Elisa Fiorillo - Labor Of Love

Size: 92,1 MB
Time: 39:32
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2006
Styles: Jazz: Vocals
Art: Front

01. Mood For A Melody (3:32)
02. Everything Happens For A Reason (4:10)
03. Bun In The Oven (3:01)
04. Reminiscing (4:51)
05. Hip Hop Skip (3:59)
06. Singing My Song (4:08)
07. Good Lovin' (3:31)
08. Oak Tree (3:31)
09. Loving You (5:09)
10. All The Way (3:37)

An ebullient new Jazz voice with an artistry and style reminiscent of the classic Jazz divas of yesteryear. Singer, composer, producer Elisa Fiorillo and composer, producer Nyalle Iameh proudly present 9 original compositions on the CD “Labor Of Love”. The album was recorded when Elisa was pregnant with her first child “Olivia”. The album was truly a labor of love. Talented musicians, great songs, one great cover of “All The Way” and the spectacular singing voice of Elisa…how can you go wrong? Purchase “Labor of Love” by clicking on the link below and get ready to dive into the new “not so standards” of today!

Labor Of Love

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Hadley Caliman - Straight Ahead

Size: 91,1 MB
Time: 39:06
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2009
Styles: Modern Jazz
Art: Front

01. Cigar Eddie (5:48)
02. Rapture (5:57)
03. You Leave Me Breathless (6:28)
04. Cathlamet (4:53)
05. Blues For Pt (3:14)
06. Lush Life (3:24)
07. Totem Pole (4:47)
08. The Night Has A Thousand Eyes (4:31)

Seattle-based saxophonist Hadley Caliman returns to the recording studio with his working band for Straight Ahead, the follow-up to his superb Gratitude (Origin, 2008). Aided by trumpeter/producer Thomas Marriott, pianist Eric Verlinde, bassist Phil Sparks and drummer Matt Jorgensen, the 78-year old Caliman charges head-on through a set of standards, jazz classics and original gems.

The disc opens with the listener-friendly "Cigar Eddie," an old school boogaloo—Caliman wrote the tune in the 1960s while living in Los Angeles—with a sly melodic line and ultra-funky groove. The clever toe tapper features brief, to-the-point blowing from Caliman, Marriott and Verlinde. Harold Land's quasi Afro-Cuban piece "Rapture" follows with even more high energy accessibility; inspired, compact solos bookended by a straightforward theme.

There is a consistent flow of lyricism from Caliman's horn on the session's two ballads, "You Leave Me Breathless" and "Lush Life." The leader handles these two harmonically-rich gems with the kind of seasoned finesse to be expected from a dedicated veteran of jazz service. Adding to these exceptional ballad performances is Verlinde's sensitive, swinging piano accompaniment.

Vibraphonist Joe Locke, who appeared on Gratitude, contributes "Blues for PT," a hard driving minor blues that finds Marriott and Verlinde in top form. The up-tempo swinger stands out as a disc highlight. Lee Morgan's "Totem Pole" is done in similar fashion to the original 1963 recording of the tune from The Sidewinder (Blue Note). Here, Caliman matches his bold tenor tone with stylized wit, recalling the hip quirkiness of Joe Henderson.

A spirited run down of "The Night Has a Thousand Eyes" closes out the proceedings with Caliman flying effortlessly through the familiar jam session staple, propelled by Jorgensen's swinging drums and Sparks rock-solid bass. The ensemble's energy is inexorable and, as the disc's title proclaims, undeniably straight-ahead. ~John Barron

Straight Ahead

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Sophie Darly - Twelve Secrets Of A Lady

Size: 111,7 MB
Time: 47:44
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Jazz: Vocals
Art: Front

01. Rags And Old Iron (Feat. Airelle Besson) (4:42)
02. People Make The World Go Round (Feat. Pierre Desassis) (4:06)
03. Amazing Grace (4:39)
04. Where Is The Love (4:26)
05. Flying Easy (4:49)
06. Who Is She (And What Is She To You) (2:50)
07. What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted (3:44)
08. Brother Where Are You (3:36)
09. Baby Love (4:12)
10. No Stranger Am I (3:52)
11. Nobody's Fault But Mine (2:43)
12. Don't Make Me Over (4:00)

3 ans après l’album Soul Game, salué par la presse (Télérama, Jazzman-Jazzmag, SoulBag…), Sophie Darly présentera cet automne son nouvel opus « Twelve Secrets of a Lady » : 12 titres, une musique soul et jazzy puisée dans le répertoire sixties de Dusty Springfield, Roberta Flack, Oscar Brown Jr…, de beaux arrangements, des mélodies envoûtantes et une voix chaleureuse qui vient nous parler de manière très personnelle de vies, d’amours, de blessures, de rêves, de secrets…de Femme.
Twelve Secrets of a Lady est un hommage à ces femmes transcendées et magnifiées par une musique soul qui ne saurait exister sans elles...

