Ralph Sutton - Ralph Sutton With Ted Easton Jazzband

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:51
Size: 114.1 MB
Styles: Piano jazz, Dixieland
Year: 1975/2002
Art: Front

[4:23] 1. I'll Be A Friend With Pleasure
[3:49] 2. The Curse Of An Aching Heart
[4:38] 3. Blues In My Heart
[4:54] 4. South Rampart Street Parade
[5:42] 5. Sunshine Of Love
[5:20] 6. Blue Turning Grey Over You
[4:36] 7. Ain't Misbehavin'
[2:39] 8. The Sheik Of Araby
[4:25] 9. Emaline
[2:55] 10. Keepin' Out Of Mischief Now
[2:39] 11. I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter
[3:46] 12. Hony Tonk Train Blues

The great stride pianist Ralph Sutton was in Europe when he recorded this live concert with Dutch drummer Ted Easton's quintet. The repertoire is mostly filled with Dixieland and New Orleans warhorses (the exceptions are Benny Carter's "Blues in My Heart," "Sunshine of Love," and "Emaline"), but the musicians make the music sound fresh and generally exciting. Sutton, who was always very consistent, excels as usual and there are fine solos along the way by trumpeter Bob Wulffers, trombonist Henk Van Muyen, and clarinetist Frits Kaatee. Highlights include "I'll Be a Friend With Pleasure," "South Rampart Street Parade," "Emaline," and "Honky Tonk Train Blues," the latter one of four unaccompanied Sutton piano solos. An excellent Dixieland date from the mid-'70s; the 1975 date is an educated guess. ~ Scott Yanow

Ralph Sutton With Ted Easton Jazzband

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The Platters - The Best Of The Platters

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 29:49
Size: 68.3 MB
Styles: R&B
Year: 1999
Art: Front

[2:38] 1. The Great Pretender
[2:44] 2. Twilight Time
[2:37] 3. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
[2:40] 4. Only You (And You Alone)
[2:44] 5. My Prayer
[2:28] 6. (You've Got) The Magic Touch
[2:38] 7. You'll Never Never Know
[2:52] 8. I'll Never Smile Again
[3:11] 9. Harbor Lights
[2:20] 10. Red Sails In The Sunset
[2:51] 11. Enchanted

A vocal talent of astonishing range and emotion, Tony Williams led the Platters through nearly two dozen Top 40 pop hits, starting in 1955. The Platters drew inspiration from predecessors such as the Mills Brothers, yet had a style all their own that came to be treasured by the first generation of rock & roll and doo-wop fans. This set features the group's Top 10 smashes "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes," "The Great Pretender," "Only You," "(You've Got) The Magic Touch," and several others. Shy of the two-disc Magic Touch: An Anthology, this is about as good a Platters best-of as you can find right now--and at a budget price, no less. ~Daniel Durchholz

The Best Of The Platters

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Dave Pell - Dave Pell Remembers John Kirby & The Big Small Bands

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 69:57

Size: 160.1 MB

Styles: Bop, Saxophone jazz

Year: 2008

Art: Front

[2:52] 1. Then I'll Be Happy

[3:15] 2. A Smoo-O-O-Oth One

[2:36] 3. In An 18th Century Drawing Room

[3:16] 4. Summit Ridge Drive

[2:22] 5. At The Codfish Ball

[3:04] 6. Jumpin' With Symphony Sid

[3:02] 7. Popo

[3:11] 8. Boplicity

[3:30] 9. Dark Eyes

[3:34] 10. Viva Zapata

[3:37] 11. Walking Shoes

[2:50] 12. Mountain Greenery

[3:09] 13. Rose Room

[2:50] 14. Royal Garden

[2:32] 15. Anita's Dance

[2:53] 16. It Feels Good

[2:58] 17. Tootsie Roll

[2:45] 18. Double Walk

[3:01] 19. Undecided

[2:52] 20. Blue Skies

[3:31] 21. Coquette

[2:54] 22. Opus 5

[3:11] 23. 20th Century Closet

Twofer: Tracks #1-12 from the Capitol 12" album "The Big Small Bands" (ST 1309). Track #13-23 from the Capitol 12" album "I Remember John Kirby" (ST 1687). Dave Pell (ts, bs), Jack Sheldon, Don Fagerquist (tp), Bob Enevoldsen (v-tb), Abe Most (cl), Art Pepper (as), Ronny Lang (bs), Marty Paich, André Previn, John T. Williams (p), Bob Gibbons (g), Red Mitchell (b), Frank Capp, Shelly Manne (d).

