The Golden Age of Jazz Reborn
588050
Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Nat King Cole, Mel Torme, Louis Armstrong, all names synonymous with the great Golden Age of jazz. This album, I believe, is the new begining and rebirth of that Golden Age. Seth MacFarlane has a voice that rings like no other and with his vocal range making the music stick in your mind, this album is a MUST for Jazz and Big Band lovers! Additionally the duets with Norah Jones and Sara Bareilles add to the fun of this album! I HIGHLY recommend this album and truely hope Seth continues making more albums in the future!
2595500
This superlative set allows us the pleasure of actually hearing Jazz take its early steps;while not to fault Louis Armstrong's own greatness That came later on not in 1923;King Oliver has been one of the most criminally neglected artists in jazz history,and this marvelous release will no doubt force the jazz writers to reconsider,-whether 'Zulu's Ball' or 'High Society Rag',Oliver's capacity for collective improvisation drove these wonderful records. And now with the wonder of CD Technology,we can preserve Oliver's artistry in the new millenium,...so let us not make the mistake of ignoring Oliver like we did last century! Oliver is HERE so deal with it,skeptics and jazz lovers - REJOICE!
143381
It's a little hard to define this album. Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter are two of the world's great jazz musicians, establishing themselves in the 1960s, both of them deviating from acoustic 'true' jazz and moved into Funk and Fusion in the 70s/80s. They have resurfaced in recent years with a return to jazz that their earlier fans love, so one would expect this collaboration to be the jazz album of the decade.

I would have loved to hear these two collaborate on a body of work, perhaps Modal in nature, with touches of Funk and Fusion if they could have done so without sounding dated. This is not the sound I heard when I put this disc in rotation, but after I got over my initial expectations I found that this is an intriging album to have in my collection.

This is quite a moving album, and yes it is jazz; but it is not the free expression jazz, or even modal jazz that I anticipated, but rather a body of material that is almost baroque in nature at times, having more than a passing nod to Classical music.

I come away with an intersting mood after investing myself in this album, one of isolation yet intimacy. Needless to say, casual listeners may find this album tedious at times, but the astute listeners will find this material very interesting and absorbing.

I recommend this album for those who fall into the second group, as no doubt this album will end up being a little treasure in your collection.
2253681
By the mid-Sixties, jazz seemed to have ground to a halt.  The surviving oldtimers were just re-working their catalogs.  "Progressive" trends had dead-ended into the indeterminacy of free jazz, the popularity of which was not boosted by its elements of black militancy.  In the meantime, rock and roll and Motown were happening, forging new musical paths upwards from their blues roots and winning broad audiences.  Rock in particular at this time was gaining respect, as The Beatles and Bob Dylan brought thitherto unknown sophistication to rock songwriting, and artists like Cream and Jimi Hendrix would soon state their cases for instrumental virtuosity in rock.  Some young jazz musicians sought for ways to meld the fluidity of jazz with the power and-let's face it-fun of rock.  This book is their story, and of the artists who followed in their trail.
This book is dense with timelines, trends, and capsule histories.  It is the only book on this subject known to me, and I am glad to learn of the existence of many of these forgotten pioneers and overlooked innovators.  Saxophonist Charles Lloyd, in whose group Keith Jarrett got a start, carved a niche for himself by playing Coltrane Lite to the psychedelic crowd.  Don Ellis played to the same audience using wild time signatures with "groovy" coloration.  In more modern times guitarist Scott Henderson tries to lure metalheads to his brand of hard fusion.  Of course we also meet more familiar acts, like John McLaughlin's Mahavishnu Orchestra, Weather Report, and that shifting assemblage of uncredited songwriters, sidemen, producers, and engineers collectively known as Miles Davis.
