Artist: Phil Abraham Quartet
     Album: K.Fée Live
     Label: K. Fée Label
     Orig. Year: 2005
     Type: Live
     Mono/Stereo: Stereo
     Format/Bitrate: MP3/320 kbit/s
     Size: 165 MB

   Artist: Patricia Barber
   Album: Live: A Fortnight In France
   Label: Blue Note Records
   Orig Year: 2004
   Type: Live
   Mono/Stereo: Stereo
   Format/Bitrate: MP3/320 kbit/s
   Size: 147 MB

   Since her beguiling 1991 debut, Distortion of Love, songwriter, pianist, and vocalist Patricia Barber has steadfastly remained true to her quirky, left-of-center jazz vision, which includes equal parts edgy pop and rock. Barber has a fluid, restlessly individualistic style on the piano; she can hold her own with anybody. Her songwriting comes from that particular space where the notes and rhythms begin to bleed into one another and come out jagged, sophisticated, and full of razored poetic wit and steely philosophical insight about the ironies of modern life. This set was recorded in three French cities, Paris, Metz, and La Rochelle. Utilizing her longstanding band (bassist Michael Arnopol, drummer Eric Montzka, and guitarist Neal Alger), Barber displays in spades the skill of this band to improvise, swing, and cut across musical lines on five originals and five covers.

     Artist: Various Artists
     Album: Compact Jazz: Best of Dixieland
     Label: Verve
     Orig Year: 1955 - 1974, release 1987
     Type: Compilation
     Mono/Stereo: Stereo
     Format/Bitrate: MP3/320 kbit/s
     Size: 75 + 71 MB
     Total time: 61:22

     In the 1940s, when blistering bebop scorched the American musical earth, traditional jazz was shunted to the sidelines, its players and fans scornfully dubbed "moldy figs." But "Dixieland", in its purest form the cornerstone of jazz, carried on and, indeed, experienced something of a revival on both sides of the Atlantic in the 1950s and early '60s. this set includes some of America's legends of classic jazz - Louis Armstrong, Jack Teagarden, Red Allen, Kid Ory, and George Lewis - plus two outstanding New Orleans ensembles, The Original Tuxedo "Jass" Band and Dejan's Original Olympia Brass Band. Eddie Condon, trad jazz's chief advocate, leads a group of all-stars who cut their teeth on the sounds of New Orleans; Condon's longtime associate Max Kaminsky does likewise. Rounding out these high-spirited proceedings are some of Great Britain's leading revivalists - Ken Colyer, Alex Welsh, Monty Sunshine, Mr. Acker Bilk, Terry Lightfoot, Chris Barber, and Humphrey Lyttelton. They carried teh classic jazz torch to the British pop charts just before the Beatles exploded. - www.vervemusicgroup.com.

     Una de las mejores recopilaciones de revival que he escuchado.
     Incluye artitas como: Kid Ory's Creole Jazz Band; George Lewis And His Band; Louis Armstrong & All His Stars; Henri Red Allen Orchestra; Max Kaminsky & his All Star Dixieland Band; Eddie Condon And His Boys; Jack Teagarden and his sextet... Excelente calidad de sonido.

     Artist: Roberto Fonseca
     Album: Zamazu
     Label: Enja
     Orig. Year: 2007
     Studio/Live: Studio
     Format/Bitrate: MP3/320 kbit/s
     Size: 75 MB + 74 MB
     Total time: 63:29


     Pianist Roberto Fonseca's Zamazu contains quite a bit of variety. From Afro-Cuban jazz and a piece that is closer to Indian music, to Omara Portunodo's passionate vocal on "Mil Congojas," originals that sound like tangos and sambas from the 1930s, and orchestral numbers, there is much to savor throughout this continually colorful set. Fonseca can play with great intensity (sometimes hinting at McCoy Tyner) but is at his best caressing lyrical and traditional-sounding melodies. Recorded in Cuba and Brazil, this colorful set leans more towards Cuban than Brazilian music, with Fonseca being quite impressive as both a pianist and a composer. Highly recommended. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide.

     Impresionante base ritmica, especialmente en las piezas "Congo Arabe" y "Ishmael"

     Artist: Shelly Manne & His Men
     Album: Checkmate
     Label: Contemporary
     Orig. Year: 1961, Street Date: 2000
     Studio/Live: Studio; Mono/Stereo: Stereo
     Format/Bitrate: MP3/320 kbit/s
     Size: 96,8 MB

     This LP from Shelly Manne is a bit different than his other recordings of scores. In the past, it was his trio with pianist Andre Previn that performed music from hit plays (most notably My Fair Lady). For this date it is Manne's regular quintet (with trumpeter Conte Candoli, tenor saxophonist Richie Kamuca, pianist Russ Freeman and bassist Chuck Berghofer) that play seven themes from a now-forgotten television series (Checkmate) composed by Johnny Williams. None of the melodies caught on but at least they gave these fine musicians some fresh material to improvise on. However, this album is not essential despite some strong solos. -- Scott Yanow, AMG

     En mi modesta opinion, es imprescindible para aquellos que gustan del jazz-Modal. Despues de "King of Blue" de Miles Davis en 1959 hubo un especial interés por muchos musicos por explorar sobre temas y patrones modales. Este disco es un claro y excelente ejemplo.

     Artist: Sonny Red
     Album: Red, Blue & Green
     Label: Milestone
     Orig Year: 1961
     Type: Compilation
     Street Date: 2000
     Studio/Live: Studio
     Mono/Stereo: Stereo
     Format/Bitrate: MP3/320 kbit/s
     Size: 176 MB

     In the early ’60s, modal improvisation was still controversial in the jazz world — not as controversial as free jazz, but controversial nonetheless. Some hard boppers found the modal breakthroughs of John Coltrane, Miles Davis, and Yusef Lateef exciting and decided to take up modal playing themselves, while others vehemently disliked modality and refused to play anything but bop. Sonny Red was among those who opted to explore modal improvisation in the early ’60s, although the alto saxman never gave up the sort of fast, chordal, Charlie Parker-based bop he was known for. On 1961’s The Mode, Red fulfills both needs: the need to investigate modal playing and the need to deal with bop’s swift, demanding chord changes. Red is joined by Grant Green on guitar, Barry Harris or Cedar Walton on piano, George Tucker on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums, a team that handles chordal bop and modal post-bop equally well. Red is in good form on post-bop offerings like the title song (which is based on the standard ”Out of This World”) and a contemplative interpretation of Jule Styne’s ”Never Never Land,” which he approaches in a Kind of Blue-like fashion. But a bop outlook prevails on the Parker-ish ”Super-20″ and a perky, upbeat version of ”Moon River,” the Henry Mancini piece that Audrey Hepburn fans will forever associate with her portrayal of the flighty yet charming Holly Golightly in the 1961 film Breakfast at Tiffany’s. This vinyl LP isn’t a masterpiece, but it’s decent and certainly likable. In 2000, Fantasy reissued The Mode and another Red LP, Images, on the CD Red, Blue & Green. ~ Alex Henderson, AMG