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Blue Mitchell - Stablemates (1997) Reissue 2006

Posted By: Designol
Blue Mitchell - Stablemates (1997) Reissue 2006

Blue Mitchell - Stablemates (1997) Reissue 2006
EAC | FLAC | Image (Cue&Log) ~ 252 Mb | Mp3 (CBR320) ~ 108 Mb | Scans included
Hard Bop, Mainstream Jazz, Trumpet Jazz | Label: Candid | # CCD 79553 | 00:42:37

This previously hard to find album was made in Hollywood some two years before Blue's premature death from cancer on May 21st, 1979. It is a worthy component of the Mitchell discography, and Blue's playing here stacks up nicely against the best work of his classic Riverside and Blue Note periods. Blue's front line partner in the accomplished band assembled for the date was his friend, saxophonist Dick Spencer. The two knew each other well from time spent together in the Louie Bellson Band, where Dick was lead alto. The piano chair went to Victor Feldman, Blue's colleague in the Adderley band, by now a seasoned participant in the L.A. scene, some 20 years since his move from London. Also features John Heard and Dick Berk.

Miles Davis - Bags' Groove (1957) Analogue Productions’ Prestige Mono Series, Remastered 2014

Posted By: Designol
Miles Davis - Bags' Groove (1957) Analogue Productions’ Prestige Mono Series, Remastered 2014

Miles Davis - Bags' Groove (1957)
Mastered by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio, 2014
EAC | FLAC | Tracks (Cue&Log) ~ 250 Mb | Mp3 (CBR320) ~ 139 Mb | Scans included
Label: Analogue Productions, Prestige | # CPRJ 7109 SA | Time: 00:46:21
Bop, Hard Bop, Trumpet Jazz

Hybrid Mono SACD for sale individually and as part of Analogue Productions’ Prestige Mono Series, Mini "old style" gatefold jacket packaging. There are a multitude of reasons why Bags' Groove remains a cornerstone of the post-bop genre. Of course there will always be the lure of the urban myth surrounding the Christmas Eve 1954 session – featuring Thelonious Monk – which is documented on the two takes of the title track. There are obviously more tangible elements, such as Davis' practically telepathic runs with Sonny Rollins (tenor sax). Or Horace Silver's (piano) uncanny ability to provide a stream of chord progressions that supply a second inconspicuous lead without ever overpowering. Indeed, Davis' choice of former Dizzy Gillespie Orchestra and concurrent Modern Jazz Quartet members Milt Jackson (vibes), Kenny Clarke (drums), and Percy Heath (bass) is obviously well-informed.

Chris Botti - When I Fall In Love (2004)

Posted By: Designol
Chris Botti - When I Fall In Love (2004)

Chris Botti - When I Fall In Love (2004)
EAC | FLAC | Tracks (Cue&Log) ~ 328 Mb | Mp3 (CBR320) ~ 156 Mb
Label: Columbia | # 518841 2 | Time: 00:58:49 | Scans included
Smooth Jazz, Trumpet Jazz, Instrumental Pop, Easy Listening

Trumpeter Chris Botti drops the synthesizers and drum loops of his previous effort, Thousand Kisses Deep, for a more elegant and traditional sound on When I Fall in Love. While Thousand Kisses Deep maximized Botti's penchant for mixing perfect pop songs with his Miles Davis-influenced jazz style, it nonetheless featured many of the electronic and processed sounds predictable on modern smooth jazz releases. By eschewing such "go to" pop-jazz production techniques as drum machines and synthesized strings in favor of the real instruments here, Botti ironically sounds utterly groundbreaking on what is ultimately a straight-ahead orchestral jazz album. While nowhere near as improvisationally adventurous as its predecessors, When I Fall in Love is still a revelation in the tradition of Sketches of Spain, Clifford Brown With Strings, and Wynton Marsalis' Hot House Flowers. Mixing standards and contemporary pop tunes all in a straight-ahead style, Botti gives his minimalist Miles-ian horn sound a chance to breath and be enjoyed on its own.

