Warren Vaché and The New York City All-Star Big Band - Swingtime! (August 2021 nagel heyer records)

Nearly 100.000 enthusiastic spectators enjoyed the Swingtime!-US-tour in early 2000.

"It is a fresh recording by an all-star group of creative improvisers with impeccable swing credentials."

- Ed Berger

Warren Vaché has never been an innovator, but he's always been impressively consistent. Recorded in January 2000, this German release finds the cornetist leading a swing-oriented 11-piece band that includes, among others, Rickey Woodard and Harry Allen on tenor sax, Randy Reinhart on trumpet, Steve Ash on piano, and Jake Hanna on drums. Swingtime! is more arranged than Vaché's small group recordings, which means that he doesn't have as much room to stretch out and blow. But the arrangements are tasteful, and Vaché's band (which he calls the New York City All-Star Big Band) swings passionately on two Louis Jordan classics ("Saturday Night Fish Fry" and "Let the Good Times Roll") and warhorses like Benny Goodman's "Stompin' at the Savoy," Fats Waller's "Ain't Misbehavin'," and Count Basie's "Jumpin' at the Woodside." Vaché's least likely choice is "Mr. Bojangles," which isn't typical swing band fare, but works well for this outfit. One wishes that his band would surprise us more often; but all things considered, Swingtime! is an enjoyable, if less than essential, addition to his catalogue. AllMusic Review by Alex Henderson

1. Swingtime! 03:03

2. From This Moment On 05:19

3. I've Got My Fingers Crossed 03:58

4. Mr. Bojangles 04:02

5. The Way You Look Tonight 04:39

6. Stompin' at the Savoy 06:13

7. B. D. Blues 08:27

8. Jumpin' at the Woodside 03:16

9. A Portrait of Jenny 04:38

10. Ain't Misbehavin' 03:55

11. Saturday Night Fish Fry 06:30

12. When You're Smiling 03:18

13. Let the Good Times Roll 05:00

Warren Vaché – trumpet, vocals

Randy Reinhart - trumpet

John Allred - trombone

Matt Bilyk - trombone

Chuck Wilson – alto sax, clarinet

Harry Allen – tenor sax

Rickey Woodard – tenor sax

Alan Barnes – saxes, clarinet

Steve Ash - piano

Murray Wall - bass

Jake Hanna - drums

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Randy Reinhart & Jesper Thilo Sextet - For Basie (August 2021 nagel heyer records)

"THIS CENTENARY TRIBUTE to Count Basie is happily much more than a well-intentioned repertory project. Having jazz musicians recreate famous recordings can be exhilarating but is more often an odd expenditure of creative energies. Even better, this tribute is not restricted to long versions of One O’Clock Jump and Jumpin’ At The Woodside.

What this band has done, lightly and politely, as Louis Armstrong said, is to tip their hats to a musical way of thinking and feeling epitomized by the Basie band and its smaller spinoffs in the great prewar period. This sextet plays in the great tradition but levitates it with their own inventiveness, which is what Basie, Lester Young, Buck Clayton, Jo Jones and the others did as a matter of course, as the broadcasts prove. The one direct emulation of a recording – Jesper Thilo’s version of Lester’s magnificent solo on the Jones-Smith, Inc. Lady Be Good – is beyond criticism, because that solo is a composition equal to any Schubert song, and no one complains when anyone sings those notes as written.

To summon up Basie, you need a fleet, unified rhythm section but really only two soloists: trumpet and tenor (although a trombone is always nice). Soloists who know the virtues of passionate simplicity, an uncluttered feeling, medium-to-up tempos, and you’re off! And this international sextet (Danish, American, Italian and German) has succeeded nobly…

…a listener will take the most pleasure from the way this sextet works as a band: the opening choruses of Moten Swing meld 1937-38 broadcasts with the ambiance of Basie’s late Pablo recordings; the trades between Randy and Jesper animate I Would Do Most Anything For You well beyond what we might expect. Undecided and Lester Leaps In are intense but never tense, pulsing but comfortable. The result is simultaneously modern and nostalgic, idiomatic and timeless.

Jake Hanna, who knows swing from the inside out, once told me: ‘You get too far away from Basie, you’re just kidding yourself.’ Words to live by, sisters and brothers!"

Michael Steinman, Great Neck, New York, 2006

1. Undecided 07:34

2. When I Grow Too Old to Dream 09:12

3. Blue and Sentimental 05:43

4. I'll See You in My Dreams 05:25

5. Moten Swing 08:45

6. Lady Be Good 08:49

7. Echoes of Spring / All God's Chillun Got Rhythm 05:53

8. One O'Clock Jump 06:15

9. If I Had You 06:59

10. I Would Do Anything for You 07:31

11. Lester Leaps In 06:58

Randy Reinhart - trumpet, trombone

Jesper Thilo - tenor sax, clarinet, vocals

Rossano Sportiello - piano

Rudolf ›Pluto‹ Kemper - guitar

Nico Gastreich - bass

Moritz Gastreich - drums

Recorded live on October 10, 2004 at Birdland Jazzclub, Hamburg, by Dieter Reichert.

