Serge Chaloff - Boston Blow-Up!

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 45:44

Size: 104.7 MB

Styles: Hard bop, Saxophone jazz

Year: 1955/2006

Art: Front

[2:36] 1. Bob The Robin

[4:41] 2. Yesterday's Gardenias

[3:12] 3. Sergical

[3:40] 4. What's New

[3:23] 5. Mar-Dros

[4:22] 6. Jr

[3:50] 7. Body And Soul

[3:21] 8. Kip

[1:40] 9. Diane's Melody

[3:16] 10. Unison

[3:45] 11. Boomareemaroja

[4:20] 12. Herbs

[3:31] 13. Herbs

Baritonist Serge Chaloff, best known as a member of Woody Herman's Second Herd, made a comeback in the mid-'50s after years of drug abuse. Having kicked the habit in his native Boston, he recorded The Fable of Mable in 1954 and this excellent session the following year. Chaloff is heard on a variety of obscure originals plus a couple of standards (including a near-classic "Body and Soul") in a sextet with trumpeter Herb Pomeroy and altoist Boots Mussulli. The ironic part is that, once Chaloff cleaned up his act, he contracted spinal paralysis and died in 1957. However, the baritonist is very much in prime form on this set, which was once only available on CD as part of Mosaic's Serge Chaloff limited-edition box but was reissued by Capitol Jazz in 2006 with three extra tracks. ~Scott Yanow

Boston Blow-Up

---

Malo - S/T

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 44:07

Size: 101.0 MB

Styles: Latin rock

Year: 1972/1995

Art: Front

[6:47] 1. Pana

[7:48] 2. Just Say Goodbye

[7:15] 3. Cafe

[6:27] 4. Nena

[6:32] 5. Suavecito

[9:16] 6. Peace

Malo was an American Latin-tinged rock and roll group. The San Francisco-based ensemble was led by Arcelio Garcia and Jorge Santana, the brother of Latin-rock guitarist, Carlos Santana. Four of Malo's original members (Santana, Leo, Garcia, Tellez, and Bean) had previously played in the band, The Malibus. The other three founding members (Abel Zarate, Roy Murray, and Richard Spremich) had played together in the group, Naked Lunch.

Malo's 1972 Top 20 hit single, "Suavecito," was written by timbales player Richard Bean, who initially wrote it as a poem for a girl in his high school algebra class. The song has been called "The Chicano National Anthem" and was arranged for Malo by Richard Bean, bassist Pablo Tellez, and Abel Zarate. Tellez and Zarate also received co-author credits on "Suavecito". Guitarist Abel Zarate gave Malo a distinctive two-guitar sound with intricate harmony and dual solos the norm. The band featured full horn and percussion sections in the style of contemporary bands Blood, Sweat & Tears and Chicago. Some of the best musicians in the Bay Area were featured in Malo, including Forrest Buchtel, Jr., Ron Smith, Paul C Saenz, Luis Gasca, and Tom Harrell in the trumpet section. Malo's music was also hugely popular in Central and South America, especially the songs "Chevere", "Nena", "Pana", "Cafe", and "Oye Mama".

Malo 

---

Keith Andrew - Blue Funky Blue

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:17
Size: 126.6 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[4:22] 1. Pookies Groove (Feat. Marcus Anderson & Nate Ginsberg)
[4:29] 2. Bayon (Feat. Marcus Anderson & Nate Ginsberg)
[5:46] 3. Blue Funky Blue (Feat. Nate Ginsberg)
[4:36] 4. Who Dat, Where You At (Feat. Nate Ginsberg)
[4:19] 5. Bubblefunk (Feat. Marcus Anderson)
[4:11] 6. Samasama
[4:27] 7. Sherpadance (Feat. Rob Tardik)
[4:05] 8. Fertile Crescent (Feat. Nate Ginsberg)
[3:20] 9. Little Sierra (Feat. Mingo Lewis)
[3:21] 10. Howl Mountain
[5:12] 11. Middle Of The Night (Feat. Mingo Lewis)
[2:39] 12. Makes Me Wonder
[2:47] 13. Who Dat, Said Who Dat (Feat. Nate Ginsberg)
[1:36] 14. New Way

Guitarist/keyboardist/vocalist Keith Andrew brings us a funky, saucy, and smooth offering that is diverse, melodic, and loaded with swagger. This release, Blue Funky Blue, which also features saxman Marcus Anderson and guitarist Rob Tardik on select tracks, boasts a delightful blend of contemporary jazz, fusion, blues, funk, and touches of World, a recipe not unfamiliar to Andrew.

