Charles Brown - Someone To Love

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:00
Size: 105.3 MB
Styles: Blues-Jazz vocals/piano
Year: 1992
Art: Front

[4:42] 1. Someone To Love
[7:36] 2. I Wonder How She Knows
[3:59] 3. Don't Drive Me Away
[6:25] 4. Not So Far
[4:50] 5. Tell Me You'll Wait For Me
[5:56] 6. Be Sharp You'll See
[4:33] 7. Every Little Bit Hurts
[3:45] 8. I Want To Go Home
[4:09] 9. I Don't Want To Get Adjusted

Acoustic Bass – Tommie McKenzie; Drums – Gaylord Birch; Guitar – Danny Caron; Producer – Ron Levy; Slide Guitar – Bonnie Raitt (tracks: 7); Tenor Saxophone – Bobby Forté, Clifford Solomon; Vocals – Bonnie Raitt (tracks: 1); Vocals, Piano, Organ – Charles Brown.

Bonnie Raitt, who played such an integral role in Charles Brown's successful comeback, guests on two tracks on the pianist's Bullseye Blues encore, Someone to Love, which isn't quite the tour de force that his previous outing was, but is eminently solid nonetheless. Danny Caron and Clifford Solomon once again shine in support of their leader. ~Bill Dahl

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Jeff Hamilton Trio - Live From San Pedro

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:42
Size: 122.9 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 2018
Art: Front

[4:35] 1. Sybille's Day
[6:09] 2. Poinciana
[3:21] 3. Hammer's Tones
[5:33] 4. I Have Dreamed
[6:33] 5. In Walked Bud
[4:34] 6. Gina's Groove
[5:33] 7. Brush This
[4:36] 8. Benissimo
[5:49] 9. Gary, Indiana
[6:54] 10. Hoosier Friend

Christoph Luty: bass; Tamir Hendelman: piano; Jeff Hamilton: drums.

Jeff Hamilton Trio has been together for over 17 years and this is their first live recording for Capri! It was recorded in the intimate setting of Alva's Showroom in San Pedro California before an audience of friends and die-hard fans. The tunes are made up of 3 standards including a delightful version of Poinciana, I Have Dreamed from the team of Rogers and Hammerstein and Thelonious Monk's In Walked Bud as well as originals by Hamilton, John Clayton, Tamir Hendelman, Matt Wilson, Joe La Barbara and Georg Robert. The CD is dedicated to Jeff's mom who passed away 16 days after the recording was made.

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Lorez Alexandria - Singing Songs Everyone Knows

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:27
Size: 85.7 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 1960/2005
Art: Front

[2:46] 1. Just One Of Those Things
[2:53] 2. Then I'll Be Tired Of You
[2:05] 3. Lush Life
[2:35] 4. Sometimes I'm Happy
[2:57] 5. Long Ago And Far Away
[2:14] 6. But Beautiful
[4:19] 7. I'm Beginning To See The Light
[3:03] 8. I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me
[3:35] 9. Spring Is Here
[4:18] 10. Angel Eyes
[3:01] 11. Better Luck Next Time
[3:36] 12. I Don't Know What Time It Was

Lorez Alexandria recorded very few sessions in the 50's and sixties, and it's a shame since she was one of the best swinging jazz singers of the period. A fine jazz and swing singer, Alexandria is backed here by a big band, which she does a wondeful job ineracting with. Alexandra swings right along and scats her way thru an amazing set, making this one of her finest all around sets. A few of the highlights include Better Luck Next Time, a haunting Lush Life, and But Beautiful. It is nice to hear alexandria backed by a swinging big band, instead of the usual small group setting. A wonderful re-issue. ~Aaron B.