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Harry "Sweets" Edison / Barney Kessel / Jimmy Rowles - Something Bigger (August 2021 nagel heyer records)

"A lot of times, the older you get in music, the more you’ll find out that less is more. Leave spaces and don’t play everything you know. As a matter of fact, when I worked with „Sweets“, Harry Edison, a couple of weeks ago he was a lesson in that. He knows very well how to use a rhythm section."

- Benny Powell

"...a very interesting lineup of players ... the overall result is a recording highly recommended to fans of straight-ahead jazz."

- Scott Yanow

1. Happy Feeling 03:57

2. Blues in the Closet 04:41

3. Louisiana 03:56

4. You're Getting to Be a Habit with Me 05:14

5. Nice Work If You Can Get It 04:08

6. Moten Swing 03:57

7. Willow Weep for Me 07:04

8. (Back Home Again In) Indiana 03:13

9. Midnight Sun 03:09

10. Easy Does It 08:18

11. The Two Mothers 06:04

12. Contemporary Blues 04:08

13. A Smooth One 09:14

14. Twelfth Street Rag 02:57

15. Begin the Blues 04:28

16. Now's the Time 04:42

17. Lester Leaps In 02:11

Harry "Sweets" Edison - trumpet

Barney Kessel - guitar

Jimmy Rowles - piano

with

Sonny Criss - alto sax

Georgie Auld - tenor sax

John Simmons - bass

Buddy Rich - drums

and others

Recorded at Contemporary's Studio in Los Angeles in March, July, August and September 1955.

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Bobby Hackett - One of Us (July 2021 nagel heyer records)

Bobby Hackett (January 31, 1915 – June 7, 1976) was an American jazz musician who played trumpet, cornet and guitar with the bands of Glenn Miller and Benny Goodman.

He also played lead trumpet in the Vic Schoen Orchestra which backed the Andrews Sisters.

Hackett was featured as a cornet soloist on six of the Jackie Gleason mood music albums. The records all went gold for over 500.000 copies sold.

1. In a Mellow Tone 05:04

2. Indiana 06:09

3. When Your Lover Has Gone 04:24

4. Fidgety Feet 07:27

5. Muskrat Ramble 04:34

6. Basin Street Blues 07:28

7. There'll Be Some Changes Made 03:36

8. Struttin' with Some Barbecue 07:17

9. Satin Doll 04:24

10. Poor Butterfly / Manhattan / September Song / Slow Mood / Lazy River 07:07

11. You Do Something to Me 03:26

12. Sweet Georgia Brown 07:00

13. Bank Commissioner's Blues 06:16

14. Take the "A" Train 08:03

15. Perdido 06:38

16. Exactly Like You 05:57

17. China Boy 06:54

Bobby Hackett - trumpet, cornet

Vic Dickenson - trombone

Edmond Hall - clarinet

plus

Various Artists

Recorded live in New York City

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Frankie Laine / Buck Clayton / Michel Legrand - Back in Swingtime (July 2021 nagel heyer records)

Swing is the thing

Let the good times roll

1. Stars Fell on Alabama 05:21

2. Baby, Just for Me 02:55

3. Lover Come Back to Me 03:36

4. If You Were Mine 04:31

5. You're Just the Kind 02:52

6. That Old Feeling 06:13

7. Dream a Little Dream of Me 03:43

8. Roses of Picardy 05:29

9. Until the Real Thing Comes Along 04:22

10. Taking a Chance on Love 02:48

11. Blue Moon 05:17

12. S'posin' (I Should Fall in Love) 04:02

13. Too Marvelous for Words 03:17

14. Marie 02:35

15. September in the Rain 03:12

16. You Can Depend on Me 05:45

17. To My Wife 02:54

18. Baby, Baby All the Time 04:05

19. I'm Confessin' (That I Love You) 03:18

Frankie Laine - vocals

Buck Clayton - trumpet, arranger

Michel Legrand - piano, arranger

plus

Various Artists

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Randy Sandke - Uptown Lowdown / A Jazz Salute to the Big Apple (May 2021 nagel heyer records)

"The solos ring true; the band warms the room. Uptown Lowdon is jazz music of the highest quality. Why can't all dream bands sound like this?"

- Cadence

It took a German recording team to enable trumpeter/arranger Randy Sandke to assemble this all-American, 12-piece ensemble for a panorama of New York-inspired tunes, recorded in the Big Apple in the Sylvia and Danny Kaye Playhouse as part of the 1999 JVC Jazz Festival. In doing so, he raided the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, as well as several independent history-minded players in the area, and emerged with a band that fires off the numbers with crisp virtuosity in any idiom called for. Thankfully, there is also more than enough gusto in the playing, due in no small part to the live festival recording situation.

"The Harlem Medley," a lengthy leadoff stream of delicacies from the land of Ellingtonia, gets close enough to the Ellington sound to convey the idea without being slavishly imitative or ghostly. The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra boys know their Ellington craft well and apply the plunger mutes accordingly. From there, the band doubles back to Dixieland, works its way up to swing, and slides without a glitch into bebop ("Scrapple From the Apple"), a Mingus shuffle blues ("Nostalgia in Times Square"), transitional Coltrane ("Grand Central"), and some Monk ("52nd Street Theme"), before being deposited back in Harlem by -- naturally -- the "'A' Train."

