Dear Listener, Welcome! I am very excited about this project because I get to share the bill with two of my favorite musicians, Bill Cunliffe and Jeff Hamilton. For over ten years I had the honor of sharing rhythm section duties with these fine gentlemen as part of the acclaimed Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra. Over the years the fun and joy of music making only got better, and we got to know each other's styles of playing on an intimate level. Some years ago, Bill mentioned his interest in the Hammond B-3 organ and after a few initial performances the idea for this project began to germinate. It was hard to coordinate everyone in one city for rehearsals, however fax machines were always available for swapping tune ideas and arrangements back and forth. We decided that the bulk of the material should be our own compositions and added several standard tunes that we love to play on to the mix. After much calendar consultation we found a block of days where we would all be in Los Angeles at the same time. Rehearsals were short, easy and full of laughter. Bill and I came in with arrangements and tunes. Jeff immediately put his personal stamp on the project with a lot of great ideas and in no time at all we had fifteen tunes ready to go. We recorded this project in one day with all of us in one room for optimal listening and communication. Most of the tunes were done in one or two takes with no overdubbing or 'fixing.' There was little need to discuss the music. We simply played and let the interaction of the moment dictate the direction for us. After much listening and discussion of various takes over several months, we settled on what we felt were the best twelve tunes we had. Kudos goes to our good friend Maurice Gainen for his great ears and fantastic work in the mastering process. He truly brought the sound quality up to an outstanding level. Bill Cunliffe's mastery of the organ is apparent from the very first note and Jeff Hamilton proves yet again why he is one of the most sought after drummers working today. Rather than talk about the music itself, I'll simply invite you to take a listen and join us on our journey through this set. Thank you for visiting, Jim Hershman.

The trio Tony Purrone has been leading for a several seasons has an electronic edge with six-string electric bass by guitarist’s long time sidekick Dave Anderson and that’s the sound Tony the Tonester has been exploring for quite some time. The wizard of electric guitar in his favourite setting created a spellbound CD of contemporary jazz.

Following the impressive rendition of Coltrane’s music by the pianist on SCCD 31477 “Compassion”, LeeAnn Ledgerwood dedicates this CD to Bill Evans whose music changed her life. As she puts it in the linernote: “ … Art, the art that jazz is, is an experience. Anyone can have it, participate in it, and revel in the rage of emotions that leave us in awe. I owe my life’s work to such an experience. It happened when I was a child of eleven. I heard my first recording by Bill Evans….”

Since his recording debut in 1998 “Introducing Ari Ambrose” (SCCD 31450) at the age of 24, this “first class young musician” (Eddie Blackwell, Jazz Journal) has already cut three more albums of his own and has firmly developed to be a major voice in the younger generation. With his long-time friend and musical partner George Colligan in the band, Ari’s latest album offers another exciting and fulfilling experience.

Trumpeter Brad Goode recorded hours and hours of “live” performance at various club dates in Chicago between 1992 and 1998. The band features Brad Goode and Chicago’s legendary tenor saxophonist Von Freeman. This is the first volume from the Goode tape archive, which will be one of the most important documentaries of Chicago Jazz.

Renowned critic Richard Cook wrote in JazzReview about George’s previous release Twins (SCCD 31485) “… one listens through the record in a kind of wonderment at his imagination. He never seems to take an obvious route….” And here again with his regular trio, George Colligan recorded an album that is full of excitement and stimulation.

A double play in baseball usually involves three players making two outs. Here you have two excellent musicians in Marc Copeland (piano), and Vic Juris (guitar) covering 10 incredible compositions and making good music. This duet renders heartfelt renditions on tunes like Gershwin's "I loves you Porgy", "Who Can I Turn To" (Newley/Bricusse), Cole Porter's "I Concentrate on You" in addition to several originals. Copeland's debut duet CD for SteepleChase w/ Tim Hagans (tpt, fluglehorn), SCCD 31488 "Between the Lines" has met with praise from listeners everywhere. Juris, longtime guitarist with Dave Leibman, has five CDs as a leader for SteepleChase.

