Nina Hennessey - With A Song

Size: 115,3 MB
Time: 49:20
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

01. Sometimes I'm Happy (2:37)
02. Girl Talk (3:24)
03. It Ain't Necessarily So (2:26)
04. Tre Giorni Son Che Nina (4:02)
05. Willow Weep For Me (Feat. Jeff Ganz) (2:57)
06. Falling In Love With Love (2:30)
07. Lover (2:47)
08. New Valley (2:56)
09. A Nightingale Sang In Berkley Square (4:07)
10. A Quiet Thing (4:02)
11. Temporary (Feat. Don Rebic) (4:20)
12. It's A Good Day (Feat. Ray Marchica) (1:22)
13. Mornin (5:29)
14. Theme From Ice Castles (2:34)
15. Without A Song (Feat. Sean Harkness) (3:38)

Her dreamy powerful voice, like a silvery fresh-water spring, flows effortlessly over the sophisticated fun material from a chacha treatment of the classical aria "Tre Giorni Son Che Nina" to the daringly simple accappella performance of her early mentor, Marvin Hamlisch's, "Looking Through the Eyes of Love", the arrangements and performance are simply world class.

"There aren't many singers who can make the transition from musical theatre to the intimate nightclub scene as easily and as beautifully as Nina. Listen closely and you'll hear what I mean-Nina Knows!" Marilyn Maye

"Ever since her last Broadway show, "Bye Bye Birdie", closed; Nina has been cookin' up something new. It began when Marilyn Maye and Don Rebic met Nina in the studio to play through her book of favorite songs.
Last fall, dear friend and fellow musician, Nick Cerrato, booked Nina and me for a gig. It was a perfect opportunity to feature Nina and her "new book" of songs. We called Don to be our MusicalDirector/pianist and Jeff Ganz to play the bass. In spite of us all being old friends, this was the first time we'd all played together.
It turned out that the gig took place three days after my dad passed away and less than 24 hours before hurricane Sandy
hit. Nobody cancelled!! The music we made that day was astonishingly good. We had serious chemistry and commitment. Nick said,"You have to keep doing this!" Well, we did, and asked Sean Harkness to join us on the way.
Nina has to sing. It's programmed in her DNA. It's like breathing to her. She has a gift of an incredible voice. I'm so glad she is sharing it with us all on this CD. Here she is..."With A Song"...or fifteen of 'em!" Ray Marchica

With A Song

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Dmitry Baevsky - Down With It

Size: 136,9 MB
Time: 59:01
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2010
Styles: Jazz: Straight-Ahead/Mainstream
Art: Front

01. Down With It (4:50)
02. Mount Harissa (7:20)
03. We See (6:34)
04. LaRue (7:41)
05. Shabozz (7:31)
06. Last Night When We Were Young (5:54)
07. Decision (5:32)
08. Webb City (5:12)
09. I'll String Along With You (8:23)

As jazz moves in many different directions and breaks free from the all too familiar and readily categorized sounds of its first century, how does an artist make bebop sound like something other than an exercise in nostalgia or an academic pursuit? In the hands of the thirty-four year-old alto saxophonist Dmitry Baevsky, bop is still a vein worth mining. Down With It, Baevsky's third date as a leader, contains an inspired selection of material, smart execution, and some marvelously telling details.

Each member of the quartet, with trumpeter Jeremy Pelt joining them on four of the nine tracks, plays his role to perfection. In nailing a ludicrously fast tempo on the head of "Down With It," bassist David Wong and drummer Jason Brown show no signs of strain. Baevsky's keening alto states Bud Powell's edgy, crackling melody with crisp economy. Pianist Jeb Patton dogs Baevsky every step of the way and, despite the band's wicked pace, sometimes his chords jump out and take on a life of their own. Brown's brief, flickering snare fills add just a little more thrust to the proceedings. All in all, the band's performance serves as a reminder that, at its best, bebop is truly a joyous, playful music.

Another highlight of a record which contains no mediocre tracks is Gigi Gryce's "Shabozz." The head makes a smooth transition from a sixteen bar Latin intro to medium tempo swing. Wong's walking bass line gives the band the right amount of lift. Goosed by Brown's snare drum accents—some of them more felt than heard—Pelt's solo is short on pyrotechnics and long on melodic invention. Every note sounds like it's played with Wong and Brown in mind. Baevsky takes a more aggressive stance. He balances long, twisting passages and shorter thoughts which adhere to the rhythm section's firm foundation.

