Jazzis Web Shop News 04/2007

Today's addition - the last for this month - is another superb album by UK avant-garde jazz pianist Howard Riley:

RILEY, HOWARD ~ DUALITY
JAZZPRINT 113 (Barcode: 604388474424) ~ UK ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1981 Released: 2002
This solo piano recording by the legendary UK pianist Howard Riley is one of the cornerstones of his illustrious career, as it crystallizes his approach to improvised music. The duality (as referred to in the album's title) applies to two quite different avenues the artist travels when he performs his music. The first (as demonstrated by the first track on this album, which is over 20 minutes long) symbolizes the process of spontaneous composition / improvisation, based on some basic preconceived musical ideas, which get developed in the process of free-form improvisation. This type of music making requires a high degree of control of the instrument (something that Riley possesses without a doubt) and an incredible flow of musical ideas transferred instantaneously to the artist's hands and from there to the piano. The other (as demonstrated by the rest of the tracks on this album) symbolizes more the composer rather than the virtuoso performer, with much shorter pieces, also brilliantly performed, each devoted to a different harmonic / rhythmic idea. In spite of this duality, the album flows beautifully from one piece of music to another, casting a musical spell of rare quality over the attentive listener. As with all demanding music, the more difficult it is the more pleasurable it becomes once the listener submits himself to its charms. Absolutely essential for all free jazz lovers, especially for connoisseurs of the UK branch of the genre.

https://www.jazzis.com/shop/default.asp?item=102271

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The Jazzis Web Shop Stock Clearing Sale will end today - midnight (PST) Monday, April 30, 2007. That means that you all have just a few hours left to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to get some great music for a great price and at the same time help me to get back on my feet financially and continue the operation of my site.

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Today's addition is the first item in a series of newly remastered and expanded Jon Anderson reissues:

ANDERSON, JON ~ ANIMATION (EXPANDED EDITION)
OPIO 01 (Barcode: 604388679423) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1982 Released: 2006
3rd album by the legendary Yes founding member and singer Jon Anderson. Anderson recorded over the years extensively as solo artists in parallel to his work with Yes, accumulating an impressive musical legacy. This album is considered to be his strongest and most consistent release. Recorded by a stellar cast of over 30 musicians, including Clem Clempson (Colosseum), Simon Phillips, David Sancious, Jack Bruce and many others, with brass and string sections and arrangements, this is one impressive piece of music. As usual in Anderson's case this is a concept album, based on a story written by him. The convoluted lyrics are as unclear and mystical as ever, to the delight of his fans and a source of mockery by his critics. Whatever one might think about Anderson's literary talents, the music - composed entirely by him - is excellent, with strong fusion (and even some jazz) undertones, played brilliantly all the way. The new expanded edition adds bonus material recorded at the same session, including the almost 12 minutes long epic track called "The Spell". An absolute must to all Yes fans and a very strong Prog album overall. Recommended.

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The Jazzis Web Shop Stock Clearing Sale will end on midnight (PST) Monday, April 30, 2007. That means that you all have less than 3 days to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to get some great music for a great price and at the same time help me to get back on my feet financially and continue the operation of my site.

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Today's addition is the new brilliant album by the reunited legendary French group Zao:

ZAO ~ IN TOKYO
MUSEA 4699 (Barcode: 3426300046994) ~ FRANCE ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 2004 Released: 2007
The legendary French band Zao, formed in 1973 by two ex-Magma members François "Faton" Cahen and Yochk'o Seffer was probably the best and most interesting musical phenomenon on the scene at the time. The band reformed for a short period of time in 1994 to record one album ("Akhenaton") and then again a decade later for a Japanese tour, where this album was recorded live. To make things even more interesting, the Japanese violinist and member of KBB Akihisa Tsuboy joined the group to complete the sextet (the original group included the legendary French violinist Didier Lockwood). The music is everything one would expect from Zao - breathtakingly beautiful avant-garde with strong jazz backbone. The new vocalist fills the difficult role with flying colors and all the musicians perform superbly. The material is a great mixture of older material (newly arranged) and new pieces, all composed by Cahen and Seffer. The lengthy pieces allow for extensive solos by all musicians and the album has a wonderful natural flow to it. In short, people who love improvised modern adventurous music will love this immensely. Essential!

https://www.jazzis.com/shop/default.asp?item=102267

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The Stock Clearing Sale continues! A substantial 15 % discount on ALL items will apply until the stock reaches the target level. This is a unique opportunity to get great music at a fantastic price. BIG thanks to all the people of good will who already ordered - thank you for your support.

