Ruby Braff - This Is My Lucky Day

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1957
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:09
Size: 148,1 MB
Art: Front

(7:23) 1. It's Been So Long
(6:04) 2. I'm Comin' Virginia
(6:11) 3. I Can't Get Started
(4:45) 4. Marie
(4:20) 5. I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good
(6:29) 6. There's Something In My Mind
(5:17) 7. Did I Remember
(4:03) 8. Give My Regards To Broadway
(5:05) 9. Willow Weep For Me
(2:26) 10. This Is My Lucky Day
(3:03) 11. Someday You'll Be Sorry
(3:34) 12. Yesterdays
(5:23) 13. The Song Is Ended But The Melody Lingers On

This Bluebird CD reissue brings back seven of the nine selections that trumpeter Ruby Braff recorded with an impressive octet that also included trombonist Benny Morton, clarinetist Pee Wee Russell, tenor-saxophonist Dick Hafer and a rhythm section led by pianist Nat Pierce. The material, superior swing standards highlighted by "It's Been So Long," "I'm Comin' Virginia" and "Did I Remember," features several tributes to the great Bunny Berigan, putting the emphasis on Braff's passionate horn although Russell gets in some of his unique licks. The remainder of this CD reissues half of an earlier LP, the complete session of Aug. 19, 1957. Braff is matched with fellow trumpeter Roy Eldridge for an interesting but slightly inhibited affair; there are few of the expected fireworks between these normally fiery players. Despite the excess of mutual respect, there are quite a few strong moments, particularly on "Give My Regards to Broadway," "This Is My Lucky Day" and "The Song Is Ended."~Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/this-is-my-lucky-day-mw0000195234

This Is My Lucky Day

---

Susie Meissner - I'll Remember April

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:14
Size: 137,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:02)  1. I'll Remember April
(4:40)  2. Never Let Me Go
(3:57)  3. You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To
(4:03)  4. I'm Old Fashioned
(3:10)  5. How Deep Is the Ocean
(4:13)  6. Dreamer
(4:09)  7. What a Wonderful World
(4:05)  8. There's a Small Hotel
(4:15)  9. Meditation
(5:21) 10. I Remember You
(8:08) 11. Little Girl Blue
(6:02) 12. My Foolish Heart
(2:04) 13. They Say It's Wonderful

Susie Meissner is one of those no-frills jazz singers who dot the American landscape. Her voice is pleasant enough; she sings only the best-known or well-worn standards with some Brazilian tunes; and she sticks by the book in terms of arrangements, the author of those charts not being credited. A slight vibrato shades her thin, plain-Jane, girl-next-door sweetheart of a voice, but she takes virtually no risks nor accepts any challenges in making these songs more than they are, or could be. It is good to hear the addition of stellar sidemen like the acclaimed trumpeter Brian Lynch, who always enlivens a session when he's not playing his personal brand of hard to post-bop, or sizzling Afro-Caribbean jazz with Eddie Palmieri. 

Alto saxophonist David Mann also appears in a refreshing move toward the mainstream and away from his contemporary commercialized comfort zone. Tenor saxophonist Greg Riley rounds out a fine front line that should do an album on its own. At her most convincing, Meissner sings "I'm Old Fashioned" simply, while "Never Let Me Go" is the softest of ballads and "How Deep Is the Ocean?" is an easy swinging traipse, including a good exchange with Riley. She's most effective on the light samba version of "Dreamer" with the horns cavorting about her, while the very slow take of "Meditation" allows Lynch to unfold his prettily wrapped gifts of melody. "My Foolish Heart" is a livelier bossa with a better concept in adapting this standard to a different arena. The remainder of the material ranges from maudlin to cutesy to lightweight with little distinction. At times Meissner's voice is flat and strained, the song is not suited for her key, or she sounds uninspired and the instrumentalists have to pick up the load. Pianist John Shaddy is a fine addition to the band, but lacks the firepower of the horns. If this is a starting point for Meissner, it's a decent one, although the instrumentalists lift the cachet of this music measurably. She's clearly competent and on the road to being a successful jazz singer. ~ Michael G.Nastos  

http://www.allmusic.com/album/ill-remember-april-mw0001741085

I'll Remember April

---

Meredith d'Ambrosio - Sometime Ago

Styles: Vocal
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:46
Size: 122,4 MB
Art: Front

(6:30) 1. When Springtime Turns To Fall
(5:45) 2. Feast Your Eyes
(6:16) 3. Moonlight
(4:57) 4. Sometime Ago
(5:15) 5. May I Come In
(4:27) 6. I Wished On The Moon
(4:09) 7. My Open Heart
(5:11) 8. I Remember You
(5:03) 9. Oh Well, What The Hell
(5:09) 10. If I Should Lose You

Boston born Meredith d'Ambrosio, a renaissance woman of international critical acclaim, has successfully combined careers in the musical and visual arts. Her musical sojourn began in 1958 in Boston singing with small bands with Roger Kellaway on piano. Although she worked primarily as a jazz singer-pianist she is also known as a respected calligrapher, watercolorist, creator of eggshell mosaics, composer, lyricist, recording artist and teacher.

She branched out into NYC in 1981, and since that time has been touring extensively throughout North America and Europe performing with such musicians as Harold Danko, Bob Dorough, Dave Frishberg, Fred Hersch, Eddie Higgins, Dick Hyman, Hank Jones, Lee Musiker, Mike Renzi, Richard Wyands, Milt Hinton, Major Holley, Jay Leonhart, Michael Moore, George Mraz, Rufus Reid, Leroy Vinnegar, Buddy DeFranco, Harry Allen, Lee Konitz, Ken Peplowski, Phil Woods, Jack Sheldon, Don Sickler, Al Grey, Johnny Frigo, Gene Bertoncini, Kevin Eubanks, Joe Ascione, Terry Clarke, Keith Copeland, Jake Hanna, Butch Miles and Ben Riley to name a few.

Meredith d'Ambrosio continues to delight those who have come to expect a high degree of proficiency in her artistic offerings and has shown herself to be, if not an iconoclast, one who is comfortable enough with her own sense of self to challenge the mainstream concept of popularity without sacrificing considerable talents and originality.

"To listen to d'Ambrosio is to abandon oneself to her charm. She leaves you spellbound with her impeccable diction, great sense of phrasing, intonation, and gentle swing, showing an unaffected simplicity and inner lyricism that expresses more than all the high-soaring excesses of scat singers."

(Serge Baudot, Jazz Hot, France)"Her secret,one shared by very few singers, is her ability to deliver the meaning of a lyric in her understated and hip-as-can-be way. "George Fendel,Portland Jazzscene)https://meredithdambrosio.com/bio/

Personnel: Meredith d'Ambrosio - vocals; Randy Halberstadt - piano; Daryl Johns - bass; Steve Johns - drums; Don Sickler - flugelhorn (4) & muted trumpet (9)

Sometime Ago

---