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"Marciac Suite"
Wynton Marsalis
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Wynton Marsalis would love to have his "Marciac Suite" draw comparisons to Duke Ellington's many suites named for places that he loved. Such ambitions are the stuff of Marsalis's career, as is his extensive work as an educator. Here, Marsalis is dedicating a suite to his students and the town of Marciac, France, where he's taught since 1991. It's Wynton all the way, with pithy waltz elements thrown in alongside complex carnival-like ditties. Ambition in this case should be commended, as "Marciac Suite" is lively and energetically well played.
"We'll Soon Find Out"
Joey Baron
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Drummer Joey Baron's made himself a household name among jazz musicians looking for one of the music's best rhythmic forces. "We'll Soon Find Out" has Baron fielding a stellar quartet of guitarist Bill Frisell, alto saxist Arthur Blythe, and bassist Ron Carter. They play snapping, funky grooves, with Frisell and Blythe pairing up as so many sax and guitar duos did in the soul-infused 1960s.
"Contemporary Jazz"
Branford Marsalis
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After "Requiem," which honored the life of his recently deceased pianist, Kenny Kirkland, saxophonist Branford Marsalis has chosen to plunge back into merging, cross-referencing, and digging various jazz streams of the postbop era--and his quartet now boasts pianist Joey Calderazzo.
"E Music"
Pete Escovedo
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From smokin' Latin bop--care of trumpeter Ray Vega's immense lung power--to silky smooth jazz, percussionist Pete Escovedo can run the musical gamut with ease. He does just this on "E Music," painting the jazz in bold colors and rich rhythms--even when the mood is mellow and sultry.
"Outbound"
Bela Fleck & the Flecktones
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You'd have thought banjo-jazz pioneer Bela Fleck would have included guests like steel drummer Andy Narell, organist John Medeski, and singer Shawn Colvin on one of his Flecktones releases. Well, he's done so for "Outbound," which features "Futureman" on several vocals, Victor Wooten on predictably lively electric bass, and the leader himself showing off not only his playing, but his talent at making extravagance seem funky in a likably offhand way.
NOW OPEN: BLUE NOTE STORE
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"The Mask"
Erik Truffaz
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Few have truly dedicated themselves to the ambient elements of Miles Davis's middle-register trumpet coolness with as much success as Frenchman Erik Truffaz. "The Mask" finds Truffaz's quartet integrating the wah-wah backdrops of some of Davis's early-1970s fusion with a warm, sleek trumpet tone that's short on flash and long on tone and mood.
"Complete Imperial Sessions"
Sonny Criss
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The blues-meets-bop vibe that Blue Note Records presented in the 1950s and '60s is at the heart of this collection of alto saxist Sonny Criss's three albums for the R&B label Imperial Records. Criss plays with some of jazz's funkiest here, including pianist Sonny Clark and bassist Leroy Vinnegar. Chriss's tone can be at first mellow, and then catch fire, attesting to his short-lived but inarguable expertise amid his well-schooled hard-bop peers.
"Blue Hour: The Complete Sessions"
Stanley Turrentine with the Three Sounds
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What better way to experience tenor saxophonist Stanley Turrentine than with the Three Sounds, pianist Gene Harris's trio with bassist Andy Simpkins and drummer Bill Dowdy. Turrentine's later taste for driving, hip funk was in embryo here, as Harris peels off grooves and the saxist retorts wonderfully.
NOW OPEN: ECM STORE
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"The Water Is Wide"
Charles Lloyd
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After 1999's "Voice in the Night," saxophonist Charles Lloyd decided to broaden that album's quartet--with guitarist John Abercrombie--to intensify the band's meditative qualities. To that end, "The Water Is Wide" brings pianist Brad Mehldau and bassist Larry Grenadier aboard with Abercrombie and drummer Billy Higgins, and the quintet floats, sparkles, and dances spectacularly.
"In cerca di cibo"
Gianluigi Trovesi and Gianni Coscia
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Armed with only clarinets and an accordion, the Italian duo of Gianluigi Trovesi and Gianni Coscia create a mix of rustic folk, jazz, and chamber music on "In cerca di cibo." Trovesi's known for getting wild with his octet, but here he focuses all energy on melody, timbre, and mood--making "In cerca" one of his best outings.
"Always Pack Your Uniform on Top"
Steve Swallow
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Bassist Steve Swallow has always sounded partially like a guitarist, what with his nimbly played electric bass and his talent for hopping across and through melodies. "Always Pack Your Uniform on Top" finds Swallow in good company--particularly saxophonist Chris Potter and guitarist Mick Goodrick. The quintet sprinkles spry bop and even lilting bossa nova among their touchstones, soloing heartily all along the way.