In between the main tour stops, Concord Jazz teammates guitarist Howard Alden and clarinetist Ken Peplowski serve up another of their fluid duets on Irving Berlin's "Slumming on Park Avenue." Other high points include clarinetist Allan Vaché wailing in the trad flagwaver "Chinatown" and trumpeters Sandke and Warren Vaché duking it out on "42nd Street." In all, a well-recorded souvenir of what sounds like a heartwarming local celebration. AllMusic Review by Richard S. Ginell

1. Echoes of Harlem / Drop Me Off in Harlem 03:07

2. Jungle Nights in Harlem 03:37

3. Boys from Harlem 03:33

4. Sugar Hill Penthouse 02:31

5. Blue Belles of Harlem 03:07

6. Harlem Speaks 05:28

7. Chinatown, My Chinatown 03:09

8. Rose of Washington Square / Broadway Rose 06:43

9. Slumming on Park Avenue 05:13

10. 42nd Street 05:59

11. Scrapple from the Apple 05:48

12. Nostalgia in Times Square 08:14

13. Grand Central 08:31

14. Grand Central 04:42

15. Take the "A" Train 07:46

16. What's New * 05:09

* Bonus Track

Randy Sandke - trumpet

Warren Vaché - trumpet

Wycliffe Gordon - trombone

Ken Peplowski - clarinet, tenor sax

Allan Vaché - clarinet

Scott Robinson - alto sax, tenor sax, flute

Joe Temperley - baritone sax

Howard Alden - guitar

Eric Reed - piano

Mark Shane - piano

Rodney Whitaker - bass

Joe Ascione - drums

Recorded live at the 1999 JVC Jazz Festival New York.

Directed by Randy Sandke.

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Danny Moss / Antti Sarpila / Brian Dee - For You and Yours (May 2021 nagel heyer records)

Danny Moss belongs to the best European saxophone players of all times. He later lived in Perth, Australia and toured the world only for a few months each year. His idol is definitely Coleman Hawkins and the great "Hawk" would have been proud of him. Danny Moss has played with such illustrious names like Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, Sammy Davis Jr. and Frank Sinatra. He is such an excellent musician and great personality that he was ennobled by the Queen of England and the initials M.B.E. (Member of the British Empire) were added to his name.

Antti Sarpila clarinet and saxophone is a scholar of the famous clarinettist and sax player Bob Wilber and one of the outstanding jazz musicians Finland’s. He lives in Helsinki, comes from a musician’s family and is already know today as one of the best clarinettists in the world. He plays his instrument unbelievable fluently with a nice tone and a remarkable swing. He has performed in New York’s Carnegie Hall, leads his own band in Finland and is on his way to a great international career.

Brian Dee is an Englishman and a very sensitive and swinging accompanist and soloist. Besides Lemon he is the pianist in England who is often accompanying American musicians when they come to Europe and visit his country. Therefore, he has played with nearly all the big names in the jazz scene.

1. All the Cats Join In 07:41

2. Buckin' the Blues 05:19

3. Stompy Jones 06:11

4. Willow Weep for Me 04:27

5. Toot Sweet 05:35

6. Robbins Nest 07:51

7. Stealin' Apples 06:14

8. A Ghost of a Chance 04:06

9. Professor Jazz 06:26

10. Fiesta in Blue 03:38

11. Jumpin' at the Woodside 06:05

12. Blue and Sentimental 06:51

13. It Don't Mean a Thing 09:06

14. Sabine's Jazz Arena 06:54

15. Satin Doll 04:10

16. Crossing the Border 08:07

17. Lean Baby 05:15

18. If Dreams Come True 06:15

Danny Moss - tenor sax

Antti Sarpila - clarinet, soprano sax, tenor sax

Brian Dee - piano

Randy Sandke - trumpet

Harry Allen - tenor sax

Scott Robinson - baritone sax

Jerry Tilitz - trombone

Len Skeat - bass

Oliver Jackson - drums

Butch Miles - drums

plus

Jeannie Lambe - vocals

Recorded live 1993 and 1994 at the Fabrik, Hamburg, Germany

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Joe Ascione / Brian Ogilvie / Billy Mitchell - The Return (April 2021 nagel heyer records)

"...a nice, relaxed, swing style blowing session." Jazz Improv

Drummer Joe Ascione's love for drummer Buddy Rich is no secret as he goes to town with the 12 tracks on this CD. He fronts an octet through these standards like a hot knife through butter, and the group could not be more en fuego. Veterans Randy Sandke, trumpet, Dan Barrett, trombone, the legendary tenor saxophonist Billy Mitchell, Bob Haggart, bass (since passed on) join multi-instrumentalist Brian Ogilvie, pianist Mark Shane, and guitarist James Chirillo for a hard driving, soulfully swinging tribute to Rich. 

