Various Artists, "Viva Jazzanova II: The Best of Latin & Bossa Jazz", Synergy #1004058082 (2007). [2-CD Set]
Release Date: June 22, 2007
CREDITS:
Arnaldo DeSouteiro - Producer
Sarah Vaughan - Vocal
Antonio Carlos Jobim - Yamaha CP-80 Piano, Arranger
Sergio Barroso - Bass (Acoustic)
Ray Barretto - Congas
Arturo O'Farrill - Piano (Acoustic), Arranger
Flora Purim - Vocal, Percussion
Wagner Tiso - Fender Rhodes, Hammond Organ, Arranger
Ron Carter - Bass (Acoustic)
Airto Moreira - Drums
Vince Guaraldi - Piano (Acoustic)
David Amaro - Guitar (Electric)
Pat Rebillot - Fender Rhodes, Hammond Organ
Carlos Puebla - Performer
Dom Um Romão - Drums, Percussion, Producer
Celia Vaz - Arranger
Alan Rubin - Trumpet
Steve Kroon - Percussion
Gloria Gadelha - Vocals (Backg)
Dom Salvador - Piano (Acoustic)
Cal Tjader - Vibraphone
Orrin Keepnews - Producer
Ariovaldo Contesini - Percussion
Wilson das Neves - Drums
Aloysio de Oliveira - Producer
Danilo Caymmi - Flute
Chico Batera - Percussion
Paulo Jobim - Flute
Bola Sete - Guitar (Acoustic)
Ella Fitzgerald - Vocal
Luiz Bonfa - Guitar (Acoustic)
Arnaldo DeSouteiro - Arranger, Producer
Jota Moraes - Keyboards, Arranger
Nilson Matta - Bass (Acoustic)
Barry Powley - Executive Producer
Pascoal Meirelles - Drums
Peter Klam - Executive Producer
Charlie Byrd - Guitar (Acoustic)
Chico O'Farrill - Arranger, Conductor
José Roberto Bertrami - Keyboards, Arranger, Vocal, Producer, Clavinet, Fender Rhodes
Nico Assumpção - Bass (Acoustic)
Robertinho Silva - Drums
Pucho & The Latin Soul Brothers - Performer
Claudio Roditi - Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Percussion, Arranger
Danilo Perez - Piano (Acoustic)
Ignacio Berroa - Drums
Portinho - Percussion
Daniel Freiberg - Synthesizer
Helen Keane - Producer
Thiago de Mello - Percussion, Surdo, Vocal Effects
David Finck - Bass (Acoustic)
Rafael Cruz - Percussion
Azymuth - Performer
Ivan Conti - Drums, Percussion
Alex Malheiros - Bass (Acoustic), Bass (Electric), Guitar (Acoustic)
Pucho - Percussion, Timbales
Joe Pass - Guitar (Electric)
Clark Terry - Trumpet
Zoot Sims - Sax (Tenor)
Toots Thielemans - Harmonica
John Spruill - Piano (Acoustic)
William Bivens - Vibraphone
Durval Ferreira - Guitar (Acoustic)
Jerry Granelli - Drums
Fred Marshall - Bass (Acoustic)
Jose Carlos Ramos - Flute, Sax (Soprano)
Andy Gonzalez - Bass (Acoustic)
Horacio Hernandez - Drums
Jerry Gonzalez - Congas
Norberto Apellaniz - Bongos
Harold Alexander - Sax (Tenor)
Richard "Pablo" Landrum - Congas
Vincent McEwan - Trumpet
Claude Bartee - Sax (Tenor)
Mike Lang - Keyboards
Son Bacheche - Performer
Jon Hart - Bass (Acoustic)
Paulinho da Costa - Percussion, Producer
Alex Acuna - Drums
Norman Granz - Producer
Paul Jackson - Guitar (Electric)
Terry Trotter - Keyboards
Oscar Castro-Neves - Guitar (Acoustic)
Abe Laboriel - Bass (Electric)
Clarence McDonald - Keyboards
Roland Bautista - Guitar (Rhythm)
Tom Malone - Drums
Egberto Gismonti - Keyboards
Adela Dalto - Vocals
Rick Trevino - Performer
Johhny Hammond Smith - Keyboards
Ronnie Cuber - Sax (Baritone)
Juan Tito Russo - Bass (Electric)
Chris Conway, "Chocolate Bossa", Oblong Music [UK] #CD 058 (2007).[CD]
Release Date: June 06, 2007
Total Time: 60:11
Digitally Recorded at Oblong Studios (Leicester, UK) and Jazz Station Studios (LA, CA, USA)
CREDITS:
Chris Conway - Producer, Composer, Arranger, Vocals, Piano, Guitars, Kalimba, Bamboo Flutes, Whistles, Theremin, Programming
Ithamara Koorax - Vocals
Arnaldo DeSouteiro - Co-Producer, Engineer
Neil Segrott - Bass (Fretless)
Thiago de Mello - Acoustic Percussion
Zorpinda Zorpin - Album Design, Temple Bells, Percussion
Calvin Hewitt - Photography
Dorian Morian - Engineer
Thiago de Mello and Arnaldo DeSouteiro appear by courtesy of JSR (Jazz Station Records).
Fabio Fonseca Trio, "Opus Samba", JSR #6054 (2007).[CD]
Musician personnel: Fabio Fonseca, Hammond B-3, Rhodes, Hohner Clavinet D6, Sequential Pro-One, ARP Omni II, Vocals; Pedro Leão, Electric Bass; Mac William, Drums, Percussion; plus Ithamara Koorax, vocal (on "A Mulher de 15 Metros"), percussion (on "Dormideira"); Arnaldo DeSouteiro, percussion, bells (on "Dormideira).
Produced by Arnaldo DeSouteiro for JSR (Jazz Station Records)
Liner notes by Douglas Payne
Executive Producer: Fabio Fonseca for Jardim Magnético
Production Manager: Marcia Ferraz
Recorded April-May 2006 at Magnetic Garden Studios (Italpava, RJ, Brazil)
Mastered May 2007 at Classic Master (São Paulo, SP, Brazil)
Ithamara Koorax appears by courtesy of IRMA Records and Concord Music Group
Various Artists, "CTI: Acid Jazz Grooves", CTI CD #KICJ 295 (2007).[CD Compilation]
The CD you are holding in your hands is a very special compilation. It’s the celebration of CTI as one of the most “sampled” labels on Earth! For the past ten years, many CTI tracks have been cut up, sampled, scratched and looped to create new songs for a new audience. Many of the selections on this album (all of them produced by Creed Taylor and engineered by Rudy Van Gelder) represented the basic inspiration and major influence in the work of countless artists from the jazz hip-hop generation. And some of these tracks (most notably Idris Muhammad’s “Loran’s Dance”, Airto’s “Celebration Suite” and Deodato’s “Skyscrapers”) achieved the status of “contemporary dancefloor jazz classics”.
All the great artists in this compilation are revered by DJs, musicians, dancers, and consumers of the Acid Jazz community. Why? Because they play exhilarating music filled with soulful grooves. All kinds of grooves! “In the pocket”, “shake your booty”, “finger snappin’” and so on. Just listen to the opening track, Benson’s “Knock on Wood”, and you’ll find all the main ingredients of a true dancefloor hit: a burning jazz improvisation over a solid funky groove, spiced with soul sauce.
As my friend Larry Birnbaum wrote on the Down Beat February ’96 issue, “call it acid-jazz or hip-hop, but today’s funky dancefloor jazz (or jazzy dancefloor funky) owes as much to ‘70s jazz-funk as the young lions movement does to ‘50s hard-bop.” The fact is that the Acid Jazz phenomenon spawned an incredible amount of reissues which were responsible for the solo career resurrection of several artists – Idris Muhammad, Lonnie Smith, Les McCann, Yusef Lateef, Lou Donaldson and Johnny Hammond, to name a few. Even groups (Funk Inc.) and bands (Pucho & His Latin Soul Brothers) were reconstructed after years of obscurity.
It all began when British DJs started a new “movement” in the dance music scene. “Suddenly, reports were filtering back to the United States about kids in London dance halls moving to jazz recordings,” arranger Bob Belden once wrote. Mark Murphy told me that it was true, and, when I was preparing to travel to London in ’89, he gave me a list of clubs I should visit. “You’ll not believe in what you’ll see,” Mark advised me. Even so, I felt myself exultant and astounded!
