Caroline Dahl - Devil Digit Boogie Woogie

Size: 139,5 MB
Time: 59:01
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Blues/Jazz, Boogie Woogie
Art: Front

01. Sugarplum's Boogie (4:03)
02. Anitra's Boogie (4:29)
03. A Boogie Woogie Sunday (3:20)
04. Boogie En Bernal (3:05)
05. Paris Boogie (4:21)
06. Tricky Devil (4:05)
07. Good News Boogie (3:33)
08. Boogie Woogie Waltz (2:25)
09. Celebration Boogie (2:57)
10. Homecoming Boogie (5:10)
11. The New World Boogie (3:50)
12. Sheika's Birthday (4:04)
13. Pinetop's Boogie Woogie (4:17)
14. Boogie Woogie Espanol (5:04)
15. The Sound Of Boogie (4:11)

Devil Digit Boogie Woogie is Caroline Dahl's third CD and first solo piano album - all Caroline, all piano. All 15 tracks (except for one) are her own songs, showcasing her unique groove of Boogie Woogie and American Roots music. Four of the songs are Caroline's medleys that include great tunes like La Vie En Rose, Habanera, Just A Closer Walk With Thee, Anitra's Dance, and others.

Dahl really shines when she blurs the lines of historic conventions. She dresses out traditional stomping bass lines with touches of jazz harmony, country swing and early rock 'n roll.

Devil Digit Boogie Woogie

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Adrienne West & Alessio Menconi - With Love To Ella And Joe

Size: 101,4 MB
Time: 41:38
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. I May Be Wrong (3:04)
02. Speak Low (3:44)
03. Love Dance (6:16)
04. Gee Baby Ain't I Good To You (3:51)
05. My Ship (5:30)
06. Love For Sale (3:31)
07. Rain (3:51)
08. A Foggy Day (3:46)
09. Pra Dizer Adeus (4:13)
10. Green Dolphin Street (3:47)

The renowned duo of Ella Fitzgerald and Joe Pass is one of the most important musical landmarks representing the beautiful relationship between the human voice and the guitar. “With Love to Ella and Joe” is homage to the musical relationship between Fitzgerald and Pass, containing a repertoire of popular Jazz standards as well as other great songs performed by the famous duo. With this CD, the beautiful African-American voice of Adrienne West in combination with the masterful guitar playing of Italy’s Alessio Menconi, have created a musical journey dedicated to these two incredible musicians, recreating with great taste the intimate, swingin’ atmosphere so admired and love by Ella and Joe.

Performers:
Adrienne West, Vocals | Alesio Menconi, Guitar

With Love To Ella And Joe   

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Charles Glenn - The Best Of The Best

Size: 106,8 MB
Time: 45:45
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz: Smooth Jazz, Funky Jazz
Art: Front

01. 57 (4:35)
02. Cruisin' (4:58)
03. Funk Dat (3:59)
04. Funky Monkey (3:51)
05. If You Believe (3:49)
06. Make It Hot For Me (6:09)
07. Stephani (4:16)
08. Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart) (4:18)
09. Swagg Jazz (5:07)
10. You're All I Need (4:37)

Charles Glenn is a veteran of the music industry. This former Motown recording artist, with the funk band Ozone has many accomplishments under his belt. He was born and raised in Nashville, TN to Charles Sr. and Julia Glenn. Charles Glenn began his music career at the age of 16, where he was given an opportunity to play with a local top 40 band. At the age of 17, Charles headed west to California where Motown signed him. As the youngest member in his band he learned to perfect his bass playing skills and showmanship. Charles Glenn is currently signed with Spectra Jazz and just released his latest work entitled “The Best of the Best”.

