Julie London - Make Love To Me

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 29:27
Size: 67.4 MB
Styles: Easy Listening
Year: 1957/2010
Art: Front

[2:15] 1. If I Could Be With You (One Hour Tonight)
[2:31] 2. It's Good To Want You Bad
[2:12] 3. Go Slow
[2:53] 4. A Room With A View
[2:20] 5. The Nearness Of You
[2:05] 6. Alone Together
[2:06] 7. I Wanna Be Loved
[3:40] 8. Snuggled On Your Shoulder
[1:55] 9. You're My Thrill
[2:32] 10. Lover Man
[2:23] 11. Body And Soul
[2:30] 12. Make Love To Me

Julie London's concise and melodic versions of standards were quite popular during the latter half of the 1950s. Her subtle sensuality and lightly swinging style made for a potent combination. This album (which has not yet reappeared on CD) matches London's voice with an orchestra arranged by Russ Garcia on standards and a couple of newer tunes, including Bobby Troup's "It's Good to Want You Bad." Among the more memorable selections are "If I Could Be With You," "Alone Together," "I Wanna Be Loved" and "You're My Thrill." ~Scott Yanow

Make Love To Me

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Trini Lopez - 2 albums: Trini Lopez At PJ's / More Trini Lopez At PJ's

Album: Trini Lopez At PJ's
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:51
Size: 82.1 MB
Styles: Pop/Rock
Year: 1963/2013
Art: Front

[3:51] 1. A-Me-Ri-Ca
[2:59] 2. If I Had A Hammer
[2:18] 3. Bye Bye Blackbird
[2:03] 4. Cielito Lindo
[3:51] 5. This Land Is Your Land
[3:12] 6. What'd I Say
[4:37] 7. La Bamba
[3:20] 8. Granada
[6:35] 9. Medley Gotta Travel On Down By The Riverside Marianne When The Saints Go Marching In Volare
[3:02] 10. Unchain My Heart

This was the album that made Lopez explode nationally, reaching number two, staying in the Top 40 LP charts for about a year, and yielding the hit "If I Had a Hammer." All of this seems to have been largely forgotten today, but at the time Lopez was ubiquitous indeed. What he did, at the head of a trio with Mickey Jones (later to play briefly with Bob Dylan) on drums and Dick Brant on bass, was to make folk-pop swing. There is certainly some folk music on here, including "If I Had a Hammer," "This Land Is Your Land," and "Gotta Travel On." It could be surmised that by treating such material in this fashion, Lopez had a tiny influence upon the subsequent folk-rock movement; Marty Balin of the Jefferson Airplane has said as much. In truth, however, Lopez was more the all-around entertainer with a Latin lilt than he was a folk singer, so you also get "America" (from West Side Story), "La Bamba," Ray Charles' "What'd I Say," "Volare," and "When the Saints Go Marching In." The live party-a-go-go atmosphere did much to put Lopez's likable energy over, and likely influenced the similar live-in-a-small-club ambience on Johnny Rivers' early hits, especially as Jones played with Rivers as well. ~Richie Unterberger

Trini Lopez At PJ's

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Album: More Trini Lopez At PJ's
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:02
Size: 75.6 MB
Styles: Pop/Rock
Year: 1963/2005
Art: Front

[3:23] 1. Oh, Lonesome Me
[2:45] 2. Never On Sunday
[2:21] 3. The Gang That Sang Heart Of My Heart
[4:05] 4. Corazon De Melon (Watermelon Heart)
[2:02] 5. Go Into The Mountains
[2:14] 6. If You Wanna Be Happy
[2:32] 7. Walk Right In
[2:26] 8. Lonesome Traveler
[2:38] 9. Green, Green
[2:25] 10. Goody Goody
[2:46] 11. Yeah
[3:19] 12. Kansas City

The success of Trini Lopez's live debut, Trini Lopez at PJ's, ensured that the formula would be repeated with the release of More Trini Lopez at PJ's a few months later. The album was another success, barely missing the Top Ten on the album charts, and giving Lopez a second hit single with his hard-rocking performance of "Kansas City." The album was as varied as the debut, offering Latin-tinged, good-time renditions of folk, country, and rock & roll songs, standards, and even an original composition ("Yeah"). Less folk-oriented than the first album in terms of repertoire but no less entertaining, More Trini Lopez at PJ's rivals Lopez's debut in overall quality despite its more modest chart placement. ~Greg Adams

More Trini Lopez At PJ's

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Martin Pyrker - Boogie Woogie Storm

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:51
Size: 150.8 MB
Styles: Boogie woogie, Piano blues
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[3:12] 1. Sabine's Jive (Feat. Sabine Pyrker)
[2:52] 2. Boogie Woogie Storm
[2:56] 3. Black Key Roller
[3:01] 4. How Long Blues (Feat. Gine Heiger & Michael Hudec)
[3:18] 5. Knockin' Myself Out
[3:26] 6. Blues Whistle
[4:17] 7. Honky Tonk Train Blues
[3:59] 8. I Got A Mind To Ramble
[2:32] 9. My Man Is Gone
[3:08] 10. He's Dynamite
[3:26] 11. Grooving The Blues
[3:51] 12. Mostar Blues
[3:50] 13. My Mellow Man
[3:11] 14. You Can't Take It With You
[3:24] 15. George's Texas Stomp
[3:14] 16. V-Disc Stomp
[2:54] 17. It's Good Like That
[2:41] 18. Cry On Daddy
[4:11] 19. Pallet On The Floor
[2:18] 20. At The Window

Born on August 27th,1954 in Vienna, discovered his love for the piano and thereby for the blues in 1971, when he was 17 years young and already playing the drums for 4 years. A blues program on the radio, an acquaintance with the pianists Vince Weber, Hans-Georg Möller and Axel Zwingenberger from Hamburg, who caused at that time the boogie woogie fever in Germany, and the meeting with the Viennese “blues guru” Hans Maitner, protagonist of the legendary radio program “Living Blues” fascinated Martin Pyrker of a kind of music that has meanwhile become 100 years old: the classical piano-blues and boogie-woogie.

Pyrker’s legendary concerts in the 1970s with Zwingenberger, Weber and Möller and, originated from this, the first piano-boogie woogie record in Austria (“Boogie Woogie Session 76” / EMI) were the beginning of a growing enthusiasm for this kind of music in Austria and Germany and influenced further generations of young pianists. Solo and together with many other well-known artists at home and abroad, Martin gave a lot of concerts in jazz clubs, blues bars and at blues and boogie festivals, where he also shared the piano with long gone legends of the blues: Blind John Davis, Roosevelt Sykes, Memphis Slims, Champion Jack Dupree, just to mention a few of them.

Since the legendary boogie woogie festival of Cologne (WDR 1974) and Vienna (concert hall 1976) the renaissance of boogie woogie could not be stopped anymore, unnumerous tours through Europe and USA followed (as "Stars of Boogie Woogie" and others). More than 1500 performances and concerts at home and abroad have left their mark on Pyrkers career since then. Also a lot of records were produced, out from a repertoire of more than 100 own compositions and the most important blues and boogie woogie standards, solo and together with international stars of the blues, recorded in Vienna, Wels, Paris and Fort Worth.

Since 1999 he is accompanied frequently by his daughter Sabine on the drums, who attained in the meanwhile absolute professional experience and motivates her father anew at each of their performances in a refreshing way. Martin Pyrker today is the most known authentic blues and boogie pianist in Austria and his CDs are well known in USA too, the origin country of this kind of music.

Boogie Woogie Storm

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Various - In Swing We Trust

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:19
Size: 115.2 MB
Styles: Swing
Year: 2017
Art: Front

[3:17] 1. Giorgio Cuscito - Tuxedo Junction
[2:48] 2. Eloisa Atti - Your Mother's Son In Law
[2:46] 3. Bayou Moonshiners - Me Myself And I
[2:43] 4. My Gypsy Soul - Dinah
[2:52] 5. Pepper And The Jellies - You Can't Bet On Love
[4:03] 6. Harp Bazaar - My Heart Belongs To Daddy
[2:58] 7. Paolo Tomelleri - Esquire Bounce
[2:41] 8. Lara Luppi - Baby It's Cold Outside
[4:07] 9. Mauro Ottolini - Conosci Mia Cugina
[3:48] 10. Eloisa Atti - Comes Love
[3:10] 11. Pepper And The Jellies - Some Of These Days
[2:42] 12. Paolo Tomelleri - Loch Lomond
[3:22] 13. Sandra Cartolari - Dottor Swing
[3:07] 14. Bayou Moonshiners - Big Time Woman
[2:46] 15. Giorgio Cuscito - Silent George
[3:02] 16. My Gypsy Soul - Hokey Pokey

COSE SONORE and RAGTIME MANAGEMENT present the first volume of the compilation IN SWING WE TRUST, selected for listeners and dancers. The mission of Ragtime Cultural Association is preserving, promoting and spreading a music for swing dancers and the label COSE SONORE joins in and with the collection IN SWING WE TRUST puts together some of the best italian musicians and bands which wonderfully continue the tradition of the music which was born in America at the beginning of the last century, went through all kinds of contamination, helped people's integration, brought together incredible amounts of people dancing happily just as it's doing again right now, one century after. Sixteen tracks including some classic songs of the beginning of the XX century like "Dinah", "Some of These Days", "Me Myself and I", "Tuxedo Junction" starring Giorgio Cuscito, Paolo Tomelleri, Lara Luppi and Greg, Mauro Ottolini, Eloisa Atti and many more.

In Swing We Trust

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Oscar Peterson, Stephane Grappelli - Skol (Remastered)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:30
Size: 136.2 MB
Styles: Piano jazz, Mainstream jazz
Year: 1979/2013
Art: Front

[8:14] 1. Nuages
[5:19] 2. How About You
[6:57] 3. Someone To Watch Over Me
[5:16] 4. Makin' Whoopee
[7:33] 5. That's All
[7:04] 6. Skol Blues
[6:32] 7. Honeysuckle Rose
[5:58] 8. Solitude
[6:33] 9. I Got Rhythm

Oscar Peterson: piano; Stephane Grappelli: violin; Joe Pass: guitar; Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen: bass; Mickey Roker: drums.

Music impresario Norman Granz (1918-2001) was a cagey so-and-so. When he inaugurated Pablo Records in 1973, he already had a catalog of recordings and an immediate pool of exceptional performers who also happened to be under his management (often making his acquaintance through Granz's Jazz at the Philharmonic program). With this combination of fortunes, Granz was able to release some 350 recordings in 15 years, before he sold his company to Fantasy Records in 1987.

In 1979, with his label connections with pianist Oscar Peterson, guitarist Joe Pass, bassist Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen and drummer Mickey Roker firmly cemented, Granz was in a perfect position to take advantage of recording this quartet's support of violinist Stephane Grappelli July 6, 1979 at Copenhagen's Tivoli Gardens. Grappelli, veteran of guitarist Django Reinhardt's Quintette du Hot Club de France, was to meet another guitar titan in Pass for what would be a memorable show. The concert had two parts, the first recorded with Grappelli, Pass and Pedersen, released as Stephane Grappelli/Joe Pass/Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen: Tivoli Gardens (Pablo, 1979). The second part of the show added Peterson and Roker, eventually becoming the present Skol.

The original six tunes are supplemented with previously unreleased performances of Honeysuckle Rose," "Solitude" and "I Got Rhythm" making this overall re-release quite attractive. The performance begins with an extended suite version of Django Reinhardt's "Nauges" introduced first by a solo performance by Pass, followed by Pass supporting Grappelli and then a solo performance by Peterson. The entire band joins in the coda, reminding an appreciative audience why they came to this particular show on a balmy Summer night. ~C. Michael Bailey

Skol (Remastered)

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Vic Dickenson - Gentleman of the Trombone

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 1975
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:23
Size: 134,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:05)  1. Too Marvelous for Words
(6:03)  2. Nice and Easy Blues
(4:59)  3. Just Too Late
(4:18)  4. Shine
(5:03)  5. Sweet Sue, Just You
(6:19)  6. Bye Bye Blackbird
(3:01)  7. More Rain
(8:01)  8. S'posin'
(4:29)  9. Love Letters in the Sand
(5:28) 10. Christopher Columbus
(5:34) 11. I Ain't Got Nobody

Vic Dickenson was one of the great trombone stylists whose relaxed sound, slurred notes, and impeccable feel invested every solo with a unique warmth never duplicated by anyone else. While he was often recorded as a sideman, he was rarely captured as a leader. This mid-'70s studio session, recorded late in his career, features a mature Dickenson leading a sympathetic rhythm section of pianist Johnny Guarnieri, bassist Bill Pemberton, and drummer Oliver Jackson. The real treasure is the chance to hear the trombonist playing tunes with which he was comfortable and improvising at length. His renditions of "Sweet Sue, Just You," "Christopher Columbus," and "Bye Bye Blackbird" are perfect expositions of his classy way of capturing the essence of a tune. The trombonist sings on a couple of tracks ("Just Too Late" and "More Rain"), but his vocals are more of interest as novelty items for completists. Johnny Guarnieri struts his stuff on "Shine," with a hot solo worthy of the era in which the piece was written. ~ Steve Loewy http://www.allmusic.com/album/gentleman-of-the-trombone-mw0000232307

Vic Dickenson (vocal and trombone), Johnny Guarnieri (piano), Bill Pemberton (bass), Oliver Jackson (drums).

Gentleman of the Trombone

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Mindi Abair - In Hi-Fi Stereo

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:21
Size: 112,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:53)  1. Any Way You Wanna
(3:29)  2. All Star
(4:25)  3. L'Espirit Nouveau
(3:24)  4. Get Right (feat. Ryan Collins)
(3:52)  5. Be Beautiful (feat. David Ryan Harris)
(4:09)  6. Down For The Count
(4:04)  7. Girl's Night Out
(4:19)  8. Let The Whole World Know (Sing Your Song)
(6:10)  9. It's A Man's Man's Man's World (feat. Lalah Hathaway)
(4:41) 10. Take Me Home
(4:51) 11. The Alley

As soul music has vanished from urban radio, driven out by the predominance of rap, hip-hop and Auto Tune, it's become harder to find real soul made with real instruments, either on record or on the airwaves. A Mindi Abair album is not the go-to place that comes to mind for a showcase of old school soul and bluesy funk. Abair has carved out a niche as a capable, if not always inspired, smooth jazz saxophonist, cut from the cloth of her contemporaries Kenny G, Richard Elliot and others, whom occasionally dip a toe into R&B, but never totally immerse themselves in the idiom. Once again, the danger of making assumptions is proven, because with In Hi-Fi Stereo Abair takes the plunge headfirst into the deep end of soul-infused jazz. Equal parts homage to the music of David Sanborn, Hank Crawford and The Crusaders offer a testimony of her own artistic growth. Abair makes a declarative statement that she is a formidable talent who can do far more than smooth jazz noodling.

Abair shoots for a more organic feel than her often overly slick previous work, achieving a funkier feel, alongside producer Rex Rideout, by employing Rhodes electric piano, Wurlitzer and B3 organs, and even an ARP synth on "Take Me Home." Another masterstroke was utilizing soul music veterans, drummer Gadson and bassist Reggie McBride, as the rhythm section for most of the album.  On Stars (Peak, 2008), Abair split duties between saxophone and singing. The improvement here is that she focuses almost exclusively on saxophone, and wisely selects vocalists better suited to the material rather than stretch her own thin voice. This choice allows Abair to play to her strength as a far more accomplished saxophonist than vocalist. "Get Right" and "Be Beautiful" are a pair of soul/funk workouts, featuring vocals by Ryan Collins and David Ryan Harris respectively. Abair is content to support the vocals instead of competing with them for prominence. Lalah Hathaway's turn on the instantly familiar, but slightly sexist James Brown classic, "It's A Man, Man's World" is initially jarring. Abair has long wanted to work with her fellow Berklee alumnus, and this bluesy outing was the perfect opportunity to do so. Abair's sparkling alto sax dukes it out with Hathaway's swaggering vocal turn in a bold, audacious and totally unexpected way. And it all works perfectly. The best thing about In Hi-Fi Stereo is that it doesn't sound anything like what a Mindi Abair album is supposed to sound like. That may seem like a backhanded compliment, but it's not. It's more a recognition of how Abair has blossomed as an artist. Whether this signals a new course in Abair's career or if this is merely a sentimental romp, who can say? Either way, it's a good sign. ~ Jeff Winbush https://www.allaboutjazz.com/in-hi-fi-stereo-mindi-abair-heads-up-international-review-by-jeff-winbush.php

Personnel: Mindi Abair: alto saxophone, vocals, horn arrangement; James E. Gadson: drums (1-4, 7-10); Reggie McBride: bass (1-4) (6-11); Randy Jacobs: electric and acoustic guitar (1-4, 7-10); Stephen "Stevo" Theard: arrangement, keyboards 1, 6, 10); Rex Rideout: Wurtlizer, keyboards, piano, programming (1, 3, 5-11); Casssandra O'Neal: B3 organ (2, 3, 8,9) ; Lee Thornberg: trumpet and trombone (2, 8, 9); Dave Woodford: tenor and baritone saxophone (2, 8); Bud Harner: ride cymbal (3); Ryan Collins: lead and background vocals (4); David Ryan Harris: guitar, vocals (5); Smitty Smith: bass (5); Michael White: drums (5); Dewayne Swan: B3 organ (5); Jamey Tate: drums (6, 11); Jay Gore: electric guitar (6, 11); Rodney Lee: Wurlitzer solo (6), B3 organ solo (11); Jessi Collins: background vocals; Lalah Hathaway: vocals and background vocals (9); Phil Parlapiano: Rhodes, Arp keyboard, organ (10), Lance Abair: B3 organ (11).

In Hi-Fi Stereo

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Andy Laverne - Serenade To Silver

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:27
Size: 150,3 MB
Art: Front

(6:12)  1. Nica's Dream
(7:51)  2. Strollin'
(6:47)  3. Song For My Father
(5:11)  4. Summer In Central Park
(6:05)  5. Nutville/Cape Verdean
(5:39)  6. Silver's Serenade
(6:53)  7. Gregory Is Here
(6:26)  8. Peace
(6:17)  9. Serenade To Silver
(8:03) 10. Barbara

One might think that focusing on a single composer's well-known pieces and then pretty much using the same instrumentation as he did in a recording session would be a recipe for disaster. But pianist Andy LaVerne manages to find something fresh within ten pieces by Horace Silver, even though he utilizes the same instruments as most of the original recordings. With a front line including trumpeter Tim Hagans and tenor saxophonist Rick Margitza, LaVerne approaches "Strollin'" with a lighter rhythmic touch, while he opens "Song for My Father" with a disguised vamp and immediately starts twisting it harmonically. An explosive medley combining "Nutville" and "Cape Verdean Blues" sizzles with excitement, contrasting with the mellow ballad "Peace," which beautifully blends Hagans' muted horn with Margitza's warm tenor. LaVerne's one original, "Serenade to Silver," is a perky original that captures the spirit of its honoree perfectly. This is a fine all-around salute by Andy LaVerne to the great Horace Silver. 

~ Ken Dryden http://www.allmusic.com/album/serenade-to-silver-mw0000050642

Personnel: Andy LaVerne (piano); Rick Margitza (tenor saxophone); Tim Haggans (trumpet); Steve LaSpina (bass); Billy Drummond (drums).

Serenade To Silver

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Teddy Wilson And His Piano - Intimate Listening

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1954
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:52
Size: 114,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:00)  1. The One I Love
(2:18)  2. Darn That Dream
(3:19)  3. Tea For Two
(3:01)  4. Oh, Lady Be Good
(2:38)  5. Emaline
(3:10)  6. Tenderly
(3:13)  7. Everything Happens To Me
(2:27)  8. Liza
(3:01)  9. Nice Work If You Can Get It
(3:22) 10. Airmail Special
(3:02) 11. Night And Day
(3:55) 12. Cheek To Cheek
(3:11) 13. East Of The Sun (West Of The Moon)
(2:48) 14. Autumn In New York
(4:12) 15. Isn't It Romantic
(3:09) 16. You Go To My Head

Intimate listening from pianist Teddy Wilson, but surprisingly lively listening too as Teddy's as fleet on the keys as ever, and maybe even more so in this well-recorded session from the 50s! The record's got a great Verve vibe simple, unadorned presentation of the Teddy Wilson genius at its mature height with bass and drums to help bring in a gentle bit of rhythm, but Teddy handling most of the energy himself with an amazing command of the keyboard that really transforms these familiar tunes. The approach is like Erroll Garner at his best from the time subtle magic from simple sources but Teddy's lighter, and more lyrical too  especially on his flourishes on the keys. Titles include "You Go To My Head", "Night & Day", "Cheek To Cheek", "Nice Work If You Can Get It", "East Of The Sun", and "Everything Happens To Me". (SHM-CD pressing!) © 1996-2017, Dusty Groove, Inc. https://www.dustygroove.com/item/799414

Personnel:  Teddy Wilson – piano;  John Simmons, Aaron Bell, Arvell Shaw – bass;  Buddy Rich, Denzil Best, J. C. Heard – drums.

Intimate Listening

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Jessica Pilnäs - Norma Deloris Egstrom - A Tribute to Peggy Lee

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:54
Size: 115,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:18)  1. There'll Be Another Spring
(2:56)  2. Do I Love You
(3:29)  3. Blue Prelude
(4:34)  4. Smile
(4:10)  5. Fever
(2:57)  6. This Is a Very Special Day
(6:11)  7. It Never Entered My Mind
(2:52)  8. What's New
(3:01)  9. Boston Beans
(2:17) 10. I Wound It Up
(2:53) 11. I'm Gonna Go Fishin'
(6:34) 12. The Folks Who Live On the Hill
(3:36) 13. The Gold Wedding Ring

Peggy Lee is not an artist who is usually associated with Sweden, but as Norma Deloris Egstrom A Tribute To Peggy Lee indicates, her real name comes straight from her family's roots in that Scandinavian country. Singer Jessica Pilnäs is Swedish, although this link is of relatively little importance to the music on offer here. More vitally, she's a talented interpreter of songs who can do justice to the legacy of one of the great singers of jazz and popular music. Pilnäs doesn't, as yet, have Lee's international profile or status although she's been singing for most of her life and has worked with trombonist Nils Landgren, among others. She's a talented singer and she's wise enough not to simply copy Lee's style. She's capable of replicating Lee's emotional engagement, however, be it the seductiveness of Cole Porter's "Do I Love You" or the pathos of Rodgers and Hart's "It Never Entered My Mind." Pilnäs' vocals have panache and, in combination with the unusual instrumental lineup and Johan Norberg's arrangements, she gives the songs a very personal touch. Mattias Ståhl's vibraphone is used to particularly good effect as the album's lead instrument, with telling contributions from trumpeter Karl Olandersson.

Two songs in particular emphasize the range of moods and emotions that Lee commands. Pilnäs retains Lee's assertive sexuality on "Fever" but the music exchanges the original's cool, hip, style for a lighter and more humorous arrangement that puts Olandersson's muted trumpet and Ståhl's vibraphone to the fore. Ståhl opens "The Folks Who Live On The Hill" with a few bars of gentle, relaxing vibes before Pilnäs and bassist Fredrik Jonsson make their own understated entrance. With subtle use of the Fleshquartet's strings, this is a beautiful version of the song, all the better for eschewing the full-on and rather over-dramatic orchestral arrangement of Lee's own recording. The song selection does occasionally seem rather quirky, with a few undistinguished numbers taking up space that might have been better occupied by much finer compositions. Lee may have written "I Wound It Up" and co-composed "Boston Beans," but they're a poor substitute for "Why Don't You Do Right," "Alright, Okay, You Win" or Leiber and Stoller's stunning "Is That All There Is?," to name just three songs she's strongly associated with. At least Pilnäs hasn't simply gone for the obvious entries in the Peggy Lee Songbook and she gives the same amount of care and spirit to every one of her performances. Norma Deloris Egstrom A Tribute To Peggy Lee is a welcome reminder of Lee's talents as a singer and composer. It's also a showcase for Pilnäs' own talent: she's an excellent interpreter of these classic songs and in creating a fine tribute to Lee, she has enhanced her own reputation. ~ Bruce Lindsay https://www.allaboutjazz.com/norma-deloris-egstrom--a-tribute-to-peggy-lee-jessica-pilnas-act-music-review-by-bruce-lindsay.php

Personnel: Jessica Pilnäs: vocals; Mattias Ståhl: vibraphone; Karl Olandersson: trumpet; Fredrik Jonsson: bass; The Fleshquartet (Sebastian Öberg, Örjan Högberg, Mattias Helldén, Christian Olsson): strings.

Norma Deloris Egstrom - A Tribute to Peggy Lee

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Horace Parlan - On the Spur of the Moment

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1961
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:58
Size: 130,6 MB
Art: Front

( 5:56)  1. On the Spur of the Moment
(10:59)  2. Skoo Chee
( 4:45)  3. And That I Am So in Love
( 7:06)  4. Al's Tune
( 6:59)  5. Ray C.
( 6:38)  6. Pyramid
( 8:00)  7. On the Spur of the Moment (alternate take)
( 6:31)  8. Pyramid (alternate take)

Again working with his longtime rhythm section of George Tucker (bass) and Al Harewood (drums), Horace Parlan manages to On the Spur of the Moment make distinctive by emphasizing the rhythmic side of his hard bop. Tenor saxophonist Stanley Turrentine and trumpeter Tommy Turrentine help give the quintet a bluesy edge, which the band exploits to an appealing effect throughout these six, mostly original, compositions. There are a few ballads, and even when things are at their hottest, Parlan's understated playing is a cue for the group to keep it tasteful, but that relaxed atmosphere is part of the reason why On the Spur of the Moment is another winning effort from the underrated pianist. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine http://www.allmusic.com/album/on-the-spur-of-the-moment-mw0000033102

Personnel: Horace Parlan (piano); Stanley Turrentine (tenor saxophone); Tommy Turrentine (trumpet); George Tucker (bass); Al Harewood (drums).

R.I.P.
Born: January 19, 1931, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: February 23, 2017, Korsør, Denmark

On the Spur of the Moment

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Steve Davis - Images

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:14
Size: 129,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:49)  1. Nato
(6:52)  2. The Modernist
(5:40)  3. Twain's World
(5:55)  4. J Mac's Way
(7:07)  5. Mode for Miantonomoh
(4:51)  6. Rose Garden
(6:00)  7. Tune for Calhoun
(5:21)  8. Park Street
(5:28)  9. Kenney's
(5:07) 10. Club 880

Images is trombonist Steve Davis' love letter to his hometown of West Hartford, CT. The ten pieces he wrote for the album, and which make up his "Hartford Suite," are all dedicated to people or places associated with this geographic region. While Davis' penchant for crisp swing and clear, lyrical lines plays a big part here, some compositional cunning and some pieces that fall outside this general area helps to keep things from falling into a stylistic rut.  Dedicated to bassist Nat Reeves, the mid-to-up-tempo swing of "Nato" possesses a persistent, four-note figure that drops in as the parade of soloists pass along. "The Modernist" plays off of oddly placed accents, slightly obscuring an otherwise straightforward feel, while the horns stretch out over some cymbal rolls and arco bass before the music starts to cook on "Twain's World." A phrase with a cycling rhythm leads into the solos here, putting Davis and trumpeter Josh Evans in the spotlight. "J Mac's Way," dedicated to Jackie McLean, features some of pianist David Bryant's most absorbing solo work on the album, while the bass hook at the start of the waltzing "Mode For Miantonomoh" is an instant attention grabber. Bryant's zeal adds a lot to this track, bit its alto saxophonist Mike DiRubbo who is the standout soloist, showcasing his unique phrasing and style.

While the first half of the album has plenty to offer, the two tracks that seem to rise above the rest are on the latter half of the recording. Davis admittedly acknowledges the Billy Strayhorn influence on "Rose Garden," a ballad that exudes all of the tender sophistication and class associated with that genius of jazz composition. While Davis and DiRubbo carefully shape their lines to fit the song's mood, bassist Dezron Douglas provides some thick bass notes that hang, seemingly suspended in mid-air, behind them. "Park Street" has an infectiously joyous, party-like vibe, and uses a Latin groove as its rhythmic framework, set behind a 12-bar blues-like progression. All the soloists take things up a notch here, and Douglas' solo is bursting with creative energy. While familiarity with the city of Hartford would probably yield a unique appreciation for this album, the musical images presented here can easily stand on their own. ~ Dan Bilawsky https://www.allaboutjazz.com/images-steve-davis-posi-tone-records-review-by-dan-bilawsky.php
 

Personnel: Steve Davis: trombone; Mike DiRubbo: alto saxophone; David Bryant: piano; Dezron Douglas: bass; Eric McPerson: drums; Josh Evans: trumpet, flugelhorn; Kris Jensen: tenor saxophone (10).

Images

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Steve LaSpina - The Bounce

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:36
Size: 156,8 MB
Art: Front

( 7:43)  1. The Bounce
( 6:23)  2. Only Now
( 4:51)  3. My One And Only Love
( 9:51)  4. Seven F
(11:03)  5. Ask Me Now
( 8:28)  6. Let Me Go
( 6:06)  7. I've Heard That Song Before
(13:06)  8. How Deep Is The Ocean

Bassist Steve LaSpina's seventh outing on SteepleChase features Dave Ballou on trumpet and flugel, Billy Drewes on tenor and soprano, Vic Juris on guitar, and Jeff Hirshfield on drums. The leader presents four originals: "The Bounce," based on a swinging bass ostinato; "Only Now," a ballad with beautiful chording from Juris; "Seven F," a medium waltz with mellifluous soloing by Drewes, Ballou, and LaSpina; and "Let Me Go," a free bop tune with multiple tempo shifts and a real romp for the horns (Drewes on soprano). Juris contributes "I've Heard That Song Before," which he plays on acoustic guitar (horns lay out), while LaSpina steps forward with a solo rendition of "My One and Only Love," wringing polyphonic possibilities from his instrument. 

The quintet also explores Monk's "Ask Me Now" and closes with a semi-abstract "How Deep Is the Ocean." Beautiful playing from everyone involved. ~ David R.Adler http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-bounce-mw0001203847

Personnel:  Steve LaSpina (bass);  Billy Drewes (tenor sax, alto sax, clarinet, bass clarinet);  Dave Ballou (trumpet);  Jeff Hirshfield (drums);  Vic Juris (guitar)

The Bounce

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Terry Myers - Smiles

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 65:13
Size: 122,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:33)  1. Them There Eyes
(6:51)  2. Blue Prelude
(6:01)  3. Don't Get Around Much Anymore
(6:58)  4. A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square
(4:27)  5. As Long as I Live
(5:55)  6. Blue Hodge
(4:26)  7. Someday Sweetheart
(4:14)  8. It's You or No One
(6:24)  9. Everything Happens To Me
(4:15) 10. Oh, Baby
(6:13) 11. When Day Is Done
(4:51) 12. Smiles

Tuneful, swinging and technically polished. Terry Myers isn't worried about anything else jazz is "supposed" to be. Smiles is a relaxed yet energetic romp through some standards, ballads and blues that the Florida-based saxophonist clearly loves to play. There's nothing complex or innovative here, just four musicians having a good time and looking to take the listener along. A jumping "Them There Eyes" introduces Myers's straightforward approach to contemporary swing. He crafts phrases with rhythm and reason that are fun to follow, even if they're rarely surprising. On other fast numbers such as "It's You Or No One" and the title track, Myers sparks solid grooves from neatly structured patterns. Medium tempos are effective but not as stirring. "Blue Hodge" sounds dutiful rather than heartfelt, disappointing in a tune written for the emotive Johnny Hodges.  A spare but spurring rhythm section gives Myers plenty of room: no modern jazz interjections, just steady propulsion. Pianist Johnny Varro occasionally wraps playful counterpoint around Myers's lines, and contributes coy, Teddy Wilson-inspired solos. Bassist Joel Forbes walks effectively behind the band, and drummer Ed Metz maintains an airy, dancing beat. His solos are hummable orchestrations of skins and cymbals, for example on "Don't Get Around Much Anymore."

Duke Ellington's beloved pop song is given a simmering 6/8 waltz treatment, one of the few breaks from pure swing on this album. While the generic Latin feel on "Blue Prelude" suggests a two-drink minimum at the corner lounge, the reflective pace of "A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square" presents Myers at his soul- searching best. His bright tone darkens slightly, but retains its flexibility. Here and on the other ballad "Everything Happens To Me," the saxophonist truly soars even as he sticks to his stylistic guns. In the liner notes Myers explains that if he had it his way, he'd mostly play ballads; the man could probably get by on those instincts. His soprano sax comes off as merely tepid during medium tempo strolls through "As Long As I Live" and "Someday Sweetheart." More chances to hear him open up on the larger horn would have been welcome. The title of this disc is a great example of honesty in advertising. It won't change the course of music, but it should raise the corners of your lips. You'll know how many more Smiles you need. ~ Andrew J.Sammut https://www.allaboutjazz.com/smiles-terry-myers-arbors-records-review-by-andrew-j-sammut.php
 

Personnel: Terry Myers: tenor and soprano saxophones; Johnny Varro: piano; Joel Forbes: bass; Ed Metz: drums.

Smiles

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Suzanne Vega - Lover, Beloved: Songs from an Evening with Carson McCullers

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:10
Size: 76,4 MB
Art: Front

(2:56)  1. Carson's Blues
(3:09)  2. New York Is My Destination
(3:07)  3. Instant of the Hour After
(2:52)  4. We of Me
(3:18)  5. Annemarie
(2:47)  6. 12 Mortal Men
(3:43)  7. Harper Lee
(3:24)  8. Lover, Beloved
(4:18)  9. The Ballad of Miss Amelia
(3:32) 10. Carson's Last Supper

Suzanne Vega has always been a songwriter with a literary sensibility, displaying a feel for character and wordplay that was noticeably more nuanced than her peers. It seems entirely fitting that Vega might wish to honor one of her influences as a writer, and with Lover, Beloved: Songs from an Evening with Carson McCullers, she's done just that. One of Vega's favorite authors is Carson McCullers, who enjoyed critical and popular success in the '40s with her novels The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, The Member of the Wedding, and Reflections in a Golden Eye. In 2011, Vega performed a one-woman show about McCullers' life and work, and five years later she's released Lover, Beloved, which features ten songs she wrote for the show. (Duncan Sheik co-wrote the music with Vega, except for two songs she wrote in collaboration with Michael Jefry Stevens.) The album often has a somewhat different feel than much of Vega's work, especially in the songs in which she takes on McCullers' persona and discusses her early days after leaving Georgia for New York City ("New York Is My Destination"), and dishes about fellow authors she sees as hopeless inferiors ("Harper Lee"). The vintage jazz accents on "Carson's Blues" and "Harper Lee" also take Vega's songs into musical territory that doesn't always seem comfortable to her. However, the less specifically biographical numbers are quite effective, as Vega takes up stories from McCullers' life and work and weaves them into her own creative sensibility. Vega's vocal performances are intelligent and skillful throughout, and the largely acoustic arrangements give this music a vintage sensibility without forcing the issue. Lover, Beloved isn't a radical shift from Suzanne Vega's usual body of work, but it does find her stretching a bit from her comfort zone, and she sails gracefully along on this smart and tuneful song cycle. ~ Mark Deming http://www.allmusic.com/album/lover-beloved-songs-from-an-evening-with-carson-mccullers-mw0002961432

Personnel: Suzanne Vega (vocals); Gerry Leonard (guitar, mandolin, ukulele, vibraphone); Jason Hart (piano); Byron Isaacs (upright bass); Yuvall Lyon (drums).

Lover, Beloved: Songs from an Evening with Carson McCullers

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Jeff Harnar - Because Of You: Fifties Gold

Size: 101,1 MB
Time: 43:15
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1997
Styles: Pop
Art: Front

01. Hold Me! Thrill Me! Kiss Me!/You Send Me (3:44)
02. Young At Heart (3:02)
03. It's Not For Me To Say (3:55)
04. Quizas (3:19)
05. Little White Cloud That Cried (2:20)
06. Secret Love (2:40)
07. Fever (3:45)
08. Smile/Cry (4:56)
09. Nature Boy (2:12)
10. Cabin In The Sky/Stranger In Paradise/Angel (5:28)
11. Because Of You (3:16)
12. Unchained Melody (4:33)

Because of You: Fifties Gold finds Jeff Harnar running through '50s pop standards like "Fever," "Young at Heart," "Unchained Melody," and "Nature Boy." Harnar has a rich, warm croon and delivers these songs with a minimum of camp and kitsch. Because of You is simply good neo-traditional pop, and Harnar makes it more than nostalgia with his passionate performances. ~by Rodney Batdorf

Because Of You

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Sal Mineo - Start Movin': The 1950's Recordings

Size: 142,6 MB
Time: 59:53
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Pop Rock
Art: Front

01. Start Movin' (In My Direction) (2:30)
02. Love Affair (2:26)
03. Lasting Love (2:26)
04. You Shouldn't Do That (2:05)
05. Party Time (2:13)
06. The Words That I Whisper (2:06)
07. Little Pigeon (2:00)
08. Cuttin' In (2:15)
09. Seven Steps To Love (2:08)
10. A Couple Of Crazy Kids (2:24)
11. Secret Doorway (2:16)
12. Souvenirs Of Summertime (2:46)
13. Young As We Are (2:13)
14. Make Believe Baby (2:04)
15. I'll Never Be Myself Again (2:10)
16. (I Play) The Part Of A Fool (2:10)
17. Dino (1:59)
18. Too Young (2:13)
19. My Bride (2:18)
20. Not Tomorrow But Tonight (1:47)
21. Blue Eyed Baby (2:09)
22. Tattoo (1:51)
23. Now And For Always (2:04)
24. Down By The Riverside (2:40)
25. Oh Marie (2:07)
26. Deep Devotion (2:50)
27. Baby Face (1:30)

Actor Sal Mineo blazed a trail to glory on the silver screen in the mid 1950s in films like 'Rebel Without A Cause', 'Giant' and 'Somebody Up There Likes Me' to quickly become one of the most recognisable and beloved actors of his generation. Sal also had a pretty profitable sideline as a singer during the second half of the 1950s, one that brought him a worldwide Top 20 hit with "Start Movin'" and almost half a dozen other medium sized US hits. Titled after his pan-global smash, 'Start Movin'' is a comprehensive chronicle of Sal's active career as a singer containing, as it does almost every recording he made during the 1950s and early 1960s, the A and B sides of 8 singles, the entire contents of his lone LP 'Sal Sings', a soundtrack EP rarity and material not issued at the time. Sal recorded new songs by some of the best known pop writers of the era, including Barry Mann, Luther Dixon, the team of Frank Slay and Bob Crewe, Gary Paxton and Cameo-Parkway's Kal Mann and Bernie Lowe (using aliases of Harold Lund and Jon Sheldon) and 'Start Movin'' composer Bobby Stevenson. He may have regarded his singing career as a distant second to his acting but the material he cut for his fans was never less than first rate. He never really felt comfortable as a singer and was happy to call time on his vocal career as the 60s got underway, but Sal Mineo's chart profile makes him one of the most consistently successful 'singing actors' of any period. Jasmine is more than happy to restore his recordings to catalogue in a package that pays tribute to the many talents of Salvatore Mineo Jr.

Start Movin'

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Irvin Mayfield & The New Orleans Jazz Orchestra - Live At Newport

Size: 157,3 MB
Time: 68:04
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: New Orleans Jazz, Vocals
Art: Front

01. Tune Up (Rising Tide) (Live) ( 2:24)
02. The Elder Negro Speaks (Live) ( 7:48)
03. Angola (Live) ( 7:52)
04. Yesterday (Live) ( 4:34)
05. I've Got The World On A String (Live) ( 6:57)
06. Sweet Bread On The Levees (Live) ( 5:41)
07. Overjoyed (Live) ( 5:40)
08. Indians (Live) ( 6:46)
09. May His Soul Rest In Peace (Live) ( 9:40)
10. We Will Rock You - Joe Avery Blues (Second Line) (Live) (10:37)

With his latest record, Grammy and Billboard Award winning Irvin Mayfield joins the ranks of Miles Davis, Nina Simone, Ray Charles and Led Zeppelin. The latest in a recording career of more than 30 live and studio albums, Live at Newport gives the listener an opportunity to hear Mayfield and the nineteen musicians fresh, raw, and uncut.

Live at Newport brings you through a world of jazz experiences from well-known standards, heavily orchestrated traditional New Orleans-style jazz, and jazzified rock and pop. It’s a live experience entertaining to all and is not one to be missed.

Live At Newport

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Fay Claassen - Luck Child

Size: 122,6 MB
Time: 49:29
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Luck Child (A.K.A. Sandbox) (4:00)
02. One Trick Pony (3:32)
03. Song Of Life (4:05)
04. Blackbird (5:03)
05. Fay (3:22)
06. In A Sentimental Mood (4:54)
07. Finding You (3:54)
08. When Love Is New (4:46)
09. Oh Shenandoah (3:45)
10. Miniature No. 7 (0:57)
11. A House Is Not A Home (3:17)
12. God Bless The Child (4:25)
13. Cinema Paradiso (3:23)

With this album Luck Child a long-standing wish of jazz singer Fay Claassen is fulfilled. It is an ode to youth and beauty with a mix of old and new songs. This compilation album consists mostly of songs that she has been singing for many years but never recorded before. Famous and beloved songs by like Paul McCartney, Paul Simon, Burt Bacharach and Ennio Morricone are presented alongside new compositions by Paul Heller.

Luck Child

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Organic Trio - Saturn's Spell

Size: 152,0 MB
Time: 65:03
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz, Hammond Organ
Art: Front

01. Johnny Young (7:32)
02. But When Do We Eat (8:09)
03. The Place Is Now (6:26)
04. Vum Land (4:21)
05. Saturn's Spell (7:51)
06. Quirky (5:13)
07. The Flower (5:16)
08. Organ Donor (7:35)
09. Twist (4:18)
10. Buffalo Trace (8:18)

The Organic Trio’s infectious groove, stellar musicianship and compelling compositions, have been flooring fans for four years across Europe and in the States. They have succeeded in updating the possibilities of the classic Hammond powered format, and even better, they’ve done it naturally, without any overt effort or artificial ingredients. Sure they swing out and get funky like their honored predecessors, but they also explore the ethereal, the poignant and the bombastic. It’s all delivered with enthusiasm, sincerity and, some might say, a fraternal love. Best of all, the Organic Trio has that special 6th sense that only comes when a band of kindred spirits gets to tour together for many years and hundreds of shows.

BRIAN SEEGER – guitar
Brian Seeger is an integral part of New Orleans vibrant jazz community. His fluid and rich tone, and searching melodic improvisations, have led to his recognition as “One of New Orleans’ best jazz guitarists.” No stranger to the Hammond Trio format, Seeger has performed with some of the all-time greats of the idiom, including Dr. Lonnie Smith and Big John Patton, as well as many other jazz and New Orleans music scene luminaries. Although his musical excursions have been influenced by his studies with jazz figures such as Gary Burton and Ellis Marsalis, Seeger’s playing and compositions are well grounded in the blues and American roots music, as well as the sounds of New Orleans’ streets. Seeger melds these elements into an approach that is heartfelt and individual; his aesthetic is that of a jazz musician, but there is still space for ideas from other idioms. Seeger holds a faculty position in the esteemed University of New Orleans Jazz Studies program.

