Don Byas - Billie's Bounce

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 95:02
Size: 217.5 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2016
Art: Front

[ 8:27] 1. Lady Bird
[ 8:53] 2. Yesterdays
[ 9:45] 3. I'll Remember April
[ 8:22] 4. Lover Man
[ 7:22] 5. A Night In Tunisia
[ 5:48] 6. Anthropology
[10:28] 7. A Night In Tunisia (Alternate Take)
[ 7:27] 8. There Will Never Be Another You
[ 6:18] 9. Walkin'
[ 7:13] 10. Billie's Bounce
[ 7:17] 11. Moonlight In Vermont
[ 7:37] 12. Don't Blame Me

One of the greatest of all tenor players, Don Byas' decision to move permanently to Europe in 1946 resulted in him being vastly underrated in jazz history books. His knowledge of chords rivalled Coleman Hawkins, and, due to their similarity in tones, Byas can be considered an extension of the elder tenor. He played with many top swing bands, including those of Lionel Hampton (1935), Buck Clayton (1936), Don Redman, Lucky Millinder, Andy Kirk (1939-1940), and most importantly Count Basie (1941-1943). An advanced swing stylist, Byas' playing looked toward bop. He jammed at Minton's Playhouse in the early '40s, appeared on 52nd Street with Dizzy Gillespie, and performed a pair of stunning duets with bassist Slam Stewart at a 1944 Town Hall concert. After recording extensively during 1945-1946 (often as a leader), Byas went to Europe with Don Redman's band, and (with the exception of a 1970 appearance at the Newport Jazz Festival) never came back to the U.S. He lived in France, the Netherlands, and Denmark; often appeared at festivals; and worked steadily. Whenever American players were touring, they would ask for Byas, who had opportunities to perform with Duke Ellington, Bud Powell, Kenny Clarke, Dizzy Gillespie, Jazz at the Philharmonic (including a recorded tenor battle with Hawkins and Stan Getz), Art Blakey, and (on a 1968 recording) Ben Webster. Byas also recorded often in the 1950s, but was largely forgotten in the U.S. by the time of his death. ~bio by Scott Yanow

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Otis Redding, Carla Thomas - King & Queen

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 32:01
Size: 73.3 MB
Styles: Soul
Year: 1967/2012
Art: Front

[2:49] 1. Knock On Wood
[2:54] 2. Let Me Be Good To You
[2:59] 3. Tramp
[3:13] 4. Tell It Like It Is
[2:46] 5. When Something Is Wrong With My Baby
[2:33] 6. Lovey Dovey
[3:26] 7. New Year's Resolution
[3:04] 8. It Takes Two
[3:08] 9. Are You Lonely For Me Baby
[2:32] 10. Bring It On Home To Me
[2:33] 11. Ooh Carla, Ooh Otis

Otis Redding never recorded a lighter, more purely entertaining record than King & Queen, a collection of duets with Stax labelmate Carla Thomas. In all likelihood inspired by a series of popular duets recorded by Marvin Gaye -- indeed, "It Takes Two," Gaye's sublime collaboration with Kim Weston, is covered here -- the record serves no greater purpose than to allow Redding the chance to run through some of the era's biggest soul hits, including "Knock on Wood," "Tell It Like It Is,"and "When Something Is Wrong with My Baby," and while clearly not a personal triumph on a par with either Otis Blue or The Dictionary of Soul, the set is still hugely successful on its own terms. Redding and Thomas enjoy an undeniable chemistry, and they play off each other wonderfully; while sparks fly furiously throughout King & Queen, the album's highlight is the classic "Tramp," where their battle of the sexes reaches its fever pitch in supremely witty fashion. ~Jason Ankeny

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Allan Vaché - High Speed Swing

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:07
Size: 80.4 MB
Styles: Swing, Clarinet jazz
Year: 1984/2016
Art: Front

[4:51] 1. Swing '39
[2:01] 2. If I Could Be With You
[4:20] 3. Emily
[3:09] 4. I've Started All Over Again
[2:37] 5. China Boy
[3:54] 6. Secret Love
[5:09] 7. I Don't Stand A Ghost Of A Chance With You
[1:41] 8. Gone With The Wind
[3:13] 9. Moonlight On The Ganges
[4:08] 10. Goodbye

Bass – Jack Wyatt; Clarinet, Leader – Allan Vaché; Drums – Kevin Hess; Guitar – Howard Elkins; Piano – John Sheridan. Recorded February 12, 1984 at Bob Bruce's United Audio Recording, San Antonio Tx.

