Bobby Jaspar Quartet & Quintet - Clarinescapade

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 51:10
Size: 117.1 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[3:06] 1. Clarinescapade
[4:18] 2. How Deep Is The Ocean
[3:43] 3. What's New
[2:43] 4. Tutti Flutti
[4:51] 5. I Remember You
[3:34] 6. Spring Is Here
[6:23] 7. Wee Dot
[3:54] 8. I Won't Dance
[3:36] 9. In A Little Provincial Town
[5:30] 10. The Lock Alike
[5:00] 11. Barry's Tune
[4:25] 12. Minor Drop

Belgian multi-instrumentalist Bobby Jaspar was hitting his stride in 1956, with great recognition in Europe and a budding reputation in the U.S. via his membership in the J.J. Johnson combo. This CD, a Fresh Sound compilation derived from French Columbia Records LP and EP releases, shows why he was a well-liked and respected cool-to-bop post-Lester Young-influenced tenor saxophonist. The seven tracks where he emphasizes tenor show him breaking away from his influences and exercising voicings of his own, quite similar at that time to peers Stan Getz and Zoot Sims. He ably extrapolates on melodies of the standards "How Deep Is the Ocean" and "I Remember You," and Johnson's hard bopper "Wee Dot," while circling the wagons around the line in an unusual rendition of "I Won't Dance." His fluidity and innate melodic sense are impeccable. The numbers on flute, "Tutti Flutti" and "In a Little Provincial Town," also demonstrate his abilities as a composer, the former bright and sunny with clean unison playing astride masterful Detroit pianist Tommy Flanagan, the latter a near third stream ballad with shining, shimmering modal voicings courtesy of Barry Galbraith. The opener is the title track, a nice bop romp on clarinet, the only tune where he plays the black woodwind, making the title of the CD misleading. Drummer Elvin Jones cements the Detroit connection on the first eight tracks in a more popping, heady, restrained (for him) rhythmic fashion, and it's a rare chance to hear the legendary Nabil Totah on bass in an extended setting. The first ten tracks (eight by quintet and two by quartet formations) were originally on LP, and the last two bop quintet numbers were on EP only. One always wonders if the Manny Albam counterpoint-infused composition "They Lock Alike" was/is misspelled. Shouldn't it be "They Look Alike?" At any rate, this is a first-class date from unsung jazz hero Jaspar, sonically a very well-recorded and remastered effort, and highly recommended. ~Michael G. Nastos

Clarinescapade

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Johnny Hartman - The Voice That Is!

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 36:17

Size: 83.1 MB

Styles: Standards, Jazz vocals

Year: 1965/1994/2012

Art: Front

[3:07] 1. My Ship

[2:27] 2. The More I See You

[4:16] 3. These Foolish Things

[3:27] 4. Waltz For Debby

[3:36] 5. It Never Entered My Mind

[2:27] 6. The Day The World Stopped Turning

[3:20] 7. A Slow Hot Wind

[4:08] 8. Funny World

[4:47] 9. Joey, Joey, Joey

[1:46] 10. Let Me Love You

[2:50] 11. Sunrise, Sunset

Ballad singer Johnny Hartman's third and final Impulse session is not quite on the same level as the first two. Although the earlier of the two sessions has several near-classic performances (including "My Ship," "Waltz for Debby," and "It Never Entered My Mind"), the second date has weaker material, primarily several songs from movies or shows, including "Sunrise, Sunset." Hartman is in fine form whether backed by the Hank Jones quartet or accompanied by an octet arranged by pianist Bob Hammer, but this set is not as essential as his earlier meetings with John Coltrane and Illinois Jacquet. ~Scott Yanow

The Voice That Is!

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Hillary Capps - Playlist

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 39:42
Size: 90.9 MB
Styles: Pop-jazz vocals
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[4:18] 1. More Today Than Yesterday
[3:18] 2. Sway
[3:07] 3. Walk On By
[3:58] 4. How Deep Is Your Love
[5:28] 5. Drown In My Own Tears
[4:00] 6. Nobody's Heart
[3:14] 7. Right As Rain
[2:54] 8. You Belong To Me
[3:30] 9. Revelry
[3:09] 10. You're Nearer
[2:43] 11. Across The Wide Ocean

Hillary Capps records her latest project “Playlist”. It’s a mix of pop, jazz, latin, even a bit of folk music. It’s a bunch of tunes she’s just been wanting to record. The band is great, consisting mostly of the University of Vermont Jazz Faculty. Tom Cleary on piano, Jeff Salisbury on drums, John Rivers on bass, Joe Capps on guitar, Ray Vega on trumpet, and guest artists Chris Peterman on tenor sax, Joey Somerville on trumpet, Amber deLaurentis sings the chorus on the hit “You belong to me” and Lena Capps sings on Drown in my own tears. Check it out!

