Oracle Sisters Blue Left Hand

This is one of Thelonious Monk's most important records, even though it was his last studio session. He went out with a bang, with old friends Art Blakey and Al McKibbon on board in late 1971…

Thelonious Monk - Something In Blue (1971) {Tokuma Japan–Black Lion TKCB-30742 rel 1992}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 194 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 94 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (png) -> 24 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1971, 1992 Tokuma Japan / Black Lion | TKCB-30742
Jazz / Post Bop / Piano Trio

This is one of Thelonious Monk's most important records, even though it was his last studio session. He went out with a bang, with old friends Art Blakey and Al McKibbon on board in late 1971. (Any Monk record made after this is a concert bootleg with reluctant participation by Thelonious.)

Horace Parlan on piano, Wilbur Little on bass, and Dannie Richmond on drums.
Horace Parlan overcame physical disability and thrived as a pianist despite it. His right hand was partially disabled by polio in his childhood, but Parlan made frenetic, highly rhythmic right-hand phrases part of his characteristic style, contrasting them with striking left-hand chords. He also infused blues and R&B influences into his style, playing in a stark, sometimes somber fashion. Parlan always cited Ahmad Jamal and Bud Powell as prime influences.

Of the miles of Red Garland sessions recorded in the late '50s, some of the tapes didn't see the light of day until many years later. This session, except for "Crazy Rhythm," first appeared in the early '70s, and is typical of Garland's trio work of the '50s, evoking a mid-century nightclub atmosphere from Rudy Van Gelder's studio with the perfectly gauged help of bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Art Taylor.

Various Artists - Blue Note Explosion: New York Is Our Home (2008) [2CD] {Blue Note}
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© 2008 Blue Note / Capitol / EMI | 50999-521433-0-4
Jazz / Hard Bop

New York Is Our Home brings together twenty tracks recorded by Blue Note artists between 1953-58 which helped shape the hard bop template. The compilation includes a handful of acknowledged early classics, but also some primo lesser-known tracks. Hard bop was at the apex of African-American culture from 1955 to around 1965, when rock and soul drove it from the throne. By the time it declined, the music was heavily, often excessively codified. Between 1954-57, however, when most of the tracks on New York Is Our Home were recorded, everything was still to play for. Horace Silver may be the pianist on ten of these tracks, and Art Blakey the drummer on eight, but the only thing that runs through all of them is African-centric energy, as received through blues and gospel. Beyond that, individual expression is key.

Universe in Blue, a collection of undated live club performances by Sun Ra & His Blue Universe Arkestra, was issued in small-run pressings with two different LP covers on Sun Ra's Saturn label in 1972. Until now it has never been officially reissued on LP or CD.

The Three Sounds - Hey There (1961) {Blue Note Japan SHM-CD UCCQ-5096 rel 2015} (24-192 remaster)
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 501 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 183 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 252 Mb | 5% repair rar | 24-bit 192 kHz remaster
© 1961, 2015 Universal Japan / Blue Note | BN 75th The Masterworks | UCCQ-5096
Jazz / Post Bebop / Soul Jazz / Hard Bop / Piano Trio

Features the high-fidelity SHM-CD format (compatible with standard CD player) and the latest 24bit 192kHz remastering. Wonderful work from the Three Sounds – a tight little combo who weren't out to break any rules in jazz, but who made some excellent albums for Blue Note in the early 60s! The groove here is hard-edge soul jazz piano at its best – similar to early Les McCann work of the same vintage, with a strong sense of rhythm on the left hand, and some wonderfully complicated lines on the right – an early example of the genius of Gene Harris.