Leandra Peak - The Honeysuckle Vine: Lullabies For Everybody

Size: 71,9 MB
Time: 30:28
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2010
Styles: Folk
Art: Front

01. Kentucky Babe (3:50)
02. In The Woods (3:45)
03. Travelin' To You (2:05)
04. Everybody Needs A Lullaby (4:00)
05. I Think About You (2:16)
06. Moon River (2:54)
07. I'll Be Here (2:26)
08. Now The Day Is Over (3:12)
09. Lullaby For You (2:46)
10. Stay Awake (3:09)

Leandra Peak has long been a favorite as half of the Minneapolis-based folk duo Neal & Leandra (with husband Neal Hagberg). Now she steps out front with her first solo recording, The Honeysuckle Vine: Lullabies for Everybody.

Lullabies have been a musical thread throughout Leandra’s life. She remembers her mother singing to her when she was young in Kentucky. She brings that same quiet intimacy to this beautiful collection of lullabies.

She says: “This CD is in response to the people who have told me how relaxing they find my singing. I’m never quite sure how to take it, but it seemed like a lullaby album would be a natural way to go. This is my offering to any of you who might need a break — or a nap. Because everybody needs a lullaby.”

The Honeysuckle Vine features six beautiful originals by Neal Hagberg. Covers include “Kentucky Babe” and “Now the Day Is Over” — songs Leandra’s mom sang to her. “Stay Awake,” is from Mary Poppins, and Leandra chose the Mancini/Mercer classic “Moon River” because she liked the idea of singer and listener being “two drifters, off to see the world.”

Joining Leandra are many top Twin Cities musicians: Jeff Victor, Peter Ostroushko, Dan Schwartz, Gordon Johnson, Dave Jensen, Karen Mueller, Jacqueline Ultan, Dan Chouinard, and Neal Hagberg.

The Honeysuckle Vine

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Todd Beaney - Come Dance With Me

Size: 112,0 MB
Time: 48:03
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz Rock
Art: Front

01. Come Dance With Me (4:00)
02. Live This Day (3:49)
03. Time For A Change (4:41)
04. Bring It On (4:23)
05. Get Going! (5:07)
06. Seeking To Become (3:37)
07. Today Is Happening (4:18)
08. Up To You (4:28)
09. Diamonds On The Water (6:24)
10. Wormwood's Dilemma (7:11)

Each of the ten originals on this remarkable CD is a gem in its own right, featuring a zesty blend of inspired individual performances, a band chemistry that is both controlled and explosive, and Beaney's distinctive compositional touch. The combination of these seasoned New York area musicians is a winner, as demonstrated in the variety of styles presented on this album--with each track more surprising than the last.
The ensemble work is excellent, and fine solo work is evident throughout as well, particularly in soaring improvisations from trumpeter Chris Pasin, saxophonist Jeff Schiller, and guitarist Al Orlo. Drummer Mark Dodge provides a backbone that is both unwavering and exquisitely tasteful, while keyboardist Beaney and bassists Steve Wexler and Kip Sophos supply solid underpinning and take smooth solo turns as well. There is even a guest appearance by the excellent Uptown Horns on one track--and, together with Pasin and Schiller, the six horns combined may make you think you are hearing a big band.
"Come Dance with Me" is a welcome new offering of contemporary jazz-rock. Fans of instrumental jazz will find it both intriguing and infectious!

Come Dance With Me

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Ann Martindale & Richard Busch - Blue Champagne

Size: 119,9 MB
Time: 51:25
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. They All Laughed (2:43)
02. Sentimental Journey (3:10)
03. My Baby Just Cares For Me (2:14)
04. It Might As Well Be Spring (3:27)
05. I Can't Get Started (3:11)
06. Blue Champagne (3:13)
07. Nearness Of You (2:38)
08. Nice Work If You Can Get It (2:51)
09. Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans (3:30)
10. A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square (4:02)
11. I Wish I Were In Love Again (2:37)
12. Come Rain Or Come Shine (3:23)
13. Don'tcha Go 'way Mad (2:31)
14. Drinking Again (2:22)
15. Something Cool (4:27)
16. Route 66 (2:37)
17. Can't Take You Nowhere (2:20)

Since 2007, Ann Martindale and Richard Busch have been performing classic American songs and jazz standards at venues in Massachusetts, Florida, New York and Connecticut.

