Yusef Lateef - Morning

 Always nice to repost something that someone requested that I probably haven't listened to since I first posted it over 4 years ago. This is great stuff. Not a bad track across both lps.
 These are Lateef''s first sessions as a leader after his move from Detroit to NYC. Originally  released across 3 Savoy lps from just two sessions a few days apart.
 These sessions were recorded a year before I was thrust upon the world. These reissues were  released in 76, my senor year in high school. Only a year had passed since I had realized the fantastic sounds of Miles and Trane. This shit wasn't even on my radar. Tis a shame.

Yusef Lateef
Morning - The Savoy Sessions

1. Morning
2. O'Blues
3. Ameena
4. Metaphor
5. Yusef's Mood
6. Blues In Space
7. G. Bouk
8. Polarity
9. Midday
10. Happology
11. Space
12. The Beginning
13. Beauregard

Lateef - tenor, flute, argol, scraper
Curtis Fuller - trombone, tambourine
Hugh Lawson - piano
Ernie Farrow - bass, rabat
Louis Haynes - drums
Doug Watkins - finger cymbals, misc. percussion


originally released as Savoy lps 12003, 12009, and 12115 - these are taken from Savoy SJL-2205

Hozan Yamamoto + Masabumi Kikuchi - Silver World

 One of those rare records that are defined as "hauntingly  beautiful." This record was laid down when I was twelve tears old. 45 years later, I find myself mesmerized. A wooden flute really? Isn't the night sky beautiful, the clouds, the stars...the music.


1. Prologue
2. Silver World
3. Stone Garden of the Ryoan Temple
4. A Heavy Shower
5. Sawanee
6. Epilogue

Hozan Yamamoto - bamboo flute
Masabumi Kikuchi - piano
Gary Peacock - bass
Hiroshi  Murikami - drums

recorded 10/15-20/70

Capitol Jazz Classics Vol 13 - Strictly Bebop

  Another reposted request from a few years back.


  A little bebop. This one from the Capitol Classics series. Some really great stuff on this one including a couple of vocal tracks by the ever entertaining Babs Gonzales.
  As much as I love the fiery intensity of the the small bebop combos, I really enjoy this big band stuff. Particularly when no one is about and you can crank it up on the stereo. The way the orchestra punches is like a loving kick in the chops.
  The line up on these tracks is beyond measure, but just the same I have to mention how much I enjoy picking Art Pepper's short solo on Prelude To A Nightmare. On the other hand, trying to pick out Coltrane (on rare alto sax) is like looking for Waldo.

Strictly Bebop
Capitol Jazz Classics Vol .13

1. Sid's Delight
2. Casbah
3. John's Delight
4. What's New
5. Heaven's Doors Are Wide Open
6. Focus
7. Capitolizing
8. Professor Bop
9. St. Louis Blues
10. Real Crazy
11. Prelude To A Nightmare
12. Say When
13. You Stole My Wife You Horsethief
14. Tally-Ho
15. Oo-la-la
16. Coast To Coast

Tadd Dameron and His Orchestra
1-2: Fats Navarro (tp), Kai Winding (tb), Sahib Shihab (as), Dexter Gordon (ts), Cecil Payne (s),
Tadd Dameron (p), Curley Russell (b), Kenny Clarke (d), Vidal Bolado 9conga), Rae Pearl (vcl) - New York City 1/18/49
3-6: Miles Davis (tp), JJ Johnson (tb), Sahib Shihab (as), Benjamin Lundy (ts), Cecil Payne (bs), Tadd Dameron 9p0, John Collins (g), Curley Russell (b), Kenny Clarke (d), Kay Penton (vcl) -
NYC 4/21/49

Babs Gonzales and His Orchestra
7-8: Bennie Green, JJ Johnson (tb), Julius Watkins (fhn), Jordan Fordin (as), Sonny Rollins (ts), Linton Garner (p), Art Phipps (b. vcl). Jack Parker (d), Babs G (vcl) - NYC 10/20/49
9-10: JJ Johnson (tb), Alberto Socarras (fl), Son Redman (ss), Sonny Rollins (ts), Wynton Kelly (p), Bruce Lawrence (b), Roy Haynes (d), BG (vcl) NYC 4/27/49
11: JJ Johnson (tb), Art Pepper (as), Herbie Stewart (ts), Wynton Kelley (p), PeeWee Tinney (g, vcl), Bruce lawrence (b), Jackie Mills (d), BG (vcl) - LA 3/20/49

Dizzy Gillespie and His Orchestra
12-14: DG (tp, vcl), Willie Cook, Don Slaughter, Elmon Wright (tp), Matthew Gee, Sam Hurt, Hameefan Mageed (tb), Jimmy Heath, John Coltrane (as), Jesse powell, Paul Gonsalves (ts), Al Gibson (bs), John Aces (p), Al McKibbon (b), Specs Wright (d) - NYC 11/21/49
15-16: same except replace with Floyd Smith (g). Add Chino Pozo (bongo), Joe Carroll (vcl)
NYC 1/10/50


Capitol Jazz M-11059  mono   vinyl rip

Hell yeah, Halloween!!!

 Just a fun compilation for one of my favorite holidays. Try not to scare yourself.

