Mary Ann Redmond - Prisoner Of The Heart

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:29
Size: 113.3 MB
Styles: Jazz-blues vocals, R&B
Year: 2002
Art: Front

[4:02] 1. Make It Last
[5:44] 2. Since I Fell For You
[4:19] 3. Maybe I'm Amazed
[5:20] 4. Blind To Love
[4:03] 5. That's All
[4:03] 6. Prisoner Of The Heart
[4:58] 7. You Send Me
[5:44] 8. Many Rivers To Cross
[3:37] 9. Ain't It A Shame
[4:34] 10. Too Precious
[3:02] 11. I Can Let Go Now

Mary Ann Redmond is a Washington, D.C.-based rock/blues/soul vocalist who packs a mighty wallop, especially when performing a gutsy rendition of Paul McCartney's "Maybe I'm Amazed" and her heartening soul/jazz spin on Sam Cooke's "You Send Me." With this release, Redmond garners sturdy support from her sextet and duo of background singers. Her powerful and undeniably emotional delivery sparks memories of the late Janis Joplin. Whereas, this outing features a potpourri of upbeat, funk-rock grooves, gospel-tinged ballads, and more. The ensemble provides sympathetic support via a non-obtrusive methodology, consisting of bluesy soloing endeavors and firmly organized rhythms. A few of Redmond's original compositions seem to deviate into a myriad of nondescript vocal forums and, to some extent, suffer from an air of invariability. But the vocalist's interpretations of the aforementioned classics amid the catchy hooks witnessed on the title piece signify a sample of the highlights. ~Glenn Astarita

Prisoner Of The Heart

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Anders Mogensen - Taking Off Again

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:27
Size: 108.6 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 1998/2011
Art: Front

[6:04] 1. Airborne
[3:31] 2. December Dreams
[6:25] 3. The Shadow Of Your Smile
[0:48] 4. The Call
[3:12] 5. What's Up
[5:19] 6. Old Folks
[2:07] 7. Remembering Ed
[4:46] 8. Hang Out At Uncle Bob's
[3:54] 9. Moments Of Peace
[6:40] 10. Blues On The Corner
[4:35] 11. Still Crazy After All These Years

Anders Mogensen (drums and cymbals); Hans Ulrik (tenor and soprano saxophone); Niclas Knudsen (electric and acoustic guitar); Anders Christensen (acoustic bass); Henrik Lindstrand (hammond organ).

"What you hear on this CD is music recorded by four of my favorite musicians. After a short tour we went into the studio to record this CD. It shows some first take energy as well as the more produced side of a CD production. The whole session was completed in two days with everybody involved having a great time. I really hope you'll enjoy this music as much as I do myself." `~Anders Mogensen.

Taking Off Again

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Frank Mantooth - Ladies Sing For Lovers

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:23
Size: 142.8 MB
Styles: Swing, Jazz vocals
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[5:14] 1. If You Could See Me Now (With Karrin Allyson)
[4:48] 2. When Did You Leave Heaven (With Kristen Gustafson)
[5:14] 3. You'll See (With Paula West)
[4:50] 4. You Don't Know What Love Is (With Sunny Wilkinson)
[4:59] 5. It Never Entered My Mind (With Jay Clayton)
[4:50] 6. Good Morning Heartache (With Margaret Carlson)
[4:28] 7. My Heart Won't Lie (With Oleta Adams)
[5:59] 8. Imagination (With Rebecca Parris)
[5:22] 9. Why Stars Come Out At Night (With Stacy Rowles)
[4:52] 10. Ballad Of The Sad Young Men (With Sheila Jordan)
[5:41] 11. The Nearness Of You You're Nearer (With Anne Hampton Callaway)
[5:59] 12. I Got It Bad And That Aint' Good (With Diane Schuur)

