Daryl Sherman - Mississippi Belle: Cole Porter In The Quarter

Size: 116,6 MB
Time: 49:30
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2012
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Label: Audiophile Records
Art: Front

01. Let's Do It (3:40)
02. Get Out Of Town (5:33)
03. Ours (5:13)
04. Rosalie (2:57)
05. Tale Of The Oyster (4:25)
06. Use Your Imagination (3:17)
07. By The Mississinewah (3:15)
08. Looking At You (4:03)
09. From This Moment On (2:52)
10. Mississippi Belle (4:47)
11. Who Wants To Be A Millionaire (2:52)
12. Where Have You Been (4:03)
13. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To (2:25)

Four years after her laudable, post-Katrina New O’leans, vocalist-pianist Daryl Sherman returns to the French Quarter’s Audiophile Studios for this wide-ranging salute to Cole Porter. Again Sherman favors local musicians, this time limiting her accompanists to just two: reedman Tom Fischer (a holdover from New O’leans) and bassist Jesse Boyd, both simpatico choices.

Porter and the Crescent City may seem an odd pairing. With the exception of the sentimental title track (written for a never-produced Hollywood musical), Porter’s urbane lyricism has always felt distinctly Yankee. Nor do Boyd and Fischer set out to infuse these 13 tracks with any overt regional flavor. Sherman—belle of Manhattan’s elite for 14 years while showcased at the Waldorf Astoria, where the Steinway she tickled once belonged to Porter—maintains her trademark blend of girlish charm and winking sophistication, akin to a cozy commingling of Blossom Dearie and Lee Wiley.

Still, there’s a laidback charm pervading the album that seems right at home in the Big Easy. Along the way, Sherman unearths such rarities as “By the Mississinewah,” Porter’s playful homage to the Indiana river of his youth, transformed into a freewheeling romp with guest vocalist Banu Gibson; “Tale of the Oyster,” with its lighthearted poke at high society; and the coyly romantic “Where Have You Been?” ~By Christopher Loudon

Mississippi Belle

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Hoppin' Mad - Hoppin' Mad

Size: 122,9 MB
Time: 52:31
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. Eccentric (3:20)
02. Blue Interlude (4:27)
03. I Hope Gabriel Likes My Music (3:59)
04. I Would Do Anything For You (3:22)
05. What Is This Thing Called Love (4:56)
06. Shake That Thing (3:51)
07. Weary Blues (5:27)
08. I Know That You Know (3:43)
09. Sweet Substitute (6:20)
10. Mop Mop (4:53)
11. Hampton Stomp (3:41)
12. If You Only Knew (4:27)

Hoppin’ Mad was formed, as these things often are, by seizing an opportunity. Simon Stribling was asked to put together something amazing for the Vancouver Jazz Dance Festival in November 2012. This is a swing dance festival attended primarily by young, energetic fans that know their music and really feed off the energy of a great band. Simon had been dreaming of working with his local Canadian favourites and his American idols in the same project for some time, so took the opportunity to invite up two international stars from California, Dan Barrett and Clint Baker. Simon’s regular hard core swinging Canadians Evan Arntzen, Georgia Korba, Josh Roberts and Lauri Lyster rounded out the band. Simon is actually the "odd one out", originating as he does from Australia.

Hoppin’ Mad played their first gig to a packed house on Sunday November 11th, 2012. The sweaty and spirited swing dancers were going crazy to say the least! Following this memorable gig was a two day stint in the studio to record a primarily live CD. The music flowed, thanks largely to Dan Barrett for his inspirational impromptu arrangements, and also for his wealth of charts that suited the band down to a tee. It was a great few days and this CD captures the essence of it, the fun, the camaraderie, the incredible musicianship and versatility and the great love of the style.