The story is enriched by a lot-and I mean *a lot*-of eyewitness accounts and reminisces.  The improvisational hard rock of Cream turns heads in the New York jazz scene.  Vibraphonist Gary Burton and guitarist Larry Coryell follow Cream onstage at the Filmore.  Jazz drummer Buddy Rich adds Beatles songs to his setlist, busying up the arrangements past recognition.  Larry Graham of Sly and the Family Stone invents bass "popping", which is quickly integrated into the jazz vocabulary.  The Mahavishnu Orchestra turns out to be even more daring in concert than on record.  The rash young Larry Coryell tries to cut Jimi Hendrix onstage, and is blown out of the song by a massive wail of feedback as punishment.  Hendrix especially casts a long shadow throughout this book, as do Cream.
One can always carp about where the author draws the line about who to include.  Spirit doesn't rate a profile?  Drummer Ed Cassidy had only played with Thelonius Monk, Cannonball Adderley, and Gerry Mulligan, is all.  But that's all part of the fun, I suppose. This is a fine account of a little-considered genre.  You're guaranteed to be tempted to take this to the record store with you.
3388872
An exhilarating album from start to finish, Dizzy Gillespie teamed with Stan Getz and
  Sonny Stitt for this genuine jazz classic from the 1950s. Backed with swinging vascular
  solos, For Musicians Only, released in 1956, showcase the harmonic, rhythmic concept
  by Dizzy and the two tenor titans as they give a unique and timeless sound that is well-
  headed by a stellar track list including a 12-minute take on Dark Eyes, Bebop, and Wee
  (Allens Alley).  Showcased with dazzling tempos, intricate melodies, complex rhythmic
  breaks and vigorous jamming, which would be main part of the modern jazz movement,
  Dizzy is joined on the front line by Getz and Stitt for the blowing session that resulted in
  phenomenal results, as this tough swinging rhythm section distinguishes itself on a few
  standards and original compositions.  Basking with the success of his World Statesman
  big band tour and his dazzling Trumpet Royal performing with fellow trumpet titan Roy
  Eldridge, Dizzy would take some well-deserved time off for several jam sessions during
  the rest of the 1950s, and For Musicians Only is one of those timeless albums that will
  always live up to their own title, where it ranks as one of his greatest and most popular
  masterpieces that will be greatly enjoyed for countless ages.  What you will also get on
  this definitive edition are four songs borrowed from the soundtrack of the 1958 French
  film Les Tricheurs as they include Clos Blues and Phils Tone in which Dizzy and Getz
  brilliantly had collaborated on.
861834
This is a landmark session, if for no other reason than the number of jazz legends present. Everyone on the CD should be on a "Jazz Walk of Fame." Several of the people who also reviewed this CD talked of Charlie Shavers. While there are many reasons to buy this CD, Shavers is a highlight of the session. He was an incredibly talented musician who fell in between Roy Eldridge and Dizzy Gillespie on the jazz trumpet timeline.
Bird is awewome, but most who listen would not know that Bird had quite a hand in the way this session progressed. From photos unearthed in the early 1990s and published in France in 1995, it's clear that Bird was a co-leader of this session as well as on equal footing with the entire group. Seeing Bird direct Ben Webster, Flip Phillips, Johnny Hodges and Benny Carter (the five of them must have been the best sax lineup ever assembled) documents how much his peers respected his musicianship, if not his lifestyle. Everyone participated in the structure of this session however. I think I heard that Benny Carter was unhappy with the changes he played on Isn't It Romantic, and recorded it again soon afterwards to improve his rendition.
I'd heard this CD before, but after I saw the photo essay with all of the pictures from the session, I truly had a sense for the importance of this gathering. Seeing the photo document of this monumental session - the first and only time Johnny Hodges, Benny Carter and Bird got together - reinforces the universal language of music.
The essay, by Hank O'Neal and Norman Granz, plus the photos, taken by Esther Bubley, make the aforementioned book a fabulous companion to the CD. Sadly, the book is in limited distribution, and was only printed in French. With pictures like this, who cares?
4644950
Jazz is one of those genres that thrives on live recordings. Some of the most exciting music in the relatively brief history of jazz has been recorded in concert.

