Three years after the sensational spiritual recording by this duo “Goin’ Home” (SCCD 31079) producer Nils Winther had Archie and Horace in the studio again. The theme this time was traditional blues. Once again the Shepp-Parlan duo made one of the best-selling SteepleChase releases.
England’s Gramophone magazine called the duo “a powerful and ultimately inspirational collaboration”.
This recording was awarded the Deutscher Schallplattenpreis for Modern Jazz Und Jazz-Rock of 1982 by the prestigious Deutsche Phono Akademie. 180g Audiophile Vinyl
The First Lady of jazz, Mary Lou Williams (1910 - 1981) was the evolution of jazz itself. Starting her professional career as pianist/composer/arranger in the 20s, her style was swing but in the 40s she adopted the bop and later on she even ventured into the realm of avant-garde jazz. Yet she never lost her blues feeling which is evident in this CD.
She contributed compositions and arrangements for many famous big bands such as Andy Kirk, Benny Goodman, Earl Hines, Duke Ellington. In the late 60s and the 70s she was more focused on composing sacred music. And one of her jazz masses was choreographed by Alvin Ailey.
Around the time of this recording Mary Lou in her mid-60s was still active in the New York jazz scene performing regularly at the Cookery with the group recorded here. SteepleChase was proud to have the opportunity of recording one of the most significant artists of jazz of this century.
Roger “Buck” Hill (1927-2017) was a full-time employee of a Washington D.C. post office when his much-acclaimed debut album was released from SteepleChase in 1978. Since then this legendary tenorman has invested more of his time in the musical activities and has regularly brought his band to the enthusiastic European audience. He otherwise performed after work at local live spots, sometimes with visiting artists such as Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Max Roach, among others.
“Buck Hill is one of the most notable ‘regional’ jazzmen in America … SteepleChase albums feature Hill with two different rhythm sections, … each winds up with the same result: honest, proficient blowing that has its individual clout…” (The Penguin Guide to Jazz)
This was the first appearance of the popular Clifford Jordan & The Magic Triangle (alias The Cedar Walton Trio) on SteepleChase.
(Other releases are SCCD 31047 “Highest Mountain” and SCCD 31104 “On Stage vol. 3”.)
“...a truly fine quartet recording.” (MM)
“Frozen Music” was recorded in New York City 32 years ago and like most of Andy LaVerne’s releases this album has not lost its original energy and charm.
Tenor and soprano saxophonist Rick Margitza was then a young rising star under contract with Blue Note. Andy was already a prolific composer who penned all the tunes of this album. Bassist Marc Johnson who was a member of Bill Evans’s last trio gave graceful and subtle coloring to LaVerne’s compositions.
“Frozen Music, Andy LaVerne’s third album for SteepleChase, is a solid, modern blowing session...he makes skilful use of suspensions, pedal points, and ostinatos, which along with the music’s floating harmonies, give the soloists a wealth of elbow room...” (Mark Stryker, Cadence)
“un disque du plus haut niveau musical.” (Henri Marchal – Spectacles)
Dexter In Radioland vol. 7
The seventh and last volume of live transmission from the 60’s captures the exuberant atmosphere of the legendary ‘Dexter nights’ at Montmartre.
“...The music here, recorded for Danish radio. all comes form 1964, when Dexter was at...the zenith of his career and probably the happiest time of his life...” (Steve Voce, Jazz FM)
Limited 180gm vinyl LP pressing in gatefold jacket. The first of Sonny's albums for Impulse!, this 1965 collection caught Rollins at the peak of his creative powers, and is arguably the tenor hero's best for the label-an intense, freewheeling set, featuring classic takes on "On Green Dolphin Street" and "Three Little Words" in the company of Ray Bryant (piano), Walter Booker (bass) and Mickey Roker (drums).
