Eddie 'Cleanhead' Vinson - Cleanhead's Back In Town

Size: 102,1 MB

Time: 39:46

File: MP3 @ 320K/s

Released: 1996

Styles: Jazz Blues Vocals

Art: Front

01. Cleanhead's Back In Town (2:58)

02. That's The Way To Treat Your Woman (2:31)

03. Trouble In Mind (2:25)

04. Kidney Stew (2:27)

05. Sweet Lovin' Baby (2:54)

06. Caldonia (2:51)

07. Porgy And Bess - It Ain't Necessarily So (2:49)

08. Cherry Red (2:40)

09. Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby (2:49)

10. I Just Keep The Tears From Tumblin' Down (3:10)

11. Your Baby Ain't Sweet Like Mine (2:24)

12. Hold It Right There (2:27)

13. Trouble In Mind (2:26)

14. Kidney Stew (2:25)

15. Hold It Right There (2:24)

One of only two albums that altoist/singer Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson led during 1956-1966, this infectious set finds him performing some of his best known tunes. With assistance by a medium-size group that plays in a Count Basie groove (including such Basie-ites as trumpeter Joe Newman, trombonist Henry Coker, either Frank Foster or Paul Quinichette on tenor, and pianist Nat Pierce), Cleanhead makes such songs as "Kidney Stew," "Caldonia," "Cherry Red," "Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby," and "Hold It Right There" sound full of joy. This CD reissue adds three alternate takes that were originally recorded in stereo. A good sampling of the great Cleanhead. ~by Scott Yanow

Cleanhead's Back In Town

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Sant Andreu Jazz Band - Jazzing 4: Vol. 1 & Vol. 2

Album: Jazzing 4: Vol. 1
Size: 108,8 MB
Time: 46:35
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz: Big Band, Vocals
Art: Front

01. Exactly Like You (3:37)
02. Minor Swing (5:01)
03. Georgia On My Mind (3:57)
04. Jeep's Blues (4:15)
05. Ain't What You Do (3:17)
06. Mood Indigo (3:39)
07. Groovin High (5:59)
08. Sometimes I'm Happy (4:32)
09. Pretti Trix (2:31)
10. My Baby Just Cares For Me (4:06)
11. China Boy (5:34)

Sant Andreu Jazz Band is a youth jazz band from Barcelona, featuring 7- to 20-year-old children and teenagers. The bandleader is Joan Chamorro.

The band was founded in 2006 at Escola Municipal de Música de Sant Andreu. The band has performed at numerous concerts and festivals in Catalonia and neighbouring countries. They released their first live CD/DVD Jazzing: Live at Casa Fuster in 2009, featuring alongside established jazz musicians, the precocious 14-year-old, Andrea Motis, among other young talents.

2010 was a breakthrough year for the band, with appearances on more than 20 festivals including Valls, Terrassa, Girona, Barcelona, Platja d'Aro, and legendary venues like el Jamboree, Palau de la Música Catalana, JazzSi, Hotel Casa Fuster, featuring international performers like Dick Oatts, Ken Peplowski, Bobby Gordon, Perico Sambeat, Ignasi Terraza, Matthew Simon, and Esteve Pi. The band also released their second recording Jazzing vol.2.

In 2012 the film director Ramón Tort made the documentary A film about kids and music based on the band's work and efforts. The film was awarded best feature film at the Lights. Camera. Help. festival in Austin, Texas, in 2013.

Personnel:
Alba Esteban, Joan Martí, Eduard Ferrer, Helena Pañart, Iscle Datzira, Jaume Ferrer, Carles Vázquez, Eva Fernández, Marçal Perramon (saxes), Alba Armengou Elsa Armengou, Victor Carrascosa, Andea Motis, Joan Mar Sauqué, Pablo Ferández, Martí Ibáñez (trumpets), Max Tato, Paula Berzal, Joan Codina, Arnau Sánchez, Eva Garín (trombones), Max Salgado (trompa), Elia Bastida (violin), Marc Martín, Marc Ferrer, Jan Domenech (piano), Carla Motis (guitar, banjo, ukulele), Magalí Datzira (bass, vocals), Arnau Julià, Joan Aleix Mata, Ivan Cervantes, Abril Suarí (drums).

