Amber Chiang - My Love Journey

Size: 92,4 MB
Time: 39:10
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Easy Listening, Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. A Good Thing (1:56)
02. When We Love (3:21)
03. We Never Got To Know Each Other (2:38)
04. Alone In This World (2:08)
05. Baby Be Smart (3:17)
06. Let Me Know (2:23)
07. No Time For Me (2:12)
08. Broken Hearted (3:36)
09. Time Heals All (2:13)
10. Once More, Encore (4:16)
11. I Never Asked (2:56)
12. New Beginnings (4:13)
13. Just You And Me (3:57)

My music is drawn from my life. My influences are mostly from jazz artists, a combination of Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughn and Betty Carter as well as Latin influences from various Brazilian artists. But I also grew up listening to rock, folk and pop. So, at times the music is a mixture of genres.

I finally recorded my songs through the ups and downs, struggles and insights of relationships. The album is called “My Love Journey”, songs from the heart. After many years of heartbreak and illusions, I found my soul mate!

My Love Journey

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Nita Whitaker - One Voice

Styles: Soul

Year: 2001

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 50:50

Size: 116,6 MB

Art: Front

(4:42)  1. One Voice

(2:57)  2. I Choose Love

(5:39)  3. Until Now

(3:51)  4. Sending Out A Prayer

(4:50)  5. Use Your Life

(4:06)  6. Eyes of A Child

(3:15)  7. Shine

(3:38)  8. When Mountains Won't Move

(4:05)  9. Climb Ev'ry Mountain

(3:54) 10. That's When I'll Be There

(5:20) 11. A Quiet Place

(4:27) 12. Heaven Hold The Ones I Love

Nita Whitaker is a successful Los Angeles-based session singer, which has earned her the opportunity to make this earnest, if somewhat bland, solo album. On self-written songs and others of a similar tone, she sings of the importance of religion and familial love with a session singer's voice always on key, precise, and well articulated, but lacking something that would make it a real star vehicle. Whitaker once got a walk-on in The Bodyguard by doing an impressive demo for Whitney Houston, and there are several songs here in which she seems to be doing the same thing. But she never goes as far over the top as Houston does, though she has vocal chops at least as good, and her tastefulness makes you focus more on the material, which is mediocre for the most part. A characteristic mistake is her reading of "Climb Ev'ry Mountain," the inspirational song from The Sound of Music written to be sung by a soprano. 

Whitaker is an alto, and her transposition immediately robs the song of much of its force it isn't about climbing mountains anymore, it's just an L.A. pop singer's vocal exercise. It may be odd to criticize a vocalist for not being excessive and indulgent, but Whitaker is performing in not just a singer's, but also an entertainer's medium. Think not only of Houston, but also of Natalie Cole, Toni Braxton, and any number of other stars more interested in calling attention to themselves than to what they're singing. That narcissism is what helps make them stars. Whitaker really cares about her sentimental messages and wants to convey them to her listeners; her more successful peers recognize, intuitively, if not consciously, that they themselves are the message. How can a singer as modest as Whitaker, however good her pipes, compete ~ William Ruhlmann   http://www.allmusic.com/album/one-voice-mw0000015945

Personnel: Anita "Nita" Whitaker (vocals, background vocals); Michael Turner (guitar, acoustic guitar); David Levita (guitar); Dean Parks (acoustic guitar); Maria Casale (harp); Neli Nikolaeva (violin); Robin Ross, Gil Romero, Philip Vaiman, Calabria McChesney, Bette Byers, Harry Scorzo, Alexis Carreon, Michael Allen Harrison, Richard Dodd, Armen Ksadjikian, John Krovoza (strings); Chris Bleth (flute, piccolo, oboe); Daniel Kelley , Marni Johnson , Mark Adams (French horn); Phillip Teele, Bruce Otto, Bob McChesney (trombone); David Foster (piano, keyboards); William Thomas, Jr., Greg Phillinganes, David Loeb (piano); Gary Griffin (toy piano, celesta, keyboards, vibraphone, timpani, tubular bells); Cedric Sampson (drums, percussion); Russ McKinnon (drums); Bryan Brock, Scott Breadman (percussion); Adam Jackson, Ken Stacey, Carol Huston, Debbie Gates, Fred White , Melanie Taylor, Jennifer Cihi, Alex Brown, Peggi Blu, Wil Wheaton, Bridgette Bryant (background vocals).

 

One Voice

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Solitaire Miles - Born to Be Blue

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:50
Size: 116,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:03)  1. Baltimore Oriole
(4:02)  2. Too Close for Comfort
(5:11)  3. Born to Be Blue
(3:45)  4. You Gotta Crawl Before You Walk
(3:53)  5. Lover Come Back to Me
(5:51)  6. Detour Ahead
(3:43)  7. Moon Ray
(4:17)  8. Midnight Blue
(2:44)  9. Make with the Kisses
(4:11) 10. Serenade de Clair de Lune
(3:54) 11. Me and the Moon
(5:09) 12. I'll Never Be the Same

Solitaire Miles has always loved swing tunes. Her grandmother, a singer with a big band in the late 1930s, exposed her to the music early on. Solitaire originally planned to be an opera singer, but while attending DePaul University in Chicago, she met the legendary swing violinist Johnny Frigo who encouraged her to sing jazz. After college she began working in Chicago with Sax Maestro Von Freeman, and pianist Willie Pickens, who also played on her self-titled release in 2006. "I was lucky to have their guidance, because they were playing jazz with the greats in their day.” During later years while living in New York, she would sit in regularly with the great trumpeter Doc Cheatham, learning lots of swing tunes. From these venerable bandleaders, she learned more about phrasing; “They wrung every little bit of pop styling from my phrasing until it became authentic, unadulterated jazz and swing."

For her third release Born to Be Blue, Solitaire utilizes some of Chicago's top jazz musicians, all of whom have the flexibility to sound at home in a swing combo. “Willie Pickens is always my first choice on piano,” says the singer. “I love working with him because he is not just accompanying me, we listen closely and challenge each other.” A few of the numbers feature pianist Joe Vito who was Johnny Frigo's regular accompanist for years. Some selections include tenor-saxophonist Jim Gailloreto, while the versatile trumpeter Art Davis is heard playing in a conversational style not that dissimilar from Doc Cheatham's.

Born to Be Blue begins with “Baltimore Oriole” which composer Hoagy Carmichael performed in the Humphrey Bogart movie “To Have and Have Not". “It's a quirky song with a period feeling.” Solitaire says. The haunting vocal and concise solos by Pickens and Davis perfectly fit Carmichael's unusual tale. “Too Close For Comfort” is associated with several singers from the 1950s including Ella Fitzgerald, but Larry Kohut's arrangement, which begins as a duet by Solitaire with drummer Phil Gratteau, puts a new spin on the standard. One particular joy of this CD is hearing a lot of fresh material, and vintage songs that deserve to be revived. “Born to Be Blue” is one of Mel Torme's best originals while “You've Got to Crawl Before You Walk” was the only tune co-written by Torme and Duke Ellington. “Detour Ahead” was Johnny Frigo's most famous original, so it naturally features Joe Vito on piano and is a tribute to the violinist and Jim Gailloreto contributes a tasteful solo to this emotional version. Since she wanted to record several obscure songs that the musicians weren't too familiar with, Solitaire added “Lover Come Back to Me." "It's the type of jam session tune that we play late at night, an up-tempo number that lets everyone stretch out.”

It isn’t often that one gets to hear such superior, if forgotten numbers as Artie Shaw’s “Moon Ray”, which has prominent roles for bassist Joe Policastro and guitarist Andy Brown, or “Make With the Kisses” which features Art Davis and guitarist Neal Alger, and is a delightful romp that has rarely been performed since Mildred Bailey recorded it with Benny Goodman 70 years ago. One can easily imagine Billie Holiday performing "Midnight Blue." which features more ingenious improvising by Art Davis. Most unusual is “Serenade de Clair de Lune,” a version of Glenn Miller's theme song “Moonlight Serenade” sung in French. Joe Vito adds to the cafe atmosphere by switching to accordion with Neal Alger strumming on acoustic guitar. Other songs include “I'll Never Be the Same,” and the charming “Me and the Moon” a sweet band favorite which was originally recorded by the Hal Kemp Orchestra in 1933.

Throughout this project Solitaire and her musicians are not content to merely recreate the past but are creative within the style, adding to the music's legacy. While Solitaire can name a long list of influences, not the least of which was her Grandmother, she does not sound exactly like any of the singers who preceded her. Nor do her sidemen sacrifice their own individuality while doing justice to the material. Instead, they all fully understand the music and are able to add their own voices to the songs while being themselves.

