Doug Henning

Doug Raney is a brilliant guitarist whose style is firmly rooted in the bebop and classic modern jazz traditions. He has lived in Copenhagen for more than 30 years, shortly after he first visited the Danish capital during a duo tour with his father and famous guitarst, Jimmy Raney. Living in Denmark may have decreased his visibility to the American audience, but he has created a substantial body of thoughful, emotionally subtle, and powerful jazz and recorded for the Danish label Steeple Chase as well as the Japanese label Marshmallow Records. His latest Marshmallow CD is a delight! From the opening track "Oblivion," the listner is captivated by his warm tone, impeccable technique, flowing sense of swing, and a perfect balance of lyricism and emotion.

With a genuine hit to his credit, Kenny Loggins decided to stretch himself a bit on Keep the Fire, hiring Tom Dowd and toughening his sound slightly, adding a more flamboyant production in the process. He also decided to look like Doug Henning on the cover, which may be a surer sign that success had started to go to his head. All this resulted in a self-consciously tougher record than either of its predecessors, with a punchy sound, detailed production, and shades of boogie. Relying more on original material, this winds up being more uneven than Nightwatch, but it boasts more character, even if that means something as silly as "Mr. Night." Also, the record, though clearly presented as a relative band effort, complete with a photo of the supporting band on the back cover, winds up not being as unified as its two predecessors, even if it's more "band-like"…

Chet Baker Trio - The Touch of Your Lips (1979) {SteepleChase SCCD 31122 rel 1989}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 172 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 111 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (jpg) -> 49 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1979, 1989 SteepleChase ProductionsApS | SCCD 31122
Jazz / Cool / West Coast Jazz / Standards / Trumpet

This was the perfect setting during his later years. The trumpeter (who also sings on two of the six songs) sounds very relaxed and comfortable while accompanied by the duo of guitarist Doug Raney and bassist Niels Pedersen, taking some consistently lyrical solos on the six standards.

While it would be utterly foolish to consider a two-disc set by guitarist John McLaughlin as anything other than a sample of the wildly diverse career he's enjoyed since the early '60s, it should be noted and underscored that what Legacy does with this set is to provide a solid look at not only the man's gifts but at the way he's employed them, exploited them, and let them get the best of him for the past 40-plus years.