ANTHONY WILLIAMS - Spring (1965-2000) RM / 24 Bit By RVG / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Considering the extraordinary talent assembled for Tony Williams' second Blue Note date as a leader, this could have been a landmark session. Unfortunately, it's not. Spring isn't totally forgettable; on the contrary, the fire expected by members of the Miles Davis Quintet (Williams, Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter), all thoroughly influenced by "the new thing," were unleashed completely from Miles' tight rein. Add tenor saxophonist Sam Rivers and Albert Ayler bassist Gary Peacock into this mix and that influence thrived. However, the five Tony Williams compositions (including the drum only "Echo") often failed to provoke the musicians into reaching crucial unity, making Spring haphazard, falling short of the expected goal. Following Spring, Williams would not release another solo date for four years, returning on the Polydor label with the groundbreaking electric rock trio recording Emergency! by Al Campbell
Tracklist :
1    Extras    8:08
Tony Williams
2    Echo    5:02
Tony Williams
3    From Before    6:51
Tony Williams
4    Love Song    8:24
Tony Williams
5    Tee    10:29
Tony Williams
Credits :
Bass – Gary Peacock
Drums – Anthony Williams
Piano – Herbie Hancock
Recorded By – Rudy Van Gelder
Tenor Saxophone – Sam Rivers, Wayne Shorter

RACHELLE FERRELL - First Instrument (1990) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Rachelle Ferrell made her name performing R&B, but this strictly acoustic jazz CD is her earliest recording. Her voice is quite soulful, making her later shift to R&B less of a surprise in hindsight, but Ferrell seems quite unsure of how to use her wide range, and her improvisations are often quite eccentric. Her lack of warmth and subtlety (along with a tendency to scream and screech in unexpected spots without a buildup) makes it difficult to listen to several of the numbers on this standards-oriented set. Trumpeter Terence Blanchard and Wayne Shorter on tenor make worthwhile cameo appearances, but Rachelle Ferrell at that point in her career did not really sound ready for prime time, despite her potential. by Scott Yanow

Tracklist:

1-You Send Me. 

Sam Cooke / Clarence Paul / Ed Townsend

2-You Don't Know What Love Is. 

Gene DePaul / Don Raye

3-Bye Bye Blackbird. 

Mort Dixon / Ray Henderson

4 Prayer Dance

Morris Bailey / Eddie Green

5-Inchworm.  

Frank Loesser

6-With Every Breath I Take.  

Cy Coleman

7-What Is This Thing Called Love?.  

Cole Porter

8-My Funny Valentine.  

Lorenz Hart / Richard Rodgers

9-Don't Waste Your Time.  

Rachelle Ferrell

10-Extensions.  

Rachelle Ferrell

11-Autumn Leaves.  

Joseph Kosma / Johnny Mercer / Jacques Prévert

Credits:

Rachelle Ferrell, Piano, Vocals

Lenny White, Drums, Producer 

Terrence Blanchard, Trumpet 

Tyrone Brown, Bass, Stick Bass

Stanley Clarke, Bass

Kenny Davis, Bass

Alex Foster, Sax (Soprano) 

Doug Goldstein, Synthesizer, Drums

Gil Goldstein, Synthesizer, Piano

Eddie Green, Piano

Pete Levin, Synthesizer

Doug Nally, Drums

Michel Petrucciani, Piano 

Wayne Shorter, Sax (Tenor)

LEE MORGAN - The Gigolo (1965-2014) RM / BLUE NOTE MASTERWORKS / SHM-CD / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Lee Morgan was the leading trumpeter in hard bop during the 1960s and he recorded quite a few classic albums for Blue Note. This is one of them. The CD reissue (which adds an alternate take of the title cut to the original five-song program) features Morgan at his best, whether playing his memorable blues "Speed Ball," an explorative ballad version of "You Go to My Head," a lengthy "The Gigolo," or his other two originals ("Yes I Can, No You Can't" and "Trapped"). There are no weak selections on this set and the playing by the leader, Wayne Shorter on tenor, pianist Harold Mabern, bassist Bob Cranshaw, and drummer Billy Higgins is beyond any serious criticism. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist:
1 Yes I Can, No You Can't 7:25
Lee Morgan
2 Trapped 6:00
Lee Morgan
3 Speedball 5:32
Lee Morgan
4 The Gigolo 11:03
Lee Morgan
5 You Go to My Head 10:05
Lee Morgan
6 The Gigolo 7:19
J. Fred Coots
Credits:
Bass – Bob Cranshaw
Drums – Billy Higgins
Piano – Harold Mabern, Jr.
Recorded By – Rudy Van Gelder
Tenor Saxophone – Wayne Shorter
Trumpet – Lee Morgan