Harry Allen / Harry Allen-Joe Cohn Quartet - Plays Music from South Pacific CD

Plays Music from South Pacific songs When John Coltrane split with Miles Davis in 1960, the trumpeter went through many different personnel combinations. Those changes included using saxophonists Sam Rivers or George Coleman before settling on Wayne Shorter, and discovering Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams to form what was one of the greatest of all modern mainstream jazz quintets. Two months after the Antibes Jazz Festival LP Miles Davis in Europe, this concert was documented at the Monterey Jazz Festival in the early fall of 1963, and it is a missing link between the struggles Davis encountered and the ultimate zenith of his last great acoustic combos. While he and Coleman are not always in sync, the rhythm section is on fire, led by a rock-solid Carter; a fertile-minded Hancock; and Williams, who was amazing even though he was only 17 years old at this juncture. The repertoire is stock and standard Miles, the tunes stretched out with witty and powerful solos, yet there is a sense of devil-may-care mischievous bravado that keeps the proceedings interesting and compelling. The preservation of the analog sound quality on reel-to-reel tapes after all these years is quite good, and though Coleman's solos come in a bit thin when a microphone is turned on late, it's hardly noticeable. The saxophonist himself is lively, inspired, and full-throated on his solos, a tribute to the rich, perfectly balanced voicings he has held fast to all of his career. Hancock is a case study in inventiveness, as he's always reaching for a higher plateau with every remarkable handful of measures. Davis walks on the stage and immediately jumps into wholly improvising off the theme to "Autumn Leaves" without his legendary modal intro. The bandmembers are unrestricted, free, and loose without thinking or charting a course -- they just do it with no messing around. A very fast "So What" is triple-timed from the original with Carter laying out the melody, but they don't sound like they are rushing, primarily due to Williams starting on brushes, then switching to sticks without dropping a beat, and the fluid dynamics of the band become more evident. Hancock shines on the ballad "Stella by Starlight" as everyone solos over nearly 15 minutes, then they charge hard again on the quintessential bop vehicle "Walkin'," a typical piece for Davis and his fans, but worth hearing for the variations and solos. Collectors and completists will want this issue, and as a bridge between the short-lived band with Rivers, the groups with Victor Feldman that produced Seven Steps to Heaven, and the legendary mid-'60s quintet, it provides an important primer toward what took the music of Davis to an even higher level. It's easily recommended even for novices, a very good representation of Miles Davis at the forefront of mainstream modern jazz. ~ Michael G. Nastos Miles Davis Live At The 1963 Monterey Jazz Festival CD Photographer: Ray Avery. Personnel: Miles Davis (trumpet); Herbie Hancock (piano); Tony Williams (drums). Recording information: Monterey Jazz Festival (09/20/1963).

Plays Music from South Pacific buy CD music Sarah Vaughan was approximately three decades into her career when she stepped onto the stage at the Monterey Jazz Festival in September 1971 and still at the top of her game. Her voice swoops, sways and swings; it's a veritable roller coaster of pitch, tone and tempo, and Vaughan is in complete control of her instrument at all times. The voice is weightier than it was during her early days, but having recently taken a few years off from recording it was primed and ready for the remarkable push Vaughan was prepared to give it. Backed by the very capable trio of Bill Mays on piano (Vaughan introduces him as Willie Mays), Bob Magnusson on bass and Jimmy Cobb on drums, Vaughan wastes no time showing why she always appears on the short list of jazz's greatest singers: On "I Remember You" she takes command of the rhythm and bends it to her will; it's impossible not to fall within her spell instantaneously. Vaughan must know she's on a roll because midway through the song she lets out a "Whoo!" that one might expect to hear from an audience member rather than the singer herself. "There Will Never Be Another You," taken at a breakneck pace, gives the band ample opportunity to blow, and Vaughan stays just far enough ahead to lead the way -- at times it sounds as if she will leave them in the dust, but she never does; chaos is averted and something wholly exhausting but satisfying emerges. She follows that up with a gender-altered revisit to the Beatles' "And I Love Her" (retitled here "And I Love Him" for obvious reasons) that transforms it into a loosey-goosey blues that gives the singer enough breathing room to toy with the lyric in ways Paul McCartney could not have imagined. For the last two tracks, Vaughan is joined by a true all-star cast of horn players (Roy Eldridge, Clark Terry, Benny Carter, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, Bill Harris and Zoot Sims), plus Louie Bellson on drums, Mundell Lowe on guitar and John Lewis on piano. Vaughan's role during the ensuing jam is primarily as scatter, but it's hard to imagine that any listener is going to complain that she takes a back seat after having experienced such a top-notch performance. ~ Jeff Tamarkin Live At The 1971 Monterey Jazz Festival CD Sarah Vaughan Recording information: Monterey Jazz Festival (09/19/1971). Personnel: Sarah Vaughan (vocals); Clark Terry (vocals, flugelhorn); Mundell Lowe (guitar); Zoot Sims & His Five Brothers, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis (tenor saxophone); Roy Eldridge (trumpet); The Bill Harris Quintet (trombone); John G. Lewis, Bill Mays (piano); Jimmy Cobb , Louie Bellson (drums). Liner Note Authors: Scott Yanow; Tim "T-Bone" Jackson; Jason Olaine.