Playlist

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Pat Coleman - Blue Comedy

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 71:16
Size: 163.1 MB
Styles: Bebop
Year: 2002
Art: Front

[ 6:57] 1. Hawk Of May
[ 9:48] 2. Bela By Bartok
[ 5:35] 3. Falling Grace
[ 7:43] 4. Deja Vu
[ 5:53] 5. Mr Lister
[11:07] 6. For Heaven's Sake
[ 7:16] 7. Re-Write
[ 5:13] 8. Blue Comedy
[11:40] 9. Thing

Pat Coleman is a quietly legendary figure for a couple of generations of Canadian jazz musicians. Through more than thirty years playing with the like of John Gross, Paul Horn, PJ Perry, Pat LaBarbara, Don Thompson, Mel Tormé, Pete Christlieb and Kenny Wheeler, composition and sound production for movies and other media, Pat Coleman’s taste and musicality make an indelible impression on everyone who enters his orbit.

Four of his tunes grace this album, alongside one each from band-mates Monik Nordine and Ken Lister, the beautiful old standard 'For Heaven's Sake', Steve Swallow's lovely 'Falling Grace' and the challenging title track from the pen of Michael Gibbs - these latter three being duets with guitar and double bass. The remaining quartet tracks feature drummer Buff Allen and sax-player Monik Nordine.

Brilliant and beautiful.

Blue Comedy

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Janice Borla - From Every Angle

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:02
Size: 137,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:17)  1. Alone Together
(4:44)  2. Segment
(6:40)  3. Ask Me Now
(4:36)  4. Jazz Habit
(8:37)  5. Gentle Piece
(6:01)  6. I'll Take Les
(3:37)  7. Blame It On My Youth
(6:45)  8. Simone
(4:19)  9. Askew In The Cradle
(8:23) 10. Peace

Janice Borla's second Blujazz CD continues the adventurous, risk-taking approach of her first disc for the label. With a fine supporting cast of musicians on hand, including trumpeter/flügelhornist Art Davis, guitarist John McLean, pianist Dan Haerle, bassist Bob Bowman, and drummer Jack Mouse, she immediately signals her intent with an innovative treatment of "Alone Together" that also features some fine scatting, though the excessive overdubbed backing vocals in its finale are a bit much. How many singers attempt to perform Charlie Parker's "Segment"? Her scat vocal in a brisk setting is right on the money with the instrumentalists. She's just as comfortable scatting modern works like John Scofield's funky "I'll Take Les" or Kenny Wheeler's demanding ballad "Gentle Piece," which showcases Davis' mellow flügelhorn. Her composition "Askew in the Cradle" is no less demanding and this wild blues, which evolved from a practice routine, is also an impressive performance. Janice Borla clearly deserves far wider recognition with this release. ~ Ken Dryden  http://www.allmusic.com/album/from-every-angle-mw0000484748.

Personnel: Janice Borla (vocals); Art Davis (trumpet, flugelhorn); Bob Bowman (bass instrument); John McLean (guitar); Dan Haerle (piano); Jack Mouse (drums). Audio Mixer: John Larson.

From Every Angle

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Audrey Silver - Dream Awhile

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:43
Size: 110,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:16)  1. The Song Is Ended
(4:27)  2. In The Wee Small Hours
(4:00)  3. Falling In Love With Love
(4:41)  4. Too Marvelous For Words
(3:51)  5. I Will Wait For You
(4:52)  6. So Many Stars
(3:10)  7. Exactly Like You
(4:37)  8. That's All
(4:33)  9. I Can't Give You Anything But Love
(5:51) 10. Day Dream
(2:19) 11. I Could Write A Book

Reviews touting a singer's perfect diction are reminiscent of George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion (or the Lerner and Lowe 1956 musical and 1964 movie, My Fair Lady), and the plight of Eliza Doolittle to straighten out her coarse Cockney into the Queen's speech). Diction has been a driving force in describing singer Audrey Silver's sophomore recording Dream Awhile. The issue is not that Silver has perfect diction (she has) but why it is so perfect. Silver's first recording, Here in My Arms (Self Produced, 2004) was a prelude to the current offering in that Silver chose recital pieces less travelled. Certainly, all of her music is from the Great American Song Book, but it is chosen carefully, with the more tired pieces avoided. 