In these two albums, Dave Pell presents swinging memories of the bands small in size, but grand in stature that traced the history of the jazz combo and accounted for some of the greatest hit recordings of their times.

In The Big Small Bands, we can enjoy exciting and authentic re-creations of tunes made famous by groups such as those of John Kirby, Artie Shaw, Lester Young, Gerry Mulligan, Benny Goodman, Miles Davis, Shorty Rogers. Although the tunes start with early sounds, the sequence is varied a little to provide a more interesting programming line-up.

On I Remember John Kirby, Pell, who was a legitimately schooled clarinetist like Buster Bailey, had virtually abandoned the instrument as a solo medium until he had undertook this project. Here he plays with complete command to lead this Kirby-inspired sextet featuring Benny Carter, who gets a beautiful projection of the buoyant lilt that Russell Procope put in his alto solos.

Dave Pell Remembers John Kirby & The Big Small Bands

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Nóis 4 - Gente

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:49
Size: 116.4 MB
Styles: Brazilian rhythms
Year: 2004
Art: Front

[4:38] 1. Influência Do Jackson
[4:58] 2. Relampiano
[4:06] 3. Choro Bandido
[4:04] 4. Com A Perna No Mundo
[5:15] 5. Canção Em Modo Menor
[4:49] 6. Chá De Panela
[5:09] 7. Sobre O Papel
[4:17] 8. Leve
[3:51] 9. A Flor E O Espinho
[5:27] 10. Canta Pra Cira
[4:09] 11. Why

With their second album NOIS 4 ('Us Four') recount their own poetic tales of Brazil and pay homage to the country's most enduring heritage, the people themselves ('Gente'): Brazilian Music as a popular, collective experience. They've even recorded it in Sao Paulo, to make it as close to the real thing as possible. Brazil comes across in all its warmth, delivered with the lightness of touch that is typical of Nois 4. Carnivalesque grooves alternate with melancholic songs; original tunes with absolute classics (Antonio Carlos Jobim, Vinicius de Moraes; Chico Buarque). One can dive into "Com a Perna no Mundo", and imagine what it is to be part of a Beija Flor parade (one of Rio's most prominent schools of samba).

With "Chá De Panela", Nois 4 pay homage to Brazilian jazz legend Hermeto Pascoal (listen out for the trademark accordion and triangle; the circular pulse; and a lyrical nod to the very core of the Pascoal philosophy: 'All things are musical'). Their collective journey takes on a more personal hue with "Canto pra Cira". Monica Vasconcelos' voice blossoms with a sweet melancholy in this poignant tribute to her mother. But it is the presence of guitarist Guinga, a legendary figure of the MPB scene (Brazilian Popular Music) that adds a hefty weight to the ensemble. His love and knowledge of both classic and popular Brazilian musical traditions is a precious gift to NOIS 4's sound. On the other hand, saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock's wonderfully subtle soprano tone is worth a mention, as well as her sensitive alto modulations that sweetly interweave with Monica's vocals. This is an enjoyablealbum that brims with a love and understanding of Brazilian music. ~Lara Bellini

Gente

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The Michael Silverman Blues Piano Trio - The Blues, The Whole Blues And Nothin' But The Blues

