Marlene VerPlanck - Marlene VerPlanck Sings Alec Wilder

Size: 141,0 MB
Time: 59:37
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1986
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front & Back

01. Where Is The One (3:19)
02. Crazy In The Heart (4:07)
03. Love Among The Young (3:09)
04. I'm Alone Again (4:03)
05. Please Stay With Me (2:51)
06. The Lady Sings The Blues (2:41)
07. I Like It Here (2:03)
08. Lovers And Losers (2:05)
09. Remember, My Child (1:54)
10. Give Me Time (3:20)
11. That's My Guy (1:49)
12. (So You've Had A) Change Of Heart (4:44)
13. I Wish I Had The Blues Again (3:39)
14. No One Ever Told Me (1:51)
15. I'll Be Around (2:32)
16. Blackberry Winter (3:37)
17. The Wrong Blues (4:28)
18. I Like It Here (And This Is Where I'll Stay) (2:44)
19. Be A Child (2:19)
20. Where Is The One (2:10)

He's been called "the Quincy Jones of Gospel," and besides being one of the best-selling instrumentalists in Christian music, keyboard player Ben Tankard has justified his tag, producing many stellar gospel projects as well as serving as an executive vice-president at Tribute Records, for which he has recorded extensively. Born in Florida to a minister father and a missionary mother, he began playing drums in church at the age of three. He later graduated to tuba and was offered several music scholarships to college, though he eventually accepted a basketball scholarship instead.

Tankard endured a rough period of depression and homelessness when a knee injury prevented him from turning professional (though he was drafted by the NBA). A visit to a revival service put him on the right track, and almost overnight, he became a very talented keyboard/organ player. Tankard began his witness in song with 1990's Keynote Speaker, recorded for Tribute. He continued recording and soon moved into production and arranging as well, calling on his reserves of early musical training to provide impeccable jobs for Yolanda Adams, the Alabama State Mass Choir, and Michael Bruce. His albums were often light jazz works, offering soothing, reflective gospel instrumentals that were similar to mainstream efforts from George Benson and Kenny G. In addition to his numerous solo albums, Tankard has earned a plethora of Gold and Platinum records via his production work, collaborating with a host of Grammy-winning artists including Take 6, Fred Hammond, Kelly Price, John P. Kee, Shirley Murdock, Twinkie Clark, and Gerald Albright. ~by John Bush

Marlene VerPlanck Sings Alec Wilder

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Belô Velloso - The Old Fashioned Way

Size: 59,8 MB
Time: 25:34
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Pop
Art: Front

01. My Love (4:12)
02. I'll Be Seeing You (2:41)
03. I Have You (3:18)
04. My Eyes Adored You (3:10)
05. All The Things You Are (3:16)
06. Someday (You'll Want Me To Want You) (2:21)
07. We'll Meet Again (3:12)
08. The Old Fashioned Way (3:21)

Belô Velloso has a supple, airy voice that can caress a melody even when it rides a swaggering sambareggae beat. (The New York Times — Jon Pareles)

Belô Velloso, brings a warm, guileless voice to immaculately graceful pop. (The New York Times — Jon Pareles)

Belô Velloso is something of a hybrid torch, show-tune singer: decidedly Brazilian. (The New York Times — Choire Sicha)

Belô Velloso caresses the melodies, making the songs seem to come straight from the heart. (The New York Times — Jon Pareles)

Belô Velloso has the merits of escaping from the dictatorship which ravages Brazilian pop music... has a beautiful timbre of voice and a good taste for repertory. (Billboard)

Belô Velloso. This young Brazilian singer brings a warm, guileless voice to immaculately graceful pop. The album's dozen pop songs touch on Brazilian styles like bossa nova, forro and pagode samba, and bring a Brazilian subtlety to borrowings from reggae, salsa, funk and nuevo flamenco. The arrangements maintain a light touch while Ms. Velloso caresses the melodies, making the songs seem to come straight from the heart. (The New York Times)

The Old Fashioned Way

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Chad Lefkowitz-Brown - Standard Sessions

