Artist: Duke Ellington, Johnny Hodges

Back To Back is an oddity in the Duke Ellington canon, a small-band record that includes not a single Ellington composition and only one Ellington musician, co-leader and alto sax king Johnny Hodges. The repertoire consists of seven classic blues pieces, including three from the pen of W.C. Handy, and the results of this informal 1959 session are nothing short of remarkable. The other major solo voice is Harry "Sweets" Edison, a Count Basie-band veteran who seems particularly inspired on this day. His embrace of the melody on "Basin Street Blues" shows great tenderness laced with simply perfect blues-based accents. Hodges offers a virtual lesson in how to build solos from the ground up, nuzzling the nostalgic melodies at first before adding colourful embellishments. Meanwhile, Ellington's spare improvisations and clever comping offer bold chord choices and typically idiosyncratic timing without overwhelming the basic structure and feeling of the blues. No question, a record of old standards and easygoing statements can be just as powerful as any other. --Marc Greilsamer
A faultless CD, 2009-11-07
Coming to this CD as a committed Johnny Hodges fan I expected him to stand out as the star of the performance. He stood out all right - alongside the rest of the front line. There can't be anyone who isn't impressed and inspired by Hodges' beautiful alto but after hearing these tracks one is equally impressed by Sweets Edison's wonderful trumpet - never a note out of place and perfect delivery. Les Spann on guitar is there when he is wanted and gives us some really thrilling solos throught. Duke Ellington was rarely complimented on his piano playing per se, but here he does all that is required to stop one from wondering why one of the usual crop of pianists who appear on such discs wasn't used.
All in all, a CD that has a place on the 'easy to reach' rack of my collection. A tape of it is in my car and is played virtually wherever I go. I never tire of it - and I doubt if you will. Music that does exactly what music should do - entertain, satisfy, and relax. What a tragedy they cannot cut more such discs. But we must get what we can from those they left behind and never let such music die for to do so would be to let something vital disappear from this world to the severe detriment of future generations.

Artist: Kenny Burrell

the sublime bluesy burrell, 2009-05-20
This is one of those fabulous jazz albums that you can come home to after work, pour yourself a gin and tonic, and just lose yourself in. Turn it up loud and bask in all the loveliness: 'Tres Palabras', 'Montono Blues' and 'Its getting dark' all stand out, but the tracks between are quietly smashing too. And what a dream-team combination: Kenny Burrell inspired on guitar, Coleman Hawkins giving it some welly on sax, Tommy Flanagan heavenly on the piano and Ray Baretto weaving it through with some smart rhythms. Recorded on a rainy september day in New Jersey in 1962, these musicians are on real form. Swinging, sexy, soaring and soothing: buy this and enjoy it for the rest of your life.

Artist: Ben Webster

Artist: Don Byas

After a 1946 European tour with Don Redman, the tenor saxophonist Don Byas settled in France in 1948 and was well established by the time he recorded these 18 tracks in the early 1950s. Apart from his own "Riviera Blues" the titles are standards by such craftsmen as Cole Porter, Jerome Kern, George Gershwin and Irving Berlin. Byas is heavily featured throughout, accompanied only by fairly anonymous but adequate rhythm sections. His considerable technique is revealed on the fast "Somebody Loves Me" and "Riviera Blues" but otherwise tempos never rise above an amble and some are very slow indeed. Byas used his sumptuous tone on such ballads to create a sophisticated romanticism in the great tradition of Coleman Hawkins, though Byas used a leaner tone and a more worldly manner. This is a masterful display of tenor saxophone craftmanship, music ideally suited to any kind of sensuous situation whether imagined or real. --Graham Colombé

Artist: Johnny Hodges

Artist: Ben Webster

A Lovely Album, 2009-12-11
One of the greatest saxophone players, Ben Webster's ballad playing came to its full maturity in the 1950's and this relaxed, late night, album - along with the quartet session with Art Tatum - shows it at its very finest. The string writing by Ralph Burns and Billy Strayhorn is exquisite and provides a perfect backdrop to some of the most beautiful sax playing on record. In addition to this, a lovely quartet session with Teddy Wilson, Ray Brown and Jo Jones is included as are various alternate takes.

As an added bonus, a 'with strings' session by Harry Carney fills out the second disc. The mood is similar, the arrangements are by Ralph Burns, and Ellington's great baritone player's solos are things of joy and wonder.

A lovely album, which has lost none of its freshness in more than half a century, it is beautifully recorded and has been excellently remastered from the original master-tapes. Enjoy!

Artist: Ben Webster

Artist: Various Artists

Superb Lester, 2009-10-01
This is vol 3 of five cds that find Lester Young in superb form at the Patio Lounge Washington DC in 1956. Ideally accompanied by the Bill Potts trio this is Lester at his smooth, swinging best. Outstandling tracks on this cd are "Just You, Just Me", "Back Home in Indiana", which I think must have been one of Lester`s favourite tunes because it is also a highlight of his session with Oscar Peterson, and "Up`n Adam". The latter piece is one of two themeless, medium tempo, blues pieces in the key of G major that are only distinguishable by their titles; both are superb examples of blues playing, but I think that "Up`n Adam" is slightly better than "G`s If You Please". Other tunes on this cd are "Sometimes I`m Happy", with a reprise of the famous tag from his 1943 recording, and "There Will Never Be Another You". Volumes 4 and 5 of this series are, mainly, recording of tunes that can be found on the first three volumes but are recorded at different sessions.

Artist: Scott Hamilton

Artist: Young & Wilson

Pres and Teddy, Teddy and Pres, 2010-05-27
Another album bought in the early 70`s in vinyl and again as a CD. I can`t tell the difference in terms of sound quality. Of all music bought since nearly 40 years ago this one album is my most played. You just put it on fairly loud and listen to a few blokes play in such a relaxed yet swingin fashion. Lester just weaves lovely webs of music only to be replaced by Teddy Wilson getting a timbre from the piano I have never heard anyone else achieve. Quite fitting because Lester Young made the tenor sound something unlike any other. I wonder if these guys would have had any inkling of how much their sounds would be revered so many years later? This another "jazz" album that is, for me, constrained by that name. This is universal music. Oh that more people coouldn`t hear it.