Steve Cole - Moonlight

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:51
Size: 102.7 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[6:56] 1. Moonlight
[3:02] 2. You Can Close Your Eyes
[4:05] 3. (I'm Afraid) The Masquerade Is Over
[4:51] 4. Undun
[6:23] 5. Angel
[3:56] 6. You Don't Know Me
[5:12] 7. Cry Me A River
[5:03] 8. The Look Of Love
[5:19] 9. Long And Winding Road

Steve Cole (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone); Dale Prasco (guitar); David Mann (alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone, keyboards); Mike Logan (piano); Steve Rodby (acoustic bass); Tom Hipskind (drums); Dede Sampaio (percussion).

Moonlight is the Artistry Music debut of saxophonist Steve Cole, who has sold hundreds of thousands of albums worldwide and scored four #1 radio hits in the US. This alternative American songbook interpreting compositions by James Taylor, Sarah McLachlan, Lennon & McCartney, Bacharach & David and more-backed by the strings of the prestigious Millennium Chamber Players of Chicago-is a lush and moving testament to the timeless soul of great songs. Featuring Mike Logan (Will Downing) and Russell Ferrante (Yellowjackets) on piano; Steve Rodby (Pat Metheny Group) on bass; and tenor man Steve Cole.

Moonlight mc
Moonlight zippy

---

Christian Sands - Reach

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 65:22

Size: 149.7 MB

Styles: Piano jazz

Year: 2017

Art: Front

[5:07] 1. Armando's Song

[6:17] 2. Song Of The Rainbow People

[6:03] 3. Pointing West

[6:47] 4. Freefall

[6:30] 5. ¡Óyeme!

[7:10] 6. Bud's Tune

[7:08] 7. Reaching For The Sun

[7:27] 8. Use Me

[5:57] 9. Gangstalude

[6:52] 10. Somewhere Out There

Christian Sands: piano; Marcus Baylor: drums; Yasushi Nakamura: bass; Gilad Hekselman: guitar (7-9); Christian McBride: bass (8); Cristian Rivera: percussion (5); Marcus Strickland: tenor saxophone (3, 4), bass clarinet (4).

A lot plays into the success of an artist's reach, with content and presentation obviously ranking high on the list. But above all, an artist has to be willing to extend a hand if they expect listeners to do the same. Many simply reach for the musical stars without really considering the need to reach out to potential audiences through the music. Pianist Christian Sands doesn't fall into that trap. His reach—both up and out—is long and wide, exemplified on this aptly named date.

Despite any potential allusions in the previous paragraph or the titular ideal, Reach doesn't pander to populist tastes or compromise in anyway. It simply has quality material performed at an extremely high level that can appeal to a wide variety of listeners, ranging from the jazz curious to the jazz cognoscenti. If you've found your way to this site and this review, chances are there's something that appeals to you here, whether you fancy yourself a modernist, a traditionalist, a blues adherent, a neo-soul devotee, a post-bop fan, a Latin jazz lover, or something else entirely. Sands manages to craft unique statements that touch on all of the aforementioned topics, often blending or countervailing one with the other within a single song, and once your ear is hooked, that's it.

Reach opens with "Armando's Song," a nod to the great Chick Corea that seems to be cut from the same cloth—or, perhaps, the same vocabulary—as Corea's "Armando's Rhumba." Sands, however, isn't one to plagiarize, and the propulsive swing roller coaster that follows the theme proves that point. A rush of optimism blotting out the face of hate follows that eye-opening number. "Song Of The Rainbow People" speaks to the need for unity and togetherness, both in name and sound. There are hints of gray skies in the mix, but the sun burns the clouds away.

Those opening invitations expose listeners to the tightly-formed trio that's the backbone of this album—Sands, bassist Yasushi Nakamura, and drummer Marcus Baylor—and the three tracks that immediately follow demonstrate how that group reacts to new voices in the mix. Marcus Strickland first spurs the band on with his tenor saxophone on the driven "Pointing West." Then he puts his tenor and bass clarinet to good use on an electro-dusted chill ride dubbed "Freefall." Both numbers find the core band expanding its outlook and adapting to the presence of their guest. The same thing can be said to happen when percussionist Cristian Rivera drops in to add some Latin sizzle to the festive "¡Óyeme!."

The second half of the album is just as inclusive in all respects. "Bud's Tune" pares things back to a trio configuration as Sands salutes bebop pioneer Bud Powell; "Reaching For The Sun" walks on a pseudo-Brazilian groove, carries hints of Corea and Pat Metheny in its DNA, gives Sands a chance to dazzle with his glistening glances, and brings guitarist Gilad Hekselman into the picture for the first of his three consecutive appearances; a cover of "Use Me" retains its Bill Withers-born soulfulness while taking on a new skulking-turned-swinging-turned-skulking rhythmic shape and opening up some space for Christian McBride to bow the truth; and "Gangstalude" injects a hip-hop attitude and foundation into the program. Then Sands ends with what's, perhaps, the biggest surprise of all: a heartfelt performance of "Somewhere Out There" from An American Tail (Amblin Entertainment/Sullivan Bluth Studios, 1986). It opens lyrically and loyally before taking flight in reflective-cum-resounding fashion. It's the last chapter in this tale of many tones, serving as the final indication of Sands' willingness to embrace diversity in sound and scope. Everything and everyone seems to be within his reach. ~Dan Bilawsky

Reach                

---

Malakoff Kowalski - I Love You

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:14
Size: 89.8 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[1:59] 1. Prologue
[1:59] 2. Blue Magic Berlin
[2:59] 3. How I Think Of You
[2:20] 4. Texas Neapolitano
[2:51] 5. Take Some Abuse
[3:38] 6. The Western Belafonte
[1:48] 7. Sweet Anna
[2:57] 8. The Scent Of Wood
[3:42] 9. Carcosa
[2:21] 10. Mulholland Chocolate Martini
[1:54] 11. My Papaya Fruit
[3:49] 12. Kinder-Yorn
[0:56] 13. Please Kiss Me
[3:59] 14. Notlimah Wy
[1:55] 15. Epilogue

Mellotron, Accordion, Harmonica, Percussion, Drums, Mixed By – Malakoff Kowalski; Contrabass – Johannes Huth (tracks: 14); Piano – Martyn Heyne (tracks: 12); Synthesizer – Marco Barotti (tracks: 1); Vocals – Genia Fajerman (tracks: 12).

Malakoff Kowalski (born June 21, 1979 in Boston, Massachusetts, USA as Aram Pirmoradi) is a German-American-Persian singer, musician, composer and producer. His parents are from Tehran and he was raised in Hamburg, Germany. In 2005, Kowalski released his debut record Action with his band Jansen & Kowalski, which he later referred to as “a memorial for a monumental failure.” In 2009, after the band had broken up, Kowalski released his first solo-album Neue Deutsche Reiselieder, a progressive and vintage Krautrock record.

Malakoff Kowalski currently lives in Berlin, Germany and has resided there since 2007.

I Love You mc
I Love You zippy

---

Leny Andrade - Bossa Nossa: Leny Andrade Canta Fred Calcao

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:35
Size: 90.6 MB
Styles: Bossa Nova
Year: 2018
Art: Front

[2:30] 1. O Amor Pegou Na Veia
[3:14] 2. Maré Cheia
[3:54] 3. Instantâneos
[3:42] 4. Promessa Temporã
[4:06] 5. Inútil Resistir
[3:01] 6. Alô Donato
[3:27] 7. Bossa Nossa
[3:04] 8. Janela Aberta
[2:44] 9. Pedaço De Amor
[3:38] 10. Motivo Pra Vida
[3:19] 11. Tons De Ipanema
[2:51] 12. Valsa De Ipanema

Leny Andrade Lima, known by the stage name LENY ANDRADE considered by many the greatest Brazilian jazz samba singer, was born in Rio de Janeiro, on January 25, 1943, and is a singer of Brazilian music.

At six years old, Leny Andrade began playing piano. At nine, she entered the Brazilian Conservatory of Music and the fifteen already appeared as "crooner" orchestras. As a girl, she sang with the trio of Sergio Mendes at the time of the Lane. Born in Rio de Janeiro, debuted professionally at age 15, the only singing crooner Dick Farney in the orchestra. She recorded her first LP in 1961 called "The Feeling". The following year, released the LP "The Art Major Leny Andrade".

In the 60s, with Pery Ribeiro and Bossa Three group, with whom she recorded her first live album, debuted at the nightclub Basement 73 the anthology show "Gemini 5" Ronaldo Bôscoli and Miele, show that this caused her move to Mexico where she lived for five years. In 1965 she broke with the disc in mulatto "We are there" especially the title track of Mauricio Einhorn, Durval Ferreira and Regina Werneck. Embarked on the forefront of samba in the 70s, with the disc "Uproar" and closed the decade with the album "Record" a work remarkable samba-jazz. Singing alongside artists like Luiz Eca, Wagner Tiso, Eumir Deodato, Francis Hime, Gilson Peranzzetta and João Donato, Leny Andrade became known for her remarkable ability to improvise.

Leny Andrade is a favorite of musicians and has performed with Paquito D'Rivera, Toots Thielemans, Fred Hersch, Roberto Menescal, Cesar Camargo Mariano, Leo Gandelman, Trio Chain Sambop Quintet, Mauricio Einhorn, Romero Lubambo, João Carlos Coutinho, and several other renowned musicians. The eclectic style of Leny Andrade is a synthesis of samba, jazz, MPB, bolero, songs, ballads, in short, good music.

Bossa Nossa: Leny Andrade Canta Fred Calcao mc
Bossa Nossa: Leny Andrade Canta Fred Calcao zippy

---

David Newman - Mr. Fathead

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:46
Size: 91.0 MB
Styles: Jazz/Funk/Soul
Year: 1976/2010
Art: Front

[3:54] 1. Dance With Me
[5:50] 2. Groovin' To The Music
[4:34] 3. You Got Style
[5:29] 4. Ebo Man
[4:04] 5. Shiki
[4:30] 6. Promise Me Your Love
[6:12] 7. I Love Music
[5:09] 8. Mashooganah

At its best, soul-jazz has successfully blended the accessibility of R&B with the freedom and spontaneity of jazz. Many of David "Fathead" Newman's more commercial recordings of the 1960s and 1970s fit that description, like Hank Crawford, Grover Washington, Jr., Stanley Turrentine, and David Sanborn, Newman showed a lot of R&B fans that improvisatory horn solos weren't something to be afraid of. Improvisation, however, isn't something that you will hear a lot of on 1976's disappointing Mr. Fathead, which was produced by Joel and Jonathan Dorn. For the most part, this erratic and unfocused LP isn't soul-jazz, most of the material is either disco-funk or lightweight instrumental pop. A few of the tunes are OK; "Groovin' to the Music" is a catchy disco-funk item along the lines of the Brass Construction and the Crown Heights Affair, and the gritty, infectious "Mashooganah" is somewhere between soul-jazz and fusion. But for the most part, Mr. Fathead wastes Newman's considerable talents. This record is strictly for completists. ~Alex Henderson

First time on CD for this 1976 album from the Jazz saxophonist. Originally issued on Warner Brothers records, it features jazz luminaries Ron Carter, Jimmy Johnson, Pat Rebillot, Anthony Jackson, Ralph MacDonald and Patti Austin.

Mr. Fathead mc
Mr. Fathead zippy

---

Lee Konitz - Strings for Holiday - A Tribute to Billie Holiday

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:22
Size: 137,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:26)  1. The Man I Love
(5:04)  2. You've Changed
(4:27)  3. God Bless the Child
(6:06)  4. But Beautiful
(5:18)  5. I Cried for You
(5:30)  6. Lover Man
(4:19)  7. All of Me
(5:26)  8. Good Morning Heartache
(5:23)  9. For Heaven's Sake
(4:48) 10. Easy Living
(4:47) 11. These Foolish Things
(3:41) 12. For All We Know

Always eager to record in new situations, on this CD Lee Konitz is showcased with a string sextet (two violins, violas and cellos), bassist Michael Formanek and drummer Matt Wilson. The cool-toned altoist pays tribute during a dozen songs to both Billie Holiday and (in a more subtle fashion) tenor great Lester Young, two of his early idols. Daniel Schnyder contributed all of the arrangements for the set. Rather than weighing down the proceedings, Schnyder has the strings adding rich harmonies and phrases that seem to anticipate the leader's phrases, and they even swing. Lee Konitz, who added a vibrato to his sound for the project so he could recreate some of Billie Holiday's feeling, handles the ballads and medium-tempo material beautifully. Highlights include "The Man I Love," "I Cried For You," "All Of Me" and "Easy Living." A memorable and heartfelt effort by all concerned.~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/strings-for-holiday-mw0000099426

Personnel:  Lee Konitz alto saxophone;  Mark Feldman violin;  Cenovia Cummin violin;  Jill Jaffe viola;  Ronald Lawrence  viola;  Erik Friedlander cello;  Daniel Pezzotti cello;  Michael Formanek
bass;  Matt Wilson drums.

