A crackling live set from Tito Puente – recorded at the Monterey Jazz Festival in 1977, and more of a straight Latin jazz set than most of his other work of the 70s! The performance is really wonderful – classic Tito without any other trappings at all – Puente in the lead on timbales and vibes, working with a lively large group who are clearly schooled in the stylings of the mambo years of the 50s, but who bring a much more contemporary feel to their music overall! There's no electric instrumentation at all – and players include Mauricio Smith on flute, Richard Pullin on trombone, and Albert Shikaly on tenor. Frank Figueroa sings a bit on the performance, but the main focus is instrumental – and titles include "Oye Como Va", "Tito's Odyssey", "Delierio", "Babarabatiri", "Pare Cochero", and "El Rey Del Timbal". CD
Not really a "Broadway" album, as you might guess from the title – although Tito and group do play a version of the soul hit "On Broadway" on the set – but a nicely-honed set with a strong Latin jazz groove, much more back to basics than some of Tito's work from the 70s. Players include Ray Gonzales, Jorge Dalto, Afredo De La Fe, and Jerry Gonzales – and tracks include versions of Freddie Hubbard's "First Light", Milton Nascimento's "Soul Song", and Toots Thieleman's "Bluesette" – as well as the originals "Jo Je Ti" and "TP's Especial". CD
Emily Remler on guitar – with Hank Jones on piano, Buster Williams on bass, and Marvin "Smitty" Smith on drums. CD
204
Ben Riley's Monk Legacy Septet —
Memories Of T ... CD Concord, 2006. Used ...
Out Of Stock
One of the hippest projects we've heard from drummer Ben Riley in awhile – a big band project devoted to the music of Thelonious Monk, and one that gets most of its angular changes from the saxophone section! There's a great post-Monk quality to this one that makes it way more than just a copycat of the old days – a re-interpolation of the music and inspirations of Monk for a slightly different jazz idiom, presented with 4 saxophones, 1 trumpet, guitar, bass, and drums – and no piano at all! Riley's on drums, and saxophones include Bruce Williams on alto and soprano, Wayne Escoffery and Jimmy Greene on tenor, and Jay Brandford on baritone – working alongside guitar from Freddie Bryant, bass from either Kiyashi Kitagawa or Peter Washington, and trumpet from Don Sickler, who sometimes blasts out in the lead. Titles include "Gallop's Gallop", "Green Chimneys", "Shuffle Boil", "Straight No Chaser", "Rhythm-A-Ning", and "Let's Call This". CD
Sonny Rollins on tenor saxophome with Art Blakey, Clifford Brown Ray Brown, Ray Bryant Paul Chambers, Kenny Clarke John Coltrane, Miles Davis. Kenny Drew, Kenny Dorham Tommy Flanagan, Red Garland Hampton Hawes, Percy Heath Milt Jackson, Philly Joe Jones Barney Kessel, Shelly Manne Thelonious Monk, George Morrow Oscar Pettiford, Max Roach Horace Silver, Arthur Taylor Leroy Vinnegar, Doug Watkins & oters. CD
206
Dennis Rowland —
Get There ... CD Concord/Vista, 1995. Used ...
Out Of Stock
Tight, hard and straight ahead Latin jazz from one of the greats of the 80s! Poncho's work on Concord/Picante is always a treat – and this record's a very nice batch of no-nonsense Latin jazz tracks, played with strong arrangements, and a sweet west coast vibe. Titles include "Co Co My My", "Fuerte", "Ixtapa", "Baila Mi Gente", "Alafia", and "No Llores, Mi Corazon". Titles for 'La Familia' include "Cuidate Compai", "Well You Needn't", "Campechana", "Mambo Pa T", "Let A Woman Be A Woman Let A Man Be A Man", and "Mambo Inn/On Green Dolphin Street". CD
Features strong jazz contributions from Bobby Porcelli on alto and flute, Mitch Frohman on tenor and soprano, and Ray Vega on trumpet! CD
(Out of print.)
212
Christian Scott —
Anthem ... CD Concord, 2007. Used ...
