:::Hörselmat:::

Posted: Friday 22 August 2008 by jazzlover in Etykiety:
2

Svenska Löd Ab! is a Jazz group in sweden, and to me, one of the best jazz albuns I ever heard.
It's full of energetic improvisations, with some Hammond solos in some songs.

In some songs, especiality En Mäktig Eldaregesäll, has beautiful passanges of the Hammond with an exotic bass making the base in G/C. Really Cool.
The Second song, Den Dan Vi Sket I Hugo, has a beautiful brass section,and improvising in C/F with some stops with exotic and extraodinary riffs as the song goes.
A very rare record only made in 200 copies.
Maybe swedens best known guitar player are playing on this album, Janne Schaffer.
This album it's Jazz, it's Rock-Fusion, it's great and kicks ass!

::By jazzlover

Svenska Löd AB! – Hörselmat (1971)

1. Introduktion - Ta Er I Brasan
2. Den Dan Vi Sket I Hugo
3. Teryleneblus 13 50 EPa
4. En Mäktig Eldaregesäll
5. Right On - Kliv På
6. Va Då Rå - Va E', Reö
7. Undrar Om Mona Och Kent Spelar
8. Riff á La Lindström

Credits
Arranged By - Bengt Lindqvist
Bass - Jan Bergman
Drums - Nils-Erik Slörner
Engineer - Gert Palmcrantz
Guitar - Bengan Karlsson , Janne Schaffer
Organ, Piano - Bengt Lindqvist
Producer - G. Palmcrantz , Janne Forsell , Svenska Löd
Saxophone [Tenor] - Kalle Lundborg , Olle Wirén
Trombone - Mats Eriksson (3)
Trumpet - Lennart Axelsson , Åke "Jocke" Johansson

:::Tale Spinnin':::

Posted: by jazzlover in Etykiety: , , ,
1

"Dedicated To The Living" Weather Report's ever-changing lineup shifts again, with the somewhat heavier funk-oriented Leon "Ndugu" Chancler dropping into the drummer's chair and Alyrio Lima taking over the percussion table. As a result, Tale Spinnin' has a weightier feel than Mysterious Traveller, while continuing the latter's explorations in Latin-spiced electric jazz/funk. Zawinul's pioneering interest in what we now call world music is more in evidence with the African percussion, wordless vocals, and sandy sound effects of "Badia," and his synthesizer sophistication is growing along with the available technology. Wayne Shorter's work on soprano sax is more animated than on the previous two albums and Alphonso Johnson puts his melodic bass more to the fore. While not quite as inventive as its two predecessors, this remains an absorbing extension of WR's mid-'70s direction.
:::By Richard S. Ginell:::
 
Weather Report - Tale Spinnin' (1975)

1. Man in the Green Shirt (6:28)
2. Lusitanos (7:24)
3. Between the Thighs (9:33)
4. Badia (5:20)
5. Freezing Fire (7:29)
6. Five Short Stories (6:56)

Credits
Bass - Alphonso Johnson
Drums - Leon Ndugu Chancler
Keyboards - Joe Zawinul
Percussion - Alyrio Lima
Saxophone - Wayne Shorter

Notes
P 1975 Sony Music Entertainement Inc.
No Jewel Box - This CD-Package looks like a miniature version of a Vinyl album.
JOE ZAWINUL : (Melodica, Rhodes Piano, TONTO, ARP 2600 Synthesizer, Organ, Oud, Mzuthra, Vocal, West African Xylophone &Acoustic Piano / Composer of Tracks 1, 3, 4 & 6) and WAYNE SHORTER (Tenor & Sopran Saxophones / Composer of Tracks 2 and 5) = WEATHER REPORT
with the Rhythm Section from SANTANA (Borboletta 1974) : 
'Ndugu' Leon Chancler (Drums, Tympani &Marching Cymbals) 
Alphonso Johnson (Electric Bass).
plus :
Alyrio Lima (Percussions)

Recorded January & February 1975 in L.A. at Wally Heider
Orchestration : Joe Zawinul
Recording Engineer : Bruno Botnick

:::Timeless:::

Posted: by jazzlover in Etykiety: , ,
4

Guitarist John Abercrombie's first in a long line of recordings for ECM was also his debut as a leader. Teamed up with Jan Hammer (who here plays organ, synthesizer, and piano) and drummer Jack DeJohnette, Abercrombie plays four of his originals, plus two by Hammer. These performances differ from many of the guitarist's later ECM dates in that Hammer injects a strong dose of fusion into the music, and there is plenty of spirited interplay between those two with fine support by DeJohnette. Thought-provoking and occasionally exciting music that generally defies categorization.

