Friday, July 3, 2015

Barney Wilen - Jazz

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:06
Size: 107.8 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[4:24] 1. Swing 39
[4:16] 2. Vamp
[3:30] 3. Ménilmontant
[3:36] 4. John's Groove
[6:33] 5. B.B.B. (Bag's Barney Blues)
[4:25] 6. Swingin' Parisian Rhythm (Jazz Sur Seine)
[2:17] 7. J'ai Ta Main
[5:48] 8. Nuages
[3:02] 9. La Route Enchantée
[2:43] 10. Que Reste-T-Il De Nos Amours
[3:44] 11. Minor Swing
[2:42] 12. Epistrophy

Barney Wilen made a strong impression on the Paris scene in the mid 1950s. Wilen was a self taught player and became one of Europe's best and more modern saxophonists.

Bernard Jean Wilen, AKA Barney was born March 4, 1937, in Nice to a French mother and an American father. He studied the alto and, at 16, moved to Paris where he played with Henry Renaud, Bobby Jaspar and Jimmy Gourley He grew up mostly on the French Riviera; the family left during World War II but returned upon its conclusion.

According to Wilen himself, he was convinced to become a musician by his mother's friend, the poet Blaise Cendrars. As a teenager he started a youth jazz club in Nice, where he played often. He moved to Paris in the mid-'50s and worked with such American musicians as Bud Powell, Benny Golson, Miles Davis, and J.J. Johnson at the Club St. Germain. He was very fortunate to tour and record with Miles Davis in 1957. This led to him performing on the soundtrack to the Louis Malle film “Lift to the Scaffold” in 1957. The recording won the Prix Louis Delluc the next year.

Two years later in 1960 he performed with Art Blakey and Thelonious Monk on the soundtrack to Roger Vadim's Les Liaisons Dangereuses. He also appeared at the 1959 Newport Jazz Festival, one of the first non-Americans to do so. During the '60s, Wilen explored with free jazz and Indian music. He appeared at the 1967 Berlin Festival and engineered Archie Shepp's 1969 live performance at the Algiers Festival.

In the late 70's and 80's he returned to playing the ballads of his influences Sonny Rollins and Harold Land leading to him being awarded the Grand Prix Charles Cros in 1987. In the 90's he continued to be active, playing at many European summer jazz festivals and recording. He died of cancer May 25, 1996 in Paris, France. Much of Wilen's later work was documented on the Japanese Venus label.

Jazz

Marty Paich - The Picasso Of Big-Band Jazz

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:01
Size: 89.3 MB
Styles: West Coast jazz, Piano jazz
Year: 1957/1989
Art: Front

[5:54] 1. From Now On
[4:24] 2. Walkin' On Home
[5:07] 3. Black Rose
[3:59] 4. Tommy's Toon
[3:08] 5. New Soft Shoe
[3:32] 6. What's New
[5:07] 7. Easy Listenin'
[3:05] 8. Martyni Time
[4:42] 9. Nice And Easy

Marty Paich was a pianist, composer, arranger, producer, music director, and conductor. In a career which spanned half a century, he worked in these capacities for such artists as Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, Sarah Vaughan, Stan Kenton, Ella Fitzgerald, Mel Tormé, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Linda Ronstadt, Stan Getz, Sammy Davis Jr, Michael Jackson, Art Pepper, and a hundred others.

However, his name is essentially unknown outside professional circles. He took little interest in self-promotion, never acquired a personal agent, happily saw his business affairs managed by his capable first wife Huddy, and as soon as finances permitted decamped Los Angeles for a ranch in the Santa Ynez Valley north of Santa Barbara. There he engaged his twin fantasies of riding horses and operating a private museum devoted to the saddles, books, rifles and guns of the American west. For a boy raised in urban Oakland California, this was a charmed leap.

He was born Martin Louis Paich on 23 January 1925. His earliest music lessons were on the accordion, and thereafter on the piano. By age 10 he had formed the first of numerous bands, and by age 12 was regularly playing at weddings and similar affairs. Marty first attended Cole Elementary School in Oakland. After graduating from McClymonds High School he attended a series of professional schools in music, including Chapman College, San Francisco State University, the University of Southern California, and the Los Angeles Conservatory of Music where he graduated (1951) magna cum laude with a Master's degree in composition.

