Last post of 2006

I'll be back in 2007, sometime around the 2nd week of January.

Happy Holidays!

Petite Blonde - Petite Blonde (1992)

Bill Evans - Soprano & Tenor Sax
Chuck Loeb - Guitar
Mitch Foreman - Keyboards
Victor Bailey - Bass
Dennis Chambers - Drums

1. Two Price Hit
2. Brancas Hal
3. Millenium
4. Oh So Hip
5. Daddy's Long Leg
6. The Watcher
7. Captain Brutis

"One of the most exciting progressive jazz combos since Miles Davis' various sidemen formed Return to Forever and Weather Report some two decades ago, the Petite Blonde quintent's new live recording features the same up-tempo, energetic fusion jazz as those two '70s combos.

Composed of bassist Victor Bailey, drummer Dennis Chambers, keyboardist Mitch Forman, guitarist Chuck Loeb and saxophonist Bill Evans, Petite Blonde's hard-driving performance can cause even listeners to break out in a good sweat.

The band is always melodic, never allowing exuberance or imagination to get out of control. At the same time, as soloists the give musicians continually push each toher further and further, until each song reaches a crescendo of ideas.

It's pretty heady stuff, and a heck of a lot of fun to listen to."

Britain/Moore Duo - Cricket City (1993)

Mat Britain - Steel Pans & Percussion
Dan Moore - Marimba & Percussion

1. Headlong
2. Summertime
3. Almost Calypso
4. Duality
5. Sing Sing Sing
6. Crystal Silence
7. The Nearness Of You
8. Friday Calypso
9. Cricket City

Mat Britain has pursued his love of percussion from the plains of Kansas to the island of Trinidad where he performed with the Amoco Renegades Steel Band at the prestigious Panorama Festival. Living in Nashville, Tennessee, he leads his popular steel band, Deep Grooves, and is active in the recording industry. From 1996 to 1999, Britain was percussionist with Grammy Award winning Country/Pop artist Lee Greenwood.

Dan Moore followed his dream of being a percussionist from the big state of Texas to the Big Ten University of Iowa where he is a professor of music and Percussion Area Head. His performance energies focus on his brainchild, the MIDI-marimba, a unique setup that he developed to augment the acoustic sounds of the marimba with electronically-triggered sounds.

Paquito D'Rivera & The United Nations Orchestra - A Night in Englewood (1993)

Saxes: Paquito D'Rivera, Marshall Mcdonald, Andres Boiarsky, Steve Sacks, Mario Rivera
Trumpets: Byron Stripling, Mike Ponella, Diego Urcola
Trombone: Conrad Herwig
Rhythm: Romero Lubambo (guitar), Mike Orta (piano), Carlos Franzetti (piano), Oscar Stagnaro (bass), Adam Cruz (drums)
Guest Artists: Slide Hampton (trombone), Claudio Roditi (trumpet), Dave Samuels (marimba, vibes), Raul Jaurena (bandoneon)

1. Snow Samba
2. Alma Llanera
3. I Remember Diz
4. Blues For Astor
5. Modo Cubano
6. La Puerta
7. Bonitinha
8. Milonga Para Paquito
9. To Brenda With Love

Claude Bolling Big Band - Live at the Meridien - Paris (1984)

Saxes: Jean Aldegon, Claude Tissendier, Andre Villeger, Marcel Canillard, Pierre Shirrer
Trumpets: Maurice Thomas, Jean-Pierre Ramirez, Jean-Claude Verstraete, Michel Delakian, Fernand Verstrate
Trombones: Charles Verstraete, Benny Vasseur, Francois Guin, Emile Vilain
Rhythm: Jean-Paul Charlap (guitar), Jean-Francois Rouge (bass), Jean-Luc Dayan (drums), Claude Bolling (piano)

1. Jazzomania
2. Le Piège
3. Geneviève
4. Africaine
5. Le Cour a ses raisons
6. Barbuflux
7. Coup de chapeau
8. Lagaffe

NTSU One O'Clock Lab Band - Lab 2003 (2003)

