Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Lilly Martin - The Velvet Mission

Size: 125,1 MB
Time: 53:30
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2012
Styles: Blues/Jazz/Soul Vocals
Art: Front

01. Closer (4:47)
02. Funny How Time Slips Away (Feat. Philipp Fankhauser) (4:07)
03. Shut Your Eyes (3:33)
04. Vicious Games (4:13)
05. Money Don't Matter 2Nite (5:12)
06. Every Night (3:55)
07. Too Much Trouble (4:59)
08. Deja Vu (4:26)
09. Wicked Game (5:03)
10. 29 Ways (3:15)
11. What Is & What Should Never Be (5:26)
12. When My Final Hour Has Come (Feat. Polo Hofer) (4:27)

Over the years, along her professional journey, Lilly has had the privilege of performing for star-studded audiences that included personalities such as Harry Belafonte and Bob Geldof. She was honored to perform backing vocals with music celebrities Michael Bublé and Phil Collins as well as a number of acclaimed Swiss performers.

On her recent CD "The Velvet Mission“ (released in 2012), the New York singer showcases her sultry vocal interpretations on many familiar songs - personalized with blends of jazz-soaked Blues and Soul. Polo Hofer and Philipp Fankhasuer are featured guests in duets with Lilly.

Lilly Martin was born and raised in the heart of New York City. She grew up in an artistically influenced Cuban family and was accepted to attend the "Fiorello La Guardia School of Performing Arts" in Manhattan. Lilly's educational foundation and life revolved around music, art and theater. But years later, with the uprooting of family and home, Lilly felt compelled to pursue academic studies and a more conventional lifestyle. But passion for music and songwriting never let go.

Only many years later did she establish her career in music. Finally coming full-circle - back to her calling - she began meaningful collaborations in both songwriting and performance. It started when she joined a small group of singers who met weekly. Her fire for music was immediately rekindled and she began singing backing vocals, live and in-studio, for a variety of recording artists in Switzerland. It was during these years of regaining ground in her musical direction that Lilly played on her gift for interpreting so many different music genres. From Gospel and Blues to Soul, Jazz and Pop – the influences were spiraling her into another level of musical expression.

Lilly Martin formed her own event band together with keyboardist, producer and band-leader Michael Dolmetsch and became a popular front singer. Together with Michael she also began a creative songwriting-team known as "the loop". Their songwriting skills would later be recognized with an honorable mention from Billboard Magazine's newcomer contest for their original composition "Goin' Greyhound".

The Velvet Mission

Joshua Breakstone - 2nd Avenue

Size: 164,2 MB
Time: 70:48
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz: Guitar Jazz
Art: Front

01. Thingin' (9:30)
02. Home (8:43)
03. I'm An Old Cowhand (6:57)
04. I Wish I Knew (6:03)
05. Evergreenish (7:03)
06. The Lamp Is Low (5:20)
07. Hit It (9:20)
08. My Conception (8:38)
09. 2nd Ave/Blues For Imahori (9:10)

A touch of nostalgia as I glanced at the sleeve - "Joshua Breakstone uses Ernie Ball strings exclusively". If I'd had a lousy dime for every set of Ernie Ball Super Slinky's I'd sold during my 30 year incarceration in Newcastle's Central Arcade I'd be worth a bob or two (well maybe one bob).
I don't suppose Joshua Breakstone ever bought any Super Slinkys from me, him being 3000 miles away, which is a pity because, if he had done, I'd have been able to claim to have had some involvement in one of the most listenable guitar albums I've heard since Charlie Christian showed the way.
This is guitar playing as cool as Stan on tenor or Chet on trumpet, music that makes you want to lay back and luxuriate in the sounds with maybe a G & T to hand.
We've also got a cello in the mix which is great. I've long advocated the cello - not as a double bass substitute - but as a frontline horn which is what we get here.
Bass players such as Harry Babasin, Oscar Pettiford and Sam Jones have dabbled with cello so it is far from being a first. Nevertheless, it's a worthy successor to these earlier efforts although I'd have preferred more arco and less pizzicato (I find I made a similar comment in my review of their previous album - With the Wind and the Rain) - still, I doubt if the boppy heads would have been as clean if the instrument had been bowed so what do I know!
The five tracks with cello are Thingin' (Konitz); Home (Cannonball); I'm an Old Cowhand (Mercer); Evergreenish (Dexter) and Hit It by bassist Atkinson..
The trio numbers are I Wish I Knew (Harry Warren/Mack Gordon); The Lamp is Low (Ravel and others); My Conception (Sonny Clark) and a Breakstone original 2nd Ave: Blues For Imahori.
Breakstone describes the quartet as A Chamber Jazz Foursome and I see no reason to quibble although I would have referred to it as The Chamber Jazz Foursome!
Recommended!

2nd Avenue

Brussels Jazz Orchestra - The Music Of Enrico Pieranunzi

Size: 140,8 MB
Time: 61:01
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. Persona (6:18)
02. Within The House Of Night (7:20)
03. Fellini's Waltz (6:24)
04. Newsbreak (7:26)
05. With My Heart In A Song (8:42)
06. Coralie (7:29)
07. Distance From Departure (8:25)
08. It Speaks For Itself (8:55)

The Italian pianist and composer Enrico Pieranunzi makes music that appeals to the imagination: filmic, compelling and with the kind of frivolity you might expect from an Italian.Bert Joris succeeded in adapting these light, airy compositions for the larger forces of the BJO.

Compositions by Enrico Pieranunzi, arranged for the Brussels Jazz Orchestra by Bert Joris. Performed and recorded live at De Werf in August 2014. With Enrico Pieranunzi at the piano. All trumpet solos by Bert Joris.

The Music Of Enrico Pieranunzi

The Singer & The Songwriter - What A Difference A Melody Makes

Size: 103,2 MB
Time: 40:45
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

01. The Art Of Missing You (2:18)
02. Homebody (2:27)
03. Old Fashioned (3:17)
04. Dry Spell (3:40)
05. Out Of The Fog (3:31)
06. Half The Week (2:58)
07. Over The Town (2:23)
08. A Borrowed Room In A Borrowed House (3:09)
09. Pacific Coast Highway (3:02)
10. Unlove You (2:52)
11. Someday (2:15)
12. Summer Song (5:49)
13. A Lullaby (For Malcolm) (2:59)

Rachel Garcia and Thu Tran met in the winter of 2006, as students of San Francisco State University at an open mic night at the now defunct Canvas Gallery Café. Some years later, on a road trip up the coast of California to Oregon, on the Pacific Coast Highway, they were inspired to write their first song together, which led to the formation of the band. In the fall of 2009 they recorded their independently produced, 5-song debut EP at Amadeo Studios in the Bay Area.

Shortly after moving to Los Angeles in 2008, they began writing and performing music together (under the name Ampersand, later transitioning to The Singer and The Songwriter). Tran’s pop and folk influenced songwriting and Garcia’s jazz and blues vocal styling blend together to create TS&TS’s vibrant, sophisticated sound. Their music is a stylistic hybrid, reflecting their diverse musical and cultural backgrounds.

Rachel Garcia grew up listening to Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, Elvis and Michael Jackson. At a young age, her love of music was nurtured by performing in choirs. Her rich and nuanced vocal style draws inspiration from female vocalists old (Ella Fitzgerald, June Christy, Mama Cass) and new (FIona Apple, Laura Mvula, Melody Gardot, and Cecile McLorin Salvant).

Thu Tran is a self-taught multi-instrumentalist (guitar, piano, harmonica, ukulele, banjo) and songwriter who merges traditional styles with modern pop sensibilities. His musical style draws inspiration from the Bossa Nova sounds of Antonio Carlos Jobim, the swinging jazz guitar of Django Reinhardt, and the lyricism of modern songwriters like Sufjan Stevens and Rufus Wainwright.

In May 2012, the duo won the West Coast Songwriters International Song Contest in the Miscellaneous category for their recording of ‘The Art of Missing You.’ The competition was judged by an Executive Committee comprised of noted singer/songwriters and industry leaders. Past judges and conference guests have included hit songwriters and producers Narada Michael Walden, Steve Seskin, Andre Pessis, George Merrill and Bonnie Hayes.

The Singer and The Songwriter have performed at many Los Angeles venues such as The House of Blues, The Eagle Rock Music Festival, The Eagle Rock Center for the Arts, Levitt Pavilion and The Silverlake Lounge. Of their live show, TheEastsiderLA.com writes: “Tran’s vibrant rhythm guitar swung faster than Amanda Byne’s changing moods and his colorful playing style paired wonderfully with the dramatic and soulful voice of his partner in crime. It was clear that underneath Garcia’s cafe-jazz voice lay a rich, billowing and powerful vocal onslaught. This duo’s set of original material did clearly mine the annals of Gypsy Jazz (as well as ‘60s folk) for inspiration. However, The Singer and The Songwriter are a Los Angeles original.”

In May 2014, The Singer and The Songwriter released their debut full-length LP, What a Difference a Melody Makes, produced by Charlie Stavish (Ryan Adams, Jenny Lewis) with mixing and mastering by Brooklyn collective Mason Jar Music (Lucius, Feist and Andrew Bird).

What A Difference A Melody Makes

Kenny Burrell - Soulero

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:55
Size: 137.2 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 1966/1995
Art: Front

[4:36] 1. Hot Bossa
[4:38] 2. Mother-In-Law
[2:39] 3. People
[4:57] 4. Isabella
[3:06] 5. Girl Talk
[4:42] 6. Suzy
[4:55] 7. The Tender Gender
[3:37] 8. La Petite Mambo
[3:14] 9. If Someone Had Told Me
[3:54] 10. I'm Confessin' (That I Love You)
[3:30] 11. My Favorite Things
[3:20] 12. I Want My Baby Back
[3:29] 13. Con Alma
[3:01] 14. Soulero
[3:08] 15. Wild Is The Wind
[3:01] 16. Blues Fuse

This CD reissues the ten selections on guitarist Kenny Burrell's Cadet LP The Tender Gender, a version of "My Favorite Things" from a Christmas album and five selections from his 1967 date Ode to 52nd Street. The former set showcases Burrell with a quartet also including pianist Richard Wyands, bassist Marty Rivera and drummer Oliver Jackson, while the other numbers feature him accompanied by orchestras arranged by Richard Evans. Burrell plays typically tastefully throughout the performances, displaying a clear tone and a solid mastery of the bebop vocabulary. No real surprises occur except perhaps for the repertoire, which includes such unlikely numbers as "People," "Girl Talk" (which works quite well) and "Wild Is the Wind." ~Scott Yanow

Soulero

Lyle Lovett - Lyle Lovett & His Large Band

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:49
Size: 93.4 MB
Styles: Country-jazz
Year: 1999
Art: Front

[2:24] 1. The Blues Walk
[4:01] 2. Here I Am
[2:27] 3. Cryin' Shame
[3:13] 4. Good Intentions
[3:56] 5. I Know You Know
[3:04] 6. What Do You Do/The Glory Of Love
[3:13] 7. I Married Her Just Because She Looks Like You
[2:42] 8. Stand By Your Man
[4:08] 9. Which Way Does That Old Pony Run
[3:04] 10. Nobody Knows Me
[4:07] 11. If You Were To Wake Up
[4:24] 12. Once Is Enough

While from the outset Lyle Lovett sounded like a hard artist to pigeonhole, his sponsors at Curb Records and MCA Records seemed determined to sell him as a country artist, though the blues and retro-jazz leanings of Lovett's second album, Pontiac, suggested that strategy would only be practical for so long. With his third album, 1989's Lyle Lovett and His Large Band, Lovett seemingly sidelined any career aspirations as a mainstream country act he or his handlers may have held. The album kicks off with a lively cover of Clifford Brown's "The Blues Walk," and the next five tunes all bear the smoky, late-night vibe of a low-key jazz joint, with top marks going to the hilariously off-kilter "Here I Am," the witty scenario of potential infidelity "What Do You Do/The Glory of Love," and the marvelously sly "Good Intentions." The second half of the album is steeped in twang, but it was hardly more comforting for country radio programmers; "I Married Her Just Because She Looks Like You" is a "sweet on the outside and sick on the inside" tale of romantic obsession, "Nobody Knows Me" bears a punchline that makes "God Will" sound generous, and Lovett's straight-faced cover of "Stand By Your Man" stubbornly refuses to either announce itself as a joke or suggest another interpretation. Wherever you choose to file it, Lyle Lovett and His Large Band made it clear that Lovett was only getting better with each album; the songs are uniformly well-crafted, Lovett's vocals are full of subtle nuance, and his band is in brilliant form throughout (with special kudos to Lovett's frequent vocal foil, Francine Reed). If you're going to burn your bridges, you could hardly find a better way to do it than this. ~Mark Deming

Lyle Lovett & His Large Band

George Freeman - George Burns!

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:52
Size: 143.9 MB
Styles: Hard bop, Guitar jazz
Year: 1999
Art: Front

[4:03] 1. It's Cha Time!
[5:27] 2. Hot Box
[4:15] 3. And She Left Me
[4:58] 4. Vonski
[4:57] 5. You Are My First Love
[5:54] 6. George Burns!
[5:47] 7. Here's Bruz
[5:23] 8. Swinging Shepherd Blues
[4:35] 9. Once In A While
[4:18] 10. Hen Pie
[4:31] 11. Satin Doll
[4:14] 12. Tee-Hee
[4:24] 13. Messy

Guitarist George Freeman has long been in the shadow of his brother, tenor saxophonist Von Freeman and his nephew, saxophonist Chico Freeman. The guitarist does a fine job of generating excitement on this well-rounded and varied set, which ranges from heated blues to soul-jazz. Most of the selections feature Freeman in a quartet with pianist Lou Gregory, drummer Phil Thomas, and veteran bassist Eldee Young (who was with the Ramsey Lewis Trio in the 1960s). Brother Von sits in on "Vonski," Ron Cooper adds a so-so vocal to "And She Left Me," and the one-time vocal team of Cooper and Joanie Pallatto sound like a somewhat demented (and oddly successful) version of Jackie & Roy on "Here's Bruz." But most of the focus is on the leader, and George Freeman plays in prime form throughout. ~Scott Yanow

George Burns!

Nancy Harrow - The Beatles & Other Standards

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 1989
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:26
Size: 121,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:04)  1. My foolish heart
(4:04)  2. Drive my car
(3:18)  3. Yesterday
(3:58)  4. Got to get you into my life
(4:07)  5. When the world was young
(5:23)  6. Here comes the sun
(2:55)  7. Blackbird
(4:01)  8. Nature boy
(4:00)  9. Because
(3:54) 10. Yesterdays
(6:16) 11. Something
(6:21) 12. More than you know

"The Emarcy disc comes from Japan and finds Ms. Harrow singing so well that we are beguiled into believing that Ringo, Paul, John and George are legitimate pretenders to the ranks of Jerome, Johnny, Vincent, Victor, and Otto. In the end, we are only incredulous that she has been able to make tortes out of muffins like 'Drive,' 'Got to Get,' 'Here Comes,' 'Because,' and 'Blackbird.' 'Drive' comes off sounding like something Dave Frishberg might have written in an off moment, while 'Here Comes,' enhanced by Bill Easley's pirouetting soprano, is as cheering as a Summer sunrise. 'Got to Get' is slowed down, denied its usual air of hyperventilation and made marginally meaningful. Ms. Harrow manages to make something out of next to nothing with 'Something,' and clears up considerable confusion about 'Yesterdays and 'Yesterday'. The former is a masterwork by Harbach & Kern, whose perfection of lyric ('...gay youth was mine/truth was mine/joyous free and flaming life, forsooth, was mine') wed to melody is examined in great detail in a performance abetted only by George Mraz's resolute bass. 

The latter is Lennon & McCartney's adolescent whine ('Love was such an easy game to play/now I need a place to hide away'), but this singer elevates it to a reasonable level of maturity by dint of her interpretive resourcefulness. Together with 'Yesterday', her reading of three of the other non-Beatle tunes, 'Foolish', 'World,' and 'Know' constitute the warm, pulsating marrow of this recital, the moments during which she eschews any pretension whatever, draws on the pain and pleasure of her own experience and makes confession. With only Roland Hanna's unbelievably empathic piano lighting the way on these three tracks, we emerge from the inner passages of her psyche, abashed but slightly wiser than we were."~ Alan Bargebuhr, Cadence  http://www.nancyharrow.com/rev.php

Claude Tissendier & Saxomania Starring Phil Woods - Out Of The Woods

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1991
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 50:49
Size: 93,4 MB
Art: Front

