A Blowin' Session is one of the greatest hard bop jam sessions ever recorded; it is filled with infectious passion and camaraderie. It's also the only time tenor saxophonists Johnny Griffin and John Coltrane would play together on record. Initially Coltrane wasn't scheduled to be on this date, but Griffin saw him on his way to Rudy Van Gelder's studio and asked him to join the remaining musicians, third tenor Hank Mobley, trumpeter Lee Morgan, pianist Wynton Kelly, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Art Blakey. These musicians were all associates within the same East Coast hard bop scene of the time; they came from the Jazz Messengers and Miles Davis' quintet, and many had played with Dizzy Gillespie's big band. Showcased on this April 8, 1958, session are two standards, "The Way You Look Tonight" and "All the Things You Are," along with two original Griffin compositions, "Ball Bearing" and "Smoke Stack." An added bonus on the 1999 Rudy Van Gelder remastered edition is an alternate take of "Smoke Stack." Of special note is "The Way You Look Tonight," featuring the three tenors trading off with complexity and speed that is still astonishing, especially in the case of Griffin (dubbed the world's fastest saxophonist) and Coltrane's ability to navigate complex chord changes over a fast tempo.

(by Al Campbell, All Music Guide)

This album, recorded in September 1957, marked John Coltrane’s comeback after his heroin use led to his ejection from Miles Davis’ band earlier in the year. After going cold turkey and successfully beating his addiction, Coltrane was a man reborn whose music became more sharply focused, especially after he began working with Thelonious Monk. He was still playing with Monk’s quintet when he recorded Blue Train with a sextet that included young trumpet genius Lee Morgan. All but one of the tunes is by the saxophonist, and it’s the title cut, with its memorable clarion call theme, which is the stand-out. Widely acknowledged as Trane’s first masterpiece, anyone looking to buy John Coltrane for the first time needs to start here.

(www.udiscovermusic.com)

Although never formally signed, an oral agreement between John Coltrane and Blue Note Records founder Alfred Lion was indeed honored on Blue Train -- Coltrane's only collection of sides as a principal artist for the venerable label. The disc is packed solid with sonic evidence of Coltrane's innate leadership abilities. He not only addresses the tunes at hand, but also simultaneously reinvents himself as a multifaceted interpreter of both hard bop as well as sensitive balladry -- touching upon all forms in between. The personnel on Blue Train is arguably as impressive as what they're playing. Joining Coltrane (tenor sax) are Lee Morgan (trumpet), Curtis Fuller (trombone), Kenny Drew (piano), Paul Chambers (bass), and Philly Joe Jones (drums). The triple horn arrangements incorporate an additional sonic density that remains a trademark unique to both this band and album. Of particular note is Fuller's even-toned trombone, which bops throughout the title track as well as the frenetic "Moments Notice." Other solos include Paul Chambers' subtly understated riffs on "Blue Train" as well as the high energy and impact from contributions by Lee Morgan and Kenny Drew during "Locomotion." The track likewise features some brief but vital contributions from Philly Joe Jones -- whose efforts throughout the record stand among his personal best. Of the five sides that comprise the original Blue Train, the Jerome Kern/Johnny Mercer ballad "I'm Old Fashioned" is the only cover tune in the stack. In terms of unadulterated sentiment, this version is arguably untouchable. Fuller's rich tones and Drew's tastefully executed solos cleanly wrap around Jones' steadily languid rhythms. This is sheer jazz nirvana. In the spring of 1997, the Ultimate Blue Train CD was released, boasting 20-bit remastered audio as well as one alternate take of both "Blue Train" and "Lazy Bird." Additionally, the disc includes "At Least Listen" -- an interactive CD-ROM program featuring video clips and interview clips with Fuller circa 1995, as well as many brilliant photographs taken during the recording sessions. Without reservation, Blue Train can easily be considered in and among the most important and influential entries not only of John Coltrane's career, but of the entire genre of jazz music as well.

(by Lindsay Planer, All Music Guide)

Recorded as a one-off while he was still contracted to the Prestige label, Blue Train was John Coltrane’s only solo offering for Alfred Lion and Francis Wolff’s imprint. Recorded in late 1957, after the saxophonist had gone “cold turkey” to quit the heroin addiction that got him fired from Miles Davis’ band earlier in the year, Blue Train marked his rebirth as a drug-free musician. Perhaps because of this, it was Trane’s first truly exceptional long-player and showed him living up to the promise he had shown before drugs threatened to derail his career. Coltrane leads a sextet with a three-horn frontline that includes trumpeter Lee Morgan and trombonist Curtis Fuller, the latter bringing a rich sonority to the album. The opening title tune, with its memorable clarion call horn theme, is one of Coltrane’s classic compositions and offers a vivid example of his ornate “sheets of sound” soloing style in a hard bop setting. The only cover among the album’s five tunes is the Johnny Mercer-Jerome Kern-written ‘I’m Old Fashioned’, a plaintive ballad on which Coltrane favours deep emotional expression over flashy displays of technique. Not only an essential entry in any guide to Blue Note, but one of the first ports of call for anyone interested in John Coltrane, Blue Train is a must-hear album.

(www.udiscovermusic.com)

“Adderley was about to push into the soul-jazz era when he made this one-off for Blue Note. In a sense it was a vale to what had passed between the altoist and Miles Davis during the time they shared the bandstand in the Miles Davis Sextet, complete with Miles’ compulsive borrowings from Ahmad Jamal and the delicate balance struck between the beautiful simplicity of the emerging modernist simplicity and Cannon’s natural ebullience. Miles got the altoist to shine through ballads and burnished blowing throughout, complementing in fine style while the rest of the crew kept a discreet distance.[7]”

„Adderley war im Begriff in die Soul-Jazz-Ära zu drängen, als er dieses einmalige Album für Blue Note machte. In gewissem Sinne war es ein Lebewohl zu dem, was zwischen dem Altoisten und Miles Davis war in der Zeit, als sie die Bühne im Miles Davis Sextet teilten, vollendet mit Miles zwanghaften Anleihen an Ahmad Jamal und dem empfindlichen Gleichgewicht zwischen der schönen Einfachheit, die zwischen der aufkommenden modernistischen Einfachheit und Cannons natürlichen Überschwang geschah. Miles brachte den Altoisten zum Erstrahlen durch Balladen, im feinen Stil ergänzend mit durchgängig aufpoliertem Spiel, während der Rest der Mannschaft einen diskreten Abstand hielt.“

(Keith Shadwick, Die Musikzeitschrift Jazzwise wählte es auf Platz 58 in der Liste The 100 Jazz Albums That Shook the World. )

Das ist wahrlich einer der großen Klassiker des Hardbop: Art Blakey führt seine wohl beste Jazz-Messengers-Besetzung durch ein treibendes Programm, das keinen Moment nachlässt. Tenorsaxophonist Benny Golson (dessen in der Folge zum Jazzklassiker gewordenes "Along Came Betty" hier zum ersten Mal zu hören ist), der brillante Trompeter Lee Morgan und der funky Pianist Bobby Timmons, der den Titelhit schrieb, spielen einige der besten Solos ihrer gro&ßen Karrieren, und Blakey selbst war niemals besser. Diese CD sollte in keiner Jazzsammlung fehlen. Sie bleibt einer der führenden Posten im Blue Note-Katalog und das mit Recht. Im Rahmen der 60-Jahr-Feier des Blue-Note-Labels 1999 hat Rudy Van Gelder, der Produzent der Originalaufnahme, einen Bombenjob mit dem Remix von "Moanin'" abgeliefert: Die Bässe sind wärmer geworden, das Gesamtspektrum farbiger. Das Booklet mit den alten Schwarzweiss-Fotos der Session ist wie ein LP-Klappcover zu öffnen.

(Skip Heller, aus der Amazon.de-Redaktion)

Renowned for his powerful, energetic style, Pittsburgh drummer Art Blakey had been leading The Jazz Messengers for five years when they released Moanin’, arguably the group’s definitive recording. Due to the many young, up-and-coming musicians that passed through the group’s ranks during its long history (1954-1990), the band was dubbed the “Hard Bop Academy”, and on Moanin’ Blakey’s new recruits included Philadelphia pianist Bobby Timmons, who wrote the album’s gospel-flavoured title tune, often cited as a quintessential example of the Blue Note sound. Also fresh in from Philly was tenor saxophonist Benny Golson, who composed three of the album’s other highlights – ‘Along Came Betty’, ‘The Drum Thunder Suite’ (a vehicle for Blakey’s polyrhythmic percussion prowess) and ‘Blues March’ – while teenage trumpet sensation Lee Morgan shone throughout with his precocious virtuosity. Though regarded as an archetypal hard bop session, the album’s title song, with its sanctified call-and-response cadences, anticipated the more immediate soul jazz style of the early 60s. Francis Wolff’s stark cover portrait of Blakey caps what is one of the greatest albums in Blue Note’s repertoire – one that no guide to Blue Note can be without.

(www.udiscovermusic.com)

A virtuoso saxophonist who has often been criminally underrated – perhaps because he wasn’t a pathfinder in the mould of revolutionary figures such as Coltrane or Ornette Coleman – Hank Mobley was, nevertheless, a pivotal and prolific figure in the evolution of hard bop, recording a whopping 26 albums for Blue Note between 1955 and 1970. Though his output was consistently good and rarely dipped in quality, one album stands head and shoulders above the rest to earn its place in this guide to Blue Note: Soul Station. Recorded in February 1960, it finds Mobley leading a stellar quartet comprised of Miles Davis band members – pianist Wynton Kelly and bassist Paul Chambers – plus über-drummer Art Blakey. The sprightly but mellow opener, Irving Berlin’s ‘Remember’, is the chief standout, highlighting Mobley’s gorgeous, well-rounded tone. It’s one of two fine covers on the album, but the tenor saxophonist also impresses on three striking originals, including a funky, finger-clicking soul jazz groove called ‘Dig Dis’ and the bluesy, slow-paced title song.

(www.udiscovermusic.com)

Art Taylor war lange Jahre fester Bestandteil der Blue Note Hausband, doch dies ist das einzige Album des Drummers unter seinem Namen, während seiner langen Karriere bei Blue Note. Das Album aus dem Jahr 1960 zeigt Einflüsse aus dem Calypso und besonders bei „Cookoo and Fungi" bringt die doppelte Bläserbesetzung die geradezu nervöse Energie der Truppe hervorragend zur Geltung.

Although Art Taylor was one of the busiest modern second-generation jazz drummers, working in the studio with Coleman Hawkins, Donald Byrd, John Coltrane and many others, he only released five albums under his own name, of which A.T.'s Delight was the third. And a delight it is indeed, bright and percussive, and when conga player Carlos "Patato" Valdes joins Taylor and pianist Wynton Kelly and bassist Paul Chambers on three cuts (Thelonious Monk's "Epistrophy," "Move" and a Taylor calypso-inflected original called "Cookoo and Fungi"), the rhythm pocket opens into a deep blue sea for the horn men (Stanley Turrentine on tenor sax and Dave Burns on trumpet). "Move" does exactly that, it moves, and at a blistering pace. Monk's "Epistrophy," thanks in part to Valdes, reveals its rumba roots, and has never sounded brighter. The seldom-covered Coltrane composition "Syeeda's Song Flute" seems likewise refreshed and revived. The lone Taylor original, the driving "Cookoo and Fungi," is as sharp and alert is a kitten waking from a nap in the spring sun, and Taylor's drum solo is crisp, efficient and slides seamlessly into the calypso-informed main theme. A.T.'s Delight is a solid outing, with a wonderfully nervous but completely focused energy.