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Terry Lower - Step By Step

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:31
Size: 154.6 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[5:09] 1. Step By Step
[5:31] 2. I Didn't Know What Time It Was
[6:05] 3. Seabiscuit
[5:53] 4. You Don't Know What Love Is
[5:14] 5. Teach Me Tonight
[5:30] 6. Cry Me A River
[5:55] 7. Yesterdays
[5:24] 8. Spartacus Love Theme
[4:48] 9. Sobwena
[4:24] 10. Theme From 'summer Of 42'
[4:47] 11. Caravan
[8:45] 12. Harlem Nocturne

A deftly melodic pianist with an ear writing for lush arrangements, Terry Lower has long been the consummate sideman supplying his lithe improvisational touch and superb arranging skills to bandleaders across Michigan and beyond. On Lower's superb 2005 solo effort Step by Step, we find the journeyman pianist leading a stellar cadre of similarly-minded post-boppers through an urbane and fiery set of originals and standards. Joining Lower here are bassist Ray Tini, drummers Larry Ochiltree and Jim "Shaft" Ryan, as well as trumpeter Rob Smith, trombonist Earlie Braggs and saxophonist Doug Horn. Often reminiscent of the high-energy groups of the late drummer Art Blakey, Lower's group tackles his own crisp and well-balanced septet original compositions including the boppish "Seabiscuit" and the Latin inspired "Sobwena." Changing gears, Lower also delivers some more intimate moments as on his funky, blues-inflected, afterglow trio take on the ballad "You Don't Know What Love Is" and the elegiac "Cry Me a River." This is great modern jazz. ~Matt Collar

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Joyce Cooling - Revolving Door

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:51
Size: 105.0 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[5:43] 1. Mildred's Attraction
[5:14] 2. Cool Of The Night
[5:44] 3. Revolving Door
[6:17] 4. At The Modern
[5:44] 5. Come And Get It
[3:55] 6. I'll Always Love You
[5:04] 7. Little Sister
[1:39] 8. In Case Of Rain
[4:26] 9. Jesse's Bench
[2:00] 10. One Again

On her previous album, This Girl's Got to Play -- which was inspired by the soul-searching she did post 9/11 -- this popular San Francisco-based smooth jazz guitarist made an ongoing commitment to making music about things that matter. Joyce Cooling's early album titles were cute twists on her name, but the Revolving Door she's referring to on this diverse and heartfelt disc goes into some deep territory; it's about the cycle of mental illness, which she knows intimately about due to growing up with a brother who was schizophrenic. That sounds like heavy stuff for an artist in a genre that's usually about happy escapist music, but Cooling finds a way to balance the darker edges with the joyful breeziness that has long endeared her to fans. First the shadier stuff, off the smooth path: the title track is a seductive and emotional blues-drenched expression featuring some of her most gutsy, heartfelt playing ever; it's reminiscent of some of Larry Carlton's brilliant fusions of smooth jazz and real blues. Though it only runs for over a minute, the simple and percussive acoustic tune "In Case of Rain" delves into some interesting Brazilian territory, while "Jesse's Bench" more fully explores her talent for gritty emotional digging on the acoustic. Powered by trippy and hypnotic backing vocals, "Cool of the Night" is all vibey, atmospheric, exotic, retro, and has an irresistible straight-ahead drum brush-driven groove. These songs show tremendous artistic growth for both her and her longtime keyboardist partner Jay Wagner, but Cooling's bread and butter will always be lighthearted gems like the opening tune "Mildred's Attraction," and the jubilant, brass-enhanced "At the Modern." The guitarist always includes a few pleasant vocals in the mix, and the most memorable one here, on the sparsely arranged live track "I'll Always Love You (Ode to the Audience)" directly addresses her love affair with the fans. They'll be giving a lot of love back thanks to the magic of this collection. ~Jonathan Widran

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Benny Golson - Gone With Golson

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:35
Size: 92.9 MB
Styles: Bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1960/1994
Art: Front

[4:49] 1. Stacatto Swing
[6:48] 2. Autumn Leaves
[6:37] 3. Soul Me
[8:35] 4. Blues After Dark
[9:22] 5. Jam For Bobbie
[4:21] 6. A Bit Of Heaven

Bass – Tom Bryant; Drums – Al Harewood; Piano – Ray Bryant; Tenor Saxophone – Benny Golson; Trombone – Curtis Fuller. Recorded in Hackensack, NJ; June 20, 1959.

Shortly before the formation of The Jazztet, tenor-saxophonist Benny Golson and trombonist Curtis Fuller teamed up for this quintet set with pianist Ray Bryant, bassist Tommy Bryant and drummer Al Harewood. Although Golson contributed three of the six songs ("Blues After Dark" is the best-known one), the emphasis is on his playing; the tenor is quite heated on the uptempo blues "Jam for Bobbie." The CD reissue adds "A Bit of Heaven" (originally on a sampler but part of the same session) to the original program, a fine example of hard bop of the late '50s. ~Scott Yanow

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Rick Braun - Intimate Secrets

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1992
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:55
Size: 108,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:10)  1. In A Dream
(4:48)  2. China Blue
(6:34)  3. Corazon De Fuego
(3:11)  4. Laura
(4:43)  5. Shy One
(4:10)  6. Oceanna
(5:17)  7. Midnight Caller Theme
(4:47)  8. Oh, Calico, When You Were Young
(3:51)  9. Intimate Secrets
(3:43) 10. Guardian Of The Dreamer
(2:36) 11. While You Were Gone

?Rick Braun has composed, produced and performed all the music on Intimate Secrets. The songs are arranged and performed by Rick with percussion, keyboards and bass as the backdrop for his sterling flugelhorn and muted trumpet. Acoustic electric guitar, piano and a dash of synth even out the total sound. In these original compositions we hear Rick's solo horn breezing its way over gentle accompaniment. His music engenders a sense of easy freedom, shared companionship and total acceptance... https://www.allmusic.com/album/intimate-secrets-mw0000090058

Personnel: Rick Braun (vocals, trumpet, flugelhorn, French horn, keyboards, bass synthesizer, percussion); Todd Sharp (guitar, acoustic guitar); Jeff Golub (acoustic guitar, steel guitar); Todd Smallwood (electric guitar); Doug Norwine (tenor saxophone); Brad Fiedel (piano); Cliff Hugo (fretless bass); Pascal Nabet-Meyer (percussion)

Intimate Secrets

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Kathy Troccoli - Heartsongs

Styles: Vocal 
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:17
Size: 115,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:23)  1. Dance With Me
(4:14)  2. Never Can Say Goodbye
(3:08)  3. Feelin' Groovy
(4:13)  4. It Might Be You
(4:43)  5. Let's Stay Together
(4:51)  6. Overjoyed
(3:53)  7. In My Life
(5:00)  8. Your Song
(4:10)  9. Up On The Roof
(4:19) 10. I Won't Last A Day Without You
(3:17) 11. I'll Have To Say I Love You In A Song
(4:00) 12. What A Wonderful World

Crossing acoustic elements similar to Eva Cassidy and subtle jazz stylings hinting of Norah Jones, uber alto crooner, Kathy Troccoli, adds a dash of Sarah Vaughan vocal coloring and creates a unique sound on this collection of "heartsongs" from the eclectic songbooks of James Taylor, Stevie Wonder, Carole King, Elton John, Al Green, and The Beatles. ~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Heartsongs-Kathy-Troccoli/dp/B003JLA4M6             

Heartsongs

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Donald Brown - Sources of Inspiration

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1990
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:35
Size: 120,7 MB
Art: Front

(6:54)  1. Capetown Ambush
(6:28)  2. Overtaken by a Moment
(6:22)  3. Do We Have to Say Goodbye?
(6:46)  4. Embraceable You
(6:36)  5. New York
(7:03)  6. Phineas
(4:15)  7. The Insane Asylum
(8:09)  8. The Human Impersonator

