Zoot Sims, Lambert Hendricks & Ross - Zoot Sims Meets Lambert, Hendricks & Ross (2-Disc Set)

Zoot Sims, Bill Perkins (ts), Russ Freeman (p), Freddie Green, Jim Hall, Billy Bean (g), Eddie Jones, Monty Budwig (b), Sonny Payne, Mel Lewis, Frank Capp (d), Dave Lambert, Jon Hendricks, Annie Ross (vcl).

Although Zoot Sims was born in Inglewood, in southwest downtown Los Angeles, he is always regarded as one of the great talents of the New York scene, to which he had moved in 1955, tired of the jazz they played on the West Coast and looking for fresh excitement. A follower of Lester Young, he became one of the most innovative tenor saxophonists of his generation. In March 1959 he went back to Los Angeles for a month. The first night, he was offered a spot in the Terry Gibbs band.

Highly regarded by the musicians, he was much in demand in clubs around the L.A. area. And, significantly, he also joined as a featured tenor soloist in two remarkable albums for the World Pacific Jazz Records label. The first was The Swingers!, by Lambert, Hendricks & Ross, who added vocals to famous instrumentals and had become the hottest singing group in the country. The second, A Gasser! featured the talented voice of Annie Ross, with Zoot booting her along, and swinging superbly in his own solos. During these sessions, Zoot and the rhythm sections which included Russ Freeman on piano, and guitarists Freddie Green, Jim Hall, and Billy Bean also recorded some instrumental sides that were issued on several LP compilations later on.

All the recordings from these two albums are gathered here for the first time in chronological order, including two tracks recorded after Zoot had returned to New York, on which he would be replaced by Bill Perkins. It had been a memorable visit, as these recordings amply prove.

Album: Zoot Sims Meets Lambert, Hendricks & Ross (Disc 1)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:23
Size: 94.8 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz, Contemporary jazz vocals
Year: 2011

[3:27] 1. Little Niles
[2:01] 2. Jackie
[4:11] 3. Four
[5:05] 4. Swingin' Till The Girls Come Home
[2:54] 5. Where
[3:14] 6. Babe's Blues
[3:29] 7. Airegin
[2:56] 8. Now's The Time
[3:30] 9. Dark Cloud
[3:43] 10. Love Makes The World Go 'round
[6:48] 11. Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie

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Album: Zoot Sims Meets Lambert, Hendricks & Ross (Disc 2)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:06
Size: 135.3 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz, Contemporary jazz vocals
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[2:53] 1. Everything I've Got
[5:29] 2. I Didn't Know About You
[2:34] 3. I Was Doin' All Right
[3:51] 4. You Took Advantage Of Me
[5:59] 5. I Don't Want To Cry Any More
[5:38] 6. Brushes
[4:21] 7. Bones For Zoot
[2:12] 8. Lucky Day
[4:09] 9. Invitation To The Blues
[4:49] 10. You're Driving Me Crazy
[2:52] 11. Nobody's Baby
[4:24] 12. Choice Blues
[5:02] 13. You're Nearer
[4:46] 14. Lucky So And So


Zoot Sims Meets Lambert, Hendricks & Ross(Disc 1),(Disc 2)

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Frances Faye - Swingin' All The Way

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:59
Size: 87.0 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 1962/2013
Art: Front

[3:12] 1. Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me
[3:40] 2. It's All Right With Me
[3:15] 3. Love For Sale
[3:13] 4. So In Love
[2:27] 5. Should I
[2:39] 6. Them Who Has Gets
[2:20] 7. There Will Never Be Another You
[2:27] 8. Miss Otis Regrets (She's Unable To Lunch Today)
[3:53] 9. Everything Hapens To Me
[3:53] 10. More Than You Know
[3:53] 11. That's All
[3:03] 12. Don't Worry 'bout Me

Alto Saxophone – Bud Shank; Arranged By – Marty Paich; Guitar – Al Hendrickson; Trumpet – Stu Williamson.

Fans of female vocalists of the '50s inevitably bemoan the lack of respect given to one of the true greats. Frances Faye, like Peggy Lee, was a dishy, somewhat off-kilter blonde who could scribble out a mean tune when the mood hit her. She was actually a recording presence in the decades prior, writing and co-writing songs that were recorded by herself and other artists such as the Andrews Sisters all through the late '30s and '40s. Faye started her professional career at 16, filling in for a local pianist on an amateur show when some misfortune befell him. She made her first stage appearance in Brooklyn two years later, and spent the next few years on the vaudeville and nightclub circuit, as an accompanist for singers. When one of these singers was canned by a nightclub owner right before the downbeat, Faye took over. An extensive career as a nightclub performer followed and, by 1934, her schedule had her working 11 months a year, much of that out on the road. In 1936, she had her first hit record, the thoughtful "No Regrets," in 1936. "Well, All Right" primed the jukeboxes across the nation after the Andrews Sisters cut the song. She made her last major recordings in 1964, but continued club gigs all the way into the '80s. Well into the 1970s, she was still headlining in New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Chicago, Miami, as well as England and Australia. In 1977, Frances Faye played a wise-cracking madam in the French film director Louis Malle's controversial film Pretty Baby, which, in the words, of Faye, "opens with me in bed smoking an opium pipe with a wig half off my head." After a series of strokes, perhaps brought on by so much excitement, she died in the early '90s. It was only near the end of that decade that any of her previously out of print material began to see the light of day in reissue form. Bethlehem led the charge with Frances Faye Sings Folk Songs, which manages to be simultaneously marvelous and a completely misleading example of her style. Fans surely sang their own chorus of "Well, All Right" when the artist's two volumes of live recordings were repackaged on a single CD, entitled Frances Faye: Caught in the Act. Her career was one of the subjects of the interesting documentary film Chop Suey, directed by Bruce Weber. ~Excerpts from bio by Eugene Chadbourne

Swingin' All The Way

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Art Farmer - Central Avenue Reunion

Styles: Trumpet, Hard Bop
Year: 1989
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:49
Size: 141,9 MB
Art: Front

(8:50)  1. Star Eyes
(7:17)  2. Farmer's Market
(7:04)  3. Embraceable You
(7:18)  4. Blue Minor
(9:15)  5. I Remember You
(5:59)  6. Don't Blame Me
(9:33)  7. Cool Struttin'
(6:30)  8. Donna Lee

Three of the five musicians on this quintet date (flügelhornist Art Farmer, altoist Frank Morgan, and pianist Lou Levy) had played on Central Avenue in Los Angeles of the late '40s. Not all of the eight songs that they perform with bassist Eric Von Essen and drummer Albert "Tootie" Heath are from the era ("Blue Minor" and "Cool Struttin'" were written by Sonny Clark several years later), but the outing is very much in the bop style of the period. Their live set is highlighted by spirited versions of "Star Eyes," "Farmer's Market," "I Remember You," and "Donna Lee." This CD is filled with high-quality bebop that is easily recommended to straight-ahead jazz fans. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/central-avenue-reunion-mw0000207356

Personnel: Art Farmer (trumpet, flugelhorn); Frank Morgan (alto saxophone); Lou Levy (piano); Eric Von Essen (acoustic bass); Albert "Tootie" Heath (drums).

Central Avenue Reunion

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Bobby Timmons - From The Bottom

Styles: Piano Jazz, Soul Jazz
Year: 1964
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:08
Size: 76,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:59)  1. From The Bottom
(4:17)  2. Corcovado (Quiet Nights Of Quiet Stars)
(3:37)  3. Medley: You're Blase/Bewitched
(4:51)  4. If I Should Lose You
(3:20)  5. Samba Triste
(6:31)  6. Someone To Watch Over Me
(5:31)  7. Moanin'

The cover offers a hint: a silhouette of Bobby Timmons in all colors, but just a pinch of blue. No one can explain it, but the music Timmons wrote has always been more famous than the music he played. A father of soul-jazz, he was a sparkplug with Blakey and Cannonball, his times there magic. But here could do more, as he shows here. He turns wistful on ballads, highlights his partners (Sam Jones gets a lot of space) and even gives the vibes a charming go-round. There are many styles here, many flavors. And blues; there’s some of that too. We begin "From the Bottom". It’s nearly a duet; Jones is submerged in the fury of piano and drums. Jimmy Cobb is pure insistence; Timmons blisters it good, a line simply dripping with soul. (The note says the song’s here "to keep his soul franchise" it does that and more.) The keys go pouncing, and the cymbals float upward like smoke. The real deal, you bet.

