Darren Barrett DB Quintet - Live And Direct 2014

Size: 139,6 MB
Time: 60:21
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. True ( 9:01)
02. Announcements 1 ( 1:18)
03. Yes Oh Yes (11:08)
04. The King Is Among Us (12:37)
05. Straight Down The Middle (10:38)
06. Mi Les ( 5:13)
07. Announcements 2 ( 0:51)
08. Creative Locomotion ( 9:32)

Born in Canada to Jamaican parents, Barrett did his undergraduate work at the Berklee School in Boston and went to Queens College for his post-Grad years. He moved on to the Thelonious Monk Institute where he was a member of its first group of graduates - in fact, Mr. Barrett won the 1997 Monk International Jazz Competition. He's gone on to play with the Roy Hargrove Big Band, Herbie Hancock, Esperanza Spalding and many others. He's also issued 6 CDs as a leader, including 2 in 2014, "Energy in Motion: The Music of the Bee Gees" and "Live and Direct 2014" with his dB Band.

The latter recording features the same lineup that will grace The Side Door stage and they are Takeshi Ohbayashi (piano), the brothers Alexander L.J (bass) and Anthony A. Toth (drums - see below) plus the excellent saxophonist Myron Walden.

Live And Direct  

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Cheryl Bentyne - Lost Love Songs

Size: 118,5 MB
Time: 50:48
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

01. This Masquerade (5:15)
02. The Lights Still Burn In Paris (4:27)
03. Land Of Make Believe (4:29)
04. Black Coffee (4:23)
05. If Ever (4:35)
06. He Was Too Good To Me (3:21)
07. Shattered (2:36)
08. Blue Prelude (3:50)
09. You Taught My Heart To Sing (5:04)
10. Love's River (4:43)
11. Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow (5:14)
12. Goodbye (2:46)

Cheryl Bentyne has recorded a lot of solo albums over the years, in addition to her work with the Manhattan Transfer. Most notably among those, a superb duo recording with the equally impressive Mark Winkler (“West Coast Cool”, 2013). This new compilation with hand-picked songs include tracks that have only been released in Japan. It is no big secret that the Japanese are crazy for jazz vocalists (Daryl Sherman’s new album is a Jap-only release, too; review follows soon).

The three albums from which they were culled are “Moonlight Serenade” and “The Lights Still Burn” (2003) and “Songs Of Our Time” (2011) and the chosen songs are a wonderful example of inventive and imaginative repertoire. And the album starts out with the most catchy and haunting arrangement of Leon Russell‘s “This Masquerade” that I’ve ever heard. Cheryl should move more towards this direction; the cute keyboards by Corey Allen plus exotic guitars all add up to a mesmerizing rendition of this classic.

“The Lights Still Burn In Paris”, a sweet dedication to the city of lights written by Don Freeman, is another sensitive gem which features mandolin (Grant Geissman) and accordion (Van Dyke Barks, not to be confused…) on a wonderful tribute. There is more exoticism on the percussive “Land Of Make Believe”, written by the great Chuck Mangione and featuring Don Alias, and a bluesy take on “Black Coffee” where Cheryl’s perfect pitch and intonation can be enjoyed.

Cheryl’s love for Brazilian composers is shared on “If Ever”, a tune written by the great Dori Caymmi with English lyrics by Tracy Mann – a sweet ballad that floats along beautifully. And the guitar/bass-only accompaniment on the Rodgers & Hart standard “He Was Too Good To Me” suits her extremely well. Her voice here is like a warm embrace from a dear friend (Grant Geissman on guitar, Kevin Axt on bass). The Jimmy Webb poem “Shattered” gets yet another special treatment here: the svelte string quartet adds grace and suaveness to this beauty which has been recorded by Linda Ronstadt (1989) and Webb himself (with Art Garfunkel, 2013).

Manhattan Transfer fans are best served on “Blue Prelude” which features the vocals of Mark Kibble (Take 6), Roger Treece, and Dave Tull on a swinging and powerful take on this Gordon Jenkins piece. McCoy Tyner‘s “You Taught My Heart To Sing” has always been one of my favorite love songs (lyrics by Sammy Cahn) and Cheryl tells this story in her signature, direct and conversational style. Simple and straight.

