Cecil Payne - Scotch & Milk

Styles: Saxophone And Flute Jazz
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:12
Size: 163,4 MB
Art: Front

( 9:04)  1. Scotch and Milk
( 8:46)  2. Wilhelmenia
( 9:56)  3. I'm Goin' In
( 5:15)  4. If I Should Lose You
( 8:10)  5. Que Pasaning
(11:18)  6. Cit Sac
( 8:13)  7. Lady Nia
(10:27)  8. Et Vous Too, Cecil?

When Cecil Payne turned 70 in 1992, the baritone saxophonist was showing no signs of slowing down. Payne was 73 when he recorded Scotch and Milk, a fine hard bop date employing trumpeter Marcus Belgrave, tenor saxmen Lin Halliday and Eric Alexander, pianist Harold Mabern, bassist John Ore, and drummer Joe Farnsworth. Payne's chops are in top shape on this 1996 date, and the veteran saxman plays with a lot of passion on such exuberant originals as "Wilhemenia" (a Sonny Rollins-type jazz/calypso number), "Que Pasaning," and "Cit Sac" (which finds Payne switching to the flute). The only tune on the CD that Payne didn't write is the standard "If I Should Lose You," which serves as a nice example of his soulful ballad playing. Nothing groundbreaking takes places on Scotch and Milk; most of the material could have been recorded for Blue Note in the 1950s or 1960s instead of 1996. Scotch and Milk is a perfect example of a veteran improviser excelling by sticking with what he does best. ~ Alex Henderson http://www.allmusic.com/album/scotch-and-milk-mw0000595078

Personnel: Cecil Payne (flute, baritone saxophone); Paul Serrano (recorder); Eric Alexander , Lin Halliday (tenor saxophone); Marcus Belgrave (trumpet); Harold Mabern (piano); Joe Farnsworth (drums)

Scotch & Milk

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Anne Phillips - Ballet Time

Styles: Vocal Jazz 
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:39
Size: 153,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:12)  1. Ballet Time
(5:32)  2. I Have the Feeling I've Been Here Before
(4:02)  3. I've Got Just About Everything
(4:43)  4. Here's to Life
(4:51)  5. In Your Own Sweet Way
(3:39)  6. Doubletalk
(3:16)  7. You Are There
(4:01)  8. Late Late Show
(3:44)  9. In the Days of Our Love
(4:57) 10. I Never Went Away
(3:12) 11. I Was Doing All Right
(5:37) 12. Embracable You
(5:53) 13. Romancing Ketchikan
(4:50) 14. New York Night Time Blues
(5:02) 15. Fried Bananas

Vocalist Anne Phillips may not be a familiar name to many jazz fans, though since she began her professional career in the early 1960s as a member of the Ray Charles Singers on the Perry Como Show, she has worked in many musical formats as a singer, composer, arranger, conductor and producer. This project was a special labor of love, as she recruited a number of old friends that she met along the way and recruited them to appear on one track apiece with her. Her engaging vocal duet with Bob Dorough (who complements their vocals with some lively piano) of his "I've Got Just About Everything" is a playful affair. Phillips lays a bit behind the beat effectively in spots in Dave Brubeck's loping treatment of his timeless "In Your Own Sweet Way," while she captures the nostalgic magic of pianist Dave Frishberg's lyrics in his ballad (with music by Johnny Mandel) "You Are There." Marian McPartland is on hand for her haunting ballad "In the Days of Our Love," with Phillips bringing out the essence of Peggy Lee's lyrics. Phillips' duet with tenor saxophonist Bob Kindred (her husband) of "Embraceable You" is full of humor, as is "Double Talk" a duet with organist Larry Goldings that has a campy lyric in the style of Annie Ross. There's never a dull moment in this delightful musical scrapbook. ~ Ken Dryden http://www.allmusic.com/album/ballet-time-mw0001225843

She sings with jazz greats Dave Brubeck, Marian McPartland, Roger Kellaway, Dave Frishberg, Bob Dorough and more...

Ballet Time

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Freddie Hubbard - Born To Be Blue

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1981
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:48
Size: 95,8 MB
Art: Front

(12:16)  1. Gibraltar
( 8:06)  2. True Colors
( 7:26)  3. Born To Be Blue
( 6:48)  4. Joy Spring
( 7:11)  5. Up Jumped Spring

Trumpeter Freddie Hubbard teams up with veteran tenor-saxophonist Harold Land and Hubbard's regular rhythm section of the period (keyboardist Billy Childs, bassist Larry Klein, drummer Steve Houghton and percussionist Buck Clark) on this fine modern hard bop CD, a straight reissue of the original Pablo LP. Hubbard had hurt his reputation with his very commercial Columbia recordings of the mid-to-late '70s so in 1981 he was doing his best to return to his brand of straightahead jazz. This date is highlighted by "Gibraltar," Clifford Brown's "Joy Spring" and a revisit to Hubbard's "Up Jumped Spring." ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/born-to-be-blue-mw0000188314

Personnel: Freddie Hubbard (trumpet); Harold Land (tenor saxophone); Billy Childs (keyboards); Larry Klein (bass); Steve Houghton (drums); Buck Clark (percussion).