As a natural consequence of this exposure of “old” jazz stuff to European teens, many rap and hip-hop artists began to sample introductions, bass lines and horn riffs from jazz tracks. Since this process was (and still is) a two-way street, many jazz heavyweights started to mix jazz improvisation with hip-hop grooves. Once again, jazz supreme genius Miles Davis showed the way on “Doo-bop”. One year after the posthumous release of Miles’ album, the Us3 group scored, in ’93, a monster hit based on Herbie Hancock’s “Cantaloup Island” and, voilà, the Acid Jazz international fame was guaranteed.
Although some purists and incredulous proclaimed the death of Acid Jazz the day it was born, the spirit behind it prevailed and Acid Jazz is currently accepted as a genre in the universal lexicon of genuine musical categories. Brazilian sounds of the ‘60s and ‘70s were incorporated in the idiom, the craze expanded to Japan (thanks are due to U.F.O., Kyoto Jazz Massive, Izuru Utsumi and DJ Krush, among others) and now we see some incredible partnerships: Flora Purim sittin’ in with Urban Species, Mark Murphy jamming with U.F.O., Ron Carter lending the bass and supplying the base to MC Solaar, Donald Byrd soloing over Guru, and Deodato arranging for Bjork. “There’s more people making Acid Jazz than ever before,” stated Straight No Chaser’s editor Paul Bradshaw. CTI proudly joins the club and releases “CTI: Acid Jazz Grooves”, definitely proving the viability of jazz as contemporary dance music. Check it out and surrender!
Our musical journey starts with George Benson’s crepitant version of Eddie Floyd’s ’66 hit “Knock on Wood”, gifted with an utterly infectious groove. Recorded in ’75 during the sessions that yielded the “Good King Bad” album, it was only released in ’83, on the “Pacific Fire” album, which never received widespread distribution. So, don’t feel guilty if you weren’t aware of its existence. It’s really one of the rarest CTI recordings. David Matthew’s arrangement clearly benefits from his experience with James Brown (someone remembers “Sho’ is Funky Down Here”?) between ’70 and ’73. The solos are by Benson (displaying his phenomenal technique) and Fred Wesley, Brown’s demoniac trombonist.
“For the jazz dancers of the ‘80s, Brazilian husband and wife duo, Airto Moreira and Flora Purim, have earned a status that others on the jazz scene reserved for the likes of John Coltrane,” decreed the Straighnt No Chaser magazine in 1990. This is the original version of their biggest dancefloor hit, “Tobo in 7/4”, retitled “Celebration Suite” (due to bureaucratic contractual reasons) when Airto expanded the batucada section and recorded it once again for Warner, in ’77. This high-spirited performance features Airto’s drum solo and the ingenious keyboard work of the underrated Uruguayan Hugo Fattoruso (on organ and Fender Rhodes electric piano), who wrote all the arrangements for Airto’s landmark album, “Fingers”, in ’73.
“Midnight Woman” is welcome for its simplicity and direct dancing appeal. This track comes from Lalo Schifrin’s second date for CTI in ’76 (“Towering Toccata”), including solos by Eric Gale, Joe Farrell and the leader himself on the Fender Rhodes. Eric Gale’s and John Tropea’s guitars complement each other beautifully, adding a special spice to the groove provided by Will Lee and Steve Gadd. It’s interesting to note how Lalo Schifrin (a superb arranger of personal identity) was, at that time, extremely influenced by Deodato and Bob James, musicians of a younger generation.
No such simple description fully explains the mind (and the spirit) of someone as intellectualized and complex as Yusef Lateef, who refuses the term “jazz” to define his music. A deeply religious man devoted to Islam, Dr. Lateef is also engaged in politics, civil rights and black nationalism. It’s very ironical that this “eccentric” master, who, for the last 15 years, has been refusing to perform in jazz clubs or any other place that sells alcohol, is one of the most idolized figures in a dancefloor scene that took its reference name from the “ecstasy” acid…! On this ’79 afro-tinged track from “In a Temple Garden”, which got a 4-star review in DownBeat, Yusef’s tenor sax is anchored by Spyro Gyra’s Tom Schuman on synths and Rhodes, with Randy Brecker (trumpet) taking a solo spot.
Deodato’s “Skyscrapers” is by now considered a dancefloor jazz classic. The Brazilian artist had just been transformed in a pop star (thanks to “Zarathustra”) when he performed this song in the USA for the first time, on April 20, 1973, on Creed Taylor’s “CTI 2001 Space Concert” at the Felt Forum of the Madison Square Garden. The audience response made him sufficiently confident as to include “Skyscrapers” on his next album (“Deodato 2”), inviting his touring band – featuring John Giulino on bass, Rick Marotta on drums, and John Tropea on guitar – to record it two weeks later at Van Gelder’s studio. The arrangement challenges the group to a frenetic performance that nevertheless maintain balance and control, with Deodato doing the synthesizer solo.
Johnny Hammond’s title track from “The Prophet.” Recorded in ’72, here’s another killer cut destined to provide instant excitement on any club crowd. Ron Carter’s deadly bass line, Billy Cobham’s thundering drums, Johnny Hammond’s fiery solo on the B-3, and the smoking attack of the brass section (these riffs are one of Alfred “Pee Wee” Ellis’ most immediately recognizable trademarks) generate an astonishing overall effect. “The Prophet” also features a tenor solo by Maceo Parker, Ellis’ frequent collaborator until the present days and another member of The J.B. Horns. It’s worth mentioning that, due to the renewed interest on his work, Johnny Hammond gave up his semi-retirement and is now back on the road!
Stanley Turrentine’s sax-appeal is displayed on “Sister Sanctified”. Weldon Irvine composed, arranged and played tambourine. It was Milt Jackson’s debut session for CTI in May ’72 (“Cherry”), seven months before he recorded the luxurious solo album, “Sunflower”. Both Turrentine and Jackson perform with an authority achieved through a lifetime of study and dedication to their instruments. There’s a real funky groove, settled by Bob James on the Fender Rhodes. A track with perfect vibe and infallible vibes.
Idris Muhammad sets up the rules of groovitation on “Loran’s Dance”. Bob James’ laid-back arrangement fitted like a glove for the DJs who were looking for more charming cuts. As dance tempos began slowing down in the late 80s, tracks like this one became cult-hits on the dancefloor jazz panorama. Grover Washington, Jr., who wrote this tune for Idris’ debut solo album on the Kudu label (“Power of Soul”), is heard on an excellent tenor solo, preceded by Joe Beck and Randy Brecker’s inspired testimonies. Little by little, the performance increases in intensity, but both Gary King and Ralph MacDonald are more discreet than ever.
Urbie Green’s velvety trombone “sings” Stevie Wonder’s “Another Star”, from a session (“The Fox”) arranged by David Matthews. It’s a captivating blend of jazz, funk and a proto-disco beat. Anthony Jackson, then a newcomer, stands out with unbelievable bass lines plus an exquisite solo. Jeremy Steig sounds unmistakable as usual, while Mike Abene uses the first melody phrase as a keyboard riff. Sue Evans colors the track employing several percussion instruments: shaker, agogô, bells and so on. When you think they’ve said all they had to say, Toots Thielemans suddenly appears to conclude the track in a mellow mood.
Thom Bell & Linda Creed were some of the greatest R&B hit makers of the early ‘70s. Many of their songs, anthems of “The Sound of Philadelphia” style, appealed to jazzmen, and Freddie Hubbard wasn’t immune to this healthful contamination. We shall contemplate the somber atmosphere of Bob James’ score, as well as Hubbard’s beautiful tone. Although recorded in ’72, this rendition of “People Make The World Go Round” only came out in ’75, on the “Polar AC” album, released when the trumpeter had already left the CTI label. In the meantime, however, Hubbard had the opportunity to record this song as a guest on Milt Jackson’s “Sunflower”. The version we’ve selected opens with Airto’s exotic jungle sounds, and develops over the unquiet beat of Lenny White’s drums.
