Al Casey - Jumpin' With Al

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:40
Size: 132.0 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 1974/2007
Art: Front

[5:41] 1. Rosetta
[7:13] 2. Willow Weep For Me
[5:39] 3. One Woman's Man
[4:20] 4. I'm Beginning To See The Light
[3:47] 5. Pousse-Café
[6:52] 6. Just You, Just Me
[9:42] 7. If You Ain't K
[6:33] 8. I Wish I Knew
[4:13] 9. I'm Beginning To See The Light
[3:36] 10. Pousse-Café (Take 2)

Best known as Fats Waller's guitarist in the 1930s, Al Casey has played for many decades since that time. On this reissue CD, Casey had his first opportunity to lead his own record date in 13 years. Seven performances (including a previously unreleased number and two new alternate takes) match Casey in a quartet with pianist Jay McShann, bassist Roland Lobligeois, and drummer Paul Gunther; "Rosetta" and two versions of "I'm Beginning to See the Light" are most memorable. The other three numbers (which include "Just You, Just Me" and "I Wish I Knew") have Casey, tenor saxophonist Arnett Cobb, pianist Milt Buckner, Lobligeois, and drummer Michael Silva joined by the tap dancing of Jimmy Slide. All in all, this set does jump a lot and is a fine example of 1940s-style small group swing that looks toward early R&B. ~Scott Yanow

Jumpin' With Al

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Misa Malone - Awaited

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:44
Size: 95.6 MB
Styles: Soul
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[4:41] 1. He Awaits
[4:36] 2. Can't Get Enough
[4:09] 3. My Love
[4:15] 4. Confetti
[3:33] 5. Behind
[4:41] 6. Busted Love
[3:51] 7. That Bounce
[3:35] 8. Love Me Or Leave Me
[4:25] 9. This I Do
[3:55] 10. Still Wondering

Misa Malone's new album, Awaited, is a compilation of powerful songs that will take you from jumping and dancing to sighing in reflection of past heartbreak. Awaited, embodies "Smooth Soul" and presents it to the masses with a fierce and fiery musical collection.

Awaited

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Mark Winkler - Sweet Spot

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:30
Size: 113.3 MB
Styles: Vocal
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[4:09] 1. Like Young
[4:51] 2. Catch Me If You Can
[4:00] 3. But Not For Me
[4:47] 4. Sweet Spot
[4:49] 5. This Side Of Loving
[3:46] 6. Somewhere In Brazil (East Coast)
[2:42] 7. After Hours
[4:43] 8. On Broadway
[3:58] 9. Jazz Is A Special Taste
[4:13] 10. Some Other Sunset
[3:31] 11. Their Hearts Were Full Of Spring
[3:56] 12. Somewhere In Brazil (East Coast)

For all of his musical bona fides, Mark Winkler is no more a jazz singer than Jim Caruso or Michael Buble. In spite of the fact that he attracted the best of the best in his sidemen—bassist Robert Hurst, pianist Billy Childs and drummer Gregory Hutchinson—for Sweet Spot, he remains something else. The point being, that whatever kind of singer Winker is, it is beside the point. Like Caruso's Swing Set (Yellow Sound Label, 2011), Sweet Spot captures the art of the cabaret singer, the suave stylist with wit and perfect intonation.

Perfect intonation or not, Winkler, like Caruso, possesses that most important vocal element for a singer—a distinctive voice. Winkler's sonics are less than perfect, his voice too refined to contain grit, possessing a rasp that makes it unique—and, more importantly, identifiable. Add this to his keen arranger's ear and Winkler turns a standard like "But Not for Me" on its ear.

