Old Records Never Die
The Mott the Hoople-Ian Hunter Anthology
Shout Factory

The first compilation covering Ian Hunter and Mott the Hoople, this set is close to dead-on but comes up short on the Hunter solo coverage. The first disc covers Mode’s days as what we’d now call “garage rock” pre-glam — underground slammers to David Bowie’s involvement and Hunter’s growth as both frontman and songwriter (those other band members, especially guitarist Mick Ralphs, contributed so much).  We get “Rock and Roll Queen,”  ”Sweet Angelyne,” the can’t-be-beat title of “Death May Be Your Santa Claus,” the band’s great cover of Lou Reed’s “Sweet Jane,” and its own classics in the Bowie-penned “All the Young Dudes” and Hunter’s “All the Way From Memphis,” plus “Roll Away the Stone” and “The Golden Age of Rock ‘n’ Roll.”  Would’ve liked to have had the sorrowful “I Wish I Was Your Mother” on there, but it’s still a great set here.

Then there’s the second disc, covering Hunter’s solo career as well as his collaboratin with Mick Ronson. The songs include “Once Bitten Twice Shy,” which still shreds, though the manic “I Get So Excited” is missing.  Also “Cleveland Rocks,” “Ships” (which became a hit for…Barry Manilow!), and the more recent “Still Love Rock ‘n’ Roll.” But no “All of the Good Ones Are Taken?”  Another flaw here.  So the first disc is near four-star, the second: three stars.  Nonetheless, a good starting place to explore Hunter and Mott’s musical legacy.

Three Dog Night
Greatest Hits Live
Shout Factory

Exactly what it says it is: Back in the early ’70s, Three Dog Night was a hit machine, fronted by singers Chuck Negron, Danny Hutton, and Cory Wells working with a team of top songwriters.  But they also proved it wasn’t just a studio construct, and this collectiion is drawn from the group’s 1972/1973 world tour.  So yes, you get those giant smashes like Randy Newman’s  ”Mama Told Me (Not To Come),” “One,” “Easy To Be Hard,” “Celebrate,” and “Joy To The World” (Jeremiah in all his bullfrog glory),  plus less-remembered-now hits such as “Family of Man” and “Old Fashioned Love Song.”  Damn catchy stuff…still. And just as much in concert too.

The Best of Hot Club of Cowtown
Shout Factory

Gotta love that “Le Jazz Hot” meeting Western Swing, and that’s just what Hot Club of Cowtown, another winning export out of Austin, Texas gave us.  This fine collection includes the live “ID Red,” playing off “Ida Red,” the blissful “Forget-Me-Nots” and “Star Dust,” as well as “Fuli Tschai (Bad Girl),” “Tchavolo Swing,” and another live closer in a version of “Orange Blossom Special.”

50 years of Dave Brubeck, Live At the Monterey Jazz Festival
Art Blakey and the Giants of Jazz — Live at the 1972 Monterey Jazz Festival
Cal Tjader — Live at the Monterey Jazz Festival 1958-1980
Concord

The latest releases in Concord’s Monterey Jazz Fest chronicles are all gems that capture the essence of legendary performers. Pianist Dave Brubeck and his various outfits (with players including his second voice, saxman Paul Desmond) sound just as great today as they did five decades back, and the 50 Years release offers a little something from each era, including a 1962 performance of “Someday My Prince Will Come” (yes, from Snow White), and a 1966 outing on his classic “Take Five,” “Jumping Bean,” written by Gerry Mulligan from a 1971 Monterey date and from 1998  ”Goodbye, Old Friend,” written as a tribute to the late musician.

Blakey’s Giants of Jazz superstar band is captured in this 1972 performance, and what a show it is!  The group includes Blakey (of course, on drums), Roy Eldridge (trumpet), Al McKibbon (bass), Thelonious Monk (piano), Sonny Stitt (alto and tenor saxophones), Clark Terry (trumpet, flugelhorn), and Kai Winding (trombone). The numbers include Monk’s “Round Midnight,” Dizzy Gillespie’s “A Night in Tunisia,” and a showstopper — a lilting “Stardust,” featuring Terry, and then 61 Eldridge taking the spotlight for Gershwin’s “The Man I Love.” There’s also “Perdido” and a swingin’ “Blue ‘N Boogie.” What a set, what band.  Get this now.

Tjader, ever the stylish vibe player and percussionst, leaves his imprint on these stage recordings spanning more than 30 years. There’s his first Monterey appearance with a group that includes percussionists Willie Bobo and Mongo Santamaria, including renditions of Gershwin’s “Summertime,” “Cubano Chant,” and Charlie Parker’s “Now’s The Time” swinging madly bebop.  From other years at the festival, there’s ”Afro Blue,” written by Santamaria, the atmospheric “Speak Low,” and more.
 

Also available, recommended, and new in this on-going series:
Jimmy Witherspoon — Live at 1972 Monterey Jazz Festival
Tito Puente and His Orchestra — Live at the 1977 Monterey Jazz Festival
Shirley Horn — Live at the 1994 Monterey Jazz Festival

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