The night grows calmer: Jones plucks high, while Cobb sets the samba with wonderful echo. Bobby starts "Corcovado" with ease, some notes more thought than played. He leaves, and Jones has another go at that riff. Now come the stars: Timmons, on vibes, has light touch and heavy vibrato. He makes it sound like a celeste, which is a wonderful choice: it sounds like pixie dust, scattered on an open field. Quiet, yet how it speaks! The piano medley goes solo, with two sides: the lush sophisticate on "You’re Blase", brittle rhythm on "Bewitched". It’s a deconstruction, with unexpected turns, tempo shifts then back to the lush "Blase". No one can hear this and say he can’t do ballads. And yet they did I am bothered (bewildered, too.)

"If I Should Lose You" scampers wild: hear Bobby rush and Jimmy match him blow for blow. There’s big voicing, bits of blues, frantic little patterns what doesn’t it have? "Samba Triste" takes gentle steps, then punctuated by loud chords – reminds me a bit of Wynton Kelly. A light effort, simple and charming. And "Someone" has another surprise: starting as a Big Ballad, the vibes come out. Brushes march on, the sustain rings forever; with less vibrato, Bobby sounds cool, his notes made of glass. The chords at the end do the trick, as does his note-rolling; this is no novelty. Timmons’ vibe skills are real, and I’m glad he had the opportunity to show them. This "Someone" is certainly worth watching.

This is the third time Bobby taped "Moanin’"; he premiered it with the Messengers, and a piano version appeared on This Here is Bobby Timmons. He returns to the organ, which he played in his uncle’s church; this sounds like a big model, with pipes. The sound is reedy, perhaps too thick on the theme but wonderfully spooky on the solo. Notes snake around, twist around corners, all before a big beat  thrilling. Jones gets practically his only solo (he has a short turn on "Bottom"), and swoops low as the organ goes spectral. A different sound, and your ears should get acquainted. Same with this album; if you need proof Timmons is more than soul, here ‘tis. ~ AAJ Staff  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/from-the-bottom-bobby-timmons-fantasy-jazz-review-by-aaj-staff.php

Personnel:  Bobby Timmons (piano, organ, vibes); Sam Jones (bass); Jimmy Cobb (drums).

From The Bottom

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Jeff Lorber And Chuck Loeb - BOP

Styles: Jazz Fusion
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:23
Size: 114,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:32)  1. Straight No Chaser
(7:38)  2. A Night In Tunisia
(4:32)  3. Donna Lee
(6:22)  4. Round Midnight
(6:09)  5. St. Thomas
(6:11)  6. Confirmation
(5:28)  7. Now's the Time
(5:48)  8. All the Things You Are
(3:39)  9. Giant Steps

It’s an all-star cast, although it falls under the heading of two leaders: Jeff Lorber and Chuck Loeb. Bop (2015) is the junction of vintage jazz, a popular festival and charity. The core group consists of Lorber, Rhodes; Loeb, guitar; Everette Harp, tenor saxophone; Harvey Mason, drums; Brian Bromberg, bass; Rick Braun, trumpet and flugelhorn; and Till Broenner, trumpet. Special guests appear on selected tracks.

The ensemble goes for the jugular on the opening track, a thrilling arrangement of Thelonius Monk’s “Straight No Chaser.” After the horns bring us into the mood of the piece, Loeb takes off on a jaunt worthy of Wes Montgomery. Braun and Bronner take their turns and engage in a brief call-and-response sequence, followed by Lorber. The track ends with Braun’s signature throaty wail.  Monk’s “’Round Midnight” is also on the playlist. Eric Marienthal steps in for “Confirmation,” playing the alto saxophone. It’s one of two Charlie Parker compositions to make the session.

The other is “Now’s the Time,” a sassy, swinging tune. The horns and guitar blend beautiful on the opening. After that sequence, Loeb stretches out, his fingers deftly hopping among the strings. Harp goes old school on the tenor, Lorber puts his mark on the track as well. The finale, “Giant Steps,” brings in John Patitucci, bass; Brian Dunne, drums; and Randy Brecker, trumpet. Most of the musicians on Bop are normally associated with smooth jazz or some variant: R&B, pop instrumental, etc. To hear them play straight jazz is a treat. Lorber says it grew out of a tradition over the last six years to dedicate one night of the Berks Jazz Festival to bop, music that was popular in the late 1940s and 1950s. Over the years, Lorber and Loeb discussed using this music to raise awareness and funds for polycystic kidney disease, or PKD. It’s an ailment that has affected Lorber and his family. The musicians donated their time and resources to the project.  http://www.smooth-jazz.de/Woodrow/Lorber/Bop.htm

BOP

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David 'Fathead' Newman - Blue Head

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:27
Size: 168.1 MB
Styles: Soul-jazz, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1990/2008
Art: Front

[11:09] 1. Strike Up The Band
[14:10] 2. Blue Head
[12:58] 3. Willow Weep For Me
[12:04] 4. Blues For David
[11:48] 5. What's New
[11:15] 6. Eye Witness Blues

The distinctive tenors David Newman and Clifford Jordan make for a potent team on this live jam session set which finds Jordan sitting in with Newman's quartet (which includes guitarist Ted Dunbar, pianist Buddy Montgomery, bassist Todd Coolman and drummer Marvin "Smitty" Smith). The six performances each clock in between 11 and 15 minutes with plenty of stretching out for the two veteran saxophonists, guitarist Dunbar and pianist Montgomery. "Fathead" mostly alternates between tenor and alto while Jordan switches to his rarely heard soprano on "Blues For David." The good-natured tenor tradeoffs on "Strike Up The Band" are in the tradition of Sonny Stitt and Gene Ammons, Newman's "Blue Head" is strongly reminiscent of "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat" and his alto playing on a medium-tempo "Willow Weep For Me" takes solo honors. Of the other cuts, "What's New" is a tasteful feature for Dunbar's guitar and Jordan's "Eyewitness Blues" wraps up the fine performance with a 32-bar romp. Easily recommended to straightahead jazz fans. ~Scott Yanow

Blue Head

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Kai Hoffman - Do It While You Can

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:50
Size: 100.3 MB
Styles: Swing
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[3:22] 1. Some Boys
[3:22] 2. History Repeating
[3:58] 3. Pure Imagination
[5:00] 4. Do It While You Can
[4:30] 5. Long Daddy Green
[2:57] 6. I've Never Met A Guy Who's Perfect
[3:24] 7. Make Someone Happy
[2:32] 8. Sweet Georgia Brown
[3:53] 9. People Will Say We're In Love
[3:37] 10. Time In A Bottle
[3:09] 11. What A Little Moonlight Can Do
[4:00] 12. The Masquerade Is Over

Kai Hoffman: vocals, French horn (3, 4, 9); Gunther Kurmayr: piano; Geoff Gascoyne: double bass; Sebastiaan De Krom: drums; Gavin Broom: trumpet (4); Derek Nash: saxophone (4).

The visual image, the cover design and the positivity of the album title—Do It While You Can—all point in the general direction of a Good Time about to be had. Singer (and French horn player) Kai Hoffman ensures that a good time is exactly what's on offer, crafting a set of songs that makes the most of her personality, her slightly tongue-in-cheek naughtiness and her effortless joie-de-vivre.

Hoffman, an American now resident in the UK, has previously recorded with Ray Gelato's Giants and the well-established Kai's Cats but this is her debut album with her quartet, which she formed in 2012. Hoffman's fellow musicians are top notch—pianist Gunther Kurmayr (Gelato's Giants), double bassist Geoff Gascoyne (Jamie Cullum, Gregory Porter) and drummer Sebastiaan De Krom (Kurt Elling, Cullum) know exactly how to groove and precisely how to bring out the best in a vocalist. The Giants and the Cats concentrate on swing, Louis Jordan being an obvious reference point: Hoffman's quartet takes a wider view of the scene, drawing American Songbook classics and '70s soft rock into its repertoire. The accent is still very much on upbeat, danceable, songs, though there's also space for ballads and romance.