Childs introduces the Gershwin classic with a quote from the Miles Davis songbook, using Red Garland's original introduction to Davis' 1956 Prestige recording of "If I Were a Bell," from Relaxin' With the Miles Davis Quintet. Winkler casts the song as originally sung by Judy Garland in Girl Crazy. This is not your mother's Chet Baker cover; Winkler means business, singing crisply with superb support. A splendid bass solo sums up the rendition that is as tasteful as it is creative and emotive. ~C. Michael Bailey

Mark Winkler: vocals; Eli Brueggemann: piano; Tim Emmons: bass; Steve Barnes: drums; Bob Sheppard: sax; Kim Richmond: sax; Grant Geissman: guitar; Billy Childs: piano; Greg Hutchinson: drums; Anthony Wilson; guitar; Nolan Shaheed: trumpet; Robert Hurst: bass; Luis Conte: percussion.

Sweet Spot

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Dick Hyman & Ray Kennedy - What Is There To Say?

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:21
Size: 146,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:57)  1. Yes Sir, That's My Baby
(3:59)  2. What Is There To Say?
(4:39)  3. Idaho
(6:21)  4. These Foolish Things
(6:23)  5. Jumpin' With Symphony Sid
(6:45)  6. One Morning In May
(3:14)  7. Just A Skosh
(3:44)  8. It's The Talk Of The Town
(3:22)  9. For Dancers Only
(4:03) 10. Can't We Be Friends?
(3:32) 11. Waltzin' Without The 'G'
(5:49) 12. Clara, Clara
(2:59) 13. I Ain't Got Nobody
(3:27) 14. Goodbye

Recorded meetings of two pianists, once considered to be nothing but a novelty, gained greater acceptance after Marian McPartland invited many of the top jazz pianists to appear on her long-running radio series, but not every duo piano matchup is equally memorable. As Dick Hyman discusses in his liner notes to this session with Ray Kennedy (the pianist of the John Pizzarelli Trio), each musician must take turns playing solos and a supporting role, and feel that a meeting of minds is taking place.

Fortunately, that is the case, as this project is never a cutting contest but a joint effort that explores the possibilities of each song, most of which are standards. Among the many highlights are the dissonant arrangement of "These Foolish Things," a romp through "Jumpin' With Symphony Sid," "Clara, Clara," a moody obscurity from the Ira and George Gershwin, and a heartfelt take of the bittersweet ballad "Goodbye," which long served as Benny Goodman's sign-off piece. Each man offers an original as well. Kennedy brought "Just a Skosh," a rollicking tune that would have been right at home during the 1930s. Hyman revived "Waltzin' Without the G," a piece he wrote in 1973 for a televised beauty pageant; this shimmering gem seems as if it was conceived with two pianos in mind. With two inventive and musically intuitive pianists playing two magnificent pianos and a pair of engineers who are in tune with the artists' goals, the results achieved on this outstanding date should come as no surprise. ~ Ken Dryden http://www.allmusic.com/album/what-is-there-to-say-mw0001011519

Personnel:  Dick Hyman – piano; Ray Kennedy – piano.

What Is There To Say?

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Deborah J. Carter - Diggin' The Duke!

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:02
Size: 161,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:31)  1. Petite Fleur Africaine
(4:48)  2. Low and Light
(5:27)  3. Harlem Nocturne
(3:22)  4. The Gal From Joe’s
(4:32)  5. Do Nothing till you Hear From Me
(6:08)  6. Satin Doll
(5:00)  7. Prelude To A Kiss
(2:59)  8. Purple Gazelle
(3:43)  9. It Don’t Mean a Thing
(4:41) 10. Melancholia
(6:05) 11. Solitude
(4:34) 12. Music Is My Mistress
(4:26) 13. I Ain’t Got Nothin’ But The Blues
(3:49) 14. Don’t Get Around Much Anymore
(4:50) 15. The First Time I Heard Ellington

Diggin' The Duke is the exciting new release from vocal enchantress Deborah J. Carter. With this program Deborah shines a very new and personal light on known and unknown repertoire of Duke Ellington. Deborah, with Mark Zandveld and Leo Bouwmeester, rearranged from a contemporary perspective a selection of Ellington's compositions, and Deborah composed original lyrics to a few of his instrumentals. They use a variety of swing, Latin and fusion rhythms and adventurous harmonies. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Diggin-Duke-Deborah-J-Carter/dp/B00Y0JPB3S

Personnel:  Deborah J. Carter, Vocals & Flute | Leo Bouwmeester, Piano | Mark Zandveld, Bass | Gunnar Graafmans, Drums & Percussion | Efraim Trujillo, sax | Hermine Deurloo, Harmonica | Mateusz Pulawski, Guitar | Alex Simu, Clarinet d’amour | Emiel Wienholts, Sax

Diggin' The Duke!

