Freddie Hubbard ‎- First Light

Year : 1971
Label : CTI
Genre : Jazz
Style : Post Bop, Soul Jazz

The third CTI album released by genius trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, can be seen as the final part of a jazz trilogy including his two previous albums, "Red Clay" and "Straight Life" recorded in 1970. "First Light" is a jazz masterpiece with beautiful strings arrangements by master Don Sebesky, featuring the greatest players of their times among guitarist George Benson, bassist Ron Carter, drummer Jack DeJohnette and pianist Richard Wyands. Titles include the title-track (a replay to "Red Clay"), funky variation of the Paul McCartney's classic "Uncle Albert/Admiral Hasley", and the sweet mood of "Moment To Moment", "Yesterday's Dreams" & "Lonely Town".

George Benson - Body Talk

Year : 1973
Label : CTI
Genre : Jazz
Style : Jazz Funk, Soul Jazz

"Body Talk" is a Soul Jazz album including the heavy Funk expressions of James Brown's groove featuring associated guitarist Earl Klugh, bassist Ron Carter, drummer Jack DeJohnette & pianist Harold Mabern, all conducted by the leader of the James Brown revue, Pee Wee Ellis. Titles include pure Funk/Soul tracks arranged by Pee Wee Ellis (the opening song "Dance", "Plum" & the title-track), the Soulful song by Donny Hattaway's "When Love Has Grown" and the climax "Top Of The World". All tracks composed by George Benson except the one mentioned produced by Creed Taylor, recorded at studio Rudy Van Gelder. 

MUSICIANS : George Benson, Earl Klugh - guitar - Ron Carter,  Gary King  - bass - Jack DeJohnette - drums - Harold Mabern - electric piano - Mobutu - percussion - Frank Foster - tenor saxophone - Dick Griffin, Gerard Chamberlain - trombone - John Gatchell, Jon Faddis, Waymon Reed - trumpet, flugelhorn

George Benson - Beyond The Blue Horizon

Year : 1971
Label : CTI
Genre : Jazz
Style : Soul Jazz, Hard Bop

First album for the CTI label, the Soul Jazz album "Beyond The Blue Horizon" is a high point in the George Benson's career featuring two rising stars of Jazz, the drummer Jack DeJohnette (from John Coltrane Quintet) and Ron Carter (Miles Davis Quintet), supported by Clarence Palmer on Hammond B3 organ, Albert Nicholson & Michael Cameron on percussion. The album showcases incredible guitar skill variations of the George Benson's guitar playing including a funky version of the great Miles Davis' jazz standard "So What?", the Luiz Bonfa's Bossa Nova tune "The Gentle Rain" and Afro-Jazz track "Somewhere To The East". All tracks produced by Creed Taylor and recorded at studio Rudy Van Gelder.

Kenny Burrell - God Bless The Child

Year : 1971
Label : CTI
Genre : Jazz
Style : Fusion, Jazz Guitar

The beautiful crossover jazz album "God Bless The Child" is an essential of jazz guitar, the only one recorded for CTI by american jazz guitarist Kenny Burrell featuring Ron Carter, Billy Cobham, Freddie Hubbard and Ray Barretto. Influenced by the legendary jazz guitarists Charlie Christian and Django Reinhardt, Kenny Burrell started in the early fifties alongside Oscar Peterson before to become a session musician in demand, playing for numerous prestigious musicians among Dizzie Gillepsie, Paul Chambers, Milt Jackson, Louis Amstrong or James Brown, and was a regular sideman, in particular, for Jimmy Smith on over twenty albums. All titles are recorded with the support of a strings orchestra under the Don Sebesky direction. Recorded at studio Rudy Van Gelder and produced by Creed Taylor.

MUSICIANS : Kenny Burrell - guitar - Ron Carter - bass - Hugh Lawson - piano - Richard Wyands - electric piano - Freddie Hubbard - trumpet - Billy Cobham - drums - Ray Barretto - percussion

Ron Carter - Spanish Blue

Year : 1974
Label : CTI
Genre : Jazz
Style : Fusion
Website : Roncater.net

Third album of jazz bassist recorded for CTI performed by bassist Ron Carter. An Andalusian breeze blows on Spanish Blue,  a sensuous atmosphere created by playing of Hubert Laws and Jay Berliner. Titles include the reinterpretation of masterpiece So What? from the Miles Davis' Kind Of Blue (1959), spanish vibes to the flamenco accents (El Noche Sol & Sabado Sombrero) and the last groovy track called Arkansas featuring the great solos of Hubert Laws and Ron Carter. Produced by Creed Taylor and recorded at Studio Rudy Van Gelder.

