Verve レコード& CD

Review: Usually we note how many albums along a new release is, but by 'Trio '65', Bill Evans was so deep into his live LP-releasing career that we find it difficult to count out exactly which release number this one is. Now reissued on Verve's Acoustic Sounds series - dedicated to new vinyl remasters from analog tapes - the jazz pianist's masterful hand technique is given its most thorough audiophile's listen-in yet. Joined by bassist Chuck Israels and drummer Larry Bunker for this 1965 recording, this one is a typically noir and cigarette-smoked tour through both Evans originals and known standards, from 'Israel' and 'Elsa to 'Come Rain Or Come Shine'.

Review: Mel Brown's Chicken Fat album is the latest to get the reissue treatment by the good folks at Verve. The guitarist's 1967 Impulse! debut is said to be one of the funkiest and most original the late ever put out. His signature picking style is clean and bluesy and was honed while he played with legends like John Lee Hooker's and T-Bone Walker's bands. There is also plenty of well swung soul-jazz in the great organ work and for this version the original audio has been transferred from the analog tapes to nice heavy vinyl.

Review: It goes without saying that 'A Love Supreme' is in the upper echelons of jazz history. A spiritual and emotional proclamation from American jazz saxophonist John Coltrane, the 32 minute runtime is a narrative of strife and struggle with addiction as well as the notable repetition of his riff in all 12 keys throughout the session in 'Acknowledgement'. In many ways you could say Coltrane's playing wasn't improvised at all, and you could argue that the session was better off for it. At the end of the half an hour, the narrative unwinds and Coltrane is declaring a faith to God, a musical thankyou to his faith that kept him true throughout his trials following a spiritual awakening in 1957 - what resulted was an undisputed musical masterpiece.

Review: It's not clear as to what a 'Hyper-Dimensional Expansion Beam' is, but we do have a clear idea of what it sounds like in the abstract. The trio made up of nu-Afrofuturists King Shabaka, Danalogue and Betamax warn us not to look up on this latest LP masterwork, owing to the group's cosmic chops for fusing dancehall, jazz and psychdance musical elements. Perfect for the coming storm, this is a cinematic jazzdance you can't miss.

Review: Joao Donato is one of the most well known and prolific stars of Brasil's MPB (which is short for "musica populera brasileira") scene. He has toped several highly sought of albums and is still turning them out today despite already having assured his legacy. A Bad Donato is something of a move away from his Brazilian bossa nova roots - instead the album, which was recorded in LA, is electric and eclectic with funk, psychedelic pop and groovy Fender Rhodes driven sounds. This reissue on Verve By Request comes on nice heavyweight 180g vinyl with classics like 'The Frog' and 'Lunar Tune' still sounding fresh.

Review: Originally recorded in 1962 and released in 1963, Duke Ellington and Coleman Hawkins' collaborative masterpiece remains one of the greats of all time. As well as Ellington on piano and Hawkins on saxophone, you get the sheer joy of Ray Nance on violin, Aaron Bell on bass and Sam Woodyard on drums. That's not the whole line-up either, but fundamentally this is about Ellington's compositions, which get played out with a silken touch. Pieces like 'The Ricitic' feel as light as a feather, proving how subtlety and delicacy are just as much a testament to skill as any performance fireworks.

Review: Ella Fitzgerald remains one of the most prominent voices in jazz and her album Let No Man Write My Epitaph, released by Acoustic Sounds in the early 60s, showcases the timeless brilliance of the legendary star. This new reissue on nice heavyweight wax from Verve brings forth the magic of Fitzgerald's voice in its purest form and allows you to revel in the emotional depth and vocal mastery that marked her career. With exquisite arrangements, poignant lyricism, and Fitzgerald's unparalleled delivery, the album captures the essence of jazz as a living, breathing art form. What's more, Acoustic Sounds ensures a high-fidelity experience making this an even more essential trip into the enchanting world of Ella Fitzgerald.

Review: Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong came together first of all for their 1956 album Ella and Louis. Just a year later, the enduring jazz icons hooked up once more on Verve Records for the simply titled Ella and Louis Again. It was recorded at Radio Recorders and Capitol Studios in Hollywood and where their first album was all duets, this one features seven solo vocal tracks by either Armstrong or Fitzgerald amongst its dozen duet tracks. Louis only played trumpet on six of these tunes but there was such a vibe between the two artists that it was never seen as an issue.

