Konitz Gil Evans

Gil Evans - The Complete Instrumental Charts For Claude Thornhill 1942-1947 (1999) {Musisoft MJCD 154}
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© 1942-47, 1999 Musisoft / Masters Of Jazz | MJCD 154
Jazz / Bebop / Big Band / Sweet Bands

For many years, Claude Thornhill's orchestra of the Forties and early Fifties was frequently referred to as a musicians orchestra, as it focused as much on the musicians as the music itself. Thornhill's music was clearly way ahead of its time, yet today his sumptuous, mellow jazz sound remains one of the biggest influences for many contemporary big band jazz arrangers. He worked to extend the range of a popular dance orchestra by continually adding new harmonies and voices. In the truest sense of the word, the Thornhill orchestra was an experimental group and this experimentation made mostly exciting and provocative listening.

Gil Evans - Gil Evans & Ten (1957) {Prestige OJCCD-346-2 rel 1999}
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© 1957, 1999 Prestige / Fantasy / Universal | OJCCD-346-2 / 00025218634625
Jazz / Cool / Modern Big Band / Progressive Jazz

Although arranger Gil Evans had been active in the major leagues of jazz ever since the mid-'40s and had participated in Miles Davis' famous Birth of the Cool recordings, Gil Evans & Ten was his first opportunity to record as a leader. The set features a typically unusual 11-piece unit consisting of two trumpets, trombonist Jimmy Cleveland, Bart Varsalona on bass trombone, French horn player Willie Ruff, Steve Lacy on soprano, altoist Lee Konitz, Dave Kurtzer on bassoon, bassist Paul Chambers, and either Nick Stabulas or Jo Jones on drums, plus the leader's sparse piano.

Miles Davis & Gil Evans - The Complete Columbia Studio Recordings (1996) {6 CD Boxset Columbia CXK 67397 rec 1957-1968}
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© 1957-68, 1996 Sony Music / Legacy / Columbia | CXK 67397 | Super Bit Mapping
Jazz / Cool / Modern Creative / Experimental Big Band

THE COMPLETE COLUMBIA STUDIO RECORDINGS compiles all of Miles Davis' collaborations with composer/arranger Gil Evans. Included are the original and alternate versions of the four albums that Davis and Evans made together–MILES AHEAD, PORGY AND BESS, SKETCHES OF SPAIN and QUIET NIGHTS–as well as various outtakes and unreleased tracks. More than half of the material is previously unreleased. THE COMPLETE COLUMBIA STUDIO RECORDINGS won 1997 Grammy Awards for Best Historical Album, Best Album Notes (by George Avakian, Bob Belden, Bill Kirchner and Phil Schaap), and Best Recording Package - Boxed.

One of the most significant arrangers in jazz history, Gil Evans' three album-length collaborations with Miles Davis (Miles Ahead, Porgy and Bess, and Sketches of Spain) are all considered classics.

Franz Koglmann & Lee Konitz - We Thought About Duke (1994) {Hat Hut hatOLOGY 543 rel 2002}
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© 1994, 2002 Hat Hut | hatOLOGY 543
Jazz / Avant-Garde Jazz / Modern Creative / Trumpet / Saxophone

Duke Ellington tributes, much like Cole Porter, George Gershwin, John Coltrane, and Miles Davis tributes, were a dime a dozen in the '80s and '90s. All too often, these Ellington tributes were unimaginative and predictable, sticking to the standards while ignoring the many lesser-known gems that were written by Ellington or his partner Billy Strayhorn. But predictability isn't a problem on We Thought About Duke, a cerebral post-bop date that trumpeter/flugelhornist Franz Koglmann co-led with alto sax master Lee Konitz.

The much loved 100 Hits range is back in a brand new sleek slim digipak housing 5 discs of your favourite tracks from the Golden age of Jazz featuring incredible tracks from the finest of the era such as Chet Baker, Thelonious Monk, Louis Armstong and many more in this timeless collection.

Miles Davis - Miles Ahead (1957) {2006 DSD Japan Mini LP Edition Analog Collection SICP 1202}
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© 1957, 2006 Sony Music Japan / Columbia | SICP 1202 | DSD | HQD High Quality Disc
Jazz / Cool / Experimental Big Band / Modern Creative / Trumpet

This album is perhaps most significant for the process it set in motion – the collaboration between Gil Evans and Miles Davis that would produce Porgy and Bess and Sketches of Spain, two of Davis' best albums. That said, this album is a miracle in itself, the result of a big gamble on the part of Columbia Records, who put together Evans and Davis, who hadn't worked together since recording the critically admired but commercially unsuccessful sides that would later be issued as The Birth of the Cool. Columbia also allowed Evans to assemble a 19-piece band for the recordings, at a time when big bands were far out of fashion and also at a time when the resulting recordings could not be released until two years in the future (because of Davis' contractual obligations with Prestige).

Claude Thornhill & His Orchestra - The 1948 Transcription Performances (1994) {Hep Records HEP CD 17, mono}
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© 1948, 1994 Hep Records | HEP CD 17
Jazz / Bebop / Big Band / Sweet Bands

This CD has the only existing performances of the Claude Thornhill Orchestra from 1948, a year when a recording strike kept most bands off of records. With many charts by Gil Evans or Gerry Mulligan, the Thornhill big band was often quite bop-oriented and featured fine solos from clarinetist Danny Polo, altoist Lee Konitz and the tenor of Mickey Folus; a few numbers also include Brew Moore on tenor, baritonist Gerry Mulligan and trumpeter Gene Roland. In addition there are some vocals from the Snowflakes (a vocal quintet) and Joe Derise. The highly enjoyable and somewhat historical CD is easily recommended to bop collectors and listeners who are interested in the later Claude Thornhill Orchestra.