Sunday, February 11, 2018

Wild Bill Davis - Free, Frantic & Funky

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:14
Size: 87.5 MB
Styles: Soul-jazz, B3 Organ jazz
Year: 1965/2016
Art: Front

[2:35] 1. C Jam Blues
[3:45] 2. C.C. Rider
[2:28] 3. Hit The Road Jack
[4:36] 4. Just Squeeze Me (But Don't Tease Me)
[2:49] 5. I Can't Stop Loving You
[2:32] 6. Sent For You Yesterday (And Here You Come Today)
[2:45] 7. Well, Git It
[3:32] 8. Azure-Te (Paris Blues)
[3:44] 9. Free, Frantic And Funky
[2:11] 10. Don't Cry Baby
[3:16] 11. Tippin' In
[3:55] 12. Make Love To Me

Bass – George Duvivier; Drums – Jimmy Hopps, Osie Johnson; Guitar – Dicky Thompson, Mundell Lowe; Organ – Wild Bill Davis; Tenor Saxophone, Flute – Bob Brown, Jerome Richardson, Seldon Powell. Recorded in 1965 in RCA Victor's Studio B, New York City.

With the dynamic, swirling sounds of his Hammond B-3 organ, Wild Bill Davis provided a bridge from the big band swing of the 1930s and '40s to the organ-driven R&B of the 1950s and early '60s. Together with guitarist Floyd Smith and drummer Chris Columbus, Davis set the framework for the jazz organ combo sound. Initially a guitarist, Davis made his debut with Milt Larkin's band in 1939. The group is remembered for the double-saxophone attack of Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson and Arnett Cobb. Davis, who was inspired by the guitar playing of Freddie Green, remained with the band until 1942. Moving to the piano, Davis joined Louis Jordan & His Tympany 5 in 1945. By then, he had already attracted attention as a skilled writer and arranger. He later furnished original material and arrangements for both Duke Ellington and Count Basie. He was scheduled to record his arrangement of "April in Paris" with the Count Basie Orchestra in 1955, but was unable to make it to the recording sessions. Recorded without his participation, the tune went on to be a Top 30 pop hit. Intrigued by the organ playing of Fats Waller and Count Basie, Davis began to experiment with the Hammond B-3. He soon developed his unique approach. "I thought of (the organ) as a replacement in clubs for a big band," he said during a late-'80s interview. Although he left Jordan's band after five years to form his own trio, Davis periodically returned to play special engagements. Although eclipsed by succeeding jazz organists, including Jimmy Smith and Bill Doggett in the late '50s, and Booker T. Jones in the '60s, Davis remained active until his death from a heart attack in August 1995. His summer appearances in Atlantic City, New Jersey were an annual treat for almost three decades.

A native of Moorestown, New Jersey, Davis studied music at Tuskegee University and Wiley College in Texas. ~ Craig Harris

Free, Frantic & Funky mc
Free, Frantic & Funky zippy

Peter Wildbolz Unit - Chill The Jazz

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:35
Size: 108.9 MB
Styles: Smooth jazz
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[6:05] 1. The Joker
[7:08] 2. Buenos Aires Blue
[5:10] 3. Perpetual Love
[3:41] 4. Loose As A Goose
[5:21] 5. Many Moons Ago
[5:28] 6. Havana Strut
[6:14] 7. Lonely Nights
[6:41] 8. Easy Digging
[1:42] 9. Farewell

Peter Wildbolz, the Bernese saxophone player, can look back on a long, diverse musical career which started in the early 60s when he opened his jazz club, the “Blue Note”, in Bern. He later founded the FreeJazzTrio, then the New Jazz Quartet; he was also a member of the jazz-rock band Off & Out. In the 80s, he led the bebop trio “Frontline”. The success of “Blue Notes”, the album released in 1998, convinced sax-player and composer Wildbolz to focus on smooth jazz.

