Friday, May 18, 2018

Ted Nash Quintet - Live At Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola

Size: 137,8 MB
Time: 59:34
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. Organized Crime (Live) ( 8:25)
02. Windows (Live) ( 8:20)
03. Spinning Song (Live) ( 7:37)
04. Epistrophy (Live) (10:12)
05. Emily Introduction (Live) ( 1:21)
06. Emily (Live) ( 8:37)
07. Sisters (Live) ( 7:31)
08. Baby Elephant Walk (Live) ( 7:32)

Feat. Warren Wolf, Gary Versace, Rufus Reid and Matt Wilson.

Two-time Grammy winning composer and saxophonist Ted Nash releases his first live recording in over 25 years. Known for his larger works (Presidential Suite, Chakra, Portrait in Seven Shades) this much anticipated release provides an opportunity for Nash to share his improvisational side. His inspired solos are impassioned and interactive. On this album he finds new areas of expression that will excite and move you. Ted Nash - alto sax, clarinet, flute & piccolo, Warren Wolf - vibraphone, Gary Versace - piano, Rufus Reid - bass and Matt Wilson on drums. 'These three nights at Dizzy's were electric for me. I think you'll hear in it the combination of great players, with history letting loose on music that has grown with me over the course of my career. On this album we share not just a night of music but the history of collaboration. This performance was also a chance to revisit a couple original compositions in an entirely new context, and re-explore music by some of my favorite composers. ' - Ted Nash

'Nash is the most compelling soloist - bracingly melodic while keenly aware of harmonic possibilities. ' --- Village Voice

'Excellence in jazz is all about the freedom to musically explore with an open mind and heart to ultimately find one's voice. . . Ted Nash achieves that plateau of performance. ' --- Billboard Magazine

Live At Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola

Neal & Leandra - Stranger To My Kin

Size: 96,7 MB
Time: 41:17
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1998
Styles: Folk
Art: Front & Back

01. Penny On The Tracks (4:22)
02. Ready For Memphis (4:57)
03. Rich (4:05)
04. First Best Friend (3:39)
05. Cry (4:30)
06. Firefly (3:45)
07. Wish I'd Never Gone Away (3:06)
08. Less Of You (4:00)
09. Take Me Down To The Water (5:14)
10. Roll Away The Stone (3:35)

Neal Hagberg sounds a little like fellow singer-songwriter Marc Cohn, of "Walking in Memphis" fame. In fact, the resemblance is impossible to ignore when Hagberg begins to sing one of his own reflective ballads, "Ready for Memphis." Yet by the time he finishes the first verse, Hagberg has rendered the comparison moot. The ballad, which concerns Martin Luther King Jr.'s fateful visit to Memphis in 1968 and how it inspired a young white man to travel 10 hours to greet him, swiftly casts its own spell, fueled by a potent mixture of anticipation and foreboding.

While not all of the tunes on "Stranger to My Kin" have such an intriguing narrative structure, leaving listeners to fill in the blanks, as songwriters and storytellers, Hagberg and Leandra Peak clearly have mastered the art of saying more with less. And they do with complementary voices and affecting harmonies. As low-key as it is, their ballad "Less of You" is deceptively powerful, a searing reminder that cruelty is a double-edged sword, while both "Take Me Down to the Water" and "Roll Away the Stone" address themes of spiritual solace and redemption in such a personal way that both songs ultimately turn into haunting refrains.

By contrast, the Washington-based folk duo Lynn Hollyfield and Nina Spruill tend to see the world as a more agreeable place on "Blue and Green," in which they marvel in the joys and mysteries of motherhood ("Keely's Song"), friendship ("For All You Bring") and caffeine ("Java Jive"). Even the album's closing blues, "Watching the Sky," has a happy ending. The pair's sometimes sparkling, sometimes sensuous harmonies are always appealing, and several local musicians colorfully enhance the mostly guitar-driven arrangements. ~By Mike Joyce

Stranger To My Kin

Scott Hamilton - Moon Mist

Size: 121,5 MB
Time: 51:53
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. I'll Close My Eyes (5:48)
02. Moon Mist (4:39)
03. If I Should Lose You (6:35)
04. Young And Foolish (5:30)
05. Only Trust Your Heart (6:16)
06. Why Did I Choose You (5:12)
07. Days Of Wine And Roses (5:57)
08. Castellon After Dark (5:24)
09. Embraceable You (6:29)

Feat. Dena DeRose, Ignasi Gonzalez and Jo Krause.

