Kind of Blue
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Audio CD (25 March, 1997)
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Editorial Review

This is the one jazz record owned by people who don't listen to jazz, and with good reason. The band itself is extraordinary (proof of Miles Davis's masterful casting skills, if not of God's existence), listing John Coltrane and Julian "Cannonball" Adderley on saxophones, Bill Evans (or, on "Freddie Freeloader," Wynton Kelly) on piano, and the crack rhythm unit of Paul Chambers on bass and Jimmy Cobb on drums. Coltrane's astringency on tenor is counterpoised to Adderley's funky self on alto, with Davis moderating between them as Bill Evans conjures up a still lake of sound on which they walk. Meanwhile, the rhythm partnership of Cobb and Chambers is prepared to click off time until eternity. It was the key recording of what became modal jazz, a music free of the fixed harmonies and forms of pop songs. In Davis's men's hands it was a weightless music, but one that refused to fade into the background. In retrospect every note seems perfect, and each piece moves inexorably towards its destiny. --John Szwed ... Read more

Features

• Original recording remastered

Reviews (536)

The Rembrandt of Music
This isn't just the greatest jazz music of all time, it just may be the best music ever recorded of any genre.Period.

Absolute Perfection!
This is quite simply one of the best jazz albums ever created. Over the years I have collected several hundred albums by all different artists. I have a particular affection for trumpet, and especially for Miles.

This album was the first ever given to me, and is the gold standard by which all other music I have ever heard or owned is judged. My collection started with this and since has turned into a runaway train.

If I had to give up the rest of my music, I could survive for eternity with this album. There is nothing more to say, just listen.

If you could only own one album for the rest of your life
If I was limited to five albums on a desert island, I would also take along "Dark Side of the Moon" by Pink Floyd, "Siamese Dream," by the Smashing Pumpkins, "Revolver," by the Beatles, "A Love Supreme," by John Coltrane, and "Strangeways, Here We Come," by The Smiths, but if I could only take one, it would be "Kind of Blue."

Simply put, "Kind of Blue" is the best record ever made, by any artist, in any genre of music, ever.It will survive any amount of playing; it is impossible to tire of this wonderful album.It is unlikely it will ever be surpassed. ... Read more

Asin: B000002ADT
Subjects:  1. Hard Bop    2. Jazz    3. Modal Music    4. Pop    5. Trumpet    6. United States of America   

A Love Supreme
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Audio CD (20 June, 1995)
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A Love Supreme is a suite about redemption, a work of pure spirit and song, that encapsulates all the struggles and aspirations of the 1960s. Following hard on the heels of the lyrical, swinging Crescent, A Love Supreme heralded Coltrane's search for spiritual and musical freedom, as expressed through polyrhythms, modalities, and purely vertical forms that seemed strange to some jazz purists, but which captivated more adventurous listeners (and rock fellow travelers such as the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Cream, and the Byrds), while initiating a series of volatile, unruly prayer offerings, including Kulu Su Mama, Ascension, Om, Meditations, Expression, Interstellar Space. From the urgent speech-like timbre of his tenor, to the serpentine textures and earthy groove of Elvin Jones's drumming, Coltrane's suite proceeds with escalating intensity, conveying a hard-fought wisdom and a beckoning serenity in the prayer-like drones of "Psalm," where Jones rolls and rumbles like thunder as Garrison and Tyner toll away suggestively--all the while Coltrane searches for that one climactic note worthy of the love he wants to share.--Chip Stern ... Read more

Features

• Original recording remastered

Reviews (134)

masterpiece
For those that get this album it is nothing short of a masterpiece. For those that don't it is just noise. I recommend giving this album a listen before buying it, but for those that have a hard time getting into this album I recommend multiple listenings over a fairly extended period of time. Try listening to it 4 or 5 times with in a couple of weeks time span. I've actually known people who at first thought this album was awful, but after a while their ears just opened up to it.

To the reviewer who said:

"Art reaches out, speaks to the universal, appeals to the heart. Jazz excludes, speaks in code, demands analysis. I prefer art."

I think that it is pretty ironic that you criticized this particular album in this manner. Essentially this album was Coltrane's attempt to reach out, speak to the Universal, and appealing to the heart. If you missed that you missed the entire point. I'll admit this is an album some people are going to love and others are going to hate, but Coltrane's purpose is undeniable. Also your claim that jazz isn't art is laughable.