Size: 202,2 MB
Time: 86:59
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. This I Dig Of You (5:07)
02. Scrapple From The Apple (6:56)
03. Alone Together (6:05)
04. Green Dolphin Street (7:46)
05. Old Folks (7:16)
06. When Will The Blues Leave (6:57)
07. Almost Like Being In Love (8:27)
08. I’ll Remember April (8:41)
09. Out Of Nowhere (7:51)
10. What Is This Thing Called Love (6:14)
11. Yardbird Suite (8:42)
12. You Stepped Out Of A Dream (6:52)

Hailed as a "sax phenom" by The New York Daily News, Chad Lefkowitz-Brown is one of the first prominent jazz musicians to emerge out of the millennial generation. He has toured globally as a soloist, and with numerous jazz artists and pop icons ranging from Arturo O’Farrill to Taylor Swift. Chad is also a member of the multi-Grammy award winning Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, and he is on faculty at the San Francisco Conservatory as a visiting artist. Downbeat Magazine selected his latest release, “Onward” as an Editor’s Pick for 2017, commending his “technical abilities that mask the difficulty of his wondrously intricate lines.”

A native of Elmira, New York, Chad established himself as a jazz prodigy at age 11, performing throughout New York State under the mentorship of local jazz hero, George Reed, who was known for backing legends like Teddy Wilson, Buddy Tate, and Marian McPartland.

Chad went on to pursue a formal education in the arts at the Brubeck Institute, a prestigious fellowship program created by jazz legend Dave Brubeck. While studying at the institute, he performed regularly with Brubeck and was a member of the Brubeck Institute Jazz Quintet.

Chad received many accolades during his scholastic career, including 15 DownBeat Magazine Student Music Awards for categories such as "Best Jazz Soloist" and "Best Original Song."

Since graduating from the Brubeck Institute, Chad has performed throughout four continents, and has appeared at venues including Carnegie Hall, the Super Bowl, and Madison Square Garden. His debut album, Imagery Manifesto, was named “Debut Album of the Year” by jazz critic and author, Doug Ramsey, and his most recent recording as a leader, “Onward,” features jazz legend, Randy Brecker.

Standard Sessions

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Katia Guerreiro - Sempre

Size: 102,8 MB
Time: 43:42
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Fado
Art: Front

01. Prologo A Minha Vida E (0:47)
02. De Ti Direi Apenas (3:07)
03. Quem Diria (2:11)
04. Tristeza Velha (3:18)
05. Deixar-te Um Dia (2:30)
06. Fora De Cena (3:44)
07. Distante (3:12)
08. Na Volta (2:23)
09. Vem (Cançao Para O Joao Mario) (3:03)
10. Rezando Pedi Por Ti (3:27)
11. Aqui (2:32)
12. Dia Nao (3:11)
13. Brado (3:43)
14. Fado Pessoa (2:34)
15. Sempre (3:13)
16. Epilogo A Minha Vida E (0:40)

It’s a gift. Katia Guerreiro both heals bruised souls and tends to wounded bodies. At thirty eight, this talented Portuguese woman pursues a dual career. By day she is a specialist doctor, by night a successful fado singer. Caught between two passions, the young woman, who grew up in the Azores, has chosen not to choose. For the last 12 years, since the success of her album “Fado Maior” revealed her talents to the world, Katia Guerreiro has captured, better than anyone, the true and original essence of fado. The demanding circle of fans have even gone as far as to compare her to the incomparable Amalia Rodrigues. She has captured both the words and spirit of this great star. Each line is filled with spirituality, whispered secrets and tradition. Love stories finish in heartbreak and blues resonates with the most subtle of echoes – the echoes of the restless Fernando Pessoa and the more contemporary António Lobo Antunes, two Lisbon poets that she visited. Eyes closed and hands interlaced behind her back, Katia Guerreiro offers us a version of fado that transcends clichés, daring to open new horizons by inviting artists such as sambista Martinho Da Vila and diva Amina Alaoui. Brazilian saudade and Moroccan tarab evoke fado’s tragic destiny with long timeless blues. All this serves to highlight the singer’s talent, faultless technique and also a sensitivity that holds us on a tightrope, on the edge of the abyss, and draws us into an intimate drama that becomes universal. Soul wrenching moments make hearts and bodies tremble, as they did at her concert on the mythic stage of the Olympia in Paris on 23 January 2012 or on January 30, 2016, during a memorable concert at the Opera Grande Hall in Lyon, when she became the first Portuguese artist to sing on this stage.

