James Morrison - Quartet

Size: 146,0 MB
Time: 62:53
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1998
Styles: Jazz: Bop, Swing
Art: Front

01. S'wonderful (3:13)
02. Fugue (4:35)
03. All I Need Is A Girl (4:51)
04. If You Never Come To Me (4:42)
05. On The Sunny Side Of The Street (4:57)
06. Sweet Georgia Brown (3:24)
07. They Can't Take That Away From Me (5:12)
08. The Nearness Of You (5:54)
09. One Note Samba (3:37)
10. St Louis Blues (7:33)
11. Misty (6:16)
12. Along The Road To Gundagai (8:33)

James Morrison is, by anybody’s standard, a virtuoso in the true sense of the word.

Besides the trumpet, this multi-instrumentalist also plays trombone, euphonium, flugel horn, tuba, saxophones, double bass and piano.

At the age of seven, he was given his first instrument, at nine he formed his first band and at thirteen he was playing professionally in nightclubs. His international career developed just as quickly. At only age 16 James debuted in the USA with a breathtaking concert at the Monterey Jazz Festival.

Following this were performances at the big festivals in Europe including Montreaux, Pori, North Sea, Nice and Bern - playing with many of the legends of jazz. Dizzy Gillespie, Cab Calloway, Woody Shaw, Red Rodney, George Benson, Ray Charles, B.B. King, Ray Brown and Wynton Marsalis to name a few. There were also gigs in the worlds most famous jazz clubs - The Blue Note and Village Vanguard in New York, the New Morning in Paris and Ronnie Scotts in London.

Now 51, James Morrison’s career thus far has been diverse and perhaps not typical of most jazz musicians. He recorded Jazz Meets the Symphony with The London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Lalo Schifrin, performed concerts at the Royal Albert hall with the London Philharmonic Orchestra and at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden for Princess Anne. Royal command performances on two occasions for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and for US Presidents Bush & Clinton at Parliament House in Australia. In 1997, James was recognized for his service to the arts in Australia and awarded a medal of The Order of Australia...

Quartet

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Marlene VerPlanck - A New York Singer / It's How You Play The Game

Album: A New York Singer
Size: 134,7 MB
Time: 57:18
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1996
Styles: Jazz Vocals, Cabaret
Art: Front

01. Go Away, Little Boy (2:31)
02. Stairway To The Stars (3:43)
03. That Ole Devil Called Love (3:39)
04. Songbird (Thank You For Your Lovely Song) (3:21)
05. The Music That Makes Me Dance (3:52)
06. Why Shouldn't I (3:34)
07. By Myself Vocalize No.5 (2:22)
08. Isn't It A Pity (5:59)
09. Music Man (3:00)
10. I Looked At You (4:23)
11. Hey, Star (3:51)
12. Red And Yellow Flowers (2:29)
13. You Keep Coming Back Like A Song (5:42)
14. Hopscotch (1:04)
15. A Sure Thing (3:52)
16. Good Old Friends (3:47)

This CD mostly brings back a middle-of-the-road pop date featuring the beautiful voice of Marlene Ver Planck backed by a string orchestra arranged by Billy Ver Planck. The charts are sometimes overblown and more suited to Barbra Streisand than to Ella Fitzgerald although Marlene generally carries it off. But the program (which includes "Go Away, Little Boy," "The Music That Makes Me Dance" and "Hopscotch") is not significant from a jazz standpoint. Much better are five selections recorded especially for this reissue in 1995 for they swing a bit and match Ver Planck with a combo that often includes either trumpeter Joe Wilder or tenor saxophonist Phil Thompson. Marlene had continued growing as a singer during the intervening 15 years and the latter date finds her in fine form; pity that it oculd not have been paired with a jazz-oriented session. ~Review by Scott Yanow

A New York Singer

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Album: It's How You Play The Game
Size: 133,1 MB
Time: 56:37
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2003
Styles: Jazz Vocals, Cabaret
Art: Front

