Friday, October 03, 2014

NEW RELEASES: RAY CHARLES & MILT JACKSON - SOUL BROTHERS MEETING; AUDREY MARTIN - LIVING ROOM; RICHARD "GROOVE" HOLMES - SOUL MESSAGE

RAY CHARLES & MILT JACKSON - SOUL BROTHERS MEETING

Recorded in New York on between 1957 & 1958. Includes original release liner notes by Gary Kramer & Bill Randle. Originally released separately as SOUL BROTHERS (Atlantic 1360) and SOUL MEETING (Atlantic 1279).2 LPs on 2 CDs. Both are available separately on cassette. These records are "cool" in the classic sense of the word: they swing, groove, whisper and discuss with the sophisticated yet down-home relaxation of a late-night session. While Milt Jackson's work with the Modern Jazz Quartet represents a kind of bebop perfection, the truism about the MJQ has always been that it's Jackson the irrepressible soloist and blues spirit that provides the ballast to John Lewis' more cerebral explorations of form and composition. At the same time, Ray Charles' reputation as the definitive gospel-inspired R&B shouter and bandleader overshadows the facts of his jazz background and impressive musicianship. This is a guy, after all, who early in his career wanted to sound as much like Nat Cole as possible--and did, for a time, as both a singer and a pianist. So while these giants meet on the common turf of the blues on these two records, they bring a sharp jazz sensibility to the numerous and varied twelve-bar grooves here. Charles' stompin' bebop lines on the bonus track "Charlesville" are only one of the many revelations of this session. Reissue producer: Bob Porter. Personnel: Skeeter Best, Kenny Burrell (guitar); Ray Charles (alto saxophone, acoustic & electric pianos); Billy Mitchell (tenor saxophone); Milt Jackson (piano, vibraphone); Oscar Pettiford (bass); Connie Kay (drums); Percy Heath, Art Taylor. Producers: Nesuhi Ertegun, Jerry Wexler. ~ CD Universe

AUDREY MARTIN - LIVING ROOM

For some jazz singers, a song is a point of departure, a launching pad for extended improvisational flights with a band of fellow explorers. For Audrey Martin, songs are revelatory texts ripe for interpretation. Not every song, mind you. In building her repertoire, the Bay Area singer has gathered a treasure trove of material that resonates with her on a bone-deep level. Living Room, her consistently inspired ballad-centric debut album, finds Martin delving deeply into a highly personal array of material with a particular focus on groundbreaking women artists like Laura Nyro, Joni Mitchell, Abbey Lincoln, and Blossom Dearie. The first thing that stands out about Martin is her warm, luxuriant sound and supple phrasing. But what sets her apart is the probing emotional intelligence that she brings to the lyrics. It's rare indeed for a jazz artist to arrive on the scene as such a mature and fully realized artist. In Martin's case, it's because she's taken a long, indirect path to finding her voice.  While still practicing as a psychotherapist, she plunged back into her early love of singing in the late 1990s, studying at the Jazzschool in Berkeley. The key to her exponential growth as a performer was finding pianist Larry Dunlap, a master accompanist who provides lustrous support as a player and arranger. He connected her with the superlative rhythm section tandem of bassist John Shifflett and drummer Jason Lewis, who both share Martin's less-is-more aesthetic. A work of remarkable but unforced intimacy, Living Room introduces a singer who makes you hear familiar songs anew. -Andrew Gilbert (Andrew Gilbert writes for The San Francisco Chronicle, San Jose Mercury News, and other publications).~ CD Universe

RICHARD "GROOVE" HOLMES - SOUL MESSAGE

This mid-1960s soul-jazz collection features the trio of the organist Richard "Groove" Holmes, who, despite having been a working musician since the late 1950s, only came to public attention with his first hit, an uptempo reading of "Misty," included here. Holmes also performs a Latin-tinged version of Horace Silver's classic "Song For My Father," and the hip, swinging title track is a further display of his remarkable invention. Recorded on August 3, 1965. Originally released on Prestige (7435). Personnel includes: Richard "Groove" Holmes (organ); Jimmie Smith (drums); Gene Edwards. ~ CD Universe

 



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