Katia as a captivating and sincere ambassador has performed on the biggest stages and in various countries such as Norway, Spain, France, Brazil, and Latin America for this fall of 2018.

In March 2017, Katia Guerreiro is invited to perform at the Al Bustan Festival in Beirut. In 2017, the prestigious Lebanese festival was titled “Queens and Empresses of the East”

Main awards :
Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters by the French Government
Ordem do Infante D. Henrique by the Portuguese Government
Mexican prize “Lunas del Auditorio”, for his concert at the Teatro de la Ciudad in October 2015.

Sempre

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Amy Baker - Get Happy

Size: 72,1 MB
Time: 30:07
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. You Make Me Feel So Young (2:03)
02. Witchcraft (2:15)
03. My Baby Just Cares For Me (2:01)
04. Blue Moon (3:18)
05. What A Difference A Day Makes (2:40)
06. Why Don't You Do Right (2:24)
07. Sentimental Journey (3:54)
08. Get Happy (2:39)
09. The More I See You (2:49)
10. He's A Tramp (2:34)
11. Too Darn Hot (3:25)

Amy Baker is a jazz and swing singer, who has performed at renowned festivals and venues all over the world including Ronnie Scotts, Glastonbury Festival, Edinburgh Fringe, The Tower of London, Montreux Jazz Festival, Goodwood Revival, Derry Jazz Festival, Cannes Yachting Festival, The Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show and The Miami Boat Show. Originally from Hampshire, Amy grew up listening to swing music, and admiring everything about the vintage period. When her uncle heard her singing he suggested she have some singing lessons. At the age of 10 she began lessons with John Atkins, an elderly man, almost blind, who could play anything on the piano. Amy began working through her grades in singing and was delighted to win The Arun Young Vocalist of the Year at the age of 12. When John was unable to carry on with her lessons, she started training with international bass concert singer, Martin Elliott. His wealth of experience gave her an excellent grounding in vocal technique and performance skills. Amy then moved to South Downs College to study classical singing and an A Level in music. It was a wonderful two years of study, but classical singing left her cold. She knew she had to find her own style, and find the music that would really feed her soul. At 20 she began working as an Adele tribute act, emulating Adeles warm vocal sound and presence on stage. She was soon getting booked in casinos, hotels and at corporate events. It was the perfect opening to gain experience of singing in larger venues, and to develop her performance style and confidence. She was getting to do what she loved, although there was still something missing, and she knew that jazz and swing music really made her feel alive. Amy is now in demand as a jazz and swing singer. As well as her many solo gigs, she performs with her own band, and regularly appears with the Jive Aces, the UKs leading jive / swing band.

Get Happy

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Ben Tankard - Rise!

Size: 82,8 MB
Time: 35:27
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz: Smooth Jazz
Art: Front

01. Rise! (3:41)
02. More Rain (3:43)
03. It's Working (3:28)
04. Smooth Sunday (3:21)
05. Still Here (4:08)
06. Afternoon Nap (3:03)
07. George The Duke (3:23)
08. Passionfruit (3:24)
09. Unlisted Number (3:36)
10. Piano Hymn (3:36)

He's been called "the Quincy Jones of Gospel," and besides being one of the best-selling instrumentalists in Christian music, keyboard player Ben Tankard has justified his tag, producing many stellar gospel projects as well as serving as an executive vice-president at Tribute Records, for which he has recorded extensively. Born in Florida to a minister father and a missionary mother, he began playing drums in church at the age of three. He later graduated to tuba and was offered several music scholarships to college, though he eventually accepted a basketball scholarship instead.

