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Downbeat (****)
These recordings feature some the greatest jazz artists of all time and are truly collector's items.
MEL MARTIN / BENNY CARTER QUINTET CD-JM1025 JUST FRIENDS - LIVE @ YOSHI'S
14.99 - Add to Cart Downbeat (****)
Perdido People Time Spritely
Bay Area saxophonist Mel Martin honors his longtime musical partnership with the late alto saxophonist and composer Benny Carter – and Carter’s birth centennial in August 2007 – with the release of Just Friends, a new CD by the band he co-led with Carter in the 1990s. Martin calls Just Friends “one of the best-sounding live recordings I’ve ever heard.” Recorded at Yoshi’s in Oakland in April 1994, the CD features exceptional support by Roger Kellaway on piano and drummer Harold Jones – frequent Carter accompanists – as well as bassist Jeff Chambers, who shares a long working relationship with Mel. “The arrangements were all spontaneous,” says Martin. “You can hear that we were listening closely to each other, and contributing to the ongoing conversation.” Reviews
Mel Martin - tenor saxophone & flute, Benny Carter - alto saxophone, Roger Kellaway - piano, Jeff Chambers - bass and Harold Jones - drums.
1. Perdido Juan Tizol 2. People Time Benny Carter 3. Secret Love Webster-Fain 4. Spritely Mel Martin 5. Elegy in Blue Benny Carter 6. Just Friends Klemmer-Lewis Produced by Mel Martin for Bebop and Beyond Assistant producer for original session - Dr. Herb Wong Funded in part by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Marin Arts Council
Recorded live at the original Yoshi’s in Oakland, California April 30, 1994, by Syntropy Audio, recording supervisor - Bud Spangler, Mixing engineer - Brian Walker, assistant engineer - Robert Berenson
Mel Martin and Bebop and Beyond CD-5006 Friends and Mentors - Bebop and Beyond Plays the Music of Mel Martin
13.99 - Add to Cart Now available at iTunes - .99 per track
Song for M Whizbang For Duke and Mingus
Reviews
Mel Martin - Tenor and Curved Soprano Saxophones, Bobby Watson - Alto Saxophone , Jack Walrath - Trumpet, Mike Longo - Piano*, George Cables - Piano**, Ray Drummond - Bass, Winard Harper - Drums*, Billy Hart - Drums** 1. Song For M * 2. Music Is (Benny Carter) * 3. Whizbang ** 4. For Duke and Mingus ** 5. Riding with C ** 6. In Walked Diz * 7. Longhorn * 8. From Pops to Bop ** 9. Hub-Trane ** Recorded at Acoustic Recording, Brooklyn, NY 11/23/99 & 6/4/00 Produced for Bebop and Beyond by Mel Martin
Mel Martin Plays Benny Carter featuring Benny Carter CD-9041 2 $12.99 - Add to Cart
Hello Summer Serenade Zanzibar
Reviews Band Interview
A mellow recording of Benny Carter's great compositions featuring two all star rhythm sections and an appearance by Benny Carter himself on three tracks recorded live at Yoshi's Nitespot. The remaining tracks were done in Rudy Van Gelder's famous studio featuring the great Kenny Barron on piano. This was Mel Martin's first solo recording project. Click on Band Interview to hear Mel Martin, Kenny Barron, Rufus Reid and Victor Lewis discuss the music on the recording with Dr. Herb Wong.
A mellow recording of Benny Carter's great compositions featuring two all star rhythm sections and an appearance by Benny Carter himself on three tracks recorded live at Yoshi's Nitespot. The remaining tracks were done in Rudy Van Gelder's famous studio featuring the great Kenny Barron on piano. This was Mel Martin's first solo recording project.
Click on Band Interview to hear Mel Martin, Kenny Barron, Rufus Reid and Victor Lewis discuss the music on the recording with Dr. Herb Wong.
Mel Martin - tenor & soprano saxophones, Benny Carter - alto saxophone , Kenny Barron - piano, Roger Kellaway - piano, Rufus Reid - bass, Victor Lewis - drums, Jeff Chambers - bass and Harold Jones - drums
1. A Kiss From You 2. Hello 3. Zanzibar (World premier) 4. When Lights Are Low 5. Summer Serenade 6. Souvenir 7. Another Time, Another Place 8. Wonderland 9. Only Trust Your Heart Produced by Mel Martin and Dr. Herb Wong for Big Ear Productions Recorded 1995 Funded in part by the National Endowment for the Arts
Mel Martin and Bebop & Beyond Plays Dizzy Gillespie featuring Dizzy Gillespie CD-R2 7917 Not available - Try Amazon, Yahoo, Google or eBay
Manteca Wheatleigh Hall I Waited For You
The second in Bebop and Beyond's Jazz Masters series, this was Dizzy Gillespie's final studio date and the only time he ever recorded his original theme song I Waited for You as a vocal. Widely acknowledged as his best recorded performance in his later years, Downbeat awarded it four stars. The all star ensemble features piano great George Cables, legendary drummer Donald "Duck" Bailey and well known percussionist John Santos. Mel Martin arranged all pieces and co-composed one with Diz, Father Time. This one is a true jazz classic.