(by Steve Leggett, All Music Guide)

Jackie McLean had always been a highly emotional soloist, so it makes sense that he was one of the first hard bop veterans to find a new voice in the burning intensity of jazz's emerging avant-garde. McLean had previously experimented with Coltrane's angular modes and scales and Ornette's concept of chordal freedom, but Let Freedom Ring was the landmark masterpiece where he put everything together and ushered in the era of the modernists at Blue Note. A number of saxophonists were beginning to explore the ability of the instrument to mimic human cries of passion, and here McLean perfected a long, piercing squeal capable of expressing joy, anguish, fury, and more. The music on Let Freedom Ring remained more rooted in hard bop structure than Coleman's, and McLean was still recognizably himself, but that was precisely what was revolutionary about the album: It validated the avant-garde aesthetic, demonstrating that it had enough value to convert members of the old guard, and wasn't just the province of radical outcasts. There are only four pieces, one of which is the surging Bud Powell ballad "I'll Keep Loving You"; the other three are McLean originals ("Melody for Melonae," "Rene," and "Omega," dedicated to his daughter, son, and mother respectively) that spotlight his tremendous inventiveness on extended material and amaze with a smoldering fire that never lets up. Pianist Walter Davis takes the occasional solo, but the record is McLean's statement of purpose, and he accordingly dominates the proceedings, with the busy, free-flowing dialogues of bassist Herbie Lewis and Ornette drummer Billy Higgins pushing him to even greater heights. The success of Let Freedom Ring paved the way for a bumper crop of other modernist innovators to join the Blue Note roster and, artistically, it still stands with One Step Beyond as McLean's greatest work.

(by Steve Huey, All Music Guide)

From the first moments when Dexter Gordon sails into the opening song full of brightness and confidence, it is obvious that Go! is going to be one of those albums where everything just seems to come together magically. A stellar quartet including the stylish pianist Sonny Clark, the agile drummer Billy Higgins, and the solid yet flexible bassist Butch Warren are absolutely crucial in making this album work, but it is still Gordon who shines. Whether he is dropping quotes into "Three O'Clock in the Morning" or running around with spritely bop phrases in "Cheese Cake," the album pops and crackles with energy and exuberance. Beautiful ballads like "I Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out to Dry" metamorphosize that energy into emotion and passion, but you can still see it there nonetheless. Gordon had many high points in his five decade-long career, but this is certainly the peak of it all.

(by Stacia Proefrock, All Music Guide)

Trumpeter Freddie Hubbard teams up on record with James Spaulding (who doubles on alto and flute) for the first time on this excellent set, with the assistance of pianist Herbie Hancock, bassist Reggie Workman, and drummer Clifford Jarvis. The quintet performs four of the trumpeter's originals (including "Lament for Booker" and the title cut) plus an advanced version of the standard "You're My Everything." John Coltrane's modal music was starting to influence Hubbard's conception and his own playing was pushing the modern mainstream ahead without really entering the avant-garde.

(by Scott Yanow, All Music Guide)

This album is one of guitarist Kenny Burrell's best-known sessions for the Blue Note label. Burrell is matched with tenor saxophonist Stanley Turrentine, bassist Major Holley, drummer Bill English, and Ray Barretto on conga for a blues-oriented date highlighted by "Chitlins Con Carne," "Midnight Blue," "Saturday Night Blues," and the lone standard "Gee Baby Ain't I Good to You."

(by Scott Yanow, All Music Guide)

Nat�rlich nicht neu, aber eine Platte, die eine Hervorhebung mehr als verdient. Und sich bei dem Preis jetzt problemlos und ohne Reue in die Sammlung integrieren l�sst. Erschienen in der Blue Note Rudy Van Gelder-Remaster Serie, also klanglich absolut top. Van Gelder hat 1963 in seinem Tonstudio f�r die Aufnahmen gesorgt und sie vor ein paar Jahren mit 24-Bit-Technologie selbst restauriert und remastert.

Aber nun zur Musik. Ich bin weder Jazzkenner noch �Fan. Das wird auch nichts mehr. Aber was Donald Byrd und sein Septett um Hank Mobley (Sax), Kenny Burrell (Gitarre) und Herbie Hancock (Piano) f�r A New Perspective einspielten, l�sst mich noch ein jedes Mal dahinschmelzen. Tats�chlich ist das Album so etwas wie �eine neue Sichtweise�, denn die Songs sind einfach und klar strukturiert, die solistischen Ausfl�ge den Songs angemessen und wenn Donald Byrd im einfach g�ttlichen Christo Redentor (der Song, den ich auf meiner Beerdigung h�ren will) zum Trompetensolo ansetzt, dann erfasst mich ein Wohlgef�hl, wie ich es nur selten hatte in 35 Jahren aktivem Musikh�ren. Und ich bin eigentlich jemand, der Trompetensoli in Musik nicht braucht.

Was diese Aufnahmen �ber das �bliche hinweg hebt, ist die Integration eines 8-k�pfigen Gospelchores, den Duke Pearson innovativ arrangierte. Die Damen sind nur lautmalerisch zu h�ren und bef�rdern A New Perspective in eine andere Umlaufbahn. Diese Stimmung, dieses Gef�hl, das ist nicht von dieser Welt! Das ist einzigartig! Das ist wundersch�n! Das ist so bezwingend, wie Musik nur sein kann! Upliftend im wahrsten Sinne des Wortes. Als ich Christo Redentor das erste Mal h�rte, ich stand in der Mittagssonne vor Norman Jay�s Good Times Bus beim Londoner Notting Hill Carnival, glaubte ich tats�chlich zu schweben!

(Glitterhouse)

This unusual set (reissued on CD by Blue Note) was one of the most successful uses of a gospel choir in a jazz context. Trumpeter Donald Byrd and a septet that also includes tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley, guitarist Kenny Burrell, and pianist Herbie Hancock are joined by an eight-voice choir directed by Coleridge Perkinson. The arrangements by Duke Pearson are masterful and one song, "Cristo Redentor," became a bit of a hit. This is a memorable effort that is innovative in its own way, a milestone in Donald Byrd's career.

(by Scott Yanow, All Music Guide)

Tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson's debut as a leader is a particularly strong and historic effort. With major contributions made by trumpeter Kenny Dorham, pianist McCoy Tyner, bassist Butch Warren, and drummer Pete La Roca, Henderson (who already had a strikingly original sound and a viable inside/outside style) performs six generally memorable compositions on this CD reissue. Highlights include the original versions of Dorham's "Blue Bossa" and Henderson's "Recorda Me." It's highly recommended.

(by Scott Yanow, All Music Guide)

Der in Philadelphia geborene Trompeter und hervorragende Bebop-Stilist Lee Morgan sammelte seine ersten Erfahrungen bei Dizzy Gillespie und Art Blakey, bevor er sich in den frühen 60ern als Leader mit eigenen Aufnahmen bei Blue Note hervortat. Obwohl musikalisch Gillespie und Clifford Brown verpflichtet, entwickelte er doch bald seine persönliche Stimme, die Halb-Ventil-Effekte ebenso beinhaltete wie Latin-Einflüsse und volltönende fließende Melodien.

Während viele von Morgans späteren Blue Note Sessions zusammen mit dem Saxophonisten Hank Mobley entstanden, stellt The Sidewinder den noch jungen Tenoristen Joe Henderson an der Seite des Detroiter Pianisten Barry Harris, des Bassisten Bob Cranshaw und des Schlagzeugers Billy Higgins in den Vordergrund. Neben dem Titelstück, einem unkonventionellen 24-taktigen Blues, ist "Totem Pole" der kompositorische Mittelpunkt, ein Latin-Moll-Groove mit einen herausragenden Solo von Joe Henderson. Das ist die Art entspannter, durch geistreiche Darbietungen belebter Studiotermine, die das Rückgrat des Blue Note-Katalogs ausmachen.

(Fred Goodman, Amazon.de)

In the age of the long-haired rock groups, a jazz hit single was a rarity. In early 1965, however, Lee Morgan’s ‘The Sidewinder’, a catchy soul jazz tune riding a jaunty, danceable groove, broke into the US Hot 100, peaking at No.81. The parent album, released the previous year, when Morgan was 25, did even better, reaching No.25 on the US albums chart and becoming the biggest-selling LP in Blue Note’s history. Though dominated by its highly infectious title song, The Sidewinder is not a one-track wonder. Morgan, together with tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson, pianist Barry Harris, bassist Bob Cranshaw and drummer Billy Higgins, serves up some serious hard bop blowing. Notable for its absence of ballads, The Sidewinder offers a selection of Morgan-penned uptempo numbers, including the super-lively ‘Hocus Pocus’ and slightly mellower ‘Totem Pole’, which are characterised by strong solos and taut group interplay.

(www.udiscovermusic.com)

Like Eric Dolphy before him, Jackie McLean sought to create a kind of vanguard "chamber jazz" that still had the blues feel and � occasionally � the groove of hard bop, though with rounded, moodier edges. Destination Out! was the album on which he found it. Still working with Grachan Moncur III and Bobby Hutcherson � his direct spiritual connection to Dolphy � McLean changed his rhythm section by employing drummer Roy Haynes and bassist Larry Ridley. This combination proved a perfect balance of the four elements. The program is four tunes, three of which were written by Moncur. If there was a perfect Blue Note session after John Coltrane's Blue Train, this was it. Opening with a ballad was a novel idea in 1966, but McLean uses Moncur's love and hate to reveal all the tonal possibilities within this group of musicians, and the textural interplay that exists in the heightened sense of form, time breaks, and rhythm changes. As begun on One Step Beyond, the notion of interval is key in this band, and an elemental part of Moncur's composition. The horn lines are spare, haunting, warm, and treated as textural elements by Hutcherson's vibes. On the tune "Esoteric," Hutcherson and Haynes throw complex rhythmic figures into the mix. Moncur's writing is angular, resembling Ornette's early-'60s melodic notions more than Coltrane's modal considerations. Hutcherson's solo amid the complex, knotty melodic frame is just sublime. "Khalil the Prophet" is McLean's only contribution compositionally to the album, but it's a fine one. Using a hard bop lyric and a shape-shifting sense of harmonic interplay between the three front-line players, McLean moves deeply into a blues groove without giving into mere 4/4 time structures. The architecture of his solo is wonderfully obtuse, playing an alternating series of eighths, 12ths, and even 16ths against Hutcherson's wide-open comping and arpeggio runs. The set ends with Moncur's "Riff Raff," a strolling blues that makes full use of counterpoint on the vibes. Moncur sets his solo against McLean's melodic engagement of Hutcherson, forcing both men into opposition positions that get resolved in a sultry, funky, shimmering blues groove. Of all of McLean's Blue Note dates, so many of which are classic jazz recordings, Destination Out! stands as the one that reveals the true soulfulness and complexity of his writing, arranging, and "singing" voice.