Ron Carter _bass, piccolo bass
Hubert Laws_flute
Roland Hanna & Leon Pendarvis _electric piano, piano
Jay Berliner_guitar
Billy Cobham_drums, field drum
Ralph MacDonald_percussion

01. El Noche Sol
02. So What
03. Sabado Sombrero
04. Arkansas

Deodato - Deodato 2

Year : 1973
Label : CTI
Genre : Jazz, Latin
Style : Jazz Rock, Fusion

"Deodato 2" is a jazz-rock masterpiece by Brazilian jazz pianist and arranger Eumir Deodato. It features iconic musicians from the american fusion scene including John Tropea on electric guitar, Stanley Clarke on bass, Billy Cobham on drums and Brazilian percussionist Rubens Bassini, surrounded by solid horn section with Hubert Laws (flute), John Faddis (trumpet) or Wayne Andre (trombone) among others. The album opens of amazing variation on progressive rock standard "Nights In White Satin" by The Moody Blues, including an insane guitar solo by John Tropea at his top of his game. Other titles include the Deodato's classics "Skyscrapers" (with the virtuoso bass line by Stanley Clarke) & "Super Strut", a funky version of George Gershwin's "Rhapsody In Blue", and the wistful song "Pavane For A Dead Princess" from french classical composer Maurice Ravel. 

Ron Carter - Blues Farm

Year : 1973
Label : CTI
Genre : Jazz
Style : Fusion
Website : Roncater.net

The first of five series albums recorded for CTI between 1973 and 1976 featuring some of the best New York studio musicians : the Carter's deep groove is reinforced by the presence Billy Cobham, Bob James, Richard Tee, Hubert Laws, Ralph MacDonald.  of a line-up formed around . Produced by Creed Taylor, recorded at Rudy Van Gelder Studio, arranged and conducted by Ron Carter. All compositions by Ron carter except Django (John Lewis).

Ron Carter_piccolo bass
Billy Cobham_drums
Hubert Laws_flute
Richard Tee & Bob James_electric piano
Ralph McDonald_percussions
Sam Brown & Gene Bertoncini_electric guitar

01. Blues Farm
02. A Small Ballad
03. Django
05. A Hymn For Him
06. Two-Beat Johnson
07. R2, M1

Deodato - Prelude

Year : 1973
Label : CTI
Genre : Jazz, Latin
Style : Jazz Rock, Smooth Jazz

Originally recorded in 1972, "Prelude" is the first of three jazz rock albums (including a recording live) released on CTI by brazilian keyboardist Eumir Deodato. The album is best known for the iconic track "Also Sprach Zarathustra", an arrangement of the theme from "2001: A Space Odyssey", it-self first part of Richard Strauss' tone poem (Also Sprach Zarathustra op.30). "Prelude" is the most successful recording for Deodato and CTI Records, a great source of inspiration for many future jazz fusion musicians in particular in the latin funk style. It features best of the best CTI session musicians such as Ron Carter, Stanley Clarke, Billy Cobham, Airto Moreira, Ray Barretto, John Tropea and Hubert Laws. Titles also include "Baubles, Bangles And Beats" exctract from the B'Way Show Kismet, "Prelude To Afternoon Of A Faun" by orchestral music french composer Claude Debussy and "September 13" by Cobham & Deodato.

George Benson - Bad Benson

Year : 1974
Label : CTI
Genre : Jazz
Style : Jazz Funk

Bad Benson is a collection of different kind music choices as smooth and straight ahead jazz designed by George Benson, associated to Phil Upchurch collaboration and featuring rhythm section featuring Ron Carter, Steve Gadd and Kenny Barron surrounded by brass band plus strings ensemble. Titles include the funky variation of the jazz standard Take Five by Paul Desmond, two compositions of Phil Upchurch (No Sooner Said Than Done & Full Compass) and two of George (My Latin Brother & The Changing World) all arranged and conducted by Don Sebesky. Recorded at studio Rudy Van Gelder, produced by Creed Taylor for CTI.

