Russell Gunn - Young Gunn Plus

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:41
Size: 165,3 MB
Art: Front

(6:07)  1. East St. Louis
(5:36)  2. Fly Me To The Moon
(7:03)  3. Wade In The Water
(2:38)  4. D.J.
(6:58)  5. You Don't Know What Love Is
(5:18)  6. The Concept
(6:40)  7. The Message
(4:30)  8. There Is No Greater Love
(8:55)  9. Blue Gene
(4:04) 10. Pannonica
(3:54) 11. The Beach
(2:27) 12. Bronwyn
(7:26) 13. Ginger Bread Boy

Recorded in 1994 when young lion Russell Gunn was a mere 23 years old, the Muse album Young Gunn is a quintet session with tenor saxophonist Sam Newsome, pianist John Hicks, bassist Peter Washington, and drummer Cecil Brooks III. This 32 Jazz reissue adds three tracks with a different quintet. Coming from a background that like that of many younger jazz artists, Russell Gunn learned the trumpet in elementary school, enjoyed and benefited from public school instrumental programs, and allowed his musical interests to range far and wide. That he attended the same high school as Miles Davis shows up in Gunn's pretty ballad tone. His experience includes avant-garde work with Oliver Lake, Wynton Marsalis' Blood On The Fields, and Branford Marsalis' Buckshot LeFonque. A more recent recording, Gunn Fu on the High Note label, teams the trumpeter with tenor saxophonist Greg Tardy and flutist Sherman Irby. The ballads "You Don't Know What Love Is," "There Is No Greater Love," and "Fly Me to the Moon" present straight-ahead mainstream jazz and feature Gunn's lyrical trumpet. "Pannonica," presented as a trumpet-piano duet, offers yet another opportunity to appreciate Gunn's sensitive trumpet tone and manner. The leader's compositions "East St. Louis" and "The Message" represent hard bop ideas with "outside" or avant-garde stretches. The quintet is tight and burns accordingly. "The Concept" invites guest rap artist Chef Word to relate the biographical tale of Russell Gunn's change in focus from everyone's music to jazz. The syncopated hip-hop lyrics include: "Son of a gun.Old socks, new shoes,Feels kinda like the bluesWith the fat groove.Runnin' the bustos, crush fo's,Chef Word and Russ-o, go with all the gusto.He used to be your MC before we ever played a keister,Got the love as he evolved musically.Straight-ahead, see, as we swing." Branford Marsalis replaces Sam Newsome on the final three tracks. Recorded in 1995, the additional pieces employ a different piano trio as well, but Gunn is in fine form. He and Marsalis present a fiery hard bop take of Jimmy Heath's "Ginger Bread Boy" that includes solos from all. Recommended. ~ Jim Santella https://www.allaboutjazz.com/young-gunn-plus-russell-gunn-32-records-review-by-jim-santella.php

Personnel:  Russell Gunn: trumpet; Sam Newsome, Branford Marsalis: tenor sax; John Hicks, James Hurt: piano; Peter Washington, Eric Revis: bass; Cecil Brooks III, Ali Jackson: drums; Chef Word (Derek Washington): rap on "The Concept."

Young Gunn Plus

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Maynard Ferguson - New Vintage

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1977
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:30
Size: 82,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:13)  1. Main Title from "Star Wars"
(6:30)  2. Oasis
(6:27)  3. Maria
(7:18)  4. El Vuelo (The Flight)
(7:02)  5. Scheherazade
(3:58)  6. Airegin

Trumpeter Maynard Ferguson's 1977 album New Vintage was yet another foray into the gluttonously epic, rock-infused jazz he had already perfected on such albums as Primal Scream and Conquistador  the latter of which contained Ferguson's popular version of "Gonna Fly Now," the theme from Rocky. Featuring his cheekily named MF Big Band, New Vintage once again centers around the high-note horn man's take on a movie song, this time "Star Wars (Main Title)" gets the disco-funk treatment. Utterly gimmicky and bereft of any actual jazz, the track works now as a time capsule of late-'70s kitsch. This is not to say it's bad, just cheesy. Yeah, no self-respecting post-bopper really wanted anything to do with this stuff back then, but for classes of middle- and high-school-age kids lucky enough to catch one of the MF Big Band's school tours, this was the proof that "band geeks" could have fun and be cool at the same time. However, why he thought anyone would ever have a need for a disco-funk version of Rimsky-Korsakaov's "Scheherazade" may never be known. ~ Matt Collar https://www.allmusic.com/album/new-vintage-mw0000302153

Personnel:  Trumpet - Maynard Ferguson;  Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Mike Migliore; Baritone Saxophone, Flute – Bobby Militello; Drums – Peter Erskine; Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Guitar [Classical] – Steve Khan; Electric Piano, Piano [Acoustic], Synthesizer – Biff Hannon; French Horn – Brooks Tillotson, Donald Corrado, Earl Chapin, Jim Buffington; Percussion – Ralph MacDonald; Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Eric Traub, Mark Colby; Trombone – David Taylor, Nick Lane, Randy Purcell, Roger Homefield; Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Dennis Noday, Ron Tooley, Stan Mark; Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Congas, Percussion – Joe Mosello

New Vintage

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Harry James - Harry's Choice!

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:00
Size: 81,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:05)  1. You're My Thrill
(3:09)  2. Willow Weep For Me
(4:59)  3. Blues For Sale
(3:52)  4. I Want A Little Girl
(4:30)  5. Moten Swing
(2:53)  6. New Orleans
(5:12)  7. Just For Fun
(6:19)  8. The New Two O'clock Jump

By 1958, Harry James was coasting. For this out-of-print Capitol LP, the trumpeter performs six veteran standards and two fairly basic Ernie Wilkins compositions. James is the main soloist although there are spots for altoist Willie Smith, trombonist Ray Sims and pianist Jack Perciful. Not much surprising happens on tunes such as "Blues for Sale," "Moten Swing" and "The New Two O'Clock Jump" but swing fans may want to pick this one up if they run across it. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/harrys-choice-mw0000868841

Personnel:  Trumpet, Leader – Harry James;  Band – Harry & The Music Makers; Bass – Russ Phillips; Drums – Jackie Mills; Guitar – Dennis Budimir; Piano – Jack Perciful; Saxophone – Bob Poland, Ernie Small, Herb Lorden, Sam Firmature, Willie Smith ; Trombone – Bob Edmondson, Ernie Tack, Ray Sims; Trumpet – Bob Rolfe, Nick Buono, Ollie Mitchell

Harry's Choice!

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Alex Conde Carrasco - Jazz & Claps

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:20
Size: 111,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:28)  1. Lo Que Pasa en el Fondo
(8:10)  2. Spring Break
(3:58)  3. Jpg
(5:59)  4. Tanguillo for Mathew
(4:48)  5. Caminos
(5:05)  6. For Him
(6:47)  7. Azul Cielo
(8:00)  8. Por Tangos

Flamenco music, with its passionate flourishes and virtuosic improvisation, has long captivated jazz musicians. Miles Davis, Charles Mingus and Chick Corea have all been obsessed with flamenco. Forged in the fires of both styles, pianist Alex Conde has emerged as one of the most versatile contemporary performers of jazz-flamenco fusion, dazzling audiences and earning rave reviews across the world. In summer 2018, Conde performed original compositions with the Miami Symphony Orchestra before a crowd of thousands, with the Dominique Farinacci and Christian Tamburr Quintet at the San Jose Jazz Festival, and “The Latin Side of Herbie Hancock” with the Conrad Herwig Sextet at the Russia Jazz Festival. Conde delivered these performances on the heels of recording his fourth album, “Origins” (2018, Ropeadope) with Marcus Gilmore on drums, Luques Curtis on bass, Dayna Stephens on saxophone, Brian Lynch on trumpet, Conrad Herwig on trombone, John Benitez on electric bass, and gypsy singer Ismael Fernandez. The album was released in May 2018 with an official presentation at the legendary Blue Note in NY, Symphony Space on Broadway, and collaboration at the Lehman Performing Arts Center, alongside flamenco singer Diego el Cigala, before a fantastic audience of flamenco and jazz lovers. 