Out Of Stock
Christian Scott on cornet, trumpet, piano, flugelhorn, and soprano trombone, Louis Fouche on straight alto saxophone, Walter Smith III on tenor saxophone, Aaron Parks on piano, synth bass, Fender Rhodes, and synth, Matt Stevens on guitar, and Luques Curtis and Esperanza Spalding on bass, and Marcus Gilmore on drums. CD
Christian Scott on on trumpet – with Walter Smith III on tenor, Matt Stevens on guitar, Aaron Parks on piano, Joe Sanders on bass, and Jamire Williams on drums. CD
Trumpet player Christian Scott really steps into his own realm of excellence on Yesterday You Said Tomorrow – his best work yet for Concord – a nice mix of moods ranging from sweeter melodic modernism with a rawish, but tight underbelly to heavier, more searing sounds! Here Scott is masterfully blending influences of the 60s heroes with a profoundly modern sensibility, and the players are near perfectly suited to Scott's approach. The material is largely from Scott's pen, but they take on Thom Yorke of Radiohead's "The Eraser" early on in the set, a tune adapted to hypnotic modern jazz sound wonderfully. Players include Matthew Stevens on guitar, Milton Fletcher on piano, Kris Funn on bass and Jamire Williams on drums. Includes the Scott compositions "KKPD", "Isadora", "Angola, LA & The 13th Amendment", "The Last Broken Heart (Prop 8)", "American't" and "An Upending Repentance", Stevens's "After All" and more. CD
A recent set by Marlena Shaw – still going strong in her fourth decade as a singer! The album's got a slightly stiffer feel than some of Shaw's best-known recordings of the 60s or 70s – but it's still quite nice overall, with jazz-tinged backings that are often cut with a bit of added keyboards to charge things up. The core group features David Hazeltine on piano, plus some guest tenor from Stanley Turrentine on a few tracks. There's a slightly bluesy quality to a few numbers, but the focus is still mostly jazzy soul overall – and tracks include "Your Mind Is On Vacation", "Where Do You Start", "Why Oh Why", "Brothers", "Once Again We've Begun To Love", "I'm Alone Again", and "Paint Your Pretty Picture". CD
A career spanning retrospective – tracks include "September In The Rain", "Mambo Inn", "Love For Sale", "Alone Together", two versions of "Lullaby Of Birdland", "Body and Soul", and "Blue Monk". 25 tracks total. CD
(Cutout hole through barcode.)
217
George Shearing & Hank Jones —
Spirit Of 176 ... CD Concord, 1988. Used ...
$4.99
An album for two pianos, if you couldn't tell from the title, with George Shearing and Hank Jones performing songs that include "Star Eyes", "Minor Contentions", "Sweet Lorraine", "Young No More", "Angel Eyes", and "Oh, Look At Me Now". CD
As you can probably guess from the title, Carol Sloane and Clark Terry recreate some of the vocal magic of Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong on Verve back in the 50s – but all in ways that are still quite fresh overall! The album's got a much more contemporary feel than you might expect – not in a modern way, but more in the way the trio's used behind the vocals, and the way the whole set's recorded – very much in the manner of some of the best Japanese sessions like this from the same time. Sloane's vocals really seem at the head of the set on most numbers, as Terry only vocalizes part of the time – and plays trumpet or flugelhorn at others, but not on every track. Other players include Bill Charlap on piano, Marcus McLaurine on bass, and Dennis Mackrel on drums – and titles include "Can't We Be Friends", "I Won't Dance", "Tenderly", "Blueberry Hill", "Moonlight In Vermont", "Stars Fell On Alabama", and "Autumn In New York". CD
A well-titled set, given that the album is Soulive's first away from the Blue Note label – a surprisingly tight outing done for the mostly-mellow Concord imprint, and a real back-to-basics outing that we totally love! The group's in fine fine form for the record – working with that core classic intensity that we first loved way back in their indie years – an approach that's gotten a bit too overly jamming or muddled up on other records, and which is presented here in a nicely stripped-down approach that only adds in a bit of extra guest work from time to time. Reggie Watts, Chaka Khan, and Ivan Neville all make appearances on the record – but honestly, what we still love best is the record's core grooving from the trio of Evans, Krasno, and Evans. Hate the cover, though – but whaddayagonnado? Titles include some great short "Interlude" tracks, plus "Got Soul", "Reverb", "Break Out", "She's Hooked", "Freedom", "What Can You Do", "Vapor", and "Take It Easy". CD
Esperanza Spaulding looks more striking than ever on this album cover, but not as striking as the music inside – co-produced by Spaulding with Tony Visconti – the longtime David Bowie collaborator who really brings a sharp sort of focus to the set! Although Esperanza began as a jazz bassist who also happened to sing, by the point of this album she's a fully-formed soul star in her own right – bold, powerful, and progressive – with a vision that's even more moving, almost with a future soul or cosmic crackle at points, instead of some of the warmer, gentler modes from previous recordings. The album's a stunner, and shows that Esperanza Spaulding will be surprising us plenty in years to come – as you'll hear on tracks that include "Earth To Heaven", "Rest In Pleasure", "Elevate Or Operate", "Unconditional Love", "Funk The Fear", "I Want It Now", and "Ebony & Ivy". Deluxe edition features the bonus track "Change Us", plus an extended version of "Unconditional Love", an expanded booklet, and poster too! CD
One of the hippest records we've ever heard from Esperanza Spalding – a set that almost feels as if she's stepping back into some of the more experimental, individual qualities that made her so different at the start! There's definitely some appealing, catchy songs here – but the record is one to definitely be taken as a whole – this really lovely tapestry of voice and music that shimmers and glistens throughout – tunes that work together as a single suite that really keeps the album sounding fantastic all the way through, in this blend of jazz and soul that comes not just from Esperanza's vocals and work on bass, but also from the piano of Leo Genovese, who co-wrote most of the material on the album. Wayne Shorter plays on one track, the record features guest vocals from Corey King and Ganavya, and the set features 13 tracks, all numerically titled "Formwela". CD
With Monty Alexander on piano, Ben Wolfe on bass, and Clyde Lucas on drums – plus special guests Hendrik Meurkens on harmonica and vibes, and Dick Oatts on flute and soprano sax. CD
(Punch through tray card.)