The rolling, New Orleans opening bars of Fran Landesman and Simon Wallace's "Some Boys" seem to herald a vocal from Dr John, but it's Hoffman who enters, singing one of Landesman's more risqué lyrics with a knowing wink. Alex Gifford's "History Repeating" was originally sung, with the Propellerheads, by diva par excellence Dame Shirley Bassey: the band lays down a driving groove akin to Charles Mingus' "Boogie Stop Shuffle" as Hoffman matches Bassey's punchiness and over-the-top glamor. "Do It While You Can," written by Hoffman and Simon Whiteside, gets added sparkle courtesy of trumpeter Gavin Broom, saxophonist Derek Nash and Hoffman's own French horn. Hoffman can also deliver a ballad, as she proves on a seductive version of "Pure Imagination" that seems to promise a different kind of pleasure from the one Willy Wonka was offering. Hoffman adds French horn to this song as well, the instrument's soft tone contrasting well with Kurmayr's bright piano flourishes. Jim Croce's "Time In A Bottle" isn't so suited to Hoffman's style—without Croce's own earthy vocal his soft rock hit becomes a little bland, although Gascoyne's bass solo is beautifully judged. Jazz forgets, all too often, the virtues of the entertaining and the joyful. Hoffman doesn't. Do It While You Can is a joyful 45 minutes, an album on which Hoffman and her band combine swing and soul, set out to entertain, and succeed admirably. ~Bruce Lindsay

Do It While You Can

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The Denny Moss Quartet - Weaver Of Dreams

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:16
Size: 163.1 MB
Styles: Mainstream jazz, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1994
Art: Front

[5:16] 1. 9:20 Special
[5:23] 2. This Heart Of Mine
[5:01] 3. Then I'll Be Tired Of You
[4:40] 4. Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me
[4:23] 5. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
[5:33] 6. A Gal In Calico
[5:03] 7. In A Mellow Tone
[6:00] 8. My Romance
[4:09] 9. Fine And Dandy
[4:42] 10. Weaver Of Dreams
[6:06] 11. I'm Glad There Is You
[3:31] 12. Poor Butterfly
[6:09] 13. There's No You
[5:15] 14. Blue Lou

An excellent English tenor saxophonist, Danny Moss had a rare opportunity to record as a leader for the Nagel-Heyer label during late 1994, in what was his 50th year as a professional musician. Accompanied by pianist Brian Lemon, bassist Len Skeat, and drummer Butch Miles, Moss digs into 14 standards, alternating stomps with ballads. He is a fine player who, due to being based in Europe, tends to get overlooked in the U.S. when one discusses top swing stylists of the 1990s. Moss' quartet outing is easily recommended to fans of straight-ahead mainstream jazz. ~Scott Yanow

Weaver Of Dreams

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Boz Scaggs - Speak Low

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:19
Size: 119.8 MB
Styles: Adult Contemporary
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[5:25] 1. Invitation
[3:51] 2. She Was Too Good To Me
[5:23] 3. I Wish I Knew
[3:43] 4. Speak Low
[4:03] 5. Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me
[4:03] 6. I'll Remember April
[5:14] 7. Save Your Love For Me
[5:33] 8. Ballad Of The Sad Young Men
[4:01] 9. Skylark
[3:26] 10. Senza Fine
[3:51] 11. Dindi
[3:39] 12. This Time The Dream's On Me

Singer/songwriter Boz Scaggs enjoyed considerable solo success in the 1970's with several Top 20 Hits including "Lowdown" and "Lido Shuffle" along with the top selling Silk Degrees album. Scaggs spent much of the 1980's in retirement, owning and operating the San Francisco nightclub Slim's and limiting his performances primarily to the club's annual black-tie New Year's Eve concerts. SPEAK LOW his 17th studio Album is the follow-up to 2003's BUT BEAUTIFUL. Songs on the album include Chet Baker's "She Was Too Good to Be True," Johnny Mercer's "This Time the Dream's on Me," the often recorded "I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free" and the Kurt Weill/Ogden Nash title track.

Speak Low

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The Good Fellas - Kings Of Rockin' Swing: 20th Anniversary

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:28
Size: 127.0 MB
Styles: Swing, Rock n Roll
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[3:48] 1. Kings Of Rockin' Swing
[4:01] 2. Loveless Love
[2:32] 3. The Whole World Loves Italians
[3:22] 4. Barnyard Boogie
[1:56] 5. Buzz Saw
[3:29] 6. You!
[2:51] 7. Ain't That Just Like A Woman
[2:47] 8. The Boogie Woogie Woman
[3:05] 9. My Girl
[2:31] 10. Stop Beatin' Around The Mulberry Bush
[2:42] 11. South Of The Border
[3:41] 12. The Cat's Dance
[4:03] 13. Reckless Child
[3:21] 14. Come Fly With Me
[3:34] 15. Gunning For The Dog
[2:51] 16. Tiber Twist
[2:39] 17. Non Occupatemi Il Telefono
[2:07] 18. Oh Mama Twist

The Good Fellas are top Italian forties and fifties band, performing what they call "ROCKIN' SWING MUSIC". Celebrating their 20th anniversary in 2013 with this record, containing 18 tracks of which 6 self penned. A mix of swing, rock'n'roll, twist, instrumental, played with an italian flavour and a classic Las Vegas style. Check out the website www.goodfellasitaly.com and the facebook page: The Good Fellas, Italy.

Kings Of Rockin' Swing: 20th Anniversary

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Bobby Hutcherson - Oblique

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:47
Size: 93.4 MB
Styles: Post bop, Vibraphone jazz
Year: 1967/2005
Art: Front

[4:41] 1. 'til Then
[7:07] 2. My Joy
[8:09] 3. Main Title From Blow-Up
[8:30] 4. Subtle Neptune
[7:16] 5. Oblique
[5:01] 6. Bi-Sectional

Bobby Hutcherson's second quartet session, Oblique, shares both pianist Herbie Hancock and drummer Joe Chambers with his first, Happenings (bassist Albert Stinson is a newcomer). However, the approach is somewhat different this time around. For starters, there's less emphasis on Hutcherson originals; he contributes only three of the six pieces, with one from Hancock and two from the typically free-thinking Chambers. And compared to the relatively simple compositions and reflective soloing on Happenings, Oblique is often more complex in its post-bop style and more emotionally direct (despite what the title may suggest). The latter is especially true on the two opening Hutcherson pieces, the sweetly lilting "'Til Then" and the innocent, childlike theme of "My Joy," which is reminiscent of "Little B's Poem" (save for its multi-sectioned structure). Meanwhile, Chambers' experiments with counterpoint in the context of group improvisation keep getting more evocative. The title cut is quick and driving, with lots of short, fleeting exchanges between Hutcherson and a surprisingly swinging Hancock; "Bi-Sectional" makes playful use of chromaticism in its first part, after which Hutcherson and Chambers switch between several different percussion instruments for what amounts to an artillery attack. As for the other pieces, Hutcherson's "Subtle Neptune" fuses post-bop with Brazilian rhythms, and Hancock's "Theme From 'Blow Up'" is a spare modal melody over a repeated chordal vamp, somewhat reminiscent of his classic "Maiden Voyage." All the performances are spirited enough to make the sophisticated music sound winning and accessible as well, which means that Oblique is one of the better entries in Hutcherson's Blue Note discography and one worth tracking down. ~Steve Huey

Oblique

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Marlene Verplanck - Meets Saxomania In Paris

Size: 130,7 MB
Time: 55:35
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1994
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. You Turned The Tables On Me (3:43)
02. El Cajon (4:02)
03. Left Bank Blues (3:47)
04. Rain Sometimes (2:57)
05. Close Your Eyes (3:25)
06. Sooner Or Later (2:53)
07. I Got The Sun In The Morning (3:10)
08. Here's To Life (4:13)
09. Speak Low (2:34)
10. Namely You (3:07)
11. Medley What's The Rush - Five Brothers (6:00)
12. Something To Live For (3:35)
13. Everything But You (4:22)
14. I Ain't Got Nothin' But The Blues (4:42)
15. I'm Just A Lucky So And So (2:58)

Marlene Ver Planck possesses one of the world's great voices; every note she hits is perfectly in tune. Despite this talent, she is a subtle improviser who goes out of her way to bring out the beauty of the lyrics she interprets. Occasionally she will throw in a high note (as if to remind listeners of her wide range), but it is all in the service of uplifting the song. Her husband/arranger, Billy Ver Planck, wrote colorful charts on this CD for the French seven-piece, four-reed unit called Saxomania to accompany her. He left plenty of room for solos and gave the ensembles the feel of a big band despite the absence of any brass instruments. Marlene Ver Planck is in peak form, and even if a few of the newer songs ("Sooner or Later" from the Dick Tracy film and the overrated "Here's to Life") are not worthy of her, she is particularly delightful on "You Turned the Tables on Me," "Close Your Eyes," "Speak Low," and a quartet of Ellington and Strayhorn tunes. ~Scott Yanow

Meets Saxomania In Paris

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Pat Halcox - Remembering Pat Halcox

Size: 184,1+174,5 MB
Time: 78:55+75:14
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

CD 1:
01. New Orelans Hop Scop Blues (2:56)
02. Who's Sorry Now (2:45)
03. I Love My Baby (2:18)
04. Old Stackolee (3:23)
05. Blue Turning Grey Over You (3:45)
06. The Mountains Of Mourne (3:33)
07. Do Right Baby (5:43)
08. Shine (2:40)
09. Georgia On My Mind (9:07)
10. Rent Party Blues (6:38)
11. Somewhere Over The Rainbow (4:24)
12. Buddy Bolden's Blues (4:37)
13. Some Of These Days (Version 1) (7:23)
14. Blues On Trumpet (3:49)
15. Oh Baby (6:45)
16. Working Man Blues (5:24)
17. Isle Of Capri (3:36)

CD 2:
01. Give Me Your Telephone Number (4:39)
02. Wabash Blues (9:35)
03. Rosetta (6:57)
04. Confessin' (7:00)
05. Tin Roof Blues (8:07)
06. I Found A New Baby (6:03)
07. Undecided (8:01)
08. Blues For Humph (8:34)
09. Blue Orchid (6:14)
10. Apple Honey (6:23)
11. I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart (3:37)

Pat Halcox was the trumpet player in Chris Barber's band for 54 years. That alone produced the longest serving partnership in Jazz anywhere in the world. A self-effacing man whose playing was described as "fiery, creative and with an impressive range". Quite simply he was one of the finest Jazz trumpeters the UK has ever produced.