 1. Night of the Ghouls

2. Gates of Hell - David Murray

3. Little Pocket Sized Demons - Vijay Iver

4. Friday The 13th (scary version) - Orange Then Blue

5. Night Creeper - Arthur Blythe

6. Frankenstein and Igor - Roy Campbell

7. Death Scene - Johnny Mandell

8. Zombie - Art Ensemble of Chicago

9. Right Frankenstein in Saigne-leg - Akira Sakata

10.Dance of the Devil Demons - Fred Ho and his Monkey Orchestra

Billy Bang Sextet - Sweet Space

I posted this lp a few years ago but I recently had a request for a repost which I am happy to oblige. What a better excuse for digging out this great record. In my earlier  review I called this lp "shambolic". I don't necessarily get that anymore. Well I do kinda, but this thing grooves in a way I was just learning to appreciate back then.

Now I'm grooving on it on one of the last nights I can sit outdoors without a fire. And it's hitting all the right buttons.


Recorded live at the Loeb Student Center north lobby, New York University, November 15, 1979.

Billy Bang Sextet
Sweet Space

1. A Pebble Is A Small Rock
2. Sweet Space
3. Loweski For Frank (T.F.R.)
4. Music For The Love Of It

Billy Bang - violin
Frank Lowe - tenor sax
Luther Thomas - alto sax
Butch Morris - cornet
Curtis Clark - piano
Wilbur Morris - bass
Steve McCall - drums


Vinyl rip 

Bob Thompson - On The Rocks

  Mr. Thompson claims to have used an all star west coast cool jazz crew for the lp. There are no credits but I don't doubt for a minute that he is correct A little bit of investigation should confirm that. Unfortunately I lost my PI badge in a scuffle with a prog rocker and I have no assistant to back me up.

 This is one of the more sought after bachelor pad lps and with a cover like that, why wouldn't it be?
 Even better is that it is a recent gift from a friend whose new girlfriend "doesn't appreciate those type covers."

 So stir yourself a martini, light a log, and groove on some tunes your parents (or grandparents!) thought were cool on the new hi-fi in the living room.


1. There's A Small Hotel
2. June Is Just Bustin' Out All Over
3. Happy Talk
4. Breezin' Along With The Breeze
5. Just You, Just Me
6. Almost Like Being In Love
7. On The Rocks
8. Jersey Bounce
9. I'll See You Again
10. The Little Black Box
11. Always
12. All The Things You Are

Recorded at RCA Victor's Music Center of the World, Hollywood, California on October 21 and November 4, 11 and 18, 1959.    

Vinyl rip.

Andre Previn and J.J. Johnson play Kurt Weill

 I mostly dismissed Andre Previn for years. He still doesn't set my world on fire but he worked with these kick ass dudes and played some of my favorite showtunes so I guess he gets a pass.
  The version of Pirate Jenny (or the crazy titled equivalent) is over the top cool. The rest of the record races to keep up and nearly succeeds.

 1. Bilbao-song
2. Barbara-song
3. Overture
4. Seerauberjenny
5. Moritat
6. Surabaya - Johnny
7. Wie Man Sich Bettet
8. Unzulanglichkeit


Anre Previn - piano
J. J. Johnson - trombone
Red Mitchell - bass
Frank Capp - drums


vinyl rip Columbia CS 8541   (1962)

Cal Tjader - West Side Story

 I know this is beat to hell. If I had a better copy I share it. Doesn't really make a difference here but I have this really groovy red vinyl copy.


1. Prologue - Jet Song
2. Something's Coming
3. Maria interlude
4. Maria
5. Tonight
6.America
7. Cool
8. One Hand, One Heart
9. I Feel Pretty


Cal Tjader - vibraphone
Clare Fischer - piano
Red Mitchell - bass
Shelly Manne - drums
Red Callender - tuba
Milt Holland - drums
Paul Horn - flute
Mongo Santamaria - conga
Willie Bobo - drums and Timbales

and a whole host of horn and string players I don't recognize. There are people out there that spend far too much time compiling lists for slackers like me, so the complete personel should be available with little effort.

Fantasy 3310

Charles Lloyd Quartet - Dream Weaver

Really can't imagine why this lp doesn't stay in print. Great tunes, fantastic line up. These cats were at the top of their game. I still struggle a bit with the flute but it is swinging opening track that sways me this time. I dig the long sequences on the first side, while Love Ship from the oether side has ended up on many a jazz comp for unsuspecting novices.

1. Autumn Sequence
  a) autumn prelude
  b) autumn leaves
  c) autumn echo

2. Dream Weaver
 a) meditation
 b) dervish dance

3. Bird Flight
4. Love Ship
5. Sombrero Sam


Charles Lloyd - tenor sax & flute
Keith Jarrett -piano
Cecil McBee - bass
Jack DeJohnette - drums

Atlantic Records  SD 1459     1967

yosuke yamashita / adelhard roidinger - inner space

 Another duo lp by Yamashita. Another excursion into the ozone. Amazing lp that rides the wave between cool and just a little weird. Perfect for a cool autumn night.



1. Country Walk
2. Tight Pants
3. Soft Waltz
4. Green Wave


Yosuke Yamashita - piano
Adelhard Roidinger - bass


recorded 6/24/77