More for Les is the fourth volume of Art Pepper at the Village Vanguard in July 1977. The great altoist was clearly excited to be playing at the famous New York club, and his rhythm section -- pianist George Cables, bassist George Mraz, and drummer Elvin Jones -- consistently stimulates his imagination. This release has more variety than usual, for in addition to his alto playing (including a memorable unaccompanied solo on "Over the Rainbow"), Pepper switches to clarinet for the lengthy "More for Les" and interprets the ballad "These Foolish Things" on tenor. For those just wanting a taste of the great altoist's talents, this LP will certainly satisfy.© Scott Yanow /TiVo

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When you speak of piano virtuosos like Art Tatum and Oscar Peterson, Martial Solal also has to be included in the conversation. Every concert is a happening and each recording an event, and at age 80 he shows no signs of slowing down. The evidence is irrefutable as displayed on this solo piano offering, recorded live at New York City's Village Vanguard, where an overflow house witnessed the mastery of Solal in all his glory. His limitless ideas in changing the nature of a jazz standard with every bar and phrase is nothing less than showstoppping, making you wonder just when he'll exhaust his treasure trove of extrapolated concepts, long after you would think it impossible for any human being to go further after mere minutes of listening. Yet time and time again Solal reinvents melody, pushes the envelope far beyond convention, gives you little hints of tunefulness just to tease, and lets you know he is always cognizant of form or style, and is in complete command. After stating to his audience that "I have to be good," Solal completely reworks the well-worn standard "On Green Dolphin Street" with an abstracted intro, an arpeggiated melody, and deft key changes as he steams up and down the ivories in spiral-staircase fashion, eventually loping, then romping. "Lover Man" is treated in a scattershot and ruminating then tangential fashion, interpreting the melody in free time. He takes the first half of the vocal phrase on "I Can't Give You Anything But Love" in three- and four-chord extrapolations with off-minor stride and a fascinating, playful reharmonization. This is genius at work. "'Round Midnight" is modified in time changes, furious flurries of notes or hints of melody to assure you he knows this song cold, but chooses to play it differently. A fast dismissal of "Have You Met Miss Jones?" is shorter, more focused, and humorously taken by the patrons, while a frenetic "The Last Time I Saw Paris" and a quick start to the otherwise mature "Corcovado" are still pushed outside the box. In the middle are two of Solal's originals; "Centre de Gravité" is much darker and even sinister as a wicked stalker film noir pursuance is contemplated, while "Ramage" in its bouncy yet off-color stance contrasts a noncommittal waltz that stretches time, and asks more questions than it answers. A truly brilliant conceptualist and completely inventive performer who takes no prisoners and allows all of his risk-taking to succeed, Solal is at the top of the mountain artistically, and deserves all the high praise any human musician should aspire to and achieve. If there were a trillion stars to give for his music, he deserves every one of them.© Michael G. Nastos /TiVo

Tito Puente's Golden Jazz All-Stars, featured on Live at the Village Gate, was an all-star nonet filled with loads of talent: Puente, trumpeter Claudio Roditi, altoist Paquito D'Rivera, flutist Dave Valentin, pianist Hilton Ruiz, bassist Andy Gonzalez, drummer Ignacio Berroa, and Giovanni Hidalgo and Mongo Santamaria on percussion. The music is primarily familiar standards (including "Afro Blue," a 12-and-a-half minute "Milestones," "Oye Como Va," and Valentin's flute feature on "I Loves You Porgy") with each of the impressive musicians getting their solo spots. This is a CD that is as good as it looks, living up to its potential!© Scott Yanow /TiVo

Known mainly for his session playing, Vincent Herring has released Folklore under his own name, recorded live at the legendary Village Vanguard in New York City. Herring has played with Art Blakey, Horace Silver and Dizzy Gillespie among many historical giants. On Folklore, he puts together an impressive band, including some of the new, major talents in jazz: Cyrus Chestnut (piano), Ira Coleman (bass), Carl Allen (drums) and promising Scott Wendholt (trumpet). The band is tight, and plays with soulfulness and swing. The music is enjoyable and makes for a pleasant listen, yet doesn't break any new ground. Highlights from the set include the thoughtful "Theme for Delores," the fine Wendholt composition, "Window of Opportunity" and the fast-paced cover of Hank Mobley's "This I Dig of You." Of the players, Chestnut continues to impress as one of today's best pianists and provides the most interesting material on this set. Folklore is a solid effort. It will please many fans of live, bop-oriented jazz and not offend any.© Brian Bartolini /TiVo