Eric Marienthal - Walk Tall: Tribute to Cannonball Adderley

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:19
Size: 127,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:24)  1. Mercy, Mercy, Mercy
(4:23)  2. Work Song
(4:39)  3. Walk Tall
(3:31)  4. Skylark
(4:34)  5. Imagine That
(5:30)  6. The Way You Look Tonight
(4:37)  7. Here In My Heart
(4:23)  8. Sunstone
(3:30)  9. If You Need Me To
(5:28) 10. Country Preacher
(5:01) 11. Unit 7
(4:13) 12. Groove Runner

Contemporary sax whiz and Chick Corea Elektric Band veteran Eric Marienthal has been appearing with impressive frequency on other people's sessions, while occasionally releasing his own CDs. Until now, his more memorable performances have been those he's rendered in service to others. He makes good progress in remedying that situation with his latest,Walk Tall, a tribute to Cannonball Adderley. This program has one foot firmly planted on traditional soil (mostly during the tunes from Adderley's repertoire and a few standards) and the other foot on contemporary turf. Despite the fact that varying amounts of keyboard, bass, and drum programming are added even to the Adderley tunes, it's a pleasing mixture of old and new. The disk opens with a live recording of Cannonball introducing Joe Zawinul's "Mercy Mercy Mercy," with the instrumental track then fading out and the new recording fading in, in a not-too-awkward manner. Marienthal expressively caresses the lead lines while the programming churns in the background. "Work Song" and "Walk Tall" follow, then there's a beautiful ballad rendition of "Skylark." Other highlights include a medium-tempo spirited romp celebrating "The Way You Look Tonight" and the foot-tapping, bass-walking easy swing of "Unit 7." All in all, this is a pretty tasty deal. It's similar in aspirations to theTwist of JobimCD which inaugurated the i.e. music label, that is, placing an artist's work from a previous era in a more modern setting. Some of the contempo luminaries who contribute arrangements, performances, and production to the affair include Harvey Mason, Lee Ritenour, Rob Mullins, Russell Ferrante, Jeff Lorber, and John Beasley. ~ Dave Hughes https://www.allaboutjazz.com/walk-tall-eric-marienthal-ie-music-review-by-dave-hughes.php

Personnel:  Eric Marienthal - alto or soprano saxophone;  Lee Ritenour, Alan Hinds, Michael Thompson, Jeff Lorber - guitar Lee Ritenour, Rob Mullins, Harvey Mason Jr., Jeff Lorber - drum, bass, and keyboard programming;  John Beasley, Russell Ferrante, Ronnie Foster - piano, keyboards Melvin Davis, Reggie Hamilton, Chuck Domanico, Stanley Clarke, Vail Johnson - bass;  Harvey Mason - drums;  Chris Botti, Chuck Findley - trumpet;  Ralph Morrison III - violin;  Luis Conte - percussion;  Kevyn Lettau, Philip Ingram, Heather Mason, Michael Mishaw, Stevie Russell - vocals

Walk Tall: Tribute to Cannonball Adderley

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Sacha Boutros - Sacha Live In Hawaii

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:30
Size: 119,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:44)  1. Our Day Will Come
(3:43)  2. I'm Glad There Is You
(3:02)  3. The Glory Of Love
(2:42)  4. Que Rest-T-Il De Nos Amours-I Wish You Love
(6:09)  5. I Thought About You
(6:15)  6. Delirio
(5:15)  7. At Long Last Love
(5:08)  8. Blame It On My Youth
(6:13)  9. Body And Soul
(4:52) 10. The Way You Look Tonight
(3:20) 11. Tres Palabras

Sacha Live in Hawaii Recorded at Hawaii Public Radio on January 28, 2011 with Hawaii's own award winning Honolulu Jazz Quartet leader Bassist John kolivas and Pianist Dan Del Negro and featuring Derek Cannon on the Flugelhorn. https://www.amazon.com/Sacha-Live-Hawaii-Boutros/dp/B005W4S7BI

Sacha Live In Hawaii

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Sonny Criss - Sonny's Dream (Birth of the New Cool)

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1968
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:29
Size: 104,3 MB
Art: Front

(7:33)  1. Sonny's Dream
(4:23)  2. Ballad For Samuel
(5:52)  3. The Black Apostles
(5:10)  4. The Golden Pearl
(7:34)  5. Daughter Of Cochise
(5:26)  6. Sandy And Niles
(5:06)  7. The Golden Pearl [#][*][Alternate Take]
(4:21)  8. Sonny's Dream (alternate)

For Sonny Criss this was an unusual date. The altoist is backed for the set by a nonet arranged by the great Los Angeles legend Horace Tapscott. The arrangements are challenging but complementary to Criss' style, and he is in top form on the six Tapscott originals. The CD reissue includes two additional alternate takes, and is highly recommended for both Criss' playing and Tapscott's writing. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/sonnys-dream-birth-of-the-new-cool-mw0000087973

Personnel:  Sonny Criss – alto saxophone, soprano saxophone;  Conte Candoli – trumpet;  Dick Nash – trombone;  Ray Draper – tuba;  David Sherr – alto saxophone;  Teddy Edwards – tenor saxophone;  Pete Christlieb – baritone saxophone;  Tommy Flanagan – piano;  Al McKibbon – bass;  Everett Brown Jr. – drums;  Horace Tapscott – arranger, conductor

Sonny's Dream  (Birth of the New Cool)

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Cat Anderson - Cat Speaks: The Definitive Black & Blue Sessions

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1977
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:48
Size: 160,0 MB
Art: Front

(6:24)  1. Good Queen Bess
(6:05)  2. The Cat Hums
(4:14)  3. Stompy Jones
(5:23)  4. The Cat In G Flat
(4:26)  5. The Jeep Is Jumpin'
(5:13)  6. Baby Won't You Please Come Home
(6:13)  7. Black And Tan Fantasy
(4:40)  8. Struttin' With Some Barbecue
(6:14)  9. Cat Speaks
(7:33) 10. What Am I Here For
(5:24) 11. The Cat In G Flat (take 1)
(7:52) 12. Just Squeeze Me

Cat Anderson, 60 at the time of this session, was still at the height of his power at the time. Heading a quintet with fellow former Ellington member Sam Woodyard on drums plus Frenchmen Gerard Badini on tenor and clarinet, pianist Raymond Fol and bassist Michel Gaudry, Cat not only blasts out a few high notes but displays his expertise in the lower registers and with the plunger mute; he even takes a vocal on "The Cat Hums." This small group swing Lp (which has among its more memorable performances spirited renditions of "Stompy Jones" and "The Jeep Is Jumpin'") is one of Cat Anderson's finest and is well worth searching for. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/cat-speaks-mw0000373665

Cat Speaks: The Definitive Black & Blue Sessions

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Jonathan Butler - Close To You

Styles: Vocal And Guitar Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:11
Size: 104,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:32)  1. Do You Know the Way to San Jose
(3:34)  2. I'll Never Fall in Love Again
(3:29)  3. This Guy's in Love with You
(4:31)  4. Alfie
(3:29)  5. I Say a Little Prayer
(3:45)  6. Walk on By
(4:28)  7. (They Long to Be) Close to You
(3:46)  8. The Look of Love
(3:45)  9. Cape Town
(4:54) 10. What the World Needs Now is Love
(4:53) 11. A House is Not a Home

Dearly Beloved, Jonathan Butler having loudly even hysterically, you might feel proclaimed to the world that he has fallen in love with Jesus, let us consider his latest album and ponder Verse Two of "I'll Never Fall In Love Again" by Messrs. Hal David and Burt Bacharach:  What do you get when you kiss a girl? You get enough germs to catch pneumonia. Surely anyone who can turn words like that into a smash hit must be blessed with genius, regardless of what you think of the rest of their oeuvre, which includes "Do You Know The Way To San Jose?" and "What The World Needs Now Is Love." South African born singer/guitarist Butler revisits the David-Bacharach songbook for the bulk of Close To You, and also trots out his own "Cape Town," a decidedly ordinary eulogy to the place he calls home. He returns to the David-Bacharach songbook for his final number, "A House Is Not A Home," which oozes sentimentality from every pore and which you might expect to have been rendered obsolete by such modern songs as Stephen Sondheim's "Live Alone And Like It" which laud the benefits of living alone.  Butler has a ready smile and a warm voice which allow him to get away with almost anything, though he wisely treats "I Say A Little Prayer" as an instrumental, apart from a little scatting, which gets him off the hook from singing about putting on his make up. All the same, it can feel strange on occasion hearing a man interpret a song like "Walk On By," which Dionne Warwick so much made her own.  Although in this age of gender bending, as Cole Porter would undoubtedly have said, had he not died in 1964: "Anything Goes." ~ Chris Mosey https://www.allaboutjazz.com/close-to-you-jonathan-butler-jonathan-butler-mack-avenue-records-review-by-chris-mosey.php

Personnel: Jonathan Butler: vocals, guitar, percussion, bass, drum programming; Ramon Islas: percussion; Donald Hayes: saxophones; Cameron Johnson: trumpet; Nadira Kimberly: violin; Dan Lutz: bass; Jodie Butler, Antonio Sol, Francis Benetez, Terry Wood, Sandie Hall Brooks, Francis Livings, Amy Keys, Guy Maeda, Anick Byram, Clydene Jackson, Leyla Hoyle, James Zavaleta, Paulina Aguirre, Aleyna Van Antwerp, Jenny Karr, Sharlotte Gibson, Adrian Brizz, Bianca McClure, Vangie Gunn, Brigette Bryant, Andrea Grossi, Dorian Holley, Fred White, Carlis Murguia, Will Wheaton, Charlean Carmon, Aleta Braxton: background vocals.

