Charlie Shavers - Complete Recordings Vol.1

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:18
Size: 173,0 MB
Art: Front

(2:04)  1. C'est Si Bon
(2:29)  2. Domino
(2:19)  3. Mam'selle
(2:36)  4. The Last Time I Saw Paris
(1:54)  5. Pigalle
(2:29)  6. Song From "Moulin Rouge"
(2:06)  7. Darling, Je Vous Aime Beaucoup
(2:54)  8. Petite Fleur
(2:21)  9. My Man
(3:24) 10. I Kiss Your Hand, Madame
(2:27) 11. Comme Si, Comme CA
(3:21) 12. I Love Paris
(1:57) 13. Alexander's Ragtime Band
(3:20) 14. Basin Street Blues
(3:31) 15. Jazz Me Blues
(3:06) 16. Beale Street Blues
(2:41) 17. If I Could Be With You
(3:03) 18. Royal Garden Blues
(2:26) 19. At The Jazz Band Ball
(2:42) 20. Muskrat Ramble
(2:27) 21. Margie
(2:38) 22. St. Louis Blues
(3:16) 23. Daddy's Got The Gleeks
(3:00) 24. When The Saints Go Marching In
(2:35) 25. One O Clock Jump
(2:39) 26. Man With A Horn
(2:27) 27. You Came A Long Way From St. Louis
(1:52) 28. Back Home Again In Indiana

Charlie Shavers was one of the greatest jazz trumpeters of all time. He had brilliant technique, a very wide range, his own sound, a witty and swinging style, and gave the impression that he could play anything. Over five CDs, the Lone Hill label has reissued most of Shavers' recordings as a leader from 1954-1964, just skipping an album for Capitol, live sets put out by Hep and Spotlight, a Storyville date and two albums released by Vogue. Complete Recordings, Vol. 1 is a perfect place to start, because this CD reissues a set of French-associated songs (from the album Charlie Digs Paree), an exciting and successful program of Dixieland tunes (from Charlie Digs Dixie) and four numbers from the trumpeter's At Le Crazy Horse Saloon, an album whose contents are split between three CDs in this series. Shavers is heard throughout as the only horn in a quartet, with pianist Ray Bryant on all but the Crazy Horse selections. Sometimes the rhythm section provides a shuffle rhythm (à la Jonah Jones) while at other times they swing conventionally. It is particularly fun to hear the trumpeter tear into the Dixieland repertoire. Shavers is the star throughout and was at the peak of his remarkable powers during this period. It is a pity that he is largely forgotten today, for he was a truly remarkable player.~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/complete-recordings-vol-1-charlie-shavers-ray-bryant-quartet-mw0000704042

Personnel: Charlie Shavers (tp), Oliver Jackson (d), Aaron Bell or Tommy Bryant (b), Ray Bryant (p)

Complete Recordings Vol.1

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Benny Goodman Trio, Quartet - After You've Gone Vol. 1

Styles: Clarinet Jazz, Swing
Year: 1987
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:59
Size: 161,9 MB
Art: Front

(2:45)  1. After You've Gone - Take 2
(3:23)  2. Body and Soul - 1996 Remastered - Take 2
(3:13)  3. Who? (From the First National Film "Sunny")
(2:48)  4. Someday Sweetheart
(2:30)  5. China Boy
(3:09)  6. More Than You Know
(3:14)  7. All My Life - 1987 Remastered
(3:02)  8. Oh, Lady Be Good
(2:45)  9. Nobody's Sweetheart
(3:27) 10. Too Good To Be True
(3:22) 11. Moonglow - Take 1
(2:42) 12. Dinah (From "The Plantation Revue")
(3:18) 13. Exactly Like You
(3:22) 14. Vibraphone Blues
(3:18) 15. Sweet Sue - Just You
(3:27) 16. My Melancholy Baby
(3:22) 17. Tiger Rag
(2:49) 18. Stompin' at the Savoy - Take 2
(3:23) 19. Whispering
(3:44) 20. Ida, Sweet As Apple Cider
(3:06) 21. Tea For Two
(2:38) 22. Runnin' Wild

Although Benny Goodman came to fame as leader of a big swinging orchestra, from nearly the beginning he always allocated some time to playing with smaller groups. On July 13, 1935, the Benny Goodman Trio debuted (featuring drummer Gene Krupa and pianist Teddy Wilson) and 13 months later vibraphonist Lionel Hampton made the unit a quartet. The first interracial group to appear regularly in public, this outlet gave BG an opportunity to stretch out and interact with his peers. The CD After You've Gone contains the first ten Trio recordings and the initial twelve studio performances by the Quartet. Helen Ward contributes two fine vocals but the emphasis is on the close interplay between these brilliant players.~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/original-benny-goodman-trio-and-quartet-sessions-vol-1-after-youve-gone-mw0000651279

Personnel: Clarinet – Benny Goodman; Drums – Gene Krupa; Piano – Teddy Wilson; Vibraphone – Lionel Hampton

After You've Gone  Vol. 1

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Archie Shepp - Gemini

Album: Gemini Disc 1

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:09
Size: 152,9 MB
Art: Front

( 4:17)  1. The Reverse - Alternate Version 1
(10:31)  2. Revolution (Mama Rose)
( 6:05)  3. Burning Bright
( 4:41)  4. Trippin'
( 6:54)  5. Time Stood Still
( 7:25)  6. Intertwining Spirits
( 5:19)  7. La Manzana
( 6:50)  8. Eva
( 5:10)  9. Pannonica
( 4:32) 10. The Reverse
( 4:21) 11. The Reverse - Alternate Version 2

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Album: Gemini Disc 2

Time: 41:24

Size: 95,4 MB

(11:08)  1. Hope Two

( 5:30)  2. Call Him

( 7:20)  3. Do You Want to Be Saved

(13:23)  4. Ujaama

( 4:02)  5. Rest Enough

Archie Shepp is a jazz legend. His links to Coltrane and his highly charged mix of out-there sax playing and political comment in the sixties and seventies assure him of a proud place in jazz history. Still going strong, for his 70th birthday he’s released this beautifully packaged, deluxe double CD. The first “The Reverse” is a new studio recording while the second is a live set from five years ago. “The Reverse” contains material in many different styles; blues, gospel, latin and bop. Public Enemy’s Chuck D raps on the title track. But like many birthday parties, while everybody’s having fun, there’s a sloppy atmosphere and some mess. Shepp’s energy is amazing. His playing pushes at the boundaries of tonality (which is a fancy jazz way of saying he occasionally sounds out of tune), with a breathy, raw, wobbly tone, lots of notes, over-blowing and shrieks. Sometimes this works, but occasionally his playing seems at odds with the material, for example on Thelonious Monk’s “Pannonica”. The mix is unbalanced, with Shepp pushed forwards at the expense of the other players; guest guitarist Stephane Guery sounds like he’s playing behind a wall.

Shepp’s singing is an acquired taste. You’ll either love the political, sexually explicit, talking jazz of “Revolution” or you’ll find it curiously old fashioned and tasteless, although Shepp’s soprano sax is on fine, keening form. I prefer the second CD, 'Live in Souillac'. This is a simply recorded live concert from 2002. The driving post-bop of “Hope Two” and “Ujaama” suits Shepp’s intense, over-the-top lines better than some of “The Reverse”, and to be frank, in my humble opinion his playing is better. Amina Claudine Myers contributes two entertaining, warm gospel songs and it all adds up to a very pleasant listen. It seems rude o be lukewarm about a birthday celebration. Hard-core Shepp fans will love this. But if you’re unsure how much you like Shepp, try before you buy. https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/p4p2/

Personnel: Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Voice – Archie Shepp; Voice [Guest] – Chuck D (tracks: 1-1 to 1-11) Bass – Cameron Brown (tracks: 2-1 to 2-5), Wayne Dockery (tracks: 1-1 to 1-11); Drums – Ronnie Burrage (tracks: 2-1 to 2-5), Steve McCraven (tracks: 1-1 to 1-11); Guitar [Guest] – Stéphane Guery (tracks: 1-1 to 1-11); Piano – Tom McClung (tracks: 1-1 to 1-11); Piano, Voice – Amina Claudine Myers (tracks: 2-1 to 2-5)

Gemini Disc 1, Disc 2

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Eartha Kitt - The Essential Recordings Disc 1, Disc 2

Album: The Essential Recordings Disc 1

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:04
Size: 136,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:33)  1. I Want to Be Evil
(3:01)  2. C'est Si Bon
(3:10)  3. Uska Dara (A Turkish Tale)
(2:43)  4. Under the Bridges of Paris
(3:29)  5. Angelitos Negros
(2:55)  6. Avril au Portugal (The Whispering Serenade)
(3:07)  7. Let's Do It (Let's Fall in Love)
(2:46)  8. Apres Moi
(2:30)  9. If I Love Ya, Then I Need Ya, If I Need Ya, I Want'cha Around
(2:38) 10. Hey Jacque
(3:05) 11. My Heart Belongs to Daddy
(3:47) 12. Lilac Wine (Dance Me a Song)
(3:06) 13. Smoke Gets in Your Eyes
(2:19) 14. My Heart's Delight
(3:01) 15. Looking for a Boy
(2:23) 16. I've Got That Lovin' Bug Itch
(2:27) 17. Fascinating Man
(4:00) 18. Thursday's Child
(2:07) 19. Love Is a Gamble
(2:50) 20. Santa Baby