On Blue Funky Blue, you’ll find yourself in the familiar settings of contemporary jazz (e.g., “Pookies Groove”), blues (title track), and funk (“Who Dat, Where You At?”) only to witness a slight detour into exotic areas of World (“Fertile Crescent,” “Sherpadance”) and great fusion (“Little Sierra,” “Makes Me Wonder,” “New Way”). You’ll also find tracks that just do their own thing, defying categorization or pigeonholing (e.g., “Howl Mountain” and the raspy “In the Middle of the Night,” which play with fusion, blues, and rock, as well). The outrageously swinging uptempo bluesy “Who Dat, Said Who Dat?” showcases Andrew’s ability to fire off lightning riffs and directs the spotlight toward the nimble fingers of keyboardist Nate Ginsberg, as well. This piece is jazz/blues on steroids, so hold on to your hats for the ride. Impressive showing of skill for sure.

To say this album is full of emotion and creativity is an understatement. This had to be a true experience for all who participated in the making of this project. I personally wouldn’t say that Blue Funky Blue is as comprehensively bluesy and funky as its title might suggest, but if you want creativity, diversity, and totally impressive musicianship, open this door. You’ll find that you’re in the right place. ~Randy Jackson

Blue Funky Blue

---

Lisa Levy - When I Fall In Love

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:00
Size: 171,8 MB
Art: Front

(2:52)  1. My Funny Valentine
(4:45)  2. One Note Samba
(2:31)  3. Something Stupid
(2:47)  4. Sunny
(2:24)  5. Almost Like Being In Love
(3:58)  6. Over The Rainbow
(3:41)  7. The Frim Fram Sauce
(3:54)  8. Dance Me To The End Of Love
(1:49)  9. How High The Moon
(3:10) 10. When I Fall In Love
(2:38) 11. The Twist
(3:25) 12. Embraceable You
(2:52) 13. How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)
(3:01) 14. I Get A Kick Out Of You
(4:32) 15. Nobody Does It Better
(3:10) 16. They Can't Take That Away From Me
(2:18) 17. Moon River
(2:38) 18. Come Rain Or Come Shine
(3:26) 19. Lullaby Of Birdland
(3:47) 20. Taking A Chance On Love
(2:19) 21. It's Delovely
(2:26) 22. Orange Colored Sky
(3:18) 23. Puttin' On The Ritz
(3:06) 24. I Remember You

Purveyor of live musical entertainment for heads of state, diplomats, dignitaries, VIPs and other discerning patrons, SHERATON CADWELL's (www.sheratoncadwell.com) world premier release of its PLATINUM SERIES is an elegant dance collection of selected love songs and greatest hits from the last 70 years. More..http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/lisalevy

"Lisa Levy is a joy to work with, watch, and listen to." ~ Roger Whitnall

"Your vocal stars are glamorous, chic & hip ... what a treat!" ~ Olivier Francone

"It takes a really good band to get the Mayor up to dance the twist!" ~ Hazel McCallion

"Many we knew were asking for a CD of EVERY SONG your band played ... this CD only has some of them. Can we have more, please?" ~ Jean Anderson

"Your track record of recorded work is utterly impressive ... wow!" ~ Julio Hernandez

"I loved your performance ... it was professional and entertaining!" ~ Joanne Wheatley

"You have both style and substance." ~ Jim Stanley

"Awesome! There was hardly any room left on the dance floor ... with thousands more watching your show from all around the amphitheatre!" ~ Tim Reidt

When I Fall In Love

---

Kurt Rosenwinkel - Deep Song

Styles: Vocal And Guitar Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:41
Size: 168,9 MB
Art: Front