Close To You

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Dizzy Gillespie - Dizzy On The French Riviera

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1962
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:34
Size: 90,0 MB
Art: Front

(10:20)  1. No More Blues
( 5:15)  2. Long, Long Summer
( 2:44)  3. I Waited For You
( 3:27)  4. Desafinado
( 8:33)  5. Here It Is
( 3:38)  6. Pau De Arara
( 4:34)  7. For The Gypsies

Some of Dizzy Gillespie's best and most well-known material from the '60s with a truly talented band is included on this set of recordings done in France. A group of American expatriates and Europeans really musicians from all over the world accompany the trumpeter for music that spans bop, Brazilian sounds, and originals. Argentine pianist Lalo Schifrin plays piano and contributes the arrangements, and Leo Wright is Gillespie's main foil on flute and alto sax, while Hungarian Elek Bacsik plays guitar in subtle ways that reflect the overall style of the sounds inspired by the French Riviera. A classic, stretched-out take of Antonio Carlos Jobim's "No More Blues" kicks off the set, with the sound of kids on an ocean beach leading to Gillespie and Wright trading halves of the melody line as playful as the children in a perfectly played bossa. Another Jobim standard, "Desafinado," has Wright's bright flute and the muted trumpet of Diz in a more pensive but still hopeful romantic mood. "I Waited for You" is the ultimate languid, laying-in-wait ballad, with Schifrin's refrains cuing the trumpeter's procrastinations, while "Long, Long Summer" is the pianist's ode to a sullen affair with ultraviolet light cool shades included in a swinging and modal approach. "For the Gypsies," penned by the leader, has Bacsik more up-front rhythmically, as Wright's mysterious flute contrasts with Gillespie's sharply precise notes in a sneaky quick bossa rhythm. Also written by Dizzy, "Here It Is" is as memorable a tune as he ever did, a signature strutting shuffle jazz/blues that exemplifies the joy in life always present in his music. That all of the participants are extremely talented and can mix and match with Gillespie beautifully makes this an album that should appeal universally to all jazz lovers, and especially his biggest fans. ~ Michael G.Nastos https://www.allmusic.com/album/dizzy-on-the-french-riviera-mw0000188085

Personnel: Dizzy Gillespie – trumpet, vocals;  Lalo Schifrin – piano;  Leo Wright - flute, alto saxophone, vocals;  Elek Bacsik - guitar;  Chris White - double bass;  Rudy Collins - drums;  Pepito Riestria - percussion;  Charlie Ventura - tenor saxophone, bass saxophone

Dizzy On The French Riviera

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Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane - Thelonious Monk With John Coltrane

Styles: Piano And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1961
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:51
Size: 107,4 MB
Art: Front

(6:22)  1. Ruby, My Dear
(6:41)  2. Trinkle, Tinkle
(5:16)  3. Off Minor (take 4)
(6:40)  4. Nutty
(3:11)  5. Epistrophy (alt. take)
(9:46)  6. Functional (alt. take)
(7:52)  7. Monk's Mood

Universally regarded as one of the greatest collaborations between the two most influential musicians in modern jazz (Miles Davis notwithstanding), the Jazzland sessions from Thelonious Monk and John Coltrane should be recognized on other levels. While the mastery of the principals is beyond reproach, credit should also be given to peerless bassist Wilbur Ware, as mighty an anchor as anyone could want. These 1957 dates also sport a variety in drummerless trio, quartet, septet, or solo piano settings, all emphasizing the compelling and quirky compositions of Monk. A shouted-out, pronounced "Off Minor" and robust, three-minute "Epistrophy" with legendary saxophonists Coleman Hawkins, Gigi Gryce, and the brilliant, underappreciated trumpeter Ray Copeland are hallmark tracks that every jazz fan should revere. Of the four quartet sessions, the fleet "Trinkle Tinkle" tests Coltrane's mettle, as he's perfectly matched alongside Monk, but conversely unforced during "Nutty" before taking off. Monk's solo piano effort, "Functional," is flavored with blues, stride, and boogie-woogie, while a bonus track, "Monk's Mood," has a Monk-Ware-Coltrane tandem (minus drummer Shadow Wilson) back for an eight-minute excursion primarily with Monk in a long intro, 'Trane in late, and Ware's bass accents booming through the studio. This will always be an essential item standing proudly among unearthed live sessions from Monk and Coltrane, demarcating a pivotal point during the most significant year in all types of music, from a technical and creative standpoint, but especially the jazz of the immediate future. ~ Michael G.Nastos https://www.allmusic.com/album/thelonious-monk-with-john-coltrane-mw0000188439

Personnel:  Thelonious Monk — piano;  John Coltrane — tenor saxophone;  Ray Copeland — trumpet on "Off Minor" and "Epistrophy";  Gigi Gryce — alto saxophone on "Off Minor" and "Epistrophy";  Coleman Hawkins — tenor saxophone on "Off Minor" and "Epistrophy";  Wilbur Ware — bass on all except for "Functional";  Shadow Wilson — drums on "Ruby, My Dear", "Trinkle, Tinkle" and "Nutty";  Art Blakey — drums on "Off Minor" and "Epistrophy"

Thelonious Monk With John Coltrane

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Elmo Hope Sextet And Trio - Homecoming!

Styles: Piano Jazz

Year: 1961

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 50:26

Size: 116,6 MB

Art: Front

(5:56)  1. Moe, Jr. (take 4)

(4:41)  2. Moe, Jr. (take 2)

(3:14)  3. La Berthe

(6:33)  4. Eyes So Beautiful As Yours

(5:15)  5. Homecoming

(6:48)  6. One Mo' Blues

(5:33)  7. A Kiss For My Love (take 5)

(5:39)  8. A Kiss For My Love (take 4)

(6:43)  9. Imagination

Homecoming! is a particularly high-spirited record for this stage in Hope's troubled career. Following an extended stay in Los Angeles, a number of the day's top players helped welcome a refreshed Hope back to New York on this session. Tenor saxophonists Frank Foster and Jimmy Heath, as well as trumpeter Blue Mitchell, form the front line on the sextet numbers, while on all tracks Hope is joined by the rhythm section of Percy Heath and Philly Joe Jones. Four of the album's (original) seven tracks are sextet performances and the two alternate takes only appear on the Fantasy Original Jazz Classics CD reissue. The Dameron-esque bop numbers sizzle and weave and the tenor work of Frank Foster is especially rewarding on the album's bouncing opener, "Moe, Jr.," take four on the CD. The three ballads are equally fresh and less doom-ridden than comparable performances found elsewhere in his catalog. Expect fine performances by all. This great hard bop record is highly recommended. ~ Brandon Burke https://www.allmusic.com/album/homecoming%21-mw0000093981

Personnel:  Elmo Hope - piano;  Blue Mitchell - trumpet (tracks 1, 2, 4, 7 & 8);  Frank Foster, Jimmy Heath - tenor saxophone (tracks 1, 2, 4, 7 & 8);  Percy Heath - bass;  Philly Joe Jones - drums

Homecoming!

