Tete Montoliu

The blind Catalonian pianist Tete Montoliu is in great form on this 1977 session recorded in Spain, accompanied by bassist Eric Peter and drummer Peer Wyboris. He shows off his tremendous chops in a roller coaster treatment of the bittersweet ballad "You've Changed," then switches to a jaunty mood for a brisk treatment of "It Could Happen to You." Wyboris kicks off the thunderous take of Jimmy Heath's "Jimmy's Tempo," a passionate hard bop vehicle. But the primary focus of this CD consists of four original blues penned by the pianist. It seems likely that at least some of them were improvised on the date, though "Blues for Coltrane" seems to draw inspiration from the late tenor saxophonist's rapid-fire live solos that left little open space. "Blues for Myself," the centerpiece of the release, seems closely related to "You've Changed," though the chord progressions do vary. Released by the Spanish label Ensayo, this disc is worth acquiring.

Tete Montoliu - Yellow Dolphin Street (1977) {2015 Japan Timeless Jazz Master Collection Complete Series CDSOL-6336}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (image)+CUE+LOG -> 198 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 100 Mb
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© 1977, 2015 Timeless Records / Solid Records Japan / Ultra-Vibe | CDSOL-6336
Jazz / Hard Bop / Bop / Piano

Reissue with the latest remastering. Features original cover artwork. Comes with a descripton in Japanese. That's yellow dolphin street, not "Green Dolphin Street" – a very special place where Tete Montoliu unfurls a beautiful selection of solo piano numbers! Tete's really at the height of his powers here – and spins out wonderfully without any bass or drums, yet with all the complex, fluid feel that you might expect from a trio. The range of tonal colors is wonderful – and always delivered with a rhythmic impulse, even when Montoliu is flying free – on titles that include "Yellow Dolphin Street", "Napoleon", "Where Are You", "Waltz For Nicolien", and "I Hate You".

Reedición del álbum “Per sempre, Tete” grabado en la Jazz Cava de Terrassa el 6 de Marzo de 1997, durante el concierto celebrado dentro del XVI Festival internacional de Jazz de Terrassa con el genio barcelonés Tete Montoliu al piano, Horacio Fumero al contrabajo y Peer Wyboris a la batería. Interpretan dos suites, la primera en memoria de Thelonius Monk bautizada como ‘Monkiana’ y la segunda ‘Pensando en Coltrane’. Presentado en formato de digipack cuadrado desplegable, a modo de mini replica de vinilo, incluyendo un libreto de 12 páginas con textos en español e inglés.

This aptly named set was recorded on November 28, 1972, in Barcelona, Spain. Although many of Ben Webster's European sessions suffered when compared to his American ones, this outing is one of the exceptions, due in no small part to the fluid piano work of Tete Montoliu. Supported by a rhythm section of Eric Peter on bass and Peer Wyboris on drums, both Webster and Montoliu have plenty of room to breathe, and the result is a wonderful and pleasant set highlighted by the opening track, "Ben's Blues," and an easy, elegant version of "Sweet Georgia Brown." Webster's trademark breathy tenor sax tone is in full supply here, but the real revelation is Montoliu, who proves to be a marvelous jazz pianist, making Gentle Ben somewhat of an overlooked gem.

The blind Catalonian pianist Tete Montoliu is in top form throughout this 1990 trio date with bassist George Mraz and drummer Lewis Nash, though the label evidently didn't get around to releasing it until a few years after his death. The session draws from standards and timeless jazz compositions, all played with Montoliu's inventive touch. He throws quite a few twists into his complex setting of "Stella by Starlight," shows off his chops in an intense workout of "Autumn Leaves," and pulls out all stops with the furious rendition of "A Night in Tunisia." The pianist's lyrical side is showcased in ballads like "Easy Living" and "I Fall in Love Too Easily." Montoliu returns to a bit of flashy playing in his original blues composition "Please I Like to Be Gentle." Mraz has numerous solos, all of which are up to his standard, while Nash provides terrific support throughout the recording.