Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Plas Johnson - This Must Be The Plas!/Mood For The Blues

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 75:38
Size: 173.2 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[3:03] 1. Too Close For Comfort
[3:34] 2. I Hadn't Anyone Till You
[2:41] 3. Heart And Soul
[3:38] 4. Poor Butterfly
[3:15] 5. Memories Of You
[2:17] 6. Just One Of Those Things
[2:59] 7. There Is No Greater Love
[3:13] 8. If I Had You
[3:10] 9. My Silent Love
[3:20] 10. Day In, Day Out
[2:55] 11. My Old Flame
[3:27] 12. S'il Vous Plait
[3:21] 13. Don't Let The Sun Catch You Cryin'
[2:55] 14. One Mint Julep
[2:49] 15. How Long Has This Been Going On
[2:21] 16. Blues In My Heart
[2:59] 17. I've Got A Right To Cry
[2:27] 18. Please Send Me Someone To Love
[2:56] 19. Tanya
[2:40] 20. Fool That I Am
[2:44] 21. Chloe (Song Of The Swamp)
[3:09] 22. Since I Fell For You
[2:25] 23. A Mood For The Blues
[2:19] 24. I Wanna Be Loved
[2:27] 25. The Big Twist
[2:21] 26. Come Rain Or Come Shine

During the late Fifties and early Sixties in the US the saxophone of Plas Johnson was a ubiquitous sound on radio. Known as the horn behind the hits , he was famous as the tenor sax on the celebrated 1963 Pink Panther main theme recording. Born near New Orleans, he moved to the west coast at a very young age and there launched a career that made him one of the most sought-after studio musicians on the Los Angeles scene, with a great reputation built largely on his remarkable ability to play any style of music with taste and restraint.

The two Capitol albums here epitomize this. On This Must Be the Plas! (1959), he is accompanied by three small groups with slight personnel changes, and although Plas is the main voice on tenor, baritone and alto sax everybody else in the group has his own solo space. Mood for the Blues (1960) features Plas on tenor with strings and rhythm, the tasteful arrangements of Gerald Wilson and René Hall forming a fine background for his solo work. Also included here is his first single for Capitol, including his smash hit The Big Twist and Come Rain or Come Shine. His warm tone and naturally easy style is as greatly admired by other musicians as it is by jazz and pop music fans. It resulted in the kind of soulful, pretty and well-controlled sound that gave universal enjoyment.

This Must Be The Plas!/Mood For The Blues

Lili Araujo - Casa Aberta

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 42:12
Size: 96.6 MB
Styles: Latin jazz vocals
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[3:28] 1. Negro Coração
[5:15] 2. Até Quando Durar
[4:41] 3. Vai Saber
[3:13] 4. Não Tem Nada Não
[4:34] 5. Casa Aberta
[3:08] 6. Onde Estiver
[3:42] 7. Pra Se Lembrar De Mim
[3:41] 8. Sinceridade
[3:21] 9. Não Tem Perdão
[3:49] 10. Vindobona
[3:14] 11. Pode Ir

After consolidating her career in Europe, the young Rio de Janeiro born and bred singer and songwriter Lili Araujo came back to Brazil in 2008 and launched her debut album, “Arribação”. Composed by eleven unique tracks, her work is a mix of choro and samba – rhythms that were part of her childhood in the outskirts of Rio. To that were added the jazz conception, elements and instruments. At only 26, Lili came on the scene, blending references as she created her own musical identity.

The artist, graduated in canto popular at Escola de Música Villa Lobos, in Rio, emmigrated to Vienna, Austria, in 2006 and it was in Europe that her career took off with important appeareances and presentations in jazz clubs, festivals and european theatres such as Tunnel Live Jazz (Vienna), Theater am Spittelberg (Vienna), Reigen (Vienna), Birdland (Vienna), Porg & Bess (Vienna) and Blue Note (Paris). In 2008 the singer wanted more and launched her debut album “Arribação” with austrian record label Oficina Records. She came back to Brazil in the middle of that year, where she performed launching shows from this album at Modern Sound, Sala Baden Powell, Cinematéque, Sala FUNARTE São Paulo and Estrela da Lapa. She also had wonderful appraisals from the specialized press. In the middle of 2009, sponsored by the austrian company SKE/AKM, she went on a little tour of Europe with the concert, passing through Vienna, Schwaz (Tyrol), London, Lausanne, Lisbon and Stockholm.

