Gene Ludwig - Soul Serenade

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 60:32
Size: 138.6 MB
Styles: Organ jazz
Year: 2000
Art: Front

[8:51] 1. Duff's Blues
[7:37] 2. Freddie Freeloader
[8:16] 3. Please Send Me Someone To Love
[9:01] 4. Soul Serenade
[6:23] 5. Rejoicin'
[7:49] 6. You Don't Know What Love Is
[6:08] 7. On A Misty Night
[6:23] 8. My Shining Hour

Gene Ludwig comes from the romantic school of Hammond B3 organ players and, with more than 40 years at the job, he is part of the organ tradition. His playing is relaxed, laid-back, drenched with a mix of blues and soul. He understands that the organ quartet can be one of the most pleasurable listening experiences in jazz. With an extremely large range of tone colors and timbres, the organ quartet can musically express the full range of human emotions, from romantic and sultry, to highly charged beat excitement, to soul-drenched melancholy. This potential is fully realized by Ludwig and his quartet on the appropriately titled Soul Serenade. With J. Willis and Don Aliquo Jr. sharing tenor sax duties, Ken Karsh kicking with well-placed guitar licks, and Tom Wendt on drums, this album falls foursquare into the organ combo arena led by more well-known -- but not more able -- B3 artists Jimmy McGriff, Jack McDuff, and Jimmy Smith. The play list was obviously constructed to bring out the best this group can offer. On "You Don't Know What Love Is," buttressed by the heartrending tenor sax of Aliquo, the quartet pulls out every ounce of feeling from this tune. In contrast, matters get moving at a swinging pace on "Freddie the Freeloader." Karsh's guitar gets full opportunity to explore the extemporizing possibilities of this Miles Davis classic. The title tune "Soul Serenade" is the organ counterpart of Gloria Lynne's ardent vocal version of 1965, making it a highlight of the album. Willis' slightly honking sax gives this cut an authentic R&B flavor. Tadd Dameron's "On a Misty Night" is the vehicle for Aliquo to brandish his dexterity at running through chord changes. "Duff's Blues" is pure swing, with Tom Wendt's drums getting plenty of attention. Some of the younger Hammond B3 organ practitioners on today's scene would do well to listen to this album to hear how the instrument can sound with its edges rounded a bit. Highly recommended. ~ Dave Nathan

Live Recording Recorded at Stargate Studios, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on May 7, June 10 & July 2, 1999.

Gene Ludwig (Hammond B-3 organ); J. Willis, Don Aliquo, Jr. (tenor saxophone); Ken Karsh (guitar); Tom Wendt (drums).

Soul Serenade

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Shawn Maxwell - Urban Vigilante

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 64:26
Size: 147.5 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[5:43] 1. Monster Shoes
[5:14] 2. Yo Gabba Blues
[7:16] 3. Urban Vigilante
[4:52] 4. Starscream
[6:08] 5. Boots
[6:27] 6. Charlie Work
[5:02] 7. Big Hurt
[5:55] 8. Beyond Infinity
[9:36] 9. The Sixth
[4:52] 10. Juggernaut
[3:17] 11. Special Order

"Invariably, mention is made of Shawn Maxwell's tone. It has invited comparisons to Kenny Garrett's, Jackie McLean's or Art Pepper's. On his Urban Vigilante performance, intimations of Phil Woods appear as well. In the end, the comparisons represent unsatisfactory attempts to describe Maxwell's distinctive, burly sound, certainly not sweet like Desmond's or Konitz's, and yet still fully expressive with a slight vibrato, undulating dynamics and extensions of notes for their full value... Maxwell leads a cohesive, exhilarating quartet of musicians equally inspired by the possibilities presented while they perform. Bassist Bob Lovecchio's vamp establishes the atmosphere for "Charlie Work," which veers between minor and major roots, and between abrupt stops and starts. And drummer Brandon Dickert creates the initial tension of "Special Order" with an extended solo that leads, after its end, into a bass and piano undercurrent roiling Maxwell's melody of long tones stretching over the streaming rhythm as volume builds and then fades... to silence. But the group's mutual support and unity of purpose combine to create separate overall moods for each of the tracks. The mysteriousness of the metrically tricky "Monster Shoes," accentuated by the minimization of Nelson's chords and the clip-clopping of Dickert's propulsion, contrasts with ethereal float of "Beyond Infinity," a reference to Buzz Lightyear's exclamation. Maxwell's quartet does have a lot of fun with the concept and with the music... The group's cohesiveness, the intriguing compositions and Maxwell's always appealing sound invite attention and enjoyment." ~ Bill Donaldson, Cadence Magazine

Shawn Maxwell - alto saxophone; Matt Nelson - piano; Bob Lovecchio - bass; Brandon Dickert - drums. Recorded 3/13 & 3/20/2011.

