Andre Previn, David Finck - We Got Rhythm: A Gershwin Songbook

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:04
Size: 162.7 MB
Styles: Standards, Jazz-pop
Year: 1998
Art: Front

[3:15] 1. They All Laughed
[4:59] 2. Someone To Watch Over Me
[4:15] 3. Oh, Lady, Be Good
[5:47] 4. A Foggy Day
[5:33] 5. Do It Again Soon
[5:09] 6. Girl Crazy I Got Rhythm
[4:52] 7. Girl Crazy Embraceable You
[6:49] 8. He Loves, She Loves/Our Love Is Here To Stay
[3:31] 9. Fascinating Rhythm
[4:39] 10. Isn't It A Pity
[4:27] 11. boy what love has done to me/i've got a crush on you
[6:00] 12. Love Walked In
[5:21] 13. The Man I Love
[6:22] 14. 's Wonderful

André Previn moves seamlessly from the world of classical music to jazz and film, but on this occasion, the pianist covers 14 gems from the vast repertoire of George Gershwin. Well accompanied by bassist David Finck, Previn faces the same challenge every jazz musician must address: finding new paths through Gershwin's frequently recorded masterpieces. Previn uses a train-like bassline substitution to open and close a rollicking take of "They All Laughed," while the pianist is more laid-back in the bluesy treatment of "Oh, Lady Be Good" to better feature Finck initially. Previn's modification of "I Got Rhythm" provides some added dissonance. The haunting setting of the ballad "The Man I Love" suggests an added degree of melancholy. While this session was released on a classical label, Deutsche Grammophon, something that always seems to confuse record-label marketing departments, music store personnel, and consumers as well, it is very much a jazz date and a fine effort by André Previn and David Finck. ~Ken Dryden

We Got Rhythm: A Gershwin Songbook

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Hendrik Meurkens - Harmonicus Rex

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 58:11

Size: 133.2 MB

Styles: Harmonica jazz

Year: 2016

Art: Front

[4:28] 1. Mundell's Mood

[5:06] 2. Slidin'

[5:42] 3. In Your Own Sweet Way

[4:09] 4. Aftenoon

[6:37] 5. Skj

[4:54] 6. Falling In Love With Love

[5:30] 7. A Summer In San Francisco

[5:41] 8. Up Jumped Spring

[5:05] 9. Mean Dog Blues

[5:21] 10. Darn That Dream

[5:33] 11. What's New

Hendrik Meurkens: harmonica; Dado Moroni; piano; Marco Panascia: bass; Jimmy Cobb: drums; Joe Magnarelli: trumpet, flugelhorn; Anders Bostrom: alto flute.

While the swing side of harmonica master Hendrik Meurkens' personality has basically been dormant for the past fifteen years, it hasn't disappeared. After highlighting his Brazilian jazz bona fides on record after record, Meurkens now returns to straight-ahead jazz on this instantly pleasing date. Harmonicus Rex, despite it's humorously monstrous title, isn't a roaring beast. There are no high speed scenarios to speak of and no bash-and-crash displays to witness. This record's strength is in its ability to get the point across without all of that needless showboating. It's essentially a model for how feel and taste can trump tempo and dynamic excess in terms of establishing a swinging environment. And with a cast that includes drumming legend Jimmy Cobb and under-the-radar heavies like pianist Dado Moroni and bassist Marco Panascia, it's easy to see why this album projects that train of thought.

In observing Meurkens here, it becomes increasingly clear that he's a master conversationalist with some incredible ears and reflexes. That's something that's often overlooked in discussions of his work, but it's central to the success of his art. Whether trading solos with trumpeter Joe Magnarelli on "Mundell's Mood," responding to Moroni with brief and subtle gestures during "In Your Own Sweet Way," blending and balancing his sound against that of Anders Bostrom's alto flute, or playing off of the rhythm section when in the spotlight, Meurkens' foremost concern is how he relates to the other musicians and the music at hand. Meurkens clearly relies on a recipe that calls for stirring all of the essential elements of a straightforward date together and cooking everything on low to medium settings. It's a formula for success. By exploring the mellow environs of ballads like "Afternoon" and "Darn That Dream," inviting a little heat and embracing the swing uplift on "SKJ" and "Up Jumped Spring," finding the sweet spots between those locales, and even taking a quick dip into bossa territory on "A Summer In San Francisco," Meurkens manages to create a complete picture that offers rich viewpoints to admire from wherever you happen to be standing. ~Dan Bilawsky

Harmonicus Rex

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The Hollies - Essential

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:00
Size: 137.4 MB
Styles: British Invasion, AM Pop-Rock
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[2:11] 1. Stay
[2:08] 2. (Ain't That) Just Like Me
[2:17] 3. Here I Go Again
[2:13] 4. We're Through
[2:28] 5. Just One Look
[2:15] 6. Look Through Any Window
[2:23] 7. I'm Alive
[2:48] 8. Stop Stop Stop
[2:51] 9. Bus Stop
[2:42] 10. Jennifer Eccles
[2:52] 11. Carrie Anne
[3:11] 12. On A Carousel
[2:40] 13. Listen To Me
[4:19] 14. He Ain't Heavy He's My Brother
[3:54] 15. Gasoline Alley Bred
[3:14] 16. Long Cool Woman (In A Black Dress)
[4:02] 17. The Air That I Breathe
[3:52] 18. The Day That Curly Billy Shot Down Crazy Sam Mcgee
[3:59] 19. Soldier's Song
[3:34] 20. The Woman I Love

The Hollies are a well-respected British beat and rock and roll band that formed in the early 60s. Initially they had a squeaky-clean image and were famous for their rich vocal harmonies, rivaling those of The Beach Boys. Between 1964 and 1969, only two Hollies songs failed to reach the UK Top 10. Their most famous member was Graham Nash, who left in 1968 to form the folk supergroup Crosby, Stills & Nash. Two of the core members, drummer Bobby Elliott and lead guitarist Tony Hicks, still perform with The Hollies into the new millennium. Frequent releases during the mid-60s included many cover versions of popular songs, as well as a few group-penned hits and many songs written especially for them by professional songwriters.

The Hollies were formed in 1962 in Lancashire, England. By 1965,the group had been established as one of Britain's pre-eminent singles bands. As part of the British Invasion, they enjoyed huge chart success in many countries in the mid-Sixties, releasing a string of classic harmony-pop hits including Bus Stop I'm Alive, a UK No. 1, I Can't Let Go, Stop Stop Stop, Carrie Anne, On A Carousel, Look Through Any Window, and Jennifer Eccles. In 1972, the hit Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress reached #2 in the US. Their last mega hit was He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother, hitting #1 in the UK in 1988 (albeit 19 years after its first release).

The band are noted for their longevity, with their 2006 tour chalking up 45 years. Despite numerous changes in line-up, Tony Hicks & Bobby Elliott have been with the band almost from its inception. Lead singer Allan Clarke left The Hollies in 1971, though he rejoined the band at later times. He was eventually replaced by Carl Wayne, ex lead singer of The Move, who passed away in 2004. Wayne was replaced by Peter Howarth. The 2007 line up is, Ian Parker on keyboards, Ray Stiles (Ex Mud, remember 'Tiger Feet') on bass guitar and Alan Coates on guitar and vocals by Steve Lauri.

The Hollies were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on March 15, 2010. Allan Clarke (vocals, 1962-71, 1973-99), Graham Nash (guitar, vocals, 1962-68, 1983), Eric Haydock (bass, 1962-66), Vick Farrell (guitar, 1962), Don Rathbone (drums, 1962-63), Tony Hicks (guitar, banjo, mandolin, electric sitar, vocals, 1963-present), Bobby Elliott (drums, percussion, 1963-present), Bernie Calvert (bass, 1966-81), Terry Sylvester (guitar, vocals, 1969-81), Mikael Rickfors (vocals, 1971-73), Denis Haines (bass, 1981-86), Alan Coates (guitar, 1981-2004), Ray Stiles (bass, vocals, 1986-present), Ian Parker (keyboards, vocals, 1991-present), Carl Wayne (vocals, 2000-04), Peter Howarth (vocals, acoustic guitar, 2004-present), Steve Lauri (guitar, vocals, 2004-present)

Essential

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Bobby Troup - Tell Me You're Home

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:15
Size: 121.9 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2007/2015
Art: Front

[ 1:38] 1. Dream Of You
[ 1:44] 2. Route 66
[ 1:29] 3. Lullaby Of Birdland
[ 1:36] 4. Daddy
[ 1:58] 5. Their Hearts Were Full Of Spring
[ 1:16] 6. They Didn't Believe Me
[ 1:58] 7. Tell Me You're Home
[ 1:18] 8. Lulu's Back In Town
[ 2:00] 9. Do Re Mi
[ 1:31] 10. They Can't Take That Away From Me
[ 1:38] 11. You're Looking At Me
[ 1:52] 12. Hungry Man
[ 1:20] 13. You're In Love
[ 1:43] 14. Cuckoo In The Clock
[ 2:00] 15. It Happened Once Before
[ 1:31] 16. I'm With You
[ 1:47] 17. The Gypsy In My Soul
[ 1:34] 18. Lemon Twist
[ 1:30] 19. Indiana
[ 2:02] 20. The Three Bears
[ 2:21] 21. Baby, Baby All The Time
[ 1:45] 22. Heidi
[ 2:02] 23. Skylark
[ 1:25] 24. Tangerine
[12:06] 25. Interview Bobby Troup's Take On Route 66

Bobby was a first-rate songwriter (and much else). As a performer, he is more a "song stylist" than a strong singer, but a very pleasing stylist he is. This is a slightly odd jazz album. No number is developed. Rather, the songs average between 1:30 to 2:00 minutes apiece--a fine, light-touch jazz trio with the vocalist following the principle "do you remember this one?" then moving on. That's why there are 24 selections here! The 25th, however, is a 12-minute interview about Troup's early career and nervously auditioning a still untested Route 66 for Nat King Cole. Tom Snyder is the interviewer but he is sympathetic and restrained (no barking laughs a la Dan Aykroyd) and it's fun to listen to. Overall, a first rate album. ~Ronald L. Levao

Tell Me You're Home

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Lou Donaldson & Grant Green - Cool Blues

Styles: Saxophone And Guitar Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:01
Size: 162,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:38)  1. A Foggy Day
(9:26)  2. Here 'Tis
(6:53)  3. Cool Blues
(7:32)  4. Watusi Jump
(8:36)  5. Walk Wid Me
(8:33)  6. Misty
(6:08)  7. Please
(5:48)  8. Man With a Horn
(5:11)  9. Prisoner of Love
(6:12) 10. Stardust

Lou Donaldson has long been an excellent bop altoist influenced by Charlie Parker, but with a more blues-based style of his own. His distinctive tone has been heard in a variety of small-group settings, and he has recorded dozens of worthy and spirited (if somewhat predictable) sets throughout the years. Donaldson started playing clarinet when he was 15, soon switching to the alto. He attended college and performed in a Navy band while in the military. Donaldson first gained attention when he moved to New York and in 1952 started recording for Blue Note as a leader. At the age of 25, his style was fully formed, and although it would continue growing in depth through the years, Donaldson had already found his sound. In 1954, he participated in a notable gig with Art Blakey, Clifford Brown, Horace Silver, and Tommy Potter that was extensively documented by Blue Note and that directly predated the Jazz Messengers. However, Donaldson was never a member of the Messengers, and although he recorded as a sideman in the '50s and occasionally afterwards with Thelonious Monk, Milt Jackson, and Jimmy Smith, among others, he has been a bandleader from the mid-'50s up until the present.

Donaldson's early Blue Note recordings were pure bop. In 1958, he began often utilizing a conga player, and starting in 1961, his bands often had an organist rather than a pianist. His bluesy style was easily transferable to soul-jazz, and he sounded most original in that context. His association with Blue Note (1952-1963) was succeeded by some excellent (if now-scarce) sets for Cadet and Argo (1963-1966). The altoist returned to Blue Note in 1967 and soon became caught up in the increasingly commercial leanings of the label. For a time, he utilized an electronic Varitone sax, which completely watered down his sound. The success of "Alligator Boogaloo" in 1967 led to a series of less interesting funk recordings that were instantly dated and not worthy of his talent. However, after a few years off records, Lou Donaldson's artistic return in 1981 and subsequent soul-jazz and hard bop dates for Muse, Timeless, and Milestone have found the altoist back in prime form, interacting with organists and pianists alike and showing that his style is quite timeless. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/artist/lou-donaldson-mn0000808198/biography

Personnel: Lou Donaldson - alto sax,  Grant Green - guitar,  Baby Face Willette - organ on tracks 1-5,  Dave Bailey - drums on tracks 1-5,  Brother Jack McDuff - organ on tracks 6-10,  Joe Dukes - drums on tracks 6-10.

Cool Blues

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Lisa Bell - Dare To Be...

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:34
Size: 125,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:25)  1. Summertime
(5:50)  2. God Bless The Child
(5:41)  3. Skylark
(6:15)  4. Black Coffee
(2:28)  5. I'll Remember April
(3:45)  6. For All We Know
(4:45)  7. That Old Black Magic
(5:04)  8. What Can I Do
(5:01)  9. They Can't Take That Away From
(2:56) 10. Do Nothin'' till You Hear From
(4:41) 11. My Romance/That's The Way Of The World
(3:38) 12. In A Sentimental Mood

Singer Lisa Bell was born and raised in Boulder, CO, where she first showed an interest in singing after being taken to Dionne Warwick and Ella Fitzgerald concerts when she was six. She sang in school choirs, and as a high school student was selected to be a member of the jazz choral group Excalibur, which performed material associated with the Manhattan Transfer and Lambert, Hendricks & Ross. She earned a scholarship to the Conservatory of Music at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, graduating with a B.A. in Communications and Vocal Performance. Settling in Kansas City, she had various singing jobs that included studio and jingle work, stage appearances in musicals, and concert performances as a backup vocalist for Bobby McFerrin. Moving back to Colorado, she became a member of the Colorado Symphony Chorus, the Boulder Philharmonic Chorus, and a vocal jazz quartet called Jazz on the Rocks. Her debut album, Dare to Be..., was released by Hapi Skratch Records in 2002 and featured her versions of jazz standards such as "Summertime" and "Do Nothin' Till You Hear from Me." The album's release led to her appearances in jazz clubs and at jazz festivals. For her second album, It's All About Love (2005), she took a different tack, writing most of the songs herself and using instruments not generally associated with jazz such as a Dobro and a pedal steel guitar. ~ William Ruhlmann https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/lisa-bell/id58897081#fullText

With her premier full-length CD recording Lisa has taken a fresh look at popular jazz standards to create modern soulful renditions that are all her own. The CD also features her first recorded original, What Can I Do, on which Nelson Rangell adds his magic with Soprano Sax. As an artist, Lisa dares to be different, expressive and musically eclectic. Her first CD reflects her unique style, smooth vocals and a band of musicians second to none. From the first notes of Summertime with a searing Latin beat, to the final In a Sentimental Mood with its exquisitely poignant vocal/guitar arrangement, Dare To Be...provides variety and excitement for standard and "cool" jazz lovers of all kinds. Dare To Be...is presented on the Hapi Skratch Records label. Lisa Bell has loved and has been performing jazz since she can remember, receiving her BA degree in vocal performance with an emphasis in jazz from the Conservatory of Music at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. In Kansas City, Lisa worked with Bobby McFerrin, Marilyn Maye and Ida McBeth among others. She also recorded numerous jazz demo albums as well as jingles during her eight years in the Kansas City area. Lisa has been singing tight vocal harmonies since high school, and was a founder and member of two professional vocal ensembles, More or Less Jazz and Jazz on the Rocks. She writes original songs in jazz, pop and contemporary Christian realms. Lisa honed her vocal skills over the years by performing every genre of music from musical theater to opera and country western, but her true passion is vocal jazz. http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/lisabellmusic

Dare To Be...

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Dave Stryker - Strike Up The Band

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:00
Size: 156,0 MB
Art: Front

(10:16)  1. Strike Up The Band
( 7:23)  2. The Message
( 8:32)  3. Airegin
( 7:19)  4. I Love You
( 8:35)  5. What Is This?
( 8:39)  6. Peace Song
( 8:16)  7. Blues Strut
( 8:56)  8. Saints And Sinners

Dave Stryker is a strong guitarist with an excellent back-catalog of credits to his name. While Strike Up The Band doesn't show off his full capabilities in their best light, it makes for a listenable jaunt, and a clear reminder that musicians on Stryker's level can seek out more demanding material. The album has a definite polish: Nils Winther's production is of a very high quality, and each of the four musicians plays with a distinctive and clear sound, too. So at root, the disappointment of the album is in its material. There are no bad songs here, to be sure; but neither are there any challenges, for the listener or for the musicians. Half the tracks are constructed over the same essential textures and tempos. Although the title track is indeed different from Gershwin's original envisioning, it burns with a high energy (thanks largely to a percussive rising line on the bass) that never resolves into anything. As a result, it's hard to tell what the effect of the arrangement is supposed to be: it feels tense and a little empty at once. Pianist Xavier Davis has a conventional style, but he relies principally on the adapted language of minor pentatonic harmony first popularized by McCoy Tyner. It's a great, full sound, but when used equally on "Airegin," "Strike Up The Band" and "Saints and Sinners," it loses some of its poignancy. There are definitely highpoints, though. "What Is This?" makes for a quirky play on "What Is This Thing Called Love?" And "I Love You," after an urbane bass riff under the intro and melody, features an intelligent guitar solo, though not Stryker's most dynamic. Still, Stryker and his band mates are capable of more than they attempt with this outing. ~ Jay Deshpande https://www.allaboutjazz.com/strike-up-the-band-dave-stryker-steeplechase-records-review-by-jay-deshpande.php
 

Personnel: Dave Stryker: guitar; Andy McKee: bass; Xavier Davis: piano; Billy Hart: drums.

Strike Up The Band

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Doug Snyder & Bob Thompson - Daily Dance

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1973
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:41
Size: 95,6 MB
Art: Front

(10:28)  1. Daily Dance
( 1:28)  2. Living With The Crocodiles
( 8:05)  3. Time Overlaps Itself
( 4:53)  4. Soul And Universe
( 5:34)  5. Hit And Run
( 2:42)  6. Truth Is A Pathless Land
( 8:28)  7. Teenage Emergency

This is the 25th year anniversary reissue of a noteworthy historical and musical document. Daily Dance was recorded in rural Fayette County, Ohio in 1972, yet its clangorous drones sound as if they could have been recorded yesterday (or, perhaps, a few hours ago). Daily Dance was originally released as an LP in 1973 on the New Frontiers label...and has been out of print for about fifteen years.  Five years later Doug (largely on the strength of this recording) would become a “key” member of recondite NYC noise-improv ensemble Sick Dick and the Volkswagens, along with Donald Miller (Borbetomagus and Lhasa Cement Plant), Mark Abbott (see John Zorn's  School) and Brian Doherty (Borbeto and Lhasa).  

After Sick Dick’s demise (1983), Doug returned to Ohio. To this day, Snyder and Thompson perform and record together on a regular basis.  All in all, here is a disc that looks back toward The Velvet Underground, the Stooges and Elvin Jones, as it looks forward to Ascension, Keiji Haino and William Hooker (and any number of other free-noising, free-rocking manifestations)……and it was recorded over 25 years ago! http://www.sonic.net/~chm/warpodisc/daily_dance.htm

Personnel:  Doug Snyder - electric guitar;  Bob Thompson - drums and percussion

Daily Dance

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