This delightful set not only proves that there is still plenty of life to be found in swing tunes, but it features Solitaire Miles at her very best, taking her place as one of the top swing singers around today. ~ Scott Yanow, jazz writer and critic  http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/milessolitaire

Born to Be Blue

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Rachel Z Trio - Moon At The Window

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:38
Size: 169,6 MB
Art: Front

( 4:26)  1. Big Yellow Taxi
( 5:47)  2. Carey
( 5:06)  3. Ladies Man
( 7:23)  4. Chinese Cafe
( 5:30)  5. Free Man In Paris
( 5:10)  6. From Both Sides Now
( 6:39)  7. Moon At The Window
( 4:10)  8. Help Me
( 4:53)  9. River
( 5:15) 10. Circle Game
( 5:11) 11. All I Want
(10:04) 12. Lakota

Rachel Z's tribute to Joni Mitchell has perhaps arrived at just the right time, hot on the heels of Mitchell's decision to never record again. No doubt her die-hard fans will be clamoring for as much original and tribute material as possible, and a good many will find joy in this comfortable instrumental release. It's impossible not to like the buoyant, loving arrangements that Rachel Z has collected here. However, for as many popular tunes as Joni Mitchell has created over the past three decades, this homage clarifies the fact that she a stronger lyricist than a composer. The jaunty theme of "Big Yellow Taxi" jumps right out, but like many of the selections here, the melody becomes a bit repetitive without the witty, socially conscious lyrics to fill things out. 

The three musicians perform exquisitely as a unit, often with a sense of David Benoit's lighter piano works. There are a number of charming twists and turns in the charts. Of particular note are Patricia Des Lauriers' resonant double-stops on the closing "Lakota", and Bobbie Rae's subtly effective rhyhmic matrices throughout the disc. The lush piano ripplings on "Chinese Cafe" and taut interaction on "Free Man in Paris" are attention-grabbers, and "From Both Sides Now" receives what is perhaps its most introspective interpretation yet. This music is obviously close to Rachel Z's heart. The only real beef remains a major one: Joni Mitchell's musical universe is so centered upon her words that it's hard for anyone to do her justice in an instrumental setting. No harm, no foul, then. The trio has made an admirable attempt at honoring a legend, resulting in a truly uplifting album. ~ Todd S.Jenkins   

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=10816#.Uub_jbRpQ2w
 

Personnel: Rachel Z, piano; Patricia Des Lauriers, bass; Bobbie Rae, drums.

Moon At The Window

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Kenny Burrell - Special Requests (And Other Favorites): Live at Catalina's

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:50
Size: 171,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:47)  1. Killer Joe
(0:18)  2. Spoken Introduction, Pt. 1
(8:13)  3. Little Sunflower
(8:58)  4. Make Someone Happy
(0:36)  5. Spoken Introduction, Pt. 2
(6:29)  6. Sunset and the Mockingbird
(6:36)  7. Bye Bye Blackbird
(7:48)  8. Lament
(0:22)  9. Spoken Introduction, Pt. 3
(6:59) 10. Summer Knows
(0:19) 11. Spoken Introduction, Pt. 4
(5:38) 12. Feeling of Jazz
(5:22) 13. In A Sentimental Mood
(5:57) 14. Generation
(3:52) 15. Chitins Con Carne
(0:28) 16. Closing Remarks

Recorded live at Catalina's in Hollywood in November 2012, these pleasant reworkings are special requests by fans of the legendary jazz guitarist Kenny Burrell. Consider this release as the second part of the 2010 live date Be Yourself: Live at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola, also on High Note. Alongside Burrell on these performances is an awesome set of musicians who provide a delicate balance between their post-bop technical excellence and improvisational skills: Justo Almario on sax and flute, Tom Ranier on piano, Tony Dumas on bass, and Clayton Cameron on drums. 

On these 11 tracks, Burrell pays tribute to Duke Ellington on "Sunset and the Mockingbird," "The Feeling of Jazz," and "In a Sentimental Mood," plus great renditions of "Generation," Benny Golson's "Killer Joe," the Freddie Hubbard composition "Little Sunflower," the standards "Make Someone Happy," "Bye Bye Blackbird," and "The Summer Knows," J.J. Johnson's "Lament," and Burrell's classic "Chitlins con Carne." Fans of Burrell's early sessions for Blue Note should be aware that the guitarist was in fine form in 2012, and listeners will definitely find some pleasant moments here. ~ Al Campbell   http://www.allmusic.com/album/special-requests-and-other-favorites-live-at-catalinas-mw0002551178

Special Requests

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Janine Gilbert-Carter - In The Moment / Inside A Silent Tear

Album: In The Moment
Size: 137,3 MB
Time: 59:00
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2003
Styles: Jazz Vocals, Jazzy Blues
Art: Front

01. I Love Being Here With You (2:20)
02. (I Want) A Sunday Kind Of Love (2:22)
03. Body and Soul (7:30)
04. Someone Else Is Steppin In (4:41)
05. Quiet Nights (3:38)
06. Don't touch Me (3:38)
07. Just In Time (4:27)
08. Where Are You (6:32)
09. Stormy Monday (6:17)
10. I Ain't Got Nothing But The Blues (3:50)
11. Here's To Life (6:11)
12. Summertime (2:36)
13. How Do you Keep The Music Playing (4:51)

Janine was introduced to gospel, jazz and blues at a very early age by her parents and grandmother.

This Pennsylvania native cannot remember a time when music was not a part of her very existence. She began her musical journey like so many contemporary artists as a member of the choir at her church in Aliquippa PA. She also had the opportunity to expand on her solo performances as a member of the Bach Choir of PA which performed some of Broadways most exciting musicals. Janine continued to use the gift she was given to perform at various functions and special events until she relocated to the Washington Metropolitan area in the summer of 1988. During the summer of 1996 Janine performed her debut concert in the DC area at New Genesis Baptist Church; this celestial songbird has been flying ever since.

For five seasons, Ms Gilbert-Carter performed with the Washington Performing Arts Society Men & Women of the Gospel Mass Choir and has shared the stage with notable artists such as Tramaine Hawkins, Oleta Adams, Regina Bell, Ann Nesby and Donnie McClurkin for the WPAS's Annual Gospel concert held at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C.

Since September 2001 Janine has worked with Local Jazz musical talents Ronnie Wells-Elliston and Ron Elliston. Audiences have been delighted with her performances at "Twins Jazz" the U street Jazz series concerts held at "The Islander" in Washington D.C., The FMJS East Coast Jazz Festival and The legendary Washington DC supper Club Blues Alley. She has also performed at many special events were she has shared the stage with area-wide Jazz musicians like pianist Arron Graves, and Ron Elliston; bassist Wes Biles, James (Tex) King, Saxaphonist Paul Carr and percussionist Mike Smith and the late Ricky Loza.

2004 is proving to be a phenomenal year for Janine. She has released not one but two debut CD's in two different genre's (Jazz) "In The Moment" and (Gospel) "God Spoke To Me" on which Janine actually wrote the lyrics for several song including the title track.

Janine's prayer is to have a positive effect on all that hear her. To exude the feeling of warmth and love through her music.

In The Moment

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Album: Inside A Silent Tear: Live At The Historic Blair Mansion
Size: 133,0 MB
Time: 57:20
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2009
Styles: Jazz Vocals, Jazzy Blues
Art: Front

01. Ain't Misbehavin (3:14)
02. Grandmas Hands (4:41)
03. Inside A Silent Tear (6:01)
04. All of Me (5:25)
05. A Change Is Gonna Come (7:01)
06. Everything Must Change (5:57)
07. How High the Moon (3:25)
08. Don't Touch Me (5:56)
09. Nice and Easy (4:53)
10. Our Love Is Here To Stay (4:24)
11. Teach Me Tonight (6:16)

When it comes to good singing there are usually four points to consider; tone, technique, passion and interpretation. Usually you can get some combination of these attributes but it is a very rare occasion when you get them all at the same time. This is one of those times. Janine Gilbert-Carter lives at the intersection where jazz, blues and gospel all come together. Ms. Carter guides her rich, soulful voice and passionate heart with all the authority gained from her years of performing experience. Whether it's taking the turns of "How High The Moon", belting out the old-school funk\gospel of "Grandma's Hands" and the bluesy "Don't Touch Me” or wringing the absolute last drop of emotion out of “Everything Must Change” she never fails to pull the listener into the music with her wonderful sense of phrasing and crystal-clear intonation.

