Nikki Yanofsky - Ella... Of Thee I Swing

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:02
Size: 138,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:24)  1. Lullaby Of Birdland
(4:41)  2. It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)
(3:24)  3. Swingin' On The Moon
(3:46)  4. You've Changed
(2:28)  5. Flyin' Home
(2:55)  6. Relax Max
(2:15)  7. Old Macdonald
(3:59)  8. Hear Me Talkin' To Ya
(4:41)  9. Ain't Got Nothin' But The Blues
(2:56) 10. At Last
(3:35) 11. The Way You Look Tonight
(2:17) 12. A Tisket, A Tasket
(4:57) 13. Over The Rainbow
(3:02) 14. 'deed I Do
(2:22) 15. Vote For Mr. Rhythm
(2:45) 16. Evil Gal Blues
(6:29) 17. With A Little Help From My Friends

In a post-millennium music market, most teen pop personalities are compared to Miley Cyrus before they are compared to Celine Dion. However, Montreal's Nikki Yanofsky's mastered range and voice certainly liken her more to the latter: not to say that she is classic or irrelevant, simply that she has a wicked talent with a mature charisma well beyond her years. This is proven triumphantly on Ella...Of Thee I Swing, a debut that doesn't try to dominate pop radio waves with bubblegum mush, rather one that pays tribute to the classic jazz numbers which have ultimately inspired the cultured teen. Ella is more than just a standard tribute album: it's an 18-track piece of musical magic. The album stands out because of Yanofsky's covers of more mainstream numbers. Few can ever cover original tracks like "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," "The Way You Look Tonight," or "At Last" with such awe-inspiring vocals. However, Yanofsky proves that at 15 years old, she can tackle these great numbers effortlessly. Ella...Of Thee I Swing wont have you bopping your head in your car like 95-percent of teen pop stars' music does, but it will make you feel like you are listening to a genuinely fantastic collection of brilliant pop and jazz music, sung through the body of an impressive young talent who, bar none, stands as the best pop voice under 20 in the post-millennium music scene to date. ~ Matthew Chisling   

http://www.allmusic.com/album/ellaof-thee-i-swing-mw0001689340.

Personnel: Howard Forman, Richard White (guitar); Nathalie Bonin, Valérie Belzile (violin); Ligia Paquin (viola); Christine Giguère (cello); Sean Craig, François d'Amours, Richard Beaudet (saxophone); Jocelyn Lapointe, Andy King, Oscar Martinez (trumpet); Serge Arsenault, André Verreault , Bob Ellis (trombone); Paul Shrofel, Josh Rager (piano); Bob Goldfarb (Hammond b-3 organ); Geoff Lang (drums); Aldo Mazza (percussion).

Recording information: Les Studios Piccolo, Montreal, Quebec (02/2007); Théâtre Maisonneuve, Place Des Arts, Montreal, Quebec (02/2007); Les Studios Piccolo, Montreal, Quebec (10/11/2007); Théâtre Maisonneuve, Place Des Arts, Montreal, Quebec (10/11/2007).

Ella... Of Thee I Swing

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Charlie Byrd - Brazilian Byrd

Styles: Brazilian Jazz
Year: 1964
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:05
Size: 84,9 MB
Art: Front

(2:23)  1. Jazz 'N' Samba (So Danco Samba)
(2:56)  2. Corcovado
(2:32)  3. That Look You Wear (Este Seu Olhar)
(2:48)  4. The Girl From Ipanema
(2:25)  5. Samba Do Aviao (Song Of The Jet)
(2:25)  6. Engano
(3:12)  7. O Amor Em Paz
(3:57)  8. Dindi
(2:23)  9. Cancao Do Amor Demais
(4:05) 10. As Praias Desertas
(2:18) 11. Samba Torto
(3:14) 12. Someone To Light Up My Life (Se Todos Fossem Iguais A Voce) [Album Version]
(2:21) 13. Engano

The arrangements by Tommy Newsom for strings, brass, and woodwinds may be a bit sweet and the 13 performances (which on the CD reissue include a previously unreleased take of "Engano") may be overly concise (often under three minutes), but the resulting music is strangely pleasing. Acoustic guitarist Charlie Byrd always had a strong affinity for Brazilian jazz, and he sticks exclusively to Antonio Carlos Jobim songs (including "Só Danço Samba," "Corcovado," "Dindi," and "The Girl from Ipanema") during this tasteful and melodic effort. Truly beautiful music. ~ Scott Yanow  

http://www.allmusic.com/album/brazilian-byrd-mw0000311294.

