Friday, July 10, 2026

Barney Kessel • To Swing Or Not To Swing



Guitarist Barney Kessel's string of recordings for Contemporary in the 1950s included some of the finest work of his career. The unusual repertoire on this set -- which includes "Louisiana," "Indiana," and "12th Street Rag," along with four Kessel originals and more usual standards -- would by itself make this bop/cool set noteworthy. Add to that a very interesting lineup of players (trumpeter Harry "Sweets" Edison, Georgie Auld or Bill Perkins on tenor, pianist Jimmy Rowles, the rhythm guitar of Al Hendrickson, bassist Red Mitchell, and Shelly Manne or Irv Cottler on drums) and some excellent showcases for Kessel, and the overall result is a recording highly recommended to fans of straight-ahead jazz.

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La serie de grabaciones del guitarrista Barney Kessel para Contemporary en los años 50 incluyó algunos de los mejores trabajos de su carrera. El inusual repertorio de este set - que incluye "Louisiana", "Indiana" y "12th Street Rag", junto con cuatro originales de Kessel y los estándares más habituales - haría por sí mismo que este set de bop/cool fuera digno de mención. Si a esto le añadimos una alineación muy interesante de músicos (el trompetista Harry "Sweets" Edison, Georgie Auld o Bill Perkins en el tenor, el pianista Jimmy Rowles, la guitarra rítmica de Al Hendrickson, el bajista Red Mitchell, y Shelly Manne o Irv Cottler en la batería) y algunos excelentes escaparates para Kessel, el resultado general es una grabación muy recomendada para los fans del jazz directo.


Colaborador / Contributor:  Michel 
 
 

Houston Person • Legends of Acid Jazz

 



Review by Chris Slawecki  
Houston Person was among the guttiest of the gutbucket saxophonists of the soul-jazz golden age -- for proof, look no further than Legends of Acid Jazz: Houston Person, which compiles two of the saxman's most popular releases, Person to Person! and Houston Express (both originally released in 1970). Express featured the "funkmaster general" of the tenor saxophone with a tight, pocket-sized ensemble (including guitarist Grant Green and drummer Idris Muhammad), while, on Person!, his supporting ensemble expanded to include trumpet players Cecil Bridgewater and Thad Jones, guitarist Billy Butler and another kindred spirit and prince of funk on his instrument, Motown bassist Gerry Jemmott.

Legends of Acid Jazz: Houston Person provides a high-voltage cover version extravaganza, including "(For God's Sake) Give More Power to the People" (the Chi-Lites), "Close to You" (the Carpenters), "Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yester-Day" (Stevie Wonder), "Young, Gifted and Black" (Aretha Franklin), "Just My Imagination" (the Temptations), and "Lift Every Voice and Sing," which Person describes in his liner notes as the "black national anthem." Person and friends turn every one of these, and others such as his own "Up at Joe's, Down at Jim's" and his trademark "The Houston Express" into stinging, swinging, original-sounding opuses of funk.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/legends-of-acid-jazz-mw0000615833

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Reseña de Chris Slawecki  
Houston Person fue uno de los saxofonistas más agresivos de la época dorada del soul-jazz. Para comprobarlo, no hay más que ver Legends of Acid Jazz: Houston Person, que recopila dos de los lanzamientos más populares del saxofonista, Person to Person! y Houston Express (ambos publicados originalmente en 1970). Express presentaba al "funkmaster general" del saxofón tenor con un conjunto ajustado y de bolsillo (que incluía al guitarrista Grant Green y al batería Idris Muhammad), mientras que, en Person!, su conjunto de apoyo se ampliaba para incluir a los trompetistas Cecil Bridgewater y Thad Jones, al guitarrista Billy Butler y a otro espíritu afín y príncipe del funk en su instrumento, el bajista de la Motown Gerry Jemmott.

Leyendas del Acid Jazz: Houston Person ofrece una extravagancia de versiones de alto voltaje, incluyendo "(For God's Sake) Give More Power to the People" (los Chi-Lites), "Close to You" (los Carpenters), "Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yester-Day" (Stevie Wonder), "Young, Gifted and Black" (Aretha Franklin), "Just My Imagination" (los Temptations), y "Lift Every Voice and Sing", que Person describe en sus notas como el "himno nacional negro". "Person y sus amigos convierten cada una de estas canciones, y otras como la suya propia "Up at Joe's, Down at Jim's" y su característica "The Houston Express", en punzantes y originales opus de funk.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/legends-of-acid-jazz-mw0000615833

 

Thursday, July 9, 2026

Michel Camilo & Tomatito • Spain Forever

 


Contributor  Pere


Skeewiff • Greatest Wiffs




Neil Stacey, Chris Haigh, Jez Cook, Bernard O'Neill • Paris Hot Club Style