Hampton Hawes • I'm All Smiles

 

 

Review by Ron Wynn
Pianist Hampton Hawes led a trio during the 1960s and '70s that remained popular without compromising its sound or musical integrity. His phrasing and voicings could entice or amaze, and he displays great range, rhythmic vitality, and harmonic excellence during the five selections featured on this 1966 live date now reissued on CD. Hawes moves from the Afro-Latin feel of "Manha de Carnaval" to the brilliant chordal exposition on "Spring Is Here" and "The Shadow of Your Smile," before concluding with a flourish on "Searchin." Hawes is backed by wonderful bassist Red Mitchell and steady drummer Donald Bailey, who had both been with him for over a decade. They are not just a cohesive unit, but an intuitive team, maintaining a communication with him that is amazing even within a genre that demands it.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/im-all-smiles-mw0000623559

///////

Reseña de Ron Wynn
El pianista Hampton Hawes dirigió un trío durante los años 60 y 70 que se mantuvo popular sin comprometer su sonido o integridad musical. Su fraseo y sus voces podían atraer o asombrar, y muestra una gran gama, vitalidad rítmica y excelencia armónica durante las cinco selecciones que aparecen en esta fecha de 1966 en vivo, ahora reeditada en CD. Hawes pasa del sentimiento afrolatino de "Manha de Carnaval" a la brillante exposición de acordes en "Spring Is Here" y "The Shadow of Your Smile", antes de concluir con un florecimiento en "Searchin". Hawes está respaldado por el maravilloso bajista Red Mitchell y el baterista Donald Bailey, quienes han estado con él por más de una década. No son sólo una unidad cohesiva, sino un equipo intuitivo, manteniendo una comunicación con él que es asombrosa incluso dentro de un género que lo exige.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/im-all-smiles-mw0000623559

Wil Blades • Field Notes

 

Having released a critically acclaimed co-led duo album Shimmy with Medeski Martin & Wood drummer Billy Martin in 2012, Blades returns with a deeply soulful and sinuous nine-track effort, Field Notes, on which he’s found fronting his own trio featuring Tortoise guitarist Jeff Parker and New Orleans’ drummer Simon Lott.

From the recording’s outset, it’s easy to picture Blades fingers free-flowing across the keys, feet gliding along the bass pedals in a continuous dance. Syncopation drives songs like “Miller’s Time” and “Addis” as the trio locks in tight to a relentless groove. But there’s also a refined harmonic vision and deep affection for melody on tracks like “(I Can’t Stand) The Whole Lott of You” and “Dewey” where Blades’ Clavinet adds a fresh sonic dimension to the proceedings. Shades of psychedelia are weaved within “Parks ‘N’ Wreck,” while a tip of the hat to vintage soul jazz balladry informs “Forgetful” and classic pop swing is at the heart of “I Get The Blues When It Rains.”

In its sum, Field Notes is a masterful statement from an artist who’s poised to keep the timeless sound of the Hammond B3 organ as vital and compelling today as it’s ever been in the history of modern jazz and rock.
https://wilblades.bandcamp.com/album/field-notes

///////

Habiendo lanzado un álbum a dúo codirigido aclamado por la crítica Shimmy con Medeski Martin y el baterista Billy Martin de Wood en 2012, Blades regresa con un esfuerzo de nueve pistas profundamente conmovedor y sinuoso, Field Notes, en el que se ha encontrado al frente de su propio trío con el guitarrista de Tortoise Jeff Parker y el baterista de Nueva Orleans Simon Lott.

Desde el principio de la grabación, es fácil imaginar los dedos de Blades fluyendo libremente por las teclas, los pies deslizándose a lo largo de los pedales de bajo en un baile continuo. La síncopa impulsa canciones como" Miller's Time "y" Addis " mientras el trío se aferra a un ritmo implacable. Pero también hay una visión armónica refinada y un profundo afecto por la melodía en pistas como "(I Can't Stand) The Whole Lott of You" y "Dewey", donde el Clavinet de Blades agrega una nueva dimensión sonora a los procedimientos. Tonos de psicodelia se entrelazan dentro de "Parks' N 'Wreck", mientras que una punta del sombrero con baladas de jazz soul vintage informa "Olvidadizo" y el swing pop clásico está en el corazón de " I Get The Blues When It Rains.”

