New York Trio - Blues In The Night

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:20
Size: 119.8 MB
Styles: Bop, Mainstream jazz
Year: 2001/2014
Art: Front

[8:21] 1. Blues In The Night
[6:35] 2. I Could Have Danced All Night
[5:00] 3. Blue Skies
[7:23] 4. You Better Go Now
[6:08] 5. My Funny Valentine
[5:12] 6. Tenderly
[7:42] 7. Embraceable You
[5:56] 8. Don't Explain

In the dawn of the 21st century, pianist Bill Charlap took the jazz world by storm with a series of rewarding albums for labels both in the U.S. and abroad. On Blues in the Night, he leads his New York Trio in a recording made for the Japanese label Venus, with veteran bassist Jay Leonhart and fellow young gun Bill Stewart joining him. Right away Charlap signals that he can take an old chestnut into a new direction. His stretched-out, blues-drenched "Blues in the Night" makes effective use of space and showcases his sidemen as well. Leonhart's buoyant bassline brings to mind the late Milt Hinton in the brisk rendition of "I Could Have Danced All Night." Charlap's intense workout of "Blue Skies" is a virtual jazz history lesson, showing the influence of a number of legendary pianists, while achieving a sound distinctly his own. His loping, jaunty approach to "My Funny Valentine" is another winner; equally playful is the snappy waltz treatment of "Tenderly," accented by Stewart's brushwork. One of the most promising pianists of his generation, this Charlap CD is highly recommended. ~Ken Dryden

Blues In The Night

---

Nnenna Freelon - Homefree

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:58
Size: 119.0 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[4:54] 1. The Lamp Is Low
[5:36] 2. I Feel Pretty
[5:59] 3. The Very Thought Of You
[4:59] 4. Theme From Valley Of The Dolls
[4:12] 5. Smile
[4:36] 6. You And The Night And The Music
[4:38] 7. Cell Phone Blues
[4:18] 8. Get Out Of Town
[5:14] 9. Skylark
[4:37] 10. Lift Every Voice And Sing
[2:51] 11. America The Beautiful

Nneena Freelon, voice; Brandon McCune, piano; Wayne Batchelor, bass; Kinah Ayah, drums; Beverly Botsford, percussion; Ray Codrington, flugelhorn (2); Ira Wiggins, tenor sax (3); Scott Sawyer, guitar (4, 7).

Nnenna Freelon can be spotted miles off, like neon or a rainbow. The tall, rawboned, outspoken gal from Cambridge, MA via North Carolina owns a musical persona as unique as her name. She nails her ancient/modern, genre-jumping repertoire, embraces it, inhabits it organically and belts it with a hearty, emphatic attack. You can tell her from a phrase—even a note—as she goes merrily variegating vowels, taffy-pulling syllables, signifying scat sounds (gong-gong), sing-songing exit vamps; check her risqué post-play on "The Lamp Is Low."

She and her working band of 10 years—Brandon McCune (piano), Wayne Batchelor (bass), Kinah Ayah (drums) and Beverly Botsford (percussion)—mess with usual tempos ("Smile" as breezy Latin) and keys ("I Feel Pretty" in minor). They gleefully reinvent Tin Pan Alley, here skanking up Cole Porter's "Get Out Of Town" as reggae and Dietz-Schwartz' "You and the Night and the Music," over a slow slinky vamp. Freelon sometimes lobs original blues bombs, wry comments on contemporary mores: she recasts an old favorite ("Future News Blues") in a personal tweet at her quick-twittering-but-not-so-handy man in "Cell Phone Blues."

Even with all that, expect the unexpected. Freelon can wear down the unwary, lazy listener, in her persistent quest to rediscover tunes, with her indefatigable energy. Witness her closing three tracks. She turns "Skylark" from jazz hymn into a bluesy, cantankerous one-on-one with Wayne Batchelor's bass that Hoagy Carmichael and Johnny Mercer—even Carmen McRae—might dig (her devoted version with strings came in 1992, big-budget Butler days at Columbia). She transforms the gospel song "Lift Every Voice and Sing" with a bit of scat over a respectful rap cameo by her son, Pierce. Her angular, salty "America The Beautiful," with cello sweetening, takes the disc out with an uneasy feeling. Freelon's compelling, searching artistry never lets up, yet leaves you with more grins than furrowed brows, with more questions than answers. ~Fred Bouchard

