Jazz Child

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Vocalist Sheila Jordan has been working small wonders on the periphery of jazz popularity for decades, producing a uniformly impressive and adventurous body of work in the process. Jazz Child, a characteristically eclectic outing, continues her stealth campaign with another low-key, high-impact set of enlightened explorations. Jordan, one of the most musical of modern singers, doesn't get in your face with overwrought vocal theatrics. Her jazz sensibilities are so advanced and so innate that, like Carmen McRae, she seems to come at songs from the inside out. Standards such as "My Funny Valentine" are opened up and reconfigured to reveal fresh new facets while less familiar songs, like Abbey Lincoln's Charlie Parker tribute "Bird Alone," take flight on the wings of her improvisational expertise. When she takes on still more challenging material, such as avant icon Don Cherry's "Art Deco," complete with lyrics she composed, there is no female jazz singer who can match her combination of quiet fire and deft finesse. Pianist Steve Kuhn, with whom the singer performed and recorded in the '70s, underpins her efforts with his trio. Kuhn's economical but evocative piano work is a perfect match for Jordan's masterful minimalism as he anticipates and embellishes her every subtle nuance, whether she's scatting, swinging, or just sailing along in her own private vocal universe. --Michael Point

Tracks:

Overture
I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know
Morning Glory
My Days Are Numbered
Without Her
Just One Smile
I Can't Quit Her
Meagan's Gypsy Eyes
Somethin' Goin' On
House In The Country
The Modern Adventures Of Plato, Diogenes And Freud
So Much Love/Underture
Refugee From Yuhupitz (Instrumental)
I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know (Bonus Track)
The Modern Adventures Of Plato, Diogenes And Freud (Bonus Track)

Customer Reviews:

great first album .......2007-06-13

How they could kick Al Kooper out of this band after creating there debut god only knows.

Too bad the marriage was so short.......2007-05-15

Blood, Sweat & Tears was the total brainchild of Al Kooper. He made one classic LP with them, then left/was pushed out, they hire a singer and BOOM, they explode commercially. Talk about irony. Unlike many, though, I don't put down the Clayton-Thomas version of the band. In fact, I think that the self-titled LP was a classic of a sort. The material (all covers, right?) was well-chosen, the arrangements were tight and imaginative, the production was incredible, and Clayton-Thomas did a great job. It only lasted one album, but it was a great album.

But this is the real McCoy. A groundbreaking stunner. Had it not been for Kooper's vision, that second BS&T album could never have happened. This was the child that was father to the man. Though it has escaped grandiose status for almost 40 years, it is a stone cold classic.

B.S.& T. is Only Good with Al Kooper.......2006-11-06

This is an exceptional album.....not your typical Blood, Sweat and Tears commercialized garbage that was created after this album. This was their first album, raw and orginal, not over-produced or watered down for a top 40 audience. It is, in fact, the band driven and led by the great rock and blues musician, Al Kooper. When B. S. & T. "lost" Al Kooper, they lost everything.....fortunately, we can find what they lost in this album.

The Masterpiece.......2006-07-23

This album doesn't have any of Blood Sweat and Tears hits. However, it is the band's best album, at least from a conceptual sense. Even though every song is completely different from the last, it somehow feels like a smooth transition to go from one song to the next. This album also represents the original lineup of Blood Sweat and Tears, including the creator keyboardist (and on this album, vocalist), Al Kooper. Kooper had actually formed this band because of creative issues with Danny Kalb, the leader of another great band, the Blues Project. Kooper's experience in the Blues Project can be seen on this album, as there is still a great deal of blues infused into even the classical and r&b numbers. Some notable tracks that I especially enjoyed on this album include "I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know," "Overture," and the haunting but beautiful, "World Without Love."

Al Kooper COULD Be President of General Motors..........2006-05-23

Considering the shape they're in today, it could be a big improvement.

This was, of course, a huge sleeper in its day. Unlike the later Clayton-Thomas BST album, this one produced no "Top Ten" played hits. However, as a concept album it was great, and as one which paved the way for white-boy blues, it was something really new.

We loved them more than they'd ever know...and hey, look closely at the album cover. Take it from me - this was WAY before Photoshop.

Hipgnosis - how did they DO that, anyway??

