A real 70s stormer from Frank Foster – recorded with the Loud Minority ensemble used for the Mainstream album of the same name, done in a style that's a bit more straight ahead, yet still plenty darn soulful! Frank's hanging here between the two sides of his career – working in a larger band mode at one level, yet also scoring some charts that are a lot hipper than anything the Basie generation might have imagined! The rhythm section on the set features Mickey Tucker on piano, Earl May on bass, and Charlie Persip on drums – augmented by a bit of extra percussion and guitar from time to time, in a way that really makes the tunes skip along nicely. Frank himself is on both soprano and tenor sax – sounding great on the album's title remake of his "Manhattan Fever" – and also stretching out on longer tunes that include Ronnie Matthews' great "Marie Jean", and Frank's originals "Thruway Traffic" and "Four Five Six". LP, Vinyl record album
A nice collection of Gene Ammons' work that doesn't always get as well remembered as his sides for Prestige or Chess – late 40s bop recordings for Savoy, done in a wonderfully full-voiced tone! The set features Gene's classic "Red Top", plus the great two part "Big Slam", and the titles "Chips", "Goodtime Blues", "Fuzzy", "Jim Dawgs", and "Street Of Dreams". The album doesn't list personnel at all for the tracks, or dates – but the music speaks volumes on its own! CD
(Out of print. Includes Savoy Obi!)
3
Eliane Elias —
Illusions ... CD Denon (Japan), 1987. Used ...
$6.998.99
Great early work from Eliane Elias – Brazilian-influenced rhythms, warm piano lines, and a surprising undercurrent of soul! The set features Eliane strongly out front on acoustic piano – working with some elements of other American jazz at the time – kind of that post-fusion sense of soul that came from the electric years of other players, brought back into the acoustic keyboard as the 80s scene moved on. But Elias also brings in some of her best Brazilian elements too – really just in the way the keyboard lines come together with a sense of joy and life – and other players include Stanley Clarke and Eddie Gomez on bass, Al Foster and Steve Gadd on drums, and Toots Thielemans on a bit of guest harmonica. Titles include "Illusions", "Moments", "Iberia", "Chan's Song", "Through The Fire", and "Choro". CD
(Out of print, please not that there is a punch through the entire booklet.)
A jazz vocal album, but one with a nicely different vibe – even in comparison to some of the other work by Japanese singer Mieko Hirota! The style here is often quite funky, even on older tunes – thanks to arrangements by jazz funk maestro Hiromasa Suzuki, who's work here gives everything a sweet, soulful finish, with lots of electric instrumentation in the mix! Mieko sounds wonderful in the setting – stretching her vocals in ways we've never heard before – bringing a lot to the English language lyrics of tunes that include "What's Going On", "Easy Evil", "My Love", "Day Dreaming", "Sweet Love", and "My Funny Valentine". CD
(Includes the insert and booklet. Cover has some light ringwear.)
6
Carmen Maki —
Blues Creation ... LP Denon/Lawson (Japan), 1971. New Copy Gatefold (reissue)...