The first CD in this double CD collection takes a few tracks from each decade with Chris Barber's band. Making appearances are Ottilie Patterson, Lonnie Donegan, Kenny Ball and Alex Welsh.

The second CD has tracks of Pat with other musicians and bands including leading American pianists Art Hodes and Don Ewell. There are also tracks by Pat's own All Stars. All the tracks are previously unreleased.

Remembering Pat Halcox CD 1
Remembering Pat Halcox CD 2

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Matthieu Bore - Doo-Wop

Size: 95,8 MB
Time: 41:06
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2003
Styles: Pop Rock
Art: Front

01. Three Cool Cats (3:04)
02. I Gotta Know (2:42)
03. I Don't Deny It (2:28)
04. Sh-Boom (2:46)
05. Bad Boy (3:03)
06. Blue Moon (3:05)
07. Come Go With Me (2:36)
08. Sentimental Journey (3:32)
09. Teddy Bear (1:51)
10. By My Side (2:33)
11. Love Me Tender (3:54)
12. Singing The Blues (2:29)
13. Stuck On You (3:59)
14. A Little Talk With Thee (2:57)

French pianist, jazz vocalist and songwriter Matthieu Boré grew up surrounded by music and the arts, going as far back as an opera singing great grand-father. At age 7, Boré took his first piano lessons, and sang in various punk and trip hop outfits during the 1990s, before pursuing his love of vintage jazz music. In early 2000, the young pianist started playing the Parisian jazz club circuit and a year later, released an entire album of Fats Domino covers. In keeping with his fascination for 1950s R&B and R&B music, he issued Doo Wop (2003) and Sometimes on My Own (2007), the latter inspired by his idols Irvin Berlin, Hoagy Carmichael and Gershwin. 2009 saw the release of FriZZante!, an album featuring a mixture of covers and Boré originals, with full orchestra.

Doo-Wop

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Jim Viner's Incredible B3 Band - Comango!

Size: 60,9 MB
Time: 25:32
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Soul Jazz, R&B
Art: Front

01. Comango! (2:11)
02. Forty Twenty (1:42)
03. Saint-Paul (2:46)
04. El Kabong (1:47)
05. Chicken Tickin' (2:43)
06. Borracho No-No (2:24)
07. Jabo's Time (2:57)
08. Cutlass Supreme (2:38)
09. Smokey Johnson (1:59)
10. Azucar Blanco (2:23)
11. California Don (1:57)

In the spirit of the Meters and Booker T and the MG’s comes COMANGO!, the debut long-player from Jim Viner’s Incredible B3 Band. Comprising veterans of session work and touring acts, the B3 Band trades in the sonics of mid-’60s Memphis, offering here 11 delightful numbers that fill the gap between the dance-floor mover “Chicken Tickin” and the lovely, delicate jazz-fest homage “Saint-Paul.”

Drummer/composer Jim Viner is fronting his own outfit for the first time. A member of The Diplomats of Solid Sound, Brother Trucker, High and Lonesome and Head Candy, Jim has played on stage and in the studio with such artists as Andre Williams, Pieta Brown and Kevin Gordon. His compositions and playing can be heard on myriad film and television soundtracks, including Lionsgate’s “Madea’s Big Happy Family” and Showtime’s hit series “Weeds.” Taking the melodic leads are Hammond B-3 players Nate Basinger and Radoslav Lorkovic, who enjoy empathetic backing by guitarists Mike Fitzpatrick and Doug Roberson, saxophonist Eddie McKinley and percussionist Paul Cunliffe.

Personnel:
Jim Viner: Drums
Nate Basinger: Hammond Organ
Radoslav Lorkovic: Hammond Organ
Doug Roberson: Guitar
Mike Fitzpatrick: Guitar
Eddie McKinley: Saxophone
Paul Cunliffe: Percussion
Pete Whitfield: Strings

Comango!

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Charles Aznavour - Aznavour Live: Palais Des Sports 2015

Size: 182,4 MB
Time: 78:32
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Chanson
Art: Front

01. Les Emigrants (Live) (3:55)
02. Paris Au Mois D’aout (Live) (3:27)
03. A Ma Femme (Live) (4:40)
04. Vous Et Tu (Live) (3:46)
05. Mourir D'aimer (Live) (3:27)
06. Je Voyage (Live) (4:22)
07. Sa Jeunesse (Live) (4:17)
08. Ils Sont Tombes (Live) (4:09)
09. Je Bois (Live) (3:21)
10. Avec Un Brin De Nostalgie (Live) (3:00)
11. Mes Emmerdes (Live) (3:09)
12. Il Faut Savoir (Live) (3:37)
13. Desormais (Live) (2:51)
14. Hier Encore (Live) (3:12)
15. Les Plaisirs Demodes (Live) (4:18)
16. Comme Ils Disent (Live) (4:27)
17. Les Deux Guitares (Live) (3:52)
18. La Boheme (Live) (4:09)
19. Je M'voyais Deja (Live) (4:34)
20. Emmenez-Moi (Live) (5:47)

Charles Aznavour has recently made a comeback on the Parisian scene: 6 Sports Palace sold out after a world tour that took him to the biggest cities in Europe, North America, Russia and of course Yerevan, Armenia.

Tireless, Aznavour has released a new album "Encores" during a "pause" after this memorable tour. Proving once again that the desire to sing has no age, he offered the public a new collection of songs, all performed by Marc Di Domenico.

It is therefore very natural that it is now at the helm of this live, both in the realization of its audio version of the film picked up at the Sports Palace in September.

Always with great honesty and emotion, Di Domenico restores the truth of Aznavour, artist both phenomenal and unfathomable, free and determined, detours of a selection of his greatest songs, his greatest victorie

Aznavour Live

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Ellyn Rucker & Spike Robinson - Nice Work!

Styles: Vocal, Piano and Saxophone Jazz

Year: 1995

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 58:47

Size: 135,0 MB

Art: Front

(3:27)  1. El Cajon

(8:16)  2. Ev'rything I Love

(7:39)  3. Lover Man

(5:15)  4. Nobody Else But Me

(6:14)  5. I Won't Believe My Eyes

(7:13)  6. Easy To Love

(4:43)  7. You Took Advantage Of Me

(5:20)  8. Gravy Waltz

(3:51)  9. As Long As I Live

(5:06) 10. I Fall In Love Too Easily

(1:37) 11. Nice Work If You Can Get It

Although she shares the billing on this session with tenor saxophonist Spike Robinson, this is very much an Ellyn Rucker album. A bop-based pianist so talented that she really does not have to sing, and a highly appealing jazz vocalist who would be quite notable if she did not play an instrument, Ellyn Rucker has long deserved to be famous in the jazz world. Based in Denver, Rucker combines her two skills at a level that has not been heard since Nat King Cole; when she accompanies her vocals, the piano playing is so stimulating that one would swear that there were two people involved. Spike Robinson, one of the last practitioners of the Four Brothers cool-toned Lester Young sound, is in excellent form and has swinging solos on most of the 11 standards. But it is for the playing and singing of Ellyn Rucker (heard at her best on such songs as "El Cajon," "Nobody Else but Me," "You Took Advantage of Me," and "As Long as I Live") that this CD (released in 1995 and also featuring the late bassist Monty Budwig and drummer Ralph Penland) is most highly recommended. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/nice-work!-mw0000434983

Personnel: Spike Robinson (tenor saxophone); Ellyn Rucker (vocals, piano); Ralph Penland (drums).

Nice Work!

