Various - Soul Summit

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:04
Size: 169.5 MB
Styles: Bop, Soul Jazz
Year: 1992
Art: Front

[9:13] 1. Jack McDuff - Tubby
[5:01] 2. Gene Ammons - Dumplin'
[4:34] 3. Jack McDuff - When You Wish Upon A Star
[6:02] 4. Jack McDuff - Shuffle Twist
[5:42] 5. Jack McDuff - Sleeping Susan
[6:45] 6. Jack McDuff - Out In The Cold Again
[5:09] 7. Jack McDuff - Love, I've Found You
[4:27] 8. Etta Jones - But Not For Me
[3:57] 9. Oliver Nelson, Clark Terry, Red Holloway - Too Marvelous For Words
[4:22] 10. Etta Jones - If You're But A Dream
[7:41] 11. Jack McDuff - Scram
[6:13] 12. Jack McDuff - Ballad For Baby
[4:50] 13. Etta Jones - Cool Cool Daddy

The two early-'60s LPs in the Soul Summit series featured some of the many collaborations of tenors Gene Ammons and Sonny Stitt, who are joined by organist Jack McDuff and drummer Charlie Persip. Their six performances are primarily riff tunes, with "When You Wish Upon a Star" taken at a medium pace and "Out in the Cold Again" the lone ballad. The second half of this CD, which features both volumes, features Ammons on two songs ("Love, I've Found You" and a swinging "Too Marvelous for Words") with a big band arranged by Oliver Nelson, jamming "Ballad for Baby" with a quintet, sitting out "Scram" (which stars McDuff and the tenor of Harold Vick), and backing singer Etta Jones on three numbers, of which "Cool, Cool Daddy" is the most memorable. Overall, this is an interesting and consistently swinging set that adds to the large quantity of recordings that the great Ammons did during the early '60s. ~Scott Yanow

Soul Summit

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Flora Purim - That's What She Said

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 35:24

Size: 81.0 MB

Styles: Fusion, Latin jazz

Year: 1978/2001

Art: Front

[4:31] 1. Look Into His Eyes

[4:31] 2. Juicy

[5:07] 3. Hidden Within

[3:29] 4. You On My Mind

[5:02] 5. What Can I Say

[4:44] 6. Love's The Way I Feel 'bout Cha

[3:52] 7. That's What She Said

[4:04] 8. You Are My Heart

Accompanied By/With – Airto, Alphonso Johnson, Byron Miller, Ernie Watts, George Bohanon, George Duke, Jay Graydon, Leon Ndugu Chancler, Oscar Brashear. Recorded (mostly in 1976) at Paramount Recording Studios, Holywood.

Toward the close of her Milestone years, Flora Purim teamed up with producer/keyboardist George Duke -- and the imprint of Duke, then entering his funkified "Dukey Stick" period, is heavy enough to dominate the record. Very often, Duke uses his then rhythm section of bassist Byron Miller (alternating with Alphonso Johnson) and drummer Ndugu Chandler to give the grooves a definite '70s funk feel -- and percussionist Airto adapts his talents seamlessly to this way of life. Duke's electronic keyboard arsenal is all over the record, occasionally going gonzo on the Moog synthesizer, draping a then-still-fashionable ARP string synthesizer over the landscape, comping on the Rhodes electric piano or Yamaha electric grand. Joe Henderson turns up with a funk-bop tenor solo on the Brazilian/funk groove on "What Can I Say?" (what could he say?), part of a first-call L.A. studio horn section that includes trumpet Oscar Brashear, trombonist George Bohanon, and Ernie Watts on flute. And where does all of this instrumental activity leave Purim? Floating on top of the mix as usual, whether in a wordless vocalise, agile scatting with Duke's lead synth on the title track, or heavily accented English, sometimes in multiple overdubs. Nevertheless, the Brazilian feeling is not quite cancelled out by Duke's busy production hand -- and this Western Hemispheric amalgam would soon pave the way for groups like Azymuth. ~Richard S. Ginnell