There is another Dori Caymmi tune, the very lush “Love’s River” and a relaxing “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow”, maybe too relaxed. The well-chosen compilation finishes in a late-night mood with percussion and accordion on the Gordon Jenkins ballad “Goodbye” which, instead of a fade-out, would have gained a lot more if the repetitive part towards the end had been stretched out a bit longer. ~Gina Jazz

Lost Love Songs

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Adrienne Fenemor - Mo' Puddin'

Size: 115,6 MB
Time: 49:56
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz: Hammond Organ
Art: Front

01. Mo' Puddin' (6:02)
02. Minor Mixup (4:48)
03. Back at the Chicken Shack (4:51)
04. Old Yeller (5:56)
05. Lovers Embrace (5:07)
06. The Boss (6:30)
07. Sunday Sermon (5:29)
08. Caribbean Day Dream (4:22)
09. Moanin' (6:47)

Jazz organist Adrienne Fenemor is a truly unique talent on today’s music scene. With today’s musicians learning jazz within the classroom, it has become an exception rather than the rule for a musician develop and learn “on the road”, playing clubs, festivals and touring.

Born in New Zealand into a musical family, Adrienne acquired her first organ in 2003 when she imported a Hammond C3 from Canada and with no jazz organ players in her country, she taught herself to play by copying recordings by Jimmy Smith, Joey DeFrancesco, Groove Holmes and Jack McDuff. Having performed at clubs and festivals throughout New Zealand and Australia, Adrienne moved to the USA in 2008.

During a year spent in the Midwest, performing at Hammond organ summits, jazz clubs and jam sessions in Cincinnati, Detroit, Dayton and Columbus, Adrienne further developed her sound on the bandstand.

Now based in New York, Adrienne actively performs throughout the city including hosting a weekly jam session in one of harlems most historic rooms. She has CD's released on HMV in Japan, EQ Muisc in Singapore and on Ode Records in New Zealand.

Adrienne has shared the stage with Joey Defrancesco, Ronnie Cuber, Bruce Forman, Victor Jones, Tony Monaco, Sherrie Maricle and and headlined at jazz clubs including Cliff Bells (Detroit), The Blue Wisp (Cincinnati, OH) and Jazz Central (Dayton, Oh), Night Town (Cleveland, OH)and performed in New York clubs including Minton's, The Garage, Smoke and the Iridium (as a special guest with Joey Defrancesco).

Mo' Puddin' is Adrienne's first instrumental album showcasing her great talent as a composer and instrumentalist.

Mo' Puddin'

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Sundae + Mr. Goessl - Makes My Heart Sway

Size: 115,5 MB
Time: 49:29
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

01. Love Me Or Leave Me (3:11)
02. Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans (3:32)
03. Stompin' At The Savoy (2:25)
04. Low Down Man (3:37)
05. Young At Heart (3:15)
06. One Note Samba (2:32)
07. Makes My Heart Sway (4:08)
08. Nature Boy (4:19)
09. September In The Rain (3:27)
10. Smile (2:47)
11. I'm Confessin' That I Love You (4:54)
12. Fascinating Rhythm (2:37)
13. After You've Gone (4:54)
14. Pretty Little Thing (3:42)

Sundae + Mr. Goessl's much anticipated 2nd album, Makes My Heart Sway, is a diverse collection of songs ranging from tasty choices from the 1930's to an original to an interpretation of a local Seattle band's song. Tried and true, Seattle's Sweethearts have done it again and created another album fit to stay in your collection forever.

Sundae + Mr. Goessl are a husband/wife duo playing a mix of genres from an era long gone. Reviving great composers like Duke Ellington, the Gershwin brothers and Cole Porter, this duo takes it upon themselves to arrange every nuance and create their own fresh take on these classic tunes.

Makes My Heart Sway

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William Parker - Stan's Hat Flapping In The Wind (Feat. Lisa Sokolov & Cooper-Moore)

Size: 116,0 MB
Time: 48:14
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Footnote To A Dream (For Miguel Pinero) (2:23)
02. The End Of The World (1:18)
03. Hero’s Song (1:09)
04. Beloved Soul (2:39)
05. The Death Of Death (4:27)
06. Eternal (For Ornette Coleman) (2:09)
07. Norway (0:21)
08. Soul In Heaven (For Butch Morris) (3:27)
09. When A Sound Dances (0:27)
10. Mahalia (2:49)
11. Autumn Song (1:55)
12. All Love (4:58)
13. The Greatest Revolutionary (2:37)
14. For Jeanne Lee (2:44)
15. Poem For June Jordan (3:11)
16. Prayer (3:14)
17. Invocation (For David S. Ware) (5:18)
18. Angel’s Tear (2:09)
19. Light (0:48)

On April 1, 2016, a new album of William Parker's luminous compositions will be released on his own Centering Records imprint (distributed via AUM Fidelity). Stan’s Hat Flapping In The Wind presents new work from one of the jazz avant-garde’s most essential individuals, presented in one of the most traditional of forms: voice & piano duets; by fully illuminated masters of their instruments. 19 new songs composed by William Parker, and performed by Lisa Sokolov & Cooper-Moore. Parker is—among his many great talents—a master of evocative song-craft, as readily evidenced on Corn Meal Dance, and the very recently released Great Spirit, by his Raining On The Moon ensemble. The compositions and performances presented here are filled with devotion to compassion for all life. They touch on the possibility of peace and truth prevailing in the present.

