Kevin Eubanks - 1986 "Face to Face"

Kevin Eubanks' first album with a string section is a triumph of good taste, both in the guitarist's gently swinging work and in GRP chief Dave Grusin's unobtrusive, intelligent, unsentimental string charts. Grusin's gorgeously recorded strings seem to seep into the texture, filling the spaces with just enough mortar. The backings alternate between an electric group -- with Marcus Miller on bass and Grusin applying the Yamaha DX7 electric piano sound -- and often just Ron Carter on acoustic bass (plus the strings, of course). The treatment of Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Wave" is a beaut, with a lot of rapid acoustic guitar figurework in mid-track. Even unreconstructed beboppers will enjoy the fluid duo-only exchange between Carter's 4/4 bass and Eubanks' electric guitar on Wes Montgomery's "The Trick Bag" and Bird's "Relaxin' at Camarillo," the latter of which Eubanks immodestly calls attention to in his liner notes. But he's entitled; it is impressive.  All Music.

This is nice basic jazz. Some classics are played, like "that's what friends are for", "wave" -originally by A. Carlos Jobim, and "Moments aren't moments" originally by stevie wonder. Dave Grusin is on keys, Marcus Miller on Elec. Bass, Ralph McDonald on Percussion, Paulinho Braga on percussion, Buddy Williams on drums ,Ron carter on stand up bass.Kevin Eubanks does a fine job leading with electic and acoustic guitar.  By eagle spirit.

Track Listing :

1. Face To Face (Kevin Eubanks) 5:25
2. That's What Friends Are For  (Burt Bacharach)  5:05
3. Essence  (Kevin Eubanks)  5:22
4. A Silent Waltz  (Kevin Eubanks)  4:54
5. Moments Aren't Moments  (Stevie Wonder)  5:30
6. Wave  (Antonio Carlos Jobim)  3:17
7. Relaxin' At Camarillo  (Charlie Parker)  3:17
8. Ebony Sunrise  (Kevin Eubanks)  3:49
9. Trick Bag  (Wes Montgomery)  3:08

Musicians / Personnel :

Kevin Eubanks - Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar
Marcus Miller - Electric Bass
Ron Carter - Double Bass
Dave Grusin - Keyboards
Buddy Williams - Drums
Ralph McDonald, Crusher Bennett, Paulinho Braga - Percussion 

Kevin Eubanks Group - 2001 "Live"

Kevin Tyrone Eubanks (born November 15, 1957 in Philadelphia) is an American jazz and fusion guitarist and composer who was the leader of The Tonight Show Band with host Jay Leno from 1995 to 2010. He also led the Primetime Band on the short-lived The Jay Leno Show.

Eubanks was born into a musical family. His mother, Vera Eubanks, is a gospel and classical pianist and organist. His uncle, Ray Bryant, was a jazz pianist. His older brother, Robin Eubanks, is a trombonist, and his younger brother Duane Eubanks is a trumpeter. Two cousins are also musicians, the late bassist David Eubanks and the pianist Charles Eubanks. Kevin studied violin and trumpet before settling on the guitar.

As an elementary school student, Eubanks was trained in violin, trumpet, and piano at the Settlement Music School in Philadelphia. He later attended Berklee College of Music in Boston and then moved to New York to begin his professional career.

After Eubanks moved to New York, he began performing with noted jazzmen such as Art Blakey (1980–81), Roy Haynes, Slide Hampton and Sam Rivers. Like his brother Robin, he has played on record with double bassist Dave Holland. In 1983, while continuing to perform with others, he formed his own quartet, playing gigs in Jordan, Pakistan, and India on a tour sponsored by the U.S. State Department.

His first recording as a leader, Guitarist, was released on the Elektra label when Eubanks was 25 years old. It led to a seven-album contract with the GRP label and four albums for Blue Note. In total, Eubanks has appeared on over 100 albums. In 2001, he founded the label Insoul Music on which he has released six albums.

