The second live album by Italian soul/jazz vocalist Mario Biondi, recorded during his 2010 Spazio Tempo Italian tour, featured two jazz bands facing each other. In this double set, Biondi performs his most recent studio effort, If (2009), in its entirety, and adds a medley, a cover of "Nature Boy," three songs featuring acid jazz combo Incognito, and a studio version of the previously unreleased title track.

Steve Swallow - Carla (1987) {Watt Works–ECM 833492-2}
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© 1987 Watt Works / ECM Records | XtraWATT/2 / 833 492-2
Jazz / Post Bop / Modern Jazz / Bass

Electric bassist Steve Swallow performs eight originals on this set, with such witty titles as "Crab Alley," "Fred and Ethel," "Read My Lips" and "Hold It Against Me." Most prominent of the soloists in the sextet is guitarist Hiram Bullock; pianist Larry Willis also gets in some good spots, and Carla Bley on organ mostly adds atmosphere. The group is filled out by drummer Victor Lewis, percussionist Don Alias, and on some cuts three strings. The post-bop music is reasonably unpredictable and, although not essential, holds one's interest.

Only 22 at the time of this CD, Nicholas Payton had already quickly developed into a major trumpeter. Possessing a fat tone that is sometimes reminiscent of Freddie Hubbard, by the mid-'90s Payton had become New Orleans' latest significant contribution to jazz. On his second Verve release, Payton interprets and modernizes ten songs associated with his hometown and/or Louis Armstrong. Fortunately, Payton generally retains the flavor and joy of the original versions, even while he transforms much of the music into hard bop. To cite a few examples, "Whoopin' Blues" has parade rhythms, send-offs worthy of Lionel Hampton, and boppish solos, "Way Down Yonder in New Orleans" is taken as a slow and lightly swinging ballad, and "I Gotta Right to Sing the Blues" is turned into a jazz waltz…

A song is like a dream, and you try to make it come true. They're like strange countries that you have to enter.

Art Tatum & Ben Webster - The Art Tatum Group Masterpieces (1956) {Pablo Japan, VDJ-28009, Early Press}
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© 1956, 1987 Pablo Records / Victor Japan | VDJ-28009
Jazz / Mainstream Jazz / Swing / Stride / Piano

The quartet set with tenor-saxophonist Ben Webster. Webster lets Tatum fill the background with an infinite number of notes while emphasizing his warm tenor tone in the forefront on a variety of melodic ballads and standards. The combination works very well.

Albert Ayler - Spirits (1964) {Freedom Japan 32JDF-172 rel 1988}
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© 1964, 1988 Debut / Freedom Japan | 32JDF-172
Jazz / Avant-Garde Jazz / Tenor Saxophone

This is an underrated Ayler record, not on the same shelf as Spiritual Unity or Vibrations but a startling formative effort. It is considered to be the first time that Ayler recorded with appropriate musicians, not late blooming beboppers. The two long cuts are atmospheric (especially the one with two basses) and worth sticking with. Norman Howard is at least as good as Don Ayler and shines on one of the short tracks. Ayler himself is almost laid back (!) but still magisterial, and Murray, though underrecorded, already sounds like no other drummer ever. This date foreshadows the later, greater quartet with Cherry.

Peggy Lee - Black Coffee (1956) {Verve Master Edition B0003093-02 rel 2004}
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© 1953-56, 2004 Decca / Verve / UMG | B0003093-02
Jazz / Vocal Jazz / Torch Songs / Vocal Pop

Peggy Lee left Capitol in 1952 for, among several other reasons, the label's refusal to let her record and release an exotic, tumultuous version of "Lover." Lee was certainly no Mitch Miller songbird, content to loosen her gorgeous pipes on any piece of tripe foisted upon her; she was a superb songwriter with a knowledge of production and arrangement gained from work in big bands and from her husband, Dave Barbour (although the two weren't together at the time). The more open-minded Decca acquiesced to her demand, and watched its investment pay off quickly when the single became her biggest hit in years.

Himiko Kikuchi is a Japanese jazz pianist, keyboard player, composer and arranger. Born in Sendai. "Reverse It" is her fifth studio album.

Charlie Rouse's debut as a leader (not counting his earlier work co-leading Les Jazz Modes with the great French horn player Julius Watkins) was made for Jazzland and is available as an OJC CD. The distinctive tenor saxophonist, who had just started a decade-long stint as a member of the Thelonious Monk Quartet, teams up with trumpeter Blue Mitchell, pianist Walter Bishop, Jr., bassist Earl May, and drummer Art Taylor. Together they perform straight-ahead material including Rouse's own uptempo "Upptankt," the standard "They Didn't Believe Me," and songs by Mitchell, Kenny Drew, and Randy Weston. A fine modern mainstream jam session-flavored set.

Italian jazz-soul vocalist Mario Biondi was born of artistic stock in the Sicilian city of Catania. His great grandfather was a respected painter, his grandmother a singer, and his father a popular songwriter. Biondi sang throughout his childhood, first performing in public at age 12 in church, and soon singing in public squares before hundreds of people. From there he competed in the Festival della Canzone Siciliana, taking third place. Biondi's musical pursuits earned him the opportunity to perform alongside such Italian vocal greats as Califano, Bongusto, and Fiorello, as well as American legend Ray Charles. As word of his talent and skill got out, Biondi found himself collaborating with groups like the Change, Mario Brothers, and Funky Company on recordings and tours.

Blow by Blow typifies Jeff Beck's wonderfully unpredictable career. Released in 1975, Beck's fifth effort as a leader and first instrumental album was a marked departure from its more rock-based predecessors…

Gil Evans - The British Orchestra (1983) {Mole Jazz MOLE8}
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© 1983 Mole Jazz | CD MOLE 8
Jazz / Post Cool / Electric Cool / Modern Big Band

Although the 13-piece ensemble heard on this CD is comprised mostly of English players, somehow it still sounds like the Gil Evans Orchestra. Evans travelled to England to lead the all-star group in 1983 and altoist Chris Hunter would eventually join Evans's U.S. outfit. Other impressive soloists include John Surman on baritone and soprano and Stan Sulzmann on tenor and soprano while guitarist Ray Russell is showcased on Jimi Hendrix's "Little Wing." The four selections (which also include "Hotel Me," "London" and Thelonious Monk's "Friday the 13th") tend to be a bit overlong but the spirit and enthusiasm of the players (who sound thrilled to be working with Evans) make this a worthy set.