Their repertoire includes songs by such greats as Rodgers & Hart, Duke Ellington, George Gershwin, Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer, Cole Porter, Hoagy Carmichael, Nat King Cole, Thomas “Fats” Waller and two of their particular favorites, Blossom Dearie and Dave Frishberg.

Recent bookings include the Metropolitan Room in New York City, the historic Nantucket Atheneum, the Baker Art Museum in Naples, Florida, as well as other libraries, museums and other concert venues in Florida and New England.

Richard is an accomplished composer, pianist and a Juilliard graduate. He has received grants in composition from the National Endowment for the Arts and has been a noted conductor and choral director for many years in Massachusetts. Each summer, he performs in a series of classical piano concerts on Cape Cod. He lives in Dennisport, Massachusetts.

Ann has been a frequent soloist in Massachusetts, Florida and Connecticut classical and popular music concerts, including programs for several seasons at the Newtown Meetinghouse and the Merryall Center for the Arts in Connecticut, as well as in summer concert series on Cape Cod. She lives in Fort Myers, Florida, and Nantucket, Massachusetts.

Blue Champagne

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Groovy Jazz Trio - Blue Songs

Size: 167 MB
Time: 23:58
File: FLAC
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz/Soul: Hamond Organ
Art: Front

01. I Got A Woman (3:48)
02. Stop And Listen (4:22)
03. Celestin (3:40)
04. Georgia On My Mind (4:24)
05. Work Song (4:10)
06. Four On Six (3:33)

Personnel:
Jean-Christophe Renvoyer : Electric Guitar
Antoine Hervier : Organ
Alban Mourgues : Drums

Blue Songs

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Clare Teal - Twelve O’Clock Tales

Size: 154,0 MB
Time: 66:40
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Vocal Jazz
Art: Front

01. It Might As Well Be Spring (3:40)
02. Feeling Good (5:19)
03. Wild Is The Wind (3:55)
04. Sans Souci (3:26)
05. I'll Never Stop Loving You (5:31)
06. La Belle Dame Sans Regret (5:06)
07. Lush Life (5:58)
08. Never Again (3:33)
09. Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most (6:42)
10. Always True To You In My Fashion (3:42)
11. Whole (It Isn't Like Me) (4:21)
12. Secret Love (6:27)
13. The Folks Who Live On The Hill (4:10)
14. Paradisi Carousel (4:43)

One of the UK’s finest Jazz singers and much loved performers Clare Teal explores timeless classics penned by the legendary musical storytellers of the last 100 years, and celebrates the giants of the Great American and British Song Books through to the work of more contemporary writers crafting the standards of today plus Clare’s own original compositions.

Accompanied by the renowned Hallé, conducted by Stephen Bell and arranged by British composer and trumpet maestro Guy Barker and celebrated jazz pianists Grant Windsor and Jason Rebello, the rich jazz infused repertoire includes songs from Cole Porter, Billy Strayhorn, Rodgers & Hammerstein and Tim Rice, made famous by the likes of Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone, Nancy Wilson and Peggy Lee.

The Hallé is now in its 158th season and ranks among the UK’s top symphonic ensembles with acclaimed performances worldwide

Twelve O’Clock Tales is Clare’s 15th Album and her 7th album released on MUD records.

