Ed Reed - Ed Reed Sings Love Stories / I'm A Shy Guy

Album: Ed Reed Sings Love Stories
Size: 144,1 MB
Time: 62:48
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2007
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. A Sleepin' Bee (6:40)
02. There's A Lull In My Life (4:40)
03. Ghost Of A Chance (6:21)
04. Bye Bye Blackbird (6:31)
05. A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing (5:37)
06. Where Do You Start (3:32)
07. Daydream (6:28)
08. Ask Me Now (7:25)
09. If The Moon Turns Green (5:41)
10. Goodbye (7:08)
11. Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child (2:41)

Like many artists of his generation, singer Ed Reed saw his career interrupted by drug use and incarceration. JazzTimes magazine recently ran a piece on the Narcotic Farm, a prison for addicts in Lexington, Ky., known for the jazz players who performed behind bars. San Quentin, where Reed did his time, also hosted some notorious jazz players, including , Frank Butler and . On this Piano Jazz program, Reed describes playing with these and other great players in the prison band.

Reed has emerged from addiction and prison a happy and thankful man. When he sings "Lucky to Be Me," he means it. He says he's been sober since 1986 and continues to work his "day job" as an addiction counselor, though his time is more limited these days given the success of his recent jazz releases. Reed made his professional debut at age 78, with the debut of his critically acclaimed album Love Stories.

"Ed Reed Sings Love Stories" (2007), Ed's critically acclaimed debut album, was recorded February 2006 at Bay Records in Berkeley, CA. Produced by Bud Spangler, the CD features Peck Allmond, trumpet, tenor saxm flutes, clarinets, trombonium, kalimbas; Gary Fisher, piano; John Wiitala, bass;, and Eddie Marshall, drums and recorder.

Ed Reed Sings Love Stories

---

Album: I'm A Shy Guy: A Tribute To The King Cole Trio & Their Music
Size: 112,5 MB
Time: 48:56
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. I Just Can't See For Lookin' (Feat. Randy Porter, Jamie Fox & John Wiitala) (2:36)
02. Baby Baby All The Time (Feat. Randy Porter, Anton Schwartz, John Wiitala & Akira Tana) (3:01)
03. Unforgettable (Feat. John Wiitala, Akira Tana, Jamie Fox, Randy Porter & Anton Schwartz) (3:39)
04. Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby (Feat. Randy Porter, Jamie Fox, Anton Schwartz & John Wiitala) (2:46)
05. I'm A Shy Guy (Feat. Randy Porter, Jamie Fox, John Wiitala & Akira Tana) (3:28)
06. That's The Beginning Of The End (Feat. Randy Porter) (4:43)
07. Meet Me At No Special Place (And I'll Be There At No Particular Time) (Feat. Anton Schwartz, John Wiitala, Akira Tana, Randy Porter & Jamie Fox) (3:45)
08. I'm Lost (Feat. John Wiitala) (4:04)
09. 'tis Autumn (Feat. Randy Porter, Jamie Fox, John Wiitala & Akira Tana) (3:25)
10. It's Only A Paper Moon (Feat. Randy Porter, Anton Schwartz, Jamie Fox, John Wiitala & Akira Tana) (3:12)
11. That Ain't Right (Feat. Randy Porter, Anton Schwartz, John Wiitala & Akira Tana) (4:46)
12. I Realize Now (Feat. Randy Porter, John Wiitala & Akira Tana) (2:53)
13. This Will Make You Laugh (Feat. Jamie Fox) (3:39)
14. Straighten Up And Fly Right (Feat. Randy Porter, Jamie Fox, Anton Schwartz & John Wiitala) (2:54)

San Francisco vocalist Ed Reed is a bona fide contemporary of West Coast jazz luminaries: Art Pepper, Frank Morgan, Dexter Gordon, Wardell Gray and Hampton Hawes. Unlike that august group, Reed remains to tell his story, and by proxy, theirs' in the bargain. Like this same group, drugs (and in the case of Gray, murder) suspended Reed's musical career. Unlike Pepper and Morgan, who staged much heralded late-career comebacks, Reed did not first record until 2007 at age 78. Neither "late bloomer" nor "rising star" adequately describe Reed any more than "senior" or "elderly" do. These terms might apply to mere mortals, but Reed is something else. When he entered the studio to record his debut Ed Reed Sings Love Stories (Blue Shorts Records) he was fully-formed as a singer and performing from a lifetime of anticipating that very moment.

