2015 Japan Timeless Jazz Master Collection Complete Series

Tommy Flanagan - Jazz Poet (1989) {2015 Japan Timeless Jazz Master Collection Complete Series CDSOL-6314}
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© 1989, 2015 Timeless Records / Solid Records Japan / Ultra-Vibe | CDSOL-6314
Jazz / Bop / Piano

Reissue with the latest remastering. Features original cover artwork. Comes with a descripton in Japanese. A great title for this one – given the extremely poetic sound of Tommy Flanagan on the piano! For years, Tommy's had a great talent for being as bopper, yet as sensitive as a mellower, more lyrical player too – a brilliant combination that shows up instantly in the first few notes of this set – a late 80s recording that's filled with warmth and subtle imagination. The trio features George Mraz on bass and Kenny Washington on drums – the latter of whom really gets things swinging in some great gentle ways – and titles include "Raincheck", "Lament", "Caravan", "Voce Abuso", "Mean Streets", and "That Tired Routine Called Love".

Dave Pike & Charles McPherson - Bluebird (1988) {2015 Japan Timeless Jazz Master Collection Complete Series}
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© 1988, 2015 Timeless Records / Solid Records Japan / Ultra-Vibe | CDSOL-6316
Jazz / Hard Bop / Vibes / Saxophone

Reissue with the latest remastering. Features original cover artwork. Comes with a descripton in Japanese. Beautiful work from one of our favorite vibes players – a return to basic hardbop from Dave Pike, recorded in conjunction with soulful altoist Charles McPherson! Given the title, and the tunes, the set's ostensibly a tribute to Charlie Parker – but the tunes themselves are played in more open, introspective versions than Bird might have done, especially considering the use of the vibes! In fact, McPherson drops out for a number of tracks on the set, letting Pike take the main solos on some of the tunes, and even stepping aside for one piano trio-only number as well. Titles include "Old Folks", "Anthropology", "Ornithology", and "Bluebird".

Gary Bartz - Shadows (1991) {2015 Japan Timeless Jazz Master Collection Complete Series}
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© 1991, 2015 Timeless Records / Solid Records Japan / Ultra-Vibe | CDSOL-6328
Jazz / Post Bop / Saxophone

Reissue with the latest remastering. Features original cover artwork. Comes with a descripton in Japanese. The 90s were a really wonderful decade for reedman Gary Bartz – a time when he seemed to go back to basics, and find a way to open up whole new corners in his music! This album's a key illustration of that moment – as Bartz blows with a sense of darkly brooding power that we never would have expected a decade or two before – this deep sense of pacing and tone that often has us looking to make sure he's not blowing a tenor, instead of the alto and soprano sax listed in the notes.

Lou Donaldson - Forgotten Man (1981) {2015 Japan Timeless Jazz Master Collection Complete Series CDSOL-6307}
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© 1981, 2015 Timeless Records / Solid Records Japan / Ultra-Vibe | CDSOL-6307
Jazz / Hard Bop / Post Bop / Saxophone

Reissue with the latest remastering. Features original cover artwork. Comes with a descripton in Japanese. A tight quartet set from the great Lou Donaldson – cut in the early 80s and his first set for the Timeless label! Donaldson is of course unforgettable, always sounding his finest in quartet form – here doing his thing with passion with Herman Foster on piano, Geoff Fuller on bass and Victor Jones on drums. Titles include "Confirmation", "Whiskey Drinkin' Woman", "This Is Happiness", "Exactly Like You", "Don't Blame Me", "Melancholy Baby" and Donaldson's terrific centerpiece "Tracy".

David Liebman Quintet - If They Only Knew (1980) {2015 Japan Timeless Jazz Master Collection Complete Series}
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© 1980, 2015 Timeless Records / Solid Records Japan / Ultra-Vibe | CDSOL-6341
Jazz / Post Bop / Modern Post Bebop / Fusion / Saxophone / Guitar

Reissue with the latest remastering. Features original cover artwork. Comes with a descripton in Japanese. There's a lot of great chromatic elements going on here – thanks to the work of John Scofield on guitar, who's at that key point where he could effortlessly balance melody and tone with these edges that are sharp, but also very spacious – kind of a wide style that really reaches out and wraps up the rest of the players in the group! Not that the record's one of John's as a leader, because the real driving force here is David Liebman on tenor and soprano sax – but he also seems to let Scofield set the tone at many times – which opens up work from the rest of the players, who include Terumasa Hino on trumpet, Ron McClure on bass, and Adam Nussbaum on drums. This approach makes the record a lot less arch than some of Liebman's other material from the time – and titles include "Reunion", "Moontide", "Move On Some", "Autumn In New York", "If They Only Knew", and "Capitstrano".