Twelve O’Clock Tales

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Meade Lux Lewis - Cat House Piano

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:27
Size: 173.5 MB
Styles: Blues-jazz piano
Year: 1954/1998
Art: Front

[4:59] 1. The Pittsburgh Flyer
[4:53] 2. Dragon Blues
[6:08] 3. Jabouti
[5:14] 4. Torpedo Juice
[5:35] 5. Joe Prein's Boogie
[6:33] 6. 620 Boogie
[5:46] 7. Meade's Mambo
[6:13] 8. San Francisco Shuffle
[3:57] 9. Spoony Sam
[5:47] 10. Mama's Bounce
[5:17] 11. Shooboody
[6:09] 12. Hangover Boogie
[3:43] 13. Yancey's Last Ride
[5:27] 14. Bush Street Boogie

This single CD from 1998 has all of the music from boogie-woogie pianist Meade Lux Lewis' two Verve LPs of 1954-1955. The earlier date is a set of duets with drummer Louie Bellson, while the later session finds Lewis accompanied by bassist Red Callender and drummer Jo Jones. The packaging is perfect, and with 76-and-a-half minutes of playing, the amount of music is generous. The only problem is that there is a definite sameness to the 14 selections (which mostly clock in between four and seven minutes), the majority of which are medium-tempo blues romps. None of the melodies (all Lewis originals) are at all memorable. The romping momentum of the music overall is difficult to resist, but it is advisable to listen to this set in small doses. Scott Yanow

Cat House Piano

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Oscar Brown, Jr. - Tells It Like It Is!

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 32:52
Size: 75.2 MB
Styles: Jazz/Funk/Soul/Blues vocals
Year: 1963/1989
Art: Front

[2:29] 1. Sing Hallelujah
[2:22] 2. One Foot In The Gutter
[2:57] 3. So Help Me (A Little 3 4 For God And Co.)
[2:30] 4. Man, Ernest Boy
[3:07] 5. The Tree And Me
[3:02] 6. Jeannine
[2:41] 7. The Snake
[3:44] 8. A Young Girl
[4:04] 9. All Blues
[3:16] 10. If I Only Had
[2:35] 11. Tall Like Pine

This is a small-group date, recorded in Chicago, featuring a couple of Brown's originals, plus new lyrics for Miles Davis' "All Blues" and Clark Terry's "So Help Me." ~John Bush

Although rooted in jazz, singer, poet, and activist Oscar Brown, Jr. defied musical categorization throughout his long and eclectic career -- a forerunner of the political consciousness that would become predominant in soul, funk, and hip-hop in the decades to follow, his efforts to exact social change spread across the arts and even into government, spurring two unsuccessful but memorable campaigns for office. Born on Chicago's South Side on October 10, 1926, Brown was the son of a successful attorney and property broker who wanted his firstborn someday to assume control of the family business; instead, Brown was drawn to writing and performing, and by 15 was a regular on writer Studs Terkel's radio program Secret City. After skipping two grades, he entered the University of Wisconsin at 16, but finding the world of academia little to his liking, Brown returned to broadcasting, and in 1944 was tapped to host Negro Newsfront, the nation's first black news radio broadcast. Dubbed "America's first Negro newscaster," he relinquished the gig in 1948 to run for the Illinois state legislature on the Progressive Party ticket -- he did not win, and spent the remainder of the decade working on writer/producer Richard Durham's Black Radio Days series, followed by a two-year stint in the U.S. Army. ~partial bio by Jason Ankeny

Tells It Like It Is

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Ithamara Koorax - Got To Be Real

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 59:21

Size: 135.9 MB

Styles: Jazz vocals

Year: 2013

Art: Front

[4:49] 1. Got To Be Real

[3:16] 2. Up, Up And Away

[5:11] 3. Never Can Say Goodbye

[3:11] 4. Goin' Out Of My Head

[5:32] 5. Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You

[5:06] 6. Butterfly

[3:19] 7. I Get A Kick Out Of You

[5:38] 8. Toque De Cuica

[4:12] 9. Negue

[2:13] 10. My Favourite Things

[4:35] 11. Ho-Ba-La-La

[4:47] 12. Pigmaliao

[4:07] 13. Vesti Azul

[3:18] 14. Got To Be Real (Radio Mix)