‘How did you get the name Hoppin' Mad’ you may ask? That is a simple and true story, as these things often are. One of Simon’s jazz heroes and mentors, Ade Monsbourgh, resided in London in the early 1950's with the Graeme Bell Jazz Band from Australia. Ade recorded a bunch of sides with the English trumpet legend Humphrey ‘Humph’ Liddleton. Humph wrote a tune about the Aussie invasion in London during this time. The tune was called Hoppin’ Mad. The name has always tickled Simon’s fancy, and when this fervent bunch let loose at the festival and during the recording session over the next two days, the name seemed obvious! The band is pumped and is focusing on the new generation of jazz fans all around the world, the swing dancers! There is a definite renaissance of jazz and swing going on here, like the ‘Hoppin' Mad’ era of the early 1950's in London, where the Graeme Bell band from Australia was working 6 nights a week playing at swing dance clubs. Hoppin’ Mad pays tribute to these early eras and relishes in the opportunity to see a resurgence of love for this great music.

Hoppin' Mad

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Marissa Mulder - Illusions

Size: 119,6 MB
Time: 50:59
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2012
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals, Cabaret
Art: Front

01. Pure Imagination/Never Never Land (2:38)
02. They Say It's Spring (2:49)
03. Day In Day Out (2:39)
04. Old Black Magic (4:06)
05. My Kind Of Guy (2:59)
06. It's Only A Paper Moon (4:12)
07. My Attorney Bernie (4:31)
08. Money Tree (3:36)
09. Lullaby For Nathan Charles (2:32)
10. Nobody's Heart (2:19)
11. Better (2:54)
12. Where Is The Wonder (2:14)
13. Both Sides Now (3:15)
14. Lorelei (2:31)
15. Illusions/Disneyland (4:22)
16. Rainbow Connection (3:14)

In the summer of 2011, I won the MetroStar Challenge at the Metropolitan Room – basically a Cabaret American Idol, a competition that begins with 60 singers and ends with one. My prize was a four night run and a multi-track recording of my own show, called "Illusions." I wanted to do a very personal show that showed who I am and what I believe in. The songs I picked really resonated in my heart, some romantic, some silly and some sad, ranging from Harold Arlen, to Marvin Hamlisch, to Joni Mitchell. The themes were innocence and the struggle between leaving childhood, yet keeping an inner child. For me, nothing is as inspiring and rewarding as a Cabaret show. There is no fourth wall, no superficiality, no place to hide. It's direct connection with your audience.

"The engagingly sunny Cabaret Singer Marissa Mulder has a voice with a bounce and a twinkle that recall that much missed pop-jazz pixie Blossom Dearie. Her ingenuousness is real." - Stephen Holden, The New York Times

"Considering the very high level of artistry,intelligence, and poise she displays in this new show (Illusions) it's hard to believe that only two years have passed since I first saw her perform. She made her debut in 2010—a young singer brimming with promise and radiating innocence and an easy, unaffected charm. Since then I've seen her often, each time her performance more assured and her interpretations richer than the time before—and withal, she's never lost her immense likeability or her youthful spirit, the sense that all things are possible. And now this show!" - Roy Sander, Bistro Awards

"An album that was recorded as a prize for the singer in question turns out to be a prize for listeners.... a perfect match of singer and well-chosen, well-honed material. This is a splendid showcase, and Marissa brings a listener inside the song because she is so fully embracing it.... Pete Anderson adds many felicitous flavors and moods... and John Loehrke's bass work is sterling. Musical director/pianist Bill Zeffiro, a great asset/friend to those in the cabaret world, provides creative, interesting and pensive arrangements that respect and refresh the material. His own comic piece, "My Kind of Guy," which he wrote for this singer, is a witty, winking shrug of acceptance of being a "loser magnet" for lowbrow guys in flip-flops who are flops in relationships. It's hilarious and adorable. Produced and initially engineered by Metropolitan Room's award-winning tech director, J-P Perreaux, the 16-track album shows not just the MetroStar winner's show, but a rising star with a real winner of a debut album." - Rob Lester, Talkin' Broadway

Illusions

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Papa Bue - Live 1991 Denmark

Size: 175,6 MB
Time: 75:30
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz: Dixieland, Vocals
Art: Front