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As we celebrate today Israel's 59th Independence Day, it's only appropriate I'd add an Israeli album today, this time something quite unique:

GOLDBERG, HAGIT ~ MUSICAL & JAZZ
PRIVATE EDITION ~ ISRAEL ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2005 Released: 2005
Although the Israeli Jazz scene developed rapidly in the last two decades, with a constant stream of new talent appearing at an ever-increasing paste, one area remains sadly almost completely uncovered - the jazz vocals. Since the early days of Jazz in Israel) going back 40 years or so) only a handful of female jazz singers (and no male singers at all) made any significant impact: Rimona Francis, Edna Goren, Iris Portugaly and Hagit Goldberg. Hagit has been around for quite a while. She started her singing career with the Israeli Airforce Big Band (which was at a certain period the best Israeli Big Band) and later on she left for the US to study at the Berklee College of Music. She stayed in the US (NY) for several years, performing in Musicals and with her jazz ensemble. Upon returning to Israel few years ago she started to perform on a regular basis and also to teach singing at the Rimon School and the Jerusalem Academy of Music. Over the years she gained a considerable performing experience and polished her act, but sadly never recorded a proper album. Therefore it is a joy to have her first solo album out finally. On the album she's accompanied by a most sympathetic quintet, consisting of some of the best Israeli jazz players, led by bassist Arie Volinez, who also arranged the music. The repertoire includes a carefully selected set of songs, all of which originate from Broadway musicals. Hagit performs the songs with panache and wonderful taste and her beautiful, sexy voice fills the space with presence and tension. Her interaction with the band is absolutely fantastic, with short but excellent instrumental solos fitted just in the right spots. Listening to the album is an uplifting musical experience, highly recommended to all vocal jazz lovers. It was worth the long wait and one can only hope that the next one will come really soon.

https://www.jazzis.com/shop/default.asp?item=102265

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The Stock Clearing Sale continues! A substantial 15 % discount on ALL items will apply until the stock reaches the target level. This is a unique opportunity to get great music at a fantastic price. BIG thanks to all the people of good will who already ordered - thank you for your support.

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Have Fun!

Here is the new album by the great Polish Prog group Quidam and another superb blues album by veteran Leslie West:

QUIDAM ~ .BEZ PÓLPRADU (.HALFPLUGGED)
ROCK SERWIS 066 (Barcode: 5907729906628) ~ POLAND ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 2006 Released: 2006
6th album by this great group, which survived the departure of their phenomenal female lead singer and lyricist Emila Derkowska (replaced by male vocalist Bartek Kossowicz), an event that would have destroyed most other groups. This album is quite unusual in many respects, as it wasn't really planned to happen at all. Quidam were invited to perform acoustic (i.e. unplugged - see the album's title) concert and although hesitant at first they sized this opportunity to rearrange some of their material and some Prog classic to create a new sound for the group. The result is truly outstanding. The acoustic Quidam sounds every bit as fantastic as their electric alter ego. The new singer does a superb job even when singing older material, which Derkowska performed (compare the version of "Sanctuary" with the original performances on their 2nd and 3rd albums). As usual, they include in their music tributes to the Classic Rock and Prog icons, this time performing (or incorporating passages into their own work) songs by Beatles, Pink Floyd, Moody Blues and Deep Purple. It certainly looks like Quidam can do nothing wrong. With 6 first-rate albums and a consistent level of excellence they are one of the leading contemporary Prog groups and their future looks brighter than ever. Brilliant music!

