Record Reviews

KENNY CLARKE / FRANCY BOLAND BIG BAND ~ THREE LATIN ADVENTURES (LATIN KALEIDESCOPE / FELLINI 712) MPS 731452909527 (Barcode: 731452909527) ~ BELGIUM ~ Big Band Jazz Recorded: 1968 Released: 1995 This is a reissue / remaster of two albums: “Latin KaleidoscopeFind albums with this title” and “Fellini 712Find albums with this title” recorded by the Big Band co-led by American drummer / bandleader Kenny ClarkeFind albums by this artist and Belgian pianist / composer / arranger / bandleader Francy BolandFind albums by this artist, originally recorded in 1968 and released on the legendary MPSFind albums on this label label. The album presents three multi-part Jazz suites: “Latin Kaleidoscope” co-composed by American composer Gary McFarlandFind albums by this artist and Boland, “Cuban Fever” and “Fellini 712” composed by Boland, all arranged by him, which span together the fourteen tracks of the album. The orchestra comprises of some of the best European Jazz musicians active at the time, like British saxophonists Ronnie ScottFind albums by this artist and Tony CoeFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Jimmy DeucharFind albums by this artist and drummer Kenny ClareFind albums by this artist, American expatriates: saxophonists Sahib ShihabFind albums by this artist and Johnny GriffinFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Benny BaileyFind albums by this artist and many other excellent musicians. Clarke and Boland co-led the Big Band between 1960 and 1972, which was one of the most formidable European Jazz Big Bands with an extensive recording legacy, with several notable releases also on the MPS label. Boland composed and arranged for the most important American Jazz Big Bands in the 1950s, like those of Benny GoodmanFind albums by this artist, Woody HermanFind albums by this artist and Count BasieFind albums by this artist, before returning to Europe and starting his work with legendary German Big Band leader Kurt EdelhagenFind albums by this artist. The music is all within the mainstream Jazz idiom, but the sublime arrangements make it absolute timeless and distinctly different from the American Jazz Big Band tradition, with a much more complex orchestral sound and refined European aesthetics. The Latin accents, which were very fashionable by the mid-1960s, get a wonderful treatment here, completely eschewing the schmaltzy accents. There are plenty of wonderful soli by the orchestra members, as expected, but as usual in the European Big Band environment, the accent is on the entire orchestra sound, with the soloing being mostly the icing on the cake. Every note played here is simply exceptional. For Big Band / Orchestral Jazz fans this album is an absolute must of course, a true school example of what Big Band music is all about. Brilliant stuff! Side Note The legendary German MPSFind albums on this label (Musik Produktion Schwarzwald) label, founded by Hans Georg Brunner-SchwerFind albums by this artist (HGBS) in 1963, first as SABAFind albums on this label Records and later on from 1968 as MPS Records, was the most important independent European record label, which had an enormous contribution to the development of European Jazz. For many years MPS cooperated with the legendary German producer / author Joachim BerendtFind albums by this artist, my Friend and Mentor, whose visionary approach and open-mindedness brought the crème de la crème of the Jazz (in the broadest meaning of the word) musicians from all over the world to the label. Between 1963 and 1983 MPS produced about five hundred albums, many of which are among the most important Jazz recordings on this planet. In 1983 the MPS catalog was sold to UniversalFind albums on this label, which sadly resulted in all those artistic treasures to almost disappear from the face of the earth – a situation not only tragic but culturally criminal. Universal reissued a part of the MPS albums (probably 128 titles) on CD between 1999 and 2011 under the "Most Perfect Sound Edition" moniker. Since 2008 the German Promising MusicFind albums on this label label released some of the MPS recordings, but at a very slow pace. In 2014 the German company Edel AG bought the MPS catalogue from Universal and released a series of 25 MPS albums on CD with a new slipcase graphic design, which brought all those excellent albums back to life. In 2015 Edel AG started to record and release new albums under the MPS moniker. In 2016 Edel AG released a series of 10 classic MPS albums on CD, which were beautifully remastered and re-packaged, presenting the original artwork and liner notes, as well as new liner notes and photographs. An obvious labor of love, these reissues are what the MPS catalogue truly deserves. This project was continued in 2017 with another series of 10 classic MPS albums released on CD. In later years some new reissues were released sporadically. Over the years many SABA / MPS albums were reissued in Japan, which is often the only available source for these albums today, but that is a story in itself.

