Thursday, November 19, 2015

Bob Brookmeyer - Jazz Is A Kick

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:21
Size: 83.2 MB
Styles: Post bop, Trombone jazz
Year: 1960/2004
Art: Front

[4:53] 1. Air Conditioned
[4:35] 2. Exactly Like You
[3:22] 3. This Can't Be Love
[4:33] 4. Green Stamps
[4:40] 5. The Things I Love
[3:30] 6. Only When You Are Near
[3:17] 7. You're My Everything
[7:27] 8. Co-Operation

This interesting LP matches together valve trombonist Bob Brookmeyer with the slide trombone of Curtis Fuller. Four songs use a modern rhythm section (pianist Wynton Kelly, bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Paul Motian) while the other four have a strong Count Basie feel (with trumpeters Thad Jones and Joe Newman, pianist Hank Jones, bassist Ed Jones and drummer Charlie Persip making their presence felt). Brookmeyer and Fuller display contrasting styles while blending together quite well on the ensembles. ~Scott Yanow

Jazz Is A Kick

Mike Jones Trio - Plays Well With Others

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:56
Size: 144.1 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[6:12] 1. Besame Mucho
[6:11] 2. It's A Wonderful World
[5:48] 3. September Song
[4:33] 4. I Know Why And So Do You
[3:55] 5. Box Viewing Blues
[3:40] 6. Detour Ahead
[2:59] 7. Day By Day
[5:09] 8. Corcovado
[4:18] 9. I'm Walkin
[6:27] 10. Deed I Do
[4:42] 11. I'm Old Fashioned
[5:01] 12. I Thought About You
[3:56] 13. Obscuro Blues

Mike Jones: piano; Mike Gurrola: bass; Jeff Hamilton: drums.

Pianist Mike Jones not only Plays Well with Others, he plays well—period. Using a sharp, two-fisted style that hearkens back to Dave McKenna, Dick Hyman and even Earl Hines, undergirded by a buoyant melodicism worthy of Barry Harris, Tommy Flanagan or his namesake Hank Jones, it's clear there's not much that Jones can't accomplish musically with keyboard in hand. And when the "others" he is playing with are bassist Mike Gurrola and drummer Jeff Hamilton, so much the better.

Gurrola represents a step up from Jones' "regular" bassist, the magician Penn Jillette, with whom "Jonesy" (Jillette's pet name for him) has been sharing the stage for more than a decade as the opening act preceding Penn and Teller's popular Las Vegas comedy / magic show. Jillette "found" Jones playing at a Las Vegas nightspot and let him know he could open for Penn and Teller with one proviso, that the neophyte Jillette would be his bassist. Given that choice, what could Jones do? He and Jillette have been performing together ever since.

Happily (for the listener), Jillette generously stepped aside for this recording date to make room for Gurrola. Add the perceptive and resourceful Hamilton and you have a piano trio that can stand its ground against any other. While Jones sets the tone with his bright and engaging melodic lines and clever ad libs, Gurrola and Hamilton provide the rhythmic muscle and unwavering support that keep the motor humming and the bus moving forward. And even though Jones has technique to burn, he is thoroughly at ease with a ballad, as he shows on "September Song," "I Know Why," "I Thought About You" and "Detour Ahead" (the last sans Gurrola and Hamilton). The session harbors a pair of charming blues ("Box Viewing Blues," "Obscuro Blues"), both written by Jones, to chaperon the tunes already named plus the standards "Besame Mucho," "It's a Wonderful World," "Day by Day," "Deed I Do" and "I'm Old Fashioned," Consuelo Velazquez' "Besame Mucho," Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Corcovado" and Fats Domino's "I'm Walkin.'"

"Magicians' hands aren't quicker than the eye," Penn Jillette writes, "but Jonesey's fingers might be." While quickness is assuredly a virtue, so is the ability to produce beautiful music at any tempo. Jones, Gurrola and Hamilton are aces-high in both areas, traits that help make Plays Well with Others a superlative piano trio recording. ~Jack Bowers

Plays Well With Others

Julie London - 2 albums: Julie Is Her Name / Vol. 2

Album: Julie Is Her Name
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 30:44
Size: 70.4 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 1955/2014
Art: Front

