Marc Bernstein Quartet - Blue Walls

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:18
Size: 138.1 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 1999/2012
Art: Front

[ 6:32] 1. Blue Walls
[ 6:56] 2. Mirror Mirror
[12:33] 3. Poppy Willy
[ 8:07] 4. Giant Steps
[ 8:48] 5. Naked Souls
[ 7:39] 6. A Ballad For Doll
[ 9:41] 7. Gramps Prance

Marc Bernstein - Saxophones and Alto flute; Billy Hart - Drums; Oliver Antunes - Piano; Mads Vinding - Bass.

Saxophonist, composer, producer and educator Marc Kibrick Bernstein was born in Brooklyn, NY on January 19, 1961. After hearing a recording of Benny Goodman's small group at a clarinet lesson as a youngster, Marc started going to the Village Vanguard, Sweet Basil and 7th Ave South to regularly hear, amongst others: Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, James Moody, Gil Evans Big Band, George Coleman, The Brecker Brothers, Harold Mabern, Jaco Pastorius.

Upon graduation from Berklee College of Music in 1984, Marc had been inspired further by hearing great Bostonians like Roy Haynes, Jerry Bergonzi, Allan Dawson, and his sax mentors Jimmy Mosher and George Garzone. Bernstein returned to New York in 1985 and recorded with Hal Galper and Billy Hart. He formed a quartet and duo featuring Hal which performed occasionally until the early 90’s. In addition, Marc played quite regularly with his group featuring Billy during that same period.

Blue Walls

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Nicki Parrott - Fly Me To The Moon

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:54
Size: 128.0 MB
Styles: Easy Listening, Jazz vocals
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[4:00] 1. Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen
[4:00] 2. I Love The Way You're Breakin' My Heart
[5:04] 3. Do It Again
[4:02] 4. Fly Me To The Moon
[2:33] 5. La Vie En Rose
[4:56] 6. Waltzing Matilda
[5:04] 7. I Never Had A Chance
[3:13] 8. Evil Gal Blues
[5:29] 9. For All We Know
[4:19] 10. Charade
[4:56] 11. I Never Dreamed You'd Leave In Summer
[2:54] 12. Them There Eyes
[5:17] 13. Two For The Road

Drums – Billy Drummond; Guitar – Mark Sganga; Piano – John DiMartino; Saxophone [Baritone], Saxophone [Soprano] – Lisa Parrott; Saxophone [Tenor] – Harry Allen; Vocals, Bass – Nicki Parrott.

Australian-born and New York-based Nicki Parrot is a double threat: She can play the bass very competently, and has a singing voice that shares the relaxed sexiness of Julie London and the coquettishness of Blossom Dearie. She has performed and/or recorded with the legendary guitarist Les Paul, pianist Rachel Z and her sister Lisa Parrott. Following her smash hit Venus debut CD Moon River, the eagerly awaited second album is finally here! Her bass playing is more powerful and emotive, and her singing gained on the sultry quotient. Just listen to the very sexy "Do It Again." Nicki surrounded herself with wonderful musicians again. John di Martino, Billy Drummond and Harry Allen -- familiar faces from the previous album -- are joined by Nicki's sister Lisa, who plays baritone and soprano saxophones, and guitarist Mark Sganga.

Fly Me To The Moon

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The Good Fellas - 13 Women

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:10
Size: 142.3 MB
Styles: Swing, Jump blues
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[3:03] 1. Ruby The Redheaded Bartender
[2:01] 2. Il Tuo Bacio E' Come Un Rock
[4:29] 3. Rick'n'roll Boogie
[2:23] 4. Okie Dokie Stomp
[2:39] 5. Dracula Cha Cha Cha
[2:27] 6. Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens
[5:01] 7. Sentirsi Solo
[2:56] 8. The Return Of Sofisticated Ledar
[3:18] 9. Kansas City
[4:24] 10. Those Lips (I'm Livin' For)
[4:24] 11. I'll Never Fall In Love Again
[3:00] 12. I Get A Kick Out Of You
[5:16] 13. You Rescued Me
[3:59] 14. Walkin' With Mr.S
[2:53] 15. Il Ribelle
[4:14] 16. Tickle Toe
[2:29] 17. The Grasshopper
[3:02] 18. Thirteen Women

