Hank Crawford, Jimmy McGriff - Crunch Time

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:37
Size: 120.5 MB
Styles: Soul-jazz, Bop
Year: 1998
Art: Front

[6:29] 1. Bow Legs
[8:09] 2. It's All Good
[5:42] 3. Don't Deceive Me (Please Don't Go)
[7:09] 4. Sandu
[7:12] 5. Crunch Time
[7:12] 6. What's Going On
[4:11] 7. Without A Song
[6:29] 8. The Preacher

Cornell Dupree, Melvin Sparks - Guitar; Bernard "Pretty" Purdie - Drums; Jimmy McGriff - Organ; Hank Crawford - Sax (Alto).

Crunch Time is classic Crawford/McGriff from the laid-back soulfulness of Crawford's "Bow Legs" to the swing given to Horace Silver's "The Preacher." Saxophonist Crawford and organist McGriff, recording as a team for this, their seventh album, go together like red beans and rice, offering a similar blend of comfort and kick. Crawford's distinct, bright tone penetrates the grooves laid-down by McGriff's tasty chordings. It's McGriff who adds the cayenne on his self-penned, bebopping title cut with drummer Bernard Purdie in the pocket all the way. A moving interpretation of the standard ballad "Without a Song," gains emotional impact by its provocatively leisurely pace and the Crawford's heart-wrenching blowing. Guitarists Melvin Sparks and Cornell Dupree, who are heard on alternating cuts, compliment the leaders whether comping behind them with those big fat chords or stepping out to solo. The sense of timing throughout this album and within these musicians is at the music's essence. It's the element which makes Crunch Time-and all of Crawford's and McGriff's music-so timeless. ~Geraldine Wycoff

Crunch Time

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Patti Austin - 2 albums: Havana Candy / For Ella

Album: Havana Candy
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:32
Size: 85.9 MB
Styles: R&B, Vocal jazz
Year: 1977/2016
Art: Front

[5:45] 1. That's Enough For Me
[4:11] 2. Little Baby
[4:53] 3. I Just Want To Know
[4:32] 4. Havana Candy
[4:39] 5. Golden Oldies
[4:27] 6. I Need Somebody
[3:59] 7. We're In Love
[5:01] 8. Lost In The Stars

CTI was having its troubles financially at the time. They recycled arrangements for all their artists and limited their budgets. Austin sang this undistinguished material with as much conviction as she could muster, but the general pallid air lingering over the production also affected her vocals. ~Ron Wynn

Havana Candy

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Album: For Ella
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:02
Size: 105.4 MB
Styles: R&B, Vocal jazz
Year: 2002
Art: Front

[3:57] 1. Too Close For Comfort
[4:13] 2. Honey Suckle Rose
[4:21] 3. (You'll Have To Swing It) Mr. Paganini
[5:28] 4. Our Love Is Here To Stay
[2:49] 5. A Tisket A Tasket
[4:00] 6. Miss Otis Regrets
[3:29] 7. Hard Hearted Hannah
[3:53] 8. But Not For Me
[2:53] 9. Satin Doll
[3:29] 10. The Man I Love
[2:53] 11. Hearing Ella Sing
[4:32] 12. How High The Moon

Patti Austin is well qualified to record an album in the style of Ella Fitzgerald, having spent her career shadowing the paths taken by Fitzgerald and her contemporaries. Although she has worked in R&B-oriented adult pop much of the time, she is clearly in the tradition of Fitzgerald, and in 1988 she even recorded an album of standards that she tellingly titled The Real Me. For Ella easily could be the sequel to that collection. Austin traveled to Köln, Germany, to record a program of songs associated with Fitzgerald with the WDR Big Band conducted by Patrick Williams. Many of the songs, of course, are just ones Fitzgerald happened to sing but that have broader associations as well, such as George & Ira Gershwin's "Our Love Is Here to Stay" and "The Man I Love," though others, such as "A Tisket a Tasket," inevitably evoke Fitzgerald. Austin does not, for the most part, attempt to sing in Fitzgerald's style, giving listeners her own interpretations that, in Williams' neo-swing arrangements, nevertheless hark back to the 1950s. That's fine for the most part, though the version of "Miss Otis Regrets," which treats it as a gospel performance in the manner of Mahalia Jackson, without the slightest touch of humor, is a misstep. On two occasions, Austin does copy Fitzgerald, re-creating the scat sections of "You'll Have to Swing It (Mr. Paganini)" and "How High the Moon." That obviates the problem of having to compete with Fitzgerald on her greatest improvisational triumphs, but it's a technical achievement of an odd sort. Austin is better off putting her own stamp on the songs; that she does very well. ~William Ruhlmann