That's What She Said

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Barney Wilen - Essential Best

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:03
Size: 162.7 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[5:06] 1. Valse Hot
[4:39] 2. Dig
[5:17] 3. Caravan
[7:27] 4. Granadas
[5:45] 5. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
[5:54] 6. Blues Walk
[9:21] 7. No Problem '94
[5:03] 8. Estate
[7:02] 9. Jitterbug Waltz
[9:59] 10. My Ship
[5:26] 11. Passione

Barney Wilen's mother was French, his father a successful American dentist-turned-inventor. He grew up mostly on the French Riviera; the family left during World War II but returned upon its conclusion. According to Wilen himself, he was convinced to become a musician by his mother's friend, the poet Blaise Cendrars. As a teenager he started a youth jazz club in Nice, where he played often. He moved to Paris in the mid-'50s and worked with such American musicians as Bud Powell, Benny Golson, Miles Davis, and J.J. Johnson at the Club St. Germain. His emerging reputation received a boost in 1957 when he played with Davis on the soundtrack to the Louis Malle film Lift to the Scaffold. Two years later, he performed with Art Blakey and Thelonious Monk on the soundtrack to Roger Vadim's Les Liaisons Dangereuses (1960). Wilen began working in a rock-influenced style during the '60s, recording an album entitled Dear Prof. Leary in 1968. In the early '70s, Wilen led a failed expedition of filmmakers, musicians, and journalists to travel to Africa to document pygmy music. Later Wilen played in a punk rock band called Moko and founded a French Jazzmobile-type organization that took music to people living in outlying areas. He also worked in theater. By the mid-'90s, he was working once again in a bebop vein in a band with the pianist Laurent de Wilde. Much of Wilen's later work was documented on the Japanese Venus label. ~bio by Chris Kelsey

Essential Best

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Lester Young - The Complete Savoy Recordings (2-Disc Set)

When this double-album set was first released, the "two-fer" fad in jazz and blues reissues was not exactly new, but a consensus on what to do with alternate takes had not been reached, if it ever has. Compact discs made the entire situation easier to deal with, as machines could be programmed to play the selections in any order, and the perception of monotony that lingers just under the surface of any alternate-takes collection could be avoided with the click of a button. Back in the vinyl days, the way this set was programmed would have been bad news for anyone who had problems listening to four takes of "Exercise in Swing" in a row -- although obviously, the thing for such a person to do would be avoid buying this collection entirely. All the versions of a given tune are presented right in a row, with an average of three different titles per side. The takes presented would all have been considered usable, so this is not a case of listening to out-of-tune versions or breakdowns. And in the end, this set is much more varied and interesting to listen to than it might appear from a glance at the track list. Hearing the difference in the solos from version to version would be the major draw for the typical jazz fan, and these recordings are totally satisfying from that perspective. Young is a master soloist who never fails to come up with a odd slant on the melody, usually after lulling the listener into a false sense of calm. He is heard with a selection of players that are at the very least pleasant and swinging. The arrangements and brevity of the tracks means things move along quickly; hearing one soloist who is a genius followed by another who simply plays well is part of the fun, as a pure spirit of jazz flows through all the participants. The 1944 tracks were originally issued under the name of Earl Warren and His Orchestra, but it is actually the Count Basie band in disguise. Due to contract hassles, Basie turned the piano bench over to Clyde Hart, and alto saxophonist and amusing vocalist Earl Warren assumed mock leadership. These tracks absolutely defy the idea that listening to different versions of the same songs is dull. For one thing, the charts are complicated, and it will probably take multiple listens until one even gets used to the melodies enough to become bored by them. It is also thrilling to hear this totally tight band whip through these arrangements and the sequences of quick, energized, and clever solos that follow. At the same session, Young cut some tunes with a smaller band that has an exquisitely polished sound. Pianist Johnny Guarnieri plays wonderfully, a bit of Basie here, a touch of Tatum there, a wash of Wilson to wrap it up. Drummer Cozy Cole is tasteful, while Young's masterful phrasing is well-balanced in a horn lineup of trumpet and clarinet. This takes us to side C, which perhaps should have been identified as the third side to avoid the mediocrity associated with a C grade. Because now Basie himself is on the scene in a small band grouping that is some of the best recorded work of all concerned. It is simple material, played without a touch of pomposity. Some of the titles are only done once, such as "Jump Lester Jump," which everyone must have agreed could not possibly have been improved upon. The tunes that are done twice provide a tremendous opportunity to compare happenings. Rhythm-section fanatics can follow the strumming of Freddie Green or the snare drum of Shadow Wilson, because this is all about details. What happens exactly, that makes one version of tune six seconds longer than another? In the case of "Ding Dong," two of the three versions are exactly the same length, to the second, while the third is only a single second longer. The final session jumps ahead to 1949 and presents Young in a combo with several youngsters that went on to greater jazz glory. Roy Haynes, in his early twenties at the time of these recordings, is as delightful as he is on his Alladin sessions with Young, while the bluesy touch of pianist Junior Mance is right up Young's alley. It is sad to say Mance never backed up anyone as good as this again -- but in a way, nobody did. ~Eugene Chadbourne