227
Mary Stallings —
Spectrum ... CD Concord, 1996. Used ...
Out Of Stock
With Gerry Wiggins on piano, Ron Eschete on guitar, Andy Simpkins on bass, Paul Humphrey on drums, Harry Sweets Edison on trumpet, and Rickey Woodard on saxophone. CD
228
Mike Stern - Jeff Lorber Fusion —
Eleven ... CD Concord, 2019. Used ...
Out Of Stock
Jeff Lorber Fusion meets guitarist Mike Stern. Tracks include "Nu Som", "Jones Street", "Slow Change", "Righteous", "Tell Me", and "Rhumba Pagan". CD
Curtis Stigers on tenor sax and vocals, Larry Goldings on piano and organ, David Tronzo on guitar, Ben Allison on bass, and Matt Wilson on drums. CD
230
Neil Swainson Quintet with Joe Henderson & Woody Shaw —
49th Parallel ... CD Concord/Reel To Real, 1987. Used ...
Out Of Stock
An overlooked moment of genius from Canadian bassist Neil Swainson – maybe the only album of his we've seen as a leader, and a tremendous showcase for the talents of Joe Henderson on tenor and Woody Shaw on trumpet! The album's a beautiful burner – filled with original songs by Neil, and handled by the group with some of the soulful flow you'd find on the best Woody Shaw albums for Muse Records in the 70s – a mode that's very much out of time, especially as the whole thing was issued on the Concord label, which isn't usually such a strong showcase for material as soulful and expressive as this! The rest of the combo features Jerry Fuller on drums and Gary Williamson on piano – and titles include "Don't Hurt Yourself", "49th Parallel", "Port Of Spain", "On The Lam", "Labyrinth", and "Southern Exposure". CD
231
Neil Swainson Quintet with Joe Henderson & Woody Shaw —
49th Parallel ... CD Concord, 1987. Used ...
Out Of Stock
An overlooked moment of genius from Canadian bassist Neil Swainson – maybe the only album of his we've seen as a leader, and a tremendous showcase for the talents of Joe Henderson on tenor and Woody Shaw on trumpet! The album's a beautiful burner – filled with original songs by Neil, and handled by the group with some of the soulful flow you'd find on the best Woody Shaw albums for Muse Records in the 70s – a mode that's very much out of time, especially as the whole thing was issued on the Concord label, which isn't usually such a strong showcase for material as soulful and expressive as this! The rest of the combo features Jerry Fuller on drums and Gary Williamson on piano – and titles include "Don't Hurt Yourself", "49th Parallel", "Port Of Spain", "On The Lam", "Labyrinth", and "Southern Exposure". CD
(Spot of sticker residue and some clear tape on the booklet, disc has a promo stamp.)
232
Lew Tabackin —
Desert Lady ... CD Concord, 1989. Used ...
Just Sold Out!