:::By Scott Yanow:::

John Abercrombie - Jan Hammer - Jack De Johnette – Timeless (1974)

1. Lungs (12:08)
2. Love Song (4:34)
3. Ralph's Piano Waltz (5:21)
4. Red In Orange (5:21)
5. Remembering (4:32)
6. Timeless (11:57)

Credits
Artwork By - Robert Masotti , Rolf Liese
Drums - Jack DeJohnette (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 6)
Engineer - Tony May
Engineer [Mixing Engineer] - Jan Erik Kongshaug
Guitar - John Abercrombie
Organ, Synthesizers, Piano - Jan Hammer
Producer - Manfred Eicher

Notes
Recorded June 21 and 22 1974 at Generation Sound Studios, New York

:::Brilliant Corners:::

Posted: Wednesday 20 August 2008 by jazzlover in Etykiety: , ,
2

Although Brilliant Corners is Thelonious Monk's third disc for Riverside, it's the first on the label to weigh in with such heavy original material. Enthusiasts who become jaded to the idiosyncratic nature of Monk's playing or his practically arithmetical chord progressions should occasionally revisit Brilliant Corners. There is an inescapable freshness and vitality saturated into every measure of every song. The passage of time makes it all the more difficult to imagine any other musicians bearing the capacity to support Monk with such ironic precision. The assembled quartet for the lion's share of the sessions included Max Roach (percussion), Sonny Rollins (tenor sax), Oscar Pettiford (bass), and Ernie Henry (alto sax). Although a compromise, the selection of Miles Davis' bassist, Paul Chambers, and Clark Terry (trumpet) on "Bemsha Swing" reveals what might be considered an accident of ecstasy, as they provide a timeless balance between support and being able to further the cause musically. Likewise, Roach's timpani interjections supply an off-balanced sonic surrealism while progressing the rhythm in and out of the holes provided by Monk's jackrabbit leads. It's easy to write Monk's ferocity and Forrest Gump-esque ingenuity off as gimmick or quirkiness. What cannot be dismissed is Monk's ability to translate emotions into the language of music, as in the freedom and abandon he allows through Sonny Rollins' and Max Roach's mesmerizing solos in "Brilliant Corners." The childlike innocence evoked by Monk's incorporation of the celeste during the achingly beautiful ode "Pannonica" raises the emotional bar several degrees. Perhaps more pointed, however, is the impassioned "I Surrender, Dear" -- the only solo performance on the album. Brilliant Corners may well be considered the alpha and omega of post-World War II American jazz. No serious jazz collection should be without it.

:::By Lindsay Planer:::

Thelonious Monk - Brilliant Corners (1956)

1. Brilliant Corners (7:44)
2. Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lues-Are (13:06)
3. Pannonica (8:50)
4. I Surrender, Dear (5:27)
5. Bemsha Swing (7:40)

Credits
Bass - Oscar Pettiford (tracks: 1 to 4) , Paul Chambers (3) (tracks: 5)
Drums - Max Roach
Piano - Thelonious Monk
Producer - Orrin Keepnews
Saxophone [Alto] - Ernie Henry
Saxophone [Tenor] - Sonny Rollins
Trumpet - Clark Terry (tracks: 5)

Notes
Recorded in New York, December 1956

:::Unit Structures:::

Posted: Tuesday 12 August 2008 by jazzlover in Etykiety: , , , , ,
1

After several years off records, pianist Cecil Taylor finally had an opportunity to document his music of the mid-'60s on two Blue Note albums (the other one was Conquistador). Taylor's high-energy atonalism fit in well with the free jazz of the period but he was actually leading the way rather than being part of a movement. In fact, this septet outing with trumpeter Eddie Gale, altoist Jimmy Lyons, Ken McIntyre (alternating between alto, oboe and bass clarinet), both Henry Grimes and Alan Silva on basses, and drummer Andrew Cyrille is quite stunning and very intense. In fact, it could be safely argued that no jazz music of the era approached the ferocity and intensity of Cecil Taylor's.

