Mary Stallings & Cal Tjader - Rare Retro Sounds

Size: 80,5 MB
Time: 34:21
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. I'm Beginning To See The Light (3:04)
02. Why Don't You Do It Right (2:33)
03. Just Squeeze Me 8 But Don't Tease Me (2:34)
04. It Ain't Necessarily So (2:26)
05. I Didn't Know About You (3:46)
06. Honeysuckle Rose (2:06)
07. I'm Just A Lucky So And So (2:27)
08. Ain't Misbehavin' (3:05)
09. Mr. Blues (2:37)
10. Goodbye (2:37)
11. Mighty Rumblin' Blues (3:45)
12. God Bless The Child (3:15)

Greatly influenced by Carmen McRae, San Francisco native Mary Stallings is a passionate, robust singer who isn't nearly as well known as she should be. The niece of saxman Orlando Stallings, she started singing as a child and sang jazz in Bay Area clubs during her teenage years, when she performed with Louis Jordan & His Tympani 5 and shared the stage with such greats as Wes Montgomery and Ben Webster. One of Stallings' admirers was vibist Cal Tjader, whom she teamed up with in 1961 for Cal Tjader Plays, Mary Stallings Sings on Fantasy. But regrettably, albums by Stallings were few and far between. After stints with Dizzy Gillespie and Billy Eckstine in the 1960s, Stallings toured with the Count Basie Orchestra as a featured vocalist from 1969-1972. The singer was still in Basie's employ when, in 1971, she gave birth to her only child, R&B singer Adriana Evans (whose self-titled debut album on RCA was among the finest R&B releases of 1997). Pharoah Sanders became Evans' godfather, and Stallings went into semi-retirement from music to stay home and raise her daughter. Though she performed occasionally when Adriana was growing up, it wasn't until the late '80s that Stallings seriously resumed her career. She made a long overdue return to record stores with Clarity Recordings' 1990 audiophile release Fine and Mellow, and in 1994 Stallings signed with Concord Jazz and recorded I Waited for You. Some equally memorable Concord dates followed (including Spectrum in 1995 and Manhattan Moods in 1996), and Stallings' admirers were glad to see her recording regularly after so many years of obscurity. She was back on Clarity in 1998 for Trust Your Heart and returned in 2001 with the concert album Live at the Village Vanguard on MAXJAZZ. She then teamed with pianist Geri Allen for the 2005 Half Note release Remember Love. In 2010, Stallings delivered Dream on Highnote, featuring pianist Eric Reed, who also produced the album. ~by Alex Henderson

Rare Retro Sounds

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Alex Sipiagin Quintet - New Path

Size: 115,6 MB
Time: 49:42
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Trumpet Jazz, Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Here And Now (7:12)
02. Path (7:00)
03. Videlles (7:22)
04. Dream Seen Later (6:59)
05. Around The Bend (7:09)
06. Fermata Scandola (7:21)
07. Little Dancer (6:37)

Alex Sipiagin was born on June 11, 1967 in Yaroslavl, Russia, a provincial city 150 miles from Moscow known for being home to one of Russia’s most famous opera singers, Leonid Sobinov, also Alex’s great-grand uncle. At 12 years of age, he began playing in a children's orchestra, studying under the great symphonic trumpeter and teacher, Mikhael Tsamaiev, his first inspiration. It was shortly after entering a local musical college at age 15 that Sipiagin was introduced to and inspired by what few and rare taped recordings were available in Russia of bebop and other jazz music. He knew he had to go to Moscow for a chance to learn more, and at 16 auditioned for the Moscow Music Institute, where he beat out 50 other students to get in. There he combined his classical studies with explorations into jazz. At 19 and after receiving his Baccalaureate, Sipiagin served the mandatory 2 years in the Russian army and then, upon release, continued his classical training and music studies at the Gnessin Conservatory in Moscow, earning tuition on pop gigs and recording sessions.

In 1990, Alex won first place in a Russian young jazz players’ competition in Rostov City. That same year, with "Glasnost" in fully sway, he visited the United States for the first time, performing with a Russian student jazz band, Green Wave, when they were asked to headline the Corpus Christi Jazz Festival in Texas. He caught the attention and ears of many, and was invited to participate in the International Louis Armstrong Competition sponsored by the Thelonius Monk Institute in Washington D.C. Other trumpeters competing were those who would later become today's prominent players such as Ryan Kaiser, Scott Wendtholt, Nicolas Payton, and others. Alex placed 4th in the competition, and was presented a Bach trumpet by the legendary Clark Terry, the trumpet which he still plays to this day.

Following a challenging year, in 1991 Alex decided to pursue jazz to the next level and moved to New York City. He sat in on jam sessions until he snagged his first jazz gig in 1992, playing every Monday night at Sweet Basil with the Gil Evans Band directed by Miles Evans. Then in 1993 he became a member of Gil Goldstein’s Zebra Coast Orchestra, which replaced the Gil Evan’s Band slot on Monday nights at Sweet Basil. In 1994, Sipiagin became a regular member of the George Gruntz Concert Jazz Band while performing also with drummer Bob Moses’ band, Mozamba. Trumpeters Earl Gardner and Randy Brecker introduced Sipiagin to become a member of the Mingus Big Band in 1995, of which he is still a regular member, as well as the Mingus Dynasty and Mingus Orchestra. Since 2000, Dave Holland invited him to be a regular member of his big band and currently with his various small groups, and in 2003 he recorded with Michael Brecker’s Quindectet, which he has heavily toured with alongside Michael Brecker’s Sextet. Alex has also performed with Eric Clapton, Dr. John, Aaron Neville, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Kenny Werner, Elvis Costello, Michael Franks, Dave Sanborn, Deborah Cox, legendary producer Phil Ramone, etc. and many of the recordings he has been involved in has won Grammy's.

As a soloist, Sipiagin has 13 recordings out to his credit, mostly with the Criss Cross Jazz label, as well as with ArtistShare and Sunnyside Records, and has toured extensively throughout Europe, Asia and Russia with his group. This year, he is proud to announce his new association with Gonzalo Rubalcaba's record label, 5 Passions, which he will be recording for and releasing in 2013.

Since 2007, Sipiagin steadily teaches as part of a special jazz program called "New York Comes to Groningen" at the Prins Claus Conservatorium in Groningen, The Netherlands. He also gives clinics at various music institutions around the world.

Today, Sipiagin lives in the North Fork of Long Island with his family, and continues to perform and tour with the Dave Holland groups, Mingus groups (and various others), as well as with his own solo projects worldwide. Sipiagin chooses to play Yamaha instruments and is a Yamaha U.S. artist since 2010.

New Path

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The Ordinary Square - When In Paris

Size: 123,5 MB
Time: 53:10
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. The Ordinary Square (5:44)
02. Memoire Distordue (6:39)
03. Telescope No. 2 (5:49)
04. Il Neige Sur Le Palais (6:30)
05. Neue (4:40)
06. Mr R & Mr V (7:45)
07. Le Tambour (4:46)
08. Ebbe (6:33)
09. Till Karg-E (4:40)

Members:
Eric Arellano - saxophone
Fabian Kallerdahl - piano
Viktor Skokic - bass
Fredrik Hamrå - drums

Jazz quartet from Göteborg & Stockholm. Bouncing rythms and swaying melodies.

The album "When in Paris" was released on HOOB records. The album contains some of the music of Viktor Skokic.

When In Paris

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Louise Isackson - Red To Blue

Size: 108,9 MB
Time: 46:50
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Contemporary Jazz/Folk
Art: Front

01. Intoxication (2:55)
02. Alibi (3:02)
03. Burn The Rain (3:31)
04. Cool Tears (3:50)
05. Metamorphosis (4:26)
06. Too Much Love (4:29)
07. Love Between The Lines (4:39)
08. How To Love (4:46)
09. Red To Blue (4:47)
10. Wearing The Moon (4:59)
11. Waterfall (5:21)

“What happens when hello and goodbye collide? In the spirit of this question, this collection of songs took form. Beginning with Red to Blue, the range of emotions between these two colours are infinite – a true kaleidoscope. The songs on this recording harbour this shared concept of transformation, the spirit of change, and exploring the mystery held in the duality of all things, especially love.