First on my list of favourites
I resort many times to this record when I really want to get carried away with music. For me this record is medicine. So Coltrane, Tyner, Jones and Garrison are here like a group oftherapists so to speak.
This one is truly unique. Never listened to something even similar and don't want to. Because "A love supreme" is just perfect. I have other Coltrane works like "Giant Steps" or "Blue Train" but these ones don't mean much to me. And I even don't like much John's way of playing: too many notes in such a little time space. Many times they don't tell me anything. And it is the same reaction that I get sometimes from Bird. "Ok, you're a virtuoso. Congratulations!. So what?".
But this record was really his cornerstone for me. He was in a different approach. He meant something to me in every note he blew from his sax. He really got into something. And he's here with the great McCoy Tyner. With his piano helps Elvin Jones to create a mystic atmosphere where you can feel they are in some kind of spiritual voyage. And everything is a wonder.
So if you are one like me who's not very fond of Coltrane, it doesn't matter at all. This is a must have. Who told you that "Kind of Blue" was the all-time best?. It is "a love supreme". It is about pure inspiration from four geniuses of Music. It'll change you. For good!.

Still supreme after all these years.
It's a testament to John Coltrane's artistic vision that a piece of uncomprimising music such as a 'A Love Supreme' can be heard for the universalism it stands for. Recorded in a studio in New Jersey in late 1964, Coltrane had spent a week alone in a room in his house away from his wife and children. During that time of contemplation and isolation, he put pen to paper to bare his soul to God and the essence of 'A Love Supreme' was born. I don't think it was a coincedence that at the time this album was recorded in the mid-60's, a new philosophy of spirituality and peace & love began to prevade popular music in general. The Church of St. John Coltrane still resides in that bastion of hippiedom, San Francisco.

The music on the album itself is powerful not just for Coltrane's playing itself but also for the fanatical interplay of the quartet. 'Acknowledgement' opens with Garrison's passionate bass line, leading into Coltrane's dynamic and ingenious playing, the quartet's spirited performance like a fervant, untamed emotion that has gripped them all. 'Resolution' blazes from the record with Tyler burnishing the track with some brilliant playing of his own. Jones's frantic drumming comes to the fore on the opening of 'Pursuance', a track where the meaning of 'Chasin' The Trane' becomes self-evident as Garrison, Tyler and Jones follow in hot pursuit of their leader's furious joy. Tyler's playing is again compelling as the quartet trade notes with such alarming velocity before Garrison's bass tip-toes and leads us like the pied-piper to the concluding 'Psalm'.

It's refreshing in this day and age to hear an artist whose sincerity and integrity shines through his work. ... Read more

Asin: B000003N7G
Subjects:  1. Jazz    2. Pop   

Jazz at Massey Hall
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (01 July, 1991)
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Editorial Review

One of the most famous live recordings in jazz history, this May 1953 concert from Toronto brought together five of bebop's greatest figures in alto saxophonist Charlie Parker (credited here as "Charlie Chan" in a purposely transparent attempt to sidestep Parker's exclusive recording arrangement with another record company), trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie, pianist Bud Powell, drummer Max Roach, and bassist Charles Mingus. Released following Parker's death two years after the date, the recording finds him in remarkable form, his playing robust, pointed, and witty. And although each participant is a band leader, composer, and groundbreaking stylist on his instrument, the performance demonstrates that Parker remained first among equals. Compositionally, Jazz at Massey Hall leans heavily on the bebop book developed by Gillespie, and includes "Salt Peanuts," "Wee," and "A Night in Tunisia." Also featured are Tadd Dameron's "Hot House," the Ellington standard "Perdido," and "All the Things You Are." Initially released on Debut Records, a label co-owned by Mingus and Roach, the sound quality is certainly of the time, but has benefited over the years from digital technology.--Fred Goodman ... Read more

Features

• Live

Reviews (17)

Get Jazz Factory's "Complete Jazz at Massey Hall" Instead
Other than excerpts available here on Amazon, I haven't actually heard either this CD or the 20-bit remastered version of it.Based solely on the description, however, I instead ordered The Jazz Factory's 2003 CD "Complete Jazz at Massey Hall"(JFCD 22856) (referred to hereafter in this review as "CJMH"), and I am very glad I did.Here's why:

1.In addition to the 6 quintet tracks on the present CD, CJMH includes 8 other tracks from the concert, including a 4-and-a-half-minute self-contained drum solo by Max Roach, and 6 great tracks by a trio of Powell, Mingus, and Roach (Cherokee, Embraceable You, Halleluja, Sure Thing, Lullaby of Birdland, and I've Got You Under My Skin).Also, according to the liner notes, all 14 tracks are in the order in which they were performed at the concert.

2.NONE OF MINGUS' OVERDUBBED BASS is included on CJMH.You can still hear him, though, but much more naturally than he sounds on the overdubbed excerpts I've heard here on Amazon.

3.According to the notes on the CJMH case, the "original analogue masters have been digitally transferred at 24 bit resolution, processed using Sonic Solutions NoNoise technology and mastered to 16 bit for CD using prism SNS Noise Shaping."Whatever that means, the sound for the most part is great.Some of the tracks start a bit abruptly, and the sound on the 6 trio tracks is variable, but the sound quality of the 6 quintet tracks is phenomenal.Again, there is no Mingus overdubbing present, and--especially when Bird and Diz are playing--the sound has great clarity and presence.There is no real audible tape hiss except when only the rhythm section is playing and the levels are raised a bit.In general, the sound is far from perfect, but is pretty amazing given the time and circumstances of the original recording.

