The Greg Hatza Organization - To A New Place

Size: 147,7 MB
Time: 63:42
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Jazz: Hammond Organ
Art: Front

01. The Station At 7th And Franklin (6:46)
02. To A New Place (5:04)
03. Samurai Express (7:59)
04. A Little Honey On The Toast (5:45)
05. A Reflection Of Su (5:50)
06. Noodles (4:56)
07. Flight Of Dreams (5:39)
08. Stinky (5:11)
09. Night Walker (5:41)
10. One For Prime Time G.E (5:26)
11. When I Couldn't See...You Carried Me (5:21)

Back on track with a new album of original compositions - straight ahead and contemporary, former Jimmy Smith protege, Greg Hatza is back behind the Hammond B3, with a sound still unsullied by what's trendy.

This nostaligic for a return to the classical jazz lines created by the eminent professionals of today, will revel in the vanguard performances of Greg Hatza. As agile and ingenious a performer as ever - plus posessed with fiery technique for jazz phrasing, Greg Hatza has brought new life to the saying "everything old is new again." Baltimore native and notably one of the few white Americans to carve a notch among the legends of musicality on jazz organ; Hatza's early inspirations came from Ray Charles and later Jimmy Smith.

To A New Place

---

Antonia Bennett - Embrace Me

Size: 76,9 MB
Time: 32:44
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. All Of You (2:43)
02. But Not For Me (2:28)
03. Embraceable You (3:46)
04. All The Things You Are (4:08)
05. I Can't Give You Anything But Love (3:40)
06. The Man I Love (3:55)
07. Teach Me Tonight (2:54)
08. Nice Work If You Can Get It (2:38)
09. Yesterdays (2:20)
10. The Nearness Of You (4:08)

“Liza Minnelli. Natalie Cole. Norah Jones. Now, Antonia Bennett can be added to the list of second-generation vocalists with the potential to rival an iconic parent’s pizzazz.” —Jazz Times

Antonia Bennett “…conjures echoes of Billie Holliday and Rickie Lee Jones, with a hint of Betty Boop.” — The New York Times

Antonia Bennett, daughter of legendary singer Tony Bennett has been performing alongside her father since she could walk and talk. Some of her early performances were shared with legendary American icons such as Rosemary Clooney, Count Basie, Regis Philbin, Don Rickles, and growing up with the likes of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Gene Kelly. It was inevitable that she would inherit a genuine passion for the arts. For the past10 years she has what she considers the distinct honor of opening for her father performing all over the world. She can be heard in a duet with her Dad on Tony Bennett “A Swingin’ Christmas” on the track "I’ve got my love to keep me warm". She continues developing her craft while performing in a myriad of venues from prominent jazz clubs, casinos, amphitheaters and stadiums, including Radio City Music Hall, the Hollywood Bowl, the Umbria Jazz Festival, the Newport Jazz Festival, The Greek Theatre, Royal Albert Hall in London and Caesars Palace. This extensive and invaluable experience is irreplaceable and has in a large part been the greatest single contribution to her command of her voice, and her comfortable demeanor on stage. She studied and performed at the Lee Strasberg Theater Institute, and is an alumnus of the esteemed Berklee College Of Music in Boston. Her latest release, “Embrace Me” produced by Holly Knight dedicated to the great American songbook features songs including “Embraceable You” and “The Man I Love”, performed in an intimate classic trio format. Enjoy the vocal prowess of this unique singer of great distinction, who endeavors to cultivate new musical horizons.