Saxes: Tyler Summers, Stephen Clothier, Clay Prichard, Tom Luer, Aaron Lington
Trumpets: Dave Anderson, Zach Heffley, Ken McGill, Jay Jennings, Ken Edwards
Trombones: Jeff Valentine, David Winslow, Adam Jensen, Bryan English, Dan West
Rhythm: Neil Shah (piano), Kevin Brunkhorst (guitar), Matt Wigton (bass), Stockton Helbing (drums)

1. That
2. The Black Widow
3. Horizon
4. Changing Spaces
5. If Steve McQueen Were Here
6. Translucence
7. Paradigm Shift
8. Nature vs. Nurture
9. Rhyth Migot

NTSU One O'Clock Lab Band - The Best of One O'Clock (1992)

1. Hello, Young Lovers (Lab '68)
2. Evening in Lucerne (Lab '81)
3. Easy to Love (Lab '67)
4. Miles Files (Lab '86)
5. FM (Lab '75)
6. Secret Love (Lab '72)
7. Sky Window (Lab '90)
8. Love Beams (Lab '76)
9. Quality Time (Lab '88)
10. Nuance (Live in Australia)
11. Got a Match? (Lab '89)

Chase - Listen To Her Sing (1996)

Trumpets: Bill Chase, Ted Piercefield, Jerry Van Blair, Alan Ware
Valve Trombone: Piercefield
Guitar: Angel Smith
Bass: Dennis Johnson
Keyboards: Phil Porter
Drums: Jay Burrid (1-5,7); Gary Smith (6,8-13)
Vocal: Terry Richards (2-5); GG Shinn (12,13); Ted Piercefield (6,8,9,12)

1-5,7: 1971 appearance on a Chicago TV show
6,8-11: 1972 studio session
12,13: Live concert

1. Open Up Wide
2. Handbags and Gladrags
3. Woman of the Dark
4. Listen To Her Sing
5. Get It On
6. LOVE
7. Hades
8. Frustration
9. Dead
10. Close Up Tight
11. Twinkles
12. Bits and Pieces
13. Celebrate

The Glenn Miller Orchestra - In The Christmas Mood I & II (1992)

Disc: 1
1. Sleigh Ride
2. Yuletide Medley #1: Oh Holy Night / Joy To The World / Oh Little Town Of Bethlehem / Deck The Halls
3. Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer
4. Silver Bells
5. Jingle Bells
6. Frosty The Snowman
7. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
8. Yuletide Medley #2: Oh Christmas Tree / It Came Upon A Midnight Clear / We Three Kings / What Child Is This?
9. I'll Be Home For Christmas
10. Silent Night
11. In The Christmas Mood

Disc: 2
1. We Wish You A Merry Christmas
2. White Christmas
3. Yuletide Medley #1: Away In A Manger / Ave Maria / The First Noel
4. Twelve Days Of Christmas, The
5. Winter Wonderland
6. Christmas Song, The
7. Yuletide Medley #2: Hark The Herald Angels Sing / Angels We Have Heard On High / God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen / O Come All Ye Faithful
8. Home For The Holidays (There's No Place Like)
9. Good King Wenceslas
10. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
11. Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow
12. Auld Lang Syne

Vince Guaraldi Trio - A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)

1. O Tannenbaum
2. What Child Is This
3. My Little Drum
4. Linus And Lucy
5. Christmas Time Is Here ( Instrumental)
6. Christmas Time Is Here (Vocal)
7. Skating
8. Hark The Herald Angel Sings
9. Christmas Is Coming
10. Fur Elise
11. The Christmas Song
12. Greensleeves

The first time you listen to this disc you will undoubtedly be transported directly back to your childhood. Charles Schulz's Peanuts characters will go toe-tapping and funky-dancing through your mind's eye. Play it a few more times, though (ignoring the dialogue snippets, if you can), and you will begin to truly revel in Guaraldi's wonderful, humorous, deep piano playing. You'll hear why he's such an influence on new age ivory tickler George Winston, but you'll also realize that Winston's holiday music never quite sparkles with the underlying passion, and humor, that twinkles in these grooves. Get it for the nostalgia--keep it because it will remain one of the most enchanting albums in your holiday collection.

