Miles Davis Archive
Denny Zeitlin (solo piano) – Remembering Miles – Sunnyside
Denny Does Davis.
Keith Jarrett – La Fenice – ECM Records
ECM releases inspirational recording of 2006 Keith Jarrett concert!
Charles Pillow Large Ensemble – Electric Miles – MAMA
A new spin on Miles Davis’ electric period.
Dave Holland – Uncharted Territories – Dare2Records
Four, three, and two-way spontaneity.
Ryan Keberle and Frank Woeste – Reverso-Suite Ravel – Phono Art
Modern jazz inspired by classicalism. Ryan Keberle and Frank Woeste – Reverso–Suite Ravel [TrackList follows] – Phono Art/Alternate Side, Ref Phonoart 001, 53:40 [2/9/18] ****: (Ryan Keberle – trombone, co-producer; Frank Woeste – piano, co-producer; Vincent Courtois – cello; Jeff Ballard – drums) Classical music and jazz have become intertwined over the decades, from Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” to Miles Davis’ 1960 LP Sketches of Spain (the opening piece is based on Spanish composer Joaquín Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez), as well as the Modern Jazz Quartet’s 1973 record Blues on Bach and many more examples. Trombonist Ryan Keberle and pianist Frank Woeste’s 53-minute Reverso – Suite Ravel is easily this year’s best classical/jazz hybrid project. The 11 tracks are primarily inspired by Ravel’s six-part solo piano suite “Le tombeau de Couperin,” written between 1914 and 1917. Keberle and Woeste do not recreate Ravel’s suite, rather they utilize the Baroque-inspired material as a starting place for their own compositions, six composed by Woeste, three by Keberle and two listed as collectively improvised. The music hints at Ravel and sometimes suggests Ravel’s underlying parameters. The CD liner notes reveal Ravel was no stranger to jazz. During a 1928 US tour, Ravel stated, […]
Sometime Ago – Cornerstone Records
An appealing release filled with subtle coolness. Sometime Ago – Cornerstone Records CRST CD 148 58:24****: (Jim Vivian – bass; John Abercrombie – guitar; Ian Froman – drums; Mike Murley – tenor saxophone) John Abercrombie was an American guitarist, who in addition to being an influential jazz figure, might also be considered as a synthesizer in bringing together several musical threads from jazz to folk and rock. Equally at home on both acoustic and electric guitars, he built his reputation in the 70s and 80s, but continued to record and perform until his death from a stroke in August 2017. This session on Canadian Cornerstone Records was recorded in November 2016, and was officially released in Toronto on May 12, 2018. Accompanying Abercrombie were a cohort of first rate Canadian musicians lead by bassist Jim Vivian, with Ian Froman on drums and the ever interesting tenor saxophonist Mike Murley on 3 of the 8 tracks. The track list is an eclectic mixture of well known popular and jazz favourites along with original material from both Abercrombie and Vivian. Leading off with Cole Porter’s “Everything I Love” which was first performed in 1941 by Danny Kaye, the opening phrases by Abercrombie […]
Turtle Island Quartet – Bird’s Eye View – Azica Records
An interesting and intricate take on jazz compositions linked to Charlie Parker. Turtle Island Quartet – Bird’s Eye View – Azica Records ACD71318 61:55**** (Alex Hargreaves – violin; David Balakrishnan – violin; Benjamin von Gutzeit – viola; Malcolm Parson – cello) Crossover albums often end up to be less than advertised for a variety of reasons, including the performers’ lack of understanding or appreciation of the intended musical form. However the Turtle Island Quartet’s newest release Bird’s Eye View delivers the goods with an interesting and intricate take on jazz compositions associated as least in name, to Charlie Parker. The disc opens with the group exploring a composition by violinist David Balakrishnan which is a lengthy four part story under the rubric “Aeroelasticity: Harmonies Of Impermanence”. The four sections are “Backlash” “Lonesome George” “Pralaya” and “Flutter Point”. While there does not appear to be a musical theme that bolts all these compositions together, there are some commonalities that can be discerned by a reading of the liner notes. For example, sections I and IV bring the issue of the effects of air currents on planes into their definition. Hence the associated music is driven by re-arranged instrumental textures, and energetic […]
Dan Pugach Nonet – Plus One – Unit Records
