Marcin Wądołowski Quintet – Blue Night Session

The Manhattan Jazz Quintet are an unusual group in that they very rarely perform as a unit in the United States (much less Manhattan) but have been a major hit in Japan, both for their recordings and occasional tours. Originally comprised of leader/pianist David Matthews, trumpeter Lew Soloff, tenor saxophonist George Young, bassist Eddie Gomez, and drummer Steve Gadd, the band (which emphasizes straight-ahead hard bop swinging) first came together in 1983 at the suggestion of the King label and the top Japanese jazz magazine Swing Journal. To everyone's surprise, its first recording (simply called Manhattan Jazz Quintet) became such a big seller that it was awarded Swing Journal's annual 1984 Gold Disk Award as the number one album in Japan…

The music for Blue Night was inspired by the lively, colorful, elegant world of fashion designers, models, photographers and beautiful locations, like Miami Beach, where today's photos are being shot…The music thrives on rhythms and a very jazz-influenced groove piano. Arrangements, programming and keyboards are the work of the composers Jay Heye and Curtis McLaw. They've added guitar and saxophone to produce some rich sounds and some very tight arranging. Sensual jazz, light house grooves and some fine piano playing turn this into a first-rate CD debut.

Art Blakey Quintet - A Night at Birdland Vol.1 (1954) {Blue Note Japan, CP32-5201, Early Press}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 325 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 127 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 201 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1954, 1986 Blue Note / Toshiba EMI Japan | CP32-5201
Jazz / Hard Bop

During Blue Note vault research in 1975, four additional full performances from this historic Birdland recording were discovered. three of them were issued in the U.S. in 1978 as part of a Blakey double album. All four were issued in 1983 in Japan as A NIGHT AT BIRDLAND, Volume Three, which had a short playing time. Due to the expanded time limitations of the CD, half of these discoveries have been added to each of the original Birdland volumes. -Michael Cuscuna

Art Blakey Quintet - A Night at Birdland Vol.2 (1954) {Blue Note Japan, CP32-5202, Early Press}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 318 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 124 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 200 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1954, 1986 Blue Note / Toshiba EMI Japan | CP32-5202
Jazz / Hard Bop

During Blue Note vault research in 1975, four additional full performances from this historic Birdland recording were discovered. three of them were issued in the U.S. in 1978 as part of a Blakey double album. All four were issued in 1983 in Japan as A NIGHT AT BIRDLAND, Volume Three, which had a short playing time. Due to the expanded time limitations of the CD, half of these discoveries have been added to each of the original Birdland volumes. -Michael Cuscuna

Hampton Hawes Quartet - All Night Session, Vols. 1-3 (1956) {2CD Set Japan Victor Mini LP 20-bit K2, VICJ-60782~3 rel 2001}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 1.08 Gb | MP3 @320 -> 437 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 21 Mb | 5% repair rar | 20-bit K2 super coding
© 1956, 2001 Contemporary Records / Victor Japan | VICJ-60782~3
Jazz / Bop / Hard Bop / Piano

A Japanese reissue of this terrific session which was originally released on three LPs. It's beautifully remastered in 20-bit K2 super coding and contains one track not on any of the original LPs. Originally issued on three LPs, the music resulting from Hampton Hawes' All Night Session! was stereophonically recorded for the Contemporary label in Los Angeles on the night of November 12 and into the morning of November 13, 1956. This session transcended the conventions of studio production by moving steadily from one tune to the next like a live gig with no alternate takes.

When Art Blakey founded the Jazz Messengers, his initial goal was to not only make his mark on the hard bop scene, but to always bring younger players into the fold, nurture them, and send them out as leaders in their own right. Pianist Horace Silver, trumpeter Clifford Brown, and saxophonist Lou Donaldson were somewhat established, but skyrocketed into stardom after this band switched personnel. Perhaps the most acclaimed combo of Blakey's next to the latter-period bands with Lee Morgan and Wayne Shorter, the pre-Messengers quintet heard on this first volume of live club dates at Birdland in New York City provides solid evidence to the assertion that this ensemble was a one of a kind group the likes of which was not heard until the mid-'60s Miles Davis Quintet…

On this follow-up volume of recordings done live at Birdland from the second-edition "Jazz Messengers" (officially the Art Blakey Quintet), there are extraordinary high points, along with low points that either result from tiredness or a lack or preparation. With trumpeter Clifford Brown taking over briefly for Donald Byrd, and alto saxophonist Lou Donaldson in the fray post-Hank Mobley, the band has a very different sound, though pianist Horace Silver, Blakey, and bassist Curly Russell (sitting in for Doug Watkins on these recordings only) are solid as a rock. There's some quintessential bop and hard bop in this set, inspired and hard-charging as one might expect, but the Latin tinge of the original band is gone…