Vanessa Rubin - The Dream Is You: Vanessa Rubin Sings Tadd Dameron

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:40
Size: 128,5 MB
Art: Front

(7:42)  1. Lady Bird
(2:34)  2. Kitchenette Across the Hall
(7:10)  3. If You Could See Me Now
(3:34)  4. Weekend
(4:17)  5. On a Misty Night
(4:04)  6. Never Been in Love
(5:18)  7. Next Time Around
(3:05)  8. Good Bait
(3:51)  9. Reveries Do Come True (The Dream Is You)
(5:07) 10. Whatever Possessed Me
(5:29) 11. You're a Joy
(3:23) 12. I Think I'll Go Away

Tadd Dameron is regarded as the great romantic of bebop-era jazz composers, a writer with a talent for creating smooth, memorable melodies that could evoke real emotion. Most of his works are known mainly as instrumentals but Vanessa Rubin has compiled lyrics written for some of his tunes, had new lyrics written for others and even provided words to one herself. This recording of her efforts is, surprisingly, the first ever all-vocal set of Tadd Dameron's music.  Rubin's singing is classy throughout, with hints of the subtle swing of Carmen McRae. She benefits from the backing of an eight-piece band playing charts by several of Dameron's friends and disciples, Frank Foster, Benny Golson, Jimmy Heath, Willie Smith and Bobby Watson. There are several familiar pieces like "Lady Bird" and "On A Misty Night" on hand, all played with swinging assurance. Willie Smith's version of "Good Bait," in particular, comes off breezily hip with the horns tightly arranged to sound like a much larger band. Benny Golson gives the classic ballad "If You Could See Me Now" an elegant arrangement, with the reeds and piano flowing gently behind Rubin's velvety voice, and Eddie Allen and Clifton Anderson taking pretty solo turns.  Lesser-known compositions are treated with the same care and style as the familiar ones. "Never Been In Love" is an elegant Latin-flavored ballad given a smoky, romantic sheen in Bobby Watson's arrangement, while "Weekend" is a swirling waltz sporting a brassy horn arrangement by Frank Foster not too far from some of the arranging on Dameron's own recordings. "You're A Joy" is a lush ballad with an unidentified flautist fluttering through the ensemble, and "Whatever Possessed Me" may be the single most beautiful track on the CD, thanks to Rubin's angelic singing and the swooning horns in Jimmy Heath's arrangement. Alex Harding's baritone is a secret weapon of this and many other tracks in the way his sax wraps around the horn ensembles like smoke, giving them a lush gravity. On the ballads "Reveries Do Come True," a romantic tango with Rubin's own lyrics, and "Next Time Around," a vocal version of "Soultrane," the horns lay out and Rubin is backed only by the rhythm section. John Cowherd's piano, Kenny Davis' bass and Carl Allen's drums all shine on these tracks with Cowherd's touch on "Next Time Around" being particularly lovely. Tadd Dameron is something of a neglected figure today but this set reminds us of the beauty and depth of his music, and shows how well it adapts to vocal treatments. It is also a reminder of how good a singer Vanessa Rubin is. ~ JEROME WILSON https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-dream-is-you-vanessa-rubin-sings-tadd-dameron-vanessa-rubin-nibur-records-review-by-jerome-wilson.php

Personnel: Vanessa K. Rubin: vocals; John Cowherd; piano; Kenny Davis: bass; Carl Allen: drums; Eddie Allen: trumpet; Patience Higgins: tenor saxophone; Bruce Williams: alto saxophone; Clifton Anderson: trombone; Alex Harding: baritone saxophone.

The Dream Is You: Vanessa Rubin Sings Tadd Dameron

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Clark Terry - Clark Terry

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:42
Size: 119,8 MB
Art: Front

(6:06)  1. Swahili
(3:32)  2. Double Play
(4:27)  3. Slow Boat
(3:45)  4. Co-Op
(5:33)  5. Kitten
(6:42)  6. The Countless
(3:05)  7. Tuma
(4:19)  8. Chuckles
(3:31)  9. Cat Meets Chick
(2:30) 10. Mamblues
(3:15) 11. The Man I Love
(4:51) 12. Anything You Can Do

Aside from a three-song session for V-Disc during the late 1940s, this CD contains Clark Terry's first recordings as a leader. Already an alumni of both Charlie Barnet's and Count Basie's bands, and a then-current member of Duke Ellington's orchestra, Terry is more focused on bop in these dates, with a terrific band including trombonist Jimmy Cleveland, baritone saxophonist Cecil Payne, pianist Horace Silver, cellist/bassist Oscar Pettiford, bassist Wendell Marshall, and drummer Art Blakey, with charts by Quincy Jones. The infectious opener, "Swahili," was credited to Jones, though in Carl Woideck's liner notes, Terry remarks that he had a hand in its creation at the date. The loping "Double Play" features both bassists and a fine muted chorus by the leader. The easygoing bopper "Co-Op" was penned by Terry and fellow Ellington sideman Rick Henderson, with pungent statements by the trumpeter and Payne. 

The brisk blues "Chuckles" is a dazzling finale to his first LP, showcasing Payne and Cleveland before Terry takes over and plays a chorus in each of the 12 keys to wrap things up with a flourish. There may be a bit of confusion for anyone who owns a copy of the original LP, as many of the songs were mislabeled on it. The last four tracks came from a 1954 10" album, Cats Vs. Chicks' players include Silver and Pettiford (Percy Heath takes his place on two numbers), trombonist Urbie Green, tenor saxophonist Lucky Thompson, guitarist Tal Farlow, and drummer Kenny Clarke. Terry's vocal-like muted horn is heard in "Cat Meets Chicks," while his distinctive style on open horn is prominent in his "Mamblues," which also has a tasty chorus by Farlow and a bit of Latin percussion behind the ensemble passage. "Anything You Can Do (I Can Do Better)" is a mock battle between instrumentalists, with Mary Osborne challenging Farlow, trumpeter Norma Carson putting Terry to the test, while Terry Pollard takes on Horace Silver. There are no losers in this swinging meeting. ~ Ken Dryden  http://www.allmusic.com/album/clark-terry-polygram-mw0000595668

Clark Terry

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Kenny Drew - Fantasia

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1983
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:25
Size: 114,0 MB
Art: Front

(7:34) 1. Flight Of Fancy
(5:37) 2. Someday My Prince Will Come
(6:24) 3. Wishing Hoping
(4:59) 4. When You Wish Upon A Star
(8:54) 5. Fantasia
(5:06) 6. Dream
(6:33) 7. Polka Dots And Moonbeams
(4:15) 8. Children's Dance

Kenny Drew was born in New York City in August of 1928. At the age of 5, he began studying classical piano with a private teacher and at 8, gave a recital. This early background is similar to that of Bud Powell, the man who later became his main inspiration as a jazz pianist. After digging Fats Waller, at 12, and then Art Tatum and Teddy Wilson, Drew attended the High School of Music and Art. He was known as a hot boogie woogie player but passed through this phase before graduation.

Kenny's first professional job was as accompanist at Pearl Primus' dance school. At the same time, he was alternating with Walter Bishop Jr. in a neighborhood band that included Sonny Rollins, Jackie McLean and Art Taylor. In this period, he used to hang-out on 52nd Street to listen to Charlie Parker and Powell and began sitting in at various jam sessions around town.

In January of 1950, Drew made his first appearance on record, with Blue Note. Howard McGhee was the leader and the other featured soloists were Brew Moore and J.J. Johnson. One of the six sides released was “I'll Remember April.” The label, in addition to stating “Howard McGhee's All Stars”, further read, “Introducing Kenny Drew.”