Vocals: Andrea Motis (#1,10), Eva Fernandez (#3), Edu Jorba (#5)

Guests artists: Dick Oatts (alto sax on #1,4,6,7), Scott Robinson (baritone sax on #5, bass sax on #9,11), Scott Hamilton (tenor sax on #2,3,8,10,11), Ignasi Terraza (piano on #1,7,8,10), Josep Traver (guitar on #1,2,7,9,10, banjo on #11), Curro Gálvez (bass on #1,7), Esteve Pi (drums on #1,7), Víctor Correa (trombone on #1,4,6), Ricard Gili (vocals on #5), Joan Chamorro (baritone sax on #4,7, bass on #8,10).

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Album: Jazzing 4: Vol. 2
Size: 112,9 MB
Time: 48:23
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz: Big Band, Vocals
Art: Front

01. Vip's Boogie (4:06)
02. Willow Weep For Me (4:15)
03. A-Tisket A-Tascket (4:44)
04. Easy Living (4:30)
05. So What (8:38)
06. Nature Boy (4:12)
07. Koko (3:15)
08. On The Sunny Side Of The Street (3:21)
09. Have You Meets Mis Jones (3:24)
10. When You're Smiling (3:51)
11. Royal Garden Blues (4:02)

Personnel:
Alba Esteban, Joan Martí, Eduard Ferrer, Helena Pañart, Iscle Datzira, Jaume Ferrer, Carles Vázquez, Eva Fernández, Marçal Perramon (saxes), Alba Armengou Elsa Armengou, Victor Carrascosa, Andea Motis, Joan Mar Sauqué, Pablo Ferández, Martí Ibáñez (trumpets), Max Tato, Paula Berzal, Joan Codina, Arnau Sánchez, Eva Garín (trombones), Max Salgado (trompa), Elia Bastida (violin), Marc Martín, Marc Ferrer, Jan Domenech (piano), Carla Motis (guitar, banjo, ukulele), Magalí Datzira (bass, vocals), Arnau Julià, Joan Aleix Mata, Ivan Cervantes, Abril Suarí (drums).

Vocals: Alba Armengou (#3,10), Alba Esteban (#3), Andrea Motis (#5), Magalí Datzira (#6), Paula Berzal (#8), Eduard Ferrer (#9)

Guests artists: Dick Oatts (alto sax on #2,6, soprano sax on #5), Scott Robinson (tenor sax on #3,4,7, trumpet on #3, baritone sax on #9, bass sax on #11), Scott Hamilton (tenor sax on #1,8,10), Ignasi Terraza (piano on #2,10), Josep Traver (guitar on #2,5,6,10, banjo on #11), Curro Gálvez (bass on #2,5,6), Esteve Pi (drums on #2,6), Víctor Correa (trombone on #2, tuba on #5), Ricard Gili (trumpet on #11).

Jazzing 4 Vol.1,Vol.2 2014  

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Diana Krall - Wallflower: The Complete Sessions

Size: 174,3 MB
Time: 74:18
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz Pop Vocals
Art: Front

01. California Dreamin' (3:17)
02. Desperado (3:32)
03. Superstar (4:17)
04. Alone Again (Naturally) (Feat. Michael Buble) (3:50)
05. Wallflower (Feat. Blake Mills) (3:05)
06. If I Take You Home Tonight (3:53)
07. I Can't Tell You Why (3:40)
08. Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word (4:11)
09. Operator (That's Not The Way It Feels) (3:41)
10. I'm Not In Love (3:52)
11. Feels Like Home (Feat. Bryan Adams) (4:21)
12. Don't Dream It's Over (3:36)
13. In My Life (3:53)
14. Yeh Yeh (Feat. Georgie Fame) (3:08)
15. Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word (Live From Paris 2014) (3:44)
16. Wallflower (Live From Paris 2014) (3:09)
17. A Case Of You (4:53)
18. If You Could Read My Mind (Feat. Sarah Mclachlan) (3:43)
19. Everybody's Talkin' (Feat. Vince Gill) (3:34)
20. Heart Of Gold (2:49)

Verve Records is set to release an expanded deluxe edition of Diana Krall's latest album, Wallflower, on September 25th. The extended version will debut prior to the start of Krall's European tour.

Wallflower, which has sold over 600,000 units in its first four months of release, features the noteworthy pairing of Krall with famed producer and Verve Chairman, David Foster. Breaking new ground on this complete edition, the Grammy® winning artist interprets some of the greatest pop song classics from the late 60's to present day. Each track reflects back on the musical inspirations from her early years.

The deluxe edition will introduce four additional tracks from the Wallflower sessions, including the first studio recording of Diana celebrating Joni Mitchell with her own rendition of "A Case of You." In addition, Krall covers her fellow Canadian, Neil Young, on his legendary song, "Heart of Gold." Other notable collaborations include duets with singer-songwriter, Sarah McLachlan on Gordon Lightfoot's "If You Could Read My Mind," as well as Nashville icon Vince Gill, on the Fred Neil classic "Everybody's Talkin'."

Foster expressed his enthusiasm for the deluxe edition, "I'm so excited that the world is going to finally hear these recordings from the Wallflower sessions. Sarah McLachlan and Vince Gill put their own special magic on two classic songs. Diana's piano playing and vocal interpretation combined with Vince Mendoza's orchestral arrangement on 'A Case of You' is truly spectacular."

Wallflower

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Clare Fischer - Out Of The Blue

Size: 164,8 MB
Time: 70:55
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz: Piano Jazz
Art: Front

01. Love's Walk (Feat. Brent Fischer & Peter Erskine) (5:48)
02. Tema Do Boneco De Palha (Feat. Mike Shapiro & Brent Fischer) (4:22)
03. When You Wish Upon A Star/Someday My Prince Will Come (7:56)
04. Starbright (Feat. Brent Fischer & Peter Erskine) (4:20)
05. Two For The Road (3:42)
06. Cascade Of The Seven Waterfalls (Feat. Brent Fischer & Mike Shapiro) (6:25)
07. Out Of The Blue (Feat. John Proulx, Peter Erskine, Brent Fischer & Denise Donatelli) (4:30)
08. Millbrae Walk (Feat. Brent Fischer & Mike Shapiro) (2:54)
09. Amor Em Paz (3:16)
10. Squatty Roo (Feat. Brent Fischer) (5:21)
11. Nuages (Feat. Peter Erskine & Brent Fischer) (5:48)
12. Novelho (4:09)
13. 49 (Larry Ford) [Feat. Brent Fischer & Peter Erskine] (4:20)
14. Carnaval/A Felicidade/Samba De Orfeu (Feat. Mike Shapiro & Brent Fischer) (7:58)

Dr. Clare Fischer – Keyboards, composer, arranger
Brent Fischer – Producer, arranger, all Percussion instruments, bass
Peter Erskine – drums on love’s Walk, starbright, out of the blue, nuages and 49
Mike Shapiro – drums on tema do boneco de Palha, cascade of the seven Waterfalls, Millbrae Walk, and carnaval / a Felicidade / samba de orpheu medley
Denise Donatelli – Vocals on out of the blue
John Proulx – Vocals on out of the blue recorded, edited and mixed by Matthew Brownlie and Brent Fischer

Album notes:
It’s an amazing experience when, unexpectedly, a wish suddenly comes true. if it happens repeatedly, then that’s just plain good luck. and so it began years ago when i started archiving the written music library of my father, dr. Clare Fischer. i had hoped to find buried treasure in the stacks—material previously not seen or heard by others—that could be added to his public output. it has been one great find after another and it’s still happening!

Getting most of the music he wanted to perform himself recorded, as opposed to leaving some for others to play, took right up until the end of his life. as with his final concerts, when he was recording, there was an absolute joy of spontaneity. throughout his life, he felt that emotional content was always strongest during the first or second take so we always recorded that way, even if it meant minuscule imperfections were kept for the greater good of a heartfelt performance. i continue that practice today.

During the process of recording his original material, i almost lost sight of another important aspect of my dad’s brilliance: his ability to re-develop the compositions of others into unmistakably personal statements that had the qualities of a new work while still retaining the character of the piece as it was known. i’m proud to present here a compendium of previously unreleased original material, different settings for some originals plus arrangements of great american, latin and european standards.

The latest surprise came while in the middle of a busy schedule wrapping up this and a few other albums; Pluto and it’s largest moon charon came into view—out of the blue. i had to stop and look, filled with childhood memories of peeking through my dad’s telescope at celestial bodies, always yearning for more detail. We shared our fascination with astronomy for decades, constantly delighting at new images sent from telescopes or spacecraft. We hope you’ll explore these new recordings with that same sense of joy.

The title for Love’s Walk came about from the morning walks my dad took with his wife donna. they were so happy together. i think it shows in this trio rendition of what had previously been a solo piano piece on his album Introspectivo.

Tema do Boneco de Palha (theme of the Straw Doll) is a vibrant Brazilian piece made famous in 1963 by guitarist Rosinha de Valença. We didn’t know that when we recorded it, only that the song had long been in my dad’s memory, probably from hearing it while in south america in the 1960’s. special thanks to Franklin de Flauta and Andrea Ernest in rio for identifying this masterpiece.

My dad’s love for spontaneously conjoining multiple works is evident next in his solo piano medley of When you Wish upon a Star and Someday My Prince Will Come. note how the layers of development relate the two songs together in a unified theme.

The song Starbright goes way back beyond its first appearance as a duo recording on the album of the same name. Written when my dad was a young man, he felt it was too adventurous and left it on the shelves for years until a gifted student asked to hear some of his early works. i was a teenager at the time and when we heard him play that song, we convinced him to record it. it is here in quartet form as we have played it live.

Those who know our recent orchestral album Music for Strings, Percussion and the Rest will recognize this solo piano version of two for the road as being based on dad’s symphonic version. it starts out almost literally as a piano reduction of the orchestra score but then develops beyond that as it modulates.

When my dad first heard Azymuth play Cascade of the Seven Waterfalls he was enchanted by it. We have played it many times over the years and i’m glad the last time was in a recording studio.

About 10 years ago i found an untitled manuscript and asked dad to play the tune. We both liked it so much, he gave it the title out of the Blue. this is another adventurous piece and I thank Denise Donatelli and John Proulx for bringing to life my vision to have it sung because the double melody lends itself so well to a vocal duo.

Dad used to take walks in the Millbrae area north of San Francisco whenever he’d visit or work with Cal Tjader. the song Millbrae Walk first appeared on the album Tjaderama made shortly after Cal’s death and in five part harmony on the Clare Fischer clarinet choir album A Family Affair. the version here is a more percussive setting in two part harmony as originally conceived. this, Starbright and out of the blue are some of my favorite Clare Fischer tunes.

Reflect on the genius of Clare Fischer at the piano as you listen to his rendition of Amor em Paz. he could always make even the slowest tempo full of interesting interaction and intense emotion.

Although we have a great version of Squatty Roo on the Clare Fischer clarinet choir album On a Turquoise Cloud, the one here is completely improvised by father and son playing together. i used to stand behind dad on stage watching his hands, listening and after decades of playing together, it meant that I could usually guess the general direction he was going next and be “inside his mind” to keep up with him no matter what he did.

Another standard he used to love playing extremely slowly for maximum emotional content was Nuages. at this tempo, every note of the melody becomes an opportunity for exploration and development.

Yet another unexpected bonus when assembling the tracks for this album was finding an unmarked and unreleased recording from what sounds like the early 1960's. dad would later develop this song into Novelho by adding a bridge and then asking me to arrange it for the clarinet choir. if you know that song, you’ll get a chance to hear the seed idea here, a great line in and of itself, with some classic free form improvisation.

There are many who have been honored by Clare Fischer writing a song for them when their lives ended too soon. this goes way back to Piece for scotty (Scott laFaro) on the first ever clare Fischer album and more recently, great jazz writer Francis Paudras. 49 was titled for the age at which my father’s good friend, musician Larry Ford, died.

Finally, we close with another spontaneous medley, this time of great Brazilian standards Carnaval, A Felicidade and Samba de Orpheu. Clare Fischer was one of the first musicians to bring Brazilian music to America more than 50 years ago so it’s fitting that he have the last word on it here.

I want to personally thank all of the superlative artists for lending their unique talents to this album and you, the listener, for deciding to own a physical work of art from clare Fischer instead of settling for the low resolution digital version without proper credits. I’m eagerly looking forward to showing you more new Fischer material when it appears out of the blue! —Brent Fischer

Out Of The Blue

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Rebecca Hardiman - Easy Living

Size: 128,7 MB
Time: 55:04
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Thou Swell (4:18)
02. Give Me The Simple Life (2:30)
03. Easy Living (4:07)
04. You Go To My Head (4:30)
05. Boplicity (4:05)
06. Mountain Greenery (2:14)
07. Stella By Starlight (5:07)
08. Blue Gardenia (5:01)
09. Anything Goes (3:51)
10. I Wished On The Moon (4:35)
11. Harold's House Of Jazz (3:25)
12. Put On A Happy Face (3:12)
13. You Don't Know What Love Is (4:44)
14. They All Laughed (3:19)

Vocal jazz the way it used to be...Pure straight ahead swing reminiscent of Ella Fitzgerald, June Christy and Anita O'Day. That's what you get with Rebecca Hardiman.

Rebecca started her career in 1987 with the Boston-based vocal jazz group The Ritz and performed throughout the United States, and at the Montreal Jazz Festival in Canada. While with The Ritz, she recorded a CD for Denon Columbia entitled The Ritz. That recording has recently been re-released as part of the "Giants in Vocal Jazz" available at Amazon.

In 1992, she started the Portland based vocal jazz group "Euphoria" which performed for 10 years in the Pacific Northwest - and was the opening group for Mel Torme' when he appeared at The Eugene Hult Center in 1993.

Now on her own as a solo artist, she has gained much respect and accolades from notable Portland jazz artists. She performs regularly with top musicians including Ron Steen, Dave Captein, Dan Presley, Brant Allard, Kurt Deutscher and Ray Hardiman.

Rebecca recorded a CD of original gospel Big-Band songs in 2009, and more recently - a CD of favorite jazz standards in 2013 - and her latest release "Easy Living" out August 2015.

Easy Living

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Earl Hines - Paris Session

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 37:56

Size: 86.9 MB

Styles: Piano jazz

Year: 2010

Art: Front

[4:18] 1. I Surrender Dear

[5:09] 2. I Cover The Waterfront

[2:18] 3. Second Balcony Jump

[4:21] 4. A Pretty Girl Is Like A Melody

[2:40] 5. Tourisme

[5:25] 6. Blue Because Of You

[2:18] 7. Somebody Loves Me

[2:51] 8. Sixty-Five Faubourg

[5:26] 9. On The Sunny Side Of The Street

[3:04] 10. Sweet Sue

Earl Hines, a mainstay of 20th century jazz piano, is here presented in a rare solo recording from 1965, sounding not at all dated nearly half a century later. This session gathers seven evergreens together plus three Hines originals, including his by-now-standard "Second Balcony Jump."

"I don't think I think when I play," Hines says, "I have a photographic memory for chords, and when I'm playing, the right chords appear in my mind like photographs long before I get to them... I always challenge myself. I get out in deep water and I always try to get back. But I sometimes get hung up. The audience never knows, but that's when I smile the most, when I show the most ivory... If I'm working a pretty melody, I'll just slip in to a waltz time or cut the tempo in half. My mind is going a mile a minute, and it goes even better when I have a good piano and the audience doesn't distract me. I'm like a race horse."

