Grant Green - The Complete Quartets with Sonny Clark (2-disc set)

THE COMPLETE QUARTETS WITH SONNY CLARK includes the albums NIGERIA, GOODEN'S CORNER and OLEO as well as 3 additional tracks. This two-disc set gathers together the cuts for three Blue Note sessions teaming Grant Green with Sonny Clark. The first, NIGERIA, was originally release posthumously in 1980 and features Green's only collaboration with drummer Art Blakey. GOODEN'S CORNER and OLEO were both only released in Japan in 1979 and 1980, respectively. The latter two sessions featured Louis Hayes on drums along with Sam Jones, the bassist for all three albums. Luckily these sessions have been carefully restored and release for all to hear. The focus of all three session is mainly on standards. In the hands of Green and Clark, however, these familiar tunes become something else entirely. The force of their strong musical personalities is so consuming that works like Gerswin's "It Ain't Necessarily So," here taken as a grungy shuffle, take on a whole new light. Likewise, the Kern-Hammerstein classic "The Song Is You" and Cole Porter's "What Is This Thing Called Love" are both as fresh and exciting as the day they were written. Disc two features Henry Mancini's "Moon River" reshaped into a delightful bounce and Green's shockingly unusual read of Sonny Rollins' "Oleo." Also found here are some Green originals including the dynamic "Hip Funk."

Recorded at the Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey on December 23, 1961 and January 13 & 31, 1962. I

Grant Green (guitar); Sonny Clark (piano); Sam Jones (bass); Art Blakey, Louis Hayes (drums).

Album: The Complete Quartets (Disc 1)

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 69:33

Size: 159.2 MB

Label: Blue Note

Styles: Guitar jazz

Year: 1997

[ 7:29] 1. Airegin

[10:18] 2. It Ain't Necessarily So

[ 5:44] 3. I Concentrate On You

[ 5:52] 4. The Things We Did Last Summer

[ 7:42] 5. The Song Is You

[ 6:21] 6. Nancy (With The Laughing Face)

[ 7:34] 7. Airegin (Alt Take)

[ 6:21] 8. On Green Dolphin Street

[ 6:19] 9. Shadrack

[ 5:49] 10. What Is This Thing Called Love

The Complete Quartets With Sonny Clark (disc 1)

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Album: The Complete Quartets (Disc 2)

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 64:30

Size: 147.7 MB

Label: Blue Note

Styles: Guitar jazz

Year: 1997

Art: Front

[5:34] 1. Moon River

[8:10] 2. Gooden's Corner

[7:36] 3. Two For One

[5:40] 4. Oleo

[7:10] 5. Little Girl Blue

[7:16] 6. Tune Up

[8:35] 7. Hip Funk

[8:27] 8. My Favorite Things

[5:58] 9. Oleo (Alt Take)

The Complete Quartets With Sonny Clark (disc 2)

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Bre Gregg - On The Wind

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 44:29
Size: 101.8 MB
Label: (Self released)
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[3:53] 1. Temptation
[5:21] 2. I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)
[4:00] 3. Hit The Road To Dreamland
[4:44] 4. Angel From Montgomery
[3:47] 5. Chega De Saudade (No More Blues)
[3:46] 6. Blame It On My Youth
[3:38] 7. Love Me Like A Man
[5:14] 8. Someone To Watch Over Me
[3:21] 9. Devil May Care
[4:06] 10. You're Just In Love
[2:33] 11. In The Evening By The Moonlight

Bre Gregg combines her love of Jazz and Blues music with her passion and experience on stage to create an unforgettable performance. With years of classical training and study with some of the industry's top music and voice teachers, Bre's voice is beautiful, expressive and versatile. She has a deep love of performance as an honest communication that draws her audiences in, creating music that is passionate, raw and truly memorable.

Bre Gregg's first jazz album, "on the wind" is a new, more authentic direction for Bre. Growing up in a family of musicians, she regularly sang jazz and blues and has always loved listening to the great singers of this genre - Billie Holiday, Nina Simone, Nancy Wilson and Bonnie Raitt. A mix of sultry jazz, blues and soulful pop, this album is truly one of a kind.

Bre was honored to be joined by the incomparable Dave Captein on bass, musical genius Dan Gaynor on piano and Dan Stueber, monster on the drums.

