Irvin Mayfield - A Love Letter to New Orleans

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:36
Size: 165,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:26)  1. Mo' Better Blues
(5:56)  2. Latin Tinge II
(2:53)  3. Romeo and Juliet
(1:48)  4. Old Time Indians Meeting of the Chiefs
(8:54)  5. James Booker
(7:15)  6. El Negro Parts 1, 2, 3
(5:00)  7. Fatimah
(1:39)  8. Lynch Mob - Interlude
(8:08)  9. Blue Dawn
(3:52) 10. George Porter
(5:06) 11. Super Star
(4:59) 12. Wind Song
(2:26) 13. I'll Fly Away
(8:07) 14. Mardi Gras Second Line

The body of Crescent City trumpeter Irvin Mayfield's work might be considered "a love letter to New Orleans," and this compilation of his Basin Street Records recordings, assembled to accompany a book with each song constituting a chapter (it is available as a stand-alone CD and in a CD/book package), certainly makes that case. Drawing from such albums as Love Songs, Ballads and Standards (a duo collection with Ellis Marsalis), Half Past Autumn Suite, and Strange Fruit, plus Mayfield's work with the group Los Hombres Calientes, the music ranges from traditional N.O. "Indian" chants and second-line playing to straight-ahead jazz. Mayfield's different projects make for a range of music that is almost too varied. Strange Fruit, for instance, is a concept album about a 1920s lynching, and music from it sits oddly beside, say, the version of Leon Russell and Bonnie Bramlett's "Superstar" from the Ellis Marsalis album. But it all relates to New Orleans somehow, and the album gives a good sense of Mayfield's recorded accomplishments so far. ~ William Ruhlmann https://www.allmusic.com/album/a-love-letter-to-new-orleans-mw0002122078

A Love Letter to New Orleans

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Pee Wee Erwin And His Dixieland Band - The Land Of Dixie

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:18
Size: 91,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:18)  1. At The Jazz Band Ball
(7:06)  2. Basin Street Blues
(3:30)  3. Lassus Trombone
(7:15)  4. Memphis Blues
(5:21)  5. Panama
(5:59)  6. Dixieland SHuffle
(4:49)  7. Satanic Blues

An excellent trumpeter who spent most of his career on the fringe of fame, Pee Wee Erwin made many fine records during his career. He began playing trumpet when he was four. Stints with territory bands were followed by gigs with Joe Haymes (1931-1933) and Isham Jones (1933-1934). Erwin then moved to New York and became a busy studio musician, working often on radio, including with Benny Goodman during 1934-1935. After playing with Ray Noble in 1935, he succeeded Bunny Berigan in both the Benny Goodman (1936) and Tommy Dorsey (1937-1939) orchestras. 

Erwin put together an unsuccessful big band in 1941-1942 and tried again with little luck in 1946. He worked steadily playing Dixieland at Nick's during the 1950s, ran a trumpet school with Chris Griffin in the 1960s (Warren Vache was one of his students), and played steadily until the end of his life. Pee Wee Erwin led sessions on an occasional basis in the 1950s (including a couple for United Artists) and made six albums during 1980-1981, including three for Qualtro and one for Jazzology, still sounding quite good that late in his career. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/pee-wee-erwin-mn0000301789/biography

Personnel: Pee Wee Erwin - Trumpet; Sal Pace - Clarinet; Andy Russo - Trombone; Billy Maxted - Piano; Jack Fav - Bass; Kenny John - Drums

The Land Of Dixie

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Terell Stafford - Centripetal Force

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:40
Size: 156,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:58)  1. Addio
(5:36)  2. I'll Wait
(6:20)  3. Skylark
(7:12)  4. Old Devil Moon
(4:43)  5. A Child Is Born
(6:47)  6. Mia
(7:48)  7. For The Broken Hearted
(6:58)  8. My Romance
(7:15)  9. Daahoud
(7:58) 10. Somebody Bigger Than You And I