01. It's How You Play The Game (3:56)
02. I Got Lost In His Arms (5:01)
03. Be Careful, It's My Heart (3:55)
04. Easy To Love (2:10)
05. May I Come In (4:24)
06. My Man Benny (4:13)
07. Only Trust Your Heart (3:36)
08. I Wanna Be In Love Again (2:47)
09. The First Thing About You (2:30)
10. Love Looks Good On You (2:27)
11. Experiment (2:00)
12. Save You Love For Me (4:09)
13. The Jazz Buff (2:55)
14. Cocktails At Dawn (4:27)
15. Maybe It's The Moon (3:49)
16. All My Tomorrow's (4:10)

Marlene VerPlanck is a veteran singer who still has plenty to offer jazz fans after nearly a half century as a professional. Her vocals are consistently clear, mellow, and swinging in this program dominated by show tunes. But her choices aren't ones that have exactly been done to death at the start of the 21st century. She soars in the bright bossa nova scoring of "I Got Lost in His Arms," while her warmth is obvious in "Be Careful, It's My Heart." The singer's enthusiasm is contagious in "I Wanna Be in Love Again," while her playful scatting seems effortless in the buoyant "Love Looks Good on You." Her husband, Billy VerPlanck, contributed the arrangements and two originals, the lovely ballad "Cocktails at Dawn" and "It's How You Play the Game," the latter, unfortunately, stands out like a sore thumb due to the annoying (and unaccredited) electric keyboards. But the band is a superb one, featuring no fewer than six members of the exciting big band Diva: drummer Sherrie Maricle, alto saxophonist Karolina Strassmayer, clarinetist and tenor saxophonist Anat Cohen, pianist Chihiro Yamanaka, trumpeter Barbara Laronga, and bassist Norika Ueda. ~Review by Ken Dryden

It's How You Play The Game

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Ferdinando Argenti Trio - Live At The Sahara

Size: 152,8 MB
Time: 66:05
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Bloomdido (Live) (6:15)
02. Poinciana (Live) (9:27)
03. I'm Old Fashioned (Live) (7:29)
04. Spring Is Here (Live) (6:17)
05. O Grande Amor (Live) (6:10)
06. Blues In The Midst Of A Crowd (Live) (7:22)
07. Historia De Un Amor (Live) (5:57)
08. Got A Match (Live) (4:38)
09. Mi Sono Innamorato Di Te (Live) (5:17)
10. It's You Or No One (Live) (7:06)

Musicians:
Ferdinando Argenti, piano, vocals, melodica
Marshall Wood, upright bass
Marcello Pellitteri, drums

The “Sahara” is a club located in the town of Methuen , north of Boston. Thanks to Bob “Jocko” Arcidiacono, the “Sahara” has been featuring the best local jazz ensembles, as well as internationally renowned jazz names such as Bud Shank, Scott Hamilton, Mark Murphy, and others. I'm happy to present this trio featuring two great musicians and friends. On bass is Marshall Wood, currently with Tony Bennett. On drums is my fellow Italian countryman, Marcello Pellitteri, one of NYmost sought after drummers.

The recording consists of five instrumentals and five vocals,including three of my favorite Great a American Songbook standards. Also included are an A.C.Jobim bossanova in Portuguese, a Latin American old favorite, and one of the most beautiful Italian songs ever written, a Luigi Tenco gem. Among the instrumentals, there are more intense jazz tunes such as master Chick Corea's “Got a match?”(I hope Chick won't mind my“Topsy” quote:>), and my own “Blues in the midst of a crowd”, composed in the aftermath of the Boston Marathon attack. Because Charlie Parker is one of my strongest jazz influences , I had to start with his bebop blues ,“Bloomdido”. We followed by Poinciana, which we played with a different rhythmic feel from the famous Ahmad Jamal version.