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Album: The Essential Recordings Disc 2

Time: 53:13

Size: 122,6 MB

(2:53)  1. Just an Old Fashioned Girl

(2:31)  2. If I Can't Take It with Me (When I Go)

(2:47)  3. St. Louis Blues

(3:14)  4. Careless Love

(3:13)  5. Beale Street Blues

(3:27)  6. The Memphis Blues

(2:37)  7. Yellow Bird

(2:24)  8. Mack the Knife

(2:17)  9. I'd Rather Be Burned as a Witch

(2:42) 10. Shango

(2:36) 11. A Lady Loves

(2:47) 12. Good Little Girls

(1:53) 13. Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend

(2:49) 14. Lola-Lola

(2:40) 15. Love for Sale

(2:18) 16. Whatever Lola Wants Lola Gets

(1:56) 17. Never on a Sunday

(3:22) 18. All I Want Is All There Is and Then Some

(2:34) 19. Do It Again

(2:05) 20. Always True to You in My Fashion

Eartha Kitt was an exotic and uncompromising proposition for the psyche of 1950s America. Although this image may dominate our perception of Eartha Kitt as an artist, it hides a huge talent that lay beneath the outer sheen, and Eartha was to make her name as a talented singer, actress, dancer, cabaret star and political activist.~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Essential-Recordings-EARTHA-KITT/dp/B00OYPBSFS

Eartha Kitt epitomized the idea of the sex-kitten chanteuse, rising to fame with a nightclub act centered on her slinky stage presence and her throaty purr of a voice. As much as she enjoyed vamping it up, she also projected the image of an exotic international sophisticate, especially since she sang in several different languages. She brought a definite zest to her torch songs, and favored lyrics that painted her as the Material Girl of her time. Kitt's persona was so vivid and well-developed that she remained easily identifiable well after her early-'50s heyday, and it also helped her find success as an actress in movies, TV, and theater. Even if many remember her best as one of the actresses to play Catwoman on the '60s Batman series, Kitt was always a cabaret performer at heart, one whose act translated best in a live setting. She rose dramatically to fame from a childhood of neglect and poverty, moving from South Carolina to Harlem at age eight to live with an aunt. She toured internationally during her late teens as part of a dance company, and also developed a singing act. Signing with RCA, she scored numerous hits over 1953-1955, including "C'est Si Bon," "I Want to Be Evil," and "Santa Baby," among others; she later branched out into an acting career. Following her sharp criticism of the Vietnam War in 1968, Kitt endured a ten-year blacklisting in America and moved to Europe to make her living. She returned to the U.S. in the '80s and '90s, both as an actress and as a singer on the nightclub circuit. In 2000, she received a third Tony nomination for her work in the musical drama The Wild Party. Kitt continued performing and recording into the 2000s, but was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2006, and passed from the disease in late 2008. ~ Steve Huey https://www.allmusic.com/artist/eartha-kitt-mn0000162930/biography

The Essential Recordings Disc 1, Disc 2

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João Donato - Donato Deodato

Styles: Latin Jazz
Year: 1973
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 32:07
Size: 74,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:06)  1. Whistle Stop
(5:56)  2. Where's J.D.
(6:03)  3. Capricorn
(6:36)  4. Nightripper
(5:19)  5. You Can Go
(4:05)  6. Batuque

This odd cult item, originally released on Muse in 1973, is also known as Donato/Deodato  a reference to then-hot arranger Eumir Deodato's participation and, probably, the similarity in their surnames. With the exception of the kick-off tune  the insanely catchy and wonderfully funky "Whistle Stop"  it's a brief, strange trip that meanders aimlessly and rather too lifelessly. Even the disc's notes admit as much. The prolific Brazilian keyboardist and arranger, whose many records never make it to the US (making this a follow-up of sorts to Donato's 1970 Blue Thumb release, A Bad Donato ), just wanted some cash so he could travel. He simply arrived at the studio, knocked out some tunes, suggested some musicians, collected his cash and left for vacation. So Deodato, another Brazilian keyboardist and arranger  whose dance-floor hit, "2001," was riding high at the time  was brought in to finish the job. An 11-piece group was pulled together and features nice spots for Randy Brecker on trumpet (particularly on "Nightripper"), Michael Gibson on trombone, the underrated Dud Bascomb on bass and Romeo Penque on flutes/whistles. 

Surprisingly, the higher-profile percussionists Ray Barretto and Airto make absolutely no impact here at all. The idea seems to have been to approximate the grander, more expensive CTI sound. As you might expect, then, Joao Donato has more of Deodato's personality, awash as it is in the latter's signature blend of first-rate funk ("Whistle Stop") and soapy TV movie sound-a-likes ("Where's J.D.?," "Capricorn," "You Can Go"). Even though it's impossible to decide whether Donato or Deodato plays the occasional electric piano solo, the overall effect will appeal to those who gravitate toward electric mood music in somewhat Latin styles. However, "Whistle Stop" despite whatever deficits in conception - is a true funk essential and a feather in the caps of Donato, Deodato and Ray Barretto. ~ Douglas Payne https://www.allaboutjazz.com/joao-donato-joao-donato-32-records-review-by-douglas-payne.php

Players: Airto: percussion; Ray Barretto: congas; Dud Bascomb: bass; Randy Brecker: trumpet; Deodato, Joao Donato: keyboards; Mauricio Einhorn: harmonica; Michael Gibson: trombone; Romeo Penque: flute and whistle; Bob Rose: guitar; Allan Schwartzberg: drums.

Donato Deodato

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Judy Niemack, Wolfgang Köhler - Sing Your Song

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz 
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:05
Size: 129,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:16)  1. My Old Man
(6:00)  2. Isn´t It Romantic?
(6:13)  3. Lost in the Stars
(3:29)  4. Sing Your Song
(4:57)  5. One for My Baby
(4:55)  6. Eagle Poem
(4:38)  7. Where Love Has Gone
(6:16)  8. The Judgement of the Moon and Stars (Ludwig´s Tune)
(2:55)  9. Asphalt Nightmare
(6:51) 10. Lonely House
(4:29) 11. I´m All Smiles

A talented and adventurous singer, Judy Niemack has long had an underground reputation in jazz, although she finally received more recognition for her abilities. She sang regularly in school, starting at age seven in a church choir, and at 17 decided to become a professional singer. After meeting Warne Marsh the following year, Niemack became dedicated to jazz. She attended Pasadena City College, had several years of classical study, and also attended the New England Conservatory in Boston and the Cleveland Institute of Music, in addition to private lessons with Marsh. She moved to New York in 1977, and the following year made her recording debut, By Heart, for Sea Breeze. She returned in 1988 with Blue-Bop.

Since that time, Niemack has freelanced with many top jazz musicians (including Toots Thielemans, James Moody, Lee Konitz, Clark Terry, Kenny Barron, Fred Hersch, Kenny Werner, Joe Lovano, and Eddie Gomez, among others), has written lyrics to other musicians' compositions (in addition to writing songs of her own), and has toured Europe regularly. In addition, she has been a top jazz educator, teaching throughout Europe. A colorful improviser, Niemack has continued to recorded as a leader, delivering such albums as 1990's Long as You're Living, 1992's Straight Up, and 1996's Night and the Music. In 2003 she delivered About Time, featuring her husband, Jeanfrançois Prins, on guitar; Eddie Gomez on bass; and David Friedman on vibraphone. What's Going On? appeared on Temps in 2007, followed by In the Sundance in 2009. Niemack paired with pianist Dan Tepfer for Listening to You in 2017.~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/judy-niemack-mn0000248476/biography

Wolfgang Köhler (born October 15, 1960 in Hofgeismar ) is a German professor of jazz and jazz pianist . As a piano player in the group “ Just Friends ”, Köhler undertook several tours from 1978 to 1991 through the German-speaking countries. From 1980 he studied at the Hochschule der Künste in Berlin with Walter Norris and others. Since then he has played with numerous well-known artists such as Jiggs Whigham , Randy Brecker , Herb Geller , Benny Bailey , Gitte Hænning , Nigel Kennedy , John Marshall and Ack van Rooyen . From 1982 to 1986 he was a member of the RIAS dance orchestra and later also a pianist in several talk shows. He is repeatedly invited to productions as a soloist in the successor orchestra, the RIAS Big Band .Wolfgang Köhler composed two theater revues (in collaboration with the playwright Gerhard Haase-Hindenberg ) and several film scores, including for the ZDF children's series “Karfunkel”. Since 1999 he has been professor for jazz piano at the Hanns Eisler Music Academy in Berlin . Since 2005 he has been playing with Tahsin Incirci in the “Duo Divan” alongside his professional activity. Since 2000 he has been a band leader with the “Allan Praskin Wolfgang Köhler Quartet”. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolfgang_K%C3%B6hler_(Pianist)