Plays Music from South Pacific album for sale Freddy Cole's voice may be a bit worn, but it is still expressive and quite effective on this CD, a tribute to Tony Bennett. Rather than re-create Bennett's greatest hits, Cole sings a few of Bennett's favorite songs in a typically straightforward manner. Houston Person's tenor is a major asset on six of the ten selections (he always seems to work perfectly with singers) and the rhythm section, which includes the excellent pianist John Di Martino, is top-notch. Since Tony Bennett considers Nat King Cole (Freddy's brother) one of his main influences, this set makes particular sense. "Blame It on My Youth," a vocal version of Django Reinhardt's "Nuages," and a touching rendition of "The Gentle Rain" are among the highlights of one of Freddy Cole's finest records of the 21st century. ~ Scott Yanow Liner Note Author: Eric Comstock. Recording information: The Studio, New York, NY (02/15/2006-03/15/2006). Arranger: John Di Martino. Personnel: Freddy Cole (vocals); Freddy Cole; Peter Washington (electric bass); Houston Person (tenor saxophone); John Di Martino (piano); Kenny Washington (drums); Steve Kroon (percussion). Audio Mixer: Katherine Miller.

Plays Music from South Pacific CD music In spite of a long successful jazz career, many of tenor saxophonist Harry Allen's recordings have been for European and Japanese labels. So it is good to see him on a mainstream American label like Arbors, where he'll get greater exposure in his homeland. Joining him for this Frank Loesser songbook consisting of 14 songs from the Broadway musical and movie Guys and Dolls are guitarist Joe Cohn, bassist Joel Forbes, and drummer Chuck Riggs, with vocalists Rebecca Kilgore and Eddie Erickson added on most tracks. Allen is a consistent swinger with a pleasing tone that sometimes makes it sound like an alto, while Cohn is a guitarist of the Jim Hall school; he can play with the best of them but he knows how to leave plenty of space and not overplay his hand. Instead of using three vocalists singing rounds in "Fugue for Tinhorns," Allen, Cohn, and Forbes take their place in an intricate arrangement. While "If I Were a Bell," "'Luck Be a Lady," and "I've Never Been in Love Before" have long been standards for jazz musicians, it is the less frequently performed numbers that merit special attention. Kilgore's subtle interpretation of "Marry the Man Today" is complemented by Allen's robust tenor. Erickson's warm take of "Adelaide" shows what an underrated vocalist he is. Kilgore and Erickson, whether singing duets or individual features, are engaging singers who can't help but warm the listener's heart, but their mastery of comic songs like "Sue Me" is also a treat. Because the vocalists have worked together frequently over the years, both at jazz parties and on a number of CDs (including their group BED, which also features Forbes and trombonist Dan Barrett), they have a built-in rapport with each other. Warmly recommended! ~ Ken Dryden Music From Guys & Dolls CD Harry Allen / Joe Cohn Quartet (T Harry Allen: Harry Allen (tenor saxophone); Joel Forbes (bass instrument); Joe Cohn, Chuck Riggs. Personnel: Eddie Erickson, Rebecca Kilgore (vocals); Joe Cohn (guitar); Chuck Riggs (drums). Audio Mixer: Jim Czak. Liner Note Author: Michael Steinman. Recording information: Nola Studios, New York, NY (02/12/2007/02/13/2007). Author: Michael Steinman. Additional personnel: Eddie Erickson, Rebecca Kilgore.

Plays Music from South Pacific buy CD music Grant Stewart is a solid mainstream tenor saxophonist who has proven himself to be well-versed in the jazz canon over his many albums as a leader. After recording several CDs for Sharp Nine with a traditional piano trio, Stewart opted for different backing for this 2010 session, with guitarist Peter Bernstein, bassist Peter Washington (who has recorded more than once with him), and drummer Phil Stewart. Opening with a nimble, hard-blowing bop setting of the the old 1920s war horse "Get Happy," Stewart switches to soprano sax for Tadd Dameron's infrequently performed "The Scene Is Clean," cooling things off a bit. There are several less familiar songs, including a robust interpretation of Alec Wilder's "That's My Girl," a snappy take of Duke Ellington's "Blue Rose" (which also showcases Washington to good effect), and pianist Barry Harris' cheerful bop vehicle "Around the Corner." Stewart again switches to soprano for a heartfelt rendition of the bittersweet ballad "Maybe September." Highly recommended. ~ Ken Dryden Liner Note Author: Gilad Edelman. Recording information: Systems Two, Brooklyn, NY (04/12/2010). Photographers: John Abbott ; Gilad Edelman. Personnel: Grant Stewart (tenor saxophone); Peter Bernstein (guitar); Phil Stewart (drums). Audio Mixer: Joe Marciano.

Plays Music from South Pacific songs Veteran altoist Herb Geller, who doubles on soprano, performs 13 songs that originated in Hollywood films on this CD. The underrated "Call Me Irresponsible" is taken as a duet with bassist Martin Wind while Geller duets with pianist Don Friedman on David Raskin's always-magnificent "The Bad and the Beautiful." The tunes feature the saxophonist with either a three- or four-piece rhythm section. Geller, who seems to have found the Fountain of Youth in Europe, sounds quite ageless, playing with power, creativity, and joy. In addition to a few standards, such pieces as "Troubled Waters," "Pawnbroker Theme," and a medley of "Taxi Driver" and "Marnie" are effectively revived. Respect is paid to each of the melodies before Geller and Friedman play melodic solos that derive logically from the themes. Recommended. ~ Scott Yanow Personnel: Herb Geller (soprano saxophone, alto saxophone); Martien Oster (guitar); Martin Wind (double bass, bass guitar); Hans Braber (drums). Additional personnel: Don Friedman (piano).