$42.9959.99
Japanese singer Carmen Maki works here with Blues Creation – on a set that's headier and heavier than just about anything she ever recorded! The group themselves are amazing – searing with guitar work that rivals the best of the Anglo blues-inspired hard rock combos of the period – and when Carmen comes into the mix, she uses an equally soulful approach, turned towards freakier styles that might have made Christine Perfect run away in fear! The combination is fantastic – the kind of special set that makes this period of the Japanese scene such a standout for collectors of this sort of material – on titles that include "I Can't Live For Today", "Motherless Child", "Understand", "Empty Heart", and "Lord I Can't Be Going No More". LP, Vinyl record album
A nice early 70s session from Charles Mingus – and in interesting one, to boot – finding the legendary bassist in Japan leading his own group and Toshiyuki Miyama and his New Herd Orchestra! Mingus's American players included Bobbie Jones on tenor and clarinet, Eddie Preston on trumpet. The New Herd featured Masahiko Sato on a prominent piano, and Shigeo Suzuki on alto. Jaki Byard arranged. The epic side "The Man Who Never Sleeps" runs over 16 minutes, and finds group in a restrained combo groove, a very subtle and wonderful tune. The remaining numbers "OP" and "Portrait" are done in a more straight-forward big band mode, but still with a relaxed feel. CD
One of Archie Shepp's most fragile and most beautiful albums – a set of mellower tunes dedicated to John Coltrane, played on tenor and soprano sax with support from a trio that includes Albert Dailey on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, and Charlie Persip on drums! The album's a real standout in Shepp's aging stretch – a session that's much more straight ahead than his earlier work, but which also benefits from his years of more exploratory blowing – experience that echoes out here in powerful notes and phrasings that he brings into the tunes at delightfully unexpected moments. As with Shepp's earlier Four For Trane album for Impulse, the sound here is not a copycat of Coltrane at all – but a fresh new vision that takes inspiration from the creativity of the master, and works with the same sense of soul and striving. Titles include "Soul Eyes", "You Don't Know What Love Is", "Wise One", "Where Are You", and "Theme For Ernie". CD
A wonderful album for all those folks who ever crabbed about Shepp going back "inside" during the late 70s! The record is straight jazz – not as righteous as Attica Blues or some of the other Impulse albums, yet done with a wonderfully soulful quality that shows that even without a large group backing him up, Shepp could blow wonderfully on the sax. Most tunes feature him on soprano, and the album also features a bit of tenor – and the group is a quartet with Walter Bishop on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Joe Chambers on drums. Tracks are all long, and Shepp's got this great laidback and mellowly searching tone. Titles include "In A Mellow Blues", "Enough", "The Scene Is Clean", and "On Green Dolphin Street". CD
(Out of print.)
10
Ayako Shinozaki —
Music Now For Harp ... LP Denon/We Want Sounds (UK), 1973. New Copy (reissue)...
$31.9934.99
A bold new frontier for use of the harp in experimental music – and that's saying a lot, given that Ayako Shinozaki recorded this album during the generation of Alice Coltrane and Dorothy Ashby! Shinokazi takes the instrument a bit back towards its use in more serious music, but with definite avant leanings, and certainly a sound that's inspired by the bold frontiers of free improvisation – as she opens up the harp in ways that are very different than some of the sweeter, softer styles that were often used in the 20th century – and instead uses it with a really keen ear for experimental tones and sharper-edged sounds! Two pieces are solo – readings of Toru Takemitsu's "Stanza II" and Katsuhiro Tsubono's "Poem Of Rim" – and the second half features a duet with violinist Takehisa Kosugi on "Heterodyne". LP, Vinyl record album
11
Terry Herman Trio —
Blue Aranjuez ... LP Denon (Japan), 1980. Near Mint- ...
$14.99
With Teru Sakamoto on piano, Takao Neichi on bass, and Takeshi Watanabe on drums. LP, Vinyl record album
(Original Japanese promo pressing, with obi and insert. Cover has light wear, a peeled spot and some price sticker remnants held down with clear tape in front, and a small promo sticker in back.)
Great 40s work from this Kansas City legend – recorded in New York, Chicago, and LA – with work from players who include Don Byas and Wild Bill Moore on tenor, Camille Howard and Pete Johnson on piano, Red Saunders on drums, and Riley Hampton on alto sax. 26 tracks total!! CD
One of the best dates ever as a leader from trumpeter Joe Wilder – and one of the few to have a really relaxed, open sort of format! Joe's not tied up in gimmicks or larger groups here – and he really sparkles in the company of a quartet that features Hank Jones on piano, Wendell Marshall on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums – players that really match Wilder's inherent sense of soul and lyricism, as he waxes some beautiful solos on the set. There's a nice sort of blueness in Joe's tone, but one that's never too forced or cliched – and titles include "Mad About The Boy", "Six Bit Blues", "Darn That Dream", "Prelude To A Kiss", and "My Heart Stood Still". CD
(1995 pressing – includes the original plastic cover. Cover has some light wear.)