With the desire to express ideas of balance, emergence and perceived reality, the belief that love is always in a state of flux is the beating heart of these songs. The title track ‘Red to Blue’ is pivotal to the other tracks which circle around this polarity or notion of tranformation.

Contrary to belief, love is not a fixed idea. Love binds everything, yet moves and dances about in all forms.

The spirit of change is at the core of these compositions. Writing these songs was a journey of perpetual layering, and an unfolding of ideas that were sculpted by the sounds created in these arrangements”

Red To Blue

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Edda Borg - No Words Needed

Size: 122,5 MB
Time: 52:56
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz: Smooth Jazz
Art: Front

01. Let Me Know (5:07)
02. Love You Don't Know (5:36)
03. Happy To See You (4:32)
04. Can I Trust You (5:01)
05. I Want It All Back (4:49)
06. Liberation (4:06)
07. Where To (5:00)
08. Continentals (5:12)
09. High Five (4:16)
10. No Words Needed (5:10)
11. Ok (4:01)

There is sweet irony in the title, No Words Needed by Edda Borg. Best known for her trademark jazz and pop vocals, on her new CD Edda leads a brilliant ensemble of world-class players through suite of songs built that are first and foremost instrumentals. The sounds of the ensemble are rich and supremely smooth, as an airtight rhythm section supports rippling guitars, ringing keyboards and elegant horns across sophisticated solos and stylish instrumental interludes.

Classically trained from age six, Edda was deeply influenced by the jazz records that her father, an accomplished jazz pianist and music educator, would play. Of special interest were the free form improvisational excursions taken by the soloists.

Edda launched her professional career at age 16 when she was selected to join Gunnar Þórðarson’s big band. A solid slate of professional opportunities followed: sessions with platinum songwriter, musician and producer Thor Baldursson (Donna Summer, Elton John), performances on lead and background vocals for the legendary Eurovision Song Contest as well as judging the Icelandic qualifying rounds.

Edda’s career is multi-faceted and ever-evolving: from singing with the Reykjavík Big Band to touring with a jazz trio; creating musical promos for Iceland’s top radio station to recording Ding Dong, a children’s CD. Among Edda’s notable credits is involvement with Björks 2011 Biophillia project.

Working with young musicians is among her greatest joys. For almost two and a half decades she has operated The Edda Borg Music School, where she has educated generations of emerging players. “Many graduates of my school are now professional musicians who are beginning to make their musical marks both here and abroad,” she notes proudly. “It keeps you young and alive to be among the children.

”Edda has also performed both in Iceland and in the United States with the legendary “Wrecking Crew” keyboardist and bandleader Don Randi. When Edda recently visited Los Angeles, she was invited onstage to sit in with Randi and his band Quest at the musician’s iconic jazz venue, The Baked Potato in Studio City.

At this stage in her career, Edda is rightfully proud of her achievements, but she is always looking ahead to the next level of her artistry: to new audiences, expanded venues, and upcoming challenges. “I am a really hard-working person,” she says. “ I look at myself as a winner, not a loser, and if I want to get something done I do it.

”Edda Borg’s creative expression radiates a warm glow from a cold place. Her songs, sound and sensibilities reveal the calling card of an artist with a rich legacy, an animated present and a vibrant future. The music says it best: No Words Needed.

No Words Needed

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Doc Cheatham - Wishing You Were Here

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 77:00
Size: 176.3 MB
Styles: Trumpet jazz
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[6:29] 1. There's No You
[5:13] 2. I Didn't Know What Time It Was
[4:45] 3. Dinah
[2:58] 4. I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good
[5:11] 5. Georgia On My Mind
[4:55] 6. The Little Things That Mean So Much
[6:39] 7. Night Train
[1:52] 8. How Much Is Too Much
[5:06] 9. Jadah
[5:58] 10. Tin Roof Blues
[6:06] 11. That's My Home
[4:52] 12. 'round Midnight
[7:39] 13. Drop Me Off In Harlem
[4:22] 14. Where Are You
[4:50] 15. Was It A Dream

One of the very last survivors of the early days of jazz, trumpeter Adolphus “Doc” Cheatham attracted attention from the historically- inclined right up to his death in 1997 at the age of 91. His career recapitulated much of the history of jazz as a whole: he came of age hearing and playing with the New Orleans masters of the music's classic period; he participated in the big band movement that defined jazz in the 1930s; after the Second World War he affiliated himself with popular Latin dance orchestras on one hand and appeared with select, connoisseur-oriented small-group jazz combos on the other. As if defying time, his later recordings and performances were his best, and it was toward the end of his life that he allowed himself more often to step into the spotlight as a soloist.

Wishing You Were Here

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Albert Ammons - Remastered Collection

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:47
Size: 164.4 MB
Styles: Boogie woogie, Piano blues, Swing
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[2:50] 1. Nagasaki
[2:58] 2. Boogie Woogie Stomp
[3:10] 3. Early Mornin' Blues
[3:12] 4. Mile-Or-Mo-Bird Rag
[2:24] 5. Shout For Joy
[3:36] 6. Boogie Woogie Stomp (Alternative Version)
[3:59] 7. Chicago In Mind
[3:50] 8. Suitcase Blues
[3:40] 9. Boogie Woogie Blues
[4:06] 10. Untitled Ammons Original
[3:19] 11. Bass Goin' Crazy
[4:03] 12. Backwater Blues
[4:05] 13. Changes In Boogie Woogie
[4:09] 14. Easy Rider Blues
[3:13] 15. Woo-Woo
[2:43] 16. Jesse
[2:51] 17. Weary Land Blues (Improvisation)
[4:31] 18. Port Of Harlem Blues (Improvisation)
[4:34] 19. Mighty Blues (Improvisation)
[4:25] 20. Rocking The Blues (Improvisation)

A major inspiration to generations of improvising musicians, Albert Ammons is best remembered as an exciting pianist who inaugurated the Blue Note record label by hammering out blues and boogie duets with Meade "Lux" Lewis, and as the father of hard bop tenor saxophonist Gene Ammons. Born in Chicago on September 23, 1907, he learned the rudiments of piano from his parents and neighbors and began cultivating an ability to play the blues when he was 12 years old. His main influences were Jimmy Blythe, Jimmy and Alonzo Yancey, Hersal Thomas, and Clarence "Pinetop" Smith, who personally encouraged the aspiring pianist.

At the age of 17 Ammons met Meade "Lux" Lewis while they were both drivers for Chicago's Silver Taxicab Company. The two men honed their skills by pounding the ivories on an upright at the depot and by gigging publicly after hours, sometimes doubling up for boogie-woogie piano four hands. By 1934 Ammons was leading his own little group at the Club De Lisa on the South Side. A powerhouse stride pianist who had stylistic traits in common with Fats Waller (the two would have made a formidable duo had anyone ever thought to bring them together), Ammons became strongly identified with the boogie-woogie style after recording "Boogie Woogie Stomp" and "Swanee River Boogie" for Decca with his Rhythm Kings in 1936. Ammons next decided to take himself to New York, where he gigged regularly at Café Society (Downtown and Uptown) with Meade "Lux" Lewis and the Kansas City contingent of Pete Johnson and blues shouter Big Joe Turner.

His final achievements consisted of Decca recordings with Lionel Hampton and a special performance at the White House in the nation's capital for Harry Truman's second-term inauguration. Illness forced Albert Ammons off the scene and when he passed away on December 2, 1949, he was only 42 years old. Tragically, Gene Ammons would follow his father's example by passing away at the age of 49, in 1974. ~bio by arwulf arwulf

Remastered Collection

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Clare Teal - Orsino's Songs

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:33
Size: 113.4 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2002
Art: Front

[4:08] 1. California Dreamin'
[4:12] 2. The Way You Look Tonight
[4:05] 3. Life Plans
[5:05] 4. In The Still Of The Night
[4:05] 5. Let's Not Take A Raincheck
[3:19] 6. Ready For Love To Begin
[5:34] 7. Blues In The Night
[3:41] 8. You Make Me Feel So Young
[2:52] 9. Mountain Greenery
[4:44] 10. I Only Have Eyes For You
[5:30] 11. I Loves You Porgy
[2:13] 12. Who Bought The Car

Clare Teal has proved to be without a doubt, one of the most talented newcomers to hit the Jazz scene in years. Not only a wonderfully gifted singer, but also a very promising, melodic, intuitive and witty writer who's own songs are already being heralded as standards. Orsino's Songs is Clare's second album - the content of which is even richer and exudes more warmth than ever.

Clare is accompanied by her regular band made up of the UK's top mainstream musicians, Martin Litton on Piano; Trevor Whiting on Reeds; Nils Solberg on Guitar, John Day on Bass and Rod Brown on Drums. As well as three very special guests Alan Barnes, Ian Shaw + Malcolm Earl Smith. Martin Litton has excelled himself with the arrangements for this selection of well-known classics and originals. He, like Clare, knows how to reach into the very core of a song and his arrangements display a whole variety of styles and emotions.

Clare puts the success of this harmonious and creative partnership down to the fact that both she and Martin share a birthday and are obviously linked by the 17th moon of Uranus! Orsino's Songs really says it all about Clare. The quality of the performance you on this CD is replicated at every one of her concerts and roadshows. The album is a complete experience from start to finish encompassing all the many facets of her unique talents. It's all there the originality, exuberance, pathos, tenderness and wit.

Orsino's Songs

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Roy Patterson - On A Cloud

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:03
Size: 146.6 MB
Styles: Hard bop, Guitar jazz
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[6:47] 1. A Man From Sung
[9:57] 2. Feel The Sun
[4:33] 3. An Affair To Remember
[4:37] 4. Blame It On My Youth
[7:21] 5. The Very Thought Of You
[7:04] 6. On A Cloud
[8:19] 7. Lullaby For A Sage
[6:56] 8. Hymn For Simon Lewis
[8:24] 9. The Briefcase

Roy Patterson (guitar); Ingrid Jensen (trumpet, flugelhorn); Brian Dickinson (piano); Jim Vivian (bass); Ted Warren (drums). Recording information: Enregistre Au Reaction Studios, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (05/25/1999/05/26/1999).

The quartet again with a guest artist. Contains a mixture of originals and standards in different settings from duo to quintet. Nice quartet rendition of The Very Thought of You (Ray Nobel) and a piano/guitar duet on An Affair to Remember (Harry Warren) dedicated to Bill Evans and Jim Hall.

On A Cloud

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Robert Palmer - The Very Best Of The Island Years

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 79:19
Size: 181.6 MB
Styles: Blue eyed soul, Contemporary pop rock
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[2:42] 1. Sailing Shoes
[2:25] 2. Hey Julia
[4:22] 3. Sneakin' Sally Through The Alley
[3:16] 4. Give Me An Inch
[3:19] 5. Which Of Us Is The Fool
[2:31] 6. Man Smart, Woman Smarter
[3:14] 7. Every Kinda People
[3:16] 8. You're Gonna Get What's Coming
[3:11] 9. Bad Case Of Loving You (Doctor, Doctor)
[3:37] 10. Can We Still Be Friends
[3:12] 11. Jealous
[2:48] 12. Not A Second Time
[4:07] 13. Looking For Clues
[3:55] 14. Johnny And Mary
[3:06] 15. Some Guys Have All The Luck
[3:26] 16. Pride
[4:24] 17. You Are In My System
[3:55] 18. Hyperactive
[3:55] 19. Addicted To Love
[3:23] 20. Discipline Of Love
[3:44] 21. I Didn't Mean To Turn You On
[3:07] 22. Sweet Lies
[4:13] 23. Simply Irresistible

Island's 2005 compilation The Very Best of the Island Years is a near-perfect single-disc overview of Robert Palmer's stint at Island Records, which ran from 1974's Sneakin' Sally Through the Alley to 1985's Riptide. This is regarded by fans and critics alike as his peak creative period, and it also contained his best-known hits, including 1978's "Every Kinda People," 1979's "Bad Case of Loving You (Doctor, Doctor)," 1980's "Can We Still Be Friends," 1981's "Johnny and Mary" and "Looking for Clues," and, of course, 1986's "Addicted to Love" and 1987's "I Didn't Mean to Turn You On." While he continued to chart into the early '90s, only one song -- 1988's "Addicted to Love" rewrite "Simply Irresistible" -- could hold a candle to those hits, and it's here in a live version that concludes the album. While it would have been nice if the original studio version had somehow made the cut, the rest of this is such a terrific listen, charting Palmer's progression from laid-back New Orleans-styled blue-eyed soul crooner through new wave pop guy through his sleek rock makeover with Riptide, that most listeners won't mind that it's a live version, and choose to simply enjoy the best single-disc Palmer compilation yet assembled (and anybody wanting to dig deeper should turn to 2002's similarly excellent double-disc set Best of Both Worlds). ~Stephen Thomas Erlewine