4.CJMH is very nicely packaged and presented, including a 12-page pamphlet with extensive notes about and photos of the concert.

To sum up, not knowing what to expect from this import when I ordered it, I was very pleasantly surprised by the extremely high quality of both the sound and the packaging of CJMH.I would highly recommend it, instead of or in addition to the present CD, for anyone who wants a more complete and accurate recording of the Massey Hall concert.

The last Parker/Gillespie masterpiece.
I first heard this recording when I was sixteen. It was one the few recordings I heard of Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie playing together. While nothing can top the original recordings they made together back in 1945, this recording would come about third, when compared to the Carnegie Hall concert of 1947 and the final recording of Gillespie and Parker made for Verve towards the end of Parker's life. With the inclusion of Thelonious Monk, that album featured three of the bebop originators. The Quintet at Massy Hall, however, features all five of the original and greatest names in bebop - Charles Mingus, Max Roach, Bud Powell and Parker and Gillespie. Unlike the Verve date, the playing on this album, particuarly on the fast numbers, is far more cohesive and less brittle. Gillespie is still rather brittle on this recording, but Parker sounds smooth, exciting and at times quite haunting in the higher register. This is his true sound, not the anguished cries of his later years when he was deteriorating physically and mentally. Gillespie is technically inventive and as always is entertaining to listen to. Powell ebbs and flows, playing angular but smooth phrases that are rather like a cross between Monk and McCoy Tyner. Mingus and Roach are also standouts. The only other live recording made of Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie in a concert environment is Diz 'n Bird at Carnegie Hall, which is stunning. However there are only several pieces and the personnel is not nearly as representative of bebop greatness as this album. This is about as close as one could get and it really is the last great Parker/Gillespie masterpiece.

The last Parker/Gillespie masterpiece.
I first heard this recording when I was sixteen. It was one the few recordings I heard of Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie playing together. While nothing can top the original recordings they made together back in 1945, this recording is by far second best, when compared to the final recording of Gillespie and Parker made for Verve towards the end of Parker's life. With the inclusion of Thelonious Monk, that album featured three of the bebop originators. The Quintet at Massy Hall, however, features all five of the original and greatest names in bebop - Charles Mingus, Max Roach, Bud Powell and Parker and Gillespie. Unlike the Verve date, the playing on this album, particuarly on the fast numbers, is far more cohesive and less brittle. Gillespie is still rather brittle on this recording, but Parker sounds smooth and quite haunting in the higher register. This is his true sound, not the anguished cries of his later years when he was deteriorating physically and mentally. Gillespie is technically inventive and as always is entertaining to listen to. Powell ebbs and flows, playing angular but smooth phrases that are rather like a cross between Monk and McCoy Tyner. Mingus and Roach are also standouts. I have never had the opportunity of hearing any live recordings of Parker and Gillespie from the mid forties in New York, when Parker was at his peak, in my opinion. This is about as close as one could get and it really is the last great Parker/Gillespie masterpiece. ... Read more

Asin: B000000Y2R
Subjects:  1. Jazz    2. Pop   

The Quintessential Billie Holiday, Vol.5: 1937-1938
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Audio CD (25 October, 1990)
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Reviews (6)

Billie was a real musician.
Laura Nyro wrote a wonderful song called LouiseÕs Church, about underappreciated women artists, in which she proclaims, "Billie was a real musician." I love both Laura Nyro and Billie Holiday, but that always seemed to me a really odd line. Of course Holiday was one of the greatest singers who ever lived, if not THE greatest, but a musician?

After I listened to this CD, NyroÕs assertion suddenly made sense to me. Billie Holiday is well-known for her ability to take a trite song and make it shine by singing contrary to the spirit of the lyrics, or bringing out subtle shades of meaning that even the lyricist was probably unaware of. There are plenty of samples of that talent on this album. She sings the chirpy "Things Are Looking Up" at a dirge-like speed, and with an ache in her voice. And the way she sings "My First Impression of You" Ð a bland little ode to love at first sight Ð you know the first impression turned out to be wrong.

But what impresses me most about this album, more than any other Billie Holiday album I own, is that it shows off her talent as a musician. The musicians who back her up on these tracks are astounding Ð Buck Clayton, Teddy Wilson,and especially Lester Young (the play between HolidayÕs voice and YoungÕs saxophone on "Getting Some Fun Out of Life" is one of the high points in the history of popular music Ð that alone is worth the price of the disk.) Obviously these 18 tracks arenÕt the only ones she ever cut with these musicians. She worked with them on and off throughout her career. But the instrumentalists are featured prominently on most of these songs -- on several tracks, the vocal doesnÕt even come in until the middle of the song Ð and the music is so gorgeous you could subtract BillieÕs voice and it would still be a joy to listen to.