Sing Your Song

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Eddie Higgins - Anticipation

Styles: Piano Jazz 
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 85:17
Size: 197,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:36)  1. Falling in Love with Love
(5:27)  2. Somewhere over the Rainbow
(5:17)  3. Zarac
(5:02)  4. Happiness Is a Thing Called Joe
(4:30)  5. I'll Be Loving You
(4:32)  6. Night in Tunisia
(7:00)  7. You Leave Me Breathless
(4:24)  8. Satin Doll
(3:44)  9. Strike up the Band
(6:30) 10. Prelude to a Kiss
(4:07) 11. Getting Sentimental over You
(7:14) 12. Foot's Bag
(4:41) 13. Tangerine
(5:57) 14. Spring Is Here
(4:53) 15. Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
(4:08) 16. Blues for Big Scotia
(3:06) 17. You'd Be so Nice to Come Home To

Born and raised in New England, Eddie (Haydn) Higgins started his professional career in Chicago, while studying at the Northwestern University Music School. For twenty years Eddie worked at some of Chicago's best known jazz clubs, including the Brass Rail, Preview Lounge, Blue Note, Cloister Inn and Jazz Ltd. His longest and most memorable job was at the London House, where he led the house trio for twelve years, playing opposite the biggest jazz stars of the 50's and 60's, including Stan Getz, Oscar Peterson, Dizzy Gillespie, Errol Garner, George Shearing, Cannonball Adderley, Bill Evans and many others. During his stay in Chicago, Eddie recorded a number of albums under his auspices and many more as a sideman with a wide variety of musicians, ranging in style from Coleman Hawkins to Wayne Shorter, Don Goldie to Freddie Hubbard, Jack Teagarden to Al Grey. Eddie's versatility is well-known: he has backed singers, done studio work as both pianist and arranger and worked in every jazz medium from Dixieland to Modern Jazz.

In 1970, Eddie moved to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and began spending winters in Florida and summers on Cape Cod, where he plays local clubs and enjoys sailing and tennis. Since the early 1980's, Eddie has traveled widely on the jazz festival circuit and has performed frequently in Europe and Japan. His releases on the Japanese “Venus” label have earned him number one in jazz sales on more than one album. In 1988, Eddie and jazz singer/pianist/artist Meredith d'Ambrosio were married and have become a popular team at clubs and festivals, as well as recording for Sunnyside Records.In recent years, Eddie's recording activity has become even more prolific and attention to his play has grown to be more widely recognized. He has received praise from such as Nat Hentoff and Gary Giddons. Attempts to describe his style are exemplified by the following: To these tributes, I would add that Eddie's play can be extraordinarily moving. Listen to his treatment of Brazilian themes on “Speaking of Jobim” and solo work on the album “Time On My Hands,” the latter which achieves an almost unparalleled marriage of style, composition and audio fidelity. You would think it was being played in a cathedral. https://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/eddiehiggins

Anticipation

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Karin Plato - Snowflake Season

Styles: Vocal 
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:39
Size: 110,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:12)  1. Jingle Bells
(4:23)  2. The Friendly Beasts
(3:45)  3. Carol Of The Bells
(5:38)  4. Snow
(4:44)  5. Her Gift
(3:28)  6. Children Go Where I Send Thee
(5:17)  7. Behold That Star
(3:35)  8. The Snowflake Season
(2:49)  9. Sleighride
(4:53) 10. I Saw Three Ships
(5:52) 11. What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?

Karin Plato grew up on the prairies in a small farming community called Alsask in the province of Saskatchewan. She studied the piano throughout her childhood. She later attended the University of Saskatchewan where she received her Bachelor of Music Degree in piano and voice. In 1985 she moved to Vancouver to study jazz and arranging at Capilano College. In 1996 and 1998 she studied vocal jazz at the Banff Centre For The Fine Arts with vocalists Sheila Jordan and Jay Clayton. In the late 1990s Karin seriously began to pursue a career as a jazz vocalist and composer. She began to appear in Vancouver jazz clubs performing a repertoire of jazz standards and originals and started performing in jazz festivals and concerts in BC, Alberta and Saskatchewan. Karin recorded her first album of jazz standards and originals in 1996 on a recording called Pastiche. In 1998 she recorded There's Beauty in the Rain for which she was nominated for a Juno award. (2000 Juno Awards) In the winter of 2000 Karin released two new recordings: Blue Again; a collection of duets; and Snowflake Season; a jazz/Christmas recording. In 2003 she released her fifth album The State of Bliss which features a guest appearance by Canadian vocalist Denzal Sinclaire on two duets. https://arioso-records.com/karinplato

Snowflake Season

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Della Reese - A Date With Della Reese

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1958
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:58
Size: 78,9 MB
Art: Front

(2:07)  1. Sometimes I'm Happy
(4:12)  2. Happiness Is a Thing Called Joe
(2:09)  3. Almost Like Being in Love
(4:07)  4. Someone to Watch over Me
(2:45)  5. The Birth of the Blues
(1:55)  6. Pennies from Heaven
(2:15)  7. Getting to Know You
(3:19)  8. If I Forget You
(1:59)  9. All of Me
(3:16) 10. The Nearness of You
(4:02) 11. Just One of Those Things
(1:48) 12. The Party's Over

Renowned as both a television star and a top-flight interpreter of jazz, blues, R&B, gospel, and straight-ahead pop music, Della Reese's many talents ensured a long, varied, and legendary show biz career. In addition to being nominated for both an Emmy and a Grammy and receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Reese was also an ordained minister in the Universal Foundation for Better Living, an association of churches she helped found in the early '80s. Born Deloreese Patricia Early on July 6, 1931, the young Reese began singing in the Baptist church choir in her hometown of Detroit at age six. In 1945, having developed quite rapidly, she caught the ear of legendary gospel queen Mahalia Jackson, who invited Reese to join her touring choir; Reese did so for the next five summers. Upon entering Wayne State University to study psychology, Reese formed a women's gospel group, the Meditation Singers, but her college career was cut short by the death of her mother and her father's serious illness. Reese worked odd jobs to help support the rest of her family; she also continued to perform with the Meditation Singers and various other gospel groups. Encouraged by her pastor, Reese began singing in nightclubs in hopes of getting a singing career off the ground; recently married to a factory worker named Vermont Adolphus Bon Taliaferro, her name was too long to fit on marquees, and she eventually arrived at her performing alias by splitting up her first name. After impressing a New York agent, who promptly signed her, Reese moved to New York and joined the Erskine Hawkins Orchestra in 1953. A year later, she had a recording contract with Jubilee, for whom she scored hits like "And That Reminds Me," a 1957 million-seller.

Switching to RCA Victor, Reese landed her biggest hit in 1959 with "Don't You Know?," a song adapted from Puccini's La Bohème; this cemented her career, leading not only to plentiful appearances on variety shows, but successful nightclub tours of the country and eventually nine years of performances in Las Vegas, as well as recording contracts with a variety of labels over the next few decades. Building on her previous variety show experience, Reese made a small bit of television history in 1969 when she became the first woman to guest-host The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. Later that year, she became the first black woman to host her own variety show, the syndicated Della, which ran until 1970. Following its cancellation, Reese returned to her nightclub tours, often putting in guest appearances on television shows like The Mod Squad, Sanford and Son, and Chico and the Man; after three prior failed marriages, Reese also found a lasting relationship with producer Franklin Lett, whom she married in 1978. On October 3, 1980, while taping a song for The Tonight Show, Reese suffered a brain aneurysm that nearly proved fatal; however, thanks to a successful operation, she was able to make a full recovery. She kept up her singing career and appeared on television shows like Designing Women, L.A. Law, and Picket Fences, as well as the Eddie Murphy films Harlem Nights and The Distinguished Gentleman. Reese also starred in the Redd Foxx sitcom The Royal Family from 1991-1992, and garnered what was undoubtedly her highest level of recognition in the inspirational drama series Touched by an Angel, a quite popular program that ran for nine years, between 1994 and 2003, on the CBS network. After Touched by an Angel finished its run, Reese continued to act intermittently on television through to 2014. She died at her home in Encino, California in November 2017 at the age of 86. ~ Steve Huey https://www.allmusic.com/artist/della-reese-mn0000196544/biography

A Date With Della Reese

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The Tenor Triangle With the Melvin Rhyne Trio - Tell It Like It Is

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:03
Size: 145,0 MB
Art: Front

( 8:56)  1. Tell It Like It Is
(10:21)  2. Thing One
( 9:12)  3. Minor Changes
(8:02) 4. Ballad Medley-when Sunny Gets Blue - Cherokee - Memories Of You
( 7:15)  5. Lazy Bird
(12:06)  6. Body and Soul
( 7:07)  7. The Eternal Triangle