Embrace Me

---

Chuchito Valdes - Reflections

Size: 170,9 MB
Time: 73:48
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz: Latin Jazz, Afro Cuban Jazz
Art: Front

01. You're My Hope (5:01)
02. Estefano (9:01)
03. Para Monica (9:51)
04. El Alkadur (8:40)
05. In Memory Of Nelson Mandela (4:47)
06. Povolotty Isi (7:29)
07. Bossa Para Recordar (6:39)
08. La Guajira (5:47)
09. Glassfro (7:21)
10. Bossa Para Recordar (Bonus Track) (6:46)
11. 2374 (2:20)

Born and raised in Havana, Cuba, pianist, composer, and arranger Jesus "Chuchito" Valdés, Jr. is the third-generation manifestation of a Cuban jazz piano dynasty that includes his father, Chucho Valdés, and grandfather, Bebo Valdés. The oldest of five siblings, Valdés was a child prodigy, attending and graduating from La Escuela de Musica Ignacio Cervantes. He had his first professional gig at the age of 16, working with Cuban singer and trumpeter Bobby Carcasses, and also accompanied singers Pello El Afrokan and Anibel Lopez for a time. In the mid-'80s Valdés was a member of the Cuban jazz combo Sonido Contemporáneo, and by the late '90s he had taken his father's spot in the renowned Irakere band when the elder Valdés opted to go solo. Eventually Chuchito followed suit, leading his own band and touring behind his fiery brand of Afro-Cuban jazz. He released a debut album, Encantado, in 2002 on Town Crier Records, following it with La Timba in 2002 and Herencia in 2004, both on J&N Records, and Keys of Latin Jazz in 2007 from Sony BMG International. Valdés continues to tour and record, making his home in Cancun, Mexico. ~by Steve Leggett

Reflections

---

Judith Owen - Ebb & Flow

Size: 98,6 MB
Time: 41:30
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz/Pop/Rock Vocals
Art: Front

01. Train Out Of Hollywood (3:32)
02. I Would Give Anything (3:29)
03. In The Summertime (4:20)
04. Hey Mister, That's Me Up On The Jukebox (3:21)
05. Under Your Door (2:36)
06. About Love (3:04)
07. I've Never Been To Texas (3:11)
08. You're Not Here Anymore (3:30)
09. One In A Million (3:36)
10. You Are Not My Friend (3:27)
11. Sweet Feet (2:58)
12. Some Arrows Go In Deep (4:21)

Judith Owen’s new album Ebb & Flow (her 10th studio release) evokes the spirit of the halcyon days of the great 1970s troubadours. Ebb & Flow features the great Russ Kunkel (drummer), Leland Sklar (bassist) and Waddy Wachtel (guitarist). Judith remains an unflinching singer-songwriter, bearing her soul as the core of her creativity.

British singer/songwriter Judith Owen's eclecticism has seen her records shelved in the rock, folk, and jazz sections of record stores. She was born the daughter of an opera singer and began writing songs as a teenager. Becoming a professional musician, she met and married actor/musician Harry Shearer and contributed vocals and keyboards to his 1994 album, It Must Have Been Something I Said. Her debut solo album, Emotions on a Postcard, was released on her own Dog on the Bed label in 1996. Among its songs was "Hand on My Heart," which was featured in the 1997 film As Good as It Gets and appeared on the soundtrack album. Owen befriended singer/songwriter Julia Fordham and appeared on Fordham's albums East West and That's Live. Another musical association was struck up with Richard Thompson, which led to Owen's appearances on the Thompson albums Mock Tudor, 1000 Years of Popular Music, and Old Kit Bag.

She released her second solo album, Limited Edition, in 2000. "Creatures of Habit" and "Get into It" from the album were featured in the film Olive Juice. 12 Arrows (2003), her third album, boasted guest appearances by Fordham and Thompson, and it featured Owen's cover of Soundgarden's "Black Hole Sun." It earned her an opening slot on a k.d. lang tour. In 2004, Owen released a holiday EP, Christmas in July, including her cover of "Christmas with the Devil," a song by her husband's fictional group Spinal Tap. She also placed her song "Dreaming" in the film P.S., then used it on her fourth album, Lost and Found, released on her newly formed Courgette Records label in 2005. Her cover of the Kinks' "I Go to Sleep" was featured in the TV movie Mrs. Harris, and she then included it on her fifth album, Here, released August 8, 2006. Happy This Way appeared a year later in 2007, with Mopping Up Karma following the next year. The compilation Beautiful Damage was issued in 2010, while a new studio album, Ebb & Flow, arrived four years later in 2014.