Ms. Carter's band is equally adept at providing wonderful support through all these tunes. Eric Byrd's piano playing is fiery and upbeat, sensitive when it needs to be and incredibly happy and exuberant when the song calls for it. Wes Biles baseline not only covers the bottom but interplays with the vocals with many nifty licks that bring the tunes to an even higher level. Jeff Neal shows himself to be one of the most dynamic drummers around driving these tunes from a whisper to a scream with great accent and flair, always in support of the singer and the song. Brian Settles adds his soulful and sophisticated tenor to many of the cuts.

If you like jazz, blues or gospel, or if you just missed good singing, where a great singer interprets a classic song with all her heart, then this album, performed live at Washington's famous Blair Mansion Inn is the one you've been looking for. ~Jeff Gruber - Blue House Productions

Inside A Silent Tear

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Geoffrey Keezer - Wildcrafted: Live At The Dakota

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:38
Size: 155,2 MB
Art: Front

( 8:14)  1. Stompin' At The Savoy
( 8:27)  2. Tea And Watercolors
( 7:34)  3. Koikugari Bushi
( 5:21)  4. Mirrim
( 6:36)  5. Venus As A Boy
( 5:32)  6. The Kindest Soul
(10:29)  7. Black And Tan Fantasy
( 8:16)  8. Ghost In The Photograph
( 7:05)  9. Breath Of The Volcano

Pianist Geoffrey Keezer's career has consistently delivered on the early promise he displayed when he first emerged on the scene as a precocious nineteen year-old in Art Blakey's last Jazz Messengers. In the past fifteen years he's recorded and/or toured alongside contemporaries Roy Hargrove and Christian McBride, in addition to working with legends like Ray Brown and Art Farmer. But since the early part of this decade, and with two projects in particular, Keezer has truly emerged from under the stylistic umbrella of influence by the usual jazz suspects. His own solo outing Zero One (Dreyfus, 2000) found him exploring a repertoire of largely original music, putting his interest in 20th Century classical composers and contemporary pop music alongside his unequivocal understanding of the jazz tradition. His collaboration with vibraphonist Joe Locke on British woodwind multi-instrumentalist Tim Garland's two Storms/Nocturnes Trio recordings further solidified his appreciation for combining detailed through-composition with more interactive interplay.
Wildcrafted: Live at the Dakota finds Keezer and his trio with bassist Matt Clohesy and the increasingly ubiquitous drummer Terreon Gully exploring a repertoire that, while heavily weighted towards his own writing, also looks as far afield as contemporary Okinawan composers Naohiko Uehara and Sadao China, intrepid pop songstress Björk, and more traditional jazz artists Benny Goodman and Duke Ellington. Some groups take their time to warm up, but the set opener Goodman's chestnut "Stompin' at the Savoy, radically transformed from swing staple to something more powerfully modern wastes no time in establishing the trio's fearless approach. As if Keezer's flat-out solo isn't enough to galvanize the audience, Gully's frenetic but never superfluous playing raises the energy level even further.

Keezer's writing tends to revolve around complicated thematic structures. "Tea and Watercolors runs through a gamut of tightly knit ideas before settling into the pedal-tone modal vamp that forms the core of Keezer's solo. It's a challenge to build a solo over a static harmonic backdrop, but Keezer's sense of narrative and the empathic responsiveness of Clohesy and Gully maintain interest throughout. The trio's take on the Latin-informed "Mirim is more intense, and taken at a faster clip, than the version on Falling Up (MaxJazz, 2003). While acoustic piano is Keezer's main axe, he also uses the Fender Rhodes to broaden his sonic palette, indicating that for him texture is of equal importance. On the ballad "Koikugari Bushi Keezer processes the Rhodes heavily, creating a cloudlike cushion of sound that's distanced from the instrument's typically bell-like timbre, an approach he also uses effectively on a reggae-inflected version of Björk's "Venus as a Boy.

As Keezer's career unfolds, it's clear that he's capable of operating in the same space as other artists who are incorporating a myriad of contemporary influences. But unlike Esbjörn Svensson, his pop sensibility shimmers underneath a more vivid surface layer of jazz tradition; and unlike Brad Mehldau, he tends to more complex composition. The compelling compositional appeal and improvisational élan of Wildcrafted mark Keezer a player transcending his early roots and now emerging as a more well-rounded artist as clearly worthy of equal attention. ~ John Kelman   http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=19655#.Uulu77Sgsis

Personnel: Geoffrey Keezer: piano, Fender Rhodes; Matt Clohesy: bass; Terreon Gully: drums.

Thank You Mai Neime
Wildcrafted: Live At The Dakota

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Cannonball Adderley - Money In The Pocket

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:56
Size: 144,3 MB
Art: Front

(10:25)  1. Money In The Pocket
( 9:09)  2. Stardust
( 7:22)  3. Introduction To A Samba
( 7:44)  4. Hear Me Talkin' To Ya
(10:32)  5. Requiem For A Jazz Musician
( 3:06)  6. Cannon's Theme (aka Unit 7)
( 4:05)  7. The Sticks
(10:29)  8. Fiddler On The Roof

Cannonball Adderley's mega-successful album Mercy, Mercy, Mercy!, released in August of 1966, was supposedly recorded "live" at a venue in Chicago called The Club, but it was actually recorded in the studio of Capitol Records with a specially assembled audience. For those who wonder what they really sounded like at that venue, Money in the Pocket contains unreleased live recordings of the Cannonball Adderley Quintet at The Club in Chicago on March 19 and 20, 1966. The only pieces officially released were edited 45-rpm single versions of "The Sticks," "Money in the Pocket," "Hear Me Talkin' to Ya," and "Cannon's Theme." This 2005 reissue restores those tracks to their original full lengths while adding "Introduction to a Samba," "Requiem for a Jazz Musician," "Fiddler on the Roof," and a nice version of "Stardust." Cannonball employed the same excellent band as heard on the Mercy, Mercy, Mercy! album cornetist Nat Adderley, keyboardist Joe Zawinul, drummer Roy McCurdy with the exception of bassist Herbie Lewis, who replaced Victor Gaskin. Any Cannonball Adderley fan will want to own this. ~ Al Campbell   http://www.allmusic.com/album/money-in-the-pocket-mw0000657028

Money In The Pocket

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Kathryn Hettel - Jazz From The Heart

Size: 135,0 MB
Time: 58:00
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Jazz Vocals, Standards
Art: Front

01. Angel Eyes (6:08)
02. Black Orpheus (3:41)
03. Cry Me A River (5:36)
04. Don't Get Around Much Anymore (2:49)
05. Lover Man (5:05)
06. I'm Beginning To See The Light (3:24)
07. Lazy Afternoon (5:24)
08. Lush Life (3:37)
09. Can't Help Loving Dat Man (3:31)
10. I'll Be Seeing You (3:54)
11. Come Rain Or Come Shine (4:37)
12. Round Midnight (5:04)
13. My Buddy (5:04)

Released December 21, 2013 on Critical Sun Recordings, Kathryn Hettel’s “Jazz From The Heart” is a quiet album of special memories and feelings set to the intimate beat of a typical, top-shelf nightclub. A retired doctor and Washington Blues Society member, Hettel isn’t one of those well-known jazz numbers around town. Nevertheless, she’s been able to indulge in her jazz love affair as a fan and a fairly good vocalist, quietly gigging with some fierce musicians, including smooth jazz saxophonist Darren Motamedy, her own blues band, and producing this recording.

In her first track, “Angel Eyes,” the Northwest vocalist softly croons, “Excuse me while I disappear.” She does exactly that from start to finish in all the songs she loves to sing, with the vibe she grew to love thanks to her father. Growing up, Hettel was treated to live nightly shows. He’d tuck his little girl into bed, then go to his piano to play such memorable standards, “Autumn Leaves,” “Night And Day,” “September Song,” standards that would become her indelible soundtrack.

Dedicated to her father, Hettel’s “Jazz From The Heart” establishes her quiet love for the standards and the memories they bring early on. Her voice is deep, low, and sultry. It gets into the crevices of the standards she loves so much, as if she’s tried on their stories many times, as an actress tries on costumes.

Recorded locally, in Snohomish, WA’s Studio North, the album brings together some of Northwest’s finest session players and major showmen to help Hettel get to her sweet spots: bassist Evan Flory-Barnes, drummer D’Vonne Lewis, pianist Darrius Willrich, saxophonist Harold Fox, trumpeter/flugelhornist Chris Littlefield, guitarist Scott Caruso, violinist Geoffrey Castle, percussionist Jeff “Bongo” Busch, and Stephen Beaudrey on harmonica.

It’s very clear how much Hettel loves singing jazz standards with a blues force. She’s free and easy in her relaxed approach, and she’s got a supple, well-seasoned voice that conveys meaning beyond the pretty words and the melodic turns.