Paris Session

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Sarah Vaughan - Soft And Sassy

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:13
Size: 96.7 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz, Standards
Year: 1993
Art: Front

[2:00] 1. Sometimes I'm Happy
[1:26] 2. I Cried For You
[3:21] 3. Out Of This World
[2:35] 4. Serenata
[2:18] 5. You're Blasé
[2:58] 6. Over The Rainbow
[3:07] 7. Say It Isn't So
[2:14] 8. Stormy Weather
[2:09] 9. All Of Me
[3:34] 10. How Long Has This Been Going On
[2:21] 11. Day In, Day Out
[2:27] 12. Tenderly
[1:32] 13. What Is This Thing Called Love
[2:44] 14. Summertime
[3:41] 15. Poor Butterfly
[3:38] 16. I'll Be Seeing You

1961 performances from "the Divine One" for the Navy Swings public service program, so rare they're not even listed on her discographies! Includes All of Me; Tenderly; What Is This Thing Called Love?; I'll Be Seeing You, and more.

Soft And Sassy

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Kenny Burrell - I'm Just A Lucky So-And-So

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:46
Size: 173.5 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[6:40] 1. Tres Palabras
[4:40] 2. Weaver Of Dreams
[9:52] 3. Midnight Special
[4:14] 4. Guilty
[4:51] 5. Out Of This World
[7:58] 6. Back At The Chicken Shack
[3:10] 7. Why Was I Born
[6:01] 8. Delilah
[4:37] 9. I Thought About You
[4:42] 10. Montono Blues
[1:49] 11. No More
[5:29] 12. Little Girl Blue
[4:46] 13. Close Your Eyes
[6:50] 14. It's Getting Dark

As one of the premier jazz guitarists—and in the estimation of many, as the premier jazz guitarist by virtue of technique, output and memorable recordings—Kenny Burrell has created work heard, analyzed, transcribed, taught and enjoyed by legions of educators and aspiring guitarists. Epitomizing exquisite taste on his instrument-whether in an easy swing, balladic sensitivity or a bop feel—Burrell has assumed the challenge of performing in so many forms with such sophistication that he understates the difficulty of his work. Kenny Burrell listeners' appetites never will be sated because his playing is of such a quality that new facets can be discovered with every listening.

I'm Just A Lucky So-And-So

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Aurore Quartet - Resumé

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:17
Size: 151.7 MB
Styles: Gypsy jazz
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[5:01] 1. Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen
[4:16] 2. Babik
[4:03] 3. Gone With What Draft
[2:15] 4. Il Y A Du Soleil Dans La Boutique
[3:14] 5. Q10
[3:27] 6. La Tireuse
[4:20] 7. Czardas
[4:13] 8. Macha
[3:46] 9. Johnny Tu N'es Pas Un Ange
[4:50] 10. Sto Kuna
[3:45] 11. Malijo
[7:21] 12. Quand Je Monte Chez Toi
[6:12] 13. Le Rififi
[3:08] 14. Calusul
[2:40] 15. La Danse Du Sabre
[3:38] 16. C'est Mon Dernier Bal

Aurore Voilqué – violon et chant – Siegfried Mandacé – guitare – Thomas Orhesser – guitare – Basile Mouton – contrebasse – Jérôme Etcheberry – trompette – Stéphane Chandelier – batterie – Sanseverino – guitare et voix.

Ce titre Résumé a été choisi tout naturellement car cet album est l’essence des musiques et des sons d’Aurore Quartet. Avec ses reprises et ses compositions originales, Résumé aborde le jazz et fait danser la phrase musicale de telle façon que son swing est baigné d’une sensualité dynamique et d’un feeling authentique pour cette fin d’été. Grâce à cette recherche de progression constante, le swing de Résumé laisse une empreinte d’énergie, de joie, de vitalité et de légèreté. Ces compositions jubilatoires réveillent le jazz, sans en trahir l’esprit et donne envie de les entendre aussi en live.

Resumé

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Charlie Shavers - The Complete Charlie Shavers With Maxine Sullivan

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:10
Size: 89,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:17)  1. Dark Eyes
(3:32)  2. Dawn on the Desert
(6:10)  3. Moten Swing
(8:09)  4. Story of the Jazz Trumpet
(4:48)  5. Rose Room
(3:44)  6. Flow Gently Sweet Rythm
(2:31)  7. Molly Malone
(2:40)  8. If I Had a Ribbon Bow
(3:16)  9. Windy

