ALPHONSE MOUZON – SEARCH OF A DREAM
No one had a better understanding of the melding of jazz
polyrhythms with rocks pulsating beat than drummer Alphonse Mouzon is one of
the originators of jazz-rock. With his furious propulsive style, he was welcome
in both camps. Weather Report founders Joe Zawinul, Wayne Shorter, and Miroslav
Vitous brought him into the premier edition of the band. And as he had shown
with Weather Report, he demonstrates on his 1977 album In Search of a Dream how
well he could integrate acoustic bass into a jazz-rock concept. In duo with Mouzon,
Vitous bows the deep tones on his composition The Light; he grabs the electric
bass on the other compositions. Vitous as well as saxophonist Bob Malik and
keyboard player Stan Goldberg were all part of the 1977 version of Mouzons
touring band. Pianist/keyboarder Joachim Kühn and guitarist Philip Catherine
joined the troupe for the recording of In Search of a Dream. Thus, the session
was a sort of summit meeting of the jazz-rock elite of that time. ~ Amazon
PEDRO ITURRALDE /
PACE DE LUCIA – FLAMENCO JAZZ
Spanish saxophonist Pedro Iturralde, under the influence of
the Miles Davis/Gil Evans album Sketches of Spain, added a couple of flamenco
melodies to his repertoire as he toured Europe. Thats why Joachim-Ernst Berendt
sought him out to play at the 1967 Berlin Jazz Festival. With the festivals
motto Jazz Meets the World, Berendt was looking for a jazz-flamenco combination
to fit the bill. Since Berendt absolutely wanted a guitarist in the band,
Iturralde came to Berlin with a 19 year old flamenco musician named Paco de
Lucía, later an international star and one of the greatest flamenco musicians
of our time who continued to be involved with jazz until his passing in
February 2014. Paco de Lucías participation as a regular band member is what
makes this MPS recording so appealing. Iturralde also brought Italian trombonist
Dino Piana into the band for this recording as well as the Berlin Festival
appearance. ~ Amazon
GABOR SZABO - NIGHT FLIGHT
Gabor Szabo was an influential jazz guitarist famous for
mixing jazz, pop-rock and his native Hungarian music. Szabo escaped
Soviet-dominated Hungary in 1956 and moved to the United States where he
attended the Berklee School of Music in Boston. After a stint with Chico
Hamilton in the early 60s, Szabo he recorded a well-received span of albums
under his own name on the Impulse! label. His playing strongly influenced
Carlos Santana. Indeed, Santana's 2012 instrumental album Shape Shifter
includes a song called ''Mr. Szabo,'' played in tribute in the style of Gabor
Szabo. Nightflight was originally released in 1976 on the Mercury label. The
album produced the biggest hit of his career, a remake of producer Bunny
Sigler's song ''Keep Smilin'.'' ~ Amazon
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