Throughout the date, Ascione, 35 at the time of this recording, acquits himself well. He's not as brash as Rich (who could be?) but pushes the band without being pushy. Everyone in the combo contributes arrangements, most noticeable is Barrett's bouncy, sprightly "Limehouse Blues," ultra cool "Soft Winds," and Ogilvie's uppity chart on "I Want to Be Happy" where he takes an extroverted alto sax lead. Sandke's duet with Ascione on "Nica's Dream" is quite stripped down and daring, and the 14:19 "Blues #5 (Blues for Kurtchen)" is a downtrodden finale where everyone in the band gets blue for Rich. Mitchell's feature on "J & B's Bag" is the CD's highlight, and it's great to hear this icon still very much in the game, his original, bluesy legato sound intact and vibrant. Rich was short and snappy, and so are these tunes for the most part.

At times you think their lamps are trimmed and burning, as if there's a prescribed cut-off point. There's a variance in tempo from up to down and back up, an interesting contrast in a tribute to a person who was generally pretty fiery. Kudos to Ascione and crew for a fine offering of pure, authentic, professional, mainstream jazz. Highly recommended for lovers of traditional, classic sounds. AllMusic Review by Michael G. Nastos

1. Cottontail 05:59

2. My Buddy 05:34

3. J & B's Bag 04:57

4. Here's That Rainy Day 05:06

5. Sing That 04:52

6. Limehouse Blues 04:58

7. Hi Fly 06:28

8. Nica's Dream 04:11

9. Funny How 05:24

10. Goodbye Yesterday (Blues #5) 14:20

11. Straight No Chaser 05:01

12. Soft Winds 05:53

13. I Want to Be Happy 04:16

14. The Return 05:21

15. Love for Sale 07:19

Remastered & Extended Version of NHCD 036

Joe Ascione - drums

Randy Sandke - trumpet

Dan Barrett - trombone

Brian Ogilvie – clarinet, saxes

Billy Mitchell – tenor sax

Mark Shane - piano

James Chirillo - guitar

Bob Haggart - bass

plus

Frank Vignola - guitar (#5, 9, 14)

Recorded on November 3, 1996 at Blue Noise Studio, Hamburg, Germany.

Track #5, 9 and 14 recorded at Nola Studios, New York City.

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The Dave Glasser / Clark Terry / Barry Harris Project (feat. Frank Wess, Benny Powell, Roy Hargrove) - Uh! Oh! (2021 nagel heyer records)

Alto saxophonist/composer Glasser's project band is loaded with stars that shine brighter than his own, and this elevates his cachet to a very high level. Trumpet veteran Terry and peerless pianist Harris are joined by bassist Peter Washington and unsung drummer Curtis Boyd. Guests include trombonist Benny Powell, tenor saxophonist Frank Wess, and a pair of cameos from trumpeter Roy Hargrove. Glasser wrote eight of the 13 selections. There are several tracks that feature all four horn players, who swing effortlessly together on "The Intimacy of the Blues." Glasser leads as the rest nod in counter-harmonic agreement during Duke Ellington's "Blue Rose" and the "Foggy Day"-stylized Glasser original "FNH," and they collectively swing their posteriors off on "Jumpin' at the Woodside." 

The leader can bop with the best, wailing in deftly pronounced Phil Woods fashion for Thelonious Monk's "52nd Street Theme" with the witty ramblings of Harris, while the steaming, straight-ahead "Powell's Prance" pairs Glasser and Wess -- the alto being dominant -- with a short, mushy trombone solo and individual statements by Washington and Boyd. Hargrove's features with Glasser and the rhythm section are the darting unison, loose, and swinging line of the smartly titled "Bye-Yard" (assumedly for Jaki Byard) and Glasser's original ballad "Charise."

Terry's upfront shot on flügelhorn uses Glasser on the second line of the torch song "The Nearness of You," which doubles time on a counterpointed bridge. Glasser and Terry's muted trumpet trade and talk back riffs in great chit-chat banter with zeal and zest on the title cut, the funnest of swingers. Glasser's thinly veiled vibrato wavers on the sexy ballad "Tranquility" while his lilting legato is displayed to good measure during the quick samba "A Touch of Kin."

This is an excellent grouping of top-notch jazz musicians who have come together for the sole purpose of playing great music, and they succeed on nearly every count. It's also a great achievement for Glasser and another reminder of how wonderful Terry and Harris continue to be. Highly recommended. AllMusic Review by Michael G. Nastos

1. Uh! Oh! 07:12

2. Bye-Yard 04:45

3. A Touch of Kin 06:15

4. Intimacy of the Blues 06:06

5. Blue Rose 05:07

6. Charise 04:23

7. 52nd Street Theme 03:54

8. FNH 05:15

9. The Nearness of You 04:36

10. CT 05:29

11. Tranquillity 05:11

12. Powell's Prance 05:15

13. Jumpin' at the Woodside 03:03

Dave Glasser - alto sax

Clark Terry - trumpet, flugelhorn

Barry Harris - piano

Frank Wess - tenor sax

Benny Powell - trombone

Roy Hargrove - trumpet

Peter Washington - bass

Curtis Boyd - drums

Recorded June 1999 at Nola Recording Studios, New York City.

