Friday, February 6, 2015

Susan Comstock Swingtet - Fly Right

Size: 108,9 MB
Time: 46:20
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2009
Styles: Jazz/Blues Vocals
Art: Front

01. Comes Love (3:00)
02. Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans (2:42)
03. Lean Baby (3:07)
04. Angel Eyes (4:42)
05. All Of Me (3:10)
06. Sway (4:10)
07. La Vie En Rose (3:13)
08. Straighten Up And Fly Right (2:34)
09. Fine And Mellow (5:05)
10. Frim Fram Sauce (3:17)
11. Hit That Jive, Jack (3:22)
12. Manha De Carnaval (4:53)
13. Flying Home (2:58)

The Susan Comstock Swingtet was formed in 2003 around its members’ collective love for the late 1940’s classic pre-bebop jazz and blues styles. It is the quintessential jazz, blues, jump, jive and swing combo. Comprised of four consummate musicians who draw from rich and eclectic backgrounds in the arts, the Susan Comstock Swingtet synthesizes a broad range of musical styles. It explores classic vocal jazz, blues, swing and Latin styles in a fresh innovative way. Whether finessing a jazz ballad, belting out a blues standard or caressing the sultry lyrics of songs in multiple languages, Susan is a solid sender who always connects deeply on a visceral level with herself, her band, and her audience. Susan’s vibrant jazz fiddle compliments her strong, expressive voice. Collaborating with Susan on vocals and guitar is John Knutson. Other band members include Dalton Dillingham, III on bass and Paul Distel on drums.

"Susan Comstock is a marvelously talented musical artist whose expressive voice and beautiful presence is matched only by her talent as a violinist. As the star of the Susan Comstock Swingtet, she weaves a seamless collaboration with master guitarist John Knutson to offer the finest renditions of jazz and swing standards and songs of love. This is an ensemble not to be missed!" Joan Marler - French Garden Restuarant and Bistro Bar, Sebastopol, CA

Fly Right

Jimmy McGriff, Lucky Thompson, George Freeman, O'Donel Levy - Friday The 13th At The Cook County Jail

Size: 93,4 MB
Time: 40:19
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1972/1997
Styles: Soul/Blues Jazz
Art: Front

01. Freedom Suite (Part 1) ( 8:37)
02. Freedom Suite (Part 2) (15:45)
03. Green Dolphin Street ( 5:49)
04. Everything Happens To Me ( 5:39)
05. Cherokee ( 4:27)

This album contains two separate sets that were both performed before inmates at the Cook County Jail one day in 1972. Organist Jimmy McGriff and his quintet (with guitarists George Freeman and O'Donell Levy, bassist Mickey Bass and drummer Marion Booker, Jr.) performs his lengthy two-part "Freedom Suite," generating a great deal of heat. Lucky Thompson, mostly on soprano, jams on three standards with keyboardist Cedar Walton, bassist Sam Jones and drummer Louis Hayes. Thompson's hot playing (particularly on "Cherokee") makes this album worth searching for. ~Review by Scott Yanow

Friday The 13th

Mari Koga - Perfect Blue

Size: 100,9 MB
Time: 43:39
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz Vocals, Afro-Latin Jazz
Art: Front

01. Invitation (5:24)
02. Azul (5:53)
03. Lluvia De Lagrimas (6:00)
04. You & I (4:45)
05. You Don't Know What Love Is (5:14)
06. I Got Rhythm (4:48)
07. The Moon On The Water (6:07)
08. Volver (5:24)

A Japanese born New Yorker, Mari Koga, has been singing professionally since her early 20’s. Early on, she won first prize at the 10th Annual Jetstream Young Vocalist contest. She was soon very much in demand as a young Jazz singer in Japan.

Mari moved to New York City to immerse herself in the New York jazz scene and started performing regularly at many popular venues in NYC. Eventually she reached the stages of New York’s prestige jazz clubs such as the Blue Note, Jazz at Kitano, Zinc Bar, etc. She also appeared as a re-imported singer at Tokyo’s top jazz venues such as Body & Soul and DUG.