On The Wind 

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Hot Club Of Detroit - Night Town

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 63:33
Size: 145.5 MB
Label: Mack Avenue
Styles: Gypsy jazz, Swing
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[2:58] 1. I Want To Be Happy
[4:39] 2. J'attendrai
[2:45] 3. Valse A Rosenthal
[3:19] 4. Seven Steps To Heaven
[4:37] 5. Speevy
[5:11] 6. Coquette
[3:21] 7. Sweet Substitute
[3:46] 8. Blues Up And Down
[5:56] 9. Pour Parler
[3:28] 10. Melodie Au Crepuscule
[5:04] 11. Two Weeks
[3:41] 12. Tzigane
[4:11] 13. Django's Monkey
[5:09] 14. Night Town
[5:21] 15. Swing 05

While the legendary Belgian jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt might not be a household word, his influence extends far beyond his 1930s and `40s heyday. Many jazz musicians (along with eclectics David Grisman and John Jorgenson) have been influenced directly or indirectly by his unique six-string style and his synthesis of Swing-era jazz with Central European folk, gypsy, and pop sounds. The Hot Club of Detroit pays direct tribute to Django without coming off as unoriginal or retro. Basically acoustic, the HCD have an arsenal of guitars, accordion, sax, clarinet, and bass, and NIGHT TOWN is an inspired mix of standards and originals performed with plenty of jovial, earnest swing and old-school gentility. There are post-Django influences as well, such as the pre-electric cool style of Miles Davis ("Seven Steps To Heaven").

Recording information: Lava Room Recording Studios, Clevland, OH.

Evan Perri (guitar); Paul Brady (steel guitar, nylon-string guitar); Julien Labro (accordion); Carl Cafagna (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone); Shannon Wade (upright bass)

Night Town

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Brian Bromberg - Wood II

Styles: Fusion/Progressive Rock

Label: Artistry Music   

Year: 2006

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 63:34

Size: 145,5 MB

Scans: Front

(6:32)  1. Caravan

(5:54)  2. Bolivia

(5:39)  3. Blue Bossa

(7:09)  4. Witch Hunt

(5:17)  5. A Love Affair

(5:16)  6. Butterfly

(3:11)  7. Shining Star

(5:04)  8. I'll Remember April

(7:55)  9. Pensativa

(3:35) 10. Carry On Wayward Son

(4:18) 11. Four Brothers

(3:39) 12. Let 'Em In

On Wood II, bassist Brian Bromberg, instead of showcasing new material, prefers to give his take on songs by a different range of composers, some of whom, like Paul McCartney and Kansas, are not directly associated with jazz. He opens with a classic Duke Ellington number, "Caravan, showing incredible speed during certain moments and also giving a lot of space to pianist Randy Waldman to show his chops.

Another impressive track is Kenny Dorham's "Blue Bossa, which Bromberg plays as a solo piece, showing amazing technique, alternately soloing and playing chords in a breathtaking progression. He also takes on Kansas' "Carry On My Wayward Son as a solo, expanding the rock bass line into an acoustic realm. What makes this particular track a standout is that the song, stripped as it is, still has that unmistakable classic rock feel, even though it somehow does also sound like jazz. Few musicians can do that.

The four-part whistling choir you hear in Woody Herman's "Four Brothers is Bromberg, who decided to experiment with overdubbing after being encouraged by session guitarist Dean Parks during a past engagement. The result is a very playful melody in which everybody seemed to have a good time. He softens things up on the melodious "A Love Affair, a song that has a definite bossa feel, giving room for the piano to shine while drums and bass provide the background.

He closes with a faithful solo rendition of Paul McCartney's "Let 'Em In. There are no pyrotechnics here, just Bromberg painting the song as if it were a blank canvas. He puts chords only where they were originally present in the song, allowing for a little improvisation at the end. Fans of the former Beatle would recognize the song and McCartney himself would be satisfied with Bromberg's rendition. ~Ernest Barteldes http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=20979#.Uh0Bl1cucv4

Personnel: Brian Bromberg: bass; Randy Waldman: piano; Vinnie Colaiuta: drums.

