Dmitri Matheny - Starlight Cafe

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:07
Size: 135.3 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 1996
Art: Front

[8:45] 1. Stardust
[7:18] 2. When Lights Are Low
[6:18] 3. Twilight World
[6:09] 4. Spring Skylight
[5:01] 5. Whisper, Muse
[6:39] 6. Geneva
[4:13] 7. Soca Nova
[6:03] 8. Corcovado (Quiet Nights)
[5:03] 9. Saturn's Child
[3:34] 10. When You Wish Upon A Star

Already tabbed a "Talent Deserving Wider Recognition" in the 1998 Down Beat Critics' Poll, flugelhornist Dmitri Matheny seems on the verge of establishing himself as a major new jazz star. His third release on San Francisco's Monarch label may just put him over the top.

Conceived as a "collection of nocturnes," Starlight Cafe is a quiet, hauntingly beautiful album of ballads and standards (including "Stardust," "Corcovado," "When You Wish Upon a Star," and Benny Carter's "When Lights Are Low") plus several of Matheny's similarly themed originals. The 34-year-old Nashville native, now a stalwart on the Bay Area jazz scene, is a velvety smooth player who favors the lyrical and poetic side of jazz over the fire and brimstone side championed by many of his contemporaries. His tone and overall approach bear the strong influence of his mentor, the impeccable "flumpet" player Art Farmer. His ballad playing also recalls that of another master of California romanticism, Chet Baker.

The album was recorded live in Berkeley with a drummer-less trio featuring the fine pianist Darrell Grant (ex-Betty Carter, Frank Morgan, Tony Williams) and bassist Bill Douglass (Mario McPartland's West Coast partner). Matheny and his talented cohorts have made a highly enjoyable album of late-night jazz that proves you don't need to make a lot of noise to make a strong impression. ~Joel Roberts

Starlight Cafe

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Helen Forrest - The Voice Of The Name Bands

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:14
Size: 117.3 MB
Styles: Vocal, Big band
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[3:02] 1. Moonray
[2:50] 2. Yes, My Darling Daughter
[2:42] 3. The Devil Sat Down And Cried
[2:50] 4. I Don't Want To Walk Without You
[3:22] 5. I Had The Craziest Dream
[2:29] 6. Close To You
[3:34] 7. Day In, Day Out
[2:56] 8. How High The Moon
[2:49] 9. Shake Down The Stars
[3:18] 10. Deep In A Dream
[3:12] 11. All The Things You Are
[2:58] 12. It Never Entered My Mind
[3:23] 13. Skylark
[2:58] 14. You Made Me Love You
[3:10] 15. Deep Purple
[3:08] 16. Taking A Chance On Love
[2:26] 17. Baby, What You Do For Me

Helen Forrest (April 12, 1917 – July 11, 1999) was an American singer. She served as the “girl singer” for three of the most popular big bands of the Swing Era (Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman, and Harry James), thereby earning a reputation as “the voice of the name bands.” Helen was born Helen Fogel in Atlantic City, New Jersey on April 12, 1917. Her parents, Louis and Rebecca Fogel, were Russian-born Jews.

At the peak of her career, Helen Forrest was the most popular female singer in the United States. Because of her work with the bands of Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman, and Harry James, she is known as “the voice of the name bands” and is regarded by some as the best female vocalist of the swing era. In addition, AllMusic describes Forrest as “a performer that some might not consider a jazz vocalist, but one with exceptional ability to project lyrics and also an excellent interpreter.” Also, IMDb describes Forrest: “though Helen was not, perhaps, a jazz singer in the truest sense, she brought to her songs a wistful ‘girl-next-door’ quality” through her “femininity and warmth of her voice and the clear, emotional phrasing of her lyrics.” In his book The Big Bands, writer George Simon wrote, “Helen was a wonderfully warm and natural singer.” Over the course of her career, Helen Forrest recorded more than 500 songs. In 2001, she was posthumously inducted into the now-defunct Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame. According to many of her fans, Forrest is reported to have been a warm, amiable woman who was always willing to chat with her fans and sign autographs. Despite Helen Forrest’s legacy, her grave is still marked with a temporary grave marker (as of 2010).

The Voice Of The Name Bands

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Johnny Nash - The Best Of

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 48:22

Size: 110.8 MB

Styles: Reggae

Year: 1996

Art: Front

[2:45] 1. I Can See Clearly Now

[2:43] 2. Dream Lover

[2:42] 3. Hold Me Tight

[2:44] 4. There Are More Questions Than Answers

[2:54] 5. Let's Be Friends

[3:23] 6. Cupid

[3:55] 7. Reggae's On Broadway

[3:21] 8. Let's Move And Groove Together

[3:12] 9. Guava Jelly

[3:02] 10. Wonderful World

[3:01] 11. Stir It Up

[2:51] 12. Ooh, What A Feeling

[2:40] 13. Loving You

[3:16] 14. Tears On My Pillow (I Can't Take It)

[2:46] 15. All I Have To Do Is Dream

[3:00] 16. Halfway To Paradise

Born John Lester Nash, Jr. in Houston, Texas, he began as a pop singer in the 1950s. He released four albums for ABC-Paramount, with his self named debut in 1958. Around 20 singles were released between 1958 & 1964 on a variety of labels such as Groove, Chess, Argo and Warners. He also enjoyed success as an actor early in his career appearing in the screen version of playwright Louis S. Peterson's Take a Giant Step. Nash won a Silver Sail Award for his performance from the Locarno International Film Festival.

Besides "I Can See Clearly Now," Nash recorded several hits in Jamaica, where he travelled in early 1968, as his girlfriend had family links with local TV and radio host and novel writer Neville Willoughby. Nash planned to try breaking the local rocksteady sound in the United States. Willoughby introduced him to a local struggling vocal group, Bob Marley & The Wailing Wailers, Members Bob Marley, Bunny Wailer, Peter Tosh and Rita Marley introduced him to the local scene.[2] Nash signed all four to an exclusive recording contract with his JAD label and also an exclusive publishing contract with Cayman music. An advance was paid in the form of a weekly wage and JAD also financed some of their recordings, some with Byron Lee's Dragonaires and some with other local musicians such as Jackie Jackson and Lynn Taitt. None of the Marley and Tosh songs he produced were successful. Only two singles were released at the time: "Bend Down Low" (JAD 1968) and "Reggae on Broadway" (Columbia, 1972), which was recorded in London in 1972 on the same sessions that produced "I Can See Clearly Now." It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc by the R.I.A.A. in November 1972.[3] The I Can See Clearly Now album includes four original Marley compositions published by JAD: "Guava Jelly", "Comma Comma", "You Poured Sugar On Me" and the follow-up hit "Stir It Up". "There Are More Questions Than Answers" was a third hit single taken from the album.

The Best Of

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Nilson Matta - East Side Rio Drive

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:47
Size: 114.0 MB
Styles: Latin jazz
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[6:04] 1. Sertao
[6:22] 2. Boogie Stop Shuffle
[3:50] 3. Mojave
[5:49] 4. E Menina
[6:24] 5. Verde
[4:15] 6. Blue In Green
[0:44] 7. Proemio Do Mingus
[5:16] 8. Lucas De Nadine
[6:45] 9. Angela
[4:13] 10. Mambo Inn

At the center of it all is Nilson Matta, who is both an outstanding bassist and an exceptional maestro, to employ another overused term. As a bandleader, he has an innate sense of orchestration, of flow, of sequence, of musical space and together with New York based producer/arranger Humberto (Howard) Léder (no stranger to mixing musical cultures, e,g. B.B.King with legendary Brazilian percussionist Nana Vasconcelos), they masterfully conceived an idea to make one piece, with specifically-sized ensembles and a unique groove, and to proceed emotionally and logically, how to make a well-known melody seem fresh and exciting, and then, how to contrast it with something not quite so familiar.

