Blue Mitchell – Blue’s Moods {Riverside}[xrcd]

Review by Scott Yanow (allmusic.com)

Of trumpeter Blue Mitchell’s seven Riverside recordings (all of which have been reissued as CDs in the Original Jazz Classics series), only this set (along with three numbers on Blue Soul) feature Mitchell as the only horn. Joined by pianist Wynton Kelly, bassist Sam Jones, and drummer Roy Brooks, the trumpeter is typically distinctive, swinging and inventive within the hard bop genre. He performs four standards, Ronnell Bright’s “Sweet Pumpkin,” and the obscure “Avars,” and a pair of originals in fine fashion.

Tracks:
01 – I’ll Close My Eyes
02 – Avars
03 – Scrapple from the Apple
04 – Kinda Vague
05 – Sir John
06 – When I Fall in Love
07 – Sweet Pumpkin
08 – I Wish I Knew

Personnel:
Blue Mitchell – trumpet
Wynton Kelly – piano
Sam Jones – bass
Roy Brooks – drums

New York City; August 24 and 25, 1960.

Quality: eac, flac, cue, log, artwork

Bobby Timmons – This Here is Bobby Timmons {Riverside}[xrcd]

Review by “sranney22” (amazon.com)

Bobby Timmons one of the prime leaders of the soul jazz era wrote some of the finest pieces in that era, such as Dat Dere, This Here, and Moanin’. Most people only know of Bobby Timmons as a sideman Most people only know of Moanin’ in the setting of Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. Same as Dat Dere. This Here was written for Cannonball Adderley’s Quintet, which Bobby was in, in San Francisco. But hey when you have a pianist like Bobby Timmons who needs those horns any way? This album demonstrates Bobby’s talents to the full from standards and ballads like Lush Life to My Funny Valentine to his awesome pieces Dat Dere, Moanin’, and This Here. This album truly shows Bobby, one of the finest soul jazz pianists, as a leader not a sideman and at his prime. Any one familiar with Dat Dere, Moanin’, or This Here should definitely check this album out.

Tracks:
01 – This Here
02 – Moanin’
03 – Lush Life
04 – The Party’s Over
05 – Prelude to a Kiss
06 – Dat Dere
07 – My Funny Valentine
08 – Come Rain or Come Shine
09 – Joy Ride

Personnel:
Bobby Timmons – piano
Sam Jones – bass
Jimmy Cobb – drums

New York; January 13 and 14, 1960

Quality: eac, flac, cue, log, artwork

Oscar Peterson – Reunion Blues {MPS}

Review by Scott Yanow (allmusic.com)

Pianist Oscar Peterson joins up with his old friends, vibraphonist Milt Jackson and bassist Ray Brown, in addition to his drummer of the period, Louis Hayes, for a particularly enjoyable outing. After a throwaway version of the Rolling Stones’ “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” the all-star quartet performs Jackson’s title cut, Benny Carter’s ballad “Dream of You,” and four standards. Although not up to the excitement of Peterson’s best Pablo recordings of the 1970s, this is an enjoyable album.

Tracks:
01 – Satisfaction
02 – Dream of You
03 – Someday My Prince will Come
04 – A Time for Love
05 – Reunion Blues
06 – When I Fall in Love
07 – Red Top

Personnel:
Oscar Peterson – piano
Milt Jackson – vibraphone
Ray Brown – bass
Louis Hayes – drums

Recorded at MPS-Tonstudio, Villingen; 1972

Quality: eac, flac, cue, log, artwork

Cannonball Adderley – Cannonball’s Bossa Nova {Capitol}

Review by Al Campbell (allmusic.com)

A pleasant date recorded in late 1962 with South American musicians the Bossa Rio Sextet of Brazil. Cannonball is heard alongside Sergio Mendes on piano, future Weather Report percussionist Dom Um Romao, and featured on five cuts is Paulo Moura on alto saxophone with Pedro Paulo on trumpet. Unfortunately this release contains little fire, as Adderley didn’t get much rehearsal time with these musicians. Combined with the repetitious nature of the Bossa Nova these proceedings can get tedious. This session was originally released on Riverside, but Adderley took several master tapes (including this one) when he made his move to Capitol.

Tracks:
01 – Clouds
02 – Minha Saudades
03 – Corcovado
04 – Batida Diferentes
05 – Joyce’s Sambas
06 – Groovy Sambas
07 – O Amor Em Paz (Once I Loved)
08 – Sambops
09 – Corcovado (alternate take)
10 – Clouds (single version)

Personnel:
Cannonball Adderley – alto saxophone
Sergio Mendes – piano
Durval Ferreira – guitar
Octavio Bailly, Jr. – bass
Dom Um Romao – drums

On #2,4,5,7,8 add Pedro Paulo – trumpet; Paulo Moura – alto saxophone

Recorded at Plaza Sound, New York City on December 7 (#1,2,6,10),
December 10 (#3,7-9) and December 11 (#4,5), 1962.

Quality: eac, flac, cue, log, artwork

Ben Webster – Warm Moods {WB}

Review by Scott Yanow (allmusic.com)

The veteran tenor Ben Webster had a very warm tone on ballads that contrasted with the aggressive biting sound he used on faster material. For this 1960 set Webster is joined by a string quartet (arranged by Johnny Richards) and a rhythm section for his melodic interpretations of a dozen standards. Even when simply stating the melody, Webster brings out unexpected beauty in the songs. His tone has never been accurately duplicated and is the main reason to pick up this CD reissue.

Tracks:
01 – The Sweetheart of Sigma Chi
02 – Stella by Starlight
03 – With Every Breath I Take
04 – Accent on Youth
05 – But Beautiful
06 – Time after Time
07 – Nancy (With the Laughing Face)
08 – I’m Beginning to See the Light
09 – It Was So Beautiful
10 – The Whiffenpoof Song
11 – It’s Easy to Remember
12 – There’s No You

Personnel:
Ben Webster – tenor saxophone
Donn Trenner – piano
Don Bagley – bass
Frank Capp – drums
Armond Kaproff – cello
Cecil Figelski – viola
Alfred Lustgarten – violin
Lisa Minghetti – violin

Recorded at Radio Recorders (1/18-19/60)

Quality: eac, flac, cue, log, artwork