01. That's My Home (Live) (1:52)
02. We Shall Walk Through The Streets Of The City (Live) (6:02)
03. Bye And Bye (Live) (5:20)
04. Georgia Grind (Live) (5:30)
05. Tivoli Blues (Live) (5:36)
06. I'm Confessin' (Live) (5:14)
07. Lord, Lord, Lord (Live) (4:14)
08. Canal Street Blues (Live) (5:24)
09. The Old Rugged Cross (Live) (5:58)
10. Big Butter And Egg Man (Live) (5:10)
11. Corrine, Corrina (Live) (4:52)
12. White Cliffs Of Dover (Live) (4:30)
13. Going Home (Live) (4:14)
14. Everybody Loves Saturday Night (Live) (3:30)
15. Hundelorten (Live) (1:57)
16. Nyboders Pris (Live) (4:18)
17. The Spanish Song (Live) (1:47)

Arne "Papa" Bue Jensen (8 May 1930 – 2 November 2011), known as Papa Bue, was a Danish trombonist and bandleader, chiefly associated with the Dixieland jazz revival style of which he was considered an important proponent. He founded and led the Viking Jazz Band, which was active from 1956.

Early life and career:
Arne Bue Jensen was born in Copenhagen, Denmark. At an early age, he became fascinated with jazz, prompted by a pile of records from his brother with artists such as Harry James, Artie Shaw, Tommy Dorsey, Glenn Miller and Bert Ambrose. Some records by Bunk Johnson and George Lewis reviving the New Orleans musical made a particular impression.

After World War II, Jensen became a sailor for a few years, visiting ports all around the world, where he had an opportunity to listen to enjoy their often lively music venues. It was around this time that he started to play jazz. For borrowed money, which it would take him years to repay, he bought a slide trombone. He was taught the seven basic positions of the slide by a musician from the Royal Danish Orchestra but apart from that he was self-taught. Soon he played with other young jazz musicians and performed in clubs and bars around Copenhagen. He played in bands such as the Royal Jazzman (later the Bohana Jazz Band), Henrik Johansen’s Jazz Band and the Saint Peter Street Stompers, participating as a sideman in several of their recordings. In the 1950s, Papa Bue worked with the Bonanza Jazz Band, Chris Barber, Adrian Bentzon and Henrik Johansen.

The Viking Jazz Band:
Papa Bues Viking Jazzband live in concert on the July 7th 1992 in Braunschweig

In the mid 1950s, he was part of the musical environment of the entertainment district around Nyhavn. He jammed with other young jazz musicians in various informal arrangements and, along with six other musicians, he founded the New Orleans Jazz Band in 1956, after a jam session in the establishment 'Cap Horn'. Since Jensen was the eldest he became the bandleader and, as he was also the only band member who was a father, he was given the nickname "Papa Bue" which stuck.

In late 1957, Jensen renamed the ensemble the Viking Jazz Band. The name came from the American journalist and vocalist Shel Silverstein who attended one of their concerts at Cap Horn during a stay in Copenhagen. He subsequently wrote an article about them, calling them the Danish Vikings, explaining that they played the original New Orleans and Chicago jazz even better than any American band at the time. The band adopted the new name and released their first album as the Viking Jazz Band in 1958. In 1960 their "Schlafe Mein Prinzchen" sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc.

At a time when many jazz musicians worked in the Bebop idiom, his style remained based on the Dixieland tradition but also with influences from early swing music. He is considered one of the most significant proponents of his genre.

The group remained active into the 1990s, and recorded with musicians such as George Lewis (1959), Champion Jack Dupree (1962), Art Hodes (1970), Wild Bill Davison (1970, 1974), Wingy Manone, Edmond Hall and Albert Nicholas. They also played with George Lewis, Earl Hines, Stuff Smith, Ben Webster. Wild Bill Davison was a permanent band member.

Jensen released a large number of albums, many of them issued or reissued on Storyville Records, Timeless Records, and Music Mecca.

It was Papa Bue's Viking Jazz Band which recorded Bent Fabricius-Bjerre's theme music for the Olsen Gang series, now a legendary sequence for the Danes.