The most cursory glance down the roster of America’s most popular troubadours, immediately reveals one prime and inescapable fact, the majority are of Italian-American extraction. Caruso, Sinatra, Como, Prima, Monte, Bennett, Darin…the list seems endless. “Why”, many an eager bobby-soxer has asked “are so many of the great singers Italian?” Why, indeed? The answer is, of course, to step into the history and folkways of a people that it would take thousands of words to explain. But, we can briefly say, it’s because of their warm-hearted, unrestrained humour and passion for life. As a part of this good company we can find “THE GOOD FELLAS”. Better known as the “GANGSTERS OF SWING”, dressed in old fashioned, strictly Italian made, double breast Capone suites, wearing two tone shoes, laughing at life like everyone does deep down in the land of pizza and mandolino. To be a “good fellow” means to be a true gentleman, loyal and respectful of strong heritage and traditions. It means to smell of the full Italian flavour, while always hungry for a lady’s kiss among the scene of a Neapolitan moonlight. What they do best is the well-known, truly genuine, Italian way of entertaining known the World over. Swingin and jokin’ all the time with the audience in that half Italian, half English, macaroni language. This band truly swings.

13 Women

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The Ornette Coleman Quartet - This Is Our Music

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:41
Size: 88.6 MB
Styles: Mainstream jazz, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1961/2014
Art: Front

[5:15] 1. P.S. Unless One Has [blues Connotation]
[7:12] 2. Beauty Is A Rare Thing
[6:33] 3. Kaleidoscope
[4:54] 4. Embraceable You
[4:36] 5. Poise
[5:20] 6. Humpty Dumpty
[4:47] 7. Folk Tale

Ed Blackwell - Drums; Don Cherry - Trumpet; Ornette Coleman - Sax (Alto); Charlie Haden - Bass.

With two landmark albums already under its belt, the Ornette Coleman Quartet spent nearly a year out of the studio before reconvening for This Is Our Music. This time, Billy Higgins is replaced on drums by Ed Blackwell, who has a similar knack for anticipating the ensemble's direction, and proves a more fiery presence on tracks like "Kaleidoscope" and "Folk Tale." The session is also notable for containing the only standard (or, for that matter, the only non-original) Coleman recorded during his tenure with Atlantic -- Gershwin's "Embraceable You," which is given a lyrical interpretation and even a rather old-time, sentimental intro (which may or may not be sarcastic, but really is pretty). In general, though, Coleman disapproved of giving up his own voice and viewed standards as concessions to popular taste; as the unapologetic title of the album makes clear, he wanted to be taken (or left) on his own terms. And that word "our" also makes clear just how important the concept of group improvisation was to Coleman's goals. Anyone can improvise whenever he feels like it, and the players share such empathy that each knows how to add to the feeling of the ensemble without undermining its egalitarian sense of give and take. Their stark, thin textures were highly distinctive, and both Coleman and Cherry chose instruments (respectively, an alto made of plastic rather than brass and a pocket trumpet or cornet instead of a standard trumpet) to accentuate that quality. It's all showcased to best effect here on the hard-swinging "Blues Connotation" and the haunting "Beauty Is a Rare Thing," though pretty much every composition has something to recommend it. All in all, This Is Our Music keeps one of the hottest creative streaks in jazz history going strong. ~Steve Huey

This Is Our Music

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Herb Ellis, Freddie Green - Rhythm Willie

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:15
Size: 86,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:10)  1. It Had to Be You
(5:56)  2. Rhythm Willie
(3:39)  3. Gee Baby, Ain't I Good to You
(5:08)  4. A Smooth One
(4:24)  5. When My Dream Boat Comes Home
(4:08)  6. Conversations
(4:26)  7. I Want a Little Girl
(5:21)  8. Orange, Brown and Green

Guitarist Herb Ellis is joined by rhythm guitarist Freddie Green, pianist Ross Tompkins, bassist Ray Brown and drummer Jake Hanna for this lightly swinging but uneventful program which has been reissued on CD. Since Green as usual does not solo, his contribution is purely as a background player. Ellis, Tompkins and Brown are the lead voices on a variety of swing tunes; best are "It Had To Be You," "A Smooth One" and "When My Dream Boat Comes Home." ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/rhythm-willie-mw0000197167

Personnel:  Herb Ellis, Freddie Green (guitar);  Ross Tompkins (piano);  Ray Brown (bass);  Jake Hanna (drums).

Rhythm Willie

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Rebecca Jenkins - Blue Skies

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 29:57
Size: 69,6 MB
Art: Front

(2:19)  1. They Can't Take That Away From Me
(2:22)  2. Moon River
(2:02)  3. Like Someone In Love
(2:45)  4. Corcovado (Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars)
(2:26)  5. Blue Skies
(2:41)  6. In My Solitude
(2:25)  7. Cheek To Cheek
(2:37)  8. Once I Loved
(3:06)  9. God Bless the Child
(2:42) 10. Night and Day
(1:36) 11. All of Me
(2:51) 12. In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning

Rebecca Jenkins, one of Canada’s most beloved and accomplished actresses, returns to her jazz roots with the release of a new CD of jazz standards, Blue Skies. With Blue Skies Jenkins brings her pure and soulful voice, and her original phrasing and interpretations, to twelve jazz standards, backed by musicians, Alan Matheson (trumpet), Joel Bakan (guitar), and Liam MacDonald (drums and percussion). Blue Skies was independently co-produced by Jenkins with Bakan (writer of The Corporation book and film). Jenkins burst onto the Canadian film scene with her best actress Genie Award-winning performance as a 1940s jazz singer in Anne Wheeler's Bye Bye Blues (the soundtrack was released by Warner Bros. as an album). Her soulful and charismatic singing and acting in that film launched a career that has included numerous critically-acclaimed and award-winning roles in Canadian and American film and television. Among other things, she played the lead in the CBC series Black Harbour, starred alongside Oscar winners Tim Robbins (Bob Roberts) and Kevin Spacey (Darrow), and played lead roles in several recent feature films written and/or directed by Daniel MacIvor (Past Perfect, Marion Bridge, Wilby Wonderful, Whole New Thing).

As a singer, Jenkins toured and recorded as back-up vocalist with the Parachute Club and Jane Siberry. Over the years she has performed original and other material, including the jazz repertoire, in front of symphony orchestras, on radio shows (among other things, she co-hosted and performed songs on CBC Radio’s Quiet There’s a Lady On Stage, broadcast from the Glenn Gould theatre), at music festivals, on compilation albums (such as Bruce Cockburn’s Kick at the Darkness), at clubs and concert halls, and for film and television soundtracks. Her original song Something’s Coming, which she performed on the feature film Wilby Wonderful soundtrack, was nominated for a Genie Award for best original song. She also co-wrote and performed, with Aaron Davis, the title track to The Sunrise, a television adaptation of a Margaret Atwood short story, in which she starred and was nominated for a Gemini Award. https://www.cdbaby.com/cd/rebeccajenkins

Blue Skies

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Peter Zak - My Conception

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 69:51
Size: 130,1 MB
Art: Front

(7:05)  1. Shala
(4:47)  2. These Are Soulful Days
(9:02)  3. Mahmoud's Memory
(4:03)  4. Fungii Mama
(6:22)  5. Propinquity
(4:57)  6. Circling Columbus
(6:08)  7. My Conception
(4:35)  8. Camel
(6:11)  9. Witchcraft
(6:47) 10. With a Song In My Heart
(4:20) 11. Serenity
(5:28) 12. By Myself

Pianist Peter Zak, a heralded talent in the trio setting, flies solo on his excellent My Conception, where he skillfully dissects and reconstructs a roster of originals and standards, giving them depth of character and unrealized poignancy. Zak's originals are ambitious and diverse. He plays the mercurial "Shala with building emotion and lyricism as his boundless ideas grow exponentially. He deftly explores every harmonic and melodic possibility of the beautiful "Mahmoud's Memory, telling a story that is complex yet uncluttered. The repeated figure of "Circling Columbus means to convey the frustration of dealing with midtown traffic, but Zak works out on the tune like someone who thrives on the energy. "The Camel is another challenging, well-executed tune that ends with a clever flourish. 