A really cool record from the Japanese scene of the 70s – one that mixes traditional instrumentation with some high fidelity recording styles – then adds in just the right dash of contemporary elements too! The set's not as all-out funky as others like it from the time, but does rise up with some larger soundtrack-styled arrangements that are mighty nice – and there's a great balance of saxophone solos next to koto and shakuhachi, which makes for a warm style that moves between the acoustic aspects of the traditional instruments and some surprisingly jazzy moments too! This style really opens up on the second half of the record, which has the arrangements getting fuller and more uptempo – almost clubby at times, but with a great action soundtrack sort of vibe. LP, Vinyl record album
15
Bill Barron —
Tenor Stylings ... CD Savoy/Denon (Japan), 1961. Used ...
Temporarily Out Of Stock
Groundbreaking work from the modernist jazz team of Bill Barron and Ted Curson! The album's one of a few rare gems that Barron cut for the Savoy label early in his career – a mixture of Mingus-like angular jazz compositions, outfitted with a freer sense of soloing, and a deeply soulful phrasing overall. Barron and Curson are electric together, swapping lines and solos with amazing deftness – driving on tightly with rhythms by Kenny Barron, Jimmy Garrison, and Frankie Dunlop. Titles include "Blast Off", "Ode To An Earth Girl", "Fox Hunt", and "Oriental Impressions". CD
Solo piano from Dollar Brand – and more proof that he's one of the few players who can handle such a format with the same sort of fullness you might normally expect from a trio! Brand's work has a wonderfully rhythmic quality here, and a righteous element too – one that fits the "new nations" spirit of the title – the rising sense of power and identity in independent Africa, paid tribute to beautifully in a host of original compositions! There's less of the light, loping sounds that you might find on other Brand albums of the 70s – and at points, the music gets quite complex, emotionally – which makes the record a great one to turn to if you want to get past some of Brand's more familiar modes. Titles include "Thaba Nchu", "The Trial", "Liberation Dance", "Biral", "Anthem For New Nations", and "The Wedding Suite". CD
Jane Bunnett on soprano sax and flutes – with Larry Kramer on trumpet, Don Pullen on piano, Kieran Overs on acoustic bass, Billy Hart on drums. CD
(Out of print, booklet has some light wear.)
18
Billy Harper —
Love On The Sudan ... LP Denon (Japan), 1977. Near Mint- ...
Temporarily Out Of Stock
Sublime work from Billy Harper – one of those rare Japanese-only sessions he cut in the 70s – really tremendous stuff that blows away most of his other (already excellent) work from other points around the globe! Billy's blowing some really mighty tenor here – at a level that makes him one of the most righteous, spiritual players of the 70s – a player we'd rank right up there with John Coltrane or Pharoah Sanders at their best, working here with a bold musical vision that's all his own! The long tracks really give Harper plenty of room to stretch out – and he never goes too far out, even with the freedom – hanging tight to some tremendous rhythms from Mickey Tucker on piano, Gregg Maker on bass, and Malcolm Pinson on drums – and getting great help from trumpeter Everett Hollins in the frontline. Titles include "Love On The Sudan", "Priestess", and "Awakening". LP, Vinyl record album
(Japanese pressing, with insert – YX 7568 – in great shape! Back cover has a very small stain in one corner, but this is very minor.)
19
Archie Shepp —
Day Dream ... CD Denon (Japan), 1977. Used ...
