Barry Harris At The Jazz Workshop (1960) [remastered 1992]

Pianist Barry Harris' second recording as a leader (he led a set for Argo in 1958) finds him at the age of 30 playing in the same boppish style he would have throughout his career. Teamed up with bassist Sam Jones and drummer Louis Hayes, this live CD reissue (which adds three alternate takes to the original LP program) is an excellent example of Harris' playing. Highlights of the enthusiastic straight-ahead set (which includes three obscure but worthy originals by the pianist) include "Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby," "Moose the Mooche" and "Woody'N You."

Les McCann - Les McCann Ltd. in San Francisco: Recorded Live at the Jazz Workshop - Complete Recordings (1960) {Fresh Sound FSR-CD 682 rel 2012}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 371 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 145 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 16 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1960, 2012 Pacific Jazz / Fresh Sound Records | FSR-CD 682
Jazz / Hard Bop / Soul Jazz / Piano Trio

Les McCann Ltd. in San Francisco: Recorded Live at the Jazz Workshop was recorded in December of 1960 and released in 1961 on the Pacific Jazz label. Backing his piano were bassist Herbie Flowers and drummer Ron Jefferson. The original LP of this date featured seven selections – only about half of the entire gig. This Fresh Sound reissue contains four more tracks, bringing the total to 11.

Thelonious Monk - Live At The Jazz Workshop - Complete (1964) {2CD Set, Columbia C2K 65189 rel 2001}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 958 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 357 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 47 Mb | 5% repair rar | 24-bit remaster
© 1964, 2001 Columbia / Legacy / Sony Music | C2K 65189
Jazz / Post Bop / Modal Music / Piano

The tapes of these two 1964 San Francisco shows stayed locked up at Columbia Records until the label drew a double-LP from them shortly after Monk's death in 1982. Never issued on CD in the U.S., that album is now superseded by this packed document that nearly doubles its length, restores edited portions of several performances, and adds a dozen performances that sometimes better the original recordings. Monk, saxophonist Charlie Rouse, bassist Larry Gales, and drummer Ben Riley are unsurprisingly on point for the dates, which are filled with numerous classics from the Thelonious book.

Soon after Charles Mingus finished touring Europe with his band (the unit that featured Eric Dolphy), he recorded this CD, performed live at The Jazz Workshop in San Francisco. With tenor-saxophonist Clifford Jordan and drummer Dannie Richmond still in the group but Jane Getz replacing pianist Jaki Byard and altoist John Handy filling in for Dolphy on one song, the band performs excellent versions of "Meditations on Integration" and "New Fables," both of which are over 23 minutes long. Although not up to the passionate level of the Mingus-Dolphy Quintet, this underrated unit holds its own.

Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers of 1959 were hitting their full stride, as trumpeter Lee Morgan joined the fold with tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley, the reliable pianist Bobby Timmons and steady bassist Jymie Merritt…

Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers of 1959 were hitting their full stride, as trumpeter Lee Morgan joined the fold with tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley, the reliable pianist Bobby Timmons and steady bassist Jymie Merritt…