More than 40 musicians took part on the making of this first CD, including well known instrumentalists such as harmonica player Gabriel Grossi, multi-instrumentalist Dirceu Leite and drummer Marcio Bahia. It also featured young talented instrumentalists such as Guto Wirtti (bass), Joana Queiroz (clarinet), Gabriel Gestzi (piano), Rodrigo Villa (bass), Rafael Barata (drums), Marcelo Caldi (accordion), Vitor Gonçalves (piano), Bernardo Ramos (electric and acoustic guitar) amongst others.

The eleven tracks were arranged by saxophonist Henrique Band, trompeter Darcy da Cruz, guitarists Gabriel Improta and Marcos Amorim and by Lili Araujo. On this first work the artist composed all the lyrics except the track “Tapete azul”, which was by Toninho Pôrto. She shone as a songwriter with her own songs and in partnership with the young violinist Kalu Coelho as well as veterans such as guitarists and songwriters Alegre Corrêa and Marcos Amorim.

Voz/Voice: Lili Araujo; Violão/Acoustic Guitar: Daniel Santiago; Contrabaixo/Acoustic Bass: Guto Wirtti; Piano: Vitor Gonçalves; Bateria/Drums: Rafael Barata.

Casa Aberta

Mike Vax & Clark Terry - Creepin' With Clark

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 56:51
Size: 130.2 MB
Styles: Neo-bop,Trumpet jazz
Year: 2000
Art: Front

[4:16] 1. Serenade To A Bus Seat
[5:37] 2. Just A Simple Waltz
[3:47] 3. Royal Street Shuffle
[6:36] 4. Creole Love Call
[6:02] 5. Sweet Emma
[4:51] 6. Struttin' With Some Bbq
[5:06] 7. Sheba
[5:59] 8. Creepin' With Clark
[8:31] 9. Jive At Five
[6:03] 10. One Foot In The Gutter

Although Mike Vax is a talented trumpeter and flügelhornist, it's hard not to be upstaged by a guest the caliber of Clark Terry. Fortunately these two men realize that this studio session is not a competition, but instead an old friendship that is focused on producing great music. The supporting cast includes the talented but underappreciated trombonist John Allred, young pianist Reggie Thomas, veteran bassist Rufus Reid, and Terry's regular drummer Sylvia Cuenca. Vax contributed the lively "Royal Street Shuffle," which is driven by Thomas' strong boogie-woogie piano, and the oddly named "Creepin' With Clark," as there's nothing slow-paced about this swinger! Vax's deliberate arrangement of Duke Ellington's "Creole Love Call" opens with just Terry's flügelhorn and Allred's trombone, before Vax adds his muted trumpet as the rest of the group joins in; Terry's following gutbucket muted solo is inspired. Terry's fat-toned flügelhorn is immediately identifiable on his old composition, the upbeat "Serenade to a Bus Seat," which features great solos by the entire group. The two leaders' horns blend beautifully in Terry's "Just a Simple Waltz," and they take turns caressing his rich ballad "Sheba." The tasty dessert at the end of this CD is actually served in two courses. First, Terry's treatment of the late Harry "Sweets" Edison's easygoing "Jive at Five" features him alternating between his matchless scat singing and his muted trumpet. The finale finds Terry alternating between muted trumpet and flügelhorn on his funky "One Foot in the Gutter." Highly recommended. ~Ken Dryden

Creepin' With Clark

Jim Mullen Organ Trio - Make Believe

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 54:57
Size: 125.8 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[6:38] 1. Nature Boy
[7:46] 2. Make Believe
[6:10] 3. When I Fall In Love
[5:53] 4. Nancy
[6:55] 5. A Fond Kiss
[8:07] 6. Speed Of Sound
[6:53] 7. Just The Little Things
[6:30] 8. Rule Of Thumb

