Monday, July 12, 2021

Hal Smith's Roadrunners - Absolutely! Vol.3

Styles: Post Bop, Vocal
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:58
Size: 170,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:09) 1. The Song Is Ended
(2:46) 2. All Dressed up with a Broken Heart
(4:10) 3. Louisiana Fairy Tale
(2:45) 4. Limehouse Blues
(3:43) 5. I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good
(4:10) 6. Take It from Me
(5:03) 7. I Want To Be Happy
(3:47) 8. Absolutely
(3:54) 9. Strut, Miss Lizzie
(4:08) 10. Apex Blues
(2:54) 11. Don't Leave Me, Daddy
(1:46) 12. Hallelujah!
(2:58) 13. Barrelhouse
(3:23) 14. Some Sweet Day
(3:41) 15. Four or Five Times
(3:32) 16. Sweet and Lowdown
(3:30) 17. The One I Love Belongs to Somebody Else
(4:29) 18. My Buddy
(5:25) 19. Memories Of You
(2:35) 20. I'll See You in My Dreams

A drummer with strong inclinations toward traditional jazz performance, Hal Smith was born in Indianapolis, IN, on July 30, 1953. Taking up drums at the age of ten among his teachers was the great Jake Hanna he made his professional debut in 1978, and in the years to follow served with the likes of the Dukes of Dixieland and the Grand Dominion Jazz Band. Smith also led groups including the Frisco Syncopaters and the Down Home Jazz Band, and regularly collaborated with Butch Thompson and Bobby Gordon. Among his recording dates are 1994's California Here I Come, 1995's Swing, Brother, Swing, and 1996's Bourbon Street Memories. Smith was also a respected jazz journalist, contributing countless articles to publications including Jazz Rambler, Mississippi Rag, and West Coast Rag.~ Jason Ankeny https://www.allmusic.com/artist/hal-smith-mn0000660509/biography

Personnel: Rebecca Kilgore – Guitar, Vocals; Bobby Gordon – Clarinet, Vocals; Ray Skjelbred – Piano; Mike Duffy – Bass, Vocals; Hal Smith – Drums, Leader

Absolutely!

Sherri Roberts - Twilight World

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:43
Size: 121,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:28) 1. Twilight World
(3:00) 2. I Remember You
(4:26) 3. Very Early
(5:51) 4. Roundabout
(4:19) 5. This Happy Madness
(5:25) 6. This Is New
(4:19) 7. Memphis In June
(4:49) 8. Suddenly It'S Spring
(5:53) 9. Emily
(4:55) 10. Take A Chance On Spring
(5:13) 11. Song Of Summer

Sherri Roberts' debut recording finds the haunting vocalist showing her versatility on a variety of fairly complex and atmospheric arrangements. Joined by pianist Mark Soskin, bassist Harvie Swartz and drummer Jeff Williams, with occasional contributions made by flutist Keith Underwood, Lenny Hochman on bass clarinet, cellist Annabelle Hoffman and guitarist Bob Ward, Roberts displays a warm voice and a full understanding of the lyrics that she chooses to interpret. Most of the material (other than "I Remember You" and "Emily") is fairly obscure, including Roberts' words to Dave Brubeck's "Summer Song" (here retitled "Song of Summer"). Other highlights include Bill Evans' "Very Early," "Roundabout," Hoagy Carmichael's "Memphis In June," and "This Is New." A very impressive outing that will stay in one's mind long after the CD ends.~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/twilight-world-mw0000909015

Personnel: Sherri Roberts - Vocals; Mark Soskin - Piano; Harvie Swartz - Bass, Harvie's Web Site; Jeff Williams - Drums; Keith Underwood - Flutes; Lenny Hochman - Bass clarinet; Annabelle Hoffman - Cello; Bob Ward - Guitar.

Twilight World

Bob Wilber, Antti Sarpila - Moments Like This

Styles: Clarinet And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:24
Size: 175,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:14) 1. Rent Party Blues
(5:13) 2. Naughty Phideaux
(3:38) 3. Moonsongs
(4:25) 4. See See Rider
(3:03) 5. Alligator Flop
(3:30) 6. Estrellita
(3:43) 7. It's a sin to tell a lie
(4:11) 8. Magic Nights
(4:13) 9. Limehouse Blues
(4:12) 10. Lester's Bounce
(3:09) 11. Fascinating Rhythm
(3:34) 12. Reverie
(3:18) 13. The Snake Charmer
(3:56) 14. These Foolish Things
(4:55) 15. I Want A Little Girl
(3:49) 16. Tango à la Bechet
(3:30) 17. Baby ain't I good to you
(3:41) 18. Moments Like This
(4:59) 19. Vampin' Miss Georgia

