Buddy Rich - Just Sings

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 40:18
Size: 92.3 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 1957/2004
Art: Front

[3:19] 1. Cathy
[3:58] 2. Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea
[2:27] 3. It's All Right With Me
[4:16] 4. Over The Rainbow
[3:39] 5. You Took Advantage Of Me
[3:27] 6. Can't We Be Friends
[2:48] 7. It's Only A Paper Moon
[3:00] 8. My Melancholy Baby
[5:00] 9. Cheek To Cheek
[3:01] 10. It Don't Mean A Thing
[3:35] 11. I Hadn't Anyone 'til You
[1:43] 12. That Old Feeling

The complete album “Buddy Rich Just Sings” paired with “The Voice Is Rich” , the first LPs in which Buddy Rich set aside his drums and limited himself exclusively to singing with a warm and mellow voice.

On the earlier album, Rich is accompanied by a fine line-up including Ben Webster and Harry "Sweets" Edison; while on the second one, he was backed by The Hal Mooney Orchestra, with arrangements by Mooney and Phil Moore. While it is an undisputed fact that Buddy Rich (1917-1987) earned his fame behind a drum kit, his early career also included work as a singer and entertainer. The two albums reissued here were certainly not Buddy Rich's first vocal recordings, but they were his first full vocal albums. During a 1971 interview with Les Tomkins, Rich admitted his devotion to Lena Horne, Billy Eckstine and Frank Sinatra.

Ben Webster - tenor saxophone; Buddy Rich - vocals, drums; Alvin Stoller - drums; Harry "Sweets" Edison - trumpet; Howard Roberts - guitar; Paul Smith - piano; Joe Mondragon - double bass; Mike Mainieri - vibraphone.

Just Sings

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Harmonie Ensemble/New York - Henry Mancini: Music For Peter Gunn

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 48:58
Size: 112.1 MB
Styles: Easy Listening
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[2:07] 1. Peter Gunn Theme
[3:00] 2. Sorta Blue
[2:43] 3. The Brothers Go To Mother's
[3:51] 4. Dreamsville
[3:58] 5. Session At Pete's Pad
[3:43] 6. Soft Sounds
[3:10] 7. Fallout
[3:44] 8. The Floater
[3:05] 9. Slow And Easy
[3:32] 10. A Profound Gass
[3:36] 11. Brief And Breezy
[2:42] 12. My Manne Shelly
[3:32] 13. Blue Steel
[3:14] 14. Blues For Mother's
[2:54] 15. Spook

Who could ever forget the assertive, pulse-quickening theme from Peter Gunn, the urbane TV detective series that ran from 1958-61, with its jazz-centered score by the incomparable Henry Mancini. In case you are one of those who has (forgotten the theme, that is), you can now savor it anew (with much more music from the show), splendidly performed by the Harmonie Ensemble / New York, directed by Steven Richman. Among other things, the series showcased a small jazz group playing unassuming themes at Gunn's waterfront hangout, Mother's, while backing the establishment's stylish singer, played by Lola Albright. Although it wasn't the first time jazz had been used in film or on television, Mancini's seductive score was the first to gain wide public notice and approval, earning an Emmy award for the composer as well as two Grammies for the soundtrack album.

Even though written with specific scenarios in mind, it's remarkable how well these songs stand on their own, even after all these years. That's no doubt a tribute to Mancini's exceptional skills as a composer / arranger, one who was in many respects ahead of his time. Not only did he write music that enhanced a particular scene or circumstance, it was also integrated into the plot line itself, triggering pragmatic or emotional responses from the viewing audience and providing a suitable backdrop for leading man Craig Stevens as Gunn, songstress Albright and Gunn's detective friend Lt. Jacoby, handsomely embodied by Herschel Bernardi.

