Micheller Myrtill - Save The Last Dance For Me

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:32
Size: 121,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:06)  1. Save The Last Dance For Me
(3:15)  2. With A Little Help From My Friends
(3:54)  3. I Love Paris
(2:37)  4. Mr. Paganini
(4:33)  5. Historia De Un Amor
(3:43)  6. Part-time Lover
(6:02)  7. Parole, Parole
(3:53)  8. Fever
(4:40)  9. If There's Any Justice
(5:27) 10. Careless Whispers
(3:30) 11. Hushabye Mountain
(2:54) 12. Sway
(3:51) 13. Brrlak

Myrtill Micheller has been a well-known artist in the Hungarian music industry for more than ten years and is now a household name. After graduating as a jazz vocalist major from the Franz Liszt Music Academy, she started her music career as a jazz singer and vocal coach. She has performed with many Hungarian bands and solo artists such as Tamas Hevesi, Erika Zoltan, Roy and Adam, United, Animal Cannibals, Zsuzsa Cserhati, TNT, Naksi & Brunner and Istvan Lerch. Myrtill also performed a singing-acting role in the musical production Dr. Bubo and lent her vocal skills to the move classic “Meseauto” (Dreamcar) with the band Escape. She is often a singer guest of the famous Hungarian group Benko Dixieland Band. In 2006 Myrtill took part in two remarkable international singing contests. Myrtill and her guitarist partner Tibor Pinter were awarded the top eigth spot among 55 competitors in an international singing-guitar duet contest in Germany. 

Using the same unique arrangement from the competition, they recorded and released the album “Same As You” (2006). The album was very popular and was nominated for a Fonogram for Best Jazz Album of 2007 by MAHASZ. In 2006 Myrtill performed in another competition at the Lady Summertime jazz contest in Finland and reached third place. Myrtill is also a well-known performer at many Hungarian music pubs, festivals and company events.In June 2007 she was listed as one of the 50 best young Hungarian artists by one of the most remarkable newspapers of the country, the Magyar Hirlap. Myrtill, who is also known as the star singer of the popular Hungarian television show called Szombat Esti Laz (Saturday Night Fever)and is a vocal coach of the famous national singing contest Megastar. Currently, she is also releasing her third solo album called “Save the last dance for me.” In addition to the usual instruments, the arrangement also includes a special whole rhythm section and a string-quartet. We also find the beautiful, well-known jazz evergreens with different, unique arrangements.   

http://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/musician.php?id=2720#.U1bWWlchElU

Personnel:  Myrtill Micheller – voice; Richard Revesz – piano; Tibor Pinter – guitar; Sandor Sarkany – bass; Peter Kaszas – drums; Gabor Szendi – percussion; Balazs Bujtor – violin; Erika Kovacs - violin; Tunde Varasdy – viola; Bela Gal – cello; Krisztian Kurucz – cello; Andras Jasz - alt sax; Csaba Deseo - violin

Save The Last Dance For Me

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Madeline Eastman & Tom Garvin - Bare - A Collection of Ballads

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:17
Size: 131,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:57)  1. Not Like This
(8:12)  2. O Cantador
(5:07)  3. Listen Here
(5:03)  4. Never Let Me Go
(9:15)  5. My Ship/ Soul Eyes
(5:00)  6. I'm Gonna Laugh You
(4:13)  7. Bilhete
(5:42)  8. You Better Go Now
(5:16)  9. Lucky To Be Me
(5:28) 10. Funeral Blues/ Turn Out The Stars

This set of sensitive ballads features singer Madeline Eastman, who is accompanied by just pianist Tom Garvin. It immediately reminds one of Irene Kral's collaborations with Alan Broadbent in the 1970s and sometimes comes close to being as coolly emotional. Eastman is probably best-known for her wit, scatting ability, and swinging style, so this project is a departure for her. All of the songs are taken pretty slow and the emphasis is on her interpretations of the lyrics. Overall, Eastman succeeds in setting a dark and desolate but often hopeful mood, recording a date worth several listens, particularly when one is in an introspective mood. ~ Scott Yanow   http://www.allmusic.com/album/bare-a-collection-of-ballads-mw0000011402.

Personnel: Madeline Eastman (vocals); Tom Garvin (piano).

