Record Reviews

RAN BLAKE ~ THE COMPLETE REMASTERED RECORDINGS ON BLACK SAINT & SOUL NOTE CAM JAZZ 1034 (Barcode: 8052405141811) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1981 - 1999 Released: 2015 This superb Box Set collects recordings by the American pianist / composer Ran BlakeFind albums by this artist on the Black SaintFind albums on this label and Soul NoteFind albums on this label labels. It includes seven albums, two of which are solo piano recordings: "Duke DreamsFind albums with this title" and "EpistrophyFind albums with this title", four are duos: "ImprovisationsFind albums with this title" with pianist Jaki ByardFind albums by this artist, "Suffield GothicFind albums with this title" with saxophonist Houston PersonFind albums by this artist, "Unmarked VanFind albums with this title" with drummer / percussionist Tiziano TononiFind albums by this artist and "Indian WinterFind albums with this title" with guitarist David FabrisFind albums by this artist and finally one is a quartet recording: "Short Life Of Barbara MonkFind albums with this title" with saxophonist Ricky FordFind albums by this artist, bassist Ed FelsonFind albums by this artist and drummer Jon HazillaFind albums by this artist. The music includes a mixture of original compositions by Blake and his unique interpretations of Jazz standards. Blake is famous for his innovative and highly personal style, which combines influences form Blues, Gospel, Classical Music and Third Stream. His impressive recorded legacy spans six decades and includes over forty albums as a leader. Most of his work is in small intimate formats, like solo piano and duets and rarely includes also quartets. Blake is also an influential educator. The music is absolutely timeless, offering a good overview of his unique style and is a perfect introduction to his music for Jazz piano enthusiasts not familiar with his work. Blake is one of my favorite piano players, not only because of his superb technique but mostly because of his sensibility, individual touch and superb lyricism. This Box Set offers a wonderful collection of brilliant piano music. Side Note The Italian independent record label Black SaintFind albums on this label was founded by the music critic / author / producer Giacomo PellicciottiFind albums by this artist in 1975. It was taken over by the producer Giovanni BonandriniFind albums by this artist in 1978 and a year later (1979) a sister label, called Soul NoteFind albums on this label, was established. The twin labels were run by Giovanni and later his son Flavio BonandriniFind albums by this artist, until they were sold in 2008 to the Italian KEPACH Music Group, which already owned the CAM JazzFind albums on this label label, and which also bought another Italian independent record label Dischi Della QuerciaFind albums on this label. The mission of the Black Saint / Soul Note labels was to record and document the Free Jazz / Improvised Music / Avant-Garde scene, mostly from the US but also from Europe, which continued between mid 1970s and late 1990s and produced a staggering collection of almost 550 albums recorded by world's most important Jazz innovators active at the time, providing an opportunity to American (mostly Afro-American) musicians, who would have never managed to make these recordings at home, ridden by racism, alienation and closed-mindedness. Without these two labels most of this fantastic human creativity would have been never documented. However, the Black Saint / Soul Note Box Sets produced under the CAM JazzFind albums on this label moniker are an archetypal example of how good intentions turn sour. Although these new editions often bring back to life some of the best music ever made on this planet, which in many cases has been lost in the tides of time and was unavailable on the market for ages, they suffer from an unforgivable disregard to the essence of cultural values and general sloppiness, contrary to human decency, which requires us to treat our cultural legacy with respect and loyalty. These Box Sets have no booklet which presents researched historical background and exact discographical information of the albums included, and most importantly an overview of the music and its meaning and contribution to the Jazz Art form. Although the original LP sleeves are reproduced, the information is in most cases too small to be readable at all. In short the fact that these Box Sets are meant to be inexpensive, does not mean that they have to be cheap!

Updated: 10/05/2020Posted: 10/05/2020

CD 7 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Remastered Recommend To A Friend