Eubanks has taught at the Banff School of Fine Arts in Canada, at Rutgers University, and at the Charlie Parker School in Perugia, Italy. In 2005, Eubanks received an honorary doctorate degree from his alma mater, Berklee College of Music. He is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity and has served as an active member of the Artistic Advisory Panel of the BMI Foundation since 1999.

http://jazz-rock-fusion-guitar.blogspot.com/search?q=kevin+eubanks

Track listing:

1 Red Ant (Live) 14:21
2 Spider Dance (Live) 5:25
3 Prelude to Spider Monkeys (Live) 2:55
4 Spider Monkeys (Live) 10:34
5 Embryo (Live) 7:58
6 Jungle Blood (Live) 14:05

Personnel:

Kevin Eubanks - Guitar
Marvin "Smitty: Smith - Drums
Charnett Moffett - Bass
Bill Pierce - Horns

Kevin Eubanks - 1984 "Sundance"

Kevin Tyrone Eubanks (born November 15, 1957 in Philadelphia) is an American jazz and fusion guitarist and composer who was the leader of The Tonight Show Band with host Jay Leno from 1995 to 2010. He also led the Primetime Band on the short-lived The Jay Leno Show.

Eubanks was born into a musical family. His mother, Vera Eubanks, is a gospel and classical pianist and organist. His uncle, Ray Bryant, was a jazz pianist. His older brother, Robin Eubanks, is a trombonist, and his younger brother Duane Eubanks is a trumpeter. Two cousins are also musicians, the late bassist David Eubanks and the pianist Charles Eubanks. Kevin studied violin and trumpet before settling on the guitar.

As an elementary school student, Eubanks was trained in violin, trumpet, and piano at the Settlement Music School in Philadelphia. He later attended Berklee College of Music in Boston and then moved to New York to begin his professional career.

I am impressed with this album, I had the chance of finding it here in Caracas at my usual used cd store (all originals, of course!), so I have the benefit of changing it in case I do not like it. This one is for my jazz collection, I would put it in that zone as a transition from George Benson to Fusion jazz, right next to Al Di Meola. This is so melodic but so deep, no sacrifice of technique over melody, I would say fine fusion and even some bit of prog can be heard.

What an excellent enssamble of fine musians Mr. Eubanks plays with.

http://jazz-rock-fusion-guitar.blogspot.com/search?q=kevin+eubanks

Track listing:

1 The Sting 4:08
2 Ever-Blue 3:27
3 Who Knows 4:46
4 It's All The Same To Me... 4:41
5 The Sundance Began 5:19
6 Mellow Fellow 5:17
7 Farm In My Heart 6:31
8 Distant Focus 3:53

Personnel:

Kevin Eubanks - Written By, Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar
Drums – Tommy Campbell
Electric Bass – Barry Brown*
Gerry Etkins - Synthesizer, Electric Piano [Fender]

Dave Holland - 2013 "Prism"

Prism is a studio album by English jazz bassist Dave Holland. The record was released via the Dare2 label on September 2, 2013. This album is a milestone of Dave Holland’s career as a leader—the forty year anniversary of his debut, free jazz album Conference of the Birds released in 1973

For “Prism”, Dave’s latest recording, he’s assembled a quartet of outstanding players and composers who are also leaders in their own right, Kevin Eubanks on guitar, Craig Taborn on piano and Fender Rhodes, and Eric Harland on drums. The recording is representative of the wide range of musical references that these musicians incorporate into their music and it features compositions written by each of them for the group.

The album takes the listener through many musical landscapes starting with the infectious funky groove of the Eubanks’ composition “The Watcher” followed by one of Holland’s compositions, “The Empty Chair”, a soulful blues that hints at references to the music of Jimi Hendrix. Craig Taborn’s “Spirals” creates an intriguing setting for the group that moves through a series of dramatically changing musical developments and Eric Harland’s hauntingly beautiful composition “Breathe” provides a musical space that seems to suspend time.

The groups of Dave Holland have always reflected a collaborative spirit with the goal of creating a musical context that allows the musicians to express their creative individuality. “Prism” brings together four musicians who are each forging their own musical path and together have created a unique and contemporary musical statement on this recording.

It’s a great record. Part of what makes Prism sound specifically like “fusion” is the preponderance of tunes that do not “swing” in the usual sense but are instead built on tricky riffs that interlock with a groove that is heavy on backbeat. The opener, Eubanks’ “The Watcher”, begins with a funky line from the left hand of Taborn’s Fender Rhodes electric piano, and then Eubanks doubles it before he climbs on top with a distorted but very simple melody. The sound is thick with fuzz and buzz from both Eubanks and Taborn. All of it would make for a satisfying track, but then a tricky and precise bridge section comes along for pleasing relief. Taborn’s solo is the standout here: mathematical and intriguing as it moves and reverses, surges forward and doubles-back on itself.

