Stan Getz, Al Haig - Prezervation (Remastered)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:29
Size: 81.2 MB
Styles: Bop, West Coast jazz
Year: 1967/1992
Art: Front

[2:42] 1. Prezervation
[2:59] 2. Pinch Bottle
[2:52] 3. Earless Engineering
[3:06] 4. Be Still, Tv
[3:17] 5. Short P, Not LP
[2:39] 6. Stardust
[2:38] 7. Goodnight My Love
[3:19] 8. Intoit
[2:34] 9. Liza
[3:32] 10. Stars Fell On Alabama
[3:28] 11. Stairway To The Stars
[2:18] 12. Opus Caprice

All of these sides were recorded in 1949-50 for Prestige, most of them under pianist Al Haig's name (when the material was first released on LP in 1967, Getz was much better known and more likely to sell records, thus he was given the leadership plug, even though he doesn't even appear on 1/3 of the tunes).

One track with Getz that's especially fine is the title tune, PREZERVATION, which is an alternate take of the famous CRAZY CHORDS, an up-tempo blues that changes keys with every chorus. It's a real beauty. INTOIT is another swinger with good solos by Getz and Haig. Four of the numbers feature just Haig with the rhythm section (Tommy Potter [b] Roy Haynes [d]); OPUS CAPRICE sounds very much like Monk's RHYTHM-A-NING, and Al plays a nice version of LIZA. Two other tunes feature Junior Parker on vocal; STARDUST has Stan playing the verse and then Parker taking over for a rather straight vocal. This CD collects early stuff by these two modern masters when bop was king. Definitely worth checking out. ~Bomojaz

Prezervation (Remastered) mc
Prezervation (Remastered) zippy

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The Four Freshmen - First Affair

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:28
Size: 76.6 MB
Styles: Jazz/pop harmony vocals
Year: 1960/2011
Art: Front

[2:57] 1. Please Be Kind
[2:02] 2. I Hadn't Anyone Till You
[3:02] 3. At Last
[2:38] 4. I Didn't Know About You
[4:04] 5. Polka Dots And Moonbeams
[2:38] 6. I'm Beginning To See The Light
[2:29] 7. Long Ago
[2:54] 8. I've Never Been In Love Before
[2:38] 9. Be Careful It's My Heart
[3:02] 10. It's A New World
[2:17] 11. I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me
[2:42] 12. First Affair

The Four Freshmen were one of the top vocal groups of the 1950s, and formed the bridge between '40s ensembles like the Mel-Tones and harmony-based rock & roll bands such as the Beach Boys as well as groups like Spanky & Our Gang and the Manhattan Transfer. The group's roots go back to the end of the 1940s and a barbershop quartet-influenced outfit called Hal's Harmonizers, organized at the Arthur Jordan Conservatory of Butler University in Indiana by two brothers, Ross and Don Barbour. Their repertoire centered on standards such as "Moonglow" and "The Christmas Song," and they began to show an unusually free, improvisational approach to their harmony singing. A couple of membership changes brought Bob Flanigan, a cousin, into the fold alongside Hal Kratzsch, and suddenly the Four Freshmen were assembled in all but name, and that fell into place a little later.

First Affair mc
First Affair zippy

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Peter O'Mara - My Time

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 78:46
Size: 180.3 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[ 7:30] 1. It Never Entered My Mind
[ 6:11] 2. Sizzle
[ 7:18] 3. Waltz For Vivien
[ 6:59] 4. Maratime
[ 7:17] 5. Round Midnight
[ 6:55] 6. Crossing Over
[ 8:36] 7. Dolphin Dance
[12:00] 8. I Concentrate On You
[ 7:58] 9. Last Chance
[ 7:58] 10. Movin On

Guitarist Peter O'Mara's is a soft, round tone that spreads across the jazz mainstream on My Time. This soft ambiance is further buffeted by Tim Collins' vibraphone as harmony instrument. Color is added via the careful cymbal craft of drummer Matthias Gmelin. Bassist Henning Sievert's roll is both tactile and implied, his soloing elegant.

