Artie Shaw And His Gramercy Five I Can't Get Started (1954) {2016 Japan Verve 60th Rare Albums Shm CD Reissue Series}

Artie Shaw And His Gramercy Five - I Can't Get Started (1954) {2016 Japan Verve 60th Rare Albums SHM-CD Reissue Series}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 154 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 109 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (jpg) -> 58 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1954, 2016 MGM Records / Verve / Universal Japan | UCCV-9617 | Mono
Jazz / Bop / Cool / Clarinet

Verve 60th Anniversary Rare Albums SHM-CD Reissue Series. Reissue with SHM-CD format. A surprisingly wonderful album from Artie Shaw – one that takes his older groove and nicely strips it down for the 50s, and which features some especially great guitar work from Tal Farlow! Other players in the group include Hank Jones on piano, Joe Roland on vibes, Tommy Potter on bass, and Irv Kluger on drums – coming together in a loosely swinging mode that has lots of interplay on the longer-than-usual tracks on the set. Titles include the originals "When The Quail Come Back To Town", "Lugubrious", "The Grabtown Grapple", and "Lyric".

Teddy Wilson And His Piano - Intimate Listening (1954) {2016 Japan Verve 60th Rare Albums SHM-CD Reissue Series UCCV-9616}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 202 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 103 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (jpg) -> 44 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1954, 2016 Verve / Universal Japan | UCCV-9616
Jazz / Swing / Mainstream Jazz / Piano

Verve 60th Rare Albums SHM-CD Reissue Series. Reissue with SHM-CD format. Intimate listening from pianist Teddy Wilson, but surprisingly lively listening too – as Teddy's as fleet on the keys as ever, and maybe even more so in this well-recorded session from the 50s! The record's got a great Verve vibe – simple, unadorned presentation of the Teddy Wilson genius at its mature height – with bass and drums to help bring in a gentle bit of rhythm, but Teddy handling most of the energy himself – with an amazing command of the keyboard that really transforms these familiar tunes. The approach is like Erroll Garner at his best from the time – subtle magic from simple sources – but Teddy's lighter, and more lyrical too – especially on his flourishes on the keys.

Anita O'Day - An Evening With Anita O'Day (1955) {2016 Japan Verve 60th Rare Albums SHM-CD Reissue Series UCCV-9635}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 143 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 91 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (jpg) -> 77 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1955, 2016 Verve / Universal Japan | UCCV-9635
Jazz / Vocal Jazz / Bop

Verve 60th Rare Albums SHM-CD Reissue Series. Reissue with SHM-CD format. A combination of three sessions with three different small backing groups available currently on a Japanese CD – this is an early revealing example of Anita O'Day's growth as a jazz artist since her days as a big band thrush. Her virtuosity at fast tempos is right on the dot, and she is fearlessly willing to take wide-open liberties with the melodies.

Phil Woods - Round Trip (1969) {2016 Japan Verve 60th Rare Albums SHM-CD Reissue Series UCCV-9611}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 259 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 88 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 193 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1969, 2016 Verve / Universal Japan | UCCV-9611
Jazz / Post Bop / Modern Big Band / Progressive Jazz / Saxophone

Verve 60th Anniversary Rare Albums SHM-CD Reissue Series. Reissue with SHM-CD format. Hip and groovy work from Phil – very different than both his earlier bop-heavy sides, and his freer European recordings – recorded with some great backings by Johnny Pate, the excellent Chicago soul arranger who also did some great soundtrack work! Pate's come up with some tight short tracks that have a nice groovy late 60s Verve feel – over which Woods solos angularly on alto, working amidst woodwinds by Jerome Richardson and Jerry Dodgion, piano by Herbie Hancock, trumpet by Thad Jones, and some light strings that trickle in and out from time to time.

J.J. Johnson - J.J.'s Broadway (1963) {2016 Japan Verve 60th Rare Albums SHM-CD Reissue Series UCCV-9629}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 208 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 86 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 189 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1963, 2016 Verve / Universal Japan | UCCV-9629
Jazz / Hard Bop / Third Stream / Trombone

Verve 60th Anniversary Rare Albums SHM-CD Reissue Series. Reissue with SHM-CD format. This is one of the more obscure J.J. Johnson LPs. On six of the ten songs, the great trombonist is joined by four others, while the remaining four tracks (the main reasons to search for this album) feature him in a quartet with pianist Hank Jones, bassist Richard Davis and drummer Walter Perkins. Johnson's writing on the larger group pieces lifts the material, which is all taken from Broadway shows, while his playing on the quartet tracks is up to his usual level. Some of the songs are now forgotten, but "My Favorite Things," "Make Someone Happy" and "Put on a Happy Face" are exceptions. This album has some good music, but it will be very difficult to find.

The Teddy Wilson Trio & Gerry Mulligan Quartet & Bill Evans - At Newport (1957) {2016 Japan Verve 60th Rare Albums SHM-CD Reissue Series}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 154 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 123 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (jpg) -> 56 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1957, 2016 Verve / Universal Japan | UCCV-9631 | Mono
Jazz / Bop / Cool

Verve 60th Anniversary Rare Albums SHM-CD Reissue Series. Reissue with SHM-CD format. Two different sides of Verve Records in the 50s – one modern, one a bit more traditional – and both represented in live material from the Newport Jazz Festival in 1957! Side one features a stunning live performance from pianist Teddy Wilson – working in a tight trio with Milt Hinton on bass and Spec Powell on drums – and really blowing away any conceptions we might have had about Wilson being aging or flowery at the time. Instead, he's got a sharp edge and command of the keys that's amazing – and which almost seems to have a bit more bite than usual in this concert setting.

Phil Woods And His European Rhythm Machine - At The Montreux Jazz Festival (1969) {2016 Japan Verve 60th Rare Albums SHM-CD Reissue Series UCCV-9612}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 250 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 95 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 171 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1969, 2016 Verve / Universal Japan | UCCV-9612
Jazz / Post Bop / Progressive Jazz / Saxophone

Verve 60th Anniversary Rare Albums SHM-CD Reissue Series. Reissue with SHM-CD format. Phil Woods' recordings with his short-lived European Rhythm Machine are among the most adventurous of his career, though few of them have been available in the CD era. This 1969 concert at the Montreux Jazz Festival features the alto saxophonist with pianist George Gruntz, bassist Henri Texier and drummer Daniel Humair in a wide ranging set.

Here lie the last of the Victor recordings by Artie Shaw and his orchestra, dating from July and November of 1945. The first nine titles are charming big band dance numbers. A lot of that charm comes straight up from Dodo Marmarosa's piano and Barney Kessel's guitar, through the trumpet of Roy Eldridge and out of Artie Shaw's elegant clarinet. Those are four good reasons to check these records out, up close. Anybody who loves Dodo Marmarosa needs to hear these recordings in order to be able to appreciate how this young man interacted with a big band. Fortunately, there are only a few vocals by syrupy singer Halsey Stevens…

One of jazz's finest clarinetists, Artie Shaw never seemed fully satisfied with his musical life, constantly breaking up successful bands and running away from success. While Count Basie and Duke Ellington were satisfied to lead just one orchestra during the swing era, and Benny Goodman (due to illness) had two, Shaw led five, all of them distinctive and memorable.

One of jazz's finest clarinetists, Artie Shaw never seemed fully satisfied with his musical life, constantly breaking up successful bands and running away from success. While Count Basie and Duke Ellington were satisfied to lead just one orchestra during the swing era, and Benny Goodman (due to illness) had two, Shaw led five, all of them distinctive and memorable.