East Side Rio Drive

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Susannah McCorkle - As Time Goes By

Styles: Vocal Jazz

Year: 1986

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 44:26

Size: 104,0 MB

Art: Front

(3:34)  1. September In The Rain

(4:16)  2. I Can't Give You Anything But Love

(4:03)  3. Taking A Chance On Love

(4:56)  4. For All We Know

(5:12)  5. As Time Goes By

(3:12)  6. I Get A Kick Out Of You

(6:03)  7. Alone Together

(4:16)  8. Pennies From Heaven

(4:52)  9. You Don't Know What Love Is

(3:57) 10. Blues In The Night

McCorkle was born in Berkeley, California. She studied modern languages at the University of California, Berkeley. McCorkle began singing professionally after hearing recordings of Billie Holiday in Paris in the late 1960s. She nearly became an interpreter at the European Commission in Brussels, but moved instead to London in 1972 to pursue a career in singing. While in the UK, she made two albums which, although well received, enjoyed only limited circulation. In the late 1970s, McCorkle returned to the United States and settled in New York City, where a five-month engagement at the Cookery in Greenwich Village brought her to wider public attention and elicited rave reviews from critics.

During the 1980s, McCorkle continued to record; her maturing style and the darkening timbre of her voice greatly enhanced her performances. In the early 1990s, two of the albums McCorkle made for Concord Records, No More Blues and Sábia, were enormously successful and made her name known to the wider world. She was recorded by the Smithsonian Institution which at the time made her the youngest singer ever to have been included in its popular music series. McCorkle played Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher and Alice Tully Halls five times and Carnegie Hall three times, and was featured soloist with Skitch Henderson and the 80-piece New York Pops in a concert of Brazilian music. Thanks to her linguistic skills, McCorkle translated lyrics of Brazilian, French, and Italian songs, notably those for her Brazilian album Sabia. She had a special affinity for Bossa Nova and often cited Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Waters of March" as her personal favorite. McCorkle also had several short stories published and, in 1991, began work on her first novel. She published fiction in Mademoiselle, Cosmopolitan Magazine, and non-fiction in the New York Times Magazine and in American Heritage, including lengthy articles on Ethel Waters, Bessie Smith, Irving Berlin and Mae West.

A survivor of breast cancer, McCorkle suffered for many years from depression and committed suicide at age 55 by leaping off the balcony of her 16th-floor apartment on West 86th Street in Manhattan. She was alone in her home at the time. The police immediately entered her home after identifying her body and found no foul play. Suicide was ruled the manner of death. One year later, in a New York magazine tribute entitled "Jazz Bird", Gwenda Blair wrote, "Onstage, singer Susannah McCorkle exuded a sultry self-confidence that won her lifelong fans. But in private, she fought depression so deep and so well hidden that a year after her suicide, even some in her most intimate circle wonder how they missed the cries for help." Haunted Heart, a biography of Susannah McCorkle written by Linda Dahl, was published in September 2006 by University of Michigan Press. ~ Bio  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susannah_McCorkle

Personnel: Susannah McCorkle (vocal),  Jimmy Heath (ts), Ted Dunbar (g), Billy Taylor (p), Victor Gaskin (b), Tony Reedus (d)

As Time Goes By

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Lee Ritenour - Overtime

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:32
Size: 168,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:48)  1. Boss City
(9:14)  2. Blue in Green
(4:27)  3. Ocean Ave.
(5:01)  4. She Walks This Earth
(5:12)  5. Sugarloaf Express
(4:38)  6. Possibilities
(6:52)  7. Papa Was A Rollin' Stone
(5:37)  8. Morning Glory
(7:24)  9. Captain Fingers
(3:47) 10. P.a.L.S.
(5:56) 11. Night Rhythms
(5:00) 12. Lil' Bumpin'
(4:30) 13. Is It You?

Overtime is really two CDs in one. On the instrumentals, particularly "Bass City" and "Blue in Green," guitarist Lee Ritenour sounds a lot like Wes Montgomery and he leads his group (which features either Ernie Watts or Eric Marienthal on tenor) through some relatively straight-ahead numbers filled with soulful and creative playing. However the five vocals numbers are much more in the R&B/smooth vein and are largely throwaways despite the occasional presence of Ivan Lins. Clearly Ritenour was going for variety on this project but will probably only satisfy his greatest fans. The jazz listeners will be turned off by the vocals and the pop/smooth fans will probably only tolerate some of the more adventurous originals. Ritenour sounds fine in both settings but probably should have recorded twice as much music and split this CD into two. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/overtime-mw0000209550

Personnel: Lee Ritenour (guitar); Ivan Lins (vocals, Fender Rhodes piano); Eric Marienthal (flute, saxophone, soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone); Patrice Rushen (piano, Fender Rhodes piano, synthesizer); Dave Carpenter (acoustic bass, double bass); Melvin Davis , Anthony Jackson (bass guitar); Steve Forman (percussion); Tim Carmen (programming); Grady Harrell, Kenya Hathaway (vocals); Ernie Watts (tenor saxophone); Chris Botti (trumpet); Dave Grusin (piano, Fender Rhodes piano, keyboards); Barnaby Finch (keyboards); Harvey Mason, Sr. , Oscar Seaton (drums); Alex Acuña (percussion); Jochem van der Saag (programming).

Overtime

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Massimo Farao Trio - I Left My Heart In San Francisco

Styles: Piano Jazz

Year: 2015

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 66:39

Size: 153,0 MB

Art: Front

(7:08)  1. I Left My Heart In San Francisco

(4:54)  2. Chega De Saudade

(6:50)  3. Whisper Not

(5:22)  4. Love Is A Many-Splendored Thing

(5:56)  5. In A Sentimental Mood

(6:15)  6. All of You

(6:25)  7. What A Difference A Day Made

(6:27)  8. Ain't Misbehavin'

(5:34)  9. I'm a Fool to Want You

(6:11) 10. Georgia on My Mind

(5:33) 11. Very Thought Of You

Massimo Farao is a wonderful Italian pianist who has played and recorded with Red Holloway, Albert "Tootie" Heath, Tony Scott, Franco Ambrosetti, Nat Adderley, Jeff Tain Watts, Jack DeJohnette and Chris Potter, among others. Venus Records' producer Tetsuo Hara must have really fallen in love with Farao's music because in less than a year he has released no less than five of the Italian pianist's albums. The debut CD by his trio Luiza was followed by Bohemia After Dark which featured his bassist Aldo Zunino in a duo setting. Now we have three new albums (Autumn Leaves, My Funny Valentine and I Left My Heart In San Francisco) that were all recorded in a three-day session in February, 2014.

It seems quite a feat for a piano trio to produce three albums-worth music in three days, but the quality of the performance is consistently high. Farao's passionate style and romanticism are very attractive along with the rich harmonies he creates. He doesn't play too many notes and his arrangements are relatively straight forward, but his choice of notes is exquisite. With his unfailing sense of swing, all his music including ballads radiates an aura of happiness. Recommended to fans of piano trios! http://www.eastwindimport.com/product-info.asp?ProductID=13340

Personnel:  Massimo Farao (piano); Aldo Zunino (bass); Marco Tolotti (drums).

I Left My Heart In San Francisco

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Serge Chaloff - Boston Blow-Up!

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 45:44

Size: 104.7 MB

Styles: Hard bop, Saxophone jazz

Year: 1955/2006

Art: Front

[2:36] 1. Bob The Robin

[4:41] 2. Yesterday's Gardenias

[3:12] 3. Sergical

[3:40] 4. What's New

[3:23] 5. Mar-Dros

[4:22] 6. Jr

[3:50] 7. Body And Soul

[3:21] 8. Kip

[1:40] 9. Diane's Melody

[3:16] 10. Unison

[3:45] 11. Boomareemaroja

[4:20] 12. Herbs

[3:31] 13. Herbs

Baritonist Serge Chaloff, best known as a member of Woody Herman's Second Herd, made a comeback in the mid-'50s after years of drug abuse. Having kicked the habit in his native Boston, he recorded The Fable of Mable in 1954 and this excellent session the following year. Chaloff is heard on a variety of obscure originals plus a couple of standards (including a near-classic "Body and Soul") in a sextet with trumpeter Herb Pomeroy and altoist Boots Mussulli. The ironic part is that, once Chaloff cleaned up his act, he contracted spinal paralysis and died in 1957. However, the baritonist is very much in prime form on this set, which was once only available on CD as part of Mosaic's Serge Chaloff limited-edition box but was reissued by Capitol Jazz in 2006 with three extra tracks. ~Scott Yanow

Boston Blow-Up

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Malo - S/T

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 44:07

Size: 101.0 MB

Styles: Latin rock

Year: 1972/1995

Art: Front

[6:47] 1. Pana

[7:48] 2. Just Say Goodbye

[7:15] 3. Cafe

[6:27] 4. Nena

[6:32] 5. Suavecito

[9:16] 6. Peace

Malo was an American Latin-tinged rock and roll group. The San Francisco-based ensemble was led by Arcelio Garcia and Jorge Santana, the brother of Latin-rock guitarist, Carlos Santana. Four of Malo's original members (Santana, Leo, Garcia, Tellez, and Bean) had previously played in the band, The Malibus. The other three founding members (Abel Zarate, Roy Murray, and Richard Spremich) had played together in the group, Naked Lunch.

