Oscar Peterson - The Will To Swing (2-Disc Set)

This is great overview of Oscar Peterson's career before his stroke, that sadly seems to be gone out of production now.

A mixture of 50's 60's and 70's recordings. Highlights include the appropriately titled "swingin' 'til the girls come home" with Herb Ellis on Guitar and Ray Brown on Bass. "C Jam Blues" the opening track from the famous Night Train album with Ed Thigpen on drums and Ray Brown on Bass and "A Child is born" and the ironically titled "A Little Jazz exercise" from the brilliant solo Piano album "Tracks". Also on the album is Petersons version of "Ill Wind", which was his tribute to his idol Art Tatum. ~S J Buck

Album: The Will To Swing (Disc 1)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:26
Size: 149.8 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 1991

[4:35] 1. Fine And Dandy
[5:43] 2. Tenderly
[2:54] 3. Fascinating Rhythm
[5:40] 4. Swingin Till The Girls Come Home
[2:57] 5. 9/20 Special-Live (1956 Hollywood Bowl)
[6:17] 6. Gypsy In My Soul
[4:00] 7. When Lights Are Low
[6:56] 8. Con Alma
[5:33] 9. Ill Wind
[5:51] 10. Whisper Not
[8:09] 11. In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning
[3:51] 12. Something's Coming
[2:54] 13. Daahoud

The Will To Swing (Disc 1)

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Album: The Will To Swing (Disc 2)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:13
Size: 163.1 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 1991
Art: Front

[5:52] 1. Waltz For Debbie
[3:21] 2. C Jam Blues
[4:08] 3. Nightingale
[3:53] 4. Place St. Henri
[5:28] 5. Wheatland
[5:15] 6. I've Got A Crush On You
[2:04] 7. Lulu's Back In Town
[6:05] 8. Little Girl Blue
[7:51] 9. Nica's Dream
[5:16] 10. Naptown Blues
[6:02] 11. Wave
[2:34] 12. A Child Is Born
[2:42] 13. A Little Jazz Exercise
[5:16] 14. Once Upon A Summertime
[5:20] 15. Younger Than Springtime

The Will To Swing (Disc 2)

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Scott Hamilton - Swedish Ballads... & More!

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 51:42

Size: 118.4 MB

Styles: Saxophone jazz

Year: 2013

Art: Front

[9:53] 1. Dear Old Stockholm

[6:16] 2. Swing In F

[5:13] 3. You Can't Be In Love With A Dream

[7:50] 4. Trubbel

[7:52] 5. Stockholm Sweetnin'

[8:23] 6. Minsoldat (My Soldier)

[6:12] 7. Bluesioktaver

Since long before the present flowering of native talent, Scandinavia has been a very jazz-friendly place. Miles Davis borrowed a Swedish folk song and called it Dear Old Stockholm. Quincy Jones wrote one of his first compositions, Stockholm Sweetnin', there in the 1950s. Both are among the seven numbers on this delectable set by the great American tenor saxophonist and a trio led by Jan Lundgren. Hamilton is famous for the consistent excellence of his playing but this time, sparked by Lundgren's inspired piano solos and crystal-clear accompaniment, he really surpasses himself. There may be a few more potential jazz standards here, too.

Swedish ballads … & more

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Nicole - All Jazzed Up

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:18
Size: 80.8 MB
Styles: Crossover jazz, Saxophone jazz
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[2:28] 1. Fly Me To The Moon
[3:44] 2. On The Sunny Side Of The Street
[3:36] 3. At Last
[2:28] 4. L-O-V-E
[2:43] 5. Something Stupid (Flute Duet)
[3:10] 6. Mack The Knife
[2:31] 7. For Once In My Life (Alto Saxophone Solo)
[3:09] 8. Dream A Little Dream
[2:57] 9. Cheek To Cheek
[1:52] 10. Hit The Road Jack
[3:37] 11. Save The Last Dance For Me (Alto Saxophone Solo)
[2:56] 12. Me & My Shadow (Soprano & Alto Sax Duet)

Nicole van Rensburg is a versatile musician, performing a variety of usical genres from Jazz and Pop to African, Country, French, Rock and Afrikaans music. This singer, saxophonist and flautist gracefully alternates between pure instrumental pieces and spectacular vocal songs, and is equally at home taking centre stage with a Cabaret performance, or performing background entertainment while guests are dining or networking. She also offers dinner dance entertainment, performing classic contemporary dance songs.

