Herbie Nichols - The Complete Blue Note Recordings Of Herbie Nichols (Disc 1 of 3)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 68:11

Size: 156.1 MB

Styles: Bop, Piano jazz

Year: 1997

Art: Front

[4:09] 1. The Third World

[4:56] 2. The Third World

[5:09] 3. Step Tempest

[4:24] 4. Dance Line

[4:20] 5. Blue Chopsticks

[4:04] 6. Double Exposure (Alt Take)

[3:22] 7. Double Exposure

[4:39] 8. Cro-Magnon Nights

[4:48] 9. Cro-Magnon Nights (Alt Take)

[5:10] 10. It Didn't Happen (Alt Take)

[4:30] 11. Amoeba's Dance

[5:23] 12. Brass Rings (Alt Take)

[4:00] 13. Brass Rings

[4:30] 14. 2300 Skiddoo (Alt Take)

[4:41] 15. 2300 Skiddoo

A reissue of the 48 Herbie Nichols recordings formerly out on the limited-edition five-LP Mosaic box set, this three-CD package from 1997 has the pianist/composer's greatest work. Nichols was largely neglected during his lifetime; only in the late '90s did the highly original musician start receiving some of the recognition he deserved. Although his originals were often quite orchestral in nature, Nichols only had the opportunity to record in a trio format; the five sessions on this box (30 songs plus 18 alternate takes) feature either Al McKibbon or Teddy Kotick on bass and Art Blakey or Max Roach on drums. The music (all originals except George Gershwin's "Mine") is virtually unclassifiable, and although largely straight-ahead, sounds unlike anything produced by Herbie Nichols' contemporaries. Essential music. ~Scott Yanow

The Complete Blue Note Recordings Of Herbie Nichols (Disc 1)

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John Roney - St-Henri

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:36
Size: 143.3 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[5:37] 1. Charconne
[5:14] 2. Place St-Henri
[8:19] 3. Choices
[3:54] 4. Journey To Reedham
[7:42] 5. Spain
[1:45] 6. Rebop (Bass Intro To Rebop)
[5:48] 7. Rebop
[3:09] 8. Partways=(Drum Segue To Partways)
[6:34] 9. Partways
[6:36] 10. My Shining Hour
[7:54] 11. Squareboy

John Roney: piano; Rémi-Jean Leblanc: electric bass; Damien Schmitt: drums.

The third trio recording of John Roney, this new album is an exploration of new sounds and new dimensions in today's music. There are elements and influences of classical music, drum 'n' bass, groove, swing, electronica, and free music - all combined into what can only be described as 'jazz'. The listener is taken on a journey through the familiar, and through the unknown, into the vast depths of each member's own musical experiences. The arrangements are complex, yet fun, and showcase the subtle virtuosity of each member. However, the result is an exciting album which is much greater than the sum of its parts.

All three members of the group are virtuosi of their respective instruments, constantly active on the international scene. Fortunately, January of 2011 would find them all living within blocks of each other in the same small neighbourhood of St.Henri - in south-central Montreal. The music on this album is hence a reflection of the time spent living, hanging and making music in this particular quartier, and the sounds that represent its diverse urban mosaic. Funky, fresh, hard-edged, bold, sophisticated, playful, and fun - the music is always grooving, and the band is slamming.

St-Henri

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Kate McGarry - Easy To Love

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:04
Size: 126.1 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[5:19] 1. My Heart Stood Still
[3:33] 2. The Night Has a Thousand Eyes
[6:14] 3. Autumn Nocturne
[5:17] 4. Just You, Just Me
[4:30] 5. Get It Straight
[4:24] 6. Body and Soul
[5:31] 7. The Thrill Is Gone
[3:26] 8. Easy to Love
[3:58] 9. Haunted Heart
[4:41] 10. A Felicidade
[4:48] 11. Dearly Beloved
[3:17] 12. You're Nearer

KATE MC GARRY vocals; PAUL KREIBICH drums; KAREN HAMMACK piano; ERIC VON ESSEN - bass.

Easy to Love is a most appropriate title for the recording debut of vocalist Kate McGarry. Right from the voice-bass intro on “My Heart Stood Still”, you know that this is to be no run-of-the-mill progam. An immediate reaction may be to notice the exceptional diction and enunciation and the distinctive phrasing that McGarry demonstrates. It's not surprising to learn that her greatest influences have been such unique stylists as Jon Hendricks, Betty Carter, and Mark Murphy, as well as the great lady of jazz vocals, Ella Fitzgerald.