Bassist Dave Holland first became a leader-on-record with Conference Of The Birds (ECM, 1973), a now-classic outré quartet session. That initial leader date portrayed Holland as a restless seeker, willing and eager to explore the inner workings of group dynamics and the outer reaches of convention, and he's done little to alter that perception of himself in the intervening years. Holland has, with band after band and album after album, continually broadened his outlook, creating a vast and enviable body of work along the way. Now, he celebrates four decades of leadership by introducing another potent foursome to the world.

On Prism, Holland reunites with three musical spark plugs from his past: guitarist Kevin Eubanks, who appeared on the bassist's Extensions (ECM, 1989), drummer Eric Harland, who worked side-by-side with Holland in The Monterey Quartet and then joined him for Pass It On (Dare2 Records, 2008), and pianist/Fender Rhodes man Craig Taborn, who's shared the stage with the bassist on a number of occasions over the past few years. As individuals, these gentlemen rank high on many a critic and fan's list of players; together, they form the most exciting and awe-inspiring quartet to debut on record this year.

The music this band delivers on Prism is like a vortex, sucking in everything within earshot. Interlocking patterns, excoriating lines, killer grooves and blazing solos are par for the course. Democracy prevails in all aspects, as each band member contributes music, muscle and more along the way. "The True Meaning Of Determination" is the perfect example of this one-for-all and all-for-one philosophy. Holland draws focus with his bass introduction, melodic delivery is a joint venture between two band mates, Eubanks' guitar singes everything in sight, Taborn takes the spotlight and has a blast chopping up the time with Harland, and everybody comes together to drive it home. It's nine-plus minutes of pure, heart-pounding bliss, and it doesn't even stand above the other tracks; nearly every performance here has a similar endorphin-producing effect. The band does operate in other areas, from the bluesy and soulful ("The Empty Chair (For Clare)") to the contemplative and free floating ("Breathe"), but they retain a group identity no matter where the music takes them. They sound best when they burn, but they still sound like the same unit when they simmer or stay put.

Prism isn't simply a great album by a great band; it's as good as jazz records come. Four months may separate this album's release and the close of 2013, but this one may have already sealed it up for "Album Of The Year" honors.  

Track Listing:

01   The Watcher [6:56]

02   The Empty Chair (For Clare) [8:31]

03   Spirals [8:46]

04   Choir [4:49]
05   The Color Of Iris [7:27]
06   A New Day [7:51]
07   The True Meaning Of Determination [9:19]
08   Evolution [10:24]
09   Breathe [5:40]

Personnel:

Dave Holland, bass;
Kevin Eubanks, guitar;
Craig Taborn, piano and Fender Rhodes;
Eric Harland, drums.

Kevin Eubanks - 1983 "Guitarist"

Kevin Tyrone Eubanks (born November 15, 1957 in Philadelphia) is an American jazz and fusion guitarist and composer who was the leader of the Tonight Show Band with host Jay Leno from 1995 to 2010. He also led the Primetime Band on the short-lived The Jay Leno Show.

This album, issued in the wake of the stir caused by the Young Lions compilation album on Elektra Musician, is a first-rate mix of originals and standards beautifully executed by a group of studio players who include brothers Robin Eubanks on trombone, Charles on acoustic piano, and David on bass along with tenor saxophonist Ralph Moore and drummer Ronnie Burrage. Eubanks' choice of covers is brave; from Thelonious Monk's "Evidence" and Miles Davis' "Blue in Green" to Wes Montgomery's "The Thumb" and Jerome Kern's "Yesterdays," he offers not only chops, but a keen ear for nuance and subtlety. The treatment of Monk's "Evidence" is particularly satisfying for retaining the pianist/composer's angles without sacrificing the swing quotient. Likewise, his solo reading of "The Thumb" is played with great taste, offering no show-off pyrotechnics, yet he interprets the tune for the present day. Eubanks' own tunes, such as "Inner-Vision" with Moore, Burrage, and David, are shaped and informed by not only jazz but soul and blues without falling into crossover cliché. This is a fine first effort. [After being out of print for a decade on CD, Guitarist was reissued by Wounded Bird in 2004.] 

Tracklist

01 - The Novice Bounce [03:58]
02 - Inner-Vision [04:30]
03 - Yesterdays [06:29]
04 - Evidence [06:05]
05 - Urban Heat [08:05]
06 - The Thumb/Blues For Wes [04:18]
07 - Untitled Shapes [07:42]
08 - Blue In Green [03:15]

Personnel :

Bass [Acoustic] - David Eubanks
Drums - Ronnie Burrage, Roy Haynes, Tommy Campbell
Guitar [Acoustic, Electric] - Kevin Eubanks
Producer - Michael Gibbs
Saxophone [Tenor] - Ralph Moore
Trombone - Robin Eubanks

Various Artists - 1993 Gold Encore Series - "Guitar Fire!"

