Erroll Garner - Body & Soul

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 58:35
Size: 134.1 MB
Styles: Bop, Swing, Piano jazz
Year: 1991
Art: Front

[3:44] 1. The Way You Look Tonight
[2:59] 2. Body And Soul
[2:06] 3. Indiana
[3:23] 4. Honeysuckle Rose
[3:36] 5. I'm In The Mood For Love
[2:57] 6. I Can't Get Started
[2:22] 7. Play, Piano, Play
[3:08] 8. Undecided
[2:41] 9. You're Blase
[2:48] 10. Sophisticated Lady
[2:41] 11. Ain't She Sweet
[2:46] 12. I Didn't Know
[2:20] 13. Fine And Dandy
[3:17] 14. Robbins' Nest
[3:13] 15. Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone
[3:16] 16. It's The Talk Of The Town
[2:26] 17. You're Driving Me Crazy
[3:07] 18. Ja-Da
[2:58] 19. Summertime
[2:38] 20. I Never Knew

As was the case with Fats Waller, Erroll Garner's natural and advanced musical talent ingratiated him to jazz aficionados and experts alike. Garner took to the piano intuitively, never needing to take lessons because of his exceptional ear for music. Further breaking the mold, he transcended many of the jazz styles he came up with, including both swing and bebop. You hear the power of swing pianist Earl Hines in his fleet and robust approach, and, yes, he once played with Charlie Parker, but as heard on this Columbia collection from 1951-1952, Garner concocts a unique blend of the big band's svelte rhythms and bebop's heady swing. On the 20 gems found on Body and Soul, Garner employs a rush of dynamics, yet never compromises the inherent lyricism of the set's many standards. This balancing act cuts across a varied set of brisk swingers (Waller's "Honeysuckle Rose"), fine ballads ("I Can't Get Started"), and medium-tempo strollers ("It's the Talk of the Town"). In light of Garner's thoroughly engaging and self-contained work at the piano, even the fact that bassist John Simmons and drummer Shadow Wilson are practically inaudible becomes negligible. Garner bolsters many of these "little symphonies" with clever intros: a miniature recasting of the song's chord and harmonic structure, heard to sublime effect here on "Summertime" and "Body and Soul" (Garner would expand these preambles in the future, particularly on solo piano outings). And in response to criticisms of his playing being too ornate (extra tremolo on the ballads), it should be said that part of Garner's charm is his "old-fashioned" phrasing, part of the romantic and urbane touch he employs to keep said indulgences in check most of the time. Body and Soul is a fine collection of early Garner sides. Highly recommended. ~Stephen Cook

Body & Soul

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Sherie Julianne - 10 Degrees South

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 49:37
Size: 113.6 MB
Styles: Brazilian jazz, Bossa Nova
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[3:16] 1. Bananeira
[2:35] 2. Watch What Happens
[3:09] 3. O Pato
[5:04] 4. Bonita
[4:28] 5. Brasil Nativo
[3:14] 6. A Ra (Feat. Marcos Silva)
[3:43] 7. Encontro
[4:46] 8. Painting
[4:30] 9. Maracatu, Nacao Do Amor (April Child)
[5:24] 10. O Barquinho (Little Boat)
[5:09] 11. The Look Of Love
[4:12] 12. So Many Stars

Sherie Julianne’s path to singing Brazilian music took many unexpected turns—from a musical childhood in Miami to studying and teaching dance in San Francisco to working over the last decade with her mentor Marcos Silva at the Jazzschool in Berkeley. Silva, a native of Rio de Janeiro, is also Julianne’s collaborator on the singer’s ravishing debut, "10 Degrees South."

“I can’t explain exactly what it was but I fell completely, totally, and utterly in love with Brazilian music and started listening to it all the time,” Julianne says. “I’m American, not Brazilian, and I wanted to find music that fits my personality, that speaks to my American roots, while being immersed in Brazilian rhythms.”

