Gene Bertoncini, Kenny Poole - East Meets Midwest

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:56
Size: 137.2 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[4:09] 1. Tangerine
[3:53] 2. Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me
[4:37] 3. All The Things You Are
[4:05] 4. The Shadow Of Your Smile
[6:18] 5. Cherokee
[5:59] 6. Estaté
[3:41] 7. How About You
[5:25] 8. Sophisticated Lady
[3:33] 9. Snowfall
[8:51] 10. Willow Weep For Me
[3:46] 11. Woman From Bahia
[5:33] 12. A Sleepin' Bee

Part of the genius of many jazz performers is the ability to set up in a studio, with or without charts, name a tune, decide on a key, roll the tape machine (or boot up the computer) and record a fully unrehearsed session in one take. It preserves the immediacy of the live moment in performing. We get that from two guitarists – Gene Bertoncini and Kenny Poole – in East Meets Midwest, the debut recording for Cincinnati-based JCurve Records.

Bertoncini, a nylon-string guitarist who has performed with Tony Bennett and Lena Horne, teams with Poole on a mellow, 12-track selection of standards, joined on five of them by Bob Bodley on acoustic bass. Bodley plays so discreetly on those selections, though, you can hardly tell he's there.

Among the more outstanding moments on this recording are a spirited renditions of "Tangerine" and "The Shadow of Your Smile." Bear in mind, though, that these and the others are more than just different versions of standards. These are lively, masterful, technically flawless, and entertaining instrumentals. Perhaps the most astounding selection is the duo's brief version of Claude Thornhill's "Snowfall." Bertoncini sets the tempo with a rhythm on his guitar, faster than the song normally takes. Poole plays a brief version of the theme on top of it, then launches right into a solo. At one point, they seem to jump into different keys and rhythms that it becomes a little difficult to tell that it they are playing "Snowfall." But Poole returns to the theme to finish the rest of the selection. ~Tim Roberts

East Meets Midwest

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Lee Wiley - The Great American Songbook

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 77:09

Size: 176.6 MB

Styles: Jazz vocals

Year: 2012

Art: Front

[2:43] 1. I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues

[4:13] 2. I've Got You Under My Skin

[3:13] 3. 's Wonderful

[3:10] 4. But Not For Me

[3:25] 5. How Long Has This Been Going On

[3:23] 6. A Ship Without A Sail

[2:48] 7. You Took Advantage Of Me

[3:01] 8. You Do Something To Me

[3:07] 9. Easy To Love

[2:36] 10. Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea

[2:48] 11. Stormy Weather

[3:03] 12. The Man I Love

[2:58] 13. Someone To Watch Over Me

[3:09] 14. It's Only A Paper Moon

[3:09] 15. Body And Soul

[2:44] 16. Time On My Hands

[3:10] 17. Tea For Two

[3:13] 18. I Don't Stand A Ghost Of A Chance With You

[3:22] 19. Manhattan

[3:05] 20. Oh! Look At Me Now

[3:23] 21. I've Got A Crush On You

[2:25] 22. My Heart Stood Still

[3:08] 23. Glad To Be Unhappy

[2:37] 24. My Romance

[3:05] 25. My Funny Valentine

Wiley was born in 1910 in Ft. Gibson, OK; early press reports claimed lineage from a Cherokee princess, as well as a birthdate five years later than the true one. Whatever her background, she began singing at an early age, influenced by the "race records" of the day by Mildred Bailey and Ethel Waters. She left Oklahoma for New York City as a teenager, and made a few demos in the late '20s before hiring on with Leo Reisman. Her first hit, "Time on My Hands," came in 1931 with Reisman, and earned her solo billing on a few radio programs. Wiley also began recording her own sides for Kapp, backed by the Casa Loma Orchestra, the Dorsey Brothers, and Johnny Green.