Being a huge fan of Larry Carlton, Special EFX, Acoustic Alchemy and The Rippingtons, I was already familiar with several of the tunes on this compilation. The smooth, even flow from one song to the next was mostly upbeat and relaxing. My favorites on this album were the adventurous "Essence" by Kevin Eubanks and the Larry Carlton/B. B. King duet "Blues for TJ" written by Larry for his son, bassist Travis James Carlton. The inclusion of "The Chief" was a bit of a head scratcher since it was taken from the album "Reunion" by vibraphonist Gary Burton. Although the song was written by Pat Metheny, it features Burton on vibraphone with a short, tasteful solo by Metheny. Minor complaints aside, this disc would be an excellent addition to any smooth jazz collection.

This very well-balanced group of nine tracks from many different contributing artists is a worthy addition to the libraries of those seeking nonthreatening guitar-oriented smooth jazz/fusion background music. It's a very even mix, with some standout numbers. Acoustic Alchemy's reading of Paul Desmond's "Take Five" has a strong funk component while not losing sight of the comfortable five-beat meter. Chieli Minucci's "Jamaica, Jamaica" (guesting the composer and George Jinda) is very nicely rendered by Special EFX in a quite frankly enticing effort. I bought the CD for that track alone, and it's well worth it. Kevin Eubanks contributes the self-penned "Essence." It's a medium tempo burner with a smoky edge. The fine "Blues for TJ" track, featuring Larry Carlton and B.B. King, closes out slightly over 45 minutes of worthy ear candy. If you buy it and don't like it, somebody you know will. 

Track Listing:

1. Smiles and Smiles to Go - Larry Carlton 5:47
2. Take Five - Acoustic Alchemy 4:38
3. Early A.M. Attitude - Dave Grusin/Lee Ritenour 4:58
4. Affair in San Miguel - Russ Freeman/The Rippingtons 5:09
5. Jamaica - Chieli Minucci/George Jinda/Special EFX Jamaica 4:04
6. The - Gary Burton Chief 4:16
7. South Beat - Rene Toledo 5:23
8. Essence - Kevin Eubanks 5:37
9. Blues for TJ - Larry Carlton/B.B. King 5:18

Personnel:

Larry Carlton (guitar, keyboards);
Greg Carmichael , Lee Ritenour , Nick Webb , Pat Metheny, Rene Toledo, B.B. King (guitar);
Russ Freeman (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, keyboards, drums, keyboard programming);
Chieli Minucci (acoustic guitar, electric guitar);
Kevin Eubanks (acoustic guitar);
Michael Bearden (flute, string synthesizer);
Brandon Fields (saxophone);
Ludwig G”tz (trombone);
Michael Orta (piano);
Joe Sample (Fender Rhodes piano);
Brian Mann (organ);
Dave Grusin, Mitchel Forman, Richard Eddy, Terry Disley (keyboards);
Terry Trotter (synthesizer);
Gary Burton (vibraphone);
Marcus Miller (electric bass, fretless bass);
Will Lee (electric bass);
Steve Bailey (fretless bass);
Orlando Jr. Hernandez, Peter Erskine (drums, percussion);
Dave Weckl, Jeff Porcaro, Rick Marotta, Carlos Vega (drums);
Tony Morales (cymbals, hi-hat);
George Jinda (cymbals, tambourine, bells, chimes);
Steve Feid, Anselmo Febles, Errol Crusher Bennett, Mario Argandona, Michael Fisher, Ralph MacDonald (percussion)

Gary Burton & Friends - 1992 "Six Pack"

Gary Burton's peculiar connection and affinity for great guitarists is a proven historical fact, as he has been responsible for bringing such fantastic musicians to the world stage as Larry Coryell and Pat Metheny. On Six Pack, he joins with six different six-stringers for some decidedly varied modern jazz. Kurt Rosenwinkel makes like Metheny on the first track, the up-tempo Mitch Forman composition "Anthem." Any predictability to the song disappears in the presence of the rhythm section of Jack DeJohnette, Steve Swallow, and Mulgrew Miller. One doesn't generally think of the vibes as a blues instrument, and to be fair, it's really not, but Burton gives it the old college try on the title track, where his vibes intersect surprisingly well with Bob Berg's tenor sax and B.B. King's guitar. There is absolutely nothing weighty about this song at all, but it is fun and swinging nevertheless (who says jazz has to be serious all the time?). John Scofield also shows up on the track, and his distinctive tone and phrasing work perfectly in this setting. Other selections include such notables as Jim Hall, Ralph Towner, and Kevin Eubanks, and all of their contributions are solid in their own way. One sometimes wishes that this record was a little less GRP, with Larry Goldings' keyboards and Berg's sax being the most frequent offenders, but there are plenty of hot moments on Six Pack that make this record worth searching out, especially for fans of jazz guitar. Where else will listeners find all of these great players on a single record?