Malo's 1972 Top 20 hit single, "Suavecito," was written by timbales player Richard Bean, who initially wrote it as a poem for a girl in his high school algebra class. The song has been called "The Chicano National Anthem" and was arranged for Malo by Richard Bean, bassist Pablo Tellez, and Abel Zarate. Tellez and Zarate also received co-author credits on "Suavecito". Guitarist Abel Zarate gave Malo a distinctive two-guitar sound with intricate harmony and dual solos the norm. The band featured full horn and percussion sections in the style of contemporary bands Blood, Sweat & Tears and Chicago. Some of the best musicians in the Bay Area were featured in Malo, including Forrest Buchtel, Jr., Ron Smith, Paul C Saenz, Luis Gasca, and Tom Harrell in the trumpet section. Malo's music was also hugely popular in Central and South America, especially the songs "Chevere", "Nena", "Pana", "Cafe", and "Oye Mama".

Malo 

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Keith Andrew - Blue Funky Blue

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:17
Size: 126.6 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[4:22] 1. Pookies Groove (Feat. Marcus Anderson & Nate Ginsberg)
[4:29] 2. Bayon (Feat. Marcus Anderson & Nate Ginsberg)
[5:46] 3. Blue Funky Blue (Feat. Nate Ginsberg)
[4:36] 4. Who Dat, Where You At (Feat. Nate Ginsberg)
[4:19] 5. Bubblefunk (Feat. Marcus Anderson)
[4:11] 6. Samasama
[4:27] 7. Sherpadance (Feat. Rob Tardik)
[4:05] 8. Fertile Crescent (Feat. Nate Ginsberg)
[3:20] 9. Little Sierra (Feat. Mingo Lewis)
[3:21] 10. Howl Mountain
[5:12] 11. Middle Of The Night (Feat. Mingo Lewis)
[2:39] 12. Makes Me Wonder
[2:47] 13. Who Dat, Said Who Dat (Feat. Nate Ginsberg)
[1:36] 14. New Way

Guitarist/keyboardist/vocalist Keith Andrew brings us a funky, saucy, and smooth offering that is diverse, melodic, and loaded with swagger. This release, Blue Funky Blue, which also features saxman Marcus Anderson and guitarist Rob Tardik on select tracks, boasts a delightful blend of contemporary jazz, fusion, blues, funk, and touches of World, a recipe not unfamiliar to Andrew.

On Blue Funky Blue, you’ll find yourself in the familiar settings of contemporary jazz (e.g., “Pookies Groove”), blues (title track), and funk (“Who Dat, Where You At?”) only to witness a slight detour into exotic areas of World (“Fertile Crescent,” “Sherpadance”) and great fusion (“Little Sierra,” “Makes Me Wonder,” “New Way”). You’ll also find tracks that just do their own thing, defying categorization or pigeonholing (e.g., “Howl Mountain” and the raspy “In the Middle of the Night,” which play with fusion, blues, and rock, as well). The outrageously swinging uptempo bluesy “Who Dat, Said Who Dat?” showcases Andrew’s ability to fire off lightning riffs and directs the spotlight toward the nimble fingers of keyboardist Nate Ginsberg, as well. This piece is jazz/blues on steroids, so hold on to your hats for the ride. Impressive showing of skill for sure.

To say this album is full of emotion and creativity is an understatement. This had to be a true experience for all who participated in the making of this project. I personally wouldn’t say that Blue Funky Blue is as comprehensively bluesy and funky as its title might suggest, but if you want creativity, diversity, and totally impressive musicianship, open this door. You’ll find that you’re in the right place. ~Randy Jackson

Blue Funky Blue

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Lisa Levy - When I Fall In Love

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:00
Size: 171,8 MB
Art: Front

(2:52)  1. My Funny Valentine
(4:45)  2. One Note Samba
(2:31)  3. Something Stupid
(2:47)  4. Sunny
(2:24)  5. Almost Like Being In Love
(3:58)  6. Over The Rainbow
(3:41)  7. The Frim Fram Sauce
(3:54)  8. Dance Me To The End Of Love
(1:49)  9. How High The Moon
(3:10) 10. When I Fall In Love
(2:38) 11. The Twist
(3:25) 12. Embraceable You
(2:52) 13. How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)
(3:01) 14. I Get A Kick Out Of You
(4:32) 15. Nobody Does It Better
(3:10) 16. They Can't Take That Away From Me
(2:18) 17. Moon River
(2:38) 18. Come Rain Or Come Shine
(3:26) 19. Lullaby Of Birdland
(3:47) 20. Taking A Chance On Love
(2:19) 21. It's Delovely
(2:26) 22. Orange Colored Sky
(3:18) 23. Puttin' On The Ritz
(3:06) 24. I Remember You

Purveyor of live musical entertainment for heads of state, diplomats, dignitaries, VIPs and other discerning patrons, SHERATON CADWELL's (www.sheratoncadwell.com) world premier release of its PLATINUM SERIES is an elegant dance collection of selected love songs and greatest hits from the last 70 years. More..http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/lisalevy

"Lisa Levy is a joy to work with, watch, and listen to." ~ Roger Whitnall

"Your vocal stars are glamorous, chic & hip ... what a treat!" ~ Olivier Francone

"It takes a really good band to get the Mayor up to dance the twist!" ~ Hazel McCallion

"Many we knew were asking for a CD of EVERY SONG your band played ... this CD only has some of them. Can we have more, please?" ~ Jean Anderson

"Your track record of recorded work is utterly impressive ... wow!" ~ Julio Hernandez

"I loved your performance ... it was professional and entertaining!" ~ Joanne Wheatley

"You have both style and substance." ~ Jim Stanley

"Awesome! There was hardly any room left on the dance floor ... with thousands more watching your show from all around the amphitheatre!" ~ Tim Reidt

When I Fall In Love

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Kurt Rosenwinkel - Deep Song

Styles: Vocal And Guitar Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:41
Size: 168,9 MB
Art: Front

(8:25)  1. The Cloister
(8:20)  2. Brooklyn Sometimes
(7:31)  3. The Cross
(4:48)  4. If I Should Lose You
(6:12)  5. Synthetics
(8:25)  6. Use of Light
(9:12)  7. Cake
(3:51)  8. Deep Song
(7:27)  9. Gesture
(9:25) 10. The Next Step

As listeners it sometimes feels as though we live vicariously through the musical experiences of the artists we cherish excited by the thrill of discovery, the joy of constant growth, and the sheer emotional wallop that the best music holds. And so it's particularly satisfying to watch an artist emerge as more than merely a talented player and composer, but one of significance and consequence. Guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel arrived on the scene in the early '90s recording with artists including Gary Burton and Paul Motian, and while those early days were spent in a kind of post-Metheny haze, by the middle of the decade a distinctive voice was emerging that was equal parts staggering arpeggio, flurry of cascading notes, and idiosyncratic lyricism. He was also evolving a uniquely ethereal tone processed, but in a thick and velvety manner that was completely his own. The best artists are those with voices so singular that they can be identified within the first couple of notes. By the time of Rosenwinkel's first release of all-original material, '00's Enemies of Energy , it was clear that this was an artist with the potential to become his generation's Frisell, Scofield, or Abercrombie. With the release of Deep Song , that potential is fully realized.

