Jvc

Norman Granz's idea to match Zoot Sims' lyrical, swinging tenor sax with Johnny Mandel's equally arresting compositions was a masterful one. Sims' tart, alternately lush and furious solos were wonderfully spotlighted on such tunes as "Cinnamon and Cloves," "Emily" and "Zoot." ~ Allmusic

In 1977-78, Lee Ritenour recorded three sets for the Japanese JVC label which have each been reissued on CDs. Although the liner notes say that, for contrast, the guitarist teamed up with some of the top East Coast studio players, the date was recorded in Burbank and most of the musicians would eventually move to L.A. With suitably funky playing by guitarist Eric Gale (who works well with Rit), keyboardist Patrice Rushen, bassist Abraham Laboriel, drummer Harvey Mason and percussionist Steve Forman, Ritenour performs six somewhat lightweight numbers, best-known of which is "Sugar Loaf Express."

Blue Mitchell - Blue Soul (1959) {Riverside Japan, VICJ-41559, MiniLP JVC 20bit K2 rel 2006}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 277 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 98 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 10 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1959, 2006 Riverside / JVC Japan | VICJ-41559 | 20bit K2
Jazz / Hard Bop / Trumpet

A strong early winner from Blue – recorded with an all-star group that includes Curtis Fuller, Jimmy Heath, Wynton Kelly, Sam Jones, and Philly Joe Jones. Mitchell's not necessarily the leader – Benny Golson and Jimmy Heath handled the arrangements – but the group overall is great, and the set has a nice mix of lyricality and hard bop groove. 9 numbers in all, including "Minor Vamp", "The Head", "Top Shelf", "Blue Soul", "The Way You Look Tonight", "Park Avenue Petite", "Polka Dots & Moonbeams", "Nica's Dream", and "Waverly Street".

With "The Bermuda Triangle", recorded using a Roland Model MC-8 computer Tomita brings us sonic science fiction. According to the liner notes, the album was recorded onto five tracks. Ideally their should be the typical rectangle arrangement of the first four speakes with an additional speaked suspended over the center to create a "sonic pyramid".
"The Bermuda Triangle" was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1979.

"The Planets" is arguably Tomita's most complete and popular work, and was listed as one of the best keyboard albums over the past 20 years or so by Keyboard Magazine.

This is a great smooth jazz, adult contemporary music performance by leader, composer and master percussionist George Jinda who is probably best known as the other half of the potent Grammy-nominated duo "Special EFX" along with guitarist and group originator Chieli Minucci: a duo that used occasional musical guests such as McCoy Tyner to fill out their ranks, although Jinda and Minucci performed alone at times to great acclaim. The music is mostly beautiful themes, infectious latin beats, and deeper solo and group performances than the usual smooth jazz music.

Thunder from Down Under is the third studio album by guitarist Frank Gambale, released in 1990 through Victor Entertainment and reissued on 24 April 2001 through Samson Records.

Morning Dance is Spyro Gyra's most commercially successful album, released in summer 1979. The song "Morning Dance" was a major hit (Billboard #24 pop, #1 adult contemporary) in summer 1979. The album cover of Morning Dance had concept origination, design and art direction by Peter Corriston.

George Jinda must have forgotten he was doing his latest Special EFX project, because his use of an all-star cast on Here to Stay might be better suited to one of those Fantasy Band discs he was involved in before his debilitating stroke. Not that there's anything sonically wrong with the mainly mellow fare on this disc – Mark Whitfield, Chuck Loeb, and Gerald Veasley do stellar jobs conveying the melodic thoughts over Jinda's gentle percussion.