Ron Hockett - Finally Ron

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 73:40
Size: 168.6 MB
Styles: Clarinet jazz
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[3:42] 1. Too Close For Comfort
[4:24] 2. Nuages
[4:38] 3. Hindustan
[5:57] 4. My Ideal
[4:13] 5. Everybody Loves My Baby
[5:06] 6. Blues For Jack
[4:32] 7. Just One Of Those Things
[4:23] 8. On The Sunny Side Of The Street
[4:44] 9. Memories Of You
[4:37] 10. If Dreams Come True
[5:00] 11. Gone With The Wind
[5:33] 12. Reverie
[5:54] 13. Beale Street Blues
[5:32] 14. Undecided
[5:17] 15. Strange Blues

Clarinetist Ron Hockett's debut recording as a leader comes later in life at age 60, after hanging out in the Chicago scene studying with Benny Bailey, going to Princeton University, returning to Chi-Town, working in the Washington, D.C. jazz scene and the U.S. Marine Jazz Band for three decades, and enjoying considerable time with the trad band of Jim Cullum. The clear influence of Benny Goodman's smooth and sweet swing sound is noticeable from the start, but you can hear the influence of his hero Peanuts Hucko, Bob Wilber, and even Stan Getz in the lyrical quality Hockett exudes. He's put together an excellent backup band, with the brilliant guitarist James Chirillo and pianist John Sheridan as his main foils. Bassist Phil Flanigan and drummer Jake Hanna are veterans who know all too well the values of the swing rhythm and the tunes that brought it to prominence. You'd be hard pressed to find a better group anywhere that can play standards as well, or support Hockett's sleek and mellow style the way they do. His original "Blues for Jack," the immortal "Beale Street Blues," and Wingy Manone's "Strange Blues" are more about feeling than technical skills, while "Gone with the Wind," "If Dreams Come True," and the stop-start "Too Close for Comfort" display and define the flawless and consistent fluid dynamics the band employs. At their hottest, the group is playful and utterly swinging on the no-frills take of "Hindustan," the slightly extrapolated "Just One of Those Things," and the cute near bopper "Undecided." Chirillo is a marvelous man to have in the starting five, as his witty, clean, and charming guitar riffs fit perfectly with Hockett and Sheridan during "Undecided." He plays off the two, trading phrases for "Nuages," or jumps in rhythmic cohesion à la Freddie Green for "Reverie," the Bob Wilber tune where Hockett switches to soprano sax. Another piece, "My Ideal," has Hockett's soprano in a bossa nova groove, a twist for this type of group, and reflective of the influence of Getz. Admittedly this is a jam session with not much writing or arranging involved, but a document of a thoroughly professional band having fun in support of an old friend finally given an opportunity to show his wares. If you like the clarinet work of other lesser knowns like Kim Cusak, Chuck Hedges, or the truly great Kenny Davern, you'll easily enjoy this long overdue effort from a wonderful lifetime sideman finally making the first team. ~Michael G. Nastos

Finally Ron

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Virginia Mayhew - Sandan Shuffle

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 60:50
Size: 139.3 MB
Styles: Post bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[4:27] 1. Sandan Shuffle
[5:20] 2. Let's Fall In Love
[5:21] 3. Now I Know
[6:36] 4. Spring Is Not Here
[6:46] 5. Jazz-Like
[7:59] 6. I Thought You Loved Me
[5:14] 7. In Walked Bud
[7:59] 8. Tenderly
[4:36] 9. I Get Along Without You Very Well
[6:28] 10. Monterey Blues

Virginia Mayhew first drew critical praise as a part of the Diva big band reed section. Her fourth CD since going out on her own features the tenor saxophonist leading a potent quartet with guitarist Kenny Wessel, bassist Harvie S, and drummer Victor Jones, a band that interacts beautifully throughout the session. In celebration of her earning a third-degree black belt (or sandan) in karate, she named the funky opener "Sandan Shuffle." It's a slightly off-kilter piece with some superb blowing by the leader. Mayhew switches to soprano sax for the upbeat "Spring Is Not Here," creating a playful mood that contrasts with its title. Harvie S contributed the eerie "Jazz-Like" and the melancholy "Now I Know." Her interpretations of standards and jazz classics also merit strong praise. Mayhew updates the old warhorse "Let's Fall in Love" with a catchy Caribbean flavor that incorporates several styles. She is back on soprano sax for her emotional reworking of "I Get Along Without You Very Well." The funky street beat of Thelonious Monk's "In Walked Bud" also breaks new ground. To top it off, Mayhew's cover photo with her karate teacher is a refreshing change from typical packaging for jazz CDs. Highly recommended. ~Ken Dryden