En resumen, Field Notes es una declaración magistral de un artista que está preparado para mantener el sonido atemporal del órgano Hammond B3 tan vital y convincente hoy como lo ha sido nunca en la historia del jazz y el rock modernos.
https://wilblades.bandcamp.com/album/field-notes

 

 

wilblades.com ...

Charles McPherson • Live At The Five Spot

 

charlesmcpherson.com ...

Art Adams • Rock Crazy Baby

 

Born Arthur Adams, 12 February 1935, Carollton, Kentucky

Art Adams is one of several rockabilly artists who made one or two obscure records in the fifties, then quit the music business and went back to performing decades later, after being discovered by (mostly European) music fans.

Born in Kentucky into a musical family, Adams moved to a farm just outside Bean Blossom, Indiana, at the age of twelve. Art's education came to an abrupt end when his parents divorced. He never attended high school and by the age of 15 was living in Indianapolis where he worked at a shopping bag company where he met his future wife, Tommie Arlene Melton. On February 3, 2009, they celebrated their 58th wedding anniversary.Yes, that's right, he got married at 15.

Adams was taught to play guitar by his brother-in-law, Dave Logsdon. Together with Danny Cole (bass) and Ray Paley (steel guitar) they formed a country band, the Kentucky Drifters, in late 1954. They cut a demo session at a local Indianapolis radio station and took the results ("Down In Tennessee" and "She's From Tennessee", both written by Art) to the Sun Studio in Memphis after a 700 mile drive. They arrived unannounced only to find out that Sam Phillips was not there. Jack Clement listened to the tapes, said that Adams sounded like Johnny Cash and had to get his own sound. He also said that Sun had too many other artists to deal with then.

Art grew restless with the Kentucky Drifters and wanted to play more rockabilly, whereas Dave Logsdon wanted to stick with country. The band was renamed the Rhythm Kings in 1957 and reshaped with twin guitarists Roy Robinette and Edwin Weil. The drummer, Norm Wagner, died at a very young age and was replaced by Bennie Abott, aka Kentucky Curly. They soon acquired a residency at the Playmore Club in Indianapolis (spelled Pla-Mor by Ian Wallis in Now Dig This). In July 1959, Art Adams and the Rhythm Kings signed a three-year contract with the Cherry label (from Scottsville, Kentucky), owned by Joe Dyson. Soon they had their first recording session, in Nashville. The resultant single paired "Rock Crazy Baby" with "Indian Joe", both songs fiery, primitive rockabilly. A second Cherry single was recorded in May 1960, "Dancing Doll"/"She Don't Live Here No More". "Dancing Doll" featured some truly exciting guitar work, but rockabilly of this type was no longer commercially viable in 1960. Moreover, with all the band members holding down day jobs, there were very limited opportunities for promotion. Cherry Records reneged on their contract and failed to issue "at least two releases per year for a period of three years", as promised, even though they had finished material in the can , like Art's composition "Honey Girl" and a frenzied instrumental version of "Orange Blossom Special".

In 1961 Art formed a completely new band, the Epics, with Billy Stewart on lead guitar, who has been a vital part of Art's musical life since that time. This was an attempt to update his sound with more of an R & B feel and to secure work in more upmarket venues. Art Adams and the Epics were soon in demand as a backing band, especially for well-known acts who visited Indianapolis and had no backing band of their own. "We backed up people like Jerry Lee Lewis, Dee Dee Sharp, Conway Twitty and Gene Simmons". Art kept on going until about 1968. By then he was building up a vending machine company and had three children, leaving no time for music. So he quit the music business, forever, he thought.