:::By Scott Yanow:::

Cecil Taylor - Unit Structures (1966)

1. Steps
2. Enter, Evening (Soft Line Structure)
3. Enter, Evening [alternate take]
4. Structure / As Of A Now / Section
5. Tales (8 Whisps)

Credits
Bass - Alan Silva , Henry Grimes
Drums - Andrew Cyrille
Piano, Bells, Written-By - Cecil Taylor
Recorded By [Recording By] - Rudy Van Gelder
Saxophone [Alto] - Jimmy Lyons
Saxophone [Alto], Oboe, Clarinet [Bass] - Ken McIntyre
Trumpet - Eddie Gale Stevens Jr.

:::Juju:::

Posted: Friday 8 August 2008 by jazzlover in Etykiety: , ,
1

Fulfilling the potential promised on his Blue Note debut, Night Dreamer, Wayne Shorter's Ju Ju was the first really great showcase for both his performance and compositional gifts. Early in his career as a leader Shorter was criticized as a mere acolyte of John Coltrane, and his use of Coltrane's rhythm section on his first two Blue Note albums only bolstered that criticism. The truth is, though, that Elvin Jones, Reggie Workman, and McCoy Tyner were the perfect musicians to back Shorter. Jones' playing at the time was almost otherworldly. He seemed
to channel the music through him when improvising and emit the perfect structure to hold it together. Workman too seemed to almost instinctively understand how to embellish Shorter's compositions. McCoy Tyner's role as one of the greatest jazz pianists of all time was played here as well, and his light touch and beautiful, joyful improvisations would make him a much better match for Shorter than Herbie Hancock would later prove to be.
JuJu rests in the uphill portion of Shorter's creative peak. While the sidemen may have been an even better match for him than the ensembles he would put together for later albums, he was just beginning to find his footing as a leader. His performances were already showing evidence of great originality -- yes, they were influenced by Coltrane, but only in the way that they broke apart the structures of the bop sound to create a sound that had all of the variety and flexibility of the human voice. On later albums like Speak No Evil and The Soothsayer, however, Shorter would rise to an even higher level as a performer with more powerful, confident playing that reached farther afield in its exploration of melodic textures.

What really shines on JuJu is the songwriting. From the African-influenced title track (with its short, hypnotic, repetitive phrases) to the mesmerizing interplay between Tyner and Shorter on "Mahjong," the album (which is all originals) blooms with ideas, pulling in a world of influences and releasing them again as a series of stunning, complete visions.

:::By Stacia Proefrock:::

Wayne Shorter – Juju (1964)

1. Juju Shorter 8:35
2. Deluge Shorter 6:53
3. House of Jade Shorter 6:53
4. Mahjong Shorter 7:44
5. Yes or No Shorter 6:39
6. Twelve More Bars to Go Shorter 5:31
7. Juju [alternate take/] Shorter 7:50
8. House of Jade [alternate take/] Shorter 6:39

Credits
Bass - Reginald Workman
Drums - Elvin Jones
Engineer - Rudy Van Gelder
Piano - McCoy Tyner
Producer - Alfred Lion
Tenor Saxophone - Wayne Shorter

:::Sweet Rain:::