Her popular fortunes fell however, after the threat of tuberculosis kept her from singing for more than a year. In the late '30s, Wiley began recording sides for the Liberty music shop. The results were a series of unique sessions, each organized around the work of one composer (first the Gershwins, then Cole Porter, Rodgers & Hart, and Harold Arlen) and released on the standard catalog album -- four 10" records played at 78 rpm -- for a grand total of eight songs by each composer. These "songbook" recordings also utilized the cream of the era's hot jazz musicians, including Eddie Condon, Bunny Berigan, Pee Wee Russell, Joe Bushkin, Fats Waller, and Jess Stacy; the latter became her husband for several years during the '40s. Wiley also performed often with Stacy's big band and with smaller groups led by Condon during the '40s. She signed to Columbia in 1950 and recorded several additional albums, including the excellent Night in Manhattan. ~John Bush

The Great American Songbook

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Jake Hanna & His After Hours Gang - The Joint Is Jumpin'

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:27
Size: 145.3 MB
Styles: Swing
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[5:42] 1. Exactly Like You
[6:32] 2. My Ideal
[9:00] 3. P-Town
[6:46] 4. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
[5:56] 5. These Foolish Things
[6:17] 6. Look For The Silver Lining
[7:26] 7. Oh! Look At Me Now
[6:05] 8. June Night
[5:36] 9. Can't We Be Friends
[4:03] 10. The Joint Is Jumpin'

Jake Hanna: Drums, leader; Jack Sheldon: Trumpet; Tommy Newsom: Tenor; John Allred: Trombone; Ross Tompkins: Piano; David Stone: Bass.

Jake Hanna, one of the all-time drummer greats, has assembled a group of the guys with whom he has jammed after hours for many years to make this relaxed swinging date. Jack Sheldon, on trumpet and also providing some of his one-of-a-kind vocals, Tommy Newsom of The Johnny Carson Tonight Show fame on tenor, Ross Tompkins, also from The Tonight Show, on piano, John Allred, trombone, and David Stone, bass.

The Joint Is Jumpin'

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Bobby Darin - Twist With Bobby Darin

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 26:00
Size: 59.5 MB
Styles: Pop-rock
Year: 1961/2004
Art: Front

[2:28] 1. Bullmoose
[2:14] 2. Early In The Morning
[1:37] 3. Mighty Mighty Man
[2:04] 4. You Know How
[2:16] 5. Somebody To Love
[2:15] 6. Multiplication
[2:31] 7. Irresistible You
[2:10] 8. Queen Of The Hop
[2:08] 9. You Must Have Been A Beautiful Baby
[1:56] 10. Keep A Walkin'
[2:05] 11. Pity Miss Kitty
[2:10] 12. I Ain't Sharin' Sharon

Twist with Bobby Darin was released in mono and stereo in December of 1961 and peaked at number 48 on the Billboard charts, remaining there for 31 weeks. The dance album is a collection of rock songs, all of which have backbeat suitable for, obviously, twisting. An amazing seven of the twelve songs from Twist with Bobby Darin were included on The Best of Bobby Darin, Vol. 1 and the remaining five are on Rare Rockin' & Unreleased. That so many of the songs from this record are part of Darin's "best" does not mean that this is his best album. In fact, Twist with Bobby Darin was something of a stop-gap album. For Teenagers Only was released in September of 1960 and failed to chart. Five of the songs from that LP ("Keep a Walkin," "You Know How," "Somebody to Love," "I Ain't Sharin Sharon," "Pity Miss Kitty") were included on Twist for some reason, meaning that only seven of the songs were new. The new tunes, however, were among his strongest. The entire first side (and first six songs) are all Bobby Darin compositions. Darin had not released his own songs in a few years and maybe Atco was not sure they would sell records themselves. Side two included the hit "You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby" which was written by Johnny Mercer and Harry Warren. ~JT Griffith

Twist With Bobby Darin

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The Laurie Bower Singers - Looking Through The Eyes Of Love

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:37
Size: 113.6 MB
Styles: Easy Listening, Vocal group harmonies
Year: 1996
Art: Front

[3:34] 1. Looking Through The Eyes Of Love
[3:35] 2. Looks Like We Made It
[3:35] 3. September Morn'
[3:20] 4. I Go To Rio
[3:59] 5. Don't Blame Me
[3:42] 6. When I Need You
[3:10] 7. Don't Cry Out Loud
[2:54] 8. Southern Nights
[3:00] 9. You Needed Me
[3:19] 10. Key Largo
[2:59] 11. Why Is Forever Taking So Long
[2:53] 12. Don't Ask Me Why
[3:37] 13. It Goes Like It Goes
[3:30] 14. She's Always A Woman
[2:23] 15. Everything Old Is New Again

Up until this CD the Laurie Bower Singers discography was only available on vinyl (possibly cassettes). This severe injustice has been rectified. If this CD doesn't knock your socks off, you aren't wearing any. ~Amazon

Looking Through The Eyes Of Love

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Nat Adderley - Little Big Horn!

