Requisites
A Letter From Slowboat ~ Ryo Fukui | By Eddie Carter
My nephew Kyle introduced me to this morning’s album by Ryo Fukui. A Letter From Slowboat (Sapporo Jazz Create SJC-1501) was initially released as a CD album in 2015. It was his final release and recorded with no audience on January 25 and 26 at the Sapporo Jazz Club that he owned with his wife, Yasuko. Ryo Fukui was born in Biratori, Hokkaido, Japan and at eighteen, learned the accordion. Four years later, he taught himself the piano and moved to Tokyo in 1970. His first album, Scenery, was released in 1976, and as his skills improved, he often performed at Shinjuku Pit Inn in Kichijōji and Jazz Inn Lovely in Nagoya. Takumi Awaya on bass and Ittetsu Takemura on drums complete the trio. My copy is the 2020 We Release Jazz Switzerland Stereo audiophile reissue (WRJ008LTD).
The album opener, Sonoro by Ryo Fukui, swings at a lively pace, beginning with the trio’s introduction ahead of their melody. Ryo takes the lead and stretches out on a cheerfully bright opening statement. Takumi takes over and walks effectively in the second reading. Ryo shares the final conversation with Ittetsu, preceding the theme’s restatement and lovely ending. Stella By Starlight, by Victor Young and Ned Washington, starts with a beautiful solo introduction by Fukui until his colleagues join him for the opening chorus. Ryo is the song’s only soloist, and he delivers an elegantly tender interpretation before the song’s gentle climax.
The tempo moves upward for Speak Low by Kurt Weill and Ogden Dash, opening at a fast clip with the trio’s brisk introduction and speedy theme. Ryo launches the first solo, exhibiting great energy, followed by the vigorous workout Ittetsu gives his drums ahead of the quick closing chorus and ending. Nobody Knows The Trouble I’ve Seen is an African American spiritual song from the 1800s. Their rendition opens with a gorgeous piano introduction that blossoms into a bluesy theme. Fukui stirs the soul with a tasteful interpretation. Awaya and Takemura compliment the pianist with their support into the elegant reprise and close.
Side Two starts with the trio’s visit to the Old Country by Nat Adderley and Curtis Lewis. It gets underway with a mid-tempo stroll through the melody. Ryo speaks prominently in the opening statement, and then Takumi builds the next reading efficiently. Ittetsu gets down to business last, until the group says goodbye in their closing chorus. Soultrane by Tadd Dameron is a pretty song that Fukui begins with a gentle introduction leading to a softly subdued melody. Ryo’s opening statement possesses all the warmth and feeling that one could ask for. Awaya answers with a response of haunting beauty in Fukui’s return for a tranquil finale.
Chasin’ The Bird by Charlie Parker is a lively tune with an irresistible groove as the melody unfolds. Ryo leads the way with an excellent interpretation. Takumi has a lot to say in the following reading. The pianist then blends beautifully with Ittetsu in an exchange of closing remarks before the theme resurfaces. Be My Love by Nicholas Brodszky and Sammy Cahn brings the album to a close with a showcase for one of Fukui’s prettiest performances. As the song’s only soloist, he provides an exquisite presentation that shows off his lyrical side, shadowed by Awaya and Takemura, leading to the lovely ending.
Masato Komatsu produced the original session of A Letter From Slowboat. It is unknown who recorded the original session, but Stephen Armleder and Oliver Ducret supervised this half-speed mastered audiophile reissue. The sound quality on this limited edition album is excellent with an impressive soundstage that’s very detailed. The record is pressed on one hundred eighty grams of audiophile vinyl and is quiet until the music starts. The front and rear cover is printed on three hundred fifty GSM (grams per square meter) of heavy card stock that despite not being a glossy cover, is still quite sturdy.
Ryo Fukui’s professional career lasted forty years, and, in that time, he only recorded five albums, but he did travel to and perform live in America and France. Fukui also taught jazz piano to students internationally. In 1995, Ryo opened the Slowboat Jazz Club with his wife and hosted local and international jazz musicians. He passed away on March 15, 2016, at age sixty-seven. After his death, Yasuko took over the day-to-day operations of the club, and it’s still going strong with live jazz daily. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to A Letter From Slowboat by Ryo Fukui. If you’re a fan of jazz piano, it’s a great discovery that I recommend you check out for a spot in your library!