[2:55] 1. Cry Me A River
[3:14] 2. I Should Care
[2:27] 3. I'm In The Mood For Love
[2:24] 4. I'm Glad There Is You
[3:08] 5. Can't Help Lovin' That Man
[1:49] 6. I Love You
[1:59] 7. Say It Isn't So
[2:22] 8. It Never Entered My Mind
[3:12] 9. Easy Street
[1:32] 10. 's Wonderful
[1:50] 11. No Moon At All
[1:41] 12. Laura
[2:05] 13. Gone With The Wind

For a time, Julie London was as famous for her sexy album covers as for her singing. Her debut is her best, a set of fairly basic interpretations of standards in which she is accompanied tastefully by guitarist Barney Kessel and bassist Ray Leatherwood. "Cry Me a River" from this album, was her biggest hit, and her breathy versions of such numbers as "I Should Care," "Say It Isn't So," "Easy Street," and "Gone with the Wind" are quite haunting. ~Scott Yanow

Julie Is Her Name

Album: Julie Is Her Name Vol 2
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 26:24
Size: 60.5 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 1958/2015
Art: Front

[2:29] 1. Blue Moon
[1:44] 2. What Is This Thing Called Love
[2:44] 3. How Long Has This Been Going On
[2:40] 4. Too Good To Be True
[2:05] 5. Spring Is Here
[1:51] 6. Goody Goody
[2:02] 7. The One I Love (Belongs To Somebody Else)
[2:16] 8. If I'm Lucky
[1:47] 9. Hot Toddy
[2:48] 10. Little White Lies
[1:48] 11. I Guess I'll Have To Change My Plan
[2:06] 12. I Got Lost In His Arms

Three years after her debut, Julie Is Her Name, Julie London returned to the intimate jazz guitar and bass backing that resulted in a Top Ten album and single (the still-popular "Cry Me a River"). You can almost see the cigar-smoking executives at Liberty Records planning this one out -- "Hey, if the public loved it the first time, they're bound to love it again, right?" Well, to give the cigar-chompers some credit, Julie London favored this backing for her live performances and she originally had to fight to be able to record with this intimate jazz backing. Plus, every uptown singer -- from Johnny Mathis to Chet Baker to Sarah Vaughan -- was recording with a guitar/bass duo after Julie Is Her Name hit big, so why not the lady who started it all? For once, pandering to the public equaled taking the artistic high road, because while Julie Is Her Name, Vol. 2 may not be as fresh or unexpected as its predecessor, it actually stands up as a slightly stronger album. London's breathy vocals aren't that different, but she seems more confident and she swings more, even on the ballads. Howard Roberts may not have been a "name guitarist" like Barney Kessel, who played on the debut, but his work here is strong and bassist Red Mitchell lays an entire rhythm section worth of foundation for London to stretch out on. This album was also better recorded than London's debut and the release has a fuller, richer sound to it. Since the plunging-neckline album cover to London's debut was talked about as much as the music, Liberty Records decided to continue the concept by literally putting spotlight beams on the famed beauty's chest. Thankfully, Julie London had enough jazz credentials and focused vocal talent that such blatant cheesecake shots remain of secondary importance to the music contained on the album. ~Nick Dedina

Julie Is Her Name Vol 2

Cedar Walton Trio - Song Of Delilah

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:32
Size: 134.0 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[11:48] 1. Song Of Delilah
[ 6:16] 2. Beautiful Love
[ 8:15] 3. Golden Earrings
[ 5:50] 4. Ghost Of A Chance
[ 4:48] 5. Around The World
[ 8:20] 6. My Foolish Heart
[ 6:05] 7. Street Of Dreams
[ 7:06] 8. Weaver Of Dreams

Cedar Walton on Piano; Buster Williams on Bass; Willie Jones III on Drums.

Cedar Walton recorded this CD as a tribute to Victor Young, composer and music director, who had 22 Academy Award nominations for his film scores. Cedar Walton has brought with him two top artists, Buster Williams on bass and Willie Jones III on drums. Each track has generous solos by each member of this well matched trio. Track #5, “Around the World (in 80 Days)”, won Mr. Young a posthumous Oscar.

Song Of Delilah

Donald Harrison - Big Chief

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:42
Size: 133,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:39)  1. Hiko Hiko
(8:16)  2. Uptown Ruler
(3:11)  3. Big Chief
(2:23)  4. Walkin Home
(2:51)  5. Shave Em Dry
(6:18)  6. Hu-Ta-Nay
(4:44)  7. Indian Blues
(3:03)  8. Shallow Water
(5:12)  9. Ja-Ki-Mo-Fi-Na-Hay
(7:08) 10. Indian Red
(1:54) 11. Two-Way-Pocky-Way
(5:57) 12. Cherokee

Alto saxophonist Donald Harrison explores another area of his New Orleans heritage, the music of the Mardi Gras "Indians." His solos are more bluesy and R&B-flavored, while the supporting cast includes Dr. John on piano, along with Cyrus Chestnut, drummer Carl Allen, bassist Phil Bowler, percussionists Bruce Cox and Howard Smiley Ricks, and Harrison's father on vocals.

Personnel:  Donald Harrison, Jr - alto sax, tenor sax, trombone, vocals; Dr. John - vocals, piano;  Cyrus Chestnut - piano, background vocals;  Phil Bowler - bass, vocals; Carl Allen - drums, vocals;  Howard Ricks - conga, timbales, vocals;  Bruce Cox - timbales, vocals

Big Chief

Julian Shore - Filaments

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:43
Size: 128,0 MB
Art: Front

(7:20)  1. Grey Light, Green Lily
(7:52)  2. Made Very Small
(6:17)  3. Big Bad World
(6:21)  4. Whisper
(6:16)  5. Give
(5:24)  6. I Will If You Will
(4:24)  7. Misdirection/Determined
(4:48)  8. Like A Shadow
(4:37)  9. Venus
(2:20) 10. Whisper (Reprise)

There is nothing wrong with mellow jazz. As long as distance can be maintained from the hackneyed, dialed-in feel of smooth jazz, it can be a refreshing change of pace from the intensity and analytical focus of a lot of modern art music, jazz or otherwise. Listening to pianist Julian Shore's Filaments, there's the sense that he set out to craft music easy on the ears without compromising any of his personal artistic values. The opening "Grey Light, Green Lily" sets the tone for the entire album, its gently chiming, misty piano harmonies, wordless vocals and Kurt Rosenwinkel's yearning guitar solo combine to form a moody, atmospheric sound reminiscent of mid-1980s Pat Metheny Group. Other reference points would be Brian Blade's Fellowship Band and Jeremy Udden's Plainville bucolic, easygoing jazz that makes no bones about its pop and folk influences.

Vocals figure prominently throughout Filaments. Several tunes feature the voices in the front line singing, horn-like and wordlessly, a strategy that works extremely well for Shore's lilting, carefree melodies. The up-tempo waltz, "Big Bad World," benefits hugely from this approach, and the ensuing dialogue between Shore and Rosenwinkel is one of the album's highlights. "Made Very Small," "Whisper" and "Misdirection / Determined" have lyrics sung by their author, Alexa Barchini, the words perfectly capturing the moody, vaguely emotional aspect of the music. Barchini sings them in a pop- jazz style not dissimilar to that of Norah Jones or Sia Furler. Her voice is close-miked, soft and intimate, and conveys the feeling that she's sharing a secret that is just beyond one's grasp. "Whisper (reprise)" subs a slinky swaying dobro for the femme vocals  a whimsical touch.

Filaments features playing that is both subtle and strong. Drummer Tommy Chase has an easy-flowing yet hard-driving feel, and his awareness of subtle shading and coloration really make Shore's pieces come alive. Shore's piano playing most prominent on the trio track "I Will If You Will" is understated yet commanding; eloquent, in a style similar to pianist Bill Evans or, perhaps, Brad Mehldau. The guest soloists add a lot. Rosenwinkel is utterly distinctive and yet he demonstrates a deep musical kinship with Shore and his music. Saxophonist Noah Preminger digs deeply into "Venus," a ballad that, at times, sounds like a duet with Crane's pattering cymbals and toms. Shore switches to the Rhodes for the up-tempo "Like A Shadow," which benefits from Crane's more aggressive drumming and a bluesy solo from guitarist Jeff Miles. "Give" is a bright, punchy and driving piece that expands the group's sound further to include a brass section. One minor quibble; several of Shore's tunes make use of similar chord progressions and melodic lines, which leads to a sort of aural deja vu. Filaments is an unusually mature statement from a young pianist who makes full use of a wide-open musical palette. Not the sort of recording that blows its audience away, instead, Filaments quietly seduces, drawing its audience closer. ~ Dave Wayne  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/julian-shore-filaments-by-dave-wayne.php
 
Personnel: Julian Shore: piano, Rhodes (8); Phil Donkin: bass; Tommy Crane: drums; Alexa Barchini: vocals (2-5, 7-8); Shelly Tzarafi: vocals (1, 3-5, 8); Kurt Rosenwinkel: guitar (1, 2, 5); Jeff Miles: guitar (3, 4, 8); Kurt Ozan: acoustic guitar, dobro (4, 10); Noah Preminger: tenor saxophone (9); Godwin Louis: alto saxophone (5); Billy Buss: trumpet (5); Andrew Hadro: baritone saxophone (5).

