McCoy Tyner, Bobby Hutcherson - Manhattan Moods

Styles: Piano, Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:48
Size: 133,7 MB
Art: Front

(8:40)  1. Manhattan Moods
(7:57)  2. Blue Monk
(6:50)  3. Dearly Beloved
(3:58)  4. I Love You Porgy
(6:54)  5. Isn't This My Sound Around Me?
(6:00)  6. Soul Eyes
(4:49)  7. Travelin' Blues
(5:53)  8. Rosie
(6:42)  9. For Heaven's Sake

The pairing of pianist McCoy Tyner and vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson had them teamed up with firebrands of modern jazz in the '60s, but some 20 years later they made this recording in duet performance with their minds focused on the mellow side. That's not to say their progressive ideas are completely harnessed, but this recording is something lovers of dinner music or late-night romantic trysts will equally appreciate. They play a mix of standards and originals with the genius inventiveness and spontaneous interplay you would expect, while also elongating beautiful melodies that will warm any cold or bitterly emotional situation. Where Tyner's single-minded witty and improvisational extrapolations are always a part of his musical persona, Hutcherson varies the sonic imprint, playing the noble wooden marimba on several tracks, lending a more earthy, organic feeling. 

There's magic in the air, or at the very least a common ground of shared values that makes this combination of two great musicians turn everything golden. A take on Thelonious Monk's "Blue Monk" is a shining example of how to make a well-worn standard all your own, as the pianist imbues a pure Kansas City blues flavor into the tune, and Hutcherson's marimba leads it carefully into new, woodsy territory. Mal Waldron's "Soul Eyes" is interpreted as faithfully and profoundly as the original, but with new voicings sans a rhythm section, taking the adoring melody into deeper fathoms. Tyner's signature chord accents during "Dearly Beloved" echo the splendid title as tacked onto Hutcherson's shimmering vibes, while the pianist's penchant for modal foundations is clearly exuded on his partner's relaxed marimba-coded original "Isn't This My Sound Around Me?" and the definitive, dependable Tyner staple "Travelin' Blues." "Manhattan Moods," penned by the pianist, is solemn as can be, considering that it is dedicated to the rat race borough of New York City, while Hutcherson's other composition on the date, "Rosie," is as pleasant a waltz as you will hear short of what Randy Weston might do. These groundbreaking musicians are not rotating the Earth or signaling any new directions with this effort. They are completely in touch with their own hearts and souls, as well as those of humankind in general, on this exquisite and gorgeously crafted set of pure unadulterated jazz. ~ Michael G.Nastos https://www.allmusic.com/album/manhattan-moods-mw0000118821

Personnel: McCoy Tyner: piano; Bobby Hutcherson: vibes, marimba

Manhattan Moods

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Pamela Joy - I Thought About You

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:48
Size: 89,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:43)  1. Just Squeeze Me
(2:58)  2. You're Looking At Me
(3:59)  3. Beautiful Love
(3:24)  4. It Might As Well Be Spring
(2:31)  5. Evening
(3:22)  6. I've Grown Accustomed To His Face
(3:00)  7. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
(2:33)  8. I'm An Errand Girl For Rhythm
(3:31)  9. Close Your Eyes
(3:32) 10. Whisper Not
(4:04) 11. I Thought About You
(2:06) 12. Devil May Care

