Greg Skaff - Blues And Other News

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:54
Size: 116.5 MB
Styles: Jazz guitar
Year: 1996
Art: Front

[5:26] 1. Walk The Walk
[4:51] 2. Johnny Come Lately
[3:34] 3. Red Dirt
[6:06] 4. My Man's Gone Now
[6:30] 5. Ya Dig
[4:57] 6. In Walked Bud
[5:43] 7. Knaptown Vibe
[3:32] 8. Comin' At Ya
[6:12] 9. Highway 70
[4:00] 10. Jig Saw

Born in Wichita, guitarist Greg Skaff is a neo-modernist whose no-nonsense style is spiced with healthy dollops of blues and bop. Alto saxophonist Bobby Watson, another Kansan and Skaff's current employer, offers this assessment: "Greg is the most versatile and imaginative guitarist I've played with. He has one foot in the past and one foot in the future, so anything the music calls for...he's there!" Now that's an endorsement!

Among the gems are a seriously swinging "Walk the Walk," whose loamy contours Wes Montgomery would have felt at home with. For contrast, Skaff's poignant evocation of the William Warfield/Leontyne Price version of "My Man's Gone Now" transforms melancholy into tremulous, palpable hope. Throughout, group interactions are tight yet loose, and always swinging.

Although reflecting his work with such earthy essayists as Stanley Turrentine, Gloria Lynn and Ruth Brown, Skaff also digs into the contemporary lexicon forged by John Abercrombie and John Scofield. Here, abetted by fellow New Yorkers Bruce Barth (piano), Tony Scherr (bass) and Greg Hutchinson (drums), Skaff brightens the boulevard with strolls at once up-town and down. It's an exuberant and expansive debut. ~Chuck Berg

Blues And Other News

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Bruno De Filippi - In New York With Don Friedman Trio

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:32
Size: 140.9 MB
Styles: Harmonica jazz
Year: 1992
Art: Front

[6:08] 1. Blue Skies
[6:17] 2. New Dawn
[6:31] 3. As Long As Therès Music
[5:01] 4. Rap Your Troubles In Drums
[5:46] 5. Soft Drink
[8:46] 6. Ma L'amore No
[6:24] 7. Stardust
[5:13] 8. It's You Or No One
[6:08] 9. Serenade In Blue
[5:14] 10. Nice Sky

Bruno De Filippi started playing guitar in the recordings of the most famous italian singers: Mina, Caterina Valente, Johnny Dorelli and Ornella Vanoni. During his forty-year career he also worked with the most important jazz musicians on the international scene (Louis Armstrong, Bud Shank, Lionel Hampton, Bill Russo, Gerry Mulligan, Astor Piazzolla, Barney Kessel, Lee Koonitz) and italians (Franco Cerri, Enrico Intra, Tullio De Piscopo, Guido Manusardi, Renato Sellani). During the seventies he started playing chromatic harmonica with Mina, Pino Daniele, Toquino, Rossana Casale, Caterina Valente, Gino Paoli. From 1986 onwards he recorded in his own name the albums Harmonica, Sweet Jazz From Italy, Portrait in black and white and Different moods, that has the special feature of containing the jazz suite "Metamorfosi", composed by Bruno for harmonica and string quartet. The CD Bruno De Filippi in New York with Don Friedman Trio (1992) shows the talent that Bruno developed with the chromatic harmonica. The partnership with the american pianist Don Friedman leads in 1994 to the album You and the night and the music and numerous concerts through Europe and the United States. Bruno De Filippi played in New York at the "Town Hall", "Birdland" and the prestigeous "Blue Note", considered the most important jazz club in the world, and also at "the Green Mill" in Chicago, "Pier House" in Key West (Florida) and a number of jazz circuits in Germany and Indonesia. Among the jazz festivals, his attendings at the "Jazz at the Tropics" in Miami, "Django Reinhardt Festival" in Fontainbleau (France) and "Jakarta Jazz 95" (Indonesia) are worthy of note. His cd YOU MY LOVE, dedicated to his wife Mimi, was recorded also in New York, on December 9 1997 with Don Friedman, Billy Hart and Jeff Fuller, on the "Giants of Jazz" label. "I Love Paris", a collection of famous French songs rearranged with jazz charm, was recorded in Paris with Pierre Michelot on bass, George Arvanitas on piano and Philippe Combelle on drums. "Senti che lune" sees De Filippi in company with the accordeonist Gianni Coscia; the theme of the record is the moon and therefore the cd includes songs such as "Moonlight Serenade" and "Guarda che Luna". His last efford, "Alone togheter", is a two-voice work with his long-time friend Don Friedman. Bruno De Filippi died January 17, 2010.

In New York With Don Friedman Trio

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Viktoria Tolstoy - Pictures Of Me

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:48
Size: 111.7 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[3:33] 1. Women Of Santiago
[3:40] 2. Have A Good Time
[4:12] 3. South
[3:47] 4. Te Amo Corazón
[3:20] 5. Two Sails
[3:26] 6. Kiss That Frog
[4:15] 7. Absentee
[3:34] 8. Strollin'
[4:28] 9. Don't Make Me Wait
[4:19] 10. Can't Help It
[3:28] 11. Green Little Butterfly
[3:09] 12. The Way Young Lovers Do
[3:32] 13. Old And Wise

Viktoria Tolstoy: vocals; Jacob Karlzon: piano, keyboards; Hans Andersson: acoustic bass; Peter Danemo: drums, percussion; Xavier Desandre Navarre: percussion; Tore Brunborg: saxophone, flute; Lars Danielsson: cello.

Since Norah Jones' gargantuan hit CD some years ago, the field of pop/jazz, folk/jazz, and R&B/jazz singers is getting crowded. Some may bemoan this jazz adulteration, but if it brings new listeners to the music it's all good. Charlie Parker was, after all, lambasted for ruining jazz with bebop. From Sweden comes 32 year-old Viktoria Tolstoy, whose career has been in full swing since 1994, but is only recently getting some much deserved attention outside her own country. Her surname should a ring a bell as she is the great, great, great granddaughter of renowned writer Leo.

Her breakout CD, White Russian (Blue Note, 1997), produced by Swedish piano phenom Esbjorn Svensson, garnered plenty of acclaim. Her follow-up, Blame It On My Youth (Blue Note, 2001), scored points with the jazz cognoscenti by including the warhorses "Midnight Sun, "Laura and "Baby Plays Around, along with the title track. Tolstoy switched to the German independent ACT label for a number of releases. Tolstoy admits, for Pictures Of Me, that her primary influences are less from the jazz pantheon and more from 1960s R&B singers, Chaka Khan in particular. She definitely wears her pop sensibilities on her sleeve. She demonstrates her lilting, airy, almost transparent voice on the opener, "Women Of Santiago, then proceeds with a dreamy and fun interpretation of Paul Simon's "Have A Good Time. Her exhilarating choruses on "South, written by her impressive pianist Jacob Karlzon, soar above her band mates. Prince's "Te Amo Corazon has a sly bossa feel, while Peter Gabriel's "Kiss That Frog kicks it with a funky, gospel-inflected piano groove, ending with church recalling tambourine bust-out. "Absentee, another Karlzon gem, is a floating, angelic, yearning ballad. In Tolstoy's hands "Strollin', again from Prince, becomes a sweet, seductive, and playful pop love ballad, with some impressive support from Karlzon. Seal's "Don't Make Me Wait becomes a blues and gospel-tinged craving for resolved love. Pictures Of Me winds down with a percussive, sweet and placid pop ballad, Can't Help It, "Green Little Butterfly, a pulsating, churning version of Van Morrison's "The Way Young Lovers Do and a gentle, piano-caressed "Old And Wise, with more beautiful playing/arranging from Karlzon. For those who can handle a pop/jazz approach, Pictures Of Me and Tolstoy's lovely, almost ethereal voice will be a rewarding experience. ~jEFF mONROE

Pictures Of Me

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Jazz On The Latin Side All Stars - The Last Bullfighter

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:16
Size: 158.6 MB
Styles: Latin jazz
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[5:33] 1. Bebop
[6:42] 2. Caramba
[6:11] 3. The Last Bullfighter
[5:25] 4. Sun God
[6:38] 5. Cozumel
[7:37] 6. Justo's Train Ride
[5:08] 7. Mr. Drop
[4:11] 8. Ironman James
[6:54] 9. Chupacabras
[7:13] 10. Saoco
[1:18] 11. Rumba Intro
[6:21] 12. Yo Soy La Rumba

Alto Saxophone – Robert Incelli; Baritone Saxophone – Scott Martin; Bass – Rene Camacho; Congas – Poncho Sanchez; Congas, Bata – Francisco Aguabella; Congas, Bata, Percussion – Joey De Leon; Drums – Alex Acuna; Flute – Danilo Lozano; Lead Vocals – Freddie Crespo; Piano – Chris Barron; Tenor Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute – Justo Almario; Timbales – Jimmy Branly; Trombone – Andy Martin, Eric Jorgensen, Francisco Torres; Trumpet – Bijon Watson, Gilbert Castellanos, Luis Eric Gonzalez, Ramon Flores, Sal Cracchiolo; Vocals, Bongos, Percussion – Alfredo Ortiz.

After two records, both of which were produced by the same live concert, Jazz on the Latin Side All Stars set out with a new label, a new musical director, and a new idea for their third album. Some may even consider this a sophomore release because of the nature of the first and second. Packed with individual character and a new aesthetic, The Last Bullfighter marks a new direction from this genuinely all-star group. Having been recorded in the studio instead of in a club, with a live and enthusiastic audience, makes a big difference. The fidelity is far superior to the previous two discs, and because of the controlled context, the arrangements are much more complex and interesting. The masterful and intricate horn arranging was done by trombonist Francisco Torres, who went from just an arranging credit on the first two records to arranger/musical director/producer on Bullfighter. Unfortunately, much of the vivacious, joyful quality captured in the club -- thanks to both the live crowd and the loose, descarga-style feeling of the music -- is lost. There is a feeling that the All Stars went from a neighborhood jam session to Carnegie Hall. It's good to play Carnegie Hall, but it's not the same. The musicianship throughout the record is truly fantastic, and the careful, measured approach toward arranging may prove more palatable to some than the previous record's loose, free, and sometimes frazzled energy. Hopefully, Latin jazz audiences can look forward to more from Jazz on the Latin Side All Stars, as they are one of the finer groups of their kind, studio precision and club frenzy alike. ~Evan C. Gutierrez

The Last Bullfighter

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Clifford Jordan - The Mellow Side Of Clifford Jordan

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:28
Size: 115.5 MB
Styles: Bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[ 5:15] 1. Embraceable You
[ 2:57] 2. Cj's Riff
[ 9:01] 3. Trees
[ 4:07] 4. Jug's Groove
[16:29] 5. Soul Eyes
[ 5:42] 6. Five 'n' Free
[ 6:54] 7. Daydream

Clifford Jordan, soprano & tenor sax; Carter Jefferson, tenor sax; Julian Priester, trombone; Kenny Reed, trumpet; Larry Willis, piano; Chris Anderson, piano; Mike LeDonne, B-3 organ; Rudy Turner, electric guitar; Fred Cook, bari sax; Edson Machado, drums; Nasser Abadey, percussion.

The music on The Mellow Side of Clifford Jordan is rarer and more valuable than one would think from the outside packaging of the CD. Nowhere does it mention that the seven selections were previously unreleased and, despite its title, not all of the music is taken at a slow ballad tempo. These spontaneous performances, recorded by Mapleshade during Clifford Jordan's visits over a four year period, feature him in unusual settings. "Embraceable You" teams the distinctive tenor with organist Mike LeDonne and Brazilian drummer Edison Machado. "C.J.'s Riff" features a unique trio comprised of Jordan, fellow tenor Carter Jefferson and drummer Nasar Abadey who, having not brought his instrument along, plays a percussion set comprised of pots and pans. The same trio plus trombonist Julian Priester and baritonist Fred Cook (with Jordan switching to soprano) somehow sounds like a full group on "Five 'N' Free" despite the lack of piano and bass. Jordan teams up with trumpeter Kenny Reed (whom he had never played with before) and pianist Larry Willis for an emotional "Trees" and "Soul Eyes." In addition, Jordan plays duets with guitarist Ruby Turner ("Jug's Groove") and takes soprano with pianist Chris Anderson ("Daydream"). Although not completely flawless, the music is quite rewarding overall and displays the flexibility and creativity of the late great Clifford Jordan. ~Scott Yanow

The Mellow Side Of Clifford Jordan

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Roland Kirk - We Free Kings

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1961
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:45
Size: 87,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:08)  1. Three For The Festival
(4:21)  2. Moon Song
(4:37)  3. A Sack Full Of Soul
(3:37)  4. The Haunted Melody
(4:07)  5. Blues For Alice
(4:46)  6. We Free Kings
(2:28)  7. You Did It, You Did It
(6:08)  8. Some Kind Of Love
(4:30)  9. My Delight

We Free Kings, Roland Kirk's third long-player, is among the most consistent of his early efforts. The assembled quartet provides an ample balance of bop and soul compliments to Kirk's decidedly individual polyphonic performance style. His inimitable writing and arranging techniques develop into some great originals, as well as personalize the chosen cover tunes. With a nod to the contemporary performance style of John Coltrane, as well as a measure of his influences most notably Clifford Brown and Sidney Bechet -- Kirk maneuvers into and out of some inspiring situations. His decidedly 'Trane-esque solos on "My Delight" are supported with a high degree of flexibility by one-time Charles Mingus' pianist Richard Wyands and Dizzy Gillespie percussionist Charlie Persip. The album's title track is a Kirk original, based on the melody of the Christmas hymn "We Three Kings." Incorporating recognizable melodies into Kirk's oft times unorthodox musical settings would prove to be a motif throughout his career. An example is the highly touted cover of Charlie Parker's "Blues for Alice." This is an ideal avenue for the quartet to explore one of Kirk's specialties the blues. The almost irreverent manner in which he fuses blues and soul music into the otherwise bop-driven arrangements is striking. "A Sack Full of Soul" is a funky number with a walking-blues backbeat that perfectly supports Kirk's swinging solos. The stop time syncopation is reminiscent of Ray Charles' "What'd I Say." The 1987 CD version also includes an alternate take of "Blues for Alice." One additional track a cover of the Frank Loesser standard "Spring Will Be a Little Late This Year" was also recorded at these sessions and remained unissued until its inclusion on the ten-disc Rahsaan: The Complete Mercury Recordings of Roland Kirk box set. ~ Lindsay Planer http://www.allmusic.com/album/we-free-kings-mw0000649599

Personnel:  Roland Kirk: tenor saxophone, manzello, flute, stritch saxophone;  Richard Wyands: piano (tracks 3-5 & 9);  Art Davis: double bass (tracks 3-5 & 9);  Charlie Persip: drums;  Hank Jones: piano (tracks 1-2 & 6-8);  Wendell Marshall: bass (tracks 1-2 & 6-8)

We Free Kings

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Andrew Rathbun - The Idea Of North

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 57:56
Size: 106,6 MB
Art: Front

(8:37)  1. Echoes
(8:32)  2. Harsh
(8:23)  3. Across The Country
(5:14)  4. December
(4:25)  5. Teru
(9:48)  6. Rockies
(5:00)  7. Minuet And Dance Of The Blessed Spirits
(7:52)  8. Arctic

What effect does solitude have on a person? How can one grow as a result of being alone? These questions provoke a musical response from saxophonist, Andrew Rathbun, though the roots of his inspiration for this music lie over forty years ago. In 1967, legendary concert pianist Glenn Gould produced a radio documentary called "The Idea of North" where simultaneously played voices narrated five people's views on Northern Canada. Gould called this experiment "contrapuntal radio," an extension of his own musical voice and an exploration of the theme of solitude, a state which he needed creatively and craved personally. In his own way, New York-based Rathbun's six compositions explore the vast expanses of his native Canada, translating the extremes of geography, climate, and the idea of solitude into musical narratives of contrasting mood. Gould, by his own admission, was a failed composer, a charge however, which could not be leveled at Rathbun. The six pieces are as structurally challenging as they are melodically pleasing, and the tender rendition of saxophonist Wayne Shorter's beautiful ballad "Teru" can be seen in the wider context of Rathbun's approach to music as a meeting of like minds. Like Shorter whether on tenor or soprano Rathbun embarks on absorbing excursions of cerebral design and emotive import. Trumpeter Taylor Haskins, guitarist Nate Radley and pianist Frank Carlberg are no less impressive, but much of the music's appeal lies in the imaginative harmonic and contrapuntal lines that weave in and out of the ongoing narrative.

The leader's canny orchestration stands out on the expansive "Across the Country," which opens with a delightful bass line from the ever-inventive Jay Anderson, who forms an intuitive rhythm section with drummer Michael Sarin and Carlberg. Significant support also comes from Radley, who excels equally in the role of deft accompanist. Rathbun and Radley unravel solos of great fluidity and momentum either side of the richly harmonic collective voice which carries the tune's melody. Delightful too, is the pairing of soprano and muted trumpet against razor-sharp guitar lines on the vaguely melancholic "December." There are striking dynamics at play within the avant-garde "Harsh"; a slightly jarring ambience where nervy brass, chattering bass and choppy piano are punctuated by a sinister motif. The music becomes gradually more urgent, spurred by Carlberg, as the sextet flirts with swing of a restless nature. "Rockies" sounds like an expansion on these ideas, dark and brooding, though with an inescapable walking rhythm over which the front line instruments carve out taut solos, laden with tension. In contrast, lilting soprano, lyrical bass and gently cascading piano illuminate 18th century German composer Christoph Gluck's lovely "Minuet and Dance of the Blessed Spirit, while "Arctic" is a surprisingly warm-toned, straight-ahead piece with a strong melodic core to close the disc. Rathbun's music is intellectually challenging and yet immediately accessible. Rathbun enjoys outstanding support from his musicians, but if solitude even as an abstract idea serves up music this satisfying, then maybe he should spend more time alone in his special place. ~ Ian Patterson https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-idea-of-north-andrew-rathbun-steeplechase-records-review-by-ian-patterson.php

Personnel: Andrew Rathbun: saxophones; Taylor Haskins: trumpet; Nate Radley: guitar; Frank Carlberg: piano, electric piano; Jay Anderson: bass; Michael Sarin: drums.

The Idea Of North

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Jeff Parker - The Relatives

Styles: Guitar Jazz 
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:51
Size: 93,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:25)  1. Istanbul
(6:06)  2. Mannerisms
(3:31)  3. Sea Change
(6:26)  4. When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You
(3:26)  5. Beanstalk
(5:55)  6. The Relative
(5:00)  7. Toy Boat
(6:58)  8. Rang

Jeff Parker's second session as a leader, The Relatives, surprises by taking easygoing mainstream flavors and, stirring with spice, manages to honor the forms while tweaking them. Parker's regular rhythm section, Chris Lopes on bass and NY-Chicago drum machine Chad Taylor on percussion, keep the momentum crisp. Parker's earnest and deliberate delivery plays off space, often adding the right pinch of Grant Green. Frothy wah-wahed chords yawn through Taylor's brushed cymbals on "Istanbul. Parker winds a wiry line around the atmospheric accompaniment. Sam Barsheshet revisits his days in a Herbie Hancock cover band on Parker's "Mannerisms. His splashy electric piano invites clear measured musing from Parker. His candy-toned keyboard solo keeps the sweet soul jazz riff pumping. Lopes' "Sea Change takes the bassist to challenging unisons with Parker and a dexterous workout on his own. Marvin Gaye's "When Did You Stop Loving Me gets a solidly swinging interpretation with Barsheshet brisk on the cool keys, and Parker's double-tracked guitar skates through the changes. Lopes' "Beanstalk features the composer on flute for a Ben Allison feel. Parker dances through the sunny tune, the rhythm section percolating along. Mostly percussion and flanged guitar, "The Relative references physics more than family. When the Latin-tinged groove coalesces, Parker overdubs his thematic variances. Toy Boat keeps the band in tight step for Parker's economical and unpredictable additions. "Rang sets a two-note pattern that allows Taylor to stretch out impressively. Lopes explores the poles, and Barsheshet detours into radiant shimmer.  With accessible, catchy melodies and enthusiastic performances, Parker and company make it a pleasure to have The Relatives stay for awhile.~Rex Butters https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-relatives-jeff-parker-thrill-jockey-review-by-rex-butters.php

Personnel:  Jeff Parker, guitar;  Chris Lopes, bass;  Chad Taylor, drums;  Sam Barsheshet, electric piano.

The Relatives

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Sarah Jane Morris & Antonio Forcione - Compared To What

Styles: Vocal And Guitar Jazz
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:26
Size: 117,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:40)  1. Awestruck
(4:24)  2. Comfort Zone
(4:46)  3. Message In A Bottle
(4:53)  4. The Sea
(3:48)  5. All I Want Is You
(4:44)  6. I Bare My Soul
(2:51)  7. Northern Light
(3:55)  8. Superstition
(3:06)  9. I'll See You There
(2:56) 10. Moving Forward My Friend
(4:12) 11. Compared To What
(6:05) 12. Blowing In The Wind

Sarah Jane Morris and Antonio Forcione come together in a worldwide tour to promote the launch of their collaborative album: Compared to What. This duo have each been compared to an impressive array of musical geniuses including Janice Joplin and Tom Waits (vocally) as well as Jimi Hendrix (instrumentally)  a comparison Antonio wears with pride. Django Reinhardt also comes to mind. In truth, Sarah Jane and Antonio are great artists in their own right. Channelling their energies together, they share audiences in Italy, Britain, and all over the world. Together they increase their spheres of appreciation, giving loyal fans the chance to experience favourites afresh, as well as attracting new audiences with the strength and artistry of their unique partnership. Compared to what is the result of a fruitful and varied songwriting collaboration. It covers a number of traumatic social issues and many songs of emotional intensity which reflect the urgent concern both artists feel for the tragedy of refugees. One song in particular deals with the boat people a drama most keenly felt in Italy and by Italians with Sarah Jane and Antonio acting as tribunes of conscience. This sense of witness describes many of Sarah Jane's most passionately felt songs from the recent past, and in new material Antonio adds his own awareness and artistic response. Alongside the songs of conscience, Compared to What includes some wry comedy, also love songs and some memorable covers, notably Stevie Wonder and Bob Dylan. Sarah Jane's and Antonio's set touches heights of great musical beauty both in Antonio's unique virtuoso guitar playing and Sarah Jane's legendary voice, now more subtle and persuasive than ever, with range and power undiminished. The whole is a triumph of collaboration between two of the most individual and richly talented musicians on the world stage. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Compared-Sarah-Morris-Antonio-Forcione/dp/B01LVUV1ZN

Personnel:  Antonio Forcione Guitar;  Sarah Jane Morris Voice

Compared To What

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