Another terrific jazz work by a jazz guitar Icon
926649
Johnny Smith, (not Hammond!) has been one of the true, few viruoso guitarists over the past several  decades. His polished style is unlike most other guitarists in its cleanliness and accuracy. His chordal styling  is not only spectacular but unique from most other top players. If you are  looking for the HIGH-END of the jazz guitar world, Johnny Smith is it!  Enjoy!
1516947
This album just grooves right on through to the end. Corey Christiansen is easily one of the very best modern jazz guitarist out there today. He deserves much more credit in fact. Corey's playing is obviously fantastic, but the B3 organ (from Pat Bianchi) is also top notch. Do yourself a favor and get this album if you like jazz guitar and B3 organ driven groovy jazz!
1435714
Earl Klugh has always been recognized as a fantastic Jazz guitarist (following the school of Wes Montgomery & George Benson)and this album in particular is one of his best. Earl adds a super cool technique of Brazilian touch with compositions like: 1. <Kissin' on the Beach> where he's accompanied by Abraham Laboriel on Bass Guitar and Paulinho DaCosta on Percussions and 2.<Take you there>
also accompanied by Abraham Laboriel, Paulinho DaCosta, by the superb pianist Eliane Elias and Toots Thielmans on Harmonica.
Overall is a great album, don't miss it if you really like Jazz.
249199
Classic Brubeck and a MUST HAVE to all jazz enthusiasts.
174890
This work came out in 1990.  I just heard it in 2006.  This is, by far, the best jazz fusion guitar work that I've ever heard!!  What a shame that this artist, apparently, hasn't done anything similar since then (at least...not that I have found).  The guitar work is impeccable.  The chord changes and musical rhythm are, at once, complex yet fluid.  Other fusion guitarists with much more work out there don't come close to this work.  Treat yourself and get this CD (even though, as usual, Amazon doesn't have samples of this magnificent work)!  Mr. Erquiaga, PLEASE DO MORE OF THIS KIND OF WORK!
3790261
is what makes Larry so intriging, and interesting to listen to. One can always hear an influence in his playing; weather its Tal Farlow, Django Reinhart, Lenny Breau, Jimi Hendrix, Wes Montgomery, or one of the numerous horn players of yesteryear. The great thing is he ALWAYS sounds like himself, and this excellent disc is a great showcase, and tribute to three of the top influential jazz musicians of the twentiest century. Always inventive in his solos and his treatment of the melody this disc holds the listener with his unpredictable and diverse ideas. Every tune has great moments to numerous to mention in this review. Especially: "Trinkle Tinkle", "Fairfield County Blues" "All Blues", and his great interpretation of John Coltrane's "Naima". The whole disc was recorded very well too!
Thank you Larry for faxing me the chart to your composition "First Things First" after your performance in Philadelphia one night in 1998? I never got the chance to thank you.
A highly original and inventive artist with an incredible discography to check out, many of his early recordings not yet available on disc.
Also recommend: "Major Jazz Minor Blues"  "Equipoise"
2901596
Fantastic album with Errol Garner interpreting his own composition (Misty) and other standards.  He is at his peak energy level and creativity.  The orchestrations do not weigh him down, rather they paint a beautiful backdrop for his incredible talent and playing.  Misty is awesome, but also listen to "The Very Thought of You" as it comes to a false ending, then resumes with beautiful bluesy, jazz inflected chords and notes.

If you want to hear someone effortlessly improvise and play with melodies and time, Errol puts on a wonderful show on this album.  A must have, for sure.  Hard to believe Columbia (CBS/Sony) and/or Collectables haven't put this out for the U.S. market.  Great artist, great music.  Enjoy!
3278050
I really enjoy this CD. I hope DG continues to create new recordings. The playing is masterful and the tunes are interesting. I love the standard sounds - mostly acoustic or electric/acoustic - like jazz guitar and Fender Rhodes, plus great guest players on sax, etc.
756885
A client of mine, who is a young jazz guitarist, urged me to seek out John Abercrombie if I wanted to add more dimension to my guitar jazz collection. I had originally selected one of his latest, "Within a Song", but after digging deeper, I decided to start with "Gateway". I don't think you'll find a better fusion/free jazz record than this one. With the masters Dave Holland on bass and Jack DeJohnette on the traps, this disc has become one of those 'defining' moments for me.
2662534
McCoy Tyner certainly needs no introduction to even the most casual jazz fan. Having played with John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Wayne Shorter, Joe Henderson, and many other top jazzmen, he continues to be a huge presence on the scene. His percussive style, unusual chord-voicings, and unique concept make him one of the most creative jazz pianist of the post-bop period. And although he casts a long shadow over modern jazz, La Leyenda de la Hora, one of his less-well-know discs, has remained in relative obscurity. Wrongly, in my view.
I've heard a lot of the Tyner canon, and this strikes me as his finest effort. Of course, I'm partial to world-jazz, especially of the Latin variety, which is what this is. I'm also partial to this particular album because I first heard it back in 1982 when I was just getting into acoustic jazz, and it completely blew me away, helping to set me on a long and wonderful voyage into the amazing world of acoustic improvised music. But you know what? It's held up as well as any 80's jazz recording that I know of. For one thing, he's at the absolute top of his pianistic powers. For another thing, he seems both freer and more melodic. This music just brings out the best in him.
McCoy Tyner and Afro-Cuban jazz are ideally matched. If you don't believe me, just listen to his short solo on "La Habana Sol"--it's percussive, witty, swinging, and succinct--perfect. Plus he does some spectacular comping for the other soloists as well, especially on Hubert Laws' flute solo. Or take "Walk Spirit, Talk Spirit." From the first few opening notes, it strikes this impossibly deep groove, coming as much from Tyner's piano as from the gloriously rich ensemble sound of these top musicians. Then he launches into a brilliantly dancing solo that practically defies believability.