It is undeniable that some voices were simply made for jazz, and Pamela Joy has one of those voices. Like some of the genre’s most beloved and beguiling singers, she combines a velvety sound with a gift for understatement. It’s that pleasing combination a warm, intimate sound and cool, unpretentious style - that has won Pamela fans among a notoriously hard to please group: jazz musicians. They praise her hip approach to timing, her intimate way with lyrics, and her innate ability to swing with the best of them. A longtime San Francisco resident, Pamela Joy made her public singing debut in the San Francisco Cabaret Competition. Though new to the stage, she charmed the crowd and the judges, advancing through two rounds into the finals. Formal jazz studies followed, primarily at The Jazzschool in Berkeley, where she took classes and workshops from the likes of Kurt Elling, Tierney Sutton, Mimi Fox, Sheila Jordan and Wesla Whitfield. Any emerging vocalist is bound to draw comparisons to other singers. Pamela inevitably brings to mind the old-school vocalists. She sings with a graceful simplicity reminiscent of Astrud Gilberto, Chet Baker, or even Blossom Dearie. Her honeyed sound recalls the sensuousness of Peggy Lee or Julie London. Stylistically, she has much in common with June Christy and Anita O’Day. Pamela has performed at some of the Bay Area’s premier music venues, including The Plush Room, the Herbst Theatre, Jazz at Pearl’s and The Jazzschool. Her CD I Thought About You, dubbed “a very fine debut album” by KCSM’s Jesse “Chuy” Varela, was recently repackaged for release in Japan by Vivid Sound, and two of the CD’s tracks were picked up for a new High Note compilation called Late Afternoon Jazz Voices. https://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/pamelajoy

I Thought About You

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Paul Desmond - Glad To Be Unhappy

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1965
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:25
Size: 130,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:44)  1. Glad to Be Unhappy
(7:17)  2. Poor Butterfly
(6:23)  3. Stranger In Town
(4:25)  4. A Taste of Honey
(5:23)  5. Any Other Time
(4:41)  6. Hi-Lili, Hi-Lo
(6:18)  7. Angel Eyes
(6:15)  8. By the River Sainte Marie
(4:30)  9. All Across The City
(5:26) 10. All Through The Night

Even though Desmond was kidding when he described himself as the world's slowest alto player, this record bears out the kernel of truth within the jest. Here, Desmond set out to make a record of love songs and torch ballads, so the tempos are very slow to medium, the mood is of wistful relaxation, and the spaces between the notes grow longer. At first glance, Desmond may seem only peripherally involved with the music-making, keeping emotion at a cool, intellectual arms' length, yet his exceptionally pure tone and ruminative moods wear very well over the long haul. Again, Jim Hall is his commiserator and partner, and the guitarist gets practically as much space to unwind as the headliner; the solo on "Angel Eyes" is an encyclopedia of magnificent chording and single-string eloquence. Gene Wright returns on bass, spelled by Gene Cherico on "Poor Butterfly," and Connie Kay's brush-dominated drum work is pushed even further into the background. A lovely recording, though not the best album in the Desmond/Hall collaboration. ~ Richard S.Ginell https://www.allmusic.com/album/glad-to-be-unhappy-mw000045501

Personnel:  Paul Desmond - alto saxophone; Jim Hall - guitar; Gene Cherico, Eugene Wright  - bass; Connie Kay - drums

Glad To Be Unhappy

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Brian Culbertson - Secrets

Styles: Piano Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:01
Size: 104,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:12)  1. So Good
(4:29)  2. On My Mind
(4:02)  3. Backstreet
(3:53)  4. Straight to the Heart
(5:04)  5. Secrets
(4:35)  6. You'll Never Find
(4:47)  7. One More Day
(6:00)  8. You're the One
(7:55)  9. At the Backroom

One of smooth jazz's brightest young keyboardists seems to be caught in the same marketing trap as his contemporaries aiming to please radio programmers first, and waiting till very late in the running order of the disc to challenge himself and listeners who have many other new and similarly likeable keyboard releases to choose from. When he finally blows his lid on Secrets and goes for broke, it's a joyous affair, as the eight-minute closing track "At the Backroom" finds Brian Culbertson jamming hardcore blues/funk and bouncing off the inspirations of older cats like Jeff Golub (guitar) and Ricky Peterson (wicked on the Hammond B-3). The tune sounds like an outtake from Golub's more adventurous solo efforts. Surprises abound Culbertson seems to close the piece, then after a short bit of silence, comes back playing smokin' trombone, giving the whole affair an authentic New Orleans club flavor. On the eight previous tracks, Culbertson once again shows a mastery of cool groovin', easygoing melodies, and some tight ensemble action and yet beyond the bouncy opening cut "So Good" and the Paul Brown-produced soul-inflected "Backstreet," he's just cruising in the middle of the road with pals like Gerald Albright and Dwight Sills. As a balladeer, oddly he has never matched the compelling emotion of the home recorded "Beautiful Liar" from his 1994 debut. That song had an urgency, just as "At the Backroom" does. Much of Culbertson's middle ground between those peaks has found him a bit too complacent. ~ Jonathan Widran https://www.allmusic.com/album/secrets-mw0000595468

