Thursday, December 23, 2021

Kenny Clarke, Francy Boland Big Band, Stan Getz - Change Of Scenes

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 1971
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:12
Size: 90,1 MB
Art: Front

(6:03) 1. Extravagances
(5:52) 2. Symptones
(9:18) 3. Quiproquos
(4:47) 4. Escarmouches
(6:33) 5. Touchstone
(6:36) 6. Provocations

This amazing album was the last recording by the Clarke-Boland Big Band and features six original compositions by Francy Boland with Stan Getz as featured soloist. The album was originally released only in Europe and its current CD re-release is now out of print, which is regrettable because it features some of the finest big band compositions and performances of all time. Francy Boland, now semi-retired and living in Switzerland, has never received his due as a jazz composer. Part of this has to do with the fact that his compositions and arrangements always swing, regardless of their harmonic or contrapuntal complexity; and therefore, critics have mistaken him for a mainstream jazz composer. Another reason may be due to the fact that the C-BBB had limited exposure in America during its 12-year existence.

The first piece, "Extravagances," features a 12-tone theme and excellent solos by Getz on tenor, Sahib Shihab on alto flute and Tony Coe on clarinet. This work, along with its companion pieces, utilizes not only a lot of highly complex and dissonant harmonies, but also frequent changes of meter and tempi. The next piece, "Symptones," features Herb Geller on oboe with some fine backup by flutes and bass. Geller's multifaceted woodwind talents are also put to good use in "Quidproquos" and "Escarmouches" where he provides some outstanding solos on the English horn. Fans of Stan Kenton will appreciate the album's finale, Provocations," which has many similarities to the big production numbers featured by the Kenton bands of the 1970s as well as some of the symphonic complexities of the Innovations Orchestra of the 1950s. Albert Mandelsdorff on trombone sounds eerily like Kenton lead trombonist Dick Shearer on the out chorus. Kudos need to go to Stan Getz who instigated this collaboration and proved himself to be more than up to the challenge of Francy Boland's difficult and highly original charts.~ William Grim https://www.allaboutjazz.com/change-of-scenes-kenny-clarke-verve-music-group-review-by-william-grim

Ack Van Rooyen, flugelhorn, trumpet; Stan Saltzman, woodwinds; Sahib Shihab, alto flute, baritone sax, soprano sax, flute; Erik Van Lier, trombone; Jean Warland, electric bass, bass; Stan Sulzmann, soprano sax, tenor sax, flute; Kenny Clare, drums; Kenny Clarke, drums; Tony Inzalaco, percussion; Rick Keefer, trumpet; Rick Kiefer, flugelhorn, trumpet; Benny Bailey, flugelhorn, trumpet; Francy Boland, composer/arranger, keyboards, piano, electric piano; Art Farmer, flugelhorn, trumpet; Herb Geller, English horn, oboe, piccolo, alto sax, flute; Stan Getz, tenor sax; Albert Mangelsdorff, trombone; Tony Coe, tenor sax, clarinet; Ake Persson, trombone; Manfred Schoof, flugelhorn, trumpet; Ronnie Scott, tenor sax

Change Of Scenes

Jean DuShon - Feeling Good

Styles: Vocal 
Year: 1965
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:24
Size: 79,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:19)  1. Wild Is The Wind
(2:17)  2. Goodbye Is A Lonesome Sound
(2:30)  3. Out In The Cold Again
(2:49)  4. The Heather On The Hill
(2:07)  5. I'll Never Find Another You
(2:41)  6. You Don't Know
(2:49)  7. Feeling Good
(2:52)  8. Take A Chance
(2:44)  9. What Now My Love
(2:40) 10. Watching The World Go By
(3:07) 11. If I Ruled The World
(3:25) 12. Make Him Your Own

