Record Reviews

GORDON BECK ~ EXPERIMENTS WITH POPS ART OF LIFE 1001 (Barcode: 804640100126) ~ UK ~ Jazz Recorded: 1967 Released: 2001 Pianist / composer Gordon BeckFind albums by this artist is one of the true forefathers of modern British and European Jazz; a pioneer and revolutionary in every sense and a giant musician, who managed to free himself from the boundaries imposed by the American Jazz tradition and take the music a step further to a new sphere. What is even more remarkable and amazing is the fact that in contrast to most British and European musicians, who took their emancipation from the rigors of the past towards Free Jazz and Improvised Music, Beck remained firmly within the seemingly “mainstream” form, playing melodically and in strict time, and yet so much “out there” that for people who are able to hear the difference it’s truly staggering. Beck first came to prominence when he joined the group led by British Jazz legend Tubby HayesFind albums by this artist in 1962 and remained with him for several years as his regular pianist, performing and recording some of the most remarkable albums in the British Jazz history. Since 1967 Beck started to record as a leader and his trio became the “house band” of the famous Ronnie ScottFind albums by this artist’s London club. By the end of the 1960s he took part in the development of the British Jazz-Rock Fusion, playing with Phil WoodsFind albums by this artist in the European Rhythm MachineFind albums by this artist and later with NucleusFind albums by this artist. He became increasingly involved with other musicians from the European scene, especially with many French Jazz players (an association that thrives to these very days). His extensive discography accumulated over the years, both as leader and sideman, is a formidable body of work, which stands out as one of the most consistently excellent and creative. This album was Beck’s second (out of three) release on the tiny independent Major MinorFind albums on this label label, which in time became one of the most sought after British Jazz collector’s items. For the recording Beck expanded his trio (Jeff ClyneFind albums by this artist – bass and Tony OxleyFind albums by this artist – drums) to a quartet, with the addition of no other that guitarist John McLaughlinFind albums by this artist, known at the time as “Johnny”. Apart from the fact that this is one of the very few early McLaughlin recordings, and therefore of immense historical value, the entire quartet is probably one of the strongest and most extraordinary European ensembles, pioneering the European approach of collective playing. McLaughlin’s brilliant arpeggios, Oxley’s prophetic time keeping away from time, Clyne’s innovative bass explorations and Beck’s flights all over the keyboard collectively create an new amalgam of sounds, taking the music to a new dimension, previously unexplored. How ironic, considering that the material consists entirely from Pop songs popular at the time (hence the album’s title), but in the hands of these players the music becomes truly experimental, as promised by the album’s title. The album’s producer Ray HorricksFind albums by this artist writes in the original liner notes: “This could be the most creative Jazz quartet album ever recorded in Europe… previous quartet recordings in London, or on the Continent, and including the best, have consisted of a rhythm section accompanying a leading soloist; whereas this one features a genuine collective development along lines which no other group, except Gary BurtonFind albums by this artist’s in America, has yet proceeded”. How perceptive and prophetic… Kudos to Paul KohlerFind albums by this artist of Art Of LifeFind albums on this label Records for bringing this timeless masterpiece back to circulation. This music, 40 years after it was recorded, sounds better and more exciting than most of what one hears in contemporary Jazz. Absolutely essential!