Following the more mainstream The Next Step and an '03 take on electronica, Heartcore , Deep Song feels like a consolidation and acknowledgement of everything Rosenwinkel has done to date. While the instrumentation is more straightforward the leader is joined by pianist Brad Mehldau, saxophonist Joshua Redman, and bassist Larry Grenadier; Ali Jackson alternates drum duties with Jeff Ballard this is far from a mainstream record, with an energy and modernity that is equally strong testament to Rosenwinkel the writer as it is Rosenwinkel the guitarist. By the time the group hit the studio immediately following a whirlwind tour of Europe last summer, they were deeply inside both the material and the collective gestalt. Most revealing are three tracks that Rosenwinkel revisits from his first two Verve releases. As good as those discs are, compare the version of "Synthetics" on Enemies of Energy with this new reading. What is immediately striking is a sense of authority and even stronger sense of adventure in Rosenwinkel's playing. 

Essentially an opening theme that leads into a time-based free improvisation, it also demonstrates the rich interplay taking place throughout the album. Elsewhere, the newer material finds Rosenwinkel continuing to hone his language. The joyous "The Cross" shows how far he has come as a writer of melodies both attractive and curious; and like Abercrombie, Rosenwinkel has a particular penchant for waltz time, finding new ways of subdividing the rhythm so that every track has its own complexion. With an all-star lineup performing material that successfully looks to the past, the future, and the now, Deep Song is Rosenwinkel's most fully-realized album to date, fulfilling the promise of his earlier recordings. With this recording Rosenwinkel makes the leap into that rarefied strata of artists who are truly moving the music forward. ~ John Kelman  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/deep-song-kurt-rosenwinkel-verve-music-group-review-by-john-kelman.php

Personnel: Kurt Rosenwinkel: guitar, vocals, piano (2); Brad Mehldau: piano (1-7, 9, 10); Joshua Redman: tenor saxophone (1, 3-10); Larry Grenadier: bass; Jeff Ballard: drums (3-5, 8); Ali Jackson: drums (1, 2, 6, 7, 10, 11).

Deep Song

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Johnny Varro Swing 7 - Afterglow

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:33
Size: 151,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:27)  1. It's a Wonderful World
(4:25)  2. Just Squeeze Me (But Don't Tease Me)
(2:58)  3. Ida! Sweet As Apple Cider
(4:24)  4. Truckin'
(4:00)  5. Afterglow
(4:06)  6. In The Still Of The Night
(6:02)  7. Moten Swing
(4:24)  8. Pom Pom
(5:37)  9. Change Partners
(2:51) 10. Humoresque
(3:21) 11. One For Todd
(3:50) 12. Cross Your Heart
(3:28) 13. Front And Center
(4:36) 14. The Chase
(4:56) 15. Brandy N' Beer

Pianist Johnny Varro came closer that anyone in the '90s to play in the flawless swing style of Teddy Wilson. Varro's occasional combos (the one on this CD is called the "Swing 7") are very much in the idiom of late '30s prebop music. Varro, tenor saxophonist Tommy Newsom, Ken Peplowski (on clarinet and his rarely heard alto), trombonist Dan Barrett, trumpeter Randy Sandke, bassist Frank Tate and drummer Joe Ascione perform a variety of '30s and '40s material plus Varro's "Afterglow" and "One for Todd." Although some of the arrangements are reminiscent of John Kirby's Sextet (particularly "Ida, Sweet as Apple Cider," "Humoresque" and Charlie Shavers' "Front and Center"), other groups hinted at are Duke Ellington's small combos, Count Basie and the Dave Pell Octet. The 15 performances include quite a few gems and this is a highly enjoyable example of latter-day small-group swing. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/afterglow-mw0000047267

Personnel: Johnny Varro (piano); Ken Peplowski (clarinet, alto saxophone); Tommy Newsom (tenor saxophone); Randy Sandke (trumpet); Dan Barrett (trombone); Joe Ascione (drums).

Afterglow

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Johnny Smith - Moonlight In Vermont

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1952
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:06
Size: 101,8 MB
Art: Front

(2:26)  1. Where Or When
(2:42)  2. Tabu
(3:15)  3. Moonlight In Vermont
(2:33)  4. Jaguar
(3:05)  5. Stars Fell On Alabama
(3:26)  6. Tenderly
(3:10)  7. A Ghost Of A Chance
(2:42)  8. Vilia
(2:15)  9. Cavu
(2:47) 10. I'll Be Around
(2:52) 11. Yesterdays
(2:49) 12. Cherokee
(2:20) 13. Sometimes I'm Happy
(2:26) 14. Nice Work If You Can Get It
(2:30) 15. Jaguar [alternative version]
(2:40) 16. My Funny Valentine

This may be the greatest "forgotten" jazz album of its time. "Moonlight In Vermont" was originally released as the B side of a single in '52. Its lush, gorgeous, laid back groove caressed into life by Smith and Stan Getz made it an immediate radio hit and it was voted Jazz Record Of The Year by Downbeat. Over subsequent decades, "Moonlight In Vermont" and the eponymous album to which it gave birth (originally two 10" issues titled Jazz At NBC ) have gradually faded from view: Smith, a studio musician at NBC and regular performer at Birdland for much of the Fifties, more or less retired from performance in the early Sixties and his work has since been out of catalogue more often than it has been in. An uncannily symmetrical 52 years after its first release, Moonlight In Vermont must now be a strong contender for Jazz Reissue Of The Year. The sixteen tracks, recorded between March '52 and August '53, include the original eight with Getz and a further eight with Getz replaced by either Zoot Sims or Paul Quinchette. The music is meticulously arranged, the harmonic development rich and sophisticated, and the performances, particularly those of Smith, Getz and the "first choice" rhythm section of Gold, Safranski and Lamond, technically awesome; the up-tempo unison passages by Smith and Getz especially are jawdroppingly masterful.

Yet Smith never uses technique for its own sake. Throughout, his rapid fire single note runs (every bit as jetspeed as Tal Farlow's, but more sparingly used) and innovative chordal theme statements and solos (truly harmolodic inventions) are just there's no other word heavenly. Like the title track, much of the album is lush, gorgeous and laid back, but there is plenty of fire and energy here too. Still, gloriously and evocatively, in the original mono, the album has been lovingly remastered in 24-bit by Malcolm Addey. If you like Django, Charlie Christian and/or Wes Montgomery, do yourself an immense favour and check it out. Kinda Interesting Factoid : Somewhat unexpectedly, Johnny Smith is the composer of "Walk Don't Run," that massive, twanging, primeval rock 'n' roll hit for the Ventures in '60. The royalties allowed Smith to relocate from NYC to bucolic Colorado. His lifestyle gain perhaps, but our listening loss for sure. ~ Chris May  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/moonlight-in-vermont-johnny-smith-roulette-jazz-review-by-chris-may.php

Personnel: Johnny Smith (guitar); Stan Getz (tenor saxophone); Sanford Gold (piano); Don Lamond, Morey Feld (drums).

Moonlight In Vermont

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Richard "Groove" Holmes & Jimmy Witherspoon - Groovin' And Spoonin'

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 32:36
Size: 74.6 MB
Styles: Jazz-blues, Urban blues
Year: 1973/2010
Art: Front

[2:09] 1. Take This Hammer, Part 1
[3:30] 2. In Blues
[2:13] 3. Loser's Blues
[2:27] 4. Please Send Me Someone To Love
[2:25] 5. Key To The Highway
[2:24] 6. Cry The Blues
[2:07] 7. Out Blues (For Big Joe)
[3:27] 8. Since I Fell For You
[2:20] 9. Everything
[3:56] 10. Goin' To Chicago Blues
[2:30] 11. Gee Baby Ain't I Good To You
[3:03] 12. Take This Hammer, Part 2

Jimmy Witherspoon (Vocals), Groove Holmes (Organ), Teddy Edwards (Tenor Saxophone), Frank Butler (Drums), Jimmy Bond (Bass), Herman Mitchell (Guitar), Paul Moer (Piano).