Jean Du Shon's third and final album for Chess records maintains the high standards of two previous LPs. She's again accompanied by Herman Foster (piano), Earl May (bass), and Bruno Carr (drums) -- members of Lou Donaldson's band who also supported her on Make Way for Jean Du Shon. Oliver Nelson's orchestrations are stellar and Phil Ramone's engineering crisp and clear. Du Shon delivers crafty renditions of "Wild Is the Wind" and "Feeling Good," as well as the jazz/pop standards "Out in the Cold Again," "You Don't Know," "What Now My Love," and "If I Ruled the World." Not included on this or any of her Chess albums is her original rendition of "For Once in My Life" (cut while at Chess), which Berry Gordy supposedly had pulled from the market in favor of Stevie Wonder's. The song was co-written by Ron Miller, who was under contract to Motown at the time. It's time MCA (they own the Chess catalog) reissues Jean Du Shon's rare nuggets on CD. ~ Andrew Hamilton https://www.allmusic.com/album/feeling-good-mw0001879624

Feeling Good

Monica Mancini - I've Loved These Days

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:14
Size: 99,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:32)  1. These Days
(3:17)  2. God Only Knows
(4:30)  3. American Tune
(5:02)  4. Blame It On The Sun
(2:47)  5. Without Him
(3:41)  6. How Can I Be Sure
(3:06)  7. I'll Follow The Sun
(5:55)  8. Ballad of the Sad Young Men
(3:48)  9. Something So Right
(3:06) 10. I've Loved These Days
(3:27) 11. Joy

Just a hum of the “Moon River” (1961) tune, and you’d get set a group of Grandmas rollicking, the moment they hear a classical Henry Mancini’s concerto. It’s striking to see how much such good music impact even the Senior citizens. But more importantly is how far Monica Mancini too has warmed to her father’s legacy when it comes to making concert and orchestral piece. She quintessentially etches her own stamp and connects the past with the now, in her music.

Monica is noted to have said “Much of my favorite music comes from the movies,” she explains. “Theme songs are so evocative when you listen to the lyrics, they really tell a story. I’ve always thought these kind of songs had more meaning because they conjure up both images and emotions.”

I’ve Loved These Days, is the fourth album from vocalist and double-Grammy nominee, Monica Mancini. This beautifully crafted 11-track album is a compilation of vintage 60s songs. They’ve been composed and sang by artistes who’ve had profound impact on Monica’s formative years. In honour of this, she’s had to have a few of these legends feature on the album. An array of music legends, including Lennon & McCartney, Fran Landesman, Paul Simon, Stevie Wonder, Jackson Browne, Harry Nilsson, Brian Wilson, Billy Joel and Janis Ian.

Joining Monica on “I’ve Loved These Days” are original composers Jackson Browne, offering guitar and vocal accompaniment on “These Days”, Brian Wilson and the multi- Grammy winning vocal group Take 6 contributing vocals and arranging on “God Only Knows,” Stevie Wonder’s delectable harmonica duets on “Blame It On the Sun,” and the Young Rascals’ Felix Cavaliere provides B-3 organ accompaniment on his classic “How Can I Be Sure.” More.. http://blogcritics.org/music-review-monica-mancini-ive-loved/

Brian Lynch Quintet/Sextet - At The Main Event

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:54
Size: 130,6 MB
Art: Front

(7:20)  1. Dance The Way U Want To
(8:09)  2. At The Main Event
(7:00)  3. Blues For Woody And Khalid
(9:59)  4. Cry Me A River
(7:50)  5. Nite 'Vidual I
(8:50)  6. Ecaroh
(7:43)  7. Nite 'Vidual II

Brian Lynch, one of the top hard bop-oriented trumpeters of the 1990s, is heard interacting with tenor saxophonist Ralph Moore, guitarist Peter Bernstein, organist Melvin Rhyne, drummer Kenny Washington, and (on three of the seven selections) Jose Alexis Diaz on congas. Lynch is a powerful player and, on this set with the legendary organist Rhyne, he gets to show off some of his soulfulness too. Lynch contributed the first three songs, the band performs two versions of Rhyne's "Nite 'Vidual," and the group also stretches out on "Cry Me a River" and Horace Silver's "Ecaroh." Although not innovative, this music easily fits into the modern mainstream of the period and is quite creative within the genre. Then again, all Brian Lynch recordings are well worth acquiring by straight-ahead jazz fans. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/at-the-main-event-mw0000100102

Personnel: Brian Lynch (trumpet); Peter Bernstein (guitar); Ralph Moore (tenor saxophone); Melvin Rhyne (organ); Kenny Washington (drums); Jose Alexis Diaz (congas).