Sandan Shuffle

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Jason Paul Curtis - Faux Bourgeois Cafe

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 44:25
Size: 101.7 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[2:32] 1. Phone
[3:15] 2. American Gypsy
[4:01] 3. Pane e Vino
[5:43] 4. Every Time
[3:17] 5. Back of My Mind
[3:06] 6. Brooklyn July
[5:28] 7. Longest Day
[5:23] 8. Summer Star
[5:25] 9. Speak Softly, Love
[6:09] 10. One More Kiss, Dear

For his eagerly anticipated second album, Faux Bourgeois Café, the outstanding vocalist/songwriter /trumpeter Jason Paul Curtis described his focus in straightforward terms: “I wanted original gypsy-jazz- that moves and makes you move.” It definitely is that – and a good bit more. Following up on his highly acclaimed 2012 debut, "Lovers Holiday", Jason serves up a delightful menu of Django-inspired originals, sumptuous ballads, sublime Brazilian and unfettered swing – an ideal soundtrack to the sultry nights of summer.

Returning from the previous album is the brilliant piano-drum tandem of Ray Mabalot and Woody Hume, both members of Jason’s regular trio – along with the remarkable multi-reedman/flautist Dave Schiff. Joining them for this journey are guitarist John Albertson and bassist Ephriam Wolfolk, Jr., both of whose consummate skills contribute powerfully to this extraordinary album. The vast array of top artists with whom these exemplary musicians have performed are a veritable Who’s Who of jazz and popular music, including Tony Bennett, Natalie Cole, Mel Torme, the Mills Bothers, Buddy Rich, Sonny Stitt, Sir Roland Hanna, Ahmad Jamal, Anita O’Day, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles and so many more.

Together, they bring a glowing vitality and a spirited synergy to Jason’s musical vision. His background in musical theater and opera in his native Texas, coupled with the influences of Nat ‘King’ Cole, Harry Connick Jr. and the Manhattan Transfer – and with a clear touch of Chet Baker and the Chairman of the Board, Frank Sinatra – has resulted in a beautiful vocal style, marked by flawless intonation and impeccable phrasing. But beyond his talents as a singer, Jason’s songwriting and arranging talents are exceptional, as fully evidenced throughout Faux Bourgeois Café. Comprised of eight original compositions and two unexpected but perfectly complementary songs, the album is an aural delight from beginning to end, further enhanced by his inspired and compelling lyrics. ~Larry Kahn

Faux Bourgeois Cafe

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Jim Kerl's Swing Session Big Band - With Thanks To My Friends

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 38:41
Size: 88.6 MB
Styles: Big band, Trumpet jazz, Swing
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[2:05] 1. Undecided
[4:21] 2. Alley Cat
[2:35] 3. Goody Goody
[3:10] 4. Where Or When
[4:27] 5. Caravan
[3:21] 6. Theme Without A Movie
[3:49] 7. Samba De Los Me
[2:23] 8. I Wanna Be Around
[3:47] 9. Skylark
[3:16] 10. Basie
[5:20] 11. Hava Nice Day

When mention is made of the "Big Band Era", people tend to think of the bands of the 1940's that were so popular then. Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, and Tommy Dorsey were all household names, with new recordings sweeping the airwaves and record players of the nation on a weekly basis. Certainly this was a golden age for the big bands in terms of the number of bands working and the sheer quantity of musicians employed. For me, however, the true "golden age" of big band music started in the 1960's. The bands of Harry James, Count Basie, Stan Kenton, Maynard Ferguson and the like began playing a looser kind of swing, with more emphasis on jazz and more room for individual soloists to express themselves. At the same time, vocalists such as Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Rosemary Clooney, and June Christy were being featured with these bands. This collaboration of voice and big band is nowhere more finely showcased than on the incredible 1966 Reprise recording, "Sinatra at the Sands," with the Count Basie Orchestra.

This is the music that has fueled my passion as a trumpet player and band leader since I first picked up the horn. As the leader of Swing Session, it is immensely satisfying to perform music in the genre of these bands and vocalists that I have enjoyed so much. If you like your big band music to swing hard, featuring vocals with words you can actually understand, and have some great individual soloists as well, then without reservation I recommend With Thanks To My Friends.