JEAN-YVES JUNG – organ
Yves Jung is easily one of France’s most well-renowned organists. When Jung is not touring with the Organic Trio, he holds down the Hammond chair with guitar phenom Bireli Lagrene's Quartet. Jung’s organ skills and compositions are extensively featured on Lagrene's latest Verve release, Mouvements. Jung’s organ playing can be nimble and acrobatic, funky and futuristic, soulful and searching. He emanates a tremendous joy from the stage whenever he plays, and the challenges of his compositions are juxtaposed by his playful sense of melody and rhythm. Along with the Organic Trio and Bireli Lagrene, Jean-Yves has had the opportunity to record and tour with many musical greats, including Billy Cobham, Philip Catherine, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Andre Ceccarelli, The Paris Jazz Big Band, Jimmy Woode and the Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg.

PAUL WILTGEN – drums
Luxembourg native Paul Wiltgen, is internationally recognized as an accomplished jazz percussionist, an imaginative composer and a visionary bandleader. An artist in the truest sense of the word, Paul compellingly balances his musical aesthetic and his personal passion, creating a sound from the drums that simultaneously supports and inspires.
Wiltgen is in the vanguard of today’s jazz scene, having worked with many of its leading voices, including Kurt Rosenwinkel, Mike Moreno, Dave Binney, Lage Lund, Patrick Cornelius, Michael Janisch, Ambrose Akinmusire and Will Vinson.
Paul earned a Masters Degree from the prestigious Manhattan School of Music, and has studied with David Liebman, Samir Chatterjee and John Riley. Wiltgen is also an active member of the collective Trio Reis/Demuth/Wiltgen (Laborie Records, FR).

Saturn's Spell

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Bud Powell - The Very Best

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:18
Size: 92.3 MB
Styles: Bop, Piano jazz
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[3:00] 1. Bouncin' With Bud
[2:49] 2. Dance Of The Infidels
[4:42] 3. Un Poco Loco
[3:19] 4. Parisian Thoroughfare
[4:12] 5. A Night In Tunisia
[2:21] 6. Glass Enclosure
[3:01] 7. Collard Greens And Black-Eyed Peas
[2:50] 8. Autumn In New York
[5:40] 9. John's Abbey
[4:20] 10. Cleopatra's Dream
[3:59] 11. The Scene Changes

As part of Blue Note's Very Best series, pianist Bud Powell is spotlighted on 11 tracks recorded between 1949 and 1958. This set is aimed at the casual listener and includes the Powell-penned classics "Bouncing with Bud," "Dance of the Infidels," "Un Poco Loco," "Parisian Thoroughfare," and "Glass Enclosure." Backed by fellow Blue Note alumni Fats Navarro, Sonny Rollins, Max Roach, Arthur Taylor, Paul Chambers, Roy Haynes, and Philly Joe Jones, among others, makes this an excellent sampler for the novice at a mid-line price.

The Very Best

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Carmen McRae - The Sound Of Silence

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:25
Size: 88.0 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 1968/2005
Art: Front

[2:59] 1. The Sound Of Silence
[3:25] 2. I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good
[3:58] 3. MacArthur Park
[2:33] 4. Watch What Happens
[4:03] 5. Stardust
[2:14] 6. Don't Go Away
[4:02] 7. Gloomy Sunday
[3:40] 8. I Sold My Heart To The Junkman
[2:17] 9. Poor Butterfly
[2:31] 10. My Heart Reminds Me
[4:26] 11. The Folks Who Live On The Hill
[2:12] 12. Can You Tell

Carmen McRae (v), Shorty Rogers (dir, a), Jimmy Jones (con, a), Gene Cipriano, James Horn, John Lowe (sax), Marion Childers, Jack Sheldon, Jimmy Zito (t), Lew McCreary, Dick Nash (tb), Vince DeRosa (frh), Michael Deasy, Al Hendrickson, Tommy Tedesco, Francois Vaz (g), Max Bennett, Joe Comfort, Bob West (b), Norman Simmons (p, elp), John Collins, James Gordon, Paul Humphrey (d), Larry Bunker, Emil Radocchia (per), Herman Clebanoff, Sam Freed, David Frisina, Anatol Kaminsky, Nat Kaproff, Bernard Kundell (vn), Robert Helfer (unk), Lou Raderman (cm).

The Sound Of Silence, arranged & conducted by Shorty Rogers & Jimmy Jones. There is no stopping Mcrae & her golden voice, moving in a more jazzy sophisticated realm here & reminiscent of the likes of Marlena Shaw & Nancy Wilson.

The Sound Of Silence

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Tony Monaco - Intimately Live At The 501

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:06
Size: 169.6 MB
Styles: Jazz-Funk
Year: 2001
Art: Front

[ 6:16] 1. The Cat
[ 9:31] 2. Takin' My Time
[10:02] 3. Mellow Mood
[ 7:16] 4. Take The Coltrane
[ 7:54] 5. I Can't Give You Anything But Love
[ 6:23] 6. Paper Moon
[11:01] 7. I'll Close My Eyes
[ 5:12] 8. Sweet Georgia Brown
[10:27] 9. Footprints

Tony Monaco has moved the Hammond B3 organ beyond its common niche as a vehicle for hit R&B, blues, and soul. Like Larry Young, Monaco has expanded the instrument beyond the chitlin', black beans, and funk so often associated with this musical mechanism and transformed it into a major improvisational force. The organ in his hands has as much of a modern sound to it as others on the scene, with the possible exception of Joey DeFrancesco, as evidenced by such modern jazz classics as "Take the Coltrane" and "Footprints" on the play list. Listen to the complex chordal displays on "Mellow Mood," which offers a highly listenable combination of traditional and new organ styles. By no means does Monaco abandon established uses, as he swings like mad on "Sweet Georgia Brown." But here he discards the melody line rather quickly and races down the improvisational trail with such improbable speed that if this were not a live session, one would swear there was a bit of dubbing going on. The coda to this tune is so strong it will likely make the hair on the back of your neck tingle. Monaco also has a technique which allows him to utilize a variety of riff patterns that are sufficiently diverse to assure that not everything on the album sounds the same. In other words, Monaco's CDs will appeal to those beyond B3 devotees. He is helped considerably by the understated guitar of Robert Kraut throughout, but especially on such cuts as "It's Only a Paper Moon" and a haunting "I'll Close My Eyes," which is molded by an elongated harmonic structure. Intimately Live at the 501 is another good effort from this organ trio and is recommended. ~Dave Nathan

Intimately Live At The 501

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Loggins & Messina - The Best: Sittin' In Again

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 77:05
Size: 176.5 MB
Styles: Soft rock
Year: 1971/2005
Art: Front

[3:25] 1. Watching The River Run
[3:40] 2. Travelin' Blues
[2:47] 3. Your Mama Don't Dance
[6:56] 4. Be Free
[3:06] 5. Till The Ends Meet
[2:58] 6. Nobody But You
[4:20] 7. House At Pooh Corner
[3:11] 8. A Love Song
[4:14] 9. Danny's Song
[3:48] 10. Long Tail Cat
[1:09] 11. Just Before The News
[2:47] 12. Listen To A Country Song
[4:02] 13. Good Friend
[8:15] 14. Same Old Wine
[3:47] 15. Changes
[7:40] 16. Angry Eyes
[6:07] 17. Sailin' The Wind
[4:45] 18. Vahevala

Hard to believe, but it's been nearly 30 years since Loggins & Messina have had their five albums compiled into a greatest-hits collection. The first, Best of Friends, appeared in 1976, just after the partnership went its separate ways, and this second set, The Best: Sittin' in Again, appeared in the summer of 2005 to coincide with a reunion tour. On the back cover of the CD, Messina is quoted as saying that "this album is about more than hits," with Loggins elaborating that he wants "this new retrospective to accurately depict who Loggins & Messina was." To that end, Sittin' in Again does indeed overlook some hits, including "My Music" and "Thinking of You" -- two Top 20 hits that appeared on Best of Friends -- plus the 1975 "Growin'," one of their last charting hits; similarly, the winding full-length LP version of "Angry Eyes" is here instead of the single edit. While the absent hits are indeed missed, the majority of the duo's biggest songs are indeed here -- "Your Mama Don't Dance," "House at Pooh Corner," "Danny's Song," "Vahevala" -- and there's a strong emphasis on their first two records (six of the nine songs on their 1972 debut, Sittin' In, are here, six of the 11 cuts from its eponymous 1972 follow-up), which are their best LPs (it's no coincidence that there's nothing here from their poorly regarded final album, 1976's Native Sons). Although some listeners will certainly miss those aforementioned two big hit singles, Sittin' in Again nevertheless is a strong summary of Loggins & Messina's strengths, capturing them at their best as a tuneful soft rock duo. It emphasizes Messina's skills as a record producer and Loggins' folky, introspective songwriting, while revealing such usually overlooked traits in their music such as some country overtones and a tendency toward subtly eclectic, laid-back jams, which is why this is arguably the definitive portrait of the duo, even if it skimps on some actual charting hits. ~Stephen Thomas Erlewine

The Best: Sittin' In Again

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Ingrid James, John Reeves - Circumflex

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:21
Size: 156.5 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals, Standards
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[6:18] 1. Slow Hot Wind
[5:00] 2. Yesterdays
[1:55] 3. Intro
[7:05] 4. God Only Knows
[3:57] 5. Strange Brew
[8:36] 6. First Song (For Ruth)
[6:25] 7. Beautiful Love
[4:48] 8. Just One Of Those Things
[4:41] 9. Line For Lyons
[3:48] 10. And I Love Her
[4:40] 11. Gentle Rain
[4:50] 12. Devil May Care
[6:13] 13. Yesterdays (Version Two)

Award-winning jazz singer Ingrid James and UK pianist John Reeves have recorded a duo album of contemporary and classic standards as well as material from the Beatles to the Beach Boys. The approach to much of the recording was inspired by 'live' performances where so often trying something for the first time delivers a unique arrangement and special qualities. They work as an organic unit, weaving melodies, textures and rhythms to express a personal interpretation of these songs and the endless possibilities they present. Circumflex is a stunning vocal and piano duo album full of live energy, warmth and deep emotion.

