Jefferson Hotel

No one except psychedelic Renaissance man Alexander "Skip" Spence could have created an album such as Oar. Alternately heralded as a "soundtrack to schizophrenia" and a "visionary solo effort," Oar became delegated to cut out and bargain bins shortly after its release in the spring of 1969. However those who did hear it were instantly drawn into Spence's inimitable sonic surrealism. As his illustrious past in the Jefferson Airplane, Quicksilver Messenger Service, and Moby Grape would suggest, this album is a pastiche of folk and rock. In reality, however, while these original compositions may draw from those genres, each song has the individuality of a fingerprint…

Compilation CD's. Those Classic Golden Years - An Essential collection the second half of the sixties and the early seventies…

Dexter Gordon and Others - The Charlie Parker Memorial Concert (1970) {Chess–Vogue 600188 rel 1988}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 420 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 163 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 34 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1970, 1988 Chess / Vogue | 600188
Jazz / Bop / Saxophone

In Chicago, the cult of Bird fanatics probably lived harder than in other cities – and in the few decades after Charlie Parker's death, the city was host to annual Bird Memorial concerts during the month of August. This obscure 2LP set on Cadet does a good job of documenting the energy and comraderie that went into those sessions – as it captures tunes from four different performances during the series, all recorded at Chicago's North Park Hotel. Players include Dexter Gordon, Howard McGhee, Vi Redd, Lee Konitz, Art Hoyle, Von Freeman, Jodie Christian, Roy Haynes, Muhal Richard Abrams, Eddie Jefferson, and Kenny Dorham – and the set's a great crossection of players – from the bop to the less obvious Parker-philes – in a strong illustration of Bird's still-consistent influence even at the end of the 60s.

There are the fortunate few who really encountered Chris Whitley's music during his brief lifetime (he passed away from cancer in November of 2005); for everyone else, recordings like this are gifts. Whitley's last official offering was Reiter In, recorded as he was dying – he was a pauper, an imperfect businessman who had been deeply exploited by unscrupulous labels and "handlers." The record was a way to leave something for his daughter, Trixie, a brilliant singer, pianist, and songwriter in her own right, and was the last we thought we'd get from him. On Air was recorded on September 8, 2003 at Radio Bremen. It showcases the artist many of us remember best: a guy with a beat vintage National Steel guitar with a stompbox for his foot, playing his songs with all the revelatory passion and pathos he'd written them with.