Since Love Stories, Reed has released The Song Is You (Blue Shorts Records, 2008), Born To Be Blue (Blue Shorts Records, 2011) and the present I'm A Shy Guy: A Tribute to the Cole Trio & Their Music. Reed's performance remains at an amazing, even otherworldly, level. Co-producer and jazz vocalist and educator in her own right, Laurie Antonioli reveals of the Cole sessions:

"On the first day of most recording projects, it takes time to get people settled, get the sound right and hopefully you'll get a few tunes out of the deal. This is not what happened with the "Nat" session. On day one, from the very first song it was all there. The sound, the band, the tempos and interaction. But most importantly Ed was in fine voice and was a real pro—like Sinatra or something. I think there are at least five first takes from that first day... My involvement, aside from some minor technical things on the vocal end, was simply to say "Let's keep going." The flow was magical and everyone could feel it... The next day the bulk of the recording was finished."

The danger with such sessions is that it all seems too easy and truly exceptional jazz singing, particularly male jazz singing, is anything but. That said, Reed stepped up and made this recording an effortless affair. Supported by a piano-guitar quintet, Reed spins through better and lesser known Cole book inclusions. Bobby Troupe's "Baby Baby All The Time" and Cole's timeless "Unforgettable" join "It's Only A Paper Moon" and "Straighten Up And Fly Right as the better known pieces. "Can't See For Lookin,'" "That's The Beginning of the End" and "Meet Me At No Special Place" represent the pithier and lesser known Cole classics that comprise this excellent collection where Ed Reed sings Cole like Ed Reed and not someone imitating Cole. It is this touch that makes I'm A Shy Guy: A Tribute to the King Cole Trio & Their Music so exceptional. ~C. Michael Bailey

Personnel: Ed Reed: vocals; Randy Porter: piano; Anton Schwartz: tenor saxophone; John Wiitala: bass; Akira Tana: drums.

I'm A Shy Guy

---

Nancy Harms - Dreams In Apartments

Size: 100,9 MB
Time: 43:54
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

01. Weight Of The World (3:34)
02. It Could Happen To You (4:19)
03. Mood Indigo (4:46)
04. And It's Beautiful (4:24)
05. Never Let Me Go (4:27)
06. From My First Moment (Gymnopedie For Piano No. 1) (4:07)
07. Out Of Comfort (5:21)
08. Something Real (3:38)
09. Midnight Sun (5:46)
10. While We're Young (3:28)

The voice of Nancy Harms has the power to light cigarettes and make ‘em smolder all night long. Following on the heels of her inspired performance on Jeremy Siskind’s Finger-Songwriter, one of 2012?s best releases, Harms returns with a quartet date that highlights her casual, seductive delivery. And though a couple album tracks on Dreams In Apartments do allow her vocal cords to raise their heart rate a bit, ultimately, it’s those songs that behave like moonlight that are most likely to draw the ear in and never let it go.

Your album personnel: Nancy Harms (vocals), Aaron Parks (piano), RJ Miller (drums), Danton Boller (bass), and guests: John Hart (guitar) on about half of the album tracks and Wycliffe Gordon (trumpet) on one track.

Tracks like “From My First Moment” and “It Could Happen To You” glow strongest of that moonlight. On the former track, Parks and Hart send out glittering notes on piano and guitar, an enchantment greatly enhanced by the entrance of Boller on bass arco. And the latter of those two tracks highlights the ability of Harms to deliver a heartbreaking verse with the fluttering lightness of doves.

Her rendition of “Mood Indigo” further illustrates her way of putting heartbreak to song. Voice heavy with emotion, she lights a path for the quartet to stroll pleasantly down. There is a togetherness here stronger than any other album track. It’s a different feel on “Out Of Comfort,” a song that has the disassembled presence of a dream. Harms’s cooing voice is accompanied nicely by Hart’s electric guitar, which remains unobtrusive in the background while adding orange sunset to the blue horizon of Parks’ piano contribution.

