JULY 2000 Jazz CD Reviews from Music on the Web (UK)

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JULY 2000

Tommy Ladnier - Centenary Issue
Steppin' On The Blues
ASVmono CD AJA5353 Living Era
At the age of 13, when I first took an interest in jazz , the name of Tommy Ladnier was regularly on the lips of the jazz fans of that time. To be honest, until I received this album, I had forgotten about him and this album was a welcome reminder.

JAZZ LEGENDS - Dizzy Gillespie
LIVE at the FESTIVAL HALL 1987
BBC Music BBC J 7002-2 [70.30]
No one would doubt Dizzy Gillespie's credentials as a 'jazz legend', he was the originator of the be-bop school of trumpet playing. His compositions still feature strongly in the repertoire of most Jazz orchestras and for that matter, small groups.

The Early George Shearing 1939 - 1949
ASV mono Living Era AJA 5335
This album is an interesting piece of Jazz History, in the 10 years it covers George went from being unknown to being a world class artist. I would have rated this album higher, but I know that the best was yet to come!

SENSATIONAL SWING
Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey Glenn Miller And many others
ASV mono Living Era AJS 239
As this album of 2 CD's contains 45 tracks I would like to congratulate everybody involved at ASV, on the quality of the sleeve notes, which list all the personnel involved. For me this made the whole thing so much more enjoyable

JAZZ LEGENDS - Oscar Peterson Trio
BBC J 7001 -2 [DM]
Oscar Peterson has a unique talent, he is the complete jazz piano player and for me the yardstick with which to judge others..... This is a performance by the best jazz trio in the world playing on the top of its form.

Jazz Legends - Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers
BBC J 7003 - 2 [DM]
In the case of Art Blackey, the name "jazz legend" is wholly appropriate...... The music doesn't get much better than it is on this album, the choice of programme is good and the soloists have room to stretch out and create. It is easy to understand why the group was in demand for so long, when you listen to the music.

The Best of Hugo Montenegro
Camden Deluxe LC00316 [DM]
Hugo Montenegro helped to set the tone for the next generation of composers of film music. He was not afraid to use unconventional instrumentation and voicing and was always in search of a "new sound"... This album contains some excellent examples of his work.

VERSO
De VITO, TAYLOR & TOWNER
Provocateur Records PVC 1023 [DM]
I must confess that I approached this album with some apprehensive feelings, it's presentation was unusual, there were no photographs of the musicians (although we managed to track one down) and not an awful lot of information about them...... Does it work? Well yes it does, you need to approach it with an open mind and let the music wash over you! If you can manage that, it is very enjoyable and rewarding.

Collection: Swing Legends:
Glenn Miller
NIMBUS NI 2001 [65:11] [IL]
Robert Parker, the Australian sound engineer responsible for refurbishing the music for the albums in this Nimbus series, has excelled himself here. Working from pristine Australian 78rpm pressings, he has created spectacular stereo sound that makes these Glenn Miller favourites sound as if they were recorded only yesterday.

Collection: McCoy Tyner with Stanley Clarke & Al Foster
TELARC Jazz Stereo CD- 83488
Throughout the history of jazz, the jazz trio has always been an essential ingredient and the master's of the development of the music, have always featured in them, Nat Cole, Errol Garner and Oscar Peterson have been to the fore at various times and McCoy Tyner now has a trio which in it's style, is of equal standing with those jazz giants.....My advice is go out and buy it!

Collection: Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra -
Say it with Music
ASV Living Era CD AJA5291 Mono
Collection: Jimmy Dorsey and his Orchestra -
Amapola
ASV Living Era CD AJA 5287 mono [DM]
In reviewing these albums it is noticeable, as to how the rhythm sections gradually move from the plodding sounds of the early 20's, toward the looser sounds of the 40's a trend which has continued up to to-day. These albums represent two unique pieces of history in the development of Popular Music and the Big Band, the standard of musicianship throughout, is such that there is little doubt that Paul Whiteman and Jimmy Dorsey employed the best musicians that were around at the time.

Michael Foster Project: Live at Donna's Kick some Brass Fred Jackson - Alto Sax, Frank Williams - trombone, (Lft-Rt--sitting) Wendel Tilford - trumpet, Ronald Moss - drums, Michael Foster leader- Sousaphone, Kier Johnson - Tenor Sax (Lft-Rt--standing) Rampart Records RR002 [DM]
Personally, I have not heard a lot of this kind of music, there are not many New Orleans Marching Bands in Coventry! If they play any where in the Midland's in the future, I will be there to hear them, for sheer enthusiasm they are unbeatable.

Wynton MARSALIS Reeltime
Big Band conducted by Wynton Marsalis
SONY SK51239 [60:03] [GF]
Here we have twenty-one virtuoso tracks all using various established names in the jazz scene coming together under the Marsalis bandwagon and the feel of pure jazz class amongst these talented musicians is quite disarming.