DON ELLIS ~ SIX CLASSIC ALBUMS REAL GONE JAZZ 544 (Barcode: 5036408192325) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1960 - 1962 Released: 2017 This is a reissue of the early recordings by the legendary American trumpeter / composer / arranger / bandleader Don EllisFind albums by this artist. Ellis was one of the most forward-thinking American Jazz musicians and also one of the most aesthetically "European" of them all, which was the reason why he was more popular and appreciated in Europe than back home. His work as a leader of Big Bands / Orchestras in the late 1960s was absolutely ground shattering and his openness to World Music was light years ahead of its time. This collection includes the first three albums as a leader by Don Ellis: "How Time PassesFind albums with this title" from 1960, "New IdeasFind albums with this title" from 1961 and "EssenceFind albums with this title" from 1962. These are intimate quartet / quintet recordings with such excellent players as pianists Jaki ByardFind albums by this artist and Paul BleyFind albums by this artist, bassists Ron CarterFind albums by this artist and Gary PeacockFind albums by this artist and many others. The music, although still based in the Bebop tradition, moves towards early forms of Free Form and non-conventional harmony and rhythmic patterns. The other three albums present Ellis as a member of the small ensembles led by American pianist / composer / arranger / music theorist George RussellFind albums by this artist, another highly influential figure as far as modern American Jazz is concerned and also a non-conformist and innovator. This set collects recordings made between 1961 and 1962, which present Russell playing with small orchestral ensembles and small combos, introducing elements of his Lydian Chromatic Concept and later Modal Jazz. These are "George Russell Sextet In K.C.Find albums with this title" from 1961, "The Stratus SeekersFind albums with this title" from 1962 and "The Outer ViewFind albums with this title" from 1962. These three albums can be also found as part of the George Russell collection "Seven Classic AlbumsFind albums with this title", but considering the really inexpensive price of these releases, the duplication can be ignored. Overall this is a fascinating collection of great Jazz music performed by some of the best players at the time, and which has additionally also an enormous historical value. I can’t imagine any true Jazz fan missing this set! Side Note The Real Gone JazzFind albums on this label label releases hundreds of album collections, which include usually between three to eight original albums in a two to four CDs sets. Most of these albums were recorded and released in the 1950s and early 1960s. These collections provide the track lists and lineups of the original albums, but no recording information, liner notes and any background information whatsoever. The label takes advantage of the copyright law in UK, which limited the length of the copyright protection of recorded works to 50 years, after which recorded works become public domain. In 2013 UK implemented a correction of the copyright law extending the protection of recorded works to 70 years (like the rest of Europe), but the correction does not apply retroactively, which means that recordings which entered the 50 years rule prior to January 1, 2013 (i.e. recorded before January 1, 1963) remain public domain. There are two great advantages to these releases: they are really inexpensive and they bring back to life many albums not reissued previously on CD, which means it would cost a collector an arm and a leg to get a copy of them. Many of these albums are absolute gems and essential pieces of Jazz history. The disadvantages are: the lack of proper information, original cover art, combining tracks of several original albums on one CD and the sound quality, which depends on where the label gets the source material. From my experience most of the releases have quite excellent sound quality but I have not listened to all of them and some people have complained about it.

Updated: 27/05/2018Posted: 05/05/2018

CD 4 Digipak Remastered Recommend To A Friend

CHARLES MINGUS ~ THE COMPLETE TOWN HALL CONCERT BLUE NOTE 724382835325 (Barcode: 724382835325) ~ USA ~ Big Band Jazz Recorded: 1962 Released: 1994 This is a reissue / remaster of the album by American bassist / composer / bandleader Charles MingusFind albums by this artist, recorded at NY Town Hall on October 12, 1962 and featuring a 30-piece Big Band, which included some of the most prominent American Jazz musicians active at the time, including trumpeters Clark TerryFind albums by this artist and Snooky YoungFind albums by this artist, saxophonists Eric DolphyFind albums by this artist, Charlie MarianoFind albums by this artist, Zoot SimsFind albums by this artist and Pepper AdamsFind albums by this artist, pianists Jaki ByardFind albums by this artist and Toshiko AkiyoshiFind albums by this artist, drummer Dannie RichmondFind albums by this artist and of course Mingus on bass. The album presents twelve tracks, all bar one original compositions by Mingus, with a playing time over twice longer than the duration of the original LP album released in 1963 on United ArtistsFind albums on this label. Four of the tracks are previously unissued and another four are restored to their full length. The music is of course as Godly as anything else recorded by Mingus, with this reissue restoring the original castrated monstrosity to its full glory. For decades this music was considered as one of the least successful recordings by Mingus, but this version proves that it was the fault of the original LP producers, rather than anything to do with Mingus, who prepared this glorious Magnum Opus using his full blown talent, as we can now properly hear and witness. Mingus uses the Big Band masterfully, expanding his original scores in order to utilize the full strength of such a powerful vehicle and in order to present his musical ideas, which of course were light-years ahead of their time. This live recording remains as a sublime document of Mingus’ vision, and should be cherished as such. Overall, this is a wonderful time capsule, which presents the Jazz Genius of Mingus at work, given an opportunity to utilize a Grand Big Band, presenting his unforgettable melodies ornamented by improvisations by the best Jazz musicians alive at the time. This is obviously a must in every substantial Jazz records collection.