When Allan Vaché plays swing on his clarinet, the smooth sounds invite comparisons to a young Benny Goodman, which isn't surprising since the King of Swing was one of Vaché's chief influences. Vaché can be downright blistering as well as warm and inviting and his graceful playing makes even complicated pieces seem easy. Critics also compare him to jazz clarinetist Peanuts Hucko.

Vaché evinced an early aptitude for music, which he pursued while at college during the 1970s. He became a student of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra's David Dworkin. He also studied with traditional jazz clarinetist Kenny Davern. Early on he performed professionally with a number of noted musicians, among them Lionel Hampton, Bobby Hackett, Gene Krupa, Pee Wee Erwin, Clark Terry, Dick Hyman, Dick Wellstood, Max Kaminsky, Bob Wilber, Cliff Leeman, and Wild Bill Davison. He also often played with his brother, flügelhorn and cornet player Warren Vaché Jr.

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Monika Herzig - The Whole World In Her Hands

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:21
Size: 133.6 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2016
Art: Front

[5:04] 1. Plenty Of Nothing
[4:12] 2. Mosquitoes
[3:02] 3. The Cat That Stole The Moon
[5:23] 4. In A Nutshell
[5:47] 5. Song For Argentina
[5:28] 6. Istop
[5:19] 7. Royals
[4:58] 8. Oh Muddy Waters
[4:30] 9. 2-Way Mirror
[5:38] 10. A Total Non-Impossibility
[3:49] 11. Peaceful Piece
[5:05] 12. The Whole World In Her Hands

Jazz pianist Monika Herzig has toured internationally as a bandleader, pianist, author, and jazz advocate. The songs on this album include original compositions by Herzig, as well as arrangements of traditional tunes and current hits. Along with Herzig, an all-star ensemble performs on these works, including Leni Stern, Mayra Casales, Jane Bunnett, Arianna Fanning, Jennifer Vincent, Reut Regev, Jamie Baum, Lakecia Benjamin, and Linda Oh.

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Jorge Estrada - Voices Of The Black Forest

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:20
Size: 129.0 MB
Styles: Latin jazz
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[6:38] 1. Black Gold
[8:51] 2. Lo Que Dejaste
[7:29] 3. Galadriel (For Bonnie Herman)
[7:24] 4. Voices Of The Black Forest
[4:02] 5. Si Sobrevives
[6:18] 6. Blue House
[9:44] 7. Istanbul Moments
[5:49] 8. Hannah's House

Hi my name is Jorge Estrada. I was born in Guadalajara, Mèxico and I’ve been a musician for 26 years. I studied in the Universidad de Guadalajara’s music school and from the beginning I was attracted mainly to jazz. Since then, I’ve been fortunate to learn and play with many people that have significantly helped me along the way. I also have been to places that not even in my wildest dreams I thought I would ever be. Some of the people I’ve worked with: Kitty Margolis, Joyce Cooling, Ann Dyer, Richard Howell, Steve Baughman, Madeline Eastman, Claudia Gômez, Jimmy Haslip, Sandro Albert, Marco Da Costa, Luis Conte, Sal Cracciolo,Brandon Fields, Jimmy Branly, Dean Taba, Don Shelton from The Singers Unlimited and The Hi-Lo's, Carlos Estrada and Alejandro Fernàndez, with whom I’ve had the pleasure of working and touring with for the last 10 years. Some of the countries I have performed are: USA, Venezuela, Turkey, Spain, Colombia and Brazil among others. I hope you enjoy my music ! ~Jorge.