Zak is equally skilled at interpreting others' major and minor classics. He strides confidently through Cal Massey's "These Are Soulful Days, taking rewarding risks with the melody and tempo. He puts a light, tender touch on the title tune by Sonny Clark, and plays Blue Mitchell's calypso-flavored "Fungii Mama with a contagious vibrancy. Zak steps outside the box by playing the standard "Witchcraft in a more contemplative tempo, then boldly opts out of the usual fast reading of "With A Song in My Heart, choosing to remake it as a lovely ballad. Zak plays with richness and fluidity, artfully blending the many colors on his palette to create bright landscapes. Zak plays with a confidence born of his undeniable skill. There are moments throughout My Conceptionwhere one can almost hear him thinking out loud as he pauses to peek around corners as he decides which harmonic route to take. Zak always makes the right choices, and audiences will continue to reap the benefits of hearing this wonderfully talented piano man. ~ Terrell Kent Holmes https://www.allaboutjazz.com/my-conception-peter-zak-steeplechase-records-review-by-terrell-kent-holmes.php?width=1920

Personnel: Peter Zak: piano

My Conception

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Benny Carter with Ben Webster and Barney Bigard - BBB & Co.

Styles: Saxophone And Clarinet Jazz
Year: 1962
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:55
Size: 80,2 MB
Art: Front

(10:14)  1. Opening blues
( 7:46)  2. Lula
( 4:46)  3. When lights are low
(12:07)  4. You can't tell the difference

One of Benny Carter's last jazz recordings before he became totally immersed in writing for the studios, this set matches his alto and trumpet with tenor great Ben Webster, clarinetist Barney Bigard and trumpeter Shorty Sherock on a pair of lengthy blues and Carter's "Lula" and "When Lights Are Low." All of the swing all-stars are in fine form, making one wish that they were not being so neglected by critics and fans alike during this era; Webster soon left the U.S. permanently for Europe. Although not essential, this set is fun. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/bbb-co-mw0000091962

Personnel: Benny Carter (alto saxophone); Ben Webster (tenor saxophone); Barney Bigard (clarinet); Shorty Sherock (trumpet); Jimmy Rowles (piano); Dave Barbour (guitar); Leroy Vinnegar (bass); Mel Lewis (drums)

Benny, Ben & Barney                

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Buddy Tate, Abdullah Ibrahim - Buddy Tate Meets Abdullah Ibrahim: The Lengendary 1977 Encounter

Styles: Piano And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1977
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:18
Size: 139,0 MB
Art: Front

( 7:14)  1. Goduka Mfundi
( 6:52)  2. Heyt Mazurki
( 8:30)  3. Poor Butterfly
( 7:32)  4. In A Sentimental Mood
( 4:43)  5. Doggin' Around
( 7:25)  6. Just You, Just Me
( 7:24)  7. Shrimp Boats
(10:35)  8. Django

Initially a meeting between swing tenor saxophonist Buddy Tate and post-bop pianist Abdullah Ibrahim (still widely known as Dollar Brand in 1977 when this CD was recorded), this seems like a possible misfire. Instead, it proves to be an inspiration, as each player taught the other new music and they successfully blended their disparate jazz backgrounds into one outstanding album. The first track, "Goduka Mfundi," is particularly interesting; it's an original by Ibrahim that Tate and the rhythm section (drummer Roy Brooks and bassist Cecil McBee) had just learned prior to recording it, and the composer sits out this hypnotic African groove tune. The pianist's other original is the tasty blues "Heyt Mazurki." Tate's quick tutoring of Ibrahim also pays off huge dividends, as "Doggin' Around" is the most smoking performance of the date, while "Just You, Just Me" proves to be a unique mix of swing and African jazz. The remaining two quartet tracks are familiar turf to all parties. Tate's soulful tone recalls Ben Webster in "Poor Butterfly," though Ibrahim clearly steals the show with his well-disguised, dreamy introduction to Duke Ellington's "In a Sentimental Mood." At this point Tate had to leave for a gig, and the date was completed as a trio. "Shrimp Boats," a piece that Ibrahim recorded on several different occasions, is slow to develop but a very infectious chant-like work. The pianist actual chants along with the almost Middle Eastern-sounding introduction that eventually unfolds into John Lewis' well-known "Django"; in fact, this ten-plus minute piece is nearly over by the time they segue into its theme, following McBee's terrific arco bass solo and Brooks' superb drum solo. It's a shame there wasn't an encore meeting between Ibrahim and Tate following the making of this memorable disc. ~ Ken Dryden http://www.allmusic.com/album/buddy-tate-meets-abdullah-ibrahim-the-legendary-encounter-mw0000188790

Personnel: Abdullah Ibrahim (piano); Buddy Tate (saxophone); Roy Brooks (drums).

Buddy Tate Meets Abdullah Ibrahim: The Lengendary 1977 Encounter

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