Japan+jazz+the+best

The Buddy DeFranco Quartet - Jazz Tones (1954) {2012 Japan Jazz The Best Series 24bit Remaster UCCU-9953}
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© 1953, 1954, 2012 Verve / Universal Japan | UCCU-9953 | Verve LP MG V-8158
Jazz / Bop / Clarinet

The jazz tones here are mighty nice — on a record that sparkles with some of Buddy DeFranco's best music ever ! As with other Verve dates from the time, this DeFranco outing's got a rhythmic pulse that really gets things going — a sense of swing that's nice and lean, but quite powerful too — pushing Buddy past any cliched clarinet modes of the 50s, into a realm that really unlocks new sax-like sounds in his horn! The piano has a lot to do with the record – played here by either Kenny Drew or Sonny Clark — with bass from Milt Hinton or Gene Wright, and drums from Art Blakey and Bobby White.

Gabor Szabo - Gypsy '66 (1965) {2005 Impulse! Japan Jazz The Best Series 24bit Remaster UCCU-5271}
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© 1965, 2005 Impulse! / Verve / Universal Music Japan | UCCU-5271 | 24bit mastering
Jazz / Cool / Contemporary Jazz / Guitar

Guitarist Gabor Szabo's debut as a leader (after an important stint with the Chico Hamilton Quintet) is surprisingly successful. The reason this LP is a bit of a surprise is that the repertoire (in addition to two originals apiece by the leader and Gary McFarland) has a few unlikely songs by the Beatles ("Yesterday" and "If I Fell") and Burt Bacharach (including "Walk On By"). Usually jazz adaptations of rock songs in the 1960s are lightweight, but Szabo's original sound, the unusual instrumentation (two or three guitars, Sadao Watanabe on flute, Gary McFarland on marimba, bass, drums and percussion) and McFarland's clever arrangements uplift the music. The playing time at 35 minutes is a bit brief, but the performances are better than expected.

Paul Bley - Paul Bley - EmArcy (1954) {2013 Japan Jazz The Best Series 24-bit Remaster UCCU-9739}
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© 1954, 2013 EmArcy / Verve / Universal Japan | UCCU-9739
Jazz / Avant-Garde Jazz / Piano

Early early work by Paul Bley – years before he picked up the synthesizer, and years before he became the moody modernist he was in the 70s! The album's a relatively straight batch of tracks, but does have a touch of modernism – an early example of the sharp sounds that Bley would fully forge in alter years. The lineup is nice, too – with either Percy Heath or Peter Ind on bass, both players who clearly feel Bley's intentions – and Al Levitt on drums. Tracks are mostly standards, but they're done by Bley in a way that's fresh and sprightly – and titles include "My Heart", "Topsy", "I Want To Be Happy", "Autumn Breeze", and "My Old Flame".

The Jazztet and John Lewis ft. Art Farmer and Benny Golson (1961) {2013 Japan Jazz The Best Series 24-bit Remaster UCCU-9749}
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© 1961, 2013 Argo / Verve / Universal Japan | UCCU-9749
Jazz / Bop / Hard Bop / Cool

Features 24 bit remastering and limited edition. Release Date: December 04, 2013. The idea of the Jazztet playing arrangements by John Lewis written especially for them is intriguing. According to Gene Lees' liner notes, Art Farmer first approached Lewis about writing something for the sextet, to which the composer replied that he'd rather score an entire record. Even though the Jazztet and Lewis' own group, the Modern Jazz Quartet, are dissimilar in many ways, the marriage is a successful one.

Cannonball Adderley - Cannonball's Sharpshooters (1958) {2013 Japan Jazz The Best Series 24-bit Remaster UCCU-9962}
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© 1958, 2013 Mercury / Verve / Universal Japan | UCCU-9962
Jazz / Bop / Hard Bop / Saxophone

A set that's right on target, right from the start – and one that has the young Cannonball Adderley really coming into his groove! The set's a lot more soul jazz-oriented than some of Cannon's records from a few years before – played by a rock-solid group that includes brother Nat Adderley on cornet, Junior Mance on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums – hitting a groove that's got plenty of nascent elements of that Cannonball sound that would virtually take over jazz in the 60s! Yet there's also a nicely different vibe going on here too – a bit less structure, and a looser approach to the mode – spun out with some modern moments too, on titles that include "Straight No Chaser", "Jubilation", "Our Delight", "Fuller Bop Man", and "Stay On It".