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Quincy Jones - Mellow Madness

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:11
Size: 101.2 MB
Styles: Jazz/Funk/Soul
Year: 1975
Art: Front

[3:52] 1. Is It Love That We're Missin'
[2:55] 2. Paranoid
[3:27] 3. Mellow Madness
[6:12] 4. Beautiful Black Girl
[4:16] 5. Listen (What It Is)
[3:28] 6. Just A Little Taste Of Me
[5:25] 7. My Cherie Amour
[3:02] 8. Tryin' To Find Out About You
[4:29] 9. Cry Baby
[7:00] 10. Bluesette

Backing Vocals – Carolyn Willis, Jesse Kirkland, Jim Gilstrap, Joe Greene, Leon Ware, Myrna Matthews, Paulette McWilliams, Quincy Jones, Tom Bahler; Bass – Louis Johnson; Congas, Percussion – Ralph MacDonald; Drums – Harvey Mason; Featuring [Introducing] – Brothers Johnson, Paulette McWilliams; Guitar – George Johnson, Wah Wah Watson, Toots Thielemans; Keyboards – Dave Grusin, Don Grusin, Jerry Peters, Quincy Jones; Saxophone – Ernie Krivda, Jerome Richardson, Sahib Shihab; Trombone – Frank Rosolino, George Bohanon; Trumpet – Bill Lamb, Chuck Findley, Quincy Jones, Tom Bahler. Recorded at The Record Plant, Los Angeles, Westlake Audio, Los Angeles.

Released not long after Quincy Jones was operated upon for life-threatening brain aneurysms, the music community was glad to have this album around (you can almost sense Q's own relief as he holds his forehead on the cover). Basically, though, it continues the polished, percolating soul direction that Q initiated with Body Heat, alienating purists but entertaining R&B audiences that rushed to buy it. The album is given its commercial edge by two new Jones discoveries, George Johnson (guitar, vocals) and Louis Johnson (bass), who would leap to fame the following year on their own as the Brothers Johnson. One attraction for jazz listeners is Toots Thielemans' "Bluesette," in which the Belgian virtuoso does a nice guitar/whistle cameo and Frank Rosolino blows some fine trombone, but the track is not helped by the overdubbed soul voices. ~Richard S. Ginnell

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Johnny Hodges & Wild Bill Davis - Wings And Things

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1965
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:50
Size: 82,3 MB
Art: Front

(7:16)  1. Wings and Things
(3:16)  2. The Nearness of You
(3:56)  3. Imbo
(3:58)  4. Take The "A" Train
(7:47)  5. Spotted Dog
(2:43)  6. Casanova
(3:24)  7. Dow De Dow Dow Dow
(3:26)  8. Peg O'My Heart

One of the best records to offer the team of alto giant Johnny Hodges and Hammond player Wild Bill Davis not just because there's a great soul food cover on the front, but also because the group features Grant Green on guitar! 

The group plays a number of originals, with a solid soul jazz sound that borders on a Blue Note bag and titles include "Wings & Things", "Dow De Dow Dow Dow", "Casanova", and "Spotted Dog". (MGM pressing. Cover has wear & stains, with a cutout hole.)  © 1996-2018, Dusty Groove, Inc. https://www.dustygroove.com/item/11716/Johnny-Hodges-Wild-Bill-Davis:Wings-Things 

Personnel:  Johnny Hodges - alto saxophone;  Wild Bill Davis - organ;  Lawrence Brown - trombone;  Grant Green - guitar;   Hank Jones - piano;  Richard Davis - double bass;  Ben Dixon - drums

Wings And Things

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Greg Chambers - Can't Help Myself

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:25
Size: 100,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:54)  1. Can't Help Myself
(4:07)  2. In the Moment (feat. Julian Vaughn)
(4:23)  3. So Into You
(3:42)  4. Off the Cuff (feat. Nils & Nate Harasim)
(4:06)  5. All My Life (feat. Jalen Seawright)
(3:34)  6. Saturday Afternoon (feat. Matt Godina)
(4:44)  7. It's On (feat. Paul Brown)
(3:55)  8. Come a Little Closer
(4:52)  9. Lovely (feat. Kevin)
(3:47) 10. Wait Awhile
(2:16) 11. Dreaming of You

Soulful, fresh, and catchy saxophone-led smooth jazz. Featuring appearances by Paul Brown, Julian Vaughn, Nils, Nate Harasim and others, Can't Help Myself will have you humming along and grooving from start to finish!

