Les Paul - The Best Of Les Paul

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:04
Size: 75.7 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2001
Art: Front

[2:34] 1. Blue Skies
[2:58] 2. Begin The Beguine
[2:50] 3. Dream Dust
[2:37] 4. Dark Eyes
[2:55] 5. It's Been A Long Long Time
[3:00] 6. Hawaiian Paradise
[2:53] 7. Rumors Are Flying
[2:52] 8. Steel Guitar Rag
[3:01] 9. Somebody Loves Me
[2:26] 10. Guitar Boogie
[2:30] 11. Caravan
[2:23] 12. What Are You Doing New Year's Eve

His achievements spanned decades, but some of Les Paul's most rewarding efforts were his '40s Decca sides-12 of the best of which are collected here! Includes his appearance on Bing Crosby's 1945 #1 hit It's Been a Long, Long Time ; his own debut hit, Rumors Are Flying (with the Andrews Sisters), plus Caravan; Blue Skies; Dark Eyes; Guitar Boogie; Steel Guitar Rag , and more!

The Best Of Les Paul

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Heather Masse, Dick Hyman - Lock My Heart

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:25
Size: 126.9 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz, Mainstream jazz
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[4:59] 1. Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered
[4:20] 2. Lullaby Of Birdland
[5:18] 3. Since I Fell For You
[4:06] 4. Love Is Here To Stay
[5:30] 5. September Song
[4:08] 6. Lost In The Stars
[2:53] 7. Love For Sale
[3:56] 8. If I Called You
[6:37] 9. I Got It Bad And That Ain’t Good
[4:43] 10. Flower Is A Lovesome Thing
[5:07] 11. Morning Drinker
[3:43] 12. I’m Gonna Lock My Heart (And Throw Away The Key)

Heather Masse, part of the Canadian folk duo Wailin' Jennys, teams up with jazz pianist and educator Dick Hyman for a romantic set of standards. Masse and Hyman initially met during an appearance on the radio show A Prairie Home Companion in 2010, performing "I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good," which is included on this set. In a continuation comparable to that first performance together, Lock My Heart is just Masse's voice and Hyman's piano. Over the course of his 60-year career, Hyman has mastered the great American songbook, making him a seamless accompanist to the young vocalist. Masse gained familiarity with these tunes at an early age from her mother, who was a pianist, but she is not a traditional jazz singer, which makes her interpretations of these classics all the more interesting. The majority of tunes on Lock My Heart are standards written by the likes of Rodgers & Hart, George & Ira Gershwin, Billy Strayhorn, Duke Ellington, and Kurt Weill, and to her credit, Masse penned two tracks that fit in neatly with the rest of the program: "If I Called You" and "Morning Drinker." Audiophiles should note that this release is available as a Hybrid Super Audio CD. ~Al Campbell

Lock My Heart

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Paul Williams - Evergreens: The Best Of The A&M Years

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 79:32
Size: 182.1 MB
Styles: Soft rock, AM pop
Year: 2004
Art: Front

[3:18] 1. We've Only Just Begun
[3:38] 2. Waking Up Alone
[4:28] 3. I Never Had It So Good
[3:09] 4. An Old Fashioned Love Song
[2:57] 5. Let Me Be The One
[3:32] 6. Out In The Country
[5:12] 7. I Won't Last A Day Without You
[3:35] 8. Traveling Boy
[3:41] 9. You And Me Against The World
[3:53] 10. That's What Friends Are For
[3:34] 11. Rainy Days And Mondays
[2:58] 12. If We Could Still Be Friends
[2:37] 13. What Would They Say
[4:09] 14. Dream Away
[4:17] 15. A Little Bit Of Love
[3:22] 16. The Family Of Man
[3:04] 17. Nice To Be Around
[3:21] 18. Loneliness
[3:40] 19. Time And Tide
[4:21] 20. Ordinary Fool
[2:58] 21. Evergreen
[3:37] 22. The Hell Of It

In the '70s, Paul Williams was one of the most successful songwriters in pop music, writing hits for the Carpenters, Three Dog Night, Helen Reddy, and the Monkees, and winning an Academy Award for "Evergreen," the love theme from the Barbra Streisand blockbuster A Star Is Born. Williams also enjoyed a career as an actor in television and movies, and was a frequent guest on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, and in the midst of it all, he found the time to record a handful of solo albums in which he interpreted his own songs. Evergreens: The Best of the A&M Years is a 22-track collection that brings together the best moments from the five albums he cut during his tenure with A&M Records -- 1971's Just an Old Fashioned Love Song, 1972's Life Goes On, 1974's Here Comes Inspiration and A Little Bit of Love, and 1975's Ordinary Fool. Evergreens features Williams' performances of many of the hits he penned for others, including "We've Only Just Begun," "Rainy Days and Mondays," "Out in the Country," "You and Me Against the World," "That's What Friends Are For," and "Evergreen," as well as fan favorites such as "Traveling Boy," "Waking Up Alone," and "Nice to Be Around." The album also features "The Hell of It," which Williams wrote and performed for Brian DePalma's cult classic rock & horror film The Phantom of the Paradise. While this sampler leaves out Williams' earliest work (including his recordings with the sunshine pop band the Holy Mackerel), Evergreens is a solid introduction to his best-known and most fruitful period as a recording artist, and the artful production and arrangements on these recordings show off Williams' tunes in a new and impressive light. ~Mark Deming

Evergreens: The Best Of The A&M Years

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Eli Yamin - You Can't Buy Swing

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:43
Size: 141.3 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[6:07] 1. I Want To Be A Teacher
[6:24] 2. You Can't Buy Swing
[4:22] 3. Getting Somewhere
[5:23] 4. Well, You Better Not
[5:07] 5. Bop To Normal
[8:31] 6. Rwandan Child
[5:48] 7. Just One
[5:50] 8. Katiana's New Start
[6:47] 9. Jacquet's Meditation
[5:38] 10. Waltz On The Hudson
[1:41] 11. In Walked Barry

Eli Yamin is Artistic Director of The Jazz Drama Program and Director of Jazz At Lincoln Center’s Middle School Jazz Academy. He is a jazz pianist, composer, educator, broadcaster, bandleader and Steinway artist. Eli’s joyful and swinging piano playing has led him to perform at top concert halls and festivals in the United States, India, China, Mali, Japan and throughout Europe. Through his touring experiences, Eli is continually blown away by the power of jazz to uplift, inspire and build community all over the world. As a leading educator passionately committed to expanding the jazz audience, Eli is teaching jazz to business leaders, middle school students, music teachers and college professors. He is a consultant for The Rhythm Road: American Music Abroad, produced with the U.S. State Department, the National Endowment for the Arts, Fordham University Graduate School of Business and WBGO Radio. Eli’s six jazz musicals for children have been performed for thousands of people by hundreds of young folks. They include Message From Saturn, about the healing power of the blues and Nora’s Ark, a modern retelling of the biblical tale. He has recorded numerous CD's including Suns of Cosmic Consciousness, with the group Solar, and most recently, You Can't Buy Swing, with the Eli Yamin Quartet. Eli has played, recorded and taught with Barry Harris, Wynton Marsalis, Illinois Jacquet, Walter Perkins, Perry Robinson, Mercedes Ellington, Kate McGarry, Claire Daly and Bob Stewart. Eli holds a Master's Degree in Music Education from Lehman College, City University of New York and has appeared on CBS Saturday Morning, PBS, Fox News and National Public Radio.

You Can't Buy Swing

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Paula Santoro - Mar Do Meu Mundo

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:08
Size: 91.9 MB
Styles: Brazilian jazz
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[4:08] 1. Guanabara
[4:22] 2. Alegria
[3:52] 3. Homem Ao Mar
[3:36] 4. Samburá De Peixe Miúdo
[3:19] 5. Flor
[6:02] 6. Mar Deserto
[3:14] 7. Arabesco
[5:29] 8. Luz Da Terra
[2:57] 9. Joana Dos Barcos
[3:04] 10. Água Salobra

If we think of a CD as a photograph, a faithful snapshot of a specific moment from an artist’s career, Mar do Meu Mundo is the picture of a singer who is releasing her fifth album confident about the musical aesthetics that she defends and in which she believes. Paula Santoro has an almost chamber style and sings to put the music, not herself, in the center of attention. Without distracting the audience with free virtuosities, the voice joins the instrumental part of the band, comprised of Rafael Vernet (piano and arrangements), Kiko Freitas and Rafael Barata (drums), Guto Wirtti and Zeca Assumpção (double bass), Marco Lobo (percussion), Daniel Santiago (guitar and electric guitar) and invited musicians as the UAKTI group and Maurício Tizumba (congado drum).

