Top And Bottom (Live At The 1995 Floating Jazz Festival) - Clark Terry Quintet & Red Holloway

Advantages: Haunting, passionate music to get lost in.
Disadvantages: It's classical and this puts people off before they even try it.

...that “the Raphael Ensemble was formed in 1982 by six exceptional string players with a special desire to explore and perform the masterpieces of the quintet and sextet repertoire. Since then they have gained an outstanding reputation for its unique sound quality and immensely high standards of performance.” This recording was voted among the finest of more than 20 recordings of the quintet by Classic CD when it was released in 1995. Not being a music aficionado I cannot begin to express an opinion on the quality of their work. But I found this recording extremely passionate and beautiful and would really love to see and hear them live because of it. However, I am not sure they are still around because although there is a web site at http://www.raphaels.co.uk/files/raphinfo.html seems to be out of date. Conclusion Schubert’s quintet... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Outrageously good! Music, playing, production, booklet - everything is great!
Disadvantages: I honestly can't think of one thing.

...and showing that the quintet had no weak links. Red Garland's block-chord rendition of the theme is absolutely priceless. 'Straight, No Chaser' is yet another great track. Its sleazy theme is catchy from the start, and the solos from the horns are yet again brilliant. Miles is especially good, on the alternate take of the track well as the first one on the CD (which was actually the second take in the studio, with the alt. take the first take in the studio). Red Garland notoriously used a tune Miles had used in a solo for Charlie Parker in 1945 in his piano solo. This album swings hard throughtout, but is always laid-back and fun. It is every bit as good as the material on 'Kind Of Blue', showing that the modal jazz concept worked exquisitely well for up-tempo as well as 'cool' jazz. The Production Superb. The balance is just right, for the tutti... Read review

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Advantages: Superb playing and well-written music, cliche free
Disadvantages: Nothing

.... Suburban Beauty, 16. A Flat Minor, 17. Cafe Au Lait, 18. Half The Fun, 19. Suburban Beauty, 20. A Flat Minor, 21. Cafe Au Lait, 22. Pretty Girl. The Music - 'Such Sweet Thunder' opens the album with a raunchy riff on low brass, screaming trumpets and triplets on the piano, Broadway-style. It has Ray Nance on trumpet playing a simple solo. - 'Sonnet for Casear' has a long clarinet solo, which is melodic but uninspiring. - 'Sonnet for Hank Cinq' is a trombone showpiece - Britt Woodman plays a stunning solo, technically demanding. One of the top tracks on the album. - 'Lady Mac' is a great Ellington jazz waltz, which is fun and swinging. Not bad. - 'The Telecasters' is fabulous! Three trombones play the witches from Macbeth, and together with the baritone sax, they play sleazy riffs which are gloriously broken up by completely silent bars... Read review

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