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Kind Of Blue [Remaster]
This is the one jazz record owned by people who don't listen to jazz, and with good reason. The band itself is extraordinary (proof of Miles Davis's masterful casting skills, if not of God's existence), listing John Coltrane and Julian "Cannonball" Adderly on saxophones, Bill Evans (or, on "Freddie Freeloader," Wynton Kelly) on piano, and the crack rhythm unit of Paul Chambers on bass and Jimmy Cobb on drums. Coltrane's astringency on tenor is counterpoised to Adderley's funky self on alto, with Davis moderating between them as Bill Evans conjures up a still lake of sound on which they walk. Meanwhile, the rhythm partnership of Cobb and Chambers is prepared to click off time until eternity. It was the key recording of what became modal jazz, a music free of the fixed harmonies and forms of pop songs. In Davis's men's hands it was a weightless music, but one that refused to fade into the background. In retrospect every note seems perfect, and each piece moves inexorably towards its destiny. Few albums have been granted the destiny this one received. Recorded when each of its participants was at a personal peak of one kind or another, it is both a celebration of what has gone before in their careers and a door opening on the next ten years of small-group modern jazz. Davis, with the help of pianist Bill Evans (and the input of arranger Gil Evans), prepared a set of charts for the recording sessions which, for the most part, abandoned the conventional song structures and bop changes, substituting instead a series of interrelated scales, or modes. This allowed the soloist the freedom to develop any improvisational angle he chose, and it is fascinating to hear the quite different approaches taken by the four main soloists to music they had not had a chance to get accustomed to before the sessions. Miles revels in the new space he finds for himself, becoming even more rhythmically daring than before, using pauses and sudden ringing notes to great effect. Adderley is stimulated to some remarkably fresh invention. His usual busy style is modified somewhat and his choice of notes more judicious than before. Coltrane, especially on the medium-tempo So What and Freddie Freeloader, invents complications for himself, but also relies heavily on thematic improvisation a comparative rarity in his work. Bill Evans sounds like a man reborn, and gives a perfect performance, whether as accompanist or as soloist. His playing, more than any others', dictates the extraordinary mood of the album (Wynton Kelly is present on Freddie Freeloader and generally sticks to the Evans approach, albeit with a touch more funk), and it is no accident that Miles chose him as collaborator. There is little need to enumerate the many felicities of this unique record, although I would mention one personal favourite Coltrane's heartstopping entrance to, and exquisite lyricism during, his Flamenco Sketches solo. Click here for more information or to order this CD.
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Love Scenes
Like a mink draped over mahogany, Diana Krall's luxuriously supple alto adorns the vintage songs of romance and longing found on Love Scenes with a palpable aura of glamour and late-night cool. Her ostensibly effortless command of phrasing and intonation, whether the mood is seduction or a sweet sassiness, further fortifies the opinion that the Canadian vocalist-pianist possesses one of the great female jazz voices to surface in the late 1990s. Augmented by spare but skillful instrumentation from bassist Christian McBride and guitarist Russell Malone, Krall sustains a largely quiet (though hardly sleepy) ambiance throughout the CD's 12 selections, from Irving Berlin's "How Deep Is the Ocean (How High Is the Sky)," which she also uses as a showcase for her touch at the keyboard, to Gershwin's "They Can't Take That Away from Me." Her swing is artfully subdued ("All or Nothing at All"), and her wry, expressive approach to "Peel Me a Grape" is pure charm. Yet Krall shines most luminously on languid gems such as "I Don't Stand a Ghost of a Chance with You" and "Garden in the Rain." Anyone in search of an album ideal for watching city lights at 2 a.m. should keep Love Scenes in mind. Click here for more information or to order this CD.