During the 1980s, Adams received more and more calls from collectors around the world who tried to find his old records. Counterfeit versions of his Cherry recordings began circulating. But it was not until 2003 that the second part of Art Adams' career as a rockabilly singer took off, with the release by Cees Klop of hirst first CD, "Rock Crazy Baby" on Collector 4477. It contained the four Cherry sides plus alternate takes and a bunch of demos, "not all of which were really deserving of release", as Ian Wallis puts it. I wholeheartedly agree. Many tracks sound amateurish, disjointed or out of tune. Moreover, who really needs the 634th version of "Blue Suede Shoes" or another take on "Tutti Frutti"? Still, two further CD's have been released since then, "Rockin' My Way Around" on Collector in 2005 and "Dancing Doll" on Flying Saucer Records in 2006. Both are newly recorded, primitive and frantic.

Adams' first comeback performance was at Viva Las Vegas in April 2003, followed that same year by gigs in Montreal, Canada, and Hemsby, England. Since then Art has returned to the UK several times and also played in other European countries, like Sweden, France and Spain. He has an energetic stage act and has built up a loyal and enthusiastic following. Today, Adams is backed by Danny Thompson (lead guitar), Mark Cutsinger (drums) and Mike Strauss (bass).

More info : http://www.rockabillyhall.com/ArtAdams.html

VA • Nu Yorica Roots! The Rise Of Latin Music In New York City In The 1960s

  

Review by John Bush
One of the best collections of Latin American music ever assembled, Nu Yorica Roots! compiles some of the funkiest Latin soul and, occasionally, traditional music recorded in the Big Apple during the 1960s and '70s. The disc definitely concentrates on groove tracks, with standout inclusions by Joe Cuba ("El Pito"), Ray Barretto ("Acid," "Together"), and Tito Puente ("Oye Como Va," "Tito on Timbales"). But Nu Yorica Roots! also salutes the more tribal, drum-centered facets of Latin music during the era, with Mongo Santamaria ("Druma Kuyi"), Eddie Palmieri ("My Spiritual Indian"), and Sabu Martinez ("The Oracle") paying homage to their Afro-Cuban roots with flair. Harvey Averne's swinging cover of "The Word" by the Beatles and Orchestra Harlow's dance novelty "Horsin' Up" are a bit silly (even if they're good representations of the Latin soul scene), but without exception, this compilation nails the late-'60s convergence of amazing Latin instrumentalists and more groove-centered black music around El Barrio in East Harlem. Though it's saying quite a bit, Nu Yorica Roots! is the finest compilation produced by the inestimably valuable reissue label Soul Jazz Records.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/nu-yorica-roots%21-the-rise-of-latin-music-in-new-york-city-in-the-1960s-mw0000454610

///////

Reseña de John Bush
Una de las mejores colecciones de música latinoamericana jamás reunida, Nu Yorica Roots! recopila algunos de los temas más funk del soul latino y, ocasionalmente, de la música tradicional grabada en la Gran Manzana durante las décadas de 1960 y 1970. El disco definitivamente se concentra en temas de groove, con inclusiones destacadas de Joe Cuba ("El Pito"), Ray Barretto ("Acid"," Together") y Tito Puente ("Oye Como Va","Tito on Timbales"). Pero Raíces Nu Yorica! también rinde homenaje a las facetas más tribales y centradas en el tambor de la música latina durante la época, con Mongo Santamaria ("Druma Kuyi"), Eddie Palmieri ("My Spiritual Indian") y Sabu Martinez ("The Oracle") rindiendo homenaje a sus raíces afrocubanas con estilo. La versión oscilante de Harvey Averne de "The Word" de the Beatles y la novedad de baile de Orchestra Harlow "Horsin' Up " son un poco tontas (incluso si son buenas representaciones de la escena del soul latino), pero sin excepción, esta compilación clava la convergencia de finales de los años 60 de increíbles instrumentistas latinos y música negra más centrada en el groove alrededor de El Barrio en East Harlem. Aunque es decir bastante, Nu Yorica Roots! es la mejor compilación producida por el inestimablemente valioso sello de reedición Soul Jazz Records.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/nu-yorica-roots%21-the-rise-of-latin-music-in-new-york-city-in-the-1960s-mw0000454610