Jane Morgan - In My Style...

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:59
Size: 77.8 MB
Styles: Vocal
Year: 1965/2014
Art: Front

[2:38] 1. Side By Side
[3:43] 2. My Coloring Book
[2:30] 3. I'm Sorry
[2:46] 4. My Heart Belongs To Daddy
[2:58] 5. You Belong To Me
[2:38] 6. Till I Waltz Again With You
[2:47] 7. Fascination
[2:54] 8. Downtown
[3:01] 9. People
[2:40] 10. Why Don't You Believe Me
[2:49] 11. We'll Sing In The Sunshine
[2:30] 12. Old Cape Cod

Vocalist Jane Morgan is known best for her lone Top Ten hit, "Fascination," drawn from the 1957 Billy Wilder film Love in the Afternoon. Born in Boston (as Jane Currier) but raised in Florida, Morgan was an early success as a singer in France. She made the transition back to America as a nightclub act, and signed to Kapp in the mid-'50s.

Jane Morgan made her chart debut late in 1956, appearing alongside Roger Williams on "Two Different Worlds." One year later she hit number seven with her theme "Fascination," based on the old French composition "Valse Tzigane." Both "The Day the Rains Came" and "With Open Arms" followed "Fascination" into the Top 40 during the late '50s, but Morgan had disappeared from the charts by the turn of the decade. (Her last hit was also a movie theme, for 1959's Happy Anniversary, directed by David Miller and featuring David Niven.) She continued recording for Kapp until 1962, and resurfaced four years later on Epic for Fresh Flavor, a rock-crossover LP that was only slightly embarrassing (her cover of "Good Lovin'" is a minor moment of kitsch). ~bio by John Bush

In My Style      

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Clare Fischer - The Latin Side

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:49
Size: 150.7 MB
Styles: Latin jazz, Piano jazz
Year: 1997
Art: Front

[6:16] 1. Como Come
[7:24] 2. Malibu Glide
[7:22] 3. C.P
[9:18] 4. Pensativa
[8:52] 5. Dancing Song
[5:50] 6. Memories Of You
[6:52] 7. Morning
[9:24] 8. Blues Bossa
[4:28] 9. Pajaro Loco

Clare Fischer, keyboards, with the Netherlands Metropole Orchestra conducted by Rob Pronk and Vince Mendoza.

Continuing its series of collaborations with well–known American Jazz musicians, the Netherlands Metropole Orchestra travels south of the border, figuratively speaking, for a program of Latin Jazz by one of its leading exponents, composer/pianist Clare Fischer. The eight studio tracks, conducted by longtime music director Rob Pronk, were recorded in 1991; the ninth, “C.P.,” was recorded in concert at The Hague in 1997 and conducted by Vince Mendoza. Fischer arranged every number and composed all but Eubie Blake/Andy Razaf’s ballad, “Memories of You,” which the two–time Grammy Award winner plays unaccompanied. If arranging for the relatively large and string–laden Metropole Orchestra presented a challenge, Fischer shows that he was up to the task, scrupulously dotting every i and crossing every t. The charts, in other words, are first–class. To further assure their success, the former director of the vocal group known as the Hi–Los brought with him one of its alumni, Don Shelton, who doesn’t sing but displays his superior talents on soprano saxophone (“Como Come?”), clarinet (“Pensativa,” a duet with Fischer) and flute (on five selections). Fischer also recruited his son, Brent, to play bass with the orchestra. Fischer plays acoustic piano on three numbers (“C.P.,” “Blues Bossa,” “Memories of You”), “digital piano” (which sometimes sounds like a harpsichord) on the others. It’s an acquired taste, but he’s such an accomplished musician that it charms more often than it annoys. “Pensativa” is perhaps Fischer’s best–known composition, but each of the others deserves comparable recognition. Shelton and Fischer are the principal soloists, with a handful of earnest but uncredited ad libs by members of the orchestra. Unlike some of the Metropole Orchestra’s recordings, this one is generously timed at 66:43, and is easily recommended to those who appreciate Latin Jazz, especially when written by a superlative composer and performed by a world–class orchestra. ~Jack Bowers

The Latin Side

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Carlos Barbosa-Lima - Merengue

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:20
Size: 99.2 MB
Styles: Latin rhythms, Guitar jazz
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[3:03] 1. Prelude No. 2
[5:19] 2. Seis Milonga
[3:00] 3. Danza Del Altiplano
[2:45] 4. Guajira Criolla
[2:23] 5. Cajita De Musica
[2:57] 6. Canhoto
[2:59] 7. Implicante
[2:56] 8. Cancion Carorena
[3:37] 9. Pais De Abanico
[5:34] 10. Nunca Te Olvido
[2:40] 11. Escorregando
[6:00] 12. Fantasy On A Hawaiian Lullaby

On Merengue, his fifth ZOHO CD, guitarist Carlos Barbosa-Lima takes an adventurous musical journey through Ibero-America, including his native Brazil, performing music by renowned composer-guitarists of Latin-America and Hawaii. Carlos invited as special guests Hendrik Meurkens (U.S.) on harmonica, Duduka Da Fonseca (Brazil) on percussion, Gustavo Colina (Venezuela) on cuatro, Marcilio Lopes (Brazil) on mandolin, and George Anderson (U.S.) on bass. “Merengue” also features the debut recording of the “World Guitar Trio”, with Barbosa-Lima joined by guitarist Karin Schaupp (Australia) and Christopher McGuire (Texas).

Barbosa-Lima’s career as concert guitarist has run uninterruptedly for over fifty years. He has recorded over fifty albums, initially for Chanteclair and Concord Records –now regrettably deleted- and since 2000 for ZOHO. Many composers, including Ginastera, Mignone, Santórsola, Cordero, Scott and Yasui, have written pieces for him, thus significantly enlarging the guitar literature. His imaginative concert programs have broken down the worn-out dichotomy between popular and classical music. Tt is therefore only just, in my humble opinion, to define Maestro Carlos Barbosa-Lima as a living legend!

Congratulations, Carlos, on this CD full of musical surprises, innovative arrangements and brilliant guitar playing - it is one of your best! Definitively, Carlos resembles great wine which also matures and gets better with the passage of time. ~Ernesto Cordero

Merengue

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Les McCann & The Jazz Crusaders - Jazz Waltz

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 33:19

Size: 76.3 MB

Styles: Hard bop, Soul-jazz

Year: 1963/2012

Art: Front

[2:35] 1. Spanish Castle

[3:12] 2. Blues For Yna Yna

[4:13] 3. Damascus

[3:28] 4. 3 4 For God & Co

[2:57] 5. Bluesette

[2:58] 6. Big City

[3:05] 7. This Here

[3:46] 8. Jitterbug Waltz

[4:22] 9. All Blues

[2:37] 10. Jazz Waltz

Bass – Robert Haynes; Drums – "Stix" Hooper; Piano, Electric Piano, Organ – Les McCann; Piano, Organ – Joe Sample; Saxophone – Wilton Felder; Trombone – Wayne Henderson.

This short CD features both Les McCann and The Jazz Crusaders. While the song Damascus was previously issued on Les McCann's Relationships compilation, the rest of the record was never before released on CD until now. Every track is soul-jazz gold. I'm glad they finally reissued it. ~DW

Jazz Waltz

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Karen Souza - Hotel Souza

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:57
Size: 86.9 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[3:45] 1. Paris
[2:34] 2. Night Demon
[3:57] 3. My Foolish Heart
[3:23] 4. Delectable You
[2:43] 5. Break My Heart
[3:44] 6. I Heard It Through The Grapevine
[3:55] 7. Wake Up
[4:14] 8. I've Got It Bad
[2:33] 9. Full Moon
[3:59] 10. Dindi
[3:08] 11. Lie To Me

Karen Souza: vocals; Alan Pasqua, Tom Ranier: piano; Trey Henry: bass; Larry Koonse, John Goux: guitar; Jaime Branly, Ralph Humphrey: drums; Steve Kujala, Brian Scanlon, Dan Higgins: woodwinds; Rick Baptist, Wayne Bergeron: trumpets; alan Kaplan: trombone; Brian Kilgore: percussion; Roger Wilke: Concertmaster; Track 6: "I Heard It through the Grapevine": Dany Thomas: acoustic piano, Hammond V3, keyboards;Andre De Santana: arranger, electric and upright bass; James Gadson: drums; Edgar Sandoval Violin; Horns: Miguel Gandelman: sax; Ray Monteiro: trumpet; Garrett Smith: trombone.

There is a 19th Century short story by author Frank Stockton entitled, The Lady, or the Tiger? The hook of that work is the teaser leave-you-hanging ending: is there a Lady or the man-eating Tiger behind the door that is selected and "opened." With Hotel Souza, her second CD, Buenos Aires-based vocalist Karen Souza leaves little to the imagination. This hotel has musical rooms of exquisite talent, beauty, elegance and intimacy.

Displaying sensuality without a cloying phoniness, Souza delivers eleven beautifully-performed and impeccably-arranged songs, backed here by some of L.A.'s "usual suspects." The result is a marvelously entertaining tour d' hote. Souza's voice is one of elegant restraint and sensuousness. Hers is not an overpowering vocal presence, but rather, a very inviting one. She seduces deliciously with gentleness and whisper-to-the mic sultriness. That feeling is pervasive across an interesting selection of ballads, bossas (Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Dindi"), softer swing ("Delectable You," "Full Moon") and soft-rock grooves ("Night Demon"). She hits a soulful home run with a dark blue rendition of Marvin Gaye's classic, "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," recorded here with members of Gaye's original band. The Joel McNeely arrangements are slick and frame Souza well without over-dominating her. That savvy set-up allows Souza's lyric and tonal skills to dominate. Her diction, phrasing, dynamic nuance and intonation are exceptional.

In addition to her song-styling chops, the compositions Souza co-authored here—eight of them, demonstrate that she has a flair for the melodic and poetic. The ensemble and brief solo outings across the board are First Class and without studio sterility. The famous Michelin Travel Guide may rate the world's hotels and attractions and not musical fare. Perhaps if they did, Hotel Souza would score extremely well. Select any musical door here and a Lady of exuberant talent and taste awaits. ~Nicholas F. Mondello

Hotel Souza

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Jack Jezzro - Candlelight Guitar

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:19
Size: 80.9 MB
Styles: Easy Listening
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[3:25] 1. Watch What Happens
[3:42] 2. Autumn Leaves
[4:09] 3. I Can't Get Started
[3:11] 4. Sunny
[3:34] 5. Satin Doll
[3:44] 6. There Will Never Be Another You
[3:07] 7. I Could Write A Book
[3:19] 8. Darn That Dream
[3:12] 9. Dancing On The Ceiling
[3:52] 10. Night And Day

A wonderful solo guitar recording of standards featuring Grammy nominated guitarist Jack Jezzro.

JACK JEZZRO has been one of Nashville’s most versatile musicians and record producers for over 30 years. He has appeared on many Grammy winning recordings and has numerous albums as an artist to his credit. His vast guitar discography as a recording artist includes the critically acclaimed Jazz Elegance and Brazilian Nights recordings, along with the Grammy nominated A Days Journey album. As a bassist, he was a member of the Nashville Symphony Orchestra from 1981-1991. He continues to be a member of the Nashville String Machine, playing on countless hit songs including those by Garth Brooks, Faith Hill, Bruce Springsteen, Carrie Underwood, Amy Grant, George Strait, Jennifer Lopez, Matchbox 20, Vince Gill, Wynonna, Olivia-Newton John, Rascal Flatts, Neil Diamond, Dolly Parton, and The Beach Boys. His productions, which number over 300 albums, include legendary jazz pianist Beegie Adair, acclaimed Dove award winning vocalist Kathy Troccoli, Grammy winning producer/composer/pianist Michael Omartian, jazz vocal great Jaimee Paul, tenor sax ace Denis Solee, bassist/vocalist Jim Ferguson featuring jazz great Chris Potter, renowned violinist David Davidson, composer/arranger/pianist Jeff Steinberg, multi-instrumentalist and Fiddler's Hall of Fame member Craig Duncan, virtuoso accordionist/pianist Jeff Taylor, singer/songwriter Christina Lake, pianist Christopher Phillips, trumpeter Leif Shires, jazz violinist Antoine Silverman featuring pianist Stefan Karlsson, and saxophonist Sam Levine. His music and productions could also be heard in several motion pictures, including the recent Woody Allen movie, "To Rome With Love."

Candlelight Guitar

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Various Artists - Disney Jazz: Everybody Wants To Be A Cat, Vol. 1

Styles: Straight-Ahead Jazz,Jazz-Pop 
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:18
Size: 155,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:01)  1. Roy Hargrove - Ev'rybody Wants To Be A Cat
(3:51)  2. Esperanza Spalding - Chim Chim Cher-ee
(4:02)  3. Dave Brubeck - Some Day My Prince Will Come
(5:16)  4. Regina Carter - Find Yourself
(3:56)  5. Joshua Redman - You've Got A Friend In Me
(4:52)  6. Dianne Reeves - He's A Tramp
(5:39)  7. Kurt Rosenwinkel - Feed The Birds (Tuppence A Bag)
(4:28)  8. The Bad Plus - Gaston
(5:59)  9. Roberta Gambarini - Alice In Wonderland (With The Dave Brubeck Trio)
(7:13) 10. Alfredo Rodriguez - The Bare Necessities
(3:12) 11. Nikki Yanofsky - It's A Small World
(6:24) 12. Gilad Hekselman - Belle
(5:18) 13. Mark Rapp - Circle Of Life

