Sunday, August 28, 2011

Lhasa - The Living Road

Everyone knows that when you release your debut album, consisting of an assortment of sophisticated and worldly numbers performed in Spanish, and that album goes on to make a far bigger splash worldwide than anyone expected, the only sensible course of action is to...run away and join the circus? That's precisely what Lhasa de Sela did following the success of La Llorona: she joined with other members of her family, which always had a nomadic streak in it, and toured around Europe as part of a circus. Upon her return, she got to work on The Living Road, an album about travel, whether it be wheels upon the road, or through life itself. It's hard to say whether the experience of life on the road was the catalyst for the broadening of the writing this time out; there are songs in Spanish, French, and English this time out, but all three are languages that Lhasa was immersed in beforehand. Musically, it's a natural follow-up to La Llorona, drawing from many of the same traditional styles and blending them with more modern instrumentation into a very seamless, sophisticated, and sensual mélange, one that thankfully never tips over into the pretentious, condescending, or hokey. And then, of course, there's the real star of the show: Lhasa's voice, which is never short of gorgeous throughout. It's a fantastic follow-up release; hopefully, it won't mean another five-year wait while she hides out under the big top. - by Sean Carruthers, AMG

Artist: Lhasa de Sela
Album: The Living Road
Year: 2003
Label: Les Disques Audiogramme
Runtime: 49:47

Tracks:

1.  Con toda palabra (Lhasa de Sela/Yves Desrosiers/Vincent Segal) 4:30
2.  La marée haute (Lhasa de Sela/Riad Malek) 3:24
3.  Anywhere On This Road (Lhasa de Sela) 4:37
4.  Abro la ventana (Yves Desrosiers) 4:03
5.  J'arrive a la ville (Lhasa de Sela) 5:58
6.  La frontera (Lhasa de Sela) 3:02
7.  La confession (Lhasa de Sela/Yves Desrosiers/Didier Dumoutier) 3:45
8.  Small Song (Lhasa de Sela) 2:26
9.  My Name (Lhasa de Sela/Jerome Lapierre/Vincent Segal) 4:17
10.  Pa' llegar a tu lado (Lhasa de Sela) 4:32
11.  Para el fin del mundo o el ano nuevo (Lhasa de Sela) 4:23
12.  Soon This Space Will Be Too Small (Lhasa de Sela) 4:45

Personnel:
Lhasa de Sela (Vocals)
Jean Massicotte (Keyboards, Theremin, Guitar)
Francois Lalonde (Vibraphone, Percussion, Marimba, Glockenspiel, Bass Guitar)
Mario Légaré (Bass Guitar, Double Bass)
Rick Haworth (Steel Guitar, Guitar)
Sheila Hannigan (Violoncello)
Marie-Soleil Bélanger (Violoncello)
Ibrahim Maalouf (Trumpet)
Jean-Denis Levasseur (Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Ukulele)
Claude Fradette (Steel Guitar) - 1,4
Olivier Langevin (Guitar) - 3
Juan José Carranza (Guitar) - 6
Christophe Papadimitriou (Double Bass) - 2
Gilles Brisebois (Bass Guitar) - 1
Bernard Falaise (Guitar) - 12

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Randy Weston - Saga

Saga is a recording of high energy and creativity. Adding yet another chapter to his ever-evolving story, of the music Randy takes a different turn on this recording. Saga is a vibrant celebration of life. In the Saga Wolof language, according to Randy, Saga means coming together "or coming home." It's celebratory spirit is, in part, due to the rich excitement created the week before by Randy and some of the African Rhythms musicians in Toronto, Canada, where Randy played for a week at the Top 'O the senator jazz club. Due to the great enthusiasm and eager anticipation shown by Randy Weston’s fans, and also to the Adept. Successful media blitz created and perpetuated by Michael Ikeda, Randy was very well-received in Toronto in April 1994. It was also the week of his birthday when he became a radiant, youthful 69 years young. The Toronto gig was more like a party to celebrate not only his birthday but another chapter to his unending story of the music and its African origins. However, although Randy didn't plan it that way, this gig also served as a warm-up for Randy and some of the musicians who participated on the recording session of Saga. The musical director for the recording, Talib Kibwe, percussionist Neil Clarke, bassist Alex Blake and Randy Weston all had the chance to capture that spirit of high energy that They continued to boost at the recording of Saga in New York at the hit factory studios before joining the rest of the cast of musicians : Billy Harper, saxophone, Billy Higgins, drums, and Benny Powell, trombone. - from Randy's website

Atrist: Randy Weston Africa Rhythms
Album: Saga
Year: 1995
Label: Gitanes Jazz
Total playing: 74:00

Tracks:
1.  The Beauty of it All 6:13 
2.  Loose Wig 7:15 
3.  Tangier Bay 8:42 
4.  F.E.W. Blues 6:41 
5.  Uncle Neemo 8:00 
6.  Lagos 4:17 
7.  A Night in Mbari 4:38 
8.  Saucer Eyes 6:35 
9.  The Three Pyramids and the Sphynx 6:11 
10.  Casbah Kids 2:55 
11.  Jahjuka 5:25 
12.  The Gathering 7:01 
All compositions - by Randy Weston

Personnel:
Randy Weston (Piano)
Billy Harper (Tenor Saxophone)
Benny Powell (Trombone)
Talib Kibwe (Alto Saxophone and Flute)
Alex Blake (Double Bass)
Billy Higgins (Drums)
Neil Clarke (Percussion)

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Donald Byrd - The Cat Walk

Trumpeter Donald Byrd and baritone saxophonist Pepper Adams worked together on several recordings between 1958 and 1961, and The Cat Walk (released on LP in 1962) is among the best. A quintet setting, with pianist Duke Pearson (another longtime Byrd collaborator), bassist Laymon Jackson, and a lively Philly Joe Jones on drums joining the front line of Byrd and Adams, the sessions for The Cat Walk benefited from the writing and arrangement skills of Pearson, who contributes three compositions here, the impressive opener "Say You're Mine," "Duke's Mixture," and "Hello Bright Sunflower," which borrows its melodic structure from the opening bars of "Lullaby of Broadway" and features Byrd using a muted trumpet. Byrd contributed the title track, which attempts to capture the coiled, taut, but somehow still relaxed and assured gait of a tomcat, thanks in no small part to Jones' inspired drumming which hits the mark with stops and turns and smooth run-outs that are indeed very feline in nature. Byrd's playing throughout is typically sleek and lyrical, and Adams' sturdy, husky baritone sound is the perfect counterbalance, making The Cat Walk an essential Byrd purchase. - by Steve Leggett, AMG

