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Music

Selected Discography

I am happy to report that I can now sell many of my recordings direct from this website! Many of these recordings (and others) are also available directly from the record companies, from record stores with good jazz selections, and from Cadence. You can hear a few excerpts at www.myspace.com/rorystuartquartet.

As composer and guitarist:

The Rory Stuart Quartet "So Rise Up" (SmartCatMusic 1001) w/ Mark Shim, Matt Penman, Ari Hoenig.

I am so excited to be able to offer my newest recording, which best represents the music I'm playing today, with my current quartet. This is too new to have any reviews yet, but it gets my highest recommendation!

USA and Canada: $18 U.S. dollars, shipping and handling included

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Other countries: $21 U.S. dollars, shipping and handling included

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(Very soon, I will have detailed notes and charts from So Rise Up, available to you for free - it is just taking me a second to get all the web stuff happening ...)


The Rory Stuart Quartet —"Hurricane" (Sunnyside Communications SSC 1021) w/ Keith Copeland, Anthony Cox, Armen Donelian.

**** (Four Stars) "Heated and unfettered....an incisive finely-tuned ensemble gestalt that makes possible performances of strong bristling creativity, purposeful economy, and clarity of expression. The four men think as one..." —Pete Welding, Downbeat

"There are many subtle aspects to Stuart's playing, but the bottom line for this stone jazzman is full-out blowing...Stuart takes chances, which makes this one of the most exciting and adventurous albums in recent memory." —Jim Ferguson, Guitar Player

"This quartet appears to have taken a cue from Monk in exploring intervals and rhythm. And there is a feeling of exhilaration in the process. This record is good news for creative discovery." —Owen Cordle, Jazz Times

**** (Four Stars)The power of group cohesion is very evident..Excellent release." —Lofton Emenari, Hyde Park Citizen

"An uncompromising album from a guitarist we must hear more from." KJazz Line

You may have seen the old version floating around, but I recommend the recently reissued version in which Sunnyside included both the original liner notes (that were supposed to be included originally) as well as new liner notes and artwork.

USA and Canada: $18 U.S. dollars, shipping and handling included

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Glenn Wilson / Rory Stuart — "Bittersweet" (Sunnyside Communications SSC 1057D)

"Wilson and Stuart choose the unusual path of bari sax- guitar duo. Fron the gentle hush of Stuart's 'Wednesday's Child' to Wilson's deep groove on Stuart's 'Blueprint' this release showcases two strong talents who ably transcend the stated limitations of such an instrumental duet pairing." —Willard Jenkins, Jazz Times

"Wilson and Stuart's baritone sax and guitar improvisations are strong and confident. Both players understand the importance of support and the way they set up each other for solos is one of the disc's strengths It is especially unique to hear Wilson's baritone comping behind Stuart's fleet single-note lines. It doesn't take long to forget the instrumentation, however, and simply become immersed in the music." —Carl Baugher, Cadence

"Absolutely the best recorded example of Glenn Wilson's baritone playing...an entire album of baritone-guitar duets with his longtime musical colleague Rory Stuart. ..it is fascinating to hear how these two artists interact...a demonstration of how a horn and a chordal instrument can intelligently support each other." —Larry Dickson, Jazz News

This one really holds hold nicely, it has that different flavor and intimacy of a duo recording -- no rhyhm section, just Glenn on baritone sax and me on guitar...

USA and Canada: $18 U.S. dollars, shipping and handling included

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The Rory Stuart Quartet — "Nightwork" (Cadence Jazz Records CJR 1016) w/ Keith Copeland, Calvin Hill, Armen Donelian

"A remarkably assured debut recording — Kevin Whitehead, Jazz Times

"One of the ten best albums of the year. Rory Stuart .. has a full sound with a long lean style of playing most nearly approaching the Coltrane lines of the early sixties. His quartet, in fact has that energetic flow of the Coltrane Quartet... For me, Stuart is one of the freshest new guitarists in jazz....he knows the tradition even while pushing most broadly out from that tradition." —Peter Stevens, Coda

**** (Four stars) "Rory Stuart is an exciting young player who absorbed the lessons of Lester Young and that whole legato legacy, but he also had a keen ear open to John Coltrane...he's not afraid to take chances [and] takes plenty of them on Nightwork, a live date at New York's Seventh Avenue South." —Bill Milkowski, Downbeat