Sonny Rollins' "Decision" contains some of Baevsky's finest improvising of the set. Once again, there's a palpable connection between his alto and the rhythm section—one really can't be separated from the other. The tune is taken at what Kenny Washington - Vocals once referred to as an "adult tempo," a pace somewhere between slow and medium which requires patience seldom found in the young. Though Baevsky eventually builds to a satisfying climax, what stays in mind is the way—particularly during the first chorus—he delivers a short phrase, briefly pauses to let it take effect, and then finds another one. ~Review by David A. Orthmann

To their credit, Baevsky and his cohorts don't invite facile comparisons to giants from a bygone era. Down With It is an excellent recording that stands on its own merits.

Personnel: Dmitry Baevsky: alto saxophone; Jeremy Pelt: trumpet (4, 5, 7, 8); Jeb Patton: piano; David Wong: bass; Jason Brown: drums.

Down With It

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Michele Mele - Laugh / Feel

Album: Laugh
Size: 97,5 MB
Time: 41:39
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2004
Styles: Jazz: Vocals
Art: Front

01. Cabana Boy (4:47)
02. Laugh (3:18)
03. Tree Frogs (3:17)
04. Trying (3:46)
05. Tick Tock (3:13)
06. Why Go There (4:44)
07. I Choose (3:21)
08. Play With Me (3:49)
09. Flats & Sharps (3:28)
10. Doucement (3:23)
11. Cynthia (3:21)
12. Try To Imagine (1:07)

Michele Mele is from a family of professional musicians, and has been writing songs for over twenty years. She was something of a prodigy, and began playing piano as a small child. Her talent was quickly obvious, and before she actually entered High School she had already completed all of the necessary music credits necessary for graduation. Michele graduated from the University of Toronto Faculty of Music in 1982, and in 1984 she graduated from the Faculty of Education. That same year, she directed an original musical production written by the Music Department of the Faculty of Education for presentation to local public schools. With a keen interest in live theatre, she also directed productions of Tennessee Williams' "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" and "The Glass Menagerie". As a music educator, she has conducted numerous song writing and active listening workshops at schools and other Toronto area venues. In 1989, Michele Mele wrote, "That's All I Know", which was recorded and performed by Neil Donnell. The recording subsequently went "gold" in Canada. Michele has also composed and arranged choral works for large choirs, and in 1991 she composed a Christmas-themed work for the Toronto Philharmonic, which they performed in concert. Michele Mele has been a favourite performer at a number of Toronto's jazz boites, including the now defunct "Sax On Yonge", "The Top O' The Senator", "Gate 403" and "The Lemon Drop Martini". Michele's debut CD, "Like This" (which also contained exclusively original material), was released in 2003, and was warmly received by critics and fans alike. She is a diverse artist who (in addition to songwriting and performing) has a number of specialized skills. She is the Mother of four beautiful children, and is also a certified scuba diver, an accomplished flying trapeze artist and slalom water-skier.

She also speaks fluent French and Italian, and is a gourmet cook (much to the delight of her husband Luciano, and a crowd of her family and friends!). Michele is thrilled to be presenting her second solo CD, "Laugh!", and looks forward to many more projects produced in collaboration with an array of fine musical artists.

Laugh

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Album: Feel
Size: 131,7 MB
Time: 56:49
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2007
Styles: Jazz: Vocals, Bossa Nova
Art: Front

01. What's So Funny (5:04)
02. I Can't Sing The Blues (6:20)
03. Perspectivity (3:37)
04. Simplicity (2:29)
05. Beginning To See The Light (3:26)
06. Costa Rican Birds (3:58)
07. Don't Hide (6:29)
08. Cara Boo (4:37)
09. Morning Moon (2:38)
10. Why Choose (4:30)
11. You Must Believe In Spring (5:58)
12. Stop Talking (7:38)

Singer,composer,music educator Michele Mele releases her 3rd album of original material, entitled"feel".An enthusiastic and dynamic performer, her music reflects her many influences from a lifetime of music.Michele has had the good fortune of growing up in a musical family. She has been writing songs for over 20 years. A graduate of University of Toronto Faculty of Music and Faculty of Education, she has been inspiring music in everyone she meets. Her original song "That's All I Know" recorded by Neil Donnell we "gold" in Canada in 1989.As a composer she has written and arranged songs, choral and orchestral works including a piece written for and performed by The Toronto Philharmonic under Michele's baton.She has become a favorite performer in the Toronto Jazz scene playing at all the hot spots.Michele also offers workshops and clinics on songwriting performing and integrated arts.