She conveys that love well on familiar standards “Cry Me A River,” “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore,” “Lush Life,” and “Lover Man,” without coming off too familiar or jaded. Her fresh, joyful approach lifts those standards from the run of the mill. She also puts her own quiet stamp on them.

Hettel can hit the notes. Her voice is deep, rich, and even versatile — going higher when called for. The vibrato, though, is too much. It’s reminiscent of Korean p’ansori, an ancient opera singing style involving a two-and-a-half-octave pitch range and exaggerated vibrato to the point of being oppressive.

This is a nice collection of standards that speak to Kathryn Hettel’s heart, and a nice, easy introduction to jazz for listeners not used to the hard stuff.

Jazz From The Heart

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Monica McIntyre - It Soon Come

Size: 82,6 MB
Time: 35:12
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Blues/Jazz/Soul Fusion
Art: Front

01. Wade In The Water (3:34)
02. It Soon Come (2:04)
03. Drawn (3:37)
04. Freedom Song (3:42)
05. Like A Lover (4:33)
06. River Mother (3:46)
07. Dontcha (2:49)
08. Trouble This Water (4:20)
09. Lullaby (Sacred) (3:42)
10. Think Of Me (2:59)

Artist, Cellist, Singer, Lyricist, Community Activist and Healer; these are a few titles which could be used to describe Monica McIntyre. As a musician Monica weaves a beautiful tapestry of colors and sounds so vivid and unique that one genre simply cannot cover it all. She seamlessly blends: Blues, Soul, Classical, Jazz, Reggae and Middle Eastern sounds with the unique cello techniques of: slapping, plucking and strumming, into an unforgettable musical landscape.

Seeing her perform onstage is an enthralling experience and before you know it you'll be swaying or stomping your feet alongside the mesmerizing sounds of her cello. The meticulous storytelling, metaphor and word play that dominate her lyrics cause her songs to be seen and heard as succinct novellas. Her voice, with it's smoky texture and emotional quality, has left audiences crying, dancing, laughing and testifying.

So who is Monica McIntyre? She is equal parts Jamaican metaphor-laden mother and read-the-dictionary-for-fun father; a perfect writers combination. Originally from Hyattsville, MD, she began her cello career in classical studies; honing her craft through private lessons and orchestral ensembles with the District of Columbia Youth Orchestra (DCYO). After graduating from Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Greenbelt, MD, Monica migrated to Philadelphia, PA to study Fashion Design at Drexel University. In 1999 she earned a BA from the Nesbitt College of Design Arts.

Living in the city of Brotherly Love, where she was immersed in: Funk, Soul, R & B, Jazz, and World Music; brought her back to her first love, music. In October 2003 she released her debut album Blusolaz -- a collection of original songs which fused the genres of Blues, Soul and Jazz. Bars of Gold, her first single, was released in August 2005. Monica has been featured at numerous events throughout the world most notably: Soul Sista's Jukejoint (GA) 2005, The 215 Festival (PA) 2005, Sistahood Celebration (Vancouver) 2008, The Philadelphia Fringe Festival (PA) 2008 & 2009, The Black Women's Art Festival (PA) 2009, Sisterspace (MD) 2009, Ladyfest New Orleans (LA) 2010 & 2011, New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (LA) 2013, and The French Quarter Fest (LA) 2013. Most recently Monica was a featured artist on the online International music show "Balcony TV".

Her new album 'It Soon Come', produced by John Chelew, features: Marcia McIntyre (violin/vocals), Thea Bashful (vocals), Reggina Thompson (oboe), and Mike Jacobsen (percussion).

It Soon Come

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Gene Ammons - Angel Eyes

Styles: Straight-ahead/Mainstream
Year: 1960
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:54
Size: 85,0 MB
Art: Front

(6:54)  1. Gettin' Around
(5:38)  2. Blue Room
(5:58)  3. You Go To My Head
(8:52)  4. Angel Eyes
(5:15)  5. Water Jug
(4:14)  6. It's The Talk Of The Town

Gene Ammons’ Angel Eyes leaves a nagging feeling that it was thrown together and dumped onto the marketplace with little or no thought. After all, when Angel Eyes was released in 1965, Ammons was in the middle of serving a long jail term for narcotics possession. These tunes are culled from two separate sessions, done in 1960 and 1962 respectively, featuring vastly different groups. So, not only does the album feature an outdated snapshot of Ammons’ work as a jazz artist, it also features music that had lingered in the vaults for years. Of course, these two reservations are nonsense when considering the way jazz record companies operated during the 1960s. Blue Note Records, for example, held off on releasing many recordings that, upon their release years and years later, have revealed few discernable flaws. In addition, just because an album contains music recorded by an artist years ago, that in no way should detract from the listener’s enjoyment or its critical value. The six songs on Angel Eyes can easily be broken into three up-tempo tracks and three ballads. The trio of light, subtle swingers feature a quintet of Ammons, Frank Wess on flute and tenor saxophone, organist Johnny “Hammond” Smith, bassist Doug Watkins and Art Taylor on drums. Soulful playing dominates these tunes with Ammons getting in a relaxed solo on “Gettin’ Around” and Wess turning in a memorable flute improvisation on “Blue Room.” The same band shows up on the title track and shifts gears from soul to melancholy. 

In his theme statement, Ammons makes the tune his own, turning the song into a bluesy lament. When he exhorts the listener to “drink up” and “order anything you see,” his saxophone becomes an instrument of beauty and with only a few choice notes conjures up a searing impression of sadness. Throughout the nine minutes of “Angel Eyes,” Ammons’ band creates a expert example of slow-motion ballad playing that perfectly fits the song’s lyrics and drips with pure, authentic emotion. “You Go To My Head” and “It’s The Talk of the Town” pair Ammons up with a rhythm section featuring Mal Waldron on piano, bassist Wendell Marshall and Ed Thigpen on drums. Both are relatively straightforward ballads which concentrate on melody. The latter tune serves as an effective closer to the album, coming after the celebratory mood of “Water Jug,” and features a creative cadenza by Ammons. Upon first glance, Angel Eyes may give the impression that it was hastily put together by Prestige, but the music inside brims with the enthusiasm and talent of jazz musicians creating music to be enjoyed and savoured for years and years to come. ~ Robert Gilbert   http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=11288#.UufoKrRpQ2w
 

Personnel: Gene Ammons - tenor saxophone; Frank Wess - tenor saxophone and flute; Johnny "Hammond" Smith - organ; Mal Waldron - piano; Doug Watkins, Wendell Marshall - bass; Art Taylor, Ed Thigpen - drums

Angel Eyes

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Bobby Timmons - This Here is Bobby Timmons

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1960
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:05
Size: 87,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:35)  1. This Here
(5:09)  2. Moanin'
(2:32)  3. Lush Life
(4:15)  4. The Party's Over
(3:24)  5. Prelude To A Kiss
(5:26)  6. Dat Dere
(5:09)  7. My Funny Valentine
(4:33)  8. Come Rain Or Come Shine
(3:58)  9. Joy Ride

This is a classic Riverside set that has been reissued on CD in the Original Jazz Classics series. Pianist Bobby Timmons by early 1960 had already had successful stints with Art Blakey (where he contributed "Moanin'") and Canonball Adderley (writing "This Here" and "Date Dere"). For his first recording as a leader, Timmons (whose "funky" style was beginning to become very influential) performs those three hits along with his own "Joy Ride" and five standards in a trio with bassist Sam Jones and drummer Jimmy Cobb. Always more than just a soul-jazz pianist, Timmons (who effectively takes "Lush Life" unaccompanied) became a bit stereotyped later in his career but at this early stage was at the peak of his creativity. Essential music. ~ Scott Yanow   http://www.allmusic.com/album/this-here-is-bobby-timmons-mw0000192568

This Here is Bobby Timmons

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Aga Zaryan - My Lullaby

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:29
Size: 120,2 MB
Art: Front

( 3:13)  1. To See A World
( 5:18)  2. Waltz For Debby
( 4:23)  3. I've Got The World On A String
( 5:22)  4. My Lullaby
( 5:13)  5. You And The Night And The Music
( 3:41)  6. I Put A Spell On You
(12:01)  7. Never Said (Chan's Song) / Trust Me
( 4:46)  8. Still We Dream (Ugly Beauty)
( 3:53)  9. I Hear Music
( 4:35) 10. Polka Dots And Moonbeams

This is the debut album by the undeniable present-day diva of Polish Jazz, vocalist Aga Zaryan. Recorded over a decade ago, when Zaryan was completely anonymous, it exhibits for the first time an outstanding talent, fresh and innocent on one hand and remarkably mature and daring on the other. Backed up by a classic Jazz quartet, Zaryan performs ten standards, which were arranged by pianist Michal Tokaj. The other quartet members are veteran Polish Jazz saxophonist Tomasz Szukalski, bassist extraordinaire Darek Oleszkiewicz and drummer Lukasz Zyta.  The fact that Zaryan received her primary school education in UK enables her to sing in English, free from a foreign accent, which often annoys English-speaking audiences. But the lack of a foreign accent is by far not what is so remarkable about this album. It is the choice of material and the highly personal interpretation of the songs, which is strikingly original and aesthetically pleasing. 

