Toots Thielemans - The Amazing Sound Of Toots Thielemans

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 73:02
Size: 167.2 MB
Label: Fresh Sounds Records
Styles: Harmonica jazz
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[2:19] 1. On The Alamo
[4:35] 2. Don't Be That Way
[2:24] 3. I'm Putting All My Eggs In One Basket
[2:59] 4. Sophisticated Lady
[2:46] 5. Scotch On The Rocks
[2:23] 6. I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart
[3:12] 7. Stars Fell On Alabama
[4:27] 8. Diga Diga Doo
[2:45] 9. So Rare
[2:02] 10. Skylark
[4:18] 11. Sonny Boy
[2:12] 12. Cocktails For Two
[3:20] 13. The Nearness Of You
[3:13] 14. In A Sentimental Mood
[2:40] 15. You Took Advantage Of Me
[2:53] 16. Cool And Easy
[2:16] 17. Body And Soul
[4:08] 18. The Cuckoo In The Clock
[2:35] 19. Tangerine
[3:41] 20. Early Autumn
[2:34] 21. Them There Eyes
[3:26] 22. A Handful Of Stars
[2:59] 23. Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man
[2:45] 24. Clap Yo' Hands

Featuring: Urbie Green, Billy Byers, Chauncey Welsch, Santos Russo, Lou McGarity, Al Godlis, Billy Rauch, Jack Satterfield (tb), Toots Mondello, Artie Beck (as, cl), Carl Prager (bs, cl), Al Cohn, Zoot Sims (ts), George Berg (ts, cl), Al Epstein, Danny Bank (bars),

Jean “Toots” Thielemans arrived in the U.S. from his native Belgium in 1951. His first works in jazz were as a guitarist, instrument on which he achieved recognition as soon as he joined the George Shearing Quintet in late 1952. However, he was also a skilful harmonica player.

The present selection was intended to introduce the several facets of the instrument as exposed by Toots Thielemans’ thorough musicianship, his swing, and his unique achievements in versatility. For him, the ingredients of jazz are the beat (the motor) and sound, melody, and harmony (the intelligence). In this collection you will find Toots playing harmonica on every track, and even overdubbing guitar solos on four of them. With feats like this, not only he proved that jazz is a music of many moods, but he also brought a new perspective to the use of the harmonica in the jazz field; because one thing is certain: he can make it swing!

The Amazing Sound Of Toots Thielemans

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Rita Lee - Aqui, Ali Em Qualquer Lugar

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 39:41
Size: 90.9 MB
Label: Random
Styles: Easy Listening, Pop
Year: 2001
Art: Front

[3:45] 1. A Hard Day's Night
[2:46] 2. With A Little Help From My Friends
[2:39] 3. Pra Voce Eu Digo Sim (If I Fell)
[3:04] 4. All My Loving
[2:24] 5. Minha Vida
[2:37] 6. She Loves You
[2:46] 7. Michelle
[2:29] 8. Aqui, El, Em Qualquer Lugar
[2:18] 9. I Want To Hold Your Hand
[2:38] 10. Tudo Por Amor
[4:40] 11. Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds
[2:27] 12. Aqui, El, Em Qualquer Lugar 2
[2:23] 13. In My Life
[2:39] 14. If I Fell

Brazilian singer Rita Lee's bossa nova tribute to the Fab Four is a well-chosen set that occasionally veers towards the sublime, as on her interpretation of "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds," and "Minha Vida," her Brazilian version of "In My Life." "All My Loving" becomes a sultry love letter, while "Here, There, and Everywhere" only adds to the swooning romanticism of the original.

Aqui, Ali, Em Qualquer Lugar  

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Leo Watson - Scat Man Best

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 73:09
Size: 167.5 MB
Label: Vintage Masters
Styles: Vocal jazz/blues
Year: 1999
Art: Front

[3:02] 1. Honeysuckle Rose
[2:45] 2. I've A Strange New Rhythm In My Heart
[2:32] 3. Nobody's Sweetheart
[2:37] 4. I Got Rhythm
[2:38] 5. Whistle While You Work
[2:22] 6. Tutti-Frutti
[2:47] 7. The Man With The Mandolin
[2:46] 8. Snake Pit
[2:32] 9. Utt Da Zay (The Taylor Song)
[3:10] 10. Scattin' The Blues
[2:54] 11. It's The Tune That Counts
[6:11] 12. Avocado Seed Soup Symphony, Pt. 1
[2:26] 13. Nagasaki
[2:48] 14. Shoot The Likker To Me, John Boy
[2:29] 15. She Ain't No Saint
[2:31] 16. Do You Wanna Jump, Children
[2:49] 17. Tight And Gay
[2:41] 18. Jada
[3:00] 19. Jeepers Creepers
[3:09] 20. Coquette (Chicken Coquette)
[9:14] 21. Sonny Boy
[2:56] 22. Free Wheeling
[2:38] 23. Jingle Bells

Jive vocalist Leo Watson is one of the forgotten masters of scat singing. This is rare stuff that fans of swing and blues will be glad to find on one disc. ~ Matt Collar

Recording information: Los Angeles, CA (09/20/1933-09/07/1945); New York, NY (09/20/1933-09/07/1945).

