The 30th Annual Jazz Station Poll - The Best Jazz of 2008!

Os melhores do jazz em 2008 - The Best Jazz of 2008!

A seleção dos “melhores do jazz”, feita pelo historiador Arnaldo DeSouteiro, publicada pela primeira vez em 1979, chega ao 30º ano. Chick Corea (foto), Airto Moreira, Claus Ogerman, Raul de Souza, Gene Bertoncini e Carla Bley estão entre os artistas que brilharam em 2008.
***********
The 30th Annual Jazz Station Poll results by Brazil-born jazz historian & jazz educator Arnaldo DeSouteiro

(Chick Corea at the 2008 Montreux Jazz Festival, performing with RTF)

Esta é a lista dos que mais se destacaram, em 2008, no panorama jazzístico internacional. Atendendo aos pedidos dos leitores, que desde 1979 acompanham essa votação, incluímos – após o nome do primeiro colocado em cada categoria – o título do disco pelo qual o artista foi avaliado, com base apenas em lançamentos realizados no decorrer deste ano. A queda nas vendas foi violenta em 2008 mas, paradoxalmente, o número de edições e reedições aumentou muito.

Para variar, foram necessárias várias semanas para a preparação de todas estas listas, reouvindo discos, revendo DVDs, checando fichas técnicas e, às vezes, reavaliando opiniões. Tudo isso com o objetivo de fornecer o mais fiel possível retrato do cenário jazzístico em 2008, a partir de bases reais de análise. O que significa, por exemplo, que artistas que não lançaram novos trabalhos este ano, seja como líderes ou sidemen, tornaram-se, por mais geniais que sejam, automaticamente inelegíveis. Tal critério explica a ausência de feras como Diana Krall, Mark Murphy, Urbie Green, Hubert Laws e Andy Bey, que, apesar de terem realizado muitos shows, não lançaram novos trabalhos em 2008.

Explicando alguns critérios para melhor compreensão da lista, vale ressaltar que nem sempre um disco no qual certo artista tem uma grande performance (Ron Carter em “Jazz & Bossa”, por exemplo) é um álbum fabuloso. Isto explica porque Ron aparece em primeiro lugar na categoria de “contrabaixo” (ninguém teve uma performance tão fantástica neste instrumento em 2008), embora o disco não mereça figurar entre os melhores CDs. Aí estão os resultados completos:

Piano acústico/Acoustic Piano: 1º Ahmad Jamal (“It’s Magic” - Dreyfus); 2º Chick Corea; 3º Danilo Perez; 4º Keith Jarrett; 5º Dave Brubeck
Piano elétrico/Electric Piano: 1º Chick Corea (“The Boston Three Party” – Stretch); 2º Jaume Vilaseca; 3º Dawn Clement; 4º Alberto Bonomi; 5º Koichi Sato
Órgão/Organ: 1º Barbara Dennerlein (“Spiritual Movement No. 2” - Bebab); 2º Larry Goldings; 3º Chris Foreman; 4º Joey DeFrancesco; 5º Tony Monaco
Teclados/Keyboards: 1° Hans-Peter Pfammatter (“Nu-Gara” com Scope – Veto); 2º Chick Corea; 3º Alex Maguire; 4º Yumi Hara Cawkwell; 5º Lelo Nazario
Contrabaixo/Acoustic Bass: 1º Ron Carter (“Jazz & Bossa” – EMI); 2º Eddie Gomez; 3º Dave Holland; 4º James Cammack; 5º Avery Sharpe
Baixo Elétrico/Electric Bass: 1º Stanley Clarke (“Returns” com Return To Forever - Eagle); 2º Steve Swallow; 3º Marcus Miller; 4º Richard Bona; 5º Nathan East
Bateria/Drums: 1º Airto Moreira (“The Boston Three Party” com Chick Corea & Eddie Gomez – Stretch); 2º Idris Muhammad; 3º Lenny White; 4º Steve Gadd; 5º Bill Stewart
Percussão/Percussion: 1º Airto Moreira (“The Boston Three Party” – Stretch); 2º Marilyn Mazur; 3º Anant Sivamani; 4º Manolo Badrena; 5º Steve Berrios
Vibrafone/Vibes: 1º Gary Burton (“The New Crystal Silence” com Chick Corea – Stretch); 2º Joe Locke; 3º Stefon Harris; 4º Steve Nelson; 5º Mike Mainieri
Diversos/Miscellaneous Instruments: 1° Daniel Smith – fagote (“Blue Bassoon” – DS); 2º Niladri Kumar – cítara elétrica; 3º Bela Fleck - banjo; 4º Rabih Abou-Khalil – oud; 5º Xie Tao- gusheng
Violão/Acoustic Guitar: 1º Gene Bertoncini (“Concerti” – Ambient); 2º Toninho Horta; 3º Al DiMeola; 4º Felipe Avila; 5º Ralph Towner
Guitarra/Electric Guitar: 1º John McLaughlin (“Floating Point” - Abstract Logix); 2º Al DiMeola; 3º Larry Coryell; 4° Pat Metheny; 5º Kenny Burrell
Violino/Violin: 1º Christian Howes (“Heartfelt” – Resonance); 2º Jenny Scheimann; 3º John Blake; 4º Didier Lockwood; 5º Billy Bang
Flauta/Flute: 1° Jamie Baum (“Solace” – Sunnyside); 2º Nicole Mitchell; 3º James Moody; 4º Charles Lloyd; 5º Yusef Lateef
Clarinete-Clarone/Clarinet-Bass Clarinet: 1º Lucien Dubuis (“Nu-Gara” com Scope – Veta); 2° Klaus Gesing; 3º John Ruocco; 4º George Garzone; 5º Buddy DeFranco
Trompete/Trumpet: 1º Tim Hagans (“Alone Together” - Pirouet); 2º Randy Brecker; 3º Lew Soloff; 4º Arturo Sandoval; 5º David Weiss
Flugelhorn: 1º Marvin Stamm (“Fantasy” com The Inventions Trio - Palmetto); 2º Till Bronner; 3º Tom Harrell; 4º Kenny Wheeler; 5º Freddie Hubbard
Trombone: 1º Raul de Souza (“Soul & Creation” – PAO); 2º Gary Valente; 3º Sam Burtis; 4º Steve Turre; 5º Conrad Herwig
Sax Soprano: 1º Jane Ira Bloom (“Mental Weather” – Outline); 2º Dave Liebman; 3º Klaus Gesing; 4º Jan Garbarek; 5º Graeme Blevins
Sax Alto: 1º Kenny Garrett (“Sketches of MD” – Mack Avenue); 2º Phil Woods; 3º Bud Shank; 4º Wolfgang Puschnig; 5º Lee Konitz
Sax Tenor: 1º Sonny Rollins (“Road Shows Vol. 1“ – Doxy); 2º Andy Sheppard; 3º JD Allen; 4º Joe Lovano; 5º Houston Person
Sax Barítono: 1º James Carter (“Present Tense” – EmArcy); 2º Joe Temperley; 3º Julian Arguelles; 4º Chris Caldwell; 5º Ronnie Cuber
Cantor/Male Singer: 1º Tony Bennett (“A Swingin’ Christmas” - Sony); 2º Al Jarreau; 3º Boris Savoldelli; 4º Ed Reed; 5º Kurt Elling
Cantora/Female Singer: 1º Norma Winstone (“Distances” - ECM); 2º Cassandra Wilson; 3º Dianne Reeves; 4º Diane Hubka; 5º Judi Silvano
Grupo Instrumental/Instrumental Group: 1º Return To Forever (“Returns” – Eagle); 2º Manhattan Jazz Quintet; 3º The Marty Sheller Ensemble; 4º Soft Machine Legacy; 5º Scope
Grupo Vocal/Vocal Group: 1º Take 6 (“The Standard” - Heads Up); 2º Manhattan Transfer; 3º New York Voices; 4º Moss; 5º Hendricks and Company
Banda/Big Band: 1º Carla Bley (“Appearing Nightly” - WATT); 2º NDR Big Band; 3º Bob Mintzer Big Band; 4º The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra; 5º WDR Big Band
Compositor/Composer: 1º Gene Perla (“Bill’s Waltz” – PM); 2º Carla Bley; 3º Marty Sheller; 4º Maria Schneider; 5º Chick Corea
Arranjador/Arranger: 1º Claus Ogerman (“Across The Crystal Sea” com Danilo Perez – Decca); 2º Carla Bley; 3º Gene Perla; 4º Carlos Franzetti; 5º Marty Sheller
Engenheiro de som/Engineer: 1º Mark Conese (“Concerti” com Gene Bertoncini - Ambient); 2º Al Schmitt; 3º Rudi Grosser; 4º Jim Anderson; 5º Rudy Van Gelder
Revelação/New Talent: 1º Pablo Held – piano/compositor (“Forest of Oblivion” – Pirouet); 2º Lauren Sevian – sax barítono; 3º Hadrien Feraud – baixo elétrico; 4º Richie Barshay – bateria/percussão; 5º Xie Tao - gusheng
Produtor/Producer: Tommy LiPuma ("Across The Crystal Sea" - Decca)
Artista do ano/Artist of the Year: Chick Corea – pela reunião do “Return To Forever”, que gerou uma coletânea retrospectiva, dois CDs e um DVD (a ser lançado em 2009); pela monumental caixa “Five Trios Box” que incluiu o espetacular CD “The Boston Three Party”; e ainda pelos novos projetos com Hiromi e Gary Burton.

