Really
great work from the Oliver Lake Organ Quartet – a group that features the
excellent Jared Gold on the Hammond – one of our favorite jazz organists in
recent years! Gold's got this way of blocking sound and shapes that almost
reminds us of Larry Young – but with a twist that's definitely Larry's own –
and his free-thinking approach to the instrument is really a great fit for
Lake's work on alto and flute – especially since he's not really the kind of
jazz musician to go for a traditional sax and organ session! Instead, the reeds
and Hammond come together in these really great waves of sound – augmented by
trumpet from Freddie Hendrix, and given some structure by the drums of Chris
Beck. Titles include "Lucky One", "Root",
"Palma", "Cyan", "What I Heard", and
"6&3". ~ Dusty
Groove
One of
the best lost MPS albums from the classic years – and a very tasty batch of
jazzy Brazilian grooves! Guitarist Ira Kris leads a groovy little combo that
includes 2 guitars, flute, bass, and drums – and the group runs through a tight
set of bossa groovers with a breezy jazzy sound. Highlights include some great
versions of "Canto De Ossanha", "Reza", and "Casa
Forte" – but the album also has some nice originals like "Inside My
Head" and "Juanito". The sound's a bit like a Baden Powell
album, but it's a lot more lively – especially since there's 2 guitars jumping
around in the mix. Plus, the bassist is the great Jimmy Woode (from the Clark
Boland Big Band), and he gives the record a nice soulful bottom sound – more
depth than you might expect from the usual bossa jazz record of this nature. ~ Dusty Groove
JUDY GARLAND - JUDY GARLAND AND FRIENDS: DUETS & JUDY GARLAND - THAT OLD FEELING: CLASSIC BALLAD FROM THE JUDY GARLAND SHOW
Songstress
Barbra Streisand has been garnering incredible attention and sales for her
"Partners" album, but Savoy Jazz has a few of the brightest gems in
her duet repertoire—her duets with icon Judy Garland. The songs featured on two Savoy Jazz
releases-- "Hooray For Love" medley which appears on "Judy
Garland and Friends: Duets" and the all-time classic "Get Happy/Happy
Days Are Here Again" medley taken from "That Old Feeling: Classic
Ballads From the Judy Garland Show"—are priceless recordings from the
early 60's. Both albums are collections of hand-picked performances taken from
the 1963 CBS-TV series "The Judy Garland Show." Compiled by Emmy-winning
historian John Fricke, the stellar sets feature unforgettable performances (as
well as many previously unavailable on CD), showcasing the talents of
entertainers such as Streisand, Tony Bennett, Mel Torme, Lena Horne, Count
Basie, Vic Damone and others. Also
included in the packages are rare black and white photographs taken from
rehearsals and tapings of the Garland series. "The
Judy Garland Show" was a much-deserved star vehicle for an artist now
considered to be one of the greatest entertainers—if not the greatest—to hit
the stage and screen. The series is much
revered for its fascinating showcasing of Garland's talent and the many, many
stars that appeared and indeed, paid homage to the legendary performer. This compilation provides an even greater
look at Judy's joy in music and the heightened level of enthusiasm she achieved
in her teamings with both friends and with some of the timeless vocalists of
the Twentieth Century.
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