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:18
Size: 147.2 MB
Styles: Blues/Jazz piano
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[2:32] 1. Blues For A Rainy Day
[2:36] 2. Blues For Miles Davis
[2:38] 3. Blues For Miles Pt. 2
[3:17] 4. Blues For Thelonius Monk
[2:24] 5. Blues For Thelonius Monk Pt. 2
[3:08] 6. Central Park Blues
[3:11] 7. Blues Jazz Swing
[2:11] 8. Blues Solo Piano
[2:07] 9. Tickling The Ivories
[2:44] 10. Fast Blues Piano
[1:50] 11. Funky Blues Piano
[2:05] 12. Jazz Blues Piano
[3:15] 13. Kind Of Blue Kind Of Blues
[1:46] 14. Latin Jazz Explosion
[2:19] 15. New Orleans Blues
[2:43] 16. New York Blues
[1:48] 17. The Shuffle Blues
[3:18] 18. Slow Blues
[2:50] 19. Slow Blues In G
[3:16] 20. Slow Roasted Blues
[1:53] 21. Solopiano Blues
[1:35] 22. Swing Blues Piano
[2:34] 23. That Blues Feeling
[1:21] 24. The Entertainer
[1:28] 25. Upbeat Blues
[3:17] 26. Vibraphone Blues

This album is great for parties, relaxing and travelling. Good combination of slow piano blues and some upbeat. Michael Silverman is exceptional on this cd. ~Carrmen C.

The Blues, The Whole Blues And Nothin' But The Blues

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Jed Levy - Evans Explorations

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@224K/s
Time: 68:28
Size: 111,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:46)  1. Blue In Green
(5:55)  2. Very Early
(5:56)  3. Jazz Samba
(8:05)  4. Time Remembered
(7:04)  5. The Dolphin
(8:51)  6. Laurie
(7:12)  7. Twelve Tone Tune
(7:13)  8. Interplay
(6:18)  9. Re: Person I Knew
(6:02) 10. I'm Getting Sentimental Over You

Explorations (Riverside, 1961) is one of two landmark studio recordings from the Bill Evans trio that, through chordal voicings, a classically-based style and egalitarian instrumental interplay, moved the jazz piano trio toward impressionism and away from a rhythmic approach. It still sounds amazingly contemporary and the task that tenor saxophonist Jed Levy has set for himself in his explorations of a piece of the Evans digest using his tenor trio is a daunting one. Levy succeeds remarkably well through his own impressionistic gentle touch, Francois Moutin's up-in-the-mix yet perceptively sensitive bass and the drumming of Evans grad Eliot Zigmund.  While a non-traditional bop-ish treatment of the classic "Blue in Green" starts things off and a swinging interpretation of the standard "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You" closes things out, this trio thrives when it is painting with broader sonic brush strokes. This is witnessed on a touching depiction of "Laurie" and a melodiously moving "Re: Person I Knew." Moutin and Levy are a superb pairing on these tunes and remain true to this music with neither overpowering nor assertive one-upmanship. 

They blend harmoniously, as in the wonderfully open "Interplay" that serves as an unfettered forum for improvisation and opportune time for Levy to switch to flute. Likewise, the arco bass/tenor doubling that opens "Twelve Tone Tune" captures that beautiful dreamy quality that helped define the Evans trio. These qualities are also apparent on "Very Early" and "Time Remembered," the latter's spaciousness benefiting from Levy's tenor and flute playing. "Jazz Samba," given a fairly fiery treatment courtesy of Zigmund and Moutin's rhythm, and "The Dolphin," portrayed in a traditional breezy manner that again has Moutin sharing center stage, round things out and are representative of Evans' Latin stylings. This is a unique depiction of Evans' songbook.~ Elliott Simon https://www.allaboutjazz.com/evans-explorations-jed-levy-steeplechase-records-review-by-elliott-simon.php
 

Personnel:  Jed Levy: tenor sax, flute;  Francois Moutin: bass;  Eliot Zigmund: drums.

