Ramsey Lewis & Nancy Wilson - Simple Pleasures

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:11
Size: 124.1 MB
Styles: Crossover jazz, Vocal jazz, Piano jazz
Year: 2003
Art: Front

[4:26] 1. In The Name Of Love
[6:03] 2. Slippin Into Darkness
[5:03] 3. All This Love
[6:38] 4. In My Life
[3:57] 5. Give Me Something Real
[3:16] 6. Lost Up In Loving You
[4:49] 7. Ooh Child
[5:56] 8. One True Thing
[6:07] 9. God Bless The Child
[7:52] 10. Gentle Persuasion

Longtime fans of these two jazz legends may know that they met originally in the early '60s as clients of the same manager; and recorded their first duet album in 1984, Two of Us, which was produced by Stanley Clarke. Based on the wonderful piano-vocal rapport (with brilliant horn arrangements courtesy of Llew Matthews) on this disc and 2002's Meant To Be, it's a good thing that Ramsey Lewis and Nancy Wilson caught up with each other in 2001, when Wilson played the Ravinia Festival (Lewis serves as Artistic Director). Simple Pleasures features both vocals and instrumentals with a wide range of dynamics, from his romantic but too subtle piano melody on "In My Life," to Wilson's fiery belting over a sea of snazzy horns on "Give Me Something Real." It's great to hear her let loose, but the slower, sensual side of her vocal prowess (on tunes like "Lost Up in Loving You") is even more inviting. They choose their material wisely, from the hip classic pop of Debarge's "All This Love" to "God Bless The Child," which they do in a late night, torchy style. The best of the five, Lewis' only performance is the swinging trio rendition of the R&B classic "Ooh Child," which takes the original melody in fast and furious directions. Let's hope the conversation between them continues indefinitely. ~Jonathan Widran

Simple Pleasures

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Hampton Hawes, Martial Solal - Key For Two

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:00
Size: 84.7 MB
Styles: Hard bop, Piano jazz
Year: 1968/2007
Art: Front

[7:02] 1. Key For Two
[3:51] 2. Stella By Starlight
[2:38] 3. Spring Can Reallt Hang You The Most
[4:29] 4. Bag's Groove
[4:50] 5. Lover Come Back To Me
[3:07] 6. Fly Me To The Moon
[2:56] 7. The Theme
[5:34] 8. Godchild
[2:31] 9. Three For Two

Bass – Pierre Michelot; Drums – Kenny Clarke; Piano – Hampton Hawes, Martial Solal. Recorded in Paris, January, 1968

Enter two African - Americans, one of them living permanently in France (Kenny Clarke) and two Frenchmen, one of them being born in Algiers (a pied noir or "black foot" as the Frenchies call them), two pianos, a bass and a set of drums and a very interesting musical situation can develop. A jazz quartet with two pianos sounds bizarre but if you are a virtuoso in the mold of Hampton Hawes and Martial Solal these are mere formalities.

Key For Two

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Big Tubba Mista - Greatest Hits

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:31
Size: 95.0 MB
Styles: Swing, Big band
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[3:55] 1. Zydeco
[3:02] 2. Love Or Lust
[3:46] 3. Knock One Back
[5:07] 4. Walk Right Out
[4:08] 5. Big Tubba Mista
[2:29] 6. Drive By
[3:47] 7. Set 'em Up
[4:15] 8. Perfect Stranger
[4:49] 9. Killer On 37th Street
[3:09] 10. Los Caballeros Social Club
[2:58] 11. Baby No More

Big Tubba Mista is a seven piece swing band hailing from Harrisburg, PA. This veteran Swing act has created an amazing stir throughout the East and West Coasts, bringing their unique brand of Swing to audiences of all ages. If you're a fan of Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Brian Setzer Orchestra, or Royal Crown Revue, you'll love Big Tubba Mista. Their hard-nosed, driving brand of Swing is sure to get you movin'!

Formed back in 1997, Big Tubba Mista has released 3 CDs and a documentary DVD to date. Their first two CD's, "The Sting That's Swing" and "Knock One Back" sold over 15,000 copies combined. Big Tubba Mista has played at such notable Swing venues as The Derby in Hollywood, CA and the Supper Club in New York City. The boys have had their music aired on MTV, Bravo, and Showtime, and their music is featured on two Swing Compilations, "New Millenium Swing" and "Swing This Baby 3".