Are we clear on the concept here? Blowing session; three tenor saxophones backed by a classic organ trio; a standard or two (one way uptempo), the blues, and more blues. Mix in a deep groove, shake liberally, pour and enjoy. No little umbrellas, no tofu, no Perrier. Oh, yes: a generous dash of talent virtually guarantees a good time. And all of that is in here. Ralph Lalama, Tad Shull and Eric Alexander are the sax provocateurs, each striving to be as individual as possible and so to spark his peers to some unexplored space. “Old hat,” some will say, but so what? There’s plenty of music here, and a game of “who do you hear?” to pique the connoisseurs in the audience. I hear a touch of Dexter in Lalama, a rose-tinted hint of Shorter in Shull, and a champagne-crisp zest of ‘Trane in Alexander. Your mileage may vary, as they say on the ‘Net-but whoever you hear, you’ll hear plenty you like. ~ Bill Bennett https://jazztimes.com/archives/the-tenor-triangle-with-the-melvin-rhyne-trio-aztec-blues/

Personnel: Eric Alexander (tenor saxophone), Ralph Lalama (tenor saxophone), Tad Shull (tenor saxophone), Melvin Rhyne (Hammond organ), Peter Bernstein (guitar), Kenny Washington (drums)

Tell It Like It Is

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The Tenor Triangle With the Melvin Rhyne Trio - Aztec Blues

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:16
Size: 159,3 MB
Art: Front

(12:23)  1. Cedar's Blues
(11:52)  2. 'nother Fu'ther
(10:16)  3. The Song Is You
( 7:56) 4. Ballad Medley - But Beautiful-it Could Happen To You-I thought About You
( 6:16)  5. Melvin's Masquerade
(11:28)  6. Aztec Blues
( 9:02)  7. To The Chief

Are we clear on the concept here? Blowing session; three tenor saxophones backed by a classic organ trio; a standard or two (one way uptempo), the blues, and more blues. Mix in a deep groove, shake liberally, pour and enjoy. No little umbrellas, no tofu, no Perrier. Oh, yes: a generous dash of talent virtually guarantees a good time. And all of that is in here. Ralph Lalama, Tad Shull and Eric Alexander are the sax provocateurs, each striving to be as individual as possible and so to spark his peers to some unexplored space. “Old hat,” some will say, but so what? There’s plenty of music here, and a game of “who do you hear?” to pique the connoisseurs in the audience. I hear a touch of Dexter in Lalama, a rose-tinted hint of Shorter in Shull, and a champagne-crisp zest of ‘Trane in Alexander. Your mileage may vary, as they say on the ‘Net-but whoever you hear, you’ll hear plenty you like. ~ Bill Bennett https://jazztimes.com/archives/the-tenor-triangle-with-the-melvin-rhyne-trio-aztec-blues/

Personnel: Tenor Saxophone – Eric Alexander, Ralph Lalama, Tad Shull;  Organ – Melvin Rhyne; Drums – Kenny Washington; Guitar – Peter Bernstein

Aztec Blues

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David Binney, Jeff Hirshfield - A Small Madness

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:15
Size: 102,3 MB
Art: Front

(6:06)  1. Dolores
(3:54)  2. The Mystery of Influence
(6:00)  3. Mallari
(5:07)  4. A Small Madness
(5:12)  5. Old Books
(1:55)  6. Renegade
(2:35)  7. Oddman
(2:55)  8. Useful Illusion
(5:43)  9. Left
(4:42) 10. Impossible Histories

Groove and lyricism to go. Perhaps Binney’s fine writing and arranging on his solo sets such as South and Balance as well as albums by Lan Xang have somewhat distracted attention from his alto playing. Listening to this set I’d say that it’s probably never sounded stronger, there is a fine blend of finesse and attack in both Binney’s phrasing and tone, it’s kind of Jan Garbarek meets Charlie Mariano. In Hirshfield he has a partner of equal drive and lightness of touch, his incisive yet finely controlled backbeat and snapping snare placing him on a similar plane to Jim Black, Bobby Previte and Tom Rainey. Touching on anything from funk to drum & bass to rolling bop, the dynamic duo create a personal, highly engaging world of sound to which Binney’s vivid electronic colours add a great deal. An energetic power surge, full of dionysian dynamism from what sounds like a lot more than two musicians. [Echoes, Kevin Le Gendre] https://davidbinney.bandcamp.com/album/a-small-madness

Personnel: Alto Saxophone, Electronics – David Binney; Drums – Jeff Hirshfield; Vocals – Tanya Henri (tracks: 3)

A Small Madness

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Gabrielle Chiararo - Jazz Schema

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:53
Size: 110,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:01)  1. Amore Mio
(4:59)  2. Solo Tu Mio Amor
(4:42)  3. Il Breakfast Club Di Milano
(5:44)  4. True Tide
(4:17)  5. Samba Sarava
(5:05)  6. Caffe Per Due
(4:20)  7. Fool Me
(4:34)  8. Le Breakfast Club De Paris
(4:42)  9. Martino Cafe
(4:23) 10. Jazz Schema

Born in Paris, Gabrielle is half-French, half-Italian-American and was raised in France and America. Her love of singing began early, listening to such artists as Aznavour, Cocciante, Julien Clerc, Peter, Paul and Mary, the Beach Boys, and the Beatles. At school, she participated in plays, musicals, talent hows and choirs until she reached university where she began to take voice lessons, studying operatic arias. She continued with the choir and joined Henry's VIII, an a cappella group with whom she recorded her first album. During her college years, she also formed a jazz ensemble called the Jazz Cats in which she was the soloist. Her studies brought her from New York to Florence, where she pursued her love of the Italian language and its cinema. She then attended drama school in London, where she continued with her singing lessons and branched out into musicals and jazz technique.

Gabrielle has worked as a professional actress and singer in the U.S., England and Italy and is now part of the English and French language voice over community in Rome. Her musical interests range from traditional Chanson Francaise, 1940s jazz standards, tango, Doo Wop, Bossanova, 60s rock n roll, 80s new wave, to modern music. She met Giacomo Bondi when he was looking for a backing vocalist who could sing in Portughese on Brazilian Jim Porto's latest release, "Diga". Their collaboration has been constant ever since. Don't be surprised if one day you spot Gabrielle on the metro singing along to a song by Caetano Veloso, Blossom Dearie, Sam Cooke, or the E42, or even writing the lyrics to her next song, be it pop, lounge, jazz or bossa. She has just finished working in the studio with producer Giacomo Bondi from GBMUSIC, on a Nu-Jazz/Lounge project called JAZZ SCHEMA. Two of her latest songs "Tango Matto" and "Amore Mio" can be found respectively on the compilations by sunsweptmusic "Neo Tango" and "Amore Mio. https://www.last.fm/music/Gabrielle+Chiararo/+wiki

Jazz Schema

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Ron Jackson - Flubby Dubby

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:54
Size: 143,0 MB
Art: Front

(7:11)  1. One for Melvin
(6:04)  2. The Look of You
(7:02)  3. The Long and Winding Road
(7:48)  4. Flubby Dubby
(7:49)  5. Love Ballad
(6:29)  6. Stars Fell On Alabama
(6:41)  7. Technophile
(7:13)  8. A Calypso Party
(5:33)  9. Get In the Country

New York-based urban guitarist Ron Jackson blends his soulful jazz sound with elements of R&B, funk and even a touch of the Caribbean mood on Flubby Dubby, his sixth album as leader. Leading his classic organ trio, also featuring organist Kyle Koeler and drummer Otis Brown III, the album was recorded live at Cecil's Jazz Club in West Orange, New Jersey, with alto saxophonist Bruce Williams and tenor luminary Don Braden augmenting the band on "The Long And Winding Road" and "Love Ballad." Guitarist Melvin Sparks, part of the burgeoning soul-jazz scene of the late '60s and early '70s, was a friend and mentor to Jackson, producing this date before passing away in March, 2011. The opening "One for Melvin," a swinging bluesy shuffle, serves as a moving dedication to a major influence in the guitarist's development. The swing continues on the grooving "The Look of You," with the trio taking turns soloing on the set's liveliest track. The Lennon/McCartney pop classic "The Long And Winding Road," travels in a different direction, pushed along by a new arrangement featuring Braden and Williams, who jazz up the music by laying down a saxophone background not normally associated with this piece.

The funk comes to life on the title track, recalling instrumental dance songs of James Brown's band with funk saxophonist Maceo Parker. Jackson provides another new arrangement to the R&B classic "Love Ballad," featuring delicious solos from the two guest saxophonists, to roaring applause from the audience. The guitarist himself is no slouch, peeling off one dynamic riff after another, leaving no doubt who's in charge. Serving as the set's gentle piece, "Stars Fell On Alabama" enters calmly and stays there, riding soft chords from the guitarist with warm organ phrasings shoring up the ballad. "A Calypso Party" suggests the music from a party on a cruise ship to the Islands, while the finale, "Get In The Country," ends the date on a funkier note. ~ Edward Blanco https://www.allaboutjazz.com/flubby-dubby-ron-jackson-self-produced-review-by-edward-blanco.php

Personnel: Ron Jackson: guitar; Kyle Koeler: Hammaond B-3 organ; Otis Brown III: drums; Don Braden: tenor saxophone (3, 5); Bruce Williams: alto saxophone (3, 5).