With the exception of "Embraceable You" (one of two songs on this CD that are "bonus" cuts not on the LP version), pianist Donald Brown wrote all of the material. The strong quintet (which also features Eddie Henderson and altoist Gary Bartz) really digs into the diverse originals which are often reminiscent of a Blue Note date circa 1967.  ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/sources-of-inspiration-mw0000612773

Personnel:  Donald Brown – piano;  Eddie Henderson - trumpet, flugelhorn;  Gary Bartz - soprano saxophone, alto saxophone;  Buster Williams – bass;  Carl Allen – drums

Sources of Inspiration

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Gary Smulyan Nonet - Saxophone Mosaic

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:20
Size: 127,7 MB
Art: Front

(7:48)  1. Apache Dance
(8:20)  2. Olivia's Arrival
(6:55)  3. Speculation
(8:10)  4. The Wind
(5:28)  5. Smoke Signal
(5:54)  6. Stockholm Sweetnin'
(3:09)  7. Springsville
(9:32)  8. Fingers

Gary Smulyan has gradually emerged as one of the top successors to the deep-toned baritonist Pepper Adams. For this Cross Cross CD Smulyan uses a saxophone section partly drawn from the Mel Lewis Orchestra (Dick Oatts on alto and soprano, altoist Billy Drewed, tenors Ralph Lalama and Richie Perry and baritonist Scott Robinson) and a fine rhythm section. The arrangements of Bob Belden are a major factor in the date's success as he successfully revives a variety of obscurities from the 1950s including Quincy Jones's "Stockholm Sweetnin'," Johnny Carisi's "Springsville" and Horace Silver's "Speculation" in colorful fashion. Whlie some of the songs are primarily features for Smulyan, the other saxophonists also have their chances to be heard and, even if the liner notes unfortunately do not identify the exact soloists, this is a well-conceived and easily recommended bop session. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/saxophone-mosaic-mw0000177782

Gary Smulyan Nonet: Gary Smulyan (baritone saxophone); Bob Belden (conductor); Dick Oatts (soprano & alto saxophones, flute); Billy Drewes (alto saxophone, flute, clarinet); Ralph Lalama (tenor saxophone, flute, clarinet); Richie Perry (tenor saxophone); Scott Robinson (baritone saxophone, bass clarinet); Mike LeDonne (piano); Dennis Irwin (bass); Kenny Washington (drums).

Saxophone Mosaic

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George Cables - Quiet Fire

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:19
Size: 131,6 MB
Art: Front

(6:18)  1. Uncle Bubba
(5:41)  2. Quiet Fire
(9:54)  3. My Ship
(7:20)  4. Fried Bananas
(8:06)  5. Waltz For Monday
(5:56)  6. You Stepped Out Of A Dream
(7:07)  7. Naima's Love Song
(6:53)  8. The Decrepit Fox

?George Cables primarily focuses on jazz compositions in this 1994 trio session with bassist Ron McClure and drummer Billy Hart. His dazzling technique is heard full force in Gary Bartz's slinky, driving blues "Uncle Bubba," while his treatment of former boss Dexter Gordon's "Fried Bananas" (based on the chord changes to the standard "It Could Happen to You") is a rollicking affair as well. Pianist John Hicks'"Naima's Love Song" isn't all that well known, but Cables' sensitive Latin interpretation, with great support from McClure and Hart's light touches make it a piece worth greater exploration in the jazz world. The trio dives headlong into Freddie Hubbard's rapid-fire modal composition "The Decrepit Fox" (a hilarious name for such a demanding piece!), turning in a fiery performance. Cables' one original, "Quiet Fire," is a cooking post-bop affair as well. The pianist's lyrical side is apparent in the standard "My Ship," while the intriguing calypso introduction to "You Stepped Out of a Dream" leads into a pulsating samba treatment. Highly recommended. ~ Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/quiet-fire-mw0000406524

Personnel:  George Cables – piano;  Ron McClure – bass;  Billy Hart – drums

Quiet Fire

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