Artist: Donald Byrd
Album: The Cat Walk
Year: 1961
Label: Blue Note (24-bit rematered by RVG, 2007)
Runtime: 41:10

Tracks:
1.  Say You're Mine (Duke Pearson) 7:26
2.  Duke's Mixture (Duke Pearson) 7:09
3.  Each Time I Think Of You (Donald Byrd) 5:44
4.  The Cat Walk (Donald Byrd) 6:48
5.  Cute (Neal Hefti) 6:25
6.  Hello Bright Sunflower (Duke Pearson) 7:36

Personnel:
Donald Byrd (Trumpet)
Pepper Adams (Baritone Saxophone)
Duke Pearson (Piano)
Laymon Jackson (Double Bass)
Philly Joe Jones (Drums)

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Kenny Dorham - Whistle Stop

In 1975, five British critics picked Whistle Stop as one of 200 albums that belonged in a basic library of jazz recorded after World War II (see Modern Jazz 1945-70: The Essential Recordings, Argus Books). In his essay on this LP, Michael James noted the difficulty in selecting from among Kenny Dorham's many fine efforts, and mentioned his great 1959 New Jazz date Quiet Kenny as another session worthy of consideration. Whistle Stop got the nod, however, for capturing Dorham's mature trumpet stíle, showcasing his talents as a composer, and surrounding him with such a sympathetic cast... - by Bob Blumenthal

Kenny Dorham was always underrated throughout his career, not only as a trumpeter but as a composer. The CD reissue of Whistle Stop features seven of his compositions, none of which have been picked up by any of the "Young Lions" of the '90s despite their high quality and many fresh melodies. Dorham teams up with tenor-saxophonist Hank Mobley (who he had recorded with previously along with Art Blakey and Max Roach), pianist Kenny Drew, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Philly Joe Jones for a set of lively, fresh, and consistently swinging music. This is a generally overlooked near-classic set. - by Scott Yanow, AMG

Artist: Kenny Dorham
Album: Whistle Stop
Year: 1961
Label: Blue Note (24-bit -RVG- remastered, 1999)
Runtime: 38:44

Tracks:
1.  Philly Twist 5:39
2.  Buffalo 7:43
3.  Sunset 6:18
4.  Whistle Stop 5:57
5.  Sunrise in Mexico 5:39
6.  Windmill 6:18
7.  Dorham's Epitaph 1:10
All compositions by Kenny Dorham

Personnel:
Kenny Dorham (Trumpet)
Hank Mobley (Tenor Saxophone)
Kenny Drew (Piano)
Paul Chambers (Double Bass)
Philly Joe Jones (Drums)

Monday, August 22, 2011

Michel Camilo - Thru My Eyes

Michel Camilo could have obscured his virtuosity in a large band, playing brilliantly and receiving critical acclaim from the denizens of dark, smoke filled nightclubs who would have loved him in a private way as he pounded his images into the keys above the brass section, above the reeds.  Something told Michel that what he possesed was special, a blessing so rare that it needed a special setting, a forum where people could listen to the travels of his fingers, the musical flight of his fertile imagination.  And so he chose the trio for this album, thank God!  It was good enough for Oscar Peterson, for Eroll Garner, for Bill Evans, and perfect for Michel Camilo.  For decades, those of us who love the person and the musician, knew deep down that quiet place of soul, due south, tropical south, where talent lies on every street corner, like diamonds shining brilliantly, waiting to be picked up by anyone who truly loves jazz.  And each album Michel recorded placed him closer and closer to that pinnacle where he could not be judged by nationality, nor by his extensive knowledge of Afro-Antillian rhythms, but by his sheer pianistic genius, his overpowering harmonic sense of space and time, and his humble way of allowing others to shine as he reached out for our hearts and ears.This, then, is the album complete with all the jazz classics critics and public have used to determine who can make the grade and be accepted into the pantheon of piano masters.  Michel takes each masterpiece and gives it a new outfit, complete with accessories and scent.  He puts his indelible Camilian print on it without changing the drape of the musical cloth.- from original liner notes

Artist: Michel Camilo
Album: Thru My Eyes
Year: 1997
Label: RMM
Total playing: 73:46

Tracks:
1.  Poinciana (Nat Simon/Buddy Bernier) 5:08
2.  Perdido (H.J. Lengsfelder/Juan Tizol/Erwin Drake) 5:08
3.  Watermelon Man (Herbie Hancock) 4:27
4.  A Night in Tunisia (Dizzy Gillespie/Frank Pappardelli) 6:09
5.  Song For My Father (Horace Silver) 6:03
6.  Armando's Rhumba (Chick Corea) 4:34
7.  St. Thomas (Sonny Rollins) 5:28
8.  Oye Como Va (Tito Puente) 3:42
9.  Afro Blue (Mongo Santamaria) 6:07
10.  Mambo Inn (Mario Bauza)  6:20
11.  My Little Suede Shoes (Charlie Parker) 3:50
12.  Manteca (Dizzy Gillespie/Chano Pozo/W. Fuller) 6:43

Personnel:
Michel Camilo (Piano)
Anthony Jackson (Contrabass Guitar) - 3,6,8,10-12
Horacio Hernandez (Drums) - 2,4-6,8,10
Cliff Almond (Drums) - 1,3,7,9,11,12
Lincoln Goines (Bass) - 1,7,9
John Patitucci (Bass) - 2,4,5

Friday, August 19, 2011

Brownie McGhee & Sonny Terry - Climbin' Up

Nice collection of 1952-1955 sides with an urban blues twist by McGhee, with Terry's contributions limited to harmonica only and guitarists Stick McGhee and Mickey Baker checking in over the course of the dozen entries. McGhee was a world-class electric bluesman, too -- a fact that frequently gets lost in the folk-slanted duo material he cut with longtime partner Terry. - by Bill Dahl, AMG

Artist: Brownie McGhee & Sonny Terry
Album: Climbin' Up
Year: 1952-55 (Savoy)
Label: Nippon Columbia (Digitally Remastered, 1994)
Total playing: 33:53

Tracks:
1.  Gone Baby Gone 2:58 
2.  Tell Me Baby 2:54 
3.  Sittin' Pretty 2:31 
4.  Bottom Blues 2:47 
5.  Dissatisfied Blues 2:51 
6.  Diamond Ring 3:15 
7.  The Way I Feel 2:53 
8.  So Much Trouble 2:52 
9.  When It's Love Time 2:33 
10.  I'd Love to Love You 2:57 
11.  Love's a Disease 2:47 
12.  My Fault 2:29 
All compositions by Brownie McGhee