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The Art Farmer Quintet - Blame It on My Youth

Styles: Jazz, Mainstream Jazz

Year: 1988

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 47:34

Size: 109,2 MB

Art: Front

(7:09)  1. Blame It on My Youth

(9:53)  2. Fairytale Countryside

(6:03)  3. The Smile of The Snake

(8:21)  4. Third Avenue

(6:21)  5. Summer Serenade

(4:35)  6. Progress Report

(5:09)  7. I'll Be Around

This is one of the better Art Farmer recordings of the 1980s, which is saying a great deal, for the flugelhornist is among the most consistent of all jazz musicians. The two ballads that open and close this set ("Blame It on My Youth" and "I'll Be Around") give Farmer an opportunity to display his warm and attractive sound (with fine support from pianist James Williams, bassist Rufus Reid and drummer Victor Lewis), while the other five pieces (Benny Carter's "Summer Serenade" and more obscure material) add the great tenor saxophonist (and so-so soprano player) Clifford Jordan to the group. It's an enjoyable and very successful outing. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/blame-it-on-my-youth-mw0000198252

Personnel: Art Farmer (flugelhorn); Clifford Jordan (tenor, soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone); Jack Williams, James Williams (piano); Rufus Reid (acoustic bass); Victor Lewis (drums).

Blame It on My Youth

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Gail Jhonson - New Beginnings

Styles: Piano Jazz, Smooth Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:21
Size: 110,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:10)  1. New Beginnings
(4:08)  2. Uptown Philly
(4:12)  3. Soulful Strut
(4:33)  4. To Tamina
(3:38)  5. Here We Go Again
(4:40)  6. Gail's Groove
(4:20)  7. Magical Mystery
(4:45)  8. Hands Up
(4:33)  9. Vibe
(4:18) 10. And I Love Her
(3:58) 11. Mr. Calloway

Philadelphia native Gail Jhonson is the heart of the all star female ensemble, Jazz in Pink, and produced their debut CD, 1st Collection in 2014. She started her solo career with the album Keep The Music Playing (2004), followed by Pearls (2008) on nuGroove Records, HerStory on 111 East Music (2011) and this year New Beginnings on Philly the Kid Records. After the loss of her son, her daughter off to Berklee College of Music, an unexpected surgery the recordings of her new album were like a deeply liberating breath. Gail is supported by prolific musicians like multi­instrumentalist Hamilton Hardin, saxophonists  Marion Meadows and Mike Parlett, bassist Jimmy Haslip and many more. The album introduces into Gail's new creation with the title song. Tailored to win, this elegant tune is the ideal platform for Gail's keyboard talent extraordinaire. Uptown Philly is the first single of the album and Gail's tribute to her birth town. She touches our ears easily and fluffy with her divine style.

Soulful Strut is certainly the secret hymn of smooth jazz. Covered by a legion of musicians like George Benson (1977), Nick Colionne (1994), Grover Washington Jr. (1996), Paul Jackson Jr. (1996) or Rocco Ventrella (2006) the song hasn't lost its magic in Gail's hands. To Tamina is dedicated to Gail's lovely daughter Tamina, who is meanwhile 21 years old. The mellow peaceful ballad Here We Go Again is really soothing to the soul. This catchy song showcases Gail's vocal talent. Gail's Groove is tagged as tribute to Lonnie Liston Smith, the legendary funk, soul and jazz musician. Gail discreetly incorporates jazz elements into her piano playing. Magical Mystery takes us on a journey into the land of dreams with gentle sounds of vocals, sax and piano. The funky Hands Up is a critical contribution to the current tense situation of police violence.

Bassist Jimmy Haslip is shining on Vibe with the well­intoned sound of his fretless bass. Most of the elders will know the song by the Beatles And I Love Her, written mainly by Paul McCartney. Falsetto singer Rob MacDonald and pianist Jhonson have filtered out of this simple song its substantial essence and rebuilt it to a meaningful love ballad full of emotions. Mr. Calloway is inspired by Cabell "Cab" Calloway III, the late American jazz singer and bandleader. Best known by his appearance and his song Minnie the Moocher in the movie Blues Brothers. Gail comments: “If Big Band music would be Pop music now....it might sound like this! I like all the instruments and I see dancers swingin' away!!? Now imagine Fred Astaire dancing to funk music and you can follow her idea! With New Beginnings we experience Gail Jhonson 2.0. Composer and keyboardist in the best form of her life. http://www.smooth-jazz.de/firstview/Jhonson/NewBeginnings.htm

New Beginnings

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The World's Greatest JazzBand Of Yank Lawson & Bob Haggart - What's New

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:06
Size: 91.8 MB
Styles: Dixieland
Year: 1970/2007
Art: Front

[4:37] 1. Bourbon Street Parade
[3:17] 2. Smile
[2:58] 3. The Eel
[3:28] 4. What's New
[3:17] 5. Mercy, Mercy, Mercy
[3:24] 6. Root Dog
[3:51] 7. Walk Him Up The Stairs
[3:19] 8. Girl On The Beach
[4:25] 9. Dogtown Blues
[4:09] 10. Doodle Doo Doo
[3:17] 11. My Inspiration

This is one of the World's Greatest Jazz Band's better studio albums. The repertoire has standbys ("Bourbon Street Parade," "The Eel" and "What's New"), "Mercy Mercy Mercy" and some newer and lesser-known material. The all-star lineup (trumpeters Yank Lawson and Billy Butterfield, trombonists Vic Dickenson and Eddie Hubble, tenor saxophonist Bud Freeman, Bob Wilber on clarinet and soprano, pianist Ralph Sutton, bassist Bob Haggart and drummer Gus Johnson) is particularly strong and most of the players get features. Best are a Lawson-Haggart duet on "Smile," Freeman's "The Eel" and Butterfield's warm sound and lyrical style on "What's New." ~Scott Yanow

What's New

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Earth, Wind & Fire - Greatest Hits

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:27
Size: 161.3 MB
Styles: R&B
Year: 1998
Art: Front

[2:50] 1. Shining Star
[5:43] 2. That's The Way Of The World
[3:34] 3. September
[4:06] 4. Angie
[4:09] 5. Shining Star
[3:22] 6. Sing A Song
[3:27] 7. Gratitude
[3:50] 8. Serpentine Fire
[4:36] 9. Angie
[4:00] 10. Kalimba Story
[3:03] 11. Mighty Mighty
[4:57] 12. Reasons
[4:02] 13. Saturday Nite
[5:35] 14. Let's Groove
[4:48] 15. Boogie Wonderland
[4:24] 16. After The Love Has Gone
[3:55] 17. Getaway

For the first time ever-all of their biggest hits on a single CD! Seven of these are #1 R&B hits: Let's Groove; Serpentine Fire; Sing a Song; Getaway; Shining Star; September , and Got to Get You into My Life . Their best ballads, grooves, pop and R&B hits-17 EWF essentials in all, newly remastered to sound better than ever!

It's the most complete single-disc collection of EWF chart rockers, and Greatest Hits' splendid remastering makes one of the major exponents of '70s funk positivity sound sparkling. From the driving "Shining Star" to the syncopated mastery of "September" and "Boogie Wonderland" to the slow-jam heaven of "After the Love Is Gone," this is a reminder of what made the group so special. ~Rickey Wright

Greatest Hits

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June Christy - The Misty Miss Christy

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 37:16

Size: 85.3 MB

Styles: Vocal jazz

Year: 1956/1982/1992

Art: Front

[3:17] 1. That's All

[2:49] 2. I Didn't Know About You

[2:55] 3. Day Dream

[2:12] 4. Sing Something Simple

[2:47] 5. Maybe You'll Be There

[1:33] 6. Dearly Beloved

[3:54] 7. 'round Midnight

[2:20] 8. A Lovely Way To Spend An Evening

[3:44] 9. The Wind

[2:00] 10. This Year's Kisses

[2:46] 11. For All We Know

[2:08] 12. There's No You

[2:26] 13. You Took Advantage Of Me

[2:18] 14. Intrigue

Using Anita Day as starting point -- but eschewing many of her scat-song histrionics in favor of pure tonal power and melancholic shading -- June Christy honed her singing skills with Stan Kenton's band before going solo in the '50s. Christy's relatively accessible vocal approach and blonde good looks eventually helped her gain success with such classic long players as Something Cool and The Misty Miss Christy. Less swinging than Something Cool, The Misty Miss Christy mostly stays on auto-stroll with a wealth of subtle and sophisticated orchestral charts. The jazz-pop environs come courtesy of longtime arranger Pete Rugolo and optimally frame the singer on highlights like "That's All," "I Didn't Know About You," and "Dearly Beloved." With West Coast-style brass and reed accents gliding atop the lush strings, Christy also turns in fine renditions of Monk's "Round Midnight" and Russ Freeman's expressionistically torchy "The Wind." Balancing out the predominant autumnal lull, Christy shows her swinging savvy on breezy gems like "Sing Something Simple," "There's No You," and "A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening." Both an essential Christy title and one of the best vocal albums from the '50s. ~Stephen Cook