Urban Vigilante

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Kenny Garrett - Pushing The World Away

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 70:12
Size: 160.7 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[3:43] 1. A Side Order Of Hijiki
[6:03] 2. Hey, Chick
[7:45] 3. Chucho's Mambo
[6:26] 4. Lincoln Center
[4:52] 5. J'ouvert (Homage To Sonny Rollins)
[4:57] 6. That's It
[4:29] 7. I Say A Little Prayer
[8:06] 8. Pushing The World Away
[4:42] 9. Homma San
[5:52] 10. Brother Brown
[7:49] 11. Alpha Man
[5:22] 12. Rotation

On Kenny Garret's third album for Mack Avenue Records he explores many terrains. He uses two different pianists in Vernell Brown and Benito Gonzalez, bassist Corcoran Holt, drummers Marcus Baylor, McClenty Hunter, and Mark Whitfield, Jr., as well as a string quartet on "Brother Brown" (on which Garrett appropriately takes over on piano.) All but one of these 12 tunes offer sophisticated evidence of his own journey through the jazz lineage and his pushing at the margins of post-bop. There is a deep reliance on melody and singing through his horns, even when things get musically complex as they do on the title track in which he explores modal and Eastern musical terrains on his soprano. Quotes from Coltrane's "My Favorite Things" are in his solo, but so are moments of Eastern harmony, underscored by Brown's fat chords, wrangling arpeggios, and open-framed statements. There are also a pair of throaty vocal chants by him and the pianist -- his own Christian, the latter Buddhist -- commingling seamlessly to directly point at the spiritual nature inside the tune. Several other numbers offer overt nods to his forebears, collaborators, and influences. "Hey, Chick," with its Moorish-cum-flamenco vibe, evokes themes that Chick Corea explored potently on My Spanish Heart. "Chucho's Mambo," with its rumbero and son vibe, is a direct nod to pianist Chucho Valdes and also features trumpeter Ravi Best and percussionist Rudy Bird (in one of several appearances). "J'Ouvert" is subtitled "Homage to Sonny Rollins" and takes its cue from the saxophone colossus' use of calypso rhythms, cadences, and lyric themes. "A Side Order of Hijiki" doesn't refer to the Japanese culinary seaweed of its title, but the manner of his own playing as described by the late Mulgrew Miller. It is a driving post-bop jam, with sharp ostinatos by Gonzalez and a thrumming, furious bassline by Holt. A noticeable surprise is the inclusion of Burt Bacharach's and Hal David's "I Say a Little Prayer for You," with a subtle Latin framework that otherwise follows the arrangement written for Dionne Warwick. This is Garrett at his most songlike, and his most direct attempt on the album at communicating melodically; as in the past, it also reveals the deep, early influence of Junior Walker on his playing. Pushing the World Away is a wildly diverse offering for Garrett. What it doesn't reveal in swing it does in intricacies, shadows, impressive arrangements, and striking musicianship. ~ Thom Jurek.