Woody Shaw - With Tone Jansa Quartet (1985) {2015 Japan Timeless Jazz Master Collection Complete Series}
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© 1985, 2015 Timeless Records / Solid Records Japan / Ultra-Vibe | CDSOL-6359
Jazz / Hard Bop / Post Bop / Trumpet / Saxophone

Reissue with the latest remastering. Features original cover artwork. Comes with a descripton in Japanese. One of our favorite Woody Shaw albums from his later years – and an album that's got the same joyous spirit and free soaring feel of his best 70s work! The core group on the album is the Tone Jansa Quartet – led by European reedman Jansa, and working in a space that's quite similar to that of Shaw's backing groups on previous sessions. Jansa wrote all the tunes on the set, and gave them a soaring feel that we really love – just the right mix of introspection and exploration found on classic Shaw sessions like Little Red's Fantasy or Lovedance. Titles include "Midi", "Boland", "Call Mobility", "River", and "May".

Monty Alexander - Fridaynight (1985) {2015 Japan Timeless Jazz Master Collection Complete Series CDSOL-6414}
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© 1985, 2015 Limetree / Timeless Records / Solid Records Japan / Ultra-Vibe | CDSOL-6414
Jazz / Post Bop / Piano

Reissue with the latest remastering and the original cover artwork. Comes with a description written in Japanese. A great little date from pianist Monty Alexander – a set that's maybe got a bit more bite than some of Monty's American records from the time – even though this overseas release was still recorded in Florida! The core trio also features added percussion – which provides a stronger rhythmic impulse than usual, and which has the group really stretching out on some longer tunes – especially the album's version of "Since My Baby Left Me", which features guest cornet from Nat Adderley! The group on the rest of the record features Alexander on piano, Reggie Johnson on bass, Ed Thigpen on drums, and Robert Thomas Jr. on percussion.

Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers - Album Of The Year (1981) {2015 Japan Timeless Jazz Master Collection Complete Series}
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© 1981, 2015 Timeless Records / Solid Records Japan / Ultra-Vibe | CDSOL-6306
Jazz / Hard Bop

Reissue with the latest remastering. Features original cover artwork. Comes with a descripton in Japanese. Out of hundreds of jazz CD's I own or have heard, this will always rank in my top ten. Recorded in 1981 with the awesome lineup of - Art Blakey (drums), Charles Fambrough (bass), Wynton Marsalis (trumpet), Bill Pierce (tenor sax), Bobby Watson (alto sax), and James Williams (piano). A little over 42 minutes long, this disc is as perfect as it gets and there is absolutely no filler! It's incredible to hear Blakey play… he is so good that he keeps a perfect rhythm going but then inserts offbeat syncopated and ghost beats on top of it. His style of playing always amazes me. Of course the rest of the band kick serious tail also and never miss a beat. Great tunes, outstanding arrangements, awesome solos, what else is there?

Bobby Hutcherson - Four Seasons (1983) {2015 Japan Timeless Jazz Master Collection Complete Series CDSOL-6324}
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© 1983, 2015 Timeless Records / Solid Records Japan / Ultra-Vibe | CDSOL-6324
Jazz / Post Bop / Vibes

Reissue with the latest remastering. Features original cover artwork. Comes with a descripton in Japanese. A simple but effective session from vibist Bobby Hutcherson – one that comes across with a really subtle brilliance! The tracks are all standards – performed by Hutcherson on vibes, with a quartet that includes George Cables on acoustic piano, Herbie Lewis on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – all working with Bobby in a style that allows a lot of open space between the notes, an approach that's especially nice in the interplay between piano and vibes on the set. The style is a bit more understated than some of Hutcherson's other records of the time, but that also makes for a wonderfully gimmick-free approach that takes us right to the core of his talents. Titles include "Star Eyes", "If I Were A Bell", "Summertime", "Autumn Leaves", and "All Of You".

Chet Baker - Mr.B (1983) {2015 Japan Timeless Jazz Master Collection Complete Series CDSOL-6310}
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© 1983, 2015 Timeless Records / Solid Records Japan / Ultra-Vibe | CDSOL-6310
Jazz / Cool / West Coast Jazz / Trumpet

Reissue with the latest remastering. Features original cover artwork. Comes with a descripton in Japanese. The quality of Chet Baker's product was so varied during the last decade or more of his life that recording sessions varied markedly. For this "remixed version" of Mr. B Baker sounds a tad tired, though his chops are in fine form. The studio recording captures the trumpeter with highly sympathetic and self-effacing pianist Michel Grallier and bassist Ricardo Del Fra, both of whom engage in the leader's brand of sensitivity. There are no vocals by the trumpeter, but plenty of improvising.