The Misty Miss Christy

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Scott Hamilton Quintet - The Right Time

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1986
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:07
Size: 94,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:16)  1. Just in Time
(6:39)  2. If I Love Again
(4:13)  3. Sleep
(4:20)  4. Eventide
(4:44)  5. Dropsy
(7:00)  6. All Through the Night
(4:59)  7. Skylark
(4:55)  8. Stealing Port

The choice of some offbeat material uplifts this otherwise fairly typical offering by tenor saxophonist Scott Hamilton's mid-1980s quintet, a group also including pianist John Bunch, guitarist Chris Flory, bassist Phil Flanigan and drummer Chuck Riggs. "Sleep," "If I Love Again," Hoagy Carmichael's "Eventide" and even Cole Porter's "All Through the Night" are not performed all that often, and one does not mind hearing additional versions of "Just In Time" and "Skylark"; the date is rounded out by a pair of Hamilton's originals. Everyone swings as usual, and Hamilton (who has yet to make an inferior recording) is in fine form. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-right-time-mw0000196941

Personnel: Scott Hamilton (tenor saxophone); John Bunch (piano); Chris Flory (guitar); Phil Flanigan (bass); Chuck Riggs (drums).

The Right Time

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Flip Phillips - Try A Little Tenderness

Styles: Clarinet And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:24
Size: 161,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:32)  1. Try A Little Tenderness
(6:10)  2. A Cottage For Sale
(5:59)  3. Violets For Your Furs
(6:27)  4. Im Glad There Is You
(5:39)  5. You Don't Know What Love Is
(6:15)  6. This Is All I Ask
(4:14)  7. Street Of Dreams
(4:30)  8. All The Way
(4:49)  9. Dream
(4:08) 10. What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life
(4:38) 11. As Time Goes By
(5:02) 12. Goodbye
(2:35) 13. Jazzspeak
(3:22) 14. If I Had A Penny

A bit of a disappointment, this date matches together veteran tenor saxophonist Flip Phillips with a fine rhythm section (pianist Dick Hyman, Howard Alden or Bucky Pizzarelli on guitar, bassist Bob Haggart and drummer Ronnie Traxler) and 13 strings. Phillips sings his own "If I Had a Penny" and doubles a bit on bass clarinet; he plays fine but mostly sticks close to the melodies. The lack of tempo or mood variation in Hyman's ballad arrangements makes this CD better heard in small doses rather than as a whole. The music is pleasing but sometimes bordering on sleepy. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/try-a-little-tenderness-mw0000100100

Personnel: Flip Phillips (vocals, bass clarinet, tenor saxophone); Howard Alden, Bucky Pizzarelli (guitar); Stan Kurtis, Anthony Posk, Yuval Waldman, Carmel Malin, Peter Dimitriades, Alvin Rogers , Anahid Ajemian, Regis Iandiorio (violin); Lamar Alsop, Julien Barber (viola); Jesse Levy, Charles McCracken (cello); Dick Hyman (piano); Ron Traxler (drums).

Try A Little Tenderness

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Jo Stafford & Gordon MacRae - Golden Voices! Golden Memories!

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:26
Size: 160,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:09)  1. Whispering Hope
(3:02)  2. No Other Love
(3:15)  3. Bluebird of Happiness
(2:26)  4. 'A' You're Adorable
(2:32)  5. Steppin' Out with My Baby
(2:14)  6. Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo
(2:11)  7. Where Are You Gonna Be When the Moon Shines
(3:16)  8. Our Very Own
(2:30)  9. Dearie
(3:11) 10. To Think You've Chosen Me
(2:28) 11. A Rosewood Spinet
(2:13) 12. Say Something Sweet to Your Sweetheart
(2:44) 13. Need You
(2:39) 14. Always True to You in My Fashion
(3:10) 15. I'll String Along with You
(2:29) 16. Down the Lane
(2:51) 17. The Little Old Church Near Leicester Square
(2:15) 18. Tea for Two
(2:58) 19. Neapolitan Nights
(2:58) 20. Why Can't You Behave
(3:16) 21. Girls Were Made to Take Care of Boys
(3:02) 22. Love's Old Sweet Song
(2:55) 23. Evelyn
(2:48) 24. Wunderbar
(2:43) 25. The Pagan Love Song

One of the most technically gifted and popular vocalists of the immediate postwar period, Jo Stafford effortlessly walked the line between breezy pop and the more serious art of post-big-band jazz singing. With the help of her husband, top-flight arranger and Capitol A&R director Paul Weston, Stafford recorded throughout the '40s and '50s for Capitol and Columbia. She also contributed (with Weston) to one of the best pop novelty acts of the period, a hilariously inept and off-key satire that saw the couple billed as Jonathan & Darlene Edwards.

Born near Fresno, CA, Stafford sang from an early age and was classically trained, though she later joined her sisters in a country-tinged act (associated for a time with Joe "Country" Washburne). At the age of just 17, she became the first female voice in the seven-man vocal act known as the Pied Pipers. Soon after the group joined the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra in 1939, however, it was pruned to a quartet (which also included Stafford's first husband, co-founder John Huddleston). The group appeared on several of the Dorsey band's hits of the early '40s, a few of which paired them with Frank Sinatra. Stafford gained her first solo spots on a pair of Dorsey band hits, "Yes, Indeed!" and "Manhattan Serenade." She finally left the Pied Pipers for a solo contract in 1944 (she was replaced by June Hutton), though the group provided backup for many of her initial solo hits.

Not only signed to Capitol but able to preview hit songs as the co-host of label founder Johnny Mercer's radio program, Stafford hit the charts with the mid-'40s songs "Long Ago (And Far Away)," "I Love You," and "Candy." The latter, a duet with Mercer and the Pied Pipers, became her first number one. In 1948, her duet with Gordon MacRae on "My Darling, My Darling" became her second. She later moved to Columbia and recorded the two biggest hits of her career, 1952's "You Belong to Me" and 1954's "Make Love to Me." Stafford gained her own television program during the mid-'50s, and also recorded the first LP by Jonathan & Darlene Edwards, American Popular Songs. (It wasn't the first time Stafford had used a pseudonym, however; in 1947, she billed herself as Cinderella G. Stump to record a cover of the cornpone single "Temptation [Tim-Tay-Shun].") Though she slipped from the charts in the late '50s and retired from performance, Stafford continued to record for many years and issued the LP Getting Sentimental Over Tommy Dorsey on Reprise in 1963. She also founded Corinthian Records, with Weston, to reissue the couple's various recordings. ~ John Bush  http://www.allmusic.com/artist/jo-stafford-mn0000112017/biography

With his handsome boy-next-door looks, deep baritone, and glorious smile, Gordon MacRae found success as a recording artist, film actor, and television and radio personality. He recorded for Capitol Records for more than two decades, and starred in two of the most popular musicals of the 1950s, the movie versions of Richard Rodgers' and Oscar Hammerstein's Oklahoma! and Carousel, both of which had appeared previously on Broadway. Beginning in 1947, MacRae's releases for Capitol were quite successful. Through 1954 he scored numerous hits, among them "Rambling Rose," "So in Love," "It's Magic," "I Still Get Jealous," "Hair of Gold, Eyes of Blue," and "At the Candlelight Café." Following an absence of four years from the charts, "The Secret" brought about his return.

MacRae's chart success was not limited to solo efforts. He also collaborated with Jo Stafford, who previously sang for Tommy Dorsey's outfit. MacRae and Stafford hit the top of U.S. charts with "My Darling, My Darling." The duo also released the singles "A  You're Adorable," "Say Something Sweet to Your Sweetheart," "Whispering Hope," "Bluebird of Happiness," "Dearie," and "Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo." MacRae also put out an album in collaboration with his first wife, Sheila MacRae, an actress and singer. The performer's full name at birth was Albert Gordon MacRae. Born in New Jersey, he grew up in Syracuse, NY. During his high school years he was a member of the drama club. In addition to singing, he also could hold his own on the saxophone, clarinet, and piano. During his late teens, a contest win took him to New York, where he performed for several weeks during the World's Fair. The engagement gave him the opportunity to sing with professionals such as Les Brown and Harry James. The following year, Horace Heidt hired MacRae as a vocalist for his band. The singer stayed with Heidt's outfit for a couple of years before enlisting in the armed forces, where he received training in navigation.