When Scott Hamilton appeared in the mid-'70s fully formed with an appealing swing style on tenor (mixing Zoot Sims and Ben Webster), he caused a minor sensation -- few other young players during the fusion era were exploring pre-bop jazz at his high level. He began playing when he was 16 and developed quickly, moving to New York in 1976. Hamilton played with Benny Goodman in the late '70s, but he has mostly performed as a leader, sometimes sharing the spotlight with Warren Vaché, Ruby Braff, Rosemary Clooney, the Concord Jazz All-Stars, or George Wein's Newport Jazz Festival All-Stars. Other than a few sessions for Famous Door and Progressive, Hamilton has recorded a prolific string of dates for many labels -- often more than two a year -- that are notable for their consistency and solid swing. Highlights of his 21st century dates include 2010's Live at Nefertiti with the Scandinavian Five and 'Round Midnight in duo with pianist Harry Allen in 2012. In 2014, Fremeaux & Associes released Scott Hamilton Plays with the Dany Doriz Caveau de la Huchette Orchestra -- one of five albums issued under his name that year. Scott Hamilton Plays Jule Styne was issued in 2015, which also netted a handful of dates. La Rosita, with Dena DeRose, Ignasi González, and Jo Krause, marked his debut for Discmedi in 2016 -- it was the third year in a row in which he issued five albums. 2017 was right on pace, with three albums by mid-year including Things We Did Last Summer w/Champian Fulton, Ballads for Audiophiles, and his second date for Discmedi, Shadow of Your Smile. ~ by Scott Yanow

Moon Mist

Gerald Albright - 30 (Bonus Version)

Size: 120,3 MB
Time: 52:10
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz: Smooth Jazz
Art: Front

01. Sooki Sooki (5:04)
02. Just Between Us (5:38)
03. Bermuda Nights (4:44)
04. Road To Peace (5:25)
05. Chips N' Salsa (4:59)
06. New Beginnings (4:57)
07. Come Back To Me (Feat. Selina Albright) (5:08)
08. 4 On The Floor (4:47)
09. Boss Of Nova (6:35)
10. 4 On The Floor (Feat. Ricky Watford) (Bonus Track Version) (4:48)

This self-produced anniversary project is a reflection of some of Albright’s favorite music that he has written over the past three decades! All of the songs are action-packed with new and unique arrangements, spear-headed by Albright, Chris “Big Dog” Davis, and James “JRob” Roberson. This CD will prove to be one of Gerald Albright’s finest efforts to date.

Albright is a Los Angeles, California native. For decades and through past solo CD’s, he has wowed us with the sultry yet high-octane funky sounds of his compositions. After 30 years at the top of his game as one of contemporary urban jazz’s core artists and sonic innovators, the eight-time Grammy nominee is letting loose like never before. “30” and all projects to follow will place a stamp on the Albright name as one to deliver nothing but the best.

Albright gets right down to business, celebrating his fresh start of “30” with a new rendition of “Sooki Sooki”. He creates all the horn sections himself, texturing alto, tenor and baritone saxophones with the funkiness of an up and coming hit maker, James “JRob” Roberson on keyboards. Roberson’s off-the-chain talent on keyboards will also keep you jumping on “Chips and Salsa” and “4 On the Floor”. Chris “Big Dog” Davis (one of urban jazz’s top hit makers), creates an array of keyboard sounds on “Bermuda Nights”, “Road to Peace”, “New Beginnings”, “Come Back to Me”, “Boss of Nova” and “Just Between Us”, with Albright infusing a mixture of horns and other instruments.

