Paul Chambers & Tommy Flanagan - Motor City Scene

Collected recordings of two excellent hard bop units consisting of musicians solely from Detroit, the first led by Thad Jones and Billy Mitchell and the second by Donald Byrd and Pepper Adams that not only stand out as two of the rarest of the Bethlehem jazz recordings, but which are also two of the best records made by the teams of these venerable Detroiters. Lone Hill Jazz chose to market this CD under the names of Flanagan and Chambers which were present on both sessions. Both combos groove very nicely here and who dares not to in the presence of hard bop royalty such as Kenny Burrell, Thad Jones, Al Grey, Pepper Adams, Donald Byrd, Tommy Flanagan, Paul Chambers, "Hey" Lewis (a Louis Hayes alias) and Elvin Jones. The bands are very tight and the tracks are long enough that everybody gets in some good licks on the solos. 9 numbers in all: "Let's Play One", "Minor on Top", "Like Old Times", "No Refill", "Stardust", "Trio", "Philson", "Libeccio", and "Bitty Ditty". Originally released as Motor City Scene (#1-4) and Stradust (#5-9) on the Bethlehem label this CD puts the 2 sessions together for the first time. Way harder than most of the west coast sessions on Bethlehem, and two essential hard bop classics that's nigh on impossible to find on wax.



1. Let's Play One
2. Minor on Top
3. Like Old Times
4. No Refill
5. Stardust
6. Trio
7. Philson
8. Libeccio
9. Bitty Ditty

1-4 (Motor City Scene): Thad Jones (cnt, flhrn), Al Gery (tb), Billy Mitchell (ts), Tommy flanagan (p), Paul Chambers (b), Elvin Jones (d)
New York October 24 & 32, 1959

5-9 (Stardust): Donald Byrd (tp), Pepper Adams (bar), Tommy Flanagan (p), Kenny Burrell (g), Paul Chambers (b), Louis Hayes (d)
New York, 1960

Johnny Hodges & Wild Bill Davis

This is a selection of some of the most memorable tracks from the many fast-selling LPs that Johnny Hodges and the organist Wild Bill Davis made together back in the good 'ole 1960's. Most of the material was written down by Hodges himself, sometimes in collaboration with one or another of his long-time associates in Duke Ellington's band and in two cases, "Hodge Podge" and "Harmony in Harlem", with the master himself. Several classics of easy-listening music such as Hash Brown and Wings and Things are included.

The latter, the longest track here, typifies the sort of performance that made the original releases so popular. Just as simple and direct is the more relaxed A&R Blues and in all cases the rapport between these masters is obvious. Davis sometimes uses his instrument with restraint, but he more often cuts loose, as in those many pieces where Hodges lays familiar blues phrases end to end with Davis blasting away behind him. Neither of them is afraid to repeat the same idea over and again, and on all tracks barring the ballads the rhythm sections keep up a heavy, absolutely unvarying beat, really driving things to the ground.

As should be expected there are no signs of hesitancy or inhibition in these performances, and that tells us a great deal about Hodges in the sense that he sounds completely different here from in the many sophisticated vehicles the Duke provided him with. The same goes for distinguished trombonist Lawrence Brown who plays along on several tracks. But it really is all down to Hodges and Davis who manage to make these pieces their own. Having heard these two play them, nobody would want to hear them played by anyone else.

Track listing:

1. Blue Hodge
2. Hodge Podge
3. Knuckles
4. Jones
5. I Cried for You
6. A&R Blues
7. Wings and Things
8. Peg o' my Heart
9. Spotted Dog
10.Blues for Madeleine
11.Rabbit Out of the Hat
12.Hash Brown
13.Harmony in Harlem
14.Blues o' Mighty

Various personnel, recorded between 1961-66, Verve 1988

Kenny Burrell - Guitar Forms (1964)

"I didn't want to put out an album with a variety of sounds and persuasions just as a showcase, without having depth to it." So Kenny Burrell, master of so many guitar forms, remembers. His caution -- as well as his choice of arranger, Gil Evans -- paid off with this classic record that integrates his vast array of techniques in a timeless, artistic whole.

"I'd like to play many types of music. Guitar Forms is probably the best reflection of that of any album I've done, in terms of the variety of things I truly love."

Track listing:

1. Downstairs
2. Lotus Land
3. Terrace Theme
4. Prelude #2 - excerpt
5. Moon and Sand
6. Loie
7. Greensleeves
8. Last Night When We Were Young
9. Breadwinner


personnel:

Kenny Burrell Guitar
Jimmy Cleveland Trombone
Jimmy Knepper Trombone
Steve Lacy Soprano Saxophone
Lee Konitz Alto Saxophone
Roger Kellaway Piano
Grady Tate Drums

Gil Evans Arranger




Recorded at Van Gelder Studios, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, on December 4, 1964, December 15, 1964, April 6, 1965 and April 12, 1965.

Original recordings produced by Creed Taylor

(flac with scans)