Christy Baron - Take The Journey

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 50:31

Size: 115.7 MB

Styles: Easy Listening, Jazz vocals

Year: 2002

Art: Front

[2:56] 1. Happy Together

[4:20] 2. Gentle Journey

[3:47] 3. Not While I'm Around

[3:46] 4. I'm All Smiles

[5:45] 5. A House Is Not A Home

[2:23] 6. Bitter With The Sweet

[3:52] 7. That Old Devil Moon

[3:52] 8. The Lies Of Handsome Men

[5:07] 9. You Are There Why Did I Choose You

[4:20] 10. The Way He Captured Me

[3:52] 11. Overjoyed

[3:22] 12. Stand Behind Me

[3:08] 13. First Day In August

A truly talented vocalist, Christy Baron brings us her third release entitled Take This Journey, again revealing an intriguing repertoire of modern classics delivered through her evocative voice. But it's not only the sound of her voice that captivates the audience … her ability to maintain the delicate balance between the musical and poetic ideas of both the composer and lyricist creates the kind of mood that prepares the listener for a simply wonderful journey. Take This Journey is a story, a reflection of life that captures the wonderful reality of the genuine interactions we share with the people around us. Christy's rendition of the Turtles' classic "Happy Together" sets the tone of the record with her sultry yet optimistic recording that is nothing less than convincing. The album features songs from Carole King including "Stand Behind Me" and "First Day in August," and an incisive version of "Bitter With The Sweet." Christy's clear vocalizations are apparent when she explains the sad fact that "A House Is Not a Home" and sets the limits in Sondheim's Sweeney Todd classic "Not While I'm Around." The darker side of life is apparent through Sinatra's classic "Old Devil Moon" and Cleo Lane's "The Lies of Handsome Men." But don't lose hope just yet … a captivating rendition of Stevie Wonder's "Overjoyed" showcases Baron's optimism in mankind. Christy Baron communicates the pleasure and the pain of our existence in Take This Journey, appealing to the intellectual listener with her sweet, knowing recognition of life's wonder.

Take The Journey

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Tommy Flanagan - Something Wonderful

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 35:09
Size: 80.5 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[4:04] 1. Hello Young Lovers
[4:00] 2. Getting To Know You
[5:22] 3. We Kiss In A Shadow
[6:05] 4. Shall We Dance
[2:36] 5. Something Wonderful
[4:41] 6. I Have Dreamed
[4:07] 7. I Whistle A Happy Tune
[4:11] 8. My Lord And Master

Known for his flawless and tasteful playing, Tommy Flanagan received long overdue recognition for his talents in the 1980s. He played clarinet when he was six and switched to piano five years later. Flanagan was an important part of the fertile Detroit jazz scene (other than 1951-1953 when he was in the Army) until he moved to New York in 1956. He was used for many recordings after his arrival during that era; cut sessions as a leader for New Jazz, Prestige, Savoy, and Moodsville; and worked regularly with Oscar Pettiford, J.J. Johnson (1956-1958), Harry "Sweets" Edison (1959-1960), and Coleman Hawkins (1961).

Flanagan was Ella Fitzgerald's regular accompanist during 1963-1965 and 1968-1978, which resulted in him being underrated as a soloist. However, starting in 1975, he began leading a series of superior record sessions and since leaving Fitzgerald, Flanagan has been in demand as the head of his own trio, consistently admired for his swinging and creative bop-based style. Among the many labels he has recorded for since 1975 are Pablo, Enja, Denon, Galaxy, Progressive, Uptown, Timeless, and several European and Japanese companies. For Blue Note, he cut Sunset and Mockingbird in 1998, followed a year later by Samba for Felix. Despite a heart condition, Flanagan continued performing until the end of his life, performing two-week stints at the Village Vanguard twice a year, recording and touring. He died on November 16, 2001, in Manhattan from an arterial aneurysm. ~bio by Scott Yanow

Something Wonderful

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Elliott Chavers - Rockhouse

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 44:04
Size: 100.9 MB
Styles: Soul-jazz
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[3:55] 1. Rockhouse
[3:08] 2. Funky Butt
[4:05] 3. Hard Times
[4:51] 4. That's Allright
[4:54] 5. Jazz My Blues
[4:02] 6. I Dont Want Much
[5:10] 7. Sundy Soul
[4:19] 8. One In A Million
[4:04] 9. Rock Me Baby
[5:31] 10. Soul Serenade

ELLIOTT CHAVERS a Saxophonist, Jazz and Blues Vocalist has enjoyed a career spanning 4 decades with credits reading like the Rhythm 'N Blues Hall of Fame. Chavers sultry sax has propelled hits to the national charts three times with "Butter Beans", Fool Fool Fool, "Rock My Soul.