Temporarily Out Of Stock
A dream of a set from Archie Shepp – a back to basics record that has Shepp blowing standards with an amazing sense of soul! Archie plays both tenor and soprano sax – in a group that also features Walter Davis on piano, Earl May on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums. CD
A great Denon date from saxophonist Bob Berg – recorded at a point when he was really coming into his own as a leader, and using some fusion elements a bit more confidently than before! The session balances Bob's work on tenor and soprano with work from Don Grolnick on organ and keyboards, Mike Stern on guitar, Robby Kilgore on synth, and Peter Erskine on drums and percussion – a lineup that feels itself together well on the date, grooving with a sense of tightness, but one that's opened up well by Berg's bolder solo moments. David Sanborn guests on one track – and titles include "Words", "Snakes", "Kalimba", "The Search", "Maya", and "That's The Ticket". CD
(Out of print, small piece of faded clear tape on booklet cover.)
Lovely work from Eliane Elias – and exactly the set you should turn to if you ever doubted her chops on the piano! Elias starts with a quick rendition of Bud Powell's "Hallucinations", played with a deftness that Toshiko Akiyoshi would appreciate – and the set then runs into a batch of tunes that includes some charming originals from Eliane – those fully-formed numbers that always made her a well-rounded talent right from the start! The blend of sensitivity and swing on the record is really impressive – and made even better by a set of players that includes Eddie Gomez on bass, Barry Finnerty on guitar, and Jack DeJohnette and Peter Erskine on drums. Titles include "One Side Of You", "Impulsive", "Cross Current", "Campari & Soda", and "Peggy's Blue Skylight". CD
(Out of print first pressing.)
26
Frank Foster —
Giant Steps ... CD Denon/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1975. New Copy ...
Out Of Stock
Beautiful 70s work from the great Frank Foster – material from that time when he'd split with the Count Basie group to go into a completely different direction – cutting spiritual records like this, and his better-known Loud Minority album for Mainstream records! The session was only ever issued in Japan – and it's got Foster really hitting new heights – picking up some of the spiritualism of his experience with Elvin Jones, but working his own sort of magic – with a personal charm that's echoed by the image on the cover. Frank blows saxes and arranged the set with a warmly angular group – in a larger group that also includes Cecil Bridgewater on trumpet, Thad Jones on flugelhorn, Jerry Dodgion on alto and flute, Walter Norris on piano, George Mraz on bass, and Mel Lewis on drums. Titles include "Shitsu Mon", "Tan Kyu", "Cecilia Is Love", and "Now That She's Away". CD
27
Fumio Itabashi —
Watarase ... LP Denon/We Want Sounds (UK), 1981. New Copy (reissue)...
Out Of Stock
A really striking solo piano session by the richly talented Fumio Itabashi – a pianist with a fluid, open feel on the keys – one that charges a session like this with the same sort of energy you'd expect from a trio album! In a way, Fumio's style would almost be held back by bass and drums – as he plays with a strongly rhythmic approach – one that colors in the spaces of the album in a way that reminds us a bit of the work of Dollar Brand, but which also has a more freely lyrical approach that reminds us of some of our favorite French players over the years. Titles include the originals "Miss Cann", "Good Bye", "Tone", and "Watarase". LP, Vinyl record album
Beautiful sounds from the ultra-hip Max Roach Quartet of the mid 70s – a lineup that features Billy Harper on tenor, Cecil Bridgewater on trumpet, and Reggie Workman on bass! Tracks are long – very much in the Harper style of the time – and titles include "Mr Papa Jo" and "Scott Free (parts 1 & 2)". LP, Vinyl record album
(Includes the insert. Cover has some light wear – vinyl is great!)
29
Red Rodney Quintet —
No Turn On Red ... CD Denon (Japan), 1989. Used ...
Out Of Stock
Red Rodney on trumpet and flugelhorn, Dick Oatts on soprano, alto and tenor saxes, Gary Dial on piano, Jay Anderson on bass, and Joey Baron on drums. CD
Ayako Shinozaki —
Music Now For Harp ... CD Denon/We Want Sounds (UK), 1973. New Copy ...
