Aga Zaryan - Picking Up the Pieces

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:46
Size: 102,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:26)  1. Day Dream
(4:23)  2. Throw It Away
(1:58)  3. Picking Up The Pieces
(4:21)  4. Woman's Work
(4:03)  5. Answer Me
(5:18)  6. The Man I Love
(5:03)  7. Here's to Life
(4:31)  8. It Might As Well Be Spring
(3:24)  9. Sophisticated Lady
(5:12) 10. Suzanne
(3:03) 11. Tender As a Rose

Gifted vocalist Aga Zaryan conveys the finest of the history of jazz to today's audiences, continuing the traditions of great artists like Shirley Horn, Carmen McRae and Joni Mitchell. Aga Zaryan is a producer and lyricist but first and foremost, a highly charismatic artist and personality. She has been successful in integrating ambitious artistic goals with popular appeal, recording four albums to date, all of which have earned gold, platinum or multi-platinum status in Poland. In 2008 she was honored with the Polish music industry's most prestigious prize - the Fryderyk Chopin Award. She was nominated for the title of Woman of The Year 2008 by Gazeta Wyborcza-Wysokie Obcasy, one of Poland's most influential and widely circulated newspapers. Aga was also named Jazz Vocalist of The Year in the European Jazz Forum Magazine's yearly Jazz Top readers' poll in 2007, 2008 and 2009. She has appeared in clubs and at festivals in Poland, England, the USA, Germany, Norway, Israel, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Norway, France, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Turkey, Portugal, Russia and Iceland. Aga Zaryan born January 17, 1976 is an internationally recognized jazz vocalist of the new generation. She is known for her distinctive style, class and intimate approach to singing, with a characteristic lightness of phrasing and warm, slightly matte-toned voice.  

Aga was born in Warsaw, Poland. Her father being a classical pianist, and her mother an English language educator and author, she travelled widely throughout Europe with her parents early on, spending part of her childhood and attending primary school in Manchester, UK. In addition to classical works, both of Aga's parents shared a passion for the music of Stevie Wonder, Weather Report, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Marley, The Beatles, and various other popular artists. This provided Aga with exposure to wide range of contemporary music, starting at an early age. After returning to Poland from the UK she became involved in playing tennis competitively, and went on to win the Warsaw Tennis Championship at the age of 14. More Bio ~ http://www.zaryan.com/index1.php

Awards:
'Best Polish Female Jazz Vocalist' Jazz Forum's Readers Awards 2007 & 2008 & 2009,  'Best Poetic Album' Fryderyk Award for 'Beauty is Dying' 2008, '50 Most Important Ladies of the Capital 2008' - Zycie Warszawy (Warsaw press), 'Best New Artist' Mateusz Award - Polish National Radio 3 award for 'Picking up the Pieces' 2007, Second Prize at the International Jazz Vocalists' Competition in Zamosc, PL - 1998 Nominations 'Woman of the Year 2008' - Gazeta Wyborcza magazine (Wysokie Obcasy) 'Wdechy' 2007 'Co Jest Grane' (Whats going on) magazine's Warsaw cultural awards, 'Best Polish Jazz Vocalist' Jazz Forum's Reader's Awards 2004 and 2005 'Best Jazz Album' "My Lullaby" Fryderyk 2002  ~ http://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/agazaryan

Picking Up the Pieces

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Barney Wilen - New York Romance

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:36
Size: 146,0 MB
Art: Front

(9:24)  1. No Problem 94'
(8:32)  2. Cry Me A River
(5:58)  3. Blues Walk
(7:28)  4. You'Ve Changed
(5:53)  5. You'D Be So Nice To Come Home
(8:19)  6. Mack The Knife
(7:26)  7. Don'T Fence Me In
(6:22)  8. Old Devil Moon
(4:10)  9. I Will Say Goodbbye

Alternating between soprano, tenor and baritone saxes in this collection of straight-ahead jazz for the Japanese market, Barney Wilen refuses to be pinned down to a single tone quality or approach, even on the same instrument. Among other things, he mimics the lagging phrasing of Lady Day on "You've Changed" on soprano, "Blues Walk" bumps along agreeably on baritone while "Old Devil Moon" is sustained and humorous, and "Mack the Knife" is converted into a glacial smoky ballad with almost casual nonchalance. Throughout, Kenny Barron gets acres of well-turned solo space  it's practically his gig, too  and Ira Coleman (bass) and Lewis Nash (drums) provide crisp underpinning. The further one goes in this collection, the more interesting and less predictable it sounds. ~ Richard S. Ginell  http://www.allmusic.com/album/le-ca-new-york-romance-mw0000647580

Personnel : Barney Wilen (soprano, tenor & baritone saxophones); Kenny Barron (piano); Ira Coleman (bass); Lewis Nash (drums).

New York Romance

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