Artist: Louis Hayes Group
     Album: Variety Is The Spice
     Date: October 9-12, 1978
     Location: RCA Studios, New York City
     Label: Gryphon (LP)
     Format: Flac
     Size: 325 MB
     Time: 52:05


     Although best known for his work as a valuable sideman, drummer Louis Hayes has led some stimulating sessions of his own through the years. This somewhat obscure but valuable LP is most notable for featuring the unique singer Leon Thomas on "Little Sunflower" and "Nisha" and for giving ample solo space to underrated altoist Frank Strozier, who doubles here on flute. With keyboardist Harold Mabern, bassist Cecil McBee and a couple of percussionists rounding out the group, Hayes leads his band through a diverse set that includes "Stardust," "What's Goin' On," "Invitation" and "My Favorite Things." Excellent, advanced straight-ahead music. ~ Scott Yanow, AMG

     Artist: Michel Petrucciani Trio
     Album: Estate
     Year: 1982
     Label: IRD Records TDM001-2
     Format: Flac
     Size: 184 MB (+ cover 40 MB)
     Total time: 34:00

     Review by Ken Dryden
     Michel Petrucciani was not quite 20 years old at the time of this trio session with drummer Aldo Romano and bassist Furio Di Castri, but he was already displaying incredible potential as a pianist. Petrucciani's risk-taking interpretation of Bill Evans' turbulent "Very Early" is the highlight of this release, closely followed by his own bittersweet ballad, "I Just Say Hello." Romano's rapid fire "Samba Des Prophetes" is superior to his rather bland and predictable "Pasolini." Michel Petrucciani made a number of dates for Owl and The George Wein Collection around the same time period as these recordings which are superior to this CD, yet none of them have remained in print. Even though this can't be considered an essential release for Michel Petrucciani fans (especially with its brief playing time of under 35 minutes), it is an enjoyable session.

     Artists: Art Blakey & Jazz Messengers
     Album: 'S Make It
     Year: 1964
     Label: Limelight/Verve Music Group B0001994-02/LS 86001
     Total Time: 35:29
     Format: FLAC
     Size: 240 MB (Includes Covers + Scans)
     AMG Rating:

     This edition of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers is an unusual one. The personnel includes Blakey veterans Lee Morgan (returning to the band after some success as a leader), Curtis Fuller, and Victor Sproles, along with John Hicks (who appeared on three other Blakey records) and the tenor saxophonist John Gilmore (of Sun Ra fame) in his only appearance with the band. As typical for Blakey-led groups, the emphasis is on original material by its members; the one Broadway show tune included, "Faith," is from a long since forgotten I Had a Ball. Morgan's driving blues "'S Make It" is easily the highlight of the session, though Hicks' richly voiced "Waltz for Ruth" and Fuller's Latin-flavored "Little Hughie" also deserve to be better known than they are. It's a shame that this was the only recording by this particular lineup of the Jazz Messengers, as Gilmore's strong blowing complements Morgan very well. -- Review by Ken Dryden, AMG.

     Artist: Horace Silver
     Album: Paris Blues
     Label: Pablo Records, PACD 5316-2
     Recording Date: October 6, 1962
     Recorded at the Olympia Theater
     Format: Flac
     Total Time: 64:00
     Size: 212 MB


     Замечательный концерт известного пианиста в составе квинтета прекрасных музыкантов.

     Artist: Bill Evans
     Album: At The Montreux Jazz Festival
     Recording Date: June 15, 1968
     Label: Verve
     Total time: 58:00
     Format: Flac
     Size: 312 Mb

     Bill Evans, with bassist Eddie Gomez and his drummer of the period Jack DeJohnette (just prior to him joining Miles Davis), is in excellent form on this well-rounded CD reissue. Evans performs two of his originals (including "One for Helen" which was dedicated to his longtime manager Helen Keane), Denny Zeitlin's "Quiet Now," Earl Zindars' "Mother of Earl" and a few of his favorite standards, tunes that are generally ballads and harmonically rich. The interplay between Evans and Gomez was growing month-by-month (the bassist had been with him for almost two years at this point) and is the main reason to acquire this disc although DeJohnette does offer some stimulating support. - Review by Scott Yanow, AMG