The CD kicks things off with “57 Feat” an upbeat intro piece that serves up classic Fusion rock groove against slamming R&B guitar and driving rock rhythm. Track 2 “Crusin'’” shifts gears with its smooth as silk flowing rhythm, heartfelt vibe and thought provoking musical layering from Glenn and company. Track 3 my personal favorite “Funk Dat” is a sizzling melody that dishes out impressive rhythm section, sickening bass chops and well placed horns/organ accents that peaks and valleys its way through to emotional fruition. As this CD slowly unfolds I can hear many different musical soundscapes reminiscent of such classic Damen Tisdale, Stanly Clarke, Jaco Pastorius, Billy Cobham, and Weather Report. The music itself is an impressive blend of Classic Rock, Jazz, Fusion, Psychedelic Jam Band and Funkadelick R&B and even Smooth Jazz. You definitely get an unmistakable bass guitar driven Psychedelic Funk-Rock vibe from the catalogue which all the Bass heads will die for. I get the impression Glenn and company are having a lot of fun just letting it all hang out with these songs. He’s definitely one of those guys that’s a whole lot of fun to listen to. The musicianship from Glenn and company is equally as impressive. I might add his bass playing abilities go beyond human - dishing out impressive chops, solos, and passionate and confident playing style. You will notice lush layers of instrumentation layered everywhere, from impressive keyboard accents, Hammond Organ chops, impressive horns, Jazz Guitar, behind a deadly thick as a brick rhythm section. But the most impressive thing about this release besides the amazing 10 song line up is the musical personality you get from Glenn – PERIOD! From funky “Funky Monkey” to heartfelt “If You Believe” and “Stop, Look Listen” to grooving “Make it Hot For Me” and Swag Jazz” to melodic “Stephani” this CD has something for just about everyone. The CD ends with Track 10 “Your All I Need” the perfect finale statement for a CD of this caliber.

From start to finish Best of the Best from Charles Glenn is a barnburner of a release. Let me go on records to say it’s one of the grooviest CD’s I’ve heard this year. It will definitely get your toe tapping. The music is consistent, uplifting, and extremely fun and entertaining to check out. Note for note, song for song there isn’t really a weak piece of music on this entire CD. The writing and playing abilities of Charles Glenn are red hot and he is clearly a masterful bassist guitarist, songwriter and overall musical personality. ~Cyrus Rhodes

The Best Of The Best

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Natalie John - Natalie John

Size: 75,0 MB
Time: 32:19
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz Vocals, Soul Jazz
Art: Front

01. Shy Away (4:09)
02. Thinking (3:58)
03. Let's Do This (3:43)
04. Win Or Lose (4:27)
05. Fragile Soul (5:09)
06. Secrecy (4:37)
07. Something More (2:21)
08. See You In My Dreams (3:51)

Eight original compositions that embody her unique approach to contemporary jazz, seamlessly weaving complex harmonies and rhythms with catchy backbeats and heartbreaking melodies to portray stories of lost loves and new beginnings.

24 year old Natalie John develops her artistic expression through stretching the boundaries of popular music with compositions that derive from jazz, folk, and rock. Her music blends together the sultry, coy emotions of jazz singers that precede her with the tension of jagged rhythms and complex, lush harmonies. Natalie became enthralled with music as a youth when she began singing in girl’s choir. At the age of 16, she delved into the world of jazz records and began to pursue her musical training in the genre. Upon entering college at University of Southern California, she studied with top ranked jazz musicians, earning the John Coltrane Foundation Scholarship in 2005 and the 2006 Downbeat Award for Best College Vocalist. Transferring to New School University in 2006, John studied with Reggie Workman, Charles Tolliver, Junior Mance, Rachel Z, Joe Chambers and many other inspiring artists in New York City. She participated in the prestigious Betty Carter’s Jazz Ahead artist residency at the Kennedy Center in the spring of 2008. Also in 2008 she was selected from an international draw of musicians to participate in the Banff Centre’s 3-week International Workshop for Jazz and Creative Music, directed by world-reclaimed trumpeter and composer Dave Douglas. Outside of collegiate groups, John has performed at clubs in and around the city of L.A., including Catalina’s, the Mint, the Lighthouse, Tangier, and others. The Natalie John Quartet was featured at the 2005 Festival Jazz en Lima, voyaging to Lima, Peru, where she shared the bill with Maria Schneider, Ingrid Jensen, Geoff Keezer, and other international jazz greats. Since 2006, the Natalie John Quartet performs in Manhattan and Brooklyn at such venues as the 55 Bar, Zinc Bar, Sweet Rhythm, Spike Hill, Rose Live Music, Cornelia St. Café, and others. Natalie recently shared her talents on Oscar-winning composer and incredible South Indian musician Prasanna's new jazz album (release info. TBA). She has also performed with Ingrid Jensen’s quintet, Rachel Z’s Department of Good and Evil, Travis Sullivan’s Bjorkestra, and DUET, formerly known as the Tyler Schwartz Group. She performs regularly at the 55 Bar in Manhattan with her quartet.