Of course, youÕd never want to take out the vocal from these songs, because theyÕre not only examples of great singing, theyÕre an essential part of the music. ItÕs not just that the band did a great job of supporting Billie Holiday, but also that she does a great job of supporting them. Her tone is gorgeous and her rhythm is both impeccable and unique. Even when thereÕs not much to do in the song, she blends in as one more beautifully toned instrument in a knockout orchestra.

Laura Nyro was right Ð Billie was a real musician, one who could more than hold her own with some of the best musicians who ever lived. If you have any interest at all in Billie Holiday's work, this album is an essential purchase.

Lady Day & the Pres!
This CD, as some of the others have said, showcases a happy, vibrant, swinging Billie Holiday.The interplay between her and the musicians, particularly the legendary saxophonist Lester Young, is nothing short of extraordinary.Not all of the songs are good, though.You've still got some Tin Pan Alley pap, such as "Now They Call It Swing."The majority of the material is excellent, however, with knockout versions of "Nice Work If You Can Get It" and "Trav'lin' All Alone" (my personal favorite).I'd highly recommend this one.It's a side of Lady Day you don't often get to hear.

Possibly the BEST Quintessential Set
This Quintessential #5 may well be the BEST one compiled during her Vocalion-Brunswick (Columbia) years, and that's saying alot considering all nine Quintessential volumes are considered classics in the jazz canon.What distinguishes this particular set is the well-chosen songs and unforgettable performances by Billie and her elite sidemen.I would be hard pressed to find a more joyful Billie than the one captured here.Maybe it's not a coincidence this set came right in the middle of her recording years at Columbia, for she had found that right balance between swing and poignancy in her performances.The earlier sets tend to swung too much while the later sets border on melancholy.This one has just the right amount of both.Billie sounds she's getting a lift from the group of men backing her on instrumentals and what a group:Lester Young, Buck Clayton, Freddie Green, Teddy Wilson.In fact you can hear the sheer joy and pleasure in Billie's singing.This was probably a very happy time in her life and she shares that with the world.Look for the standout swinger tracks:"Travelin' All Alone" "Back in Your Own Backyard" "Born to Love" and "Nice Work If You Can Get It", but really, all the tracks are classics. ... Read more

Asin: B0000026MU
Sales Rank: 82733
Subjects:  1. Ballads    2. Classic Female Blues    3. Jazz    4. Pop    5. Swing    6. Traditional Pop    7. Vocal Jazz   

The Louis Armstrong Collection, Vol. 4: Louis Armstrong and Earl Hines
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Audio CD (07 August, 1989)
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Editorial Review

Like the great pyramids at Giza or the works of Shakespeare and Bach, the music of Louis Armstrong and Earl Hines shines like some beacon of light blinking at us from beyond the veil, ancient and miraculous and inscrutable in its mastery and wisdom. The trumpeter from New Orleans and the pianist from Pittsburgh recognize in each other the mark of champions, and the pleasure they take in each other's instrumental sovereignty is apparent in all their inspirational improvisations from 1928. The sense of joy these adventurers share in their spontaneous flights of exploration and discovery on "West End Blues" and "Weather Bird (Rag)" remains undiminished. King Oliver's "Weather Bird (Rag)" is taken as an equestrian duet, the phrases echoing back and forth, veering off and intermingling, creating fresh new variations like alternating pulses of a single heartbeat, orchestral in their syncopated complexity, resolving into a rousing climax that is the essence of jazz. And in a collection shot through with classic performances such as "St. James Infirmary," "Tight Like This" and "Sugar Foot Strut," "West End Blues" remains the most memorable performance in the entire Armstrong lexicon. Beginning with the remarkable rhythmic phrasing of Armstrong's opening cadenza, proceeding through his initial reading of the theme, his poignant scat chorus and a stately Hines interlude, and culminating in the clarion call of the trumpeter's 16-beat sustained cry and epic blues phrases, this is a humbling performance--like Bird's "Ko-Ko," Trane's "Giant Steps," and Sonny Rollins' "Autumn Nocturne"--that other musicians must measure themselves against. --Chip Stern ... Read more

Reviews (10)

"Pops" 'n "Fatha" do it right!
This is really an excellent disc featuring combos of 5 or 7 players.Good early jazz.

Roots Music
Of all the "old" Louis recordings this one stands out for me. The playing is so tight and the quality of the sound is incredible considering the primitive recording techniques of the time. Check out Basin Street Blues with Hines playing the Celeste and harmonizing with Louis. My favorite track (for today at least) is Symphonic Raps with the double Tuba stops after each chorus. I can only try to imagine what a live performance by these guys must have been like. Belongs in the collection of every Louis Armstrong lover.