(by Thom Jurek, All Music Guide)

Was die Kunst der musikalischen Improvisation betrifft, so gehörte Eric Dolphy zu den Mutigsten, leidenschaftlichsten und spieltechnisch Besten, die in den 60er Jahren zu musikalischer Reife gelangten. Angefangen mit seinem Durchbruch zusammen mit Chico Hamilton und Charles Mingus, über die richtungsweisende Zeit seiner Zusammenarbeit mit John Coltrane, bis hin zu seinen brillanten Soloaufnahmen für das Prestige-Label faßte dieser innovative Blättchenbläser das Beste aus den Traditionen des Swing und Bebop zusammen -- von Benny Carter bis hin zu Bird. Monks Freiheitsbegriff hinsichtlich Rhythmus, Melodie und Harmonien legte er dabei noch großzügiger aus. Dolphy, dieser Hexenmeister der Gefühle, besaß einen ausgeprägten Hang zur Komik. Erkennbar wird er im rhythmischen, trunkenen Schaukeln des Themas bei "Straight Up and Down". Monks Einfluß wird in Dolphys cleveren Dissonanzen und betont gespielten Blues-Sätzen bei "Out to Lunch" deutlich (seiner einzigen Aufnahme unter dem Blue-Note-Label, vollendet kurz vor seinem viel zu frühen Tod). Richard Davis, Bobby Hutcherson und Tony Williams sind Meister des Rhythmus. Als solche halten sie die Zeit nach Belieben an, machen sich den so entstehenden Raum zu eigen, demontieren Harmonien durch das Aufsetzen kubistischer Rhythmusverschiebungen. Sie versammeln sich um Freddie Hubbards brummelnde Trompete und um Dolphys melodietragende Bassklarinette (so in dem im Stile Monks gehaltenen "Hat and Beard"), um seine wimmernde Altklarinette (in den kampflustigen Parodien auf den Titelsong) und um seine lebendige Querflöte (im lyrischen, swingenden "Gazzelloni"). Out to Lunch ist die am weitesten gehende Umsetzung der Dolphyschen Visionen.

(Chip Stern, Amazon)

Out to Lunch stands as Eric Dolphy's magnum opus, an absolute pinnacle of avant-garde jazz in any form or era. Its rhythmic complexity was perhaps unrivaled since Dave Brubeck's Time Out, and its five Dolphy originals -- the jarring Monk tribute "Hat and Beard," the aptly titled "Something Sweet, Something Tender," the weirdly jaunty flute showcase "Gazzelloni," the militaristic title track, the drunken lurch of "Straight Up and Down" -- were a perfect balance of structured frameworks, carefully calibrated timbres, and generous individual freedom. Much has been written about Dolphy's odd time signatures, wide-interval leaps, and flirtations with atonality. And those preoccupations reach their peak on Out to Lunch, which is less rooted in bop tradition than anything Dolphy had ever done. But that sort of analytical description simply doesn't do justice to the utterly alien effect of the album's jagged soundscapes. Dolphy uses those pet devices for their evocative power and unnerving hints of dementia, not some abstract intellectual exercise. His solos and themes aren't just angular and dissonant -- they're hugely so, with a definite playfulness that becomes more apparent with every listen. The whole ensemble -- trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, vibist Bobby Hutcherson, bassist Richard Davis, and drummer Tony Williams -- takes full advantage of the freedom Dolphy offers, but special mention has to be made of Hutcherson, who has fully perfected his pianoless accompaniment technique. His creepy, floating chords and quick stabs of dissonance anchor the album's texture, and he punctuates the soloists' lines at the least expected times, suggesting completely different pulses. Meanwhile, Dolphy's stuttering vocal-like effects and oddly placed pauses often make his bass clarinet lines sound like they're tripping over themselves. Just as the title Out to Lunch suggests, this is music that sounds like nothing so much as a mad gleam in its creator's eyes.

(by Steve Huey, All Music Guide)

Eric Dolphy was a true original with his own distinctive styles on alto, flute, and bass clarinet. His music fell into the "avant-garde" category yet he did not discard chordal improvisation altogether (although the relationship of his notes to the chords was often pretty abstract). While most of the other "free jazz" players sounded very serious in their playing, Dolphy's solos often came across as ecstatic and exuberant. His improvisations utilized very wide intervals, a variety of nonmusical speechlike sounds, and its own logic. Although the alto was his main axe, Dolphy was the first flutist to move beyond bop (influencing James Newton) and he largely introduced the bass clarinet to jazz as a solo instrument. He was also one of the first (after Coleman Hawkins) to record unaccompanied horn solos, preceding Anthony Braxton by five years.

Eric Dolphy first recorded while with Roy Porter & His Orchestra (1948-1950) in Los Angeles, he was in the Army for two years, and he then played in obscurity in L.A. until he joined the Chico Hamilton Quintet in 1958. In 1959 he settled in New York and was soon a member of the Charles Mingus Quartet. By 1960 Dolphy was recording regularly as a leader for Prestige and gaining attention for his work with Mingus, but throughout his short career he had difficulty gaining steady work due to his very advanced style. Dolphy recorded quite a bit during 1960-1961, including three albums cut at the Five Spot while with trumpeter Booker Little, Free Jazz with Ornette Coleman, sessions with Max Roach, and some European dates.

Late in 1961 Dolphy was part of the John Coltrane Quintet; their engagement at the Village Vanguard caused conservative critics to try to smear them as playing "anti-jazz" due to the lengthy and very free solos. During 1962-1963 Dolphy played third stream music with Gunther Schuller and Orchestra U.S.A., and gigged all too rarely with his own group. In 1964 he recorded his classic Out to Lunch for Blue Note and traveled to Europe with the Charles Mingus Sextet (which was arguably the bassist's most exciting band, as shown on The Great Concert of Charles Mingus). After he chose to stay in Europe, Dolphy had a few gigs but then died suddenly from a diabetic coma at the age of 36, a major loss.

Virtually all of Eric Dolphy's recordings are in print, including a nine-CD box set of all of his Prestige sessions. In addition, Dolphy can be seen on film with John Coltrane (included on The Coltrane Legacy) and with Mingus from 1964 on a video released by Shanachie.

(by Scott Yanow, All Music Guide)

Out To Lunch! boasts one of Blue Note’s most iconic Reid Miles-designed covers, perfectly mirroring the exploratory nature of Dolphy’s groundbreaking music. A rising star of jazz’s avant-garde scene who could play alto sax, flute and clarinet, LA-born Dolphy recorded this, his only session as a leader for Blue Note, in February 1964, but died before it was released. The album highlights not only Dolphy’s ability as an instrumentalist but his talent as a composer. He’s accompanied by an exciting young band that includes trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson – whose shimmering chords give the music a dreamy feel – and drummer Tony Williams, then just 18. ‘Hat And Beard’, propelled by Richard Davis’ walking bassline, is a quirky tribute to Thelonious Monk that sets the tone for an album that moves beyond the constraints of bebop and into the realm of unfettered free jazz, yet remains tightly focused. Though he recorded for several other labels, this solitary Blue Note offering remains the go-to album in Dolphy’s canon and is one of the undoubted jewels in the label’s crown. Every guide to Blue Note should include it.

(www.udiscovermusic.com)

My Point of View and Inventions and Dimensions found Herbie Hancock exploring the fringes of hard bop, working with a big band and a Latin-flavored percussion section, respectively. On Empyrean Isles, he returns to hard bop, but the results are anything but conventional. Working with cornetist Freddie Hubbard, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Tony Williams � a trio just as young and adventurous as he was � Hancock pushes at the borders of hard bop, finding a brilliantly evocative balance between traditional bop, soul-injected grooves, and experimental, post-modal jazz. Hancock's four original concepts are loosely based on the myths of the Empyrean Isles, and they are designed to push the limits of the band and of hard bop. Even "Cantaloupe Island," well-known for its funky piano riff, takes chances and doesn't just ride the groove. "The Egg," with its minimal melody and extended solo improvisations, is the riskiest number on the record, but it works because each musician spins inventive, challenging solos that defy convention. In comparison, "One Finger Snap" and "Oliloqui Valley" (alternate takes of both tracks are included as bonuses on the CD reissue) adhere to hard bop conventions, but each song finds the quartet vigorously searching for new sonic territory with convincing fire. That passion informs all of Empyrean Isles, a record that officially established Hancock as a major artist in his own right.

(by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide)

Da der Titeltrack Steely Dan zu dem Song "Rikki, Don't Lose That Number" inspirierte, wurde Song For My Father bekannt als Jazzaufnahme, die tausend schlechte Pop-Platten nach sich zog. Aber ganz gleich welche Absichten Steely Dan und ihre vielen, vielen verzweifelten Imitatoren hatten, wir sollten die Schuld hieran nicht dem Pianisten Horace Silver in die Schuhe schieben: Dies ist eine der gefühlvollsten und erfreulichsten Sammlungen von Blue Note -- und das heißt schon etwas. Horace Silver war ein Pionier des Hard-Bop-Stils, der Gospel und R&B mit Jazz kombinierte, er war der Autor von vielen hervorragenden Kompositionen, zu denen nicht nur "Song For My Father" gehört, sondern auch "Opus De Funk", "Nica's Dream", "Senor Blues" und "The Preacher". Seine Quintette, die Tenorsaxofon und Trompete präsentieren, brachten solche Talente hervor wie die Trompeter Woody Shaw, Art Farmer und Donald Byrd. Auf Song For My Father kommt der Tenorsaxofonist Joe Henderson hinzu, der eine seiner typischen Melodien, "The Kicker", beisteuert. Neben der anspruchsvollen Arbeit mit dem Quintett bietet dieses Album auch ein schönes Porträt des Pianisten mit seinem Trio bei "Lonely Woman".

(Fred Goodman, Amazon)

One of Blue Note's greatest mainstream hard bop dates, Song for My Father is Horace Silver's signature LP and the peak of a discography already studded with classics. Silver was always a master at balancing jumping rhythms with complex harmonies for a unique blend of earthiness and sophistication, and Song for My Father has perhaps the most sophisticated air of all his albums. Part of the reason is the faintly exotic tint that comes from Silver's flowering fascination with rhythms and modes from overseas -- the bossa nova beat of the classic "Song for My Father," for example, or the Eastern-flavored theme of "Calcutta Cutie," or the tropical-sounding rhythms of "Que Pasa?" Subtle touches like these alter Silver's core sound just enough to bring out its hidden class, which is why the album has become such a favorite source of upscale ambience. Song for My Father was actually far less focused in its origins than the typical Silver project; it dates from the period when Silver was disbanding his classic quintet and assembling a new group, and it features performances from both bands (and, on the CD reissue with bonus tracks, three different sessions). Still, it hangs together remarkably well, and Silver's writing is at its tightest and catchiest. The title cut became Silver's best-known composition, partly because it provided the musical basis for jazz-rock group Steely Dan's biggest pop hit "Rikki Don't Lose That Number." Another hard bop standard is introduced here in the lone non-Silver tune, tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson's "The Kicker," covered often for the challenge of its stuttering phrases and intricate rhythms. Yet somehow it comes off as warm and inviting as the rest of the album, which is necessary for all jazz collections -- mainstream hard bop rarely comes as good as Song for My Father.