This album stands among the absolute best live jazz ever captured on a soundboard. Oscar was in his prime during the early 60's, a virtuoso who could go from brutally fast swing to gentle, melancholy blues at the drop of a hat. His mastery of dynamics is very much evident on this album.

Peterson was lucky to be backed by Ray Brown on bass and Ed Thigpen on drums. I mean, could someone ask for a better pair to round out a trio? Having this much talent on one stage is a treat for the ears.

The rendition of "Chicago" on this album is THE best interpretation of the song I've ever heard. It progresses from the classic melody to a break-neck swing session, all in a 9 minute span. If you ever buy a disc for just one song, buy "The Trio" for "Chicago."

This should be on the shelf of any serious fan of Oscar Peterson. Actually, all jazz fans should own this album. It's bliss.
289962
The two albums reissued on this CD are among the earliest (and finest) examples of the R&B/Jazz fusion that would eventually become known as "Smooth Jazz". The late, great and much-missed Grover Washington, Jr. literally showed the music world that Jazz and R&B could be melded to create a fresh, new and unique sound that would appeal to fans of both genres. While it's true that subsequent releases like 1980's "Winelight" and 1981's "Come Morning" sold better than "Feels So Good" or "Mister Magic" the latter two were major commercial successes that did a great deal in laying the groundwork for the "Quiet Storm" and "Smooth Jazz" radio formats. Two classic albums on one CD, very good sound quality and both albums' cover artwork all offered at a budget price make this one a definite keeper. Enjoy!
4167369
In these four incredible discs recorded in Villingen, Germany, between 1963 and 1968, Peterson truly plays the spectrum here with the standards and a few originals. With Brown, Thigpen and Jones in tow, Peterson captures the aura of true jazz emotion. Peterson stands with the great jazz pianists but this set proves this claim.
Regardless the dated recordation, the sound and clarity on these discs is excellent. Many times, older recordings become muted and tinny. This one surpasses that taboo.
In addition to the four discs, this set comes with a 32-page booklet containing historical photographs, original-cover photographs, and a detailed discography. The value of this set is truly outstanding.
I highly recommend this set for purchase.
4755859
Hats off to Verve for continually culling their vast vaults and re-releasing long out-of-print classic jazz albums as limited edition CDs. Recently this effort has included a bunch of old Argo LPs, including this one by tenor saxophonist Illinois Jacquet. Though I'm very familiar with this legendary jazzman, it's hard to believe "Desert Winds" is the first album of his as a leader I've ever purchased. And overall it is quite enjoyable as the sextet of Illinois, Kenny Burrell on guitar, Tommy Flanagan on piano, Wendell Marshall on bass, Ray Lucas on drums, and Willie Rodriguez on bongos & conga are in top form on this 2/13/64 session.  On "Desert Winds" the band breezes through a set of mostly standards with the title track, "Lester Leaps In" and "Canadian Sunset" the highlights.  The disc's one Jacquet original, "Blues for the Early Bird," also gives us the opportunity to hear Illinois on alto sax.  Overall, an enjoyable CD but be aware this limited edition title will only be available until June 2007.
3434010
A towering figure in today's Gypsy jazz scene and -- like Django Reinhardt before him -- a member of Western Europe's Sinti community, Stochelo Rosenberg manages to push the Hot Club sound into the 21st century without compromising its fiery technique and snappy acoustic tone. On Ready 'n Able, Rosenberg mixes originals (the Joe Pass-meets-Segovia "Listen" is astounding) with tunes by Charlie Parker ("Relaxing at Camarillo"), Stevie Wonder ("I Wish"), and soul-jazz organist Jimmy Smith ("Ready 'n Able"). Toss in such classics as "Djangology," "All the Things You Are," and "Body and Soul," and you have the ingredients for an eclectic, deeply satisfying jazz-guitar experience. Skillfully accompanied by guitarist and younger brother Mozes (who contributes wonderful solos of his own) and upright bassist Sani Van Mullem, Rosenberg delivers blistering arpeggios and runs with a quivering vibrato and lightning speed worthy of Mr. Reinhardt himself. Armed with vintage Selmer and modern Lo Eimers 6-strings, Rosenberg makes genuine jazz manouche that sounds fresh, yet timeless.
