Saturday, May 13, 2017

Tone Franck & Nikolaj Bentzon Trio - The Good Life: Celebrating Blossom Dearie

Size: 105,0 MB
Time: 44:48
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2011/2016
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Now At Last (4:14)
02. I'm In Love Again (4:38)
03. Don't Wait Too Long (3:56)
04. The Shadow Of Your Smile (4:48)
05. Some Other Time (5:08)
06. Once Upon A Summertime (4:00)
07. Someone To Watch Over Me (6:15)
08. Walk A Little Faster (3:44)
09. Hello Love (6:03)
10. The Good Life (1:57)

Norway has - and has long had - a fantastic jazz vocal tradition. Karin Krog, Radka Toneff, Magni Wentzel, Laila Dahlseth, Silje Nergaard, Solveig Slettahjell and Sidsel Endresen are, by mutual arrangement, some of the biggest names. Now a new girl has emerged from the cousin of the codfish and flatbread: Tone Franck. However, she has abandoned her country of birth and settled in Copenhagen. To further improve Scandinavianism, she married a Swedish bassist, working on the other side of Sundet, Daniel Franck, brother of the not-unhealthy tenor saxophonist Tomas.

On her debut CD, Tone, a real future lover, has chosen to pay tribute to one of her great personal favorites, Blossom Dearie (1924-2009), whose mother was in fact Norwegian and was called Margareta. Accordingly, all ten songs on "The Good Life" are derived from Dearie's repertoire. Kavalkaden begins with Bob Hayme's exquisite "Now At Last", a song such as Blossom made an immortal recording of 1956 together with bassist Ray Brown and drummer Jo Jones - herself, she played the piano and sang.

Tone makes Blossom Dearie all possible justice. Not by trying to imitate Blossom's sophisticated, somewhat smoky and sensual ways of expressing himself, but by interpreting the songs in their own way. But she has the same rhythmic excitement and the same unsettled attitude as Dearie. In addition, she sings well, has a liberating nature and intimates impeccably. If I had chosen songs from The Blossom Dearie Songbook, I might have exchanged one and another number. "The Good Life", the title song, I had easily done without. And why not pick up one of Blossom's own items when you're going to make a tribute plate? For example, "Sweet Georgie Fame", "Hey John" or "Blossom's Blues". ~Google translation

The Good Life

Matt Monro - That Old Feeling: The Complete Recordings 1955-1962

Size: 173,1+133.5+124.2 MB
Time: 73:39+57:45+53:02
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Pop
Art: Front

CD 1:
01. Strange Lady In Town (1:46)
02. Everybody Falls In Love With Someone (1:44)
03. Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind (1:44)
04. Gone With The Wind (2:31)
05. My Old Flame (2:31)
06. The Garden Of Eden (2:17)
07. Love Me Do (2:14)
08. My House Is Your House (Mi Casa Es Su Casa) (2:58)
09. The Bean Song (Which Way To Boston) (2:44)
10. You Always Hurt The One You Love (2:16)
11. A Cottage For Sale (3:08)
12. That Old Feeling (3:01)
13. Memories Of You (2:32)
14. What Can I Say After I Say I'm Sorry (2:21)
15. Do You Ever Think Of Me (1:57)
16. Dancing With Tears In My Eyes (2:34)
17. Once In A While (3:16)
18. I Cried For You (2:53)
19. The One I Love Belongs To Somebody Else (2:19)
20. I'll Never Have A Sweetheart (2:36)
21. The Golden Age (2:25)
22. A Story Of Ireland (2:39)
23. Another Time, Another Place (2:27)
24. Prisoner Of Love (2:27)
25. Have Guitar Will Travel (2:07)
26. Bound For Texas (2:32)
27. I Should Care (Live) (3:00)
28. I'm A Fool To Want You (3:35)
29. You Keep Me Swingin' (2:51)

