Syl Johnson ‎ Uptown Shakedown (1979) [2012 Japan]

Excellent Underrated AOR album from English Songwriter / Musician Adrian Gurvitz, Released in 1979 on Jet label.

George Adams - Paradise Space Shuttle (1979) {2015 Japan Timeless Jazz Master Collection Complete Series}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 284 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 99 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 247 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1979, 2015 Timeless Records / Solid Records Japan / Ultra-Vibe | CDSOL-6321
Jazz / Post Bop / Jazz Funk / Saxophone

Reissue with the latest remastering. Features original cover artwork. Comes with a descripton in Japanese. A tremendous moment for the great George Adams as a leader – a record that won the reedman widespread attention after some key work in the bigger groups of Gil Evans and Charles Mingus! Adams is a searing, soulful player right from the start – stepping out strongly on tenor at the kickoff of the record, but also blowing some flute with this moodier, more spiritual tone that really deepens our appreciation of his talents as a musician. The rest of the group is filled with similar spiritual energy – and includes Ron Burton on piano, Don Pate on bass, Al Foster on drums, and Azzedin Weston on percussion. The style is nicely different than some of George's later work with Don Pullen – maybe a bit more straightforward, but in a great way that really unlocks his voice as a leader – and titles include "Funk A Roonie Peacock", "Metamorphosis for Mingus", "Paradise Space Shuttle", and "Intentions".

Billy Higgins - The Soldier (1979) {2015 Japan Timeless Jazz Master Collection Complete Series CDSOL-6358}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 245 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 94 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 180 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1979, 2015 Timeless Records / Solid Records Japan / Ultra-Vibe | CDSOL-6358
Jazz / Hard Bop / Drums

Reissue with the latest remastering. Features original cover artwork. Comes with a descripton in Japanese. A heck of a great little album from drummer Billy Higgins – one of his few standout efforts as a leader, after years and years of impeccable work as a player on some of our favorite records! The set's got a simple, almost innocuous approach – with Higgins leading a quartet that features Cedar Walton on piano, Walter Booker on bass, and Monty Waters on alto sax. But from the very first note, the album bristles with energy and excitement – in a mode that recalls the Clifford Jordan recordings that also featured Higgins from the mid 70s – sharing a similar sense of soulful and joyous expression. Waters is really great, with a really biting, honest tone – and singer Roberta Davis joins the group on an excellent reading of Waters' composition "Sugar & Spice". Other tracks include Walton's nice "Midnite Waltz", and great versions of Horace Silver's "Peace" and Sonny Rollins' "Sonnymoon For Two".

Gil Evans - Svengali (1973) {2012 Japan Jazz Best Collection 1000 Series WPCR-27049}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 274 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 97 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (png) -> 20 Mb | 5% repair rar | 24-bit remaster
© 1973, 2012 Warner Japan / Atlantic / WEA / Rhino | WPCR-27049 / 8122- 79693-3
Jazz / Modern Big Band / Fusion / Post Bop / Progressive Jazz

Features 24 bit remastering and comes with a mini-description. This is one of Gil Evans's finest recordings of the 1970s. He expertly blended together acoustic and electronic instruments, particularly on an exciting rendition of "Blues in Orbit" (which includes among its soloists a young altoist named David Sanborn). All six selections have their memorable moments (even a one-and-a-half minute version of "Eleven"); colorful solos are contributed by guitarist Ted Dunbar, Howard Johnson on tuba and flügelhorn, the passionate tenor of Billy Harper, and bassist Herb Bushler, among others; and Evans's arrangements are quite inventive and innovative. Rarely would he be so successful in balancing written and improvised sections in his later years.

Herbie Hancock - Mr. Hands (1979) {2014 Japan Jazz Collection 1000 Columbia-RCA Series SICP 3997}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 263 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 94 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 188 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1979, 2014 Columbia / Sony Music Japan | SICP 3997
Jazz / Post Bop / Fusion / Jazz Funk / Piano

Reissue with latest DSD remastering. Comes with liner notes. Herbie Hancock's lackluster string of electric albums around this period was enhanced by this one shining exception: an incorrigibly eclectic record that flits freely all over the spectrum. Using several different rhythm sections, Herbie Hancock is much more the imaginative hands-on player than at any time since the prime Headhunters period, overdubbing lots of parts from his ever-growing collection of keyboards. He has regained a good deal of his ability to ride in the groove.

Excellent Underrated AOR album from English Songwriter / Musician Adrian Gurvitz, Released in 1979 on Jet label.

Ray Bryant - MCMLXX (1970) {2012 Japan Jazz Best Collection 1000 Series WPCR-27092}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (image)+CUE+LOG -> 213 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 78 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (png) -> 29 Mb | 5% repair rar | 24bit remaster
© 1970, 2012 Atlantic / Rhino / Warner Japan / WEA | WPCR-27092
Jazz / Hard Bop / Soul Jazz / Jazz Blues / Piano

Features 24 bit remastering and comes with a mini-description. Despite some commercial tendencies, this 1970 LP (not yet reissued on CD) is better than it looks. Pianist Ray Bryant uplifts such pop material as "Let It Be," "Bridge Over Troubled Waters," "Hey Jude," and "Spinning Wheel." Four selections find Bryant's trio (with electric bassist Chuck Rainey and drummer Jimmy Johnson) augmented by either horns (on "Let It Be") or by strings effectively arranged by Eumir Deodata. The colorful results are not essential but are less dated than one might think.

Bryan Adams is the debut solo studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Bryan Adams, after previously being the lead vocalist of Canadian hard rock band Sweeney Todd. The album was released on 12 February 1980 by A&M Records. "Hidin' from Love" reached number 64 and "Give Me Your Love" reached number 91 on Canada's RPM 100 Singles chart. In early 1978, Bryan Adams teamed up with Jim Vallance (formerly of Canadian band Prism) to form a song-writing duo. A&M Records signed the pair as songwriters, not long before signing Adams as a recording artist. He worked on the debut album for the balance of 1979. The first single was "Hidin' from Love" in 1980, peaked at number 43 on the Billboard dance charts, which was followed up by "Give Me Your Love" and "Remember". Although the album never received any US notoriety on its debut, it was the door opener that led to getting radio play, tours, management, agents and the music business in general, interested in the 20-year-old songwriter.

David Liebman Quintet - Doin' It Again (1979) {2015 Japan Timeless Jazz Master Collection Complete Series}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 245 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 90 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 172 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1979, 2015 Timeless Records / Solid Records Japan / Ultra-Vibe | CDSOL-6319
Jazz / Post Bop / Fusion / Saxophone

Reissue with the latest remastering. Features original cover artwork. Comes with a descripton in Japanese. An excellent set from reedman Dave Liebman – easily one of his most soulful from the 70s, thanks to some key currents in the group! John Scofield is on the session – playing guitar, but sometimes with this phrasing that almost feels more like a keyboard – especially in the way it layers into the rhythms from Ron McClure on bass and Adam Nussbaum on drums – who work with John to carve out these nicely chunky moments that allow Dave to really take off on tenor and soprano sax. The great Terumasa Hino is also in the combo – and his work on trumpet and flugelhorn is brilliant – this bold, flowing sense of color that really illuminates things – and without which, the album would be far less. Titles include "Cliff's Vibes", "Stardust", "Lady", and "Doin It Again".