James Spaulding - Smile of the Snake

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:46
Size: 135,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:52)  1. Third Avenue
(5:51)  2. Serenity
(6:07)  3. The Smile of the Snake
(4:58)  4. Lenora
(7:20)  5. Tonight Only
(7:00)  6. Premonition
(5:46)  7. Yes It Is
(5:08)  8. Panchito
(5:51)  9. Love Is Not a Dream
(5:48) 10. Havana Days (Cuba 1954)

One of the most underrated saxophonists of the post-1960 era, James Spaulding has long been a passionate postbop altoist and a warm flutist. On this superior outing he is heard in top form on both of his axes (plus two appearances on bass flute) in a quartet with pianist Richard Wyands, bassist Ron McClure and drummer Tony Reedus. Producer Donald Sickler helped advise Spaulding on the material and the result is a high-quality set of obscurities by Wyands, McClure, Clifford Jordan, Donald Brown, Geoff Keezer and Idrees Sulieman. Spaulding digs into the songs, displays a great deal of versatility and certainly has his fiery moments. One of James Spaulding's finest allround recordings. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/smile-of-the-snake-mw0000038736

Personnel:  Alto Saxophone – James Spaulding;  Bass – Ron McClure;  Drums – Tony Reedus;  Flute – James Spaulding;  Flute [Bass Flute] – James Spaulding;  Piano – Richard Wyands

Smile of the Snake

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Cleo Laine & John Dankworth - The Collection

Styles: Vocal And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:46
Size: 126,9 MB
Art: Front

(2:59)  1. The Look Of Love
(3:08)  2. O' Mistress Mine (Twelfth Night)
(1:25)  3. The Complete Works
(2:52)  4. Perdido
(3:13)  5. Fear No More (Cymbeline)
(3:12)  6. Riding High
(3:31)  7. The Lady Sings The Blues
(2:39)  8. If Music Be The Food Of Love (Twelfth Night)
(3:43)  9. Tea For Two
(2:26) 10. My Love Is As A Fever (Sonnet No 147)
(3:16) 11. Stormy Weather
(1:46) 12. It Was A Lover And His Lass (As You Like It)
(2:58) 13. Witches Fair And Foul (Macbeth And A Midsummers Night's Dream)
(2:48) 14. Never Let Me Go
(2:20) 15. Shall I Compare Thee To A Summer's Day (Sonnet No 18)
(1:23) 16. Take All My Loves (Sonnet 40)
(2:31) 17. Winter (Love's Labours Lost)
(3:58) 18. Duet Of Sonnets
(4:31) 19. I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good

With a multi-octave voice similar to Betty Carter's, incredible scatting ability, and ease of transition from a throaty whisper to high-pitched trills, Cleo Laine was born in 1927 in the Southall section of London, the daughter of a Jamaican father and English mother. Her parents sent her to vocal and dance lessons as a teenager, but she was 25 when she first sang professionally, after a successful audition with the big band led by Johnny Dankworth. Both Laine and the band recorded for Esquire, MGM and Pye during the late '50s, and by 1958, she was married to Dankworth.With Dankworth by her side, Laine began her solo career in earnest with a 1964 album of Shakespeare lyrics set to Dankworth's arrangements, Shakespeare: And All That Jazz. Laine also gained renown for the first of three concert albums recorded at New York's Carnegie Hall, 1973's Cleo Laine Live! At Carnegie Hall. She also recorded two follow-ups (Return to Carnegie and The 10th Anniversary Concert) the latter of which in 1983 won her the first Grammy award by a Briton. She has proved a rugged stage actress as well, winning a Theater World award for her role in the Broadway musical The Mystery of Edwin Drood, (in addition to Tony and Drama Desk nominations as well). In 1976 she recorded a jazz version of Porgy and Bess with Ray Charles, and also recorded duets with James Galway and guitarist John Williams. Laine and Dankworth continued to tour into the 1990s, and she received perhaps her greatest honor when she became the first jazz artist to receive the highest title available in the performing arts: Dame Commander. 

~ John Bush https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/cleo-laine-john-dankworth-collection/id13129170

The Collection

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Sonny Rollins - Way Out West

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:00
Size: 163,9 MB
Art: Front

( 5:43)  1. I'm An Old Cowhand
( 7:54)  2. Solitude
( 7:54)  3. Come, Gone
(10:14)  4. Wagon Wheels
( 5:18)  5. There Is No Greater Love
( 6:33)  6. Way Out West
(10:12)  7. I'm An Old Cowhand (alternate take)
(10:32)  8. Come, Gone (alternate take)
( 6:39)  9. Way Out West (alternate take)

The timeless Way out West established Sonny Rollins as jazz's top tenor saxophonist (at least until John Coltrane surpassed him the following year). Joined by bassist Ray Brown and drummer Shelly Manne, Rollins is heard at one of his peaks on such pieces as "I'm an Old Cowhand (From the Rio Grande)," his own "Way out West," "There Is No Greater Love," and "Come, Gone" (a fast stomp based on "After You've Gone"). The William Claxton photo of Rollins wearing Western gear (and holding his tenor) in the desert is also a classic. [The Contemporary re-release appends three bonus tracks, all of them alternate takes.] ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/way-out-west-mw0000649710

Personnel: Sonny Rollins (tenor saxophone); Ray Brown (bass); Shelly Manne (drums).