George Benson_guitar

Phil Upchurch_guitar, electric bass, percussion

Ron Carter_bass

Kenny Barron_piano

Steve Gadd_drums

01. Take Five
02. Summer Wisher, Winter Dreams (J.Mandel/A. & M. Bergman)
03. My Latin Brother
04. No Sooner Said Than Done
05. Full Compass
06. The Changing World

Antonio Carlos Jobim - Stone Flower

Year : 1970

Label : CTI
Genre : Latin Jazz
Style : Bossa Nova

Considered as the forerunner of the Bossa Nova genre, Antonio Carlos Jobim was best known for having shaped Brazilian modern music and his contribution to famous Stan Getz's albums "Jazz Samba" and "Getz/Gilberto". Arranged by Eumir Deodato and recorded at studio Rudy Van Gelder, "Stone Flower" is a highlight point of his career, a kind of own version of the Miles Davis' "Kind Of Blue" album. It's his only album recorded for the Creed Taylor label including the best of the best among CTI musicians : Joe Farrell, Ron Carter, Hubert Laws, Deodato and Airto Moreira. Titles include the Brazilian music anthem "Brazil" ("Aquarela Do Brazil" composed by Ary Barroso) and original compositions by Jobim.

Gabor Szabo - Macho

Year : 1975
Label : Salvation Records
Genre : Jazz
Style : Jazz Funk

A Jazz Funk & Smooth Jazz album first issue on Salvation label by the most famous Hungarian jazz guitarist. Bob James contributes largely to the achievement of this album as arranger, producer and pianist. Gabor Szabo' group featuring Eric Gale, Harvey Mason, Idris Muhammad, Louis Johnson, Tom Scott, John Faddis. Titles include the huge groovy version of Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 (Franz Liszt), boogaloo style as The Meters, Ziggidy Zag by Harvey Mason, Macho & Time by Gabor. All tracks arranged by Bob James, Gabor Szabo & Harvey Mason.

  

Gabor Szabo & Eric Gale_guitar

Bob James_keyboards

Louis Johnson_bass

Harvey Mason_drums

Tom Scott_lyricon, saxophone

Idris Muhammad, Ralph MacDonald_percussion

George Bohannon_trombone

John Faddis_trumpet

01. Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2
02. Time
03. Transylvania Boogie
04. Ziggidy Zag
05. Macho
06. Poetry Man

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Idris Muhammad - Power of Soul

Year : 1974
Label : CTI/Kudu
Genre : Jazz
Style : Jazz Rock, Jazz Funk

The first recording for CTI by Idris Muhammad and probably among his best fusion album. An essential of Fusion Jazz with powerfull rock beats, soul grooves & funky arrangements featuring Bob James, Grover Washington Jr., Gary King, Joe beck, Ralph MacDonald and Randy Brecker. Titles include the Jimmy Hendrix' Power of Soul, Piece Of Mind by Bob James, The Saddest Thing by Joe Beck and Loran's Dance by Grover Washington Jr.. Recorded at studio Rudy Van Gelder. All tracks arranged and conducted by Bob James.
  

Idris Muhammad_drums

Bob James_keyboards

Grover Washington Jr._tenor & soprano saxophones

Gary King_bass 

Joe beck_guitar

Ralph MacDonald_percussion

Randy Brecker_trumpet & flugelhorn.

01. Power Of Soul
02. Piece Of Mind
03. The Saddest Thing
04. Loran's Dance

Johnny Hammond - Breakout

Year : 1971

Label : Kudu/CTI

Genre : Jazz

Style : Soul Jazz, Jazz Funk

Another genious Hammond B-3 organ player also known under the name John Robert Smith started his solo career with Imagination in 1959. In he signed on Prestige label in 1961 and later, recorded several albums for Kudu (subsidiary of CTI Records). In the line-up feature some best CTI musicians as Hank Crawford, Grover Washington Jr., Billy Cobham, Eric Gale and the famous brazilian percussionist Airto Moreira. Titles include the super groove version of Carole King' It's Too Late and Never Can Say Goodbye popularized by the Jackson Five. Recorded at studio Rudy Van Gelder and produced by Creed Taylor.