The late Frank Mantooth was best known for his swinging big-band arrangements. For what would be his final major project, Mantooth arranged a dozen love songs for a string orchestra, featuring 12 talented female jazz singers on a tune apiece. The results are rather light on jazz with just occasional brief solos, usually from saxophonist Kim Park, and not much improvising from the singers. The vocalists generally stick close to the melodies while the strings and horns play unadventurous parts. Due to the quality of the singers, some of the performances are touching, particularly Karrin Allyson on "If You Could See Me Now," Margaret Carlson on "Good Morning Heartache," and Rebecca Parris during "Imagination," while Diane Schuur's wide range and powerful voice rather overwhelm "I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)." But overall, this ambitious outing is much safer than expected and a slight disappointment. Considering the singers, Mantooth's abilities, and the excellent musicians, one would expect more surprises and adventure. ~Scott Yanow

Ladies Sing For Lovers

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Tony Bennett - Something

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:00
Size: 109.9 MB
Styles: Vocal
Year: 1970/1995
Art: Front

[3:19] 1. Something
[4:42] 2. The Long And Winding Road
[3:40] 3. Everybody's Talkin'
[3:40] 4. On A Clear Day You Can See Forever
[3:00] 5. Coco
[3:53] 6. Think How It's Gonna Be
[4:37] 7. Wave
[4:31] 8. Make It Easy On Yourself
[4:25] 9. Come Saturday Morning
[3:44] 10. When I Look In Your Eyes
[4:01] 11. Yellow Days
[4:22] 12. What A Wonderful World

There's no question that this is one of Tony Bennett's all-time great albums, hence its inclusion in his hand-picked Tony Bennett Masters series. Masterful it is, thanks especially to Peter Matz's great arrangements. Matz was actually Noel Coward's pianist when the great entertainer came to Las Vegas in the '50s. He went on to become a fine arranger, working famously with Barbra Streisand on hits like "The Way We Were". It's well-known that Bennett didn't like most of the mainstream popular music of the late 1960s. It's therefore surprising to find some material from that era on this album. Yet, Matz's excellent arrangements, featuring sumptuous writing for string and brass, allow Bennett to personalize these songs and to sink his teeth in them. The performances of the two Beatles songs, "Something" and "The Long And Winding Road" are outstanding. The Jobim song "Wave" is excellent. It's played at a wonderfully romantic, lilting pace. Many consider Sinatra's much faster-paced version from a year earlier to be the definitive version of this song. It's a good vocal performance from the Chairman, but this Bennett-Matz version is superior. Matz turns the hit "Everybody's Talkin'" into a swingin' big band number and Tony clearly has a ball singing it. His high note at the end of "On A Clear Day" is truly astounding. He was, at 44, in extremely good voice for this session. "Come Saturday Morning" is an excellent Broadway number, played nice and slow. Matz allows Bennett to display his fine breath control with some very long notes. "Make It Easy On Yourself" is a great Bacharach/David number from the film "Alfie". Bennett sings it with incomparable feeling and commitment and Matz's arrangement squeezes as much pathos out of it as possible. It's difficult to imagine a better performance of this song. Finally, Tony turns "What A Wonderful World" into a loving tribute to Louis Armstrong (who died the following year). It's a wonderful recording and almost as good as Louis' original. I could go on further, but, at this point, you really should buy the album. It may not be the best place to start with Tony Bennett, but if you have a few of his albums already and like them, then this album is an essential purchase. ~Amazon

Something

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Avishai Cohen - 1970

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:24
Size: 103.9 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2017
Art: Front

[3:45] 1. Song Of Hope
[3:09] 2. My Lady
[3:53] 3. It's Been So Long
[4:17] 4. Se'i Yona
[3:27] 5. Emptiness
[3:14] 6. For No One
[2:57] 7. Motherless Child
[3:49] 8. D'ror Yikra
[3:33] 9. Move On
[3:52] 10. Ha'ahava
[5:43] 11. Vamonos Pa'l Monte
[3:38] 12. Blinded

As recent stellar performances at the world’s major venues have shown Israeli double-bassist-composer-vocalist Avishai Cohen is at the peak of his creative powers. Those who have followed Cohen’s career in the past fifteen years or so will know that his musical references reach far and wide, moving seamlessly from classical to jazz and traditional songs. Cohen plays and sings magnificently, and often gives vent to his love of melody as well as the art of improvisation. Cohen’s new album 1970 highlights the more accessible side of his talent without compromising his artistic integrity.