Throughout his long career, saxophonist Bob Wilber has done a lot to keep classic jazz alive. A bit misplaced (most jazz players of his generation were much more interested in bop and hard bop), Wilber (along with Kenny Davern, Ralph Sutton, and Dick Wellstood) was one of the few in his age group to stick to pre-bop music. Influenced on soprano, clarinet, and alto by Sidney Bechet, Benny Goodman, and Johnny Hodges, respectively, Wilber has long had his own sound on each of his instruments. In high school he formed a band that included Wellstood, and as a teenager he sat in at Jimmy Ryan's club in New York. Early on he became Sidney Bechet's protégé and led his own young group, the Wildcats, with whom he released several early albums, including 1949's Bob Wilbur and His Jazz Band and 1951's Young Men with Horns.

The close association with the dominant Bechet led to a bit of a personality crisis in the 1950s as Wilber sought to find his own voice. He studied with Lennie Tristano and formed the Six, a group that tried to modernize early jazz, a sound heard on 1955's The Six. When that ended, he played Dixieland with Eddie Condon, and in 1957 joined Bobby Hackett's band for a year. Wilber freelanced throughout the 1960s, working with Ralph Sutton and releasing such albums as Blowin' the Blues Away (with trumpeter Clark Terry) and New Clarinet in Town. In 1968 he became a founding member of the World's Greatest Jazz Band alongside Bob Haggart and Yank Lawson. A year later he paid tribute to one of his idols with The Music of Hoagy Carmichael.

Along with his continued work with the World's Greatest Jazz Band, in 1973 he formed Soprano Summit with clarinetist Kenny Davern. One of the top swing-oriented groups of the decade, Soprano Summit released a handful of well-regarded efforts, including 1974's Soprano Summit I, and played numerous live concerts. Also during the '70s, Wilber teamed up with his wife, singer Pug Horton, in Bechet Legacy (which also featured either Glenn Zottola or Randy Sandke on trumpet). The '80s were a fruitful decade for Wilber, who performed often with a bevy of traditional and repertory ensembles, releasing such albums as 1981's Music of King Oliver, 1982's Ode to Bechet, and 1983's Reflections. He also suppled the soundtrack to Francis Ford Coppola's 1920s Harlem-based drama The Cotton Club, and in 1987 authored his frank memoirs, Music Was Not Enough. The following year, he led a band at Carnegie Hall to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Benny Goodman's famous concert.

In 1990, Wilber paired again with Davern for Summit Reunion, and subsequently followed up with several of his own efforts, including 1994's Dancing on a Rainbow, 1995's Bean: Bob Wilber's Tribute to Coleman Hawkins, and 1996's Nostalgia on the Arbors label. He then honored legendary arranger Fletcher Henderson with 2000's Fletcher Henderson's Unrecorded Arrangements for Benny Goodman, and joined vibraphonist Dany Doritz for 2002's Memories of You: Lionel and Benny. He continued to tour and record over the next several years, appearing with Soprano Summit and releasing 2010's Bob Wilber Is Here! with Bucky Pizzarelli, Antti Sarpila, Nikki Parrott, and others. He then joined fellow reed players Sarpila and Pieter Meijers for 2012's The Three Amigos, and the following year joined pianist Bill Charlap's trio and clarinetist Anat Cohen at the Newport Jazz Festival.~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/bob-wilber-mn0000074476/biography

Antti Sarpila (clarinet and saxophones - composing and arranging) is one of the few internationally known jazz musicians from Finland. Although based in Helsinki, he performs extensively as a solo artist all over the world.

Personnel: Clarinet, Alto Saxophone – Bob Wilber; Clarinet, Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Antti Sarpila; Piano – Ulf Johansson; Bass – Sture Åkerberg; Drums – Ronnie Gardiner; Vocals, Trombone – Ulf Johansson (tracks: 17)

Moments Like This

Sinne Eeg, Thomas Fonnesbæk - Staying in Touch

Styles: Vocal, Post Bop
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:43
Size: 114,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:26) 1. Spring Waltz
(4:14) 2. Too Close for Comfort
(5:54) 3. Orphans
(3:46) 4. Take Five
(4:49) 5. The Streets of Berlin
(4:14) 6. The Long and Winding Road
(4:54) 7. How Deep is the Ocean?
(1:38) 8. Just One of Those Things
(7:45) 9. Round Midnight
(6:15) 10. Those Who Were
(2:43) 11. The Dry Cleaner from Des Moines

Born in Lemvig, Denmark, jazz singer Sinne Eeg graduated from the Music Conservatory of West Jutland in 2003, and subsequently studied with American jazz singers Janet Lawson and Jay Clayton in New York City. “I learned a lot from studying music intensively at the music conservatory,” she explained. “But I think a lot of my musicality comes from my childhood and teenage years where I was exposed to so much music and great music teachers. Jazz was a big part of my upbringing. I played in several local big bands (alto saxophone) when I was a teenager, and I learned a lot about the structures and phrasing of the music.”