Tankard endured a rough period of depression and homelessness when a knee injury prevented him from turning professional (though he was drafted by the NBA). A visit to a revival service put him on the right track, and almost overnight, he became a very talented keyboard/organ player. Tankard began his witness in song with 1990's Keynote Speaker, recorded for Tribute. He continued recording and soon moved into production and arranging as well, calling on his reserves of early musical training to provide impeccable jobs for Yolanda Adams, the Alabama State Mass Choir, and Michael Bruce. His albums were often light jazz works, offering soothing, reflective gospel instrumentals that were similar to mainstream efforts from George Benson and Kenny G. In addition to his numerous solo albums, Tankard has earned a plethora of Gold and Platinum records via his production work, collaborating with a host of Grammy-winning artists including Take 6, Fred Hammond, Kelly Price, John P. Kee, Shirley Murdock, Twinkie Clark, and Gerald Albright. ~by John Bush

Rise!

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Kristy Kruger - Fever Of Unknown Origin

Size: 109,0 MB
Time: 46:37
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz, Pop, Americana
Art: Front

01. What I Do (3:24)
02. Home Is Everywhere I Roam (3:07)
03. The Carpenter (2:52)
04. Folsom Prison Blues (4:26)
05. I Long For The Night All Day (2:41)
06. I Cried For All That Might Have Been (3:25)
07. Johnny And June (3:39)
08. It Hurts Most Of All When I'm Standing Still (3:22)
09. Goodbye Brother (3:53)
10. I Fell In Love With A Man Who Said He Loved Me (3:24)
11. Directions For A Sudden Death (4:36)
12. Johnny And June (Solo Piano) (3:46)
13. Come And Gone (3:57)

Singer/songwriter Kristy Kruger draws inspiration from varied sources -- including the catalogs of Tom Waits, Emmylou Harris, Bessie Smith, and Aimee Mann -- to create a diverse brand of Americana. Having played piano since the age of five, she began embracing composition as a high school student, winning several competitions in her native Texas and earning a music scholarship from the University of Southern California. Once enrolled, she assembled a band and hit the Los Angeles club circuit in support of her songs, several of which later found their way onto her debut album, 1998's Bachelor of Apathy. Kruger released the album on her own label, Do It Yerself Records, which also issued the follow-up effort The Noise I Make in 2000. While on the road in support her sophomore album, Kruger crossed paths with producer/engineer Andrew Gilchrist, who had previously worked with Ani DiFranco. Gilchrist agreed to produce Kruger's next release, and the songwriter relocated to New Orleans to record An Unauthorized Guide to the Human Anatomy, an anatomically themed album that paired the songwriter with a full band for the first time. Songs from a Dead Man's Couch followed in 2006. ~Andrew Leahey

Fever Of Unknown Origin

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Ruby Braff - Linger Awhile

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:10
Size: 158,9 MB
Art: Front

( 9:19)  1. Sweet Sue
( 7:25)  2. Ghost of a Chance
( 3:17)  3. Wishing
( 8:29)  4. I Cover the Waterfront
( 5:52)  5. Keeping Out of Mischief Now
( 5:00)  6. Linger Awhile
( 5:50)  7. I'm in the Market for You
( 6:55)  8. Romance in the Dark
( 5:59)  9. When You Wish Upon a Star
(11:00) 10. I Can't Get Started

This compilation combines tracks from three separate early-'50s recording sessions. Braff, heard on trumpet rather than cornet, is in great form, and is joined by Vic Dickenson, Nat Pierce, and now-obscure tenor saxophonist Samuel Margolis on a swinging "Sweet Sue." Two tracks come from a Dickenson-led date; the best is a very relaxed take on "I Cover the Waterfront." Only one selection comes from a meeting of Braff and fellow trumpeter Buck Clayton, but it's a gem an extended look at "I Can't Get Started." As with many Vanguard reissues of recent vintage, the only complaint is that each of the record dates merited a separate re-release instead of this enjoyable but piecemeal anthology CD. ~ Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/linger-awhile-mw0000258734