Awards and accolades:
In 1969, Papa Bue's Viking Jazz Band was the only non-American band to participate in the New Orleans Jazz Festival and Jensen was honored with the "Golden Keys to the City".

In 1989 he received the Ben Webster's Prize of Honour.

Death:
Papa Bue died on 2 November 2011, at the age of 81.

~Wikipedia

Live 1991 Denmark

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Chris Foreman - Now Is The Time

Size: 123,5 MB
Time: 53:21
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz: Hammond Organ
Art: Front

01. Now Is The Time ( 4:16)
02. Shake A Hand ( 6:21)
03. Lonely Avenue (Feat. Andy Brown) ( 5:12)
04. Lil' Darlin' (Feat. Andy Brown) ( 8:01)
05. I Cover The Waterfront (Feat. Andy Brown) ( 6:23)
06. Doggone (Feat. Andy Brown) ( 6:39)
07. Cotton Boy Blues (10:16)
08. The Peeper (Feat. Diane Ellis) ( 6:09)

Chris Foreman is considered by his peers to be the most exciting jazz and blues organist playing today. Critics have dubbed him “heir to the throne” held by past organ masters Charles Earland, Richard “Groove” Holmes, “Brother” Jack McDuff, Jimmy McGriff, and Jimmy Smith. “Now is the time” is Chris’ first disc as a leader, and it includes plenty of blues and grooves. All tracks showcase Chris’ prodigious talent and versatility on keyboards, and on some of the tracks his playing is inspired by friends Andy Brown on guitar or Diane “Lil’ Sax” Ellis on alto.

Now Is The Time

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VA - Dorival Caymmi Centenario

Size: 132,0 MB
Time: 56:23
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Brazilian Rhythms
Art: Front

01. Caetano Veloso & Chico Buarque - O Que E Que A Bahiana Tem (4:19)
02. Nana Caymmi - Sargaço Mar (3:33)
03. Caetano Veloso - Saudade Da Bahia (3:45)
04. Gilberto Gil - Rosa Morena (3:24)
05. Caetano Veloso - Dora (4:15)
06. Danilo Caymmi - Vatapa (3:08)
07. Caetano Veloso - Joao Valentao (3:51)
08. Mario Adnet - A Vizinha Do Lado (3:46)
09. Caetano Veloso - A Lenda Do Abaete (3:20)
10. Gilberto Gil - Samba Da Minha Terra (3:18)
11. Caetano Veloso - Sabado Em Copacabana (4:00)
12. Chico Buarque - Marina (4:08)
13. Danilo Caymmi - Nem Eu (4:32)
14. Dori Caymmi - O Bem Do Mar (3:46)
15. Nana Caymmi, Danilo Caymmi & Dori Caymmi - Cançao Da Partida (3:11)

Dorival Caymmi (born April 30, 1914 in Salvador, Bahia - August 16, 2008, Rio de Janeiro) is considered to be one to the most important songwriters in Brazilian popular music. The son of an Italian immigrant and a black Bahian woman, he has a distinctive style of his own and is the writer of many classic songs. The sambas, such as ‘O Samba Da Minha Terra’, have become standards of Música Popular Brasileira. He also wrote ballads celebrating the fearless fishermen of Bahia, including Promessa de Pescador and O Vento.

Although his songs celebrate the people of Bahia and he himself is enshrined in the popular Brazilian imagination as the archetypal Bahian, he moved to Rio de Janeiro to find fame in the 1930’s and never moved back to Bahia.

He became a contemporary and sometimes rival of composer Ary Barroso and enjoyed a lifelong friendship with Bahian author Jorge Amado. Dorival Caymmi first achieved success in the late 1930s with Carmen Miranda, for whom he composed ‘O Que é Que a Baiana Tem?’. He recorded for five decades, both singing solo with his own guitar accompaniment, and backed by bands and orchestras. In the 1960s many of his songs were covered by bossa nova pioneer João Gilberto, and he collaborated with Antonio Carlos Jobim. Among the many musicians heavily influenced by Dorival Caymmi are Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil.

Dorival Caymmi passed away at age 94 on August 16, 2008 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, of multiple organ failure.

