Larry Young - Lawrence of Newark

Incredible stuff from the jazz underground of Newark! This is one of the rarest albums ever recorded by jazz organist Larry Young -- cut for the tiny Perception label during the early 70s, and featuring some of the cream of the New Jersey jazz underground. The album's got playing that bridges a number of Young's different styles -- from his straighter soul jazz work at Blue Note, to his harder jamming with Santana and John McLaughlin, to his more fusion oriented albums for Arista. James Blood Ulmer's on guitar, but there's also a large ensemble of excellent players, and lots of other percussion and cool instrumentation that really gives the album an "out there" sound! Titles include "Sunshine Fly Away", "Saudia", "Hello Your Quietness", and "Khalid Of Space".

Credits:

Pharoah Sanders	Sax (Tenor)
Abdul Sahid	Drums
Armen Halburian	Bells, Percussion, Conga
Stacey Edwards	Conga, Percussion
Dennis Mourouse	Electric Saxophone, Sax (Tenor), Saxophone
Alain Beard	Liner Notes
Reginald Wickham	Photography
Sarah Southin	Design, Reissue Design
Umar Abdul Muizz	Conga, Percussion
Howard King	Drums
John Reed	Coordination, Reissue Coordination
James Blood Ulmer	Guitar
Fred Stark	Design
Joony Booth	Bass
Cedric Lawson	Piano (Electric)
Charles Magee	Electric Trumpet, Trumpet
Eddie Korvin	Engineer, Remixing
Diedre Johnson	Cello
James Flores	Drums
Poppy LaBoy	Percussion
Abdul Hakim	Bongos, Percussion
Jumma Santos	Conga, Cowbell, Tom-Tom, Whistle (Human), Tambourine, Percussion, Hi Hat
Don Pate	Bass
Larry Young	Bongos, Keyboards, Organ, Remixing, Producer, Percussion, Main Performer, Vocals
Art Gore	Drums, Piano (Electric)
Juini Booth	Bass

1. Sunshine Fly Away
2. Khalid of Space, Pt. 2 Welcome
3. Saudia
4. Alive
5. Hello Your Questions (Islands)

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Kenji Omura - Kenji Shock

Japanese guitar player Kenji Omura released this sought-after classic in 1978 on Alfa Records, it was produced by Harvey Mason and features Jeff Porcaro, Harvey Mason, Lee Ritenour, Bill Meyers, Greg Mathieson, David Paich, Abraham Laboriel, Mike Porcaro, Steve Lukather, Jerry Hey, Larry Williams and Kim Hutchcroft.

1. Left-Handed Woman
2. Better Make It Through Today
3. Yumedono
4. Shock
5. Rhythm Road
6. Boston Flight
7. Bamboo Bong
8. The Mase

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Bill Connors - Assembler

Jazz fusion guitar fans will recognize Connors as that blazingly explosive and technically precise legato guitarist in Return to Forever who left after one release to pursue a quieter acoustic guitar path. Connors has always been ranked in the upper echelons of fine fusion axe-men. Yet the guitar releases from Connors have come slowly, been severely under-appreciated, and after this release -- it seems no more solo works are ever forthcoming. Let's hope I am wrong.

After leaving Return to Forever, Connors released three excellent acoustic albums in the '70s, did some work with Stanley Clarke on Clarke's solo releases, and played with the Jan Garbarek Group. Connors then returned to releasing hard-hitting yet elegantly soulful electric fusion guitar albums in the '80s. They were shorter length, LP time-length format, offering sonic snippets of Connors' electric visions.

Comparisons can be made easily between this release's guitar stylings to that of Allan Holdsworth's technique. This is not surprising as Holdsworth has always sought that horn sound and flow of John Coltrane and Connors too idolizes Coltrane. Convergent evolution perhaps? Connors has more of a rocking and visceral edgy attack than Holdsworth. His legato phrasing is totally different as well as his guitar voicings. Connors will also lean funky, syncopated, and have more of a groove going on in his compositions. Connors demonstrates he is a guitarists' guitarist with evident passion for his instrument. In conversation with Connors' brother I was told that Bill was always practicing for hours upon hours. It shows clearly on this release.