Natalie John

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Ruby Braff - Dream Dancin'

Size: 173,5 MB
Time: 74:54
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz, Trumpet Jazz, Mainstream Jazz
Art: Front

01. I've Got A Feelin' I'm Fallin' ( 6:14)
02. Someday You'll Be Sorry ( 5:18)
03. When It's Sleepy Time Down South ( 4:05)
04. Indiana ( 5:40)
05. It's Wonderful ( 4:45)
06. Confessin' That I Love You ( 3:33)
07. I Can't Give You Anything But Love ( 4:35)
08. (Was I To Blame For) Falling In Love With You ( 4:05)
09. Take The 'A' Train (12:37)
10. These Foolish Things ( 5:21)
11. Cornet Shop Suey ( 3:14)
12. Fly Away Blues ( 6:19)
13. The Girl From Ipanema ( 3:41)
14. Thankful ( 5:22)

One of the great swing/Dixieland cornetists, Ruby Braff went through long periods of his career unable to find work because his music was considered out-of-fashion, but his fortunes improved by the 1970s. A very expressive player who in later years liked to build his solos up to a low note, Braff's playing was instantly recognizable within seconds.

Braff mostly worked around Boston in the late '40s. He teamed up with Pee Wee Russell when the clarinetist was making a comeback (they recorded live for Savoy), and after moving to New York in 1953, he fit easily into a variety of Dixieland and mainstream settings. Braff recorded for Vanguard as a leader, and with Vic Dickenson, Buck Clayton, and Urbie Green. He was one of the stars of Buck Clayton's Columbia jam sessions, and in the mid-'50s worked with Benny Goodman. But, despite good reviews and occasional recordings, work was hard for Braff to come by at times. In the 1960s, he was able to get jobs by being with George Wein's Newport All-Stars and at jazz festivals, but it was not until the cornetist formed a quartet with guitarist George Barnes, in 1973, that he became more secure. Afterward, Braff was heard in many small-group settings, including duets with Dick Hyman and Ellis Larkins (he had first met up with the latter in the 1950s), quintets with Scott Hamilton, and matching wits with Howard Alden. He remained one of the greats of mainstream jazz until his death in 2003. ~by Scott Yanow

Dream Dancin'

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Joanie Pallatto & Marshall Vente - Two Again

Size: 182,2 MB
Time: 78:25
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Help! (4:11)
02. People Make The World Go Round (6:07)
03. Straighten Up And Fly Right (4:45)
04. By The Time I Get To Phoenix (3:35)
05. Desafinado (5:55)
06. My Funny Valentine (5:35)
07. Vacation (4:28)
08. You May Laugh (4:26)
09. Berimbau (7:53)
10. Walk On By (4:40)
11. Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive (4:29)
12. Snowfall (4:36)
13. No Moon At All (5:49)
14. Don't Misunderstand (4:54)
15. Charade (6:55)

Since the beginning of jazz and pop music artists have presented their own versions of high profile classic and obscure hidden treasures. Chicago pianist/arranger Marshall Vente joins forces with Chicago vocalist/producer Joanie Pallatto in a new collection of 15 songs that include 2 originals. Pallatto’s exquisite vocals are wrapped in the lush and creative arrangements of pianist Vente as he strokes the keys of the Baldwin SD-10 9' concert grand creating his own personal orchestra.

No style of music is left alone as the CD opens with Lennon & McCartney's "Help!" And yes, The Beatles do swing! Traces of urban soul sizzle with track #2, “People Make The World Go Round.” Pallatto and Vente pay respect to composer Jimmy Webb on track #4 with their ethereal version of "By The Time I Get To Phoenix." These are just 3 of the 15 songs on this CD!!! And this is only a 1 sheet!

Described by Rick Kogan of the Chicago Tribune as having “a stirring and special voice,” Joanie Pallatto has released fifteen CDs, and has performed at many Chicago jazz clubs, the Chicago Jazz Festival, and was a featured soloist with Daniel Barenboim in "Ellington Among Friends" at Symphony Center in 1999. She is co-founder of Southport Records with partner and piano man Bradley Parker-Sparrow.