Out Of Stock
A bold new frontier for use of the harp in experimental music – and that's saying a lot, given that Ayako Shinozaki recorded this album during the generation of Alice Coltrane and Dorothy Ashby! Shinokazi takes the instrument a bit back towards its use in more serious music, but with definite avant leanings, and certainly a sound that's inspired by the bold frontiers of free improvisation – as she opens up the harp in ways that are very different than some of the sweeter, softer styles that were often used in the 20th century – and instead uses it with a really keen ear for experimental tones and sharper-edged sounds! Two pieces are solo – readings of Toru Takemitsu's "Stanza II" and Katsuhiro Tsubono's "Poem Of Rim" – and the second half features a duet with violinist Takehisa Kosugi on "Heterodyne". CD
One of Mickey Tucker's best records, and a Japanese-only set too! Features Reggie Workman on bass and Horacee Arnold on drums. CD also features a full extra album of bonus tracks – from a larger group session with Louis Smith on trumpet, Curtis Fuller on trombone, and George Coleman on alto and tenor! CD
Bob Berg on saxophone – with Mike Stern on guitar, Jim Beard on piano, organ and synthesizers, Lincoln Goines on bass, Dennis Chambers on drums, and Manolo Badrena on percussion. CD
A great Japanese-only date from Walter Davis Jr – a trio session at the core, but with great flute from Jeremy Steig on the long title track! The trio features Buster Williams on bass – and either Bruno Carr or Art Blakey on drums – and titles include "Scorpio", "Illumination", "Ronnie's A Dynamite Lady", and "Backgammon". Plus, CD also features bonus tracks – 7 more numbers from a different session – with work by Charles Sullivan on trumpet, Carter Jefferson on tenor, and Tony Williams on drums! CD
35
Art Farmer with The Great Jazz Trio —
Ambrosia ... LP Denon (Japan), 1983. Near Mint- ...
Out Of Stock
An excellent Japanese-only release – Art Farmer blows flugelhorn with backing by the Great Jazz Trio of Hank Jones on piano, Eddie Gomez on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums – with a bit of additional strings arranged by Masahiko Satoh! LP, Vinyl record album
36
Tommy Flanagan & Kenny Barron —
Together ... LP Denon (Japan), 1978. Near Mint- ...
Out Of Stock
Twin piano magic from Kenny Barron and Tommy Flanagan – two players working here without any other accompaniment at all, sounding really great in the process! The set has Barron and Flanagan coming together beautifully with just the right sense of space – handling both rhythm and melody as they trade lines back and forth, wrapped up in their own inherent sense of warmth – and showing that there'd hardly be two other players as well suited to a session like this. The amazing thing is the fluid groove that's maintained throughout the set – neither player gets in the way of the other, and things always manage to swing, even without any bass or drums. Titles include "Dig", "Stella By Starlight", "Darn That Dream", "The Way You Look Tonight", and "I Can't Get Started". LP, Vinyl record album
Titles include "Blue Monk", "Ruby My Dear", "Caravan", "Someone To Watch Over Me", and "Lush Life" – 16 tracks total. CD
38
Billy Harper —
Soran-Bushi BH ... CD Denon/Billy Harper Fan Club, 1977. Used ...
Out Of Stock
One of the best-ever Billy Harper records from the 70s – and one of the rare sessions of his that only ever came out in Japan! Billy is in incredible form throughout – and plays with a stunning sense of imagination and creativity on the 3 long tracks that make up this LP – stepping out with brilliant post-Coltrane energy that fires up his tenor, and takes him to the skies on these wonderfully long, creative solos. He's playing here with Harold Mabern on piano, Everett Hollins on trumpet, Billy Hart on drums, and Greg Maker on bass – and the session's got that warm spiritual sound that characterizes his best work – but also has a lot of hard-blowing solos with the haunting searching quality that keeps us coming back to Billy's work again and again over the years. Titles include "Loverhood", "Trying to Get Ready", and his classic, the title cut, "Soran-Bushi BH". CD
One of the last great records ever cut by Jon Hendricks – one of our favorite singers of all time! The album's a bit of a "tour de force" – with Hendricks singing alongside a host of famous jazz musicians and vocalists, working in an all star setting that's sometimes too good for its own good, but at other times works magically! The best moments are those when Jon actually takes the lead himself, singing in that warm, raspy, honest style that's always made him the kind of a singer that brings meaning to lyrics that always leave us cold from other vocalists. The album's got a wonderful re-reading of the Italian classic "Estate", redone here with English lyrics as "In Summer" – and one of Hendricks finest moments on record! Other tracks include "Listen To Monk", "Sugar", "Freddie Freeloader", "High As A Mountain", "Trinkle Tinkle", and "The Finer Things In Life" – and players include Tommy Flanagan, George Benson, Wynton Marsalis, Stanley Turrentine, and Al Jarreau. CD
40
Akira Ishikawa & Count Buffalos —
Soul & Rock ... LP Denon/Lawson (Japan), 1969. New Copy Gatefold (reissue)...
