Jimmy Ponder

One of the most consistent and most soulful of all jazz altoists, Hank Crawford sounds at his best when he has strong melodies to wrap his tone around, and when he can dig into the blues. Both aspects are true during this quartet outing which he co-leads with organist Jimmy McGriff. Crawford sounds particularly strong on "Jumpin' With Symphony Sid" and "Hank's Groove" and even if "Any Day Now" is a bit of a misfire, the interplay between the altoist and the organist (helped out by guitarist Jimmy Ponder's occasional solos and strong support from drummer Vince James) makes this an excellent soul jazz effort overall.

The Harlem Art Ensemble ft. Dr. Lonnie Smith - Live In New York (2007) {Explore Records EXP0027}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 300 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 115 Mb
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© 2004 Explore Records / The Cheetah Company | EXP0027
Jazz / Post Bop / Soul Jazz / Guitar / Organ Hammond B-3

A hot, swinging soul-jazz date featuring some of the unsung heroes of the genre! Lead by drummer Bruno Carr, a veteran of Herbie Mann’s group (also those of Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin and David “Fathead” Newman), the Harlem Art Ensemble also features top soul-jazz players Jimmy Ponder (guitar), Dr Lonnie Smith (organ) and Harold Ousley (sax). The players groove and shine on this previously unreleased recording, that features great versions of Miles Davis’ “Four”, and Stevie Wonder’s “All in Love is Fair”.

Lonnie Smith - Mama Wailer (1971) {2011 CTI-Sony Music Remaster}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 227 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 85 Mb
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© 2011 CTI Records / Kudu / Sony Music | 88697 94704 2 | CTI Records 40th Anniversary
Jazz / Jazz Funk / Jazz Blues / Soul Jazz / Hammond

One of Lonnie Smith's rarest albums – and one of the most obscure records on the landmark Kudu label! The set is one of Smith's most far-reaching from the 70s – a bit in the mode of his earlier records for Blue Note, but with a slightly sweeter quality that shows the shift to Kudu – where Lonnie's Hammond had lost none of its grooving power!

John Patton - That Certain Feeling (1968) {2014 Japan SHM-CD Blue Note 24-192 Remaster}
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© 2014 Universal Japan / Blue Note | BN 75th The Masterworks | TYCJ-81058
Jazz / Soul Jazz / Hard Bop / Jazz Funk / Organ Hammond B-3

Features the high-fidelity SHM-CD format (compatible with standard CD player) and the latest 24bit 192kHz remastering. A brilliantly bubbling session from Hammond genius John Patton – and a set that serves as a real link between the gutbucket soul of his early years, and some of the fresher phrasing he was beginning to explore at Blue Note! Patton's lines on the keys are a wonderful thing to behold (and behear!) – as they're both rhythmic, but extremely fluid and exploratory – more conceived around some of the new ideas on tenor at the time, and pushing forward roughly into the same territory as Larry Young – but with more of Patton's rootsy soul still intact.

Shirley Scott - Superstition (1973) {2013 Soul Brother Records Remaster}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 277 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 96 Mb
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© 2013 Soul Brother Records / Passion Music / Verve / Cadet | CD SBCS 58
Jazz / Soul Jazz / Funk Jazz / Hammond B-3

One of the coolest, grooviest albums ever from Hammond giant Shirley Scott – a set that's got a fair bit of funk in the mix, and a really rich array of inventive lines on the keyboards too! The tracks are longer than usual, and really step past the more familiar Shirley Scott modes of the 60s – opening up into more righteous 70s territory in the company of Chess/Cadet Records – with arrangements from Richard Evans that are as sophisticated as they are funky!

John Patton - Mosaic Select 6 (2003) [3CD BoxSet] {MS-006}
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© 2003 Mosaic Records | MS-006 / 72435 84072 2 8
Jazz / Hard Bop / Soul Jazz / Funk Jazz

The Mosaic Select treatment has deservedly been given to Big John Patton. There are those who argue that Patton's entire catalog should have been the subject of a Mosaic box set proper. There was easily enough material for five, if not six, CDs. There are five albums collected here. His first three, Along Came John, The Way I Feel, and Oh Baby!, were recorded in 1963, 1964, and 1965, respectively. The last two on this set are That Certain Feeling and Understanding, from 1968. Missing are Blue John, his proper second album from 1963 and unreleased until 1986, Let 'Em Roll, and Got a Good Thing Goin', released in 1965 and 1966, and his post-1968 work, Accent on the Blues, Memphis to New York Spirit (unreleased until 1996), and Boogaloo.

The Harlem Art Ensemble - Live In New York (2007) {Explore} (ft. Dr. Lonnie Smith)
EAC Rip | FLAC (tracks+.cue+log) - 301 MB | Scans PNG - 130 MB | MP3 CBR 320 kbps (LAME 3.98) - 116 MB
Genre: jazz | RAR 5% Rec. | Label: Explore Records / The Cheetah | CAT # EXP0027 | 2007

A hot, swinging soul-jazz date featuring some of the unsung heroes of the genre! Lead by drummer Bruno Carr, a veteran of Herbie Mann’s group (also those of Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin and David “Fathead” Newman), the Harlem Art Ensemble also features top soul-jazz players Jimmy Ponder (guitar), Dr Lonnie Smith (organ) and Harold Ousley (sax). The players groove and shine on this previously unreleased recording, that features great versions of Miles Davis’ “Four”, and Stevie Wonder’s “All in Love is Fair”.