Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich - The Drum Battle

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:47
Size: 82,7 MB
Art: Front

(0:42)  1. Introduction
(6:46)  2. Idaho
(4:39)  3. Sophisticated Lady
(5:56)  4. Flying Home
(9:04)  5. Drum Boogie
(3:36)  6. The Drum Battle
(5:01)  7. Perdido

This set was initially issued as the 15th instalment in Norman Grantz's Jazz at the Philharmonic series of LPs, EPs, and 45s. As that highly collectible compilation of performances has been out of print since the 1960s, many of the volumes were later issued under the respective artists' name. As the title would imply, Drum Battle: Jazz at the Philharmonic features the artistry of the Gene Krupa Trio with Buddy Rich (drums) sitting in on a few numbers as well as the inimitable jazz scat vocalizations of Ella Fitzgerald on a hot steppin' and definitive "Perdido." Opening the disc is Krupa's trio with Willie Smith (alto sax) and Hank Jones (piano) providing a solid and singularly swinging rhythm section. While Smith drives the band, Krupa is front and center with his antagonistic percussive prodding. "Idaho" is marked with Jones' rollicking post-bop mastery as he trades solos with Smith and can be heard quoting lines from Monk before yielding to Smith. The cover of Duke Ellington's "Sophisticated Lady" sparkles from beginning to end. Jones' opening flourish sets the tenure as Smith settles into a smoky lead, containing some nice syncopation and regal augmentation from Jones. Krupa primarily provides ample rhythm work on the emotive ballad. Smith's diversion into "Stormy Weather" is notable for exemplifying the lyrically improvisational nature of this combo. The tempo is significantly stepped up on a cover of Benny Goodman's "Flying Home," which is full of high-spirited playing and garners a sizable reaction from the audience. 

The lengthy "Drum Boogie" is one of Krupa's signature pieces and is greeted with tremendous enthusiasm. Buddy Rich climbs on board for a one-on-one duel with Krupa, whose styles mesh into a mile-a-minute wash of profound percussion. The duet segues into an inspired and free-form jam on "Perdido," with Fitzgerald belting out her lines with authority, class, and most of all, soul. ~ Lindsay Planer https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-drum-battle-mw0000318913

Personnel:  Gene Krupa – drums; Buddy Rich – drums; Roy Eldridge – trumpet; Charlie Shavers – trumpet; Benny Carter – alto saxophone; Flip Phillips – tenor saxophone; Lester Young – tenor saxophone; Hank Jones – piano; Oscar Peterson – piano; Willie Smith – piano; Barney Kessel – guitar; Ray Brown – double bass; Ella Fitzgerald – vocals

The Drum Battle

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Tim Allhoff Trio - Kid Icarus

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:58
Size: 142,5 MB
Art: Front

(7:30)  1. Through the Looking Glass
(8:26)  2. Kid Icarus
(3:54)  3. Interlude
(5:01)  4. For Mom
(2:05)  5. Oceanic Five
(5:53)  6. A Boy With No Name
(5:02)  7. Restehre
(6:03)  8. Los Pollos Hermanos
(6:48)  9. What's Left
(7:25) 10. Sammy the Turtle
(3:47) 11. Sunday Song

Recently, this band was heard on a sound carrier as the sovereign acting foundation of the big-headed big-jing thing project, now Tim Allhoff (piano), Andreas Kurz (bass) and Bastian Jütte (drums) with their third album in the trio format, like consistently they continue their musical development. There was nothing left of a certain tension in the debut four years ago with "Hassliebe" and from the joy of experimentation already heard everywhere there emerges a multi-facetted landscape: Cheeky urban groove revealing the affinity to young rock music changes strong references to European classical music, in tinkering with all sorts of electro sounds and instruments seriousness is reflected with humor. Playful miniatures and impressionistic figures end up in bouncing grooves, a little bit of blue notes are allowed to pop up and then Allhoff and his colleagues let the good Max Frankl circle around the Bratzguitar. Speaking of Icarus: a high-altitude flight without crashes. Translate By Google https://www.jazzthing.de/review/tim-allhoff-trio-kid-icarus/

Personnel:   Piano, Synthesizer [Analog], Clavinet, Organ [Wurlitzer], Glockenspiel – Tim Allhoff; Double Bass – Andreas Kurz; Drums – Bastian Jütte; Guitar [All Additional Guitars] – Michael Kamm

Kid Icarus

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Candy Johnson - Candy's Mood

Styles: Saxophone Jazz, Swing
Year: 1973
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:46
Size: 152,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:23)  1. Candy's Mood
(5:57)  2. Frankie and Johnny
(4:43)  3. Freight Train
(4:30)  4. Manhattan
(6:55)  5. The Girl From Ipanema
(5:10)  6. Jersey Bounce
(5:36)  7. Cottontail
(5:18)  8. Until The Real Thing Comes Along
(4:50)  9. C.J. Blues
(5:09) 10. Tuxedo Junction (previously unreleased)
(3:22) 11. Candy's Mood (alternate takes previously unreleased)
(6:07) 12. Jersey Bounce (alternate takes previously unreleased)
(4:41) 13. Freight Train (alternate takes previously unreleased)