Stan’s Hat Flapping In The Wind is also the name of a musical that William Parker has been writing since 1994. To date he has composed over sixty songs for the production. In this musical, the principal characters—through tribulations and exposure to the magic of all life around them—begin to learn the art of living and the systems of sacred music. On this new studio recording, 19 of these songs are presented; the longest being 5 minutes, the shortest is 22 seconds. All of the songs are connected in that they all reflect on the mysteries of death and life. And, many of Parker’s touchstone subject matters abound: compassion for all living things, the magic of sound, the revolutionary nature of flowers, and deeply affecting dedications and invocations to enlightened spirits who have departed.

Lisa Sokolov is a jazz vocalist, improviser and composer known for her pioneering range of tone, timbre and expression. Parker has worked with her for over 35 years in many situations. As he writes in the liner notes to this release, “she is a master of music healing, interpretation and vocal creativity. I don’t know of any other singer who puts as much love and dedication into singing.” One of her own releases, Presence, received a 5-Star “Masterpiece” review in DownBeat and their January 2010 issue cited the album as one of the Best CDs of the Decade. Sokolov is currently a full arts professor at the Tisch School of the Arts at NYU, and is recognized in the music therapy world as an innovator in the applications of the voice to human potential.

Cooper-Moore is another deservingly heralded great in the realm of avant-garde jazz, though he has an incredibly rich history in all manner of performance. He, too, has worked with Parker for many decades, including within his free-jazz supergroup, In Order To Survive. He was also fully featured on Parker’s recent 3CD box set, For Those Who Are, Still. A multi-instrumentalist, composer, storyteller, instrument-builder and educator living in East Harlem, New York City, his approach to music goes beyond simple categorization. Though what he is working on now is informed by Creative Improvised Music and the jazz avant-garde, his ears are rooted in the Gospel, Blues and Bluegrass traditions from where he came, rural segregated Virginia. As Parker writes, “Cooper–Moore is always a great addition to any musical situation he is associated with, and has a huge musical palate of sounds with which he paints both small and large masterpieces. He is a prolific composer, improviser, and builder of instruments, as well as an inventor, cook, and devoted family person who continues to find new ways to enter into the tone world. He is one those rare individuals who has had first-hand experience with the essential magic that circles divine music.” ~by Steven Joerg

Stan's Hat Flapping In The Wind

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Louis Jordan - Swingsation

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:20
Size: 115.2 MB
Styles: Swing, Jump blues
Year: 1999
Art: Front

[2:47] 1. House Party
[5:21] 2. Saturday Night Fish Fry
[2:51] 3. Onion
[3:02] 4. Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens
[2:55] 5. Crazy Baby
[2:41] 6. Choo Choo Ch'boogie
[2:32] 7. (You Dyed Your Hair) Chartreuse
[2:56] 8. I Want You To Be My Baby
[2:25] 9. That Chick's Too Young To Fry
[2:42] 10. Flat Face
[5:08] 11. Blue Light Boogie
[2:54] 12. They Raided The House
[2:48] 13. Barnyard Boogie
[3:19] 14. Trouble Then Satisfaction
[3:06] 15. It's A Great, Great Pleasure
[2:45] 16. Let The Good Times Roll

GRP's Swingsation sampler may not satisfy collectors and hardcore fans, who already have these 16 featured songs on original albums or comprehensive collections. Nevertheless, this is a good collection for casual fans and neophytes, since it contains a good balance of familiar hits and lesser-known tunes from Louis Jordan's Decca recordings, including "House Party," "Saturday Night Fish Fry," "Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens," "Crazy Baby," "Chartreuse (You Dyed Your Hair)," "That Chick's Too Young Too Fry," "Blue Light Boogie," "Barnyard Boogie," and "Let the Good Times Roll." True, there are a number of great songs, such as "Caledonia," missing, but it's an enjoyable listen that's worth its budget-price for budget-minded listeners. ~Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Swingsation

