Joe Farrell Quartet

Five Original albums recorded by the Saxophonist and Fluatist Joe Farrell for the CTi label between 1970 and 1975. Joe Farrell Quartet from ’70 is an overlooked classic of its time. OutBack from ’72 is quite esoteric modal Jazz. Upon This Rock from 74 includes the frantic ‘I Won’t Be Back’ and much sampled funky title track. Penny Arcade from ’74 and Canned Funk from ’75 are more Jazz-Funk.

Jaki Byard Quartet with Joe Farrell - The Last From Lennie's (1965) {Prestige PRCD-11029-2 rel 2003}
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© 1965, 2003 Prestige Records / Fantasy | PRCD-11029-2
Jazz / Bop / Piano / Saxophone

There's a good and bad side of releasing old material that's been buried in a record label's vault or someone's attic. If the material's solid, say a live date from an artist's prime, then it's a Godsend. If the material is weak, or repeats earlier releases in a weaker form, it does a disservice to the artist. Luckily for fans of pianist Jaki Byard, the quartet recordings on Last From Lennie's are bursting with creative energy. Taped on April 14, 1965, Byard is joined by saxophonist Joe Farrell, bassist George Tucker, and drummer Alan Dawson for an adventurous live set.

Joe Farrell & Louis Hayes Quartet - Vim 'n' Vigor (1983) {2015 Japan Timeless Jazz Master Collection Complete Series}
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© 1983, 2015 Timeless Records / Solid Records Japan / Ultra-Vibe | CDSOL-6323
Jazz / Hard Bop / Post Bop / Saxophone

Reissue with the latest remastering. Features original cover artwork. Comes with a descripton in Japanese.An album with a terrible cover – but a wonderful sound! Underneath this ridiculous bikini-clad cover lies some of the best work that Louis Hayes and Joe Farrell cut during the 80s – a freewheeling and open session that's steep on soul, and filled with the best energy both players could muster! The group's a quartet, with Farrell on tenor, soprano, and flute, Hayes on drums, Rob Van Den Broeck on piano, and Harry Emmery on bass. Farrell's inventiveness, as always, is incredible – restrained from some of his over-the-top work in the 70s – but in a good way, one that has him really focusing on the construction of his solos, and coming up with some wonderfully soulful notes that hold the lively rhythms of the tunes together. All tracks are long, and titles include "Miles Mode", "Vim N Vigor", "Arab Arab", and "Besame Mucho".

Outback is the second and finest of Joe Farrell's dates for Creed Taylor's CTI label. Recorded in a quartet setting in 1970, with Elvin Jones, Chick Corea, and Brazilian percussionist Airto Moreira, Farrell pushes the envelope not only of his own previous jazz conceptualism, but CTI's envelope, as well. Outback is not a commercially oriented funk or fusion date, but an adventurous, spacy, tightrope-walking exercise between open-ended composition and improvisation. That said, there is plenty of soul in the playing. Four compositions, all arranged by Farrell, make up the album. The mysterious title track by John Scott opens the set. Staged in a series of minor-key signatures, Farrell primarily uses winds – flutes and piccolos – to weave a spellbinding series of ascending melodies over the extended, contrasting chord voicings by Corea.

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.

Harry Verbeke & Rob Agerbeek Quartet - Seven Steps (1982) {2016 Japan Timeless Jazz Master Collection Complete Series}
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© 1982, 2016 Timeless Records / Solid Records Japan / Ultra-Vibe | CDSOL-6427
Jazz / Post Bop / Cool / Saxophone / Piano Trio

Reissue with the latest remastering and the original cover artwork. Comes with a description written in Japanese. Tenorist Harry Verbeke's a hell of a reedman – a Dutch player who's never gotten the notice he should on our side of the Atlantic, but definitely one of the shining stars of the scene in Netherlands over the past 50 years! Harry blows with a sense of soul and bite right from the very first few notes of this gem of a record – working in tight formation with pianist Rob Agerbeek – another tremendous Dutch talent – in a groove that's as soulful and fluid as the best American work of the late 60s or 70s – classic in conception, but really trying to so something new as well, and with a very personal vibe on the tenor solos. Bassist Harry Emmery rounds out the groove with this wonderful warm tone – and drummer James Martin completes the group – on stellar titles that include "Sometimes Bread", "Ladies Birthday", "Seven Steps", "Ghana", and "Off The Top".

Except for a ballad medley, this CD reissues all of the music from two earlier LPs featuring pianist Jaki Byard, Joe Farrell (who plays tenor, soprano, flute, and even some drums), bassist George Tucker, and drummer Alan Dawson (doubling on vibes). The set, recorded live at Lennie's-on-the-Turnpike in Massachusetts, is a superior outing for all of the players. Farrell shows just how strong a player he was while Byard's versatility (and full knowledge of all jazz piano styles) keeps the proceedings continually unpredictable.

Mingus Dynasty - Chair In The Sky (1979) {2013 Japan Jazz Best Collection 1000 Series 24bit Remastered}
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© 1979, 2013 Elektra / Warner Japan / WEA / Rhino | WPCR-27440 | Jazz Best Collection 1000 Series
Jazz / Post Bop / Progressive Jazz

Features 24 bit remastering and comes with a mini-description. After bassist/composer Charles Mingus' death on January 5, 1979, a reunion band featuring some of his former sidemen called Mingus Dynasty was formed. Cut just six months after the bassist's demise, this album was the first Mingus Dynasty recording, and it has its moments. Such alumni as altoist John Handy, trombonist Jimmy Knepper, trumpeter Jimmy Owens, and tenorman Joe Farrell meet up with two members of Mingus' last major band (pianist Don Pullen and drummer Dannie Richmond), plus bassist Charlie Haden, who ably fills in for the late bandleader.

Robinsongs brings you perhaps the definitive round up of cool tracks to be released by CTI Records and affiliated label Kudu on a Double CD.