Os 10 melhores CDs instrumentais
The Best 10 Jazz Instrumental CDs
Danilo Perez & Claus Ogerman: “Across the crystal sea” (Decca)
Gene Perla, Elvin Jones & Don Alias: “Bill’s Waltz” (PM)
Carla Bley Big Band: “Appearing nightly” (WATT)
Sonny Rollins: “Road Shows Vol. 1” (Doxy)
Gene Bertoncini: “Concerti” (Ambient)
Chick Corea, Eddie Gomez & Airto Moreira: “The Boston Three Party” (Stretch)
Tim Hagans: “Alone Together” (Pirouet)
Delta Saxophone Quartet: “Dedicated to you - The music of Soft Machine” (MoonJune)
Bill Mays & The Inventions Trio: “Fantasy” (Palmetto)
John Stein: “Encounterpoint” (Whaling City Sound)






Os 10 melhores CDs vocais
The Best 10 Vocal Jazz CDs
Norma Winstone: “Distances” (ECM)
Cassandra Wilson: “Loverly” (Blue Note)
Dianne Reeves: “When You Know” (Blue Note)
Roseanna Vitro & Delirium Blues Project: “Serve or Suffer” (Half Note)
Diane Hubka: “I Like It Here/Live in Tokyo” (SSJ)
Anna Luna: “Sketches” (New Mood Jazz)
Judi Silvano & Cleome: “Live Takes” (JSL)
Boris Savoldelli: “Insanology” (Mousemen/BTF)
Ed Reed: “The Song Is You” (Blue Shorts)
Take 6: “The Standard” (Heads Up)



Os 10 melhores DVDs
The Best 10 Jazz DVDs
Mahavishnu Orchestra: “Live at Montreux 1984/1974” (ST2)
Quincy Jones: “50 Years in Music – Live at Montreux 1996” (ST2)
Chet Baker: “Let’s Get Lost” (Metrodome)
Duke Ellington: “At The Côte d’Azur/The Last Jam Session” (ST2)
Herbie Hancock: “The New Standard All-Stars in Japan” (JazzDoor)
Steps Ahead: “At Mount Fuji Jazz Festival” (JazzDoor)
Bob James: “Angels of Shangai Live” (VAM)
Friedrich Gulda, Herbie Hancock & Joe Zawinul: “For Rico” (Tribal Blast)
João Donato & Bud Shank: “Ao Vivo no Rio” (Biscoito Fino)
Chick Corea: “Hidden Archives” (Tribal Blast)





Projetos Especiais/Caixas/Reedições
Special Projects/Box Sets/Reissues
Art Pepper: “Unreleased Art, Vol. III: The Croydon Concert” (Widow’s Taste)
Dave Brubeck: “Live at the Monterey Jazz Festival 1958-2007” (MJF)
Chick Corea: “Five Trios Box” (Stretch)
Gary McFarland & Gabor Szabo: “Summer Sketches” (Cherry Red)
Albert Mangelsdorff: “Originals Vol. 1” (MPS)
Miles Davis: “Kind of Blue – 50th Anniversary Collector’s Edition” (Legacy)
George Duke: “My Soul – The Complete MPS Fusion Recordings” (MPS)
Joe Farrell Quartet: “Hurricane Joe!” (Hannibal)
Monty Alexander: “Alexander The Great” (MPS)
Return To Forever: “The Anthology” (Concord)
Peter Herbolzheimer: “Big Band Man – The MPS & Polydor Studio Recordings” (Universal)
Anthony Brown’s Asian American Orchestra: “Ten” (Water Baby)
George Shearing/Niels Pedersen/Louis Stewart: “The MPS Trio Sessions” (MPS)
Mario Castro-Neves & His Orchestra: “Brazilian Mood” (Decca/Vocalion)
Baden Powell: “The Legendary MPS Albums” (MPS)






