Pat Metheny - Tap John Zorn's Book of Angels Volume 20 (2013)

Pat Metheny adds his contribution to John Zorn’s ambitiously expansive Masada Book Two with Tap: The Book of Angels, Volume 20. This album is the first collaboration between the two artists, considered among their generation’s most innovative musicians. Besides his frequent collaborator, drummer Antonio Sanchez, Metheny plays all other instruments—guitars, sitar, tiples, bass, keyboards, orchestrionics, electronics, bandoneón, percussion, flugelhorn, and more—himself.

Beginning in the 1990s, Zorn wrote 500 songs inspired by traditional Jewish music; they came to be known as two volumes of the Masada Book. He performed the first 200 songs of Book One with the rotating members of the Masada ensemble for a decade before writing Book Two’s 300 tunes in just three months. Over the past eight years, the songs from Book Two have been recorded as volumes of The Book of Angels by a stellar group of musicians, including the Masada Quintet, Masada String Trio, Medeski Martin & Wood, and Marc Ribot.Zorn says of Metheny’s recording, “Pat is of course a living legend—one of those rare lights in the universe. His incredible facility and dedication, 

indefatigable energy and focus, imagination, and never-ending curiosity have distinguished him as truly one of the greatest musicians on the planet.” He continues, “Tap is a showcase for Pat’s remarkable imagination, technique, passion, and love for the world. No matter how many times I listen to this recording I am hit with that same sense of exhilaration that hit me the very first time.”

Metheny, who recently won his 20th Grammy Award, adds, “I have admired John Zorn since the late ’70s and have followed his amazing output every step of the way. A few years ago, after contacting me to write some notes for one of his Arcana publications, John and I began an inspired e-mail connection. (As hard as it is to believe, we had never met in person over the years.) I mentioned that I had followed his Book of Angels series from the start and felt like I might be able to contribute something unique to the collection. With his enthusiastic encouragement, he gave me some suggestions as to which tunes were still unrecorded, and I picked the ones that jumped out and spoke to me. Over the next year, in between breaks from the road, I recorded them one by one in my home studio whenever I got a chance.”

Pat Metheny - acoustic and electric guitars, baritone guitar, sitar guitar, tiples, bass, piano, keyboards, orchestrionic marimba, orchestra bells, bandoneon, percussion, electronics, flugelhorn

Willow Metheny: - voice (6)

Antonio Sanchez - drums

1. Mastema

2. Albim

3. Tharsis

4. Sariel

5. Phanuel

6. Hurmiz

JAZZZZ61

John Coltrane & Don Cherry - The Avant-Garde (1960)

Domi

Oscar Castro-Neves - Live At Blue Note Tokyo (2009)

Live at Blue Note Tokyo is a celebration of Brazilian jazz played in one of the foremost jazz clubs in the world—a gathering of old friends and the discovery of new friends, all coming together for legendary guitarist Oscar Castro-Neves. A founding father of the bossa nova musical movement, Castro-Neves became a leading figure in the genre, recording historic albums with Antonio Carlos Jobim, Dori Caymmi and Stan Getz, and touring with the likes of Dizzy Gillespie, Barbra Streisand, Ella Fitzgerald and countless others. On this outing, the guitarist/singer brings together percussionist Airto Moreira and vocalist Leila Pinheiro, both old friends, for an exciting collaboration with new musical partners to record a gem of Brazilian music.

The music is a compilation of performances recorded over a seven-night 2009 stretch at the Blue Note Tokyo jazz club, and features an all-star cast of Brazilian musicians playing three of Castro-Neves' own compositions, as well as songs from Jobim, Moreira, Baden Powell and others. The album was meant to capture only a snapshot of the incredible bossa music produced over the last fifty years. Needless to say, though the fourteen-piece repertoire is diverse, exciting and engaging, it in no way sufficiently documents the history of this great genre with such worldwide appeal. Nevertheless, from the strings of Castro-Neves' guitar, the lips of Pinheiro, and passionate performances from the band, Brazil comes alive with beautiful bossa melodies.