While soloists play no salient role in music that is essentially rigorous and narrative-driven, there are several brief yet impressive statements along the way, by tenor saxophonist Lew Tabackin, baritone Ronnie Cuber, vibraphonist Christos Rafalides, pianist Lincoln Mayorga and drummer Victor Lewis (who sits in for dedicatee Shelly Manne on "My Manne Shelly"), among others. It is the ensemble as a whole, however, that commands center stage and calls the tune most of the way, lending Mancini's persuasive music a tasteful small-group ambience in spite of its twenty-two member makeup. Richman, who is clearly a fan of Mancini's as well as Peter Gunn, takes few liberties, choosing instead to let the music speak for itself, as it has so eloquently since it was first composed.

For those who are too young to recall Peter Gunn and its dramatic impact on television music, this perceptive and well-recorded album provides a superb introduction. For those who do remember the series, it represents a nostalgic trip down memory lane to a time when jazz was often an important part of one's television viewing and listening experience. ~Jack Bowers

Steven Richman: conductor; Lew Soloff: trumpet; Dominic Derasse: trumpet; Joe Giorgianni: trumpet; Stanton Davis: trumpet; Mark Gross: alto sax, alto flute; Lawrence Feldman: alto sax, alto flute; Lew Tabackin: tenor sax, alto flute; Lino Gomez: tenor sax, alto flute; Ronnie Cuber: baritone sax; Larry Farrell: trombone; John Fedchock: trombone; Mark Patterson: trombone; Frank Cohen: trombone; R.J. Kelly: French horn; Alexandra Cook: French horn; Eric Davis: French horn; David Peel: French horn; Bob Mann: guitar; Christos Rafalides: vibes; Lincoln Mayorga: piano; Francois Moutin: bass; Victor Lewis: drums.

Henry Mancini: Music For Peter Gunn

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Jean-Luc Ponty - Sunday Walk

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 38:41
Size: 88.6 MB
Styles: Post bop, Violin jazz
Year: 1967/2014
Art: Front

[6:27] 1. Sunday Walk
[7:45] 2. Carol's Garden
[6:02] 3. Cat Coach
[8:29] 4. You've Changed
[9:56] 5. Suite For Claudia

Although there were two earlier dates led by violinist Jean-Luc Ponty (for Palm in 1963 and Philips in 1964), this was the first album to get much circulation. Originally recorded for the German Saba label and made available in the U.S. on this Pausa LP, Ponty is heard performing in a quartet also including pianist Wolfgang Dauner, bassist Niels Pedersen and drummer Daniel Humair. The music, much more straight-ahead than Ponty's output of the 1970s, is quite advanced, looking toward John Coltrane at times. In addition to "You've Changed" (one of the few standards ever recorded by the violinist), the band performs Denny Zeitlin's "Carole's Gordon" and three group compositions, including Ponty's "Suite for Claudia." Already at this time, Jean-Luc Ponty was a highly original and brilliant player. ~Scott Yanow

Sunday Walk

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Oliver Nelson - Screaming The Blues

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 39:33

Size: 90.6 MB

Styles: Hard bop, Saxophone jazz

Year: 2006

Art: Front

[10:55] 1. Screamin' The Blues

[ 4:56] 2. March On, March On

[ 5:45] 3. The Drive

[ 6:39] 4. The Meetin'

[ 6:20] 5. Three Seconds

[ 4:56] 6. Alto-Itis

Oliver Nelson (on tenor and alto sax) meets Eric Dolphy (alto, bass clarinet and flute) on this frequently exciting sextet session with trumpeter Richard Williams, pianist Richard Wyands, bassist George Duvivier, and drummer Roy Haynes. Although Dolphy is too unique and skilled to be overshadowed in a setting such as this, Nelson holds his own. He contributed five of the six compositions (including "Screamin' the Blues," "The Meetin'," and "Alto-Itis") and effectively matches wits and creative ideas with Dolphy. This CD reissue (also available as part of a huge Eric Dolphy box set) is recommended, as is the follow-up record Straight Ahead. ~Scott Yanow

Screaming The Blues

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Hetty Kate - Kissing Bug EP

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 17:38
Size: 40.4 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[3:25] 1. All Of You
[3:11] 2. You Turned The Tables On Me
[3:24] 3. Kissing Bug
[3:21] 4. As Long As I Live
[4:16] 5. Young At Heart

Hetty Kate sings a collection of five of her favourite standards, accompanied by New York Jazz Musicians: Art Hirahara (piano); Tal Ronen (double bass) and Dan Aran (drums). The 'Kissing Bug' EP showcases composers including Cole Porter, Harold Arlen and Billy Strayhorn, all revisited and sung from the heart. No overdubs, recorded all in the one room.. the way jazz is meant to be.