The title track from Les McCann’s one and only album for CTI, “Road Warriors”, is a song of a special kind. Recorded in ’84 when the label was going once again to bankruptcy, only in Japan it was well distributed by King Records. In the USA, released on Creed’s new label Greenestreet, it’s considered a collector’s item. McCann is an exemplary case of how positively Acid Jazz affected so many careers. After a decade of ostracism, he became one of the most-in-demand musicians for live gigs in Europe. The October ’96 issue of DownBeat includes an article on which McCann discuss his tremendous impact on the Acid Jazz scene, mentioning that more than twenty of his tracks have been sampled by hip-hop producers and rappers. It’s not difficult to discover why. Woosh!! Nuff said…!
- Arnaldo DeSouteiro
Musician personnel and Album credits:
Arnaldo DeSouteiro - Compilation Producer, Liner Notes
Creed Taylor - Producer
Rudy Van Gelder - Recording & Mix Engineer
David Amaro - Guitar
Ray Barretto - Conga
Rubens Bassini - Percussion
Joe Beck - Guitar
George Benson - Guitar
Michael Brecker - Sax (Tenor)
Randy Brecker - Trumpet
George Cables - Fender Rhodes
Ron Carter - Bass
Billy Cobham - Drums
Ronnie Cuber - Sax (Baritone)
Deodato - Arranger, Conductor, Keyboards
Cornell Dupree - Guitar
Pee Wee Ellis - Arranger
Sue Evans - Percussion
Joe Farrell - Flute
Hugo Fattoruso - Fender Rhodes, Hammond Organ, Vocals, Arranger
Jorge Fattoruso - Percussion, Vocals
Sammy Figueroa - Percussion
Steve Gadd - Drums
Eric Gale - Guitar
John Giulino - Bass
Urbie Green - Trombone
Don Grolnick - Keyboards
Johnny Hammond - Organ
Freddie Hubbard - Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Weldon Irvine - Percussion, Arranger
Anthony Jackson - Bass (Electric)
Milt Jackson - Vibraphone
Bob James - Arranger, Keyboards, Conductor
Seiji Kaneko - Mastering
Katsuei Kawada - Art Direction
Gary King - Bass
Yusef Lateef - Sax (Tenor)
Hubert Laws - Flute
Will Lee - Bass
Ralph MacDonald - Percussion
Jimmy Madison - Drums
Rick Marotta - Drums
David Matthews - Arranger, Conductor
Les McCann - Fender Rhodes
Lou Volpe - Guitar
Barry Miles - Keyboards
Airto Moreira - Percussion, Drums, Vocals
Idris Muhammad - Drums
Andy Newmark - Drums
Kiyoshi Osada - Design
Maceo Parker - Sax (Tenor)
Flora Purim - Percussion, Vocals
David Sanborn - Sax (Alto)
Lalo Schifrin - Arranger, Keyboards, Conductor
Tom Schuman - Keyboards
Jeremy Steig - Flute
Toots Thielemans - Harmonica
Ringo Thielmann - Bass, Vocals
John Tropea - Guitar
Stanley Turrentine - Sax (Tenor)
Jeremy Wall - Arranger
Grover Washington, Jr. - Sax (Tenor)
Fred Wesley - Trombone
Lenny White - Drums
Compiled and Conceived by Arnaldo DeSouteiro
Original Sessions Produced by Creed Taylor
All Tracks Recorded at Van Gelder Studio by Rudy Van Gelder
Released on January 22, 1997.
Hank Crawford, "I Hear A Symphony", Kudu [Japan] #KICJ 2218 (2007). [Japanese CD Reissue]
2007 Japanese CD reissue supervised & remastered by Arnaldo DeSouteiro for CTI/Kudu in the "I Love Kudu" series.
24 Bit Remastering (CD released on March 7, 2007)
Musician personnel & album credits:
Alto Saxophone: Hank Crawford
Acoustic & Electric Pianos: Leon Pendarvis (1,2,3,4,7)
Electric Piano: Richard Tee (5,6,8)
Electric Bass: Gary King
Drums: Steve Gadd (1,2,3,4,7)
Drums: Bernard Pretty Purdie (5,6,8)
Percussion (shaker & tambourine): Idris Muhammad (1)
Percussion & Congas: Ralph MacDonald
Electric Guitar: Eric Gale
Trumpet & Flugelhorn: Jon Faddis / John Frosk / Bob Milikan / Alan Rubin
Trombone: Barry Rogers / Fred Wesley
Bass Trombone: Paul Faulise / Tony Studd / Dave Taylor
Violin: Harry Cykman / Lewis Elley / Max Ellen / Paul Gershman / Emanuel Green / Harold Kohon / Charles Libove / Joe Malin / David Nadien / John Pintavalle / Raoul Poliakin / Max Polikoff / Richard Sorthomme
Cello: Seymour Barab / Charles McCracken / Alan Sculman
Lead Vocals : Patti Austin (1) / Frank Floyd (2)
Backing Vocals: Hilda Harris / Debbie McDuffie / Maeretha Stewart
Arranged & Conducted by David Matthews
Original Album Produced by Creed Taylor
Recorded at Van Gelder Studios, June & July 1975
Engineer: Rudy Van Gelder
Album photos & Design: Pete Turner
Kudu A&R: Tony Sarafino
Original catalog number: KU-26
Reissue Supervisor: Arnaldo DeSouteiro
Liner Notes for the CD Reissue: Douglas Payne
Hank Crawford, "Help Me Make It Through The Night", CTI/Kudu CD [Japan] #KICJ 2219 (2007).[CD Reissue]
Reissue Supervised, Annotated & Remastered by Arnaldo DeSouteiro for the "I Love Kudu" series, released on March 07, 2007.
Liner Notes written by Arnaldo DeSouteiro:
One of the first artists signed by Creed Taylor for the Kudu label, Hank Crawford suffered violent criticism during the period (1971-1978) he recorded for the label, being accused to make mellow and commercial albums. On the other hand, Hank achieved a new level of popularity during his Kudu years. Some of the eight albums he cut for the label sold over 100,000 copies with almost no promotion. And his Kudu debut, "Help Me Make It Through The Night," was the first step in this process of unprecedented fame. It is really a cult album for many saxophonists – among them, David Sanborn, Hank’s most famous fan and disciple!
Born on December 21, 1934, in Memphis, Tennessee, Bernie Ross Crawford remains one of the most distinctive alto saxophone stylists in the music history. He began studying piano at age nine, and was soon playing for his church choir. As a teenager, he took up alto sax in his high school band, influenced by Johnny Hodges, Charlie Parker, Louis Jordan and Earl Bostic. At school, he hang out with Phineas Newborn, Jr., Booker Little, George Coleman and Harold Mabern. Although their after-school hours were devoted to studying bebop, they cut their professional teeth on the blues.
Before he had finishing high school, Crawford was playing in bands led by Ben Branch, Tuff Green and Ike Turner, backing B.B. King, Bobby Bland and Junior Parker in several Memphis venues. In 1953, he went away to Tennessee State College in Nashville, where he developed his arranging skills as leader of the school’s dance band.
His big break came in 1958, when Ray Charles passed through Nashville. Baritone saxophonist Leroy Cooper had just left the band, and Charles offered Crawford the baritone choir. In 1959, when Cooper returned to the fold, Crawford switched to alto sax. Two years later, Charles expanded to full big-band size and appointed Crawford musical director. By the time Crawford left Charles in 1963 to form his own seven-piece combo, he had already established himself with several solo albums on Atlantic, for whom he would cut a total of twelve albums.
Signed to CTI/Kudu in 1971, Hank Crawford appeared on Johnny Hammond’s "Breakout" (recorded on June 1971), the first album issued by the new CTI subsidiary company. Soon he was called by Creed, in August, to work on his debut solo album for the label. But he could not attend the second record session, scheduled for September, and the famous producer offered to Grover Washington, Jr. (who had been hired as one of the members in the horn section assembled for Crawford’s album) the chance to lead the session. The result was the "Inner City Blues" album, which launched Grover’s hugely successful solo career.
Actually, Crawford’s first official live appearance as a CTI/Kudu artist was on July 18, 1971, in the memorable "California Concert" album, cut live at the Hollywood Palladium. But, although playing in several songs, his main solo performance, a beautiful rendition of "Never Can Say Goodbye" (one of the songs he had recorded for Johnny Hammond’s "Breakout"), was not included in the original 2-LP set, remaining unreleased up to this date.