CD 1 Remastered Essential Recommend To A Friend

GORDON BECK ~ JAZZ TRIO ART OF LIFE 1017 (Barcode: 804640101727) ~ UK ~ Jazz Recorded: 1972 Released: 2005 Pianist / composer Gordon BeckFind albums by this artist is one of the key figures in the history of British Jazz and this album is a great document of his vital input as one of the pioneers of modern European Jazz. Recorded quite spontaneously during an Italian tour of the last version of the European Rhythm MachineFind albums by this artist, of which Beck and the other two musicians present here: British bassist Ron MathewsonFind albums by this artist and Swiss drummer Daniel HumairFind albums by this artist, were members together with US saxophonist Phil WoodsFind albums by this artist, who was living in France at the time. The entire recording session took just a few short hours and captures Beck and his colleagues performing two extended compositions, each of which occupied an entire side of the original LP. The first, written by Beck, is a Jazz suite in three parts with the opening and closing sections being relatively “straightforward” and the middle section open up to free group improvisation. The second was a completely improvised piece of Free Jazz, co-composed by the trio. The music is simply breathtaking, full if incredible interplay and magic moments, with virtuosi performances. This is Beck’s most advanced venture into Free Jazz (although only partially so), previously attempted only on the fabulous “GyroscopeFind albums with this title” album, and therefore of immense historical importance. Although Beck usually stayed inside a more “conventional” Jazz framework throughout his career, his improvisational power is beyond reproach and his ability to operate in the Free Jazz realm is well proven by this album. Unfortunately this recording was know only to a very limited group of listeners, even the most dedicated Beck’s followers, so the CD reissue is most welcome. I’ve had this album for 36 years now and always regarded it as one of my favorite European Jazz releases, now others can also enjoy it. Brilliant stuff! Side Note: The original LP was released on a small Italian Jazz label called DireFind albums on this label Records, owned by Tito FontanaFind albums by this artist. Fontana owned a recording studio in Milan, called Studio 7 (or studio Fontana), which was famous for producing soundtracks for the burgeoning Italian film industry. Tito was a dedicated Jazz buff and had a great taste and vision in Jazz. His produced and released some of the most incredible European Jazz albums in the early 1970s, which (as far as I know) were not reissued on CD so far (except this album), which is a great pity and a true tragedy. Italian Jazz fans should note that the legendary pianist Guido ManusardiFind albums by this artist recorded for the label, as did Claudio FasoliFind albums by this artist and other great Italian Jazz musicians. Polish Jazz fans should note that both Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist and Michal UrbaniakFind albums by this artist also made albums for the label. I remember visiting Tito in Milan in 1974 and spending a few lovely days with him, talking Jazz day and night, drinking Italian wines and coffee and eating some incredible food. He was a gentle, highly intelligent person with a rare and boundless love for the music, which we both shared.

CD 1 Oversampling Remastered Recommend To A Friend

GARY BURTON ~ NEW VIBE MAN IN TOWN / WHO IS GARY BURTON? / IN CONCERT BGO 1519 (Barcode: 5017261215192) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1961 - 1968 Released: 2024 This is a reissue / remaster of three early albums by American vibraphonist / composer / bandleader Gary BurtonFind albums by this artist, released originally on the RCAFind albums on this label label. Burton started his musical career at a very early age and was considered a prodigy. Choosing the vibraphone as his “weapon of choice”, and his decision to play Jazz rather than classical music made him a sensation and he recorded the first of the albums included here at the age of eighteen, quite an unprecedented event at the time. CD1 presets his first two albums, eight and seven tracks, recorded in 1961 and 1962 respectively. CD2 presents the 10th album, with eight tracks recorded in 1968, which is the only live recording by Burton and the one before last album released on RCA. “New Vibe Man In TownFind albums with this title” was recorded in a trio setting with bassist Gene ChericoFind albums by this artist and drummer Joe MorelloFind albums by this artist. All the tracks are standards. “Who is Gary Burton?Find albums with this title” was recorded in a septet setting with trumpeter Clark TerryFind albums by this artist, trombonist Bob BrookmeyerFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Phil WoodsFind albums by this artist, pianist Tommy FlanaganFind albums by this artist, bassist John NevesFind albums by this artist and drummers Morello or Chris SwansenFind albums by this artist. Four of the tracks are standards, two are by Swansen, who was Burton’s classmate at Berklee Collage of Music and finally one is by British trombonist / composer Michael GibbsFind albums by this artist, who was his Berklee teacher and later a lifelong friend and musical collaborator. “In ConcertFind albums with this title” was recorded with the revolutionary quartet, which included guitarist Larry CoryellFind albums by this artist, bassist Steve SwallowFind albums by this artist and drummer Bob MosesFind albums by this artist, and sounded like something from another planet, being one of the earliest Jazz-Rock Fusion ensembles, which changed the face of music. Except for one cover of a song by Bob DylanFind albums by this artist, all the tracks are originals, three composed by Burton, two by Coryell, one co-composed by the two and finally again one track by Gibbs. Overall, this is a brilliant reminder of the early musical path by one of the most important American Jazz figures, which is perhaps also the most “non-American” Jazz figures, closer to the European sound and aesthetics than to his roots, which are still plainly present on his first two albums. This reissue joins the other three reissue projects of Gary Burton recordings on RCA, released by the great British BGOFind albums on this label label, which now cover ten of the eleven RCA recordings.