Homefree

---

Milt Jackson - The Prophet Speaks

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:58
Size: 167.0 MB
Styles: Post bop, Vibraphone jazz
Year: 1994/2014
Art: Front

[7:18] 1. The Prophet Speaks
[4:44] 2. In A Sentimental Mood
[6:44] 3. Five O'clock In The Morning Blues
[6:07] 4. You Are So Beautiful
[6:03] 5. Off Minor
[5:35] 6. Come To Me
[7:30] 7. Wonder Why
[5:54] 8. Rev-Vitalization
[6:13] 9. Ah! Sweet Mystery Of Life
[5:45] 10. Serious Grease
[4:30] 11. My Romance
[6:29] 12. Blue Monk

48 years after he first made a major impression on a Dizzy Gillespie recording date, vibraphonist Milt Jackson proves that he was still at the top of his form on this CD. The straight-ahead date finds his quartet (with pianist Cedar Walton, bassist John Clayton and drummer Billy Higgins) welcoming guests Joshua Redman (whose tenor is on six of the dozen selections) and singer Joe Williams, who helps out on three songs. Redman easily fits into the role that other tenors such as Teddy Edwards and Jimmy Heath have had with Jackson, taking concise solos while allowing the great vibist to be the lead in most of the ensembles. Joe Williams is fine during his three spots, but it is the apparently ageless Milt Jackson who is the main star during this enjoyable set. ~Scott Yanow

The Prophet Speaks

---

Ted Brown, Jimmy Raney - Good Company

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:05
Size: 151.3 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2002
Art: Front

[4:44] 1. Blimey
[3:12] 2. We'll Be Together Again
[6:36] 3. Lost And Found
[4:33] 4. Sir Felix
[6:56] 5. Instant Blue
[4:45] 6. Gee Baby, Ain't I Good To You
[6:08] 7. People Will Say We're In Love
[6:20] 8. Lost And Found
[6:25] 9. We'll Be Together Again
[5:05] 10. Blimey
[4:31] 11. Sir Felix
[6:46] 12. People Will Say We're In Love

Ted Brown (Ts); Jimmy Raney (G); Hod O'Brien (P); Buster Williams (B); Ben Riley (D). Recorded December 23, 1985 in Englewood Cliffs, NJ, USA by Rudy Van Gelder.

Tenor saxophonist Ted Brown studied with, and belonged to the coterie of like-thinking players around Lennie Tristano. He recorded with Warne Marsh and Lee Konitz and recorded under his own name with Warne Marsh and Art Pepper as sidemen. Here, after an eight year recording hiatus, in the company of legendary bebop-guitar-great Jimmy Raney and an all star rhythm section with pianist Hod O'Brien, bassist Buster Williams and drummer Ben Riley. This rare session from 1985, recorded at Rudy Van Gelder's Recording Studio, has 5 alternate takes, and was never released as CD before.

Good Company

---

Harry Allen Quartet - Jazz Im Amerika Haus, Volume 1

Styles: Saxophone Jazz, Straight-ahead/Mainstream 
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 78:53
Size: 181,2 MB
Art: Front

( 9:28)  1. 'Deed I Do
( 9:50)  2. Close Your Eyes
( 5:29)  3. But Beautiful
( 9:37)  4. The King
(10:01)  5. Did You Call Here Today
( 5:21)  6. Honeysuckle Rose
( 4:53)  7. Thie Time the Dream's On Me
( 8:49)  8. My Heart Stood Still
( 5:06)  9. Every Day I Have The Blues
(10:13) 10. Limehouse Blues

Young Harry Allen, a rising star among swing–based tenor saxophonists, is heard here in the company of a world–class rhythm section that helps him breeze confidently through a nearly eighty minute long concert consisting for the most part of well–known songs from the Golden Age of American popular music. Although Allen is no one’s clone, I am struck by how often his wailing sound and informed manner of expression remind me of the late Stan Getz, of all people. This is especially true at faster tempos and in the higher register, where he comes as close to mimicing Stan as anyone I’ve heard not that he is doing so on purpose; for all I know, Allen may not even be aware of the resemblance, but it’s nonetheless there. In the lower register, the New York born Allen’s full bodied tenor more closely parallels those of Scott Hamilton, Ken Peplowski or other contemporary swing era advocates. 

Thanks to his awesome technique and endless flow of fresh ideas, Allen is perfectly comfortable in any tempo, as are his enterprising colleagues (listen as they let it all hang out on Count Basie’s barn–burner, “The King”). The veteran Bunch is a paragon of swinging and tasteful lyricism, while Irwin and Jackson know precisely the proper support to furnish in any situation (Jackson, the son of bassist Chubby, is equally dazzling with brushes or sticks in hand). As for the music, well, one could hardly wander far astray reprising such time honored classics as “Close Your Eyes,” “My Heart Stood Still,” “This Time the Dream’s on Me” or “Limehouse Blues.” Aside from offering well–deserved applause after solos and at the end of each number, the audience is quiet as a company of church mice. This is a luminous concert session, and while I’m perfectly aware that musical tastes vary widely, I’d recommend it to anyone. ~ Jack Bowers https://www.allaboutjazz.com/jazz-im-amerika-haus-vol-1-harry-allen-review-by-jack-bowers.php 
 

Personnel: Harry Allen, tenor sax; John Bunch, piano; Dennis Irwin, bass; Duffy Jackson, drums.

Jazz Im Amerika Haus, Volume 1

---

Sony Holland - Swing, Bossas, Ballads & Blues

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:50
Size: 156,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:12)  1. You're The Best
(3:44)  2. I Can't Blame Them For Trying
(4:17)  3. As You Are
(4:59)  4. The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
(5:30)  5. Fifty Ways To Leave Your Lover
(3:33)  6. Speak Low
(4:47)  7. Meditation
(3:49)  8. I Was No Angel Myself
(4:26)  9. I'll Remember Paris
(3:34) 10. Midnight Sun
(3:44) 11. Saving My Life Everyday
(4:26) 12. Million Dollar Dreams
(4:03) 13. Act Like You're In Love With Me
(4:22) 14. The Shadow Of Your Smile
(4:34) 15. Here's That Rainy Day
(4:42) 16. My Funny Valentine

Sony Holland sings in a style that is both sophisticated and emotionally direct. Her interpretations of the great American songbook show a deep respect and love for the material while adding an unmistakable spark of personality. Originally from northern Minnesota, Sony fell in love with jazz while spending a year in Paris and has earned a devoted following worldwide with her renditions of standards, contemporary classics, and original songs. She has made San Francisco her home since 2003 although she now performs internationally, including extensive concert tours and residencies in Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Bangkok. Her CD Swing, Bossas, Ballads & Blues is an intimate set of 16 songs which she brings together with impeccable musicianship. Despite her sunny good looks Sony is a performer who knows what it is to pay her dues. She started her career on the streets of Fisherman’s Wharf and sang there in the wind, cold and rain, through good times and bad. “None of the other street musicians thought I would last, but I was determined to make a living out there.” That means spending hours singing when few tourists are about, simply to guard one’s turf. She explains, “I never minded the hostile elements or the slow nights because I understood that you need to put the time in to get your voice strong.” “People would constantly ask me what I was doing out there. They don’t understand how few well-paying jazz venues there are and how expensive it is for an independent musician to travel with a band.”

To keep herself working Ms. Holland often goes from playing a club like NYC’s Blue Note one night, to performing at a black-tie event the next… and then she’ll go out the following morning to sing for tips at a Nor-Cal Farmer’s Market! It keeps things interesting. “I always think of what my first bass player said. He was an old-timer who had toured with some of the biggest names in jazz and he’d tell me, “Whether you’re playing Carnegie Hall or a neighborhood dive, remember they’re all just joints.” Partially to deal with the expense of traveling she encouraged her songwriting husband to beef up his jazz chops on the guitar. Now they often perform together in concert venues and cafes as a duo. “Jerry has a rhythmic approach to playing jazz tunes that audiences really enjoy even if they’re not huge jazz fans.” His compositions have also added freshness to her repertoire. Swing, Bossas, Ballads & Blues includes several of his compositions such as: You're The Best, As You Are and Act Like You're In Love With Me. The rest of the 16 track disc is filled with jazz/pop and bossa nova classics such as Speak Low and Midnight Sun. Sony puts a jazzy spin on Paul Simon's Fifty Ways and Roberta Flack's The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face. The disc closes with three bonus tracks which showcase Sony's sensitive readings of the most iconic songs of our time: The Shadow Of Your Smile, Here's That Rainy Day and My Funny Valentine. Sony Holland and her band recorded Swing, Bossas, Ballads and Blues at Skywalker Ranch with Grammy winning engineer Leslie Ann Jones in 2007. This disc is a "new edition" of a previously released CD. http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/sonyholland7

