Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Shungo Sawada Quintet - Mood In Vossa Nova

 
Year : 1968
Label : RCA
Genre : Latin Jazz
Style : Bossa Nova

The classics of Bossa Nova including some pop standards performed by Shungo Sawada, the japanese boss of guitar, You Tokuyama (p), Hironori Takiya (b) and percussionist Takeshi Onodera. Titles include the greatest songs that made the fame of bossa nova from Antonio Carlos Jobim (One Note Samba, The Girl From Ipanema...), Jorge Ben (Mas Que Nada, Constant Rain), Luiz Bonfa (Manhã De Carnaval), jazz standard "Fly Me To The Moon", "Going Out Of My Head", and two Beatles covers "A Little Help From My Friends" & "Day Tripper" played in samba mode.

Candido - Thousand Finger Man

 

Year : 1969
Label : Solid State
Genre : Latin Jazz
Style : Jazz Funk, Afro Cuban Jazz

Iconic album from the Havana native percussionist Candido Camero featuring bassist Chuck Rainey and guitarist David Spinozza. Candido starts as professional for Machito before to move to New York in 1952 in order to play with Dizzie Gillespie. Between 1953-1954, he joins the Billy Taylor Quarter and later becomea session musician in demand performing and recording with Buddy RichCount Basie, Lionel HamptonEvil Jones or Art Blakey. "Thousand Finger Man" is a pop funk album produced by saxophonist Duke Pearson including heavy organ sounds, killer congos beat and latin grooves. Titles include Candido's original "Thousand Finger Man", the "Tony's Theme" extracted from Lady In Cement score and covers from Rufus Thomas (the stax classic "Jump Back") and Booker T. & The MGs (Soul Limbo).

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Idris Muhammad - Peace And Rhythm


Year : 1971
Label : Prestige
Genre : Jazz
Style : Funk/Soul

Second studio album by the american jazz drummer, Idris Muhammad featuring Ron Carter, Kenny Baron, Melvin Sparks, Clarence ThomasVirgil Jones. Idris Muhammad started as Leo Morris (his name before his conversion to Islam) with Fats Domino in 1956, later in the sixties, was session musician for various Blue Note recordings and for CTI in the seventies. Idris is best known as sideman for saxophonist Lou Donaldson from 1965 to 1971, collaborating to several of his albums such as the famous Alligator Bogaloo released in 1967. He played with a considerable number of Jazz legends, inter alia, Pharoah Sanders, Reuben Wilson, Lonnie Smith and more recently Ahmad Jamal. Titles include the Peace & Rhythm SuiteBrother You Know You're Doing Wrong written by his wife, Sakinah, and the funky hit song by Wilson Pickett, Don't Knock My Love. All tracks arranged by Clarence Thomas.

Idris Muhammad_drums, cabasa, gong
Ron Carter & Jimmy Lewis_bass
Melvin Sparks & Alan Fontaine_guitar
Kenny Baron_electric piano
Angel Allende_percussion, timbales
Buddy Caldwell_congas
Clarence Thomas_saxophones, flute, bells
Virgil Jones_trumpet
Willie Bivins_vibes

01. Peace & Rhythm Suite : Peace
02. Peace & Rhythm Suite : Rhythm
03. Brother You Know You're Doing Wrong
04. Don't Knock My Love
05. I'm A Believer

Sunday, June 26, 2011

Michael Viner's Incredible Bongo Band - Bongo Rock


Year : 1973
Label : Pride
Genre : Soul
Style : Funk/Soul

Iconic record for Hip-Hop artists including "Last Bongo In Belgium" sampled by The Beastie Boys on "Looking Down The Barrel Of A Gun" or "Apache" by the Sugarhill Gang. In fact, the Incredible Bongo Band was a studio project around bongo and congo drums, formed by Michael Viner, an executive producer of Pride label. Viner produced various tracks funk-influenced and revisits rock 'n' roll covers such as "Apache" from The Shadows, "Raunchy", "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" from Iron Butterfly or "Bongo Rock" composed by famous latin percussionist Preston Epps.

LISTEN SAMPLE

Melvin Sparks - Sparks !


Year : 1970
Label : Prestige
Genre : Jazz
Style : Soul Jazz

Debut album of studio jazz guitarist Melvin Sparks. He started to play in the backing band of Little Willie John, Little Richard and Sam Cooke between 1963 to 1967, on Brother Jack McDuff' Double Barrelled Soul in 1968, Reuben Wilson' Blue Mode & Lou Donaldson' Everything I Play Is Funky in 1969. He recorded Sparks ! with a great combo featuring Virgil Jones, John Manning, Leon Spencer Jr., Idris Muhammad and special guest saxophonist Houston Person on The Stinker. Titles include Thank You & Spill The Wine by Sly & Family Stone & Eric Burdon with War respectively, a great composition of Spencer, The Stinker. Recorded at studio Rudy Van Gelder.