Jose Roberto Bertrami – organs, Rhodes, synthesizer, Jorge Pescara – bass, Haroldo Jobim – drums, Arnaldo DeSouteiro – percussion, Sidinho Moreira – percussion, Paulo Fernando Marcondes Ferraz – percussion, Marcelo Martins – tenor sax, Jesse Sadoc – trumpet, Aldivas Ayres - trombone

The song selection and the effective use of the synthesizer on Ithamara Koorax new release Got to be real gives the album a vintage 70s feel. The first half of the album starting with the slow, sexy, smooth jazz arrangement of this Disco hit "Got to be real" has a that distinct fusion jazz sound. Koorax displays her amazing range and sultry, sexy voice all throughout the album and even though all the musicians do a great job on Got to be real, Koorax and her voice are the stars here, especially on the bossa nova arrangements of "Up, up an away", and "Going out of my head".

On the second half of the album, Koorax goes into her brazilian roots in the samba "Toque de cuica", the sublime interpretation of Joao Gilberto "Ho ba la la", and the beautiful ballad "Negue". But two of the highlights of the album are Cole Porter "I get a kick out of you", where Koorax demonstrates she is a true jazz singer capable of swinging with the best, and on the ingenious samba arrangement of "My Favorite Things". On the eclectic blend of styles on Got to be real (bossa nova, samba, jazz, mpb, smooth and fusion jazz) Koorax shows once again why she is recognized as one of the best female jazz singers in recent years. ~Wilbert Sostre

Got To Be Real

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Tommy Newsom - Friendly Fire

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:02
Size: 162.6 MB
Styles: Bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 2001
Art: Front

[6:01] 1. Close Your Eyes
[5:27] 2. Just Friends
[5:09] 3. Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise
[7:17] 4. Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me
[4:22] 5. Quiet Nights Of Quiet Stars (Corcovado)
[5:52] 6. Cotton Tail
[7:13] 7. Stardust
[5:18] 8. (I Would Do) Anything For You
[4:41] 9. Billie's Bounce
[4:48] 10. Easy Living
[4:36] 11. Take The A Train
[4:10] 12. Rainbow Connection
[6:04] 13. Things Ain't What They Used To Be

Tommy Newsom spent such a long time in the Tonight Show Orchestra that jazz fans overlook his contributions. Finally recording regularly as a leader at the dawn of the 21st century, this solidly swinging tenor saxophonist has plenty to say on this studio session, which covers the music of several decades. Joined by veteran valve trombonist Bob Enevoldsen and a rhythm section including pianist John F. Hammond, guitarist Bob Bain, bassist Jim Hughart, and drummer Dave Hunt, Newsom's imaginative arrangements bring out the best in each track. The songs lean heavily toward the swing era, including an easygoing "Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me," a lush "Star Dust," and a pulsating "Cotton Tail." But Newsom adds a cool-toned "Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise" featuring a beautifully interwoven counter melody by Enevoldsen, a snappy take of Charlie Parker's "Billie's Bounce," and a waltzing treatment of a song made famous on Sesame Street, "The Rainbow Connection," the latter which omits the horns. The musicianship of all parties is superb throughout this delightful session. ~Ken Dryden

Friendly Fire

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Julie London - Cry Me A River