Greatest Hits

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Chico Hamilton Quintet - Complete Studio Recordings

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:34
Size: 127.2 MB
Styles: Cool Jazz, West Coast jazz
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[2:52] 1. A Nice Day
[4:17] 2. My Funny Valentine
[6:34] 3. Blue Sands
[3:35] 4. The Sage
[2:07] 5. The Morning After
[2:17] 6. Jonalah
[3:50] 7. Chrissie
[3:34] 8. The Wind
[3:48] 9. Gone Lover (When Your Lover Has Gone)
[5:07] 10. The Ghost
[4:11] 11. Sleepy Slept Here
[4:10] 12. Taking A Chance On Love
[1:49] 13. The Squimp
[4:49] 14. Topsy
[2:27] 15. Sleep

Over half a century later, these recordings made by drummer Chico Hamilton between 1955-1956 with his first quintet sound as fresh and unusual as they must have back in the day. The instrumentation of this group helped to form Hamilton's ear for many of the projects he was involved in and bands he would lead throughout his career. The group consisted of Hamilton, Buddy Collette on reeds and woodwinds, bassist Carson Smith, cellist Fred Katz, and guitarist Jim Hall. Given what was transpiring on both coasts at the time -- hard bop out East and the cool sound in the West -- this music walked beyond them both. The varying textures and harmonic possibilities for a group with this instrumentation presented not only unique opportunities but unique challenges as well. In the 21st century, it sounds almost cinematic -- especially on standards like "My Funny Valentine," with a counterpoint, almost modal, lyric line played by Collette as Katz tackles the melody in the lower registers of his instruments. But it's the originals here that are so striking: the tom-tom heavy polyrhythmic structure of Collette's "Blue Sands," the uptempo bass and clarinet sprint that opens Smith's "Jonalah," and Hall's lithe, sprightly, midtempo ballad "Chrissie," with its three-part counterpoint using guitar, flute and cello in a knotty yet seamless labyrinth. In other words, the 15 tracks here, whether familiar numbers such as Russ Freeman's "The Wind," or Collette's banging "The Ghost" all come off as somehow otherworldly because of the complex yet utterly accessible melodic invention even in the most intricate of harmonic engagements. This set, issued by Spain's Fresh Sound imprint as one of four different volumes of Hamilton's early music, contains exhaustive liner notes, current retrospective interviews with all the living players, and decent sound. ~Thom Jurek

Complete Studio Recordings

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Gilad Edelman - My Groove, Your Move

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:09
Size: 135,7 MB
Art: Front

(6:57)  1. I Love You (Verse)
(6:46)  2. On the Street Where You Live
(5:29)  3. Foi a Saudade
(5:26)  4. Eye of Irene
(6:21)  5. Sweet Honey Bee
(7:14)  6. For All We Know/We Kiss In a Shadow
(7:12)  7. My Groove, Your Move
(7:30)  8. The Way You Look Tonight
(6:11)  9. The Lineup

Gilad Edelman is the son of Marc Edelman, the brains and will behind Sharp Nine Records, a fiercely independent label which has produced some of the finest straight-ahead jazz records of the past fifteen years. Despite limited resources and operating in the midst of the industry's severe downturn, Sharp Nine has released impressive recordings by significant, well-traveled artists like pianists David Hazeltine and Tardo Hammer, tenor saxophonist Grant Stewart, alto saxophonist Ian Hendrickson-Smith, the bands Planet Jazz and One for All, and recently fostered the emerging talents of alto saxophonist Dmitry Baevsky and singer/pianist Champian Fulton. The nine tracks of My Groove, Your Move offer ample proof that familial considerations haven't impaired Marc's ability to judge talent. In short, the record is up to Sharp Nine's customary high standards. A smart, soulful alto saxophone stylist, Gilad is prepared to deal with some of New York's finest: Hazeltine, trumpeter Joe Magnarelli, bassist John Webber, and drummer Jason Brown. All in all, Groove doesn't come off as a showcase for an up-and- coming player; rather, it's a balanced, fully realized piece of work performed by individuals who have each other's best interests at heart.

Gilad doesn't resemble the legions of cookie cutter saxophonists coming out of today's university jazz programs. Unlike most of his twenty-something peers, he sounds removed from the sanctuary of the practice room and fully immersed in making music in real time. Although he's indebted to Charlie Parker, Sonny Stitt, Julian "Cannonball" Adderley, and (perhaps) Johnny Hodges, these influences don't loom large in the overall scheme of things. On the soul-jazz tinged tracks "Sweet Honey Bee" and "My Grove, Your Move," Gilad finds ways of integrating vibrant, speech-like phrases and cutting bursts of bebop. A tone that gives equal weight to sustained notes and rapid fire passages goes a long way in making these transactions sound genuine. An appealingly relaxed quality even on the up tempo burner "Eye of Irene" speaks to a maturity well beyond his years, and is a refreshing change from the "the more notes the better" approach of many of his contemporaries. Equally important is Gilad's keen sense of time and ability to move confidently in the thick of the rhythm section's robust support. He doesn't flinch when Hazeltine tweaks him with a persistent, playful smattering of chords during "I Love You (verse)."