Lew Tabackin on flute and tenor sax, Hank Jones on piano, Dave Holland on bass, and Victor Lewis on drums. CD
Warm ballad work from Mel Torme – a sampling of his gentler moments on the Concord Records label during the 80s and early 90s – all of which are a nice contrast to some of his overblown medley work for the company! The album features Mel in a variety of settings, all of which come off pretty darn nicely – and the CD's a great reminder that while we love Torme on an upbeat, swinging tune, he can also be equally great on a sadder, mellower one. Titles include "My Foolish Heart", "Moonlight Becomes You", "Angel Eyes", "A House Is Not A Home", "I'll Be Seeing You", "I'll Be Around",a nd "After The Waltz Is Over". CD
A warm, wonderful set by Sarah Vaughan – and a later one, closing the Monterey Jazz Festival in 1971 – released for the first time ever! Sarah is backed for most of the set by the trio of Billy Mays on piano, Bob Magnusson on bass and Jimmy Cobb on drums – with Sarah managing to both portray heavy emotion and mood and also an easygoing, playful charm – joking with the audience and obviously having a wonderful time. Very nice! Includes the Norman Granz intro, plus "I Remember You", "The Lamp Is Low", "'Round Midnight", "There Will Never Be Another You", "And I Love Him", "Scattin' The Blues", and "Tenderly" – plus a 14 plus minute jam with the Jazz At The Philharmonic All-Stars – Bill Harris, Roy Eldridge, Clark Terry, Eddie Lockjaw Davis, Benny Carter and others! CD
Ray Vega on trumpet, flugelhorn and percussion, Bernie Minoso on bass, Wilson "Chembo" Corniel on congas and percussion, Vince Cherico on drums and percussion, Steve Khan on electric and acoustic guitar, Nick Phillips on keyboards, Igor Atalita on piano, Roger Byam on tenor, alto and soprano saxophone, and Joe Locke on vibraphone. CD
(Out of print.)
241
Roseanna Vitro —
Softly ... CD Concord, 1993. Used ...
$2.99
The title's a bit of a joke, given the image of money on the cover – but the album's a tight little set from this classic Basie tenorist, recorded with a largeish group that would have made his old boss proud! Frank keeps things upbeat and soulful on most tracks – mostly blowing tenor, but also some of his famous flute, and some alto sax too – in the company of players who include Cecil Bridgewater and Greg Gisbert on trumpet, Scott Robinson on saxes, Steve Turre on trombone, and Richard Wyands on piano. The best numbers are actually some of the more laidback ones – and the album features originals by Wess and Robinson that stand out from the rest of the tunes. Titles include "Little Esther", "Short Circuit", "And So It Is", "Listen To The Dawn", "Tryin To Make My Blues Turn Green", "Blues In The Car", "Surprise Surprise", and "Small Talk". CD
A massive 2 CD package – one that set a whole new standard for 70s live albums! The group's at their rocking best – a bit rawer here than in the studio – and the set includes some overlooked gems from albums, plus renditions of a few Beatles tunes too. CD
Rickey Woodard on tenor and alto saxophone, Ray Brown on trumpet, Cedar Walton on piano, Jeff Littleton on bass, and Ralph Penland on drums. CD
249
Phil Woods —
Bouquet ... CD Concord, 1989. Used ...
Out Of Stock
Phil Woods on alto sax and clarinet – with Hal Galper on piano, Steve Gilmore on bass, Bill Goodwin on drums, and Tom Harrell on trumpet and flugelhorn. CD
Phil Woods on alto sax and clarinet – with Tom Harrell on trumpet and flugelhorn, Nick Brignola on baritone sax, Hal Crook on trombone, Nelson Hill on tenor sax, Hal Galper on piano, Steve Gilmore on bass, and Bill Goodwin on drums. CD
251
Phil Woods —
Flash ... CD Concord/Bellaphon (Germany), 1990. Used ...
Out Of Stock
Features Phil Woods on alto sax and clarinet, Tom Harrell on trumpet, Hal Crook on trombone, Hal Galper on piano, Steve Gilmore on bass, and Bill Goodwin on drums. CD
Features Toshiko Akiyoshi, Kenny Burrell, Charlie Byrd, Bill Charlap, Herb Ellis, Scott Hamilton, Gene Harris, Jack McDuff, Chris Potter, Poncho Sanchez, Mel Torme, Frank Wess, Denny Zeitlin, and more! CD
Possible matches: 1
256
Ray Brown Trio —
Georgia On My Mind ... CD Lob (Japan), 1989/1991. Used ...
Temporarily Out Of Stock
The spirit here is a lot like some of Brown's best work on Concord Records, both as a sideman and a leader – and the performances feature key Concord associates Gene Harris on piano and Jeff Hamilton on drums – yet the setting is nicely different, recorded with a style that changes things up from Concord, and maybe a bit more bite in the music overall. CD