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Love Songs
In keeping with the title, Love Songs captures Miles Davis at his romantic best. These cuts were culled from classic studio dates (and one concert) recorded between 1957 and 1964, and the intimate sound of Davis's trumpet unifies the nine poignant ballads chosen for this loving compilation. Whether leading one of his many quintets or performing in front of a jazz orchestra, Miles was the master of confidential moods. The 15-minute version of "My Funny Valentine" is so hushed and pensive that one almost forgets that it was recorded live at Philharmonic Hall. On "My Ship" and George Gershwin's "I Loves You, Porgy," Miles's musings are surrounded by the luxurious arrangements of Gil Evans. With tasteful accompaniment and wonderful compositions, this Miles Davis collection is straight from the heart. Click here for more information or to order this CD.
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Marc Ribot Y Los Cubanos Postizos
Marc Ribot and his Prosthetic Cubans are a jazz-rock band playing music written by (and for) the late Cuban composer and bandleader Arsenio Rodriguez. While best known for his guitar work with Elvis Costello, Tom Waits, and the Lounge Lizards, Ribot has gained in stature and confidence as a solo artist in recent years. Ribot is accompanied here by the likes of keyboardist John Medeski and Jazz Passengers bassist Brad Jones, and his playing is alternately angular, fluid, and extremely visceral. Within this Latin-jazz context, Ribot occasionally echoes Carlos Santana, while his percussion-fueled ensemble (anchored by E.J. and Robert J. Rodriguez) plays it hot, hot, hot. Very traditional yet ultimately modern, this imaginative session swings much better than most. Click here for more information or to order this CD.
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Midnight In The Garden Of Good
And Evil: Music From And Inspired By The Motion Picture [SOUNDTRACK]
This Clint Eastwood vanity-project was one of the biggest box office disappointments of 1997, despite a masterful performance by Kevin Spacey, Eastwood's typically subtle direction and, to these ears anyway, one of the most satisfying collections of songs gathered in service of a film in many a year. It didn't hurt that they were all penned by the late, great Johnny Mercer (a native of Savannah, GA, the film's locale and most crucial, underrated element) and with the exception of Tony Bennett's "I Wanna Be Around" and Sinatra's classic "Summer Wind," were rendered by an all-star team of jazz players (Charlie Haden, Michael Brecker, Joshua Redman, Kevin Eubanks, Christian McBride among them) and an impressive lineup of vocalists including k.d. lang, Paula Cole, Joe Williams, Rosemary Clooney, Cassandra Wilson, Alison Krauss, Diana Krall, and Kevin Mahogany. Eastwood has long been a jazz devotee and, in recent years, eager proselytizer; this album plays like a love letter to one of his most beloved musicians and composers. Click here for more information or to order this CD.
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Monk Alone: The Complete Solo
Studio Recordings of Thelonious Monk Thelonious Monk
![Jazz Music - Thelonious Monk - Monk Alone: The Complete Solo Studio Recordings of Thelonious Monk 1962-1968 [BOX SET] [ORIGINAL RECORDING REMASTERED] Cd](monk.gif) 
Fact: Thelonious Monk is one of the most important composers--jazz
or otherwise--of this century. Not only did Monk help invent the music
we now call be-bop, but he also introduced jazz music to the avant-garde,
setting the table for a tradition unmatched in American music. Monk's
legacy is unquestioned and his melodies echo through almost every genre
of music to this day. Yet one thing Thelonious never got enough credit
for was his piano playing. Monk developed a halting, stop-start style
as unique and singular as his compositions. While melodies seemed to drop
from Monk's fingers, he also spiced his tunes with left-field plinks and
plunks, blistering right-handed runs and thunderous left handed slams.
On Monk Alone: The Complete Solo Studio Recordings of Thelonious Monk 1962-1968, a two-CD collection, the genius of Monk is plainly evident. Monk can ache with what he called "ugly beauty" while also adding his own inventions to standards. The highlight of this collection, besides the wonderful liner notes and detailed discographic info, are 14 previously unreleased tracks, including alternate takes of Monk masterpieces like "Ruby, My Dear," "Introspection," and "Ask Me Now." A must-have. Click here for more information or to order this CD.