CD 2:
01. Portrait Of My Love (2:43)
02. You're The Top Of My Hit Parade (2:14)
03. The Ghost Of Your Past (3:02)
04. Quite Suddenly (2:55)
05. My Kind Of Girl (2:57)
06. This Time (2:35)
07. Can This Be Love (3:01)
08. Why Not Now (2:25)
09. Gonna Build A Mountain (2:46)
10. I'll Dream Of You (2:47)
11. Love Is The Same Anywhere (2:19)
12. Jeannie (3:13)
13. Let's Face The Music And Dance (2:29)
14. Such Is My Love (2:47)
15. The Thing About Love (2:55)
16. Come Sta (2:48)
17. Cheek To Cheek (2:09)
18. April Fool (2:36)
19. Mirage (2:36)
20. There Are No Words For Love (2:46)
21. No One Will Ever Know (3:32)

CD 3:
01. Softly As I Leave You (3:20)
02. Is There Anything I Can Do (2:21)
03. When Love Comes Along (2:19)
04. Tahiti (2:15)
05. My Love And Devotion (2:57)
06. By The Way (2:47)
07. Stardust (2:20)
08. Small Fry (3:36)
09. How Little We Know (2:11)
10. The Nearness Of You (2:59)
11. Georgia On My Mind (4:29)
12. Skylark (3:17)
13. One Morning In May (3:05)
14. I Get Along Without You Very Well (3:56)
15. Memphis In June (2:59)
16. I Guess It Was You All The Time (1:52)
17. Blue Orchids (2:24)
18. Rocking Chair (3:50)

Matt Monro was perhaps one of the most underrated performers of his era, especially in view of his popularity amongst other singers, most notably Frank Sinatra and more recently Michael Buble. This superb 3CD set from Jasmine contains all of his releases up to the end of 1962 and by this time he had become widely acknowledged as the finest singer Britain had produced and who continued to enjoy international success throughout the beat group era. Features three complete albums: 'Blue And Sentimental', 'Love Is The Same Anywhere' and '... Sings Hoagy Carmichael' plus a plethora of singles including many charting hits such as "Portrait Of My Love", "My Kind Of Girl" and "Softly As I Leave You", This is a real collector's item and is a must for Matt Monro fans as well as fans of the great singers of the 50s and 60s.

That Old Feeling:The Complete Recordings 1955-1962 Disc 1,2,3

Chad Lefkowitz-Brown - Onward (Feat. Randy Brecker)

Size: 126,1 MB
Time: 54:41
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. Onward (5:14)
02. Isn't She Lovely (6:23)
03. Franklin Street (6:31)
04. Giant Steps (5:06)
05. The Nearness Of You (5:47)
06. Deviation (5:22)
07. Blues For Randy (6:32)
08. Impetuous (7:22)
09. All Of You (6:20)

Hot jazz saxophonists sharing the stage and/or recording booth with pop artists: Wayne Shorter collaborating with Joni Mitchell; Donny McCaslin breathing fire with David Bowie; and now, Chad Lefkowitz-Brown touring the world with Taylor Swift. Onward, Lefkowitz-Brown's sophomore CD release as a leader, touches on pop music with a robust reading of Stevie Wonder's "Isn't She Lovely," showing that he, like McCaslin, can torch a pop song melody. But about half of the music of comes from the gold mine of the jazz standards/Great American Songbook realm. The rest come from the deft pen of Lefkowitz/Brown.

Tone and energy-wise, it's hard not to think of the late saxophonist Michael Brecker on the disc's opener. The young saxophonist—twenty-seven years of age at the time of this release—displays a fierce drive, an assured urgency and an up-from-the-gut power. This is mostly a saxophone out in front of a piano/bass/drums rhythm section affair, with trumpeter Randy Brecker two Lefkowitz-Brown originals.

John Coltrane's "Giant Steps" opens with an insouciant sax/drums interlude, leading into an intrepid yet faithful interpretation of the tune. And where "Blues For Randy," with Randy Brecker sitting in, recalls the Brecker Brothers sound, "Impetuous," a Lefkowitz-Brown original, sounds like an outtake from McCoy Tyner's classic Infinity (Impulse! Records, 1995), a disc that featured Michael Brecker sitting in with Tyner's trio.