The Very Best Of The Island Years

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Paul Bley - Blues For Red

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 69:48

Size: 159.8 MB

Styles: Piano jazz, Avant garde jazz

Year: 2010

Art: Front

[8:10] 1. Blues For Red

[7:22] 2. Rear Projection

[5:25] 3. Into The Night

[5:52] 4. Above Board

[6:09] 5. Delirious Boogie

[6:45] 6. Underground

[4:16] 7. Up Hill

[5:25] 8. Latin Thing

[6:26] 9. Downtown

[2:32] 10. Late Night Blue

[4:10] 11. Baby Narrows

[2:57] 12. Capri-Cious

[3:22] 13. Solo Mio

[0:51] 14. Exit

More straight-ahead than many Paul Bley outings, the 14 solo piano vignettes comprising this set reflect the versatility of this wide-ranging performer. There is an emphasis on the blues, and the pianist proves himself a formidable champion of that genre. Fans of Bley's traditional aesthetic should also find something here to admire, as he covers a wide range of styles. While everything is well played, there is a sense of ordinariness on some of the tracks. Nonetheless, Bley is too good a performer not to throw some gems in the pack, and there are flashes of his patented use of space and an occasional energetic cluster. While this is not an album that would serve well as an introduction to this wonderful performer, it will prove particularly rewarding to those who are familiar with the pianist's work and wish to observe some different facets of his playing. ~Steve Loewy

Blues For Red

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Clark Terry - Clark Terry's Big B-A-D Band Live!

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:10
Size: 98.8 MB
Styles: Trumpet jazz, Bop, Swing
Year: 1976/2007
Art: Front

[7:48] 1. Una Mas
[4:23] 2. Nefertiti
[4:34] 3. Take The A Train
[6:06] 4. Randi
[5:21] 5. Mumbles
[5:42] 6. Sheba
[9:11] 7. Cold 'tater Stomp

No question that Clark Terry assembled a terrific band back in 1974, when this was recorded, to take on tour throughtout the midwest. Jimmy Heath, Phil Woods, Richard Williams (tp), and Duke Jordan (p) are all first-rate musicians, and the band certainly knows how to wail. Arnie Lawrence (as) sounds like he's going to jump right out of his shoes during his solo on UNA MAS. RANDI is a pretty Phil Woods composition, on which Phil solos nicely. The ever-present MUMBLES is here (getting a bit stale after 10 years in the book). Best on the CD is TAKE THE A TRAIN, which contains excellent solos by Woods and Terry. The long 12-bar blues COLD TATER STOMP gets better in the second half after the somewhat uninspired trombone solo by Janice Robinson. All in all, a good performance at Wichita that April 21st. ~Bomojazz

Clark Terry's Big B-A-D Band Live!

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Karen Shivers - Precious Love

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:14
Size: 170,2 MB
Art: Front

(6:07)  1. Reflections
(4:52)  2. Love for Sale
(5:29)  3. That's All
(5:17)  4. Our Day Will Come
(6:28)  5. Which Road
(5:03)  6. Monk's Dream
(6:51)  7. Precious Love
(6:07)  8. Invitation
(5:37)  9. I Can't Give You Anything But Love
(4:48) 10. Secret Love
(6:27) 11. You Go to My Head
(5:51) 12. My Romance
(5:12) 13. Nice Work If You Can Get It

Seattle based jazz vocalist Karen Shivers, is considered a ‘natural’; she has a wide-vocal range that is powerful, warm and rich. She is a singer steeped in the ‘classic’ vocal style of Sarah Vaughn and Carmen McRae. In 2008, Karen won the Seattle/Kobe Japan Sister City Female Jazz Vocalist Competition. Karen’s sophisticated approach to songs includes a mixture of attitude, verve and soul. The ever-increasing recognition of Karen’s talent has created opportunities for her to open for such world renowned jazz vocalists as: Ms Dianne Reeves and Ms Ernestine Anderson.

