Sunday, November 19, 2017

Spanish Harlem Orchestra - United We Swing

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:48
Size: 157.5 MB
Styles: Salsa, Latin jazz
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[3:52] 1. Sho Intro
[6:04] 2. Llego La Orquesta
[5:42] 3. En El Tiempo Del Palladium
[5:32] 4. Se Formó La Rumba
[6:13] 5. Sacala Bailar
[5:28] 6. Ahora Si
[5:23] 7. Que Bonito
[4:38] 8. Salsa Pa'l Bailador
[5:32] 9. Mujer Divina
[5:19] 10. Soy Candela
[4:40] 11. Plena Con Sabor
[6:09] 12. Danzon For My Father
[4:10] 13. Late In The Evening

Spanish Harlem Orchestra, the two-time Grammy winning Salsa and Latin Jazz band, sets the standard for excellence for authentic, New York style, hard core salsa. Live or recorded, it doesn't get any better. Whether a concert hall or an outdoor jazz festival, there is no easing you in, they are coming at you full force from start to finish. Their energy on stage, rich sound and musical precision leave audiences mesmerized until the last note is played. With an unwavering respect for the musics rich history, thirteen world-class musicians and vocalists come together to create an unparalleled musical experience.

Now in its fourteenth year, SHO, as they are known to fans, is dedicated to the sounds of the barrio. Their music is characterized by the raw, organic and vintage sound defined by the genre. They are on a mission to keep the musical legacy of salsa dura "hard salsa" alive and expand its audience to those who love great music, not just Latin music. Grounded in the past, while focused on the future, they strive to keep the music relevant, while creating a unique and fresh approach. With four albums, and as many Grammy nominations, this Latin Jazz powerhouse knows it is crucial to continually push themselves and raise the bar. They recently released their fifth album, featuring two of America's great jazz icons, Chick Corea & saxophonist Joe Lovano. Oscar Hernandez and Spanish Harlem Orchestra continue to raise the bar of excellence in their music.

United We Swing

Julie London - Lonely Girl

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 29:36
Size: 67.8 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 1956/2010
Art: Front

[2:32] 1. Lonely Girl
[2:07] 2. Fools Rush In
[2:38] 3. Moments Like This
[2:35] 4. I Lost My Sugar In Salt Lake City
[2:35] 5. It's The Talk Of The Town
[1:56] 6. What'll I Do
[1:54] 7. When Your Lover Has Gone
[2:43] 8. Don't Take Your Love From Me
[2:35] 9. Where Or When
[1:48] 10. All Alone
[2:10] 11. Mean To Me
[2:09] 12. How Deep Is The Ocean
[1:47] 13. Remember

Liberty Records was pleasantly surprised when Julie London's debut album was such a big hit. Julie Is Her Name did contain the hit single "Cry Me a River," but each featured mellow jazz guitar and bass backing -- which was considered commercial suicide in 1955. So, instead of changing direction and recording the follow-up Lonely Girl with a full orchestra, Liberty wisely allowed London to strip the accompaniment down even more on the album by dropping the backing down to one instrument. Lone guitarist Al Viola plays gentle Spanish-tinged acoustic behind the hushed vocalist, and it suits London perfectly. While the singer was often chided for her beauty and lack of range, she deftly navigates these ballads without any rhythmic underpinnings to fall back on. London's intense focus on phrasing and lyrics recalls Chet Baker's equally telescopic approach. So while most of the album contains the usual midnight standards, London sings them in her own way. The title track is the one unfamiliar tune here, and it's a real gem, penned by Bobby Troup (he was London's producer, paramour, and future husband). The low-key Lonely Girl beat the sophomore slump and initially did almost as well in the charts as Julie Is Her Name. Instead of stripping away the guitar in order to make London's next release be the first a cappella torch album, Troup crafted Calendar Girl, a big-budget orchestral affair that was more in keeping with the thematic pop albums released at the time. ~Nick Dedina

Lonely Girl

Dominick Farinacci - Adoro

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:23
Size: 140.5 MB
Styles: Bop, Trumpet jazz
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[6:00] 1. Adoro
[7:02] 2. Summertime
[6:30] 3. Adios Nonino
[7:00] 4. Body & Soul
[8:31] 5. Un Cancion Para Matilde
[5:47] 6. Love Dance
[5:47] 7. January
[4:03] 8. Contemplation
[6:08] 9. Mea Culpa
[4:30] 10. I Wish You Love

Ohio-born trumpeter Dominick Farinacci is a technically gifted and lyrical artist with a bent for swinging, straight-ahead jazz. Born in Cleveland in 1983, Farinacci first began playing trumpet in the sixth grade. Along with private lessons, he gained valuable experience attending the Saturday music program at Cleveland's Tri-C Community College. By the time he entered high school, he was already an accomplished jazz musician, performing regularly around the city.

As a teenager, Farinacci was selected as a member of the prestigious High School Grammy Awards All-Star Big Band in California; an honor he earned three years in a row. Also during high school, he attended the Berklee College of Music Summer Jazz Program and opened for trumpeter Wynton Marsalis at the Tri-C Jazzfest in Cleveland. Based off that performance, Marsalis invited Farinacci to appear on the PBS concert special Live from Lincoln Center: A Tribute to Louis Armstrong.