An expanded CD was released in 2010. This material was also released on an album titled Spoon And Groove in 1996 and an album titled Blues For Spoon And Groove in 2009.

Groovin' And Spoonin' 

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Raphaële Atlan - Give It Time

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:09
Size: 112.5 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[4:45] 1. The Pursuit
[3:44] 2. Trente Ans
[3:42] 3. Summer Song
[3:33] 4. Give It Time
[5:01] 5. Night Passengers
[4:48] 6. Tous Ces Mois De Juliet
[5:03] 7. Rise
[3:29] 8. Rio
[3:19] 9. Eu Nao Existo Sem Voce
[4:48] 10. Real
[6:52] 11. What Remains

After her first album, Inner Stories, which received a critical acclaim in 2011, and a French tour in 2012, the singer and pianist Raphaële Atlan went back to the studios in 2014 to record Give It Time, essentially made of personal compositions that reveal a unique and creative kind of jazz, a universe full of energy, sweetness and poetry. In this second opus, her music is more than ever a reflection of herself : generous, multifaceted, enthusiastic, and deeply turned towards the world.

Born from a need to escape, several trips as many contemplative wanderings between three bright cities, NYC, Rio and Paris, this second album Give It Time shows the need for authenticity and new horizons that characterizes the young singer and pianist, gifted with an exceptional voice. In addition, the album is in itself a thought about the concept of time : the time one takes to fulfill oneself and make choices, the time one takes to discover, feel, leave ; time : the greatest vertigo of all, as well as our best ally in life…

Give It Time

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Michel Petrucciani Trio - Estate

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:52
Size: 77.6 MB
Styles: Post bop, Piano jazz
Year: 2001/2014
Art: Front

[5:28] 1. Pasolini
[4:57] 2. Very Early
[5:48] 3. Estate
[3:47] 4. Maybe Yes
[6:21] 5. I Just Say Hello
[4:13] 6. Tone Poem
[3:16] 7. Samba Des Prophetes

Michel Petrucciani was not quite 20 years old at the time of this trio session with drummer Aldo Romano and bassist Furio Di Castri, but he was already displaying incredible potential as a pianist. Petrucciani's risk-taking interpretation of Bill Evans' turbulent "Very Early" is the highlight of this release, closely followed by his own bittersweet ballad, "I Just Say Hello." Romano's rapid fire "Samba Des Prophetes" is superior to his rather bland and predictable "Pasolini." Michel Petrucciani made a number of dates for Owl and The George Wein Collection around the same time period as these recordings which are superior to this CD, yet none of them have remained in print. Even though this can't be considered an essential release for Michel Petrucciani fans (especially with its brief playing time of under 35 minutes), it is an enjoyable session. ~Ken Dryden

Estate

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Joel Weiskopf - Devoted To You

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:01
Size: 156,1 MB
Art: Front

(10:58)  1. Beauty For Ashes
( 6:26)  2. Devoted to You
( 9:30)  3. Giving Thanks
( 6:21)  4. November
( 6:41)  5. St. Denio
( 8:10)  6. The Strongest Love
( 7:27)  7. You Must Believe In Spring
( 4:41)  8. Wondrous Love
( 5:45)  9. A Mighty Fortress
( 1:58) 10. One Bright Morning

Brazilian influenced rhythms, loose-limbed swing and secondline groove are all part of Joel Weiskopf's fourth Criss Cross session as a leader. His incisive piano improvisations are enhanced by two of the label's star sidemen, bassist John Patitucci and drummer Eric Harland, each of whom also take advantage of a plentiful amount of solo space. The program includes Weiskopf's melodically opulent compositions, the standard You Must Believe in Spring, the spiritual Wondrous Love, and a rousing rendition of Martin Luther's hymn A Mighty Fortress. ~ Editorial Reviews  http://www.amazon.com/Devoted-You-Joel-Weiskopf-Trio/dp/B000NVLABY

Personnel: Joel Weiskopf (piano); John Patitucci (bass guitar); Eric Harland (drums).

Devoted To You

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Lisa Bassenge Trio - A Sigh, A Song

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:00
Size: 140,2 MB
Art: Front

( 3:53)  1. Can't Get You Out Of My Head
( 4:34)  2. Adeus
( 2:34)  3. Blue Suede Shoes
( 2:50)  4. It's Now Or Never
( 3:05)  5. Everybody Loves Somebody Sometimes
( 3:26)  6. Shake The Disease
( 3:28)  7. My Guy
( 5:33)  8. Blue
( 3:33)  9. A Sigh, A Song
( 3:23) 10. My Heart Belongs To Daddy
( 1:38) 11. Are You Lonesome Tonight (Intro)
( 1:54) 12. Are You Lonesome Tonight
( 3:43) 13. Ol' 55
( 4:35) 14. Golden Earrings
( 1:09) 15. Interlude
(11:34) 16. Junimond

After his furious debut album Going Home Berlin Piano Trio puts the singer Lisa Bassenge here his second album before. The title A Sigh, A song could be in completely programmatically meant: between a sigh and a song need not necessarily lie worlds. At least that leads the ninth track, the only original composition of the album, before ears.It shows the band, as it dominates the reduction to the essentials and gets by with very little means to let a song go under the skin atmospherically. In a nutshell, two piano chords, a sensitively-sufficient mysterious bass. They conjure up that mood that can make just by a love sigh air. Of course there is not least the voice of the singer. For some ballads you may still need the large, even lived suffering; but not the passion. Lisa Bassenges singing is clear, supple and experiment. Already on their debut album, they had transformed Madonna's "Like A Virgin" in a delicate, wonderfully complex ballad. Now she has made with her companions except jazz standards more pop Title to deconstruct them. The trio is far from easy to covers songs; Jazz standards, it lights up from scratch, pop songs translated it into the jazz idiom. This produces creations that are sometimes even surpass the original. Rio Reiser "Junimond" Tom Waits '"Ol' 55" or "Shake The Disease" by Depeche Mode are imaginative, sensitive adaptations, but also discover the breaking points. For example, the Lisa Bassenge Trio dispensed with "Shake The Disease" in the well-kept British boredom that blew the arrangements of '80s cult band. The song does well, the trio well. It maintains its own attitude to life, and that has nothing to do with cerebral jazz. ~ Roman Rhode 

Tuesday she enthused Harald Schmidt: Lisa Bassenges Pop-jazz mix is ??ripe for a breakthrough... It is fitting that the first major television appearance of Bassenge Trio last Tuesday went at late night mockers of Sat1 across the stage. Because the transgressing character of music of Lisa Bassenge, pianist Andreas Schmidt and bassist Paul Kleber does not belong in the category of ghetto culture magazines. The Berlin reconcile with songs that everyone knows, interpret with improvisation. As the ancestors of the genre you are looking for the Jazz to Pop. The Bassenge Trio breathes classics by Elvis Presley, Tom Waits or Depeche Mode new life - and open up new world of hearing: so fragile and intimate as in the version of Bassenge Trio Madonna's hit "Like A Virgin" has never sounded ... ~ Handelsblatt, 06.12.2002  Translate by google  http://www.amazon.de/Sigh-Song-Lisa-Bassenge-Trio/dp/B00006ALD7

A Sigh, A Song

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Greg Fishman, Jeremy Monteiro - Only Trust Your Heart

Styles: Piano And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:52
Size: 98,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:34)  1. Only Trust Your Heart
(5:41)  2. I Can't Get Started
(4:43)  3. El Cahon
(5:59)  4. Isfahan
(4:03)  5. My Funny Valentine
(4:50)  6. These Foolish Things (Remind Me Of You)
(6:20)  7. My Romance
(5:39)  8. Nancy With The Laughing Face

This set of duets by tenor saxophonist Greg Fishman and pianist Jeremy Monteiro is full of strong melodies, lyrical and thoughtful improvising, and warm feelings. Fishman's tone is a little reminiscent of Stan Getz and the Four Brothers without sounding derivative while the supportive Monteiro features attractive chord voicings and a fine two-handed style. Together, Fishman and Monteiro bring out the beauty in eight selections that include ballads and medium-tempo romps, all from the mainstream jazz tradition. This delightful program is well worth checking out. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/only-trust-your-heart-mw0001445890

Personnel:  Greg Fishman - Tenor Saxophone;  Jeremy Monteiro - Piano

Only Trust Your Heart

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John Davis & The Monster Orchestra - Night & Day

Styles: Jazz, Bop
Year: 1976
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:10
Size: 78,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:10)  1. Tell Me How You Like It
(2:55)  2. I Get A Kick
(5:04)  3. Night & Day
(4:16)  4. I've Got You Under My Skin
(5:02)  5. I Can't Stop
(5:20)  6. In The Still Of The Night
(3:41)  7. You Do Something to Me
(2:40)  8. It's Delovely

The ensemble released its first album, Night and Day, in 1976. The 12" single, "I Can't Stop", was one of its original tunes. The album enjoyed minor success and its second release was 1977's Up Jumped The Devil. By 1978, the band had released its third album, Ain't That Enough For You. It was their most commercially successful release, featuring the self-titled hit "Ain't That Enough For You." The album gave the outfit its only UK hit, when the record reached #70 in the UK Singles Chart. 1979's The Monster Orchestra Strikes Again! would be the band's final album release. 

