Maria Bethânia - My Backyard

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:33
Size: 95.1 MB
Styles: Brazilian jazz vocals
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[4:26] 1. Alguma Voz [any Voice]
[2:20] 2. Xavante
[4:03] 3. Casa De Caboclo [caboclo's House]
[2:00] 4. Lua Bonita [beautiful Moon]
[2:27] 5. Candeeiro Velho [old Candeleer]
[4:39] 6. Imbelezô Eu Vento De Lá [embellished Me Wind From There]
[2:24] 7. Mãe Maria [mother Maria]
[4:12] 8. Uma Lara Uma Perigosa Yara [a Lara A Dangerous Yara]
[1:51] 9. Moda Da Onça
[3:03] 10. Povos Do Brasil [people Of Brazil]
[3:07] 11. Arco Da Velha Índia [bow Of Old India]
[3:43] 12. Folia De Reis [folly Of Kings]
[3:11] 13. Dindi

This disc, recorded, according to the liner notes, as a way of relieving the emotional turmoil after the death of her mother at 105, focuses attention on her national heritage, "voices of the past that formed part of the creation of Brazil. personified in Bethania's artistic life." It also contains, as a bonus track the one song that may be recognizable to American audiences unfamiliar with Brazilian music, Tom Jobim and Aloysio de Oliveria's "Dindi."

While there is no denying that a knowledge of Portuguese would significantly add to the appreciation of Bethania's music, it is equally undeniable that the emotional honesty of her vocals comes through in spite of any language gap. She has a beautiful voice that exudes passionate intensity. There is a reason she has made all those albums, whatever the language. This is a woman who can sing.

My Backyard

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The Rascals - The Essentials

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:32
Size: 79.1 MB
Styles: AM pop/rock, Blue eyed soul
Year: 2002
Art: Front

[2:39] 1. I Ain't Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore
[2:27] 2. Good Lovin'
[2:24] 3. You Better Run
[2:04] 4. I've Been Lonely Too Long
[2:27] 5. Groovin'
[2:44] 6. A Girl Like You
[2:51] 7. How Can I Be Sure
[2:41] 8. It's Wonderful
[2:32] 9. A Beautiful Morning
[2:57] 10. People Got To Be Free
[3:39] 11. Ray Of Hope
[5:00] 12. See

Shifting from psychedelic pop to blue-eyed soul with only the passionate wail of Felix Cavaliere reminding you that the same band was capable of all this, The Essentials is a nice little combination of the Rascals' many different phases. Smooth and sexy one moment, tense and discordant the next, this does an excellent job of displaying their talents as well as including several of their most recognizable songs. Released on the heels of the superior All I Really Need compilation, this is still a nice grouping of songs that isn't as detailed as it could be, but would work well for fans of their radio work. ~Bradley Torreano

The Essentials

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Mike Mainieri - Northern Lights

Styles: Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:19
Size: 138,5 MB
Art: Front

(7:55)  1. Nature Boy
(7:38)  2. Poochie Pie
(7:44)  3. I've Seen It All
(8:14)  4. Vertigo
(6:55)  5. Flamenco Sketches
(6:06)  6. Naima
(5:08)  7. Dance of Ran
(5:55)  8. Bang
(4:39)  9. Remembrance

Vibraphonist Mike Mainieri has never garnered the same attention as Gary Burton, five years his junior, despite being equally cutting edge. Mainieri was one of fusion's early progenitors: Journey Through an Electric Tube (Solid State, 1968) and White Elephant (Solid State, 1969) explored new ways to incorporate a rock aesthetic with jazz. But while Burton has settled into a more mainstream comfort zone in recent years, Mainieri continues to test new waters. Northern Lights teams him with the "Norwegian Posse" a veritable who's who of the contemporary Norwegian scene. The result blends the groove and ambience of nu jazz with a somewhat more emphatic approach to soloing.  Northern Lights features four-fifths of trumpeter Nils Petter Molvaer's group including Molvaer, guitar soundscapist Eyvind Aarset, live sampler/beat programmer Jan Bang and turntablist DJ Strangefruit so it's no surprise that the disc leans heavily toward atmosphere and a generally more selfless approach emphasizing the collective rather than any individual. Drummer Anders Engen (a regular collaborator with the also-present keyboardist Bugge Wesseltoft) and Swedish bassist Lars Danielsson form a rhythm section that's more straightforward than typically found in nu jazz. Still, while the program includes a trio of standards alongside Mainieri's compositions and a Bjork song, the treatments are anything but conventional.

"Nature Boy," which opens the disc with a gentle reggae groove, is a strong feature for both Molvaer and Mainieri's lyrical, less-is-more approach. Miles Davis' "Flamenco Sketches" is propelled by a gentle backbeat, while John Coltrane's "Naima" is given an Afro-centric reading, thanks to Paolo Vinacchia's hand drums and Mainieri's marimba. The vibe is cool, but not the Nordic cool that's more a stereotypical misconception these days. Relaxed in approach, Mainieri is surrounded by a group of musicians whose command of electronics and processing is so well-integrated that it feels completely organic and, in the case of those playing "conventional" instruments, a thoroughly natural extension. Mainieri's writing ranges from the techno-centric "Poochie Pie" to the Latin-esque "Vertigo" and the snaky groove of "Dance of Ran." "Bang" is dancefloor-ready; saxophonist Bendik Hofseth's solo sound like a funky and energetic extension of Jan Garbarek's earlier years. One could imagine Mainieri playing the balladic "Remembrance" with his Steps Ahead group, but here the added string quartet and atmospherics provided by Bang, Strangefruit and Aarset take it to a more ethereal place. While the cross-pollination of artists from around the world is becoming more common, too few recorded documents exist. The ever-adaptable Mainieri fits perfectly within the sphere of nu jazz's equally malleable improvisational take on electronica. Hopefully Northern Lights will bring well-deserved North American attention to the "Norwegian Posse" and, by extension, the entire vibrant and forward-thinking Scandinavian scene. ~ John Kelman http://www.allaboutjazz.com/northern-lights-mike-mainieri-nyc-records-review-by-john-kelman.php

Personnel: Mike Mainieri: vibraphone, marimba; Nils Petter Molvaer: trumpet; Bendik Hofseth: saxophones; Bugge Wesseltoft: keyboards, synths, acoustic and prepared piano; Eyvind Aarset: electric guitar; Lars Danielsson: bass; Anders Engen: drums; Paolo Vinaccia: percussion; Jan Bang: live sampling, beat programming; DJ Strangefruit: turntables.

Northern Lights

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Peter Fesperanto Fessler & NDR Big Band - I Concentrate On You

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:09
Size: 124,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:57)  1. My One and Only Love
(4:46)  2. You Go to My Head
(5:12)  3. Triste
(5:44)  4. I Concentrate On You
(7:11)  5. Here's to Life
(5:29)  6. My Foolish Heart
(5:21)  7. The Gentle Rain
(4:54)  8. Voices On the Stair
(7:24)  9. Dindi
(3:07) 10. Not Like This

Fessler received with 12 years of his discoverer and mentor Rick Abao the first guitar lessons in jazz and Brazilian music. After leaving school, followed by a longer stay in the USA, where he continued dedicated to the music. The singer with Canadian - Polish - German roots played sessions in clubs, bars and hotels in New York and San Francisco. During this period also first own compositions. Back in Germany began Fessler, whose voice four octaves includes, studying for vocal jazz seminar of the Musikhochschule in Cologne and was from 1983 to 1987 the singer of Trio Rio, a Latin jazz band, in 1986 by the hit New York-Rio Tokyo became known. Then Fessler worked with a trio consisting of Berthold Matschat at the piano, Gunnar Plümer on bass and drummer Matthias hull. In order to realize his own musical ideas further, it drew Fessler for some time back in the United States, where he devoted himself to writing songs and, inter alia, with Sheila E. and Chaka Khan worked.

The renewed return to Germany followed in 1991, the first solo album My songs and various concerts and radio and TV productions. Fessler was the German voice of Aladdin in the same Walt Disney production. Here, the song was created by a True Story, a duet with Sabine Hettlich. After publication of the 1993 album Do not Tell Me is Fessler dedicated mainly a jazz and Latin jazz repertoire and composed his own pieces. On the 2000 album Signatures exclusively own compositions were. Al Jarreau took him at the Montreux Jazz Festival with his guitar as a duet partner on stage.Moreover Fessler Special Guest was with Randy Crawford's 1999's tour. He joined the end of 2003 in Tokyo. With its fusion of voice and classical guitar he has since found a new sound aesthetic. On his album The with you (2010) he interprets German poetry by Miriam Frances, Erich Kastner and Alexander Bragao. On the album Spirit of Christmas (2013) from Pee Wee Ellis, he interpreted the pop classic Last Christmas. Translate by google https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Fessler

