Ellis And Brown

This set from the 1974 Concord Jazz Festival (which has been reissued on CD) is a follow-up to the studio record Soft Shoe and uses similar personnel: guitarist Herb Ellis, bassist Ray Brown, drummer Jake Hanna, trumpeter Harry "Sweets" Edison, tenor saxophonist Plas Johnson and, in a rare straight-ahead outing, pianist George Duke. Each of the musicians has their chance to be featured; Ellis and Brown play a duet version of "Detour Ahead," and Edison is quite lyrical on "Mood Indigo." This is a bright, swinging set that helped to launch the Concord label.

Guitarist Herb Ellis was the leader of six of the first dozen Concord releases. This lesser-known set has some fine playing from Ellis, trumpeter Harry "Sweets" Edison, tenor saxophonist Plas Johnson, bassist Ray Brown, drummer Jake Hanna and keyboardist Mike Melvoin although Melvoin's electric piano sounds a bit dated today. As usual the music is uncomplicated, straightahead, swinging and tasteful. Six of the songs are originals by group members which are performed along with Johnny Hodges' "Squatty Roo" and the ballad "But Beautiful."

Herb Ellis is known primarily for playing with small ensembles, so this recording as part of an octet is a departure for the great guitarist. This "all-star" combo includes trumpeter Roy Eldridge in a sublimated role, while tenor saxophonist Buddy Tate is featured a bit more, and pianist Ray Bryant solidifies the nucleus of a very talented band of old pros and unsung heroes. Trumpeter Frank Assunto may not be a common garden-variety name to most, but he asserts himself quite well during this session. Twin bass underpinnings from Israel Crosby and Jimmy Rowser add heft to the rhythm section, while always reliable drummer Gus Johnson shows his mettle as a solidly swinging timekeeper. The fare is split between standards, originals, and favorites, including Duke Ellington's rousing "It Don't Mean a Thing" with the jamming Eldridge leading the charge, and "Things Ain't What They Used to Be" as everyone joins in and Assunto takes a fine, distinctive solo…

Herb Ellis, Tal Farlow and Charlie Byrd exemplify the breadth of American jazz. These elder statesmen of the instrument have well over a century of combined knowledge and experience, and their styles cover a vast spectrum of the music, from straight-ahead swing, to be-bop, to bossa nova and beyond. Herb Ellis established an impeccable standard for swinging, mainstream jazz guitar through his extensive work in concert and on record with numerous great jazz instrumentalists including Oscar Peterson, Ray Brown, Harry Edison and singer Ella Fitzgerald.

Star Time is a 1991 71-track, 4-CD box set by James Brown. Its contents span most of the length of his career up to the time of its release, starting in 1956 with his first hit record, "Please, Please, Please", and ending with "Unity, Pt. 1", his 1984 collaboration with Afrika Bambaataa. It includes a few previously unreleased tracks.

This riveting music documentary traces the history of piano legend Oscar Peterson, from his early days as Montreal's teenage boogie-woogie sensation through his meteoric rise to international celebrity. One highlight in the treasure trove of musical gems is the legendary Oscar Peterson Trio (bassist Ray Brown and guitarist Herb Ellis) who, after a twenty-year hiatus, reunited in order to 'prove that it still had the magic.' Over 45 minutes of classic and contemporary performances complemented by rare film footage and in-depth interviews with a cast of jazz legends, creates a chronicle spanning four decades of Oscar Peterson's unforgettable music.