(by Steve Huey, AMG)

A Blue Note stalwart for many years – he joined the label in 1952 and stayed until 1979 – Horace Silver was a pianist who helped to establish not only the hard bop aesthetic but also the genre’s classic small-group format with its twin horn line-up. Silver and his quintet recorded many fine LPs for Blue Note, but Song For My Father, released in early 1965, is one of his finest for the label, even though it features two different incarnations of the pianist’s band. The “classic” line-up – featuring saxophonist Junior Cook and trumpeter Blue Mitchell – appears on just one cut, while their replacements (Joe Henderson and Carmel Jones, respectively) are present on four others (the closing track, ‘Lonely Woman’, is a trio recording between Silver, bassist Gene Taylor and drummer Roy Brooks). Henderson, in fact, brings an earthy robustness to the proceedings with his solo on the album’s classic title track (whose intro was “borrowed” by rock group Steely Dan for their 1974 song ‘Rikki Don’t Lose That Number’).

(www.udiscovermusic.com)

This early recording by Joe Henderson is not only one of the finest of all of his fine recordings, but is also a high point for 1960s jazz. At this point in his career, Henderson was a full-time member of Horace Silver's combo and did not yet have a steady band in his hire. He is joined on Inner Urge by veterans of other combos: McCoy Tyner and Elvin Jones from John Coltrane's unit and Sonny Rollins sideman Bob Cranshaw. The presence of these luminaries aside, Inner Urge is home to two of Henderson's best (and best-loved) compositions: "Inner Urge" and "Isotope." The leader's solo on the title track is a marvelous thing, full of melody as well as anarchic bursts of sound, which is in perfect keeping with the spirit of the song's probing, searching theme. The other musicians support Henderson nicely as well as turning in some strong solos of their own. Tyner especially sounds fantastic on this record. Although not the equal of the leader in terms of the quality of his lines or the overall sense of composition of his solos, his performance is at least the rival of Henderson's in terms of raw kinetic power. The other great song on "Inner Urge," the Monk-ish "Isotope," is another ideal showcase for Henderson's total command of his instrument. The remaining tracks on Inner Urge are also fantastic, especially the wailing cry of "El Barrio" and the Henderson-altered head to "Night and Day," but the first side, even if taken alone, is by itself enough to guarantee this album as perhaps the best Henderson recorded in his long and illustrious career, and stands easily alongside the best records of the era.

(by Daniel Gioffre, All Music Guide)

On his third date for Blue Note within a year, Wayne Shorter changed up the bands that played on both Night Dreamer and Juju and came up with not only another winner, but also managed to give critics and jazz fans a different look at him as a saxophonist. Because of his previous associations with McCoy Tyner, Elvin Jones, and Reggie Workman on those recordings, Shorter had been unfairly branded with the "just-another-Coltrane-disciple" tag despite his highly original and unusual compositions. Here, with only Jones remaining and his bandmates from the Miles Davis Quintet, Herbie Hancock and Ron Carter on board, with Freddie Hubbard filling out the horn section, Shorter at last came into his own and caused a major reappraisal of his earlier work. The odd harmonic frameworks used to erect "Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum," with its balladic structure augmented with a bluesy regimen of hard bop and open-toned modalism, create the illusion of a much larger band managing all that timbral space. Likewise on the title track, with it's post-bop-oriented melodic line strewn across a wide chromatic palette of minors and Hancock's piano pushing through a contrapuntal set of semi-quavers, the avant-garde meets the hard bop of the '50s head on and everybody wins. The loping lyric of the horns and Hancock's vamping in the middle section during Shorter's solo reveals a brad sense of humor in the saxophonist's linguistics and a deep, more regimented sense of time and thematic coloration. The set ends with the beautiful "Wild Flower," a lilting ballad with angular accents by Hancock who takes the lyric and inverts it, finding a chromatic counterpoint that segues into the front line instead of playing in opposition. The swing is gentle but pronounced and full of Shorter's singular lyricism as a saxophonist as well as a composer. The CD reissue adds a fine alternate take of "Dance Cadaverous." This is the perfect Wayne Shorter album.

(by Thom Jurek, All Music Guide)

Less overtly adventurous than its predecessor, Empyrean Isles, Maiden Voyage nevertheless finds Herbie Hancock at a creative peak. In fact, it's arguably his finest record of the '60s, reaching a perfect balance between accessible, lyrical jazz and chance-taking hard bop. By this point, the pianist had been with Miles Davis for two years, and it's clear that Miles' subdued yet challenging modal experiments had been fully integrated by Hancock. Not only that, but through Davis, Hancock became part of the exceptional rhythm section of bassist Ron Carter and drummer Tony Williams, who are both featured on Maiden Voyage, along with trumpeter Freddie Hubbard and tenor saxophonist George Coleman. The quintet plays a selection of five Hancock originals, many of which are simply superb showcases for the group's provocative, unpredictable solos, tonal textures, and harmonies. While the quintet takes risks, the music is lovely and accessible, thanks to Hancock's understated, melodic compositions and the tasteful group interplay. All of the elements blend together to make Maiden Voyage a shimmering, beautiful album that captures Hancock at his finest as a leader, soloist, and composer.

(by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide)

Chicago-born Herbie Hancock was just 25 and a key member of the Miles Davis Quintet when he produced this sea-inspired masterpiece for Blue Note in 1965. Maiden Voyage was his fifth and arguably best album for the label, and three of its five songs – the gently pulsing and elegant modal-style title track, plus the tumultuous ‘Eye Of The Hurricane’ and graceful ‘Dolphin Dance’ – are now considered standards in the jazz repertoire. For the session, the pianist surrounded himself with musicians who were either currently with, or who had been in, Miles Davis’ band (bassist Ron Carter and drummer Tony Williams, plus tenor saxophonist George Coleman). Trumpeter Freddie Hubbard completed the line-up and dazzles with his solos. What impresses most, however, is the strength of the compositions, the inventiveness of the arrangements and the intuitive ensemble playing that brings them vividly to life. On Maiden Voyage, Hancock served up an album that was able to push and probe the boundaries of jazz while remaining eminently accessible. That’s no mean feat.

(www.udiscovermusic.com)

It is strange to realize that drummer Pete La Roca only led two albums during the prime years of his career, for this CD reissue of his initial date is a classic. La Roca's three originals ("Basra," which holds one's interest despite staying on one chord throughout, the blues "Candu," and the complex "Tears Come From Heaven") are stimulating but it is the other three songs that really bring out the best playing in the quartet (which is comprised of tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson, pianist Steve Kuhn, and bassist Steve Swallow in addition to La Roca). "Malaguena" is given a great deal of passion, Swallow's "Eiderdown" (heard in its initial recording) receives definitive treatment, and the ballad "Lazy Afternoon" is both haunting and very memorable; Henderson's tone perfectly fits that piece.

(by Scott Yanow, All Music Guide)

Gr��tes Album des f�r mich und viele andere besten Jazzorganisten ever ("Coltrane der Orgel"), der u.a. mit Hendrix jammte, bei Miles� Bitches Brew dabei war. Post Bop, nicht so abenteurlich wie andere Blue Note-Acts der Zeit (Andrew Hill, Dolphy..), aber schon avanciert, Traditionen brechend. Und melodisch (auch die Soli), z.T. ausgesprochen markant! Eleganz, Finesse, Virtuosit�t und perfektes Zusammenspiel vereinen sich zu einem durchweg ziemlich schnellen auf delikate Weise swingenden Meisterwerk. Toller leichtf��iger quecksilbriger Hammond-Ton, Coltrane-beeinflu�tes Sax (Joe Henderson!), klasse Trompete (W.Shaw), flexible elastische quirlige grandiose Drums (Elvin Jones!; wunderbare kristalline Beckenarbeit!). Penguin Guide (wie auch All Music Guide u.v.a.) vergab die sehr seltene H�chstwertung. Rudy Van Gelder-24-Bit-remastered-Edition.

(Glitterhouse)

On his sophomore date as a leader, jazz organist Larry Young began to display some of the angular drive that made him a natural for the jazz-rock explosion to come barely four years later. While about as far from the groove jazz of Jimmy Smith as you could get, Young hadn't made the complete leap into freeform jazz-rock either. Here he finds himself in very distinguished company: drummer Elvin Jones, trumpeter Woody Shaw, and saxman Joe Henderson. Young was clearly taken by the explorations of saxophonists Coleman and Coltrane, as well as the tonal expressionism put in place by Sonny Rollins and the hard-edged modal music of Miles Davis and his young quintet. But the sound here is all Young: the rhythmic thrusting pulses shoved up against Henderson and Shaw as the framework for a melody that never actually emerges ("Zoltan" � one of three Shaw tunes here), the skipping chords he uses to supplant the harmony in "Monk's Dream," and also the reiterating of front-line phrases a half step behind the beat to create an echo effect and leave a tonal trace on the soloists as they emerge into the tunes (Henderson's "If" and Shaw's "The Moontrane"). All of these are Young trademarks, displayed when he was still very young, yet enough of a wiseacre to try to drive a group of musicians as seasoned as this � and he succeeded each and every time. As a soloist, Young is at his best on Shaw's "Beyond All Limits" and the classic nugget "Softly as in a Morning Sunrise." In his breaks, Young uses the middle register as a place of departure, staggering arpeggios against chords against harmonic inversions that swing plenty and still comes out at all angles. Unity proved that Young's debut, Into Somethin', was no fluke, and that he could play with the lions. And as an album, it holds up even better than some of the work by his sidemen here.

(by Thom Jurek, All Music Guide)

Given the recording date of Mode for Joe and the band lineup, it's easy to assume this is a straight-up hard bop album. However, this 1966 Joe Henderson record -- featuring trumpeter Lee Morgan, trombonist Curtis Fuller, vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson, pianist Cedar Walton, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Joe Chambers -- is a great example of modern jazz at its best. It was recorded during a time of sweeping musical changes due to developments in free jazz, soul-jazz, and even early experiments with fusion. It was a time when the bluesy and funky leanings of hard boppers were giving way to more individualized contemporary approaches. One of the best examples of this shift, Mode for Joe sounds more like the experimental work of Branford Marsalis than the groovy musings of Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers. The last track here, "Free Wheelin'," is the only dyed-in-the-wool hard bop tune heard here. Other than that, this outing's mostly uptempo songs serve as vehicles for solos. Henderson himself proves that the template for players such as Marsalis, Joe Lovano, and Joshua Redman was invented a generation earlier, as evidenced on "A Shade of Jade," "Black," and others, making this one of the sax legend's most intriguing albums.

