Digitally remastered using 24-bit technology by Kevin Reeves (Universal Music Studios-East).

This 1976 release features Chick Corea in what was then, and remains, a unique musical setting. While it is truly an electric jazz fusion record, it is also the only solo recording of Corea's on which he attempted to truly explore the Latin side of his musical heritage. My Spanish Heart marks a full-scale, yet thoroughly modern, exploration in the musical lineage Corea sprang from. Making full use of synthesizer technology, a string section, and synth-linked choruses -- of two voices, his own and that of Gayle Moran -- as well as percussionist Don Alias, drummer Steve Gadd, a full brass section, and the sparse use of Jean Luc Ponty ("Armando's Rumba") and bassist Stanley Clark, Corea largely succeeded in creating a Spanish/Latin tapestry of sounds, textures, impressions, and even two suites -- "Spanish Fantasy" and "El Bozo." The string quartet performs its intricate and gorgeously elegant arrangements with verve and grace on "Day Danse" and on the suites, with Corea's contrapuntal pianism creating a sharp yet warm contrast to the shifting tempos, wild interval leaps, and shimmering timbral balances that occur.

The only pieces that sound dated on this double-album-length set are the fusion pieces, which are, with their production and knotty stop-and-start modulations and key signature equations -- complete with aggressive arpeggios and scalar linguistics -- destined to be limited in expression by the voice of their use of technology. Thus, "Love Castles," "The Gardens," and "Night Streets" suffer from their rather cheesy production despite their tastefully done double fusion semantics (jazz to rock to Latin music).

There is no doubt that Corea's musicianship was up to any task he chose at this point in time. Simply put, he was compositionally and intellectually at the top of his game, and this record still surprises.


  21ST Century Chase CD
  by Fred Anderson
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To achieve the age of 80 is an accomplishment. To achieve the age of 80 as a saxophone player, still at the top of the game, is something else again. In march of 2009, Chicago legend Fred Anderson finished up a week of celebration in honor of his 80th at his own Velvet Lounge with this special quintet, and Delmark records was there to record it. Fred was joined by longtime bassist Harrison Bankhead, Chad Taylor on drums (Hamid Drake was unable to get back to Chicago in time), Jeff Parker on guitar, and the mighty Kidd Jordan also on tenor sax. All these players have a history with Fred, going back more than a decade in most cases. This is cooperative music making at its best.

Each tune is a journey, as different players assert the lead and pull the other players along into new territory. Taylor and Bankhead are such a sympathetic rhythm section, knowing exactly when to lay back and when to push (Taylor's rim work on the first track, and Bankhead's bowed harmonics on the second are worth noting). Jeff Parker sticks to a mostly supportive role but has some really nice contributions, getting skronky in conversation with Kidd then adopting more of a bop stance at one point with Fred. But the night really belongs to the two tenors: Fred, with his huge, burly tone, and Kidd's unsurpassed abilities at the upper end of the horn's range make for some exciting music making.

These guys are perfect foils because their styles are so complementary. Forget the fact that they're both seniors, there's still plenty of fire coming out of those horns. Yes, this is free jazz, but much of it is supremely melodic (which is not to say there aren't some hairy moments). Fred Anderson has been a Chicago treasure as both player and mentor for decades (he co-founded the AACM, if you didn't know). Delmark Records' Bob Koester is equally revered for documenting the Chicago sound in both jazz and blues for more than 50 years.


  Attica Blues CD
  by Archie Shepp
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By the early 1970s Archie Shepp was moving away from his no-holds-barred free-jazz assault and into experiments with swing, R&B, and funk. Such is the case with 1974's ATTICA BLUES, an expansive, freewheeling album that finds the saxophonist at the height of his style-blending fearlessness. This is not to say the album isn't avant garde: quite the contrary. Shepp's solos are fleet, acrobatic, and searingly intense.

Shepp's appropriation of R&B and funk can be heard throughout, especially on album standouts, "Blues for Brother George Jackson" and the title track, which rides a hard funk groove. Interestingly, the album also has its share of vocal-led tracks, including the ballad "Steam" sung by Joe Lee Wilson. The "recitation" songs serve to date the album a bit, but overall ATTICA BLUES stands as one of the best recordings in Shepp's fine discography.

Recorded at A&R Recording, New York, New York on January 24-26, 1972. Originally released on Impulse (9222).


  Sound Of Joy CD
  by Sun Ra
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Recorded in November 1957 for Transition Records. Originally released on Delmark (114) in 1968.

The late pianist/bandleader/composer Sun Ra was known for his theatrical performances and for applying concepts of free jazz to a big band/orchestral context. SOUND OF JOY was recorded in 1957, during the Ra's Chicago sojourn, and is closer to the modern swinging sounds of Duke Ellington than to free jazz. Ellington was clearly an influence on Ra, and Ra combines this with the more progressive aspects of hard bop. SOUND OF JOY is ideal for Ra neophytes and Ra fans that want to hear his beginnings.

Sun Ra & His Arkestra: Sun Ra (piano, electric piano); Clyde Williams (vocals); Pat Patrick (alto & baritone saxophones); John Gilmore (tenor saxophone); Charles Davis (baritone saxophone); Art Horle, Dave Young (trumpet); Julian Priester (trombone); Victor Sproles (bass); Jim Herndon (tympani, timbale).


