Hank Jones Satin Doll

In the opening of this 107-minute long DVD, Hank Jones says he visited Kobe for the first time "ten years ago" (ie, 1986), and Ron Carter refers to the city as "the birthplace of jazz in Japan." The concert, filmed on December 4, 1996, starts with Jones-Carter duo performances of "'Round Midnight" and "Polka Dots and Moonbeams," followed by trio renditions (with Lewis Nash added on drums) of "Blue Monk" and "A Night in Tunisia." Hank Jones' part of the concert, leading Santi DeBriano (bass) and Jimmie Smith (drums), begins with an up-tempo version of "Speak Low," and continues with "On Green Dolphin Street," "Body and Soul," and "What's New?"

Despite a frequent change of supporting players, pianist Hank Jones always produces rewarding sessions when he leads the Great Jazz Trio in a studio date. On the 1978 Great Jazz Trio Direct From L.A. disc made for the Japanese label East Wind, premier sidemen Ron Carter and Tony Williams are on hand. Right away Jones signals that he is in a playful mood, using Tchaikovsky's "Arabian Dance" (from The Nutcracker) to introduce and close a cooking rendition of "A Night in Tunisia." The treatment of "'Round About Midnight" is more straightforward, though Jones' style adds an elegant touch. His off-kilter introduction to the well-traveled "Satin Doll" keeps the song fresh. He transforms "My Funny Valentine" into a brisk loping waltz, with Carter and Williams providing imaginative support. If there's a bone to pick with this well-recorded CD, it is the miserly length of just 29 minutes.

Collaboration is the third CD to be issued from a pair of 2002 sessions by the Great Jazz Trio, featuring Elvin Jones and Richard Davis with leader Hank Jones. The pianist previously worked alongside Davis on numerous sessions led by other musicians, including Elvin's Dear John C., though the Jones brothers worked together only sporadically during their long careers. ~ CDUniverse

Johnny Smith - The Complete Roost Johnny Smith Small Group Sessions (1952-64) {8CD Box Set Mosaic MD8-216 rel 2002}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 2.55 Gb | MP3 @320 -> 1.29 Gb
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© 1952-64, 2002 Roost / Mosaic Records / EMI | MD8-216
Jazz / Cool / Guitar

Johnny Smith is an exquisite jazz guitarist known mostly to fellow musicians and serious jazz fans. This beautifully packaged and expertly annotated eight-CD limited-edition boxed set from Mosaic includes his complete small-group recordings for Roost, most of which have languished out of print for decades. Smith's unique voicings on his instrument set him apart from other players, yet he maintains a lush, crystal-clear tone no matter the tempo or setting.

Collaboration is the third CD to be issued from a pair of 2002 sessions by the Great Jazz Trio, featuring Elvin Jones and Richard Davis with leader Hank Jones. The pianist previously worked alongside Davis on numerous sessions led by other musicians, including Elvin's Dear John C., though the Jones brothers worked together only sporadically during their long careers. Although eight of the songs appeared on Someday My Prince Will Come (issued by Eighty-Eights/Columbia) and the earlier 441 CD Autumn Leaves, these are valid alternate takes and not repeats or castoffs. Elvin Jones, who died in 2004 from heart problems, is still in top form on these sessions, especially on the thunderous opener, "Rhythm-a-Ning," though he focuses quite a bit on his underrated brushwork for the remainder of the disc…

Johnny Hodges & Wild Bill Davis - Blue Hodge (2007) {Lonehill LHJ10286 rec 1961-66}
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© 1961-66, 2007 Verve / Lone Hill Jazz | LHJ10286
Jazz / Blues / Jazz Blues / Saxophone / Organ / Guitar

The Johnny Hodges-Wild Bill Davis Project, Vol. 4. BLUE HODGE (LP). This out-of-print LP (which has not yet been reissued on CD) is the earliest of several matchups between altoist Johnny Hodges and organist Wild Bill Davis. With the assistance of Les Spann on guitar and flute, bassist Sam Jones and drummer Louis Hayes, Hodges and Davis mostly stick to fresh material, including three then-recent originals by Gary McFarland. Highlights include "Azure Te," "It Shouldn't Happen to a Dream" and "There Is No Greater Love," in addition to some swinging blues.