Johnny Hammond_organ & electric piano
Johnny Williams_bass
Eric Gale_guitar
Billy Cobham_drums
Hank Crawford_alto saxophone
Grover Washington Jr._tenor saxophone  
Danny Moore_trumpet
Airto Moreira_percussion

01. It's Too Late
02. Workin' On A Groovy Thing
03. Never Can Say Goodbye
04. Blues Selah
05. Breakout

George Benson - White Rabbit

Year : 1971
Label : CTI
Genre : Jazz, Latin Jazz
Style : Fusion

A 'Gypsy' project with heavy orchestration conducted & arranged by Don Sebesky as on The Other Side Of Abbey Road. Titles include some Andalusian tunes (White Rabbit, El Mar) coupled with Straight Ahead Jazz, the trademark of CTI records. Great reprises of the standards pop' White Rabbit & California Dreaming. Earl Klugh & Jay Berliner are associated to george on accoustic guitar. The rest of the band including the finest Fusion Jazz players such as Ron Carter (bass), Herbie Hancock (electric piano), Billy Cobham (drums), Airto Moreira (percussions, vocals), Hubert Laws (flute).

01. White Rabbit
02. Theme from Summer of '42
03. Little Train (from Bachianas Brasileiras No.2)
04. California Dreaming
05. El Mar

Freddie Hubbard - Red Clay

Year : 1970
Label : CTI
Genre : Jazz
Style : Modal, Hard Bop, Post Bop, Soul Jazz

Essential album in the Freddie Hubbard discography, the first release for CTI records. "Red Clay" is an Hard Bop album including Funk/Soul expressions performed in quintet featuring outstanding musicians, Joe Henderson (saxophone, flute), Herbie Hancock (electric piano, organ), Ron Carter (bass) & Lenny White (drums), all former member of the legendary Miles Davis Second Great Quintet (1964-1969). Titles include heavy grooves ( The Intrepid Fox), Soul Jazz (Delphia) and modal forms (Red Clay). All tracks composed & arranged by Freddie Hubbard, recorded at studio Rudy Van Gelder, produced by Creed Taylor.

Bob James - BJ 4

Year : 1977

Label : CTI

Genre : Jazz

Style : Fusion, Jazz Funk, Smooth Jazz

The final chapter of the Bob James tetralogy and last volume of the four discs serie produced for CTI from 1974 to 1977. As the previous albums, the rhythm section is based on Steve Gadd, Eric Gale, Gary King & Ralph MacDonald, including soloists Hubert Laws and Art Farmer, all supported by strings ensemble. Titles include original compositions by Bob James from Jazz Funk (Where The Wind Blows Free, Tappan Zee) to Smooth Jazz (Pure Imagination, Nights Are Forever Without You) with caribbean overtones (Treasure Island). All tracks arrranged by Bob James, produced by Creed Taylor, recorded at studio Rudy Van Gelder.

Bob James_keyboards
Gary King_bass
Steve Gadd_drums
Eric Gale_guitar
Ralph MacDonald_percussion
Romeo Penque & Eddie Daniels_tenor saxophone & bass clarinet

01. Pure Imagination

02. Where The Wind Blows Free
03. Tappan Zee
04. Nights Are Forever Without You
05. Treasure Island
06. El Verano

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Bob James - Three

  
Year : 1976
Label : CTI
Genre : Jazz
Style : Fusion, Jazz Funk, Smooth Jazz

The penultimate Bob James album coming from the famous Smooth Jazz tetralogy "One, Two, Three & BJ 4" featuring guest musician saxophonist Grover Washington Jr.. "Three" crosses various musical jazz styles ranging from Funk (Storm King) to Smooth Jazz, passing by caribbean overtones including reggae tunes (Women Of Ireland, Jamaica Farewell). The Bob James line-up consists of his usual rhythm section based on Gary King, Harvey Mason, Eric Gale and session musicians such as drummer Andy Newmark & guitarist Jeff Mironov (added on "One Mint Julep"), all supported by horns section & strings ensemble. All tracks arranged & conducted by Bob James, recorded at studio Rudy Van Gelder.