Average customer rating:

Man-Child...
The best from Hancock in the '70s.
A space funk masterpiece
Hang Up YOUR Hang Ups!
Great Follow-up to (2) classics.......................

Man-Child
Herbie Hancock
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Bebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

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Secrets
Thrust
Sextant
Head Hunters
Mr. Hands

ASIN: B000026OWF
Release Date: 2000-06-23

Tracks:

Hang Up Your Hang Ups
Sun Touch
Traitor
Bubbles
Steppin' in It
Heartbeat

Album Details

1992 Digitally Remastered Edition of One of the Best Regarded of all the Keyboard Wizard's Solo Albums.

Customer Reviews:

Man-Child..........2007-05-17

I was a 16-year-old when I heard "Steppin' in It." If anyone had told me that this was a fusion/jazz compilation, I would have given them the following response: "I don't have a clue of what you're talking about, but I do know one thing, this music is from outer space!"

I didn't know what to make of the music on this album, but it forced me to stretch my mind to accept what my ears were taking in. As my focus was Dance music at the time, this album, though funky, was "different." It took time for me to appreciate what Herbie was laying down.

Thirty-two years later, I can look back and say, "outstanding!" Five stars for Herbie Hancock and "Man-Child."

The best from Hancock in the '70s........2006-03-21

"Headhunter" and "Thrust" tend to receive the most accolades, and both are solid albums, but this neglected gem is the most accessible and consistently funky work from this period in Herbie Hancock's career. For someone looking to experience the brilliant yet accessible sound of "Takin' Off" and "My Point of View" redone in a fusion/funk setting, this album is a great place to start.

A space funk masterpiece.......2005-03-08

A real Herbie fan would realize that there was so much inovation on this album. Check the vicious landing of the space ship traitor and the gorgeous fender on sun touch and hang up your hang ups OWWWWWWW.Some reviewers think they know Herbie because of rock it and thrust but know Herbie from his jazz tradtional to fusion to eclectic transitions and then go back and listen to manchild.Talk what you know people this album is brilliant!! Own it and be prepared!!!disc commander

Hang Up YOUR Hang Ups!.......2005-01-13

Considering that this album is the follow up to Herbie Hancock's brilliant 'Headhunters' and 'Thrust',the albums that wrote the book on the funk-jazz sound 'Man-Child' is bound to be as magical an album as the mysterious cover art suggests and it is."Hang Up Your Hang Ups" is a strident,funky blacksploitation thats chocked FULL of guitar and Moog breaks for you hip-hop samplers!Elsewhere "Sun Touch" and "Bubbles" are smoldering,drippy funky fusion filled with lush,melodic keyboard and analog synth textures."The Traiter","Heartbeat" and "Steppin In It" are harder edged uptempo funk.Overall 'Man-Child' comes off as the 'pure funk album' Herbie was planning to make with his previous two records because the jazz influences are kept to a bare minimum.For fans of fusion and mid 70's electronic Moog/ARP funk this album is a treasure but for those interested in earlier,more abstract fusion this may not be your thing.It's only a pitty that some very similar sounding and conceived albums by George Duke and Jan Hammer from roughly this same period remain out of print.It's a testament to the fact that,luckily,Hancock managed to be connected with Columbia records who have kept classic funk LP's by Herbie Hancock like this in print!

Great Follow-up to (2) classics..............................2004-07-28

I definately recommend- Headhunters & Thrust before you buy this one, but once you have those, Man-Child is just as essential. This is a killer continuation of the funk H.H. & the Headhunters started with the album of the same name. It's like "Headhunters" opened the door- "Thrust" F*@#'d S*@# up and "Man-Child" was a sweet goodbye to some of the best funk music you will ever hear....... Ya dig?

Average customer rating:

Awful!
Great CD!
FANTASTIC CD!
Another wonderful album for bonding with young ones!

