Friday, May 19, 2017

Carmela Rappazzo - Joseph City

Size: 102,8 MB
Time: 40:06
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Bye Bye Blackbird (4:15)
02. Miss You So (3:32)
03. Let's Fall In Love (2:19)
04. Lit Up From Behind (4:20)
05. All The Things You Are (4:04)
06. Ask Coral` (2:17)
07. It Might As Well Be Spring (3:18)
08. No Moon At All (4:00)
09. Pandora (4:04)
10. Old Black Magic (3:17)
11. Joseph City (4:35)

Vocalist Carmela Rappazzo's fourth release finds her leading a jazz quintet featuring Pete Snell (g), Armando Compean (b) and Lee Spath (dr) through a program of jazz standards and clever originals. The band itself is Beale Street bluesy, and accompanies Ms Rappazzo swingingly through faithful versions of tunes like "Old Black Magic" and "Let's Fall in Love"."Miss You" has her mourning over the mood created by Coco Trivisonno's bandoneon; "Ask Coral" has Rappazzo acting sly and witty over the snappy rhythms, and "Pandora" finds her in a convincing foreboding mood. A disc of all originals could prove to be something quite formidable from this promising lady. -George W. Harris, Jazz Weekly

Carmela grew up in upstate New York learning the great american songbooks at an early age, as her father was a big band swing coronet player and the large Sicilian family gatherings always included live music. She got involved in musical theater in high school but was enthralled by jazz. She moved to Boston in her late teens hanging out in Paul’s Mall and the Jazz Workshop listening to the greats play live and sitting in as a singer with friends who were attending Berkley. Arriving back in New York City she attended ‘Theatrium’ (a Strasberg Institute training) and became involved in off-off broadway theater and appeared in a few independent films, later training with Eric Morris. Carmela moved to Los Angeles in ‘92 , working in the L. A. Theater scene and on several feature films with such notable film directors as Rob Reiner, Wolfgang Petersen, Jonathan Lynn and Ken Kwapis. She continued her vocal training with Dan Balestrero. She began to perform in the L. A. Jazz scene with the Jon Mayer trio and recorded her first record ‘Black and White’ , a straight ahead standards record with them. After appearing in many of the local clubs she began to branch out and work with established musicians recording her second cd with Paul Smith, Jim DeJulio and Joe LaBarbera. This cd ‘Regarding Frank’ was a tribute record to Sinatra and his 50’s Capitol years. Shortly after this she formed her own trio which featured guitarist song writer Hirth Martinez. Out of this trio ‘The Girl Who Dreams Out Loud’ was conceived. This new cd, “Joseph City”, combines straight ahead covers, with some very unique arrangements, and original tunes by Carmela. The superb rhythm section is led by Pete Snell on guitar, Armando Compean on bass, Lee Spath on drums, Chase Morrison on cello, Stu Elster on Hammond B3, Steve Marsh on saxophones, John Fumo on trumpet and Scott Breadman on persussion. Also featured on this cd is tango master Coco Trivisonno on bandoneon. Carmela now resides in New Mexico and continues to perform and write her own music.

Joseph City

Camille Thurman - Inside The Moment: Recorded Live At Rockwood Music Hall

Size: 113,8 MB
Time: 49:14
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. The Night Has A Thousand Eyes (7:22)
02. Sassy's Blues (7:40)
03. Road Song (6:12)
04. Detour Ahead (7:43)
05. Nefertiti (7:43)
06. Flower Is A Lovesome Thing (7:41)
07. Cherokee (4:50)

The world of Jazz has been graced by many great female vocalists through the decades -- Ella Fitzgerald, Sara Vaughan, Nina Simone, Billie Holiday, to name just a few. Chesky Records is excited to introduce a name we feel will one day be in their company...Camille Thurman. On her Chesky Records debut, Thurman shows her versatility with stunning performances on both saxophone and vocals.

The multi-talented Camille Thurman is an award-winning composer, a formidable saxophonist, and a second-place winner of the prestigious Sarah Vaughan Vocal Competition. She has performed with artists ranging from Dr. Billy Taylor, George Coleman, Lew Tabackin, and George Benson, to Chaka Khan, Alicia Keys, and Missy Elliot. She recently made her Jazz at Lincoln Center debut during the Generations in Jazz Festival, leading a killer quartet as she sang, played, and showcased original compositions and some classics. She also recently gave an improvised scatting performance during Battle of the Big Bands that brought down the house in The Appel Room.