The emotional up-tempo ballad “Come Back to Me” features Albright’s daughter, Selina Albright – a solo artist in her own right – on background vocals. Another highlight of “30” would be a bonus track, “4 On the Floor” featuring the dynamic Ricky Watford on guitar.

Albright says that the big, multi-faceted sound of the album, particularly his use of multiple flutes, is a throwback to the way he came up in music. Because Albright’s musical muse has taken him to so many fascinating locales along the contemporary R&B/urban jazz spectrum, he’s joyfully defied easy categorizations.

“Top to bottom,” Albright says, “Whether in concert, listening to my music over the radio or CD player, I always want my listeners to be taken on a musical journey with different textures, rhythms, chord progressions and moods. I want people to know where I’ve been and where I’m going, and to let them hear that I’m in a really good place in my life.”

30 (Bonus Version)

John Jenkins, Cliff Jordan, Bobby Timmons - Jenkins, Jordan & Timmons

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:29
Size: 85.8 MB
Styles: Hard Bop
Year: 1994
Art: Front

[ 6:30] 1. Cliff's Edge
[ 7:02] 2. Tenderly
[ 6:15] 3. Princess
[10:32] 4. Soft Talk
[ 7:08] 5. Blue Jay

Alto Saxophone – John Jenkins; Bass – Wilbur Ware; Drums – Dannie Richmond; Piano – Bobby Timmons; Tenor Saxophone – Clifford Jordan. Recorded in Hackensack, NJ on July 26, 1957.

Four of the five selections on this CD reissue (which also includes "Tenderly") are obscure jazz originals by altoist John Jenkins, tenor saxophonist Clifford Jordan, or trombonist Julian Priester. Inspired by both Charlie Parker and Jackie McLean, Jenkins teams up with Jordan, pianist Bobby Timmons, bassist Wilbur Ware, and drummer Dannie Richmond for some bop-oriented improvising. Strange that this would be one of only two sets led by Jenkins. Although the Blue Note CD, recorded just 16 days later, gets the edge, this is an excellent effort too. ~Scott Yanow

Jenkins, Jordan & Timmons mc
Jenkins, Jordan & Timmons zippy

Paquito D'Rivera Quintet, Sabine Meyer, Trio Clarone - JaZZ-ClaZZ

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:36
Size: 166.2 MB
Styles: Clarinet jazz
Year: 2016
Art: Front

[ 7:05] 1. Vals Venezolano
[ 5:44] 2. Oblivion
[12:42] 3. Suite Piazollana
[ 4:56] 4. Borat In Syracuse
[ 3:57] 5. Afro
[ 3:57] 6. Dizzyness
[ 4:39] 7. Chiquita Blues
[ 4:13] 8. Paquito
[ 7:06] 9. Fiddle Dreams
[ 3:43] 10. Toque De Clave
[ 1:58] 11. Contradanza
[ 5:56] 12. La Cachila
[ 1:56] 13. Los Tres Golpes
[ 4:38] 14. Brasilierino

Bass Clarinet – Reiner Wehle; Clarinet – Paquito D'Rivera, Sabine Meyer, Wolfgang Meyer; Drums – Ernesto Simpson; Piano – Adonis González, Alex Brown.

D'Rivera, a Cuban alto saxophonist, clarinetist and soprano saxophonist, recorded Jazz - Clazz in Germany with special guests Trio Clarone with Sabine Meyer (clarinet), Reiner Wehle, Wolfgang Meyer Jazz Clazz . In the August 2009 publication of "Stereoplay" Magazine, the June European release of "Jazz - clazz" CD received the "Die Audiophile" award Jazz Clazz . In December 2009, the album received two GRAMMY nominations for "Best Instrumental Composition" and " Best Classical Crossover Album" Also in December of 09, Paquito D'Rivera was voted by DownBeat Magazine Reader's Poll as the Best Clarinetist for the third year in a row! Jazz Clazz by Paquito D'Rivera / Sabine Meyer was released Jun 08, 2010 on the Stormy Monday label.