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Will Boulware - Summertime

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:24
Size: 118,0 MB
Art: Front

(6:05)  1. Slow Down
(4:15)  2. Till
(7:30)  3. On Green Dolphin Stree
(5:13)  4. Thumbs
(5:32)  5. Moment's Notice
(3:59)  6. Big Band
(6:01)  7. E.S.P.
(5:48)  8. Who's Blues
(5:57)  9. Summertime

Rhythm team has been playing the bass in full story following the past two works by Richard Bonna, drums has been increasingly sharp instead of Billy Kilson from this time. I admire the wonder of the rhythmic team of this work from the original song "Slow Down" of the first thrilling theme. The combination of Bonna and Kilson is a speed sense, and in the sharpness it will be no doubt saying that it is the top class rhythm corps of the era. In this album in which the original and standard were interwoven in about half, the standard song was arranged to be easy to listen with pop sounds filled with Boureware's melodic, but in the original song it was a contemporary that was a little adventurous It is arranged. Eric Alexander of tenor who is participating in the three songs guests also listens to the performance of expressible expression that matched Boulewear's pop sense. It can be said that it is a work that seems to be a boule wear that can be enjoyed straight to the whole. People who want to listen to Bona's base are also satisfying. (Masato Hashi). https://translate.google.com.br/translate?hl=en&sl=ja&u=http://jazzfusion.com/cd2007/will_summertime.htm&prev=search

Personnel:  Will Boulware (piano), Richard Bona (bass), Billy Killson (drums), Eric Alexander (t.sax 3 songs participation)

Summertime

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Joani Taylor - In A Sentimental Mood

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:20
Size: 146,7 MB
Art: Front

(6:27)  1. This Can't Be Love
(4:58)  2. In A Sentimental Mood
(4:19)  3. Embraceable You
(5:24)  4. Alfie
(3:46)  5. Undecided
(3:14)  6. Sentimental Journey
(7:01)  7. Lover Man
(5:23)  8. Love Walked In
(3:57)  9. A Ghost Of A Chance / I Can't Get Started
(6:43) 10. More Than You Know
(6:41) 11. Be My Love
(5:19) 12. I Just Had To Hear Her Voice

About three years ago at the Vancouver International Jazz Festival, I was standing in the back of a concert in studio B at CBC. Joani was singing a ballad to an audience of approximately three hundred people. She had the room in the palm of her hand and I was starting to get all choked up. I looked around the room and saw that I wasn't alone. There were a lot of people trying to pretend they weren't wiping away tears. Over the years, I've seen Joani do this many times. The first time was decades ago at the El Mocambo nightclub in Burnaby and I think she was only sixteen then. I've had the honour and privilege of witnessing and playing with some wonderful artists who can do this, who can connect to something deep inside themselves and touch something deep inside us. But still and all, they are relatively rare. To be able to do this an artist has to, as well as have the skill of their craft and of their art, go deep inside themselves to go beyond style, tradition, politics and personality, plus find a connection to their own essence. Then they need the willingness to be vulnerable enough to open up and connect with the people they are playing with and for. For me, Joani has always been a benchmark of this kind of intimacy. Every time I play with her she completely connects and any move I make moves her. When she performs for an audience, she takes them to someplace new and magical. Working on this project has been a great joy for me, especially the writing sessions with Joani and Miles. Things just seemed to fall into place naturally and the results are open and sincere. The beautiful original music by Sharon Minemoto, Ross Taggart and Jimm Taylor was a delight to play and I think show many different sides to Joani's “Own Voice”. Her original lyrics show the same intimacy as her performances. The three non-originals take us in different soul-stirring directions again. The recording sessions with all these beautiful players were so inspiring. Every cut is first or second take. For this reason, I think the music has a fresh, raw, and honest quality that I love. Every time I listen to these takes of Joani, Miles, Ross, Brad, Buff, Bernie and Doug, it makes me laugh and cry. I think this is a generous offering from a beautiful and continually developing, but maturing artist of great depth and breadth. I hope there is much more to come from Joani, my longtime friend, because I know she certainly has a lot more to say. ~ Bob Murphy http://www.joanitaylor.com/index2.html

Personnel:  Joani Taylor - Voice - Vocal;  P.J. Perry - Alto & Tenor Saxophones;  Miles Black - Piano;  Neil Swainson - Bass

In A Sentimental Mood

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Andrew Hill - Passing Ships

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:40
Size: 109,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:09)  1. Sideways
(7:08)  2. Passing Ships
(8:32)  3. Plantation Bag
(9:49)  4. Noon Tide
(6:22)  5. The Brown Queen
(6:27)  6. Cascade
(5:11)  7. Yesterday's Tomorrow

The history of Blue Note Records is in many ways the history of the golden age of jazz. When Blue Note changed, the whole face of jazz changed. After releasing classic sides one after another for much of the '60s, Blue Note veered off into populist funk and, despite its present renaissance, never really recovered. With today's Blue Note subsisting on fewer quality releases and the RVG reissue series, its reputation of yore seems firmly in the past. If so, the occasional new "old" album released by the label is a rare opportunity to be part of those heady days. Pianist Andrew Hill, like Wayne Shorter, or Herbie Hancock, was one of the main proponents of the Blue Note style - heavy post bop that didn't shy away from experimentation. Hill's albums like Point of Departure or Compulsion probably would be mentioned in the same breath as Juju or Maiden Voyage if he had more consistent exposure. By the late '60s, Hill's tenure at Blue Note was almost up and several sessions he recorded remained unissued, not seen as commercially viable. What has become the recently released Passing Ships is a rare chance to hear Hill's advanced melodic and harmonic concepts applied to a nonet including such musicians as Woody Shaw, Julian Priester, Joe Farrell and Ron Carter. 

The irony of this material lying dormant for 34 years is that this Hill is more commercial; apparently Blue Note didn't agree then but with interest resurging for the idiosyncratic pianist, Passing Ships is available now as a period document, a burning bridge away from '60s progressive jazz. Hill's music doesn't translate very well to a big band, though this may be the strange audio levels and a presumed lack of substantial rehearsal. Howard Johnson's tuba sounds jarring on occasion, Ron Carter is underwhelming, and this is only rookie Lenny White's second session.  Bright spots include the double punch of trumpeters - Shaw and Dizzy Reece, both underappreciated and overshadowed by the era's more strident players. Even more satisfying is how the late Joe Farrell completely takes over, playing no less than five disparate instruments: soprano and tenor sax for lead work, alto flute and bass clarinet for moody ambience and English horn for stylistic filigree. What was originally a curio piece of large ensemble writing by Hill becomes an opportunity to see why everyone was so high on Farrell before he bottomed out on the CTI label in the '70s. Whatever he is playing, the music centers on him, the other musicians granting him well-deserved space.  But if you forget this is an Andrew Hill record, the twists of his compositions remind you. Much of the material is the typical bread-and-water post bop which Blue Note pioneered, Hill's leads calmly flowing through the steep ravine of the horns. Of the seven tunes, three are the length and intellectual meat of the album. The title track features all the perks of Hill's playing: suspensions, ostinatos, thought-provoking dissonances. "Plantation Bag" is quite a funky plantation, Hill's island roots in evidence. "Noon Tide" is the freest, most quintessential Hill piece; one segment demonstrates the subtleties of Hill's accompaniment. As Farrell leads, Hill comps underneath, distinctly changing the feel of the piece five times with his chord voicings. Hill, a product of an era that had many virtuosos, may be able to the most with the least, which is probably why his take on the avant-garde seems less dated than many. While not his best album, and there may be other sessions more deserving of resuscitation, the moments where Hill stretches out and Farrell makes one strong contribution after another make one pine for the days when Blue Notes were the notes. ~ Andrey Henkin https://www.allaboutjazz.com/andrew-hill-passing-ships-by-andrey-henkin.php?width=1920

Personnel:  Andrew Hill - piano;  Ron Carter - bass;  Julian Priester - trombone;  Dizzy Reece - trumpet;  Woody Shaw - trumpet;  Lenny White - drums;  Joe Farrell - bass clarinet, alto flute, English horn, soprano sax, tenor sax;  Bob Northern - French horn;  Howard Johnson - tuba, bass clarinet

Passing Ships

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Linda Eder - If You See Me

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:32
Size: 112,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:04)  1. Before the Parade Passes By
(4:56)  2. As If We Never Said Goodbye
(6:07)  3. Music That Makes Me Dance / Ca
(3:20)  4. You'll Never Walk Alone
(2:38)  5. What Did I Have That I Don't H
(2:25)  6. Down with Love
(3:28)  7. Bring Him Home
(4:17)  8. Pure Imagination
(4:23)  9. Losing My Mind
(5:21) 10. The Best Is Yet to Come / The Man I Love  Just in Time - Medley
(4:27) 11. I Have a Voice
(4:01) 12. If You See Me

Linda Eder's career has had the kind of variety many performers would envy: everything from Broadway to solo albums to concert halls. If You See Me, her latest release, is her seventeenth solo album, which itself is an applause-worthy feat. The album itself is mostly a greatest-hits journey through theatre history, from Gershwin to Sondheim and plenty of others in between. Although some of the tracks don't quite hit the mark, others are genuinely wonderful. The album kicks off with a pair of classics: "Before the Parade Passes By" from Hello Dolly and Sunset Boulevard's "As If We Never Said Goodbye." These are deceptively tricky songs: emotionally rich and sometimes difficult to perform without ending up very mannered. Eder's vocals vacillate back and forth: she nails the most powerful parts, but sometimes strays into a slightly breathy style that takes us out of the moment. The energy picks up a bit later in the album, as the song choices take a turn for the jazzy. "Down With Love," midway through the album, is one of the highlights. This type of music is clearly in Eden's wheelhouse, and her voice is perfectly suited to the style. Some of the tracks here are a little on the overdone side. "What Did I Have That I Don't Have" has some odd vocal mannerisms; combined with the easy-listening vibe makes it one of the more skippable tracks. There are a pair of medleys, both of which sound great on paper, but in practice, do little to transform the songs beyond singing them one after the other instead of as separate tracks. It's a shame that the arrangements don't do a bit more, because some of the pieces - especially the section of "The Best Is Yet To Come" - are excellent on their own. Eder is by far at her best with the unadorned songs that give her a chance to show off simple, pure vocals. Aside from oddly-chosen backup vocals, her "Pure Imagination" is genuinely beautiful, as is her rendition of "Bring Him Home." By far the best song on the whole album, though, is Carousel's "You'll Never Walk Alone." It's one of the most powerfully moving songs in the American theatre canon, and Eder's calm strength more than does it justice. One of the effects of covering so many famous songs is that it can be hard to put your own stamp on them. Eder sidesteps this by closing out the album with a pair of songs that feel like they're allowing her personality to shine through. "I Have A Voice," originally written as a charity single for an anti-bullying campaign, feels like the album's anthem: self-assured and hopeful. Finally, "If You See Me" closes out with plenty of energy and charm. If You See Me is a mixed bag, but there are plenty of gems to be found within. https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/BWW-Album-Review-Linda-Eders-IF-YOU-SEE-ME-20180818

If You See Me

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Les McCann Ltd - Plays The Shout

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1960
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:07
Size: 96,8 MB
Art: Front

(7:55)  1. But Not For Me
(8:18)  2. A Foggy Day
(4:08)  3. The Shout
(2:03)  4. Set Call (Sonar)
(7:14)  5. C Jam Blues
(3:43)  6. Jubilation
(6:00)  7. Night In Tunisia
(2:43)  8. Set Call (Cute)

Les McCann Ltd. Plays the Shout (also referred to as The Shout) is a live album by pianist Les McCann recorded in 1960 and released on the Pacific Jazz label. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_McCann_Ltd._Plays_the_Shout

Personnel:  Les McCann (piano), Leroy Vinnegar (bass), Ron Jefferson (drums)

Plays The Shout

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Curtis Mayfield - Give, Get, Take And Have

Styles: Vocal, Soul, Funk
Year: 1976
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:42
Size: 86,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:27)  1. In Your Arms Again (Shake It)
(3:11)  2. This Love Is Sweet
(3:59)  3. P.S. I Love You
(3:52)  4. Party Night
(3:36)  5. Get A Little Bit (Give, Get, Take And Have)
(4:01)  6. Soul Music
(4:22)  7. Only You Babe
(5:36)  8. Mr. Welfare Man
(3:34)  9. Only You Babe (Single Edit)

Less sociopolitical than previous efforts, Give Get Take Have offers "Mr. Welfare Man" as its sole attempt to enlighten and enhance. Mayfield was obviously experiencing the joys of new love when he cut "Only You Babe" and "This Love Is Sweet," and the tear-jerking numbers "In Your Arms Again" and "Party Night." His aching falsetto coos and purrs, but sounds weakened on this LP. Overall, the album falls short of Mayfield's former releases, but even great artists don't always achieve their usual high standards. This was originally released on Curtom Records in the mid-'70s.~ Andrew Hamilton https://www.allmusic.com/album/give-get-take-and-have-mw0000110128

Give, Get, Take And Have

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Big Al Sears - The Rocking & Honking Tenor 1945-1952

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:01
Size: 174,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:30)  1. It Don't Mean A Thing   [Duke Ellington & His Orchestra, 1945]
(4:56)  2. Let The Zoomers Droll   [Duke Ellington & His Orchestra, 1945]
(3:08)  3. Otto Make That Riff Staccato   [Duke Ellington & His Orchestra, 1945]
(4:07)  4. Blues On The Double   [Duke Ellington & His Orchestra, 1945]
(3:56)  5. In A Jam   [Duke Ellington & His Orchestra, 1945]
(2:44)  6. The Beautiful Indians 1   [Duke Ellington & His Orchestra, 1946]
(7:23)  7. One O'Clock Jump   [Duke Ellington & His Orchestra, 1947]
(2:26)  8. Searsy   [Al Sears & The All-Stars Rhythm Section, 1945]
(2:27)  9. Long Long Ago   [Al Sears & The All-Stars Rhythm Section, 1945]
(3:00) 10. Baltimor Bounce   [Al Sears & His Orchestra, 1951]
(3:00) 11. Now Ride The D Train   [Al Sears & His Orchestra, 1951]
(3:02) 12. Groove Station  [Al Sears & His Orchestra, 1951]
(2:47) 13. Marshall Plan   [Al Sears & His Orchestra, 1951]
(2:18) 14. Nell Don't Wear No Button Up Shoes   [Al Sears & His Orchestra, 1951]
(2:58) 15. Huffin' & Puffin'   [Al Sears & His Orchestra, 1952]
(2:19) 16. Sear-Lously   [Al Sears & His Orchestra, 1952]
(3:00) 17. Dutch Treat   [Rex Stewart's Big Eight, 1945]
(2:52) 18. Something To Pat Your Foot To   [Johnny Hodges & His Orchestra, 1951]
(2:52) 19. Castle Rock   [Johnny Hodges & His Orchestra, 1951]
(3:06) 20. Sideways   [Johnny Hodges & His Orchestra, 1952]
(5:59) 21. Sweet Georgia Brown   [Johnny Hodges & His Orchestra, 1952]

By 1945 tenor saxophonist Albert Omega Sears (1910-1990) had worked with Elmer Snowden, Roy Eldridge, Helen Humes, Andy Kirk, Lionel Hampton, Arnett Cobb, Budd Johnson, and Lester Young. This insightful retrospective allows an unprecedented overview of Sears' middle period, providing important context for the powerful tenor's later recordings by including highlights from his years with Duke Ellington. Sears is also featured in front of an "All Star Rhythm Section" with Gene Schroeder at the piano; as part of an Ellingtonian front line with Rex Stewart's Big Eight; as a fortifying force in the Johnny Hodges Orchestra; and as leader of his own bands in 1951 and 1952. 

Admirers of this exciting and all-too-often overlooked musician who don't mind having ten tracks in duplicate might want to match this compilation with Ocium's excellent survey, Al Sears and His Orchestra: The Big Raw Tone, also released in 2003. It's all meat. ~ arwulf arwulf https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-rocking-and-honking-tenor-1945-1952-mw0000321653

The Rocking & Honking Tenor 1945-1952

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Dizzy Gillespie - Have Trumpet, Will Excite!

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1959
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:57
Size: 145,0 MB
Art: Front

(6:00)  1. My Heart Belongs to Daddy
(4:17)  2. My Man
(6:22)  3. Moonglow
(5:52)  4. St. Louis Blues
(6:21)  5. Woody 'n' You
(7:14)  6. Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams (And Dream Your Troubles Away)
(3:25)  7. There Is No Greater Love
(6:31)  8. I Found a Million Dollar Baby (In a Five and Ten Cent Store)
(3:21)  9. There Is No Greater Love (Alt 1)
(3:24) 10. There Is No Greater Love (Alt 2)
(3:24) 11. There Is No Greater Love (Alt 3)
(6:41) 12. I Found a Million Dollar Baby (In a Five and Ten Cent Store) (Alt)

It's easy and perhaps unfair to take any later jazz album by a trendy, "hot" trumpeter and compare it to a classic like Have Trumpet, Will Excite!. Critics and fans have been afforded the luxury of time to weed out half-efforts. Still, even without former knowledge of who Dizzy Gillespie is, Have Trumpet, Will Excite! separates itself from the crowd pretty quickly. The Latin up-tempo arrangement of "My Heart Belongs to Daddy" thrusts the song into an entirely different realm. Junior Mance's piano kicks things of with a quirky, forceful rhythm, and after Gillespie's trumpet lays down the bare bones of the melody, it's pretty much forgotten. From there, the band takes off on a creative surge. The same is true of "My Man." A brave arrangement, kicked off by piano and outlined by trumpet, completely rewrites the piece. "Sure," Gillespie and the band, seem to say, "We can play old swing tunes, but wouldn't it be cool if we turned them inside out?" This approach, along with sharp solos, gives the material an exciting edge. Gillespie's solo on "St. Louis Blues" just soars, while Les Spann, who plays both flute and guitar on the album, follows him with a bristly guitar solo. Mance offers distinctive piano work that matches Gillespie's enthusiasm on tunes like "Woody 'N' You," while bassist Sam Jones and drummer Lex Humphries keep a high-octane rhythm in constant motion. Have Trumpet, Will Excite! more than measures up to its promise and stands as a cornerstone of Gillespie's '50s work. ~ Ronnie D.Lankford, Jr. https://www.allmusic.com/album/have-trumpet-will-excite%21-mw0000004877

Personnel:  Dizzy Gillespie - trumpet;  Junior Mance - piano;  Lex Humphries - drums;  Sam Jones - double bass;  Les Spann - guitar, flute;  Carlos "Patato" Valdes - conga

Have Trumpet, Will Excite!

