Mahavishnu Orchestra – The Inner Mountain Flame


The Mahavishnu Orchestra – “You Know, You Know” from the album “The Inner Mountain Flame”
John McLaughlin was born on 4 January 1942 in Doncaster. He studied violin and piano as a child and took up the guitar at the age of 11.  He moved to London in the early 1960s and played with Alexis Korner, Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames, the Graham Bond Organisation and Brian Auger.

He moved to the US in 1969 to join Tony Williams’ group Lifetime and formed The Mahavishnu Orchestra in 1971.
He played on the following Miles Davis albums; In A Silent Way, Bitches Brew, Live-Evil, On The Corner, Big Fun and A Tribute to Jack Johnson.
Jeff Beck called him “the best guitarist alive” and he gave guitar lessons to Jimmy Page.

The Inner Mountain Flame

1) Meeting Of The Spirits; 2) Dawn; 3) The Noonward Race; 4) A Lotus On Irish Streams; 5) Vital Transformation; 6) The Dance Of Maya; 7) You Know, You Know; 8) Awakening

The Mahavishnu Orchestra - The Inner Mountain Flame

John McLaughlin – Guitar
Rick Laird – Bass
Billy Cobham – Drums, Percussion
Jan Hammer – Keyboards, Organ
Jerry Goodman – Violin

Gary Bartz – The Drinking Song

Gary Bartz – “The Drinking Song” from the album “Freedom, Rhythm & Sound”
(Gary – soprano and alto saxes; Andy Bey – vocals; Juni Booth – bass; Nat Bettis – percussion; Harold White – drums)

Gary was born on September 26, 1940 in Baltimore, Maryland. He plays alto and soprano saxophones and clarinet.
His break into the music industry came when filling in with Art Blakey’s band at his father’s club in Baltimore.
Since that break he has played with Miles Davis, Charles Mingus, Max Roach, McCoy Tyner, and Jackie McLean.

Freedom, Rhythm & Sound

Disc 1

1) Oliver Lake – Africa; 2) Stanton Davis’ Ghetto / Mysticism – Space-A-Nova; 3) Steve Colson & The Unity Troupe – Lateen; 4) Mary Lou Williams – Miss D.D.; 5) Joe Henderson – Foregone Conclusion; 6) Art Ensemble of Chicago – Old Time Religion; 7) Philip Cohran and the Artistic Heritage Ensemble – The African Look; 8) Gary Bartz Ntu Troop – Drinking Song; 9) Pheeroan Aklaff – 3 In 1; 10) The Hastings Street Jazz Experience – Yes Lord; 11) Gato Barbieri & Dollar Brand – Eighty First Street; 12) Ralph Thomas – Big Spliff

Gary Bartz - The Drinking Song

Disc 2

1) Archie Shepp – Attica Blues; 2) Horace Tapscott and Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra – Peyote Song No. III; 3) Sun Ra and his Outer Space Arkestra – Nuclear War; 4) Joe McPhee and John Snyder – Shadow Sculptures; 5) Errol Parker – Street Ends; 6) Amina Claudine Myers – 3/4’s of 4/4; 7) The Pharaohs – Freedom Road; 8) Edward Larry Gordon – All Pervading; 9) Michael White – The Blessing Song; 10) Roy Brooks and the Artistic Truth – Black Survival; 11) The Lloyd McNeill Quartet – Dig Where Dat’s At

GoGo Penguin – Hopopono


GoGo Penguin – “Hopopono” from the album “v2.0”

GoGo Penguin are a Manchester trio consisting of Chris Illingworth (piano), Nick Blacka (bass), and Rob Turner (drums).

influences include Aphex Twin,  Shostakovich and Massive Attack. v2.0 (their second album on Gondwana Records) has been named as one of the Barclaycard Mercury Prize Albums of the Year.

GoGo Penguin – v2.0

1) Murmuration; 2) Garden Dog Barbeque; 3) Kamaloka; 4) FortOne Percent; 5) Home; 6) The Letter; 7) To Drown in You; 8) Shock and Awe; 9) Hopopono

GoGo Penguin - v2.0

Louis Armstrong – West End Blues

The classic “West End Blues” by Louis Armstrong

Louis Armstrong was born on 4 August 1901 into a very poor family in New Orleans
His mother was a part-time prostitute and his father deserted the family shortly after Louis was born. As a boy he lived in the red-light district of New Orleans – an area catering for working-class black customers.

