David Liebman & Gil Goldstein - West Side Story (Today)

Size: 145,1 MB
Time: 62:02
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1990
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. Something's Coming (5:41)
02. Tonite, Tonite (7:45)
03. Cool (6:26)
04. One Hand, One Heart (7:28)
05. Jet Song (5:33)
06. Somewhere (5:14)
07. A Boy Like That - I Have A Love (8:16)
08. I Feel Pretty (4:45)
09. Maria (5:03)
10. America (5:47)

Personnel: David Liebman (soprano saxophone); Gil Goldstein (piano, synthesizers).

Recorded September 29, 30 1990 at Centerfield Productions Studio, New York.

A 1991 reworking of already overworked material. West Side Story Today songs Both musicians are fine players. ~Ron Wynn

West Side Story (Today)

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Carol Duboc - Open The Curtains

Size: 101,8 MB
Time: 41:42
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz: Smooth Jazz, R&B, Funk
Art: Front

01. In Pieces (Feat. Mindi Abair & Sheila E.) (3:28)
02. Feeling Good (Feat. Patrice Rushen & Rhonda Smith) (3:46)
03. Open The Curtains (Feat. Patrice Rushen) (4:51)
04. Forget Me Nots (Feat. Patrice Rushen & Bibi McGill) (5:00)
05. Whisper (Feat. Patrice Rushen) (4:27)
06. Faces (Feat. Patrice Rushen & Jennifer Batten) (3:43)
07. Fever (Feat. Aubrey Logan) (4:09)
08. Miss You Missing Me (3:25)
09. Precious (Feat. Mindi Abair) (3:57)
10. I'm Gone (Feat. Jennifer Batten) (4:51)

Jazz vocalist and pianist Carol Duboc delivers her eighth solo album presenting seven vibrant originals and three cover tunes on a set of jazz, R&B, funk and Smooth-styled music on the exciting Open The Curtains. Making this a special recording for Duboc, the singer illuminates the power of women by assembling an all-star, talented cast of female players including Patrice Rushen, Sheila E, and Mindi Abair among others. The result of course, is a collection of hard-driving soulful songs with an appreciable groove propelling the music forward.

The gyrating and percussive "In Pieces," starts the ball rolling featuring the Afro-Latin funk sounds of Sheila E pounding the rhythm as saxophonist Abair extends herself on a burning solo, the song was inspired by a partnership that didn't go well and the tune is meant to convey the act of bouncing back and not falling to pieces. "Feeling Good" is one of the covers of the set and a tribute piece to the great Nina Simone, in which the singer voices the lyrics with emotion and a bit of soul. The title track brings out the funk-side of the leader as she and the ladies who provide the background vocals, reveals what's behind the curtains: high-octane funk and superb piano work by Rushen.

Having perhaps one of the finest melodies of the session, the light "Whisper" is one of the standout songs of the album featuring Rushen on Fender Rhodes, Bibi McGill on guitar, bassist Rhonda Smith and Cora Coleman (Queen Cora) on the drums. All the ladies seem to get into the action on the fast-paced swinging and R&B-styled "Faces," a personal favorite of the leader that here, provides one shoulder-moving statement. The vocalist sings one sultry and seductive rendition of the classic "Fever," showcasing Aubrey Logan on the trombone and Queen Cora on the drums.

The Queen is also on tap on the hard-driving "Miss You Missing Me," as Duboc belts out the lyrics and the drums pound out the beats on another upbeat and lively song. The music begins to close on the delicate and smooth-styled "Precious" highlighted by Abair's soothing soprano saxophone voice and comes to an end on the funky/R&B-tinged finale "I'm Gone," as the songstress reaches and provides a graceful exit. A gifted singer and composer, Carol Duboc unveils an enchanting and tasteful selection of songs designed to get one moving and bopping your head when you Open The Curtains, well done! ~Edward Blanco

Personnel: Carol Duboc: vocals; Patrice Rushen: piano; Fender Rhodes, synthesizer, organ; Cora Coleman (Queen Cora): drums; Rhonda Smith: upright bass, electric bass; Sheila E: percussion; Mind Abair: tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone; Bibi McGill: Guitars; Jennifer Batten: Guitar (6, 10); Aubrey Logan: trombone (7); Anna Duboc: background vocals (3); Ava Dela Cruz: background vocals (3).

Open The Curtains

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Jeri Southern - You Better Go Now / When Your Heart's on Fire

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 77:00
Size: 177,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:02)  1. You Better Go Now
(3:14)  2. Give Me Time
(3:44)  3. Something I Dreamed Last Night
(3:12)  4. The Man That Got Away
(3:07)  5. When I Fall in Love
(2:55)  6. Just Got to Have Him Around
(3:11)  7. Dancing on the Ceiling
(2:40)  8. Speak Softly to Me
(3:08)  9. What Good Am I Without You
(3:14) 10. I Thought of You Last Night
(3:19) 11. That Ole Devil Called Love
(3:14) 12. Remind Me
(3:51) 13. Smoke Gets in Your Eyes
(2:49) 14. Can I Forget You
(3:51) 15. Little Girl Blue
(3:28) 16. I Remember You
(3:45) 17. He Was Too Good to Me
(2:22) 18. You're Driving Me Crazy
(2:40) 19. You Make Me Feel So Young
(3:51) 20. Someone To Watch Over Me
(2:32) 21. Autumn in New York
(3:56) 22. My Ship
(3:33) 23. No More
(2:10) 24. Let Me Love You

If you were to leaf through all the material written about Jeri Southern in the past five years or so by record reviewers, night club critics, newspaper columnists and others, you would notice a constant recurrence of such words as delicacy, sensitivity, taste, subtlety and restraint. If you find these qualities admirable, then it's a fine experience you have in store as you listen to these lyrical little milestones in Miss Southern's recording career. On some of them she sounds very close to tears, on others she sounds wise and profound and perhaps just a bit cynical. Sometimes she seems like a wistful little girl, and the next minute she's silken and sultry and seductive. The moods are many and complex, and they are all Jeri Southern's. They are all yours too, to share with her here in this album. ~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com

Personnel : Jeri Southern (vocals, piano); Camarata, Sy Oliver, Sonny Burke, Lew Douglas, Norman Leyden (conductor).

You Better Go Now / When Your Heart's on Fire

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Joe Henderson - Inner Urge

Styles: Saxophone Jazz

Year: 1964

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 43:19

Size: 99,3 MB

Art: Front

(11:59)  1. Inner Urge

( 9:15)  2. Isotope

( 7:16)  3. El Barrio

( 7:22)  4. You Know I Care

( 7:24)  5. Night and Day

This brilliant remastering of saxophonist Joe Henderson's most emotionally urgent album also raises the possibity that it is the ultimate showcase of his distinguished career. The deference to Coltrane is obvious: pianist McCoy Tyner and drummer Elvin Jones are on board on every selection, although shifting their styles to mesh with Henderson. The deference to Getz is more subtle, coming clear on Henderson's stingingly lyric ballad feature, "You Know I Care," and his melodic recasting of Cole Porter's "Night and Day." Weaving a path between Coltrane's fiery sermonizing and Getz's singable romanticism, Henderson displays a wholly individual sense of phrasing that alternates molten passionate engagement with cool reflection. The title track is an eleven minute tour de force of musical storytelling, comprising an evocation of Henderson's scuffling for work and recognition in the Big Apple, the tenor man's frustrating rite of passage. You hear plenty of hoarse cries, moans, and barbaric yelps, but you can hear episodes of great restraint within a loose blues structure.


"El Barrio" digs as deeply into the Latin mode as Henderson ever went, again emphasizing a nearly stragulated, gruff sax sound interrupted by beautifully full tones. The empathy with Tyner and Jones is palable throughout the album. They're egging him on, but oh so gently, giving Henderson tons of space to sink or swim in. Henderson thrives in their presence, their hyper-kinetic backing, and bassist Bob Cranshaw, while not as flashy as Jones, definitely keeps the rhythm lines lively. The album seems like an apotheosis of hard bop, a ruthlessly probing amplication of a typical, hard-blowing, Blue Note bop session, pushing bop formulas as far as they could be pushed. As such, I consider it not only one of the best dozen Blue Note sessions ever released, I hear it as one of the major statements of jazz in the '60s, actually recreating the political, economic, and social realities of the turbulent times more precisely than most recorded music of the '60s in any style. An absolutely essential listen and a major masterpiece. ~ Norman Weisntein https://www.allaboutjazz.com/inner-urge-joe-henderson-blue-note-records-review-by-norman-weinstein.php

Personnel: Joe Henderson (tenor saxophone); McCoy Tyner (piano); Bob Cranshaw (bass instrument); Elvin Jones (drums).

Inner Urge

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Lou Donaldson - Lou Takes Off

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1958
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:20
Size: 88,2 MB
Art: Front

(10:05)  1. Sputnik
( 7:17)  2. Dewey Square
(14:34)  3. Strollin' In
( 6:22)  4. Groovin' High

A cadre of young musicians, each who would, in time, evolve into a master, is caught as they begin to shine early on for this fireball 1957 set. A thinly disguised take on Cole Porter's "What Is This Thing Called Love?" is the opening tune, altoist Lou Donaldson's "Sputnik." It launches matters at full throttle, with Donaldson unmistakably reflecting Charlie Parker's then still very fresh and vibrant influence. Joining the pulsating rhythms is a young Donald Byrd, whose ebullient trumpet intonation makes for a perfect complement to Donaldson's sweet bop heat. Adding more flavor is a strong rhythm section driven by the breathtaking marathon-paced drumming of Art Taylor.

A bop classic, Charlie Parker's own "Dewey Square," includes a showcasing solo from the too-soon-gone Sonny Clark, who was already displaying his rhythmically sophisticated and seriously playful piano. Easing in and out smoothly on the tune is Curtis Fuller, who was already demonstrating the JJ Johnson-influenced technique that, as composer and trombonist, has led to his playing with a galaxy ranging from Miles Davis and John Coltrane to Count Basie and many more. On another Donaldson piece, "Strollin' In," Fuller's sound is so varied and sweet it's as if he's just invented a new instrument. And Clark's piano is so mesmerizing one can only regret, again, that his life was so short.  If Lou Takes Off is not an essential set, it is a fascinating one, if only historically. It's a welcome opportunity to savor a steaming, vivid and fascinating session when a band of young lions were clearly on the verge of greatness. ~ Andrew Velez https://www.allaboutjazz.com/lou-takes-off-lou-donaldson-blue-note-records-review-by-andrew-velez.php

Personnel:  Lou Donaldson: alto saxophone;  Donald Byrd: trumpet;  Curtis Fuller: trombone;  Sonny Clark: piano;  Jamil Nasser: bass;  Art Taylor: drums.

Lou Takes Off

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Seamus Blake - Stranger Things Have Happened

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:54
Size: 142,4 MB
Art: Front

( 8:23)  1. Perk
(10:07)  2. Happenstance
( 4:49)  3. Northern Light
( 7:52)  4. Token Cello
(10:48)  5. Extranjero
( 7:33)  6. G.S.S.
( 8:13)  7. Taurus People
( 4:06)  8. Of Ours

Seamus Blake's first disc on the Fresh Sound New Talent label is a marvelous showcase not only for the leader but also for guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel, the album's other prominent solo voice. Bassist Larry Grenadier and drummer Jorge Rossy, together the backbone of Brad Mehldau's famous trio, lay down the ideal rhythmic universe for Blake and Rosenwinkel to flourish in. Opening with the wild, funkified double-time of "Perk," the group goes on to traverse a wide swath of territory, from the classic post-bop swing of "Happenstance" and "G.S.S." to the experimental sounds of "Token Cello" and "Of Ours." Jesse Harris guests on second guitar for "Northern Light," a song that almost sounds like Simon & Garfunkel. (There's an uncredited vocal performance, probably by Blake.) "Extranjero," a lilting soprano sax feature, and Farouq Dawad's fast-swinging "Taurus People," the sole non-original piece, complete the inspired program. With Stranger Things Have Happened, Seamus Blake proves many times over that he can go toe-to-toe with great young tenors like Joshua Redman, Chris Potter, and Mark Turner. ~ David R.Adler http://www.allmusic.com/album/stranger-things-have-happened-mw0000672257

Personnel:  Seamus Blake (saxophone), Kurt Rosenwinkel (guitar), Larry Grenadier (bass), Jorge Rossy (drums), Jesse Harris (guitar)

Stranger Things Have Happened

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Cyrus Chestnut - Journeys

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:13
Size: 136,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:49)  1. Smitty's Joint
(6:27)  2. Lover
(4:44)  3. Eyes of an Angel
(5:52)  4. Little Jon
(5:56)  5. New Light
(5:31)  6. Journeys
(5:16)  7. The Flowers on the Terrace
(7:00)  8. Yu's Blues
(4:39)  9. In the Still Hours
(8:54) 10. Goliath

During a career spanning 20 years, Cyrus Chestnut has risen to be one of the most esteemed and productive of jazz pianists. Journeys makes 16 recordings under his name. He regularly performs with his trio and is the go-to guy on numerous recording dates and gigs. Having apprenticed with the incomparable vocalist Betty Carter, Chestnut's playing displays a style and technical virtuosity that has him compared to jazz legends from Jelly Roll Morton and Oscar Peterson to Tommy Flanagan. Not associated with a particular style, he displays a wide range with his roots in church music, planted by his father, a pastor.
Journeys features his current touring partners bassist Dezron Douglas and drummer Neal Smith turning out an estimable recording that amply shows off his compositional skills in nine originals. The recording starts with a blast on "Smitty's Joint," with Chestnut's fingers a blur on the keyboard. Douglas adds a spirited bass bit and Smith contributes vigorously. Chestnut then has fun with the disc's only standard, Rodgers and Hart's venerable "Lover," upping the tempo and bringing in boppish filigrees. Throughout, Chestnut embellishes songs in creative ways. On "Eyes of an Angel," he uses tremolo effects to decorate the simple melody, while "Little Jon" starts with a jive riff and proceeds to a stirring climax. With the title tune, Chestnut does evoke a journey; a majestic march to Smith's fluttering drums. "Yu's Blues" is a moody late-night blues, with the noirish Douglas' enhancing the feel.  "Goliath" is the album's showpiece, its complex structure beginning quietly, but moving to a mesmerizing climax, amidst Chestnut's swirl of notes, layered over Douglas' steady bass line. This song represents what Chestnut shows throughout Voyage an ability to surprise, with unexpected turns and provocative phrasing. ~ Larry Taylor https://www.allaboutjazz.com/journeys-cyrus-chestnut-jazz-legacy-productions-review-by-larry-taylor.php
 

Personnel: Cyrus Chestnut: piano; Dezron Douglas: bass; Neal Smith: drums.

Journeys

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