Harold Mabern Trio - Lookin' on the Bright Side

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:57
Size: 116,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:35)  1. Look on the Bright Side
(5:22)  2. Moment's Notice
(8:01)  3. Big Time Cooper
(6:10)  4. Au Privave
(5:09)  5. Love Is a Many Splendored Thing
(9:21)  6. It's a Lonesome Old Town
(6:54)  7. Too Late Fall Back Baby
(4:23)  8. Our Waltz

Harold Mabern was nearing his 57th birthday around the time of the two 1993 studio sessions that provided the music for this Japanese release; he's clearly in a mood to celebrate, as the CD begins with a driving hard bop original, "Look on the Bright Side," powered by his aggressive risk-taking playing and fueled by a lower key solo by young bassist Christian McBride and a series of powerful drum breaks by seasoned veteran Jack DeJohnette. Although Mabern's arrangement of John Coltrane's "Moment's Notice" is enjoyable, it is because the rhythm simulates a jaunty stroll while the leader unleashes some pyrotechnics. Likewise, Charlie Parker's "Au Privave" is never rushed, but executed with finesse. The musicians have fun disguising the introduction to "Love Is a Many Splendored Thing," a piece that can turn saccharine in the wrong hands, but their lively interplay in a brisk setting makes it work. 

"It's a Lonesome Old Town," a piece long forgotten by most players, has a thunderous introduction, but Mabern reverts to its melancholy nature in the subdued body of the piece, though he can't resist tossing in a little of his lightening runs and heavy tremolos. He also plays two originals, including his gospel-flavored "Too Late Fall Back Baby" and the strutting "Big Time Cooper," named for a diminutive (five-foot four-inches) pianist Mabern admired years earlier in Chicago. Highly recommended for hard bop fans. ~ Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/lookin-on-the-bright-side-mw0000215122

Personnel:   Harold Mabern - piano, composer;  Christian McBride - bass;  Jack DeJohnette - drums

Lookin' on the Bright Side

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Rebecca Hardiman - Four - Single

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 3:29
Size: 8,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:29)  1. Four

Rebecca started her professional career with the Boston based vocal jazz group The Ritz, performing at the 1987 Montreal Jazz Festival as well as jazz clubs throughout the country.  While with The Ritz, she recorded a CD entitled The Ritz for Denon Columbia Records. Rebecca moved to Portland Oregon in 1990 and started the vocal jazz group Euphoria, performing throughout the Northwest for over a decade, most notably opening for Mel Torme’ in 1993 at the Hult Center in Eugene Oregon.  In 2013 she embarked on a solo career and quickly became a favorite vocalist with jazz musicians. Rebecca’s style is often compared to Ella Fitzgerald, June Christy, and Doris Day.  Rebecca is also a co-founder of the annual Aurora Colony Vineyards Jazz Festival, and has helped develop several jazz venues in the Willamette Valley area in her home state of Oregon.  She performs throughout the Northwest, as well as jazz clubs and various venues in New England, Hawaii, and California. http://rebeccahardiman.com/bio/

Four - Single

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Jacqui Hicks with the John Critchinson Trio - A Child Is Born

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:39
Size: 135,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:09)  1. All Or Nothing At All
(4:51)  2. She's Leaving Home
(4:54)  3. Monday Monday
(4:25)  4. I Only Have Eyes For You
(4:20)  5. Autumn Nocturne
(4:19)  6. Wonderful Tonight
(3:56)  7. It Ain't Necessarily So
(3:57)  8. Crazy
(4:30)  9. Bewitched, Bothered & Bewildered
(2:58) 10. A Child Is Born
(5:40) 11. The Nearness Of You
(6:07) 12. The Frim Fram Sauce
(4:26) 13. For All We Know

Great vocal jazz album from Jacqui Hicks, alongside pianist John Critchinson and special guests trumpeter Martin Shaw and saxophonist Bobby Wellins. Vocalist Jacqui Hicks and pianist John Critchinson have been working together for some 10 years in quartet and duet formats and they share the same quest for quality of music and song arrangements. In 2002, Jacqui joined John's trio of Dave Green and Tristan Mailliot and have been working world wide ever since.

Personnel: Jacqui Hicks (vocals), John Critchinson (piano), Dave Green (double bass), Tristan Mailliot (drums) with guests: Martin Shaw (trumpet & flugelhorn), Bobby Wellins (tenor saxophone)

A Child Is Born

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Richard "Groove" Holmes - Welcome Home

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1969
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:16
Size: 80,7 MB
Art: Front

(7:20)  1. Groovin' Time
(5:09)  2. Oklahoma Toad
(4:56)  3. Upward Bound
(5:26)  4. The Madison Time
(2:44)  5. The Odd Couple
(2:48)  6. I'm In The Mood For Love
(3:24)  7. 98.6 - Lazy Day
(2:24)  8. Sunday Mornin'