Strings for Holiday - A Tribute to Billie Holiday

---

Alice Ricciardi - Comes Love

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:05
Size: 135,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:29)  1. Comes Love
(2:31)  2. Summer Song
(4:07)  3. Give Me The Simple Life
(4:49)  4. I Was Doing Allright (The Goldwyn Follies)
(6:10)  5. I'm Gonna Laugh You Right Out Of My Life
(2:26)  6. Who Cares (As Long As You Care For Me) (Of Thee I Sing)
(4:03)  7. If I Should Lose You
(4:50)  8. The Boy Next Door
(4:16)  9. I'll Remember April
(5:00) 10. Ghost Of Yesterday
(4:08) 11. Here Lies Love
(3:02) 12. By Myself
(4:52) 13. Le Tue Mani
(4:17) 14. Where Are You

Italian jazz singer and composer, born in Milan now living between Rome and New York, approached music at seven, attending the Giuseppe Verdi Conservatory in Milan where she studied violin and piano. In 1998 she started studying jazz singing at "Accademia Internazionale della Musica" in Milan directed by Enrico Intra and Franco Cerri. In 2002 she achieved European diploma "F.N.E.I.J." (Fèdèration Nationale des Ecoles d' Influence Jazz et des Musiques Actuelles) in France, valid for the instruction of jazz and modern music in all Europe. Award Winning 2nd prize at 2005 International Montreux Jazz Festival Voice Competition - Performer at 2006 IAJE Conference in New York and at Jazz at the Lincoln Center Dizzy’s Club. She also studied with Rachel Gould in Italy, and with Jazz Legend Ran Blake in Boston. Collaborations include some of the most renowned Italian and international musicians such as: Fabrizio Bosso, Nicola Conte, Flavio Boltro, Pietro Lussu, Giovanni Amato, Gaetano Partipilo, Dario Deidda, Enrico Intra, Franco Cerri, Mario Raja Big Bang, Randy Ingram, James Cammack, Joseph Lepore, Adam Arruda,Tommy Crane, Adam Pache, Will Terrill, Neal Miner, Jesper Lundgaard, Morten Lund, Darrell Green, Ameen Saleem, Dezron Douglas, Saul Rubin, Paul Gill, Spike Wilner, Josè James,Till Brönner, Magnus Lindgren,Teppo Mäkynen. She performed at:Teatro Morlacchi Umbria Jazz, Jazzhus Montmartre Copenhagen, Blue Note Tokyo, Cotton Club Tokyo, Jazz Cafè London, HighLine BallRoom NYC, Regatta Bar Boston, The Kitano NYC, The Big Chill Festival UK, Blue Note Milano, Auditorium Parco Della Musica Roma, Casa Del Jazz Roma, Giuseppe Verdi Conservatory Milano, Villa Ada Roma, Piccolo Teatro Milano,Teatro Romano Verona, Anfiteatro Romano Cagliari, Sferisterio Macerata, Stadio dei Marmi Roma, Istanbul Jazz Center, Montreux Jazz Festival, Aarhus Jazz Festival, Bangen Jazz Festival, Dubai Jazz Festival, Copenhagen Jazz Festival, KOKO Jazz Club Helsinki, Jakobstad Jazz Festival, A-Trane Berlin, ShapeShifter Lab NY, Smalls Jazz Club NYC, Cornelia Street Cafe NYC, NUBLU NYC, ROCKWOOD Music Hall NYC. Her debut album "COMES LOVE”, acclaimed by critics and public, was released for the label Blue Note/EMI. Her latest album “OPTICS” came out for the Greg Osby’s independent label Inner Circle Music. http://www.alicericciardi.com/biography/

Personnel:  Alice Ricciardi vocals Gaetano Partipilo flute/alto sax Pasquale Bardaro vibes Marco Bovi guitar Roberto Tarenzi piano

Comes Love

---

Gil Scott-Heron - Real Eyes

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1980
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:22
Size: 81,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:47)  1. The Train From Washington
(3:56)  2. Not Needed
(4:48)  3. Waiting For The Axe To Fall
(3:40)  4. Combinations
(3:41)  5. A Legend In His Own Mind
(6:22)  6. You Could Be My Brother
(4:49)  7. The Klan
(3:16)  8. Your Daddy Loves You (For Gia Louise)

