Tuesday, July 11, 2006

Michael Brecker - Pilgrimage

Heads Up

Release date May 24th 2007

<

When Michael Brecker was recording "Pilgrimage" in August 2006 he knew that he would probably die of the leukaemia induced by the myelodysplastic syndrome he had been diagnosed with some years before. And indeed that has proved to be the case. With Michael Brecker's passing in January 2007, this posthumous release has the full import of the knowing

Herbie Hancock - Maiden Voyage / Empyrean Isles

Blue Note Original release dates: June 1964 / March 1965Recorded by Rudy Van Gelder at Englewood Cliffs Personnel: Herbie Hancock (piano)George Coleman (tenor sax)Freddie Hubbard (trumpet)Ron Carter (bass)Tony Williams (drums)Tracks:Maiden Voyage: Maiden Voyage, The Eye of the Hurricane, Little One, Survival of the Fittest, Dolphin DanceEmpyrean Isles: One Finger Snap, Oliloqui Valley,

The Top 100 Jazz Charts

Based on Amazon sales rankings, updated hourly

The Top 100 Jazz Album Chart

Interesting to see how real jazz fares in the world of jazz lite............

The Top 100 Jazz Album Chart


The Top 100 Bebop Album Chart

More interesting......Keith Jarrett chased by Miles , Trane and Monk ........

The Top 100 Bebop Album Chart


The Top 100 Hard Bop Album Chart

Getting nearer to the core of the

Monday, July 10, 2006

Wayne Shorter - Speak No Evil


Blue Note

Recorded on December 24th, 1964 by Rudy Van Gelder at Englewood Cliffs



Personnel:

Wayne Shorter (tenor sax)
Herbie Hancock (piano)
Freddie Hubbard (trumpet)
Ron Carter (bass)
Elvin Jones (drums)

Tracks:

Witch Hunt, Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum, Dance Cadaverous, Speak No Evil, Infant Eyes, Wild Flower

Review:

It is not too difficult to place Wayne Shorter’s third album as a leader

Joey DeFrancesco - Live: The Authorized Bootleg

Concord Jazz

Recording date: April 2006, recorded live at Yoshi's, Oakland, CA
Release date 6th March 2007



Selected from music recorded over four nights of concerts in April 2006 at Yoshi's jazz club in Oakland, California, "Live: The Authorised Bootleg" adds George Coleman to Joey DeFrancesco's B3 Hammond trio (made up of Jake Langley (guitar) and Byron Landham (drums)) to devastating

Trio Beyond: Jack DeJohnette / Larry Goldings / John Scofield - Saudades

ECM

Release date: 6th June 2006



Personnel:

John Scofield (guitar)
Larry Goldings (Hammond organ, electric piano)
Jack DeJohnette (drums)

Tracks:

Disc 1: If; Allah Be Praised; Saudades; Pee Wee; Spectrum
Disc 2: Seven Steps To Heaven; I Fall In Love Too Easily; Love In Blues; Big Nick; Emergency!

Review:

Starting as a tribute to Tony Williams, this "Trio Beyond"

Joe Lovano / Hank Jones - Kids: Duets Live at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola

Blue NoteRelease date May 8th 2007 As jazz has faced a crisis in popularity in recent years and many of its top performers had to re-centre their careers, the first response was to aim at dramatically new approaches that could win back a wider audience. Now, a new realization seems to be dawning. Jazz in its most straightforward, most elemental form is popular provided it is sincerely

Jean Bach (Director) - A Great Day in Harlem DVD

HomeviewOriginal release date: September 27th, 1994Re-release date: March 26th, 2007 When in August 1958 'Esquire' magazine commissioned a young Art Kane to produce a photograph of Harlem's jazz musicians for a feature it planned to run, no-one could have guessed that a cultural icon of jazz was going to be produced. Word was sent out; be at 125th Street Station at 10.00 am for the photo shoot.

