Grace Maffucci Grace Maffuccis Senior Jazz Recital

Tal Farlow - A Recital By Tal Farlow (1955) {Verve Japan, Early Press, J28J 25111 rel 1988}
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© 1955, 1988 Norgran Records / Verve / Polygram Japan | J28J 25111
Jazz / Bop / Cool / Guitar

Farlow shines on this mid-50s Verve gem, long out of print and not available on CD except at an exceptionally high cost (same with the vinyl usually as well). He is accompanied by a piano-less quintet consisting of Bob Gordon on baritone (who was definitely influenced by Gerry Mulligan), Bill Perkins on tenor sax, Bob Enevoldsen on valve trombone, Monty Budwig on bass and Lawrence Marable on drums. There are only 7 selections so the musicians (especially Mssr. Farlow) get a chance to stretch out.

Tommy Flanagan - The Tokyo Recital (1975) {Pablo Japan VICJ-60869 rel 2001, Paper Sleeve}
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© 1975, 2001 Pablo Records / Victor Japan | VICJ-60869 | 20bitK2
Jazz / Hard Bop / Piano

When this set was recorded, pianist Tommy Flanagan had spent so much time as Ella Fitzgerald's accompanist (the past seven years, plus two before that) that many jazz followers had forgotten how strong a soloist he was. In a trio with bassist Keter Betts and drummer Bobby Durham on this straight CD reissue of a former LP, Flanagan is heard in superior form. He interprets a full set of Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn-associated songs. Highlights include "U.M.M.G. (Upper Manhattan Medical Group)," "Main Stem," "Chelsea Bridge," and a particularly memorable rendition of "The Intimacy of the Blues." Highly recommended.

Junior Cook - Senior Cookin' (1979-81) {32 Jazz 32095 rel 1998}
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© 1979-81, 1998 Muse / 32 Jazz | 32095
Jazz / Hard Bop / Post Bop / Saxophone

Except for one other recording, tenor saxophonist Junior Cook's two Muse albums were his only opportunities to lead his own record dates during the 1962-1987 period. 1979's Good Cookin' (played by a septet including trombonist Slide Hampton, trumpeter Bill Hardman, baritonist Mario Rivera, pianist Albert Dailey, bassist Walter Booker, and drummer Leroy Williams) and 1981's Somethin's Cookin' (a high-quality quartet showcase for Cook with pianist Cedar Walton, bassist Buster Williams, and drummer Billy Higgins) are reissued in full on this single CD, except for four alternate takes from the latter date that were included on Muse's original CD reissue.

This compilation, gathered from recordings of her New York sessions in 1954, is an excellent sampler of the skills and charms of Lady Day. While the disc may appear to be just another throw-together of Holiday hits, with nothing in particular to distinguish it from the others, the arrangements, the performances and the recordings themselves are all wonderful. Backed by tight, laid-back session musicians (Oscar Peterson plays piano on many of the tracks–check out his solo on "Lover, Come Back to Me"), Holiday here enjoys the last full flush of her talents before health and substance abuse problems claimed her voice in the late '50s. In tracks like "He's Funny That Way" and "Softly," her raspy voice plays over melodies, caressing them, trailing off the end of phrases for emotional punctuation. Her tone is at once rich and wispy, managing simultaneously to convey vulnerability, despair, strength and sexuality…

Two years after they recorded Friday Night in San Francisco, John McLaughlin, Al di Meola and Paco de Lucía reunited for another set of acoustic guitar trios, Passion, Grace and Fire, If this can be considered a guitar "battle" (some of the playing is ferocious and these speed demons do not let up too often), then the result is a three-way tie. This guitar summit lives up to its title.

Like evangelistic sax great Kirk Whalum, versatile vocalist/guitarist Jonathan Butler has drawn upon his success in contemporary urban jazz to create opportunities in the realm of worship and gospel music. The South African-born artist launched this phase of his career with 2004's The Worship Project and has since anchored his live jazz performances with the crowd-pleasing "Brand New Day" and "Falling in Love with Jesus." While tracks like the title tune "Grace and Mercy," "You're All That I Need," and "Who Is Like the Lord" are rousing, choir-filled, R&B-driven call and response church tunes, the crux of what Butler is going for on this dynamic and heartfelt set is his simple but emotional exhortation on the passionate reflective ballad "Moments of Worship" to "Lift those hands…give glory to God."