Personnel:
Sophie Darly (voix)
Arnaud Gransac (piano)
Sébastien Maire (contrebasse)
Julien Jolly (batterie)
Invités: Airelle Besson (trompette) et Pierre Desassis (saxophone)

Twelve Secrets Of A Lady

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Ilya Yeresko & Organic Formation - The Beginning

Size: 169,7 MB
Time: 73:32
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz: Hammond Organ
Art: Front

01. Mysterious Map (6:56)
02. Sundown (7:17)
03. Science (6:09)
04. The Bright Side (5:10)
05. The Hero Must Live (8:20)
06. Safe Trip (5:14)
07. Bird King (4:47)
08. You'll Never Find Me (4:42)
09. The Great River (4:15)
10. The Ring (7:08)
11. Underworld Games (6:25)
12. Adoration (7:05)

Jazz organ quartet that combines tradition and modern approach.

The Beginning

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Cindy Scott - Historia

Size: 128,6 MB

Time: 55:25

File: MP3 @ 320K/s

Released: 2014

Styles: Jazz: Vocals

Art: Front

01. Shaw 'nuff (4:20)

02. There Is No Greater Love (5:29)

03. What's Comin' Atcha (3:57)

04. Historia De Un Amor (7:37)

05. It's Gonna Be Okay (4:21)

06. Turnaround (Feat. Karrin Allyson) (3:40)

07. Look For The Silver Lining (3:15)

08. Laura Lee (5:14)

09. Shenandoah (4:02)

10. I Concentrate On You (5:45)

11. Silence Of The Stars (O Silencio Das Estrelas) (4:29)

12. Some Of That Sunshine (Feat. Karrin Allyson) (3:10)

Stating the obvious right off, vocalist Cindy Scott is from New Orleans. This fact thoroughly and three-dimensionally informs the twelve selections on Historia, Scott's follow-up to Let The Devil Take Tomorrow (Catahoula Records, 2009), without making a burden of it. In subtle and not-so-subtle ways, the aural aroma of the Crescent City appears like an essence, that hyperdistillation that leaves neither finger nor footprint but exists as an indelible mark on the music readily recognised. This mark is made audible immediately in Scott's arrangement (with her lyrics) of the Gillespie/Parker shot- over-the-bow, "Shaw 'Nuff." Looking at that title makes it all too easy to expect an Eddie Jefferson or even Bob Dorough sliced bebop.

What curls from the speakers is something else altogether. A French- Quarter- Sunday-Afternoon march is established by drummer Jamison Ross and perpetuated by pianist Randy Porter channelling Professor Longhair. Guitarist Brian Seeger reaches down deep into the blues and shows where Bo Diddley came from. Scott sings of taking chances to learn, stretching beyond one's conception into that next creative place. Scott makes breezy "No Greater Love," pulling the piece from the dusty silver service of standards. She blow the soot off the classic, polishing it to a high and complex Creole sheen. Porter plays a eutection of impressionistic stride and Antoine Domino- left hand magic against Ross' shimmering cymbals and Scotts wordless song.

On the nominal title cut, "Historia de un Amor," Scott waxes darkly over an earth-pulse played by bassist Dan Loomis. Seeger seasons the piece with electric guitar cries in the extended introduction and then when Scott gets her Spanish on, leading up to Seeger's craggy and urgent solo, overdriven and cutting. Scott picks up and completes this urgent ache, completing the piece as a humid Caribbean tone poem. Scott penned the English lyrics. The original "It's Gonna Be Okay" ia a cross-over dream, a song of certain hope that would be as at home in the modern country realm as it is here, full of Louisiana and sunshine.

"Look at the Silver Lining" and "Shenandoah" are so completely transformed they become a celebration of all that jazz is in its absolute exegesis. In both songs, Scott winds up and throws a wicked curve ball. The former is taken up-tempo and is perhaps the most "jazzy" of all of the selections. The latter is made even more pastoral than the original by its slower tempo amid bass harmonics and Scott's rich flute playing. Scott duets with Karrin Allyson on "Some of that Sunshine" providing an upbeat and inclusive end to a very fine recording indeed.~Review by C. Michael Bailey

Personnel: Cindy Scott: vocals; Randy Porter: piano; Dan Loomis: bass; Jamison Ross: drums; Brian Seeger: guitar (1, 4, 5); Shannon Powell: percussion; Evan Christopher: clarinet (11); Karrin Allyson: vocals (12).

