Monday, December 14, 2015

Linnzi Zaorski - Linnzi Zaorski & Delta Royale

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:08
Size: 126.2 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz, Swing
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[3:12] 1. Me Myself And I
[4:09] 2. The Way You Look Tonight
[4:47] 3. Mean To Me
[5:07] 4. Rockin' Chair
[2:23] 5. Carelessly
[3:15] 6. Lullabye Of Birdland
[4:11] 7. Don't Be That Way
[6:36] 8. What A Little Moonlight Can Do
[2:03] 9. I'm Gonna Lock My Heart And Throw Away The Key
[4:42] 10. Our Love Is Here To Stay
[2:56] 11. Stars Fell On Alabama
[6:16] 12. Why Was I Born
[5:24] 13. Dream A Little Dream

Ryan Berrage – Sax; Charlie Fardella – Trumpet; Robert Snow – Bass; Seva Venet – Guitar; Linnzi Zaorski – Vocals.

While technique, control and tone are important aspects of jazz singing, it is a performer's individual style that gets them recognized. You can learn technique, but not style. Throwback torch singer Linnzi Zaorski understands the importance of style as her debut album is brimming with it.Throughout, Zaorski is backed by a sympathetic quartet including Ryan Burrage on reeds, Jackson Square Band veteran Seva Venet on guitar, Charlie Fardela on trumpet and Robert snow providing the backbone on upright bass. Unlike her other gig with the New Orleans Jazz Vipers, Delta Royale veers away from the Hot Club swing into more of a singer's repertoire of popular standards made famous by the likes of Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holliday. But Zaorski finds a voice outside of these singing giants on oft-covered classics like "Lullaby of Birdland" and "Stars fell On Alabama." Eschewing the pathos of Billie Holiday and the studied perfection of Ella, Zaorski evokes the great mildred Bailey (especially on the Bailey vehicle "Rockin Chair") with her stylized enunciation and bright tone. While it is Zaorski's affair, the band takes the spotlight swinging mightily on a hot version of "What A Little Moonlight Can Do." But it is to the band's credit as accompanists that the focus remains on the voice of Zaorski. Even when singing laments like "Why Was I Born?" you get the impression that beneath the pout, there is an assured smirk, that when she declares "Our Love Is Here To Stay," shes crosing her fingers. This girl's definitely got style. ~Christopher Blagg

Linnzi Zaorski & Delta Royale

Buster Smith - The Legendary Buster Smith

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:05
Size: 87.2 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 1959/2005
Art: Front

[3:32] 1. Buster's Tune
[6:50] 2. E-Flat Boogie
[3:49] 3. September Song
[4:31] 4. King Alcohol
[5:12] 5. Kansas City Riffs
[7:35] 6. Late Late
[6:34] 7. Organ Grinder's Swing

Alto sax player, arranger, and composer Buster Smith recorded sparingly during his career and this seven-track set, recorded in a single session on June 7, 1959 and released by Atlantic Records a month or two later, was the only album Smith did as a bandleader. It's a low key, pleasant affair featuring five original Smith compositions, including the lightly swinging "Buster's Tune" and the odd, wonderfully disjointed "King Alcohol," as well as versions of Kurt Weill's "September Song" and Will Hudson's "Organ Grinder's Swing." Smith's brother, Boston Smith, played piano at the session. Following a car accident in the early '60s, Smith was unable to continue playing sax and picked up the bass guitar, gigging regularly with various combos on bass in the Dallas area until his death in 1991. ~Steve Leggett

The Legendary Buster Smith

The Ames Brothers - For Sentimental Reasons

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 32:23
Size: 74.2 MB
Styles: Pop, Vocal harmony group
Year: 1964/2014
Art: Front

[2:56] 1. Exactly Like You
[2:28] 2. Man, Man Is For The Woman Made
[2:44] 3. The Very Thought Of You
[2:17] 4. Don't Leave Me Now
[2:47] 5. Too Ra Loo Ra Loo Ral
[2:40] 6. I Can't Give You Anything But Love
[2:34] 7. Fascination
[2:11] 8. Together
[3:08] 9. Around The World
[2:00] 10. You're Driving Me Crazy
[3:29] 11. For Sentimental Reasons
[3:04] 12. Noche De Ronda

Electronically reprocessed stereo versions of earlier singles.

The Ames Brothers got their beginning in Malden, where all four were born. The act consisted of brothers Joe (May 3, 1921 – December 22, 2007), Gene (born February 13, 1923 – April 4, 1997), Vic (May 20, 1925 – January 23, 1978) and Ed (born July 9, 1927).

Born into a non-professional, but musically talented family, the boys were raised to enjoy classical and operatic music. Their parents, David and Sarah Urick, were Russian Jewish immigrants from the Ukraine who read Shakespeare and semi-classics to their nine children from the time they were old enough to listen.

