Atlantic Jazz

Rhino's various artists/sampler series focuses on keyboards on this release, with cuts from 13 players. The opening track features Jimmy Yancey's sparkling boogie piano, and continues through several styles from Erroll Garner's flashy solos through Thelonious Monk's amazing bop improvisations, John Lewis' sedate, sophisticated phrases, Lennie Tristano's intricate material, and bluesier fare from Ray Charles, Junior Mance, and Les McCann. Keith Jarrett and Chick Corea take more adventurous directions, while The Mitchell-Ruff duo with drummer Charlie Smith falls somewhere in the center. The set's compositional variety and artist lineup is impressive; while none of these tracks qualify as particularly rare or obscure, they show the wealth of keyboard talent once on the Atlantic roster. ~ Ron Wynn

Cyrus Chestnut's third Atlantic CD continues to showcase his tremendous growth as a thought-provoking pianist and composer. "In the Garden" is an inspirational solo indicating his gospel roots. "East of the Sun (And West of the Moon)" proves his ability to create a novel trio arrangement of a standard tune covered by numerous musicians. The remaining tracks include a number of outstanding originals, especially the reflective "My Song in the Night" and the playful "Maria's Folly."

Wessell Anderson is a big-toned alto saxophonist of generous spirit and above-average skill, who obviously admires the late Cannonball Adderley a great deal. This album's opening track, "Sunday Souful Supper," comes off as virtual Cannonball, with the equally rotund younger altoist serving heaping portions of red beans and rice, Adderley-style. The record as a whole is a hard-bop (re)hash and well-played.

James Carter & Cyrus Chestnut - Duets (1995) {Atlantic Jazz ‎PRCD 6250}
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© 1995 Atlantic Jazz ‎| PRCD 6250
Jazz / Contemporary Jazz / Post Bop / Saxophone / Piano

Promo-only release. Picture sticker on front of jewel case. James Carter was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. His musical education consisted of private studies with local bop scene veteran Donald Washington as well as tenures at the prestigious Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp. Carter first came to national attention touring with Wynton Marsalis while only 17. Since then, he has worked with Lester Bowie, Julius Hemphill, The Charles Mingus Big Band, The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, and Kathleen Battle among many others.

Gary Bartz - The Red And Orange Poems (1994) {Atlantic Jazz 82720-2}
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© 1994 Atlantic Jazz | 82720-2
Jazz / Post Bop / Saxophone

Alto veteran Gary Bartz may not have made it as big as originally predicted, but as shown on this 1994 studio date, he developed a sound of his own and was always capable of coming out with exciting yet thoughtful music. Joined by such associates as trumpeter Eddie Henderson, John Clark on French horn, pianist Mulgrew Miller, bassist Dave Holland, drummer Greg Bandy and percussionist Steve Kroon, Bartz is in excellent form on a variety of standards (including "By Myself" and "But Not for Me") and originals.

Regina Carter (who has a beautiful tone and a swinging style) is one of the top new jazz violinists of the 1990s, and the more memorable selections on this CD are so strong that they almost allow one to overlook the three throwaway pop/R&B songs. Unfortunately, the opening "Downtown Underground" is one of the losers, and the Nicki Richards vocal piece "Late Night Mood" (which recording executive talked Carter into recording that turkey?) is so lightweight that it should have been released on another album. In contrast are near-classic renditions of Eddie Harris' "Listen Here" and Mal Waldron's "Soul Eyes"; Carter's haunting ballad "Reflections" deserves to become a standard. A mixed bag, but overall this CD is recommended, with reservations.

Like many of Ornette Coleman's Atlantic sides, The Art of the Improvisers was recorded in numerous sessions from 1959-1961 and assembled for the purpose of creating a cohesive recorded statement. Its opening track, "The Circle with the Hole in the Middle," from 1959, with the classic quartet of Don Cherry, Ed Blackwell, and Charlie Haden, is one of Coleman's recognizable pieces of music. Essentially, the band is that quartet with two very notable exceptions: The last tracks on each side feature a different bass player. On the end of side one, the great Scott LaFaro weighs in on "The Alchemy of Scott La Faro," and Jimmy Garrison weighs in on "Harlem's Manhattan" to close the album out. These last two sessions were recorded early in 1961, in January and March respectively. As an album, The Art of the Improvisers is usually undervalued when placed next to This Is Our Music or The Shape of Jazz to Come.

Woody Herman - Live At Monterey (1959) {Atlantic Jazz 7567-90044-2}
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© 1959 Atlantic Jazz / Warner | 7567-90044-2
Jazz / Big Band / Cool / Swing / Clarinet

At the 1959 Monterey Jazz Festival, Woody Herman headed an all-star orchestra that served as the house band for the weekend in addition to performing its own sets. The lineup is quite remarkable, including Herman on clarinet or alto, both Al Porcino and Bill Chase on first trumpets, Conte Candoli and Ray Linn taking trumpet solos, trombonist Urbie Green, Victor Feldman on piano and vibes, guitarist Charlie Byrd, bassist Monty Budwig, drummer Mel Lewis, baritonist Med Flory, and the tenors of Zoot Sims, Don Lanphere, Bill Perkins, and Richie Kamuca. Nearly every one of these players is featured in one spot or another.