Ralph Sutton And Dick Cary - Rendezvous At Sunnie's 1969

Styles: Piano And Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:33
Size: 123,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:58) 1. I Can´t Believe
(6:14) 2. S`Wonderful
(6:38) 3. Everything Happens To Me
(4:53) 4. Save It, Pretty Mama
(4:23) 5. Honky Tonk Train
(6:45) 6. Someday Sweetheart
(6:20) 7. I`ve Found A New Baby
(6:18) 8. Louisiana
(6:01) 9. A Hundred Years From Today
(3:40) 10. Echo Of Spring
(5:09) 11. In A Sentimental Mood
(7:48) 12. Undecided
(5:21) 13. Sweet Georgia Brown

The seventh volume in the Arbors label's Historical Series is a delightful live set from 1969, recorded at Sunnie's Rendezvous in Aspen, CO. Aspen was pianist Ralph Sutton's home turf, and trumpeter Dick Cary was driven 2,000 miles to the club by a pair of California-based jazz enthusiasts who intended to record the pair's musical summit meeting. It took more than 25 years for the resulting tapes to finally see commercial release, but they've been worth the wait. Cary and Sutton are a match made in heaven, two men of spectacular musical erudition, gentle musical wit, and uncompromising swing who are equally capable of spinning out sweet and elegant variations on "I Can't Believe That You're in Love with Me" and charging energetically through the barrelhouse boogie-woogie of "Honky Tonk Train".

" Sutton's soft but urgent introduction on "I've Found a New Baby" generates tremendous energy that only continues to build through his solos; listen carefully to his left-hand work and you'll hear a summary of the whole history of jazz piano. Cary has similar stylistic range, wailing and growling Louis Armstrong-style one moment and sighing lyrically the next -- his work on the rarely played alto horn is especially interesting and enjoyable. The producers apparently took special care with microphone placement on this live recording, resulting in unusually good sound quality. Highly recommended.~Rick Anderson https://www.allmusic.com/album/rendezvous-at-sunnies-1969-mw0000255438

Personnel: Piano – Ralph Sutton; Trumpet, Alto Horn – Dick Cary; Bass – Al Hall; Drums – Cliff Leeman

Rendezvous At Sunnie's 1969

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Suzanne Pittson - Blues and the Abstract Truth

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:51
Size: 126,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:50) 1. Butch and Butch
(6:16) 2. My Ship
(5:40) 3. You and the Night and the Music
(5:36) 4. In Love in Vain
(4:35) 5. Blues and the Abstract Truth
(4:42) 6. Out of Nowhere
(5:53) 7. The Meaning of the Blues
(6:52) 8. Love For Sale
(4:13) 9. Somewhere in Tokyo
(6:14) 10. Ginger Bread Boy

Singer Suzanne Pittson, who is based in the San Francisco Bay area, has a wide range, is able to interpret lyrics with proper sensitivity and is a masterful scatter. She improvises constantly, and her solos are full of surprises and chance-taking. In addition to a few fresh versions of standards (including "My Ship," "Out Of Nowhere" and an eccentric "Love For Sale"), Pittson explores such rarely heard material as Oliver Nelson's "Butch And Butch" and "Blues And The Abstract Truth" (both of which have been given lyrics by her husband, pianist Jeff Pittson), Jerome Kern's underrated (and rather emotional) "In Love In Vain," and Jimmy Heath's complex "Gingerbread Boy." The warm vocalist is assisted on this worthy effort (which was not put out until late 1996) by her spouse, along with trumpeter Jack Walrath (who takes several surprisingly extroverted solos), bassist Harvie Swartz and drummer Mike Clark. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/blues-and-the-abstract-truth-mw0000092181

Blues and the Abstract Truth

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George Kahn - Jazz & Blues Revue

Size: 155,2 MB
Time: 66:11
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Blues, Jazz, Soul
Art: Front

01. Cantaloupe Island (4:01)
02. Yes We Can Can (4:56)
03. Summertime (5:56)
04. Beat Me Daddy Eight To The Bar (3:11)
05. Shoo Shoo Baby (4:37)
06. Use Me (5:48)
07. The Boy From New York City/The Way You Make Me Feel (4:17)
08. God Bless The Child (5:22)
09. I'd Rather Go Blind (5:06)
10. Something's Got A Hold On Me (4:31)
11. Rock Me Baby (5:49)
12. Feeling Good (4:49)
13. Afro Blue (7:41)

Billed as the "Sass 'n' Soul World Tour," LA jazz pianist George Kahn presents the Jazz & Blues Revue, his eighth album as leader featuring three of LA's finest female jazz vocalist in his first all-vocal project and departure from previous recordings. On tap, fresh new arrangements of thirteen songs that obviously, not only touch on the jazz and blues landscape but, also include elements from the R&B and soul genres. On vocals throughout the session are Gina Saputo, a Eugene, Oregon native, educator and staple of the LA jazz scene, Crystal Starr winner of the 2011 Hollywood Music Awards for Best R&B singer and Santa Monica's own Courtney Lemmon who released her debut jazz album at the age of fifteen and has appeared on other Kahn recordings.

The pianist provides able support for the singers by assembling a cast of players that include jazz luminaries among them, saxophonist Eric Marienthal and trumpeter Dr. Bobby Rodriguez as well as special guests guitarist Pat Kelly and tenor saxophonist Chuck Manning. Herbie Hancock's "Cantaloupe Island" starts the vocal ball rolling featuring Saputo on lead as the other singers provide the background with solos from Marienthal on the alto and the Dr. on the horn jazzing up the piece. Kahn and the band introduces what seems, at least in the beginning, like a New Orleans styled soulful version of the Gershwin standard "Summertime," but then develops nicely into a percussive Latin jazz tune with vocalist Starr doing the honors while M.B. Gordy lays down the percussion.

The three vocalist become the newest version of the fabulous Andrews Sisters of the 30s and 40s with a boogie-woogie-styled romp on "Beat Me Daddy Eight to the Bar" and lay down one mean version of the popular Bill Withers song "Use Me" complete with funky rhythms and superlative piano lines from the leader. Songbird Saputo leads a sassy rendition of the time-honored Billie Holiday classic "God Bless the Child" as Marienthal's expressive alto and the other ladies, do a little blessing of their own on this tune. The Gospel and soul sound is alive and well on the Etta James piece "Something's Got A Hold On Me" with songstress Starr taking the lead and propelling her crisp sharp vocals on a swinging tune punctuated by Kelly's rock-styled guitar riffs.

This vocal experience winds down with Lemmon voicing a stellar arrangement of Anthony Newley's "Feeling Good" while a terrific read of the Mongo Santamaria standard and finale tune "Afro Blue," provides some of the best instrumentals of the recording. Kahn states that "each of my albums features a wide range of styles..." and this new album continues in that tradition with LA songbirds Saputo, Starr and Lemmon voicing their interpretations of the jazz, blues, soul and R&B sounds contained in George Kahn's Jazz & Blues Revue, a vocal jazz statement that begs to be heard. With great vocals, superb instrumentals and an exciting selection of music, this is vocal jazz at its best.

Personnel: George Kahn: piano; Courtney Lemmon: vocals; Gina Saputo: vocals; Crystal Starr: vocals; Lyman Medeiros: bass; M. B. Gordy: drums, percussion; Eric Marienthal: alto saxophone, soprano saxophone; Dr. Bobby Rodriguez: trumpet; Chuck Manning: tenor saxophone (2, 11); Pat Kelly: guitar (2, 3, 8, 11).

Jazz & Blues Revue

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