Tony Bennett - Hot & Cool: Bennett Sings Ellington

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:48
Size: 139.2 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 1999
Art: Front

[3:58] 1. Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me
[4:32] 2. Mood Indigo
[4:49] 3. She's Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)
[4:35] 4. Caravan
[3:58] 5. Chelsea Bridge
[3:56] 6. Azure
[3:38] 7. I'm Just A Lucky So And So
[3:30] 8. In A Sentimental Mood
[3:16] 9. Take The A' Train/Don't Get Around Much Anymore
[4:43] 10. Sophisticated Lady
[6:53] 11. In A Mellow Tone
[3:56] 12. Day Dream
[4:55] 13. Prelude To A Kiss
[4:00] 14. It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)

Tony Bennett's practically inevitable commemoration of the Duke Ellington centenary is an appropriately blue-chip affair, with a big band and orchestra augmenting the Ralph Sharon Quartet on arrangements by Jorge Calandrelli, who has slowed the tempos to give the singer time to give intimate interpretations to the lyrics of songs like "Mood Indigo" and "Sophisticated Lady." Especially impressive are the less familiar tunes, such as "Azure" and "Day Dream." The slowest tunes also leave room for expressive solos by trombonist Al Grey and trumpeter Wynton Maralis ("Mood Indigo") and violinist Joel Smirnoff ("Sophisticated Lady"). Marsalis even gets his own tune, "Chelsea Bridge," to himself, which means, oddly, that on an album called Bennett Sings Ellington, there is a track on which Bennett does not sing and that was not written by Ellington! ("Chelsea Bridge" was composed by Ellington's partner Billy Strayhorn.) When you hear it, though, it's hard to complain. Less effective is the decision to stick short excerpts of "Take the 'A' Train" (never heard in its entirety) in between many of the tracks. But the main pleasure here is found in Bennett's vocals. In his early seventies, he probably couldn't have belted these songs if they'd been played in more demonstrative ways, but he gets a lot of out them in his breathy, conversational style. ~William Ruhlmann

Hot & Cool Bennett Sings Ellington      

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David Murray Infinity Quartet - Be My Monster Love

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:09
Size: 128.6 MB
Styles: Post Bop, Modern creative
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[6:53] 1. French Kiss For Valerie
[6:34] 2. Be My Monster Love
[6:42] 3. Stressology
[6:18] 4. Army Of The Faithful (Joyful Noise)
[8:58] 5. Sorrow Song
[7:47] 6. About The Children
[5:39] 7. The Graduate
[7:14] 8. Hope Is A Thing With Feathers

David Murray: tenor saxophone; Marc Cary: piano,organ; Jaribu Shahid: bass; Nasheet Waits: drums; Bobby Bradford: cornet; Macy Gray: vocals; Gregory Porter: vocals.

David Murray's last Motema Music offering, Plays Nat King Cole en Español, wowed listeners with its inventive reading of the music from the great singer's two Spanish-language albums with a Cuban ensemble. On Be My Monster Love, Murray unveils his Infinity Quartet (named for the jazz loft he and Stanley Crouch operated in New York in the 1970s) with pianist/organist Marc Cary, drummer Nasheet Waits, and bassist Jaribu Shahid. While a Latin-tinged groove on opener "French Kiss for Valerie" sets the tone in post-bop terms, this is a varied affair that showcases the many aspects of the tradition Murray embodies in both his playing and arranging. He provides a link between an Ellington-ian elegance and the deep, gospel-influenced emotionalism of Albert Ayler, the soulful, melodic, inquisitive investigations of Ben Webster, and the modal openness of John Coltrane. The title track features Macy Gray (the first of three tunes here with lyrics by writer Ishmael Reed), offering her raw, sensual vocal on a fingerpopping swinger. Gregory Porter makes three appearances as well, first on the nearly gospel-ized R&B of "Army of the Faithful (Joyful Noise)," driven by Cary's B-3 and recalling Murray's Special Quartet with the late Don Pullen. The midtempo "Sorrow Song" is actually a deeply moving ballad with the saxophonist offering a rounded warmth in his tone as Waits' skittering cymbals set the groove. Rich, modal soul and Latin rhythms underpin Porter's vocal on "About the Children," with lyrics by Last Poet Abiodun Oyewole. Shahid's bassline is a propulsive glue, holding seemingly disparate elements together in a glorious whole. Murray's former teacher, trumpeter Bobby Bradford, guests with the quartet on the skillfully skewed blues walk that is "The Graduate." But the set's finest moment is on the nearly straight-ahead sprint that is "Stressology," with Murray getting in some of his most fleet-fingered lines and righteous groans. The interplay between Cary's piano and Shahid's bass is breathtaking. Be My Monster Love is a diverse, travel modern creative jazz through a prismatic lens. While Murray's compositions are tighter and more song-like than ever (the presence of these excellent vocalists highlights this), he simultaneously offers a group of stellar players the opportunity (collectively and individually) to shine and push their margins. Highly recommended. ~Thom Jurek