Ironically, this go-go dancing scenemaker of the '60s is sometimes confused with a veteran jazz saxophonist who earned the nickname "Candy" the honest way: by chewing on the stuff. Floyd "Candy" Johnson played a lot of different styles of jazz, but at the height of his career was honking out the type of material that Candy Johnson probably boogied to, including the stripper's number one favorite, the immortal "Night Train." So perhaps there was some kind of psychic connection, furthermore linked by the concept of the extended "Johnson" family in frontier legend. One might assume that the go-go dancer would have caused more trouble for the saxophonist's career than the other way around, but there were also disadvantages for the dancer. While females in general would be horrified at having their date of birth published incorrectly and a good 15 years too early, few are actually subjected to such torture. Candy Johnson the dancer was, as most career biographies state, born May 1, 1922 the day the jazz saxophonist was born. Film scholars who have seen her onscreen in any of the four Beach Party movies would handily dismiss the notion that she would have been in her forties at the time these masterpieces of cinema were shot. She had studied dance as a child and continued her studies while going to San Gabriel High in Los Angeles. The Candy Johnson Show first opened in the Safari Lounge of the El Mirador Hotel in Palm Springs, CA, in 1962, attracting standing-room only crowds for two years straight. The 1,500th show of this series was the one that was recorded live and released as Johnson's first disc, but if there was ever an example of recording technology failing to capture the full glory of the moment, then this is it. "Is there a video?" would be the inevitable question, but this was the '60s, unfortunately. Johnson took it on the road anyway, as one element of the era that worked in her favor was the repressive recording industry. Independently released "adult" vinyl on indie labels that appeared risqué was a hot property, selling quickly no matter how racy the material actually was. Backed by her Exciters, Johnson sang and danced at many resorts and nightclubs throughout the Southwest, including the Thunderbird Hotel in Las Vegas, NV. Critics tended to use the majority of their column inches to describe her movements on-stage rather than whatever it was she was doing with her vocal pipes. 

A Las Vegas newsie compared her non-stop wiggling to perpetual movement, leading to the nickname of "Miss Perpetual Motion." To nobody's surprise, the sleazy but constantly enjoyable American International Pictures came to think of her as a sizzling property, maybe to give their aging horror stars such as Vincent Price and Boris Karloff someone to ogle. Conceptually, things were coming together as she released her second album, The Candy Johnson Show at Bikini Beach, which again could never really hope to capture what went on, even if it were to come covered in sand. The movie studios were looking at the beaches, too, as settings for new films in which teenagers would cavort in their suits, interrupted by songs from popular rock bands. Plots could also be devised, if deemed necessary. The third film in the Beach Party was where Johnson made her cinematic debut, prompting one of this artist's websites to describe the resulting activity thusly: "...she actually speaks." The film also features some of the songs from her two albums, both of which were released on the artist's own label, a project that was apparently rather short-lived. The company released only the two albums and a half-dozen singles. She started the label with her agent and manager, Red Gilson, credited also as a co-writer on many songs that The Candy Johnson Show released. While her original material did not, the songs she chose to cover actually did have some range. She did a spiritual, "Swing Low," perhaps to shock or excite the sanctimonious in the crowd. She also did jazzy material, such as "Yes Sir, That's My Baby," and obvious choices such as a cover of the torrid Peggy Lee number "Fever." Based on box office receipts of the Beach Party pictures, however, some recording artists felt it was their civic duty to record cover versions of the material, including Johnson's numbers. Was there a post-Beach Party film career for this actress? Some databases credit her as appearing in the 1972 X-rated Behind the Green Door, but followers of the go-go dancer say the actress was actually Kandi Johnson. There have been reports that Johnson has joined the gaggle of exhausted country & western troupers in Branson, MO, working as a choreographer. ~ Eugene Chadbourne https://www.allmusic.com/artist/candy-johnson-mn0001850980

Personnel:  Tenor Saxophone – Candy Johnson; Drums – Michael Silva; Guitar – Clarence Brown; Organ – Milt Buckner

Candy's Mood

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Van Morrison - Keep Me Singing

Styles: Vocal, Guitar, Piano And Saxophone
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:42
Size: 131,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:54)  1. Let It Rhyme
(4:43)  2. Every Time I See A River
(3:39)  3. Keep Me Singing
(7:06)  4. Out In The Cold Again
(4:08)  5. Memory Lane
(3:51)  6. The Pen Is Mightier Than The Sword
(6:18)  7. Holy Guardian Angel
(4:11)  8. Share Your Love With Me
(5:18)  9. In Tiburon
(2:28) 10. Look Beyond The Hill
(5:18) 11. Going Down To Bangor
(2:48) 12. Too Late
(2:54) 13. Caledonia Swing