A nonet that gives the impression and conviction of a larger group driven by a musically creative drummer. Dan Pugach Nonet – Plus One – Unit Records UTR 4816 52:28*** [Artist and Track List follows] It is generally conceded that the nonet which Miles Davis brought to the Royal Roost club in New York City in September 1948 changed the direction of American Jazz music. The subsequent recordings by this entity in 1949 and 50 under the title Birth Of The Cool cemented the iconic music of what was, in essence, a rehearsal band. Dan Pugach’s Nonet has no such pretensions. It is, nonetheless, a tight knit organization that shows an assertive and imaginative approach to the material recorded on the album Plus One. With February 16, 2018, release date, the bar has been set high starting with the opening track “Brooklyn Blues” although is has more a Crescent City second line vibe, which is propelled along by Pugach’s drumming. “Coming Here” opens with a few tasty bars from trombonist Mike Fahie, followed by some pointed interplay from the ensemble, before trumpeter Ingrid Jensen shows her biting attack. As the melody weaves in and out with soloists finding their space, […]
Nestor Torres – Jazz Flute Traditions – ALFI Records
fiery flutist in full flight Nestor Torres – Jazz Flute Traditions – ALFI Records ALFI 8817 72:23**** ( Nestor Torres – flute; Silvano Monasterios – piano; Jamie Ousley – bass; Michael Piolet – drums; José Gregorio Hernandez – percussion; Special Guests: Miguel Russell – percussion tracks#2,3,11; Ian Muños – alto sax tracks#2,6,8; Marcus Grant – drums track #8) Jazz flutist Nestor Torres is just that… a jazz flutist. He is not an alto sax or tenor sax player who doubles on flute. From the very beginning, he has concentrated on the instrument and has honed his skills accordingly. His most recent jazz outing is Jazz Flute Traditions where he provides a “tour d’horizon” of some of the great jazz flute players covering the compositions associated with them. Canadian jazz great Moe Koffman ( a multi-instrumentalist) wrote “Swingin’ Shepherd ( not Shepherds as in the liner notes) Blues in 1957 where it became a hit in the US rising to #23 on the Billboard charts. After a funky bluesy piano opening from Silvano Monasterios, Torres offers a straight-forward run through of the melody, after which Monasterios demonstrates that he is penetrating pianist with a rousing touch. Bassist Ousley is then given […]
PJ Perry Quartet – Alto Gusto:Live At The Yardbird Suite – CellarLive
PJ Perry Quartet – Alto Gusto: Live At The Yardbird Suite – CellarLive CL051317 62:33**** A taste of the boppish playing style of this highly regarded musician. ( PJ Perry – alto saxophone; Jon Mayer – piano; Steve Wallace – acoustic bass; Quincy Davis – drums) PJ Perry is not a name that would be generally recognized south of the 49th parallel, even though noted US jazz writer Scott Yanow has written:”…I tend to think of altoist PJ Perry as Canada’s Sonny Stitt”. However in Canada, Perry has been fêted over the years with Juno Awards ( Canada’s Grammy) and recently (2016) the Order Of Canada, which is the country’s highest civilian honour for “his contribution to Canada’s musical repetoire as an accomplished jazz saxophonist”. So if you are wondering what the fuss is all about, his latest release Alto Gusto Live at the Yardbird Suite, will give you a taste of the boppish playing style of this highly regarded musician. The choice of material for this live session, fits perfectly into Perry’s wheelhouse. With the accompaniment of three musicians from both Canada and the US, they provide a measure of empathy and inventiveness that spurs Perry’s scintillating improvisations. Paul […]
The Ed Palermo Big Band – The Great Un-American Songbook – Cuneiform, Rune
The Ed Palermo Big Band – The Great Un-American Songbook: Volumes I & II [TrackList follows] – Cuneiform, Rune 435/436 (2-CDs) 58:49, 54:48 [2/24/17] *****: Who can mix prog-rock, British pop music, Miles Davis, Jeff Beck and West Side Story? It could only be the one and only Ed Palermo. (Ed Palermo – leader, conductor, arranger, alto saxophone; Barbara Cifelli – baritone saxophone, Eb mutant clarinet; Matt Ingman – bass trombone; Charley Gordon – lead trombone; Ronnie Buttacavoli – lead trumpet; Katie Jacoby – electric violin; John Bailey, Steve Jankowski – trumpet; Clifford Lyons – lead alto saxophone, clarinet; Phil Chester – second alto saxophone, flute piccolo, soprano saxophone; Bill Straub – lead tenor saxophone, flute, clarinet; Ben Kono – second tenor saxophone, flute, oboe; Michael Boschen – trombone; Ray Marchica – drums; Paul Adamy – electric bass; Bob Quaranta – acoustic piano; Ted Kooshian – electric keyboards; Bruce McDaniel – guitar, vocals, arranger (track 7, CD 1), producer, mixing, mastering; Mick Starkey, Napoleon Murphy Brock – guest vocals) Alto saxophonist Ed Palermo and the Ed Palermo Big Band are probably most famous for several Frank Zappa tributes. On Palermo’s latest outing he takes a stab at mostly British rock […]
David Weiss & Point of Departure – Wake Up Call – Ropeadope