Mommy and Me: More Playgroup Favorites
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Concord Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

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Mommy and Me: Playgroup Favorites
Mommy & Me - Playgroup Favorites
Mommy & Me - More Playgroup Favorites
Fun with Mommy and Me: More Than 300 Together-Time Activities for You and Your Child, Birth to Age Five
Preschool Songs

ASIN: B00012QMUE
Release Date: 2004-01-20

Tracks:

Mommy & Me
Shake My Hand (Hello Song)
If You're Happy And You Know It
Old MacDonald Had A Farm
Head, Shoulders, Knees And Toes
Row, Row, Row Your Boat
The Farmer In The Dell
The Mexican Hat Dance
Ta Ra Ra Boom De Ay
Ring Around The Rosie
London Bridge
Where Is Thumbkin
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Take My Hand (Goodbye Song)
Mommy & Me (Jazz version)
Take My Hand (Goodbye Song - Instrumental version featuring Tom Scott)
Take My Hand (Goodbye Song - Jazz Version)
- 31. Instrumental Versions Only

Amazon.com

More Playgroup Favorites piles on a second batch of predictable songs--nothing you won't find on any preschool compilation--the main difference being that they're sandwiched between a solid five tracks of Mommy & Me-specific songs. "Shake My Hand (Hello Song)" and "Take My Hand (Goodbye Song)," call to mind snuggly together time for moms and tots across the country, and this CD capitalizes on their lovey-dovey devotion to the weekly groups that make interacting (goofing around on the floor and clapping out simple rhythms together) mandatory. Nothing wrong with that--some parents will even salute themselves for extending the enriching environment to their living room rugs. But this kind of fun, can grow formulaic fast, despite the performers' best stabs at loopiness. --Tammy La Gorce

Customer Reviews:

Awful!.......2007-03-19

The writers have taken classic songs and added really poor quality lyrics:
Ride ride ride your bike
Down the busy street
Isn't it surprising
All the kangaroos you meet

Awful!

The song segments are terribly edited: the moms' mouths don't sync with the soundtrack at all. The cartoon segments are cheesy and poorly animated. The belching kangaroo only adds to the nausea I get when my wife plays this video.

To be fair, my daughter really enjoys it. But she also enjoys Sesame Street and Disney stuff. Don't waste your time.

Great CD!.......2006-03-24

My son has this one and the Playgroup Favorites, and he loves both (and has since he was an infant). The songs are catchy and not too annoying for the grown-ups. Really keeps him entertained! Highly recommend buying.

FANTASTIC CD!.......2004-02-21

My daughter, Emily and I are having the BEST time in the car since we've been listening to "Mommy and Me, More Playgroup Favorites." Now when we get in the car, Emily immediately yells out: "MOMMY ME!" which means, crank up the tunes mom! Once the CD starts playing, Emily recites all the words to the songs, which I was very surprised to hear. The original songs like "Mommy & Me," "Shake My Hand," and "Take My Hand," written by Marty Panzer, are quickly becoming cherished favorites in our family. Panzer has also written fresh new lyrics to classics like, "If You're Happy And You Know It," " Head Shoulders Knees and Toes," and "Row Row Row Your Boat," among others. It's shocking that this wonderful CD has replaced the Wiggles as my daughter's new favorite obsession! Even my husband hums the tunes to himself when we get in the car for a family outing. Thank you for bringing such wonderful music into our lives!

Stephanie Berk, mom of Emily, 21 months

Another wonderful album for bonding with young ones!.......2004-02-20

More Playgroup Favorites is another great album to play while spending bonding time with your baby and young ones! Check out the first album- Playgroup Favorites, too! Both feature sophisticated and modern arrangements of classic childhood tunes, produced by an award-winning team, including jazz versions of well-known favorites. Both CDs are PERFECT for playgroups, playdates, parties, and at-home fun. Not only is the music sensational, but parents cherish the time they spend with their young children, and they welcome tools like these CDs to help them make the most of the experience.

Average customer rating:

Swing baby
Hotel Child
Can't Stop Tapping My Toe
A very pleasant surprise
What a disappointment!

The Hotel Child
Ingrid Lucia and The Flying Neutrinos
Manufacturer: Artists Only Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

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Live from New Orleans
Out a Day
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Jade Visions
Everybody's Talkin' 'Bout Miss Thing

ASIN: B00003XAR4
Release Date: 2000-01-25

Tracks:

Mr. Zoot Suit
Violent Love
Cry
Some Of These Days
Love Is Coming Back
Lonely Side
Baby's Making Duck
Someday You'll Be Sorry
Promise
I Believe In Miracles
Johnny
After Hours