RECOMMENDED REISSUES
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"The Great Summit"
Duke Ellington & Louis Armstrong
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Here's one for the ages: the great Louis Armstrong in 1961 honoring Duke Ellington by asking the bandleader over for a jam session where Satchmo's band would play only Ducal tunes. The results are fabulous, with Satch growling out and swinging Ellington tunes as the composer stirs it up on piano. A second CD catches studio chatter, false starts, and the minutiae of what a great album is from the inside out.
"The Big Gundown 15th Anniversary"
John Zorn
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When John Zorn was approached some 15 years ago to record the music of Ennio Morricone, he wanted to turn down the project in part because, he recalls, Morricone's music was already perfect. This 15th anniversary remastering of the music Zorn made--perhaps slightly against his will--shows why having him honor Morricone was such a great idea. A pantheon of downtown New York improvisers make Morricone's music alternately haunting and ecstatic, giving it auras the great Italian film composer never even considered. And with this edition, you get six unreleased tracks!
AVANT-GARDE JAZZ
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"Project"
Joelle Leandre
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Bassist Joelle Leandre has made indelible marks on the European improvised-music scene. She shows why here, with her own bass squaring off with Marilyn Crispell's piano, Paul Lovens's drums, Carlos Zingaro's violin, and Richard Teitelbaum's electronics scrambling and scattering the hearts of these pieces about ingeniously.
"Pain Pen"
Eugene Chadbourne
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If you've never heard guitarist-banjoist-bandleader Eugene Chadbourne, his new "Pain Pen" is an ideal opportunity to be awash in clattering guitar mayhem that's equal parts dusty road folk music and all-out free jazz. Fellow six-stringer Joe Morris, drummer extraordinaire Susie Ibarra, and bass maestro Mark Dresser round out the band here, making "Pain Pen" a wild listen from start to finish.
"Africa N'Da Blues"
Kahil El'Zabar's Ritual Trio
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The great Chicago percussionist Kahil El'Zabar's Ritual Trio has lived for albums like "Africa N'Da Blues." Last year, their honored guest was Archie Shepp, and now they've got Pharoah Sanders aboard. Ari Brown moves mostly to piano for these dizzying tunes, leaving Sanders lots of room to invent tunes like "Miles' Mode" and "Autumn Leaves" anew.
BARGAIN JAZZ
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"Montreux 1975"
Dizzy Gillespie Big 7
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There's nothing like a jazz classic at a steep discount. Here's a classic Dizzy Gillespie live session from 1975, and it's classic in part due to the band. Saxophonist Johnny Griffin, vibraphonist Milt Jackson, pianist Tommy Flanagan, and Dizzy himself all make fine jam session-like showings. The best part is, we've got dozens more classics from the Fantasy/OJC catalog in our Bargain Music section.
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AMAZON.COM zSHOPS
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Grooves that Will Beat the Heat
Keep yourself cool on hot summer nights with something from zShops merchants' enormous selection of jazz on vinyl. Watch the mercury plummet as you drop the needle on records from jazz greats like Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Dave Brubeck, Louis Armstrong, and more. http://s1.amazon.com/exec/varzea/ts/browse-zshops/68350/acousticdigestmu">See CD Sale
"Obra Maestra"
Tito Puente and Eddie Palmieri
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Bright horns, pulsing percussion, and leaping vocals mark
this Latin jazz summit between pianist Eddie Palmieri and
late percussionist Tito Puente. The session was long overdue
and, alas, the final occasion for Puente and Palmieri to
light the sky with their bustling magic.
"Facing Left"
Jason Moran
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Pianist Jason Moran's sophomore effort, "Facing Left," comes
on the heels of his auspicious debut, "Soundtrack to Human
Emotion." This time out, Moran fronts a lean trio with
bassist Tarus Mateen and drummer Nasheet Waits. They play
inspired funky jams, loping soul jazz, and tender ballads
with equal assurance.
"How Can I Keep from Singing?"
Rene Marie
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The arrival of a fantastic jazz vocal talent is always good
news, and Rene Marie's debut signals just such an arrival.
"How Can I Keep from Singing?" has Marie ranging from Nina
Simone's "Four Women" to a charged version of "God Bless the
Child." She marks everything as her own, with deft
old-school chops and subtle innovations to boot.
