Ron Levy's Wild Kingdom - After Midnight Grooves

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:17
Size: 126.5 MB
Styles: Jazz/blues
Year: 2004
Art: Front

[ 8:39] 1. After Midnight Groove
[ 7:42] 2. Groovin' Wichu
[ 7:59] 3. Just The Way It Went
[ 5:58] 4. Like Back In The Day
[ 6:12] 5. Slinky
[ 8:12] 6. Keepin' Up The Love
[10:32] 7. Back At The Levshack

Ron Levy – composer, producer, organ, piano, electric pianos, vibes, strings, basses, clavinet, Melvin Sparks - guitar, Karl Denson - sax/flute, "Sax" Gordon - bari-sax, Arkady Beletsky - strings, Jeff Lockhart - guitar, Russ Lawton - drums, Yahuba Garcia - percussion.

"After Midnight Grooves (Levtron 204) is the latest from Ron Levy's Wild Kingdom, on which the legendary organist and producer lays down a steamy set of soul-jazz tinged with Latin and funk. The supporting cast is outrageous: 3 percussionists keep things cooking, Karl Denson is a key player on sax and flute, and acid jazz legend Melvin Sparks lays down devastating, tasteful guitar solos on 'Groovin Wichu' the title track, and 'Just the Way it Went'. The most accessible cut might be 'Like Back in the Day', with its on the-edge-of-your-memory melody, but strings and programming make 'Keepin' Up the Love' (with great guitar from Jeff Lockhart) and 'Back at the Loveshack' equally hip. Levy's piano and vibes add essential texture, his B-3 technique puts him in the top rank of todays traditionalists, and his compositional and arrangements skills put him in the next decade." ~ Blues Revue

After Midnight Grooves

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Thad Jones & Aura Rully - Thad & Aura

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 22:29
Size: 51.5 MB
Styles: Big band, Vocal jazz
Year: 1977/2014
Art: Front

[3:45] 1. Route 66
[4:44] 2. Feelings
[3:27] 3. Nice To Be Around
[3:38] 4. I Wish You Well
[2:08] 5. A Child Is Born
[4:46] 6. Everything Must Change

Bass – Georg Riedel; Cornet, Conductor – Thad Jones; Drums – Egil Johansen, Mel Lewis; Electric Bass – Stefan Brolund; Guitar – Rune Gustafsson; Piano – Bengt Hallberg; Reeds – Arne Domnérus, Bernt Rosengren, Claes Rosendahl, Erik Nilsson (2), Lennart Åberg; Trombone – Bengt Edwardsson, Lars Olofsson, Sven Larsson, Torgny Nilsson; Trumpet – Al Porcino, Americo Bellotto, Bertil Lövgren, Jan Allan. Recorded 28, 29 of Januray 1977 Swedish Radio Studio 7.

After 1972, when you say Duke Ellington, you have to say Duke Ellington Orchestra and Aura Rully. Aura was his singer, and in every Ellingtonconcert, "Mood Indigo" and a lot of well known songs where interpreted by Aura. Duke Ellington used to present Aura, as "Aura from Romania" and he launched her in 1972 in Newport Jazz Festival - Carnegie Hall, where she won applause for 18 minutes and accolades as it follows : Aura's dazzling voice lends pops excitement.

Thad & Aura

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Marc Hemmeler - Easy Does It

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:29
Size: 85.8 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 1995/2006
Art: Front

[4:00] 1. Samba De Angry
[5:58] 2. La Vie En Rose
[5:23] 3. My One And Only Love
[3:10] 4. Con Alma
[4:22] 5. Stephane's Song
[4:46] 6. Marada Blues
[4:12] 7. Clodi Clodo
[5:33] 8. Easy Does It

Bass – Ray Brown; Drums – Daniel Humair; Piano – Marc Hemmeler; Violone – Stéphane Grappelli. Reorded march 17 & 18 1981 at Studio Davout, Paris.

Marc Hemmeler, a pianist in autodidact, moved to Paris in 1960, where he accompanied Johnny Halliday for four years. In 1964 he became a house pianist at the Blue Note Jazzclub, where he formed a trio with Jimmy Gourley and Kenny Clarke to accompany soloists such as Stan Getz, Harry Edison, Eddie Lockjaw Davis, and René Thomas. Later he worked in the Biboquet. From 1969 on, he was one of the companions of Stéphane Grappelli for more than a decade, with whom he went on tour and recorded several albums (Afternoon in Paris). In 1973, he played with Bill Coleman and Guy Lafitte at the Montreux Jazz Festival (Mainstream at Montreux).