Julianne possesses a translucent honey-amber voice ideally suited for the lithe and flowing melodies that distinguish so many Brazilian standards. Her supple sense of time and her facility at brisk tempos makes her a double threat, emotionally incisive on ballads and fearless on breakneck arrangements. She’s joined by a superlative cast of musicians, including master pianist/arranger Marcos Silva, who’s worked extensively with a long list of Brazilian and American jazz musicians, Leny Andrade and Flora Purim and Airto among them; veteran saxophonist/flutist Mary Fettig; and the dynamic rhythm section tandem of drummer Phil Thompson and bassist Scott Thompson (no relation). Ace guitarist Jeff Buenz, who has performed and recorded with the great Brazilian jazz vocalist Claudia Villela, rounds out the ensemble.

10 Degrees South

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Swing De Gitanes - Muza

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 55:59
Size: 128.2 MB
Styles: Gypsy Swing
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[3:33] 1. You Made Me Love You
[4:16] 2. The Godfather Love Theme (Speak Softly To Me)
[4:19] 3. J'attenrai
[2:53] 4. Sweet Sue
[4:33] 5. Montagne Sainte Genevieve
[2:53] 6. Rhythm Isreal
[4:15] 7. Blue Drag
[2:22] 8. Honeysuckle Rose
[3:55] 9. Honeymoon
[4:17] 10. Nuages
[3:31] 11. Burning Guatemala
[4:46] 12. Tchavolo Swing
[3:09] 13. Honey Pie
[2:39] 14. Black And White
[4:31] 15. Danube

In October 2006, two stories that had been running in parallel converged into one: the story of Swing de Gitanes. Oren Sagi had been playing Gypsy jazz with Roman Alexseyev’s band in 2006. He went on to meet Bar Zalel and the violinist Mirel Resnick, who were also playing this style, and developed an intense yearning to play Django’s music. In the meantime, a friend of his told Oren of a guitarist who was completely obsessed with Django Reinhardt and never stopped talking about him, calling up images of scenes from the movie “Sweet and Lowdown” in Oren’s mind.

October 2006 is when Yaakov Hoter returned to Israel, having played In a Gypsy jazz jam session for the first time (in Copenhagen), meeting John Larsen and Walter Clerici and taking his first lessons in this style. On his return, Yaakov’s childhood dream of learning Django’s music from the source and playing like the Gypsies was burning within him. As soon as he got off the plane, he was anxious to get started organizing a Gypsy swing band. That’s when he heard Oren’s message.

It wasn’t long before Oren, Yaakov and Bar established Swing de Gitanes. Love for this kind of music blossomed. A group of dedicated fans and like-minded musicians grew up around the band’s weekly performances at a neighborhood café. A different guest sat in with the band every week. There were accordionists, violinists, saxophone players and guitarists. One of those guest guitarists stood out above all the others because of his devotion to Django and his original playing – Ori Ben Zvi. He was inspired by Swing de Gitanes to fly to Holland, study the Gypsy style intensively and acquire a Gypsy guitar.

As soon as he got back to Israel, he joined the band, which soon settled into its current lineup. The group’s special musical character was planted thanks to the open flow of ideas between the three musicians, each of whom is a soloist in his own right, and blossomed because of the friendly interaction between the musicians, their intense love of the music and the exchange of roles that allows each of them to express his talents in many ways: as an accompanist, a leading soloist and an ensemble member.

The band is dedicated to exposing the Gypsy swing style to the Israeli public and bringing leading Gypsy jazz musicians from around the world to Israel. Swing de Gitanes has already played host to Jon Larsen (the founder of the Hot Club Records label) and Hot Club de Norvèges, Lulo Reinhardt (in honor of the 100th anniversary of Django Reinhardt’s birth), Daniel Weltlinger (who was featured as a guest artist on the CD, “Muza”), clarinetist Evan Christopher from New Orleans, Antal Postai (Romania), Mauricio Flavio (Italy) and more.