Vinyl LP pressing. 2019 archive release. In 1964, the National Film Board of Canada asked John Coltrane to record the soundtrack for a French-language film titled Le Chat Dans Le Sac (The Cat in the Bag). In June of that year, Coltrane's classic quartet entered Rudy Van Gelder's studio and recorded five previously-recorded Coltrane originals. For many years, viewers of the film who recognized the music thought that they were listening to the original recordings, though in fact they were new and had never been heard.
Carnaval album for sale by Spyro Gyra was released Jun 07, 1994 on the Amherst label. All songs written by members of Spyro Gyra. Carnaval songs Live Recording Recorded at Secret Sound Studio and Power Station, New York. Carnaval album for sale Producers: Jay Beckenstein, Richard Calandra (tracks 1-8). Carnaval CD music Engineers: Michael Barry, Jack Malken, Neil Dorfsman. Personnel: Hiram Bullock, John Tropea (guitar, electric guitar); Chet Catallo, Rick Strauss (guitar); Harold Kohon, Matthew Raimondi, Richard Sortomme (violin, strings); Peter Simitriades, Sanford Allen, Harry Lookofsky (violin); Lamar Alsop, Guy Lumia (viola, strings); Jonathan Abramowitz (cello, strings); David Darling, Jesse Levy (cello); Jay Levy, Allen W.
Spyro Gyra, a jazz fusion band from Buffalo, NY formed in 1974 and created the framework for contemporary jazz in the 80s and 90s. Celebrating this milestone 50th anniversary of the band's formation, comes Jubilee, a new collection featuring 16 songs that capture the band's ever-expanding palette in it's first decade of recording (1978-87) and includes fan favorites "Shaker Song", "Morning Dance" which have had chart success in multiple countries plus tracks the band continues to perform across the globe. The new LP and CD contains never before seen photos from the band's early days and more recent world tours, liner notes from veteran music journalist Jonathan Widran and a newly recorded song, "50/50" - a riff on the title of the band's 1997 release 20/20, which marked 20 years and 20 albums.
Alternating Currents album for sale by Spyro Gyra was released Jun 07, 1994 on the Amherst label. Featured is great songwriting and playing, and nice work by keyboardist Tom Schuman. Alternating Currents songs - Paul Kohler Live Recording Recorded at Bear Tracks Recording Studio, Suffern, New York. Alternating Currents album for sale Personnel: Julio Fernandez (guitar); Jay Beckenstein (saxophone, lyricon); Tom Schuman (keyboards); Dave Samuels (vibraphone, marimba); Richie Morales (drums); Gerardo Velez (percussion). Recording information: Bear Tracks Recording Studio, Suffern, NY (1985). Photographer: William Coupon.
Morning Dance album for sale by Spyro Gyra was released Jun 07, 1994 on the Amherst label. Live Recording Personnel: Gordon Grody, Diva Gray, Lani Groves (vocals); John Tropea (guitar, electric guitar); Chet Catallo, Rick Strauss (guitar); Charles Libove, Matthew Raimondi, Harry Cykman, Harry Lookofsky (violin); Alfred Brown (viola); Charles McCracken (cello); Lew Del Gatto (flute); Jay Beckenstein (saxophone, alto saxophone, percussion); Michael Brecker (tenor saxophone); Randy Brecker (trumpet); John Clark (French horn); Tom Bones Malone (trombone); Tom Schuman (piano, electric piano, keyboards); Jeremy Wall (electric piano, keyboards, percussion); Suzanne Ciani (synthesizer); Dave Samuels (marimba, steel drum); Steve Jordan, Eli Konikoff, Ted Reinhardt (drums); Gerardo Velez (congas, bongos, percussion); Rubens Bassini (congas, percussion); Larry Fast (programming).
Access All Areas album for sale by Spyro Gyra was released Jun 07, 1994 on the Amherst label. All songs written or co-written by members of Spyro Gyro except Islands In The Sky (Jeremy Wall). Access All Areas songs An excellent live double album, it includes live versions of songs from early albums. Access All Areas album for sale - Paul Kohler Recorded live in Florida from November 17-19, 1983. Personnel: Chet Catallo (guitar); Jay Beckenstein (saxophone, percussion); Jeremy Wall (keyboards, percussion); Tom Schuman (keyboards); Dave Samuels (vibraphone, marimba); Eli Konikoff (drums); Gerardo Velez (percussion). Access All Areas CD music contains a single disc with 10 songs.