Historia

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Kate Reid - Sentimental Mood

Styles: Piano And Vocal Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:47
Size: 133,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:59)  1. I Thought About You
(4:36)  2. Quiet Nights Of Quiet Stars
(3:40)  3. Lush Life
(3:41)  4. Let's Do It/Let's Fall In Love
(4:05)  5. Dreamer
(8:18)  6. Too Late Now
(4:53)  7. I Can't Believe You're In Love With Me
(3:12)  8. Only Trust Your Heart
(5:47)  9. In A Sentimental Mood
(5:11) 10. Out Of This World
(4:22) 11. Nothing Is Too Wonderful
(4:58) 12. The Face I Love

Pianist and vocalist Kate Reid is the latest singer to present music from The Great American Songbook, covered by so many others over the years. Blessed with a rich alto voice and being a consummate pianist to boot, Reid puts her own unique spin to a selection of oft-heard standards. Sentimental Mood benefits from a fine cast of Los Angeles musicians, among them guitarist Ron Eschete and saxophonist Ernie Watts, who plays sparingly here. Also performing with the singer is trumpeter and husband Steve Reid.  Unlike some jazz vocal recordings where the instrumentals play a major role in the music, Reid's vocals dominate the album, pushing the other musicians to the background. This is rhythm-based music where the piano, bass, guitar and drums provide the majority of the support. 

The music here is clearly designed to appeal to one's softer side, beginning with Van Heusen/Mercer's "I Thought About You" and offering others like Billy Strayhorn's "Lush Life," and Cole Porter's "Let's Do It/Let's Fall In Love," which set the mood here and it's all sentimental. Reid is particularly enjoyable with splendid interpretations of Jobim's "Dreamer" and "Too Late Now," two of the softer and mellow songs on the disc. She ends on a high note with "The Face I Love," the best pick-up tune and the only one featuring Watts' dazzling saxophone, with whom Reid shares the stage on a wonderful closer and departure from the theme of the album. With a doctorate degree in Jazz Performance, Reid's Sentimental Mood is just the kind of musical medicine to cure that moody feeling, providing a jazzy prescription of sentimental love songs to soothe the tender heart. ~ Edward Blanco   

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=30692#.UzD7XYUqPro 

Personnel: Kate Reid: piano and vocals; Steve Reid: trumpet; Steve Barnes: drums; Chris Conner: bass; Ron Eschete: guitar; Ernie Watts: tenor saxophone.

Sentimental Mood

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Laverne Butler - Blues in the City

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:27
Size: 136,6 MB
Art: Front + Back

(3:21)  1. This Bitter Earth
(4:29)  2. Please Send Me Someone To Love
(2:47)  3. Hit The Road Jack
(5:42)  4. Willow Weep For Me
(3:32)  5. The Blues Are Out Of Town
(6:06)  6. One For My Baby
(6:22)  7. Late Sunday Afternoon
(5:04)  8. I'm A Fool To Want You
(4:30)  9. Born To Be Blue
(3:54) 10. Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying
(4:20) 11. All That I Know
(4:43) 12. Since I Fell For You
(4:30) 13. Backwater Blues

In the Tradition. Was Bessie Smith a “blues singer” or a “jazz singer”? What about Dinah Washington? Billie Holiday is an easier case. She recorded only two true twelve bar blues songs. But these other artists? They are not so easy. So with the case of LaVerne Butler. The music on Blues In The City is that seductive hybrid existing where the edges of barroom blues and high-style jazz begin to dissolve into one another, creating an aural taste and aroma that is at once sophisticated and earthy. This is a disc that remains firmly (and comfortably) in the middle of that intersection where popular music, jazz and blues kiss.  Influences. Colleagues have opined that Ms. Butler sounds like a pop Dinah or blue Billie. I think she is a female Sinatra. Her repertoire on this disc includes the Sinatra classics “One More for the Road” and “Willow Weep for Me”. 