Mari has also performed in commercial films with clients such as the American Plastic Council and Marriot Hotels.

In the summer of 2010, she formed the Afro-Latin influenced jazz band “Afronaughtica”, with her long time best friend and pianist, Chiemi Nakai as co-leader. The band debuted to a packed audience at the Creole as part of its Afro-Cuban jazz series in July 2010. They’ve also played at Zinc bar, Tutuma Social Club and many other music events. They had a successful tour performing in five major cities in Japan.

Afronaughtica was nominated as the Best Next Generation Artist and Mari was nominated as the Best Latin Jazz Vocalist at the Latin Corner, the popular website of the Latin Jazz fan community.

Mari also performed as a back up singer for salsa star, Jimmy Bosch’s “La Orquesta de Jimmy Bosch” and appeared at various clubs and jazz festivals, including SOB’s and Savanna Music festival, etc.

Audiences have been delighted by her unique repertoire, which includes original songs and unusual arrangements of jazz standards with a touch of Afro-Latin, and by her throaty horn-like improvisational scatting style.

Perfect Blue

The New Orleans Swamp Donkeys Traditional Jass Band - Swamp Donkey

Size: 110,9 MB
Time: 47:31
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz: New Orleans Jazz, Dixieland
Art: Front

01. Swamp Donkey (4:34)
02. Maple Leaf Rag (2:46)
03. Saint James Infirmary (6:43)
04. Buddy Bolden's Blues (4:01)
05. After You've Gone (3:47)
06. Charleston (3:20)
07. Careless Love (6:20)
08. Whispering (3:05)
09. Back Home Again In Arizona (2:47)
10. Royal Garden Blues (3:45)
11. B. D.'s (2:47)
12. Avalon (3:31)

The Swamp Donkeys are an extremely versatile group of young musicians who play traditional jass, blues, vaudeville, original music, modern jazz adaptations, and many other jazz and New Orleans-derived styles. They have beginnings and educations in the authentic, New Orleans, grassroots music scene, playing local festivals and second lines, then transitions into world-class music education programs, playing in concerts all over the globe. Their sound is enormously accessible with their frontmen, the Louis Armstrong-sounding, soulful and sweet James Williams, and the audience-wooing, banjo-strumming, song-writing extraordinaire Sam Friend. (Though James does plenty of audience-wooing himself!)

Swamp Donkey

Trudy Kerr - Contemplation: The Best Of Trudy Kerr

Size: 162,5 MB
Time: 69:41
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Glad To Be Unhappy (Feat. Mulgrew Miller & Geoff Gascoyne) (4:57)
02. Tea For Two (Feat. Derek Nash, Geoff Gascoyne & Sebastiaan De Krom) (4:04)
03. Poppies (Feat. Tom Cawley, Geoff Gascoyne & Matt Home) (4:38)
04. They Say It's Wonderful (Feat. Jan Lundgren, Geoff Gascoyne & Steve Brown) (4:41)
05. Go Away Little Boy (Feat. Nick Weldon, Andy Hamill & Mark Fletcher) (5:01)
06. Moment's Notice (Feat. Tom Cawley, Sam Burgess, Steve Brown & Alan Skidmore) (5:43)
07. Seconds (Feat. Geoff Gascoyne, Graham Blevins, Jim Mullen & Seb De Krom) (4:26)
08. Sweet Surprisee (Feat. Phil Peskett, Andy Hamill & Mark Fletcher) (5:11)
09. Makin Whoopee (Feat. Dick Pearce, Geoff Gascoyne & Seb De Krom) (4:58)
10. My Foolish Heart (Feat. Phil Peskett, Andy Hamill & Mark Fletcher) (6:16)
11. Save Me (Feat. Tom Cawley, Geoff Gascoyne, Matt Home & Ashley Slater) (4:38)
12. Two Kites (Feat. Jan Lundgren, Geoff Gascoyne & Steve Brown) (5:03)
13. Ruby My Dear (Feat. Tom Cawley) (2:52)
14. Happy Talk (Feat. Tom Cawley, Geoff Gascoyne & Seb De Krom) (2:54)
15. In A Sentimental Mood (Feat. Michael Garrick & Paul Moylan) (4:12)

Subtitled The Best Of Trudy Kerr, Contemplation is a retrospective of the singer's career through selections from her ten album discography.