O'Mara is respectful of the standards, as on his lengthy reading of "I Concentrate On You" and the dusky-toned "'Round Midnight." O'Mara's originals are as inventive as they are uncluttered by mean displays of blank virtuosity. O'Mara plays the notes necessary, avoiding a crowded and busy solo space. O'Mara's "Waltz for Vivian" is airy and refined, given ethereal life by Collins' bubbling vibes. My Time is a gentle survey of standards and originals that is readily listenable and enjoyable. ~C. Michael Bailey

My Time mc
My Time zippy

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Kat Webb - An Old Soul

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:04
Size: 121.5 MB
Styles: Soul vocals
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[4:15] 1. Come Sunday
[3:28] 2. Fever
[5:31] 3. Lush Life
[3:47] 4. I'm Still In Love With You
[5:02] 5. All Or Nothing At All
[4:39] 6. I Heard It Through The Grapevine
[3:00] 7. Wives & Lovers
[3:51] 8. Blackbird
[4:31] 9. Walk On By
[6:15] 10. Cry Me A River
[8:41] 11. Until You Come Back To Me

Chris Rob: Keys, Strings, Auxiliary Instruments; Solomon Dorsey: Bass; Joe Blaxx: Drums; eZra Brown: Tenor Sax (except "I'm Still in Love With You", "I Heard it Through the Grapevine", & "Until You Come Back to Me"); Maurice Brown: Trumpet; Chelsea Baratz: Tenor Sax ("I'm Still in Love With You", "I Heard it Through the Grapevine", & "Until You Come Back to Me"); Saunders Sermons II: Trombone; Daniel Sadownick: Auxiliary Percussion; Brandee Younger: Harp.

Hi Everyone!! So, I thought I'd take a moment to tell everyone a little bit about what makes me debut album, "An Old Soul", so special, beyond that I think it's pretty incredible musically. ;)

First off, it pays homage to some amazing music greats. Ella Fitzgerald, Aretha Franklin, Dionne Warwick, Mahalia Jackson and others' great works are all on here, not to mention the writing of people like Billy Strayhorn, Duke Ellington, Burt Bacharach and John Lennon, among others! Secondly, this album was recorded in analog. "What's analog?", you ask? Well, analog was the precursor to ProTools. Back when computers were nothing but sci-fi fantasy, music was recorded on REAL TAPE. My album was recorded on a 24-track recorder. One real weighs about thirty pounds. First it was recorded using REAL MUSICIANS with REAL CREATIVE IDEAS (not digital samples or loops) in a live room along with myself, as if we were putting on a live concert. Without the ability to do 500 takes of each song (because we're working with real tape, and each is only about 30min long), I had to work with tremendously talented musicians who could make it beautiful, make it unique, and get it right. This type of recording focuses on stellar musicians and inspiration over complete perfection and homogynization. All of this was done to keep it more authentically old school, similar to the classic songs to which I'm honoring. One more fun fact about the studio: It was the same studio in which Wu-Tang Clan recorded at one point! ;)

Third, I mentioned it before but it deserves special attention: this album features AMAZING musicians. The musicians I worked with are ALL doing amazing things on their own as well. To find them, you can check out the artists that I like. Although I LOVE plenty of today's artists and think there's DEFINITELY plenty of real music still out there, I'm saving my "like" section for those that worked with me on the album, that I've performed with, and for places/events that have provided me to perform. I strongly urge you to check all of them out as they're ridiculously talented in their own right.

And fourth and last, this album was recorded independently. That means yours truly worked with these people, booked this studio time, raised these funds, found these graphic designers, got these pictures taken, etc. This is the beauty of independent music. You have complete control and freedom, but it also means a lot of work. I wouldn't change how I did this project for one minute, because I had nothing but amazing respect for the independent music industry before this and I'm in TOTAL AWE now. AND, the way in which it was recorded means you're really getting to know ME, Kat Webb, as an artist and as a person, because everything about this album and project was EXTREMELY person, even if the songs aren't original.

So thank you in advance for your support! I've thanked everyone who worked on this project abundantly but thank YOU all again as well, for making my dream and my first project come true. There's a long road ahead of me but this first step is a sure, firm one, thanks to everyone involved. :) ~Kat.

An Old Soul mc
An Old Soul zippy

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Branislav Bubalo - Closer To Me

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:21
Size: 133.6 MB
Styles: Orchestral jazz
Year: 2017
Art: Front

[6:34] 1. Mediterranean Nights
[5:59] 2. Estate
[5:46] 3. April In Portugal
[9:33] 4. Shepherd's Ballad
[3:36] 5. Oblivion
[6:16] 6. Golden Earrings
[5:10] 7. Historia De Un Amor
[6:21] 8. Little Sweet
[4:16] 9. Slavonic Dance
[4:46] 10. Nizamski Rastanak

A romantic, exciting fusion of Mediterranean, Tango and Jazz styling. Featuring Branislav Bubalo on accordion, Larry Vuckovich on piano, Vince Delgado on hand percussion, Jeremy Cohen on violin, Daniel Reiter on cello, Buca Necak on bass & Jackie Ryan as vocal. "Simply beautiful music!" mentioned by many. The string section provides intriguing texture with most of the arrangements done by Larry Dunlap, a grammy music awards winner.

Closer To Me mc
Closer To Me zippy

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Yo-Yo Ma - Songs Of Joy & Peace

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 79:41

Size: 182.4 MB

Styles: Classical crossover

Year: 2008

Art: Front

[2:00] 1. Dona Nobis Pacem

[3:29] 2. You Couldn't Be Cuter (Feat. Diana Krall)

[3:43] 3. Joy To The World (Feat. Dave Brubeck)

[2:50] 4. Here Comes The Sun (Feat. James Taylor)

[2:57] 5. Improvisation On Dona Nobis Pacem (Give Us Peace)

[2:37] 6. The Wassail Song All Through The Night

[3:47] 7. A Christmas Jig Mouth Of The Tobique Reel (Feat. Natalie Macmaster)

[4:20] 8. The Wexford Carol (Feat. Alison Krauss)

[3:06] 9. Panxoliña A Galician Carol (Feat. Cristina Pato)

[0:58] 10. Improvisation On Dona Nobis Pacem (Give Us Peace) (Feat. Sergio Assad)

[3:25] 11. Vassourinhas

[2:32] 12. Improvisation On Dona Nobis Pacem (Give Us Peace) (Feat. Paquito D'rivera)

[4:53] 13. Invitación Al Danzón (Feat. Paquito D'rivera)

[4:07] 14. My One And Only Love (Feat. Joshua Redman)

[3:57] 15. Familia

[4:31] 16. Concordia (Feat. Dave Brubeck)

[6:30] 17. My Favorite Things (Feat. Chris Botti)

[4:36] 18. Touch The Hand Of Love (Feat. Renée Fleming)

[3:26] 19. Kuai Le

[5:02] 20. This Little Light Of Mine (Feat. Amelia Zirin-Brown)

[4:46] 21. Happy Xmas (War Is Over) (Feat. Jake Shimabukuro)

[1:58] 22. Dona Nobis Pacem (Give Us Peace) Auld Lang Syne (Feat. Chris Botti)

Cellist Yo-Yo Ma has long been a giant in the classical world, though he has also made a number of recordings with musicians who play other styles. This holiday disc doesn't exclusively stick to traditional Christmas songs, but covers a wide scope of material in a very ambitious manner. Ma opens with a lovely take of the traditional favorite Dona nobis pacem (Give Us Peace), playing both the melody and counterpoint via overdubbing. Jazz pianist/vocalist Diana Krall is superb in a swinging rendition of Jerome Kern's unjustly obscure "You Couldn't Be Cuter," adding bassist John Clayton. An arrangement of Joy to the World features pianist Dave Brubeck, cellist Matt Brubeck (his son), and clarinetist Paquito d'Rivera in a playful setting that works in The Christmas Song and On the Trail. The senior Brubeck's Concordia is filled with spirit in a lively performance with the two cellists. Chris Botti has never sounded better in the warm arrangement of My Favorite Things, playing both open and muted trumpet, with pianist Billy Childs, bassist Robert Hurst, drummer Billy Kilson, and guitarist Romero Lubambo. Ma has previously collaborated with bassist Edgar Meyer (who is equally at home in jazz and classical music), though this is the cellist's first meeting with mandolinist Chris Thile. Together they make an impressive trio, especially in the enticing medley of The Wassail Song and All Through the Night. Soprano Renée Fleming's rich voice is beautifully complemented by Ma, Meyer, and Thile. Having worked with onetime bluegrass fiddler Mark O'Connor, Ma is very much at home with Celtic fiddler Natalie MacMaster in the lively medley of A Christmas Jig/Mouth of the Tobique Reel. Among the other friends featured on this disc are the Assad Family, Wu Tong & the Silk Road Ensemble, tenor saxophonist Joshua Redman, plus Alison Krauss with piper Christina Pato. One track doesn't fit in all that well with the rest of this CD. The Beatles' bland "Here Comes the Sun" has a warm vocal by James Taylor, but it is hampered by its weak lyrics. ~Ken Dryden

Songs Of Joy & Peace

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Buddy Montgomery Trio - Here Again

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:31
Size: 136.3 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 1997
Art: Front

[4:55] 1. My Ideal
[6:09] 2. 1,000 Rainbows
[5:56] 3. Aki's Blues
[7:23] 4. Invitation
[7:53] 5. That Old Black Magic
[7:39] 6. Blues For David
[7:00] 7. You've Changed
[7:07] 8. Hob Nob With Brother Bob
[5:24] 9. Here Again

Buddy Montgomery, the youngest and sole surviving Montgomery brother, is a musician ripe for rediscovery. Since achieving major success in the 1960s with the Montgomery Brothers band, and (along with brother Monk on bass) backing brother Wes on some of the guitar great's most popular albums, Buddy has been heard from only occasionally. His new trio album on Sharp Nine Records, Here Again, shows him still in fine form both as a composer and gently swinging pianist.

Montgomery is from the generation of piano players between bebop pioneers Monk and Powell and 1960s innovators Tyner, Hancock, and Corea. And he sounds like it: His smooth, bluesy playing fits firmly within the post-bop tradition with a strong Latin influence. He is an extremely quiet, economical player not given to loud flourishes or aggressive physical attacks on the keyboard. Montgomery's instrumental virtuosity doesn't leap out at you. His strengths are more subtle. Indeed, this is one of the quieter, more thoughtful albums of the year. And the type of album that may require several listenings to appreciate fully.

If the album has one weakness, it is the relative sameness of the compositions and tempos. Even the usually up-tempo chestnut "That Old Black Magic" is transformed here into an almost unrecognizable slow ballad. One or two fast numbers, or a straight out blues, might have livened things up a bit. But, with solid backing from bassist Jeff Chambers and drummer Ray Appleton, Montgomery has made a fine album of quiet, soulful piano music. ~Joel Robets

Here Again mc
Here Again zippy

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Michael Franks - Rendezvous in Rio

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:39
Size: 129,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:26)  1. Under the Sun
(5:36)  2. Rendezvous in Rio
(5:47)  3. The Cool School
(4:40)  4. Samba do Soho
(5:16)  5. The Critics Are Never Kind
(4:27)  6. Scatsville
(4:24)  7. The Chemistry of Love
(5:41)  8. Hearing 'Take Five'
(4:30)  9. The Question is Why
(6:46) 10. Songbirds

Michael Franks' laid-back vocals have made him the choice of a new generation of cool school attendees. With Rendezvous in Rio, his debut release for Koch Records, Franks continuously shows why he is still at the top of his game with brand-new songs that will soothe, undo your stresses, or put you in a romantic mood. The various musical styles on the CD include two Brazilian sambas, one titled "Under the Sun," pointing you toward the Southern Hemisphere and the warmth of Rio de Janeiro and Bahia. A master of phrasing and elongated notes, Franks tells his great stories in several tempos that literally have you wanted to take this journey with him. "Rendezvous in Rio" starts with Café's percussive whistle and the rhythmic flow of Romero Lubambo's guitar. Chris Hunter's sax and flute solos also heighten the imagery of Franks' sexy vocals. "The Cool School" starts with the beautiful guitar accompaniment of Chuck Loeb and continues under Franks' vocals with a hushed flow of cool/smooth riffs that make this song one of the best on the CD. With the artistry of such respected contemporary jazz artists as Jeff Lorber, Jimmy Haslip, Chuck Loeb, and Alex Al and the lilt of the carnival whistle, Michael Franks has conspired to entertain you, and has succeeded. You're sure to enjoy this very special Rendezvous in Rio. Recommended. ~ Paula Edelstein https://www.allmusic.com/album/rendezvous-in-rio-mw0000442477

Personnel: Michael Franks (vocals); Robbie Dupree (vocals, background vocals); Carmen Cuesta-Loeb, Larry Hoppen, Pamela Driggs (vocals); Chuck Loeb (guitar, piano, keyboards, programming); Dwight Sills, Marc Shulman, Mike DeMicco, Romero Lubambo (guitar); Gary Meek (flute, saxophone, tenor saxophone); Chris Hunter (flute, saxophone); Andy Suzuki (woodwinds); Roger Burn (piano, keyboards, vibraphone); Jeff Lorber (keyboards, programming, drum programming, percussion programming); Charles Blenzig (keyboards, programming); Scott Petito (keyboards); Jimmy Haslip (electric bass); Jerry Marotta (drums, percussion); Michael White , Michael White , Wolfgang Haffner, Brian Dunne, Vinnie Colaiuta (drums); Café (percussion); Leslie Ritter, Veronica Nunn, Beth Reineke (background vocals); Eric Marienthal (alto saxophone, tenor saxophone); David Sancious (piano, keyboards).