Elliott, arrived in Los Angeles in 1950 from Waco Texas to explore the Jazz scene. Finding "Jazz " a job and making a living was a complicated matter, as Elliott says in Texas all music is the same, in other words you played all styles from Jazz to Country to Western.

In order to survive he was called upon to join the Rhythm and Blues gigs, which he recorded over 100 records under his name. He was the Band Leader at the Infamous 5-4 Ballroom in Los Angeles during the entire 1960's/ He has performed with: Just to name a few: Sam Cooke, Clyde McPhatter, Lloyd Price, Jimmy McGriff, Roy Milton, Percy Mayfield, Jimmy Reed and many others.

Rockhouse

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Franco Cerri - Bossa With Strings

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 51:36
Size: 118.1 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[6:00] 1. Samba De Uma Nota So
[4:10] 2. Estate
[5:19] 3. As Long As There's Music
[4:14] 4. Corcovado
[5:54] 5. Isínesi
[4:31] 6. Chega De Saudade
[5:50] 7. Bluesette
[3:54] 8. Desafinado
[2:37] 9. Voce E Eu
[3:56] 10. Garota De Ipanema
[5:08] 11. Lipae

Che splendida carriera quella di Franco Cerri! Dal suo esordio nel 1945 nellʼorchestra di Gorni Kramer, alle collaborazioni col Gotha del jazz mondiale (Django Reinhardt, Wes Montgomery, Stephan Grappelli, Chet Baker, Gerry Mulligan, Billie Holiday, Barney Kessel, Lee Konitz, Dizzy Gillespie…) il chitarrista milanese ha attraversato il jazz italiano con la sua faccia da bravo ragazzo, divertito e quasi stupito di sé stesso, con naturalezza e talento.

Questa sua nuova registrazione mostra tutta lʼoriginalità e la vitalità di un musicista curioso e mai banale. Eppure il progetto era rischioso, trattandosi di una rilettura di classici della bossa-nova (soprattutto composizioni di Jobim): da “Samba de uma nota so” a “Estate”, da “Corcovado” a “Chega de saudade”. Cerri affronta questo repertorio con una formazione inusuale che affianca al suo collaudato combo (Alberto Gurrisi allʼHammond, Salvatore Maiore al contrabbasso ed Enzo Carpentieri alla batteria) il quartetto dʼarchi italo/nippo/albanese “Time Piece”.

Il cd non corre certamente il rischio del “già sentito” o del “lounge-muzak”: gli arrangiamenti sono coraggiosi e sofisticati, scritti dallo stesso Cerri insieme a Oscar Del Barba, giovane arrangiatore di ottime frequentazioni accademiche.

Il jazz italiano può essere orgoglioso del contributo che Franco Cerri ha dato e continua a dare alla sua nascita e alla sua diffusione; speriamo che i tanti giovani che si affacciano sulla scena imparino la lezione del Maestro: rispettare il pubblico, divertirsi sempre, e amare la musica sopra ogni cosa.

Bossa With Strings

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Gretchen Parlato - The Lost And Found

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:31
Size: 143,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:46)  1. Holding Back The Years
(5:30)  2. Winter Wind
(5:24)  3. How We Love
(6:02)  4. Juju
(3:04)  5. Still
(6:14)  6. Better Than
(1:54)  7. Alô, Alô
(4:59)  8. Circling
(4:57)  9. Henya
(1:45) 10. In A Dream Remix
(3:17) 11. All That I Can Say
(3:23) 12. Me And You
(4:11) 13. Blue In Green
(4:39) 14. The Lost And Found
(3:19) 15. Without A Sound

Gretchen Parlato is emerging as the most important jazz singer since Cassandra Wilson. Her vocal approach is so unique and her repertoire so eclectic that she stands to create a jazz vocal genre unto herself. After placing first in the 2004 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Vocals Competition, Parlato released her eponymous debut, self-produced, in 2005. Warmly received, she followed her freshman effort up in 2009 with In a Dream (Obliqsound), her critical gravity growing. And those are just Parlato's recordings as leader. She has been a featured vocalist on many records, including David Binney's Greylen Epicenter (Mythology, 2010) and Esperanza Spalding's Chamber Music Society (Concord Music Group, 2010). Much anticipated, The Lost and Found appears, revealing Parlato's sonic evolution toward an end very different from Wilson's. Where Wilson has intently explored the earthy, organic nature of the music she sings, Parlato has entered the laboratory to distill her music to its bare essence: a whisper, a scent, an echo, a suggestion. Her light, no-pressure approach better reveals the harmonic metaphysics of the songs she sings, whether originals or standards.  