One of the greatest singers of her generation, Paula Santoro was born in Belo Horizonte (MG) and has lived in Rio de Janeiro for many years. With several works on stage and recording and TV studios, she became more prominent from 2002 on, when she won the third place in the 5th Visa Music Awards (V Prêmio Visa de Música). Besides of the four released albums, her discography has dozens of collaborations in albums from artists like Guinga, Nivaldo Ornelas, Pacífico Mascarenhas and Eduardo Neves.

All songs in her new album have the sea as subject or have the word “sea” in the lyrics, a concept that was created spontaneously. During the work’s pre-production, Paula noticed that most of the songs selected for the repertory had this characteristic, so she decided to focus on this subject. “It’s not just the sea as a nature element. I also mean the inner sea, the personal one – with turbulences, calmness and mysteries”, she explains.

Mar Do Meu Mundo

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Buddy De Franco, Oscar Peterson - Buddy De Franco & Oscar Peterson Play George Gershwin

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:56
Size: 93.7 MB
Styles: Post bop
Year: 1954/2006
Art: Front

[3:44] 1. I Wants To Stay Here
[5:21] 2. I Was Doing All Right
[4:20] 3. 's Wonderful
[4:53] 4. Bess, You Is My Woman Now
[2:26] 5. Strike Up The Band
[3:49] 6. They Can't Take That Away From Me
[4:32] 7. The Man I Love
[3:18] 8. I Got Rhythm
[4:19] 9. Someone To Watch Over Me
[4:09] 10. It Ain't Necessarily So

Clarinetist Buddy DeFranco and pianist Oscar Peterson usually make for an exciting team, and the thought of them romping through George Gershwin tunes is quite appealing. However, this 1998 CD finds the two soloists (plus guitarist Herb Ellis, bassist Ray Brown and drummer Bobby White) surrounded by strings arranged by Russ Garcia. The arrangements are OK, but nothing special; the tempos are generally on the slower side. Although everyone plays well, the overall results are not too memorable and often a bit sleepy. "New" alternate takes of "I Wants to Stay Here" and "Someone to Watch Over Me" augment the original LP program. ~Scott Yanow

Buddy De Franco & Oscar Peterson Play George Gershwin

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George Wallington - Knight Music

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1956
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:35
Size: 84,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:18)  1. Godchild
(3:05)  2. Serendipity
(3:05)  3. Billie's Tune
(3:46)  4. The Ghostly Lover
(2:40)  5. Up Jumped the Devil
(2:56)  6. It's All Right with Me
(3:47)  7. The End of a Love Affair
(3:02)  8. Will You Still Be Mine
(4:45)  9. In a Sentimental Mood
(3:14) 10. World Weary
(2:51) 11. One Night of Love

The fine bop pianist George Wallington hasn't received the recognition he deserved, possibly because of a two-dozen year gap from 1960-1984 when he was entirely out of the music business. This first-rate trio date for Atlantic has finally come out on CD and should help gain him some posthumous attention. One of his two greatest compositions, "Godchild" (which appears on the classic Miles Davis release The Birth of the Cool), opens the disc with a flourish, but there are many strong originals present. The lively stair-stepping "Serendipity" and the furious "Up Jumped the Devil" are worthy of comparison to Bud Powell. Wallington also covers several standards such as "Will You Still Be Mine?" and "It's All Right With Me" with finesse and imagination. ~ Ken Dryden http://www.allmusic.com/album/knight-music-mw0000058916

Personnel: George Wallington (piano); Teddy Kotick (bass); Nick Stabulas (drums).

Knight Music

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Gabrielle Chiararo - Gabrielle the Voice of Love

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:48
Size: 159,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:31)  1. Breakfast Club De Paris
(4:10)  2. Rendez-vous Au Club Bossa
(3:53)  3. Let Me Answer This
(3:55)  4. Flaubert Chante
(4:59)  5. Amore Mio
(4:30)  6. Tango A Rouen
(5:41)  7. True Tide
(4:19)  8. Fool Me
(4:40)  9. Martino Cafe
(4:17) 10. Dans Tes Bras
(4:58) 11. Solo Tu Mio Amor
(5:07) 12. Today One Day
(3:40) 13. Cap Aux Antilles
(4:44) 14. Raise The Stakes Tonight
(5:16) 15. Million Stars

Born in Paris, Gabrielle is half-French, half-Italian-American and was raised in France and America. Her love of singing began early, listening to such artists as Aznavour, Cocciante, Julien Clerc, Peter, Paul and Mary, the Beach Boys, and the Beatles. At school, she participated in plays, musicals, talent hows and choirs until she reached university where she began to take voice lessons, studying operatic arias. She continued with the choir and joined Henry's VIII, an a cappella group with whom she recorded her first album. During her college years, she also formed a jazz ensemble called the Jazz Cats in which she was the soloist. Her studies brought her from New York to Florence, where she pursued her love of the Italian language and its cinema. She then attended drama school in London, where she continued with her singing lessons and branched out into musicals and jazz technique. Gabrielle has worked as a professional actress and singer in the U.S., England and Italy and is now part of the English and French language voice over community in Rome. Her musical interests range from traditional Chanson Francaise, 1940s jazz standards, tango, Doo Wop, Bossanova, 60s rock n roll, 80s new wave, to modern music. She met Giacomo Bondi when he was looking for a backing vocalist who could sing in Portughese on Brazilian Jim Porto's latest release, "Diga". Their collaboration has been constant ever since. 

Don't be surprised if one day you spot Gabrielle on the metro singing along to a song by Caetano Veloso, Blossom Dearie, Sam Cooke, or the E42, or even writing the lyrics to her next song, be it pop, lounge, jazz or bossa. She has just finished working in the studio with producer Giacomo Bondi from GBMUSIC, on a Nu-Jazz/Lounge project called JAZZ SCHEMA. Two of her latest songs "Tango Matto" and "Amore Mio" can be found respectively on the compilations by sunsweptmusic "Neo Tango" and "Amore Mio. http://www.last.fm/music/Gabrielle+Chiararo/+wiki

Gabrielle the Voice of Love

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Kenny Wheeler - Six for Six

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:01
Size: 132,9 MB
Art: Front

( 8:18)  1. Seven, Eight, Nine (Part 1)
( 5:06)  2. Canter N. 6
( 5:55)  3. The Long Waiting
( 8:06)  4. Four, Five, Six
( 7:24)  5. Ballad N. 130
( 5:34)  6. Seven, Eight, Nine (Part 2)
( 6:56)  7. The Imminent Immigrant
(10:38)  8. Upwards

When artists move into their eighties, every new album is a gift. It's difficult enough for any octogenarian musician to maintain his/her game, but especially horn players, for whom embouchure and breath are so essential to tone and reach. Six for Six is, however, a curious gift from expat Canadian trumpeter Kenny Wheeler, who's made Britain his home since the mid-'50s. Recorded in 2008, it's his first sextet recording since 2003's Dream Sequence and even that album only featured one piece for all six players. What that really means, then, is that Six for Six is Wheeler's first real sextet date since 1980's Around 6, and his very first with a lineup consisting, in addition to his inimitable horn work, of two saxophones, piano, bass and drums. It's a curious program: a full six of its eight tracks were heard just last year on Wheeler's superb big band outing, The Long Waiting (Cam Jazz, 2012), but they couldn't be more different, demonstrating just how malleable Wheeler's charts can be. Recorded in 2011, The Long Waiting, "Seven, Eight, Nine" was a relatively concise, mid-tempo swinger that featured just one solo (Wheeler); here, it's broken into two parts spread across the record. The album-opening "Part 1" opens with a powerful a cappella intro from drummer Martin France that sets the tone for an album that's Wheeler's most flat-out incendiary since Double, Double You (ECM, 1984). Unlike The Long Waiting's mixed meter reading of 7/8, 6/8 and 4/4, "Part 1" here sticks with a constant 4/4, but at a much brighter clip and with plenty more solo space for Wheeler, tenor saxophonist Bobby Wellins and soprano saxophonist Stan Sulzmann.