Be My Monster Love

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Chico Freeman / Von Freeman - Freeman & Freeman

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:08
Size: 162.8 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 1981/2008
Art: Front

[ 8:12] 1. I Can't Get Started
[19:58] 2. Paying New York Dues
[ 6:36] 3. The Shadow Of Your Smile
[ 6:18] 4. Lover Man
[14:30] 5. Undercurrent
[ 5:27] 6. I Remember You
[10:04] 7. Jug Ain't Gone

The two tenors Chico Freeman and father Von Freeman had an opportunity to team up on this CD. Recorded live in concert, the Freemans are assisted by pianist Kenny Barron (Muhal Richard Abrams takes his place on "Paying New York Dues"), bassist Cecil McBee and drummer Jack DeJohnette. Von actually sounds the more modern of the two (due to his unusual tone) on a set mostly comprised of standards, plus McBee's "Undercurrents" and the lengthy jamming blues "Jug Ain't Gone," a tribute to Gene Ammons. The straight-ahead but sometimes eccentric music has its surprising moments, and the Freemans mostly battle to a tie. ~Scott Yanow

Freeman & Freeman

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Sarah Menescal - Consequence Of Love

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:12
Size: 76.0 MB
Styles: Lounge, Bossa Nova
Year: 2016
Art: Front

[3:55] 1. Adventure Of A Lifetime
[3:35] 2. Save A Prayer
[3:48] 3. I Can't Go For That (No Can Do)
[2:50] 4. Lanternas Dos Afogados
[3:09] 5. Free Fallin'
[3:54] 6. Never Be The Same
[2:11] 7. Can't Get Enough Of You Baby
[2:50] 8. Mercy Mercy Me
[4:03] 9. Shout
[2:52] 10. Don't Stop Believin'

Sarah Menescal is the singer who has brought the bossa nova till an absolutely new place. Owner of a gorgeous voice and surrounded of an incredible crew of producers and musician she has arrived to the record studios with a solid career on her back. (Vintage Café, Jazz and 80s series, etc) On our artistic profit they have recorded this, her second album: "Consequence of Love" giving extremely sensitive versions of pop hits like Adventure of a Lifetime, Shout, Free Fallin´, Mercy, Mercy Me and Lanterna dos Afogados, among many others.

Consequence Of Love

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Cannonball Adderley & His Orchestra - African Waltz

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:28
Size: 81.2 MB
Styles: Soul jazz, Modern big band
Year: 1961/1993
Art: Front

[3:02] 1. Something Different
[4:03] 2. West Coast Blues
[2:59] 3. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
[2:13] 4. The Uptown
[3:39] 5. Stockholm Sweetnin'
[2:10] 6. African Waltz
[4:51] 7. Blue Brass Groove
[3:48] 8. Kelly Blue
[1:58] 9. Letter From Home
[3:40] 10. I'll Close My Eyes
[3:01] 11. This Here

Alto Saxophone – Cannonball Adderley; Alto Saxophone, Flute – George Dorsey; Baritone Saxophone – Arthur Clarke; Bass – Sam Jones; Congas – Ray Barretto; Drums – Charlie Persip, Louis Hayes; Piano – Wynton Kelly; Tenor Saxophone, Flute – Jerome Richardson, Oliver Nelson; Trombone – Bob Brookmeyer, Jimmy Cleveland, Melba Liston, Paul Faulise; Trumpet – Clark Terry, Ernie Royal, Nat Adderley, Nick Travis; Tuba – Don Butterfield. Recorded at Plaza Sound Studios, New York City; February 28, May 9 and 15, 1961.