Gary Burton also has brought along a lot of kids. His leadership at Berklee`s School of Music makes it natural for him to help younger musicians find an audience. The musical results have been passable, but not as nice as the work he does on this new disc with a group of stars as distinctive as guitarists Kevin Eubanks, Jim Hall, John Scofield, Ralph Towner and B.B. King. Paul Shaffer and Mulgrew Miller join in on piano and keyboards. The mood changes with the sideman, but all of them are interesting.

Track Listing:

  01. Anthem
  02. Six Pack
  03. Summertime
  04. Jack's Theme
  05. Lost Numbers
  06. Double Guatemala
  07. Asphodel
  08. Redial
  09. Invitation
  10. My Funny Valentine
  11. Something Special
  12. Guitarre Picante

Personnel:

Gary Burton - Vibes
John Scofield, B.B. King, Jim Hall, Kevin Eubanks, Ralph Towner, Kurt Rosenwinkel - Guitar
Jack DeJohnette - Drums
Larry Goldings - Keyboards
Mulgrew Miller - Piano
Steve Swallow, Will Lee - Bass
Bob Berg - Saxophone
Paul Shaffer - Piano, Organ

Pat Martino - 1997 "All Sides Now"

All Sides Now is an album by guitarist Pat Martino which was recorded in 1996–97 and first released on the Blue Note label. The album pairs Martino with notable guitarists from across the musical spectrum.

Veteran Pat Martino is teamed up with a variety of different fellow guitarists on this interesting if not quite essential release. Martino matches wits with guitarist Charlie Hunter (who on Stevie Wonder's "Too High" often sounds like an organist), Tuck Andress, Kevin Eubanks, Les Paul ("I'm Confessin'"), Mike Stern and Michael Hedges. In addition, Cassandra Wilson sings Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now" accompanied by Martino, and rock guitarist Joe Satriani tries to sit in on two numbers (with indifferent results). A decent effort, but not up to Pat Martino's most significant releases.

Pat Martino's 1997 album All Sides Now features performances by (among others) Les Paul, Mike Stern, Tuck Andress, Joe Satriani, Michael Hedges, Charlie Hunter, Kevin Eubanks and Cassandra Wilson.

After the Los Angeles studio dates, Martino traveled north to the seaside town of Mendocino where guitarist Michael Hedges has his home studio. This was a special rendezvous for Martino. Years earlier before his brain aneurysms had been diagnosed, he spent a period of time in locked psychiatric wards undergoing shock therapy to alleviate the memory loss and severe headaches he was suffering. "My friendship with Michael goes back to that crucial time in my life. He used to come into the ward where I was confined and play his guitar for me. I don't think Michael ever thought we'd play together let alone record together. Doing this session was a major breakthrough in our relationship. It was a dream come true to work with him."

The pair duet on Hedges' "Two Days Old," a pensive piece from his album Aerial Boundaries. [Correction…Breakfast in the Field.—Ed.] Martino plays one of Hedges' nylon-stringed guitars while Hedges plays steel-stringed acoustic. The number is a jewel of virtuoso guitar playing. While in Northern California, rock guitarist Joe Satriani traveled to Hedges' studio and recorded two songs with Martino. "Ellipsis" features gripping rock-edged and blues-tinged improvisations while the end track of the CD, "Never and After,"is a calming tune with ripples of guitar beauty. "I had no idea that Joe was interested in my music and my style of guitar playing," Martino says. "We hit it off and improvised with dignity, even though we're from two different polarities."

