West Wind | WW

Bill Evans Trio - Live In Buenos Aires 1979 (2008) {2CD Set, West Wind WW 2061}
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© 1979, 2008 West Wind / ITM | WW 2061
Jazz / Post Bop / Modal Jazz / Piano

This 2CD set features the brilliant pianist Bill Evans with bassist Marc Johnson and Joe LaBarbera on drums live in concert in Buenos Aires, Argentina on September 27, 1979. A great deal of music by this trio has been released and I am not familiar with most of it, but the music on this CD is so good that I doubt there are many recordings of this group that are significantly better. If you like the 2 volumes of the Paris Concert you will like this. In fact I think it is a bit superior to those recordings.

Archie Shepp - Perfect Passions (1978) {West Wind WW 2082 rel 1992}
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© 1978, 1992 West Wind | WW 2082
Jazz / Post Bop / Progressive Jazz / Saxophone

Recorded in 1978 in Warsaw, Poland, this set of Archie Shepp's was played before it became his journeyman live gig. The greasy rhythm section includes Wilber Little on bass, the amazing Clifford Jarvis on drums, and German pianist Seigfried Kessler on piano. There are three tunes in the set: one of the finest and most involved harmonic performances of "Mama Rose"; "Billy Strayhorn's Lush Life," which is a mirror image of Coltrane's 1956 read, and goes on for a full 20 minutes.

Dave Liebman - First Visit (1973) {West Wind WW 2067 rel 1991}
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© 1973, 1991 West Wind | WW 2067
Jazz / Post Bop / Saxophone

First Visit is an album by saxophonist David Liebman which was recorded in Tokyo in 1973 and originally released on the Japanese Philips label before being reissued by West 54 Records in 1980 and on CD by West Wind Records in 1991.

Dexter Gordon - A Gordon Cantata (1978) {West Wind ‎WW 2079 rel 1998}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 258 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 103 Mb
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© 1978, 1998 West Wind ‎| WW 2079
Jazz / Hard Bop / Post Bop / Saxophone

There are numerous recordings of Gordon's live concerts on the market, and the jazz community is the richer for it. The tenor saxophonist's mastery of technical facility, harmonic variation, his rich, warm tone, and his capacity for lyrical expression reached their fullest flower in live performance. A GORDON CANTATA, recorded in Rome in 1978, is no exception. Backed by a superb rhythm section that includes Rufus Reid on bass, Eddy Gladden on drums, and George Cables on piano (whose sharply rhythmic approach is shown off to fine effect here), Gordon blows through two lengthy tunes, each clocking in around the 20-minute mark.

Chet Baker - At Le Dreher (1980) {West Wind 2137 rel 2002}
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© 1980, 2002 West Wind | WW 2137
Jazz / Cool / West Coast Jazz / Trumpet

Another set of vaguely dispiriting releases. Chet played at Le Dreher in Paris for fifteen nights; Dennis Luxion had left the band, and was effectively replaced by Karl Ratzer on guitar, whilst Al Levitt joined on drums. Two nights of music were recorded and eventually released on four LPs, the first of which was ‘Night Bird’. There are some fine moments; Chet’s solo on Russ Freeman’s ‘No Ties’ (Tune Up) is one of his longest on record, and never seems to run out of ideas, and ‘Leaving’ (also Tune Up’ is also worth hearing.

Archie Shepp plays Sydney Bechet.
On this recording you can hear: Michelle Wiley Vocals, Archie Shepp on Soprano sax, flute, piano, Charles McGhee on Trumpet, Charles Eubanks on piano, Santi de Briano on Bass, John Betsch on drums.

This 1982 recording features saxophonist Sonny Simmons and drummer Billy Higgins and a smokin' pickup band that included bassist Herbie Lewis and pianist Joe Bonner, and a horn section that added Michael Marcus on baritone, Al Thomas on trombone, and Joe Hardin on trumpet. The opener is "Sparrow's Last Jump," a stomping hard bop workout that features Simmons in top lyrical form and Lewis bowing the entire tune, despite the fact that it's based on hard bop – hell, post-hard bop – changes and is played in 6/8 Mingus tempo! Of course, Higgins is dancing all over the kit and it's obvious that, in his solo, Simmons is reading that frenetic yet seamless dance because he goes over the time signature with his legato phrasing and cascades his arpeggios right through the middle of the intervals. It settles a bit on the title track, where the horns are left out so Simmons is sitting in only the rhythm section. Here, Higgins plays out a double-time rhythm on the ride cymbal before slowing it to four.

At various times in his long career, saxophonist, composer, playwright, and educator Archie Shepp has been regarded as a musical firebrand, cultural radical, soulful throwback to the jazz tradition, contemplative veteran explorer, and global jazz statesman…