Centripetal Force is a good title for this CD, Terell Stafford's second as a leader. In physics, it describes how separate energies gravitate toward the center; here, the center is more than Stafford's beautiful horn there's a warm calm at the core of this music, regardless of tempo. Some of this comes from familiarity, since Stafford, Stephen Scott, and Victor Lewis were bandmates in Bobby Watson's hard bop '90s group, Horizon. But there's nothing hard about this release, which is full of soul and heart. Stafford's playing is clean, fluid, and expressive, whether he's going flat-out on an incandescent "Old Devil Moon" or being achingly tender describing "My Romance," accompanied only by Scott's eloquent piano. On the purely beautiful "A Child Is Born," he duets with Russell Malone, who also delivers memorable solos on the relaxed and swinging "Skylark" and Lewis' high-energy opener, "Addio." Stafford offers two fine compositions of his own: the haunting "I'll Wait," with subtle percussion (including bird sounds) supplied by Daniel Moreno, and "Mia," an intriguing mix of light and shadow that balances Stefon Harris' pearly vibe tones with Stafford's smoky flugelhorn and the honey of John Clark's French horn. Stafford's talent for building solos is especially evident on Scott's "For the Broken Hearted," which is more lively than its title suggests. An exciting "Dahoud" and a loving ballad tribute to Stafford's grandmother round out the ten tracks by these ten superb musicians. But while there's plenty of brilliance here, there's no trace of flash: Stafford goes straight for the honest meaning in every tune. And whether his tone is golden or growling, muted or crystalline, he communicates straight to the listener's center. ~ Judith Schlesinger https://www.allmusic.com/album/centripetal-force-mw0000483798

Personnel:  Trumpet – Terell Stafford; Bass – Ed Howard (tracks: 1 to 4, 6, 7, 9, 10); Drums – Victor Lewis (tracks: 1 to 4, 6, 7, 9, 10); Flugelhorn – Terell Stafford; French Horn – John Clark (2) (tracks: 6); Guitar – Russell Malone (tracks: 1, 3, 5); Percussion – Daniel Moreno (tracks: 1, 2, 7, 10); Piano – Stephen Scott (5) (tracks: 1, 2, 4, 6 to 10); Tenor Saxophone – Ron Blake (tracks: 9), Tim Warfield (tracks: 4); Vibraphone – Stefon Harris (tracks: 6, 7)

Centripetal Force

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Cecilia Sanchietti - La Terza Via

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:35
Size: 112,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:24)  1. Which Way
(5:26)  2. Circus
(6:07)  3. Not (In) My Name
(3:44)  4. Shouting to a Brick Wall
(6:16)  5. Sweet & Bitter
(3:56)  6. Run Baby Run
(4:42)  7. Emerging Lands
(5:13)  8. Hang Gliding
(5:42)  9. The Third Way
(2:00) 10. Innocence

Italian drummer Cecilia Sanchietti is an elegant musician and thoughtful composer. Both attributes are amply demonstrated on her second release as a leader La Terza Via, loosely translated as "The Third Side of the Coin." Of the ten captivating pieces that comprise the album seven are Sanchietti's originals and the other three seamlessly fit within the overall conceptual unity of the disc. The leader's antiwar "Not (in) my name" is dramatic and multifaceted. It opens with poignant and bitter martial drumbeats. Belgian saxophonist Nicholas Kummert lets loose dense, floating lines over the resonant rhythm flourishes. Kummert, who is also an accomplished vocalist, makes his tenor sax sing in forlorn and yearning phrases. Pianist Pierpaolo Principato contributes a contemplative improvisation while bassist Marco Siniscalco solos with lyricism and eloquence. The tune transforms to a peaceful, lullaby like, nocturne and delightfully concludes on the cautionary note of Sanchietti's unaccompanied rolling thrums. In contrast composer and bandleader Maria Schneider's "Hang Gliding" is exuberant and expansive. Principato's angular vamps contribute subtle tension to the ambience. Sanchietti and Siniscalco add lithe and agile lines that together create a suave, instrumental dance. Kummert blows with warmth, passion and erudite spontaneity. The quartet members complement one another for a moving and cinematic performance. Equally intriguing is the trio's interpretation of the title track. It starts off with Siniscalco's reverberations echoing against silent pauses followed by the ensemble stating the theme with overlapping refrains. Principato lets loose shimmering crystalline melodic cascades. Sanchietti takes center stage with breathtakingly energetic and muscular polyrhythms showcasing her prowess as a percussionist. 

Still early in her career Sanchietti has proven herself a unique and versatile artist. Her compositions are engaging, her drumming gracefully nimble and her rapport with her band fluid. The result is a charismatic work that, even without breaking new ground, is soulful and satisfying. ~ Hrayr Attarian https://www.allaboutjazz.com/la-terza-via-cecilia-sanchietti-bluejazz-review-by-hrayr-attarian.php

Personnel: Cecilia Sanchietti: drums, composer; Pieraolo Principato: piano; Marco Siniscalco: electric/acoustic bass; Nicolas Kummert: tenor sax.

La Terza Via

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