A Great Summit
the point to Jazz is collective improvisation which requires an intricate sense of teamwork;Satch already had his first summit with Sidney Bechet in Clarence Williams'Blue Fives (and the Red Onion Jazz Babies) in 1924-1925;Satch's earlier stint with the superb King Oliver Creole jazz Band was an apprenticeship.But here this CD finds Satch entering 1928 with the full glory of the Hot 5s and Hot 7s under his belt,and his partner here is the classy and exceptionally gifted pianist Earl 'Fatha' Hines.The chemistry between these two artists is amazing it borders on ESP in all honesty,-from the intricate layers of 'Symphonic Raps' to the classic scat singing of 'Sugar Foot Strut' all the way to theremarkable interplay of 'Two Deuces' these sides are as essential to any list of jazz as are the Original Dixieland Jazz Band and King Olivers Creole Jazz Band,-Jazz here is growing up fast-not the schmaltzy Big Band syrup but a truly ingenious brew all its own magic.These sides are available today in boxed sets elsewhere but the digital restorations here while a tad muddy are nonetheless perfectly acceptable.If you dont want to spring $ for the boxed sets then buy this one,you'll float on a cloud! ... Read more

Asin: B0000026T8
Subjects:  1. Classic Jazz    2. Jazz    3. New Orleans Jazz    4. Pop    5. Swing   

Classic Early Solos (1934-1937)
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Audio CD (08 October, 1991)
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Editorial Review

Art Tatum was simply a marvel at the piano keyboard, a whirlwind of creative energy who could switch suddenly from a lilting swing to runs of such speed they might levitate the piano. This CD collects all his Decca recordings from the 1930s, 16 tracks from 1934, including alternate versions of three pieces, and four from 1937. Tatum was both synthesis and extension of the great pianists who had preceded him, including elements of stride that would suggest James P. Johnson, Fats Waller, and Duke Ellington, but his greatest influence was unquestionably Earl Hines. Hines's sheer command of rhythm and harmony permitted extraordinary creative freedom, and as Hines withdrew from solo piano recording in the '30s, Tatum emerged to build on his innovations. The two versions of "When a Woman Loves a Man," recorded a few weeks apart, demonstrate how differently Tatum could approach the same tune, but each piece here is a striking example of Tatum's inventiveness. He doesn't just transform a song's harmonies, he often transforms its mood; a ballad like "Ill Wind" moves from the pensive to the exuberant. While ecstatic virtuosity may be the dominant characteristic of Tatum's music, there's an increased depth on the tracks from 1937, which is particularly apparent on Fats Waller's "Stormy Weather," imbued here with a deep and languid blues feeling.--Stuart Broomer ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Genuine.
The pre-bop jazz piano master's unique dynamic style with incredible speed, accuracy, subtlty, and rich ornamentations is well presented in every tracks on the CD.Oscar Peterson mentioned "These guys are pretty good." before he knew Tatum and listened to Tatum's recordings for the first time.The fast accurate and subtle stride seems almost impossible to most pianists even today.

Exuberant early Tatum
This is Tatum in the Springtime flush of strength and power-- the despair of all other musicians.'Liza',especially the second take recorded a few months after the first,gives us all the musical excitement we want, andmore.With these early recordings Tatum burst upon the firmament like asupernova,and the language of jazz was changed forever. ... Read more

Asin: B000003N3C
Subjects:  1. Boogie-Woogie    2. Jazz    3. Pop    4. Stride    5. Swing   

Sunday at the Village Vanguard
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (25 October, 1990)
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Editorial Review

This live recording by the Bill Evans Trio at the Village Vanguard on June 25, 1961, marked the end of one of the most sublime instrumental combinations in jazz history when bassist Scott LaFaro died in a car accident 10 days later. This unit is underdocumented because Evans, a notorious perfectionist, was reluctant to record. The interchange between Evans on piano, LaFaro on bass and Paul Motian on drums is balletic in its balance of emotional beauty and technical precision. Multiple takes of "Gloria's Step," "Alice in Wonderland," "All of You," and "Jade Visions" show how the invention these players brought to each performance makes repeated material sound like movements in a suite. --John Swenson ... Read more

Features

• Live

Reviews (29)

Pretty Darn Good
I am not as enthusiastic about this album as the reviewers that wrote before me. I often find the Bill Evans trio to be unbalanced, with the drums taking more prominence than they perhaps merit. I was tempted to give the recording three stars. However, I recalled some of the better flashes of brilliance: the absolute, near-telepathic tightness of track 01 (Gloria's Step), the intensity of track 03 ("solar"), Scott LaFaro's compelling bass solo on track 03, and the sublime compositional content of "Jade Visions."
Important historically, so I recommend it to jazz lovers. Everyone else should be wary: decide whether you like it by listening to the sample tracks on Amazon before purchasing.

technologically ahead of its time
Hard to add to what's already been written. I've been savoring this CD for 15 years-- I agree with an earlier reviewer who essentially said this was the height of the trio format, although I gotta give Brad Mehldau props, too.

