Sarah Vaughan - Viva! Vaughan

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 36:00

Size: 82.4 MB

Styles: Jazz vocals, Standards

Year: 1965/2005

Art: Front

[2:27] 1. The Boy From Ipanema

[2:34] 2. Fascinating Rhythm

[3:15] 3. Night Song

[2:26] 4. Mr. Lucky

[2:45] 5. Fever

[3:28] 6. Shiny Stockings

[1:49] 7. Avalon

[2:45] 8. Tea For Two

[3:24] 9. Quiet Nights Of Quiet Stars

[2:41] 10. Stompin At The Savoy

[2:40] 11. Moment Of Truth

[2:49] 12. Jive Samba

[2:50] 13. A Taste Of Honey

Sarah Vaughan's Viva! Vaughan is a curious blend of jazz and pop with Latin percussion, with arrangements by ex-Basie sideman Frank Foster, recorded in the midst of the mid-'60s bossa nova craze. Vaughan is in great voice throughout the date and the material is generally first-rate, except for the bland "Night Song." The orchestra is an unusual blend, with seven trombones, flute, violins, piano, bass, and drums, plus Latin percussion, but no trumpets or saxophones. Foster's best arrangements omit the string section: there's a swinging take of Henry Mancini's "Mr. Lucky," a wild if brief "Avalon," a campy "Tea for Two," and Foster's own "Shiny Stockings." Unfortunately, the bossa nova selections ("The Boy from Ipanema" and "Quiet Nights") are burdened with pedestrian string arrangements that date the music as much as the generally uninspired Latin percussion. It's likely that this lack of focus confused the record-buying public as to what type of music this was and caused it to be overlooked. The brevity of the tracks and the lack of solo opportunities for the strong supporting cast (which includes Kai Winding, Jerome Richardson, Barry Galbraith, and George Duvivier, among others) make it seem like receiving airplay was a major goal of this release. However, the golden voice of Sarah Vaughan is this LP's most dominant factor, and it is worth acquiring. ~Ken Dryden

Viva! Vaughan  

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Gypsy Jazz Caravan - Gypsy Jazz Caravan III

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:44
Size: 134.5 MB
Styles: Gypsy jazz
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[3:33] 1. I Love Paris
[3:43] 2. This Ain't No Hot Club
[3:49] 3. La Vie En Rose
[3:50] 4. Bossa Morticia
[2:56] 5. Djangology
[3:45] 6. Fool's Tango
[4:24] 7. Crazy
[3:08] 8. Le Musette de l'Arrogance
[4:13] 9. Cheap Needs
[4:43] 10. Gypsy Apparition
[4:24] 11. Beyond the Sea (La Mer)
[3:05] 12. Take 5
[3:41] 13. Life of the Party
[3:58] 14. Nuages
[2:20] 15. Giant Steps
[3:07] 16. Tragic Beauty

Gypsy Jazz Caravan is a swing band that pays tribute to the music started by Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli in the 1930's. Because of its Parisian origins it is also called Jazz Manouche. Welcome to our website! Have a look and a listen and drop us a note letting us know what you think.

"This is one of the newest and freshest Django style bands to emerge in the last few years and from Brooklyn, of all places. New tunes, new solos and great violin playing by the wonderful Rob Thomas. Glenn Tosto's rhythm guitar playing is just superb on this recording and Marc Daine's lead swings throughout."

Gypsy Jazz Caravan III

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Erroll Garner - Ready Take One

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:48
Size: 150.6 MB
Styles: Swing, Piano jazz
Year: 1967/2016
Art: Front

[3:47] 1. High Wire
[2:57] 2. I Want To Be Happy
[5:03] 3. I'm Confessin' (That I Love You)
[3:18] 4. Sunny
[5:06] 5. Wild Music
[6:23] 6. Caravan
[5:23] 7. Back To You
[4:23] 8. Night And Day
[2:54] 9. Chase Me
[5:51] 10. Satin Doll
[5:27] 11. Latin Digs
[4:48] 12. Stella By Starlight
[5:29] 13. Down Wylie Avenue
[4:52] 14. Misty

Unheard Erroll Garner recordings are a rarity, so the existence of Legacy's 2016 collection Ready Take One is remarkable in and of itself. To have it be excellent is something else, and to have it be a bit of a swinging revelation is another thing entirely. Consisting of sessions recorded in 1967, 1969, and 1971 but only recently discovered, Ready Take One finds Garner working in a trio setting sometimes augmented by a percussionist -- a standard setting for him, but the difference here is that he's often swinging with a soulful touch. Usually known as an elegant pianist, there is a rhythmic kick -- partially derived from soul, partially from Latin rhythms -- that gives this a feel that's distinctive from the rest of his work. Some of this can be chalked up to the era -- Garner's riding the trends, covering Bobby Hebb's AM pop hit "Sunny" and getting lightly funky on "High Wire," one of several Garner originals here. One of nicest things about Ready Take One is that there are several unheard originals, sitting alongside the loungey love song "Back to You" and the exuberant "Wild Music." A couple other originals accentuate the sly funkiness in his playing -- he rides the beat hard on "Latin Digs" and "Chase Me" is giddy with its uptempo bounce -- but that can also be heard with takes on such classics as "Caravan," "Stella by Starlight," and "Misty." Through it all, Garner's inventive, classy playing remains thoroughly recognizable -- this is still the same pianist who crossed over easily with Concert by the Sea -- but Ready Take One illustrates that he continued to stretch and push his playing and, for that, it's more than a welcome vault excavation, it's a joy to hear. ~Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Ready Take One

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Gary Smith - Jazz With A Side Of Salsa

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:52
Size: 98.2 MB
Styles: Jazz guitar
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[3:16] 1. Nice When You're With Me
[3:13] 2. A Beautiful Song For You
[3:14] 3. Afternoon In Rio
[5:12] 4. Moments Together
[6:35] 5. She's Like A Samba In The Night
[4:40] 6. Love In The Rain
[3:24] 7. Aftereffect
[6:16] 8. One Of These Days
[4:19] 9. The Girl From Copacabana
[2:38] 10. A Strange Bossa

Gary Smith has more than 40 years of experience in the music business and has worked with some of America’s leading entertainers which include: Bernadette Peters, Frankie Laine, Billy Daniels, Barbi Benton, The Coasters, The Platters, Vickie Carr, Kaye Starre, Riders in the Sky, Sheckie Greene, Anna Marie Alberghetti, Danny and The Juniors Barry Williams and many more.

As a Producer, Gary Smith has produced over 90 Albums in most genres of music. Some Artists Gary has recorded or recorded with include three time GRAMMY winner Ernie Watts, Lloyd Mabrey, Jeannie Walla, Paul Severson, Warren Kime, Jeff Pine, Ed Stabler, Susan Rowland, Krystyn Hartman, Gary McCallister, Carlos and Andrea Elias, Connie Pyle, Jack Gaby, Swing City Express and many more. Gary Smith has also produced music for Film and Video, including the award winning documentary “Glovers Reef”, "Undiscovered Destinations - Colorado", " John Otto and the Colorado National Monuments"(RMPBS). In addition, Gary has produced music for the Nickelodeon Television Network; including the National Promo’s for Jonah a Veggie Tail Movie and Monster House.

As a recording artist Gary Smith has released over 12 Jazz Guitar Albums, released on the GRS WEST MUSIC label.

Jazz With A Side Of Salsa

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Joe Venuti And Dave McKenna - Alone At The Palace

Styles: Violin And Piano Jazz
Year: 1977
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:46
Size: 156,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:21)  1. At The Jazz Band Ball
(4:25)  2. More Than You Know
(3:03)  3. The World Is Waiting For The Sunrise
(3:02)  4. Runnin' Ragged
(4:15)  5. Speak Low
(3:33)  6. Oh, Lady Be Good
(3:55)  7. Take The ''A'' Train
(3:06)  8. A Cottage For Sale
(6:29)  9. Satin And Velvet
(2:52) 10. That's A'Plenty
(3:03) 11. Send In The Clowns
(2:53) 12. The Other Side Of The Walk
(2:55) 13. At The Jazz Band Ball #2
(2:38) 14. At The Jazz Band Ball #3
(2:11) 15. Runnin' Ragged #2
(2:52) 16. They Can't Take That Away From Me
(4:06) 17. Esterllita
(4:38) 18. Variations On Tea For Three
(3:21) 19. Ain't Doin' Bad Doin' Nothin'