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Ella Fitzgerald - Misty Blue

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1968
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 29:29
Size: 69,7 MB
Art: Front

(2:29)  1. Misty Blue
(2:32)  2. Walking In The Sunshine
(3:03)  3. It's Only Love
(2:18)  4. Evil On Your Mind
(2:47)  5. I Taught Him Everything He Knows
(2:26)  6. Don't Let That Doorknob Hit You
(2:45)  7. Turn The World Around
(2:01)  8. The Chockin' Kind
(3:18)  9. Born To Lose
(2:51) 10. This Gun Don't Care
(2:55) 11. Don't Touch Me

"The First Lady of Song," Ella Fitzgerald was arguably the finest female jazz singer of all time (although some may vote for Sarah Vaughan or Billie Holiday). Blessed with a beautiful voice and a wide range, Fitzgerald could outswing anyone, was a brilliant scat singer, and had near-perfect elocution; one could always understand the words she sang. The one fault was that, since she always sounded so happy to be singing, Fitzgerald did not always dig below the surface of the lyrics she interpreted and she even made a downbeat song such as "Love for Sale" sound joyous. However, when one evaluates her career on a whole, there is simply no one else in her class. One could never guess from her singing that Ella Fitzgerald's early days were as grim as Billie Holiday's. Growing up in poverty, Fitzgerald was literally homeless for the year before she got her big break. In 1934, she appeared at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, winning an amateur contest by singing "Judy" in the style of her idol, Connee Boswell. After a short stint with Tiny Bradshaw, Fitzgerald was brought to the attention of Chick Webb by Benny Carter (who was in the audience at the Apollo). Webb, who was not impressed by the 17-year-old's appearance, was reluctantly persuaded to let her sing with his orchestra on a one-nighter. She went over well and soon the drummer recognized her commercial potential. Starting in 1935, Fitzgerald began recording with Webb's Orchestra, and by 1937 over half of the band's selections featured her voice. "A-Tisket, A-Tasket" became a huge hit in 1938 and "Undecided" soon followed. During this era, Fitzgerald was essentially a pop/swing singer who was best on ballads while her medium-tempo performances were generally juvenile novelties. She already had a beautiful voice but did not improvise or scat much; that would develop later.

On June 16, 1939, Chick Webb died. It was decided that Fitzgerald would front the orchestra even though she had little to do with the repertoire or hiring or firing the musicians. She retained her popularity and when she broke up the band in 1941 and went solo; it was not long before her Decca recordings contained more than their share of hits. She was teamed with the Ink Spots, Louis Jordan, and the Delta Rhythm Boys for some best-sellers, and in 1946 began working regularly for Norman Granz's Jazz at the Philharmonic. Granz became her manager although it would be nearly a decade before he could get her on his label. A major change occurred in Fitzgerald's singing around this period. She toured with Dizzy Gillespie's big band, adopted bop as part of her style, and started including exciting scat-filled romps in her set. Her recordings of "Lady Be Good," "How High the Moon," and "Flying Home" during 1945-1947 became popular and her stature as a major jazz singer rose as a result. For a time (December 10, 1947-August 28, 1953) she was married to bassist Ray Brown and used his trio as a backup group. Fitzgerald's series of duets with pianist Ellis Larkins in 1950 (a 1954 encore with Larkins was a successful follow-up) found her interpreting George Gershwin songs, predating her upcoming Songbooks series.

After appearing in the film Pete Kelly's Blues in 1955, Fitzgerald signed with Norman Granz's Verve label and over the next few years she would record extensive Songbooks of the music of Cole Porter, the Gershwins, Rodgers & Hart, Duke Ellington, Harold Arlen, Jerome Kern, and Johnny Mercer. Although (with the exception of the Ellington sets) those were not her most jazz-oriented projects (Fitzgerald stuck mostly to the melody and was generally accompanied by string orchestras), the prestigious projects did a great deal to uplift her stature. At the peak of her powers around 1960, Fitzgerald's hilarious live version of "Mack the Knife" (in which she forgot the words and made up her own) from Ella in Berlin is a classic and virtually all of her Verve recordings are worth getting. Fitzgerald's Capitol and Reprise recordings of 1967-1970 are not on the same level as she attempted to "update" her singing by including pop songs such as "Sunny" and "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," sounding quite silly in the process. But Fitzgerald's later years were saved by Norman Granz's decision to form a new label, Pablo. Starting with a Santa Monica Civic concert in 1972 that is climaxed by Fitzgerald's incredible version of "C Jam Blues" (in which she trades off with and "battles" five classic jazzmen), Fitzgerald was showcased in jazz settings throughout the 1970s with the likes of Count Basie, Oscar Peterson, and Joe Pass, among others. 

Her voice began to fade during this era and by the 1980s her decline due to age was quite noticeable. Troubles with her eyes and heart knocked her out of action for periods of time, although her increasingly rare appearances found Fitzgerald still retaining her sense of swing and joyful style. By 1994, Ella Fitzgerald was in retirement and she passed away two years later, but she remains a household name and scores of her recordings are easily available on CD. ~ Scott Yanow https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/misty-blue/716587936

Misty Blue

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Stan Getz - The Song Is You

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1969
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:33
Size: 139,7 MB
Art: Front

( 5:52)  1. The Song Is You
( 6:05)  2. O Grande Amor
( 3:24)  3. For Jane
( 7:51)  4. Dane's Chant
( 6:21)  5. Major General
( 5:12)  6. Folk Tune For Bass
(13:09)  7. Tonight I Shall Sleep - Desafinado
( 6:54)  8. All The Things You Are
( 3:44)  9. Summer Night
( 1:58) 10. One Note Samba

If any album by Stan Getz could be termed a sleeper, this one would be it. Released by producer Sonny Lester on his LRC label, and relatively unheralded due to distribution factors or sketchy information, this apparently is a summertime 1969 concert festival performance done somewhere in Italy. A scant few years away from teaming up with Chick Corea for the 1972 Captain Marvel date, this version of the Getz quartet is a dynamic coalition, including pianist Stanley Cowell, bassist Miroslav Vitous, and drummer Jack DeJohnette, all young and extraordinarily individualistic modern jazzmen. Getz sounds as good as he ever did, retaining some of the bossa nova tunes that boosted his rise to super stardom while allowing room for his bandmembers to bring in their own compositions and provide them a solo spotlight. Cowell is especially bold and euphoric, whether by design or his personal will power, displaying immense taste and inventiveness that also served him well during his time as a leader on his pivotal 1969 Black Lion/Arista-Freedom date Traveling Man aka Blues for the Viet Cong. From the opening strains of the title track "The Song Is You," it's clear something special is happening, as an extrapolated intro fueled by Cowell's piano expands the theme before it is settled and stated by Getz. Never straying far from his stylized bossa nova, Getz does four songs of Antonio Carlos Jobim's, anchored by the thick and sinewy basslines of Vitous during "O Grade Amor" and "Summer Night," mixing and matching contrasting implied beats courtesy of DeJohnette, 27-years-old at this time but already defining his signature sound. The drummer also composed the short, sweet, and spontaneous ballad "For Jane," and the multi-directional "Major General," morphing from the pedal point bass of Vitous to swing and bop as tight as can be, the rhythm section charged with kinetic energy. Cowell wrote "Dane's Chant," in a loose-tight churning whirl of 6/8 time inserted in 4/4 similar to a Dizzy Gillespie theme. As this is a Getz led date, you get the expected smooth and rounded tenor which he had developed in the '60s. His quietude is rendered in freer moods for the jazz/bossa medley "Tonight I Shall Sleep/Desafinado," while completely and purposefully restrained on "All the Things You Are." Vitous, at age 22, plays an unaccompanied solo, at times obtuse or harmonically sour, but lithe, quick, and diverse during "Folk Tune for Bass," advanced far beyond his years. The two-minute finale "One Note Samba" features an unattributed vocalist singing in mixed English and Portuguese, sounding similar to Flora Purim, but perhaps an Italian friend of Getz. The Song Is You is a missing link between a less than successful teaming with Bill Evans, and the more modern quartet music Getz played thereafter with Corea, Jimmy Rowles, Joanne Brackeen, or Kenny Barron. It's a very worthwhile item to own if you search for it, well recorded and performed by a group that could collectively be the most purely talented of any you might find who ever backed up Stan Getz. ~ Michael G.Nastos https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-song-is-you-mw0000101272

