Ray Brown, who died July 2nd at the age of 75, was one of the great bass players in jazz, bringing clarity, soul and a solid musical sense to everything he played. Mr. Brown debuted back in the Bebop era, with Dizzy Gillespie and worked in a group with Dizzy, Charlie Parker, Bud Powell and Max Roach. "Guitarists" was the fifth and final installment of a series that paired his working trio (Geoff Keezer on piano, a veteran of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, and Karriem Riggins on drums), with a number of players on the same instruments (previously trumpeters, vocalists, saxplayers and vocalists). His guitar collaborators here range from fellow Oscar Peterson alumni Herb Ellis, who makes us smile on "I Want To Be Happy," to Russell Malone who sounds like he belongs in Basie's band on Neil Hefti's "Little Darling." Also on board are John Pizzarelli, Bruce Forman, Ulf Wakenius and Kenny Burrell. Every track has the look and feel of a working quartet, enhanced by Telarc's high-end acoustics with its "in the room" feel. "Some of My Best Friends Are...Guitarists" is a Thanksgiving day dinner for guitar lovers and a fitting memorial to one of finest musicians in jazz history.

Rating: 8 out of 10

For more infomation on this band: http://www.jazzonln.com/showrelease.asp?id=962

Rating: 7.5 out of 10

Whoever invented the idea of not knowing what you have until its gone couldn't possibly have perceived the magnitude of such a statement truer words were never written. And so it goes for Germany's Crematory, after ten plus years spanning eight albums, countless tours and doubtless respect of their peers of which there are many, the band decides to step down while still on top. Sad but understandable in fact maybe if more groups knew when to say when there'd be more respectability associated with those few who've managed to tarnish otherwise illustrious careers-without naming names-and certainly dying with dignity is still dying Sad indeed. "Remind," simply titled, shall this day forward do what it says, "remind" everyone who had a part in making this band what it is and what is shall remain in the years ahead-times change, people move on, fate advances but some thing's stay with us. Crematory's success did not come quickly or easily in the early going. Early nineties releases as "Transmigration," "Illusions," and their eventual self-titled '96 release, hinted at the talent that lied beneath a surface charred with blackened Death, steeped in the Gothic tradition, still trying to get their wings. Things came together later on when they streamlined the vocals and their sound overall, lending mainly to the Gothic character, still dark but willing to let more light shine through in what turned out to be more complete offerings that shook little faith as they grew in popularity-"Awake," and their Nuclear Blast debut "Act Seven," an album that signaled a new beginning for a band gaining worldwide notoriety a new beginning that unfortunately would be short-lived. Their follow-up "Believe," came out last year and will prove to be their last studio recording. "Remind" captures the live moments of Crematory for all of disc one, sixteen select tracks that span those many majestic moments past to present, undeniably necessary to the long time fan or even the beginner finally able to tune in a few short years ago. Disc two features the rarities and bonus tracks plus original demos from back in '92 prior to their "Transmigration" debut. The terrific career-spanning cover booklet, sixty full pages, though it could be 130 and wouldn't make much difference unless you're of the Deutchland descent Luckily for those of us who are not, every picture tells a story and as you glance over the glossy pages, it's like being a part of it all-something too few of us could ever imagine on this side of the Atlantic everything's covered and a few things graciously uncovered but we'll leave that alone. All in all an impressive limited edition package that commemorates the passion for which they played, and the dignity with which they'll leave

Rating: 9 out for 10