Kenny Dorham - Four Classic Albums (Second Set) (2018)

UK Import

2018 compilation of four albums by trumpeter Kenny Dorham; another quality compilation from the British Avid label. Albums have been remastered and the original liner notes are included. I went looking for the Afro-Cuban album, but when I saw it was included in this compilation of 4 albums for only $12.33, I jumped at it. Three of the four albums were released on the Blue Note label; Jazz Contrasts was released on Riverside. Turns out Dorham is a Texas native and, according to critic Will Friedwald, an “eternally underrated bebop trumpet icon.” All things considered, this set was quite a pleasant discovery.

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AFRO-CUBAN (1957)
7 tracks, 35 minutes

The first four tracks were originally released in 1955 on the 10" Blue Note Modern Jazz Series, shortly before the label discontinued the format. In 1957, it was reissued on LP with additional tracks and new cover art. The latter incarnation is what is represented on this CD. And what a fun CD it is - quality solos from familiar names over "new" Latin grooves fused with the swinging hard bop of the '50s. Sort of taking over where Dizzy Gillespie and Chano Pozo left off.

1957 liner notes written by Leonard Feather.

Dorham - trumpet
Hank Mobley - tenor sax
Cecil Payne - baritone sax
Horace Silver - piano
Art Blakey - drums
Jay Jay Johnson - trombone (tracks 1-4)
Carlos "Patato" Valdes - congas (tracks 1-4)
Oscar Pettiford - bass (tracks 1-4)
Percy Heath - bass (tracks 5-7)

Reviews/ratings:

• Downbeat (1955) (★★★★): "Kenny has rarely sounded as consistently at inventive ease as on this set."
• Billboard (1955) (71 out of 100): "an often exciting brand of jazz"
• CashBox (1957): "Striking jazz performances"
  
• The Penguin Guide to Jazz (5th ed., 2000): ★★★
• The Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz (1999): ★★★★

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: Did not chart

Tracks: Of the first 4 tracks, my top picks are Afrodisia and Minor's Holiday. The later-added tracks 5-7 aren't Afro-Cuban, but still enjoyable, particularly K.D.'s Motion.

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'ROUND ABOUT MIDNIGHT AT THE CAFÉ BOHEMIA (1956)
6 tracks, 44 minutes

Recorded on Thursday, May 31, 1956 at the Café Bohemia in Greenwich Village, New York City.

Dorham's melodic soloing is featured throughout this tight live session which contains a nice blend of originals and standards. Plus, the recording provides furthur evidence as to why Kenny burrell is one of my favorite guitarists. Judging by the crowd noise, Cafe Bohemia was quite an intimate setting and man-oh-man would I love to have been there that night.

Blue Note will soon release a 2 CD edition of this album which includes 17 tracks: The Complete 'Round About Midnight At The Cafe Bohemia. And yes, of course I'm considering a purchase.

Original 1956 liner notes written by Leonard Feather.

Dorham - trumpet
J.R. Monterose - tenor sax
Bobby Timmons - piano
Kenny Burrell - guitar
Sam Jones - bass
Arthur Edgehill - drums

Reviews/ratings:

• Downbeat (★★★★): "well constructed, building, personal, emotional, rhythmically secure and of an absorbing consistency of invention at all tempos and moods."
• Billboard (77 out of 100): "there are moments enough of excitement to warrant great interest"
• The Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz (1999): ★★★★
• The Rolling Stone Jazz & Blues Album Guide (1999): ★★★

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: Did not chart

Tracks: The standards mentioned above are A Night In Tunisia, Autumn In New York, and the title track, which the group handles with a sort of informal sophistication if that makes any sense. The other three are all Dorham originals. All are good, but Mexico City is the star.

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JAZZ CONTRASTS (1957)
6 tracks, 41 minutes

Sonny Rollins is a nice get as a guest artist plus there's a harp providing a novel timbre on a few tracks. Dorham sounds fantastic, Rollins is Rollins, the rhythm section is great, and everything swings.

Original liner notes written by album producer Orrin Keepnews.

Dorham - trumpet
Sonny Rollins - tenor saxophone (tracks 1-2, 4, 6)
Hank Jones - piano
Betty Glamman - harp (tracks 3-5)
Oscar Pettiford - bass
Max Roach - drums

Reviews/ratings:

• DownBeat (★★★★): "This record may not shock anyone, but it is a delightfully listenable, productive representation of jazz on a professional level."
• Billboard (Special Merit Jazz Album): "Package sells itself on the collective and individual excellence of all participants."
• The Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz (1999): ★★★
• The Penguin Guide to Jazz (9th ed., 2008): ★★★
• The Rolling Stone Jazz & Blues Album Guide (1999): ★★★★

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: Did not chart

Tracks: 3 ballads, 3 up-tempo, no originals. My top cuts are the standards Falling In Love With Love (Hart, Rodgers), I'll Remember April (de Paul, Johnston, Raye), and My Old Flame (Coslow, Johnston).

