Oodle

In 1964, Count Basie handed the reins of his band over to composer and arranger Billy Byers, purportedly to modernize his sound to the times. More accurately, Byers energized the band with his bright charts loaded with counterpointed exchanges and interplay, plus a depth and density the Basie band had long since relinquished to other similarly sized groups. With stellar personnel - including Eric Dixon, Frank Foster, Frank Wess, Marshall Royal, Al Aarons, and Don Rader - Byers and Basie stoked the coals of the band with some red hot bop and intricate charts atypical to the laid-back approach that always served the band and its fans well. The upbeat tracks, the roaring "Basie Land," hard charging "Rabble Rouser" and the tumbling melody of "Gymnastics" are particularly noticeable, as the horns jump in and out of unison…

In the multitude of Basie recordings out there, I was glad to find this one remastered on CD, because it ranks right up there among my favorites from the band. (Also because my LP-to-CD dub came out with poor fidelity.)
The 1963 Basie lineup was impressive. Some familiar names: Snooky Young, Sonny Cohn, Al Aarons, and Don Rader on trumpet; Urbie Green on trombone; and a sax section consisting of Marshall Royal, Eric Dixon, Frank Wess, Frank Foster, and Charlie Fowlkes (wow!). Sonny Payne was on drums, and Freddie Greene provided rhythm guitar, as usual. All the arrangements were done by Billy Byers. ~ Amazon

With the Compact Jazz series offering plenty of fine single-artist starter discs, there should be no hesitation in picking up this multi-artist overview for that jazz neophyte friend. As usual, the price is right and the selection generous. Covering the '50s, '60s, and '70s, the disc includes both vocal and instrumental tracks from the likes of Sarah Vaughan, Bill Evans, Dinah Washington, Erroll Garner, Stan Getz, Ella Fitzgerald, and Billie Holiday.

George Gershwin - The Authentic George Gershwin - Jack Gibbons (2004) {4CD Set Sanctuary Classics CD RSB 401}
XLD rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 1.08 Gb | MP3 @320 -> 726 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 20 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2004 Sanctuary Classics | CD RSB 401
Jazz / Classical / Solo Piano

This plates are wonderful. I was charmed, and when I close my eyes now, I see scenes with American in Paris or Porgy and Bess but my favorite piece of music is Rhapsody in Blue. It's more than excellent is fantastic. Jack Gibbons perfectly feels the unique tone Gershwin's music, the mixture rythms of jazz with influences of impressionists and clear and beauty melodies. I'm fascinating.

Tenor saxophonist Eli "Lucky" Thompson came up in Detroit but made all of his earliest recordings in the Los Angeles area during the 1940s. This fascinating album of rare jazz opens with a mind-blowing Timme Rosenkrantz-sponsored jam session recorded on December 26, 1944. Thompson leads an ensemble combining violinist Stuff Smith, trombonist Bobby Pratt, pianist Erroll Garner, and drummer George Wettling. "Test Pilots" appears to be a collective improvisation during which, like many Stuff Smith dates, the mood is wonderfully relaxed and informal. Recording for the Excelsior label in September of 1945, Lucky Thompson's All-Stars consisted of trumpeter Karl George, trombonist J.J. Johnson, bop clarinetist Rudy Rutherford and a tough rhythm section in Bill Doggett, Freddie Green, Rodney Richardson, and Shadow Wilson…