Prill Upchurch

Recorded in 1971, shortly after he departed Cadet where he served as a house sideman-playing on dozens of records and a prefferred guitarist for Curtis Mayfield and Jerry Butler, Phil Upchurch headed for the West Coast and Blue Thumb Records. Produced by Tommy LiPuma, Upchurch's Darkness, Darkness is his quintessential (double) album, full of laid-back funky grooves, elegant, mind-blowing guitar work, elegant string and horn arrangements, and fine Fender Rhodes work from Donny Hathaway with legendary session bassist Chuck Rainey and smooth jazz piano great Joe Sample in the house. Upchurch effortlessly walks the line where jazz, blues, rock, soul, and funk fold into one another, yet he never gives quarter in the process.

1975 was a hell of a year for Creed Taylor's Kudu Records. Not only was the mighty, mighty Feels So Good album by Grover Washington, Jr. released, but so was saxophonist Hank Crawford's Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing. It was one of two recordings issued by Crawford for the label in that calendar year. But perhaps the most deeply satisfying and out of character album from that year was the absolute soul-jazz masterpiece Upchurch/Tennyson by Chicago guitar god Phil Upchurch and pianist/vocalist Tennyson Stephens. Where else can you find tracks by Bob James, Charles Stepney, Stevie Wonder, Ralph MacDonald, and Franz Schubert on the same album played by a cast of musicians that includes Steve Gadd, David Sanborn, Hubert Laws, James, Upchruch, Stephens, and a slew of others.

Phil Upchurch - Phil Upchurch Presents L.A. Jazz Quintet (1986) {2015 Japan King Super Jazz Collection KICJ 2481}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 240 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 99 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (jpg) -> 124 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1986, 2015 King Record Japan | KICJ 2481
Jazz / Contemporary Jazz / Post Bop / Guitar

Reissue with the latest remastering. Guitarist Phil Upchurch is in great company here – a cool, back-to-basics sort of group that almost gives Phil a hardbop heritage he didn't have in his youth! The lineup features excellent work on a variety of reeds from Brandon Fields – alto, tenor, soprano sax, and flute – each handled deftly, with an especially nice edge on the alto and soprano! Bobby Lyle plays acoustic piano – and reminds us what a great straight player he can be, even though we love his electric work – and the group's got a great bottom groove from Brian Bromberg on bass and Harvey Mason on drums. Upchurch is the real star, though – and sometimes solos with the ferocity of a horn on his guitar – matching Fields at some moments in this really great way.

The world-renowned guitarist Phil Upchurch plays 13 great songs on Tell the Truth. This CD is a gem. Playing blues, soul, R&B, and jazz, Upchurch shows his remarkable versatility on such great songs as "Jive Samba," "La Costa," the title track, and "St. Louis Blues." He performs a flamenco version of "La Costa" with beauty and style, and flaunts his "stride guitar" technique on a solo rendition of "St. Louis Blues." His inimitably smooth and soulful phrasing shines on "Manhattan," and he doubles on harmonica on his original composition "She's Alright." However, the highlights of this great program are "Tell the Truth," a song Upchurch wrote with Ray Charles in mind, and his great arrangement of Dave Brubeck's "Take Five," which he plays much in the same way as he did on George Benson's smash hit "Breezin'."

Phil Upchurch - Feeling Blue (1967) {Milestone OJCCD-1100-2 rel 2004}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 268 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 94 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 8 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1967, 2004 Milestone Records / Fantasy | OJCCD-1100-2
Jazz / Soul Jazz / Jazz Blues / Guitar

Phil Upchurch was a celebrated, in-demand sideman in R&B, blues, and jazz before he recorded Feeling Blue, his 1967 Milestone debut as a leader. He'd already worked with everyone from Jimmy Reed and Curtis Mayfield to John Lee Hooker and B.B. King, and would go on to accompany many more and release a string of killer solo albums. There is more than the seed of genius at work on Feelin' Blue. These ten cuts were recorded over two days in September and October with two different ensembles.