Personnel:  Trumpet – Buck Clayton (tracks: 10), Ruby Braff;  Bass – Aaron Bell (tracks: 10), Walter Page (tracks: 1 to 9);  Clarinet – Edmond Hall (tracks: 4, 5);  Drums – Bobby Donaldson (tracks: 10), Jo Jones (tracks: 1 to 3, 6 to 9), Les Erskine (tracks: 4, 5);  Guitar – Steve Jordan (3) (tracks: 4, 5, 10);  Piano – Jimmy Jones (3) (tracks: 10), Nat Pierce (tracks: 1 to 3, 6 to 9), Sir Charles Thompson (tracks: 4, 5);  Saxophone – Buddy Tate (tracks: 10), Samuel Margolis (tracks: 1 to 3, 6 to 9);  Trombone – Benny Morton (tracks: 10), Vic Dickenson (tracks: 1 to 9)

Linger Awhile

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Pharoah Sanders - Ballads with Love

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1992
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:01
Size: 94,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:58)  1. Too Young to Go Steady
(7:15)  2. Feelin' Good
(6:23)  3. Light at the Edge of the World
(9:02)  4. Body and Soul
(5:46)  5. Misty
(6:35)  6. In a Sentimental Mood

Known for his harsh excursions into the avant-garde with John Coltrane in the late '60s, Pharoah Sanders is at his most appealing interpreting ballads, such as these 2002 sessions. Well accompanied by pianist William Henderson, bassist Charles Fambrough, and drummer Sherman Ferguson, Sanders offers a fluid interpretation of the nearly forgotten gem "Too Young to Go Steady," showcasing his warm tenor sax and Henderson's lush touch as well. His take of Anthony Newley's "Feelin' Good" shows Coltrane's influence on him, while Sanders gives this show tune a gospel flavor. One fascinating choice is Piero Piccioni's "Light at the Edge of the World," written for the film of the same name, a big-budget 1971 film starring Kirk Douglas that flopped at the box office; Sanders' decision to look for obscurities such as this gem pays off huge dividends, with his robust playing in a soft bossa nova setting and Henderson's shimmering piano glistening like the sun on the ocean. The arrangements of favorites like "Body and Soul," "In a Sentimental Mood," and "Misty" are also among Pharoah Sanders' best recorded performances. Recommended. ~ Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/ballads-with-love-mw0000551448

Personnel: Tenor Saxophone – Pharoah Sanders;  Bass – Charles Fambrough;  Drums – Sherman Ferguson;  Piano – William Henderson

Ballads with Love

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Quadro Nuevo - Tango Bitter Sweet

Styles: Latin Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:00
Size: 163,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:53)  1. L' ete Indien
(4:32)  2. Swing Vagabond
(4:09)  3. Petite Fleur
(3:50)  4. Tango Bitter Sweet
(4:44)  5. Paroles, Paroles
(1:55)  6. The Windmills of Your Mind
(5:08)  7. Tango Jalousie
(4:13)  8. Avant De Mourir
(4:20)  9. Malafemmena
(4:43) 10. Milonga Tati
(5:11) 11. Et Maintenant
(3:28) 12. An Einem Winterabend
(4:35) 13. Mude Sonne
(2:02) 14. Isla De Las Mujeres
(4:06) 15. Gloomy Sunday
(1:31) 16. Afternoon
(2:55) 17. At Night
(3:35) 18. Sabre Dance