Dean Martin - Season's Greetings (1992)

CD Released 1992

1. White Christmas
2. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
3. Baby, It's Cold Outside
4. A Winter Romance
5. Winter Wonderland
6. I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm
7. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
8. The Christmas Blues
9. Out In The Cold Again
10. It Won't Cool Off

Dean Martin's holiday specials qualified as "must-see TV" decades before that phrase was coined. His easygoing charm and velvety smooth voice won over a generation of fans in the 1950s and 1960s--and still holds sway over modern-day hipsters. This holiday album helps to show why. Never one for cheap sentiment, Dino sticks to the sultry ballads that he knows so well, emphasizing tunes like "Baby, It's Cold Outside" and "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm" over traditional carols.

Stan Kenton - Kenton in Hi-Fi (1956)

Saxes: Skeets Herfurt, Lennie Niehaus, Bill Perkins, Spence Sinatra, Vido Musso (solos only), Jack Nimitz
Trombones: Milt Bernhart, Carl Fontana, Bob Fitzpatrick, Kent Larsen, Don Kelly
Trumpets: Maynard Ferguson, Pete Candoli, Sam Noto, Ed Leddy, Vinnie Tanno, Don Paladino
Rhythm: Ralph Blaze (guitar), Chico Guerrero (percussion), Mel Lewis (drums), Stan Kenton (piano, leader)

1. Artistry Jumps
2. Interlude
3. Intermission Riff
4. Minor Riff
5. Minor Riff (Alt. Take)
6. Collaboration
7. Painted Rhythm
8. Southern Scandal
9. Peanut Vendor
10. Eager Beaver
11. Concerto To End
12. Artistry In Boogie
13. Lover
14. Unison Riff
15. Opus In Pastels
16. Machito
17. Artistry In Rhythm

Stan Kenton - New Concepts Of Artistry In Rhythm (1952)

Trumpets: Conte Candoli, Buddy Childers, Maynard Ferguson, Don Dennis, Ruben McFall
Trombones: Bob Fitzpatrick, Keith Moon, Frank Rosolino, Bill Russo, George Roberts
Saxes: Lee Konitz, Vinnie Dean, Richie Kamuca, Bill Holman, Bob Gioga
Rhythm: Stan Kenton (piano, leader), Sal Salvador (guitar), Don Bagley (bass), Stan Levy (drums) Derek Walton (conga)
vocal: Kay Brown (7)

1. Prologue (This Is An Orchestra!)
2. Portrait Of A Count
3. Young Blood
4. Frank Seaking
5. 23 Degrees N-82 Degrees W
6. Taboo
7. Lonesome Train
8. Invention For Guitar And Trumpet
9. My Lady
10. Swing House
11. Improvisation
12. You Go To My Head

Randy Brecker - In the Idiom (1986)

Randy Brecker, trumpet & flugel
Joe Henderson, tenor sax
David Kikoski, piano
Ron Carter, bass
Al Foster, drums

1 No Scratch
2 Hit or Miss
3 Forever Young
4 Sang
5 You're in My Heart
6 There's a Mingus a Monk Us
7 Moontide
8 Little Miss P

Louie Bellson - The Best of Louie Bellson (1987)

Trumpets: (2,4,5,7,9) Snooky Young, Dick Mitchell, Dick Cooper; (1,6) Bobby Shew, Cat Anderson, Conte Candoli, Walter Johnson, Ron King; (3,8) Blue Mitchell
Trombones: (2,4,5,7,9) Gil Falco, Ernie Tack, Mayo Tiana; (1,6) Nick DiMaio, Bob Payne, Alan Kaplan, Dana Hughes
Saxes: (2,4,5,7,9) Larry Covelli, Bill Byrne; (1,6) Don Menza, Peter Christlieb, Dick Spencer, Ted Nash, Andy Macintosh; (3,8) Peter Christleib
Keyboards: (2,4,5,7,9) Nat Pierce; (1,3,6,8) Ross Tompkins
Bass: (2,4,5,7,9) John Williams; (1,6) John Heard; (3,8) Gary Pratt
Guitar: (2,4,5,7,9) Mitch Holder; (1,6) Grant Geissman; (3,8) Bob Bain
Drums: Louie Bellson

