Blue Note 85
The precocious and prodigious drummer and composer Tony Williams had already joined the Miles Davis Quintet and participated in numerous landmark Blue Note recordings including Herbie Hancock Empyrean Isles, Eric Dolphy Out To Lunch, Andrew Hill Point Of Departure, Jackie McLean One Step Beyond, and Grachan Moncur III Evolution by the time he recorded his own adventurous debut album Life Time in August 1964, when he was still just 18 years old. Williams had no intention of playing it safe on his maiden voyage as a leader and set forth to document his uncompromising expression on this program of innovative original compositions.
Side 1 presents the expansive two movement suite "2 Pieces of One" with the drummer joined by tenor saxophonist Sam Rivers and bassists Gary Peacock and Richard Davis. Side 2 opens with the jaunty "Tomorrow Afternoon" featuring Williams, Rivers, and Peacock. Williams plays a variety of percussion on the freely improvised "Memory" which features Herbie Hancock on piano and Bobby Hutcherson on vibraphone, and lays out entirely on the ruminative piano-bass duet "Barb's Song to the Wizard" performed by Hancock and Ron Carter which closes the album.
Trumpeter Donald Byrd and Hank Mobley (tenor sax) let listeners know that they are in for an exceptional musical experience on "Ghana". For these Byrd In Flight 1960 sessions, he was joined by Jackie Mclean (alto sax), Duke Pearson (piano), Doug Watkins/Reggie Workman (bass) & Lex Humphries (drums). Higlights include the stunning ballad "Little Girl Blue," and swingers "My Girl Shirl" and "Lex". Blue Note Tone Poet Series features all-analog, remastered 180-gram vinyl in deluxe gatefold package.
Andrew Hill is one of the most distinctive pianists/composers in jazz. Recorded in 1969, it sat unreleased until 2003 when it was issued on CD thanks to archivist Michael Cuscuna. Hill penned all compositions for an ensemble featuring Woody Shaw, Dizzy Reece, Julian Priester, Joe Farrell, Howard Johnson, Bob Northern, Ron Carter and Lenny White. This is presented for the first time on vinyl. Blue Note Tone Poet Series features all-analog, remastered 180-gram vinyl in deluxe gatefold packaging.
Recorded in 1961, but not released until 1967, The Witch Doctor features one of Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers' greatest line-ups: Wayne Shorter (saxophone), Lee Morgan (trumpet), Bobby Timmons (piano), and Jymie Merritt (bass). Highlights include Morgan's "Afrique," Shorter's "Those Who Sit and Wait," Timmons' "A Little Busy," and Jordan's "Lost and Found" which closes the album. Blue Note Tone Poet Series features all-analog, remastered 180-gram vinyl in deluxe gatefold packaging.
Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers
Roots And Herbs (Blue Note Tone Poet Series) [LP]
Vinyl LP pressing. Blue Note Tone Poet Series. One Art Blakey's greatest albums with the Jazz Messengers, Roots & Herbs, is little known. In 1961, the group featured Lee Morgan (trumpet), Wayne Shorter (tenor sax), Bobby Timmons (piano) and Jymie Merrit (bass). Recorded in Rudy Van Gelder's New Jersey studio, it's a brilliant set of six Shorter compositions, like the playful "Ping Pong" and the clever "United." It's among Blakey's finest.
Blue Note Classic Vinyl Reissue Series!
180g Vinyl LP!
Mastered By Kevin Gray From Original Analog Tapes!
Pressed At Optimal!
The fourth volume of The Amazing Bud Powell series, recorded in 1958, found the brilliant bebop piano master in particularly fine form on an ebullient set of his original tunes including "Buster Rides Again," "Monopoly," and "John's Abbey." Powell's inventive solo flights shine in a trio setting with Sam Jones on bass and "Philly" Joe Jones on drums.
This Blue Note Classic Vinyl Edition is all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes, and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal.
FEATURES:
- Blue Note Classic Vinyl Reissue Series
- 180g Vinyl LP
- All-Analog Pressing
- Mastered by Kevin Gray from Original Analog Tapes
- Manufactured at Optimal in Germany
Time Waits: The Amazing Bud Powell
The amazing bebop piano genius Bud Powell made his most enduring recordings as a leader for Blue Note. Powell's 1949 and 1951 sessions were compiled in 1955 on The Amazing Bud Powell, Vol. 1. Featuring the pianist with the likes of Sonny Rollins, Fats Navarro, Roy Haynes and Max Roach on bebop classics including "Un Poco Loco" and "Bouncing with Bud." Blue Note Classic Vinyl Series is all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes, and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal.
FEATURES:
- Blue Note Classic Vinyl Reissue Series
- 180g Vinyl LP
- All-Analog Pressing
- Mono
- Mastered by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio from the original analog tapes
- Manufactured at Optimal in Germany
MUSICIANS:
Fats Navarro Trumpet
Sonny Rollins Tenor Saxaphone
Bud Powell Piano
Curly Russell Bass
Max Roach DRUMS
Amazing Bud Powell, Vol 1 (Blue note Classic Vinyl Series)
There are several albums titled Chet Baker Sings, but this Pacific Jazz recording is the original, and arguably, the best. Highlights Chet's indelible vocals and sterling trumpet playing with two quartet line-ups on a set of classic standards. For the first time in 60 years, this definitive edition is pristinely cut from the original masters. Includes additional session photography. Blue Note Records' Tone Poet Audiophile Vinyl Reissue Series features 180g vinyl in deluxe gatefold packaging.
Chet Baker, Art Pepper & Phil Urso
Picture Of Heath (Blue Note Tone Poet Series) [LP]
Dexter Gordon had been living in Europe for several years when he recorded One Flight Up, one of his masterpieces, in Paris in 1964. It's all here: Dexter's magnificently huge sound, Donald Byrd in peak form on trumpet, the sophistication of pianist Kenny Drew, the brilliance of the then-teenaged bass phenom Niels-Henning Orsted Pederson and the rock-steady swing of drummer Art Taylor. Blue Note Tone Poet Series features all-analog, remastered 180-gram vinyl in deluxe gatefold packaging.
In 1962 Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus and Max Roach recorded Money Jungle, one of the most celebrated jazz trio albums of all time. Generational and stylistic differences between the three created fearless music. The album features some of Ellington's indelible compositions including "Caravan," "Solitude," and a stunning version of "Le Fleurs Africaines (African Flower)." Blue Note Tone Poet Series features all-analog, remastered 180-gram vinyl in deluxe gatefold packaging.