Personnel:  Stan Getz - tenor saxophone;  Stanley Cowell - piano;  Miroslav Vitous - bass;  Jack DeJohnette - drums

The Song Is You

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Gary Bartz Ntu Troop - Singerella: A Ghetto Fairy Tale

Styles: Clarinet And Saxophone Jazz

Year: 2010

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 39:40

Size: 91,0 MB

Art: Front

(4:58)  1. St. Felix Street

(4:37)  2. Dozens (The Sounding Song)

(6:44)  3. I Don't Care

(3:01)  4. Blind Man

(6:25)  5. Singerella (A Ghetto Fairy Tale)

(6:15)  6. Lady Love

(4:12)  7. Mellow Yellow

(3:25)  8. Nation Time

Released in 1974, Singerella: A Ghetto Fairy Tale by Gary Bartz and his evolving Ntu Troop was a self-produced affair, and the first without vocalist Andy Bey. Bartz was exploring a CTI smooth groove aesthetic by this time, and was deeply invested in the funky side of jazz. He took a hard turn toward jazz-funk's smoother soul side here, an approach that was cemented in the final mix by Larry Mizell, who, along with his brother Fonce, would become his producers for the remainder of the 1970s. Bartz also changed his composition style for Singerella; these are, in large part, shorter, tighter, and feature quirky if readily accessible melodies. Some of these tracks yield fine improvisational moves despite their heavy reliance on funk vamps. This is true in particular of the opener, "St. Felix Street," and the bookend closer, "Nation Time." Other tracks, such as the humorous "The Dozens Song," the driving "I Don't Care" (with a generous touch of the lyric influence and hipster vocal phrasing of Ben Sidran), and "Mellow Yellow" (not the Donovan tune), offer a street-conscious aspect of the band's performance, while keeping the production on the slick side, featuring the infectious Fender Rhodes and keyboards laid down by Hubert Eaves, the razor-sharp guitar work of Hector Centeno, the cracking breaks of drummer Howard King, the tough in-the-pocket hand percussion of Kenneth Nash, and the punched-up accents of bassists James Benjamin and Maynard Parker. Bartz chose to handle the vocals on this set, and his off-key vocals did hurt him on both the title cut and "Lady Love" (these would have been stone killers sung by Bey or any more skilled singer), because their subtleties demand a more accurate pitch. That said, the music more than compensates, and Bartz's own alto, soprano, and clarinet chops are in top shape. This is a curious record, an experiment (and partnership with Mizell) that would take shape further on 1975's The Shadow Do! and culminate in the excellent Music Is My Sanctuary in 1977. ~ Thom Jurek https://www.allmusic.com/album/singerella-a-ghetto-fairy-tale-mw0000874926

Personnel: Clarinet, Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Jew's Harp [Mouth Harp], Synthesizer, Percussion, Vocals – Gary Bartz;  Drums – Howard King;  Electric Bass – James Benjamin;  Guitar – Hector Centeno (tracks: A3, B4), Maynard Parker;  Piano [Acoustic], Electric Piano, Clavinet – Hubert Eaves

Singerella: A Ghetto Fairy Tale

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Eef Albers - Birds Of The Night

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:04
Size: 138,7 MB
Art: Front

(10:27)  1. Bulgaria
( 6:26)  2. Witchcraft
(10:52)  3. The Dream
( 7:06)  4. Morning
( 6:38)  5. Birds Of The Night
( 9:12)  6. Rakajou
( 7:20)  7. Twilight

Dutch guitarist Eef Albers is an enigmatic genius, recognized among musical experts as one of the best improvising jazz fusion guitarists of Europe. Born 1951, he started 1972 a trio with John Lee and Gerry Brown, later expended with Daryl Thompson. In 1975 he released his first album ‘Blue Capricorn’. He also played with Rogier van Otterloo, Bo Stief, Frans Elsen, Peter Herbolzheimer, Metropole Orkest and the BBC Orchestra. Together with Philip Catherine, he was a member of Dutch Progrock group Focus, replacing Jan Akkerman. Combining elements of jazz, rock, blues, afro and classical music, Albers developed an unique, thrilling and highly recognizable style, which made him the most admired guitarist in The Netherlands of his days. He played with Kraan, Jasper van ‘t Hof, Ack van Rooyen, Bob Malch, Stanley Clarke, Toots Thielemans, Steve Smith and Simon Phillips. In the Netherlands Eef Albers often meets with Leo Janssen, Karel Boehlee, Arno van Nieuwenhuize, Thijs van Leer, Koos Wiltenburg and Stormvogel, the latter joining at his Festival de Muzen 2007 and later on in his epic jazzbarock project called ‘Atuatuca’. https://stormvogel.org/eef-albers/

Personnel:  Eef Albers: Guitar;  Christoph Erbstoesser: Keyboards;  Boudewijn Lucas: Bass;  Roy Dackus: Drums;  Bob Malach: Saxophone;  Ack Van Rooyen: Flugelhorn;  Ali Ndiaye Roser: Percussion

Birds Of The Night

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Houston Person - Very Personal

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1980
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:33
Size: 96,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:20)  1. Daydream
(5:37)  2. Peace
(6:25)  3. Chicago Serenade
(4:36)  4. Steppin' Into Beauty
(6:25)  5. I'll Let You Know
(7:42)  6. Berkshire Blues
(6:26)  7. God Bless The Child

A departure for tenor saxophonist Houston Person, normally a soul jazz, blues, funk, and ballads player. This is more mainstream jazz and hard bop, with Person working alongside pianist Cedar Walton, trombonist Curtis Fuller, bassist Buster Williams, and drumer Vernell Fournier. All those who felt that Person couldn't play bop changes were left looking silly when this came out in 1980. ~ Ron Wynn https://www.allmusic.com/album/very-personal-mw0000870509

Personnel:  Houston Person - tenor saxophone;  Curtis Fuller - trombone;  Cedar Walton - piano;  Buster Williams - bass;  Vernel Fournier - drums.

Very Personal

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Benny Green & Russell Malone - Jazz at the Bistro

Styles: Piano And Guitar Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:38
Size: 141,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:49)  1. Ask Me Now
(3:01)  2. Tale of the Fingers
(5:02)  3. A Bientôt
(5:45)  4. Sing
(4:47)  5. When Lights are Low
(3:54)  6. Wabash
(4:42)  7. How Deep is Your Love?
(6:44)  8. The Intimacy of the Blues
(5:04)  9. Lazy Bird
(5:01) 10. Love Letters
(0:29) 11. Russell's Introduction
(2:42) 12. Quiet Girl
(0:34) 13. Benny's Introduction
(2:48) 14. Hand-Told Stories
(6:07) 15. The Intimacy of the Blues

Russell Malone can play it all  rock, pop, country, blues, jazz you name it. But as anyone who has heard his recording knows, he's most at home (and comfortable) when he's playing jazz. And we as listeners are rewarded with some of the most beautiful sounds, tones and phrasing possible on the guitar. On Jazz at The Bistro, Malone is joined by pianist Benny Green. While live recordings in small rooms (and St. Louis's The Bistro is a small club) can be even more difficult to properly record than "regular" live recordings, Jazz At The Bistro is an excellent testament to Malone's and Green's virtuosity. Malone's guitar is accompanied only by Green on piano. Their music is at times fast-paced and exciting and at other times laid-back and smooth. This dichotomy is best heard by listening to the upbeat "Tale of the Fingers" and comparing it ot "A Beintot." Both are beautiful and fantastic tracks and both couldn't be more different. Jazz at The Bistro is comprised of fifteen tracks recorded over a span of four nights in the club. Malone and Green manage to put a fresh spin on many familiar '70s radio hits like the Carpenters' "Sing (Sing A Song)," "How Deep Is Your Love?" by the Bee Gees, Thelonious Monk's "Ask Me Now" (which also serves nicely as the CD's opening track) and Roberta Flack's "Killing Me Softly." They also do justice (even without bass, drums and sax) to Cannonball Adderley's "Wabash," Billy Strayhorn's "Intimacy of the Blues," and John Coltrane's "Moment's Notice/Lazy Bird." Malone and Green also play some of their own compositions. The highlights are Green's "Quiet Girl" and Malone's "Hand-Told Stories." As with all Telarc recordings, the sound quality is superb. The music is crystal clear. Although the album only features two instruments and the song choices are quite ambitious, Green and Malone make the recording work by improvising both in arrangement and attitude. ~ Mike Perciaccante https://www.allaboutjazz.com/jazz-at-the-bistro-benny-green-telarc-records-review-by-mike-perciaccante.php

Personnel: Benny Green - Piano, Russell Malone - Guitar.

