The Art of Mad Max

Art Pepper - The Complete Village Vanguard Sessions (1977) {9CD Box Set Contemporary 9CCD-4417-2 rel 1995}
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© 1977, 1995 Contemporary / Fantasy | 9CCD-4417-2
Jazz / Post Bop / West Coast Jazz / Saxophone

One of the clearest examples of the creative genius of Art Pepper, especially in his later years – filled with loads of long live tracks that are a masterpiece of improvisation! The group features George Cables on piano, George Mraz on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums. A lavish nine-disc boxed set that contains all 45 uninterrupted takes from Art Pepper's legendary stay at the Village Vanguard! Any Pepper fan will find a lot to treasure here: A Night in Tunisia; You Go to My Head; These Foolish Things; Labyrinth; My Friend John; Valse Triste; But Beautiful; Caravan; More for Les ; a solo sax rendition of Somewhere over the Rainbow ; radically-different alternate takes; witty between-song banter and spoken introductions, and more, plus an essay in the liner notes tells the whole sordid tale of Pepper's odyssey from prison to a halfway house to a late-1970s rebound that brought about some of his best music.

15 original albums with Dizzy Gillespie, Fats Navarro, Buck Clayton, Freddie Hubbard, Charlie Parker, Gene Ammons, Wardell Grey, Melba Liston, Ben Webster, Duke Ellington, Bud Powell, Hampton Hawes, Billy Higgins, Max Roach, Billy Eckstine and Herbie Hancock, among others…

As any Monk aficionado knows, his solo piano performances were wonderful, idiosyncratic, living works of art that often wound up in completely different territory from where they began. Sometimes the results would be a little shakey; often they would be inspiring. Regardless, these solo performances were adventures, and that quality makes the double disc Monk Alone: The Complete Columbia Solo Studio Recordings, 1962-1968 irresistable.

Vienna Art Orchestra - The Big Band Years 1993-2007 (2010) {4CD Box Set EmArcy-Universal 0602527539966}
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© 1993-2007, 2010 EmArcy / Universal | 0602527539966}
Jazz / Modern Big Band / Experimental Big Band / Progressive Jazz

The Vienna Art Orchestra is a 15-member jazz orchestra that features the avant-garde arrangements and compositions of its leader, pianist Mathias Ruegg. This is a reissue of their 1980 debut, an important document in the post-modern jazz movement. The opening, title track is a joyous, folkish tango that's been cartoonishly toyed with, featuring three solo sections. The marimba section is also ornamented with vocalese from Lauren Newton, followed by an extremely playful horn lead that sounds like a toy instrument. The solo offering from violinist Rudi Berger has an electronically effected fusion sound. A tight, alto sax solo by Wolfgang Puschnig ties everything together neatly with a lengthy, unaccompanied performance.

The emphasis is on the blues (although not exclusively) on this CD reissue. The original eight-song program has been joined by "A Portrait of Jennie" by the same trio (pianist Red Garland, bassist Sam Jones and drummer Art Taylor) from an earlier date. Most unusual about the set is that Garland makes a rare (and effective) appearance on organ during "Halleloo-Y'All." Otherwise, this is a conventional but enjoyable set of bluesy bop, highlighted by "Revelation Blues," "Everytime I Feel the Spirit" and "Rocks In My Bed."