Updated: 29/07/2024Posted: 29/07/2024

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GARY BURTON ~ SOMETHING`S COMING! / THE GROOVY SOUND OF MUSIC / THE TIME MACHINE BGO 1241 (Barcode: 5017261212412) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1963 - 1966 Released: 2016 This is a reissue of three early albums by the legendary American Jazz vibraphonist / composer Gary BurtonFind albums by this artist (his third to fifth albums): "Something`s Coming!Find albums with this title" from 1964, "The Groovy Sound Of MusicFind albums with this title" from 1965 and "The Time MachineFind albums with this title" from 1966. "Something`s Coming!" was recorded in a quartet setting with guitarist Jim HallFind albums by this artist, bassist Chuck IsraelsFind albums by this artist and drummer Larry BunkerFind albums by this artist. It presents seven pieces, two of which are original compositions by British composer Michael GibbsFind albums by this artist, one is by Hall and the remaining four are standards. "The Groovy Sound Of Music", as the title suggests, includes Burton interpretations of eight songs from the musical "The Sound Of Music", recorded in a sextet setting with trombonist Bob BrookmeyerFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Phil WoodsFind albums by this artist, guitarist Joe PumaFind albums by this artist, bassist Steve SwallowFind albums by this artist and alternating drummers Joe HuntFind albums by this artist and Ed ShaughnessyFind albums by this artist. "The Time Machine" was recorded in a trio setting with bassist Steve Swallow and drummer Larry Bunker. It presents ten pieces, four of which are original compositions by Burton, two by Gibbs, one by Swallow and the remaining three are standards. These wonderful albums tell the story of the early days of Burton´s musical development and already point out towards several characteristics of his music in the later years, like his close friendship and cooperation with composer Michael Gibbs, his close association with bassist Steve Swallow, who would continue to record with Burton for many years, his appreciation and understanding of the role of the guitar in Jazz, which will soon after lead to his revolutionary cooperation with Larry CoryellFind albums by this artist and the birth of the American Jazz-Rock Fusion, etc. Whereas the first two albums find Burton still engulfed in Bebop and Cool Jazz, the third album is distinctly different and shows his individual voice and stylistic differentiation from mainstream Jazz, which shifts into more sophisticated approach both as a player and a composer, which would eventually bring Burton to be much closer to European Jazz than almost any other of his compatriots. Although these albums were recorded fifty years ago, they all sound absolutely fresh today and the music lost absolutely nothing of its wonderful vitality, musicality and exquisite taste. For Burton and vibraphone fans this is an absolute essential piece of Jazz history, but all music connoisseurs should find it absolutely delightful. Not to be missed!

Updated: 17/10/2016Posted: 17/10/2016

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JOHN DANKWORTH ~ THE ZODIAC VARIATIONS / THE $1,000,000 COLLECTION VOCALION 8480 (Barcode: 765387848026) ~ UK ~ Jazz Recorded: 1964 - 1967 Released: 2011 Legendary British saxophonist / composer / arranger / bandleader John DankworthFind albums by this artist was one of the Godfathers of modern British Jazz. Although his career started in mid-1940s he was keen to pursue the sounds of Bee Bop, when those crossed the Atlantic and later pioneered the modern British Big Band sound. This album brings together two of thematic / "concept" Jazz suites written by Dankworth and performed by his Big Band / Orchestra, both being masterpieces of the genre. "The Zodiac VariationsFind albums with this title", recorded both in US and UK, feature some top American Jazz players as soloists: trumpeter Clark TerryFind albums by this artist, trombonist Bob BrookmeyerFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Phil WoodsFind albums by this artist and others. "The $1,000,000 CollectionFind albums with this title" (about famous paintings), recorded three years later, when the British Jazz scene was rapidly developing into a dew dimension, features many of the brilliant young players arriving on the scene, like trumpeters Kenny WheelerFind albums by this artist, Henry LowtherFind albums by this artist and Derek WatkinsFind albums by this artist, saxophonists Tony RobertsFind albums by this artist and Tony CoeFind albums by this artist, trombonists Chris PyneFind albums by this artist and Michael GibbsFind albums by this artist and many others. Musically this is brilliant stuff, from start to finish of course. British Jazz fans will find this stuff delightful, and Big Band enthusiasts will have a field day with this. I don´t think there is anything else I need to add here, just grab it, if this is your cup of tea!