Evans Explorations

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Jeanette Lindstrom - Whistling Away The Dark

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:32
Size: 157,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:22)  1. Whistling Away The Dark
(5:26)  2. My One & Only Love
(6:05)  3. You Go To My Head
(4:43)  4. I Didn't Know What Time It Was
(3:04)  5. Jitterbug Waltz
(4:46)  6. The Nearness Of You
(5:42)  7. Lush Life
(2:17)  8. Misty
(3:55)  9. Nature Boy
(4:49) 10. Peace
(6:07) 11. Night & Day
(3:27) 12. Too Marvelous For Words
(5:57) 13. What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life
(4:14) 14. When There Is Love
(3:30) 15. Grow Old With Me

Jeanette Lindström was born and raised in Sweden, but there have been times when her phrasing might lead those who haven't seen her picture to think she could be African-American, although one would have been unlikely to make that mistake if they'd heard her singing jazz in Swedish with bassist Anders Jormin. African-American singers have clearly had a great impact on Lindström, whose impressionistic approach brings to mind Dianne Reeves and Abbey Lincoln, and whose Caprice CDs are best described as post-bop with R&B overtones. Born in Östersund, Sweden, a few hours north of Stockholm, Lindström studied at the University of Lund and earned a degree from the Royal Music Academy of Stockholm when she was 23 in 1995. After attracting attention on the Swedish jazz scene, where she sang with everything from big bands to more experimental groups, Lindström went to Copenhagen in neighboring Denmark in 1995 to record her debut album, Another Country, for Caprice. The following year, she was documented in more of an avant-garde setting when Jormin featured her prominently on his Dragon date, Once. While that disc found Lindström singing in both English and Swedish, she stuck to English on Another Country and her equally appealing sophomore effort, I Saw You (1997). ~ Alex Henderson https://itunes.apple.com/au/artist/jeanette-lindstrom/id65885213#fullText

Personnel:  Double Bass – Palle Danielsson;  Drums – Magnus Öström;  Organ – Bobo Stenson (tracks: 12);  Piano – Bobo Stenson (tracks: 1, 2, 4, 5, 7), Jonas Östholm (tracks: 3, 10, 11, 13 to 15);  Vocals – Jeanette Lindström

Whistling Away The Dark

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Chris Byars - Photos in Black, White and Gray

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:13
Size: 138,2 MB
Art: Front

(8:05)  1. Aquarian Epoch
(7:27)  2. Milton
(7:14)  3. Safe at Home
(9:30)  4. Acoustic Phenomenon
(7:51)  5. Manhattan Valley
(6:48)  6. Cliff Diving
(6:40)  7. Riddle of the Sphinx
(6:35)  8. A.T.

Saxophonist Chris Byars has made a name for himself as one of many promising neo-bop musicians who perform on a regular basis at Smalls in New York City, while also appearing on a number of CDs (as either a sideman or leader) issued by the Smalls label. He has played since the age of seven and earned a Masters degree at the Manhattan School of Music at the age of twenty. For his third date as a leader, Byars is joined by several of the label's regulars, including pianist Sacha Perry, bassist Ari Roland and drummer Andy Watson. A talented player, Byars is clearly finding his own voice on each of his three instruments (alto, tenor and soprano sax) and his program of originals is well-paced with a fair amount of variety. He shows a bit of playfulness in "Aquarian Epoch," while the brisk samba "Manhattan Valley" is another obvious highlight. Byars' robust tenor is on display in the pulsating piano-less setting of "A. T." (dedicated to the late drummer Art Taylor). He then switches to soprano sax for the enticing ballad "Safe at Home." Perry, who studied with Barry Harris, is a solid bop pianist who pushes the leader with his driving accompaniment. Roland provides a firm foundation, his arco bass technique inviting comparison to recorded Paul Chambers. Watson is a refreshingly restrained drummer who effortlessly keeps a strong beat, though he is no slouch when he takes the opportunity to solo in "A. T.."~ Ken Dryden https://www.allaboutjazz.com/photos-in-black-white-and-gray-chris-byars-smalls-records-review-by-ken-dryden.php
 

Personnel: Chris Byars: alto, tenor and soprano saxophones; Sacha Perry: piano; Ari Roland: bass; Andy Watson: drums.