The inaugural release of the new Virtual Audio Series from Chesky Records, this album was recorded in front of a live audience at Rockwood Music Hall in the SoHo neighborhood of Manhattan, using a single binaural microphone. This technique places the listener in the middle of a live show. If you didn't know any better, you'd swear you can smell the perfume of the young lady seated to your left.

MQA is an award winning technology that delivers the sound of the studio. The Master MQA file is fully authenticated and is small enough to stream, but also being backward compatible, so you can play MQA music on any device.

Imagine being present at the original studio performance of your favorite recording artist. Every nuance, every subtlety, every tiny drop of emotion delivered to your ears.

Inside The Moment

Tom Kubis - If It Doesn't Hurt It's Not The Blues!

Size: 126,9 MB
Time: 54:00
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz, Blues
Art: Front

01. Pearl For Merle (2:45)
02. Back In A Second (2:50)
03. Blues My Sweaty Nighty Gives To Me (3:13)
04. Exactly! (3:46)
05. Cloud 9 1-2 (3:20)
06. Down And Dirty Blues (4:08)
07. Bluesit (2:03)
08. I Just Got Hit With The Blues (4:29)
09. Hey Joja! (2:47)
10. If It Doesn't Hurt It's Not The Blues (2:50)
11. Trainafinado (2:30)
12. Just Preachin' (3:34)
13. I Love Sax (3:24)
14. Little Waltz In Retro (2:41)
15. Lime Juice Greens (2:45)
16. I Remember The Good Old Days (3:46)
17. What Is This Thing Called (3:01)

This jazz album has alway been a dream of mine since I heard Lockjaw Davis do this with 4 tenor saxes. This is a hard swinging, hard bopping bluesy project with the cool sound of the 3 tenor saxophones blasting through ensembles and jazz lines. There are up tempo burners and jazz shuffles and even a waltz to round off all the tunes here. Feet will be tapping for sure! (Tom Kubis All saxes and Organ and Production).

b. 1951, Los Angeles, California, USA. After studying, Kubis began playing alto, tenor and soprano saxophones with various bands. He also played piano for Bobby Vinton. However, Kubis’ chief interest was in writing and his arrangements were in much demand, especially from big band leaders. He formed his own big band expressly to play his charts and this attracted the attention of Jack Sheldon who became an informal co-leader of the band. Apart from writing for the band, Kubis continues to provide charts for others, including Bill Watrous, the BBC Radio Big Band, and his work is also performed by youth and college bands in the USA and UK. His writing is always lively and entertaining, often difficult but never simply for the sake of being hard to play. His own recording career has been relatively meagre, beginning with Dimitri Pagalidis and only in later years has his own big band been heard and appreciated by fans of contemporary big band music around the world.

If It Doesn't Hurt It's Not The Blues!

Sylvia Brooks - The Arrangement

Size: 150,3 MB
Time: 64:30
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps (4:12)
02. Cold, Cold Heart (4:18)
03. Body & Soul (5:34)
04. Eleanor Rigby (4:34)
05. What Was I Thinking (4:23)
06. Midnight Sun (5:46)
07. Maybe I'm A Fool (5:31)
08. Guess Who I Saw Today (3:51)
09. Besame Mucho (6:20)
10. Tender Trap (4:11)
11. Sweet Surrender (3:59)
12. Night And Day (4:23)
13. Never Let Me Go (3:39)
14. Angel Eyes (3:44)

With her first two critically acclaimed albums, jazz vocalist Sylvia Brooks introduced a sensuous jazz-noir sound redolent of femme fatales and tough guys, crooked deals and deep-shadowed urban nightscapes. But no great artist wants to be typecast, and with her third album, The Arrangement, she steps out of the mist and fog into the sunlight, where she reveals herself as a singer at home in just about any narrative. An intimate collaboration with an array of brilliant Los Angeles arrangers.

