Soulville

For his fifth album as a leader (not counting the many he recorded as part of the Joe Zawinul Syndicate and as a member of Grover Washington, Jr.'s backing band), six-string bassist Gerald Veasley pushes the smooth jazz envelope a bit. Those who like their grooves gentle and their textures lush will still find plenty to like here – the rich strings on his cover of Stevie Wonder's "Do I Do," for instance, or the sweet and lovely "Goodnight Moon," written in honor of Washington. But there's a certain toughness at the center of the music this time out, and a greater willingness to let loose.

Like a majority of up-and-coming British bands of the 1960s, the Zombies made nearly two dozen BBC Light and Radio 1 transmissions between the fall of 1964 and the spring of 1968. The 29 cuts hail from a variety of those programs. In many cases their alternate persona as a consummate and immensely soulful cover combo is likewise illuminated…

The Zombies: BBC Radio Sessions: two-CD set is the first complete collection of the Zombies BBC Radio broadcasts ever released on CD. The album includes five previously unreleased tracks that were not included on the limited edition vinyl album issued in 2015…

Dee Dee Bridgewater performs 13 of Horace Silver's songs on her very well-conceived release. On most selections she is accompanied by her French quintet, but there are also two guest appearances apiece for organist Jimmy Smith and pianist Silver ("Nice's Dream" and "Song for My Father"). Bridgewater uplifts Silver's lyrics, proves to be in prime form, and swings up a storm. Other high points include "Filthy McNasty," "Doodlin'," and "Blowin' the Blues Away." A gem.

Verve Records was originally the product of the vision of jazz impressario Norman Granz (1918-2001). He formed the label in 1956 and moved all of the recordings released on his earlier Norgran Records and Clef Records labels to create the new Verve catalog.

Monnville Charles (Monty) waters was born in Modesto, California on April 14th 1938 and passed away in Munich on December 22nd 2008. He is another of Jazz's unsung heroes and his death went virtually un-noticed by the International jazz community, as indeed had most of his career. This is indeed regrettable as Monty was clearly an artist of consummate talent in both his playing and writing ability.
Monty studied music at Modesto High and cust his teeth in the vibrant R and B scene in the late '50s, touring with the bands of B.B. King, Little Richards, James Brown and others before settling in San Francisco. playing around the scene there lead to associations with the likes of King Pleasure and Red Garland - who is credited with bringing him into jazz…