Melhor Livro/Best Jazz Book
Scott Yanow: “The Jazz Singers – The Ultimate Guide” (Backbeat Books)
In memoriam: Freddie Hubbard, Teo Macero, Neal Hefti, Joe Beck, Hiram Bullock, Jimmy Cleveland, Johnny Griffin, J.T. Meirelles, Enio Santos, Jimmy McGriff, Phil Bodner, Butch Cornell, K. Abe, Bob Florence, Tony Reedus, Miriam Makeba, Israel "Cachao" López, Ray Ellis, Jo Stafford, Dave McKenna, Bobby Durham, Dave Carpenter, Ronnie Matthews, Jimmy Giufree, Lee Young, Joe Cocuzzo, Bill Reichenbach, Esbjorn Svensson, Bill Finegan, Chauncey Welsch, Gene Puerling, Dennis Irwin, Walter Santos, Bobby Tucker, Allan Ganley, Ozzie Cadena, Buddy Miles, Pete Candoli, Araken Peixoto, Warren Brown, William Claxton, Omar Clay, Nappy Brown, George Davis, Gayle Dixon, Mel Graves, John Edward Greeley, Connie Haines, Neal Hefti, Paul Landerman, Norman Hedman, Prince Lasha, John Osnes, Earl Palmer, Ancha Parghel, John Pearse, Joe Romano, Mary Ann Russo, Rosetta Reitz, Merl Saunders, David Sibley, Yma Sumac, Herbie Steward, Richard Sudhalter, Nelson Symonds, Frankie Tam, Andrew "Mike" Terry, Lawrence Wheatley, Peter Wyboris, Wilbert Arnold, Page Cavanaugh, Buddy Charles, Arnie Chycoski, Kenn Cox, Dick Dickinson, Davy Graham, Lars Hollmer, Frances Lynne, Jimmy Minger, Derek Moore, Al Nori, Norman Perrin, Jack Quigley, Lita Roza, Robert Ward, Guy Warren, Monty Waters, Klaus Weiss.

R.I.P.: Freddie Hubbard

Just got the sad news from my dear friend Doug Payne. I can't believe. I'm devastated. I'll miss Freddie Hubbard forever.
Yesterday I listened twice to the CD reissue of "The Love Connection", which, in fact, I have been listening to obsessively for the past month, along with other Hubbard albums I had been posting here during all this month.
Recently I found out that "The Love Connection", magnificently arranged (& co-produced!) by Claus Ogerman, was the one who represented Freddie Hubbard in the "peak of the peak" of his form, at the height of his powers, even more than any of his CTI dates that I adore. It's passionate + technically impeccable playing from the first to the last note.

He was my favorite trumpeter. I always considered Miles Davis more "important", because of his revolutionary spirit, something that I've always admired. But Hubbard was MY personal favorite. The first one I began to collect when I was 9 or 10, and my passion for CTI began. The first LP I bought on which he was featured was Stanley Turrentine's "Sugar", with liner notes by Ira Gitler. Two days later I found Milt Jackson's "Sunflower", whose intro of the opening track, "For Someone I Love," I used to listen each and every midnight as the theme of the "TAP Pelos Caminhos do Mundo" program on the JB-AM radio in Rio.

Then I got Hubbard's own Grammy-winning "First Light" (with Airto Moreira on percussion), followed by "Sky Dive," "Polar AC," (both also featuring Airto) "Red Clay" (his CTI debut) and "Keep Your Soul Together". Many years later, thanks to Doug, I also got the original vinyl pressings of the two "Hubbard/Turrentine In Concert" volumes, as well as of the compilation "The Baddest Hubbard".

It was a dream come true when I produced him in studio for a track for the Roberto Avila album in 1989.
http://jazzstation-oblogdearnaldodesouteiros.blogspot.com/2007/08/freddie-hubbard.html

Later on, I had the chance to include Hubbard's tracks in compilations I produced (most notably the best-selling "CTI Acid Jazz Grooves" in 1997) and I supervised some of his CTI reissues for the Asian market. I regret the fact that his eagerly awaited "comeback album for CTI", which started to be recorded in '97 with arrangements by German pianist Jurgen Friedrich, was never completed, although JazzTimes magazine devoted a cover story to it. The track selected to be the first single was a jazzy version of James Horner's "My Heart Will Go On", the love theme from the "Titanic" movie.

Besides "The Love Connection" and all his CTI sessions as a leader, as a sideman (with Milt Jackson, Kenny Burrell, Don Sebesky, George Benson, Randy Weston and Stanley Turrentine) and and as a member of the CTI All Stars, I strongly recommend Hubbard's albums with Woody Shaw (when he re-signed with the ressurrected Blue Note label), the superb live dates with the VSOP Quintet (specially "Live Under The Sky" and "Tempest in the Colosseum"), and a haunting track ("Portrait of Jenny", backed only by Dorothy Ashby's harp and David Garfield's celeste) from "Bundle of Joy", one of his many controversial albums for Columbia, the label for which he also cut the excellent "Super Blue" (reissued on CD inaugurating the Mosaic Contemporary label), the explosive live date "Gleam" released only in Japan (including a great version of Stevie Wonder's "Too High") and many studio dates like "Liquid Love", which featured Brazilian percussionist Mayuto Correa. Another renowned Brazilian musician, Paulinho da Costa, played congas on "Bundle of Joy," whose title track sounds like the perfect freeway soundtrack while driving from West Hollywood to Venice Beach. And Hubbard guested on Raul de Souza's best-selling album ever, "Sweet Lucy," (Capitol) for which he also wrote the liner notes.