Swing, Bossas, Ballads & Blues

---

Wallace Roney - Understanding

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:59
Size: 135,3 MB
Art: Front

(6:56)  1. Understanding
(5:47)  2. Is That So?
(8:07)  3. Search for Peace
(6:52)  4. Gaslight
(7:43)  5. Red Lantern
(7:08)  6. Kotra
(8:21)  7. Combustible
(8:01)  8. You Taught My Heart to Sing

So much has been made of Wallace Roney’s studies with Miles Davis that it’s easy to forget his first breakthrough: Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, where he succeeded Terence Blanchard (and Wynton Marsalis) on trumpet. Yes, Roney was a dyed-in-the-wool Young Lion. Understanding, a sextet session and his first all-acoustic album in over a decade, places him back in that context, with (mostly) wondrous results. Understanding could have been released in 1983 and largely fit in with the then-zeitgeist. Technical virtuosity, dense harmony and zealous swing abound. At its best, melody abounds too. The title track, a Roy Brooks composition, is the highlight, opening on a simple theme that inspires Roney and tenor saxophonist Ben Solomon to bright, declarative solos with just a hint of poignancy underneath. McCoy Tyner’s “Search for Peace” and Duke Pearson’s “Gaslight” feature alto saxophonist Arnold Lee, whose gruff tone at times approaches David S. Ware levels of coarseness, but always in the service of lush melody and hefty rhythm. Alas, when the sextet plays original tunes, they also evince the ’80s Young Lions’ great weakness: the forsaking of good melody for complex chord changes. Solomon’s “Kotra” is the worst offender, a swinging but shapeless tune with even more shapeless solos. Lee’s “Red Lantern” is better, Roney’s blues “Combustible” better still more or less a single bebop lick repeated over a I-IV-V. But only bassist Daryl Johns’ solo is both on point and on budget; pianist Victor Gould and Sullivan go on too long, and Roney loses a sense of purpose. Fortunately, these are the only three originals to five outstanding covers.(Understanding has one running flaw: Drummer Kush Abadey is too high in the mix. Abadey is fantastic, with a window-rattling kick that recalls Elvin Jones, but there’s no need for him to nearly drown out the horns.) ~ Michael J. West  http://jazztimes.com/articles/93155-understanding-wallace-roney

Personnel: Wallace Roney (trumpet); Ben Solomon (saxophone); Kush Abadey (drums).

Understanding

---

Dave Weckl and Jay Oliver - Convergence

Styles: Jazz Fusion
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:32
Size: 136,9 MB
Art: Front

(7:24)  1. Apocalypso
(8:43)  2. Sternoids
(5:16)  3. Carousel
(8:02)  4. Road to Connemara
(6:04)  5. Convergence
(4:15)  6. Cups (You're Gonna Miss Me)
(7:27)  7. Twelvin
(2:39)  8. Hand It Over
(5:53)  9. Higher Ground
(3:47) 10. Incantation

Jazz and jazz fusion from two legendary artists and featuring several of the world's top musicians. Convergence is an exciting project from Dave Weckl and Jay Oliver. Jay was a major creative force behind Dave Weck's first three solo releases in the '90s and two Dave Weckl Band records ("Rhythm of the Soul" and "Synergy"). Convergence reunites these longtime musical counterparts with 10 new songs. Highlights of the album include a remake of Stevie Wonder's "Higher Ground," a nod to 1990's "Master Plan" which featured two drummers. This time, it's Dave, the incredible Chris Coleman, a first-call horn section, three gospel singers, and legendary players including Dean Brown (guitar) and Jimmy Johnson (bass). Convergence also features a collaboration with Bill Whelan (Riverdance) that was partially recorded in Ireland. There's also a saucy New Orleans-inspired tune, two jazz tunes, two "fusion" tunes, and two solo pieces (drums and keys). Additionally, play along versions of each song are available at http://www.daveweckl.com. These include mixes without each instrument and charts. The drum version includes a multi-camera video of Dave's actual session for each song! http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/davewecklandjayoliver

Convergence

---