Born in Cape Cod, MA, McGarry earned a bachelors degree in Afro-American Music and jazz at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, where she also studied improvisation with the innovative saxophonist Archie Shepp. Singing was in her blood, and she began a professional career as soon as she graduated college, working local venues around Boston.Moving to California in 1988, she appeared at the Monterey Jazz Festival, backed by an AII-Star Band led by Hank Jones and Clark Terry.With a lot of encouragement from singer and vocal coach Sue Raney, McGarry gradually began showing up at some of the top Los Angeles nightspots. She also landed a singing spot in the Wesley Snipes movie “Money Men”, and can be heard on the soundtrack.

Easy To Love

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Grant Green - First Session

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:18
Size: 115.1 MB
Styles: Soul-Jazz, Hard bop, Guitar jazz
Year: 2001/2014
Art: Front

[ 5:16] 1. He's A Real Gone Guy
[11:43] 2. Seepin'
[ 6:33] 3. Just Friends
[ 8:47] 4. Grant's First Stand
[ 6:13] 5. Sonnymoon For Two
[ 5:52] 6. Woody 'n You
[ 5:51] 7. Woody 'n You

First Session is just that: the first material Grant Green recorded as a leader for Blue Note in 1960. While the results were certainly good, the label chose to shelf the recordings. Producer Alfred Lion may have had some misgivings about the results, but it is doubtful that Green's fans or jazz guitar fans will have any such qualms. Pianist Wynton Kelly, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Philly Joe Jones join him on the first five cuts. They start with the spunky "He's a Real Gone Guy," but really hit their groove with the 11-minute original "Seepin'." Green's guitar is shot through with the blues on this slow burner, while Chambers' bass perfectly captures the late-night mood of this piece. Green seems unsure of his footing at the beginning of Sonny Rollins "Sonnymoon for Two," but quickly regains his balance and swings hard. Kelly's light, bluesy touch offers the perfect match for the artist's guitar; his lovely fills offer the perfect backdrop, while his solos are always distinctive. The last two tracks are multiple versions of "Woody 'N' You" with pianist Sonny Clark, bassist Butch Warren, and drummer Billy Higgins. While these tracks are not technically the first sessions, they do give the listener a chance to hear Green and Clark work together. Whatever hesitation Green may have felt as a first time leader, the warmth and immediacy of his style arrives in full bloom. First Session is a lively portrait of a jazz great, surrounded by the best musicians in the business, getting his feet wet. Don't miss it. ~Ronnie D. Lankford Jr

First Session

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Eddie Higgins - Standards By Request 1 St Day & 2 St Day

A solid bop-based pianist, Eddie Higgins has never become a major name, but he has been well-respected by his fellow musicians for decades. After growing up in New England, he moved to Chicago, where he played in all types of situations before settling in to a long stint as the leader of the house trio at the London House (1957-1969). Higgins moved back to Massachusetts in 1970 and went on to freelance, often accompanying his wife, vocalist Meredith D'Ambrosio, and appearing at jazz parties and festivals. 

Eddie Higgins has led sessions of his own for Replica (1958), Vee-Jay (1960), Atlantic, and Sunnyside; back in 1960, he recorded as a sideman for Vee-Jay with Lee Morgan and Wayne Shorter. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/artist/eddie-higgins-mn0000364205/biography

Album: Eddie Higgins - Standards By Request 1 St Day
Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:18
Size: 140,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:56)  1. It's Magic
(3:43)  2. Easy Living
(3:48)  3. Gone With The Wind
(3:51)  4. I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues
(2:57)  5. Dear Old Stockholm
(4:12)  6. I Thought About You
(3:34)  7. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
(4:50)  8. My Old Flame
(3:53)  9. Once Upon A Summertime
(4:00) 10. Smoke Gets In Yours Eyes
(4:03) 11. Portrait In Black And White
(5:13) 12. In The Wee Small Hours
(3:42) 13. The Man I Love
(4:23) 14. These Foolish Things
(4:05) 15. Stella By Starlight

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Album: Eddie Higgins - Standards By Request 2 St Day
Time: 61:12
Size: 140,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:15)  1. If Dreams Come True
(3:45)  2. Dancing In The Dark
(4:19)  3. I Didn't Know About You
(4:59)  4. How Long Has This Been Going On
(3:39)  5. I Don't Know What Time It Was
(4:30)  6. Don't Explain
(3:43)  7. Ill Wind
(4:11)  8. In A Sentimental Mood
(3:30)  9. Brownsburg Blues
(5:12) 10. Corcovado
(3:44) 11. Street Of Dreams
(3:18) 12. Time On My Hands
(5:29) 13. My One And Only Love
(3:58) 14. The Things We Did Last Summer
(3:35) 15. By Myself

Standards By Request 1 St Day

Standards By Request 2 St Day

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Kathie Lee Gifford - Sentimental