Rendezvous in Rio

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Carmen Cuesta-Loeb - Toda una vida

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:43
Size: 119,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:46)  1. Voy a Apagar la Luz
(3:50)  2. Quizás, Quizás, Quizás
(4:23)  3. Contigo Aprendí
(4:40)  4. Eu Sei Que Vou Te Amar
(4:02)  5. El Reloj
(4:57)  6. La Puerta
(4:40)  7. El Día Que Me Quieras
(4:52)  8. No Te Confundas
(4:09)  9. Dos Gardenias
(4:16) 10. Como Fue
(3:16) 11. Bésame Mucho
(3:46) 12. Toda una Vida

“Toda Una Vida” is not your typical Boleros album even though it has mostly Bolero standards. Spaniard singer Carmen Cuesta gives a nice jazzy spin to classic Boleros in her CD with the help of jazz guitarist and husband Chuck Loeb. “Most singers at one point in their career will want to do a Boleros album…” Carmen told me in an interview with Latino Music Café. “There are so many good Bolero albums out there, that I wanted to give mine something different. I wanted to combine the American influence of Jazz with the Latin essence of the Bolero” said the singer raised in Madrid.To be able to achieve this beautiful differentiation in “Toda Una Vida”, it helps to work (and be married ) with legendary guitarist Chuck Loeb, who played in Stan Getz´s band. 

“Collaborating with Chuck allowed me to take (the songs) into a slightly different dimension, a new approach” says Carmen in her press release for “Toda Una Vida” (released January 2014). In our conversation, Carmen said that they wanted to change the tempo of the typical Bolero, but still keeping the essence of the message and feeling of each song. This extraordinary mix of beautiful Bolero standards with a slightly different musical approach was achieved thanks to Chuck Loeb’s musical mastery as well as the participation of Madrid-based renown musicians. “Toda Una Vida” was co-produced by popular Spanish music producer Paco Ortega and was recorded in Ortega’s Musicgrama recording studio in Madrid.¨ For her 6th album, Carmen Cuesta selected a combination of songs that include renown Bolero standards, a few less known Boleros, and then added one song of her own authorship. “My first thought was to record less known but beautiful Boleros that people might not be familiar with; but then decided that I also wanted to record some Bolero standards that I really love. To round up the album I thought, ‘why not add one of my own compositions?’, and added “No Te Confundas”. http://www.latinomusiccafe.com/2014/02/16/carmen-cuestas-jazzy-boleros-in-toda-una-vida/

Personnel: Carmen Cuesta: vocals; Chuck Loeb: guitars, additional keyboards; José San Martín: drums, shakers; Antonio “Toño” Miguel: acoustic bass; Moisés P. Sánchez: piano, electric piano; Yuvisney Aguilar: percussion; Antonio Serrano: harmonica (3); Kike Perdomo: flute (2); Oli Rockberger: piano (12).

Toda una vida

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Etienne Charles - Culture Shock

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:14
Size: 98,2 MB
Art: Front

(7:58)  1. Culture Shock
(4:52)  2. Sunday
(8:29)  3. Prayer for Lynette
(5:34)  4. Ruth
(5:33)  5. Lost in the Bronx
(5:02)  6. Embraceable You
(4:43)  7. Old School

There is no use in trying to pigeonhole 2006 National Trumpet Competition winner Etienne Charles. One listen to his debut album Culture Shock shows the depth and breadth of his varied musical heritage. From the Calypso and Caribbean steel pan grooves of his native Trinidad, to sophisticated swing firmly rooted in the jazz tradition, Charles deftly incorporates a multitude of styles while maintaining continuity, freshness, and maturity in his sound that is often lacking in other players of his generation. Twenty-three year old Etienne Charles comes from a rich legacy of musical tradition. His grandfather was seldom seen without his cuatro or guitar. His father Francis was a member of Phase II Pan Groove, one of the world's top steel bands and one that Etienne would later join himself. Music surrounded Charles as a child, emanating from his father's record collection, and the sounds of calypso, steel pan, and African shango and tassa drumming. These formative years inform Charles's playing and are evident in his sound today.  Already Charles is a celebrated award-winning trumpeter. 