During her musical upbringing, Eeg gravitated toward singers with lower, richer voices, like Julie London, Sarah Vaughan, Carmen McRae, Cassandra Wilson and Dianne Reeves. “Of course I studied all the great traditional jazz singers like Billie, Ella, Carmen, Anita and Sarah at the conservatory,” she said. “But it was also nice to have someone contemporary to look up to like Cassandra and Dianne, who respected the tradition of jazz singing but also had a fresh approach to it.” She recalled a seminal gig as a professional singer that helped launch her career. “It was a three-month engagement in Shanghai. They flew the whole band over from Denmark to play at The House Of Blues And Jazz six nights a week. During those three months I learned so much about performing in front of an audience and working with a band.”

After putting in her time for years on the road, performing at small clubs and cafes, Sinne won her first Danish Music Award for her album “Waiting For Dawn” in 2007. Her dark vocals and modern interpretation of Nordic jazz touched audiences all over Europe and Asia. Since then, Sinne has released several prize-winning albums, including her solo album “Dreams” from 2018, recorded in New York City with Scott Colley, Joey Baron, Larry Koonse and Jacob Christoffersen.

In early 2020 Sinne released one of her biggest projects ever: “We’ve Just Begun”, a winning collaboration with the 19-piece Danish Radio Big Band and her 9th album overall. The record was produced by André Fischer (Diane Schuur, Nina Simone, Natalie Cole) and mixed at the acclaimed Capitol Studios in Los Angeles by the legendary Al Schmitt (Frank Sinatra, Miles Davis, Ray Charles). The album has received countless international rave reviews, hovered high for many weeks on the American JazzWeek Top 50 chart, and continues to enjoy frequent airplay in all radio markets.

Sinne has many loyal fans in the US, Scandinavia and Asia, especially China and Japan. She is poised for a major breakthrough in the US, where she regularly tours. She has performed with American jazz icons including Larry Goldings, Peter Erskine and Ken Peplowski; and at storied jazz clubs including Green Mill in Chicago and Birdland in New York. The Danish songstress is versatile, equally comfortable fronting big orchestras in concert halls as well as smaller ensembles in intimate jazz clubs. Everywhere she sings Tokyo, Copenhagen, Los Angeles or Madrid audiences are mesmerized by her incandescent phrasing and scatting, all with natural, perfect pitch.

Sinne Eeg is not only a brilliant vocalist; she is also a great songwriter. Her talent for writing and composing won the prestigious Danish Carl Prize 2018 for Song Of The Year, “Aleppo”, included on her album “Dreams”. Sinne has received numerous accolades, including four Danish Music Awards, the Danish Radio P2 Jazz Prize, the Ben Webster Prize, the French Prix Du Jazz and Queen Ingrid’s Honorary Grant, personally awarded by Queen Margrethe of Denmark. https://www.highresaudio.com/de/artist/view/35462fa1-ee13-4058-a5a2-d7a156f161a4/sinne-eeg-thomas-fonnesbaek

Personnel: Sinne Eeg (vocals), Thomas Fonnesbæk (bass) + Live Strings #3, 5 & 10: Andrea Gyarfas Brahe, Karen Johanne Pedersen (violin), Deanna Said (viola), Live Johansson (cello); Jesper Riis (string arrangements)

Staying in Touch

Joao Y Astrud Gilberto With Antonio Carlos Jobim & Stan Getz - Samba E Bossa Nova

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:47
Size: 118.6 MB
Styles: Bossa Nova, Brazilian jazz
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[6:26] 1. Garota De Ipanema
[5:25] 2. Corcovado
[2:21] 3. O Pato
[3:17] 4. Samba De Uma Nota So
[3:05] 5. Samba De Minha Terra
[4:00] 6. Meditaçao
[4:19] 7. It Might As Well Be Spring
[2:51] 8. Um Abraço No Bonfa
[2:03] 9. Bim Bom
[2:43] 10. A Felicidade Adieu Tristesse
[1:58] 11. The Telephone Song
[4:23] 12. Only Trust Your Heart
[3:22] 13. Eu E Voce
[4:04] 14. Rosa Moreno
[1:24] 15. Doralice

I was on a luckless search looking for a review of this album when a friend called and asked what I was doing. So I told him and asked him if he knew where somebody might have written a relevant review of this album. He said there was only one word I needed to write - WOW!

Samba E Bossa Nova