Created one snowy afternoon in Brooklyn, NY in December 2009, this is a snapshot into Hetty's larger repertoire and the recording allows each musician to shine.. referencing a sound forged many years ago in the 40's and 50's jazz scene.

Kissing Bug

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Patrick Saussois - It's The Same Thing Everywhere

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 59:06
Size: 135.3 MB
Styles: Swing, Big band
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[3:08] 1. Lucky Pierre I Love You
[4:07] 2. Lola
[4:59] 3. Papa Loves Mambo
[4:04] 4. La French Connection
[5:23] 5. Lana
[4:36] 6. Senza Fine
[6:18] 7. La Vie En Rose
[4:52] 8. Tropical Sunrise More
[4:51] 9. Lady September
[4:18] 10. The Good Life
[4:54] 11. Claudinho
[7:29] 12. It's The Same Thing Everywhere

French jazz guitarist Patrick Saussois plays with American saxophonist Richie Cole on this recording.

Patrick Saussois, guitar; Richie Cole, alto sax; Rick Stepson, trombone; Chris Jaudes, trumpet; Michael Smith, trumpet on 1, 2 & 6; Andrei Riabov, guitar; Rick Crane, bass; Wayne Dunton, drum; and special guests: Enrico Grnafei, harmonica; Vitali Imereli, violin. Recorded in 2003

It's The Same Thing Everywhere

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Bobby Watson - This Little Light Of Mine

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 55:54
Size: 128.0 MB
Styles: Hard bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1991/2010
Art: Front

[3:25] 1. Misterioso
[3:23] 2. Donna Lee
[4:24] 3. These Foolish Things
[4:50] 4. Rock The House
[3:32] 5. This Little Light Of Mine
[3:58] 6. Tico Tico
[4:01] 7. Body And Soul
[3:15] 8. Sundance
[3:15] 9. Recorda Me
[3:07] 10. Giant Steps
[2:25] 11. Mes' Tou Bosporou Ta Stena (Take 1)
[2:59] 12. Over And Over
[2:50] 13. Yebga And Me
[2:13] 14. Five One Four
[5:49] 15. Blue Sax
[2:21] 16. Mes' Tou Bosporou Ta Stena (Take 2)

Bobby Watson accepted the challenge of doing an entire CD of unaccompanied alto saxophone solos and succeeded in putting together an outstanding, wide-ranging collection. The opener, Thelonious Monk's "Misterioso," finds him alternating between the theme and improvisations that show off his brilliant technique. By comparison, the up-tempo runs through Charlie Parker's "Donna Lee" and the Latin favorite "Tico Tico" seem almost effortless as his ideas spring forth. He also explores Joe Henderson's "Recorda Me," John Coltrane's "Giant Steps," and every saxophonist's mandatory ballad, "Body and Soul," with the same degree of adventure and risk-taking. The old spiritual "This Little Light of Mine" is subtle and soulful. Watson also composed five of the songs, with the catchy miniature blues "Five One Four" standing out from the pack. The only real complaint with the CD is the label's extremely sloppy typesetting on the back of the booklet, as there several errors in the listings of songs and composers. ~Ken Dryden

This Little Light Of Mine

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Maureen Christine - The Very Thought Of You

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:22
Size: 120,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:28)  1. Embraceable You
(2:33)  2. Blue Skies/Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah
(3:24)  3. I'm So Glad Your Mine
(4:05)  4. Something Wonderful As Long As He Needs Me
(3:20)  5. A Kiss To Build A Dream On
(3:10)  6. All The Time
(3:04)  7. Climb Every Mountain
(3:14)  8. For All We Know/They Can't Take That Away
(1:41)  9. I Love You
(4:16) 10. Listen To My Heart
(2:22) 11. Sunny Side Of The Town
(4:35) 12. The Very Thought Of You
(1:43) 13. S' Wonderful
(3:59) 14. Can't Help Loving That Man
(2:32) 15. No Moon At All
(3:50) 16. One Heart Broken