The music on African Waltz is better than it should be. Cannonball Adderley had a fluke hit with "African Waltz," so a full album was recorded with the hopes of coming up with additional hits. These 11 selections (which include "African Waltz") feature altoist Adderley backed by an 18-piece big band with arrangements provided by Ernie Wilkins and Bob Brookmeyer. The tunes clock in between two and five minutes and leave little room for much improvising by anyone other than Cannonball, his brother Nat on cornet, and pianist Wynton Kelly. There is some strong material on the set (including "West Coast Blues," "Stockholm Sweetnin'" and a remake of "This Here"), but the results are not too substantial and this was not that big a seller but it is still a reasonably enjoyable effort. ~Scott Yanow

African Waltz

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Ellis Marsalis, Makoto Ozone - Pure Pleasure For The Piano

Styles: Piano Jazz 
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:46
Size: 107,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:49)  1. Confusing Blues
(7:19) 2. Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans?
(4:40)  3. Sweet Georgia Brown
(4:23)  4. A Moment Alone
(6:45)  5. Emily
(7:41)  6. Longing For The Past
(6:03)  7. What Is This Thing Called Love
(5:03)  8. Struttin' With Some Barbecue

It is a bit ironic that Ellis Marsalis had to wait for sons Wynton and Branford to get famous before he was able to record on a regular basis, but Ellis finally received his long-overdue recognition. The father of six sons (including Wynton, Branford, Delfeayo, and Jason), Ellis Marsalis' main importance to jazz may very well be as a jazz educator; his former pupils (in addition to his sons) include Terence Blanchard, Donald Harrison, Harry Connick, Jr., Nicholas Payton, and Kent and Marlon Jordan, among others. He started out as a tenor saxophonist, switching to piano while in high school. Marsalis was one of the few New Orleans musicians of the era who did not specialize in Dixieland or rhythm & blues. He played with fellow modernists (including Ed Blackwell) in the late '50s with AFO, recorded with Cannonball and Nat Adderley in the 1960s, played with Al Hirt (1967-1970), and was busy as a teacher. Marsalis freelanced in New Orleans during the 1970s and taught at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts. He recorded with Wynton and Branford on Father and Sons in 1982, an album that they shared with Chico and Von Freeman. After that, Marsalis recorded for ELM, Spindletop (a duet session with Eddie Harris), Rounder, Blue Note, and Columbia, issuing Twelve's It on the latter in 1998. Duke in Blue followed a year later. Since that time, Marsalis has kept busy releasing Afternoon Session, An Open Letter to Thelonious, and Ruminations. ~ Scott Yanow https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/ellis-marsalis/id503569#fullText

Personnel:  Alto Saxophone – Branford Marsalis (tracks: 8);  Piano – Ellis Marsalis, Makoto Ozone

Pure Pleasure For The Piano

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Andrea Motis, Joan Chamorro, Orquestra Simfonica del Valles - Live at Palau De La Musica

Styles: Vocal, Trumpet And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:05
Size: 117,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:24)  1. Solitude
(4:51)  2. Sophisticated Lady
(4:04)  3. My Favorite Things
(5:52)  4. Body and Soul
(4:04)  5. The Girl from Ipanema
(6:05)  6. Lover Man
(5:16)  7. Sun Showers
(3:42)  8. Crazy He Calls Me
(6:44)  9. La Javanesa
(4:59) 10. Feeling Good

In 2012 we recieved a proposal by the Orquestra Simfònica del Vallès to make a concert together in the cycle Simfònics al Palau. Immediatly we found the idea very interesting. Before, on our second album, Feeling Good, we had recorded some songs with a string quartet and we loved the experience. Now they gave us the opportunity to go further and be accompanied by a full symphonic orchestra. 

