Chris Beckers: Nightcruising (2003)

A selection of music by guitarist, composer and producer Chris Beckers from 1981 - 2003. 'Nightcruising' contains 15 remastered tracks.
Personnel: Chris Beckers (guitars), Ernie Watts (saxophones), Billy Cobham (drums), Abraham Laboriel (bass), Peter Erskine (drums), Jimmy Haslip (bass), Alex Acuna (drums), Paulinho da Costa (percussion), Dick Morrissey (tenor saxophone), Gerry Brown (drums), Jasper van't Hof (keyboards), Michiel Borstlap (piano), Saskia Laroo (trumpet), Luluk Purwanto (violin), Herman Wolters (keyboards), Marcel Schimscheimer (bass), Marcel Serierse (drums), Liber Toriente (percussion), Jeroen Vierdag (bass), Will Maas (organ), Manuel Hugas (bass), Deff Cramer (keyboards), Cees van der Laarse (bass), Eddie Conard (percussion), Wim Dijkgraaf (bass), Johan Vermuyen (saxophones), Nippy Noya (percussion), Jurre Haanstra (orchestral arrangements)

Tracklist:
01. Splash
02. New Song
03. Seven Star Motel
04. Gentle Grand
05. Whales
06. Super Red
07. Shooting Colours
08. Chat
09. The Grass is Greener
10. Roadmovie
11. Brazilian Air
12. Windstrider
13. Cruising
14. Native Blend
15. Skyline Filters
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Bob Mintzer Big Band: For the Moment (2012)

The Grammy Award–winning Bob Mintzer Big Band has explored diverse styles of music in its illustrious 25-year recording history—from New York and Afro-Cuban to Count Basie and John Coltrane. On the band’s new MCG Jazz CD, "For the Moment," which was released on June 19, saxophonist/composer/arranger/bandleader Mintzer puts the spotlight on Brazilian music.

Tracklist:
1. Aha
2. Um Filme
3. Irrequieto
4. For All We Know
5. Berimbau
6. For The Moment
7. Recife
8. Corcovado
9. Ouro Preto
Personnel:
Bob Mintzer - Tenor Saxophone, Flute
Chico Pinheiro - Vocals, Guitar
Lawrence Feldman - Alto Saxophone, Flute
Mike Tomaro - Alto Saxophone, Flute
Bob Malach - Tenor Saxophone, Clarinet
Frank Basile - Baritone Saxophone, Clarinet
Steve Hawk - Trumpet
Tony Kadleck - Trumpet
James Moore - Trumpet
Scott Wendholt - Trumpet
Jay Ashby - Trombone
Keith O'Quinn - Trombone
Michael Davis - Trombone
Max Seigel - Bass Trombone
Russell Ferrante - Piano, Keyboards
Marty Ashby - Guitar
Lincoln Goines - Bass
Peter Erskine - Drums
Alex Acuna - Percussion
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Bob Mintzer Big Band: The Art of the Big Band (1991)

Some Bob Mintzer fans may disagree with me but even though the Big Band ensemble here includes superb sidemen, an excellent technical recording/sound quality and an interesting rendition of Glenn Miller's "Moonlight Serenade" as well as some other very fine moments throughout especially on the festive "Brazilian Affair", the great Big Band workout on "Christopher Columbus", the smooth "Easy Living" and the jumpin' title track, the overall CD lacks a touch of adventure making the overall feel a bit stiffer with "safer" material than you would want to hear in order to make 1991's "The Art Of The Big Band" worthy of a "classic" 5-Star rating. 1988's "Spectrum", is 5-Star Mintzer Big Band at its best from top to bottom. That is more like it with a bit more adventure to spice it up to substantiate continued enjoyable interest even more over and over. Still however, "The Art Of The Big Band" is absolutely worth having in your collection.

Tracklist:
1. Without A Song 
2. Brazilian Affair 
3. Christopher Columbus 
4. Easy Living 
5. Art Of The Big Band 
6. Moonlight Serenade 
7. Elvin's Mambo 
8. Weird Blues 
9. Paul's Call 
10. But Not For Me

Personnel:
Trupmets: Marvin Stamm, Randy Brecker, Laurie Frink, Bob Millikan
Trombones: Dave Bargeron, Keith O'Quinn, Mike Davis, Dave Taylor (Matt Finders (2,3,8,9)
Woodwinds: Bob Mintzer, Peter Yellin, Lawrence Feldman, Scott Robinson, Roger Rosenberg
Rhythm: Phil Markowitz (piano), Lincoln Goines (electric bass), Michael Formanek (acoustic bass), Peter Erskine (drums), John Riley (drums; 5,9,10), Frankie Malabe (congas), Chuck Loeb (guitar)

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Bob Mintzer: Source (1982)

Source is Bob Mintzer's second album as a leader. Recorded in 1982 for the Cheetah label, it was previously released only in Japan. Source was recorded with an alternating larger ensemble that includes in various places keyboardists Don Grolnick and Mark Gray, guitarist Hugh McCracken, bassists Jaco Pastorius (with whom Mintzer had tenured on the Word of Mouth big band LP), and Will Lee, drummers Peter Erskine and Brian Brake, and horn players Lew Soloff, Randy Brecker, and Alan Rubin, among others. In many ways this foreshadows the work that Mintzer would do with the Yellowjackets eight years later. It's sheeny studio jazz-funk and contemporary knotty big band work. This set contains a number of vocal performances by Carter Cathcart, on the soulful opener "Late Night with You," and the now dated funk of the title cut -- it's the vocoders, the compressed saxophone sound and particularly, the flat drums. This isn't a stellar date by any stretch of the imagination, but hearing Pastorius on the title cut redeems it somewhat. There is also the Afro-Latin groove on "I Don't Know" which has teeth and a killer arrangement, but the production is a little sterile. "Mr. Fone Bone" fares far better with Pastorius and a melody that could have been written by him and performed by Weather Report. Grolnick's B-3 underneath all those horns is particularly wonderful. Mintzer begins a solo only to interrupt it with a knotty horn arrangement that changes the color of the tune while it cooks on the strength of the rhythm section. It's the album's best moment. "Centering" is a small group ballad with a lovely solo from Mintzer on tenor. The final cut, "Spiral," begins almost classically with the winds and horns playing delicately before opening into a funky jazz romp, again with Pastorius' bass leading the charge. But the tune doesn't stay there; it's nuanced, with an assortment of textures and dynamics that make it one of the great exercises of restraint in Mintzer's career. It's a fine finish. Musically, there is a lot to enjoy here, and if the '80s over-production doesn't get in your way as a listener, it's easy to recommend this.