Mel Martin - saxophones, flute and arrangements, Dizzy Gillespie - trumpet and vocals, Warren Gale - trumpet and flugelhorn, Randy Vincent - guitar, George Cables - piano, Jeff Chambers - bass, Donald "Duck" Bailey - drums, Vince Lateano - drums, John Santos - percussion 1. Wheatleigh Hall 2. Manteca/A Night In Nazca 3. I Waited For You 4. That's Earl Brother 5. Con Alma 6. Diddy-Wa-Diddy 7. Father Time 8. Rhythm Man (Do Not Disturb) Produced by Mel Martin for Bebop and Beyond Recorded 1991 Funded in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.
Mel Martin and Bebop & Beyond Plays Thelonious Monk featuring Joe Henderson and Howard Johnson - CD R2 79154 Not available -Try Amazon, Yahoo, Google, eBay or MP3 Fiesta
San Francisco Holiday Brilliant Corners Ugly Beauty
The first in Bebop and Beyond's Jazz Masters Series, this all Thelonious Monk recording is known far and wide for its accurate rendition of seldom played Monk compositions. Produced by Monk's original producer, Orrin Keepnews, It features tenor saxophone star Joe Henderson and multi-instrumentalist Howard Johnson as well the rest of the Bebop and Beyond Ensemble. The arrangements by Mel Martin are based on the original charts but adapted to the specific requirements of Bebop and Beyond.
Produced by Orrin Keepnews and Mel Martin for Bebop and Beyond Recorded 1990 Transcriptions by Mel Martin , Randy Vincent & Bebop and Beyond Arrangements by Mel Martin (assisted on Ugly Beauty by Howard Johnson) Funded in part by the National Endowment for the Arts
Mel Martin and Bebop & Beyond CD-244 Special Edition Not available -Try Amazon, Yahoo or Google
Longhorn On A Misty Night Super Trooper
This was the debut recording for Bebop and Beyond originally issued by Concord Jazz on LP. This special edition features a newly remastered digital CD sound. The band was really hitting its peak and had been rehearsing for months and had done a number of high profile gigs. The music was a reflection of the original philosophy of performing classic bebop jazz and forward looking originals. Alto great John Handy was a full fledged member at this time as was pianist George Cables. Mel Martin was functioning, as he has on all Bebop and Beyond projects, as Artistic Director. Two of his original compositions are featured, the classic Longhorn and the uptempo One for All.
Mel Martin - tenor & soprano saxophones, flute,Warren Gale - trumpet, John Handy - alto saxophone, George Cables - piano, Frank Tusa - bass, Eddie Marshall - drums
1. Longhorn 2. On A Misty Night 3. Moon Magic 4. Super Trooper 5. Evidence 6. Monk's Mood 7. One for All
Produced by Mel Martin for Bebop and Beyond Recorded 1984
Listen featuring Mel Martin can be found in various vinyl stores on eBay.
Many of these compositions are available in printed form at Sheetmusic.html
More Exercises and Two Duets (PDF)
(Click for video) Dizzy Gillespie, Jeff Chambers and Mel Martin Video 2 Video 3 Video 4 Headline
(Click for video) Benny Carter, Jeff Chambers and Mel Martin Video 2 Video 3
As Leader
Just Friends - The Mel Martin/ Benny Carter Quintet - Jazzedmedia 1025 (Funded in part by The National Endowment for the Arts) Friends and Mentors - Mel Martin and Bebop and Beyond - Bebop and Beyond Plays the Music of Mel Matin - Quixotic 5006| Mel Martin Plays Benny Carter - Mel Martin - Enja-9041 2 w/ Benny Carter (Funded in part by The National Endowment for the Arts. ) Bebop and Beyond Plays Dizzy Gillespie - Bluemoon R2 79170 w/ Dizzy Gillespie (Funded in part by The National Endowment for the Arts) Bebop and Beyond Plays Thelonious Monk - Bluemoon R2 79154 W/ Joe Henderson, Howard Johnson (Funded in part by National Endowment for the Arts) Bebop and Beyond - Concord CJ - 244 (Vinyl Only) w/ John Handy, George Cables Growing - Listen featuring Mel Martin - Inner City - IC 1025 (Vinyl Only) Listen featuring Mel Martin - Inner - City IC 1055 (Vinyl Only) She Who Listens - Mel Martin and Listen - Move Records (Vinyl Only) Other Side Up - Mel Martin Duo with Randy VincentCatero Records - CAT 004 (Vinyl Only)
Film and TV Scores Rumblefish w/ Stewart Copeland - A&M 75021 4983 2 Invasion of the Body Snatchers - Warner Brothers w/ Denny Zeitlen The Warriors Street Music The Twilight Zone CBS Educational Mel Martin Masterclass CD - Saxophone Journal May/June 1995 Bebop and Beyond Play Along CD - Jazz Player Dec./Jan. 1994 Woodwinds & Reeds - Standard School Broadcast Series w/ Stan Getz, Jean-Pierre Rampal
Click here for a complete Mel Martin Discography.
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