Long considered as one of the Big Apple's most in demand sidemen, in recent years alto-tenor saxophonist Dick Oatts has stepped out as a leader. In this his fifth effort as a leader for SteepleChase seven out of the eight tunes are originals. The band is anchored by his long time rhythm section of Dave Santoro on bass and James Oblon on drums. On three of these tunes he is joined by SteepleChase stalwart pianist Harold Danko whom he first met and played with in the Thad Jones/ Mel Lewis Orchestra in the late seventies. Ken Dryden of the AMG All Music Guide describes Oatts as having a "fat confident tone." Indeed this is a saxophonist extrordinaire whose instrumental prowess is matched only by his compositional abilities.

Though Sam Newsome started out as a tenor/alto saxophonist, he has always been attracted to the sound of soprano saxophone, noting “The sound of the soprano allows me to be more lyrical and express what I hear.” As a soprano saxophonist, Newsome made a compelling debut album in 1998 entitled “The Tender Side of Sammy Straighthorn” (SCCD 31452). On this new album Mark Gardner remarks, “Sam’s soprano tone is becoming even more individual. Every note is beautifully enunciated, and while the shape of his improvisations benefits from his expressive ease, he can add an edge to his sound whenever he feels the music requires it..."

Since 1992 composer/bassist Steve LaSpina has been regularly releasing constantly high quality leader albums with consistently high quality. For his 7th CD on SteepleChase Steve returned to the studio with the same group as his 1997 recording of “When Children Smile” (SCCD 31410) of which JazzTimes’ reviewer Bill Bennett wrote, “This is an impressively thoughtful offering from a bassist often found in the company of thoughtful musicians. As a bassist, LaSpina evokes a wonderful sound, bent to the task by a solid time concept and intonation….”

The second volume of Inside Chicago series is extracted from a three-night live concert from the famous Jazz Showcase club at the Blackstone Hotel in downtown Chicago in February 1995. The music not only illustrates the recent history of strong Chicago jazz but also gives us the rare opportunity of enjoying the otherwise available-only-for-the-lucky-locals legends Von Freeman and Brad Goode’s exciting performance.

Recorded at the end of the millennium, Dave Stryker’s latest release (13th on SteepleChase label) presents a collection of his intriguing original compositions with some different time signatures, perhaps inspired by the times that are changing. “…Changing Times reflects not only the growth of one of jazz’s most exceptional performers but also captures the feelings of working musicians through compositions presaging the future as we head into the new millennium.” (Jim Eigo)

Improvisation is, according to the New Grove Dictionary of Jazz, “the spontaneous creation of music as it is performed” and that’s what Dave Ballou and his working band are offering here.. “… I have always wondered what could happen when improvisers are given the freedom to improvise – no set forms or changes or even melodies. That was the environment of this recording session.” (Dave Ballou)

Discovering new talents has been SteepleChase’s raison d’être throughout its history. John McNeil’s debut on SteepleChase label “Embarkation” SCCD 31099 in 1978 was a most typical example of such endeavor. During the late 70s and early 80s McNeil made 7 albums on SteepleChase. After 17 years of absence McNeil returns to the label with this thoughtful and stimulating CD, revealing his new height of maturity as an artist. The label itself grew 400 titles richer during the past 17 years.

SteepleChase opens a new century with one of its favourite genre, piano trio, with the label’s long time contributor Andy LaVerne. This LaVerne’s 20th entry on the label features recent originals by the pianist including title tune “Know More”.

Michael Cochrane starts his new CD with Bud Powell’s classic “I’ll Keep Loving you” manifesting again his musical roots and influences. As John Murph of JazzTimes once wrote about Cochrane’s SteepleChase debut album Cutting Edge, this album also “sings unapologetically that bebop indeed still lives.”