"In the Spur of the Moment"
Steve Turre
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Trombonist Steve Turre's "In the Spur of the Moment"
presents the veteran 'bone doctor in three settings (with
three different pianists): a bluesy soul session with Ray
Charles, a modal bop session with Stephen Scott, and a
smoking Cuban roustabout with Chucho Valdes. Turre shows
that he's expert at nearly any jazz flavor.
RECENT VOCAL JAZZ
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"In the Moment: Live in Concert"
Dianne Reeves
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Few can claim the breadth of Dianne Reeves. "In the Moment:
Live in Concert" finds the singer digging into tunes by
Mongo Santamaria, Cole Porter, Antonio Carlos Jobim, and
Milton Nascimento. She opens with a long look at "Morning
Has Broken," which Cat Stevens first took beyond the church
walls. Her live show is part jazz standard, part
contemporary flair.
"Jelena Ana Milcetic"
Helen Merrill
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Having amassed a discography that boasts recording dates
with Clifford Brown, Sonny Rollins, and numerous others,
Helen Merrill returns to her Croatian roots for "Jelena Ana
Milcetic." Symphonic in scope, Merrill's latest moves from
Croatian traditionals to "Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless
Child," Judy Collins's "My Father," and much more. Steve
Lacy's soprano sax spices up many of these evocative works,
making "Jelena Ana" a fresh, innovative wonder.
"The Uptown Lowdown"
Irene Reid
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Unrepentantly saucy, Irene Reid is a singer perfectly
matched with the sultry swagger of Charles Earland's Hammond
B-3 organ. "The Uptown Lowdown" is the third CD Reid cut
with Earland and his soulful band, and, with Earland's death
in December 1999, it's their last. Reid tackles "I'm
Walkin'" and "Me and Mr. Jones" as if they were soul-jazz
standards, and she pays homage to Dinah Washington on the
bawdy "Long John Blues," a fitting tribute given how much
Reid's gleaned from Washington's output.
"Pussy Cat Dues"
Kevin Mahogany
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What's this, vocalist Kevin Mahogany tackling a rack of
Charles Mingus tunes? Sure enough, Mahogany's Kansas City
swing-inflected voice burnishes Mingus's works in this 1995
session. Mingus alums trombonist Jimmy Knepper and alto
saxist Charles McPherson anchor the WDR big band as they
move through some of the big bassist's best-known works.
SMOOTH GROOVES
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"Won't You Let Me Love You"
Walter Beasley
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An Amazon.com customer who bought Walter Beasley's 1998 CD
"For Your Pleasure" described it this way: "when you are
kicked back with a glass of mellow wine in front of the
fireplace with the one you love, this CD will satisfy the
jazz lover in you." Beasley's newest, "Won't You Let Me Love
You," continues in the same sultry mode. So kick back and
listen up.
"Whisper from the Mirror"
Keiko Matsui
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Another Amazon.com customer notes that pianist Keiko
Matsui's "Whisper from the Mirror" differs from her earlier
works: "Besides the absence of horns, the striking tone of
this CD is its introspective nature throughout. It seems
less jazzy, more pretty, more tender...." Indeed, Matsui's
made a dreamy album with "Whisper," focusing on delicate
acoustic music rather than horns or other contemporary-jazz
dressings.
Check out more smooth grooves
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AVANT-GARDE JAZZ
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"Flower After Flower"
Susie Ibarra
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Seldom does a drummer get so generous a chance to shine as
Susie Ibarra does on her splendid new CD, "Flower After
Flower." She's a clustery player, with the roil of Milford
Graves and the clarity of Max Roach. Her compositions are
fleshy and dramatic, free-leaning and well-textured.
Ibarra's flowers are blooming plentifully. Her band includes
Wadada Leo Smith on trumpet, Charles Burnham on violin, and
John Lindberg on bass. Each plays exquisitely.
"Painter's Spring"
William Parker Trio
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The rhythm team of bassist William Parker and drummer Hamid
Drake is brawny enough that they could blow the roof off
nearly any jazz date. Here, they team up with reeds and
flute veteran Daniel Carter for a set of loose, understated
themes that gather their dramatic force, often, from
Carter's long, woody tones and touches of Sonny Rollins's
solo logic. A gem.