"This is one of the coolest and cleanest jazz recordings I've recently heard. This is my idea of what New York-Latin jazz should be all about. The thoughtful inclusion of the classical group Trio Clarone should not lead one to think that this is some sort of cheese-headed jazz classical fusion or crossover back and forth nonsense, because it's not. Trio Clarone is sublimely integrated into the whole, though never asked to extend themselves very far outside of their classical comfort zone, and for the most part are simply participants within the greater whole of things. All involved seemingly bought into and brought their very best to the project, the players as well as the producers and engineers. The play is superb from front to back and top to bottom. All of this a testament to the enthusiasm, leadership and musicianship of Senor Paquito. There is also a very nice diversity of instrumentation from track to track including the appearance of bandoneonist Hector del Curto on several tracks and some tragically hip moments of bowed (jazz) bass from Pablo Aslan; there are duets, trios, quartets, a quintet, sextets and septets; and there is also an attractive thematic feel to the whole of things. This is a wonderfully entertaining, expertly performed, and well engineered recording. A real treat!" ~jksp

Jazz-Clazz

David Hazeltine - Perambulation

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:38
Size: 134.2 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[7:17] 1. Perambulation
[5:51] 2. This Is For Seamus
[5:33] 3. Wonder Why
[7:51] 4. Old Folks
[5:56] 5. Love For Sale
[6:43] 6. Blues For David
[7:46] 7. Lush Life
[4:37] 8. P.S.We Love You
[7:00] 9. Angel Eyes

David Hazeltine (P); Peter Washington (B); Joe Farnsworth (D). Recorded May 28, 2005 in Brooklyn, NY, USA by Max Bolleman.

On Perambulation, his sixth date as a leader for Criss Cross, David Hazeltine reconvenes the trio from the critically acclaimed 2004 release, Close To You. Utilizing incisive skills as a composer, arranger, and pianist, Hazeltine plays three originals, Buddy Montgomery's Blues For David, and five standards, including a provocative treatment of Cole Porter's Love For Sale. Bassist Peter Washington and drummer Joe Farnsworth surpass the role of accompanists and make indispensable contributions to this exceptional recording.

Perambulation mc
Perambulation zippy

Gary Bartz - Bartz

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:15
Size: 89.9 MB
Styles: Crossover jazz
Year: 1980/2016
Art: Front

[4:09] 1. Need Your Love
[4:27] 2. Keep Goin' On
[4:56] 3. Love Prelude After The Love Has Gone
[4:57] 4. Rockin' All Night
[4:50] 5. Music
[5:40] 6. One-Eyed Jack
[5:24] 7. After Glow
[4:49] 8. (Give It Your Best), Shot!

After 1978's occasionally gorgeous Love Song and often sluggish Love Affair, saxophonist Gary Bartz linked with frequent session associates and production duo James Mtume and Reggie Lucas. Mtume/Lucas had transitioned away from soul-jazz to straight soul/R&B, with Roberta Flack, Phyllis Hyman, and Stephanie Mills as some earlier beneficiaries. Add Howard King (drums), Hubert Eaves III (keyboards), Tawatha Agee (vocals) -- this is an Mtume-the-group album in all but name. Carrying much more rhythmic oomph than either 1978 Bartz date, the album's clear-cut highlight is "Keep Goin' On" (a Tawatha showcase), but "Need Your Love" and "Music" (where you can hear Eaves revving up for "D" Train) are also bound to move those who love all other late-'70s/'80s Mtume and Mtume/Lucas-produced albums. ~Andy Kellman

Bartz mc
Bartz zippy

Miguel De Armas Quartet - What's To Come

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:23
Size: 108.5 MB
Styles: Latin jazz
Year: 2017
Art: Front

