Jim Hall - Live in Tokyo

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1976
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:25
Size: 120,3 MB
Art: Front

( 9:08)  1. Billie's Bounce
( 4:55)  2. Twister
( 8:01)  3. Secret Love
( 8:45)  4. Concierto de Aranjuez
(10:57)  5. Chelsea Bridge
(10:37)  6. St. Thomas

One of a pair of recordings made during a tour of Japan for Paddlewheel (a subsidiary of King), the Jim Hall Trio, with bassist Don Thompson and drummer Terry Clarke, is in top form during this 1976 concert. The opener, Charlie Parker's "Billie's Bounce," is an introspective interpretation, though played with plenty of fire, while "Twister," a duo performance credited to both Hall and Clarke, may very well be an improvisation. 

A quiet piece like the excerpt from Rodrigo's "Concierto de Aranjeuz" is tailor-made for Hall's often subtle, rather understated approach to his instrument. First-rate versions of "Chelsea Bridge" and "St. Thomas" round out this highly recommended live set, which has never been issued outside of Japan nor made available on CD.~Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/live-in-tokyo-mw0001245277

Personnel:  Guitar – Jim Hall;  Bass – Don Thompson;  Drums – Terry Clarke

Live in Tokyo

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Ramsey Lewis Trio - Sound Of Christmas

Styles: Piano, Christmas
Year: 1961
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 29:14
Size: 67,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:01)  1. Merry Christmas Baby
(2:08)  2. Winter Wonderland
(2:22)  3. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
(2:47)  4. Christmas Blues
(2:39)  5. Here Comes Santa Claus
(2:19)  6. The Sound Of Christmas
(3:15)  7. The Christmas Song
(3:16)  8. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
(2:55)  9. Sleigh Ride
(3:27) 10. What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?

Those who purchase a Christmas album are mainly looking for festive music suitable for decorating the tree or baking cookies and not an introspective, challenging listening experience. Thus an artist who records such a record must take into account what the audience wants to hear and not his own musical aspirations, which may be why Mingus and Miles never recorded one. Ramsey Lewis, however, is the perfect guy for such a task, since he always approached playing jazz from the standpoint of creating a catchy hit with the public rather than arty noodling. Although recorded in 1961, a few years before he hit it big with "The 'In' Crowd," he still can swing harder than most at this early stage. Lewis and his trio barrel through the first five songs with a healthy dose of jubilant bounce and a penchant for uncovering the unexpected blue notes in carols. He glides through "Winter Wonderland" with heavy, funky chords and a propulsive snap but takes a more reverent approach on "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town," a slow, gospel-tinged treatment. The latter half of the album adds a string section (which fortunately doesn't oversaturate the music with glitz like on other Christmas albums) and Lewis tinkers around with the celeste a little bit here. "The Sound Of Christmas" is one of the most euphoric songs, a cascading wash of strings and bells awash with the glee of holiday tunes. While Lewis deserves most of the credit, Eldee Young and Redd Holt also deserve an extra candy cane for providing such enthusiastic support. Simply put, this is one of the most flat-out fun jazz Christmas albums you'll find. Lewis avoids the overly reverent no "Silent Night" or "What Child Is This?" in favor of songs he can tear through with the brisk gait of a sleigh ride and the delight of a full stocking. Lewis was later criticized for his eagerness to land on the charts, but his sensitivity to the tastes of the public served him well here. ~ David Rickert https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-sound-of-christmas-ramsey-lewis-verve-music-group-review-by-david-rickert.php

Personnel: Ramsey Lewis - piano; Eldee Young - bass; Redd Holt - drums; string section on 6-10.

Sound Of Christmas

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Swingfield Big Band - Big Band Love Songs

Styles: Swing, Big Band
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:33
Size: 133,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:03) 1. Moonlight Serenade
(4:38) 2. I'll Be Seeing You
(3:43) 3. Someday My Prince Will Come
(4:42) 4. Over the Rainbow
(3:32) 5. Moon River
(3:13) 6. Blue Moon
(4:42) 7. Smoke Gets in Your Eyes
(4:44) 8. In a Sentimental Mood
(4:10) 9. Sentimental Journey
(4:02) 10. As Time Goes By
(4:23) 11. When You Wish Upon a Star
(3:58) 12. I'll Never Smile Again
(3:36) 13. Thanks for the Memory

Big Band Love Songs

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Christian McBride & Inside Straight - Live at the Village Vanguard

Styles: Post-Bop, Straight-Ahead Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 79:50
Size: 185,7 MB
Art: Front

(12:01) 1. Sweet Bread
(13:42) 2. Fair Hope Theme
(10:02) 3. Ms. Angelou
( 8:18) 4. The Shade of the Cedar Tree
(14:54) 5. Gang Gang
(10:57) 6. Uncle James
( 9:52) 7. Stick & Move

You may feel a whole lot better about things after checking out Live at the Village Vanguard. Now, without argument or scholarly discourse, that can be said for any of the time honored performances captured under that heady title, but here it's Christian McBride and Inside Straight and seriously, this one has fun written all over it. An instant Top Tenner for 2021. Bassist/educator/advocate, McBride needs no further introduction save to say he has heightened fun into an art form. His playing, even at its most pensive and persuasive, proclaims that better times are here even if just for the immediate moment. The immediate gig. This immediate assemblage of keen minded, high flying musicians. And this is their last set of the three-night stand so they'd like to play for you now.

Vibraphonist Warren Wolf's infectiously soulful "Sweet Bread" sets a very high bar straight from the gate. But it's a bar that Inside Straight hurtles high over with each successive track. Moving like Muhammed Ali, "Sweet Bread" swings for the fences and the fences swing back on McBride's own swing-crazy "Fair Hope Theme." Pianist Peter Martin ranges all over the landscape, a singular acrobat among equals. His joyful, sinewy run on saxophonist Steve Wilson's "Ms.Angelou" is worth the price of admission and the two drink minimum. Carl AllenconjuresArt Blakey and this set never stops. The energy and vibe is so tangible on "Shade of the Cedar Tree" that it's impossible not to imagine yourself in one of the 123 or so seats that make for max capacity in the Vanguard. Elbow to elbow, head bopping, feet tapping, a smile on your face everyone sees in the walk down dark. You're on your second drink when "Gang Gang" high octanes to life: Darting, sparring, powering on.

By the time "Stick and Move" steam rolls over you, and McBride and Allen take your breath away in a serious of groove statements that leave you amazed, you can envision yourself one of the jubilant patrons, standing, cheering, applauding. It's the power of music Mach Ten. It's Live at the Village Vanguard.~Mike Jurkovic https://www.allaboutjazz.com/christian-mcbride-and-inside-straight-live-at-the-village-vanguard-christian-mcbride-and-inside-straight-mack-avenue-records

Personnel: Christian McBride: bass; Steve Wilson: saxophone, alto; Warren Wolf: vibraphone; Peter Martin: bass, acoustic; Carl Allen: drums.

Live at the Village Vanguard

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