Jim KerlSwing Session Big BandAll the way from the drummer to the singers, Swing Session lives up to its name-it can really swing! The arrangements are well written and performed with amazing excitement and energy. The ensemble is tight and the solos are inspired. This is no sleepy "old school" big band album. This band is on fire! With Thanks To My Friends is a great listen and I highly recommend it. ~Bill Gibson

With Thanks To My Friends

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Mary Jenson - Close Your Eyes

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:20
Size: 124,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:06)  1. Close Your Eyes
(6:37)  2. It's All Right With Me
(4:53)  3. Cool
(5:13)  4. Fools In Love
(4:58)  5. You're Fine
(4:25)  6. The Hunter Get's Captured By The Game
(4:43)  7. Small Day Tomorrow
(4:16)  8. Dindi
(3:26)  9. Like Someone In Love
(5:19) 10. Besame Mucho
(3:09) 11. Pure Imagination
(4:10) 12. Les Feuilles Mortes

A vibrant vocalist with a love of both jazz and modern music, Mary’s repertoire includes the evolution of popular songs into the jazz context, as well as beautiful renditions of the traditional and familiar.

Mary Jenson's musical tastes were largely influenced by her stint as a radio disc jockey in her early years up on the Mendocino Coast. Exposed to the Bay Area Music scene through the eclectic library of a small market radio station and the left coast culture of Mendocino, those days in a studio lined with LPs had a profound effect on her taste in music. http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/maryjenson

Close Your Eyes

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John Pizzarelli - Rockin' In Rhythm

Styles: Jazz, Swing, Guitar Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:47
Size: 115,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:11)  1. In A Mellow Tone
(3:41) 2. East St. Louis Toodle-oo/Don't Get Around Much Anymore
(3:38)  3. Satin Doll
(7:59)  4. C Jam Blues
(3:51)  5. In My Solitude
(3:21)  6. Just Squeeze Me
(4:10)  7. Perdido
(3:09)  8. All Too Soon
(4:06)  9. I'm Beginning To See The Light
(3:48) 10. Love Scene
(3:46) 11. I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good
(4:00) 12. Cottontail/Rockin' In Rhythm

John Pizzarelli is a walking, talking embarrassment of riches. He has a great pedigree, as his father, Bucky Pizzarelli), was a prodigious guitar talent (on a seven-string guitar, no less) with a voice like Chet Baker should have had. It is all this charm that Pizzarelli freely shares with us lesser mortals. Rockin' in Rhythm: A Tribute to Duke Ellington is a thematic collection picking up where his 2006 collection, Dear Mr. Sinatra (Telarc), left off. What more can be done with Duke Ellington that has not been done before? Well, quite a lot it turns out. What sets Pizzarelli's Ellington apart from the rest (that is, in addition to his infectious, happy singing) are the arrangements. An artistic discipline unto itself, jazz arrangement often provides the crux upon which a song's success or failure rests. Rockin' in Rhythm sports two of the finest in the business, with the date leader working on the quartet pieces and Don Sebeskyarranging the Swing Seven Horns on seven of the 12 compositions held within. 

Sebesky's genius is exercised in spades on the opening of the disc. "In a Mellow Tone" features tart horn backing to Pizzarelli's uncommonly sweet vocals. Pizzarelli provides an equally tart guitar solo doubled expertly with the guitarist's voice. "East St. Louis Toodle-Do" is overlaid with a sung "I Don't Get Around Much Anymore," with the two tunes attached firmly at the bridge. The effect is startling. Gerald Wilson's arrangement of "Perdido" is given lyrics by Pizzarelli's wife, Jessica Molaskey, who shares vocal duties with Kurt Elling. Other guests include tenor saxophonist Harry Allenand violinist Aaron Weinstein playing Ben Webster and Ray Nance on "C Jam Blues." Pizzarelli takes Ellington for a solo guitar spin on "Just Squeeze Me," giving his father a loving nod in the bargain. Speaking of Bucky, he provides the solo for "Satin Doll." Mainstream jazz is a demanding mistress and Pizzarelli manages her with grace and wit. This recording is an accomplishment of the most rarefied order. ~ C.Michael Bailey   http://www.allaboutjazz.com/rockin-in-rhythm-a-tribute-to-duke-ellington-john-pizzarelli-telarc-records-review-by-c-michael-bailey.php#.U6mlfbG4OSo

Personnel: John Pizzarelli: vocals, guitar; Jessica Molaskey, Kurt Elling: vocals; Bucky Pizzarelli: acoustic guitar, electric guitar; Aaron Weinstein: violin; Andy Fusco: clarinet, alto saxophone; Kenny Berger: bass clarinet, baritone saxophone; Harry Allen: tenor saxophone; Tony Kadleck: trumpet; John Mosca: trombone, alto horn; Larry Fuller: piano; Martin Pizzarelli: double bass; Tony Tedesco: drums.

