Another great piece of Jazz history added today:

AYLER, ALBERT ~ LIVE IN GREENWICH VILLAGE: THE COMPLETE IMPULSE RECORDINGS
IMPILSE! 273 (Barcode: 011105027328) ~ USA ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1965 - 1967 Released: 1998
One of the greatest pioneers of the Free Jazz in the 1960's, Albert Ayler is universally recognized for his contributions but remains the most controversial of the period's figures. There are quite a few reasons for this controversy: his relatively limited output (due to his tragic death in 1970 he recorded just for about 9 years between 1962 and 1970), his background (Ayler arrived at the Free Jazz scene from Rhythm And Blues unlike Coleman or Coltrane who had years of Be Bop behind them) and his radical approach to improvisation based less on personal virtuosity and more on expressiveness and attack. In addition Ayler based his improvisations on many world music influences (one of the first US musicians to do so), rather than on the blues and jazz standards. Ayler started his career in Scandinavia, where he lived in the early 1960's and where he first recorded (similar to many other US jazz musicians, who found the US scene to be unappreciative of their innovations as opposite to the Europeans who were much more open-minded - this being true to this very day). Upon his return to NY, Ayler recorded a series of visionary and now legendary albums for the no less legendary NY based "underground" ESP label, which was the first American label to provide it's artists a total artistic freedom and control of their output. Later on Ayler signed with Impulse, where he recorded until his untimely (and mysterious) death. This exquisite album collects all the live recordings Ayler made for Impulse between 1965 and 1967 in various venues in the NY Greenwich Village. It captures him (and his group) at the absolute peak of his improvisational ability. Strongly influenced by Coltrane's late period output (one of the pieces here is dedicated to Coltrane and was recorded just after Coltrane's death) the music presents turmoil of emotions and brilliant group improvisations. Ayler's group includes his brother Don on trumpet, Michael Sampson on violin, Henry Grimes on bass, Beaver Harris on drums and many other prominent NY Free Jazz players. This is an essential piece of the Free Jazz history and a great portrait of an Artist at his best moment. Brilliant!

https://www.jazzis.com/shop/default.asp?item=102172 - https://www.jazzis.com/shop/default.asp?item=102172

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Massive re-stocking in progress, please check your Waiting List for items that are back in stock

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Another classic Jazz album added today, always a part of the quest to expand the timeless repertoire:

DAVIS, MILES ~ AT CARNEGIE HALL: THE COMPLETE CONCERT
COLUMBIA 65027 (Barcode: 5099706502722) ~ USA ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1961 Released: 1998
It's good to see that record companies sometimes are able to get a grip and correct the mistakes of the past. Columbia has certainly tried its best to do justice to the magnificent recorded legacy of Miles Davis and this album is a part of that effort. This album assembles the complete Miles Davis Quintet / Gil Evans Orchestra concert recorded on May 19, 1961 at the Carnegie Hall, putting everything at the original recording order without editing or dubbed applause (the music included here was previously available on two separate albums: "Miles Davis At Carnegie Hall" and "More Music From The Legendary Carnegie Hall Concert"). This album is of course a perfect companion to the sublime Columbia 6 CDs box set "Miles Davis & Gil Evans: The Complete Columbia Studio Recordings", especially as the concert was the first time Miles performed with the Gil Evans Orchestra live. 1961 marked an extremely busy and productive year for Miles. Following the departure of John Coltrane and Bill Evans, the "first" legendary Miles Davis Quintet was history and Miles quickly organized a new Quintet, which was to be his vehicle for an interim period of about two years, until the "second" legendary Quintet was to rise like a phoenix and take Jazz places never dreamt about. The "interim" Quintet included excellent and experienced players: Hank Mobley - saxophone, Wynton Kelly - piano, Paul Chambers - bass and Jimmy Cobb - drums (the last two were remaining members from the "first" Quintet). These players followed their leader with skill and devotion, creating some of the best modern jazz on record. Just one month before this concert the Quintet recorded a magnificent live album "Miles Davis In Person" (which is now available as a 4 CDs box set "In Person Friday And Saturday Nights At The Blackhawk, Complete"). The studio album "Someday My Prince Will Come" was recorded just a couple of months before the Carnegie concert recording. The next (and last) studio recording with Gil Evans ("Quiet Nights") was just months ahead. Looking back at this period it becomes plainly evident that Miles was already "miles ahead" in his mind, looking for a new vehicle and a new direction, which would commence shortly with the formation of the new Quintet and the groundbreaking new album ahead ("Seven Steps To Heaven"). That of course makes this music no less magnificent, as Miles was destined to be "in transition" for the duration of his entire career. It remains here, recorded for posterity, for us mortals to enjoy (almost 46 years later), loosing absolutely nothing of its relevance and eternal beauty. Miles of course was one of the very few artists, who made a statement with every note they played. As such, these notes are a source of inspiration and joy for those who love this music. Essential!

