Elvin Jones - "Summit Meeting" (1976)

To complete our series of Elvin Jones albums on Vanguard Records, reader Luis has kindly donated a vinyl rip of "Summit Meeting" from 1976.

This comes the year after "New Agenda" in Jones' Vanguard chronology, recorded a few months after "The Main Force"; and the year before "Time Capsule".

As the title suggests, this is more of a group album, and is listed in some places as such. It's generally a little more straight-ahead that the albums that preceded it and followed it - Jones is deferring to trumpeter Clark Terry and saxaphonist James Moody, neither of whom he had played with before.

The fusion touches of "The Main Force" are nowhere to be seen - guitarist Roland Prince has a more laid-back, supportive role than Ryo Kawasaki from the former album. Keyboards are provided by Albert Dailey - his rhodes work is as solid as ever - not working with the onboard FX, but more working in a blues-based piano style, while still mindful of the electric instrument's tonality.

Mostly, the tracks are a showcase for solos by Moody, Terry and altoist Bunky Green, who would come to the fore in "Time Capsule" the year after. Producer Ed Bland's composition "Moody Magic" is the closest track to the more organised and composed structures that would follow on that album. The other standout for me here is Bunky Green's "Blues for Clark", with great solos by Dailey, Terry and Green. Check previews of both of these tracks at the top of the post.

Hope you enjoy this one! Please thank Luis for the rip.

TRACKLIST

01. 'Tee Pee Music' - (Clark Terry) - 8.09
02. 'Blues for Clark' - (Bunky Green) - 5.59
03. 'Moody Magic' - (Ed Bland) - 6.11
04. 'Summit Song' - (Bunky Green) - 10.13
05. 'Jones' - (Pauline Reddon-Duke Ellington) - 9.54

MUSICIANS

Elvin Jones - drums
Clark Terry - trumpet and flugelhorn
James Moody - tenor sax
Bunky Green - alto sax
Roland Prince - guitar
Albert Dailey - electric piano, piano
Angel Allende - percussion
David Williams - bass

PRODUCTION

Vanguard Records VSD 79390
Recorded NYC November 18th, 1976
Produced by Ed Bland
Recording Engineers - Charlie Repka, Jeff Zaraya
Mixer - David Baker
Design - Jules Halfant
Photograph - Joel Brodsky

OTHER ELVIN JONES at this blog :

1975 "New Agenda"
1976 "The Main Force"
1977 "Time Capsule"

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"Nytro" (1977) / "Return to Nytropolis" (1979)

I originally had this post as a re-direct to Baby Grandpa's blog - he did some great new rips of the two funky albums by Nytro, produced by Norman Whitfield in 1977 and 1979, and asked me to write a post for it.

Well that post is gone now,  and I have no idea what I wrote, but here are the rips  :

Nytro - 'Nytro' (1977)

and

Nytro - 'Return to Nytropolis' (1979)

Some details :

Nytro - 'Nytro' (1977) 

Tracklist

A1	Atomic Funk Written-By – LaMorris Payne, Robert Justice, Jr.*	5:05
A2	Dreaming Written-By – Benjamin Wilber, La Morris Payne*	4:02
A3	Foolin' Around Written-By – Earnest Reed, Jr.*	6:10
A4	What It Is Written-By – Earnest Reed, Jr.*	9:10
B1	Where's The Party Written-By – LaMorris Payne	4:10
B2	Atomosphere Written-By – C. Powell*, E. Reed, Jr.*	4:55
B3	Give Me One More Chance Written-By – Nytro	4:10
B4	Trick Bag Written-By – E. Reed, Jr.*	4:20

Credits

• Bass – Theodore Willingham
• Drums – Daniel Smithson
• Engineer – Leanard Jackson, Steve Maslow, Steve Smith (7)
• Engineer [Mixing] – Norman Whitfield, Steve Smith (7)
• Guitar – Earnest Reed, Jr.*
• Keyboards – Benjamin Wilber
• Lead Vocals – Robert Justice
• Other [Album Coordinators] – Steve Smith (7), William D. Whitfield
• Producer – Norman Whitfield
• Saxophone – Chris Powell
• Trumpet – Kenneth Scott, LaMorris Payne