Album: The Complete Savoy Recordings (Disc 1)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:10
Size: 172.1 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 1973/2002

[2:55] 1. These Foolish Things
[3:00] 2. Exercise In Swing (Take 1, Master)
[2:47] 3. Salute To Fats
[3:08] 4. Exercise In Swing (Take 3)
[3:00] 5. Exercise In Swing (Take 4)
[3:20] 6. Salute To Fats (Take 1)
[1:16] 7. Salute To Fats (Take 2)
[2:57] 8. Salute To Fats (Take 3)
[0:56] 9. Salute To Fats (Take 4)
[2:56] 10. Salute To Fats (Take 5, Master)
[2:58] 11. Basie English (Take 1)
[3:00] 12. Basie English (Take 2, Master)
[2:54] 13. Empty Hearted (Take 1, Master)
[3:11] 14. Circus In Rhythm (Take 1, Master)
[3:03] 15. Circus In Rhythm (Take 2)
[2:53] 16. Circus In Rhythm (Take 3)
[2:55] 17. Poor Little Plaything (Take 1, Master)
[3:00] 18. Poor Little Plaything (Take 2)
[2:49] 19. Tush (Take 1)
[2:58] 20. Tush (Take 2, Master)
[3:21] 21. Blue Lester
[3:25] 22. I Don't Stand A Ghost Of A Chance With You (Take 1)
[3:18] 23. I Don't Stand A Ghost Of A Chance With You (Take 2, Master)
[2:51] 24. Back Home In Indiana
[2:55] 25. (Back Home Again In) Indiana (Take 2, Master)
[3:14] 26. Jump Lester Jump

The Complete Savoy Recordings (Disc 1)

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Album: The Complete Savoy Recordings (Disc 2)
itrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 77:10
Size: 176.7 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 1973/2002
Art: Front

[2:44] 1. Crazy Over Jazz (Take 1)
[2:45] 2. Exercise In Swig
[2:41] 3. Crazy Over J-Z (Take 3, Master)
[2:23] 4. Ding Dong (Take 1)
[2:23] 5. Ding Dong (Take 2)
[2:25] 6. Ding Dong (Take 3, Master)
[2:10] 7. Blues 'n' Bells (Take 1)
[2:20] 8. Blues 'n' Bells (Take 2)
[2:21] 9. Blues 'n' Bells (Take 3, Master)
[2:35] 10. June Bug (Take 1, Master)
[3:08] 11. Neenah
[3:41] 12. Body And Soul
[4:12] 13. Up And Adam
[9:23] 14. Big Eye Blues
[6:16] 15. One O'clock Blues
[4:52] 16. Lester's Mop Mop Blues
[5:31] 17. Pennies From Heaven
[4:13] 18. I Can't Get Started
[7:01] 19. How High The Moon
[3:57] 20. Jumpin' With Symphony Sid

The Complete Savoy Recordings (Disc 2)

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Jack Jezzro - Romance In Venice

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:36
Size: 120,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:42)  1. Santa Lucia
(4:07)  2. The Godfather Waltz / Speak Softly Love
(3:41)  3. Arrivederci Roma (Goodbye To Rome)
(4:08)  4. Non Dimenticar
(3:44)  5. Oh Marie
(3:18)  6. Mattinatta (In The Morning)
(3:00)  7. Torna A Surriento (Come Back To Sorrento)
(3:29)  8. Mio Dolce Sogno
(4:47)  9. O Sole Mio
(3:19) 10. Mala Femmena
(3:45) 11. Bella Notte
(2:50) 12. Tra Veglia E Sonno
(3:12) 13. Vieni Sul Mar (Come To The Sea)
(3:29) 14. Serenade

Imagine you are gliding through the moonlight canals of Venice as your gondolier serenades you with an Italian romantic classic such as "Santa Lucia" or "O Sole Mio". That's where this instrumental collection of favorite Italian love songs will take you through strings of the mandolin, chords of the accordion, and sweeping notes of the violin. Romance yourself around the world with this elegant Italian musical tapestry. https://www.amazon.com/Romance-Venice-Jack-Jezzro/dp/B0001GMT2K

Personnel: Butch Baldassari (mandolin); Jack Jezzro, Pat Bergeson, Van Manakas, John Pell (guitar); Antoine Silverman (violin); Jeff Taylor (accordion); Lee Levine (clarinet); Roger Spencer (bass instrument).

Romance In Venice

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Ari Ambrose - Cyclic Episode

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:58
Size: 160,5 MB
Art: Front

( 9:31)  1. Gingerbread Boy
( 9:17)  2. Mirror Mirror
( 9:22)  3. Early Minor
(12:03)  4. Cyclic Episode
(10:38)  5. Goodbye to Childhood
( 9:11)  6. Roses Poses
( 9:53)  7. Remember

That astute follower of new talent, Nils Winther, introduced us to up and coming tenor saxophonist Ari Ambrose in 1998 with a trio date sans piano that was as remarkable in its daring as it was in its pronouncement of a great new talent on the scene. Now comes along Cyclic Episode and we hear Ambrose in a more conventional line-up, but that electrifying sense of abandon and joie de vivre is still there, making this set another triumph.  Going for a collection of seldom-done pieces, Ambrose proves to be a shrewd judge of great music. Sam Rivers wrote the title track, Joe Zawinul’s “Early Minor” comes from the neglected Nat Adderley album You, Baby, and “Goodbye To Childhood” is a shinning jewel from Herbie Hancock’s transcendent Speak Like a Child. A take on Berlin’s “Remember” also suggests that Ambrose has done his homework by checking out Hank Mobley’s version from the classic Soul Station. 

As a tenor stylist, Ambrose possesses a tone that’s full-bodied, but just a little rough at the edges. His fluidity is obvious over the course of the many choruses he spins during the opening “Gingerbread Boy.” Ballad work is a sign of maturity and Ambrose passes the test on “Early Minor” and “Goodbye to Childhood,” with a nod to Sonny Rollins obvious in the latter performance. The rest of the ensemble is also of the highest rank, Colligan and Drummond continuing to impress this reviewer as just about the most exciting thing since sliced bread. So the saying goes, they don’t make ‘em like they used to, but if you’re looking for the kind of spirited jams that used to come with those old Blue Notes and Prestiges, then look no further than Cyclic Episode. ~ C.Andrew Hovan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/cyclic-episode-ari-ambrose-steeplechase-records-review-by-c-andrew-hovan.php

Personnel: Ari Ambrose- tenor saxophone, George Colligan- piano and Fender Rhodes, Joe Martin- bass, Billy Drummond- drums