Van Morrison remains a beautifully mercurial creative force. Thirty-six discreet recordings into a 52-year career, Morrison has only Ray Charles and Willie Nelson, as poly-genre conquering peers, each of whose reach has proven to be expansive and penetrating. This is a rarified trio, to be sure, a very selective club that needs be no larger. Morrison's last recording of new material, Born to Sing: No Plan B (Blue Note Records, 2012), was an upbeat effort that was, or course all Van Morrison. In his Penguin Guide to Jazz on CD Richard Cook posited that the late pianist Gene Harris always ended up making the same record...but that was all right, because of the elevated quality of the recordings. If imagination and ingenuity are the measures, Morrison does the same thing. While each of his recordings will have its own personality, they will still be undeniably Van Morrison. Which raised the question, "What is a bad Van Morrison records anyway. Whether listening to his seminal recordings from the 1970s, his Celtic hallucinations of the 1980s, or his idea of jazz in the 1990s, the listener always knew who was in the driver's seat. That blonde Irish honey-and-Quaaludes slur stirred into rock, country, R&B, blues just as well be a part of the grand unified theory of everything. On his current recording, Keep Me Singing, Morrison turns on the air conditioning and relaxes. There are no hard R&B edges to be found on the baker's dozen of songs here. The singer resurrects Nelson Riddle in Fiachra Tench, who provides lush strings throughout. These strings, along with a copious dose of Hammond B3 seasoned throughout, cushion Morrison's stream-of-conscious lyrics among soft tones and well-behaved melodies. Clever are his lyrics on "Let it Rhyme,"  "Put another coin in the wishing well / Tell everybody just to go to hell / let it rhyme / in time / you'll be mine..."  "The Pen is Mightier than the Sword" is the closest thing to the blues here, with sharper electric guitar and percussion. But it is still tame when compared to "Gloria." Morrison tries to include a "Cyprus Avenue" and "Rough God Goes Riding" on every recording and he has representatives here: "In Tiburon" is a muse on the Bay Area and all of the music made there, while the gospel tinged "Holy Guardian Angel" reminds us that there is something out there bigger than we are. Morrison continues to wind is way down that Gaelic road toward eternity, rarely looking back. He ends things magically with the tuneful and sincere "Caldonia Swing." How Wonderful! ~ C.Michael Bailey https://www.allaboutjazz.com/keep-me-singing-van-morrison-caroline-international-review-by-c-michael-bailey.php

Personnel: Van Morrison: vocals, guitar, harmonica, piano, alto saxophone; Liam Bradley: drums; Jez Brown: bass; Laurence Cottle: bass, trombone, Lance Ellington: background vocals; Tony Fiztgibbon: violin; Ange Grant: background vocals; Dave Keary: guitars; Anthony Kerr: vibraphone; Paul Moore: bass, Hammond organ, trumpet; Paul Moran: bass, Hammond organ, piano, trumpet; Nigel Price: guitars; John Platania: guitar; Paul Robinson: drums; Robbie Ruggiero: drums; Nicky Scott: bass; Fiachra Tench: Hammond organ, piano, string arrangements; Neal Wilkinson: Drums.

Keep Me Singing

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Carmen Gomes Inc. - Don't You Cry

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:43
Size: 130,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:08)  1. Unchain My Heart
(5:07)  2. Do I Move You
(5:56)  3. Summertime
(6:04)  4. Billie's Blues
(4:32)  5. Don't Let Me Be
(5:19)  6. Sweet Lorraine
(4:00)  7. How Long
(2:38)  8. I'm Walking
(5:44)  9. Where Can I Go Without You
(5:38) 10. Grown Accustomed To His Face
(4:30) 11. As I Do

Carmen Gomes (vocals) is able to add her personal 'je ne sais quoi' to the pieces she sings in an inimitable way. She won several prizes, performed at the North Sea Jazz Festival and played with Louis van Dijk and the Metropole Orchestra. Folker Tettero (guitar) mingles jazz, blues and funk into his own unique blend. He promises to be one of the leading jazz guitarists of his generation. He plays with the New Standard Trio and the band Amsterdam Headliners. Peter Bjornild (DK) (double bass) dedicates his musical genius and international experience to bring the sound of the band to the highest level. He has played with Ed Thigpen, Thad Jones and Bennie Wallace, among others. Marcel van Engelen (drums) has played with Mark Murphy, Lee Konitz and Toots Thielemans and sees to the rhythmic manoeuvrability of the ensemble in his own subtle way. The four musicians complement each other perfectly. Strong as soloists, yet continuously searching for unity, they are capable of picking up each musical theme and moulding it into the unique sound which is so typical of this band. http://www.mymusicbase.ru/PPB/ppb33/Bio_3328.htm

Personnel:  Carmen Gomes - vocal; Folker Tettero - guitar; Peter Bjornild - double-bass; Bert Kamsteeg - drums

Don't You Cry

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