will Smith) in the studio. In 1994 he played with Branford Marsalis on his jazz-rap fusion project Buckshot LeFonque. His first solo album "Love Stories" was released in early 2000. Although that was not the first stuff he recorded. He was signed to Mojazz Records but the album he recorded there was shelved. "You Don't Know What Love Is" was a song he recorded with Marilyn Scott for her album "I’m In Love Once Again" (Release May 2003).

Now he is back with his new album, which will be released July 7th in the U.K (Expansion Records). The album starts with the love song Shine. A tasteful attempt of approach to a young beautiful lady with a shy attitude. Frank McComb smoky vocals have a high worth of recognition. The funky song is perfectly tailored to this singer and immediately ignites a flammable interest. The tune has a length of more than 7 minutes, enough time to let the feelin' grow.

''Watcha Gonna Do'' revives the flashback mood to good old Stevie Wonder. If you don't know Frank's music, it's really easy to think it's he, Stevie. Not only the similiarity of Frank's voice is phenomenal but also arrangement and instrumentation.

The love is standing in the center of Frank's interest as proved on ''Never Letting Go''. Remarkable Luis Van Taylor on flute with reverb and echoes building a waving soundscape.

On ''Do You Remember Love'' Frank plays intensively Wurlitzer Piano and Moog creating the dense atmosphere of Steve Wonder's music.

Human relationship is also the theme of ''Fools''. "Some are wise, then there are fools. Life has a way of changing things and the wise will learn while fools think it's oh so funny." This worldly wisdom is presented in a funky way. This time with the support of a Fender Rhodes piano combined with wah-wah effects.

Friends of Hammond B3 will like ''Action Speak Louder Than Words''. The Hammond player is no other than Billy Preston. Frank plays the Wurlitzer piano. Frank's vocal variety is phenomenal. Only a live version of this song could overtrump it.

''Cupids Arrow'' is pointed straight to our hearts. As all other songs Frank has affecionately made an arrangement with many details and grace.

On ''Better Off Without You'' Frank's natural timbre stands anew in the limelight. Frank knows to sing and the love song stands in the centre.

A vocal treasure is also the slow ''Intimate Time''. Paulhino Da Costa shows some nice percussion effects of exotic nature straight ahead from the jungle.

''Shine'' is added as a bonus mix. This song has a high potential for the first single release.

...

A classical interpretation with Grand Piano (Wayne Linsey), Harp (Lori Andrews), Cellos, Violas and Violins (Mark Cargil) intensified the impression of When You Call My Name and Frank's incredible voice.

01 - Shine

02 - Whatcha Gonna Do

03 - Never Letting Go

04 - Do You Remember Love

05 - Fools

06 - When You Call My Name

07 - Actions Speak Louder Than Words

08 - Cupid's Arrow

09 - Better Off Without You

10 - Intimate Time

11 - Shine [Bonus Mix]

Link:Download

Donny Hathaway and Friends - Live At The Astrodome

2009-02-01T10:21:00.000-08:00

Very rare album of the great Donny Hathaway , so favorite of mine. I hope to enjoy it , like i am ... I'm sorry but i don't have any information about this performance , may be if some one have will let me know .

01. What's Goin On

02. Giving Up

03. You've Got a Friend

04. Voices Inside (Everything Is Everything)

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Lonnie Liston Smith - 1998 - Transformation

2009-01-21T06:35:00.001-08:00

Transformation finds Lonnie Liston Smith continuing to explore the smooth, overtly commercial soul-jazz direction he began in the early '80s. It has a bit more grit and invention than such albums as Magic Lady, yet it doesn't surge forward with the restless searching that distinguished his earlier masterworks. His brother Donald sings on "Space Princess" and "Transformation," but the best moments are tracks like his reworking of "A Chance for Peace (Give Peace a Chance)," which suggest that Smith still has the talent to be a true contender.

