Charles Gayle Quartet - Always Born (feat. John Tchicai)

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:51
Size: 131,1 MB
Art: Front

( 9:48)  1. Always Born
(11:52)  2. Needs
(12:58)  3. Solid Clouds
( 5:22)  4. Coming Together
( 6:17)  5. Rainbow's Praise
(10:31)  6. Then Offer All

"Charles Gayle is carving out a free jazz that is muscular, impassioned, clearly structured, and wonderfully volatile." 

~ Jon Pareles, New York Times https://silkheart.bandcamp.com/album/always-born

Personnel: Tenor Saxophone, Composed By, Producer - Charles Gayle;  Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone - John Tchicai; Bass - Sirone; Drums - Reggie Nicholson

Always Born (feat. John Tchicai)

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Dan Reynolds - Nowhere Home

Styles: Vocal, Piano
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:09
Size: 96,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:02)  1. German Park
(3:15)  2. Diane
(3:39)  3. Paper
(3:36)  4. October Moon
(3:35)  5. Nowhere Home
(4:01)  6. Left My Heart
(3:11)  7. Third Most Special
(4:31)  8. Why Do I Let You
(3:25)  9. Maize And Blues
(4:45) 10. The Birthday Wish
(4:04) 11. So Much More Living

As a kid, Dan used to ride his bike to the used record shop and buy up old folk-rock records from the 25-cent bin Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel, Lightfoot, Croce… He taught himself to play guitar along with every song. He fell in love with that music, and eventually met talented local musicians who helped him learn even more songs, guitar and harmony. Local artists like Jill Jack and Billy Brandt introduced him to a wide array of new (and old) music as well as highly-respected musicians like Nolan Mendenhall and David Mosher. In the years that followed, David and Dan became good friends, and Dan sought David's help in becoming a better musician and songwriter. It wasn't easy for Dan to find his own voice. His early songwriting attempts lacked direction and emotion, and most of the songs ended up on the cutting room floor. But late one night, while going through the most emotionally intense time of his life, Dan stopped by David's house with a stack of crumpled papers and hand-scrawled notes stuffed into his guitar case. One by one, he played through the four or five songs that had practically written themselves in the preceding days and weeks, while David listened. For the first time, Dan's voice came through loud and clear. He had finally found the motivation and intensity he needed, and they started recording that night. Dan continued writing and, before he was done, several more songs had taken shape. His first original album, "Nowhere Home", was born. In addition to producing Dan's first album, David Mosher contributed his immense instrumental and vocal talents to the project. He is featured on mandolin, banjo, dobro, fiddle, bass and backing vocals. Nolan Mendenhall provides his signature bass tracks on several songs as well. Their collaboration helped each of Dan's songs come to life - even before those songs were ever heard by an audience. Dan works as a writer and editor, performing live music around his hometown of Ann Arbor, Michigan whenever opportunities arise. You'll also find him working in the backwoods of his northern Michigan camp, and taking on odd jobs for neighbors and friends to help make ends meet. https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/reynoldsdan

Nowhere Home

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Dave Stryker - The Chaser

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:54
Size: 145,1 MB
Art: Front

(7:06)  1. The Great Divide
(7:15)  2. Brighter Days
(7:32)  3. I Wish You Love
(7:03)  4. Close To You
(5:52)  5. The Chaser
(7:08)  6. Katmandu
(7:12)  7. Mode J.W. (For James Williams)
(6:41)  8. I Didn't Know What Time It Was
(7:03)  9. Our Miss Brooks

This chapter in guitarist Dave Stryker's musical book, which already includes some 25 titles as a leader or co-leader in settings ranging from trios and quartets to his Blue to the Bone band, Trio Mundo and the exciting Stryker/Slagle Band, is a neoclassic organ trio outing providing ample opportunity for his agile playing with its warm, resonant tone. He's accompanied by organist Jared Gold, whose sound exhibits the influences of Larry Young's harmonic chording and Jimmy Smith's virile attack, along with drummer Tony Reedus, whose percussive embellishments and integral, exhilarating work help to create this group's fat sound. Stryker's musical interests and ability are such that each project affords listeners an often unique and exciting listening experience. The guitarist worked in the bands of organist Brother Jack McDuff and, later, tenor saxophonist Stanley Turrentine between the mid-'80s and mid-'90s, honing his chops in the presence of the masters. He also developed that most revered of musical traits a distinctive sound on his instrument. His style embraces influences of Delta blues, Wes Montgomery and Pat Martino while being individualistic, mature and showing an eagerness to evolve. 