Updated: 31/05/2017Posted:

CD 2 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

BILL EVANS ~ SYMBIOSIS MPS 4029759115489 (Barcode: 4029759115489) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 1974 Released: 2016 This is a reissue of the seminal album by American pianist / composer Bill EvansFind albums by this artist, which was his only album for MPSFind albums on this label, recorded with his trio featuring bassist Eddie GomezFind albums by this artist and drummer Marty MorellFind albums by this artist and accompanied by an Orchestra conducted by the legendary German composer / arranger / conductor Claus OgermanFind albums by this artist, who also composed and arranged the two-movement concerto performed by the trio and the Orchestra. The Orchestra included members of the New York PhilharmonicFind albums by this artist and many top American Jazz musicians, like saxophonist Phil WoodsFind albums by this artist, flautist Hubert LawsFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Marvin StammFind albums by this artist and many others. The music is a sensational example of early Jazz-Classical Fusion, combining elements of Twentieth Century European Classical Music and Jazz, masterly composed and arranged by Ogerman, who was one of the greatest orchestrators of his time and who boldly combined Classical music with Rock, World Music and Jazz, like no others before him and was revered by many musicians and music lovers around the world. Evans, who was the greatest Jazz piano player ever, was a natural choice to become a part of this cross-genre project, as his enormous sensitivity and sublime virtuosity was always soaked with typical European melancholy and harmonic structures. His performances on this album, which is by far his most atypical recording, prove that his open-mindedness and vision allowed him to cope effortlessly with the unusual orchestral ambience this music required of him. His acoustic and electric piano sounds perfectly right every time it is heard on this album, creating an integral part of the overall orchestral reverberation. The magnificent bass playing by Gomez is always side by side with Evans, who is known to have developed symbiotic relationships with his bassist over the years. Morell keeps a wonderfully precise and delicate time during the trio parts, as he always did with Evans. Since this was the Evans´ longest-lasting and most stable trio, no wonder their performances together are simply marvelous. This awe-inspiring album lost absolutely nothing of its intrinsic beauty and expressiveness over the time, au contraire it still remains as one of the most perfect Jazz-Classical Fusion recordings ever, certainly as far as aesthetics, intelligence, sophistication and inspiration are concerned. Although probably Evans´ least know album, surely in America, it is definitely one of his most auspicious achievements, certainly more important from the historic point of view than his less ambitious, albeit always brilliant, albums recorded for the American market. This is an absolute gem and an essential piece of every decent collection of good music. It is certainly wonderful to have it back in circulation. 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: 28/05/2018Posted: 30/11/2016

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Remastered Essential Recommend To A Friend