Live At The Sahara

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Ricardo Silveira - Ricardo Silveira Organ Trio (With Vanessa Rodrigues & Rafael Barata)

Size: 138,7 MB
Time: 59:53
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Brazilian Jazz
Art: Front

CD 1: Stufio Recordings
01. Cochise (4:05)
02. A Historia De Lily Braun (6:49)
03. A Medida Do Meu Coraçao (7:08)
04. Batucada (4:17)
05. Canto De Ossanha (9:12)
06. Memphis Underground (6:57)
07. No Regrets (6:43)
08. Reflexoes (5:57)
09. Amazon River (8:41)

CD 2: Live Recordings
01. Samba E Amor (10:56)
02. Body And Soul (11:18)
03. Polo Pony ( 8:25)
04. Francesa ( 9:11)
05. You Don't Know What Love Is ( 9:03)
06. One-Eyed Monster ( 6:37)
07. Eu E A Brisa ( 8:05)

The career of guitarist Ricardo Silveira is a rock solid one. As an all-round musician he has performed on countless (recording) dates ranging from MPB, Bossa Nova, fusion, jazz, pop, … Ricardo Silveira (Rio de Janeiro, 1956) spent a few years in Boston to study at the Berklee College of Music, where a basis was formed for his future career. In New York he absorbed the jazz scene and certainly didn’t forget the classics: Wes Montgomery, Kenny Burrell, Pat Martino, Grant Green and other guitar legends who often found comfort in an organ trio setting. Back in Brazil, Ricardo soon became one of the country’s most wanted guitarists. Most of the time he can be found in the studio or on tour with the finest vocalists in Brazil. But yet, there’s still time for a solo career. Recently we heard him in duet with Vinícius Cantuária (RSVC) and also with guitarist Roberto Taufic (Atlânticos) And now he surprises us with this extraordinary double-album: Organ tRio.

Back to basics: the tradition of the legendary jazz organ trios. A simple line-up: guitar, Hammond B-3 organ and drums. How nostalgic can one get? To add to the nostalgia, the CD package breathes the air of the old jazz labels. In fact: by looking at the old fashioned CD cover, you can already figure what musical sentiment you can expect. The ever attentive package designer Maria Camillo did a respectful job with it!

The first notes of CD 1 confirm it: we’re in for two hours of fine authentic jazz. Ricardo already found a partner in crime with drummer Rafael Barata (Rio de Janeiro, 1980). The drummer seems to be everywhere in the music scene of Brazil. At his young age he performed with a who-is-who in Brazilian music. He was also house drummer in Rio’s premier jazz club, Mistura Fina, where he accompanied a long list of visiting international jazz stars. The third member of the tRio came by surprise. Canadian organist Vanessa Rodrigues introduced herself to Ricardo via email. Because she mentioned that trumpeter Randy Brecker gave her Ricardo’s email address, he got interested and soon discovered the exceptional talent of the organist. She had recently relocated in Rio which made it easy to make Ricardo’s wish come true: an organ trio!

CD 1 was recorded in 2012 in a studio in Niterói, across the bay from Rio. To get in the right mood, the album’s opener is “Cochise,” by Latin music composer Ray Santos (1928, New York). This song ruthlessly brings us back to the atmosphere of the sixties and the seventies when the sound of Hammond B3 organs happily whirred through the air of smoky jazz clubs. Vanessa Rodrigues proves to be the right choice; she’s able to recall the sound of organ traditionalists.

The repertoire covers a wide variety of international styles that were popular in that era; soul jazz, groovy jazz, Bossa Nova, Afro-samba. And most of all some beautiful ballads, like the standards we find on disk 2 (the live recordings). “Body and Soul” (1930, music by Johnny Green) and “You Don’t Know What Love Is” (1941, Gene de Paul and Don Raye) show their immortality in the long renditions by the trio. But there are also many Brazilian compositions that show an unmistakable jazz competence. Along with a few originals by Vanessa and by Ricardo, this set of CDs sounds more than interesting from note one till the very last one. It’s funny to hear to hear Tom Jobim‘s “Polo Pony,” a relatively unknown composition of his. He composed “Polo Pony” in 1970 for the movie “The Adventurers,” but it’s seldom recorded. After the surprising inclusion of the song on Mario Adnet’s Jobim Jazz album (2007, also reviewed here on MúsicaBrasileira) it’s good to hear it here again as a true up-tempo jazz classic.