Muza

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Brew Moore - West Coast Brew: Quartet & Quintet Sessions (1955-58)

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 75:39
Size: 173.2 MB
Styles: Cool, West Coast jazz, Saxophone jazz
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[4:23] 1. Fools Rush In (Where Angels Fear To Tread)
[4:55] 2. Them There Eyes
[5:02] 3. Tea For Two
[4:45] 4. Five Planets In Leo
[4:22] 5. I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me
[4:05] 6. Them Old Blues
[4:40] 7. Rose
[4:20] 8. Rotation
[3:24] 9. I Want A Little Girl
[7:29] 10. Edison's Lamp
[3:16] 11. Nancy With The Laughing Face
[7:03] 12. Rhode Island Red
[6:00] 13. Marna Moves
[4:39] 14. Pat's Batch
[7:08] 15. Dues Blues

West Coast Brew: Quartet & Quintet Sessions 1955-1958 combines two of tenor saxophonist Brew Moore's early albums for the Fantasy label: 1956's The Brew Moore Quintet and 1958's Brew Moore. A journeyman musician with an itinerant's penchant for living gig to gig, Moore was a Lester Young acolyte and these dates find him in superb cool jazz form. Joining Moore here is a handful of lesser-known musicians, including pianist John Marabuto, trumpeter Dick Mills, tenor saxophonist Harold Wylie, and others. Interestingly, future Peanuts composer pianist Vince Guaraldi is featured on the latter dates in 1958. Although these dates are available in various reissues, it's nice to have them all collected on one disc, given that they all originate from a specific time and place in Moore's early career. ~ Matt Collar

West Coast Brew: Quartet & Quintet Sessions (1955-58)

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The Jive Aces - Recipe For Rhythm

Styles: Jazz, Swing
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:33
Size: 118,9 MB
Art: Front

(2:52)  1. Aces Shuffle (feat. Jeremy Wakefield & Miss Carmen Getit)
(3:26)  2. Something Can Be Done About It (feat. Miss Carmen Getit & Steve Lucky)
(3:29)  3. Love Me or Leave Me (feat. Mark Isham)
(3:44)  4. Buona Sera (feat. Toni Elizabeth Prima)
(3:06)  5. Once More (feat. Chick Corea) The Jive Aces, Chick Corea 3:06 Not Available
(2:50)  6. London Rhythm (feat. Vic Flick)
(3:34)  7. Fever The Jive Aces
(4:37)  8. Affinity, Reality and Communication (feat. Mark Isham)
(3:54)  9. The Few The Jive Aces
(3:31) 10. Up a Lazy River The Jive Aces
(3:47) 11. Summertime (feat. Chick Corea)
(3:00) 12. Happy All the While (feat. Jeremy Wakefield)
(3:12) 13. Sway The Jive Aces
(3:01) 14. Heading Home (feat. Miss Carmen Getit)
(3:21) 15. We'll Meet Again (feat. Mr. Acker Bilk & Toni Elizabeth Prima)

2008 album from the UK's top Jive/Swing band. Since forming in 1989, this six piece group have performed all around the world and starred on TV and radio, and at festivals, theatres, clubs and top charity and corporate events. They are renowned for their high-energy Jump Jive music (an exciting blend of Swing, R&B, Rock 'N' Roll, Boogie Woogie and Jump Blues) and their spectacular stage show. Sit back and enjoy this collection of outstanding tracks, or just get up and dance! This album follows the overwhelming success of the band's previous albums Our Kinda Jive, Bolt From The Blue, Planet Jive, Life Is A Game and Dance All Night. Right Recordings. ~ Editorial Reviews  

http://www.amazon.com/Recipe-Rhythm-Jive-Aces/dp/B001IAU5A6

Recipe For Rhythm

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Claire Austin - Claire Austin Sings When Your Lover Has Gone