Updated: 16/03/2025Posted: 10/08/2021

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

STAN GETZ ~ THE BOSSA NOVA ALBUMS VERVE 754969 (Barcode: 602517549692) ~ USA ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 1962 - 1963 Released: 2008 The Brazilian musical gift to the world – the Bossa Nova – is celebrating its 50th Anniversary, so it’s only natural to take a look at some classic recordings, which popularized the genre outside of its birthplace, namely the legendary Stan GetzFind albums by this artist recordings, which created a Bossa Nova craze in the US. Saxophonist Stan Getz was already an established Jazz player at the time these timeless albums were recorded, but his pioneering work with Brazilian musicians was a bold step, very unusual for the conservative US Jazz community. Although accused of commercialism and “selling out” by many of his peers and music critics, the fact that this music became so immensely popular with Jazz fans and even many non-Jazz listeners, has everything to do with the quality of the music, rather than the its accessibility. After all the Bossa Nova’s inherent beauty and mesmerizing rhythm are addictive and quite irresistible and the way Getz immersed himself totally in the music, creating a perfect amalgam of Jazz and the Brazilian music (a superb early example of Jazz-World Fusion) was phenomenal. Add to this the incredible tone of his saxophone, lush and clear, sweet as honey and yet highly intelligent and often innovative musically, and you get some classic music, which sounds forever fresh and moving, even if you heard some if it countless times before. This beautiful Box Set includes the five Bossa Nova albums Getz recorded for Verve in 1962 and 1963: “Jazz SambaFind albums with this title”, “Big Band Bossa NovaFind albums with this title”, “Jazz Samba Encore!Find albums with this title”, “Getz / GilbertoFind albums with this title” and “Getz / AlmeidaFind albums with this title”. Of these five albums, four are small combo recordings, where Getz plays opposite a guitarist: Charlie ByrdFind albums by this artist, Luiz BonfaFind albums by this artist, Joao GilbertoFind albums by this artist and Laurindo AlmeidaFind albums by this artist, respectively. The big band album features a large orchestra (with some of the best Jazz players of the time), conducted by Gary McFarlandFind albums by this artist, who also arranged the music. The legendary producer Creed TaylorFind albums by this artist produced all the albums. A few vocal tracks appear here, including the everlasting Astrud GilbertoFind albums by this artist‘s “The Girl From Ipanema”. In the 45 years that passed since these sessions were recorded, the music lost absolutely nothing of its charm and beauty and I still very much a source of great musical pleasure. Don’t get fooled by people, who label this music commercial or “sentimental”, this is essential stuff, which will outlast its critics.

Updated: 26/01/2019Posted:

CD 5 Digipak Box Set Remastered Essential Recommend To A Friend

GARY MCFARLAND / ORCHESTRA ~ SPECIAL GUEST SOLOIST: BILL EVANS FIVEFOUR 3 (Barcode: 5013929310322) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1962 - 1963 Released: 2005 This wonderful and sadly little known album combines the talents of two great American Jazz Masters: composer / arranger / vibraphonist Gary McFarlandFind albums by this artist and virtuoso pianist Bill EvansFind albums by this artist. McFarland composed and arranged this music for his Orchestra with Bill Evans in mind as the featured soloist and fortunately the project was eventually realized. His beautifully lyrical and contemplative music is an ideal vehicle for Evans´ exquisite piano playing, which always shared the same musical qualities as McFarland´s compositions. The music is seemingly quite melodic, but the undercurrents of contemporary Classical counterpoint and sophisticated multi-layered arrangements turn the music into an enchanted listening experience. Apart from McFarland and Evans, other musicians participating in the recording are all stars by themselves: guitarist Jim HallFind albums by this artist, reedman Phil WoodsFind albums by this artist, bassist Richard DavisFind albums by this artist and drummer Ed ShaughnessyFind albums by this artist. In retrospect this music is still completely valid and intellectually challenging some 40 years after it was recorded. It´s great to have this gem back in circulation and hopefully younger listeners will discover its beauty.

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend