Susie McLean - 'Til The Morning Comes

Size: 102,4 MB
Time: 43:54
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2012
Styles: Jazz Vocals, Soul Jazz, Folk Jazz
Art: Front

01. Shelter (4:30)
02. Sing Your Song (4:07)
03. 'til The Morning Comes (4:15)
04. Make You Feel My Love (4:03)
05. Straight From The Heart (4:08)
06. Giving Up (4:14)
07. Give Me One Reason (4:21)
08. Be Here Now (5:37)
09. Falling Down (4:32)
10. Winter Snow (4:03)

Susie McLean hails from Mississauga, Ontario, with an extensive musical background and unique style described as jazz/soul with folk undertones. Many industry professionals have described her style to resemble Norah Jones and Corinne Bailey Rae. She is not only an acclaimed singer, but also a model and actress who can be seen on TV shows and National commercial campaigns throughout the U.S, Canada and Europe.

For her debut album release in May 2012, Susie worked with Juno Award winning producer, Roy Oommen, Grammy Nominee musician Pat Kilbride, and the notable drummer Mark Kelso who has shared the stage with acclaimed artists: Michael Buble, David Foster and Shania Twain. The album includes three original songs: “Sing Your Song”, “Till the Morning Comes” and “Falling Down”, along with seven cover songs. ”I never choose a song that I can’t relate to in some way. My music will always reflect a piece of me”. The album was released in May 2012. “Putting this album together has been such an amazing journey! I‘ve discovered so much more about myself and the creative process of it all".

Personnel:
Susie McLean - Singer/Songwriter
Joy Brown - Keys
Bonneville Minott - Guitarist
Dave Campbell - Bass
Doug Jones - Drums

'Til The Morning Comes

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Jakob Elvstrom Quartet - The Party Ain't Over Yet

Size: 115,3 MB
Time: 49:46
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2012
Styles: Jazz: Smooth Jazz, Funky Jazz
Art: Front

01. Quartet, Take Off (4:26)
02. The Yeah Yeah Song (4:47)
03. Mumbo-Jumbo (3:52)
04. The Party Ain't Over Yet (4:24)
05. Lumumba (3:48)
06. Professor Bob (5:20)
07. Hard Work (3:27)
08. Funky Train (4:10)
09. Downing Strut (5:04)
10. Get Funky (4:49)
11. Habanera (5:34)

Jakob Elvstrøm has played professionally for almost two decades, always focusing on the soulful and funky side of jazz and pop music. His new album certainly reflects this.
It was not necessary to persuade friends and fellow musicians to participate on this almost entirely self-penned record, many of them being the best in the country, touring among others with "Prince" and "Michael Learns To Rock".
Almost all of the music was played live in the studio, with lots of old keyboards, real horns and percussion giving the Cd a geuine vintage-flavour. Producer Morten Eriksen has edited and fine-tuned the live-playing with subtle synth-effects, a little drum-programming and soundscapes.
A lot of effort was put in the arrangements and sound of the songs, with Danish female star rapper Miss Mukupa and Danish/American professor Richard Raskin on spoken words, making things flow in the right direction.
The songs offer a wide variety of moods and styles, from the downtempo "Lost and not Found", the tasteful smooth jazz version of Shanice's major hit "I Love Your Smile" to the happy-go-lucky "Make It Flow". The music is held firmly together by the mesmerizing sound of Jakob Elvstrøm's saxophone and strong melodic sense.
Inspired and influenced by David Sanborn, Dave Koz and Candy Dulfer, "SaxClub vol.1" is a well-produced and very personal contribution to the funky smooth jazz scene of today.

The Party Ain't Over Yet

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Deborah J. Carter, Frits Landesbergen & Michael Varekamp - Dear Louis: A Tribute To Louis Armstrong

Size: 134,1 MB
Time: 57:27
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz: Mainstream Jazz
Art: Front

01. Ain't Misbehavin' (3:43)
02. Struttin' With Some Barbecue (4:03)
03. Do You Know What It Means (5:27)
04. Our Love Is Here To Stay (3:39)
05. Big Butter And Egg Men (4:48)
06. Someday You'll Be Sorry (4:59)
07. Summertime (5:13)
08. Basin St. Blues (5:36)
09. When It's Sleepy Time Indiana (5:10)
10. What A Wonderfull World (5:02)
11. It Don't Mean A Thing (4:05)
12. St. James Infirmary (5:36)

This the cover of the CD 'Dear Louis', 'A tribute To Louis Armstrong', recorded in October 2000. This album was recorded with a great line up to honor Louis Armstrong and his music. Deborah J Carter sings songs like 'What A Wonderful World' as if she was there when the music came into the world. Michael Varekamp not only looks like Louis Armstrong...

