The Quarantined Jazz Voyager

In our ongoing practice of social distancing and wearing our masks, this week’s selection comes the very talented interpreter and vocalist Nnenna Freelon who has delivered her latest Time Traveler. The songs for the album were recorded over a span of two years on March 13~15, 2018, October 24, 2018, August 20, 2020 and September 3, 2020. It was released on May 21, 2021 on the Origin Records label.

The album was recorded at Manifold  Records in Pittsboro, North Carolina, Overdub Lane, Durham, North Carolina and Tedesco Studios in Paramus, New Jersey. It was produced by Nnenna Freelon, with musical direction by Miki Hayama. The engineers were Jason Richmond (1~6, 8~11), Ian Schreier (1,3~5,7,9) Tom Tedesco (1~3,8) and John Plymale (2,8).

The cover design and layout was by John Bishop, photography by Chris Charles, clothing stylist ~ Katina Bryson, makeup ~ Sharon Davis, hairstylist ~ Anes El and henna and face artist Shemora Sheik made up the production team.

She draws from her life story the songs of her youth and has helped her navigate the process of loss and healing and steps through an imagined doorway where past, present and future collide. She reminds us of a time when grace and elegance were a standard and that is timeless. There is a reverence in the lyrics that was lost in my youth but has been captured with age.

Tracks | 55:03

1. I Say A Little Prayer For You (Burt Bachrach/Hall David) ~ 5:07
2. Marvin Medley: If This World Were Mine/Ain’t Nothing Like The Real Thing/Ain’t No Mountain High Enough ( Marvin Gaye, Ashford & Simpson) ~ 6:05
3. Just You (Nnenna Freelon) ~ 5:32
4. Betcha By Golly Wow (Thom Bell, Linda Creed) ~ 4:54
5. Time In A Bottle (Jim Croce) ~ 6:59
6. You Make Me Feel Brand New (Thom Bell, Linda Creed) ~ 5:06
7. Moon River (Henry Mancini, Johnny Mercer) ~ 5:57
8. Time After Time (Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne ~ 4:58
9. Come Rain Or Come Shine (Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer) ~ 5:55
10. Time Traveler (Freelon,Curry,Robinson, Scott) ~ 4:30

• Nnenna Freelon ~ Vocals
• Miki Hayama ~ Piano 1,3,5,7,8 Rhodes 2,4,9 Synth 2,8
• Chuckey Robinson ~ Keyboards 10,11
• Brandon McCune ~ Hammond Organ 1,3
• Keith Ganz ~ Guitar 2~6,8~11
• Noah Jackson ~ Acoustic Bass 1,3~5,7,9
• Gerald Veasley ~ Electric Bass 2,8
• Lance Scott ~ Electric Bass 10,11
• E. J. Strickland ~ Drums 1,3~5,7,9
• Adonis Rose ~ Drums 2,8
• Jon Curry ~ Drums 10,11
• Beverly Botsford ~ Percussion 2,4,8
• Trineice Robinson-Martin ~ Background Vocal
• Kirk Whalum ~ Tenor Saxophone, Flute 4
• Shana Tucker ~ Cello 5

More Posts: adventure,album,club,genius,jazz,museum,music,preserving,restaurant,travel,vocal

The Quarantined Jazz Voyager

Still quarantining as much as possible as the Delta variants continue to ravage the country, those of us who are continuing to wear our masks and social distancing we put on music to soothe our souls. Though most people go to the vintage classics, this week I am pulling out one of my favorite albums of recent years, With Pride For Dignity. This 2018 album was recorded by drummer Henry Conerway III at Avatar Studios, New York City on February 27~28, 2017.

The album was produced by Michael Carvin, with Conerway as executive producer. The engineers were Robert Smith and  Dave Darlington with assistance from Nate Odden. It was mixed and mastered at Bass Hit Studios in New York City. The art director was Adrian Suare, cover photography by Adrian H. Tillman, and studio photography by Greg Routt.

Track Listing

1. Slippery (Ray Brown, arr. Smith) ~ 6:19
2. With Pride For Dignity (Kenny Banks Jr.) ~ 8:09
3. Sugar Ray (Phineas Newborn, arr. Banks, Smith, Conerway) ~ 7:01
4. Cottontail (Duke Elllington, arr. Conerway) ~ 4:29
5. Hopscotch (Marcus Printup, arr. Banks, Conerway) ~ 7:58
6. Gingerbread Boy (Jimmy Heath, arr. Banks, Conerway) ~ 6:19
7. The Feel Goods (Kenny Banks Jr.) ~ 5:34
8. Carvin’s Agreement (Henry Conerway III) ~ 2:48

• Henry Conerway III ~ drums
• Kenny Banks Jr. ~ Piano
• Kevin Smith ~ Bass

More Posts: adventure,album,club,drums,genius,jazz,museum,music,preserving,restaurant,travel

The Quarantined Jazz Voyager

For Musicians Only is an album by Dizzy Gillespie, Stan Getz and Sonny Stitt incorporating bebop influences. Produced by Norman Granz, it was recorded on October 16, 1956 at Radio Recorders in Hollywood, California. It wasn’t released until 1958 on the Verve label. It has been described as the real thing, no pretense.

