Joe Castro

• SIX FULL LENGTH COMPACT DISCS

• 2 ARE REISSUES W/ BONUS OF NEVER BEFORE HEARD

• PRIVATE RECORDINGS OF JOE CASTRO & FRIEND

• MUSICAL SETTINGS FROM SOLO TO ORCHESTRA FROM 1955-1966

A massive tribute to this overlooked west coast pianist of the postwar years – an overstuffed set that features unreleased recordings, rare albums, and lots of other unusual material from the archives of the great Joe Castro! The set follows on the very illuminating Lush Life package from Sunnyside a few years back – and like that box, this one showcases just how many things Joe had going on at the time – even if he only got a chance to issued a rare few records as a leader! DISC 1 features a series of mid 50s trio recordings done in LA – with work from Paul Chambers, Leroy Vinnegar, and Red Mitchell on bass – plus Philly Joe Jones, Lawrence Marable, and Jimmy Pratt on drums. DISC 2 isn't Joe at all – but features his own recordings of a very young Paul Bley on piano (1956!), plus singer Flo Handy with backings from pianist George Handy. DISC 3 returns to the Castro catalog – and offers up the Atlantic album Mood Jazz, with arrangements from Neal Hefti and Ray Ellis – plus six more bonus tracks too. DISC 4 features another Atlantic album – the great Groove Funk Soul – again with unissued bonus tracks. DISC 5 features rare trio material, done for Joe's tiny Clover Records imprint – an unusual group with Teddy Kotick on bass and Paul Motian on drums – recorded in New York in 1965. DISC 6 features even more unusual material from the Clover vaults – a few more with the same trio - plus performances from Teddy Edwards and Bill Holman on tenor, Gabe Balthazar on flute and alto, Al Porcino on trumpet, and Bill Hood on baritone – plus orchestrations, tenor, and oboe from Bob Cooper. As with the previous box, the set is a stunning picture of this overlooked piano genius – filled with treasures in many different flavors!

SESSIONS INCLUDED:

• DISC 1: JOE CASTRO'S TRIOS - 1955-1956 - The Artist's Choice
• 01. It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)
• 02. Blues For Nat
• 03. Minuet In Jazz
• 04. They Can't Take That Away From Me
• 05. St. Louis Blues
• 06. Dorshka (For Doris Duke)
• 07. Have You Met Miss Jones?
• 08. Things Ain't What They Used To Be
• 09. Zoot Blues
• 10. Black And Blue (What Did I Do To Be So Black And Blue)
• 11. Jazzbo's Jaunt
• 12. Pennies From Heaven
• 13. Blues In The Close
• 14. Straight Life
• 15. It's All Right With Me
• 16. Sometimes I'm Happy
• 17. Taking A Chance On Love

• DISC 2: JOE CASTRO'S Friends / At Duke Farms 1956 - Paul Bley
• Flo & George Handy
• 01. Blues Improvisation In F
• 02. Ballad-Blues Improvisation In C
• 03. Ballad Improvisation In F
• 04. Salt Peanuts
• 05. A Place In The Sun (Main Title)
• 06. Willow Weep For Me
• 07. Time After Time
• 08. After You've Gone
• 09. Willow Weep For Me (Alternate Take)
• 10. Time After Time (Alternate Take)
• 11. Forgetful (Master Take)
• 12. Will I Ever Learn?
• 13. Leavin' Town (Master Take)
• 14. Country Boy
• 15- When You Are Near
• 16. The Trouble With Me Is You
• 17. You Wear Love So Well!
• 18. Picnic In The Wintertime

• DISC 3: JOE CASTRO / Mood Jazz With Voices & Strings (The Atlantic Album +)
• 01. J.C. Blues
• 02. Without You (Tres Palabras)
• 03. Doodlin'
• 04. Ev'rything I Love
• 05. You Stepped Out Of A Dream
• 06. If You Could See Me Now
• 07. It's You Or No One
• 08. Angel Eyes
• 09. Caravan
• 10. Prelude To A Kiss (Unissued)
• 11. How High The Moon (Unissued)
• 12. J.C. Blues (Unissued Alternate Take)
• 13. J.C. Blues (Unissued Alternate Take)
• 14. Doodlin'
• 15. Doodlin'

• DISC 4: JOE CASTRO / Groove Funk Soul (The Atlantic Album +)
• 01. Groove Funk Soul (In & Out)
• 02. Yesterdays
• 03. Day-Dream
• 04. Could Happen To You
• 05. Play Me The Blues
• 06. That's All
• 07. Yesterdays (Unissued Alternate Take)
• 08. Play Me The Blues (Unissued Alternate Take)
• 09. Lover (Unissued)
• 10. Day In - Day Out (Unissued)

• DISC 5: JOE CASTRO TRIO- The Sidewalks Of New York
• 01. Daisy Mae (Whatever)
• 02. The Sidewalks Of New York (East Side, West Side)
• 03. Here's That Rainy Day
• 04. My Ship
• 05. I'm Getting Sentimental Over You
• 06. One Life To Live
• 07. That Old Feeling
• 08. Cheek To Cheek
• 09. Fascinating Rhythm
• 10. Funky Blues
• 11. You Don't Know What Love Is

• DISC 6: JOE CASTRO TRIO / Remind Me With The Bob Cooper Ensemble
• 01. Things Ain't What They Used To Be
• 02. Sweet Lorraine
• 03. Get Out Of Town
• 04. Remind Me
• 05. Satin Doll
• 06. A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing
• 07. Just Squeeze Me (But Don't Tease Me)
• 08. Lush Life
• 09. Passion Flower
• 10. Remind Me