Tuesday, May 23, 2017

Grace Kelly/Phil Woods - Man With The Hat

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:22
Size: 100,5 MB
Art: Front

(8:45)  1. Man With The Hat
(5:20)  2. Love Song From Brazilian Suite
(6:34)  3. People Time
(7:01) 4. Ballad From Very Sad And Very Tired Lotus-Eaters
(5:04)  5. Gone
(4:13)  6. Every Time We Say Goodbye
(6:22)  7. The Way You Look Tonight

Jazz veteran Phil Woods carries the alto sax torch from Charlie Parker, following in the footsteps of Art Pepper, Julian "Cannonball" Adderley and Lee Konitz. Now he bestows the honor on 18-year-old altoist/vocalist Grace Kelly, its light shining on Man With A Hat. Woods, 80, with over a half-century of playing, first met Kelly in 2006 when she was 14 and attending the Stanford Jazz Residency Program in California, where Woods was an instructor. He encouraged her and, a few months later, they were reunited at a Woods gig in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. When he invited her onstage, he was so moved as to remove his iconic leather cap and place it on her head. Hence, four years later, Man With A Hat is named and dedicated to Woods' bebop legacy. The two saxophonists appear with a solid group, performing seven standards and two originals. Special mention goes to pianist Monty Alexander, who stands out with always creative solos and backing. Kelly appears with Woods on the first four tracks, the saxophones blending and weaving in and out the master in support, letting the pupil show of her stuff with vibrant solos. On the final three numbers, she is on her own, in quartet and duo settings.

The opener, Kelly's "Man With the Hat," is dedicated to Woods, of course, immediately establishing the happy bebop sprit of the disc. Each saxophonist delivers sweeping choral lines in tandem, before Kelly solos. This sets the pattern for subsequent songs: unison lines in the introduction, setting off centerpiece solos. Alexander also introduces himself right away, fingers joyously moving all over the keyboard. Kelly's plaintive take on Billy Strayhorn 's "Ballad for Very Tired and Very Sad Lotus-Eaters" is very impressive, as she charms with sensual filigrees. She also takes two vocals turns, and is particularly effective on Benny Carter's "People Time," introducing new lyrics by singer/screenwriter Deborah Pearl with her lovely, pliant voice. For the finale, a jaunty stroll through Jerome Kern's "The Way You Look Tonight," Kelly offers her own updated interpretation of bop, while always considering roots. Near the end of the piece, Alexander breaks the brisk mood with a majestic interlude, before breaking into its lickety-split finish. Kelly released her last Cd, GRACEfulLEE (Pazz, 2008), with Lee Konitz. Now, with Man With A Hat, she can certainly join both of these giants in the alto sax brigade. ~ Larry Taylor https://www.allaboutjazz.com/man-with-the-hat-grace-kelly-pazz-productions-llc-review-by-larry-taylor.php

Personnel: Grace Kelly: alto sax, vocals;  Phil Woods: alto sax;  Monty Alexander: piano;  Evan Gregor: bass;  Bill Goodwin: drums;  Jordan Perlson: percussion.

Man With The Hat

Donna Byrne - Byrnin'

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:27
Size: 145,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:34)  1. The More I See You
(4:26)  2. Somewhere In The Hills
(5:20)  3. September Song
(5:13)  4. Green Dolphin Street
(5:38)  5. Don't Take Your Love From Me
(4:22)  6. If It's Magic
(5:45)  7. Lover
(5:03)  8. Yesterdays
(4:38)  9. You Don't Know Me
(3:29) 10. An Occasional Man
(3:59) 11. Down With Love
(5:48) 12. All The Way
(5:04) 13. Just Friends

For her latest album, Donna Byrne returns to her Ol' Socks label for which she made her first CD in 1990. Over the ensuing eight years, the voice, while a little huskier, has lost not an iota of its attractiveness; neither has Byrne mislaid any ability to deliver a varied and interesting agenda of tunes in a most entertaining way. Swing is the tempo of choice for the first two numbers "The More I See You" and "Somewhere in the Hills." While there's a bit of a bossa nova beat present in the Antonio Carlos Jobim/Ray Gilbert not too often recorded "Hills," swing is the dominant tempo of the record. Stevie Wonder's "If It's Magic" gets an unusually plaintive reading from Byrne, accompanied by Tim Ray's piano, which is in synch with the tune's mood. Byrne introduces "Green Dolphin Street" and breathes new life into it with a verse sung a cappella and a masterfully delivered scatting chorus. Her interpretation ranks with Ella Fitzgerald's and Sheila Jordan's readings of this classic standard. There are many other goodies on the CD. 

"Don't Take Your Love from Me," starts out with a Latin beat and segues into a bluesy tempo featuring fine bass work by Byrne's husband Marshall Wood. "Down with Love" is done with a slightly Peggy Lee sardonic touch through which Byrne opines that this "pain" called love, as well as anything and anyone associated with it, should be put away for good. Again Wood does yeoman work on the bass. The album ends with a romping version of "Just Friends," where Byrne delivers the lyrics at a breakneck pace. At no time, however, does she lose the beat or her pitch; nor in any way does she slur the words as so often happens when a song is delivered at this pace. Tim Ray and Jim Gwin stretch out splendidly on this tune. Donna Byrne's fifth album validates her as one of the most accomplished and entertaining jazz vocalists on the scene today, deserving far greater recognition than she has been afforded to date. ~ Dave Nathan http://www.allmusic.com/album/byrnin-mw0000406139

Personnel:  Donna Byrne (Vocal);  Tim Ray (Piano);  Marshall Wood (Bass); Jim Gwin  (Drums).
 
Thank You my Friend!!!

Byrnin'

Ray Brown Trio - Seven Steps to Heaven

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:11
Size: 148,5 MB
Art: Front

(6:05)  1. Two RBs
(4:03)  2. The Thumb - Blues for Wes
(6:02)  3. Dejection Blues
(4:09)  4. Seven Steps To Heaven
(5:01)  5. My Romance
(6:48)  6. In A Sentimental Mood
(4:49)  7. Samba de Orfeu
(7:14)  8. Stella By Starlight
(5:39)  9. No Greater Love
(9:01) 10. Things Ain't  What They Used To Be
(4:16) 11. Cotton Tail

The Ray Brown Trio in 1995 featured pianist Benny Green and drummer Gregory Hutchinson along with the leader/bassist. In the tradition of the mid-'50s Oscar Peterson Trio, the group featured tight arrangements with concise but consistently brilliant solos. For this Telarc session, guitairst Ulf Wakenius (a little reminiscent of Herb Ellis) fits in perfectly. Highlights include "Seven Steps to Heaven" and "Cotton Tail." ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/seven-steps-to-heaven-mw0000180540

Personnel:  Ray Brown Trio:  Ray Brown (bass);  Benny Green (piano);  Gregory Hutchinson (drums).

Seven Steps to Heaven

Elvin Jones - Elvin!

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1962
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:16
Size: 87,7 MB
Art: Front

(6:23)  1. Lady Luck
(6:34)  2. Buzz-At
(4:09)  3. Shadowland
(3:33)  4. Pretty Brown
(8:07)  5. Ray-El
(5:03)  6. Four and Six
(4:23)  7. You Are Too Beautiful

Drummer Elvin Jones' first full-length album as a leader is different than one would expect when it is taken into consideration that he was a member of the fiery John Coltrane Quartet at the time. This sextet session, which also includes his brothers Thad and Hank on cornet and piano in addition to flutist Frank Wess, Frank Foster on tenor, and bassist Art Davis, is straight-ahead with a strong Count Basie feel. Jones is still recognizable on the fairly obscure material (only "You Are Too Beautiful" qualifies as a standard) and shows that he can cook in the fairly conventional setting. All of the musicians are in fine form, and two selections feature the rhythm section as a trio. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/elvin%21-mw0000180674

Personnel:  Drums – Elvin Jones;  Bass – Art Davis;  Cornet – Thad Jones;  Flute – Frank Wess;  Piano – Hank Jones;  Saxophone – Frank Foster 

Elvin!

The Capital Dance Orchestra - Stampede

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:59
Size: 121,9 MB
Art: Front

(2:50)  1. Rhythm Man
(3:04)  2. Casa Loma Stomp
(3:08)  3. Stampede
(4:01)  4. Stardust
(2:33)  5. He Ain't Never Been In College
(3:40)  6. San Sue Strut
(2:51)  7. Cheek To Cheek
(2:49)  8. Nachtexpress Nach Warschau
(3:19)  9. Did You Mean It ?
(4:45) 10. A Nightingale Sang In Berkley Square
(2:53) 11. Who Walks In, When I Walk Out?
(2:51) 12. Orientexpress
(2:27) 13. Moten Stomp
(3:50) 14. I've Got You Under My Skin
(2:28) 15. Introducing Mr. Basie
(3:04) 16. U-Bahn Fox
(2:18) 17. Serenade To A Savage

The Capital Dance Orchestra performed for some time as André Frank and His Orchestra , before it was given the current name in 2004. As a big band with 13 musicians, the orchestra has since performed with its own programs in the style of the dance chapels of the 1920s to 1940s. The musical director is David Canisius, as a singer and presenter, Simon Marlow performs through his own programs. With the Stars go swing , Capital moments and Swing goes Beat programs , the ensemble performed in front of its audience. This includes about 300 arrangements, from Glenn Miller to Theo Mackeben to Benny Goodman . Many popular vocalists have accompanied the ensemble to date, including Nina Hagen , Johannes Heesters , Jeanette Biedermann , Katja Riemann , Barbara Schöneberger and Jochen Kowalski . The Capital Dance Orchestra conducted a series of engagements through Germany , Europe , South Africa , Brazil and the People's Republic of China . 

The orchestra has recorded several CD and DVD releases with different soloists. Together with the music cabaret artist and songwriter Bodo Wartke , the "The Capital Dance Orchestra" has been in the program since 2013 with the program " Swinging Need for Germany Tour".https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Capital_Dance_Orchestra (Translate by Google).

Stampede