Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Tera Johnson - The Other Side

Size: 111,5 MB
Time: 47:53
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2005
Styles: Jazz: Vocals
Art: Front

01. Funny Face (4:06)
02. Love For Sale (4:56)
03. Lovely (4:28)
04. Havin' The Blues (5:34)
05. I've Got You Under My Skin (3:03)
06. The Morning After (3:22)
07. The Other Side (4:47)
08. 'round Midnight (4:58)
09. On A Good Day (3:56)
10. Fly Me To The Moon (3:46)
11. That Man Is Mine (4:53)

Like a shot of espresso to liven your day, jazz and blues vocalist Tera Johnson is small but mighty. She can carry a crowd on the back of her voice without the need of any additive; her performance offers the perfect amount of cream and sugar. Tera's voice soothes and warms a chilly eve and brings a light breeze across a feverish brow, each lyric and note so distinct and heartfelt.

Having over 10 years of professional performance experience from the intimate coffee shops of Central Illinois to the brightly lit stages of Jazz Festivals in Europe and the United States, Tera Johnson has kept a magical memory of each audience for which she has played. Beginning in a big band at her high school, Tera has received awards throughout the state of Illinois for Best Soloist in such jazz competitions as: Western Illinois University, Eastern Illinois University, Illinois State University, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, and many others. Tera has also traveled around the United States as a guest artist at jazz festivals such as: Festival of the Sea in the Bahamas, the Heritage Festival in New Orleans, Louisiana, and McGill University Jazz Festival in Montreal, Canada. Forming a jazz quartet in high school, Tera was hired to play at countless wedding receptions, business parties, restaurants, and a variety of other special events.

Moving to Boston, Massachusetts to further her education as a performer, Tera Johnson was accepted and minored in Vocal Performance at the world-famous contemporary arts school: Berklee College of Music. Taking advantage of learning from talented jazz vocalists Mili Bermejo, Maggie Scott, and Donna McElroy, Tera was able to find her niche as a jazz and blues vocalist and develop her own sound and style. Offered the opportunity to perform as a guest artist in Vienne, France at the Vienne Jazz Festival 2001 as well as the Montreux Jazz Festival 2001, in Montreux, Switzerland, Tera spent 2 weeks over seas performing almost daily at different venues for both private parties and festival concerts.

Now residing in Los Angeles, California, Tera has performed as both guest vocalist and featured artist at a variety of venues throughout Los Angeles County. Since her arrival in August 2002, Tera has had the opportunity to perform and study with a variety of musicians already established the Southern California area (John Proulx, Sherry Luchette, Jonah Minton, Tamir Hendelman, Orna, Megan Foley, Nina Beck, and Gaea Schell just to name a few!).

The Other Side

Gary Smith - Love Will Warm Your Heart

Size: 122,9 MB
Time: 53:08
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz: Guitar, Smooth Jazz
Art: Front

01. Everything Happens To Me (5:09)
02. Azur (6:02)
03. I Wish You Love (3:59)
04. A Warm Fire And You (4:14)
05. I'm Confessin' (6:23)
06. Going In Circles (4:25)
07. Darn That Dream (4:07)
08. Purple Rhymes With Orange (6:54)
09. I Love You (5:24)
10. A Warm Wind (6:26)

Originally from a background in commercial music, Gary Smith worked in a wide range of musical situations in the UK and Europe. With the formation of The Acme Quartet in the mid ’70s he moved out of the commercial arena. For around 8 years, until 1990, Gary retreated from recording and live performance. During this period, he studied harmony and counterpoint with composer John South and started developing the technique and approach to playing the guitar he now utilizes.

Since the release of his first solo album ‘Rhythm Guitar’ in 1991 he has worked with, amongst others, John Stevens, Mass, Shoji Hano, Rhys Chatham, Bill Fay, Aufgehoben, and Masayoshi Urabe.

He is known for his dense, contrapuntal style of playing and has been a pioneer in the use of stereo guitar. In recent years he has reduced his use of technology to just guitar, amp and volume pedal, creating sounds similar to prepared instruments, static, mechanical effects, computer generated sounds, birdsong, etc. - these detailed and magnified sounds he combines with the traditional parameters of Western music.