This second album for Chicago cabaret singer Maureen Christine is a notable step forward from her first release, not that there was anything technically or stylistically wrong with the vocalizing on the first CD. The problem was the play list and arrangements, which were pretty much limited to sad songs done in a torpid tempo. Christine has added rays of sunshine to the repertoire of this CD, bringing a welcome balance to it. The medley of "Blue Skies"/"Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" zips along at a high-stepping pace with Jim Massoth's sax leading the way. Even on the slower material, still Christine's bread and butter, there seems to be renewed vigor. "Embraceable You" finds the singer with strings, with the middle register clarinet of Steve Leinheiser providing a strong base for the singer to rest on. This is a pleasant arrangement of a classic standard. 

Like many of her cabaret peers, Christine seems swayed by the songs of Barry Manilow, here represented by "All the Time," sung with obvious feeling. On "Climb Every Mountain," Christine displays a wide range, reaching the high notes without strain or screech. Of all the tracks on this very fine collection of songs, "Listen to My Heart" captures the heart and soul of cabaret (viz., a pretty tune with a story to tell sung by a natural storyteller with a natural melodious, expressive voice). Scott Metlica's flute adds a good deal to this track. Much of the credit for this release should go to musical handyman Bobby Schiff, who helped with the arrangements, played piano on several of the tracks, and, as string orchestrator, was responsible for assuring that the strings stay jaunty not drift off into dreariness. This is a fine second outing which is highly recommended.  ~ Dave Nathan  http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-very-thought-of-you-mw0000015537

The Very Thought Of You

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Pearl Django - Avalon

Styles: Gypsy Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:33
Size: 125,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:50)  1. Avalon
(3:46)  2. Troublant Bolero
(3:41)  3. Swing 42
(2:28)  4. Memories of You
(3:10)  5. Lover, Come Back to Me
(4:27)  6. Blues en Mineur
(5:22)  7. Smoke Gets in Your Eyes
(5:24)  8. Manoir de Mes Reves
(4:26)  9. Begin the Beguine
(3:05) 10. Belleville
(2:21) 11. Walc Nagrobek
(3:21) 12. Swingtonic
(3:57) 13. Honeysuckle Rose
(4:11) 14. I'm Confessin'

The fifth release by Pearl Django shows them in high spirits with string music that swings; three acoustic guitarists, a violinist & a bassist recapitulate the instrumentation of Django's legendary Quintet of the Hot Club of France, paying homage to a magnificent tradition, while bringing five wide-ranging backgrounds & a spectrum of stylistic capabilities to a new renaissance of string swing. ~ Editorial Reviews  http://www.amazon.com/Avalon-Pearl-Django/dp/B000050HP8

Personnel: Dudley Hill, Shelley D. Park, Neil Anderson (guitar); Michael Gray (violin); David Lange (accordion).

Avalon

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John Pizzarelli - Live At Birdland Disc 1 And Disc 2

Styles: Vocal And Guitar Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:52 (Disc 1)
Size: 153,8 MB (Disc 1)
Time: 65:21 (Disc 2)
Size: 150,2 MB (Disc 2)
Art: Front + Back

Disc 1

(0:06)  1. Introduction
(4:41)  2. Just You, Just Me
(5:31)  3. The Frim Fram Sauce
(6:16)  4. The Song Is You
(4:14)  5. Isn't It A Pity?
(1:04)  6. Rhode Island Intro
(3:45)  7. Rhode Island
(4:13)  8. Ray Kennedy: Library Of Congress Story
(5:22)  9. Gospel Truth
(3:14) 10. Ray Kennedy: Dizzy Gillespie Story
(5:05) 11. Tea For Tatum
(0:11) 12. James Taylor Intro
(3:14) 13. Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight
(1:02) 14. James Taylor Intro 2
(3:50) 15. Mean Old Man
(4:12) 16. Manhattan
(2:31) 17. Rosemary Clooney Story
(3:18) 18. Moonlight Becomes You
(0:30) 19. Final Intro
(4:24) 20. Will You Still Be Mine?