Out Of Stock
Drummer Akira Ishikawa was easily one of the hippest cats on the Japanese scene of the late 60s and early 70s – a player and leader with a great ear for American funk and soul changes of the time, most of which he brought into play on a record like this! The album's definitely got the soul and rock promised in the title, but also plenty of jazz too – as some of the solos go nicely outside, in weird offbeat ways that nicely contrast with the tighter grooves in the rhythm – creating a nice sense of tension that really makes this record stand out from the pack! There's a really sinister undercurrent here – odd edges and weird tones on piano, guitar, and saxophone – all amidst some strongly soulful grooves from the rest of the group. Titles include "The Cougar", "Greensleeves", "No More Than A Drop", "Deep River", "Mago-Uta", and "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me". LP, Vinyl record album
Ritz —
Ritz ... CD Denon (Japan), 1987. Used ...
Out Of Stock
A later take on the vocalese style first pioneered by Lambert, Hendricks, & Ross – sung by a male/female quartet with a wonderfully fluid feel! The group's not nearly as kitschy as you might guess from their name or the Hirshfield cartoon on the cover – and have the warmth of Singers Unlimited mixed with some of the more dynamic modes of the LHR group – getting support here only from a piano trio, plus a few additional instruments on some tunes. Titles include "All The Things You Are", "Walkin", "Summer Burn", "It Never Entered My Mind", "Invitation", "The Golden Rule", and "A Child Is Born". CD
Beautiful sounds from the ultra-hip Max Roach Quartet of the mid 70s – a lineup that features Billy Harper on tenor, Cecil Bridgewater on trumpet, and Reggie Workman on bass! Tracks are long – very much in the Harper style of the time – and titles include "It's Time", "Calvary", and "Round Midnight". LP, Vinyl record album
47
Masahiko Satoh —
Solo Piano ... LP Denon, 1976. Very Good+ ...
Out Of Stock
A beautifully-recorded set from this Japanese modernist! LP, Vinyl record album
48
Archie Shepp & Dollar Brand —
Duet ... CD Denon (Japan), 1978. Used ...
Out Of Stock
An overlooked session – and as nice as you'd expect! The magical later work of Shepp combines with the evocative piano lines of Dollar Brand – creating spare tracks that echo with a soul that spans continents of music and memory. Shepp plays tenor, alto, and soprano sax – and the album includes a great reading of Dave Burrell's "Fortunato", plus the tunes "Barefoot Boy From Queenstown", "Left Alone", "Moniebah", and "Ubu Suko". CD
Beautifully-recorded later work from Sonny Stitt – a record that's got the crispness and poise of his classic work on Roost, with perhaps a bit of the warmer soul he'd picked up in the 70s – yet laid out in a way that's different from some of his American albums too! The set's a special date produced for the Japanese market – and Sonny plays alto and tenor – with Barry Harris on piano, Tony Williams on drums, and Reggie Workman on bass – and Walter Davis plays a bit of piano too. Titles include "West 46th Street", "Constellation", "Blues For PCM", "Who Can I Turn To", "Flight Cap Blues", and "Moonlight In Vermont". CD
50
Sam Taylor —
Kage O Shitaite ... LP Denon (Japan), Late 1960s. Very Good+ Gatefold ...