Leo Watson (vocals, drums); Teddy Bunn (vocals, guitar); Virgil Scroggins, George Vann (vocals, drums); Wilbur Dannils (vocals); Horace Rollins, Ulysses Livingston, Arv Garrison, Al Avola, Frank Victor, Slim Gaillard, Ray Biondi (guitar); Paul Ricci (clarinet, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone); Murray Williams (clarinet, alto saxophone); Artie Shaw (clarinet); Bob Snyder, Mascagni Ruffo, George Siravo, Les Robinson (alto saxophone); Jules Rubin, Carl Biesacker, Sam Donahue, Sam Musiker, Tony Pastor (tenor saxophone); Ralph Muzillo, Tom Dicarlo, Malcolm Crain, Dave Schultze, John McGee, John Best , Charles Frankhauser (trumpet); Dalton Rizzotto, Tony Tyler, George Arus, Bruce Squaries, Charles McCamish, Vic Dickenson, Harry Rodgers (trombone); Eddie Heywood, Leonard Feather, Milt Raskin, Gene DePaul, Les Burness (piano); O'Neill Spencer, Gene Krupa, Harold "Doc" West, Cliff Leeman (drums).

Scat Man Best                 

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The Bob Brough Quartet - Like A Spring Day (featuring Carol McCartney)

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 55:15

Size: 126.5 MB

Label: (Self released)

Styles: Saxophone jazz

Year: 2005

Art: Front

[3:29] 1. Like A Spring Day

[5:13] 2. I Know Love Must Be Near

[5:19] 3. A View Painted Citron And Blue

[5:25] 4. Daisy

[5:44] 5. Indian Summer

[3:01] 6. Paradise Is Good Enough For Me

[5:24] 7. Only Summer Knows

[6:02] 8. There's A Place In My Heart

[5:27] 9. Today

[3:59] 10. Scarborough Fair

[6:06] 11. When The Atmosphere's Right

Surely saxophonist/composer Bob Brough must be one of the best jazzmen in Toronto. His second album, Like A Spring Day offers the opportunity to showcase the talents of singer Carol McCartney. Brough collaborated with lyricist Sonja Tran on all but two of the eleven compositions.

Last year at this time, I reviewed Bob Brough's debut recording, A Decade of Favorites and although he had appeared on over twenty recordings, this was his first album. The songs written for this new album are largely uptempo tunes with optimistic titles like "I Know Love Must Be Near," "Paradise Is Good Enough For Me," and the title tune. Sonja Tran's lyrics are sunny and uplifting as exemplified by the "A View Painted Citron and Blue." The goods are delivered by Carol McCartney who sings in a manner reminiscent of Jackie Cain (Jackie & Roy). Her delivery is enthusiastic and she seems comfortable with the jazz vocal genre scatting with ease. The best example of this is on "Today" where she has an extended scat opportunity and also trades four with the band. Bob Brough impressed us last year on his debut and, likewise, as an accompanist he proves equally adept. We get to hear him solo on every track and also provide gorgeous obbligatos behind McCartney in a manner that you'd associate with Stan Getz or Scott Hamilton. When we get the first ballad, "Daisy," Brough elevates the song per his solo. On the version of the Simon & Garfunkel-associated "Scarborough Fair," taken at a faster tempo, McCartney delivers the melody line and then hands off to Brough who soulfully makes this into a legitimate jazz version. The trio of Stan Fomin, piano; Artie Roth, bass and Kevin Brow, drums are all regular members of the Brough group and provide fine support with Fomin and Roth getting in some brief solo space here. ~Michael Galdstone

Like A Spring Day (featuring Carol McCartney)                 

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Hot Club Of Belgrade - The Balkan Swinging Melody

Styles: Gypsy Jazz
Label: Independent
Released: 2010
File: mp3 @320K/s
Size: 105,7 MB
Time: 45:39
Art: front

1. Bembasa - 3:03
2. Makedonsko Devojce - 3:20
3. Djelem Djelem - 3:23
4. Jeremija - 3:46
5. Hej Salasi - 3:20
6. Sila Kale Bal - 3:25
7. Cajsukarije - 3:07
8. Biljana Platno Belese - 3:34
9. Vranjanka - 3:51
10. Devojko Mala - 4:01
11. Tamo Daleko - 4:00
12. Bolujem Ja - 3:32
13. Dodji U Kafanu - 3:12

Hot Club of Belgrade members are:
Branko Maćić - lead guitar
Filip Krumes - violin
Srđan Marković - rhythm guitar
Goran Rakočević - double bass

Notes: Hot Club of Belgrade is inspired by the music of the legendary jazz artists Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli. Our repertoir consists of classical gypsy jazz manouche compozitions, swing standards and popular evergreen songs.

Our recently published CD "The Balkan Swinging Melody" represents a collection of chosen traditional melodies from the Balkans (Serbia, Vojvodina, Macedonia, Bosnia) performed in gypsy jazz manner.