Melvin Sparks_guitar
Leon Spencer Jr._organ
Idris Muhammad_drums
Virgil Jones_trumpet
John Manning_tenor saxophone

 01. Thank You
02. I Didn't Know What Time It Was
03. Charlie Brown
04. The Stinker
05. Spill The Wine

Rotary Connection - Songs


Year : 1969
Label : Cadet
Genre : Soul, Rock
Style : Psychedelic Soul

The Rotary Connection was an experimental Psychedelic Soul & Rock band featuring sassy soul sister Minnie Riperton and frontman Sidney Barnes on vocals, supported by Mitch Aliota (eb, vo), John Jerimiah (org), John Stocklin (eg) and Kenny Venegas (ds). Created by producer Marshall Chess, the band was active between from 1967 to 1974 before Minnie Riperton devoted to her solo career. As the title suggests "Songs" is a cover album including british rock classics from Cream (Sunshine Of Your Love, Tales Of Brave Ulysses, We're Going Wrong), Jimmy Hendrix (Burning Of The Midnight Lamp), The Rolling Stones (Salt Of The Earth), Soul covers from Stevie Wonder (This Town), Otis Redding (Respect) and Blues with the Muddy Waters' "I've Got My Mojo Working".

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Saturday, June 25, 2011

Marlena Shaw - Out Of Different Bags


Year : 1967
Label : Cadet Records
Genre : Jazz
Style : Contempory Jazz, Funk/Soul, Vocal

Debut album of iconic Jazz & Soul songstress Marlena Shaw including pure jazz vocal and mighty soul songs. "Out Of Different Bags" is a contemporary jazz album, the reminiscence of the Nancy Wilson albums from the sixties, recorded with big band, backing chorus and strings ensemble. Titles include iconic movie theme "It Sure Is Groovy" from "In The Heat Of The Night", Jazz standard "Alone Together", two Ahmad Jamal's cover songs (Ahmad's Blues, I've Gotten Over You) and more familiar numbers like "Matchmaker Matchmaker" from Broadway musical "Fiddler On The Roof" or "Naked City Theme". Produced and arranged by Richard Evans

Friday, June 24, 2011

Richard "Groove" Holmes - Soul Message


Year : 1965
Label : Prestige
Genre : Jazz
Style : Soul Jazz

Richard 'Groove' Holmes is considered as a precursor of Soul Jazz and a great player of organ Hammond B3. Titles include superb variation of the classic Song for my Father by Horace Silver, the Jazz hit Misty by Erroll Garner and Clifford Brown' Dahoud. Recorded at studio Rudy Van Gelder.

Richard 'Groove' Holmes_organ
Gene Edwards_guitar
Jimmie Smith_drums

01. Groove's Groove
02. Dahoud
03. Misty
04. Song for my Father
05. Things We Did Last Summer
06. Soul Message

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Toshiyuki Miyama & His New Herd - Your Best Pops 12


Year : 1969
Label : Crown
Genre : Jazz
Style : Pop, Jazz Rock, Big Band

Toshiyuki Miyama revisists the greatest hits of western pop music in big band mode including The Beatles (Get Back), Creedence Clearwater Revival (Proud Mary), Marie Laforêt (Manchester Et Liverpool), The Zombies (Time of the Season) or The Doors (Touch Me). Toshiyuki Miyama is one of the greatest japanese jazz saxophonist/clarinetist, arranger, bandleader, who recorded over 70 albums, composed and produced various music materials for radio, cinema and television. In 1958, he formed his first "New Herd", one of the most prominent big band in the Japanese Jazz history, a talent nursery where were formed many iconic young musicians (including saxophonist Kosuke Ichihara or pianists Norio MaedaMasahiko Sato), and which known an international recognition. Among his musical feats, The New Herd played for Charlie Mingus (Charles Mingus With Orchestra - 1971), took part to the Monterey Jazz festival in 1974 and supported Nancy Wilson on stage in Japan. All tracks conducted & arranged by Toshiyuki Miyama.