Review: There remains great interest in the work of Astrud Gilberto, and much of it is being freshly remastered and pressed up on a constant basis. Her Look To The Rainbow is a captivating journey into the realms of what she did in the bossa nova and jazz. Released in 1966, it showcases Gilberto's ethereal vocals floating effortlessly over lush arrangements as tracks transport listeners to sun-kissed beaches with their infectious rhythms and melodic charm. Gilberto's voice often exudes a tender elegance, while the title track 'Look To The Rainbow' radiates with hope and optimism. With its seamless blend of Brazilian flair and jazz sensibility, this album remains a timeless classic.

Review: Jazz pianist Herbie Hancock sure did love to record music. The New Standard was his fortieth, four oh, album and not by a long way was it his last. It came in 1996 on the Verve label and is the sound of the great American musicians offering up his own jazz renditions of classic and more contemporary rock and r&b tunes. The star-studded sextet also features saxophonist Michael Brecker, guitarist John Scofield, bassist Dave Holland, percussionist Don Alias and drummer Jack DeJohnette with some of the original tunes by the likes of Peter Gabriel, Prince, Kurt Cobain and Stevie Wonder.

Review: Verve's audiophile-focused Acoustic Sounds series - championing jazz classics big and small, with a core view to showing them off at their crispest - continues with a well-selected reissue of John Coltrane's 'Crescent'. Verve are focusing on Coltrane's live albums in particular; 'Crescent' almost certainly tops 'Live At The Village Vanguard', again featuring the unparalleled performative chops of Trane's fellow jazz peers McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison and Elvin Jones - his Classic Quartet. Across only 5 tracks, the fab four achieve every possible blue-noted peak and trough, from extended trumpet, piano ('Bessie's Blues') and drum ('The Drum Thing') solos.

Review: Jazz legend Max Roach recorded his Moon Faced and Starry Eyed album originally back in 1960. It now gets reissued some 60 years later and remains a jazz classic that for some reason is often rather overlooked. It features Roach alongside his mega-talented group with Ray Bryant, Julian Priester, and Stanley and Tommy Turrentine all playing while Abbey Lincoln is on vocals for two tracks. They are 'Never Leave Me' and a cover of Cole Porter's 'I Concentrate On You' and sit well with other gems like 'Come Rain Or Come Shine' and the standout title cut.

Review: Oscar Peterson had a steady thing going with Verve which carried him through his early career, but after a 14-year stretch with the label he wrapped things up with this album. The jazz pianist was joined by Ray Brown on double bass and Ed Thigpen on drums, between them tackling a number of pop songs, bossa nova, film themes and standards. Producer Jim Davis was committed to capturing the live feeling of the band and approached the recording sessions in October 1964 as such. This reissue follows Verve's exacting attention to detail, with transfers from analogue tape and presented in deluxe gatefold packaging.

Review: The Verve label is pressing up records according to popular demand at the moment and next up is a Wayne Shorter gem. The American great's Footprints Live! is a mix of sounds from three of his European dates back in 2001, a series of shows that also served as an introduction to his 'Footprint Quartet' featuring pianist Danilo Perez, bassist John Patitucci and drummer Brian Blade. Each of the talents shines through here with a particularly challenging re-imagination of the title track, as well as 'Masquelero', which are both originally from when Shorter was a part of the seminal Miles Davis Quintet back in the 1960s.

Review: Wes Montgomery's centennial was on March 6th 2023 and is marked by Verve and Uma releasing an acoustic sounds edition of his Smokin' at the Half Note album. Wes was said to be one of the best live performers in the game and this is real evidence of that - it finds him at the heights of his brilliant and influential guitar playing and is a record that captures him playing with more drive and confidence than ever. Smokin' Wynton Kelly does a fine job of supporting on this most accomplished and essential record.

Review: Brandee Younger has always been a unique artist: a harpist who frequently utilises the instrument in a wide variety of (sometimes surprising) musical contexts and whose impressive CV also includes work with hip-hop luminaries such as Common and Ryan Leslie. On her fifth solo album, and second for Impulse!, Younger continues this adventurous but highly entertaining approach, offering up a mixture of original compositions and Dorothy Ashby covers that frequently draws influence from hip-hop, smooth jazz, modern soul and fusion. Highlights are plentiful, with our picks including the luscious, harp-laden soul head-nod of 'Brand New Life' (where Mumu Fresh delivers a sublime lead vocal), Pete Rock hook-up 'Livin' And Lovin' In My Own Way', and the duelling harp and vibraphone solos of the vintage Roy Ayers-inspired goodness of 'You're a Girl For One Man Only'.