https://www.jazzis.com/shop/default.asp?item=102174 - https://www.jazzis.com/shop/default.asp?item=102174

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January started rather slowly and I hope it does not stay this way for long? The winter makes everybody hibernate?

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There is great music being done today, not only in the past. Here ia a new addition that proves it:

DI MEOLA, AL ~ CONSEQUENCE OF CHAOS
TELARC 83649 (Barcode: 089408364921) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion
Recorded: 2006 Released: 2006
There are quite a few parallels between guitar Masters Al Di Meola and John McLaughlin. Each has a very unique and personal style of course, but both alternate between the electric and acoustic version of their instrument and both ventured deeply into wold music influences (Di Meola absorbing Flamenco and Tango and McLaughlin exploring Indian music) during their extensive careers, returning to the Jazz-Rock Fusion (which was their Alma Matter) periodically. And of course they recorded together several times. This album takes Di Meola back to his roots, which are of course his work with Chick Corea's Return To Forever. Returning to his electric guitar and with Chick as guest (playing some fiery solos), the atmosphere is reminiscent of the RTF hay days. All the superb participating musicians (Steve Gadd - drums, John Patitucci - bass, Barry Miles - keyboards and others) perform beautifully and the music (written entirely by Di Meola) flows with grace and elegance. Although strong world music influences are still present, the Fusion sound is predominant and unmistakable. It is heartwarming to see that Di Meola manages to produce such a consistently excellent music over the years, for which he deserves praise and respect. The usual Telarc exquisite sound quality is an additional factor making this a truly excellent album. Highly recommended!

https://www.jazzis.com/shop/default.asp?item=102175 - https://www.jazzis.com/shop/default.asp?item=102175

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Here is another jazz item - this time a DVD - for you to enjoy:

COREA, CHICK ~ RENDEZVOUS IN NEW YORK - THE MOVIE
SONY BMG 681801 (Barcode: 828768180198) ~ USA ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2001 Released: 2003
To celebrate his 60th Birthday, legendary Jazz musician Chick Corea organized a series of concerts in December 2001 at the famous NY Blue Note Club, which presented a retrospective look at his entire career. He reassembled some of his past groups and musical associations and formed nine different line-ups, which include a wide range of music from Free Jazz to Fusion. Three duet performances were also organized, with singer Bobby McFerrin, pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba and vibraphonist Gary Burton. All the performances were recorded and filmed and the material was released as a 2 CD album and a series of DVDs with the individual performances. In addition this film - documenting the entire process - was made, which in addition to excerpts from the concerts includes also numerous interviews with musicians associated with Chick Corea over the years. It is a splendid piece of Jazz history, full of great music and packed with information. Essential to all Chick Corea's fans. Dolby Digital 4.0 Surround Sound and DTS, 107 minutes. NTSC

https://www.jazzis.com/shop/default.asp?item=102176 - https://www.jazzis.com/shop/default.asp?item=102176

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After a long streak of jazz releases (to be continued later this month) here is a new Prog title:

ANDERSON, IAN ~ PLAYS THE ORCHESTRAL JETHRO TULL
XYZ 3082 (Barcode: 090204905669) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 2004 Released: 2005
What a delightful piece of music this is! Ian Anderson accompanied by a quartet of rock musicians and a small symphony orchestra (The Neue Philharmonie Frankfurt - consisting mostly of young, but excellent classical musicians) create live on stage a re-make of some of the Jethro Tull favorites and lesser known tunes. Anderson leads the show with vigor and vitality, which surely is a poke in the eye of his many critics, who have been foretelling the end of his career since many years. In fact his appearance proves again that there are very few (if any at all) contemporary Rock artists, who come even close to his level of musicality, wit and intelligence (just watch the extensive interviews with Anderson and enjoy his cracking irony related to his peers). The cooperation between the rockers and the symphony orchestra works like a charm and the exquisite arrangements of older pieces shed a new light on the depth of Anderson's music, which stand the test of time with flying colors. The 12+ minutes long interpretation of the beautiful "Budapest" (from the Crest Of A Knave album) is especially impressive. In short almost 3 hours of great music and English humor - one can hardly ask for more. Essential to all Anderson / JT fans. Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound, 160 minutes.