Charlie Shavers was one of the great trumpeters to emerge during the swing era, a virtuoso with an open-minded and extroverted style along with a strong sense of humor. He originally played piano and banjo before switching to trumpet, and he developed very quickly. In 1935, he was with Tiny Bradshaw's band and two years later he joined Lucky Millinder's big band. Soon afterward he became a key member of John Kirby's Sextet where he showed his versatility by mostly playing crisp solos while muted. Shavers was in demand for recording sessions and participated on notable dates with New Orleans jazz pioneers Johnny Dodds, Jimmy Noone, and Sidney Bechet. He also had many opportunities to write arrangements for Kirby and had a major hit with his composition "Undecided." After leaving Kirby in 1944, Charlie Shavers worked for a year with Raymond Scott's CBS staff orchestra, and then was an important part of Tommy Dorsey's Orchestra from 1945 until past TD's death in 1956. 

Although well-featured, this association kept Shavers out of the spotlight of jazz, but fortunately he did have occasional vacations in which he recorded with the Metronome All-Stars and toured with Jazz at the Philharmonic; at the latter's concerts in 1953, Shaver's trumpet battles with Roy Eldridge were quite exciting. After Dorsey's death, Shavers often led his own quartet although he came back to the ghost band from time to time. During the 1960s, his range and technique gradually faded, and Charlie Shavers died from throat cancer in 1971 at the age of 53. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/artist/charlie-shavers-mn0000179732/biography

Personnel: Charlie Shavers (trumpet); Maxine Sullivan (vocals); Hank D'Amico, Buster Bailey (clarinet); Russell Procope (alto saxophone); Benny Morton (trombone); Ken Kersey, Billy Kyle (piano); Panama Francis, Specs Powell (drums).

The Complete Charlie Shavers With Maxine Sullivan

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Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie, Joe Williams - One O'Clock Jump

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:06
Size: 108,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:02)  1. Too Close for Comfort
(3:35)  2. Smack Dab in the Middle
(3:27)  3. Amazing Love
(3:33)  4. Only Forever
(3:00)  5. Don't Worry 'Bout Me
(3:03)  6. Stop, Pretty Baby
(4:27)  7. One O'Clock Jump
(1:55)  8. Jamboree
(2:37)  9. I Don't Like You No More
(8:30) 10. From Coast To Coast
(3:00) 11. Too Close for Comfort ( Alternative Take)
(2:20) 12. One O'Clock Jump  (EP version)
(4:33) 13. One O'Clock Jump (Alternative Take)

This recording could be considered a near-sibling to April In Paris, since several of its tracks date from sessions out of the same month. Others overlap with material cut for The Greatest! Count Basie Plays . . . Joe Williams Sings Standards, and it isn't as compelling a record, either as a Joe Williams vehicle or a Basie showcase, as either of those, though it does have its moments, most notably the original finale, Arranger Ernie Wilkins' "From Coast to Coast," an 8½-minute blow-out; the Ella Fitzgerald-Joe Williams duet on "Too Close For Comfort," and the title track, rearranged by Wilkins but close to the classic rendering, which features lively solos by Frank Wess, Benny Powell, Frank Foster, and (especially)Joe Newman and Henry Coker. 

Williams is the dominant presence on the album, singing on seven of the original 10 tracks, and his presence is a bit of a drag on some of the proceedings, especially "Only Forever." His work with Basie from this era is better represented on Count Basie Swings, Joe Williams Sings, although he and the band acquit themselves very well here on "Stop, Pretty Baby, Stop," where all hands are firing on all cylinders at once for a change. The bonus tracks include a heavier, punchier outtake of "One O'Clock Jump" featuring the same soloists, plus a Williams-solo version of "Too Close For Comfort." The CD is a good package, with superb sound, though some historical notes would've been nice to put the sessions in perspective. A handy mid-priced reissue. ~ Bruce Eder  http://www.allmusic.com/album/one-oclock-jump-mw0000245828

Personnel: Count Basie (piano); Ella Fitzgerald (vocals); Joe Williams (vocals); Freddie Green (guitar); Frank Wess (flute, tenor saxophone); Marshall Royal (clarinet, alto saxophone); Bill Graham (alto saxophone); Frank Foster (tenor saxophone); Charlie Fowlkes (baritone saxophone); Reunald Jones, Joe Newman , Thad Jones, Wendell Culley (trumpet); Henry Coker, Benny Powell, Bill Hughes (trombone); Sonny Payne (drums).