Circumflex

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Elmo Hope - Elmo Hope Trio

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:51
Size: 98.1 MB
Styles: Bop, Piano jazz
Year: 1959/2010
Art: Front

[5:39] 1. B's A Plenty
[6:11] 2. Barfly
[3:50] 3. Eejah
[5:57] 4. Boa
[6:08] 5. Something For Kenny
[7:23] 6. Like Someone In Love
[4:45] 7. Minor Bertha
[2:54] 8. Tranquility

The boppish and fairly original Elmo Hope performs seven of his obscure originals, many of which are well worth reviving, plus "Like Someone In Love" in a trio with bassist Jimmy Bond and drummer Frank Butler. Bop and straight-ahead jazz fans wanting to hear a talented pianist play fresh tunes should explore Elmo Hope's valuable music. ~Scott Yanow

Elmo Hope Trio

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Ruby Braff, Red Norvo - Swing That Music

Styles: Cornet And Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 1969
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:42
Size: 164,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:16)  1. Cornet Chop Suey
(4:08)  2. (Was I To Blame For) Falling In Love With You
(6:17)  3. I Got A Feelin' I'm Fallin'
(4:47)  4. It's Wonderful
(4:10)  5. When It's Sleepy Time Down South
(5:24)  6. Thankful
(2:57)  7. Swing That Music
(5:23)  8. Someday, You'll Be Sorry
(4:22)  9. Spider's Webb
(3:37) 10. Confessin'
(4:40) 11. Rose Room
(3:46) 12. The Girl From Ipanema
(5:22) 13. Lulaby Of The Leaves
(5:00) 14. Sunday
(6:27) 15. Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams

This two-record set combines separate sets by Ruby Braff and Red Norvo from the same 1969 Paris studio session, though both musicians use the identical rhythm section of pianist George Wein, bassist Larry Ridley, drummer Don Lamond, and guitarist Barney Kessel, who has many nice solos in both sessions. Braff, playing cornet, pays tribute to Louis Armstrong throughout his performance, ranging from a brisk "Cornet Chop Suey" and Satchmo's perennial theme song "When It's Sleepy Time Down South" to pretty ballads like "(Was I to Blame For) Falling in Love With You?" and the swinging "I've Got a Feelin' I'm Fallin'," which features some nice exchanges between Braff and Kessel. Norvo's soft mallet technique contrasts with most of the players who have followed him on the vibraphone. "Spider's Webb" has fallen into obscurity but Norvo swings it mightily. He throws a curve to anyone expecting nothing but swing with the bossa nova megahit "The Girl From Ipanema." Norvo ends his session with an inspired treatment of "Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams." Strangely, the producers evidently didn't think of adding each leader to the other's set for one number, though they are pictured together in the studio on the front cover of this long unavailable release. Although Swing That Music is not an essential acquisition for swing fans, those who locate it will not be disappointed. ~ Ken Dryden http://www.allmusic.com/album/swing-that-music-mw0000916891

Personnel:  Ruby Braff-cornet (# 1-8);  Red Norvo-vibroharp (# 9-15)replace Ruby Braff;  George Wein-piano;  Barney Kessel-guitar;  Larry Ridley-bass;  Don Lamond-drums

Swing That Music

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Shauna Antoniuc Anderson - Simple

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:54
Size: 103,1 MB
Art: Front

(2:11)  1. Give Me the Simple Life
(3:14)  2. When I Need You
(3:00)  3. Simple
(2:50)  4. Swinging Through the Hard Times
(4:59)  5. Happy Family
(2:37)  6. Darn It, Baby That's Love
(4:46)  7. Harvest Moon
(4:55)  8. Count Your Blessings
(3:52)  9. Fallen
(4:15) 10. Try Your Wings
(3:26) 11. Old Porch Swing
(3:32) 12. Cerasse Tea
(1:12) 13. La La Lu (Lullaby from Lady and the Tramp)

Shauna grew up in Plymouth, Massachusetts, surrounded by music and singing relatives. She got her musical start at a young age in the basement of her Grandpa Murphy's house where she spent hours pounding away on a dusty, out-of-tune, upright piano. When piano playing didn't click with her, she moved on to the acoustic guitar. Frustrated, she quickly gave it up when her brother Ryan excelled at a much quicker pace. Fortunately, singing came much easier.  Shauna started singing "professionally" at Sacred Heart High School in Kingston, MA. She was very active in drama and chorus, led by the "Singing Sisters," Sisters Rosalie and Rosemund. Her first big solo in chorus was *Chiquita Banana.* When she came to U. of Vermont, she longed to start a band and play at the clubs downtown. While in the library (pretending to study) she saw a sign on a bulletin board that said, "WANTED: Singer for new Acid Jazz band." She tore down the sign, called the number the next day and by the end of the week had joined the band Belizbeha. That was March of 1994. For the next 6-7 years Belizbeha toured extensively around the country and produced 2 CDs of all original material. Belizbeha shared the stage with the likes of Kool & the Gang, Gil Scott Heron, The Last Poets, De La Soul, The Roots, A Tribe Called Quest, Busta Rhymes, and many others. After the release of their second album, "Void Where Inhibited" the band dissolved, although they still play shows every now and again. Everyone in Belizbeha went on to pursue music in his or her own individual way.

When not on the road with Belizbeha, Shauna worked part-time at the Sai-Gon Cafe in Burlington, and it was there that she hooked up with Joe Capps and Chris Peterman. She had known Joe from Belizbeha; they had recorded some songs out at Joe's studio. Shauna knew Chris through Belizbeha as well; he played saxophone on their first album and played many gigs with them. When Joe and Chris were playing at the restaurant, Shauna would sometimes get up and sing a song or two with them. Since it was so fun they decided to pursue playing some "real" gigs together. Thus, in 1997, the Shauna Antoniuc Trio was born, and they went on to play numerous gigs at jazz bars, restaurants, weddings, corporate functions, and colleges throughout Vermont and New Hampshire. They released one CD called "The Dream's On Me" in 2002 and recorded another in 2003. The second CD, after sitting on a shelf for 5 years, was released in 2008. It's called "In the Moonlight." Their third CD together, "Simple" is being released in 2011 under a new name, Shauna Anderson. Rick Norcross was a regular customer at the Sai-Gon Cafe as well, and when the singer left his western swing outfit, Rick and the Ramblers, he asked Shauna to audition for the job. She was hired for the summer 1999 tour and worked with them for 5 more summers, playing every weekend throughout Vermont. Chris Peterman also joined Rick's crew in 2001, playing with him for another year. Shauna still sits in on gigs in Vermont for both the jazz trio and the Ramblers.

2003 was a busy year for Shauna. In February, she and husband Brandy Anderson were married at the breathtaking Marie Reine-du-Monde Cathedral in Montreal. Mother's day was truly special that year as they found out they were pregnant. In July, they left Vermont behind and moved to Sacramento, CA to be near Brandy's family. The fall brought new jobs, and on December 29th little Jula Elizabeth arrived just in time for the tax break. They crammed marriage and moving, career changes and diaper changes all into one fantastic year. When Shauna arrived in CA she knew she wanted to continue singing. She joined the musician's union and asked who she should contact for jazz. Bill Rase was the leader of one of the oldest big bands in the area, so she stopped by his recording studio and gave him a CD. Soon she was playing gigs with Bill all over the Sacramento area. At one of Bill's gigs, Shauna met Brad Hammett, an outstanding trombone player. He asked her is she would like to join a band they were putting together. Brad has an awesome studio in Auburn, so Shauna went out there to meet Mickey Bennett, a swinging bass player, and Charlie Robinson, a fantastic jazz guitarist. They recorded a bunch of standards and started playing out at weddings, restaurants, and functions.