Personnel:
Brownie McGhee (Guitar and Vocal)
Sonny Terry (Harmonica) - 1-4,9-12
Sticks McGhee (Guitar) - 5-8
Ernie Hayes (Piano) - 8,10-12
Mickey Baker (Guitar) - 8,10-12
Leonard Gaskin (Bass) - 8,10-12
Gene Brooks (Drums) - 8,10-12

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Jimmy McPartland - That Happy Dixieland Jazz

Jimmy McPartland and several old friends are clearly having the time of their lives during this pair of 1959 studio sessions made for RCA. Dick Cary's swinging arrangements are imaginative yet leave room for plenty of spirited solos by everyone. "High Society" features not one but two clarinets, played by Bob Wilber and Ernie Caceres (the former doubles on tenor sax, the latter on baritone sax). McPartland plays hot cornet throughout the disc, complemented by trumpeter Charlie Shavers; both men share the vocals during the inevitable rendition of "When the Saints Go Marching In." The band also includes Cary (on piano, alto horn, and trumpet), trombonist Cutty Cutshall, guitarist George Barnes, tuba player Harvey Phillips, and bassist Joe Burriesce. This very well-recorded date still sounds great decades later, and will satisfy anyone who enjoys the Chicago style of Dixieland jazz. - by Ken Dryden, AMG

Artist: Jimmy McPartland and His Dixielanders
Album: That Happy Dixieland Jazz
Year: 1959
Label: BMG (1994)
Runtime: 35:09

Tracks:
1.  High Society (Ray Gilbert/Kid Ory) 2:59
2.  That's a Plenty (Ben Pollack) 4:40
3.  Way Down Under In New Orleans (Henry Creamer/Turner Layton) 3:16
4.  Muskrat Ramble (Ray Gilbert/Kid Ory) 2:58
5.  When The Saints Go Marching In (Traditional) 4:23
6.  Darktown Strutter's Ball (Shelton Brooks) 2:48
7.  Original Dixieland One-Step (Nick LaRocca) 3:48
8.  Fidgety Feet (Eddie Edwards/Nick LaRocca/Henry Ragas/Tony Sbarbaro/Larry Shields) 3:36
9.  South Rampart Street Parade (Ray Bauduc/Bob Haggart) 3:11
10.  Farewell Blues (Joseph Mares/Leon Roppolo/Elmer Schoebel) 3:26

Personnel:
Jimmy McPartland (Cornet and Vocals)
Charlie Shavers (Trumpet and Vocals)
Cutty Cutshall (Trombone)
Bob Wilber (Clarinet and Tenor Saxophone)
Ernie Caceres (Clarinet and Baritone Saxophone)
Dick Cary (Alto Horn, Trumpet, Piano and Accordion)
George Barnes (Guitar)
Harvey Phillips (Tuba)
Joe Burriesce (Bass)
George Wettling (Drums)

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Dexter Gordon - Our Man in Paris

This session is a meeting between three of the most influential musicians of the forties (Dexter, Bud Powell and Kenny Clarke as "Americans in Paris"), completed by the great french bassist Pierre Michelot. At this really happy date the musicians decided to play tunes, that go back to the time, when those guys first gigged and recorded together, like Parker's "Scrapple from the Apple". But especially about Dexter's playing it can be said, that he had modified his style during the sixties, absorbing ideas from musicians, who originally had been influenced by him (listen to some very Coltrane-ish licks on "Night in Tunisia"). Actually, Dexter once stated, that he was thrilled by that kind of mutual exchange of ideas: First he had been a main source of influence for the early John Coltrane and later, especially during the time of this recordings (1963), Dexter further developed his style using some of Coltrane's ideas. Besides the above mentioned faster tunes, I expecially like "Willow Weep for Me" with it's nice intro and that kind of blues-feeling and of course the beautiful ballad "Stairway to the Stars". Bud Powell, almost at the end of his career, still plays very inspired. Expecially during those years in Paris, Bud was at his best on encounters with other great Americans, who visited Europe or temporarly lived there. - by G. Schramke, Amazon.com

This 1963 date is titled for Dexter Gordon's living in self-imposed Parisian exile and recording there with two other exptriates and a French native. Along with Gordon, pianist Bud Powell and Kenny "Klook" Clarke were living in the City of Lights and were joined by the brilliant French bassman Pierre Michelot. This is a freewheeling bop date with the band working out on such categoric standards as "Scrapple from the Apple," and "A Night in Tunisia." In addition, American vernacular tunes such as "Willow Weep for Me" and "Stairway to the Stars" are included. Gordon is at the very top of his game here. His playing is crisp, tight, and full of playful fury. Powell, who at this stage of his life was almost continually plagued by personal problems, never sounded better than he does in this session. His playing is a tad more laid-back here, but is nonetheless full of the brilliant harmonic asides and incendiary single-note runs he is legendary for. The rhythm section is close-knit and stop-on-a-dime accurate. - by Thom Yurek, AMG

Artist: Dexter Gordon
Album: Our Man in Paris
Year: 1963
Label: Blue Note (1987)
Runtime: 50:15

Tracks:
1.  Scrapple from the Apple (Charlie Parker) 7:23
2.  Willow Weep for Me (Ann Ronell) 8:50
3.  Broadway (Billy Bird/Teddy McRae/Sir Henry Joseph Wood) 6:46
4.  Stairway to the Stars (Matty Malneck/Mitchell Parish/Frank Signorelli) 6:58
5.  A Night in Tunisia (Dizzy Gillespie/Frank Paparelli) 8:17
6.  Our Love Is Here to Stay (George Gershwin/Ira Gershwin) 5:41
7.  Like Someone in Love (Johnny Burke/James Van Heusen) 6:17

Personnel:
Dexter Gordon (Tenor Saxophone)
Bud Powell (Piano)
Pierre Michelot (Double Bass)
Kenny Clarke (Drums)

Monday, August 15, 2011

Bud Powell - A Portrait of Thelonious

This CD reissue is one of the most rewarding Bud Powell recordings to come from his period in France. Powell (along with bassist Pierre Michelot and drummer Kenny Clarke) explores four of Thelonious Monk's tunes, Earl Bostic's "No Name Blues" and the standard "There Will Never Be Another You" but it is the final two numbers ("I Ain't Foolin'" and "Squatty") which really find the bop master at his most spirited and swinging. This very rewarding CD releases for the first time the alternate take (a faster rendition without a clear melody) of "Squatty," a song that (based on its original version) deserves to be revived. One oddity: the applause heard throughout this release was added on later because this was actually a studio album. - by Scott Yanow, AMG