For one of violinist Joe Venuti's final recording sessions, he engages in a set of duets with the talented swing pianist Dave McKenna. The original LP had a dozen performances and the reissue CD adds seven more. In addition to the usual standards, there are several Dixieland tunes (including three versions of "At the Jazz Band Ball") and four Venuti originals. McKenna (with his rolling basslines) was a perfect partner for the violinist, making this set one of the best of Venuti's later years. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/alone-at-the-palace-mw0000077616

Personnel: Joe Venuti (violin), Dave McKenna (piano).

Alone At The Palace

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Ella Fitzgerald - The Intimate Ella

Styles: Vocal Jazz

Year: 1990

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 42:39

Size: 98,3 MB

Art: Front

(3:30)  1. Black Coffee

(3:30)  2. Angel Eyes

(3:29)  3. I Cried For You

(3:31)  4. I Can't Give You Anything But Love, Baby

(3:13)  5. Then You've Never Been Blue

(2:51)  6. I Hadn't Anyone 'Till You

(3:00)  7. My Melancholy Baby

(2:54)  8. Misty

(3:43)  9. September Song

(4:20) 10. One For My Baby (And One More For The Road)

(3:29) 11. Who's Sorry Now

(2:38) 12. I'm Getting Sentimental Over You

(2:24) 13. Reach For Tomorrow

This is a most unusual Ella Fitzgerald recording. Recorded around the time when she performed some of these songs for the film Let No Man Write My Epitaph, the masterful singer is heard in duets with pianist Paul Smith interpreting 13 songs (even "I Cried for You," "I Can't Give You Anything But Love," and "Who's Sorry Now?") at slow expressive tempos. Listeners who feel that Ella Fitzgerald was mostly a scat singer who had trouble giving the proper emotional intensity to lyrics will be surprised by this sensitive and often-haunting set. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-intimate-ella-mw0000689903

Personnel: Ella Fitzgerald (vocals); Paul Smith (piano).

The Intimate Ella

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Zoot Sims - Warm Tenor

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1978
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:50
Size: 105,1 MB
Art: Front

(7:22)  1. Dream Dancing
(5:38)  2. Old Devil Moon
(2:42)  3. Blues for Louise
(6:54)  4. Jitterbug Waltz
(5:19)  5. You Go to My Head
(5:46)  6. Blue Prelude
(5:57)  7. Comes Love
(6:07)  8. You're My Thrill

The Pablo label was a perfect home for Zoot Sims during the second half of the '70s; the cool-toned tenor always sounded at his best in informal settings with small groups where he had the opportunity to stretch out. This quartet set with pianist Jimmy Rowles, bassist George Mraz and drummer Mousie Alexander (which has been reissued on CD) gives Sims a chance to interpret a variety of mostly underplayed standards along with a duet with Mraz on an ad-lib "Blues for Louise." 

Highlights include "Old Devil Moon," "You Go to My Head," "Blue Prelude" and "You're My Thrill." ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/warm-tenor-mw0000276105

Personnel: Zoot Sims (tenor saxophone), Jimmy Rowles (piano), George Mraz (acoustic bass), Mousey Alexander (drums).

Warm Tenor

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Alphonso Johnson - Moonshadows

Styles: Jazz Fusion, Jazz Funk
Year: 1976
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:08
Size: 94,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:21)  1. Stump
(6:10)  2. Involuntary Bliss
(6:15)  3. Cosmoba Place
(2:12)  4. Pandora's Box
(5:45)  5. Up From The Cellar
(4:43)  6. Amarteifio
(6:21)  7. On The Case
(5:16)  8. Unto Thine Own Self Be True

A good jazz-funk-fusion album by Weather Report's bass player Alphonso Johnson, a few songs like "Stump" picked up some disco plays. It's nice to hear an album by a player of a particular instrument where the player and his instrument play a prominent role. This album abounds with muscle bass riffs; unlike Idris Muhammad's (drummer) albums, where the drums are indistinguishable. Other notable tracks include "Involuntary Bliss," "Pandora's Box," and "On the Case."~ Andrew Hamilton http://www.allmusic.com/album/moonshadows-mw0000893150

