Gère Toi Criss

Sonny Criss - Jazz U.S.A. (1956) {Liberty Japan TOCJ-5329 rel 1990}
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© 1956, 1990 Imperial / Liberty / Toshiba-EMI | TOCJ-5329
Jazz / Bop / Hard Bop / Saxophone

The sessions of Sonny Criss for the Imperial label deserve at least as much attention as his better known Prestige albums of the sixties. They show an alto saxophonist of tremendous power and authority. The uptempo standards on Jazz U.S.A. are particularly overwhelming.

Sonny Criss - Sonny Criss Plays Cole Porter (1956) {Toshiba-EMI TOCJ-6869 24-bit}
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© 1956, 2006 Imperial Records / Toshiba-EMI | TOCJ-6869 | 24bit remastering
Jazz / Hard Bop / Bop / Saxophone

Sonny Criss plays Cole Porter – and the results are way greater than the sum of the parts – even though those parts are already pretty darn great! Criss' alto sax has a superb tone at this time – razor-sharp, and nicely crisp – yet still filled with warmth that sets it apart from some of his more modern contemporaries – a beautiful balance that really illuminates these tunes, and has you thinking of them as fresh Criss compositions, not older Porter standards. The instrumentation is quite fresh, too – thanks to the addition of Larry Bunker on vibes, which is a really nice surprise – and piano by Sonny Clark and Jimmy Bunn. The great Lawrence Marable plays drums – and titles include "I Love You", "Easy To Love", "Night & Day", and "Love For Sale".

Dr. Lonnie Smith - The Art Of Organizing (2009) {Criss Cross Jazz - Criss 1318}
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© 2009 Criss Cross Jazz | Criss 1318 CD
Jazz / Soul Jazz / Jazz Funk / Post Bop / Hammond Organ B-3

Brace yourselves for The Art of Organizing, the very first appearance on Criss Cross by organ master Dr. Lonnie Smith. Organ jazz is of course an important part of the Criss Cross catalog. Our releases by the likes of Melvin Rhyne and Sam Yahel bear that out, also demonstrating how this vital idiom spans the generations. And you're very likely to find that a Criss Cross organ date involves modern master guitarist Peter Bernstein, an important leader for our label in his own right. Indeed, it is none other than Bernstein who joins Smith on The Art of Organizing.

The Sonny Criss Orchestra - Sonny's Dream (Birth of the New Cool) (1968) {Prestige OJCCD-707-2 rel 1992}
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© 1968, 1992 Prestige / Fantasy | OJCCD-707-2
Jazz / Hard Bop / Cool / Saxophone

Fantastic! This is one of Sonny Criss' masterworks, and an amazing tribute to the LA jazz underground of the 60's. Horace Tapscott composed and arranged all of the tracks on here, and they form a beautiful, soulful, suite that gives Criss a perfect backdrop for his meaningful solos. The work is fantastic, and every moment falls perfectly in line. Haunting stuff that we never tire of listening to, and which we can't recommend highly enough!

Sonny Criss' second of seven Prestige albums (which has been reissued on CD under the OJC imprint) finds the passionate altoist using the same rhythm section as on the earlier date: pianist Walter Davis, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Alan Dawson. Criss is in fine form on five jazz standards (including a heated "Wee" and an emotional version of "Smile") plus Davis' gospel-ish "A Million or More Times." An excellent outing.

Peter Bernstein - Brain Dance (1996) {Criss Cross Jazz CRISS 1130 CD}
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© 1996 Criss Cross Jazz | CRISS 1130 CD
Jazz / Straight-Ahead Jazz / Guitar

For his third Criss Cross release, guitarist Peter Bernstein leads an all-star organ combo that also includes tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander, trombonist Steve Davis, organist Larry Goldings, and drummer Billy Drummond. Some of the music that the quintet performs is typical for this type of hard bop/soul-jazz group, including a hot minor-toned blues, "Means and Ends," and Percy Mayfield's blues ballad "Danger Zone." However, a few of the other selections (particularly Bernstein's four originals) are more complex and serve as evidence that the music was being performed in 1996, not 1966. The musicians all play up to their capabilities and Goldings shows that he was one of the most inventive organists of the decade.