Her phrasing is simple and lean in a thoughtful way, like the Chairman’s. Her delivery is in all good taste. There are no scat pyrotechnics. No, this is not Butler’s style. Instead, she concentrates on the nuances. Caressing syllables and rests in a sensuous way that is never cheap always tasteful and refined. This disc is populated with work-horse standards made fresh by Butler’s spare approach. The only possible quibble would be the inclusion of background vocalists, who detract from Butler’s authoritative delivery. Then again, the songs are all fun because of their inclusion. A sexy “Hit The Road Jack” is the disc highlight. The supporting trio is very fine delivering smart, understate solos that perfectly match Butler’s overall approach. This is not music of reverence, it is music of practice. Blues In The City is a pragmatic release illustrating how this music is supposed to sound. ~ Michael G. Nastos   

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=4031#.UzBeVoUqPro

Personnel: LaVerne Butler: Vocals: Bruce Barth: Piano; John Webber, Bass; Klaus Suonsaari: Drums; Ava Burton and Janet Givens: Background Vocals

Blues in the City

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Jack Jezzro With The Beegie Adair Trio - Jazz On Broadway

Styles: Guitar And Piano Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:00
Size: 108,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:14)  1. Hello Dolly! (Hello Dolly)
(4:01)  2. On The Street Where You Live (My Fair Lady)
(4:35)  3. Some Enchanted Evening (South Pacific)
(3:24)  4. Anything Goes (Anything Goes)
(3:16)  5. They Say It's Wonderful (Annie Get Your Gun)
(3:10)  6. Matchmaker, Matchmaker (Fiddler On The Roof)
(4:58)  7. Summertime (Porgy And Bess)
(4:12)  8. If Ever I Would Leave You (Camelot)
(3:45)  9. I Got Rhythm (Girl Crazy)
(4:53) 10. If I Loved You (Carousel)
(3:29) 11. Hello, Young Lovers (The King And I)
(3:57) 12. Somewhere (West Side Story)

Jazz on Broadway features guitarist Jack Jezzro and the Beegie Adair piano trio performing a nice selection of standards from classic Broadway musicals. Included are songs from such shows as My Fair Lady, Anything Goes, South Pacific, Hello Dolly, and others. This is a warm, romantic album with an urbane, relaxed vibe perfect for intimate dinners and afterglow situations. http://www.allmusic.com/album/jazz-on-broadway-mw0001026181.

Personnel: Jack Jezzro (guitar); Beegie Adair (piano); Chris Brown (drums).

Jazz On Broadway

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Bernd Lhotzky And Chris Hopkins - Tandem

Styles: Dixieland/New Orleans/Swing
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:15
Size: 126,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:28)  1. Shake It And Break It
(3:23)  2. I Adore You
(3:08)  3. Everything I've Got Belongs To You
(4:18)  4. Warm Valley
(3:45)  5. Finger Buster
(4:41)  6. Black And Tan Fantasy
(3:15)  7. You Do Something To Me
(3:00)  8. Flashes
(3:42)  9. I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm
(3:12) 10. Sweet And Slow
(2:40) 11. I Wish I Were Twins
(5:24) 12. Lullaby Of The Leaves
(3:23) 13. Armand The Groove
(4:21) 14. J. Fred Coots-Medley: Louisiana Fairytale* + The More I Know You**
(3:31) 15. Bess, You Is My Woman Now (from "Porgy And Bess")

Making a successful piano duet recording is a challenge. In addition to the performance, there is the issue of the recording process: getting the mix right and capturing both instruments with clarity. This is not an easy thing to do, as the evidence of many poorly recorded piano duets will attest. In addition, there's the task of pacing, which is a considerable challenge with the sound of two pianos. Such duet recordings often have a frenetic dueling pianos feel, which quickly gets old. The good news about Tandem is that it's beautifully recorded, well paced, and displays the inspired performances of two excellent pianists. Pianists Chris Hopkins and Bernd Lhotzky are not just notable soloists. They also accompany each other with an intuitive sense of nuance and a sophisticated sense of musical taste. They focus on standards from the '20s to the '40s by the likes of Duke Ellington, Willie "The Lion Smith, Cole Porter, Richard Rodgers, Bix Beiderbecke, the Gershwins and other great songwriters of the age. 

This is traditional jazz, and these two pianists are extremely comfortable in this world. Arbors Jazz fans will recognize Chris Hopkins as a label regular. Anyone who has heard him on record will not be surprised by the mastery he demonstrates on Tandem. Lhotzky, an apt musical match for Hopkins, has recently released a solo recording on Arbors. Both players were raised in Germany and have a special affinity for stride and swing piano. Both are building considerable international reputations, which Tandem will undoubtedly enhance. Some of the best tracks on this consistently fine recording are breathtakingly graceful and complex stride piano duets. The musical rapport is a delight. If you're a traditional jazz fan, and especially a piano jazz fan, this is a recording not to miss. 

~ Mike Neely   http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=23191#.UzDKAYUqPro
 

Personnel: Bernd Lhotzky, Chris Hopkins: piano.

Tandem

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