Capo Plaza Envidioso

Carmen McRae - Live At Century Plaza (1968) {Atlantic Japan, WPCR-25041, 24-bit rel 2005)
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 510 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 182 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 27 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1968, 2005 Atlantic / Warner Music Japan | WPCR-25041 | 24bit remastering
Jazz / Vocal Jazz / Bop / Ballads / Standards

24bit digitally remastered release of Carmen Mcrae's performance at the Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles. The inimitable jazz vocalist Carmen McRae toplined this live set at the Los Angeles Century Plaza Hotel's Hong Kong Bar in late December 1968. The concert took place not long after McRae recorded two excellent, underrated LPs for Atlantic Records – Portrait of Carmen (1967) and Sound of Silence (1968). Atlantic set up and contractually licensed the rights to the Century Plaza show, but inexplicably waited years to do anything with the material, until label executive Nesuhi Ertegun finally produced a truncated version in 1975.

The Spanish tinge referred to by pianist Jelly Roll Morton has never been far from jazz, though serious attempts to fuse flamenco and jazz only began with saxophonist Pedro Iturralde and guitarist Paco de Lucia's collaboration Flamenco-Jazz (SABA, 1968). Tenor saxophonist Carlos Villoslada continues this tradition by bringing together jazz melodies and harmonies with flamenco rhythms and voice. For the most part, the music on this recording has a relaxed vibe, with the Cadiz-based quintet visiting soleas, bulerias, tientos and tanguilos with a quietly smoldering passion, led from the front by Villoslada's strong playing. Despite the absence of guitar the flavor of flamenco permeates these compositions, with vocalist Raul Gálvez supported by Diego Moatoya and Pedro de Chana on palmas, Dani Dominguez' striking, hybrid jazz-flamenco drumming, and veteran Brazilian percussionist, Rubem Dantas.

Gerry Mulligan - I Want To Live! (1958) {Jazz Plaza Music JPM 8800 rel 2009}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 411 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 173 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (jpg) -> 99 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1958-59, 2009 United Artists / Jazz Plaza Music | JPM 8800
Jazz / Cool / West Coast Jazz / Saxophone

Baritonist Gerry Mulligan and a group of West Coast all-stars were heard throughout the soundtrack of the Susan Hayward movie I Want to Live. Although not a soundtrack, this LP features six themes from the movie (all composed by Johnny Mandel) performed by the same musicians, who this time around get an opportunity to really stretch out. Since the band is comprised of Mulligan, trumpeter Art Farmer, altoist Bud Shank, trombonist Frank Rossolino, pianist Pete Jolly, bassist Red Mitchell and drummer Shelly Manne, virtually all of the music is quite interesting with plenty of fine solos and hard-swinging.

Love broadened their scope into psychedelia on their sophomore effort, Arthur Lee's achingly melodic songwriting gifts reaching full flower. The six songs that comprised the first side of this album when it was first issued are a truly classic body of work, highlighted by the atomic blast of pre-punk rock "Seven & Seven Is" (their only hit single), the manic jazz tempos of "Stephanie Knows Who", and the enchanting "She Comes in Colors", perhaps Lee's best composition (and reportedly the inspiration for the Rolling Stones' "She's a Rainbow"). It's only half a great album, though; the seventh and final track, "Revelation", is a tedious 19-minute jam that keeps Da Capo from attaining truly classic status.