Deborah (Joyce) Carter, vocalist, composer, arranger; b. El Paso, TX, 29 July 1956. She was raised in Oahu, Hawaii and Okinawa, Japan. Her parents are Catherine Carter (b. 21 September 1927), a piano teacher, and Alvin Lilton Carter (b. 11 November 1929). She attended the Berklee School of Music.

She tours with her own and has performed at many jazz festivals, seminars, jazz clubs, and radio- and TV-shows in European countries like the Netherlands (including the North Sea Jazz Festival), Germany, Belgium, England, Spain, Latvia, etc. During her years in Spain she collaborated on cd's with Max Sunyer, Carles Benavent and Salvador Niebla adding vocals to their typical brand of Mediterranean jazz.

Besides working with her own group, which performs her personal choice of contemporary jazz, Deborah is frequently invited as a guest artist with a number of established European jazz orchestras to sing the great jazz classics. Some of these are: the Timeless Orchestra, the HR (Frankfurt Radio) Big Band, Mike Mossman's Sedavi Big Band, The American Songbook Orchestra, the Ruud Bos Big Band, the Metropole Orchestra, the Berlin Jazz Orchestra and the Dutch Swing College Band. With the latter she did a theater tour featuring a "Duke Ellington Tribute" in 1999. In 2000 and 2001, she toured the Dutch theaters with Scott Hamilton, Michael Varekamp, Frits Landesbergen with a "Tribute to Louis Armstrong" show.

Dear Louis

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Anna Webber - Simple

Size: 128,2 MB
Time: 55:25
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz: Avant-Garde
Art: Front

01. Carnophobia ( 9:55)
02. Emoticon ( 7:37)
03. 1994 (10:42)
04. Simplify Simplify ( 7:13)
05. Washington ( 7:31)
06. I Don't Want To Be Happy ( 4:58)
07. Zigzag ( 7:26)

Simple (Skirl 2014) , New York based composer/saxophonist Anna Webber's follow up to her 2013 release "Percussive Mechanics (Pirouet 2013) finds her exploring the expressive capabilities of a trio setting. While the compositional sensibilities introduced in her first album remain, her affinity for polyrhythms being a good example, the new texture provides her the ability to play with more freedom and subtle intricacy alongside her tight arrangements. Of course, her phenomenal bandmates contribute a lot in this respect.

Joining Webber on this outing are pianist Matt Mitchell, known as an in-demand sideman who has played with such luminaries as Dave Douglas and Dan Weiss, and renowned drummer John Hollenbeck, her teacher from her time at the Jazz Institut Berlin. Both collaborators are excellent musicians in their own right and their duo playing is a joy to listen to in itself. Add Webber's inimitable inventiveness and sense of melody and time to the mix and the result is something uniquely special.

The music for the album was written on Bowen Island in British Columbia, where Webber enjoyed the opportunity to isolate herself from the busy bustle of her home in Brooklyn and allow the music to develop organically. The peaceful seclusion is evident in many of the tracks, "Washington" being a beautiful instance of what such opportunities can lead to. The beautiful colors and textures were inspired by the far off mountains of Washington state; anyone familiar with the pacific northwest can hear the picturesque landscape being evoked. Likewise "1994" suggests a calm solitude with its subdued tempo and energy and its, at times, intense use of space. The alternation of dense and open voicings in the piano accompaniment suggest the beautiful struggle of removing oneself from contemporary life, as does Webber's sometimes lyrical, sometimes dissonant melodies.

Conversely, Webber's distinctively percussive and rhythmic compositional and playing style are very much evident throughout the album. A highlight among these compositions is "I Don't Want To Be Happy." With a driving, complex rhythm at the outset leading into a much freer section with wonderful interplay, this song is less obviously connected to the quietude of an island in the pacific ocean. Yet the reality of living with oneself, and only oneself, is not always as charming as a quaint island overlooking a beautiful ocean view. "Simplify, Simplify" is far from simple; the incessant rhythm suggests the ever present struggle of being honest with oneself in such a situation. Aside from these philosophical considerations, these songs groove and have compelling melodies, rhythms and forms.