When an artist succeeds in a particular niche she always faces pressure to repeat the performance, but Brooks had no intention of limiting herself. “I wanted to explore different musical styles,” she says. “I love Latin influenced music, big band swing, and rich ballads. I want to explore the whole spectrum musically.”

With a sumptuous velvet-rich voice and emotionally incisive phrasing, Brooks is far too protean a talent to be confined to any particular plotline. In creating The Arrangement, she didn’t just set out to investigate different moods and rhythms. She invited a dazzling cast of writers to craft bespoke charts tailored stylishly for her voice, while giving them casting carte blanche, an act of trust that led to a project marked by a glorious diversity of settings.

Starting with Kim Richmond, who collaborated on her first two albums, she connected with a superlative collection of accompanist/arrangers, including Venezuelan-born pianist Otmaro Ruiz (Dianne Reeves), pianist Jeff Colella (Lou Rawls), French-born pianist Christian Jacob (Tierney Sutton, Betty Buckley), and pianist Quinn Johnson (Steve Tyrell, Diana Ross) “who all have very different styles,” Brooks says. “Quinn is very different from Otmaro, who’s got an entirely different sensibility from Christian.”

Brooks choose the songs, and gave the arrangers two directives. They had to use a combination of brass and reeds, and they could choose the musicians they felt would best serve the direction of the piece, “so it was a real collaboration,” Brooks says. “I wanted them to have complete freedom.”

The album opens with Ruiz’s lush setting for “Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps (Quizas, Quizas, Quizas),” an intoxicating piece that connects Brooks to the Cuban music she heard growing up in Miami. He provides Brooks with another sleek and sensuous Latin vehicle on the oft-interpreted standard “Besame Mucho,” which she delivers as a passionate fever dream accelerated by a simmer tenor sax solo by the reed master Bob Sheppard.

Brooks takes an unexpected left turn as Johnson’s brassy, briskly swinging arrangement transforms Hank Williams’ classic country lament “Cold Cold Heart.” He also proved to be an ideal songwriting collaborator for Brooks, who contributes original lyrics to three beautifully wrought pieces, starting with their slyly funky anthem about mistaken first impressions “What Was I Thinking (The Mirage).” She teamed with the multi award-winning composer Patrick Williams on “Maybe I’m A Fool,” a lovely portrait of romantic self-doubt arranged with rollercoaster energy by Johnson.

Jacob, who wrote the widely hailed score for Clint Eastwood’s 2016 film Sully, collaborated with Brooks on one of the album’s most arrestingly beautiful pieces, “Sweet Surrender,” an intimate piano and voice duet with a graceful melody that needs no embellishments. Another standout track is Jacob’s quietly dramatic setting of Lennon and McCartney’s “Eleanor Rigby,” a rendition so effective and unforgettable as a jazz vehicle (listen to the deft interplay of Jacob’s Fender Rhodes chords and Larry Koonse’s guitar) that one can only marvel at her ingenuity.

Clearly undaunted by legendary artists, Brooks puts her personal stamp on “Guess Who I Saw Today,” the forlorn narrative indelibly linked to Nancy Wilson. She closes the album with an unforgettable version of “Angel Eyes,” a haunting Richmond arrangement that links back to Brooks earlier jazz-noir albums. She’s still a riveting raconteur when it comes to tales of loss and heartbreak, but she’s got a lot of other stories to tell on The Arrangement.

The Arrangement

Tommy Emmanuel - Live! At The Ryman

Size: 181,4 MB
Time: 77:15
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. Tall Fiddler (Live) (2:44)
02. The Mystery (Live) (4:29)
03. Windy & Warm (Live) (2:33)
04. Deep River Blues - Doc's Guitar - Blue Smoke - Cannonball Rag (Live) (6:28)
05. Saturday Night Shuffle - Nine Pound Hammer (Live) (6:29)
06. Angelina (Live) (3:27)
07. Blood Brother (Live) (5:27)
08. Beatles Medley - Classical Gas (Live) (7:40)
09. Sails (Live) (5:37)
10. San Antonio Stroll (Live) [Feat. John Knowles & Steve Wariner] (3:54)
11. Guitar Boogie (Live) (9:26)
12. Somewhere Over The Rainbow (Live) (6:34)
13. I Still Can't Say Goodbye (Live) (3:42)
14. Workin Man Blues (Live) [Feat. Steve Wariner] (3:57)
15. Eva Waits (Live) (4:41)

The new album was captured during a special show at the famed Nashville venue on February 27th of last year where Emmanuel was joined on stage by Steve Wariner and John Knowles (who are the only other two living CPGs, a.k.a. Certified Guitar Players, a moniker bestowed on four guitarist that he admired by music icon Chet Atkins.