While vocals are certainly the mainstay of this disc, Castro-Neves' original, "My Sweet Sweetiepie," is a gorgeous instrumental collaboration between the leader and pianist Paulo Calasans. The guitarist opens the album with a vocal performance on the lively bossa rhythms of "Ela É Carioca," while on "Ponteio," he is joined by Pinheiro, who provides the lead vocals. There are other notable vocal performances here, including the two Jobim pieces, "Domingo Azul Do Mar/Fotographia," and "Waters of March." The brief but beautiful "Rio" and the classic Powell song, "Canto De Ossanha," are also wonderful vocal spots.

It's been said that jazz seems to be far more popular around the world than it is in the United States, with Japan listed as one country that has fully embraced the music. Audience response to this live recording confirms that the Brazilian sub-genre is just as popular. Led by guitarist Oscar Castro-Neves, one of the most important exponents of the bossa nova, Live at The Blue Note Tokyo showcases an all-star cast of players in a world-renowned setting, delivering the music of Brazil with passion and class.

01. Ela É Carioca

02. Ponteio

03. My Sweet Sweetie Pie

04. Domingo Azul Do Mar / Fotografia

05. Waters Of March

06. Rio

07. Caninana

08. Rio Dawning

09. Tatiando

10. Misturada / Tombo

11. Chora Tua Tristeza Play

12. Canto De Ossanha

13. Manha De Carnaval

14. Deixa

Oscar Castro-Neves - guitar, vocals

Airto Moreira - drums, percussion 

Leila Pinheiro - vocals

Marco Bosco - percussion

Paulo Calasans - piano, keyboard

Marcelo Mariano - electric bass

TONO

Kenny Barron - Canta Brasil (2002)

This release combines the elegant swing of nine-time Grammy-winner Kenny Barron with the first-call Brazilian rhythm section of Trio da Paz, an inspired cross fertilization that enhances both jazz and tropical elements. From the opening "Zumbi," which rolls in like a Carnaval parade, to the infectious closer, "This One," the CD is full of light. Other superb Barron compositions include the languorous "Cloud" and the danceable "Thoughts and Dreams," where his gentle piano solo flows into a lilting bossa. The remaining three tunes are familiar to fans of Trio da Paz from their previous albums. Here, the addition of Barron's thoughtful commentary and the lush, cooling flute of Anne Drummond gives them new dimension. Bassist Nilson Matta's "Paraty," named after an old Brazilian town, becomes a "party" with Barron's wonderful comping and fine solos all around; guitarist Romero Lubambo contributes his rousing, Bach-inspired baiao, "Bachiao," and drummer Duduka da Fonseca's "Dona Maria," with its intriguing syncopation, provides the scaffolding for some stellar bop choruses by Barron. The percussion by Valtinho is consistently atmospheric and tasteful. This is an exceptionally well-paced, melodic, spirit-lifting CD. Recommended. (Judith Schlesinger)

Though this CD cover only lists Kenny Barron as the performer, the back side of the jewel box says Canta Brasil features Trio da Paz. Consequently, I have decided to include this album as part of the Trio's discography.Produced by Karen Kennedy, Canta Brasil also features Anne Drummond on flute, Valtinho on percussion and Maucha Adnet on vocals. Born in Philadelphia in 1943, Barron is a master on the piano. His career spans decades of jazz piano playing among some of the greatest jazz musicians, such as Philly Joe Jones, James Moody, Stanley Turrentine, Milt Jackson, George Benson, Ron Carter, Michael Franks, Buddy Rich and several others. It was in Dizzy Gillespie's band, though, that Barron acquired his love for Latin rhythms. As an accomplished jazz artist, he has recorded over 40 albums to date. It is no wonder that the Best Pianist (Jazz Journalists Association, four consecutive years) and a finalist in the 2001 Jazz Par International Jazz Award has chosen to record with Trio da Paz in this release.