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WHISTLE STOP (1961)
7 tracks, 39 minutes

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna sit back and enjoy this one while I send you over to the Blue Note website for the hyperbolic lowdown on this release: Doing The Philly Twist: Kenny Dorham's Whistle Stop.

Original 1961 liner notes written by Ira Gitler.

Dorham - trumpet
Hank Mobley - tenor saxophone
Kenny Drew - piano
Paul Chambers - bass
Philly Joe Jones - drums

Reviews/ratings:

• DownBeat (★★★½): "the solos do not live up to the ensembles"
• CashBox: "a neatly tied-up jazz package of tremendous strength."
• The Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz (1999): ★★★
• The Rolling Stone Jazz & Blues Album Guide (1999): ★★★★★

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: Did not chart

Tracks: 7 Dorham originals. Today, I'm liking Philly Twist, Whistle Stop, and Windmill.

Talking Heads - Stop Making Sense (2024 reissue)

Note: this release was originally purchased as an LP, later replaced by a CD, later supplemented by a homemade "Special Edition" CD-R, finally replaced with this 2 CD + Blu-Ray set. This 18 track set is a far cry from the 9 track LP I purchased back in 1985.

As described on the band's website:

Stop Making Sense is widely regarded as the best concert film of all time. This 2CD/1Blu-Ray disc edition features the complete show on 2-CDs, additional liner notes written by Tina Weymouth, David Byrne, Chris Frantz, and Jerry Harrison as well as photos not previously available with the CD, and the audio mixed in beautiful Dolby Atmos surround sound on the Blu-Ray audio disc. A live "best-of," Stop Making Sense starts strong with the band's hit off their debut album "Psycho Killer," and dives into favorites and deep cuts from "Burning Down the House" and "This Must Be The Place" to "Girlfriend Is Better" and "Heaven." The band also performs' the Tom Tom Club's "Genius Of Love."

Yes, Stop Making Sense is indeed the best concert film of all time and this album has long been my favorite Talking Heads release. I've heard a lot of versions of this music on many formats and I gotta tell ya: the sound on this set is far superior to any previous version and it's not even close. Kudos to Jerry Harrison and E.T. Thorngren for the mix. This new mix really brings out the contributions of the added musicians Bernie Worrell, Alex Weir, and in particular, backing vocalists Lynn Mabry & Ednah Holt. Makes all previous releases (and rereleases) obsolete. 

Press of the time:

• Rolling Stone (★★★★): "a solid artistic statement from a band that's starting to have as much as they've given their listeners."
• Stereo Review: "a great live performance"
• Robert Christgau (B+): a soundtrack, albeit for the finest concert film I've ever seen"
• CashBox: "an electrifying LP"
• Billboard: "sustains remarkable polish"

Original album chart peaks:

• US Billboard Top 200: #41
• Billboard Pop CD: #25
• CashBox: #29
• CashBox CD: #10
• Rolling Stone: #16

Tracks: I don't skip any tracks; my favorites are Found A Job, What A Day That Was, This Must Be The Place (Naïve Melody), Once In A Lifetime, and Take Me To The River.

Blu-Ray: As if the 2 "regular" CDs weren't sounding spectacular enough, this set comes with a Blu-Ray disc containing a Dolby Atmos mix. When Atmos mixes starting appearing, I thought it would be a passing fad, much like other legacy music formats such as DualDisc, DVD Audio, CD+G, CD Video, etc., but I'll admit it has hung around longer than I thought it would. When I came across the first Atmos disc in my collection (Abbey Road), I didn't have a proper playback for the Atmos mix. I've since researched what it would cost to get me set up with a quality system and my fixed income quickly shot down that idea. However, I came up with a decent workaround. I discovered my Sony Xbox Series X is compatible with Atmos discs, so I purchased a wireless gaming headset and - Bob's your uncle - I was all set to enjoy the Atmos mix. And lemmetellya the surround sound is fantastic, especially with lights off and eyes closed. I won't go out of my way to buy Atmos discs, but it's nice to be able to listen to the discs I have.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: When the movie was restored and rereleased in 4K for the film's 40th anniversary, I drove downtown to take it in at one of the local IMAX theaters. I went to the 11 AM screening, so there were only about 5 or 6 of us in the audience. As such, the typical movie theater distractions (talking, phone use, etc.) weren't there and I could focus on the show. It was glorious. My only regrets are 1) they weren't selling Stop Making Sense merch at the theater, and 2) I didn't stay for a second screening.