Contemplation takes in Kerr's career from Blossom Dearie's "Sweet Surprise"—a track from her debut album (Sweet Surprise, Jazzizit Records, 1997)—through to "Poppies," from The Rhythm of Life: Ted And Gladys (Jazzizit Records, 2013), credited jointly to Kerr and her husband and bassist Geoff Gascoyne.

Across these songs Kerr is acompanied by some of the finest musicians in the UK, including Gascoyne, drummers Sebastian De Krom and Matt Home and pianist Tom Cawley. Kerr draws on a wide range of writers, from the pop stylings of Bacharach and David ("Seconds") and Gerry Goffin and Carole King ("Go Away Little Boy") to Duke Ellington ("In A Sentimental Mood," with Michael Garrick on piano) and John Coltrane ("Moment's Notice," lyrics by Kerr).

The range of writers is matched by Kerr's breadth of approaches to performance. "Tea For Two" is an up-tempo, Anita O'Day-style take on the old standard with backing from Gascoyne, De Krom and baritone saxophonist Derek Nash. "Makin' Whoopee" is a sultry, slow burn, number featuring trumpeter Dick Pearce. Kerr's moving performance of "My Foolish Heart" tears at the heartstrings, while her take on Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Two Kites" mixes bossa nova groove with the romance of the Juno String Quartet. There are also a couple of Kerr/Gascoyne originals: "Poppies" and "Save Me." Both are gentle love songs, the latter given a bit of extra edge by Ashley Slater's trombone solo.

Two of the gentler performances stand out for the beauty of both Kerr's vocals and the musical accompaniment. She gives "Happy Talk" a much more reflective arrangement than it usually gets: no forced jollity, more an acknowledgement that life isn't always like you might wish. Cawley, Gascoyne and De Krom pick up on and heighten this feeling. For the Rogers and Hart classic "Glad To Be Unhappy" she's joined by the trio of Gascoyne, De Krom and guest pianist Mulgrew Miller. The pianist fits right in, as though he's been accompanying Kerr for years.

Compilation albums can often create debate and even dissent, mostly about what's not included—for example, there's nothing here from the excellent Reunion (Jazzizit, 2010), Kerr's album with fellow vocalist Ingrid James. Such an absence is an indication of the quality of Kerr's discography: there's much to celebrate about a compilation like Contemplation that doesn't have room for every song deserving of inclusion. ~Bruce Lindsay

Personnel: Trudy Kerr: vocals; Tom Cawley: piano; Geoff Gascoyne: bass; Steve Brown: drums; Sebastiaan De Krom: drums; Matt Home: drums; Dick Pearce: trumpet (9); Derek Nash: baritone saxophone (2); Ashley Slater: trombone (11); Jim Mullen: guitar (7); Mulgrew Miller: piano (1); Jan Lundgren: piano (4); Michael Garrick: piano (15); Juno String Quartet: strings (4, 12).

Contemplation

Chris Gall - Piano Solo

Size: 136,1 MB
Time: 58:11
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Piano Jazz/Pop
Art: Front

01. My Waltz (3:01)
02. Yorke's Guitar (3:59)
03. Augmented (2:42)
04. Empty, Pale Blue Paper (7:13)
05. Straying (4:26)
06. Boedo, Cuarto Dia (2:04)
07. Rose (3:47)
08. The Story Of Mr & Mrs Ease (4:12)
09. The Little Sheperd (3:18)
10. Children's Daydream (2:28)
11. A Roundabout's Diary (3:16)
12. Moran (3:20)
13. Reminiscence (3:23)
14. Forro (5:01)
15. La Valse D'amelie (5:55)

Born in 1975 in Bad Aibling, Germany, Chris Gall is an up and coming pianist who has been gaining recognition in the international music scene. His playing crosses the borders of jazz and jumps into the vast field of contemporary world and pop music. After years of training as a classical pianist, he was awarded with several scholarships and studied at the renowned Berklee College of Music in Boston, USA. He finished his jazz studies there in 1998. Chris Gall was a permanent member of some promising international bands, including East Indian fusion band “Taalism” feat. Shakir Khan (sitar) and Kai Eckhardt (bass) or brazilian based “Giana Viscardi Group” with whom Chris Gall made his debut at the famous Montreux Jazz Festival. He has also performed with such important artists such as the New York Voices (Grammy Award Winner), Chico Cesar, Nils Landgren, Dusko Goykovic, and De-Phazz vocalist Karl Frierson etc. Chris Gall has released with his „Chris Gall Trio featuring Enik“ the two albums “Climbing Up” (2008) and follower „Hello Stranger“ (2010) on renowned jazz label ACT containing only original music. Since then he performed with his trio in great festivals such as Montreux Jazz Festival (2009), Stuttgarter Jazz Open (2010), Jazz Baltica (2011) and the Vienna Concert Hall (2012).

Piano Solo

Kenny Burrell - Stormy Monday Blues

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:21
Size: 158.8 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2001
Art: Front

[ 5:35] 1. Stormy Monday Blues
[ 6:55] 2. Azure Te (Paris Blues)
[ 5:42] 3. One For My Baby (And One More For The Road)
[ 5:57] 4. (I'm Afraid) The Masquerade Is Over
[ 1:54] 5. Why Did I Choose You
[ 9:44] 6. I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)
[ 7:38] 7. Three Thousand Miles Back Home
[10:13] 8. Kim-Den Strut
[ 8:17] 9. Habiba
[ 7:21] 10. Quiet Lady

Over the years Kenny Burrell has largely remained true to his roots. Ranked among the most revered jazz artists of his generation he’s waxed a wealth of sessions both as leader and sideman that approaches the countless. The two dates combined on this two-fer visit him in the lean years of the Seventies and suggest that even a bop disciple of Burrell’s relative purity was susceptible to encroaching trends and influences.

Stormy Monday, the first in the pair of records reissued herein, hearkens back to Burrell’s Blue Note days with only Heard’s amplified bass tipping off its later vintage. The crisp cerulean single note lines remain intact and Burrell’s emotive blues-based figures make routine forays around the melodic signposts of the standards on hand. Wyand’s sensitive comping and the light traps reinforcement of McBrowne (and Goldberg on a pair of cuts) completes the portrait of jazz men in their element spinning off riffs like smoke rings from a leisurely lit cigarette. There’s not much room for chance-taking in the arrangements, but the players seem at ease with cultivating a mood than testing the boundaries of their adopted repertoire. Burrell recognizes the date as an ensemble affair and as such his sidemen garner substantial solo space as well. Heard’s corpulent walking improvisation on “Azure Te” is but one instance where the leader’s faith is repaid. Burrell’s Ellington appreciation, which was to become even more pronounced in later recordings, is accorded space in the choice of a lengthy take on “I Got It Bad” as a closer.

As the companion date Sky Street is quite different both in terms of content and attitude. Trafficking in torpid grooves via Gilbert’s punchy bass lines and Marshall’s gentle syncopations the session is very much embroiled in fusion-tinged impulses. Burrell’s usually clean chords are dressed up in often largely submerged in Lightsey’s electric piano. Richardson, who was easily capable of injecting fervent emotion into his improvisations sounds in other settings sounds much of the time like he’s treating things as a by the numbers studio date. Despite these demerits on the jazz score card, the quintet still manages to rack up moments of musical intrigue as on the closing minutes of “Three Thousand Miles Back Home” where Richardson’s plaintive flute weaves with Burrell’s melancholy counterpoint. Lightsey’s opening on the Latin-flavored “Habiba” is likewise effective, but the piece eventually devolves into showy noodling on the part of the leader and overheated soprano excess on the part of Richardson. “Kim-Den Strut” attempts a balance between sections of contemplative reverie and fatback funk, but ultimately ends up crumpling under the collision of disparate elements. The two sessions together offer up Burrell both in his element and in the less flattering environs of more commercial fusion, but overall the music is strong enough to support recommendation. ~Derek Taylor

Kenny Burrell- guitar; Richard Wyands- piano; John Heard- bass; Lenny McBrowne- drums; Richie Goldberg- drums; Jerome Richardson- tenor & soprano saxophones, flute; Kirk Lightsey- acoustic & electric piano; Stanley Gilbert- acoustic & electric bass; Eddie Marshall- drums. Recorded: June 18-20, 1974 & January 29-30, 1975.

Stormy Monday Blues

Diana Krall - Wallflower

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:00
Size: 103.0 MB
Styles: Easy Listening
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[3:14] 1. California Dreamin'
[3:30] 2. Desperado
[4:15] 3. Superstar
[3:50] 4. Alone Again (With Michael Buble)
[3:03] 5. Wallflower
[3:50] 6. If I Take You Home Tonight
[3:38] 7. I Can't Tell You Why
[4:09] 8. Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word
[3:39] 9. Operator (That's Not The Way It Feels)
[3:49] 10. I'm Not In Love
[4:19] 11. Feels Like Home
[3:41] 12. Don't Dream It's Over

The tracks on Wallflower new readings of pop classics made famous by, among others, the Eagles, the Carpenters, Elton John and the Mamas and the Papas, plus a previously unreleased tune by Paul McCartney were obviously recorded before Krall lost her dad, though they have a sense of melancholy that is "always there," Krall says, in her music. "It's what I find truthful and beautiful."

Though known primarily for her interpretations of jazz and traditional pop music, Krall wanted to record "music that I share with my peers. ... I didn't want to do a jazz record." Wallflower was produced by a pop veteran with a jazz background: Krall's fellow Canadian David Foster, who also plays piano or keyboards on most tracks.

Wallflower 

Rob Parton's Jazztech Big Band - What Are We Here For?

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:26
Size: 140.6 MB
Styles: Big band, Post bop
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[9:58] 1. Party Hearty
[6:30] 2. What Am I Here For
[3:24] 3. Just A Pretty Little Thing
[4:51] 4. When Sunny Gets Blue
[2:09] 5. Deed I Do
[6:07] 6. How Deep Is The Ocean
[6:34] 7. Loved One
[4:34] 8. It's Only A Paper Moon
[7:03] 9. Sail Away
[5:41] 10. My Romance
[4:29] 11. On Green Dolphin Street

Rob Parton is still considered to be one of Chicago’s busiest and versatile trumpet players. While he is well known and highly regarded as a trumpet artist, performer, educator and bandleader, he is also active within the academic side of higher education at Capital University in Columbus Ohio. Parton has been the Associate Professor of Trumpet at Capital University in Columbus Ohio since Fall 2010. Prior to this position, Parton was a tenured, Associate Professor of Jazz Studies and Trumpet in Chicago.

What Are We Here For   

Zoe Gilby - Looking Glass

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:41
Size: 141,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:36)  1. No More Blues
(4:20)  2. Eleanor
(5:15)  3. Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me
(3:25)  4. A Song For You
(2:29)  5. Way Down In The Hole
(4:04)  6. I'm BeginningTo See The Light / When Lights Are Low
(5:37)  7. Round Midnight
(3:19)  8. On The Edge
(3:49)  9. Time After Time
(3:05) 10. May I Come In?
(3:55) 11. Take It Easy (But Take It)
(4:32) 12. I Only Have Eyes For You
(4:48) 13. Your Words
(3:31) 14. That Old Black Magic
(5:50) 15. Some Cats Know

"Deserves wider recognition and a major record deal. An excellent CD."~ Courtney Pine BBC Radio 2

"A wonderful CD"~Sheila Jordan

"Her new CD is a one that will surely see her move into the first division of jazz singers"~ Schmazz @ The Cluny

"Sparkling debut by an exuberant singer whose lively personality comes across on every track. Sheer enjoyment throughout."~ Jazz UK Magazine

"An impressive performance from a sophisticated young singer. Her voice has real character. Powerfully sultry and expertly handled"~ Jazz Journal International

"She has the bluesy versatile voice and jazz chops of a future star - and the redheaded personality and looks to go with that"~ Wakefield Jazz Club