Dorival Caymmi Centenario

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Magnus Johansson - Candy

Size: 76,8 MB
Time: 32:57
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Easy Listening, Pop, Vocals
Art: Front

01. Vastergotland (2:27)
02. Cykelsommar (2:58)
03. The Last Waltz (3:39)
04. Quadra Si Trente (3:24)
05. Green Green Grass Of Home (2:52)
06. The Last Farewell (3:41)
07. Wandering Star (3:30)
08. Japanese Girl (3:56)
09. Il Silencio (3:08)
10. Travel Travel (3:18)

Magnus Johansson (born March 6, 1961 in Gothenburg, Sweden) is a trumpeter and flugelhorn player. He has worked not only with Swedish musicians, but also with several international artists, including: Stevie Wonder, Natalie Cole, Tom Jones, Michael Bublé, Michael Bolton, Mireille Mathieu and Burt Bacharach.

Candy

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Woody Herman - The Genius Of Clarinet

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:09
Size: 151.4 MB
Styles: Clarinet jazz, Swing
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[2:53] 1. Caldonia
[2:29] 2. Black Orchid
[4:15] 3. Blowin' Up A Storm
[3:35] 4. Bijou
[3:25] 5. Crazy Rhythm
[4:31] 6. Woodchoppers Ball
[2:36] 7. Mambo Herd
[2:36] 8. Tito Meets Woody
[2:01] 9. Latin Flight
[4:25] 10. Hail Hail The Herds All Here
[3:10] 11. Yes Indeed
[3:34] 12. It's Delovely
[3:05] 13. Mt. Everest
[3:06] 14. Bamba Samba
[3:05] 15. Original #2
[4:03] 16. Love Song Ballad
[4:00] 17. Prelude Ala Cha Cha
[3:28] 18. Ebony Concerto I. Moderato
[2:07] 19. Ebony Concerto Ii. Andante
[3:35] 20. Ebony Concerto Iii. Moderato

A fine swing clarinetist, an altoist whose sound was influenced by Johnny Hodges, a good soprano saxophonist, and a spirited blues vocalist, Woody Herman's greatest significance to jazz was as the leader of a long line of big bands. He always encouraged young talent and, more than practically any bandleader from the swing era, kept his repertoire quite modern. Although Herman was always stuck performing a few of his older hits (he played "Four Brothers" and "Early Autumn" nightly for nearly 40 years), he much preferred to play and create new music. ~Scott Yanow

The Genius Of Clarinet

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Todd Gordon & Royal Air Force Squadronaires - Evergreen

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 49:13

Size: 112.7 MB

Styles: Big band, vocal

Year: 2013

Art: Front

[4:47] 1. (I've Got A Gal In) Kalamazoo

[3:04] 2. Who Wants To Be A Millionaire

[4:01] 3. Summer Wind

[3:05] 4. I Left My Heart In San Francisco

[4:07] 5. Let's Do It (Let's Fall In Love)

[2:48] 6. The Best Is Yet To Come

[4:55] 7. Autumn In New York

[2:53] 8. I Believe In You

[3:17] 9. Manhattan

[3:31] 10. Evergreen

[2:44] 11. They Can't Take That Away From Me

[2:36] 12. My Favorite Things

[3:46] 13. Cheek To Cheek

[3:31] 14. Come Back To Me

The Royal Air Force Squadronaires can rightly lay claim to being one of the UK's most historically important big bands, and judging by the vibrancy of Helping the Heroes (Jazz Specific, 2012), undoubtedly one of the very best. A showcase for vocalist Todd Gordon and The Royal Air Force Squadronaires' impressive collective voice, that album is being launched in 2013 in several European countries as well as Canada, Australia South Korea and Japan under the new title Evergreen, no doubt in reference to the longevity of a band that first recorded for Decca 70 years ago.