Ebb & Flow

---

David Basse - The Hero & The Lover

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 49:55

Size: 114.3 MB

Styles: Jazz vocals

Year: 2013

Art: Front

[4:57] 1. That's Life

[3:25] 2. Sins Of The Father

[4:28] 3. Easy The Hard Way

[4:45] 4. Gravy Waltz

[5:19] 5. I Concentrate On You

[5:15] 6. The Hero

[4:07] 7. Vacation From The Blues

[4:01] 8. Sixteen Tons

[4:37] 9. Let's Go Back In Time

[4:49] 10. Katrina

[4:08] 11. Trio

The working title of David Basse’s 2013 recording project is, “The Hero And The Lover, The Hermit, The Dictator, The Wise Woman And The Fool.” a quote from Jack Kornfield. This is a very long title, and Basse does not try to be all things to all people; his music simply incorporates jazz and blues. Basse’s band included veteran bassist Curtis Lundy, pianist Richard Johnson, saxophonist Stacey Dillard, and drummer Neil Smith.

Today, Basse’s ninth recording, “The Hero and the Lover…” is a culmination of over forty years of trial and error, serendipitous miscalculation and a powerful and undying love of art and music. It is a testament to the tenacity that it takes to survive in the face of an international recession and continue to create worthwhile art.

The Hero & The Lover

---

Janice Harrington - Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow: A Tribute To Dinah Washington

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 41:36
Size: 95.3 MB
Styles: Jazz blues vocals
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[2:40] 1. I Thought About You
[3:22] 2. Makin' Whoopee
[4:22] 3. New Blowtop Blues
[3:15] 4. My Old Flame
[3:14] 5. Salty Papa Blues
[2:40] 6. Love Walked In
[3:07] 7. I Wanna Be Around
[3:03] 8. I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart
[2:27] 9. Teach Me Tonight
[2:24] 10. Lean Baby
[3:50] 11. Bye Bye Blues
[3:04] 12. Olé
[4:03] 13. Willow Weep For Me

Janice Harrington - vocals; Lloyd Mayers - piano; Keter Betts - bass; Jimmy Cobb - drums. Special Guests:Hans Malte Witte - tenor sax (on 05 and 09); Nat Adderley - cornet, vocals (on 13); Billy Mitchell - tenor sax (on 13); Mike Hennessy - piano (on 13). Recorded on July 9, 1988 at Alantis Studio, Stockholm, Sweden.

"A special thank you to Bosse Steinhammer for bringing the band over. And I will always be grateful to Keter Betts for making this happen. Also a million thanks to Lloyd and Jimmy. Hugs to Sabine." ~Janice Harrington

Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow: A Tribute To Dinah Washington

---

The Doobie Brothers - Toulouse Street

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 34:25
Size: 78.8 MB
Styles: Album rock
Year: 1972/2006
Art: Front

[3:46] 1. Listen To The Music
[3:18] 2. Rockin' Down The Highway
[2:27] 3. Mamaloi
[3:18] 4. Toulouse Street
[3:39] 5. Cotton Mouth
[2:40] 6. Don't Start Me To Talkin'
[4:31] 7. Jesus Is Just Alright With Me
[2:27] 8. White Sun
[6:41] 9. Disciple
[1:34] 10. Snake Man