After high school, Farinacci was accepted into the inaugural class of the Juilliard Jazz Program. It was while studying at Juilliard that his performance at another Lincoln Center concert, a tribute to trumpet legends Lee Morgan and Freddie Hubbard, that Farinacci caught the attention of producer Todd Barkan who signed him to a recording contract. In 2002, he released his debut album, Manhattan Dream, featuring pianist Mulgrew Miller, bassist Chip Jackson, and drummer Joe Farnsworth. The following year, he won first place in the Carmine Caruso International Jazz Trumpet Competition. Several more albums followed, including 2004's Besame Mucho and 2006's Adoro.

After graduating Juilliard, Farinacci remained in New York City and continued releasing albums like 2009's Lovers, Tales and Dancers and 2011's Dawn of Goodbye. He also spent two years living on and off in Qatar in the Middle East as the first Global Ambassador for Jazz at Lincoln Center. In 2016, Farinacci released his first album for Mack Avenue, Short Stories, featuring production from industry legend and fellow Cleveland native Tommy LiPuma. ~ Matt Collar

Adoro

Horace Parlan - Frank-Ly Speaking

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:11
Size: 128.6 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 1977/1994
Art: Front

[ 3:54] 1. Frank-Ly Speaking
[ 4:28] 2. Quietude
[ 6:30] 3. Hit It
[ 8:14] 4. Mirror Lake
[10:04] 5. Chocolate Cadillac
[ 6:39] 6. Misty Thursday
[ 7:22] 7. U.A.I
[ 8:55] 8. Veronica's Walk

Alto Saxophone – Frank Strozier; Bass – Lisle Atkinson; Drums – Al Harewood; Piano – Horace Parlan; Tenor Saxophone – Frank Foster. Recorded February 5, 1977.

This 1977 session in the United States marked a rare return to his native land for pianist Horace Parlan, where he reunited with old friends and made his first recording with another veteran. Featuring alto saxophonist Frank Strozier, bassist Lisle Atkinson, drummer Al Harewood, and ex-Basie tenor saxophonist Frank Foster (working with Parlan for the first time), the band benefited from playing a one-nighter and holding an afternoon rehearsal rather than going into the studio cold. Most of the selections played on this date were composed by fellow expatriates, including Thad Jones, Idrees Sulieman, and Duke Jordan, along with Parlan's buoyant hard bop vehicle "Frank-ly Speaking." The sauntering rendition of Jones' "Quietude," Atkinson's intricate "Hit It," and an extended workout of Sulieman's "Chocolate Cadillac" are also among the session's highlights, while the playing is inspired throughout the date by everyone involved. ~Ken Dryden

Frank-Ly Speaking

Rolf Ericson & Johnny Griffin - Sincerely Ours

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:36
Size: 89,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:53)  1. Double Digit
(8:02)  2. Fragrance
(6:06)  3. Oblivion
(5:53)  4. Taboo
(4:42)  5. Sweet And Handsome
(7:58)  6. Korn Blues

One of Sweden's finest trumpeters, Rolf Ericson played in the U.S. often enough to gain a strong reputation. He started on trumpet when he was eight and, after hearing Louis Armstrong play in Stockholm in 1933, he switched to jazz. Ericson recorded in Sweden with Alice Babs and others starting in 1945, moved to New York in 1947, and played with Charlie Barnet (1949) and Woody Herman (1950). After returning to Sweden in 1950, he recorded as a leader and with Arne Domnérus and Leonard Feather's Swinging Swedes. He also toured and recorded with Charlie Parker. Back in the U.S. during 1953-1956, Ericson played with the big bands of Charlie Spivak, Harry James, the Dorsey Brothers, and Les Brown and was with the Lighthouse All-Stars. In 1956, he toured Sweden and played with Ernestine Anderson and Lars Gullin. During 1956-1965 in the U.S., Ericson was with Dexter Gordon, Harold Land, Stan Kenton, Woody Herman, Maynard Ferguson (1960-1961), Buddy Rich, Benny Goodman, Gerry Mulligan, and Charles Mingus, among others. There were also occasional tours with Duke Ellington during 1963-1971 and plenty of freelance jobs. In 1971, he settled in Germany as a studio musician, but Ericson returned to the U.S. several times over the next couple of decades. His warm tone and creative yet melodic style were always considered an asset. ~ Scott Yanow https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/sincerely-ours/id305133628

Personnel:  Trumpet – Rolf Ericson;  Tenor Saxophone – Johnny Griffin;  Piano – Fritz Pauer;  Bass – Lukas Lindholm;  Drums – Ronnie Stephenson;  Flugelhorn – Rolf Ericson

Sincerely Ours

Julienne Taylor - The Heart Within

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:20
Size: 103,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:41)  1. I Knew I Loved You
(3:51)  2. Guitar Man
(3:33)  3. You Are Not Alone
(2:13)  4. I Was Born to Love You
(3:32)  5. Forever Our Love
(3:44)  6. If You Leave
(5:10)  7. Forbidden Colours
(2:39)  8. We Go Round
(3:03)  9. Please, Please, Please
(3:13) 10. Hard to Say I’m Sorry
(3:53) 11. Can't Let Go
(2:11) 12. You Are My Love
(3:31) 13. Baby Can I Hold You?