We accepted the proposal and we agreed on the repertoire to write the arrangements based on it, looking for a variety of rythms and that everyone felt comfortable. The concert was a success and the result is reflected in this new work. We hope you enjoy it. https://andreamotisjoanchamorro.bandcamp.com/album/live-at-palau-de-la-m-sica

Live at Palau De La Musica

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Grant Green - Reaching Out

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1961
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:49
Size: 151,0 MB
Art: Front

( 5:22)  1. Reaching Out (Take 4)
( 6:49)  2. Our Miss Brooks (Take 4)
( 7:51)  3. A Flick Of A Truck (Take 1)
( 6:09)  4. One For Elena (Take 5)
( 9:15)  5. Baby, You Should Know It (Take 3)
( 5:28)  6. Falling In Love With Love (Take 1)
( 6:47)  7. Reaching Out (Take 1)
(10:13)  8. Our Miss Brooks (Take 1)
( 7:52)  9. One For Elena (Take 4)

Grant Green was just established as a leader by 1961 when these recordings were made, but this is not the typical Blue Note date that stamped his individuality in following years. Though Green is credited as the leader, those responsibilities are accepted by tenor saxophonist Frank Haynes, one of the most obscure but tastiest players on his instrument this side of Joe Henderson and Stanley Turrentine. The cool, spacious, thoughtful and unhurried sound of Haynes dominates this recording, as Green barely comes up for air on solos or the occasional joint melody line. Billy Gardner, better known as an organist, plays beautifully and with feeling on the piano, while bassist Ben Tucker and the great drummer Dave Bailey team up to provide the perfect, steady rhythmic foundation so essential to great mainstream jazz expressionism. Detroiter Rudy Stevenson consistently contributed to Green's repertoire, and here he delivers the title selection, a steady, subtle bop line, while Gardner wrote "One for Elena," another bop tune for Haynes and his understated demeanor, with Green's signature single-note staccato style emerging on his solo. Tucker always a solid musician contributes the compositions "A Flick of a Trick" and "Baby, You Should Know It," the former an easy swinging blues based jazz tune with Gardner's rumbling piano and a plus-plus solo, while the latter is a famous soul-jazz classic, vocalized in later years, but here a nice, long groove tune where Haynes and Green play in tandem. Harold Vick's "Our Miss Brooks" became a staple of Green's repertoire after this session, here it is rendered in a slow grinding blues base, with Green's one-note accents and simple rhythm guitar buoyancy. In only one instance, Green leads out for "Falling in Love with Love" as his true colors and personalized vibe shines. There are much longer master first takes on the CD reissue of "Reaching Out," "Our Miss Brooks," and "One for Elena." As most of Grant Green's best work is on the Blue Note label, these developmental sessions constitute a fledgling effort, easily treasured by his fans. It is also a high-water mark for Haynes, who sadly passed away only four years after this album was made. ~ Michael G.Nastos http://www.allmusic.com/album/reaching-out-mw0000310852

Personnel:  Dave Bailey – drums;  Frank Haynes - tenor saxophone;  Billy Gardner – piano;  Grant Green – guitar;  Ben Tucker - bass

Reaching Out

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Skip Wilkins - Skip Wilkins Quintet Disc 2

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:07
Size: 165,1 MB
Art: Front

( 9:26)  1. For Ten Percent
( 7:38)  2. Used to Be
( 7:06)  3. Agitated
( 7:09)  4. Need Some Ice
( 6:37)  5. Quiet, Please!
(10:14)  6. Not Perfect
( 7:16)  7. Betrayal
( 5:44)  8. Fortuitous Fifteen
(10:52)  9. Hold Me

"Quintet Volume II contains nine original tunes by the leader, some terrific, all interesting. What’s more, this is definitely a group effort...these fellows have played together for awhile, and its straight-ahead, cohesive sound shows it....The style is solid straight-ahead, many numbers on the contemplative side. ...Most tracks are seven to ten minutes long. Democratically, each musician gets equal solo time, ample opportunity to stretch out. The highly-rated Rissmiller particularly shines throughout, knitting the group together, embellishing each tune with his tasty touches on drums. Some stand outs--'Used to Me' features Kozik’s relaxed guitar and Marino’s soft bass. On 'Not Perfect,' Wilkins' jaunty piano introduces the tune, and Kendall’s soft sax effectively builds to a strong climax, blending with piano and guitar for a delicate, pensive finish.  Wilkins shows Bill Evans’ influence, stretching out for his strongest improvising in 'Fortuitous Fifteen,' a guitar-piano collaboration. 'Hold Me,' Wilkins' remembrance of 9/11, starts starkly, making way for Kendall’s haunting sax solo. The piano provides a moving coda, concluding a very fine album."~  JazzReview.com 

"Pianist Skip Wilkins continues his easy-to-take ways on this follow-up to last year's Volume I. Wilkins...doesn't wax professorial on this set of nine originals. The session sounds like West Coast cool but with updated, East Coast suavity. The quintet...regularly creates a likable languor. The tunes evolve - the fast-moving 'Needs Some Ice' hits a soulful interlude courtesy of (Tom Kozic's) guitar, while 'Quiet, Please,' written for a local politician whom Wilkins found irritating, comes off as chamomile mellow. Neat trick... 'Fortuitous Fifteen' is more angular and boppish yet still melodic, while 'Hold Me' is all liquid ballad."~  Philadelphia Inquirer

"Pianist Skip Wilkins gathers some musically sympathetic colleagues in Easton, Pennsylvania, for the second part of a marathon session. Wilkins' pieces are well thought out, with plenty of musical mile-markers in the solo sections to tie in with the various head structures...the musical quality is always there. The CD begins with a Silver-Blakey influenced mid-tempo quasi-shuffle, 'For Ten Percent,' a tune with some definite soul. Paul Kendall’s straight-ahead tenor solo reminds a little of Frank Foster or Benny Golson in its overall approach. Guitarist Tom Kozic comes through with a burnished tone like Burrell and he is no slouch. The rhythm section cooks along, drummer Rissmiller sounds tasty. Skip takes a solo next in an impeccable way according to the style at hand. An engaging tune. A pretty ballad in three follows, called 'Used to Be.' Wilkins takes a solo which gives you his lyrical-melodic sincerity and Kendall’s tenor sounds a bit like Shorter in a wistful mood. He builds the solo as the rhythm section takes on a kind of 1965 Miles feel... A Shorter ESP period-like 'Betrayal' follows, with a rather nice wispy tenor motif and piano response. Then follows an almost polite post-Evans 'Hold Me' with quiet chords on piano with quiet guitar commentary. The tenor does a Shorteresque cantabile and it’s all quite sensitive......well-wrought, quite pleasant...the song craft is in abundant evidence... the rhythm section strongly anchors the date and it’s all solid..." ~ Cadence  http://www.dreamboxmedia.com/wilkins.htm

Skip Wilkins Quintet

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George Cables Trio - Dark Side, Light Side

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1997
File: MP3@224K/s
Time: 65:17
Size: 107,1 MB
Art: Front

( 9:39)  1. Dolphin Dance
( 9:15)  2. Dark Side, Light Side
( 7:37)  3. Ruby, My Dear
( 7:24)  4. Alone Together
(10:26)  5. In a Sentimental Mood
( 5:12)  6. One Finger Snap
( 7:10)  7. Sweet Rita Suite, Pt. 1
( 8:30)  8. Ah, George, We Hardly Knew Ya

George Cables focuses primarily on works by other jazz pianists on this trio date with bassist Jay Anderson and drummer Billy Hart. Thoughtful treatments of Thelonious Monk's "Ruby, My Dear" and Duke Ellington's "In a Sentimental Mood" contrast with the elaborate workouts of two Herbie Hancock tunes, the easygoing "Dolphin Dance" and the rapid-fire "One Finger Snap." The sole standard is a brisk rendition of "Alone Together." Don Pullen's quirky "Ah George, We Hardly Knew You" adds an exotic air. Cables' two originals especially stand out. "Dark Side, Light Side" is an intricate post-bop vehicle with an infectious tension-and-release highlighted by Cables' breezy improvising in a swinging setting, while "Sweet Rita Suite" is actually a Spanish-flavored waltz in disguise. This is another fine recording from George Cables' productive association with Steeplechase. ~ Ken Dryden http://www.allmusic.com/album/dark-side-light-side-mw0000050643

Personnel: George Cables (piano); Jay Anderson (bass); Billy Hart (drums).

Dark Side, Light Side

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