Canta Brasil features five Barron compositions with the Trio's spin along with three Trio da Paz numbers, one from each member. It is clear to hear the Trio's presence and dominance even in Barron's original numbers. "Zumbi," for example, features Fonseca's drums as the backbone for Barron's keyboard work. Keyboard and drums pair up in a lively duet. This is the funkiest and most effusive track of the album. All musicians get down to business from the very start. Two other tracks, "Thoughts and Dreams" and "This One," carry more of a samba jazz feel. The latter also features Maucha Adnet's vocals. At the other end of Barron's musical sample in Canta Brasil, there are two gorgeous ballads, namely "Clouds" and "Until Then." The former is richly sumptuous with Barron alternating the solos with Lubambo's lovely acoustic guitar. Literally, you will feel in the clouds hearing the peaceful musical scenario these guys create. As for "Until Then," the Bossa Nova vibe in Drummond's honeyed flute is all Brazilian to the core.

The three Trio da Paz songs featured here were previously recorded by the group in their previous releases, but here they add Barron's keyboard and Drummond's flute to the familiar melodies. "Dona Maria" was in Black Orpheus whereas "Paraty" and "Bachião" appeared in Partido Out. "Bachião," in particular, was the best of the three re-recordings. The tempo is just a tad faster, and there's clearly more vibrancy in this new arrangement with flute and piano. (musicabrasileira.org)

Kenny Barron - Piano

Nilson Matta - Bass 

Duduka Da Fonseca - Drums

Romero Lubambo - Guitar (Acoustic)

Anne Drummond - Flute

Valtinho - Percussion

Maucha Adnet - Vocals (This One, track 07)

01 Zumbi (Barron) 9:13

02 Clouds (Barron) 10:09

03 Paraty (Matta) 7:29

04 Until Then (Barron) 7:11

05 Bachiao (Lubambo) 7:30

06 Thoughts and Dreams (Barron) 4:26

07 This One (Da Fonseca) 6:20

08 Doña María (Barron) 6:11

FERNANDO

Maite Hontelé - Déjame Así (2013)

Maite es La trompetista del Son. Es un alma latina perdida en Holanda entre la colección de discos de su padre que incluían a la Fania All Stars, Orquesta Revé, Conjunto Libre, Gran Combo, Sonora Ponceña etc...

Después de escuchar todos los días salsa, sones, changui, música colombiana, brasilera, flamenco; se convirtió en una Mujer Sonora. Radicada en Colombia desde el 2009, la mona Maite es una estrella de la música latina. Cuenta historias con su trompeta alrededor del mundo y en cada presentación es como si dejara entrar al público en su hogar, dejando sus canciones en cada escenario que pisa. Su puesta en escena es elegante y llena de añoranzas.

Maite Hontelé - All Trumpets

Juancho Valencia - Piano, Accordion (4) Composiciones todas excepto (4, 7) All Arrangements Except (4, 7)

Oscar D´Leon - Vocal:  Perdón

Alain Perez - Babybass and Lead Vocal: Que Bonito

Carlitos Irarragori - Tres Cubano ( 1, 3, 5 )

Juan Fernando Giraldo - Lead Vocals:  1, 6, 7, Backing Vocals

Leon Giraldo - Flute, Backing Vocals, Maracas, Lead Vocals 1

Uber Campo - Congas, Guiro 4, Bongo: 3, 4, 8

Victor Zapata - Güiro 7, Bongo. 1, 2, 5, 6

Luis Fernando Gaviria - Timbales 1, 2, 5, 6, 7

Juan Guillermo Aguilar - Timbales 3, 4, 8

Carlos Mora - Babybass 2, 4, 5, 7

Jose Juvinao - Babybass 1, 6, 8

Mauro Mosquera - Backing Vocals

Cristian Escamilla - Backing Vocals

Juan David Grajales - Güiros (Except 4, 7)

Edwuard Montoya - Trombone 5

Rafael Cos - Violins 2, 4, 8

Elisa Rendon Pelaez - English horn 4

Camilo Uribe Vanegas - Cello 4

Productor Musical: Juancho Valencia

Produccion General: Maite Hontele

Merlin Producciones

1. Déjame Así

2. Coquin Coquin

3. Qué Bonito (feat Alain Pérez)

4. Perdón (feat Oscar D´León)

5. Tu Rumberito Llegó

6. Yo No Se

7. Juanita Bonita

8. Mañana

SUNTRUMPET

Diego el Cigala se adentra en el cancionero popular argentino en Romance de la Luna Tucumana. Ediciones en España en principio junto al diario El País, en América vía Universal Music, y Europa y Asia con Deutsche Grammophon.