Rockin In Rhythm

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Walt Weiskopf - See The Pyramid

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:14
Size: 176,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:38)  1. See The Pyramid
(9:00)  2. Marcieana
(7:33)  3. Hook Me Up
(9:05)  4. Equality
(5:27)  5. Call Me
(7:53)  6. Little Minor Love Song
(6:07)  7. Double Rainbow
(4:38)  8. A Time For Love
(3:04)  9. Goodbye John
(7:43) 10. Make Someone Happy

Walt Weiskopf's discography for the Criss Cross label has displayed a substantive and well-rounded discipline on the tenor saxophone with many larger ensembles. While peers Donny McCaslin, Chris Potter, Eric Alexander, and Harry Allen have gone into the respective routes of improvised neo-bop, progressive fusion, soul-jazz, and swing, Weiskopf mines the deep well of post-Sonny Rollins/John Coltrane mainstream modern jazz. He's also more composer than interpreter, as evidenced by the original material on this recording, and he also revisits the smaller format of sax with rhythm section, something he hadn't done in nearly 20 years. 

Weiskopf loves to scale hard bop mountain heights on his horn without any abrasion or slippage, as on the modal title track. Also notable is that he does not overuse technique, preferring to evoke the essential spirit of Coltrane on a hip modal "Hook Me Up" or the bossa nova-flavored "Equality," which echoes Trane's "Equinox." There's no real emphasis on rock 'em, sock 'em bebop, but instead an unforced swing and lighter tone. He does venture a bit into pop-jazz with a cover of the Chris Montez Top 40 hit "Call Me" and a bubbling version of "Make Someone Happy." With a piano-bass-drums trio led by Peter Zak on the 88s, Weiskopf has just enough energy to drive these tunes comfortably in mid-gear ratios. It's another sterling example of why he's always one of the more enjoyable tenor players on the current scene solid, unspectacular, logical, and very substantive. ~ Michael G.Nastos   http://www.allmusic.com/album/see-the-pyramid-mw0001987891.

Personnel: Walt Weiskopf (tenor saxophone); Peter Zak (piano); Quincy Davis (drums).

See The Pyramid

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The World's Greatest Jazzband - The World's Greatest Jazzband of Yank Lawson and Bob Haggart

Styles: Jazz
Year: 1969
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:47
Size: 82,4 MB
Art: Front

(2:19)  1. Sunny
(2:23)  2. Panama
(3:21)  3. Baby, Won't You Please Come Home
(2:45)  4. Up, Up &  Away
(3:24)  5. Ode To Billy Joe
(3:44)  6. Honky Tonk Train
(3:04)  7. A Taste Of Honey
(3:56)  8. Limehouse Blues
(2:40)  9. Big Noise From Winnetka
(2:48) 10. This Is All I Ask
(2:57) 11. Mrs. Robinson
(2:20) 12. Bugle Call Rag

The World's Greatest Jazz Band was an all-star jazz ensemble active from 1968 to 1978. Dick Gibson founded the group at his sixth Jazz Party, an annual event. The group performed mostly Dixieland jazz and recorded extensively. It was co-led by Yank Lawson and Bob Haggart, and did early jazz standards alongside contemporaneous pop songs done in a Dixieland style. Though the group disbanded in 1978, the name was revived several times by Lawson and Haggart for limited engagements. 

More..http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World%27s_Greatest_Jazz_Band

This all-star group was founded in 1968 by Dick Gibson at his sixth annual Jazz Party. Despite the impossibility of living up to its outrageous name, the band was indeed the finest in Dixieland/classic jazz. Co-led by Yank Lawson and Bob Haggart, and also featuring Billy Butterfield, Bud Freeman, Bob Miller, and Ralph Sutton, the WGJB originally alternated standards with Dixiefied versions of current pop tunes like "Mrs. Robinson," but its finest album (Live on Atlantic) sticks to hot jamming. After the personnel changed a bit (Eddie Miller and Dick Wellstood passed through the band), the group broke up in 1978, although reunions by Lawson and Haggart in later years sometimes revived the name. Their recordings for Project 3, Atlantic, and their own World Jazz label are pretty much all worth getting. Bio ~ Scott Yanow   http://www.allmusic.com/artist/worlds-greatest-jazz-band-mn0000683075/biography.

The World's Greatest Jazzband of Yank Lawson and Bob Haggart

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