“While We’re Young” is a chipper tune, bolstered by some nice brush work from Miller. “Something Real” is, also, an up-tempo tune. It lets the volume rise, though not without getting in a catchy melody to hang onto for the ride. The only weak spot on the album is another faster piece… “Weight of the World” is all pop song, and doesn’t really provide the space which Harms so deftly is able to fill on her own, with succinct, evocative phrases. But that’s a small criticism for what remains an enjoyable, solid new recording from the vocalist.

Dreams In Apartments

---

Georgia Soul Council - Thickens Upon Standing

Size: 182,7 MB
Time: 79:39
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Jazz Funk/Soul
Art: Front

01. Sauce (Thickens Upon Standing) (7:16)
02. Can't Stand Ya (6:16)
03. Gatur Bait (8:52)
04. Hutchins (4:53)
05. Hip Shot (7:32)
06. We're Gonna Groove (3:58)
07. Bounce This (5:16)
08. Soul Syrum (4:26)
09. Foot In It (7:39)
10. Snaggle Tooth (5:48)
11. Dutch Oven (5:50)
12. Effin' Splendid (6:15)
13. Lady Day (5:32)

"Georgia Soul Council, originally formed in Atlanta in 2010 as the backing band for Otis Redding III, reconvened in 2011 with a shift towards the 70's era breakbeat Soul-Jazz that is their real musical passion.

2012-13 has seen GSC bring their funkified live performances to the people of the southeastern United States, and they have had the pleasure of sharing the stage with Lee Fields & The Expressions, the Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra, Papa Grows Funk, Col. Bruce Hampton, the Rebirth Brass Band, and many others. Georgia Soul Council's new full-length album "Thickens Upon Standing", released independently on July 16, 2013 to a fantastic reception from the soul-funk community and rave reviews.

"Speaking of groove, the Georgia Soul Council knows how to establish a tight one and work it thoroughly across an extended but controlled arrangement, where there’s not so much “jamming” as there is a succession of generous give-and-take, where everyone gets a moment in the spotlight while never losing sight of the tune, or the momentum. Built upon a core of eight songs recorded and released in limited fashion last year (remastered here) along with five brand new tracks, the ensemble’s album Thickens Upon Standing (as in, better keep dancing!) comes out on vinyl this month. Truly thick, hypnotic, mostly instrumental funk; excellent players with a solid brass section right out front in the mix." - Jeff Clark

"Comprising an inspirational collection of low-down groove music, the compositions venture into the break beat soul-jazz of the 1970s while also drawing much strength from contemporary elements of modern dance music. In any case, their soul-powered tunes are not ones to be taken lightly, as they grab the listener by their inner being, igniting a tingling feeling from the deepest part of the core to the outer brim of existence. Operating with a deep rhythmic pocket, raw vocals, and a knack for tastefully filling in space, the Georgia Soul Council looks to bring funk to a venue near you. When you see them, get ready to boogie." -Chris DiBenedetto

Thickens Upon Standing

---

Betty Delight - Almost Blue

Size: 128,9 MB
Time: 56:10
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz: Vocals
Art: Front

01. Almost Blue (7:48)
02. Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise (6:22)
03. Firm Roots (5:44)
04. Very Early (6:02)
05. Coming Back To Start (7:04)
06. I'm Old Fashioned (4:53)
07. They Can't Take That Away From Me (8:08)
08. A Felicidade (5:36)
09. Jackie (4:29)

The singer-songwriter BETTY DELIGHT (Bettina Schusser) convinces with its clear, powerful voice in beautiful arrangements and original compositions. Stylistically, it spans a broad arc where her jazz and soul just lie in the blood. The musical structure makes your band, on the one hand with groovy beats, on the other hand, assets and the gentle sounds of the audience to captivate. ~online translation.