From his early years, besides several good-to-very good albums as a leader for Blue Note and Atlantic, the highlights are the appearances as sideman on Oliver Nelson's "Blues and the Abstract Truth" and John Coltrane's "Africa-Brass" (both produced by Creed Taylor, originally released on the Impulse! label and reissued in the 90s on CTI), as well as the historic Ornette Coleman's "Free Jazz" (Atlantic). Not to mention two other Taylor-produced Quincy Jones sessions, "Walking in Space" and "Gula Matari", both from the A&M/CTI era.

Last June 2008, Hubbard was the cover story of DownBeat magazine, in an article about his 70th birthday and the making of his last album, "On The Real Side" (Hip Bop), done with the big help of fellow trumpeter David Weiss.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2008/12/rip-freddie-hub.html

A "new" Freddie Hubbard DVD, titled "One Of A Kind", is scheduled for release by the View Video company in the USA on January 20, 2009.
The DVDs filmed live at the Village Vanguard (previously released on LaserDisc) and at the Varsaw Jazz Festival are still available. Two other LaserDiscs, "Freddie Hubbard Live at the Blue Note" and "Wolf Trap Salues Dizzy Gillespie - An All-Star Tribute to the Jazz Master" (on which Hubbard performs humiliating solos on "Tanga" and "Tour de Force") are still awaiting a DVD reissue. I also recommend the DVD "The Chosen One / DownBeat 1975 & 1976 Readers Poll Winners", on which, among other numbers, Hubbard plays a furious version of "Straight Life".
I hope that someday some Japanese label could release the videos broadcasted by NHK TV from his performances with the VSOP and CTI All Stars supergroups, as well as his concerts as a leader in the Aurex and Live Under The Sky Festivals.

Here are the links for some of the previous posts about Hubbard's albums:

http://jazzstation-oblogdearnaldodesouteiros.blogspot.com/search?q=%22Hubbard%22+%2B+%22CD+of+the+Day%22

http://jazzstation-oblogdearnaldodesouteiros.blogspot.com/search?q=%22Hubbard%22+%2B+%22Vinyl+of+the+Day%22

http://jazzstation-oblogdearnaldodesouteiros.blogspot.com/search?q=%22Hubbard%22+%2B+%22EP+of+the+Day%22

http://jazzstation-oblogdearnaldodesouteiros.blogspot.com/2008/03/dvd-of-day-best-of-freddie-hubbard-in.html

http://jazzstation-oblogdearnaldodesouteiros.blogspot.com/search?q=%22California+Concert%22

http://jazzstation-oblogdearnaldodesouteiros.blogspot.com/search?q=%22Freddie+Hubbard%22

Again: I'm devastated.
Rest in Peace, Freddie.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2008/12/rip-freddie-hub.html

http://blogs.usatoday.com/ondeadline/2008/12/jazz-trumpet-gr.html

http://www.jazztimes.com/columns_and_features/news/detail.cfm?article=11645
**********
"Freddie Hubbard had the most incandescent spirit of almost any musician I ever had the opportunity to play with. He struck serious fear in those of us who thought we were ready to play with him. All of us who played with Freddie, like Billy Childs, Kenny Garrett, Carl Allen and Benny Green, among many, many others, we were taught to play hard, with fire, with intelligence, to leave NO question as to who you were as a musician. I will carry his memory with me for the rest of my life." - Christian McBride
************
From left to right:
keyboardist Julinho Martins, guitarist Roberto Ávila, trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, engineer Pedro Santos, and producer Arnaldo DeSouteiro during the recording sessions for Roberto Ávila's "Come To Brazil" album at Sigla Studios (1989)
************
"Freddie Hubbard was, I believe, the greatest jazz trumpet stylists of my generation. His influence is still being felt in the sound of many young trumpeters today. His warm tone and formidable technique will be considered marvels well into the future.Personally, I was so fortunate in that Freddie played on my very first album as a leader "Takin' Off". He was exactly the person I wanted and his contribution was groundbreaking. On a tune called "One Finger Snap" on a subsequent album of mine, his beginning improvised solo line worked so seamlessly that it became a kind of generic "melody" that most musicians still believe was the composed melody, when in fact it was not.
He and I crossed paths musically in several albums. In the group VSOP he was a founding member who's artistry helped propel that project, which began as a one time tour, to a decade of memorable musical inspirational moments for me.His legacy is secure in that he played a seminal role of the shaping of the evolution of America's foremost contribution to the musical arts, jazz." - Herbie Hancock

CD of the Day - "Freddie Hubbard: The Love Connection"

CD of the Day
Freddie Hubbard: "The Love Connection" (Sony) 2008

Produced by Freddie Hubbard & Claus Ogerman.
All Arrangements (Rhythm, Brass & Strings) by Claus Ogerman, who also conducted the orchestra in all tracks.
Executive Producer: Dr. George Butler
Featuring: Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke, Chuck Domanico, Chester Thompson, Rubens Bassini, Jumma Santos, Joe Farrell, Al Jarreau, Chuck Findley, Oscar Brashear, Snooky Young, Steve Madaio, Tom Scott, Dick Hyde, Phil Ranelin, Phil Teele, Ernie Watts, Guy Lumia et al.