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:39
Size: 157,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:33)  1. When Your Lover Has Gone
(3:43)  2. Can't We Talk It Over
(3:56)  3. My Melancholy Baby
(4:41)  4. I'll Never Be the Same
(4:08)  5. Lover, Come Back to Me
(4:05)  6. The House Is Haunted
(4:14)  7. I'm Thru With Love
(4:28)  8. Someone to Watch over Me
(4:11)  9. Come Rain or Come Shine
(4:11) 10. What Is This Thing Called Love?
(2:48) 11. The World's Jazz Crazy
(3:16) 12. Down Hearted Blues
(3:58) 13. See See Rider
(2:57) 14. Good Time Flat Blues
(3:17) 15. Careless Love
(3:12) 16. Nobody Knows When You're Down And Out
(3:15) 17. Mecca Flat Blues
(3:36) 18. 'Fore Day Creep

The history of jazz and blues is full of talented artists who were obscure but didn't deserve to be. One example is Claire Austin, an expressive jazz/blues vocalist who was as proficient with intimate, introspective torch singing as she was with more extroverted classic blues. Claire Austin Sings When Your Lover Has Gone was recorded for Contemporary in 1955 and 1956, and finds Austin favoring vulnerable, relaxed, subtle torch singing (her phrasing could be described as an appealing combination of Mildred Bailey, Peggy Lee, and Billie Holiday). As a torch singer, she embraces the songbooks of great pop composers like Harold Arlen, Cole Porter, and the Gershwin Brothers. 

~ Alex Henderson  http://www.allmusic.com/album/claire-austin-sings-when-your-lover-has-gone-mw0000267679

Personnel: Claire Austin (vocals); Bob Scobey (trumpet); Kid Ory (trombone); Stan Wrightsman, Don Ewell (piano); Barney Kessel (guitar); Morty Corb, Ed Garland (bass); Shelly Manne, Minor Hall (drums).

Claire Austin Sings When Your Lover Has Gone

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Lissy Walker - Wonderland

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:40
Size: 148,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:24)  1. Dream A Little Dream Of Me / I'll See You In My Dreams
(3:01)  2. You're A Heavenly Thing
(3:45)  3. Tonight You Belong To Me
(4:37)  4. Isn't It Romantic?
(6:44)  5. Lazy Afternoon / Where Of When
(4:31)  6. Little Person
(3:57)  7. Faithless Love
(3:38)  8. There Ain't No Sweet Man  (That's Worth The Salt Of My Tears)
(3:48)  9. I Wish I Was A Fool For You
(3:48) 10. I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles
(4:08) 11. Remember
(4:43) 12. Lover Man
(4:04) 13. Something Wonderful
(5:10) 14. I'll Be Home
(3:16) 15. Lullaby In Ragtime

Alice had many adventures in Wonderland: they could be fun, they could be touching, but they were seldom musical. Lissy Walker's second album, Wonderland, also provides lots of adventures some fun, some touching, all musical. A quick glance at the song titles "Something Wonderful," "Where Or When," "Isn't It Romantic?" put this album fairly and squarely into American Songbook territory. A quick glance at the instrumentation lap steel guitar, 12-string guitar, mandolin suggests that the territory is a bit further out west. But there's a trumpet, strings, a Hammond B3. And there are songs from Randy Newman ("I'll Be Home"), Harry Nilsson ("Remember") and Richard Thompson ("For Shame Of Doing Wrong," adopting Sandy Denny's preferred title of "I Wish I Was A Fool For You"). Confusing, isn't it? Stop glancing at lists, start listening to the music. Suddenly, it isn't confusing at all. Walker expertly draws these disparate sources, instruments and influences together. It's a reminder, if one were required, that musical boundaries are as permeable as a soggy paper bag. Walker's vocal tone owes much to country music, her phrasing stems from a love of jazz. She may lack out and out power, but she can emphasise meaning or emotion with a subtle shift of her voice. 