"Stuart plays clean, carefully developed lines that never allow heat to submerge continuity." —Bob Blumenthal, The Boston Phoenix

"An excellent uncompromised LP (a rarity these days)" —R. Iannapollo, OP Magazine

This is only available on LP. That's right, ONLY ON VINYL. Somewhat of a collector's item, but then not too many people collect vinyl these days. I do not have a full picture of the cover to put here but, when he saw the cover, McCoy Tyner said to me "You've got to try to control what the record companies do with your work!" Still, in spite of having one of the world's worst LP covers, Cadence Jazz Records had the courage to release my debut recording and the critics loved it. Thank you, Cadence Jazz Records! ONLY ORDER THIS IF YOU REALLY WANT THE VINYL RECORD - it is NOT a compact disc!!!

USA and Canada: $18 U.S. dollars, shipping and handling included

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The Cadence All Stars — "Lee's Keys Please" (Timeless SJP 284) w/ Glenn Wilson, Ernie Krivda, Alan Simon, Jeff Halsey, Jon Hazilla — This was a session put together with different leaders who had recorded for the Cadence Jazz Records label. You have to see the incoherent job Timeless did with packaging and notes to believe it; BUT, it has some nice things musically that have stood the test of time. Timeless REALLY dropped the ball on this, it must be the most difficult-to-find recording I've ever done. Now, it is truly a collector's item. I have been able to find just a few remaining copies - I believe the other co-leaders of this recording have none left - we can't get any more from Timeless - when these are gone, that's it. Apologies that I have so few copies, and that the price is as high as it is (though it might turn out to be a good investment!).

USA and Canada: $48 U.S. dollars, shipping and handling included

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Other countries: $51 U.S. dollars, shipping and handling included

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There are two recordings I'm on as a sideman which I both enjoy and currently have copies I can sell. One of them is an excellent Quintet recording led by baritone saxophonist Glenn Wilson, featuring the terrific pianist Marc Copland. We play two of my compositions, "Cat's Cradle" (the incorrect spelling in the notes is a mistake Sunnyside made), and "The Forest":

The Glenn Wilson Quintet — "Blue Porpoise Avenue" w/ Marc Copland, Jay Anderson, Jeff Hirshfield (Sunnyside SSC 1074D

USA and Canada: $18 U.S. dollars, shipping and handling included

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The other is a recent recording on the CIMP label with Swedish vocalist Sophie Duner and a very enjoyable rhythm section with Matt Penman and Kahlil Kwame Bell. Sophie does some of her quirky original pieces - some you might not label as "jazz" (I'm not sure *what* you'd call them!), but it has that spontaneity and excitement of a live recording, fun.

 

Sophie Duner — “The Rain in Spain “ (CIMP 341) w/ Matt Penman, Khalil Kwame Bell

USA and Canada: $18 U.S. dollars, shipping and handling included

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Here are some other recordings which I do not have to sell, but you can find some of them elsewhere (try especially www.cadencebuilding.com):

As guitarist and composer:

Noreen Sauls / Earl Sauls / Tim Pleasant — "Think Positive" (Shanti Records GV1001)

Alan Simon — "The Present" (Whispering Pines Records WP120649CD)

Ivo Perelman Trio with Rory Stuart — "Revelation" w/ Dominic Duval and Jay Rosen (Creative Improvised Music Projects CIMP 134)

 

As guitarist only:

Transvalue — "Book II (Teapot in a Tempest)" (Thankyou records MV005) w/Michael Vlatkovich, Charles Britt, Vinny Golia, etc...

The Errol Parker Tentet — (Sahara Records 1013) w/ Doug Harris, Steve Coleman, Zane Massey, Stanton Davis, Malachi Thompson, etc....

The Errol Parker Tentet — "Live at Wollman Auditorium" (Sahara Records 1014) w/ Wallace Roney, Steve Coleman, Doug Harris, Bill Saxton, Robin Eubanks, Patience Higgins, Kevin Harris.

The Michael Vlatkovich Ensemble — "Collective Thought" (Thankyou Records MV006) w/ Michael Vlatkovich, Jay Hutson, etc...