"My Favorite Things" is the single chosen to promote the album, but in truth, any of the thirteen tracks would have done the job just as well. Gordon is joined by vocalist Erin Dickins founding member of The Manhattan Transfer and the two blend well in a swinging rendition of the 1959 hit by Richard Rogers and Oscar Hammerstein. ~Ian Patterson

Todd Gordon: vocals; Erin Dickens: vocals; The Royal Air Force Squadronaires: Sgt Kev Miles: leader, drums; SAC Ben Godfrey: trumpet; Sgt Paul Sutton: trumpet; Cpl Michael McGowan: trumpet; SAC Andrew Lofthouse: trumpet; Cpl Steve Bennett: trumpet; Sgt Andy Hooley: saxophone; SAC Mike Hearman: saxophone; SAC Andy Mears: saxophone; Cpl George Martin: saxophone; Chief Technician Suzanne Faithful: saxophone; Cpl Hamish Dean: trombone; SAC Jonathan Pippen: trombone; SAC Jonathan Hill: trombone; SAC Adam Smith: trombone; FS Grant Charleston: guitar; Sgt Adrian Beckwith: piano; Sgt Andy Rigby: bass.

Evergreen  

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Allan Harris - Black Bar Jukebox

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:23
Size: 119.9 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[3:05] 1. Got A Lot Of Livin' To Do
[5:12] 2. Miami
[3:15] 3. Catfish
[2:46] 4. I Got The Blues (Lester Leaps In)
[4:06] 5. A Little Bit Scared
[5:10] 6. Take Me To The Pilot
[3:41] 7. Love's The Key
[5:41] 8. My Funny Valentine
[5:42] 9. Can It Be This Is A Dream
[3:31] 10. Daughters
[3:45] 11. Stranger On The Shore
[3:03] 12. You Make Me Feel So Young
[3:22] 13. Haven't We Met

Black Bar Jukebox, due for release on January 20, 2015, is the latest album from award-winning jazz vocalist Allan Harris. In an age when the supply of male jazz singers is sparse, his earlier albums (like his 2012 duo set with pianist Takana Miyamoto, Convergence and Love Came, his journey through the songs of Billy Strayhorn, as well as his tributes to the great Nat ‘King’ Cole) have generated justified comparison to the giants of jazz vocalists. A new album from a man who has been compared to Tony Bennett and Frank Sinatra is bound to have jazz lovers’ mouths watering.

Not to worry—Black Bar Jukebox delivers the goods. Opting for a 13-song set that combines original material, standards, and a modern pop classic or two, Harris is equally at home with a variety of styles. As he says in a promotional video for the album, he wanted his new CD to show that you can listen to any song that has a groove and gets down musically, whether it be, James Brown, Count Basie, or Elton John.

So it’s no surprise that a tune like the Eddie Jefferson “I Got the Blues” channels the Basie vibe, while the Elton John hit “Take Me to the Pilot” takes a soulful turn. Kenny Rankin’s “Catfish” takes him to a Latin groove, while his arrangement of “My Funny Valentine” adds a rich Hammond B-3 organ backing to the brandy of his baritone. His take on John Mayer’s “Daughters,” on the other hand, stays fairly close to the original, but as he says in the liner notes, “I put a little more jukin’ soul on it.” He also plays acoustic guitar on the track.

Harris is joined on the set by Pascal Le Boeuf, who handles piano and organs, Leon Boykins on bass, Jake Goldbas on drums, Yotam Silberstein on guitar, and Samuel Torres on percussion. ~ Jack Goodstein

Black Bar Jukebox

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Helen Welch & The Cleveland Jazz Orchestra - One Dream

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:33
Size: 132,6 MB
Art: Front

(0:29)  1. One Dream...Prelude
(2:59)  2. This Could Be the Start of Something Big
(3:52)  3. Walkin' After Midnight
(5:25)  4. Why Did I Choose You
(2:58)  5. Them There Eyes
(2:46)  6. Close Your Eyes
(4:42)  7. Something's Comin'   Somewhere
(1:58)  8. Straighten Up and Fly Right
(3:11)  9. You Are Always There
(2:53) 10. The Trolley Song
(4:12) 11. Queen Bee
(4:24) 12. I'll Be Seeing You
(3:34) 13. Nature Boy
(2:26) 14. A Lot of Livin' to Do
(4:55) 15. The Nearness of You
(3:08) 16. Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart
(3:34) 17. One Dream Is Better Than None

Helen Welch is a critically-acclaimed vocalist whose live stage performances explore a diverse range of musical compositions, starting with the 1930s up through present-day. Whether she’s singing Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee and Sarah Vaughan, or Elton John, Sting and Randy Newman, Helen’s sophisticated vocals and humor leave audiences breezily enchanted. The “Helen Welch experience” is perhaps best described by a fan who wrote on her Amazon page, “If you have a chance to see Helen perform, do it! You are in for a special treat.”