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Jay McShann - It Feels Good (April 2021 nagel heyer records)

"You'd hear some cat play, and somebody would say, 'This cat, he sounds like he's from Kansas City.' It was Kansas City Style. They knew it on the East Coast. They knew it on the West Coast. They knew it up North, and they knew it down South." - Jay McShann

One of Jay McShann's favorite stories to tell was how band member and friend Charlie Parker got his nickname "Bird". During their drive to a gig in Nebraska with a car full of musicians, the driver of the car accidently hit a chicken. According to McShann, Parker requested the driver turn around so he could get the bird, and sat with it in the backseat of the car all the way to Lincoln. Once they arrived he asked the keeper of the home they were staying in to cook it up for him.

1. Tenderly 04:27

2. Blue and Sentimental 06:26

3. Confessin' the Blues 02:53

4. Memories of You 05:21

5. Moten Swing 06:27

6. Duke and the Brute 02:52

7. Hootie's Ignorant Oil 04:29

8. Lady Be Good 03:55

9. Say Forward, I'll March 04:43

10. Nasty Attitude 02:55

11. Hootie's in Hutchinson 06:08

12. Slow Drag Blues 05:52

13. Reach 02:47

14. Four Day Rider 04:01

15. You Can Depend on Me 04:18

16. Doggin' Around 06:11

17. Jay's Boogie Woogie 04:13

Jay McShann - piano

plus

Various Artists

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Georgie Auld - Let's Jump (April 2021 nagel heyer records)

Georgie Auld (May 19, 1919 – January 8, 1990) was a jazz saxophonist (tenor, alto and soprano) and bandleader who moved to Brooklyn, New York at the age of 10.

Primarily a swing saxophonist, he was a member of big bands and led his own big bands.

Auld worked with Bunny Berigan, Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman, Erroll Garner, Dizzy Gillespie, Al Porcino, Billy Eckstine, Tiny Kahn, and Frank Rosolino.

1. A Smooth One 04:21

2. Route 66 02:39

3. Sweet Lorraine 03:41

4. I've Found a New Baby 04:47

5. Canyon Passage 02:50

6. I Can't Give You Anything but Love 03:26

7. Wholly Cats 04:09

8. I Don't Know Why 02:54

9. On the Alamo 02:31

10. Blue Moon 02:58

11. Just You, Just Me 02:43

12. Seven Come Eleven 03:10

13. 100 Years from Today 02:52

14. Soft Winds 04:10

15. Air Mail Special 03:19

16. Gilly 02:38

17. Breakfast Feud 03:17

18. Rose Room 02:42

19. Handicap 02:47

20. Scarecrow 02:51

21. Let's Jump 03:12

22. Mo-Mo 02:38

23. You're Blasé 02:53

24. Flying Home 03:37

25. Gone With the Draft 02:45

26. Chicken Lickin' 02:47

27. Benny's Bugle 03:45

Georgie Auld - tenor sax, alto sax, soprano sax

Don Fagerquist - trumpet

Larry Bunker - vibraphone

Lou Levy - piano

Howard Roberts - guitar

Leroy Vinnegar - bass

Mel Lewis - drums

plus

Various Artists

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Pee Wee Russell - Doing Fine (March 2021 nagel heyer records)

During the last dozen years of his life before passing away in 1969, clarinetist Pee Wee Russell recorded and performed in a variety of surprisingly modern settings. It was not that Russell was not modern himself, for his eccentric style had long been quite distinctive, but he had previously been content to mostly play in freewheeling Dixieland bands.

The small-group swing set has basic arrangements from pianist Nat Pierce, quiet support from bassist Tommy Potter and drummer Karl Kiffe, and Russell is joined by three of his favorite horn players (trumpeter Ruby Braff, trombonist Vic Dickenson, and tenor saxophonist Bud Freeman). One can fully understand why the clarinetist was quite pleased with this music. His playing is much more consistent and comfortable on the mid-tempo material than usual and he mostly gets to avoid the overly hyper Dixieland warhorses. A gem.

In 1962, clarinetist Pee Wee Russell, began teaming up with valve trombonist/bass trumpeter Marshall Brown in more modern settings. Utilizing a pianoless quartet, Russell performed music that was a little reminiscent of Gerry Mulligan and often incorporated surprisingly modern songs. On this intriguing set, Russell, Brown, bassist Russell George, and drummer Ron Lundberg perform such songs as "Chelsea Bridge," "Moten Swing," "Good Bait," "'Round Midnight," and even John Coltrane's "Red Planet.“

Tenor-saxophonist Coleman Hawkins and clarinetist Pee Wee Russell revisit "If I Could Be with You," a song they had recorded together in a classic version back in 1929. Russell was beginning to perform much more modern material than the Dixieland music associated with the Eddie Condon players and on this set (which also features trumpeter Emmett Berry, valve trombonist Bob Brookmeyer, pianist Nat Pierce, bassist Milt Hinton and drummer Jo Jones), he plays a couple of Duke Ellington tunes, two originals and "Tin Tin Deo." Hawkins is also in fine form and this somewhat surprising program is quite successful. AllMusic Review by Scott Yanow 