The Picasso Of Big Band Jazz

Louie Bellson, Blue Mitchell - Louie Bellson Jams With Blue Mitchell

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:34
Size: 102.0 MB
Styles: Bop
Year: 1979/1994
Art: Front

[6:43] 1. Melody For Thelma
[4:46] 2. Stein On Vine
[4:47] 3. Shave Tail
[5:57] 4. Gonga Din
[3:09] 5. I Wonder Why
[7:01] 6. Ballad Medley
[5:57] 7. Blue Invasion
[6:11] 8. A Gush Of Periwinkles

This CD reissue brings back one of Louie Bellson's better small-group dates for Pablo. In addition to the drummer/leader, his septet includes trumpeter Blue Mitchell (still in good form on one of his last recordings), the underrated but great tenor Pete Christlieb, pianist Ross Tompkins, guitarist Bob Bain, bassist Gary Pratt and percussionist Emil Richards. Most intriguing about the date (which mostly sticks to group originals) is that there is a three-song ballad medley comprised not of standards but of Bellson tunes. "Shave Tail" (an older song co-composed by Bellson and Charlie Shavers) is a highlight. ~Scott Yanow

Louie Bellson Jams With Blue Mitchell

Lisa Lauren - My Own Twist

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:31
Size: 93,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:58)  1. Sweet Seasons
(4:19)  2. A Shame
(6:06)  3. Life Goes On
(4:27)  4. My Own Twist
(2:59)  5. It Sucks To Be You
(3:55)  6. That's All She Wrote
(4:09)  7. A Little Romance
(3:36)  8. Here Comes The Sun
(3:29)  9. A Guy Thing
(3:28) 10. Yours And Mine

For all the hype in 2002 surrounding jazz hybrid vocalist Norah Jones, she can't really hold a candle to the far superior, multi-faceted Lauren, an indie artist from Chicago who artfully blends pop and jazz influences with a dash or two of country and worldbeat. So it's promotion that's missing. Or is it the narrow play lists of adult contemporary and smooth jazz stations which would rather stick with tried-and-trues and Mariah Carey and Sade instead of allowing new voices in the mix Lauren went Beatles-happy on her previous CD, and here does a cool jazz seduction with "Here Comes the Sun," also playing an elegant, purposeful piano line that challenges Fareed Haque's strumming guitar and Jim Gailloreto's silky soprano sax to keep up. 

More high-profile sax contributions come from none other than David Sanborn on the sassy, Steely Dan-inspired "A Shame," whose lyrics brim with attitude and wistful energy; Lauren sounds a bit like Marilyn Scott on this tune, and that's a compliment. Fellow Chicagoan and smooth jazz guy Steve Cole offers a tender soprano line behind one of Lauren's more romantic moments on "A Little Romance." "Life Goes On" is designed as a quartet piece, with soft, seductive drum brushes easing past a tender-hearted delivery of a lyric pondering love's mysteries. Lauren sometimes runs the risk of being overshadowed by her high-profile personnel, such as on this tune, where Fareed Haque's credit reads "homage to Pat Metheny." In the end, though, she more than holds her own. Lauren's a strong vocalist and honest songwriter, but she's also aces with cover tunes, making old songs like Carole King's "Sweet Seasons" sound fresh via colorful arrangements (this one with harmonica-laced country seasoning). ~ Jonathan Widran  http://www.allmusic.com/album/my-own-twist-mw0000210489

Personnel: Lisa Lauren (piano, keyboards); Fareed Haque (guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, slide guitar); Inger Carle, Susan Voelz (violin); Stacia Spencer (viola); Alison Chesley (cello); Jim Gailloreto (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone); David Sanborn (alto saxophone); Rob Parton (trumpet); Mike Halpin (trombone); John Blasucci (keyboards); Steve Rodby (acoustic bass); Jeff Thomas (drums, percussion); Kevin Connelley, Larry Beers, Tom Hipskind (drums).

Louis Durra - Rocket Science

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:46
Size: 112,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:06)  1. The Hardest Button to Button
(4:27)  2. One Love
(4:26)  3. Black Horse and the Cherry Tree
(4:59)  4. Home
(3:32)  5. El Mango
(4:30)  6. Nine Eleven
(3:41)  7. According to You
(4:47)  8. Living for the City
(4:08)  9. Back in the U.S.S.R.
(3:53) 10. Un Canadien Errant
(4:54) 11. In My Life
(2:18) 12. La Puerta Negra

The constant revitalization of the piano trio is one of the most rewarding developments in recent jazz history and it continues apace with Louis Durra's Rocket Science. Durra isn't introducing a major paradigm shift, but with Ryan McGillicuddy on bass and longtime compatriot Jerry Kalaf on drums, he's bringing a few fresh new tunes to the party and delivering them with a light, engaging yet imaginative flair. Rocket Science follows on from The Best Of All Possible Worlds (Self Produced, 2012) and consists, for the most part, of an intriguing mix of covers. Durra avoids the American Songbook classics, concentrating on more contemporary composers whose work is regularly adopted by jazz players Stevie Wonder's "Living For The City," John Lennon and Paul McCartney's "Back In The USSR" and "In My Life" and some who've yet to reach this status.

There's a pleasing variation in mood and pace. Jack White's "The Hardest Button To Button" gets a foot-stomping groove from Durra's left hand and Larry Steen's bass; Michael Buble and Alan Chang's "Home" is a melancholy ballad; Juan Villarreal's "El Mango" has a jaunty, up-tempo beat with a Vince Guaraldi cheeriness. Durra's "Nine Eleven," the album's sole original composition, is a lovely tune, performed beautifully by Durra with particularly sympathetic and respectful support from McGillicuddy and Kalaf. Two of the album's most left-field selections leave the most lasting impressions. KT Tunstall's "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" loses a little of Tunstall's assertiveness but gains a shuffling, funky feel from Kalaf's drums.

The trio performs "Un Canadien Errant," a traditional song from Quebec, as a gently, wistful waltz with an occasional shift in pulse and emphasis that surprises without spoiling the mood it also gives McGillicuddy the chance to take the spotlight with his own lyrical solo. Durra, McGillicuddy and Kalaf play three or four nights a week around Los Angeles and this consistent work clearly helps them to knit together as a unit. Durra has also played some critically acclaimed shows at the Edinburgh Festival, not the easiest of places to make an impression. All this experience and expertise, coupled with Durra's inspired song selection, gives Rocket Science a special spark. ~ Bruce Lindsay  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/rocket-science-louis-durra-self-produced-review-by-bruce-lindsay.php
 
Personnel: Louis Durra: piano; Ryan McGillicuddy: bass; Jerry Kalaf: drums; Larry Steen: bass (1, 7).

Joe Locke - Force of Four

Styles: Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:56
Size: 126,0 MB
Art: Front

(6:09)  1. Like Joe
(8:22)  2. Ruminations
(7:56)  3. Ricky's Tune
(7:13)  4. No Moe
(5:16)  5. Available in Blue
(6:48)  6. Alpha Punk
(8:20)  7. Laura
(4:49)  8. Blue November

Certain sounds are so easy to love: the blurry whine of a muted trumpet, the beefy growl of a robust tenor saxophone, the rich, frictional cry of the cello, and the buoyant, sustained ring of a mallet hitting a key on a vibraphone. Vibraphonist Joe Locke's profile seems to have risen on a sharp angle since Live in Seattle (Origin Records, 2006), a CD that found its way onto several critic's top ten of the year lists. Since then he has offered up Live at JazzBaltica (MaxJazz, 2006) and Sticks and Strings (Music Eyes, 2007), proving that his excellence was no one-off affair. Force of Four finds Locke in the company of a crack quartet his vibraphone and a piano trio offering up perhaps his finest recording to date. And though the instrumental make-up is the same as that of the legendary Modern Jazz Quartet (MJQ), Locke and company are more about energy and forward momentum and grooves than they are about a chamber atmosphere.

"Like Joe" is a bouncy tribute to tenor titan Joe Henderson that features seamless piano/vibes interplay. It's easy to think that the two instruments could bump heads and step on each other's toes, but that's never the case on this disc. "Ruminations" has a pensive atmosphere and drifting quality, and a sublime quartet weave of sound.

"No Moe," from the pen of Sonny Rollins, is tight groove that brings in one of the album's two guests, trumpeter Thomas Marriott, playing a beautiful muted horn. "Alpha Punk" and "Blue November" feature tenor saxophonist Wayne Escoffery the former an energetic romp that brings the Yellowjackets sound to mind, the latter a relaxed dark-toned piece of introspective beauty.

Joe Locke might just be this generation's Milt Jackson. And with Force of Four he might be headed to the year's top ten lists again. ~ Dan McClenaghan  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/force-of-four-joe-locke-origin-records-review-by-dan-mcclenaghan.php

Personnel: Joe Locke: vibes; Robert Rodriguez: piano; Johnathan Blake: drums; Ricardo Rodriguez: bass; Wayne Escoffery: tenor sax (6, 8); Thomas Marriott: trumpet (4).

Force of Four

Jessica Gall - Little Big Soul

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:04
Size: 106,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:08)  1. Breaking Waves
(3:22)  2. Come Rain Or Come Shine
(3:33)  3. Saturday Night
(3:53)  4. Beautiful Girls
(3:25)  5. Part Of My Dreams
(4:50)  6. The Moment When You Need Me
(4:11)  7. On The Other Side
(3:26)  8. Summer Evening
(3:23)  9. Road To Salvation
(3:41) 10. You Are
(4:20) 11. Touch The Rain
(3:46) 12. Little Big Soul

While her debut album mainly featured cover songs, she has taken a new direction with "Little Big Soul", creating an innovative soundscape together with producer Robert Matt and her pianist Bene Aperdannier. “I love the space on the album. Pedal steel guitar and dobro have brought a warm Southern States vibe to the Spree!” One should approach Jessica Gall with an open mind. True, there have been many female vocalists in the last few years; but her voice delivers sound in a unique way. Jessica Gall has really found her own voice. https://herzogrecords.bandcamp.com/merch/cd-little-big-soul-jessica-gall

Ray Brown, Monty Alexander, Johnny Griffin, Martin Drew - Summerwind

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:15
Size: 129,5 MB
Art: Front

( 7:02)  1. Blues For Groundhogs
(10:16) 2. Medley: Sophisticated Lady/Rocks in My Bed
( 3:27)  3. Put Your Little Foot Right Out
( 6:20)  4. Consider
( 3:13)  5. Swamp Fire
( 5:54)  6. Summerwind
( 2:34)  7. Griff and Me
( 4:26)  8. Delaunay's Dilemma
( 2:04)  9. Hard Times
( 3:11) 10. Thanks for the Memory
( 2:23) 11. Woogie Boogie
( 5:20) 12. Street Life

Time and time again, the Manhattan Bop Police have claimed that a jazz album isn't legitimate unless it is recorded in the 212 area code. But if that's true, why did so many jazz heavyweights from Dexter Gordon to Bud Powell spend so much time living and recording in Europe? Why have so many important jazz indies (Steeplechase, Storyville, Owl, Black Lion, Timeless, among countless others) had European addresses? The fact is that if you're a serious jazz connoisseur, your CD collection is probably full of recordings that were made in Europe. Ray Brown certainly spent plenty of time performing overseas; Ludwigsburg, Germany, in fact, is where Brown recorded Summerwind, a 1980 session that finds the acoustic bassist forming a quartet with tenor saxophonist Johnny Griffin (one of the reasons jazz musicians are proud to be from Chicago), pianist Monty Alexander, and British drummer Martin Drew. 

This hard-swinging combination of American, Jamaican, and British improvisers enjoys a strong rapport on a diverse program that ranges from Ray Charles' "Hard Times" to pianist John Lewis' "Delaunay's Dilemma" to the title track (a song that is closely identified with Frank Sinatra). The inclusion of a song associated with Ol' Blue Eyes should come as no surprise to admirers of Alexander, who has never made a secret of his passion for Sinatra's legacy. Nor has Alexander made a secret of his love of R&B; one of the highlights of this CD is a piano trio performance of the Crusaders' "Street Life" (which Griffin is absent from). Although the Crusaders are primarily an instrumental jazz group, they enjoyed a major R&B hit in 1979 when they featured singer Randy Crawford on "Street Life"; on Summerwind, however, the tune works nicely as an acoustic bop/soul-jazz instrumental. This rewarding CD is well worth searching for. 
~ Alex Henderson  http://www.allmusic.com/album/summerwind-mw0000701893

Personnel: Ray Brown (bass instrument); Monty Alexander (vocals, piano); Johnny Griffin (saxophone); Martin Drew (drums).

Joe Williams, Count Basie - Greatest! Count Basie Plays, Joe Williams Sings Standards

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 1990
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:46
Size: 80,1 MB
Art: Front

(2:18)  1. Thou Swell
(2:49)  2. There Will Never Be Another You
(3:37)  3. Our Love Is Here To Stay
(2:35)  4. 'S Wonderful
(2:24)  5. My Baby Just Cares for Me
(3:54)  6. Nevertheless
(2:25)  7. Singin' in the Rain
(3:05)  8. I'm Beginning to See the Light
(2:27)  9. A Fine Romance
(3:58) 10. Come Rain Or Come Shine
(2:37) 11. I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me
(2:32) 12. This Can't Be Love

When it comes to accompanying a singer, there is probably no better jazz orchestra than the Count Basie Band. They swing so hard, that no matter who is singing with them, they seem to find a way to prop up even the best of jazz stylists. Such is the case with Joe Williams, a singer who should need no formal introduction to jazz fans. Williams' deep and rich tone is immediately recognizable and is, indeed, one of the great voices the idiom has produced. On THE GREATEST!!, Buddy Bregman's arrangements can often be angular and edgy. Other times, especially on the ballads, his arrangements are soft, mellow and lush. For example, on "My Baby Just Cares For Me," the brass shoots razor-sharp notes against a canvas of swingin' reeds. 

In contrast, on "Nevertheless," the music is serene and romantic, wistful and sentimental. Highlights on this album include the diverse and familiar "Singin' In the Rain," "A Fine Romance," and "I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me." http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=1177317&style=music&fulldesc=T

Personnel: Count Basie (piano, organ); Joe Williams (vocals); Buddy Bregman (arranger); Marshall Royal (alto saxophone, clarinet); Bill Graham (alto saxophone); Frank Foster (tenor saxophone); Charlie Fowlkes (baritone saxophone); Thad Jones, Reunald Jones, Wendell Culley (trumpet); Henry Coker, Bill Hughes, Ben Powell (trombone); Freddie Green (guitar); Eddie Jones (bass); Sonny Payne (drums).

Greatest! Count Basie Plays, Joe Williams Sings Standards