Born To Be Blue

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Narada Michael Walden - I Cry, I Smile

Styles: Vocal, Soul
Year: 1977
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:30
Size: 104,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:40)  1. I Need Your Love
(4:22)  2. Better Man
(3:42)  3. Soul Bird
(3:57)  4. I Remember
(4:58)  5. Oneness-Cry
(4:47)  6. Mango Bop
(1:18)  7. Rainbow-Sky
(5:46)  8. I Cry, I Smile
(4:36)  9. Heaven's Just a Step Ahead
(4:21) 10. So Long

Drummer/songwriter/producer/vocalist Narada Michael Walden's career spans over three decades and is threaded with gold, platinum, and multi-platinum awards. He's produced and/or (co) written number one hits by Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey ("Vision of Love"), Aretha Franklin ("Freeway of Love"), and Lisa Fischer ("How Can I Ease the Pain"). His proficient drumming skills have made him a first-call session musician playing on countless recording sessions.Walden has played on all kind of sessions from rock, jazz, pop, R&B, to fusion, sharing the recording and concert stage with the likes of John McLaughlin, the Mahavishnu Orchestra (a 21-year-old Narada replaced drumming legend Billy Cobham), and Jeff Beck (his Wired album) to name a small few. His own career as a recording artist is showcased on Rhino's Ecstasy's Dance: The Best of Narada Michael Walden. Walden's eclecticism is threaded throughout his recordings in varying degrees. In the '80s, he became a Grammy-winning mega-producer: Producer of the Year in 1987, Album of the Year for the 1993 movie soundtrack The Bodyguard (Narada Michael Walden, producer), and the Song of the Year award in 1985 for writing Aretha Franklin's "Freeway of Love." The song helped the Queen of Soul land her first platinum album. Walden was named one of the Top Ten Producers With the Most Number One Hits by Billboard magazine. Narada produced the Temptations' "Stay," the group's first number one record in 25 years from their platinum-plus Grammy-nominated Phoenix Rising. He also produced tracks for their follow-up album, Ear-Resistable issued by Motown/Universal on May 16, 2000.

Born April 23, 1952, in Kalamazoo, MI, Walden was given the name Narada by guru Sri Chinmoy. After college graduation, he trekked to Miami, FL, playing in various rock bands. Signing with Atlantic Records, his debut album, Garden of Love Light, included the mid-tempo "Delightful," which charted at 81 R&B in spring 1977. His next LP, I Cry I Smile, boasted the sweet "So Long" and the radio-aired LP tracks the languid "I Need Your Love," the delicious "I Remember," and the charming "Better Man." Even though these top-notch tracks received airplay in Chicago and other markets, other than "Better Man," none were released as singles. Instead, the label picked "Soulbird" and "Manago Bop," which worked well as album tracks, but not singles. The Awakening proved to be his breakthrough album, going to number 15 R&B in spring 1979 on the strength of the brassy "I Don't Want Nobody Else (To Dance With You)." Awakening radio-aired LP tracks were the airy "Listen to Me" and the jubilant album opener "Love Me Only" (also arranged by Patrick Adams). Awakening also featured top session bassist Keni Burke, formerly of the Five Stairsteps and best known for his own "Risin' to the Top."

His second highest charting single, "I Shoulda Loved Ya," hit number four R&B in late 1979. It was on his The Dance of Life (number nine R&B, late 1979), which included the gentle ballad "Why Did You Turn Me On." "You're #1" and "Summer Lady" were both on his Confidence LP from summer 1982. Walden's cover of the Four Tops' "Reach Out I'll Be There," "Reach Out," a huge dance hit, was listed on Looking at You, Looking at Me, which charted in spring 1983. Switching to Warner Bros., his duet with Patti Austin, the Motown-ish pop confection, "Gimme Gimme Gimme," issued as Narada Michael Walden with Patti Austin, went to number 39 R&B in early 1985 and was listed on his The Nature of Things album. His single "Divine Emotions" on the Warner Bros. imprint Reprise Records appeared in the Michael J. Fox movie Bright Lights, Big City. The Divine Emotion LP included the charting mellow single "Wild Thing" and the smooth, chugging, radio-aired LP track "That's the Way That I Feel About Cha." His 1995 Toshiba/EMI album was titled Sending Love to Everyone. In late 1985, Walden opened Tarpan Studios, a state-of-the-art recording studio located near San Francisco. Walden's work appears on releases by Stacy Lattisaw ("Let Be Your Angel") ,Al Green (Your Heart's in Good Hands), Shanice Wilson ("I Love Your Smile," "I Hate to Be Lonely"), Ray Charles, Diana Ross, George Michael, Wild Orchid, Tevin Campbell, Angela Bofill, Diana Ross, MyTown, Steve Winwood, Phaze II, Regina Belle-Passion ("Baby Come to Me"), Andy Vargas, Debelah Morgan, Jai, Jermaine Stewart ("We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off"), Natalie Cole ("Good to Be Back), Clarence Clemons, Puff Johnson, Eddie Murphy ("Put Your Mouth on Me"), and Carl Carlton ("The Bad CC"), among many many others. Other Narada Michael Walden-related releases are Stacy Lattisaw and Johnny Gill (Perfect Combination), Lisa Fischer (So Intense), and the movie soundtracks to Beverly Hills Cop II, Perfect, Waiting to Exhale, License to Kill, The Bodyguard, Jason's Lyric, 9 1/2 Weeks, Crooklyn, Free Willy, and The Associate. ~ Ed Hogan https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/i-cry-i-smile/id305111925