Notes

Recorded at Sound Factory West Studio 

Mixed at Village Recorders, Warner Bros Recording Studios, Burbank Studio, Sound Factory West 


Nytro - 'Return To Nytropolis' (1979) 

Tracklist

A1	Nytro Express Drums – James GadsonGuitar – Trey StoneWritten-By – Norman Whitfield	7:08
A2	Return To Nytropolis Written-By – Norman Whitfield	5:40
A3	Could This Be The Night Written-By – Ronald A. Smith	5:15
A4	High On Disco Guitar – Trey StoneWritten-By – Norman Whitfield	5:01
B1	People Of The Country Harmonica – Mark EngelWritten-By – Earnest Reed, Jr.*	4:56
B2	Make It Written-By – LaMorris Payne	5:05
B3	I've Paid My Dues Written-By – Kenneth Scott	4:08
B4	Orbit Of The Sun Written-By – Earnest Reed, Jr.*	5:47

Companies etc

• Phonographic Copyright (p) – Warner Bros. Records Inc.
• Recorded At – Fort Knox Recording Studio
• Mixed At – Fort Knox Recording Studio

Credits

• Arranged By – Nytro
• Art Direction, Design – Eleven Twenty-Four Design*
• Artwork By [Art Direction, Design] – A.S.
• Bass – Theodore Willingham
• Drums – John Jackson (12)
• Electronic Drums [Syndrum] – Terry Santiel*
• Engineer, Mastered By – Leanard Jackson, Steve Smith (7)
• Guitar – Earnest Reed, Jr.*
• Illustration [Cover Illustration] – Dave McMacken*
• Keyboards – Ronald A. Smith
• Lead Vocals – Robert Justice
• Photography By – Bobby Holland
• Producer, Arranged By, Mastered By – Norman Whitfield
• Saxophone – Chris Powell
• Trumpet – Kenneth Scott, LaMorris Payne

Notes

Recorded and mixed at Fort Knox Recording Studio, Los Angeles 

Naturally, these have been added to the Whitfield discography here.

Elvin Jones - "Time Capsule" (1977)

 

Elvin Jones' final album for the Vanguard label in 1977 was his most melodic and "produced" album from the period. His trademark fiery style is slightly reigned in within these highly arranged and produced tracks, which delve further into group-based jazz-funk fusion - quite different from the looser, post-electric Miles jamming which infused the previous year's "The Main Force", which I posted yesterday.

That said, there's some great playing and textures on "Time Capsule", with ample solo space offered and taken with gusto within these tighter structures. After this album, Jones would return to more 'traditional' post-bop territory and acoustic instrumentation with his newly-named "Jazz Machine" on 1978's "Remembrance" for the MPS label.


Guitarist Ryo Kawasaki and percussionist Angel Allende return from the previous album. Whereas Kawasaki's electric edge somewhat stood out on "The Main Force", here it has become something of the norm. Once again he holds composition credits for the opening track : "Frost Bite".

With the reeds players working more in unison melodies, and Kawasaki contributing single lines and wah-chops, Kenny Barron's fender rhodes holds much of the harmonic background for the album. He had appeared on one track of 1975's "New Agenda", but here he's a strong presence throughout.

Barron's solo work is great on tracks like "Time Capsule", "Spacing". and my personal standout track "Moon Dance" (see preview at top of post). The album catches Barron in his peak period as a rhodes player, coming after his albums "Sunset to Dawn", "Peruvian Blue" and "Lucifer" ; and just before "Innocence", after which he would mainly return to acoustic piano. So one more for the Kenny on electric piano discography.


Only Frank Foster remains from the previous album's reeds lineup, here just contributing his soprano sax to Ed Bland's track "Digital Display".



Drummer alert! Mark Feldman has transcribed some of Elvin's patterns for "Digital Display" over here at "Bang! The Drum School".