In a disc full of strong, bracing tracks, the ballad medley of "For All We Know/We Kiss in a Shadow" stands out. One after the other, Gilad and Magnarelli offer exquisite interpretations of beautiful, timeless songs. Both of them deftly mix understated, viscerally compelling renditions of the tunes and brief flashes of improvisation. On one level, it's the kind of playing that will satisfy a discriminating jazz fan; on another, it's music to lose oneself in. ~ David A.Orthmann  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/my-groove-your-move-gilad-edelman-sharp-nine-records-review-by-david-a-orthmann.php?width=1280

Personnel: Gilad Edelman: Alto Saxophone;  Joe Magnarelli: Trumpet/Flugelhorn;  David Hazeltine: Piano;  John Webber: Bass;  Jason Brown: Drums.

My Groove, Your Move

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Jonathan Stout & His Campus Five - Crazy Rhythm

Styles: Jazz, Swing, Big Band
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:58
Size: 168,4 MB
Art: Front

(2:32)  1. Boff Boff (Mop Mop)
(3:07)  2. Jacquet in the Box
(3:15)  3. Honeysuckle Rose
(2:55)  4. Somebody Loves Me
(3:17)  5. Drum Boogie
(2:48)  6. Hop, Skip and Jump
(5:10)  7. Comes Love
(3:28)  8. Boog-It
(3:22)  9. Dark Eyes
(4:46) 10. Goody Goody
(4:10) 11. Gotta Do Some War Work
(4:59) 12. Why Don't You Do Right?
(2:56) 13. Savoy Blip
(3:00) 14. Doin' at the Doing
(3:48) 15. Massachusetts
(3:30) 16. Six Appeal
(2:48) 17. Bloodhound
(3:21) 18. There'll Be Some Changes Made
(3:55) 19. You Talk a Little Trash
(3:33) 20. Sir Charles Boogie
(2:10) 21. Crazy Rhythm

The Campus Five's second recording! Jonathan Stout and his Campus Five, featuring Hilary Alexander are Los Angeles' finest in small group swing and one of the most danceable swing bands in the world. We have traveled to London, New York, San Francisco, Washington DC, Cleveland, San Diego, Denver to play for Jitterbugs of all stripes, Lindy Hop, Balboa or Shag. Don't dance? That's ok, although you'll probably want to after hearing this record.

The band delivers again with a whole new album of rare and unqiue tunes, and always danceable. Starting with the classic small group sounds of the Benny Goodman Sextet's "Six Appeal" and the Artie Shaw Gramercy Five's "Hop, Skip and Jump," the album also features some of the lesser-known small groups of Harlem in the 40's - the Cootie Williams Sextet "Honeysuckle Rose", Illinois Jacquet's "Jacquet in the Box" and Hot Lips Page's "Bloodhound". Hilary swings Peggy Lee tunes "Somebody Loves Me" and "Why Don't You Do Right", and Anita O'Day/Gene Krupa tunes "Massachusetts", "Boog It" and "Drum Boogie", the latter featuring vintage drummer extraordinare Josh Collazo. Jim Ziegler lends his voice to Cootie Williams "Gotta Do Some War Work". The Campus Five really rips it out on our versions of "Crazy Rhythm" (inspired by tap dancer Gregory Hines) and "Dark Eyes."

The album was recorded by vintage audiophile Dick Hamilton at his studio, the Doing, using vintage RCA 44 microphones to capture the traditional sound of classic small group swing. "Jammin' the Blues" features Los Angeles' best swing musicians, including Tenor Saxophonist and Clarinetist Albert Alva, Trumpeter and Vocalist Jim Ziegler, Pianist Christopher Dawson, Bassist Jim Garafolo, and drumming phoneme Josh Collazo. http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/campusfive2

Crazy Rhythm

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Duke Jordan - Blue Duke

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1983
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:15
Size: 110,8 MB
Art: Front

(9:43)  1. No Problem
(3:55)  2. Holding Hands
(3:18)  3. Ben Sugar Blues
(6:02)  4. All the Things You Are
(5:24)  5. C Jam Blues
(4:03)  6. Jor-Du
(3:29)  7. From Duke to Duke
(7:32)  8. St. Louis Blues
(4:46)  9. The Theme

Originally cut for the Japanese Baystate label and then later released by French RCA, this trio set by pianist Duke Jordan (with bassist Harry Memmery and drummer James Martin in Holland) differs from his usual recordings in putting an emphasis on blues, although not exclusively. Jordan performs six of his originals (including "No Problem," "Ben Sugar Blues," "Jordu" and "From Duke to Duke") plus "All the Things You Are," "C Jam Blues" and "St. Louis Blues." The classic bebop pianist's consistency holds up on this set (cut when he was 61), making the obscure LP worth searching for. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/blue-duke-mw0000471362

Personnel:  Duke Jordan (Piano); Harry Memmery (Bass);  James Martin (Drums).

Blue Duke

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