Brazilian Byrd

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Esperanza Spalding - Esperanza

Styles: Straight-ahead/Mainstream
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:56
Size: 156,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:39)  1. Ponta De Areia
(3:46)  2. I Know You Know
(3:57)  3. Fall In
(7:27)  4. I Adore You
(8:01)  5. Body & Soul
(4:29)  6. She Got To You
(4:24)  7. Precious
(6:57)  8. Mela
(5:47)  9. Love In Time
(4:40) 10. Espera
(7:33) 11. If That's True
(5:11) 12. Samba Em Preludio

For the purist who wants to know what all the excitement is about Esperanza Spalding, they can skip directly to track 11 "If That's True" of her sophomore album Esperanza, where she works out on the acoustic bass in an all-out jam with Donald Harrison on alto saxophone and Ambrose Akinmusire on trumpet. It flat-out smokes, and showcases the Berklee-trained bassist as potentially one of the more promising young talents in jazz. First though, she's going to have to decide whether she's a bassist who sings, or a singer who plays bass. She may choose to be both, but while Spalding is a capable vocalist, she has a long way to go before she becomes an exceptional one. As a bassist, she's much closer. As the principal musician, songwriter, composer and producer, Esperanza Spalding might have been better served to have an executive producer supervising. There is a lot of ground covered here; and while she's brimming with ideas, this album is crying out for some judicious editing. You can hear the joy and passion of this 23-year-old talent, and you certainly can't criticize her for enthusiasm. The trouble is Spalding doesn't know when to quit when she's ahead. Clocking in at over an hour in length, she doesn't really have enough first-rate material to justify the running time. Some of the songs go on too long, meander tediously and become a bit repetitious. Spalding's intentions never seem less than a willingness to please and demonstrate her considerable chops, but she doesn't yet know that more isn't always better. 

Sometimes more is just more, and a little restraint could have boosted Esperanza from "pretty good" to "great." Spalding's vocals are best when she's scatting and freestyling on "I Adore You" and "Cuerpo Y Alma," with the latter built around Leo Genovese's piano, Otis Brown's drums and her bass. Singing in Portuguese without lyrics serves Spalding well, because while her singing is pretty and occasionally even soars, her range is limited and some of the lyrics are a bit humdrum. On the outstanding "Mela," Spalding allows Akinmusire's trumpet to take the lead as she dutifully holds the bottom down and drummer Horacio Hernandez madly pounds the hell out of his kit. This track and "If That's True" are the strongest indicators of how "bad as she wanna be" Spalding is when she plays within the dynamics of the group and is not the star attraction. Blessed with talent, youth, training and outrageously good looks, Spalding is a young woman ready to make some noise, and is here to stay in the jazz world. If she can just check some of her excesses and play to her strengths, she's going to be making more and better music for a long time to come. ~ Jeff Winbush   http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=29444#.Uy25B4UqPro
 

Personnel: Esperanza Spalding: vocals, acoustic bass; Leo Genovese: piano, Rhodes, Wurlitzer; Gretchen Parlato; background vocals; Jamey Haddad: percussion; Otis Brown: drums, background vocals; Horacio Hernandez: drums; Donald Harrison: alto saxophone(6,11); Ambrose Akinmusire: trumpet (8,11) ; Nino Josele: guitar (12).

Esperanza

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The Chad Rager Modern Big Band - In The Club... Live

Styles: Big Band
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:14
Size: 147,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:05)  1. Straight No Chaser
(5:05)  2. The Heat's On
(5:47)  3. Zomba Bomba
(3:53)  4. Sing, Sing, Sing
(7:18)  5. Squid Cakes
(9:08)  6. St. Bernard
(5:51)  7. Smile
(4:15)  8. Smile Again
(5:22)  9. Pyramid Of Pachiderms
(6:16) 10. Chicklets
(7:09) 11. Whipping Post

The title of this album is only half right. Chad Rager's Ohio-based aggregation may be modern, but it isn't big. There are only seven players, with one more added for "Chicklets" which keeps it out of the big-band category, even though on occasions it sounds as if some ringers have been added. Rager's Louis Bellson-influenced drums are the engine that propels and drives the band down a road of progressive, contemporary arrangements that combine ingredients of jazz, swing, and rock. Where Rager is the catapult, Chris Karlic's baritone sax and Kurt Felgamacher's electric bass are the ammunition that feeds the musical cannon. A bari sax in the lead gives the band a unique sound. "Squib Cakes" exposes Ragers's rock roots with licks provided by Brooke Hopkins' keyboards, making this the wildest ride on the album. 

There are benefits to a smaller than usual "big band" as there is little conflict in handing out solo time with plenty for everybody. Karlic's ever present baritone is especially rough, ready, and guttural on Sammy Nestico's "The Heats On." Rager takes a my-hands-are-so-fast-you-can-hardly-see-them solo on "St. Bernard," dedicated to a major influence on the drummer, tap dancer Steve Condos. This track is also the vehicle for an imaginative solo by Steve Enos. "Smile" is an opportunity for everyone to relax with a traditional big-band swing arrangement with the plunger-muted trombone of Pat Haleran taking the lead. This live performance creates an infectious mood of excitement and enthusiasm with the audience. Nonetheless, more needs to be heard from this group before a definitive conclusion on their capabilities can be made. But if this album is any indication, the outlook is promising. ~ Dave Nathan   http://www.allmusic.com/album/in-the-clublive-mw0000033383

In The Club... Live

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