David Weiss & Point of Departure – Wake Up Call [TrackList follows] – Ropeadope RAD-328, 76:08 [2/10/17] ****: A re-consideration of the early fusion era with remarkable results. (David Weiss – trumpet, Fender Rhodes (tracks 1, 5); Myron Walden – tenor saxophone (tracks 1, 5-9); J.D. Allen – tenor saxophone (tracks 2-4); Ben Eunson – guitar (solos on tracks 1, 5, 7, 9); Nir Felder – guitar (tracks 2-4, solos on tracks 3-4); Travis Reuter – guitar (tracks 1, 5-9, solos on tracks 6, 8); Matt Clohesy – bass; Kush Abadey – drums) Trumpeter, composer and band leader David Weiss has a wide-ranging inquisitiveness and acquaintance with both modernistic, forward-seeking jazz and early jazz-fusion. On the 76-minute Wake Up Call, Weiss’ latest album with his ensemble Point of Departure, he showcases his uncanny ability to uncork material which is not always well-known to jazz fans, but which brings to life music which has an essence that goes beyond what is predictable. Notably, there are no originals among the nine tracks on Wake Up Call, and yet Weiss has managed to put compositions by John McLaughlin, Wayne Shorter, Joe Henderson and others into a cohesive and thematic whole. No easy feat […]
Nelson – Brothers Under The Sun – High Note
Nelson – Brothers Under The Sun – High Note HCD 7294 [4/14/2017], 59:43 ****1/2: Vibraphonist’s tribute to Mulgrew Miller is jazz at its best! (Steve Nelson – vibraphone; Danny Grissett – piano; Peter Washington – double bass; Lewis Nash – drums) Vibraphonist Steve Nelson has been a member of the Dave Holland Quintet for over a decade. The Pittsburgh native received two degrees in music from Rutger’s University and teaches at Princeton. Additionally, he has recorded with Kenny Barron, Bobby Watson, David “Fathead” Newman, Johnny Griffin and Jackie McLean. He has also recorded as a band leader. Of his collaborations, Nelson maintains that on a personal and professional level, his association with pianist Mulgrew Miller was significantly impactful. Nelson appeared on Wingspan (1987) and Hand In Hand (1992). Nelson has put together a tribute to Mulgrew Miller, titled Brothers Under The Sun. He has assembled a stellar quartet (Danny Grissett/piano; Peter Washington/double bass and Lewis Nash/drums) representing six Mulgrew compositions and other pieces that capture the pianists’ style. The opening track is a cool-breeze rearrangement of Harry Warren’s romantic ballad, “The More I See You”. This song has been covered by Dick Haymes and Nat Cole, but this ensemble glides […]
Antonio ADOLFO – Hybrido: From Rio To Wayne Shorter – AAM Music
An intoxication session of Wayne Shorter’s compositions. Antonio Adolfo – Hybrido: From Rio To Wayne Shorter – AAM Music AAM0711 54:49 [MP3 on Amazon]****: (Antonio Adolfo – piano & arrangements – electric piano on #1; Lula Galvão – electric guitar; Jorge Helder – double bass; Rafael Barata – drums & percussion; André Siqueira – percussion; Jessé Sadoc – trumpet; Marcelo Martins – tenor & soprano saxophones – flute on #3; Serginho Trombone – trombone; Zé Renato – vocal on #2; Claudio Spiewak – acoustic guitar on #3) It was clear from the time Wayne Shorter joined Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers in 1959 that he was a young talent who would go on to establish himself as one of the more gifted tenor saxophone players of his era. His composing pedigree became obvious during the period he was part of the Miles Davis band from 1964-1970. His compositions from this association, and later with Weather Report, were destined to become jazz standards. In this release Hybrido by the Brazilian pianist and composer Antonio Adolfo, takes a Latin look at these compositions and comes up with a winner. All of the arrangements of the compositions were written by Adolfo and he has […]
Emmet Cohen (p.) featuring Jimmy Cobb (dr.) – Masters Legacy Vol. 1 – CellarLive
Emmet Cohen (p.) featuring Jimmy Cobb (dr.) – Masters Legacy Series Vol. 1 – CellarLive CL 031616, 55:06 ****: A stellar start to a promising series. (Emmet Cohen – piano; Jimmy Cobb – drums; Yasushi Nakamura – acoustic bass; Godwin Louis – alto saxophone tracks 5 & 10 ) Jimmy Cobb is the epitome of a hard-bop drummer, as he symbolizes that particular genre with his canny balance of tastefulness and forcefulness. While at eighty-eight, he is not the oldest living drummer of that style. (Roy Haynes retains that honor at ninety), he is the only surviving member of the Miles Davis band that recorded the seminal album Kind Of Blue in 1959. Thanks to Canadian jazz impresario and tenor saxophonist Cory Weeds, Cobb’s prominence is being kept alive with this concert release under the rubric of a Masters Legacy Series which was recorded in New York City on March 16, 2016. Emmet Cohen is a prodigious young pianist with a stellar musical education, who in addition to working with his own trio, conceived the idea of the Masters Legacy Series as a way to honor those jazz greats who paved the way for young musicians such as himself. Furthermore, […]
Joey DeFrancesco (B-3) + The People – Project Freedom – Mack Ave.