A word on the musicians. This is certainly one of the most amazing bands ever assembled. Avery Sharpe, long-time Tyner bassist, excels. Bobby Hutcherson, perhaps the greatest vibes player of his generation, and another favorite Tyner associate, also excels. As does Paquito D'Rivera, who plays some of his best alto sax on record. Marcus Belgrave, a highly underrated trumpeter, shines in this setting, as does Chico Freeman, another underappreciated musician, on tenor sax And it was a stroke of genius to get two of the greatest Latin percussionists on board--Daniel Ponce and Ignacio Berroa. A real surprise is the inclusion of a string section on several of the cuts. Not a move that often works in jazz, here they add uncanny depth and color.
Amazingly, this album was out of print for nearly two decades. Originally on Columbia, I thought it would never make it to cd. I couldn't belive they passed it over to release many inferior Tyner discs. But thanks to the wonderful folks at Koch, we now have this treasure on compact disc. Don't miss it!
3076119
One of several saxophone players to have been labeled the next Bird, Frank Morgan notes that it was the worst thing to happen to him as it was something no one could live up to.  It did not help that he had three decades of personal adversity including addiction and prison. Since he has returned to the scene in the mid-eighties he re-established himself as a superior player in the post-Parker tradition with a string of excellent recordings for Contemporary. HighNote has issued "A Night in the Light: Live at the Jazz Standard Vol. 3" with a marvelous band that includes pianist George Cables, bassist Carmen Lundy and drummer Billy Hart. I have not heard the earlier two volumes but based on the performances I will seek them out. No surprises in the repertoire, with four of the songs staples of Charlie Parker's repertoire, "Confirmation," "Half Nelson," "Hot House" and "Billie's Bounce," along with "On Green Dolphin Street" and "It's Only a Paper Moon." These are songs Morgan has been playing for decades but familiarity does not make these performances sound routine. There is plenty of full-bodied playing here with a marvelous rhythm section and while Morgan may take these in a more relaxed fashion than Bird would have 55 years ago, Morgan's playing is throughly satisfying. Certainly nice that he has aged so gracefully and continues to enliven us with this disc.
1974218
This second album by guitar virtuoso Russ DeFilippis solidifies his position among the pre-eminent jazz guitarists of our time. The Sorcerer's Accomplice, a collection of tunes written by musician and educator Richard Sorce, has an unmistakable Latin flair, but highlights DeFilippis' versatility as a musician who defies labels. Moving easily from a Brazilian beat to gentle, wind-like tones to his solid base as a jazz artist, DeFilippis takes us through ten works in small group settings augmented by a tight brass section and additional Latin percussion. His interplay with Mr. Sorce on piano is especially nice. It's a pleasing collection that will make you want to listen again and again to ensure you haven't missed a note.
4888555
Gonzalo is a masterful guitarist and songwriter, and this is his masterpiece. If you're into Django type jazz and wonderful melodies, you will love and appreciate this album. Fantastic musicians all around and even better songs.
1038405
I am a jazz guitarist and collector of jazz albums. I suppose most critics like the earlier Billie Holiday sessions that included Lester Young and Teddy Wilson, but for pure listening pleasure, these recordings are some of my all time favorites in my jazz collection. It has fun, wonderful, small combo arrangements and Billie is her usual, haunting and understated self. Being a guitarist, I love hearing Barney Kessel and Herb Ellis, but you also get Oscar Peterson and Ben Webster. Ah, Ben Webster, with that big, lush, tenor sound, all gooey and drenched with vibrato, is magical goosebump stuff. Jazz musicians often buy feature albums of their favorite guitarist, pianist, sax player, etc., but, sometimes, hearing them play as a sideman on someone else's recording can be as rewarding as their own album (if not more). For my taste, I enjoy Kessel here as much as anything he did. I also love Ben Webster, and having to wait for his grand entry after Billie spins the lyrics, is somehow, all the more powerful. This is a great listening experience, for fans of Billie, and jazz musicians, alike.
49589
This is a brilliant and essential album of classical jazz, but you probably already knew that; the arrangements by Thad Jones, Frank Foster and Ernie Wilkins are excellent, the ensemble work is tight, occasional solos and (less occasional) obligatoes hot and Joe Williams is at the very peak of his powers.
Admitedly, I still feel that Jimmy Rushing is undoubtedly the best Basie's big band singer, but my opinion of Joe grows with time: I first got his greatness when I heard him with smaller groups. Now, I have learned to appreciate his big band work with Basie as well.
Since the price is not to high, get it. In adittion to the hit "Everyday I have the Blues" there are other great tracks (although I think "Just a Dream" didn't live up to its potential).
2715885
Perfect as always from one of the greatest musicians of all time
2265463
As the others say, there is a lot of jazz improv and intense experimentation going on here; that's plain enough from looking at the liner notes and the nod to Eric Dolphy and his own avant garde jazz work.  If you're open-minded, you'll enjoy the jazz tracks, but they're surely not toe-tapping hits.  My favorite bit(s) on this album is the three-song combo of "My Guitar Wants To Kill Your Mama," "Oh No," and "Orange County Lumber Truck."  I only wish the jam on "Lumber Truck" could go on longer.  Then there's the culminating "Weasels Ripped My Flesh;" an appropriate title for 3-odd minutes of live, fully-amplified noise.  This is definitely NOT an introductory FZ recording.  This one should probably come in somewhere between #15 and #25 in your acquisition scheme.  It's a great one to have, but it does take some appreciation, even a little bit of work to access.  Enjoy.