Pushing The World Away

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Herb Ellis - Thank You, Charlie Christian

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 36:44
Size: 84.1 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 1960/2004
Art: Front

[3:16] 1. Pickley Wickly
[2:51] 2. I Told You I Loved You, Now Get Out
[4:40] 3. Cook One
[4:16] 4. Karin
[2:50] 5. Cherry Kijafa
[7:36] 6. Thank You, Charlie Christian
[2:46] 7. Alexander's Ragtime Band
[2:53] 8. Lemon Twist
[3:33] 9. Everything's Pat
[1:58] 10. Workin' With The Truth

Thank You Charlie Christian pays homage to the legendary jazz guitarist in a manner most appropriate to an innovator of his stature -- rather than merely imitate that which is inimitable, Herb Ellis channels the imagination and expressiveness of his hero to create a lean, mean sound far more forward-thinking than nostalgic. Like Christian, Ellis favors feeling over flash and economy over excess -- paired here with pianist Frank Strazzari, bassist Chuck Berghofer, cellist Harry Babasin and drummer Kenny Hume, he creates a series of compact and determinedly contemporary bop snapshots in vivid Technicolor, not the black-and-white of a bygone era. A beautiful and heartfelt record that draws from the past but refuses to live in it. ~Jason Ankeny

Thank You, Charlie Christian

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Tina May - One Fine Day

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 47:24
Size: 108.5 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz vocals
Year: 2000
Art: Front

[4:59] 1. Pure Imagination
[3:49] 2. One Fine Day
[5:51] 3. Make Someone Happy
[5:26] 4. I'll Be Seeing You
[3:57] 5. Bop `til You Drop (Bop People)
[6:56] 6. Spring Is Here
[3:48] 7. 's Wonderful
[2:11] 8. The Vain Desire
[4:25] 9. The Aerialist
[5:58] 10. Whaley Whaley

On the jazz scene for more than 15 years, Tina May is one of UK's premiere jazz vocal virtuosos. In a country which can boast of important contributors to the art of jazz vocalizing, this is not faint praise. Along with Carol Kidd, Claire Martin, Annie Ross and British diva, Norma Winstone, among others, May has become a major mainstay of contemporary jazz singing. Having the reputation of "doing it her way," May looks to a wide variety of sources for the material she records, including jazz standards, originals, ethnic material and contemporary pop/rock. May is also comfortable with a variety of singing styles making her a complete jazz singer. She is at ease with vocalese, cabaret, improvisation, etc., possessing a delightful, pure English voice which fits very nicely with the material she works with. That One Fine Day is her seventh album for England's 33Jazz label testifies to her success in the way she approaches the music. ~Dave Nathan

Tina May - Vocals; Nikki lles-Piano; Alan Barnes-Saxophones/Clarinet; Mick Hutton-Bass; Simon Morton-Drums

One Fine Day

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Armik - Cafe Romantico

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 52:30
Size: 120.2 MB
Styles: Easy Listening, Acoustic guitar jazz
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[5:00] 1. Lover's Moon
[5:13] 2. Cafe Romantico
[5:00] 3. Rain Drops
[4:55] 4. Sweet Dreams
[4:58] 5. Madrid
[5:05] 6. Lyceros
[4:55] 7. La Luna De Seville
[5:09] 8. Gypsy Romance
[4:39] 9. Puerto De Malaga
[4:58] 10. Tonight With You
[2:32] 11. Guitar Passion

While never receiving the notoriety of Ottmar Liebert, the primary conveyor of the hip, sassy and romantic nuevo flamenco style, this acoustic guitar stylist has quietly built a bestselling indie catalog with five releases. All including the new one have a similar packaging style, with gorgeous, exotic paintings and romantic-themed titles. Cafe Romantico also follows the established musical pattern for the most part, blending gorgeous ballads, loping seductions and zippy, fiery Latin pieces while complementing his numerous custom guitars with lush keyboard atmospheres and romantic accordion harmonies and solos. Despite the variety, all of these cuts seem perfectly designed to first accompany a meal at a trendy European café and then inspire an evening of close, sexy dancing. The nicest surprise on the disc -- a Santana-like electric guitar intro segment on the opening track "Lover's Moon" -- doesn't last long, but there are numerous other charms along the way. The title cut has a sweet, starry-eyed way about it, while "Rain Drops" is handclapping and danceable. These early tracks set the tone for a set of engaging tunes which show off Armik's ability to both seduce with great melodies and excite with lightning fast nylon string solos over a wide range of Latin and Spanish grooves. ~Jonathan Widran

Cafe Romantico

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New York Trio - Venus Favourites

Styles: Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 79:46
Size: 182,6 MB
Art: Front

