Rebecca Kilgore & Dave Frishberg - Not A Care In The World

Size: 120,1 MB
Time: 51:15
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1997
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Evenin'/Topsy/Swing, Brother, Swing (3:37)
02. Not A Care In The World (2:28)
03. A Kiss To Build A Dream On (2:47)
04. Samba Da Minha Terra/So Danço Samba (4:16)
05. All My Life (2:43)
06. An Occasional Man (2:38)
07. I've Got A Feelin' You're Foolin' (2:47)
08. In The Land Of Oo-Blah-Dee (2:35)
09. My Melancholy Baby (2:42)
10. Night Wind (2:26)
11. Blah, Blah, Blah (2:31)
12. South American Way/Say Si Si (3:15)
13. Talkin' To Myself About You (3:06)
14. Kiss And Run (3:06)
15. Georgia On My Mind (3:20)
16. Ballerina/I Won't Dance (4:46)
17. The Glow-Worm (2:05)

Rebecca Kilgore and pianist Dave Frishberg are a match made in jazz heaven. Kilgore's appealing, easygoing vocals capture the essence of every song, whether scatting through Mary Lou Williams' "In the Land of Oo-Blah-Dee" or the witty, seductive lyrics of "An Occasional Man." Frishberg's inventive piano lines help to inspire the singer, especially with his Waller-like stride piano on "I've Got a Feeling You're Foolin'," along with the addition of guitarist Dan Faehnle, who plays on ten of the CD's 17 tracks. Only the Gershwin Brothers' "Blah, Blah, Blah" doesn't measure up to the rest of the CD, but that's due to the tedious joke of the rather dated lyric. ~Review by Ken Dryden

Not A Care In The World

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Maggie Blue - To The King: A Tribute To Elvis Presley

Size: 100,5 MB
Time: 40:15
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Pop/Rock/Blues/Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Heartbreak Hotel (2:42)
02. Stuck On You (2:48)
03. Love Me Tender (3:36)
04. Can't Help Falling In Love (3:53)
05. Don't Be Cruel (3:05)
06. Are You Lonesome Tonight (3:48)
07. Loving You (2:46)
08. Let Me Be Your Teddy Bear (2:52)
09. I Want You, I Need You, I Love You (3:57)
10. Good Luck Charm (2:27)
11. Love Me (3:29)
12. All Shook Up (4:46)

The songs on the CD appeal to me for many reasons, not just because Elvis sang them. Even though it was many years ago, the music and lyrics are still relevant today. They're all about love and life, and have a universal appeal. It transcends time. The music reflects emotions that we've all felt at one time or another -- loneliness, fear and vulnerability, love and desire. Overall, there's a sense of optimism in this collection of songs, which appeals to me because I'm an optimistic person by nature.

I've always had a lot of respect for Elvis Presley's talent as an artist and performer, and the way he was able to communicate and convey emotions. He sang from the heart, and that's why he touched so many people.

"Another interesting aspect of this CD is that I am interpreting Elvis' songs from a female perspective. Jennifer Warnes did the same thing when she sang Leonard Cohen's music."

The 12 songs on this CD are meant as a fitting tribute to the incredible singer, artist and performer -- truly The King.

Personnel:
Maggie Blue (vocals)
Greg Geeves (keyboards, synthesizer)
Mario Gilbert (flute, sacxophone, clarinet, blues harmonica)
Ronald MacPrough (guitar)

That's To The King

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Kirk Knuffke - Arms & Hands

Size: 142,8 MB
Time: 61:09
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Modern Jazz
Art: Front

01. Safety Shoes (2:29)
02. Bright Light (5:29)
03. Root (3:49)
04. Pepper (3:58)
05. Chirp (5:46)
06. Umbrella (3:53)
07. Notwithstanding (3:01)
08. Next (4:51)
09. Arms & Hands (4:22)
10. Elevator (3:37)
11. Bonderizer (3:40)
12. Tuesday (2:27)
13. Use (3:34)
14. Atessa (4:02)
15. Thanks A Lot (6:05)

Sometime, watch children as they eat the M&Ms. They will separate the colors into several piles—green, red, brown, yellow, orange, and blue. It's not that each color tastes different, except for maybe blue—I don't remember ever seeing that color before. Nonetheless, they go about savoring each color batch as an independent experience. Those little candies come to mind while attending to cornetist Kirk Knuffke's release Arms & Hands. The disc (released as both CD and LP) is a trio recording with Knuffke's newest band of bassist Mark Helias and drummer Bill Goodwin, but it also features three guest musicians; saxophonists Daniel Carter and Jeff Lederer and trombonist Brian Drye. Like the little candies, the guest appearances and the trio pieces are cut from the same clothe, but there is a tempting urge to divide up this recording.