(8:25)  1. The Cloister
(8:20)  2. Brooklyn Sometimes
(7:31)  3. The Cross
(4:48)  4. If I Should Lose You
(6:12)  5. Synthetics
(8:25)  6. Use of Light
(9:12)  7. Cake
(3:51)  8. Deep Song
(7:27)  9. Gesture
(9:25) 10. The Next Step

As listeners it sometimes feels as though we live vicariously through the musical experiences of the artists we cherish excited by the thrill of discovery, the joy of constant growth, and the sheer emotional wallop that the best music holds. And so it's particularly satisfying to watch an artist emerge as more than merely a talented player and composer, but one of significance and consequence. Guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel arrived on the scene in the early '90s recording with artists including Gary Burton and Paul Motian, and while those early days were spent in a kind of post-Metheny haze, by the middle of the decade a distinctive voice was emerging that was equal parts staggering arpeggio, flurry of cascading notes, and idiosyncratic lyricism. He was also evolving a uniquely ethereal tone processed, but in a thick and velvety manner that was completely his own. The best artists are those with voices so singular that they can be identified within the first couple of notes. By the time of Rosenwinkel's first release of all-original material, '00's Enemies of Energy , it was clear that this was an artist with the potential to become his generation's Frisell, Scofield, or Abercrombie. With the release of Deep Song , that potential is fully realized.

Following the more mainstream The Next Step and an '03 take on electronica, Heartcore , Deep Song feels like a consolidation and acknowledgement of everything Rosenwinkel has done to date. While the instrumentation is more straightforward the leader is joined by pianist Brad Mehldau, saxophonist Joshua Redman, and bassist Larry Grenadier; Ali Jackson alternates drum duties with Jeff Ballard this is far from a mainstream record, with an energy and modernity that is equally strong testament to Rosenwinkel the writer as it is Rosenwinkel the guitarist. By the time the group hit the studio immediately following a whirlwind tour of Europe last summer, they were deeply inside both the material and the collective gestalt. Most revealing are three tracks that Rosenwinkel revisits from his first two Verve releases. As good as those discs are, compare the version of "Synthetics" on Enemies of Energy with this new reading. What is immediately striking is a sense of authority and even stronger sense of adventure in Rosenwinkel's playing. 

Essentially an opening theme that leads into a time-based free improvisation, it also demonstrates the rich interplay taking place throughout the album. Elsewhere, the newer material finds Rosenwinkel continuing to hone his language. The joyous "The Cross" shows how far he has come as a writer of melodies both attractive and curious; and like Abercrombie, Rosenwinkel has a particular penchant for waltz time, finding new ways of subdividing the rhythm so that every track has its own complexion. With an all-star lineup performing material that successfully looks to the past, the future, and the now, Deep Song is Rosenwinkel's most fully-realized album to date, fulfilling the promise of his earlier recordings. With this recording Rosenwinkel makes the leap into that rarefied strata of artists who are truly moving the music forward. ~ John Kelman  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/deep-song-kurt-rosenwinkel-verve-music-group-review-by-john-kelman.php

Personnel: Kurt Rosenwinkel: guitar, vocals, piano (2); Brad Mehldau: piano (1-7, 9, 10); Joshua Redman: tenor saxophone (1, 3-10); Larry Grenadier: bass; Jeff Ballard: drums (3-5, 8); Ali Jackson: drums (1, 2, 6, 7, 10, 11).

Deep Song

---

Johnny Varro Swing 7 - Afterglow

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:33
Size: 151,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:27)  1. It's a Wonderful World
(4:25)  2. Just Squeeze Me (But Don't Tease Me)
(2:58)  3. Ida! Sweet As Apple Cider
(4:24)  4. Truckin'
(4:00)  5. Afterglow
(4:06)  6. In The Still Of The Night
(6:02)  7. Moten Swing
(4:24)  8. Pom Pom
(5:37)  9. Change Partners
(2:51) 10. Humoresque
(3:21) 11. One For Todd
(3:50) 12. Cross Your Heart
(3:28) 13. Front And Center
(4:36) 14. The Chase
(4:56) 15. Brandy N' Beer

