Lennie Macdonald

One of the most original voices in jazz, Lennie Tristano paved the way for modern generations with his groundbreaking innovations and dedication to teaching. Recordings of Lennie Tristano have served as essential listening for jazz fans and musicians alike since his recording debut as a leader in 1946. His singular voice on his instrument and his expansions in the worlds of harmony and rhythm forever changed the musical vocabulary of the Jazz musician.

The first 25 recordings ever to have appeared under Lennie Tristano's name are presented in chronological sequence on this disc anthology released in 1998 by the Indigo label. No wind instruments are heard on this compilation. Tracks one through four are piano solos recorded in Chicago at some point in 1945 or 1946. Tristano's individuality is evident in the music itself as well as in the song titles, for although this album's track listing doesn't reveal it, "Yesterdays" became "Glad Am I," "What Is This Thing Called Love?" was rechristened "This Is Called Love" and "Don't Blame Me" was humorously shortened to "Blame Me." Two V-Disc selections from October 14, 1946 with guitarist Billy Bauer and bassist Leonard Gaskin lead into the strikingly productive session of October 8, 1946…

The name Lennie Tristano was conspicuously absent from Ken Burns' monolithic jazz documentary. That's no small omission; Tristano's group, which included the saxophonists Warne Marsh and Lee Konitz (also ignored by Burns) was the first to record what later came to be known as free jazz - music improvised without pre-ordained melodies, harmonies, or meter. Needless to say, that wasn't mentioned by Burns, either. Tristano did it in 1949, the year this record was recorded, with what is essentially the same band (Konitz is absent here, though he was a regular member of Tristano's group at the time). This record gives no direct evidence of the band's free jazz experiments - although Tristano is given composer's credit on all cuts, the disc is comprised mostly of standard harmonic frameworks played without reference to theme…

Tristano's piano solos are challenging and ambitious on these unaccompanied solo works, recorded between 1960 and 1962 (all except "You Don't Know What Love Is" Tristano originals). The variety and sheer amount of ideas, plus the facility of the lines and the overall performances, are impressive. This is a superb presentation of Lennie Tristano's work.

Tristano's piano solos are challenging and ambitious on these unaccompanied solo works, recorded between 1960 and 1962 (all except "You Don't Know What Love Is" Tristano originals). The variety and sheer amount of ideas, plus the facility of the lines and the overall performances, are impressive. This is a superb presentation of Lennie Tristano's work.

Towards the end of the 20th century, the Giants of Jazz reissue label came out with a series of compilations that paid tribute to the amazingly creative musical mind of Lennie Tristano. Requiem offers 13 tracks recorded in New York City between the years 1949 and 1955, beginning with a pair of piano solos (the gnarly overdubbed "Turkish Mambo" and the beautiful reflective blues "Requiem") along with two studies for trio involving bassist Peter Ind and drummer Jeff Morton. "East Thirty-Second" was named for the address of Tristano's home recording studio, where these first four titles were taped in 1954 and 1955…

It was a sad day for cool jazz when Lennie Niehaus made film music - not jazz - his primary focus. From a jazz standpoint, the Los Angeles resident had so much going for him. Niehaus had an attractive tone along the lines of Lee Konitz and early Bud Shank, and he was a talented arranger to boot. Produced by Lester Koenig in L.A. in 1956, Lennie Niehaus, Vol. 5: The Sextet is quite representative of Niehaus' Contemporary output of the 1950s. This album, which Fantasy reissued on CD on its Original Jazz Classics imprint in 2001, finds Niehaus leading a sextet that boasts Bill Perkins on tenor sax and flute, Jimmy Giuffre on baritone sax, Stu Williamson on trumpet and valve trombone, Buddy Clark on upright bass, and Shelly Manne on drums - in other words, the cream of the southern California crop…

Good things come to those who wait…. and such is the case with the fourth album from multiplatinum selling singer-songwriter Amy Macdonald. Eleven brand new songs written and recorded in the Summer of 2016 and now set for release on February 17th 2017. Following two sell-out “underplay” shows in London and Glasgow in November 2016, Amy is beyond excited to announce a full UK Tour for 2017 – including her first ever show at the Royal Albert Hall – and of course the release of “Under Stars”. The superb new album is available on CD & vinyl with eleven tracks, plus a Deluxe CD version with eight acoustic tracks, record at RAK Studios in London - one of which is her superb take on the Bruce Springsteen song “I’m On Fire”.