Toulouse Street was the album by which most of their fans began discovering the Doobie Brothers, and it has retained a lot of its freshness over the decades. Producer Ted Templeman was attuned to the slightly heavier and more Southern style the band wanted to work toward on this, their second album, and the results were not only profitable -- including a platinum record award -- but artistically impeccable. Toulouse Street is actually pretty close in style and sound at various points to what the Eagles were doing during the same period, except that the Doobies threw jazz and R&B into the mix, as well as country, folk, and bluegrass elements, and (surprise!) ended up just about as ubiquitous as the Eagles in peoples' record collections, especially in the wake of the singles "Listen to the Music" and "Jesus Is Just Alright." But those two singles represented only the tip of the iceberg in terms of what this group had to offer, as purchasers of the album discovered even on the singles -- both songs appear here in distinctly longer versions, with more exposition and development, and in keeping with the ambitions that album cuts (even of popular numbers) were supposed to display in those days. Actually, "Listen to the Music" (written by Tom Johnston) offers subtle use of phasing and other studio tricks that make its seemingly earthy, laid-back approach some of the most complex and contrived of the period. Johnston's "Rockin' Down the Highway" shows the band working at a higher wattage and moving into Creedence Clearwater Revival territory, while "Mamaloi" was Patrick Simmons' laid-back Caribbean idyll, and the title tune (also by Simmons) is a hauntingly beautiful ballad. The band then switches gears into swamp rock for "Cotton Mouth" and takes a left turn into the Mississippi Delta for a version of Sonny Boy Williamson II's "Don't Start Me Talkin'" before shifting into a gospel mode with "Jesus Is Just Alright." Johnston's nearly seven-minute "Disciple" was the sort of soaring, bluesy hard rock workout that led to the group's comparison to the Allman Brothers Band, though their interlocking vocals were nearly as prominent as their crunching, surging double lead guitars and paired drummers. And it all still sounds astonishingly bracing decades later; it's still a keeper, and one of the most inviting and alluring albums of its era. ~Bruce Eder

Toulouse Street

---

Manhattan Jazz Orchestra - Hey Duke!

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 60:37

Size: 138.8 MB

Styles: Modern big band

Year: 1999/2009

Art: Front

[ 6:53] 1. It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)

[ 9:01] 2. Prelude To A Kiss

[ 9:02] 3. Mood Indigo

[ 6:03] 4. Come Sunday

[ 6:58] 5. Satin Doll

[ 4:49] 6. Song For Edward

[ 7:00] 7. Cotton Tail

[10:48] 8. In A Sentimental Mood

Pianist/arranger David Matthews turns his pen to the classic music of Duke Ellington on Hey Duke!, the latest release featuring the adroit talents of the Manhattan Jazz Orchestra. Matthews came up during the 1970s, when straight-ahead jazz was about as cool and mainstream as a buzz cut and pegged pants. College jazz programs were barely in their infancy but, despite the general cultural malaise regarding the music, there was still a sense that more could be done with what Bird, Monk, and Coltrane had given the world. Creativity could flow unimpeded by draconian notions of the "tradition." Granted, this didn't always produce the most lasting and desirable music, but for every Spyro Gyra there is a Weather Report. Matthews keeps this vision alive on Hey Duke! Influenced by the progressive, angular, and modern work of Stan Kenton and Chick Corea, Matthews reworks some of Ellington's songs in a respectful, albeit liberal manner. "It Don't Mean a Thing" screams itself to life, eventually laying into a speedy swing featuring the immense post-bop lines of soprano saxophonist Aaron Heick and Manhattan man about town trumpeter Ryan Kisor. One of the most compelling departures from traditional style is the police drama funk of "Mood Indigo," featuring bright horn hits and a dirty, wah-wah plunger trumpet over a driving hi-hat. Conversely, "Come Sunday" is given a pastoral, West Coast gospel feel à la Gerald Wilson, and features the operatic soprano of vocalist Christine Sperry. Matthews also pays tribute to Duke with his original "Song for Edward," a mid-tempo ballad featuring the soul-inflected alto sax of Chris Hunter. These are thoroughly invigorating and unconventional interpretations of Ellington's work. ~Matt Collar

Hey Duke!  