Then the young sax man gets tender-hearted, with a gorgeous, Coleman Hawkins-esque reading of "The Nearness Of You," before he and the band give Cole Porter's "All Of You" an exhilarating, swinging modern lean. ~by Dan McClenaghan

Personnel: Chad Lefkowitz-Brown: tenor saxophone; Steven Feifke: piano; Jimmy MacBride: drums; Raviv Markovitz: bass; Randy Brecker: trumpet (3, 7).

Onward

Ragan Whiteside - Treblemaker

Size: 110,3 MB
Time: 47:32
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz: Smooth Jazz
Art: Front

01. Intro (0:44)
02. Corey's Bop (4:10)
03. Early Arrival (Feat. Kim Waters) (4:15)
04. The Sun Came Up (8:26)
05. Let's Do This (Feat. Tom Browne) (4:40)
06. I Never Told You (4:56)
07. Flute Funk (Feat. Frank Mc Comb) (5:31)
08. Love Song (Feat. Marion Meadows) (4:51)
09. Mystic Vibration (5:11)
10. See You At The Get Down (Feat. Bob Baldwin & The Pr Experience) (4:44)

Contemporary jazz’s most promising artist is set to release her fourth studio album.

Ragan Whiteside, the flautist-singer who catches the ear like few in the world of contemporary jazz can, is getting ready to make waves this May 12th with her fourth studio album, Treblemaker.

A favorite of well-known stages such as Capital Jazz, Whiteside’s sound brings to mind the stylings of Najee and Dave Valentin. The preceding album, Quantum Drive, has received major airplay and acclaim by such publications as Jazz In M.E.E., and was described as "an enchanting and vibrant album" by Hans-Bernd Hülsmann of smooth-jazz.de. As its successor, Treblemaker promises a further expanse of Whiteside’s variety and style. Frank McComb, Kim Waters, Marion Meadows, and Tom Browne make their appearances on the album to lend their touch to a well-seasoned musical mix.

Whiteside is not one to shy away from shaking up expectations. In contemporary jazz, where there is always a thirst for fresh material, she steps up and delivers, both in studio recording and on live stage. "Her tenacity makes her a force to be reckoned with. Mark my words!" said Bob Baldwin of her once, and this tenacity is obvious at every show and in every track. "We need new music," the fans say, and Ragan Whiteside is always up to deliver exactly what they ask for.

Still a New Yorker at her core and in her every note, Ragan Whiteside brings no shortage of sound to shake up some perceptions of what a flute – and a jazz artist – can do.

Treblemaker

Gary Burton - New Vibe Man In Town

Styles: Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 1962
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:35
Size: 79,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:44)  1. Joy Spring
(4:26)  2. Over the Rainbow
(3:09)  3. Like Someone in Love
(5:34)  4. Minor Blues
(4:35)  5. Our Waltz
(4:19)  6. So Many Things
(4:15)  7. Sir John
(4:31)  8. You Stepped Out of a Dream

Vibraphonist Gary Burton's debut as a leader shows that he was a brilliant player from the start of his career. Utilizing a sparse trio that includes bassist Gene Cherico and drummer Joe Morello, Burton (even at this early stage) sounds quite original and unlike his predecessors (Lionel Hampton, Red Norvo, and Milt Jackson). Highlights include "Joy Spring," "You Stepped Out of a Dream," and Burton's original "Our Waltz." This boppish set is easily recommended. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/new-vibe-man-in-town-mw0000174948

Personnel: Gary Burton (vibraphone); Gene Cherico (acoustic bass); Joe Morello (drums).