Return to Index

	Tommy Ladnier - Centenary Issue Steppin' On The Blues ASVmono CD AJA5353 Living Era At the age of 13, when I first took an interest in jazz , the name of Tommy Ladnier was regularly on the lips of the jazz fans of that time. To be honest, until I received this album, I had forgotten about him and this album was a welcome reminder.
	JAZZ LEGENDS - Dizzy Gillespie LIVE at the FESTIVAL HALL 1987 BBC Music BBC J 7002-2 [70.30] No one would doubt Dizzy Gillespie's credentials as a 'jazz legend', he was the originator of the be-bop school of trumpet playing. His compositions still feature strongly in the repertoire of most Jazz orchestras and for that matter, small groups.
	The Early George Shearing 1939 - 1949 ASV mono Living Era AJA 5335 This album is an interesting piece of Jazz History, in the 10 years it covers George went from being unknown to being a world class artist. I would have rated this album higher, but I know that the best was yet to come!
	SENSATIONAL SWING Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey Glenn Miller And many others ASV mono Living Era AJS 239 As this album of 2 CD's contains 45 tracks I would like to congratulate everybody involved at ASV, on the quality of the sleeve notes, which list all the personnel involved. For me this made the whole thing so much more enjoyable
	JAZZ LEGENDS - Oscar Peterson Trio BBC J 7001 -2 [DM] Oscar Peterson has a unique talent, he is the complete jazz piano player and for me the yardstick with which to judge others..... This is a performance by the best jazz trio in the world playing on the top of its form.
	Jazz Legends - Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers BBC J 7003 - 2 [DM] In the case of Art Blackey, the name "jazz legend" is wholly appropriate...... The music doesn't get much better than it is on this album, the choice of programme is good and the soloists have room to stretch out and create. It is easy to understand why the group was in demand for so long, when you listen to the music.
	The Best of Hugo Montenegro Camden Deluxe LC00316 [DM] Hugo Montenegro helped to set the tone for the next generation of composers of film music. He was not afraid to use unconventional instrumentation and voicing and was always in search of a "new sound"... This album contains some excellent examples of his work.
	*VERSO* De VITO, TAYLOR & TOWNER Provocateur Records PVC 1023 [DM] I must confess that I approached this album with some apprehensive feelings, it's presentation was unusual, there were no photographs of the musicians (although we managed to track one down) and not an awful lot of information about them...... Does it work? Well yes it does, you need to approach it with an open mind and let the music wash over you! If you can manage that, it is very enjoyable and rewarding.
	Collection: Swing Legends: *Glenn Miller* NIMBUS NI 2001 [65:11] [IL] Robert Parker, the Australian sound engineer responsible for refurbishing the music for the albums in this Nimbus series, has excelled himself here. Working from pristine Australian 78rpm pressings, he has created spectacular stereo sound that makes these Glenn Miller favourites sound as if they were recorded only yesterday.
	Collection: McCoy Tyner with Stanley Clarke & Al Foster TELARC Jazz Stereo CD- 83488 Throughout the history of jazz, the jazz trio has always been an essential ingredient and the master's of the development of the music, have always featured in them, Nat Cole, Errol Garner and Oscar Peterson have been to the fore at various times and McCoy Tyner now has a trio which in it's style, is of equal standing with those jazz giants.....My advice is go out and buy it!
	Collection: Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra - *Say it with Music* ASV Living Era CD AJA5291 Mono Collection: Jimmy Dorsey and his Orchestra - Amapola ASV Living Era CD AJA 5287 mono [DM] In reviewing these albums it is noticeable, as to how the rhythm sections gradually move from the plodding sounds of the early 20's, toward the looser sounds of the 40's a trend which has continued up to to-day. These albums represent two unique pieces of history in the development of Popular Music and the Big Band, the standard of musicianship throughout, is such that there is little doubt that Paul Whiteman and Jimmy Dorsey employed the best musicians that were around at the time.
	Michael Foster Project: Live at Donna's Kick some Brass Fred Jackson - Alto Sax, Frank Williams - trombone, (Lft-Rt--sitting) Wendel Tilford - trumpet, Ronald Moss - drums, Michael Foster leader- Sousaphone, Kier Johnson - Tenor Sax (Lft-Rt--standing) Rampart Records RR002 [DM] Personally, I have not heard a lot of this kind of music, there are not many New Orleans Marching Bands in Coventry! If they play any where in the Midland's in the future, I will be there to hear them, for sheer enthusiasm they are unbeatable.
	Wynton MARSALIS Reeltime Big Band conducted by Wynton Marsalis SONY SK51239 [60:03] [GF] Here we have twenty-one virtuoso tracks all using various established names in the jazz scene coming together under the Marsalis bandwagon and the feel of pure jazz class amongst these talented musicians is quite disarming.