And, as I've mentioned before, a movie poster has been hanging out above my CDs for many years.

Previously revisited for the blog:

The Best Of (2004)	The Name Of This Band Is Talking Heads (1982)
Little Creatures (1985)	Remain In Light (1980)
Stop Making Sense (1984)	Fear Of Music (1979)
Speaking In Tongues (1983)	Talking Heads: 77 (1977)

Various Artists - Buddha-Bar IV (2002)

Another world beat chill-out compilation from our friends at Buddha Bar. Meant to be heard, but not noticed. For what it's worth, I prefer CD1 to CD2.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: Did not chart

Tracks:

CD1: Dinner
	Artist	Title
1	Frédérick Rousseau	La Fille De Pékin
2	Tiber Project	Tibet (A Passage To...)
3	Jade Or	Opium
4	Nitin Sawhney	Moonrise
5	Nash Didan	A Window Of My Dreams
6	Agricantus	Amatevi
7	Manuel Franjo	Tiempo
8	Guadalupe Pineda Con Los Tres Ases	Historia De Un Amor
9	Armen Chakmakian	Distant Lands
10	Nickodemus	Desert Dancer (Zeb's Slow Camel Ride Remix)
11	Flam	Monsoon
12	Tulku	Rahda Ramana
13	Natassa Theodoridou	Tora To Thimithikes
14	Gotan Project	Una Musica Brutal

CD2: Drinks
CD2	Artist	Title
1	outsized	Karma (Extended Mix)
2	Time Passing	Party People
3	Panjabi MC	Mundian To Bach Ke
4	Ishtar	Comme Toi
5	Chris Spheeris	Dancing With The Muse
6	David Visan & Carlos Campos	Irish Coffee
7	Llorca	The Novel Sound
8	Loving Paris	Loco
9	Roland Louis	Percussion's Rhythm (Dimitri From Paris Re-Edit)
10	Dan Lackman's Alliance	Louxor In Vegas
11	Angie Samiou	Agoraki Mou
12	Amr Diab	Aktar Wahed
13	Celia Cruz	Yo Vivire (I Will Survive)
14	Usual Masters	Nocturne In Paris

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: See my first Buddha Bar blog post.

Previously revisited for the blog:
Buddha Lounge (2002)
Buddha-Bar III (2001)

The Blackbyrds - Action (1977)/Better Days (1980)

EU import

Back in 2022, I was introduced to the song Soft And Easy through a compilation CD and liked it so much that I immediately sought out the 1977 album on which it originally appeared, Action. I found Action on this Blackbyrds twofer reissue on the BGP label and bought it immediately. The compilation captures the band's transition from danceable R&B (Action, produced by mentor and namesake Donald Byrd) to more synth based funk (Better Days, produced by George Duke). I prefer the former to the latter and if sales are any indication, so did the record buying public.

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ACTION (1977)
7 tracks, 34 minutes

Sleek grooves, tasty EWFish horn arrangements, disco strings, and bass lines perfect for your local lighted dance floor. Features guest appearances from Ernie Watts and Ray Parker, Jr. Sticking with the group's characteristic formula, the album lacks a Top 40 hit, but it is definitely funky enough for the club while still being refined enough to remind you the band members came from jazz backgrounds.

Press of the time:

• CashBox: "A sizzling, multilayered, funk-laden disc destined for mass appeal"
• Billboard: "cheery, funky synthesized r&b...mellow, sleek soul ballads...midtempo jazz-tinged efforts."
• Record World: "should hurdle jazz, r&b and rock barriers with little difficulty."

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard 200: #43
• Billboard R&B: #8
• CashBox: #47

Tracks: Nothing to skip among these seven tracks. Three singles were released from the album: the aforementioned Soft And Easy (#20 R&B), Supernatural Feeling (#19 R&B), and Street Games. However, I think the smoothest cut here is Mysterious Vibes (Wikipedia tells me a remix of Mysterious Vibes was released in 2002, but consider the source).

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BETTER DAYS (1980)
10 tracks, 40 minutes

It seems like the group was trying to be a cross between Rick James and Kool & The Gang and it didn't quite work for them. Pity. The grooves are here, there's plenty of production tricks that were popular in 1980, and the performances are quite good. The only thing missing is hooks. 