These performances are a mere handful among hundreds in a career that began in Conde’s childhood in Valencia, Spain. A recognized prodigy, Conde demonstrated perfect pitch at the age of four. His parents gave him his first keyboard, and encouraged him as he began taking formal piano instruction. Conde practiced everything he heard from his father, Alejandro Conde, an acclaimed singer with more than 20 albums to his name, and one of the foremost performers of Copla, the flamenco-infused song book of popular works. Conde earned his first bachelor’s degree in Classical from the Jose Iturbi Conservatory of Music in 2001. From there, he went on to study at L’aula de Musica de Barcelona and earned a Diploma of Excellence in 2006. In 2006, Conde was offered scholarships to pursue a second bachelor’s degree from Berklee College of Music. During his tenure at Berklee, his playing matured in his melding of musicality and increasing technical proficiency. He began playing professionally alongside jazz musicians including Wayne Shorter, John Patitucci, Ruben Blades and Chucho Valdés, and studied with trumpeter Mike Mossman, alto saxophonist Antonio Hart, pianist Jeb Patton, and the late multi-instrumentalist Jerry González. In 2009, Conde met producer Fernando Brunet, with whom he released Jazz and Claps, an album featuring Alex original compositions along with international young artists such as Magda Giannikou (Banda Magda) and Keita Ogawa (Snarky Puppy). The album was released with Contraseña Records and opened the path of jazz and flamenco and stamped the music of Alex Conde as a center and as a mature composer and arranger for small ensemble. In 2013, Conde self-produced and released his second album, Barrio del Carmen, a collection of music composed and arranged for the flamenco companies for which he has composed music over the years. The album features flamenco stars including gypsy singer Kina Mendez, nephew of the great Paquera de Jerez, and guitarist Jose Luis Rodriguez, long-time musical director for Cristina Hoyos. The album became a classic on TV programs such as Television Castilla la Mancha, presented by Rocío Sañudo, and in flamenco dance classes, where it is prized for its musicality and structure. In 2015, Conde recorded an Iberian-inflected tribute to Thelonious Monk, Descarga for Monk (ZOHO), accompanied by seven-time Grammy-nominated percussionist John Santos and bassist Jeff Chambers, earning international recognition. Today, Conde has become one of his generation’s pivotal figures in flamenco piano. With a fluid technique, an innovative tonal palette, and an extensive repertoire, he plays with the passion of a young artist and the command of a seasoned veteran, and remains in constant demand as both a studio artist and a performer. https://www.alexconde.com/bio-1

Personnel:  Piano – Alex Conde Carrasco (tracks: Track 1 To 8); Accordion – Magda Giannikou; Contrabass – Alessandro Cesarini (tracks: Track 1 To 8); Guitar – Juanito Pascual (tracks: Track 1 To 8); Percussion – Osvaldo Jorge (tracks: Track 1 To 8); Soprano Saxophone – Ramon Cardo (tracks: Track 1 To 8); Trombone – Carlos Martin (tracks: Track 1 To 8); Violin – Andres Piles (tracks: Track 1 To 8); Vocals – Alex Conde Carrasco (tracks: Track 1 To 8), Charles Turner (tracks: Track 1 To 8), Isabel Julve (tracks: Track 1 To 8)

Jazz & Claps

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Isabella Lundgren - Hit The Road To Dreamland

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:31
Size: 102,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:07)  1. Sentimental Journey
(5:37)  2. Far Away Places
(3:56)  3. A Lot Of Livin’ To Do
(3:43)  4. Slow Boat To China
(3:56)  5. Where Or When
(5:35)  6. Anyplace I Hang My Hat Is Home
(5:31)  7. I Wonder As I Wander
(3:25)  8. Trav'lin' Light
(4:40)  9. Come Fly With Me
(3:57) 10. Hit The Road To Dreamland

Isabella Gunhild Helén Lundgren , born 21 December 1987 in Karlstad , is a Swedish jazz singer . She grew up in Karlstad, studied and emerged in 2006-2010 in New York and began studying as a priest in Stockholm in 2010. Lundgren made his debut in 2012 and has since published several albums. Lundgren grew up in Karlstad, where she went on a musical line at high school. She moved to New York at the age of eighteen, studying at New York University in 2006–10 and performing with, among others, Gavin DeGraw , Moby and Woody Allen's band leader Eddy Davis. She returned to Sweden in 2010 and started studies at the Theological University in Stockholm. Lundgren's interest in philosophy and existential issues has also characterized her music creation. Isabella Lundgren made her debut in 2012 with the album It Had to Be You with music from the Great American Songbook . A second album, Somehow Life Got in the Way , was released in 2014. She sings in the band Isabella Lundgren & Carl Bagge Trio  and has been mentioned several times as one of Sweden's strongest jazz vocalists. https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isabella_Lundgren

Hit The Road To Dreamland

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Ernie Andrews, Houston Person - The Many Faces of Ernie Andrews

Styles: Vocal And Saxophone Jazz 
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:02
Size: 115,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:52)  1. Some Enchanted Evening
(5:55)  2. If I Had You
(3:25)  3. From This Moment On
(7:09)  4. Satin Doll / I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good / Take the A Train
(4:48)  5. Let's Start All over Again
(3:36)  6. Something I Dreamed Last Night
(5:36)  7. Old Folks
(8:22)  8. Articulated Blues / Parker's Mood
(6:13)  9. Over the Rainbow

69 at the time of this recording, veteran singer Ernie Andrews is heard performing songs from his usual repertoire. Assisted by tenor saxophonist Houston Person, pianist Aaron Graves, bassist John Webber, and drummer Kenny Washington, Andrews sounds fine, but most of the interpretations lack any real surprises. "Some Enchanted Evening" swings harder than one might expect, but a Duke Ellington medley (which has rather dull versions of "Satin Doll," "I Got It Bad," and "Take the 'A' Train") is uninspired, "Old Folks" lacks much sentiment, "Over the Rainbow" is unnecessary, and a blues medley of "Articulated Blues" and "Parker's Mood" has been done better by Andrews elsewhere. A lesser effort. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-many-faces-of-ernie-andrews-mw0000045569

The Many Faces of Ernie Andrews

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George Shearing Quintet And Orchestra - White Satin

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1960
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:26
Size: 80,0 MB
Art: Front

(2:57)  1. Your Name Is Love
(2:30)  2. Dream
(2:56)  3. Laura
(2:57)  4. There's A Small Hotel
(3:13)  5. Old Folks
(2:06)  6. Blue Malibu
(3:14)  7. How Long Has This Been Going On?
(2:38)  8. Love's Melody
(3:06)  9. An Affair To Remember
(3:02) 10. There'll Be Another Spring
(3:00) 11. Moonlight Becomes You
(2:40) 12. I'll Take Romance

For a long stretch of time in the 1950s and early '60s, George Shearing had one of the most popular jazz combos on the planet so much so that, in the usual jazz tradition of distrusting popular success, he tended to be underappreciated. Shearing's main claim to fame was the invention of a unique quintet sound, derived from a combination of piano, vibraphone, electric guitar, bass, and drums. Within this context, Shearing would play in a style he called "locked hands," which he picked up and refined from Milt Buckner's early '40s work with the Lionel Hampton band, as well as Glenn Miller's sax section and the King Cole Trio. Stating the melody on the piano with closely knit, harmonized block chords, with the vibes and guitar tripling the melody in unison, Shearing sold tons of records for MGM and Capitol in his heyday. The wild success of this urbane sound obscures Shearing's other great contribution during this time, for he was also a pioneer of exciting, small combo Afro-Cuban jazz in the '50s. Indeed, Cal Tjader first caught the Latin jazz bug while playing with Shearing, and the English bandleader also employed such esteemed congueros as Mongo Santamaria, Willie Bobo, and Armando Peraza. As a composer, Shearing was best known for the imperishable, uniquely constructed bop standard "Lullaby of Birdland," as well as "Conception" and "Consternation." His solo style, though all his own, reflected the influences of the great boogie-woogie pianists and classical players, as well as those of Fats Waller, Earl Hines, Teddy Wilson, Erroll Garner, Art Tatum, and Bud Powell and fellow pianists long admired his light, refined touch. He was also known to play accordion and sing in a modest voice on occasion. 