Later, in 1953, Kenny made his first album as a leader. Again it was Blue Note who recorded him, this time in a trio with Curly Russell and Art Blakey. But Kenny opted to settle in Los Angeles for the next few years. There in 1955, he formed a quartet with the late Joe Maini, Leroy Vinnegar and Lawrence Marable. The quartet first recorded together in 1955 for Pacific Jazz. In December, Jazz West, a subsidiary of Aladdin Records, brought the quartet as is into Capitol's recording studios for “Talkin' & Walkin'.” In February of '56, Kenny's band and arrangements were used for another Jazz West release, this one by vocalist Jane Fielding. A month later, Drew, Paul Chambers, John Coltrane and Philly Joe Jones made the great “Chambers' Music” for the same label, which is now reissued on Blue Note.

In early 1957 Kenny made his way back to New York as accompanist for Dinah Washington. That September, he participated in John Coltrane's monumental masterpiece “Blue Train,” but his association with Blue Note did not heat up again until 1960 when he made his own “Undercurrent” as well as Jackie McLean's “Bluesnik,” and “Jackie's Bag,” Kenny Dorham's “Whistle Stop,” Dexter Godon's “Dexter Calling,” Grant Green's “Sunday Mornin'” and a couple of Tina Brooks dates all within the space of a year.

Although Kenny was active on the recording and club scenes in New York and even subbed for Freddie Redd for a while in the successful Off-Broadway run of The Connection, he eventually chose to migrate to Europe. But he again popped up on a classic Blue Note date, Dexter Godon's “One Flight Up,” done in Paris in 1964.

Kenny became a major star in Europe and Japan although his music was sadly neglected at home. He settled in Copenhagen where he ran a publishing company and was the house pianist at the Café Montmartre. He was also the pianist for the Steeplechase label, where he was on countless sessions backing visiting musicians. He left an impressive legacy of recordings both as sideman and leader. Kenny Drew died on Aug. 4, 1993. https://www.allaboutjazz.com/musicians/kenny-drew

Personnel: Kenny Drew (p); Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen (b); Ed Thigpen (d)

Fantasia

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Vivian Buczek - Roots

Styles: Vocal
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:54
Size: 147,2 MB
Art: Front

(6:41) 1. Visions
(4:40) 2. Who Are You
(5:05) 3. Devil May Care
(4:54) 4. Fly Away
(6:04) 5. Always and Forever
(4:04) 6. The Jody Grind
(7:12) 7. Waltz for Debbie - Monicas Vals
(7:05) 8. The Meaning of the Blues
(3:52) 9. What Now?
(5:58) 10. Nature Boy
(3:15) 11. Better Days Ahead
(3:00) 12. Jej Portret

Since 2003, Vivian Buczek has established herself as a powerful force in the contemporary jazz scene. Her voice is soulful and powerful. She can be sensitive and emotional on a ballad, but then turn around and sing blues songs as if she's been doing it all her life, which she actually has been. With Roots, she brings the listener into her musical world and offers, what she calls, "the most personal album I've ever made." On Roots, Buczek teams up with saxophonist Seamus Blake, Martin Lundgren on trumpet and flugelhorn, Martin Sjöstedt on piano, Jasper Bodilsen on bass, and Morten Lund on drums. All of the musicians offer impressive performances here, and there is quite a variety of jazz styles featured, which is not surprising considering Buczek's background.

She was born in Sweden, and both her parents were Polish-born jazz musicians. Buczek grew up immersed in both Polish and Swedish culture along with a healthy dose of jazz. Being an only child, music was always, as she describes, her closest friend. She began singing as a child, and her passion for music eventually led her onto the global stage. From listening to Roots it is easy to see how different musicians have influenced her, and she loves a wide variety of jazz music. There are hints of singers such as Annie Ross and Sarah Vaughan here, but her own sound is certainly not derivative. Buczek has her own unique voice, which is certainly impressive.