Press of the time:

• Record World: "fuel for the body and spirit"
• Billboard: "a polished collection of punchy sophistosoul"

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard 200: #133
• Billboard R&B: #40
• CashBox: #142

Tracks: Four singles were released from the album: Don't Know What To Say, Dancin' Dancin' (#59 dance), What We Have Is Right (#38 R&B), and Love Don't Strike Twice (#52 R&B). I think the best track is Without Your Love plus there's plenty of filler cuts.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None

Lee Morgan - Four Classic Albums: Second Set (2019)

UK Import

2019 compilation of four albums by Lee Morgan from the late 1950s. Another quality compilation from the British Avid label, who take full advantage of the length of copyright laws in Europe (50 years) and, might I add, make classic jazz releases quite affordable: I paid $11.98, new, for this 2 disc set. Albums have been remastered and the original liner notes are included. Morgan was such a fantastic trumpet player. The whole set is highly enjoyable.

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CANDY (1958)
6 tracks, 37 minutes

Previously appeared on The CD Project.

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CITY LIGHTS (1958)
5 tracks, 38 minutes

Original liner notes written by Leonard Feather.

Morgan - trumpet
George Coleman - tenor & alto saxophones
Curtis Fuller - trombone
Ray Bryant - piano
Paul Chambers - bass
Art Taylor - drums

Reviews/ratings:

• DownBeat (★★★★): "a lot of rewarding listening here"
• The Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz (1999): ★★★★

Tracks: Five tracks, none written by members of the band. Three of the tunes were written by Benny Golson, plus one each from Johnny Green and Gigi Grice. Fuller really brings the goods throughout and really pushes Morgan - it's a joy to hear the playful battles here. Things get a little sloppy in Just By Myself. My top picks are the title cut and You're Mine You.

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LEE MORGAN - INDEED! (1957)
6 tracks, 41 minutes

Morgan's debut album as a leader, but plays like a seasoned pro. These four albums were recorded when Morgan was 18 & 19 years old and you'd never know it - such a mature sound.

Original liner notes written by Leonard Feather.

Morgan - trumpet
Clarence Sharpe - alto saxophone
Horace Silver - piano
Wilbur Ware - bass
"Philly" Joe Jones - drums

Rating:

• The Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz (1999): ★★★

Tracks: 6 tracks: 1 from pianist Silver, 1 from Donald Byrd, and 2 each from Owen Marshall (a name previously unknown to me) and the aforementioned Benny Golson. The highlights of this debut are the two middle tracks, The Lady and Little T.

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THE COOKER (1958)
5 tracks, 39 minutes

Morgan's fifth release for Blue Note and the first to feature some of his own compositions.

Original liner notes written by Robert Levin.

Morgan - trumpet
Pepper Adams - alto saxophone
Bobby Timmons - piano
Paul Chambers - bass
"Philly" Joe Jones - drums

Ratings:

• The Rolling Stone Jazz & Blues Album Guide (1999): ★★★★
• The Virgin Encyclopedia of Jazz (1999): ★★★★

Tracks: In addition to two of Morgan's compositions - titled Heavy Dipper and New-Ma - there are versions of Lover Man, Cole Porter's Just One Of Those Things, and Dizzy Gillespie's A Night In Tunisia, the latter two in which Morgan burns through the tunes in dazzling display of technique. The Cooker, indeed.

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Previously revisited for the blog:
Candy (1958)

The Best Of Siouxsie And The Banshees (2002)

I'll let Billboard magazine do the heavy lifting on this art-driven post-punk compilation:

Billboard, November 16, 2002, p. 24

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: Did not chart

Tracks, with my admittedly predictable favorites checked:

	Song	Year	UK	US Dance	US Mod. Rock
1	Dear Prudence	1983	3			✔
2	Hong Kong Garden	1978	7
3	Cities In Dust	1985	21	17
4	Peek-A-Boo	1988	16	14	1	✔
5	Happy House	1980	17
6	Kiss Them For Me	1991	32	8	1	✔
7	Face To Face	1992	21		7
8	Dizzy	2002
9	Israel	1980	41	73		✔
10	Christine	1980	22			✔
11	Spellbound	1981	22	73		✔
12	Stargazer	1995	64
13	Arabian Knights	1981	32	64
14	The Killing Jar	1988	41	37	2	✔
15	This Wheel's On Fire	1987	14