Maynard Ferguson - With His Own Bands: Early Years 1954-57 / Canadian jazz trumpeter Maynard Ferguson was something of a prodigy as a youngster, playing solos with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation Orchestra broadcasts when he was 13 years old, and was always destined for a career in music, training at the Conservatoire in Montreal until 1948. He moved to the USA and played with the bands of Boyd Raeburn, Jimmy Dorsey and Charlie Barnet before joining Stan Kenton for an extended stint in the early '50s. The recordings featured here represent his first forays into recording leading his own bands. This 43-track 2-CD collection comprises all the titles (excluding one which could not be included for reasons of space) from his albums on the Emarcy label "The Maynard Ferguson Octet", "Dimensions", "Around the Horn with Maynard Ferguson" and "Boy with Lots of Brass", with line-ups ranging from an octet to a 13-piece big band. It features many original compositions, with a number by tenor saxophonist and arranger Bill Holman, along with arrangements of classic Songbook standards, with the musicians involved including Bud Shank, Shelly Manne, Milt Bernhart, Herb Geller, Georgie Auld, Red Callender, Nino Tempo, Ray Linn, Bill Holman, Ray Brown, Alvin Stoller, Bobby Timmons, Larry Bunker and many more. It's an intriguing and entertaining insight into his work as he leads his own bands on record for the first time
DUKE ELLINGTON - ALL THE HITS AND MORE 1927-54 - It's a comprehensive overview of his most successful output during a primary era of his career Duke Ellington was one of the most important and influential figures in the entire history of jazz, as pianist, bandleader, composer and innovator, his career spanning half century as the genre evolved from the early days of electric recording. However, while critics and commentators focus on his over-arching significance as a giant of the medium, it's easy to forget that he was a genius at composing tune and songs for the medium of the 3-minute 78rpm single, and during the first three decades of his career before rock 'n' roll changed the pop landscape irrevocably, he had more than 70 records that were credited as chart hits. This great-value 4-CD set comprised all those 77 recordings which are listed in recognised sources as hits, plus another 20 or so which are regarded as significant compositions which became standards, or were hits for other artists. It includes his No. 1s with "Three Little Words", "Cocktails For Two", "I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart", and the Billboard R&B No. 1s "Don't Get Around Much Anymore", "Sentimental Lady", "Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me" and "Main Stem", along with classics like "Mood Indigo", "Sophisticated Lady", "Moon Glow", "Solitude", "Caravan", "Take The 'A' Train" and "I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good". It's a comprehensive overview of his most successful output during a primary era of his career, and a great showcase for the artistry which made the Duke such a revered and iconic personality.
Coleman Hawkins was a hugely influential exponent of the tenor saxophone in jazz, being widely regarded as the first artist to establish the instrument as an essential component of the genre's sound. Beginning his career in the early days of jazz in the late '20s, he became a major figure during the swing and big band eras spanning WWII, but also made a significant contribution to the bebop scene into the 1950s. His distinctive but highly adaptable style and sound enabled him to perform over the years in small bands and large orchestras alike both as sideman, leader and featured soloist, and this collection draws on examples of all those elements of his career, from his early recordings with Fletcher Henderson's Orchestra in 1927 through to bebop sessions alongside lush recordings with strings in the mid-'50s. It's a great value 48-track 2-CD, and along the way, there are contributions from many great names of the genre, too numerous to list here, but including Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Glen Miller, Benny Goodman, Cozy Cole, J.J. Johnson, Charlie Christian, Benny Carter, and many more. It's a worthy addition to the Fabulous label's Jazz Legends series. It does not duplicate any tracks included on our existing Fabulous label Coleman Hawkins CD 'Bean Soup' (FABCD 136).