It was immediately evident that Silver's silvery alto is as perfect at the edges as it is in the middle, a phenomenon of uniform density throughout. It is this basic characteristic that allows Silver to sing what she wants and how she wants, while entertaining all at the same time. Dream Awhile finds Silver again employing a smaller band (a rhythm section-based quintet) that provides perfect support, competent soloing, and plush cushion to Silver's sturdy, take-no-prisoner's voice. Her commanding stroll through "The Song is Ended," "In The Wee Small Hours" and "Too Marvelous for Words" shows Silver confident and sexy, well-supported by pianist Joe "Sonny" Barbato, who had the lion's share of the arranging duties. The result is an excellent vocal outing, one that shows how jazz singing is to be done. ~ C.Michael Bailey   http://www.allaboutjazz.com/dream-awhile-audrey-silver-self-produced-review-by-c-michael-bailey.php#.U62VXrG4OSo
 

Personnel: Audrey Silver: vocals; Joe Barbato: piano; Joe Fitzgerald: bass; Chris Bergson: guitar; Anthony Pinciotti: drums; Todd Isler: drums, percussion.

Dream Awhile

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Kerry Strayer - In A Mellotone

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:56
Size: 167,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:33)  1. Taking A Chance On Love
(3:51)  2. If I Had You
(4:35)  3. Tangerine
(2:26)  4. Once In A While
(4:47)  5. Body And Soul
(8:19)  6. Cantelope Island
(6:18)  7. Jive At Five
(5:40)  8. St. Louis Blues
(6:45)  9. In A Mellotone
(5:21) 10. Tenderly
(4:33) 11. Bernie's Tune
(7:16) 12. Just Squeeze Me
(5:32) 13. Harlem Nocturne
(2:53) 14. Poor Butterfly

Kerry Strayer was born and raised in Fairbury, Nebraska and attended Doane College in Crete, Nebraska where he completed a Bachelor of Arts degree. In 1982 he moved to Kansas City to study saxophone with Tim Timmons at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music, earning a Master of Music degree in Saxophone Performance in 1985. Since that time Kerry has been active as a saxophonist, recording artist, band leader, composer, arranger, adjudicator and private instructor. He currently leads five performing groups and teaches privately from his home. Kerry has released six recordings including the critically acclaimed Jeru Blue, featuring Randy Brecker, and Mentor, with Gary Foster. His latest releases are The Kerry Strayer Orchestra, Christmas in Kansas City: Music From the Plaza Lighting Ceremony and The Kerry Strayer Quartet featuring Gary Foster: Play It Where It Lays.  http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/kerrystrayer5

In A Mellotone

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Orrin Evans - Justin Time

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:11
Size: 140,4 MB
Art: Front

(7:46)  1. Dorm Life
(7:37)  2. Yummy
(7:54)  3. It Had to Be You
(5:47)  4. My Shining Hour
(7:05)  5. Mom
(7:43)  6. Autumn Leaves
(5:56)  7. If I Were a Bell
(5:42)  8. Tune Up
(5:38)  9. Justin Time

Evans' Criss Cross debut finds the young pianist working within fairly traditional confines but also showing signs of exceptional creativity. Joined by Rodney Whitaker on bass, Byron Landham on drums, and, at different points Tim Warfield on tenor and John Swana on trumpet, Evans shows himself to be a promising composer and an especially engaging interpreter of standards. His rapport with Warfield is strong on the opening blues, "Dorm Life," as well as the slower-than-slow "It Had to be You" and the tenor/piano duo reading of "My Shining Hour." Swana is featured most effectively on a beautiful Evans ballad titled "Mom." Evans' other originals are "Yummy," which bears a superficial resemblance to Monk's "Eronel," and the closing title track, which, like "Dorm Life," features the full quintet.

Three cuts feature Evans with just the trio: a snappy "Autumn Leaves," a burning "If I Were a Bell," and a slower-than-usual "Tune Up." Studio crosstalk preceding "If I Were a Bell" was left on the disc for good measure. Evans asks, "Are you ready, Rodney?" Whitaker answers, "Yeah. What is this?" (He's not sure what the song will be.) Evans replies, "I don't know." Whitaker responds, "Oh, I know that one. What key?" Again, Evans doesn't know, and Whitaker jokes, "Oh, I know that key." Evans then launches into an abstract intro, finally sounding the famous melodic cue that announces the end of the song form. Without missing a beat, the rhythm section gets the message and the trio is off and running. It's a wonderfully spontaneous moment, indicative of the strong musical bonds that Evans has forged with his fellow musicians. ~ David R. Adler   http://www.allmusic.com/album/justin-time-mw0000597459.

Personnel : Orrin Evans (piano); Tim Warfield (tenor saxophone); John Swana (trumpet); Rodney Whitaker (bass); Byron Landham (drums).

Justin Time

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