Love Will Warm Your Heart

Gwen D'Vyne - When I Fall In Love

Size: 80,7 MB
Time: 34:44
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2012
Styles: Jazz: Vocals
Art: Front

01. The Very Thought Of You (3:56)
02. You Dont Know Me (4:18)
03. The Nearness Of You (4:16)
04. Dont Know Why (3:03)
05. Cry Me A River (3:40)
06. When I Fall In Love (4:40)
07. Don't Get Around Much Anymore (2:34)
08. Ain't Misbehaven (4:19)
09. What A Wonderful World (3:54)

Romantic, Sophisticated, Entertaining

Gwen D’Vyne sets flame to classic torch songs from eras passed but never out of date.

Soothing and sassy her renditions of songs of love won and lost, sets souls ablaze. Her voice of smoke and tears expresses love and the longing for it in a bluesy, jazzy, sultry way to bring out the sensual tones of the voice. This siren of song touches hearts young and old because love does not discriminate, it calls to us all for all times.

When I Fall In Love

Mike Fageros - Melange De Jazz / Midnite Tippin'

Album: Melange De Jazz
Size: 143,0 MB
Time: 61:35
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2007
Styles: Jazz: Hammond Organ, Guitar
Art: Front

01. Son Of Ice Bag (7:42)
02. Recorda Me (3:57)
03. Rita (Texas Hurricane) (4:44)
04. Minority (5:23)
05. Mad Hatter (4:29)
06. Take Five (4:09)
07. Love Trip (6:11)
08. Prodigal Son (5:08)
09. Song For My Father (5:12)
10. Sunny (4:54)
11. Impressions (7:37)
12. Mars Project (2:05)

MELANGE = MIXTURE, BLEND (action) MIXING OR BLENDING OF JAZZ OR MIXOLOGY AS THE CASE MAY BE.

In this case we are talking about a mix or blend of jazz in regards to instrumentation and the style of jazz.

The first cut, Son of Ice Bag, is a tribute to legendary Hammond Organist Dr. Lonnie Smith. Houston Organist Travis Doyle really does it justice, with Mike taking the first solo in the Melvin Sparks tradition and drummer Andrew Griffin paying tribute to drummer Marion Booker who played on the original cut with Dr. Lonnie. Organist Travis Doyle is also featured on Fageros' composition "Rita" the Texas Hurricane which is a dedication to the citizens of Texas and Lousiana Gulf Coast, who suffered severely as a result of Hurrricane Rita (2005).

Take five, a Brubeck composition is "Funked Up" a la Benson with the same personnel, Mike on guitar, Travis Doyle Hammond B-3 and Andrew Griffin on drums. Hammond Organist Robert Sanders, no stranger to Top Secret(Smokin' on the B-3) is featured on tracks 2,4,5,7 and 8. He also makes his debut as a composer at Top Secret with his soulful "Love Trip" which features some great work by drummer Andrew Griffin. Andrew's discography includes Hammond impressario Joey DeFrancesco and tenor titan Marschal Ivery on the "Marschal meets Joey" CD(Leaning House).

Minority features the same trio, Robert Sanders(Hammond), Andrew Griffin(drums), and Mike on guitar. It really swings as does the remake of the Henderson composition, "Recorda Me, that offers a Latin feel.

We have gone back to the "Cookbook" feel(Dr. Lonnie, George and Marion) to get the "Return of the Prodigal Son", with a great solo by Mike. The Mad Hatter is an original by Mike dedicated to Pat Martino, that has a groove type feel in 6/8 that reminds us of the days when Pat used to play with Organist Trudy Pitts.

Three bonus tracks, Song for My Father, Sunny and Impressions are included with a different core group, Mike on guitar, Spare Time Murray bass and John Fontenot drums. This trio has a great spontaneous feel and check out how they stretch on Impressions.

Last but not least is "Mars Project" a Fageros composition done on electric 12 string which is an experiment into the abstract using consonance and dissonance.

In all, 62 min. and 3 seconds of Melange, we are sure that you the listener will enjoy. All tracks were recorded live in the studio with Mars Project having the only overdubs.