01. A Change For Peace (Give Peace a Change)

02. Nubian Nights

03. Caribbean Sunrise

04. Space Princess

05. Quiet Moments

06. Angels Of The Night

07. Transformation

08. Expansions

09. Moon Beams

10. Queen Of Hearts

11. Beautiful Girl

12. A Chance For Peace (Instr.)

Link:part 1

Link:part 2

Jukka Eskola Quintet - 2006 - Hub Up

2009-01-18T06:24:00.000-08:00

A beautiful tribute to the electric side of trumpeter Freddie Hubbard , done by Jukka Eskola from Five Corners Quintet, in a mode that almost beats some of Freddie's classic work for CTI! The setting here is spare and simple , trumpet from Jukka, tenor from Timo Lassey, and bass, drums, and plenty of sweet electric keys. All hitting a groove that's soulful, soaring, and filled with the new sense of invention that Hubbard brought to his work at the start of the 70s. Most of the tracks here are originals by Hubbard , "Keep Your Soul Together", "Gibraltar", "Povo", and "Love Connection" , but the set also features the well-penned original "Deli", and a version of Weldon Irvine's "Mr Clean" , a key title in the Hubbard songbook of the CTI years!

01 - Keep Your Soul Together

02 - Gibraltar

03 - Brigitte

04 - Deli

05 - Mr.Clean

06 - Povo

07 - Love Connection

Link:Download

Marvin Gaye - 2008 - Here My Dear EXPANDED EDITION

2009-01-18T05:35:00.000-08:00

The year is 1978 and Marvin Gaye is fresh off a divorce from Anna Gordy, the sister of Motown Records founder Berry Gordy Jr. MG's choice of release therapy? Chronicling the entire divorce, his feelings, and his failure at love on his out-of-print, oft-slept on album, Here, My Dear. When the album was initially released in 1978 during the height of the disco era, the LP was highly criticized for it's uncommercial sound and intensely introspective lyrics. When the LP was first re-issued in the early 90s, it debuted at #1 on the Billboard R&B charts and featured in-depth liner notes from Gaye's biographer David Ritz. Ritz wrote that Gaye was convinced that Motown would never push an album critical of the sister of company founder Berry Gordy, Jr., and did all he could to alienate the label, never giving Motown a chance to promote the album properly.

CD1

1. Here, My Dear

2. I Met A Little Girl

3. When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You

4. Anger

5. Is That Enough

6. Everybody Needs Love

7. Time To Get It Together

8. Sparrow

9. Anna's Song

10. When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You - Instrumental

11. A Funky Space Reincarnation

12. You Can Leave, But It's Going To Cost You

13. Falling In Love Again

14. When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You [Reprise]

15. Ain't It Funny (How Things Turn Around) - Alternate Mix

Link:Download

CD2

1. Here, My Dear - Alternate Mix

2. I Met A Little Girl - Alternate Version

3. When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You - Alternate Version

4. Anger - Alternate Extended Mix

5. Is That Enough - Instrumental

6. Everybody Needs Love - Alternate Version

7. Time To Get It Together - Alternate Extended Mix

8. Sparrow - Alternate Version

9. Anna's Song - Alternate Version

10. A Funky Space Reincarnation - Alternate Extended Mix

11. You Can Leave, But It's Going To Cost You - Alternate Extended Mix

12. Falling In Love Again - Alternate Version

13. A Funky Space Reincarnation - Instrumental

Link:Download

The Greyboy Allstars - 1995 - West Coast Boogaloo (with Fred Wesley)

2009-01-05T09:30:00.001-08:00

In 1995, The Greyboy Allstars teamed up with reknowned funk trombonist Fred Wesley to record their first album, West Coast Boogaloo. The group then recorded a live album in 1997. Their latest release, A Town Called Earth, was issued on their own Greyboy Records label in late 1997.

The Greyboy Allstars:

Karl Denson (vocals, soprano, alto & tenor saxophones, flute)

Harold Todd (tenor saxophone, flute)

Robert Walter (electric piano, organ)

Elgin Park (guitar)

Chris Stillwell (bass)

Zak Najor (drums)

Craig Levitz (percussion.

Additional personnel:

Fred Wesley (trombone).

01 - Soul Dream

02 - Let the Music Take Your Mind

03 - Fried Grease

04 - Fire-Eater

05 - Tenor Man

06 - Miss Riverside

07 - Gravee

08 - Browns at Home

Link:Download

Supersauce - 1998 - Keep On Keepin' On

2009-01-02T02:34:00.001-08:00

Gretchen Lieberum - vocals

Michael Cruz - bass

Alex Budman - saxophone, flute

Jordan Glasgow - keyboards

Tim Carter - drums

David Metzner - guitar

Also featured on Keep On Keepin' On:

Dustin Hengl - trumpet

Dave Scott - trumpet

Primo Navarez - percussion

Founded by bassist Michael Cruz and vocalists Gretchen Lieberum and Maya Rudolph, Supersauce formed in 1993 at the University of California at Santa Cruz. Picking up where bands like the Brand New Heavies and Incognito left off, the group achieved local stardom almost overnight. From their first gig at a Halloween house party, they immediately graduated to rocking sell out crowds at infamous Santa Cruz institution, The Catalyst. The recipe was simple -- part funk, part groove, and all party. As their theme song goes, "once you taste The Sauce, you'll never be the same."