Excising the original's second theme for further extrapolation, "Seven, Eight, Nine (Part 2)," is taken at a slightly slower pace than "Part 1" (but still considerably brighter than the big band version) and, while significantly shorter, still leaves room for impressive solos from Sulzmann (this time on tenor), Taylor and Wheeler, with Laurence a firm but pliant anchor and France, once again, playing with fire and unfettered freedom throughout this bright 6/8 take. Wellins is the only new face here, with Sulzmann, pianist John Taylor and bassist Chris Laurence all longtime Wheeler collaborators; and, although France only made his first recorded appearance with Wheeler on The Long Waiting, he's been gigging with the trumpeter for some time, and has been a member of Taylor's trio since the pianist's superb Angel of the Presence (Cam Jazz, 2006). Still, with Wellins an alumnus of British luminaries like Stan Tracey and Tubby Hayes, it's unlikely that this is the first time he and Wheeler have broken musical bread together. On the flip side to more powerful tracks like "Upwards," which more closely mirrors the energy of The Long Waiting's version, albeit with a significantly altered arrangement, Six for Six's fresh look at "The Long Waiting," with its spare duo intro from Wheeler and Taylor, is taken at a slower pace, while the more amiable pulse of the big band's "Four, Five Six" is deserted here for a shorter version that still manages to squeeze in another piano/trumpet intro, a fiery rubato exchange between Sulzmann and Wellins and, finally and at a faster clip space for concise but high octane solos from Wellins, Taylor, Wheeler and France.

It's not just because, with the exception of The Long Waiting, Six for Six is Wheeler's first Cam Jazz recording to feature a drummer though France certainly lights one heckuva fire underneath his band mates, while still proving capable of a gentler disposition on more subdued fare like "Ballad N. 130" and the brighter, but lighter-textured "The Imminent Immigrant," making its first appearance since Wheeler's quartet date All the More (Soul Note, 1997). In a career now approaching its sixth decade, Wheeler's writing has not lost any of the unmistakable lyricism that's been a defining touchstone since early recordings like the classic Gnu High (ECM, 1976), but even as he's passed the 83 mark this year, Wheeler's lost neither his tone nor his remarkable reach his closing, stratospheric note at the end of "Four, Five, Six" being something to which many trumpeters half his age still aspire. Not since Double, Double You has Wheeler released an album as exhilarating as Six for Six. With a sextet capable of delivering both the firepower and the poetry, hopefully this won't be another of the one-shot deals that have defined the rest of Wheeler's nevertheless impressive discography. ~ John Kelman https://www.allaboutjazz.com/kenny-wheeler-six-for-six-by-john-kelman.php
 

Personnel: Kenny Wheeler: trumpet, flugelhorn; Stan Sulzmann: tenor and soprano saxophone; Bobby Wellins: tenor saxophone; John Taylor: piano; Chris Laurence: bass; Martin France: drums.

Six for Six

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Bobby Jaspar - Cool Jazz Sounds

Styles: Flute And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:43
Size: 163,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:35)  1. Memory of Dick
(3:24)  2. There's a Small Hotel
(3:09)  3. Too Marvelous for Words
(3:01)  4. All the Things You Are
(2:49)  5. Hikueru
(2:31)  6. Nory's Kick
(3:47)  7. What's New?
(9:04)  8. Parisian Thoroughfare
(7:13)  9. Flute Blues
(3:21) 10. Stardust
(6:44) 11. More of the Same
(4:33) 12. Give Me the Simple Life
(6:36) 13. 52nd Street
(8:48) 14. Formidable

A fine bop-oriented soloist equally skilled on his cool-toned tenor and flute, Bobby Jaspar's early death from a heart ailment was a tragic loss. As a teenager, he played tenor in a Dixieland group with Toots Thielemans in Belgium. He recorded with Henri Renaud (1951 and 1953) and played with touring Americans, including Jimmy Raney, Chet Baker (1955), and his future wife Blossom Dearie. In 1956, Jaspar moved to New York, where he worked with J.J. Johnson, was briefly with Miles Davis (1957), and with Donald Byrd. He mostly freelanced during the remainder of his career. Bobby Jaspar recorded for Swing, Vogue, and Barclay while in Paris, and led dates for Prestige and Riverside in the U.S. during 1957. ~ Scott Yanow https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/bobby-jaspar/id2625804#fullText

Cool Jazz Sounds

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The Eric Ineke Jazzxpress - Dexternity

Styles: Jazz, Mainstream Jazz
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:07
Size: 110,7 MB
Art: Front

(0:16)  1. Dexter Gordon - Announcement
(5:29)  2. Fried Bananas
(5:06)  3. The Panther
(5:38)  4. Tivoli
(6:15)  5. Boston Bernie
(5:17)  6. Sticky Wicket
(5:32)  7. Body and Soul
(3:12)  8. Soy Califa
(5:56)  9. Mrs. Minniver
(5:22) 10. Cheese Cake

Normally when Dexter toured in Europe back in the sixties and seventies, it was as a solo musician picking up local rhythm sections in each city along the way. But in Holland, he had a “working band” with Rein de Graaff on piano, Henk Haverhoek on bass and Eric Ineke on drums. 

The main reason for this was that their booker Wim Wigt managed to find gigs in Hilversum, Leiden, Veendam, Venlo, Zwolle, Den Haag, Heemskerk, Amsterdam, De Woude, Rotterdam, and Eschede. When Dexter would tell people about all the towns he had played in during his time in Holland, they were incredulous. He would tell them that there were jazz lovers in all these places in a country the size of the state of Maryland. Dexternity is a tribute by 'the working band drummer' Eric Ineke. This tribute includes some of Dexter’s signature compositions including Fried Bananas, The Panther (composed in tribute to the Black Panthers), Tivoli, Boston Bernie, Sticky Wicket, Soy Califa, Mrs. Miniver, and Cheese Cake. They have also included the classic Body and Soul,  the composition that “must” be played every night, according to Dexter Gordon. 

Dexternity

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Charlie Christian, Dizzy Gillespie - After Hours (Remastered)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:38
Size: 115.9 MB
Styles: Bop, Guitar jazz
Year: 1964/2000
Art: Front

[8:51] 1. Swing To Bop
[8:11] 2. Stompin' At The Savoy
[6:07] 3. Up On Teddy's Hill
[3:03] 4. Down On Teddy's Hill
[2:24] 5. Guy's Got To Go
[4:54] 6. Lips Flips
[6:12] 7. Stardust (Vers 1)
[7:29] 8. Kerouac
[3:22] 9. Stardust (Vers 2)

AFTER HOURS is an excellent live document of the early roots of bebop, capturing this exciting music in the process of being built by its pioneering architects. Recorded live in New York City at jam sessions at Minton's Playhouse and Monroe's Uptown House in 1941, these tapes feature young modernists Charlie Christian, Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk, Kenny Clarke, and Don Byas as they pushed the structural materials of swing toward something new and intense.

Beyond the historical significance of these sessions, however, the music is simply fabulous. There are revisions of "Stardust" and "Stompin' at the Savoy, " but the tunes are mainly blues-based improvisations, with plenty of syncopated play and stretched-out soloing from all involved. Christian's guitar takes center stage--his fluid, fleet-fingered style and mellow amplified tone have become such a stock part of jazz guitar, it is hard to remember that he almost single-handedly wrote the book. Though Gillespie gets double-billing on this set, he only appears on four of the nine tunes, but one can hear early hints of the advanced technical style that would explode in his work with Charlie Parker in the later '40s. This music is truly classic. ~AllMusic

After Hours (Remastered)

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Lena Seikaly - Lovely Changes

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:01
Size: 96.2 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[4:06] 1. Amateur
[4:33] 2. Memento
[3:37] 3. Triste
[3:41] 4. What Was I Supposed To Do
[4:03] 5. The Way You Look Tonight
[4:47] 6. Here Again
[4:07] 7. God Only Knows
[4:09] 8. Can't Get Out Of This Mood
[4:11] 9. Everytime We Say Goodbye
[4:42] 10. Waltz #1

Given Lena Seikaly’s firm grounding in harmony and composition, it’s no surprise that a musician sharing the bandstand with her once remarked on a harmonic progression she’d written: “Man, those are some lovely changes!” The phrase struck a chord and emerged as the title of her second recording.