“It’s not a jazz record,” he explains. “I don’t know what it is, but I’ve always had a connection to pop. I like pop as much as I like Bach and Charlie Parker. Singing has become very serious in my life over time. I’ve been asked by many people, when is the vocal album gonna come? Well, this is it, right here.”

1970

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Jacqui Dankworth - As The Sun Shines Down On Me

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:34
Size: 134.1 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2003
Art: Front

[4:34] 1. Blue Moon
[3:27] 2. Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight
[4:05] 3. As The Sun Shines Down On Me
[4:27] 4. Man From Mars
[3:04] 5. Miracle
[5:21] 6. My Ship
[2:29] 7. In A Sentimental Mood
[3:14] 8. September In The Rain
[5:50] 9. Teach Me Tonight
[4:26] 10. Lucky Charm
[3:19] 11. Knocks Me Off My Feet
[5:12] 12. I Threw It All Away
[2:31] 13. You Must Believe In Spring
[1:32] 14. Hi Lili Hi Lo
[4:55] 15. Nuestro Tema

Vocalist Jacqui Dankworth is as radiant as ever on As the Sun Shines Down on Me, an album of recorded in 2002 and 2003 but seeing American release in 2004 through Candid Records. Joined by virtuosic guitarist Mike Outram, her bassist brother Alec Dankworth, and percussionist Roy Dodds, Dankworth interprets 15 old faves, keeping the mood light and tasteful throughout. Opening with a reading of "Blue Moon" could be a risk -- it's a well-known, perhaps even overplayed song. But the version here is so perfectly rendered, so gentle from the folky guitar line through the light brush work, that the song is reborn. While she's an astute jazz vocalist with perfect phrasing, one of the nice things about Sun Shines Down is how it integrates Dankworth and her band's training with the accessibility of pop. There's an easygoing universality about the album that's brought out in the slight bossa nova tinges on a reading of James Taylor's "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight," a traditional take on "In a Sentimental Mood," or a unique, brief but beautiful "Hi Lili Hi Lo" that finds Dankworth dueting with Outram's thumb piano work. Other standout moments include a shimmering "Man From Mars" (originally by Joni Mitchell), more stellar percussion work from Dodds on "Teach Me Tonight," and versions of both Stevie Wonder's "Knocks Me off My Feet" and Bob Dylan's "I Threw It All Away" that find a peaceful, inviting voice inside the originals' established frames. ~JohnnyLoftus

As The Sun Shines Down On Me

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Cy Touff & Sandy Mosse - Tickle Toe

Styles: Trumpet And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1981
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:49
Size: 158,6 MB
Art:

( 8:03)  1. Tickle Toe
(10:11)  2. Centerpiece
(11:30)  3. The Man I Love
( 6:31)  4. Allen's Alley
(13:03)  5. Alone Together
(10:51)  6. Secret Love
( 7:37)  7. What's New?

The pairing-up of jazz personalities often fails to live up to the hype, falling short of listener expectations. Musical camaraderie is not something that can simply be conjured up by outside sources despite the ongoing efforts of record labels and festival promoters. Successful musical partnerships are more often than not the result of experiential similarities between artists, with regard to a particular era or style. A fine example of this can be heard on Tickle Toe, a long-lost Chicago session from 1981 featuring bass trumpeter Cy Touff and tenor saxophonist Sandy Mosse. With a fiery rhythm section and a set of familiar standards, Touff (1927-2003) and Mosse (1929-1983) gracefully swing along throughout the recording with intuitive ease. Both musicians float effortlessly over the minor-key title track, demonstrating patiently-lyrical, yet buoyant phrasing. Straight-ahead readings of "Alone Together" and "Secret Love" highlight the disc with inspired improvising and good-natured exchanges between the two leaders. The rhythm section, comprised of pianist John Campbell, bassist Kelly Sill and drummer Jerry Coleman, lay down a warm, cushy foundation.