Melange De Jazz

Album: Midnite Tippin' Vol. 1
Size: 135,0 MB
Time: 58:14
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2010
Styles: Jazz: Hammond Organ, Guitar
Art: Front

01. Black Nile (5:28)
02. Opus De Don (6:00)
03. The Midnite Tipper (6:40)
04. Voyage (4:57)
05. Tune Up (5:24)
06. Nica's Dream (9:49)
07. Inner Urge (5:17)
08. Lean Years (8:24)
09. Softly As A Morning Sunrise (6:12)

Detroit was the city and Jazz was the game, so when Guitarist Mike Fageros, Organist Chris Codish and Drummer Ron Pangborn hooked up at the Cadieux Cafe on the East Side during Sunday night "Soul Sundays" jazz session, they decided to take it to the next level and record at the "White Room" to make it official.

During one of the coldest days of March 2009, which would have been the third, with the temperature down around 18 degrees, they recorded the first session for the project Midnite Tippin' known herein as Volume I.

Enclosed in the grooves, you will find the warm sounds of their version of the Guitar,Organ,Drums Trio with great arrangements of standards by legendaries including Horace Silver, Pat Martino,Don Patterson, Wayne Shorter,Miles Davis, Joe Henderson and Kenny Barron along with the title track written by Mike Fageros entitled The Midnite Tipper'.

Special thanks go out to Pat Martino, Oksana Neverkovich,John Smerek, Candice Byrd and Jeff Smith at Southwest Recording for help on the project. The title track The Midnite Tipper' is dedicated to Pat Martino.

Midnite Tippin' Vol. 1

Eva George - An Afternoon With Ella

Size: 88,4 MB
Time: 37:41
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz: Vocals
Art: Front

01. An Afternoon With Ella (2:44)
02. Without A Sound (3:36)
03. Just The Way You Are (5:22)
04. On A Wing And A Prayer (2:56)
05. Party For Two (2:19)
06. My Melancholy Baby (3:03)
07. In A Shanty In Old Shanty Town (2:30)
08. Someone To Watch Over Me (3:36)
09. Reminiscing (4:26)
10. I Love You (3:34)
11. Party For Two (Prenez Deux) (3:31)

On Eva’s latest recording, An Afternoon with Ella, she is backed by legendary players including drummer Chester Thompson (Weather Report, Phil Collins), bassist David Hungate (Toto) and Catherine Marx (Reba) on piano. These stellar musicians bring eloquent life and beauty to Eva’s second full-length studio album.

This story of romance is parlayed into songs that look at a lifetime of love, while raising a family, through a nostalgic dialogue. Ella was inspired by the golden anniversary celebration of Eva’s parents. With a graceful view of days gone by, she weaves together a classic vocal jazz album.

Produced with longtime collaborator, Rob Galbraith (Ronnie Milsap), the team develops the story through classics from the American Songbook, adding in self-penned pieces with an instantly timeless feel to tell the personalized tale of her parent’s lives together. Rob states, “It seems Eva has found her niche with these standards plus the ones she wrote; and, her originals more than hold their own even in the presence of such company. Wonderful album to work on with her and the players. A real labor of love. I think you'll enjoy An Afternoon with Ella.” Eva adds, “It was such a beautiful challenge to stay true to the classic vocal jazz/Big Band era, while speaking of my parent’s journey. I have a deep love for this genre because of them, and I wanted to voice their story from an insider’s point of view. To do that I asked each of them about the music in their dating period, how they found the right person and how they raised a family on a shoestring budget. That’s when I knew I had to put pencil to paper. I truly enjoyed creating this vision of enduring love. I hope others can see their own romance in these writings.”

The album includes a smoky jazz homage to their home state of New York, a tale of daydreaming for a man to love, a story or two of living through the lean years and a fresh look at their favorite anniversary song by Billy Joel - with a new vision of the melody. Together, they blend seamlessly to create a timeless tale of love.

An Afternoon With Ella

Leata Galloway - Sophisticated Lady

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 1990
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:54
Size: 108,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:17)  1. Sophisticated Lady
(3:02)  2. I'm Beginning To See The Light
(5:19)  3. I Got It Bad
(3:58)  4. I'll Remember April - Smile
(4:16)  5. In A Sentimental Mood
(3:55)  6. The Man I Love - Lover Man
(4:24)  7. The Lady Is A Tramp
(4:14)  8. Star Dust
(5:37)  9. I Remember You
(6:48) 10. Mist In The Dawn

Leata Galloway a powerfully persuasive singer that musical tastemakers proudly proclaim “a natural.” The Brooklyn-born beauty has wrapped the full spectrum of her chops around every style of music under the sun and around the globe - in topflight musical theatre productions, scintillating headliner concert engagements and mood-drenched movie scores. However, she has always been, first and foremost, a Jazz Singer.  With well over three octaves at her command, Galloway has extraordinary switches of range, mood and idiom.