Almost Blue

---

Grant Green - I Want To Hold Your Hand

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 41:07
Size: 94.1 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 1965/1997
Art: Front

[7:17] 1. I Want To Hold Your Hand
[7:08] 2. Speak Low
[6:25] 3. Stella By Starlight
[5:54] 4. Corcovado (Quiet Nights)
[7:04] 5. This Could Be The Start Of Something
[7:16] 6. At Long Last Love

The third of three sessions Grant Green co-led with modal organist Larry Young and Coltrane drummer Elvin Jones, I Want to Hold Your Hand continues in the soft, easy style of its predecessor, Street of Dreams. This time, however -- as one might guess from the title and cover photo -- the flavor is less reflective and more romantic and outwardly engaging. Part of the reason is tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley, who takes Bobby Hutcherson's place accompanying the core trio. His breathy, sensuous warmth keeps the album simmering at a low boil, and some of the repertoire helps as well, mixing romantic ballad standards (often associated with vocalists) and gently undulating bossa novas. The title track -- yes, the Beatles tune -- is one of the latter, cleverly adapted and arranged into perfectly viable jazz that suits Green's elegant touch with pop standards; the other bossa nova, Jobim's "Corcovado," is given a wonderfully caressing treatment. Even with all the straightforward pop overtones of much of the material, the quartet's playing is still very subtly advanced, both in its rhythmic interaction and the soloists' harmonic choices. Whether augmented by an extra voice or sticking to the basic trio format, the Green/Young/Jones team produced some of the most sophisticated organ/guitar combo music ever waxed, and I Want to Hold Your Hand is the loveliest of the bunch. ~Steve Huey

I Want To Hold Your Hand

---

Lyle Lovett - Smile: Songs From The Movies

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 44:37
Size: 102.2 MB
Styles: Easy Listening
Year: 2003
Art: Front

[3:11] 1. Blue Skies - From The Motion Picture With Honors
[3:09] 2. Straighten Up And Fly Right - From The Motion Picture Dear God
[4:57] 3. Gee Baby, Ain't I Good To You - From The Motion Picture Kissing Jessica Stein
[3:38] 4. Smile - From The Motion Picture Hope Floats
[4:42] 5. Moritat (Mack The Knife) - From The Motion Picture Quiz Show
[2:52] 6. Summer Wind - From The Motion Picture Love Of The Game
[3:59] 7. What I'd Say - From The Motion Picture Where The Heart Is
[3:48] 8. Till It Shines - From The Motion Picture Munford
[2:38] 9. You've Got A Friend In Me - From The Motion Picture Toy Story
[3:13] 10. Walking Tall - From The Motion Picture Stuart Little
[4:58] 11. Pass Me Not O' Gentle Savior - From The Motion Picture Leap Of Faith
[3:27] 12. I'm A Soldier In The Army Of The Lord - From The Motion Picture The Apostle

Since The Road to Ensenada in 1996, Lyle Lovett has released a collection of covers in 1998, a live album in 1999, a predominately instrumental soundtrack in 2000, and now, in 2003, Smile, a collection of songs he recorded for movie soundtracks between 1992 and 2002. None of these were on his official albums and none of them are originals (meaning that it's been nearly seven years since he's released a collection of new songs; this may or may not be a sign of writer's block). Most are covers of pop standards, with a couple of R&B and gospel standards thrown in for good measure (the one contemporary tune is "You've Got a Friend in Me," the Randy Newman duet from Toy Story). All are given perfectly tasteful, perfectly pleasant Large Band-styled arrangements; they're very faithful to the songs yet are styled to Lovett's idiosyncratic delivery. Overall, it's a nice listen and it's nice for collectors to get these all tunes in one place, but it's not essential and it's hard not to wish that Lovett would just finally do an album of new material already. ~Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Smile: Songs From The Movies

---

Gypsy Jazz Caravan - Gypsy Jazz Caravan III

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 58:24
Size: 133.7 MB
Styles: Swing, Gypsy jazz
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[3:32] 1. I Love Paris
[3:43] 2. This Ain't No Hot Club
[3:44] 3. La Vie En Rose
[3:49] 4. Bossa Morticia
[2:53] 5. Djangology
[3:43] 6. Fool's Tango
[4:22] 7. Crazy
[3:07] 8. Le Musette De L'arrogance
[4:12] 9. Cheap Needs
[4:42] 10. Gypsy Apparition
[4:22] 11. Beyond The Sea (La Mer)
[3:05] 12. Take 5
[3:45] 13. Life Of The Party
[3:57] 14. Nuages
[2:15] 15. Giant Steps
[3:06] 16. Tragic Beauty

Despite the band name, these guys are no Gypsy Jazz purists. Sure there are a couple of wonderful Django Reinhardt gems, but this CD also includes tunes by John Coltrane as well as Willie Nelson; there is Edith Piaf as well as Paul Desmond. To top things off, there are a bunch of new originals including a tango and calypso. What holds the whole thing together is a respect for melody, and some healthy virtuosity.