---

Erika Matsuo - True Colors

Styles: Latin Jazz, Vocal
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:35
Size: 175,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:23)  1. Sina
(3:25)  2. Without a Song
(4:20)  3. Encontros E Despedidas
(3:33)  4. Beyond the Sky
(5:31)  5. Bilhete / Ticket
(5:15)  6. What a Difference a Day Made
(5:51)  7. Vera Cruz
(5:49)  8. Song for Elena
(5:51)  9. Sunny
(5:45) 10. True Colors
(4:54) 11. Smoke Gets in Your Eyes
(6:37) 12. Skindo Le-Le
(3:08) 13. Kachofugetsu
(4:08) 14. Cicatrizes
(3:45) 15. Smile
(4:13) 16. Meguriai

"Her singing is heartfelt and honest. She sings with depth and passion. What a joy to hear her” - Sheila Jordan

"Erika's voice is filled with sentiment and warmth. She integrates both passion and gentle emotion into her lyrics” ~  Dr. Lonnie Smith

"Obsession is a promising debut...beautifully produced, finely performed” ~ All About Jazz

Erika celebrates the release of her new CD True Colors this fall with a tour of Japan and a CD release party at the famed New York Blue Note Club! The CD features an all-star cast of a wide variety of stellar musicians from younger sidemen in high demand to leaders with international fame: Dr. Lonnie Smith, Gil Goldstein, Romero Lubambo, Dana Leong, Gregoire Marret, Juancho Herrera, Yosvany Terry, Helio Alves, Paulo Levi, James Zollar, Jorge Continentino, Garrett Fishbach, Meg Okura, Essiet Essiet, Leo Traversa, Willard Dyson and Keita Ogawa. The beautiful arrangements cover some classic American and Brazilian standards: Sunny, What a Difference a Day Made, Without a Song and Smile by Charlie Chaplin...Milton Nacimento's Vera Cruz, Djavan's Sina, Ivan Lins' Bilheteand two catchy sambas Cicatrizes and Skindo Lele. Erika expands the colors of this musical palette with two Japanese themes, Erika's original,Kachofugetsu, Meguriai by Toru Takemitsu and Song for Elena by Ennio Morricone touchingly performed with strings, guitar and accordion as well as an original song by Erika, Beyond the Sky. The title cut by Cindy Lauper, True Colors is a final touch that shows Erika's true expansive range that finds meaning, beauty and rhythm in songs from around the world. 

Erika's CD celebration started with a tour of Japan with guitarist, Freddie Bryant in August and September. This was just a few months after she recorded Bilhete by Ivan Lins on James Zollar's new CD where she met Gregoire Marrett. This was the beginning of the creative process that gave birth to True Colors. She continues her celebration at the Blue Note with a full band, Helio Alves, Freddie Bryant, Ben Zwerin,Yosvany Terry,Willard Dyson and more on November 25th. A native of Japan, Erika showed love for music at an early age when she started studying classical piano in her pre-teenage years. By the time she reached her late teens, she was a member of an all-girl rock group, Tear Drops, that had won first prize in Japan’s most respected teen music competitions, the Yamaha Teen Music Festival. Through a chance meeting with Quasimode pianist Yusuke Hirado, Erika was invited to New York to tour as the lead vocalist of his jazz group. After relocating to New York City, she immersed herself in the city’s jazz scene, exploring everything from straight-ahead to Brazilian jazz. She was accepted in the jazz voice program at the City College of New York where she studied with Sheila Jordan and received her BFA and music award, ''The Pro Musica Award'' in 2003. 

She has performed at venues such as BB Kings, Sweet Rhythm, Kitano and S.O.B.’s, and has regularly toured in Japan. In March 2007, Erika won first prize in the Asakusa Jazz Contest, Japan’s number one jazz contest. Later that year, she was featured in Coca Cola’s So-Ken-Bi Cha TV commercial - her voice became one of the most recognized in the nation. Erika Matsuo’s debut album, Obsession was also supported by a dynamic team of musicians including Romero Lubambo, Carlton Holmes, Freddie Bryant, Paulo Levi, Yosvany Terry, Essiet Essiet, Willard Dyson and Nanny Assis. OBSESSION takes the listener on a journey of love traveling between jazz and Brazilian Popular Music melting with Erika's original compositions. A special treat for world music lovers and jazz fans!  http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/erika5