Maybe that's because Knuffke has spliced his career into so many different directions. He has braided his horn into the bands of Matt Wilson, Allison Miller, Jeff Lederer, Andrew D'Angelo, and David Ullmann bands, plus his own groups Ideal Bread, Sifter (with Wilson and Mary Halvorson) and duo outings with Jesse Stacken, Mike Pride, and Brian Drye. He also works with this trio's partners in the separate bands, Helias' quartet and Goodwin's Ornette project.

The trio music here is dazzling. The combination of Helias' bass, which has kept time for Anthony Braxton and Cecil Taylor, and Goodwin's drums which have backed Phil Woods and Art Pepper, fuses the out and the in. Tricky, off-kilter pieces like "Root" and "Tuesday" satisfy those seeking challenging compositions, yet the groove is so inviting. Knuffke's cornet playing is (as always) flawless. He can deliver burning runs, slur and chirp notes, all with full command of his most demanding instrument.

Add the guests and the music doesn't taste better, it is just coated differently. Drye's trombone flavors the opening track "Safety Shoes," a meter-shifting feel good (no great) piece. Carter swoops upon "Bright Light" and "Atessa" with a notion that it is hip to be inside Knuffke's conceptions. Lederer's appearance with soprano honors Steve Lacy on "Chirp" and his tenor gives a nod to Sonny Rollins' appreciation of cornball. The band turns a potentially clichéd tune like Ernest Tubbs' country song "Thanks a Lot" into a very hip swinger. ~Mark Corroto

Personnel: Kirk Knuffke: cornet; Bill Goodwin: drums; Mark Helias: bass; Brian Drye: trombone; Daniel Carter: alto saxophone; Jeff Lederer: soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone.

Arms & Hands

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Magnolia - That's Plenty

Size: 101,4 MB
Time: 40:00
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz Vocals, Swing
Art: Front

01. That's A Plenty (2:37)
02. Is You Or Is You Ain't My Baby (3:56)
03. Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea (3:57)
04. Smooth Operator (2:32)
05. C'mon A My House (2:48)
06. Take My Love (2:34)
07. It's All Right With Me (3:43)
08. Where's The Money Honey (2:46)
09. I Want To Be Evil (3:55)
10. Too Darn Hot (4:13)
11. Big Spender (6:54)

Band Members:
Anton Jarl
Paco Weht
Francesc Capella
Myriam Swanson

Myriam Swanson introduces her repertoire more jazz with her project Magnolia. Singer, composer and performer, she began his career very young in underground formations.
Her taste for eclecticism has led to the creation of various projects such as her album of bossa-nova Brazilian Moods (2007) with Cesc Pascual; the session Five Minutes Before with Jordi Mena (Bunbury) a work of topics filled with darkness and depth; Early Blues Mood with Amadeu Casas where a lot of the primordial sources of gender on a repertoire rarely heard or Magnolia, a quartet of jazz where in addition to revisit the classics is a repertoire that contains themes of Etta James or Rosemary Clooney.
Better known as a singer of Rhythm n ' Blues, Myriam Swanson has been "the voice" of the "Taboo" in the Sala Apolo during two seasons. Their collaboration with Mario Cobo and Anton Jarl still emerges a new training, Flamingo Tours, for four projects cannot overcome the artistic restlessness. ~online translation from Spanish

That's Plenty

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Harry Allen - Hits By Brits

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 58:17

Size: 133.4 MB

Styles: Saxophone jazz

Year: 2007

Art: Front

[7:04] 1. Cherokee

[7:16] 2. Roses Of Picardy

[6:56] 3. Just In Time

[4:18] 4. These Foolish Things

[6:33] 5. I Hadn't Anyone Till You

[4:31] 6. You're Blasé

[7:05] 7. Limehouse Blues

[3:34] 8. A Nightingale Sang In Berkely Square

[5:48] 9. Got A Date With An Angel

[5:08] 10. The Very Thought Of You

Recording Date: November, 2006. Drums - Chuck Riggs: Guitar – Joe Cohn; Saxophone – Harry Allen; Trombone – John Allred; Bass - Joel Forbes.

Tenor saxophonist Harry Allen can evoke Lester Young disciples like Stan Getz or Zoot Sims one minute and the heavier swing-era tenorists the next. On his latest release, Allen’s sound and articulation lean toward the aggressive end of the scale, although on ballads like “You’re Blasé” and “A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square,” he often brings to mind a reflective Sims or Ben Webster.

All the tunes are by Englishmen, except “Just in Time,” whose composer, the American Jule Styne, was born in London. Well-known bandleader Ray Noble wrote “The Very Thought of You,” “I Hadn’t Anyone Till You” and the classic jazz vehicle “Cherokee.” Also included are “Roses of Picardy,” “These Foolish Things,” “Limehouse Blues” and “Got a Date with an Angel.” The informal arrangements consist largely of Allen, guitarist Joe Cohn and trombonist John Allred (on four tracks) stating the melody, taking choruses, trading phrases and taking the chart out.

Allen is in great form, whether swinging ebulliently or caressing a melody, and the virtuosic Allred is consistently impressive. Cohn seemingly inherited dad Al’s melodic sense, as he spins nimble, tuneful lines at any tempo. The fine rhythm section also includes bassist Joel Forbes and drummer Chuck Riggs.~David Franklin

Hits By Brits

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Walter Wanderley - Talkin' Verve

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 48:24

Size: 110.8 MB

Styles: Latin jazz

Year: 1998

Art: Front

[3:01] 1. Popcorn

[2:28] 2. Agua De Beber

[2:15] 3. Amazonas

[2:35] 4. The Girl From Ipanema

[3:10] 5. Summer Samba (Samba De Verão)

[3:44] 6. Blue Island

[2:43] 7. Taste Of Sadness

[4:22] 8. Crickets Sing For Anamaria

[2:35] 9. Canto De Ossanha

[3:19] 10. A Different Beat

[2:19] 11. Call Me

[3:12] 12. Wave

[3:48] 13. Bossa Na Praia (Beach Samba)

[3:01] 14. Music To Watch Girls By

[3:30] 15. Goodbye Sadness (Tristeza)

[2:16] 16. Batucada Surgiu

Possibly because he favored drippy orchestrated arrangements crossed with bossa nova beats, organist Walter Wanderley never received much attention when he was recording in the '60s. However, in the rush to uncover forgotten "lounge" recordings, Verve stumbled upon his records and decided that his overblown, occasionally campy Latin jazz was worth reissue. They assembled a 16-track compilation from his three albums for Verve, effectively selecting highlights like "Popcorn," "Agua de Beber," "The Girl from Ipanema," "Summer Samba," "Wave," "Beach Samba," and "Music to Watch Girls By." It's a good summary of his Verve years, featuring the best tracks from his uneven albums. There are certainly better places to hear bossa nova, even pop-oriented Latin jazz, but there are still some good moments on Talkin' Verve, especially if you favor kitsch over quality. ~Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Talkin' Verve 

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Friend 'n Fellow - 2 albums: Covered / Discovered

What are the essentials of powerful musical expression? We believe a soulful black female voice and a virtuoso acoustic guitar. Provided they are of the caliber of Friend 'n Fellow. Depth, class and entertainment from an exceptional duo that plays so efficiently that they actually should be called a "band" with their incredible dynamics and emotionality. The names of these two experienced musicians are: Constanze Friend (vocals) studied modern voice in Weimar. As the singer of the R&B Band "Mr Adapoe", Constanze was a guest at many European festivals, e.g. as a support act for Alvin Lee and James Brown. Thomas Fellow (guitars) studied concert guitar for seven years in Weimar. He has won prizes at international competitions and has been on concert tours throughout Europe, the U.S.A. , India and South America. Professor Thomas Fellow is the chairman of the Department of Guitar/World Music at the Conservatory of Music in Dresden, and conducts courses at various other music conservatories and festivals.

Friend 'n Fellow have been performing as a duo since 1991. Concerts in London, Paris, New York, Peking, Vienna, Zurich, Lucerne Festival (Lucerne, Switzerland), Tollwood-Festival Munich, Festival Internacional de la Porta Ferrada (Spain), 1st Blues & Soul Weekend (Zurich, Switzerland), Simmen Lörrach, Jazzrally Dusseldorf with Ray Charles, Al Jarreau, Simply Red, Marianne Faithful, Maceo Parker.

In the music of FRIEND 'N FELLOW the intensity of blues, the sound of soul and the freedom of jazz unite in a very unique way. Deeply impressed and moved, the audience follows the virtuoso way these two exceptional musicians perform together.

Album: Covered

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 42:24

Size: 97.1 MB

Styles: Soul-Blues-Jazz

Year: 2005

Art: Front

[3:10] 1. Light My Fire

[3:12] 2. Fly Like An Eagle

[4:09] 3. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For

[3:37] 4. Bad Love

[1:47] 5. In The Summertime

[3:31] 6. Grandma's Hands

[4:50] 7. One More Day

[3:19] 8. How Will I Know

[2:04] 9. Can't Buy Me Love

[5:27] 10. Cajun Moon

[2:33] 11. Skylark

[3:44] 12. What A Wonderful World

[0:54] 13. What A Wonderful World (Reprise)

Covered  

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Album: Discovered

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 51:55

Size: 118.9 MB

Styles: Soul-Blues-Jazz

Year: 2010

Art: Front

[3:54] 1. Me & Mrs Jones

[4:07] 2. Clocks

[2:22] 3. Crazy Little Thing Called Love

[4:56] 4. Both Sides Now

[4:40] 5. Moondance

[4:07] 6. Walk On The Wild Side

[2:33] 7. Ring Of Fire

[4:47] 8. A Case Of You

[3:46] 9. Shout

[4:09] 10. Here Comes The Rain Again

[6:22] 11. Have A Talk With God

[1:47] 12. If You Had My Love

[4:21] 13. Throw It Away

Discovered  

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Ray Stevens - Misty

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:04
Size: 80.3 MB
Styles: Country-pop
Year: 1975/1990
Art: Front

[2:53] 1. Misty
[3:28] 2. Indian Love Call
[3:11] 3. Somewhere Over The Rainbow
[2:58] 4. Oh Lonesome Me
[2:48] 5. Sunshine
[2:32] 6. Cow-Cow Boogie
[3:46] 7. Young Love
[3:15] 8. Deep Purple
[3:24] 9. Mockingbird Hill
[4:02] 10. Take Care Of Business
[2:42] 11. Lady Of Spain

Ray Stevens was born Harold Ray Ragsdale in Clarkdale, Georgia on January 24, 1939. Clarkdale was a small cotton mill town twenty miles north of Atlanta. Ray’s early influences came from the radio and the jukebox at the village swimming pool where Ray and most kids spent their summers. In those days radio stations were diverse and played music of all different styles and that, along with the records that the jukebox played exposed Ray to an eclectic selection of music.

In 1975 Ray received his second Grammy Award. It was in the Best Arrangement category for the remake of the Erroll Gardner/Johnny Burke classic, “Misty.” One day in the studio while rehearsing his band for an upcoming television appearance they started clowning around with “Misty” using a banjo, fiddle and steel guitar. It sounded good. So good that Ray called his engineer to come down to the studio and the arrangement was recorded.

Misty

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King Curtis - The Best Of King Curtis

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:15
Size: 96.7 MB
Styles: R&B-Blues-Southern Soul
Year: 1996
Art: Front

[2:31] 1. Night Train
[2:38] 2. One Mint Julep
[2:38] 3. Soul Twist
[2:56] 4. Soul Serenade
[2:50] 5. Honky Tonk
[2:33] 6. Slow Drag
[2:26] 7. Hide Away
[2:40] 8. Strollin' Home
[2:55] 9. Sister Sadie
[2:15] 10. Tanya
[2:34] 11. Summer Dream
[3:20] 12. Hung Over
[2:00] 13. Bill Bailey, Won't You Please Come Home
[2:41] 14. More Soul
[2:35] 15. Shake
[2:36] 16. A Change Is Gonna Come

Recording Date: August 23, 1962 - March 11, 1965

Best of King Curtis collects the bulk of King Curtis' singles for Capitol, plus selected album tracks. Although he didn't have many hits while on Capitol -- only "Soul Serenade" hit the charts -- this collection demonstrates the depths of Curtis' talents, showcasing his stabs at jazz and blues in addition to his trademark R&B. Instant Soul remains a stronger introduction, but for fans that want to dig a little deeper,