There was a time when doing something experimental in tango could not only result in bad reviews from music critics who didn't understand what you were doing it could also result in bodily harm. The late Astor Piazzolla, often hailed as the Charlie Parker of tango, was literally beaten up in the streets of Buenos Aires by opponents who disliked his vision of tango (which was a major departure from the old-school tango of Carlos Gardel, Carlos Di Sarli, Aníbal Troilo and Hugo del Carril). But these days, Piazzolla-minded tango is very much the norm and tango enthusiasts are unlikely to resort to fisticuffs even if an artist does something expansive that they don't comprehend. The word "expansive" easily applies to Quadro Nuevo, a European tango-oriented quartet that takes a lot of chances on their 2006 recording Tango Bitter Sweet. This 69-minute CD has a strong Piazzolla influence, which is hardly unusual in the 21st century; the tiny, insignificant minority of people who still consider Piazzolla a musical heretic are like the tiny, insignificant minority of people who still believe that Dixieland is the only legitimate form of jazz. What makes Tango Bitter Sweet unusual is the way Quadro Nuevo combines that Piazzolla influence with so many non-tango influences; during the course of the album, elements of Piazzolla are blended with everything from Brazilian samba to French chanson to Italian and Mediterranean folk to jazz. One of the selections, in fact, is an intriguing arrangement of Sidney Bechet's "Petite Fleur"and there are plenty of other songs on this disc that originated outside of tango but receive a tango makeover, including Michel Legrand's "The Windmills of Your Mind" and Rezso Seress' "Gloomy Sunday" (a Hungarian gem that found its way to jazz after receiving English lyrics and being recorded by Artie Shaw and Billie Holiday in the early '40s). But Tango Bitter Sweet, for all its risk-taking, is ultimately a very charming and accessible album. The solos are quite lyrical, and Tango Bitter Sweet is happily recommended to anyone who is seeking something fresh from tango. ~ Alex Henderson https://www.allmusic.com/album/tango-bitter-sweet-mw0000559509

Personnel:  Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Saxophone [C-Melody Sax], Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Contrabass Clarinet, Mandolin, Vibraphone – Mulo Francel;  Accordion, Melodica [Vibrandoneon], Piano – Andreas Hinterseher;  Acoustic Bass, Percussion, Vocals – D.D. Lowka;  Guitar – Robert Wolf

Tango Bitter Sweet

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Joe Craven - Django Latino

Styles: Latin Jazz, World Fusion
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:00
Size: 149,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:00)  1. Minor Swing
(4:18)  2. Sweet Chorus
(4:09)  3. Hungaria
(4:05)  4. Nuages
(5:34)  5. Melodie au Crepuscule/Manoir de Mes Reves
(4:26)  6. Douce Ambiance
(4:13)  7. Babik/Festival.48/Micro
(4:40)  8. Anouman
(3:53)  9. Montagne Ste. Genevieve
(4:13) 10. Double Scotch/Artillerie Lourde
(3:28) 11. Swing 39
(5:02) 12. Swing 42
(4:18) 13. Tears
(8:34) 14. Djangology

In addition to demonstrating his talent on an impressive range of string and percussion instruments, Joe Craven, a longtime member of the David Grisman Quintet, uses his second solo album to show off his skills as a translator. Django Latino is the familiar music of gypsy guitarist Django Reinhardt and his Hot Club co-leader and musical soulmate, violinist Stéphane Grappelli, seen "through a musical lens of Latin America" festive and spicy where the originals are swinging and hot.  Inspired? This project redefines the word. It is remarkable to hear "Hungaria" recast as a Brazilian choro samba complete with the exuberant squeals of the cuica, or "Minor Swing" twisted into a Puerto Rican plena. Like many of the tracks on Django Latino , both of these sound like group efforts, but they are in fact veritable one-man shows made possible through "Pro-Tools free" studio overdubs. In this way Craven is able to deliver rousing mandola and violin solos on "Minor Swing," and turn "Hungaria" into a celebratory carnaval tune with the assistance of only two other musicians, namely Rick Montgomery on steel drums and erstwhile DGQ bassist Sam Bevan. Reinhardt's famous "Nuages" becomes a Cuban danzón, revealing aspects of the original song, such as the dreamy, almost tropical languor, that make the transformation seem entirely natural. Bevan, flautist Matt Eakle, pianist John R. Burr and percussionist Kendrick Freeman are all part of the endeavor, making for one of the disc's larger studio ensembles, and the multifaceted Craven takes up multiple violins to create a rich but light and pillowy harmonic effect. Moving into the exotic genre of Nigerian-derived Haitian ibo, "Douce Ambiance" morphs into a moving, ambient chant sung by Freeman with original Creole lyrics. For songs like this one and the lesser-known ballad "Anouman," Reinhardt's last (arranged here as a Cuban bolero), the liner notes are invaluable. Burr and Eakle share the spotlight with Craven on "Anouman," and rightly so. Another track of note is "Double Scotch/Artillerie Lourde," in the Colombian cumbia style. It's more than a little zany, featuring excerpts from a basic Spanish vocabulary lesson and Craven's young daughter Hattie urging everyone along. If proof were needed of Craven's sense of lightheartedness and whimsy, this would be enough. "Swing 39" is superbly rendered as stirring nuevo flamenco, drawing on several gypsy musical influences and instruments, while the amusing vocal refrain of the following "Swing 42" is "Ésta canción gitana es de Django/Su ritmo es Cubano," or "This gypsy song is by Django; its rhythm is Cuban." What makes Django Latino so outstanding from start to finish, beyond its musicianship and originality, is the reverent humor of Craven and his equally ingenious collaborators. They subject Reinhardt and Grappelli's music to strange and playful mutations but never resort to mocking the original. Whether one is a Django obsessive or a casual fan of world music, this disc will not disappoint. ~ Eric J.Iannelli https://www.allaboutjazz.com/django-latino-joe-craven-crowart-review-by-eric-j-iannelli.php?width=1920