(by Eric Starr, All Music Guide)

Booker Ervin headed to Blue Note in 1968 for The In Between, a record that found him continuing in the vein of his later Prestige sessions. Supported by trumpeter Richard Williams, pianist Bobby Few, bassist Cevera Jeffries and drummer Lennie McBrowne, Ervin created an album that pushed the boundaries of hard bop. Every song on The In Between is an Ervin original designed to challenge the musicians. The music rarely reaches avant-garde territory � instead, it's edgy, volatile hard bop that comes from the mind as much as the soul. Appropriately, Ervin balances his full-bodied tone with a forceful, aggressive attack that even sounds restless on the slower numbers. The result is a satisfying, cerebral set of adventurous hard bop that finds Booker Ervin at a creative peak.

(by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide)

Total Eclipse was Bobby Hutcherson's first recording session with tenor saxophonist Harold Land, who became one of his major collaborators (and a quintet co-leader) during the late '60s. Land's rounded, echoing tone is a nice contrast for the coolly cerebral post-bop that fills Total Eclipse. Hutcherson contributes four of the five compositions (the other, "Matrix," is by pianist Chick Corea), and he's in a mood to intellectually challenge himself and the rest of the quintet, which also includes bassist Reggie Johnson and longtime drummer Joe Chambers. The results are full of the sort of skillful musicianship one would naturally expect of Hutcherson's '60s-era Blue Notes. Land's solo lines are fluid and lengthy, assimilating some of Coltrane's innovations while remaining accessibly soulful. Though they're all pretty strong, "Pompeian" is the most ambitious piece; it opens with a happy-go-lucky, waltz-time flute melody, and after a bit of foreboding, Hutcherson expands upon it with a tinkling bell solo. Toward the end of the piece, the whole group builds to a chaotic eruption, with Hutcherson switching to marimba (as he often did when he wanted a darker tone and high-tempo articulation); the pretty flute theme is then repeated as the dust settles and the piece ends. Overall, though, the album foreshadows Hutcherson's move away from his explicit avant-garde leanings and into a still-advanced but more structured modernist framework. For some reason, Total Eclipse was the only post-bop-styled album Hutcherson and Land recorded together that was released at the time; though they're all high-quality, this remains perhaps the best of the lot.

(by Steve Huey, All Music Guide)

Slow Drag was one of trumpeter Donald Byrd's final hard bop dates. Teamed with altoist Sonny Red, pianist Cedar Walton, bassist Walter Booker and drummer Billy Higgins (who takes a surprise vocal on the title cut), this quintet outing features originals by Byrd, Walton and Red along with the standards "Secret Love" and "My Ideal." The music in general finds Byrd looking both backwards toward the blues and forwards toward modal music and hints of the avant-garde. A fine effort.

(by Scott Yanow, All Music Guide)

The aesthetic and cultural merits of Eddie Gale's Ghetto Music cannot be overstated. That it is one of the most obscure recordings in Blue Note's catalogue � paid for out of label co-founder Francis Wolff's own pocket � should tell us something. This is an apocryphal album, one that seamlessly blends the new jazz of the '60s � Gale was a member of the Sun Ra Arkestra before and after these sides, and played on Cecil Taylor's Blue Note debut Unit Structures � with gospel, soul, and the blues. Gale's sextet included two bass players and two drummers � in 1968 � as well as a chorus of 11 voices, male and female. Sound like a mess? Far from it. This is some of the most spiritually engaged, forward-thinking, and finely wrought music of 1968. What's more is that, unlike lots of post-Coltrane new jazz, it's ultimately very listenable. Soloists comes and go, but modes, melodies, and harmonies remain firmly intact. The beautiful strains of African folk music and Latin jazz sounds in "Fulton Street," for example, create a veritable chromatic rainbow. "A Walk With Thee" is a spiritual written to a march tempo with drummers playing counterpoint to one another and the front line creating elongated melodic lines via an Eastern harmonic sensibility. Does it swing? Hell yeah! The final cut, "The Coming of Gwilu," moves from the tribal to the urban and everywhere in between using Jamaican thumb piano's, soaring vocals � la the Arkestra, polyrhythmic invention, and good old fashioned groove jazz, making something entirely new in the process. While Albert Ayler's New Grass was a failure for all its adventurousness, Ghetto Music, while a bit narrower in scope, succeeds because it concentrates on creating a space for the myriad voices of an emerging African-American cultural force to be heard in a single architecture.

(by Thom Jurek, All Music Guide)

It is often difficult to gauge the relative importance or message of an artwork, years or decades after its initial release. Truly impressive are those works that not only retain their Zeitgeist, the spirit of the times, but also find relevance and significance with the present. Listening to the re-release of 1968's Eddie Gale's Ghetto Music, one not only senses the social awakening of the late 1960s, there is an equal and unfortunate awareness of our current cultural waste. Francis Wolff, co-founder of Blue Note, felt so strongly about this album that he personally financed the production and release of this music in 1968, after recording Gale on Cecil Taylor's Unit Structures and Larry Young's Of Love and Peace.

Along with its companion piece, Black Rhythm Happening, Eddie Gale's Ghetto Music fell victim to the chaos following Liberty Records' takeover of Blue Note. Both pieces never appeared beyond their initial releases, until now.

The good people at San Francisco-based Water Music have taken the initiative and re-released Eddie Gale's Ghetto Music on CD. The success of the album stems from its unique use of folk, blues, gospel, soul and jazz to create a wildly vibrant, urban force. "The Rain," with Joan Gale's soft, assured delivery, sets the pace for the entire album, as it morphs from a single guitar strum into a massive entity of sound, rhythm, and swing. Surprising, since 17 musicians appear on the album, is the precision and efficiency of the music.

On "Fulton Street," for example, the feel of the famous Brooklyn street is captured immediately by the child-like voices pronouncing its name proudly: "Fulton Street, baby!" Then, the low down riff comes in, the singers mimic the sound of the horns, they interchange riffs, and someone runs here, somebody else goes there, and you feel it, you're on Fulton Street, baby. It welcomes you.

Once in, it may well be difficult to relinquish the sensation of songs like "A Walk With Thee" or "The Coming of Gwilu." Both burn as deep, groove as hard, as anything else on the vaunted Blue Note catalog. For that reason, those that rarely venture outside the hard bop fringes of Blue Note will be most rewarded by the music here, as it presents new possibilities without abandoning the "Blue Note sound."

(Germein Linares, www.allaboutjazz.com)

In 1967, an ailing Alfred Lion left Blue Note Records, the label he had founded in the late 1930s and sold to Liberty Records in 1965. Though staff producers Duke Pearson and Francis Wolff put some memorable records together after his departure, Blue Note declined in stature and relevance into the early seventies. Surprising, then, to find a great Eddie Gale Blue Note record from 1968 (and another solid one from 1969)�records inexplicably avoided by the reconstituted EMI-owned Blue Note's own rigorous reissue-and-reissue-again policy�recently made available thanks to Water Records.

Gale is a trumpeter, most famous for his performance on Cecil Taylor's celebrated 1966 Unit Structures album on Blue Note, who also spent significant time with Sun Ra. There's a deep reserve of space in his playing, built cumulatively of longish pauses between phrases, and he has a concise sound that's brassy like Freddie Hubbard, but frayed around the edges like Woody Shaw or Johnny Coles. His melodies and ideas are original and a bit acerbic.

For these two records, his first as a leader�and last for many years except as a sideman�Gale was thinking big: Amalgamating soul, gospel, African music and jazz into a single sound, executed with a jazz group and chorus. The level of ambition, ritualistic clothes (the musicians appearing in monk's robes on the covers of the records) and cosmic philosophy of some of the lyrics point squarely to Sun Ra's influence, but it's Gale's own show to be sure.

Ghetto Music is certainly one of the last great records released by the original Blue Note (another is Herbie Hancock's The Prisoner) and the finest example of voices-plus-jazz-group on the label�more organic than Donald Byrd's famous 1963 album A New Perspective, cooler and more soulful than Andrew Hill's 1969 album Lift Every Voice. The eleven-voice choir is perfectly matched with Gale's two-drummer sextet; sometimes singing over the top of joyful songs, and sometimes weaving chant and syllable singing through the sextet.

"The Rain" is an extraordinary merger of fast jazz waltz, gospel singing, and what sounds like a British folk song influence. It begins with Joann Gale's (Eddie's sister) strummed guitar, and her lovely, measured performance of the tune's folky melody. It wouldn't be out of place on a Fairport Convention or Pentangle album; that is, until the thunderous band rolls into step behind her. "A Understanding" is a swirling spiritual piece, in the style of late-period Coltrane, which sets a platform for some of Gale's finest playing on the record. His solo is remarkable for the single-mindedness with which he pursues a long tension-filled arc. The performance is far enough ahead of its time that it wouldn't sound out of place on a late 90s Matthew Shipp record. "A Walk With Thee" shows off the two drummers, Richard Hackett and Thomas Holman, at their best (and they're excellent throughout). It's reminiscent of some of Masada's music. "The Coming of Gwilu" opens with thumb piano, bird whistle and flute, leaving the urban spirituality of the earlier pieces for a distant natural atmosphere. It opens into a hypnotic rolling 6/4 jazz vamp, over which steel drums announce a beautiful vocal call and response section. Ghetto Music is well paced and cumulatively powerful. It's also one of the better sounding records of the period.

(James Beaudreau, 16 April 2004, www.onefinalnote.com)

1969er-Album des Vibraphonisten Bobby Hutcherson mit Sänger Eugene McDaniels. Spiritual Soul Jazz at ist best!

Ganz im progressiven Geiste einer (seinerzeit) neuen black consciousness konzipiertes Album in der Besetzung Harold Land (Tenor-Saxophon), Kenny Barron (Piano), Stanley Cowell (Piano), Wally Richardson (Gitarre), Herbie Lewis (Bass), Joe Chambers (Drums) und Candido Camero (Congas) sowie Leadsänger Eugene McDaniels (aus dessen Feder der Jazz / Soul-Protestsong Compared To What stammt) und einem fünfstimmigen Backgound- Chor. Ein Meisterwerk.

Now! is one of Bobby Hutcherson's most adventurous recordings. Cut with the Harold Land Quintet in 1969, Hutcherson augments the lineup with vocalist the Right Reverend Eugene McDaniels (then Gene McDaniels) and a chorus at the height of Black Power consciousness. While this band may not appeal to straight hard and post-bop listeners who prefer their music instrumentally, it is a compelling and even stunning record if accepted on its own terms. The compositions reflect the tightrope Hutcherson and Land walked on their earlier outings together between post-bop and vanguard jazz The interplay between Hutcherson and Stanley Cowell's 's piano in the instrumental passages in "Slow Change" is so intuitive and symbiotic it may slip by the listener who is not paying attention. Land's solo too, comes out for the post-Coltrane ethos and fills the vocal lines powerfully and convincingly. Elsewhere, on "Hello to the Wind," written by drummer Joe Chambers and McDaniels, the influence of Terry Callier is evident in the tune's dynamic and melody line that is led by Wally Richardson's guitar. With fine piano work by Kenny Barron and a fluid, modal bassline by Herbie Lewis. McDaniels' voice is in fine form here, his husky baritone effortlessly coloring the mix. The title cut is a short lullaby written by Hutcherson and McDaniels, tender, simple and haunting as Land's saxophone winds through the shouts of female voices with restraint and elegance. The utter creative vision of Herbie Lewis' "The Creators" showcases the band at the height of its powers with Cowell holding the piano chair with killer Latin rhythms, psychedelic electric guitar and a provocative engagement between Land, Hutcherson and the chorus. The original set ends with "Black Heroes" by Land. A scatted, syncopated piece of counterculture beat jazz, it offers a better portrait of the band than it does of McDaniels or the choral group. A hard bop piece with a striated and knotty vocal intro and finish, it is a fitting and exciting final track.

