Irakere – Grupo Irakere (Areito, 1976)

Chucho Valdés (p); Arturo Sandoval (tr); Jorge Varona (tr), Paquito d'Rivera (as); Carlos Averoff (ts, fl); Carlos Emilio Morales (g); Carlos del Puerto (b, el-b); Enrique Plá (d); Jorge “El Niño” Alfonso (cga); Armando Cuervo (perc, vo); Oscar Valdés (perc, vo)

Recorded in 1976

Reissued as JazzCuba, Vol. 5: Irakere by Rumor Records in 2007 (with two bonus tracks).

Irakere made a huge splash outside of their native Cuba in the late-70s, releasing two explosive and wonderful LPs for Columbia Records.  

But I think their most powerful statement came on the LP simply titled Grupo Irakere, which they made in Cuba before their worldwide breakout.

More Irakere
For more of Irakere in the 1970s when the band still featured their three most famous soloists, Chucho Valdés, Arturo Sandoval, and Pacquito D'Rivera:

- Irakere (self-titled) (Columbia/Areito, 1978)
- Chekeré Son (JVC/Milestone, 1979)
- 2 (Columbia/Areito, 1979)

Graciela y Mario - La Botánica (Lamp/Coco, 1976)

Graciela (vo); Mario Bauzá (as, tr); Victor Paz (tr, fghn); Charlie Camilleri (tr, fghn); Mario Rivera (bs, fl); Lolly Bienenfeld (tb); Alfredito Valdés (p); Guillermo Edgehill (b); Joe Santiago (b, 1 trk only); Papo Pepin (bgo, tim); Rolando Diaz (cga, perc); Osvaldo "Chihuahua" Martinez (guiro); Cristina Mosquera (vo); Nancy Rodriguez (vo); Marcelino Morales (vo)

Recorded in 1976

Amazing Latin jazz!

Graciela Pérez-Gutiérrez and Mario Bauzá spent many years in Machito's orchestra.  Graciela was the primary singer with Machito, and Bauza served as the orchestra's Musical Director.  

The pair made this terrific record shortly after leaving Machito.

Sam Most - Flute Flight (Xanadu, 1977)

Sam Most (fl, cl); Lou Levy (p); Monty Budwig (b); Donald Bailey (d)

Recorded on December 28, 1976

Beginning in the 1950s, Sam Most was one of the first jazz musicians to focus primarily on the flute. 

In the late 1970s, he made several excellent recordings for Xanadu.  Flute Flight is the one that I like best.

Other Most recordings from this period include:

- Mostly Flute (Xanadu, 1976)
- But Beautiful (Catalyst, 1976)
- Flute Talk - with Joe Farrell (Xanadu, 1979)
- From the Attic of My Mind album (Xanadu, 1980)

Randy Weston - Vishnu Wood Duo – Perspective (Denon, 1977)

Randy Weston (p); Vishnu Wood (b)

December 14, 1976

I could listen to Randy Weston all day ... and I often do!  This duo session with bassist Vishnu Wood is a consummate example of Weston's artistry.

More Randy Weston

In addition to the solo piano disc Blues to Africa (Freedom, 1975), covered earlier in this survey, here are some more Randy Weston recordings from the 1970s that I have given me much enjoyment:

- Blue Moses (CTI, 1972) 

- Tanjah (Polydor, 1973)

- Carnival (Freedom, 1974)

- African Nite (Owl/Sunnyside, 1975)

- Randy Weston Meets Himself (PAUSA, 1976)

Hal Galper Quintet – Reach Out! (SteepleChase/Inner City, 1977)

Hal Galper (p); Randy Brecker (tr); Michael Brecker (ts, fl); Wayne Dockery (b); Billy Hart (d)

Recorded on November 11, 1976 

Another outstanding straight-ahead session on SteepleChase!  

Hal Galper made a series of excellent recordings in the latter half of the decade.  

It's fun to hear Michael and Randy Brecker in this context, and the whole band cooks.

More Hal Galper

Three of Galper's recordings, made around the same time as this SteepleChase disc, are also easy to recommend:

- Now Hear This (Enja, 1977) with Terumasa Hino, Cecil McBee & Tony Williams

- Redux '78 (Concord, 1991) with the Brecker Brothers, Wayne Dockery & Bob Moses

- Speak with a Single Voice (Enja, 1979) with the same group heard on Redux '78

Jimmy Knepper Quintet – Cunningbird (SteepleChase, 1977)

Jimmy Knepper (tb); Al Cohn (ts); Roland Hanna (p); George Mraz (b); Dannie Richmond (d)

Recorded on November 8, 1976

Given the fact that Jim Knepper, Roland Hanna, and Dannie Richmond all worked in various bands led by Charles Mingus, it's not surprising that the music on Cunningbird bears the influenced of their former boss. 

Al Cohn's tenor work was at its peak in the second half of the Seventies.  Along with Knepper's distinctive trombone sound, they make a formidable front line.  Plus, it's harder to imagine a more sympathetic rhythm section.  Hearing Roland Hanna paired with George Mraz is always a pleasure.

Everything comes together perfectly on this SteepleChase session, making it one of of the finest straight-ahead sessions of the decade.

Albert Mangelsdorff, Jaco Pastorius, Alphonse Mouzon – Trilogue: Live! (MPS, 1977)

Albert Mangelsdorff (tb); Jaco Pastorius (el b); Alphonse Mouzon (d)

Recorded on November 6, 1976

Reissued as part of the 2-CD set Three Originals (MPS, 1993), paired with The Wide Point and Albert Live in Montreux

An amazing concert performance by three virtuosos.  But it's not the chops-fest that you might expect.  Surprisingly subtle and creative music.