Track listing:
All compositions by Pat Martino except as indicated

"Too High" (Stevie Wonder) - 5:03
"Two of a Kind" - 5:54
"Progression" - 5:36
"I'm Confessin' (That I Love You)" (Doc Daugherty, Al J. Neiburg, Ellis Reynolds) - 4:41
"Ellipsis" (Martino, Joe Satriani) - 3:09
"Both Sides, Now" (Joni Mitchell) - 3:53
"Ayako" - 7:46
"Two Days Old" (Michael Hedges) - 5:17
"Outrider" - 7:43
"Never and After" (Satriani) - 2:54

Personnel:

Pat Martino - guitar
Charlie Hunter - guitar (track 1)
Tuck Andress - guitar (track 2)
Kevin Eubanks - guitar (track 3)
Les Paul - guitar (track 4)
Joe Satriani - guitar (track 5 and 10)
Mike Stern - guitar (track 7 and 9)
Michael Hedges - guitar (track 8), percussion (track 5)
Scott Colley - bass (track 7 and 9)
Paul Nowinski - bass (track 4)
Scott Amendola - drums (track 1)
Ben Perowsky - drums (track 7 and 9)
Jeff Hirshfield - drums (track 10)
Cassandra Wilson - vocals (track 6)

Kevin Eubanks - 1985 "Opening Night"

I seen Kevin's band in St. Louis shortly after he left the tonight show. He had a few of the guys (musicians) with him from the show. They ROCKED!! He is one of those players in the upper most part of the atmosphere, he's a master.

Track listing

    1 Opening Night 4:00
    2 Shades of Black 5:02
    3 The Navigator 4:43
    4 Thought About Thinking 4:03
    5 In Flight From Omelas 4:06
    6 A Place Before You've Been 6:01
    7 Vera's Isle 4:50
    8 To Be Continued 4:41

Personnel:

Kevin Eubanks
    Guitar (Acoustic), Producer, Bass, Guitar (Electric), Guitar
Branford Marsalis
    Sax (Tenor)
Buster Williams
    Bass
Kent Jordan
    Flute (Alto)
Big Black
    Bass, Tumba, ?
Tommy Campbell
    Drums
David Eubanks
    Bass
Kenny Kirkland
    Piano
Marvin "Smitty" Smith
    Drums

Various Artists - 1993 Gold Encore Series "The World of Contemporary Jazz Groups"

GRP Records is an American jazz record company, owned by Universal Music Group and operates through its Verve Music Group. The company's name has had different meanings. In its early days, it stood for "Grusin/Rosen Productions," after the founders. By the middle 1990s, after Grusin and Rosen left the company, GRP used the marketing slogan "Great Records Period."

Dave Grusin, a pianist and producer, and Larry Rosen, a drummer and recording engineer, established a production company in 1976 that recorded nontraditional jazz musicians like Earl Klugh and Lee Ritenour. When they founded GRP in 1978, they continued to concentrate on this fusion of jazz, pop, and rock.^[1]
GRP was distributed by Arista until 1982. It was independent until 1987, when it made a deal with MCA Distributing. In 1990 MCA bought GRP, giving the latter use of the catalogues of Impulse! and Decca, which GRP began to reissue on CD. New recordings at GRP included music by David Benoit, Michael Brecker, Gary Burton, Billy Cobham, Chick Corea, Eddie Daniels, Mercer Ellington, Kevin Eubanks, Dizzy Gillespie, Jimmy Haslip, Eric Marienthal, Gerry Mulligan, John Patitucci, the Rippingtons, Arturo Sandoval, Diane Schuur, and Dave Valentin.^[1]
GRP's use of Soundstream and digital recording contributed to the success of the label. Grusin's album Mountain Dance (1979) was one of the earliest all-digital recordings outside of classical music.

Tracklist

    1. The Rippingtons - Curves Ahead
    2. Acoustic Alchemy - Reference Point
    3. Spyro Gyra - Morning Dance
    4. The Crusaders - Shake Dance
    5. The Brecker Brothers - Song For Barry
    6. Special EFX - Daybreak
    7. Gary Burton - Reunion
    8. Chick Corea - Inside Out

Personnel:

    Russ Freeman - Synthesizer, Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Keyboards
    Eric Marienthal - Saxophone
    Marcus Miller - Bass, Programming
    Chieli Minucci - Synthesizer, Guitar (Acoustic), Producer
    Tony Morales - Drums
    Dave Samuels - Marimba, Drums (Steel)
    Fernando Saunders - Bass
    Bert Smaak - Drums
    Klaus Sperber - Guitar (Bass)
    Kim Stone - Bass
    Steve Szabo - Trumpet
    Nick Webb - Guitar
    Dave Weckl - Drums
    Kenny Werner - Piano
    George Whitty - Keyboards
    Ted Reinhardt - Drums
    Don Alias - Percussion
    Jimmy Haslip - Bass
    George Jinda - Cymbals, Shaker, Producer, Sound Effects, Bells, Triangle
    Alex Acuña - Percussion
    Mario Argandona - Percussion
    Rubens Bassini -  Percussion
    Jay Beckenstein -  Saxophone, Producer
    Randy Brecker - Trumpet, Flugelhorn
    William Bubba Bryant - Drums
    Greg Carmichael - Guitar
    Lenny Castro - Percussion
    Chick Corea - Synthesizer, Accordion, Producer, MIDI Piano
    Lionel Cordew - Drums
    Steve Croes - Synclavier
    Terry Disley - Keyboards
    Wilton Felder - Synthesizer
    Russell Ferrante - Synthesizer
    Mitchel Forman - Piano, Keyboards
    Jeff Kashiwa - Sax (Alto), Sax (Tenor)
    William Kennedy - Drums
    Kim Kurzdorfer - Bass
    Michael Landau - Guitar
    Armand Sabal-Lecco - Bass, Piccolo Bass
    Mark Ledford - Vocals
    Will Lee - Bass (Electric)
    John Tropea - Guitar
    The Brecker Brothers - Producer, Performer
    Michael Brecker - Synthesizer, Keyboards, Sax (Tenor), Programming
    Gary Burton - Producer, Vibraphone, Performer
    Peter Erskine - Percussion, Drums

Mahavishnu Orchestra - 1973-1975 [2014] "Between Nothingness & Eternity" "Visions of the Emerald Beyond"

Mahavishnu Orchestra - 1973-1975 [2014] "Between Nothingness And Eternity"

Between Nothingness & Eternity is the first live album of Mahavishnu Orchestra, and last with the original line-up, released in 1973. According to the Mahavishnu Orchestra Gigs listing by Walter Kolosky, it was recorded live at the Schaefer Music Festival, held in Central Park, New York on August 17 and 18, 1973, even though, available recordings seems to prove that all of the material from the album was actually taken from the second night only. Originally, Mahavishnu Orchestra's third album was to be a studio one, recorded in June 1973 at Trident Studios in London, but was scrapped during the final days of the project. A live album containing versions of three out of the original six tracks came out instead. The original studio album was later released in 1999 as The Lost Trident Sessions.
Between Nothingness & Eternity was included in 2011 as part of The Complete Columbia Albums Collection boxset, along with the other albums by the first line-up of the band, including "The Lost Trident Sessions". This new version was a new different mix with an additional minute of music on "Sister Andrea". The boxset also contained an album called "Unreleased Tracks from Between Nothingness & Eternity" which contains other selections from the two Central Park shows.

The first Mahavishnu Orchestra's original very slim catalog was padded out somewhat by this live album (recorded in New York's Central Park) on which the five jazz/rock virtuosos can be heard stretching out at greater length than in the studio. There are only three selections on the disc, all of which were to have been on the group's then-unissued third album -- two of them, guitarist John McLaughlin's "Trilogy: Sunlit Path/La Merede la Mer" and keyboardist Jan Hammer's "Sister Andrea," are proportioned roughly as they were in their studio renditions, while the third, McLaughlin's "Dream," is stretched to nearly double its 11-minute studio length. Each develops organically through a number of sections, and there are fewer lockstep unison passages than on the earlier recordings. McLaughlin is as flashy and noisy as ever on double-necked electric guitar, and Hammer and violinist Jerry Goodman are a match for him in the speed department, with drummer Billy Cobham displaying a compelling, raw power and dexterity to his work as well, especially on the CD edition, which also gives bassist Rich Laird a showcase for his slightly subtler work. Yet for all of the superb playing, one really doesn't hear much music on this album; electricity and competitive empathy are clearly not enough, particularly on the 21-minute "Dream," which left a lot of fans feeling let down at the end of its side-two-filling run on the LP. In the decades since this album was released, the studio versions of these three pieces, along with other tracks being worked up for their third album, have appeared as The Lost Trident Sessions -- dating from May and June of 1973 -- thus giving fans a means of comparing this repertory to what the band had worked out (or not worked out) in the studio; and Between Nothingness and Eternity has come up a bit in estimation as a result, benefiting as it does from the spontaneity and energy of a live performance, though even that can only carry this work so far -- beyond the personality conflicts that broke up the band, they seem to have been approaching, though not quite reaching, a musical dead end as well.