Wood II

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Dianne Reeves - Quiet After The Storm

Styles: Jazz Vocals
Label: Blue Note
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:42
Size: 138,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:55)  1. Hello, Haven't I Seen You Before
(5:37)  2. Comes Love (Nothing Can Be Done)
(4:12)  3. Smile
(0:43)  4. Jive Samba
(4:14)  5. The Benediction (Country Preacher)
(6:46)  6. Detour Ahead
(5:08)  7. Vermonja  / Sargaco Mar
(4:52)  8. Nine
(5:19)  9. In A Sentimental Mood
(5:47) 10. When Morning Comes (Jasmine)
(7:02) 11. Both Sides Now
(5:02) 12. Sing My Heart

Dianne Reeves, who has always had a beautiful voice and the potential for greatness in jazz, has conducted a rather directionless career, performing many concerts filled with spontaneity while at the same time recording erratic albums that usually feature both veteran jazz ballads and newer material that is closer to pop and folk music. There are some strong jazz moments on this CD. "Comes Love" has an inventive arrange
ment that uses a riff from the Miles Davis version of "'Round Midnight" and a familiar rhythmic phrase from "Star Eyes" in surprising ways. "Detour Ahead" is fine and "The Benediction" ("Country Preacher" with Reeves's lyrics) is a sincere tribute to Cannonball Adderley (who makes a brief appearance on soprano via sampling) but on some of the other pieces Reeves wanders far away from jazz. She sings a couple of folk songs with guitarist Dori Caymmi, introduces the heartwarming if poppish original "Nine" and performs a very straight version of Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now" that makes the song sound like a Broadway show tune. Perhaps Dianne Reeves's eventual niche will be as a jazz-influenced folk-pop singer; someday she should probably make up her mind.~Scott Yanow (http://www.allmusic.com/album/quiet-after-the-storm-mw0000643710).

Personnel: Dianne Reeves (vocals); Ron Blake (soprano & tenor saxophones); Julian "Cannonball" Adderley (soprano saxophone); Everette Harp (alto saxophone); Joshua Redman (tenor saxophone); Roy Hargrove, Gary Grant (trumpet); Hubert Laws (flute); George Duke (piano, Fender Rhodes piano, Synclavier); Jacky Terrasson, David Torkanowsky, John Beasley (piano); Kevin Eubanks (acoustic guitar); Dori Caymmi (guitar); Chris Severin (bass); Terri Lyne Carrington (drums, background vocals); Billy Kilson (drums); "Jazzman" Luis Conte (congas, percussion); Airto Moreira (percussion); The Cherub Femmes & Two Cherub Mens (background vocals).

Quiet After The Storm

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Amy Allison - Sheffield Streets

Styles: Pop: Folky Pop                

Label: Self Released

Year: 2009

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 34:00

Size: 80,1 MB

Art: Front

(2:09)  1. Calla Lily

(2:39)  2. The Needle Skips

(2:43)  3. Anywhere You Are

(3:27)  4. Monsters of the Id (with Elvis Costello)

(2:53)  5. Why Must It Be?

(2:30)  6. Everybody Ought To Know (with Dave Alvin)

(3:28)  7. I Wrote A Song About You

(3:43)  8. Dream World

(3:10)  9. Hate At First Sight

(3:08) 10. Come, Sweet Evening

(4:05) 11. Mardi Gras Moon

Her best album. Amy Allison in many ways is the quintessential cult artist, possessed of a fan base that borders on rabid and an equally avid following among her fellow musicians, even if she never broke through to a mass audience. Which is somewhat mystifying until you consider the climate of the music business she grew up in (her now out-of-print albums with her 90s indie rock band Parlor James remain locked in a Warner warehouse somewhere). Allison already has a couple of genuine classic country albums to her credit, her debut The Maudlin Years and Sad Girl. This one is both musically and lyrically richer and considerably more diverse, ranging from characteristically gemlike, tersely metaphorical country songs to jangly pop to saloon jazz (including a duet with Elvis Costello on her dad Mose Allison’s wry, brooding classic Monsters of the Id, with the Sage himself on piano) And her voice has never sounded better – like all the best song stylists, she’s able to say more in a minute inflection than Kelly Clarkson could relate in an entire box set. Sheffield Streets is also notable for its purist sonics, producer and former Lone Justice drummer Don Heffington imbuing it with the warm feel of a 70s vinyl record.