Styles: Cornet And Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1963
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:32
Size: 92,7 MB
Art: Front

(6:46)  1. El Chico
(4:13)  2. Foo Foo
(4:17)  3. Loneliness
(5:23)  4. Little Big Horn
(4:52)  5. Half-Time
(4:22)  6. Broadway Lady
(5:14)  7. Roses For Your Pillow
(4:21)  8. Hustle With Russell

Not that it’s fair, but Nat Adderley will always be considered the Little Brother; he was even billed that way on an album. Tunes like “Work Song” built the funky base of the Adderley band, he used Wes Montgomery at the start of his meteoric rise, and Ellis Marsalis on a New Orleans live album Still Nat remained in the shadow, and he tried to break out in a series of albums for Riverside. This one, from 1963, gives us eight tunes by Nat and two different quintets, each with a star guitarist. The moods are many, and so are the pleasures. Nat’s echoing cornet opens a bullfight, and Jim Hall joins him in the theme of “El Chico”. What stands out is how loud Nat is; he’s asserting himself, and is brassier than normal. Hall’s solois relaxed, with a few hints of the Spanish style. Junior Mance comes in bright and bluesy, showing throughout why he was a superlative accompanist. His sound is light, but he charges the tune as much as Nat did. And when the leader returns, he stands stately as he takes the theme home. Proud and confident; a great opener. 

“Foo Foo” is a funky blues, reminding me of Big Brother’s “Sack O’ Woe”. Here the guitarist is Kenny Burrell; he sounds cleaner than Hall, and his typically liquid notes have a nice bite to them. Mance bends the chords hard as Nat takes a leisurely solo; he has the assurance of “El Chico” with a quieter horn. Typical Adderley and typically good. “Loneliness” is a great mood-setter; its chords seem to be the basis for the Shangri-Las’ “Dressed in Black”. (Don’t laugh “Remember [Walking in the Sand]” has the chords of MJQ’s “Sketch”.) The tune marches at funeral pace while Nat blows soft and sad; something tragic has happened, and he won’t tell us what. Burrell’s solo retains his high tone, but without the happiness I always associate with him. Nat returns, and it seems even slower; this is four minutes long, but it sounds like the blues will never leave.

The clouds are chased on “Little Big Horn”, which sounds more like a show tune than “Broadway Lady”, which appears later. Nat is muted here, and he sounds warmer than anything this side of Miles. Burrell’s solo is his typical jaunty self, and Mance is a sophisticated lounge pianist, with just a hint of blues to let us know where he came from. On “Half-Time”, Nat is (what else?) a marching band, stepping high as the drums do their cadence. Nat sounds deep as he gives us a very happy solo. Hall is back on guitar, and he sounds darker than Burrell, getting in some slides and heavy strums. The fadeout comes quick, as Nat marches off the field. “Broadway Lady” sounds like a fashion show, with high brass and sweet sophistication. (The liner notes call it “more lady than Broadway”.) Mance comes in with confidence, as the lady struts her stuff. 

Nat takes her out for a night to remember, with high whoops and dancing rhythm. Hall is gentle, sweet and shy; a lady all right, but not Broadway. Mickey Roker sets off the fireworks at the end as flashbulbs go off. “Roses for Your Pillow” is an especially lovely ballad, a wakeup gift on a lazy morning. (The title suggests “Violets for Your Furs”, but there is no musical resemblance.) Both Nat and Hall serenade us, with Hall’s best effort of the date. Then everybody wakes up on “Hustle With Russell”, with its sterling piano, and a sailing solo from Nat. Burrell’s return is welcome; his solo has a special tang. It’s probably the weakest tune on the album, but only because the standard is so high  it’s like complaining about a B- on a report card full of A’s. For consistency, this is my favorite Nat album of those I’ve heard so far. His versatility (as composer and musician) is appreciated, and the many moods make for a very sound package. Nat Adderley may be the Little Brother, but here he shines big. ~ AAJ Staff  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/little-big-horn-nat-adderley-fantasy-jazz-review-by-aaj-staff.php

Personnel: Nat Adderley (trumpet, cornet); Jim Hall, Kenny Burrell (guitar); Junior Mance (piano); Mickey Roker (drums).

Little Big Horn!