On Seikaly’s new album, her second, there are Lovely Changes in more ways than one. The album presents a constantly shifting harmonic and rhythmic landscape in which familiar jazz classics by Cole Porter, Frank Loesser and Jerome Kern co-exist alongside Seikaly originals and unexpected arrangements of more contemporary songs by Elliot Smith, Brian Wilson and Amie Mann; a touch of 1967 Antonio Carlos Jobim bridges the gap. Seikaly’s cool, classic jazz voice breathes a cohesive beauty into the recording, the release of which she celebrates with a show this Sunday at Blues Alley. Her vocals are complemented by the savvy arrangements and sensitive musicianship that she and her band mates put forward; the group is comprised of Dan Roberts on piano, Tom Baldwin on bass and Dominic Smith on
drums. ~Ken Avis

Lovely Changes

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Various - Wall Of Sound: The Very Best Of Phil Spector 1961-1966

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:00
Size: 121.4 MB
Styles: R&B, Pop-Rock
Year: 2000
Art: Front

[2:30] 1. The Crystals - He's A Rebel
[2:19] 2. The Crystals - Da Doo Ron Ron
[2:40] 3. The Ronettes - Be My Baby
[2:37] 4. The Crystals - Then He Kissed Me
[2:45] 5. Darlene Love - (Today I Met) The Boy I'm Gonna Marry
[2:52] 6. The Ronettes - Baby, I Love You
[2:42] 7. The Crystals - He's Sure The Boy I Love
[2:50] 8. Bob B. Soxx & The Blue Jeans - Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah
[2:24] 9. Darlene Love - Wait Til' My Bobby Gets Home
[3:15] 10. The Ronettes - Walking In The Rain
[2:20] 11. The Crystals - Uptown
[2:49] 12. Darlene Love - Why Do Lovers Break Each Others Hearts
[2:55] 13. The Ronettes - Do I Love You
[2:45] 14. Darlene Love - A Fine, Fine Boy
[2:29] 15. The Crystals - There's No Other Like My Baby
[3:44] 16. The Righteous Brothers - You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling
[3:03] 17. The Ronettes - (The Best Part Of) Breakin' Up
[2:29] 18. Darlene Love - Not Too Young To Get Married
[3:25] 19. Ike Turner - River Deep, Mountain High

Phil Spector was really more of a back-tier session musician, songwriter, and occasional producer when he started his own Philles Records imprint in 1961. He had some success, having written, played guitar, and sung backup vocals on 1958’s “To Know Him Is to Love Him” (which hit the top of the pop charts that year) as part of the Teddy Bears and he worked for a time as part of the production team for Leiber & Stoller, co-writing “Spanish Harlem” for Ben E. King and playing guitar on the Drifters' “On Broadway,” and he produced minor sides for LaVern Baker and Ruth Brown, among others, but there was really little to distinguish him from any number of other hopefuls clustered around the pop music scene as the 1960s dawned. But Spector was driven, single-minded, and stubborn, and he had a sound in his head. Now with his own label, he set out to record a series of singles he termed “little symphonies for the kids” that are among the most distinctive and influential recordings in the history of pop music. Combining massed pianos, guitars, string arrangements by Jack Nitzsche, tons of layered percussion, and huge washes of echo, working with the West Coast’s best session players (including Hal Blaine, Tommy Tedesco, Larry Knechtel, Leon Russell, and Harold Battiste -- the so-called Wrecking Crew), and leaning heavily on his engineer Larry Levine to catch all of this in the small confines of Gold Star Studios in Los Angeles, Spector developed his “Wall of Sound” production approach, controlling every aspect of the recordings until, even though he wasn’t singing or even playing any instrument, they became -- in essence -- Phil Spector records. This is not to diminish the singers he used -- Ronnie Bennett, Darlene Love, Tina Turner, and the Righteous Brothers, among others -- but a Spector recording in the 1960s was just that, a Spector recording. This 19-track set collects the best of his Philles releases, including the classics “He’s a Rebel,” “Da Doo Ron Ron,” and “There’s No Other Like My Baby” by the Crystals, “Be My Baby,” “Baby, I Love You,” “Walking in the Rain,” and “(The Best Part Of) Breakin' Up” by the Ronettes, the Righteous Brothers' “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling,” and Ike & Tina Turner's “River Deep, Mountain High.” Spector amassed a singular catalog at Philles between 1961 and 1966 and his legacy will always be linked to it -- for those five years, there was no one on earth making better-sounding pop records. The proof of that is collected here. ~Steve Leggett

Wall Of Sound: The Very Best Of Phil Spector 1961-1966

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Charlie Mariano - S/T

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:41
Size: 86.3 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[5:29] 1. Where Or When/Johnny One Note
[3:58] 2. The Very Thought Of You
[3:08] 3. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
[5:21] 4. King For A Day
[4:19] 5. Darn That Dream
[4:32] 6. Floormat
[6:42] 7. Blues (Traditional)
[4:09] 8. I Heard That You Cried Last Night

Charlie Mariano is an American jazz alto saxophonist. He played with one of the Stan Kenton big bands, Toshiko Akiyoshi (his then wife), Charles Mingus, Eberhard Weber, the United Jazz and Rock Ensemble and numerous other notable musicians.

His career can easliy be divided into two. Early on he was a fixture in Boston, playing with Shorty Sherock (1948), Nat Pierce (1949-50) and his own groups. After gigging with a band co-led by Chubby Jackson and Bill Harris, Mariano toured with Stan Kenton's Orchestra (1953-55) which gave him a strong reputation. He moved to Los Angeles in 1956 (working with Shelly Manne and other West Coast jazz stars), returned to Boston to teach in 1958 at Berklee and the following year had a return stint with Kenton. After marrying Toshiko Akiyoshi, Mariano co-led a group with the pianist on and off up to 1967, living in Japan during part of the time and also working with Charles Mingus (1962-63).

The second career began with the formation of his early fusion group Osmosis in 1967. Known at the time as a strong bop altoist with a sound of his own developed out of the Charlie Parker style, Mariano began to open his music up to the influences of folk music from other cultures, pop and rock. He taught again at Berklee, traveled to India and the Far East and in the early '70s settled in Europe. Among the groups Mariano has worked with have been Pork Pie (which also featured Philip Catherine), the United Jazz and Rock Ensemble and Eberhard Weber's Colours. Charlie Mariano's airy tones on soprano and the nagaswaram (an Indian instrument a little like an oboe) fit right in on some new agey ECM sessions and he also recorded as a leader through the years for Imperial, Prestige, Bethlehem, World Pacific, Candid (with Toshiko Akiyoshi in 1960), Regina, Atlantic, Catalyst, MPS, CMP, Leo and Calig among others.

Charlie Mariano

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Sheila Cooper - Phoenix Rising

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:22
Size: 129.1 MB
Styles: Saxophone & vocal jazz
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[4:44] 1. Man Overboard
[5:00] 2. Learnin' The Blues
[5:00] 3. Phoenix Rising
[4:12] 4. Devil May Care
[3:12] 5. Kiss And Tell
[5:19] 6. The Home Inside My Heart
[3:09] 7. Ridin' High
[6:25] 8. Blues In The Night
[4:44] 9. If I Had You
[2:58] 10. Just Be Livin' In It
[4:13] 11. Don't Look Down
[3:31] 12. Embraceable You
[3:48] 13. Man Overboard (Radio Edit)

Sheila Cooper: vocals, alto saxophone; Gary Versace: piano, Hammond B-3 organ, accordion; Ed Howard: acoustic bass; Billy Drummond: drums; John Hart: guitar (6, 9); Luis Ribeiro: percussion (3, 4).

On “Phoenix Rising”, her fourth CD as a leader, Sheila Cooper brings her songwriting skills to the fore, with six inspired new compositions that match her emotional breadth as a performer, from humorous (“Man Overboard”, “Just Be Livin’ In It”), to romantic (“Kiss and Tell”) to searching (“Phoenix Rising”, “The Home Inside My Heart”). Sheila is backed by master New York musicians Gary Versace on piano, organ, and accordian, Ed Howard on acoustic bass, and Billy Drummond on drums, with guest appearances by guitarist John Hart and Vienna-based Brazilian percussionist Luis Ribeiro, Sheila and her band create grooving, soulful and impassioned moods on these originals and the her signature witty reworkings of standards that complete the set.