"Modern, mature... swings like a bell."~ Carol Kidd MBE

"A wide vocal range, warm timbre and clear diction which she uses skilfully to unveil her moods. It's clear that she's already found her own voice."~ All About Jazz, USA

"A swinging album I'll be proud to play to anyone."~ Fionna Duncan

"Talent, skill and a beautiful voice."Mod Radio, Madrid Zoe Gilby is a jazz vocalist that has been making a real impression on the jazz scene today with her superb interpretations of the great American songbook. Also encompassing a wide range of more contemporary pieces with some originals. Zoe is well deserving of the respect that she has been receiving from many leading jazz musicians and publications.

In Spring 2010 Zoe recorded "Looking Glass" on the jazzaction label, featuring her quintet. There will be an album launch UK tour in October with support from Jazz Services Touring Support Scheme. http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/gilbyzoe

Personnel:  Zoe Gilby – Vocals; Noel Dennis - Trumpet / Flugel; Mark Williams – Guitar; Andy Champion - Double Bass; Richard Brown - Drums

Jan Lundgren - Together Again... At The Jazz Bakery

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:42
Size: 162,5 MB
Art: Front

(0:23)  1. Introduction
(8:59)  2. Have You Met Miss Jones
(6:13)  3. Someone To Watch Over Me
(8:39)  4. Love For Sale
(5:08)  5. Tenderly
(7:01)  6. Yesterdays
(5:32)  7. I'm Old Fashioned
(7:14)  8. Blues In The Closet
(6:21)  9. I've Never Been In love Before
(7:34) 10. Everything Happens to Me
(7:34) 11. Rhythm-A-Ning

In concerts Mr. Lundgren often credits Oscar Peterson with igniting his passion for jazz. He does so again in his most recent album as he introduces his poignant, unaccompanied performance of 'Tenderly,' a song indelibly associated with Peterson. The album, 'Together Again At the Jazz Bakery', is remarkable on two counts: for the playing of Mr. Lundgren, bassist Chuck Berghofer and drummer Joe La Barbera; and for existing at all. It was not intended to become an album. In early 2008, the veteran producer Dick Bank was working with the trio on another project. For reference purposes, he captured the concert at the Jazz Bakery in Los Angeles on a two track digital audio tape recorder. After considerable remastering by an editing engineer and a mastering engineer the music was resuscitated and the result is this remarkable CD. http://www.worldsrecords.com/pages/artists/l/lundgren_jan/jan_lundgren_72962.html

Personnel: Jan Lundgren – piano; Chuck Berghofer – bass; Joe La Barbera - drums

Red Garland - Moodsville Vol.6

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:30
Size: 99,8 MB
Art: Front

(6:21)  1. I Love You Yes I Do
(7:45)  2. Blues For Ann
(6:34)  3. I'll Never Stop Loving You
(6:51)  4. And The Angels Sing
(8:02)  5. T'aint Nobody's Business
(7:54)  6. Bass-Ment Blues

Red Garland mixed together the usual influences of his generation (Nat Cole, Bud Powell, and Ahmad Jamal) into his own distinctive approach; Garland's block chords themselves became influential on the players of the 1960s. He started out playing clarinet and alto, switching to piano when he was 18. During 1946-1955, he worked steadily in New York and Philadelphia, backing such major players as Charlie Parker, Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, and Roy Eldridge, but still remaining fairly obscure. 

That changed when he became a member of the classic Miles Davis Quintet (1955-1958), heading a rhythm section that also included Paul Chambers and Philly Joe Jones. After leaving Miles, Garland had his own popular trio and recorded very frequently for Prestige, Jazzland, and Moodsville during 1956-1962 (the majority of which are available in the Original Jazz Classics series). The pianist eventually returned to Texas and was in semi-retirement, but came back gradually in the 1970s, recording for MPS (1971) and Galaxy (1977-1979) before retiring again. Bio ~ https://itunes.apple.com/fr/artist/the-red-garland-trio/id129755672?l=en#fullText

Personnel:  Red Garland – piano; Paul Chambers – bass; Art Taylor - drums