I first bought this because I wanted to know more about Powell and Monk. I have never been disappointed listening to this and loved it more with each listening. The Monk pieces convinced me to buy everything of his I could lay my hands on but I also reached back to Powell's early albums and one of his last, "Bud Powell in Paris" a few years after this one, produced by Duke Ellington, on Reprise. The best moment I had with this album was sharing it with a college music class. While one jerk kept wondering why people applauded after each tune (to classical purists you never applaud until the end of a concert, not after each piece) the rest discussed how Powell's style cut across classical lines and it encouraged more jazz listening. Not a year has gone by that I haven't played this album so if you don't know bebop or Monk or Powell, this is a great introduction to all. - by Stephen Swain, Amazon.com

Artist: Bud Powell
Album: A Portrait of Thelonious
Year: 1961
Label: Columbia (20-bit remastered, 1997)
Total time: 47:25

Tracks:
1.  Off Minor (Thelonious Monk) 5:21
2.  There Will Never Be Another You (Mack Gordon/Harry Warren) 4:20
3.  Ruby, My Dear (Thelonious Monk) 5:49
4.  No Name Blues (Earl Bostic) 6:39
5.  Thelonious (Thelonious Monk) 3:48
6.  Monk's Mood (Thelonious Monk) 7:08
7.  I Ain't Foolin' (Charles Albertine) 3:21
8.  Squatty (Brian Fahey) 5:50
9.  Squatty (Alternate Take) (Brian Fahey) 5:06

Personnel:
Bud Powell (Piano)
Pierre Michelot (Double Bass)
Kenny Clarke (Drums)

Saturday, August 13, 2011

Peace Orchestra - Peace Orchestra

Peace Orchestra, the debut album by Kruder & Dorfmeister's Peter Kruder, suffers little for its lack of both producers. The kind of trance-state trip-hop that sounds freshly minted by God himself, these nine tracks belie the notion that trip-hop is a style scavenger, content to paste sampled jazz-funk over a few hip-hop breaks. Peace Orchestra is so lovingly crafted, so finely detailed, that comparisons with the glut of trip-hop sinking the market seems almost laughable. A languid clarinet line does a slow waltz with K&D's oft-used shuffle-beat on the highlight "Meister Petz," while "Double Drums" works a mutated tech-synth line with strong breakbeats. Kruder's musical sense comes from a variety of musical capitals, including Rio de Janeiro (the fine, delicate swing), New York (the jazz chords and shadings), East L.A. (Latin percussion), and London (acid house ). Only Kruder (or perhaps Dorfmeister) could distill so many elements into one cohesive album without risk of blandness or musical fragmentation. - by John Bush, AMG

This is something truly beautiful. Peter Kruder (of the famous "Kruder & Dorfmeister") definitely proves his skills as a solo producer on this album. It manages to create that ethereal feeling so prized by Acid Jazz and Trip-Hop producers, while still maintaining listenability through consistent yet subtle drum beats. Kruder's caught a lot of flak for the horns and vocals used on some of the tracks, but I attribute a lot of this criticism to sheer ignorance from the downtempo "purists" out there. The vocal and brass samples manage to give "Meister Petz" a somewhat festive feel, and enhance the brooding mood of "Who am I" and "Shining".
Every sound Kruder uses on this album bends and shapes the mood like a clay sculpture. The textures are rich but not bombastic, and the album maintains a feeling that is brooding and mystical but not excessively sparse or depressed.This one is at least as vital a downtempo recording as Portishead's "Dummy", or anything Kruder and/or Dorfmeister have previously recorded.Peace Orchestra is one of the most beautiful records I have ever beheld. Get it. - by theunderbob, Amazon com

Artist: Peace Orchestra (Peter Kruder)
Album: Peace Orchestra
Year: 1999
Label: G-Stone
Runtime: 58:28

Tracks:
1.  The Man Part One 4:47 
2.  Meister Petz 6:18 
3.  Double Drums 9:24 
4.  Domination 8:37 
5.  Marakesh 6:57 
6.  Henry 6:57 
7.  Who Am I 5:59 
8.  Shining 5:03 
9.  The Man Part Two 4:22 
All compositions by Peter Kruder

Personnel:
Peter Kruder (Programming, Sampling)
Chilli Bukasa (Vocals) - 8

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Miles Davis - Miles in Tokyo

Recorded in '64, Miles in Tokyo finds the iconic Miles Davis performing with his almost-second great quintet. Tenor saxophonist Sam Rivers, a more accomplished and daring experimentalist than his predecessor, George Coleman, joined the group after a fellow Bostonian, drummer Tony Williams, recommended him to Davis. There are times on this recording when one might understand why Davis and Rivers never meshed, and times when the partnership is quite wonderful, though brief.
On "If I Were a Bell," for example, after a lucid and melodic statement by Davis, Rivers purposely goes off-center on his solo. He does it with enough force that his motions are neither subtle nor nuanced; they're noticeable. Yet on the more forlorn and dark "My Funny Valentine," he shows greater care to stay within the song's melody, a treatment that resonates well with the rest of the group.
"So What" is taken at a faster pace than the version on the seminal Kind of Blue with, again, Davis and Rivers varying in their melodic approaches. By "Walkin'," though, it is Davis who alters his style, accepting some restless elements into his approach. He flies fast and furiously through his solo, provoking Williams into some manic beats. Williams, for his part, always sounded best in contexts that were more "out" than "in," and the inclusion of Rivers on this date certainly allowed him greater, rhythmic latitudes. Herbie Hancock, as well, finds some dissonant and interesting moments on "Walkin'." The finale, "All of You," finds Davis muted and lyrical, Rivers wild but compliant, and the rest of the group providing a wonderful groove.
Months after this concert in September of '64, the definitive version of the second great quintet, with Wayne Shorter on tenor, finally took form. The almost-second great quintet heard on Miles in Tokyo is an aberration, a rare gem, and  worth investigating. - by Germein Linares, Allaboutjazz.com

After George Coleman left the Miles Davis Quintet, tenor-saxophonist Sam Rivers took his place for a short period including a tour of Japan. Davis did not care for Rivers's avant-garde style (they failed to develop any chemistry) and soon replaced him, but this live LP (originally only issued in Japan) survived to document this brief association. The music (five lengthy versions of standards) is actually of high quality with both Davis and Rivers in fine form and the young rhythm section (pianist Herbie Hancock, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Tony Williams) pushing the trumpeter/leader to open up his style. - by Scott Yanow, AMG

Artist: Miles Davis
Album: Miles in Tokyo
Year: 1964
Label: Sony BMG (2005)
Total time: 54:15