Easy Does It

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Carol Duboc - All Of You

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:05
Size: 103.2 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[3:17] 1. All Of You
[2:31] 2. Sunny
[4:14] 3. Ain't No Sunshine
[4:08] 4. Empty
[4:01] 5. Drowning
[4:17] 6. I Underestimated You
[2:54] 7. Every Breath You Take
[3:18] 8. Use Me
[2:35] 9. Spirits In The Material World
[4:16] 10. My Luck Is Gonna Change
[2:54] 11. Blackbird
[3:03] 12. The Dream's Not Over
[3:31] 13. Love You More Than Life Itself

Bass [Upright] – John Leftwich; Drums – Land Richards; Electric Piano [Rhodes], Piano – Tim Carmon; Flute – Hubert Laws; Guitar – Darrell Crooks.

Although sometimes associated with jazz or smooth, Carol Duboc is really a more pop-oriented singer in the vein of Norah Jones. Her voice is pleasing, she swings lightly and she pays close attention to lyrics, sounding hip without being adventurous. Joined by a supportive rhythm section, Duboc performs seven originals (six of which were co-written with her keyboardist Tim Carmon) and six pop/rock standards, reviving such songs as "Sunny," "Ain't No Sunshine" and "Blackbird" in fairly fresh and attractive ways. ~Scott Yanow

All Of You

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Jackie McLean - The New Tradition

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:58
Size: 91.5 MB
Styles: Bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1955/2009
Art: Front

[6:45] 1. It's You Or No One
[6:55] 2. Blue Doll
[6:23] 3. Little Melonae
[6:25] 4. The Way You Look Tonight
[6:53] 5. Mood Malody
[6:35] 6. Lover Man

Jackie McLean hasn't had too many kind things to say about the recordings he made prior to signing with Blue Note in 1959. The alto saxophonist is quick to dismiss his pre-1959 work, which he feels pales in comparison to his stunning Blue Note output of 1959-1967. But while it is true that McLean recorded his most adventurous and essential albums for Blue Note, the saxman's pre-Blue Note recordings aren't without merit. Recorded in 1955, The New Tradition is a Spanish reissue that contains his first recordings as a leader. Joined by trumpeter Donald Byrd, pianist Mal Waldron, bassist Doug Watkins, and drummer Ronald Tucker, a 24-year-old McLean leads a conventional bop date that ranges from two originals ("Blue Doll" and "Little Melonae") to performances of the standards "It's You or No One," "The Way You Look Tonight," and "Lover Man." In 1955, there was plenty of Charlie Parker in McLean's tone -- nonetheless, he was striving for originality, and the saxman was growing increasingly distinctive. If McLean told you that this session fell short of the brilliance of 1960s Blue Note classics like Demon's Dance, One Step Beyond, Let Freedom Ring, and Right Now!, he would be speaking the truth. In 1955, McLean still had some growing and developing to do -- just as John Coltrane still had some growing and developing to do when he was in Dizzy Gillespie's employ in the early '50s. But that doesn't mean that this CD is bad. Although far from essential, The New Tradition is a decent bop outing that will appeal to collectors, historians, and hardcore fans. ~Alex Henderson

The New Tradition

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Stan Getz - Autumn Leaves

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1980
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:58
Size: 139,8 MB
Art: Front

( 7:19)  1. Autumn Leaves
(12:07)  2. Billie's Bounce
( 5:46)  3. Heart Place
( 8:39)  4. Kali-Au
( 9:21)  5. Chappaqua
( 3:48)  6. Nature Boy
(13:56)  7. Empty Shells