Born and bred in Pretoria, Nicole’s musical started music lessons at the age of nine, whilst her passion for singing was established when she was fourteen. Shesuccessfully completed her B. Tech Degree in Jazz from the Tshwane University of Technology. She was the overall winner of the Pretoria beeld Eisteddfod in 1999 and 2001 in the vocal category, and was also overall winner of the Reach for the Stars competition in 1998 and 2000 in the instrumental category. Upon invitation, Nicole performed a two week concert tour with young up and coming artists in Japan in 1999. She was also part of the National Big Band for Vocals and Saxophone at the Standard Bank Youth Jazz Festival in Grahamstown in 2002 and 2004. Her sensational voice and warm and engaging stage personality, coupled with her professionalism and client focus, has created a great demand demand for her as a live performer, with numerous corporate and private functions as well as weddings under her belt. Corporate entertainment experience includes performances at large-scale functions for ABSA, Daimler Chrysler, Peugeot, Liberty Life, FNB, Emperors Palace and Standard Bank, to name but a few. Nicole has also performed as guest artist on numerous TV shows, including Noot vir Noot (3 times), Felicia and Pasella.

All Jazzed Up

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Tal Farlow - Night And Day

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:10
Size: 121.7 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[2:41] 1. Gibson Boy
[3:27] 2. Everything I've Got
[4:12] 3. I Remember You
[4:20] 4. Night And Day
[3:48] 5. Fascinating Rhythm
[1:40] 6. Autumn Leaves
[3:04] 7. This Is Always
[3:32] 8. My Old Flame
[2:50] 9. These Foolish Things
[3:45] 10. There Will Never Be Another You
[2:54] 11. Tea For Two
[3:00] 12. With The Wind And The Rain In Your Hair
[3:39] 13. You And The Night And The Music
[3:57] 14. How Deep Is The Ocean
[3:00] 15. Just One Of Those Things
[3:14] 16. Stompin' At The Savoy

Talmadge Holt Farlow, 7 June 1921, Greensboro, North Carolina, USA, d. 25 July 1998, Sea Bright, New Jersey, USA. Although his father was an amateur musician, Tal Farlow did not begin playing guitar until 1942, working as a professional sign-painter for several years. Before the decade was out he had achieved a sufficiently high standard to be hired by cabaret singer Dardanelle, vibraphonist Margie Hyams and clarinettist Buddy De Franco. In 1950, by now a fleet and inventive guitarist inspired by Charlie Christian, he joined forces with another vibes player, Red Norvo, thus beginning a long-running and fruitful, if intermittent, musical partnership. The third member of this group was Charles Mingus. Although he initially struggled to keep up with Norvo’s startling speed, Farlow developed a technique that in turn made him the fastest guitarist of his era.

In 1953 Farlow worked with Artie Shaw, and later in the decade led his own trio on recordings for Blue Note Records and Verve Records, including work with Eddie Costa, but he drifted into retirement from music and concentrated on his career as a sign-painter. In the late 60s he made a handful of festival appearances, returning to fairly consistent public performances in the late 70s. In the 80s he resumed his working relationship with Red Norvo, touring the USA, UK and Europe and delighting audiences, many of whom had been alerted to this fine musician’s talents through a 1981 television documentary, Talmadge Farlow. Farlow’s breathtaking speed and fluent technique were highly influential, inspiring young guitarists such as John McLaughlin. ~bio from oldies.com

Night And Day

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Stephanie Porter - Mood Swings