(by Thom Jurek, All Music Guide)

Donald Byrd's transitional sessions from 1969-1971 are actually some of the trumpeter's most intriguing work, balancing accessible, funky, Davis-style fusion with legitimate jazz improvisation. Electric Byrd, from 1970, is the best of the bunch, as Byrd absorbs the innovations of Bitches Brew and comes up with one of his most consistent fusion sets of any flavor. Byrd leads his largest fusion group yet (ten to 11 pieces), featuring many of his cohorts of the time (including Jerry Dodgion, Lew Tabackin, and Frank Foster on various woodwinds). Most important are electric pianist Duke Pearson, who once again dominates the arrangements, and percussionist Airto Moreira, who in places lends a strong Brazilian feel that predates Return to Forever. Moreira also contributes one of the four compositions, "Xibaba," which starts out as an airy Brazilian tune but morphs into a free-form effects extravaganza; the rest are Byrd originals that prove equally imaginative and diverse. The Brazilian-tinged opener "Estavanico" has a gentle, drifting quality that's often disrupted by jarring dissonances. There's also the shifting -- and sometimes even disappearing -- slow groove of "Essence," and the hard-edged, bop-based funk of "The Dude." Much of the album has a spacy, floating feel indebted to the psychedelic fusion of Bitches Brew; it's full of open-ended solo improvisations, loads of amplification effects, and striking sonic textures. The arrangements are continually surprising, and the band never works the same groove too long, switching or completely dropping the underlying rhythms. So even if it wears its influences on its sleeve, Electric Byrd is indisputably challenging, high-quality fusion. It's also the end of the line for jazz purists as far as Donald Byrd is concerned, which is perhaps part of the reason the album has yet to receive its proper due.

(by Steve Huey, AMG)

Purists howled with indignation when Donald Byrd released Black Byrd, a full-fledged foray into R&B that erupted into a popular phenomenon. Byrd was branded a sellout and a traitor to his hard bop credentials, especially after Black Byrd became the biggest-selling album in Blue Note history. What the elitists missed, though, was that Black Byrd was the moment when Byrd's brand of fusion finally stepped out from under the shadow of his chief influence, Miles Davis, and found a distinctive voice of its own. Never before had a jazz musician embraced the celebratory sound and style of contemporary funk as fully as Byrd did here � not even Davis, whose dark, chaotic jungle-funk stood in sharp contrast to the bright, breezy, danceable music on Black Byrd. Byrd gives free rein to producer/arranger/composer Larry Mizell, who crafts a series of tightly focused, melodic pieces often indebted to the lengthier orchestrations of Isaac Hayes and Curtis Mayfield. They're built on the most straightforward funk rhythms Byrd had yet tackled, and if the structures aren't as loose or complex as his earlier fusion material, they make up for it with a funky sense of groove that's damn near irresistible. Byrd's solos are mostly melodic and in-the-pocket, but that allows the funk to take center stage. Sure, maybe the electric piano, sound effects, and Roger Glenn's ubiquitous flute date the music somewhat, but that's really part of its charm. Black Byrd was state-of-the-art for its time, and it set a new standard for all future jazz/R&B/funk fusions � of which there were many. Byrd would continue to refine this sound on equally essential albums like Street Lady and the fantastic Places and Spaces, but Black Byrd stands as his groundbreaking signature statement.

(by Steve Huey, AMG)

Mr Jones is a lively, at times symphonic experience on which the esteemed drummer is joined by a host of accomplished sidemen to create a rich musical experience.

Elvin Jones,who was born in 1927 and died of heart failure, aged 76, in 2004 was so committed to the pleasures of his natural home, the drum stand that he played on despite health problems in the early years of this century. He even performed from time to time with a oxygen tank placed strategically nearby.

The drums captured Jones's attention from an early age, and he loved the rhythmic cacophony he heard from the circus bands marching by the family home in Pontiac, Michigan. He was signed up to the US army from 1946 to 1949. There followed a stint playing music in Detroit before he moved to New York in 1955. He played drums in that city with Charles Mingus, Teddy Charles, Bud Powell and Miles Davis.

Recorded in 1972 - except for the title track which was recorded in 1969 - and released in 1973, Mr Jones, is an intriguing, perhaps demanding post-bop listening experience. The esteemed drummer is joined by Thad Jones on flugelhorn, Dave Liebman on flute, Steve Grossman on soprano sax, Jan Hammer on piano, Gene Perla on bass, Albert Duffy on timpani, Carlos "Patato" Valdes on congas and Frank Ippolito on percussion.

Listen to the opener, One's Native Place, replete, it seems,with Native American pride and pomp, all harmonising horns and defiant drums from Jones. Stark and venerable, Soultrane, Tadd Dameron’s homage to Coltrane is inevitably a Grossman showcase on sax. Jones was a member of the classic John Coltrane Quartet from 1960 to 1965. Word has it that When Coltrane employed Rashied Ali in 1965 as second drummer, Jones was not happy and left the ensemble, becoming part of the Duke Ellington Orchestra for a European tour. There was no rift with the dynasty, however, and Coltrane’s son Ravi performed with Jones in the 2000s.

But back to the album in question on which a reading of Gene Perla’s Gee Gee is in slightly astringent ballad mode, (whatever that means, I'm trying to work it out myself, that's post-bop for you.) Conversely, David Liebman’s New Breed is knotty, inarticulate speech of the heart. Led by pianist Jan Hammer, What’s Up? That’s it! begins with Cubano sprightliness, before it ventures off into its own ambience.

Small confession: in 1973, the year this album was released, we were listening to Steely Dan, Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd and, while I don't know about the rest of the guys - me thinks not - in this writer’s case anyway, it’s been worth the wait for this vinyl reissue. Querulous and questing and still fresh-sounding, Mr Jones seems to ask the same existential questions with undimmed sonic relevance.

(www.rte.ie, 15.07.2020)

Bobbi Humphrey scored her biggest hit with her third album Blacks and Blues, an utterly delightful jazz-funk classic that helped make her a sensation at Montreux. If it sounds a lot like Donald Byrd's post-Black Byrd output, it's no accident; brothers Larry and Fonce Mizell have their fingerprints all over the album, and as on their work with Byrd, Larry handles all the composing and most of the arranging and production duties. It certainly helps that the Mizells were hitting on all cylinders at this point in their careers, but Humphrey is the true star of the show; she actually grabs a good deal more solo space than Byrd did on his Mizell collaborations, and she claims a good deal of responsibility for the album's light, airy charm. Her playing is indebted to Herbie Mann and, especially, Hubert Laws, but she has a more exclusive affinity for R&B and pop than even those two fusion-minded players, which is why she excels in this setting. Mizell is at the peak of his arranging powers, constructing dense grooves with lots of vintage synths, wah-wah guitars, and rhythmic interplay. Whether the funk runs hot or cool, Humphrey floats over the top with a near-inexhaustible supply of melodic ideas. She also makes her vocal debut on the album's two ballads, "Just a Love Child" and "Baby's Gone"; her voice is girlish but stronger than the genre standard, even the backing vocals by the Mizells and keyboardist Fred Perren. Overall, the album's cumulative effect is like a soft summer breeze, perfect for beaches, barbecues, and cruising with the top down.

(by Steve Huey, All Music Guide)

This unusual LP, the first of three featuring altoist Arthur Blythe with drummer Chico Hamilton's mid-'70s group, has an uncomfortable mixture of advanced jazz and commercial elements. Hamilton is joined by a large rhythm section that includes Steve Turre (on electric bass) and guitarists Barry Finnerty and Joe Beck, along with Blythe, Arnie Lawrence on soprano, the keyboards of Jerry Peters, and several vocalists. The overall effect is a bit weird, dated but with some colorful moments. Definitely a mixed bag.

(by Scott Yanow , All Music Guide)

This is one of tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley's more intriguing sessions, for the talented composer had an opportunity to have four of his originals, plus the standard "There's a Lull in My Life," performed by an octet in the cool-toned style of Miles Davis's "Birth of the Cool" nonet, arranged by Duke Pearson. Although recorded in 1966, this date was not released until 1979 (and reissued on CD in 1995). Mobley, who continued to evolve into a more advanced player throughout the 1960s, fits right in with such adventurous players as altoist James Spaulding, trumpeter Lee Morgan (with whom Mobley recorded frequently), pianist McCoy Tyner, bassist Reggie Workman and drummer Billy Higgins. The inclusion of Kiane Zawadi on euphonium and Howard Johnson on tuba adds a lot of color to this memorable outing.

(by Scott Yanow, All Music Guide)

Organist Larry Young's final Blue Note album, Mother Ship, was not released until 1980. Teamed up with tenor saxophonist Herbert Morgan, the great trumpeter Lee Morgan, and drummer Eddie Gladden, Young performs five of his originals, which range from the funky "Street Scene" and the samba "Love Drops" to a spacy "Trip Merchant" and the complex "Visions." This highly original set does not deserve to be so obscure.

(by Scott Yanow, All Music Guide)

In choosing to record Bob Marley's classic 1974 reggae album Natty Dread track-for-track in an instrumental jazz style, eight-string guitarist Charlie Hunter opened himself up for skepticism. Yet an idea that looked questionable in theory would prove stellar in practice, as Hunter turned Natty Dread -- with the songs sequenced exactly as they were on Marley's original release -- into one of the best CDs of his career. Hunter's customized eight-string instrument and prodigious talent allow him to play simultaneous guitar melodies and basslines, but his Wurlitzer organ simulations and walking bass aren't the only highlights of the opening "Lively Up Yourself." Alto saxophonist Calder Spanier and tenorman Kenny Brooks alternate between swinging leads and supportive harmonies, and drummer Scott Amendola gets in creative solo flurries near the end. Hunter's beautiful intro to "No Woman, No Cry" echoes both Pat Martino and Django Reinhardt; the saxophonists' interplay and Amendola's clever rimshots, tom-toms, and cowbell work lively up "Them Belly Full." The secrets to Hunter's success lie in separate amplifiers for his instrument's guitar and bass portions; great wah-wah pedal work to achieve keyboard tones, and the requisite brain power to play basslines with both thumbs while fretting and fingerpicking the melodies. All are illustrated in readings of the tranquil "Rebel Music," energetic "So Jah Seh" and the shuffling title track. Throughout Natty Dread, reggae is implied more often than played, as Hunter and his quartet portray the fun they had in arranging these pieces with performances both swinging and stirring (even dropping an "I Shot the Sheriff" quote into "Bend Down Low"). Spanier died after Natty Dread's release when he was struck by a car, and Hunter subsequently moved from California to New York and restructured his band. There's no telling what might have come afterward from this quartet of two saxophonists, a drummer, and Hunter, the one-man guitarist, keyboardist, and bassist.

