Kenny Barron - Confirmation

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:32
Size: 166.1 MB
Styles: Bop, Piano jazz
Year: 1992/2003
Art: Front

[ 8:58] 1. Confirmation
[ 7:08] 2. On Green Dolphin Street
[ 8:25] 3. Tenderly
[ 9:47] 4. Embraceable You
[ 6:14] 5. All God's Chillun Got Rhythm
[ 8:56] 6. Body & Soul
[10:33] 7. East Of The Sun (And West Of The Moon)
[ 6:17] 8. Oleo
[ 6:09] 9. Nascimento

The combination of two pianists simultaneously on-stage is the recipe for greatness or a train wreck, but with two masters like Barry Harris and Kenny Barron, the former is a sure bet. Joining them for this live set in the great outdoors of New York City during the late summer Riverside Park Arts Festival are bassist Ray Drummond and drummer Ben Riley. There's plenty of give and take in their lively opener "Confirmation," while the lively interpretation of "On Green Dolphin Street" somewhat suggests the influence of Oscar Peterson. The fireworks really come with their rousing "All God's Chillun' Got Rhythm" with Barron offering a touch of stride piano in the opening, before the band shifts gears into an up-tempo bop setting. Lush treatments of "Body and Soul" and "East of the Sun (And West of the Moon)" are true objects of beauty. Their daredevil dash through "Oleo" at a blazing speed incurs no miscues. The sign-off is Harris' tribute to a fine Latin percussionist, "Nascimento," which has the audience clapping along in delight at times. This CD was unavailable for a time when the label changed hands, though it has since been reissued with a new cover with Barron getting top billing instead of Harris. ~Ken Dryden

Confirmation

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Lorraine Feather - Such Sweet Thunder: Music Of The Duke Ellington Orchestra

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:47
Size: 100.3 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2004/2013
Art: Front

[4:42] 1. Rhythm, Go 'way
[3:12] 2. The 101
[4:03] 3. Can I Call You Sugar
[3:22] 4. Imaginary Guy
[5:14] 5. September Rain
[3:07] 6. Tenacity
[3:35] 7. Backwater Town
[3:51] 8. A Peaceful Kingdom
[5:03] 9. Lovely Creatures
[3:28] 10. Antarctica
[4:05] 11. Mighty Like The Blues

It's a shame that Lorraine Feather wasn't able to contribute lyrics to the music of Duke Ellington prior to his death in 1974, as she's a natural storyteller. Ellington composed or co-wrote most of the 11 songs on this CD, though Feather chose lesser-known and especially challenging material to embellish with her gifts. She is also a superb singer who gets the most out of every track, joined by a large cast of talented musicians who sound as if they've played every chart together night after night for years.

It's hard to beat her hilarious "Imaginary Guy" (based upon "Dancers in Love"), a terrific ditty about a girl so fed up with the opposite sex that she dreamed up the ideal man in her mind. The obscure bossa nova "The Ricitic," written by Ellington for his small group session with Coleman Hawkins, is transformed to the sidesplitting "Antarctica" (sample lyrics: "I cried all night/That's half a year"), a song that is guaranteed to tickle the funny bone of the sourest curmudgeon. The dark-tinged "Lovely Creatures" (based upon the second movement to "Night Creature") is not without its humorous moments ("You've got looks and bucks and yet these blues/Seem to stick to you like gum to shoes").

She wrote the words to "September Rain" (adapted from Billy Strayhorn's gorgeous ballad "Chelsea Bridge") a number of years earlier and recorded it with her group In Full Swing. This chart, with the rhythm section arranged by pianist Mike Lang and the vocal group by Morgan Ames, is every bit as lush as the original instrumental, showcasing Feather's upper range and Terry Harrington's mellow tenor sax. "The 101" is a hard-charging reworking of "Suburbanite" that tells of a dash down a highway to catch up with her lover.

The finale, "Mighty Like the Blues," features words and music by the late Leonard Feather, Lorraine's father. Ellington recorded it in 1938 and again in 1960, though her version, jointly arranged by Russell Ferrante and Bill Elliott, will likely eclipse the maestro's own recordings. ~Ken Dryden

Such Sweet Thunder: Music Of The Duke Ellington Orchestra

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Keith Nichols & The Cotton Club Orchestra - Henderson Stomp

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:40
Size: 168.6 MB
Styles: New Orleans jazz
Year: 1993/2004
Art: Front

[4:00] 1. Shanghai Shuffle
[3:36] 2. The Meanest Kind Of Blues
[3:33] 3. Memphis Bound
[2:50] 4. Money Blues
[2:42] 5. What-Cha-Call-'em Blues
[2:59] 6. T.N.T
[3:32] 7. Carolina Stomp
[4:59] 8. Chinese Blues
[3:28] 9. Henderson Stomp
[3:02] 10. Sweet Thing
[3:01] 11. I Need Lovin'
[3:03] 12. Hot Mustard
[2:46] 13. Rocky Mountain Blues
[3:35] 14. Tozo!
[3:10] 15. Shuffling Sadie
[3:09] 16. I'm Coming Virginia
[3:27] 17. A Rhythmic Dream
[3:50] 18. D-Natural Blues
[3:16] 19. Hop Off
[3:08] 20. Wang Wang Blues
[3:30] 21. Somebody Loves Me
[2:52] 22. Just Blues

One of the top British classic jazz pianists of the last several decades, Keith Nichols, who also plays trombone and (occasionally) vibes, led his first jazz band while in high school. He joined Mike Daniels' combo in 1964 (with whom he made his recording debut), put together the first of his many professional groups, and in 1967-1968 recorded with Dick Sudhalter's Anglo-American Alliance. During a period when the fortunes of classic jazz were at a low point, Nichols worked with a vaudeville band called the Levity Lancers from 1967-1974. While in New York, Nichols played trombone with the New Paul Whiteman Orchestra and wrote charts for the New York Jazz Repertory Company. In 1978 he put together the Midnite Follies Orchestra. Since then he has been a freelancer both in England and the U.S., and is always in demand whenever a stride pianist or a new vintage arrangement is needed. Nichols has recorded as a leader for One-Up (1973-1977) and on a variety of projects for Stomp Off (starting in 1983) and P.E.K. (during the 2000s). ~bio by Scott Yanow

Henderson Stomp

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Marcela Mangabeira - Colors Of Rio

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:09
Size: 101.1 MB
Styles: Bossa Nova, Latin jazz-pop
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[2:51] 1. It's Too Late
[3:43] 2. Don't Stop The Music
[3:47] 3. Hot N Cold
[2:56] 4. I Want You Back
[4:06] 5. September 2
[3:30] 6. Honey
[3:59] 7. Rock With You
[3:31] 8. Put Your Records On
[4:11] 9. Dani California
[5:21] 10. Virtual Insanity
[3:08] 11. Every Litthe Thing She Does Is Magic
[3:00] 12. Poker Face

Marcela Mangabeira (born August 31, 1981) is a Brazilian singer from the state of Mato Grosso. She began her singing career in 1998 and after winning numerous local singing contests, Marcela toured through Spain, Denmark, Germany, France and the UK as a guest singer with BossaCucaNova.

In 2003, she moved to Rio de Janeiro and recorded her first album Simples a year later.

Colors Of Rio

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Jim Holman - Explosion!

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:43
Size: 146,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:50)  1. Explosion
(5:49)  2. Recorda Me
(5:40)  3. Somewhere Over The Rainbow
(4:29)  4. Lazy Bird
(9:30)  5. Bye Bye Blackbird
(5:12)  6. Shakin'
(6:10)  7. Straight, No Chaser
(7:20)  8. Moment's Notice
(6:05)  9. Bill
(7:34) 10. Cantaloupe Island

Up-and-coming Chicago pianist Jim Holman channels all his musical influences into his debut recording without losing his own personal identity. The resulting Explosion! is an intriguing album that treads the border between hard bop and bolder styles. Recorded in two sessions, the disc features Holman in the company of more established musicians like saxophonists Frank Catalano and Richie Cole. Holman deftly leads both quartets and is not overshadowed by his more experienced band mates on almost all of the tracks, the exception being an old-fashioned, R&B-ish "Shakin,'" where Catalano's big horn sound, tight and acerbic, is a direct descendant of the honking and screaming saxophone of men like Big Jay McNeely and Willis Jackson. As such, the tenorist dominates with his complex yet accessible and irresistibly toe tapping solo. Catalano's characteristic gut-bucket tone opens a bluesy "Bye, Bye Blackbird," but the fury of his notes is tempered by an edgy, expansive, piano and drum duet between Holman and Rusty Jones, keeping things fresh and exciting.

Holman's modal improvisations build a new and exciting soundscape around Joe Henderson's "Recorda Me," while simultaneously maintaining the melodic romanticism of the original. Meanwhile Brian Sandstrom handles his double bass like a large flamenco guitar adding to the song's Latin flavor. Sandstrom continues to exhibit his supreme facility becoming almost one with his instrument on "Straight No Chaser" that also showcases Rick Shandling's propulsive and hyper-rhythmic drumming and altoist Cole's fluid sonic spirals. Holman's compositional aptitude is evident on the dark and exotic tribute to Bill Evans, "Bill," that also features his classically inspired extemporizations. His angular take on Herbie Hancock's "Cantaloupe Island" brings to mind Don Pullen's circular pianism as he flirts with free jazz while remaining firmly grounded in the mainstream. This freshman effort from a tremendous talent is not only a delightful listening experience it is also, hopefully, a portent of greater things to come from this interesting new voice in jazz. ~ Hrayr Attarian https://www.allaboutjazz.com/explosion-jim-holman-delmark-records-review-by-hrayr-attarian.php
 

Personnel: Jim Holman: piano; Brian Sandstrom: bass; Frank Catalano: tenor saxophone; Richie Cole: alto saxophone, Rick Shandling: drums; Rusty Jones: drums.

Explosion

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Jackie Allen - Love Is Blue

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:11
Size: 108,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:51)  1. Lazy Afternoon
(5:01)  2. Go
(3:29)  3. The Performer
(5:04)  4. Love Is Blue
(4:02)  5. Moon Of Deception
(5:15)  6. Pavement Cracks
(3:52)  7. Here Today
(3:52)  8. Turnin' Around
(4:29)  9. Taste Of Honey
(4:02) 10. You Become My Song
(4:06) 11. I'll Be Around

Although very much a jazz singer, Jackie Allen explores music on Love Is Blue that crosses over style-wise into 1970s pop and singer/songwriter material. There are versions of two veteran standards ("Lazy Afternoon" and Alec Wilder's "I'll Be Around") but most of the repertoire, which deals with the darker side of love, is made up of recent originals (including "Go," which was co-written by the singer) and music taken from the pop world. 

Allen has a flexible voice and sounds fine on the ballad-oriented material, but the lack of mood variation makes this set of less interest than expected. It is well performed but not essential, despite the talents involved. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/love-is-blue-mw0000204729

Personnel: Jackie Allen (vocals);  Hans Sturm (acoustic bass, double bass);  John Moulder (guitar);  Frank Glover (clarinet);  Laurence Hobgood (piano);  Rob Mathes (Fender Rhodes piano, organ, keyboards);  Dane Richeson (marimba, drums, percussion).

Love Is Blue

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Mark Murphy - Shadows

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:36
Size: 137,2 MB
Art: Front

( 5:53)  1. Dawn
( 8:37)  2. If I Should Lose You
( 7:08)  3. Empty Room
( 6:17)  4. Next Page
( 7:33)  5. Lilac Wine
( 8:23)  6. Hodnik
( 5:12)  7. Shadows
(10:29)  8. Humanity Ltd

For decades, the question What exactly is a jazz singer has had two easy answers: Betty Carter and Mark Murphy. ~ New York Post

'Mark has devoted a long career to singing the hippest music with the best musicians. Consider the company he has kept on records. In the '60s, Clark Terry, Dick Hyman, Roger Kellaway. In the '70s, David Sanborn and the Brecker Brothers. In the '80s, Frank Morgan, Richie Cole, and the Azymuth Trio. Consider the jazzmen to whose instrumental works he has composed and sung lyrics: Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, Pat Metheny, Charlie Parker, McCoy Tyner, Charles Mingus, Herbie Hancock, and Wayne Shorter. ~ Leonard Feather (jazz journalist)

I can't help relishing his sure and swinging time, his musical and ever-inventive phrasing and that certain quality of sound and feeling combined with time and taste that to me spells jazz. ~ Dan Morgenstern (jazz journalist)

'Mark has devoted a long career to singing the hippest music with the best musicians. Consider the company he has kept on records. In the '60s, Clark Terry, Dick Hyman, Roger Kellaway. In the '70s, David Sanborn and the Brecker Brothers. In the '80s, Frank Morgan, Richie Cole, and the Azymuth Trio. Consider the jazzmen to whose instrumental works he has composed and sung lyrics: Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, Pat Metheny, Charlie Parker, McCoy Tyner, Charles Mingus, Herbie Hancock, and Wayne Shorter. ~ Leonard Feather (jazz journalist)

I can't help relishing his sure and swinging time, his musical and ever-inventive phrasing and that certain quality of sound and feeling combined with time and taste that to me spells jazz. ~ Dan Morgenstern (jazz journalist) https://www.amazon.com/Shadows-Mark-Murphy/dp/B00MVALK1U

Personnel:  Mark Murphy, vocal;  Karlheinz Miklin, saxes, flute;  Fritz Pauer, piano;  Ewald Oberleitner, double bass;  Dusan Novakov, drums

Shadows

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Will Downing - Black Pearls

Styles: Vocal, Soul, R&B
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:22
Size: 117,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:57)  1. Everything I Miss at Home
(4:32)  2. Don't Ask My Neighbors
(5:01)  3. Your Smile
(4:38)  4. Get Here
(6:02)  5. Street Life
(4:35)  6. Everlasting Love
(5:10)  7. Black Butterly
(4:52)  8. Nights over Egypt
(7:10)  9. Meet Me on the Moon
(5:22) 10. Don't Let It Go to Your Head

The source material for the inspired, all-covers Black Pearls album was popularized strictly by women. It's an unsurprising concept, given that Will Downing made his 1987 solo debut with a version of Deniece Williams' "Free" and went on to cover classics by Rose Royce and Aretha Franklin. The singer's first album for the Shanachie label, this features updates of well-known songs, mostly ballads, that originated in the late '70s and the early '90s. The likes of Jean Carn's "Don't Let It Go to Your Head," Williams' "Black Butterfly," René & Angela's "Your Smile," and Brenda Russell's "Get Here" easily the biggest crossover hit among the selections are reinterpreted faithfully with Downing's typical richness and restraint. Phyllis Hyman's "Meet Me on the Moon" (1991), co-written by Gene McDaniels, is the deepest selection, but even that one is far from obscure, and it's evidently as close to Downing's heart as anything else. A characteristically polished recording produced by Downing, it involves discerning use of strings and horns, as well as help from some longtime associates. Wife Audrey Wheeler Downing on background vocals, Melvin Davis on bass, and Randy Bowland on guitar are all along for the trip. Kirk Whalum's flute augments "Nights Over Egypt," and Najee takes a saxophone solo on "Street Life." ~ Andy Kellmanhttp://www.allmusic.com/album/black-pearls-mw0002948892

Black Pearls

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