Gigi Gryce Orch-tette - Reminiscin' (1960) {2013 Japan Jazz The Best Series 24-bit Remaster UCCU-9963}
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© 1960, 2013 Mercury / Verve / Universal Japan | UCCU-9963
Jazz / Hard Bop / Saxophone

A great lost date from the wonderful Gigi Gryce – a set that features the altoist in an sextet, but often swinging with a looser vibe than on some of his better-known albums from the 50s! There's a mix of soulful and modern here that's not unlike the Art Farmer/Benny Golson Jazztet – both players of Gryce's same postwar generation, and coincidentally recording for Mercury at the same time. Although the groove here is definitely different – less emphasis on the bottom, and more on the top – not just Gryce's wonderfully raspy alto, but also the trumpet of Richard Williams too. All other players are great as well – and Eddie Costa brings in some sweet vibes – in a lineup that also features Richard Wyands on piano, and either Reggie Workman or George Duvivier on bass, and either Walter Perkins or Bob Thomas on drums. Tracks include "Reminiscing", "Gee Blues Gee", "Blue Light", and "Night In Tunisia".

Bill Evans & Jim Hall - Intermodulation (1966) {2003 Japan Jazz The Best Series 24bit Remaster UCCU-5143}
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© 1966, 2003 Verve / Universal Japan | UCCU-5143 | Verve LP V6-8655
Jazz / Post Bop / Modal Music / Piano / Guitar

A magnificent follow up to the Undercurrent album from the team of Bill Evans and Jim Hall – and like that one, a set that features amazing interplay between piano and guitar! Hall's guitar has never sounded better – and in the airy company of Evans, it takes on many of the same qualities as on his famous late 50s recordings in the Jimmy Guiffre trio. Bill's work is great too – almost more tonally focused than before, with perfectly chosen notes that resonate beautifully in this very spare space. Titles include "Jazz Samba", "All Across The City", "Angel Face", and "Turn Out The Stars".

The Buddy De Franco Quintet - Cooking The Blues (1955) {2013 Japan Jazz The Best Series 24bit Remaster UCCU-9763}
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© 1955, 2013 Verve / Universal Japan | UCCU-9763 | Verve LP NG V-8221
Jazz / Bop / Clarinet

A great one from Buddy DeFranco — exactly the kind of record that will make you understand why jazz collectors have always prized his Verve Records work so much ! Although Buddy's given instrument, the clarinet, was one that was handled by so many others at the time in kind of an outmoded way — DeFranco always managed to keep things fresh and modern, drawing heavily on bop inspiration for a record like this, yet also remaining true to his roots too.

The Buddy DeFranco Quintet - Sweet And Lovely (1956) {2012 Japan Jazz The Best Series 24bit Remaster UCCU-9955}
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© 1954, 1955, 2012 Verve / Universal Japan | UCCU-9955 | Verve LP MG V-8224
Jazz / Bop / Clarinet

Sweet and lovely – but plenty darn soulful too – and one of the excellent early 50s Verve dates that features the piano of Sonny Clark with the clarinet of Buddy DeFranco ! The album's got an even more unusual twist in that it features a bit of organ from Clark too – one of his only recordings on the instrument – as well as guitar from Tal Farlow on a number of tracks – another leading light of the fresh Verve sound of the 50s, really working some great music next to Buddy's horn.

The Modern Jazz Quartet And The Oscar Peterson Trio At The Opera House (1957) {2013 Japan Jazz The Best Series 24-bit Remaster UCCU-9945}
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© 1957, 2013 Verve / Universal Japan | UCCU-9945
Jazz / Bop / Cool / Third Stream

The Modern Jazz Quartet make a rare appearance on Verve Records in the 50s – splitting half the album here with the classic Oscar Peterson Trio! The live performance was recorded in Chicago, and definitely has the MJQ working in a looser vibe than on some of their late 50s recordings for Atlantic – a bit more open and swinging, in a Verve mode – with some of the bop inspiration that first showed up on their early Prestige recordings – as you'll hear on the cuts "Now's The Time", "Round Midnight", and "D&E Blues". The second half of the record features live material from Oscar Peterson's hip group with Herb Ellis on guitar and Ray Brown on bass – that great drum-less lineup that really lets Oscar take off on piano – on tunes that include "Big Fat Mama", "Should I Love You", "Indiana", and "Elevation".