Out Of Stock
Really great work from this American tenorist – a player who made records here during the R&B years, but who eventually found more fame and support over in Japan – where he recorded unique material like this! Many tunes are original, and have Japanese titles – and they feature even better tenor work from Sam than on his American albums – set to arrangements from Akira Arita! LP, Vinyl record album
51
Buster Williams —
Tokudo ... CD Denon (Japan), 1978. Used ...
Out Of Stock
A rare Japanese album from bassist Buster Williams – featuring Kenny Barron on piano and Ben Riley on drums! The set includes some great original compositions – "Fuego" and Tokudo" – plus standards "Someday My Prince Will Come" and "This Is The End Of A Beautiful Friendship". CD
Lovely work from Eliane Elias – and exactly the set you should turn to if you ever doubted her chops on the piano! Elias starts with a quick rendition of Bud Powell's "Hallucinations", played with a deftness that Toshiko Akiyoshi would appreciate – and the set then runs into a batch of tunes that includes some charming originals from Eliane – those fully-formed numbers that always made her a well-rounded talent right from the start! The blend of sensitivity and swing on the record is really impressive – and made even better by a set of players that includes Eddie Gomez on bass, Barry Finnerty on guitar, and Jack DeJohnette and Peter Erskine on drums. Titles include "One Side Of You", "Impulsive", "Cross Current", "Campari & Soda", and "Peggy's Blue Skylight". CD
53
Peter Erskine —
Motion Poet ... CD Denon (Japan), 1988. Used ...
Out Of Stock
Features John Abercrombie on guitar, Randy Brecker on flugelhorn, Micheal Brecker on tenor sax, Eliane Elias on piano, Marc Johnoson on bass, and Peter Erskine on drums – plus a large horn section that include Bob Mintzer, Lew Soloff, and Lawrence Feldman. CD
A beautiful Japanese session from Art Farmer – one that has him working in a combo-plus-strings format that's really nice! The core group features Farmer on flugelhorn, Ron Carter on bass, Jack DeJohnette on drums, and Masahiko Satoh on piano and Fender Rhodes – and they're backed up by a larger set of strings conducted by Satoh with a subtle, gentle sort of feel. There's an almost classic feel to most of the tracks, except for the few that have a bit more of an electric keyboard sound – and titles include "Goodbye Porkpie Hat", "Ruby My Dear", "Blue Bossa", "Naima", and "Maiden Voyage". CD
55
Frank Foster —
Giant Steps ... LP Denon (Japan), 1975. Very Good+ ...
Out Of Stock
Beautiful 70s work from the great Frank Foster – material from that time when he'd split with the Count Basie group to go into a completely different direction – cutting spiritual records like this, and his better-known Loud Minority album for Mainstream records! The session was only ever issued in Japan – and it's got Foster really hitting new heights – picking up some of the spiritualism of his experience with Elvin Jones, but working his own sort of magic – with a personal charm that's echoed by the image on the cover. Frank blows saxes and arranged the set with a warmly angular group – in a larger group that also includes Cecil Bridgewater on trumpet, Thad Jones on flugelhorn, Jerry Dodgion on alto and flute, Walter Norris on piano, George Mraz on bass, and Mel Lewis on drums. Titles include "Shitsu Mon", "Tan Kyu", "Cecilia Is Love", and "Now That She's Away". LP, Vinyl record album
A warm later set from Carmen McRae – recorded with great small combo jazz backing that features tenor sax work from Clifford Jordan! The album's a real back-to-basics one for McRae – and gets away from crossover modes used in the 60s and 70s, taking Carmen back to the more jazz-based sound of her earliest records – but going even one further by bringing in Jordan, since Carmen mostly started out with straight trio backing. Other players include Eric Gunnison on piano and John Collins on guitar – and the tunes themselves are mostly standards, sung with impeccable phrasing. Titles include "Tulip Or Turnip", "Body & Soul", "I Hear Music", "This Is Always", "It Could Happen To You", "Old Devil Moon", and "Have You Met Miss Jones". CD
58
Archie Shepp —
Lady Bird ... LP Denon (Japan), 1978. Near Mint- ...