One month later, Hank Crawford finally went to Van Gelder’s Studio, in New Jersey, to start the recording of the "Help Me Make it Through the Night" album. However, from the first session they did that August, Creed Taylor decided to use only one track, a tune composed and arranged by Alfred Pee Wee Ellis with a strong brass section on the backing. As aforementioned told, Hank failed to show up for the September session. Then, on January 1972, Creed decided to complete the album following a completely different musical direction, inviting different musicians (Cornell Dupree and Bernard Purdie were called to replace Eric Gale and Idris Muhammad), and inviting Don Sebesky to write the string arrangements.
Except for Pee Wee Ellis’ "Ham," and Crawford’s own "Uncle Funky" (later retitled "Bowl Full O’Blues" on the "CTI Summer Jazz At The Hollywood Bowl" concert, recorded on July 30, 1972, but released only in 1977), all other tracks are pop favorites. The title track, a song from country singer and future Hollywood star Kris Kristofferson’s self-titled debut album in 1970, had been also a Top 10 pop hit thanks to a recording by songstress Sammi Smith. Crawford transforms that erotic ballad into a bouncy funky-soul piece, which features inspired performances by Cornell Dupree on guitar and by the late Richard Tee, who plays organ on his unmistakable style.
The ballad department includes the John Lennon peaceful hymn Imagine, Michel Legrand’s movie theme "Brian’s Song" (sub-titled "The Hands of Time" after the talented couple Alan & Marilyn Bergman added lyrics), and the title tune of Frank Sinatra’s first 12-inch LP for Capitol, "In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning," arranged by Nelson Riddle in 1954, and recently rediscovered by pop (Carly Simon) and jazz (Keith Jarrett) heavyweights.
Plus: soulful renditions of hits by Carole King ("Go Away Littlle Girl," a gem from her creative heyday in partnership with Gerry Goffin, then Carole’s husband) and Ray Charles ("The Sun Died," aka "Il Est Mort Le Soleil," a jazz singer’s favorite since covered by Betty Carter in 1969, and recreated by Shirley Horn on her 1993 tribute to Charles, "Light Out of Darkness").
Throughout the album, there are many details to be savored: the spicy groove provided by drummer Bernard Pretty Purdie on "Go Away Little Girl," the subtle comments by vibes player Phil Kraus on "In the Wee Small Hours," Cornell Dupree’s bluesy guitar solo on "Uncle Funky," Margaret Ross’ sophisticated harp embellishments on "Brian’s Song." But, above all, Crawford’s touching sound, melted with Sebesky’s sensitive arrangements. Romantic soul music at its best, showing the reason why David Sanborn, who idolizes Crawford as his main influence, loves "Help Me Make It Through the Night" so much!
- Arnaldo DeSouteiro
Mr. DeSouteiro is Brazil’s top jazz producer and CTI historian.
Musician personnel and Album credits:
Hank Crawford: alto sax
Richard Tee: organ (1,4,7,8) acoustic piano (2,3), electric piano (5,6)
Ron Carter: acoustic bass (2,3,4,5,6,8), electric bass (1,7)
Bernard Purdie: drums
Idris Muhammad: drums (7)
Airto Moreira: percussion (7)
Phil Kraus: vibes (1,4,5)
Cornell Dupree: electric guitar
Eric Gale: electric guitar (7)
Horns Section (only on track 7):
Grover Washington, Jr.: tenor sax
Pepper Adams: baritone sax
Al DeRisi & Snooky Young: trumpets
Wayne Andre: trombone
Strings Section (all tracks, except 7):
Bernard Eichen, Felix Giglio, Emanuel Green, Harold Kohon, Harry Lookofsky, Joe Malin, Gene Orloff, Max Polikoff, Elliot Rosoff: violin
Alfred Brown, Theodore Israel, Emanuel Vardi: viola
Charles McCracken, George Ricci: cello
Margaret Ross: harp
Production Credits
Original Album Producer: Creed Taylor
Recorded at Van Gelder Studio, January 1972, except track 7 (August 1971)
Engineer: Rudy Van Gelder
Album Photos: William Cadge
Album Design: Bob Ciano
Reissue Supervisor: Arnaldo DeSouteiro
Liner Notes: Arnaldo DeSouteiro
Original LP Issue: KU-06
Ithamara Koorax, "Love Dance", Warner Music [France] #9020492245 (2007).[CD Reissue]
Produced by Arnaldo DeSouteiro
Release Date in France: June 26, 2007.
Musician personnel: Jurgen Friedrich (acoustic piano, arranger), John McLaughlin (electric guitar), Luiz Bonfa (acoustic guitar), João Palma (drums), Gonzalo Rubalcaba (acoustic piano), José Roberto Bertrami (keyboards, arranger), Juarez Araujo (clarinet), Sergio Barroso (acoustic bass), Dom Um Romão (percussion), Alex Malheiros (electric bass), Ivan *Mamao* Conti (drums), Nelson Angelo (acoustic guitar, acoustic piano, arranger), Jorge Pescara (stick bass, fretless bass), Mario Castro-Neves (keyboards, arranger), Jorjão Carvalho (electric bass), Marcos Valle (keyboards, arranger), Cesar Machado (drums), José Carlos "Bigorna" Ramos (soprano sax/flutes), Sidinho Moreira (percussion), Manuel Gusmão (acoustic bass), ArnaldoDeSouteiro (percussion, arranger).
Release Date: June 22, 2007
CREDITS:
Arnaldo DeSouteiro - Producer
Sarah Vaughan - Vocal
Antonio Carlos Jobim - Yamaha CP-80 Piano, Arranger
Sergio Barroso - Bass (Acoustic)
Ray Barretto - Congas
Arturo O'Farrill - Piano (Acoustic), Arranger
Flora Purim - Vocal, Percussion
Wagner Tiso - Fender Rhodes, Hammond Organ, Arranger
Ron Carter - Bass (Acoustic)
Airto Moreira - Drums
Vince Guaraldi - Piano (Acoustic)
David Amaro - Guitar (Electric)
Pat Rebillot - Fender Rhodes, Hammond Organ
Carlos Puebla - Performer
Dom Um Romão - Drums, Percussion, Producer
Celia Vaz - Arranger
Alan Rubin - Trumpet
Steve Kroon - Percussion
Gloria Gadelha - Vocals (Backg)
Dom Salvador - Piano (Acoustic)
Cal Tjader - Vibraphone
Orrin Keepnews - Producer
Ariovaldo Contesini - Percussion
Wilson das Neves - Drums
Aloysio de Oliveira - Producer
Danilo Caymmi - Flute
Chico Batera - Percussion
Paulo Jobim - Flute
Bola Sete - Guitar (Acoustic)
Ella Fitzgerald - Vocal
Luiz Bonfa - Guitar (Acoustic)
Arnaldo DeSouteiro - Arranger, Producer
Jota Moraes - Keyboards, Arranger
Nilson Matta - Bass (Acoustic)
Barry Powley - Executive Producer
Pascoal Meirelles - Drums
Peter Klam - Executive Producer
Charlie Byrd - Guitar (Acoustic)
Chico O'Farrill - Arranger, Conductor
José Roberto Bertrami - Keyboards, Arranger, Vocal, Producer, Clavinet, Fender Rhodes
Nico Assumpção - Bass (Acoustic)
Robertinho Silva - Drums
Pucho & The Latin Soul Brothers - Performer
Claudio Roditi - Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Percussion, Arranger
Danilo Perez - Piano (Acoustic)
Ignacio Berroa - Drums
Portinho - Percussion
Daniel Freiberg - Synthesizer
Helen Keane - Producer
Thiago de Mello - Percussion, Surdo, Vocal Effects
David Finck - Bass (Acoustic)
Rafael Cruz - Percussion
Azymuth - Performer
Ivan Conti - Drums, Percussion
Alex Malheiros - Bass (Acoustic), Bass (Electric), Guitar (Acoustic)
Pucho - Percussion, Timbales
Joe Pass - Guitar (Electric)
Clark Terry - Trumpet
Zoot Sims - Sax (Tenor)
Toots Thielemans - Harmonica
John Spruill - Piano (Acoustic)
William Bivens - Vibraphone
Durval Ferreira - Guitar (Acoustic)
Jerry Granelli - Drums
Fred Marshall - Bass (Acoustic)
Jose Carlos Ramos - Flute, Sax (Soprano)
Andy Gonzalez - Bass (Acoustic)
Horacio Hernandez - Drums
Jerry Gonzalez - Congas
Norberto Apellaniz - Bongos
Harold Alexander - Sax (Tenor)
Richard "Pablo" Landrum - Congas
Vincent McEwan - Trumpet
Claude Bartee - Sax (Tenor)
Mike Lang - Keyboards
Son Bacheche - Performer
Jon Hart - Bass (Acoustic)
Paulinho da Costa - Percussion, Producer
Alex Acuna - Drums
Norman Granz - Producer
Paul Jackson - Guitar (Electric)
Terry Trotter - Keyboards
Oscar Castro-Neves - Guitar (Acoustic)
Abe Laboriel - Bass (Electric)
Clarence McDonald - Keyboards
Roland Bautista - Guitar (Rhythm)
Tom Malone - Drums
Egberto Gismonti - Keyboards
Adela Dalto - Vocals
Rick Trevino - Performer
Johhny Hammond Smith - Keyboards
Ronnie Cuber - Sax (Baritone)
Juan Tito Russo - Bass (Electric)
Chris Conway, "Chocolate Bossa", Oblong Music [UK] #CD 058 (2007).[CD]
Release Date: June 06, 2007
Total Time: 60:11
Digitally Recorded at Oblong Studios (Leicester, UK) and Jazz Station Studios (LA, CA, USA)
CREDITS:
Chris Conway - Producer, Composer, Arranger, Vocals, Piano, Guitars, Kalimba, Bamboo Flutes, Whistles, Theremin, Programming
Ithamara Koorax - Vocals
Arnaldo DeSouteiro - Co-Producer, Engineer
Neil Segrott - Bass (Fretless)
Thiago de Mello - Acoustic Percussion
Zorpinda Zorpin - Album Design, Temple Bells, Percussion
Calvin Hewitt - Photography
Dorian Morian - Engineer
Thiago de Mello and Arnaldo DeSouteiro appear by courtesy of JSR (Jazz Station Records).
