HighNote/Savant New Releases

[mjzee]

I think this label deserves more attention here. They're one of the few labels that continues to release new recordings, especially of the New York scene. Not sure that these labels have a guiding aesthetic; beyond Joe Fields, I'm not even sure who runs these labels (is Houston Person a part-owner of Savant?). I think some discussion would be good.

Release date May 19:

[tranemonk]

I completely agree....

[kh1958]

I appreciate a lot of what is on the three sister labels (Fedora is the blues label).

Favorites would include the nine late life releases by David Newman, their four Melvin Sparks releases, their six Tom Harrell releases, and their five Frank Morgan releases.

A recent blues discovery on Fedora is Iceman Robinson's only recording. http://www.bluesmusicnow.com/ice.html

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

I haven't bought any albums on HighNote/Savant/Fedora for over four years now. I don't think I got fed up with them; more that I generally have been buying less jazz over the period, because I've found so much else to get interested in. But I've got over a hundred albums on those labels (and another 100+ on Muse) so count me as a big Joe Fields/Houston Person fan.

Some that may have passed you by, which I think are still available, are

Arthur Blythe - Blythe bite - Savant

Arthur Blythe - Exhale - Savant

Bob DeVos - Shifting sands - Savant

Bob DeVos - Playing for keeps - Savant

Those two of DeVos are very interesting explorations of the Green/Young/Jones area.

John Hicks - Music in the key of Clark - HighNote (and several explorations of the work of other pianists)

Teddy Edwards - Close encounters (with Houston Person)

Teddy Edwards - Midnight creeper

Teddy Edwards - Ladies man

Teddy Edwards - Smooth sailing

Of course, there's plenty of soul jazz there, too, with lots of Houston Person take-offs of Jug, Jimmy Ponder, Mel Sparks, Charles Earland, Bill Heid, Reuben Wislon, Ernie Andrews, Irene Reid, Etta Jones and Randy Johnston, the only one of the newer jazz musicians who doesn't sound like anyone else I've heard, but plays with the enthusiasm of Grant Green.

The world would be a poorer place without Joe Fields' labels.

MG

[Dan Gould]

I appreciate a lot of what is on the three sister labels (Fedora is the blues label).

Favorites would include the nine late life releases by David Newman, their four Melvin Sparks releases, their six Tom Harrell releases, and their five Frank Morgan releases.

A recent blues discovery on Fedora is Iceman Robinson's only recording. http://www.bluesmusicnow.com/ice.html

KH, any other suggestions on the Fedora label output? I have to admit I wasn't aware of it, though I certainly know the sister labels. That Iceman Robinson sounds like a winner on the Amazon soundclips, I expect to nab that soon.

[xybert]

I really like Jeremy Pelt's Men of Honor and the Talented Mr Pelt on High Note, and JD Allen's first two albums on Savant (still waiting for Bloom to arrive in the post). Really top notch stuff.

[duaneiac]

I don't know how many fans she may have here, but I have two excellent recordings by Sheila Jordan on High Note

[marcello]

I think this label deserves more attention here. They're one of the few labels that continues to release new recordings, especially of the New York scene. Not sure that these labels have a guiding aesthetic; beyond Joe Fields, I'm not even sure who runs these labels (is Houston Person a part-owner of Savant?). I think some discussion would be good.

These labels are run by Joe Fields and his son, Barney.

They have quite a factory going. I enjoy some of their releases.

Edited May 12, 2014 by marcello

[kh1958]

I appreciate a lot of what is on the three sister labels (Fedora is the blues label).

Favorites would include the nine late life releases by David Newman, their four Melvin Sparks releases, their six Tom Harrell releases, and their five Frank Morgan releases.

A recent blues discovery on Fedora is Iceman Robinson's only recording. http://www.bluesmusicnow.com/ice.html

KH, any other suggestions on the Fedora label output? I have to admit I wasn't aware of it, though I certainly know the sister labels. That Iceman Robinson sounds like a winner on the Amazon soundclips, I expect to nab that soon.

I found a cut out of the Iceman Robinson in a used CD store and was shocked at how good it was.

The best other blues CD on the label that I've heard is Jimmy Dawkins, West Side Guitar Hero.

I've tried a few more on the label, but they have generally just been okay.

[Dan Gould]

Yeah, I have that Dawkins ("I'm What U Need" is one standout, imo), but wasn't aware he recorded a second time, I may try to get that too.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Yeah, I have that Dawkins ("I'm What U Need" is one standout, imo), but wasn't aware he recorded a second time, I may try to get that too.

The second Jimmy Dawkins on Fedora isn't as good as the first, but there are a few high spots.

I like Big Al Dupree's album, 'Positive thinking'. He's a Dallas tenor player/pianner player/singer in a generally Kansas City style. Not gutbucket blues, but very nice.

I also like Johnnie Bassett's 'Basset hound', which has Bill Heid on pianner, Dwayne Dolphin and R J Spangler. In the mid-fifties, Bassett's band was the house band for Fortune Records in Detroit. Not much work after a few gigs backing Motown acts in the early sixties, until the nineties. All the songs on this album were written by Bill Heid and don't sound ANYTHING like Larry Young

MG

[Dan Gould]

Thanks MG, I hadn't even heard of Johnnie Bassett but after checking some samples I've ordered two discs.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Enjoy!

MG

[mjzee]

Release date June 17:

[tranemonk]

Looking forward to this one...

Release date June 17:

[Kevin Bresnahan]

I picked this one up a few weeks back and I don't what it is about LeDonne's organ playing on some of these tunes, but I'm not liking it as much as I have on other dates he's used the organ. It has a sound that equals "old fashioned" to my ears, like something Doc Bagby would play. Maybe someone can explain it to me. Is it the recording or am I just so used to people playing like Jimmy Smith that when I hear a different approach, it sounds off?

Edited June 10, 2014 by Kevin Bresnahan

[mjzee]

Release date July 29:

[Dan Gould]

Nice setlist too:

Track Listings

1. Opening Remarks 2. Midnight Waltz 3. Ugetsu 4. For All We Know 5. Byrdlike 6. Jacob's Ladder 7. Impressions

[CJ Shearn]

I picked this one up a few weeks back and I don't what it is about LeDonne's organ playing on some of these tunes, but I'm not liking it as much as I have on other dates he's used the organ. It has a sound that equals "old fashioned" to my ears, like something Doc Bagby would play. Maybe someone can explain it to me. Is it the recording or am I just so used to people playing like Jimmy Smith that when I hear a different approach, it sounds off?

A bit late to the party, you can't take my word for it completely because I'm just listening to soundclips on the High Note site, but I am not hearing what you are when you say old fashioned. I'm hearing the same first three drawbars+percussion registration made standard by JOS and those that followed him, and modern ideas. When I think of "old fashioned" organ playing, it brings to mind Wild Bill Davis, Bill Doggett and Milt Buckner, the full big band style playing. I am liking what they are doing to the Stevie tune a lot, and the swinging "The World is a Ghetto" because my frame of reference is Benson's version on "In Flight". Will check it out sometime.

Edited July 15, 2014 by CJ Shearn

[mjzee]

Release date was August 12:

[mjzee]

Release date September 9:

[relyles]

The Harrell is a good one. I heard the band perform much of the music live at the Vanguard months ago.

[mjzee]

Release date September 23:

[mjzee]

Release date October 21:

[kh1958]

Not a new release, but I was rather surprised at how much I enjoyed Houston Person/Bill Charlap, You Taught My Heart to Sing. Gorgeous lyrical tenor sax playing in a duo setting.