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:09
Size: 131,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:58)  1. Cheek To Cheek
(5:00)  2. Until I Met You
(4:38)  3. Get Out Of Town
(5:05)  4. Body And Soul
(5:51)  5. Blues In The Night
(3:10)  6. Easy Living
(4:01)  7. Dream Dancing
(4:50)  8. Misty
(4:33)  9. Daddy-O
(4:49) 10. Here's That Rainy Day
(4:03) 11. Undecided
(5:05) 12. A Lady Never Cries

Seattle native Stephanie Porter, an outstanding jazz vocalist with a clear, sultry tone and a bright and appealing stage presence, has had a passion for music her whole life. From 1996 to 2000, Porter opened for a multitude of national acts (including Chaka Khan, Living Colour, Cameo, Glen Fry, Michael McDonald and Kansas), as a member of the popular disco group, “Hit Explosion.” During this time, she also recorded “My Heart Belongs to Daddy,” which ascended to the top 100 of the Gavin Jazz Chart. National Public Radio station, KPLU (88.5 FM), still features a number of songs from her critically-acclaimed album, Mood Swings, nationwide. 

The album has been sold in over 25 countries. A longtime figure in the Northwest jazz scene, Porter has worked with over 50 groups as a freelance vocalist and is often spotlighted as a featured or special guest artist in some of the region’s top venues. She has also performed at numerous festivals and special events. In addition to the Northwest, she has performed in venues across the country, as well as Canada, France and England. Her latest album, How Deep is the Ocean, is a brilliant showcase of her amazing talent as a vocalist.  http://jazzafterhours.net/The_Scene/concerts/stephanie-porter-quintet

Personnel:  Stephanie Porter - vocals; Lance Buller - trumpet (1, 8); Jay Roulston - trumpet (2, 5, 7, 9, 10); Gary Shutes - trombone (2, 5, 7, 9, 10); Jay Thomas - alto sax, flute (2, 5, 7, 9, 10); Bill Ramsey - baritone sax, bass clarinet (2, 5, 7, 9, 10); Mike West - tenor sax, flute (2-11); Bob Hammer - piano (1-3, 5-11); Craig Hoyer - piano (4, 12); Chris Woitach - guitar (1, 3, 4, 11); Traci Haveskeland - cello (12); Larry Holloway - bass (1, 2, 5, 7-10); Dan O’Brien - bass (3, 4, 6, 11); Greg Williamson - drums (1-11).

Mood Swings

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Seamus Blake - Way Out Willy

Styles: Straight-ahead/Mainstream, Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:01
Size: 119,3 MB
Art: Front

(11:40)  1. Fear of Roaming
( 8:44)  2. Badlands
( 7:52)  3. Trust in You
( 8:39)  4. Way Out Willy
( 8:20)  5. Hoi Polloi
( 6:44)  6. The Jupiter Line

It's been six years since Seamus Blake's last recording for Criss Cross, and the tenor saxophonist wasn't thinking about a new one until approached in 2006 by label owner/producer Gerry Teekens. The result, Way Out Willy, has the spontaneous feel of a session more focused on improvisation than composition. That's not to say the six Blake originals are anything but thoroughly engaging. But in a time where his contemporaries are often approaching the modern mainstream through more complex compositional constructs, Blake's writing is more concise. With the exception of the burning modal 5/4 "Badlands and the broodingly expansive 9/4 "Hoi Polloi there are no irregular or shifting meters to be found, nor are there any long-form episodic pieces. With compositions ranging from the insistently swinging "Fear of Roaming to the gently lyrical "Trust in You, the rhythm-heavy title track, or the simmering "The Jupiter Line, it ultimately all comes down to the players. With guitarist Lage Lund and pianist Dave Kikoski, Blake has two strong foils, capable of exploring improvisational possibilities at length without losing focus or sense of purpose. Drummer Bill Stewart (the "Willy in "Way Out Willy ) is as elastic, responsive and melodic as ever, while bassist Orlando LeFleming best known for his work with singer Jane Monheit demonstrates a side to him that's rarely been heard on record. 