New Vibe Man In Town

Bonnie Jensen - Lucky So & So

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:56
Size: 126,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:00)  1. All Of You
(4:28)  2. Garota De Ipanema
(4:25)  3. I'm Just A Lucky So & So
(4:54)  4. The Man I Love
(5:23)  5. Reality
(4:46)  6. Teach Me Tonight
(5:22)  7. A Foggy Day
(3:28)  8. No More Blues/Chega De Saudade
(4:24)  9. Waltz For Debby
(4:22) 10. Embraceable You
(5:43) 11. The Best Thing In Your Life
(3:35) 12. Time After Time

The La Brava label continues to bring many of Australia's finest jazz musicians to compact disc. Not missing a beat in this ambitious undertaking, the label has released a session that displays the vocal renderings of Bonnie Jensen. Maintaining the high standards set by the label with its previous releases, Jensen delivers a scintillating, expressive 55 minutes of music. Possessing a voice with excellent range, she distributes emotions tailored to the message she wants each song to convey to the listener, whether the tune be an original or standard -- the mark of a good jazz singer. Thus, "Waltz for Debby" is tender and a bit wistful. "Teach Me Tonight" imparts a sense of urgency as she staggers space between words and lines to make this oft-recorded song come across somewhat differently than one usually hears it. Her own "Reality" is more contemporary music and comes wrapped in a Brazilian beat. Jensen also recognizes the importance of imaginative arrangements to make sure that the proper combination of instrumentation is used to help her meet her performing objectives. On "No More Blues," Steve Brien's acoustic guitar is her sole accompaniment. Thus the album is peppered with astute use of fluttering flute, soprano sax that manages not to be whiny and off-pitch, and most of all, Michael Bartolomei's piano. His efforts are inventive and inspired, and consequently, he is rewarded with generous solo time. 

Even though Jensen's choice of songs is somewhat orthodox standards, originals, and contemporary pop material, pretty much standard fare these days -- she displays a vocal instrument power and clarity combined with a sense of intimacy that makes the session work. Recommended. ~ Dave Nathan http://www.allmusic.com/album/lucky-so-so-mw0000495138

Lucky So & So

Joey Baron - We'll Soon Find Out

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:10
Size: 124,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:09)  1. Slow Charleston
(7:49)  2. Closer Than You Think
(5:52)  3. Junior
(6:25)  4. Time To Cry
(5:43)  5. Wisely
(3:35)  6. Bit O' Water
(7:04)  7. M
(4:22)  8. Equaled
(7:05)  9. Contact

Perhaps the core, and highly noticeable component here, is that traditional groove oriented, R&B induced music, while in the hands of musicians who respectively possess a distinctive voice enables the tried and true to be elevated to a higher plane. With drummer Joey Baron’s second “Songline/Tone Field” release titled We’ll Soon Find Out, these characteristics provide the winning edge, in an often huge way!  The opener, a composition titled “ Slow Charleston”, is indicative of what looms ahead. Here, alto saxophonist Arthur Blythe’s searing vibrato and soul drenched lines surge onward while bassist Ron Carter and Baron implement slow fours with coy understatement amid a loose vibe. On “Junior”, Baron is a one-man percussion band as he employs complex Afro-Cuban rhythms in support of Blythe’s quite ferocity, linear themes and melodic interludes as guitarist Bill Frisell converges with funkified chords and unison lines. Whereas, “Widely” is a moving ballad of perhaps transcendental proportions as Frisell delves into some airy chord structures along with his now infamous injections of C&W style twang and poignant single note leads. Basically, We’ll Soon Find Out offers breezy passages, finger snapping rhythms, strong yet unobtrusive and quite thoughtful soloing in accordance with Baron’s conspicuous compositional pen. Yet within the hands of ordinary souls, the music and overall format might signify more of the norm; however, Baron, Frisell, Blythe and Carter shine forth with a candid demeanor while also providing a clinic of sorts - on the art of making good music that certainly strikes a memorable chord. ~ Glenn Astarita https://www.allaboutjazz.com/well-soon-find-out-joey-baron-songlines-recordings-review-by-glenn-astarita__4893.php
 
Personnel: Arthur Blythe: alto saxophone; Bill Frisell: guitars; Ron Carter: bass; Joey Baron: drums.