  Welcome To Love CD
  by Pharoah Sanders
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When this was first released, the slow, straight sounds of Pharoah Sanders on a series of mostly famous ballads came as a bit of a surprise to some. Others saw Sanders as following the road of his mentor, John Coltrane, who had recorded most of these tunes himself. In retrospect, the inside playing of Sanders is less of a surprise, the saxophonist having followed that path regularly since at least the '80s. This performance has held up well through the years, and while the thin, reserved approach is reminiscent of Coltrane, it is still marked with Pharoah's print. The competent and thoroughly professional rhythm section of pianist William Henderson, bassist Stafford James, and drummer Eccleston W. Wainwright takes a decidedly reserved cue from the saxophonist, but each song is infused with a subtle emotional quality that simply does not let go. ~ Steven Loewy

  Beyond Quantum CD
  by Anthony Braxton
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BEYOND QUANTUM (2008) brings together three avant-garde jazz legends in drummer Milford Graves, bassist William Parker, and saxophone titan Anthony Braxton for a lengthy session of free collaboration. Recorded in Bill Laswell's studio and released on John Zorn's Tzadik label, BEYOND QUANTUM is an experimental jazz lover's dream. The level of musical communication, as expected from such seasoned veterans, is near telepathic. Graves's strategically disjointed pulses, Parker's muscular bass, and Braxton's total command over the saxophone, which ranges from challenging melodic explorations to squeals and skronk (not to mention wordless vocals and voicings), work together brilliantly on this session, resulting in a contemporary avant-garde gem.

Personnel: Anthony Braxton (saxophone); William Parker (bass instrument); Milford Graves (percussion).

The Wire (p.59) - "Each of the five 'Meetings' has its own character, and the three players switch modes frequently and seamlessly.... Grave's drumming, meanwhile, is minimal, but thoroughly expressive -- as ever, he does a lot with a pared-down kit."


  Air Song CD
  by Air
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The Air trio functioned with all three members contributing musically on an equal footing. Although in theory there was no leader, Henry Threadgill comes across as the dominant voice. The advanced interplay, allied with supreme musicianship and unfailing

Air, the improvisational collective of Henry Threadgill on reeds, woodwinds, and lots of other stuff, bassist Fred Hopkins, and drummer/percussionist Steve McCall, was the first major group after the Art Ensemble to come out of Chicago. The feel of Air's sound is one where the collective improvises and creates without an individual soloist or group leader anchoring the proceedings. On the first two recordings, this debut outing in particular, this concept worked well. There are four long pieces here, all of them based on minimal themes with variations entering into the fray simultaneously and opening the door to a free for all that pays attention to both dynamics and texture. The interplay between the three members is almost always inventive, engaging, and full of warmth and humor. There is little excessive indulgence to be found on these improvisations, and the degree of musicianship with these men is off the chart. Communication in the new jazz often amounted to little more than cats trying to make one another louder. Air proved that the signal of development is in the listening and expressing oneself based on what has been played as a soloist and as part of the whole. A lovely and auspicious debut. ~ Thom Jurek

Air: Henry Threadgill (baritone, flute, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone); Fred Hopkins (bass instrument); Steve McCall (percussion).


  There's No Going Back Now CD
  by Mujician
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Both Keith Tippett and Paul Dunmall have extensive discographies, with tons of projects, some of them longstanding. And yet, the one ensemble that stands out for both of them is Mujician and their handful of releases -- well, a bit more than a handful, now that There's No Going Back Now can be added to the pile, four years after Spacetime. This single 45-minute improvisation was recorded on June 12, 2005, with all usual suspects in top shape. The piano may be a bit less assertive than usual, but that has no impact on the group's drive. On the contrary, There's No Going Back Now sounds more urgent, vital, and frantic than Mujician's previous two releases on Cuneiform. On this particular set, Dunmall is the key player, his tenor sax pushing the other three forward.

The music is collectively shared and the quartet adds to more than its constituents combined: drummer Tony Levin matches Dunmall's intensity every inch of the way, while Paul Rogers rivals the saxman in lyricism. Tippett's piano is the cement of the group, providing cohesion and purpose. Obviously, these guys are keen on releasing only their very best performances, since they don't have a single weak album. There's No Going Back Now is just as recommendable as its older siblings, although if you don't relish the idea of a single extended piece, you might want to start with the more generously indexed Spacetime or the four-part Colours Fulfilled -- although, down the line, it is only a matter of perception, since the music still unfolds in one continuous motion. ~ François Couture

JazzTimes (p.89) - "The arc of the performance is natural and effective. For music like this to succeed, the players must be aware of contrasts in dynamics and density. These guys are, absolutely."

  Captain Of The Deep CD
  by Dennis Charles
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Recorded at the Zuid-Nederlands Jazz Festival in Holland, this piano-less quartet features drummer Denis Charles with Jemeel Moondoc on alto saxophone, Wilber DeJoode on bass, and Nathan Breedlove on trumpet. With a sound often approximating the work of early Ornette Coleman, the two horns spurt attractively dissonant themes, after which the four players turn out repeatedly fascinating solos and interactive lines. Underrecorded Breedlove is surprisingly agile and charmingly ragged, with a clear debt to Don Cherry and Bobby Bradford. Unsung giant Moondoc is stunning throughout, with twisted, winding lines stretched across a brush of vibrant colors. Charles smolders with excitement, driving hard and pushing forcefully, but laying low when necessary. Its great melodies and adventurous solos make Captain of the Deep a vital inside/outside document of the 1990s. ~ Steve Loewy

Dennis Charles: Dennis Charles; Wilbert de Joode (double bass); Jemeel Moondoc, Nathan Breedlove.

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