Tommy shared his excitement about being able to share the show with the new album, "It was an unforgettable experience playing my first solo show at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville.

Live! At The Ryman

Bria Skonberg - With A Twist

Size: 117,2 MB
Time: 49:57
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. My Baby Just Cares For Me (3:04)
02. Sway (3:12)
03. Alright, Okay, You Win Soul Bossa Nova (3:18)
04. Cocktails For Two (3:19)
05. Whatever Lola Wants (2:58)
06. Dance Me To The End Of Love (5:33)
07. It's Oh So Quiet (4:57)
08. How I Know (4:10)
09. High Hat, Trumpet, And Rhythm (3:17)
10. Back In Your Own Back Yard (4:34)
11. Same Kind Of Crazy (3:50)
12. Thinking Out Loud (4:45)
13. Time To Go (2:53)

Vocalist, trumpeter and songwriter Bria Skonberg re-imagines it all on her new OKeh/Masterworks album, With a Twist. Coming off a recent Juno Award (Canada’s version of The Grammys) for her first OKeh collection, Bria, Skonberg spins her cool and confident vocal style---and her sleek and timeless jazz chops---into a program that playfully nods to tradition while always looking ahead.

Of the mood she was going after on With a Twist, Skonberg says: “The inspiration was love and adventure, and the many twists and turns and tunnels you can get into. It’s a little about my time in New York, a little bit of cocktail culture. The musical inspiration was a modern-day Esquivel, Perez Prado, maybe some Spike Jones. It’s just important to me to put some love and positivity out into the world right now.”

With a Twist reunites Skonberg with producer Matt Pierson, whom she credits with helping her realize the album’s concept. The album features 5-time Grammy winner Gil Goldstein (who arranged six of the tracks and plays keyboards and accordion), Sullivan Fortner (piano), Scott Colley (bass), Matt Wilson (drums).

With A Twist

Donna Byrne - Don't Dream Of Anybody But Me

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:38
Size: 157,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:57)  1. I'm Afraid The Masquerade Is Over
(7:37)  2. Street Of Dreams
(3:38)  3. It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)
(3:15)  4. In A Sentimental Mood
(3:10)  5. The Surrey With The Fringe On Top
(6:37)  6. Don't Dream Of Anybody But Me
(6:25)  7. The Two Lonely People
(3:12)  8. All Alone On My Own
(5:16)  9. My Melancholy Baby
(4:23) 10. East Of The Sun (And West Of The Moon)
(4:21) 11. He Was Too Good To Me
(5:23) 12. Someone To Light Up My Life
(6:52) 13. A Cottage For Sale - A House Is Not A Home
(3:26) 14. I Hear Music