After his war service, MacRae debuted on Broadway, taking over for Tommy Arbuckle in Junior Miss. In 1946 he moved on to Three to Make Ready, Ray Bolger's Broadway revue. The production brought him to the attention of Capitol and led to his contract with the company. During the late '40s MacRae landed a starring role in the music-based program The Railroad Hour, where he remained through 1954 despite a change of networks. During this period Warner Brothers snapped him up for its motion pictures, giving MacRae a seven-year deal and launching him in The Big Punch. A number of movie roles followed, casting him opposite such actresses as Doris Day, June Haver, Shirley Jones, Jane Powell, and Kathryn Grayson. MacRae bowed out of the movies in the mid-'50s and concentrated on television work and live concerts. He hosted his own program, The Gordon MacRae Show, and frequently turned up on such popular television shows as The Colgate Comedy Hour. He began struggling with alcoholism by the end of the 1950s, but by the 1970s he claimed to have wrested control over the addiction. In 1982 MacRae was struck down by a stroke, but he endured until 1986, when he died of pneumonia. He also suffered from cancer. MacRae and his first wife divorced in 1967. The marriage produced four children, among them actresses Meredith MacRae and Heather MacRae. He wed Liz Schrafft in 1967, and the couple raised one child. ~ Linda Seida  http://www.allmusic.com/artist/gordon-macrae-mn0000018796/biography

Golden Voices! Golden Memories!

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Jackie McLean - Right Now!

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1965
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:11
Size: 111,4 MB
Art: Front

( 6:08)  1. Eco
(10:12)  2. Poor Eric
(10:34)  3. Christel's Tune
( 9:29)  4. Right Now
(11:47)  5. Right Now (alt tk)

With the exception of a beautiful ballad version of Larry Willis' "Poor Eric," the music here (also available in Mosaic's four-disc Jackie McLean box set) is hard-charging, intense, and fairly free. The altoist was at the peak of his powers during this period and, inspired by the versatile rhythm section (pianist Larry Willis, bassist Bob Cranshaw, and drummer Clifford Jarvis), he plays explorative versions of his own "Eco," Willis' "Christel's Tune," and Charles Tolliver's "Right Now"; an alternate version of the latter is added on the reissue. This date offers a particularly strong example of McLean's unique inside/outside music of the 1960s. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/right-now!-mw0000675287

Personnel: Jackie McLean (alto saxophone); Larry Willis (piano); Bob Cranshaw (bass); Clifford Jarvis (drums).

Right Now!

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Asylum Street Spankers - Mercurial

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:01
Size: 135.1 MB
Styles: Jazz/Blues/Swing/R&B
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[4:09] 1. Digga Digga Doo
[3:35] 2. Paul Revere
[4:10] 3. D.R.I.N.K
[4:05] 4. Since I Met You Baby
[4:30] 5. Shine On Harvest Moon
[4:26] 6. Got My Mojo Workin'
[2:50] 7. Some Of These Days
[4:35] 8. Dance This Mess Around
[4:28] 9. Tv Party
[4:19] 10. Hick Hop
[3:33] 11. Tight Like That
[7:02] 12. Sugar In My Bowl
[3:21] 13. Going Up To The Country, Paint My Mailbox Blue
[3:53] 14. It's A Sin To Tell A Lie

The Asylum Street Spankers defy easy categorization. Sticking resolutely to acoustic instruments including clarinet, harmonica, banjo and at times even musical saw, the Spankers perform a bewildering array of songs in just about every popular style extant in America since the end of World War I. Though the band's lineup changes with each recording, the two leaders have remained constant: Christina Marrs, whose vocal tone and range remind me of Barbara Cook with touches of Aretha Franklin and Betty Boop, and Wammo, who is truly one of a kind. The Spankers' MO is to take absolutely nothing seriously except their musicianship (which is polished to the point of glowing) and to celebrate all forms of pleasure, not excluding those that are generally considered to be either immoral, illegal or fattening. (For their sake, I hope John Ashcroft never gets hold of a copy of "Spanker Madness.") Their new album, "Mercurial"--so named for Mercury Hall in their home town of Austin, where this CD was recorded--basically is a sampler of everything that makes the Spankers great. They perform everything from true old-time numbers such as "Shine On Harvest Moon" and "Digga Digga Doo" to a hilarious cover of the B-52's "Dance This Mess Around." Christina Marrs lights up the torches in such down-and-dirty blues numbers as "Got My Mojo Workin'" and "Sugar in My Bowl," but it's Wammo who is the album's standout in his wonderful original, "Hick Hop," best described as a rumble between the posses of Toby Keith and Snoop Dogg. Sadly, "Mercurial" probably marks the last appearances of Stanley Smith and Korey Simeone as regular Spankers--Smith quit the band because of ill health, Simeone to pursue an acting career--but the new touring group of Spankers is as tight an ensemble as ever, and bodes well for the band's survival as a living monument to the Pleasure Principle. ~Miles D Moore

Mercurial

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Blue Mitchell - Plays For Lovers

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:43
Size: 139.0 MB
Styles: Post bop, Trumpet jazz
Year: 2003
Art: Front

[3:21] 1. The Nearness Of You
[5:39] 2. When I Fall In Love
[5:24] 3. Why Do I Love You
[5:46] 4. Polka Dots And Moonbeams
[3:35] 5. But Beautiful
[3:45] 6. I Can't Get Started
[5:01] 7. There Will Never Be Another You
[6:40] 8. How Deep Is The Ocean
[3:35] 9. I'm A Fool To Want You
[4:59] 10. Turquoise
[5:39] 11. Missing You
[3:20] 12. For All We Know
[3:54] 13. Peace

In the '60s, Prestige launched its Plays for Lovers series with LPs by Miles Davis, John Coltrane, and others. The concept was jazz as romantic mood music -- collections of previously released material that are dominated by ballads and emphasize a player's more lyrical side. Fantasy has long since acquired the Prestige catalog, and in the 2000s, it helped keep the Plays for Lovers concept alive -- not only with Prestige recordings, but also with recordings from the Fantasy-owned catalogs of Riverside, Contemporary, and other labels. The Blue Mitchell Plays for Lovers collection, in fact, doesn't contain a single Prestige recording; all of the material originally came out on Riverside. In 2003, the late Mitchell was an obvious choice for a Plays for Lovers release because the Clifford Brown-influenced trumpeter was, quite simply, a superb ballad player. He had no problem swinging aggressively at a fast tempo, but he was equally skillful when it came to ballads -- a fact that is obvious on Blue Mitchell Plays for Lovers, which spans 1958-1962 and finds him playing quite soulfully on "I Can't Get Started," "Polka Dots and Moonbeams," and other famous Tin Pan Alley standards. Not everything on the 61-minute CD is a ballad; Cedar Walton's "Turquoise" is a moody, dusky post-bop offering that is played at a medium tempo. The tune's appealing melody bears a slight resemblance to the standard "You Don't Know What Love Is," and even though "Turquoise" is faster than any of the other selections, it doesn't really disrupt the overall mood and ambiance -- it's a momentary diversion but not an outright disruption. Besides, the Plays for Lovers series was meant to be ballad-heavy but not ballad-exclusive; being dominated by ballads isn't the same as excluding medium-tempo material altogether. And when all is said and done, Blue Mitchell Plays for Lovers lives up its title. ~Alex Henderson

Plays For Lovers

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Chris Flory With Duke Robillard And Friends - Blues In My Heart

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:12
Size: 108,5 MB
Art: Front

(6:46)  1. Scam
(7:20)  2. Willow Weep For Me
(4:49)  3. Bernie's Tune
(5:01)  4. I've Got A Right To Sing The Blues
(3:34)  5. Shine
(4:51)  6. Blue Bossa
(5:09)  7. Please Send Me Someone To Love
(4:27)  8. If Dreams Come True
(5:10)  9. Blues In My Heart

Celebrated jazz guitarist Chris Flory (formerly of the Scott Hamilton Quartet and longtime associate of pianist Judy Carmichael) is joined for his fifth album as a leader by members of the New England jump blues aristocracy: guitarist Duke Robillard (who produced the album and sings on its closing track), Roomful of Blues vocalist Sugar Ray Norcia, bassist Marty Ballou, and drummer Chuck Riggs. Flory's former boss, Scott Hamilton, sits in on two track as well. The result is a program of small-ensemble swing that comes across as genuinely joyful, but maybe just a bit too gentle. Flory's tone is warm and soft, and Robillard seems to be holding back just a bit in response. 