Feel

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Don Lanphere - Like A Bird

Size: 142,5 MB

Time: 61:21

File: MP3 @ 320K/s

Released: 2000

Styles: Mainstream Jazz

Art: Front

01. Swingin' With Party Boy Will (6:04)

02. Somewhere (5:57)

03. Jeannine (4:44)

04. My Ship (3:41)

05. Blues For Les (7:30)

06. Slow Boat To China (5:23)

07. A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing (4:16)

08. Like A Bird (3:56)

09. Hello (5:21)

10. East Coast Attitude (5:29)

11. What Is This Thing Called Love (3:59)

12. Alexander's What (4:56)

Since Don Lanphere has been on the jazz scene since the 1940s, one would think that there is no format in which he hasn't performed. This album goes to show that there is always something new on the horizon. And that's the scene for this album, where, for the first time, Lanphere works with a Hammond B3 organ, here in the capable hands of Barney McClure. Also along for this occasion is guitarist Mimi Fox, and when you add Mel Brown on drums, you have a rather novel quartet of sax, organ, guitar, and drums. The boppish saxes of Lanphere, along with the organ groove and soul and the clean guitar strumming of Fox, produce a unique group sound. This is apparent right from the first track of Lanphere's "Swingin' With Party Boy Will," where both establish credentials as individual performers and as soloists. Lanphere's sax is appropriately vibrant, fitting well with McClure's organ and Fox's guitar reaching down to bass depths, on occasion. Brown gets in well-timed drum licks. And everything goes uphill from there. By the time they reach "East Coast Attitude," everyone is grooving high and strong. A Fox original, each gets the chance to stretch way out in that understated modal music style. Lanphere and Fox are alone on a lovely rendering of "A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing," where Fox has her guitar pitched rather low and sonorous as she works underneath Lanphere's statement of the melody line. This is a superior track of music. Opening with ethereal Fox strings then sequing into Lanphere's light, delicate and true pitch soprano sax, "My Ship" is another choice three-plus minutes of music. Altogether, the album is more than an hour of consummate musicianship and is highly recommended. ~Review by Dave Nathan

Like A Bird  

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Irene & Her Latin Jazz Band - Summer Samba

Styles: Latin Jazz, Brazilian Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:24
Size: 106,2 MB
Art: Front

(2:40)  1. Sway
(2:33)  2. The Constant Rain
(3:25)  3. Summer Samba
(3:05)  4. Whatever Lola Wants
(3:34)  5. Waters of March
(2:41)  6. Só Danço Samba
(3:00)  7. Little Boat
(3:45)  8. So Many Stars
(4:02)  9. Samba Saravah
(3:26) 10. Pretty World
(4:09) 11. Besame Mucho
(2:31) 12. One Note Samba
(3:15) 13. My Heart Belongs to Daddy
(4:11) 14. Let's Face the Music and Dance

If your idea of heaven is Brazilian music of he bossa nova vein, you've just passed through Saint Peter's gates with Summer Samba. Sweet-voiced Irene Nachreiner sways through a cornucopia of '60s samba with a slick, light and glossy band. Songs like Jobim's "One Note Samba" and "Waters of March" evoke images of Brazil, with Irene's infectious pop treatment of these tunes from the great South American songbook. Songs that we've grown accustomed to that have even a hint of samba flavor like "Whatever Lola Wants" are treated with a twinkle in the eye with the extra groove kicking in. What catches ones ear with a raised eyebrow are her wonderful Brazilian additions to songs like "My Heart Belongs to Daddy" and "Let's Face the Music and Dance." Just as Count Basie and Benny Goodman could swing anything that would come their way, Irene transforms these Tin Pan Alley tunes into snappy and infectious salsas. Cheerful, bright and optimistic, Irene can't help but cheer you up if you're down in the dumps or feeling the blues. Summer Samba is a great recording to start and if you've ever wondered what drove the music world mad in the '60s besides the Beatles pick up a copy of your own for a taste of summer in the winter. ~ "Summer Samba" review by George Harris /All About Jazz - Los Angeles/San Francisco/Chicago Edition /December 2007/Vol. 5 No. 11... More......http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/irenesings2

Personnel : Irene Nachreiner (vocals), Daniel Groisman (bass), Marco Tulio (guitar), Cristiano Novelli (percussion), Ron Snyder (piano), Scott Martin (saxophone and flute), Rich Wenzel (piano), Brice Martin (flute)

Summer Samba

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Engelbert Wrobel, Frank Roberscheuten, Chris Hopkins - Jammin'

Styles: Straight-ahead/Mainstream
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:03
Size: 172,4 MB
Art: Front

(6:53)  1. You Do Something To Me
(5:08)  2. Can't Help Lovin' That Man
(5:41)  3. Rose Room
(5:16)  4. I Can't Get Started
(6:52)  5. Robbin's Nest
(5:30)  6. Smiles
(6:46)  7. When I Grow Too Old To Dream
(4:58)  8. Mama Inez
(6:10)  9. I Surrender Dear
(4:19) 10. You Brought A New Kind Of Love To Me
(5:56) 11. I Can't Believe That You Are In Love With Me
(4:21) 12. Candlelights
(7:05) 13. El Salon De Gutbucket