1. That Old Feeling 04:18

2. My Mother's Eyes 04:41

3. If I Could Be with You (One Hour Tonight ) 06:31

4. It All Depends on You 04:02

5. 'Round Midnight 03:19

6. What Am I Here For 07:53

7. Out of Nowhere 04:52

8. Old Folks 02:43

9. Mean to Me 06:30

10. Chelsea Bridge 02:48

11. Red Planet 04:51

12. Tin Tin Deo 08:58

13. Pee Wee's Blues 04:36

14. I Used to Love You 05:04

15. Moten Swing 04:36

16. Mariooch 07:21

17. Good Bait 04:12

Pee Wee Russell - clarinet

Emmett Berry - trumpet

Ruby Braff - trumpet

Bud Freeman - tenor sax

Coleman Hawkins - tenor sax

Marshal Brown - trombone

Vic Dickenson - trombone

Nat Pierce - piano

plus

Various Artists

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Frank Vignola (feat. Frank Wess, Randy Sandke, Roland Hanna) - Off Broadway (March 2021 nagel heyer records)

Whoever decided to include veteran Frank Wess on some tracks deserves a good deal of credit for the success of this album. The Count Basie veteran tenor man has laid-back but commanding solos on such cuts as "It's All Right With Me" and Horace Silver's "Cookin' at the Continental," where he and another jazz veteran, Sir Roland Hanna, assume control of the track, making it an album highlight. This album is a generous 79-plus minutes of solid jazz and is recommended.

1. Funny How 05:24

2. Stars Fell on Alabama I (feat. Roland Hanna) 04:23

3. Off Broadway (feat. Frank Wess) 05:27

4. Limone's Blues (feat. Randy Sandke, Roland Hanna) 05:31

5. The Return (feat. Roland Hanna) 05:21

6. Stardust 05:15

7. Sing That (feat. Roland Hanna) 04:53

8. Cookin' at the Continental (feat. Frank Wess, Randy Sandke) 04:26

9. Never, Never (feat. Frank Wess) 04:54

10. Annie 05:18

11. In the Hills (feat. Randy Sandke) 04:06

12. Frankly Speaking 06:12

13. Stars Fell on Alabama II (feat. Roland Hanna) 04:02

14. It's All Right with Me (feat. Frank Wess) 10:01

15. What's Up 04:23

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Frank Wess - Whatever You Want (March 2021 nagel heyer records)

"Frank Wess hits his marks at any tempo ... his playing sounds clear as a bell, as well."

- npr music

"Frank Wess is one of the premier proteges of Lester Young, and a leading jazz flutist of his era — using the latter instrument to bring new colors to Basie's music."

- Scott Yannow

1. Dancing on the Ceiling 03:45

2. I Hear Ya Talkin' 04:12

3. June Is Bustin' Out All Over 03:11

4. But Beautiful 04:36

5. Hard Sock Dance 07:38

6. Gone with the Wind 05:46

7. Monday Stroll 04:21

8. What'd Ya Say 09:44

9. It's so Peaceful in the Country 04:00

10. Stop Gap 06:03

11. Dill Pickles 06:09

12. Liz 03:35

13. Opus Pocus 07:30

14. Salvation 03:50

15. I See Your Face Before Me 06:06

16. Lazy Sal 06:10

17. Stella by Starlight 05:11

18. Opus de Blues 11:00

19. Struttin' Down Broadway 05:38

20. Serenata 04:54

21. Rainy Afternoon 08:26

22. Excursion 05:13

23. Star Eyes 03:53

24. Boop-De-Doop 08:42

25. You Leave Me Breathless 06:30

Frank Wess - tenor sax, flute

Thad Jones - trumpet

Frank Foster - tenor sax, soprano sax

Henry Coker - trombone

Curtis Fuller - trombone

Milt Jackson - vibes

Kenny Burrell - guitar

Hank Jones - piano

Eddie Jones - bass

Kenny Clarke - drums

plus

Various Artists

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Buddy Tate - Tate Live (March 2021 nagel heyer records)

Veteran tenor saxophonist Buddy Tate toured with a band led by young drummer Torsten Zwingenberger in both 1983 and 1988; the selections heard on this live recording made at the Quasimodo in Berlin are from the latter year. The rest of the group includes vibraphonist Hendrik Meurkens (who would later make a name for himself as a leader on several Concord releases), pianist Otto Weiss, and bassist Dieter Gutzkow. For the most part, the group sticks to extended workouts of well-known standards like "Tangerine" and "Sweet Georgia Brown," though a rare appearance by Tate on flute is ruined somewhat because the tape reel ran out prematurely. 

