Wednesday, August 7, 2019

Dave Eshelman's Jazz Garden Big Band - When Dreams Come True

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:22
Size: 160,3 MB
Art: Front

(5:51)  1. Firm Roots
(7:32)  2. We'll Never Say Goodbye
(6:20)  3. Love You Madly
(6:24)  4. Tumbao Nuevo
(6:52)  5. Old Folks
(7:05)  6. When Dreams Come True
(7:13)  7. Invitation
(7:06)  8. Bb Blues In F
(6:54)  9. Mystique
(8:00) 10. Original Rays

Stellar trombonist, composer, and leader Dave Eshelman continues to bring the best of modern big band arrangements to the attention of the jazz public with his Jazz Garden Big Band. In their 16th year when this album was cut in 1991, the band is home to top California studio and performing jazz artists. One hears in this aggregation touches of Stan Kenton (in the voicing) on such cuts as "Mystique" and the modernism of Gil Evans on other tracks such as "Original Rays," where the band is augmented by a French horn, bassoon, tuba, and oboe, recalling Evans' days as arranger for Claude Thornhill. Not only is the ensemble playing extraordinary, but the solos test the imagination and technical skills of each player who's put front and center. Showing no reluctance to let another trombonist share the spotlight, Eshelman has Dave Martell out front on Cedar Walton's "Firm Roots." Pianist Susan Muscarella also has a lot to say on the track. The play list brings out the diversity of the arrangements. "When Dreams Come True," featuring the daring tenor of Daniel Zinn, written as a sonata, shows another aspect of Eshelman's composing and arranging. A slightly swinging "Love You Madly" has the nicely modulated flugelhorn of Steve Campos taking the lead, while the standard "Old Folks" gets a fresh coat of paint with Eshelman's a cappella trombone wielding the brush. Irrespective of tracks, all the music has a modern quality to it, which means there is some dissonance, off-center harmonics, and contemporary ideas reflected in the arrangements. The Jazz Garden Big Band must be considered a leader in the formation and presentation of big band music in the modern creative vein. Recommended. ~ Dave Nathan https://www.allmusic.com/album/when-dreams-come-true-mw0000934135

Personnel:  Trombone – Dave Eshelman, Dave Gregoric , Dave Martell, Chip Tingle ; Bass – Seward McCain; Bass Trombone – Phil Zahorsky; Bassoon – Dominic Teresi ; Congas – Michael Spiro;  Drums – Russ Tincher; French Horn – Larry Osborne; mGuitar – Tim Volpicella; Oboe – Steve Parker ; Piano – Smith Dobson, Susan Muscarella; Saxophone, Woodwind – Bennett Friedman, Bob Farrington, Dan Zinn, Mary Fettig, Paul Contos, Rory Snyder; Trombone [Lead] – John Russell ; Trumpet [Lead], Flugelhorn – Marvin McFadden; Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Bill Resch, Dan Buegeleisen, Steve Campos; Tuba – Tony Clements ; Vibraphone – Dennis Cooper

When Dreams Come True

Elizabeth Shepherd - Montréal

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:51
Size: 106,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:57)  1. Tio`tia:Ke
(4:31)  2. Reine Du Monde
(5:32)  3. Suits and Ties
(4:54)  4. The Terminal
(2:19)  5. C'est Le Temps
(5:52)  6. Ainsi
(4:32)  7. Our Lady
(3:31)  8. Jedlika
(2:58)  9. La Boxe
(4:21) 10. The Good Lord's Work
(3:20) 11. Beau Voyage

MONTRÉAL is a play on words: in French, "mon" means "my"; it's about "my Montreal"a look into the city I love, the neighbourhoods I've discovered, and some of the untold stories I've had the privilege to hear. After all, it's not the buildings, history books or street names that make the place, but the people and their stories. Over five years, I interviewed people at random, who had one thing in common: being Montrealers. I asked them to tell me something about their Montreal, and collected all kinds of tales - humorous, moving, tragic, sometimes outright bizarre. I sifted through the interviews and narrowed them down to 11, which became these songs. Each one tells someone's story, and refers to a specific location in Montreal. I then placed each song location on a map, and traced the itinerary in an order that placed them within walking distance of each other. So in the 50 minutes it takes to listen to the songs, listeners could also physically move through each of the places the songs are about. But what about those who can't be in Montreal to "walk the album"? I teamed up with Montreal videographer Stefan Verna to shoot a short film for each song. I also wrote a book that touches on the people and places behind the stories, and the changing nature of this city. I had no idea of what I was getting into, setting out to speak to strangers. I now understand a little better just how many narratives have been omitted from the official history, and how so many groups of people have worked hard to carve out a space for their community, and forge a home within this city. But ultimately, it is individuals, each with their own story, who make up this richly complex and beautiful island we call home. https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/elizabethshepherd