What a discovery; what a great idea. Producer Jason Olaine has taken songs from a number of Disney movies some rarely recorded by jazz musicians and made fresh new versions, utilizing some of today's most well-known jazz artists. The performers range from 90 year-old piano legend Dave Brubeck to 17 year-old Canadian vocalist Nikki Yanofsky; established horn players such as trumpeter Roy Hargrove and saxophonist Joshua Redman; and international performers including Israeli-born/US-based guitarist Gilad Hekselman and avant-garde Cuban pianist Alfredo Rodriguez. Olaine has given these diverse artists full control, and they have mined 13 gems from the Disney catalog.  Hargrove delivers a sprightly, hard bop rendition of the sparkling "Everybody Wants to Be A Cat," from 1970's The AristoCats, while accordionist Gil Goldstein provides the haunting opening to Esperanza Spalding's creative arrangement of "Chim Chim Cher-ee," from Mary Poppins (1964), the bassist later vocalizing along with her bowed lines to underscore the song's evocative mood Brubeck gets two selections: first, a swinging version of "Someday My Prince Will Come," from 1937's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, where the pianist breezes through the lilting melody, before coming on strong with his trademark chordal fury; later, he gives fine accompaniment to singer Roberta Gambarini on the theme song to Alice in Wonderland (1951).

Regina Carter's exotic violin merges with accordionist Gary Versace and kora master Yacouba Sissoko in the captivating and ear-opening "Find Yourself," from Cars (2006), while Redman adds depth to the innocuous "You've Got A Friend in Me, " from Toy Story (1995), the tenor saxophonist's creative energy unleashed in a trio with bassist Matt Penman and drummer Gregory Hutchinson. The irrepressible The Bad Plus is mind-blowing on a rousing version of "Gaston," from Beauty and the Beast (1991), taking this French-flavored tune through creative hijinks to a stirring climax, delivered with the brio of an Edith Piaf ballad. On the many strengths of Olaine's Everybody Wants To Be A Cat: Disney Jazz Volume 1, hopefully Volume 2 won't be far behind. ~ Larry Taylor  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/everybody-wants-to-be-a-cat-disney-jazz-volume-1-various-artists-disney-records-review-by-larry-taylor.php
 

Personnel: Roy Hargrove: trumpet (1); Justin Robinson: alto saxophone (1); Ameen Saleem: bass (1); Thaddeus Dixon: drums (1) Esperanza Spalding: bass, vocal (2); Gil Goldstein: piano, accordion (2); Dave Brubeck: piano (3, 9); Michael Moore: bass (3, 9); Randy Jones: drums (3, 9); Regina Carter: violin (4); Gary Versace: accordion (4); Yacoba Sissoko: kora (4); Chris Lightcap: bass(4); Alvester Garnett: drums, percussion (4); Joshua Redman: tenor saxophone (5); Matt Penman: bass (5); Gregory Hutchinson: drums (5); Dianne Reeves: vocal (6); Peter Martin: piano (6); James Genus: bass (6); Alvester Garnett: drums (6); Kurt Rosenwinkel: guitar and piano (7); Joshua Thurston-Milgrom: bass (7); Tobias Backhaus: drums (7); Ethan Iverson: piano (8); Reid Anderson: bass (8); Dave King: drums (8); Roberta Gambarini: vocal (9); Alfredo Rodriguez: piano and percussion (10); Nikki Yanofsky: vocal (11); Paul Shrofel: piano (11); Rob Fahle: bass (11); Geoffrey Lang: drums (11); Rod DiLauro: trumpet (11); Pat Vetter: alto saxophone (11); Christopher Smith: trombone (11); Jean Frechette: baritone saxophone (11); Gilad Hekselman: guitar (12); Joe Martin: bass (12); Obed Calvaire: drums, percussion (12); Mark Rapp: trumpet (13); Jamie Reynolds: piano, keyboards (13); Rene Hart: bass (13); Greg Gonzales: drums (13).