Both Coleman and Sill are given ample solo space, demonstrating well- developed, inventive lines. Coleman's crisp ride cymbal is unfaltering, even during the challenging slow-tempo blues of "Keester Parade." Touff and Mosse built-up impressive resumes by playing with big stars like Woody Herman and Django Reinhardt in the 1950s, but for the most part have become forgotten names in jazz history. Hopefully, with the release of Tickle Toe, some light will be shed on the legacy of these two under-appreciated heavyweights. ~ John Barron https://www.allaboutjazz.com/tickle-toe-cy-touff-delmark-records-review-by-john-barron.php

Personnel: Cy Touff: bass trumpet; Sandy Mosse: tenor sax; John Campbell: piano; Kelly Sill: bass; Jerry Coleman: drums.

Tickle Toe

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Cleo Laine - Blue And Sentimental

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:58
Size: 117,2 MB
Art:  Front

(4:44)  1. Lies of Handsome Men
(4:57)  2. I've Got a Crush on You
(3:34)  3. Blue and Sentimental
(5:55)  4. Afterglow
(6:24)  5. Not You Again
(3:55)  6. Primrose Colour Blue
(4:31)  7. Love Me
(5:26)  8. Dreamsville
(3:54)  9. A Cryin' Shame
(3:32) 10. Love Comes and Goes
(4:01) 11. Soft Pedal Blues

This album would be worth buying for one track alone, a faultless version of "The Lies Of Handsome Men", Francesca Blumenthal's unsettling little song about self-deception. Not only does Cleo Laine have the musicality and dramatic skill to do justice to a delicate piece like this, she also has the best possible musical director in John Dankworth, who plays some very good alto saxophone here, too. The programme of 13 songs is impeccably chosen, as usual. Few singers, jazz or otherwise, have ever commanded a stylistic range anywhere near Cleo Laine's. For example, after opening with the Blumenthal song she goes on, via Gershwin and Irving Berlin, to Bessie Smith. The most remarkable thing of all about her is that she and Dankworth have been making intelligent, enterprising albums like this for more than 40 years and there is absolutely no sign of wear and tear. Quite the reverse, in fact. The work just goes on getting better. ~ Dave Gelly https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Sentimental-Cleo-Laine/dp/B000003FCX

?Personnel: Cleo Laine, Joe Williams (vocals); John Dankworth (conductor, soprano & alto saxophones, clarinet); Ray Loeckle (soprano & tenor saxophones, flute, bass clarinet); Gerry Mulligan (baritone saxophone); Allen Smith (trumpet); Dean Hubbard (trombone); David Sprung (horn); Jeremy Cohen (violin, Concertmaster); Roxanne Jacobson (viola); Terry Adams (cello); Larry Dunlop (piano, synthesizer); Mark Renzi, George Shearing (piano); Mark Whitfield (guitar); Rich Girard (bass); Jay Leonhart (bass); Jim Zimmerman (drums, percussion); Keith Copeland (drums)

Blue And Sentimental

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Louis Smith - Just Friends

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1978
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 57:52
Size: 106,1 MB
Art: Front

( 7:02)  1. Blues For Jimmy
( 8:58)  2. Lulu
( 8:11)  3. Vaughn's Bounce
( 9:37)  4. Quiet Nights
( 9:11)  5. I Remember Clifford
( 4:39)  6. Oleo
(10:11)  7. Minor Bit

Great date for master trumpeter with Memphis friends, including George Coleman on tenor sax. ~ Michael G.Nastos https://www.allmusic.com/album/just-friends-mw0001881587

Personnel: Trumpet – Louis; Smith Bass – Jamil Nasser;  Drums – Ray Mosca;  Piano – Harold Mabern;  Tenor Saxophone – George Coleman

Just Friends

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Jeff 'Tain' Watts - Megawatts

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:11
Size: 122,2 MB
Art: Front

(6:45)  1. Black Nile
(6:14)  2. Alycia
(5:42)  3. The Impaler
(5:16)  4. Rainbow
(4:49)  5. Kasploosh
(5:32)  6. You And The Night And The Music
(7:31)  7. Dance Of The Niblets
(6:32)  8. Opal Rose
(3:45)  9. Blooski