"Canadian-born, NYC-based singer and saxophonist Cooper has developed her own self-assured sound as both a vocalist and altoist - her refreshingly simple, unfussy delivery befits her Konitz-esque sax tone while her unpretentious singing draws on her narrative abilities over excessive reliance on technique. RECOMMENDED. ~ TIMEOUT LONDON, UK

Phoenix Rising

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Kenny Wheeler & John Taylor - On The Way To Two

Styles: Trumpet And Piano Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:43
Size: 108,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:12)  1. Canter#2
(5:54)  2. Fedora
(1:42)  3. Sketch No. 1
(5:47)  4. Quiso
(4:33)  5. Who Knows?
(2:57)  6. Sketch No. 2
(5:05)  7. Clore To Mars
(3:22)  8. Fortune's Child
(2:45)  9. Sketch No. 3
(8:22) 10. Flower Is A Lovesome Thing

Trumpeter/flugelhornist Kenny Wheeler's death in September, 2014 led to the posthumous release on ECM of the beautiful and moving Songs For Quintet. However, since 2004, Wheeler recorded on CAM Jazz label, many times with the pianist who seems to be everywhere, John Taylor, starting with the duo-recording Where Do We Go From Here?.  2005 found Wheeler recording two albums with Taylor, a quartet record, What Now? and a second duo record 2005 Other People.  It turns out that there was a third recording in 2005, the understated, beautiful and moving duo recording with Taylor, On The Way To Two. Making this release especially poignant is the fact that during the album's production Taylor wrote these words to Wheeler in the liner notes:

To my friend Kenny,

I want to tell you what a joyful and exhilarating time I have had listening to this music that we made a decade ago. You sound so alive and brilliantly creative inspiring me all the way. The new pieces are beautiful and your playing of them breathtaking. I should have asked how you did it and also how you managed to cope with some of my rather oblique comping throughout the session! I remember we were not so convinced of our efforts at the time  which was often the case of course but the passage of time has allowed me a more objective view.  It was a privilege and joy to play with you for most of my life and I wish you were here now to listen to this music again with me. All thanks and love, John.

Unfortunately, Taylor himself passed before the album's production was finished. On the short side, with just under forty-five minutes of music, the core individual musical attributes of Wheeler and Taylor, as well as their remarkable communication is on display for all to hear. Of the ten tracks, five are Wheeler compositions, with three improvisatory "Sketches," one Taylor composition, and ending with the longest track, Billy Strayhorn's "A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing." Recorded spaciously, the music is quite intense in the sense of there being absolutely nothing extra, requiring concentration; this is not background music. In juxtaposition and in contradiction to this intensity is the music's low heat that works delightfully with the composed/improvised lines that manage to be unpredictable while feeling inexorably logical. The one Taylor composition, "Close To Mars," has the mournfulness of a Wheeler composition, but with a clearer construction, making this track feel a bit more grounded, while the three "Sketches," which include some inside-the-piano sounds, provide some aural palate cleansing and a bit of relaxation. Everything comes together with the magnificent rendition of the Strayhorn tune. Wheeler's sound, pitch choices and the way he plays each note differently are completely apropos for this tune, as is Taylor's lush accompaniment and close reactions to Wheeler. On The Way To Two is just about perfect and is a fine musical document to the memories of Kenny Wheeler and John Taylor. ~ Budd Kopman https://www.allaboutjazz.com/on-the-way-to-two-kenny-wheeler-john-taylor-cam-jazz-review-by-budd-kopman.php
 

Personnel:  Kenny Wheeler: trumpet, flugelhorn;  John Taylor: piano.

On The Way To Two

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Holly Cole - Don't Smoke in Bed

Styles: Vocal Jazz

Year: 1993

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 44:51

Size: 103,5 MB

Art: Front

(4:12)  1. I Can See Clearly Now

(4:19)  2. Don't Let The Teardrops Rust Your Shining Heart

(4:43)  3. Get Out Of Town

(3:27)  4. So And So

(3:40)  5. The Tennessee Waltz

(4:49)  6. Everyday Will Be Like A Holiday

(3:00)  7. Blame It On My Youth

(2:55)  8. Ev'rything I've Got

(3:57)  9. Je Ne T'Aime Pas

(2:36) 10. Cry (If You Want To)

(4:43) 11. Que Será Será

(2:26) 12. Don't Smoke In Bed

Holly Cole explores a number of styles on her second album, Don't Smoke in Bed, without overreaching her grasp. Adding pop, blues, country, and a French ballad to her standard, low-key jazz, Cole demonstrates that not only does she have impeccable taste, but she has the talent to make all of the material sound convincing. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine http://www.allmusic.com/album/dont-smoke-in-bed-mw0000103241

Personnel: Holly Cole (vocals); David Lindley (steel guitar); Bryan Epperson, Mihai Tetel, Martin Loomer, Young Dae Park, Christopher Redfield, Mark Skazinetsky, Simon Fryer, Charles Elliot , Mary Carol Nugent, Nicole Zarry, Katherine Palyga, Joel Quarrington, Atis Bankas, Carol Fujino, Paul Meyer, Susan Lipchak, Mark Sabat (strings); Howard Levy (harmonica); Art Avalos (saxophone, percussion); Joe Henderson (saxophone); Aaron Davis (piano); David Piltch (percussion).

 

Don't Smoke in Bed

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Charles Mingus - Mingus at the Bohemia

Styles: Bop, Post-Bop

Year: 1955

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 64:48

Size: 148,7 MB

Art: Front

( 6:53)  1. Jump Monk

( 6:02)  2. Serenade in Blue

( 8:38)  3. Percussion Discussion

( 6:29)  4. Work Song

( 7:06)  5. Septemberly

( 6:57)  6. All the Things You Are

(11:55)  7. Jump Monk

(10:44)  8. All The Things You Are

A live performance at the Club Bohemia in New York, this is the first Mingus recording to feature mostly his own compositions. Some are his future standards. Here are his first attempts at future techniques such as combining two songs into one. His bass playing really stands out. ~ Michael Katz http://www.allmusic.com/album/mingus-at-the-bohemia-mw0000320165

Personnel: Charles Mingus (bass); George Barrow (tenor saxophone); Eddie Bert (trombone); Mal Waldron (piano); Willie Jones, Max Roach (drums).

Mingus at the Bohemia

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Michael Weiss - Milestones

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 63:12
Size: 115,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:59)  1. Milestones
(8:16)  2. Wave
(6:24)  3. Walter Davis Ascending
(5:18)  4. Just One of Those Things
(7:33)  5. Little Melonae
(7:37)  6. Buffalo
(6:58)  7. Like Someone in Love
(8:34)  8. Love for Sale
(7:29)  9. Stella by Starlight

One of many yeoman New York musicians who goes about his work without much fanfare, pianist Michael Weiss is certainly one of the city's finest despite his low profile. Since 1981, he has been an active jazz educator and musician who has spent time with such masters as Art Farmer, Johnny Griffin, and Junior Cook. With only two previous albums under his own name available (one for Criss Cross and another for DIW/Disc Union), the release of this new SteepleChase disc is a valuable addition to Weiss' catalog. A modest trio affair with bassist Paul Gill and drummer Joe Farnsworth (both currently backing singer Diana Krall), Milestones easily qualifies as an excellent example of the art of piano trio jazz. 

A set of standards provides the fodder for Weiss and crew, with the debut of Jackie McLean's "Walter Davis Ascending" thrown in for good measure. Jobim's "Wave" receives a most venerable and engaging makeover, with Farnsworth's supple Latin groove providing a charged impetus for Weiss' string of incendiary choruses. Kenny Dorham's "Buffalo" also proves to be an astute choice for investigation with Weiss laying down the blues with aplomb. Both McLean's "Little Melonae" and "Just One of Those Things" provide high octane bebop and further proof that Weiss is a multi-talented player capable of undertaking any style or genre. Contributing to the overall success of this affair are the efforts of Gill and Farnsworth. The former is surely one of the brightest of up-and-coming bassists, while the latter has already caught the ears of anyone in touch with the current scene due to his highly musical and complimentary drumming. If there's one disappointment, it might be that the other standards are not quite as creatively altered as the aforementioned highlights, allowing a touch of sameness to creep in towards the end of the disc. That aside, however, there's enough engaging material here to more than push this one over the top and send it off with a solid recommendation. ~ C. Andrew Hovan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/milestones-michael-weiss-steeplechase-records-review-by-c-andrew-hovan.php

Personnel: Michael Weiss- piano, Paul Gill- bass, Joe Farnsworth- drums

Milestones

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Eric Alexander - Second Impression

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:49
Size: 127,0 MB
Art: Front

(6:20)  1. Second Impression
(5:43)  2. So Many Stars
(5:17)  3. Blues for Mo
(5:54)  4. Jennie's Dance
(7:31)  5. Secret Love
(6:06)  6. T-Bone Steak
(6:00)  7. Frenzy
(6:34)  8. Everything Happens to Me
(5:21)  9. Full House