The players, in the band are each musical veterans, each having played this kind of jazz for more than thirty years. Violinist Rob Thomas is a violin and improvisation instuctor at Berklee School of Music as well as being a busy performer; guitarist Marc Daine performs, teaches and runs jazz workshops in NYC. Bassist Mike Weatherly also performs with most of NYC's trad jazz groups including renowned jazz banjoist Cynthia Sayer. Rhythm guitarist Glenn Tosto has played with, and has recently co-authored a jazz guitar instruction method with noted guitar virtuoso Frank Vignola.

Gypsy Jazz Caravan III

---

Shea Breaux Wells - A Blind Date

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:57
Size: 129,2 MB
Art: Front

(6:32)  1. Baltimore Oriole
(6:20)  2. Dark Matters
(4:55)  3. Song To The Siren
(4:27)  4. Corcovado
(4:37)  5. Night In Tunisia
(5:43)  6. Blue Skies
(7:23)  7. Oh Yes, I Remember Clifford
(2:54)  8. Bye Bye Blackbird
(5:49)  9. All Blues
(7:12) 10. Caravan

There is a noticeable shift in the room when Shea begins to sing. Whether it is her rich voice, her compelling presence or her obvious devotion to the music, it is crystal clear that you are in for something special. Shea's love of jazz was born many years ago, while listening to her father's albums - Chris Conner, Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Charles and many others. She also became deeply enamored of the Motown sound - particularly the harmony groups. While in school, Shea studied music, and sang in an a capella septet, as well as appearing in musicals, such as “Guys and Dolls” and “Godspell”. Her love of music continued through college where she sang in an alternative rock band. After they split, she began singing jazz in nightclubs around Los Angeles. She joined the Little Big Band, singing swing hits and harmonizing with two other singers, fleshing out a ten piece band. Shea was also involved in studio vocal work - singing on commercial specs, trance and trip hop projects, as well as children's albums. These varying influences of rock, jazz, swing, and more coalesced into a versatile quality in Shea's voice, presentation and also her songwriting skills. 

Shea relocated to the Bay Area to record an EP of original songs with Grammy Award winning producer, Michael Rosen. These songs went on to be featured on MTV's Road Rules creating a soft spot in Shea's heart for the beloved royalty check! With a move up to Sonoma County, Shea has found a fantastic musical community. After appearing in the Healdsburg Jazz Festival, she came to know its Artistic Director, Jessica Felix. Jessica's deep reach into the varying echelons of jazz musicians, both locally and nationally, have led Shea into some wonderful musical relationships. With Jessica's introduction to pianist Noam Lemish, Shea was inspired to her 2006 release, 'Piece of the Light”, a full-length album of mostly original songs, with a few cover versions thrown into the mix. Titled, “Piece of the Light' this album featured the legendary Robben Ford on guitar, as well as excellent jazz musicians such as Noam Lemish, David Ewell, Bill Ortiz and Alex Aspinall. “Piece of the Light” was arranged by Shea and co-produced with Oz Fritz, known for his work on Tom Waits' Grammy Award winning “Mule Variations”. The Healdsburg Jazz Festival again exerted its influence with Jessica Felix's orchestration of another kind. How's about a jazz recording with some internationally renowned musicians who would be in town for their performance at the Festival? 