https://www.jazzis.com/shop/default.asp?item=102177 - https://www.jazzis.com/shop/default.asp?item=102177

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Following yesterday's addition of the wonderful Ian Anderson DVD I couldn't resist adding another Jethro Tull remaster today - one of the very few not already present on my site. Soon the discography will be complete:

JETHRO TULL ~ CREST OF A KNAVE
CHRYSALIS 473413 (Barcode: 724347341328) ~ UK ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1987 Released: 2005
17th album by JT and ironically the first and only Grammy Award winner the group ever had (more ironically the Award was for Best Hard Rock / Heavy Metal Performance - which goes to show what these Awards people know about music). At the time this album was recorded JT were merely a threesome, with Anderson, Barre and Pegg. A few guest musicians play on some of the tracks, but the mean & lean JT sound with more that usual aggressive guitar leads characterize this effort, although some acoustic folk / rock tracks are present as well. The beautifully melodic "Budapest" was always one of my favorite JT songs. The album stands out especially strong in contrast to the mediocre (at best) music, which was predominantly produced at the time, and Anderson's talent to wave great tunes remains intact. As all the later period JT albums, this one suffered its share of criticism and mockery at the time of its release (and especially due to the unexpected Grammy), but the album is still here today, sounding as good as ever, whereas the critics and mockers are long forgotten. Definitely a worthwhile addition to the splendid JT legacy and a solid album as all the others they ever did.

https://www.jazzis.com/shop/default.asp?item=102178 - https://www.jazzis.com/shop/default.asp?item=102178

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I finally managed (mind you this took a few years) to lay my hands on the follwing beauty added today:

WEATHER REPORT ~ LIVE IN TOKYO
COLUMBIA 489208 (Barcode: 5099748920829) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion
Recorded: 1972 Released: 2001
Following the release of their eponymous album in 1971 and in spite of the hype and show-biz brouhaha created by Columbia at the time, which presented WR as the first ever jazz super group (a term already used in reference to rock acts), the band found it difficult to secure any US venues to perform live. Europe and Japan of course couldn't get enough of them and WR spent most of 1971 performing there in front of ecstatic audiences. In November of 1971 WR entered the NYC CBS studios to record material for their second album. These sessions were interrupted by another Japanese tour, during which this legendary album was recorded on January 13, 1972. The music was released as a double LP immediately, but due to the usual corporate bullsh*t the release was intended for the Japanese market only, and it stayed this way for almost thirty years (it was released finally on CD in Europe in 2001), making the album unobtainable to most WR fans outside Japan. Well, not entirely, as heavily edited excerpts of this recording found their way to the B side of the 2nd official WR album I Sing The Body Electric, which included the a.m. November studio recordings as side A - all this probably due to the fact that Columbia was anxious to have the next WR album out ASAP and didn't want to wait for the more studio recordings. So much for the background and now for the music. As usual with WR, the personnel changes started already at this early stage and in the cause of the very few months since the recording of the debut album the original WR drummer Alphonse Mouzon was replaced by Eric Gravatt and original percussionist Airto Moreira was replaced by another Brazilian Master Don Um Romao. More importantly however, the music of the band changed also quite dramatically. The debut album was an all-acoustic affair and here we have Zawinul using electric piano, modulators and other electronic devices, which eventually would dominate the WR sound. The overall sound is now almost
 identical to the Miles Davis In A Silent Way / Bitches Brew sessions, with the intensity equal to the legendary Miles' Fillmore concerts. The music is presented in a form of four extended medleys (the longest of which lasts for over 26 minutes), mixing expanded versions of compositions present on the debut album with those recorded during the a.m. November sessions and yet others that appear only here. The group improvisations and the telepathic interplay are fearfully intense. Vitous bravely provides the steady pulsation, which cements the basis on which his companions embark into their sonic ventures. Gravatt is all over the rhythmic patterns and Romao brilliantly fills the spaces. WR strength was always in their live performances, since their studio efforts somehow lacked much of the spontaneity, drive, inspiration and vigor present on stage. This recording, in addition to its heavenly contents, has also a tremendous historic value, as it is the only one in existence documenting the early (and to many the most interesting) stage of the band. It also provides the wonderful introspective peek at the most interesting (regardless of genre) period in the history of 20th Century music, during the convoluted period where all boundaries seemed to be irrelevant and the unexpected was expected. There would be very few moments in the tears that followed that either WR or any other band for that matter would reach the same level of creative genius or performance intensity. Absolutely essential!