The thing (besides the playing, of course!) that's always stood out for me is the quality of the recording. Given the date (1961!!), the sound is outstanding-- right down to the crowd noise. It sounds as if it were recorded last week. The sound of LaFaro's playing in particular is exquisite.

This should be right next to Kind of Blue on everyone's shelf.

The height of the trio
Neither Oscar Peterson nor Ahmad Jamal nor Bud Powell acheived the level of telepathy exhibited on this record and the two or three others that this trio recorded before LaFaro's sudden death. The trio may be at its absolute peak on "Alice in Wonderland". Evans often looked outside the jazz songbook to find compositions that he could turn inside out, but who would've thought that this Disney tune could be so revitalized by a piano trio? Evans also takes Cole Porter's "All of You", one of my favorite standards, and completely stands it on its head.
LaFaro's genius on the bass was singular, and I have no doubt that had he not died so young, he would've supplanted Ray Brown and Charles Mingus and whoever else as the king of his instrument. His playing behing Evans is mesmerizing, totally original. His dexterity was unbelievable. But when it came time for him to solo, he really caught fire. Just when you think he's lost himself and descended into some abstract quagmire, he picks up the melody again and it's off to the races. He almost steals the show, which is quite a feat since Evans brings his A-game. Paul Motian, though capable and talented on the drums, does just what he should do--keep the time and stay out of the way. It's a historical irony that the audiences at the Vanguard during these shows were relatively sparse, and fairly inattentive, judging by the constant chatter in the background. The trio, however, remains totally focused, as will the listener. ... Read more

Asin: B000000Y87
Subjects:  1. Ballads    2. Jazz    3. Modal Music    4. Piano    5. Pop    6. Post-Bop    7. United States of America   

Mingus Ah Um [Bonus Tracks]
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Audio CD (16 February, 1999)
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Editorial Review

Mercurial bassist and bandleader Charles Mingus was signed to Columbia Records for the briefest of time during 1959. His Columbia recordings, however, remain some of the most inspired, mood-jumping jazz in history. The flowing sadness of "Goodbye Porkpie Hat" (unedited here for the first time on CD!) rings like a funeral chorus that pitches headlong into a celebration of Lester Young's life and improvising flexibility, rather than his death. And there's the funky furnace blast of "Boogie Stop Shuffle" (also unedited!), which reaches its glory with Booker Ervin's Texas tenor sax, wrapped tight in bluesy tone. With the index of emotions captured, these songs nail why Mingus is possibly the most relevant jazzer for the '90s generation. He swings and shouts and hollers and somersaults. His tunes either induce foot-stomping with their intensity or reach for poignant yearning with their lyrical tapestry of orchestral colors. --Andrew Bartlett ... Read more

Features

• Original recording remastered

Reviews (41)

Mingus and Beyond
I think this is my favorite Mingus album. It's got it all - wonderful tunes and virtuoso performances. But where do you go from here? Mingus put out a lot of amazing music. Some of it is rather challenging and not for the timid, but I recommend the following without hesitation, especially if you're a fan of Mingus Ah Um.

Blues and Roots, Mingus Dynasty - both also from 1959, one of his greatest years, Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus - just spectacular, Tijuana Moods - one his most emotional and swinging albums, Black Saint and the Sinner Lady - one of the most daring (yet swinging) jazz concept albums, Let My Children Hear Music - a true masterpiece of composition and performance, and Live in Antibes - one of his best live albums featuring Eric Dolphy.

yes sir
Mingus has a very distinctive and unique sound. This album is crazy and thats great. A lot of stuff you wont hear on any other jazz records. This is just good music and great jazz! get it already

mingus newbies: start here
Mingus composed some of the most amazingly catchy, vibrant, emotional songs you'll ever hear for this album and his band absolutely slays. "Better Git Hit In Yo Soul" is a blast from start to finish with elements of big band and gospel coming right out to slap staid, classy jazz fans in the face and make them dance.Those put off by the intensity of that song will be more at home with the gentle ballad "Goodby Porkpie Hat" which swoons along beautifully.Most of the songs fall somewhere in between those extremes with "Boogie Stop Shuffle,""Bird Calls,"and the carnivalesque "Fables Of Faubus" being my particular favorites.This is not only Mingus's most accessible album, but one of his very best.As both a bassist and a songwriter/composer, Mingus is truly one of the greats and his genius is on full display right here. ... Read more

Asin: B00000I14Z
Subjects:  1. Avant-Garde    2. Bass    3. Hard Bop    4. Jazz    5. Pop    6. Post-Bop    7. United States of America   

