sabato 3 dicembre 2011

Jazz in Italy: Wingy Manone & Roman New Orleans Jazz Band (1975)


At last I'm here again with an interesting rare record of the italo-american trumpeter, singer and band leader Wingy Manone (1900 – 1982), realized in Rome (Italy) in 1975 during his last tournée in Europe. With him one of the most important italian traditional jazz group: the Roman New Orleans Jazz Band.




Despite his 75 years his music is still fresh and cheerful, as you can notice listening to his hit Isle of Capri.
The Roman New Orleans Jazz Band give his contribution playing with particular drive following Manone with excellent adherence to his style.

Link





martedì 4 ottobre 2011

Jazz Live in Europe: Tribute to Miles Davis (Juan-les-Pins France July 2011)

Remembering the 20th Death's Anniversary of Miles Davis three famous "davisians": Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock and Marcus Miller put them together with Sean Jones (trumpet) and Sean Rickman (drums) for an exciting commemoration of the music of Miles during the 51st Festival Jazz a Juan in Côte d'Azur (France) last july.



This interesting concerts are now available on web in 2 CD (bootleg) of very good quality.

2jazz-juan-2011


Track Listing

CD 1
1. Applause [0:18]
2. Walkin’/ Little One/All Blues /Directions /Shh /Peaceful[30:52]
3. Short FM Announcer Break [0:25]
4. In a Silent Way [2:37]
5. In a Silent Way, cont./ Water Babies/ Someday My Prince Will Come /Footprints [28:12]
6. Band Introduction by Marcus [2:48]


CD 2
1. Fran Dance / Jean Pierre ?(a bit like Jean Pierre, but…different) [15:23]
2. Orbits/ Dr. Jekyl [8:52]
3. FM Announcer [0:23]
4. Time After Time / Sketches of Spain /It’s About That Time [6:28]
5. Tutu [15:11]
6. FM Outro [0:26]

Personnel

Marcus Miller (director, bass clarinet, bass);
Wayne Shorter (saxophone);
Sean Jones (trumpet);
Herbie Hancock (piano, keyboard);
Sean Rickman (drums)




sabato 10 settembre 2011

Jazz Live in Europe: David Murray Cuban Ensemble in Tour.

David Murray and his Cuban Ensemble are traveling 'round Europe with his original project Nat King Cole in Espanol, a personal reading of musics taken from two albums that the singer recorded in Spanish and Portuguese in 1958 and 1962, performing melodies from Cuba, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires. From the project was also taken in 2010 an intesting album.


Cover Murray

Last december at Salle Pleyel in Paris he had as special guest the old cuban singer Omara Portuondo in an exclusive exibition. Here some videos of that evening








In july Murray performed an interesting concert at wonderful Teatro Romano in Verona, and the jazz blogger INCOSTANT SOL posted an unissued recording of that concert that you can find here.

mercoledì 10 agosto 2011

Italian Jazz: Aldo Romano, Danilo Rea, Rosario Bonaccorso Live in France (2011)

Three italian great artists together for an excellent concert July 22, 2011 at Jazz Festival in Porquerolles (France). In the program the group is presented as "The Italian Jazz Dream Team".


The drummer Aldo Romano is well known for his collaboration with many international jazz stars as Dexter Gordon, Michel Petrucciani, Johnny Griffin, Keith Jarrett and many others.


Here you can see his Flower Power Trio with the french pianist Baptiste Trotignon and Rosario Bonaccorso at Festival of Jazz & Wine of Peace in Cormons (Italy), 2010, Octobet 22.



Danilo Rea is one of the best italian jazz pianists and played with Chet Baker, Lee Konitz, Joe Lovano, Joe Scofield and many others.

In the following video a solo piano concert at Umbria Jazz 2008


The bassist Rosario Bonaccorso well known also out of Italy played with Pat Metheny, Elvin Jones, Benny Golson and others.

In the following video you can appreciate him also as leader of his quartet with Andy Gravish (tr), Andrea Pozza (piano) and Nicola Angelucci (drm).



Here below the link to see the whole concert

mercoledì 3 agosto 2011

"Estate" the most well known italian jazz standard


The italian piano player, singer and composer Bruno Martino wrote the pop song "Estate" (Summer) with text of Bruno Brighetti in 1960.


In the following video the original version.


The brasilian singer Joao Gilberto, during a tournée in Italy heard it and decided to include the song in his repertoire and also recorded it in italian.



From that moment the song became famous and was played and sung by many important jazz artists as Chet Baker, here "At Capolinea" (Milan-Italy) 1983 with Nicola Stilo (fl), Diane Varvra (s. sax), Michel Grailler (pf), Riccardo Dal Frà (bs), Leo Mitchel (drm).



Michel Petrucciani, at Umbria Jazz Perugia-Italy in 1995



Shirley Horn and many others.