The dominant new guest here is alto saxophonist Bunky Green, who composed three of the five tracks here. After a decade-long recording break he had returned earlier in the year with his Vanguard album "Transformations", also produced by Ed Bland. Much of that album borders on proto-"smooth jazz", with highly modal covers of pop hits, but on "Time Capsule" he has a rougher, more interesting edge, perhaps from the company he's keeping here.

Tenor saxophonist George Coleman had played on some of Jones' later Blue Note releases, as well as a few Strata-East releases like Charles Tolliver's "Impact!" ; the Jazz Contemporaries' "Reasons In Tonality" and Keno Duke's "Sense Of Values". In 1977, the same year as this album, he also played on Charles Earland's "Smokin".


At this stage, prolific flautist Frank Wess was straddling both the jazz world and the disco-funk session game - recent credits had included albums as diverse as Sister Sledge's "Circle of Love"; Van McCoy's "Disco Baby"; Oscar Brown's "Brother Where Are You"; Woody Shaw's "Rosewood"; and Crap Jazz Covers' favourite, "Sweet Buns and Barbecue" by Houston Person.

In the few years preceding this album, bass player Juni Booth had worked on Larry Young's "Lawrence Of Newark" ; McCoy Tyner's "Song of the New World" and "Atlantis"; and Joe Bonner's "Angel Eyes" . 2nd bassist Milt Hinton has been described as probably appearing "on more records than any other musician", so feel free to peruse his thirteen pages of credits.

Hoping you enjoy this one folks!

TRACKLIST

01. 'Frost Bite' - 7:53 - (Ryo Kawasaki)
02. 'Digital Display' - 7:31 - (Ed Bland)
03. 'Moon Dance' - 6:20 - (Bunky Green)
04. 'Time Capsule' - 8:07 - (Bunky Green)
05. 'Spacing' - 10:35 - (Bunky Green) 

MUSICIANS

Drums - Elvin Jones
Bass - Milt Hinton (1-2), Juni Booth (3-5)
Electric Piano - Kenny Barron
Flute - Frank Wess (1-2)
Guitar - Ryo Kawasaki
Percussion - Angel Allende
Alto Saxophone - Bunky Green
Soprano Saxophone - Frank Foster (2)
Tenor Saxophone - George Coleman (1, 3-5) 

PRODUCTION

Vanguard Records, 1977
VSD 79389
Producer - Ed Bland
Mixed By - David Baker
Engineer - Charlie Repka , Jeff Zaraya
Photography - Joel Brodsky
Design - Jules Halfant
Montage - Hy Radin 

OTHER ELVIN JONES at this blog :

1975 "New Agenda"
1976 "The Main Force"
1976 "Summit Meeting"
POST CREDITS

Rip from deleted Vanguard CD re-release by Simon666

Other albums linked in this post are at the blogs : Ile Oxumare, Strata-East Fan Club; Magic Purple Sunshine, Nine Sisters, Orgy In Rhythm, My Jazz World, Everything Is On The one, Pharoah's Dance, Raider of the Lost Ark, Jamz for the Soul, Mientras Otros Duermen, My Favourite Sound, Marramua, and Musica Y Programas.
Please thank these people if you visit them.

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Elvin Jones - "The Main Force" (1976)

A year along from "New Agenda", Elvin Jones and his group are in a jamming mode, working over looser structures with improvisational groupings amongst the reeds and percussion, with plenty of solo space as well. "The Main Force" is a more african-focused event with early fusion touches, ripped freshly from vinyl and presented here today in WAV and MP3.
Sometimes it sounds like they're all auditioning for Miles Davis' mid-70s live band, none so more than guitarist Ryo Kawasaki, who's coming off Gil Evans' "Music of Jimi Hendrix" and "There Comes a Time" albums, and here keeps his foot planted firmly on the wah-wah pedal, still a year away from smoothing things out considerably on his solo album "Juice". Kawasaki's track "Salty Iron" opens the album.



There are no less than four reeds players here; with Frank Foster and Steve Grossman joined this time round by Dave Liebman (who along with Grossman, of course, had successfully auditioned for the Davis band), and Pat La Barbara, who'd been working with Buddy Rich for the previous decade on albums like "Roar of '74" and "Stick It". La Barbara would continue as a central player for Jones for several years after this.



