All Categories — LPs  

Early 50s material recorded by the late Clifford Brown – issued here in a classic "memorial" package slightly after his death in 1956! And while Brown never recorded much for Prestige – and never really as a leader – these sides are still a great example of his completely unique touch on the trumpet! The first half of material was recorded in 1953 – and features Brown soloing with Tadd Dameron's group on the tracks "Philly JJ", "Chose Now", and "Dial B For Beauty". The other set features Brown and Art Farmer as the lead soloists with the Swedish All Stars, a group led by Quincy Jones – and tracks on that session include "Stockholm Sweetnin", "Scuse These Blues", and "Lover Come Back To Me".

A classic "with strings" session from Clifford Brown – nearly as well-done and perfect as some of Charlie Parker's sides for Verve, handled here with perhaps a slightly sweeter touch, as Neal Hefti's the man on arrangements. The core group's the Brown/Roach combo, augmented by a smallish string section – and Clifford's right up front blowing warm and glistening solos, with titles that include "Willow Weep For Me", "Yesterdays", "Laura", "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes", and "Portrait Of Jennie".

Not west coast, but "best coast" jazz – a prime example of the way the Clifford Brown/Max Roach team helped to cook up the intensity of the LA scene of the 50s by infusing it with a bit of New York fire! The album takes off in the extended mode of Clifford's All Stars album – and like that one, features Max Roach on drums alongside a lineup of players that includes Herb Geller and Joe Maini on alto saxes, Walter Benton on tenor, Kenny Drew on piano, and Curtis Counce on bass – all jamming together in really extended, side-long tracks that have plenty of space for creative solo work and free-flowing improvisation! The format's a very unusual one for the 50s – and a great side-stream to the better-known Brown/Roach albums – with the 2 long tracks "Coronado" and "You Go To My Head".

70s album that compiles some of Clifford Brown's best moments for Blue Note – including sides that were recorded under the leadership of JJ Johnson and Lou Donaldson, plus a few from sessions under Brown's own name. Titles include "Wail Bait", "Hymn Of The Orient", "Easy Living", and "De Dah". Some of the best work you'll ever find by Brown on record, too!

A key slice of Clifford Brown from the 50s – two long tracks both recorded in an open-ended jam session format, showing a side of Brown's powers that's even bolder and more inventive than some of his previous studio work! The album soars along beautifully – with Brownie in the lead amongst an unusual, but well-chosen batch of players that includes Herb Geller and Joe Maini on alto saxes, Walter Benton on tenor, Kenny Drew on piano, Curtis Counce on bass, and Max Roach on drums – all grooving alongside Clifford on the album's nicely extended tracks. The album was released after Brown's death in 1956, features the side-long tracks "Caravan" and "Autumn In New York".

Absolutely burning live recording of Brownie's group co led with Max Roach, and also featuring Sony Rollins. This set features some the group's best playing, limited only by the mediocre sound quality of the recording. Great extended takes on "I'll Remember April", 'What's New", "Dfaahoud", "Lover Man" and "52nd Street Theme".

A great little album from Max Roach – one that has him finding a whole new voice in jazz! The set was recorded on the heels of Max's time with Clifford Brown – and it's a great little album that has him bouncing back nicely from the loss by moving into a new realm that shows off his more lyrical side! The group on the album features Kenny Dorham, Sonny Rollins, Billy Wallace, and George Morrow – and as you'd guess by the title, most tunes are in a jazz waltz mode, which gives them a nicely dancing quality, soft and a bit exotic – almost modal at times – and a nice change from Roach's more full-on hardbop style of the Clifford Brown years. Titles include "Little Folks", "Lover", "The Most Beautiful Girl In the World", and "Blues Waltz".