Now, with the release of Shea's new album, appropriately titled, “A Blind Date”, her embrace of the traditional jazz genre is true. Featuring the mighty work of George Cables on piano, Cecil McBee on bass, Billy Hart on drums, Craig Handy on sax and flute, and David Weiss on trumpet, “A Blind Date” is a raw, diverse romp through standards and then some. Shea contributed an original piece called, “Dark Matters” which lends a haunting, middle-eastern feel to the album. Produced by David Weiss and engineered by Oz Fritz, “A Blind Date” is packed to the gills with electrifying performance from all the musicians. A true jazz lover's gem, this work goes beyond that of the typical jazz singer. Working with such fine musicians has whetted Shea's appetite for even deeper musical exploration. “To jazz or not to jazz, there is no question!” ~  Louis Armstrong    http://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/musician.php?id=1969#.U2ae9iiS-PM

Personnel: Shea Breaux Wells (vocals); Craig Handy (flute, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone); David Weiss (trumpet); George Cables (piano); Billy Hart (drums).

A Blind Date

---

Mark O' Connor Hot Swing Trio - In Full Swing

Styles: Dixieland/New Orleans/Swing
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:16
Size: 133,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:55)  1. In Full Swing
(5:13)  2. Honeysuckle Rose (with Wyton Marsalis & Jane Monheit)
(5:20)  3. Tiger Rag  (with Wyton Marsalis)
(6:56)  4. Misty  (with Jane Monheit)
(5:49)  5. Stephane And Django
(3:46)  6. Fascinating Rhythm  (with Jane Monheit)
(6:08)  7. 3 For All
(5:55)  8. As Time Goes By (with Wyton Marsalis & Jane Monheit)
(7:22)  9. Limehouse Blues
(6:47) 10. One Beautiful Evening

Mark O'Connor is hotter than hot these days. The onetime country fiddler's best-selling, Grammy winning classical albums have made him that rarest of things: a crossover artist whose genre-hopping is less about marketing than serious creative expression and boundless musical ambition. In Full Swing, O'Connor's new tribute to fellow violin virtuoso Stephane Grappelli - the man he calls his mentor - is something of a time-out in O'Connor's assault on the classical world. Regardless, it's an entirely engaging tour de force. O'Connor is one of those musicians whose skill, artistry and sheer talent - plus his obvious joy in music-making - make you sit back and smile. His affinity for Grappelli is tangible as he and his "swing trio" (with guitarist Frank Vignola and bassist Jon Burr), along with guests Wynton Marsalis and Jane Monheit, tear through a set of Swing-era standards and in-the-tradition originals. 

O'Connor and Marsalis make an interesting pairing, both for their wide-ranging musical knowledge and their ties to the classical realm, as well as their palpable (and, in Marsalis's case, often exasperating) ambition. Marsalis appears to relish his sideman role here, turning in some of his most relaxed playing in years and giving O'Connor a run for his money on the high-speed "Tiger Rag" and "Honeysuckle Rose". The unfortunately over-hyped Monheit - really more of a cabaret performer than jazz singer - is a bit out of her depth in this company, especially on the up-tempo numbers; she's more effective on a smoky rendering of the Casablanca chestnut, "As Time Goes By". Guitarist Vignola, on the other hand, more than holds his own in the potentially daunting role of playing Django to O'Connor's Grappelli. ~ Joel Roberts   http://www.allaboutjazz.com/in-full-swing-sony-legacy-music-review-by-joel-roberts.php#.U2krRShvCPM

Personnel: Mark O'Connor (violin); Jane Monheit (vocals); Frank Vignola (guitar); Wynton Marsalis (trumpet); Jon Burr (bass).

In Full Swing

---

Martial Solal - Longitude

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:36
Size: 105,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:35)  1. Slightly Bluesy
(4:01)  2. Here's That Rainy Day
(3:55)  3. Longitude
(3:16)  4. Bizarre, Vous Avez Dit?
(5:16)  5. Tea For Two
(4:49)  6. Solaltitude
(5:06)  7. Short Cuts
(3:29)  8. The Last Time I Saw Paris
(5:28)  9. Monostome
(4:35) 10. Navigation

Oftentimes the best free players are those with a firm footing in the jazz tradition. Few have demonstrated as uncanny an ability to straddle the line between form and freedom as Martial Solal, a European pianist who has eluded his due credit in North America. Like the slightly younger Paul Bley, Solal has an ability to take the most well-worn standard and transform it into something new; oftentimes nearly unrecognizable but always engaging and playful. Solal may lean hard to the left but, like Bley, his wry sense of humor pervades most everything he does. Longitude is far from a standards album seven of the disc's ten tracks are belong to Solal. 