Bare, A Collection of Ballads

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Eddie Higgins - By Request

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:39
Size: 130,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:46)  1. St. Louis Blues
(3:58)  2. Georgia on My Mind
(4:28)  3. Old Folks
(3:11)  4. Sweet Georgia Brown
(4:18)  5. A Hundred Years from Today
(1:55)  6. Eustis Rag
(3:05)  7. Carinhoso
(4:11)  8. Body and Soul
(4:11)  9. We'll Be Together Again
(4:18) 10. Back Home Again In Indiana
(4:02) 11. What's New
(2:28) 12. Magnolia Rag
(3:50) 13. As Time Goes By
(3:52) 14. Sleigh Ride
(2:34) 15. Squeeze Me
(2:24) 16. Little Rock Getaway

Originally a Statiras LP recorded in 1986, when this date was reissued as a CD in 1992, Eddie Higgins went back into the studio and recorded five solos (including his "Magnolia Rag") to increase the release's length. The bulk of the set is the earlier trio date with bassist Milt Hinton and drummer Bobby Rosengarden, which primarily sticks to warhorses that are often requested of Higgins and most other jazz pianists. Highlights include "St. Louis Blues," "A Hundred Years from Today," "Little Rock Getaway," "Indiana," and "Sweet Georgia Brown." A strong all-around set from the underrated mainstream pianist. ~ Scott Yanow   http://www.allmusic.com/album/by-request-mw0000724266

Personnel: Eddie Higgins (piano); Bobby Rosengarden (drums).

By Request

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Harry Allen & The Bill Charlap Trio - Plays Ellington Songs

Styles: Saxophone And Piano Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:37
Size: 150,6 MB
Art: Front

(7:10)  1. C-Jam Blues
(7:05)  2. Solitude
(5:02)  3. Moon Indigo
(1:37)  4. It Don't Mean a Thing
(6:40)  5. Lush Life
(7:42)  6. Just Squeeze Me
(9:05)  7. Things Ain't What They Used to Be
(4:18)  8. Caravan
(4:09)  9. Take the 'A' Train
(7:51) 10. Cotton Tail
(4:54) 11. Sophisticated Lady

Duke Ellington fans are an odd lot, and it took last years celebration of the centennial of his birth to bring out the crankiest of Ellington cranks. What follows is not my review of tenor saxophonist Harry Allen's tribute to Ellington, but real and mostly imagined reactions. You see, as a jazz fan, I haven't immersed myself into the minutia of Ellingtonia like others have (and you know who you are). The Ellington-phile, like the Coltrane, Miles, or Satchmo devotee, knows dates, line-ups, and has searched for every radio broadcast tape available. They spent most of last year either saving for the huge complete retrospective boxsets or ranting about the proper centennial tribute. One reader wrote to complain that the Japanese magazine Swing Journal's poll to select the tunes for this album missed dozens of popular (more like obscure) Ellington classics. 

They pointed out that Allen, in 1994 produced two wonderful Billy Strayhorn tributes for the Progressive jazz label. Others complained that Allen's notoriety in Japan stems from his classic swing tenor sound. Others scolded me for how I characterized his tone. Many said he was a cross between Ellington alumni such as Ben Webster and Paul Gonzales. Some said his breathy tone was all-Stan Getz or Zoot Sims. Readers decried him a throwback to Lester Young. Note: to this point, no one has said his playing wasn't luxuriously complete.As for his band, many wrote that they bought the disc to get their Ellington fix but fell hard for pianist Bill Charlap's trio. A hit in the jazz critics' community, Charlap and company has been recording for the Dutch label Criss Cross of late. Soon to be a star in the US, his near-perfect approach reminded readers more of Tommy Flanagan or Hank Jones than Duke Ellington. 

They criticized me for praising Charlap for not being derivative of Ellington's piano styling. Then again, others criticized me for not stating that he was in fact derivative of Ellington's piano sound. I called it a draw, because they all praised his work. I won't repeat the death threats, even the ones from family members, over Allen's taking liberties with some of the arrangements. In duo with Charlap, they slow "A" Train way down and further slow down "Solitude." Maybe, just maybe Duke, would smile on this glorious tribute. I can't say, but most Ellington fans agreed, just before they returned for their search for a radio air check circa 1949. ~ Mark Corroto   

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=5698#.U1LWqVdSvro
 

Personnel: Harry Allen: tenor saxophone; Bill Charlap: piano; Peter Washington: bass; Kenny Washington: drums.

Plays Ellington Songs

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