Judith Owen - The Beautiful Damage Collection

Size: 138,5 MB
Time: 59:16
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2010
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Best Friend (3:04)
02. Blighty (2:53)
03. Conway Bay (4:03)
04. Cool Life (Feat. Ian Shaw) (3:48)
05. Emily (4:04)
06. Cry Me A River (4:39)
07. Here (3:19)
08. Sympathy (3:10)
09. I Promise You (4:34)
10. My Father's Voice (3:19)
11. Train Out Of Hollywood (Feat. Keb' Mo') (4:33)
12. Nicholas Drake (Feat. Ron Thompson) (2:34)
13. Smoke On The Water (3:36)
14. That Scares Me (Feat. Julia Fordham) (3:40)
15. Water (4:18)
16. When I Am Laid (3:36)

British singer/songwriter Judith Owen's eclecticism has seen her records shelved in the rock, folk, and jazz sections of record stores. She was born the daughter of an opera singer and began writing songs as a teenager. Becoming a professional musician, she met and married actor/musician Harry Shearer and contributed vocals and keyboards to his 1994 album, It Must Have Been Something I Said. Her debut solo album, Emotions on a Postcard, was released on her own Dog on the Bed label in 1996. Among its songs was "Hand on My Heart," which was featured in the 1997 film As Good as It Gets and appeared on the soundtrack album. Owen befriended singer/songwriter Julia Fordham and appeared on Fordham's albums East West and That's Live. Another musical association was struck up with Richard Thompson, which led to Owen's appearances on the Thompson albums Mock Tudor, 1000 Years of Popular Music, and Old Kit Bag.

She released her second solo album, Limited Edition, in 2000. "Creatures of Habit" and "Get into It" from the album were featured in the film Olive Juice. 12 Arrows (2003), her third album, boasted guest appearances by Fordham and Thompson, and it featured Owen's cover of Soundgarden's "Black Hole Sun." It earned her an opening slot on a k.d. lang tour. In 2004, Owen released a holiday EP, Christmas in July, including her cover of "Christmas with the Devil," a song by her husband's fictional group Spinal Tap. She also placed her song "Dreaming" in the film P.S., then used it on her fourth album, Lost and Found, released on her newly formed Courgette Records label in 2005. Her cover of the Kinks' "I Go to Sleep" was featured in the TV movie Mrs. Harris, and she then included it on her fifth album, Here, released August 8, 2006. Happy This Way appeared a year later in 2007, with Mopping Up Karma following the next year. The compilation Beautiful Damage was issued in 2010, while a new studio album, Ebb & Flow, arrived four years later in 2014. ~ by William Ruhlmann

The Beautiful Damage Collection

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Antonio Adolfo - Tema

Size: 120,5 MB
Time: 51:35
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz: Latin/Brazilian Jazz
Art: Front

01. Alegria For All (5:38)
02. Natureza (6:07)
03. Phrygia Brasileira (4:23)
04. Sambojazz (5:57)
05. Alem Mares (6:46)
06. Sao Paulo Express (4:17)
07. Todo Dia (4:31)
08. Trem Da Serra (6:06)
09. Melos (5:28)
10. Variations On A Tema Triste (2:18)

What a marvelous disc this is. Absolutely marvelous. Antonio Adolfo and his music have been congenial bedfellows and the Brazilian’s pianism and his music are compelling on many different levels. There is a sense of sharing the sheer sensuous thrill of Mr. Adolfo’s keyboard writing. This is particularly evident in the more virile movements such as the fierce and brilliant “SamboJazz” that nestles in the centre of this disc. But that is not to say that brilliance does not exemplify the other material on Tema, an enigmatic name for this disc. Common to all is a sense of being fleet, but never breathless, with time enough for textures to tell.

At every turn you get a sense of Antonio Adolfo flexing his compositional muscles in this music that goes back almost fifty-five years. There is a sense of Mr. Adolfo demonstrating just how much variety could be built around a tema of melodies. In Antonio Adolfo’s hands the music occupies its own world of mood and rhythmic delight. This music is also fashioned in Mr. Adolfo’s unique way with counterpoint that is at once strong-jawed and supple. We are always aware of the music’s subject , for instance, as it peeks through the texture in different registers or reappears stood on its head, yet is never exaggerated as is sometimes the tendency with less imaginative musicians.

Tema - Antonio AdolfoAnd how Mr. Adolfo can dance at least at his keyboard – in “SamboJazz”, as it is urged into life through subtle dynamics, voicings, articulation and judicious ornamentation. A very different kind of dance reveals itself in “Sao Paulo Express” a Paulista musical vignette in which he takes a more impish view than many, the sonorous drone effect contrasting delightfully with the tripping upper lines. The way he (and his guitarists Leo Amuedo and Claudio Spiewak) has considered the touch and dynamic of every phrase means that these readings constantly impress with fresh details each time you hear them. This is a classic illustration of the exceptional genius of Antonio Adolfo, as a pianist, composer, arranger and guide of the musicians who have given everything of themselves to follow him.

Even the most unassuming numbers such as “Todo Dia” gain a sense of intrigue as he invites the musicians of the ensemble to re-examine this from every angle, again bringing multifarious shadings to the music. And it all flows effortlessly though a journey might have been anything but that. Highlights abound: in the murmuring “Trem da Serra” the pianist’s reactivity leaves other Brasilians – including some guitarists – sounding a touch unsubtle, which is really saying something. This is followed by one of the most extraordinary of pieces on the disc, “Melos”. While many musicians would revel in echoing harmonies expressed in a piece such as this, Mr. Adolfo draws you daringly into his own world. This whispered intimacy extends into his insertion of an ornamented version of “Variations on a Tema Triste” which proves to be a masterclass in ornamentation, yet never overburdening the melodic lines. Fittingly there are long meditative silences as the piece fades.

You can be in no doubt of the thought that has gone into this enterprise from Mr. Adolfo’s ordering of tema which he explains in his brief liner notes to their devolution into the songs themselves. At every turn he harnesses the possibilities of the piano in the service of his music. The result is a clear labour of love , and one in which he shines new light on older music to mesmerising effect, all of which is captured by a warmly sympathetic recording.

Personnel: Antonio Adolfo: piano and electric piano (4); Marcelo Martins: flute, alto flute (2) and soprano saxophone; Leo Amuedo: electric guitar; Claudio Spiewak: acoustic guitar and electric bass; Jorge Helder: double bass; Rafael Barata: drums and percussion; Armando Marçal: percussion; Hugo Sandim: additional Samba percussion.

Tema

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Curtis Stigers - All That Matters: The Best Of Curtis Stigers

Size: 159,3 MB
Time: 68:27
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2001
Styles: Pop Rock
Art: Front

01. I Wonder Why (4:25)
02. You're All That Matters To Me (4:36)
03. Time Was (5:08)
04. Every Time You Cry (4:04)
05. Anything You Want (5:08)
06. The Man You're Gonna Fall In Love With (4:23)
07. People Like Us (4:33)
08. Cry (3:40)
09. There Will Always Be A Place (4:21)
10. Keep Me From The Cold (3:56)
11. The Ghost Of You And Me (4:15)
12. The Last Time I Said Goodbye (3:38)
13. Never Saw A Miracle (3:39)
14. I Guess It Wasn't Mine (3:54)
15. Sleeping With The Lights On (4:00)
16. This Time (4:39)

Singer/songwriter Curtis Stigers' interest in music began as a teen in Boise, playing in punk and blues bands as well as receiving classical training in clarinet and saxophone in high school. After graduation, Stigers moved to New York to pursue rock music, but soon found himself more at home in the city's blues and jazz clubs. He attracted label attention as the saxophonist/vocalist of a jazz trio, signing a deal with Arista and releasing two albums for the label: 1991's self-titled, multi-platinum debut and 1995's Time Was. His smooth, ballad-heavy blend of soul and rock translated into commercial appeal, particularly on his cover of Nick Lowe's "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding" on the Bodyguard soundtrack.

Released in 1999, Stigers' third album, Brighter Days, featured appearances by Jackson Browne and Benmont Tench, as well as songs co-written by Carole King and Jules Shear. The album's single "To Be Loved" also appeared on the Dawson's Creek soundtrack, ensuring his continued popularity. In addition, Stigers moonlighted as a jazz vocalist, performing and recording with artists like Gene Harris and the Doky Brothers.

In 2001, Stigers issued an album of jazz standards, Baby Plays Around, which was recorded for the Concord Jazz label and featured backing by Randy Brecker and Chris Minh Doky, among others. Five more jazz-oriented albums for Concord followed: Secret Heart (2002), You Inspire Me (2003), I Think It's Going to Rain Today (2005), Real Emotional (2007), and Lost in Dreams (2009). In 2012, Stigers released the country-tinged album Let's Go Out Tonight, featuring covers of songs by such artists as Steve Earle, Hayes Carll, and Richard Thompson, among others. Another collection of sharply chosen covers and originals, Hooray for Love, appeared in the spring of 2014. ~by Heather Phares

All That Matters

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Curtis Robinson - Dancin' In The Streets

Size: 122,5 MB
Time: 52:41
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz: Jazz Funk
Art: Front

01. Dancing In The Street (3:44)
02. Sir Duke/I Wish (7:52)
03. Who's Lovin' You (5:10)
04. When Love Slips Away (4:27)
05. What's Going On (6:00)
06. Don't You Worry 'bout A Thing (4:03)
07. All This Love (6:02)
08. Billie Jean (5:26)
09. Love Will Find A Way (5:21)
10. Wes & Pat (4:30)

This CD is dedicated to The Funk Brothers of Motown who played on more NUMBER 1 HITS than the Beatles, Elvis, Stones and the Beach Boys combined . Yet, very few people know their names. They were some of Detroit's best Jazz and Blues musicians of their time. The Funk Brothers were the reason why everyone was on the dance floor before the 1st lyric was ever uttered. No matter who was singing. It was the instrumental music, groove and feel of the music that captured and held captive all who heard their innovations. Please enjoy , tell your friends and we'll all be Dancing In The Street.

Dancin' In The Streets

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Linda Calise - La Vie My Life

Size: 100,1 MB
Time: 41:33
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Good Morning Heartache (5:31)
02. I Wish You Love (3:59)
03. La Vie En Rose (3:49)
04. Poetry Man (5:09)
05. Dream A Little Dream (3:00)
06. Sunday Kind Of Love (4:41)
07. They Can't Take That Away From Me (2:56)
08. Since I Fell For You (4:32)
09. The Water Is Wide (4:16)
10. La Vie En Rose (Remix) (3:35)

La Vie~My Life is an album of favorite songs from the American Songbook of the Artist, Linda Calise....The title cut La Vie En Rose was recorded first in dedication to Calise's late Mother and inspired the rest of the album to be recorded. Several of the songs on the Album were arranged and recorded by Producer Joe Carrier and feature lush string arrangements recorded at WGBH Fraser Hall in Boston MA.. World renowned violinist Ben Powell is also featured on several tracks on the CD along with many wonderful local Boston Jazz musicians. Sax Master Bob Bowlby who has toured with the likes of Buddy Rich and The Boston Pops and Trombonist Jeff Galindo who toured with Esperanza Spaulding as her Musical Director on her 2013-2014 World Tour...Just to name a few of the great musicians featured.
This album was recorded over several years and was a labor of love dedicated to the Memory of Linda Calise's Mother who passed away from Cancer in 2003. Pour yourself a glass of wine and sit down and enjoy the lovely sounds of La Vie~My Life.

La Vie My Life

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Steve Garrett - Even Song

Size: 112,6 MB
Time: 48:23
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. Ballad For E (3:41)
02. Oregon (5:36)
03. Tusen Tankar (3:22)
04. Mercy Street (5:39)
05. Elegy (2:30)
06. Brothers In Arms (4:51)
07. Teares (2:57)
08. Remember Me My Dear (3:43)
09. Call/Black Is The Colour (6:35)
10. You Can Come Home Again (3:36)
11. Why Fum’th In Fight (3:55)
12. Even Song (1:54)

Well-travelled London-born guitarist Steve Garrett makes his charming solo debut album here. Full of astute choices of material delivered in a stripped down solo electric guitar setting beginning with Magnus Öström’s ‘Ballad for E’ plus Peter Gabriel, Huw Warren and Bruce Cockburn material and his own tunes, notably the poised and rather beautiful title track kept to the end.

Garrett has arranged the material and done a good job with it in terms of communicating each piece. I certainly lit up inside when I heard ‘Mercy Street’ the Peter Gabriel tune from the 1980s overshadowed on So by the monstrous success of ‘Sledgehammer’ and ‘Don’t Give Up’, the latter successfully brought into the jazz sphere in recent years by Herbie Hancock on The Imagine Project. I wasn’t so keen though on the distant Renaissance atmosphere of ‘Remember Me My Dear.’