Carnegie Hall Concerts, January 1943
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (01 July, 1991)
list price: $21.98 -- our price: $21.98
(price subject to change: see help)
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Editorial Review

Though the audio quality of this, the first of Ellington's annual Carnegie Hall concert presentations, is not the greatest, the music is utterly extraordinary. Beginning, appropriately enough for a wartime concert, with "The Star Spangled Banner" and moving through a cavalcade of the band's greatest arrangements and solo features (including an uncommonly brisk, virtuoso turn for Ben Webster and company on "Cotton Tail"), The Duke Ellington Carnegie Hall Concerts: January 1943 is a stunning portrait of America's greatest orchestra at the peak of its powers. As was his wont, the Duke used these concerts as a springboard for the premiere of an extended work, and what really makes this an essential item for fans and collectors is the only complete recorded document of Ellington's "Black, Brown and Beige" (Duke later recorded a very moving but incomplete version featuring Mahalia Jackson for Columbia). A sweeping, ambitious long form, "Black, Brown and Beige" traces the history of African Americans from slavery days onward, alternating between the celebratory and the reflective. It features some of Duke's most inspired writing and one magnificent solo spot after another, but none so grand as Johnny Hodges's stunning testimonialon "Come Sunday." --Chip Stern ... Read more

Features

• Live

Reviews (4)

Music and history
This was the first of Duke's Carnegie Hall concerts (Benny Goodman got his chance not later than 1938!). It turned out to be quite a trauma for Duke, since the suite "Black, Brown and Beige" was not well received by the critics. This recording, by the way, is actually a composite of recordings (because of technical problems or damage suffered by materials in storage?) made here and in Symphony Hall in Boston a few days later, apparently before all the negative punditry got to Duke. This is the only complete "BB & B", and, to my ears, much more convincing than various truncations later on.
The rest of the performances are less important historically but very enjoyable for Ellington fans or anyone who cares about jazz music. There is a beautiful trumpet solo on "Black & Tan Fantasy", variously attributed to Ray Nance or Wallace Jones, which in any event recalls Bubber Miley's melodic gifts as much as his growl. "Dirge" is not to my knowledge available elsewhere and is built around a fine Lawrence Brown trombone solo. Solos of similar quality occur throught the recording though I must say I miss Jimmy Blanton and Barney Bigard.
Doesn't quite equal the miracle in the Crystal Ballroom at Fargo but still a great event.

Including some of the greatest music of the 20th century
This set is extraordinary.Of course,the sound quality is not hi-fi,but it's very acceptable for a live recording of the war days.But more than this,like Duke's magnificent live recording in Fargo,1940,this concert includes some of the greatest music ever played.First, a look on the players: Rex Stewart,Shorty Baker,Wallace Jones,Ray Nance,trumpets;Lawrence Brown,Juan Tizol,Tricky Sam Nanton,trombone;Johnny Hodges,Harry Carney,Ben Webster,Otto Hardwicke,Chauncey Haughton,saxes;Fred Guy,guitar;Junior Raglin,bass;Sonny Greer,drums;Betty Roché,vocals;and of course,Duke on piano.The highlights ? All the tunes! But mostly,and incredible,more than six minutes long version of the old "Black and tan fantasy",with superlative playing by Hodges (did he ever played something that wasn't superlative?),great,very great growl and muted trombone by Sam Nanton (1904-1946),maybe the greatest master on this very difficult instrument;listen to his almost human voice when he plays trombone;this is truly overwhelming.Nobody never played trombone that way."Moon mist",a Billy Strayhorn (1919-1967) original,is a perfect vehicle for the violin of Ray Nance (1913-1976)."Jumping punkins" features Sonny Greer,Duke's greater drummer with Sam Woodyard (1925-1988).Then,the portraits: "Portrait of Bert Williams",featuring Sam Nanton in another extraordinary wah-wah intervention;"Portrait of Bojangles",one of the immense masterpieces from 1940,with a furious tenor sax solo by Ben Webster(1909-1973),maybe one of the greatest things ever blown;"Portrait of Florence Mills",aka "Black beauty",features the underrated Shorty Baker.Then comes THE masterpiece,the tune that will urge you to buy the set: "Koko",another 1940 gem.Don't miss it,this is one of a handful of masterpieces in the history of jazz.Nanton is sublime,and the arrangement is completly out of this world.Two minutes and twenty seconds of pure madness.I really wonder who many hours it took them to rehearse this amazing,short piece of music."Stomp",or "Johnny come lately",is a very difficult composition by Strayhorn,with great band playing."Black,brown and beige",an almost 50 minutes long suite,is a masterpiece which was very rarely played by Duke's band.It features,among others,some unreal playing by Sam Nanton.Then,another gem from 1940,"Jack the bear" and "Cotton tail",played at an incredible tempo by Ben Webster.The relaxed an melancholic "Day dream",in which Johnny Hodges swings one of the greatest things ever played on alto sax;"Boy meets horn",featuring Rex Stewart (1907-1967),another underrated master.And finally,"Mood indigo",one of the most beautiful tunes ever composed.Please,don't miss this very important concert,because it includes some of the greatest things ever played.Just forget the sound quality (which is not so bad),and let Duke's band seduce you .