Assembler marked the final electrified release of this triune fusion CD offering of the '80s.

1.Crunchy
2.Sea Coy
3.Get It to Go
4.Assembler
5.Add Eleven
6.Tell It to the Boss
7.It Be FM

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Bill Connors - Double-Up

Guitarist Bill Connors has forged a successful career by mixing light, pop-oriented fusion cuts with more ambitious works that showcase his considerable solo abilities and compositional skills. This was a trio date with Connors (who doubled as producer) playing in an introspective vein, showing his funk and rock side, and then playing with more imagination and style. The playing time was quite short (35 minutes-plus), but there was enough of Connor's guitar work presented to satisfy his fans and fusion/pop/light jazz followers.

1. Subtracks
2. Tud
3. Floor to Floor
4. Crunchy Cuts Up
5. Long Distance
6. Out by Twelve

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Bill Connors - Step It

This session accented the funk/R&B and rock elements of Connor's arsenal; the eight selections were dominated both by drummer Dave Weckl's prominent backbeats and Connor's riffs and dashing licks, as well as catchy hooks, progressions, and patterns from bassist Tom Kennedy. Such songs as "A Pedal," "Brody," and the title cut weren't melodically sophisticated, but had a bass-heavy structure and quick, animated solos. Althohugh the date is a bit old, its qualities prove a perfect fit on several new adult contemporary and lite-jazz outlets.

1. Lydia
2. A Pedal
3. Step It
4. Cookies
5. Brody
6. Twinkle
7. Titan
8. Flickering Lights

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Yusef Lateef - The Gentle Giant

Damn funky Yusef Lateef! The record's one of Lateef's best on Atlantic -- as it combines the funky style the label was working him in, with some of the more complicated, tripped-out styles he was forging on earlier records. The standout cut is the long take on Kenny Barron's "Nubian Lady" which begins the record -- and Kenny also contributed the tighter grooving "Jungle Plum". Other tracks include "African Song", "Queen Of The Night", "Poor Fishermen", "Below Yellow Bell", and a strange version of "Hey Jude" that goes on for a long time, and really messes with the volume -- listed on the cover with the note "Do not adjust the playback level on your audio equipment -- readjust your mind!"

1. Nubian Lady
2. Lowland Lullaby
3. Hey Jude (Do not adjust the playback level on your audio equipment -- readjust your mind!)
4. Jungle Plum
5. Poor Fishermen
6. African Song
7. Queen of the Night
8. Below Yellow Bell

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with thanks to ISounds

Ray Draper Quintet featuring John Coltrane - New Jazz 8228

Ray Draper was only 17 when he led this date (all four of his sessions as a leader were made before he turned 20) and was brave (or foolhardy) enough to team up with tenor saxophonist John Coltrane (who was 14 years older and already a major name) in a quintet also including pianist Gil Coggins, bassist Spanky DeBrest, and drummer Larry Ritchie. Draper had ambitious dreams of making the tuba a major jazz solo instrument; the tuba/tenor front line is an unusual and generally successful sound, although Draper's solos on this reissue -- on three of his originals: Sonny Rollins' "Paul's Pal," the show tune "Under Paris Skies," and a tuba feature without Coltrane, "I Hadn't Anyone Till You" -- are clearly not on the same level as those of Coltrane or Coggin. One does admire Draper's courage, and it is a pity that he hardly recorded at all after 1960 because he had strong potential.

Personnel:
Ray Draper: tuba;
John Coltrane: tenor sax;
Gil Coggins: piano;
Spanky De Brest: bass;
Larry Ritchie: drums

1. Clifford's Kappa
2. Filidia
3. Two Sons
4. Paul's Pal
5. Under Paris Skies
6. I Hadn't Anyone Till You

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