Greg Chambers is no longer a newbie, he is a rising star! Contemporary instrumental music (formerly known as smooth jazz) has taken a beating over the last five years. A tightly clustered pack of musicians whose differences are measured by the thickness of a sheet of paper are now being forced to dig just a tad deeper in their harmonic arsenal thanks to stellar talent such as Greg Chambers. An independent artist with some dynamite guest shots from Nate Harasim, Paul Brown and Matt Godina makes a bold statement that sometimes just being yourself is the best artistic statement one could make. Nate Harasim handles the mixing duties while Paul Brown is featured on It's On. While vocals on most releases that walk the smoother side of the jazz street are basically R&B cast offs looking for crossover gold, All My Life and Lovely are solid. Respectively, Jalen Seawright and Kevin Lewis are talent to keep an eye on with both tunes having more than ample opportunity to cross over on a variety of platform play lists. Bassist Julian Vaughn and six string ace Matt Godina add depth and flavor to a release that is a showcase for the exponential growth of Greg Chambers. Far more than pretty melodies, Greg Chambers is a lyrically driven artist that is now separating himself from the pack. A dynamic tone and the ability to compose a tune that has this artist opening for some major league talent, Greg Chambers is the new hot ticket for contemporary instrumental music! There are major label artists not making music this well! ~ Brent Black, Critical Jazz

Saxophonist Greg Chambers has been enjoying what must be a most satisfying high for him as he splits his time between making solid-grooved contemporary jazz music as a solo artist and serving as a private woodwind instructor in the San Francisco Bay area. Having worked with symphonies and orchestras as a classical saxophonist, Chambers seems to keep quite busy. His dedication to the smooth jazz genre is commendable in light of all of his other activities. As evidence of that commitment, he now steps out again with another pleasing project called Can't Help Myself. Remaining true to a cool, fluid style that plays well in the smooth jazz community, the album contains an abundance of tasteful grooves including but not limited to the up-tempo lead and title track, an equally movin and shakin track two entitled In The Moment (an apropos title as I m sure that is exactly where he was as he co-penned this one with multi-instrumentalist Matt Godina), the smooth and steady dancer So Into You, a laid-back and sexy It s On, an effective and soulful cover of K-Ci & JoJo s All My Life, and a cozy soprano sax presence found on the mid-tempo Saturday Afternoon. The saxman is joined here by some well-known and admired artists in the biz, namely guitarist/producer Paul Brown (who will be releasing his own impressive project shortly), the personable and talented keyboardist/producer Nate Harasim, funky guitarist Nils, and the always-on bassist Julian Vaughn. In addition to the beckon of Chambers' sax, I must say that the backing keys/piano, guitar, and strings work on several of the slower, romantic tracks (e.g., Come a Little Closer, Lovely, and the riveting finale sans drums or percussion, Dreaming of You) are simply more than worthy of a listen. Add to that the wonderful vocals found on the previously mentioned Lovely and provided by Kevin Lewis, and you've got a project that carries a lot of the confident stride of a well-produced effort. In a nutshell, Chambers, having established that he has a firm handle on the nuances, flavors, and soul of this music, has again accomplished his goal to satisfy. ~ Ronald Jackson, Smooth Jazz Ride