Two Again

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Kenny Ball & His Jazzmen - Best Boys

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 77:04
Size: 176.4 MB
Styles: Big band
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[4:37] 1. Chimes Blues
[2:54] 2. Them There Eyes
[4:04] 3. Tin Roof Blues
[2:42] 4. I Got Plenty O' Nuttin
[3:09] 5. Dinah
[2:36] 6. Georgia Swing
[3:03] 7. American Patrol
[6:02] 8. Blue Turning Grey Over You
[3:50] 9. Savoy Blues
[2:26] 10. Nuages
[1:58] 11. Beale Street Blues
[2:58] 12. Black And Tan Fantasy
[2:15] 13. Waltzing Matilda
[4:00] 14. Sorry
[3:39] 15. Finger Buster
[4:35] 16. Riverside Blues
[2:13] 17. I'm Satisfied With My Girl
[2:20] 18. Big Noise From Winnetka
[4:06] 19. Snag It
[3:05] 20. Puttin' On The Ritz
[3:34] 21. Lazy River
[2:51] 22. Potato Head Blues
[3:57] 23. Ostrich Walk

Kenny was one of England's top trumpet men and his band the Jazzmen carried on the great tradition of Kenny's idol, Louis Armstrong and his All Stars. Kenny always served up a good portion of traditional jazz and his horn and voice always had the pulse of Louis and pure jazz to it.

Best Boys

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Karen Souza - Essentials I

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 43:20

Size: 99.2 MB

Styles: Pop soul, Vocal jazz

Year: 2011

Art: Front

[3:41] 1. Do You Really Want To Hurt Me

[3:31] 2. Creep

[4:00] 3. Strawberry Fields Forever (Feat. Los Panchos)

[3:13] 4. Tainted Love

[3:53] 5. Corcovado (Quiet Nights Of Quiet Stars)

[2:46] 6. Every Breath You Take

[3:16] 7. Personal Jesus

[3:50] 8. New Year's Day

[3:33] 9. Billie Jean

[3:28] 10. Wake Up And Make Love With Me

[4:07] 11. Have You Ever Seen The Rain

[3:57] 12. Bette Davis Eyes

Latin American jazz singer Karen Souza, who has performed and recorded under the pseudonyms Pacha Ibiza, FTV (FashionTV), and Privé, is best known for her work on the popular jazz and '80s series, which featured sultry, jazz-infused covers of '8os hits like "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" (Culture Club) and "Personal Jesus" (Depeche Mode). Souza also contributed to '70s and '90s versions of the series as well.

Karen Souza Essentials

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Bruce Mathiske's Rhythm Express - Guitar-Uoso

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:01
Size: 112.2 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[3:04] 1. Djanglin
[3:23] 2. Fragile
[3:32] 3. Johnny & Mary
[3:51] 4. Lost In The Andes
[3:53] 5. Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For
[3:07] 6. Solo Choro
[3:26] 7. Bossa Dorado
[5:19] 8. Butterflies & Hurricanes
[3:29] 9. Caribbean Nights
[2:46] 10. Fireball
[3:58] 11. The French Detention
[2:45] 12. Washing Of The Water
[3:02] 13. Stairway To Heaven
[3:19] 14. Dance With Me

Virtuosity abounds with Mathiske's brand new 5 piece outfit delivering stunning "world music" arrangements from artists as diverse as Sting, Peter Gabriel, Muse, Paul Simon, U2, Robert Palmer, Deep Purple and of course Bruce Mathiske. Combining popular melodies with sophisticated arrangements and improvisation makes this a very dynamic and unique musical experience.

Guitar-Uoso

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Carmen Lundy - Solamente

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:40
Size: 126,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:35)  1. I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings
(4:10)  2. Fire In The Rhythm
(3:55)  3. The Out Crowd Pt.1
(3:27)  4. Lay Low
(5:31)  5. Requiem For Kathryn
(3:41)  6. Show Me A Sign
(4:05)  7. When The Lights Are Low
(3:28)  8. Free As A Child
(7:48)  9. Move On
(5:52) 10. America, The Beautiful
(4:47) 11. Without Your Love
(2:14) 12. The Out Crowd Pt 2

Carmen Lundy's voice is one of the very best in jazz, and has always been an integral part of the backing bands she works with. In what may be an unprecedented format for a jazz singer, this is a solo project in every sense, as she wrote and performed everything, save a modified version of "America the Beautiful." One gets the airy and diffuse feeling of this album from the beginning, at times drifting or approximated, at others assured and even stoic in her resolve to do this all on her own. There are themes borrowed and assimilated, but it seems more like extrapolations than interpretations. Lundy is unique, if not all that original here, where in previous performances she's been much more of a pioneer than carrying on in whatever jazz vocal tradition. 