A furious take of "Jumpin' at the Woodside" is followed by a smoking closing blues, "She's Got It," with humorous (but somewhat throwaway) vocals by Tate and Meurkens. Tate proves to be an entertaining MC, and it is fun to hear him try to pronounce the drummer's name. Since this is one of Buddy Tate's last recordings prior to a 1988 heart attack (though he made a few recordings after his triple-bypass surgery), bop fans will want to pick up this Nagel-Heyer CD. AllMusic Review by Ken Dryden

1. Tangerine 10:38

2. Shiny Stockings 10:29

3. Intro SGB 00:18

4. Sweet Georgia Brown 10:41

5. Summertime 10:02

6. Intro JATW 00:31

7. Jumpin' at the Woodside 08:51

8. She's Got It 10:46

Buddy Tate - tenor sax, flute, vocals

Hendrik Meurkens - vibraphone, vocals

Otto Weiss - piano

Dieter Gützkow - bass

Torsten Zwingenberger - drums

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Buddy Tate - Buddy and Soul: Live in Dublin 1976 (March 2021 nagel heyer records)

One of the more individual tenors to emerge from the swing era, the distinctive Buddy Tate came to fame as Herschel Evans' replacement with Count Basie's Orchestra. Earlier he had picked up valuable experience playing with Terrence Holder (1930-1933), Count Basie's original Kansas City band (1934), Andy Kirk (1934-1935), and Nat Towles (1935-1939). With Basie a second time during 1939-1948, Tate held his own with such major tenors as Lester Young, Don Byas, Illinois Jacquet, Lucky Thompson, and Paul Gonsalves. After a period freelancing with the likes of Hot Lips Page, Lucky Millinder, and Jimmy Rushing (1950-1952), Tate led his own crowd-pleasing group for 21 years (1953-1974) at Harlem's Celebrity Club. During this period, Tate also took time out to record in a variety of setting (including with Buck Clayton and Milt Buckner) and he was the one of the stars of John Hammond's Spirituals to Swing concert of 1967.

Tate kept busy after the Celebrity Club association ended, recording frequently, co-leading a band with Paul Quinichette in 1975, playing and recording in Canada with Jay McShann and Jim Galloway, visiting Europe many times, and performing at jazz parties; he was also a favorite sideman of Benny Goodman's in the late '70s. Although age had taken its toll, in the mid-'90s Buddy Tate played and recorded with both Lionel Hampton and the Statesmen of Jazz. Tate lived in N.Y. until January, 2001, when he moved to Phoenix, AZ, to live with his daughter. Buddy Tate died a few weeks later, on February 10. Scott Yanow, All Music Guide

1. Chicago 08:30

2. In a Mellow Tone 10:57

3. There'll Never Be Another You 08:08

4. I Can't Get Started 04:14

5. Theme Song I 07:44

6. All of Me 09:51

7. (Back Home Again In) Indiana 06:47

8. Body and Soul 05:08

9. Theme Song II 04:53

10. Theme Song III 03:09

11. Polka Dots and Moonbeams 04:58

Buddy Tate - tenor sax, clarinet, vocals

Tony Drennan - piano

Jimmy McKay - bass

Jack Daly - drums

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Clark Terry - Star Eyes (March 2021 nagel heyer records)

Clark Virgil Terry (December 14, 1920 – February 21, 2015) was an American swing and bebop trumpeter, a pioneer of the flugelhorn in jazz, and a composer and educator.

He played with Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Quincy Jones, and Oscar Peterson.

His career in jazz spanned more than 70 years, during which he became one of the most recorded jazz musicians, appearing on over 900 recordings.

1. Willow Weep for Me 02:34

2. It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing) 04:01

3. C-Jam Blues 03:29

4. Trumpet Mouthpiece Blues 04:08

5. Impeccable 04:21

6. What Will I Tell My Heart 06:26

7. Milli Terry 02:34

8. Funky 04:03

9. Clark's Expedition 02:32

10. Don't Worry 'Bout Me 03:16

11. Pint of Bitter 07:03

12. Basin Street Blues 02:48

13. Squeeze Me 05:02

14. Candy 02:24

15. Half a Sawbuck 07:16

16. Blues for Daddy-O's Jazz Patio Blues 04:36

17. It's Fun to Think 05:10

18. Phat Bach 03:19

19. Top 'N' Bottom 04:49

20. A Tune for the Tutor 06:29

21. Ocean Motion 01:46

22. Clark's Bars 03:39

23. Boomerang 06:00

Clark Terry - trumpet, flugelhorn

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Various Artists

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Butch Miles - Straight on Till Morning (February 2021 nagel heyer records)

 Butch Miles, the longtime drummer of the Count Basie Orchestra, leads a hard bop-oriented session on the Nagel Heyer CD Straight on Till Morning. Although Miles is most associated with modern swing, this set is a bit more up-to-date while swinging hard. Trumpeter Bob Ojeda arranged eight of the 11 selections and contributed six originals. Doug Lawrence takes some fine tenor solos, trombonist Bill Porter displays some inventive ideas, pianist Kenny Drew, Jr. plays some powerful improvisations, and Lynn Seaton's bowed bass solos are a highlight. Alex Saudargas guests on classical guitar during "Dreamsville" while Frank Wess is on one song. With Miles pushing everyone, this is a frequently exciting set full of subtle surprises, including a humorous boppish reworking of "When You Wish Upon a Star.“ AllMusic Review by Scott Yanow

1. Hangover Blues 03:45

2. Another Drum Thing 04:56

3. Frank's Blues 04:22

4. Cute 03:51

5. Dreamsville 07:18

6. When You Wish Upon a Star 06:45

7. A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing 08:14

8. Quick Fix 03:20

9. After Hours 05:51

10. Outside Inn 05:57

11. I'm Leavin' 04:09

Butch Miles - drums

Bob Ojeda - trumpet

Bill Porter - trombone

Doug Lawrence - tenor sax

Kenny Drew Jr. - piano

Lynn Seaton - bass

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Frank Wess - tenor sax, flute

Alex Saudargas - guitar

Recorded on January 3 and 4, 2003 at Pedernales Studio, Texas.

