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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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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