Once temas. De Homero y Virgilio Expósito a Atahualpa Yupanqui, pasando por Gardel y Lepera.

EL DISCO POR DIEGO EL CIGALA

Cuando terminé 'Cigala & Tango' me dolía haber dejado fuera canciones como 'Naranjo en flor', 'Los mareados', etc. Algunos tangos esenciales. Me quedé con ganas de más. A la vez, en mis viajes a la Argentina fui profundizando en el repertorio de Mercedes Sosa, me hice fanático. Y a través de ella me llegó Balderrama y conocí la chacarera 'Déjame que me vaya', Canción de las simples cosas o el 'Romance de la luna tucumana', de Atahualpa Yupanqui y Pedro Aznar. Y Andrés Calamaro me hizo conocer a Martín Fierro y la milonga.

Con este repertorio en mi mente tuvo lugar un encuentro propiciado por mi amigo Andrés, que me invitó a su concierto en el Auditorio de México D. F. en 2010. Allí conocí a Diego García el Twanguero, uno de sus guitarristas. Fue un encuentro efímero, pero en el que yo le hice saber mi intención de grabar 'Naranjo en flor'. Un año más tarde me envió el arreglo que podéis escuchar en el disco. Él lo había grabado y me invitó a cantarlo en su álbum 'Twanguero'.

Yo estaba fascinado con el repertorio, pero no quería hacer otro 'Cigala & Tango', y en Diego García y su guitarra eléctrica, sonido twang, encontré lo que estaba buscando, un sonido diferente para acercarme al repertorio argentino desde otro registro. La idea tenía todos los condimentos que necesito; la aventura y el reto musical estaban servidos. Yo con guitarra eléctrica… No fue fácil de digerir.

Afortunadamente, Diego García, que por ese tiempo estaba viviendo en Buenos Aires para estudiar el tango, iba a pasar una temporada en Madrid (verano de 2012), así que le invité a mi casa y sin objetivos empezamos a improvisar. Todo fluía, las versiones empezaron a materializarse rápidamente.

Pensando que el invento era digno de ser escuchado fuera del estudio, el universo siguió confabulando a nuestro favor y apareció caído del cielo el maestro Changuito, leyenda viva de la percusión. Con él ya había grabado 'Dos lágrimas' y girado durante mucho tiempo, y aunque él vive en La Habana por cosas del destino, apareció en Madrid.

Avisamos a Yelsy Heredia, mi contrabajista de muchos años, y a Isidro Suárez, que, junto al maestro Changuito, forman el corazón rítmico del disco. El mestizaje era total: mis debilidades musicales –Cuba y Argentina juntas– transformándose en algo nuevo, con el condimento añadido del sureño sonido twang a cargo de la Gibson 295 de Diego García.

Hemos disfrutado todo el verano de lo que el destino nos trajo a Madrid. No había nada previsto y la música llegó a nosotros y nos puso en el mismo lugar para hacer este trabajo.

