Eugenia Choe - Magic Light

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:09
Size: 111,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:21)  1. Shades of Light
(5:38)  2. Koquirri
(1:15)  3. Petals
(5:25)  4. A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing
(5:28)  5. The Magic Light
(4:55)  6. Scattered Chant
(5:42)  7. Maison de Crescent
(4:57)  8. When Lights Are Low
(5:48)  9. Where Our Hearts Stay
(5:34) 10. Astor Botanic

It takes nerve to come from (seemingly) out of nowhere to present a piano trio disc. The history runs deep there: Bud Powell, Tommy Flanagan, Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans, Brad Mehldau, Keith Jarrett just a scratching of the surface of the bop and post bebop players in the game. Eugenia Choe, a new-to-the-scene New York-based pianist, enters the arena in a big way with her debut, Magic Light, and not as might be expected on a set heavy on the Standards. Eight of the ten tunes on the disc are Choe originals, with Billy Strayhorn's "A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing" and Benny Carter's "When Lights Are Low" serving as the familiar touchstones. For top level piano trio players, technical excellence is the norm. The artist who rises above the crowd is the one who injects the music with the essence of their being, their soul, and brings a personal (bio) luminescence to the sound. Choe does that, deftly, already. Light is something of a theme here. 

The disc's opener, "Shades of Light" and the title tune, and Carter's "When Lights are Low," are all subtly crafted gems, glowing on multiple facets, painted in an impressionist style of diffuse light and muted colors. The tunes have a liquid architecture and an entrancing shape-shifting quality. Choe's "Petals," a brief opening of a delicate blossom, leads into a lovely reading of Strayhorn's "A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing." The title tune, perhaps the only jazz piece ever inspired by a jellyfish, is a small masterpiece of composition and delivery, with the work of Choe's marvelous band mates drummer Alex Wyatt and bassist Danny Weller punching up the sound with assertively intricate interplay. Everything's here: the pianist's exquisite touch, her compositional acumen infused with an alluring and idiosyncratic intelligence, her soul, sympatico trio mates, adept sequencing, and a cool cover photo and design. This could be the debut of the year. ~ Dan McClenaghan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/magic-light-eugenia-choe-steeplechase-lookout-review-by-dan-mcclenaghan.php

Personnel: Eugenia Choe: piano; Danny Weller: bass; Alex Wyatt: drums.

Magic Light

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Tsuyoshi Yamamoto - Life

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1976
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:29
Size: 93,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:49)  1. Green Dolphin Street
(5:14)  2. When I Fall In Love
(4:05)  3. Someday My Prince Will Come
(5:43)  4. If You Could See Me Now
(6:37)  5. Billysam Blues
(5:14)  6. What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life
(7:44)  7. Come Rain Or Come Shine

Yamamoto Tsuyoshi, born 23 March 1948  is a Japanese jazz pianist and composer. Yamamoto was largely self-taught as a pianist, although he did have piano lessons as a child. He attended Nihon University. As a student there, he played professionally, first as an accompanist to pop singer Micky Curtis; they toured Europe in 1967. In 1974, he became house pianist at Misty, a Tokyo jazz club. He also made his recording debut as leader that year. He played major international festivals in the late 1970s. He also "lived in New York for a year, when he performed with Dizzy Gillespie, Carmen McRae, Sam Jones, Billy Higgins, Elvin Jones, and Sonny Stitt, among others." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsuyoshi_Yamamoto

Personnel:  Piano – Tsuyoshi Yamamoto;  Bass – Sam Jones; Drums – Billy Higgins

Life

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Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band - Bah, Humduck! A Looney Tunes Christmas

Styles: Christmas, Big Band 
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:54
Size: 116,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:26)  1. Main Title
(4:18)  2. Attention Holiday Shoppers
(2:04)  3. Kiss Me, It's Christmas
(2:47)  4. That Spitting Problem
(3:57)  5. The Taskmaster 7000
(2:19)  6. Profits On The Rise
(2:53)  7. The Lucky Duck Orphanage
(2:32)  8. This Is The Final Indinity
(4:50)  9. Bugs Hides Daffy
(5:12) 10. Bah, Humduck! Finale
(5:26) 11. Yo Tannenbaum
(4:32) 12. This Is Christmas
(5:30) 13. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

Bah, Humduck! A Looney Tunes Christmas is the soundtrack for the cartoon movie of the same name, which is basically the Looney Tunes version of A Christmas Carol. But unlike what some might think, this is not full of songs courtesy of Bugs, Daffy, Tweety, and friends, instead actually comprised entirely of the jazz/big-band score composed for the movie by Gordon Goodwin. The soundtrack is thus perfect as a wintry background piece for both Christmas parties and as a simple tool to bring some holiday spirit into the home. Parents will presumably be more into the instrumental soundtrack than the kids the movie is actually aimed at, but it's still worth purchasing due to the bonus disc of singalongs just for them Christmas favorites sung by the entire Looney Tunes crew (complete with their bickering and side comments) alongside a chorus of exuberant youngsters. Speedy Gonzalez joins on for "Feliz Navidad," Porky Pig helps out with "Little Drummer Boy," everyone lends a hand to "12 Days of Christmas," and Marvin the Martian makes sure Mars is included during "Joy to the World." Kids are sure to love the gang's antics, but a warning for older listeners: the Kidz Bop Christmas meets Looney Tunes vibe of the bonus disc is fun at first (youthful yet ridiculous), but if your child is the obsessive type, this album might need to be eventually hidden for your sanity's sake as the holiday season gets into full swing. ~ Corey Apar https://www.allmusic.com/album/bah-humduck%21-a-looney-tunes-christmas-original-movie-soundtrack-mw0000775768

Bah, Humduck! A Looney Tunes Christmas

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Louie Bellson - Don't Stop Now!

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1984
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:22
Size: 97,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:57)  1. Don't Stop Now!
(6:19)  2. Lover Man
(4:58)  3. Indian Summer
(5:12)  4. Cipriana
(5:15)  5. With Bells On
(5:05)  6. Darn That Dream
(7:16)  7. Three Ton Blues
(3:17)  8. Seven Come Eleven

Recorded in 1984 for Pete Christlieb's Bosco label, this outing by the Louie Bellson Orchestra has plenty of power, more variety than usual, and swings up a storm; half of the selections actually feature a small group from the orchestra. The big band tracks have spots for trumpeters Conte Candoli and Ron King, trombonists Carl Fontana and Andy Martin, tenor great Christlieb and drummer Bellson (who is showcased on Thad Jones' "With Bells On"), while the combo tracks put the focus on trumpeters Conte Candoli and Steve Huffsteter, trombonist Fonanta (featured on "Indian Summer") and Christlieb. This is a rather obscure and hard-to-find release, but is worth the search, for the musicians sound consistently inspired. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/dont-stop-now%21-mw0000694508

Personnel:  Drums – Louis Bellson;  Bass – Dave Stone ; Keyboards [Dx7] – Mike Melvoin;  Piano – Frank Strazzeri;  Saxophone – Dave Edwards (3), Joe Roccisano, John Bambridge, Pete Christlieb, Bill Green; Trombone – Andy Martin, Carl Fontana, Mike Wimberly, Bob Payne; Trumpet – Conte Candoli, John Audino, Ron King, Steve Huffsteter, Walt Johnson

Don't Stop Now!

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