[5:56] 1. Yasmina (Feat. Roberto Riverón, Alexis Baró & Carlos Medrano)
[4:40] 2. A Song For My Little Son (Feat. Elmer Ferrer)
[4:05] 3. La Dama Y El Perro
[5:23] 4. His Bass And Him (Feat. Mathieu Sénéchal & Galen Weston)
[2:55] 5. Pam Pim Pam Pum
[3:24] 6. Illusion
[4:45] 7. What's To Come (Feat. Jane Bunnett)
[5:51] 8. Rumba On Kent St. (Feat. Alexandre Laborde)
[5:37] 9. Tango Asunción (Feat. Alexandre Laborde)
[4:45] 10. Freddie's Drink

Miguel de Armas: piano and keyboards; Michel Medrano: drums and percussion; Marc Decho: bass (solo – 2 – 4), (5, 7, 9); Arien Villegas: congas (5); Guests: Alexis Baró: trumpet and flugelhorn (1); Roberto Riverón: contrabass (1); Carlitos Medrano: congas and percussion (1, 3, 5, 8 10); Elmer Ferrer: electric guitar (2); Mathieu Sénéchal: bass (4, 8, 10); Galen Weston: electric guitar (4); Jane Bunnett: soprano saxophone (7).

The pianist Miguel de Armas is blessed with a magnificent tumbao and he uses it to great effect on What’s to Come. But if you thought that he is sticking within his comfort zone on this recording, then you would be dead wrong because clearly not afraid to step out, to invent – very organically, it must be said – outside the Afro-Caribbean idiom and yet stay true to his roots in a refreshing, forward-thinking manner. His use of electronic instruments – especially the synthesizer – is rather effective and while he may not be the first to add splashes of vivid colour and stretch the sonic palette of his music, he certainly makes every sound from the instrument work very well for him and his music, especially when the drama of musical narratives unfold as piano and keyboards collide to produce a refreshing wave of harmonics.

Miguel de Armas is a sincere and persuasive musician. His pianism is suffused with a panoply of colours and his touch is at the soft end of the spectrum, although it has a subtle and percussive touch and always conveys his music so luminously. The music doesn’t often raise its voice much and even when it does, the narratives are skillfully crafted to maintain a certain expressive decorum. An attractive feature of Miguel de Armas’ music is that he alters harmonies and structural elements with impressive control, heading in directions that surprise and captivate the ear. The danzón “La Dama y el Perro”, “Rumba on Kent St.” and “Tango Asunción” are fine examples of such restraint. The use of bátà on “Freddie’s Drink” adds much to the rollicking rhythm of the piece.

In those and all the other works on this album, Miguel de Armas performs with consummate artistry, blending superior control and tonal lucidity with a cohesive sense of line and motion. The pianist’s music could hardly be better served than by his brilliantly schooled quartet as well as by a constellation of stars who have joined in to celebrate this music: and these include Jane Bunnett on soprano saxophone, the fiercely brilliant bassist, Roberto Riverón, guitarists Elmer Ferrer and Galen Weston, superb accordionist Alexandre Laborde and the fiery trumpeter Alexis Baró. All of the musicians engage in a skillful and rigorous manipulation of the material in the most listenable light possible, while also making it more vibrant than ever. ~Raul da Gama

What's To Come mc
What's To Come zippy

Terry Gibbs, Buddy DeFranco - Chicago Fire

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:50
Size: 141.6 MB
Styles: Bop, Vibraphone jazz
Year: 1987/1997
Art: Front

[5:31] 1. Rockin In Rhythm
[6:40] 2. Please Send Me Someone To Love
[7:13] 3. Sister Sadie
[3:13] 4. This Is Always
[4:20] 5. Cherokee
[6:44] 6. Giant Steps
[6:31] 7. Bopstacle Course
[6:58] 8. Jitterbug Waltz
[6:16] 9. Stella By Starlight
[8:20] 10. 52nd Street Theme

Bass – Todd Coolman; Clarinet – Buddy DeFranco; Drums – Gerry Gibbs; Piano – John Campbell; Vibraphone – Terry Gibbs. Recorded live direct-to-digital two track at Joe Segal's JAZZ SHOWCASE in the Blackstone Hotel, Chicago on July 24 - 26, 1987.