Jazz at the Bistro

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Hurricane Smith - The Best Of Hurricane Smith

Styles: Vocal, Pop/Rock 
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:00
Size: 90,1 MB
Art: Front

(2:37)  1. Don't Let It Die
(2:39)  2. Writer Sings The Song
(3:25)  3. Oh Babe What Would You Say
(3:04)  4. Who Was It
(4:29)  5. My Mother Was Her Name
(3:58)  6. Beautiful Day Beautiful Night
(2:59)  7. Back In The Country
(2:57)  8. Getting To Know You
(3:48)  9. Many Happy Returns
(3:24) 10. Wonderful Lily
(2:46) 11. Auntie Vi's
(2:50) 12. Take Suki Home

Norman "Hurricane" Smith was a man who enjoyed two very different careers in music, first as a top recording engineer and later as a pop singer who scored Top Ten hits in the United States and the United Kingdom. Born in North London, England on February 22, 1923, Smith served in the Royal Air Force during World War II as a glider pilot. After the war, he began pursuing his interest in music, playing drums and piano with several trad jazz combos. Smith's career as a jazz musician never really took off, and in 1959, he took a position as an apprentice recording engineer at EMI's Abbey Road recording studio in London. (At that time, EMI didn't hire apprentice engineers over 28, so the 35-year-old Smith fudged his age on the application.) He started as a tape operator and was advanced to balance engineer, working under EMI staff producer George Martin. Smith was at the controls when a scruffy young beat combo from Liverpool came to Abbey Road to record an audition for Martin; it was in part due to Smith's enthusiasm for the song "Love Me Do" that Martin chose to sign the Beatles to a recording contract. 

From 1962 to 1965, Smith was George Martin's right-hand man in the studio, engineering all the Beatles' recording sessions and earning the nickname "Norman Normal" from John Lennon. In 1966, EMI made Smith an A&R man and producer, and he signed Pink Floyd to the label, producing their first two albums, as well as producing the Pretty Things' pioneering concept album S.F. Sorrow and several LPs for Barclay James Harvest. In 1972, Smith decided to take some time off from the recording studio to become a performer; clearly influenced by classic pop and jazz sounds as well as the era of the British musical hall, he adopted the stage name Hurricane Smith (taken from the title of a film he liked), and recorded a handful of sentimental, old-fashioned tunes he'd written, which he performed with his warm, slightly rough voice. One of those songs, "Oh Babe, What Would You Say?" became a surprise hit in the U.S. and the U.K., and suddenly the middle-aged recording engineer became a pop star. Smith would score a few more hits in England but was destined to be a one-hit wonder in the United States, and by the mid-'70s, he'd returned to producing and engineering. In the '80s, Smith retired from the music business and took up horse breeding, but in 2003, he cut a new album as Hurricane Smith, From Me to You, in which he re-recorded several of his old hits and shared stories of his life in music. Smith also wrote a privately published book, John Lennon Called Me Normal, about his years working with the Beatles. Published in 2007, he promoted the book with readings at Beatles fan conventions; they were his last public appearances, and he died on March 3, 2008.~ Mark Deming 

https://www.allmusic.com/artist/hurricane-smith-mn0001007298/biography

The Best Of Hurricane Smith

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Norah Jones - Live At Ronnie Scotts

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 90:11
Size: 207,4 MB
Art: Front

(1:08)  1. Intro
(3:34)  2. Sleeping Wild
(6:08)  3. Don't Be Denied
(5:29)  4. After the Fall
(6:46)  5. Sinkin' Soon
(5:16)  6. Out on the Road
(4:26)  7. And There Was You
(4:31)  8. It's a Wonderful Time for Love
(7:35)  9. Fleurette Africaine (African Flower)
(7:17) 10. Flipside
(5:15) 11. Day Breaks
(6:40) 12. Nightingale
(4:29) 13. Tragedy
(6:13) 14. Little Broken Hearts
(3:46) 15. Carry On
(4:42) 16. Don't Know Why
(6:49) 17. I've Got to See You Again

Multiple Grammy Award winner, Norah Jones, plays an exclusive sold-out show at the world-famous Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club in London. This wonderfully intimate live performance film sees Jones return to the piano, accompanied on stage by drummer Brian Blade and bassist Chris Thomas to form a classic jazz trio. The group play tracks from Jones’ sixth solo album Day Breaks and a selection of hits from her extensive catalogue including the hit singles, 'Carry On', ‘Flipside' and 'Don’t Know Why'. ~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Live-Ronnie-Scotts-Norah-Jones/dp/B07B5Y6PNP

Live At Ronnie Scotts

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Sidney Bechet, Django Reinhardt - Deux Geants Du Jazz

Styles: Saxophone And Guitar Jazz
Year: 1969
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:27
Size: 86,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:31)  1. Petite Fleur
(3:51)  2. Swing de Paris
(3:15)  3. Songe D'automne
(3:00)  4. September Song
(2:19)  5. Willow Weep For Me
(2:56)  6. Folie a Amphion
(3:19)  7. Nuages
(3:03)  8. Rose de Picardie
(2:51)  9. Dinette
(2:52) 10. Laura
(3:27) 11. Blues en Mineur
(2:57) 12. Dardanella

Despite the title, unfortunately guitarist Django Reinhardt and soprano-saxophonist Sidney Bechet do not actually play together. Instead they are heard on alternating tracks. Reinhardt's performances (taken from radio broadcasts) feature him in 1947 with his Quintet (starring clarinetist Maurice Meurnier) and are fine but it is the Bechet selections (which originated from a variety of sources between 1952-57) that are most exciting, particularly "Roses of Picardy," "Down by the Old Stream" and his hit "Petite Fleur." It's worth picking up as an introduction to these two classic jazzmen. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/django-reinhardt-sidney-bechet-deux-geants-du-jazz-mw0000957511

Personnel:  Sidney Bechet - Saxophone;  Django Reinhardt - Guitar.

Deux Geants Du Jazz

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Ella Fitzgerald - In Budapest

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1970
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 78:18
Size: 179,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:29)  1. Crazy Rhythm
(5:02)  2. Medley: This Guy's in Love With You/I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write
(4:19)  3. Open Your Window
(2:41)  4. Satin Doll
(3:48)  5. Spinning Wheel
(3:33)  6. As Time Goes By
(2:06)  7. You'd Better Love Me
(2:49)  8. I'll Never Fall in Love Again
(4:10)  9. Hello, Young Lovers
(5:17) 10. Medley: Concentrate on You/You Go to My Head
(6:37) 11. The Girl from Ipanema
(3:21) 12. Cabaret
(3:13) 13. Dancing in the Dark
(5:41) 14. Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head
(3:04) 15. The Lady Is a Tramp
(3:02) 16. Summertime
(4:18) 17. You'll Have to Swing It (Mr. Paganini)
(8:04) 18. Mack the Knife
(3:36) 19. People

The year is 1970, and Ella is changing. The girlish voice is beginning to fray, and at times a faint rasp sneaks in. It becomes another weapon, giving some words urgency and other words charm. Her repertoire is mostly “modern”, with three tunes from Burt Bacharach. Her brief stay at Reprise Records had stressed such material, and here it works mostly. And some things never change: the frantic scatting, the swift imagination, and ferocious interplay with her trio. She was definitely “on” this night, and the massive applause isn’t enough.The piano starts right when Ella takes the stage; you can tell ‘cause the crowd starts to cheer. “Crazy Rhythm” is quickly dispensed, with fast leaps and high spirits. There’s a bit about the evening’s program (‘good songs, bad songs, true songs, new songs!”) then the tune returns as a gracious waltz. Tommy Flanagan then hits a funk vamp, and Ella gets another rap (“It’s your thing, what you wanna do/ Aretha Franklin and Tom Jones too!”) The song briefly returns, and the crowd begins. We’ve gone a long way in three minutes, and the pace rarely lets up. “Welcome to our show,” she says, in a voice both humble and – nervous? “We have some new songs, some old ones, and some of the now sounds.” One of these, “This Guy’s in Love with You”, gets a creamy reading, full of warm vibrato. It melts into “Write Myself a Letter”, using the Bacharach chords. It’s a nice touch, and hear the good bass in this passage. Nilsson’s “Open Your Window” is breathy and smooth, with her first lengthy scat. She’s a trumpet in the center, and at the end tears off a drum solo (“click shomp bomp  dooby dooby...”).  A shimmering “Satin Doll”, and then “Spinning Wheel”, the only misfire of the evening. The words sound silly from her lips, and she has little chance with a lyric that needs a rock delivery. But this soon passes: while the applause remains “As Time Goes By” comes in, soft as a dream (“To cool you off,” she says later) as just as lovely. The mix of old and new is a jolt, partly from what she chooses. (It’s surprising how well the Bacharach tunes compare to the standards.) And when she returns to the old, it’s like a hug from a friend. And you feel it all right.

