CiTR -- The Jazz Show

Betty Carter was one of the most individual and adventurous of Jazz singers. No less than Carmen McRae said that "there is only one Jazz singer.....only one and that's Betty Carter". A strong citation indeed. This live set recorded at San Francisco's "Great American Music Hall" is one of her very best. She feeds off the audience and the audience is enraptured with her. Her magnificent trio is comp...

Hampton Hawes is a major piano stylist who rarely gets mentioned when piano giants come up in conversation. Hawes was widely admired by many including Oscar Peterson, Horace Silver, Andre Previn and others. Perhaps because Hawes was based for most part in his hometown of Los Angeles that maybe kept him out of the spotlight. Hawes was a major stylist with a very developed approach to the instrument...

This wonderful album is a prelude to the more famous "The Blues and The Abstract Truth" by Oliver Nelson. This album recorded 10 months before "The Blues...." is definitive Nelson and very nearly captures the brilliance of the more famous album. "Screamin' The Blues" features six great compositions by Nelson and features the leader on tenor and alto saxophones. Like all Nelson dates, this band ass...

This album signals a new era for Mingus with the addition of two new and talented saxophonists to the ranks of his "Jazz Workshop". John Handy on alto saxophone and Booker Ervin on tenor blend beautifully and of course are fine musicians and original stylists. Their presence signals a new beginning for Mingus' music and a great productive period. This album is part of a concert performed at the No...

Tonight's Jazz feature isn't a classic but simply a fine record of a tight little band playing straight forward warm-blooded bluesy Jazz. This is the 3rd Jazz Feature of an album that was initially slagged and low-rated but upon investigation turned out much better than the initial review. Sadly in the case of Fred Jackson it turned out to be the end of his recording career for Blue Note Records....

This is the second album in our November series of recordings that were slagged and low rated when they first were reviewed. This one was especially undeserving of a 2 star (out of 5) review. It contains some of the best playing by all concerned in this fabulous quintet. The date comprises of four long tunes so there is plenty of blowing room by the soloists. There is a cohesion and a unity of pur...

We begin the month of November with a group of 4 Jazz Features that when first issued received dismissive reviews from the esteemed Jazz critics of publications like Down Beat and related magazines, Three of the four this month are now considered classics and essential listening. First up is an album that initially got 2 stars out of 5. This is a superb piano trio date led by still living drum mas...

One of the finest trombonists to grace the planet and respected by all the great trombone masters was Carl Fontana. For years he played in big bands and was limited by that context but to hear him at a jam session was unbelievable! Fontana spent years in Las Vegas as a member of the music community there playing shows and the like. Finally someone recorded him in a proper Jazz context and the resu...

John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie was born on Oct 21,1917 and today we celebrate his 102nd Birthday Anniversary with one of his finest albums with his great working band that stayed together for well over 5 years. Dizzy on trumpet was one of the pioneers of Modern Jazz and he is in magnificent form here. James Moody is heard on alto and tenor saxophones and of course, flute. A young Kenny Barron is on...

This is one of the many great bands that drummer Art Blakey led. In honor of his centenary: Blakey was born in Pittsburg Pennsylvania on October 11,1919 so tonight we pay tribute to his Birthday Anniversary, This particular edition lasted from 1961 through to mid 1964 with the same personnel and they achieved a greatness few other groups possessed. This album called "Free For All" was recorded nea...

This overlooked album was Monk's fourth for Columbia and of course featured his wonderful quartet with his right hand-man, Charlie Rouse on tenor saxophone and two fresh faces in the bass and drum department who would remain with Monk for four years. They are Larry Gales on bass and Ben Riley on drums. The Monk Jazz Feature is to honour his Birthday Anniversary which takes place on Oct. 10. This i...

VSOP was started during the time of Miles Davis' voluntary "retirement" from 1975 to 1980. The former members of Davis' "Second Great Quintet" wished to recapture some of the musical magic that happened in that band. VSOP then was formed with Wayne Shorter on soprano and tenor saxophones, Herbie Hancock on piano, Ron Carter on bass and Tony Williams on drums. The great Freddie Hubbard took the pla...

Sonny Stitt was one of the true masters of the saxophone and a favorite of just about every other saxophonist and yet he remains underrated. His flow and his ideas and both alto and tenor saxophones is unparalleled. Stitt recorded prolifically and mostly in a quartet setting with piano bass and drums or with organ, guitar and drums. Here he is on one of his finest outings done a few days after his...