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Rachel Gould & Chet Baker - All Blues

Styles: Vocal And Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1979
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:40
Size: 86,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:43)  1. All Blues
(5:38)  2. My Funny Valentine
(7:01)  3. Bangles Bangles And Beads
(4:01)  4. Straight No Chaser
(5:10)  5. Round Midnight
(5:04)  6. I've Got You Under My Skin
(5:00)  7. Phil's Bossa

Rachel Gould studied cello and classical singing at Boston University. She began her professional singing career in the early '70's in the United States, toured Europe (Germany, Holland and Poland) and settled there. She lived in Germany and Switzerland and lives since the end of 1991 in Holland. She made appearances on German TV and was the featured soloist for radio productions in Germany, France, Luxembourg, Holland, Poland, Switzerland and the USA. She recorded the LP "All Blues" with Chet Baker in London and her own LP "The Dancer" in Frankfurt. In 1989 she recorded the CD "A Sip Of Your Touch" with Riccardo del Fra on which Art Farmer, David Liebman, Enrico Pieranunzi and Michel Graillier are also featured. In 1991 she recorded the CD "Live In Montreux" with Stephan Kurmann and Strings. Her CD "More Of Me" was released in 1993.

In her career as a singer Rachel has worked and performed with many well known jazz musicians: Chet Baker, Benny Bailey, Lou Blackburn, Billy Brooks, Bobby Burgess, Phillipe Catherine, Hal Graillier, Wolfgang Haffner, Joe Haider, Jake Hanna, Woody Herman, Michel Herr, Bert Joris, Stephan Kurmann, Dennis Luxion, Rita Marcotulli, Sal Nistico, Tom Nicholas, Horace Parlan, Jaques Pelzer, Enrico Pieranunzi, Larry Porter, Ferdinand Povel, Allan Praskin, Mercello Tonnolo, James Woode and many others. She also worked with arrangers and bandleaders such as Woody Herman, Bill Holman, Erwin Lehn, Horst Jankowski, Peter Herbolzheimer, Silvan Koopman, Dieter Reith and Highlight Jazz Orchestra in the Netherlands.She sang engagements and toured with her own bands as featured soloist in Holland, Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Poland and Japan. http://www.jazzmasters.nl/rachelgould.htm

The number of new het Baker releases seem to be never-ending. Released for the first time in 1998, this CD matches the charismatic trumpeter/vocalist in London with several Europeans (guitarist Jean-Paul Florens, pianist Henri Florens, bassist Jim Richardson, drummer Tony Mann and, on three selections, singer Rachel Gould) for a reasonably well-recorded and spirited studio session. Baker is OK singing "'Round Midnight" (there is a second instrumental version too) and a couple of scats, while Gould is fine on "All Blues," "Straight No Chaser" and the guitarist's "Phil's Bossa." However, the main reason to acquire this set is for the spots where Baker is backed only by guitarist Florens, and for his instrumental interplay with his sidemen. The interpretations are melodic, lyrical, usually relaxed (even at faster tempos), and well worth a close listen. het Baker was in good form on those two days. Recommended. -- Scott Yanow, All-Music Guide

Personnel:  Rachel Gould – vocals;  Chet Baker – trumpet;  John Paul Florens – guitar;  Henry Florens – piano;  Jim Richardson – bass;  Tony Mann – drums

All Blues

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Ornette Coleman - Skies Of America

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1972
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:24
Size: 100,0 MB
Art: Front

(2:49)  1. Skies Of America
(1:10)  2. Native Americans
(1:33)  3. The Good Life
(3:13)  4. Birthdays And Funerals
(0:51)  5. Dreams
(1:20)  6. Sounds Of Sculpture
(1:10)  7. Holiday For Heroes
(3:08)  8. All Of My Life
(1:17)  9. Dancers
(0:47) 10. The Soul Within Woman
(3:54) 11. The Artist In America
(0:31) 12. The New Anthem
(2:44) 13. Place In Space
(1:19) 14. Foreigner In A Free Land
(1:10) 15. Silver Screen
(1:15) 16. Poetry
(2:48) 17. The Men Who Live In The White House
(4:34) 18. Love Life
(0:32) 19. The Military
(0:39) 20. Jam Session
(4:29) 21. Sunday In America