Dizzy Gillespie - Dizzy in South America: Official U.S. State Department Tour, 1956, Volumes 1-3 (1999-2001) 4CDs

Posted By: Designol
Dizzy Gillespie - Dizzy in South America: Official U.S. State Department Tour, 1956, Volumes 1-3 (1999-2001) 4CDs

Dizzy Gillespie - Dizzy in South America (1999-2001) 4CDs
Official U.S. State Department Tour, 1956, Volumes 1-3

EAC | FLAC | Tracks (Cue&Log) ~ 1.5 Gb | Mp3 (CBR320) ~ 606 Mb | Scans ~ 106 Mb
Label: Consolidated Artists Productions | # CAP 933-935 | Time: 04:24:04
Bop, Afro-Cuban Jazz, Trumpet Jazz, Big Band

In the summer of 1956, the famed Harlem congressman Adam Clayton Powell arranged for Dizzy Gillespie to embark on a worldwide goodwill-ambassador tour sponsored by the State Department. Gillespie and an all-star big band featuring trumpeter Quincy Jones, the late trombonist Melba Liston, alto saxophonist Phil Woods, and tenor saxophonist Benny Golson performed in Ecuador, Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil to frenzied, beret-wearing fans. Recordings were made but they weren't commercially available and were played only for a select group of musicians before Gillespie's death in 1993. Now the sides have been released, showcasing Dizzy at his bebopping best.

Miles Davis - Kind Of Blue (1959) + Ascenseur Pour L'Échafaud (1958) + Somethin' Else (1958) [3LP on 2CD, 2010]

Posted By: Designol
Miles Davis - Kind Of Blue (1959) + Ascenseur Pour L'Échafaud (1958) + Somethin' Else (1958) [3LP on 2CD, 2010]

Miles Davis - Kind Of Blue '59 + Ascenseur Pour L'Échafaud '58 + Somethin' Else '58 [3LP on 2CD]
EAC | FLAC | Tracks (Cue&Log) ~ 606 Mb | Mp3 (CBR320) ~ 254 Mb | Scans ~ 61 Mb
Hard Bop, Modal jazz | Label: Not Now Music | # NOT2CD335 | Time: 01:51:16

Kind of Blue isn't merely an artistic highlight for Miles Davis, it's an album that towers above its peers, a record generally considered as the definitive jazz album, a universally acknowledged standard of excellence. Why does Kind of Blue possess such a mystique? Perhaps because this music never flaunts its genius. It lures listeners in with the slow, luxurious bassline and gentle piano chords of "So What." From that moment on, the record never really changes pace – each tune has a similar relaxed feel, as the music flows easily. Yet Kind of Blue is more than easy listening. It's the pinnacle of modal jazz – tonality and solos build from the overall key, not chord changes, giving the music a subtly shifting quality. All of this doesn't quite explain why seasoned jazz fans return to this record even after they've memorized every nuance. They return because this is an exceptional band – Miles, Coltrane, Bill Evans, Cannonball Adderley, Paul Chambers, Jimmy Cobb – one of the greatest in history, playing at the peak of its power.

Gerry Mulligan Quartet - Reunion With Chet Baker (1957)

Posted By: Designol
Gerry Mulligan Quartet - Reunion With Chet Baker (1957)

Gerry Mulligan Quartet - Reunion With Chet Baker (1957)
EAC | FLAC | Tracks (Cue&Log) ~ 403 Mb | Mp3 (CBR320) ~ 184 Mb | Scans included
Label: EMI-Manhattan | # CDP 7 46857 2 | Time: 01:08:10
Cool, Mainstream Jazz, West Coast

The Gerry Mulligan Quartet of 1952-53 was one of the best-loved jazz groups of the decade and it made stars out of both the leader and trumpeter Chet Baker. Mulligan and Baker had very few reunions after 1953 but this particular CD from 1957 is an exception. Although not quite possessing the magic of the earlier group, the music is quite enjoyable and the interplay between the two horns is still special. With expert backup by bassist Henry Grimes and drummer Dave Bailey, these 13 selections (plus two new alternate takes) should please fans of both Mulligan and Baker.