Shearing, who was born blind, began playing the piano at the age of three, receiving some music training at the Linden Lodge School for the Blind in London as a teenager but picking up the jazz influence from Teddy Wilson and Fats Waller 78s. In the late '30s, he started playing professionally with the Ambrose dance band and made his first recordings in 1937 under the aegis of fellow Brit Leonard Feather. He became a star in Britain, performing for the BBC, playing a key role in the self-exiled Stéphane Grappelli's London-based groups of the early '40s, and winning seven consecutive Melody Maker polls before emigrating in New York City in 1947 at the prompting of Feather. Once there, Shearing quickly absorbed bebop into his bloodstream, replacing Garner in the Oscar Pettiford Trio and leading a quartet in tandem with Buddy DeFranco. In 1949, he formed the first and most famous of his quintets, which included Marjorie Hyams on vibes (thus striking an important blow for emerging female jazz instrumentalists), Chuck Wayne on guitar, John Levy on bass, and Denzil Best on drums. Recording briefly first for Discovery, then Savoy, Shearing settled into lucrative associations with MGM (1950-1955) and Capitol (1955-1969), the latter for which he made albums with Nancy Wilson, Peggy Lee, and Nat King Cole. He also made a lone album for Jazzland with the Montgomery Brothers (including Wes Montgomery) in 1961, and began playing concert dates with symphony orchestras. After leaving Capitol, Shearing began to phase out his by-then-predictable quintet, finally breaking it up in 1978. He started his own label, Sheba, which lasted for a few years into the early '70s and made some trio recordings for MPS later in the decade. In the '70s, his profile had been lowered considerably, but upon signing with Concord in 1979, Shearing found himself enjoying a renaissance in all kinds of situations. He made a number of acclaimed albums with Mel Tormé, raising the singer's profile in the process, and recorded with the likes of Ernestine Anderson, Jim Hall, Marian McPartland, Hank Jones, and classical French horn player Barry Tuckwell. He also recorded a number of solo piano albums where his full palette of influences came into play. He signed with Telarc in 1992 and from that point through the early 2000s continued to perform and record, most often appearing in a duo or trio setting. Shearing, who had remained largely inactive since 2004 after a fall in his New York City apartment, died of congestive heart failure at New York's Lenox Hill Hospital on February 14, 2011. He was 91. ~ Richard S.Ginell https://www.allmusic.com/artist/george-shearing-mn0000642664/biography
 

Personnel:  George Shearing – piano;  Billy May – arranger

White Satin

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Blue Note All Stars - Blue Spirit

Styles: Jazz Funk, Post Bop
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:43
Size: 126,3 MB
Art: Front

(5:44)  1. Twist And Out
(6:07)  2. Our Trip
(6:29)  3. Free Hop
(6:25)  4. Next Time Not
(4:10)  5. Think Before You Think
(6:42)  6. Theodore
(7:02)  7. Splash
(5:42)  8. Naaman
(6:17)  9. Kae

Blue Spirit

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Alexis Tcholakian - New Breath (Live In Paris)

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:24
Size: 141,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:02)  1. New Breath
(8:56)  2. From Day to Day
(4:22)  3. Thinking Out Loud
(7:17)  4. It Was You, Me & the Moon
(7:42)  5. Brazillian Like
(7:11)  6. Waltse for Dave
(6:04)  7. Dienda
(7:03)  8. Rain Waltz
(7:43)  9. I Hear a Rapsody

Alexis, born in Paris in 1969, is a pianist currently residing in France where he has enjoyed a fair amount of notoriety over the past decade. He studied classical piano, until his teen years, with Huguette Agédérian (concert pianist / first prize of the Académie Marguerite Long). In 1990, he won a scholarship to study jazz at the famous « Berklee College of Music » in Boston. Back in France, he developed his jazz playing with the well known jazz master Bernard Maury, friend of Bill Evans and Michel Petrucciani. Alexis Tcholakian has played in many venues in France, England, Germany, Switzerland, Morocco, Algéria, and often plays in Parisians jazz clubs (Petit Opportun, Sunset, Sunside, Petit Journal Montparnasse, Jazz Act, Caveau des Légendes, 7 Lézards, Opus Café, Franc-Pinot, Archipel …) Alexis is also a sideman for many jazz singers in France. Under his own name he has recorded 4 different trio CD's ; released in 1996, 1998, 2004 and 2011, a solo piano CD « Search for Peace » released in april 2008, a solo piano DVD « Self portrait » (2008) and a Trio DVD « Play Time » (2010). His lastest Trio CD « POETIC MEMORY Live @ The Sunside », was recorded live at the famous Sunside Jazz Club in Paris  http://alexistcholakian.wixsite.com/alexis-music/biography

New Breath (ive In Paris)

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Katherine Jenkins - Guiding Light

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:31
Size: 128,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:15)  1. Homeward Bound
(3:48)  2. Jealous Of The Angels
(1:52)  3. A Gaelic Blessing
(3:29)  4. Morning Has Broken
(3:40)  5. Dros Gymru'n Gwlad (Finlandia)
(3:21)  6. Never Enough
(3:50)  7. Blinded By Your Grace
(3:46)  8. To Where You Are
(3:39)  9. Make Me A Channel Of Your Peace
(3:58) 10. Come Thou Fount Of Every Blessing
(3:47) 11. Eternal Father
(5:14) 12. Nearer My God To Thee
(3:26) 13. Xander's Song
(3:47) 14. Peace In The Valley
(3:29) 15. Morning Has Broken

Music’s power both to heal and uplift runs through Guiding Light, an album drawing on church hymns, choir anthems, and ballads all in stunning, new orchestrations. An artist who can cross such a broad stylistic spectrum is rare, yet Jenkins does so with total integrity grime star Stormzy’s soulful “Blinded By Your Grace” sits alongside John Rutter’s “A Gaelic Blessing,” a moment of gentle prayer. “Morning Has Broken” (featuring Bryn Terfel in dazzling form), “Never Enough” from The Greatest Showman, and the tender, new “Xander’s Song,” dedicated to Jenkins’ baby son, show Guiding Light to be the Welsh mezzo’s most poignant and personal album to date. https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/guiding-light/1432819544

Guiding Light

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Bobby Hutcherson - Happenings (Remastered)

Styles: Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:43
Size: 100,5 MB
Art: Front

(7:43)  1. Aquarian Moon
(8:07)  2. Bouquet
(6:00)  3. Rojo
(5:49)  4. Maiden Voyage
(5:14)  5. Head Start
(3:47)  6. When You Are Near
(6:59)  7. The Omen

Recorded in 1966, and here with a 24-bit remaster by original engineer Rudy Van Gelder, Happenings heralded a new, less structurally adventurous approach from avant-garde standard-bearer and vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson. As such it is, inevitably if rather unfairly the individual performances are outstanding less of a headline affair than the work which came before it. Happenings is the first album to present Hutcherson as the featured soloist fronting a conventional rhythm section, instead of amongst the experimentally-inclined sextets and quintets he'd led and guested with before. These had produced, most notably, Eric Dolphy's Out To Lunch (Blue Note, 1964) and Hutcherson's own Dialogue (Blue Note, 1965), the latter featuring two new thing auteurs in pianist Andrew Hill and saxophonist Sam Rivers. More tellingly, the choice of material on Happenings makes for a safer, more mainstream affair than its predecessors. Previously, Hutcherson had either guested with premier league composers like Dolphy, Archie Shepp and Grachan Moncur III, or with his own bands relied on other writers (Dialogue was almost entirely written by Hill). Here all but one of the tunes (pianist Herbie Hancock's "Maiden Voyage") are unremarkable, in-the-tradition Hutcherson originals. 

With the exception of "The Omen," an ambitious, wannabe-conservatoire construction which isn't convincing, they're a competent but derivative mix of swingers, ballads and Latin tunes. There is, however, some great playing on Happenings. Hancock's stomping, cluster-chord chromaticism on the opening "Aquarian Moon" is a highlight, as is Hutcherson's own solo on "Maiden Voyage," a track also distinguished by drummer Joe Chambers' metronomic but magically propulsive, centre-of-the-cymbal stick work. "When You Are Near," a classy ballad (though one in search of a good bridge), is arguably the strongest Hutcherson original. But at less than four minutes, it is, perversely, by far the shortest track. A year and a half after Happenings, Hutcherson, Hancock and Chambers returned to similar territory with Oblique (Blue Note, 1967). Crucially, half the six tracks were written by Hancock and the magnificently quirky Chambers, and the music was raised several storeys as a result. History rarely runs in an entirely straight line. In the midst of his early-1960s avant-garde endeavours, Hutcherson was a featured soloist in the sextet that recorded Grant Green's exquisitely mellifluous Idle Moments (Blue Note, 1963). Hutcherson revealed himself as a formidable mainstream lyricist, and Happenings, Oblique and much of the work that has followed can be traced back at least as far as Green's album. ~ Chris May https://www.allaboutjazz.com/happenings-bobby-hutcherson-blue-note-records-review-by-chris-may.php

Personnel: Bobby Hutcherson: vibraphone, marimba; Herbie Hancock: piano; Bob Cranshaw: bass; Joe Chambers: drums.

Happenings

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Ruby Braff - Fine Jazz Trumpet

Styles: Trumpet, Cornet Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 91:38
Size: 212,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:33)  1. Keep Smiling at Trouble
(2:48)  2. There's A Small Hotel
(4:11)  3. I Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate
(4:58)  4. What's The Reason (I'm Not Pleasin' You) 

(5:14)  5. Did I Remember
(4:49)  6. Marie
(6:07)  7. I'm Coming Virginia
(6:31)  8. Downhearted Blues
(3:12)  9. Flaky
(4:24) 10. I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good
(7:05) 11. Fine And Mellow
(5:19) 12. When It's Sleepy Time Down South
(3:49) 13. Hustlin' And Bustlin'
(7:25) 14. It's Been so Long
(4:29) 15. Ad Lib Blues
(6:48) 16. Somebody Else It Taking My Palce
(6:13) 17. I Can't Get Started
(2:35) 18. Shoe Shine Boy

One of the great swing/Dixieland cornetists, Ruby Braff went through long periods of his career unable to find work because his music was considered out-of-fashion, but his fortunes improved by the 1970s. A very expressive player who in later years liked to build his solos up to a low note, Braff's playing was instantly recognizable within seconds. Braff mostly worked around Boston in the late '40s. He teamed up with Pee Wee Russell when the clarinetist was making a comeback (they recorded live for Savoy), and after moving to New York in 1953, he fit easily into a variety of Dixieland and mainstream settings. Braff recorded for Vanguard as a leader, and with Vic Dickenson, Buck Clayton, and Urbie Green. 