This was the second meeting on record by vibraphonist Terry Gibbs and clarinetist Buddy DeFranco (an obscure set for Palo Alto from 1981 was the first), and it officially launched the quintet which would record several additional sets. With the powerful pianist John Campbell, bassist Todd Coolman and Terry's son Gerry Gibbs on drums, the two veterans play heated versions of such tunes as "Rockin' In Rhythm," "Cherokee," "Giant Steps" and "52nd Street Theme." Gibbs and DeFranco always inspire each other, making all of their recordings of strong interest to bop fans. ~Scott Yanow

Chicago Fire mc
Chicago Fire zippy

Walt Dickerson - This Is Walt Dickerson!

Styles: Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 1961
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:14
Size: 89,1 MB
Art: Front

(6:34)  1. Time
(5:09)  2. Elizabeth
(7:03)  3. The Cry
(6:09)  4. Death And Taxes
(6:17)  5. Evelyn
(7:01)  6. Infinite You

Walt Dickerson never got quite the credit he deserved for pioneering a modernist approach to the vibes during the early '60s, aligning himself with the emerging "new thing" scene and expanding the instrument's vocabulary beyond Milt Jackson's blues and bop influences. Dickerson's groundbreaking sessions for Prestige all predated the rise of Bobby Hutcherson as the hot new "out" vibes player at Blue Note, and while Hutcherson was a bit freer early on, Dickerson's work still sounded adventurous and forward-looking. This Is Walt Dickerson!, his opening salvo, is every bit the statement of purpose the exclamatory title suggests. Each of the six selections is a Dickerson original, and he proves to be a marvelously evocative composer. Witness the cool, film-noir ambience of the mildly dissonant opener, "Time"; the haunting atmospherics of "Elizabeth," a tribute to his wife; the way the repeated riff of "Death and Taxes" imparts the sense of drudgery and inevitability suggested by the title; or the way Dickerson and pianist Austin Crowe keep twisting the rhythmic emphasis and cadences over the repetitive beat of "The Cry." Dickerson's harmonically advanced playing is just as distinctive, too. He keeps the use of vibrato to a bare minimum, so much so that it's almost a shock when he lets some shimmering chords ring out on "Infinite You"; moreover, his use of rubber mallets instead of the customary felt-tipped augments his soft, controlled tone. In addition to Crowe, Dickerson is backed by bassist Bob Lewis and future Cecil Taylor drummer Andrew Cyrille. A striking debut, This Is Walt Dickerson! sets the stage for continued excellence, but also proves that Dickerson's talent was already fully formed.~ Steve Huey https://www.allmusic.com/album/this-is-walt-dickerson%21-mw0000105645

Personnel: Walt Dickerson (vibraphone); Austin Crowe (piano); Andrew Cyrille (drums).

This Is Walt Dickerson!

James Morrison & Patti Austin - Ella And Louis

Styles: Vocal And Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 86:06
Size: 198,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:31)  1. Hello, Dolly!
(6:11)  2. (Up A) Lazy River
(3:28)  3. Too Close For Comfort
(5:21)  4. Let’s Do It
(4:46)  5. (If You Can’t Sing It) You’ll Have To Swing It (Mr Paganini)
(5:30)  6. Our Love Is Here To Stay
(2:56)  7. A Tisket, A Tasket
(2:26)  8. Satin Doll
(3:54)  9. Lullaby Of Birdland
(4:29) 10. Basin Street Blues
(5:08) 11. Miss Otis Regrets
(2:58) 12. Hard-Hearted Hannah (The Vamp of Savannah)
(4:30) 13. Honeysuckle Rose
(3:25) 14. I’ve Got The World On A String
(6:41) 15. Struttin’ With Some BBQ
(4:50) 16. But Not For Me
(3:48) 17. Mack The Knife
(4:58) 18. How High The Moon
(6:07) 19. Get Happy

James Morrison is a man indebted to jazz’s past and committed to preserving its future. Next month the 54-year-old trumpet virtuoso will team up with American singer Patti Austin in a tribute to jazz giants Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong.The concert will put Morrison and Austin together with the WASO Big Band Horns. Morrison said it was hearing Armstrong play Basin Street Blues as a seven-year-old that set him on his way. “Hearing him was what made me want to be a jazz musician,” Morrison said. “The feel of that music I said ‘That’s that I want to do’.” The concert with Austin marks 100 years since the birth of acclaimed singer Ella Fitzgerald. “We’re doing this tribute to Ella and Louis, two of the greats, but Patti is one of the greats herself,” Morrison said.

