This gallery contains 11 photos.
To continue the theme of British Jazz, now expanded to 1963-74, the second double album compiled by DJ of French origin, Gilles Peterson, Impressed 2 released on vinyl in 2004. Nice cover segue, with a second thumb print, it’s all … Continue reading
This gallery contains 9 photos.
Hey LJC – original vinyl, remember? A DJ compilation reissue, have you taken leave of your senses?! Quite possibly, but I’m gonna do it anyway. This one is different. The original recordings carefully curated here are simply impossible to find … Continue reading
This gallery contains 4 photos.
As today is the day Americans celebrate their independence from us Brits ( looking back, I think on the whole a good move) , it is only fitting to return the spotlight from British jazz back onto to our ungrateful … Continue reading
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Not everything is as it seems. A post on sketchy identities, confusion, possibly even deception. It introduces a relatively unknown British jazz artist named Scott. Not Tony, not Ronnie, but…Johnny. And even that’s not his real name. Follow the twists and turns in another jazz mystery tour. … Continue reading
This gallery contains 6 photos.
This piece started out as a review of Grant Green’s 1979 Japan-only release Matador. Some consider it among his finest albums, after Idle Moments, of course, and arguably, Solid. Just four tracks to choose from. Initially, I selected the Duke … Continue reading
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Selection: John Coltrane (Lee) A two record set deserves a second selection: Eddie Harris (Lee) . . . Artists Billy Higgins drums, percussion; Cedar Walton, Stanley Cowell, piano; Clifford Jordan, tenor saxophone; Bill Lee, Sam Jones, bass. Quartet I: C. … Continue reading
This gallery contains 7 photos.
(Updated June 12, 2018 – see foot of post) Saxophone Colossus overlooked (and that’s a tall order!) The mystery of RVG/ Prestige alphabetic stamp codes. Followers of The Evil Silver Disc might want to sit this one out. It’s deep vinyl. … Continue reading
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Selection: Girl You Got A Home (Bill Lee) . . . Artists Cecil Payne, baritone, alto saxophone; Kenny Dorham, trumpet; Wynton Kelly, piano, organ; Wilbur Ware, bass; Albert Heath, drums. Recorded December 16, 1968, at Town Sound Studios, Englewood, NJ. … Continue reading
This gallery contains 15 photos.
New LJC topic: the jazz cover art of Jim Flora. Selection from Nick Travis, The Panic is On: You Don’t Know What Love Is (Raye / de Paul) . . . Marc Myers (“Jazz Wax”) pays tribute to … Continue reading
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Selection: I Surrender Dear (Barris -Gordon) . . . History of a “Jazz Standard”: I Surrender Dear. Bing Crosby first recorded “I Surrender Dear” in January, 1931, with Gus Arnheim’s Cocoanut Grove Orchestra. Written by Harry Barris (not to be … Continue reading
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Selection: Son of Skydive . . . Sorry Don Sebesky and Bob James – faced with the tracks featuring twelve violins, six brass and four woodwind, two hens a-laying and a partridge in a pear tree, I’ve gone for the … Continue reading
This gallery contains 6 photos.
LJC Special Selection: Albums I initially avoided due to presence of turkeys, but which also contain prime cuts: BST 84243 Lee Morgan’s Delightfulee. Apologies in advance to lovers of the Fab Four, and cranberry sauce. Selection: Nite Flite (Morgan) . … Continue reading
This gallery contains 9 photos.
Selection: I didn’t Know What Time It Was ( Rogers & Hart) . . . Artists Lonnie Hillyer, trumpet; Charles McPherson, alto sax; Barry Harris, piano; Ernie Farrow, bass; Clifford Jarvis, drums; recorded Plaza Sound Studios, NYC, September 28, 1961, … Continue reading
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An uncommercial island, Stanley Cowell and Charles Tolliver’s Strata East Records, stubbornly surrounded by increasingly commercial waters, making music to satisfy its core listening audience rather college boys and the bachelor demographic, who had moved on elsewhere. Venturing further into … Continue reading
This gallery contains 10 photos.
Van Gelder fakes fake stereo: it’s all good! Selection: Kerplunk (Byrd) . . . Selection chosen for the scarce recording presence of Elmo Hope, and the young Byrd and McLean strutting their stuff backwards and forwards running the changes double … Continue reading
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Selection: Lester Left Town (Shorter) . . . Artists: Lee Morgan, trumpet; Wayne Shorter, tenor sax; Walter Davis Jr., piano; Jymie Merritt, bass; Art Blakey, drums; Dizzy Reece, congas, recorded Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, November 10, 1959. … Continue reading
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“Poisson d’Avril” put to bed, LJC navigates the turn of the ’60s/’70s decade, where modern jazz slides into electric jazz-rock fusion, with flagship of the genre, Freddie Hubbard’s Red Clay. A transition not only in musical style, but demands on … Continue reading
This gallery contains 6 photos.
The design of the human ear preceded the creation of the home hi-fidelity listening by somewhere around a half million years. In that time and until recently, the only way to improve your sound quality experience was through expensive equipment upgrades. … Continue reading
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Selection: John Coltrane ( Bill Lee) 7:45 . . . Artists Clifford Jordan, tenor sax; Cedar Walton, piano; Sam Jones, bass; Billy Higgins, drums. Recorded live in Paris, France, March 26, 1975, Muse album not released until 1978, issued in … Continue reading
This gallery contains 10 photos.
(Updated March 24: matrixes of 1st edition) Records inexplicably not previously posted. I had occasion to want to check something regarding 1558, went to my pages, only to find it not there. No there there at all. No longer overlooked, … Continue reading
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We like puzzles here at LJC, especially Blue Note ones, they stretch what you know, sometimes force you to rearrange what you think you know, but isn’t right. It’s good to be smart, but better to be even smarter. A … Continue reading
This gallery contains 23 photos.
(UPDATED March 12, 2018: Linotype Erbar meets Kind of Blue)) Blue Note record covers showcase the wonderful graphic elements of photography, design and typography brought together by Reid Miles. The array of fonts Miles selected changed from title to title, … Continue reading
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A break from the Boogaloo and later ’60s directions, back firmly in the ’50s mainstream when music giants roamed the earth, mono ruled absolutely, and for some, life was but a short, temporary gift. Selection: Autumn Leaves (Kosma/ Prevert) . … Continue reading
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LJC thought for the day: you don’t judge a book by its cover, but by its contents. However, some covers just shout “No!” Fortunately in this case the contents say “Yes!” Selection: Feelin’ Folksy (Mobley) . . . . Artists: … Continue reading
This gallery contains 11 photos.
Inexplicable omissions, albums I overlooked writing about. No. 1: Lee Morgan The Sidewinder Selection 1: The Sidewinder (Morgan) . . . If The Sidewinder is the immediately recognisable signature track, no review would be complete without also including the best … Continue reading