Amazon.com

Among the swing revivalists--from the Squirrel Nut Zippers to Royal Crown Revue and Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers--no musician can chart his or her pedigree back the way singer Ingrid Lucia and bassist Todd Londagin can. As kids, the story goes, the pair were members of the Flying Neutrinos Family band, living in hotels, playing swing on rafts, and, likely, storing key data for their own Flying Neutrinos. The Hotel Child is the third effort by Lucia, Londagin, guitarist Matt Munisteri, bassist Matt Weiner, and a handful of assorted horns, drums, and accordion. Their music bumps with a sprightly step, buoyed by Lucia's early-Billie Holiday tinged voice and the band's languid looseness. Their brand of swing isn't hyped up with bombastic horn charts or even slicked up like the Zippers. It's much more relaxed, laid-back like so much music from their one-time home, New Orleans. It's got the sway of a humid afternoon woven through the lyrics, calling out for dancers in a way that's almost completely low-key. The swing's not particularly speedy or complex, but it's heartfelt and, with Lucia's voice, altogether magnetic. --Andrew Bartlett

Customer Reviews:

Swing baby.......2007-07-09

This is a good album despite the somewhat repetitious nature of the cuts and that soumd - a constant nasal that works for a few songs but not for every single one. In fact, it is the unchanging vocal tone that contributes to the sense of "been there/done that." One big problem is a common one - nothing really comes up to the originality, drive and energy of the first selection, the near perfect "Mr Zoot Suit" made famous in wild dance scene in "Blast from the Past". I kept waiting for a brotherly (or sisterly) companion but that was it.

LIke other reviewers, I too liked "Live From New Orleans" better, mainly for the voice. Ingrid is perfect for these little numbers but let's get serious folks - this is not one with wide range or subtle nuance. This is the Catch-22...the more ballad-like the music, the worst it sounds (I note one exception below). We are not talking about a Jane Monheit, Tierney Sutton or Diana Krall. Ingrid's voice is acidic and yet perfect in several of these and unlike others, I thought the accompaniment was right on the money. It did not have that "studio" flavor (another reason I liked "New Orleans") that often reeks of excessive instrumentality. My favorites were the first ("Mr Zoot Suit"), last ("After Hours") and the middle ("Lonely Side") where the voice changed into something new and wonderful. Mr Grade: B-

Hotel Child.......2003-01-03

So smooth, it's like velvet! Ingrid Lucia's voice is so smooth and sexy. If you like Swing/Jazz this is a CD to get!

Can't Stop Tapping My Toe.......2002-02-17

A great recording by a great group. The first cut, "Mr. Zoot Suit" is an exciting retro-30's big-band tune with a surprising arrangement that will keep you playing it over and over. The retro style carries through much of the CD.

"Hotel Child" is different in style from their debut "I'd Rather Be in New Orleans," so don't expect more of the same.

A very pleasant surprise.......2000-12-04

I bought this after reading a review that sounded too good to be true...'a voice somewhere between Ella Fitzgerald and Lady Day'? I must admit I was skeptical but, since the first listen, this c.d. has been in constant rotation on my stereo.

What a disappointment!.......2000-08-16

To preface my comments, I think it should be known that I absolutely LOVED the "I'd Rather Be in New Orleans" CD and would still give it a 5 star review. HOWEVER, the new album is horrendous. Ingrid has none of the sultry nuance to her vocals, as a matter of fact she sounds outright nasally and clipped (more like valley girl hits the village than anything else) The band doesn't quite ring true either - the music of each track sounds embarassingly the same. Pick a genre guys swing or blues/jazz pick a sound nasal valley girl visits village and connecticut or sultry southern blues. And why oh why did they remake the New Orleans CD? the old edition is best. Something is very wrong in ole dixie land. Let's just hope the next Neutrino endeavor will be back on track.

Average customer rating:

Not What You're Expecting - But Better!
Not What You're Expecting - But Better!
Classic
Before Chicago or the Electric Flag
before the lounge act

Child Is Father to the Man
Blood Sweat & Tears
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

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Blood, Sweat & Tears
At Fillmore East
Tea for the Tillerman
461 Ocean Boulevard
Chicago Transit Authority

ASIN: B0000024U1
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Overture
I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know
Morning Glory
My Days Are Numbered
Without Her
Just One Smile
I Can't Quit Her
Meagan's Gypsy Eyes
Somethin' Goin' On
House In The Country
The Modern Adventures Of Plato, Diogenes And Freud
So Much Love/Underture