~ Scenery (Nadja PA-7148) – Source: Discogs.com ~ Speak Low, Stella By Starlight – Source: JazzStandards.com ~ Be My Love, Chasin’ The Bird, Nobody Knows The Trouble I’ve Seen, Old Country, Ryo Fukui – Source: Wikipedia.org © 2024 by Edward Thomas Carter
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Requisites
Smokin’ In Seattle: Live at The Penthouse ~ Wynton Kelly Trio and Wes Montgomery | By Eddie Carter
I’ve been a fan of The Wynton Kelly Trio and Wes Montgomery since I was eleven and first heard Full House and Smokin’ at The Half Note. So, I was extremely happy to pick up a copy of Smokin’ In Seattle-Live at The Penthouse (Resonance Records HLP-9029), their 1966 live date over two nights from the Seattle, Washington jazz club. Jim Wilke of radio station KING-FM hosted a weekly half-hour program from The Penthouse, and he’s our Master of Ceremonies for the two sessions. The personnel for both dates are Wynton Kelly on piano, Wes Montgomery (tracks: A3 to A5, B3 to B5) on guitar, Ron McClure on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums. My copy is the 2017 US Mono audiophile release.
Jim Wilke kicks off Side One by welcoming the crowd and introducing the trio who opens with There Is No Greater Love by Isham Jones and Marty Symes. The group swings effortlessly through the melody, setting up Wynton’s spirited first solo. Ron comes in next for a lively presentation. Wynton and Jimmy share a brisk conversation in the closing statement leading to the song’s climax. Not a Tear by Rudy Stevenson begins deceptively like a ballad before the beat moves upward to an aggressive theme. Kelly has the song’s only solo and stretches out in a marvelous interpretation preceding the theme’s restatement.
Wes Montgomery joins the group on his original tune, Jingles. The quartet takes off on an upbeat theme. Wes goes right to work on an enthusiastic interpretation that bounces along into the foursome’s energetic finale. Up next is the poignantly beautiful standard by Bob Haggart and Johnny Burke, What’s New? The group also gives a pretty rendition of this tune on Smokin’ at The Half Note. Kelly begins with a politely touching introduction, segueing into the song’s gorgeous melody. Montgomery delivers a very personal performance in the song’s only solo ahead of the foursome’s gentle ending.
The first side ends on an upbeat note with the guitarist’s Blues In F. The group lays an impressive blueprint on the opening chorus. Wes has the solo spotlight to himself and delivers an exciting flow of ideas that sadly fade out due to the program’s time constraints. Mr. Wilke starts Side Two with his introduction to The Wynton Kelly Trio, who play The Theme, briefly starting their first number, Sir John, by Blue Mitchell. After the trio states the melody, Kelly gets his teeth into a brilliant opening statement. McClure lets his bass do the talking in the following solo before the pianist makes a few final comments, leading to the theme’s reprise.
If You Could See Me Now by Tadd Dameron and Carl Sigman is also on Smokin’ at The Half Note. The trio works together beautifully from the start of Wynton’s lush introduction. As the song’s only soloist, Kelly reveals the warmth and tenderness anchored by Ron’s and Jimmy’s support. West Coast Blues is a Montgomery original from Movin’ Wes. It comes to life with the guitarist’s introduction, segueing into the foursome’s easygoing theme. The song’s only solo belongs to Wes, and he delivers the goods to an infectious beat that is sure to have the listener tapping their feet ahead of the close.
O Morro Não Tem Vez by Antonio Carlos Jobim and Vinícius De Moraes is a beautiful Brazilian song and a highlight of the album Goin’ Out of My Head. Jimmy gets things going with a percussion introduction that blossoms into a lovely melody. Wes gets to stretch out and delivers a gorgeous performance preceding the foursome’s return for the theme’s restatement and climax. The album and set concludes with Oleo by Sonny Rollins. The ensemble starts things off with a zesty melody, then steps aside for Wes to take charge of the song’s only statement that concludes with a slow dissolve into nothingness.
Zev Feldman and George Klabin produced Smokin’ In Seattle. Jim Wilke was the original recording engineer, and Bernie Grundman mastered the album. The record was pressed on 180 grams of audiophile vinyl, and the album’s sound quality is quite good for a sixties live recording. The listener is transported to the club audience as the musicians are performing. The record is also incredibly quiet until Jim Wilke speaks. If you’re a fan of The Wynton Kelly Trio and Wes Montgomery, I offer, for your consideration, Smokin’ In Seattle the next time you’re out record-shopping. The music is simply amazing, and this is an album you shouldn’t miss for a spot in your library!
~ Full House (Riverside RLP 434/RS 9434), Goin’ Out of My Head (Verve Records V-8642/V6-8642), Movin’ Wes (Verve Records V-8610/V6-8610), Smokin’ at The Half Note (Verve Records V-8633/V6-8633) – Source: Discogs.com ~ If You Could See Me Now, Oleo, There Is No Greater Love, What’s New? – Source: JazzStandards.com
© 2023 by Edward Thomas Carter
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The Quarantined Jazz Voyager
The Jazz Voyager is still taking the variants very seriously and wearing his mask and social distancing as conditions present themselves. There is no evidence that stipulates that this is over and recommendations are still in place to wear your mask when in indoor public spaces.
Standing On The Rooftop is the sixth studio album by jazz vocalist Madeleine Peyroux. It was produced by Craig Street and released on June 14, 2011 on the Decca/Universal record label. All songs except 1, 6, 8, & 11 were written by Madeleine Peyroux 2 to 5, 7, 9, 10, 12 to 15.
The fifteen songs were recorded in February 2011 at several studios – Sear Sound in New York City on February 14~17 and Motherbrain Studio in Brooklyn, NY on February 26th, with additional recording at Downtown Music Studios and Wild Arctic in NYC, Vel Studios~ Brooklyn, Phantom Vox~Los Angeles, The Odd Bedroom, Basement & Garage and Sterling Sound. The mixing was done by Kevin Killen (tracks: 5 to 8), Matthew Cullen (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 9 to 12), and Tony Maserati (tracks: 2, 13 to 15)
This was the first album of Peyroux with Decca Records and her first with producer Craig Street, interrupting her longtime collaboration with Larry Klein. Standing on the Rooftop featured originals, along with three covers, Martha My Dear, I Threw It All Away and Love In Vain, plus Marc Ribot’s Lay Your Sleeping Head, My Love. It also paired Peyroux with new songwriting partners.
Track List | 56:36- Martha My Dear (John Lennon, Paul McCartney) ~ 2:32
- The Kind You Can’t Afford (Peyroux, Bill Wyman) ~ 3:59
- Leaving Home Again (Peyroux, Wyman) ~ 3:35
- The Things I’ve Seen Today (Peyroux, Jenny Scheinman) ~ 3:44
- Fickle Dove (Peyroux, Scheinman) ~ 3:28
- Lay Your Sleeping Head, My Love (music by Marc Ribot, lyrics by W. H. Auden) ~ 3:23
- Standing on the Rooftop (David Batteau, Peyroux) ~ 5:46
- I Threw It All Away (Bob Dylan) ~ 3:15
- The Party Oughta Be Comin’ Soon (Peyroux) ~ 5:00
- Superhero (Jonatha Brooke, Peyroux) ~ 3:21
- Love In Vain (Robert Johnson) ~ 3:40
- Don’t Pick a Fight with a Poet (Peyroux, Andy Scott Rosen) ~ 4:28
- Meet Me in Rio (Peyroux) ~ 3:51
- Ophelia (Batteau, Peyroux) ~ 5:12
- The Way of All Things (Peyroux) ~ 4:02
- Madeleine Peyroux ~ vocals
- John Kirby ~ keyboards
- Glen Patscha – keyboards
- Patrick Warren ~ keyboards
- Allen Toussaint ~ piano
- Jenny Scheinman ~ violin
- Christopher Bruce ~ guitar
- Marc Ribot ~ guitar
- Meshell Ndegeocello ~ bass guitar
- Charley Drayton ~ drums
- Mauro Refosco ~ percussion
- Creative Director ~ Pat Barry (3)
- Design Concept [Package Coordination] ~ Rafael Hernandez (2)
- Design [Graphic] ~ Rebecca Meek
- Engineer ~ Matthew Cullen
- Photography By [Cityscape Panorama] ~ Keith Sirchio
- Photography By [Portrait] ~ Mary Ellen Mark
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The Quarantined Jazz Voyager
There’s A Sweet, Sweet Spirit ~ Cyrus Chestnut
Remain safe and healthy and be responsible for your health and others. That is all I request.