Tracks:
1.  Introduction By Teruo Isono 1:10 
2.  If I Were A Bell (Frank Loesser) 10:17
3.  My Funny Valentine (Lorenz Hart/Richard Rodgers) 12:50
4.  So What (Miles Davis) 8:05
5.  Walkin' (Richard Carpenter) 9:15
6.  All Of You (Cole Porter) 11:18
7.  Go-Go (Theme And Announcement) (Miles Davis) 1:20

Personnel:
Miles Davis (Trumpet)
Sam Rivers (Tenor Saxophone)
Herbie Hancock (Piano)
Ron Carter (Double Bass)
Tony Williams (Drums)

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Dolores Keane - Night Owl

Like Ralph Stanley and June Tabor, Dolores Keane is one of those rare singers whose voices mellow and improve rather than weaken with age. Also like June Tabor (though not like Ralph Stanley), she has broadened her stylistic range and her performing repertoire in recent years, still focusing on the traditional music of her native Ireland but also exploring themes from other cultures and tunes by modern songwriters. Night Owl opens on a somber note, with a despairing song apparently about the Northern Irish Troubles, and the mood is scarcely lightened at any point thereafter; there is a gorgeous rendition of the mournful "Wind that Shakes the Barley," one lament, two back-to-back farewells, a lover's plea, a tale of mass martyrdom, and a song inspired by the street urchins of Sao Paolo. By all rights this should be a terribly depressing album. But Keane's singing is such a joy, and the instrumental accompaniment so well arranged and expertly played, that every moment is a pleasure, if a bittersweet one. This is one of those albums you'll find yourself giving to friends as gifts. - by Rick Anderson, AMG

I am very, very pleased with this cd and was extremely happy to find that it was available. Dolores has a wonderful voice that is deep and earthy and yet remarkably smooth and enjoyable. Her delivery has just the right emotional intensity for the many traditional and contemporary songs covered on the cd. When my wife first heard me play Night Owl she remarked, " this really sounds good."
I highly recommend the cd to anyone who enjoys traditional/folk music. Dolores just gets better and better and the instrumental work is top notch, adding to the overall effect instead of detracting, like on some other recent cds such as Emmylou Harris's Red Dirt Girl. - by a Customer, Amazon.com

Artist: Dolores Keane
Album: Night Owl
Year: 1997
Label: Kirkelig
Runtime: 52:57

Tracks:
1.  Dangerous Dance (Peter O'Hanlon) 4:12
2.  The Wind That Shakes The Barley (Traditional/Robert Dwyer Joyce) 4:18
3.  New Deal (John Faulkner) 2:56
4.  The Banks Of The Nile (Traditional) 4:04
5.  Dunlavin Green (Traditional) 5:11
6.  Ballyroan (Chris Andretti/Thomas Hodge) 4:47
7.  Aileen's Lament (John Faulkner/Gavin Povey) 5:37
8.  Fare Thee Well A Stór (Paraigin ni Uallachain) 4:06
9.  The Forger's Farewell (Traditional) 4:37
10.  José (John Faulkner/Gavin Povey) 5:28
11.  Make Me Want To Stay (Tommy Sands) 3:53
12.  The Night Owl (Homeward Turns) (Steve Tilston) 3:42

Personnel:
Dolores Keane (Vocals)
John Faulkner (Guitar, Backing Vocals) - 1-11
Gavin Povey (Piano and Keyboards, Harmonium) - 1,2,4-8,10-12
Fergus Feely (Mandola) - 1-3,5,8,10,11
Eoin O'Riabhaigh (Uillean Pipes, Whistle) - 1-4,6,7
Ruth Dillon (Backing Vocals) - 1,8,10,11
Liam Bradley (Backing Vocals, Percussion) - 1-5,10,11
Paul Moore (Double Bass) - 1-3,5,8,10,11
Vedran Smailovic (Cello) - 1,10,11
Alec Finn (Boizouki) - 4
Dessie Wilkinson (Bamboo Flute) - 12

Monday, August 8, 2011

Quincy Jones - Smackwater Jack

It's pretty hard to put a "category label" on this, like the record companies try to do....let's just call it GREAT MUSIC! Judging from the scope of Quincy Jones' work, he doesn't think of himself as strictly a jazz musician. The music included for consideration here runs the gamut: Carole King's "Smackwater Jack;" Vince Guaraldi's "Cast Your Fate To The Wind;" themes from "Ironside," "The Anderson Tapes" and Bill Cosby's TV-Show theme, "Hikky-Burr" (on which he does the vocal); Ray Brown's lovely "Brown Ballad;" Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On?" and Quincy's "Guitar Blues Odyssey: From Roots To Fruits." This last deserves some explanation. It's an sampler of the history of the guitar from Robert Johnson through Charlie Christian, Wes Montgomery, Joe Pass and Eric Clapton to Jimi Hendrix. QUITE AN ODYSSEY!
The list of musicians on the recording looks like everybody's "Poll Winners" from the period: woodwinds Jerome Richardson, Hubert Laws and Pete Christlieb; trumpets Freddie Hubbard, Marv Stamm, Buddy Childers, Snooky Young, Joe Newman and Ernie Royal; trombones Wayne Andre and Garnet Brown; guitars Eric Gayle, Jim Hall, Joe Beck, Toots Thielmans, Arthur Adams and Freddie Robinson...if that's not enough, the REST of the rhythm section includes Grady Tate,Paul Humphries, Bob James, Jakie Byard, Monty Alexander, Joe Sample, Jimmy Smith, Dick Hyman, Ray Brown, Chuck Rainey, Bob Crenshaw, Carole Kaye and Milt Jackson! (NO SLOUCHES HERE !)
The arrangements are all Quincy's (with an assist from Marty Paich on "The Anderson Tapes") and all sound TERRIFIC under the producing hands of Quincy, Ray Brown and Phil Ramone. This is just a SUPERB ALBUM ! I like it better than the Grammy-Winner it followed, "Walking In Space," just because of the variety of music here, but BOTH are worth collecting ! - by C. Law, Amazon.com