https://www.jazzis.com/shop/default.asp?item=102261

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WEST, LESLIE ~ BLUE ME
PROVOGUE 7191 (Barcode: 8712725719120) ~ USA ~ Blues-Rock
Recorded: 2006 Released: 2006
2nd recent album by legendary guitarist Leslie West, dedicated to the exploration of his blues roots. Similar to its predecessor, the album includes a mixture of blues and rock classics brilliantly performed by West and his cohorts, again including drummer Aynsley Dunbar (see John Mayall, Frank Zappa). West lost none of his magic touch, which made Mountain one of the most distinctive and pioneering groups of the late 1960s. There are no great discoveries here, no groundbreaking pyrotechnics, just perfect blues-rock performances that sound right time after time. If you love Mountain, you'll love this. If you love the blues, you'll love this too. Just listen to West's version of Gershwin's "Summertime" and bliss will take over. So what else can one ask for?

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The Stock Clearing Sale continues! A substantial 15 % discount on ALL items will apply until the stock reaches the target level. This is a unique opportunity to get great music at a fantastic price. BIG thanks to all the people of good will who already ordered - thank you for your support.

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Have Fun!

Here are two more of the Jan Hammer reissues:

HAMMER, JAN ~ MELODIES
WOUNDED BIRD 5003 (Barcode: 664140500327) ~ USA ~ Classic Rock
Recorded: 1977 Released: 2005
3rd album and the last released as under the Jan Hammer Group flag. With time Hammer gets completely disassociated with the jazz and fusion elements and moves steadily towards rock. This album marks the transition very clearly, with some fusion elements still there (especially in the instrumental passages), but rhythmically the music is all funk. Hammer's fusion fans were of course devastated watching him deserting the genre he so excelled in, but Hammer was determined to move on. Therefore it would be unfair to judge this album from the fusion perspective. As a funk album this is still a very good album by any parameter. The melodies are well written, the rhythmic part is as funky as they get and even the vocals (fortunately Hammer does not attempt to sing by himself and leaves the job to people who can sing) are more than adequate. Hammer can still play the hell out of his keyboards, making them sound more and more like a guitar. Worth investigating.

https://www.jazzis.com/shop/default.asp?item=102257

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HAMMER, JAN ~ BLACK SHEEP / HAMMER
WOUNDED BIRD 173 (Barcode: 664140017320) ~ USA ~ Classic Rock
Recorded: 1978 - 1979 Released: 2005
4th and 5th albums (originally released on the Asylum label) combined here as one set. By the end of the 1970s Hammer moved completely into rock and these two albums are his best achievements in that genre. He could still write excellent songs and as these two albums feature three very good vocalists: Colin Hodgkinson - also a great bass player (Back Door, Brian Auger), Bob Christianson and Glenn Burtnick, the result was surprisingly good. Quite close to Prog, these two albums include excellent instrumental work by Hammer, who uses the electronic keyboards like a true virtuoso. Just listen to his interpretation of Hendrix' "Manic Depression" to appreciate his abilities. As these two albums were unavailable for ages, it's good to seem them back in circulation. People who are not familiar with this music might be quite surprised listening to them now.

https://www.jazzis.com/shop/default.asp?item=102258

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It's a great pleasure to be finally able to add two classic Prog albums that belong to the canon of the genre:

GREENSLADE ~ GREENSLADE
WOUNDED BIRD 2698 (Barcode: 664140269828) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1972 Released: 2006
1st album by the phenomenal Prog group created by keyboards wizard Dave Greenslade, following the demise of Colosseum Mk. I. Greenslade joined forces with original Colosseum bassist Tony Reeves, a remarkable player with strong jazz background, who played both the electric and acoustic bass with elegance and sensitivity. To complete the group they enlisted the great (and sadly overlooked and under appreciated) drummer Andrew (Andy) McCulloch, who played with Manfred Mann, King Crimson ("Lizard") and Arthur Brown and since the mid-1970s disappeared from the music scene almost completely. The fourth member of the group was the vocalist Dave Lawson (Episode Six, Stackridge), an excellent vocalist who handled the complex compositions with flying colors. Greenslade, a prolific composer, wrote most of the material for the group, with some marginal contributions by Reeves and Lawson (who handled the lyrics). He used a wide range of keyboards between acoustic piano, organ and synthesizers, creating complex and beautiful sound layers, amply supported by his fellow band members. The debut album is a classic showcase of Prog at its best: great melodies, superb instrumental work and a wide range of influences including jazz, blues, rock and classical music. A beautiful sleeve work by Roger Dean. An absolute must for any serious Prog lover.

https://www.jazzis.com/shop/default.asp?item=102253

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GREENSLADE ~ BEDSIDE MANNERS ARE EXTRA
WOUNDED BIRD 6866 (Barcode: 664140686625) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1973 Released: 2006
2nd album released just a few months following the eponymous debut. With a steady lineup and a prolific composer like Greenslade, the band just couldn't go wrong and this album is every bit as good as the stunning debut. It includes a set of great instrumental and vocal tracks, all performed perfectly and all being classic Prog of the highest caliber. The music is completely timeless and as enjoyable today as it was at the time of its release. The album has another great Roger Dean's sleeve. Absolute must for all Prog heads.

https://www.jazzis.com/shop/default.asp?item=102254

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Absolutely massive re-stocking from Voiceprint and associated labels, including all the Snowy White titles. Please check your waiting lists!

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Today's addition is a jazz classic I love, by my favorite piano player, which should have been here a long time ago:

EVANS, BILL ~ ALBUM (EXPANDED EDITION)
COLUMBIA 64963 (Barcode: 5099706496328) ~ USA ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1971 Released: 1996
The history of jazz is crowned by a small pantheon of stellar figures, which are (more or less) unequivocally accepted as the most prominent contributors to the development of the genre. Miles Davis and John Coltrane are members of that exclusive club and so is Bill Evans, the most influential jazz pianist ever. Since Evans' biography is available from many sources, I won't go into it here, so here are just a few personal comments: Although Evens played in a variety of settings, he surely deserves the title of inventor of the piano trio, a format in which most of his exceptional work was done. Over the years Evans led a series of legendary trios with the most eloquent bass and drums players, primarily noticeable for the phenomenal and telepathic level of interplay between the trio members. His (fortunately) numerable trio recordings are not only a document of his exceptional sensibility and lyricism as a player and composer, but also cornerstones of musical collaboration. Starting from the first trio (1959) with Scott LaFaro and Paul Motian and up to the last moments of his life (1980) with Marc Johnson and Joe La Barbera, the trio recording have always been the safest bets on musical delight one might ever take when buying a jazz album. This particular album, recorded with legends Eddie Gomez on bass and Marty Morell on drums, is very important in Evans' history. It includes his first contributions on the electric piano (a custom-made version of the Fender Rhodes), which he will explore more extensively later in his career. It also includes exclusively his own compositions, as opposed to his treatments of jazz standards, which were earlier the bulk of his recording material. This was the first of the only two albums Evans recorded for Columbia - the other ("Living Time") still awaiting a proper reissue. I can't imagine anybody who loves jazz (or in fact anybody who loves music) ignoring this album, so if you still don't have it - now is your chance. Absolutely essential!

https://www.jazzis.com/shop/default.asp?item=102251

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It's high time to add some jazz releases this month, so here are two different projects led by the superb US drummer Steve Smith:

