Wednesday, August 16, 2017

Kenny Drew - Solo-Duo

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:26
Size: 163,2 MB
Art: Front

( 6:58)  1. Everything I Love
( 3:10)  2. Ode to Mariann
( 3:39)  3. Willow Weep for Me
( 6:46)  4. Swingin' Till the Girls Come Home
( 5:38)  5. Yesterdays
( 4:23)  6. Blues for Nils
( 3:02)  7. A Simple Need
( 4:02)  8. Whisper Not
(10:13)  9. Blues for Nils
( 7:54) 10. There's No Greater Love
( 8:13) 11. Ack Varmeland du Skona
( 6:23) 12. Bluesology

The talented, if underrated bebop pianist Kenny Drew spent his last few decades living in Scandinavia after emigrating from the U.S. in 1961. This 1996 CD has previously unreleased material recorded by the Danish Broadcast Corporation featuring Drew at three different periods in time. There are four tunes apiece of Drew in duets with bassist Niels Pedersen in 1966, playing unaccompanied solos in 1978, and duets with bassist Bo Stief in 1983. All dozen numbers (seven jazz standards, a Scandinavian folk song, an obscurity and two Drew originals, including two versions of "Blues for Nils") are quite rewarding. The music is straight-ahead, often harmonically sophisticated, swinging and occasionally unpredictable. An excellent sampling of Kenny Drew's talents. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/solo-duo-mw0000085523

Personnel: Kenny Drew (piano); Niels-henning Orsted Pedersen, Bo Stief (bass)

Solo-Duo

Yasuko Agawa - Jazz Ballad

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 1990
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:45
Size: 128,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:29)  1. But Beautiful
(4:26)  2. Moonlight Serenade
(3:53)  3. The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
(3:44)  4. My Foolish Heart
(3:45)  5. Alfie
(4:18)  6. Saving All My Love for You
(4:05)  7. Star Dust
(4:07)  8. Lover Man
(4:37)  9. In a Sentimental Mood
(4:42) 10. If You Never Come to Me
(3:12) 11. What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life
(3:13) 12. The Man I Love
(3:05) 13. My Funny Valentine
(4:02) 14. Good-Bye

Yasuko Agawa (Born October 16th, 1951 in Kamakura, Japan) is a Japanese jazz singer and actress. Yasuko began singing in Jazz clubs in 1973 and by 1978 had signed a deal with Victor Entertainment. Yasuko released her fist album, "Love-Bird," in 1978. Yasuko has remained active since the late '70s and has released 35 albums to date along with several concert DVDs and photobooks. https://www.last.fm/music/Yasuko+Agawa/+wiki

Jazz Ballad

Al Cohn, Bill Perkins, Richie Kamuca - The Brothers!

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:51
Size: 174,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:48)  1. Blixed
(3:13)  2. Kim's Kaper
(3:08)  3. Rolling Stone
(3:08)  4. Sioux Zan
(2:48)  5. The Walrus
(3:12)  6. Blue Skies
(3:17)  7. Gay Blade
(3:13)  8. Three Of A Kind
(3:19)  9. Hags!
(3:04) 10. Pro-Ex
(3:19) 11. Strange Again
(3:39) 12. Cap Snapper
(3:02) 13. Memories Of You
(3:22) 14. Saw Buck
(3:22) 15. Chorus For Morris
(3:15) 16. Slightly Salty
(5:09) 17. Just Friends
(4:32) 18. All Of Me
(3:18) 19. Limehouse Blues
(4:31) 20. Solid De Sylva
(5:02) 21. Sweet And Lovely

This release presents the complete original 1955 album The Brothers! (RCA Victor LPM1162), featuring the wonderful West Coast frontline of Al Cohn, Bill Perkins and Richie Kamuca. In addition to the complete original album, this CD also includes all of the tunes recorded during those sessions that were originally excluded from the LP, as well as a splendid complete quintet session that also features Perkins and Kamuca. http://www.jazzmessengers.com/en/9356/al-cohn/the-brothers

Personnel:  Al Cohn, Bill Perkins, Richie Kamuca, tenor saxes,  Hank Jones, piano;  Barry Galbraith, guitar (on 2-3, 6-8, 10, 13 & 16);  Jimmy Raney, guitar (on 1, 4-5, 9, 11-12 & 14-15); John Beal, bass;  Chuck Flores, drums

The Brothers!

Taylor Eigsti Trio - Resonance

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:18
Size: 143,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:11)  1. Got a Match?
(3:20)  2. Juliette
(3:46)  3. Oleo
(6:40)  4. Angel Eyes
(5:44)  5. Avolation
(6:40)  6. Somewhere
(7:20)  7. Love Dance
(5:36)  8. Uncle Smith
(4:50)  9. Cubano Chant
(7:43) 10. Things Ain't What They Used to Be
(6:24) 11. Introspection

People who claim "jazz is dead," or that its only true practitioners are dying off, can be very tiresome. This CD also proves them, well, dead wrong. Taylor Eigsti (IKES-dee), just 19 years old, is eager to carry the torch into the next century and what's more, he's doing it. He opened for David Benoit at age 8, played with Dave Brubeck at 13, and joined the teaching staff of the Stanford Jazz Workshop at 15. Eigsti has already opened for Diana Krall, Natalie Cole, Al Jarreau, and Hank Jones. His trio has played widely in his native California, including the Monterey Jazz Festival (at the Ravinia Festival in Chicago, they played under the banner of "Rising Strars."). Resonance , Eigsti's first truly wide release, showcases his incredible technique, enthusiasm and imagination. The lightning parallel runs on the blazing opener Chick Corea's "Got a Match?" would be dazzling in a pianist of any age. So would the impeccable, rousing stride piano on "Oleo," the sizzle on Ray Bryant's "Cubano Chant," and the assured swing on "Things Ain't What They Used To Be." 

But this is no infant savant: Eigsti shows taste and feeling in his choices, knows how to build a solo, and is a gifted composer as well (for example, "Avolation" brings jazz squarely into the 21st century, while restoring its original mandate as "danceable music," and his tribute to his "Uncle Smith" is thoughtful and lovely). It's hard to pick highlights on this CD, where a reharmonized, 7/4 "Angel Eyes" gains mystery while chestnuts "Love Dance" and "Somewhere" get a new shine. Eigsti's favorite comrades (John Shifflett and Jason Lewis) are wonderful throughout; at the recording session, the trio created the sly, bluesy groove that became "Juliette." I had the pleasure of meeting Eigsti on last year's S/S Maasdam jazz cruise, and it was refreshing to encounter a young pianist with more talent than attitude. Salutatorian of his high school class, he's a relaxed and engaging young man who is miraculously unspoiled. His career plans include introducing jazz to his own generation, which too often confuses the "smooth" with the real thing if they think of it at all. Since this record came out last month, Eigsti's been scheduled to tape an NPR "Piano Jazz" program with Marian McPartland. By all reports, Eigsti has grown a great deal since he recorded this CD. I can't wait to see him on this year's cruise and hear where he is now. Highly recommended. ~ Dr.Judith Schlesinger https://www.allaboutjazz.com/resonance-taylor-eigsti-bop-city-records-review-by-dr-judith-schlesinger.php

Personnel: Taylor Eigsti: piano; John Shifflett: bass; Jason Lewis: drums.

Resonance