Wednesday, December 25, 2013

America - The Complete Greatest Hits

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 63:11
Size: 144.7 MB
Styles: Soft rock, AM Pop
Year: 2001/2005
Art: Front

[4:08] 1. A Horse With No Name
[5:05] 2. Sandman
[3:04] 3. I Need You
[3:02] 4. Everyone I Meet Is From California
[3:30] 5. Ventura Highway
[2:29] 6. Don't Cross The River
[3:15] 7. Only In Your Heart
[3:03] 8. Muskrat Love
[3:18] 9. Another Try
[3:26] 10. Tin Man
[2:27] 11. Lonely People
[3:17] 12. Sister Golden Hair
[3:03] 13. Daisy Jane
[2:20] 14. Woman Tonight
[3:12] 15. Today's The Day
[2:49] 16. Amber Cascades
[3:49] 17. You Can Do Magic
[3:49] 18. Right Before Your Eyes
[3:56] 19. The Border

The Complete Greatest Hits is an awkward title, but it's more or less accurate. Less because there are two new recordings here ("World of Light," "Paradise") at the end that couldn't qualify as hits. More because it does contain all of the group's greatest hits, from their Warner recordings from the '70s ("A Horse With No Name," "Tin Man," "Ventura Highway," "Lonely People," and "Sister Golden Hair") to their smooth recordings for Capitol in the early '80s ("You Can Do Magic," "The Border"). Not counting Rhino's superb box set, Highway, this is the first collection to do this, and it makes for an excellent listen and a great, succinct summary of their strengths. ~Stephen Thomas Erlewine

The Complete Greatest Hits

Clara Ponty - Into The Light

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 43:49
Size: 100.3 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[4:40] 1. Taking Turns
[3:57] 2. Sunshine
[3:48] 3. Like A Dandelion
[3:22] 4. The Path
[3:08] 5. Soul Wonders
[3:49] 6. Take Me Along
[4:35] 7. Spinning Wheels
[3:54] 8. You
[3:42] 9. The Phoenix
[3:37] 10. Coeur A Coeur
[5:12] 11. Ses Racines Sur La Route

The pianist, singer and composer Clara Ponty's diverse musical background is the source of inspiration for the development of her unique musical body of work. Born in Paris and raised in Los Angeles, Clara was immersed in many musical genres thanks, in large part to her father, world-renowned jazz violinist and composer Jean-Luc Ponty. She began studying violin and piano when she was five, wrote her first piece when she was eight and won her first piano competition at age 11.

The classically-trained pianist (Interlochen Arts Academy, Maryland Conservatory and USC) abandoned competitive performing in her early twenties to focus on writing. Clara's career was officially launched with her 1997 self-titled debut recording for Universal Records. It featured the artist performing original works for solo piano. It was followed in 1999 by "The Embrace" (Universal Records) on which Clara Ponty communicated her depth as a composer, pianist and vocalist with ten new original works. Both recordings met with critical acclaim (People", "Forbes magazines", Time Out) which revealed her as a soulful artist that creates unique, delicate and emotionally intense compositions.

Into The Light

Django's Cadillac - S/T

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 45:45
Size: 104.7 MB
Styles: Gypsy jazz
Year: 2003
Art: Front

[4:17] 1. Dog Mountain
[3:26] 2. Metolius
[7:31] 3. Bossa Delano
[5:56] 4. Minor Swing
[5:19] 5. Angel Eyes
[4:43] 6. Smooth One
[4:46] 7. Y Knot
[3:59] 8. What Makes Bob Hollar
[3:23] 9. Sammy's Freilich
[2:19] 10. Django's Cadillac

The gypsy jazz of Django Reinhardt and Stefan Grapelli served as the starting point for the musical journey of Django's Cadillac. Stops along the way have included traditional gypsy guitar and Parisian musettes from the pre war era, classic klezmer tunes, western swing music, and a journey back across the Atlantic to the Great American Songbook, which serves as the bulk of the traditional gypsy jazz repertoire. There, they've found a home in the interpretations of the great American masters such as Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, and Nat King Cole and even an occasional stop at Motown or Memphis. From this vantage point, they are creating a new music, familiar and fresh at the same time; the kind of music that encourages you to sit back on a Sunday morning, turn on the radio and, as the tubes warm up and start to deliver that soft, amber glow, be transported back to a simpler time by the velvety vintage sounds coming your way.

Django's Cadillac

Various Artists - Putumayo Presents New Orleans

Styles: New Orleans Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:35
Size: 110,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:29)  1. Kermit Ruffins - Drop Me Off In New Orleans
(3:20)  2. Doc Cheatham & Nicholas Payton - Gotta Right To Sing The Blues
(2:06)  3. Louis Prima - Basin Street Blues
(4:49)  4. Preservation Hall Hot 4 with Duke Dejan - Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams
(5:07)  5. Topsy Chapman And The Pros - Baby Won't You Please Come Home
(3:24)  6. Kevin Clark And The Jazz Revelation - The Devil Done Got Me Blues
(2:59)  7. Louis Armstrong - Tin Roof Blues
(4:27)  8. Dr. John - Basin Street Blues
(6:03)  9. Dr. Michael White - Give It Up (Gypsy Second Line)
(2:45) 10. Deacon John - Going Back To New Orleans
(8:02) 11. Gregg Stafford & Dr Michael White - Bye & Bye - Saints

Putumayo provides a nice introduction to Nawlins jazz here, with a pretty good mix of the classic and the contemporary. The music remains, despite its era or performer, fully of the New Orleans style. The patron saint of the city, as well as the genre, Louis Armstrong, is presented with one of his later recordings with an all-star band in 1966 (it's somewhat disappointing not to hear the Hot Fives or Sevens, but this one still ain't bad). Other mainstays of the city are here as well, with Dr. John playing "Basin Street Blues" as only he could, following a rendition of the same song by Louis Prima. Doc Cheatham's here with some classic vocals as well. 

Beyond the well-known, though, there are some members of the newer groups of influence here. Kermit Ruffins has become a contemporary revivalist of the old sound and starts off the album as such. Kevin Clark and Michael White provide contemporary versions of the classic style as well. Through and through, it's a fine introduction to a given genre. It's surprising not to hear anything from the Nevilles or the Marsalis royalty, but what's here is fine listening.  ~ Adam Greenberg   http://www.allmusic.com/album/putumayo-presents-new-orleans-mw0000359421


Miles Davis - We Want Miles

Styles: Jazz
Year: 1981
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:58
Size: 176,3 MB
Art: Front

(10:39)  1. Jean-Pierre
( 8:14)  2. Back Seat Betty
(15:12)  3. Fast Track
( 3:56)  4. Jean-Pierre
(20:20)  5. My Man's Gone Now
(18:35)  6. Kix

Davis's second recording since ending his six-year retirement was one of his best of the 1980s. Unlike his bands from the 1970s, this particular unit leaves plenty of space and plays much more melodically. Guitarist Mike Stern lets loose some fury, but electric bassist Marcus Miller is not reluctant to walk now and then in a straight-ahead fashion, drummer Al Foster and percussionist Mino Cinelu are tasteful, and Bill Evans gets in a few good spots on soprano. As for Davis, he was gradually regaining his earlier form. This double LP is highlighted by "Back Seat Betty," a side-long investigation of "My Man's Gone Now" and two versions of Davis's childlike "Jean Pierre."  ~ Scott Yanow  
http://www.allmusic.com/album/we-want-miles-mw0000022719