I think the psychedelic cover of Dear Prudence is one of the best Beatles covers of all-time, just behind Earth, Wind & Fire's Got To Get You Into My Life and Stevie Wonder's We Can Work It Out. That said, my favorite track here is Kiss Them For Me. And when you're in just the right mood, this is a fantastic compilation. What's the right mood? Well, for me, that mood involves a warm, sunny day and tunes are cranked on the car stereo on a trip to no particular place. It's currently 83° here in San Antonio and I'm eyeballing a drive down I-37 this afternoon.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: I was driving along listening to the 1st Wave channel on SiriusXM (as one does), heard the song Christine, and without even thinking about it, chanted right along with Siouxsie: "Now she's in purple, now she's a turtle." That made me wonder why I didn't have any SATB discs on my shelves. After a quick facepalm, I ordered this compilation to correct that oversight.

Various Artists - Soul Hits of the '70s: Didn't It Blow Your Mind, Vol. 16 (1995)

Volume 16 of a 20 volume Rhino series. I had no plans to collect all 20 CDs, but they keep appearing in used bins and I simply can't help myself so we'll have to wait and see where this leads. From what I can ascertain, the later volumes released in 1995 are getting harder to find which normally translates to higher price tags, so I'm lucky I happened across this one in 2024 even though it came with a $19.99 price tag (I'm not saying that's what I paid, simply stating what the price sticker read).

Tracks, with Billboard chart peaks:

1. Patches - Clarence Carter (1970, #4 pop, #2 R&B)
   I dig the building pre-chorus, but not so much the spoken word verse. And it's such a depressing song. Nevertheless, it won the 1971 Grammy Award for Best Rhythm & Blues Song.
2. Betcha By Golly, Wow - The Stylistics (1972, #3 pop, #2 R&B, #7 AC)
   From the mind of Thom Bell comes this classic, oft covered tune. So dadgum smooth it could glide on sandpaper.
3. You're Still A Young Man - Tower Of Power (1972, #29 pop, #24 R&B)
   Love this waltz with its screaming trumpets and doo-wop vocals. I don't care much for the abbreviated single edit included on the compilation.
4. Misdemeanor - Foster Sylvers (1973, #22 pop, #7 R&B)
   11 year old Foster does his best Michael Jackson imitation and sounds almost exactly like him. Unfortunately, the backing group isn't up to the standards of the Funk Brothers or The Corporation. That's Foster in the CD's cover photo. A couple of years later, he'd contract a bad case of boogie fever.
5. Nobody Wants You When You're Down And Out - Bobby Womack (1973, #29 pop, #2 R&B)
   In which a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer takes an old blues tune, completely deconstructs it, and makes it his own.
6. Cheaper To Keep Her - Johnnie Taylor (1973, #15 pop, #2 R&B)
   Part bluesy jazz tune, part Stax groove, all good.
7. Put Your Hands Together - The O'Jays (1974, #10 pop, #2 R&B)
   Another cut on this compilation performed by members of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Written and produced by the legendary Gamble & Huff team, containing the same formula - both musically and lyrically - as the group's 1972 hit Love Train. What a joyful chorus!
8. Trying To Hold On To My Woman - Lamont Dozier (1974, #15 pop, #4 R&B)
   Also a member of the Rock Hall. This song is a pleading slow burn and was Dozier's biggest hit as a solo artist.
9. Sexy Mama - The Moments (1974, #17 pop, #3 R&B)
   Take a smooth groove, add some strings plus a little pillow talk and you've got a sexy stew goin'.
10. Touch A Hand, Make A Friend - The Staple Singers (1974, #23 pop, #3 R&B, #27 AC)
    The Staple Singers (Rock Hall 1999) recorded tunes that were so basic they immediately hooked you, lyrics so positive they immediately uplifted you, and arrangements so perfect they always gave you something new. This track is no exception. 
11. Skin Tight - Ohio Players (1974, #13 pop, #2 R&B)
    A sweet chunk of polished funk from the boys from Dayton. Between the bass line, the horn licks, and the immediately identifiable "well, well, well" from Sugarfoot, I can't decide which I like more.
12. Sha-La-La (Make Me Happy) - Al Green (1974, #7 pop, #2 R&B, #28 disco)
    They literally saved the best for last. What a legend. Of course the Rev. Green is in many Halls of Fame, including Rock, Grammy, Gospel Music, Songwriters, Memphis Music, etc. And here's a picture from the time I saw him in concert in Austin, April 2012.

Previously revisited for the blog:

Volume 2	Volume 13
Volume 5	Volume 14
Volume 6	Volume 15
Volume 12	Volume 18