Lee Farrell

This is a 61-track, three-CD set that encompasses a complete chronological run of Patton's recorded output. All of his solo sides are here, his duets with Bertha Lee and Henry Sims and his backup work behind both of them. All previous incarnations of this material don't sound near as good as they do on these three volumes, all of them given the full deluxe Cedarization noise reduction treatment from the Document folks.

Elvin Jones - The Complete Blue Note Elvin Jones Sessions 1968-1973 {8CD Set Mosaic MD8-195 rel 2000}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 3.09 Gb | MP3 @320 -> 1.19 Gb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (jpg) -> 290 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1968-73, 2000 Blue Note / Mosaic Records / EMI-Capitol | MD8-195
Jazz / Hard Bop / Post Bop / Modal Music / Drums

This limited-edition eight-disc set combines all of Elvin Jones' Blue Note recordings from April 1968 through July 1973. This 65-track set contains the LPs Puttin It Together, Ultimate Elvin Jones, Poly-Currents, Coalition, Genesis, Merry Go Round, Live at the Lighthouse, Mr. Jones, and The Prime Element. Jones makes his presence as a band leader undeniable on these sessions allowing the musicians to stretch out while directing the evolution of the pieces.

Drummer Billy Cobham was fresh from his success with the Mahavishnu Orchestra when he recorded his debut album, which is still his best. Most of the selections showcase Cobham in a quartet with keyboardist Jan Hammer, guitarist Tommy Bolin, and electric bassist Lee Sklar. Two other numbers include Joe Farrell on flute and soprano and trumpeter Jimmy Owens with guitarist John Tropea, Hammer, bassist Ron Carter, and Ray Barretto on congas. The generally high-quality compositions (which include "Red Baron") make this fusion set a standout, a strong mixture of rock-ish rhythms and jazz improvising.

Drummer Billy Cobham was fresh from his success with the Mahavishnu Orchestra when he recorded his debut album, which is still his best. Most of the selections showcase Cobham in a quartet with keyboardist Jan Hammer, guitarist Tommy Bolin, and electric bassist Lee Sklar. Two other numbers include Joe Farrell on flute and soprano and trumpeter Jimmy Owens with guitarist John Tropea, Hammer, bassist Ron Carter, and Ray Barretto on congas…

This disc is a welcome addition to the discography of the now almost forgotten woodwind master Joe Farrell. Farrell was a multi-instrumentalist who chose to concentrate on tenor and soprano saxophones and flute. From the late 1960s onwards he was a highly sought after session player who appeared on many of the most significant recordings right until his early demise in 1986. He played with the Elvin Jones Trio, Chick Corea's Return To Forever and the earliest editions of Mingus Dynasty.

The digital remastering on this compilation is just as superior to any previous attempts to transcribe Patton's marginally recorded and preserved legacy as that of the Document discs. And as it is only slightly less thorough - the Document discs include extra takes on "Elder Green Blues," "Hammer Blues," and "Some of these Days I'll Be Gone" - this compilation seems the likely choice for anyone with an interest in pre-war Delta blues. Both affordable and handsomely packaged, the three-disc box includes extensive liner notes written by blues historians Keith Briggs and Alex Van Der Tuuk, with reminiscences by Patton crony Son House.