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Walt Weiskopf - Night Lights

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:09
Size: 142.3 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 1995
Art: Front

[7:25] 1. You Go To My Head
[6:20] 2. With The Wind And The Rain In Her Hair
[6:11] 3. Moonlight On The Ganges
[5:24] 4. Some Other Time
[4:56] 5. Baubles, Bangles And Beads
[3:58] 6. Night Owl
[6:40] 7. Camelot
[6:27] 8. Night Lights
[7:28] 9. Herbie's Lament
[7:17] 10. I Wish I Knew

Walt Weiskopf performs seven standards and three originals on this quartet set with pianist Joel Weiskopf, bassist Drew Gress and drummer Steve Davis. Weiskopf, who has written an instructional book on John Coltrane's style, sounds too close for comfort to 'Trane on this otherwise enjoyable set. He is certainly a technically gifted player and his versions of such tunes as "You Go to My Head," "Moonlight on the Ganges," "Some Other Time" and "I Wish I Knew" are reasonably adventurous but Weiskopf should really work on developing his own musical personality. ~Scott Yanow

Night Lights

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SWR Big Band, Ralf Schmid, Paula Morelenbaum - Bossarenova

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 77:56
Size: 178.4 MB
Styles: Bossa Nova, Big band
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[ 5:23] 1. Águas De Março
[ 4:40] 2. Chovendo Na Roseira
[ 4:18] 3. Blackbird
[ 4:04] 4. Mas, Que Nada
[ 3:33] 5. Modinha (Seresta No.6)
[ 3:37] 6. Perfume De Cebolla
[ 4:34] 7. Tarde Em Itapoã
[ 4:27] 8. Tempo De Amor
[ 3:54] 9. Vem Morena
[ 5:01] 10. Pra Que Chorar [ich Grolle Nicht]
[ 4:10] 11. O Morro Não Tem Vez [favela]
[22:26] 12. Setembro
[ 3:52] 13. L'habitant Du Ciel
[ 3:52] 14. Soul Bossa Nova

It is nearly impossible to speak about Paula Morelenbaum without mentioning Antonio Carlos Jobim. To those unfamiliar with her work, it is worth noting that Paula worked for ten years (1984 to 1994) singing alongside the Brazilian maestro. She participated in the recording of the albums Passarim (1986-Universal), Antonio Brasileiro (1993-Som Livre), Tom Jobim Inédito (1995-BMG) and Tom canta Vinicius (2000-Jobim Music/Universal), while performing with his group Banda Nova in Brazil, Japan, Europe, Canada and the United States, including shows at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. Jobim, himself, once described the band as "a group of five handsome girls, five handsome guys and a dirty old man!" Paula Morelenbaum's solo career began during the latter years of that collaboration. In 1992, she released her first solo album. The self-titled effort was produced by her husband and acclaimed cellist Jaques Morelenbaum, who also participated as an instrumentalist and arranger on a handful of tracks. The disc included songs from Gilberto Gil, Chico Buarque, Caetano Veloso, Rita Lee, Arrigo Barnabé, Paulo Jobim, Jose Miguel Wisnik, George Gershwin, Vinicius de Moraes and Tom Jobim (who also performed on the recording). It was this album with which Paula was awarded the Sharp Music Award 1993 in Brazil for the category "Revelation Female Pop-Rock." In 1995, Morelenbaum formed the Quarteto Jobim Morelenbaum with Paulo Jobim, Daniel Jobim and Jaques Morelenbaum, a quartet of vocal and instrumental chamber music whose repertoire was based on perpetuating the style of Antonio Carlos Jobim. Four years later the quartet released the album Quarteto Jobim Morelenbaum (Candles/Sony Music) and presented the music with a world tour that stretched around the globe. 
That same year Paula served as vocalist on the recording Smoochy by Ryuichi Sakamoto. The seed of a new and fruitful collaboration had been been planted. With Ryuichi Sakamoto and husband Jaques Morelenbaum, Paula launched the trio Morelenbaum2/Sakamoto in 2001 and soon released the album Casa (Kab/Universal Music), a tribute to Antonio Carlos Jobim, recorded at the maestro's home. This was followed by yet another world tour, which further extended her burgeoning international fan base and resulted in the live album Live in Tokyo 2001 (Warner Music Japan) and its subsequent 2003 follow up, A Day in New York (Kab/Sony Classical/Universal Music/Warner Music Japan), which as the title suggests was recorded in NYC all in one day. The CD earned them the 2004 Tim Brazilian Music Award in the category "Best Brazilian Music Group."