Dizzy Reece - Comin' On (1999)

Posted By: Designol
Dizzy Reece - Comin' On (1999)

Dizzy Reece - Comin' On (1999) Recorded 1960
EAC | FLAC | Tracks (Cue&Log) ~ 463 Mb | Mp3 (CBR320) ~ 162 Mb | Scans included
Hard Bop, Trumpet Jazz | Label: Blue Note | # 7243 5 22019 2 1 | Time: 01:06:52

For a short time in the late '50s trumpeter Dizzy Reece was an up-and-coming jazz artist. However, success eluded him and he quietly faded into obscurity, only occasionally releasing material after the early '60s. As a matter of fact, the sessions that became Comin' On! languished in the Blue Note vaults for almost four decades. Rediscovered in 1999, these dates feature six well-rounded hard bop compositions by Reece along with three standards. The tracks from April 3, 1960, not only document the Blue Note debut of tenor saxophonist Stanley Turrentine but also employ the talents of the Jazz Messengers' rhythm section of the time, pianist Bobby Timmons, bassist Jymie Merritt, and drummer Art Blakey. By July 17, 1960, the only musician remaining from the previous date was Turrentine, sharing tenor duties with Musa Kaleem, who is also heard on flute. (The later session's rhythm section had changed to pianist Duke Jordan, bassist Sam Jones, and drummer Al Harewood.) Neglected, although spirited, sessions from an underrated trumpeter and composer.

Chet Baker - In Milan (1959) Remastered Reissue

Posted By: Designol
Chet Baker - In Milan (1959) Remastered Reissue

Chet Baker - In Milan (1959) Remastered Reissue
EAC | FLAC | Tracks (Cue&Log) ~ 251 Mb | Mp3 (CBR320) ~ 106 Mb | Scans included
Label: ZYX music, Original Jazz Classics | # OJC20 370-2 (JLP-18) | Time: 00:42:42
Cool, West Coast Jazz, Trumpet Jazz

During his extended "stay" in Europe circa the late '50s and early '60s, Chet Baker produced half a dozen albums for the Riverside Records subsidiary label Jazzland. On Chet Baker in Milan – the first of his overseas sides – Baker revisits the familiar stomping grounds of West Coast cool, even though he is the only American in the band. The basic quartet includes Chet Baker (trumpet), Renato Sellani (piano), Franco Serri (bass), and Gene Victory (drums). However, on a majority of the cuts, that unit is upgraded to a sextet with sax players Glauco Masetti (alto) and Gianno Basso (tenor). According to Peter Drew's brief liner notes essay, these Italian players were found by a local record label and arrangements were essentially retrofitted to suit Baker.

Miles Davis - Sorcerer (1967) [MFSL Remastered 2015]

Posted By: Designol
Miles Davis - Sorcerer (1967) [MFSL Remastered 2015]

Miles Davis - Sorcerer (1967) [MFSL Remastered 2015]
EAC | FLAC | Tracks (Cue&Log) ~ 240 Mb | Mp3 (CBR320) ~ 101 Mb | Scans included | 00:40:24
Post-Bop, Modal Music, Trumpet Jazz | Label: Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab | # UDSACD 2145

Sorcerer, the third album by the second Miles Davis Quintet, is in a sense a transitional album, a quiet, subdued affair that rarely blows hot, choosing to explore cerebral tonal colorings. Even when the tempo picks up, as it does on the title track, there's little of the dense, manic energy on Miles Smiles – this is about subtle shadings, even when the compositions are as memorable as Tony Williams' "Pee Wee" or Herbie Hancock's "Sorcerer." As such, it's a little elusive, since it represents the deepening of the band's music as they choose to explore different territory. The emphasis is as much on complex, interweaving chords and a coolly relaxed sound as it is on sheer improvisation, though each member tears off thoroughly compelling solos. Still, the individual flights aren't placed at the forefront the way they were on the two predecessors – it all merges together, pointing toward the dense soundscapes of Miles' later '60s work.