The record spawned two 12" singles: "Love Magic" would rival the group's previous success, whilst "Bourgie Bourgie" was a cover version of the Ashford & Simpson penned song. John Davis and the Monster Orchestra released a last gramophone record in 1981. Available only on a 12" single, "Hangin' Out" charted on Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart in August 1981 and topped at number 46. 

In 1990, a remix of "(Feel The) Love Magic" was released and it became a club hit again. In 1992, Davis wrote, produced and performed the "Theme From Beverly Hills, 90210.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Davis_and_the_Monster_Orchestra

Night & Day

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April Hall - Hall Sings Hines

Size: 101,2 MB
Time: 42:24
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2005
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. I Go For You (4:20)
02. I-95 (3:03)
03. Just Us (4:26)
04. 4 Blues (5:41)
05. Encinitas (5:50)
06. To The Street (2:37)
07. A Stone (5:34)
08. We Could Have The Same (5:24)
09. Traces (5:24)

A teaming of talented ladies brings us Hall Sings Hines. The combination of vocalist April Hall and pianist Pamela Hines, who wrote all the tunes, seems a perfect fit, like Tony Bennett's work with the Ralph Sharon Trio for the past several years.

If the music that Hall and Hines make represents an extension of their personalities, they both must be people possessed of an uplifting panache, a dash of style. "I Go for You" opens the set with a swaying tempo that Hall navigates with a fluid grace, a rich tone, and an appealing assurance, before Pamela Hines takes a solo that seems informed by Bill Evans, but with a more outward-looking attitude, vivid and bright. Hines' songwriting has—here and elsewhere in the set—a classic feeling, Cole Porter-esque in terms of melody.

"I-95" ups the tempo on a Latin groove, with bassist John Lockwood and drummer Reed Dieffenbach shining, in accompaniment and some solo space. In lesser hands bass solos have a way of dragging a tune down, but Lockwood's work lifts it, in front of Deiffenbach's bouncy drums. "Just Us" is a good old-fashioned love song that makes me think of those great late-'40s/early-50's musicals. The tune features Hall in achingly beautiful voice in front of bass and drums—nice brush work by Dieffenbach—with Hines sparkling around the vocal.

"4 Blues" changes the pace, kicking out the jams, in a belt-it-out affair for Hall, with the band cooking, with a quirky, slightly angular solo from Hines. "Encinitas" (named for one of California's prettiest cities, nestled on the coast twenty miles north of San Diego) drifts into a relaxed mode, with Hines' solo sounding like sunlight glinting off the faces of blue waves.

An impressive vocal effort covering some fine original Pamela Hines tunes. ~Dan McClenaghan

Personnel: April Hall: vocals; John Lockwood: bass; Redd Dieffenbach: drums; Pamela Hines: piano.

Hall Sings Hines

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Dom Minasi - Quick Response

Size: 136,4 MB
Time: 58:50
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2004
Styles: Jazz: Straight-Ahead/Mainstream, Hammond Organ
Art: Front

01. What Is This Thing Called Love (5:25)
02. Feels Like Rain In China (9:54)
03. For My Father (9:05)
04. Quick Response (4:53)
05. I Who Have Nothing (5:46)
06. Into The Night (6:19)
07. Dizzy Lizzie (5:44)
08. When Your Dreams Come Rue (7:40)
09. Softly As In A Morning Sunrise (3:59)

Quick Response is Dom Minasi's latest effort since last year's Time Will Tell, also on CDM Records. Supported by a group of musicians who are no strangers to playing both classic hard bop and avant stuff, Minasi is delivering an album that in a way dwells both in classic and avant-garde territories.

The choice of material encompasses standards such as Cole Porter's "What is This Thing Called Love" and "Softly As in a Morning Sunrise." What is interesting is that these standards are not approached in a classic way like they have been a thousand times before; the musicians take the material as a basis for reinvention and improvisation. From the opening track until the last, one can hear different worlds colliding into one. "Dizzy Lizzy" is actually a tribute to Duke Ellington where Minasi takes the chords of "Take The 'A' Train" and pushes the piece into different territories. (In 2001, Minasi did a tribute album, Takin' The Duke Out, featuring fresh interpretations of classic Ellington compositions, where he paid homage to the great composer.)

"Feels Like Rain in China" features a wonderful sax solo by Mark Whitecage, and Kyle Koehler's organ provides a nice layer of keyboard sounds for the musicians to play atop. There are shades of Wes Montgomery's sound all around, and the band pays tribute to this great guitarist by employing aspects of his signature style on a tune that was never recorded by him: "I Who Have Nothing." The title track features a repetitive rhytmic opening section and the band's playing indicates a variety of influences.

Minasi's arrangements are inventive and challenging, but even though these are excellent performances, the band tends to overplay some times. But then again, this ain't no beginner's work, and it reveals that Dom Minasi and his band have a lot to say (and play). ~Nenad Georgievski

Personnel: Dom Minasi -- guitar; Mark Whitecage -- alto sax; Kyle Koehler -- organ; John Bollinger -- drums

Quick Response

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Nicole Henry & James Bryan - Summer Sessions EP

Size: 74,1 MB
Time: 31:44
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front & Back

01. Never Give Your Love Away (4:04)
02. Let It Be Me (4:35)
03. Joy (2:48)
04. Magic (3:34)
05. Baby Can I Hold You (3:41)
06. My Love Is Your Love (3:24)
07. How Insensitive (5:39)
08. No One Is To Blame (3:56)

Growing up in Pennsylvania, Nicole Henry’s mom played classical piano while she sat in her room, singing along to Aretha Franklin and Sister Sledge. After moving to South Florida to attend the University of Miami, Henry decided to make Miami her home. “I was fortunate to work with a lot of amazing, world-class musicians down here," she says. "There are a lot of creative people who allowed me to find my own voice.”

She quit her office job in 2001 and has been working full-time as a singer ever since, striving to bring her perspective to classics. In 2002, this paper named her Miami's Best Local Solo Musician in our annual Best Of Issue, and in 2013, Henry won a Soul Train Award for Best Traditional Jazz Performance.

“A lot of my repertoire is from the jazz standards, but I sing classic soul and folk songs. I’ll sing anything, but you want to take the time to make covers your own; otherwise, you sound like a hotel lobby band. And I’ve had to do that. Even then, you don’t want to sound like a jukebox.”

Her current band — which includes Pete Wallace on piano, Eric England on upright bass, Dave Chiperton on drums, and Aaron Lebos on guitar — backs her on songs like Ramsey Lewis’ “I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free." With a repertoire so diverse and old school, was there any song that stumped her — that she couldn’t figure out how to make hers? “There were two Stevie Wonder songs I tried that I couldn’t do anything with," she says. "Musically and logically, he’s so perfect that you can’t change them.”

Fortunately for her fans, Henry was able to find eight songs she could make hers, and on July 24, she’s releasing Summer Session, an eight-song acoustic EP with both covers and originals, accompanied by James Bryan — who won a Latin Grammy for his work with Nelly Furtado — on acoustic guitar. The two met in 2003, and a song they played together in that first meeting, “No One Is to Blame,” made it as the final track on this record.