If you are not acquainted with the subdued delights of the Organ Trio, here's your chance. Not three organs, you'll be glad to know, but Hammond organ, drums and Mullen's inimitable, mellow guitar. With its fearsome power held in check, the Hammond is capable of great warmth and delicacy and Mike Gorman is a master of this. Matt Skelton's drumming is feather-light but firm. The trio has now become a quartet with the addition of Stan Sulzmann on tenor saxophone. His glossy tone and sweeping phrases bring a new perspective to the sound. The programme mixes originals with ballads ranging from Nat King Cole to Robert Burns. ~Dave Gelley

Make Believe

Alexandra Lehmler Quintett - Die Welt Von Unten Gesehen

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:55
Size: 128,0 MB
Art: Front

(2:20)  1. La Revolte
(6:06)  2. A Cowboy's Song
(1:47)  3. Paris Triste (Intro)
(7:02)  4. Paris Triste
(1:35)  5. Miniatur I
(5:39)  6. Die Welt Von Unten Gesehen
(8:20)  7. Frieda
(7:41)  8. Debout!
(0:49)  9. Miniatur II
(6:27) 10. Let's Leave It All Behind
(5:15) 11. Guy Moquet
(1:49) 12. La Revolte (Reprise)

Their music has all the attributes that you can enjoy ascribes to the "male" Jazz: Sovereign in the lecture, complex, but do not unnecessarily complicated. With noticeable roots, but it's full expression. In short, coming from the abdomen, grown music, the notes you still head insert and consideration. The title of the album, "No Blah Blah" (published in 2012 at the renowned Mannheim label JAZZ'n'ARTS by Thomas Siffling and promoted by the "Initiative Musik"), is the program. Full content and exciting are the compositions, charming is the whole concept of this CD.Musically takes Alexandra Lehmler not mince words, except, of course, that of her saxophone. The old masters of jazz has it audibly studied intensively; we repeatedly influences of different jazz eras in their game on, internalized melodies and lyrical themes - and a lot of contour.

 Lehmlers "vibrating sound on the predominantly blown in bright layers of saxophone, the sleek lines and the song-like melodies," Klaus Mümpfer summed this up in Jazzpodium in words, were "unmistakable". And the Mannheimer Morgen cheers: "Wonderfully light hand they staged their music." Born in Bad Ems on the Lahn 1979 Alexandra Lehmler would certainly become also an excellent pianist, if not the grandpa would have chopped up the piano for firewood. So they had to decide on a different instrument and inflamed than eight year old girl for the saxophone. After five years of verordnetem parents clarinet lessons she could finally begin at age 13 with her ??favorite instrument and learned alongside alto and soprano saxophone and the bass clarinet.Next she took with all stations of a promising musical career: she played in the National Youth Jazz Orchestra under the direction of Peter Herbolzheimer and, among others, Maria Schneider, David Liebman, Jurgen Friedrich, Peter Weniger and Bobby Shew. After completing her studies at the Musikhochschule Mannheim, she deepened her skills with Bernd Konrad in Stuttgart and at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique in Paris. 2004 took place in Alexandra Lehmler Daniel Prandl (p), Matthias Debus (bs) and Max Mahlert (dr) their long-time musical companions that accompany them consistently on the path of a strictly European and world jazz. 

With a native of Colombia percussionist Farouk Gomati the formation short time later grew to a quintet and advanced the world's musical component crucial. The years of continuous work have Alexandra Lehmlers band welded together - at No Blah Blah, it already is the third album together. In terms of staff, the original quintet grew up in this time septet, this time also participate in the guitar and Michael Flury on the trombone as guests Frank Mobus. You and bassist Matthias Debus - her companion in the band and in life and father of two children are at the center and have also composing shared. As a gang leader Alexandra Lehmler attaches importance to a sound where the "color of the sound," as Rainer Koehl recognize very properly in the Rhein-Neckar-Zeitung, "plays a special role." The Band box she used here was always stocked with bright colors that seem to affect most appealing in their combination: "The World Seen from below" On the last album (2009) wrote at the time the music week: "Never annoying, never intrusive, always entertaining and varied, this album is. "What does the musician and her band in No Blah Blah back to music, is an exciting, spirited condensate from classical jazz elements with refreshing influences from the Balkans and Latin America. Also world music flows in Lehmlers jazz quite naturally, occurs occasionally in the foreground. thus makes Alexandra Lehmler canted-inclined jazz for the general mainstream. So spirited, as playful. Translate by google  http://www.bundesjazzwerkstatt.de/?p=128