Smooth Jazz Therapy has been following the fortunes of sax-man Greg Chambers since 2007 and the release of his debut recording City Lights . At the time I described it as an album different enough to get him noticed and then delighted in watching his musical progression as, first with his 2011 self-titled follow up and again with the seven-track 2013 EP After Hours, he proceeded to carve out his own musical identity. Now this progression continues with the sparkling Can't Help Myself . Not only is it his most commercial to date but is also a wonderful showcase for his combined talents as songwriter, producer and performer. No doubt about it, Can't Help Myself is the real smooth jazz deal and, with input from the likes of Paul Brown, Nate Harasim, Nils and Julian Vaughn, is a timely reminder of how good contemporary jazz can be when done this well. Talking of doing things well, the CD opens with the fabulously zesty title cut that benefits from input from co-writer Harasim on keys. He stays around to lend a hand with the mid-tempo Off The Cuff that includes a nice interjection of guitar from Nils and is another of three songs he co-writes with Chambers. In fact Chambers writes or co-writes nine of the eleven choice tunes, five of them with guitarist and keyboard player Matt Godina. On this showing Chambers and Godina are establishing themselves as one of the genre s most formidable song writing partnerships and a case in point is the languid It's On for which Paul Brown guests on guitar. Just as good is the infectiously up-tempo In The Moment (featuring bass guitar from rising star Julian Vaughn) while another Chambers-Godina number is the immensely feel-good So Into You that is arguably amongst the best that Can't Help Myself has to offer. That said, they prove themselves to be equally adept when easing things down and they do just that, first with the super sultry Come A Little Closer and again for the similarly disposed Wait Awhile that just tips the scales as Smooth Jazz Therapy top track. Elsewhere Godina takes the lead on guitar for the relaxed groove of Saturday Afternoon and although Chambers closes out the collection with the romantically inclined Dreaming Of You he slips effortlessly into urban jazz territory for a sensational take on the Boyz II Men smash Lovely where vocals from Kevin Lewis really hit the spot and bass from the always excellent Roberto Vally provides the perfect anchor. 

The album s other cover is All My Life that was a hit for R & B duo K-Ci & JoJo but which here is given a lighter, more angelic touch courtesy of vocals of Jalen Seawright. It is a brilliant example of the light and shade that Chambers has crammed into Can't Help Myself and another reason, among many, why you should make it part of your collection. ~ Denis Poole, Smooth Jazz Therapy https://www.amazon.com/Cant-Help-Myself-Greg-Chambers/dp/B00LOZCWIS

Can't Help Myself

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Ralph Macdonald - The Path

Styles: Jazz Funk
Year: 1978
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:24
Size: 81,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:44)  1. The Path (Part One)
(5:06)  2. The Path (Part Two)
(6:19)  3. The Path (Part Three)
(5:20)  4. Smoke Rings And Wine
(4:43)  5. I Cross My Heart
(4:35)  6. It Feels So Good
(3:34)  7. If Im Still Around Tomorrow

With an all-star cast that rivals if not surpasses his Sound of a Drum solo debut, Ralph MacDonald's sophomore effort, The Path, remains his most ambitious and successful solo record. The 18-minute title cut is a mind-boggling journey charting the progression of African-American music from its roots in tribal drumming through evolutions from blues to jazz to funk aided by drummers Idris Muhammad, Steve Gadd, and Rick Marotta as well as soloists including Michael Brecker, David Sanborn, and Bob James, MacDonald creates a virtual primer in percussion, navigating the twists and turns of his musical narrative with stunning precision. 

The record's second half can't help but suffer by comparison, although even the slightest material retains MacDonald's flair for deeply funky rhythms.~ Jason Ankeny https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-path-mw0000857331

Personnel:   Congas, Percussion – Ralph MacDonald;  Bass – Chuck Rainey, Will Lee, William Salter;  Clavinet – Arthur Jenkins, Jr.;  Drums – Charles Collins, Rick Marotta, Steve Gadd;  Guitar – Eric Gale, Hugh McCracken;  Guitar – Eric Gale, Hugh McCracken;    Strings – Al Brown, Gene Orloff, Guy Lumia, Harold Kohon, Jesse Levy, Joe Malin, Julien Barber, Kermit Moore, Matthew Raimondi, Mitsue Takayama, Paul Gershman, Sanford Allen, Selwart Clarke

The Path

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