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Swing This, Baby! Various Artists - Jazz - Swing/Big Band,
Various Artists - Alternative, Baby! (Series) Swing This.
I am a swing dance teacher at a local club in town and
a swing DJ. Swing this baby includes all the best swing band of the 90's.
Pay close attention to Blue Plate, and Royal Crown. Anyone interested
in the swing scene should buy this album. Also note that it was produced
in conjunction with Swing Time Magazine the leading source for swingers.
Click here for more information or to order this CD.
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The Koln Concert
A musical chameleon, pianist Keith Jarrett was at his finest when he recorded these sustained solo improvisations in a German concert hall in 1975, the first lasting 26 minutes, the second 40. Melodies and rhythmic figures arise fluidly from his fingers as he moves from one idea to another, while his strong left hand is often used for repeated motifs that generate a rolling hypnotic power. This couples with strongly consonant harmonies to impart the flavor of gospel music at times, dance music's and Debussy at others. Above all, it's Jarrett's ability to knit all of his moods and wanderings into an almost seamless tapestry of warm and tuneful ideas that gives this music its enduring appeal. Click here for more information or to order this CD.
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Time Out (Remaster)
Boasting the first jazz instrumental to sell a million copies, the Paul Desmond-penned "Take Five," Time Out captures the celebrated jazz quartet at the height of both its popularity and its powers. Recorded in 1959, the album combines superb performances by pianist Brubeck, alto saxophonist Desmond, drummer Joe Morrello and bassist Gene Wright. Along with "Take Five," the album features another one of the group's signature compositions, "Blue Rondo a la Turk." Though influenced by the West Coast-cool school, Brubeck's greatest interest and contribution to jazz was the use of irregular meters in composition, which he did with great flair. Much of the band's appeal is due to Desmond, whose airy tone and fluid attack often carried the band's already strong performances to another level. Together, he and Brubeck proved one of the most potent pairings of the era. Click here for more information or to order this CD.
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When I Look In Your Eyes
Years after the '90s, the decade will be remembered for the rise of pianist-vocalist Diana Krall. Simply put, this British Columbian-born artist is one of the most engaging musicians to emerge from the heap of scat-happy singers high on pyrotechnics, but short on poetry. Stamped with the imprimatur of the Nat King Cole trio and blessed by her apprenticeship with the late West Coast piano giant Jimmy Rowles, Krall simply sings songs the way they're supposed to be sung: with devotion to the lyric and with attention to the groove. This CD finds Krall in familiar company with compatriots Russell Malone (on guitar), bassist John Clayton, drummers Lewis Nash and Jeff Hamilton, and vibraphonist (and former Bill Evans associate) Larry Bunker--all supported by Johnny Mandel's svelte string arrangements. Krall and crew take Irving Berlin's chestnut "Let's Face the Music and Dance" and the Sinatra-signatured "I've Got You Under My Skin" south to Brazil via a sexy bossa nova. Malone's lush guitar accompaniment complements Krall's heartfelt delivery on "When I Look in Your Eyes," and Michael Franks's "Popsicle Toes" dances courtesy of Hamilton's drum work. "Devil May Care," "East of the Sun (and West of the Moon)," The Best Thing for You," and the stridish "I Can't Give You Anything but Love" groove with a minimum of waste, while Mandel's simpatico strings steal the show on "I'll String Along with You," "Pick Yourself Up," and "Do It Again." All of which further illuminate the cool fire from this fine gift from North of the Border. Click here for more information or to order this CD.
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![Jazz Music - Miles Davis : Kind Of Blue [Remaster] Cd](miles.gif)
![Jazz Music - Johnny Mercer, Various Artists - Jazz - Vocal, Clint Eastwood : Midnight In The Garden Of Good And Evil: Music From And Inspired By The Motion Picture [SOUNDTRACK] Cd](motion.gif)