Miles Davis - The Real... Miles Davis, The Ultimate Collection (2011) 3 CDs

Posted By: Designol
Miles Davis - The Real... Miles Davis, The Ultimate Collection (2011) 3 CDs

Miles Davis - The Real… Miles Davis, The Ultimate Collection (2011) 3 CDs
EAC | FLAC | Tracks (Cue&Log) ~ 1.22 Gb | Scans included
Label: Columbia/Sony | # 88697915492 | Time: 03:26:47
Hard Bop, Cool, Trumpet Jazz, Modal Jazz

The three-disc anthology The Real…Miles Davis: The Ultimate Miles Davis Collection brings together tracks the legendary trumpeter recorded for Columbia during the '50s and '60s. These are some of Davis' best-known and most influential recordings when he was at the height of his pre-fusion, modern jazz career. Included are such cuts as "So What," "I Thought About You," "Stella by Starlight," "Milestones," and more.

Miles Davis - E.S.P. (1965) [MFSL Remastered 2015]

Posted By: Designol
Miles Davis - E.S.P. (1965) [MFSL Remastered 2015]

Miles Davis - E.S.P. (1965) [MFSL Remastered 2015]
EAC | FLAC | Tracks (Cue&Log) ~ 270 Mb | Mp3 (CBR320) ~ 123 Mb | Scans included
Hard Bop, Trumpet Jazz | Label: Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab | # UDSACD 2170 | 00:48:36

ESP marks the beginning of a revitalization for Miles Davis, as his second classic quintet – saxophonist Wayne Shorter, pianist Herbie Hancock, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Tony Williams – gels, establishing what would become their signature adventurous hard bop. Miles had been moving toward this direction in the two years preceding the release of ESP and he had recorded with everyone outside of Shorter prior to this record, but his addition galvanizes the group, pushing them toward music that was recognizably bop but as adventurous as jazz's avant-garde. Outwardly, this music doesn't take as many risks as Coltrane or Ornette Coleman's recordings of the mid-'60s, but by borrowing some of the same theories – a de-emphasis of composition in favor of sheer improvisation, elastic definitions of tonality – they created a unique sound that came to define the very sound of modern jazz. Certainly, many musicians have returned to this group for inspiration, but their recordings remain fresh, because they exist at this fine dividing line between standard bop and avant.

Fats Navarro - Fat Girl (1977) Reissue 1989

Posted By: Designol
Fats Navarro - Fat Girl (1977) Reissue 1989

Fats Navarro - Fat Girl (1977) Reissue 1989
EAC | FLAC | Image (Cue&Log) ~ 192 Mb | Mp3 (CBR320) ~ 119 Mb | Scans included
Bop, Trumpet Jazz | Label: Savoy Jazz, Vogue | # VG 655, 650115 | 00:44:59

One of the greatest jazz trumpeters of all time, Fats Navarro had a tragically brief career yet his influence is still being felt. His fat sound combined aspects of Howard McGhee, Roy Eldridge, and Dizzy Gillespie, became the main inspiration for Clifford Brown, and through Brownie greatly affected the tones and styles of Lee Morgan, Freddie Hubbard, and Woody Shaw. Navarro originally played piano and tenor before switching to trumpet. He started gigging with dance bands when he was 17, was with Andy Kirk during 1943-1944, and replaced Dizzy Gillespie with the Billy Eckstine big band during 1945-1946. During the next three years, Fats was second to only Dizzy among bop trumpeters.