He was one of the stars of Buck Clayton's Columbia jam sessions, and in the mid-'50s worked with Benny Goodman. But, despite good reviews and occasional recordings, work was hard for Braff to come by at times. In the 1960s, he was able to get jobs by being with George Wein's Newport All-Stars and at jazz festivals, but it was not until the cornetist formed a quartet with guitarist George Barnes, in 1973, that he became more secure. Afterward, Braff was heard in many small-group settings, including duets with Dick Hyman and Ellis Larkins (he had first met up with the latter in the 1950s), quintets with Scott Hamilton, and matching wits with Howard Alden. He remained one of the greats of mainstream jazz until his death in 2003. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/ruby-braff-mn0000357057/biography

Fine Jazz Trumpet

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Patrick Cornelius - Lucid Dream

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:04
Size: 138,1 MB
Art: Front

(6:33)  1. This Chair is Broken
(7:40)  2. Winds of Change
(8:25)  3. Pretty Self-Explanatory
(5:11)  4. Billie's Bounce
(6:36)  5. Alone Now
(6:27)  6. The Woods
(7:23)  7. Lucid Dream
(7:09)  8. Don't Give Up
(4:36)  9. April Rain

Contemporary mainstream jazz involves many factors, including composition, instrumentation, and environment; but the musician's ability to combine all these variables into their own concept is what makes the biggest impact on the listener. New York saxophonist Patrick Cornelius brings together all of these elements on his acoustic debut, Lucid Dream, yielding progressive, melodic and aesthetically pleasing music. The fact that Cornelius is a bold and gifted saxophonist becomes clear after listening to his dexterous and angular notes on both alto and soprano. But what also becomes apparent are his striking arranging and composing skills, manifested in the disc's nine selections. Making good use of a talented group of young musicians also helps, and the core members pianist Aaron Parks, bassist Sean Conly and drummer Kendrick Scott are all exemplary in their performances. The pieces (seven originals and two covers) are executed with an air of uptown vibrancy, as on "The Chair is Broken and "The Woods, where Cornelius is joined by trombonist Nick Vagenas and the two engage in tight horn arrangements and sure solos. One of the most savvy tunes is "Don't Give Up, by the pop singer Peter Gabriel (one of Cornelius' influences), sporting a polished melody with silky touches of Fender Rhodes and soprano sax. From beginning to end, this music is a satisfying mix of contemporary sounds. The disc closes with the warm "April Rain, colored by the voice of Gretchen Parlato. Other moments include a hot cover of Charlie Parker's "Billie's Bounce and the intelligently hip "Pretty Self-Explanatory, where everyone sounds superb. Two useful points of reference within contemporary jazz are pianist Robert Glasper and trumpeter David Weiss, who share a similar propensity for lyricism and fresh arrangements. ~ Mark F.Turner https://www.allaboutjazz.com/lucid-dream-patrick-cornelius-self-produced-review-by-mark-f-turner.php

Personnel: Patrick Cornelius: alto, tenor saxophone; Sean Conly: bass; Aaron Parks: piano, Fender Rhodes; Kendrick Scott: percussion, drums; Nick Vagenas: trombone (1,3,6,8). Gretchen Parlato: voice (9);

Lucid Dream

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Fourplay - Fourplay

Styles: Jazz, Crossover Jazz
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:36
Size: 142,3 MB
Art: Front

(5:32)  1. Bali Run
(5:56)  2. 101 Eastbound
(5:26)  3. Foreplay
(6:16)  4. Moonjogger
(5:33)  5. Max-O-Man
(5:03)  6. After The Dance
(5:43)  7. Quadrille
(4:44)  8. Midnight Stroll
(5:01)  9. October Morning
(6:11) 10. Wish You Were Here
(6:05) 11. Rain Forest

This CD was the debut for Fourplay, a popular quartet comprised of keyboardist Bob James, guitarist Lee Ritenour, bassist Nathan East, and drummer Harvey Mason. The music sounds more or less like a Bob James small-group date with Ritenour as a major soloist. The style is between jazz, R&B, and pop with an emphasis on lightweight originals, soulful and moderately funky rhythms, and predictable radio-friendly music. Nothing unexpected occurs, but fans of James and Ritenour should enjoy both this CD and Fourplay in general. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/fourplay-mw0000391946

Personnel:  Bass – Nathan East; Drums – Harvey Mason; Guitar – Lee Ritenour; Keyboards – Bob James

Fourplay

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Christina Watson - So This Is Love

Styles: Vocal 
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:54
Size: 134,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:07)  1. Black Coffee
(4:51)  2. So This Is Love
(5:05)  3. Get Out Of Town
(4:17)  4. This Is Always
(4:12)  5. Devil May Care
(4:36)  6. They Say It's Wonderful
(4:26)  7. My Favorite Things
(4:06)  8. Alone Together
(4:06)  9. What A Little Moonlight Can Do
(4:14) 10. All Of Me
(4:26) 11. On The Street Where You Live
(8:21) 12. So In Love

"Christina Watson has been a favorite singer of mine since I first heard her both as a soloist, and as a member of the group “Third Coast Vocals”. She has a beautiful sound, flawless pitch, and a knack for choosing wonderful tunes from all genres, and making them her own. In her new recording “So This Is Love,” she offers a collection of tunes we may know but haven’t heard lately. The high-energy swing of bassist Roger Spencer and drummer Duffy Jackson, the facile piano solos by Lori Mechem, and the Titan-like saxophone presence of Jeff Coffin move these standards squarely into the 21st Century, bringing their history with them.  So here’s the plan; Sit! Pour some wine. Listen to the album. Then you’ll say, as I did, “So this is love.....it’s also great music. Enjoy!” ~ Beegie Adair https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/christinawatson4

So This Is Love

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Nat Adderley - Introducing Nat Adderley

Styles: Cornet Jazz
Year: 1955
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:40
Size: 101,4 MB
Art: Front

(2:47)  1. Watermelon
(4:06)  2. Little Joanie Walks
(3:32)  3. Two Brothers
(4:29)  4. I Should Care
(6:03)  5. Crazy Baby
(6:43)  6. New Arrivals
(3:53)  7. Sun Dance
(3:22)  8. Fort Lauderdale
(3:16)  9. Friday Nite
(5:25) 10. Blues For Bohemia

The Adderley brothers were key players in the birth of hard bop, a style which grew out of the advancements of Bud Powell and other pioneers who formed a sound that many artists took to the bank for years. At this point in time Cannonball had formed his first quintet with Nat as a sideman; facing indifferent recognition, Cannonball went on to join Miles Davis and met with far greater acclaim. The two would later reunite in the second Cannonball Adderley quintet with much greater success; after his stint with Davis, the public was much more receptive to what Cannonball had to say. This album is a bit unusual in that Nat is the leader and Cannonball is the sideman, although since the altoist is such a pervasive influence and all the tunes we co-written by the two, the distinction of who is in charge makes little difference. The Adderley brothers were always at their best working in the hard bop vein. Although they specialized in different instruments, their styles were remarkably similar; playful and lively, with a generous helping of the blues. 

They wear their Parker-Gillespie influences on their sleeves, trading off fluttering arpeggios and staccato runs at a rapid fire pace, and obviously prefer sticking to the higher register given their choice of instruments (Nat is one of the few jazz players to specialize in the cornet). Most of the songs here are skillfully designed to exploit the talents of both, although they are interchangeable with hundreds of other hard bop themes from the era. However, they truly seem to be enjoying themselves here, indulging their love of playing jazz. You would also be hard pressed to find a rhythm section better than the one assembled here; all three were highly regarded sidemen who amongst them have probably appeared on over a third of all sessions recorded during this period. Horace Silver would go on to record greasy soul anthems for the hard bop generation like "Song For My Father"; his sharp attack provides a bed of nails for the horns to blow over. ~ David Rickert https://www.allaboutjazz.com/introducing-nat-adderley-nat-adderley-verve-music-group-review-by-david-rickert__27073.php

Personnel: Nat Adderley, cornet; Cannonball Adderley, alto sax; Horace Silver, piano; Paul Chambers, bass; Roy Haynes, drums.