She is able to twist and turn the familiar tunes around her small finger so to speak, with ease and elegance which is simply charming and highly sophisticated.  Another forte of the album is Zaryan´s extraordinary rapport with the quartet members, especially with bass player Darek Oleszkiewicz. Several of the tunes are by and large duets between the vocals and the bass and those are simply breathtaking. Szukalski is an ideal partner as well, constructing concise but wonderfully structured solos, always brilliantly complimenting the music. The entire quartet does a truly beautiful job, supporting the singer without overshadowing her for even a single moment. Such wonderful balance between a vocalist and her group is extremely rare and contributes immensely to the overall success of this recording. In retrospect one can easily hear all the elements, which over time amalgamated into present day Aga Zaryan and her outstanding abilities. This debut album remains a timeless beauty and a favorite album, which I intend to revisit time and again. Extraordinary!  ~ Adam Baruch   http://www.adambaruch.com/reviews_item.asp?item=104071

My Lullaby

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Ronnie Scott Quintet - Never Pat A Burning Dog

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1990
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:18
Size: 170,5 MB
Art: Front

(12:36)  1. Contemplation
( 4:31)  2. I'm Glad There Is You
(12:00)  3. White Caps
(11:52)  4. All The Things You Are
( 4:10)  5. This Love Of Mine
(13:43)  6. When Love Is New
(15:23)  7. Little Sunflower

Tenor saxophonist Ronnie Scott looms among the towering figures of Britain's postwar jazz scene, exerting equal influence as a performer and as the owner of the world-famous club bearing his name. He was born Ronald Schatt in the east end of London on January 28, 1927  his father, dance band saxophonist Jock Scott, separated from his mother shortly after his birth. After first purchasing a cornet from a local junk shop, Scott then moved to the soprano saxophone, finally settling on the tenor sax during his teens; at a local youth club he began performing with aspiring drummer Tony Crombie, and soon began playing the occasional professional gig. After backing bandleader Carlo Krahmer, Scott toured with trumpeter Johnny Claes in 1945, joining the hugely popular Ted Heath Big Band the following year; however, changing economics made the big bands increasingly unfeasible, and as the nascent bebop sound developing across the Atlantic began making its way to the U.K., he and Crombie traveled to New York City to explore the source firsthand. Scott would regularly return to New York after signing on to play alongside alto saxophonist Johnny Dankworth on the transatlantic ocean liner the Queen Mary.

Despite his travels Scott remained a linchpin of the growing London bop scene, and in late 1948 he co-founded Club Eleven, the first U.K. club devoted to modern jazz. During this time he developed the lyrical but harmonically complex style that would remain the hallmark of his career, first backing drummer Jack Parnell before finally forming his own band in 1953. The nine-piece group made its public debut in conjunction with a London appearance by Norman Granz's Jazz at the Philharmonic touring revue working from arrangements by trumpeter Jimmy Deuchar, the Scott band's debut proved a landmark moment in the history of British jazz, in many respects heralding the true starting point of the postwar era. Not all of Scott's instincts were sound  in 1955, he briefly assembled a full-size big band, to disastrous creative and commercial results but when he officially dissolved the group in 1956, he was a household name throughout Britain. In 1957 he co-founded the Jazz Couriers with fellow tenor saxophonist Tubby Hayes, scaling to even greater heights of fame. the Jazz Couriers amicably split in 1959.

Around this time Scott began to again entertain the notion of a London-based jazz club in the tradition of the landmarks dotting New York's 52nd Street along with Pete King, a longtime collaborator who'd recently retired from active performing, he borrowed the money necessary to lease the building at 39 Gerrard Street and on October 31, 1959 opened Ronnie Scott's Club for business. Scott himself co-headlined the opening night along with Hayes and Parnell sales were promising, but the venue only began reaching true critical mass in 1961 when it hosted its first American act, Scott favorite Zoot Sims. In the months to follow, Ronnie Scott's was the setting of performances by a who's who of American tenor icons including Dexter Gordon, Roland Kirk, Stan Getz, Sonny Stitt, Ben Webster, and Sonny Rollins. In late 1965 the club moved to its present location on Frith Street, where before the end of the decade it would host everyone from Ella Fitzgerald to Albert Ayler, becoming the epicenter of London's jazz community. Although the club consumed much of his time, Scott continued touring with a quartet featuring pianist Stan Tracey during the late 1960s, he also spearheaded an eight-piece group with whom he created the most idiosyncratic and experimental music of his career. At the time of Scott's death on December 23, 1996, his namesake club was perhaps the most famous jazz venue in all of Europe. ~ Jason Ankeny   http://www.allmusic.com/artist/ronnie-scott-mn0000332807/biography

Never Pat A Burning Dog

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Bobby Timmons - Soul Time

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1960
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:20
Size: 97,2 MB
Art: Front

(6:24)  1. Soul Time
(6:20)  2. So Tired
(4:16)  3. The Touch Of Your Lips
(5:14)  4. S'posin'
(5:54)  5. Stella B.
(6:16)  6. You Don't Know What Love Is
(6:53)  7. One Mo'

Pianist Bobby Timmons, best known for his sanctified and funky playing and composing, is mostly heard in a straightahead vein on this CD reissue of a Riverside session. Timmons's four originals ("So Tired" is most memorable) alternate with three standards and are interpreted by a quartet with trumpeter Blue Mitchell, bassist Sam Jones and drummer Art Blakey. The swinging music is well-played, making this a good example of Bobby Timmons playing in a boppish (as opposed to funky) setting. ~ Scott Yanow   http://www.allmusic.com/album/soul-time-mw0000626438

Soul Time

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Paul Millns - Gone Again

Size: 109,7 MB
Time: 47:12
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Pop/Rock, Jazz, Blues, Soul Rock
Art: Front

01. A Little Painkilling (4:51)
02. Love Don't Have To Be Like This (3:25)
03. Gone Again (4:06)
04. Distillery Street (4:16)
05. The Beauty Of The High Wire Dancer (3:19)
06. Close Companion Of The Blues (3:56)
07. City Boy (4:04)
08. Love In The Times Of Hardship (4:57)
09. Odd Job John (3:06)
10. Tangled Up In Stars (3:50)
11. Capsized (3:46)
12. Crazy With Love (3:30)

Recorded earlier this year in Ingo Rau’s Freiburg studio, it was produced by Paul and Ingo [who has done an outstanding job with the audio quality]. As well as being available here through the website in a few days, it is released by Rakete Records [www.rakete-medien.de], and of course at Paul’s concerts.

From the almost Nashville atmosphere of “Gone again” and ” A little Painkilling”, to the blues soaked “Distillery Street” and “Close Companion of the Blues”, via the jazzy “Love in the times of Hardship”, this is surely one of the most varied albums Paul has recorded.

All of the basic tracks were recorded live in just a few days, and this gives a very organic feel to the album, graced by wonderful contributions by Paul’s regular musicians, Ingo Rau -bass, Vladi Kempf – drums, Butch Coulter – guitar and harmonica.

Friends and guests include Nick Pentelow on saxophones and clarinet, Paul’s son Andreas on Hammond organ, Niels Kaiser on guitar, and Steve Bailey on violin. Heinz Rudolf Kunze and Tobias Kunzel also sing on the title track GONE AGAIN.

The album should delight Paul’s fans and reach out to a wider audience.

Gone Again

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Dee Bell & Marcos Silva - Silva-Bell-Elation

Size: 101,2 MB
Time: 43:31
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz Vocals, Brazilian Rhythms
Art: Front

01. Harvest Moon (4:15)
02. I've Got The World On A String (4:00)
03. Beijo Partido - Broken Kiss (4:54)
04. Night In The City (4:26)
05. I Will (3:18)
06. The Face I Love (3:15)
07. Nature Boy (4:08)
08. Dreamer (3:22)
09. The World Is Falling Down (3:40)
10. 's Wonderful (2:41)
11. Midnight Mood (5:26)

Although jazz singer Dee Bell made her first critically applauded albums back in the ’80s with the likes of Stan Getz and Eddie Duran, her name is unlikely to be familiar to many jazz fans. As James Gavin’s liner notes to her new album with pianist Marcos Silva, Silva – Bell – Elation, tells it, the Indiana-born Bell came to Northern California to pursue a singing career in 1978. She was working as a waitress in a Sausalito music club when she got up to sing “Happy Birthday” to a friend. Guitarist Eddie Duran caught her song and soon she was sitting in with his trio. Stan Getz heard her sing and was willing to listen to a demo tape. He liked what he heard, and she got a gig with Concord Jazz resulting in two albums.

