David Fathead Newman Diamond Head

For this live concert recorded at the Caravan of Dreams in Fort Worth, a mostly all-star group of Texas jazzmen (plus pianist Ellis Marsalis from New Orleans) was gathered together. The music, which includes four blues and three standards among its nine selections, lacks any real surprises. Most of the numbers have solos by Fathead Newman on alto, James Clay's tenor, veteran baritonist Leroy Cooper, the lesser-known trumpeter Dennis Dotson and guitarist Cornell Dupree or Marsalis. In addition, the pianist gets a pair of solo features, and Newman is also heard on tenor and flute. Strangely enough, Fathead never gets around to dueling with Clay. Some better planning and the utilization of a few charts (rather than the funcitonal frameworks) would have elevated the pleasing date to a much higher level.

For this live concert recorded at the Caravan of Dreams in Fort Worth, a mostly all-star group of Texas jazzmen (plus pianist Ellis Marsalis from New Orleans) was gathered together. The music, which includes four blues and three standards among its nine selections, lacks any real surprises. Most of the numbers have solos by Fathead Newman on alto, James Clay's tenor, veteran baritonist Leroy Cooper, the lesser-known trumpeter Dennis Dotson and guitarist Cornell Dupree or Marsalis. In addition, the pianist gets a pair of solo features, and Newman is also heard on tenor and flute. Strangely enough, Fathead never gets around to dueling with Clay. Some better planning and the utilization of a few charts (rather than the funcitonal frameworks) would have elevated the pleasing date to a much higher level.

David "Fathead" Newman - Fathead - Ray Charles Presents David Newman (1958) {2012 Japan Jazz Best Collection 1000 Series 24bit Remaster WPCR-27039}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 239 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 90 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 194 Mb | 5% repair rar | 24-bit remaster
© 1958, 2012 Warner Japan / Atlantic / Rhino | WPCR-27039 | Jazz Best Collection 1000 Series
Jazz / Hard Bop / Soul Jazz / Saxophone

Features 24 bit remastering and comes with a mini-description. David Newman's first album as a leader – recorded under the Ray Charles banner, and featuring Ray himself on piano! The set's a really surprising one – as it's much more jazz-based than we'd expect, given the Charles connection – and really steps out with some lively solo work that goes way past the usual Ray Charles groove. The group's a small one – with Newman on alto and tenor, Ray on piano, Bennie Crawford on baritone, and a young Marcus Belgrave on trumpet – and the tunes have a really solid soul jazz approach, one that sounds a heck of a lot more like a late 50s session for Prestige Records than it does for Atlantic!

David 'Fathead' Newman - Diamondhead (2008) {HighNote HCD 7179}
XLD rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 334 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 132 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 21 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2008 HighNote Records | HCD 7179
Jazz / Bop / Jazz Blues / Mainstream Jazz / Saxophone

Diamondhead is the ninth of David "Fathead" Newman's HighNote recordings (not the seventh, as the disc's notes state) and it's a typically enjoyable outing of soulful bop with no surprises but some exceedingly fine playing that holds up well after multiple listens. It was issued a few weeks short of his 75th birthday with his longtime collaborator and friend Houston Person as co-producer. The band assembled for this date is made up of longtime associates of the reedman; most of whom have actually appeared on his High Note releases. Fellow Texas native Cedar Walton is in the piano chair (virtually the same age, the pair attended the same high school but didn't play together until the '60s), and legendary trombonist Curtis Fuller is on the other horn – he has known Newman and played with him since the '80s, as has bassist Peter Washington.

David "Fathead" Newman, Marchel Ivery & The Rein De Graaff Trio - Blue Greens & Beans (1990) {2015 Japan Timeless Jazz Master Collection Complete Series}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 362 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 131 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 269 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1990, 2015 Timeless Records / Solid Records Japan / Ultra-Vibe | CDSOL-6386
Jazz / Hard Bop / Soul Jazz / Saxophone / Piano Trio

Reissue with the latest remastering. Features original cover artwork. A great take on the classic European mode of presenting an American tenorist with local trio backing – a date that has pianist Rein De Graaff providing rhythm for the duo of David Newman and Marchel Ivery! Newman's tenor opens up with a freer, more spontaneous vibe than on some of his more composed albums of a few years before – and he plays some especially nice flute at points, with this biting tone that reminds us just how great he can be on the instrument. Ivery's nice too – really getting the right sort of swing from De Graaff on piano, Koos Serierse on bass, and Erik Ineke on drums – and the players each take solos on most numbers, one track features only Newman, and another only Ivery.

For Robert Altman's Kansas City film, since the story was centered in 1934 Kansas City, Altman wanted to have younger musicians depict top jazz artists of the era playing at one of the legendary jam sessions. He recruited many of today's top modernists and, although they used arrangements based on older recordings, they did not have to necessarily improvise in the style of the time. Actually, it is surprising how close the musicians often come, recapturing not just the music of the period but the adventurous spirit of such immortals as Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster, and Lester Young. A dozen songs from the film are on this very enjoyable and unique CD, which features such players as trumpeter Nicholas Payton, clarinetist Don Byron, guitarists Russell Malone and Mark Whitfield, pianists Geri Allen and Cyrus Chestnut, altoists Jesse Davis and David "Fathead" Newman, and four of today's great tenors: James Carter, Craig Handy, David Murray, and Joshua Redman. In addition, Kevin Mahogany sings "I Left My Baby." Although there are some audience shouts on a couple of the pieces, this is one soundtrack album that very much stands up on its own.