Posted: Thursday 7 August 2008 by jazzlover in Etykiety: , ,
2

One of Stan Getz's all-time greatest albums, Sweet Rain was his first major artistic coup after he closed the book on his bossa nova period, featuring an adventurous young group that pushed him to new heights in his solo statements. Pianist Chick Corea, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Grady Tate were all schooled in '60s concepts of rhythm-section freedom, and their continually stimulating interplay helps open things up for Getz to embark on some long, soulful explorations (four of the five tracks are over seven minutes). The neat trick of Sweet Rain is that the advanced rhythm section work remains balanced with Getz's customary loveliness and lyricism. Indeed, Getz plays with a searching, aching passion throughout the date, which undoubtedly helped Mike Gibbs' title track become a standard after Getz's tender treatment here. Technical perfectionists will hear a few squeaks on the LP's second half (Getz's drug problems were reputedly affecting his articulation somewhat), but Getz was such a master of mood, tone, and pacing that his ideas and emotions are communicated far too clearly to nit-pick. Corea's spare, understated work leaves plenty of room for Getz's lines and the busily shifting rhythms of the bass and drums, heard to best effect in Corea's challenging opener "Litha." Aside from that and the title track, the repertoire features another Corea original ("Windows"), the typically lovely Jobim tune "O Grande Amor," and Dizzy Gillespie's Latin-flavored "Con Alma." The quartet's level of musicianship remains high on every selection, and the marvelously consistent atmosphere the album evokes places it among Getz's very best. A surefire classic.

:::By Steve Huey:::

Stan Getz - Sweet Rain (1967)

1. Litha (9:00)
2. O Grande Amor (4:43)
3. Sweet Rain (7:08)
4. Con Alma (8:00)
5. Windows (8:52)

Credits
Bass - Ron Carter
Drums - Grady Tate
Engineer - Rudy Van Gelder
Piano - Chick Corea
Producer - Creed Taylor
Saxophone [Tenor] - Stan Getz

Notes
Recorded March 30, 1967 at Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Engelwood Cliffs, New Jersey.

:::Picture of Heath:::

Posted: Wednesday 6 August 2008 by jazzlover in Etykiety: , ,
1

The seven sides that make up the all-star outing Picture of Heath (1961) might be familiar to fans of co-leads Chet Baker (trumpet) or Art Pepper (alto saxophone), as Playboys (1956). Perhaps owing to trademark-related issues with the men's magazine of the same name, Picture of Heath became the moniker placed on the 1961 Pacific Jazz vinyl re-release, as well as the 1989 compact disc. Regardless of the designation on the label, the contents gather selections recorded on October 31, 1956 -- the third encounter between Baker and Pepper. Backing Baker and Pepper are the sizable quartet of Carl Perkins (piano) [note: not to be confused with the '50s and '60s rockabilly star], Larance Marable (drums), Curtis Counce (bass), and Phil Urso (tenor sax). Although Pepper supplied "Minor Yours" and "Tynan Time," the majority of the material can be traced to Heath Brothers trio member, Jimmy Heath (sax/flute), who was himself an acclaimed instrumentalist, composer, and arranger. The aggregate provide essential interpretations of his work, adding their own unique earmarks on to what is arguably the best and most playful interaction involving Baker and Pepper. Notable occurrences can be heard on "Picture of Heath" where Pepper sonically salutes Thelonious Monk, quoting recognizable passages from "Rhythm-A-Ning" on a number of occasions -- initially during a fierce exchange with Baker on the title track and then again prominently in the commencement of the aforementioned Pepper composition "Tynan Time." One of the more striking elements coalescing the partnership between the combo's soloists is the seemingly innate abilities that
Baker and Pepper share as they propel themselves through the limber lines of "For Minors Only." The level of musicianship is evident as Counce, Perkins, and Marable effortlessly banter with youthful verve. Both the studied bop enthusiast and average jazz lover will find much to enjoy and revisit on Picture of Heath.

:::By Lindsay Planer:::

Chet Baker - Picture of Heath (1961)

1. Picture of Heath Heath 6:43
2. For Miles and Miles Heath 6:23
3. C.T.A. Heath 5:09
4. For Minors Only Heath 3:59
5. Minor Yours Pepper 6:41
6. Resonant Emotions Heath 5:40
7. Tynan Time Pepper 5:31

Credits
Alto Sax - Art Pepper
Bass - Curtis Counce
Drums - Lawrence Marable
Piano - Carl Perkins
Producer - Richard Bock
Tenor Sax - Phil Urso
Trumpet - Chet Baker

Notes
Originally released in 1961 by World-Pacific Records.
A Richard Bock Production.
Notes by Lars Werner, Stockholm, Sweden, January 1957.
Cover design by Woody Woodward.
Photos by William Claxton.