What jazz music are you listening to?

[bart]

Kenny Burrell - Introducing Kenny Burrell
Qobuz 24/96




Recorded May '56.

Kenny Burrell – guitar
Tommy Flanagan – piano
Paul Chambers – double bass
Kenny Clarke – drums
Candido Camero – conga

[bart]

Kenny Burrell - Blue Lights - Volume 1
via Qobuz




Recorded in May '58.

Guitarist Kenny Burrell leads a strong jam session that features the talented but very underrated trumpeter Louis Smith (who sounds a bit like Lee Morgan), the similar but contrasting tenors of Junior Cook and Tina Brooks, pianist Duke Jordan, bassist Sam Jones, and drummer Art Blakey. Jordan's tongue-in-cheek "Scotch Blues" is a high point. ~ Scott Yanow

[bart]

Followed by:

Kenny Burrell - Blue Lights - Volume 2
via Qobuz




Same date, May 14, '58.

A jam session led by guitarist Kenny Burrell features the talented if forgotten trumpeter Louis Smith, both Junior Cook and Tina Brooks on tenors, pianist Bobby Timmons (Duke Jordan was on the first volume), bassist Sam Jones, and drummer Art Blakey. The all-star group performs two standards ("Caravan" and the guitarist's feature on "Autumn in New York"), Sam Jones' "Chuckin'," and Burrell's "Rock Salt." This is excellent music that easily fits into the bop mainstream of the period. ~ Scott Yanow

The AllMusic review by Scott Yanow awarded the album 4½ stars stating "Guitarist Kenny Burrell leads a very coherent jam session in the studio with a particularly strong cast"

[bart]

Lou Donaldson - Mr. Shing-A-Ling
Qobuz 24/96




Recorded in '67.
Has some really funky moments.

Lou Donaldson - alto saxophone
Blue Mitchell - trumpet (#2-5)
Lonnie Smith - organ
Jimmy Ponder - guitar
Leo Morris - drums

[bart]

Lou Donaldson - Alligator Bogaloo
Qobuz 24/96




Recorded April 7, '67.

Lou Donaldson - alto saxophone
Melvin Lastie - cornet (#1-5)
Lonnie Smith - organ
George Benson - guitar
Leo Morris - drums

[bart]

Wallace Roney - Blue Dawn - Blue Nights
Qobuz 24/44.1




Solid new release.

[bart]

Lou Donaldson - Lush Life
Qobuz 24/192




Sweet and romantic.
And what a band he had here!

After brief sojourns at Argo and Cadet, Lou Donaldson marked his 1967 return by recording Lush Life, the grandest project he ever attempted. With its plush arrangements and unabashedly pretty melodies, Lush Life stands in stark contrast to everything else he cut in the '60s. There are no blues, no stabs at soul-jazz grooves, no hard bop -- only sweet, sensitive renditions of romantic standards. Donaldson shone on ballads before, but it's nevertheless surprising how successful he is on this set of slow love songs. His tone is full and elegant -- it's easy to get lost in his rich readings of these familiar melodies, as well as his slyly seductive improvisations. Of course, it helps that his instrumental backdrops are as lovely as those his nine-piece backing band provide. Nonets are unwieldy, to be certain, but Duke Pearson's arrangements are clean, sparkling, and attractive, and the superstar band -- Wayne Shorter (tenor sax), Jerry Dodgion (alto sax, flute), Pepper Adams (bari sax), Freddie Hubbard (trumpet), Garnett Brown (trombone), McCoy Tyner (piano), Ron Carter (bass), Al Harewood (drums) -- knows enough to provide sympathetic support and not steal the show. When they do take solos, it enhances Donaldson's original statements, and helps make Lush Life the singularly enchanting record it is. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

[bart]

Iiro Rantala - My Finnish Calendar
Qobuz 24/96




Somewhere in between Einaudi and Bill Evans.
Nice... but only for once.

[PierreB]

Lars Danielsson : Melange Bleu

[bart]

David Helbock - Playing John Williams
Qobuz 24/96




Interesting.
Well done.
But lacks a bit of soul.