Fans of avant-garde jazz, small group interplay and unique and driving compositions will all find something to love on this record. The group featured on the album will be performing at ShapeShifter Lab in Brooklyn, NY on Thursday, September 25. ~Paul Naser

Personnel: Anna Webber: Saxophone/Flute; Matt Mitchell: Piano; John Hollenbeck: Drums

Simple

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Irit Dekel & Eldad Zitrin - Last Of Songs

Size: 136,5 MB
Time: 58:18
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz/Pop/Folk Fusion
Art: Front

01. Bye Bye Love (8:10)
02. No More Blues (4:48)
03. Your My Thrill (4:44)
04. Get Happy (6:37)
05. Blues In The Night (4:27)
06. You Don't Know What Love Is (4:14)
07. Guess Who I Saw Today My Dear (3:12)
08. Willow Weep For Me (4:44)
09. The Rose (5:27)
10. Good Morning Heartache (5:42)
11. Skylark (4:46)
12. More Than You Know (1:22)

Last Of Songs – by Irit Dekel & Eldad Zitrin offer a unique and enchanting collage of jazz, contemporary folk and traditional vocal pop managing to weave arrangements that recall grandiose early 20th century compositions with modern recording techniques. Their debut self-titled LP is the kind of album that is filled to the brim with elegant melodies that remain with you long after they have been heard. Imagine seminal jazz legend Billie Holiday jamming with French maestros AIR.

It wasn’t that long ago that singer/actress Irit Dekel was seeking out an ideal collaborator who she could truly trust with the left field compositions she had been assembling for several years. Eldad Zitrin on the other hand was a jazz purist for much of his formative years before splintering off and immersing himself in a variety of rock and pop production duties at the time.

What begun as the quintessential artist/producer relationship swiftly evolved into an unexpected and wonderful musical marriage built on an unequivocal mutual admiration. This complete faith in each other’s ability meant Eldad Zitrin had total creative freedom in his process and was able to inject those same harmonies that had once been such a big part of his life into these new compositions.

Ever a consummate professional, It wasn’t long before they were both equally invested in the project and this personal and deeply spiritual material was given a heartbeat of it’s own. ‘Last Of Songs’ symbolizes these scraps of songs and long harboured melodies deconstructed and re-imagined with a luscious new vision.

No two Last Of Songs performances are alike, their tracks take on a whole new meaning live with the duo opting for different orchestral formats depending on the venue and occasion. They’ve been known to perform as an intimate 6 piece, as a string infused 10 piece and have also played legendary shows with a 30+ piece Andalusian Orchestra. The result is layer upon layer of haunting arpeggios and alluring orchestral lines acting as a wonderfully atmospheric backdrop for Irit’s sultry vocals to display their full range of emotions. Having been featured in the Tel Aviv Jazz Festival & Eilat Jazz Festival in 2013 & 14; Last Of Songs is now building momentum for an international debut- presenting at festivals world wide this Summer & Autumn 2014.

Last Of Songs

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Hank Crawford - Mr. Blues

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 32:33
Size: 74.5 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 1967/2005
Art: Front

[3:48] 1. Mr. Blues
[3:03] 2. On A Clear Day (You Can See Forever)
[3:25] 3. Hush Puppies
[3:28] 4. Danger Zone
[3:03] 5. Route 66
[4:12] 6. Lonely Avenue
[4:11] 7. Teardrops
[3:44] 8. Smoky City
[3:37] 9. The Turfer

JOHN HUNT, FIELDER FLOYD, trumpet; HANK CRAWFORD, alto sax; WENDELL HARRISON, tenor sax; LONNIE SHAW. baritone sax; CHARLES GREEN, bass; MILT TURNER, drums.

Hank Crawford was an alto sax sensation since he stepped out of the Ray Charles band back in 1963. A signature piercing, full bodied, blues, soul, and gospel drenched tone, sets him apart from the alto pack. He has an instantly recognizable voice, and his excellent choice of material suits his style perfectly. He is a bluesman turned preacher on the sax, and the sermon is always on time.

Bennie Ross Crawford Jr. was born in Memphis, Tennessee on December 21, 1934, began formal piano studies at age nine and was soon playing for his church choir. His father had brought an alto saxophone home from the service and when Hank entered high school, he took it up in order to join the band. He credits Charlie Parker, Louis Jordan, Earl Bostic and Johnny Hodges as early influences.