Ogerman considers his score for the closing track, "Lazy Afternoon," his personal favorite arrangement ever! Curiously, but not surprisingly, since he adores that haunting Jerome Moss melody, recently Ogerman recorded a new arrangement of the tune on his album with Danilo Perez, "Across The Crystal Sea," featuring Cassandra Wilson on an impeccable vocal performance. This track is nominated for a Grammy in the "Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist".
But all the tracks on "The Love Connection" are outstanding, starting by the exciting title tune on which Claus shows his underrated skills as brass arranger (skills that were overshadowed only because of his genius as a string orchestrator; or, like Freddie himself wrote in the back cover, as "the greatest string composer of the century.") There are great solos by Freddie on trumpet and Chick Corea on MiniMoog, propelled by Stanley Clarke on electric bass, Chester Thompson (then a member of Genesis) on drums, and the late Rubens Bassini on congas & tambourine.
"Brigitte", dedicated to his wife, pictured with him in the album cover, had been previously recorded on the CTI LP "Keep Your Soul Together". But this orchestral is far superior, also thanks to Corea's solo on the acoustic piano and the late Chuck Domanico's pulse on the acoustic bass.
Then comes another wondrous orchestration, featuring French horns and strings: Claus' own composition "This Dream". A dream made in heaven, indeed. Hubbard's tone on the flugelhorn is simply glorious and astonishing, making the highly difficult melodic line sound apparently very simple. Maybe his greatest flugel performance ever.
"Little Sunflower" got a lot of airplay in the USA jazz radio stations at the time of the original release in 1979, mostly due to the presence of Al Jarreau, then at the height of his popularity. Al added beautiful lyrics to one of Hubbard's most famous tunes, previously recorded as "Sunflower" on a marvelous self-titled LP recorded by Milt Jackson (with Hubbard as guest soloist) for CTI in 1972, arranged by Don Sebesky, who is also nominated for a Grammy in the same category on which Ogerman was nominated. Both Corea and Bassini shine once again, but Jarreau doesn't scats. And Hubbard sounds superb on the flugel one more time.
Now, if you really love music, order this Japanese CD reissue right now (it was never reissued domestically in the USA, unfortunately).

Vinyl of the Day - "Freddie Hubbard: The Baddest Hubbard"

Vinyl of the Day
Freddie Hubbard: "The Baddest Hubbard" (CTI) 1975

Compilation Produced by Creed Taylor
Featuring: Don Sebesky, Herbie Hancock, Keith Jarrett, Richard Wyands, Ron Carter, Billy Cobham, Lenny White, Jack DeJohnette, Airto Moreira, George Benson, Joe Henderson et al.

LD of the Day - "Freddie Hubbard: Live at the Village Vanguard"

LD of the Day
Freddie Hubbard: "Live at the Village Vanguard" (Pioneer) 1982

Featuring: Cedar Walton, Ron Carter, Lenny White
Directed by Bruce Buschel
Including intimate interviews with jazz historian Gary Giddins and with VV's founder, Max Gordon, on the Vanguard's kitchen!

Book of the Day - "Freddie Hubbard: Jazz Giants"

Book of the Day
"Freddie Hubbard" (Jazz Giants) 1990

It includes transcriptions of some of Hubbard's better known compositions such as "First Light", "Red Clay", "Little Sunflower", "Sky Dive", "Delphia", "Suite Sioux", "The Intrepid Fox", "Bundle of Joy", "To Her Ladyship" and many others.

DVD of the Day - "Freddie Hubbard: All Blues"

DVD of the Day
Freddie Hubbard: "All Blues" (Alpha) 2004

Filmed live at the Warsaw Jamboree Jazz Festival, Poland, October 1991
Featuring: Ronnie Matthews, Jeff Chambers, Ralph Penland, Donald Braden and special guest Mickal Urbaniak
Includes good versions of "Bolivia", "All Blues", "God Bless The Child" and "Blues for Duane"

Freddie Hubbard memorabilia - DownBeat 1974 Poll

Freddie Hubbard was elected # 1 Trumpet player of the year in the DownBeat 1974 Readers Poll, having received 977 votes. Miles Davis came in second with 899 votes, followed by Maynard Ferguson (512), Dizzy Gillespie (339) and Randy Brecker (255). Click on the image to enlarge it and see the complete results, published in the December 19, 1974 issue of Down Beat.