For Ella

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Gene Ammons - Water Jug

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 79:10
Size: 181.2 MB
Styles: Bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[2:36] 1. Water Jug
[4:17] 2. But Not For Me
[3:54] 3. Time On My Hands
[5:25] 4. Confirmation
[4:16] 5. My Romance
[3:44] 6. Love Is Here To Stay
[5:14] 7. Ol' Man River
[8:47] 8. Blues Up And Down
[6:30] 9. There Is No Greater Love
[6:42] 10. Mad House
[8:50] 11. Scamperin'
[8:58] 12. Hip Tip
[4:38] 13. A Pair Of Red Pants
[5:13] 14. My Foolish Heart

Ammons is paired up with a rhythm section featuring Mal Waldron on piano, bassist Wendell Marshall and Ed Thigpen on drums. These are relatively straightforward ballads which concentrate on melody. The tunes serve as effective parts to the album, coming after the celebratory mood of “Water Jug,” and features a creative cadenza by Ammons.

Water Jug

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Peter, Paul And Mary - S/T

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:50
Size: 77.5 MB
Styles: Folk
Year: 1962/2008
Art: Front

[1:35] 1. Early In The Morning
[2:43] 2. 500 Miles
[2:52] 3. Sorrow
[2:09] 4. This Train
[2:33] 5. Bamboo
[4:21] 6. It's Raining
[3:26] 7. Cruel War
[2:22] 8. If I Had My Way
[2:09] 9. If I Had A Hammer
[2:55] 10. Lemon Tree
[2:45] 11. Autumn To May
[3:54] 12. Where Have All The Flowers Gone

The debut album by Peter, Paul & Mary is still one of the best albums to come out of the 1960s folk music revival. It's a beautifully harmonized collection of the best songs that the group knew, stirring in its sensibilities and its haunting melodies as it crosses between folk, children's songs, and even gospel ("If I Had My Way"). Light-hearted fare ("Lemon Tree," which became their first hit single) co-existed with more earnest material, particularly "If I Had a Hammer." Ironically, the trio's version of the latter song, which Pete Seeger and Lee Hayes had written in the early days of the Weavers' history, helped push popular folk music in a more political direction at the time, but it was another song in their repertory, Seeger's "Where Have All the Flowers Gone," that also indirectly helped jump start that movement. The group had performed it in Boston at a concert attended by the Kingston Trio, who immediately returned to New York and cut their own version, which charted as a single early in 1962. Other highlights include "It's Raining" and "500 Miles." Peter, Paul & Mary, which hit the top spot on the album charts as part of a 185-week run, is the purest of the trio's albums, laced with innocent good spirits and an optimism that remains infectious. ~Bruce Eder

Peter, Paul And Mary

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Lee Konitz, Paul Bley - Out Of Nowhere

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:04
Size: 137.5 MB
Styles: Piano/Saxophone jazz
Year: 1997
Art: Front

[ 6:00] 1. I'll Remember April
[11:01] 2. Lover Man
[ 9:10] 3. Sweet And Lovely
[11:21] 4. I Can't Get Started
[ 7:39] 5. Out Of Nowhere
[ 8:21] 6. Don't Blame Me
[ 6:29] 7. I Want To Be Happy

Alto Saxophone – Lee Konitz; Double Bass – Jay Anderson; Drums – Billy Drummond; Piano – Paul Bley. Recorded April 1997.

Alto saxophonist Lee Konitz began his more than 50-year career studying with Lennie Tristano and soloing with the Claude Thornhill orchestra and the Miles Davis Nonet before stepping out on his own. His distinctive sound, often described as chilly and dry, and his anti-establishment, modal harmonic improvisations offer the listener a comfortable session containing pleasant lyrical melodies and refreshing colors.

Pianist Paul Bley started his career at about the same time as Konitz, attending the Juilliard School of Music, then working with Charles Mingus, Jackie McLean, Chet Baker, Sonny Rollins, Don Ellis, Jimmy Giuffre, and other jazz legends. His career has afforded Bley the opportunity to form associations with many jazz artists while carving out his own niche, usually described as "avant-garde jazz" with preference for leaving enough space between the notes to allow their beauty to shine through. Supporting Konitz and Bley on this session are bassist Jay Anderson and drummer Billy Drummond.

The SteepleChase label, from Denmark, has issued well over a dozen sessions for Paul Bley – this one is relaxed, with each of these four artists contributing improvisational space. The tunes, mostly familiar easy-to-recognize standards, average eight to nine minutes per track. Drummond lays out on "Lover Man" so that Konitz and Bley may express the piece the way it was intended. Applying lyrical phrases, both leaders present extended solos: Bley with a light touch, keeping the harmony close and maximizing the use of space; Konitz equally light and dry, carrying the lyrics along as if singing them. Similarly, the Vernon Duke classic "I Can't Get Started" is presented slowly and deliberately, with Drummond using brushes; it's an opportunity for Bley to stretch a little.

The moderately paced "Sweet and Lovely" includes fours with Drummond; suiting the mood of the album he is spare in his use of the cymbals here and elsewhere. Instead, the percussionist opts to lay down crisp rolls, moving from one drum to another, slowing down to allow each stroke its distinct pulse. "Don't Blame Me" is a loping ballad presented in blues fashion, with occasional dissonance to keep the perspective clear. Konitz and Bley are unique artists with a sound few can copy, who stroll easily between avant-garde and straight-ahead standards. Recommended. ~Jim Santella

Out Of Nowhere

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Ellis Marsalis - Duke In Blue

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:13
Size: 135.6 MB
Styles: Bop, Piano jazz
Year: 1999
Art: Front

[5:18] 1. The Mooche
[5:58] 2. Prelude To A Kiss
[2:54] 3. Squatty Roo
[5:11] 4. Sophisticated Lady
[5:16] 5. Just Squeeze Me (But Don't Tease Me)
[4:12] 6. Mood Indigo
[4:52] 7. Caravan
[2:37] 8. Come Sunday
[3:54] 9. Creole Love Call
[3:40] 10. Reflections In D
[3:35] 11. Drop Me Off In Harlem
[4:27] 12. Melancholia
[3:26] 13. Duke In Blue
[3:47] 14. Medley: I'm Beginning To See The Light/Do Nothin' Til You Hear From Me/In A Mellow Tone

Piano – Ellis Marsalis. Piano recital of works by Duke Ellington, et al. Recorded March 23 and 24 at The Performing Arts Center, University of New Orleans.

While some of his sons have received more than considerable attention from both the jazz press and other forms of media, the regrettable fact is that Ellis Marsalis' abilities as a pianist have gone largely unnoticed. Perhaps, though, this solo collection of Ellington songs, ranging from the romping to the ruminative, might tend to redress the imbalance of credit due. Produced by son Delfeayo Marsalis, the program consists of familiar standards, such as "Just Squeeze Me," "Caravan," "Prelude to a Kiss," and "Sophisticated Lady," some less frequently heard pieces-"The Mooche," Johnny Hodges' "Squatty Roo," "Drop Me Off in Harlem," "Reflections In D," and "Melancholia"-and his own "Duke in Blue." The elder Marsalis opts for a fairly unadorned stylistic approach, one that eschews glib virtuosity for meaningful, swinging statement and is always respectful of tradition. ~Jack Sohmer

Duke In Blue

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Sweet Baby J'ai - Straight To That Place