Chill The Jazz mc
Chill The Jazz zippy

Atlanta Rhythm Section - Champagne Jam

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 32:58
Size: 75.5 MB
Styles: Southern rock
Year: 1978/2005
Art: Front

[2:57] 1. Large Time
[4:06] 2. I'm Not Gonna Let It Bother Me Tonight
[3:22] 3. Normal Love
[4:31] 4. Champagne Jam
[5:08] 5. Imaginary Lover
[4:34] 6. The Ballad Of Lois Malone
[4:46] 7. The Great Escape
[3:31] 8. Evileen

Released in 1978, this was the breakthrough album that marked the zenith of music-making, critical support and popular acclaim for ARS. Eight great songs-all originals-are showcased with the top notch, smooth pop production the group had been refining for years. The songwriting and musicianship maintain the superior standards the band had established through its previous albums. The songs continue the pattern of blending beautiful melodies with shifting tempos, with each of the songs clocking in at a moderate three to five minutes.

The album opens with a classic Southern rock song, Large Time, that pays tribute to recently fallen comrades. Three of the next four songs may be unmatched in their concise demonstration of the extraordinary talent and multifaceted skills of the band. I'm Not Gonna Let It Bother Me, Champagne Jam and Imaginary Lover are all classics-hits at the time that still sound fresh and resonate as nicely today as when they were released. The first two share a buoyant, positive sound that turns more subdued with the third. The album winds down with three more songs that lyrically present a darker image of wild times and loves-each with beautiful musical backing that both contrasts with and perfectly represents the stories being told.

Champagne Jam mc
Champagne Jam zippy

Roxane de LaFontaine - Paris & America

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:56
Size: 96.0 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[3:56] 1. It Don't Mean A Thing
[3:58] 2. Fly Me To The Moon
[5:10] 3. Why Don't You Do Right
[4:20] 4. I Love Paris
[4:15] 5. C'est Si Bon
[4:36] 6. Azure Te
[4:55] 7. La Vie En Rose
[4:33] 8. Les Yeux Ouverts
[2:52] 9. Un Dimanche à Paris
[3:18] 10. C'est Beau Un Homme

Roxane de Lafontaine : Voix, Violon; Sylvain Daigneault : Piano; François Rioux : Guitare; David Gagné : Contrebasse; Pierre-Emmanuel Beaudoin : Batterie, Percussions; René Béchard : Saxophones, Clarinette; Élise Béchard : Chœur; Guillaume Gilbert : Guitare; Mathieu Tarlo : Contrebasse, Trombone; Jean-François Montour : Batterie; Jean Gervais : Trompette; Annie Richard : Violoncelle; Élise Béchard : Percussions.

Born in Quebec City, it was at the age of five that Roxane moved to Sherbrooke, his father's hometown. It is there, very young, that she is attracted by the scene. Every day, with passion, she plays the violin and does dance. Soon she was invited to television shows like "The Green Mouse" and "Good Friends" where she made several appearances. From her beginnings on the violin she is supervised by great masters; Claude Letourneau, Luis Greenhouse. At the age of 12, she was appointed solo violin assistant at the Sherbrooke Youth Orchestra and already played in the first violin section at the Orchester symphonique. During her elementary and high school studies, she combined concerts, recitals and dance performances as a member of the École Pierre Lapointe ballet troupe. She also accompanies several artists during major events and shows.

In December 2010, she produced and directed her first solo album, Strad, my rebellious soul, which will bring her to play on big Quebec scenes; Raoul-Jobin Hall (Montcalm Palace), Edwin-Bélanger Bandstand (Plains of Abraham), Granada Theater (Sherbrooke) and at important musical events; Quebec City Summer Festival, Concerts of the City (Sherbrooke), Festivoix of Trois-Rivières, etc.

Encouraged by Lorraine Desmarais, an internationally renowned jazz pianist, Roxane Del joins her voice as a singer-songwriter and finds her style in jazz-pop music. She launches her own record label, Private Club and signs with Distribution Select. (Translated from French.)

Paris & America mc
Paris & America zippy

Big Band Jazz Maresme - Meeting Our Neighbours

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:18
Size: 140.3 MB
Styles: Big band
Year: 2018
Art: Front

[7:37] 1. Soupbone
[6:06] 2. Ya Gotta Try… Harder
[2:15] 3. Almost Like Being In Love
[4:49] 4. Ask Me Now
[7:25] 5. Squatty Roo
[5:50] 6. I'm Just A Lucky So And So
[4:40] 7. Angel Eyes
[6:24] 8. Stolen Moments
[3:02] 9. Hallelujah I Just Love Him So
[5:00] 10. Without A Song
[8:05] 11. There Is No Greater Love

For this project, we had the privilege to collaborate with two internationally renowned artists. The virtuoso Italian trumpet player Fabrizio Bosso and the elegant and sensual French singer Tricia Evy.

Fabrizio Bosso is an energetic musician with a dizzying agility and speed. His spectacular and powerful sound contrasts with his sweet and warm tunes. All these combined makes him a unique and exceptional musician. A regular trumpet player of well known record labels such as BLUE NOTE, VERVE (Universal) or EMI.

Tricia Evy is, at the moment, one of the most requested voices worldwide, due to her unique and personal style. Her elegant, warm and sensual voice brings us back to the 30’s. An era framed by great singers such as Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday …

Meeting Our Neighbours mc
Meeting Our Neighbours zippy

Jackie & Roy - Bits & Pieces And Free & Easy

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:34
Size: 166.1 MB
Styles: Vocal
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[3:28] 1. Look Around
[4:05] 2. Stopping The Clock
[4:22] 3. (So You've Had A) Change Of Heart
[3:37] 4. Honey Did
[3:37] 5. Whisper Not
[2:38] 6. Say Cheese
[4:58] 7. Aura
[4:04] 8. Darn That Dream
[2:15] 9. I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles
[3:16] 10. Walking
[2:58] 11. Free And Easy
[2:45] 12. There Will Never Be Another You
[3:55] 13. Angel Eyes
[2:44] 14. It's A Lovely Day Today
[3:25] 15. Dixie
[3:17] 16. Who Wants To Fall In Love
[3:55] 17. So It's Spring
[2:58] 18. Ooh! That Kiss
[3:29] 19. I'm Glad There Is You
[2:21] 20. Aren't You Glad You're You
[4:16] 21. Pent-Up House

Jackie and Roy Kral rose to fame in the late Forties with their delightful vocal contribution to Charlie Venturas popular bop combo. Exciting and swinging, their work, imbued with their love and understanding of music, made these two bright young stars real and immediate favorites of jazz fans. On these recordings made in New York and Los Angeles in 1957, the duo is backed by two top studio bands conducted by Roy himself and by the great Bill Holman. Impeccably selected and tastefully presented, the material is illuminated by inventive singing delivered with consistent freshness and splendid technical command. Jackie is the featured singer, but Roy joins in often enough to heighten the pacing that much more. The arrangements are full-voiced, with swinging, functionally effective backdrops for the vocals, garnished with occasional instrumental solos from the stellar personnel. Holman wrote most of the arrangements, but Ernie Wilkins, Ralph Burns and Quincy Jones also collaborated in the New York sessions. "The way this set is packaged, if you arent up and your Jackie & Roy, you might not realize that this is a value packed twofer of prime Jackie & Roy thatll blow you away. Two sets from their prime 50s years finds them in the company of Bill Holman and Quincy Jones along with players including Richie Kamuca, Clark Terry, Jerome Richardson, Herbie Mann, Shelley Manne and a host of other mind blowers when they were young and clawing for a piece of the action. Bopping, scatting, singing, swinging and flying through some vocalese, 1957 was a killer year for this duo. Before their CTI, Vegas, Sondheim, etc ventures in the later years, they were the cool definition of cool. If you want some wonderful jazz vocals to take your mind off high gas prices and the rest of the worlds troubles, plunk down a few bucks for this oasis and lose yourself in this hipsters paradise."

Bits & Pieces And Free & Easy mc
Bits & Pieces And Free & Easy zippy