New Year's Eve Party at the Jazz Bakery in LA!

Jazz Talk: Jews, Blacks and Jazz

Jazz at Lincoln Center continues its 2008-09 Jazz Talk series with Jazz Talk: Jews, Blacks & Jazz. Many commentators, both black and white, have noted a special relationship between Jews and blacks. This is nowhere more evident than in jazz. In our third annual exploration of jazz and race, musician Don Byron, writer Stanley Crouch, musician Dave Liebman and Dr. Jeffery Melnick explore this controversial topic in a panel led by Dr. Lewis Porter.

For a full schedule of Jazz at Lincoln Center’s 2008-09 season events, go to: www.jalc.org or for more information on the Jazz Talk series, go to: www.jalc.org/jazztalk.

January 29, 2009, 7 p.m.
Irene Diamond Education Center at Frederick P. Rose Hall, home of Jazz at Lincoln Center, Broadway at 60th Street, New York, NY

Tickets are $10 and can be purchased through www.jalc.org or CenterCharge at 212-721-6500, open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tickets can also be purchased at the Jazz at Lincoln Center Box Office, located on Broadway at 60th Street, ground floor. Box office hours are Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Sunday from 12 p.m. – 6 p.m.

Joao Gilberto's concerts in Italy are cancelled

Due to health problems, João Gilberto was forced to cancel, today, the three concerts (on January 2, 3 & 4, 2009) he was supposed to perform at the Teatro Mancinelli, in Orvieto, during the 16th Winter Edition of the Umbria Jazz Festival, officially titled "Umbria Jazz Winter". Now, both parties are starting to negotiate Gilberto's apperance in the Summer issue of the Umbria Jazz Fest, scheduled for July 10-19 in Perugia.

EP of the Day - "Bill Evans, Earl Klugh & Regina Carter"

EP of the Day
"Spartacus" (SPA) 2008

Side A
1. Earl Klugh Trio - "Love Theme From Spartacus"
Side B
1.Regina Carter - "Love Theme From Spartacus"
2. Bill Evans - "Spartacus Love Theme"

Norah Jones live with W. Nelson & W. Marsalis

NORAH JONES TO MAKE SPECIAL GUEST APPEARANCE AT
WILLIE NELSON + WYNTON MARSALIS CONCERT
FEBRUARY 9 & 10 AT ROSE THEATER

Norah Jones will make a special guest appearance at the Willie Nelson and Wynton Marsalis concerts at Rose Theater at Jazz at Lincoln Center on February 9 and February 10 at 8 p.m.

Jones is scheduled to perform a selection of songs on both nights. The concert is part of Blue Note's 70th Anniversary events taking place throughout New York.

In January 2007, Willie Nelson and Wynton Marsalis performed live in The Allen Room at Jazz at Lincoln Center and the event was recorded for the CD "Two Men with the Blues" released on Blue Note Records and for the DVD "Willie Nelson and Wynton Marsalis Live From Jazz at Lincoln Center, New York City" released on Eagle Eye Media, the wholly-owned subsidiary of Eagle Rock Entertainment.
************
Rose Theater, Frederick P. Rose Hall, Home of Jazz at Lincoln Center, Broadway at 60th Street.

All single tickets can be purchased through www.jalc.org or CenterCharge at 212-721-6500, open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tickets can also be purchased at the Jazz at Lincoln Center Box Office, located on Broadway at 60th Street, ground floor. Box office hours: Monday-Saturday from 10 a.m to 6 p.m. (or 30 minutes past curtain) and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. (or 30 minutes past curtain).

Ticket prices for Willie Nelson and Wynton Marsalis are $30, $50, $75, $100, $125 and $150.

CD of the Day - "Pat Thomas: Desafinado"

CD of the Day
Pat Thomas: "Desafinado" (Universal) 2008

Produced by Creed Taylor
Arranged & Conducted by Lalo Schifrin
Featuring: Rudy Collins, José Paulo, Carmen Costa et al.
The first CD reissue ever of Pat Thomas' first album for the MGM label (the CD came out in Japan, of course...), "Desafinado," recorded in 1963, was devoted to "exciting bossa nova stylings", like its subtitle says. It means it includes the first bossa tunes to become hits in the USA, such as the two Luiz Bonfá tunes for the "Black Orpheus" soundtrack: "Manhã de Carnival" (retitled "Carnival" with a strange set of English lyrics that I had never heard before; and no one takes the credit for this mess...) and "Samba de Orfeu", heard in a wordless version, as also happens to Djalma Ferreira's "Recado" (mistitled "Ricardo Bossa Nova" and with the name of his partner Luis Antonio nowhere to be found).
For music historians, it will be a delight to listen to the original English lyrics written by Jon Hendricks for "Desafinado" ("Slightly Out of Tune") and "One Note Samba". Both would be later unauthorized by Jobim.
There also the seldom heard English lyrics to Ary Barroso's "Bahia" (registered in the USA as "Baia") and "É Luxo Só" ("Soft Nights"). Lalo prepared unhinged bossa scores to the French classics "C'est Si Bon" and "Que reste-t-il de nos amours? ("I Wish You Love"), achieving better results in two songs by Margo Guryan: "Could Be" (co-written by the genius Gary McFarland) and "To Welcome The Day".
The late Brazilian singer Carmen Costa, by then living in the USA, appears on percussion, alongside her husband at that time, José Paulo.