(6:45)  1. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
(4:46)  2. There's A Small Hotel
(6:38)  3. The Things We Did Last Summer
(4:01)  4. Have You Met Miss Jones
(5:57)  5. In A Sentimental Mood
(5:03)  6. Can't Help Loving Dat Man
(4:49)  7. Change Partners
(4:54)  8. The Shadow Of Your Smile
(5:36)  9. Stairway To The Stars
(7:18) 10. The Man I Love
(4:16) 11. That's For Me
(5:20) 12. Always
(4:46) 13. Jump For Joy
(5:46) 14. Cheek To Cheek
(3:48) 15. They Say It's Wonderful

Also known as the New York Jazz Trio, this combo is a studio-only group who specialize in recording classic standards in a straightforward, post-bop style. The New York Trio features three gifted musicians who are firmly established on the East Coast jazz scene. Pianist Bill Charlap is a member of the Phil Woods Quintet, has accompanied the likes of Tony Bennett, Benny Carter, and Gerry Mulligan, and has recorded a handful of well-received albums for Blue Note as a bandleader. Bassist Jay Leonhart has recorded as a headliner since 1983, while also making a name for himself as a vocalist and songwriter as well as backing up Marian McPartland, Louie Bellson, Lee Konitz, and many others. And drummer Bill Stewart had handled demanding gigs with a variety of musicians, including jazz guitarist John Scofield, funky sax man Maceo Parker and R&B legend James Brown. In 2001, Charlap, Leonhart, and Stewart teamed up in the studio to cut the album Blues in the Night for the Venus Jazz label; featuring leisurely but heartfelt interpretations of eight classic melodies, the album was well-received by fans of classic jazz. Seven similar collections have been recorded by the trio for Japanese jazz labels. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/new-york-trio-mn0000393325/biography

Venus Favourites

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Oscar Peterson - The Soul Of Oscar Peterson - CD1 And CD2

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:36 (CD1)
Size: 175,4 MB (CD1)
Time: 74:33 (CD2)
Size: 170,7 MB (CD2)
Art: Front

CD1

( 8:26)  1. Carnegie Blues
( 3:25)  2. My Heart Stood Still
( 2:51)  3. Debut
( 3:09)  4. Little White Lies
( 2:51)  5. Salute To Garner
( 3:13)  6. Love For Sale
( 3:21)  7. Willow Weep For Me
(12:01)  8. The Astaire Blues
( 2:52)  9. Night And Day
(13:29) 10. Funky Blues
( 7:48) 11. Just You, Just Me
( 3:14) 12. It Ain't Necessarily So
( 3:03) 13. Blue Skies
( 6:47) 14. Tea For Two

CD2

(5:02)  1. 7 Come 11
(5:02)  2. Tenderly
(2:57)  3. Carioca
(2:17)  4. Over The Rainbow
(4:43)  5. Pompton Turnpike
(3:37)  6. Surrey With The Fringe On Top
(3:34)  7. Blues For Basie
(8:11)  8. Love You Madly
(2:35)  9. Love Me Or Leave Me
(8:16) 10. Desert Sands
(3:55) 11. The Man I Love
(1:58) 12. Goody Goody
(3:59) 13. When Lights Are Low
(7:37) 14. I Want To Be Happy
(2:41) 15. What's New
(8:03) 16. Soulville

Watch this remarkable new high quality 2CD incl. rare information and pictures celebrating the history of great jazz legends! Oscar Peterson died at the age of 82.
During an illustrious career spanning seven decades, Peterson played with some of the biggest names in jazz, including Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie and Dizzy Gillespie. He is also remembered for touring in a trio with Ray Brown on bass and Herb Ellis on guitar in the 1950s. Peterson's impressive collection of awards include all of Canada's highest honors, such as the Order of Canada, as well as a Lifetime Grammy and a spot in the International Jazz Hall of Fame. His growing stature was reflected in the admiration of his peers. Duke Ellington referred to him as "Maharajah of the keyboard," while Count Basie once said "Oscar Peterson plays the best ivory box I've ever heard."(http://www.bhm-music.de/bhm/en/catalog.php?bhm_releasesPage=5&PHPSESSID=01e123eeac2ff603deead1192f7975b7)

The Soul Of Oscar Peterson - CD1

The Soul Of Oscar Peterson - CD2

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