Summer Sessions EP

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Jordan Bennett - Original

Size: 102,5 MB
Time: 43:59
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

01. When Tomorrow Comes (2:35)
02. When I Was Me (3:07)
03. There's Something About You (3:10)
04. The Power Of Music (3:14)
05. A Time To Remember (3:12)
06. Growing Up (4:28)
07. Grateful (4:13)
08. How Long (3:51)
09. Rose Colored Glasses (3:08)
10. She's Got Me (3:20)
11. On My Way Home (2:13)
12. Nights In White Satin (4:11)
13. Hallelujah (3:10)

Jordan Bennett can thrill an audience no matter if he is performing in a small cabaret setting or in a two-thousand seat concert hall. He enjoys performing as a solo artist as much as he enjoys sharing the stage with other talented entertainers.

The Los Angeles Times said, “Jordan Bennett offers a powerful, persuasively melting performance. The effect is often quite mesmerizing.” NBC entertainment proclaimed, “Jordan Bennett is extraordinary.”

Jordan has performed his original songs on television, onstage and in concert halls around the world.

In the theater, Jordan starred in Les Miserables, as the heroic Jean Valjean. In a review of that show The Los Angeles Times said of him: “Bennett has a big voice and a large store of exquisite tenderness and enviable ability to sustain it in the high notes." He then went on to Broadway to play another larger than life character, Cyrano De Bergerac in Cyrano: The Musical. Mr. Bennett also appeared on Broadway in Shenandoah. He has performed in many other shows.

On television, he has had recurring roles in several well known shows.. His film credits include the lead in the B-classic Ninja III: The Domination (“…a magnificent film after a minimum of six beers.”) and a performance in Carl Reiner’s Bert Rigby, You’re a Fool.

Jordan graduated summa cum laude and phi beta kappa with a double major in political science and music. He studied acting with Milton Katselis and John Cullum.

Jordan is a member of The Dramatists Guild and A.S.C.A.P. and has written songs and scripts for the theater, film and television.

Original

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Grant Stewart - Trio

Size: 128,7 MB
Time: 54:56
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. A Time To Smile (6:51)
02. Everything I Love (4:53)
03. I'll Never Be The Same (6:58)
04. Everything's Coming Up Roses (5:00)
05. The Thrill Is Gone (7:04)
06. This Is New (4:35)
07. I Surrender Dear (7:26)
08. Uranus (6:22)
09. Is That All There Is (5:42)

TRIO is a varied and balanced program of material. Grant, like so many of the better musicians of his generation, has a knack for resurrecting jazz compositions from the ‘50s and ‘60s that are overlooked gems. Freddie Redd’s typically sunny “A Time To Smile” from “The Connection” cover that territory here. “Everything I Love” is medium-up but joyous and swinging with a delightful danceable groove that Phil lays down on the ride cymbal. Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller’s “Is That All There Is” is their 1969 ode to ennui in a bid to be seen as more than R & B songwriters. It was recorded in “grande dame” style by Peggy Lee and became a big hit. Here the trio mercifully leaves the drama on the theatre stage and fashions the great melody in an easy, cool swing much the way Sonny Rollins made cowboy songs sound hip on “Way Out West.” “Everything’s Coming Up Roses,” the flag waver from the musical “Gypsy” that brought out everything that’s bad about Ethel Merman’s singing. Grant explains, “I always picture the hospital scene in the movie “Airplane” where she comes out of nowhere and sings that song. Then I heard Zaid Nasser, the alto player who is Jamil Nasser’s son, play a wild version of it live and heard it in a whole different way.” Grant deconstructs the theme in true Rollins fashion and the trio cooks. Side 2 begins with “I’ll Never Be The Same,” and this is all about heartbreak, emptiness and regret and Grant’s delivery is letter perfect. Thanks to its melody and changes, Kurt Weill’s “This Is New” has been favored over the years by the likes of Kenny Drew, Chick Corea and Al Cohn among others. On this version, Grant turns out a fluid, brilliant solo that sails over the bass and drums with grace and panache.

Trio

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Robin Gregory - Something To Live For

Size: 97,3 MB
Time: 41:37
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Sentimental Journey (3:31)
02. Take The 'A' Train (3:08)
03. Stormy Weather (6:04)
04. Why Don't You Do Right (3:31)
05. Something To Live For (6:59)
06. Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby (2:52)
07. Strange (3:14)
08. I'd Do Anything (3:39)
09. It's Magic (4:50)
10. You Turned The Tables On Me (3:45)

When I sing, I want to tell a story. Although rhythmic concepts, melodic techniques, and chord changes are important, when people listen to a singer, they want to be moved. They want to be touched. They want to journey to those places within themselves that are not easy to reach, on an ordinary day. My goal is to reach those places, and to bond with the listener in a mutual acknowledgement of the commonality of human feeling. Jazzmusic, which finds its ultimate roots in the blues, is a music which grabs the emotion, stirs the intellect, causes intense reflection, makes your foot tap, and more often than not, just makes you feel really happy. My fervent wish is that when you hear my music, you remember yourself.

"If you think about it, many of the most memorable jazz recordings through the years have had a high degree of sensuality. That goes for instrumentals, as well as vocals. Of course, it was true of Lady Day, and Sarah Vaughan, but it's equally true of Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, and Bill Evans. Robin Gregory continues in that luscious tradition. Her velvet voice and lovely phrasing speaks to your ears and gently caresses your heart." - Bud Spangler, music producer

"Robin Gregory uses dusky contralto tones, subtle phrasing, and crystalline enunciation to draw the listener into the romance of her thoughtfully chosen material, from "Funny (Not Much)" and "Mood Indigo" to "Poor Butterfly", and the title track. Her musical portraits are elegantly framed by pianist-arranger, Bliss Rodriguez; bassist, Michael Jones; and drummer, Jimmy Robinson" - Lee Hildebrand, East Bay Express

Something To Live For

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Moreno & Marina Quartet - Jazz Tsigane

Size: 114,6 MB
Time: 50:02
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2005
Styles: Jazz: Gipsy Jazz, Vocals
Art: Front

01. Gari Gari (3:57)
02. Minor Swing (5:40)
03. Ne Pars Pas (3:38)
04. Valse A Chwetzingen (2:20)
05. Japanese Sandman (2:36)
06. Just A Gigolo (3:21)
07. Les Fenetres De Moscou (4:56)
08. Nuages (3:34)
09. Valse A Tchan Tchou (2:05)
10. Luludia (3:38)
11. Moreno Swing (3:57)
12. Mare Djinge (2:29)
13. Swing Valse (2:46)
14. The Tiger Rag (1:38)
15. Tziganskaia (3:21)

Moreno est né en Moselle, l'Alsace a vu émerger des guitaristes comme Dorado et Tchavolo parmi les chefs de file d'un courant reconnaissable au son typique de leur pompe si énergique qu'elle oblige le soliste à produire un son plus fort pour dépasser la puissance des guitares des accompagnateurs.

La jeunesse de Moreno se passe en voyages entre l'Alsace et les Saintes Maries de la mer. A Forbach, dans les campements, il écoute Dorado jouer et à Strasbourg, c'est Tchavolo qui sera son repère. Ils jouaient Django bien sûr….
La famille se sédentarise, mais le besoin du voyage et l'amour de la musique restent ancrés; les fêtes de guitaristes le soir dans les campements sont les meilleures occasions pour le jeune Moreno d'apprendre, de s'imprégner de la technique de ses aînés.
Les frères de Moreno, Angelo, Barro et Tonino, lui apprennent la guitare mais leur dureté à son égard le rebute et heureusement ce sont les encouragements de Dorado, Gogo et Tchavolo lors d'une fête tzigane en Allemagne qui le feront se révéler dans le rôle de soliste.

