Buck Clayton, Joe Turner - Buck Clayton Meets Joe Turner

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:29
Size: 101.8 MB
Styles: Trumpet jazz
Year: 1965/1988
Art: Front

[7:27] 1. Honeysuckle Rose
[7:30] 2. I'm In A World Of Trouble
[4:10] 3. I Can't Get Started
[3:22] 4. Feel So Fine
[9:02] 5. Perido
[3:21] 6. I Want A Little Girl
[9:34] 7. Too Late, Too Late

Despite its title, trumpeter Buck Clayton and blues singer Big Joe Turner actually perform on three separate songs apiece, only coming together on the concluding "Too Late, Too Late." Recorded in Yugoslavia, these performances also utilize a four-piece Yugoslavian quartet, with vibraphonist Bosko Petrovic the only player to receive much fame through the years. Turner sounds fine on a pair of his blues and "I Want a Little Girl," while Buck jams enthusiastically on "Honeysuckle Rose," "I Can't Get Started" and "Perdido." Nothing all that surprising occurs, but the music is quite satisfying. ~Scott Yanow

Buck Clayton Meets Joe Turner

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Jo Lawry, Karen Oberlin, Michael Winther - Waiting For The Angel

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 56:34

Size: 129.5 MB

Styles: Chamber pop

Year: 2015

Art: Front

[5:51] 1. Who Do You Belong To

[3:28] 2. Bad Idea

[4:41] 3. The Angels In The Attic

[3:23] 4. Nothing

[4:30] 5. Do You Think This Happens Everyday

[6:02] 6. Donna The Astronomer

[4:09] 7. The Girl In The Groovy Box

[6:26] 8. Suffer

[6:11] 9. Your Project

[4:19] 10. Good Things Happen Slowly

[3:19] 11. Lullaby For Nathan Charles

[4:10] 12. Weren't We In Love

After years of writing about songs in books and essays, David Hajdu has taken up writing them. Over the past five years, Hajdu has been working with several esteemed composers of jazz, pop and theater music: the pianists Renee Rosnes and Fred Hersch, the alternative-folk singer-songwriter Jill Sobule, and the veteran Broadway composer Michael (Mickey) Leonard. The result is Waiting for the Angel, a collection of quirkily artful songs that defy easy categorization.

An all-star group of artists came together to record the material: singers Jo Lawry, Karen Oberlin, and Michael Winther; pianists Rosnes and Hersch, playing the songs they composed; additional pianist Tedd Firth; and a band with saxophonist Steve Wilson, trumpeter Steven Bernstein, guitarist Peter Bernstein; oboist Charles Pillow, cellist Dave Eggar, bassist Sean Smith, and drummer Carl Allen. Much like Hajdu's writing in prose, the lyrics on Waiting for the Angel tell unexpected tales from unconventional vantage points. "David Hajdu's lyrics tell complex and moving stories -- always from his unique point of view," says Fred Hersch. "They are so easy to work with, the songs almost write themselves."

Jill Sobule adds, "I wish I wrote those lyrics myself." As Renee Rosnes says, "When David first asked if I might be interested in writing some songs together, I was very intrigued. I was well aware that he is a wordsmith of the highest order and was excited at the prospect that we might be able to create something of beauty together. Collaborating with David has been a true revelation. It was very fulfilling to hear Jo, Karen, and Michael bring our songs to life with their brilliant artistry. I feel that David's words have awakened a new compositional side of me, and it is one that I am looking forward to continuing to explore."

Waiting For The Angel

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Jim Croce - Photographs And Memories: His Greatest Hits

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:33
Size: 92.9 MB
Styles: AM pop, Folk/rock
Year: 1975/1995
Art: Front

[2:58] 1. Bad, Bad Leroy Brown
[3:46] 2. Operator (That's Not The Way It Feels)
[2:05] 3. Photographs And Memories
[2:42] 4. Rapid Roy (The Stock Car Boy)
[2:25] 5. Time In A Bottle
[3:05] 6. New York's Not My Home
[2:29] 7. Workin' At The Car Wash Blues
[3:09] 8. I Got A Name
[2:29] 9. I'll Have To Say I Love You In A Song
[2:59] 10. You Don't Mess Around With Jim
[3:01] 11. Lover's Cross
[2:44] 12. One Less Set Of Footsteps
[3:09] 13. These Dreams
[3:26] 14. Roller Derby Queen

Until his untimely death, Jim Croce was a force to be reckoned with on radio playlists. Photographs & Memories repackages some of his best work. Romantic acoustic-oriented songs were his hallmark, and songs like "Time in a Bottle," were huge hits because of their easy sentimentality. "I Got a Name" was the singer as well-worn folk traveler, while "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown" and even "You Don't Mess Around with Jim" followed standard boogie chord progressions, albeit with Croce's softer rock feel. There wasn't much really separating the overt emotions of "I'll Have to Say I Love You in a Song" and "Operator" from his sap-dripping contemporaries, but there was just enough of an edge in Croce's warm voice to elevate his love songs to another level. Like a, oh, moderately priced wine, Croce remains a classic--accessible, affordable, and easy to enjoy. ~Steve Gdula

Photographs And Memories: His Greatest Hits

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Doug Raney Trio - The Backbeat

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:15
Size: 148,1 MB
Art: Front

( 8:57)  1. Love For Sale
(11:22)  2. Jimmy James
(10:31)  3. Prelude To A Kiss
( 7:56)  4. The Backbeat
( 8:33)  5. Purple Eyes
( 7:33)  6. Lee
( 9:21)  7. Driftin'

Some how out of the lineage of significant jazz guitarists, the late Jimmy Raney gets left out of the mix. In equal fashion, it seems like his son Doug suffers from the same lack of awareness on the part of the general jazz public. Doug’s choice to reside in Denmark probably doesn’t help the recognition factor either. Fortunately, SteepleChase has chosen on several occasions to provide a recorded forum for the younger Raney’s creative muse. Opting for a different line-up then utilized on his past SteepleChase efforts, Raney chooses to work in the organ combo format for The Backbeat. In the label’s entire catalog, this marks only the third time a B-3 would be on hand and the second appearance by De Francesco, the other two occasions both being Dave Stryker projects. It proves to be a winning combination, with Raney’s melodic warmth complimented nicely by Joey’s bop histrionics. As I listen to the relaxed lilt of “Jimmy James” (an original by Doug written for his late dad and his young son) the idea of this perfect combination becomes even more apparent. 

DeFrancesco keeps the bass plump and full each time the four-chord vamp comes around and even with all his technical ability, Raney takes his time and unfold his own story with patience. Hart is a model of heartening support throughout. He also creates great interest through his imaginative use of cymbal timbres. Other winners are Horace Silver’s title track and Herbie Hancock’s “Driftin’”. But then again, everything here comes out fitting as comfortably as a favorite old flannel shirt.~C.Andrew Hovan http://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-backbeat-doug-raney-steeplechase-records-review-by-c-andrew-hovan.php

Personnel: Doug Raney- guitar, Joey DeFrancesco- organ, Billy Hart- drums

R.I.P.
Born:  August 29, 1956 /Died:  May 2, 2016

The Backbeat

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