ADAM MAKOWICZ ~ THE NAME IS MAKOWICZ (MA-KO-VITCH) SHEFFIELD LAB 21 (Barcode: 014391002123) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 1983 Released: 2003 This is a reissue of the album by Polish pianist / composer Adam MakowiczFind albums by this artist, recorded and released in the US by the prestigious Hi-Fi record label Sheffield LabFind albums on this label. The music was recorded in a quintet setting with saxophonist Phil WoodsFind albums by this artist, vibraphonist Gene EstesFind albums by this artist, bassist Marc JohnsonFind albums by this artist and drummer Bill GoodwinFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight tracks, seven of which are original compositions by Makowicz and one is a standard. Makowicz left Poland in 1977, settling first in NY and later moving to Toronto, Canada. He is the only Polish Jazz musician, who managed to develop a significant career on the American scene, where he is highly respected. Over the years he recorded with some of the best American Jazz musicians. In recent years he regularly visits Poland and again releases albums on Polish labels. In many respects Makowicz often sounds more American than genuine American Jazz players, embracing the traditional approach to mainstream Jazz, which is an ideal vehicle to expose his virtuosity and technique as a pianist. This explains perhaps his success in US, where European Jazz is often looked at with suspicion. This album proves just that, with mostly original compositions by Makowicz, which are fully compatible with straightforward mainstream Jazz, in contrast to his compositions recorded in Poland, before he left for the greener pastures. The famous Sheffield Lab sound quality and recording technique of direct to disc vinyl cutting and using just one single stereo mike, might have been something quite interesting at the time, but in time proved to be just another hype, and the sound of this CD, which is taken from the original tapes, sounds definitely dated today to my ears. Overall, this is a nice document of the early days of Makowicz career in the US. The CD is quite difficult to find these days, not to mention the original LP and I am happy to finally close the gap in my collection. Polish Jazz completists will definitely want a copy of this in their collections as well!

Updated: 29/05/2023Posted: 29/05/2023

CD 1 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

SERGIO MENDES ~ ORIGINAL ALBUM SERIES RHINO 081227975166 (Barcode: 081227975166) ~ BRAZIL ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 1964 - 1968 Released: 2011 This Box Set collects the five albums by Brazilian pianist / composer Sergio MendesFind albums by this artist, released by AtlanticFind albums on this label Records between 1964 and 1968. During that same period Mendes also released albums for A&MFind albums on this label Records, mostly with a vocal group, which were much more popular and commercially successful. The Atlantic albums are more Jazz oriented and are one of the earliest examples of Jazz-World Fusion. Mendes gained popularity as one a several Brazilian artists, who swept the American music scene in the mid 1960s, popularizing the wonderful bossa nova movement. He combined his own composition with those of dozens of great bossa nova songwriters in Brazil, popularizing them in the USA. His various group included mostly Brazilian players, such as bassist Sebastiao NetoFind albums by this artist and drummers Chico BateraFind albums by this artist and Chico De SouzaFind albums by this artist, but he was often supported by top American Jazz players like trumpeter Art FarmerFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Phil WoodsFind albums by this artist, flautist Hubert LawsFind albums by this artist and many others. Sometimes he also used extensive orchestral arrangements, which of course sounded pretty kitschy at times. In retrospect Mendes and other Brazilian musicians / composers were responsible for opening up the American musical scene to new sonic and rhythmic vistas, which also invigorated the American Jazz scene immensely at the time. These albums include many of the classic bossa nova evergreens, and still are great fun to listen to, even if they sound somewhat outdated due to relatively simplistic production and problematic sound quality. For bossa nova fans these are absolute classics, others might like to take a trip down the nostalgia lane; whatever the reason, this music still has a lot of charm and zest. Recommended! Side Note: The "Original Album SeriesFind albums with this title" by Warner Bros.Find albums on this label and the "Original Album ClassicsFind albums with this title" by SonyFind albums on this label are an archetypal example of how good intentions turn sour. Although these new editions often bring back to life some of the best music ever made on this planet, which in many cases have been lost in the tides of time and was unavailable on the market for ages, they suffer from an unforgivable disregard to the essence of cultural values and general sloppiness, contrary to human decency, which requires as to treat our cultural legacy with respect and loyalty. The Box Sets produced under these monikers have no discographical information whatsoever about the lineups, musician names, composers, lyricists, dates and places of recording, original release data and even basic copyright data (the last is strictly illegal BTW). Although the original LP sleeves are reproduced, they are often edited and information (which would be in most cases too small to be readable) is removed. In short the fact that these Box Sets are meant to be inexpensive, does not mean that they have to be cheap. Considering the fact how many times this music has been sold over and over again by the labels, this is a crying shame!