Diego El Cigala - Cantaor

01. Canción de las simples cosas

02. Naranjo en flor

03. Los mareados

04. Milonga de Martin Fierro

05. Déjame que me vaya

06. Romance de la luna tucumana

07. Siempre París

08. Por una cabeza

09. Balderrama

10. Nieblas del riachuelo

11. Canción para un niño en la calle

SUNTRUMPET

Giovanni Guidi Late Blue Trio - Live in Switzerland (2013)

Giovanni Guidi - piano

Thomas Morgan - double-bass

Joao Lobo  - drums

Live 11th March 2013

01. The Way Some People Live 20:10

02. Fernando 9:31

03. Keith Jarrett Tune Perhaps 5:47

04. Late Blue 13:04

05. Announcement Giovanni Guidi 0:44

06. The Forbidden Zone - No Other Possibility 14:59

07. By This River 8:59

08. Just One More Time 5:10

09. Leonie 5:53

JAZZZZ61

Just One More Time

Raul Boeira - Volume Um (2009)

Raul Boeira

Raul Boeira is composer and was born in Porto Alegre, south of Brazil. He plays acoustic guitar and his musical work is influenced by Gilberto Gil, Joyce and Dori Caymmi. His songs has been recorded by artists of Brasil, Uruguai and Austria, like Alegre Corrêa, Mato Grosso Group, Leonardo Ribeiro, Ita Arnold, Mirianês Zabot, Ana Paula da Silva, The Zawinul Syndicate and others. 

In  2009, Raul Boeira released his first cd, Volume Um, produced in Rio by Dudu Trentin and played by some of the most importants players of Brazil.

Pianist: Dudu Trentin

Guitarrists: Ricardo Silveira, Lula Galvão, Celso Fonseca, Torcuato Mariano, Fernando Caneca, João Gaspar and Julio Herrlein

Bassists: André Vasconcellos and André Rodrigues

Drummer: Alexandre Fonseca

Percussionists: Sidinho Moreira and Firmino

Flautist: Marcelo Martins

Violinist: Glauco Fernandes

Acordeonist: Léo Brandão

Guest vocalist: Barbara Mendes (track 9)

Backing vocals: Juliano Cortuah, Nina Pancevski and Lu Duque.

Recorded, mixed and mastered by Vitor Farias - Nas Nuvens Studio - Rio/Brazil

Art: Jeferson Cunha Lorenz

Tracklist

01 O poder da benzedura (Raul Boeira)

02 Negro Coração (Alegre Corrêa/Raul Boeira)

03 Oferenda (Raul Boeira)

04 Doutor Cipó (Raul Boeira)

05 Na beira do rio (Raul Boeira)

06 Pro pandeiro não cair (Raul Boeira)

07 Minha reza (Raul Boeira)

08 Castelhana (Raul Boeira)

09 Com o azul nos olhos (Mário Falcão/Raul Boeira)

10 Tataravô (Raul Boeira)

11 Laranjeira (Raul Boeira)

12 Clariô (Alegra Corrêa/Raul Boeira)

RAUL BOEIRA

raulboeira@gmail.com

myspace

Castelhana

Eddie Higgins Trio - Speaking Of Love (Music Of Jobim) 1999

Eddie Higgins - piano

Jay Leonhart - bass

Terry Clarke - drums

01. Favela 5:44

02. Esperance Perdida (I was Just One More for You) 6:53

03. Brigas Nunca Mais (Fight Never More) 4:40

04. Falando de Amor (Speaking of Love) 4:37

05. Two Kites 3:55

06. Bonita 4:19

07. Voce E Eu (You And I) 5:24

08. Choro 6:34

09. Felicidade 6:28

10. So Tinha de Ser Com Voce (It had to Be with You) 3:19

11. Caminhos Cruzados 3:54

12. Inutil Paisagem (Useless Landscape) 2:34

FERNANDO

Inutil Paisagem

Eddie Higgins - Speaking of Jobim (1998)

Pianist Higgins has been plugging away for more than four decades, having recorded with the likes of Wayne Shorter and Lee Morgan back in the early '60s. After gigging quietly around Chicago and New England for the last 20 or 30 years, he has been recording more of late and has chosen a thoughtful repertoire of Jobim standards for this outing.

What is nice about Higgins' read of these tunes is that he doesn't attempt to force himself into a style in which he doesn't fit, or is not comfortable. So, gone are the painful, cliched bossa phrasings that often make recordings like this so tiresome.