Joey DeFrancesco + The People – Project Freedom – Mack Avenue MAC 1121, 64:20 [3/10/17] ****1/2: B-3 master shows a lot of heart in debut for new label. (Joey DeFrancesco – organ, keyboards, trumpet; Jason Brown – drums; Troy Roberts – tenor sax, soprano sax; Dan Wilson – guitar) Joey DeFrancesco has always been proud of his Philadelphia roots. As a teenager, this emerging B-3 organist garnered praise from the likes of Hank Mobley and Philly Joe Jones. This led to a gig with Miles Davis that got his career off to a fast start. Recently, he returned to his hometown to receive a star on the Philadelphia Music Walk Of Fame. He joined jazz luminaries including John Coltrane, Dizzy Gillespie and Nina Simone. Like many other Philadelphia musicians, Joey has embraced the “heart and soul” aspects of his instrumental prowess. There is no organist who is regarded by his peers and critics to such a degree. (He has been voted best organist 11 of the last 15 years in Downbeat Magazine.) As a sideman, he has played with Diana Krall, George Benson, Jimmy Cobb, Ray Charles, Bobby Hutchinson, Larry Coryell, David Sanborn, James Moody and Nancy Wilson to name […]
Cory Weeds Quintet featuring David Hazeltine – It’s Easy To Remember – CellarLive
Cory Weeds Quintet featuring David Hazeltine – It’s Easy To Remember – CellarLive CL031716, 52:58 ****: An enthusiastic session from understanding and open-minded partners. (Cory Weeds – tenor saxophone; David Hazeltine – piano; Joe Magnarelli – trumpet; Paul Gill – acoustic bass; Jason Tiemann – drums) Here comes Cory Weeds. In what surely must be some kind of record for the issuance of albums by a Canadian tenor saxophonist, It’s Easy To Remember is the latest addition to Weeds’ substantial discography. Recorded live at Small’s Jazz Club in New York City on March 17, 2016, Weeds has surrounded himself with some top-notch New York-based musicians including the savvy, thoughtfully tasteful pianist David Hazeltine. In a session songbook of the known, nearly known, and unknown compositions, the band has an eclectic mix of numbers with which to display their inventiveness and curiosity. Starting out with a Kenny Drew piece, “With Prestige,” which has an entertaining bebop frame, the band demonstrates their exploratory spirit. Each member takes a piece of the action with Weeds showing his meaningful command of the saxophone, as Hazeltine delivers some long structural lines on the piano. Bassist Gill also dives in with a brief arco solo. “Smoke […]
Shirley Horn, vocals – Live at the 4 Queens – Resonance
Shirley Horn – a unique vocal talent… Shirley Horn – Live at the 4 Queens – Resonance HCD-2015 (1988), 52:43 ***1/2: (Shirley Horn – piano and vocals; Charles Ables – bass; Steve Williams – drums) For far too long Shirley Horn’s fame was confined to the greater Washington, D.C, area, where she resided and raised her daughter. That changed, however, in the mid 1980s, when she began recording for the Verve label. At that time, Verve was a major player on the jazz scene, and Shirley’s unique talents were shown off to a much larger audience. She was a favorite of Miles Davis, and her 1997 album, I Remember Miles, earned her a Grammy for Best Vocal jazz album. Horn recorded nearly 30 albums (mostly for Verve), but it has been almost a decade since new material has been issued. Coming to the rescue, once again, is Zev Feldman, of Resonance Records, super sleuth in discovering live unreleased gems largely from radio sources. As part of a syndicated weekly broadcast at station KNPR (Las Vegas), Shirley was recorded on May 2, 1988 at the 4 Queens club in Vegas. The sound restoration by George Klabin and Fran Gala, is exceptional, […]
Al Jarreau – Live At Montreux, 1993 – Eagle Records
Al Jarreau – Live At Montreux, 1993 – Eagle Records ER203992, 71:02 ****: A sure-footed musical exploration by Al Jarreau at his peak. (Al Jarreau – vocals; Paulinho Da Costa – percussion; Steve Gadd – drums; Eric Gale – guitar; Marcus Miller – bass; Philippe Saisse – synthesizer; Joe Sample – keyboards; Patches Stewart – horns; Stacy Campbell, Sharon Young, Jeff Ramsey – backing vocals) Early in his career, a jazz critic described Al Jarreau as “a singer with an orchestra in his throat”. When this album, Live At Montreux, was recorded on July 6,1993 at a performance at The Montreux Jazz Festival, Jarreau was 53 years old and in full control of his vocal facilities. The set list was a stroll through material with which Jarreau was fully familiar, yet also had a number of tunes that were new to his repertoire. Additionally the back-up band had a number of stellar and accomplished musicians, including drummer Steve Gadd, bassist Marcus Miller who been an integral part of one of Miles Davis’ groups, and keyboardist Joe Sample who was one of the founding members of the 1960 hard-bop band The Jazz Crusaders. Jarreau persuasively begins the outing with his 1981 […]