The story behind this session from Stan Levy’s point of view is that everything was done in one take, no 2nd takes, no overdubbing. It was virtually a live, real bebop session, nothing worked out, just play by the seat of your pants or get off the bandstand. Like it or not, that was the way it was with Bird and those cats, the real thing, no pretense.

The album is known for the front line’s winding, intricate solos. This has led to praise for the back line, particularly bassist Ray Brown, for keeping some semblance of the original tune going behind the solos.

1. Bebop (Gillespie) ~ 12:48
2. Dark Eyes (Traditional) ~ 12:10
3. Wee (Allen’s Alley) (Denzil Best, Gillespie) – 8:28
4. Lover Come Back to Me (Sigmund Romberg, Oscar Hammerstein II) ~ 9:33

• Dizzy Gillespie ~ trumpet
• Sonny Stitt ~ alto saxophone
• Stan Getz ~ tenor saxophone
• John Lewis ~ piano
• Herb Ellis ~ guitar
• Ray Brown ~ bass
• Stan Levey ~ drums

More Posts: adventure,album,club,genius,jazz,museum,music,preserving,restaurant,saxophone,travel,trumpet

The Quarantined Jazz Voyager

The pandemic rages on as I continue to keep myself well by wearing my mask and social distancing. In my own space I pull down from the shelves my copy of Kenny Drew Trio. The album was recorded on September 20 & 26, 1956 at the Reeves Sound Studios in New York City. It was produced by Orrin Keepnews and Bill Grauer and was released the same year on the Riverside Records label.

The album features Drew’s tribute to jazz patron Baroness Pannonica de Koenigswarter Blues for Nica. It is the only song he contributed to the album. This band was also the rhythm section the following year on sessions for John Coltrane that yielded Blue Train.

1. Caravan (Duke Ellington, Irving Mills, Juan Tizol) ~ 4:56
2. Come Rain Or Come Shine (Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer) ~ 6:08
3. Ruby, My Dear (Thelonious Monk) ~ 5:46
4. Weird~O (Hank Mobley) ~ 4:04

1. Taking A Chance On Love (Vernon Duke, John Latouche, Ted Fetter) ~ 4:42
2. When You Wish Upon A Star (Leigh Harline, Ned Washington) ~ 5:19
3. Blues For Nica (Kenny Drew) ~ 5:31
4. It’s Only A Paper Moon (Harold Arlen, E.Y. “Yip” Harburg, Billy Rose) ~ 6:25

• Kenny Drew ~ piano
• Paul Chambers – bass
• Philly Joe Jones – drums

More Posts: adventure,album,club,genius,jazz,museum,music,preserving,restaurant,travel

The Quarantined Jazz Voyager

As I go about my city travels I notice how lax people are with masking and social distancing, having their self-centered need to rush to the lives they knew before the pandemic hit. This week I am selecting  an album that has been a classic and one of my favorites since the day I first put on the turntable. It’s the 1965 studio recording Angel Eyes by saxophonist Gene Ammons released on the Prestige label.

The album was recorded at Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. Two separate sessions compiled the album, tracks 1, 2, 4 & 5 were recorded on June 17, 1960 and tracks 3 & 6 on September 5, 1962. The September session was one of Ammons’ final ones before serving a long drug-related prison sentence.

Track List | 36:25

1. Gettin’ Around (Gene Ammons) ~ 6:46
2. Blue Room (Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers) ~ 5:34
3. You Go to My Head (J. Fred Coots, Haven Gillespie) ~ 5:55
4. Angel Eyes (Earl Brent, Matt Dennis) ~ 8:45
5. Water Jug (Frank Wess) ~ 5:10
6. It’s the Talk of the Town (Jerry Livingston, Al J. Neiburg, Marty Symes) ~ 4:15

• Gene Ammons ~ tenor saxophone
• Frank Wess ~ flute (tracks 1, 2 and 4), tenor saxophone (track 5)
• Johnny “Hammond” Smith ~ organ (tracks 1, 2, 4 & 5)
• Mal Waldron (tracks 3 & 6) ~ piano
• Doug Watkins (tracks 1, 2, 4 & 5), Wendell Marshall (tracks 3 & 6) ~ bass
• Art Taylor (tracks 1, 2, 4 & 5), Ed Thigpen (tracks 3 & 6) ~ drums

More Posts: adventure,album,club,genius,jazz,museum,music,preserving,restaurant,saxophone,travel