Quincy Jones had jazz fans wondering when he released his killer Gula Matari album in 1970. That set, with gorgeous reading of Paul Simon's "Bridge Over Troubled Water" with a lead vocal by none other than Valerie Simpson, pointed quite solidly into the direction Jones was traveling: unabashedly toward pop, but with his own trademark taste, and sophistication at the forefront of his journey. Its follow-up, Smackwater Jack, marked Jones, along with Phil Ramone and Ray Brown in the producer's chair, and knocked purist jazz fans on their heads with its killer meld of pop tunes, television and film themes, pop vocals, and big-band charts. The personnel list is a who's- who of jazzers including Monty Alexander, Jim Hall, Pete Christlieb, Joe Beck, Bobby Scott, Ernie Royal, Freddie Hubbard, Jerome Richardson, Ray Brown, Jaki Byard, Toots Thielemans, and many others. But it also hosted the talents of new school players who dug pop and soul, such as Grady Tate, Bob James, Joe Sample, Chuck Rainey, Paul Humphries, Eric Gale, and others. And yes, Simpson was back on this session in an epic reading of Marvin Gaye's "What's Goin' On,'" that featured Carol Kaye and Harry Lookofsky on soulful, psychedelic jazz strings and a smoking harmonica solo by Thielemans. The title cut, of course, is a reading of the Gerry Goffin and Carole King number, done in a taut, funky soul style with Rainey's bassline popping and bubbling under the entire mix and James' Rhodes and Thielemans' harmonica leading the back until the funky breaks by Tate, and some tough street guitar by Arthur Adams host an enormous backing chorus and a "mysterious" uncredited male lead vocal. Other highlights include a rocking version of the television theme from Ironside, and "Hikky-Burr," the now infamous theme from the Bill Cosby Show with a guest vocal from Bill. The version of Vince Guaraldi's "Cast Your Fate to the Wind" is one of the loveliest tracks here, and sets in stone a gorgeous model for the meld of complex jazz harmonics and a lithe pop melody. The album's final cut is a Jones original that sums up the theme of the entire album. Entitled "Guitar Blues Odyssey: From Roots to Fruits," it travels the path of Robert Johnson and Skip James through toJimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton with stops along the way at Charlie Christian, Wes Montgomery, and Grant Green. Guitarists Beck, Hall, and Gale, as well as Freddie Robinson, all do their best mimicking on this lovely, musical, labyrinthine montage that moves back and forth across musical history. It works like a charm with Brown's upright and Rainey's Fender (electric) bass work (alternately), and the beatcraft of Tate. This set has provided some key samples for rappers and electronic music producers over the years -- and there's plenty more to steal -- but as an album, it is one of Q's true masterpieces, recorded during an era when he could do no wrong, and when he was expanding not only his musical palette, but ours. - by Thom Yurek, AMG

Artist: Quiny Jones
Album: Smackwater Jack
Year: 1971
Label: A&M Records
Runtime: 42:04

Tracks:
1.  Smackwater Jack (Gerry Goffin/Carole King) 3:22
2.  Cast Your Fate to the Wind (Vince Guaraldi/Carl Rowe) 4:27
3.  Ironside (Theme from Ironside) (Quincy Jones) 3:54
4.  What's Going On? (Renaldo Benson/Al Cleveland/Marvin Gaye) 9:56
5.  Theme From the Anderson Tapes (Quincy Jones) 5:16
6.  Brown Ballad (Ray Brown) 4:21
7.  Hikky-Burr (Theme from The Bill Cosby Show) (Bill Cosby/Quincy Jones) 4:04
8.  Guitar Blues Odyssey: From Roots To Fruits (Quincy Jones) 6:44

Personnel:
Quincy Jones (Arrangement and Vocals)
Jerome Richardson (Soprano and Tenor Saxophone)
Hubert Laws (Flutes and Tenor Saxophone)
Peter Christlieb (Tenor Saxophone)
Ernest Royal (Trumpet and Flugelhorn)
Eugene Young (Trumpet and Flugelhorn)
Marvin Stamm (Trumpet and Flugelhorn)
Joe Newman (Trumpet and Flugelhorn)
Buddy Childers (Trumpet and Flugelhorn)
Freddie Hubbard (Trumpet and Flugelhorn)
Wayne Andre (Trombone)
Garnett Brown (Trombone)
Dick Hixon (Trombone)
Alan Raph (Trombone)
Tony Studd (Trombone)
Toots Thielemans (Harmonica and Guitar)
Eric Gayle (Guitar)
Jim Hall (Guitar)
Joe Beck (Guitar)
Arthur Adams (Guitar)
Freddie Robinson (Guitar)
Grady Tate (Drums)
Paul Humphries (Drums and Percussion)
Larry Bunker (Percussion)
George Devens (Percussion)
Bobby Scott (Piano)
Bob James (Fender Rhodes)
Jakie Byard (Fender Piano)
Monty Alexander (Tack Piano)
Joe Sample (Fender Piano)
Jimmy Smith (Organ)
Dick Hyman (Electric Harpsichord and Piano)
Paul Beaver (Synthesizer)
Edd Kalehoff (Synthesizer)
Ray Brown (Double Bass)
Chuck Rainey (Bass Guitar)
Bob Crenshaw (Double Bass)
Carole Kaye (Bass Guitar)
Milt Jackson (Vibes)
Harry Lookofsky (Violin)
Valerie Simpson (Vocals) - 4
Maretha Stewart (Vocals) - 4
Marilyn Jackson (Vocals) - 4
Barbara Massey (Vocals) - 4
Joshie Armstead (Vocals) - 4
Bill Cosby (Vocals) - 7

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Elvin Jones - Dear John C.

Drummer Elvin Jones may have been breaking down new rhythmic boundaries at the time with John Coltrane's Quartet but his own sessions as a leader were not all that innovative. This quartet set with altoist Charlie Mariano, bassist Richard Davis and either Roland Hanna or Hank Jones on piano is an example of how the avant-garde of the era was starting to influence the more mainstream players. The music is in general safe but enjoyable with the virtuosic bassist Richard Davis often taking solo honors on what was in reality a modern bop date. - by Scott Yanow, AMG

This album is a classic of mid-1960's jazz. Mariano, one of the great invisible talents of the era, plays at the top of his form, Hank Jones and Roland Hanna do priceless work on the piano, and the Richard Davis/Jones rhythm section keeps it loose and flowing throughout. "Everything Happens to Me" is a heartbreaking ballad, but every song is a near-perfect achievement. It's astonishing to me that this CD has gone out of print. I would rate it alongside Shorter's "Speak No Evil," Coltrane's "Live at Birdland," Andrew Hill's "Point of Departure," and so on--one of the ten or twenty masterpieces of a golden age in jazz. - by Jess Row, Amazon.com

Artist: Elvin Jones
Album: Dear John C.
Year: 1965
Label: Impulse
Total time: 42:22