     Artist: Bud Powell
     Album: The Essen Jazz Festival Concert
     Label: 1201 Music
     Release Year: 1999
     Running Time: 51:14
     Format: FLAC
     Bitrate: Lossless
     Size: 326 MB
     Rating: ****

     This recording of a one-time concert meeting of Bud Powell, Oscar Pettiford, and Kenny Clarke in 1960 has been reissued many times under different titles and leaders, though master of ceremonies Joachim Berendt actually introduces the group at the beginning of the concert as the Oscar Pettiford Trio. No matter who gets the credit, the trio roars through bop favorites like "Shaw Nuff," "Salt Peanuts," and Powell's own "John's Abbey." Powell, who could be rather inconsistent in live recordings at this point in his life, is flawless. Kenny Clarke's offbeat accents and powerful rhythm help to fuel the fire. Pettiford's fine bass work comes to the forefront in his delicious "Blues in the Closet" (also known as "Collard Greens and Black-Eyed Peas"), while his long solo introduction to "Willow Weep for Me" reminds jazz fans what they lost with his premature death later the same year. For the second half of the concert, grizzled veteran tenor saxophonist Coleman Hawkins is added to the mix. As one of the first swing and classic jazz practitioners to embrace bop, his still-potent sound dominates a brisk take of "All the Things You Are" and he seems especially inspired by his potent rhythm section in "Just You, Just Me." Hawkins' mastery of ballads was never in question, so his lush treatment of "Yesterdays" is a certified gem; his snappy riff tune "Stuffy" closes this well-recorded and highly recommended CD. Ken Dryden, - All Music Guide

     Artist: Stanley Turrentine
     Album: A Bluish Bag
     Label: EMI Records (USA)
     Recording Date: 1967, release: Jun 05, 2007
     Producer: Alfred Lion; Michael Cuscuna (Reissue)
     Engineer: Rudy Van Gelder
     Recording Time: 68 minutes
     Format/Bitrate: MP3, 320 kbps
     Size: 158 MB

     One of the giants of soul-jazz, Stanley Turrentine and his mellow, agile, bluesy saxophone can be heard on many of the most seminal recordings of the genre, including Jimmy Smith's BACK AT THE CHICKEN SHACK. But Turrentine also made a steady torrent of solo recordings over the years, most of which adhered to the soul-jazz template he'd helped perfect.
     In 1967 Turrentine participated in some sessions with a large ensemble (this in itself was unusual, as the saxophonist most often played with small combos). These sessions, recorded the same year as his album NEW TIME SHUFFLE, were released as BLUISH BAG in 2007. A heavy horn section and flutes can be heard on some tracks, but even so the music has an intimate, late-night feel in keeping with the best of Turrentine's output.

     Artist: Max Roach
     Album: The Complete Mercury Max Roach Plus Four Sessions
     Year: 1956-1960
     Label: Mosaic Select MD7-201 - 7 Disc's
     Quality: Stereo, MP3 (Blade) 320 kbps (CBR)
     Discs data: Included
     Size - app. 1000mb

     This seven-CD box set features 95 tracks from legendary drummer Max Roach's small group, consisting of the 1956-1960 recordings for Emarcy and Mercury Records, as these noteworthy sessions also represent the drummer's post Max Roach-Clifford Brown Quintet output.

      Artist: Barry Harris
      Album: Barry Harris at the Jazz Workshop
      Recorded: "Live" In San Francisco
      Label: OJC/Riverside
      Year: 1960
      Format: Flac
      Size: 322 MB incl. Scans
      Total Time: 56:00

      Barry Doyle Harris (Барри Харрис) (США) - легендарный американский джазовый музыкант -пианист и педагог, представитель второго поколения музыкантов бибопа. Занимался музыкой с 4-летнего возраста а с 17 лет начал выступать в любительском джазовом шоу. В 1954-55 году играл в Детройте в клубе Blue Bird вместе с Майлзом Дэвисом, Сонни Ститом, Максом Роучем. Стал одним из любимцев Коулмена Хокинса, кроме того записывался в студиях с Декстером Гордоном, Юзефом Латифом, Ли Морганом, Хэнком Мобли. Предпочитает играть в трио. Многие из концертов посвящает любимым пианистам - Телониусу Монку, Баду Пауэллу, Арту Тэйтуму.