Flubby Dubby

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Ralph Moore Quintet - Rejuvenate!

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1988
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:29
Size: 136,3 MB
Art: Front

( 6:38)  1. Rejuvenate
( 8:49)  2. Josephine
( 8:14)  3. Crm
( 8:45)  4. Exact Change
( 7:02)  5. It Might as Well Be Spring
( 9:02)  6. Song For Soweto
(10:55)  7. Melody For Mr. C

The group assembled for tenor saxophonist Ralph Moor's quintet date is perfect for his John Coltrane-inspired sound: trombonist Steve Turre (who also plays conch shells), pianist Mulgrew Miller, bassist Peter Washington and drummer Marvin "Smitty" Smith. The all-star lineup performs originals by Moore, Turre and Miller in addition to the title cut and "It Might As Well Be Spring" (a ballad feature for the tenor). The two horns blend together very well and consistently inspire each other; the rhythm section is state-of-the-art for this type of modern hard bop music, and the overall results are swinging and at times a bit adventurous. Recommended. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/rejuvenate-mw0000206218

Personnel: Tenor Saxophone – Ralph Moore; Bass – Peter Washington; Drums – Marvin "Smitty" Smith; Piano – Mulgrew Miller;  Trombone, Conch [Conch Shells] – Steve Turre

Rejuvenate!

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Posi-Tone Swingtet - One for 25

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:35
Size: 155,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:25)  1. You Dig
(5:58)  2. Eudaimonia
(3:33)  3. Avalanche Suspended
(7:16)  4. For Morgan
(6:05)  5. Dry Clean Only
(5:43)  6. Projection
(5:00)  7. Schlep City
(6:43)  8. Big Pictures
(4:42)  9. Extraction
(6:29) 10. Major Waltz
(5:53) 11. Simón
(4:43) 12. Where With All

One of the few large group sessions ever recorded by the Posi-Tone label, but a set that definitely keeps the soulful vibe of the well-respected imprint  as you might guess from the "Swinget" in the group's name! The lineup is a nonet, but moves with the energy of the smaller combos on the label  no surprise, as players include Farnell Newton on trumpet, Michael Dease on trombone, Diego Rivera on tenor, Patrick Cornelius on alto, Lauren Sevian on baritone, Art Hirahara on piano, Theo Hill on piano and Fender Rhodes, Boris Kozlov on bass, and Rudy Royston on drums! The rhythm players are more than enough to keep things moving  and the group soars strongly through a set of original material that allows plenty of room for the very strong individual voices in the lineup  titles that include "Simon", "Major Waltz", "Dry Clean Only", "You Dig", "Avalanche Suspended", "Projection", and "Where With All".  © 1996-2020, Dusty Groove, Inc. https://www.dustygroove.com/item/945683/Posi-Tone-Swingtet:One-For-25

One for 25

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Dave Stryker - Nomad

Styles: Guitar Jazz, Big Band
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:52
Size: 141,1 MB
Art: Front

( 7:12)  1. Blues for brother Jack
(10:03)  2. Nomad
( 7:27)  3. Matthew's waltz
( 7:22)  4. Victor strikes
( 7:02)  5. Listen to your heart
( 9:53)  6. 24 for Elvin
( 5:32)  7. Dangerous
( 6:17)  8. First strike

Whether you’ve heard guitarist Dave Stryker leading his own group (with 30 CD’s as a leader to date),  or as a featured sideman with Stanley Turrentine, Jack McDuff, and many others, you know why the Village Voice calls him “one of the most distinctive guitarists to come along in recent years.” Hot House magazine awarded him Best Guitarist Fans Decision for 2017.  He was recently voted once again as one of the top Jazz Guitarists in the 2019 Downbeat Critics and Readers Polls for the 10th time. Dave’s CD “Eight Track III” stayed at #1 on JazzWeek Radio chart for 6 straight weeks. “Strykin’ Ahead” featured the same lineup as “Eight Track II”- Steve Nelson, Jared Gold and McClenty Hunter, and received great reviews. “Messin’ with Mister T”, is a celebration of the man he worked with for over a decade  Stanley Turrentine, “Mister T” with ten of the greatest tenor sax players on the scene today. It went to #1 on JazzWeek Radio and stayed in the Top 50 for 20 weeks and has received great reviews including 4 1/2 stars in Downbeat magazine. Dave’s last CD “Eight Track” was #9 for 2014 on the Jazz Week Radio Charts where it stayed for 20 weeks topping off at #3 for 3 weeks. Downbeat magazine picked it as one of the Top CD’s of 2014, and ran a feature article in the June 2014 issue on Dave.

Whether you’ve heard guitarist Dave Stryker leading his own group (with 30 CD’s as a leader to date),  or as a featured sideman with Stanley Turrentine, Jack McDuff, and many others, you know why the Village Voice calls him “one of the most distinctive guitarists to come along in recent years.” Hot House magazine awarded him Best Guitarist Fans Decision for 2017.  He was recently voted once again as one of the top Jazz Guitarists in the 2019 Downbeat Critics and Readers Polls for the 10th time. Dave’s CD “Eight Track III” stayed at #1 on JazzWeek Radio chart for 6 straight weeks. “Strykin’ Ahead” featured the same lineup as “Eight Track II”- Steve Nelson, Jared Gold and McClenty Hunter, and received great reviews. “Messin’ with Mister T”, is a celebration of the man he worked with for over a decade Stanley Turrentine, “Mister T”with ten of the greatest tenor sax players on the scene today. It went to #1 on JazzWeek Radio and stayed in the Top 50 for 20 weeks and has received great reviews including 4 1/2 stars in Downbeat magazine. Dave’s last CD “Eight Track” was #9 for 2014 on the Jazz Week Radio Charts where it stayed for 20 weeks topping off at #3 for 3 weeks. Downbeat magazine picked it as one of the Top CD’s of 2014, and ran a feature article in the June 2014 issue on Dave. https://www.davestryker.com/wp/biography/

Personnel: Dave Stryker withThe Bill Warfield Big Band featuring Randy Brecker – trumpet

Nomad

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Chuck Mangione - An Evening Of Magic: Live At The Hollywood Bowl

Album: An Evening Of Magic: Live At The Hollywood Bowl Disc 1

Styles: Jazz, Easy Listening
Year: 1979
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:18
Size: 116,1 MB
Art: Front

(9:17)  1. Feels So Good
(6:37)  2. The XIth Commandment
(9:38)  3. Chase The Clouds Away
(5:26)  4. Hill Where The Lord Hides
(7:38)  5. Doin' Everything With You
(7:23)  6. Love The Feelin'
(4:15)  7. I Get Crazy

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Album: An Evening Of Magic: Live At The Hollywood Bowl  Disc 2

Time: 50:59

Size: 117,8 MB

(9:09)  1. Land Of Make Believe

(8:39)  2. Hide And Seek

(7:38)  3. The Day After (Our First Night Together)

(6:49)  4. Children Of Sanchez - Main Theme

(5:02)  5. B'Bye

(3:55)  6. Children Of Sanchez

(6:31)  7. Main Squeeze

(3:14)  8. Feels So Good

Recorded at the height of Chuck Mangione's fame when "Feels So Good" was still busting up the charts, this double-LP set attempts to recapture the dynamism of his earlier live albums but falls short on a few counts. For one thing, the sound gives the listener no idea of what it was like to be in the audience that evening; there are only fleeting traces of the live presence and electricity of the event in this tightly mic'ed recording. For another, the sense of fresh discovery of a new voice in the Mercury sets is replaced by a mostly self-congratulatory round of reprises from earlier albums, centered in the jazz-funk idiom of Mangione's then-current quintet (the funkified "Hill Where the Lord Hides" in particular lacks the majesty and tension of the original live version). Mangione and his sidemen (Chris Vadala, winds; Grant Geissman, guitars; Charles Meeks, bass; James Bradley, Jr., drums) are sufficiently pumped up and energetic, sometimes outdoing the studio performances of the material, and there is a 70-piece orchestra of L.A. musicians who mostly form part of the scenery. The only "new" stuff (as of July 1978) is a set of excerpts from the film score to Children of Sanchez  a heavily truncated selection from what was heard that night that comes off pretty well. Of the two live Mangione A&M albums, this one is a more accurate career retrospective, but Tarantella is quirkier and thus more fun. ~ Richard S. Ginell https://www.allmusic.com/album/an-evening-of-magic-live-at-the-hollywood-bowl-mw0000312055

