Chet Baker —
Chet On Poetry ... CD Novus/Mono Jazz (Italy), 1988. New Copy ...
$16.9919.99
Completely evocative late life work from Chet Baker – one of the last albums he ever recorded, and a set that shows just how much Baker kept evolving in the later years of his career! Given some of the personal troubles that plagued Chet over the decades, there's sometimes a thought out there that he was a weaker version of himself at this time – but that's definitely not the case, as Baker really shifted his sound and style to accommodate some of his challenges, at a level that maybe made the music even more powerful than some of his music from years before! Some of the best moments here feature contributions from key musical partner of the 80s Nicola Stilo, who uses flute, guitar, and piano in these light ways while Chet's soloing with this strong, fluid vibe that's a real surprise – gentle, but extremely powerful. A few cuts bring in a bit of keyboards, and Chet sings a bit – but his best "singing" here is through his trumpet, which is still a hell of a voice in jazz. Titles include "Chet's Blues", "Waiting For Chet", "The Party Is Over", "With Sadness", "Deep Arabesques", and "Like The Precedent" – plus a lovely reading of the Elvis Costello tune "Almost Blue". CD
With Andy Milne on paino & keyboards, David Gilmore on guitar and guitar synth, Reggie Washington on electric bass, and Oliver Gene Lake Jr on drums and percussion. CD
Features Clark Terry and Greg Gisbert on trumpet, Al Grey on Trombone, Joshua Redman on tenor, Ron Carter on bass, Grady Tate on drums, and Hicks on piano. CD
Hilton Ruiz on piano, Jimmy Rowser on bass, Reuben Rodriguez on electric bass, Steve Berrios on drums, timbales, guiro and claves, Daniel Ponce on congas and bongos and Don Cherry on trumpet. CD
(Cutout notch through case and artwork.)
10
Steve Coleman & Five Elements —
Drop Kick ... CD Novus, 1992. Used ...
Temporarily Out Of Stock
Steve Coleman on alto sax, Andy Milne & James Weidman on piano & keyboards, David Hilmore on guitar, Reggie Washington on bass & Marvin Smitty Smith on drums & percussion. CD
Features Joe Lovano and David Sanches on saxophones, Santi Debriano on bass, Jack Dejohnette on drums, and Ruben Blades on vocals. CD
(Out of print, small cutout hole through rear case and tray card.)
17
Vanessa Rubin —
Soul Eyes ... CD Novus, 1992. Used ...
Out Of Stock
Features Eddie Allen on trumpet, Kirk Lightsey on piano, Onaje Allan Gumbs on keys, Cecil McBee on bass, and Lewis Nash on drums. Tracks include "Giant Steps", "Tenderly", "Voyager II", "Dearly Beloved", "Autumn", and "Willow Weep For Me". CD
A nice little set from Henry Threadgill – one of the albums that gave him greatest exposure to a bigger audience, and a set that pushes the sound of his work nicely! The record's got some of those touches from a time when the AACM was reaching out with its sound from earlier years – a mode that's not exactly more inside, but certainly more overtly expressive about its intentions, and sometimes a bit more melodically focused than freely improvisatory. There's echoes here of work the Art Ensemble and Amina Claudine Myers were doing during the same stretch – and the lack of commercial success of the record shouldn't indicate any aesthetic failure at all. Asha Puthli makes a surprising vocal appearance on the track "My Rock", and other players include Frank Lacy, Diedre Murray, Fred Hopkins, Pheeroan Aklaff, and Reggie Nicholson. Titles include "Award The Squadtett", "Hall", "Spotted Duck Is Pudding", and "I Can't Wait Till I Get Home". CD
Threadgill plays alto sax and bass flute and is joined by Ted Daniels on trumpet and flugelhorn, Bill Lowe on bass trombone, Diedre Murry on cello, Fred Hopkins on bass, and Newman Barker and Reggie Nicholson on drums and percussion. 4 tracks in all, including "Off The Rag", "The Devil Is On The Loose And Dancin' With A Monkey", "Gift", and "Sweet Holy Rag". CD
A great introduction to one of the hippest big bands of the 70s – a duo who did for the jazz ensemble mode in their decade what Kenny Clarke and Francy Boland did in the 60s! Tracks include "Studio J", "Quadrille, Anyone", "Kogun", "First Night", and "Road Time Shuffle". CD
Nice soundtrack to the now-legendary film by Bruce Weber that tracked Chet Baker during some of the last days of his life. The set's got a nice mix of vocal and instrumental tracks, with Chet in fine enough form at the time of the recording. Titles include "You're My Thrill", "Moon & Sand", "Zingaro", "My One & Only Love", and "Almost Blue". CD
Antonio Hart and Gary Bartz on alto saxophone, Jamal Haynes on trombone, Darren Barrett on trumpet, Aaron Graves on piano, Rodney Whitaker on bass, Greg Hutchinson on drums, and Kimati Dinizulu on percussion. CD
25
Steve Khan —
Evidence ... CD Novus, 1980. Used ...