Styles: Vocal Jazz

Year: 1995

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 63:57

Size: 153,5 MB

Art: Front

(2:59)  1. Cry Me A River

(4:11)  2. One For My Baby

(2:47)  3. Making Whoopee

(3:15)  4. It Could Happen To You

(3:24)  5. When I Fall In Love

(1:49)  6. What Is This Thing Called Love

(3:11)  7. They Can't Take That Away From Me

(3:58)  8. Angel Eyes

(1:55)  9. I Love You

(2:32) 10. I'm In The Mood For Love

(2:29) 11. I'm Glad There's You

(1:46) 12. Laura

(2:33) 13. Blue Moon

(2:10) 14. Spring Is Here

(3:04) 15. The More I See You

(2:26) 16. It's A Blue World

(3:01) 17. A Stranger In Town

(3:17) 18. Two Sleepy People

(2:21) 19. Goody Goody

(2:53) 20. Little White Lies

(2:11) 21. I Got Lost In His Arms

(2:06) 22. The One I Love Belongs To Someone Else

(3:28) 23. Learning The Blues

A sultry, smoky-voiced master of understatement, Julie London enjoyed considerable popularity during the cool era of the 1950s. London never had the range of Ella Fitzgerald or Sarah Vaughan, but often used restraint, softness, and subtlety to maximum advantage. An actress as well as a singer, London played with heavyweights like Gregory Peck and Rock Hudson in various films, and was married to Jack Webb of Dragnet fame for seven years before marrying songwriter Bobby Troup ("Route 66").

London performed her biggest hit, "Cry Me a River," in the Jayne Mansfield film The Girl Can't Help It. After recording her last album, Yummy, Yummy, Yummy, in 1969, she continued to act playing a nurse on the NBC medical drama Emergency from 1974-1978. Despite her "sex symbol" image London was known for her sexy LP covers, which make them collector's items she was surprisingly shy, and left show biz altogether in the late '70s. In the mid-'90s London suffered a stroke, which led to a half-decade of poor health and ultimately contributed to her death on October 18, 2000.~Alex Henderson http://www.allmusic.com/artist/julie-london-mn0000247966/biography

Cry Me A River

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'Big' John Patton - Oh Baby!

Styles: Soul Jazz
Year: 1965
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:48
Size: 94,5 MB
Art: Front

(7:43)  1. Fat Judy
(6:19)  2. Oh Baby
(5:41)  3. Each Time
(7:54)  4. One To Twelve
(6:36)  5. Night Flight
(6:32)  6. Good Juice

Patton's fourth album for Blue Note. Big John Patton with Grant Green on guitar and Harold Vick on tenor sax. With tunes like "Fat Judy" and "Good Juice," there is no worry about there being a groove. The addition of a trumpet (Blue Mitchell) means you have a horn section, and this tends to be a little much now and again.

Although a little on the light side, thanks to Patton and Green, the groove does go down.~Michael Erlewine http://www.allmusic.com/album/oh-baby!-mw0000766666

Personnel: Big John Patton (organ); Grant Green (guitar); Harold Vick (tenor saxophone); Blue Mitchell (trumpet); Ben Dixon (drums).

Oh Baby!

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Doug Watkins - Soulnik

Styles: Jazz, Hard Bop
Year: 1960
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:60
Size: 98,3 MB
Art: Front

(6:19)  1. 01. One Guy.mp3
(6:50)  2. 02. Confessin' (That I Love You).mp3
(5:48)  3. 03. Soulnik.mp3
(7:00)  4. 04. Andre's Bag.mp3
(5:37)  5. 05. I Remember You.mp3
(6:12)  6. 06. Imagination.mp3

Bassist Doug Watkins only led two recording sessions before his death in 1962, and this set (which was cut for New Jazz and reissued on CD in the OJC series) has sometimes appeared under Yusef Lateef's name. Watkins doubles on cello (an instrument he had reportedly only begun playing three days earlier) during the set with Lateef (who triples on tenor, flute, and oboe), pianist Hugh Lawson, bassist Herman Wright, and drummer Lex Humphries. The quintet performs three standards, Watkins' "Andre's Bag," and a couple of Lateef tunes. The use of oboe and cello on some numbers makes the date stand out a bit from the usual hard bop sessions of the period and straight-ahead jazz fans will want to get this CD.~Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/soulnik-mw0000644708

Personnel: Doug Watkins (cello); Yusef Lateef (flute, oboe, tenor saxophone); Hugh Lawson (piano); Lex Humphries (drums).

Soulnik  

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