Atlantic Jazz - Soul (1986)

An Atlantic Jazz slice of mostly '60s jazz-soul treats. Fittingly, the 11-track disc includes a side by one of the prime progenitors of soul, Ray Charles: He and MJQ vibraphonist, Milt Jackson, stretch out on the canonized "How Long Blues." Further expounding on the soul-jazz trajectory, the collection spotlights work by organist Shirley Scott (the Aretha Franklin hit "Think"), Les McCann and Eddie Harris (their classic Montreux Festival cut "Compared to What"), Yusef Lateef ("Russell and Elliot"), and Hank Crawford ("You're the One"). And there's even a bit of boogaloo-enhanced bossa, compliments of trumpeter Nat Adderley ("Jive Samba"). A nice introduction to the soul-jazz movement that superceded hard bop.



Track Listing

1. Think - Shirley Scott
2. Twist City - Matthew Gee, Johnny Griffin
3. How Long Blues - Ray Charles, Milt Jackson
4. Comin' Home Baby - Herbie Mann
5. Russell and Eliot - Yusef Lateef
6. Listen Here - Eddie Harris
7. With These Hands - Les McCann
8. Compared to What - Eddie Harris, Les McCann
9. You're the One - Hank Crawford
10. Jive Samba - Nat Adderley
11. Money in the Pocket - Joe Zawinul

Milt Jackson / Ray Brown Jam - Montreux '77

An unstoppable swinging affair organized by famous producer Norman Granz who took his Jazz At The Philharmonic troupe across the Atlantic in Montreux, Switzerland to give us this gem. With Mess Milt Jackson on vibes, Ray Brown on bass, Clark Terry on trumpet, Monty Alexander on piano and Jimmie Smith on drums.

Cal Tjader - Milt Jackson

Vibes extravaganza in this small chunk of jazz TV history from the 70s.

First half teams up stalwart latin jazz vibraphonist Cal Tjader with keyboard wizard Clare Fischer and percussion wonder Poncho Sanchez in a set containing Guachi Guara, aka Soul Sauce, and Manha De Carnaval.

Second half features legendary vibes player Milt Jackson in a set of standards and originals including his famous blues composition Bag's Groove.

Cal Tjader Quintet
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Milt Jackson Quartet
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The Jazztet 1997

The Jazztet was the brainchild of tenor saxophonist Benny Golson (b. 1929) and trumpet player Art Farmer (1928-1999). This stellar hard bop sextet lasted for 3 years (1959-62) being as influential as Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers at the time. The year is now 1997 and its founding members reunited for a concert in Salzau, Gernamy in the company of such giants as Milt Jackson on vibes, Niels Henning Oersted Pedersen on bass, Kenny Kirkland on piano, the ever - present Ulf Wakenius on guitar and Jonas Johansen on drums of which the first three are sadly no longer with us. First number is a classic Milt "Bags" Jackson hard bop blues, Blues For Diahann.

The Jazztet 1997 - Blues For Diahann
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Next number, Thinking Of You, a beautiful ballad originally included in the 1958 Milt Jackson masterpiece Bag's Opus with Benny Golson, Art Farmer, Connie Kay, Paul Chambers and Tommy Flanagan. Here Bags and Art Farmer really shine in his patented flumpet, a trumpet - flugelhorn hybrid.

The Jazztet 1997 - Thinking Of You
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This is Benny Golson's masterpiece (and one of my personal favorites) Whisper Not, originally recorded when Benny was a member and main composer of the Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers.

The Jazztet 1997 - Whisper Not
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This is I Remember Clifford, another Benny Golson masterpiece dedicated to the great late trumpet player Clifford Brown, originally recorded when Benny was a member and main composer of the Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, which Bags and Benny Golson make, well ...their own.

The Jazztet 1997 - I Remember Clifford
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It's time for Benny Golson to summon to the bandstand the great late pianist Kenny Kirkland to contribute with his magnificent talent to the classic Milt Jackson hard bop blues SKJ written for the lucky Mrs Jackson.

The Jazztet 1997 feat. Kenny Kirkland - SKJ
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This is Afternoon In Paris, a cool jazz composition by John Lewis who was the piano player and co-leader with Milt Jackson of the Modern Jazz Quartet, the famous jazz outfit that flirted with classical forms.

The Jazztet 1997 - Afternoon In Paris
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This is Bag's Groove, Milt Jackson's archetypal hard bop blues and perhaps his signature composition with surprise guests master harmonica player Toots Thielemans and drums genius Max Roach.

The Jazztet feat. Toots Thielemans & Max Roach- Bag's Groove
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Dizzy Gillespie Sextet 1977

Enough cannot be said about Dizzy Gillespie's contributions to jazz. He is maybe the second most important trumpet player after Louis Armstrong.

Together with Charlie Parker, he is credited with inventing bebop, the de rigeur jazz vocabulary up to this day.

So, let's stick around Montreux a little bit longer for yet another great concert given there on July 14, 1977, a 30-year jubilee of sorts, team up Dizzy Gillespie with Milt Jackson, Monty Alexander, Jon Faddis, Ray Brown and Jimmie Smith and enjoy the ride.

Dizzy Gillespie - Girl Of My Dreams

Dizzy Gillespie - Get Happy

Dizzy - Once In A While/But Beautiful/Here's That Rainy Day

Dizzy Gillespie - The Champ

Dizzy Gillespie - Here'Tis

P.S. All videos from my personal collection, posted on various video hosting web sites.