Personnel: Brian Culbertson - piano, keyboards & drum programming; Steve Cole - tenor saxophone; Dwight Sills - guitar; Richard Patterson - bass; Lenny Castro - percussion; Nanette Frank - lead & background vocals; Teresa Davis & Dianne Madison - background vocals

Secrets

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Ola Onabule - Point Less

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 82:46
Size: 190,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:19)  1. Throwaway Notion
(5:22)  2. The Old Story
(5:31)  3. Point Less
(5:31)  4. And Yet
(5:21)  5. Exit Wound
(5:58)  6. What the Heck
(6:02)  7. Ballad of the Star Crossed
(5:15)  8. I Knew Your Father
(5:37)  9. Suru Lere
(5:21) 10. Tender Heart
(5:01) 11. Conceive It
(5:55) 12. So They Say
(4:49) 13. Pas Famille
(5:42) 14. You Can't Depend on Love
(5:53) 15. Dignity

British-Nigerian singer/songwriter Ola Onabule has a rich baritone voice and a commanding presence. He's a soul singer above all, but also draws on pop, world music and jazz. Despite its title, opener "Throwaway Notion" is a catchy tune with a Pan-African groove, and very dark lyrics about the current race to the bottom in politics all around the world. Guitarist John Parricelli contributes memorable lead and solo guitar. "The Old Story" has a slinky Latin feel. But "Exit Wound" uses a recurring samba rhythm (voice and instruments) to great effect, producing one of the most memorable tracks. The words challenge "hackneyed 'silver lining' songs," with a chorus that begins "don't send me all your thoughts and prayers."  "What The Heck" goes into soul/funk territory, recalling some of Stevie Wonder's music. "Suru Lere" (named for a place that returnee African-Americans settled in Lagos) is a bossa nova, with fine saxophone obligato and solo from Duncan Eagles. It calls for making a stand where you live, rather than hoping for a return to a mythical place. "So They Say" is marked by an especially soaring vocal melody, as well as guitarist John Parricelli's contribution. Inspired by Rudyard Kipling's poem "We and They," it begins "So they say, is a thing they say, when they say things they should not say." Harmonica player Berthold Matschat makes a great addition to the group sound on the final two tracks. Closer "You Can't Depend On Love" also shows off the singer's scat singing skills. Onabulé is the whole package: a powerful, expressive singer and a striking songwriter, with incisive things to say about contemporary society. But always in a poetic way: he is no mere polemicist. His stylistic influences are broad African, Latin, jazz, funk, soul and pop and they combine in a completely natural fusion. There is considerable rhythmic variety in these tunes, ably handled by the entire cast of supporting musicians. ~ Mark Sullivan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/point-less-ola-onabule-rugged-ram-records-review-by-mark-sullivan.php

Personnel: Ola Onabulé: vocals; John Parricelli: guitar; Guillermo Hill: guitar; Al Cherry: guitar; Femi Temowo: guitar; John Crawford: piano; Ross Stanley: piano; Pete Adams: piano; Jack Pollitt: drums; Chris Nickolls: drums; Phil Mulford: bass; Will Fry: percussion; Duncan Eagles: saxophone; Berthold Matschat: harmonica; George Hazelrigg: Hammond organ.

Point Less

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