This recording tends toward that derived sound, with pop, Brazilian, and more commercial leanings rather than jazz. Still Lundy's penchant for improvising is softly rendered on the most tuneful blues "Lay Low" where she picks up an acoustic guitar, or in the easy waltz of "Without Your Love," her most pronounced effort. There's a party tune, a shimmering requiem, and even spacy music, all atypical of what Lundy's fans might expect. More what it is not compared to her previous recordings, Lundy has made a bold move here, even if it largely isn't as successful. ~ Michael G.Nastos  http://www.allmusic.com/album/solamente-mw0001497646

Solamente

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Jackie McLean - Destination... Out!

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:03
Size: 80,6 MB
Art: Front

( 8:25)  1. Love And Hate
( 9:04)  2. Esoteric
(10:24)  3. Kahlil The Prophet
( 7:08)  4. Riff Raff

Is this a Jackie McLean album the way Somethin’ Else is a Cannonball Adderley album? On the latter, Cannon’s "sideman" Miles Davis seems to be calling the shots. On Destination...Out!, trombonist Grachan Moncur III wrote three of the four tracks and is heard first after the head on the opening number. So was Jackie giving his name to the project to boost sales and get his pal some notice? Another piece of evidence is that this album is almost nothing like other Jackie McLean albums of the period, including One Step Beyond, where Moncur is also present. And as excellent as are such non-Moncur McLean albums as It’s Time and Action, Destination...Out! was a great day for everyone involved (McLean, alto sax; Moncur, trombone; Bobby Hutcherson, vibes; Larry Ridley, bass, and Roy Haynes, drums). The album opens deep in Moncur’s chambers of darkness. "Love and Hate," a stalking, foreboding piece characteristic of Moncur’s composing at this time, draws from McLean a solo of tremendous depth and subtlety. 

This is McLean at his most moving. While he cannot entirely repress his native exultation, here he fits it into a larger picture that lives up to the title of the piece. Moncur’s solo provides something of a contrast; is he playing "hate" to Jackie’s "love"? Whatever, this track alone makes the album."Esoteric" is slightly more upbeat Moncur, with the two horn men and Hutcherson exploring a rich palette of moods. The lightest piece on the album is (of course!) the one number penned by McLean, "Kahlil the Prophet," and Moncur’s closer, "Riff Raff," is relatively conventional compared to his other compositions. But however upbeat anything on this album gets, there is nothing here that matches the magnificent jubilation reached by McLean and Lee Morgan on some of their collaborations. McLean’s destination here seems to be a vein of thoughtful music with a greater breadth of communicative power than was common in much of the music of the time.

Of course, the search for the same destination motivated the "outside" explorations of John Coltrane and a host of others in the same years. McLean, for all the self-advertising of his own adventurousness in the titles of his early Sixties albums ( Let Freedom Ring, One Step Beyond, and this one), actually never went as far over the line into "free" playing as did Trane or Ornette. Destination...Out! never approaches the startling unconventionality of those masters, but it succeeds in integrating "out" elements into the overall musical framework, and is richly satisfying on its own terms. ~ Robert Spencer  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/destinationout-jackie-mclean-blue-note-records-review-by-robert-spencer.php

Personnel: Jackie McLean (alto saxophone); Grachan Moncur III (trombone); Bobby Hutcherson (vibraphone); Larry Ridley (bass instrument); Roy Haynes (drums).

Destination... Out!