It can be argued with some validity that one's overall movement through life is reflected in his creative endeavor, and Eric Alexander's strength and versatility on the saxophone can be viewed from this perspective. At this point in his career, Eric has certainly covered a lot of territory, both literally and figuratively. He himself has lost count of how many albums feature his playing; our guess is 100 or more. While he has garnered critical acclaim from every corner, what has mattered most has been to establish his own voice within the illustrious bop-based jazz tradition which is exactly what he does on his latest HighNote release. The close-knit ensemble of a band of regular buddies, coupled with the bass-clef contributions of the extraordinary Bob Cranshaw, make for a listening experience not soon forgotten. ~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Second-Impression-Eric-Alexander/dp/B01J3SJZFA

Personnel:  Eric Alexander, tenor saxophone;  Bob Cranshaw, bass;  Harold Mabern, piano, Fender Rhodes;  Joe Farnsworth, drums

Second Impression

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The Don Friedman Trio - Nite Lites

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:04
Size: 142.1 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[8:01] 1. 5-5-14
[7:36] 2. All Or Nothing At All
[8:19] 3. Nite Lites
[7:37] 4. Un-Ravel-Ed
[4:35] 5. Daahud
[7:31] 6. Chopinesque
[7:19] 7. Spring Can Really Hamg You Up The Most
[6:14] 8. Turn Out The Stars
[4:46] 9. Requiem

Don Friedman (piano), Harvie S (bass), Klemens Marktl (drums). Recorded, mixed & mastered by Tom Tedesco at Tedesco Studios, Paramus, NJ, on April 10, 2015

Don Friedman's journey toward this collection began when he was four years old and clambered onto his parents piano bench for a bit of experimental improvisation. Soon, his first formal piano lesson put him on the road toward a lifelong commitment to the classics.

Classics? you may ask, isn't he a jazz pianist? He is, indeed, one admired by virtually all of his keyboard contemporaries. The late Lou Levy, a dean of modern jazz pianists, was notably reserved in assigning praise. But Levy told critic Herb Wong, I love to listen to a pianist who practices. Players like Chick Corea and Bill Evans are examples, and Don Friedman is another who has equal strength in his fingers and you can hear it. Mix that with good taste, knowledge, experience and individual soundand you have a helluva player, and I think Don is a great player. Lets agree on what constitutes a classic. Any dictionary definition boils down to something like, Of the first or highest class, quality or rank. By that standard, not only Mr. Friedmans tributes to Ravel and Chopin but every piece that he chose for this collection is a classic. ~Doug Ramsey

Nite Lites

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Marvin Gaye - A Tribute To The Great Nat King Cole

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:52
Size: 82.1 MB
Styles: R&B, Vocal
Year: 1965/2015
Art: Front

[2:48] 1. Nature Boy
[2:49] 2. Ramblin Rose
[3:46] 3. Too Young
[2:52] 4. Pretend
[2:22] 5. Straighten Up And Fly Right
[3:04] 6. Mona Lisa
[3:40] 7. Unforgettable
[2:16] 8. To The Ends Of The Earth
[2:46] 9. Sweet Lorraine
[2:24] 10. It's Only A Paper Moon
[2:56] 11. Send For Me
[4:04] 12. Calypso Blues

A wonderful album that got buried when it was initially released. Nat "King" Cole was a primary influence on Marvin Gaye for Gaye's entire career, and he got a chance on this album to display his affection for sentimental, romantic fare and his skill in singing it. ~Ron Wynn

A Tribute To The Great Nat King Cole

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Lady In Jazz - S/T

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:06
Size: 78.1 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[2:06] 1. It Don't Mean A Thing
[2:29] 2. Ain't No Sunshine
[2:25] 3. L.O.V.E.
[2:51] 4. Taking A Chance On Love
[3:02] 5. Take The 'a' Train
[3:57] 6. What A Wonderful World
[4:16] 7. Old Devil Moon
[2:35] 8. Gee Baby Ain't I Good To You
[2:13] 9. Que Reste T'il De Nos Amours
[2:06] 10. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
[2:18] 11. Lullaby Of Birdland
[3:42] 12. I've Got You Under My Skin

Lady In Jazz

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Studio Rio - Studio Rio Presents The Brazil Connection

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:30
Size: 97.3 MB
Styles: Brazilian jazz
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[3:56] 1. Lovely Day
[3:18] 2. Walk On By
[4:07] 3. Sexual Healing
[3:44] 4. You've Changed
[3:48] 5. Family Affair
[3:04] 6. It's Your Thing
[3:08] 7. I've Got You Under My Skin
[4:51] 8. I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free
[3:10] 9. I Can See Clearly Now
[2:52] 10. Take Five
[2:59] 11. Music To Watch Girls By
[3:27] 12. Summertime

Welcome to Studio Rio Presents: The Brazil Connection, a lively and seamless blend of samba and bossa nova grooves with some of the most iconic American vocal performances from Billie Holiday, Marvin Gaye, The Isley Brothers, Aretha Franklin, and others.

The Brazil Connection is the brainchild of music producers Frank and Christian Berman, who had previously explored such distinct cultures for Rhythms Del Mundo, an album gathering acclaimed artists like Sting and Coldplay with the legendary Buena Vista Social Club. For The Brazil Connection, the Berman Brothers used original multi-track masters and an all-new, state-of-the-art separation technology to extract the classic vocal performances. Once in hand, they melded the newly isolated vocals with brand-new, authentically arranged backing tracks from an all-star cast of Brazilian musical pioneers from the bossa nova and samba genres, including Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winner Roberto Menescal and Brazilian musical legend, Marcos Valle. The result is 12 tracks that capture the spirit of Brazilian music and style while embodying the slogan of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil: "All in one rhythm." The Brazil Connection is a vibrant, inspired reinvention of timeless performances that at once feels entirely new and instantly familiar. It is guaranteed to get you on your feet and leave you smiling.

Studio Rio Presents The Brazil Connection

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Warren Vaché - What Is There To Say?

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:21
Size: 163.4 MB
Styles: Mainstream jazz
Year: 2000
Art: Front

[4:34] 1. St. Sundown
[3:47] 2. My Shining Hour
[4:38] 3. Deep In A Dream
[7:05] 4. Too Phat Blues
[6:36] 5. I Love You, Samantha
[6:36] 6. Bossango
[4:40] 7. Pow Wow
[5:47] 8. I'll Never See Maggie Alone
[6:12] 9. I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face
[6:01] 10. See Jim, See Jane, See Joe, C-Jam Blues
[3:18] 11. Come Love
[3:51] 12. What Is There To Say
[5:01] 13. It's A Blue World
[3:10] 14. Falling In Love Is Wonderful

In a small group context, Vache's bright and literate trumpet or cornet work gets a little more of the spotlight. This pianoless quartet also showcases the criminally underrated guitarist Joe Puma, the fine-toned bassist Murray Wall, and the veteran drummer Eddie Locke. They collectively epitomize the continuing swing tradition.

Vache also fancies himself an entertaining singer in the Jack Sheldon tradition. He goes into sly enunciations with Puma's lustrous chords during "Comes Love," tells a tale of being swamped by in-laws for "I'll Never See Maggie Alone," and obviously not diabetic, relates defiance for diets, glorifying gorging in the swinging "Too Phat Blues." Watch your triglycerides Warren! Puma wrote three of the pieces: the sweet, implied bossa/tango "Bossango" sans drums; the "Cherokee"-based, well-swung "Pow Wow"; and the 12-bar original "See Jim/Jane/Joe/C-Jam Blues," which features the guitarist's gliding chords along with Vache's muted horn and traded fours with Locke's brushed drums and cymbals. The steely-toned Puma makes definitive statements throughout this disc, especially on the forward moving, no-nonsense swinger "At Sundown." It's Vache who takes the bull by the horns for great swing vehicles as "My Shining Hour" and "It's a Blue World," the leader quoting "Seven Come Eleven" and "West End Blues" on the former, dealing a straight flush on the latter. Locke is most inspired and impressive on brushes for "Samantha"; he could write a book, and maybe he should as did Ed Thigpen. There's also the half-speed ballad "Deep in a Dream," the slow ballads "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face" and the tenderized guitar-bass duo title cut, and the bass-based swinger "Falling in Love Is Wonderful." This is a tasty morsel of swing from experts who do it right. Recommended. ~Michael G. Nastos

What Is There To Say?

