Ali's Art

Two of trumpeter Art Farmer's earlier sessions as a leader are reissued on this CD in the OJC series. Farmer teams up with an all-star quintet (which includes tenor-saxophonist Sonny Rollins, pianist Horace Silver, bassist Percy Heath and drummer Kenny Clarke) for four songs and dominates a quartet (with pianist Wynton Kelly, bassist Addison Farmer and drummer Herbie Lovelle) on six other tunes. Farmer's sound is lyrical even on the uptempo pieces and he is heard throughout in his early prime. Highlights include "Soft Shoe," "I'll Take Romance," "Autumn Nocturne" and an uptempo "Gone with the Wind." One should note that the programming differs from what is listed, with "Soft Shoe" (which should have been the opener) actually appearing fifth and the songs listed as appearing second through fifth moving up to first through fourth. Despite that flaw, the music is quite enjoyable and a must for 1950s bop collectors.

During a career that spanned close to a half century, Art Farmer was well-known for his consistency as a soloist and a bandleader. This series of studio sessions from 1960, with pianist Tommy Flanagan, bassist Tommy Williams, and drummer Albert Heathe, find the trumpeter in great form, with the usually impeccable accompaniment one expects from Flanagan. Many of the rich ballads featured, including "So Beats My Heart for You," "Goodbye Old Girl," and "Younger Than Springtime," have fallen out of favor in the early 21st century, but Farmer's impeccable performances of these chestnuts sound timeless. A slightly jaunty take of Benny Golson's "Out of the Past" and a spirited rendition of "The Best Thing for You Is Me" also merit attention.

Vienna Art Orchestra - Art & Fun (2002) {2CD EmArcy-Universal Music Austria 017072-2}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 837 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 326 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (jpg) -> 634 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2002 EmArcy / Universal Music Austria | 017072-2
Jazz / Modern Big Band / Experimental Big Band / Progressive Jazz

Mathias Ruegg dirige un orchestre à la longévité étonnante : 25 ans. Le « Vienna Art » a vu défiler tous les solistes européens de ces deux dernières décennies. Cette aventure est le fruit d’un long travail collectif, privilégiant les rencontres et les découvertes. Les différents programmes de l’orchestre sont autant de façons d’honorer la grande histoire du jazz. Une fois encore, le Vienna Art prend un « risque artistique » et propose, avec ce double album, une vision gémellaire et ludique de ce glorieux passé. Pas moins de 80 compositions, thèmes et arrangements sont proposés dans un ordre dispersé.

Art in America begins as delicate, somewhat elegant album with a pleasing mix of harp, guitar and keyboard that slowly changes to a more arena rock sound with progressive touches that make the band sounds like Asia meets Breathe. A pretty and slightly mystic album with hints of album rock and pop, Art in America was overlooked upon its release.

It wasn’t until the end of the 1920s that professional duo-piano teams became a regular part of the concert scene with the emergence of Bartlett and Robertson, followed by Vronsky and Babin a bit later, and finally, in 1936, Luboshutz and Nemenoff.