MUSICIANS : Toshiyuki Miyama - alto & soprano saxophone - Hiroshi Takami - alto saxophone - Kosuke Ichihara - tenor saxophone - Shunzo Sunahara - baritone saxophone - Koji Hatori - trumpet - Seiichi Tokura - trombone - Masahiko Sato & Norio Maeda - piano - Kozaburo Yamaki - guitar - Masao Kunisada - bass - Sadaichi Tabata - drums


Saturday, June 11, 2011

A Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory

 

Year : 1991
Label : Jive
Genre : Hip-Hop
Style : Conscious, Jazzy Hip-Hop

Formed in 1988 by Q-Tip, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Jarobi and Phife Dawg, all former members of New York collective, The Native Tongues, A Tribe Called Quest is one of the most influential Hip-Hop band of all time. The band recorded five albums before split-up after their "Love Movement" in 1998. The jazz-influenced album "The Low End Theory" is the best Hip-Hop album ever recorded including massive jazz samples extracted from classic recordings of Freddie Hubbard, Eric Dolphy, Grant Green or Art Blakey And The Jazz Messengers. The album contributes also to launch Busta Rhymes' solo career with "Scenario". Titles include amazing featurings including legendary Jazz bassist Ron Carter on "Verses From The Abstract", Lord Jamar & Sadat X from Brand Nubian with Diamond D on "Show Business" and Busta Rhymes, Charlie Brown & Dinco D, all members of Leaders Of The New School on "Scenario".

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Count Bass D & Insight Are The Risktakers


Year : 2011
Label :
Ascetic
Genre :
Hip-Hop
Style :
Electronic, Funk/Soul

Joint project between Dwight Farrell aka Count Bass D producer and multi-instrumentalist from Nashville and Andre Todman aka Insight MC, DJ and producer from Boston. "The Risktakers" combines Hip-Hop & Electronic idioms with Funk/Soul and cinematic sounds including sampling. Titles include featurings with Dagha on "Dinner Is Served", Kool Keith on "Leverage Of Fighting" and Pacewon on "Be Rockin It". Composed and produced by Insight The Truncator & Count Bass D. All cuts & beats by Insight.

George Benson - The Other Side Of Abbey Road


Year : 1969
Label : A&M
Genre : Jazz
Style : Jazz Funk, Fusion

George Benson revisits some iconic songs from The Beatles' last album, arranged & directed by master Don Sebesky, produced by Creed Taylor for CTI and recorded at studio Rudy Van Gelder. George Benson (eg, vo) is surrounded by a golden sextet including regular CTI session musicians featuring Herbie Hancock (org, p), Bob James (el-p), Idris Muhammad (ds), Freddie Hubbard (tp), Hubert Laws (fl), Ron Carter (b, el-b) & Ray Barretto (perc), supported by strings orchestra. Titles include four medley (Golden Slumbers~You Never Give Me Your MoneyBecause~Come TogetherHere Comes The Sun~I Want You (She's So Heavy)Something~Octopus's Garden~The End) and "Oh! Darling".

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Kaoru Iiyoshi & The Wip - Soul Tripper


Year : 1971
Label : Denon/Nippon Columbia
Genre : Jazz
Style : Soul Jazz, Soft Rock, Pop

Kaoru Iiyoshi, also known as Garo, is a japanese jazz pianist, organist, arranger & band leader of the pop-jazz band, The Wip (for War, Intelligence & Peace). This album reminds the work of French composer Serge Gainsbourg made on the Jane Birkin - Serge Gainsbourg album released in 1969, a Baroque pop album including Smooth Jazz, Bossa Nova, Easy Listening & Soft Rock, with beautiful strings arrangements in the same approach as the Verve recordings. Titles include pop covers from The Beatles (Eleanor Rigby, Ticket To Ride) or The Carpenters (We' ve Only Just Begun), the tribute "I Love Jobim", the Jazz standard "By The Time I Get To Phoenix", plus four original compositions from Garoarranged by himself. "Soul Tripper" was included in the album reissue series of the Columbia Readymade collection, directed by Konishi Yasuharu from Pizzicato Five, and the title-track was selected in the "Midnight Tokyo" compilation released in 2000 (on the same label), also directed by Konishi.


Ella Fitzgerald - Things Ain't What They Used To Be


Year : 1971
Label : Reprise Records
Genre : Jazz, Latin Jazz
Style : Funk/Soul, Vocal, Big Band

A similar project to Ella in 1969 when a big band encounter Pop Culture from the sixties. Jazz, Soul, Bossa Nova and Funk. Arranged & conducted by Gerald Wilson and his orchestra with notable musicians as Joe Sample (organ & keyboards), J.J. Johnson (trombone).

01. Sunny
02. Mas Que Nada
03. A Man And A Woman
04. Days Of Wine And Roses
05. Black Coffee
06. Tuxedo Junction
07. I Heard It Through The Grapevine
08. Don't Dream Of Anybody But Me
09. Things Ain't What They Used To Be
10. Willow Weep For Me
11. Manteca
12. Just When We're Falling In Love

Reuben Wilson - Love Bug


Year : 1969
Label : Blue Note
Genre : Jazz
Style : Soul Jazz

The second album for Blue Note by Reuben Wilson featuring Lee Morgan, George Coleman Grant Green & Idris Muhammad. Titles include covers pop (I'm Gonna Make You Love Me I Say a Little Prayer) & jazz standard (Stormy) played in Soul Jazz style and four Wilson' Originals. Produced by Francis Wolf and recorded at studio Rudy Van Gelder.