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Rich Perry - Organique

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:46
Size: 130,2 MB
Art: Front

( 9:59)  1. Toys
( 9:05)  2. I Didn’t Know What Time It Was
(10:04)  3. Afternoon In Paris
( 9:16)  4. Without a Song
(10:03)  5. Thad’s Pad
( 8:16)  6. Dance Of The Infidels

Tenorist Rich Perry holds an established track record of subverting expectations and embodying contradictions. He is reportedly a reluctant band leader in the studio, yet Organique registers as his twenty-second album for Steeplechase. Curiously, it’s his first fronting an organ trio, although he worked previously with Gary Versace on the organist’s debut for the Danish label over a decade ago. On that outing, guitarist John Abercrombie served as an additional harmonic foil and soloist. Here it’s just Versace and drummer Jeff Hirshfield supplying support and the lean format while quietly and consistently challenging yields a surprisingly sedate set of performances in sum. Count on Perry to zig and he’s more likely to zag.

As with the majority of his previous dates, Perry falls back on a program of standards and covers, but his distinctive bop-based phrasing stubbornly resists predictability. Versace fills a multi-purpose role very similar to the one he fielded as a member of saxophonist Ellery Eskelin’s New York Organ Trio around the same time, generating slippery leads, responsive comping and resonant, rippling bass lines with equal expertise. He bathes it all in a warm, enveloping tonal gloss that works as an instant relaxing agent on the ears and in the service a phraseology that repeatedly evades B-3 cliché.

A drowsy and melodious investigation of Herbie Hancock’s seminal “Toys” finds Perry and Versace plying the vertical spiraling theme and sandwiching a pair of searching solos in-between before a somewhat matter-of-fact finish.  “I Didn’t Know What Time It Was” follows an analogous path of least resistance with Perry blowing wistfully across plush, pulsing comping from the organist. The saxophonist’s lines resolve unexpectedly, once again mirroring a mind intent on making the familiar delightfully peculiar. As if to heighten contrast, Hirshfield traffics in skeletal, cymbal-driven time-keeping, taking care not to get in the way or shade outside the lines.

“Afternoon in Paris” and a Latin-tinged “Without a Song” spool out with comparable degrees of poise and measured poignancy, but once again the prevailing mood is even-tempered. Verace adds some off-kilter pedal effects to the front and back ends of the former and generates a voluminous, highly propulsive bass line on the latter. Perry fashions agile solo extemporizations on both, making the most of the upper registers of his horn. Hirshfield is still largely relegated to deferential tempo management and accents for better and worse, leaving the highwire work to his colleagues.

“Thad’s Pad” brings the blues, with a switch to brushes and another tumescent bass presence by Versace that snakes lasciviously around the organist’s lithe right hand variations. A vivacious, if somewhat viscous rendering of Bud Powell’s “Dance of the Infidels” clinches the set with more ambrosial interplay between tenor and Hammond B-3. Packed with plentiful slow smolder passages rather than outright brush fires, the disc holds much to recommend it as Perry’s first (and overdue) foray helming an organ outfit. ~ Derek Taylor http://dustedmagazine.tumblr.com/post/125774960201/rich-perry-organique-steeplechase

Musicians:  Rich Perry – Tenor Saxophone;  Gary Versace – Hammond B-3 Organ;  Jeff Hisrshfiled – Drums

Organique

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