Ricardo Silveira Organ Trio CD 1
Ricardo Silveira Organ Trio CD 2

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Alba Llibre Rius - Unde

Size: 68,8 MB
Time: 29:19
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Pop Jazz
Art: Front

01. Jealous Guy (2:38)
02. Sweet Dreams (3:11)
03. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (2:52)
04. Les Fulles Mortes (2:54)
05. The Joker (3:09)
06. You're The One That I Want (2:27)
07. Stayin' Alive (3:20)
08. I Wanna Love You (3:19)
09. Something In The Way (3:38)
10. Love Me Tender (1:46)

Alba Llibre Rius es una joven cantante catalana que inicia sus estudios de música con tan solo cinco años. Des de los nueve hasta los dieciocho es miembro del Cor Infantil Sant Cugat. A partir de esa edad, pasa a ser interprete del Cor Aglepta de Sant Cugat. En ambos coros realiza múltiples viajes por toda Europa para participar en los mejores concursos de canto.

Underwear

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Ruth Price - Sings With Johnny Smith

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 35:00

Size: 80.1 MB

Styles: Vocal jazz, Standards

Year: 1956/2012

Art: Front

[2:38] 1. This Heart Of Mine

[3:33] 2. When You Wish Upon A Star

[1:55] 3. I'm Nobody's Baby

[3:22] 4. Sleeping Bee

[3:53] 5. It Never Entered My Mind

[2:09] 6. Wonderful Guy

[3:36] 7. Until The Real Thing Comes Along

[2:37] 8. Time After Time

[3:24] 9. Goodbye

[2:05] 10. Back In Your Own Back Yard

[3:17] 11. I'll Be Seeing You

[2:26] 12. Run, Little Rain Drop, Run

This album is a set of standards delivered by Ruth Price (who didn't make enough albums during her performing career), backed by Johnny Smith, one of jazz's eminent guitarists. Smith gained significant attention with his album Moonlight in Vermont, which Down Beat named as jazz album of the year, while Price performed in relative obscurity throughout her short career. Because this CD, originally issued by Teddy Reig's Roost Records, offers just a mite more than a half-hour's worth of music, each note should be savored. Price and Smith work wonderfully well together on tasteful arrangements played in an urbane, intelligent, and subdued manner. There are no pyrotechnics on this session. Their collaboration on "This Heart of Mine" rivals Sarah Vaughan's classic rendition. Gordon Jenkins' "Goodbye," with Smith's dramatic guitar and John Rae's softly stroked vibes playing in support of Price, is a highlight of the album. On "When You Wish Upon a Star," made popular by Ukelele Ike Edwards in Pinocchio, Smith abandons his chordal playing for a single string approach behind Price. While comprised mostly of slow ballads, the serious atmosphere is relieved from time to time with an upbeat number, such as "Time after Time" and a bouncy "Back in Your Own Back Yard," done with swinging merriment. Not blessed with an overwhelming voice or great range, Price concentrates on her interpretive skills as she works her cool vocals with very good results. Price didn't record a lot during her career, but what is available is well worth having. ~Dave Nathan

Sings With Johnny Smith

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Tom Harrell - The Art Of Rhythm

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 64:47
Size: 148.3 MB
Styles: Trumpet jazz, Latin jazz
Year: 1995
Art: Front

[7:35] 1. Petals Danse
[7:40] 2. Madrid
[6:14] 3. Oasis
[5:43] 4. Caribe
[7:40] 5. Doo Bop
[6:14] 6. Exit In
[4:18] 7. Recitation
[5:38] 8. Las Almas
[6:18] 9. Cinco Quatro
[7:24] 10. Samba De Amor

Tom Harrell's latest release places his lyrical trumpet and flugelhorn in a Latin jazz setting. All the compositions are his own, and the ensembles employ a number of different artists: featuring Greg Tardy on both clarinet and tenor saxophone, the session also includes violinist Regina Carter, drummers Yoron Israel, Duduka Da Fonseca and Leon Parker, bassists Ugonna Okwego, David Finck, and Andy Gonzalez, bassoonist Makanda Ken McIntyre, and David Sanchez on both soprano and tenor saxophones. Tracing the jazz flugelhorn from early exponent Clark Terry through the late `50s explorations of Miles Davis and Roy Eldridge, then to the later popularity of Chuck Mangione, Harrell's dark, legato expressiveness compares favorably with the instrument's intended function, and the leader is especially comfortable providing softer, gentler Latin melodies.