Filaments

Chuck Wayne - The Jazz Guitarist

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1954
File: MP3@224K/s
Time: 34:31
Size: 55,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:06)  1. You Brought a New Kind of Love To Me
(2:42)  2. S.S. Cool
(2:29)  3. Mary Ann
(3:26)  4. Butterfingers
(2:43)  5. Taking a Chance on Love
(2:58)  6. Sirod
(2:33)  7. While My Lady Sleeps
(3:18)  8. Tasty Pudding
(2:32)  9. Prospecting
(2:54) 10. Sidewalks of Cuba
(2:19) 11. Uncus
(3:26) 12. Stella by Starlight

Chuck Wayne's participation in some of the earliest bebop recordings have lead many to conclude that he was purely a bop-style guitar player. Yet on the recordings he made in the mid-1940s, first with the Billy Eckstine Band and later with Dizzy Gillespie, his swing oriented guitar collides with the "new music" being played by the more modern musicians on the set. It was with George Shearing that Wayne had his greatest success, making a major contribution to the Shearing sound. This particular album reissues two sets cut by Wayne during the 1950s. The first, covering tracks 1-4 and 7-10, is from 1953 sessions with his Quartet featuring Zoot Sims and Brew Moore; the second session, made the following year with the John Mehegan Quartet, comprises the other four tunes. There are some standards along with seven originals, including five by Wayne. Words that can best be used to describe the latter are "innocuous," "pleasant," "nice background music." These arrangements could be heard in a hundred lounges and small clubs throughout the country during the years when this album was made. 

While there is virtually no inventiveness going on, the playing is entertaining. One quality that comes through with the Wayne guitar is its hornlike sound, which adds a dimension to his playing and is especially complementary when either Sims or Moore is soloing, as on "While My Lady Sleeps," "Side Walks of Cuba" and "Uncus." One exception to the ordinariness of the material is the arrangement of the Victor Young/Ned Washington masterpiece, "Stella by Starlight," where John Mehegan's piano and Wayne's guitar engage in interplay which comes close to being avant-garde. Several of the players at these sessions were from the upper echelons of jazz; it's regrettable they were not offered more interesting or challenging music to perform. ~ Dave Nathan  http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-jazz-guitarist-mw0000098308

Personnel: Chuck Wayne (guitar), Zoot Sims, Brew Moore (tenor saxophones), John Mehegan, Harvey Leonard (piano), Vinnie Burke, George Duvivier (bass), Joe Morello, Ed Shaughnessy (drums).

The Jazz Guitarist

Nicki Parrott - Sentimental Journey

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:10
Size: 139,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:49)  1. It's Magic
(4:53)  2. Again
(4:36)  3. Just One Of Those Things
(4:35)  4. Fools Rush In
(3:42)  5. If I Give My Heart To You
(4:11)  6. I'll See You In My Dreams
(2:58)  7. Que Sera, Sera
(4:54)  8. That Old Feeling
(4:24)  9. My One And Only Love
(3:42) 10. Blue Skies
(3:37) 11. Quizas, Quizas, Quizas
(4:26) 12. Secret Love
(4:40) 13. Sentimental Journey
(3:36) 14. Dream A Little Dream

Nicki Parrott, an internationally acclaimed bassist, arrived in New York in May of 1994, the recipient of a grant from the Australia Council for the Arts allowing her travel to the US and study with her mentor, one of the world’s premiere double bassists, Rufus Reid. In the same year she was also nominated for the “Australian Young Achievers Award”. Today, Nicki Parrott is a world-class double bassist and an emerging singer/songwriter. In her work with artists from around the globe she has brought a signature sound to every bass part she has played. She performs regularly at the world’s best Jazz Festivals and can be seen Monday’s at the Iridium Jazz Club in New York City with the legendary guitarist and inventor, Les Paul. Since June of 2000, this union has been an ideal showcase for her musical abilities, flair for improv, and gift for entertaining a crowd. Born in Newcastle, Australia, Nicki Parrott began her musical training on the piano at the age of four. She also took up the flute and continued to play both instruments throughout her school years. At the age of 15, Nicki switched her focus to the double bass, formed a band with her older sister Lisa (alto sax) and began composing instrumental pieces that they would eventually record for their premier CD release, The Awabakal Suite (2001).

After completing high school, Nicki moved to Sydney and attended the New South Wales Conservatorium of Music, where she graduated with an Associates degree in Jazz Studies. When bassists such as the legendary Ray Brown (Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington, Oscar Peterson) and John Clayton (Diana Krall, Whitney Houston) were playing in town, Nicki would find them, contact them and arrange lessons from them. She was awarded a scholarship to the prestigious Pan Pacific Music Camp, and soon after, took first place in the 1992 Jazz Action Society's Annual Song Competition for her composition, Come and Get It. In 1990, Nicki began touring Australia with Russian musicians Daniel Kramer and Alexander Fischer playing sold out shows across the country. This was followed by successful tours with American trumpeters Bobby Shew and Chuck Findley. When she was off the road, Nicki was consistently playing bass with other world-renowned jazz musicians like New Zealand’s Mike Nock (piano), Australia's Dale Barlow (tenor sax), Paul Grabowsky (piano), Bernie McGann (alto sax) and the explosive Ten Part Invention.

In May of 2002, The Nicki and Lisa Parrott Quartet headlined the prestigious Mary Lou Williams Jazz Festival held at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. The show was broadcast on NPR and was well received by the press. She was also the resident bassist with the Kitchen House Blend, a house band that premiered and performed new music from local New York composers. They would blend jazz, hip-hop, classical and rock in one evening...“It was a very creative experience”. Nicki expanded her musical repertoire and appeared on the Broadway stage in such shows as: Imaginary Friends, You're a Good Man Charlie Brown, Summer of '42, and Jekyll and Hyde. She is still active on Broadway today and regularly performs in the comedic musical, Avenue Q. Since coming to the United States Nicki Parrott has performed and/or recorded with such notable musicians as Randy Brecker, Skitch Henderson, Jose Feliciano, Rebecca Paris, Bucky Pizzarelli, John Pizzarelli, Warren Vache Jr., Clark Terry, Michel Legrand, Billy Taylor, Dick Hyman, Patti Labelle & the New York Pops Orchestra, Annie Ross, the Florida Pops Orchestra, Terri Thornton, Holly Hoffman, DIVA, Marlena Shaw, Monica Mancini, Patrice Rushen, Harry Allen, Red Holloway, Kenny Davern, Mike Stern, Bernard Purdie, John Tropea, David Krakauer, Howard Alden, Randy Sandke, Greg Osby, Jack Wilkins, Ken Peplowski, Johnny Frigo, Joe Wilder, Houston Person, Wycliffe Gordon, Rachel Z and Johnny Varro.

Nicki has also performed at most of the world’s major jazz festivals. In the United States she’s appeared at the Newport Jazz Festival (2005), the Litchfield Jazz festival (2005), the Jazz in July concert series at the 92nd street Y (2003, 2004), the Detroit Jazz Festival (2005) and the Lionel Ha mpton Jazz Festival (2001). Outside the USA Nicki has appeared at the Cully Lavaux Festival (Switzerland - 1995), the Grimsby Jazz Festival (UK - 1996), Berlin Jazz Festival (Germany - 1998), the Ottawa Jazz Festival (2004), the Krakow Music Festival (Poland), JazzAscona (2005, 2006), Bern Jazz Festivals (Switzerland - 2005, 2006), Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival (UK - 2006) and of course, she has played at numerous music festivals across Australia. Nicki Parrott is committed to the continuing musical education women receive in order to further their careers and ultimately remain active as musicians past their teen years. In keeping with her sense of community, Nicki’s desire is to teach underprivileged kids to play instruments and learn to enjoy music. It is her belief t hat teaching music to children helps keep them interested in school and out of trouble. http://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/nickiparrott

Personnel:  Nicki Parrott (vocals & bass); John Di Martino (piano);  Adrian Cunningham (tenor sax, clarinet & flute); Frank Vignola (guitar);  Alvin Atkinson (drums)

Sentimental Journey