(by Thom Jurek, All Music Guide)

Previous recordings for the Accurate label yielded much the same type of instrumental music as on this, their major label debut. The Jazz Mandolin Project is less about straight ahead, mainstream jazz, and more into exploring a certain amount of improvisation within rock oriented and compositional contexts. Mandolinist Jamie Masefield churns out incessant chords like a guitarist, and his single line inventions fall along conventional staccato tonality. Bassist Chris Dalhgren cuts back his more progressive inclinations, while Ari Hoening provides steadying rhythms. On the rockier front, Phish guitarist Trey Anastasio cameos on the hard edged "Hang Ten," as he and Masefield crisscross ascending and descending scales. The title track is more a two chord surf rocker with avant and meditational breaks. More complex is the noisy intro with 5/4 ostinato bass to contrary 4/4 beat of "Igor." At their best developmentally is the multi-layered "Spiders" with a bass led ostinato, quirky 4/4 to 6/8 mandolin, groovin' bridge for single lines, juggernaut march or peaceful blues themes, and back to the ostinato. A caravan march with distinct Russian elements informs the rocky bridge of "Dromedary," and a slow, ponderous groove sets up "Jovan." At their most melodically centered is the very pleasant "Shaker Hill," reel flavored "The Milliken Way" with instrumental pop inclinations and endless chords, and the only legit jazz piece "Double Agent," with light boppish, nicely hued swing. Perhaps the band should change their name so as not to confuse the listener. There's more folkish power pop going on, but the unquestioned skilled musicianship of the three members is easy to peg. This writer finds their music tedious, but others may very well think it is refreshing, to each his/her own.

(by Michael G. Nastos, All Music Guide)

Since the advent of acid jazz in the mid-'80s, the many electronic-jazz hybrids to come down the pipe have steadily grown more mature, closer to a balanced fusion that borrows the spontaneity and emphasis on group interaction of classic jazz while still emphasizing the groove and elastic sound of electronic music. For his second album, French producer Ludovic Navarre expanded the possibilities of his template for jazzy house by recruiting a sextet of musicians to solo over his earthy productions. The opener "Rose Rouge" is an immediate highlight, as an understated Marlena Shaw vocal sample ("I want you to get together/put your hands together one time"), trance-state piano lines, and a ride-on-the-rhythm drum program frames solos by trumpeter Pascal Ohse and baritone Claudio de Qeiroz. For "Montego Bay Spleen," Navarre pairs an angular guitar solo by Ernest Ranglin with a deep-groove dub track, complete with phased effects and echoey percussion. "Land Of..." moves from a Hammond- and horn-led soul-jazz stomp into Caribbean territory, marked by more hints of dub and the expressive Latin percussion of Carneiro. Occasionally, Navarre's programming (sampled or otherwise) grows a bit repetitious -- even for dance fans, to say nothing of the jazzbo crowd attracted by the album's Blue Note tag. Though it is just another step on the way to a perfect blend of jazz and electronic, Tourist is an excellent one.

(by John Bush, All Music Guide)

Nach einem großen weißen Soulsänger (Van Morrison) ist nun auch einer der größten schwarzen Soulstimmen beim Jazzlabel Blue Note gelandet. Und das Ergebnis ist wie bei Van aller Ehren wert, Al Green hat keine Kompromisse an Zeitströmungen und aktuelle Moden gemacht - keiner rappt, keine HipHop-Beats sind zu hören und die Neptunes haben auch nicht produziert. Da wird auch die Bemusterung mit 20.000 Postkarten in ausgesuchten Scene-Clubs, Cocktail- und Hotelbars nicht viel nutzen.
Denn das Herstellungsdatum von "I Can't Stop" wäre in einem Blind Date kaum zu lokalisieren, denn Green hat sich mit Entdecker, Produzent und Hi-Labelchef Willie Mitchell zusammengetan, dem Mann, mit dem er seine größten Erfolge feierte. Und dieser hat nur allerfeinste 70er-Southern-Soul-Zutaten für dieses kleine Festmahl verwand, rollende Hammond-B3-Schübe, pechschwarze Gospelchöre und auch dieser perfekte und unachahmliche Hi-Groove hat noch immer nichts von seiner Faszination eingebüsst. Dem Info nach wurde das Album gar quasi live in den heiligen Hi-Studio zu Memphis aufgenommen.
Warum bin ich als alter Fan dann nicht total begeistert? Kann ich nicht mal sagen, vielleicht geht es mir hier ähnlich wie bei Van Morrison. Wenn ich den hören will, dann lege ich was aus den frühen/mittigen 70ern auf. So geht's mir mit Al Green eigentlich auch. Und so ein überragendes Spätwerk wie die Solomon Burke Auferstehung ist "I Can't Stop" auch nicht. Aber andererseits muß man den in den letzten Jahren als Prediger arbeitenden Soul-Giganten auch für seine integere Rückkehr beglückwünschen. Denn eigentlich finden sich mit "My Problem Is You", "Million To One" und einigen anderen noch echte Juwelen unter den 12 selbst geschrieben Tunes. Und Rückgrat hat der Kerl auf jeden Fall und sowieso macht er auf dem Cover einen ganz ausgeschlafenen Eindruck. Und das ist ja auch was.

(Glitterhouse)

Nach einer mehr als vierj�hrigen Aufnahmepause meldet sich Singer / Songwriterin Rosanne Cash mit ihrem neuen Album, f�r ein neues Label, zur�ck. Mit ihrem Ehemann und langj�hrigen Songwriting-Partner John Leventhal verfasste Rosanne Cash elf wundervolle, ganz neue Songs f�r ihr Blue-Note-Records-Deb�t �The River & The Thread�. Auch als Arrangeur, Gitarrist und Produzent stand ihr Mann John Leventhal ihr zur Seite. Rosanne Cashs letztes ver�ffentlichtes Album ,,The List�, aus dem Jahr 2009, war f�r zwei Grammys nominiert und wurde au�erdem zum Album des Jahres, von der Americana Music Association, gek�rt.

Ein Bestseller wurden Rosanne Cashs Memoiren, die sie im Jahr 2010 unter dem Titel �Composed� publizierte. Von der Chicago Tribune wurde Rosanne Cash als ,,eine der besten Aufzeichnungen eines amerikanischen Lebens, die man jemals lesen wird� gefeiert und bejubelt. Auf �The River & The Thread� befasst sich Rosanne Cash nun mit anderen amerikanischen Lebensgeschichten und Orten. Die Landschaft des amerikanischen S�dens beschw�rt dieses Album sowohl musikalisch, emotional und physisch herauf und setzt sich mit den unausl�schlichen Spuren auseinander, welche diese im Besonderen bei Rosanne Cash wie auch im Allgemeinen und in der amerikanischen Kultur hinterlassen haben.

In Rosanne Cashs neuen Songs tauchen einzigartige Charaktere auf, welche viele Generationen umspannen: das Spektrum reicht von einem B�rgerkriegssoldaten, der nach Virginia in den Kampf zieht, �ber einen Farmer der New-Deal-�ra in Arkansas bis zu einem Paar im heutigen Mobile, Alabama. Die Song-Kollektion dieses neuen Albums ist durch und durch zeitgen�ssisch und das obwohl Rosanne Cash und ihr Mann John Leventhal doch von einer breiten Palette musikalischer Stile inspiriert wurden, die man mit dem S�den der USA assoziiert (u. a. sumpfiger Delta-Blues, Gospel, Folkmusik aus der Appalachia-Region, Country und Rock). Rosanne Cash hat eine wundervolle kristallklare Stimme und gemeinsam mit Johns Leventhals bezwingendem Gitarrenspiel bildet sie das Herz diesen Albums. Die Instrumentierung variierten sie allerdings immer wieder um dem Charakter eines jeden einzelnen Songs gerecht zu werden. Also h�ren wir delikate orchestrale Passagen in �Night School� (als Reverenz an Stephen Foster, den so genannten �Vater der amerikanischen Musik�, der den S�den der USA leidenschaftlich liebte) und geisterhafte Keyboard-Kl�nge im abschlie�enden Song des Albums, �Money Road�. �Selbst wenn ich nie mehr ein anderes Album aufnehmen sollte, werde ich zufrieden sein, weil ich dieses gemacht habe�, sagt Cash �ber ihr neues Werk �The River & The Thread�, das sich deutlich von ihren fr�heren Arbeiten unterscheidet.

Auch mit guten Freunden und musikalischen Weggenossen trafen sich Rosanne Cash und John Leventhal bei den Aufnahmen, Menschen die � wie sie selbst � eine tiefe Zuneigung zum S�den hegen und / oder dort ihre Wurzeln haben: Cory Chisel, Cashs erster Ehemann Rodney Crowell (der auch Ko-Autor eines Songs war), Amy Helm, Kris Kristofferson, Allison Moorer, John Prine, Derek Trucks, John Paul White (The Civil Wars), Tony Joe White und Gabe Witcher (The Punch Brothers).

�Wir tr�umten von der Tallahatchie Bridge, und wir haben sie tats�chlich gefunden�, sagt Rosanne Cash in Anspielung auf Bobbie Gentrys 1967 Smash-Hit �Ode To Billie Joe�, den wohl weltweit bekanntesten �Southern Gothic�-Songklassiker. Ihre eigene faszinierende Reise durch den S�den der USA unternimmt Rosanne Cash nun auf �The River & The Thread� und beschw�rt dabei dessen mythischen Geist herauf.

Rosanne Cash wurde als �lteste Tochter der Country- und Rock�n�Roll-Legende Johnny Cash 1955 in Memphis geboren und wuchs in Kalifornien auf. Sie hat bisher zw�lf Studioalben in ihrer Karriere aufgenommen, darunter die beiden vergoldeten Klassiker �Seven Year Ache� (1981) und �King�s Record Shop� (1987), und unglaubliche elf Nummer-1-Singles in den Country-Charts platziert. Rosanne Cash wurde bereits zw�lf Mal f�r einen Grammy nominiert und im Jahr 1985 gewann sie die Auszeichnung auch und zwar f�r �I Don�t Know Why You Don�t Want Me�. Au�erdem ist Rosanne Cash seit geraumer Zeit auch eine erfolgreiche Autorin: vier B�cher publizierte sie bereits und schrieb Essays und fiktionale Texte f�r die New York Times, den Rolling Stone, Newsweek und das New York Magazine.

Die vergriffene und von Fans heiß gesuchte EP von 2017 - jetzt wieder aufgelegt!

Im April 2020 starb in Paris mit 80 Jahren der legendäre afrikanische Drummer Tony Allen, Mitbegründer des »Afro-Beat« und Jazzschlagzeuger par excellence.