R.I.P.:Eartha Kitt

AN APPRAISAL
Forever Feline, Forever Fierce
By STEPHEN HOLDEN - NY Times
Eartha Kitt, who died at 81 on Christmas Day, created a catwoman archetype that is now as embedded in our collective pop psyche as Mae West's swiveling sex goddess.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/27/arts/music/27kitt.html?th&emc=th

Nate Harasim & Darren Rahn to perform for Presidential Inaugural Gala

Nate Harasim and Featured Guest Darren Rahn to Perform for Presidential Inaugural Gala

Pianist Nate Harasim and guest saxophonist Darren Rahn will perform for the “A Time for Hope” 2009 Presidential Inaugural Jazz Gala at the Carlyle Club in Alexandria, Virginia (Washington, D.C.) on January 20, 2009. This high energy duo from nuGroove Records, also known for their work with the emerging group De’Nate’, are set to light up the stage at 5PM.

"This event is presented by High Society Productions and Cool Jazz Forever. A percentage of each ticket will be donated to Hope Farm, a mentoring program for African-American and Latino boys designed to create successful men and leaders in our society. For more info call Tom Kennedy at The Carlyle Club at 703-548-5953," as stated on www.presidential-inauguration.com Tickets are $350.

Arnaldo DeSouteiro's "Jazz Rock" in Korea

"Jazz Rock", the brand-new CD compilation produced by Arnaldo DeSouteiro for the Verve label, is now available in Korea.

To order your copy through Bugs CD Mall, please click on the links below:

벅스 - 음악, 그 이상의 즐거움재즈의 명가 Verve가 추천하는 Verve Jazz Club 시리즈, 재즈락의 명곡 퍼레이드 ... Return To Forever, Jaco Pastorius, Joachim Kühn, Tony Williams, Deodato, ...

http://cdmall.bugs.co.kr/shop/mall.php?cat=001018005&query=view&no=122629

EP of the Day - "Eliane Elias: Runnin"

EP of the Day
Eliane Elias: "Runnin" (Fall Out) 2007

Side A - Vocal Mix
Side B - Dub Mix
Remixed by Darryl James & Fred McFarlane

Greg Cerrone tomorrow, Dec 27, @ Bypass

Bypass Genève
Carrefour de l’Etoile 1,
1227 Les Acacias Genève
Ph: 0022 300 6565

Quincy's "Summer in the City" on Lesen

lesen.de - Musik, Filme und BücherVeröffentlicht am 16.2.1998. Coverabbildung. Quincy Jones. Summer In The City ( Jazz Club). CD. Hörproben. Artikel am Lager. EUR 6,99* ...

Quincy Jones' "Summer in the City" compilation, produced by Arnaldo DeSouteiro, is a best-selling CD at Lesen webstore.
To order your copy, please click on the link below:
https://lesen.de/jazz/detail/-/hnum/4754677?rk=jazz&rsk=hitlist

Best jazz choices for New Years' Eve - NYT

New Year's Eve, Just Slightly Downsized
By THE NEW YORK TIMES

This year the holiday has been scaled back, but that doesn't mean there's nothing to celebrate. The Times's pop and jazz critics offer their choices of the best New Year's Eve events in New York.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/26/arts/music/26anew.html?th&emc=th

Arnaldo DeSouteiro on Myyearbook00’s Blog

2008 November « Myyearbook00’s BlogMyyearbook00’s Blog ... You can compare both releases while reading this deep article by Arnaldo DeSouteiro. Link in comments Post by. Related Tags: ...

"Fashion Organic Girl" tomorrow @ Bypass!

Tomorrow, at "Bypass", don't miss the "Fashion Organic Girl - Who's the DJ? 2" party!
*******
Bypass Genève
Carrefour de l’Etoile 1,
1227 Les Acacias, Genève
(Switzerland, of course)
0022 300 6565
Tracklist features dancefloor hits produced by Arnaldo DeSouteiro and remixed by some of the world's greatest DJs!