Freddie Hubbard - Sky Dive

Along with Keep Your Soul Together and In Concert (w/Stanley Turrentine), this album was one of Freddie Hubbard's last good albums before he signed to Columbia and started putting out commercial schlock. For starters, just look at the band on this date: George Benson, Hubert Laws, Keith Jarrett, Ron Carter, and Billy Cobham plus the usual extended cast of CTI studio musicians. Few bassists can lay down the funk tastefully like Carter, and his intro on "Povo" will make you say "Good Gracious!" For groove addicts like myself, this and the title track are alone worth the price of the album. There aren't too many surprises on Sky Dive, and it lacks the fire of Hubbard's earlier masterpieces Straight Life and Red Clay, but it's a real treat to hear all these guys coming up with some creative, funky music before things descended into disco hell. By the way, this is also great driving music.

Personnel:
Freddie Hubbard (trumpet); Alan Rubin, Marvin Stamm (trumpet, flugelhorn); Wayne Andre, Garnett Brown (trombone); Paul Faulise (bass trombone); Tony Price (tuba); Phil Bodner (piccolo, flute, alto & bass flutes, bass clarinet); Wally Kane (piccolo, bass clarinet); Hubert Laws (flute, alto & bass flutes); George Marge (flute, alto flute, clarinet, bass clarinet); Romeo Penque (flute, alto flute, clarinet, oboe, English horn); Keith Jarrett (acoustic & electric pianos); George Benson (guitar); Ron Carter (bass); Billy Cobham (drums); Ray Barretto, Airto Moreira (percussion).

Recorded at the Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey on October 4 & 5, 1972.

1. Povo
2. In A Mist
3. Naturally
4. Godfather, The - (from "The Godfather")
5. Sky Dive
6. Naturally - (previously unreleased, alternate take)

Part 1
Part 2

Mongo Santamaria - Explosion

This is a re-issue on Riverside Records by percussion player Mongo Santamaria, there is no year of release stated on the sleeve but the material must be from the 60ies, players are Mongo Santamaria on congas and bongos, M. Sheller on trumpet, R. Caper on sax, H. Laws on sax and flute, R. Garant on piano, V. Venegas on bass, C. Garcia on timbales, F. Lucas or J. Cobbs on drums, C. Martinez on cow bell, W. Kortwright on guiro and Nat Adderley on cornet.

1. Skins
2. Fatback
3. Hammer Head
4. Dot, Dot, Dot
5. Corn Bread Guajira
6. Dirty Willie
7. Sweet 'Tater Pie
8. Bembé Blue
9. Dulce Amor
10. Tacos
11. Para Ti

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with thanks to Smooth

Freddie Hubbard - A Soul Experiment

This is a funky and groovy album by trumpet player Freddie Hubbard, released on Atlantic Records in 1969, personnel is Carlos Garnett on sax, Billy Butler or Eric Gale on guitar, Gerry Jemmott on bass, Kenny Barron on piano, Gary Illingworth on organ and Grady Tate or Bernard Purdy on drums.

1. Clap Your Hands
2. Wichita Lineman
3. South Street Stroll
4. Lonely Soul
5. No Time To Lose
6. Hang 'Em Up
7. Good Humor Man
8. Midnite Soul
9. Soul Turn Around
10. A Soul Experiment

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Bill Connors - Of Mist and Melting

An atmospheric jazz album, it includes Jack DeJohnette (d), Gary Peacock (b), and Jan Garbarek (ts).

1. Melting
2. Not Forgetting
3. Face In the Water
4. Aubade
5. Cafe Vue
6. Unending

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Horace Silver - Silver's Blue

Killer early work from Horace Silver -- and a rare non-Blue Note session from the 50s! The album's Horace's only date for Columbia, and it's got a feel that's similar to some of the Jazz Messengers' hardbop recordings for the label at the time -- cooking with a soulful intensity at the bottom, yet taking off with some tremendously well-carved solos on the top! The group's an all-star ensemble that includes some of the best hardbop players of the time -- Hank Mobley on tenor sax, Donald Byrd and Joe Gordon on trumpet, Doug Watkins on bass, and Kenny Clarke and Art Taylor on drums -- all grooving together with Horace as if they'd been backing him up for years. Titles include great originals "Silver's Beat", "Shoutin' Out", and "Hank's Tune -- plus versions of "I'll Know" and "The Night Has A Thousand Eyes".

1. Silver's Blue
2. To Beat Or Not To Beat
3. How Long Has This Been Going On?
4. I'll Know
5. Shoutin' Out
6. Hank's Tune
7. The Night Has A Thousand Eyes

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Horace Silver - Song for My Father

An incredible record -- the kind of album that only Blue Note could put out, and an instant classic that will sound wonderful forever! The album's truly one of the great ones -- one of those Blue Notes that still makes you stop and pause when you hear it, even though you've heard it a million times in Starbucks and places like that. Horace Silver is working here at the height of his powers -- lyrical, free, yet also damn soulful, in a style that makes for some of the most evocative jazz-based grooves cut to wax at the time. Carmell Jones is in the group, and plays some of his best trumpet ever -- and Joe Henderson really drives the whole session home with some incredible tenor work. Other group members include Teddy Smith on bass and Roger Humphries on drums -- and titles include the instantly famous "Song For My Father", plus "Que Pasa", "The Kicker", and "Calcutta Cutie".

1. Song for My Father
2. The The Natives Are Restless Tonight
3. Calcutta Cutie
4. Que Pasa?
5. The Kicker
6. Lonely Woman
7. Sanctimonious Sam [*]
8. Que Pasa? [Trio Version][*]
9. Sighin' and Cryin' [*]
10. Silver Threads Among My Soul [*]

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Horace Silver - Total Response

Funky work by Horace Silver -- with a spiritual and political edge! Volume 2 (or "Phase 2") in Horace's United States Of Mind series has politically-oriented and self-reflective vocals by Andy Bey and his sister Salome -- with lots of trippier elements, and a sinister soul & funk groove! Horace plays electric piano, and the band includes Cecil Bridgewater on trumpet & fluegelhorn, Harold Vick on tenor sax, and Bob Cranshaw on bass, Richie Resnicoff on guitar and Mickey Roker on drums. The titles probably give more information about the tracks than we ever could, and include "Acid, Pot, Or Pills", "Soul Searchin", "What Kind Of Animal Am I" (which amazingly blends gospel, funk and honky tonk) , "I've Had A Little Talk" and "Big Business".

1. Acid, Pot Or Pills
2. What Kind Of Animal Am I?
3. Won't You Open Up Your Senses
4. I've Had A Little Talk
5. Soul Searchin'
6. Big Business
7. I'm Aware Of The Animal Within Me
8. Old Mother Nature Calls
9. Total Response

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