Megawatts has had a somewhat chequered past. Originally recorded in 1991, contractual difficulties made it necessary to release the record without Jeff "Tain" Watts’ name on the marquee. Consequently, the album never received the attention it deserved, and this is a shame because aside from being Watts’ first album as a leader, it represents one of only two trio albums that the late pianist Kenny Kirkland recorded. It would be worth the investment for that alone, but the truth is, in the post bop arena, this is as good as it gets. What can one say about Watts? Among his generation he has developed into one of the hardest swinging drummers around. While he asserts his presence throughout the programme he is less direct and more subtle than, for example, Ralph Peterson. But like Peterson he has an innate ability to maintain groove while playing in a more open fashion; one would be hard pressed to find a backbeat, even on bassist Charles Fambrough’s more insistent “Opal Rose.” Watts also distinguishes himself with ears that make him sensitive to the subtlest variations on the part of his band mates; he pushes and pulls behind Kirkland on Keith Jarrett’s “Rainbow,” creating a delicate sense of tension. Like Watts, Fambrough is a hard-swinging player, which is no surprise, given that he spent his formative years playing with the likes of McCoy Tyner and Art Blakey. A remarkable bassist with an oblique solo style, he is also a fine writer, with an angular harmonic sensibility, as evidenced on “Kasploosh.”

Kirkland was one of the most important pianists of his generation before his untimely death at the age of forty-three. His versatility and almost encyclopaedic knowledge of music saw him perform with artists as diverse as Miroslav Vitous, Branford Marsalis and Sting. Regardless of the context he always brought a strong sense of swing to the table. But while reactionaries like Wynton Marsalis, who rigidly asserts 4/4 swing as one of the fundamental definers of jazz, make it a restrictive element, Kirkland used it to liberate whatever he played, and combined it with a lyrical sensibility and virtuoso capability that, nevertheless, always kept the essence of the song in clear view. His performance on Megawatts constitutes some of his most exposed work, also representing some of his best ensemble playing. Megawatts is one of those sessions that could easily have fallen through the cracks, but thankfully Sunnyside Records has seen fit to reissue it and remind us that the essence of true jazz is not just about swing; it is about commitment, interaction and dedication to the tune. Watts, Fambrough and Kirkland approach every piece on the album with reverence, coupled with an exploratory verve that makes this session well worth revisiting. ~ John Kelman https://www.allaboutjazz.com/megawatts-jeff-tain-watts-sunnyside-records-review-by-john-kelman.php

Personnel: Jeff "Tain" Watts (drums);  Kenny Kirkland (piano);  Charles Fambrough (bass)

Megawatts

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Walt Dickerson - To My Son

Styles: Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 1978
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:11
Size: 92,1 MB
Art: Front

(11:31)  1. You Can
( 9:17)  2. You Will
( 8:07)  3. It Is Done
(11:14)  4. Thank You Son

Walt Dickerson made an impact when he first emerged in the early '60s he won the Down Beat Critic's Poll as New Star in 1962 but as the years passed he became much less visible. Dickerson graduated from Morgan State College in 1953. After serving in the Army from 1953-1955, he settled in California, where he led a band that included Andrew Cyrille and Andrew Hill. In his early-'60s heyday, Dickerson played the clubs on the New York scene. He worked with Sun Ra, recording Impressions of a Patch of Blue in 1965. Shortly thereafter, Dickerson retired from performing for nearly a decade and returning in 1975. In the years 1977-1978, he made the bulk of his recordings for the Steeplechase label, which included duos with Sun Ra, guitarist Pierre Dørge, and bassist Richard Davis. Also in 1978, Dickerson recorded in a quartet with pianist Albert Dailey. Dickerson was one of the few vibists to exhibit an awareness of free jazz techniques, though he was manifestly conversant in the language of post-bop. Although not heard as a leader on disc after 1982, Dickerson subsequently performed around his native Philadelphia; he died in Willow Grove, PA, of cardiac arrest in May 2008. ~ Chris Kelsey https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/to-my-son/id159333563

Personnel:  Walt Dickerson – vibraphone;  Andy McKee – bass;  Jimmi Johnsun – drums

To My Son

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