Tracks:
1.  Dear John C. (Bob Hammer/Bob Thiele) 3:54
2.  Ballade (Bob Hammer) 5:19
3.  Love Bird (Charlie Mingus) 3:49
4.  Everything Happens To Me (Matt Dennis/Tom Adair) 5:49
5.  Smoke Rings (Ned Washington/H.E. Gifford) 3:41
6.  This Love Of Mine (Frank Sinatra/Henry Sanicola/Sol Parker) 4:21
7.  Anthropology (Dizzy Gillespie/Charlie Parker) 4:11
8.  Feeling Good (Leslie Bricusse/Anthony Newley) 4:07
9.  Fantazm (Duke Ellington) 3:57
10.  That Five-Four Bag (Bob Hammer) 3:08

Personnel:
Elvin Jones (Drums)
Charlie Mariano (Alto Saxophone)
Roland Hanna (Piano) - 1,3,5
Hank Jones (Piano) - 2,4,9,10
Richard Davis (Double Bass)

Saturday, August 6, 2011

Mynta - Hot Madras

When Hot Madras opens with the cerebral "Hymn of India," one might assume that this is a jazz-fusion release. The tune isn't unlike something Chick Corea, Al DiMeola, Joe Zawinul, or Scott Henderson might do if they were intent on incorporating elements of Indian music, but on the whole, this instrumental CD isn't about jazz-fusion. After "Hymn of India," Hot Madras becomes much calmer and more reflective and, for the most part, offers a likable blend of Indian, pop, and new age music. The only real fusion numbers that comes after "Hymn of India" are "The Last Forest" and the evocative "Benam." Though this part-Swedish, part-Indian group uses traditional, time-honored Indian instruments like the santour and tabla drums, it also uses electric bass and electric keyboards -- western instruments that are prominent in modern, western-influenced Indian pop but aren't used in traditional acoustic Indian settings. Thus, Hot Madras won't appeal to purists, who would be better off sticking to artists like Ravi Shankar and Bikram Ghosh, but world music enthusiasts who are open to a more contemporary approach will find this to be a fairly interesting, if uneven, effort. - by Alex Henderson, AMG

Artist: Mynta
Album: Hot Madras
Year: 1992
Label: Miramar
Runtime: 50:35

Tracks:
1.  Hymn Of India (Max Ahman) 3:01
2.  Sabir Khan Song (Traditional) 4:29
3.  MBira-intro (Anders Hagberg) 1:30
4.  MBira (Anders Hagberg) 4:32
5.  Hot Madras (Nandkishor Muley) 2:36
6.  Song For Jens (Christian Paulin) 5:12
7.  Benam (Jan Radesjö) 4:04
8.  Bombay Kebab (Johan Söderquist) 6:04
9.  The Last Forest (Anders Hagberg) 4:39
10.  Felicita (Nandkishor Muley) 3:07
11.  Banfora-intro (Anders Hagberg) 1:33
12.  Banfora (Anders Hagberg) 5:11
13.  Morning Romance (Nandkishor Muley) 4:28

Personnel:
Anders Hagberg (Flutes, Soprano Saxophone)
Max Ahman (Acoustic Guitar)
Jan Radesjö (Keyboards)
Christian Paulin (Bass Guitar, Tampura, Percussion)
Michael Hedenquist (Percussion)
Guest:
Fazal Qureshi (Tabla, Percussion)
Nandkishor Muley (Santoor, Vocals)

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Tom Russell - The Man from God Knows Where

"Come gather round me children, a story I will tell...So it's rise up all you ancestors, and dance upon your graves." So begins the saga.
Russell,an extraordinary songwriter, has composed a folk opera loosely based on the history of his own family. His great grandmother came from Ireland during the famine to the Midwest and his great grandfather came from Norway. The songwriting is gripping and eloquent.
Russell's own wonderful singing is alternated with that of Dave Van Ronk and the excellent Norwegian singers Kari Bremmes and Sondre Bratland. Irish legend Delores Keane sings what may become the definitive version of "When Irish Girls Grow Up". The always spectacular Iris Dement is at her stunning best; her version of 'Wayfarin' Stranger' with Annbjorg Lien accompanying on the Norwegian Hardanger fiddle will not only give you goosebumps every time you hear it, but haunt you for a very long time.
This album is genius. It is a deeply affecting work of survival and pride in the face of hardship and partings, joy, madness, tradition and novelty. Artfully mixing traditional tunes with his own songs, Russell has created a profound musical commentary on the human condition as expressed in a uniquely American way. The final song, "Love Abides", is the appropriate climax/moral of this album, capturing the effort, heartbreak, and hope of this tale with a breath-takingly moving duet by Russell and Dement.Of the 200 or so (mainly celtic) albums I bought this year, this is best, period. Get it. - by J. Scarff, Amazon.com

Artist: Tom Russell
Album: The Man From Good Knows Where
Year: 1999
Label: Kirkelig
Runtime: 74:14

Tracks:
1.  The Man From God Knows Where (Tom Russell) 2:47
2.  Wayfarin' Stranger (Traditional) 1:10
3.  Patrick Russel (Tom Russell) 4:20
4.  Mary Clare Malloy (American Wake) (Eoin O'Riabhaigh) 3:30
5.  The Outcaste (Tom Russell) 3:48
6.  Ambrose Larsen (Traditional) 4:50
7.  The Dreamin' (Tom Russell) 4:13
8.  The Old Northern Shore (Tom Russell) 4:04
9.  The Man From God Knows Where/America (Walt Withman/Tom Russell) 1:39
10.  Anna Olsen (Tom Russell) 2:53
11.  Rider On An Orphan Train (David Massengill) 4:20
12.  Acres Of Corn (Tom Russell) 3:44
13.  The Man From God Knows Where (Tom Russell) 1:48
14.  Sitting Bull In Venice (Tom Russell) 3:32
15.  The Old Rugged Cross (George Bennard) 1:28
16.  Anna Olsen's Letter Home (Tom Russell) 2:57
17.  Eg Er Framand (Traditional) 1:21
18.  When Irish Girls Grow Up (Tom Russell) 3:12
19.  Casey Jones (Tom Russell) 0:59
20.  Chickasaw County Jail (Charlie Russell) 4:18
21.  Wayfarin' Stranger (Passage Of Time) (Traditional) 1:05
22.  Throwin' Horseshoes At The Moon (Tom Russell) 3:17
23.  The Man From God Knows Where (Tom Russell) 1:33
24.  The Outcaste (Revisited) (Tom Russell) 2:21
25.  Wayfarin' Stranger (Revisited) (Traditional) 0:59
26.  Love Abides (Tom Russell) 4:06