Born in St. Louis, MO., Karen is the daughter of a Tuskegee Airman and an elementary school teacher. Karen was the first African American woman elected to office in Kitsap County, WA, and served as a Central Kitsap School Board member in Silverdale, WA. She attended UPS Law School, but left it to be a Caregiver when her mother became terminally ill. After her mother’s death, she decided to pursue what she had always loved to do, singing jazz. Karen developed her singing style while working along side jazz pianist Bob Nixon, former pianist for Pulitzer-winner Charles Mingus and Ernestine Anderson.  http://seattlejazzscene.com/?p=1199

Personnel:  Karen Shivers, vocals; Bill Anschell, piano; Doug Miller, bass; Greg Williamson, drums; Dave Peterson, guitar; Larry Barilleau, percussion.

Precious Love

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Laura Leon - Changing The Pace

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 26:27
Size: 60,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:16)  1. Samba
(4:30)  2. Two True Blues
(3:15)  3. Gumbo Limbo
(3:24)  4. The Kiss
(2:44)  5. Tango Ultimo
(5:03)  6. Laura's Dream
(3:12)  7. Pavanne
(1:00)  8. Samba Reprise

A fantastic collection of seven Latin, jazz and blues piano pieces, composed by Steven Rosenhaus, Eric Ewazen, Astor Piazzolla and Morton Gould. Each of these works was originally composed as a solo piano work. Shifting from 'classically' composed, Laura transformed them with arrangements in collaboration with Grammy award-winning tenor saxophonist Richie Cannata, Nicki Parrott on bass, Adam Snyder on drums, and the internationally renowned Brazilian percussionist Cafe. Changing the Pace features Rosenhaus' Samba and Two True Blues, Eric Ewazen's Gumbo Limbo from his A Suite from the Cloud Forest, and Morton Gould's toe-tapping and full-of-swing Pavanne, which has been adored since it first came on the music scene in 1938. Astor Piazzolla's Tango Ultimo takes the tango to a whole new level. Imani Mosley's review of a recent performance Laura gave of Samba and Two True Blues at Queens College's Lefrak Concert Hall stated: "The piece was delightfully blissful, the first, light and airy and the second, soft and jazzy. It sounded perfect for a concert hall and yet it had the air of belonging somewhere else as well, like somewhere in the Village." Laura Leon has been heralded for the special touch she brings to both her solo and collaborative performances at the piano. She has broadened the spectrum of American music and where it can be experience and has brought composers and their works to audiences, beyond traditional concert venues to new settings and special events. 

Embracing American contemporary repertoire in a unique way, The New Music Connoisseur has called her performances"an even blend of fine technique, intelligence and passion." The Knight News' wrote: "I found myself captivated by the sound of the piece with its rich chords and the performances of Ms. Leon." Laura has received wide acclaim and recognition for her performances and recordings of a wide roster of American composers-including Peter Schickele, William Bolcom, Hugo Weisgall, Leo Kraft, Steven Rosenhaus, and Eric Ewazen. Performances include Heifer's International Bee Day Celebration, The White House/Capitol Hill's Days of Remembrance, and Weisgall's The Golden Peacock with the soprano Emily Duncan-Brown. She has conceived and collaborated on several live performance multimedia works--Found in Nature and PRO.JECT. She was the music director for, and performed on the soundtrack of the 2006 Emmy-award winning documentary The Hidden Life, which aired on PBS. More.. http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/lauraleon

Personnel:  Laura Leon, piano; Richie Cannata, saxophone; Nicki Parrott, bass; Adam Snyder, drums; Cafe, percussion.

