Wind Cal

Scott Hamilton - From The Beginning (2002) {2CD Set, Concord Jazz ‎CCD2-2117-2 rec 1977-1978}
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© 1977-78, 2002 Concord Jazz ‎| CCD2-2117-2
Jazz / Mainstream Jazz / Saxophone

Whoever decided to name '50s-style, small combo jazz "mainstream" did a disservice to saxophonists like Scott Hamilton. The word sounds safe and soulless. And while Hamilton will never be mistaken for John Coltrane, he's no throwback to some fondly remembered (and forgotten) era. From the Beginning combines the oddly titled Scott Hamilton Is a Good Wind Who is Blowing Us No Ill from 1977 and Scott Hamilton, 2 from 1978. Hamilton's first Concord album predated the Young Lions by a couple of years, and must have seemed like a fresh breeze in the midst of the fusion meltdown. Both discs feature small combos with pianist Nat Pierce, bassist Monty Budwig, and drummer Jake Hanna.

Vince Guaraldi was a well-respected jazz pianist whose greatest success came from avenues usually closed to contemporary jazz artists: he enjoyed a hit single at a time when jazz had largely been exiled from the pop charts, and he scored a series of very successful animated television specials (namely the Charlie Brown seasonal specials scores and soundtracks for which his name has become synonymous), a medium where cookie-cutter pop music was traditionally the order of the day.

Mary Stallings sings 12 excellent and soulful interpretations of songs by such great composers as Cole Porter, Burton Lane, Louis Prima, and Duke Ellington on her second release for the Maxjazz label, Live at the Village Vanguard. Her voice is strong, rich, and full of the introspection that only comes with musical growth. Accompanied by Ron Blake on tenor saxophone, Eric Reed on piano, Vicente Archer on bass, and Carl Allen on drums, Stallings is in touch with her music and in sync with her emotions on such notables as "You're Sensational," "Sunday Kind of Love," "All Night Long," and "I Didn't Know About You." Mary Stallings brings her seductive concept to listeners and will floor you with her exceptional phrasing on "Sunday Kind of Love" and "All Night Long"…

According to the liner notes on their album, drummer Nick Alexander, singers Liza Gonzales and Dave Riordan, guitarist Greg Likens, keyboard player Bill Masuda and bassist Bill Reynolds met while students at San Luis Obispo's Cal Poly. Signed by Dot, their 1968 debut teamed the band with producer Frank Slay. Musically "The Yankee Dollar" was nothing less than wonderful. Gonzales and Riordan were both gifted with nice voices and on tracks such as "Sanctuary" and "City Sidewalks" effortlessly trading lead vocals. Backed by Likens' fuzz guitar (check out the great solo on "Live and Let Live"), Masuda's stabbing organ chords and occasional sound effects, the collection sported a sound that successfully blended folk-rock with Jefferson Airplane-styled psychedelic…