Personnel:  Narada Michael Walden: Vocals, Drums, Percussion, Keyboards;  Christine Faith, Elisa Delieson, Cheryl Alexander: Backing vocals;  Hiram Bullock, Raymond Gomes: Guitars;  Cliff Carter: Keyboards;  Neil Jason: Bass;  Herbie Mann, Norma Jean Bell: Flute, Reeds;  Sammy Figueroa, Rafael Cruz: Percussion;  Michael Gibbs: String Arrangements & Conducting

I Cry, I Smile

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Aaron Bing - Awakening

Styles: Saxophone Jazz, Smooth Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:12
Size: 101,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:36)  1. Whispers in the Wind
(4:32)  2. Break Through
(5:01)  3. Breathe Again
(3:55)  4. What About Us (feat. Jd Greer)
(3:58)  5. Indigo
(5:31)  6. Midnight Silhouette
(4:50)  7. Memories of Love
(5:02)  8. Maybe Tomorrow (feat. Tevin Campbell)
(4:40)  9. Unbroken
(3:04) 10. Overcome

Smooth Jazz Artist Aaron Bing, a native of Jacksonville, FL, was born of Native American/African American heritage. His grandmother, the late, Ola Mae Webster, who Mr. Bing affectionately calls, “Big Mama” raised, nurtured, and encouraged Jazz Artist Aaron Bing to totally dedicate himself to perfecting his God-given talents. She was the cornerstone of his inspiration. Under her guidance, he spent must of his childhood in church. He found refuge in his “secret place” learning to play various instruments. From this inspiration he remembers Big Mama’s voice saying to him, “Don’t forget who gave you the gift.” Jazz Artist Aaron Bing decided then music was his “thing.” Music was his place of comfort to escape from being lonely and unpopular. What he loved the most, music, allowed him to be himself unconditionally. Not forgetting his musical origin of playing his aunt’s old broken clarinet, he began to play the baritone horn, the French horn, and later, the saxophone. Jazz Artist Aaron Bing perfected his musical skills. It was in the 9th grade that he first heard the unique sounds of Grover Washington and Kenny G. He discovered Kenny G’s uniqueness in playing the saxophone. This inspired Jazz Artist Aaron Bing to find his own unique, innate soulfulness. Moreover, during his high school years, he joined the school’s marching band where he continued to play wind instruments while broadening his musical interest. Jazz Artist Aaron Bing learned how to play percussion, particularly the drums, from the 10th through the 12th grades. He kept learning the basics of reading, writing, creating, and playing music- resulting in him arranging various musical parts for the marching band and writing his first song. It was during that time he realized music was what he wanted to do as a career. By the time he graduated from high school, he had written and produced an entire album. He released it locally to get as much exposure as possible. He just kept producing demos with the aim of getting a record deal.

By the age of 19, Jazz Artist Aaron Bing played wherever he could be heard- to include several local nightclubs, the streets, and the airport of Jacksonville, Florida. After playing with several local professional bands, he began to acquire local recognition as an up and coming smooth jazz soprano and alto saxophone artist. Although he never formally studied the discipline of jazz, Jazz Artist Aaron Bing also studied such jazz artist as Gerald Albright, David Sanborn, Najee, David Foster, and Walter Afanasieff. Jazz Artist Aaron Bing is a master musician of the soprano and alto saxophones- not to mention 20 other instruments (18 of which are self-taught). He has dedicated over 15 years of his life perfecting his musical talent. He stayed focused and disciplined in giving himself to producing and promoting his craft. The Smooth Jazz Artist Aaron Bing’s previous experiences have elevated him to the status of a proven jazz artist. Consequently, he has opened for numerous established national artist such as Brian McKnight, Gladys Knight, Jeffrey Osborne, The Temptations, Lenny Williams, and Rachelle Ferrell - to name a few. His most notable national recognition was his appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman for holding a musical note for 39 minutes and 40 seconds as a part of a Guinness World Record challenge. When asked to comment on his musical style, Jazz Artist Aaron Bing paused and said, “Every note that I play comes from my soul. That’s something that can’t be rehearsed or played over and over. All of my emotions and feelings are reflected in my playing. I play every song like it’s the last time I’ll ever play.”In his new CD release titled 'Secret Place', all are invited to experience the long-winded smooth Jazz sounds of Jazz Artist Aaron Bing. https://store.cdbaby.com/Artist/AaronBing

Awakening

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