Changing The Pace

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Hot Club Of Cowtown - Rare And Unreleased

Styles: Retro Swing
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:42
Size: 84,5 MB
Art: Front

(2:36)  1. Dinah
(3:13)  2. Besame Mucho
(3:01)  3. All I Want is You
(3:35)  4. Rosetta
(2:11)  5. Bitter Creek Breakdown
(2:37)  6. Paper Moon
(2:54)  7. Ragtime Annie
(2:41)  8. You're Getting To Be a Habit With Me
(2:53)  9. Cotton Eyed Joe
(2:51) 10. Love is the Drug
(5:17) 11. Avalon
(2:48) 12. Dance Away

Western swing revivalists Hot Club of Cowtown formed in San Diego, CA in 1996; originally a duo pairing singer/violinist Elana Fremerman and singer/guitarist Whit Smith, a subsequent move to Austin, TX made room for the addition of bassist Billy Horton. Signing to Hightone, the trio issued its debut album, Swingin' Stampede!, in the fall of 1998; the follow-up, Tall Tales, appeared a year later. New bassist Matt Weiner joined Smith and Fremerman for 2000's Dev'lish Mary. Ghost Train came two years later in 2002, and it showed the group focusing more on original material and cutting back on the amount of covers. Continental Stomp followed in 2003, with Wishful Thinking arriving in 2009, and in 2011, the Hot Club finally surrendered to the obvious and released a tribute to Bob Wills, What Makes Bob Holler (the album was actually released in November of 2010 in the U.K.). ~ Jason Ankeny & Steve Leggett, Rovi  https://itunes.apple.com/gb/artist/hot-club-of-cowtown/id39261566#fullText

Rare And Unreleased

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Gil Evans - The Gil Evans Orchestra Plays The Music Of Jimi Hendrix

Styles: Jazz, Post-Bop
Year: 1975
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 78:22
Size: 179,9 MB
Art: Front

( 4:09)  1. Angel
( 5:03)  2. Castles Made Of Sand - Alternate Take
(10:09)  3. Up From The Skies - Alternate Take
( 3:22)  4. Gypsy Eyes - Alternate Take
( 6:33)  5. Crosstown Traffic
(11:30)  6. Medley
(10:37)  7. Up From The Skies
( 7:28)  8. 1983 - A Merman I Should Turn To Be
( 5:01)  9. Voodoo Chile
( 3:43) 10. Gypsy Eyes
( 6:33) 11. Little Wing
( 4:07) 12. Angel - Alternate Take

This CD reissue (which adds additional material to the original LP program) is much more successful than one might have expected. Jimi Hendrix was scheduled to record with Gil Evans' Orchestra but died before the session could take place. A few years later, Evans explored ten of Hendrix's compositions with his unique 19-piece unit, an orchestra that included two French horns, the tuba of Howard Johnson, three guitars, two basses, two percussionists and such soloists as altoist David Sanborn, trumpeter Marvin "Hannibal" Peterson, Billy Harper on tenor, and guitarists Ryo Kawasaki and John Abercrombie. Evans' arrangements uplift many of Hendrix's more blues-oriented compositions and create a memorable set that is rock-oriented but retains the improvisation and personality of jazz. [This album was re-released in 2002 on the Bluebird label with four bonus tracks from the same sessions] ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-gil-evans-orchestra-plays-the-music-of-jimi-hendrix-mw0000212756

Personnel: Gil Evans (arranger, piano, electric piano, celeste); Howard Johnson (arranger, tuba, clarinet, bass clarinet); David Horowitz (arranger, electric piano, organ, synthesizer); Trevor Koehler (arranger, soprano & tenor saxophones, flute); Tom Malone (arranger, trombone, bass trombone, flute, piccolo, synthesizer); "Hannibal" Marvin Peterson (vocals, trumpet); David Sanborn (soprano & alto saxophones, flute); Billy Harper (tenor saxophone, flute); Lew Soloff, Ernie Royal (trumpet, flugelhorn); Peter Gordon (French horn); Warren Smith (vibraphone, marimba, chimes, gong, percussion); John Abercrombie, Ryo Kawasaki, Keith Loving (guitar); Michael Moore (bass); Herb Bushler (electric bass); Sue Evans (drums, tympani, congas, cow bell); Bruce Ditmas (drums, tabla, cuica); Tony Williams (drums).

The Gil Evans Orchestra Plays The Music Of Jimi Hendrix

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