Various - Tell Me Something: The Songs Of Mose Allison

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:00
Size: 82.4 MB
Styles: Adult contemporary, Jazz/pop vocals
Year: 1996
Art: Front

[3:13] 1. Van Morrison - One Of These Days
[3:17] 2. Van Morrison - You Can Count On Me (To Do My Part)
[3:42] 3. Ben Sidran - If You Live
[3:24] 4. Georgie Fame - Was
[2:05] 5. Ben Sidran - Look Here
[3:21] 6. Georgie Fame - City Home
[2:11] 7. Ben Sidran, Georgie Fame - No Trouble Livin'
[2:57] 8. Ben Sidran - Benediction
[2:19] 9. Georgie Fame - Back On The Corner
[2:36] 10. Van Morrison - Tell Me Something
[1:59] 11. Van Morrison - I Don't Want Much
[2:39] 12. Van Morrison - News Nightclub
[2:12] 13. Van Morrison - Perfect Moment

Great idea on paper -- invite rock's Van Morrison, his then-organ/vocal-sidekick Georgie Fame, singer/pianist/producer Ben Sidran, and Mose Allison himself to compile a celebration of one of the most delightfully idiosyncratic songwriters of our time. And these are serious Allison buffs indeed, for they chose tunes from the back catalog that Mose rarely performed live in the '90s, with hardly a well-known Allison standard in the batch (the exception being "I Don't Want Much"). The hang-up is that Allison's own performances over the decades are so unique and right for their material that they pose a creative problem for anyone who wants to give these songs a different slant. Accordingly, with one exception, these guys fall back upon imitating the master, bowing low and not really saying anything new. Sidran is an outright Allison vocal clone -- he's got all of the slides, accents, and hip attitudes down pat -- though his piano doesn't sound anything like Allison's. Fame is not quite as literal, and he seems a bit stodgier by comparison. Meanwhile, Van the Man just does his own thing, paying little mind to the Mose manner, bending these tunes to his will, and pulling it off in style. Mose's participation consists of a couple of loose, chummy duets with Morrison on "I Don't Want Much" and "Perfect Moment." The band is a small combo that you can imagine playing in an English pub, with saxophonist Pee Wee Ellis and trumpeter Guy Barker giving the sound an R&B flavor. It's a good record actually, but it makes you aware of why there hadn't been many Mose tributes before. How can one compete when the creator is still alive and swinging? ~Richard S. Ginnell

Tell Me Something: The Songs Of Mose Allison

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Pearl Django - Time Flies...

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:24
Size: 99.4 MB
Styles: Gypsy jazz, Hot Club Swing
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[3:17] 1. Django Bop-Bistrot D'Eustache
[4:45] 2. Grisology
[3:11] 3. Djangolatry
[4:25] 4. Napoli '61
[3:01] 5. Something Borrowed
[3:49] 6. Waltz For 12
[4:59] 7. Springing
[4:48] 8. A Supernator In Italia
[3:09] 9. Momento
[1:48] 10. Manha De Carnaval (Prelude)
[6:08] 11. Manha De Carnaval

Time Flies . . . is the twelfth release by Pearl Django in a little over 20 years of performing. For the period of the past four CDs the group has moved away for Django style covers and has exploited the composing skills of the band members. On this CD you will find nine PD originals and a beautiful cover version of Black Orpheus by Luiz Bonfa. While there is still strong evidence o for the influence of Django Reinhardt, with titles, Django Bop, Djangolatry and Something Borrowed, there are a few compositions which, push the boundaries of what may be considered Gypsy jazz or Hot Club Swing. The compositions are quite good, quite good indeed.

Time Flies...

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Calvin Newborn - Upcity

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 70:21

Size: 161.1 MB

Styles: Blues/jazz guitar

Year: 2009

Art: Front

[ 7:12] 1. Upcity!

[ 8:59] 2. Them New Blues

[ 6:19] 3. Song For Basie

[10:57] 4. Vision

[ 5:42] 5. Rhythm Makes The Heart Grow Stronger

[ 7:28] 6. Seventh Heaven

[ 7:08] 7. A Piece Of The Pie

[ 7:11] 8. Newborn Blues

[ 4:48] 9. Ubiquity

[ 4:32] 10. Going Home

Although he is the brother of the late hard bop pianist Phineas Newborn, Jr., guitarist Calvin Newborn has never been a major name in the jazz world. One of the problems is the fact that he has only recorded sporadically; in a perfect world, Newborn would have a much larger catalog. Nonetheless, the guitarist has his admirers, especially in Memphis jazz and blues circles -- and those admirers will easily appreciate what he does on Up City. Recorded in Memphis in 1996 and New York City in 1998, this hard bop/soul-jazz effort was originally released on his own label, Omnifarious Music, before being reissued by the Memphis-based Yellow Dog Records in 2005. Anyone who is familiar with Newborn's history knows that he isn't just the guitar-playing version of his brother; both are part of hard bop, but while Phineas could be a very cerebral pianist (Thelonious Monk and Bud Powell were primary influences), Calvin definitely favors the soul-jazz side of things. From the lively arrangements to Newborn's gritty, hard-swinging guitar solos, Up City is a prime example of how funky and blues-minded hard bop can be. The earthiness of the blues is evident throughout this enjoyable album, which unites the guitarist with skillful improvisers like Bill Mobley (trumpet, flugelhorn), Bill Easley (tenor sax, flute), and Tony Reedus (drums). Nothing groundbreaking occurs on Up City, but Newborn's accessible performances are consistently solid and make one wish that he hadn't recorded so infrequently over the years. ~Alex Henderson

Upcity 

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Nicki Parrott - Black Coffee

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:47
Size: 141.4 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[3:48] 1. Dark Eyes
[5:32] 2. Black Coffee
[3:16] 3. Why Don't You Do Right
[4:09] 4. Alright, Okay, You Win
[3:02] 5. Don't Smoke In Bed
[4:11] 6. Fever
[4:23] 7. Go Slow
[4:37] 8. Hallelujah, I Love Him So
[3:02] 9. I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm
[3:58] 10. Just One More Chance
[3:21] 11. No Moon At All
[4:16] 12. Our Day Will Come
[4:49] 13. So In Love
[4:23] 14. Where Or When
[4:54] 15. When I Fall In Love

Nicki is joined by Harry Allen (tenor sax), John Di Martino (piano), Lisa Parrott (baritone and soprano saxophone, b. clarinet), Paul Myers (guitar) and Dion Parson (drums).

Another great album from the unheralded but incredibly fantastic Ms. Parrott. Great bassist too, and wonderful sultry vocals. Small minus is that much of the material is VERY familiar: but that doesn't take away from the performance. And I think admirers of Rebecca Kilgore will also dig Parrott. Good support too from the wonderful Harry Allen on tenor, her sister Lisa on on baritone, soprano & clarinet, and everyone else. Great mainstream jazz for anyone wondering if any singers can still do this stuff well today. ~E. C Goodstein

Black Coffee

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Randy Weston - Capitol Vaults Jazz Series (Disc 3 of 3)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:35
Size: 159.3 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[2:35] 1. Intro Uhuru Kwanza
[5:48] 2. First Movement Uhuru Kwanza (Part Two)
[8:28] 3. 2nd Movement African Lady
[8:03] 4. Third Movement Bantu
[8:01] 5. Fourth Movement Kucheza Blues
[2:43] 6. Caban Bamboo Highlife
[5:00] 7. Niger Mambo
[4:40] 8. Zulu
[7:43] 9. In Memory Of
[2:31] 10. Congolese Children
[6:21] 11. Blues To Africa
[7:37] 12. Mystery Of Love

Capitol Vaults Jazz Series (Disc 3)

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Bill Charlap - Distant Star

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:35
Size: 120,8 MB
Art: Front

(6:39)  1. Along the Way
(8:25)  2. While We're Young
(8:19)  3. Last Night When We Were Young
(7:37)  4. Here I'll Stay
(2:53)  5. Distant Star
(7:12)  6. Bon Ami
(6:08)  7. '39 World's Fair
(2:42)  8. Starlight
(2:35)  9. The Heather On The Hill

Bill Charlap attracted the attention of Phil Woods during a 1994 jazz cruise, so it's no surprise that the veteran saxophonist snapped him up the second there was a vacancy on the piano bench in his quintet. This trio session, with bassist Sean Smith and drummer Bill Stewart, gives one a great opportunity to hear the inventiveness, passion, and intense ability to swing that makes Charlap one of the top musicians of his generation. The program is a cut above the usual play list, starting with two brilliant interpretations of standards, including a dancing "While We're Young" and an introspective "Last Night When We Were Young." Jim Hall's "Bon Ami" is not one of his better-known works, but Charlap's crisp approach to this soft speaking tune should grab anyone's attention. The pianist contributed the tense post-bop miniature "Starlight," while "Distant Star" is a brief, very captivating free improvisation by the trio. In addition to his superb work on bass, Smith composed the subtle but twisting theme "'39 World's Fair," while Stewart's brushwork is an important ingredient to this highly recommended CD. An additional bonus is provided by Phil Woods' hip, very enthusiastic liner notes. ~ Ken Dryden  http://www.allmusic.com/album/distant-star-mw0000597472

Personnel: Bill Charlap (piano); Sean Smith (bass); Bill Stewart (drums).

Distant Star

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Etta Jones - Lonely And Blue

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 1962
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:09
Size: 116,9 MB
Art: Front

(2:55)  1. I'll Be There
(2:55)  2. In The Dark
(3:16)  3. Out In The Cold Again
(3:37)  4. I'm Pulling Through
(2:20)  5. My Gentleman Friend
(3:20)  6. I Wonder
(3:51)  7. You Don't Know My Mind
(3:09)  8. Gee Baby, Ain't I Good To You
(3:50)  9. Good For Nothing Joe
(3:26) 10. I Miss You So
(3:43) 11. Trav'lin' Light
(4:28) 12. But Not For Me
(4:22) 13. If You're But A Dream
(4:51) 14. Cool Cool Daddy

Singer Etta Jones often recalls late-period Billie Holiday and Dinah Washington on her CD reissue of Lonely and Blue. The first 11 songs find her accompanied by tenor-saxophonist Budd Johnson on four of the songs, guitarist Wally Richardson on seven, and the Patti Bown Trio throughout; the final three numbers (bonus tracks), are actually from a date led by tenor great Gene Ammons and are among the highlights of this set. But overall, despite some fine performances (particularly "You Don't Know My Mind" and "Trav'lin Light"), Jones' lack of individuality at that point in time makes this CD of less importance than her later sets for Muse. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/lonely-and-blue-mw0000678904

Personnel: Etta Jones (vocals); Budd Johnson, Gene Ammons (tenor saxophone); Patti Bown (piano); Wally Richardson (guitar); George Duvivier, Art Davis (bass); Ed Shaugnessy, Walter Perkins (drums).

Lonely And Blue

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Charlie Haden, Kenny Barron - Night and the City

Styles: Jazz, Mainstream Jazz
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:47
Size: 162,3 MB
Art: Front

(12:44)  1. Twilight Song
(10:46)  2. For Heaven's Sake
(10:20)  3. Spring Is Here
(10:25)  4. Body And Soul
( 7:00)  5. You Don't Know What Love Is
( 8:28)  6. Waltz for Ruth
(11:01)  7. The Very Thought Of You

The third in a series of Charlie Haden duet projects for Verve in the 1990s finds the increasingly nostalgia-minded bass player working New York City's Iridium jazz club with pianist Kenny Barron. Moreover, it is entirely possible that we are getting a skewed view of the gig; according to Haden, he and his co-producer wife Ruth tilted this album heavily in the direction of romantic ballads, eliminating the bebop and avant-garde numbers that the two may have also played at the club. 

Be that as it may, this is still a thoughtful, intensely musical, sometimes haunting set of performances, with Barron displaying a high level of lyrical sensitivity and Haden applying his massive tone sparingly. Most of the seven tracks are fantasias on well-known standards, although one of the most eloquent performances on the disc is Barron's playing on his own "Twilight Song." If Haden deliberately set out to create a single reflective mood, he certainly succeeded, although those coming to Haden for the first time through this and most of his other '90s CDs would never suspect that this man once played such a fire-breathing role in the jazz avant-garde. ~ Richard S.Ginell  http://www.allmusic.com/album/night-and-the-city-mw0000598110

Personnel: Kenny Barron (piano); Charlie Haden (acoustic bass).

Night and the City

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Cedric Caillaud Trio & Harry Allen - Emma's Groove

Styles: Straight-ahead/Mainstream
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:31
Size: 148,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:32)  1. Our Delight
(4:00)  2. Emma's Groove
(5:20)  3. Dancing On The Ceiling
(5:51)  4. That's All
(3:31)  5. Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me
(2:58)  6. Yours Is My Heart Alone
(7:59)  7. The Jamfs Are Coming
(4:23)  8. New Father's Bop
(7:01)  9. Robbin's Nest
(4:08) 10. I Want To Be Happy
(6:39) 11. Blame It On My Youth
(8:04) 12. What Can I Say Dear

What if bassist Cedric Caillaud's sophomore effort had been recorded at Rudy van Gelder's fabled Englewood Cliffs studio and released on Blue Note Records in 1959, rather than France in 2009? The sound of Patrick Cabon's piano might have been slightly less warm (succumbing to engineer van Gelder's tendency to render pianos with a metallic tinge). Probably a bit of the players phrasing might have struck some listeners as vaguely futuristic but not too much, really. Overall, though, qualities appreciated fifty years ago are found here, as evidenced by the quartet's capacity to seize the blues vigorously as on "The JAMFs Are Coming," Johnny Griffin's exhortation about the jive-ass mother figures (or something to that effect) even as they round the edges off the hard bop just coming into fashion in 1959. The repertoire, too  lovely ballad treatments of "That's All" and "Blame It On My Youth," simmering mid-tempo version of "Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me," a frenzied "I Want To Be Happy" would have delighted the Eisenhower-era boppers.

And that's OK. That is, Emma's Groove does not sound dated a half- century later. As Daniel Yvinec who is, like Caillaud, French, and a jazz bassist, though the resemblance pretty much ends there reminded an interviewer in 2009, early-'60s jazz embraced a vast stylistic range, from Ahmad Jamal to Ornette Coleman and many points in between. And so it is today, schools of jazz piled atop one another in a thoroughly post-modern, but healthy, fashion. The saxophone being what it is, Harry Allen's is the most upfront voice here, his honeyed tone capable of a-setting and a-rocking in the manner of Ben Webster. But it's the rhythm section, the same as on Caillaud's earlier June 26 (Aphrodite, 2006), that makes the longest-lasting impression. Understated pianist Cabon, in particular, embodies the best features of the playing of Wynton Kelly and Red Garland, gritty yet elegant. He's the perfect foil for Caillaud's Ray Brown-inspired playing. And if all those references point back to 1959, well, no harm done, is there? ~ Jeff Dayton-Johnson  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/emmas-groove-cedric-caillaud-aphrodite-records-review-by-jeff-dayton-johnson.php
 

Personnel: Harry Allen: tenor saxophone; Patrick Cabon: piano; Cedric Caillaud: double bass; Philippe Soirat: drums.

Emma's Groove

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Various Artists - One Amazing Night

Styles: Jazz

Year: 1998

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 50:48

Size: 116,6 MB

Art: Front

(3:31)  1. Sheyrl Crow - One Less Bell To Answer

(3:12) 2. All Saints - Always Something There to Remind Me

(4:41)  3. Elvis Costelo - God Give Me Strength

(4:22)  4. Chrissie Hynde - Baby It's You/A Message to Michael

(2:52)  5. Mike Myers - What's New Pussycat?

(4:03)  6. Wynonna - Anyone Who Had a Heart

(3:18)  7. Ben Folds Five - Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head

(4:27)  8. Barenaked Ladies - (They Long To Be) Close To You

(5:54)  9. Luther Vandross - The Windows of the World/What the World Needs Now

(4:06) 10. David Sanborn & George Duke - Wives and Lovers

(6:57) 11. Dionne Warwick - Walk On By/Say A Little Prayer/Do You Know the Way to San Jose

(3:20) 12. Burt Bacharach - Alfie

Bacharach, the king of relaxed, suave melodies that have quietly assumed a sentimental position in our lives, is celebrated here by a handful of performers who paid him tribute during the inaugural episode of TNT's Master Series. Sheryl Crow throws in the torch for a sultry "One Less Bell to Answer." Chrissie Hynde breaks past her leather-jacket toughness for a tender read of "Baby It's You" and "Message to Michael." Elvis Costello expertly performs his collaboration with Bacharach, the Grammy-awarded "God Give Me Strength" (from the Grace of My Heart soundtrack). Mike Myers camps up "What's New Pussycat?" But none can top the real thing. Dionne Warwick brings us back to the late '60s of Bacharach's prime with a riveting medley of "Walk On By/Say a Little Prayer/Do You Know the Way to San Jose." That and Bacharach's lush arranging skills make the title true to its word. ~ Rob O'Connor – Editorial Reviews  http://www.amazon.com/One-Amazing-Night-BURT-BACHARACH/dp/B00000DGYX

One Amazing Night

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