The rhythm section keeps things moving along nicely but doesn't drive the proceedings as hard as they perhaps should have. But that's not to say that the album isn't thoroughly lovely and genuinely enjoyable the group's rendition of "Shine" offers a perfect balance between light virtuosity and inexorable swing, Flory's graceful, tripping solos on "Bernie's Tune" are especially impressive, and Norcia's vocal appearances are all highlights on the program. It's just that if the players had let loose a bit more, this album could have been a real blast. As it is, it's just thoroughly lovely and genuinely enjoyable. ~ Rick Anderson  http://www.allmusic.com/album/blues-in-my-heart-mw0000598465

Personnel: Chris Flory (guitar);  Duke Robillard (vocals, guitar);  Sugar Ray Norcia (vocals);  Scott Hamilton (saxophone);  Chuck Riggs (drums);  Marty Ballou (bass).

Blues In My Heart

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Stan Kenton - Cuban Fire!

Styles: Piano Jazz, Latin Jazz
Year: 1956
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:06
Size: 125,0 MB
Art: Front

(6:02)  1. Fuego Cubano (Cuban Fire)
(5:53)  2. El Congo Valiente (Valiant Congo)
(5:01)  3. Recuerdos (Reminiscences)
(4:49)  4. Quien Sabe (Who Knows)
(5:09)  5. La Quera Baila (The Fair One Dances)
(4:20)  6. La Suerte De Los Tontos (Fortune Of Fools)
(2:59)  7. Tres Corazones (Three Hearts)
(3:51)  8. Malibu Moonlight
(4:34)  9. El Panzon
(5:22) 10. Carnival
(3:05) 11. Wagon
(2:56) 12. Early Hours (Lady Luck)

This CD contains one of the classic Stan Kenton albums, a six-part suite composed and arranged by Johnny Richards. The Kenton orchestra was expanded to 27 pieces for these dates including six percussionists, two French horns and six trumpets. With such soloists as tenor-great Lucky Thompson (on "Fuego Cubano,") trombonist Carl Fontana, altoist Lennie Niehaus, Bill Perkins on tenor and trumpeters Sam Noto and Vinnie Tanno, and plenty of raging ensembles, this is one of Stan Kenton's more memorable concept albums of the 1950s. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/cuban-fire!-mw0000264239

Personnel : Stan Kenton (piano);  Lennie Neihaus, Gene Baltazar (alto saxophone);  Bill Perkins, Lucky Thompson (tenor saxophone);  Billy Root, Marvin Holliday (baritone saxophone);  Ed Leddy, Sam Noto, Lee Katzman, Phil Gilbert, Al Mattaliano (trumpets); Vinnie Tano (trumpet, flugelhorn); Bob Fitzpatrick, Carl Fontana, Kent Larsen (trombone); Irving Rosenthal, Julius Watikins (French horn); Jay McAllister (tuba); Gene Roland (mellophonium); Ralph Blaze (guitar); Curtis Counce, Pete Chivily (bass); Art Anton, Mel Lewis (drums); Tommy Lopez, George Acevedo (congas); George Laguna (timbales); Roger Mozian (claves); Mario Alvarez (maracas).

Cuban Fire!

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Count Basie - Frankly Basie: Count Basie Plays The Hits Of Frank Sinatra

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:20
Size: 108.4 MB
Styles: Big band, Swing
Year: 1963/2003
Art: Front

[4:31] 1. The Second Time Around
[2:46] 2. Hey! Jealous Lover
[3:30] 3. I'll Never Smile Again
[4:05] 4. Saturday Night (Is The Loneliest Night Of The Week)
[3:03] 5. This Love Of Mine
[2:53] 6. I Thought About You
[3:12] 7. In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning
[2:41] 8. Come Fly With Me
[2:52] 9. On The Road To Mandalay
[3:13] 10. Only The Lonely
[3:51] 11. South Of The Border
[2:25] 12. All Of Me
[2:39] 13. My Kind Of Town
[2:51] 14. Come Rain Or Come Shine
[2:40] 15. Hey! Jealous Lover

Originally titled More Hits of the 50's and 60's, Frankly Basie: Count Basie Plays the Hits of Frank Sinatra, a salute to Frank Sinatra by the Count Basie Orchestra, is mostly closer to dance music than jazz. The original 12-song program featuring Billy Byers' arrangements is augmented by a "new" alternate take of "Hey! Jealous Lover" and two selections ("My Kind of Town" and "Come Rain or Come Shine") taken from the LP Basie Picks the Winners. "All of Me" is most memorable. ~Scott Yanow

Frankly Basie: Count Basie Plays The Hits Of Frank Sinatra

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Kate Meehan - Can I Play Too?

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:44
Size: 102.4 MB
Styles: Blues-jazz vocals
Year: 2004
Art: Front

[3:19] 1. I Ain't Got Nothing But The Blues
[3:44] 2. Wichita Lineman
[2:38] 3. Don't Go To Strangers
[5:03] 4. Aint Misbehavin
[4:29] 5. Body And Soul
[5:17] 6. You Don't Know What Love Is
[3:29] 7. Don't Touch Me
[4:48] 8. Don't Explain
[2:20] 9. All Of Me
[3:49] 10. The Gypsy
[1:59] 11. Paper Moon
[3:43] 12. Feel Like Going Home

Kate Meehan is an elegant, flaming, passionate singer, who shows herself as a woman with a special feeling for the blues, which is something enviable for women who live in the music business. The daughter of well known Hobart Jazz Trumpeter Clem Meehan, Kate was brought up with the sounds of Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald bouncing around the lounge room. The sound of standards is in clear evidence on this disc, and well-executed versions are the order of the day. At times, the spirit of Julie London invades and a smoky, after hours feeling comes to the fore. Kate can really "mellow-down" and get a growl going too.

Can I Play Too?

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Johnny 'Hammond' Smith - Good 'Nuff

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 71:35

Size: 163.9 MB

Styles: Hard bop, Soul-jazz

Year: 1962/2003

Art: Front

[6:28] 1. Good 'nuff

[7:10] 2. Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen

[3:30] 3. Sonja's Dreamland

[3:55] 4. Besame Mucho

[6:10] 5. Neck Bones

[4:15] 6. Delicious

[7:42] 7. Y'all

[6:42] 8. The Stinger

[5:29] 9. There Is No Greater Love

[3:57] 10. Brother John

[5:01] 11. Cleopatra And The African Knight 2

[6:57] 12. You Don't Know What Love Is

[4:13] 13. Bennie's Diggin'

Good 'Nuff combines two Smith '60s albums onto one CD: 1962's Johnny Hammond Smith Cooks With Gator Tail (co-billed to tenor saxophonist Willis Jackson) and 1965's The Stinger. "Good 'Nuff" is one of the tracks on Johnny Hammond Smith Cooks With Gator Tail, which is typical early-'60s Prestige soul-jazz, with all the good and bad that implies. The good? It hits a lockstep earthy groove, with funky organ by Smith, smoky sax from Jackson, and some smooth guitar from Eddie McFadden. The bad? Well, it's not bad, really, just predictable. The compositions usually have easygoing, unchallenging bluesy progressions, and the whole thing has the agreeable ambience of a good-time bar where the music fades more into the background the longer it continues. Smith wrote four of the seven songs, the program balanced by Jackson's "Y'All" and covers of "Besame Mucho" and the traditional "Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen." "Sonja's Dreamland" goes the furthest into ballad territory, while "Neckbones" swings the hardest. The Stinger, on which Houston Person and Earl Edwards assume the tenor sax duties, is more interesting, with a slightly more gutbucket soul feel, though the title track too strongly recalls Bill Doggett's huge mid-'50s hit "Honky Tonk." "Brother John" sounds like a Ray Charles track without a vocal, and "Cleopatra and the African Knight," as the title indicates, incorporates a convincing tinge of Arabia. ~Richie Unterberger

Good 'Nuff

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Paul Young - Rock Swings

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:01
Size: 116.8 MB
Styles: Pop/Rock,Swing vocals
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[3:23] 1. Tainted Love
[4:05] 2. Bennie And The Jets
[4:29] 3. Enter Sandman
[4:10] 4. Why Does It Always Rain On Me
[4:26] 5. Isn't It A Pity
[4:15] 6. The Boys Of Summer
[5:12] 7. Lose Yourself
[4:01] 8. Hungry Heart
[3:06] 9. I'd Better Get My Coat
[3:07] 10. In The Ghetto
[3:23] 11. The Jean Genie
[3:56] 12. Walk On The Wild Side
[3:21] 13. White Christmas

As the title of this collection suggests, English blue-eyed soul man Paul Young, takes pop songs and reworks them into big band, Sinatra-Buble stylings. He covers songs made famous by Elvis, Springsteen, Elton John, Don Henley, and even Soft Cell and Eminem. What makes the collection special is that he pulls it off and it works more often than not. It's such a shame this wasn't a big hit. It has a rockabilly feel, kinda like something the Stray Cats might have tried.

I highly recommend this release to anyone who wants to try something extremely new, but also interestingly familiar. ~Last.FM

Rock Swings

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