Here's what is known about Ornette Coleman's first recorded orchestral symphonic work (he had written others previously and had them performed but never put on tape): After hiring conductor David Measham and the London Symphony Orchestra, British musicians' union rules prohibited Coleman from using his own quartet to play on the record. As a result, he had to re-examine the work without the concerto grosso form and, to fit the work on a single LP, he had to cut many of the recurrent themes of the work. It is also known that the recording quality isn't the greatest. So what? The bottom line is this: In the 21st century, Skies of America, which was Ornette's first attempt at employing his newly developed harmolodic theory (whereby using modulation many players could solo at once using different keys), still sounds ahead of its time. Though there are 21 bands marked on the cover, this is a single unbroken work with many of the themes recurring either in that they had long been present in Ornette's musical iconography, or would become so. (Check the theme in "The Good Life," as it evolved from "School Work" from 1962 and became "Dancing in Your Head" in the late '70s.) 

Coleman himself solos beautifully in the middle of the disc, from "The Artist in America" on and off until the work's end with "Sunday in America." This is loaded music: politically, emotionally, and also spiritually. The dissonance doesn't seem so profound now, but it still rubs against the grain of Western harmonic principles in all the right ways. It's difficult to find the sense of what chord is dominant in Coleman's composition, and for that alone it's valuable. But also, it's compelling listening on a level that music such as this is not yet the cultural norm or even close to approaching its standard which means that it is not yet fully possible. Ornette's was an opening volley, thrown down as a gauntlet that has yet to be picked up. This is still dangerous and rewarding music. 

~ Thom Jurek  http://www.allmusic.com/album/skies-of-america-mw0000061385

Personnel: Ornette Coleman (alto saxophone); David Measham (conductor); London Symphony Orchestra.

Skies Of America

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Ellis Marsalis - The Classic Ellis Marsalis

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:38
Size: 165,2 MB
Art: Front

( 4:45)  1. Monkey Puzzle
( 3:38)  2. Whistle Stop
( 4:34)  3. After
( 5:37)  4. Dee Wee
( 3:32)  5. 12's It
(10:21)  6. Yesterdays
( 5:26)  7. Magnolia Triangle
( 4:18)  8. Swinging At The Haven
( 5:47)  9. Little Joy
(10:28) 10. 'Round About Midnight
(13:09) 11. Night In Tunisia

When one thinks of New Orleans jazz, it is of Dixieland, but in the early '60s there were several talented local modern jazzmen (many of whom eventually went into teaching) who were open to the influence of the more advanced New York jazz. Pianist Ellis Marsalis (the future father of the Marsalis clan but at the time fairly unknown) heads a quartet on this CD that also includes the forgotten but excellent tenor saxophonist Nat Perrilliat (who was most influenced by John Coltrane of a few years earlier), bassist Marshall Smith and drummer James Black. An LP from the AFO (All for One) label (The Monkey Puzzle) has been reissued in full on this CD along with three numbers later released on a sampler and a previously unissued version of "Night in Tunisia." Black and Marsalis contributed seven of the 11 songs; the quartet also performs Perrilliat's "Little Joy" and three jazz standards. The music falls into the advanced hard bop (as opposed to avant-garde) area with plenty of hard-swinging performances. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-classic-ellis-marsalis-mw0000031723

Personnel: Ellis Marsalis (piano); Nathaniel Perrilliat (saxophone); Marshall Smith (bass); James Black (drums).

The Classic Ellis Marsalis

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Dinamico Trio - Hammond's Passage

Size: 123,3 MB
Time: 52:27
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2011
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. Havana Cola (5:12)
02. Jazz In The House (4:03)
03. Bassanello In The House (4:14)
04. Carlito's Blues (3:55)
05. Khartoum (6:22)
06. Lazy Sunday (5:06)
07. Green Avenue (3:50)
08. Take The A Train (3:37)
09. Gee Baby Ain't I Good To You (5:04)
10. Summernight Breeze (4:38)
11. Lella's Lullaby (6:20)

Carlo Santacatterina and Matteo Titotto began their musical journey together in 2006, celebrating the classic jazz combo configuration of the Hammond organ, guitar and drums.
Along with Roberto Buttignol on drums, Dinamico Trio developed its sound and musical connections exploring the music of masters of organ sound, bringing a modern edge to a musical timepiece.