This CD marks Goode's second effort as a leader for SteepleChase. The long time Chicago veteran - now a professor of jazz studies at The University of Cincinnati - has also appeared on two other CDs recently released by SteepleChase in tandum with the legendary tenor saxophonist Von Freeman ("Inside Chicago, vol 1 & 2, SCCD 31500, 31501). Goode's first effort as a leader for the label ("Toy Trumpet" SCCD 31491) featured a collaboration with Ira Sullivan and "represents just the tip of the iceberg in terms of Goode's sounds which are getting attention after years of neglect". - Neil Tesser - Jazziz Magazine. This recording reveals yet another section of this iceberg.

In the 70's Schneider received much public acclaim for his efforts with the Charles Mingus and Horace Silver bands. While he has been active ever since, his development as an artist has only been well documented on SteepleChase and this CD marks Larry Schneider's 8th effort as a leader for producer Nils Winther. "Devoid of any of the inherent sappiness that is common to the lightweight tones of those adult contemporary-type players, Schneider's soprano work is marked by a mild vibrato and dark timbre that is more akin to Steve Lacy's approach" Chris Hovan - allaboutjazz.com - in reference to a previous Schneider release on SteepleChase ("Ali Girl" SCCD 31429).

Pianist/Leader/Composer/Educator are a few of the hats worn by Harold Danko. Here he leads his quartet (with special guest Dave Ballou on trumpet) as an interpreter of Eric Dolphy's music. In its seventh recording for SteepleChase, the Harold Danko Quartet explores nine tunes penned by Dolphy. Danko's previous effort for SteepleChase ("Night Scapes" SCCD 31490) has received much praise from critics everywhere. "A hauntingly beautiful collection of eight lambent vignetts" (Chuck Berg, Jazz Times, June 2001) "Danko's solos are wonderfully evocative and impressionistic throughout." (Ron Netsky, Rochester City News, March 2001) "Danko is a thoughtful composer/player whose tasteful themes are awash in musical riches" (Jack Bowers, Cadence Magazine, September 2001).

In response to wide spread critical acclaim for their first duet recording on SteepleChase (SCCD 31485 "Twins"), pianist Colligan and bassist Bodilsen did a second session for SteepleChase following a Scandanavian tour just 13 months later. "George Colligan is one of the brightest and most articulate new pianists on today's scene. On "Twins" the pianist's synaptic spontaneity dances freely. Colligan's foil is the estimable young Danish bassist, Jesper Bodilsen. Like NHOP, Bodilsen possesses a warm sound, great dexterity, virtually faultless intonation and an aura of calm even in the midst of volcanic eruptions." (Harvey Pekar, Jazz Times, July/August 2001) " A real keeper all the way around, "Twins" is yet another fine collection to add to Colligan's already imposing body of work." (Chris Hovan, allaboutjazz.com)

A sequel to SCCD 31483 Songbook which was remarked by Mark Gardner as “….Vic’s most powerful and compelling series of jazz statements, summing up his 35 years’ involvement with the guitar…” displays again Vic’s “unpredictable lyricism” (Jim Ferguson, JazzTimes) and “…une belle fluidité et un joli sens de la mélodie… (Domi Truffandier, Jazz Hot). On this second volume Juris selects gems of jazz compositions with startling beauty.

Bassist/composer Ron McClure is also an avid tennis player. The group on this CD founded originally to give concerts for the Riverside Clay Tennis Association became McClure’s newest regular group. Considering McClure’s career background that includes Wynton Kelly, Marian McPartland, the early fusion band Fourth Way, the Jazz-Rock group Blood, Sweat and Tears, the Charles Lloyd Quartet, Thelonious Monk, among others, it is not surprising to find this group in the blend of diverse musical styles. McClure is not only a strong bassist with technical excellence but “…he is also an exceptional composer who draws on non-jazz tonalities with great confidence.” (The Penguin Guide to Jazz on CD, Richard Cook).

As one of the most inventive and original voices on trumpet Dave Ballou has established himself firmly on the scene. His latest CD here presents a largely-standard-tune collection in an intriguing free framework. “…He’s a sound, knowledgeable and versatile musician who can improvise impressively in a free context or complex chord changes…” (Harvey Pekar, CD Reviews)