An album with a selection of fresh interpretations of new wave, classic love songs and originals in her own unique and distinctive style. Highlights include a beautiful version of Michael Jackson's You Are Not Alone, The Smith's Please, Please, Please and Queen's I Was Born To Love You and her original songs which include 'Can't Let Go','We Go Round' and 'Forever Our Love'. ~ Editorial Reviews  https://www.amazon.com/Heart-Within-Julienne-Taylor/dp/B005Z2WBNC         

The Heart Within

Jerry Bergonzi - Just Within

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:12
Size: 149,5 MB
Art: Front

(7:01)  1. Our Love Is Here to Stay
(8:51)  2. Optimum Propensity
(5:29)  3. Out House
(7:36)  4. Red's Blues
(5:43)  5. Before It Happens
(9:38)  6. The Ray
(7:08)  7. Hank
(8:41)  8. Solar Return
(5:02)  9. Giant Steps

Although this is a tenor-organ-drums trio, the music is much more advanced than typical soul-jazz. Tenor saxophonist Jerry Bergonzi ranges style-wise from Joe Henderson on the first few selections to early John Coltrane on the later cuts. Organist Dan Wall shows more versatility than the usual Jimmy Smith-inspired organist, and drummer Adam Nussbaum is alert in support. The music is mostly comprised of Bergonzi's advanced but fairly straight-ahead originals, with the exceptions being a fresh rendition of "Our Love Is Here to Stay" and a version of "Giant Steps" that has sections in 6/4 and 5/4 time. Everyone plays up to par on this excellent modern post-bop date. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/just-within-mw0000030717

Personnel: Jerry Bergonzi (tenor saxophone); Dan Wall (organ); Adam Nussbaum (drums)    

Just Within

Clifford Jordan - Hello, Hank Jones

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1978
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 29:53
Size: 68,6 MB
Art: Front

(15:23)  1. Vienna
( 6:58)  2. Bohemia After Dark
( 7:32)  3. Love for Sale

Direct-to-disc recordings were highly sought by audiophiles during their heyday in the late '70s and early '80s, prior to the widespread availability of digital recordings. The technology had its advantages, especially during jazz sessions, where musicians the caliber of Clifford Jordan weren't handicapped by the engineer's inability to splice takes or overdub afterwards. Jordan, who is the leader of the session, shines on tenor sax, driven by an outstanding rhythm section with seasoned pianist Hank Jones, bassist Reggie Workman, and drummer Freddie Waits. Following an extensive exploration of Jordan's very catchy post-bop "Vienna" (which he previously recorded nine years earlier for the LP In the World), the quartet shifts into a bop mode with a superb take of Oscar Pettiford's "Bohemia After Dark" and a hard-blowing interpretation of Cole Porter's "Love for Sale." Like all direct-to-disc recordings, this long unavailable LP is a limited edition that was in short supply and difficult to find even when it was issued. Any jazz fan fortunate enough to locate a copy decades later will enjoy the performances and marvel at the warm, very intimate sound achieved by the musicians and the engineers on that summer day in 1978. ~ Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/hello-hank-jones-mw0000877175

Personnel:  Clifford Jordan - tenor saxophone;  Hank Jones - piano;  Reggie Workman - bass;  Freddie Waits - drums

Hello, Hank Jones

LeeAnn Ledgerwood, Ron McClure, Billy Hart - Renewal

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:48
Size: 142,4 MB
Art: Front

( 7:32)  1. Summernite
( 6:26)  2. I Wish You Knew
( 5:02)  3. All Blues
( 3:51)  4. Renewal
(10:55)  5. Adagio
( 7:14)  6. A Shade of Jade
( 5:28)  7. 502 Blues
( 8:01)  8. My Foolish Heart
( 7:15)  9. Autumn Leaves

An album that bursts out beautifully, right from the very first note then continues to hold us rapt throughout, with that strong sense of surprise we love from a really well-done piano trio album! LeeAnn Ledgerwood's no stranger to the recording studio, but this album really feels like something special and different a set that has her musical imagination maybe sparked with even more swing than before, all balanced with a warmly lyrical touch and set up in perfect communication with the bass of Ron McClure and drums of Billy Hart! 

The album's the sort that someone might be playing, and you'd step over and ask "What's that?" especially on the more upbeat numbers, which really grab us. Titles include the originals "Renewal" and "I Wish You Knew" plus "All Blues", "Summernite", "502 Blues", "A Shade Of Jade", and "Autumn Leaves".  © 1996-2017, Dusty Groove, Inc. https://www.dustygroove.com/item/859856/LeeAnn-Ledgerwood:Renewal

Personnel: LeeAnn Ledgerwood, piano;  Ron McClure, bass;  Billy Hart, drums.

Renewal