SMITH, STEVE ~ BUDDY'S BUDDIES
TONE CENTER 40062 (Barcode: 8712725400622) ~ USA ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1999 Released: 1999
Legendary drummer Buddy Rich is usually associated with soaring Big Bands, but he also made several recordings with small ensembles, using the members of his band to play in a much more intimate setting. This album is a tribute to these small ensemble recordings, initiated by ex-Buddy Rich alumni Steve Marcus and Andy Fusco (both sax players). They joined forces with two other alumni, who also played with Rich on his small group recordings: pianist Lee Musiker and the extraordinary bassist Anthony Jackson. To drive the quintet and fulfill the place of their legendary drummer / leader they invited one of the most respected and musical US drummers Steve Smith. Smith is not only a fantastic player, but also one of the most versatile musicians around. His illustrious career spans back to the 1970 when he played with the Rock group Journey during their hay days and with the French violin virtuoso Jean-Luc Ponty and his Fusion group. Later on he played in several jazz small groups, Big Bands and a myriad of Fusion ensembles (including Steps Ahead), always being one of the most solid and sought after drummers around. Since the early 1980s Smith also leads his own Fusion group Vital Information, recording several albums over the years. It's no wonder therefore that Smith is up to the challenge set up by this album, leading the quintet with grace and elegance. The music includes a selection of standards mostly associated with Buddy Rich ensembles. The level of musicianship is outstanding, with Smith and Jackson providing rock-solid rhythm foundation for the other musicians to solo. Although the music is well framed within the swing genre, it is fascinating and beautifully played. This album deserves to be considered as one of the best jazz recordings of the 1990s. Definitely a must for all people who cherish the memory of Buddy Rich and hard swinging well played jazz.

https://www.jazzis.com/shop/default.asp?item=102248

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SMITH, STEVE ~ FLASHPOINT
MASCOT 7175 (Barcode: 8712725717522) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion
Recorded: 2005 Released: 2005
Veteran Fusion drummer Steve Smith combines forces with three other extraordinary musicians to form one the best Fusion ensembles ever. Legendary saxophonist Dave Liebman needs no introduction and his exceptional work since his days with the Miles Davis group has always been a beacon of innovation and excellence in the jazz world. The same can be said about the legendary bassist Anthony Jackson, whose illustrious career includes playing with Chick Corea, Michel Petrucciani and countless other jazz stars. The fourth member of the band, Turkish keyboards player Aydin Esen, is the only relatively unknown musician in the group, but his performances and compositions prove beyond any shadow of a doubt that he belongs to the same class of musicianship with his three companions. The music is simply breathtaking and overwhelming from the very first moment this record starts playing to the very last note. The music (written mostly by Liebman and Esen) is rich in textures and incredibly intense. The performances are stellar, with one solo chasing another. The entire session just flows beautifully, simultaneously filling the listener with energy and stimulating his intellect. Definitely one of the strongest, cleverest and most fulfilling Fusion albums recorded in the 21st Century. Wholeheartedly recommended!

https://www.jazzis.com/shop/default.asp?item=102249

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To celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the debut album by the great Polish band Quidam, their first 3 albums were reissued in a beautiful mini-sleeve Limited Edition. Here is the second album:

QUIDAM ~ SNY ANIOLÓW / ANGELS' DREAMS (LIMITED EDITION)
ROCK SERWIS 102 (Barcode: 5907729910229) ~ POLAND ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1998 Released: 2006
2nd album by this superb Polish Prog band. The angelic voice of Emila Derkowska in the lead and the great instrumental work by all the players in the band create together one of the freshest and most uplifting performances in modern Prog. This album follows splendidly in the tracks set by the stunning debut, released two years earlier, and fills all the expectations. The album was released in two versions - one with Polish lyrics and the other with English lyrics. Although Derkowska feels comfortably with the English vocals, the Polish version is preferable in my opinion, as the singer is free to concentrate on her vocal performances rather than (at least subconsciously) on the foreign language. The music is a unique mixture of classic Prog elements with classical and folk influences. The flute is the second leading voice in the band and it provides a splendid companion to the singer's delicate voice. The album is full of gorgeous melodies, magic moments and atmospheric tension, which set the standard of Progressive Rock music another notch higher. This beautiful new edition includes both versions of the album in an exquisite mini-sleeve packaging.

https://www.jazzis.com/shop/default.asp?item=102246

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