The Al Insist

Abbey Lincoln - Through The Years (2009) {3CD Box Set Verve 532 096-1 rec 1957-2007}
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© 1957-2007, 2009 Verve / UM | 532 096-1
Jazz / Vocal Jazz / Standards / Post Bop

Anyone who has followed Abbey Lincoln’s career with any regularity understands that she has followed a fiercely individual path and has paid the cost for those choices. Through the Years is a cross-licensed, three-disc retrospective expertly compiled and assembled by the artist and her longtime producer, Jean-Philippe Allard. Covering more than 50 years in her storied career, it establishes from the outset that Lincoln was always a true jazz singer and unique stylist. Though it contains no unreleased material, it does offer the first true picture of he range of expression. Her accompanists include former husband Max Roach, Benny Carter, Kenny Dorham, Charlie Haden, Sonny Rollins, Wynton Kelly, Benny Golson, J.J. Johnson, Art Farmer, Stan Getz, and Hank Jones, to name scant few.

Mozart claimed to dislike the flute and, for that matter, the harp as well which also plays a prominent role in this compilation. But in spite of that, he produced music for the flute in a variety of genres all of which is delightful and much of which is masterful. This release on Philips's "duo" series presents an excellent opportunity for an overview of Mozart's works for flute, well played. It also offers a rare opportunity to hear a variety of performers on the flute and other instruments and orchestras.

In the words of a survey of nineteenth-century Italian opera, published by the Corriere della sera to mark the turning of the century, Mascagni was "condemned to a masterpiece": after the triumph of Cavalleria rusticana nothing less would do. He lived for another 55 years, and although some of his 14 subsequent operas were immensely successful for a while (he claimed that Iris was better received than Cavalleria, and there was a near-riot of enthusiasm at the premiere of Il piccolo Marat) none was judged by the critics to be the awaited 'masterpiece', and nearly all had fallen from the repertory by the end of his life.

One of the trully mysterious cases of a band presenting itself as an Italian one, but the endless mistakes in the cover notes and lyrics indicate that this was not actually an Italian album.Ballettirosadimacchia's (a compressed form of ''Balletti rosa di macchia''-pink-colored ballets) sole self-titled album remains a mystery until today…

Frank Strozier - Long Night (1962) {Milestone MCD-47095-2 rel 2002}
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© 1961-62, 2002 Jazzland / Milestone / Fantasy | MCD-47095-2
Jazz / Hard Bop / Post Be-bop / Saxophone

In a perfect world, Frank Strozier would have built a large catalog at Jazzland. But regrettably, the alto saxman's association with Jazzland was brief. Strozier only recorded two albums for the label – Long Night in 1961 and March of the Siamese Children in 1962 – and both were produced by Orrin Keepnews. In 2002, Fantasy reissued the two albums back to back on this 78-minute Milestone CD. Long Night (which features tenor saxman George Coleman and tends to favor a pensive, reflective approach) is the more essential of the two, but March of the Siamese Children is certainly solid and enjoyable.