Montréal

The Fat Babies - Solid Gassuh

Styles: Jazz
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:54
Size: 111,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:07)  1. Doctor Blues
(2:54)  2. After a While
(2:55)  3. Feelin' Good
(4:23)  4. Did You Ever See a Dream Walking?
(2:39)  5. Original Charleston Strut
(2:52)  6. Pencil Papa
(2:48)  7. I Miss a Little Miss
(2:36)  8. Parkaway Stomp
(2:47)  9. You Were Only Passing Time with Me
(3:10) 10. Alabamy Bound
(3:02) 11. Slow River
(3:57) 12. Delirium
(3:25) 13. Egyptian Ella
(3:45) 14. Sing Song Girl
(3:26) 15. Maple Leaf Rag

There is nothing innovative about the Fat Babies. The Chicago hot-jazz band is stuck, firmly and proudly, in the long-ago past. The seven musicians in this group may all appear to be young fellows, but they are very old men at heart. Their third proper album, Solid Gassuh, is more of the same, and that’s a great thing. The music of the 1920s and ’30s comes crisply alive in modern fidelity. The septet Andy Schumm on cornet, Dave Bock on trombone, John Otto on clarinet and alto saxophone, Jake Sanders on banjo and guitar, Paul Asaro on piano, Beau Sample on bass and Alex Hall on drums transports us to an innocent age well before the chaos of bebop. On familiar tunes like “Doctor Blues” and “Maple Leaf Rag,” and less-remembered ones like “Parkway Stomp” and “Sing Song Girl,” horns swing wildly atop drumming locked in with metronomic bass plucking and banjo strumming and rollicking stride piano. The musicianship is superb and everything sounds so historically accurate from Schumm’s hearty blasts and Bock’s low growls to Asaro’s boogie-woogie runs and Hall’s hi-hat hits. Even Asaro’s earnest vocals he sings on five tunes including the wonderful great-grandpa hit “Did You Ever See a Dream Walking?” are perfectly dated. If the Fat Babies had overdubbed cracks and pops onto this album, you’d swear it was a compilation of old 78s. ~ Steve Greenlee https://jazztimes.com/reviews/albums/fat-babies-solid-gassuh-delmark/

Personnel:  Andy Schumm on cornet, Dave Bock on trombone, John Otto on clarinet and alto saxophone, Jake Sanders on banjo and guitar, Paul Asaro on piano, Beau Sample on bass and Alex Hall on drums.

Solid Gassuh

Jack Jones - For the "In" Crowd

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1966
Time: 28:02
Size: 47,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:10)  1. What The World Needs Now Is Love
(2:22)  2. Yesterday
(2:56)  3. You’ve Got Your Troubles
(2:16)  4. 1-2-3
(2:21)  5. Wildflower
(1:54)  6. Love Bug
(2:20)  7. The “In” Crowd
(1:52)  8. Baby I’m Yours
(2:21)  9. Just Yesterday
(2:02) 10. The Weekend
(2:48) 11. I Want to Meet Her
(1:36) 12. Sunshine, Lollipops And Rainbows

Jack Jones is one of the greatest singers of all time. A true Singers’ Singer and luminary. A double Grammy winner, Jack performs around the globe to sold-out audiences in venues ranging from Jazz clubs to the London Palladium. Jack Jones is the very definition of a complete and total entertainer. The New York Times raves, “he is arguably the most technically accomplished male pop singer…”. There is only one Jack Jones. Born in Hollywood, California, on the night his singer/movie star father, Allan Jones, recorded his hit, “Donkey Serenade”. Jack would make his famous parents ( his mother was the elegant ’30’s actress Irene Hervey) especially proud of their award-winning son for the diversity and breadth of his talent. Jones attended University High School in West Los Angeles, while also studying drama and singing with private teachers chosen by his father. A young athlete, he gave up his track and football team sports to devote himself to serious study of the arts. Uni High was a school attended by teenagers from all economic walks of life. Ever conscious of his privileged life as the son of a famous show business family, he went out of his way to play down this part of his life with his friends, not knowing that after his graduation and parents’ divorce, he would be financially strapped and have to start from scratch like most of the other students. One of his most memorable experiences while in high school was when one of his friends, Nancy Sinatra, invited her father to sing in the school auditorium. It left an indelible mark that helped shape Jones’ career choice. Jones’ professional debut was a brief stint as part of his father’s act at the Thunderbird Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas when he was just 19 years old. He went out on his own three weeks later, working odd jobs including as a gas station attendant, to support himself while pursuing his singing career. His first break came when a demo he recorded for songwriter Don Raye found its way to Capitol Records. While with the label he recorded a few singles and an album, which he admits was mediocre. Although he eventually left Capitol. One gem from his album, “This Could Be The Start Of Something Big”, caught the attention of a San Francisco club owner who booked him for a three week run at Facks. While performing there, he was discovered by Pete King, a producer and artist for Kapp Records who quickly signed him to the label. Still working at his “day job” as a gas station attendant when his first album on Kapp was released Jones, while washing a customer’s windshield, was surprised to hear one of his cuts playing on the car radio. He could now legitimately hope that his “day job” days would soon be over. 