Updated: 26/01/2019Posted:

CD 5 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Remastered Recommend To A Friend

THELONIOUS MONK ~ THE COMPLETE COLUMBIA LIVE ALBUMS COLLECTION SONY 886979958029 (Barcode: 886979958029) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1963 - 1969 Released: 2015 This phenomenal Box Set includes all the live albums recorded by the iconic Jazz Master, pianist / composer Thelonious MonkFind albums by this artist, and released on ColumbiaFind albums on this label Records. It comprises of five 2CD sets, with each of the sets presenting complete / expanded versions of albums, which originally included only parts of the recorded concerts and often were spread over more than one album. This set finally sorts out all the confusion about these recordings and puts things in their correct order and placement, and therefore is a truly momentous documentation of Monk´s work. Most of this amazing music was recorded within just two years, namely in 1963 and 1964, with just a few additional tracks recorded live at various locations between 1965 and 1969, which were originally part of the soundtrack of the documentary movie "Thelonious Monk: Straight No Chaser". Most of the music was recorded in a quartet setting with saxophonist Charlie RouseFind albums by this artist, bassist Butch WarrenFind albums by this artist and drummer Frankie DunlopFind albums by this artist (1963) or bassist Larry GalesFind albums by this artist and drummer Ben RileyFind albums by this artist (1964), with just one set recorded by a Big Band (well actually a tentet) with the 1963 quartet plus trumpeters Thad JonesFind albums by this artist and Nick TravisFind albums by this artist and saxophonists Eddie BertFind albums by this artist, Steve LacyFind albums by this artist, Phil WoodsFind albums by this artist and Gene AllenFind albums by this artist – a dreamy lineup by any respect. Considering the fact that this music was recorded basically within a very concise period of time, the basic material, i.e. the compositions used, is quite repetitive and some compositions are repeated several times (for example "Epistrophy" is performed thirteen times), which might have been a drawback but in fact turns out to be a blessing which allows us plainly to witness the Monk genius, with each and every version of the tune being different from every other version. The meaning of improvisation and the limitless power of the human mind are reflected within these sounds and captured for posterity. Overall this Box Set contains so much absolutely brilliant music that it weight could be measured in pure gold. There are no dull moments herein whatsoever and every note tells the story of Jazz and the prodigious talent of the Monk phenomenon, which knows no equals. It is a Bible of music, which should be studied by all those who call themselves Jazz musicians, and revered by Jazz fans of all ages. Hopefully this Box Set will expose this brilliant music to new generations of listeners the world over. Obviously this Box Set should become an essential part of every serious music collection, as it is eternal and timeless and will stay so as long as music matters.

Updated: 26/01/2019Posted: 07/02/2016

CD 10 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend

PHIL WOODS / EUROPEAN RHYTHM MACHINE ~ ALIVE AND WELL IN PARIS EMI 724353965426 (Barcode: 724353965426) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1968 Released: 2002 This is a reissue / remaster of the debut album by the great American saxophonist / composer / bandleader Phil WoodsFind albums by this artist, recorded with his European rhythm section under the moniker European Rhythm MachineFind albums by this artist, which includes Swiss pianist George GruntzFind albums by this artist, French bassist Henri TexierFind albums by this artist and Swiss drummer Daniel HumairFind albums by this artist. The album presents five tracks, two of which are originals by Woods and three are standards. Woods was one of the first American musicians, who discovered Europe as a source of brilliant Jazz musicians, and he toured and recorded in Europe extensively in the late 1960s and early 1970s, after he moved to Paris, where he stayed between 1968 and 1972. Although the music is pretty straightforward mainstream Jazz / Bebop, Woods’s incredible fluency and beautiful tone, and the superb performances by the rhythm section, make this an example of what swinging is all about, leaving everything that happened on the other side of the pond far behind. Gruntz, Texier and Humair are all leaders of the European scene, which was just exploding at the time this album was recorded, and stayed as pillars of the Jazz activity for many years, recording hundreds of brilliant albums in the process. Overall, this is one of the best possible marriages between American and European Bebop ever as are all the albums recorded by this quartet, and all of them lost absolutely nothing of its vitality and pure genius over time. A timeless classic!

Updated: 05/07/2024Posted: 05/07/2024

CD 1 Digipak Remastered Recommend To A Friend