The Chaser is anything but predictable, featuring five Stryker originals including a couple straight-ahead burners the title track as well as "The Great Divide," which has a stunning change in tempo from Stryker's fiery exploration of the melody to a smoldering walk as Gold begins his solo. "Brighter Days" is an effervescent swinger, "Katmandu" a bluesy samba; "Mode J.W.," a remembrance of late pianist James Williams, boils with intensity and passion. There's a fine, up-tempo waltz treatment of "I Wish You Love," the arrangement in contrast to a more sedate, if equally delicious, reading of this tune on Grant Green's Street of Dreams album from the '60s. "Close to You" is done as a delicately crafted ballad, while the standard "I Didn't Know What Time It Was" is captivating in its use of shifting meters. The album closes in a soulful visit with Harold Vick's good and greasy line "Our Miss Brooks," which surely had Stryker thinking of his time with McDuff. It's in the bag. If you're not already hip to Stryker, The Chaser is a grand introduction to his superior playing and should whet your appetite for other elements in his discography. If you're already a fan, the album should speak for itself. 

~ Rick Erben https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-chaser-dave-stryker-mel-bay-records-review-by-rick-erben.php

Personnel: Dave Stryker: guitar; Jared Gold: organ; Tony Reedus: drums.

The Chaser

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Weather Report - 8:30

Styles: Jazz Fusion
Year: 1979
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:35
Size: 166,5 MB
Art: Front

(9:47)  1. Black Market
(6:04)  2. Teen Town
(8:01)  3. A Remark You Made
(4:45)  4. Slang
(2:52)  5. In A Silent Way
(6:58)  6. Birdland
(3:33)  7. Thanks For The Memory
(9:28)  8. Badia/Boogie Woogie Waltz
(2:36)  9. 8:30
(8:34) 10. Brown Street
(3:16) 11. The Orphan
(5:35) 12. Sightseeing

Weather Report is generally regarded as the greatest jazz fusion band of all time, with the biggest jazz hit ("Birdland") from the best jazz fusion album (1977's Heavy Weather). But the group's studio mastery sometimes overshadows the fact that it was also a live juggernaut so don't overlook the outstanding live and studio album from 1979, 8:30. This was a rare quartet version of Weather Report, with co-leaders in keyboardist Joe Zawinul and saxophonist Wayne Shorter. The bassist was the inimitable Jaco Pastorius, the drummer a young Peter Erskine. Pastorius is otherworldly on early gems like "Black Market," the breakneck "Teen Town," and his solo showcase, "Slang" (in which he quotes Jimi Hendrix's "Third Stone from the Sun"). Shorter is most involved on the CD's slower pieces like "A Remark You Made," "In a Silent Way," and his own solo piece, "Thanks for the Memory"; Zawinul and Erskine shine on the swinging version of "Birdland" and roller coaster ride of the "Badia/Boogie Woogie Waltz" medley. 

Four studio tracks (composing what was side four of the original album version) close 8:30 with a flourish and some surprises. Pastorius duets on drums with Zawinul on the brief title track, then plays double drums with Erskine (as Erich Zawinul plays percussion) on the playful "Brown Street." Zawinul then throws a curve with "The Orphan," dueting with Shorter as ten members of the West Los Angeles Christian Academy Children's Choir chant harmonies. The saxophonist gets in the last word, though, with his burning composition "Sightseeing" on which he plays unison lines with Zawinul over Pastorius' rare walking bassline and Erskine's most aggressive drumming. A future jazz standard ending one of this band's standard-setting CDs. ~ Bill Meredith https://www.allmusic.com/album/830-mw0000198916

Personnel: Joe Zawinul – keyboards, bass synthesizer, vocoder, percussion; Wayne Shorter – tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone; Jaco Pastorius – fretless bass guitar, percussion, drums on "8:30" & "Brown Street"; Peter Erskine – drums; Erich Zawinul – percussion on "Brown Street"; The West Los Angeles Christian Academy Children's Choir – vocals on "The Orphan"

8:30

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