587574
I bought in these days in Amazon many CDs of Charlie Christian stimulated by my remainders about this musician. I remember some pieces played by Charlie with the sextet of Benny Goodman as  "Boy meets goy" and I remember too a radio broadcast of many years before where the leader attended a list of long playing by Charlie Christian. In that time I stayed astonish hearing that kind of Jazz characterised by the rhythm, the freshness, the elegance, the extremely cleaness of the music: Benny Goodman created something of unique. That time was called "The swing era" and the 52th street in New York was the simbol of that era characterised by a  strong rhythm that liked very much the dancers (lindy hop was one of the preferred) and people coming out from the great depression from 1929. This CD is the best one of those made up to date containing the Charlie Christian&Benny Goodman music. On it you can find all the main pieces played by the Goodman's sextet in 4 concerts in USA from 1939 to 1941 and the musicians played in a perfect way: the presence of people gave them a strong impulse to perform the best concerts ever. The Charlie's music is characterised by the continous improvvisations, chorus after chorus, he reached some peaks of beauty, of splendid music never overcome. This music changed the jazz and opened the way for the incoming modern Jazz: the Be bop. Unfortunataly Charlie Christian died for tuberculosis only 26 old. I am sure this CD is recommended every body who likes the excellent music and Amazon is the only online shop able to give these emotions, thanks to it.
825902
With many classic songs from the "American song book," and such warm lyrical interpretations; That, with two  of the finest Jazz Sax and Trumpet players of the cool Jazz era ,what 's not to like? Also sideman(!!) Gary Burton, here is cutting his young whiskers on vibes along with Ron Carter on bass.
The fidelity is surprisingly good for a 64 recording too. Reminds me of the good old days of the Dual 1009. and Shure V-15 ll; That is, before the "cracks and pops" set in from extended usage on vinyl LP's.
Not raging Be-Bop, but your heart will be pulled along through "Misty" and the like classic tunes; that, with great and warm phrasing,the uncanny mutual wave lengths between Getz and Brookmeyer will bring you back, again and again..
2179255
This CD reissues two great Chicago-style dixieland albums from the mid-1950s. JAZZ ULTIMATE emphasizes Chicago-style, while COAST CONCERT - not a live recording, despite its title - emphasizes dixieland. This music is among the best of its genre, on a par with Muggsy Spanier's GREAT SIXTEEN and the Decca CHICAGO JAZZ album.
Bobby Hackett was a superb melodist on cornet and trumpet, generally playing in the middle range of his horn. He was the lyrical link between Bix Beiderbecke and Miles Davis. Jack Teagarden was the greatest jazz trombonist. Like fine brandy, he mellowed with age. These two stars are aided by Abe Lincoln (trombone), Matty Matlock (clarinet), Peanuts Hucko (clarinet and tenor sax), and Ernie Caceres (baritone sax and clarinet).
This is music of uniform high quality. Hackett and Teagraden excelled on slow ballads, "New Orleans," for example, and "I Guess I'll Have To Change My Plans" and "It's Wonderful." Hackett would typically paraphrase the melody, while Teagarden would improvise around it. This was laid-back playing, before anyone knew what laid-back was. On the slow blues, "55th And Broadway," Teagarden opens with a chorus that is instantly identifiable as his playing. He is followed by Hackett playing half-valve, in the manner of Rex Stewart. "Basin Street Blues" was a Teagraden set piece, but it is as fresh as ever. "That's A Plenty" illustrates the more extrovert side of these players.
The nine selections of COAST CONCERT come before the eleven numbers of JAZZ ULTIMATE on the CD, although the cover listing has it the other way around. The only liner notes are facsimile reproductions of the original album back covers. These weren't very informative in the first place, and are reduced to an unreadable size to fit the CD format. But, it is the music that counts.