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:27
Size: 77,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:16)  1. When I Fall In Love
(2:53)  2. I Don't Know Why (I Just Do)
(4:01)  3. Over the Rainbow
(3:52)  4. Very Thought Of You
(2:51)  5. There I've Said It Again
(3:46)  6. (I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons
(2:41)  7. That Sunday, That Summer
(3:32)  8. It Had To Be You
(3:05)  9. Hey There
(3:25) 10. That's All

After a 20-year career doing game shows and night club acts, the Paris-born Gifford spent 15 years co-hosting Live with Regis & Kathie Lee, one of the most successful daytime talk shows in television history. During her stint on the show, Gifford also appeared on TV specials and wrote books such as Christmas with Kathie Lee and I Can't Believe I Said That!, her autobiography. Gifford left Live with Regis & Kathie Lee in summer 2000, just before the release of her first pop album, Heart of a Woman. Gifford continued to release albums of lullabies, children's songs, and praise and worship music during the 2000s. In 2008, she became one of the co-hosts of The Today Show. 

She returned to vocal pop with My Way Home, which was released early in 2009; Everyone Has a Story, a set of songs composed by Gifford and David Friedman and performed by Broadway singers, followed a few months later. ~ Heather Phares  https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/kathie-lee-gifford/id203797#fullText

Sentimental

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Chico Hamilton, Freddie Gambrell - Chico Hamilton Introduces Freddie Gambrell

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1958
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:12
Size: 173,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:38)  1. Lullaby Of The Leaves
(4:52)  2. Reservation Blues
(4:05)  3. These Foolish Things
(4:07)  4. Ex-Ray's Friends
(3:49)  5. In The Still Of The Night
(4:16)  6. You're the Cream In My Coffee
(4:40)  7. Midnight Sun
(3:08)  8. Five Minutes More
(5:38)  9. Devil's Demise
(2:48) 10. Feudin' and Fightin'
(2:09) 11. Who You?
(3:53) 12. Yesterdays
(3:04) 13. Summer House
(2:18) 14. Anything Goes
(3:56) 15. Indian love call
(2:07) 16. Without A Song
(2:14) 17. Linda
(3:21) 18. Falling In Love With Love
(2:38) 19. When I Fall In Love
(2:24) 20. Opus 116
(3:57) 21. Stomping At The Savoy

Freddie Gambrell could be described as an alternative to Cecil Taylor in terms of extending the legacy of Art Tatum into postmodernism, the majority of his peers choosing to cut and run as if a reader confronted with the first half of this sentence. So much more alluring would be the combination of mysterious and mundane details out of which came his relatively brief time in the spotlight, at least by jazz standards.

Blinded as a teenager, Gambrell mastered enough instruments to humiliate even a multi-instrumentalist from Chicago's Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians. He learned violin at 11, later recorded on viola, was "introduced" to the public in the early '50s by maestro Chico Hamilton as a pianist in the "blind genius" category, and also played guitar, bass, and brass instruments from top to bottom. One of the strangest things about Gambrell which at the very least gives him something in common with Garth Brooks and the suicidal phase of Phil Ochs  was his reinvention of himself as Federico Cervantes, modern jazz trumpet player.

The discography of Gambrell, such as it is, cannot really be examined without a study of as many as four albums released under the name of the Federico Cervantes Sextet. Reports about these recordings are enthusiastic, mentioning combinations of Latin jazz and country & western and trumpet solos full of the type of daring common to a musician operating under an alias. His approach as Cervantes nonetheless came out of his self-taught background as Gambrell, at one point paying his way by playing keyboards in clubs much more off the beaten track than the San Francisco Jazz Workshop. The latter venue finally provided Gambrell an opportunity to present his keyboard style to a wider, more discerning audience. He was associated with a rhythm section featuring Hamilton and Ben Tucker, a bassist from Nashville.

This artist's stylistic choices under whatever name are bound by their connection to the Bay area, the sweet smell of old vinyl in glossy covers on the World Pacific label perhaps as exciting as the music itself, in parts crystallizing the pianist's Tatum update while jazzing up the score from The Mikado. Critics were of a divided opinion and an alternative viewpoint was available directly from the horse's mouth at The Sticky Wicket, a venue in Santa Cruz where Gambrell began doing a singer/songwriter gig, backing himself on guitar and also opening for himself as a jazz lecturer.

Virtuosity is obviously a great attraction for Gambrell. As Cervantes, he went for the trumpet style of players such as Maynard Ferguson, complete with high-note acrobatics. His emphasis on Tatum, like a violinist choosing Paganini, meant that his keyboard performances were insistently brilliant technically although this did not always distract club patrons from watching the seeing-eye dog sitting at Gambrell's feet. https://itunes.apple.com/gb/artist/freddie-gambrell/id527797820#fullText

Featuring: Freddie Gambrell (p), Ben Tucker (b), Chico Hamilton (d)

Chico Hamilton Introduces Freddie Gambrell

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