Shauna also joined a couple of cover bands; in 2004 she hooked up with Frenchy and The Feather River Outlaws. They covered mostly country and rock tunes and played heavily in the Marysville area. Shauna still keeps in touch with the Outlaws and plays with them sometimes. In the summer of 2006, Shauna joined another cover band, Stealin' Time. They play occasional gigs as well. Shauna took a hiatus from singing as she and Brandy had two more little girls, one right after the other; in May of 2006 Mary-Margaret Christine arrived, and right on her coat tails was Evamarie Dorothy, born a year and 2 days later. Baby #4  another girl arrived on January 1st, 2009. Cecilia Juanita is named after the patron saint of musicians, St. Cecilia! Recently, Shauna returned to Vermont to record an album of some of her favorite pop and jazz songs with Joe and Chris and other musicians she used to work with. This album, Simple, is made up of songs that remind her of the simple blessings in our lives. In times that are rough - indeed, in ALL times - it is good to remember what really matters. Shauna hopes to make the world just a little more beautiful with these songs!  https://www.cdbaby.com/cd/shaunaanderson/from/greatindiemusic

Simple

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Vic Dickenson & Joe Thomas & Their All-Star Bands - Mainstream

Styles: Trombone And Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1958
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:23
Size: 88,2 MB
Art: Front

( 4:52)  1. Sweethearts On Parade
( 5:58)  2. I Can't Believe You're In Love With Me
( 4:47)  3. Undecided
( 3:39)  4. Crazy Rhythm
( 6:15)  5. The Lamp Is Low
(12:50)  6. Blues For Baby

Mainstream presents swing masters Joe Thomas and Vic Dickenson fronting all-star bands in a time when swing music was elbowing for attention amidst the world of be-bop, cool, and other modern jazz movements. The year was 1958, and English jazz critic Albert J. McCarthy was in New York City writing a book on swing. Surprised to find how difficult a time even the best swing musicians were having in the homeland of jazz, he approached Atlantic Records to sponsor two recording sessions. The first session featured underrated trumpeter Joe Thomas with a band that included Dickie Wells, Buddy Tate, Buster Bailey, and oddly enough, modernist Herbie Nichols on piano. The second session featured the great trombonist Vic Dickenson, Buck Clayton, and Gene Ramey. Both sessions have been re-mastered; the sound quality is excellent. So are the performances. 

Joe Thomas is still grotesquely underrated, and if anyone needs evidence of his mastery this is the recording to bring home that Thomas was among the best of his instrument. Over the years he played and recorded with Fletcher Henderson, Teddy Wilson, and Art Tatum to mention a few. His clear, assured sound and technical skill makes it obvious why McCarthy felt compelled to document this neglected musician. Two-thirds of the disc features Thomas and his band. The other third features Vic Dickenson who has faired better in the annals of jazz history. He is known for his bluesy-toned trombone of exquisite phrasing. Lauded by the famous French jazz critic Andre Hodeir as one of the best of all early jazz musicians, Dickenson doesn’t disappoint on this disc. Although his solo time is limited in the ensemble focus of the arrangements, his solo on "The Lamp Is Low" is particularly memorable. Actually, with either Dickie Wells or Vic Dickenson playing trombone and either Joe Thomas or Buck Clayton playing lead trumpet this is a brass player’s disc if there ever was one. In short, if you’re interested in a satisfying, swing recording featuring a line-up of outstanding soloists, good rhythm sections, and a selection of solid arrangements, then Mainstream is definitely worth checking out. Recommended. ~ Mike Neely https://www.allaboutjazz.com/mainstream-vic-dickenson-koch-international-jazz-review-by-mike-neely.php

Personnel: Joe Thomas, trumpet; Johnny Letman, 2nd trumpet; Dickie Wells, trombone; Buddy Tate, tenor sax; Buster Bailey, clarinet; Herbie Nichols, piano; Everett Barksdale, guitar; Bill Pemberton, bass; and Jimmy Crawford, drums. Vic Dickenson, trombone; Buck Clayton, trumpet; Hal Singer, tenor sax; Herbie Hall, clarinet; Al Williams, piano; Danny Barker, guitar; Gene Ramey, bass; and Marquis Foster, drums.

Mainstream

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Gene Harris And The Three Sounds - Elegant Soul

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1968
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:12
Size: 90,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:15)  1. Elegant Soul
(6:20)  2. Do It Right Now
(9:18)  3. Sittin' Duck
(2:48)  4. (Sock It To Me) Harper Valley P.T.A.
(2:48)  5. Sugar Hill
(4:30)  6. African Sweets
(3:29)  7. Black Gold
(3:26)  8. Book Of Slim
(3:13)  9. Walls Of Respect

After the release of Coldwater Flat five months earlier, Three Sounds pianist Gene Harris and bassist Andy Simpkins found themselves faced with yet another personnel change: Donald Bailey, who'd been with group for only two albums, left the group (after replacing founding drummer Bill Dowdy) and was replaced by Carl Burnett. The jazz-pop direction that Harris and Simpkins pursued on the fine Coldwater Flat set where the trio fronted the Oliver Nelson band and a string section was followed up here with composer and saxophonist Monk Higgins as arranger, conductor, and co-producer (with Dee Ervin). Elegant Soul, one of two albums Higgins did with the trio, is indeed fittingly titled. The pop tunes on the set include a reading of Tom T. Hall's hit "Harper Valley P.T.A.," featuring additional players like drummer Paul Humphrey (who appears on the entire album for added muscle), Alan Estes on vibes, guitarist Al Vesvoco, and nine string players, adding a perverse, lush, deeply soulful sheen with shuffling breaks laid down by Burnett, Humphrey, and a chorus of uncredited female backing vocalists.

The centerpiece of this beautiful and underappreciated at the time album is Higgins' nine-plus-minute "Sittin' Duck," with Harris at his hooky gospelized best, playing the hell out of the changes and filling the measures with his requisite taste and feel. The two drummers shuffle in unison, and Estes' vibes articulate the melody with Harris adding a warmer dimension. The strings are rich, but are employed mostly in the codas and tags, adding to the dramatic weight of the tune, which is otherwise a long, dance-worthy strut. Elsewhere, the strings are varied in their texture on the gorgeous "Sugar Hill"; they outdo those in the hits of the day like Paul Mauriat's "Love Is Blue," or even Roger Williams' "Born Free." Ervin's "African Sweets" is one of the set's highlights, too. It lifts six notes from the Rolling Stones' "Paint It Black" on top of a happening bass vamp and some slamming snare to introduce the cut. This is down-and-dirty soul-jazz dressed for Saturday night at the club; Harris beats the hell out of the piano's middle register in pure groove ecstasy. The added flamenco-style guitar and rough-and-rowdy flute solo add to an already heady brew. All of this is just the tip of the iceberg in a sense. 

Elegant Soul was and could even be currently dismissed with a casual listen as lightweight pop with a compelling rhythmic sense. But that would be selling it way short. This album warrants close listening to discern all that's happening in its production and arrangements. Whether it's on the dancefloor, for sampling, for feel-good or deep listening, or for finger-popping, it satisfies on all levels. [Previously only available as an import, Elegant Soul was reissued in 2008 as part of Blue Note Records' venerable Rare Groove series.] ~ Thom Jurek http://www.allmusic.com/album/elegant-soul-mw0000791386

Elegant Soul

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Ben Webster, Joe Zawinul - Soulmates

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:19
Size: 96.9 MB
Styles: Mainstream jazz, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1963/1984
Art: Front

[6:26] 1. Too Late Now
[6:34] 2. Soulmates
[5:11] 3. Come Sunday
[3:15] 4. The Governor
[5:31] 5. Frog Legs
[6:10] 6. Trav'lin' Light
[3:46] 7. Like Someone In Love
[5:22] 8. Evol Deklaw Ni

Bass – Richard Davis;, Sam Jones; Cornet – Thad Jones; Drums – Philly Joe Jones; Piano – Joe Zawinull; Tenor Saxophone – Ben Webster. Re-issue of Riverside RLP-9476. Recorded at Plaza Sound Studios, New York City; 1963.

What initially seems like an unlikely pairing for this session delivers on its unique pedigree with performances that do full justice to tenor legend Ben Webster and to the then up and coming pianist Joe Zawinul. Recorded in 1963 while the pianist was a member of the Cannonball Adderley Sextet, the session came about as a result of Webster's and Zawinul's sharing a New York apartment for several months. It's actually billed as Zawinul's first session as leader and Webster's last in the U.S. before his move to Europe. The tunes generally keep to mid-tempos, a pace that affords Webster the opportunity to wield the gentler side of his legendary sound. His rich, nuanced tone and magnificent phrasing are superbly in evidence. Listeners only familiar with Zawinul's soul-jazz side with Adderley and later his pioneering synthesizer work with Weather Report may be surprised at his eloquent playing here in a classic style right out of Tommy Flanagan or Red Garland. The presence of Thad Jones -- a legend in his own right -- on cornet for four tacks is a bonus. With a rhythm section rounded out by the slightly lesser legends of drummer Philly Joe Jones and bassist Sam Jones, alternating with Richard Davis, there isn't one false step on this set. It may tend to the mellower side of things, but that simply means there's more opportunity to luxuriate in Webster's peerless sound. ~Jim Todd

Soulmates

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