Reviews by markjazz

This is my first Wynton Marsalis album and I didn't know that it was widely regarded as his best. It won a Grammy award in 1985 as well. I loved the album a lot myself and although it wasn't perfect in my eyes it's one of those albums that you can just pop in anytime of the day and get whisked away by his magical sound. The entire band is great on this as well and Kenny Kirkland's piano playing is spot on and perfect throughout each of the tracks. I don't really have a favorite on here but the hidden track Blues is a real great one and finishes off the album nicely. A great post-bop album and a perfect one for me to get introduced too.

This is my first and only experience with Mahavishnu Orchestra and I pretty much bought the album because I was liking what John McLaughlin was doing with Miles Davis during the 70's. Needless to say I was not disappointed. There's a lot of great folk-jazz-funk in each track and a touch of originality as well. Using a violinist and having a ring modulator in the group helped too. I don't have a favorite track on here or a hated one. They all seem to contain a very well done formula and none of the tracks are dull. I'd say it contains more rock than jazz but the blend is produced perfectly. It's a great jazz-funk experience from start to finish and it has me wanting to hear more from this group.

A great game with tons of content! There's 100 crash levels and those alone I have so much fun with and have spent a lot of time on. There's also a large selection of vehicals too, including the big ones... like a bus!

This is the first game I ever bought for the Wii and I must say it's pretty darn awesome. It of course harkens back to the original Kirby's Dreamland for the NES in a way. The story is different but some of the level design and music sure brings back memories. I like the progression of the game too. It starts off easy and then gets harder as the game goes on. It's not too hard though but some levels offer some challenge to older gamers. One thing I like about it is the replay factor. This is a big thing with games for me. There's chances to go back and collect items you may have missed the first time with each level and the mini games are great too!

Nothing beats the awesome cheese factor of this albums from cover, yet it speaks volumes. It's exactly how I would imagen what the music would sound like when I look at this album cover. I remember buying this album because of the samples I had heard from this very website. The opening track, Imp's Welcome, got me hooked. I love that synth so much and yes it may sound a bit too fairy like for most people but this is the 70's. It was all about experimentation with new sounds in jazz. After the awesome opening track we get a more standard stylized track with Lenore. It has some very beautiful piano melodies and it's groovy as ever! It's probably my favourite track on the album. The thing that keeps my rating from going up is the vocals. I'm never to much of a fan of singing mixed with fusion jazz like this. It just makes it sound too scripted and less improv sounding. So tracks like Looking at the World make me just want to skip it. Thankfully not the whole album has singing in it. As for funk, Nite Sprite is one of the funkiest tracks I ever heard. The fade in at the start with the quick keys is awesome. The quick paced drums and shuffled bass makes this track very fast and there is a comment from user 'dial35' about Steve Gadd using all 8 of his arms for the drumming on this track. It's true. He has 8 arms...or at least it sounds like it.

Side B is just as good as the other side. Even though there's vocals on Soft and Gentle it's fairly good with the violin and viola breaks. It's a strong track and I could see this one being a favourite among many that own this album. Pixiland Rag is a short 1 minute piece and it's no surprise Chick would title ragtime track as such. It does have a ragtime sound to it but it's gentle and nothing too special. Almost laughable. The final track, Leprchaun's Dream, is over 13 minutes and tells a tale for sure. It sounds like it came from some sci-fi movie as well. This is the track where the horns are most prevalent. The song cascades from shimmering tones to uplifting notes. It's an awesome track and a great way to end this odd tale of short green men.

I haven't rated this album too high but I've listened to it a lot because it's fairly different, even for fusion, and it tells a story pretty well. I may not be on the same planet this story was told from but it still a nice tale. This is probably one of the weirdest jazz albums I own and I often try and duplicate the funny poses Chick is doing on the back cover....just too crazy funny.

Credits:

Producer, Piano, Keyboards, Organ, Synthesizer, Percussion - Chick Corea
Reeds - Joe Farrell
Trombone - Bill Watrous, Wayne Andre
Trumpet - Danny Cahn, John Gatchell, Bob Milikan
Viola - Louise Shulman
Violin - Annie Kavafian, Ida Kavafian
Vocals - Gayle Moran
Bass - Anthony Jackson, Eddie Gomez
Cello - Fred Sherry
Drums - Steve Gadd

This is a weird album, even by 70s hippie jazz standards. It may take me a couple listens to enjoy it more but I don't think I'd ever give it a 4/5. The choice in instrumentation is so odd at times and some of the organ Alice plays doesn't turn me on. There are some high points though. Los Caballos is a fast pace tune that contains an oddly placed guitar "solo" near the end. I love the congos in this one a lot. The other great track is Om Supreme, more so past the half way point. There's some vocals and it's very beautiful. The weirdest track on here is Morning Worship. It sounds like a jam session with a group of friends. Then we have Spring Sounds from "Rite of Spring", which is more of a classical piece then a jazz piece. Overall this was an ok album but it's probably the worst one I've heard from Alice, and probably will ever hear. If you like hippie odd avant-jazz then get this, otherwise, check out her earlier stuff.