But it’s the intent rather than repertoire really and the mood as well as the sincerity of approach that counts. And for me certainly Garrett has achieved a lot really in these areas, zoning in on the Bill Frisell or Ralph Towner domain on the jazzier material so accurately and positively, even though there isn’t a great deal of improvisation. Garrett goes folky on his own tune ‘Call’ segueing into ‘Black is the Colour’ (the latter recently covered to marvellous effect by Ríoghnach Connolly on The Aviators' Ball). Well worth discovering. SG

Even Song

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George Wallington Trio - The Complete Sessions 1949-1956 (2-Disc Set)

George Wallington (p), Curley Russell, Charles Mingus, Oscar Pettiford, Pierre Michelot, Teddy Kotick (b), Charlie Perry, Max Roach, Jean-Louis Viale, Art Taylor, Nick Stabulas (d). 24-Bit Digitally Remastered

George Wallington, accomplished pianist, composer, and arranger, had been closely associated with the progressive jazz movement since the mid-40s when this new phase of American music was being nurtured in New York’s Harlem and along 52nd St. He was, in fact, the pianist with Dizzy Gillespie’s first bop band at the Onyx club in 1944, where his contributions reflected his innate creative ability, a talent that established him as one of the best composers in the progressive field.

Wallington’s astonishing, fast-moving eloquence as a pianist, contrasted strangely with his introvert, laconic manner as a person. He has too long been taken for granted, but these trio sessions prove he was one of the most incisive and creative of pianists who helped write an important new chapter in jazz.

Album: The Complete Sessions 1949-1956 (Disc1)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 77:59

Size: 178.6 MB

Styles: Piano jazz

Year: 2011

[2:17] 1. Racing

[2:45] 2. Fairyland

[2:58] 3. Fine And Dandy

[2:28] 4. I'll Remember April

[2:19] 5. Twins

[2:50] 6. Polka Dot

[2:45] 7. High Score

[2:36] 8. Hyacinth

[2:14] 9. I Didn't Know What Time It Was

[2:20] 10. Joy Bell

[2:49] 11. Love Beat

[2:41] 12. Summer Rain

[2:37] 13. Escalating

[2:53] 14. Laura

[2:55] 15. Tenderly

[2:31] 16. When Your Old Wedding Ring Was New

[2:40] 17. Red, White And Blue

[2:24] 18. Arrivederci

[2:54] 19. Among Friends

[2:36] 20. My Nephew And I

[2:16] 21. Squeezer's Breezer

[4:30] 22. Variations

[2:27] 23. Ours

[2:28] 24. I Married An Angel

[2:23] 25. Cuckoo Around The Clock

[2:39] 26. Fairyland

[2:38] 27. Woody'n You

[3:00] 28. Just One Of Those Things

[2:52] 29. Honeysuckle Rose

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Album: The Complete Sessions 1949-1956 (Disc2)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 75:00

Size: 171.7 MB

Styles: Piano jazz

Year: 2011

Art: Front

[4:00] 1. Star Eyes

[4:32] 2. Ny

[2:39] 3. A Day In Paris

[2:34] 4. These Foolish Things

[3:24] 5. Before Dawn

[3:20] 6. A Night In Tunisia

[2:46] 7. If I Love Again

[3:00] 8. Your Laughter

[3:15] 9. Thoroughbred

[2:47] 10. Without Reservation

[3:18] 11. Morning Dew

[2:36] 12. Busman's Holiday

[3:20] 13. Godchild

[3:04] 14. Serendipity

[3:08] 15. Billie's Tune

[3:46] 16. The Ghostly Lover

[2:41] 17. Up Jumped The Devil

[2:55] 18. It's All Right With Me

[3:46] 19. The End Of A Love Affair

[3:02] 20. Will You Still Be Mine

[4:46] 21. In A Sentimental Mood

[3:15] 22. World Weary

[2:54] 23. One Night Of Love

The Complete Sessions 1949-1956 (Disc1),(Disc2)  

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Dorothy Dandridge - Smooth Operator

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 46:50

Size: 107.2 MB

Styles: Vocal, Traditional Standards

Year: 1999

Art: Front

[2:23] 1. It's Easy To Remember

[3:09] 2. What Is There To Say

[3:04] 3. That Old Feeling

[2:56] 4. The Touch Of Your Lips

[2:58] 5. When Your Lover Has Gone

[3:16] 6. The Nearness Of You

[4:01] 7. I'm Glad There Is You

[1:47] 8. I've Grown Accustomed To Your Face

[3:37] 9. Body & Soul

[3:29] 10. How Long Has This Been Going On

[2:27] 11. I've Got A Crush On You

[2:36] 12. I Didn't Know What Time It Was

[2:47] 13. Somebody

[2:33] 14. Stay With It

[2:37] 15. It's A Beautiful Evening

[3:04] 16. Smooth Operator

Smooth Operator explores a little-known aspect of the beautiful, troubled African-American actress Dorothy Dandridge: her vocal abilities. Most of this album comes from a 1958 recording session featuring Dandridge's lovely interpretations of "When Your Lover Has Gone," "Body & Soul" and the title track. That her backing band is an augmented version of the Oscar Peterson Trio makes her album even more special, and a must for jazz fans and film buffs. ~Heather Phares

Smooth Operator

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Mose Allison - I Don't Worry About A Thing

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 32:26

Size: 74.3 MB

Styles: Hard bop, Piano jazz, Vocal jazz

Year: 1962/2005/2015

Art: Front

[2:15] 1. I Don't Worry About A Thing

[2:41] 2. It Didn't Turn Out That Way

[2:34] 3. Your Mind Is On Vacation

[4:08] 4. Let Me See

[4:05] 5. Everything I Have Is Yours

[3:56] 6. Stand By

[4:15] 7. Idyll

[3:20] 8. The Well

[2:33] 9. Meet Me At No Special Place

[2:33] 10. The Song Is Ended

I Don't Worry About A Thing

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Fay Claassen - Rhythms & Rhymes

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:57
Size: 119,3 MB
Art: Front

(6:38)  1. Con Alma
(4:37)  2. What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?
(4:58)  3. Wild Is Love
(6:30)  4. La Belle Dame Sans Regrets
(5:56)  5. It Never Entered My Mind
(7:14)  6. Peace On Earth
(4:13)  7. If You Go Away
(4:55)  8. Seven Steps To Heaven
(3:52)  9. Once Upon A Summertime
(2:59) 10. Começar de Novo

Contrary to what the more Manhattan-centric individuals in the jazz world would have us believe, European jazz vocalists don't have to record in the Big Apple to be legitimate a singer can find plenty of first-class improvisers to work with in places like Stockholm, Paris, Oslo, Copenhagen, and Amsterdam. So even if Fay Claassen had never crossed the Atlantic Ocean and opted to work in Europe exclusively, the Dutch singer would have a lot to be proud of. That said, Claassen did herself a nice favor when she traveled to the New York City/Northern New Jersey area in the early 2000s and recorded her second album, Rhythms and Rhymes, which was released in Holland on the Jazz 'N Pulz label. The American musicians who join Claassen on this CD include, among others, Toots Thielemans, guitarist Mike Stern, pianist Kenny Werner, trombonist Steve Davis, and vibist/marimba player Joe Locke an impressive cast, certainly, and one that obviously understands where Claassen is coming from as a singer. 

Although Claassen swings, she isn't an aggressive or forceful sort of vocalist her post-bop outlook is urbane, sophisticated, elegant, and refined. And thankfully, she has sympathetic accompaniment whether she is turning her attention to Jacques Brel's "If You Go Away," Michel Legrand's "Once Upon a Summertime," or Miles Davis' "Seven Steps to Heaven." Claassen sings in perfect English most of the time, although she is equally expressive when she detours into French on Sting's "La Belle Dame Sans Regrets," and Portuguese on Ivan Lins' "Comecar de Novo." Clearly, Rhythms and Rhymes is a solid and memorable document of Claassen's visit to the northeastern United States. ~ Alex Henderson  http://www.allmusic.com/album/rhythms-rhymes-mw0000034868

Rhythms & Rhymes

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John Patitucci - Brooklyn

Styles: Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:12
Size: 125,3 MB
Art: Front

(7:46)  1. IN9-1881/The Search
(5:40)  2. Dugu Kamalemba
(5:07)  3. Band of Brothers
(5:59)  4. Trinkle Tinkle
(5:30)  5. Ugly Beauty
(6:19)  6. JLR
(3:43)  7. Do You?
(1:35)  8. Bells of Coutance
(4:09)  9. The Thumb
(4:27) 10. Go Down Moses
(3:52) 11. Tesori

Brooklyn is where it all started for John Patitucci. While the renowned bassist may have initially made his mark in sunny California, working with jazz luminaries and establishing himself as a strong presence in the studio scene in the '80s, his New York childhood helped to get him there. It's that starting point that serves as the inspiration for this project, which is something of a companion piece to Back In Brooklyn a documentary on Patitucci's life expected to arrive in late 2015. For this album, Patitucci returned to the scene(s) of his youth, literally and figuratively. He works exclusively with electric bass here, since that was the instrument for Patitucci when he started; the project was recorded at The Bunker, a studio located in Brooklyn; and it features a number of songs Thelonious Monk's "Trinkle Tinkle" and "Ugly Beauty," Wes Montgomery's "The Thumb" that served to introduce him to jazz. In saluting those figures, Patitucci also nods to his grandfather, the man who brought home a box of discarded jazz records and, in doing so, opened up a new world for the bass-star-to-be. But that's just how Patitucci looks to the past. The album itself exists firmly in the present, as Patitucci teams up with super drummer Brian Blade, his rhythm teammate in the Wayne Shorter Quartet, and a pair of wholly capable jazz guitar modernists Adam Rogers and Steve Cardenas. With a band like that, it's clear that this isn't going to be some dated walk down memory lane.

Brooklyn begins with IN9-1881/The Search," a prismatic treasure painted with a pan-African palette of sounds. African music remains the focus on the follow-up track Malian vocalist Oumou Sangare's "Dugu Kamalemba" but Patitucci and company switch gears for the backbeat-driven, funky-and-soulful "Band Of Brothers." From there, it's off to Monk's world with "Trinkle Tinkle," a number that finds Patitucci and Blade trading solos, and "Ugly Beauty," a spare and transfixing performance with few traces of the composer's idiosyncrasies. As the album reaches its midpoint, bluesy strains play a bigger part in the production. "JLR," a Blade-Patitucci duo take on "The Thumb," and a deeply felt "Go Down Moses" all speak to this crew's ability to get deep inside the blues, be it in form, language, or spirit. And then there are numbers that go in other directions: "Do You?" is a scintillating piece that swings, "Bells Of Coutance" is an ethereal episode, and "Tesori" is a touching solo bass work that Patitucci wrote for his wife and children. 

While no single album can capture every angle of Patitucci's playing, Brooklyn manages to shine a light on his multifaceted electric bass work better than anything else in his leader discography. This music is electric in more ways than one. ~ Dan Bilawsky  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/brooklyn-john-patitucci-three-faces-records-review-by-dan-bilawsky.php
 

Personnel: John Patitucci: electric bass; Adam Rogers: electric guitar; Steve Cardenas: electric guitar; Brian Blade: drums.

Brooklyn

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Diego Urcola - Viva

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:04
Size: 158,5 MB
Art: Front

(6:51)  1. Tango Azul
(7:32)  2. Viva
(5:40)  3. Afroraffo
(8:11)  4. El Camino
(7:06)  5. Blues For Jimmy
(6:42)  6. 40/40
(6:55)  7. Sound for Sore Ears
(7:39)  8. Adios nonino
(7:35)  9. Gringo dance
(4:49) 10. Emilia

American jazz fans sometimes neglect talented instrumentalists from other countries, and with Viva, trumpeter Diego Urcola reminds us that there are other Argentine horn players besides Gato Barbieri.

Born in Buenos Aires, Diego Urcola began studying music at age nine, eventually earning degrees from Argentina's Conservatorio Nacional de Música, Berklee College of Music, and the City University of New York. His big break came when legendary Latin jazz maestro Paquito D'Rivera needed a replacement for trumpeter Claudio Roditi. A faculty member at Berklee recommended Urcola, who has now been with D'Rivera for fifteen years. Urcola has also performed with numerous other luminaries. Recorded in November 2005, Viva is Urcola's third album as a leader, and he refers to the lineup on this session as his "dream band." His sidemen are well-established players and bandleaders in their own right, particularly pianist Edward Simon and bassist Avishai Cohen. Several big names appear as guests, notably Jimmy Heath, Urcola's academic advisor while he was working on his Master's Degree at CUNY. D'Rivera plays alto sax and clarinet on three tracks. Urcola makes no bones about his indebtedness to this mentor, asserting "I wouldn't be here if it weren't for Paquito."