Tracks Listing

1. Trilogy Medley (12:01)
... The Sunlit Path
... La Mere De La Mer
... Tomorrow's Story Not The Same
2. Sister Andrea (8:22)
3. Dream (21:24)

Total Time: 41:47

Line-up / Musicians

- Jerry Goodman / violin
- Jan Hammer / synthesizer, piano, keyboards, Moog synthesizer
- Rick Laird / bass
- John McLaughlin / synthesizer, guitar
- Sri Chinmoy / poetry
- Billy Cobham / drums


Mahavishnu Orchestra - 1975 [2014] "Visions of the Emerald Beyond"

Visions of the Emerald Beyond is an album by the jazz fusion group Mahavishnu Orchestra, and the second released by its second incarnation.
According to the liner notes, the album was recorded at Electric Lady Studios in New York City from December 4 until December 14, 1974. It was then mixed at Trident Studios in London from December 16 until December 24, 1974.

As the second album to document the second Mahavishnu Orchestra, this one isn't as, well, apocalyptic as its predecessor, yet it does focus more intently on the band itself. Jean-Luc Ponty's curling electric violin lines help give this Mahavishnu band a more European sound than its predecessor, and some of the orchestral concepts of Apocalypse work their way into the picture via comments by a string trio and trumpet/sax duo. This band also had some interest in a bombastic funk direction that may have been borrowed from Mr. "Chameleon" Herbie Hancock, and would later be followed by Mahavishnu Two's drummer, Michael Walden. Gayle Moran's ethereal vocals don't date as badly as those on many jazz-rock records; at least she can sing. Overall, this Mahavishnu edition is more refined and not as aggressive as the first -- although they could charge ahead pretty hard, as "Be Happy" and "On the Way Home to Earth" demonstrate -- yet they were still capable of making memorable electric music.

Visions of the Emerald Beyond is the most-overlooked and under-appreciated recording John McLaughlin has ever made. This album, released in 1975, features an expanded Mahavishnu line-up that went beyond a horn and string section to include the dynamic Narada Michael Walden on drums and fusion superstar Jean Luc Ponty on violin.

This album is drenched in a new sort of funkiness that McLaughlin had not explored in previous Mahavishnu recordings.

"Eternity's Breath" opens the album, and right away you know you are in for a sonic treat. McLaughlin's notes are fat and strong. Walden's drumming is powerful and propulsive. Ponty's violin literally soars to heights he has never attained on his own recordings. The strings and horns do not have that superfluous quality found in many other "third-stream" efforts. They are relevant to the musical event. Vocals even pop up now and then, and although they can be somewhat "holier than thou", they too add to the orchestral milieu of Visions.

Many listeners wanting to hear a clone of the original Mahavishnu Orchestra never accepted this band. That is too bad, because MO2 had a lot to say. The band has a full and engaging sound, plus the balls to present it in a grandiose fashion.

Michael Walden's "Cosmic Strut' opened up side two of this album on the original vinyl release. Talk about FUNK! This tune envelops you in it. Walden, who has gone onto to become a superstar producer, was a great fusion writer.

"Lila's Dance" is another gem. When Branford Marsalis served as the musical director of America's Jay Leno Tonight Show, his band, also featuring the fine jazz guitarist Kevin Eubanks, would regularly perform the tune, along with "Meeting of the Spirits." Even two decades years later these tunes were too much for the establishment to take. Management told Marsalis to stop playing this type of music. That attitude, along with some other issues, convinced Branford that he no longer had a job. Eubanks has the gig now, and although he's a huge McLaughlin fan, he doesn't play any of these tunes. He wants to keep his job. That's how dangerous this music can still be.

Tracks Listing

1. Eternity's Breath Part 1 (3:10)
2. Eternity's Breath Part 2 (4:48)
3. Lila's Dance (5:34)
4. Can't Stand Your Funk (2:09)
5. Pastoral (3:41)
6. Faith (2:00)
7. Cosmic Strut (3:28)
8. If I Could See (1:18)
9. Be Happy (3:31)
10. Earth Ship (3:42)
11. Pegasus (1:48)
12. Opus 1 (0:15)
13. On The Way Home To Earth (4:34)

Total Time: 39:57

Line-up / Musicians

- John McLaughlin / 6- & 12-string guitars, vocals
- Gayle Moran / keyboards, vocals
- Jean-Luc Ponty / violins (electric & baritone electric) (10 solo)
- Ralphe Armstrong / bass, double bass, vocals
- Michael Walden / drums, percussion, clavinet, vocals

With:
- Bob Knapp / flute, trumpet, flugelhorn, vocals
- Russell Tubbs / alto & soprano saxes
- Steven Kindler / 1st violin (5 solo)
- Carol Shive / 2nd violin, vocals
- Phillip Hirschi / cello