Now at the peak of her musical maturity, Paula Morelenbaum's latest work is a collaboration with the stellar Germany-based SWR Big Band and arranger/conductor Ralf Schmid. Together they created the album Bossarenova (ObliqSound/Skip Records). As the title describes, the work is a "restoration" of the classic Bossa Nova repertoire, yet distinctively re-imagined through the inspired pairing of Paula and Ralf. On the collection, she interprets timeless pieces such as "Agua De Março (Waters of March)" and "Chovendo na Roseira" by Antonio Carlos Jobim, "Mas Que Nada" and "Vem Morena" by Jorge Ben, "Tarde em Itapuã" by Toquinho and Vinicius de Moraes and rescues the beautiful "Tempo de amor" by Baden Powell and Vinicius.

In addition to these Bossa Nova's masterpieces, there are a number of reinterpretations that had a great influence on the Bossa Nova masters, such as compositions by Robert Schumann, Heitor Villa-Lobos and Lennon & McCartney. On the album, Paula Morelenbaum is deftly supported by the 16 musicians in the SWR Big Band, as well the renowned German trumpeter and co-founder of the 90's European acid jazz duet Tap Two Joo Kraus, pianist and arranger Ralf Schmid and Brazilian special guests Lula Galvão and Portinho. The US version of the release features two exclusive mixes of the songs "Aguas de Março" and "Modinha" reworked by producer Michele Locatelli and an exclusive Michael Olatuja remix of the classic Quincy Jones hit "Soul Bossa Nova," which appears on the album as an instrumental bonus track.

Bossarenova

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Charlie Parker - Confirmation: The Best Of The Verve Years (2-Disc Set)

This two-CD collection brings the best of Charlie Parker's Verve recordings. The Verve sessions were recorded under the influence of impresario Norman Granz, who put Parker into a wide range of settings (quartet, big band, strings, and even a woodwind quintet with vocals are included here), playing both Parker originals as well as popular songs of the day. These are not the pared-down, blistering performances of the Savoy and Dial sessions; however, they are quite remarkable in that they reveal the astonishing breadth of Parker's musical genius. A voracious talent, he shines brilliantly in every setting. The joy in this collection is getting to hear his bright ideas in such a range of musical situations. ~Michael Monhart

Album: Confirmation: The Best Of The Verve Years (Disc 1)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:09
Size: 151.4 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 1995
Art: Front

[ 3:29] 1. Just Friends
[ 3:13] 2. Swedish Schnapps
[ 2:43] 3. Laird Baird
[ 3:23] 4. K.C. Blues
[ 3:05] 5. April In Paris
[ 2:56] 6. Laura
[10:31] 7. Embraceable You
[ 2:55] 8. Ballade
[ 2:37] 9. Au Privave
[ 2:56] 10. The Song Is You
[ 2:53] 11. Mango Mangue
[ 2:58] 12. Confirmation
[ 3:18] 13. Segment
[ 3:08] 14. She Rote
[ 2:57] 15. Kim
[ 3:21] 16. In The Still Of The Night
[ 3:33] 17. Star Eyes
[ 6:03] 18. How High The Moon

Confirmation: The Best Of The Verve Years (Disc 1)

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Album: Confirmation: The Best Of The Verve Years (Disc 2)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:51
Size: 153.0 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 1995
Art: Front

[ 3:07] 1. Cardboard
[ 3:11] 2. I Didn't Know What Time It Was
[11:04] 3. Oh, Lady Be Good
[ 3:07] 4. I Can't Get Started
[ 3:21] 5. Lover Man
[13:26] 6. Funky Blues
[ 3:33] 7. Old Folks
[ 2:59] 8. Now's The Time
[ 2:43] 9. Tico-Tico
[ 2:35] 10. What Is This Thing Called Love
[ 2:45] 11. Blues For Alice
[ 2:28] 12. Leap Frog
[ 3:23] 13. Bloomdido
[ 3:02] 14. My Little Suede Shoes
[ 3:02] 15. Chi-Chi
[ 2:58] 16. Repetition

Confirmation: The Best Of The Verve Years (Disc 2)

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Shana Morrison - Joyride

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:49
Size: 118.6 MB
Styles: Rock/Country/Blues/R&B
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[3:29] 1. Joyride
[4:13] 2. Gone For Good
[4:51] 3. I Am A Rose
[3:59] 4. Tomorrow's Eve
[5:24] 5. Blue Angel
[3:25] 6. Means To Me
[3:11] 7. He Won't Send Roses
[4:11] 8. Heart Shaped Tattoo
[3:31] 9. No More Mrs Nice Girl
[4:20] 10. Ten Thousand Things
[3:18] 11. One Less Monkey
[3:25] 12. Makin Love
[4:26] 13. Good Enough For God

Shana Morrison’s musical style has been called pop with a side of blues and a side of rock. She has also been known to include other ingredients, like country, R&B, and jazz into the mix. Her material seems to be ever-changing and hard to pin down categorically. What always remains the same is Shana's unique and wide-ranging voice.