Personnel:  Bass, Chapman Stick [Electric Stick], Vocals – Alphonso Johnson;  Drums – Ndugu Leon Chancler;  Drums, Keyboards – Narada Michael Walden;  Guitar – Chris Bond, David Amaro, Blackbird McKnight, Lee Ritenour;  Keyboards – Patrice Rushen;  Keyboards, Vocals – Dawilli Gonga;  Reeds – Bennie Maupin;  Soprano Saxophone – Gary Bartz;  Vocals – Flora Purim

Moonshadows

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Bill Evans - Another Time: The Hilversum Concert

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:15
Size: 108,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:34)  1. You're Gonna Hear from Me
(5:21)  2. Very Early
(5:42)  3. Who Can I Turn To?
(5:37)  4. Alfie
(5:07)  5. Embraceable You
(4:30)  6. Emily
(8:44)  7. Nardis
(4:59)  8. Turn out the Stars
(2:37)  9. Five

As charmed good-luck magnets go, producer Zev Feldman is the jazz world's equivalent of the guy who keeps winning the lottery year after year. He and Resonance Records specialize in finding and curating unreleased gems to share with the wider world not dodgy bootlegs, but quality material in terms of content and sound and giving each discovery the respect it deserves. For such a legendary and extensively recorded artist as Bill Evans who's been gone almost four decades, it's easy to suspect all the Good Stuff is already out there, but you never know when the obvious assumption will be wonderfully proven wrong. Resonance's treatments of Evans began with a from-the-attic 1968 tape released as Live at Art D'Lugoff's Top of the Gate in 2012 (a performance with Eddie Gomez and Marty Morell). Lightning struck again with 2016's Some Other Time: The Lost Session from the Black Forest from June of the same year, the pianist's only studio recording during the six-month stretch when Jack DeJohnette occupied the drum chair. Perhaps it's only natural then, if extraordinarily fortunate, that a respectful enthusiast sought them out when looking to share another unheard recording made for Dutch public radio two days later. Lovingly presented with the blessing of Evans' estate, label and bandmates, Another Time is another gem of a find and a delight for committed and casual listeners alike.

The setting was an intimate studio in front of a small and traditionally respectful European audience, but the trio's performance is as sprightly and animated as that of a club date. Evans remains sophisticated and beautifully melodic as always, spinning his trademark chordings right from the first weaving harmonics of "You're Gonna Hear from Me." At the same time he's unmistakably energized by his cohorts, who coast at an infectious and spirited level throughout the set. DeJohnette's spry cymbal splashing and clattering rolls are tasteful enough to suit the tone of the show, while still showing the busy rhythmic sense that would get him drafted by Miles Davis for some much louder electric work in the next couple years. His bright fills propel the gang through a dynamic "Nardis" and a rousing finale of "Five" with a playful sense of fun; those points sound like they could have made the beginning of a cooking mid-set stretch, but sadly this broadcast's 48-minute running time doesn't allow for more extensive explorations. 

While Gomez admits to being a bit discontented with his bass tone and "Embraceable You" intro solo, the rendition here swings beautifully, and he stands out in spots like "Who Can I Turn To?" as well. He had been a factor in this phase of Evans' rhythmically focused late-career development for almost two years at this point, and the pair's comfortable rapport is a prime example of why they remained productive partners for almost a decade more. "When we later went on to [a residency at London's] Ronnie Scott's club... that's when it really opened up," the bassist hints during the album's extensive and thoughtful liners (another noteworthy asset to the package). It's most disappointing that there aren't any similarly high-quality tapes of their later run known to exist, but that makes it no less a pleasure to hear this particular group bursting with freshness and inspiration straight from the beginning of their brief time together. If Another Time turns out to be the last we hear from them, it will still shine as another highlight of the Evans catalogue not to be missed. ~ Geno Thackara https://www.allaboutjazz.com/another-time-the-hilversum-concert-bill-evans-resonance-records-review-by-geno-thackara.php

Personnel: Bill Evans: piano; Eddie Gomez: bass; Jack DeJohnette: drums.

Another Time: The Hilversum Concert

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