This week we listen to the music from There’s a Sweet Sweet Spirit, an album by pianist Cyrus Chestnut. Recorded on February 27, 2017 at Systems Two Recording Studios in Brooklyn, New York, the album was released on the HighNote label on Julyu 14, 2017.
The album was produced by the pianist who pulls from a multitude of generations for his song choices. From Monk and Miles to Chopin, Thom Bell and Linda Creed, blending them perfectly for our listening pleasure.This tight knit group of musicians carry the musical conversation forward never overstepping or interrupting but supporting whoever is speaking.
Tracks | 59:56
- The Littlest One of All (Bobby Hutcherson) ~ 4:20
- Chopin Prelude (Frédéric Chopin) ~ 6:53
- Nardis (Miles Davis) ~ 7:33
- Little B’s Poem (Bobby Hutcherson) ~ 4:50
- Christina (Buster Williams) ~ 4:51
- CDC (Cyrus Chestnut) ~ 6:23
- You Make Me Feel Brand New (Thom Bell, Linda Creed) ~ 6:07
- Easy Living (Ralph Rainger, Leo Robin) ~ 8:32
- Rhythm-a-Ning (Thelonious Monk) ~ 4:51
- There’s a Sweet, Sweet Spirit (Doris Akers) ~ 5:36
The Players
- Cyrus Chestnut ~ piano
- Buster Williams ~ bass (tracks 1–4 & 6–9)
- Lenny White ~ drums (tracks 1–4 & 6–9)
- Steve Nelson ~ vibraphone (tracks 1, 4 & 8)
- Charlotte Small, Djoré Nance, Keesha Gumbs ~ vocals (track 7)
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The Quarantined Jazz Voyager
We Are Sent Here By History is an acclaimed studio album by Shabaka Hutchings, a British-Barbadian musician, under his band Shabaka and the Ancestors, composed of South African musicians. It was released on March 13, 2020 on Impulse! Records.
We Are Sent Here by History has charted in Germany, Scotland, U.S. and UK and reached number 3 on the latter. The album was recorded at Milestone Studio and Sumo Sounds Studio in Johannesburg, mixed at The Crush in London, produced by Shabaka Hutchings and Dilip Harris, the creative director was Josh Cheuse, and the illustration was by Daniela Yohannes.
Track Listing | 63:58 All songs were composed by Shabaka Hutchings with lyrics by Siyabonga Mthembu- They Who Must Die ~ 10:10
- You’ve Been Called ~ 6:29
- Go My Heart, Go To Heaven ~ 6:41
- Behold, The Deceiver ~ 6:01
- Run, The Darkness Will Pass
- The Coming Of The Strange Ones ~ 6:28
- Beast Too Spoke Of Suffering ~ 2:58
- We Will Work (On Redefining Manhood) ~ 5:24
- ‘Til The Freedom Comes Home ~ 7:06
- Finally, The Man Cried ~ 5:48
- Teach Me How To Be Vulnerable ~ 2:45
- Tenor Saxophone, Clarinet ~ Shabaka Hutchings
- Alto Saxophone ~ Mthunzi Mvubu
- Double Bass ~ Ariel Zamonsky
- Drums – Tumi Mogorosi
- Electric Piano, Fender Rhodes ~ Nduduzo Makhathini (track: 2, 4)
- Percussion ~ Gontse Makhene
- Piano ~ Thandi Ntuli (track: 2, 11)
- Trumpet ~ Mandla Mlangeni (track: 7)
- Voice ~ Siyabonga Mthembu
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