Miles Davis - My Funny Valentine: Miles Davis in Concert (1965) [MFSL Remastered 2014]

Posted By: Designol
Miles Davis - My Funny Valentine: Miles Davis in Concert (1965) [MFSL Remastered 2014]

Miles Davis - My Funny Valentine: Miles Davis in Concert (1965) [MFSL Remastered 2014]
EAC | FLAC | Tracks (Cue&Log) ~ 366 Mb | Mp3 (CBR320) ~ 158 Mb | Scans included | 01:03:53
Hard Bop, Cool, Trumpet Jazz | Label: Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab | # UDSACD 2141

Miles Davis' concert of February 12, 1964, was divided into two LPs, with all of the ballads put on My Funny Valentine. These five lengthy tracks (specifically, "All of You," "Stella by Starlight," "All Blues," "I Thought About You," and the title cut) put the emphasis on the lyricism of Davis, along with some strong statements from tenor saxophonist George Coleman and freer moments from the young rhythm section of pianist Herbie Hancock, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Tony Williams. This hour-long LP complements the up-tempo romps of Four & More.

Chet Baker - The Most Important Jazz Album of 1964/65 (1964) Reissue 2003

Posted By: Designol
Chet Baker - The Most Important Jazz Album of 1964/65 (1964) Reissue 2003

Chet Baker - The Most Important Jazz Album of 1964/65 (1964) Reissue 2003
EAC | FLAC | Tracks (Cue&Log) ~ 265 Mb | Mp3 (CBR320) ~ 122 Mb | Scans included
Label: Roulette Jazz/EMI | # 7243 5 81829 2 7 | Time: 00:43:25
West Coast Jazz, Cool, Hard Bop, Trumpet Jazz

The Most Important Jazz Album of 1964/65 was the first album trumpeter/vocalist Chet Baker recorded upon returning to the United States in 1964. Jazz had undergone a radical development post-1963 with artists such as John Coltrane and Wayne Shorter beginning to focus on complex harmonic explorations over pretty melody. Having spent the prior three years in Europe, falling deeper into heroin addiction, Baker found himself a pleasant, if somewhat forgotten, anachronism of the previous decade. Consequently, the icon of '50s cool attempted to reinvigorate his career and showcase his musical growth by enlisting the sensitive piano chops of Hal Galper and old collaborator tenor saxophonist Phil Urso. The new sideman, combined with a heavy dose of Tadd Dameron's compositions, gave Baker a more muscular edge that rubbed nicely with his trademark lyricism updating his sound for the hard bop '60s – a decade that would end, however, with Baker losing his teeth and falling into obscurity.

Chet Baker & Stan Getz - West Coast Live (1997) 2CDs

Posted By: Designol
Chet Baker & Stan Getz - West Coast Live (1997) 2CDs

Chet Baker & Stan Getz - West Coast Live (1997) 2CDs
EAC | FLAC | Image (Cue&Log) ~ 727 Mb | Mp3 (CBR320) ~ 312 Mb | Scans included
Label: Pacific Jazz | # 7243 8 35634 2 5 | Time: 02:04:54
Cool, West Coast Jazz, Mainstream Jazz

One of the most infamously acrimonious musical unions transpired between two of the leading purveyors of West Coast cool jazz: Chet Baker (trumpet) and Stan Getz (tenor sax). Their paths crossed only a handful of times and West Coast Live captures two of their earliest encounters in Los Angeles at the Haig on June 12, 1953, and the Tiffany Club on August 17, 1953. These recordings have been issued in Europe and Japan ad infinitum in varying degrees of quality, completeness, and often sporting erroneous data. However, enthusiasts should note that West Coast Live is the only release derived from producer/engineer Dick Bock's own master reels. For two men who purportedly would rather not be in the same room at the same time, Baker and Getz are able to create some legitimately brilliant improvisation. For the Haig set, Getz had been brought in to co-lead a quartet with Baker for an incarcerated Gerry Mulligan.