Mr. Blues

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Diane Hubka - Haven't We Met

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:39
Size: 127.4 MB
Styles: Post bop, Contemporary jazz
Year: 2004
Art: Front

[4:34] 1. Don't You Know Me
[3:28] 2. It's Your Dance
[5:14] 3. Lazy Afternoon
[5:07] 4. Haven't We Met
[4:50] 5. Miss Harper Goes Bizarre
[6:59] 6. Detour Ahead
[3:50] 7. My Kind Of Love
[4:55] 8. Favela
[4:06] 9. Everybody Wants To Be A Cat
[3:34] 10. Thinking Of You
[4:00] 11. Alone Together
[4:59] 12. New Cliches

Neither an innovator nor a clone of anyone, Diane Hubka combines an enthusiasm for the singers of jazz's Cool School (especially Chris Connor and June Christy) with traces of Annie Ross and Sheila Jordan on the tasteful Haven't We Met?. But while Jordan can be aggressive at times, Hubka is a vocalist who thrives on restraint. Not a belter, the Maryland native swings in a relaxed, subtle fashion on tasteful, good-natured interpretations of material ranging from "Alone Together" and "Lazy Afternoon" (which is especially Connor-minded) to Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Favela." To her credit, Hubka doesn't limit her repertoire to obvious choices. "Everybody Wants to Be a Cat" hardly falls into the warhorse category, and Johnny Carisi's "Israel" (for which she embraces lyrics by Ray Passman) hasn't been done to death by singers. Joined by alto saxman Lee Konitz (a logical choice given his Cool School membership), pianist Frank Kimbrough, guitarist John Hart, bassist Harvie Swartz and drummer Ron Vincent, Hubka makes Haven't We Met? a CD that, although not groundbreaking or fantastic, is generally pleasant and honest. ~Alex Henderson

Haven't We Met

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The Bone Supremacy - Introducing The Bone Supremacy

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:12
Size: 147.0 MB
Styles: Trombone jazz
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[3:35] 1. King Porter Stomp
[3:14] 2. Roy's Blues
[5:47] 3. The End Of A Love Affair (Feat. Ian Bateman)
[2:59] 4. That's How I Feel About You
[3:49] 5. Theme From The Pink Panther (Feat. Alistair White)
[4:34] 6. Walkin'
[5:10] 7. No More (Feat. Mark Nightingale)
[6:08] 8. Delta City Blues (Feat. Mark Nightingale & Ian Bateman)
[6:19] 9. Stardust (Feat. Adrian Fry)
[3:05] 10. Cute (Feat. Pete Cater)
[5:28] 11. Ladyless And Lachrymose (Feat. Roy Williams)
[2:43] 12. Whistle While You Work
[3:13] 13. Maxine
[1:36] 14. Not Like This
[4:13] 15. Drop Me Off In Harlem
[2:14] 16. Home

The trombone has become something of a rarity in jazz today, but this band could well revive its fortunes. Seven trombonists all told - four in the band, plus three guests - demonstrate how marvellous the instrument can sound in talented hands. You'd scarcely believe the variety of style, sound and texture revealed here. The material ranges from Michael Brecker's "Delta City Blues", featuring some impossibly agile playing, to the Pink Panther theme, ending in a concerted downhill slide. No room to list all the names - but they're the cream, from several generations.

Introducing The Bone Supremacy

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Molly Johnson - Another Day

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:31
Size: 113,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:22)  1. Summertime
(6:12)  2. I Must Have Left My Heart
(3:45)  3. Melody
(5:42)  4. Sweet Subline
(3:39)  5. He's Got My Heart
(3:44)  6. Miss Celie's Blues (Sister)
(2:57)  7. Red Cardinal
(2:47)  8. Sleep In Late
(5:52)  9. Haunted
(3:10) 10. Another Day
(3:55) 11. Ooh Child/Redemption Song
(3:22) 12. Another Day (Radio Mix)

Jazz singer Molly Johnson has done time in both pop and art rock bands and has served as an opening act for such blues and R&B superstars as Ray Charles and B.B. King, so the stylistic range in evidence on her first album for Narada Jazz doesn't come as much of a surprise. She jumps from bracing and jazz-inflected pop/rock (the radio remix of "Another Day") to a piano-based reggae/R&B hybrid ("Ooh Child/Redemption Song") without missing a beat, and slinks her way through torchy blues numbers with equal facility. On the downside, "Celie's Blues" sounds just as anachronistic and politically forced in this version as it did popping up out of nowhere in the middle of The Color Purple, and the fact that Johnson's delivery comes across as little more than a Billie Holiday impression just makes things worse. 