Disney Jazz: Everybody Wants To Be A Cat, Vol. 1

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Jeremy Davenport - Jeremy Davenport

Styles: Vocal And Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:47
Size: 128,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:13)  1. Was It Something I Did
(3:08)  2. The Night We Met in Paris
(5:24)  3. They Can't Take That Away from Me
(3:10)  4. I See Your Face Before Me
(4:38)  5. Why Oh Why
(5:38)  6. Joy Jones in the Temple of Doom
(3:01)  7. I'm Old Fashioned
(5:07)  8. Watch Out
(4:24)  9. I'm Confessin' (That I Love You)
(4:13) 10. Lora With an O
(5:06) 11. Just in Case
(6:38) 12. I'm In The Mood For Love

It is easy to have low expectations for this CD because Jeremy Davenport was clearly being positioned to be "the next Chet Baker," though he did not succeed. The seven cover boy photos make it a little difficult to take him seriously and the originals that he contributed to the set (particularly "Was It Something I Did?," which has abysmal words) are not too memorable. 

But, on the other hand, he plays trumpet well, his vocals, which sound much closer to Harry Connick, Jr. than to Baker, have their charm, and Davenport is fairly rewarding on the standards (such as "They Can't Take That Away From Me," "I'm Old Fashioned," and "I'm in the Mood for Love"). This CD is more successful than expected. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/jeremy-davenport-mw0000186863

Personnel: Jeremy Davenport (vocals, trumpet); Peter Martin, Glenn Patscha (piano); Christopher Thomas, Neal Caine (bass); Shannon Powell, Martin Butler (drums).

Jeremy Davenport

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Nat Adderley - The Scavenger

Styles: Cornet And Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1968
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:36
Size: 89,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:53)  1. Sweet Emma
(5:27)  2. Rise Sally, Rise
(6:08)  3. Unilateral
(3:05)  4. Melnat
(8:15)  5. The Scavenger
(4:47)  6. Bittersweet
(5:58)  7. But Not For Me

Nat Adderley may have spent a significant part of his career in the shadow of his better known older brother, the alto saxophonist Julian 'Cannonball' Adderley, but he was always a major contributor to their shared projects, and achieved a great deal in his own right after his brother's death in 1975. He was born Nathaniel Adderley, and took up trumpet as a teenager in 1946. He began playing in local bands in Florida, and made what became a career long switch to the smaller cornet in 1950. He did so against the prevailing tide. Cornet had been the horn of choice for New Orleans trumpet players in the early days of jazz, but had fallen out of fashion in favour of trumpet by the bop era.

Adderley evolved a distinctive signature on the instrument, blending a rich tone and earthy warmth with the horn's inherent touch of astringency to great effect. He played in an army band for a time during his military service from 1951-3, then joined the band led by vibraphonist Lionel Hampton in 1954, his first association with an established jazz figure. He remained with Hampton until 1955, and cut his earliest recordings for the Savoy and EmArcy labels that same year. Cannonball Adderley had made an early mark in New York when he sat in with bassist Oscar Pettiford at the Cafe Bohemia in Greenwich Village in 1955, but that did not translate into immediate success when the brothers joined forces in Cannonball's Quintet the following year. He broke up the group in 1957, and Nat worked with trombonist J. J. Johnson and bandleader Woody Herman before reuniting with his brother in 1959.

The earlier lack of success quickly evaporated. The band's funky, gospel-tinged jazz became one of the most successful sounds on the hard bop and soul jazz circuit, and they even scored an unexpected chart hit with 'Mercy, Mercy, Mercy' in 1966. Cannonball had featured alongside John Coltrane in Miles Davis's classic Sextet which made the legendary Kind of Blue album in 1959, and that association provided the boost he needed to take off as a star in his own right, with the cornetist very much his right hand man. Nat had continued to record under his own leadership, and made his most famous record for the Riverside label in January, 1960, with a band which featured guitarist Wes Montgomery. The resulting album, Work Song , included the tune which remains his best known composition, 'The Work Song'. Its bluesy call-and-response chorus was an emblematic example of the hard bop style of the period, and is still widely played. More... http://www.jazztrumpetsolos.com/Nat_Adderley_Biography.asp

Personnel:  Bass – Victor Gaskin; Cornet – Mel Lastie, Nat Adderley; Drums – Roy McCurdy; Electric Piano – Joe Zawinul; Flute – Jeremy Steig; Piano – Joe Zawinul; Tenor Saxophone – Joe Henderson; Trumpet [Electric] – Nat Adderley

The Scavenger

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