Customer Reviews:

Not What You're Expecting - But Better!.......2002-07-23

"Child is Father..." is not what most people think of when they think of Blood, Sweat & Tears - but it is a lost
classic of '60s jazz-rock. David Clayton-Thomas had not yet joined the group and turned it into Chicago's
main soul-pop rival. For BST's first album, the group's brainchild and leader was keyboardist Al Kooper, a
New Yorker with a knack for sounding British. Kooper must be credited with fusing the horn section with the
rock band, and BST's classic horn riffs are clearly evident on this recording. However, unlike more popular
BST recordings, "Child is Father..." has a more eclectic jazz- and folk-rock sound. Try combining equal parts
early Chicago, Steve Winwood's Traffic, and Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac, and you'll have a pretty good
idea of the sound. It is, quite simply, a unique classic.

Not What You're Expecting - But Better!.......2002-07-23

Classic.......2001-11-20

It sounds so good even today, but only few can understand the progress that BS&T made by that album. In the 60's it sounded so special, so uniqe, and today it sounds "just" as a great album, one of the best in rock music. No need to review every song, though there are few well known ("I love you more than you'll ever know", Harry Nilsson's "Withoiut her", "I can't quit her", "Morning glory"). The album from "Overture" to "So much love" is one solid gold unit.

Before Chicago or the Electric Flag.......2000-06-18

I can still remember when I first heard this one... There was simply *nothing* like it at all. I saw them perform this album live and the band was impeccible live. The critics always point to the horns first or Al Kooper -- me, I always noticed their rythym section first. There was Jim Fielder, the greatest bassist I had ever heard up to that point (play 'My Days Are Numbered' -- it even sounds great crunched on RealPlayer!). Then on drums, was Bobby Colomby who went on to be a producer himself and work on other record and film projects. But before all that, he was one of the most brilliant drummers ever! I have little doubt that he inspired Chicago's Danny Seriphine to play with such intensity and abandonment in later days. Then, above such a venerable rythym section were Al Kooper's great keyboard antics and the BS&T horn section -- the first bunch of horns in rock that ever mattered. (Well, besides the Stax Horns!) These guys could cook! This was some of the most exploritive and original rock ever recorded and it spawned others like the Electric Flag and Chicago, Ides of March and Lighthouse, as well as others too derivitive and banal to be remembered. The only weak spot in the line-up was Steve Katz, whose playing never seemed up to the caliber of the rest of the band. I always felt like Al Kooper had him there because guitarists were mandatory in rock bands at that point but it seemed Kooper wanted the focus on him and the horns. It worked. But the Steve Katz songs add a sense of romanticism to the album and that's probably why Kooper had him along; he was to Kooper what Bryan Maclen was to Arthur Lee in the band 'Love' of the same period. (And don't get me wrong, I love Bryan Maclen.) BS&T were one of the first bands ever to fuse rock and jazz -- sure, The Zombies had done some of that within their early works but this was a whole different type of jazz; call it a 'New York style', if you will. This was a big sound, full of intricate passages and nuances that challenged and took the listener into some of the most original ground ever recorded up to that point. 'I Can't Quit Her' and 'My Days are Numbered' still work today 33 years later. 'I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know' is also something that is worth its weight in RIAA-certified Gold! 'House In the Country' had a great horn passage and was the cut that 60's AM radio played -- figures! It's one of the few cuts on this gem that doesn't hold up well! (Who ever said radio programmers have a good sense of what's good?) This is an absolute 'must have' for anyone who is either a fan of the great horn bands of the late 60s, BS&T in particular, or of rock history, in general. A brilliant album that set the stage for many others and opened a door for the slick and polished more jazz/soul-centric BS&T of later vintage. This is a more blues-focused yet jazz-embellished BS&T. A powerful mix and a brilliant work -- one not to be overlooked.

before the lounge act.......2000-05-05

The first BST album set the standard for all horn-rock bands that followed.It gets a little pretentious in spots but there are at least 4 classic songs here: tracks 2,3,4 & 7.Only the first lp by the Electric Flag is in the same league as this masterpiece.BS&T would quickly decay because Kooper would go on to play with Stephen Stills and Mike Bloomfield.

Average customer rating:

A Timeless Record
Tony Williams must have been a jerk...
An intriguing lineup that works.
Landmark Jazz Piano Album
Hear This "Child" Speak.