Photos in Black, White and Gray

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Courtney Pine - Underground

Styles: Saxophone, Clarinet And Flute Jazz
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:10
Size: 164,4 MB
Art: Front

(1:11)  1. Intro - Inhale
(6:59)  2. Modern Day Jazz
(6:15)  3. Tryin' Times
(5:55)  4. Oneness Of Mind
(5:37)  5. Invisible (Higher Vibe)
(9:50)  6. The Book Of ... (The Dead)
(5:55)  7. Children Of The Sun
(4:52)  8. The In-Sense Song
(7:50)  9. Silver Surfer
(6:57) 10. Underground
(0:56) 11. Outro - Xhale
(3:46) 12. Save The Children

The first thing that becomes clear on Courtney Pine's Underground is that the hip-hop-jazz hybrids of the 1990s (such as Digable Planets, A Tribe Called Quest, US3, or even the Dream Warriors) missed their target; the combination is much stronger when it's jazz-hip-hop, and the latter becomes a textural element. Pine sticks to his guns-frenetic melodies, engaging song structures, and a keen ability to keep his jazz cool and never lite. Those talents shine further when given the icing of exquisite samples, particularly when the rapid-fire cuts and sharp sense of humor show a respect for turntablism. And lest Pine's jazz fans be dismayed, tracks like "Invisible" seamlessly slip back into Pine's masterful (more traditional) jazz persona. 

Of particular note is "Tryin' Times," one of the few tracks with vocals, which acts as both a lounge singer vehicle as well as venue for Pine's dizzying saxophone acrobatics. Underground is a great introduction to Pine's work, and if there's any justice, will someday be recognized as a benchmark jazz-hip-hop hybrid experiment. ~ Jaime Vázquez http://www.allmusic.com/album/underground-mw0000595653

Personnel: Courtney Pine (soprano & tenor saxophones, bass clarinet, flute); Jhelisa (vocals); Nicholas Payton (trumpet); Cyrus Chestnut (acoustic piano, Hammond B-3 organ, Wurlitzer electric piano); Mark Whitfield (guitar); Reginald Veal (acoustic bass); Jeff "Tain" Watts (drums); DJ Pogo (DJ).

Underground

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Jan Akkerman & Claus Ogerman - Aranjuez

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1978
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:30
Size: 107,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:57)  1. Adagio from 'Concierto de Aranjuez'
(4:53)  2. Nightwings
(5:09)  3. Modinha (preludio)
(5:36)  4. Espanoleta
(6:48)  5. Pavane pour une infante defunte
(3:38)  6. Love remembered
(5:40)  7. The seed of god (from 'Magdalena')
(5:45)  8. Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5

This is a reissue of a 1978 release by Dutch rock guitarist Jan Akkerman. The album mystified listeners at the time with its still-unusual combination of electric guitar and lush string arrangements, and it remains something of an oddity from a rock perspective. The orchestral writing by the underrated German arranger Claus Ogerman, however, is quite unusual, and the album has a following among Ogerman's fans. Indeed, although Akkerman gets top billing, the partnership is equal or even tilted a bit toward Ogerman. The opening Adagio from Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez is perhaps the most interesting, and it differs entirely in effect from Miles Davis' presentation of the same music. Akkerman is in the foreground here, of course, but the music is a sort of double fantasy, with Akkerman slightly altering Rodrigo's guitar line and Ogerman providing much deeper hues to the orchestral parts. 

The rest of the music is given over to adaptations of other classical pieces, three of them by Heitor Villa-Lobos, and one original each by Ogerman and Akkerman. The string writing contains some of the richest and most harmonically intricate examples in the entire genre of orchestral pop, and it paradoxically seems to overwhelm the rock guitar at times. However, the continuing interest in the album is easy to understand: it offers a musical idea that makes intuitive sense rock, it has often been suggested, is at bottom a Romantic music yet has been little explored.~James Manheim http://www.allmusic.com/album/aranjuez-mw0000259976

Personnel:  Bass – Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen;  Guitar – Jan Akkerman

Aranjuez

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