"Petals Danse" combines Romero Lubambo's acoustic guitar with Greg Tardy's clarinet and Harrell's flugelhorn for a softly flowing piece that evokes memories of Chet Baker's lovely sound. "Samba Do Amor," featuring Sanchez' tenor and Mike Stern's electric guitar, is a lively composition that allows much room for improvisation by them both as well as Harrell. "Madrid" combines the timbres of Brian Carrott's marimba and Gary Smulyan's bass clarinet with flugelhorn and acoustic guitar over a spirited marching rhythm. The dramatic "Oasis" and "Caribe," both highly rhythmic compositions with intriguing twin bassists and appropriate percussion, feature Dewey Redman's tenor saxophone with the highlights of this session. On the former, Redman is supported by exciting piano counterpoint from Danilo Perez; on the latter, Redman's fiery statements are tempered by the steel drum accompaniment of Adam Cruz. Keeping the rhythm at a fascinating level, "Cinco Quatro" is in 5/4 and features lyrical solos from Sanchez on soprano sax, Harrell on flugelhorn, and Lubambo's acoustic guitar. Saxophonist Tardy is especially bold, but always lyrical on "Doo Bop" and "Recitation," and as clarinetist on "Las Almas."

Tom Harrell shares the spotlight with many on this session, introducing new talent and featuring veterans. In dedicating the album to two of his respected associates – the proprietor of Los Angeles' premier jazz club, Catalina Popescu, and powerful Santana trumpeter Luis Gasca – Harrell reminds the general public that his heart remains intent on bringing a wide array of art to his appreciative audiences. Recommended. ~Jim Santella

The Art Of Rhythm

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Ken Slavin - I'll Take Romance

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 56:23
Size: 129.1 MB
Styles: Cabaret, Vocal
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[4:37] 1. Thoughts Of Your Smile
[1:50] 2. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
[2:57] 3. Tea For Two
[3:14] 4. I'll Take Romance (Snappy Vers)
[4:35] 5. Alone
[3:08] 6. Just You, Just Me
[4:33] 7. But Beautiful
[3:55] 8. Come Rain Or Come Shine
[3:51] 9. I Can't Reach Your Heart
[3:12] 10. Day By Day
[3:43] 11. I Could Have Danced All Night
[3:54] 12. Do Nothin' Til You Hear From Me
[2:51] 13. Mangos
[3:17] 14. That's My Desire
[3:43] 15. Summer Samba (So Nice)
[2:57] 16. I'll Take Romance (Sexy Vers)

"I choose to work in the jazz and cabaret genres because they offer me the most freedom," Ken says.

Ken came of age in the 1970s and '80s - during the height of Disco and New Wave music - but always had a secret love affair with the music of the 1930s and '40s: the timeless jazz and pop standards of the Great American Songbook. "I was born in the wrong era," he has often commented.

He was influenced by many classic jazz and pop singers -- all of whom were famous before he was born. His "music school" was his bedroom (and sometimes the shower!), where he sang along with records by Sarah Vaughan, Nat "King" Cole, Frank Sinatra, Johnny Mathis, Patsy Cline, Tony Bennett, Ella Fitzgerald, Matt Monro, Peggy Lee, Mel Torme, Doris Day, Eydie Gorme, Bobby Darin, Jo Stafford and his longtime favorite, '50s and '60s pop superstar Connie Francis.