Updated: 21/05/2025Posted: 21/05/2025

CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend

CHARLES MINGUS ~ BREMEN 1964 & 1975 SUNNYSIDE 1570 (Barcode: 016728157025) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1964 - 1974 Released: 2020 This is an archival 4CD album by American bassist / composer / bandleader Charles MingusFind albums by this artist, recorded live in Bremen, Germany. It presents two concert recordings, separated by eleven years, each captured on a 2CD set. The album presents fifteen tracks, five of which are over ten minutes in duration, four are over twenty minutes in duration and two are over thirty minutes in duration. Most of the music is composed by Mingus, two tracks are standards and two others are composed by members of his ensembles. By the time the second concert was captured, Mingus was already suffering from a serious health issues and it is one of his last live recordings. CD1 & CD2 present the Mingus sextet with trumpeter Johnny ColesFind albums by this artist, saxophonists Eric DolphyFind albums by this artist and Clifford JordanFind albums by this artist, pianist Jaki ByardFind albums by this artist and drummer Dannie RichmondFind albums by this artist. CD3 & CD4 present the Mingus quintet with trumpeter Jack WalrathFind albums by this artist, saxophonist George AdamsFind albums by this artist, pianist Don PullenFind albums by this artist and Richmond (the only musician to play on both concerts). The music includes the iconic Mingus’ compositions, spanning his entire career, each and every one in a unique concert version, which depended on the specific lineup, the mood of the concert and of course the leader’s disposition, which means that regardless of how many versions of the same tunes one owns, they are always different, often dramatically different from every other version of the same tune. The two lineups are also very different; the sextet is dominated by the presence of Dolphy, whose hair-rising performances, especially those on flute and bass clarinet, are absolutely stunning, while the quintet might seem more relaxed and settled, but no less intense or sophisticated. Just two months after the concert captured herein, Ayler would be tragically dead, which makes his appearance here one of his last. Overall, this is a monumental piece of Jazz history, which deserves an honorable place in any serious Jazz collection, even if Mingus’ recordings, including live ones, are already proudly present therein. The 1964 concert is a true eye (ear) opener, disclosing the dramatic entry of Free Jazz into the core of the Jazz tradition, but every second of the music captured on this album is true Holy Grail!

Updated: 26/05/2024Posted: 26/05/2024

CD 4 Digipak Remastered Essential Recommend To A Friend

HOWARD RILEY / JAKI BYARD ~ R&B SLAM 2100 (Barcode: 5028386633228) ~ UK ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 1985 Released: 2015 This is a live recording from 1985 of the Jazz piano duo comprising of British Jazz pianist / composer Howard RileyFind albums by this artist and American pianist / multi-instrumentalist / composer Jaki ByardFind albums by this artist. It is the second of two such duo meetings between the two wonderful musicians, which followed a similar one captured on record a year earlier. The album presents just five lengthy tracks, one being a medley of two compositions. Four of these compositions are standards and two are co-composed improvisations by Riley and Byard. On the last rack Byard plays piano and saxophone simultaneously. It is almost impossible to imagine a meeting of two seemingly more contrasting Jazz personalities than these two, with Byard mostly associated with his affinity to Ragtime, Stride and other early Jazz sub-genres and Riley mostly associated with Free Jazz and Improvised Music, and yet, as this beautiful album shows, their work together is absolutely harmonious and coherent. Of course Bayard also had his lesser known Avant-Garde / Free Jazz associations, which come here to full bloom. The music moves stylistically throughout the entire history of Jazz music, spanning a Century, and the transformations between what sounds like two Scott JoplinFind albums by this artist spirts and two Cecil TaylorFind albums by this artist spirits playing together is absolutely astounding. For Jazz listeners, who are astute connoisseurs of the Jazz history, especially piano Jazz, this is a true revelation. Overall, this is a brilliant document of the telepathic communication between two great musicians and a sublime example of the “Art of the Duo” phenomenon, which is an essential listening for all Jazz lovers out there. The live concert is very well recorded, which of course makes listening to this album a true pleasure on the sonic plane as well. Wholeheartedly recommended!

Updated: 26/04/2023Posted: 26/04/2023

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend