Eric Alexander Quartet - Sunday In New York

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:35
Size: 144,6 MB
Art: Front

(8:54)  1. Sunday In New York
(8:57)  2. Avotcja
(6:42)  3. Dearly Beloved
(6:26)  4. Like Someone In Love
(7:16)  5. Watch What Happens
(8:18)  6. My Girl Is Just Enough Woman For Me
(7:31)  7. Alone Together
(8:30)  8. My Romance

Since finishing second to Joshua Redman in the Thelonious Monk Institute's tenor sax competition, Eric Alexander has built an impressive discography as a leader, while also drawing a lot of attention in both the U.S. and Japan. This Venus CD, recorded in 2005 and one of the last sessions by pianist John Hicks (who died just over a year later), primarily focuses on standards, with the exception of Hicks' tense hard bop vehicle "Avotcja." A loping treatment of "Sunday in New York" is a solid opener, conveying the image of a brisk walk in Central Park on a cool autumn day. Alexander's driving arrangement of "Dearly Beloved" and the lush, slowly savored duet with Hicks of "Like Someone in Love" are obvious highlights. He also revives the unjustly obscure "My Girl Is Just Enough Woman for Me" in swinging fashion. The hard-charging setting of "Alone Together" shows the influence of Dexter Gordon, while the gorgeous interpretation of "My Romance" is the perfect wrap to an outstanding date. Bassist John Webber and drummer Joe Farnsworth, two of New York City's most in-demand players and regular collaborators with Alexander, provide strong support throughout the recording. ~ Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/sunday-in-new-york-mw0000261429

Personnel:  Tenor Saxophone – Eric Alexander; Bass – John Webber ; Drums – Joe Farnsworth; Piano – John Hicks

Sunday In New York

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Nancy Harrow - Jazz Greats

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:29
Size: 107,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:13)  1. 'Tain't Nobody's Business If I Do
(5:28)  2. Wild Women Don't Have the Blues
(3:56)  3. I Don't Know What Kind of Blues I've Got
(7:29)  4. Blues for Yesterday
(5:26)  5. All Too Soon
(5:16)  6. Can't We Be Friends
(5:14)  7. Take Me Back Baby
(4:29)  8. I've Got the World on a String
(4:57)  9. On the Sunny Side of the Street

Nancy Harrow made a strong impression with her Candid recording Wild Women Don't Have the Blues in 1960, but it was a long time before she was a full-time singer. She had studied classical piano extensively from the age of seven before decided to become a dancer and later a jazz singer. After her Candid recording and an album for Atlantic (1962), Harrow raised a family and spent time outside of music. In 1975, Nancy Harrow came back and recorded frequently for Audiophile, Finesse, Inner City, Tono, Gazell, and Soul Note. She is a talented and swinging bop-based singer who wrote all of the material for her 1993 Lost Lady release. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/nancy-harrow-mn0000309127/biography

Jazz Greats

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Horace Silver - Jazz Inspiration

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:20
Size: 171,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:51)  1. Cookin' At The Continental
(7:02)  2. Senor Blues
(6:18)  3. Sister Sadie
(5:38)  4. Que Pasa
(6:05)  5. The Outlaw
(7:18)  6. Song For My Father
(6:02)  7. Peace
(5:55)  8. Cool Eyes
(6:48)  9. Nica's Dream
(5:50) 10. The Jody Grind
(3:30) 11. Opus De Funk
(4:40) 12. Blowin' The Blues Away
(4:19) 13. The Preacher

The 2012 Horace Silver compilation, Blue Note Jazz Inspiration, presents some of the legendary pianist and bandleader's most influential recordings. Included here are such songs as "Senor Blues," "Song for My Father," "Nica's Dream," "The Preacher," and others. This is a solid single-disc overview of the prime of Silver's career at Blue Note in the '60s. ~ Matt Collar https://www.allmusic.com/album/blue-note-jazz-inspiration-mw0002294278

Jazz Inspiration

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Bobby Previte - Too Close to the Pole

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:01
Size: 128,5 MB
Art: Front

( 4:14)  1. Too Close to the Pole
(13:02)  2. 3 Minute Heels
( 8:24)  3. The Countess' Bedroom
( 7:32)  4. Save the Cups
(14:16)  5. The Eleventh Hour
( 8:29)  6. Too Close to the Pole (reprise)

From its opening eccentric fanfare (which pops up briefly in other selections) through the wild group vocal on "Save the Cups" and "3 Minute Heels" (which sounds like Indian music for belly dancers), drummer Bobby Previte's Weather Clear, Track Fast band on this Enja release is continually colorful, cinematic (one can easily imagine crazy adventures occurring), and unpredictable. Although quite advanced, the expert use of repetition, complex but catchy rhythms, and echoey call-and-response riffing results in a complete lack of forgettable or routine moments. In addition to the six listed selections, there is an odd extra "bonus": an unidentified seventh song that is a five-part, 15-minute suite mostly featuring Andrew D'Angelo's bass clarinet. Although there are strong individual heroics from the sextet (such as Jamie Saft's organ and retro Fender Rhodes playing, Andy Laster's versatile flights on baritone, and Previte's stirring percussive work), it is the chance-taking spirit of the musicians and their performances as a whole that make this a memorable release well worth several listens. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/too-close-to-the-pole-mw0000093699

Personnel:  Bobby Previte – drums, voice; Lindsey Horner - electric bass, tin whistles, voice; Andy Laster - baritone saxophone, clarinet, flute, voice; Cuong Vu - trumpet, voice; Jamie Saft - piano, Fender Rhodes piano, Hammond organ, clavinet, voice; Curtis Hasselbring - trombone, voice; Andrew D'Angelo - alto saxophone, bass clarinet, voice

Too Close to the Pole

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Keith Jarrett - The Mourning of a Star

Styles: Piano, Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1971
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:52
Size: 102,0 MB
Art: Front

(6:12)  1. Follow the Crooked Path (Though It Be Longer)
(1:17)  2. Interlude No. 3
(3:20)  3. Standing Outside
(2:13)  4. Everything That Lives Laments
(1:37)  5. Interlude No. 1
(6:56)  6. Trust
(2:18)  7. All I Want
(5:06)  8. Traces of You
(9:21)  9. The Mourning of a Star
(0:52) 10. Interlude No. 2
(4:35) 11. Sympathy

This album gives one an interesting look at the early Keith Jarrett, who was already performing on an album of the Charles Lloyd Quartet and Miles Davis' early fusion band. He had not yet fully developed his style, but he was clearly on his way. These trio performances (with bassist Charlie Haden and drummer Paul Motian) are impressive for the period, but the best was yet to come. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-mourning-of-a-star-mw0000111796

Personnel: Piano, Recorder [Tenor], Soprano Saxophone, Drums [Steel] – Keith Jarrett;  Bass, Drums [Steel] – Charlie Haden; Drums, Drums [Steel] – Paul Motian

The Mourning of a Star

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