The brothers formed a quartet with a cousin named Lennie, and had been touring United States Army and Navy bases entertaining the troops and were offered a job at The Fox and Hounds nightclub, one of the fanciest clubs in Boston. This one-week engagement turned into several months when the word got around of their appearance. At the time, they were going by the name of the Amory Brothers, a name taken from Vic's middle name and they were becoming quite popular in the area. It was at this time that Joe decided to rejoin the group. He said they were just having too much fun together for him to miss out.[citation needed] Taking their act to New York City they got a job with bandleader Art Mooney. One day while at Leeds Publishing Company in search of a song called "Should I" that their mother had asked them to sing, Milt Gabler of Decca Records heard them singing it and had them cut a few sides for Decca Records just before the AFM recording ban which James Petrillo imposed in January 1948.

A year later when the ban was lifted, the Ames Brothers were the first artists to record for Coral Records. The name Amory was shortened to Ames. They were swept into national top billing with their first hit record, "Rag Mop", in January 1950. Doing radio shows for free at times just for the experience, they later became regulars on such shows as Arthur Godfrey and His Friends. One of the first acts to appear on the original The Ed Sullivan Show when it was known as Toast of the Town, they made their debut with him when the show was telecast live from Wanamaker's Department Store.

Soon, they were the top paid group in nightclubs and supperclubs everywhere and their popularity on television was nationwide. In 1956 they starred in their own show, The Ames Brothers Show, which was seen on Friday nights. It was the first syndicated television show to be shown in foreign countries. The brothers also appeared on ABC's The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom.

Over their fifteen-year career, their prolific work notched up 49 US chart entries, 21 of them on the Coral label before signing with RCA Victor. The group disbanded in the early 1960s, but Ed Ames continued with a successful singing and acting career, including playing Daniel Boone's sidekick, Mingo, on the popular Daniel Boone television series (1964–1970).

For Sentimental Reasons

Various - The Trombone Album

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:14
Size: 144.8 MB
Styles: Trombone jazz, Bop, Swing
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[7:36] 1. J.J. Johnson - Walkin'
[4:42] 2. J.J. Johnson - Jan Cee Brown
[3:29] 3. J.J. Johnson - Playgirl Stroll-Master
[4:12] 4. Frank Rosolino - Accident
[5:34] 5. Frank Rosolino - Darryl's Minor
[2:55] 6. Frank Rosolino - Rubberneck
[2:35] 7. Frank Rosolino - Mean To Me
[2:32] 8. Frank Wess - Sweet And Lovely
[2:43] 9. Frank Wess - Take Me Out To The Ballgame
[9:14] 10. Frank Wess - Lo-Fi
[4:24] 11. Billy Ver Planck - Wanting You
[5:19] 12. Billy Ver Planck - You'll Do
[3:09] 13. Billy Ver Planck - Boneology
[2:24] 14. Curtis Fuller - Down Vernon's Alley
[2:17] 15. Curtis Fuller - Riffette

Several of the top bop-oriented trombonists are featured on this two-LP set which was put out by Arista in 1980. The great J.J. Johnson teams up with baritonist Leo Parker in a quintet for three numbers, Frank Rosolino jams with a quartet in 1952 (including a version of "Take Me out to the Ballgame") and Frank Foster's arrangements for four trombonists are quite enjoyable. There are also three selections and an alternate take from an all-star session arranged by Billy Ver Planck that features a jubilant Bill Harris on "Playgirl Stroll." This two-fer concludes with a Curtis Fuller date from 1960 that also has solo space for trumpeter Lee Morgan, Yusef Lateef on flute and tenor, and pianist McCoy Tyner. A well-rounded and consistently enjoyable set; most of the recordings have yet to be reissued on CD. ~Scott Yanow

The Trombone Album

Art Taylor - Taylor's Wailers

Styles: Bop, Hard Bop
Year: 1957
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:07
Size: 94,5 MB
Art: Front

(9:52)  1. Batland
(4:43)  2. C.T.A.
(6:15)  3. Exhibit A
(6:35)  4. Cubano Chant
(5:38)  5. Off Minor
(8:01)  6. Well, You Needn't

Five of the six selections on this CD reissue feature drummer Art Taylor in an all-star sextet of mostly young players comprised of trumpeter Donald Byrd, altoist Jackie McLean, Charlie Rouse on tenor, pianist Ray Bryant, and bassist Wendell Marshall. Among the highpoints of the 1957 hard bop date are the original version of Bryant's popular "Cubano Chant" and strong renditions of two Thelonious Monk tunes ("Off Minor" and "Well, You Needn't") cut just prior to the pianist/composer's discovery by the jazz public. Bryant is the most mature of the soloists, but the three horn players were already starting to develop their own highly individual sounds. The remaining track (a version of Jimmy Heath's "C.T.A.") is played by the quartet of Taylor, tenor saxophonist John Coltrane, pianist Red Garland, and bassist Paul Chambers and is a leftover (although a good one) from another session. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/taylors-wailers-mw0000085856

Personnel: Art Taylor (drums); Jackie McLean (alto saxophone); John Coltrane, Charlie Rouse (tenor saxophone); Red Garland, Donald Byrd (trumpet); Ray Bryant (piano); Wendel Marshall, Paul Chambers (bass).