At Fatima College in Trinidad, Charles was the first three-time winner of the coveted Provincial Cup, and was also the youngest person to ever receive the award at age 13. In 2002 he began his studies at Florida State University and in 2006 he graduated as Brautlecht Scholar of the College of Music, where he studied jazz with legendary pianist Marcus Roberts. He is currently pursuing a Masters degree in Jazz Studies at the Julliard School. Charles has been awarded the IAJE Award for Outstanding Service to Jazz Education and a Special Citation for Outstanding Musicianship. Charles is also an alumnus of the prestigious Henry Mancini Institute in Los Angeles where in 2006 he recorded on the album Elevation featuring Eddie Daniels and Tom Scott which received two Grammy award nominations. He has shared the stage with Grammy Award winners Roberta Flack and Ralph MacDonald, jazz piano great Marcus Roberts, Maria Schneider, Johnny Mandel, Rene Marie, Gerald Wilson, and a host of others.  For his first album, Culture Shock, Charles assembled an outstanding and seasoned band of veteran musicians to help him bring his vision of jazz fused with Afro-Caribbean rhythms to fruition. The aforementioned pianist extraordinaire Marcus Roberts is featured, with Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra trombonist Vincent Gardner, Len "Boogsie" Sharpe, Ralph MacDonald, vocalist Pam Laws, saxophonist Dayve Stewart, and the hard swinging and solid rhythm section of Rodney Jordan and Leon Anderson on bass and drums respectively. This all-star cast brings together Charles's diverse influences and creates a unified, fresh, and urgent musical presentation on par with the best jazz being made today. Etienne Charles is a talented, creative soul with a vision and the will to bring it to the world. https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/etiennecharles

Culture Shock

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Mike Longo - Step on It

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:18
Size: 131,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:54)  1. Impressions
(6:31)  2. Poinciana
(3:35)  3. Step on It
(7:14)  4. Nefertiti
(5:25)  5. Ana Maria
(5:22)  6. Cantaloupe Island
(5:36)  7. Black Narcissis
(4:55)  8. Black Nile
(5:26)  9. My Ship
(3:04) 10. Blue 'n Boogie
(4:13) 11. Tico Tico

If you want to hear what pianist Mike Longo enjoys, and how he thinks, you listen to his big band The New York State Of The Art Jazz Ensemble which is featured on Live From New York! (Consolidate Artists Productions, 2013); if you just want to hear Mike Longo, you listen to this trio. Step On It is the third go-round for this group, following Sting Like A Bee (Consolidated Artists Productions, 2009) and the trio-plus-guests To My Surprise (Consolidated Artists Productions, 2011). Both of those albums contain plenty of familiar songs, as does this standards-heavy date, so some might wonder what can really be said here that hasn't been said before. The answer comes through the music and with an analogy that Longo makes: The veteran pianist shrewdly notes that "jazz is like a baseball game." Nothing is really new, yet things are different every single time the ball is in play. Participants in both scenarios react to different stimuli, creating something unique every time they get together play. Longo and his well-seasoned teammates bassist Bob Cranshaw and drummer Lewis Nash immediately make it clear that they're looking to do their own thing with many of these songs. They start the album with a slower-than-usual swing-funk take on John Coltrane's "Impressions" and a version of "Poinciana" that has no Vernell Fournier beat beneath it. As things continue, Longo and company continue to play with expectations, striking close to the norm on some tunes and taking a divergent path on others. The band waltzes its way through Joe Henderson's "Black Narcissus," delivers a from-the-mold take on Herbie Hancock's "Cantaloupe Island," and visits the work of Longo's erstwhile employer with a driving take on trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie's "Blue N' Boogie." While plenty of greats are referenced during this program, saxophonist Wayne Shorter's work gets the most attention. His enigmatic-yet-universal tunes prove to be great choices for this group, as Longo and company deliver a mellow "Nefertiti," an elegant, Brazilian-laced "Ana Maria," and a buoyant-and-lively "Black Nile." Nobody knows exactly what will happen when players like Longo, Cranshaw and Nash get together, but it's easy to ballpark it and safe to say that some sparks will fly. That they do during Step On It. ~ Dan Bilawsky https://www.allaboutjazz.com/step-on-it-mike-longo-consolidated-artists-productions-review-by-dan-bilawsky.php

Personnel: Mike Longo: piano; Bob Cranshaw: bass; Lewis Nash: drums.