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Jonathan Kreisberg - Night Songs

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:32
Size: 141,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:22)  1. Laura
(8:51)  2. Autumn In New York
(7:13)  3. September Song
(7:13)  4. Prelude To A Kiss
(7:54)  5. Spring Is Here
(7:23)  6. I'll Be Seeing You
(5:55)  7. Blue In Green
(5:32)  8. Nefertiti
(6:04)  9. Warm Valley

Few artists dare to strictly play ballads on any full project, for it appeals to a specific audience only concerned with the soothing, relaxed quality of jazz. Guitarist Jonathan Kreisberg has chosen this route, performing the music effectively, calmly, and with the rationale of a poker player silently holding all the right cards until the proper moment to lay them out, as well as his or her calculated emotions. Gary Versace is the surprise element here, as he has put away his potent Hammond B-3 for a piano sound much more in tune with the introspective techniques employed by Bill Evans. Bassist Matt Penman (SF Jazz Collective, Kurt Rosenwinkel) and drummer Mark Ferber (Fred Hersch, Lee Konitz) utilize the difficult elements of tasteful restraint and loving patience in supporting the guitarist and pianist in ultimately subtle means and ways. The program is all standards, none of them at all challenging, many somber and wistful. 

"Laura" is the opener, a real beauty for starters as Kreisberg's one-note lines accent Versace's cascading piano chords. The program turns reflective on slow songs as the classic heartache evinced in "Autumn in New York," the tango styled, even keeled "September Song," and a midtempo melancholy refrain of "I'll Be Seeing You." Kreisberg plays much acoustic guitar very much in the style of Joe Pass or Kenny Burrell, and when he picks up an amplified model, it is toned down and kept completely in check, as in the slowly blossoming "Spring Is Here" or a laid-back version of the Miles Davis Kind of Blue icon "Blue in Green." Wayne Shorter's "Nefertiti" offers a slightly steelier tone and the churning piano of Versace in contrast. The final selection, Duke Ellington's "Warm Valley," is a bit different with an arrangement in 5/4 time led by the sullen tones of Penman, while the three main instruments trade mercurial melody lines spontaneously. 

This is Kreisberg's seventh effort as a leader, and at this point in his career, he was compelled to make this muted statement to touch the hearts of those who favor cooler heads prevailing over feverish neo-bop or modern jazz music. It's a credible effort, geared for people inclined to close off this troubled world and convene with one's significant other over dinner, drinks, and sitting by the fireplace. ~ Michael G.Nastos  http://www.allmusic.com/album/night-songs-mw0000808581

Personnel: Jonathan Kreisberg (guitar); Gary Versace (piano); Matt Penman (bass guitar); Mark Ferber (drums).

Night Songs

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Bette Midler - It's The Girls!

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:31
Size: 109,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:08)  1. Be My Baby
(2:54)  2. One Fine Day
(2:23)  3. Bei Mir Bist du Schon
(3:18)  4. Baby It's You
(2:57)  5. Tell Him
(2:54)  6. He's Sure The Boy I Love (duet with Darlene Love)
(2:25)  7. Mr. Sandman
(4:14)  8. Come And Get These Memories
(3:05)  9. Too Many Fish In The Sea
(3:30) 10. Teach Me Tonight
(4:14) 11. Waterfalls
(3:07) 12. You Can't Hurry Love
(3:01) 13. Give Him A Great Big Kiss
(3:35) 14. Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow
(2:38) 15. It's The Girl

Bette Midler's 2014 effort, It's the Girls!, finds the legendary vocalist paying homage to female girl groups from the '40s, '50s, and '60s. Never one to be underestimated, however, Midler also brings the homage full circle with a reworking of TLC's 1995 R&B hit "Waterfalls." Midler's 14th studio album and 25th album overall, It's the Girls! follows up her successful compilation Memories of You. Though it represents an all-new effort in the studio, It's the Girls! nonetheless feels like a retrospective, a return to the cabaret and theatrical style of her early career. Working with veteran producers Marc Shaiman and Scott Riesett (both of whom previously helmed albums by Harry Connick, Jr., Mariah Carey, and others), Midler frames her resonant vocal chops with lush arrangements that, while reverential to the original recordings, certainly allow her to express her own personality on each song. 

Here, we get Midler's take on such classics of '60s girl group pop as the Ronettes' "Be My Baby," the Chiffons' "One Fine Day," and the Supremes' "You Can't Hurry Love." Elsewhere, she turns her attention to more golden-age vocal group standards like the Andrews Sisters' "Bei Mir Bist du Schön" and the Chordettes' "Mr. Sandman." These are brightly produced songs perfectly suited to Midler's vocal style, stage bravado, and cheeky sense of humor. ~ Matt Collar  http://www.allmusic.com/album/its-the-girls!-mw0002749613

It's The Girls!

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