On the other hand, her version of "Summertime," which was an inevitable song choice given her vocal style, is given new life by the minimalist arrangement of voice, bass, and percussion, and "Red Cardinal" has a fun, jumpy Tin Pan Alley feel. Overall, this album can be confidently recommended to adventurous lovers of vocal jazz. ~ Rick Anderson  http://www.allmusic.com/album/another-day-mw0000030649

Personnel: Molly Johnson (vocals); Colleen Allen (saxophone, flute, clarinet, accordion); Andrew Craig (piano, keyboards, background vocals); Mark McLean (drums, percussion).

Another Day

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Monty Alexander, Ray Brown, Herb Ellis - Straight Ahead CD 1 And CD 2

Styles: Guitar and Piano Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:10 (CD 1)
Size: 97,0 MB (CD 1)
Time: 44:28 (CD 2)
Size: 105,1 MB (CD 2)
Art: Front

CD 1

(4:11)  1. I'm Afraid the Masquerade is Over
(3:57)  2. You Call it Madness, I Call it Love
(5:18)  3. Blues for Junior
(5:22)  4. Sweet Georgia Brown
(2:41)  5. I Want to Be Happy
(6:02)  6. Put Your Little Foot Right Out
(3:13)  7. Captain Bill
(5:19)  8. To Each His Own
(4:05)  9. Sister Sadie

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CD 2

(9:37)  1. But Not For Me
(6:00)  2. A Time For Love
(6:17)  3. Orange In Pain
(6:14)  4. F.S.R.
(7:42)  5. For All We Know
(8:34)  6. C. C. Rider

While Concord continues to release excellent mainstream jazz albums, the label also has an extraordinary back catalog from the '70s and the '80s. Straight Ahead packages two albums Trio (1981) and Overseas Special(1984) by pianist Monty Alexander, guitarist Herb Ellis, and bassist Ray Brown. The first disc captures the happy meeting of musical minds as the participants explore nine bubbly tunes. While the band can certainly cook on a piece like "I Want to Be Happy," the drummer-less trio brings a lighter touch to classics like "Sweet Georgia Brown." 

The four-to-five minute length of most of these songs leaves room for extended solos while retaining the taut, intimate feel of good trio work. The live Overseas Special was recorded almost two years later at the Satin Doll Club in Tokyo, and makes a fine companion to the earlier album. Here, the fellows stretch the songs a bit, offering a nine-minute version of "But Not for Me" and eight-minute take of "C.C. Rider." Also notable are two originals, Ellis' swinging "Orange in Pain" and Brown's bouncy "F.S.R." Both albums have plenty to offer to fans of any of the participants, and Straight Ahead is an apt title for the fine music Alexander, Brown, and Ellis make together. ~ Ronnie D.Lankford,Jr.  http://www.allmusic.com/album/straight-ahead-mw0000019266

Personnel: Monty Alexander (piano); Herb Ellis (guitar); Ray Brown (bass).

Straight Ahead CD 1

Straight Ahead CD 2

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Joe Pass - For Django

Styles: Bop, Guitar Jazz
Year: 1964
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 32:28
Size: 74,8 MB
Art: Front + Back

(3:23)  1. Django
(3:08)  2. Rosetta
(2:34)  3. Nuages
(2:54)  4. For Django
(3:46)  5. Night and Day
(2:57)  6. Fleur D'ennui
(3:14)  7. Insensiblement
(4:26)  8. Cavalerie
(3:49)  9. Django's Castle
(2:13) 10. Limehouse Blues

Long considered a classic, guitarist Joe Pass' fourth date as a leader finds him performing music that was composed by Django Reinhardt, was part of his repertoire, or is one of two more recent tributes (John Lewis' "Django" and Pass' "For Django"). 

Pass is joined by the rhythm guitar of John Pisano, bassist Jim Hughart, and drummer Colin Bailey; the quartet would reunite in the 1980s. Although Pass was actually more strongly influenced by Charlie Christian than by Reinhardt and he had already formed his own style, he has no difficulty fitting into the music. Highlights include "Rosetta," "Nuages," and "Limehouse Blues." ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/for-django-mw0000048149

Personnel: Joe Pass, John Pisano (guitar); Jimmy Hughart (bass); Colin Bailey (drums).

For Django

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