"Real Time"
Steam
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A MacArthur "genius" award went saxophonist Ken Vandermark's
way not long ago, and here he is--still extremely smart--
with his quartet, Steam. "Real Time" features pianist Jim
Baker, bassist Kent Kessler, and drummer Tim Mulvenna
supporting Vandermark, and Baker, especially, makes this
band both harmonically intricate and pouncingly spry. As
usual, Vandermark blows with gusto, inventive solo powers
that play off free jazz's energy school, and a hard-bitten
tone that rocks.
BARGAIN JAZZ
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"The 1930's Recordings"
Mills Brothers
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Originally heralded as "Four Boys and a Guitar," the Mills
Brothers were able to emulate a jazz ensemble of big
proportions with only their vocal chops. Here are five CDs
of their classic sides from the 1930s. Cab Calloway, Bing
Crosby, Duke Ellington, and Louis Armstrong all stop in for
some jams. The best part is the price: less than $5 per
CD. That swings!
"Spring of Two Blue J's"
Cecil Taylor
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Pianist Cecil Taylor's explosive live albums have long
ranked at the top of his discography. Similarly, his band
with the late Jimmy Lyons was his most athletic and
freewheeling. "Spring of Two Blue J's" features Taylor in
two settings, first on a monumental solo excursion and then
with Lyons, drummer Andrew Cyrille, and bassist Sirone. Its
vintage is 1973, a robust time for the pianist.
"Live Espana 1971"
Modern Jazz Quartet
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By 1971, the Modern Jazz Quartet had their cool bop down to
a science. Here, they're in Spain, in '71, taking on the
seldom heard "Walking Stomp," the sweet ballad "Willow Weep
for Me," and Milt Jackson's "Monterey Mist." The sound is
good, and the music is great.
"Brazil"
Rosemary Clooney and John Pizzarelli
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After decades behind the microphone, vocalist Rosemary
Clooney sounds delightful on this exploration of her
favorite Brazilian songs. She and guitarist John Pizzarelli
make a fine team, she for her magnetic voice, he for his
adroitly swinging guitar in every context. As a collection
of Brazil's greatest, this is stellar.
"Mood Indigo"
Jimmy Scott
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Singer Jimmy Scott is blessed with an almost angelic
voice. His falsetto reaches are extraordinary, but so too is
his sense of maximizing jazz's dramatic potency, as he does
on "Mood Indigo." The title track is hair-raisingly
beautiful, as is so much here. This one's an award-winner.
"Layin' in the Cut"
James Carter
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Having tipped his hat to his jazz elders and woven a bevy of
postbop saxophone twisters, James Carter's back for not one
but two hitting albums. "Layin' in the Cut" comes at the
listener like a maelstrom of edgy 1970s-style funk. Carter
never loses sight of the hip-shakes in his tunes, and he
never lets you down for a minute on this session. Look out,
it's got Jef Lee Johnson and Marc Ribot on dual electric
guitars!
"Chasin' the Gypsy"
James Carter
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For "Chasin' the Gypsy," James Carter enlists drummer Joey
Baron, his cousin and violinist Regina Carter, guitar
mainstay Jay Berliner, and several others to tackle this
homage to Gypsy guitar virtuoso Django Reinhardt. The bustle
and muscle are in balance, with "Chasin'" well-produced
enough that accordion, steel-string guitar, bass saxophone,
violin, and drums sound flawless chugging through these nine
fantastically swinging tunes.
"Samsara"
Tom Maxwell
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After how many short years, the Squirrel Nut Zippers came
unzipped. And so, Tom Maxwell has time on his hands to
create "Samsara." Opening with a solo on the Asian sona,
"Samsara" kicks mightily into a hefty swinging vibe almost
right away. Maxwell's voice sounds as fresh as when he was a
Zipper, and his tunes actually sound better, with more light
shining through and better imagination. Don't miss his duet
with pipe organist Tom Loncaric.
VERVE MUSIC GROUP STORE OPENS
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Verve Records began as a scrappy independent jazz label,
documenting America's first true art form with a passion.
What Norman Granz founded on his love of the music is now
home to one of jazz's strongest back catalogs--and a roster
of talent that includes Diana Krall, Russell Malone, and
George Benson. We've opened a Verve Music Group store to
help you find your way through the label's storied past and
present.
Check it out:
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Here are some new and newly reissued Verve family gems:
"The Roy Haynes Trio Featuring Danilo Perez and John Patitucci"
Roy Haynes
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Veteran drummer Roy Haynes has played with a virtual who's
who of jazz greats. Here, he brings his young trio to bear
on tributes to Bud Powell, Sarah Vaughan, Charlie Parker,
and even Pat Metheny. Perez shines as a fine arranger with a
Latin jazz touch that highlights melodies while making room
for Haynes's insatiable rhythmic appetites.