A gem of a singer, Donna Byrne's latest is a 14-track journey through the pages of the Great American Songbook, and she brilliantly captures the essence of each of these chestnuts. The Boston vocalist knows how to extend herself far beyond mere recitation of words. Her delivery is so engaging, so dazzling, so bright, that each tune is an entertaining foray into the world of the art of jazz vocal. Not only is she equipped with an extraordinary set of vocal chords, as well as excellent and top-of-the-line timing and phrasing, but she does not get hemmed in by conventional vocal wisdom  she lets her imagination provide the direction for the session. Whether it be on a rousing up-tempo number like "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" (where she uncharacteristically indulges in some scatting going back and forth with Mike Turk's harmonica), to her poignant delivery of "He Was Too Good to Me," Byrne uses the appropriate combination of swing, elan, wit, or romanticism  whatever is needed to make the performance go. Another factor that makes this CD go are two sets of exemplary musicians who perform their duties as Byrne's supporters, adding their own inventive musical musings. Jazz piano institution and fellow New Englander Dave McKenna once again joins Byrne. But while he makes no attempt to overshadow the singer, his years as a top-flight jazzman come through clearly on tunes such as "My Melancholy Baby." The other pianist on the set, Tim Ray, also shines as he helps with a swinging melody on "The Surrey With the Fringe on Top." Erstwhile reedman Mike Monaghan's slightly biting tenor is in front on tracks such as "East of the Sun (and West of the Moon)." Byrne's regular rhythm section, Jim Gwin on drums and husband Marshall Wood on bass, shows that familiarity in no way breeds contempt but respect, harmony, and mutual admiration. The last two cuts are not on the play list: Track 13 is a lovely medley of "A Cottage for Sale"/"A House Is Not a Home," and track 14 is an off-to-the-races "I Hear Music." Don't Dream of Anybody but Me only solidifies Byrne's position as a major contemporary jazz singer. ~ Dave Nathan http://www.allmusic.com/album/dont-dream-of-anybody-but-me-mw0000722605

Personnel:  Donna Byrne -Vocals;  Dave McKenna -Piano;  Tim Ray -Piano/Fender Rhodes;  Jim Gwin -Drums;  Marshall Wood -Bass;  Mike Monaghan -Tenor Sax/Flute;  Kenny Wenzel -Trombone/Flugelhorn;  Mike Turk -Harmonica

Thank You my Friend!!!!

Don't Dream Of Anybody But Me

George Shearing Trio - Getting In The Swing Of Things

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1980
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:57
Size: 106,2 MB
Art: Front

(6:18)  1. Don't Get Around Much Anymore
(5:12)  2. Consternation
(7:06)  3. Sweet And Lovely
(3:47)  4. My Little Anna
(4:00)  5. Sweet Lorraine
(2:57)  6. Louis Ann
(5:50)  7. G and G
(3:18)  8. Poinciana
(6:25)  9. This Can't Be Love

This particular George Shearing Trio (with guitarist Louis Stewart and bassist Niels Pedersen) recorded three albums for MPS during 1977-79 and provided an excellent outlet for the brilliant pianist just prior to his association with the Concord label. The Pausa reissue LP has the trio's renditions of five standards and four obscure originals including two ("Consternation" and "G & G") by Shearing. His renditions of "Don't Get Around Much Anymore" and "This Can't Be Love" are most memorable among these generally swinging tracks. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/getting-in-the-swing-of-things-mw0000943446

Personnel:  Piano – George Shearing;  Bass – Niels Henning Ørsted-Pedersen;  Guitar – Louis Stewart

Getting In The Swing Of Things

Les McCann - Hustle To Survive

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1975
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:53
Size: 103,3 MB
Art: Front

(5:17)  1. Us
(4:12)  2. Changing Seasons
(4:03)  3. Got To Hustle To Survive
(1:27)  4. Butterflies
(6:38)  5. Everytime I See A Butterfly
(4:29)  6. Says Who Says What?
(5:11)  7. Will We Ever Find Our Fathers
(4:08)  8. Well, Cuss My Daddy
(4:12)  9. Why Is Now
(5:11) 10. Let Your Learning Be Your Eyes

Since Layers, Les McCann went on a long retreat away from the cutting edge, basically and literally hustling to survive in a rapidly changing marketplace. Hence the emphasis on vocals and commercial backings on the remainder of his Atlantic albums, which tend to trail off in quality. The title track and "Says Who Says What" continue his string of earthy, topical, radio-friendly soul vocals that tried and tried to score hits the size of "Compared to What" but never quite captured the moment again. McCann's fascination with synthesizers and electronics also continues, although by now he is mostly interested in using the instrument as just another color instead of the basis for the music itself à la Joe Zawinul. McCann's vocals are soulful and sincere and he still plays lots of acoustic piano; it's the material that often lets him down here. Best track is the instrumental "Us," a great funkbuster. ~ Richard G.Ginell http://www.allmusic.com/album/hustle-to-survive-mw0000741540

Piano, Electric Piano, Clavinet – Les McCann;  Bass – James E. Rowser;  Guitar, Acoustic Guitar – Miroslaw Kudykowski

Hustle To Survive