I Concentrate On You

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Nils Landgren - Redhorn Collection Part I And II

Album: Nils Landgren - Redhorn Collection Part I
Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:29
Size: 150,3 MB
Art: Front

(5:15)  1. Traci (Live)
(3:52)  2. Simple Life
(6:15)  3. You Dig
(4:50)  4. Da Fonk
(5:40)  5. Six Beauties On a Rooftop
(5:06)  6. Riders On the Storm
(4:27)  7. Knowing Me, Knowing You
(5:05)  8. House Party
(5:39)  9. Stuff Like That
(1:19) 10. Kibera Sunrise
(5:34) 11. Mag Runs the Voodoo Down
(4:54) 12. Get Serious Get a Job
(3:42) 13. Ain't Nobody (Live)
(3:43) 14. Ack Waermland Due Skoena (Live)

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Album: Nils Landgren - Redhorn Collection Part II
Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:09
Size: 128,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:35)  1. Song from the Valley
(2:51)  2. Love of My Life (feat. Michael Wollny, Lars Danielsson, Johan Norberg & Rasmus Kihlberg)
(4:07)  3. This Masquerade
(4:45)  4. The Moon's a Harsh Mistress
(4:40)  5. Silent Way (feat. Nils Landgren, Lars Danielsson, Sebastian Studnitzky & Frank Kuruc)
(4:02)  6. Fire and Rain (feat. Nils Landgren)
(6:51)  7. Fragile
(3:50)  8. Imagine (Live)
(6:05)  9. You Stole My Heart (feat. Esbjorn Svensson Trio)
(6:23) 10. The Brightest Smile in Town
(4:31) 11. I Will Survive
(4:22) 12. Get Here

Swedish funk and jazz trombone player Nils Landgren spent his formative years at the music college in Karlstad and at the university in Arvika studying classical trombone. He discovered improvisation after a meeting with jazz legends Bengt-Arne Wallin and Eje Thelin and moved to Stockholm, after which he toured with Swedish pop phenomena Björn Skifs ("Hooked on a Feeling"). 

Since then, Landgren has appeared on some 500 albums, including collections from artists as diverse as Herbie Hancock, ABBA, the Crusaders, and Wyclef Jean. He released his debut solo album (Planet Rock ) in 1983, followed by a string of successful titles including Streetfighter, You Are My Nr 1, Miles from Duke, Chapter 2, and Follow Your Heart. In 1992 he formed the Nils Landgren Funk Unit, which has released numerous recordings including Live in Stockholm, Fonk da World, 5,000 Miles, and Funky ABBA. ~ James Christopher Monger https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/nils-landgren/id252465524#fullText

Redhorn Collection Part I, Part II

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The Australian Jazz Quintet - At The Varsity Drag

Styles: Jazz, Swing
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:18
Size: 81,6 MB
Art: Front

(2:06)  1. Alone Together
(3:07)  2. Koala
(3:09)  3. That Old Feeling
(3:05)  4. Affaire D'amour
(3:05)  5. The Lady Is A Tramp
(3:50)  6. Lover Man
(2:42)  7. The Thrill Is Gone
(2:42)  8. New South Wail
(2:57)  9. Few Get It
(3:06) 10. So Nice
(2:43) 11. Varsity Drag
(2:40) 12. It Might As Well Be Spring

In the mid-'50s, the Australian Jazz Quartet were considered an unusual group since, in addition to piano, bass, and drums, their instrumentation had alto or flute, tenor or bassoon, and vibes. The band featured their own sly wit, which is often in evidence on this collection of tunes, particularly on "Varsity Drag." In addition to seven standards (including "Alone Together," "The Lady Is a Tramp," and "It Might As Well Be Spring"), the Aussies play three songs by Bill Holman, one from Med Flory, and an obscurity. 

The blend of bassoon, flute, and vibes in some sections is quite memorable even if the music overall was not all that innovative. Although a touch lightweight (with each of the selections clocking in around three minutes apiece), the results are enjoyable. 

~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-australian-jazz-quintet-at-the-varsity-drag-mw0000050371

Personnel: Dick Healey (alto saxophone, flute); Erroll Buddle (tenor saxophone, bassoon); Jack Brokensha (vibraphone); Bryce Rohde (piano); Jimmy Gannon (bass); Frankie Capp (drums).

Thank You my friend!

At The Varsity Drag

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