I hope those who celebrated had a great Thanksgiving yesterday. As a result of that US holiday, there aren’t a lot of new releases this week. However, Friday is Record Store Day (RSD) which means there are still quite a lot of great options for New In Music This Week: November 24th.
Jazz fans have a lot to seek out on RSD, particularly those who love vinyl. However, I have distinguished which releases are RSD First (meaning they will be released in other formats). All other releases for RSD are exclusive – so happy hunting.
My top pick of the best of what’s New In Music This Week: November 24th is:
JAZZ: GIL EVANS & TEN – Gil Evans & Ten -Craft Recordings
This is an RSD First vinyl re-issue of this 1958 from the incomparable Gil Evans (known by many primarily as one of the greatest collaborators with Miles Davis.) The album features six Evans arrangements of popular songs and one original: Jambangle.
Evans is joined by ten musicians on each song – thus the name of the album. Those musicians were Paul Chambers on bass; Jimmy Cleveland on trombone; Lee Konitz on alto saxophone; Dave Kurtzer on bassoon; Steve Lacy on soprano saxophone; Louis Mucci on trumpet (tracks 2-7); Willie Ruff on French horn; Nick Stabulas on drums (tracks 2-7) and Bart Varsalona on bass trombone. John Carisi is on trumpet for the first track and Jo Jones is on drums for the first track as well.
Note that this is a mono-reissue.
The rest of New In Music This Week: November 24th are:
JAZZ: A LOVESOME THING – Geri Allen and Kurt Rosenwinkel – Motéma Music/Heartcore Records
This live recording was made on September 5, 2012 at the Jazz á la Villette, Cité de la Musique, Philharmonie de Paris. Though Allen had performed with Rosenwinkel’s band earlier that year, they had not performed as a duo before this concert.
Impressively they took the stage without a moment of rehearsal and performed the nearly 53- minute set that is found on this album. Allen was one of the most sublime musicians of her time. Sadly, she passed away five years later.
This recording (which is NOT part of RSD) is a beautiful and heartbreaking reminder of how profound her loss still is.
JAZZ: CHET’S CHOICE – Chet Baker Trio – Elemental Music/Criss Cross
This is a late career release from Chet Baker which was recorded in Holland in 1985 and released the same year on Criss Cross Jazz – a Dutch label.
There are seven tracks on this release (though three additional tracks were added when it was released on CD). They include Irving Berlin’s How Deep Is the Ocean?; Doodlin’ by Horace Silver; Conception by Miles Davis and Cole Porter’s Love for Sale.
Joining Baker (who sings and plays trumpet) on this record are Philip Catherine on guitar, Jean-Louis Rassinfosse on bass for all but the last track Adriano which finds Hein van de Geijn on bass.
This is an RSD First release.
JAZZ: DAVE BRUBECK QUARTET LIVE FROM THE NORTHWEST 1959 – Dave Brubeck Quartet – Brubeck Editions
Just four months before the Dave Brubeck Quartet went into the studio to record Time Out, they were doing a series of shows. This album is comprised of five tracks from performances at Clark College and The Jazz Club near Portland, Oregon.
Joining Brubeck are Paul Desmond on alto saxophone; Joe Morello on drums and Eugene Wright on bass. The five songs performed are When the Saints Go Marching In; Basin Street Blues; Lonesome Road; Two Part Contention and Gone with the Wind.
This is an RSD First release.
JAZZ: IRON MAN – Eric Dolphy – Culture Factory
Though recorded in 1963, this album by Dolphy was not released until 1968. Dolphy plays bass clarinet, flute and alto saxophone on this album that has five tracks: three Dolphy originals (Iron Man; Mandrake and Burning Spear) along with Duke Ellington’s Come Sunday and “Jaki” Byard’s Ode to Charlie Parker.
Dolphy is joined on this recording by Richard Davis on bass; Bobby Hutcherson on vibes; Clifford Jordan on soprano saxophone; Eddie Khan on bass (only on Iron Man); Prince Lasha on flute; J.C. Moses on drums; Sonny Simmons on alto saxophone and Woody Shaw on trumpet.
This is an RSD Exclusive Release
JAZZ: TALES: LIVE IN COPENHAGEN (1964) – Bill Evans – Elemental Music
Copenhagen’s Radiohuset and TVBYEN studios are where this previously unreleased recording was made. Evans was joined by Larry Bunker on drums and Chuck Israels on bass.
There are 11 tracks on this album: Waltz for Debby; My Foolish Heart; (2 versions) How My Heart Sings (2 versions); Sweet and Lovely (2 versions); I Didn’t Know What Time It Was; Five (theme) 2 versions and ‘Round Midnight.
Good luck. This is an RSD Exclusive with only 3,650 copies made available.
EMERALD CITY NIGHTS: LIVE AT THE PENTHOUSE (1966-1968) – Ahmad Jamal – Jazz Detective
Continuing in their series of previously unreleased recordings by pianist Jamal, this album comes from a series of performances at the Penthouse jazz club in Seattle. Jamal is joined by drummer Frank Gant and bassist Jamil Nasser in these recordings.
This two-LP release features eleven tracks including Misty, Autumn Leaves, Quiet Night of Quiet Stars and Alfie.
This is an RSD First Release
INCARNATIONS – Charles Mingus – Candid Records
Bassist/composer Mingus recorded a lot of music for Candid Records in 1960. This album, whose title can be confused with other similar titles of Mingus recordings, is comprised of rare and unreleased material.
There are five tracks on this album: Bugs, R&R, All, Reincarnation Of a Love Bird and Body and Soul.
This is an RSD First Release.
MAXIMUM SWING: THE UNISSUED 1965 HALF NOTE RECORDINGS – Wes Montgomery/Wynton Kelly Trio – Resonance Records
Verve Records released Smokin’ At the Half Note from Montgomery and Kelly in 1965. Left behind were different songs and a few alternate takes that didn’t make the recording.
This 3 LP finally releases these 17 tracks including Laura, All The Things You Are; Cherokee and Oh, You Crazy Moon.
Fans of jazz guitar will want to hear this album which is an RSD First Release.
CON ALMA: THE OSCAR PETERSON TRIO – LIVE IN LUGANO, 1964 – Oscar Peterson – Mack Avenue
If you love the Peterson’s trio records Night Train (from 1963) and We Get Requests (from 1964), you’ll want this album where Peterson is joined again by Ray Brown on bass and Ed Thigpen on drums. The six tracks here are previously unreleased.
They perform Waltz for Debby; My One and Only Love; I Could Write a Book; Blues for My Landlady, Con Alma and It Ain’t Necessary So.
This is an RSSD First Release.
That brings us to the end of New In Music This Week: November 24th. If you don’t have an independent record store in your town but want to find some of these special releases, check Ebay.
Enjoy your weekend and enjoy the music.
Main Photo: Art from the cover of Dave Brubeck Quartet: Live from the Northwest 1959