With seamless grace “I Concentrate on You” becomes a medley, joined beautifully with “You Go To My Head”. (She sings “How can you hear me with your clicking?” to Flanagan; at the end she says “you’re throwing me off...” under her breath.) She does her own clicking on “Girl from Ipanema”, a percussion interlude shifting to a rambunctious reading, throwing in other sambas at the end. (This was later reworked into “The Bossa Scene”, a feature using many of these songs.) This particular scene is worth making! “Dancing in the Dark” has a nice edgy vamp at the end; Ella turns it into “That Old Black Magic”. “Raindrops Keep Falling” wears a big smile, and she recovers nicely from a bad cough at the end. (Flanagan starts playing “Oh Happy Day”, and Ella runs with it.) “The Lady is a Tramp” goes fast with the rare verse, and the elegant words twinkle as she says them. “Summertime” is low and lubricious, Flanagan ringing from a distant shore. It’s simple, and stands out on its own. The band comes through on “Mr. Paganini”; the bass is sly and Tommy has fun with the fast part. “Mack the Knife” doesn’t have her German lyrics, but it does have “12th Street Rag”, “On the Trail”, “Symphony Sid”, “Work Song”, and “Take Me Out to the Ball Game”! In a Louis Armstrong voice she signs off, introduces the band, and quotes “That’s My Desire” all in that voice. The encore is “People”; it’s a bit sappy but it fits, a soft fluffy cloud to drift away on. And there it ends: a special performance from one who kept doing it night after night. ~ AAJ Staff https://www.allaboutjazz.com/ella-fitzgerald-in-budapest-ella-fitzgerald-fantasy-jazz-review-by-aaj-staff.php

In Budapest

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Roland Kirk - Verve Jazz Masters 27

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:18
Size: 154,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:09)  1. Three For The Festival
(6:11)  2. Blue Rol
(5:19)  3. Reeds And Deeds
(3:34)  4. Hip Chops
(6:29)  5. From Bechet, Byas And Fats
(2:48)  6. Berkshire Blues
(5:17)  7. A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square
(4:01)  8. March On, Swan Lake
(3:39)  9. The Haunted Melody
(3:40) 10. Meeting On Termini's Corner
(3:49) 11. Rolando
(4:09) 12. Blues For Alice
(5:24) 13. Black Diamond
(2:28) 14. You Did It, You Did It
(4:09) 15. Where Monk And Mingus Live / Let's Call This
(3:05) 16. Blues For C &

Rahsaan Roland Kirk's volume in Verve's Jazz Masters series is a distillation of the ten-disc Complete Mercury Recordings set. It covers the '60s with an emphasis on 1961-1962, and includes many of the best selections from Kirk LPs like Rip, Rig and Panic, We Free Kings, and Domino.

Those separate albums should be of more interest to fans, leaving this disc as an adequate collection for beginners or those unsure of where to start. ~ John Bush https://www.allmusic.com/album/verve-jazz-masters-27-mw0000120079

Personnel:  Rahsaan Roland Kirk - Tenor Saxophone, Flute;  Lonnie Liston Smith, Hank Jones, Harold Mabern - Piano;  Charli Persip - Drums;  Percy Heath, Wendell Marshall - Bass;  Bobby Bryan - Trumpet.

Verve Jazz Masters 27

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Dave Valentin & Herbie Mann - Two Amigos

Styles: Flute Jazz 
Year: 1990
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:45
Size: 116,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:57)  1. Bronx Bad Boys
(5:47)  2. Moonlight Walk
(5:53)  3. Jesse's Samba
(4:51)  4. First Date
(2:59)  5. RamboThe Cat
(5:24)  6. Two Amigos
(7:06)  7. Old Hill (Morro Velho)
(4:03)  8. Savana
(7:41)  9. Obsession

What a perfectly titled release, as Valentin and Mann's camaraderie on their five duets here is all at once playful and poignant, with healthy doses of improvisation thrown in for good measure. Bill O'Connell's standout solo piano sparkles throughout the sweet grooves of "Jesse's Samba" and the rousing eight minute closer "Obsession," but it is Valentin's perky way with the airy textures of his instrument which powers this flavorful collection. "Old Hill" begins as an improv laden duet with O'Connell and shows that Valentin is equally comfortable on moodier lines. Also enjoyable is the brassy "Savanna," on which Mann and Valentin trade of sweet eight bar solos. Two Amigos should appeal to lovers of Latin music and jazz flute, as well as anyone in the mood for a refreshing departure from the same old pop-jazz. ~ Jonathan Widran https://www.allmusic.com/album/two-amigos-mw0000689855

Personnel:  Herbie Mann, Dave Valentin (Flute); Robert Ameen (Drums); Oskar Cartaya (Bass Electric); Tony Cintron (Drums); Mark Falchook (Keyboards); Sammy Figueroa (Percussion); Lincoln Goines (Bass); Bill O'Connell (Piano); Marc Quiñones (Percussion); Rubén Rodríguez (Bass).

Two Amigos

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Jeff Lorber Fusion - Impact

Styles: Jazz Fusion
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:12
Size: 108,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:39)  1. Sport Coat Makes Good
(4:26)  2. Pasadena City
(4:44)  3. Citizenship
(4:33)  4. Highline
(4:44)  5. Opt In
(5:22)  6. Quest
(4:24)  7. Sunny Sounds
(4:51)  8. Companion
(4:01)  9. Arda
(4:25) 10. Valinor

Superstar keyboardist, writer, producer Jeff Lorber is renowned as a pioneer in the jazz-fusion movement. Scoring #1 radio hits with Jeff Lorber Fusion and as a founding member of smooth jazz super-group Jazz Funk Soul, Lorber performs constantly before his dedicated fans from coast to coast!! Highlights include the spirited and funky "Highline," the soulful "Arda" and more Lorber originals. ~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Impact-Jeff-Lorber-Fusion/dp/B07DQ9JMQK

Impact

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Thelonious Monk - Brilliant Corners

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:24
Size: 100,3 MB
Art: Front

( 7:50)  1. Brilliant Corners
(13:19)  2. Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lues-Are
( 8:56)  3. Pannonica
( 5:31)  4. I Surrender, Dea
( 7:46)  5. Bemsha Swing

Although Brilliant Corners is Thelonious Monk's third disc for Riverside, it's the first on the label to weigh in with such heavy original material. Enthusiasts who become jaded to the idiosyncratic nature of Monk's playing or his practically arithmetical chord progressions should occasionally revisit Brilliant Corners. There is an inescapable freshness and vitality saturated into every measure of every song. The passage of time makes it all the more difficult to imagine any other musicians bearing the capacity to support Monk with such ironic precision. The assembled quartet for the lion's share of the sessions included Max Roach (percussion), Sonny Rollins (tenor sax), Oscar Pettiford (bass), and Ernie Henry (alto sax). Although a compromise, the selection of Miles Davis' bassist, Paul Chambers, and Clark Terry (trumpet) on "Bemsha Swing" reveals what might be considered an accident of ecstasy, as they provide a timeless balance between support and being able to further the cause musically. Likewise, Roach's timpani interjections supply an off-balanced sonic surrealism while progressing the rhythm in and out of the holes provided by Monk's jackrabbit leads. It's easy to write Monk's ferocity and Forrest Gump-esque ingenuity off as gimmick or quirkiness. What cannot be dismissed is Monk's ability to translate emotions into the language of music, as in the freedom and abandon he allows through Sonny Rollins' and Max Roach's mesmerizing solos in "Brilliant Corners." 

The childlike innocence evoked by Monk's incorporation of the celeste during the achingly beautiful ode "Pannonica" raises the emotional bar several degrees. Perhaps more pointed, however, is the impassioned "I Surrender, Dear" the only solo performance on the album. Brilliant Corners may well be considered the alpha and omega of post-World War II American jazz. No serious jazz collection should be without it. ~ Lindsay Planer https://www.allmusic.com/album/brilliant-corners-mw0000188572

Personnel:  Thelonious Monk – piano; piano and celeste on "Pannonica", solo piano on I Surrender Dear;  Ernie Henry – alto saxophone on "Brilliant Corners", "Ba-lue Bolivar Ba-lues-are" and in ensemble on "Pannonica";  Sonny Rollins – tenor saxophone (except "I Surrender Dear");  Oscar Pettiford – double bass on "Brilliant Corners", "Ba-lue Bolivar Ba-lues-are" and "Pannonica";  Max Roach – drums (except "I Surrender Dear"); timpani on "Bemsha Swing";  Clark Terry – trumpet on "Bemsha Swing";  Paul Chambers – double bass on "Bemsha Swing"

Brilliant Corners

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