Across her illustrious career, Leata Galloway has appeared in the musical “Sophisticated Ladies,” followed by her own Japanese import jazz CD Sophisticated Lady (recorded with the trio of pianist Mark Gray, drummer Billy Hart and bassist Tom Barney). That earned her a nomination in Japan’s Swing Journal for Best Female Vocalist.  She also recorded a Big Band album in Germany titled Live from The Hamburg Jazz Gala with The Peter Herbolzheimer All Stars, an international 18-piece aggregation that featured saxophonist Don Menza, trumpeter Chuck Findley, bassist Niels-Henning Osted Pedersen and drummer Grady Tate.  She toured for a year singing behind the legendary pop traditionalist Peggy Lee and later embarked upon a 17 country EuropeanTour with Austrian contemporary keyboard wizard Joe Zawinul’s pan-cultural ensemble The Zawinul Syndicate.

Leata Galloway has come a long way from Harlem where she and an older sister grew up in a volitale environment. “"I could sing ‘Stormy Monday Blues’ and mean it by the time I was 8",” she quips!  Music became Leata’'s salvation, beginning with the Nancy Wilson albums she'’d sneak into her room from her father’s collection to get lost in.

Those gratis lessons paid off big time when Leata went from being a junior in a high school production of the musical theatre classic “Carousel” to the inaugural cast of therevolutionary rock opera “Hair” on Broadway. She stayed for two-and-a-half years and was immortalized on the now-classic RCA Records original cast album. Taken under the wing of one of the show’s composers, Galt McDermott, Leata was the only original cast member featured in the film adaptation over a decade later (singing “Electric Blues”) as well as sing two songs on-screen for the Black screen gem “Cotton Comes to Harlem.”  Many more stage productions followed, from “Don’'t Bother Me, I Can’t Cope” on Broadway to “Golden Boy” off Broadway. A chance role in a small German film led to Leata recording her debut LP, Leata, for Ariola Records – a pop production.

Back in New York, Leata developed her Jazz nightclub act, which brought her to the attention of Dr. George Butler at Columbia Records who signed her after seeing her at Green Street.  However, Leata usurped by the R&B department where a Quiet Storm LP, The Naked Truth, was produced by Nick Martinelli (Phyllis Hyman and Regina Belle) and Preston Glass (Whitney Houston), highlighted by a sensational rendering of “Cry Me a River” (arranged by James Lloyd of Pieces of a Dream). Leata also moonlighted on albums by vibraphonist Mike Mainieri (Love Play) and sax man Tom Scott (Desire).  http://www.leatagalloway.com/#!bio

Sophisticated Lady

Gato Barbieri - The Shadow of the Cat

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:23
Size: 130,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:00)  1. El Chico
(5:18)  2. The Shadow of the Cat
(5:12)  3. Last Kiss
(4:36)  4. If I Was Your Woman
(5:03)  5. Tierra del Fuego (Land of Fire)
(5:18)  6. Beautiful Walk
(4:49)  7. Ai Ai Ai Ai
(5:05)  8. Bliss
(4:37)  9. Para Todos (For Everyone)
(4:01) 10. Blue Habanera
(4:41) 11. Last Tango (Theme From Last Tango in Paris)
(4:36) 12. Si Tu Me Quisieras (If I Was Your Woman)

According to the press biography disseminated with advance copies of Gato Barbieri's Peak Records debut, The Shadow of the Cat, he was nearing 70 at the time of this release (previous published accounts would have put him at only 67) and this is the 50th album on which he is either featured or is the leader. One cannot, then, reasonably expect the old cat to have learned new tricks. Nor has his new label required him to; the company, run by contemporary jazz guitarist Russ Freeman, specializes in a melodic, commercial style of jazz. Producer Jason Miles (whose previous clients include Miles Davis and Luther Vandross) seems to have aimed at re-creating the sound of Barbieri's mid-'70s albums for A&M Records, even to the point of enlisting trumpeter Herb Alpert (the "A" in A&M) as a prominent guest ("Para Todos [For Everyone]" finds Barbieri and Alpert dueling pleasantly) and having Barbieri recut his signature tune, "Last Tango (Theme From Last Tango in Paris)." A bevy of other smooth jazz artists also sit in, including the company head, of course, along with some percussionists enlisted to give the album the appropriate Latin flavor. Buoyed by such support, Barbieri sounds good, soloing warmly throughout the disc, and maybe that's the real story here that, at some point in his late sixties, the veteran musician, bedeviled by health and emotional problems for much of the 1990s, is back to playing in his most appealing style in the 21st century. ~ William Ruhlmann   
http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-shadow-of-the-cat-mw0000225929

