John Abercrombie • Timeless

 

www.ecmrecords.com/john-abercrombie ...

Chick Corea • Now He Sings, Now He Sobs

 

Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Recorded over a year after Chick Corea's debut Tones for Joan's Bones -- a record cut in late 1966 but not appearing until 1968 -- Now He Sings, Now He Sobs feels like his true first album, the place where he put all the pieces in motion for his long, adventurous career. Much of that has to do with the closed quarters of its recording. Supported by drummer Roy Haynes and bassist Miroslav Vitous, Corea has the freedom to run wild on his five original compositions, letting chords cluster alongside fleet melodic runs. Haynes and Vitous play with the same sense of liberation, which pushes Now He Sings, Now He Sobs into a sweet spot where hard bop and avant intersect. There's an intellectual rigor balanced by an instinctual hunger that makes for music that's lively and challenging while also containing a patina of comfort. Chalk the latter up to the elegance of Corea's piano trio: they move through the dense bop with the same grace that they settle into ballads, a sound that is warm and inviting, yet never disguises how the trio -- and Corea especially -- never stop probing and exploring the outer edges of this music. While it's possible to hear Now He Sings, Now He Sobs as an opening salvo to Corea's career, it also exists as its own special thing because it captures the pianist at the brink: it's kinetic, exciting, and filled with endless possibilities. 
https://www.allmusic.com/album/now-he-sings-now-he-sobs-mw0000199392

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Reseña de Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Grabado más de un año después del debut de Chick Corea, Tones for Joan's Bones (un disco grabado a finales de 1966 pero que no se publicó hasta 1968), Now He Sings, Now He Sobs se siente como su verdadero primer álbum, el lugar donde puso en marcha todas las piezas de su larga y aventurera carrera. Gran parte de esto se debe al espacio reducido de su grabación. Con el baterista Roy Haynes y el bajista Miroslav Vitous como soporte, Corea tiene la libertad de dar rienda suelta a sus cinco composiciones originales, dejando que los acordes se agrupen junto a fugaces riffs melódicos. Haynes y Vitous tocan con la misma sensación de liberación, lo que lleva a Now He Sings, Now He Sobs a un punto óptimo donde el hard bop y el avant se cruzan. Hay un rigor intelectual equilibrado por un hambre instintiva que crea una música vivaz y desafiante, a la vez que contiene una pátina de confort. Atribuyamos esto último a la elegancia del trío de piano de Corea: se mueven por el bop denso con la misma gracia con la que se asientan en las baladas, un sonido cálido y acogedor, que sin embargo nunca disimula cómo el trío, y Corea en particular, nunca dejan de explorar los límites de esta música. Si bien es posible escuchar Now He Sings, Now He Sobs como un primer paso en la carrera de Corea, también tiene un carácter único porque captura al pianista al límite: es dinámico, emocionante y lleno de infinitas posibilidades.


chickcorea.com/now-he-sings-now-he-sobs ...

Eddie Higgins • It's Magic

 

Biography
Born and raised in New England, Eddie (Haydn) Higgins started his professional career in Chicago, while studying at the Northwestern University Music School. For twenty years Eddie worked at some of Chicago's best known jazz clubs, including the Brass Rail, Preview Lounge, Blue Note, Cloister Inn and Jazz Ltd. His longest and most memorable job was at the London House, where he led the house trio for twelve years, playing opposite the biggest jazz stars of the 50's and 60's, including Stan Getz, Oscar Peterson, Dizzy Gillespie, Errol Garner, George Shearing, Cannonball Adderley, Bill Evans and many others.
During his stay in Chicago, Eddie recorded a number of albums under his auspices and many more as a sideman with a wide variety of musicians, ranging in style from Coleman Hawkins to Wayne Shorter, Don Goldie to Freddie Hubbard, Jack Teagarden to Al Grey. Eddie's versatility is well-known: he has backed singers, done studio work as both pianist and arranger and worked in every jazz medium from Dixieland to Modern Jazz.

