Better Days (2020)

On May 13, 2000 the Chicago Underground Quartet played one of the most searing and transcendent sets of music I’ve ever witnessed, as part of the Empty Bottle Festival of Jazz & Improvised Music. Cornetist Rob Mazurek, guitarist Jeff Parker, drummer Chad Taylor, and bassist Noel Kupersmith performed with a fiery singularity of purpose, ripping through its set like a bulldozer, albeit a machine marked by nuance and soulfulness. The following year the same line-up—which had previously made two albums for Delmark as the Chicago Underground Trio despite, with Parker nominally billed as a guest—dropped its eponymous debut on Thrill Jockey, serving up one of the strongest entries in the city’s modern history. Little did anyone know it would be nineteen years for the follow-up to surface.

Long-awaited reissue of an interesting and rare masterpiece by jazz guitar virtuoso Joe Pass, who took on jazz funk! This is the first release on Gwyn Records, a minor label in California, and features a very impressive lineup. Paul Humphrey and Earl Palmer on drums, Carol Kaye (label owner) and Ray Brown on bass, J.J. Johnson, Tom Scott, and Conte Candoli on horns, this is truly a historical session that brought together the top musicians of the West Coast at the time. From the cool funk of "Better Days" at the beginning of the session, almost the entire album was a storm of jazz funk. "Free Sample" by Joe Sample, "Burning Spear," with its impressive undulating beat, "Head Start," with its too-subtle bass line, and the boogie shuffle "Gotcha!"…

Long-awaited reissue of an interesting and rare masterpiece by jazz guitar virtuoso Joe Pass, who took on jazz funk! This is the first release on Gwyn Records, a minor label in California, and features a very impressive lineup. Paul Humphrey and Earl Palmer on drums, Carol Kaye (label owner) and Ray Brown on bass, J.J. Johnson, Tom Scott, and Conte Candoli on horns, this is truly a historical session that brought together the top musicians of the West Coast at the time. From the cool funk of "Better Days" at the beginning of the session, almost the entire album was a storm of jazz funk. "Free Sample" by Joe Sample, "Burning Spear," with its impressive undulating beat, "Head Start," with its too-subtle bass line, and the boogie shuffle "Gotcha!"…

Long-awaited reissue of an interesting and rare masterpiece by jazz guitar virtuoso Joe Pass, who took on jazz funk! This is the first release on Gwyn Records, a minor label in California, and features a very impressive lineup. Paul Humphrey and Earl Palmer on drums, Carol Kaye (label owner) and Ray Brown on bass, J.J. Johnson, Tom Scott, and Conte Candoli on horns, this is truly a historical session that brought together the top musicians of the West Coast at the time. From the cool funk of "Better Days" at the beginning of the session, almost the entire album was a storm of jazz funk. "Free Sample" by Joe Sample, "Burning Spear," with its impressive undulating beat, "Head Start," with its too-subtle bass line, and the boogie shuffle "Gotcha!"…

Although it isn't as focused or direct as After the Storm, Better Days Ahead showcases Norman Brown's growth as a musician. Brown seamlessly fuses jazz, R&B, pop, and soul together, creating a distinctive hybrid that has the technique of an accomplished jazz musician and the accessibility of pop. The songs on Better Days Ahead aren't quite as memorable as those on After the Storm, but Brown's dazzling ability on the guitar makes it worthwhile listening.

Kazumi Watanabe - To Chi Ka (1980) {Better Days Japan 28CY-2368 rel 1988}
XLD rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 282 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 110 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (png) -> 25 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1980, 1988 Better Days / Nippon Columbia Japan | 28CY-2368
Jazz / Fusion / Contemporary Jazz / Guitar

Recorded in 1980, most of the world was drifting away from fusion, but Watanabe was just starting to get into it. He more greatly defined his fusion persona in subsequent works, but this album is a very fine early stab at the fusion genre. Watanabe is a fabulous, and much under-rated guitarist. The writing on this album shows a strong, worthy grasp of American fusion.

Heady work from Paul Butterfield's second great group – his mighty Better Days ensemble, heard here in a nicely unbridled live set from the early 70s! Paul himself is mighty great on vocals and harmonica - but the group's a very cohesive unit, too - with additional vocals and guitar from Amos Garrett and Geoff Muldaur, organ and piano from Ronnie Barron, and some mighty heavy drums from Billy Rich! The music seems to have even more punch than on some of Butterfield's studio sessions - blues rock, but with a little something extra, too.