Inglewood Richard Smith Wpcr

Joe Zawinul - The Rise & Fall Of The Third Stream (1967) {2012 Japan Jazz Best Collection 1000 Series 24bit Remaster WPCR-27124}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 218 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 82 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 205 Mb | 5% repair rar | 24bit remaster
© 1967, 2012 Vortex / Rhino / Warner Japan / WEA | WPCR-27124 | Jazz Best Collection 1000 Series
Jazz / Hard Bop / Soul Jazz / Third Stream / Piano

Features 24 bit remastering and comes with a mini-description. Although Joe first came to big fame in the US as a funky vamper and soloist behind Cannonball Adderley's big group of the 60s, this early album as a leader has a much more mature sound than Joe's funky work with Cannon – and it rightly earns the "third stream" tag in the title through the use of an enlarged ensemble that includes cello and viola, in addition to the core group of soulful players like Jimmy Owens, Richard Davis, and Freddie Waits. William Fischer's also on the record on tenor, and many of the tracks are his own compositions, with that kind of weird off-kilter, slightly serious approach he used on other Atlantic/Vortex sessions at the time. The mix of soul and serious scoring is actually a pretty darn compelling blend – as you'll hear on tracks like "Lord, Lord, Lord", "Soul Of A Village", and "The 5th Canto".

Johnny Smith - The New Johnny Smith Quartet (1956) {2016 Japan SHM-CD Jazz Masters Collection 1200 Series WPCR-29025}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 154 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 90 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (jpg) -> 47 Mb | 5% repair rar | Mono | 24bit remaster
© 1956, 2016 Roost / Parlophone / Warner Music Japan | WPCR-29025
Jazz / Cool / Guitar / Vibes

SHM-CD reissue. Comes with a mini-description. Features new remastering if it comes from Parlophone. A Johnny Smith album with a real difference, and that difference is vibes – handled her by a young John Rae, whose tones make a perfect accompaniment to Smith's chromatic style of guitar! The balance of vibes and guitar is beautiful – handled with all that sense of space that both Johns could bring to their 50s work – with just a bit of extra help from George Roumanis on bass and John Lee on drums – players who can come in strong when needed, but often lay back and let the chromes take over!

Buster Smith - The Legendary Buster Smith (1959) {2012 Japan Jazz Best Collection 1000 Series WPCR-27172}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 277 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 92 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 193 Mb | 5% repair rar | 24-bit remaster
© 1959, 2012 Atlantic / Warner Japan / WEA / Rhino | WPCR-27172
Jazz / Bop / Jazz Blues / Saxophone

Features 24 bit remastering and comes with a mini-description. Alto sax player, arranger, and composer Buster Smith recorded sparingly during his career and this seven-track set, recorded in a single session on June 7, 1959 and released by Atlantic Records a month or two later, was the only album Smith did as a bandleader. It's a low key, pleasant affair featuring five original Smith compositions, including the lightly swinging "Buster's Tune" and the odd, wonderfully disjointed "King Alcohol," as well as versions of Kurt Weill's "September Song" and Will Hudson's "Organ Grinder's Swing."

Johnny Smith - The Johnny Smith Foursome Vol.2 (1957) {2017 Japan SHM-CD Jazz Masters Collection 1200 Series WPCR-29211}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 182 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 100 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (jpg) -> 71 Mb | 5% repair rar | 24bit remaster
© 1957, 2017 Roost / Parlophone / Warner Music Japan | WPCR-29211
Jazz / Cool / Guitar

Reissue with SHM-CD format and new 24bit remastering. In 1957, Johnny Smith was at the height of his artistic power when he cut this album for the Roost label. Smith had a patented method for shifting from single-string statements of the melody line to complex chordal structures with amazing ease. This ability is put to use for each of the cuts on this album, but is especially useful on such cuts as "Angel Eyes" and "You Go to My Head." Smith's guitar also seemed to have a one of a kind resonance to it, which energized every melody he played, whether on the melody itself or when improvising, making his playing immediately recognizable.

Johnny Smith - The Johnny Smith Quartet (1955) {2016 Japan SHM-CD Jazz Masters Collection 1200 Series WPCR-29117}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 143 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 84 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (jpg) -> 61 Mb | 5% repair rar | 24bit remaster
© 1955, 2016 Roost / Parlophone / Warner Music Japan | WPCR-29117
Jazz / Cool / Guitar

SHM-CD reissue. Comes with a mini-description. Features new remastering if it comes from Parlophone. Sublime guitar work from the great Johnny Smith – a musician who was years ahead of his time, and influenced a generation with his clean, clear tone on the instrument! Smith's in a perfect setting here – a Roost label quartet date that includes Bob Pancost on piano, George Roumanis on bass, and Mousie Alexander on drums – a very understated group that really lets Johnny's wonderful tones and colors stand strongly out front! Titles include "0500 Blues", "Old Girl", "Tired Blood", "Un Poco Loco", and "More Bass". Great CD version – one of the few proper issues of this material!

