Jazz Solid Records

Archie Shepp Quartet feat. Annette Lowman - Lover Man (1988) {2015 Japan Timeless Jazz Master Collection Complete Series}
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© 1988, 2015 Timeless Records / Solid Records Japan / Ultra-Vibe | CDSOL-6356
Jazz / Bop / Modern Post Bebop / Saxophone / Vocal Jazz / Jazz Blues

Reissue with the latest remastering. Features original cover artwork. Comes with a descripton in Japanese. A real gem from the great Archie Shepp – an overlooked treasure from his years as a straight jazz musician – a time we come to appreciate more and more as the years go by! The Shepp heard here is one who's still got all the raw tone and bite of the old days, but also finds a way to swing things on a set of familiar standards – so that he's cutting these great raspy lines out of tunes you might already know – but which are taking on a whole new life in the process.

Paul Jeffrey - Watershed (1971) {2017 Japan Mainstream Records Master Collection Series CDSOL-45227}
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© 1971, 2017 Time / Mainstream Records / Solid Records Japan | CDSOL-45227
Jazz / Bop / Contemporary Jazz / Post Bop / Saxophone

An unusual sort of setting for tenor saxophonist Paul Jeffrey – an overlooked player from the east coast scene of the early 70s, and one who only cut a handful of records at the time! The date features Jack Wilkins on guitar, playing with these bright chromatic hues next to Jeffrey's sharper horn – a pairing that makes for an unusual sound, despite a familiar quartet setting – one that's even different from other matches of this nature, such as the work between Sonny Rollins and Jim Hall! Jeffrey's clearly got some bop roots here, but also opens up in other directions too – and the group features Thelonious Monk Jr on drums and Richard Davis on bass.

Charles McPherson - Siku Ya Bibi (1972) {2017 Japan Mainstream Records Master Collection Series CDSOL-45219}
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© 1972, 2017 Time / Mainstream Records / Solid Records Japan | CDSOL-45216
Jazz / Bop / Hard Bop / Mainstream Jazz / Saxophone

For the second of his three Mainstream sessions (one that has been reissued on CD), the bebop altoist Charles McPherson pays tribute to Billie Holiday; in fact, "Siku Ya Bibi" means "Day of the Lady" in Swahili. The emphasis is mostly on ballads, with "Miss Brown to You" and "Lover Come Back to Me" being exceptions. Four of the eight selections find McPherson backed by ten strings arranged by Ernie Wilkins, while the remainder of the date has the altoist joined by a rhythm section that includes pianist Barry Harris. Although not quite up to the level of his upcoming, more freewheeling Xanadu sessions, this is a fine outing. Highlights include the two aforementioned cooking pieces, "Lover Man," "Good Morning Heartache," and "I'm a Fool to Want You."

The Australian Jazz Quintet - In Free Style (1958) {2014 Japan Bethlehem Album Collection 1000 CDSOL-614}
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© 1958, 2014 Solid Records / Bethlehem | CDSOL-6146 | LP BCP-6029
Jazz / Cool / Vibes

The style's never too free here – not in an avant jazz way – but the group's definitely opening up a bit more than before, and making even more magic with their music! The lineup has changed a bit from earlier albums from this combo – but key Australian players are still very much on hand – the great Bryce Rhode on piano, Jack Brokensha on vibes, and Errol Buddle on reeds! Rhode is one of the best pianists of the time – sadly overlooked upon his 60s return to Australian (where he made some wonderful records) – and his careful sense of tone really starts things off wonderfully – and brings more out of the vibes than we've ever heard on Brokensha's later records. Titles include the long "Take Three Parts Jazz" suite – plus "Detour Ahead", "I'll Remember April", "Bewitched", and "Swingin Goatsherd Blues".

Darji & Hank Jones - Darji Meets Hank Jones (1982) {2015 Japan Timeless Jazz Master Collection Complete Series}
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© 1982, 2015 Timeless Records / Solid Records Japan / Ultra-Vibe | CDSOL-6375
Jazz / Post Bop / Vibes / Piano

Reissue with the latest remastering. Features original cover artwork. Comes with a descripton in Japanese. Darji may not be the best-known player in jazz, but we really love his music on the small handful of records he made like this! The leader plays vibes – often with this full, chromatic tone that takes us back to some of the earlier expressionists on the instrument – yet with more of the rhythmic structure that grew up through vibes players of the 60s – a really nice criss-crossing of styles that almost finds equal partnership in pianist Hank Jones, whose presence here is extremely well-matched!