Sidemen Terry Clarke on drums and Jay Leonhart on bass add much to the rhythmic foundation that keeps this disc out of the mundane. While not the ultimate in Jobim interpretations, if you are not familiar with this material, Higgins presents this healthy chunk of the master's oeuvre in a familiar, easy to understand language. If you are already a Jobim fan, you will appreciate the refreshing, unpretentious approach.

Eddie Higgins - piano

Jay Leonhart - bass

Terry Clarke - drums

01. O Morro Nao Tem Vez 5:40

02. I Was Just One More For You 6:51

03. Brigas Nunca Mais 4:37

04. Falando De Amor 4:34

05. Two Kites 3:53

06. Bonita 4:16

07. Voce E Eu 5:21

08. Choro 6:32

09. Felicidade 6:26

10. So Tinha De Ser Com Voce 3:17

11. Caminhos Cruzados 3:50

12. Inutil Paisagem 2:34

FERNANDO

Joe Henderson - Mode for Joe (2003)

Tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson's fifth and final early Blue Note album is his only one with a group larger than a quintet. Henderson welcomes quite an all-star band (trumpeter Lee Morgan, trombonist Curtis Fuller, vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson, pianist Cedar Walton, bassist Ron Carter and drummer Joe Chambers) and together they perform originals by Henderson (including "A Shade of Jade"), Walton and Morgan ("Free Wheelin'"). The advanced music has plenty of exciting moments and all of the young talents play up to the level one could hope for. [Originally released on LP in 1966, Mode for Joe has been reissued on CD several times over; the 2004 Blue Note reissue remastered by Rudy Van Gelder is recommended, although the difference in sound is minimal and the bonus version of "Black" has been placed at the bottom track list instead of as an alternate in the middle.]

Tenor Saxophone – Joe Henderson

Trombone – Curtis Fuller

Trumpet – Lee Morgan

Vibraphone – Bobby Hutcherson

Piano – Cedar Walton

Bass – Ron Carter

Drums – Joe Chambers

1. A Shade Of Jade (Rudy Van Gelder Edition) (2003 Digital Remaster) 7:08

2. Mode For Joe (Rudy Van Gelder Edition) (2003 - Remaster) 8:00

3. Black (Rudy Van Gelder Edition) (2003 Digital Remaster) 6:51

4. Caribbean Fire Dance (Rudy Van Gelder Edition) (2003 Digital Remaster) 6:41

5. Granted (Rudy Van Gelder Edition) (2003 Digital Remaster) 7:20

6. Free Wheelin' (Rudy Van Gelder Edition) (2003 Digital Remaster) 6:39

7. Black (Alternate Take) (Rudy Van Gelder Edition) (2003 Digital Remaster) 6:48

Composed By – Cedar Walton (tracks: 2, 3, 7), Joe Henderson (tracks: 1, 4, 5) Lee Morgan (6)

Recorded on January 27, 1966 at the Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

All transfers from analog to digital were made at 24-bit resolution

Tracks 1 to 6 originally issued as BLP 4227 and BST 84227

#7 is a bonus track, not part of original LP

Made in the EU

(C)(P) 2003 Blue Note Label Group

JAZZZZ61

Joe Henderson - Our Thing (2000)

Henderson’s Our Thing was the tenor master’s second Blue Note outing, and it documents his renowned association with Dorham, who joins him in the frontline. But perhaps even more attractive is the relatively rare sideman appearance by pianist Andrew Hill. Bassist Eddie Khan and drummer Pete La Roca were two of the more obscure, but no less brilliant, members of the Blue Note stable of this period. Rhythm section-wise, then, Our Thing is a jewel — an inspired missive from players we don’t get to hear on a great many records. The famed Henderson/Dorham chemistry puts it over the top. Three of the five tracks are by Dorham: "Pedro’s Time," "Back Road," and "Escapade" all share a medium-to-slow tempo and a somewhat eclectic thrust. "Back Road" sounds a bit like "Blues March" with a western feel. Henderson, still young at this point, is at his very best, having developed all the hallmarks of his highly individual tenor style. His up-tempo opening blues, "Teeter Totter," borrows its turnaround from "Freddie Freeloader" (and reappears at the end of the program as an alternate take), and his title track embeds meter changes in the solo form, making the tune an obstacle course that is negotiated with particular aplomb by Andrew Hill. (In his new liner notes, Bob Blumenthal usefully corrects an error in Leonard Feather’s original essay, noting that Hill was born not in Haiti, but rather in Chicago.)