While her recordings got a lot of attention and she continued to work around the San Francisco area, she was not exactly making a fortune. She had to take a full time job. In 1990, she self-produced a third album, Sagacious Grace, but the master was defective as the result of a poorly placed mike and the album couldn’t be released. Disappointed by the expensive failure, she devoted herself to marriage, family and a job as a music teacher. Twenty odd years later, with a bit of digital know-how, the technical problems were corrected. In 2011, the album was released.

Now she has teamed up with Brazilian-born Marcos Silva for an album that she calls, at least in part, “a laid back white jazz singer floating over his Brazilian rhythms.” And it works, she handles Brazilian songs like Toninho Horta’s “Beijo Partido/Broken Kiss,” Marcos Valle’s “The Face I Love,” and especially Antonio Carlos Jobim’s “Dreamer” with the finesse of a native. They’ve even arranged the Gershwins’ “S’Wonderful” as a samba.

The set opens with a cover of Neil Young’s “Harvest Moon” featuring 17-year-old Chris Sullivan playing four different sax parts. There is also a little Lennon/McCartney with a sweet version of “I Will” and Joni Mitchell’s “Night in the City.” They infuse “I’ve Got the World on a String” and “Nature Boy” with the flavor of the Caribbean, aided by steel drummer Andy Narell. Her version of Abbey Lincoln’s “The World is Falling Down” gives the tune a new life. The set ends with a wordless meditative dialogue with Silva on piano.

Silva – Bell – Elation is a tantalizing album that will leave the listener mourning for the 20 years of great music missed out on while Dee Bell was recovering from the Sagacious Grace fiasco.

Silva-Bell-Elation

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Cassandre McKinley - Til Tomorrow

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:03
Size: 128,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:33)  1. Trouble Man
(3:33)  2. I Want You
(4:27)  3. Til Tomorrow
(3:12)  4. I Wish It Would Rain
(3:58)  5. You're the One for Me
(3:18)  6. Pride and Joy
(3:38)  7. Your Precious Love
(4:22)  8. Night Life
(5:27)  9. Let's Get It on
(3:24) 10. After the Dance
(5:04) 11. I Won't Cry Anymore
(5:12) 12. I Wonder
(3:46) 13. Yesterday
(3:05) 14. If This World Were Mine

One of the funniest jokes that has made the rounds in the jazz world goes like this: how many jazz vocalists does it take to sing "My Funny Valentine"? All of them. The point is that so many jazz artists males and females, singers and instrumentalists  insist on performing the most overdone Tin Pan Alley warhorses no matter how much those warhorses been beaten to death over the years, and God forbid they should try to find the jazz potential in rock or R&B songs. Thus, it is refreshing to hear Boston-based vocalist Cassandre McKinley providing this jazz-friendly tribute to Marvin Gaye. 

Til Tomorrow: Remembering Marvin Gaye is not straight-ahead jazz; what McKinley does on this 59-minute CD is best described as a mixture of jazz, R&B, and pop (with blues and gospel elements at times). But jazz is certainly an important part of the equation, and McKinley doesn't simply offer note-for-note covers of songs that the late soul icon recorded; she interprets them, offering plenty of delightful surprises along the way. "I Want You" and "After the Dance" receive bossa nova makeovers, and McKinley puts a post-bop spin on "Trouble Man" without sacrificing any of the song's bluesiness. "Let's Get It On" becomes surprisingly understated and torch-like in McKinley's hands, while "I Wish It Would Rain" (a gem associated with the Temptations and Gladys Knight & the Pips more than Gaye, although he recorded it in 1970) is given an appealingly bluesy, folkish spin along the lines of Tracy Chapman. "I Wish It Would Rain" is one of the disc's least jazz-minded performances, but again, McKinley never claimed that Til Tomorrow was the work of a jazz purist. It is, however, an excellent example of a jazz-friendly vocalist acknowledging that great popular music didn't end with Tin Pan Alley. ~ Alex Henderson  

http://www.allmusic.com/album/til-tomorrow-remembering-marvin-gaye-mw0000442406

Personnel: Cassandre McKinley (vocals); Stephen Angellis (vocals); Marty Ballou (acoustic guitar, electric guitar); Dino Govoni (tenor saxophone); John Allmark (trumpet); Brad Hatfield (piano, synthesizer); Vincent Pagano (drums, percussion); Marty Richards (drums); Lexi Angellis (rainsticks).

Til Tomorrow

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India Arie - Acoustic Soul

Styles: R&B
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:03
Size: 163,8 MB
Art: Front

(0:50)  1. Intro
(4:09)  2. Video
(4:37)  3. Promises
(4:56)  4. Brown Skin
(4:57)  5. Strength, Courage, & Wisdom
(4:24)  6. Nature
(5:11)  7. Back To The Middle
(4:28)  8. Ready For Love
(1:24)  9. Interlude
(4:40) 10. Always In My Head
(3:17) 11. I See God In You
(3:26) 12. Simple
(4:03) 13. Part Of My Life
(4:05) 14. Beautiful
(1:20) 15. Outro
(5:32) 16. Wonderful (Steve Wonder Dedication)
(5:57) 17. Strength, Courage, & Wisdom (Live)
(3:36) 18. Brown Skin (Bedroom Rockers Remix)

As one of the most promising neo-soul artists yet to emerge in the past few years, India.Arie casts her lot with the best artists of her label's storied history, playing deeply introspective songs laced with glistening acoustic guitar, churchy organ, and smooth, supple beats. When she name-checks those artists no longer with us that she claims as influences (Ma Rainey, Miles Davis, Karen Carpenter, Charley Patton, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Donny Hathaway, etc.) in three separate interludes, you have no doubt she is looking back as well as forward, even going so far as to invoke Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come." But Acoustic Soul is at its best when the arrangements are deliberately modern. And despite the uniqueness of being a guitar-based R&B album, it is Arie's thick, sandy voice that shares star billing with her exceptional lyrics. 

Betraying youthful vulnerability while at the same time projecting strength, confidence, and uncanny insight for a 25-year-old singer/songwriter, Arie wraps herself effortlessly around the deep, funky sensuality of "Brown Skin," and stands tall in defiance of pop-fashion expectations on the irresistibly catchy "Video." The uplifting "Faith, Courage, Wisdom" rides along on a euphoric chorus, and the plainly autobiographical "Back to the Middle" recounts an emotional and spiritual coming of age. Without the many concrete references to the great R&B music of the past, Acoustic Soul would be a purely modern gem, but as Arie is determined to pay her debts up front, it's much more, and that is admirable. ~ John Duffy   http://www.allmusic.com/album/acoustic-soul-mw0000001036

Acoustic Soul

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Tuck & Patti - Chocolate Moment

Styles: Vocal, Guitar Jazz
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:53
Size: 107,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:25)  1. Comfort Me
(4:13)  2. Love Flows Like a River
(3:18)  3. One For All
(3:45)  4. Reverie
(5:39)  5. Wildflower
(4:47)  6. Rejoice
(4:54)  7. Chocolate Moment
(3:46)  8. Interlude in the Key of P
(5:16)  9. Blast Past Your Illusions
(5:45) 10. Knowing

For just the second time in their career, Tuck & Patti offer an album that contains only original material. Perhaps this has something to do with the fact that Chocolate Moment is the first release on their own label. Equally likely is that, as with many other artists, their creativity was stirred to an unusual turbulence by the World Trade Center tragedy of the previous year. Its traces can be discerned most clearly in the lyrics to "Comfort Me," a plea for help after "all my illusions have...crumbled down in smoke and glass," and in a festive call, set to a township beat, to get past "the season of crying" in "Rejoice." The same shadow touches most of the other tracks as well, though Cathcart's positive-energy emanations make them harder to spot on, for example, "Love Flows Like a River," a gentle meditation that turns out to be about saying goodbye to loved ones. What stands intact throughout Chocolate Moment is the intimacy of their musical union, with Tuck's astonishing accompaniment glistening against Patti's honeyed, soulful tones. Her songs are not easy to play and, as the shortage of breath spots in "Knowing" illustrates, they can be tricky to sing as well. Yet, in the manner of every great duo, they make it all seem easy and, always, supremely musical throughout Chocolate Moment. ~ Robert L.Doerschuck   

http://www.allmusic.com/album/chocolate-moment-mw0000226907

Chocolate Moment

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Eldar Djangirov - Viture

Styles: Post-Bop, Piano Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:42
Size: 161,2 MB
Art: Front