Tony Bennett - A Swingin' Christmas (With The Count Basie Big Band)

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 36:34
Size: 83.7 MB
Styles: Swing, Vocal, Holiday
Year: 1999/2008
Art: Front

[2:09] 1. I'll Be Home For Christmas
[3:14] 2. Silver Bells
[4:15] 3. All I Want For Christmas Is You
[2:52] 4. My Favorite Things
[3:57] 5. Christmas Time Is Here
[2:28] 6. Winter Wonderland
[4:33] 7. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
[2:50] 8. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
[3:28] 9. I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm
[3:18] 10. The Christmas Waltz
[3:24] 11. O Christmas Tree

Tony Bennett reigns as one of the finest-ever jazz-oriented pop singers. Count Basie's Big Band reigns as one of the hippest-ever orchestral jazz organizations. Put them together and how could you not have one of the coolest Christmas discs ever?. With Bennett's classy, heartfelt phrasing and the Count's brassy, classy, earnestly swinging large jazz band (with ace-of-the-88s Monty Alexander sitting in for the late Basie), this platter will have listeners swingin' through whatever holidays they might celebrate well into the New Year.

Grant Langford, Marshall McDonald (alto saxophone); Doug Lawrence, Doug Miller (tenor saxophone); Scotty Barnhart, James Zollar, Michael Williams, Kriss T. Johnson Jr. (trumpet); Clarence Banks, Alvin Walker, Dave Keim, Barry Cooper (trombone); Gray Sargent (guitar); Toots Thielemans (harmonica); Doug Miller , Andy Snitzer (tenor saxophone); John Williams (baritone saxophone); William Barnhart (trumpet); Alvin Walker II (trombone); Paul Langosch (piano, bass instrument); Monty Alexander, Lee Musiker (piano); Harold Jones (drums).

A Swingin' Christmas (With The Count Basie Big Band)

Michel Legrand - 50 Years Of Music And Movies

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s 
Time: 66:31
Size: 153,4 MB 
Art: Front

(3:32)  1. Happy
(5:08)  2. Watch What Happens
(5:26)  3. What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life
(4:20)  4. His Eyes, Her Eyes
(4:12)  5. How Do You Keep the Music Playing
(3:45)  6. Summer Knows
(3:29)  7. I Will Wait for You
(3:18)  8. The Windmills of Your Mind
(4:19)  9. Love Makes the Changes
(3:48) 10. Summer of '42
(2:52) 11. Brian's Song
(4:09) 12. Summer Me, Winter Me
(5:18) 13. Rhapsody in Blue
(3:05) 14. Un Parfum De Fin Du Monde
(9:42) 15. Steve McQueen Tribute

Michel Legrand has made his fame and fortune from writing for films, but he has done significant work in jazz on an occasional basis. In 1957, he arranged a set of Dixieland and swing standards for a French orchestra (recorded on Philips), in 1958 he used three different all-star groups for the classic Legrand Jazz (with such sidemen as Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Phil Woods, Herbie Mann, Bill Evans, Ben Webster, Art Farmer, and others), in 1968 he recorded a strictly jazz set with a trio and Legrand has written for albums led by Stan Getz (1971), Sarah Vaughan (1972), and on several occasions, Phil Woods. Several of his songs (such as "What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life," "Watch What Happens," and "The Summer Knows") have been recorded many times by jazz musicians. ~ Scott Yanow  https://itunes.apple.com/br/artist/michel-legrand/id10943?l=en#fullText

50 Years Of Music And Movies