Taylor's Wailers

Tuck & Patti - As Time Goes By

Styles: Vocal And Guitar Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:49
Size: 133,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:13)  1. I've Got Just About Everything
(3:04)  2. They Can't Take That Away From Me
(3:16)  3. Better Than Anything
(4:28)  4. Stella By Starlight
(2:55)  5. As Time Goes By
(3:19)  6. On A Clear Day
(3:57)  7. When We're Alone
(5:01)  8. Up And At It
(4:06)  9. Taking The Long Way Home
(3:39) 10. My Romance
(4:37) 11. Togetherness
(4:56) 12. Body And Soul
(2:38) 13. Walkin' One And Only
(5:37) 14. Manhã De Carnaval
(2:57) 15. I Will

This is the second Tuck & Patti compilation for the Windham Hill label. While it proves to be a fine companion to The Best of Tuck & Patti, it seems redundant to have two compilations from only six studio recordings (including Tuck's Reckless Precision). The selections are fine representations of their amazing talent, so it is recommended for casual fans. However, those who want to make more of an investment in this historically important duo are encouraged to pass on the compilations and go with the original studio recordings, as they are all excellent. ~ Robert Taylor  http://www.allmusic.com/album/as-time-goes-by-mw0000011795

Tuck & Patti: Tuck Andress (guitar); Patti Cathcart (vocals).

As Time Goes By

Alberta Hunter - Look For The Silver Lining

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1982
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 32:39
Size: 75,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:10)  1. Without Rhythm
(3:28)  2. Look For The Silver Lining
(3:13)  3. Now I'm Satisfied
(3:09)  4. Georgia On My Mind
(2:32)  5. J'ai Deux Amours
(3:42)  6. Black Man
(3:09)  7. He's Funny That Way
(2:49)  8. Somebody Loves Me
(3:54)  9. On The Sunny Side Of The Street
(3:28) 10. Somebody Told Me

Classic blues singer Alberta Hunter's final recording (made when she was 87, two years before her death) is as powerful as her previous three Columbia albums. The legendary delightful singer puts plenty of feeling into "Look for the Silver Lining," "He's Funny That Way," "Somebody Loves Me" and four of her originals. 

As was true of each of her final sets, Hunter is joined by the Gerald Cook quartet and several veteran horn players (trumpeters Doc Cheatham and Jonah Jones, trombonist Vic Dickenson and tenorman Budd Johnson), all of whom sound quite happy to be supporting the ancient yet ageless singer. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/look-for-the-silver-lining-mw0000312123

Featuring : Alberta Hunter (vocals), Vic Dickenson (trombone), Jonah Jones (trumpet), Frank Anderson (hammond organ), Billy Butler (guitar), Jimmy Lewis (bass), Butch Miles (drums), Vishnu Wood (bass)

Look For The Silver Lining

Bob Baldwin - Cool Breeze

Styles: Jazz Funk
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:02
Size: 133,3 MB
Art: Front

(5:03)  1. Give In To Love
(5:08)  2. Summer Breeze
(4:58)  3. Bahia Maria
(5:51)  4. People Make The World Go Round
(5:09)  5. Ties That Bind
(5:10)  6. Walk On By
(5:03)  7. Hot Fun In The Sun
(5:20)  8. Vi's Pies
(5:05)  9. Cool Wind Blowing
(6:15) 10. I Give Unto You
(3:47) 11. Be Encouraged
(1:07) 12. Ties That Bind - Interlude

The smooth jazz format has lent itself to an unfortunate trend towards sugary and fluffy generic album titles that hardly characterize the grit and energy of the music they represent. Boney James went the route with Sweet Thing and now Bob Baldwin's blandly titled but explosively executed Cool Breeze makes a strong case for not judging a disc by its cover. As with his independent City Sketches earlier this year, the keyboardist never quite approaches the free-for-all soul-fusion jam sessions which marked his early Atlantic albums, yet he throws enough aggressive, improvisational punches into these up-tempo romps to remind his old fans of the way he once pounded. Rather than crazed earthquakes, he gives us thoughtful, slickly produced tremors that lean towards gospel every so often. 

He also twists familiar pop hits like "Summer Breeze" and "Walk on By" into funky blue knots. His artful, no-frills jazz trio spins on "Cool Wind Blowing" and "I Give Unto You" make many of the other tracks seem overproduced and machine generated by comparison. While Baldwin knows how to balance electric and acoustic currents to great effect, he should consider stripping down like this more often in the future. Why hide behind smoke and mirrors when you have this much emotion to offer? ~ Jonathan Widran  http://www.allmusic.com/album/cool-breeze-mw0000025975

Personnel: Bob Baldwin (strings, piano, keyboards, drums, loops); Larry Coryell (electric guitar); Marion Meadows (saxophone, soprano saxophone); Fred Vigdor (soprano saxophone, alto saxophone); Tad Gulley, Tony Lewis (drums, cymbals).

Cool Breeze