Personnel: Producer, Composed By, Flugelhorn, Electric Piano, Conductor – Chuck Mangione; Performer – Chuck Mangione Quartet; Bass – Charles Meeks; Cello – Ron Leonard; Drums – James Bradley, Jr.; Flute, Piccolo Flute – Adah Mosello; French Horn – Jay Wadenpfuhl, Jerry Peel; Guitar [Classical], Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar – Grant Geissman; Saxophone, Flute – John Mitchell , Larry Covelli; Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Flute, Flute [Alto], Piccolo Flute – Chris Vadala; Trombone – Art Linsner, Keith O'Quinn, Richard Chamberlain ; Trumpet [Lead], Coordinator [Brass And Reed] – Jeff Tkazyik Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Frank Szabo, Jeff Kievit; Tuba – John Stevens 

An Evening Of Magic: Live At The Hollywood Bowl

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Della Reese - Della Della Cha Cha Cha

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1990
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 32:19
Size: 75,2 MB
Art: Front

(2:53)  1. Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend
(2:50)  2. Come-On-A-My House
(2:46)  3. Why Don't You Do Right
(2:41)  4. My Heart Belongs To Daddy
(2:28)  5. Let's Do It
(3:14)  6. Whatever Lola Wants
(2:41)  7. Daddy
(2:09)  8. Tea For Two
(3:17)  9. Always True To You In My Fashion
(2:38) 10. It's So Nice To Have A Man Around The House
(2:15) 11. There's A Small Hotel
(2:22) 12. Love For Sale

Della Reese was an American singer, actress, as well as an ordained minister. She is remembered for her memorable jazz and gospel singing. Della started her career at an early age as a singer, and during the late 1960s, she started acting as well and became one of the most popular television personalities in the ensuing years. Reese was known for her gospel and jazz music and she released 18 studio albums during her extensive career. Some of her top hit singles like ‘And That Reminds Me’ and ‘Don't You Know?’ featured in the US Top 100 and US Cashbox charts. She was nominated for the Grammy Award thrice in her career. As an actress, she was much acclaimed for her role of ‘Tess’ in the American supernatural drama television series ‘Touched by an Angel’ that ran on CBS between 1994 and 2003. She also appeared in several other television films and shows in her illustrious career, including the likes of ‘Harlem Nights’, ‘A Thin Line Between Love and Hate’, ‘Nightmare in Badham County ‘, ‘Chico and the Man’, and ‘If I Had Known I Was a Genius.’..More... https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/della-reese-30272.php

Della Della Cha Cha Cha

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John Dimartino - Passion Flower

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:47
Size: 152,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:16)  1. Johnny Come Lately
(4:20)  2. Lush Life
(4:19)  3. Rain Check
(4:38)  4. Star-Crossed Lovers (Pretty Girl)
(6:56)  5. Isfahan (Elf)
(5:59)  6. Chelsea Bridge
(6:33)  7. Daydream
(4:50)  8. Passion Flower
(3:33)  9. U.M.M.G.
(3:36) 10. Blood Count
(4:15) 11. Take The A Train
(4:44) 12. A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing
(4:09) 13. Absinthe (Lament For An Orchid)
(2:33) 14. Lotus Blossom

When esophageal cancer took Billy Strayhorn's life in 1967, his work and legacy rested squarely in the shadow of Duke Ellington's world. More than half a century later, though the two figures remain inextricably linked, Strayhorn's genius has moved past the penumbra of his legendary collaborator and employer, occupying its own clear place in the jazz firmament. Through biography and documentary film, his own lush life has been illuminated. And of equal importance, Strayhorn's compositions continue to bloom in others' hands, like perennials returning time and again to add welcome color and fragrance to the world.

For pianist John Di Martino, Strayhorn's music has always been part of the picture. Initially hooked in his teens, when he encountered "Lush Life" through the lens of Chet Baker and Russ Freeman, he's been a fan ever since. In the ensuing decades, Di Martino has had plenty of opportunities to explore Strayhorn's work in myriad settings, including, in recent times, concerts with multi-reedist Paquito D'Rivera. One such performance, at Flushing Town Hall in New York, inspired this album's executive producer, Neville Grusd, to drive the idea of this tribute forward.

Leading an all-star quartet with tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander, bassist Boris Kozlov and drummer Lewis Nash, Di Martino takes clear pleasure in working through fourteen classics. The quartet swings with verve on "U.M.M.G.," reconfigures "Day Dream" in waltz time, explores the ideals of wafting beauty on the title track, and gives "Take The 'A' Train" a twist through delayed melodic gratification. There's nary a weak spot to be found on the program, and the list of high points runs long. Alexander's absorbing cadenza on "Chelsea Bridge" elevates the ending, guest vocalist Raul Midon's solid work on "Lush Life" adds to the draw of that performance, a gorgeous solo piano take on "A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing" finds Di Martino in wonderfully reflective form, and a toned-down sax-and-piano look at Strayhorn's self-penned epitaph, "Blood Count," gets the proper message across. 

In short, everything is as creatively classy as could be expected with this A-list gathering. A testament to both the durability of Strayhorn's writing and the strengths of Di Martino's art, Passion Flower is pure beauty packaged in sound.~ Dan Bilaswsky https://www.allaboutjazz.com/passion-flower-the-music-of-billy-strayhorn-john-di-martino-sunnyside-records

Personnel: John di Martino: piano; Eric Alexander: saxophone, tenor; Boris Kozlov: bass; Lewis Nash: drums; Raul Midon: voice / vocals.

Passion Flower

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Charles Turner - Dreamers

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:53
Size: 121,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:29)  1. Beautiful Friendship
(3:36)  2. When You're in Love
(3:29)  3. Bluesette
(5:32)  4. Dreamers
(6:10)  5. Just One of Those Things
(5:43)  6. Blame It on My Youth
(5:21)  7. In or Out
(7:31)  8. You and I
(7:46)  9. Honeysuckle Rose
(3:11) 10. Is It Love

Charles Turner, winner of the first 1st Annual Duke Ellington Vocal Competition in New York City, Hosted by  Mercedes Ellington has taken the jazz scene by storm. Turner has held residencies, hosted, and performed at venues such as Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola at Jazz at Lincoln Center,   Birdland, Smoke Jazz club and  the historic Minton’s Playhouse in Harlem. International performances include, Pizza Express, in London, Sunside Sunset in Paris, Sala Claomores in Madrid, and more venues abroad from Seoul, South Korea to Wellington New Zealand.

Turner’s Sophomore Album “ Single & In Love” , produced by Grammy award winning drummer Ulysses Owens Jr. has received critical acclaim and continues to play all across the world. Berklee College of Music Graduate, he has extended his educational value by teaching at The American School of Modern Music in Paris, France in 2017 & 18. Then then participated in “ Jazz for Young People” at JALC and conducted Masterclasses in various high schools and Universities such as N.Y.U. Charles’ passion to bring swing and jazz to listeners of all generations and backgrounds proceeds through his new band and project Charles Turner & Uptown Swing. Bringing the Swing and Spirit of Harlem to music lovers and dancers around the world. Vibrant Swing , Virtuosic Bebop & Vital Blues, The band extends music from the swing era to present under the umbrella of swing . Vocalist, Composer, & Educator, moving forward to bring this incredible music to the people ; Turner holds the torch of the past and brings it along with him to present day for all to experience , embrace, and enjoy. http://charlesturnermusic.com/about

Dreamers

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Oscar Peterson Trio - Oscar Peterson Trio Plus One

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1964
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:18
Size: 93,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:35)  1. Brotherhood Of Man
(3:00)  2. Jim
(6:54)  3. Blues For Smedley
(3:54)  4. Roundalay
(2:00)  5. Mumbles
(5:15)  6. Mack The Knife
(4:18)  7. They Didn't Believe Me
(3:28)  8. Squeaky's Blues
(5:08)  9. I Want A Little Girl
(2:42) 10. Incoherent Blues

Some guest soloists get overshadowed by Oscar Peterson's technical prowess, while others meet him halfway with fireworks of their own; trumpeter Clark Terry lands in the latter camp on this fine 1964 session. With drummer Ed Thigpen and bassist Ray Brown providing solid support, the two soloists come off as intimate friends over the course of the album's ten ballad and blues numbers. And while Peterson shows myriad moods, from Ellington's impressionism on slow cuts like "They Didn't Believe Me" to fleet, single-line madness on his own "Squeaky's Blues," Terry goes in for blues and the blowzy on originals like "Mumbles" and "Incoherent Blues"; the trumpeter even airs out some of his singularly rambling and wonderful scat singing in the process. Other highlights include the rarely covered ballad "Jim" and the even more obscure "Brotherhood of Man" from the Broadway musical How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. A very engaging and enjoyable disc. ~ Stephen Cook https://www.allmusic.com/album/oscar-peterson-trio-one-mw0000615538

Personnel: Oscar Peterson – piano; Clark Terry – trumpet, flugelhorn, vocal; Ray Brown – double bass; Ed Thigpen – drums

Oscar Peterson Trio Plus One

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Smokey Robinson - Smokey

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1973
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:57
Size: 94,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:37)  1. Holly
(3:53)  2. Medley: Never My Love / Never Can Say Goodbye
(4:36)  3. A Silent Partner In A Three-Way Love Affair
(5:21)  4. Just My Soul Responding
(4:37)  5. Sweet Harmony
(4:40)  6. Will You Love Me Tomorrow?
(3:51)  7. Wanna Know My Mind
(4:21)  8. The Family Song
(4:57)  9. Baby Come Close

