Stanley Dance

The Azerbaijan pianist Aziza's Dance of Fire – her second American record – combines be-bop-derived jazz with elements Russian folk music. Supported by Stanley Clarke, Al DiMeola, and Bill Evans, Aziza's playing is graceful and fluid, eclipsing her super-star backup musicians.

Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers - Child's Dance (1972) {2014 Japan Prestige Masters Collection 1000 Series UCCO-90294}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 243 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 89 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 18 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1972, 2014 Prestige / Concord / Universal Music Japan | UCCO-90294 / UCCO-9884 (Prestige PR 10047)
Jazz / Hard Bop / Contemporary Jazz / Drums

After several years of few recordings, Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers re-emerged with totally new personnel on this Prestige LP. The strongest performance is a quartet feature for the great trumpeter Woody Shaw on "I Can't Get Started," but the other three selections (which include such musicians as George Cables or John Hicks on keyboards, bassist Stanley Clarke and Ramon Morris on reeds) are also worth hearing and sound surprisingly "contemporary" for the time. An interesting set.

The seven-disc Stanley Clarke anthology, The Complete 1970s Epic Albums Collection, brings together all six of the influential jazz bassist's original albums for Epic. Included here: 1974's Stanley Clarke, 1975's Journey to Love, 1976's School Days, 1978's Modern Man, 1979's I Wanna Play for You, as well as the 1991 concert compilation Live (1976-1977). These are highly recommended jazz, funk, and fusion releases and must-haves for any Clarke fan.

This album is drummer Norman Connors earliest and most rewarding date as a leader. Recorded with a who's who of fusion titans including trumpeter Eddie Henderson bassist Stanley Clarke, and keyboardist Herbie Hancock, Dance of Magic channels the lessons drummer Norman Connors learned in the employ of Pharoah Sanders, Sam Rivers and Sun Ra, marshaling Latin rhythms, electronic textures, and cosmic mysticism to create nondenominational yet deeply spiritual funk-jazz. The sprawling 21-minute title cut spans the entirety of the record's first half, capturing a monumental jam session that explores the outer edges of free improvisation but never steps past the point of no return. Connors' furious drumming is like a trail of bread crumbs that leads his collaborators back home. The remaining three tracks are smaller in scale but no less epic in scope, culminating with the blistering "Give the Drummer Some."

All Music Guide

Legendary bassist Stanley Clarke considers his upcoming Mack Avenue Records release, The Stanley Clarke Band’s UP, to be the most energetic, rhythmic and upbeat album that he has ever done—and with more than 40 solo albums under his belt, that’s saying quite a lot. Clarke’s signature bass virtuosity and technical acumen is present throughout, but the enjoyment he had in making this album is also apparent. Unlike his predominantly acoustic bass work on the last few albums, UP is almost equal parts electric and acoustic bass.

Stanley Turrentine, The Three Sounds - Elegant Soul (1968) + Blue Hour. The Complete Sessions [2CD] (1960) {Blue Note}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 818 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 323 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 163 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2000, 2008 Blue Note / Capitol | 5 22286 2 / 5 24586 2 | 24-bit remaster
Jazz / Hard Bop / Soul Jazz

After the release of Coldwater Flat five months earlier, Three Sounds pianist Gene Harris and bassist Andy Simpkins found themselves faced with yet another personnel change: Donald Bailey, who'd been with group for only two albums, left the group (after replacing founding drummer Bill Dowdy) and was replaced by Carl Burnett. The jazz-pop direction that Harris and Simpkins pursued on the fine Coldwater Flat set – where the trio fronted the Oliver Nelson band and a string section – was followed up here with composer and saxophonist Monk Higgins as arranger, conductor, and co-producer (with Dee Ervin).

Legendary bassist Stanley Clarke considers his upcoming Mack Avenue Records release, The Stanley Clarke Band’s UP, to be the most energetic, rhythmic and upbeat album that he has ever done—and with more than 40 solo albums under his belt, that’s saying quite a lot. Clarke’s signature bass virtuosity and technical acumen is present throughout, but the enjoyment he had in making this album is also apparent. Unlike his predominantly acoustic bass work on the last few albums, UP is almost equal parts electric and acoustic bass.