While there are original compositions included, she also features classics such as "Nature Boy" and a vocalese version of Bill Evans' "Waltz for Debby/Monicas Vals" sung in both English and Swedish. She also features more contemporary compositions by artists such as Stevie Wonder and Pat Metheny. One of Buczeck's major influences, however, is Ella Fitzgerald. She even recorded a tribute album called Ella Lives (Prophone 2017). Although Roots is not another tribute, it is easy to see elements of Ella here. Fitzgerald frequently used her voice not only to carry a song's melody but also to improvise lines as well. In a similar fashion, Buckzek uses her voice much as another instrument in the ensemble, creating improvised lines which weave melodically along with the other players.

The music on Roots is satisfying throughout. From beautiful ballads such as "Who Are You?" and "Always And Forever" to all-out swinging songs such as "The Jody Grind" or "What Now?" this is an album which has plenty to offer. While this is her most personal album, it will probably be a personal favorite for many listeners.~ Kyle Simpler https://www.allaboutjazz.com/roots-vivian-buczek-prophone-records

Personnel: Vivian Buczek: voice / vocals; Seamus Blake: saxophone, tenor; Mårten Lundgren: trumpet.

Roots

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Kristin Berardi - Where or When

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:32
Size: 130,0 MB
Art: Front

( 4:34)  1. Where or When
( 4:43)  2. Lucky 13
( 6:09)  3. Suzanne
( 5:06)  4. Born to Be Blue
( 6:12)  5. Brad
( 5:05)  6. Unity Village
( 4:42)  7. Cool Baby
(10:10)  8. Limbo
( 5:04)  9. Is It Ok for Clowns to Cry?
( 4:41) 10. Young at Heart

Kristin Berardi is one of Australia’s ‘first call’ jazz vocalists.Having won a swag of awards including Montreux Jazz Festival’s International Vocal Competition and twice winner of The Australian Jazz Bell Award for Best Vocal Album she is also the recipient of a National Freedman Fellowship as well as the National Jazz Award for Voice at The Wangaratta Jazz Festival. A graduate of the Queensland Conservatorium,where she now lectures, she has toured internationally to Japan,Germany,New York and Indonesia and is probably one of the best jazz singers that Australia has produced. Where or When is a collection of songs that showcases Berardi’s astonishing talents delighting the listener with her warm and beautiful tone.Leonard Cohen’s Suzanne from the 1960’s is a brilliant simplistic rendition of that frequently covered song. 

It sits comfortably alongside of Rodgers and Harts’ Where or When superbly complementing Johnny Richards soulful million selling hit from 1953 Young at Heart. Could this be the version to finally rival that of Frank Sinatra’s? One of Berardi’s original compositions on the album Lucky 13 is a tribute to the good fortune behind this album’s creation when she was able to gather all her chosen musicians in one studio in Melbourne on 13th September 2013 and another original composition, Is It OK For Clowns To Cry , shows the jazz ballad at its most touching and poignant. The intimacy of the band is heightened by the decision to record without drums anchoring the album’s sound with the richness of Sam Anning’s faultless bass playing. James Sherlock is as impressive as always on guitar and Steve Newcomb is flawlessly superb on piano.Julien Wilson adds that final magic touch with his tenor saxophone that makes this the perfect jazz vocal album of 2015. ~ Barry O’Sullivan  http://jazz.org.au/where-or-when-kristin-berardi/

Personnel:  Kristin Berardi -vocals and composition;  Steve Newcomb – piano;  James Sherlock – guitar;  Julien Wilson – tenor saxophone; Sam Anning – bass

Where or When

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The Dan Barrett, Enric Peidro Quintet - And the Angels Swing

Styles: Trombone And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:45
Size: 119,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:54) 1. I Can´t Believe That You´re in Love With Me / Kansas City Stride
(5:52) 2. 'Deed I do
(3:45) 3. Limehouse Blues
(5:46) 4. And the Angels Swing
(6:10) 5. Serenade to Sweden
(6:37) 6. If I Didn't Care
(5:17) 7. My Blue Heaven
(5:12) 8. Vic's Spot
(7:07) 9. Sultry Serenade