1. Sunshine Swing
2. Chameleon
3. Melody For Thelma
4. Intimacy Of The Blues
5. Movin' On
6. Niles Blues
7. Quiet Riots
8. I Wonder Why
9. Night Birds

Louie Bellson - Hot (1988)

Drums, leader: Louie Bellson
Trumpets: Robert Millikan, Brian O'Flaherty, Larry Lunetta, Danny Cahn, Glenn Drews
Trombones: Don Mikkelsen, Hale Rood, Clinton Sharman, Keith O'Quinn
Saxes: Joe Roccisano, Don Menza, Jack Stuckey, George Opalisky, Kenny Hitchcock
Rhythm: John Bunch (piano), Jay Leonhart (bass)

Tracks recorded December 7 & 9, 1987.

1. Caravan
2. Ode to a Friend
3. The Peaceful Poet
4. Together We Rise
5. Hot
6. Hookin' It
7. Waltzing at Denison
8. Walkin' with Buddy

Buddy Rich - Time Being (1987)

Personnel includes: Buddy Rich (drums), Brian A. Grivna (alto saxophone, flute), Pat LaBarbera, Don Englert (tenor & soprano saxophone, flute), Joe Calo, Richard Centalonza (baritone & soprano saxophone, flute), Lin Bivano, Jeff Stout, Wayne Naus (trumpet), Bruce Paulson, Eric Culver (trombone), John Leys (bass trombone), Bob Peterson, Bob Dogan (piano), David Spinozza, Walt Namuth (guitar), Paul Kondziela, Bob Daugherty, Joel DiBartolo (bass), Candido Camero (congas, bongos), Phil Kraus (percussion).

1. Paul's Tune
2. Chelsea Bridge
3. Straight No Chaser
4. Dancing Men
5. Little Train
6. Two Bass Hit
7. Time Being
8. Best Coast
9. Space Shuttle
10. Sassy Strut

Tracks 1-3 recorded at RCA Studio C, New York on August 13 & 16, 1971. Originally released on A DIFFERENT DRUMMER. Tracks 4-7 recorded live at Ronnie Scott's Club, London, England on December 6-8, 1971. Originally released on RICH IN LONDON. Tracks 8-10 recorded at RCA Studio C, New York on August 10, 1972. Originally released on STICK IT.
TIME BEING shows the Buddy Rich Big Band in transition, reaching out to audiences attracted to the traditional big band style by such best-selling rock acts as Chicago and Blood, Sweat & Tears. Without really changing his style an iota, the great drummer delineates the connections between big beat and swing beat, while driving his brash, brassy band like a well-oiled sports car through such rave-ups as Dizzy Gillespie's "Two Bass Hit" and Thelonious Monk's "Straight No Chaser," as well as more contemporary backbeat-oriented groovers like "Paul's Tune" and "Sassy Strut."

UNC Jazz Lab Band I - Alive X "Off The Cuff" (1991)

Saxes: Dav Hoof, Jill Geist, Sam Fagaly, Laura Kimberlin, Ed Orgill
Trombones: Paul Brewer, Mike Turnbull, Chris Culver, Dave Wulfeck, Tom Matta
Trumpets: Paul Quist, Darryl Abrahamson, Dave Scott, Doug Snapp, Jyle Gregory
Rhythm: Garth Alper (piano), George Hess (guitar), Eric Thorin (bass), Tom VanSchoick (drums)

1. All Blues
2. Gettin' Sentimental Over You
3. Off the Cuff
4. Theme Without A Movie
5. Mid-Brain Revivalists
6. Stella By Starlight
7. Guarabe
8. Autumn Nocturne
9. Goombay Smash
10. Gotham City