Smokey is a tentative step forward, carrying clear remnants of Smokey Robinson's latter-day music with the Miracles, which shouldn’t come as a great surprise considering that it’s anchored by “Sweet Harmony,” a tune he wrote about and for the Miracles but was persuaded by Motown A&R’s Suzanne de Passe to keep for himself. From there, Robinson built a full LP, using Willie Hutch as his co-producer and writing a clutch of songs with Marvin Tarplin, his co-author on several Miracles hits. Certainly, the rich, gorgeous harmonies of “Sweet Harmony” consciously evoke the Miracles but the group is heard elsewhere too, in the bright bounce of “Wanna Know My Mind” and in its covers of “Will You Love Me Tomorrow?” and a medley of “Never My Love/Never Can Say Goodbye,” both bringing to mind Motown’s habit of recycling contemporary hits. These echoes of the past are comforting, particularly because they’re surrounded by modernity, thanks in part to Hutch’s lush, layered production but also Smokey’s willingness to embrace the shifting times, naturally favoring smooth soul to gritty funk, letting it escalate to an almost cinematic scale and, more importantly, not shying away from subjects he’d never tackle during the ‘60s whether it’s his family or the saga of a teenage runaway. It’s not a bold break into maturity on the level of What’s Going On or Music of My Mind but rather a transitional album, and a fascinating one at that, suggesting the path he would take going forward. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine https://www.allmusic.com/album/smokey-mw0000320366

Smokey

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Susan Tobocman - Live In Detroit With The Cliff Monear Trio

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:54
Size: 177,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:28)  1. How Deep Is the Ocean?
(5:39)  2. I Never Meant to Dream of You
(5:28)  3. When Lights Are Low
(6:54)  4. I Got Lost In His Arms
(5:33)  5. Leaves of Absence
(4:07)  6. Wild Is the Wind
(6:00)  7. I Love Being Here With You
(7:26)  8. Nice and Easy
(3:46)  9. Where Do You Start?
(5:10) 10. I Don't Think of Him Anymore
(4:46) 11. Make Someone Happy
(7:55) 12. Besame Mucho
(3:52) 13. Again It's Spring
(4:43) 14. It's Alright With Me

Singer/composer/lyricist/producer/arranger, Susan Tobocman has been making a name for herself among audiences and musicians alike on the New York City jazz scene for a number of years. Whether leading her own gigs at Zinc Bar (where she was the original artist-in-residence), Cornelia Street Cafe, Flatiron Room, Fine & Rare, Symphony Space, Highline Ballroom, Smalls, the Bitter End, Birdland, Cliff Bell's, Steinway Jazz Gallery, Smoke, or Cleopatra's Needle (among others)- or as the guest of such luminaries as Barry Harris, Al Foster, or the late Doc Cheatham Susan is equally comfortable working as a leader or sideman.

Susan’s extensive repertoire of standards from the familiar to the obscure is distinctly enhanced by her inventive arrangements, in addition to her original compositions, some of which are strictly instrumental. Among her influences, the Detroit-born singer cites Shirley Horn, Carmen Mcrae, Joao Gilberto, Dena Derose, Johnny Mandel, and Andy Bey. Not only is Tobocman the first-prize recipient of the National Scholastic Writing Award for Poetry, she has also received the Ascaplus Composer Grant for the past fifteen consecutive years. Susan collaborates as both composer and lyricist with several of New York’s finest jazz musicians, including pianists Henry Hey and David Hazeltine, trumpeter Jim Rotondi, and trombonist Steve Davis. Her work is signed to renowned jazz publisher/grammy-winner Don Sickler; Susan has also written for and been recorded by Denise Donatelli, Norman Simmons, Allan Harris, and Rodgers Grant among others. https://www.bluellamaclub.com/event/susan-tobocman-quartet

Live In Detroit With The Cliff Monear Trio

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Clifton Davis,The Beegie Adair Trio - Never Can Say Goodbye

Styles: Piano Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:43
Size: 113,0 MB
Art: fRONT

(2:43)  1. I've Never Been in Love Before
(4:49)  2. Never Can Say Goodbye
(3:58)  3. Two for the Road
(4:43)  4. Swept Away
(4:46)  5. The Folks Who Live on the Hill
(3:15)  6. Too Marvelous for Words
(4:21)  7. So Many Stars
(4:17)  8. Começar De Novo
(3:37)  9. Somewhere in the Hills
(3:56) 10. Teach Me Tonight
(3:40) 11. Minha Alma
(4:32) 12. Leaving It up to You

An actor, singer, and songwriter, Clifton Davis has appeared in several television shows and films. He has recorded numerous inspirational and gospel hits and has made a name for himself as a songwriter. More recently, he has taken to public speaking, mainly making motivational speeches at colleges and universities. Clifton Davis was born in Chicago and is the son of an evangelist. By the age of 15, he was set on an acting career. In 1963, he graduated from Pine Forge Institute and from there concentrated on his singing and acting career. During the '60s, his career focused mainly on the stage. He made his Broadway debut in 1968 with How to Steal an Election with music and lyrics by Oscar Brand. He also starred in Two Gentlemen of Verona, for which he was nominated for a Tony Award. For his role in the musical Do It Again, he received the Theatre World Award. Despite his success on Broadway, the star became involved in drugs and alcohol at an early age. Davis recounts these experiences during his seminars and lectures across the country. He blames his addictions on peer pressure. During this time he claims he "lost valuable time and money and gained sickness, depression and desperation." Lately he has been reaching out to college and university students, telling them his story, hoping they learn from his experiences.

Aside from his stage reputation, Davis has also garnered film and television credits. In 1971, he made several appearances on Love American Style. This was followed by him becoming the host of his own variety show, The Melba Moore-Clifton Davis Show, on ABC. His film career began in 1974 with the film Lost in the Stars. From 1974-1975, he portrayed Clifton Curtis on the comedy show That's My Mama. The '80s were a very important decade for Davis. His popularity and fame grew enormously in 1986 when he starred as Reverend Reuben Gregory, opposite Sherman Hemsley, on the comedy sitcom Amen. During the four years the show was on the air, Davis also played the role of a minister in real life. He was the associate pastor at the Seventh Day Adventist Church in California. He also starred in several movies in the '80s, including The Night the City Screamed, Don't Look Back: The Story of Leroy "Satchel" Paige, and Dream Date. Aside from his singing and acting talents, Davis is also credited with being a songwriter. He wrote the Jackson 5 hit "Never Can Say Goodbye." Despite obstacles and hardships, Clifton Davis remains a famous, inspiring actor and singer who contributed greatly to stage, film, and television. ~ Kim Summers https://www.allmusic.com/artist/clifton-davis-mn0000158244

Beegie Adair is a prolific, award-winning jazz pianist and arranger known for her interpretations of jazz and popular standards and show tunes. She has sold over two million recordings globally. Her melodic, fleet-fingered style reflects the sounds of her major influences, including George Shearing, Bill Evans, Oscar Peterson, and Erroll Garner. Adair grew up in Cave City, Kentucky, where she began taking piano lessons at age five. She continued to study piano throughout college, earning a B.S. in music education at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green. During and after college, she played in jazz bands, and spent three years teaching music to children before moving to Nashville, where she became a session musician, working at WSM-TV and on The Johnny Cash Show (1969-1971). She and her husband also started a jingle company to write music for commercials. In 1982, she and saxophonist Denis Solee formed the Adair-Solee Quartet, which evolved into the Be-Bop Co-Op, a jazz sextet. In 1998, she released Escape to New York, her first trio-led date with a rhythm section consisting of Bob Cranshaw and Gregory Hutchinson. She signed to the fledgling Hillsboro label for 2001's Dream Dancing: The Songs of Cole Porter; bassist Roger Spencer and drummer Chris Brown joined her. Dream Dancing was the first of dozens of themed albums devoted to songwriters and singers. In 2002, she was named a Steinway Artist.