Personnel: Daniel Prandl (piano); Matthias Debus (bass); Max Mahlert (drums); Farouk Gomati (percussion)

Paul Desmond - Easy Living

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1966
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:17
Size: 154,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:48)  1. When Joanna Loves Me
(5:49)  2. That Old Feeling
(5:51)  3. Polka Dots And Moonbeams
(5:43)  4. Here's That Rainy Day
(7:09)  5. Easy Living
(4:19)  6. I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face
(6:25)  7. Bewitched
(6:28)  8. Blues For Fun
(5:42)  9. Rude Old Man
(6:13) 10. Polka Dots And Moonbeams (alternate take)
(7:47) 11. Bewitched (alternate take)

As the Paul Desmond/Jim Hall quartet's recording activities gradually came to a halt by 1965, RCA Victor assembled the remains of a number of their later sessions into one last album. These are anything but leftovers, however indeed, they constitute the best Desmond/Hall album since Take Ten, more varied in texture and mood, and by and large more inspired in solo content, than Bossa Antigua and Glad to Be Unhappy. As a near-ideal example of this collaboration at its intuitive peak, "Polka Dots and Moonbeams" opens with Hall paraphrasing the tune, and Desmond comes in on the bridge with a perfectly timed rejoinder that sounds as if he's asking a question. "Here's That Rainy Day" is another apt match of a standard to Desmond's sophisticated personality; he is at his dry, jaunty best on the uptempo "That Old Feeling"; and both have a ball jamming on the blues in Desmond's wry, quick "Blues for Fun." [Some reissues add a pair of outtakes, plus "Rude Old Man."] ~ Richard S.Ginell  http://www.allmusic.com/album/easy-living-mw0000652725

Personnel: Paul Desmond (alto saxophone); Jim Hall (guitar); Eugene Wright, Eugene Cherico, Percy Heath (bass); Connie Kay (drums).

Johnny Frigo - Debut of A Legend

Styles: Jazz, Swing
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:58
Size: 132,3 MB
Art: Front + Back

(4:34)  1. Get Happy
(4:03)  2. I'm Old Fashioned
(3:04)  3. Osaka Saki
(5:09)  4. Too Late Now/Street of Dreams
(3:30)  5. Bow Jest
(4:25)  6. Nuages
(6:14)  7. Jitterbug Waltz
(5:25)  8. Heather On The Hill/How Are Things In Glocca Morra
(5:01)  9. I Love Paris
(6:18) 10. Here's That rainy Day
(3:09) 11. Lush Life
(5:03) 12. Jeannine

Violinist Johnny Frigo's third album as a leader (he had previously made a forgotten date for Mercury in 1957 and a Chesky CD in 1988) is his definitive set, even though he was 77 at the time. With a good supporting cast (guitarist Gene Bertoncini, Bob Kindred on tenor and clarinet, pianist Joe Vito, bassist Michael Moore, and drummer Bill Goodwin), Frigo mostly explores standards, plus two of his originals. The music, falling between swing and bop, is superior straight-ahead jazz; among the highlights are "Get Happy," "Bow Jest," "Jitterbug Waltz," and "Jeannine." Frigo's sudden prominence in his '70s (considering he spent most of his career as a bassist) was as unlikely and welcome an event as trumpeter Doc Cheatham's late-period triumphs. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/debut-of-a-legend-mw0000119053

Personnel: Johnny Frigo (violin); Gene Bertoncini (guitar); Bob Kindred (clarinet, tenor saxophone); Joe Vito (piano); Bill Goodwin (drums).