Fabio Fonseca Trio, "Opus Samba", JSR #6054 (2007).[CD]
Tracklist:
Samba de Nânh 2 (Fabio Fonseca)
Too High (Stevie Wonder)
Vida Vira Vida (Fabio Fonseca/Mathilda Kovak)
Dormideira (Fabio Fonseca)
Cochise (Ray Santos)
Tradução Simultânea (Fabio Fonseca/Mathilda Kovak)
Samba da Copa (Fabio Fonseca/Pedro Leão/Arnaldo DeSouteiro)
Cantagalo (Fabio Fonseca)
A Mulher de 15 Metros (Fabio Fonseca/Mathilda Kovak)
Missing Dom Um (Fabio Fonseca)
Mr. Bertrami (Fabio Fonseca)
Pro Renê (Fabio Fonseca)
Samba de Nânh 2 (Fabio Fonseca)
Too High (Stevie Wonder)
Vida Vira Vida (Fabio Fonseca/Mathilda Kovak)
Dormideira (Fabio Fonseca)
Cochise (Ray Santos)
Tradução Simultânea (Fabio Fonseca/Mathilda Kovak)
Samba da Copa (Fabio Fonseca/Pedro Leão/Arnaldo DeSouteiro)
Cantagalo (Fabio Fonseca)
A Mulher de 15 Metros (Fabio Fonseca/Mathilda Kovak)
Missing Dom Um (Fabio Fonseca)
Mr. Bertrami (Fabio Fonseca)
Pro Renê (Fabio Fonseca)
Musician personnel: Fabio Fonseca, Hammond B-3, Rhodes, Hohner Clavinet D6, Sequential Pro-One, ARP Omni II, Vocals; Pedro Leão, Electric Bass; Mac William, Drums, Percussion; plus Ithamara Koorax, vocal (on "A Mulher de 15 Metros"), percussion (on "Dormideira"); Arnaldo DeSouteiro, percussion, bells (on "Dormideira).
Produced by Arnaldo DeSouteiro for JSR (Jazz Station Records)
Liner notes by Douglas Payne
Executive Producer: Fabio Fonseca for Jardim Magnético
Production Manager: Marcia Ferraz
Recorded April-May 2006 at Magnetic Garden Studios (Italpava, RJ, Brazil)
Mastered May 2007 at Classic Master (São Paulo, SP, Brazil)
Ithamara Koorax appears by courtesy of IRMA Records and Concord Music Group
Various Artists, "CTI: Acid Jazz Grooves", CTI CD #KICJ 295 (2007).[CD Compilation]
Tracklist:
1 Knock on Wood - George Benson 8:33
2 Tombo in 7/4 aka Celebration Suite - Airto Moreira 6:25
3 Midnight Woman - Lalo Schifrin 6:07
4 Morocco - Yusef Lateef 4:25
5 Skyscrapers - Deodato 6:39
6 The Prophet - Johnny Hammond 7:22
7 Sister Sanctified - Stanley Turrentine & Milt Jackson 6:01
8 Loran's Dance - Idris Muhammad 10:38
9 Another Star - Urbie Green 7:16
10 People Make the World Go Round - Freddie Hubbard 5:55
11 Road Warriors - Les McCann 4:56
1 Knock on Wood - George Benson 8:33
2 Tombo in 7/4 aka Celebration Suite - Airto Moreira 6:25
3 Midnight Woman - Lalo Schifrin 6:07
4 Morocco - Yusef Lateef 4:25
5 Skyscrapers - Deodato 6:39
6 The Prophet - Johnny Hammond 7:22
7 Sister Sanctified - Stanley Turrentine & Milt Jackson 6:01
8 Loran's Dance - Idris Muhammad 10:38
9 Another Star - Urbie Green 7:16
10 People Make the World Go Round - Freddie Hubbard 5:55
11 Road Warriors - Les McCann 4:56
* * *
Liner Notes below written by Arnaldo DeSouteiro:The CD you are holding in your hands is a very special compilation. It’s the celebration of CTI as one of the most “sampled” labels on Earth! For the past ten years, many CTI tracks have been cut up, sampled, scratched and looped to create new songs for a new audience. Many of the selections on this album (all of them produced by Creed Taylor and engineered by Rudy Van Gelder) represented the basic inspiration and major influence in the work of countless artists from the jazz hip-hop generation. And some of these tracks (most notably Idris Muhammad’s “Loran’s Dance”, Airto’s “Celebration Suite” and Deodato’s “Skyscrapers”) achieved the status of “contemporary dancefloor jazz classics”.
All the great artists in this compilation are revered by DJs, musicians, dancers, and consumers of the Acid Jazz community. Why? Because they play exhilarating music filled with soulful grooves. All kinds of grooves! “In the pocket”, “shake your booty”, “finger snappin’” and so on. Just listen to the opening track, Benson’s “Knock on Wood”, and you’ll find all the main ingredients of a true dancefloor hit: a burning jazz improvisation over a solid funky groove, spiced with soul sauce.
As my friend Larry Birnbaum wrote on the Down Beat February ’96 issue, “call it acid-jazz or hip-hop, but today’s funky dancefloor jazz (or jazzy dancefloor funky) owes as much to ‘70s jazz-funk as the young lions movement does to ‘50s hard-bop.” The fact is that the Acid Jazz phenomenon spawned an incredible amount of reissues which were responsible for the solo career resurrection of several artists – Idris Muhammad, Lonnie Smith, Les McCann, Yusef Lateef, Lou Donaldson and Johnny Hammond, to name a few. Even groups (Funk Inc.) and bands (Pucho & His Latin Soul Brothers) were reconstructed after years of obscurity.
It all began when British DJs started a new “movement” in the dance music scene. “Suddenly, reports were filtering back to the United States about kids in London dance halls moving to jazz recordings,” arranger Bob Belden once wrote. Mark Murphy told me that it was true, and, when I was preparing to travel to London in ’89, he gave me a list of clubs I should visit. “You’ll not believe in what you’ll see,” Mark advised me. Even so, I felt myself exultant and astounded!