We'll Soon Find Out

Bill Frisell - Where In The World?

Styles: Guitar Jazz, Fusion
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:31
Size: 127,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:12)  1. Unsung Heroes
(6:59)  2. Rob Roy
(7:01)  3. Spell
(6:00)  4. Child At Heart
(3:26)  5. Beautiful E.
(6:38)  6. Again
(2:36)  7. Smilin' Jones
(5:30)  8. Where in the World?
(5:02)  9. Worry Doll
(6:02) 10. Let Me In

Bill Frisell has long been recognized as possessing one of the most unique voices in jazz guitar. On Where in the World?, he is joined by his frequent compatriots Joey Baron and Kermit Driscoll, as well as cellist Hank Roberts, for ten compositions that catch Frisell right on the cusp of his earlier days and his later, more melody-driven, work. As expected, the supporting cast is excellent, with Joey Baron especially making notable contributions. His solo on "Child at Heart" is a perfect analog to the spirit of Frisell's music, pairing the completely expected with the completely unexpected. A pervading sense of melancholy and unrest runs through Where in the World?, creating tension even when the music is at its quietest. Some of this music is downright spooky. "Unsung Heroes," for example, opens with an ominous drum groove from Baron before introducing a wailing theme doubled by Roberts and Frisell over a twisted, almost bluesy, bass ostinato. This tendency to pair beautiful melodies with dense, introspective harmony works better on Where in the World? than anywhere else in Frisell's extremely strong catalog. As for the guitarist's own playing, it is as beautiful as always. He floats ethereal melodies seemingly with the same ease (and, more importantly, from the same coherent musical mindset) as he lets loose feedback-drenched wails. One of the high points of '90s jazz guitar, Where in the World? is essential for fans of modern jazz. ~ Daniel Gioffre http://www.allmusic.com/album/where-in-the-world-mw0000273736

Personnel: Bill Frisell (guitar, ukulele); Hank Roberts (fiddle, cello); Joey Baron (drums).

Where In The World?

Larry Coryell - Barefoot Boy

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1971
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:33
Size: 92,9 MB
Art: Front

(11:51)  1. Gypsy Queen
( 8:39)  2. The Great Escape
(20:03)  3. Call To The Higher Consciousness

Produced by Bob Thiele and recorded at Electric Lady studios with engineer Eddie Kramer, Barefoot Boy is one of Larry Coryell's finest recordings as a leader. "Gypsy Queen" was recorded prior to bassist Mervin Bronson's arrival at the studio, and features the percussion section locking into a groove over which Coryell lays down a riff and Steve Marcus cuts loose with a fiery soprano sax solo. When it's his turn to solo on this opening number, Coryell turns up the heat, sounding like a cross between Jimi Hendrix and Sonny Sharrock. (Coryell played with Sharrock on Herbie Mann's Memphis Underground.) "The Great Escape" finds Coryell cooking over a bass and percussion groove, with Marcus on tenor sax. "Call to the Higher Consciousness" is a side-long 20-minute jam in which all the players take a ride, with Marcus once again cooking on the soprano sax. Roy Haynes is superb throughout, working in tandem with the percussionists to keep the music moving. This recording is a noteworthy example of the possibilities inherent in the early days of fusion, blending the electrifying energy of rock with the improvisational excitement of jazz. ~ Jim Newsom http://www.allmusic.com/album/barefoot-boy-mw0000117582

Personnel:   Guitar – Larry Coryell;  Bass – Mervin Bronson (tracks: 2, 3);  Congas [Conga] – Lawrence Killian;  Drums – Roy Haynes;  Percussion – Harry Wilkinson;  Piano – Mike Mandel (tracks: 3);  Soprano Saxophone – Steve Marcus (tracks: 1, 2);  Tenor Saxophone – Steve Marcus (tracks: 3)

Barefoot Boy