UNC Jazz Lab Band I - Alive, 1989! (1989)

Saxes: Dav Hoof, Rick Nelson, Michael Cox, Jill Geist, Fritz Whitney
Trumpets: Paul Quist, Darryl Abrahamson, Todd Kelly Suzzane Higinbotham, Dave Scott
Trombones: Brad Schmidt, Mike Buckley, Dave Wiske, Dan Gauper, Tom Matta
Rhythm: Skip Wilkins (piano), Eric Thorin (bass), Terry Vermillion (drums), Tom VanSchoick (percussion), Mike Packer (timbales)

1. Yes and No
2. Upside, Downside
3. Deep Voices
4. Shuffle Scuffle
5. Out of Commission
6. I Only Have Eyes For You
7. Critical Factor
8. Only Forever
9. On The Edge
10. Why Not?
11. The Trolley Song

UNLV Jazz Ensemble - Caliente, Muy Caliente (1991)

Guest Soloist: Don Menza
Saxes: Tony Micheletty, Rob Mader, Russell Burt, Doc Brown, Nate McClendon
Trumpets: Tim Jones, Glenn Colby, Gary Cordell, Paul Pugh, Kim Peterson
Trombones: Aldofo Ruiz, Neil Maxa, Chris Nelson, Jerald Gray
Rhythm: Frank Salerno (piano), Steve Barclay (bass), Joe Malone (drums)

1. Just Friends
2. All The Things You Are
3. Rose Tattoo
4. A Night In Windsor
5. BBC
6. Red Men's Revenge
7. Shuffle Brothers
8. Imagine What A Change Will Do
9. Samba DeRollins

Tom Kubis Big Band - Slightly Off The Ground (1989)

Saxes: Dan Higgins, Greg Huckins, Gordon Goodwin, Bill Liston, Paul Baker
Trumpets: George Graham, Wayne Bergeron, Dan McGurn, Stan Martin, Charlie Peterson
Trombones: Charile Moralis, Andy Martin, Alex Iles, Rich Bullock
Rhythm: Matt Catingub (piano), Kevin Axt (bass), Mike Higgins (guitar), Matt Johnson (drums)

1. Purple Porpoise Parkway
2. Exactly Like This
3. Play It Again, Sam
4. Who Can I Turn To
5. Slightly Off The Ground
6. Which Craft?
7. Ain't It Wonderful
8. Teach Me Tonight
9. Samba Dees Godda Do It
10. When You're Smiling
11. Imagine What A Change Will Do
12. Alexander's Big Time Band

Bob Florence - State of the Art (1988)

Woodwinds: Lanny Morgan, Kim Richmond, Dick Mitchell, Bob Cooper, Bob Efford, John Lowe
Trumpets: George Graham, Charlie Davis, Warren Luening, Steve Huffsteter, Larry Ford
Trombones: Chauncey Welsch, Rick Culver, Charlie Loper (1), Herbie Harper, Don Waldrop
Rhythm: Bob Florence (piano), Tom Warrington (bass), Peter Donald (drums), Alex Acuna (percussion)

1. Just Friends
2. Moonlight Serenade
3. Silky
4. The Crunch
5. Stella By Starlight
6. All The Things You Are
7. Mr. Paddington
8. BBC
9. Auld Lang Syne

Dizzy Gillespie - To Diz With Love (1992)

Recorded live at the Blue Note, New York, New York from January 29-February 1, 1992.

Personnel: Dizzy Gillespie, Doc Cheatham (3), Jon Faddis (3), Wynton Marsalis (2,4), Claudio Roditi (1,5), Red Rodney (2), Wallace Roney (1,5), Charlies Sepulveda (4) (trumpet); Junior Mance (piano); Peter Washington (bass); Kenny Washington (drums).

1. Billie's Bounce
2. Confirmation
3. Mood Indigo
4. Straight No Chaser
5. A Night In Tunisia