The Johnny Smith Trio - Johnny Smith Favorites (1959) {2016 Japan SHM-CD Jazz Masters Collection 1200 Series WPCR-29141}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 185 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 78 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (jpg) -> 51 Mb | 5% repair rar | 24bit remaster
© 1959, 2016 Roost / Parlophone / Warner Music Japan | WPCR-29141
Jazz / Cool / Guitar

SHM-CD reissue. Comes with a mini-description. Features new remastering if it comes from Parlophone. Guitarist Johnny Smith in a sweet, laidback trio setting – just the kind of mode that's perfect for his gentle sense of color and tone – a style he virtually invented for jazz guitar in the 50s! The album's one of his classics for the Roost label, and it's a masterpiece in chromatic hues – subtle, simple, but completely fantastic – at a level that makes Johnny Smith one of the true legends in jazz guitar from the 50s. Accompaniment is by George Roumanis on bass and Mousie Alexander on drums – but both players are extremely gentle, and leave most of the sound to Johnny – as it should be. Titles include "Little Girl Blue", "My Funny Valentine", "Polka Dots & Moonbeams", "Everything Happens To Me", "Pavanne", and "Blues Back Stage".

Johnny Smith - The Sound Of The Johnny Smith Guitar (1960) {2017 Japan SHM-CD Jazz Masters Collection 1200 Series WPCR-29240}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 201 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 83 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (jpg) -> 64 Mb | 5% repair rar | 24bit remaster
© 1960, 2017 Roost / Parlophone / Warner Music Japan | WPCR-29240
Jazz / Cool / Guitar

Reissue with SHM-CD format and new 24bit remastering. The Johnny Smith sound is a wonderful one – not just the sound that he makes with his groundbreaking work on the strings of the guitar, but also the way he records the instrument – which set a new standard in jazz guitar albums, and also helped pave the way for countless generations to come! A date like this is a great example of the standard-setting work that Smith was able to give us in his prime – and the approach slightly updates the Smith guitar sound of the early 50s – clarifying it a bit, but still keeping that great tone right out front – with a group that includes Hank Jones on piano, George Duvivier on bass, and Ed Shaughnessey on drums.

Johnny Smith - Moonlight In Vermont (1953) {2016 Japan SHM-CD Jazz Masters Collection 1200 Series WPCR-29024}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 213 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 104 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (jpg) -> 89 Mb | 5% repair rar | 24bit remaster
© 1952-53, 2016 Roost / Parlophone / Warner Music Japan | WPCR-29024
Jazz / Cool / Guitar

Reissue with SHM-CD format and new 24bit remastering. A beautiful document of some of the most laidback jazz ever recorded – the sublime 50s recordings of the Johnny Smith group, done at a time when the lineup included Stan Getz! The tunes on the set feature Johnny's mellow electric guitar setting the pace, alongside wonderfully-blown early solos from Stan, plus some other tenor work from Zoot Sims and Paul Quinichette, who also sit in the tenor chair on a few of these recordings. The tunes are mostly standards, but done in a great style that's not exactly cool jazz, but which has a groundbreakingly easy groove that's simply sublime!

Johnny Smith - The Johnny Smith Foursome, Vol.1 (1957) {2017 Japan SHM-CD Jazz Masters Collection 1200 Series WPCR-29210}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 156 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 86 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (jpg) -> 65 Mb | 5% repair rar | 24bit remaster
© 1957, 2017 Roost / Parlophone / Warner Music Japan | WPCR-29210
Jazz / Cool / Guitar

Reissue with SHM-CD format and new 24bit remastering. An overlooked 50s set from guitarist Johnny Smith – one that features a piano added into his trio, hence the "foursome" in the title! The pianist here is Bob Pancoast, who has a fluid, sometimes gentle touch on the keys – one that spins out Smith's guitar a bit more than usual, with a lyrical flair that we really like – and which is sometimes a bit of a contrast to his better-known mellow mode. The rest of the group features Knobby Totah on bass and Jerry Segal on drums.

Johnny Smith - Johnny Smith Plays Jimmy Van Heusen (1955) {2017 Japan SHM-CD Jazz Masters Collection 1200 Series WPCR-29281}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 135 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 78 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (jpg) -> 74 Mb | 5% repair rar | 24bit remaster
© 1955, 2017 Roost / Parlophone / Warner Music Japan | WPCR-29281
Jazz / Cool / Guitar

Reissue with SHM-CD format and new 24bit remastering. Guitarist Johnny Smith plays the music of Jimmy Van Heusen – a composer whose understated approach is a perfect match for the subtle style of the stringman! The songs are mostly easygoing numbers, in a style that suits Johnny well – and allows him to open up those fluid tones and colors in just the right way. Backing is by a trio that features Bob Pancoast on piano, George Roumanis on bass, and Gerry Segal on drums – working with a vibe that matches the strength of Smith's other Roost sessions from the time – the kind of albums that helped redefine the role of the guitar in jazz during the postwar years.