The Best of King Curtis is an excellent purchase. ~Stephen Thomas Erlewine

The Best Of King Curtis

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Harry James - Trumpet Blues: The Best Of Harry James

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 52:09

Size: 119.4 MB

Styles: Big band

Year: 1999

Art: Front

[2:38] 1. Trumpet Blues And Cantabile

[5:01] 2. James Session

[4:29] 3. Moten Swing

[3:09] 4. Cherry

[3:04] 5. I'm Beginning To See The Light

[3:07] 6. Willow Weep For Me

[2:57] 7. Two O'clock Jump

[3:10] 8. Strictly Instrumental

[3:06] 9. A Sleepy Lagoon

[3:50] 10. Barn 12

[2:53] 11. I've Heard That Song Before

[3:23] 12. Blues On A Count

[3:28] 13. You Made Me Love You

[3:07] 14. Music Makers

[3:04] 15. It's Been A Long, Long Time

[1:35] 16. Ciribiribin Pts 1 & 2

Released to coincide with the publication of Peter Levinson's biography of the same name, Capitol Jazz's Trumpet Blues: The Best of Harry James is an excellent collection of 16 highlights from James' stint at Capitol between 1955 and 1958. These don't quite rank among James' very best recordings, which are generally considered to be his '30s and '40s work, but they're enjoyable latter-day waxings, finding him in a relaxed, generous mood. Among the highlights are the re-recorded title tracks and duets with Buddy Rich, Willie Smith, Corky Corcoran, and Helen Forrest. Trumpet Blues shouldn't be considered a definitive statement, but it's a nice addendum of latter-day recordings to a collection of James' classic recordings. ~Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Trumpet Blues: The Best Of Harry James

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Mari Wilson - The Rhythm Romance

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:09
Size: 142.3 MB
Styles: Jazz-pop vocals
Year: 1991/2001/2012
Art: Front

[0:43] 1. Cielo
[5:08] 2. The Rhythm
[3:41] 3. I'm Comin' Home
[2:15] 4. No Moon At All
[6:13] 5. For Your Freedom
[4:39] 6. La La Peace Song
[3:08] 7. Cry Me A River
[4:15] 8. This Town
[4:29] 9. Yeh Yeh
[4:33] 10. And I Love Him
[1:49] 11. Let There Be Love
[3:44] 12. Someone To Watch Over Me
[4:18] 13. Loverman
[4:14] 14. My Funny Valentine
[5:03] 15. Out Of The Blue
[3:51] 16. Got To Be You

Latin-flavored Collection of Original Material and Sultry Standards Originally Released in 1991. Includes 2 Bonus Tracks Originally Available in Japan Only.

The Rhythm Romance

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Charlie Parker & His Orchestra - Night And Day

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 30:12
Size: 69.2 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 1956/2012
Art: Front

[3:30] 1. Temptation
[3:28] 2. Autumn In New York
[3:05] 3. Lover
[2:55] 4. Stella By Starlight
[3:09] 5. Dancing In The Dark
[2:49] 6. Night And Day
[2:33] 7. Almost Like Being In Love
[3:07] 8. I Can't Get Started
[2:35] 9. What Is This Thing Called Love
[2:57] 10. Laura

Charlie Parker, or ‘bird’ as he was known, was one of the most influential soloists in the history of jazz and his spectacular alto saxophone playing made him a legend well before his tragic death in 1955 at the age of 34. Parker has remained a major influence on musicians ever since.

Night And Day

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Jan Shapiro - Read Between The Lines

Styles: Jazz Pop
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:16
Size: 124,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:46)  1. Read Between the Lines
(4:59)  2. Superstition
(5:24)  3. Between Hello and Goodbye
(3:48)  4. I Get Arrested
(3:54)  5. I Keep On Loving You
(4:22)  6. Its Probably Me
(5:28)  7. Why You Wanna Make Me Blue
(5:13)  8. Heartbreak Hotel
(4:14)  9. Just Like Magic
(3:36) 10. Thats Miles That Smiles
(3:57) 11. He Loves Me (I Think)
(4:30) 12. Lifetime Guarantee

They are all inherent things that are undoubtedly ingrained in our everyday approach to life. But exhibiting any one of these on cue is not so easy. Only a select few artists can effectively incorporate these elements into their work. Jan Shapiro is one of those few. Armed with a pristine, instantly recognizable vocal style all her own, she dives into every song with pure feeling, energy and emotion. It;s a natural gift, but also the result of years of training and experience. 