As a natural consequence of this exposure of “old” jazz stuff to European teens, many rap and hip-hop artists began to sample introductions, bass lines and horn riffs from jazz tracks. Since this process was (and still is) a two-way street, many jazz heavyweights started to mix jazz improvisation with hip-hop grooves. Once again, jazz supreme genius Miles Davis showed the way on “Doo-bop”. One year after the posthumous release of Miles’ album, the Us3 group scored, in ’93, a monster hit based on Herbie Hancock’s “Cantaloup Island” and, voilà, the Acid Jazz international fame was guaranteed.
Although some purists and incredulous proclaimed the death of Acid Jazz the day it was born, the spirit behind it prevailed and Acid Jazz is currently accepted as a genre in the universal lexicon of genuine musical categories. Brazilian sounds of the ‘60s and ‘70s were incorporated in the idiom, the craze expanded to Japan (thanks are due to U.F.O., Kyoto Jazz Massive, Izuru Utsumi and DJ Krush, among others) and now we see some incredible partnerships: Flora Purim sittin’ in with Urban Species, Mark Murphy jamming with U.F.O., Ron Carter lending the bass and supplying the base to MC Solaar, Donald Byrd soloing over Guru, and Deodato arranging for Bjork. “There’s more people making Acid Jazz than ever before,” stated Straight No Chaser’s editor Paul Bradshaw. CTI proudly joins the club and releases “CTI: Acid Jazz Grooves”, definitely proving the viability of jazz as contemporary dance music. Check it out and surrender!
Our musical journey starts with George Benson’s crepitant version of Eddie Floyd’s ’66 hit “Knock on Wood”, gifted with an utterly infectious groove. Recorded in ’75 during the sessions that yielded the “Good King Bad” album, it was only released in ’83, on the “Pacific Fire” album, which never received widespread distribution. So, don’t feel guilty if you weren’t aware of its existence. It’s really one of the rarest CTI recordings. David Matthew’s arrangement clearly benefits from his experience with James Brown (someone remembers “Sho’ is Funky Down Here”?) between ’70 and ’73. The solos are by Benson (displaying his phenomenal technique) and Fred Wesley, Brown’s demoniac trombonist.
“For the jazz dancers of the ‘80s, Brazilian husband and wife duo, Airto Moreira and Flora Purim, have earned a status that others on the jazz scene reserved for the likes of John Coltrane,” decreed the Straighnt No Chaser magazine in 1990. This is the original version of their biggest dancefloor hit, “Tobo in 7/4”, retitled “Celebration Suite” (due to bureaucratic contractual reasons) when Airto expanded the batucada section and recorded it once again for Warner, in ’77. This high-spirited performance features Airto’s drum solo and the ingenious keyboard work of the underrated Uruguayan Hugo Fattoruso (on organ and Fender Rhodes electric piano), who wrote all the arrangements for Airto’s landmark album, “Fingers”, in ’73.
“Midnight Woman” is welcome for its simplicity and direct dancing appeal. This track comes from Lalo Schifrin’s second date for CTI in ’76 (“Towering Toccata”), including solos by Eric Gale, Joe Farrell and the leader himself on the Fender Rhodes. Eric Gale’s and John Tropea’s guitars complement each other beautifully, adding a special spice to the groove provided by Will Lee and Steve Gadd. It’s interesting to note how Lalo Schifrin (a superb arranger of personal identity) was, at that time, extremely influenced by Deodato and Bob James, musicians of a younger generation.
No such simple description fully explains the mind (and the spirit) of someone as intellectualized and complex as Yusef Lateef, who refuses the term “jazz” to define his music. A deeply religious man devoted to Islam, Dr. Lateef is also engaged in politics, civil rights and black nationalism. It’s very ironical that this “eccentric” master, who, for the last 15 years, has been refusing to perform in jazz clubs or any other place that sells alcohol, is one of the most idolized figures in a dancefloor scene that took its reference name from the “ecstasy” acid…! On this ’79 afro-tinged track from “In a Temple Garden”, which got a 4-star review in DownBeat, Yusef’s tenor sax is anchored by Spyro Gyra’s Tom Schuman on synths and Rhodes, with Randy Brecker (trumpet) taking a solo spot.
Deodato’s “Skyscrapers” is by now considered a dancefloor jazz classic. The Brazilian artist had just been transformed in a pop star (thanks to “Zarathustra”) when he performed this song in the USA for the first time, on April 20, 1973, on Creed Taylor’s “CTI 2001 Space Concert” at the Felt Forum of the Madison Square Garden. The audience response made him sufficiently confident as to include “Skyscrapers” on his next album (“Deodato 2”), inviting his touring band – featuring John Giulino on bass, Rick Marotta on drums, and John Tropea on guitar – to record it two weeks later at Van Gelder’s studio. The arrangement challenges the group to a frenetic performance that nevertheless maintain balance and control, with Deodato doing the synthesizer solo.
Johnny Hammond’s title track from “The Prophet.” Recorded in ’72, here’s another killer cut destined to provide instant excitement on any club crowd. Ron Carter’s deadly bass line, Billy Cobham’s thundering drums, Johnny Hammond’s fiery solo on the B-3, and the smoking attack of the brass section (these riffs are one of Alfred “Pee Wee” Ellis’ most immediately recognizable trademarks) generate an astonishing overall effect. “The Prophet” also features a tenor solo by Maceo Parker, Ellis’ frequent collaborator until the present days and another member of The J.B. Horns. It’s worth mentioning that, due to the renewed interest on his work, Johnny Hammond gave up his semi-retirement and is now back on the road!
Stanley Turrentine’s sax-appeal is displayed on “Sister Sanctified”. Weldon Irvine composed, arranged and played tambourine. It was Milt Jackson’s debut session for CTI in May ’72 (“Cherry”), seven months before he recorded the luxurious solo album, “Sunflower”. Both Turrentine and Jackson perform with an authority achieved through a lifetime of study and dedication to their instruments. There’s a real funky groove, settled by Bob James on the Fender Rhodes. A track with perfect vibe and infallible vibes.
Idris Muhammad sets up the rules of groovitation on “Loran’s Dance”. Bob James’ laid-back arrangement fitted like a glove for the DJs who were looking for more charming cuts. As dance tempos began slowing down in the late 80s, tracks like this one became cult-hits on the dancefloor jazz panorama. Grover Washington, Jr., who wrote this tune for Idris’ debut solo album on the Kudu label (“Power of Soul”), is heard on an excellent tenor solo, preceded by Joe Beck and Randy Brecker’s inspired testimonies. Little by little, the performance increases in intensity, but both Gary King and Ralph MacDonald are more discreet than ever.
Urbie Green’s velvety trombone “sings” Stevie Wonder’s “Another Star”, from a session (“The Fox”) arranged by David Matthews. It’s a captivating blend of jazz, funk and a proto-disco beat. Anthony Jackson, then a newcomer, stands out with unbelievable bass lines plus an exquisite solo. Jeremy Steig sounds unmistakable as usual, while Mike Abene uses the first melody phrase as a keyboard riff. Sue Evans colors the track employing several percussion instruments: shaker, agogô, bells and so on. When you think they’ve said all they had to say, Toots Thielemans suddenly appears to conclude the track in a mellow mood.
Thom Bell & Linda Creed were some of the greatest R&B hit makers of the early ‘70s. Many of their songs, anthems of “The Sound of Philadelphia” style, appealed to jazzmen, and Freddie Hubbard wasn’t immune to this healthful contamination. We shall contemplate the somber atmosphere of Bob James’ score, as well as Hubbard’s beautiful tone. Although recorded in ’72, this rendition of “People Make The World Go Round” only came out in ’75, on the “Polar AC” album, released when the trumpeter had already left the CTI label. In the meantime, however, Hubbard had the opportunity to record this song as a guest on Milt Jackson’s “Sunflower”. The version we’ve selected opens with Airto’s exotic jungle sounds, and develops over the unquiet beat of Lenny White’s drums.