I'll Take Romance

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Scott Hamilton, Howard Alden, Frank Tate - A Splendid Trio

Styles: Mainstream Jazz, Standards
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:49
Size: 142,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:19)  1. There'll Be Some Changes Made
(4:26)  2. The Duke
(5:41)  3. Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out to Dry
(4:55)  4. I Won't Dance
(7:30)  5. Swedish Pastry
(7:22)  6. Upper Manhattan Medical Group
(4:04)  7. With Someone New
(5:09)  8. Russian Lullaby
(5:11)  9. Changes
(6:24) 10. Just One More Chance
(5:42) 11. Indian Summer

Scott Hamilton, Howard Alden, and Frank Tate have a lot in common, in addition to each of them having worked with the late cornetist Ruby Braff on number of record dates and concerts. All three of them have vast repertoires of standards and jazz works, while they all keep the melody within reach when constructing their superb solos. The lack of piano is never an issue, as Alden's adept use of his seven-string electric guitar enables him to add depth to his playing, while Hamilton's big swinging tone is a throwback to the heyday of Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, and Ben Webster. The trio members show they mean business with the energetic treatment of the old warhorse "There'll Be Some Changes Made," featuring intricate interwoven lines and top-drawer solos. Their lyrical setting of Dave Brubeck's "The Duke" is an intimate swinger that captures the nuances of Ellington suggested by the pianist in this timeless piece. 

They rework the Billy Strayhorn gem "Upper Manhattan Medical Group" as a breezy bossa nova, while the late Flip Phillips ballad "With Someone New" is a lush duet for tenor sax and guitar, with Hamilton's breathy vibrato beautifully complemented by Alden's subtle playing. "Indian Summer" is another old chestnut that still stimulates great jazz performances, with potent solos all around and an extended feature for Tate. The title A Splendid Trio is very much truth in advertising for this rewarding CD. ~ Ken Dryden  http://www.allmusic.com/album/a-splendid-trio-mw0002141885

Personnel:  Scott Hamilton - Tenor Saxophone; Howard Alden – Guitar; Frank Tate - Bass

A Splendid Trio

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The Stan Kenton Alumni Band - Road Scholars (Live)

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:06
Size: 157,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:20)  1. Neverbird
(4:08)  2. I Have Dreamed
(5:11)  3. Stompin' at the Savoy
(6:33)  4. Chico & The Man
(6:07)  5. Sneaky
(5:10)  6. Yesterdays
(3:56)  7. Beautiful Friendship
(6:32)  8. Stockholm Sweetnin'
(6:13)  9. Cinnamon & Clove
(3:47) 10. Nessun Dorma
(2:41) 11. Lullaby of Broadway
(3:16) 12. Reed Rapture
(7:14) 13. Alex Revisited
(1:53) 14. America the Beautiful

Road Scholars? A clever title indeed, but these gentlemen (and three ladies) are more akin to "road maestros," an appraisal that is abundantly clear from A to Z on this latest recording by trumpeter Mike Vax's turbo-charged Stan Kenton Alumni Band, taped at various concerts during the band's 2013 spring tour, a two-week, three-thousand-mile odyssey that encompassed a dozen concerts in six states and the District of Columbia. About four thousand people were lucky enough to see and hear the band in person; the rest of us will have to make do with these fourteen imperfect snapshots culled from its series of remarkable performances. The word "imperfect" is used not owing to any weakness in the band itself but simply because there is nothing as impressive or inspiring as seeing a band such as this while seated in the audience. 

Be that as it may, inserting this recording in a CD player and pressing "play" is the next best thing to being there. The repertoire runs the gamut from Jose Feliciano to Giacomo Puccini, Jerome Kern to Quincy Jones, the band is sharp and smokin' from the outset, and there's never a letdown during almost seventy minutes of splendid music-making. The disc opens, appropriately enough, with trumpeter Ray Brown's free and easy flag-waver, "Neverbird," written in honor of Kenton's tour bus, which bore that nickname, but never recorded by the Kenton orchestra. Agile solos courtesy of tenor Pete Gallio and trumpeter Carl Saunders, exemplary timekeeping (as is always the case) by drummer Gary Hobbs and bassist Jennifer Leitham. Trombonist Dale DeVoe arranged Rodgers and Hammerstein's "I Have Dreamed" (from The King and I), on which he solos with trumpeter Don Rader and the band's youngest member, pianist Charlie Ferguson. The litmus test for any big band is Bill Holman's classic arrangement of "Stompin' at the Savoy," and if the Kenton alums don't ace it they come extremely close, thanks to forceful blowing by the ensemble and persuasive solos from Ferguson, Rader, Leitham and tenor Rick Condit. Feliciano's lyrical theme from "Chico and the Man" is next (solos by Vax and Condit), followed by trumpeter Steve Huffsteter's impish original, "Sneaky" (on which he is out front with Gallio, Saunders and alto Kim Richmond) and another memorable Holman chart, "Yesterdays," with Condit sitting in for its catalyst, the late Bill Perkins. 