The woodwinds wind around each other in afro-style coils pushing eastwards on the sprawling fifteen-minute jam "Song of Rejoicing after returning from a hunt", which closes the album. The track is adapted by Jones from the djoboko rhythm of the Ba-Benzele pygmies; and arranged by Gene Perla. Perla doesn't play on this album, but would go on to form Stone Alliance the next year with Grossman and Liebman.

Or, as Todd Barkan writes in his hysterical liner notes :

"Here we are taken on a liferaft shooting the rapids of Elvin's bloodstream. A stream of consciousness hurtling us through lush, green river valleys into dens, electric jungles, and out onto sun-yellowed plains - flowing all the way back to the blood of his African ancestors."

I'll take two of whatever Todd's on, then chase them with a few margaritas.


Elvin Jones gets to break out with his signature thunder rolls on Gene Perla's "Sweet Mama", built around some wild impro from bassist Dave Williams. Williams had played on the first Blackbyrds album and Kenny Barron's "Peruvian Blue", then worked again with Elvin Jones the next year on Hadley Caliman's "Celebration". His composition here is "Mini Modes" - see the preview at the top of the post.

Producer Ed Bland contributes the modal "Philomene", and the man holding down the rhodes (and occasional piano) is Albert Dailey, fresh off Azar Lawrence's "Summer Solstice" and soon to record on Reggie Workman's "Conversation".


Jones confines himself to one percussionist at a time on this album. Angel Allende had built up an impressive track record in the years preceding this album - Mongo Santamaria's "Mongo '70"; Idris Muhammad's "Black Rhythm Revolution" and "Peace & Rhythm"; Lonnie Liston Smith's "Visions of a New World"; and Sonny Fortune's "Awakening"; "Long Before Our Mothers Cried" and "Waves Of Dreams". Allende gets a good workout with Jones on the aforementioned "Song of Rejoicing ... ".

The other percussionist, and the other Dave, is Dave Johnson. Imagine naming your child 'Dave Johnson', destined to be lost amongst forty-eight other 'Dave Johnsons' at the All Music Guide. Child abuse, pure and simple. Sensibly, this particular Dave took on the name Mguanda in the early 1970s, and appeared on both Bayete's classic "Worlds Around the Sun" and Horacee Arnold's "Tales of the Exonerated Flea".

Hope you all enjoy this further slice of Elvin.

TRACKLIST

01. 'Salty Iron' - 5:15 - (Ryo Kawasaki)

02. 'Sweet Mama' - 6:22 - (Gene Perla)

03. 'Mini Modes' - 10:32 - (David Williams)

04. 'Philomene' - 4:38 - (Ed Bland)

05. 'Song Of Rejoicing After Returning From A Hunt' - 15:43
Adapted by Elvin Jones from the Djoboko Rhythm of the Ba-Benzele Pygmies; arranged by Gene Perla.

MUSICIANS

Drums - Elvin Jones
Bass - Dave Williams
Guitar - Ryo Kawasaki
Keyboards - Albert Dailey
Percussion - Angel Allende (3-5), Dave Johnson (1-2)
Reeds - Dave Liebman (1-2) , Frank Foster (3-5) , Pat LaBarbera , Steve Grossman (2-5)

PRODUCTION DETAILS

Vanguard Records
VSD 79272
Producer - Ed Bland
Recording Engineer, editing and mixing - Ben Taylor
Cover photos - Joel Brodsky, Frank Kolleogy
Design - Rafael Rovira

ALSO BY ELVIN JONES at this blog :
"New Agenda" (1975) "Summit Meeting" (1976)
"Time Capsule" (1977)

POST CREDITS

Vinyl rip and scans by Simon666

Other albums linked to in this post are at the blogs Ile Oxumaré, Regaláme Esta Noche, JJ's Jazz and Such, Music You Don't Care About, My Jazz World, Pharoah's Dance, Flabbergasted Vibes, Happy as a rat in a Cheese Factory, Into the Rhythm, and DJ Ulison Professor Groove. Please thank these folks when you visit them - comments keep music blogs alive.

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