2017 feierte Allen ein Aufsehen erregendes Comeback auf Blue Note Records mit der EP »A Tribute To Art Blakey And The Jazz Messengers«. Auf vier langen und gnadenlos groovenden Tracks verbeugte er sich vor seinem Vorbild Art Blakey.

Die limitierte EP war blitzschnell ausverkauft und wird jetzt auf vielfachen Wunsch neu aufgelegt.

Als bekannt wurde, dass Afrojazz-Legende Tony Allen einen Vertrag bei Blue Note Records unterschrieben hat, spitzten alle Jazzfans die Ohren. Bevor das heiß erwartete Album im Herbst erscheint, gibt Allen mit einer 10-inch-EP schon einmal ein aufregendes Lebenszeichen ab, das auch gleich klarmacht, wohin die Reise gehen wird: »A Tribute to Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers«.

Ein Tribut von Drummer zu Drummer also. Schon als er in Lagos, Nigeria, aufwuchs, studierte Tony Allen die berühmten Blue-Note-Aufnahmen von Art Blakey. Jetzt, nachdem er sich selbst einen Namen in der Jazzwelt gemacht hat, verneigt er sich musikalisch vor seinem Vorbild mit vier heftig swingenden Blakey-Titeln: »Moanin'«, »The Drum Thunder Suite«, »Night In Tunisia« und »Politely«, aufgenommen mit achtköpfiger Band in den berühmten Pariser Midilive Studios. Auf das komplette Album darf man gespannt sein.

Legende mit Gästen

Tony Allen meldet sich 2017 mit einem neuen Album zurück: »The Source« heißt die Platte, an der der nigerianische Schlagzeuger und Songschreiber zusammen mit Saxofonist Yann Jankielewicz arbeitete.

Insgesamt elf Allen-Originale schrieben und nahmen sie gemeinsam für »The Source« auf. Unterstützt wurden die beiden im Studio von ein paar der besten Jazzer der Pariser Szene, darunter die Saxofonisten Rémi Sciuto und Jean-Jacques Elangue, der Trompeter Nicolas Giraud, der Posaunist Daniel Zimmermann, Bassist Mathias Allamane, Pianist Jean-Philippe Dary und Keyboarder Vincent Taurelle, der das Album gemeinsam mit Bertrand Fresel produzierte.

Außerdem wirkten der Kameruner Gitarrist Indy Dibongue und als Special Guest der Blur-Frontmann Damon Albarn mit am neuen Album. Letzterer übernahm den Pianopart im Song »Cool Cats«.

Einen ersten Vorgeschmack auf »The Source« gab Tony Allen bereits mit der Single »Wolf Eats Wolf«.

Eine Jazzlegende und jede Menge spannende Gäste: auf Tony Allens neuem Album »The Source«.

Dreamteam

Jazzlegende trifft Folkrock- und Countyikone: Für sein neues Album »Vanished Gardens« holten sich Saxofonist Charles Lloyd und seine Band The Marvels die Unterstützung von keiner Geringeren als Lucinda Williams.

Zwischen Jazz und Rock, eigenen Stücken und spannenden Coverversionen entpuppen sich die beiden als absolutes Dreamteam.

Kaum zu glauben: am 15. März dieses Jahres feierte Saxophon-Legende Charles Lloyd seinen 80. Geburtstag! Genauso alterslos wie der Musiker ist aber auch noch immer seine Musik. Mal spielte er puren Jazz mit Cannonball Adderley oder Keith Jarrett, mal begab er sich in psychedelische Rock-Gefilde mit niemand geringerem als den Doors, den Beach Boys oder den Grateful Dead! Immer noch durchzieht Lloyds Musik eine tiefe Spiritualität und Größe.

Zusammen mit seiner Band The Marvels (u. a. mit Gitarren-Legende Bill Frisell) ist Charles Lloyd in der jüngeren Vergangenheit schon live und im Studio Kollaborationen mit Folkrock-Berühmtheit Lucinda Williams eingegangen. Auf Lloyds neuem Studioalbum ist die Sängerin jetzt auf insgesamt fünf Titeln als unwahrscheinlich starke Stimme zu hören. Neben eigenen Songs von Lloyd und Williams sind auch Titel von Thelonious Monk und Jimi Hendrix Teil des Album-Repertoires.

Athmosphärische Jazz/Folkrock-Songs mit rhythmischen Highlights!

Ein harmonisches Ganzes

Nicht nur als Leadgitarrist der Alternative-Country-Rocker Wilco, auch in diversen Jazzformationen machte Nels Cline in den vergangenen Jahren von sich reden.

2018 hat der Gitarrist neue Mitstreiter an seiner Seite. Auf seinem neuen Album »Currents, Constellations«.

Neu trifft allerdings nur bedingt zu, denn mit dem Gitarristen Julian Lage nahm Cline bereits 2014 das Duo-Album »Room« auf. Zu den beiden gesellten sich für »Currents, Constellations« Bassist Scott Colley und Schlagzeuger Tom Rainey – eine nicht minder virtuose Rhythmusgruppe.

Insgesamt acht Songs hat das Quartett für »Currents, Constellations« eingespielt. Sieben davon stammen aus Clines Feder, ein weiteres Stück ist eine Neuinterpretation von »Temporarily«, das Carla Bley einst für die Jimmy Giuffre 3 schrieb.

Nels Cline und seine Mitstreiter bilden auf ihrem neuen Album ein durch und durch harmonisches Ganzes. »Currents, Constellations« ist melodie- und detailverliebt, experimentierfreudig und technisch brillant.

Jazz meets Electronics – das ist kein ganz neues Konzept, aber bislang ist es wohl noch nie so perfekt zum Leben erweckt worden wie auf »Tomorrow Comes The Harvest«, der ersten Zusammenarbeit von Afro-Funk- & Jazz-Legende Tony Allen und dem Detroiter Techno-Gott Jeff Mills.

»Perhaps the greatest drummer who has ever lived«, sagte Brian Eno mal über Tony Allen, der letztes Jahr mit einem Art-Blakey-Tribute brillierte. Da der Schlagzeuger aber nichts mehr hasst als sich zu wiederholen, überrascht er jetzt mit einer Kooperation mit Jeff Mills. Auf den spacigen, langen Tracks trifft Elektronik auf analoge »Muskelkraft« – mit explosivem Resultat!

Persönlich, poeteisch, preisverdächtig

Country-Fans aufgepasst: Rosanne Cash meldet sich 2018 endlich mit einem neuen Album zurück aus dem Studio. »She Remembers Everything« heißt der 16. Lonplayer der Sängerin und Tochter von Johnny Cash, der Nachfolger von »The River & The Thread« aus dem Jahr 2014, das mit drei Grammys ausgezeichnet wurde und in den USA auf Platz elf der Charts landete.

Zehn Songs hat Cash dafür geschrieben und in Portland und New York City aufgenommen. Hinter den Reglern saßen Tucker Martine und Ehemann John Leventhal.

Einige hochkarätige Gastbeiträge gibt es auf »She Remembers Everything« ebenfalls, nämlich von Elvis Costello, Kris Kristofferson, Colin Meloy (The Decemberists) und Sam Phillips.

Mit dem Titeltrack und dem Song »Everyone But Me« gab es bereits zwei Vorgeschmäcke auf das neue Album. Und die zeigen: Rosanne Cashs »She Remembers Everything« ist persönlich und poetisch zugleich, ein weiteres preisverdächtiges Werk ...

Die andere Seite der vielseitigen Norah Jones: zusammen mit ihren Musikerfreundinnen Sasha Dobson und Catherine Popper mixt sie mit der Band Puss N Boots Folk, Country, Roots und eine Prise Jazzballade zu einem ungewöhnlich eingängigen Ganzen.

Das Ergebnis ist ein extrem hörbarer Cocktail aus sehr relaxten Vocals, coolen Beats und »twangigen« Gitarren. Norah und ihre beiden Bandkolleginnen haben Niemandem mehr etwas zu beweisen und musizieren mit Spaß an der Sache - das hört man.

Der Besondere: nicht nur bei den Vocals, auch an Gitarre, Bass und Drums wechseln die Drei sich ab. Neben gemeinsamen neuen Songs gibt es auch Coverversionen von Tom Petty (»Angel Dream«), Dolly Parton (»The Grass Is Blue«), Paul Westerberg (»It’s a Wonderful Lie«) und Concrete Blonde (»Joey«) zu hören.

Puss N Boots fanden sich 2008 in Brooklyn zusammen. Nach unzähligen Live-Konzerten veröffentlichten sie 2014 ihr erfolgreiches Albumdebüt »No Fools, No Fun«.

... es fällt schwer, von diesem coolen, unpolierten Sound nicht gefangen zu sein.

(Audio, März 2020)

Julian Lage (»einer der schillerndsten Improvisatoren der Welt« - NY Times) kehrt mit einem atemberaubenden neuen Album zurück, »View With A Room«, Nachfolger seines gefeierten Blue-Note-Debüts »Squint« aus dem Jahr 2021, das Associated Press als »an exuberant, engaging, endlessly inventive exploration of styles« bezeichnete.

Dieses Mal erweitert Lage sein vielseitiges Trio aus Bassist Jorge Roeder und Schlagzeuger Dave King zu einem Quartett durch Hinzunahme von niemand Geringerem als Gitarrist und Blue-Note-Labelkollege Bill Frisell!

»View With A Room« präsentiert zehn überzeugende neue Originalkompositionen von Lage, die eine breite Palette von Gitarrenklängen und -texturen erkunden, wobei die beiden Meistergitarristen ihre einzigartigen 6-Saiten-Stile nahtlos miteinander verschmelzen.

.​.​.​räumlich ebenso präsent wie in der Ausdehnung sinnvoll gemixt, sodass man als Hörer das Gefühl bekommt, das eigene Wohnzimmer sei das Aufnahmestudio.​

(stereoplay, Oktober 2022)

Im besten Sinne unspektakulär kommt die Musik des Gitarristen Julian Lage superentspannt und heiter countryhaft daher.​ Lages Zusammenspiel mit dem berühmten Kollegen Bill Frisell, der das spektakuläre Trio hier durchweg als Gast erweitert, ist ein Ereignis auf zwölf Saiten.​

(›Empfehlung des Monats‹ in Fono Forum, Dezember 2022)

Der Saxophonist Dave McMurray kehrt mit »Grateful Deadication 2« zurück, dem Nachfolger seines gefeierten Tribute-Albums aus dem Jahr 2021, auf dem der Saxophonist erneut die Songs von »Grateful Dead« mit seinem düsteren und gefühlvollen Detroit-Sound neu interpretiert, der auf Jazz, Pop, Rock, Soul, Reggae, R&B, Gospel und mehr zurückgreift. Auf Grateful Deadication 2 sind als besondere Gäste Jamey Johnson, Oteil Burbridge, Bob James und Don Was bei einer Sammlung von Dead-Favoriten zu hören, darunter »Truckin'«, »Scarlet Begonias« und »China Cat Sunflower«.