A native of England, Helen is well-known throughout the United Kingdom for her musical theatre roles and 1-woman shows. Upon moving to the U.S. in 2003, she began appearing in venues throughout the Northeast and immediately began cultivating a devoted fan club. Her many talents include the knack for choosing songs that stand the test of time and making them her own. Upon hearing them, the audience falls in love all over again. Helen is equally at home performing in intimate spaces for small groups as in outdoor amphitheatres in front of thousands. She appears in the region’s most celebrated entertainment establishments including Severance Hall, Playhouse Square Center, Akron Civic Theatre, Blossom Music Center, Nighttown, Cain Park and many more. She frequently guest-stars or headlines with world-class musical organizations such as The Cleveland Orchestra, The Columbus Jazz Orchestra, The Cleveland Pops Orchestra and The Buffalo Philharmonic rchestra to name just a few. More... http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/helenwelch

One Dream

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New York Trio - The Things We Did Last Summer

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:46
Size: 137,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:54)  1. The Shadow Of Your Smile
(6:38)  2. The Things We Did Last Summer
(7:36)  3. How Long Has This Been Going O
(7:49)  4. How High The Moon
(3:40)  5. Mona Lisa
(9:13)  6. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home
(6:02)  7. It's Only A Paper Moon
(8:08)  8. When Your Lover Has Gone
(5:44)  9. As Time Goes By

The relaxed tone of this CD is set from the beginning, with Bill Charlap's quiet, spare solo reading of "The Shadow of Your Smile." On the next track, the others join in for some mellow and friendly swinging: Jay Leonhart's big, fat bass grounds Charlap's dreaminess, while Bill Stewart, who's left his sticks at home for this date, brushes up the tempo with subtlety and style. This release offers thoughtful solo piano (also on "Mona Lisa"), slow, romantic ballads ("How Long Has This Been Going On," "Paper Moon"), and tasty mid-tempo treatments ("As Time Goes By," "When Your Lover Has Gone"). While there are no barnburners, the heat rises to a steady simmer on "You'd Be So Nice..." and "How High the Moon," where the players are audibly enjoying themselves. Leonhart's solos are consistently interesting, drizzled with wit, and the ever-lyrical Charlap provides rarely heard verses to six of these nine classic tunes. The CD will lease those who like their jazz served straight up and pared down to essentials; its simplicity is deceptive, given the level of expertise and feeling throughout. ~ Judith Schlesinger  http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-things-we-did-last-summer-mw0000693834

New York Trio: Jay Leonhart (Double Bass); Bill Charlap (Piano), Bill Stewart (Drums)

The Things We Did Last Summer

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Sonny Rollins - The Sound Of Sonny

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1957
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:09
Size: 102,3 MB
Art: Front

(2:58)  1. The Last Time I Saw Paris
(4:00)  2. Just In Time
(4:24)  3. Toot, Toot, Tootsie! (Goo' Bye)
(4:55)  4. What Is There To Say?
(3:07)  5. Dearly Beloved
(3:22)  6. Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye
(5:56)  7. Cutie
(3:46)  8. It Could Happen To You
(5:35)  9. Mangoes
(6:00) 10. Funky Hotel Blues (bonus track)

A new phase in Sonny Rollins' career began in 1957. He started what was at the time an almost blasphemous trend of recording for a number of different labels. His pioneering spirit yielded a few genre-defining albums, including this disc. His performances were also at a peak during 1957 as Down Beat magazine proclaimed him the Critics' Poll winner under the category of "New Star" of the tenor saxophone. This newfound freedom can be heard throughout the innovations on The Sound of Sonny. Not only are Rollins' fluid solos reaching newly obtained zeniths of melodic brilliance, but he has also begun experimenting with alterations in the personnel from tune to tune. Most evident on this platter is "The Last Time I Saw Paris" which is piano-less and most stunning of all is Rollins' unaccompanied tenor solo performance on "It Could Happen to You."