In 1980, Gil Scott-Heron had a nice opportunity to promote his Real Eyes album when he became the opening act on Stevie Wonder's Hotter Than July tour. On his own, Scott-Heron usually played small clubs, but opening for Wonder gave him the chance to perform in front of thousands of Wonder fans in major stadiums and sports arenas. Many of Wonder's white fans seemed to be unfamiliar with Scott-Heron (who had never had a major pop hit), while a lot of Wonder's black fans at least knew him for "The Bottle" and "Angel Dust" even if they hadn't bought a lot of his albums. Opening for all those Wonder fans certainly didn't hurt Scott-Heron's career, but it didn't make him a superstar either. While it's possible that some Wonder fans enjoyed Scott-Heron's opening sets enough to go out and purchase Real Eyes, most of the people who acquired this LP were already confirmed Scott-Heron fans. Unfortunately, Real Eyes lacked a hit single, although the material is excellent nonetheless. As usual, Scott-Heron has a lot of sociopolitical things on his mind "The Train From Washington" concludes that the working class can't depend on the U.S. government for anything, while "Not Needed" angrily points the finger at companies who consider longtime employees expendable. And the album's less sociopolitical songs are equally memorable. "Your Daddy Loves You" is a touching ode to Scott-Heron's daughter Gia Louise (who was only a child in 1980), and the jazz-oriented "A Legend in His Own Mind" is a humorous, clever put-down of a wannabe "Casanova" who isn't nearly the ladies' man he brags about being. Scott-Heron's love of jazz serves him well on "A Legend in His Own Mind" and the smoky "Combinations," but make no mistake: Real Eyes is an R&B album more than anything.~ Alex Henderson https://www.allmusic.com/album/real-eyes-mw0000845967 

Personnel: Gil Scott-Heron (vocals); Ed Brady (guitar); Vernon James (flute, saxophone); Carl Cornwell (flute, tenor saxophone); Glen Turner (harmonica, keyboards, synthesizer); Kenny Sheffield (trumpet); Kenny Powell (drums); Ethan Ivy (percussion); Amnesia Express.

Real Eyes

---

Bill O'Connell - Jazz Latin

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:09
Size: 158,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:19)  1. Obama Samba
(8:09)  2. Just One Of Those Things
(5:01)  3. It's OK
(7:34)  4. Footprints
(7:03)  5. Goodbye My Friend
(6:25)  6. Quicksand
(5:53)  7. Tip Toes
(5:26)  8. Puttin' On The Ritz
(3:44)  9. Mom's Song
(6:26) 10. Zingaro
(2:05) 11. What Is This

A veteran jazz pianist from New York City, Bill O'Connell is gifted soloist and bandleader known for his long-running Latin jazz big band. Born in New York City on August 22, 1953, O'Connell grew up in suburban Port Washington, Long Island. After high school, he studied classical piano at Oberlin College in Ohio but has lived in the New York area most of his life. O'Connell has not played Latin jazz exclusively and worked as a sideman with such luminaries as tenor saxophonist Sonny Rollins and the late trumpeter Chet Baker. However, he does have his share of Latin credentials; along the way, he has played with New York trumpeter Jerry Gonzalez's Fort Apache Band and crossed paths with flutist Dave Valentin, Argentinean tenor saxophonist Gato Barbieri, and the late Cuban percussion master Mongo Santamaria. As a pianist, O'Connell is known for a lyrical approach that owes something to Keith Jarrett, Bill Evans, and Chick Corea as well as Herbie Hancock. But it should be stressed that O'Connell is not the sort of jazzman who only sees himself as a soloist; in fact, his albums have underscored his talents as an arranger, bandleader, and composer. O'Connell can as Duke Ellington often put it use his band as his instrument. Much of his bandleading/arranging inspiration comes from Latin greats like Mongo Santamaria, Tito Puente, Machito, Ray Barretto, and Eddie Palmieri (all of whom are identified with Afro-Cuban jazz as well as salsa). As a leader, O'Connell debuted in 1978 with an LP titled Searching for the small Inner City label He then joined longtime associate flutist Dave Valentin's band, touring and recording for several years before returning to his solo work with 1993's Lost Voices on Creed Taylor's CTI Records (with Taylor himself serving as producer). Several of O'Connell's big-band albums also appeared in the mid-'90s with Jazz Alive and Unfinished Business. O'Connell also continued working with Valentin, and played on albums by Charles Fambrough, Jon Lucien, and others. https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/jazz-latin/1362075186

Jazz Latin

---