In 1970, Eddie moved to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and began spending winters in Florida and summers on Cape Cod, where he plays local clubs and enjoys sailing and tennis. Since the early 1980's, Eddie has traveled widely on the jazz festival circuit and has performed frequently in Europe and Japan. His releases on the Japanese “Venus” label have earned him number one in jazz sales on more than one album. In 1988, Eddie and jazz singer/pianist/artist Meredith d'Ambrosio were married and have become a popular team at clubs and festivals, as well as recording for Sunnyside Records.

In recent years, Eddie's recording activity has become even more prolific and attention to his play has grown to be more widely recognized. He has received praise from such as Nat Hentoff and Gary Giddons. Attempts to describe his style are exemplified by the following:
To these tributes, I would add that Eddie's play can be extraordinarily moving. Listen to his treatment of Brazilian themes on “Speaking of Jobim” and solo work on the album “Time On My Hands,” the latter which achieves an almost unparalleled marriage of style, composition and audio fidelity. You would think it was being played in a cathedral.
https://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/eddiehiggins

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Biografía

Nacido y criado en Nueva Inglaterra, Eddie (Haydn) Higgins comenzó su carrera profesional en Chicago, mientras estudiaba en la Escuela de Música de la Universidad de Northwestern.Durante veinte años Eddie trabajó en algunos de los clubes de jazz más conocidos de Chicago, incluyendo el Brass Rail, Preview Lounge, Blue Note, Cloister Inn y Jazz Ltd.Su trabajo más largo y memorable fue en la London House, donde dirigió el trío de la casa durante doce años, tocando frente a las mayores estrellas del jazz de los años 50 y 60, incluyendo a Stan Getz, Oscar Peterson, Dizzy Gillespie, Errol Garner, George Shearing, Cannonball Adderley, Bill Evans y muchos otros.
Durante su estancia en Chicago, Eddie grabó varios álbumes bajo sus auspicios y muchos más como sideman con una amplia variedad de músicos, desde Coleman Hawkins a Wayne Shorter, Don Goldie a Freddie Hubbard, Jack Teagarden a Al Grey.La versatilidad de Eddie es bien conocida: ha apoyado a cantantes, ha trabajado en estudios como pianista y arreglista y ha trabajado en todos los medios de jazz, desde Dixieland hasta Modern Jazz.

En 1970, Eddie se mudó a Ft. Lauderdale, Florida y comenzó a pasar los inviernos en Florida y los veranos en Cape Cod, donde juega en clubes locales y disfruta de la vela y el tenis. Desde principios de los años 80, Eddie ha viajado mucho por el circuito de festivales de jazz y ha tocado frecuentemente en Europa y Japón. Sus lanzamientos en el sello japonés "Venus" le han valido el número uno en ventas de jazz en más de un álbum. En 1988, Eddie y la cantante, pianista y artista de jazz Meredith d'Ambrosio se casaron y se han convertido en un equipo popular en clubes y festivales, además de grabar para Sunnyside Records.

En los últimos años, la actividad discográfica de Eddie se ha vuelto aún más prolífica y la atención a su obra ha crecido hasta ser más ampliamente reconocida. Ha recibido elogios de Nat Hentoff y Gary Giddons. Los intentos de describir su estilo se ejemplifican con lo siguiente:

A estos homenajes, añadiría que la obra de Eddie puede ser extraordinariamente conmovedora. Escuche su tratamiento de los temas brasileños en "Speaking of Jobim" y su trabajo en solitario en el álbum "Time On My Hands", este último que logra un matrimonio casi inigualable de estilo, composición y fidelidad de audio. Uno pensaría que se está tocando en una catedral.

https://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/eddiehiggins

Friedrich Gulda • Ineffable-The Unique Jazz Piano Of Friedrich Gulda

 

Didier Lockwood • Out Of The Blue

 

Review by Scott Yanow
Violinist Didier Lockwood showed great potential when he first arrived on the scene, but despite some good sessions, he has not yet become the pacesetter one originally expected. This is one of his better recordings, a quartet outing with pianist Gordon Beck, bassist Cecil McBee and drummer Billy Hart. Other than "'Round Midnight" and an obscurity, all of the music is by either Lockwood or Beck, although much of it is fairly straight-ahead (as opposed to Lockwood's earlier fusion-oriented dates). Worth searching for. 
https://www.allmusic.com/album/out-of-the-blue-mw0000188326

www.facebook.com/DidierLockwood