One of the all-time great tenor saxophonists, Stan Getz was known as "The Sound" because he had one of the most beautiful tones ever heard. Getz, whose main early influence was Lester Young, grew to be a major influence himself, and to his credit he never stopped evolving. Getz had the opportunity to play in a variety of major swing big bands while a teenager due to the World War II draft. He was with Jack Teagarden (1943) when he was just 16, followed by stints with Stan Kenton (1944-1945), Jimmy Dorsey (1945), and Benny Goodman (1945-1946); he soloed on a few records with Goodman. Getz, who had his recording debut as a leader in July 1946 with four titles, became famous during his period with Woody Herman's Second Herd (1947-1949), soloing (along with Zoot Sims, Herbie Steward, and Serge Chaloff) on the original version of "Four Brothers" and having his sound well-featured on the ballad "Early Autumn." After leaving Herman, Getz was (with the exception of some tours with Jazz at the Philharmonic) a leader for the rest of his life. During the early '50s, Getz broke away from the Lester Young style to form his own musical identity, and he was soon among the most popular of all jazzmen. He discovered Horace Silver in 1950 and used him in his quartet for several months. After touring Sweden in 1951, he formed an exciting quintet that co-featured guitarist Jimmy Raney; their interplay on uptempo tunes and tonal blend on ballads were quite memorable. Getz's playing helped Johnny Smith have a hit in "Moonlight in Vermont"; during 1953-1954, Bob Brookmeyer made his group a quintet and, despite some drug problems during the decade, Getz was a constant poll winner. After spending 1958-1960 in Europe, the tenor man returned to the U.S. and recorded his personal favorite album, Focus, with arranger Eddie Sauter's Orchestra. Then, in February 1962, Getz helped usher in the bossa nova era by recording Jazz Samba with Charlie Byrd; their rendition of "Desafinado" was a big hit. During the next year, Getz made bossa nova-flavored albums with Gary McFarland's big band, Luiz Bonfá, and Laurindo Almeida, but it was Getz/Gilberto (a collaboration with Antonio Carlos Jobim and João Gilberto) that was his biggest seller, thanks in large part to "The Girl from Ipanema" (featuring the vocals of Astrud and João Gilberto). 

Getz could have spent the next decade sticking to bossa nova, but instead he de-emphasized the music and chose to play more challenging jazz. His regular group during this era was a piano-less quartet with vibraphonist Gary Burton, he recorded with Bill Evans (1964), played throughout the 1965 Eddie Sauter soundtrack for Mickey One, and made the classic album Sweet Rain (1967) with Chick Corea. Although not all of Getz's recordings from the 1966-1980 period are essential, he proved that he was not afraid to take chances. Dynasty with organist Eddie Louiss (1971), Captain Marvel with Chick Corea (1972), and The Peacocks with Jimmy Rowles (1975) are high points. After utilizing pianist Joanne Brackeen in his 1977 quartet, Getz explored some aspects of fusion with his next unit, which featured keyboardist Andy Laverne. Getz even used an Echoplex on a couple of songs but, despite some misfires, most of his dates with this unit are worthwhile. However, purists were relieved when he signed with Concord in 1981 and started using a purely acoustic backup trio on most dates. In 1987, Getz had a large tumor removed from behind his heart. Subsequent tests revealed that he had liver cancer and cirrhosis, most likely due to years of substance abuse. Undeterred, Getz embarked on a strict, herbal-based diet hoping to treat the lymphoma. By fall 1988, MRI scans revealed that the tumor had dramatically shrunken in size. Buoyed by the good news, Getz remained active, touring with pianist Kenny Barron and recording the albums Apasionado (1990) with Herb Alpert and You Gotta Pay the Band (1990) with vocalist Abbey Lincoln. Sadly, Getz's cancer never fully abated and he died on June 6, 1991 at age 64. His final recording, 1991's People Time, is (despite some shortness in the saxophonist's breath) a brilliant duet set with Barron. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/artist/stan-getz-mn0000742899/biography

Personnel:  Stan Getz - tenor saxophone;  Andy LaVerne – keyboards;  Brian Bromberg – bass;  Chuck Loeb – guitar;  Victor Jones - drums

Autumn Leaves

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Salena Jones - Audiophile Selection

Styles: Jazz, Vocal

Year: 2007

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 68:05

Size: 157,3 MB

Art: Front

(4:43)  1. I Won't Last A Day Without You

(3:48)  2. We're Only Just Begun

(3:56)  3. I Don't Want To Miss A Thing

(3:46)  4. Suddenly

(7:50)  5. You've Got A Friend

(3:37)  6. Quiet Night Of Quiet Stars

(3:23)  7. Once I Loved

(4:01)  8. Wave

(4:27)  9. We're All Alone

(3:11) 10. Lovely Day

(5:27) 11. Moonlight Love

(4:27) 12. Without You

(3:37) 13. New York State Of Mind

(3:34) 14. You Don't Bring Me Flowers

(5:17) 15. My Love

(2:50) 16. My Reverie

Born in Newport News, VA, in 1944, Salena Jones (real name: Joan Elizabeth Shaw) would over the course of a 60-plus-year career become one of the leading vocalists of swing music, performing in a number of countries in Europe and Asia and recording a number of albums. Jones got her first break at the famed Apollo Theater in New York, winning a talent contest that resulted in a record deal. She spent the early part of her career touring and performing with such leading lights as Louis Armstrong, Cab Calloway, and Duke Ellington. Her first forays overseas, to Spain and the U.K., were in the mid-'60s and were to begin a life spent mostly outside the rather fickle confines of the United States. In 1978, she made her first appearance in Japan and performed there on an annual basis. By the first decade of the 21st century, she had performed on most continents, recorded more than 40 albums, and sang at the 2006 Shanghai International Jazz Festival. ~ Cris True http://www.allmusic.com/artist/salena-jones-mn0000290681

