Roy Ayers Ubiquity – Live At The Montreux Jazz Festival
Original release 1972 Polydor (Japan)
1996 CD reissue Verve Records 314531641-2
Dipping back into the Roy Ayers Ubiquity catalog, this live performance hails from pretty early in their trajectory, and this version was expanded from the original LP to include 4 extra tracks for what is probably a pretty complete representation of their set. (more below the break) Continue reading
Various Artists – Freedom Rhythm & Sound: Revolutionary Jazz & The Civil Rights Movement 1963-82
2009 Soul Jazz Records
I apologize for my absence during these challenging times of turmoil. The truth is I am exhausted by everything happening in the world, but not anywhere near as exhausted as my black friends, especially those in the United States. I feel like those who know me, know where I stand. Continue reading
Herbie Mann – Live at the Whisky A Go Go
Vinyl rip in 24 bit 192 khz | Art at 300 dpi
1.22 GB 24-192 khz| 24 bit 96 khz – 611 MB | 211 MB 16-bit 44.1 khz
Atlantic SD 1536 | Released 1969 | Soul-jazz / jazz-funk / fusion
Dr. Vibes’ Twelve Days of Christmas – Day 2:
I am not sure that anyone feels as passionately one way or another about Herbie Mann as they do about, say, marmite or The Grateful Dead, but he certainly seems to divide people. Adjectives like “lightweight” and “phony” have been thrown around when I’ve posted his work here. His recording output was prolific and many titles are very common, lining the cut-out bins of many a trusty record shop. But one thing is hard to deny – he sure could put together a solid lineup when he wanted to. I mean just look at the list of musicians on this. Miroslav Vitous and Roy Ayers? Sonny Sharrock? Since I mentioned him in yesterday’s 12 Days of Christmas post, I figured this album would provide some continuity. But in truth Sharrock is pretty under-utilized – he plays chunky rhythm guitar through all but the last few minutes of the album, where he takes an abrupt free jazz solo on Rufus Thomas’ “Philly Dog”. Makes me laugh a little every time I hear it. The first side of the album is a stretched out jam of a song written by Chris Hills (of the group Everything Is Everything) which appeared on a Vanguard Apostolic album in the same year of 1969. So I guess it is no coincidence that group’s second (and final) studio album was produced by Herbie Mann and issued on his vanity label, Embryo Records.
George Freeman – New Improved Funk
1974 Groove Merchant GM 519
Vinyl rip in 24 bit 192 khz | Art at 300 dpi
Soul Jazz – Hard bop – Jazz
24-bit 192 khz – 1.55GB | 24 bit 96 khz – 902 MB | 238 MB 16-bit 44.1 khz
12 Days of Christmas – Day 1: Except for the opening title track (all two minutes of it), this is a lot more of a straight soul-jazz album than the title would imply. It’s good stuff though, with great tenor playing by the late Von Freeman throughout the whole endeavor. Bobby Blevins on the organ chugging along like a mad lorry driver (“crazy trucker”). George’s guitar playing can switch back and forth from Albert King-like, single-note runs laden with vibrato to angular scronking ala Sonny Sharrock within the same tune (Exhibit A: “Big Finish”, which closes out the first side of the LP….. Continue reading
Kenny Burrell – Have Yourself A Soulful Little Christmas
1966 Cadet Records LPS 779
This Reissue 2003 Verve Records / Cadet – EU Pressing
A warm little record to shepherd you through the cold days of Yuletide and the malaise of piped-in holiday music. It’s a statistical fact that most Christmas albums are crap. They also have historically made up a mindbogglingly large proportion of record sales throughout the history of recorded music. So, apply your analogy of choice – 100 monkeys with typewriters, stopped clocks that are right twice a day — and you are bound to get some good ones hidden among the dregs. This Cadet soul-jazz offering from Kenny Burrell is one of those.
Hugh Masekela – The Lasting Impressions of Ooga Booga
1996 Verve 531 630-2
“The Americanization of Ooga Booga” (1965)
01 – Bajabula Bonke (8:05) (Miriam Makeba)
02 – Ozinorabiro (6:38) (Miriam Makeba)
03 – Unhlanhia (5:22) (Miriam Makeba)
04 – Cantelope Island (5:28) (Herbie Hancock)
05 – U-Owi (5:26) (Hugh Masekela)
06 – Masqueneda (7:43) (Jorge Ben)
07 – Abangoma (4:04) (Miriam Makeba)
08 – Mixolydia (6:59) (Hugh Masekela)
“The Lasting Impression of Hugh Masekela” (1968)
09 – Con Mucho Carino (4:41) (Larry Willis)
10 – Where Are You Going? (7:42) (Hugh Masekela)
11 – Morola (5:05) (Hugh Masekela)
12 – Bo Masekela (4:40) (Caliphus Semenya)
13 – Unohilo (6:49) (Alan Salenga) Continue reading
