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. 

Herbie Hancock - Fat Albert Rotunda (Original Soundtrack)

Year : 1969
Label : Warner
Genre : Jazz, Stage & Screen
Style : Soul Jazz, Jazz Funk

First album after left Blue Note of Herbie Hancock where he turned to Soul Music and started his Jazz Funk style period. A part of this album was done for special episode Hey, Hey, Hey, It's Fat Albert from the cartoon Fat Albert and Cosby Kids broadcast TV show. Ten years after, he recorded another version of Tell Me A Bedtime Story for Kimko Kasai on Butterfly. The formation features notable musicians as Joe Henderson, Buster Williams, Albert "Tootie" Heath or Garnett Brown. All selections written & arranged by Herbie Hancock and recorded at sudio Rudy Van Gelder.

Herbie Hancock_piano, electric piano
Buster Williams_bass
Albert "Tootie" Heath_drums
Joe Henderson_flute, tenor saxophone
Garnett Brown_trombone
Johnny Coles_trumpet, flugelhorn

01. Wiggle Waggle
02. Fat Mama
03. Tell Me A Bedtime Story
04. Oh! Oh! Here He Comes
05. Jessica
06. Fat Albert Rotunda
07. Lil' Brother

Billy Cobham - A Funky Thide Of Sings

Year : 1975
Label : Atlantic
Genre : Jazz
Style : Jazz Funk, Jazz Rock

The drummer Billy Cobam recorded eight LPs for Atlantic between 1973 to 1977. Here, one of essential album representative of his Jazz Funk Fusion work featuring John Scofield and the Breckers Brothers who collaborated with Billy since the Dreams LP (1969). Most of the tracks demonstrate a high speed drumming technic with powerful solo of Cobham and huge level of Funk attitude. Titles include future Jazz Funk standard Some Skunk Funk by Randy Brecker, Sorcery by Keith Jarrett, Thinking Of You by Alex Blake and four composed by Billy Cobham as the exciting title track.

Billy Cobham_drums
Alex Blake_bass
John Scofield_guitar
Milcho Leviev_keyboards
Michael Brecker_saxophone
Randy Brecker_trumpet
Glenn Ferris_trombone

01. Panhandler
02. Sorcery
03. A Funky Thide Of Sings
04. Thinking Of You
05. Some Skunk Funk
06. Light At The End Of The Tunnel
07. A Funky Kind Of Thing
08. Moody Modes

Serge Gainsbourg - L'Homme A Tête De Chou

 

Year : 1976

Label : Philips
Genre : Rock
Style : Pop, Avant Garde

"L'Homme A Tête De Chou" is the fourth concept album of Serge Gainsbourg featuring british arranger/keyboardist, Alan Hawkshaw, bassist Brian Odgers, percussionist Jim Lawless from Appolo 100, guitarits Alan Parker, Judd Proctor, drummer Dougie Wright. As his previous albums ("Histoire De Mélodie Nelson", "Vu De L'exterieur" & "Rock Around The Bunker"), Serge Gainsbourg combines progressive rock with avant-garde and poetry including "Ma Lou Marilou" announcing his next reggae period, which was inspired by a passage from Ludwig Van Beethoven "Piano Sonata No. 23 in F minor, op. 57". All tracks composed by Serge Gainsbourg and arranged by Alan Hawkshaw, recorded at Mercury studios in London & Paris.

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

Grant Green - Alive!

Year : 1970
Label : Blue Note
Genre : Jazz
Style : Soul Jazz, Jazz Funk

Amazing live performance recorded at the Cliche Lounge in New Jersey by the emblematic jazz fusion guitarist. Grant Green continues his "funky" route, strongly influenced by James Brown, started from his previous album "Green Is Beautiful", with the same formation, namely, Idris Muhammad, Claude Bartee & Earl Neal Creque plus organist Ronnie Foster. Titles include crossover Jazz & powerful Soul grooves, the Funk classics "Let The Music Take Your Mind" & "Sookie, Sookie" (cover songs of Kool & the Gang and Don Covay), and the Lalo Schifrin's Down Here On The Ground sampled by ATCQ (Vibes And Stuff). 