(6:23)  1. Exposition
(5:43)  2. Insensitive
(9:09)  3. Blues Sketch In Clave
(5:24)  4. Iris
(7:06)  5. The Exorcist
(6:34)  6. Lullaby Fantazia
(5:57)  7. Blackjack
(7:53)  8. Long Passage
(6:19)  9. Estate
(6:11) 10. Daily Living
(3:00) 11. Vanilla Sky

Eldar Djangirov continues hell-bent on dazzling audiences with his impressive technique, speed-demon array of notes, and music that is displaying more of a jagged edge and abject angular inventions. The staggeringly pronounced music he is making takes a different turn on Virtue, utilizing horns and synthesizers, but it's mostly his kamikaze acoustic piano  frequently turning on a dime that is the centerpiece. Djangirov receives help from Joshua Redman, who plays tenor and soprano sax, and trumpeter Nicholas Payton on one cut apiece, as well as saxophonist Felipe Lamoglia on four selections. Rarely displaying reserve, Djangirov is fully gassed up and ready to wail on these pieces that require acute listening skills to hear everything being dished out, but for him must seem naturally supercharged. Those impressed with pyrotechnics will likely be blown away by tracks like the busy horn-driven road song on cobblestones "Exposition," with Redman; the powerhouse piece "The Exorcist," with astounding invention and a bit of synth flavoring; and the jumpy, superball-in-a-squash-court "Blackjack," featuring Payton. Funky rock beats dominate the youth-oriented "Blues Sketch in Clave," featuring Lamoglia's tenor and soprano, while "Vanilla Sky" is another craggy, loose-cannon tune in odd meters fused by Lamoglia's soprano.

Slightly throttled, "Lullaby Fantazia" is a lithe and soulful 4/4 track with a 5/4 modal insert that is more organic and breathing than steaming along. "Daily Living" takes into account the elfin flourishes of Chick Corea, while also adopting staggered phrasings, electric keyboards, and a sound that can strike a kinship with peers like Robert Glasper and Aaron Parks. Some trio-only tracks with electric bass guitarist Armando Gola and drummer Ludwig Alfonso including the pretty, cascading "Insensitive," the actual introspective and delicate "Iris," and the real ballad take of the classic "Estate" all show that Djangirov can ramp down the thunder and lightning into low-watt, sustainable, impressionistic motifs. While not all bombast and the high drama has its valid virtuosity the variations are either black or white, with no interest in the middle ground or a larger color palette. This is Eldar's eighth CD, at age 22 still a very young and maturing musician who has a lot to offer and gives it all up in one fell swoop. Strap in for the ride. ~ Michael G.Nastos   http://www.allmusic.com/album/virtue-mw0000827137

Viture

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Janine Gilbert-Carter - A Song For You / At Last

Album: A Song For You
Size: 135,9 MB
Time: 58:25
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2006
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. There Is No Greater Love (4:15)
02. What A Difference A Day Made (4:42)
03. Don't Go To Stranger (5:44)
04. Candy (3:35)
05. Here's To Life (5:20)
06. Green Dolphin Street (6:29)
07. All Of Me (4:00)
08. A Song For You (4:11)
09. Please Send Me Someone To Love (5:01)
10. Someone Else Is Steppin' In (3:44)
11. When I Fall In Love (4:35)
12. At Last (6:43)

Jazz can only endure so many vocal performances that take the art to some interesting and even ground-breaking outer reaches before things must correct themselves with a release or two that are straight down the middle, reminding us how we got there to begin with. Janine Gilbert-Carter fills the bill with a no-nonsense recital of standards that should help any jazz listener understand what Miles Davis was trying to say when he played, "On Green Dolphin Street.

Gilbert-Carter is backed by a guitar-piano quintet with a reeds front. Her voice is soulful, full of Church, capable of filling sonic space with an aural humidity that is honest what-you-see-is-what-you-get. Nowhere is this better displayed than on Percy Mayfield's "Please Send Me Someone to Love, and Etta James' theme, "At Last. On both, Paul Carr's full-bodied tenor caresses Gilbert-Carter's phrasing, while soloing with great gusto and the occasional crack, always keeping things real. Guitarist Steve Abshire adds tasty chording and six-string filigree. Pianist Chris Grasso can lay the blues on, having certainly listened to Red Garland's "...Someone to Love and James' "At Last.

The bawdy blues is reserved for sassy Denise LaSalle's "Someone Else is Steppin' In'. Abshire hits his comping stride, compelling the band to greater and greater intensity. These pieces are late in the recital, the earlier positions reserved for ballad, a trinity of which make the fulcrum of the recording. "Green Dolphin Street is delivered with punch and panache. Carr trades his tenor for the wicked soprano, which he guides serpentine through the standard. "Street is followed by a sprite "All of Me. Grasso's bouncing intro and deftly light touch disguises the virility of his solo, single notes ringing like a cross between Horace Silver and Gene Harris. The triad of ballads conclude with Leon Russell's "A Song for You. Gilbert-Carter waxes emotively, propelled by Chris Grasso's simple accompaniment.

A Song for You is a meat and potatoes jazz vocals recording, sung by an accomplished artist showing us all how these songs are to be sung. ~Review by C. Michael Bailey

Personnel: Janine Gilbert-Carter: vocals; Steve Abshire: guitar; Clyde Adams: drums; Paul Carr: tenor and soprano saxophones; Gavin Fallow: bass; Chris Grasso: piano.

A Song For You

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Album: At Last
Size: 147,0 MB
Time: 63:25
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Blues Jazz, Blues Soul, Jazz Vocals
Label: Janine Gilbert-Carter
Art: Front

01. Let The Good Times Roll (5:30)
02. Don't Get Around Much Anymore (4:53)
03. Stormy Monday (7:41)
04. Let's Stay Together (4:50)
05. Since I Fell For You (6:46)
06. How High The Moon (5:27)
07. My Funny Valentine (7:48)
08. Ain't Got Nothing But The Blues (4:58)
09. Fever (4:43)
10. I Don't Hurt Anymore (2:47)
11. At Last (7:56)

"Her poignantly warm, rich, soulful voice lovingly and profoundly penetrates the soul of all who are blessed to hear her. From the first note, the listener becomes spellbound. Not only her voice, but her delivery captivates. - Dr. Diane Brenda Williams

Janine Carter was introduced to gospel, Jazz and blues at a very early age by her parents and grandmother. This Pennsylvania native cannot remember a time when music was not a part of her very existence. She began her musical journey like so many contemporary artists as a member of the choir at her church in Aliquippa, PA. She also had the opportunity to expand on her solo performances as a member of the Bach Choir of PA which performed some of Broadways most exciting musicals. Janine continued to use the gift she was given to perform at various functions and special events until she relocated to the Washington, DC Metropolitan area in the summer of 1988. During the summer of 1996 Janine performed her debut concert in the DC area at New Genesis Baptist Church, this celestial songbird has been flying ever since.

Since 1998 Ms. Gilbert-Carter has performed with the Washington Performing Arts Society Men & Women of the Gospel Mass Choir and has shared the stage with notable artists such as Tramaine Hawkins, Oleta Adams, Regina Bell, Ann Nesby and Donnie McClurkin and Sweet Honey in the Rock for WPAS's Annual Gospel concert held at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC.

Since September 2001 Janine has worked with local jazz musical talents Ronnie Wells-Elliston and Ron Elliston. Audiences have been delighted with her performances at leading DC jazz venues such as: The Mandarin Oriental, Kaufmann's, Laporta's, The Strathmore, Twins Jazz, The U Street Jazz series concerts held at the Islander in Washington DC, The FMJS East Coast Jazz Festival and the legendary Washington DC supper Club Blues Alley in addition to several prestigious White House Events.

Janine was a finalist in the 2003 FMJS competition, 2004 Mayor's Billie Holiday vocal competition and a quarter finalist in the 2005 Americans traditions competition in Savannah, GA. Gilbert-Carter has also performed at many special events were she has shared the stage with area-wide jazz musicians like pianist Aaron Grave, Vince Smith, Eric Byrd, Chris Grasso and Ron Elliston; bassist Wes Biles, James King, Saxophonist Paul Carr and percussionist Nasar Abady, Jeff Neal and the late Ricky Loza and Mike Smith.

In 2006 Janine join the cast of "Sistas Can Sang, A Tribute to Female Jazz Legends" where she portrays the legendary Dinah Washington.