Shana Morrison began performing with her group Caledonia in the San Francisco Bay area in 1996. Her debut CD, Caledonia, was released on her own label, Belfast Violet Records, in 1998 and picked up by the Monster Music label in 1999. Caledonia received favorable reviews from the Los Angeles Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, and the San Francisco Examiner, as well as airplay on KPFA, KPIG, KPIX, KDVS, KHUM, and KFOG. Tours across the country soon followed.

2006 through 2008 saw Shana singing beside Van Morrison again during his U.S. and U.K. tour dates. Twelve years have passed since her beginnings singing duets with Mr. Morrison in his infamous Rhythm and Soul Review, which featured artists such as Jimmy Withersoon, Junior Wells, and John Lee Hooker. Since her first foray into recording on the Van Morrison releases A Night in San Francisco (1994) and Days Like This (1995), Shana Morrison has grown as a singer, a songwriter, and an artist. Her self-produced 2007 release, the R&B-flavored CD That's Who I Am, is on Belfast Violet Records. Joyride, produced by Kim McLean, was released in April 2010, also on Belfast Violet Records.

Joyride

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Clark Terry with Jeff Lindberg & Chicago Jazz Orchestra - Porgy & Bess

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:52
Size: 123,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:03)  1. Buzzard Song
(5:22)  2. Bess, You is My Woman Now
(4:52)  3. Gone
(2:15)  4. Gone, Gone, Gone
(3:18)  5. Summertime
(4:31)  6. Bess, Oh Where's My Bess
(5:01)  7. Prayer (Oh, Doctor Jesus)
(4:11)  8. Fishermen, Strawberry & Devil Crab
(6:14)  9. My Man's Gone Now
(4:25) 10. It Ain't Necessarily So
(1:42) 11. Here Come De Honey Man
(4:34) 12. I Loves You, Porgy
(3:20) 13. There's A Boat That's Leaving Soon For New York

2004 appears to be the year for reevaluation of Miles Davis classics. First came g.org's A New Kind of Blue , applying a more modern bent to the iconic Kind of Blue. Now the Chicago Jazz Orchestra, under the direction of Jeff Lindberg, takes on the Miles Davis/Gil Evans classic Porgy & Bess , this time with Clark Terry in the trumpet seat. Tackling such a seminal album, where Miles was the featured soloist, may seem presumptuous, but the choice of Terry makes this a particularly intriguing effort, since Miles himself credited Terry as an early influence on his own playing. So getting the chance to hear the teacher reinterpret the student makes for an interesting perspective. Utilizing Evans' charts, but with a slightly larger orchestra that features clarinets and an expanded trumpet section, Lindberg manages to treat Evans' arrangements with respect while avoiding the trap of being too literal. The sound of the orchestra is warmer, less brash than the original, which works especially well on the ballads including "Summertime" and "My Man's Gone Now." As much as the original held as both a collection of outstanding tunes and a more cohesive whole, this version may actually hang together a little better.

And what of Clark Terry? Well, for one thing, on the original recording Miles stayed exclusively with the flugelhorn, while here Terry uses both the flugelhorn and trumpet. On "Summertime" Terry uses a mute, but not the Harmon mute that became so synonymous with Davis' sound, rather one that is less piercing, a little warmer. And by using trumpet as well as flugelhorn he paints with broader strokes. That's not to say Terry is necessarily better than Miles in interpreting the material, but his blues-drenched readings are unquestionably equally valid. You can hear why Terry was such an important figure to Miles in his early days. He shares the same sense of rich lyricism, avoiding pyrotechnic displays, instead reaching deep into the heart of the material. But more evident than anything else is the effect that a player's personality has on the way they interpret the music. Miles' reading of Porgy and Bess was dark and haunting. Terry, on the other hand, is more tender than melancholic, more poignant than brooding, and on "My Man's Gone Now" he demonstrates a pure joyfulness in his short solo that was nowhere to be found in Miles' readings. Does this new version of Porgy and Bess have the potential to reach classic status? Hard to say, and only time will tell. Clearly any reinterpretation of the same charts means that the element of the new is gone. And for a story of misfortune, Miles' darker disposition may ultimately prove to be the most fitting. Still, Lindberg and Terry's revisiting sheds new light on a timeless piece of music and shows how approach is inextricably tied to disposition, where, amidst the tragedy, Terry's reading manages to be somehow more optimistic and hopeful.~John Kelman http://www.allaboutjazz.com/porgy-and-bess-clark-terry-a440-music-review-by-john-kelman.php