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Disc 2

(0:20)  1. Introduction
(4:30)  2. Three Little Words
(6:04)  3. They Can't Take That Away From Me
(4:27)  4. Oh, How My Heart Beats for You
(3:09)  5. The Day I Found You
(1:44)  6. Polliwog Story
(7:42)  7. It's Only a Paper Moon
(4:44)  8. Stompin' at The Savoy
(3:40)  9. Better Run Before It's Spring
(2:56) 10. Grover Kemble Story
(3:55) 11. Headed Out to Vera's
(5:29) 12. Medley: Gee Baby / Ain't I Good To You
(0:57) 13. I Like Jersey Best Intro
(8:28) 14. I Like Jersey Best
(3:55) 15. My Castle's Rockin'
(3:14) 16. Baby Just Come Home to Me

This is a wonderful, warm-hearted, and effortlessly virtuosic live recording by one of the finest living exponents of pre-bop small-ensemble jazz. With pianist Ray Kennedy and bassist Martin Pizzarelli (and on two songs joined by vocalist Grover Kemble), singer and guitarist John Pizzarelli runs through a generally lightweight but thoroughly charming set of standards, homages, funny stories, and the occasional original tune; the fast tunes are light and frothy, the ballads smooth and gentle, and even the moments that are less than utterly inspired work together with the album's highlights to create a very satisfying whole. John Pizzarelli has a suit sponsor, which tells you something about what to expect of him as a singer: his voice is smooth and warm, offering a nice combination of Chet Baker's timbre and Dean Martin's fullness; as a guitarist you need to know that he favors seven-string guitars and flat-wound strings, leading him naturally to a swinging Django Reinhardt-meets-Freddie Green kind of sound. 

As for the trio's instrumentation, it's true that when you can comp with this kind of authority you don't technically need a drummer. But on a few tracks a drummer would have filled out the band's sound nicely. Highlights include the group's fun, slightly greasy take on "Frim Fram Sauce" and a great ode to Art Tatum called "Tea for Tatum," as well as a fine original blues composition titled "Headed Out to Vera's." Pizzarelli's own "Oh, How My Heart Beats for You" and "Day I Found You" are also wonderful. But the album's standout track is a limpidly gorgeous rendition of another original, "Better Run Before It's Spring." Pizzarelli is obviously having a blast in the intimate setting of the legendary Birdland club, and so will any jazz lover who takes the time to listen. Very highly recommended. ~ Rick Anderson  

http://www.allmusic.com/album/live-at-birdland-mw0000592767

John Pizzarelli Trio: John Pizzarelli (vocals, guitar); Ray Kennedy (piano); Martin Pizzarelli (bass); Grover Kemble (vocals)

Live At Birdland Disc 1, Disc 2

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Lee Morgan With Hank Mobley's Quintet - Introducing

Styles: Trumpet And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1956
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:18
Size: 84,3 MB
Art: Front

(7:03)  1. Hank's Shout
(8:53)  2. Nostalgia
(7:56)  3. Bet
(2:29)  4. Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise
(4:22)  5. P.S. I Love You
(2:49)  6. Easy Living
(2:43)  7. That's All

Originally a Hank Mobley session, this is one of trumpeter Lee Morgan's earliest recordings. At the time Morgan (who was just 18) was very much under the musical influence of Clifford Brown although a bit of his own personality was starting to shine through. With the fine tenor of Mobley, pianist Hank Jones, bassist Doug Watkins and drummer Art Taylor, Morgan sounds quite comfortable playing bebop and participating in a ballad medley. This set (along with a previously unissued version of "Nostalgia") was later reissued as A-1 The Savoy Sessions. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/introducing-lee-morgan-mw0000094279

Personnel: Lee Morgan (trumpet); Hank Mobley (tenor saxophone); Hank Jones (piano); Doug Watkins (bass); Art Taylor (drums).

Introducing

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