Sublime work from Max Roach – featuring a group that was one of his greatest! The album was recorded in Paris in the early 60s, and players include the Turrentine Brothers – Stanley on tenor and Tommy on trumpet – a killer frontline that really gives the album a hell of a lot of soul, especially when you add in Julian Priester on trombone and Bob Boswell on bass! The piano-less ensemble has a fantastic groove – more soul jazz than most of Roach's work, but also with angular touches of modernism that make the album have a very edgey quality – a perfect blending of the two best Modes that Max explored in the years after Clifford Brown's death. Stan and Tommy never sounded so great – and titles include "Nica", "Petit Dejuner", "Liberte", and the extended "Parisian Sketches" suite.

Mid 70's 2LP set that combines fantastic early work from Gil Evans and Tadd Dameron. The Gil Evans tracks are shorter and less ambitious than some of Evans' work on Impulse, but the group is excellent – and even in a shorter format, the conception of the work still contains plenty of rich new ideas. Players include Louis Mucci, John Carisi, Steve Lacy, Willie Ruff, Paul Chambers, Nick Stabulis, and Lee Konitz on alto. Titles include "Ella Speed", "Big Stuff", "Jambangle", "Nobody's Heart", and "Remember". Tadd Dameron's contributions here are from a wonderful modernist session – and one that's especially great because it's filled with fresh themes that get past some of his over-reissued standards! Players here include Clifford Brown and Idrees Sulieman on trumpets, Gigi Gryce on alto, Benny Golson on tenor, and Dameron on piano. Titles include "Philly JJ", "Choose Now", "Theme Of No Repeat", and "Dial B For Beauty". Also included are readings of classic Dameron compositions – like "The Scene Is Clean", "Fontainebleau", and "Delerium" – all played by a great little group that includes Dameron on piano, plus Joe Alexander on tenor, Sahib Shihab on alto, Kenny Dorham on trumpet, and Henry Coker on trombone.

A seminal set from Max Roach – the start of his more righteous stretch in jazz, as you might guess from the title of the album! At some level, the record's got a bit of the feel of the post-Clifford Brown Mercury years from Roach – but at another, it's stretching out towards the directions Max would explore fully on the Candid, Impulse, and Fantasy labels in the 60s – an approach to hardbop that often really pushes its limits – not content to simply set up solos for the players, and instead moving with a much more forceful energy overall! Group members include Booker Little on trumpet, George Coleman on tenor, Ray Draper on tuba, and Art Davis on bass – and the lack of a piano makes for a very exciting sound! The album's got 2 great originals by Bill Lee – "Jodie's Cha Cha" and "Deeds Not Words" – plus Draper's classic "Filide", and the groundbreaking "Conversation" – a very cool solo by Roach on the drums!

One of the bluesiest of Mel Brown's funky guitar records for Impulse. The album includes some very stripped-down performances that highlight Mel's deep soulful guitar style, and the nice groovy keyboards of Clifford Coulter. Mel sings a bit, but not much, and the best tracks are the long trippy instrumentals. Titles include "18 Pounds Of Unclean Chitlins", "You Got Me Hummin", "Scorpio" (not the Dennis Coffey version), and the funky funky "Do Your Thing", which has a tight Isleys groove.

A great early demonstration of the bold talents as a leader from trumpeter Maynard Ferguson – heard here in a loose, open-ended performance that's more of a jam session than anything else! The style's almost similar to the Clifford Brown jam dates for Emarcy from the same time – two long tracks that are driven by well-crafted rhythms – and which really soar with open solo work from Ferguson on trumpet, Bud Shank on alto, Bob Cooper on tenor, and Bob Gordon on baritone. The work is nicely boppish and a fair bit more open than most of the players were getting at the time – and Maynard himself is often back a far bit to let everyone get in some good solo space! Each track lasts a side – and titles include "Night Letter" and "Somebody Loves Me".

Mid 80s effort from 2 of the greatest modern trumpeters to have put a horn to their lips. Woody & Freddie run through a set of tunes, all written by trumpeters, like Clifford Brown, Fats Navarro & Kenny Dorham, as well as their own, with a group of the then-young players on Blue Note, like Carl Allen & Kenny Garrett. The playing is crisp & tight, if not as over the top burning as the sides these players cut during their younger years, and includes "Lotus Blossum", "Hub-Tones" and 'Boperation".