Personnel: Bob Mintzer (vocals, piccolo, clarinet, bass clarinet, tenor saxophone, drums, background vocals); Randy Brecker (horns); Don Grolnick (keyboards); Jaco Pastorius (electric Bass); Will Lee (electric bass); Frank Malabe, Manolo Badrena, Frank Malabe (percussion); Corey Davidson (programming); Carter Cathcarte (background vocals); Hugh McCracken, Bill Washer (guitar); Carl Poole (flute); Tom "Bones" Malone, Alan Raph (trombone); Alan Rubin, Lew Soloff (horns); Mark Gray (keyboards); Tom Barney (electric bass); Peter Erskine, Brian Brake (drums); Chuggy Carter (percussion); Lillias White (background vocals).

Tracklist:
1 Late Night With You   
2 Don't Lock the Door   
3 Source   
4 I Don't Know   
5 Mr Fone Bone
6 Centering   
7 Spiral
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Joe Farrell: Sonic Text (1979)

This is an excellent straight-ahead outing matching Joe Farrell (who takes four songs on tenor and one apiece on soprano and flute) with trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, keyboardist George Cables, bassist Tony Dumas and drummer Peter Erskine. Originally cut for the Contemporary label, the set has six group originals (by Farrell, Hubbard and Cables) that are performed at the perfect length, mostly between six and eight-and-a-half minutes (other than the 12-minute "Malibu"). The concise solos make expert use of every note, and the results are both fresh and swinging. Scott Yanow, All Music Guide

Personnel:
George Cables - Piano
Peter Erskine - Drums
Tony Dumas - Bass
Joe Farrell - Flute, Sax - Soprano & Tenor
Freddie Hubbard - Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Tracklist:
1 Sonic Text
2 When You're Awake
3 The Jazz Crunch
4 If I Knew Where You're At
5 Sweet Rita Suite, Pt. 1: Her Spirit
6 Malibu
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David Benoit: Waiting for Spring (1989)

After making so many forgettable albums with commercial radio in mind, David Benoit took a break from the type of smooth jazz fluff he usually records and delivered a respectable, straight-ahead CD with Waiting for Spring. Instead of shamelessly wasting his improvisatory skills, he actually lets loose on the acoustic piano and makes some meaningful statements. Bill Evans is obviously a great influence on Benoit, whose vulnerability makes his love of the late piano legend obvious on originals as well as lyrical interpretations of standards like "My Romance" and "Secret Love." Benoit has a fine soloist in the late guitarist Emily Remler, who is consistently warm, melodic, and inviting. Though the album isn't breathtaking, it's satisfying and heartfelt. ~ Alex Henderson

Personnel: David Benoit (piano); Emily Remler, Robert Benoit (guitar); John Patitucci (bass); Peter Erskine (drums).

Tracklist:
1. Waiting For Spring 5:09 
2. After The Snow Falls 3:20
3. Cast Your Fate To The Wind 3:13
4. Turn Out The Stars 2:32
5. Cabin Fever 3:56 
6. Cat On A Windowsill 4:38
7. Some Other Sunset 4:58
8. My Romance 8:14
9. Funkallero 3:33   
10. I Remember Bill Evans 4:23
11. Fireside 4:29
12. Secret Love 3:33
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Peter Erskine: Sweet Soul (1991)

Six of the 11 selections on this CD (most of which were written by drummer Peter Erskine, Vince Mendoza, or Kenny Werner) feature Joe Lovano on tenor (and in one instance soprano) in a quartet with pianist Werner, bassist Marc Johnson, and Erskine; Lovano (who would soon hit it big) already sounds quite mature and creative. Three of the other numbers have slightly larger groups (with guitarist John Scofield, tenor saxophonist Bob Mintzer, and trumpeter Randy Brecker appearing on some of the cuts), Dave Brubeck's "In Your Own Sweet Way" is taken by the Werner-Johnson-Erskine trio, and the brief "But Is It Art?" is a drum solo. Throughout the date, the solos uplift the material and make this CD a worthy purchase for listeners who enjoy challenging but sometimes accessible post-bop music.

Tracklist:
01. Touch Her Soft Lips And Part 6:58
02. Press Enter 8:24
03. Sweet Soul 9:41
04. To Be Or Not To Be 9:18
05. Ambivalence 4:58
06. Angels And Devils 6:05
07. Speak Low 5:48
08. Scolastic 7:40
09. Distant Blossom 6:20
10. But Is It Art? 2:00
11. In Your Own Sweet Way 7:03
Personnel:
Peter Erskine - drums
Marc Johnson - bass
John Scofield - guitar
Bob Mintzer - tenor sax
Kenny Werner - piano and synths
Joe Lovano - tenor and soprano saxes
Randy Brecker - trumpet
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