Julian Cannonball Adderley really needs no introduction to most Jazz fans and casual listeners. He was one of the foremost voices of the alto saxophone, a great bandleader and a great communicator who knew how to bring the real thing to the people. This album, part 2 of our Jazz Show tradition of this time of year celebrating fall and "back to school". Mr Adderley narrates "A History of Jazz" with...

Victor Feldman was one of the finest musicians that Great Britain ever produced. Victor was born in London on April 7, 1934 and was only 53 when he died in L.A. on May 12,1987 from an asthma attack. Victor was a child prodigy and began playing drums at age 7, piano at age 9 and vibes at age 14. He moved to the US in 1955 and returned to London for a while after touring with Woody Herman and others...

This is the only recording of this edition of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. He had many and some were widely recorded, some were not and some went unrecorded. This was a good one. Trumpeter Bill Hardman who played with Blakey in 1956/57 returns a more fully developed player along with newcomer originally from Panama, tenor saxophonist Carlos Garnett. Joanne Brackeen is on piano and she is the firs...

Lou Donaldson is one of the great masters of the alto saxophone and possesses great technique and control but he never overtly displays this as he plays music not "chops". Lou plays many styles and as he came out of Charlie Parker, he created his own style, a pared down version of Parker's concept with a more bluesy feel. Donaldson for a period liked to work with a Hammond organ and this album ref...

Harold Floyd "Tina" Brooks occupies a place in Jazz History as being a great and distinctive voice of the tenor saxophone who had a lot of bad luck, no real fame and an early death. One very sad lifetime but now that he is long gone, his artistry is acknowledged by all. Of his 4 Blue Note dates under his own name only one was issued. Now everything he recorded as a leader and sideman is now out an...

This fine album was never issued until three years after Getz' death in 1991. It was recorded during Getz "bossa nova period" but is a straight-ahead pure Jazz recording. Getz career was revitalized during his bossa nova period and this recording and the only studio recording by this unique band was shelved as it did not feature any bossa nova tunes. The powers that be felt at the time that it wou...

This was a special band that Bobby Hutcherson put together in the mid-70s and it was composed of mostly Bay Area musicians as Bobby himself had moved there permanently. The core band was Bobby Hutcherson leading and playing vibes and marimba. Manny Boyd played tenor and soprano saxophone, James Leary III was the bassist and Eddie Marshall was on drums. Piano was added to the core band here by Larr...

Charles Lloyd was born on March 15, 1938 and today at age 80, he still tours, teaches and records with his working quartet. He remains a formidable tenor saxophonist and he also plays flute, soprano saxophone and a wide variety of ethnic instruments. Lloyd is a wonderful composer as well. His strong spirit drives him and seems to give him renewed energy. He has recorded prolifically over the years...

Max Roach is acknowledged to be one of the great Modern Jazz drummers and a pioneer of this music. He really needs no introduction and he has led many important and ground breaking bands throughout his long career. He first began leading a band in 1953 and continued with various aggregations until his death. This band was unique in that it contained three excellent players from Pittsburg. The Turr...

This album is considered Walt Dickerson's masterpiece. It was his final date of the four he did for Prestige/New Jazz. Dickerson is to this day underrated, he was the most unique and original voice of the vibes or vibraphone to emerge in the 60s. He wasn't beholden to Milt Jackson or Lionel Hampton but was entirely his own man. He was called "the Coltrane of the vibes" for his sweeping and fast te...

William "Red" Garland emerged as a member of the "first great quintet" of trumpeter, Miles Davis. Red's piano style is so distinctive with a light touch and beautifully executed two-handed block chords. His influences are Bud Powell and Erroll Garner that he combines into his unique style. He did two tenures with Davis and made a slew of trio albums, all solid stuff for Prestige Records. He took a...

As a way of relaxing after a busy Jazz Festival weekend The Jazz Show presents a low-keyed bluesy album that has always been a favourite among Blue Note Records fans. Master guitarist Kenny Burrell made this album in the sympathetic company of tenor saxophonist Stanley Turrentine and Burrell and Turrentine are perfect fits. There are 9 tunes on the album and Burrell wrote 7 of them. The other two...