This is the beauty of Jazz. As if from a dream, a multinational collection of musicians gather on the neutral ground of an international convention and are asked, on short notice to prepare and play a program. This particular group of musicians was to first meet on the bandstand. During a 15 minute Götterdammerung, they decide on a program and arrangements and then proceed to swing like they have known each other forever. This is exactly what took place at the International Association of Jazz Record Collectors convention held in Hamburg Germany in 1999. Reedists Engelbert Wrobel, Frank Roberscheuten, and pianist Chris Hopkins joined ranks to lead a band is a sometimes suprising collection of mainstream jazz standards presented in a mainstream manner. What is so stunning about this collection is the seamless telepathy with which these musicians, strangers to one another except by reputation, mix into a perfect solution of sound and swing. Martin Williams queried once that the big nonjazz listener question was, "Where is the melody". In this jazz, lake many other performances, the melody is presented up front in the head and then each musician, in a time honored manner, steps up to say what he or she has to say about that melody by offering their own melodies. This modus operandi worked all too well on this night, much to the satisfaction of those who will purchase this performance.~ C.Michael Bailey   http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=8354#.UzHAD4UqPro

Personnel: Engelbert Wrobel: Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone; Frank Roberscheuten: Clarinet; Tenor Saxophone; Alto Saxophone; Chris Hopkins: Piano; Harvey Weston: Bass; Bobby Worth: Drums.

Jammin'

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Willie Nelson - Nacogdoches

Styles: Country
Year: 2004
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 39:22
Size: 73,2 MB
Art: Front

(2:49)  1. Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone
(2:57)  2. A Dreamer's Holiday
(2:16)  3. Corine, Corina
(2:42)  4. Walkin' My Baby Back Home
(3:32)  5. To Each His Own
(3:05)  6. I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter
(2:57)  7. Golden Earrings
(2:40)  8. Columbus Stockade Blues
(2:57)  9. I Can't Begin To Tell You
(3:50) 10. I'll String Along With You
(2:33) 11. I'm Beginning To See The Light
(2:34) 12. How High The Moon
(4:26) 13. Stardust

Profile of the iconic American troubadour, whose career as a muscian, actor and political activist has spanned five decades and has seen him collaborating with many of music's greats.

'Outlaw' country music star, songwriter, actor, author and philanthropist, there is little left for Willie Nelson to accomplish during his life-time. With an apparently open and affable character Nelson has always been, nevertheless, a somewhat guarded man. In interviews his natural manner glosses over much information and he reveals only as much, or rather as little, as he feels like. It has been suggested that this stems from his poor Texan childhood. Born 30 April 1933 in Abbott, Texas, then abandoned by his mother at only six months old, he and his older sister Bobbie were raised by their paternal grandparents. Despite the poverty which the family underwent during the Great Depression, Nelson and Bobbie were never deprived of music. They grew-up with Gospel, Country and of course Frank Sinatra. Nelson began scribbling poetry at the age of five and when he received his first guitar, aged six, he began to put his lyrics to music. Both he and Bobbie benefited from the knowledge of their musical grandparents. Sadly, when Nelson was still very young, his grandfather died, leaving a gaping hole in his life. Nelson used his talent and song-writing ability to translate his grief into music.

 It was this honesty and simplicity that would become an unwavering part of his style and character over the years, earning him devoted fans from all walks of life. By the age of 10 Nelson was playing his first gigs with a local polka band. Then when his sister married at the age of 16 both Nelson and Bobbie joined her husband Bud Fletcher's band. Playing local dances and even on the radio Nelson stood out from the rest of the band. So much so that by the time he was 14 he had his own fan-club. After graduating from high school and a short stint in the Air Force, Nelson found himself married with three kids before he reached 25. Broke and with a family to support Nelson took to the road to try and find jobs. Working at radio stations and performing in local clubs the family struggled to pay the rent, often having to up and leave in the middle of the night to avoid the landlords. It was during these difficult years that Nelson sold his first song to keep his family afloat. 'Family Bible', now a country classic, was sold for the sum of $50. With one hit under his belt Nelson was convinced he could write more. Two of his most famous songs, 'Crazy' and 'Nightlife' were written at the wheel of his car driving to and from gigs in Houston, Texas. 

While working in a radio station in Vancouver, Washington, Nelson often performed on air. It was here that he met song-writer and promoter Mae Axton. She advised him to take his songs back with him to Texas or Tennessee and play amongst his peers. Nelson headed for Nashville where he found a music scene that was not quite ready for him. Ahead of his time, Nelson did not conform to the local 'Nashville Sound' and finding gigs became difficult. With little success as a performer Nelson continued to write songs eventually finding himself as a popular regular at Tootsie's, the hangout of the local songwriters....More... http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biographies/willie-nelson.html

Nacogdoches

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