Swing is hard to define, but it’s the difference between ripe cherries and a cherry candy “with natural flavors” synthesized in a laboratory. I’m happy to report that the CD that pairs tenor saxophonist Enric Peidro and trombone legend Dan Barrett is satisfying swinging jazz throughout. In fact, it reaches new heights in the most refined yet impassioned ways. Let’s start at the back of the bandstand, or the bottom of the band (no offense intended), the fine rhythm section. I didn’t know pianist Richard Busiakewicz, bassist Lluis Llario, or drummer Carlos “Sir Charles” Gonzalez before this recording, but I love them. Their swing is unforced and easy; they know how, what, when, why, and when not to . . .

But before I write more, here’s a sonic sample, celebrating both Vic Dickenson (the composer) and his horticultural endeavors: The question of what is “authentic” is treacherous, because we defend our subjectivities with a lover’s defensive ardor, but that performance feels both expressive and controlled in the best ways. Forget for a moment the warm twenty-first century recording technology. If I heard that track, coming after a 1945 Don Byas-Buck Clayton Jamboree 78 and a Mel Powell Vanguard session, I would not think VIC’S SPOT an impostor. Swing is more than being able to play the notes or wear the hat; it’s a world-view, and this quintet has it completely.

Barrett remains a master not only of the horn, but of what I’d call “orchestral thinking,” where he’s always inventing little touches (on the page or on the stand) to make any performance sound fuller, have greater rhythmic emphasis and harmonic depth. I’ve seen him do this on the spot for years, and his gentle urgency makes this quintet even more a convincing working band than it would have been if anyone took his place. And as a trombonist, he really has no peer: others go in different directions and woo us, but he is immediately and happily himself, totally recognizable, with a whole tradition at his fingertips as well as a deep originality.

But Dan would be the first one to say that he is not the whole show: this CD offers us a swinging little band. We’ve all heard recordings, some of them dire, where the visiting “star” is supported by the “locals,” who are not up to the star’s level: many recorded performances by Ben Webster immediately come to mind. And the Angels Swing is the glorious countertruth to such unbalanced affairs, because Enric Peidro, who was new to me before I heard this CD, is a masterful player. He’s no one’s clone I couldn’t predict what his next phrase would be or where his line of thought would go and although he is not cautious, he never puts a foot wrong. You can hear his gliding presence on the track above, and for me he summons up two great and under-praised players, primarily Harold Ashby, but also a cosmopolitan Paul Gonsalves with no rough edges. He is a fine intuitive ensemble player, with an easy sophistication that charms the ear. I think of the way Ruby Braff appeared in the early Fifties: someone not afraid to play the melody, to improvise in heartfelt ways, to eschew the harder aspects of “modernism” without being affected in any reactionary ways. https://jazzlives.wordpress.com/tag/vanguard-records/

Personnel: Dan Barrett Trombone; Enric Peidro Tenor sax; Richard Busiakiewicz piano; Lluis Llario Bass; Carlos Gonzalez Drums

And the Angels Swing

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Sal Nistico - Empty Room

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:15
Size: 96,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:38)  1. Come Rain Or Come Shine
(9:04)  2. Lush Life
(9:10)  3. Inner Urge
(7:02)  4. Empty Room
(6:13)  5. I Should Care
(6:05)  6. The Hymn

Sal Nistico's explosive tenor solos with Woody Herman in the mid-'60s helped make that edition of Herman's Herd into a success. Originally an altoist, Nistico switched to tenor in 1956 and played with R&B bands for three years. He gigged with and made his recording debut in 1959-1960 with the Jazz Brothers, a band also including Chuck and Gap Mangione. But it was while with Herman in 1962-1965 that Nistico made history. In 1965, he spent five months with Count Basie. He returned to Basie in 1967 and to Herman on several occasions (1968-1970, 1971, 1981-1982), although without the impact of the first stint. Otherwise, the tenor freelanced throughout his career, playing with Don Ellis and Buddy Rich but mostly working with pick-up groups. Nistico recorded for several labels as a leader including Riverside, Red, and Beehive. Bio ~ https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/sal-nistico/id5056531#fullText
 

Personnel: Sal Nistico (tenor saxophone); Rita Marcotulli (piano); Roberto Gatto (drums).