“She’s a Grammy Award-winning artist.” Once a wunderkind of Australian jazz, Morrison is now bridging generations. His two sons, bassist Harry (19) and guitarist William (21), are part of his touring band. “Playing with younger musicians is a great tradition in jazz,” he said. https://www.communitynews.com.au/eastern-reporter/lifestyle/james-morrison-celebrates-ella-and-louis-with-patti-austin-and-waso/

Ella And Louis

Dan Siegel - The Hot Shot

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1980
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:02
Size: 78,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:03)  1. The Hot Shot
(4:01)  2. Sweet Talk
(3:54)  3. A Gentleman's Retreat
(3:25)  4. Once Upon A Time
(3:56)  5. The Twisted
(4:09)  6. The Wild West
(4:11)  7. Wallflower
(4:00)  8. Full Moon
(3:20)  9. Oblivion

Smooth jazz keyboardist Dan Siegel has been helping to shape the genre since his recording debut in 1980. Born in Seattle and raised in Eugene, OR, Siegel started taking piano lessons at age eight and was fronting a rock band at 12. After attending the Berklee College of Music in Boston, he received a degree in composition from the University of Oregon and began recording his own works. Soon thereafter, well-known independent jazz label Inner City Records signed the young keyboardist, releasing 1980's Nite Ride, which featured guitarist Lee Ritenour. Siegel's second album for Inner City, 1981's The Hot Spot, was more successful and spent ten weeks in the Top Ten of Billboard's jazz chart. In 1983, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue film and television work, as well as a more active recording career. Spending half of the decade composing TV and film scores as well as releasing several albums of varying interest, he signed with Epic in 1986 and began moving away from the ailing jazz fusion scene and into the adult contemporary jazz sound that he had been toying with all along. Highlights of this era include 1994's worldbeat-influenced Hemispheres and the urban-flavored Clairvoyance, released in 1998. 

Siegel spent the 1990s recording for a variety of labels, working with some of the bigger names in smooth jazz (Boney James, Larry Carlton, John Patitucci), and leading the hard bop combo Birds of a Feather. In 2000, Legacy Recordings released a greatest hits compilation called Along the Way: The Best of Dan Siegel.~ Zac Johnson https://www.allmusic.com/artist/dan-siegel-mn0000566054/biography   

The Hot Shot

Georgie Auld & His Orchestra - In The Middle

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1988
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:53
Size: 139,8 MB
Art: Front

(2:58)  1. You're Blase (vocal Sarah Vaughan)
(2:55)  2. A Hundred Years From Today (vocal Sarah Vaughan)
(3:11)  3. In The Middle
(3:16)  4. Stormy Weather (vocal Lynn Stevens)
(2:54)  5. I'll Never Be The Same
(3:07)  6. Stompin' At The Savoy
(2:47)  7. It Had To Be You (vocal Lynn Stevens)
(2:59)  8. I Don't Know Why (vocal Georgie Auld)
(2:58)  9. Air Mail Special
(3:15) 10. Here Comes Heaven Again (vocal Lynn Stevens)
(2:39) 11. Come To Baby Do (vocal Lynn Stevens)
(2:50) 12. Daily Double
(2:59) 13. You Haven't Changed At All (vocal Lynn Stevens)
(2:44) 14. Route 66 (vocal Georgie Auld)
(2:55) 15. Blue Moon
(3:17) 16. Time On My Hands (vocal Lynn Stevens)
(3:01) 17. Sweetheart Of All My Dreams (vocal Patti Powers)
(2:55) 18. Canyon Passage
(3:13) 19. Just A Sittin' & A Rockin' (vocal Lynn Stevens)
(2:50) 20. Georgie Porgie