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:01
Size: 128.2 MB
Styles: R&B, Jazz vocals
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[2:39] 1. Feeling Good
[4:45] 2. Feva (Fever)
[4:51] 3. Straight To That Place
[5:01] 4. Killer Joe
[4:01] 5. When You're In Love
[4:09] 6. Black Magic Woman
[4:12] 7. That's All
[4:24] 8. Scofield's Blues
[5:22] 9. Call My Name (Message From Your Angel)
[4:26] 10. Girl From Ipanema
[5:22] 11. I'm Consumed
[4:20] 12. Rock Me, B.B.
[2:23] 13. Feeling Good (Still)

This latest cd, Straight To That Place, produced by renowned pianist, arranger, producer Jane Getz, critically acclaimed singer, composer, producer Sweet Baby J’ai and Grammy award winning engineer, producer Bob Tucker, showcases sublime offerings fusing jazz, blues, R&B and Latin. “It’s been a while since my last recording so with this project I wanted to go straight there – straight to that place where I go to in my heart and soul, ” says J’ai, “I wanted to express what I’ve been going through in love and life, celebrate some of my favorite musicians and composers, and share some of my own compositions. Every note, every chord and every word tells a story!”

There are incredible nuances and bold statements happening simultaneously on Sweet Baby J’ai’s current album, Straight To That Place. Respected for her considerable gifts as a vocalist and songwriter, J’ai’s original compositions draw us in with their openhearted lyrics, working into our consciousness and taking us to wondrous places. She breathes new life into classics with great reinterpretations giving us a new scope to appreciate timeless songs with a different perspective. Her deeply soulful vocals are infectious, and the stellar support by musicians Mimi Fox, Nolan Shaheed, Jane Getz, Karen Hammack, Chris Colangelo, Peter Buck, Carol Chaikin, Bob Tucker and others are electrifying. Straight To That Place delivers on what it promises, taking its listeners straight to wonderland. This is an outstanding album and well worth the wait!

Sweet Baby J’ai has performed extensively nationally and internationally and has been featured at numerous concert halls, festivals, and clubs. She has shared the stage with such luminaries as, Herbie Hancock, Etta James, Jill Scott, Joe Sample, KD Lang, Tom Waits, Terri Lyne Carrington, Patrice Rushen, Sheila E., and Eddie Harris, to name a few.

Straight To That Place

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Jack Sheldon Quartet & Quintet - S/T

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:22
Size: 168.0 MB
Styles: Trumpet jazz
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[2:29] 1. Get Out Of Town
[3:10] 2. Ah Moore
[2:39] 3. Dozo (Let's Go)
[3:28] 4. Cheek To Cheek
[2:50] 5. Mad About The Boy
[3:04] 6. Streets Of Madashi
[2:49] 7. Toot Sweet
[3:03] 8. Jack Departs
[3:35] 9. What Is There To Say
[3:54] 10. Groovus Mentus
[3:09] 11. Beach-Wise
[3:14] 12. Palermo Walk
[4:43] 13. Blues
[3:56] 14. Irresistible You
[3:21] 15. Guatemala
[3:42] 16. I'm Getting Sentimental Over You
[7:17] 17. It's Only A Paper Moon
[5:54] 18. Leroy's Blues
[6:55] 19. Contour

Alto Saxophone – Joe Maini; Bass – Bob Whitlock, Leroy Vinnegar, Ralph Pena; Drums – Gene Gammage, Lawrence Marable; Piano – Kenny Drew, Walter Norris; Tenor Saxophone – Zoot Sims; Trumpet – Jack Sheldon. #1-3: Recorded in Los Angeles on November 18, 1955; Originally issued on various Pacific Jazz Anthologies. #4-11: Recorded at Western Recorders, Los Angeles in the summer, 1954; Originally issued on Jazz West 10" LP-1. #12-19: Recorded at Capitol Studios, Los Angeles in the spring, 1955; Originally issued on Jazz West 10" LP-2.