Bob James_keyboards
Gary King & Will Lee_bass
Harvey Mason_drums
Eric Gale & Hugh McCracken_guitar
Ralph MacDonald_percussion
Grover Washington Jr. & Tin Whistle_tenor saxophone
Hubert Laws & Jerry Dodgion_flute

01. One Mint Julep 

02. Women Of Ireland

03. Westchester Lady

04. Storm King

05. Jamaica Farewell

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Airto Moreira - Free

Year : 1972

Label : CTI

Genre : Jazz, Latin Jazz
Style : Jazz Samba, Modal

First of four discs serie recorded at studio Rudy Van Gelder for the famous Creed Taylor's CTI label by brazilian percussionist, Airto Moreira, former member of jazz fusion group "Return To Forever". Airto was a sought-after artist among the Creed Taylor's session musicians, he played with others latin artists such as Hermeto Pascoal, Eumir Deodato or Gato Barbieri, cantor of Free Jazz, but also jazz legend Freddie Hubbard. The line-up is based on the "Return To Forever" band featuring leader Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke, Joe Farrell, Airto's wife Flora Purim, including others remarkable soloists such as George Benson, Hubert Laws & Keith Jarrett, all conducted by Don Sebesky. Titles include the tribute "Return To Forever" by Chick Corea, the "Flora's 'Purim' Song", the percussion suite "Free", "Lucky Southern" by Keith Jarrett and the jazz samba, "Creek (Arroio)" composed by Victor Brazil

Bob James - Two

Year : 1975
Label : CTI
Genre : Jazz
Style : Fusion, Jazz Funk, Smooth Jazz

Volume 2 of the Bob James' jazz funk tetralogy featuring CTI All-Stars musicians and special guests, songstress Patti Austin, bassist Gary King, drummer Steve Gadd & flutist Hubert Laws. As the previous "One", the formation is supported by strings ensemble and horns section including trumpeter Randy Brecker. Titles include  "Take Me To The Mardi Gras", one of the most widely used tracks in Hip-Hop breakbeat samples (N.W.A., Beastie Boys, Run-DMC), "I Feel A Song" featuring Patti Austin and variation on "Farandole (L'Arlesienne Suite #2)" taken from classical french composition by George Bizet. All tracks conducted & arranged by Bob James, recorded at studio Rudy Van Gelder.

MUSICIANS : Bob James - keyboards / Eric Gale - guitar & bass / Richie Resnicoff - guitar /

Andrew Smith - drums / Arthur Jenkins & Ralph McDonald - percussions / Randy Brecker - trumpet / Gary King - bass / Steve Gadd - drums / Hubert Laws - flute

TRACKLIST : Bob James - Take Me To The Mardi Gras / Bob James Feat. Patti Austin - I Feel A Song / Bob James Feat. Steve Gadd & Gary King - The Golden Apple / Bob James Feat. Hubert Laws - Farandole (L'Arlesienne Suite #2) / Bob James - You're Right As Rain - Dream Journey

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Bob James - One

Year : 1974
Label : CTI
Genre : Jazz
Style : Fusion, Jazz Funk, Smooth Jazz

First of a four serie albums recorded for CTI  between 1974-1977, by american jazz pianist and arranger Bob James, proclaimed as the "Godfather" of the Smooth Jazz. Bob James plays with a large ensemble of musicians featuring Gary King, Idris Muhammad & Grover Washington Jr., all supported by a strings section. After a period as sideman for Sarah Vaughan from 1965 to 1968, he become one of favorites studio musicians for the Creed Taylor's new label, CTI. During the decade 1970, he played a major role in turning Jazz into Jazz Funk as producer and arranger. With "One", Bob James revisits great works of classical music, the Mussorgsky's "Night On Bald Mountain" & "In The Garden" based on "Canon In D" by Pachelbel. Others titles include original compositions by Bob James, "Valley Of The Shadow", "Soulero" featuring guest saxophonist Grover Washington Jr. and "Nautilus" (sampled by Run-D.M.C. on "Beats to the Rhyme" & Ghostface Killah on "Daytona 500"). Produced by Creed Taylor, recorded at Rudy Van Gelder studio, arranged & conducted by Bob James.

Bob James_keyboards

Gary King_bass

Richie Resnicoff_guitar

Idris Muhammad & Steve Gadd_drums

Ralph McDonald_percussion
Grover Whashington Jr._soprano saxophone

01. Valley Of The Shadows                        

02. In The Garden

03. Soulero

04. Night On Bald Mountain

05. Feel Like Making Love

06. Nautilus

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