Personnel:
Tom Russell (Vocals, Acoustic Guitar)
Andrew Hardin (Acoustic and Electric Guitar)
Knut Reiersrud (Guitar, Dobro, Banjo, Harmonica, Lap Steel)
Jorund Bogeberg (Bass)
Anders Engen (Drums)
Eoin O'Riabhaigh (Uilleann Pipes, Tin Whistle)
Annjorg Lien (Fiddle, Key Harp)
Hank Bones (Trumpet, Trombone) - 5
Iris Dement (Piano, Vocals) - 2,15
Dolores Keane (Vocals) - 4
Dave Van Ronk (Vocals) - 5
Sondre Bratland (Vocals) - 6
Kari Bremnes (Vocals) - 10

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Antonio Carlos Jobim - Passarim

Passarim is Jobim's major statement of the '80s, emerging during a time when Jobim's concerns were turning increasingly toward Planet Earth issues. The title song is one of Jobim's most haunting creations, a cry of pain about the the destruction of the Brazilian rainforest that resonates in the memory for hours. Also, by this time Jobim had resumed touring with a large group containing friends and family, and they carry a great deal of the load here, with lots of airy female backup vocals, two worthy songs by Jobim's multi-talented son Paulo and another by flutist/singer Danilo Caymmi. Recorded entirely in Rio, the record's overall sound is very different from Jobim's '60s and '70s work -- denser, hazier, still grounded in the samba yet rougher in texture (as is Jobim's voice). Though not as immediately winning as the Creed Taylor-produced albums, this music repays repeated listening -- particularly the extended suite from Jobim's score for the film Gabriela -- and there are samples of Jobim's wry humor in "Chansong" and the bossa nova reworking of "Fascinatin' Rhythm" . - by Richard S. Ginell

Artist: Antonio Carlos Jobim
Album: Passarim
Year: 1987
Label: Verve
Runtime: 48:41

Tracks:
1.  Passarim (English Version) (Antonio Carlos Jobim) 3:37
2.  Bebel (Antonio Carlos Jobim) 3:12
3.  Borzeguim (Antonio Carlos Jobim) 4:23
4.  Looks Like December (Antonio Carlos Jobim) 3:46
5.  Isabella (Paulo Jobim/Gil Goldstein) 3:24
6.  Fascinating Rhythm (George Gershwin/Ira Gershwin) 2:11
7.  Chansong (Antonio Carlos Jobim) 3:20
8.  Samba Do Soho (Paulo Jobim/Ronaldo Bastos) 3:01
9.  Luiza (Antonio Carlos Jobim) 2:31
10.  Brasil Nativo (Danilo Caymni/Paulo Cesar Pinheiro) 3:52
11.  Gabriela (Antonio Carlos Jobim) 7:57
12.  Anos Dourados (Antonio Carlos Jobim/Chico Barque) 3:43
13.  Passarim (Portuguese Version) (Antonio Carlos Jobim) 3:36

Personnel:
Antonio Carlos Jobim (Piano and Vocals)
Paulo Jobim (Guitar and Vocals)
Danilo Caymni (Flute and Vocals)
Jacques Morelenbaum (Cello)
Sebastiao Neto (Bass Guitar)
Paulo Braga (Drums and Percussion)
Ana Lontra Jobim (Vocals)
Elizabeth Jobim (Vocals)
Maucha Adnet (Vocals)
Paula Morelenbaum (Vocals)
Simone Caymni (Vocals)
Rubens Ohana de Miranda (Percussion) - 3,8
Paulo Guimaraes Ferreira (Flute) - 1,3,5,10,12,13
Lucia Morelenbaum Gjorup (Clarinet) - 1,3,5,10,12,13
Eduardo Morelenbaum (Clarinet) - 1,3,5,10,12,13
Antonio Candido Sobrinho (French Horn) - 1,3,5,10,12,13
Luiz Candido da Costa (French Horn) - 1,3,5,10,12,13

Monday, August 1, 2011

Lester Bowie - The Odyssey of Funk & Popular Music

Songbook albums were considered cool and trendy in the late '90s, and that seemed to fit into Lester Bowie's pop-tune agenda with the Brass Fantasy. But he wouldn't be bound to the usual worshipful homages on bended knee to a single composer, directing his Brass Fantasy (brass ensemble plus drums/percussion) toward a mind-boggling assortment of sources that are often thoroughly contemporary. Hence a record that pits Cole Porter back-to-back with Marilyn Manson, Andrew Lloyd Webber with the Spice Girls, or how about Notorious B.I.G. with Giacomo Puccini! Bowie's Brass Fantasy is at the ensemble's best when they swagger irreverently through "The Birth of the Blues" or a doo wop "In the Still of the Night" -- and the Manson track, "Beautiful People," is savage, even raucous fun. Other songs are taken quite seriously; the Spice Girls' "Two Become One" becomes a sophisticated ballad chart. However, the Bowie band cannot relieve the tedium of Lloyd Webber's quasi-tango "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" by doing it relatively straight, and they seem a bit intimidated by Puccini's "Nessun Dorma" -- which is probably beyond the reach of a jazz treatment anyway. At the very least, the brasses sound fresh and interested in what they're doing, so there is pleasure to be had here. - by Richard S. Ginell, AMG

Artist: Lester Bowie Brass Fantasy
Album: The Odyssey of Funk & Popular Music
Year: 1998
Label: Atlantic
Total time: 55:29

Tracks:
1.  The Birth of the Blues (Lew Brown/Buddy DeSylva/Ray Henderson) 5:49
2.  Next (Joseph Bowie/Sebastian Piekarek) 6:06
3.  Two Become One (Spice Girls/Stannard/Rowe) 6:08
4.  Don't Cry For Me Argentina (Tim Rice/Andrew Lloyd Webber) 9:10
5.  Beautiful People (Marilyn Manson/Twiggy Ramirez) 6:57
6.  In the Still of the Night (Cole Porter) 4:43
7.  Notorious Thugs (Sean Combs/Al Henderson/S. Howse/Stevie J. Jordan/BrianMcCane/Christopher Wallace) 5:31
8.  Nessun Dorma (Giocomo Puccini) 6:49
9.  If You Don't Know Me By Now (Harold Melvin/Teddy Pendergrass) 4:15

Personnel:
Lester Bowie (Trumpet)
Joseph "Mac" Gollehon (Trumpet)
Ravi Best (Trumpet)
Gerald Brazel (Trumpet)
Bob Stewart (Tuba)
Vincent Chancey (French Horn)
Luis Bonilla (Trombone)
Joshua Roseman (Trombone)
Gary Valente (Trombone)
Vinnie Johnson (Drums)
Victor See Yuen (Percussion)
Dean Bowman (Vocals)
Joseph Bowie (Vocals and Trombone)

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