Speak Like a Child
Herbie Hancock
Manufacturer: Blue Note Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Bebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

Hard Bop | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

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Modern Postbebop | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | R&B | Styles | Music

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Inventions & Dimensions
Night Dreamer
Maiden Voyage
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Takin' Off

ASIN: B0007LLQ3W
Release Date: 2005-03-01

Tracks:

Riot
Speak Like A Child
First Trip
Toys
Goodbye To Childhood
Sorcerer
Riot (First Alternate Take)
Riot (Second Alternate Take)
Goodbye To Childhood (Alternate Take)

Amazon.com

Recorded three years after his groundbreaking Maiden Voyage LP, this 1968 date features the pianist/composer leading a trio which includes his Miles Davis bandmate, bassist Ron Carter, and drummer Mickey Roker, augmented by a three-piece horn section featuring alto flute, bass trombone, and Thad Jones on flugelhorn. This unique configuration was inspired by the orchestral timbres of Gil Evans's voicings, filtered through a 1960s syncopated perspective. Remastered by the original session engineer, Rudy Van Gelder, Hancock's percussive, yet flowing pianisms are more detailed in front of the evocative woodwind arrangements. Several jazz standards flowed from this date. The maze-like "Riot" and "The Sorcerer" were both recorded by Davis--as well as the dreamy bossa nova title track. Hancock plays with his patented style of "controlled freedom," and this LP paved the way for his future forays in modern music. --Eugene Holley, Jr.

Album Description

One of the most beautiful and unusual albums in Herbie Hancock's vast discography, this 1968 set features a trio with Ron Carter and Mickey Roker supported by an unusual horn section (Thad Jones on fluegelhorn, Peter Phillips on bass trombone and Jerry Dodgion on alto flute) that does not solo but provides inventive Gil Evans-inspired voicings. Miles Davis had recorded two of these tunes ("Riot" and "The Sorcerer") the previous year, but they take on a whole different approach here. Three alternate takes, previously available only in a Hancock box set, are included on the gorgeous Van Gelder remaster.

* bonus tracks, not part of the original LP

Recorded on March 6 (#1-3, 7, 8) and March 9 (#4-6, 9), 1968 at the Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey

THAD JONES, fluegelhorn; PETER PHILLIPS, bass trombone; JERRY DODGION, alto flute; HERBIE HANCOCK, piano; RON CARTER, bass; MICKEY ROKER, drums

Customer Reviews:

A Timeless Record.......2006-06-19

This is it...you know when people talk about music that touches you in the inner depths of your being? This is the kind of music they're referring to. Beautiful compositions, and a virtuoso sense of playing make this album one for the ages...one people can listen to in one houndred years and still be touched in the same way. Simply put: Beautiful, Beautiful music.

Tony Williams must have been a jerk..........2006-05-25

...because I can think of no other reason not to include him on this session. Mickey Roker is a solid drummer but he is much more conservative and can't push a soloist like Williams could. And yet, Williams appeared on only three Herbie Hancock albums for Blue Note, and on only one Wayne Shorter session, even though the three of them were making incredible music with Miles Davis at the time. Perhaps Williams represented a specific sound, something too close to Miles, and the sidemen of the Second Great Quintet wanted to make their own personal musical statements. But still, that didn't stop Shorter from hiring Hancock and bassist Ron Carter for multiple sessions...

Anyway, the music at present definitely succeeds at being different than Miles' music of the time in that Hancock takes a more measured, orchestral approach to his arrangements, using his three horn players mostly for color. Still, beyond the somewhat advanced arrangements, this is more conservative than what Hancock was doing with Miles at the time, almost becoming standard issue hard bop on tunes like "First Trip," although it's *good* almost hard bop and Hancock's unorthodox sense of melodic line saves the tune from getting too "inside." Then the title track is beautiful, even if the rock pulse makes it sound slightly dated. Hancock's arrangements of "Riot" and "The Sorcerer" manage to be different (both thicker and, paradoxically, tamer) than the previous recordings with the Davis group. Hancock was searching for a different sound, and he found it here, with some great arranging, but it still lacks some of the fire he was helping create with Miles. All in all, this is a good, orchestral, fairly challenging offering that spotlights Hancock's playing well. He continued to explore this sound with the superior album "The Prisoner," which seems more fully realized.