Pianist Johnny Varro came closer that anyone in the '90s to play in the flawless swing style of Teddy Wilson. Varro's occasional combos (the one on this CD is called the "Swing 7") are very much in the idiom of late '30s prebop music. Varro, tenor saxophonist Tommy Newsom, Ken Peplowski (on clarinet and his rarely heard alto), trombonist Dan Barrett, trumpeter Randy Sandke, bassist Frank Tate and drummer Joe Ascione perform a variety of '30s and '40s material plus Varro's "Afterglow" and "One for Todd." Although some of the arrangements are reminiscent of John Kirby's Sextet (particularly "Ida, Sweet as Apple Cider," "Humoresque" and Charlie Shavers' "Front and Center"), other groups hinted at are Duke Ellington's small combos, Count Basie and the Dave Pell Octet. The 15 performances include quite a few gems and this is a highly enjoyable example of latter-day small-group swing. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/afterglow-mw0000047267

Personnel: Johnny Varro (piano); Ken Peplowski (clarinet, alto saxophone); Tommy Newsom (tenor saxophone); Randy Sandke (trumpet); Dan Barrett (trombone); Joe Ascione (drums).

Afterglow

---

Johnny Smith - Moonlight In Vermont

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1952
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:06
Size: 101,8 MB
Art: Front

(2:26)  1. Where Or When
(2:42)  2. Tabu
(3:15)  3. Moonlight In Vermont
(2:33)  4. Jaguar
(3:05)  5. Stars Fell On Alabama
(3:26)  6. Tenderly
(3:10)  7. A Ghost Of A Chance
(2:42)  8. Vilia
(2:15)  9. Cavu
(2:47) 10. I'll Be Around
(2:52) 11. Yesterdays
(2:49) 12. Cherokee
(2:20) 13. Sometimes I'm Happy
(2:26) 14. Nice Work If You Can Get It
(2:30) 15. Jaguar [alternative version]
(2:40) 16. My Funny Valentine

This may be the greatest "forgotten" jazz album of its time. "Moonlight In Vermont" was originally released as the B side of a single in '52. Its lush, gorgeous, laid back groove caressed into life by Smith and Stan Getz made it an immediate radio hit and it was voted Jazz Record Of The Year by Downbeat. Over subsequent decades, "Moonlight In Vermont" and the eponymous album to which it gave birth (originally two 10" issues titled Jazz At NBC ) have gradually faded from view: Smith, a studio musician at NBC and regular performer at Birdland for much of the Fifties, more or less retired from performance in the early Sixties and his work has since been out of catalogue more often than it has been in. An uncannily symmetrical 52 years after its first release, Moonlight In Vermont must now be a strong contender for Jazz Reissue Of The Year. The sixteen tracks, recorded between March '52 and August '53, include the original eight with Getz and a further eight with Getz replaced by either Zoot Sims or Paul Quinchette. The music is meticulously arranged, the harmonic development rich and sophisticated, and the performances, particularly those of Smith, Getz and the "first choice" rhythm section of Gold, Safranski and Lamond, technically awesome; the up-tempo unison passages by Smith and Getz especially are jawdroppingly masterful.

Yet Smith never uses technique for its own sake. Throughout, his rapid fire single note runs (every bit as jetspeed as Tal Farlow's, but more sparingly used) and innovative chordal theme statements and solos (truly harmolodic inventions) are just there's no other word heavenly. Like the title track, much of the album is lush, gorgeous and laid back, but there is plenty of fire and energy here too. Still, gloriously and evocatively, in the original mono, the album has been lovingly remastered in 24-bit by Malcolm Addey. If you like Django, Charlie Christian and/or Wes Montgomery, do yourself an immense favour and check it out. Kinda Interesting Factoid : Somewhat unexpectedly, Johnny Smith is the composer of "Walk Don't Run," that massive, twanging, primeval rock 'n' roll hit for the Ventures in '60. The royalties allowed Smith to relocate from NYC to bucolic Colorado. His lifestyle gain perhaps, but our listening loss for sure. ~ Chris May  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/moonlight-in-vermont-johnny-smith-roulette-jazz-review-by-chris-may.php

Personnel: Johnny Smith (guitar); Stan Getz (tenor saxophone); Sanford Gold (piano); Don Lamond, Morey Feld (drums).

Moonlight In Vermont

---