Hammond's Passage

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Ella Gahnt - Third Stage Of Elegance

Size: 103,2 MB
Time: 44:12
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. What You'll Hear From Me (2:53)
02. Let It Be Yesterday (5:46)
03. Butterfly (4:00)
04. To Be (4:10)
05. A Gloomy Day (5:13)
06. Some Other Spring (4:56)
07. When You Walk Away (6:34)
08. What Would It Take (4:32)
09. The Golden Years (6:03)

Ella Gahnt is a Philly-based Jazz vocalist who has been dubbed "Philly's Class Act" by local media and fans. She has performed throughout the Philly, Tri-State area and New York at various popular venues with her ensemble and other groups. Ella tells musical stories in her own unique way while honoring the vocal legacy of Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday, Carmen McCrae, Betty Carter and Ella Fitzgerald.

"Third Stage of Elegance" is Ella Gahnt's third CD, but unlike her other two - "Immaculate Union" and "By Request," this CD contains all originals written by Ella, Leon Mitchell, and a cut shared with songwriter-pianist Carol Frazier. In "Third Stage of Elegance," Ella Gahnt bends the fabric of Jazz with her voice and style. All of the different vocal influences like those treasured vocalists mentioned above and also Roberta Flack and Nina Simone, are evident and channeled through her singing. The stories she tells with these songs are her own that come from her life, love and spiritual experiences. Everyone from the hard-core Jazz enthusiast to the newly initiated will find something to relate to as Ella takes us on her personal journey - the third stage of her musical life.

Third Stage Of Elegance

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Peter & Will Anderson - Deja Vu

Size: 134,8 MB
Time: 57:56
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. Deja Vu (4:10)
02. Presque Vu (4:47)
03. Belfast Blues (5:39)
04. Devil's Advocate (5:03)
05. A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square (6:29)
06. Deja Entendu (4:34)
07. Rachel (5:12)
08. Jamais Vu (5:14)
09. Lover Man (6:51)
10. Cats In New York City (4:49)
11. Just One Of Those Things (5:03)

On this thoroughly entertaining quintet session, twins Will and Peter Anderson team up with one of the most renowned and beloved siblings in jazz history, drummer Albert “Tootie” Heath, who turns 80 on May 31. No surprise, then, that the young reedmen sound as if they’re fully enjoying the cross-familial connection here, buoyed by Heath’s rhythmic joie de vivre. Of course, given the Andersons’ bop-rooted influences and Heath’s obvious compatibility, who would have expected anything less?

The title and opening cut, one of eight tunes penned by the Andersons for this outing, is emblematic of the album’s virtues. The frontline—Peter on tenor saxophone, Will on alto—introduces a vibrant, spiraling theme that soon gives way to a series of fluid turns from the reedmen and pianist Jeb Patton. All the while Heath is in delightful form, nimbly accenting, prodding and interjecting, before fashioning a crisply syncopated break. “Presque Vu,” the following performance, is more melodically stealthy, but again the saxes add colorful contrasts, and the rhythm section, fortified by bassist David Wong, is lifted by Heath’s always-salutary presence. “Belfast Blues,” its title notwithstanding, is actually a burner that also reveals the band’s cohesiveness and spirit. When Heath sits out on several cuts, drummer Phil Stewart prevents lulls from settling in, though he quietly enhances the mood during an insinuatingly lyrical, alto-limned performance of “A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square.” Like “Lover Man” and “Rachel,” a woven ballad composed by Peter for his wife, it’s yet another reminder that when it comes to elegantly embellishing and resolving a romantic theme, the Andersons excel. ~By Mike Joyce

Deja Vu

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Jan Smigmator - Time To Swing

Size: 102,0 MB
Time: 43:45
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Hello Young Lovers (2:01)
02. Time To Swing (3:06)
03. Come Rain Or Come Shine (5:14)
04. Nice 'n' Easy (3:01)
05. Quando, Quando, Quando (4:31)
06. In The Midle Of The Night (3:07)
07. Come Fly With Me (2:55)
08. Crazy Dream (3:23)
09. The Lady Is A Tramp (3:11)
10. A Piece Of Music (3:55)
11. Swing Is Back (4:49)
12. Za Svým Snem Jít (4:26)

Jan Smigmator (1986) is a jazz and swing singer, who has adopted the legacy of easy listening vocalists such was Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Dean Martin, Bobby Darin, Mel Tormé and the living legend Tony Bennett.