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Klaus Ignatzek & Susanne Menzel / In​-​Tandem (February 2021 nagel heyer records)

Bereits die ersten Takte der CD In-Tandem von Klaus Ignatzek und Susanne Menzel ziehen mich in ihren Bann - südamerikanische Rhythmen begrüßen den Hörer mit dem ersten Stück Samba de Amor und erzeugen unmittelbar gute Laune. Das gelingt nicht jeder Jazz-CD. Die Stimme der jungen Sängerin Susanne Menzel, die auf In-Tandem ihr Debüt gibt, beeindruckt durch ihre sinnliche Ausdruckskraft und ihr warmes Timbre. Überzeugend präsentiert sie die schwierigsten Gesangspassagen souverän und emotionsgeladen, diese Stimme hat eindeutig Star-Potenzial. Wie das Booklet verrät, stammen alle Songtexte aus der Feder von Susanne Menzel und so stellt sie neben ihren herausragenden Gesangsqualitäten gleich noch ihr lyrisches Talent unter Beweis. 

Keine oberflächlichen Floskeln erwarten den Hörer, sondern interessante Themen und Geschichten mit Tiefgang. Die Kompositionen auf In-Tandem schuf allesamt Klaus Ignatzek, der im In- und Ausland schon viele Jahre einen brillianten Ruf als Pianist und Komponist genießt. Entsprechend hoch sind meine Erwartungen an In-Tandem und sie sollen nicht enttäuscht werden. Die insgesamt 12 Stücke bieten eine große musikalische Bandbreite in unterschiedlichen Stimmungen, von kraftvoll und dynamisch bis ruhig und romantisch, das macht die CD sehr abwechslungsreich und spannend.

Klaus Ignatzeks Klavierspiel auf In-Tandem überzeugt durch enormen Einfallsreichtum und virtuose Soli, die er in eingängige Melodien einbettet und damit eindrucksvoll beweist, dass man als Jazzer der 1. Liga sehr wohl Songs auf höchstem Niveau komponieren kann, die nicht unmelodiös oder schwer zugänglich sein müssen. Die großartigen Bandmitglieder Peter Weniger, Saxophon, Martin Wind, Bass, und Hans Dekker, Drums, runden das Hörerlebnis nicht zuletzt dank ihrer großen Spielfreude gelungen ab. An In-Tandem werden außer der Jazz-Fangemeinde auch Musikliebhaber ihre Freude haben, die sich mit Jazz bislang etwas schwer taten, diese CD ist rundum empfehlenswert! (Liz Arden, kultura-extra)

1. Samba de Amor 04:36

2. Light in the Dark 07:38

3. Running Man 04:22

4. No Words 08:14

5. Message for Art 06:07

6. My Home 07:10

7. Her Own World 05:56

8. Herbie's Invitation 05:05

9. Close the Door 07:02

10. Roamin' 03:11

11. Time Will Tell 07:50

12. Chase the Time 06:00

All music composed by Klaus Ignatzek. All words by Susanne Menzel

Klaus Ignatzek – piano

Susanne Menzel – vocals

Peter Weniger – tenor saxophone

Martin Wind – bass

Hans Dekker – drums

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Jesse Davis - Soul Searchin' (Live in Seoul) NAGEL HEYER RECORDS 2017

Alto saxophonist Jesse Davis is one of the top contemporary Jazz stars coming out of New Orleans, where he was born in 1965. In addition to leading his own group, Davis has performed with such stellar jazz musicians as Jack McDuff, Major Holley, Cecil Payne, Illinois Jacquet, Chico Hamilton, Junior Mance, Kenny Barron, Cedar Walton, Nicholas Payton, and Roy Hargrove. He toured in 1996 along with Phil Woods, Charles McPherson, and Gary Bartz in the group Sax Machine.

Recording with his own quartet since 1991, Davis led the band in more than 50 shows in Spain, France, Italy, and the U.K. in 1993, 1994, and 1995. He returned to New Orleans in 1996. Davis made his acting debut in the Robert Altman film "Kansas City" where he plays Charlie Parker.

Now he is leading the Jesse Davis Quartet accompanied by the uprising pianist Paul Kirby and a world-class rhythm section with Martin Zenker, bass, and Kim Minchan, drums.

1 Pray Thee Be Free 

2 Beyond the Storm 

3 Innuendo 

4 It's Just Farewell 

5 End of a Love Affair 

6 Jesse Talks 

7 I'm Glad There Is You 

Tracks 1-4 are Jesse Davis originals

Jesse Davis - alto sax

Paul Kirby - piano

Martin Zenker - double bass

Kim Minchan - drums