Dorham’s Whistle Stop was recorded more than two years prior to Our Thing, before Joe Henderson had come on the scene. Here Hank Mobley is the second horn. His smoother, more introverted style contrasts richly with Henderson’s, and his rapport with Dorham is also quite strong. This album is also indelibly marked by the explosive bass/drum team of Paul Chambers and Philly Joe Jones, who had until recently been the backbone of the first great Miles Davis Quintet. (At the time of this recording, Mobley was a member of Davis’s group, so the fingerprint of Miles was surely stamped in the consciousness of all these players.) The program consists entirely of Dorham originals, with the solid hard bop blues "‘Philly’ Twist" leading off. "Whistle Stop" is a rhythm changes tune with a modified bridge, and "Windmill" is based on "Sweet Georgia Brown" changes. "Buffalo" is an Art Blakey-style slow blues. Three other tracks showcase an eclecticism similar to that heard on Our Thing : "Sunrise" has a Latin theme and features Dorham on muted trumpet, while "Sunset in Mexico" finds Dorham approximating a Mexican motif, which he refers to repeatedly during his solo. The most fascinating piece, however, is the last, "Dorham’s Epitaph." Barely exceeding one minute, this brief outline of a ballad takes on added poignancy considering that Dorham would face an untimely demise in 1972.

The All Seeing Eye is by far the most "outside" of these three recordings. It’s also arguably the "outest" album in Wayne Shorter’s entire Blue Note discography. Recorded in late 1965, the album features a fairly large ensemble (four horns, piano, bass, and drums) and relatively lengthy tracks. It’s an ambitious suite dealing with the omniscience of God, and it seems to represent Shorter reaching beyond himself, beyond the limits of even his most daring and extraordinary work. We should recall that this was an especially fruitful time for Shorter: three of his classic Blue Note LPs were released in 1964, and his history-making membership in the second great Miles Davis Quintet was just getting off the ground. The All Seeing Eye gives some indication of the radical heights to which Shorter was aspiring, well before the seismic shifts of Davis’s Bitches Brew and its aftermath.

The stunning title track is a maelstrom of fast, modal swing, with sudden shifts into free, rubato passages. Shorter, Freddie Hubbard, Herbie Hancock, and a roaring Joe Chambers blow off a great deal of steam. "Genesis" begins with a horn chorale, eases into a Ron Carter bass solo, and erupts into brisk swing before settling back down with a free statement by trombonist Grachan Moncur III. "Chaos," paradoxically the most straightforward track, features burning alto work by James Spaulding and a truly bracing solo by Hancock. The final two tracks are a departure: "Face of the Deep" is one of Shorter’s darkest, most mysterious ballads, and "Mephistopheles" is based on a rhythmic drone — almost a military march figure — that persists underneath the solos. Shorter’s brother, Alan, is featured on flugelhorn, and Moncur’s solo spot is downright ominous. Overall, this music has all the swinging post-bop fire of the second Miles quintet, but it takes frequent left turns into a more atonal concept along the lines of Sam Rivers (who at this time was also recording for Blue Note).

Three major figures in modern jazz, three great (but not tremendously famous) albums. The music therein speaks volumes about jazz’s creative evolution during the early to mid 1960s, but the fact is that this would be great music in any era. (DAVID ADLER, AAJ)

Tenor Saxophone – Joe Henderson

Trumpet – Kenny Dorham

Piano – Andrew Hill

Bass – Eddie Khan

Drums – Pete La Roca

1. Teeter Totter 8:33

2. Pedro's Time 10:03

3. Our Thing 5:36

4. Back Road 6:19

5. Escapade 8:05

6. Teeter Totter (Alternate Take) 7:10

JAZZZZ61