Cyclic Episode

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David Liebman Quintet - Doin' It Again

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1979
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:49
Size: 87,0 MB
Art: Front

(9:45)  1. Doin' It Again
(9:40)  2. Lady
(9:26)  3. Stardust
(8:57)  4. Cliff's Vibes

Considering what Liebman's quintet was able to achieve on "If They Only Knew," this one is a bit of a disappointment. For one thing, trumpeter Terumasa Hino plays a smaller role, featured only on a lovely rendition of "Stardust." For another, there is more of a feel of 1970s fusion to the whole, which while appealing to some, is nonetheless dated. John Scofield is splendid on electric guitar, with the spiraling, atmospheric forays for which he is known. Overall, this is lightweight fare, with pleasant, danceable melodies and a solid beat provided by drummer Adam Nussbaum. Liebman plays both tenor and soprano saxophones, and he burns on the latter for Ron McClure's "Lady." He shows why he is such a well-respected and sought after performer, and he easily rises above the material. While there are plenty of good moments throughout this recording, there are better examples of the saxophonist's work. The ethereal nature of some of the CD leads to a light airy quality. For those looking for the beef, this might be a tad disappointing. ~ Steve Loewy http://www.allmusic.com/album/doin-it-again-mw0000539969

Personnel:  David Liebman - tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone;  Terumasa Hino - trumpet, flugelhorn, percussion;  John Scofield – guitar;  Ron McClure - acoustic and electric bass;  Adam Nussbaum -drums

Doin' It Again

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Ernie Watts Quartet - Wheel Of Time

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:01
Size: 137,0 MB
Art: Front

(6:14)  1. Letter from Home
(5:48)  2. A Distant Light
(5:56)  3. Inner Urge
(5:47)  4. Andi's Blues
(7:03)  5. L'agua Azul
(6:40)  6. You and You
(7:44)  7. Velocity
(7:00)  8. Goose Dance
(6:45)  9. Wheel Of Time (Anthem For Charlie)

On the Buddy Rich band's album Big Swing Face (circa 1967), Ernie Watts unleashes a blazing alto sax solo on the title track that is guaranteed to send chills up and down the spine and leave listeners wondering, "How did he do that?" Now, almost half a century later, the seventy-year-old Watts continues to weave those mind-bending solos, this time on tenor sax, on Wheel of Time, a quartet date whose nine selections include four written by the leader himself and one each by the other members of the group.  If time has tempered Watts' spirit or abraded his technical skills, it's not apparent here. He plays much as he has since his tenure with Rich or, later, bassist Charlie Haden's celebrated Quartet West, which Watts joined as a founding member in 1986. To erase any doubt of that, listen to Watts' aptly named "Velocity" or Joe Henderson's aggressive "Inner Urge." This is Watts' working quartet, European version, with whom he has been playing for more than fifteen years (Wheel of Time was recorded in Darmstadt, Germany). Unsheathing their talents while covering Watts' back are pianist Christof Saenger (versatile), bassist Rudi Engel (unwavering) and drummer Heinrich Koebberling (resourceful).

Saenger wrote the lyrical, Latin-flavored "L'Agua Azul," Engel the easygoing "Andi's Blues," Koebberling the undulating "You and You." Completing the program are Watts' "Letter from Home," "A Distant Light" and "Wheel of Time" (the last an earnest tribute to friend and colleague Haden who died in July 2014) and Canadian pianist Adrean Farrugia's light-hearted calypso, "Goose Dance." Engel delivers an engaging solo on "Wheel," as he does on ""A Distant Light" and "Andi's Blues." Koebberling flexes his chops on "Inner Urge," and as for Saenger, he shines whenever his impressive talents are required, as they are on most numbers. Even so, it is Watts on whose shoulders the album essentially is borne, and they are brawny shoulders indeed. After more than half a century of sharp and spirited blowing, the maestro shows no sign that he is easing back on the throttle. In other words, Wheel of Time is vintage Watts, moderated only by wisdom and experience. ~ Jack Bowers https://www.allaboutjazz.com/wheel-of-time-ernie-watts-flying-dolphin-records-review-by-jack-bowers.php
 

Personnel: Ernie Watts: tenor saxophone; Christof Saenger: piano; Rudi Engel: bass; Heinrich Koebberling: drums.

