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1987 studio album by Sphere
Four for All Sphere featuring saxophonist Charlie Rouse , pianist Kenny Barron , bassist Buster Williams , and drummer Ben Riley which was recorded in 1983 and released on the Verve label.[ 1]
Professional ratings Review scores Source Rating AllMusic [ 2]
On UPI , Ken Frankling wrote "This, Sphere's finest album, highlights the vast difference between a pick-up group and a band that was meant to play together. Sphere is one of the best small jazz bands around".[ 3] AllMusic , Ken Dryden states "Although Sphere was initially formed by Kenny Barron, Buster Williams, Charlie Rouse, and Ben Riley to honor Thelonious Monk, their repertoire expanded far beyond his compositions. There is only one piece by Monk included here, a very playful arrangement of "San Francisco Holiday" (or "Worry Later," as it was tentatively titled by Riverside producer Orrin Keepnews when it was first recorded by Monk). Barron's samba "Baiana" proves to be a lively opener, while "Lunacy" is a tense post-bop chart that inspires some of the group's best playing on the date. Rouse's upbeat "Bittersweet," Williams' moody ballad "Air Dance," and the bassist's calypso-flavored "Lupe" are also tasty originals. "This Time the Dream's on Me" is the only standard, but the call-and-response intro between Williams and the rest of the quartet and Rouse's joyous tenor sax make it a memorable interpretation. Duke Ellington's infrequently played "Melancholia" is simply breathtaking, as Barron's consummate voicings blend beautifully with Rouse's bittersweet sax".[ 2]
"Baiana" (Kenny Barron) – 7:49
"Bittersweet" (Charlie Rouse) – 6:00
"Lunacy" (Barron) – 8:02
"Air Dance" (Buster Williams) – 7:59 Bonus track on CD
"San Francisco Holiday (Worry Later)" (Thelonious Monk ) – 7:16
"Lupe" (Williams) – 9:21
"This Time the Dream's on Me " (Harold Arlen , Johnny Mercer ) – 5:32
"Melancholia" (Duke Ellington ) – 4:30 Bonus track on CD
Years given are for the recording(s), not first release, unless stated otherwise.
Studio albums Live albums
Years given are for the recording(s), not first release,
Albums
You Had Better Listen Jimmy Owens , 1967)Sunset to Dawn Peruvian Blue In Tandem Ted Dunbar , 1975)Lucifer Innocence Together Tommy Flanagan , 1978)Golden Lotus Kenny Barron at the Piano Imo Live Spiral Green Chimneys 1+1+1 Autumn in New York Landscape Scratch The Red Barron Duo Red Mitchell , 1986)Two as One Buster Williams , 1986)What If? Live at Fat Tuesdays Rhythm-a-Ning John Hicks , 1989)Invitation Live at Maybeck Recital Hall, Volume Ten The Only One Confirmation Barry Harris , 1991)Lemuria-Seascape The Moment Quickstep Sambao Other Places Wanton Spirit Swamp Sally Mino Cinelu , 1995)Things Unseen Live at Bradley's Live at Bradley's II Night and the City Charlie Haden , 1996)Spirit Song Canta Brasil Freefall Regina Carter , 2000)Images Super Standard The Traveler Minor Blues Kenny Barron & the Brazilian Knights The Art of Conversation Dave Holland , 2014)Book of Intuition Concentric Circles Without Deception Dave Holland , 2020)The Source Beyond This Place Member ofSphere WithBill WithRon WithStan WithDizzy WithFreddie WithYusef WithJames WithBuddy With
Many a New Day: Karrin Allyson Sings Rodgers & Hammerstein Karrin Allyson , 2015)Live at the Blue Note Franco Ambrosetti , 1992)Mustang Curtis Amy , 1967)Old Bottles - New Wine Ray Anderson , 1985)The Best Thing for You Chet Baker , 1977)You Can't Go Home Again Studio Trieste Chet Baker and Hubert Laws , 1982)Bad Benson George Benson , 1974)Code Red Cindy Blackman , 1990)The Oracle Shining Hour Larry Coryell , 1989)Quicksand Ted Curson , 1974)Continuum Ray Drummond , 1994)Booker 'n' Brass Booker Ervin , 1967)Tex Book Tenor All That Jazz Ella Fitzgerald , 1989)Awakening Sonny Fortune , 1975)Two for the Blues Frank Foster and Frank Wess , 1983)Frankly Speaking Tiger in the Rain Michael Franks , 1978)Man & Woman George Freeman , 1974)Panorama: Live at the Village Vanguard Jim Hall , 1996)Light and Lively Louis Hayes , 1989)Una Max The Gap Sealer Albert Heath , 1972)Kwanza (The First) Jimmy Heath , 1973)Now! Bobby Hutcherson , 1969)In the Vanguard New Agenda Elvin Jones , 1975)Time Capsule The Bassist! Sam Jones , 1979)We're Goin' Up Eric Kloss , 1967)Jazz Nocturne Lee Konitz , 1992)Number Two Express Christian McBride , 1995)Brownie: Homage to Clifford Brown Helen Merrill , 1995)Never Never Land Jane Monheit , 2000)Peace and Rhythm Idris Muhammad , 1971)A Time for Love Arturo Sandoval , 2010)This Bud's for You... Bud Shank , 1984)Solid Woody Shaw , 1986)Kamau Charles Sullivan , 1995)Pure Dynamite Buddy Terry , 1972)A Bluish Bag Stanley Turrentine , 1967)Jazz French Horn Tom Varner , 1985)Listen Here Roseanna Vitro , 1982)Natural Essence Tyrone Washington , 1967)Two at the Top Frank Wess and Johnny Coles , 1983)New York, New Sound Gerald Wilson , 2003)
Years given are for the recording(s), not first release, unless stated otherwise.
Studio albums Live albums with Sphere
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