01. Keep On Keepin' On

02. Soldier

03. EZ West

04. Walk Slowly

05. Song In C

06. M-Bomb

07. Butterfly

08. Six Bucks On The Dollar

09. Gotta Get Back

10. Mango Street

Link:Download

Christian Scott - 2006 - Rewind That

2009-01-01T10:04:00.000-08:00

CHRISTIAN SCOTT

Rewind That

2006

Concord Jazz 3122442

Christian Scott – Trumpet

Luques Curtis – Bass

Thomas Pridgen – Drums

Walter Smith III (except track 1) – Tenor-sax

Matt Stevens (except track 4) – Guitar

Zaccai Curtis (except track 10) – Fender Rhodes and Wurlitzer

Donald Harrison (tracks 4, 8, 10 and 11) – Alto-sax

The jazz world used to be full of tenor-saxophonists pretending to be John Coltrane. Hearing this debut album by a 22-year-old trumpeter, I begin to think we are surrounded by trumpeters who want to sound like Miles Davis. Christian Scott has the same mournful tone (sometimes sounding rather flat) and the same economy with notes – playing short phrases above ostinato patterns very much in the style of Miles Davis when he was in his jazz-rock mode. Like Miles, Christian occasionally breaks out into fierce flurries of notes but most of his playing is subdued – and sadly rather uninteresting.

Thomas Pridgen’s cracking drums reinforce the jazz-rock style, mostly using the eight-in-a-bar rhythms of fusion, and Matt Stevens’ guitar adds some abrasive commentary – which can intrude on the ear in an otherwise well-recorded album. Christian Scott wrote nine of the eleven tracks himself but they tend to retread familiar paths and have little melodic appeal, preferring to depend upon repetitive grooves. Scott’s version of Miles Davis’s So What is rather lacklustre until Donald Harrison comes in with some biting alto-sax. In fact the outstanding soloists here are not Scott but Donald Harrison and tenor-saxist Walter Smith III, who both produce shapely solos. Despite their contributions, I am unlikely to be tempted to follow the CD title’s advice and rewind this album to hear it again.

01. Rewind That

02. Say It

03. Like This

04. So What

05. Rejection

06. Lay in Vein

07. She

08. Suicide

09. Caught Up

10. Paridise Found

11. Kiel

Link:Download

Corey Wilkes - 2008 - Drop It

2008-12-30T10:39:00.001-08:00

Corey Wilkes - Drop It

2008

Chelsea Baratz, tenor sax

Jabari Liu, alto sax

Robert "Baabe" Irving III, piano and Fender Rhodes

Junius Paul, bass

Jeremy "Bean" Clemmons, drums

Jazz trumpeter Corey Wilkes burst on the Chicago jazz scene in 2002. Corey took on the ghost of Lester Bowie and filled the vacant seat in the Art Ensemble of Chicago. Big shoes to fill for a new musician but Corey isn't an ordinary musician. He began at the age of 10, made the Illinois All State Honors Jazz Combo in high school and honed his talent at Berklee College of Music. His soulful notes can be heard gracing a variety of projects such as DJ sets by Logic, Osunlade and Josh Deep; tracks on Hidden Beach's Unwrapped Vol. 4, also recorded with Roscoe Mitchell, Art Ensemble, Tortoise, Ernest Dawkins, Nicole Mitchell and Ethnic Heritage Ensemble's Hot 'N' Heavy.

01. Trumpet Player (Feat. Miyanda Wilson)

02. Sonata In The Key Of Jack Daniels

03. Drop It

04. Remy's Revenge

05. Prelude - Touch

06. Touch

07. Return 2 Sender

08. Searchin'

09. Ubiquitous Budafly

10. Funkier Than A Mosquito's Tweeter (Feat. Dee Alexander)

11. Drop It (Live)

Link:Download