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Paul Brown, Marc Antoine - Foreign Exchange

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:41
Size: 93,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:34)  1. Feel The Love
(4:00)  2. Wine Night
(3:49)  3. Flight Of The Conchords
(4:03)  4. Foreign Exchange
(3:35)  5. Brother Earl
(4:22)  6. On The Down Low
(4:04)  7. French Connection
(4:11)  8. What About Bob
(3:45)  9. Sweetness
(4:13) 10. Bridges Of Paris

When two jazz guitarists of different styles, George Benson and Earl Klugh, came together, it was hailed as a success. The formula also worked for Lee Ritenour and Larry Carlton. Now, Paul Brown and Marc Antoine attempt to capture that flair with Foreign Exchange. California native Brown is, perhaps, one of the most established influences in smooth jazz. A producer who has contributed a lot of the cookie-cutter programming for such artists as Boney James, Carlton, and Kirk Whalum, he is also an accomplished guitarist, playing electric guitar on this date. French-born Antoine, who performs on nylon-string guitar here, has performed for such diverse acts as Celine Dion, Sting, Rod Stewart, Queen Latifah, and Benson. He has also composed and performed for several movie soundtracks, including Get Shorty (1995), Demolition Man (1993), and The Fan (1996).  "Flight of the Conchords" has a mild samba flavor. With Brown doubling on percussion and Antoine on drums, this song is part peaceful flight and part relaxing with a drink. Roberto Vally complements on bass and Phillip Saisse has keyboard duty. Antoine leads to start things off, with an uncredited flute enhancing the flavor. After a brief solo by Saisse and another by Antoine, Brown comes forth before trading lines with Antoine to set up the song's ending.

The title song is moderately paced, with Brown and Antoine, who also adds bass duty, harmonizing on the melody. With Saisse again on keys, the leaders are supplemented by the three-piece horn section of Jerry Hey, Bill Reichenbach, and Dan Higgins. The drums and percussion are a bit underwhelming, but the leads and soft horns more than make up for that. Trumpet, trombone, and sax are in perfect sync, while the guitars complement each other well.  "Brother Earl" is a tribute to Klugh. Percussionist Lenny Castro joins Vally, Saisse, and the horn section on this all-too-short piece. 

Brown leads and Antoine answers on the melody. On the second pass, Brown adds a little spice while the horns lay down a not-so-subtle underscore. Vally's bass adds a little funk to this otherwise chill-out song, with Brown establishing a Carlton-esque groove during his middle solo. Throughout most of Foreign Exchange, Brown and Antoine are accompanied by a variable lineup of bassists and keyboardists in addition to the horn section and it works out. While safely within the confines of the smooth jazz format, the songs aren't weighed down by catchy phrasing or handicapped by bland programming. ~ Woodrow Wilkins https://www.allaboutjazz.com/foreign-exchange-paul-brown-peak-records-review-by-woodrow-wilkins.php
 

Personnel: Jeff Caruthers: drums (1, 7), keys (1, 7), acoustic guitars (1); Dan Lutz: bass (1, 2, 7); Paul Brown: electric guitar, percussion (1-4, 6, 8, 10), drums (5, 6, 8, 9); Marc Antoine: nylon-string guitar, percussion (1), drums (2-4); Phillipe Saisse: keys (2-6, 8, 10); Roberto Vally: bass (3, 5, 6, 9, 10); Jerry Hey: trumpet (4, 5, 7, 9); Bill Reichenbach: trombone (4, 5, 7, 9); Dan Higgins: sax (4, 5, 7, 9); Lenny Castro: percussion (5, 7, 9); Tommy Kay: rhythm guitar (8, 9); Greg Karukas: keys (9); Sergio Gonzales: drums (10); Jessy J: flute (10).

Foreign Exchange

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Brenda Boykin - Chocolate & Chili

Styles: Vocal, Soul, Swing
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:31
Size: 197,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:26)  1. Be My Lover
(5:05)  2. Ride Rich Rhythm
(3:32)  3. Chocolate And Chili
(5:31)  4. Wonderful
(5:21)  5. Love Is In Town
(4:55)  6. Hard Swing Travellin' Man
(4:43)  7. Talk With Your Hands
(3:23)  8. State Side Blues
(4:34)  9. Across The Stars
(4:37) 10. He Doesn't Know
(4:02) 11. Moaning
(4:46) 12. Listen To The Beat
(5:05) 13. Freedom Song
(3:55) 14. Rockabye Me
(3:27) 15. Be My Lover (Acoustic Bossa Remix)

It never ceases to amaze me how many US artistes of pedigree decide to set up home in Europe as part of their musical journey. Hailing from Oakland, California and now residing in Wuppertal, Germany the winner of the 2005 Montreaux Jazz Festival's Best vocalist award, releases her stunning new album on the innovative Chin Chin label. If you have yet to catch some of her previous work with the Nu Jazz/ lounge project that is Club Des Belugas then you are in for a real treat.

Her rich voice full of musical mastery mixes soul with jazz, bossa nova and swing that is a pleasure to behold and a class above the normal offerings. Make no mistake this is an album that sets itself apart both in its creativity and musicianship. From the opening track 'Be my Lover' Ms Boykin lets you know the calibre of what is to come with the Donald Byrd influenced delightfully moodily sung laid back two-stepper. Then comes the first of many rhythmic explosions courtesy of spoken sassiness and impeccable scatting from Ms BB with the able support of Bebo Best and the Bahama Soul Club. If you remember the massive club hit 'Hip Hip, Chin Chin' then that will give you an idea of what is on offer here. Basically, a good time for dancers and a happy feeling for everyone! Check 'Ride Rich Rhythm' , 'Love is in town' and 'Listen to the Beat' for the feel good factor.  Frankly, this album is full of gems that make if difficult to pick out any that deserve a special mention as being favourites above the others, though the beat led 'Hard Swing Travellin' Man' comes close. Overall, the album displays the talents of a complete vocalist who has mastered many styles and is at the cutting edge of 21st century soul. A real delight and one of my favourites of the year to date. ~ James Lewis http://www.smooth-jazz.de/James/Chocolateandchili.htm

Chocolate & Chili

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Sadao Watanabe - Front Seat

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1990
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:52
Size: 105,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:56)  1. Sailing
(5:01)  2. One More Time
(4:46)  3. Only In My Mind
(4:13)  4. Miles Apart
(5:08)  5. Any Other Fool
(5:21)  6. On The Way
(4:24)  7. Anga La Jua [Place in the Sun]
(3:24)  8. Wild Flowers
(2:58)  9. Front Seat
(4:37) 10. Takin' Time

Sadao Watanabe has long had a split musical personality. He alternates excellent bebop dates with pop albums. Watanabe learned clarinet and alto in high school, and in the 1950s he moved to Tokyo, joining Toshiko Akiyoshi's bop-oriented group in 1953. When the pianist moved to the U.S. in 1956, Watanabe took over the band. He attended Berklee during 1962-1965 and had the opportunity to work with Gary McFarland, Chico Hamilton, and Gabor Szabo. However, throughout his career Watanabe has remained mostly based in Japan, where he is a major influence on younger players. He has recorded steadily through the years, most notably with Chick Corea in New York (1970) and with the Galaxy All-Stars (1978). Watanabe's bop records are inspired by Charlie Parker, and his pop dates by Brazilian-flavored music. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/artist/sadao-watanabe-mn0000282544/biography

Personnel:  Alto Saxophone – Sadao Watanabe;  Backing Vocals – George Duke;  Backing Vocals – George Duke;  Guitar – Paul Jackson Jr.

Front Seat

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Dave Grusin - Piano, Strings And Moonlight: The Many Moods Of Dave Grusin

Size: 99,2 MB
Time: 37:58
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1962/2015
Styles: Jazz: Cool Jazz
Art: Front

01. Fly Me To The Moon (In Other Words) (2:47)
02. Love Is Here To Stay (2:59)
03. My Funny Valentine (3:39)
04. What Is This Thing Called Love (2:11)
05. The More I See You (4:03)
06. Autumn Leaves (2:55)
07. What Is There To Say (3:50)
08. Sara Jane (4:12)
09. The Party's Over (2:50)
10. Here's That Rainy Day (3:31)
11. You Don't Know What Love Is (2:44)
12. When Your Lover Has Gone (2:11)

One of the reasons for the success of this 1962 album is the excellence of Dave Grusins arrangements for eleven violins, two violas, two cellos, bass and drums. While making this album, Dave says, I saw no reason why nice harmonic changes could not be played by strings. I saw no reason why the string writing could not be a little more complicated than it usually is for albums of this type. And with the freedom Bob [Robert Mersey, the albums producer] gave me, I wrote and played exactly what I wanted. Mersey observes that with Daves arrangements, the strings simply become an extension of the piano. In this album Grusin showed that he has a deft, sensitive touch, inventiveness and exceptionally good taste.