After 50 years this song is played and recorded by many artists all over the world. Here a french version of Claude Nougaro



and an italian version by the jazz trumpet player Fabrizio Bosso and the singer and piano player Sergio Cammeriere.


venerdì 15 luglio 2011

Jazz in Italy: Phil Woods meets the italian Big Bang orchestra (1988)

In July 1988, during Umbria Jazz Festival, Phil Woods was playing in a club and the Big Bang orchestra directed by Mario Raja, including some of the best young italian jazz players, had a concert at Morlacchi Theatre the 15th evening. Thanks to Paolo Piangiarelli, of Philology Records, the day after Phil accepted to be guest for the fist album of the orchestra.






Personnel:
Phil Woods (clarinet, alto saxophone);
Marco Rinalduzzi (guitar);
Giancarlo Maurino (soprano saxophone, alto saxophone);
Mario Raja (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone);
Maurizio Giammarco (tenor saxophone);
Roberto Ottini (baritone saxophone);
Flavio Boltro, Marco Tamburini, Paolo Fresu (trumpet, flugelhorn);
Danilo Terenzi, Hal Crook, Roberto Rossi (trombone);
Danilo Rea (keyboards);
Enzo Pietropaoli (bass)
Roberto Gatto (drums).


giovedì 14 luglio 2011

Jazz Live in Europe: Michel Petrucciani at Jazzgipfel Stuttgart 1993

During his european 1993 tornée, july 2nd Petrucciani had an excellent concert in Stuttgart. In the followings video two ellingtonians tracks sublimely performed that, probably, Duke would have liked.






giovedì 30 giugno 2011

Jazz Live in Italy: Earl Hines Piano solo Concert in Scandiano 1966

After some months I'm back with a rare, old LP of piano solo by the "piano giant" Earl "Fatha" Hines (1903-1983).

foto by Roberto Polillo

At the beginning of the 1966 Hines was in Italy for about more than one month, playing in a night club in Rome, after he went in Milan for some other dates. On the road he stopped in Scandiano, a little town near Reggio Emilia, where he performed a beautiful concert.
That concert was published in LP some years after (I bought it about 40 years ago) and never reissued in CD.










giovedì 17 febbraio 2011

Remembering George Shearing (1919-2011)

One of the world's most influential and beloved jazz pianists and composers, Sir George Shearing, died shortly after 1:00 a.m. monday 14th of cardiac arrest. Shearing was knighted by Queen Elizabeth in 2006. A popular recording artist and concert performer, Shearing composed over 300 songs including the jazz standard "Lullaby of Birdland".

To remember this great british artist here his first live album recorded in 1958 with a quintet including a young Jean Thielemans not yet known as "Toots".



Shearing on Stage




Shearing on Stage-back

Personnel

George Shearing - p,
Emil Richards - vibes,
Jean Thielemans - g, harm.
Al McKibbon - b,
Percy Brice - dr,
Armando Perazzo - perc.

recorded at Claremont College (CA)
August 03, 1958

domenica 9 gennaio 2011

Jazz Live in Italy: Duke Ellington orchestra & Ella Fitzgerald trio in Milan (1966)

Forty-five years ago, in January 1966, Duke Ellington, in tournée in Europe, had some concerts in Italy with his orchestra, including some of the most famous "ellingtonians", as you can see in the line-up below.
These very rare recordings were taken during the afternoon concert at Teatro Lirico in Milan January 30, 1966.


The performance of the orchestra was followed by a set of Ella Fitzgerald and her trio and was closed by a meeting of Ella and the orchestra in Cotton Tail with a very exciting duet between the "scat" of Ella and the sax of Paul Gonsalves.




Duke Ellington and His Orchestra

Cootie Williams, Cat Anderson, Herbie Jones, Mercer Ellington (tp)
Lawrence Brown, Chuck Connors, Buster Cooper (tbn)
Paul Gonsalves, Johnny Hodges, Harry Carney, Jimmy Hamilton, Russell Procope (saxes)
Duke Ellington (pn)
John Lamb (bs)
Skeets Marsh, Elvin Jones (drm)

01. Theme: Take the "A" Train (B. Strayhorn) 0'43
02. Medley:
a) Black and Tan Fantasy (Ellington - Miley) 2'15
b) Creole Love Call (Ellington - Miley - Jackson) 2'02
c) The Mouche (Ellington - Mills) 5'36
03. Soul Call (L. Bellson) 2'27
04. Chelsea Bridge (B. Strayhorn) 3'44
05. El Viti (D. Ellington) 3'42
06. The Opener (C. Williams) 2'35
07. Sophisticated Lady (Ellington - Parish - Mills) 3'39
08. Take the "A" Train (B. Strayhorn) 6'04
09. Passion Flower (B. Strayhorn) 4'27
10. Things Ain't What They Used to Be (M. Ellington)
11. Wings and things (J. Hodges) 2'31
12. Jam with Sam (D. Ellington) 3'20



Ella Fitzgerald and her trio
Jimmy Jones (pn), John Confort (bs), Gus Johnson (drm)


13. Norman Granz's Introduction 0'46
14. How High the Moon (Lewis - Hamilton) 6'36
15. Lover Man (Davis - Ramirez - Sherman) 4'48
16. Mack the Knife (Weill - Blizstein) 2'55

Ella Fitzgerald and orchestra

17. Cotton Tail (D. Ellington) 4'47