Trumpeter Jack Sheldon's debut on record was undeniable proof that he had established himself among the most promising young talents of his era. He had an exciting conception, warm tone, and an earthier sound than his peer, Chet Baker. On the quartet session here, Sheldon is backed by the trio of the articulate, fleet, swinging pianist Walter Norris, who composed three of the originals included. Norris is also the pianist on the first quintet sides, with Sheldons fine horn and Zoot Sims hard-swinging tenor. In the final quintet here, the main assets include the fire and drive of pianist Kenny Drew and the Bird-influenced saxophonist Joe Maini.

Today, over fifty years after these first recordings by Jack Sheldon for producers Herbert Kimmel and Dick Bock, his well-earned reputation as one of the best trumpeters ever to grace the West Coast scene remains unchallenged.

Jack Sheldon Quartet & Quintet

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Kurt Elling - Dedicated To You: Kurt Elling Sings The Music Of Coltrane & Hartman

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 55:58

Size: 128.1 MB

Styles: Vocal jazz

Year: 2009

Art: Front

[6:50] 1. All Or Nothing At All

[4:05] 2. It's Easy To Remember (A Jazz Story Memory)

[6:36] 3. Dedicated To You

[2:40] 4. What’s New

[4:39] 5. Lush Life

[3:11] 6. Autumn Serenade

[6:40] 7. Say It (Over And Over Again)

[4:00] 8. They Say It's Wonderful

[3:27] 9. My One And Only Love

[4:56] 10. Nancy With The Laughing Face

[0:39] 11. Acknowledgements

[8:10] 12. You Are Too Beautiful

Kurt Elling: voice; Laurence Hobgood: piano; Clark Sommers: bass; Ulysses Owens: drums; Ernie Watts: tenor saxophone (1, 4-7, 10, 12); Corenlius Dufalo: violin; Ralph Farris: viola; Dorothy Lawson: cello; Mary Rowell: violin.

Dedicated To You is a tribute to one of the most beloved and beautiful recordings in jazz, John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman. On that six song album, John Coltrane introduces a relatively unknown singer named Johnny Hartman. The two musicians had only just met one another, however in a mere three hours, they produce a classic. Hartman unfortunately never gains much recognition beyond this one album. Coltrane obviously fares a bit better. Kurt Elling is a standout choice to honor Hartman. He boasts a rich baritone with flawless intonation and an uncanny flair for storytelling, just like Hartman before him. They're also both from Chicago, which may be related to Elling's interest in this project (Elling was recently named "Chicagoan of the Year" and holds down a regular night at The Green Mill when not on tour). The supporting voice on that classic album is, of course, Coltrane. Ernie Watts, a veteran of the LA studio scene, doesn't jump out as the obvious pick for this role. Nonetheless, he doesn't disappoint, though at times he sounds more like Lenny Pickett than John Coltrane. But while his tone may not match the expectations of purists, his solos compliment the vocal approach of Elling perfectly.

This is not meant to be a replica of the 1963 classic. In fact, many of the tracks are from Ballads (Impulse!, 1962), another seminal Coltrane album recorded around the same time. It also doesn't have the spare quartet sound of the original. Elling's pianist and arranger Laurence Hobgood enlists the ETHEL string quartet to fill-out the group. This provides opportunities for a fuller orchestral feel with a few chamber interludes too. The CD's lone instrumental "What's New?" receives a bit too much care (and vibrato), which when combined with strings starts to drift into the realm of '70s-style Muzak. The track is short and soon the band is back to business with one of the most memorable songs on the original LP, "Lush Life."

Don't be put off by the Ink Spots-style talking in the beginning of the second track, "It's Easy To Remember." Elling proceeds to tell the fascinating story of the Coltrane/Hartman session. For those don't know the album's history, it may be surprising to learn how loose and unstructured the session really was Hobgood likely spent a bit more time preparing for this set. It's also poignant to hear of Hartman's struggle to achieve prominence as a vocalist, as his fame is mostly posthumous. Dedicated to You is a live recording from the Lincoln Center's lavish Allen Room. The sound quality is first-rate, and the audience enthusiastic. Elling has once again shown that he's not only a lover of this music, but a big part of its future. ~Andrew

Dedicated To You: Kurt Elling Sings The Music Of Coltrane & Hartman

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