Introducing Nat Adderley

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Agnetha Fältskog - Eyes Of A Woman

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1985
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:19
Size: 102,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:39)  1. One Way Love
(3:57)  2. Eyes Of A Woman
(3:44)  3. Just One Heart
(3:43)  4. I Won't Let You Go
(4:23)  5. The Angels Cry
(2:52)  6. Click Track
(4:00)  7. We Should Be Together
(5:33)  8. I Won't Be Leaving You
(4:38)  9. Save Me (Why Don't Ya)
(3:39) 10. I Keep Turning Off Lights
(4:07) 11. We Move As One

Lushly produced by 10cc's Eric Stewart, with all the lavish attention to detail that one would expect, Agnetha Faltskog's second English-language solo album is a lean and occasionally brooding hybrid of overstated '80s adult rock and boisterous Euro-pop, a blend that is epitomized by the opening cut, Jeff Lynne's "One Way Love," and never goes away thereafter. It makes for discomforting listening. Her final recordings with ABBA, after all, placed Faltskog in a fascinating position, a dark, doomed chanteuse capable of wringing crippling emotion from the most innocuous lyric. Only occasionally, however, does Eyes of a Woman even glance back in that direction (most notably on the title track), with Faltskog preferring elsewhere to disguise even the most distinctive elements of her voice beneath the overwhelming power balladry that was so characteristic of the age. Producer Stewart's own "I Won't Be Leaving You" emerges a lovely, sad song, comparable to any of the ballads he contributed to latter-day 10cc albums, while "I Won't Let You Go" (a Stewart/Faltskog collaboration) and Justin Hayward's "The Angels Cry" are both powerful enough to break through the album's overall sheen. Unfortunately, they are the exceptions. Elsewhere, Faltskog seems content simply to voice the words laid before her, an apparent disinterest that was broadcast even further first by her refusal to promote the album, then by her almost total disappearance from the public gaze. The eyes of this woman had obviously seen too much. ~ Dave Thompson https://www.allmusic.com/album/eyes-of-a-woman-mw0000473291

Eyes Of A Woman

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David 'Fathead' Newman - Captain Buckles

Styles: Saxophone, Flute Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:51
Size: 78,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:38)  1. Captain Buckles
(4:19)  2. Joel's Domain
(3:43)  3. Something
(4:25)  4. Blue Caper
(6:20)  5. The Clincher
(5:07)  6. I Didn't Know What Time It Was
(5:16)  7. Negus

An improvement over David Newman's preceding projects, this soulful but relatively straight-ahead effort teams him with trumpeter Blue Mitchell, guitarist Eric Gale, bassist Steve Novosel and drummer Bernard Purdie in a pianoless quintet. 

Switching between tenor, alto and flute, Newman performs four originals, a song by Mitchell, George Harrison's "Something," and the standard "I Didn't Know What Time It Was." Captain Buckles was reissued on CD in 2000 on Label M. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/captain-buckles-mw0000105503

Personnel:  David "Fathead" Newman - tenor saxophone, alto saxophone, flute; Blue Mitchell - trumpet; Eric Gale - electric guitar, acoustic guitar; Steve Novosel - bass; Bernard Purdie - drums

Captain Buckles

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Adam Shulman Sextet - Here/There

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:46
Size: 142,2 MB
Art: Front

( 6:19)  1. Grant and Green
( 8:53)  2. Shelby's Sojourn
(10:18)  3. For an Unknown Lady
( 7:39)  4. Katy
( 8:24)  5. Pearl and Bruno
( 7:42)  6. Dirty
( 6:02)  7. Apartment 6
( 6:26)  8. Easy Living

San Francisco pianist/composer Adam Shulman presents an album of post-bop-inspired original compositions performed by a sextet of some of the Bay Area's most prominent jazz musicians. With a hard swinging group aesthetic and close harmonic writing inspired by the classic groups of Horace Silver and Art Blakey, Here/There offers bright new vehicles that embrace history while adding to the legacy of one of America's great jazz communities. With Mike Olmos, Patrick Wolff, Rob Roth, Smith Dobson and John Wiitala.

Personnel:  Adam Shulman - piano; Mike Olmos - trumpet; Patrick Wolff - alto saxophone; Rob Roth tenor - saxophone; John Wiitala - bass; Smith Dobson - drums

Here/There

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Barbara Martin - Eyes on the Horizon

Styles: Vocal 
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:10
Size: 99,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:04)  1. Since You've Been Here
(6:31)  2. Too Late to Die Young
(4:41)  3. Eyes on the Horizon
(4:07)  4. Same Old World
(3:17)  5. Taking a Chance
(5:14)  6. The Fire Burning in Me
(2:41)  7. I'm OK
(3:28)  8. One for Me
(4:44)  9. Blue Storm
(4:19) 10. Painting a Picture

“I wanna be James Dean with insolent lips” writes jazz and blues singer-songwriter Barbara Martin in her song “It’s Too Late to Die Young,” from her Eyes on the Horizon recording, and the lyrics and song title couldn’t be more descriptive of a musician known for being an accomplished vocal interpreter of the great jazz and blues standards yet brave enough to stretch the boundaries of the female jazz and blues singer stereotype. Eyes on the Horizon was two years in the making. Part of the reason for this was Barbara's decision to use all original songs. She also wanted to use only the finest jazz musicians and was willing to wait till her and their busy schedules had openings. Robert Redd is on the piano with his brother, Chuck Redd on drums and vibes. Barbara's bassist from her Rare Bird Quartet of the 1990's, Steve Wolf returns on this album. Duo partner and recording engineer, Mac Walter, adds a classical guitar lead on "I'm OK" and the CD ends with a co-write with Mac the guitar/vocal "Painting a Picture". Bruce Swaim on saxophone, John Jensen on trombone and Matt Finley on flugel horn round out the roster of musicians. The songs range from bossas and a samba to swing, blues and ballads. From Jim Newsom, Portfolio Magazine: "The ten-song setlist is all originals, filled with a lyrical sophistication and playfulness that continues to unfold with each listening. The band includes some of the best players from the DC/Annapolis/Baltimore jazz scene, including veteran Charlie Byrd sideman Chuck Redd on drums and vibes, and his brother Robert on piano. Martin’s regular bassist Steve Wolf anchors the core trio but longtime collaborator Mac Walter, whose magnificent acoustic guitarwork is always a marvel to hear, appears in only a few places. This time out, Martin has chosen a more traditional piano trio motif with occasional horn accents. “Since You’ve Been Here” kicks things off with a blissfully light-hearted celebration of the myriad ways that life changes when you let another person into your life. “Too Late to Die Young” takes a bluesy ride over Wolf’s walking bassline: “I want to be James Dean with insolent lips,” the singer intones, “but it’s too late to die young.” John Jensen’s boogie-woogie trombone solo accentuates Robert Redd’s muscular piano comping. 

The title track is pure cocktail lounge you can almost smell the cigar smoke wafting up from the back. The mood shifts to a playfully swinging samba on “Same Old World,” followed by “Taking a Chance,” a tune that starts off like a Vince Guaraldi theme for Charlie Brown before bouncing along on a smoothly melodic carpet of swing. Martin gets slow and sultry on “The Fire Burning in Me.” Chuck Redd then picks up his mallets for some sweet vibraphonics on “I’m OK,” setting up Walter’s first appearance. The lyrics here define the tone of this record: “When life doesn’t follow my wish-it-would-be’s…I’m OK.” “One for Me” is a jaunty stroll through loneliness tempered with an optimistically hopeful tinge. The last two cuts on the album accentuate Walter’s gorgeous guitar playing, reminding a longtime listener of previous Barbara Martin outings. In fact, “Blue Storm” originally appeared on Different View, and the arrangements are similar though this version feels gentler, reflecting the subtle shift that Martin’s vocal delivery has undergone in the intervening years. The disc closes with its most beautiful song, “Painting a Picture,” a voice and guitar duet the two cowrote, built on James Taylor-esque chording and a wistfully yearning from-the-road lyric. It’s the perfect denouement to a pleasurable outing from one of Virginia’s finest. https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/BarbaraMartin

Eyes on the Horizon

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Spyro Gyra - The Deep End

Styles: Fusion, Smooth Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:53
Size: 152,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:58)  1. Summer Fling
(5:02)  2. Eastlake Shuffle
(7:00)  3. Monsoon
(4:36)  4. As You Wish
(6:10)  5. Soburg Sam
(7:17)  6. The Crossing
(6:48)  7. Wiggle Room
(6:15)  8. Wind Warriors
(4:46)  9. In Your Arms
(5:46) 10. Chippewa Street
(6:09) 11. Beyond The Rain