Personnel: Clark Terry (vocals, trumpet, flugelhorn); Clark Terry; Darlene Drew (alto flute, piccolo); Jerry DiMuzio (alto flute, bass clarinet); Larry Combs (clarinet, bass clarinet); John Wojciechowski (alto saxophone); Arthur Hoyle (trumpet, flugelhorn); Brent Turney, Art Davis , Doug Scharf, Danny Barber, Kirk Garrison (trumpet); Christine Worthing, Greg Flint (French horn); Scott Bentall, Andrew Baker, Tim Coffman (trombone); Daniel Anderson (tuba); George Fludas (drums); Chicago Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra.

Porgy & Bess

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John Pizzarelli & The George Shearing Quintet - The Rare Delight of You

Styles: Vocal And Guitar Jazz
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:47
Size: 130,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:50)  1. If Dreams Come True
(2:43)  2. The Lady's In Love With You
(3:46)  3. Everything Happens To Me
(2:56)  4. Lulu's Back In Town
(4:53)  5. Something To Remember You By
(3:54)  6. Lemon Twist
(4:11)  7. Lost April
(5:45)  8. Problem
(4:03)  9. The Rare Delight Of You
(3:33) 10. Shine On Your Shoes
(4:06) 11. Indian Summer
(2:39) 12. Be Careful It's My Heart
(4:01) 13. September In The Rain
(2:42) 14. I Predict (2001)
(3:38) 15. Lucky To Be Me

John Pizzarelli teams with the George Shearing Quintet to reveal their unique musical chemistry on The Rare Delight of You, a 15-track gem filled with the ambience of such great composers as Irving Berlin, Leonard Bernstein, Harry Warren, and the master himself, George Shearing. Pizzarelli, a master of the Great American Songbook, showcases his musical heirlooms buoyant, loving vocals and quality guitar skills alongside Shearing's authentic and full-spirited piano savvy with brilliant insight and freedom of expression without exceeding the boundaries of the original compositions. The results are tender, expressive, jazz renderings that resound with taste and class. The best-selling guitarist and his wife, Jessica Molaskey, co-wrote "I Predict" with Shearing and also co-wrote the title track, "The Rare Delight of You." The latter, a tender, love ballad with the potential to become a jazz standard, is a relaxing song that conjures a variety of loving moods. Among the more delightful and memorable songs are "September in the Rain" and "Be Careful It's My Heart." Pizzarelli delivers them with all their harmony and richness, quietly, softly in tune with the light and, at times, swinging piano accompaniment of Shearing. 

The group dynamic is also interesting since they've mastered an ever-changing body of arrangements. Great music attracts the best musicians and Shearing's Quintet: Dennis Mackrel on drums, Ted Piltzecker on vibraphone, Reg Schwager on guitar, and Neil Swainson on bass are among the attributes that make this CD a success. They immerse the listener in a variety of musical moods and set the tone on this one-of-a-kind musical terrain with a distinctive subdued passion. John Pizzarelli meets the same self-imposed standards he set on "Let There Be Love" and continues to deliver the goods with enthusiasm, earnest humility, and charm.~Paula Edelstein http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-rare-delight-of-you-mw0000212008

Personnel: John Pizzarelli (vocals, guitar); George Shearing (piano); Ted Piltzecker (vibraphone); Reg Schwager (guitar); Neil Swainson (bass); Dennis Mackrel (drums).