His style, phrasing and love for jazz and swing music make him one of the artists of this genre in our country. In 2008 Jan successfully finished his music studies at the Prague conservatory in singing (department of pop music and jazz). During his studies he had performed with jazz musicians and orchestras! In 2005 he became a soloist of the legendary Václav Hybš Orchestra with whom he had performed dozens of concerts around Czech Republic.

Jan’s greatest love is singing with big bands; you could catch him as a vocalist of Big Band Polná, West Big Band, Sváta Cech Czech Summit Big Band, Kolín Big Band, Moravia Big Band and also an often guest of Karel Vlach Orchestra, Czech Radio Big Band, Rudolf Mazac Kentonmania Big Band or small bands like Adam Tvrdý Trio, Metropolitan Jazz Band, Bonus Orchestra or Polydor sextet.

Jan Smigmator also performs with his Swinging trio, great gutarist Milan Kašuba and Josef Vejvoda Trio. Jan’s repertoire is very wide, he sings songs from the golden swing era to jazz standards and evergreens to the contemporary pop music.

Time To Swing

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Herb Silverstein - Younger Next Year

Size: 137,7 MB
Time: 59:04
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. Roaringfork (5:30)
02. Our Little Secret (5:05)
03. Doc Five More (4:46)
04. Love In My Heart (5:25)
05. Helix 49'r (3:29)
06. Waltz For Mike (6:59)
07. Feelings (4:09)
08. Younger Next Year (5:26)
09. You Can't Be Real (1:39)
10. Friends (6:31)
11. Magic Sam (3:45)
12. You Made Me Cry (2:13)
13. Million Dollar Dog (4:01)

"Younger Next Year" features 13 original jazz tunes written by Herbert Silverstein. Once again Herb is joined by superb international jazz artists: swinging saxophonist Jeff Rupert (Maynard Ferguson, Kevin Mahogany), the great drummer Marty Morell (Bill Evans, Kenny Drew, Jr.), the incredible talent of guitarist Larue Nickelson, and the big booming sound from bassist Mike Ross. This album features lovely ballads, energetic tunes and thoughtful passages throughout. At the center, the composer, Herb deftly plays the piano. You'll listen again and again to this terrific combo playing catchy tunes with fantastic performances. Enjoy getting Younger Next Year!

Younger Next Year

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Cynthia Crane & Mike Renzi - Cynthia Loves Sinatra

Size: 104,2 MB
Time: 42:18
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. When No One Cares/Only The Lonely (4:02)
02. All Or Nothing At All (6:19)
03. When Your Lover Has Gone (4:02)
04. Drinking Again (5:31)
05. One For My Baby (4:13)
06. No One Ever Tells You (5:07)
07. The Night We Called It A Day (4:43)
08. Its Easy To Remember (5:33)
09. Hey Look/No Crying (2:44)

From New York to Los Angeles, starting out with Big Bands, the USO and Summer Stock, Cynthia Crane has been singing all her life. Graduating from Emerson College with a degree in Theater and English, she is primarily a Club and Cabaret singer who revels in the Great American Songbook. She has given concerts in Paris clubs (performing in French), Jazz Festivals and the American Embassy (bang on the Place de la Concorde). Her CDs display a wide range of material both new and old, although she admits to a particular affection for classic saloon songs à la Frank Sinatra.

Frank Sinatra is taken for granted as the great ambassador of the after-hour blues, singing of victims of one-way love affairs. Cynthia Crane, with the ever-able Mike Renzi, ventures into that world of melancholy & regret & convinces you that those lyrics, written so long ago by Johnny Mercer, Matt Dennis & Sammy Cahn, are still as fresh & new as this minute. WGN RADIO, CHICAGO

These songs, some of them rarely performed today, probe the depths of the inner soul. It takes a rare artist to interpret these, and Crane is that and more. A winner! --Ron Della Chiesa WGBH, Boston

Cynthia Crane is a cabaret treasure. Saucy, pert and emotionally as sharp as a stiletto, she alternatively can be funny, touching, wistful or serious. You'll have to look long and hard to find a more satisfying performer. --Peter Leavy, CabaretScenes, Publisher

Ms. Crane & Mr. Renzi make an alluring duo whose work here borders on the hypnotic. So pour yourself a tall, cool one, put on the headphones, kick off your shoes, lean back, close your eyes and you'll be ready to be transported like I was. --Gay Chicago Magazine

Cynthia Loves Sinatra

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