With their third label release, the longtime contemporary jazz powerhouse ensemble led by fluid and funky sax legend Jay Beckenstein celebrates 30 years of a consistent mix of making instrumental pop hits and pushing the musical envelopes into fusion territory. The title promises a plunge into something deep, or at least a little stretching, and the band showcasing new drummer Ludwig Alfonso on a few tunes more than delivers. But not right away. They open smooth and light-funky with the playful, sax-driven "Summer Fling," which is breezy and fun but only digs deep with Tom Schuman's heavily retro key solo. "Eastlake Shuffle" balances Beckenstein's adventurous sax punch with a heavy blues mood driven by Schuman and the rockin' guitar harmonies and solo of Julio Fernandez. Things don't really heat up until the exotic fusion jam "Monsoon," a live show crowd-pleaser that builds from an Indian-flavored meditation (complete with distant chance and bird calls) into a moody sitar-laced melody before exploding into a powerful, blues-drenched extravaganza featuring some of Beckenstein's most powerful lines blended with Fernandez's brimming, ready-to-explode guitar on the hook. From this point, the band alternates its light moods ("As You Wish") with more aggressive and sometimes blistering rock-flavored explorations ("Joburg Jam," one of the four tracks featuring the shimmering vibes action of Dave Samuels, "Wiggle Room"). Most veteran bands would gasp for survival in the culture of stricter radio formats by playing it ever safer and trendy, but Spyro Gyra has never been most bands. Each release has a few sweet pleasantries (and even these feature magnificent musicianship) but a great deal more energy and blowing than today's average smooth jazz listener is used to. It's worth the plunge. ~ Jonathan Widran https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-deep-end-mw0000458674

Personnel:  Jay Beckenstein – saxophones; Tom Schuman – keyboards; Scott Ambush – bass guitar; Julio Fernandez – guitars, vocals on "The Crossing"

The Deep End

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Mack Avenue SuperBand - Live from the Detroit Jazz Festival

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:16
Size: 136,5 MB
Art: Front

( 0:59)  1. Introduction
( 9:49)  2. Riot
(10:31)  3. The Struggle
( 7:53)  4. A Mother's Cry
(11:25)  5. Santa Maria
( 7:01)  6. For Stephane
( 1:17)  7. Introduction to Bipolar Blues Blues
(10:17)  8. Bipolar Blues Blues

Bands fostered by labels and sourced from their stables are nothing new. The concept itself has always carried great possibility, but many a label has dropped the ball on the artistic responsibility side of the equation. At their worst, these types of get-togethers have come off as incongruous gatherings that are crudely slapped together. The concerts and/or albums that often fall into that category typically have one thing in common: they're there to make a quick buck and nothing else really matters. But not every label gathering is made for that purpose. A label band, when done right, can help to showcase artists while displaying and furthering a sense of community. The Mack Avenue Superband projects prove that point.  So what exactly makes this album and its two antecedents work while other such projects have failed miserably? There's no easy answer, but organization and attention to detail may very well be the keys to success. This gathering may take place on one fine day, but the band's music director bassist Rodney Whitaker starts to formulate a plan several months ahead of time, reaching out to the musicians to put together a program where everybody has input. So while the seven musicians featured on this album may not be the most stylistically well-matched on paper, with relatively straight ahead players, a gypsy jazz guitarist, and a smooth-gospel saxophone star joining forces, they're all on the same page from beginning to end and there's a spirit of togetherness here that's refreshing to encounter on such an offering.  

Everybody involved with this album knows the drill and comes prepared. Whitaker, his longtime drumming partner Carl Allen, Hot Club of Detroit guitarist Evan Perri, and pianist Aaron Diehl have all been on board for both of the previous incarnations of this group; vibraphonist Warren Wolf and saxophonists Tia Fuller and Kirk Whalum have each taken part in one of these gatherings before. Here, they all gel beautifully in various combinations. Whalum and Fuller blow atop the rhythm section with vim and vigor on the former's "Bipolar Blues Blues"; Wolf and Perri prove to be surprisingly well-matched partners, locking in together on Herbie Hancock's "Riot" and pulling from the same stylistic bag on Perri's Spanish-tinged, Chick Corea-esque "For Stephanie"; Wolf's vibes, Fuller's soprano, and Whalum's flute meld and move gently atop the light Latin flow below on Whitaker's "A Mother's Cry"; and Diehl's gifts as a genre-blind player with exquisite taste and an enormous musical vocabulary come to the surface on his own "Santa Maria," a piece which opens on three-and-a-half minutes of expression-rich piano exploration before taking shape as a swinger that vacillates between lightheartedness and resoluteness. This edition of the Mack Avenue Superband has much to offer, proving that the difference between success and failure with label bands rests with the execution and the chemistry. With sound planning and the right participants, a label concoction can be a very good thing. ~ Dan Bilawsky https://www.allaboutjazz.com/live-from-the-detroit-jazz-festival-2014-mack-avenue-superband-mack-avenue-records-review-by-dan-bilawsky.php

Personnel: Rodney Whitaker: music director, acoustic bass; Carl Allen: drums; Aaron Diehl: piano; Tia Fuller: alto saxophone, soprano saxophone; Evan Perri: guitar; Kirk Whalum: tenor saxophone, flute; Warren Wolf: vibraphone.

Live from the Detroit Jazz Festival

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Lita Roza - Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea & Singles Compilation (1951-53)

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1953
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:32
Size: 166,2 MB
Art: Front

(2:51)  1. Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
(3:16)  2. Willow Weep for Me
(3:18)  3. Little White Lies
(3:45)  4. Moon Song
(3:36)  5. Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams
(2:49)  6. I Only Have Eyes for You
(2:18)  7. You Turned the Tables on Me
(3:35)  8. I Cover the Waterfront
(3:01)  9. You're Driving Me Crazy
(3:08) 10. Moonglow
(2:32) 11. You Took Advantage of Me
(2:43) 12. No Moon at All
(2:55) 13. My One and Only Love
(2:30) 14. Lullaby of Broadway
(2:57) 15. A Wonderful Guy
(2:36) 16. I'm Gonna Wash that Man Right Out of My Hair
(2:38) 17. It's All in the Game
(2:23) 18. It's All Over but the Memories
(2:54) 19. Somewhere in the Moonlight
(2:31) 20. Oakie Boogie
(2:53) 21. Raminay
(3:01) 22. Blackpool Bounce
(2:08) 23. Botch-a-Me (Ba-ba-Baciami Piccina)
(2:42) 24. Ooh What You Do to Me
(2:23) 25. Crazy Man Crazy

Lita Roza was born Lilian Patricia Lita Roza on March 14, 1926 in Liverpool to Elizabeth Anne and Francis Vincent Roza, a Spanish marine engineer and part-time pianist at a local nightclub. The eldest of seven children, she auditioned as a dancer at the age of 12 in a pantomime to help support the family, eventually working up to performing with the comedian Ted Ray and actress Noel Gordon in the show Black Velvet. Because life was becoming too dangerous in London during the blitz of 1940, her family wanted her back in Liverpool. She turned to singing on her return and managed to get a job as a resident singer in a Merseyside club called The New Yorker. Shortly afterwards, she signed to become a singer with the Harry Roy Orchestra, one of Britain's leading wartime big bands, although when Roy was booked to tour the Middle East, the young Lita Roza was not allowed to join them, being only 17 years old. At just 18, she retired from show business, marrying James Shepherd Holland, one of the Canadian servicemen who was stationed in the U.K.; they moved to Miami. The marriage did not last, however, and after the war she returned to Britain, finding work with another top bandleader of the time, Ted Heath, alongside Dickie Valentine and Denis Lotis. As many of her contemporaries, she combined working with a big band with a career as a solo singer, and in 1953, she recorded a version of Patti Page's "How Much Is That Doggie in the Window," which topped the charts in April for one week, easily beating off the challenge of the Page version, and only the eighth number one song in the then recently introduced British charts. Despite its success, Roza hated the song and would never perform it in public. She left the Ted Heath band and married Ron Hughes, a trumpet player. She was voted Top Girl Singer of 1951-1952 in the Melody Maker dance band polls and won the Top Female Singer category in New Musical Express from 1951-1955 consecutively. 