Another longtime friend on this session is Conrad Herwig, a former band mate in the United Nations Orchestra. Calling him a "trombone god," Urcola recounts that while in Argentina with D'Rivera, Herwig met a woman whom he subsequently married. Now fluent in Spanish, Herwig has become "half Argentinian," declares Urcola. Vibraphonist Dave Samuels, who has worked with Urcola in the Caribbean Jazz Project, appears on two tracks. Samuels points out that while they "all knew each other and some ... had already played together, this particular combination was new, different and fresh." The result is a relaxed atmosphere that nonetheless has a comfortably charged energy familiar without being rote, experimental yet assured. Like Barbieri, Urcola integrates the loping, slightly asymmetrical rhythms of the tango into the jazz idiom. 

All but one of the album's ten cuts (including three by Urcola) were written by Argentine composers: Guillermo Klein, Juan Raffo and Astor Piazzolla. A Latinized version of Heath's "Sound for Sore Ears" partakes in this overall spirit. "I like to bring ... my country into the mix," says Urcola, patriotic while never parochial, "but foremost I'm a jazz musician." The album opens with Urcola's "Tango Azul." An opening bass vamp with a pleasant 7/4 hiccup leads into a modal vehicle that evokes Kind of Blue. 

Appropriately, the tune's highlight is a solo by Herwig, known for exploring Miles' Latin side. Another subtle rhythmic experiment is Raffo's "Gringo Dance," a tricky 3/4 piece "with all kinds of different bars added in," according to Urcola. "Blues for Jimmy" features Heath's urbane tenor, and D'Rivera provides two delightful reacquaintances with the clarinet on "40/40" and "Emilia." Reflective ballads like "El Camino" and "Adios Nonino" nicely balance the up-tempo cuts on this well-produced, interestingly eclectic offering. ~ Victor Verney  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/viva-diego-urcola-cam-jazz-review-by-victor-verney.php

Personnel: Diego Urcola: trumpet, flugelhorn; Edward Simon: piano; Avishai Cohen: bass; Antonio Sanchez: drums; Pernell Saturnino: percussion; Jimmy Heath: tenor saxophone (5,7); Paquito D'Rivera: alto saxophone, clarinet (3,6,10); Conrad Herwig: trombone (1,4,5,9); Dave Samuels: marimba, vibes (3,8).

Viva

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Liz Callaway - The Beat Goes On

Styles: Cabaret
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:32
Size: 130,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:53)  1. The Beat Goes On/Feelin' Groovy
(2:18)  2. Half As Big As Life
(2:42)  3. You Don't Own Me
(2:09)  4. Frank Mills
(5:23)  5. Didn't We/MacArthur Park
(3:32)  6. Up, Up And Away
(4:18)  7. Monday, Monday
(2:48)  8. Wedding Bell Blues
(4:51)  9. Leavin' On A Jet Plane
(2:53) 10. When I'm Sixty-Four
(3:03) 11. Moon River
(2:49) 12. Wouldn't It Be Nice?
(5:08) 13. Where Have All The Flowers Gone
(3:11) 14. Downtown
(2:37) 15. Here, There And Everywhere
(3:50) 16. Feed The Birds

Liz Callaway has one of the best voices on Broadway, with a clear-as-a-bell tone, seemingly effortless soprano range, and terrific warmth. After spending five years on Broadway as Grizabella in Cats and further occupying herself with animated voiceover work, Callaway has released The Beat Goes On, her first solo album since 1995's outstanding The Story Goes On, and it was worth the wait. Naturally, any celebration of the frenetic '60s needs a wide scope, and included here are infectious pop ("Wedding Bell Blues"), Broadway musicals (Hair's "Frank Mills," Promises, Promises' "Half as Big as Life"), the Beatles ("When I'm 64"), social protest ("Where Have All the Flowers Gone"), and movie music ("Moon River"), all masterfully arranged by music director Alex Rybeck. Callaway has never sounded better her "Up, Up and Away" soars, and "Wouldn't It Be Nice" is totally irresistible. She confesses that recording Petula Clark's "Downtown" has been a lifelong fantasy; it comes true in this dream of an album. ~ David Horiuchi 

Editorial Reviews  http://www.amazon.com/The-Beat-Goes-Liz-Callaway/dp/B00005J70O

The Beat Goes On

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Dick Oatts - Standard Issue

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:05
Size: 146,9 MB
Art: Front

(10:49)  1. You And The Night And The Music
( 6:51)  2. Like Someone In Love
( 9:33)  3. All the Things You Are
(10:25)  4. Memories Of You
(12:17)  5. Nimble Jack
(14:08)  6. End Of A Love Affair

A collection of live recordings from 1997, Standard Issue finds alto saxman Dick Oatts (who plays the tenor as a second instrument) showing his appreciation of Charlie Parker and his disciples (Sonny Stitt, Jackie McLean, among others) as well as Lee Konitz and early Art Pepper. Put all those influences together and you have a saxophonist with an appealing, recognizable tone. Except for Oatts' own "Nimble Jack," this Danish release is a conventional bop-oriented set of standards "All the Things You Are," "You and the Night and the Music," and "Memories of You" have been done to death over the years, and some people would argue that there should be a moratorium on them. 