Piano, Strings And Moonlight

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Kathryn Hettel - Cookin' In The Kitchen With Dinah: A Tribute To Dinah Washington

Size: 148,1 MB
Time: 63:12
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz/Blues Vocals
Art: Front

01. Good Daddy Blues (4:22)
02. Showtime (3:20)
03. Fat Daddy (3:22)
04. You Don't Know What Love Is (4:22)
05. I Don't Hurt Anymore (3:22)
06. Blow Top Blues (3:26)
07. Birth Of The Blues (3:50)
08. Since I Fell For You (3:24)
09. Baby Get Lost (2:56)
10. Bad Luck (3:09)
11. Gamblers Blues (3:14)
12. I'll Never Be Free (4:10)
13. Soulville (2:51)
14. Salty Papa Blues (3:06)
15. Stormy Weather (5:49)
16. Bad Case Of The Blues (4:44)
17. This Bitter Earth (3:38)

Cookin' In The Kitchen with Dinah: A Tribute To Dinah Washington. The third album by Northwest vocalist Kathryn Hettel is a collection of her favorite songs from the iconic Dinah Washington. Spanning genres of Jazz, Blues, Pop and Soul. The album pays loving tribute to "The Queen,' as well as expands on the sounds from her repertoire. The album was a three year project in which Hettel and her co-producers, Engineer Steve Feasely and Drummer Rick J Bowen, saw to fruition an idea hatched a decade previous. Kathryn has been singing Dinah's songs for years always striving to emulate the sass and style of Dinah. In 2014 a skilled rhythm section of Darrius Willrich on Piano & Keyboards, Patrick McDanel Bass, Rick J Bowen on Drums, and guitarist Kevin Andrew Sutton laid down the basic tracks. Arranger Charles Hiestand created charts inspired by the original recordings and a horn section and real strings were brought in and new elements such as vibes, Harmonnica, Hammond B3 and pedal steel expand the sound of the time tested songs. Old friend and fellow lady of the blues Mary McPage joined Kathryn for a saucy duet and the album closer 'This Bitter Earth,' finds our star revealing as much as any artist would dare. Cooking In the Kitchen is truly a labor of love that Kathryn Hettel and her team are thrilled to share. *Kitchen Crew = Darrius Willrich – Piano & Keyboards, Patrick McDanel – Bass, Rick J Bowen – Drums, Kevin Andrew Sutton- Guitars. Washington Horns= Brian Kent –Tenor sax, Naomi Siegel –Trombone, Jacob Zimmerman-Alto sax, Kevin Sieley –trumpet. Tony Degrasso-Trumpet.

Cookin' In The Kitchen With Dinah

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Judy Renaud & Eddie Tobin - When Love Comes Around The Corner

Size: 140,0 MB
Time: 60:10
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. I'll Remember April (3:37)
02. What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life (6:23)
03. Over The Rainbow (6:28)
04. East Of The Sun (3:25)
05. Midnight Sun (7:06)
06. I Will Wait For You (5:03)
07. You Are My Sunshine (3:47)
08. The Frim Fram Sauce (3:25)
09. Maybe You'll Be There (5:28)
10. Out Of This World (5:25)
11. Smile (3:44)
12. When Love Comes Around The Corner (6:12)

"Some say, Doris Day - Some say, Diana Krall - You'll say, Judy Renaud - is Timeless!" What a nice quote from a great fan.

What a fun time it was having some of my best friends with me at the studio while Eddie and I were recording this album. Sharing the experience with them made it all that much more special for me. And to my husband, Tom, thank you for supporting me with patience and love in this effort to fulfill one of my dreams. "What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life" is for you. Love you forever.

And for my sons who have provided me with so much joy and excitement and love over the years I want to dedicate these three songs. “You Are My Sunshine" is for you Danny. You have always been my sunshine and always will be. For Jack Allen, it's "Over The Rainbow." You are already there son – I miss you so much. For Ronnie it's "Smile" just because it fits. Love you guys so much.

And without my great friend, Eddie Tobin, this recording never would have happened. Over the past few years you have shared yourself and your magical music and knowledge with me in so many ways, always giving me what I need whether you are playing or arranging for me and always challenging me to stretch and grow musically in all ways. You are an amazing talent and friend whom I am grateful and honored to spend time with professionally and personally. My world is a little bigger and brighter because of you. You know you own a very special corner of my heart and my soul. Thank you for letting me play in the corners of your sandbox my friend.

I wrote "When Love Comes Around The Corner" as a result of the love and encouragement from all of you. Love has come around so many corners in so many ways in my life. I am truly grateful for it all. I hope we have provided some enjoyable and thoughtful songs that might touch you with love and bring back some memories from your own lives. I do smile a lot. It just doesn't get any better than this! Thanks for listening! ~Judy Renaud

In everyone's life there comes a time when you meet special people. They may be artists, athletes, educators, friends or the person in your life that you marry. Judy and Tom are two of those special people. They are friends and musicians.

This is Judy's album with me accompanying. It was an opportunity to play solo piano with a lady who can beautifully sing a melody and create and bring out many nuances that the composer may or may not have thought about. That's jazz. She has a tone that makes you smile!

I must thank Bud, our recording engineer at The Spirit Ranch Studio. He is a real gentleman and awesome engineer. It is always a pleasure to do any kind of project with him. Way to go, Bud!

I am happy that we recorded these songs. It's voice and piano with a few strings added sparingly. It came out quite nicely and I really enjoy listening to the performances. Hope you all enjoy the album. ~Eddie Tobin

When Love Comes Around The Corner

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Sonny Criss - The Complete Imperial Sessions (Bonus Tracks)

Size: 180,8+180,8 MB
Time: 77:08+77:23
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2000/2016
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

Vol. 1:
01. Willow Weep For Me (3:47)
02. These Foolish Things (6:04)
03. Blue Friday (2:41)
04. Sunday (3:51)
05. More Than You Know (3:07)
06. Easy Living (2:21)
07. Alabamy Bound (3:09)
08. Something's Gotta Give (4:27)
09. West Coast Blues (4:59)
10. Criss-Cross (3:48)
11. Ham's Blues (2:38)
12. Sweet Georgia Brown (2:51)
13. Summertime (4:00)
14. Memories Of You (3:51)
15. Wailin' With Joe (2:41)
16. How Deep Is The Ocean (2:55)
17. The Blues For Rose (2:29)
18. The Man I Love (3:16)
19. Until The Real Thing Comes Along (4:01)
20. Blue Prelude (2:35)
21. After You've Gone (3:37)
22. Come Rain Or Come Shine (3:48)

Vol. 2:
01. How High The Moon (3:06)
02. If I Had You (2:41)
03. I Love You (4:10)
04. Anything Goes (3:10)
05. Easy To Love (3:14)
06. It's All Right With Me (3:07)
07. In The Still Of The Night (4:17)
08. Love For Sale (2:43)
09. Night And Day (4:40)
10. Just One Of Those Things (2:46)
11. What Is This Thing Called Love (5:41)
12. I Get A Kick Out Of You (2:50)
13. Sweet Lorraine (Bonus Track) (3:39)
14. You Don't Know What Love Is (Bonus Track) (3:59)
15. Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise (Bonus Track) (5:35)
16. Butts Delight (Bonus Track) (4:07)
17. I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good) (Bonus Track) (3:54)
18. Sylvia (Bonus Track) (7:43)
19. (Back Home Again In) Indiana (Bonus Track) (5:51)

This double disc reissue on Blue Note contains the three releases that alto saxophonist Sonny Criss did for Imperial: Jazz U.S.A., Go Man!, and Plays Cole Porter. These sessions were all recorded in 1956 at a time when Criss had honed his amazing bebop alto precision. These 34 performances contain only five of his originals and are surrounded by mainly standards. The bands consisted of solid lineups with Sonny Clark or Kenny Drew on piano; Barney Kessel on guitar; Leroy Vinnegar, Buddy Clark or Bill Woodson on bass; Larry Bunker on vibes; and Larance Marable or Chuck Thompson taking care of drumming duties. While Criss had a career that erratically spanned the '70s, these Imperial sessions (reissued in glorious mono) contained highly regarded performances of passionate blues, moving ballads, and energetic up-tempo pieces. ~by Al Campbell

The Complete Imperial Sessions Vol. 1
The Complete Imperial Sessions Vol. 2

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