Personnel: Gato Barbieri (vocals, tenor saxophone); Lisa Fischer, Cassandra Reed (vocals, background vocals); Jeff Mironov, Russ Freeman , Peter White (guitar); Dal Romeo Lowe, Romero Lubambo (acoustic guitar); Dean Brown (electric guitar); Jason Miles (strings, brass, piano, keyboards, synthesizer, drums, percussion, programming, drum programming, percussion programming); Herb Alpert, Barry Danielian (trumpet); Ozzie Melendez (trombone); Oscar Hernandez (piano, electric piano); Richie Morales (drums, percussion); Steve Wolf (drums, percussion programming); Vinnie Colaiuta (drums); Sheila E. (congas, percussion); Marc Quiñones, Cyro Baptista (percussion).

Lou Donaldson - Alligator Bogaloo

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:34
Size: 83,5 MB
Art: Front + Back

(6:55)  1. Alligator Bogaloo
(6:47)  2. One Cylinder
(3:34)  3. The Thang (Edit)
(7:22)  4. Aw Shucks
(6:25)  5. Rev. Moses
(4:29)  6. I Want A Little Girl

Alligator Bogaloo is one example of Lou Donaldson's successful combinations of hard bop and soul-jazz. Of the six tunes, three are Donaldson originals, including the title hit. The excellent band, consisting of Melvin Lastin, Sr. on cornet, George Benson on guitar, Lonnie Smith on organ, and Leo Morris on drums, mixes laid-back vamps beneath driving hard bop charts. As the '60s turned into the '70s, Donaldson began shaving off hard bop invention for a more radio-friendly and 45 rpm length, leaving soulful yet monotonous vamping. At that point, Donaldson's material suffered from a lack of originality. That's not the case on Alligator Bogaloo. ~ Al Campebell   http://www.allmusic.com/album/alligator-bogaloo-mw0000198585.

Personnel: Lou Donaldson (alto saxophone); George Benson (guitar); Melvin Lastie (cornet); Dr. Lonnie Smith (organ); Leo Morris (drums).

Lionel Hampton - For The Love Of Music

Styles: Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:52
Size: 118,7 MB
Art: Front + Back

(4:03)  1. Flying Home
(3:14)  2. Gates Groove
(4:53)  3. Gossamer Wings
(4:50)  4. Don't Worry 'Bout A Thing
(4:07)  5. Time After Time
(5:15)  6. Jazz Me
(4:00)  7. Take The 'A' Train
(7:05)  8. Sweet Lorraine
(5:09)  9. Another Part Of Me
(4:37) 10. Mojazz
(3:35) 11. What A Wonderful World

For his debut on the MoJazz label, the ancient vibraphonist Lionel Hampton was featured with several groups, some more suitable than others. Keyboardist Patrice Rushen largely ruins a funky rendition of "Flying Home" and several of the other songs (the inspid "Jazz Me" and Chaka Khan's feature on "Gossamer Wings") are little more than throwaways. Better is Hampton's collaboration with Tito Puente's band on "Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing" and his original "Mojazz" even if Grover Washington, Jr., sounds as if he is on automatic pilot on "Another Part of Me." Overall this so-so disc can easily be passed by. ~ Scott Yanow   http://www.allmusic.com/album/for-the-love-of-music-mw0000123064.

Personnel: Lionel Hampton (vibraphone); Johnny Kemp, Chaka Khan (vocals); Chieli Minucci, Chris Taylor, Mike Campbell , Norman Brown (guitar); Mitch Frohman (flute, saxophone); Stevie Wonder (harmonica); Mike Rubino, Joshua Redman, Lance Bryant, Ravi Coltrane, Bobby Porcelli (saxophone); Grover Washington, Jr.