Fatally flawed
The sound quality of this is not even a factor in my low rating of the cd.We do not have any other way to experience perhaps one of the most important moments in all of music.It is the fact that "Black, Brown, and Beige" is split between two discs that should keep anyone from buying this.Do whatever you can to find this performance on LP (where the poor sound quality isn't so bothersome, I might add.)The fact that the suite was performed as a unified whole here is what distinguishes this performance as such a gem.I would happily have paid for a three cd set to get "Black, Brown,and Beige" together on one disc.Even the 10 seconds a good cd changer takes to switch discs is too much in this case.still, if you have no other way to access this show,it will be far from a waste of your money. ... Read more

Asin: B000000ZFV
Subjects:  1. Big Band    2. Classic Jazz    3. Jazz    4. Orchestral Jazz    5. Pop    6. Swing    7. United States of America   

Getz/Gilberto
Average Customer Review:
Audio CD (20 May, 1997)
list price: $18.98 -- our price: $13.49
(price subject to change: see help)
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Editorial Review

Originally released in March 1964, this collaboration between saxophonist Stan Getz and guitarist João Gilberto came at seemingly the end of the bossa nova craze Getz himself had sparked in 1962 with Jazz Samba, his release with American guitarist Charlie Byrd. Jazz Samba remains the only jazz album to reach number one in the pop charts. In fact, the story goes that Getz had to push for the release of Getz/Gilberto since the company did not want to compete with its own hit; it was a good thing he did. Getz/Gilberto, which featured composer Antonio Carlos Jobim on piano, not only yielded the hit "Girl from Ipanema" (sung by Astrud Gilberto, the guitarist's wife, who had no professional experience) but also "Corcovado" ("Quiet Night")--an instant standard, and the definitive version of "Desafinado." Getz/Gilberto spent 96 weeks in the charts and won four Grammys. It remains one of those rare cases in popular music where commercial success matches artistic merit. Bossa nova's "cool" aesthetic--with its understated rhythms, rich harmonies, and slightly detached delivery--had been influenced, in part, by cool jazz. Gilberto in particular was a Stan Getz fan. Getz, with his lyricism, the bittersweet longing in his sound, and his restrained but strong swing, was the perfect fit. His lines, at once decisive and evanescent, focus the rest of the group's performance without overpowering. A classic. --Fernando Gonzalez ... Read more

Features

• Original recording remastered

Reviews (115)

I'm in love all over again!
No! I'm not "in love" again. I am rich. I rediscovered this music and these songs - but the way they were meant to sound. I'm the luckiest person in the world to have discovered composers, musicians, singers who put their own egos aside so that the music - and only the music - could be the star. I have certainly heard others perform these songs and melodies, but it wasn't until I found this music the way it was meant to be played that my heart and soul perked up. The singing is deceptively understated, as is the music itself. The sound of the Portuguese language is music onto itself and I recommend to my English speaking friends "in love" that they listen to the lyrics in Portuguese, as well as in English (as they deserve to be heard that way). A funny thing; when I was married (in the 1970s) and I was asked by the band what song I would like to choose as "our" song, I picked "Wave."Isn't it amazing that I never heard of Antonio Carlos Jobim until only a few weeks ago (and I was married to a Jazz pianist, to boot). Now that I'm listening to his music the way it was meant to be heard I can't get enough of it.It has enriched my life in a way that can't really be expressed in a short review written in English.I'm in love all over again! __Shari Gellman-Dince

BOSSA NOVA MASTERPIECE
One of the all time great records! The sound that comes out of Stan's saxophone is simply superb - it is so warm, gorgeous and lyrical. The quality of music is just flawless. A joy!

THE bossa nova album - 10 STARS!!!
To this date, this remains the GOLD STANDARD for all bossa nova records.It was the highpoint.For once, it had Stan Getz, Joao Gilberto and Antonio Carlos Jobim - all the major forces of bossa nova on one record - I don't believe that ever happened again.

The playing is superb and you can hear and feel the chemistry and enjoyment of the group.The songs are timeless and sound fresh 40 yrs later......noone could play the sax like Stan Getz.


The sound is amazing.Verve did a heck of a job remastering an already great 30 inch per second (15 inch was common)..

I can only repeat, if u ever get only ONE bossa nova album, this is it. ... Read more

Asin: B0000047CX
Subjects:  1. Bossa Nova    2. Brazil    3. Cool    4. Jazz    5. Pop    6. Post-Bop    7. Saxophone    8. United States of America