Most of Adair's recordings have been issued by the independent jazz label Green Hill Productions. They include 2008's Yesterday: A Solo Piano Tribute to the Music of the Beatles, 2010's Swingin' with Sinatra, and 2012's The Real Thing (which spent 20 weeks on the jazz charts and was chosen one of the year's best 100 jazz albums). In 2015, her trio collaborated with saxophonist Don Aliquo on Too Marvelous for Words. Since 2011, Adair and her trio have played Birdland in New York. While visiting, they have often collaborated with vocalist Monica Ramey. In the spring of 2016, that partnership bore fruit on the album Some Enchanted Evening. The following year saw Adair issue the compilation By Request, which featured her most requested and personal favorites. ~ William  Ruhlmann  https://www.allmusic.com/artist/beegie-adair-mn0000149265/biography

Never Can Say Goodbye

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Maui Jazz Quartet Feat. Emil Richards - Maui Jazz Quartet

Styles: Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:29
Size: 128,3 MB
Art: Front

(5:48)  1. Ciao Bella
(7:01)  2. Yo Go Jo Po
(8:00)  3. Celesta #4
(5:21)  4. Calamari Blues
(5:25)  5. Malloreddus
(7:27)  6. Sheep Lie
(5:25)  7. Bettune
(6:34)  8. Cauliflower Ear
(4:24)  9. Turn up The Audio for Claudio

Emil Richards has been a first call musician in L. A.. as well as an educator for the past 50 years. He has performed on over 1800 film soundtracks and performed with many top artists and composers, such as Frank Sinatra, George Shearing, Quincey Jones, Stan Kenton, Frank Zappa, George Harrison, Ravi Shankar and many more. Recognized and acknowledged as one of the best percussionist in the music industry, Emil was inducted to the Percussive Arts Society Hall of Fame in 1994. The songs on this collection are all Emil's compositions and suggests to a critical listener Emil's mastery and sophistication. On this recording he has teamed up with three excellent musicians from Maui who have also travelled, recorded, and performed with world class musicians. Emil loves to spend time on Maui performing with this Quartet and doing clinics and teaching. https://www.fye.com/emil-richards---maui-jazz-quartet-aec.cdb5637289426.2.html

Jazz Maui, a program of Arts Education for Children Group (AECG) nonprofit organization, provides an opportunity for island residents, music students, aspiring and professional musicians, and jazz music aficionados to participate in or attend high-quality jazz music performances. Through festivals, music clinics and dance workshops, Jazz Maui provides a venue for student performers to establish connections with recognized professionals in music and dance. https://jazzmaui.org/

Personnel: Emil Richards - vibes; Brian Cuomo - piano; Bob Harrison - bass; Paul Marchetti - drums

Maui Jazz Quartet

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Joan Chamorro New Quartet & Scott Hamilton

Styles: Saxofone Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:13
Size: 168,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:39)  1. Ella y yo
(4:10)  2. Love You're Spell
(4:00)  3. Day Dream
(4:02)  4. Doodlin'
(6:01)  5. Sugar
(6:13)  6. Chelsea Bridge
(5:07)  7. Sonho Meu
(5:05)  8. Baby It's Cold
(3:51)  9. Eu Sei Que Vou Te Amar
(4:02) 10. A Kiss To Build a Dream On
(4:41) 11. Sem Fantasia
(2:49) 12. Ain't She Sweet
(4:15) 13. Meditaçao
(5:09) 14. How High The Moon
(4:15) 15. When I Fall In Love
(3:46) 16. Baiao de quatro

Alba Armengou, Carla Motis and Èlia Bastida have grown up jazzy in the context of my project Sant Andreu Jazz Band. The idea of uniting them on the same stage in this small format came from seeing that the combination of their voices, instruments and musical tastes could give a good result. To have the great tenor sax Scott Hamilton in this recording is, once again, a dream for us. 

And it is not by chance that he is part of the last cd's that I have recorded with the three of them, as part of the collection "Joan Chamorro presenta" and the last album with Èlia, "The magic sound of the violin". Listening to this cd brings us back to what the concert was like, in the framework of the Barcelona Jazz Festival, on November 27th 2019. A concert where we can see the magic of jazz in the 16 songs that were part of the set list of the session. https://santandreujazzband.bandcamp.com/album/joan-chamorro-new-quartet-scott-hamilton

Joan Chamorro New Quartet & Scott Hamilton

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Red Holloway Quartet - S.R.O

Styles: Vocal And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 78:26
Size: 181,3 MB
Art: Front

( 7:07)  1. Strike Up The Band
( 5:50)  2. Mr. Cleanhead's Blues
( 0:54)  3. Introductions
(10:18)  4. Bag's Groove
(11:37)  5. Days Of Wine And Roses
(11:28)  6. Meditation
( 4:59)  7. Mo' Candy
(11:06)  8. You Don't Know What Love Is
( 7:02)  9. Phil's Medley
( 8:01) 10. Avalon

With a career spanning almost 60 years, Red Holloway is still presenting his special brand of sax playing on both the alto and the tenor, as he's equally adept with each horn. On this album, which documents performances from a 1998 floating jazz festival, Holloway is joined by a group of talented, veterans as they collaborate on over 70 minutes of entertaining music. https://mvdshop.com/products/red-holloway-s-r-o-cd

Personnel: Vocals – O.C. Smith (tracks: 4 to 6), Red Holloway (tracks: 2); Tenor Saxophone, Alto Saxophone – Red Holloway; Bass – Keter Betts; Drums – Paul Humphrey; Guitar – Phil Upchurch; Piano – Junior Mance

S.R.O

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Roberta Gambarini - Connecting Spirits: Sings The Jimmy Heath Songbook

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:24
Size: 138,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:59)  1. Without Song
(4:04)  2. Growing - New Picture
(4:14)  3. The Rio Dawn
(5:23)  4. The Thumper
(5:30)  5. A Loved One Lost
(4:23)  6. Life In The City
(5:42)  7. The Voice Of The Saxophone
(5:03)  8. Mandela
(4:23)  9. A Harmonic Future
(4:20) 10. A Mother's Love
(4:03) 11. A Sassy Samba
(2:51) 12. Ellington's Stray Horn
(4:22) 13. Frank Foster

Born and raised in Turin, Italy, to music loving parents (who had actually first met at a jazz concert), two-times Grammy nominated singer Roberta Gambarini grew up constantly listening to her father’s record collection. Her first vocal inspiration was the music of Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald , but she soon discovered Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday,and Carmen McRae, as well as gospel and blues artists such as Mahalia Jackson and Bessie Smith. At age 12 she began studying clarinet, but realizing the versatility and talents of her clear alto, she moved to voice, singing and performing in clubs by the time she was 17. In 1998, Gambarini received a scholarship to study for two years at the New England Conservatory in Boston. Barely 2 weeks after setting foot on american soil for the first time, Roberta surprised the jazz world by being one of the runner-ups in the 1998 Thelonious Monk Vocal Competition.

With this recognition as a springboard and the assistance of some of the greatest musicians in the world, who immediately appreciated her talent and invited her to perform with them, she quickly became a fixture on the international jazz circuit, appearing in major concert halls, Festivals and clubs around the globe ( Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center, Hollywood Bowl , Jazz at Lincoln Center , the North Sea Jazz Festival, and many more) . As a result, Roberta has had the good fortune to appear in concert and record with such Giants as Dave Brubeck, James Moody, Hank Jones, Clark Terry, Herbie Hancock, Michel & Randy Brecker, Jimmy Heath, Roy Hargrove, Jimmy Cobb, Al Foster, Slide Hampton, Frank Wess, Harold Mabern, Toots Thielemans, Paquito D’Rivera, Chucho Valdez, Mark O’Connor, Cyrus Chestnut, Percy Heath, Ron Carter, Johnny Griffin, the Dizzy Gillespie All Stars Big Band, Billy Higgins, Cedar Walton, Ray Drummond, George Cables, Mulgrew Miller, Kenny Burrell, Wynton Marsalis’ Jazz at Lincoln Center orchestra, and many others.

Roberta’s first American release ‘Easy to love’, earned the accolades of fans and critics alike and prestigious Grammy nomination, as did her third, ‘So in love’ ,which was also awarded the Grand Prix du Jazz Vocal 2009 by the Jazz Academy of France. She was twice named the “Female Jazz Singer of the Year” by the Jazz Journalists Association (2007 & 2009 ). One of the most important music figures of the 20th century, the late Benny Carter, cited Roberta as his favorite singer. James Moody, the legendary saxophonist and singer, was Roberta’s mentor and teacher, and introduced her to many of the major venues in the world. In 2008 Roberta recorded a superb duet album titled ‘You are there’ with the Legendary pianist Hank Jones. Mr. Jones,who accompanied most of the celebrated vocalists of 20th Century such as Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee, Carmen McRae, and Nat King Cole, declared Roberta Gambarini to be the best singer to emerge in the last 60 years . In 2015 , Roberta recorded ‘Connecting spirits’, a collection of compositions written by yet another of her mentors: Master saxophonist, composer and arranger Jimmy Heath . Along with Jimmy’s own lyrics, the album includes some of Roberta’s own lyrics to Mr Heath’s tunes performed with the legendary Heath Brothers ,with Master drummer Tootie Heath. Every once in a while, a truly great singer comes along who possesses the beauty, individuality, and talent to remind us once again of the magical majesty of the human voice ( without the aid of today’s technological tricks! ). That singer is ROBERTA GAMBARINI. https://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/robertagambarini

Personnel: Roberta Gambarini (vocal); Jimmy Heath (ts,ss); Jeb Patton (p); David Wong (b); Albert 'Tootie' Heath (ds); James Mtume (per); Freddie Hendrix (tp); Ed Cherry (g); Dave Stricker (g)Tommy Campbell (ds); Cyrus Chestnut (p); John Lee (b)

Connecting Spirits: Roberta Gambarini Sings The Jimmy Heath Songbook

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