Wes Montgomery - Full House

RiversideOriginal release date: June 1962Re-release date (Orin Keepnews Edition): March 27th 2007 Take the rhythm section of Miles Davis' first great quintet (Wynton Kelly (piano), Paul Chambers (bass), Jimmy Cobb (drums)), add the great improviser Johnny Griffin (tenor saxophone), front the show with the guitar genius of Wes Montgomery and place this in front of an appreciative jazz

Pat Metheny and Brad Mehldau - Metheny Mehldau

NonesuchRelease date: 12th September 2006 In 2004 Brad Mehldau released a beautiful album of duets with sax player Joel Frahm on Palmeto ("Don't Explain") that staked out possibilities for new more open structures by simplifying down to the duet form. The same could be said of Pat Metheny’s duets album with Charlie Haden (“Beyond The Missouri Sky”) released in 1997. Here we are in similar

Bobby Hutcherson - Happenings

Blue NoteOriginal Release date: 1965 Re-release date: 12th September 2006 As Bobby Hutcherson’s importance as an architect of 60’s jazz continues to increase, Blue Note must be eyeing with some delight the rather large back catalogue of his work that is awaiting re-release. “Happenings”, superbly remixed by Rudy Van Gelder, is a very welcome reappearance of an album that has been largely

Dave Holland Quintet - Critical Mass

SunnysideRelease date: August 2006One of the few British jazzers to make it on the international stage, Wolverhampton born bassist Dave Holland has hardly looked back since being recruited by Miles Davis for the “In A Silent Way” and “Bitches Brew” sessions. Recently he has been riding the crest of the wave of critical acclaim having won the 2006 Grammy Award for Best Large Jazz Ensemble for his

Medeski, Scofield, Martin & Wood - Out Louder

Indirecto Records (US); Universal Music Group (Japan and Europe)Release date date: September 26th 2006 (US). April 4th 2007 (Japan). April 16th 2007 (Europe) "Out Louder" revives memories of John Scofield's 1998 album "A Go Go" where his rock inspired post bop was enlivened by the hip hop influenced jazz vibe of Medeski, Martin and Wood. It was one of John Scofield's most admired successes and he

Dave Douglas Quintet - Meaning and Mystery

Greenleaf

Release date: September 2006



Originally available only as a download from the artist's own site, "Meaning and Mystery" continues Dave Douglas' intense and impressive creative run. It follows 2003's "Strange Liberation", soon to be featured as one of the 100 Greatest Jazz albums on this site. Now, Chris Potter has moved on and there is no repeat of Bill Frissell's guesting on

Thelonious Monk - Live In '66

TDK DVD Video

Release date: September 26, 2006

Recorded 1966, Oslo and Copenhagen



Personnel:
Thelonious Monk (piano)
Charlie Rouse (tenor sax)
Larry Gales (bass)
Ben Riley (drums)

Tracks:

Lulu's Back in Town, Blue Monk, 'Round Midnight, Lulu's Back in Town, Don't Blame Me, Epistrophy

Review:

Based on two sessions filmed for TV in Oslo (April 15th 1966) and two days later in

Sam Yahel Trio -Truth and Beauty

Origin RecordsRelease date June 19th 2007 In what is going to be a more active year than recently for Joshua Redman, the gifted tenor sax player appears in a second new trio jazz release (following his own "Back East") in as many weeks. Now the format is sax, Hammond B3 (Sam Yahel) and drums (the wonderful Brian Blade) but the basic tenet is the same; less is more - more jazz from a paired down

Andrew Hill - Compulsion!!!!!

Blue NoteOriginal release date: 25th June 1964Re-release date: 20th March 2007 "Compulsion!!!!!" is one of Andrew Hill's freest and most "out" albums, here re-released by Blue Note in RVG remastered format. It features Andrew Hill (piano) with Freddie Hubbard (trumpet and flugelhorn), John Gilmore (tenor and bass clarinet), Cecil McBee (bass) and Joe Chambers (drums) with added percussion from

Joe Henderson - Power To The People

MilestoneRe-release date: March 27th 2007 Original release date: May 23rd 1969 "Power To The People", released for the first time on CD (now in re-mastered form) is yet another example of how the finest achievements of Joe Henderson's early career went un-noticed and he was undervalued. It is just as well from the 80's on that he finally received the recognition he had so clearly merited or this

Joe Lovano - Streams of Expression

Blue NoteRelease date: September 2006 One of the most important jazz releases of 2006, “Streams Of Expression” shows how to pack innovation, tradition and importance into a single album. Real value is added with the creation of a dedicated “Streams of Expression” web site which delivers “Video Liner Notes” – video interviews, background comments, musical clips – which offer a really informative

Miles Davis - Cookin' with the Miles Davis Quintet

Prestige

Original Release date: October 1956

Re-release date in Rudy Van Gelder Remaster Series: 6th February 2007



Personnel:

Miles Davis (trumpet)
John Coltrane (tenor sax)
Red Garland (piano)
Paul Chambers (bass)
Philly Joe Jones (drums)

Tracks:

My Funny Valentine; Blues By Five; Airegin; Medley: A) Tune Up, B) When Lights Are Low.