The title track from Les McCann’s one and only album for CTI, “Road Warriors”, is a song of a special kind. Recorded in ’84 when the label was going once again to bankruptcy, only in Japan it was well distributed by King Records. In the USA, released on Creed’s new label Greenestreet, it’s considered a collector’s item. McCann is an exemplary case of how positively Acid Jazz affected so many careers. After a decade of ostracism, he became one of the most-in-demand musicians for live gigs in Europe. The October ’96 issue of DownBeat includes an article on which McCann discuss his tremendous impact on the Acid Jazz scene, mentioning that more than twenty of his tracks have been sampled by hip-hop producers and rappers. It’s not difficult to discover why. Woosh!! Nuff said…!
- Arnaldo DeSouteiro
* * *
Musician personnel and Album credits:
Arnaldo DeSouteiro - Compilation Producer, Liner Notes
Creed Taylor - Producer
Rudy Van Gelder - Recording & Mix Engineer
David Amaro - Guitar
Ray Barretto - Conga
Rubens Bassini - Percussion
Joe Beck - Guitar
George Benson - Guitar
Michael Brecker - Sax (Tenor)
Randy Brecker - Trumpet
George Cables - Fender Rhodes
Ron Carter - Bass
Billy Cobham - Drums
Ronnie Cuber - Sax (Baritone)
Deodato - Arranger, Conductor, Keyboards
Cornell Dupree - Guitar
Pee Wee Ellis - Arranger
Sue Evans - Percussion
Joe Farrell - Flute
Hugo Fattoruso - Fender Rhodes, Hammond Organ, Vocals, Arranger
Jorge Fattoruso - Percussion, Vocals
Sammy Figueroa - Percussion
Steve Gadd - Drums
Eric Gale - Guitar
John Giulino - Bass
Urbie Green - Trombone
Don Grolnick - Keyboards
Johnny Hammond - Organ
Freddie Hubbard - Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Weldon Irvine - Percussion, Arranger
Anthony Jackson - Bass (Electric)
Milt Jackson - Vibraphone
Bob James - Arranger, Keyboards, Conductor
Seiji Kaneko - Mastering
Katsuei Kawada - Art Direction
Gary King - Bass
Yusef Lateef - Sax (Tenor)
Hubert Laws - Flute
Will Lee - Bass
Ralph MacDonald - Percussion
Jimmy Madison - Drums
Rick Marotta - Drums
David Matthews - Arranger, Conductor
Les McCann - Fender Rhodes
Lou Volpe - Guitar
Barry Miles - Keyboards
Airto Moreira - Percussion, Drums, Vocals
Idris Muhammad - Drums
Andy Newmark - Drums
Kiyoshi Osada - Design
Maceo Parker - Sax (Tenor)
Flora Purim - Percussion, Vocals
David Sanborn - Sax (Alto)
Lalo Schifrin - Arranger, Keyboards, Conductor
Tom Schuman - Keyboards
Jeremy Steig - Flute
Toots Thielemans - Harmonica
Ringo Thielmann - Bass, Vocals
John Tropea - Guitar
Stanley Turrentine - Sax (Tenor)
Jeremy Wall - Arranger
Grover Washington, Jr. - Sax (Tenor)
Fred Wesley - Trombone
Lenny White - Drums
Compiled and Conceived by Arnaldo DeSouteiro
Original Sessions Produced by Creed Taylor
All Tracks Recorded at Van Gelder Studio by Rudy Van Gelder
Released on January 22, 1997.
Hank Crawford, "I Hear A Symphony", Kudu [Japan] #KICJ 2218 (2007). [Japanese CD Reissue]
2007 Japanese CD reissue supervised & remastered by Arnaldo DeSouteiro for CTI/Kudu in the "I Love Kudu" series.
24 Bit Remastering (CD released on March 7, 2007)
Tracklist:
1. I Hear A Symphony (Holland / Dozier) 4:43
2. Madison (Spirit, The Power) (David Matthews) 3:55
3. Hang it on the Ceiling (David Matthews) 4:12
4. The Stripper (David Rose) 4:01
5. Sugar Free (Hank Crawford) 4:41
6. Love Won't Let Me Wait (Bobby Eli / Vinnie Barrett) 4:01
7. I'll Move You No Mountain (Jerry Ragovoy / Aaron Scroeder) 4:06
8. Baby! This Love I Have (Minnie Riperton / Richard Rudolph/ Leon Ware ) 3:38
Total Time 33:30
1. I Hear A Symphony (Holland / Dozier) 4:43
2. Madison (Spirit, The Power) (David Matthews) 3:55
3. Hang it on the Ceiling (David Matthews) 4:12
4. The Stripper (David Rose) 4:01
5. Sugar Free (Hank Crawford) 4:41
6. Love Won't Let Me Wait (Bobby Eli / Vinnie Barrett) 4:01
7. I'll Move You No Mountain (Jerry Ragovoy / Aaron Scroeder) 4:06
8. Baby! This Love I Have (Minnie Riperton / Richard Rudolph/ Leon Ware ) 3:38
Total Time 33:30
Musician personnel & album credits:
Alto Saxophone: Hank Crawford
Acoustic & Electric Pianos: Leon Pendarvis (1,2,3,4,7)
Electric Piano: Richard Tee (5,6,8)
Electric Bass: Gary King
Drums: Steve Gadd (1,2,3,4,7)
Drums: Bernard Pretty Purdie (5,6,8)
Percussion (shaker & tambourine): Idris Muhammad (1)
Percussion & Congas: Ralph MacDonald
Electric Guitar: Eric Gale
Trumpet & Flugelhorn: Jon Faddis / John Frosk / Bob Milikan / Alan Rubin
Trombone: Barry Rogers / Fred Wesley
Bass Trombone: Paul Faulise / Tony Studd / Dave Taylor
Violin: Harry Cykman / Lewis Elley / Max Ellen / Paul Gershman / Emanuel Green / Harold Kohon / Charles Libove / Joe Malin / David Nadien / John Pintavalle / Raoul Poliakin / Max Polikoff / Richard Sorthomme
Cello: Seymour Barab / Charles McCracken / Alan Sculman
Lead Vocals : Patti Austin (1) / Frank Floyd (2)
Backing Vocals: Hilda Harris / Debbie McDuffie / Maeretha Stewart
Arranged & Conducted by David Matthews
Original Album Produced by Creed Taylor
Recorded at Van Gelder Studios, June & July 1975
Engineer: Rudy Van Gelder
Album photos & Design: Pete Turner
Kudu A&R: Tony Sarafino
Original catalog number: KU-26
Reissue Supervisor: Arnaldo DeSouteiro
Liner Notes for the CD Reissue: Douglas Payne
Hank Crawford, "Help Me Make It Through The Night", CTI/Kudu CD [Japan] #KICJ 2219 (2007).[CD Reissue]
Reissue Supervised, Annotated & Remastered by Arnaldo DeSouteiro for the "I Love Kudu" series, released on March 07, 2007.
Tracklist:
1. Help Me Make It Through The Night (Kris Kristofferson) 5:40
2. Brian’s Song (Michel Legrand/Alan & Marilyn Bergman) 3:25
from the TV movie Brian’s Song
3. Uncle Funky aka Bowl Full O’Blues (Hank Crawford) 5:32
4. In The Wee Small Hours of the Morning (Bob Hilliard/David Mann) 2:48
5. Go Away Little Girl (Carole King/Gerry Goffin) 4:20
6. Imagine (John Lennon) 4:05
7. Ham (Alfred Pee Wee Ellis) 3:07
8. The Sun Died aka Il Est Mort Le Soleil (Delanoe/Giraud/Gregory/Charles) 4:05
Total Time 33:02
Arranged & Conducted by Don Sebesky
Track 7 Arranged & Conducted by Alfred Pee Wee Ellis
* * *
1. Help Me Make It Through The Night (Kris Kristofferson) 5:40
2. Brian’s Song (Michel Legrand/Alan & Marilyn Bergman) 3:25
from the TV movie Brian’s Song
3. Uncle Funky aka Bowl Full O’Blues (Hank Crawford) 5:32
4. In The Wee Small Hours of the Morning (Bob Hilliard/David Mann) 2:48
5. Go Away Little Girl (Carole King/Gerry Goffin) 4:20
6. Imagine (John Lennon) 4:05
7. Ham (Alfred Pee Wee Ellis) 3:07
8. The Sun Died aka Il Est Mort Le Soleil (Delanoe/Giraud/Gregory/Charles) 4:05
Total Time 33:02
Arranged & Conducted by Don Sebesky
Track 7 Arranged & Conducted by Alfred Pee Wee Ellis
* * *
Liner Notes written by Arnaldo DeSouteiro:
One of the first artists signed by Creed Taylor for the Kudu label, Hank Crawford suffered violent criticism during the period (1971-1978) he recorded for the label, being accused to make mellow and commercial albums. On the other hand, Hank achieved a new level of popularity during his Kudu years. Some of the eight albums he cut for the label sold over 100,000 copies with almost no promotion. And his Kudu debut, "Help Me Make It Through The Night," was the first step in this process of unprecedented fame. It is really a cult album for many saxophonists – among them, David Sanborn, Hank’s most famous fan and disciple!