One O'Clock Jump

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Charlie Ventura - Charlie Ventura Plays Hi Fi Jazz

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:09
Size: 78,4 MB
Art: Front

(2:37)  1. Runnin' Wild
(2:25)  2. Honeysuckle Rose
(3:16)  3. When The Saints Go Marching In
(2:51)  4. It's Only A Paper Moon
(3:03)  5. Sweet Sue, Just You
(2:10)  6. Dark Eyes
(2:28)  7. Bill Bailey, Won't You Please Come Home
(3:28)  8. Stardust
(2:31)  9. Sweet Lorraine
(2:42) 10. Harvest Moon
(3:23) 11. Exactly Like You
(3:09) 12. I've Got You Under My Skin

By 1956 tenor-saxophonist Charlie Ventura no longer had a regular band and was drifting into semi-retirement. In fact, other than an album for King the following year and a set for Famous Door in 1977, this Lp was his final recording. Teamed with the then-unknown pianist Dave McKenna, guitarist Billy Bean, bassist Richard Davis (at the beginning of his career) and drummer Mousey Alexander, Ventura switches between tenor, alto, baritone and bass saxophones. The repertoire is filled with swing and dixieland standards including such unlikely songs as "When The Saints Go Marching In," "Bill Bailey" and "Sweet Sue" (in addition to a remake of Ventura's old hit with Gene Krupa "Dark Eyes") but the interpretations are full of spirit and swing. Although it may not look too promising, this budget Lp (which is long out of print but may be found at a cheap price) is actually well worth picking up. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/charlie-ventura-plays-hi-fi-jazz-mw0000931007

Personnel:  Bass – Richard Davis;  Drums – Mousey Alexander;  Guitar – Bill Bean;  Piano – Dave McKenna;  Saxophone – Charlie Ventura

Charlie Ventura Plays Hi Fi Jazz

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Canadian Brass - Take the A Train: The Best of Duke Ellington

Styles: Big Band

Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:23
Size: 136,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:24)  1. It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)
(4:38)  2. Echoes Of Harlem
(3:34)  3. Sophisticated Lady
(3:22)  4. The Cottontail Caper
(2:09)  5. Pitter Panther Patter
(3:17)  6. Come Sunday
(1:48)  7. I've Got To Be A Rug Cutter
(2:50)  8. Solitude
(4:04)  9. Blood Count
(4:40) 10. Life Is Lonely
(2:20) 11. Come What May Places
(3:39) 12. A Week in Paris
(2:46) 13. Portrait of Cootie
(3:02) 14. Portrait of Johnny
(3:56) 15. New World a-Comin'
(5:47) 16. Harlem/Sunday Morning
(3:00) 17. Take the "a" Train

If you know anything about the Canadian Brass you know that the group is capable of just about anything musically. What the group has done here is expertly interpret the music of the most legendary composer of American jazz, the great Duke Ellington, for the brass quintet medium with nary a note sounding out of place. Ellington classics like "It Don't Mean a Thing," "Sophisticated Ladies," and "Cottontail" are richly arranged by arranger Luther Henderson and ring gallantly with the bell tones of refined brass. The sound of the group is so complete that the listener never misses the familiar big-band setting in which Ellington's tunes are traditionally performed. Also included are three variations on Billy Strayhorn's signature "Lush Life," the centerpiece of the set. Finally, the disc would not be complete without the resounding swing of "Take the 'A' Train," performed here with all the pageantry that this music so richly deserves. Ellington enthusiasts and music fans in general will find this disc to be as enjoyable time and again, just like the Duke himself. http://www.allmusic.com/album/take-the-a-train-the-best-of-duke-ellington-mw0000666578

Canadian Brass: Jens Lindmann (trumpet, piccolo trumpet); Ronald Romm (trumpet, flugelhorn); Gene Watts (trombone); Chris Cooper (French horn); Chuck Daellenbach (tuba).

Take the A Train: The Best of Duke Ellington

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