Review:

With the release of "

Donald Byrd - Off To The Races

Blue Note

Original recording date: December 21st, 1958

Re-release date (RVG Edition): September 12th, 2006



Donald Byrd's early hard bop catalogue was sparsely represented until recent years. Much of what was available was drawn from his fusion and pop crossover outings in the 70's and 80's. Just what a strong, unique voice on trumpet he was in late fifties bebop is becoming better known

Freddie Hubbard - Here To Stay

Blue NoteOriginal Release date: 1962 Re-release date: 12th September 2006 Scheduled for release in 1962 and then effectively shelved until 1986, “Here To Stay” is another of the seminal Blue Note albums that failed to see the light of day at the time of recording. Perhaps this reflects the difficult choices that Albert Lion had to make too often in order to keep a small independent record label

Renee Rosnes - As We Are Now

Blue NoteOriginal Release date: 1997Re-release date (England): 1st August 2006 A further significant re-release by Blue Note (England). “As We Are Now” is simply one of the finest and perhaps most overlooked jazz albums of the past ten years. Canadian Renee (Irene Louise) Rosnes is a founding member of SF Jazz Collective and a pianist correctly likened in her range and understanding of jazz to

Andrew Hill - Time Lines

Blue NoteRelease date: February 2006 Returning to Blue Note after a break of 16 years at the invitation of Michael Cuscuna, Andrew Hill’s “Time Lines” shows the development in his music and approach since the heady days of the first Blue Note and the breakthroughs of 60’s jazz when he has regarded as Alfred Lion’s “last protégée”. There is a quiet confidence about much of “Time Lines” that was

Andrew Hill - Pax

Blue NoteRe-release date: June 2006Original recording: 1965 The further recognition of Andrew Hill as a major innovator of post bop jazz has led to a flurry of re-releases and, as he continues to work on despite the diagnosis of cancer in 2004, new material for Blue Note (“Time Lines”). Here with “Pax”, we find him with an improbably stellar band – Joe Henderson (saxophone), Freddie Hubbard (

100 Greatest Jazz Albums Store

All the confidence and security of a store run by amazon.com....... focussed on great jazz and all things to do with jazz: The 100 Greatest Jazz Albums Joe HendersonLee MorganBobby HutchersonThelonious MonkMiles DavisJohn ColtraneJackie McLeanWayne Shorter IJazz New ReleasesChris PotterBrad MehldauJohn Scofield Jazz DVDs Books - Great Jazz Performers Charts, Transcriptions, Sheet Music - The

Pat Metheny / Brad Mehldau - Quartet

Nonesuch

Release date date: March 13th 2007



"Quartet" is the second installment in the collaboration between guitarist Pat Metheny and pianist Brad Mehldau that was squeezed into six straight days in the studio. Whereas the first installment, "Metheny-Mehldau" was based mainly around duets, "Quartet", as the title suggests, offers a more filled out sound owing to the addition of bassist

Lee Morgan - City Lights

Blue Note

Original Release date: August 1957

Re-release date: 12th September 2006



This album, Lee Morgan’s fourth for Blue Note and dating from August 1957, has long only been available on vinyl or on an expensive Mosaic box set and so is a further welcome re-release in RVG remasted form. The band featured is a sextet led by Lee Morgan (trumpet), Curtis Fuller (trombone), George Coleman (

Pat Metheny Group - The Way Up Live (DVD)

Eagle Vision USA Recorded: Seoul, South Korea 2005 Personnel: Pat Metheny (guitars), Lyle Mays (piano, keyboards), Steve Rodby (acoustic and electric bass)Cuong Vu (trumpet, vocals, percussion, guitar)Gergoire Maret (harmonica, guitar, vocals, percussion, electric bass)Nando Lauria (guitar, vocals, percussion, misc. instruments)Tracks:Opening, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3Bonus Track: Interview with

Joe Locke Geoffrey Keezer Group - Live In Seattle

Origin RecordsRelease date date: July 25th 2006 Seeing Joe Locke and Geoffrey Keezer recently at Zeferrellis Ambleside (where alongside John Patitucci they were both part of the Tim Garland / Graham Fitkin experimental concerto grosso "Momentum") was a reminder that this recent album had been overlooked in these reviews. Recorded live at the June 2005 Ballard Jazz Festival in Washington State,