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https://www.jazzis.com/shop/default.asp?item=102179 - https://www.jazzis.com/shop/default.asp?item=102179

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Today's new addition follows naturally yesterday's superb WR album, bringing us closer to the complete WR discography:

WEATHER REPORT ~ I SING THE BODY ELECTRIC
COLUMBIA 512897 (Barcode: 5099751289722) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion
Recorded: 1971 - 1972 Released: 1997
2nd album by the first jazz super group, formed by ex-Miles Davis group members Joe Zawinul (keyboards) and Wayne Shorter (sax) and the Czech bass virtuoso Miroslav Vitous. Vitous was asked to join the Miles Davis group in 1970, but for various reasons this didn't work out. Instead he approached two of the group members and proposed to form a new group, which would continue the revolutionary new direction Miles was following (later to be named jazz-rock fusion) and expand it into new territory. Zawinul and Shorter, both being at a crossroads at the time after leaving the ensembles they played in, agreed and Weather Report was born. Following the release of their eponymous album in 1971 the group embarked on several European and Japanese tours. In November of 1971 WR entered the NYC CBS studios to record material for their second album. These sessions were interrupted by another Japanese tour, during which a legendary album called Live In Tokyo was recorded on January 13, 1972. The live album was released as a double LP immediately, but due to the usual corporate bullsh*t the release was intended for the Japanese market only, and it stayed this way for almost thirty years (it was released finally on CD in Europe in 2001), making the album unobtainable to most WR fans outside Japan. Well, not entirely, as heavily edited excerpts of this recording found their way to the B side of I Sing The Body Electric, in addition to the a.m. November studio recordings on side A. As usual with WR, personnel changes started already at this early stage and in the cause of the very few months since the recording of the debut album the original WR drummer Alphonse Mouzon was replaced by Eric Gravatt and original percussionist Airto Moreira was replaced by another Brazilian Master Don Um Romao. More importantly however, the music of the band changed also quite dramatically. The debut album was an all-acoustic affair and here we have Zawinul using electric piano, modulators and other electronic devices, which eventually would dominate the WR sound. The overall sound is now almost identical to the Miles Davis In A Silent Way / Bitches Brew sessions. On the studio sessions WR used several guest musicians, notably the superb guitarist Ralph Towner (from Oregon) on the classically influenced piece called The Moors and an extended brass session and vocals on the ominous anti-war piece called Unknown Soldier (remember the Doors?). This album is a timeless masterpiece and a cornerstone of jazz (in general) and Fusion (in particular), providing a wonderful introspective peek at the most interesting (regardless of genre) period in the history of 20th Century music. Absolutely essential!

https://www.jazzis.com/shop/default.asp?item=102180 - https://www.jazzis.com/shop/default.asp?item=102180

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The Coltrane and Jarrett box sets are back in stock!

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Time to spice the new additions with some excellent blues-rock titles by the master of the trade Mr. Johnny Winter. Here is the first of them:

WINTER, JOHNNY ~ AND
COLUMBIA 472769 (Barcode: 5099747276927) ~ USA ~ Blues-Rock
Recorded: 1970 Released: 2001
3rd album, which was recorded by a new band Winter formed with ex-McCoys members, including the guitarist / singer / songwriter Rick Derringer, who was to be Winter's associate for many years. The new quartet had a rockier sound, based on guitar and vocal duets. Still strongly rooted in the blues legacy, this is one of the strongest examples of early Southern Rock (see Allman Brothers). Derringer contributes some notable songs, which are rockier than the traditional Winter material and the bland of tunes works perfectly. Winter's guitar pyrotechnics are of course the highlight time after time, but the entire album is just a superb trip down the memory lane, when everything just sounded right. Edgar Winter, Johnny's brother and future band member helped with the excellent production. Just listen to the track "Nothing Left", where Winter plays in similar fashion to Jimmy Hendrix, in order to appreciate his guitar playing skills. As excellent as this album is, it was to be overshadowed by the bands live performances of some of these songs captured on the next album.

https://www.jazzis.com/shop/default.asp?item=102181 - https://www.jazzis.com/shop/default.asp?item=102181

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Great weekend everybody!