Reuben Wilson_organ
Grant Green_guitar
Idris Muhammad_drums
Lee Morgan_trumpet
George Coleman _tenor saxophone

01. Hot Rod
02. I'm Gonna Make You Love Me
03. I Say a Little Prayer
04. Love Bug
05. Stormy
06. Back Out

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Jimmy McGriff - Electric Funk


Year : 1969
Label : Blue Note
Genre : Jazz
Style : Soul Jazz, Funk/Soul


The grooviest album of one organ master recorded in association with Horace Ott, featuring Stanley Turrentine, Blue Mitchell and studio drummer Bernard Purdie. One of the most Jazz album sampled which include huge grooves Back on The Track and cover pop Spinning Wheel. Tracks 1 to 3, 7 & 9 composed by Horace Ott, 4 to 6 by Jimmy McGriff. Produced by Sonny Lester, all tracks arranged by Horace Ott.

Jimmy McGriff_organ
Horace Ott_electric piano
Bernard Purdie_drums
Blue Mitchell_trumpet
Stanley Turrentine_tenor saxophone
01. Back On The Track
02. Chris Cross
03. Miss Poopie
04. The Bird Wave
05. Spear For Moondog, Part 1
06. Spear For Moondog, Part 2
07. Tight Times
08. Spinning Wheel (D.C. Thomas)
09. Funky Junk

Takeo Yamashita - Lupin The 3rd (Original BGM Collection)


Year : 1980
Label : Nippon Columbia
Genre : Jazz, Stage & Screen
Style : Jazz Funk,

The original score of the first Lupin The 3rd TV serie broadcast from 1971 to 1972, composed by pianist Takeo Yamashita and revisited by himself. Based on the original master tapes, the album includes new recordings featuring flutist Minoru Muraoka and singer Charlie Kosei, frontman of japanese short-lived psychedelic rock band "The Helpful Soul". Titles include the classic opening and ending themes starring Charlie Kosei, killer grooves "Afro Rock Theme", "Disco Plays Lupin", "Rock Theme No.1", scat songs "Afro 'Lupin '68'", "Nice Guy Lupin-Two Beat", "Scat Theme" and brazilian tunes "Samba Crazy", "Medium/Slow Samba". All tracks composed by Takeo Yamashita.

MUSICIANS : Charlie Kosei - vocal - Takeo Yamashita - keyboards - Minoru Muraoka - shakuhachi - Susumu Hashimoto & Shigeki Ikeno - synthesizer, electric piano - Yuji Karaki & Youichi Tamura - guitar - Ken Sato - bass - Taketoshi Igarashi - drums - Yoshiro Hiroshi - vocal, scat

Kimiko Kasai - Butterfly


Year : 1979
Label : CBS
Genre : Jazz
Style : Jazz Funk

Japanese jazz songstress Kimiko Kasai meets Herbie Hancock (keyboards, vocoder) in joint project featuring members from the first incarnation of The Headhunters. The band is formed by bassist Paul Jackson, drummer Alphonse Mouzon, percussionist Bill Summers, saxophonist Benny Maupin and Webster Lewis in addition on keyboards. "Butterfly" consists of six compositions by Herbie Hancock, including two songs from his "Sunlight" album released previously (I Thought It Was You, Sunlight), "Tell Me A Bedtime Story" from "Fat Albert Rotunda" (1969), his jazz standard "Maiden Voyage" and the cover song "As" composed by Stevie Wonder. All tracks produced, mixed and recorded by David Robinson & Herbie Hancock at CBS studio in Tokyo.

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Wax Tailor - Tales Of The Forgotten Melodies


Year : 2005
Label : Lab'oratoire/Under Cover
Genre : Electronic, Hip Hop
Style : Trip-Hop, Downtempo, Jazzy Hip-Hop

Debut album by French independant Hip-Hop producer and cinema soundtrack lover J.C. Le Saoût released on his own label "Lab'oratoire". "Tales Of The Forgotten Melodies" mixes Downtempo and Trip-Hop including jazz & cinematographic samples. It features special guests, cello player Marina Quaisse on "Hypnosis Theme" & "Behind The Disguise", the american Hip-Hop band "The Others" on "Where My Heart's At" & "Walk The Line", and songstress Charlotte Savary on "Our Dance". Voices samples on "Hypnosis Theme" were extracted from "A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy" and "Alice" movies directed by Woody Allen. All cuts & beats by Wax Tailor.
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