What jazz ALBUM are you currently listening to?

rockadanny · « **Reply #6800 on:** 9 Apr 2014, 06:08 pm »

As per Audiophile Audition Jeff Krow says about this release ...
Prime late period Art Pepper, now on CD Art Pepper Quartet - Blues for the Fisherman / Unreleased Art Pepper, Vol. VI / Live at Ronnie Scott s London - Widows Taste 11001 - 1980 - (4 CD box set) - CD 1: 79:55 / CD 2: 64:49 / CD 3: 70:38 / CD 4: 69:56 (Transferred from the original analog tapes for CD reissue) *****: (Art Pepper, alto sax and clarinet; Milcho Leviev, piano; Tony Dumas, bass; Carl Burnett, drums) I reviewed the Mole Jazz / Pure Pleasure 7 audiophile LP box set of Blues for the Fisherman in March, 2011 and gave it 5 stars for both its historical value and the superb sound quality as well as the passion that Art brought to his recordings at London s iconic Ronnie Scott s club with his touring group of this period. For those without the pocket book funds to afford the PurePleasure box set, Art s widow, Laurie, has done the kind service of issuing this material over 4 CDs at a much more reasonable price. I can honestly say that Wayne Peet has done a remarkable job remastering the twenty five tracks recorded over two nights (June 27-28, 1980) and the resulting product is well worth the purchase price without a dramatic loss of sound quality over the audiophile PurePleasure issue. Interestingly enough, we have found the fifteen tracks of oral introductions, and story telling by Art, in his unique stream of consciousness fashion, to be much clearer with better fidelity on the CD issue as compared to the audiophile LPs. It would be interesting to find out what enabled Peet to bring out this difference on CD using the same analog tapes that PurePleasure had. Laurie includes personal photos and 24 pages of notes in the booklet provided with the CD set and she lovingly describes Art s state of mind during the recording of these tracks. It is a great memento and much more valuable and accurate than any reviewer could have provided as Laurie s care and love of Art enabled him to remain vibrant with his music till he passed on just two years later. Fans of Blues for the Fisherman have been waiting three decades to have more than the two LPs that Mole Jazz released at the time. Now we have 17 additional previously unreleased tracks. With the seven records of the PurePleasure box or the 4 CDs now released, you can experience the entire recordings made over two nights by one of Art s best touring groups. The group had traveled over Europe and that experience had made their cohesiveness fully formed. We are treated to extended compositions with Milcho and Art exploring improvised musical conversations. Leviev and Pepper had a tempestuous relationship, but clearly they were inspired by each other and each have many extended solos that enter both mainstream and avant classic territory. Some of the tracks are repeated the next night, but as with Art, each performance is different and has its own charms. There is a mixture of ballads and burning numbers, and what is most evident is the passion that Art pours out as he bares his soul, and his life experience both in his playing and his heartfelt comments. Pepper left it all on the bandstand and we are richer musically for his gifts that he shared. Having the opportunity to hear Art play clarinet with the same gut-wrenching intensity that he had on the alto sax just adds to the historical value of this material. Simply said, Blues for the Fisherman belongs in the collection of any true jazz fan.

rockadanny · « **Reply #6801 on:** 9 Apr 2014, 08:59 pm »

From A'zon:
Relatively little-known outside of Europe, Stefano Battaglia is a brilliant pianist, who has collaborated extensively with Kenny Wheeler and Lee Konitz. He can play with a sweeping, even operatic lyricism or push the boundaries of improvisation. This is his second two-CD set for ECM and it will undoubtedly expand his audience at the same time that it places special demands on the listener. It's an extended portrait of the filmmaker, poet and political activist Pier Paolo Pasolini, with individual pieces scored to portray his featured actresses, like Laura Betti and Maria Callas, or give musical form to many of his works, whether film, poem or even essay. Disc One emphasizes Battaglia's pensive lyricism, whether minimalist or dissonant, and it's here given extraordinary depth and welling power by a sextet that includes trumpeter Michael Gassmann. Disc Two is far darker, with Battaglia and a string-rich French quintet playing chopping, slashing music that can summon up Pasolini's revolutionary and religious passions (and his grim unsolved murder) in a musical language that takes improvisation into the abstract, serial language of Alban Berg's Lulu or Schoenberg's piano music. --Stuart Broomer

ArthurDent · « **Reply #6802 on:** 9 Apr 2014, 10:42 pm »

Chico Hamilton: Chico Hamilton Quintet in Hi-Fi , '56 Disc 2 of 4

jimdgoulding · « **Reply #6803 on:** 10 Apr 2014, 03:55 am »

Dang, Dent, that is an old one. If memory serves, my best friend's older sister had that in her collection. I have his 60's group with Charles Lloyd and Gabor Szabo spinnin in my car CD player.

Asimov · « **Reply #6804 on:** 10 Apr 2014, 12:49 pm »

Ahmad Jamal : Saturday Morning

ArthurDent · « **Reply #6805 on:** 10 Apr 2014, 01:46 pm »

Quote from: jimdgoulding on 10 Apr 2014, 03:55 am

Dang, Dent, that is an old one. If memory serves, my best friend's older sister had that in her collection. I have his 60's group with Charles Lloyd and Gabor Szabo spinnin in my car CD player.

Yeah jim, nice stuff. I was reminded of Chico by our large orange friend a while back, figured since I wasn't real familiar with his work this set would be a good start. Am very impressed to say the least. His early stuff is quite different from the 70's work I was familiar with. Almost a 'big band' sound, and smooth, in a different completely pleasing way.

Asimov · « **Reply #6806 on:** 10 Apr 2014, 04:28 pm »

Booker Little : Victory And Sorrow

Asimov · « **Reply #6807 on:** 10 Apr 2014, 04:37 pm »

Brad Shepik : The Well

ArthurDent · « **Reply #6808 on:** 10 Apr 2014, 09:05 pm »

Stanley Turrentine: T Time '95

ArthurDent · « **Reply #6809 on:** 10 Apr 2014, 11:39 pm »

Airto Moreira: Three Way Mirror '85

rockadanny · « **Reply #6810 on:** 11 Apr 2014, 12:03 am »

Sipping on a Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Barleywine Ale, listening to my sweet, fine lady friend, Mrs. Coltrane:

Asimov · « **Reply #6811 on:** 11 Apr 2014, 02:05 am »

Clifford Jordan : Spellbound

Asimov · « **Reply #6812 on:** 11 Apr 2014, 02:44 am »

Clifford Jordan : The Mellow Side of Clifford Jordan

Asimov · « **Reply #6813 on:** 11 Apr 2014, 03:05 am »

Count Basie And His Orchestra : Basie Meets Bond

S Clark · « **Reply #6814 on:** 11 Apr 2014, 03:36 am »

Dizzy. Just good jazz.

Asimov · « **Reply #6815 on:** 11 Apr 2014, 03:48 am »

David Newman : Under a Woodstock Moon

Asimov · « **Reply #6816 on:** 11 Apr 2014, 04:50 am »

Duke Ellington : The Complete Capitol Recordings of Duke CD-1/5

Asimov · « **Reply #6817 on:** 11 Apr 2014, 03:08 pm »

Thelonious Monk : Monk's Blues

Asimov · « **Reply #6818 on:** 11 Apr 2014, 03:13 pm »

Frank Morgan : Mood Indigo

ArthurDent · « **Reply #6819 on:** 11 Apr 2014, 04:09 pm »

Trilok Gurtu/ Robert Miles: Miles-Gurtu '04