Metalwood – Twenty – CellarLive
Metalwood – Twenty – CellarLive CL02016 ****: The revitalization of a band devoted to electric/fusion jazz sounds. (Mike Murley – saxophones; Brad Turner – piano,triton,trumpet; Chris Tarry – electric bass; Ian Froman – drums) If you are into nostalgia for the electric/fusion jazz sounds like that of Weather Report, Return To Forever, and the Miles Davis band of the late ‘60s, then Metalwood’s newest offering called Twenty might be for you. This album is a revitalization for the same-named band that floated primarily in and around Canada in the late 90s and early 2000s, although there was some touring in the US and Europe. It also celebrates the twenty years since the group won it’s first Juno Award (Canadian equivalent of a Grammy) for their debut album Metalwood. Over the intervening years, the playing of the members of the band has evolved as each one’s individual style and technique has matured. As part of this re-introduction to the listening public, ten new compositions were written by Mike Murley, Brad Turner, and Chris Tarry. However compositional structure is often hard to define in this particular jazz form, as well as melody and time signatures. For the aficionado that is not particularly […]
Steve Turre – Colors For The Masters – Smoke Sessions
Steve Turre – Colors For The Masters – Smoke Sessions SSR-1606, 60:51 ****: A group of jazz professionals developing a thoughtful rapport in an attractive uncluttered session. (Steve Turre – trombone & shells; Kenny Barron – piano; Ron Carter – bass; Jimmy Cobb – drums; Special guests: Javon Jackson – tenor saxophone, tracks 1/3/4/6; Cyro Baptista – percussion, track 10) Steve Turre knew he was going to have good day when he woke up on February 25, 2016. He was going into the recording studio to cut an album with an iconic jazz rhythm section. The ever tasty pianist Kenny Barron, the impeccable bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Jimmy Cobb who at eighty-seven was the only surviving member of the Miles Davis band that recorded the consummate jazz album Kind Of Blue in 1959. By the end of the day, Turre would not have been disappointed, as the album Colors For The Masters has turned out to be the perfect example of a group of jazz professionals developing a thoughtful rapport, in an attractive uncluttered session. The music for this “live” recorded session is a deft combination of Turre originals, and other compositions from some well-known jazz players, as well […]
Houston Person & Ron Carter – Chemistry – HighNote
Houston Person & Ron Carter – Chemistry [TrackList follows] – HighNote HCD 7293 49:25 ****: An exuberant release from a definitive bassist and an earthy tenor saxophonist. (Houston Person – tenor saxophone; Ron Carter – bass) The word chemistry springs from the word alchemy which in its very early etymology was often seen as linked to the search to turn common metals such as iron into gold. This release is called Chemistry from Houston Person and Ron Carter, and the intermediate process has been eliminated, resulting in pure gold. In this session of standards, the tunes have been culled from the American Songbook with the intention of providing unabashed look at life, love youth and beauty. So if you want to hear two masters at work, playing off and for each other, this is the place to be. In addition, the dean of recording engineers Rudy Van Gelder brought his artistry to the session giving both instruments a deep full approachable sound that was a hallmark of his style. Miles Davis’ first great quintet recorded “Bye Bye Blackbird” and although Ron Carter was in the second iteration of the group, he was fully aware of the connection to the band. […]
Stereotypes Audio
Cembal d’amour
Pure Pleasure / Speakers Corner
Cedille