Empty Room

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Steve Davis - Bluesthetic

Styles: Trombone Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:46
Size: 146,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:39) 1. Encouragement
(6:35) 2. Silver at Sundown
(6:25) 3. Maybe So
(6:47) 4. Bedford Strolle
(5:57) 5. Faraway Dream
(8:20) 6. They Wore 44
(7:30) 7. Off the Cuff
(5:22) 8. Indigo to Azure
(5:57) 9. Bluesthetic
(6:10) 10. A Star for Chick

Trombonist/composer Steve Davis has long been a first-call sideman. Chick Corea, as one example, tapped Davis for his revived Spanish Heart Band a couple of years ago. But, like the members of this esteemed sextet, Davis is a bandleader too, in his case with close to twenty-five albums under his name. On each of his three previous releases for Smoke Sessions Records, Davis assembled a stellar sextet with modern jazz’s most vaunted players. He repeats that here with Bluesthetic, but in an interesting way, shunning additional horn players on the front line, instead, he creates interesting harmonic possibilities with guitarist Peter Bernstein and vibraphonist Steve Nelson, a reunion of sorts as both appeared on his 1998 album Vibe Up! years. Rounding out his elite sextet is the formidable rhythm section of Geoffrey Keezer, bassist Christian McBride, and drummer Willie Jones III. All of these players had convened in various configurations over the past three decades.

The ten Davis originals each bear a story of their own. The breezy “Encouragement” hails the emergence of the pandemic with an uplifting melody. “Silver at Sundown” is dedicated as you may guess to Horace Silver and may not guess the Hartford jazz community from which Davis emerged under the mentorship of many, most notably Jackie McLean, whose lines course through the previous tune. In the liners, Davis references Silver’s trio playing in Hartford at The Sundown, a club where Silver led the house band in the early 1950s. It was there that Stan Getz saw Silver play and invited him on tour, a key moment in the pianist’s now-legendary career. Silver later recounted the story to Davis, who lived in Hartford for more than 25 years before moving to his current home in Stamford. “It’s a very cool piece of jazz history connected to a city that I spent a lot of time in,” Davis says.

The tune “Maybe So” comes from two words Davis uttered upon waking up. It glides along briskly with shimmering turns from each front liner as well as a pizzicato statement from the ever articulate McBride, who in turn engages his rhythm mates through a few choruses before Davis returns with the melody, passing the baton to Bernstein and Nelson in the hard-swinging beauty. Just three tracks in, Davis displays a remarkable sense of melody.

Commenting on the free-flowing, relaxed nature of the music McBride compares many of these compositions to those of pianist James Williams and Bobby Watson of Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers because the compositions have the feeling of soul and R&B mixed with post-bop blues. Speaking of McBride his waling bass line is perfect for “Bedford Stroll,” named for the bustling street where he and his wife live in Stamford, CT, and where he often develops his melodic ideas on late night walks. Low tones from the trombone usher in “Faraway Dream,” another nocturnal one as if floating on Nelson’s resonant vibes and Bernstein’s ringing guitar, with Keezer sitting out and Jones whispering on brushes.

The aptly muscular “They Wore 44” draws on a passion for sports that Davis shares with McBride. The recent death of legendary right fielder Hank Aaron, who wore the number 44 during his long tenure with the. Davis, a die-hard Red Sox fan, would likely have loved to mention one from his team but none measure up to those listed above. It features featuring lively soloing, especially both Keezer and Nelson.