Out Of Stock
A beautifully spacey set from guitarist Steve Khan – a record that has the leader playing mostly acoustic, but in a setting that's also got this nicely echoey vibe and some great electric touches! The record is as spacious as an ECM session, but has a very different vibe – maybe a quality that's less sonically organic, but equally powerful – as the steel strings of Khan's guitar have this raspy quality in the echo, and are matched with some contributions on other guitars from David Russell Young – and some very light electronics that shade in some of the background elements in a very gentle way. Titles include "In A Silent Way", "Peace", "Threesome", "Infant Eyes", and a long "Thelonious Monk Medley". CD
26
Steve Lacy & Mal Waldron —
Hot House ... CD Novus, 1990. Used ...
Out Of Stock
Steve Lacy on soprano saxophone and Mal Waldron on piano. Titles include "House Party Starting", "I'll Keep Loving You", "Mistral Breeze", and "The Mooche". CD
Includes the songs "Watch What Happens", "You Must Believe In Spring", "Friday Fugue", "Once Upon A Summertime", "J & B", "The Saddest Thing Of All", and "Splittons". CD
With Threadgill on bass flute, alto, and tenor, Rasul Sadik on trumpet, Frank Lacy on trombone, Deirdre Murray on cello, Fred Hopkins on bass, and both Pheeroan Aklaff and Reggie Nicholson on percussion – each getting a different channel of the recording! Titles include "Silver & Gold Baby Silver & Gold", "Bermuda Blues", "Good Times", and "Those Who Eat Cookies". CD
32
Ran Blake —
Film Noir ... CD Novus/International Phonograph, 1980. Used Gatefold ...
Out Of Stock
One of the most evocative albums we've ever heard from pianist Ran Blake – a set that's got all the sharp edges of some of his most adventurous solo work, but one that also has Ran working in a few different settings, often with a very poetic feel! The set's not a hokey retro-crime record – as you might fear from the title (and countless later jazz albums that evoke that aesthetic) – and although Blake's working through melodies from older films, plus a few original numbers in the same spirit, his presentation is completely unique – and explosively personal throughout! His own piano is tremendous – blocks of sound and runs of notes that are extremely imaginative, and which flow forward from the same dark spirit we love on Blake's other recordings. And they're often balanced with shifting contributions from other musicians – players who include John Heiss on flute, Paul Meyers on bass, Ted Curson on trumpet, and Daryl Lowrey on alto and soprano sax – all of whom make some great additions to the set. Titles include a nice take on "The Pawnbroker" – plus other film titles that include "Eve", "Touch Of Evil", "Le Boucher", "Pinky", and "Doktor Mabuse" – as well as Blake originals "Spiral Staircase" and "Garden Of Delight". CD
33
Roy Hargrove —
Vibe ... CD Novus, 1992. Used ...
Out Of Stock
Features Hargrove on trumpet, Antonio Hart on alto, Marc Cary on piano, Rodney Whitaker on bass, and Gregory Hutchinson on drums – plus guest tenors Branford Marsalis and David 'Fathead' Newman. CD