On her debut album, Read Between the Lines, Jan meshes element of Jazz, R&B and Pop into a refreshing contemporary jazz sound that is simultaneously entertaining and varied. From the groovy nostalgic flavor of the title track to the breathtaking ballad "Between Hello and Goodbye", destined to become a classic, all the way to the downright funky, irresistible soul of "I Get Arrested", one knows on first listen that Jan is a versatile singer with broad musical knowledge. Working with producer-arranger, 5 time Grammy winner/nominee Richard Evans, the set include songs by songwriting teams, Michael O'Hara and Denise Rich, Alex Brown and Rex Salas as well as several contributions from Grammy nominee Donna McElroy. http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/janshapiro2

Read Between The Lines

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Denis Solee With The Beegie Adair Trio - Trav'lin' Light

Styles: Piano And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:39
Size: 99,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:21)  1. Route 66
(4:06)  2. Do You Know The Way To San Jose
(4:02)  3. Chicago
(2:51)  4. I Left My Heart In San Francisco
(3:21)  5. (Back Home Again In) Indiana
(3:55)  6. Stars Fell On Alabama
(3:04)  7. Let's Get Away From It All
(3:12)  8. Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans
(3:50)  9. Two For The Road
(3:23) 10. Manhattan
(3:23) 11. Take The ''A'' Train
(4:05) 12. Trav'lin' Light

Tenor Sax master Denis Solee teams with legendary pianist Beegie Adair and her trio for this suberb collection of timeless classic songs. Songs include Route 66, Do You Know The Way To San Jose, Chicago, I Left My Heart In San Francisco, Back Home In Indiana, Stars Fell On Alabama, Lets Get Away From It All, Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans?, Two For The Road, Manhattan, Take The "A" Train and Trav'lin' Light. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Travlin-Light-Denis-Solee-withThe-Beegie-Adair-Trio-/160377662784

Trav'lin' Light

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Marcus Miller - Afrodeezia

Styles: Jazz Funk, World Fusion
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:08
Size: 150,0 MB
Art: Front

(6:59)  1. Hylife
(6:48)  2. B's River
(5:45)  3. Preacher's Kid (Song For William H)
(6:48)  4. We Were There
(6:06)  5. Papa Was A Rolling Stone
(7:06)  6. I Still Believe I Hear [feat. Ben Hong]
(6:12)  7. Son Of Macbeth
(0:29)  8. Prism (Interlude)
(6:14)  9. Xtraordinary
(7:28) 10. Water Dancer
(5:09) 11. I Can't Breathe [feat. Mocean Worker]

Afrodeezia is bassist Marcus Miller's debut for Blue Note Records. Produced by the artist, the 11-track set features his core band saxophonist Alex Han, trumpeter Lee Hogans, pianist Brett Williams, guitarist Adam Agati, and drummer Louis Cato with an international list of guests. The music was inspired by Miller's work as a UNESCO artist for peace, and as a spokesperson for the Slave Route project. Afrodeezia is a masterful contemporary reflection of transcontinental rhythms and melodies that have migrated through the bodies and spirits of African slaves as they were transported to South America, the Caribbean, and the United States before refracting back across the globe in the contemporary era through jazz, R&B, and hip-hop. "Hylife," the set's first single, reflects the long reach of Ghana's popular style grafted on to contemporary jazz-funk with a host of Senegalese musicians on percussion and backing vocals. 

Lead vocals are provided courtesy of Alune Wade, the great Senegalese bassist. Despite its intense dancefloor appeal, the players' sophisticated rhythmic and harmonic interplay is ferocious. On "B's River," kora player Cherif Soumano and guest trumpeter Etienne Charles solo with Miller on gimbri, bass, and bass clarinet. "Preacher's Kid (Song for William H)" melds modern jazz and American and African gospel. The bassist performs on upright, clarinet, and piano; Cory Henry guests with a gorgeous organ solo as Lalah Hathaway delivers wordless vocals supported by Wade, Dakar's mezzo-soprano Julia Sarr, and Take 6's Alvin Chea. "We Were There" celebrates the example of George Duke and Joe Sample and how their love for Brazilian sounds transformed modern jazz. Robert Glasper's Fender Rhodes is a nice foil for Miller's dominant bassline. Hathaway's scat vocals are appended by a Brazilian chorus with percussion from Marco Lobo. The cover of "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" features guitarists Wah-Wah Watson (who appeared on the Temptations' hit), and Keb' Mo', whose blues approach arcs the lineage to the Delta. Patches Stewart adds his NOLA trumpet playing to emphasize that city's R&B groove in the heart of Northern Soul. 