Joshua Redman - Back East

NonesuchRelease date: April 24th 2007 The title "Back East" works on a number of levels. Joshua Redman has been working and living in San Francisco (as artistic director of SF Jazz Collective); he's returning to New York. Then, in this music, he is exploring an Eastern musical emphasis, much as John Coltrane had done. But the most informative reference is as a (possibly humorous) reversal of

Jazz Re-releases

Best recently re-released and recommended jazz albums: "Hank Jones – Trio with Mads Vinding and Al Foster" "George Coleman - Amsterdam After Dark" "Alvin Queen "I Ain't Looking At You" "Gary Burton and Chick Corea "Crystal Silence - The ECM Recordings 1972-79" Miles Davis "The Complete Columbia Album Collection" John Coltrane "Side Steps" Horace Parlan "Up & Down" Art Farmer "First

Dexter Gordon - Clubhouse

Blue NoteRecording date: May 25th 1965Original release date: 1979Re-release date 20th March 2007 (Rudy Van Gelder Remaster Edition) In a three day period 25th – 27th May in 1965 Dexter Gordon returned from "exile" in Europe to make two jazz albums with Barry Harris (piano), Bob Cranshaw (bass) and Billy Higgins (drums), the powerhouse rhythm trio behind Lee Morgan's 1963 album "The Sidewinder",

John Scofield - Meant To Be / What We Do

Blue Note

Original Release dates: “Meant To Be”, 1991; “What We Do”, 1993

Re-release dates (England): 1st August 2006





Two significant re-releases by Blue Note (England).

“Meant To Be” features just short of seventy minutes of high octane, inventive jazz in John Scofield’s own unique post bop, funk driven style that he carved out as almost its own jazz subgenre throughout the ‘nineties.

How To Play Jazz - Free, Online

Essential how to play jazz and jazz music theory available free online:A Jazz Improvisation PrimerComprehensive and useful online introduction to jazz music theory from Marc Sabatella, very clearly and perceptively presented. Recommended Jazz Theory And ImprovisationOnline introduction to jazz music theory from Pete ThomasThe Nature of the GuitarSeries of on-line articles illustrating Pat

Sunday, July 9, 2006

Herbie Hancock Trio - Hurricane (DVD)

View VideoRe-release date: 15th July 2004Recorded 1984, Switzerland Personnel: Herbie Hancock (piano), Ron Carter (bass), Billy Cobham (drums)Tracks:Eye of the Hurricane, First Trip, Willow Weep for Me, Dolphin Dance, Ili's Treasure, Princess; WalkingBonus Tracks: Speak Like a Child, Little Waltz Review:Herbie Hancock’s enthusiasm and playful creativity is at its height in this 1984 recording of

Jazz on DVD

Beyond YouTube, follow our reviews of real jazz videos:



"Weather Report: Live at Montreux 1976"



"Wes Montgomery: Live in '65"



"One Night With Blue Note"



"Herbie Hancock Trio : Hurricane"



"Pat Metheny Group: The Way Up - Live"



"Thelonious Monk Group: Live In '66"



"A Great Day In Harlem"




"John Coltrane Live in '60, '61 and '65"




"Dexter Gordon Live in ''63 and '64"

One Night With Blue Note (DVD)

Blue NoteRelease date: 4th November 2003Recorded: February 22, 1985 Tracks and Personnel: “Canteloupe Island” (Herbie Hancock with Freddie Hubbard, Joe Henderson, Ron Carter, Tony Williams)“Recorda-me” (Joe Henderson with Freddie Hubbard, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, Tony Williams, Bobby Hutcherson)“Little B's Poem” (Bobby Hutcherson with Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, Tony Williams, James Newton

Friday, July 7, 2006

Jackie McLean - Destination Out!

Blue Note



Original release date: September 20, 1963; Re-release date (remastered by Rudy Van Gelder) August 10, 2004

Recorded at Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, August 5, 1963

Personnel:

Grachan Moncur III (trombone)
Jackie McLean (alto saxophone)
Bobby Hutcherson (vibraphone)
Larry Ridley (bass)
Roy Haynes (drums)

Tracks:

Love and Hate, Esoteric, Kahlil The Prophet,

Thursday, July 6, 2006

Jazz Jukebox - What's Our Jukebox

All tracks link to artist approved web uploads.Visit the artist site to download.To hear more from each artist, visit their web site. Why not minimise this page and continue browsing while listening.......Here is a listing of the tracks currently playing on our jukebox:1. Ravi Coltrane 6 and 7 More at Ravi Coltrane.com2. Steve Coleman Another Level More at m-base.com3. Ravi Coltrane