Crotchet midprice
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A Great Night in Harlem
Playboy Jazz
PBD2-7502-2
2CD set
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This is a record every jazz fan should buy, not only does it
contain some great jazz, but all the profits from the sale of
this 2CD set benefit the Jazz Foundation of America’s Jazz Musicians’
Emergency Fund.
In the USA jazz musicians don’t get medical insurance, nor do
they receive pensions. If they’re not able to work, because they
are ill or have gone out of fashion, they can easily become homeless.
The Emergency Fund is there to help in such situations.
Please do something to help the musicians you have enjoyed over
the years by buying this disc, you will also find it a rewarding
listening experience.
CD1
- No greater Love
- If I Had you
- Devil’s In My den
- Don’t Explain
- Roy Haynes Solo
- Fanfare for Four Trumpets
CD2
- Sunset & The Mocking Bird
- Death Letter
- Con Alma
- We Have a Friend in Jesus
- Every Day I Have the Blues
- Wee
CD1
- Randy Brecker-trumpet, Paquito D’Rivera-clarinet, JoAnne Brackeen-piano,
Ron Carter-Bass, Ray Barretto-Congas, Jimmy Cobb-drums.
- Nnenna Freelon-vocal, Kenny Baron-piano, Ron Carter bass, Ben
Riley-drums, Jon Faddis-trumpet.
- Ahmad Jamal-piano, James Commack-bass, Idris Muhammad-drums, George
Coleman-tenor
- Kenny Baron-piano, Regina Carter-violin
- Roy Haynes-drums
- Jimmy Owens, Jon Faddis, Randy Brecker, Eddie Allen-trumpet
CD2
- Tommy Flanagan-piano, Peter Washington-bass, Al Heath-drums
- Cassandra Wilson-vocals, Mark Peterson-bass, Jeff Hayes-percussion,
Marvin Sewell-guitar
- Ray Bryant-piano
- Russell Malone-guitar, Jimmy Owens-trumpet
- Melba Joyce-vocals, Frank Wess-tenor, Lou Donaldson—alto, Hilton
Ruiz-piano, Ron Carter-bass, Ben Riley-drums.
- Clark Terry-flugel, Phil Woods –alto, Don Braden-tenor. Howard
Johnson-tuba, Melvin Sparks-guitar, Chris Anderson-piano, Jamil
Nasser-bass, Louis Hayes-drums.
The musicians who appeared at this historic concert, staged at
the world famous Apollo Theatre in Harlem, New York, on September
24th 2001, were all volunteers. The fact that many
had travelled long distances to take part shows their commitment
to this very worthy cause. If your aim in life were to make money,
you would not embark on a career as a jazz musician. It is a very
highly competitive world where you need to be exceptional just
to scrape a bare living, very few enjoy riches, no matter how
great their talent. People become jazz musicians because they
love the music that they play and are dedicated to it. Obviously
there are many casualties and the Jazz Foundation is now there
to help them.
Track No1 has Randy Brecker and Paquo D’Rivera playing a great
jazz standard, No Greater Love. The result is, as you would expect
from men of this calibre, sparkling improvisations delivered with
great style. Paquo is a superb clarinet stylist, something akin
to Buddy DeFranco and much to my liking.
The masterful Kenny Baron takes over the piano stool for If I
Had You which has Nneenna Freelon singing and some high note trumpet
playing from another master Jon Faddis on trumpet.
Devil’s In My Den not only has the superb Ahmad Jamal on piano,
but the exceptional talents of George Coleman on tenor sax. Don’t
Explain has Kenny Baron back at the keyboard, this time with jazz
violin virtuoso Regina Carter. The short Fanfare track was arranged
and composed by legendary Basie arranger and tenor player Frank
Foster.
Disc 2 starts with a very moving rendition of Ellington’s Sunset
and the Mocking Bird from Tommy Flanagan, Ron Carter and Al Heath.
Cassandra Wilson, in heavy mode, with Death Letter follows it.
I always need to listen to anything Cassandra does a few times
to get with it, but I always find it rewarding. Ray Bryant plays
a very interesting piano solo on Dizzy’s Con Alma. After the short
hymn, which features Russell Malone on guitar and Jimmy Owens
on trumpet, Melba Joyce leads Frank Wess tenor and Lou Donaldson
alto into some blues, this time another very talented pianist
Hilton Ruiz takes over.
The last track Wee is another all star event featuring Clark
Terry flugel, Phil Woods alto and Don Braden tenor, on this Denzil
Best jazz standard.
Clark terry is the first soloist and as always with Clark, we
are treated to nicely melodic soloing. Phil Woods is as exciting
as ever and Howard Johnson demonstrates the art of the possible
on tuba, before Don Braden
takes over on tenor and plays a couple of very fluent choruses.
It certainly was ‘A Great Night in Harlem’, highly recommended.
Don Mather
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