Plus tard, il descend du coté de Toulon jouer dans les bars et les restaurants où il y fait une rencontre décisive: Tchan tchou, guitariste gitan déjà bien connu dans la région. Pendant quatre ans, à Toulon, Tchan tchou sera son maître, enseignant l'essentiel au jeune "chien fou" qu'était Moreno. (voir article FRENCH GUITAR MAGAZINE)
Il rencontrera aussi une autre figure: Etienne Bousquet - dit Patote - avec qui il jouera quelques fois et qui aura avec tchan tchou une influence décisive sur son jeu.

Aux saintes Maries de la mer, il rencontre Manitas de plata qui lui conseillera d'aller à Paris faire écouter ses talents. C'est ce qu'il fera dans un premier temps, juste pour voir et prendre la température de la capitale. Il y rencontrera tout les chefs de file du Jazz manouche à Paris en passant par "Le clairon des chasseurs" avec Maurice Ferret et Joseph Pouville puis "la chope des puces" avec Mondine et Ninine et bien d'autres clubs de Paris.
Puis, il repart en voyage, toujours entre l'alsace et les Saintes Maries où il rencontrera Boï et Negrita avec lesquels il partagera l'art de la rumba gitane.

Il se fixe de nouveau à Paris au début des années 90 et sort son premier disque "YOCHKA" tout en faisant d'une brasserie des halles tous les jeudis et vendredis soir son quartier général jusqu'à mi 2004.

La rencontre ultime sera celle de la chanteuse tzigane Marina qui deviendra son épouse, ils monteront ensemble une nouvelle formation qui donnera un nouveau style de mélange de jazz manouche et chansons tziganes.
Après plusieurs album solo faits purement dans la tradition jazz manouche, un nouvel album en 2005 permet d'écouter Marina chanter quelques chansons tzigane parmi les standards de Moreno.

Jazz Tsigane

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Gene Ammons - Boss Tenor

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 35:30

Size: 81.3 MB

Styles: Hard bop, Saxophone jazz

Year: 1960/2006

Art: Front

[8:26] 1. Hittin' The Jug

[3:43] 2. Close Your Eyes

[4:12] 3. My Romance

[5:22] 4. Canadian Sunset

[4:54] 5. Blue Ammons

[5:21] 6. Confirmation

[3:29] 7. Savoy

The great tenor saxophonist Gene Ammons was of the generation of swing-era players that easily adapted to bop. But though he was a modernist, Ammons maintained that breathy, old-school romantic approach to the tenor. Boss Tenor, a quintet session from 1960, is one of Ammons' very best albums. Ray Barretto's congas subtly add a bit of Latin spice, but otherwise this is a collection of standards rendered with a gorgeous late-night bluesy feel. Accompaniment by Tommy Flanagan, one of the best mainstream pianists ever, certainly doesn't hurt, either. A gem. ~Mark Keresman

Boss Tenor

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Nancy Wilson - Precious And Rare (2-Disc Set)

Nancy Wilson´s early studio recordings in their entirety include three original albums (Like in Love, Something Wonderful & The Swingin's Mutual) as well as some rare titles, including her very first single from 1956 with saxophonist Rusty Bryant. Both CDs have been remastered with the greatest care. The 36 page booklet includes rare contemporary documents, a text in French and English and a detailed discography. Precious & Rare: a new series from Le Chant du Monde presenting the complete early works by a selection of the very finest jazz vocalists. Artistic Director - Gilles Pétard (Chronological Classics).

Album: Precious And Rare (Disc 1)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 43:41

Size: 100.0 MB

Styles: Jazz vocals

Year: 2011

[1:40] 1. On The Street Where You Live

[2:33] 2. Night Mist

[2:26] 3. You Leave Me Breathless

[2:10] 4. The More I See You

[2:17] 5. I Want To Be Loved

[1:43] 6. Almost Like Being In Love

[1:58] 7. People Will Say We're In Love

[2:21] 8. Passion Flower

[1:45] 9. Sometimes I'm Happy

[2:49] 10. In Other Words

[2:05] 11. If It's The Last Thing I Do

[2:20] 12. On Green Dolphin Street

[2:55] 13. The Nearness Of You

[2:14] 14. Born To Be Blue

[2:58] 15. All Night Long

[2:42] 16. The Things We Did Last Summer

[2:20] 17. Let's Love Again

[2:02] 18. Gentleman Friend

[2:13] 19. Ghost Of Yesterday

Precious And Rare (Disc 1)

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Album: Precious And Rare (Disc 2)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 37:17

Size: 85.4 MB

Styles: Jazz vocals

Year: 2011

Art: Front

[2:49] 1. Teach Me Tonight

[2:17] 2. This Time The Dream's On Me

[2:37] 3. I'm Gonna Laugh You Out Of My Life

[1:57] 4. I Wish You Love

[3:23] 5. Guess Who I Saw Today

[1:46] 6. If Dreams Come True

[2:25] 7. What A Little Moonlight Can Do

[2:41] 8. The Great City

[2:26] 9. He's My Guy

[1:56] 10. Something Happens To Me

[2:24] 11. Call It Stormy Monday

[2:46] 12. Something Wonderful Happens

[2:22] 13. The Seventh Son

[2:32] 14. My Foolish Heart

[2:49] 15. Don't Tell Me

Precious And Rare (Disc 2)

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Cal Tjader - Plugs In

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:00
Size: 80.2 MB
Styles: Post bop, Vibraphone jazz
Year: 1969/2007
Art: Front

[4:08] 1. Alonzo
[3:59] 2. Lady Madonna
[5:03] 3. Nica's Dream
[4:15] 4. Spooky
[5:09] 5. St. Croix
[2:59] 6. Tra-La-La Song
[3:05] 7. Morning Mist
[6:19] 8. Get Out Of My Way

The mostly obscure material (other than "Nica's Dream") and the time period may make one think that is an overtly commercial release from vibraphonist Cal Tjader. Although he utilizes the electric piano of Al Zulaica and electric bassist Jim McCabe (in addition to Armando Peraza and John Rae on percussion), Cal Tjader's music on the Live at the Lighthouse sessions found on Plugs In is actually not all that different from his usual infectious brand of Latin jazz. The ensembles swing, there are plenty of heated rhythms, and the melodies are embraced with enthusiasm. The brief playing time (33 minutes) is a minus, and few surprises occur, but the music is enjoyable. ~Scott Yanow

Plugs In

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The Cowsills - The Best Of The Cowsills

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:08
Size: 94.2 MB
Styles: AM Pop
Year: 1980
Art: Front

[2:59] 1. The Rain, The Park & Other Things
[2:48] 2. The Path Of Love
[2:47] 3. Meet Me At The Wishing Well
[2:58] 4. In Need Of A Friend
[2:25] 5. Mister Flynn
[3:06] 6. Captain Sad And His Ship Of Fools
[2:13] 7. We Can Fly
[2:41] 8. Indian Lake
[2:45] 9. Gray, Sunny Day
[3:18] 10. A Time For Remembrance
[3:11] 11. Gotta Get Away From It All
[3:26] 12. Newspaper Blanket
[2:56] 13. Poor Baby
[3:28] 14. Hair

Beneath the wholesome family image, the Cowsills were a real band. They wrote most of their own songs, played their own instruments, and sang with assured and beautiful voices. They wrote songs about social issues, tackled religious themes, and dipped a toe (pinky toe) into psychedelia, and when they were given a song by an outside writer they made it a smash hit. Their lush vocal harmonies owed much to groups like the Association and the Beach Boys, and they were sweet -- sweet without being innocuous, light without being lightweight. This CD has their three big hits -- "Indian Lake," the truly fantastic "The Rain, the Park and Other Things," and "Hair" (which should be the worst song ever but the Cowsills pull it off because they have such great voices) -- and a bunch of sunshine pop gems. "Poor Baby" sounds like a lost Beach Boys single and "We Can Fly" is a great song that should have been a big hit. The only complaint one might have is that some of the production seems a little unimaginative. It would have been very interesting to get the Cowsills and their songs into a studio with a producer like Gary Usher, Curt Boettcher, or even Brian Wilson to see what kind of magic might have occurred. Still, the Cowsills were so much more than just a kiddie band or the model for the Partridge Family. This CD proves it. ~Tim Sendra

The Best Of The Cowsills

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