Norman Simmons Trio - Jazz Essentials

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:43
Size: 92,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:08) 1. Stella by Starlight
(2:41) 2. You Do Something to Me
(4:06) 3. Love Is Eternal
(3:11) 4. Tranquility
(3:56) 5. Capacity in Blues
(3:26) 6. Jan
(3:32) 7. They Can't Take That Away from Me
(3:59) 8. My Funny Valentine
(4:15) 9. Peppe
(3:45) 10. Moonlight in Vermont
(3:38) 11. Chili Bowl

Pianist Norman Simmons is a superior arranger and good accompanist most famous for providing the hit arrangement of "Wade in the Water" for the Ramsey Lewis group. Simmons worked in the '50s and '60s for several vocalists, among them Dakota Staton, Ernestine Anderson, and Carmen McRae. He worked in 1960 with the Johnny Griffin-Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis group. In 1979 Simmons became a regular pianist for Joe Williams, performing with the acclaimed vocalist through the 1990s. Following Williams' death in 1999, Simmons led his first session in quite some time, resulting in the 2000 Savant release Art of Norman Simmons. In 2002 he issued Synthesis, his second effort for Savant. In Private, a Savant date also featuring bassist Lisle Atkinson and drummer Paul Humphrey, arrived in 2004.~ Ron Wynn https://www.allmusic.com/artist/norman-simmons-mn0000884894/biography

R.I.P.

Born: October 6, 1929, Chicago, Illinois, United States

Died: May 13, 2021

Jazz Essentials

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Richie Beirach Trio - What Is This Thing Called Love

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:54
Size: 132.6 MB
Styles: Bop, Contemporary jazz
Year: 1999
Art: Front

[4:52] 1. What Is This Thing Called Love
[6:19] 2. Leaving
[5:32] 3. Night And Day
[4:07] 4. Goodbye
[6:08] 5. Autumn Leaves
[6:11] 6. All The Things You Are
[3:53] 7. Pinocchio
[5:22] 8. Oh, What A Beautiful Morning
[7:26] 9. Nardis
[8:02] 10. On Green Dolphin Street

Double Bass – George Mraz; Drums – Billy Hart; Piano – Richie Beirach. Recorded at Sear Sound Studio in New York on June 18 and 19, 1999.

What a fantastic 'jazz piano trio' - yes George Mraz is truly a bassist delight, sympathetic, emotive, with improvised soloing thrown in. Virtuosic players all three, Billy Hart is one of the greatest drummers for modern jazz, creative, inventive, and progressive! Last but not least - the leader - Richie Beirach on piano - a consistently inventive pianist whose ability to play straight ahead or avant-garde and with lyricism makes him an original. ~John Herrmann

What Is This Thing Called Love

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Kristin Korb - Why Not?

Styles: Vocal
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 31:06
Size: 72,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:53) 1. Come Rain or Come Shine
(4:20) 2. I've Told Every Little Star
(4:42) 3. I Surrender Dear
(4:16) 4. Warm Valley
(4:31) 5. Zanzibar
(4:11) 6. Summer Wind
(4:11) 7. Sommervind (Bonus Track)

The flip side of “What If?” is “Why Not?”. It features Korb’s love of foot-tapping standards and lesser known gems with the intimate feel of an “unplugged” album. This is your personal invitation to join the party. In comparison to “What If?”, Korb’s arrangements are more straight ahead and less elaborate. They tend to lean on the tradition of feel-good swing. “It has been difficult for me to articulate my thoughts about ‘Why Not?’. One part of me feels like I didn’t do enough for this side. I didn’t make any crazy arrangements and the process in recording these tracks felt ‘easier’ in some way, almost like a sigh of relief in being able to re-connect with my bandmates again. Together, we celebrate a lifetime of great music making, being present in the moment, and being there for each other. Isn’t that enough?”

Korb’s familial connection to her bandmates Magnus Hjorth on piano and Snorre Kirk on drums is clear from the first beat. In contrast to “What If?”, this project is all about the trio and their interplay. I Surrender Dear opens with this baroque-ish chase between the instruments before exploding into an intense and high speed game of cat and mouse. “It takes a lot of energy for us to be positive and resilient in these times. We also need soft places to land, to breathe, to reconnect with ourselves, and to nurture our souls. Warm Valley does this for me.” Magnus Hjorth’s sensitive intro on the Duke Ellington classic sets the scene for this intimate duo.

A special highlight is guitarist Bruce Forman’s arrangement of Jerome Kern’s I’ve Told Every Little Star. Forman’s arrangement brings a vulnerability to the story that doesn’t exist in the original version. Korb’s bass solo takes that feeling even deeper. “This year, I celebrate 25 years since “Introducing Kristin Korb” was released with my mentor, Ray Brown. Ray opened the world to me through that CD. He inspired me in so many ways and challenged me to always bring my ‘A game’. I will be forever grateful. While I feel like I’ve made my own path musically, Ray is still a big part of it.” Ray’s influence is heard in the foot stomping opening track Come Rain or Come Shine. His spirit returns again in the final track Summer Wind. Korb closes the project with a tip of the hat to her life now in Denmark. Summer Wind was originally recorded in German and Danish before Johnny Mercer set his text to the music. The bonus track Sommervind has her singing in Danish, but it swings just the same. “What If?” and “Why Not?” were released as independent digital releases. In conjunction with the digital release of “Why Not?”, Korb and company are releasing the hard copy as a double disc compilation: “What If / Why Not”.

Personnel: Kristin Korb: All Vocals, Bass; Magnus Hjorth: Piano; Snorre Kirk: Drums; Tira Skamby: Percussion (Zanzibar)

Why Not?

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