She can swing, too as she proves on "There Ain't No Sweet Man" and "I'll See You In My Dreams." The mix of jazz, folk and country songs needs, and gets, a band that understands each genre. Walker gives John David Souther's "Faithless Love" a straightforward but heartfelt performance, the song retaining its country roots thanks especially to John R Burr's Floyd Cramer piano flourishes. On "I Wish I Was A Fool For You" Walker's subtle shifts in emphasis capture the ambiguity of the lyrics, Burr's piano and Jason Lewis' understated drumming forming an ideal accompaniment. Trumpeter Steven Bernstein and clarinetist Ben Goldberg's playing is stylish and cool their partnership adding to the swing and optimism of "I'll See You In My Dreams." The combination of "Lazy Afternoon" and "Where Or When" is particularly inspired. Jon Evans' lap steel and Dave MacNab 's 12-string are low in the mix but prominent enough to give the songs an ethereal beauty. Walker's fragile vocal flows seamlessly between the songs, weaving the lyrics together so that they tell a single story. Written around 1919, "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles" has been swung by Dean Martin, adopted as the theme tune of East London's West Ham United football team, given a punk rock makeover by West Ham fans the Cockney Rejects. Walker takes it back to its waltz time roots and reminds us that in the right hands (and voice) it's a lovely, sad, song. In fact, it's never been lovelier. ~ Bruce Lindsay  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/wonderland-lissy-walker-dogwood-records-review-by-bruce-lindsay.php#.VDHrPRawTP8
 

Personnel: Lissy Walker: vocals, backing vocals; John R Burr: piano, Hammond B3 organ; Jon Evans: bass, lap steel guitar, electric guitar; Scott Nygaard: guitar, mandolin; Jason Lewis: drums; Steven Bernstein: trumpet (1, 2, 6, 8, 11), slide trumpet (15); Ben Goldberg: clarinet (1, 15); Dave MacNab: 12-string guitar (5, 7); Philip Worman: cello (10, 12); Carla Kihlstedt: violin (4, 14); Liz Schultze: cello (4, 14).

Wonderland

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Sloche - Stadacone

Styles: Progressive Rock, Fusion
Year: 1976
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:55
Size: 109,9 MB
Art: Front

(10:11)  1. Stadacone
( 5:36)  2. Le Cosmophile
( 4:24)  3. Il Faut Sauver Barbara
( 4:28)  4. Ad Hoc
( 4:55)  5. La "Baloune"
(11:17)  6. Isacaaron

After the spacy prog-fusion of their superb debut J'un Oeil the previous year, Quebec's Sloche eased up a notch on the controls on their follow-up. The Chicoutimi natives, now a sextet with drummer Gilles Chiasson replaced by Andre Roberge and percussionist Gilles Ouellet, decided to fold a dollop or two of funk into their trademark guitar/synth mix. What we get on 1976's Stadacone is a sound that veers into territory occupied by the likes of Weather Report, Mahavishnu Orchestra, or even the loping bass workouts of Stanley Clark rather than the usual suspects of Canterbury bands like Hatfield and the North or mid-period Soft Machine. 

For instance, the excellent title track is ten-plus minutes of lithe Fender Rhodes, deft guitar solos, and swirling synths that might have sounded as good in a tiny jazz club as in a massive concert hall. Ditto for more concise statements like the groovier 'Ad Hoc', where Caroll Berard shows off some nifty guitar work, or the proggier 'Il faut sauver Barbara', which is propped up by keyboardist Martin Murray's driving organs. Like its predecessor, Stadacone pleased the critics but barely troubled the charts, even inside Quebec where the group was most popular. And with the tight-fitting jeans and skinny ties of punk just around the corner, it should come as no surprise that the likes of Sloche were never really heard from again. Both discs have been recently remastered onto CD by the ProgQuebec label, but with such striking cover art, do you really need to be told to look for this one on vinyl? 

~ Michael Panontin  http://www.canuckistanmusic.com/index.php?maid=294

Personnel:  Réjean Yacola / keyboards; Martin Murray / keyboards; Caroll Bédard / guitars; Pierre Hébert / bass; André Roberge / drums & percussions; Gilles Ouellet / celesta, percussions

Stadacone

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