The Rare Delight of You

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Rosemary Clooney with the Buddy Cole Trio - Swing Around Rosie

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 1958
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 28:56
Size: 67,7 MB
Art: Front

(1:49)  1. 'Deed I Do
(2:24)  2. You Took Advantage of Me
(2:27)  3. Blue Moon
(2:16)  4. Sing You Sinners
(2:43)  5. A Touch of the Blues
(2:07)  6. Goody, Goody
(2:39)  7. To Close for Comfort
(2:49)  8. Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me
(2:36)  9. Moonlight Mississipi (A Whistle Stop Town)
(2:23) 10. I Whish I Were in Love Again
(2:31) 11. Sunday in Savannah
(2:06) 12. This Can't Be Love

This is an odd release by Rosemary Clooney, who's accompanied by keyboardist Buddy Cole and an unidentified rhythm section. Although the singer is in great form, Cole's extremely corny arrangements and his very dated sound on both organ and piano (which are frequently overdubbed, often in unison) threaten to make the entire session more of a nostalgia trip than something that will appeal to jazz collectors. Still, Clooney's pure swinging vocals on standards such as "'Deed I Do," "Blue Moon," "Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me," and "This Can't be Love" are very rewarding, in spite of Cole's uninspiring backgrounds.~Ken Dryden http://www.allmusic.com/album/swing-around-rosie-mw0000220001

Personnel:  Piano, Organ – Buddy Cole;  Vocals – Rosemary Clooney

Swing Around Rosie

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Dizzy Gillespie - Cubana Be, Cubana Bop

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:53
Size: 132,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:03)  1. Manteca
(2:48)  2. Good Bait
(2:59)  3. Algo Bueno
(2:56)  4. Ow!
(3:12)  5. Oop-Pop-A-Da
(2:29)  6. Our Delight
(3:08)  7. St. Louis Blues
(3:02)  8. Dizzier And Dizzier
(2:29)  9. Jump Did-Le-Ba
(2:53) 10. One Bass Hit II
(2:23) 11. I'm Be Boppin' Too
(2:45) 12. Cool Breeze
(3:05) 13. Jumpin' With Symphony Sid
(2:22) 14. Ray's Idea
(2:45) 15. Things To Come
(2:36) 16. In The Land Of Oo-Bla-Dee
(2:51) 17. Ool-Ya-Koo
(3:12) 18. Guarachi Guaro
(5:48) 19. Cubana Be, Cubana Bop

John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie, along with Charlie Parker, ushered in the era of Be-Bop in the American jazz tradition. He was born Cheraw, South Carolina, and was the youngest of nine children. He began playing piano at the age of four and received a music scholarship to the Laurinburg Institute in North Carolina. Most noted for his trademark "swollen cheeks", Gillespie admitted to copying the style of trumpeter Roy Eldridge early in his career. He replaced Eldridge in the 'Teddy Hill' Band after Eldridge's departure. He eventually began experimenting and creating his own style which would eventually come to the attention of Mario Bauza, the Godfather of Afro-Cuban jazz who was then a member of the Cap Calloway Orchestra, joining Calloway in 1939, Gillespie was fired after two years when he cut a portion of the Calloway's buttocks with a knife after Calloway accused him of throwing spitballs (the two men later became lifelong friends and often retold this story with great relish until both of their deaths). Although noted for his on and off-stage clowning, Gillespie endured as one of the founding fathers of the Afro-Cuban &/or Latin Hazz tradition. Influenced by Bauza, known as Gillespies musical father, he was able to fuse Afro-American jazz and Afro-Cuban rhythms to form a burgeoning CuBop sound. Always a musical ambassador, he toured Africa, the Middle East and Latin America under the sponsorship of the US State Department. Quite often he returned, not only with fresh musical ideas, but with musicians who would eventually go on the achieve world renown.

Among his proteges and collaborators are 'Chano Pozo'. the great Afro-Cuban percussionist; Danilo perez, a master pianist and composer originally from Pnama; Arturo Sandoval, trumpeter, composer and music educator originally from Cuba; Mongo Santamaria, an Afro-Cuban conguero, bongeuro and composer; David Sanchez, saxophonist and composer; Chucho Valdes, an Afro-Cuban virtuoso pianist and composer; and Bobby Sanabria, a Bronx, NY-born Nuyorican percussionist, composer, educator, bandleader and expert in the Afro-Cuban musical tradition. Indeed, many Latin jazz classics such as "Manteca", "A Night in Tunisia" and "Guachi Guaro [Soul Sauce]" were composed by Gillespie and his musical collaborators. With a strong sense of pride in his Afro-American heritage, he left a legacy of musical excellence that embraced and fused all musical forms, but particularly those forms with roots deep in Africa such as the music of Cuba, other Latin American countries and the Caribbean. Additionally, he left a legacy of goodwill and good humor that infused jazz musicians and fans throughout the world with the genuine sense of jazz's ability to transcend national and ethnic boundaries--for this reason, Gillespie was and is an international treasure.http://www.dizzygillespie.com/index.html

Cubana Be, Cubana Bop

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