But while the former Red Rodney sideman could have been more adventurous in his choice of material, this is still an enjoyable, if predictable, CD. Oatts (who is joined by pianist David Berkman, bassist Dave Santoro, and drummer James Oblon) has a likable sense of swing, and again, his tone is something to admire. Standard Issue may not be the ideal or most interesting document of Oatts' playing, but all things considered, it paints a favorable picture of the alto man. ~ Alex Henderson  http://www.allmusic.com/album/standard-issue-mw0000432750

Standard Issue

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Curtis Fuller - The Opener

Styles: Straight-ahead/Mainstream, Trombone Jazz
Year: 1957
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:02
Size: 85,4 MB
Art: Front

(6:53)  1. A Lovely Way To Spend An Evening
(6:44)  2. Hugore
(5:40)  3. Oscarlypso
(6:43)  4. Here's To My Lady
(5:24)  5. Lizzy's Bounce
(5:35)  6. Soon

Detroit-born trombonist Curtis Fuller stepped into the hard bop big league during the summer of 1957 with a flurry of high profile sideman dates and two albums as leader, New Trombone (Prestige, 1957) and The Opener, made within a few weeks of each other. The Opener, a lithe and soulful but largely forgotten disc, has been rereleased as part of Blue Note's Rudy Van Gelder Remaster series.  In 1957, the big league meant New York, where Fuller had arrived in April as a member of reed player Yusef Lateef's quintet. When Lateef and his band returned to Detroit, Fuller stayed behind. Within a month, he'd recorded four albums for Prestige as a sideman with saxophonist Paul Quinchette, as co-leader with pianist Red Garland, on a Teddy Charles produced French horn project, and New Trombone. 

A month later, he recorded two albums for Blue Note as a sideman with saxophonist Clifford Jordan and The Opener.  With the leader albums, Blue Note beat Prestige to the shops, rush-releasing The Opener in August, by which time Fuller's sideman credentials with the label also included albums with pianists Sonny Clark and Bud Powell. A month later, Fuller sealed his arrival on saxophonist John Coltrane's Blue Train (Blue Note, 1957). When you're hot, you're hot. And 51 years after its original release, The Opener tells us why. Combining a fluent technique shaped by J.J. Johnson and Kai Winding, his own deep melodicism, a knowledge of trombone stylists stretching back to Tommy Dorsey and beyond, and an embrace of Coltrane's recent harmonic initiatives, Fuller fashioned an enduring jewel. He was assisted by a superb band comprised of rising stars saxophonist Hank Mobley, pianist Bobby Timmons, bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Art Taylor.

The two sides of the original LP followed a similar sequence, each starting, unusually, with a ballad (McHugh and Adamson's "A Lovely Way To Spend An Evening" and Bloom and Mercer's "Here's To My Lady"), followed by a bluesy Fuller original ("Hugore" and "Lizzy's Bounce"), followed by a fast-paced standard (Oscar Pettiford's "Oscarlypso" and George Gershwin's "Soon"). Producer Alfred Lion's decision to start each side with a ballad recorded without Mobley was daring, but he knew what he was doing. Fuller's warmth and lyricism, reflected in Timmons' solos, set the tone for the other four tracks. These are all brisk going on fast, but loose and carefree rather than urgent, and always on the melodic money. 

Hard bop's darker, more menacing moods are way off in the wings. The musicians sound at ease with each other and with life, and the feeling is infectious. This is hard bop served sunny side up. Born in 1934 and still kicking, after The Opener Fuller went on to record a prodigious discography as sideman and leader, and the 1957 album brims with a promise later amply fulfilled. Released in a stereo edition by Mosaic in 1996, this RVG edition is in the original mono. ~ Chris May  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-opener-curtis-fuller-blue-note-records-review-by-chris-may.php

Personnel: Curtis Fuller: trombone; Hank Mobley: tenor saxophone; Bobby Timmons: piano; Paul Chambers: bass; Art Taylor: drums.

The Opener

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