The Balkan Swinging Melody

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Django Reinhardt & Stéphane Grappelli - Tea For Two

Styles: Swing, Guitar Jazz

Label: Sony Music

Released: 2001

File: mp3 @320K/s

Size: 126,8 MB

Time: 54:45

Art: front

1. Tea For Two - 2:53

2. Sweet Georgia Brown - 3:07

3. Nuages - 3:02

4. My Sweet - 2:54

5. Daphne - 3:09

6. Nocturne - 3:14

7. I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm - 2:31

8. Lambeth Walz - 2:46

9. The Flat Foot Boogie - 2:55

10. Billets Doux - 2:53

11. I Got Rhythm - 2:56

12. Honeysuckle Rose - 2:53

13. Night And Day - 2:42

14. The Man I Love - 3:12

15. Louise - 2:37

16. Black And White - 3:04

17. Stompin At Decca - 2:33

18. If I Had You - 2:48

19. Swing From Paris - 2:29

Personnel:
Jan Blok - Guitar
John Etheridge - Guitar
Stéphane Grappelli - Violin
Laurie Holloway - Harpsichord, Piano
Barney Kessel Primary Artist
Yehudi Menuhin - Violin
Pierre Michelot - Bass
Django Reinhardt - Guitar
Ronnie Verrell - Drums

Notes: For the third recorded meeting between violinists Stephane Grappelli and Yehudi Menuhin, the rhythm section is joined by some woodwinds on a few of the selections. Grappelli sounds fine but Menuhin's classical technique did not prepare him to improvise and he weighs down the proceedings a bit, making some of the ballads sound too sweet. This LP is therefore a historical curiosity rather than an essential acquisition.

Tea For Two

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Daryl Sherman - Guess Who's In Town

Styles: Vocal
Label: Arbors Records
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:45
Size: 141,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:13)  1. Love You Madly
(5:17)  2. I Concentrate On You
(5:15)  3. Then I'll Be Tired Of You
(3:37)  4. Guess Who's In Town
(4:49)  5. Carolina In The Morning
(2:01)  6. Tennessee Fish Fry
(3:57)  7. Angel Eyes
(3:55)  8. Lullaby Of Birdland
(3:06)  9. Underneath The Arches
(6:05) 10. Welcome To Manhattan
(3:43) 11. Embraceable You
(3:12) 12. Like A Puzzle
(3:08) 13. Don't Worry 'Bout Me
(4:21) 14. Someday Sweetheart
(4:58) 15. Dream Awhile

Vocalist-pianist Daryl Sherman performs every week at the Waldorf-Astoria, playing the same piano on which Cole Porter composed. Sherman is the right player for such a setting and such an instrument; she's a swing musician in the most traditional sense of that phrase. Where many singers seek novelty in the hybridization of jazz with other musical idioms, Sherman remains true to a straight-ahead interpretation of jazz standards from the early part of the last century. (Such an orthodox singer is truly the novelty these days.) And Sherman's latest release Guess Who's In Town? her fourth album for Arbors Records, reminds us just how uplifting straight-ahead jazz can be. 

Sherman approaches each of the 15 tunes on the CD in a candid, unhurried manner. She's backed by some of New York's most established sidemen, and as it goes, few jazz singers accompany themselves or hold their own with a band as well as Sherman does. Her wispy, girlish vocals command all the more attention for their understatement and lack of ornamentation; she leaves the solos and the embellishment to her able fingers and her highly skilled band. On most of the cuts Sherman shares changes with guitarist Jim Wheatley and bassist Dave Green; and jazz elder Jay Leonhart (who lent his vintage bass to Green for the recording) backs Sherman's touchingly vulnerable vocals in a bass-vox duet on "Don't Worry 'Bout Me. On different tunes Sherman makes full use of two of New York's more prominent horn players Harry Allen (tenor sax) and The Nighthawks leader Vince Giordano (bass sax) but wisely pairs them on the Reg Connelly/Bud Flanagan song, "Under The Arches. Another winning pair-off: Giordano sings with Sherman in homage to Bobby Short in their charming take on the title cut (though Giordano is uncredited as a vocalist in the list of personnel). 

Along with Sherman's standard offerings (Ellington, Porter, and Gershwin) are some unusual selections, among them a sunny version of "Carolina In The Morning (Walter Donaldson) and an infectious "Tennessee Fish Fry (Arthur Schwartz/Oscar Hammerstein). One sweet surprise: Johnny Mercer's little-known "Dream Awhile. Sherman also demonstrates strong chops as a composer. Her original, "Welcome To Manhattan, is a romantic ballad that details the best the city has to offer. For aficionados of swing, Sherman most certainly belongs on that list.~Suzanne Lorge

(http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=25695#.UhZ2mn-Ac1I).

Personnel: Daryl Sherman: piano, vocals; Harry Allen: tenor sax; Vince Giordano: bass sax; Jon Wheatley: guitar; Dave Green: bass; Jay Leonhart: bass.

Guess Who's In Town

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