He was sent to the Coloured Waifs Home aged 12 for firing his stepfather’s pistol in the air at a New Year’s Eve celebration. The home provided musical training and eventually Louis was made the band leader.
He was released from the home aged 14 determined to become a professional player and by the time he was 18 he was working for the best band in New Orleans – Kid Ory’s.

Louis ArmstrongIn 1922 he was invited to Chicago to play 2nd cornet in King Oliver’s Creole Jazz Band. Within 5 years he had transformed jazz and within 10 he was one of the most famous performers in the world.

This recommendation comes from “Hot Fives and Sevens Box Set” consisting of classic recordings from between 1925 and 1930.

He died on 6 July 1971 in New York City; a global superstar.

Sonny Rollins – The Last Time I Saw Paris

Sonny Rollins – “The Last Time I Saw Paris” from the album “The Sound Of Sonny”

sonny rollins

The Sound of Sonny

1. The Last Time I Saw Paris – 2:58
2. Just in Time – 3:59
3. Toot, Toot, Tootsie, Goodbye – 4:25
4. What Is There to Say? – 4:56
5. Dearly Beloved – 3:05
6. Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye – 3:23
7. Cutie – 5:54
8. It Could Happen to You – 3:47
9. Mangos – 5:34

Sonny Rollins – tenor saxophone
Sonny Clark – piano
Percy Heath – bass
Paul Chambers – bass (tracks 1 & 4)
Roy Haynes – drums

Recorded in New York City June 11, 12, 19, 1957

Sonny Rollins

Born Theodore Walter Rollins in New York City in 1930, and referred to by Courtney Pine as “the baddest player on the planet”, he is widely recognized as one of the most important and influential jazz musicians.

Phronesis – Life To Everything

Phronesis – “Urban Control” from the album “Life to Everything” recorded live at Jazz in the Round, The Cockpit, London

Life To Everything

1. Urban Control (Anton Eger)
2. Phraternal (Ivo Neame)
3. Behind Bars (Jasper Høiby)
4. Song for Lost Nomads (Ivo Neame)
5. Wings 2 the Mind (Jasper Høiby)
6. Nine Lives (Jasper Høiby)
7. Deep Space Dance (Ivo Neame)
8. Herne Hill (Anton Eger)
9. Dr Black (Anton Eger)

Phronesis life to everything

Jasper Høiby – Double Bass

Ivo Neame – Piano

Anton Eger – Drums

I love that “open” sound live albums always seem to have. An absolute must-buy.

Anouar Brahem – The Astounding Eyes Of Rita

Anouar Brahem – “The Astounding Eyes Of Rita”

As a Tunisian oud player and composer, Anouar is widely acclaimed as an innovator in his field. He performs primarily for a jazz audience, fusing Arab classical music, folk and jazz.

“The Astounding Eyes Of Rita”

Anouar Brahem – oud, Klaus Gesing – bass clarinet, Björn Meyer – bass, Khaled Yassine – darbouka, bendir

All compositions by Anour Brahem

Anouar

“The Lover of Beirut” – 7:44, “Dance with Waves” – 3:56, “Stopover at Djibouti” – 6:34, “The Astounding Eyes of Rita” – 8:41, “Al Birwa” – 4:51, “Galilee Mon Amour” – 7:17, “Waking State” – 7:48, “For No Apparent Reason” – 6:35

Writing for The Guardian reviewer John Fordham observed “In recent years, Brahem’s work has been more refined and reflective than groove-inclined, but this vivacious quartet set marks a return to the chemistry of Thimar, and it’s a richly varied and often thrilling piece of world-jazz”.

Writing for All About Jazz, John Kelman noted “After two discs of sparer chamber music, it’s great to hear Brahem back with a pulse; but with Meyer, Gesing, and Yassine as partners, he’s retained the elusive mystery of albums like Le Pas du Chat Noir (2002), making The Astounding Eyes of Rita his most aesthetically unified album to date”.

Ólafur Arnalds & Nils Frahm live improvisation

Ólafur Arnalds & Nils Frahm live improvisation at Roter Salon

Ólafur Arnalds

Ólafur is a BAFTA winning multi-instrumentalist and producer from Mosfellsbær, Iceland. He mixes strings and piano with loops and edgy beats.

I’d recommend “For Now I am Winter”.

Nils Frahm

Nils Frahm improvisation
Nils is a German musician and composer based in Berlin. He has released both solo material and collaborations with performers including Anne Müller, Ólafur Arnalds and F.S. Blumm.

His live album “Spaces” is a must-have in my opinion.