3245135
Now that Miles Davis have signed his longtime contract with Columbia Records
  in the wake of the release of Round About Midnight, the great trumpet mastermind
  deeply fascinated critics and the music world in 1957 when he collaborated with big
  band arranger Gil Evans to record and release this highly versatile big band album.
  Like Mark Twains Autobiography, Citizen Kane, Oklahoma, Edward Hoppers Early
  Sunday Morning, Dancing In The Streets, The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Trading
  Places, Miles Ahead is universally recognized as an American masterwork. This is
  where Miles and Evans creates a sparkling orchestral menagerie which found Miles
  singing on the mellower-sounding flugelhorn while Evans 19-piece jazz orchestra
  that defined the cool jazz sound they both spearheaded in the late-1940s.  Starting
  on a bright solid note on the opening track Springville, both Miles and Evans strikes
  up the big band on a set of richly-textured classic hits, such as The Maids Of Cadiz,
  Dave Brubecks The Duke, the exclusive Miles Ahead, the eclectic Blues For Pablo,
  Ahmad Jamals New Rumba and their two part The Meaning Of The Blues/ Lament
  medley.  With two fresh alternate takes and their rehearsal take of The Meaning Of
  The Blues/ Lament medley added in the expanded edition, Miles Ahead showcases
  Miles justly celebrated lyricism that had been beautifully-framed as Evans drew on
  classical influences and the big band influences of Duke Ellington in a program that
  consists of timeless jazz standards thanks for the performances they achieved.  As
  exhilarating as ever, Miles Ahead also brings in mind a story he told about his dear
  friend Gil Evans who once told him during a phone call: if you ever get depressed
  Miles, just listen to Springville.  The same holds true for Miles Ahead.
356594
MILESTONES was both the musical and chronological bridge between trumpeter Miles Davis' great mid-fifties quintet (John Coltrane on tenor saxophone, Red Garland on piano, Paul Chambers on bass and Philly Joe Jones on drums), with its postbop sensibilities and emphasis on fresh interpretations of standard material, and the more personalized and transcendent vision Davis would realize so brilliantly on his next album, KIND OF BLUE. By augmenting the quintet with Cannonball Adderley's matchless alto saxophone chops, Miles added tonal variety to a signature sound which, for all its beauty, had started to grow a bit predictable; and by redirecting his own compositional bent from harmonic to modal centers he literally wrote an entire new chapter in jazz history. All of this is excitingly evident on this crucial 1958 recording.
  Taking numbers by Thelonious Monk ("Straight No Chaser"), Jackie McLean ("Dr. Jekyll") and John Lewis ("Two Bass Hit") on rides which even the composers themselves could never have envisioned, Davis and Company here set a new standard for small group improvisation. If anyone still had any doubts, MILESTONES certainly announced that the bebop era was over. Further leavening the proceedings, a hornless workout on "Billy Boy" allows Davis' excellent rhythm section (often obscured by the playing and reputations of this legendary front line) to sing and shine on its own while the leader takes a breather. But it's the two original compositions herein - "Sid's Ahead" and even more so the title track - which really point the way forward. The former is an epic-length jam balancing control and freedom in a manner almost unprecedented, with improvisational statements of consummate logic effectively becoming the structure of the piece over its thirteen minutes and change. "Milestones" itself is a sort of first stab at KIND OF BLUE, and could easily have fit on that album were it a bit lengthier - as it would subsequently become in concert. Miles' lightheartedly reflective melody is now a classic, and the permutations through which he and his band take it proclaim the advent of a powerful new approach to the genre. Great stuff, and a definite must-have for any serious jazz enthusiast!
1269234
BOHEMIAN MASTERS: Django Reinhardt and the Impressionists includes swinging Gipsy Jazz, Gipsy-Classical Mixes, and simply a heck of a lot of fine, inventive, and soulful playing. It is new and old at the same time, in a fresh - rather than tired - fashion. This isn't retro music, but Gipsy Chamber music for the 21st century. All of the music and musicians are first class. Hard to list favorite tracks, as I frequently play the entire CD.