Another couple of minor solo hits followed, "Hey There" and "Jimmy Unknown," but despite releasing a total of 55 singles and four albums on Decca Presenting Lita Roza, Listening in the After-Hours, Love Is the Answer, and Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea her record sales were halted by the arrival of rock & roll and in the mid-'50s she concentrated on television work (including her own show Lita Roza Sings and several appearances with Ted Heath and on the new TV pop show Six Five Special, the only pop show on TV in the mid-'50s) and working in cabarets around the world including in Australia, New Zealand, and the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas. She was asked to join a series of Ted Heath reunion concerts in 1982 along with Denis Lotis and Don Lusher and most of the original musicians from the band. In 2001, Roza was honored as the first artist with a bronze disc placed on the Wall of Fame in Matthew Street, opposite the Cavern Club, which featured all the acts from Liverpool who had achieved a number one to date including everyone from Frankie Vaughan, Michael Holiday, and the Beatles to Sonia, Mel C, and Atomic Kitten. Throughout the late '90s and into the 21st century, Universal Music, which owns the rights to Roza's Decca recordings, released several compilations of her songs as well as her final album, Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, and Ted Heath Singles 1951-1953. She gave her final performance on Radio Merseyside in November 2002. Lita Roza died at her home in London on August 14, 2008; she was 82 years old. ~ Sharon Mawer https://www.allmusic.com/artist/lita-roza-mn0000496575/biography

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea & Singles Compilation (1951-53)

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Patrick Cornelius - Maybe Steps

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:09
Size: 129,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:43)  1. Christmas Gift
(5:32)  2. Maybe Steps
(2:32)  3. Bella's Dreaming
(6:26)  4. Brother Gabriel
(4:47)  5. Shiver Song
(6:08)  6. Into The Stars
(6:17)  7. A Day Like Any Other
(5:51)  8. Echoes Of Summer
(4:55)  9. My Ship
(3:59) 10. Conception
(4:54) 11. Le Rendez-vous Final

Maybe Steps is alto saxophonist Patrick Cornelius' third album, and his first for the excellent Los Angeles-based Posi-Tone Records. He's joined by the talented rhythm section of pianist Gerald Clayton, bassist Peter Slavov and drummer Kendrick Scott in a graceful and melodically strong performance, mostly of his original tunes. Cornelius' compositions swing gracefully, with seemingly effortless ease on the part of all of the musicians. "Maybe Steps" typifies this relaxed groove; the tune also appears on Cornelius' second album, Fierce (Whirlwind Recordings, 2010) where it was characterized by a brighter sound and Michael Janisch's tough bass line. This new version is more effective, the subtle playing of Clayton, Slavov and Scott providing a perfectly judged backdrop to Cornelius' warm alto. On "Echoes of Summer," Cornelius is joined by guitarist Miles Okazaki, the two instruments complementing each other sonically and giving added depth to its melody. Ispired by Cornelius' baby daughter, "Bella's Dreaming" is a lovely ballad that displays the saxophonist's masterful control of his instrument. "Brother Gabriel," which Cornelius first recorded with the Transatlantic Collective on Travelling Song (Woodville Records, 2009), gets its inspiration from singer/songwriter Peter Gabriel's reflective and downbeat "Here Comes The Flood." Once again, Cornelius produces a beautifully controlled performance, this time on a tune that is a touch more intense than most in this collection. "Le Rendez-vous Final" swings gently, thanks especially to Scott's drumming, and yet it carries an air of sadness that is somehow at odds with this rhythm.  Pianist Asen Doykin duets with Cornelius on an understated and delicate performance of Kurt Weill's melancholic "My Ship"; slow, measured and emotive, it's a superb interpretation of this classic song. Sir George Shearing's "Conception" is more upbeat, driven by Scott's percussion and given added depth, once again, by Okazaki's deft guitar work. Cornelius' star continues to rise. Maybe Steps is his strongest outing yet, demonstrating his all-too-rare ability to combine the writing of memorable and accessible tunes with a performance that engages with, and enhances, their beauty and emotional connection. ~ Bruce Lindsay https://www.allaboutjazz.com/maybe-steps-patrick-cornelius-posi-tone-records-review-by-bruce-lindsay.php

Personnel: Patrick Cornelius: alto saxophone; Gerald Clayton: piano; Peter Slavov: bass; Kendrick Scott: drums; Mile Okazaki: guitar (6, 8); Assen Doykin: piano (9).

Maybe Steps

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Chick Corea - Akoustic Band

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1989
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:15
Size: 139,3 MB
Art:

(4:55)  1. Bessie's Blues
(4:47)  2. My One And Only Love
(6:53)  3. So In Love
(5:06)  4. Sophisticated Lady
(8:13)  5. Autumn Leaves
(6:11)  6. Someday My Prince Will Come
(6:33)  7. Morning Sprite
(5:12)  8. T.B.C. (Terminal Baggage Claim)
(6:29)  9. Circles
(5:52) 10. Spain

After recording a string of fusion records in the late '80s with his Elektric Band, Chick Corea returned to acoustic jazz with this trio date. Enlisting Elektric Band sidemen John Patitucci and Dave Weckl, Corea swings through ten tracks with noticeably mixed results. The leader is as romantic as ever, playing with bravado even on ballads, flawlessly executing complicated ideas, reveling in drama and melodrama. Patitucci's upright playing clearly betrays his electric pedigree; listen quickly to his solo on "So in Love" and you might mistake it for a Jaco Pastorius spot. Weckl has been accused of being a soulless technician serving questionable music in the past, and those who are predisposed against him will find nothing here to change their minds. On the Corea-penned compositions, the band sounds tight and fresh, but on the standards, they sound out of place. 

The band's reading of "Sophisticated Lady," for example, is busy and confused, but once they get their hands on Corea's own "Morning Sprite," the resulting joyful romp is pure pleasure. An unremarkable performance of "Autumn Leaves" is balanced by a great new take on Corea's classic "Spain," where Weckl and Patitucci tear through the song with panache as Corea solos gleefully on top. This band seems made for one thing: to play Chick Corea originals and in any situation other than that they sound awkward. If this album is an attempt to take the standard piano trio and apply a fusion-informed, Corea-style attitude toward familiar material, it is an interesting experiment. In the end, however, it still does not work as well as some of Corea's other efforts, but you can't blame him or his bandmates for trying. A pleasant, though by no means essential, entry in Corea's discography. ~ Daniel Gioffre https://www.allmusic.com/album/chick-corea-akoustic-band-mw0000199498

Personnel:  Piano, Producer – Chick Corea; Bass – John Patitucci; Drums – Dave Weckl

Akoustic Band

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Fourplay - Esprit De Four

Styles: Jazz, Funk, Soul, Fusion 
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:01
Size: 126,6 MB
Art: Front

(7:46)  1. December Dream
(4:12)  2. Firefly
(7:11)  3. Venus
(4:12)  4. Sonnymoon
(6:08)  5. Put Our Hearts Together - Instrumental Version
(4:16)  6. All I Wanna Do
(7:05)  7. Logic Of Love
(6:22)  8. Esprit De Four
(4:26)  9. Sugoi
(3:18) 10. Put Our Hearts Together - Vocal Version

Bands don't last over two decades with minimal turnover in personnel and continued success if they're composed of egotists, prima donnas, drama queens or people that just don't play nice together. Fourplay has endured and thrived because it is an egalitarian coalition of seasoned professionals who set aside private agendas to serve the group dynamic. When a new guitarist joins Fourplay it typically takes their sophomore recording with the long-running band before they truly begin to fit in. In over 20 years there have been only three personnel changes, with original guitarist Lee Ritenour being replaced by Larry Carlton, who manned the spot for 12 years and seven albums, until he exited and Chuck Loeb became the "new guy" on Let's Touch the Sky (Heads Up, 2010). Stability has been a strength for this assemblage of veteran musicians even if consistency has led the band to be dismissed by critics little more than slick, smooth jazz. That was truer before than it is now as the Fourplay of 2012 bears little resemblance to the 1991 version despite three-quarters of the lineup being still composed of founders Bob James, Nathan East and Harvey Mason. James' keyboards are still at the heart of the group, but whoever the guitarist is gives it much of its soul, and on Esprit De Four a lion's share of the direction as well. Loeb is predominantly featured on the first four tracks and guides the group into making music that is too passionate to be "slick." Even when East takes his standard vocal turn on "All I Wanna Do," Loeb's guitar is front and center leading the way. This hardly means the rest of the band recedes into the background. Mason's "Venus" is lush and lovely with James and Loeb gently trading leads before smoothly dueting to the close. "Sonnymoon" is the closest these old pros come to sounding like "classic" Fourplay, as the Mason and East rhythm section keeps things fast and funky. It's just an excuse for four minutes of jamming, but let no one think Fourplay can't still get down when it wants to. 