The Lost and Found draws much from her two previous releases. Parlato's Wayne Shorter fixation that prompted her to include the saxophonist's "Juju/Footprints" medley on her first recording, and "ESP" on In A Dream, reprises "Juju" alone on The Lost and Found. The fondness that Parlato has for impressionistic music manifests itself in her version of Miles Davis/Bill Evans "Blue in Green," and a cover of Simply Red's "Holding Back The Years," rendered as diaphanous mist, Parlato's light voice perfect for the role. The singer's reprise of "Juju," possesses a crystalline translucence, made acute by Dayna Stephens' wandering saxophone and pianist Taylor Eigsti's run-rampant sonic investigations. Her soft voice provides stark contrast to its support, making for an edgy affair all the way around. Lauren Hill's "All That I Can Say," a successful vehicle for Mary J. Blige, proves equally successful for Parlato, who imparts a lighter contemporary vibe to the song. Parlato is a young and vibrant artist, from whom we are only beginning to hear, and whose future is bright, indeed. ~ C.Michael Bailey  

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-lost-and-found-gretchen-parlato-obliqsound-review-by-c-michael-bailey.php#.U-_ji2OumE4

Personnel: Gretchen Parlato: vocals; Taylor Eigsti: piano; Derrick Hodge, Alan Hampton: bass; Kendrick Scott: drums; Dayna Stephens: tenor saxophone.

The Lost And Found

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Hank Mobley - Roll Call

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:09
Size: 119,7 MB
Art: Front

(10:29)  1. Roll Call
( 6:04)  2. My Groove Your Move
( 5:24)  3. Take Your Pick
( 8:51)  4. A Baptist Beat
( 6:45)  5. The More I See You
( 4:53)  6. The Breakdown
( 9:40)  7. A Baptist Beat

From the first moment when Art Blakey comes crashing in to establish a kinetic Latin groove on the eponymous opening song, Hank Mobley's Roll Call explodes with energy. The first horn heard here is actually Freddie Hubbard's trumpet, foreshadowing the prominent role that he would have in the sound of this album. The quintet all work together flawlessly here, but Hubbard particularly shines as he plays off of Mobley's fluid riffs and carries more than a few lines himself, sounding particularly athletic and effortless on the closing track, "The Breakdown." Mobley's performance throughout the recording is stylish without being restrained, and the strength of his songwriting shines on five of the album's six songs. A warm, laid-back, sweet version of "The More I See You" is also included, with a muted Hubbard sounding very much like Miles Davis. It is a nice complement to this collection of originals, which has often been overshadowed by Mobley's other late-'50s and early-'60s work but is definitely deserving of some attention of its own. ~ Stacia Proefrock  

http://www.allmusic.com/album/roll-call-mw0000651115

Personnel: Hank Mobley (tenor saxophone); Freddie Hubbard (trumpet); Wynton Kelly (piano); Paul Chambers (bass); Art Blakey (drums).

Roll Call

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Mark Murphy - I'll Close My Eyes

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:13
Size: 85,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:39)  1. I'll Close My Eyes
(3:21)  2. If
(4:07)  3. Happin'
(5:07)  4. Miss You Mr. Mercer
(3:10)  5. Small World
(3:43)  6. There Is No Reason Why
(4:07)  7. Time On My Hands
(5:09)  8. Ugly Woman
(2:46)  9. Not Like This

Every album by Mark Murphy is a gem and I'll Close My Eyes is no exception. Starting with the title track, Murphy displays his uncanny sensitivity to the relationship between words and music by delivering a very emotional reading of the song's verse, a text that is overlooked by most performers. Added to the performance's appeal is a tasty obbligato by Brazilian trumpeter Claudio Roditi.  The song "If" is all too often a staple of karaoke bars and Holiday Inn lounge singers, but in Murphy's hands it becomes a heartfelt dissertation on the conditional nature of love. And when it comes to sheer swinging, nobody can top Murphy. 

This is especially evident in the seldom performed "Happyin'" where Murphy scats up a storm and is matched by an exquisite guitar solo by John Basile. The Murphy/Roditi collaboration is also heard to great effect in the Latin swinger "Small World" (not to be confused with "It's a Small World") and in the ballad "There Is No Reason Why." The Kid Creole-ish "Ugly Woman" shows the humorous side of Murphy's artistry as he relates the tale of the ultimate male horror story rejection by a homely member of the opposite sex. The album ends with "Not Like This," a slow ballad about the end of a relationship, that quickly builds to an emotional crescendo before tapering off into the sonic ether.

While the song's text may be correct in its assessment of romantic love, it would be so nice if every album could end "just like this." I'll Close My Eyes is a classic and should be a part of every serious jazz lover's CD collection. ~ William Grim  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/ill-close-my-eyes-mark-murphy-muse-records-review-by-william-grim.php#.U_PCrGMfLP8

Personnel: Mark Murphy, vocals, Sammy Figueroa, percussion; Peter Grant, drums; John Basile, guitar; Cliff Carter, keyboards; David Finck, bass; Pat Rebillot, Piano; Claudio Roditi, trumpet

I'll Close My Eyes

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