Wheel Of Time

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Herbie Hancock - Jammin' With Herbie

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:55
Size: 162.4 MB
Styles: Bop, Piano jazz
Year: 1999
Art: Front

[ 9:35] 1. Maulana
[ 6:37] 2. Rock Your Soul
[13:03] 3. Baraka
[ 5:41] 4. Kamili
[ 8:20] 5. Bunia
[ 7:20] 6. Hot Piano
[ 3:52] 7. One And Awake
[ 4:37] 8. Night Walker
[ 6:35] 9. Jammin' With Herbie
[ 5:10] 10. Scoochie

These are alternate takes from the Warwick Record album OUT OF THIS WORLD co-led by Donald Byrd and Pepper Adams from 1961 in New York. I too bought the lp from the cut-out bin while in college. Many years later Fresh Sounds an import label in Spain made the original sessions available in 2007. Now I have the disc with the master takes and this particular album with bonus alternate takes. The more the merrier for me. The line-up is as follows : Don Byrd-trumpet, Pepper Adams-baritone sax, Herbie Hancock-piano, Laymon Jackson-bass, Jimmy Cobb- drums, and Teddy Charles-vibes on the song It's a beautiful evening only. The titles on the 'Jammin' with Herbie' have been changed from the original session date. This set gives the listener a tasty tidbit of what can be a hearty repaste of musical delight. ~A. Flynt

Jammin' With Herbie

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Paula Santoro - S/T

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:51
Size: 116.4 MB
Styles: Brazilian jazz vocals
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[4:52] 1. Se Voce Disser Que Sim
[4:04] 2. Sem Fantasia
[3:34] 3. Segue Em Paz
[4:13] 4. Nós Dois
[4:36] 5. Não É Céu
[5:25] 6. Léo
[4:05] 7. Rainha Do Meu Samba
[3:24] 8. É Sério
[3:38] 9. Como Se A Vida Fosse Música
[4:01] 10. Céu No Cio
[4:35] 11. Perfume De Cebola
[4:18] 12. Yemanjá Rainha

Paula Santoro started her career in Minas Gerais in 1989, as part of a local vocal group- Nós & Voz, and was spotted by violinist Marcus Viana, leader of Sagrado Coração da Terra, a reputable progressive rock band.

In 1998 Paula Santoro moved to Rio de Janeiro. She was invited to take part in the Brahma Brasil Festival in France, one of the highlights of the World Cup events. She performed for thousands on her own, and shared the same stage with the great Gilberto Gil.

“Paula Santoro from Minas Gerais is one of those perfect singers: fine voice, perfect pitch and excellent repertoire. As shown is the CD in her own name (Biscoito Fino), which among other hits, opens with a little remembered partnership of Moacir Santos and Vinícius “Se você disser que sim”, includes “Sem Fantasia” by Chico Buarque with his participation, and a pearl from Vitor Ramil “Não é Céu”. ~Antonio Carlos Miguel

Paula Santoro

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Lol Williams Band - The Very Thought Of You

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:26
Size: 108.6 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2003
Art: Front

[4:46] 1. Night And Day
[2:10] 2. Summerwind
[2:01] 3. I Wanna Be Around
[3:01] 4. Pennies From Heaven
[2:11] 5. The Good Life
[4:05] 6. The Lady Is A Tramp
[2:53] 7. I Left My Heart In San Fransisco
[4:26] 8. Who Can I Turn To
[3:07] 9. Fly Me To The Moon
[2:44] 10. It Had To Be You
[3:09] 11. The More I See You
[3:39] 12. Mack The Knife
[4:49] 13. Fly So High
[4:19] 14. The Very Thought Of You

The Very Thought Of You

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