An intriguing lineup that works. .......2006-02-17

I was initially pulled in by the album cover, which jumped out at me as a vivid example of what the music might try to create. Love. Herbie's theme is explained in the liner notes and the music lived up to that mantra and the album's title fully. The lineup also jumped out at me. Having three wind instruments in the ensemble coupled with Herbie's virtuosity and the mighty Ron Carter got me wondering. I must admit, I was only partially familiar with Mickey Roker, but he impresses as well. The overall sound reminds me greatly of the dissonant Gil Evans sound prevalent on Miles Davis's collabos with him. Needless to say I love that flavor, which is why this album is such a treat. Clearly the type of recording interesting enough to make someone ask you "who is that??" Great album!

Landmark Jazz Piano Album.......2005-09-18

With two reviews on this page only awarding four stars to this exceptional recording, I'll take my cue to argue why "Speak Like a Child" deserves no less than five. What makes the title track so intriguing, in addition to the Gil Evans-inspired voicings, is the melody itself: it's more hinted at as opposed to being clearly stated, bringing the impressionism of Debussy and Ravel to mind. The crown jewel for this reviewer, though, is Ron Carter's "First Trip." Hancock's solo is a perfect fusion of bebop, funk and the blues. The lines are intricate, chromatic, and infectious, while the motivic development here is particularly marvelous, perhaps Herbie's best on record. This disc is an absolute essential for students of jazz piano in particular.

Hear This "Child" Speak........2005-08-21

"Speak Like a Child" is a Herbie Hancock release that was out of print for many years before it was rescued by Rudy Van Gelder, who remastered and reissued it in 2005. It's the followup to his classic "Maiden Voyage" and was recorded in two sessions: March 6 and March 9 in 1968. Hancock is well-supported by a talented team, with bass player Ron Carter and drummer Mickey Roker making particularly notable impressions on "Toys" and "Riot." If the latter track sounds familiar, it's because it was also recorded by Miles Davis (you can check out his own version on his 1967 album "Nefertiti," and another track, "Sorcerer" was also recorded by Miles). In addition, a three-member horn section highlights the smooth and gentle title cut, and there's some dynamic interplay between Hancock, Roker, and Carter on the breezy "First Trip." A laid-back vibe, touches of understated elegance, and a distinct air of cool makes "Speak Like a Child" such a worthy entry in Hancock's catalogue. If you missed this album the first time around, here's your second chance to experience it, in all its remastered glory.

Average customer rating:

Velvet Brown, Tuba

Manufacturer: Crystal Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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Portrait of an Artist: Arnold Jacobs

ASIN: B00000JQJG
Release Date: 1999-06-29

Tracks:

Son: Defile - Velvet Brown/Roberto Arosio
Son: Ser - Velvet Brown/Roberto Arosio
Son: Final - Velvet Brown/Roberto Arosio
Salve Venre, Salve Marte - Velvet Brown
Acis And Galatea: As When The Dove - Velvet Brown
Con: Allegro Con Brio - Velvet Brown
Con: Romanza E Scherzino - Velvet Brown
Con: Rondo Bavarese - Velvet Brown
Son: Allegro Moderato - Velvet Brown/Roberto Arosio
Son: Aria - Velvet Brown/Roberto Arosio
Son: Allegro Leggero - Velvet Brown/Roberto Arosio
Stars In A Velvety Sky - Velvet Brown
Four Negro Spirituals: Deep River - David Garcia/Massimo Oldani/Emily Harris/Fabio Costa
Four Negro Spirituals: The Gospel Train - David Garcia/Massimo Oldani/Emily Harris/Fabio Costa
Four Negro Spirituals: Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child - Velvet Brown
Four Negro Spirituals: Joshua Fought The Battle Of Jerico - David Garcia/Massimo Oldani/Emily Harris/Fabio Costa

Average customer rating:

A great cover of a 'Tom & Jerry' Classic
A grand swingin' time
Marianna Previti: Queen of Swing
The Real Deal
J Street where Have You Been Hiding?

Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby?
The J Street Jumpers
Manufacturer: Wild Child Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Swing General | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

Classic Big Band | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

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Good for Stompin'
High Altitude Swing

ASIN: B00000FBSO
Release Date: 1998-03-03

Tracks:

Better Beware
Ain't But One
Night Life Boogie
That's How I Feel About You
Topsy
Jump, Jive, and Wail
Gal With A Whole Lotta Loot
When I Get Low I Get High
Please Send Me Someone To Love
Momma, He Treats Your Daughter Mean
Onion
Going Back To New Orleans
Sure Had A Wonderful Time Last Night
The Big Question
Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby?
At Last

Customer Reviews:

A great cover of a 'Tom & Jerry' Classic.......2005-10-21

Most people don't know this... but this is actually a cover of a Louis Jordan hit best known for its lampoon in a 1946 cartoon: Tom & Jerry's 'Solid Serenade'. I have fond memories of the scene where Tom is serenading some pussycat with this little ditty, only to have Jerry foil his plans. To hear it recreated so wonderfully is quite a kick.

A grand swingin' time.......2003-09-14

Amazon limits reviews to just a thousand words, so I'll be brief. Listen to this CD! Put it down for a day. Come back to it a day later and listen again. Yep, it's as good the first time you heard it. Probably better. These guys, excuse me and gal, sing and swing. J. Gordon Holt of Stereophile fame once said, and I paraphrase, "if it doesn't make your toe tap, it's not music." Well, this stuff makes your toe tap, your head bop and weave and heck you might even kick the rug back and swing the wife about a bit.

The group is tight. They know their music and don't pretend to know anything other swing. No bossa nova retro be bop hoot and holler stuff. This music takes you back to when a tune was a tune and the lyrics made sense. No special messages, just a tune that rattles around in brain for hours on end. And here's the real bonus. You got to hear their vocalist, Marianna Previti. Where the Jumpers her found has got to be the real story. This is the only recording I know featuring her. Too bad, she's a keeper.

Well, Amazon doesn't provide a word counter and I'm afraid of running over. A grand swingin' group with a spectacularly recorded CD thanks to Mapleshade Records. A must listen.

Marianna Previti: Queen of Swing.......2003-02-01

This album is outstanding, due mainly to the vocal stylings of the great Marianna Previti. This three-time WAMA Wammie award-winning singer proves without a doubt that DC jazz is hottest in the world. Buy it and you'll soon learn what everyone else already knows: Marianna Previti is the Queen of Swing!!

The Real Deal.......1999-09-09

Compared to the likes of current Retro Swing Bands, that for the most part don't even come close to anything resembling the swing or jump blues bands of the 40's, it is refreshing to hear a band that for the most part, nails it.

J Street where Have You Been Hiding?.......1999-07-09

In today's music market, including the world of swing all too often bands appear who are harping on that rock n' roll early 90s sound with a swing beat. This works less often then it is tried. The J Street Jumpers are one of the few bands of late that more than play the notes on the sheet in front of them. The J Street Jumpers feel the music. This is obvious in their recent release "Is you is or is you ain't my baby?". There is an interesting sound at work here that harkens back to the decades of the 30s to the 50s. J Street owes a lot the the allure of Marianna Previti for her vocal stylings that range from Andrew Sister-esque to sounding a little like a young Ella Fitzgerald. Previti delivers her lines with of confidence a determined woman from the silver screen of the 40s. This is actually quite refreshing and something I personally have been wanting to hear from a swing band with female vocals. "Is you is..", begins with a punch with its first track Better Beware, then smoothly slides into a sultry number with Ain't But One. Arthur Gerstein, pianist also provides vocals. Gerstein's vocals on Night Life Boogie lack the knack that Previti's does, but he makes up for his vocals with his piano playing. Amazingly the J Street Jumpers cover Louis Prima's "swing version of Smells Like Teen Spirit", also known as "Jump, Jive & Wail". Here for the first time is an interesting rendition which both Gerstein and Previti share the vocal duties. For once this over-covered song almost works. Sixteen tracks are compiled on this CD, all covers, but done tastefully. Often with well placed passion for the musical execution. J Street's four horn section, upright bass, drums and a well placed electric guitar, please the ears especially on "When I Get Low I Get High" and "Sure Had A Wonderful Time Tonight." J Street, who hail from the Washington DC, visually don't look like the modern 90s swing group, although as mamma always said, "You can't judge a book by it's cover". J Street tends to play more political parties than they do night clubs which is sad, because they have become one of the best kept secrets on the east coast.