1022

Jack McDuff & Joey DeFrancesco - It's About Time (1996) {Concord Jazz SACD-1022-6}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 398 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 148 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 10 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1996, 2003 Concord Records / Concord Jazz | SACD-1022-6 / CCD-4705-25
Jazz / Soul Jazz / Hammond B-3 Organ

Jack McDuff and Joey DeFrancesco personify the Jazz Organ Renaissance that is sweeping the world in this incredible recording for Concord. Organists have paired up before in recording studios but never in such a historical effort. Unlike Jack and Joey’s last double organ session which was live, this recording offered more artistic control. Concord wisely permitted Jack to put together the charts and gave Joey the bass duties to lessen the load. This album was recorded in New York City, NY, on December 11 & 12, 1995.

Marion Brown - Marion Brown Quartet (1965) {ESP-Disk' ESP 1022-2 rel 2002}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 272 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 105 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 64 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1965, 2002 Syndicope / ESP-Disk' / ZYX Music | ESP 1022-2
Jazz / Avant-Garde Jazz / Saxophone

This 1965 release was saxophonist Marion Brown's debut recording as a leader. There are three tracks here, two of which go on for some time. As was the case with most of ESP's releases from the period, this is a free jazz blowing date. There are two bassists on the program, Ronnie Boykins and Reggie Johnson, along with John Coltrane's future drummer Rashied Ali, and Brown playing with either trumpeter Alan Shorter or saxophonist Bennie Maupin.

The legendary first lineup of Chick Corea's fusion band Return to Forever debuted on this classic album (titled after the group but credited to Corea), featuring Joe Farrell on soprano sax and flute, the Brazilian team of vocalist Flora Purim and drummer/percussionist Airto Moreira, and electric bass whiz Stanley Clarke. It wasn't actually released in the U.S. until 1975, which was why the group's second album, Light as a Feather, initially made the Return to Forever name. Nonetheless, Return to Forever is every bit as classic, using a similar blend of spacy electric-piano fusion and Brazilian and Latin rhythms. It's all very warm, light, and airy, like a soft breeze on a tropical beach – hardly the sort of firebrand approach to fusion that Miles Davis, Tony Williams, and the Mahavishnu Orchestra were exploring, and far less rooted in funk or rock.

Sonny Criss - Rockin' In Rhythm (1968) {Prestige OJCCD-1022-2 rel 1999}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 257 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 95 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 10 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1967-68, 1999 Prestige Records / Fantasy | OJCCD-1022-2
Jazz / Bebop / Hard Bop / Saxophone

One of the best Sonny Criss albums ever – one of our favorites from his late 60s run at Prestige – and that's really saying a lot! The set's a warmly lyrical session that really has Criss opening up, changing up his groove to display the deep growth he'd experienced as a musician in the 60s. The rhythm section is wonderful – pianist Eddie Green, over the rock-solid team of Bob Cranshaw on bass and Alan Dawson on drums – who really help Sonny Criss transform the tunes on the record. Even 60s pop tunes like "Misty Roses" and "Eleanor Rigby" come off sounding fresh and wonderful – as do older jazz nuggets "The Masquerade Is Over" and "Rockin In Rhythm" – both tunes that are recorded so often you might expect hoke, but which sparkle anew in the hands of Sonny's soulful vision!

Something to Remember is Madonna's second greatest-hits collection, compiling a selection of the singer's ballads. Several of her biggest hits are included, including the number ones "Crazy for You," "Live to Tell," "This Used to Be My Playground," and "Take a Bow," as well as a handful of first-rate album tracks (a remixed "Love Don't Live Here Anymore," "Something to Remember," and three new tracks, most notably a version of Marvin Gaye's "I Want You" recorded with the British trip-hop group Massive Attack…

The Samurai of Prog return with a new album of originals inspired by Miyazaki’s films. From pastorale to epic, this is symphonic progressive rock of a cinematic scope. 75 minutes of lush orchestration (including violin, flute, saxophone, horns, trumpets and a multitude of keyboard and guitar tones), with ringing Rickenbacker bass and wide dynamic range drums providing backbone throughout. Featuring compositions and guest performances by Oliviero Lacagnina (Latte e Miele), Octavio Stampalía (Jinetes Negros), Elisa Montaldo (Il Tempio delle Clessidre), Luca Scherani (La Coscienza di Zeno), Michele Mutti (La Torre dell’Alchimista), Yuko Tomiyama, plus many more. Mixed by the Samurai’s own Kimmo Pörsti, with a lush package designed by Ed Unitsky. Quite possibly the band’s best album to date.