Calvin Jackson Jazz Variations

This date followed Calvin Keys' first, Shawn Neeq, by about two years. Hazy, psychedelic, post-bop is the order of the day here as well, but as most soul-jazz collectors will tell you, there's always a chance for some monster funk on a Black Jazz record so, as predictable as these releases may be on the surface, you never really know until you hear them. In this case, the bomb drops at the beginning of Side Two with "Aunt Lovely." While probably a little too 'out there' for most dance floors, "Aunt Lovely" begins like some of the best funky Grant Green of the era. As the track progresses, though, it gets more than a little hectic – especially during Charles Owens' Pharoah Sanders-esque soprano solo. Kirk Lightsey's overdriven and distorted electric piano only serves to add to this tension later.

A Master Jazz Guitarist, from the guitar God's Wes Montgomery,Grant Green,Benson Las Vegas via Detroit Motown. Hollowbody Fat sound. A Master. Five original songs, written by Calvin Brooks. Very Melodic Jazz guitar likes, of Grant Green, Wes Montgomery, George Benson, with clean and strong playing. this Smooth Jazz, grooving, riding music. Recorded in Detroit, with cat's from the motor city. Phil Hale, Keyboards, Darrell Peanut Smith, Bass, Ron Otis, Drums, Robert Jones , Keyboards , Kathy King, Vocals. Good music for everyone.

We're not sure what the title means originally, but over the past few decades, it's come to stand for some heavy heavy guitar work from the legendary Calvin Keys! Keys has a very unique touch here – a mix of open chords and tighter lines – beautifully wrapping up a history of soul jazz guitar that stretches back to the early 60s – then propelling things forward with loads of righteous 70s spiritual jazz energy! The set also features loads of sweet keyboards – played by Larry Nash, and mixed with flute and "hose-a-phone" from Owen Marshall – set to grooves from Lawrence Evans on bass and Bob Braye on drums. A stone classic from the Black Jazz label – and titles include "Gee Gee", "BK.", "BE", and "Shawn-Neeq".

Christmas came early in 1971; in May, Atlantic released Plastic Dreams, the penultimate studio album from the Modern Jazz Quartet during their main, 22-year run as an ensemble. Of the MJQ's albums, Plastic Dreams has never been a critic's favorite, and was an album that mystified many of the group's longtime followers. First was the gatefold front cover, impossible to represent well in AMG's scan, which featured a "plastic" image of a nude woman that was really pushing the envelope by 1971 standards; it was almost "indecent." Secondly were the liner notes by arch-New York jazz critic Martin Williams; while they were certainly appreciative, they really made you wonder if Williams was listening to the same album you were. Third was the inclusion of two Christmas selections on an album that didn't otherwise have anything to do with Christmas — indeed, what was going on here? The answer, quite simply, was that Plastic Dreams was as close as the MJQ ever got to making a pop album, and the production work of Arif Mardin reflects that idea — it utilizes a "hot" pop production rather than the dry-as-a-bone styled mix that typifies the MJQ's recordings up to that time. The opener, "Walkin' Stomp," reasserts this concept in a big way; it is as far into playing pure funk that the MJQ ever got, with Percy Heath laying down a solid groove and Milt Jackson contributing a brilliant, blazing solo. "Trav'lin" is a strong point of departure also, a minimalist time keeping exercise that contrasts rapid, repetitive figurations coordinated between John Lewis' left hand and Heath's bass with a very slowly evolving melody. Mardin further highlighted this by adding a subtle delay to the whole recording and sinking it slowly into the track, the only time the MJQ ever embraced the assistance of electronic technology into their work aside from participating in Gunther Schuller's "Conversation" (1957). While there is nothing else in the MJQ's book like "Trav'lin," Martin Williams stated that it was "another one reminiscent of their early pieces." The title track, "Plastic Dreams," is a reflective and relaxed tune that benefits from Lewis' employment of the harpsichord over the piano, as does "England's Carol," a fresh spin on "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen." The version of "Piazza Navona" here utilizes five horns and is like an entirely different composition from the one that appeared on The Comedy and Lewis' album The Golden Striker in 1960. It has an irresistibly catchy, entirely new introductory figure that winds its way through the piece, and once you hear it on Plastic Dreams, you'll miss it when you listen to the older versions. Indeed, as a whole Plastic Dreams does seem like a final refinement of several idealistic threads found throughout the MJQ's studio work stretching back to about 1960, with generous room made for new directions. By contrast, the album that followed — Blues on Bach (1973) — is more readily recognizable as belonging to the Third Stream context already established for the group. Despite the lukewarm criticism that has attended to it, and the fact that Atlantic didn't release it on CD until 34 years after it first appeared, Plastic Dreams is one of the MJQ's most exploratory efforts, though in the opposite direction from albums like Third Stream Music. As such, Plastic Dreams deserves pride of place as one of the late, and last, high-water marks to be found among their studio work during their regular period of activity, and it remains one of the most hip sounding and easily enjoyed of the MJQ's albums more than thirty years on. – Review by Uncle Dave Lewis, AMG.

Fred Katz - Fred Katz and His Music (2012) {2CD Set Decca–Fresh Sound FSR-CD744 rec 1958-1959}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 525 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 295 Mb
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© 1958-59, 2012 Decca / Fresh Sound Records | FSR-CD 744 | 24bit remastering
Jazz / Cool / Third Stream / Modern Creative / Cello

Fred Katz (born February 25, 1919) is an American composer, songwriter, conductor, cellist, pianist, and professor. In jazz, a principal contribution of Katz has been, as Leonard Feather noted, “to put the cello to full use both in arco and pizzicato solos.” Oscar Pettiford had already indicated the considerable jazz potential of plucked (pizzicato) cello, but with Oscar, the instrument remained secondary to his primary instrument, the bass. Katz was the first musician to utilize all of the cello in jazz as his chief instrument in that idiom.

Various Artists - Jazz From America On Disques Vogue (2015) {20CD Sony Music Box Set}
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© 2015 Sony Music / Legacy / Disques Vogue | 88875140962
Jazz / Cool / Bop / Swing / Mainstream Jazz

42 original albums (+4 EPs and 27 Singles) gathered on 20CDs ‘Jazz From America On Disques Vogue’ reviews the revolutionary passage from the 78 rpm to the Long-Play era. A totally cool little package – one that features 20 different CDs, each done as a different tiny replica of a 10" LP that originally appeared on the Vogue Records label overseas! Vogue was well-known for recording important sessions by American jazzmen in Paris in the early 50s – but this package brings together work that was recorded in America by many of the same artists, and issued by Vogue in unique packages overseas – many of which are replicated here, along with bonus material too! The set features 20 CDs, but includes 40 different albums – as each CD features tracks from original 10" album releases – with full details on tracks, personnel, and other information in the large booklet provided – a great complement to the records by artists who include Stan Getz, Gerry Mulligan, Red Norvo, Lester Young, Mahalia Jackson, Spirit Of Memphis Quartet, Wynonie Harris, Earl Bostic, Charlie Parker, Charlie Christian, Art Tatum, Erroll Garner, Sidney Bechet, Miles Davis, and others!