Cdp 7 46641 2

Lightnin' Hopkins - The Complete Aladdin Recordings (1946-48) {2CD Capitol-EMI CDP-7-96843-2 rel 1991}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 588 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 270 Mb
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© 1946-48, 1991 Aladdin / Capitol-EMI | CDP-7-96843-2
Blues / Acoustic Texas Blues / Regional Blues / Country Blues

Hopkins' earliest recordings in a nice package, booklet with biography, discography, and many detailed informations - plus great sound quality. This is where it all began for the Houston troubadour: 43 solo sides, as evocative and stark as any he ever did, from 1946-1948. The first 13 sides find the guitarist in tandem with pianist Wilson "Thunder" Smith (who handles the vocals on a few tracks), but after that, old Lightnin' Hopkins went the solo route. "Katie May," "Short Haired Woman," "Abilene," "Shotgun" – all these and more rate with his seminal performances.

Lou Rawls with Les McCann Ltd. - Stormy Monday (1962) {Blue Note Records CDP 7 91441 2 rel 1990}
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© 1962, 1990 Blue Note Records | CDP 7 91441 2
Jazz / Vocal Jazz / R&B / Soul Jazz

Lou Rawls has had a long and commercially successful career mostly singing soul, R&B, and pop music. Originally a gospel singer, Rawls' first album as a leader features him performing soulful standards backed by the Les McCann Trio. Few of the songs have been under-recorded through the years, but they sound fresh and lively when sung by Rawls; highlights include "Stormy Monday," "In the Evening," and "I'd Rather Drink Muddy Water." Pianist McCann gets a generous amount of solo space, and the reissue has three bonus tracks. This is still Rawls' definitive recording in the jazz idiom, cut before he went on to more lucrative areas.

Best known for his dynamite soprano, Najee proved his versatility with this disc by using alto and tenor, and even throwing in some tender flute work on the mellow "My Old Friend." He is a strong improvisator, but you could classify Tokyo Blue as R&B just as easily as jazz due to the funk grooves.

Chet Baker & Art Pepper - The Route (1956) {Pacific Jazz CDP 7 92931 2 rel 1989}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 319 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 125 Mb
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© 1956, 1989 Pacific Jazz / Capitol Records | CDP 7 92931 2
Jazz / Cool / West Coast Jazz / Trumpet / Saxophone

This 1989 CD issue compiles all known sides cut during a July 26, 1956, session led by Chet Baker (trumpet) and Art Pepper (alto sax). Keen-eyed enthusiasts will note that this particular date occurred during a remarkable week – July 23 through July 31 – of sessions held at the behest of Pacific Jazz label owner and session producer Dick Bock at the Forum Theater in Los Angeles. The recordings made during this week not only inform The Route, but three other long-players as well: Lets Get Lost (The Best of Chet Baker Sings), Chet Baker and Crew, and Chet Baker Quintet at the Forum Theatre.

Joe Lovano - Landmarks (1991) {Blue Note CDP 7 96108 2}
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© 1991 Blue Note | CDP 7 96108 2
Jazz / Post Bop / Saxophone

Although the title of this CD makes it sound as if tenor-saxophonist Joe Lovano was performing veteran jazz classics on this date, all but one of the ten songs played by his quintet are actually Lovano originals. With strong assistance provided by guitarist John Abercrombie, pianist Ken Werner, bassist Marc Johnson and drummer Bill Stewart, Lovano often sounds like a mixture of Dewey Redman and early John Coltrane on his enjoyable set. His music has enough variety to hold one's interest, Abercrombie is in particularly strong form and Lovano is consistently creative during the modern mainstream music.

Mose Allison - My Backyard (1990) {Blue Note CDP 7 93840 2 rec 1989}
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© 1990 Blue Note | CDP 7 93840 2
Jazz / Hard Bop / Jazz Blues / Piano

Mose Allison's career in his golden and quite fruitful years has yielded many surprises and challenges, not the least of which is this delightful offering. He continues to write attractive, bouncy, and fun tunes carried by his signature roiling piano style and sly lyrics. For this effort, producer and Allison disciple Ben Sidran hooked him up with musicians from the modern New Orleans jazz scene, including Astral Project members – the extraordinary drummer John Vidacovich, tenor saxophonist Tony Dagradi, and guitarist Steve Masakowski.

Hank Mobley - Far Away Lands (1967) {Blue Note CDP 7 84425 2 rel 1995, Ron McMaster}
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© 1967, 1995 Blue Note / Capitol | CDP 7 84425 2
Jazz / Hard Bop / Saxophone

Of all the Blue Note artists of the 1960s, tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley may very well be the most underrated. A consistent player whose style evolved throughout the decade, Mobley wrote a series of inventive and challenging compositions that inspired the all-stars he used on his recordings while remaining in the genre of hard bop. For this lesser-known outing, Mobley teams up with trumpeter Donald Byrd, pianist Cedar Walton, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Billy Higgins for four of his songs (given such colorful titles as "A Dab of This and That," "No Argument," "The Hippity Hop," and "Bossa for Baby"), along with a song apiece from Byrd and Jimmy Heath. An excellent outing, fairly late in the productive career of Hank Mobley.

Walls and Bridges was recorded during John Lennon's infamous "lost weekend," as he exiled himself in California during a separation from Yoko Ono. Lennon's personal life was scattered, so it isn't surprising that Walls and Bridges is a mess itself, containing equal amounts of brilliance and nonsense…

No Age - Minimal Kidds (1989) {Capitol–Intuition CDP 7 46879 2}
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© 1989 Capitol / Intuition | CDP 7 46879 2
Jazz / Contemporary Jazz / Chamber Jazz / Modern Creative

Although this is technically a group effort, it has the stamp of the precocious Gebhard Ullmann, who wrote and arranged all the pieces and is featured extensively on reeds and flutes. At the heart of the recording is the trio of Ullmann; Andreas Willers on guitars; and Nikolaus Schäuble on percussion, supplemented by others including Glen Moore on bass and Trilok Gurtu on percussion, and samples from a children's choir. Recorded early in Ullmann's career, the talented composer, improviser, and organizer focused his efforts on so-called world music, and the album is less radical and adventurous than his later works.

Cannonball Adderley - Cannonball In Japan (1966) {Capitol Jazz Japan CDP 7 93560 2 rel 1990}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 290 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 104 Mb
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© 1966, 1990 Capitol Jazz / Toshiba-EMI | CDP 7 93560
Jazz / Hard Bop / Soul Jazz / Saxophone

A rare live set by Cannonball Adderley – unreleased in America at the time, and performed with the style of Cannon's best work for Riverside! The album's very similar to some of the group's best live sets for Riverside – like the San Francisco or other Tokyo recording – done with tracks that are long and a bit stretched out, performed with Nat Adderley on cornet, Joe Zawinul on piano, Vic Gaskin on bass, and Roy McCurdy on drums.