Mehter Old Janissairs Band

The second of two CDs from the TOM ("The Old Masters") label finishes the documentation of singer Mildred Bailey's earliest recordings. Bailey is featured with Paul Whiteman, the Dorsey Brothers Big Band, the Casa Loma Orchestra ("Heat Wave"), an all-star group with Benny Goodman (and tenor-great Coleman Hawkins) and on a her few of her own sessions. Although the emphasis is on ballads, the program generally holds on to one's interest (despite a few songs with racist lyrics, notably "Snowball") and the Goodman session (which is rounded off with an instrumental version of "Georgia Jubilee") is a near-classic. Other highlights include "I'll Never Be the Same," "Love Me Tonight," a touching "There's a Cabin in the Pines" and Bailey's earliest version of her future theme song "Rockin' Chair."

The Manchester Craftsman's Guild in Pittsburgh offers another rousing live concert date in this varied program led by the eclectic saxophonist who is best known as one of the Yellowjackets – but whose early résumé also boasts everyone from Tito Puente to Thad Jones and the Mel Lewis Big Band. A dash here and a dollop there of each of these influences make this a varied date whose appeal extends beyond big-band fans and embraces those who love bebop, a touch of the avant-garde, the progressive spirit of the Yellowjackets (most notably Russell Ferrante, who contributes stunning percussive solos on pieces like the crazed, polyrhythmic "Mofongo"), and the great contemporary vocalist Kurt Elling.

This performance was broadcast live on local radio station, allowing everyone in the vicinity to hear this dynamic gig. It may have been one of The Band's last live performances, but the passion in their music showed no sign of wavering. Line-Up: Rick Danko, Levon Helm, Garth Hudson, Richard Manuel, Robbie Robertson, Allen Toussaint, Howard Johnson, Snooky Young, Joe Farrell.

The 11 performances that make up this collection were culled from The Band's Rock Of Ages (The Band In Concert) double-LP concert album, released in 1972.

Charlie Parker - Big Band (1950-1953) {Verve Master Edition 24bit rel 1999}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 217 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 138 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (jpg) -> 449 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1950-53, 1999 Clef Records / Verve / PolyGram Records | 559 835-2
Jazz / Bop / Bebop / Big Band / Saxophone

A reissue of the original 1952 Clef recording session, this is one of the few instances in Charlie Parker's later career where he played with something other than a small bebop group. Under contract at the time to Clef's Norman Granz, Parker was encouraged by the label to make recordings that took him out of his familiar settings and put him in with string arrangements, Latin rhythms, and larger band formats. This recording is the result of one of these experiments. Though Joe Lipman's arrangements are stellar, the musicians assembled for the sessions are an odd mix of pop-oriented big-band players and improvisers.

orway's COME TASTE THE BAND (CTTB for sake of ease) is of course named after that legendary DEEP PURPLE album of the same name. Makes sense, seeing as they were originally a DP tribute band. From the beginning of "Not That Kind of Man" it is obvious where their main influence lays. The transitions, solos, song cord progression are so Purple MIII it fooled my nephew. Not to say it's bad, quite the opposite; it's actually well written and performed, just not ground breaking or terribly original…

While pianist-arranger-composer Toshiko Akiyoshi headed a fine big band in New York after moving cross-country in 1982, the orchestra that she led in Los Angeles in the 1970s was arguably her greatest accomplishment. The three-CD Mosaic Select set Toshiko Akiyoshi-Lew Tabackin Big Band collects all of the music originally released on the RCA albums Kogun, Long Yellow Road, Tales of a Courtesan, Insights, and March of the Tadpoles. With such major players as Akiyoshi’s husband Lew Tabackin on tenor and flute, trumpeters Bobby Shew and Don Rader, trombonist Britt Woodman and altoist Gary Foster among the many soloists in the all-star band, the orchestra could swing as hard as any of its competitors. In addition to the more boppish pieces, Akiyoshi often wrote works that displayed her Japanese heritage, utilizing Eastern harmonies and instruments along with her husband’s flute. Many of the highpoints of her career are on this perfectly conceived Mosaic release.