Personnel: Joe Craven (mandolin, mandola);  Ara Anderson (trumpet, cornet); Sam Bevan (bass); John Burr (piano); Enrique Coria (guitar); Diane Craig (coro); Corey Craven (bells, bombo, coro);

Django Latino

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Kandace Springs - Indigo

Styles: Vocal, Soul
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:26
Size: 119,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:26)  1. Don't Need The Real Thing
(3:19)  2. Breakdown
(4:34)  3. Fix Me
(0:33)  4. Indigo (Pt. 1)
(5:09)  5. Piece Of Me
(5:33)  6. 6 8
(0:33)  7. Indigo (Pt. 2)
(5:03)  8. People Make The World Go 'Round
(3:27)  9. Unsophisticated
(3:29) 10. Black Orchid
(3:55) 11. Love Sucks
(5:40) 12. The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
(3:42) 13. Simple Things

Soul Eyes was a poised, no-frills introduction to an artist with obvious potential for merging soul and jazz conventions with modern style. Kandace Springs' second album is a measured advancement from that 2016 release. Produced almost exclusively by Karriem Riggins, who for 25 years has illuminated recordings that land everywhere on the traditional-to-progressive spectrum, Indigo evinces Springs' versatility with a little more color. As with Soul Eyes, the material blends interpretations and originals. Here, Springs is more directly involved, co-writing all but one of the new songs, including a touching finale with father Scat Springs and a handful with executive producers and earliest non-familial advocates Evan Rogers and Carl Sturken. The best of the four Rogers-Sturken collaborations is a tie between the two in which Springs sings of being killed slowly by a lover (a heartstruck sentiment felt elsewhere): "Piece of Me," liable to be confused for a dead-on Everything But the Girl or Sade cover, and "Fix Me," a graceful swoon with an embedded Prince reference. When admirer Prince hosted Springs at Paisley Park for the 30th anniversary of Purple Rain, he requested that she play "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face," the Ewan MacColl ballad Roberta Flack took to another level. It's the earliest composition here, freshened with Springs' smoldering voice effectively cloaking the instrumentation instead of shooting through it. Another classic, Thom Bell and Linda Creed's "People Make the World Go 'Round," is freshened by Springs with help from Nicholas Payton on bass, electric piano, and slinky-subtle chord reharmonization. Springs still thrives with stark backdrops, most evident on covers of the contemporary "6 8" (Gabriel Garzón-Montano) and "Black Orchid" (Jesse Harris), both master classes in restraint. Indigo doesn't have a proper title track, but a pair of title interludes tantalize over a combined duration of one minute. Among the album's simplest and most fascinating moments, these segments of hip-hop noir with Springs accompanying herself on piano and Riggins the lone aid on drums and bass provide ample proof that the duo should continue to work together. ~ Andy Kellman https://www.allmusic.com/album/indigo-mw0003197073

Indigo

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