Way Out West

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Bobby Hackett - Plays The Music Of Bert Kaempfert

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1963
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:06
Size: 85,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:12)  1. Danke Schoen
(3:09)  2. Wonderland By Night
(2:31)  3. A Swingin' Safari
(3:31)  4. The Bass Walks
(2:40)  5. Mexican Market Day
(2:42)  6. Now And Forever
(2:58)  7. Bert's Tune
(2:38)  8. Afrikaan Beat
(3:18)  9. Sunday In Madrid
(2:46) 10. Only Those In Love
(2:59) 11. Take Me
(2:38) 12. The Happy Trumpeter

Bobby Hackett's mellow tone and melodic style offered a contrast to the brasher Dixieland-oriented trumpeters. Emphasizing his middle-register and lyricism, Hackett was a flexible soloist who actually sounded little like his main inspiration, Louis Armstrong. When Hackett first came up he was briefly known as "the new Bix" because of the similarity in his approach to that of Bix Beiderbecke, but very soon he developed his own distinctive sound. Originally a guitarist (which he doubled on until the mid-'40s), Hackett performed in local bands, and by 1936 was leading his own group. He moved to New York in 1937, played with Joe Marsala, appeared at Benny Goodman's 1938 Carnegie Hall concert (recreating Beiderbecke's solo on "I'm Coming Virginia"), recorded with Eddie Condon, and by 1939 had a short-lived big band. Hackett played briefly with Horace Heidt, and during 1941-1942 was with Glenn Miller's Orchestra, taking a famous solo on "String of Pearls." Next up was a stint with the Casa Loma Orchestra, and then he became a studio musician while still appearing with jazz groups. Hackett was a major asset at Louis Armstrong's 1947 Town Hall Concert, in the 1950s he was a star on Jackie Gleason's commercial but jazz-flavored mood music albums, and he recorded several times with Eddie Condon and Jack Teagarden. During 1956-1957, Hackett led an unusual group that sought to modernize Dixieland (using Dick Cary's arrangements and an unusual instrumentation), but that band did not catch on. Hackett recorded some commercial dates during 1959-1960 (including one set of Hawaiian songs and another in which he was backed by pipe organ), he worked with Benny Goodman (1962-1963); backed Tony Bennett in the mid-'60s; co-led a well-recorded quintet with Vic Dickenson (1968-1970); and made sessions with Jim Cullum, the World's Greatest Jazz Band, and even Dizzy Gillespie and Mary Lou Williams, remaining active up until his death. Among the many labels Bobby Hackett recorded for as a leader were Okeh (reissued by Epic), Commodore, Columbia, Epic, Capitol, Sesac, Verve, Project 3, Chiaroscuro, Flying Dutchman, and Honey Dew. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/bobby-hackett-mn0000077698/biography

Plays The Music Of Bert Kaempfert

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Ralph Bowen - Ralph Bowen

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:21
Size: 148,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:33)  1. Cache Cache
(6:16)  2. A Rookery Of Ravens
(6:28)  3. A Leap Of Leopards
(6:56)  4. A Pandemonium Of Parrots
(8:13)  5. A Flamboyance Of Flamingos
(8:47)  6. A Venue Of Vultures
(4:53)  7. A Cast Of Crabs
(5:24)  8. Aye
(6:16)  9. Picadilly Lily
(5:29) 10. Search For Peace

Saxophonist extraordinaire Ralph Bowen takes everyone back to school and puts on a master class displaying his exceptional knowledge of everything jazz. With a tour de force collection of hard hitting performances, Bowen s sixth release for Posi-Tone features the happening rhythm section of pianist Jim Ridl, bassist Kenny Davis, and drummer Cliff Almond. All of the musicians in the band do some heavy lifting behind the sensational melodicism and harmonic inventions of Bowen s impressive program of compositions and arrangements. From the opening downbeat, through the six part suite, to the final salvo, Bowen keeps the music moving steadily straight forward as he confidently displays his effortless mastery as an expressive and  unparalleled instrumentalist. We are confident that Ralph Bowen's new musical message will surely delight the ears of serious listeners and bring a joyous shout to jazz fans everywhere. ~ Editorial Reviews  https://www.amazon.com/Ralph-Bowen/dp/B072ZP4GG5

Personnel:  Ralph Bowen, tenor sax;  Jim Ridl, piano;  Kenny Davis, bass;  Cliff Almond, drums

Ralph Bowen

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