Step on It

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Van Morrison & Joey DeFrancesco - You're Driving Me Crazy

Styles: Vocal, Saxophone Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:45
Size: 166,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:15)  1. Miss Otis Regrets
(4:09)  2. Hold It Right There
(3:05)  3. All Saints Day
(4:13)  4. The Way Young Lovers Do
(5:55)  5. The Things I Used to Do
(4:18)  6. Travelin' Light
(4:45)  7. Close Enough for Jazz
(7:05)  8. Goldfish Bowl
(3:21)  9. Evening Shadows
(5:13) 10. Magic Time
(4:46) 11. You're Driving Me Crazy
(5:38) 12. Everyday I Have the Blues
(4:52) 13. Have I Told You Lately?
(2:46) 14. Sticks and Stones
(5:15) 15. Celtic Swing

Van Morrison's late career tear continues with You're Driving Me Crazy, his third album in seven months. Following the formula of 2017's Roll with the Punches and Versatile each offered jazz, blues and R&B standards and redone originals this set offers eight tracks from Morrison's catalog and seven standards. it stands on its own, however, as a collaborative encounter with jazz organist and trumpeter Joey DeFrancesco's hip quartet. They all holed up in a Sausalito studio and completed the recording in only two days, capturing everything in a take or two.The loose feel is deceptive as the playing is anchored deep in the pocket; it crackles with live-wire intensity. Cole Porter's "Miss Otis Regrets" is framed by a gentle swing, with DeFrancesco's organ and Troy Roberts' smoky tenor saxophone introducing Morrison. Though he sings in a lower register now, his voice has lost none of its suppleness. He hovers, glides, and swoops through the lyrics; his vocal is akin to another horn, thus making DeFrancesco's trumpet solo a virtual duet. The jump swing of "All Saints Day" sounds like Jimmy McGriff jamming with Louis Jordan and James Moody. The new version of "The Way Young Lovers Do," from Astral Weeks, offers a lilting, Coltrane-esque soprano saxophone, modal changes, souled-out scatting, and minor swing, revealing just how prescient and timeless the song remains. Johnny Mercer's "Travelin' Light" is a sweet, sultry blues with muted trumpet, shimmering chords, and Morrison's improvisations on the changes. 

The band stretches out on "Goldfish Bowl." Morrison's fingerpopping delivery touches on everyone from Ray Charles to Jimmy Witherspoon; what's more, he adds his alto horn for a twin saxophone attack as DeFrancesco's tight B-3 solo is appended by guitarist Dan Wilson's stinging, fleet-fingered break. No tune here signifies the collective musical mind meld like the title track by Walter Donaldson. It finds Morrison laughing with delight during the instrumental breaks and outro as the band swings and struts. "Everyday I Have the Blues," with twinned saxes, bassline-heavy B-3, and popping snares becomes the perfect jump jam. The uptempo read of "Have I Told You Lately That I Love You" marks the latter (and best) of two duets between Morrison and daughter Shana (the other is Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson's hard bopping "Hold It Right There"). Its three-saxophone head and sumptuous, soul-drenched organ fills surround the pair's empathic singing. The funky Titus Turner-penned "Sticks and Stones" offers dazzling electric piano pumping from DeFrancesco, bell-like cymbals from Wilson, and Morrison straddling of the worlds of R&B, jazz, and blues. Closer "Celtic Swing" is the lone instrumental, a stellar showcase for Morrison's own alto playing and Wilson's arpeggio-rich soloing with DeFrancesco keeping the breezy groove even when he embellishes it during his solo. You're Driving Me Crazy is as energetic as any live show. Of the three successive recordings done in this way, this one stands head and shoulders above for its inspired performances and choices of material. ~ Thom Jurek https://www.allmusic.com/album/youre-driving-me-crazy-mw0003157654    

Personnel:  Van Morrison – vocals, saxophone;  Joey DeFrancesco - Hammond organ, trumpet;  Dan Wilson - guitar;  Michael Ode - drums;  Troy Roberts - saxophone

You're Driving Me Crazy

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