Indeed, this rendering of the Jimmy Van Heusen standard is the highlight of the disc. That isn't to say that the interaction between Sonny Clark (piano), Roy Haynes (drums), and bassists Percy Heath and Paul Chambers who is featured on "The Last Time I Saw Paris" and "What Is There to Say" is not top-shelf. Arguably, it is Rollins and Heath the latter, incidentally, makes his East Coast debut on this album who set the ambience for The Sound of Sonny. There is an instinctually pervasive nature as they weave into and back out of each others' melody lines, only to emerge with a solo that liberates the structure of the mostly pop standards. This is a key component in understanding the multiplicities beginning to surface in Rollins' highly underappreciated smooth bop style. 

~ Lindsay Planer  http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-sound-of-sonny-mw0000188598

Personnel: Sonny Rollins (tenor saxophone); Sonny Clark (piano); Percy Heath, Paul Chambers (bass); Roy Haynes (drums).

The Sound Of Sonny

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Herb Alpert - In The Mood

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:05
Size: 122,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:18)  1. Chattanooga Choo Choo
(2:14)  2. Blue Moon
(3:17)  3. Zoo Train
(3:10)  4. Begin The Beguine
(3:01)  5. Don't Cry
(4:33)  6. Ol' Man River
(2:45)  7. Let It Be Me
(2:42)  8. Spanish Harlem
(3:27)  9. 5 am
(4:04) 10. Morning
(4:24) 11. When Sunny Gets Blue
(2:41) 12. Amy's Tune
(3:07) 13. All I Have To Do Is Dream
(3:54) 14. Sneaky
(2:45) 15. Conversation
(2:36) 16. America The Beautiful

Although trumpeter and pop icon Herb Alpert is largely associated with his jazz, Latin, and lounge instrumentals of the '60s and '70s, he's never fully retired from the music scene. In fact, Alpert's 2013 album with wife and vocalist Lani Hall won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Album. Coming on the heels of that album, Alpert's 2014 effort, In the Mood, finds the stylistically wide-ranging artist once again bringing together a mix of jazz standards, smooth pop instrumentals, and infectious original compositions. Working with his nephew, arranger/producer Randy Badazz Alpert, as well as such longtime collaborators as Bill Conti, Mike Shapiro, and Jeff Lorber, Alpert has crafted an album that perfectly updates his approach for a modern audience. 

Alpert was an early adopter of electronic sounds and In the Mood is no exception as it features a very club-ready, EMD reworking of the swing-era classic "Chattanooga Choo Choo." It's an iconoclastic move also echoed in his funky, hip-hop-inflected take on "Blue Moon." While Alpert always seems to be in search of new musical ground to explore, he's conversely never afraid to revisit his past, as evidenced by his electronic- and contemporary R&B-infused arrangement of his old Tijuana Brass number "Spanish Harlem." Elsewhere, Alpert teams again with Hall for several gorgeous, laid-back Latin numbers including the funky "Don't Cry," and the romantic "5 A.M." And it’s not just Alpert's knack for crafting listenable, relaxing pop songs that makes In the Mood so enjoyable. 

Arguably, Alpert's trumpet playing has only deepened over the years and cuts here, like his poignant orchestral reading of "When Sunny Gets Blue," reveal his gift for small group jazz balladry that brings to mind a mix of Chet Baker and Harry Sweets Edison. Ultimately, whether he's digging deep into a jazz standard, or defying expectations with a breezy electronic arrangement, Alpert proves yet again he is a true pop journeyman on In the Mood. ~ Matt Collar  

http://www.allmusic.com/album/in-the-mood-mw0002710332

In The Mood

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