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Another timeless classic Fusion album added today:

SANTANA ~ CARAVANSERAI
COLUMBIA 511128 (Barcode: 5099751112822) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion
Recorded: 1972 Released: 2003
4th album, which reflects clear change of direction for the band (and the bandleader in particular) and initiating the entrance of Santana into the world of Fusion. Following three phenomenally successful albums and a clearly defined style (perfected by five years of recording and touring) mixing rock with Latin and Jazz rhythms, the band was now in a turmoil, being torn apart by two conflicting tendencies. Some of the band members wished to continue the same path (stylistically) and others (especially Carlos Santana) wanted to move on to the next phase. In the period shortly preceding the recording of this album Carlos was exposed to two new major cultural influences. Fellow guitarists Larry Coryell and John McLaughlin introduced Carlos to the teachings of Guru Sri Chinmoy and he embraced these with passion. Santana's drummer Michael Shrieve inaugurated Carlos into the burgeoning world of (then) contemporary jazz and Fusion of Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Weather Report and Mahavishnu Orchestra, which he immediately fell in love with. All these new influences pushed Carlos further and further away from the old Santana style into Fusion, which would soon result in the collapse of the original line-up and the creation of a new band. Caravanserai is a crossroads album for the band, with several members playing here for the last time. Organist Gregg Rolie and guitarist Neal Schon would leave soon after to form Journey and new members, notably keyboards player Tom Coster and bassist Doug Rauch would join. Since the album includes all of these wonderful players, the resulting music is truly exquisite. The dual lead guitar front line drives the melodic material to stratospheric heights and the expanded percussive rhythm section provides a soaring background. In spite of the "in transition" mood, the albums sounds cohesive and provides an uplifting musical continuum. The album was to be followed shortly by the divine Carlos Santana / John McLaughlin duet album Love, Devotion, Surrender and a series of outstanding albums like Welcome, Illuminations (with Alice Coltrane) and Lotus. An absolute classic!

https://www.jazzis.com/shop/default.asp?item=102186 - https://www.jazzis.com/shop/default.asp?item=102186

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Today's addition is one of the greatest albums ever recorded:

COLTRANE, JOHN ~ THE COMPLETE 1961 VILLAGE VANGUARD RECORDINGS
IMPULSE! 232 (Barcode: 011105023221) ~ USA ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1961 Released: 1997
When this music was recorded in November of 1961 I was only 10 years old and yet it changed my life forever. Living in (Socialist) Poland, my access to contemporary (at the time) jazz originating in the US was pretty limited and the only beacon of light was the daily Willis Conover's radio jazz program on Voice Of America, beamed from across the Iron Curtain. Millions of Eastern European listeners would risk freedom (listening to VOA was a criminal act then) to gain freedom, myself included. These broadcasts changed the life of countless people and particularly in Poland would eventually be a dominant factor in the process of forming a burgeoning and extremely fruitful local jazz scene. Many hours of my early childhood were spent with myself standing on a conductor's podium (e sledge), in front of an imaginary orchestra playing inside the enormous radio (a pre WW II antique). Since classical music was less censored and sponsored by the Establishment, it was there for us to enjoy most of it of very high quality. I remember listening for hours at end to the annual Chopin competition, which was Poland's most prestigious music event, getting to know his music inside out before I even knew anything about him. My Mother encouraged my "conducting" aspirations warmly, supplementing them with occasional background information. But the discovery of jazz and its strange convoluting patterns and unfamiliar rhythms was a revelation. I just couldn't get enough of it and every new artist or piece of music was an instant bliss. By the time I was about to hear Coltrane for the first time I was already familiar with the music of Ellington, Basie, Parker and Gillespie (thanks to Mr. Conover). Conover, in contrast to many of his peers (who were stuck in be-bop or some earlier jazz sub-genre for the rest of their lives), was remarkably open-minded and understood the genius of Coltrane and his visionary contribution to the development of the Jazz Art form. He therefore featured every new Coltrane album as soon as it was released. So here I was, 10 years old, some time in early 1962, listening to the Village Vanguard sessions - an experience equivalent to a 10,000 Volts electricity shock. My life would definitely be never the same again. I hope these personal reminiscences don't put you off too much, but I just couldn't resist the temptation. Taking the time-travel express to now here are my comments about this music from a "45 years later" point of view. In 1961 Coltrane left Atlantic (his second label, Prestige being the first) and signed a contract with Impulse!, the new and ambitious jazz label run by producer Bob Thiele, where he would stay for the rest of his life. Coltrane was already following a path (mostly subconsciously) which would lead him to the edge of the known jazz explorations and beyond. His monumental Atlantic albums like Giant Steps and My Favorite Things were just a glimpse of things to come. Coltrane felt that Thiele would allow him to speed up the process of reaching the quest of musical enlightenment by allowing him total artistic freedom and supporting him all the way and he was of course right. The extensive volume of music recorded for Impulse! in the span of almost 7 years right up to his death would become the most important musical legacy of the 20th Century, so innovative and groundbreaking that it is still a mystery to many contemporary listeners and musicologists today. Coltrane's first recording for Impulse! (in the spring of 1961) would be the Africa / Brass sessions, an ambitious project involving a large ensemble of the most gifted players on the scene (Freddie Hubbard, Booker Little, Eric Dolphy and many others) - see The Complete Africa / Brass Sessions album, another essential Coltrane release. These sessions introduce several new elements in Coltrane's music, like Far-Eastern motifs, African rhythms and other ethnic influences. In November of 1961 Thiele decided to record Coltrane live, using the 4 nights booking at the NY club The Village Vanguard (where many jazz albums were recorded live) for this purpose. The booking was for a John Coltrane Quintet and it was only natural that the Quintet would include Eric Dolphy, whom Coltrane knew, respected and played with earlier. The legendary Quartet (with McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison and Elvin Jones) was not entirely crystallized at the time, so Coltrane and Thiele decided to expand the line-up (on some takes) to include an oud player (Ahmed Abdul-Malik) and alternative bassist (Reggie Workman) and drummer (Roy Haynes). Since this music was recorded for a future release Thiele (as any produce would do) recorded several takes of each tune, some with an alternating line-up. This 4CDs box set includes all the music that was recorded during these four days (mind you not all the music that was played, as some of it was not recorded hence the "complete" being not entirely true) in the exact order it was recorded. This music was to be released later on two albums (Live At The Village Vanguard and The Other Village Vanguard Tapes) as well as parts of other albums (Impressions) and collections. Collected here together for the first time, this is a monumental piece of jazz history and an unforgettable musical experience. Coltrane's circular breathing technique and his "wall of sound" approach are clearly evident here for the first time in their full glory. The comparison of the different versions of the same tunes are both fundamental and clairvoyant examples of the "one time experience" that every jazz performance essentially is. The power, the vision, the super-human strength of will of the Master and Profit (please excuse the almost religious references) that Coltrane was, are here for us, his disciples, to discover, study, revere and bequest to future generations. This box set is something one has in one's record collection for life. It is not only timeless, but also constantly evolving in parallel to one's private (musical) evolution. Listening to it time after time (especially after a long period of abstention) will be revealing and constantly surprising. It is a superb example of great Art, which keeps alive for eternity, adopting itself to the changing cultural surroundings, and therefore being truly eternal. I can't imagine anybody, who calls himself a music lover, not owning this music, as naive as this might sound, since I believe there is something in it for everybody. Beyond essential!

https://www.jazzis.com/shop/default.asp?item=102187 - https://www.jazzis.com/shop/default.asp?item=102187

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Have a great weekend and celebrate life.

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In the next few days I'll be adding a bunch of new South American Prog beauties for all of you to enjoy. Here is the first of these:

AKINETÓN RETARD ~ 21 CANAPÉS
MYLODON 014 (Barcode: 4011222210258) ~ CHILE ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1998 - 2003 Released: 2003
3rd album by this sensational Prog / RIO band from Chile. Quite an unusual album (even for them) as it collects (as the title suggests) 21 short pieces of music, most between 1 and 2 minutes long, which were originally written as background music for 3 theatre performances staged in 1998, 1999 and 2003. It is not stated on the album if the music was recorded at these respective dates (I assume so) or is a re-recording of all these pieces done in 2003 (there is one additional piece dated 2000). Regardless of this little confusion, the music is overall absolutely brilliant, as is everything else they ever recorded. The jazz undertones created by the two sax players in the group and the unusual melody lines take the listener to uncharted territory, which is always a good thing. The earlier influences of King Crimson and Zappa are less evident here, which means the group arrived at a point where they have their own unique tonal language well in place. The album differs also from their other output by being more acoustic (using guest musicians playing violin and cello or even vocals for example) and atmospheric at times, which is surely a result of the music being written for theatre. If one disregards all the background information, this album can be regarded as a beautiful example of contemporary "minimal music", as good as anything created earlier in this genre. Essentially brilliant!

https://www.jazzis.com/shop/default.asp?item=102189 - https://www.jazzis.com/shop/default.asp?item=102189

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For some strange and totally unclear reason the South American jazz / fusion albums on my site have been always among the slowest sellers, whereas I adore this (especially the Brazilian) manifestation of the genre. So here is a new addition, which proves again how great this music is:

NAZARIO, LELO ~ AFRICASIAMERICA
EDITIO PRINCEPS 10 (Barcode: 7898901556107) ~ BRAZIL ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion
Recorded: 2006 Released: 2006
5th album by Brazilian keyboards player and one of the pioneers of Brazilian jazz and fusion. As the album's title suggests, Nazario combines rhythmic influences from a variety of ethnic sources into his jazz / fusion compositions, often creating polyrhythmic backgrounds for his beautiful compositions. The album follows the path set by Nazario's previous album and although recorded eight years later, it is a natural follow up to the approach developed earlier. He is a superb instrumentalist and even more importantly an amazing composer, always full of surprises and able to create a wide range of emotions in his music. Surrounded and supported by the most talented players on the contemporary Brazilian jazz / fusion scene (Teco Cardoso - flute and saxes, Felipe Avila - guitar and others) Nazario manages to reach the highest levels of expression for his music. I particularly enjoyed his performances on the electric piano, which remind me fondly of Chick Corea's glory days with Return To Forever. This is a great example of how great jazz / fusion music is created outside of the commonly accepted path set mostly by US players. Most warmly recommended and an assured eye (ear) opener!

https://www.jazzis.com/shop/default.asp?item=102190 - https://www.jazzis.com/shop/default.asp?item=102190

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Time to add another of the new Kadima Collective albums - free jazz for advanced listeners only:

JONES, JEAN CLAUDE ~ HOSTING MYSELF
KADIMA COLLECTIVE 08 ~ ISRAEL ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2005 - 2006 Released: 2006
Jean Claude Jones is the leader and the driving force of the Kadima Collective, a group of Israeli musicians who practice free improvisations as their primary musical habitat. The Kadima Collective record label releases albums, which would have never seen the light of day in any commercial environment. This album is a perfect example of such a release. Jones recorded this album all by himself using only his bass and some electronic devices to create all the sounds. The music is all freely improvised of course and therefore completely adventitious, yet it makes perfect sense to a listener, who is ready to engage in the creative process with the Artist. The album includes only 3 tracks: The first and third tracks are excerpts of a live recording Jones made while the dancer Julyen Hamilton performed an improvised dance to his music. The second track (over 32 minutes long) is composed of 18 shorter episodes recorded in the studio over a period of several months. This is a bold and well-articulated statement by a seasoned and determined Artist, who remains restless and adventurous at all times. For listeners with positively opened ears only.

https://www.jazzis.com/shop/default.asp?item=102196 - https://www.jazzis.com/shop/default.asp?item=102196

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A great Prog album added today, one that is unfortunately out of print most of the time... as usual for corporate bullsh*t reasons... grab it while you can:

IT`S A BEAUTIFUL DAY ~ AT CARNEGIE HALL
COLUMBIA 480970 (Barcode: 5099748097026) ~ USA ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1972 Released: 1995
4th album by this short-lived legendary San Francisco band. Recorded at the NYC most prestigious venue the band was at its peak at the time supporting their 3rd studio album (Choice Quality Stuff / Anytime). Leader and violin player David LaFlamme plays some amazing improvisations supported by a group of excellent musicians, including future Frank Zappa bassist Tom Fowler. The material includes only one track from the third album and a few of earlier hits (including the legendary "White Bird"). The rest of the material is new and this is the only album it was ever released on. The group made a formidable transition from their early Psychedelic days into a full-blown Prog band by the time this music was recorded, with strong jazzy and world music influences. Shortly after this recording the group started to disintegrate and the leader left to start a solo career. This is an excellent document of this fruitful era and one of the best live albums ever recorded. Essential item in any serious collection of 1970s music.

https://www.jazzis.com/shop/default.asp?item=102197 - https://www.jazzis.com/shop/default.asp?item=102197

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Have Fun!