When he does tackle a chestnut like "The Last Time I Saw Paris," the pianist manages in no small part thanks to the telepathic and sometimes downright unearthly rhythm team of twin brothers François (bass) and Louis (drums) Moutin to make it elastic, with unexpected but somehow inevitable twists and turns. There's no denying the sense of swing that largely simmers underneath but occasionally surfaces briefly and more directly, but even when the Moutins are pushing a pulse, Solal seems curiously distanced and locked into it at the same time. And the brothers' natural empathy exploited to equal effect on Moutin Reunion Quartet recordings like Sharp Turns (Blujazz, 2007) results in a trio of uncommon chemistry. Rarely breaking the five minute mark and often running less than four, Solal's writing is a combination of frightening complexity and open-ended spontaneity. Navigating the bumpy road of "Monostome" may be as much a challenge to hear as it is to play, but its "time, no changes" center, with the Moutin brothers swinging hard and fast, is a marvel of solo construction, as Solal blends fleet-fingered runs and occasional harmonized passages that act like punctuation marks between segments. 

Elsewhere, on "Navigation," the time appears more flexible, though when the trio comes together for a visceral groove, it's clear there's more going on compositionally than meets the eye. The Moutins may be a generation or two younger than Solal, but they're no less versed in the tradition, with François quoting Charlie Parker's "Donna Lee" during his solo on the opening "Slightly Bluesy." With another death-defying theme to get through before opening up, Solal's solo is a unique confluence that's as free-flowing as it gets but remains somehow linked to the mainstream, if only by the thinnest of threads. And it's a mistake, really, to consider any feature for François Moutin a solo, as the interplay with his brother makes it more of a duet. Solal may be approaching 81, but he plays with a freshness and vitality that's hard to resist. Longitude is an album filled with everything that makes the improvisational nature of jazz great, but with a complete lack of gravitas all the more infectious, despite its many inherent demands. ~ John Kelman   http://www.allaboutjazz.com/longitude-martial-solal-cam-jazz-review-by-john-kelman.php#.U2lKQihvCPM
 

Personnel: Martial Solal: piano; François Moutin: bass; Louis Moutin: drums.

Longitude

---

Mal Waldron - Soul Eyes

Styles: Jazz, Post-Bop
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:02
Size: 132,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:39)  1. Judy
(7:20)  2. Soul Eyes
(5:00)  3. Fire Waltz
(6:55)  4. Spaces
(5:46)  5. Straight Ahead
(5:00)  6. From Darkness To Light
(6:24)  7. God Bless The Child
(3:46)  8. Dee´s Dilemma
(9:35)  9. The Git Go
(3:32) 10. No More Tears

This album was recorded last summer when Waldron and his friends were invited to celebrate his birthday at Jazz Middelheim in Antwerp, Belgium, the bi-annual festival of Brtn Public Radio. His regular US bassist Reggie Workman and drummer Andrew Cyrille came over from New York. Jeanne Lee was only a short trainride away, in The Hague, Holland, where she teaches. Joe Henderson was flown in from San Francisco. Abbey Lincoln, who had performed with her own band the night before, stayed over to make an impromptu appearance.[...] complete cover and booklet scansThe same week they all went into the studio near Antwerp for what is Waldron's first album under his new RCA Victor recording contract. (Steve Coleman, a special favorite of Waldron's among a younger generation of players, later recorded his tracks in New York.) (Extract from sleeve notes by Bob Leurentop, November 1997.)

The Players: Mal Waldron – piano; Andrew Cyrille – drums; Reggie Workman - bass

* Steve Coleman - alto saxophone (on 'Judy' and 'Soul Eyes')
* Joe Henderson - tenor saxophone (on 'The Git Go')
* Jeanne Lee - vocals (on 'Soul Eyes,' 'Fire Waltz,' and 'No More Tears')
* Abbey Lincoln - vocals (on 'Straight Ahead' and 'God Bless The Child')

Recorded August 15-17, 1997 at The Groove, Schelle (Antwerp) - Belgium. Recorded by Guido Maes. Additional recordings (Judy and Soul Eyes) by Steve Coleman, October 10, 1997 at Systems Two Recording Studios, New York USA.

Soul Eyes

---