Rader, Richmond and Ferguson shine again on Rick Stitzel's lively arrangement of the standard "A Beautiful Friendship." Besides playing great trombone, Scott Whitfield is one-half of a delightful singing duo with Ginger Berglund , and they are simply marvelous on Quincy Jones' Stockholm Sweetnin'" and Johnny Mandel's "Cinnamon and Clove," after which Vax's soaring trumpet is showcased on Puccini's enchanting "Nessun Dorma," an aria immortalized by tenor Luciano Pavarotti. Whitfield is the soloist on Harry Warren's engaging "Lullaby of Broadway," nicely arranged by Lennie Niehaus for Kenton's dance book, which precedes the album's lone Kenton composition / arrangement, "Reed Rapture," a sumptuous tone poem for the saxophones (sans rhythm section) written in 1940. The band rings down the curtain with DeVoe's debonair "Alex Revisited," a close cousin to his equally well-knit "Alex's Tune," which debuted on the band's earlier album Sounds from the Road (Summit 518), and DeVoe's powerful Kenton-inspired arrangement of Samuel Ward's "America the Beautiful." DeVoe, Ferguson, Hobbs and baritone Phil Hilger solo on "Alex Revisited." 

Apart from its obvious awareness and proficiency, this truly is an alumni band, as no less than a dozen of the twenty members including everyone in the trumpet section once played with the renowned Stan Kenton Orchestra. Needless to say, that kind of experience is worth more than its weight in gold. The Kenton alliance extends to three of the saxophonists, three trombonists and, perhaps most decisively, to drummer Hobbs who teams with Leitham to act as the ensemble's unerring compass, reinforced along the way by percussionist Dee Huffsteter. To observe that these Road Scholars have passed every test would be an understatement. Even with sound that is inescapably variable, the band rises above every obstacle to produce a recording whose excellence would surely have left Kenton himself beaming with pride. ~ Jack Bowers  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/stan-kenton-alumni-band-road-scholars-by-jack-bowers.php#.VBoThRawTP8

Personnel: Mike Vax: trumpet, music director; Dennis Noday: trumpet; Carl Saunders: trumpet; Don Rader: trumpet; Steve Huffsteter: trumpet; Kim Richmond: alto sax; Pete Gallio: tenor sax; Rick Condit: tenor sax; Joel Kaye: baritone sax; Phil Hilger: baritone sax; Roy Wiegand: trombone; Dale DeVoe: trombone; Kenny Shroyer: trombone; Scott Whitfield: trombone, vocals; Rich Bullock: bass trombone; Charlie Ferguson: piano; Jennifer Leitham: bass; Gary Hobbs: drums; Dee Huffsteter: percussion; Ginger Berglund: vocals.

Road Scholars (Live)

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Remi Charmasson Quintet - The Wind Cries Jimi

Styles: Jazz Fusion
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:29
Size: 107,0 MB
Art: Front

(6:12)  1. Little Wing
(6:03)  2. One Rainy Wish
(7:19)  3. Burning Of The Midnight Lamp
(5:44)  4. Voodoo Chile
(3:29)  5. Wait Until Tomorrow
(6:22)  6. Them Changes
(6:22)  7. The Wind Cries Mary
(4:55)  8. People Get Ready

Mountain Hendrix. For the climb, should borrow the most prestigious tracks, trying to browse faster, more sporting than the predecessors? Should we open a new passage that illuminates the work in a new light? Rémi Charmasson and his quintet favor a middle way, staying true to the particular condition of the left Seattle for composition, while sidelining the most famous plane its image, guitar hero. Certainly we hear on The Wind Cries Jimi few solos anthology - especially in "Wait Until Tomorrow" surge of energy saturated sublimated by the wah-wah effects and overlays. But the choice of repertoire makes it clear that the group prefers to focus on longer written pieces. We do not find here the "Hey Joe," "Wild Thing", "Purple Haze" and other "Red House" titles certainly true undergoing shock treatments at concerts Hendrix but harmonically more minimalist. The quintet has retained securities representing the essence of the composition hendrixienne and stressing its "pop", "Burning of the Midnight Lamp", "One Rainy Wish", "Little Wing" ... 