If Loeb steps up to assert himself as primary soloist, James, who will turn 73 in December 2012, seems willing to relinquish some of the spotlight to Loeb, or at least doesn't seem the least stressed out sharing it. James has a deep fondness for Eastern culture and his two contributions, "Sugoi" and "Put Our Hearts Together," are evidence of that influence. "Put Our Hearts Together" (in both an instrumental and vocal version) is dedicated to the people of Japan in the wake of 2011's horrific earthquake and tsunami. Esprit De Four eschews the Fourplay formula of American chart-topping guest vocalists such as Anita Baker or Michael McDonald in favor of a demonstration of cross-cultural outreach, as Japanese superstar Seiko Matsuda to provides the vocals for "Put Our Hearts Together." The charge most frequently levied at Fourplay by its detractors is that the music is safe and formulaic. While it would be an untruth to say this is the most freewheeling quartet in jazz, it's petty to confuse popularity and acclaim with shallowness and superficiality. Fourplay cares too deeply about its music to be a cynical superstar band conceived as little more than a cash grab. ~ Jeff Winbush https://www.allaboutjazz.com/fourplay-esprit-de-four-by-jeff-winbush.php

Personnel: Bob James: keyboards; Nathan East: bass, vocals; Chuck Loeb: guitars, synths; Harvey Mason: drums, percussion, vibes, synths; Seiko Matsuda: vocals (10); Lizzy Loeb: additional vocals (1); Kenny Mason and the Voices of Praise Choir.

Esprit De Four

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Oscar Peterson - An Oscar Peterson Christmas

Styles: Piano, Christmas
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:25
Size: 121,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:25)  1. God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
(4:46)  2. What Child Is This?
(3:40)  3. Let It Snow
(3:48)  4. White Christmas
(3:14)  5. Jingle Bells
(2:49)  6. I'll Be Home for Christmas
(3:29)  7. Santa Claus Is Coming to Town
(3:16)  8. O Little Town of Bethlehem
(6:52)  9. Christmas Waltz
(3:56) 10. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
(3:08) 11. Silent Night
(4:06) 12. Winter Wonderland
(3:33) 13. Away in a Manger
(2:17) 14. O Christmas Tree

Oscar Peterson takes it easy during his relaxed set. He had not completely recovered from his stroke but he was still an impressive pianist. Peterson, who is assisted by guitarist Lorne Lofsky, bassist David Young, and drummer Jerry Fuller, is joined by a 20-piece string section arranged and conducted by Rick Wilkins. The 14 holiday tunes (which include "God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman," "White Christmas," "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas") are given tasteful and lightly swinging treatments and there are guest appearances by vibraphonist Dave Samuels and flugelhornist Jack Schantz. But no real surprises or chancestaking occurs and the music is mostly just pleasant. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/an-oscar-peterson-christmas-mw0000179179

Personnel:  Oscar Peterson – piano; Dave Samuels – vibraphone (3, 4, 7, 10, 12); Jack Schantz – flugelhorn (5, 6, 13); Lorne Lofsky – guitar; David Young – double bass; Jerry Fuller – drums; String orchestra conducted and arranged by Rick Wilkins

An Oscar Peterson Christmas

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Diana Krall - Christmas Songs

Styles: Vocal, Piano, Christmas
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:50
Size: 103,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:25)  1. Jingle Bells
(4:01)  2. Let It Snow
(4:23)  3. The Christmas Song
(3:14)  4. Winter Wonderland
(3:07)  5. I'll Be Home for Christmas
(3:34)  6. Christmas Time Is Here
(2:53)  7. Santa Claus Is Coming to Town
(4:19)  8. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
(4:32)  9. White Christmas
(4:10) 10. What Are You Doing New Year's Eve
(3:27) 11. Sleigh Ride
(3:40) 12. Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep

On her first full-length Christmas album, pianist/vocalist Diana Krall delivers a smoky, sophisticated, and slightly melancholy album perfectly suited to accompany egg nog cocktails and romantic afterglow holiday affairs. Although there isn't anything unexpected on Christmas Songs Irving Berlin's "Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep" is as close to obscure as it gets Krall coos life into such standards as "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve," and "I'll Be Home for Christmas." It also doesn't hurt that she gains top-notch support from the Clayton-Hamilton Orchestra, whose urbane arrangements help bring to mind similar works by such iconic vocalists as Nat King Cole, June Christy, and Frank Sinatra. But it's not all deep sighs and bedroom eyes; on the contrary, Krall keeps things swinging with such uptempo numbers as the joyous "Jingle Bells," "Winter Wonderland," and the Blossom Dearie-inflected "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town." If you like your holiday albums cool and classy, Christmas Songs is a stocking stuffer that's sure to please. 

~ Matt Collar https://www.allmusic.com/album/christmas-songs-mw0000703424

Personnel:  Diana Krall - piano, vocals, arranger

The Clayton/Hamilton Jazz Orchestra: Jeff Hamilton - drums; Robert Hurst - upright bass; Anthony Wilson - guitar; Gerald Clayton - piano on "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town"; Tamir Hendelman - piano on "Sleigh Ride", fender rhodes on "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve"; Jeff Clayton - alto saxophone, flute; Keith Fiddmont - alto saxophone, clarinet; Rickey Woodard - tenor saxophone solos, clarinet; Charles Owens - tenor saxophone, clarinet; Adam Schroeder - baritone saxophone, bass clarinet; Rick Baptist - trumpet

Christmas Songs

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Big Band All Stars - When Shadows Fall

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 29:42
Size: 68,7 MB
Art: Front

(2:51)  1. Sweet and Lovely
(3:14)  2. Song of India
(3:31)  3. Penthouse Serenade
(2:32)  4. Ramona
(2:54)  5. When Shadows Fall
(3:00)  6. Autumn Leaves
(3:31)  7. Mean to Me
(2:56)  8. The Night Is Young
(1:55)  9. Ciribiribin
(3:15) 10. Tenderly

When Shadows Fall

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Michael Law's Piccadilly Dance Orchestra - Brighter Than the Sun

Styles: Easy Listening
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:52
Size: 117,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:02)  1. Brighter Than the Sun
(2:49)  2. My Hat's On The Side of My Head
(3:46)  3. It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)
(3:13)  4. It Can't Be Wrong
(2:49)  5. Masculine Women! Feminine Men!
(3:22)  6. In The Still of the Night
(3:06)  7. Jubilee Stomp
(2:59)  8. Deep In a Dream
(3:41)  9. White Jazz
(2:50) 10. You Ought to See Sally on Sunday
(3:46) 11. Midnight, The Stars and You
(3:38) 12. If I Had a Talking Picture of You
(3:11) 13. Embassy Stomp
(2:29) 14. The Lady is in Love With You
(3:09) 15. Let Yourself Go
(2:54) 16. Let's Call the Whole thing Off

The Piccadilly Dance Orchestra was founded by Michael Law in 1988. In October of that year the orchestra met for the first time to record two songs, Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town and Two Sleepy People, which were issued privately as the two sides of the orchestra's first ever release, a vinyl single. PRT records (formerly PYE records) liked it and reissued the single in time for Christmas 1988, then recorded our first album, Let Yourself Go, which was released in April 1989 on CD, cassette and vinyl LP record. In 1993 the orchestra began a series of recordings for John Yap's TER/JAY records at the world famous Abbey Road studios. Their sixth album, Brighter Than The Sun, recorded ‘live’, was released on the PICCD label in 2011. In 1992, Alan Bennett-Law joined the orchestra with the aim of matching the standard of administration, technology and customer service to the already high standards of the music. Within a short period of time, Alan negotiated the recording contract with TER/JAY records and his dynamic ideas and enthusiasm took Michael and the orchestra from strength to strength, playing for many top events and parties, as well as developing musical programmes for concert performances. The PDO's performance highlights have included many years playing for dancing for the Henley Festival, Earl Spencer's 30th Birthday Party (where Princess Diana asked the orchestra to play In The Mood - twice!), special BAFTA awards parties for Julie Andrews and Sean Connery, the first ever Proms In the Park and a residency at The Ritz Hotel in Piccadilly. Michael Law then achieved a lifelong ambition when the orchestra began a series of Saturday night dinner dances (Stompin' At The Savoy) at the cradle of British Dance Band music, the Savoy Hotel in October 1997, which continued until December 2003. Other clients include Sir John Paul Getty (60th and 70th birthday parties and a ball at Clarence House where Baroness Thatcher led the dancing), Sir Terence Conran, Earl Spencer's ball to celebrate 500 years of Althorp House and many corporate events. The orchestra have been seen on television for Wogan, Daytime Live, Pebble Mill, Play It Again and Lorraine Live. BBC live radio broadcasts include: for Radio 2 (Radio 2 Arts Programme, Friday Night is Music Night and the VE Day celebrations from Hyde Park), Radio 3 (a live lunchtime concert from the Wigmore Hall) and Radio 4 (a special edition of Loose Ends to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the BBC). Acclaimed worldwide for their spirited recreations of the music of the British Dance Bands, Michael and the PDO were especially chosen for BBC 4's highly successful Len Goodman's Dancing Feet (first broadcast in December 2012) and in July 2013, filmed a sequel, Len Goodman's Dance Band Days. …and you can catch The PDO in the Helen Mirren/Michael Caine movie "Last Orders", playing Chattanooga Choo-Choo! http://www.pdo.org.uk/History

Brighter Than the Sun

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