Out Of Stock
One of the best records from Shepp's "new tradition" late 70's period devoted to the exploration of Charlie Parker. The album features extended readings of tracks that are either Parker originals, or which were strongly associated with him – and titles include "Donna Lee", "lady Bird", "Now's The Time", and "Relaxin At Camarillo". Shepp's actually right at home in this setting, and his "out" background really brings a new twist to a traditional understanding of Bird. The rest of the group is made up of Jaki Byard, Cecil Mc Bee, and Roy Haynes. LP, Vinyl record album
59
Jimmie Smith Quintet —
Sweet & Lovely ... CD Denon (Japan), 1996. Used ...
Out Of Stock
With Eugene Phipps Sr on alto and tenor saxophone. CD
There's definitely an art to the way that Bennie Wallace handles the saxophone – a style that's schooled in all the best references from the old days, but cast in some fresher, sharper tones as well! It's clear that Bennie's got plenty of love for Coleman Hawkins in his tenor, but also reaches forward to a host of other influences as well – and the arrangements can be quite compelling, especially on some of the more modern moments that come from Wallace's original compositions. Players include John Scofield on guitar, Eddie Gomez on bass, and Dannie Richmond on drums – and titles include "Thangs", "Edith Head", "Rhythm Head", "Monroe County Moon", and "All Too Soon". CD
Possible matches: 4
61
Billy Harper & Jon Faddis —
Jon & Billy ... CD Trio (Japan), 1974. Used ...
$29.99
A great 70s soul jazz session that ranks up there with some of the best of Billy Harper's work from the decade! The session was recorded in the same style as Harper's excellent Japanese sessions for Denon, and it features a very soulful frontline of Faddis' trumpet, Harper's tenor, and the piano and electric piano of Roland Hanna. Cecil Bridgewater plays kalimba on one track, and the rhythm's by George Mraz and Motohiko Hino. Titles include "Two D's From Shinjyuku, Dig & Dug", "This All", and "Water Bridge". CD
A classic session of modernist jazz – and some of Mingus most groundbreaking early work! The album was recorded for Savoy with 2 different groups – one's got Mingus leading John LaPorta on alto, Teo Macero on tenor, and Mal Waldron on piano, and the other group's a quartet with Macero, Kenny Clarke, and Wally Cirillo. The set marks a strong shift for Mingus – into tightly composed tracks that arc out in complex lines, hinting at the ferocity of later years – and it offers a showcase for a strong set of soloists carefully picked to match Mingus' rich vision. Titles include "Gregarian Chant", "Rose Geranium", "Purple Heart", "Transeason", "Smog L.A.", and "Level Seven". CD also features one bonus track not on the original LP – a previously unissued version of "Body & Soul" cut during the same sessions! CD
A great 70s soul jazz session that ranks up there with some of the best of Billy Harper's work from the decade! The session was recorded in the same style as Harper's excellent Japanese sessions for Denon, and it features a very soulful frontline of Faddis' trumpet, Harper's tenor, and the piano and electric piano of Roland Hanna. Cecil Bridgewater plays kalimba on one track, and the rhythm's by George Mraz and Motohiko Hino. Titles include "Two D's From Shinjyuku, Dig & Dug", "This All", and "Water Bridge". LP, Vinyl record album
Classic early work from Jimmy Scott – airy ballads and love songs, done in that incredible vocal style that has made Scott an enduring legend for countless years! Backings are very nice – sad and dreamy, perfectly fitting the mood of the tunes. The record's one of Jimmy's key early sides, and titles include "How Else", "Please Forgive Me", "An Evening In Paradise", "Things That Are Love", "Once", and "What Good Would It Be". CD
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