Grant Green_guitar

Claude Bartee_saxophone

Earl Neal Creque & Ronnie Foster_organ

Idris Muhammad_drums

Joseph Armstrong_congas 

William Bivens_vibes

01. Let The Music Take Your Mind
02. Time To Remember
03. Sookie, Sookie
04. Down Here On The Ground

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.

Mongo Santamaria - Mongo' 70

Year : 1970

Label : Atlantic

Genre : Jazz, Latin Jazz

Style : Jazz Funk, Afro-Cuban Jazz

Mongo Santamaria was a popular session latin jazz percussionist who played in the fifties with the greatest Tito Puente or Cal Tjader among others. "Mongo' 70" is a crossover jazz album including latin grooves and pop/funk beats recorded with collaboration of pianist/arranger Earl Neal Creque from Pucho & His Latin Soul Brothers. Titles include the killer funk "March Of The Panther" composed by Sonny Henry, "Dedicated To Love" by John Hart,  the Afro-Cuban "Abolo Criollo", the killer pop "Yesterday's Tomorrow" & "Mo' Do" featuring guitarist Eric Gale, and six original compositions by E. N. Creque (whose "Windjammer", a variation of "The Windjammer" originally composed for Grant Green). Mongo is supported by a trio of percussionists formed by Julio Colazzo, Osvaldo Martinez & Pelayo Diaz.

Marcos Valle - Samba '68

Year : 1968

Label : Verve

Genre : Latin Jazz

Style : Bossa Nova

A nice selection of catchy Bossa Nova songs originally recorded in 1967 by one of the most iconic Brazilian jazz pianist. Released for an international audiance including english lyrics, "Samba '68" is a cover album of original Valle's songs previously released in Brazil and composed with his brother Paulo Sérgio Valle, his only recording for the jazz label "Verve". It feature his wife Anamaria on vocals, Claudio Slon on drums, Walter Wanderley on organ and Eumir Deodato in charge of arrangements, all supported by a strings ensemble. Titles include two of the biggest Valle's hits, the Bossa Nova standards "So Nice (Summer Samba)" & "Crickets Sing For Anamaria", originally known as "Samba De Verão" (1964) and "Os Grilos" (1967). All tracks arranged by Eumir Deodato.

Yoshio Suzuki - Friends

Year : 1973

Label : CBS

Genre : Jazz

Style : Hard Bop, Modal

The debut album as a leader by Yoshio Suzuki featuring saxophonist Kohsuke Mine, pianist Takehiro Honda, drummer Hiroshi Murakami & special guest flutist Hideo Miyata. "Friends" is an essential japanese jazz masterpiece ranging from Hard Bop (The Past, K'S Waltz) to Modal jazz (Burning Point) passing by Bossa Nova (Samba De Chico), it includes only Suzuki's own compositions. Before to settle in New York in 1973, Yoshio was sideman for Sadao Watanabe, Takehiro Honda from 1969 to 1973, played for Masabumi Kikuchi, Yoshiaki Masuo (24 & Winds Of Barcelona) and Kimiko Kasai (What's New & Satin Doll). In US, he played alongside Stan Getz as his regular bassist, Sonny Rollins, Lee Konitz, Chet Baker and joined the famous Art Blakey and his Jazz Messengers. During 1999 to 2001, he was member of the Yuji Ohno Trio on the first three albums from the LUPIN THE THIRD [JAZZ] serie. 

LISTEN SAMPLE

Walter Wanderley - Rain Forrest

Year : 1966

Label : Verve

Genre : Latin Jazz

Style : Bossa Nova

Walter Wanderley was the most famous brazilian organist and well known for his distinctive staccato play including the Hammond B3 use. "Rain Forest" is the first of three albums serie recorded for Verve recorded at Rudy Van Gelder studio including duet album with Astrud Gilberto "A Certain Smile A Certain Sadness". It includes only instrumental songs, the hits that made famous Bossa Nova in the world from Antonio Carlos Jobim (The Great Love, Song Of The Jet), Marcos Valle (Summer Samba) or Jobim/Vincius De Moraes (The Girl From Ipanema). It features Bucky Pizzarelli on guitar, Bobby Rosengarden on percussion, Joe Grimm on flute & Urbie Green on trombone.