Born on December 21, 1934, in Memphis, Tennessee, Bernie Ross Crawford remains one of the most distinctive alto saxophone stylists in the music history. He began studying piano at age nine, and was soon playing for his church choir. As a teenager, he took up alto sax in his high school band, influenced by Johnny Hodges, Charlie Parker, Louis Jordan and Earl Bostic. At school, he hang out with Phineas Newborn, Jr., Booker Little, George Coleman and Harold Mabern. Although their after-school hours were devoted to studying bebop, they cut their professional teeth on the blues.
Before he had finishing high school, Crawford was playing in bands led by Ben Branch, Tuff Green and Ike Turner, backing B.B. King, Bobby Bland and Junior Parker in several Memphis venues. In 1953, he went away to Tennessee State College in Nashville, where he developed his arranging skills as leader of the school’s dance band.
His big break came in 1958, when Ray Charles passed through Nashville. Baritone saxophonist Leroy Cooper had just left the band, and Charles offered Crawford the baritone choir. In 1959, when Cooper returned to the fold, Crawford switched to alto sax. Two years later, Charles expanded to full big-band size and appointed Crawford musical director. By the time Crawford left Charles in 1963 to form his own seven-piece combo, he had already established himself with several solo albums on Atlantic, for whom he would cut a total of twelve albums.
Signed to CTI/Kudu in 1971, Hank Crawford appeared on Johnny Hammond’s "Breakout" (recorded on June 1971), the first album issued by the new CTI subsidiary company. Soon he was called by Creed, in August, to work on his debut solo album for the label. But he could not attend the second record session, scheduled for September, and the famous producer offered to Grover Washington, Jr. (who had been hired as one of the members in the horn section assembled for Crawford’s album) the chance to lead the session. The result was the "Inner City Blues" album, which launched Grover’s hugely successful solo career.
Actually, Crawford’s first official live appearance as a CTI/Kudu artist was on July 18, 1971, in the memorable "California Concert" album, cut live at the Hollywood Palladium. But, although playing in several songs, his main solo performance, a beautiful rendition of "Never Can Say Goodbye" (one of the songs he had recorded for Johnny Hammond’s "Breakout"), was not included in the original 2-LP set, remaining unreleased up to this date.
One month later, Hank Crawford finally went to Van Gelder’s Studio, in New Jersey, to start the recording of the "Help Me Make it Through the Night" album. However, from the first session they did that August, Creed Taylor decided to use only one track, a tune composed and arranged by Alfred Pee Wee Ellis with a strong brass section on the backing. As aforementioned told, Hank failed to show up for the September session. Then, on January 1972, Creed decided to complete the album following a completely different musical direction, inviting different musicians (Cornell Dupree and Bernard Purdie were called to replace Eric Gale and Idris Muhammad), and inviting Don Sebesky to write the string arrangements.
Except for Pee Wee Ellis’ "Ham," and Crawford’s own "Uncle Funky" (later retitled "Bowl Full O’Blues" on the "CTI Summer Jazz At The Hollywood Bowl" concert, recorded on July 30, 1972, but released only in 1977), all other tracks are pop favorites. The title track, a song from country singer and future Hollywood star Kris Kristofferson’s self-titled debut album in 1970, had been also a Top 10 pop hit thanks to a recording by songstress Sammi Smith. Crawford transforms that erotic ballad into a bouncy funky-soul piece, which features inspired performances by Cornell Dupree on guitar and by the late Richard Tee, who plays organ on his unmistakable style.
The ballad department includes the John Lennon peaceful hymn Imagine, Michel Legrand’s movie theme "Brian’s Song" (sub-titled "The Hands of Time" after the talented couple Alan & Marilyn Bergman added lyrics), and the title tune of Frank Sinatra’s first 12-inch LP for Capitol, "In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning," arranged by Nelson Riddle in 1954, and recently rediscovered by pop (Carly Simon) and jazz (Keith Jarrett) heavyweights.
Plus: soulful renditions of hits by Carole King ("Go Away Littlle Girl," a gem from her creative heyday in partnership with Gerry Goffin, then Carole’s husband) and Ray Charles ("The Sun Died," aka "Il Est Mort Le Soleil," a jazz singer’s favorite since covered by Betty Carter in 1969, and recreated by Shirley Horn on her 1993 tribute to Charles, "Light Out of Darkness").
Throughout the album, there are many details to be savored: the spicy groove provided by drummer Bernard Pretty Purdie on "Go Away Little Girl," the subtle comments by vibes player Phil Kraus on "In the Wee Small Hours," Cornell Dupree’s bluesy guitar solo on "Uncle Funky," Margaret Ross’ sophisticated harp embellishments on "Brian’s Song." But, above all, Crawford’s touching sound, melted with Sebesky’s sensitive arrangements. Romantic soul music at its best, showing the reason why David Sanborn, who idolizes Crawford as his main influence, loves "Help Me Make It Through the Night" so much!
- Arnaldo DeSouteiro
Mr. DeSouteiro is Brazil’s top jazz producer and CTI historian.
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Musician personnel and Album credits:
Hank Crawford: alto sax
Richard Tee: organ (1,4,7,8) acoustic piano (2,3), electric piano (5,6)
Ron Carter: acoustic bass (2,3,4,5,6,8), electric bass (1,7)
Bernard Purdie: drums
Idris Muhammad: drums (7)
Airto Moreira: percussion (7)
Phil Kraus: vibes (1,4,5)
Cornell Dupree: electric guitar
Eric Gale: electric guitar (7)
Horns Section (only on track 7):
Grover Washington, Jr.: tenor sax
Pepper Adams: baritone sax
Al DeRisi & Snooky Young: trumpets
Wayne Andre: trombone
Strings Section (all tracks, except 7):
Bernard Eichen, Felix Giglio, Emanuel Green, Harold Kohon, Harry Lookofsky, Joe Malin, Gene Orloff, Max Polikoff, Elliot Rosoff: violin
Alfred Brown, Theodore Israel, Emanuel Vardi: viola
Charles McCracken, George Ricci: cello
Margaret Ross: harp
Production Credits
Original Album Producer: Creed Taylor
Recorded at Van Gelder Studio, January 1972, except track 7 (August 1971)
Engineer: Rudy Van Gelder
Album Photos: William Cadge
Album Design: Bob Ciano
Reissue Supervisor: Arnaldo DeSouteiro
Liner Notes: Arnaldo DeSouteiro
Original LP Issue: KU-06
Ithamara Koorax, "Love Dance", Warner Music [France] #9020492245 (2007).[CD Reissue]
Produced by Arnaldo DeSouteiro
Release Date in France: June 26, 2007.
Musician personnel: Jurgen Friedrich (acoustic piano, arranger), John McLaughlin (electric guitar), Luiz Bonfa (acoustic guitar), João Palma (drums), Gonzalo Rubalcaba (acoustic piano), José Roberto Bertrami (keyboards, arranger), Juarez Araujo (clarinet), Sergio Barroso (acoustic bass), Dom Um Romão (percussion), Alex Malheiros (electric bass), Ivan *Mamao* Conti (drums), Nelson Angelo (acoustic guitar, acoustic piano, arranger), Jorge Pescara (stick bass, fretless bass), Mario Castro-Neves (keyboards, arranger), Jorjão Carvalho (electric bass), Marcos Valle (keyboards, arranger), Cesar Machado (drums), José Carlos "Bigorna" Ramos (soprano sax/flutes), Sidinho Moreira (percussion), Manuel Gusmão (acoustic bass), ArnaldoDeSouteiro (percussion, arranger).
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