Rightfully, this jam is ruled by Miller's bassline, which pays homage to the original while revealing how it influenced everything in popular music that came afterward. "Son of Macbeth" is another monster groover that re-links calypso to contemporary jazz. Just as Robert Greenridge's steel pan drums made Grover Washington, Jr. and Bill Withers' "(Just) the Two of Us" so infectious, Greenridge appears to do the same here. "I Can't Breathe," with just Miller and Mocean Worker creating a wild meld of instrumental color, back Public Enemy's Chuck D in wedding hard funk, political hip-hop, and dance music, exhorting the listener to remember that the struggle for equality is not over. Miller's wide-angle view of jazz is extended further on the glorious Afrodeezia. 

It reveals in a sophisticated, exceptionally ambitious manner the labyrinthine interconnectedness of earlier sounds and rhythms which emerged from bondage and horrific suffering to new ones that bring the world joy. ~ Thom Jurek  http://www.allmusic.com/album/afrodeezia-mw0002819254

Afrodeezia

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Dianne Reeves - Good Night, and Good Luck

Styles: Soundtrack
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:17
Size: 118,0 MB
Art: Front

(2:44)  1. Straighten Up and Fly Right
(2:06)  2. I've Got My Eyes on You
(3:16)  3. Gotta Be This or That
(3:51)  4. Too Close for Comfort
(2:22)  5. How High the Moon
(4:31)  6. Who's Minding the Store?
(1:57)  7. You're Driving Me Crazy
(4:01)  8. Pretend
(5:28)  9. Solitude
(1:43) 10. TV is the Thing this Year
(2:38) 11. Pick Yourself Up
(3:52) 12. When I Fall In Love (Instrumental)
(4:08) 13. Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall
(4:43) 14. There'll Be Another Spring
(3:50) 15. One for My Baby

Dianne Reeves performs on screen in the film Good Night, and Good Luck, which stars David Straithairn as legendary journalist Edward R. Murrow. Shot in black and white, the film contains numerous scenes in which the singer and her quartet deliver the jazz slowly and deliberately. Reeves, one of the world's premier jazz singers, blends tradition with a contemporary design. She bends each of these favorite songs to give them a unique appearance. Intimate in her presentation, she projects with strong emotion while squeezing every ounce of passion from her songs. Slow and graceful songs such as "How High the Moon" and "Straighten Up and Fly Right" are reshaped to fit both the film and Reeves' special caress. Recall that both of these tunes have a history of stepping up the pace and flying high with speedy feet. Reeves draws out a melody and transforms the scene into a moody affair that warms the heart. It's what she does, and nobody does it better.

Matt Catingub departs from his usual upbeat alto saxophone gaiety and works each song alongside Reeves on tenor, oozing passionately with breathless refrains. Together with piano, bass and drums, the two artists caress each song comfortably, giving the soundtrack a moody texture. There are up-tempo numbers, too. Catingub plays alto on an upbeat "You're Driving Me Crazy" and blues tenor on "TV is the Thing This Year," which both swing with a light spirit. "Pick Yourself Up," a song that could find itself integral to just about any film's plot, comes with a built-in Latin jazz arrangement. For the most part, however, singer and tenor saxophone combine with piano trio to place the viewer in a nightclub setting where smoke fills the room and everyone knows how to relax. It's what we all need after a hard day at the office, or after a long day of confrontation with Senator Joseph McCarthy and his House Un-American Activities Committee anti-Communist hearings. ~ Jim Santella  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/good-night-and-good-luck-dianne-reeves-concord-music-group-review-by-jim-santella.php

Personnel: Dianne Reeves: vocals; Matt Catingub: alto saxophone, tenor saxophone; Peter Martin: piano; Robert Hurst, Christoph Luty: bass; Jeff Hamilton: drums; Alex Acuña: percussion on "Pick Yourself Up;" Alan Estes: percussion on "Too Close for Comfort."

Good Night, and Good Luck

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