Audiophile Selection

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Michael Cochrane Trio - Gesture Of Faith

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:58
Size: 156,6 MB
Art: Front

(6:05)  1. I Didn't Know What Time It Was
(4:35)  2. Baby Steps
(6:37)  3. Gesture Of Faith
(5:24)  4. Free Fall
(7:24)  5. Gentle Rain
(5:31)  6. All Of You
(6:38)  7. Lush Life
(7:09)  8. Blues On The Dark Side
(6:41)  9. Room 118
(6:51) 10. Invitation
(4:59) 11. Hallucination

On Gesture of Faith, veteran Cochrane demonstrates a direct, fat-free linear style with a hint of Bill Evans in his chord voicings. Eddie Gomez’s walking and crosscutting bass lines provide another source of interest and delight, as does Alan Nelson’s drumming. “I Didn’t Know What Time It Was” swings cleanly as the trio exhibits the art of interplay as well as more traditional lead and support roles. Cochrane’s chordal exposition of “Invitation” is rich and exotic. In addition to Cochrane’s skill, this album reminds us again that Gomez is one of jazz’s top bassists. ~ Owen Cordle https://jazztimes.com/reviews/albums/michael-cochrane-gesture-of-faith/
 

Personnel:  Alan Nelson(Drums),  Eddie Gomez(Bass),  Michael Cochrane(Piano)

Gesture Of Faith

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Jan Lundgren & Georg Riedel - Lockrop

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:23
Size: 131,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:34)  1. Lockrop
(2:47)  2. Ida's sommarvisa
(4:15)  3. M.Z
(3:39)  4. Och jungfrun gick at killan
(2:24)  5. Solen skiner
(3:10)  6. Lille katt
(4:41)  7. Arne
(2:07)  8. Dis
(4:03)  9. Stenhuggarens visa
(3:29) 10. Bad weather
(4:46) 11. Looking back
(4:18) 12. Blues för Jan Johansen
(3:47) 13. Ramsa
(3:12) 14. Dimman lättar
(5:05) 15. Too Soon

A fine bop-based pianist, Jan Lundgren has visited the United States several times since the mid-'90s and been gradually gaining a very strong reputation. Even while undergoing extensive classical piano training, Lundgren was playing jazz locally and by the time he was 20, he had begun working with Arne Domnérus and Putte Wickman. Lundgren has picked up valuable experience accompanying many visiting Americans (including Herb Geller, Johnny Griffin, and Mark Murphy). In 1994, he recorded his debut as a leader for the Four Leaf Clover label. Since then, Lundgren has recorded separate sets with Herb Geller and Bill Perkins for Fresh Sound and led further albums for Alfa and Four Leaf Clover. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/artist/jan-lundgren-mn0000808686/biography

Personnel:  Jan Lundgren , piano;  Georg Riedel, piano.

Lockrop

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Ricky Ford Quartet - Balaena

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:29
Size: 170,6 MB
Art: Front

(11:50)  1. Pie Crust
( 7:40)  2. Cable Waltz
( 8:29)  3. Blues Work
( 7:58)  4. Song For Pres
( 6:59)  5. Blues In Fourths
( 9:24)  6. Balaena
(13:32)  7. Blues A Hoy
( 8:34)  8. In Walked Bish

Heldentenor Veteran Tenorist Rick Ford debuts of Jazz Friends with a solid live set supported by a truly all-star rhythm section of George Cables; Cecil McBee, and Ed Thigpen. This release is made up of mostly extended pieces where Ford shows his depth and breadth form Dexter Gordon passing through Sonny Rollins on his way to John Coltrane. "Pie Crust" encompasses all in on piece. Equal adept in the blues and ballads, Ford hones his chops in both venues. George Cables remains a vastly under-recognized talent, playing with his usual panache and intelligence. McBee and Thigpen are both tasteful and cool. The sum of all parts is an excellent recording, recommended to any fan of the tenor saxophone. Good Show! ~ C.Michael Bailey https://www.allaboutjazz.com/balaena-ricky-ford-jazz-friends-productions-review-by-c-michael-bailey.php
 

Personnel: Ricky Ford: Tenor Saxophone; George Cables: Piano; Cecil McBee: Bass; Ed Thigpen: Drums.

Balaena

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