Corina Bartra — "Corina Bartra Quartet" w/ Kirk Lightsey, Santi Debriano, Clifford Barbaro, Pucho Salas (Blue Spiral 002)

Pucci Amanda Jhones — "Wild is the Wind" (CIMP 170) w/ Casey Benjamin, Hill Greene, Wade Barnes

T.J. Graham — "Standards and Insights" (CIMP 252) (duo CD)


As composer only:

The Francis Vanek Quartet — "Redwood Range" (title tune) (Valentine 1952) w/ Geoff Lee, Phil Sparks, Chris Lee.

Tuck & Patti — "Lembrancas" on "Paradise Found" Windham Hill 01934-11336-2/4

Glenn Wilson — "Sweet Thing" on "One Man's Blues" (Sunnyside 1087D) w/ Steve Kessler, Jim Masters, Tony Martucci

Michio Imazato — "Sweet Thing" on "Gentle Rose" (What's New WN1009) w/ John Ellis, Andrew Adair, Kengo Makamura, Sebastian Dekrom

U. of I Concert Jazz Band directed by Chip McNeill — “Get Here Sooner” and “The Forest” on “Get Here Sooner" (School@University of Illinois Music) with Glenn Wilson

Performances

I have performed at the Kool Jazz Festival, and jazz festivals in Ottawa, Vancouver, Burlington Vt., Saalfelden Austria, Telluride Co., at the Painted Bride Arts Center in Philadelphia, Fat Tuesday's, Lush Life, Cornelia Street Cafe, and the Blue Note in New York, and at a myriad of other clubs and concert spaces in and out of the U.S. In the past few years, I have performed in Schwaaz, Austria; Langnau, Bern, Basel, and Lausanne, Switzerland; Aarhus, Denmark; Bassano, Italy; Reykjavik, Iceland; Seoul Korea; etc....(I will add more detailed information about performances soon).
Recent and memorable performances have included concerts in Europe with Billy Harper and Cecil Bridgewater, a performance in Korea with Jason Lindner, Billy Harper, Gregory Jones and Ari Hoenig; a Jazz Presents concert at New School University in a group I led with John Ellis, Robert Glasper, Matt Penman, Dafnis Prieto, Jean Rohe and Becca Stevens, and another I led with Billy Harper, Francesca Tanksley, Reggie Workman, and Ari Hoenig; and nights at Cornelia Street Cafe with versions of my Quartet with saxophonists Mark Shim, Glenn Wilson, or George Garzone; bassists Matt Penman, Francois Moutin, John Lockwood or Chris Tordini; and drummers Ari Hoenig, John Riley or Dafnis Prieto.

Please note: I am very happy for others to play my compositions. I especially enjoy it when people put their own spin on the music and surprise me with what they have done with it. I have too many pieces to put everything up on this site, but please email me if there is a piece for which you want music that I have not yet posted. My one request is that you let me know about your performances and recordings of this music.

Recorded Compositions

Ambivalence SSC TBR
The Ancient Ones SSC 1021
Back to the Sea SSC TBR
Black Orchids SSC TBR
Blueprint SSC 1057D
Cat's Cradle SSC 1074D
The Changing Gospel SJP 284, GV 1001
Circumstantial Evidence SSC TBR
The Comforts of Home SSC TBR
The Courage To Change SSC TBR
Day Play SJP 284, WP120649
Drips CIMP 134
Eccentricities SSC TBR
Exhilarate SCM1001
Experiment #2 SCM1001
Falling Angel SCM1001
The Forest SSC 1074D, SuoIM (no #)
Get Here Sooner SuoIM (no #)
Hurricane SSC 1021
Lembrancas SSC 1021,WH 01934-11336-2/4, SCM1001
Let Me Tell You SSC TBR
Nightwork CJR 1016
Nothing By Nobody Pt.1, 2 SSC TBR
Ozymandias SSC TBR
Pensive SCM1001
Play CJR 1016
Push-Pull SSC 1021
Redwood Range Valentine 1952
Reflections SSC 1057D, CJR 1016
Reoccuring Dreams SSC 1021
The Same Old Same Old SSC TBR, SCM1001
Song of Welcome CJR 1016
So Rise Up SCM1001
Sweet Thing SSC 1021, SSC1087D, WN1009
Synechdoche in Schenectady SSC TBR, SC1001
Threads SSC TBR
The Truth of It SSC TBR
Unexpected Path SCM1001
Waiting for Plugs CIMP 134
Wednesday's Child SSC 1057D, SSC TBR