True Colors

---

Bill Charlap Trio - Somewhere: The Songs Of Leonard Bernstein

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:43
Size: 137,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:02)  1. Cool
(4:49)  2. Lucky To Be Me
(5:42)  3. It's Love
(6:37)  4. Lonely Town
(2:32)  5. Jump
(6:57)  6. Some Other Time
(7:37)  7. Glitter And Be Gay
(1:35)  8. A Quiet Girl
(5:38)  9. Big Stuff
(3:53) 10. America
(7:18) 11. Ohio
(2:59) 12. Somewhere

This month Brooke Shields steps into the starring role of Broadway's Tony-Award winning Wonderful Town revival; 25 of Leonard Bernstein's Young People's Concerts with the New York Philharmonic are available on DVD; and radio listeners will have the pleasure of hearing an eleven-part documentary on the maestro's life and career, narrated by Susan Sarandon. Fourteen years after his death, his fans are just as devoted to the immensely loved composer/conductor/pianist as ever and they won't want to miss Somewhere , pianist Bill Charlap's interpretation of twelve Bernstein tunes. Charlap and his trio, rounded out by Peter Washington on bass and Kenny Washington on drums, play songs from West Side Story, Wonderful Town , On The Town , Candide and Fancy Free with cool finesse. Shot up with a stroke of jazz, these show tunes lose any traces of hyper-panache and sob story sap one might associate with Broadway. Instead, they come out swinging jauntily but covertly like in "Big Stuff," or splashing seismically with flourishes of drums emblazoned by the simple, yet heart-piercing melody of "America," pecked out on piano.

 There's a strong sense of consciousness flowing through each player's every note and phrase. While Charlap gracefully solos with an honest integrity completely lacking in pretension as in "Lonely Town," the drums add faint, dusty shades of sparkle, while the bass tumbles delicately in. With a Broadway composer for a father and a singer for a mother, Charlap grew up with these tunes. And you can tell he cherishes each one, as one does those familiar objects from home and life. Arranged for such a small group, tunes like "Ohio" and "Some Other Time," with their subtle intimations and gentle, earnest force convey a quiet yearning. Some songs, such as "Lucky To Be Me" and "It's Love," combine wonderful orchestration and intelligent playing that glow with a fabulous beauty a stunning tribute to the charm and skill of the man who wrote them. ~ Celeste Sunderland  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/somewhere-the-songs-of-leonard-bernstein-bill-charlap-blue-note-records-review-by-celeste-sunderland.php#.VAdunWMfLP8
 

Personnel: Bill Charlap: Piano; Kenny Washington: Drums; Peter Washington: Bass.

Somewhere: The Songs Of Leonard Bernstein

---

Al Viola - Solo Guitar

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1957
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:46
Size: 84,6 MB
Art: Front

(2:40)  1. Alone Together
(2:44)  2. Yesterdays
(3:42)  3. Imagination
(2:26)  4. My Old Flame
(3:24)  5. Warm Valley
(2:21)  6. I Get A Kick Out Of You
(3:35)  7. Don't Blame Me
(2:31)  8. Cheek To Cheek
(3:19)  9. My Romance
(3:44) 10. I'll Remember April
(3:58) 11. How Long Has This Been Going On
(2:16) 12. Nocturne

During his more than 40 year career, Al Viola has been among the most active guitarists in the world. He has appeared on over 500 albums. He accompanied Frank Sinatra for 25 years. He has worked on countless TV shows and movies. His playing has been heard by everyone. This release recorded for Mode Records in September, 1957 was his first under his own name. It features eleven standards and a Bobby Troup composition played solo on acoustic guitar and provides an impressive demonstration of his great taste and style. ~ Editorial Reviews  http://www.amazon.com/Solo-Guitar-Al-Viola/dp/B00B7EQQ7Y

Solo Guitar

---