With the Release of "At Last" this will mark Janine's seventh exploration. She has released six previous CD's in two different genres; (Jazz) In the Moment, A Song For You, Inside A Silent Tear and Sailing (Gospel) God Spoke To Me and Janine Gilbert-Carter & Friends Live at the FMJS quarterly gospel concert. Janine's prayer is to have a positive effect on all that hear her music and to exude the feeling of warmth and love through her music.

At Last

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Ken Slavin - You Gotta Have Heart: Live At The Metropolitan Room In New York

Size: 142,0 MB
Time: 60:34
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. I Love Being Here With You (2:34)
02. Out Of Nowhere (3:13)
03. Fly Me To The Moon (In Other Words) (3:17)
04. Heart (3:06)
05. That's My Desire (3:31)
06. The Way You Look Tonight (2:37)
07. Centerpiece (6:38)
08. When Did You Leave Heaven (3:55)
09. Fever (4:14)
10. You Call It Madness (But I Call It Love) (2:21)
11. The Lady Is A Tramp (2:20)
12. New York Medley I've Got A Crush On New York Town - Autumn In New York (6:24)
13. Sabor A Mi (3:29)
14. Everyday I Have The Blues (4:47)
15. Ain't Misbehavin' (3:41)
16. Mack The Knife (4:19)

This is Ken Slavin's fifth professional recording in a career spanning nearly 25 years - and the first time one of his shows has been captured "live." It was recorded at his New York City singing debut on Halloween NIght, October 31, 2013, at the world-famous Metropolitan Room in Manhattan.

Long-time fans and first-time listeners alike often compare Ken's sound to a younger Tony Bennett, Johnny Hartman, Joe Williams or Mel Torme. One music critic dubbed him "Mr. Tuxedo Voice." Texas Monthly says he's one of the "Swing Set." In reality, his voice, persona and performance style are unique and place him in a category all his own.

His classy and fresh approach to the Great American Songbook and timeless jazz standards has earned him the moniker of "Jazz Crooner Extraordinaire" and the honor of opening for such varied jazz legends as The Four Freshmen, Eddie Palmieri, Savid Sanborn, Dee Dee Bridgewater and Chico Hamilton, performing in concert with the internationally acclaimed Jim Cullum Jazz Band, and giving private performances for Grammy Award winning pop stars Helen Reddy and Vikki Carr. He sings throughout the United States and has hopes of going on tour in the near future.

Ken's recordings have been heard and purchased around the world, thanks to the Internet Age. He has been featured on many top-rated radio programs, including "Late Nights with Joann Goode" on BBC Radio's London flagship station, where he recently was invited to appear in person for a 30-minute interview and salute to his music. Stations in such faraway locales as Peru, Italy, France, Poland, Alaska, the Philippines and Brazil have him on their playlists - and he receives emails and letters from fans across the globe.

If you enjoy good melodies, beautiful lyrics, a sense of romance and sophistication - and a thoroughly relaxing-yet-uplifting listening experience, you will love Ken Slavin: Jazz Crooner Extraordinaire!

You Gotta Have Heart

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Jim Hall - By Arrangement

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 60:08

Size: 137.7 MB

Styles: Guitar jazz

Year: 1998

Art: Front

[8:31] 1. Django

[4:59] 2. Waltz For Debby

[5:18] 3. Ruby, My Dear

[8:23] 4. Goodbye

[6:14] 5. Art Song

[6:37] 6. October Song

[7:33] 7. Wendy

[6:54] 8. The Wind

[5:36] 9. Whisper Not

Long acclaimed for his understated lyrical approach to the guitar, Jim Hall's diverse arrangements on this CD are also first-class. His dazzling arrangement of John Lewis' "Django" features Hall with Pat Metheny, with both men on acoustic instruments for a change, accompanied only by drummer Terry Clarke and the occasional pizzicato accents of a 12-piece string section (violas and cellos!). Rarely has Gordon Jenkins' "Goodbye" been given such a fresh treatment; the brisk bossa nova rhythm, Joe Lovano's switch from clarinet to soprano sax midway in the piece, and Hall's interplay with Lovano and the strings, plus the dramatic sudden slowdown in tempo at the conclusion, make it stand out from the many recordings of this standard. The New York Voices provide a nice backdrop for Hall's solo on "Waltz for Debby," while Paul Desmond's rarely heard "Wendy" features the leader with the brilliant flugelhornist Tom Harrell, backed by a brass section. Hall's originals also merit praise: his lovely "October Song" has just a touch of melancholy with a fine viola solo backed by the strings following his solo introduction, while his challenging "Art Song" is a playful waltz. ~Ken Dryden

By Arrangement

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Lyambiko - Sings Gershwin

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 56:33
Size: 129.5 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[5:47] 1. 's Wonderful
[3:36] 2. It Ain't Necessary So
[3:05] 3. Love Walked In
[2:06] 4. Somebody Loves Me
[3:22] 5. I Got Rhythm
[3:02] 6. Nice Work
[5:21] 7. Someone To Watch Over Me
[2:46] 8. Let's Call The Whole Thing Off
[3:40] 9. Summertime
[4:21] 10. They All Laughed
[3:19] 11. Fascinating Rhythm
[2:49] 12. Who Cares
[3:09] 13. Crush
[1:29] 14. Slap That Bass
[4:45] 15. How Long Has This Been Going On
[3:48] 16. A Foggy Day

Lyambiko was born in the German state of Thuringia to a family with long-standing musical traditions. As a child, she took music lessons and became an accomplished singer. She was still in her teens when she formed her first folk and blues band, but her career did not take off until 1999 when she moved to Berlin. As a music academy student, she toured extensively with various groups, mostly reinterpreting jazz standards.

Lyambiko’s latest album is dedicated to the king of jazz hits, George Gershwin. Excellently produced with spot-on arrangement and subtle vocals, it became a European bestseller just several weeks after release.

Sings Gershwin

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Nancy Kelly - Singin' & Swingin'

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 51:52
Size: 118.8 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 1997
Art: Front

[4:03] 1. Till There Was You
[4:55] 2. That's All
[1:47] 3. The Joint Is Jumpin'
[3:21] 4. At Long Last Love
[4:46] 5. Young and Foolish
[4:36] 6. It's All Right With Me
[3:29] 7. Slow Boat to China
[5:00] 8. Stormy Weather
[4:23] 9. I Concentrate on You
[5:18] 10. Through the Fire
[5:25] 11. Jennine
[4:45] 12. Come in from the Rain

Nancy Kelly has often found herself compared to Dianne Schuur, and the comparison rings true on Singin' and Swingin', a highly arranged CD that has as much to do with pop as it does with jazz. The singer (who has a charming quality to her voice) isn't a hardcore, true-blue improviser, but she does provide some decent scat singing on occasion. Kelly gets into a jazz groove on Duke Pearson's "Jeanine" and Cole Porter's "It's Alright With Me," while her take on Fats Waller's "The Joint Is Jumpin'" isn't unlike the sort of cabaret-influenced jazz Susannah McCorkle would do. But on material ranging from the standard "Young and Foolish" to Chaka Khan's "Through the Fire" and the Captain and Tennille's "Come In From the Rain," you're hearing what is essentially jazzy pop. Although not fantastic and not very challenging, Singin' and Swingin' is a pleasant, if conventional, release that has its moments. ~Alex Henderson

Singin' & Swingin'

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Larry Gales - A Message From Monk

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 61:36

Size: 141.0 MB

Styles: Hard bop

Year: 1991/2007

Art: Front

[14:39] 1. Straight No Chaser

[ 6:10] 2. Round Midnight

[10:17] 3. Off Minor

[ 8:19] 4. Ruby My Dear

[10:33] 5. Let's Call This

[11:35] 6. A Message From The High Priest

Bassist Larry Gales and drummer Ben Riley played together in Thelonious Monk's quartet during part of the 1960s and they anchor this Monk tribute CD, which also features trumpeter Claudio Roditi, trombonist Steve Turre, tenor saxophonist Junior Cook and pianist Benny Green. "Straight No Chaser" is given a lengthy jam-session treatment, "'Round Midnight" receives a surprise vocal from Gales (showing off a warm and expressive voice), Cook's tenor is featured on both "Off Minor" and "Ruby My Dear," and Green ably leads the trio through "Let's Call This" before the full sextet interprets Gales' minor-toned swinger "A Message from the High Priest." It is a little disappointing how little Roditi and Turre are heard from during the live set. But otherwise, the conventional jam on Thelonious Monk's music is respectful, boppish and enjoyable. ~Scott Yanow

A Message From Monk

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