Blake, still in his mid-thirties, is a powerful player possessing that rare ability to develop lengthy solos that are both visceral and cerebral. Few artists are capable of delivering near-perfection every time but Blake is one of them, with nary a misstep here and a consistent ability to create a clear narrative with every solo. Kikoski, with nearly twenty appearances on Criss Cross as a leader or sideman, is the closest thing to a label house pianist. His own Limits (2006) was an album of great conversational depth, and he brings that same aesthetic to this date. Working with another chordal instrument, in this case Lund, is always a challenge but the two are never anything but complimentary. As unequivocally strong as everyone is on the date, it's Lund who stands out, if only because he's a younger player with a small but increasingly significant discography that includes Marcus Strickland's Twi-Life (Strick Muzik, 2006) and two superb guest spots on trumpeter Ingrid Jensen's At Sea (ArtistShare, 2006). Like Blake and Kikoski, Lund is a master of construction, with a warm tone that's reminiscent of Pat Metheny, but far less processed. 

His solo on "The Jupiter Line, in particular, builds in intensity through use of repeated motifs that gradually lead from one place to the next in logical but exciting fashion. Way Out Willy is an unassuming and thoroughly satisfying set filled with improvisational prowess that's never superfluous. Blake's strength as a writer is his ability to create a diverse set of contexts that encourage the many strengths of everyone involved. ~ John Kelman  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/way-out-willy-seamus-blake-criss-cross-review-by-john-kelman.php
 

Personnel: Seamus Blake: tenor saxophone; Lage Lund: guitar; David Kikoski: piano; Orlando LeFleming: bass; Bill Stewart: drums.

Way Out Willy

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Luca Sestak - Lost in Boogie

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:05
Size: 115,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:32)  1. E-Flat Flyer
(3:45)  2. My Rock 'n Boogie
(3:36)  3. Quiet Blues
(3:02)  4. The Fives
(3:43)  5. Boogie 99
(2:45)  6. Go Str8 4 It
(3:54)  7. Boogie Woogie Stomp
(2:39)  8. Sunny Sunday
(1:55)  9. Stressed Student's Stride
(2:13) 10. Tribute to Jay Mcshann
(3:11) 11. Roberta (How Do You Feel)
(3:13) 12. Daydream (What a Day for a Daydream)
(3:20) 13. Swanee River Boogie
(5:01) 14. How Long Blues
(4:09) 15. Silent Night Blues (Silent Night, Holy Night Blues)

Luca was born on January 10, 1995 in Celle (Niedersachsen). At age 7 he was introduced to the piano by his father, but didn’t show much interest. For that reason two years later his parents sent him to a piano teacher who still gives him classical lessons. In 2008 Luca took part in the local piano solo competition “Youth plays music” and won 1st prize with advancement to the State Contest level. After two years of classical piano lessons Luca accidentally discovered jazz and with that also the Blues and Boogie Woogie. He self-trained and studied his first pieces of this music style and presented them at various occasions with great success. 

At age 11 he published some of his pieces on the internet platform YouTube where they quickly achieved great popularity. With rising recognition numerous performances at festivals and concerts followed in his home country as well as abroad with big-name pianists of the genre such as Silvan Zingg, Vince Weber, Bob Seeley, Frank Muschalle and Ben Waters. From 2010 to 2012 Luca presented his own concert series under the name of “Blues im Schaf” in Karlsruhe. Luca recorded his first CD album “Lost in Boogie” in August 2010 which was published in November of that year. 

One year later, Luca participated in the biggest Boogie Woogie Festival of the world in Laroquebrou, France. In 2014 Luca released his second album NEW WAY. Today Luca’s program contains mainly his own compositions and interpretations in which he expresses his unmistakable style. He includes in these the most varied directions of music from the blues and boogie through jazz and funk all the way to pop, rock and the classics. Bio ~ http://www.piano99.net/en/info/about

Lost in Boogie

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