  

The title track effectively captures a bittersweetness and yet a fearlessness, as happens to anyone with a sense of adventure caught in a drizzle on unfamiliar turf: “I found a bar and curled up like a cat/I wrote a song on a beer mat.” The gently matter-of-fact, commonsensical second cut, Calla Lily takes existential angst and replaces it with a striking logic and purposefulness. The Needle Skips is vintage Amy Allison, with its vividly metaphorical oldtimey feel: “It’s funny how we lived so many moments, in the minutes of a song that came and went,” Allison reminding that it’s the scratches on the album that give it character.

I Wrote a Song About You sardonically looks at rejection as a self-fulfilling prophecy, set to a swaying country backbeat. A duet with Dave Alvin on an older song, Everybody Ought to Know actually doesn’t work as a duet (Allison realized that with considerable amusement after recording it), but both singers are at the top of their game as honktonk crooners. Hate at First Sight is a juvenile delinquent take on Brill Building pop; Come, Sweet Evening is a flat-out gorgeous nocturne, welcoming the darkness rather than shying away. The single best cut on the album is Dream World, both its bruised, exhausted protagonist and the bums on the street outside looking for escape in dreams, Allison taking care to wish those less fortunate a similar good night. The album winds up with another equally brilliant number, Mardi Gras Moon, its narrator popping pills and drinking: “I hear the distant music of the band/I’m losing all the feeling in my hands,” wishing she hadn’t made the trip to New Orleans only to be jilted. Rich with layers of meaning, shades of emotion and understatedly beautiful playing, this is a classic. http://lucidculture.wordpress.com/2009/07/03/cd-review-amy-allison-sheffield-streets/

Sheffield Streets

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Roy Haynes - Hip Ensemble

Styles: Afro-Cuban Jazz, Soul-Jazz, Latin Jazz
Label: Mainstream Records
Year: 1971
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:18
Size: 78,5 MB
Scans: Front

(4:16)  1. Equipoise
(4:05)  2. I'm So High
(5:51)  3. Tangiers
(4:09)  4. Nothing Ever Changes For You My Love
(6:34)  5. Satan's Mysterious Feeling
(8:27)  6. You Name It
(0:52)  7. Lift Ev'ry Voice And Sing

Roy Owen Haynes (born on March 13, 1925, in Roxbury, Massachusetts) is an American jazz drummer and bandleader.

Haynes began his full time professional career in 1945. From 1947 to 1949 he worked with saxophonist Lester Young, and from 1949 to 1952 was a member of saxophonist Charlie Parker's quintet. He also recorded at the time with pianist Bud Powell and saxophonists Wardell Gray, and Stan Getz. From 1953 to 1958 he toured with singer Sarah Vaughan. Haynes went on to work with more experimental musicians, like saxophonists John Coltrane and Eric Dolphy, or pianists Chick Corea and Andrew Hill.

Haynes has recorded or performed with Gary Burton, Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Henry Grimes, Christian McBride, Jackie McLean, Pat Metheny, Thelonious Monk, Gerry Mulligan, Art Pepper, Horace Tapscott and many others. He has also led his own groups, some performing under the name Hip Ensemble. His most recent recordings as a leader are Fountain of Youth and Whereas, both of which have been nominated for a Grammy Award. He continues to perform worldwide and is booked well into 2008. His son Craig Haynes is a drummer with the Sun Ra Arkestra, his son Graham Haynes is a cornetist, and his grandson Marcus Gilmore and nephew Christopher Haynes are both drummers. http://www.discogs.com/artist/Roy+Haynes?anv=Roy+Haynes+Hip+Ensemble

Credits
Artwork – Art Department, The
Bass – Terud Nakamura*
Bass [Fender] – Mervin Bronson
Bongos – Elwood Johnson
Congas – Lawrence Killian
Drums – Roy Haynes
Flute – George Adams
Liner Notes – Leonard Feather
Photography By – Jarry Lang
Piano – Carl Schroeder
Producer – Bobby Shad*
Tambourine – Elwood Johnson
Tenor Saxophone – George Adams
Timpani – Roy Haynes
Trumpet – Marvin Peterson*

Hip Ensemble

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