Georgie Auld had a long and varied career, changing his tenor sound gradually with the times and adapting to many different musical situations. He moved from Canada to the U.S. in the late '20s and, although originally an altoist, he switched to tenor after hearing Coleman Hawkins. While with Bunny Berigan during 1937-1938, Auld sounded like a dead ringer for Charlie Barnet. After spending a year with Artie Shaw in 1939 (including leading the band briefly after Shaw ran away to Mexico), Auld sounded much closer to Lester Young when he joined Benny Goodman. With B.G., Auld was a major asset, jamming with a version of Goodman's Sextet that also included Cootie Williams and Charlie Christian. He was back with Shaw in 1942, and then led his own big band (1943-1946), an excellent transitional unit between swing and bop that at various times included such young modernists as Dizzy Gillespie, Erroll Garner, and Freddie Webster; Sarah Vaughan also guested on a couple of his recordings. After the band's breakup, Auld led some smaller groups that tended to be bop-oriented. He was with Count Basie's octet in 1950 and then freelanced for the remainder of his career, maintaining a lower profile but traveling frequently overseas and not losing his enthusiasm for jazz. Some may remember that, in 1977, he had a small acting role as a bandleader and played Robert De Niro's tenor solos in the otherwise forgettable Liza Minelli movie New York, New York. https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/georgie-auld-and-his-orchestra/56727532

In The Middle

Till Brönner - At The End Of The Day

Styles: Vocal And Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:27
Size: 113,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:39)  1. And I Love Her
(4:22)  2. After You've Gone
(3:35)  3. Human
(2:36)  4. I'm Through With Love
(3:26)  5. Summer Breeze
(3:16)  6. We Said It All
(3:07)  7. Your Life
(3:40)  8. I'm Only Human
(4:37)  9. Space Oddity
(5:03) 10. If I Saw You Tomorrow
(3:07) 11. I Wanna Be Around
(3:56) 12. Everybody's Got To Learn Sometime
(4:57) 13. Air

At the End of the Day is an album of light jazz covers of rock songs, which turned out to be a fun idea on the surface, but with little depth beneath. To Till Brönner's credit, he tried to push the envelope quite a bit at the track selection stage if the Beatles are an expected selection, and Bowie more or less so too, the Killers are a potentially exciting choice, and the addition of sexy goth metal kings Type O Negative who contribute "Summer Breeze"sounds like a one-way ticket to postmodern joy land. The thing is, however, all the picks really lend themselves well to pop-jazz renditions with all the required attributes sentimental crooning (competent, but appropriately tame), midtempo rhythms, background strings, and sweet, lulling melodies. Brönner throws in some trumpet, of course that's his thing but this only boosts the '80s ballad vibe of the record. At the End of the Day would be a welcome soundtrack for a trip to a nice restaurant a godsend if you're on a date but musically, it's not nearly as challenging as the track list would lead you to believe.

Chances are, those unaware of the album being a set of covers would never realize that, taking it simply for nice background music as cohesive as Muzak is supposed to be, and with little in the way of oddities, space or otherwise. It's still a great record in its own weight class soft, laconic, unobtrusive, and pleasant, possibly even beautiful. But it fails to escape the ultimate pitfall of cover albums the music is nice, but you still get the urge to listen to the originals if you recognize any. ~ Alexey Eremenko https://www.allmusic.com/album/at-the-end-of-the-day-mw0002078934    

Personnel:  Vocals, Flugelhorn – Till Brönner;  Bass – Timothy Lefebvre;   Drums – Martijn Vink;  Guitar – Frank Kuruc, Henrik Menzel;  Keyboards – Andreas Herbig, Arne Schumann;  Organ – Larry Goldings;  Piano – Roberto Di Gioia.

At The End Of The Day