(7:14)  1. Quill
(5:59)  2. Bloomdido
(4:36)  3. Randi
(6:57)  4. Star Eyes
(6:07)  5. Eddie's Mood
(6:02)  6. Yardbird Suite
(6:04)  7. Memoir de Mes Reves
(7:48)  8. Yes There is a Coda

Born France. While studying classical clarinet and alto saxophone at Toulouse Conservatory, Tissendier began playing jazz. His interests followed a chronological path, starting with New Orleans music, passing through the mainstream into bop. In 1977 he joined the big band led by Claude Bolling and also worked with Gerard Badini and others. In the early 80s he taught at the Paris School of Jazz and in 1983 formed a sextet especially to recreate the music of John Kirby. 

In demand for club and festival dates, the band won many awards for both live performances and records. In 1987 Tissendier formed Saxomania, a seven-piece band featuring two alto saxophones, two tenors and three rhythm. Once again he won honours and gained invaluable experience and exposure accompanying visiting American jazzmen including Benny Carter, Buddy Tate, Jimmy Witherspoon and Spike Robinson, with some of whom he also recorded. Tissendier’s alto playing is striking for its intensity and driving swing and the high musical standards displayed by the Saxomania band ably demonstrate that his is a major talent. ~ Bio  http://www.allmusic.com/artist/claude-tissendier-quintet-mn0000391438/biography

Out Of The Woods

Branford Marsalis - Trio Jeepy

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1989
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:06
Size: 170,0 MB
Art: Front

( 9:28)  1. Housed from Edward
(10:33)  2. The Nearness of You
( 5:15)  3. Three Little Words
( 0:47)  4. Makin' Whoopee
( 7:13)  5. UMMG
( 6:29)  6. Gutbucket Steepy
( 8:00)  7. Doxy
( 9:07)  8. Makin' Whoopee (Reprise)
( 9:12)  9. Peace
( 7:57) 10. Random Abstract (Tain's Rampage)

Branford Marsalis clearly had a lot of fun during this set. On seven of the ten numbers included on the double LP (the CD reissue actually has one less selection), Marsalis romps on tenor and soprano in a trio with veteran bassist Milt Hinton and drummer Jeff "Tain" Watts; the remaining three numbers have Delbert Felix in Hinton's place. The performances are quite spontaneous (the occasional mistakes were purposely left in) and Marsalis really romps on such tunes as "Three Little Words," "Makin' Whoopee," and "Doxy." On the joyful outing that is also one of Branford Marsalis' most accessible recordings, Milt Hinton often steals the show. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/trio-jeepy-mw0000200678

Personnel: Branford Marsalis (soprano & tenor saxophones); Milt Hinton, Delbert Felix (acoustic bass); Jeff "Tain" Watts (drums).

Tad Shull - In The Land Of The Tenor

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:58
Size: 138,4 MB
Art: Front

(7:38)  1. Here's The Kicker
(5:14)  2. Night Horse
(8:02)  3. I Keep Going Back To Joe's
(7:39)  4. A Portrait Of Bojangles
(6:06)  5. This Is New
(7:11)  6. Pick Yourself Up
(6:55)  7. Nobody Else But Me
(5:55)  8. Angel Face
(5:15)  9. Prey-Loot

Tad Shull grew up in Westport on; during his school days at the Westport Public School, he started with the saxophone and entered the age of 13 in a swing band, also with 15 years in blues and rock and roll bands. In Westport, he studied jazz piano and improvisation at 1970/71 John Mehegan , with 16 years of saxophone and jazz improvisation with David Liebman (1971-73), with 18 years improvisation with Richard Beirach (1973-4). He attended the New England Conservatory , where he met with Gunther Schuller and Jaki Byard worked. Shull 1978 went to New York and worked in swing clubs in Midtown, as the Jimmy Ryan's and Eddie Condon's. Shull learned while musicians such as Roy Eldridge , Jimmy Rowles , Eddie Locke and Bobby Pratt know that as swing and mainstream jazz veterans were still active. 1981/82 Shull played in the Smithsonian Jazz Repertory Ensemble of Bob Wilber , from which he also received clarinet lessons. Shortly thereafter, he joined the Widespread Depression Jazz Orchestra, with whom he went in the late 1980s on numerous tours. Until 1997, Shull worked with the formation. 

1990 Shull began to play with their own formations; Here, among other things worked the pianist Mike LeDonne and Ray Gallon , bassist Dennis Irwin and drummer Kenny Washington with. He also played with Dizzy Gillespie , Milt Jackson , Joe Williams , Cab Calloway and Woody Herman . In 2002, he participated in various events tribute in honor of Billy Strayhorn in Lincoln Center and played less well-known pieces by the composer. In addition, Shull underwent a study of political science at Columbia University ; Since then he has published about politics, music and culture. Furthermore, he has worked as a marketing consultant and also in the Center for Jazz Studies at Columbia University.  Shull's game on the tenor saxophone combined influences of Coleman Hawkins , Don Byas , Lucky Thompson , Eddie Lockjaw Davis , Johnny Griffin and Sonny Rollins. ~ Bio  http://translate.google.com.br/translate?hl=en&sl=de&u=http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tad_Shull&prev=search

Personnel: Tad Shull (tenor saxophone); Kenny Washington (drums); Mike LeDonne (piano); Dennis Irvin (bass).

David McAlmont and Michael Nyman - The Glare

Styles: Vocal, Avant-Garde
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:59
Size: 161,2 MB
Art: Front

( 3:13)  1. Take the Money and Run
( 3:32)  2. Secrets, Accusations and Charges
( 3:00)  3. City of Turin
( 2:28)  4. Friendly Fire
( 2:38)  5. In Rai Don Giovanni
( 6:29)  6. In Laos
( 3:05)  7. Going to America
( 3:00)  8. Fever, sticks and bones
( 2:41)  9. A Great Day In Kathmandu
( 2:42) 10. Underneath the Hessian Bags
( 2:41) 11. The Glare
(17:24) 12. Songs for Tony

For the benefit of non-Britons, David McAlmont is a vocal sensation hailing from the U.K., noted for his work with the two-man groups Thieves, McAlmont & Butler, and as a solo artist. McAlmont's collaborations were not very long lived enterprises, partly as McAlmont is tough on collaborators, and though he is known to have mended fences with those he has broken with, it's usually long after the fact. Classical composer Michael Nyman is noted for his calm demeanor and patience; while he might seem an unlikely match for the flamboyant McAlmont, here they are together on MN's The Glare. The title work is a song cycle based on McAlmont's own poems, which are further based on news events that happened in the year 2008, though it is not always clear from the lyrics alone what McAlmont is singing about. Nyman occasionally dips into textures he has used before, such as in "In Re Don Giovanni," to find the right setting for McAlmont's words, but it is clear this is the object of dipping back into his bag, and not because Nyman is being particularly lax about the project. 

It is hard to avoid suggesting the overall effect of The Glare is rather similar to Burt Bacharach's 2004 collaboration with soul-specialist Ron Isley, though that was a very good show. So, essentially, is this, with the major differences being that the songs are original to the project and that Nyman's style is considerably tarter and employs far more economy of means than Bacharach's complex polyrhythms and tendency toward thick chords. As McAlmont's singing is so stylized, however, it would have been very useful to have on hand the lyrics, or at least a summary of their content, as it would let the listener in on what the meaning of these songs are. There is no need for the usual pop mystique in regard to the words, and clarity of purpose should have been the main consideration in the presentation of The Glare. From Nyman's end, he has adapted to McAlmont's delivery and sense of style with the same facility as in his work with German cabaret artist Ute Lemper.

Songs for Tony (1993) is scored for sax quartet and has been recorded before; here it is heard from Nyman's own sax section. The four movements of the piece are presented as one long, 17-minute track; the lack of access points for the individual movements is a bit of a disadvantage. With its liberal use of slap-tongue on the baritone and high register writing in the soprano, the first movement, titled "Aggressive" in some sources, amusingly almost sounds like "what if the Six Brown Brothers played minimalism?" The rest of the piece, however, is restrained and reflective, and suits well the music it is paired with. Apart from the minor quibbles already mentioned, overall McAlmont and Nyman's MN release represents a seamless marriage of popular idioms with classical form and results in an eminently satisfying listening experience. ~ Uncle Dave Lewis  http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-glare-mw0001872990