Groovy set of soul jazz organ tracks that has Groove playing with a large-ish group that includes George Freeman, Tom Scott, Anthony Ortega, Wilton Felder, and Paul Humphrey. The set's not totally hard and funky, but it's got a nice soulful swinging groove, with a tight LA 60s sound to it. Includes a nice version of "Madison Time", plus "Groovin Time", "Oklahoma Toad", "Upward Bound", and "The Odd Couple". (Cover has unglued seams and a torn corner in the front panel.)  © 1996-2018, Dusty Groove, Inc. https://www.dustygroove.com/item/17477/Richard-Groove-Holmes:Welcome-Home

Personnel:  Richard "Groove" Holmes - organ;  Chuck Findley - trumpet;  Anthony Ortega, Tom Scott - alto saxophone;  Teddy Edwards - tenor saxophone;  Wilton Felder - baritone saxophone, electric bass;  Joe Sample - piano;  George Freeman, Michael Anthony - guitar;  Paul Humphrey - drums

Welcome Home

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John Handy - Hard Work & Carnival

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 78:36
Size: 181,0 MB
Art: Front

(6:59)  1. Hard Work
(5:40)  2. Blues For Louis Jordan
(7:11)  3. Young Enough To Dream
(3:47)  4. Love For Brother Jack
(4:38)  5. Didn't I Tell You
(4:44)  6. Afro Wiggle
(3:23)  7. You Don't Know
(3:29)  8. Carnival
(6:09)  9. Alvina
(5:59) 10. Watch Your Money Go
(5:16) 11. I Will Leave You
(8:16) 12. Love's Rejoycing
(4:08) 13. Make Her Mine
(2:46) 14. All The Things You Are
(6:06) 15. Christina's Little Song

Originally released separately on Impulse, this two-fer combines saxophonist John Handy's 1976 release Hard Work and Carnival, which came out the following year. These dates find Handy branching out from modern jazz and combining lite jazz with smooth R&B. "Hard Work" became a radio hit and the remaining tracks all original Handy compositions will appeal to fans of smooth jazz. Carnival is a bit more festive. The title cut has traces of the traditional melody associated with Sonny Rollins "Don't Stop the Carnival," but like the previous set, Carnival is mainly smooth jazz with synthesizers. The only cover version recorded for these dates is “All the Things You Are,” a duet with Reginald Burke on acoustic piano and Handy on alto. This two-fer offers very pleasant background music, but those expecting to hear Handy in a post-bop setting should skip this one. The music has been remastered and, while there are no bonus tracks or new liner notes, Impulse had the good taste to restore the original packaging: front and back cover art and liner notes. ~ Al Campbell https://www.allmusic.com/album/hard-work-carnival-mw0002250364

Personnel:  Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone, Vocals, Backing Vocals, Percussion – John Handy;  Bass – James Jamerson, Sr. (tracks: 12), Ruddy Coleman (tracks: 8 to 11), Vince Jefferson (tracks: 13, 15);  Congas – Paulinho Da Costa (tracks: 13, 15), Tom Nichols (4) (tracks: 9 to 11);  Drums – Harold Jones (tracks: 13, 15), James Gadson (tracks: 1 to 7, 8, 10, 12), John Handy IV (tracks: 9, 11);  Electric Bass – Chuck Rainey (tracks: 1 to 7);  Guitar – Larry Carlton (tracks: 12), Lee Ritenour (tracks: 8), Mike Hoffmann (tracks: 1 to 7, 9 to 11);  Keyboards – George Spencer (tracks: 10), Hotep Cecil Barnard (tracks: 1 to 7); Keyboards, Synthesizer [ARP] – Lee Ritenour (tracks: 13, 15);  Percussion, Backing Vocals – Esmond Edwards;  Percussion, Congas – Eddie "Bongo" Brown (tracks: 1 to 7);  Piano, Keyboards, Synthesizer [ARP] – Reginald "Sonny" Burke;  Tabla – Zakir Hussain (tracks: 1 to 7)

Hard Work & Carnival

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Danny Gatton, Bobby Watson, Roy Hargrove And More... - New York Stories Vol 1

Styles: Guitar, Saxophone And Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1992
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:34
Size: 123,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:51)  1. Dolly's Ditty
(7:01)  2. Wheel Within A Wheel
(3:29)  3. Ice Maidens
(6:32)  4. Out A Day
(5:34)  5. Mike The Cat
(8:26)  6. The Move
(5:11)  7. A Clear Thought
(5:30)  8. 5/4
(7:56)  9. One For Lenny

This interesting outing by an all-star group (guitarist Danny Gatton, altoist Bobby Watson, trumpeter Roy Hargrove, Joshua Redman on tenor, pianist Franck Amsallem, bassist Charles Fambrough and drummer Yuron Israel) is most notable for featuring the brilliant Gatton in a jazz setting. Together the septet, performs nine originals by group members and Gatton and Watson emerge as the main solo stars. Despite its somewhat generic name, this advanced hard bop date is quite memorable. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/new-york-stories-mw0000083242

Personnel:  Danny Gatton (guitar),Bobby Watson (alto saxophone), Joshua Redman (saxophone), Roy Hargrove (trumpet), Franck Amsallem (keyboards),  Charles Fambrough (bass), Yoron Israel (drums)

New York Stories; Vol 1

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