"Impressions"
John Coltrane
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Now that the Verve Music Group is home to the vaunted
Impulse! catalog, they've gotten back to reissuing some
neglected John Coltrane albums. Here's "Impressions," with
its long version of "India," the touching ballad "After the
Rain," and the funky "Up 'Gainst the Wall." Also, check out
the recently reissued "Ascension," "Kulu Se Mama," and
"Interstellar Space."
"Dancing in Your Head"
Ornette Coleman
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Fans of Ornette Coleman's Prime Time have long awaited the
reissue of "Dancing in Your Head." Two versions of the famed
"Theme from a Symphony" show off Prime Time's teetery,
quiltlike electric funk, and "Midnight Sunrise" has Coleman
jamming improbably with Morocco's Master Musicians of
Jajouka.
"Walking in Space"
Quincy Jones
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One of Quincy Jones's best-loved jazz crossover albums,
"Walking in Space" combines the producer's jazz and pop
credentials on a program that includes Rahsaan Roland Kirk,
R&B singer Valerie Simpson, and flutist Hubert Laws.
FRESH LATIN JAZZ
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"Snowboy and the Latin Section Play Afro Cuban Jazz"
Snowboy
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An easy candidate for one of 2000's best jazz albums, Mark
"Snowboy" Cotgrove's latest foray into Afro-Cuban jazz is a
no-holds-barred thriller. With backing band the Latin
Section, Snowboy plays feverishly on congas on a host of
generous, rumbly jams.
"How'm I Doin'?"
Pucho and his Latin Soul Brothers
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Decades ago, Henry "Pucho" Brown led in the development of a
music that combined Latin and soul jazz, and he's mined that
territory plentifully on such classics as "Yaina" and
"Superfreak." He's never slowed down, and "How'm I Doing?"
is an occasion to see how fleet Pucho is. The tunes range
from traditional Cuban rhythmic excursions to funky thumpers
like the title track, featuring James Brown veteran Fred
Wesley on trombone.
"Live and in Clave!!!"
Bobby Sanabria Big Band
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Drummer Bobby Sanabria's convened an all-star Latin big band
for "Live and in Clave!!!" Their mixture of high-flying
bebop and thicketing Afro-Cuban rhythms is inspired, as are
solos from trumpeter Michael Philip Mossman, trombonist
Chris Washburne, and conguero Candido.
SMOOTH GROOVES
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"An Instrumental Tribute to Steely Dan"
Various Artists
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The gents who started Steely Dan should marvel at their
music's impact on the smooth-jazz scene. Lithe melodies,
cushiony rhythms, and peppy solos mark this run-through of
some of Walter Becker and Donald Fagen's classic songs.
Those paying homage include Jeff Lorber, Dave Koz, and
Richard Elliot.
"Solo Improvisations"
Lyle Mays
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Here's Pat Metheny's frequent collaborator, Lyle Mays,
exploring the piano's harmonic depths all by himself. The
music is elegantly paced and almost ambient at times, but
it's always colored gently by one of jazz-fusion's stars.
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JAM BAND JAZZ
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"Charlie Hunter"
Charlie Hunter
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Guitarist Charlie Hunter's brand of funky jazz is always
expansive. He plays so that his eight-string guitar sounds
like a mesh of an ordinary six-string model, a Hammond B-3
organ, and a bass. On this self-titled outing, he joins with
trombonist Josh Roseman, saxophonist Peter Apfelbaum,
drummer Leon Parker, and additional percussionists for a
first-rate jam session.
"Big"
New Cool Collective
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Hailing from Amsterdam, the New Cool Collective brings
together alto saxophonist Benjamin Herman and 20 of his
freewheeling, jam-happy pals. They blaze with the fervor of
having watched club dance floors writhe collectively, and
they make a blasting show behind singer Georgie Fame on a
pair of cuts. Don't miss their nod to the Carpenters on
"We've Only Just Begun."
Check out more jam-band jazz
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BOX SETS
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"The Freelance Years"
Sonny Rollins
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This five-CD set contains some of Sonny Rollins's best-known
albums. It starts with his work on Thelonious Monk's
"Brilliant Corners," continues through Rollins's own "Way
Out West" and "Freedom Suite," and includes sessions with
guitarist Barney Kessel and pianist Hampton Hawes. Rollins
is in top form throughout, placing this set collectively
with the best work of his career.
Check out more jazz box sets
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