The Australian Jazz Quintet - The Australian Jazz Quintet +1 (1957) {2014 Japan Bethlehem Album Collection 1000 CDSOL-6144}
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© 1957, 2014 Solid Records / Bethlehem | CDSOL-6144 | LP BCP-6015
Jazz / Cool / Vibes / Flute / Bassoon

Features the latest remastering. Includes a Japanese description. Features original cover artwork. One of the coolest records ever from this unique Australian 50s group featuring the extended "Jazz In D Minor" suite. This '50s and '60s band was modeled on The Modern Jazz Quartet, and featured vibraphonist Jack Brokensha. I discovered these guys way back in the late 50's. I thought they were at least 50 years ahead of their time. The blend of of these instruments Bassoon and flute just blow my mind as they did the first time I heard them way back then. The amazing fact is that those sounds are still the coolest and up to date today. Like I said before, 50 years ahead of their time. They deserve 10 stars.

Great Jazz Trio - Standard Collection Volume 2 (1988) {2015 Japan Timeless Jazz Master Collection Complete Series CDSOL-6401}
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© 1988, 2015 Timeless Records / Solid Records Japan / Ultra-Vibe | CDSOL-6401
Jazz / Post Bop / Cool / Piano Trio

Reissue with the latest remastering and the original cover artwork. Comes with a description written in Japanese. A bit of a variation on Hank Jones' Great Jazz Trio – at least in comparison to the group's better-known records from the Japanese scene in the late 70s and early 80s – but a variation that brings along some mighty nice changes, too! The rhythm section duo here is especially vibrant – rich basslines from Mads Vinding, and some tightly snapping drums from Billy Hart – who has this way of punctuating the tunes differently than previous drummers in the trio – creating a whole new scenario of swing for Hank to work with. Jones' piano is at the top of his gem at this point in his career – and titles on this second volume include "Angel Eyes", "Black Orpheus", "Gone With The Wind", "Dark Eyes", "Alone Together", "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise", and "On Green Dolphin Street".

Great Jazz Trio - Standard Collection Volume 1 (1988) {2015 Japan Timeless Jazz Master Collection Complete Series CDSOL-6400}
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© 1988, 2015 Timeless Records / Solid Records Japan / Ultra-Vibe | CDSOL-6400
Jazz / Post Bop / Cool / Piano Trio

Reissue with the latest remastering and the original cover artwork. Comes with a description written in Japanese. A bit of a variation on Hank Jones' Great Jazz Trio – at least in comparison to the group's better-known records from the Japanese scene in the late 70s and early 80s – but a variation that brings along some mighty nice changes, too! The rhythm section duo here is especially vibrant – rich basslines from Mads Vinding, and some tightly snapping drums from Billy Hart – who has this way of punctuating the tunes differently than previous drummers in the trio – creating a whole new scenario of swing for Hank to work with. Jones' piano is at the top of his gem at this point in his career – and titles on this first volume include "After You've Gone", "Summertime", "As Time Goes By", "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To", "Days Of Wine & Roses", and "Prelude To A Kiss".

Bobby Hutcherson - Four Seasons (1983) {2015 Japan Timeless Jazz Master Collection Complete Series CDSOL-6324}
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© 1983, 2015 Timeless Records / Solid Records Japan / Ultra-Vibe | CDSOL-6324
Jazz / Post Bop / Vibes

Reissue with the latest remastering. Features original cover artwork. Comes with a descripton in Japanese. A simple but effective session from vibist Bobby Hutcherson – one that comes across with a really subtle brilliance! The tracks are all standards – performed by Hutcherson on vibes, with a quartet that includes George Cables on acoustic piano, Herbie Lewis on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – all working with Bobby in a style that allows a lot of open space between the notes, an approach that's especially nice in the interplay between piano and vibes on the set. The style is a bit more understated than some of Hutcherson's other records of the time, but that also makes for a wonderfully gimmick-free approach that takes us right to the core of his talents. Titles include "Star Eyes", "If I Were A Bell", "Summertime", "Autumn Leaves", and "All Of You".

Herman Foster - The One And Only (1984) {2015 Japan Timeless Jazz Master Collection Complete Series CDSOL-6309}
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© 1984, 2015 Timeless Records / Solid Records Japan / Ultra-Vibe | CDSOL-6309
Jazz / Bop / Soul Jazz / Piano

Reissue with the latest remastering. Features original cover artwork. Comes with a descripton in Japanese. The one and only Herman Foster, indeed – a pianist who only cut a handful of records, but always managed to leave his mark! You might know Foster from his wonderful work with Lou Donaldson in the early 60s Blue Note years, or his bluesy albums as a leader for Columbia around the same time – but here, the pianist has this lyrical flow that's really amazing – and quite a change from his style of the early years! As before, Foster really knows how to do a lot with a little – make each note count, and in this way that's mighty powerful, even on the few mellow moments – and he gets some strong accompaniment from the full, round bass of Jeff Fuller, and the drums of Victor Jones. Titles include "Monsterbeach Blues", "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise", "The Shadow Of Your Smile", and "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To".