As his career gained momentum, Jones developed a deep appreciation for well constructed songs that also have emotional appeal. His respect for songs that tell stories with meaning and beauty led him to record works by the greatest balladeers of all time: Sammy Cahn, Jimmy Van Heusen, Cole Porter, the Gershwin’s, Harold Arlen, Michel Legrand and Alan & Marilyn Bergman. He was inspired by great Jazz instrumentalists he discovered during his teen years such as Gerry Mulligan, Clark Terry, Buddy Rich, Bob Brookmeyer, Dave Pell Octet, Marty Paiche Dectet, Shorty Rogers and the Giants, and Count Basie. Jones’ talent and commitment to his art earned him two Grammy’s for “Best Pop Male Vocal Performance” with his singles “Lollipops and Roses” by Anthony Velona and Bacharach/ David’s “Wives and Lovers”. His release, Jack Jones Paints A Tribute To Tony Bennett, was nominated for “Best Traditional Pop Vocal Performance”. He was also nominated for “The Impossible Dream” and his recording of “Wives and Lovers” was nominated for “Record of the Year”. His hit records include “The Race Is On”, “Lady”, “Call Me Irresponsible”,and “What I Did For Love”. On April 13, 1989, he was honored with his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, close to where his father’s star is located. He is also renowned as a leading interpreter of musical theater -with acclaimed performances in “Guys and Dolls”, “South Pacific”, “She Loves Me”, and “Pajama Game” . Over the years he has guest-starred on countless episodic and/or comedy television series. Most recently he starred as Don Quixote in Man Of La Mancha in the national tour. Most recently, Jack has completed a guest-starring role in the British comedy film: Cruise Of The Gods. Admirers of Jones’ talent include artists who influenced him as a young singer: Sinatra who said, “Jack is one of the major singers of our time,” Mel Torme called him “the greatest ‘pure’ singer in the world” and legendary composers Sammy Cahn and Michel Legrand. In 1971, Jones honored Michel Legrand by recording the first complete vocal album in English of the French composer’s songs. Released by RCA, Jack Jones Sings Michel Legrand is an album which exquisitely showcases the vocalists art and a recording that Jones counts as one of his favorites. In 1997 he recorded New Jack Swing for Honest Entertainment, which introduced Jones to a new generation of fans with hip, swing renditions of “Every Breath You Take”, “Have You Ever Loved A Woman”, Keb Mo’s “Dangerous Mood”, “All Or Nothing At All” and the classic “Mack The Knife”. 

With over 50 recorded albums (17 of them chanting Billboard’s Top 20) and consistently sold-out world tours, Jack Jones continues to charm audiences with his wit, sensitivity and vocal power. In addition to a successful recording career, Jones’ impressive credits include film and television roles; an internationally syndicated TV variety show; performances at Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and the White House. He has also performed and later recorded popular theme songs for film and TV (“Love with a Proper Stranger”, “The Love Boat”). On his second release for Honest Entertainment, Jack Jones Paints A Tribute To Tony Bennett, Jones pays homage to a friend and an American icon. He counts Bennett among those vocalists who most influenced his style (a small but elite group that includes Mel Torme, Sammy Davis Jr., Billy Eckstien, and Frank Sinatra). Professional relationship aside, Jones and Bennett have been friends since their meeting at Chicago’s Palmer House Hotel in the late 60’s when Jones attended the last show of Bennett’s engagement at the Empire Room, before opening in the same room the following night. Of his tribute album, which features some of Bennett’s signature songs, Jones says, “This album is my way of saying thanks to a dear friend.” In selecting songs for this album, he chose three of his personal Bennett favorites, “Skylark”, “Shadow Of Your Smile” and “You Must Believe In Spring”. 2008 marks his 50th anniversary in show business! In the early summer of 2008 the world’s most recognized hotel brand, Holiday Inn Hotels and Resorts, launched their “M.B.A.” (Master in Business Accommodations) marketing campaign bringing the timeless voice of Jack Jones singing a new recording of “The Love Boat Theme”. Jones also recently shared his voice with a whole new generation when he sang “Boat of Romance” as part of an episode on the Emmy-nominated Disney Channel animated musical television series Phineas and Ferb.Jack Jones released the next chapter in his long history of making hits, Love Makes the Changes: The Lyrics of Alan and Marilyn Bergman. A tribute to the lives and shared love of Jack’s good friends and celebrated songwriters, Alan and Marilyn Bergman. During their distinguished career, their songs have been nominated for sixteen Academy Awards, for which they have won three: “The Windmills of Your Mind” in 1968, “The Way We Were”: in 1973, and the score for “Yentl” in 1984. More.. http://jackjones.lolipop.jp/jack-jones-biography/

For the "In" Crowd