The harmonic digressions Perrine Mansuy contribute widely to reveal further write this wealth. In addition, arrangements highlight the pieces as songs, thanks to the interpretation of Laure Donnat truly inhabited by the texts she appropriates masterfully bypassing the melody and pushing far the art of rubato . We may be surprised to hear at the end of album, "People Get Ready" by Curtis Mayfield: the latter having had a significant influence on Hendrix, one will see a way to contextualize it in the sixties, instead of restrict it to a meteorite would have changed everything in less than four years. The long quote from "Hey Jude" at the end of "The Wind Cries Mary" is the same approach. The greatest success of The Wind Cries Jimi is make people want to listen to Hendrix. Not to prefer the original to the copy, but to rediscover the richness of a work sometimes masked by the excess of the purely guitar musician. Translate by google  http://www.citizenjazz.com/Remi-Charmasson-Quintet.html
 

Personnel:  Laure Donnat – Vocals; Remi Charmasson – Guitars; Bernard Santacruz – Bass; Perrine Mansuy - Piano, Organ, Synthesizers; Bruno Bertrand - Drums

The Wind Cries Jimi

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Tierney Sutton - Paris Sessions

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:19
Size: 120,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:27)  1. You Must Believe in Spring
(2:16)  2. Ilm
(5:53)  3. Don't Go to Strangers
(5:53)  4. Beija Flor
(3:12)  5. You're Nearer
(5:20)  6. Estate
(4:54)  7. All Too Soon
(3:43)  8. Asma
(3:32)  9. Body and Soul
(5:46) 10. Izzat
(4:37) 11. Don't Worry 'Bout Me
(3:42) 12. Answer Me, My Love

Think you know every aspect of Tierney Sutton's artistic persona? Think again. Hearing the Paris Sessions is to hear Sutton anew. Sure, it's that same one-of-a-kind voice, but there's no Tierney Sutton Band here, incredibly novel arrangements aren't a priority on this one, and there's no grand umbrella theme to contend with. This is simply a captivating listen-by-candlelight album that strikes to the heart of Tierney Sutton. Paris Sessions is easily the most informal item in Sutton's discography, but the idea of informality shouldn't carry a negative connotation; quite the opposite, in fact. This is a work of unfiltered beauty, successfully pairing vocal temptress with guitar and bass guitar. Two of the numbers recorded at this two day session "Don't Go To Strangers" and "Answer Me, My Love" appeared on Sutton's After Blue (BFM Jazz, 2013); the other ten more standards, some bossa nova detours, and three originals written by Sutton's chief collaborator on this project, guitarist Serge Merlaud  are heard for the first time.

Merlaud is along for this entire ride, an equal partner seated beside the singer. Some brief numbers even cede more than a minute to Merlaud, allowing for proper mood setting and introductions ("You Must Believe In Spring" and "You're Nearer"). Elsewhere, Sutton leads the way, coolly gliding into a scene in inimitable fashion ("Estate"). Seven of the twelve numbers on the program also include the acoustic bass guitar work of Kevin Axt. He provides integral support when holding down the bottom end, but he also takes on the role of rhythm guitarist on several occasions, allowing Sutton and Merlaud to drift along above. Sometimes it takes the arrival of an album to realize that something was missing in the first place. Such is the case with Paris Sessions. This is the hushed Sutton stunner that the jazz world didn't even know it needed. ~ Dan Bilawsky  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/paris-sessions-tierney-sutton-bfm-jazz-review-by-dan-bilawsky.php#.VBoZBRawTP8
 

Personnel: Tierney Sutton: vocals; Serge Merlaud: acoustic guitar, electric guitar; Kevin Axt: acoustic bass guitar.

Paris Sessions

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