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Byron Motley: Jazz & Cocktails
by George Harris
Jazz & Cocktails is great. With a vocal mixture combining the sass of Jackie Wilson, the jive of Louis Jordan, and the vulnerability (a chick magnet) of Smokey Robinson, Byron Motley displays creativity, ingenuity, and dexterity on a swinging and ultra-hip set of standards and dreamy ballads. On the latter, Motley is delicate and breathy with ...
Barbara Montgomery: Trinity
by George Harris
Along with the maternal instincts of Nnenna Freelon and Carmen Lundy, add Barbara Montgomery, who delayed a singing career to raise a family. Chalk one up for motherhood, as this CD of originals and '70s compositions reflects a woman with something to offer. Equipped with a husky voice (think Benny Carter's alto with lyrics), ...
Sonny Stitt: Work Done
by George Harris
Sonny Stitt is sure playing like he means it on Work Done. Recorded live at the Keystone Korner in 1976, Stitt is in excellent form as he swings the living daylights out of a searing collection of standards, blues, and contemporary songs. On tenor, he is absolutely presidential, wailing through Indiana" and Loose Walk" (also known ...
Andrew Hill: Mosaic Select
by George Harris
After having previously released all of Andrew Hill's 1963-66 work in a seven-CD set, and doling out previously unreleased gems from the Blue Note vaults one at a time, producer Michael Cuscuna has scraped every last piece of remaining music that Hill's fertile mind recorded for Alfred Lion and put it in this limited box set. ...
Dizzy Gillespie: Sittin' In
by George Harris
Looking back in awe, it seems impossible that anyone could get such a collection of jazz giants into one studio for a recording like this, but that was the genius of Norman Granz. Using his successful Jazz at the Philharmonic formula of grouping together an all-star collection of musicians for a jam session consisting of ballad ...
Steve Hobbs: Spring Cycle
by George Harris
Who says universities create an ivory tower mentality? Educator and vibes master Steve Hobbs has put out a delectably enjoyable CD of accessible, yet thought-provoking music. Employing a front line of Tom Harrell (trumpet, flugelhorn), Dave Valentin (flute), and Bob Malach (tenor), his lighter than air thematic statements serve as a perfect foil to the percussive ...
Mark Masters Ensemble: Porgy & Bess Redefined!
by George Harris
Well, they said it couldn't be done, but he did it. Arranger Mark Masters has breathed new and refreshing life into Gershwin's Porgy & Bess. Just when you thought Miles may have had the last word back in '61, Masters adds a touch of Mingus, a sprig of Kenton, and songs that you've heard a thousand ...
Miles Davis: Seven Steps to Heaven
by George Harris
It's easy to pigeonhole this '63 Miles Davis recording as a transition" period between his classic quintets, but one thing is quite clear: Miles was always in transition. Each Davis band was going through a musical or personnel metamorphosis, so we might as well simply take the music on its own terms and forget about the ...
Hank Mobley: Hi Voltage
by George Harris
Poor Hank Mobley: overlooked and under appreciated in his lifetime not only as a tenor player, but also as a composer, as this '68 reissue testifies. While none of these originals have caught on through the years, Hi Voltage makes a strong case for a revisit of Mobley's songbook. With an all-star frontline (Jackie ...
Jim Hall: Magic Meeting
by George Harris
Recorded during his most recent tour, Magic Meeting is an excellent testament to the width and breadth of virtuoso guitarist Jim Hall's talents. Playing with long time associates Scott Colley (bass) and Lewis Nash (drums), Hall breathes fresh life into standards and contributes three originals to this intriguing set of understated and discreet guitar playing.