Dubbelalbum van het Wynton Marsalis Quartet, opgenomen in december 1986 in de Blues Alley in Washington. Het kwartet bestond naast trompettist Marsalis uit Robert Hurst, bas, Marcus Roberts, piano, en Jeff "Tain" Watts, drums.
"Accompanied by the top-notch rhythm section of organist Joey DeFrancesco and drummer Jeff "Tain" Watts (as well as assorted horn players and a tabla player), Paul Bollenback delivers a program of soul and R&B classics, beginning and ending with Stevie Wonder songs ("Too High" and "Visions") and including such other chestnuts as Otis Redding's "Dock of the Bay" and Ashford & Simpson's "Ain't No Mountain High Enough." The results are consistently pleasing, and sometimes surprising -- "Dock of the Bay" is taken at a startlingly brisk tempo with funky drums stuttering underneath; "My Girl" is played with a broad sense of swing, to nice effect. Bollenback's style isn't terribly distinctive (he spends a lot of time on Montgomery-esque octave runs), but his playing is always excellent. The album's sole disappointment is the goopy solo acoustic arrangement of "Visions" that closes the program." (Allmusic)
"The obvious antecedent for Hot House Flowers is Clifford Brown with Strings, although Wynton Marsalis scales back the strings considerably from Heftis florid arrangements (the maudlin menaces of the human heart, per Stanley Crouchs liner notes). In that sense, its more connected to Winter Moon: It leaves more room for cookin interaction with Marsalis working rhythm section (featuring pianist Kenny Kirkland and drummer Jeff Tain Watts, with Ron Carter sitting in on the bass chair). His tenor-sax brother Branford makes comments as well. The textures are at their best when they simply fill out key passages, as on Django and Marsalis title track. Even so, their billowy appearance on For All We Know is the most elaborate that the orchestra gets; Hot House Flowers is a jazz-with-strings document that is best distinguished by its taste." (Jazztimes)
"The vibraphone occupies a discrete place in jazz, just outside conventional line-ups. Yet for many outsiders its ice-cube chimes evoke the musics hipness. The American Warren Wolf emphasises the instruments tenacity here by drawing on pretty much every genre in which the vibes have featured, while sustaining a holistic mood." (Chris Pearson, The Times; 4 uit 5 sterren) "Wolf may not be too well known, but this third release should ensure he doesnt remain so for much longer. Produced by Wolfs mentor and regular employer, bassist Christian McBride, "Convergence" features pianist Brad Mehldau and drummer Jeff Tain Watts, with guitarist John Scofield guesting on two tracks. The danger when you recruit such heavyweights is that they will eclipse you and indeed there are times when Wolfs companions, particularly Mehldau, raise proceedings to another level, but at his best, the 36-year-olds strong melodic sense and bravura technique mean he holds his own, just." (Cormac Larkin, Irish Times; 4 uit 5 sterren)
"Conrad Herwig's dazzling trombone chops and intelligent compositions make Unseen Universe, his third Criss Cross release, a stirring success. His sextet can maneuver around tight corners and yet attack with the force of a band twice its size. With Alex Sipiagin on trumpet, Seamus Blake on tenor and soprano sax, David Kikoski on piano, James Genus on bass, and Jeff "Tain" Watts on drums, Herwig can be sure of the group's ability to bring lushly orchestrated charts to life and improvise with sterling clarity and brilliance. Conceptually, with the title track and also with pieces called "The Tesseract," "From Another Dimension," "Triangle," and "The Magic Door," Herwig seems preoccupied with geometry and some of its metaphysical implications. Even as he draws heavily on the '60s Blue Note sound as established by figures like Joe Henderson and Herbie Hancock, Herwig stretches the limits of modern mainstream jazz with this all-original set." (Allmusic)
Vierde album van pianist David Kikoski voor het Enschedese label Criss Cross Jazz van Gerry Teekens. David Kikoski leerde piano spelen van zijn vader. Met hem speelde hij als tiener in bars. Begin jaren 80 studeerde Kikoski aan het Berklee College of Music. In 1985 ging hij naar New York. Hij toerde voornamelijk met Roy Haynes (vanaf 1986), Randy Brecker (1986-88), Bob Berg (1988) en Billy Hart (1989). Hij speelde tevens met George Garzone, Barry Finnerty, Red Rodney, Craig Handy, Ralph Moore, Didier Lockwood, Joe Locke en de Mingus Big Band. In tegenstelling tot de eerdere albums bevat "Surf's Up" geen eigen materiaal. Verrassend zijn Kikoski's bewerkingen van "Oh No" van Frank Zappa en "Surf's Up" van Brian Wilson. (Bron: Wikipedia).
"McCoy Tyner zal voor eeuwig de pianist zijn van het legendarische John Coltrane Quartet uit de jaren '60. Zijn beroemde dreunende linkerhand en rinkelende akkoorden zijn onmiddellijk herkenbaar en een genot om naar te luisteren ook zonder zijne heiligheid Coltrane in de buurt. Alleen vielen de concerten die Tyner (1938) de afgelopen jaren in Nederland gaf een beetje tegen: suffige solos en matige medemusici. Maar deze registratie van concerten in Oakland, eind 2006, is zinderend. Hij heeft een groep om zich heen die past als een handschoen: bassist Christian McBride, saxofonist Joe Lovano en drummer Jeff 'Tain' Watts. Zij weten hoe je een intense, vlezige show neerzet. De vonken vliegen van Tyners composities. Lovano klinkt soms als Coltrane, soms nog schurender, steeds met grote aanwezigheid. Tyner verkiest een simpele en doeltreffende aanpak, waarbij hij lekker surft op de rollende golven van McBride en Watts. De erfenis van Coltrane leeft zo op een aangename manier voort." (Koen Schouten, Volkskrant)
Vooral bekend geworden als drummer van Branford Marsalis' groep. Ook op dit derde solo-album maakt hij energieke, moderne postbop, die door z'n krachtige, levendige stijl een flinke drive heeft. Mmv Branford Marsalis, Michael Brecker, Ravi Coltrane.
Fraai zijn de 3 tracks met Elvin Jones achter de drumkit: zijn boeiende, levendige ritmiek geeft de band, met o.a. gitarist Pat Metheny 'a kick in the ass'. Ondanks het romige geluid dat organist Larry Goldings aan het geheel geeft had iets meer vuurwerk op de rest van de plaat zo nu en dan geen kwaad gekund - ondanks het feit dat Brecker soms wel degelijk de hoge regionen opzoekt en tot het gaatje blaast.
"Trumpeter Wynton Marsalis's debut on Columbia, recorded when he was only 19, made it clear from the start that he was going to be a major force in jazz. At the time Marsalis (who was originally a bit influenced by Freddie Hubbard) was starting to closely emulate Miles Davis of the mid-'60s and his slightly older brother Branford took Wayne Shorter as his role model. The inclusion of Davis's rhythm section from that era (pianist Herbie Hancock, bassist Ron Carter and drummer Tony Williams) on four of the seven selections reinforced the image. The three other numbers feature such up-and-coming talents as pianist Kenny Kirkland, Charles Fambrough or Clarence Seay on bass and drummer Jeff "Tain" Watts, helping to launch the rise of the Young Lions. But although not overly original, there is a great deal of outstanding playing on this set, including a definitive version of Tony Williams's "Sister Cheryl" and the long tradeoff between Wynton and Branford on "Hesitation."" (Scott Yanow, Allmusic)
Opname: 2008
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