One of my favorite releases on the Impulse! label and it was done by the woman with fire, Alice Coltrane. This release wasn't your typical jazz album at the time and I think it does relfect what was going on at the time during the 60's and 70's in America. People were starting to get into Free Jazz and Space Jazz at the time and this release was just an added punch in that craze. Alice plays the harp perfectly on this and what's interesting to note is that she produced this album as well. It was more than likely recorded in her basement that her late husband, John Coltrane, had created just before he died. I think that alone ads even a more spiritual touch to this album as well because of that. My favorite track on here is the last one, Isis and Osiris. Charlie Haden appears on it but aside from that it's simply a marvious tune and carries the album to a wonderful close. I also happen to love Egyptology so this release means a lot to me personally too. Perfect!

I wouldn't go far as to say this is free jazz, as most people have labeled it as. It is avant-garde though. The title of the album says it all. Just read it out loud to yourself; The Shape of Jazz to Come. What was Ornette Coleman saying to us? He was telling us that the focus of jazz needs to change direction. He wasn't interested anymore in the sqaure box that a lot of fans where use to. He was more into placing lines at certain corners to make the box three dimensional. That's what he does on this album. He places odd notes and high tones around a very structured rhythm pattern and bass. Take a look at what was going on in jazz in 1959. You had the most successful jazz albums coming out then and they were all cool or modal, something audiences could enjoy and not be too scared of. This album was the turning point in what jazz was going to become in the new decade for a lot of artist, and Coleman knew it!

I don't know if it's just this reissue or not but the bass volume on this is too low, in my opinion. Charlie Haden is perfect on this album and I wish I could hear him just a little louder. The drums are pretty soft on this release as well so this album is all about the horns, which is a damn good thing when your dealing with Coleman and Cherry.

Credits:
Bass - Charlie Haden
Cornet - Don Cherry
Drums - Billy Higgins
Saxophone [Alto] - Ornette Coleman

Notes:
Recorded on May 22, 1959 at Radio Rceorders, Los Angeles, California, USA.

TRT: 38:14

This compilation is part of EMI's cheaply done and cheaply priced Ten Best series. In fact it's so cheap that the one page insert is just blank on the other side. The problem with having a 10 Best for an artist like King is that the CD doesn't even total 30 minutes run time, but you do get what you pay for here. To me, this does include his 10 Best Tracks. We have the classic Unforgettable, as well as Mona Lisa, Ramblin' Rose, and my all time favorite A Blossom Fell. It's probably one of my all time favorite easy listening tracks. Nat "King" Cole does it prefectly and the orchestral music deepens this track to the heart even more. A sad tale and one of the best songs ever written!

To sum up this review I guess this would be a good CD for a beginner but if your not try and find his stuff on vinyl. It seems more satisfying that way.

From the very first 4 notes you know this is album is cool. Cool Struttin' is one of my favourite hard bop tracks from the 50's. It plays at a good pace and one can just picture a hot chick walking down the streets of New York with a smoke in hand. Of course her skirt is still below the knees but she is one classy lady. This is one of those great party albums I could see being played when it came out too. Not the drug group but more the group that talked buisness or plotted ganster jive with other fellow hard kats. I love Paul Chambers on this because he doesn't just play the bass but he bows it too, like on the title track near the end. I love that.

Blue Minor seems to have a cuban/ latin feel to it at times, which was starting to become popular at the time so it's no surprise really. This is also a great track and it picks up the pace a bit from the last one too.

Sippin' at Bells is another fast track and I think it's my 2nd favourite on here, next to the title track. It has blazing solos and a good drum solo to open the track too. The trumpet by Art Farmer is so warm sounding on this track.

Deep Night slows the pace down to a more cooler jazz sound. The lights are low and the room is filled with light chatter and tinking glasses. I think this track Sonny Clark is best. Overall this album is a hardbop classic one of the best from the late 50's.

Credits:
Bass - Paul Chambers
Drums - Philly Joe Jones
Piano - Sonny Clark
Saxophone [Alto] - Jackie McLean
Trumpet - Art Farmer