After being out of print for much to long, here is one of my all time favorite albums, added today:

SANTANA, CARLOS / MCLAUGHLIN, JOHN ~ LOVE DEVOTION SURRENDER
COLUMBIA 63593 (Barcode: 074646359327) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion
Recorded: 1972 Released: 2003
This is the most quintessential Fusion album of all times. Although sadly neglected and almost forgotten (both by critics and listeners) over the years, it stands out as a beacon of musical enlightenment for posterity. The album came to be as a result of many parallel events and personal / musical paths crossings. Carlos Santana and John McLaughlin became close after becoming disciples of Guru Sri Chinmoy. Although they were both aware of each other's work before this musical cooperation, they operated in quite separate musical areas. McLaughlin at this point had already a glorious career stretch behind him with his pioneering work on the UK jazz / rock scene, his revolutionary work with Miles Davis, the visionary contributions in the Tony Williams Lifetime and of course his brilliant Mahavishnu Orchestra output. Santana's roots were deep into Latin music and rock, but he was rapidly transforming his musical focus into jazz and Fusion. Influenced by his band's drummer Michael Shrieve, who was a jazz buff, Carlos discovered a new musical world and was swallowing everything he could lay his ears on. This included the works of Mahavishnu Orchestra, of which he was a devoted fan, but also the work of Miles Davis and John Coltrane. The actual get together was most probably orchestrated by Columbia's chief Clive Davis (both Santana and Mahavishnu Orchestra were signed by Columbia Records), suggesting a John Coltrane tribute album featuring both guitarists. The album was recorded almost immediately after Santana finished recording the pivotal Caravanserai album, which marked a series of dramatic changes both in the band's musical direction (a move towards jazz and Fusion) and personnel changes (the forming of Santana Mk. II). A meeting of two great talents is always a dangerous affair, and this one could have proven either disastrous or absolutely divine - fortunately the latter did happen. The reason it did turn out to be such a success is twofold: First the musicians truly loved Coltrane's music and felt the spiritual side of it (Coltrane went through a process of soul searching and seeking enlightenment in Eastern beliefs as well). Coltrane's "A Love Supreme" is really a musical mantra very similar to a Hindu chant, which of course is as much a spiritual music as it ever gets. The beautiful "Naima" (the other Coltrane composition featured here) is also deeply spiritual, as are the two McLaughlin's compositions and the traditional chant, which serves as the base for the remaining track of the album. Having established the musical / spiritual base of the session the rest was up to the participating musicians, which (again) most fortunately turned out to be ideal. Both Santana and McLaughlin brought with them associate musicians - Carlos brought selected members of his band (Armando Peraza - congas, Doug Rauch - bass and Michael Shrive - drums) and John brought Mahavishnu Orchestra members (Billy Cobham - drums and Jan Hammer - drums(!)). Veteran jazz drummer Don Alias was also invited, but the greatest and perhaps most crucial role was entrusted upon the organ player Larry Young - John's former partner in Lifetime. Young provides the foundation and glue, which makes this session work. With two lead guitarists exchanging licks at the speed of light and the super-power expanded rhythm section pulsating mercilessly, this session would have never worked without Young's brilliant work. He fills the spaces, provides the balance and the sanity, the ground on which the soloist are able to build their sky-high towers. Of course the main attraction is the spectacular work by the two soloists, so different and yet so completely complimentary of each other. Santana's sublimely melodic feel (truly unparalleled to this very day) and McLaughlin's extraordinary improvisational abilities just merge into one continuous flow of musical bliss. Their exchanges are in perfect harmony, not competing but supplementing each other - fire and grace incarnate. This remastered edition enhances the originally muddy sound tremendously and the two bonus tracks are priceless. There is nothing but Love of music, Devotion to talent and Surrender to divinity on this album, the Mother of all Fusion albums! Beyond essential!

https://www.jazzis.com/shop/default.asp?item=102198 - https://www.jazzis.com/shop/default.asp?item=102198

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Have Fun!