Bernstein carves out a bluesy solo and Willie Jones III creates a maelstrom on his kit. “Off the Cuff” is a spontaneous free-wheeling tune pulled together near the end of the session, features spirited soloing from each band member. The aching ballad “Indigo to Azure” explores the full spectrum of the blues, with some of the leader’s most sensitive and lyrical playing, matched by his band members led by Keezer’s elegant comping, Nelson’s inspiring notes, and subtle support from the rhythm tandem as Bernstein sits out.

The title track Bluesthetic captures a combination of the appreciation of artful beauty suggested by “aesthetic” combined with the foundational influence of the blues. Interestingly in the liners, he alludes to the first concert he ever saw – electric Muddy Waters at Tanglewood. Finally, and inevitably given the close association between Davis and Chick Corea, “A Star for Chick” bids the icon a warm farewell. Davis was initially tapped for a three-year stint in Corea’s band Origin in late 1997, then later took part in the keyboardist’s orchestral piece “The Continents” and his Grammy-winning, Latin-inspired Spanish Heart Band. He played with Corea for over twenty years and earned the nickname “Davissimo the Melody Man” from Corea. Davis certainly lives up to it in this well-constructed session.~Jim Hayneshttps://glidemagazine.com/275863/master-trombonist-steve-davis-assembles-remarkable-sextet-on-all-original-post-bop-bluesthetic-album-review/

Personnel: Steve Davis – trombone; Peter Bernstein – guitar; Steve Nelson – vibraphone; Geoffrey Keezer – piano; Christian McBride – bass; Willie Jones III – drums

Bluesthetic

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Caribbean Jazz Project - The Caribbean Jazz Project

Styles: Latin Jazz, World Fusion  
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:02
Size: 140,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:59)  1. One For Tom
(6:35)  2. Abracadabra
(2:46)  3. Carousel
(6:03)  4. Como Un Bolero
(6:05)  5. Paco & Dave
(6:34)  6. Valse Triste
(5:02)  7. Latin Quarter
(4:15)  8. Todo Aquel Ayer
(6:33)  9. Three Amigos
(5:59) 10. Afro
(4:05) 11. Café España

This was the debut release by the Caribbean Jazz Project, a colorful co-op project that combines together the very different but complementary styles of Paquito D'Rivera (doubling on alto and clarinet), Dave Samuels (on marimba and vibes) and the brilliant steel drummer Andy Narell. Backed by a four-piece rhythm section, the accessible group sticks mostly to catchy group originals that range from Latin jazz to Caribbean music. The likable results are melodic and not overly predictable. This CD gives listeners an excellent example of the group's sound.~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-caribbean-jazz-project-mw0000178466

The Caribbean Jazz Project

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One For All - The End Of A Love Affair

Styles: Straight-ahead/Mainstream
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:31
Size: 134,3 MB
Art: Front

(7:35)  1. The End Of A Love Affair
(7:12)  2. Stolen Moments
(6:20)  3. Corcovado
(8:52)  4. How Are You?
(7:22)  5. Shinjuku Waltz
(6:05)  6. Skylark
(8:53)  7. The Eyes Have It
(6:10)  8. Street Of Dreams

Things just aren’t what they used to be and we’re not just talking about life these days post September 11th. From a jazz standpoint, the renaissance movement that was ushered in during the ‘80s seems to have run its course in many ways. The corporate pressures behind the major labels seem to be tightening their belts when it comes to jazz product. For so many years the reissue market alone was astounding and the ripple effect helped support contemporary rosters that are now getting smaller and smaller as the catalog boom seems to bottom out. All of this leads us to the disc at hand, which is presented by a group that seems to be beating the odds when it comes to the financial ups and downs of the current jazz scene. That One For All has remained a viable group since the mid-‘90s is remarkable enough in itself, let alone when you consider that each and every member of the group has any number of responsibilities as leaders of their own projects at any given time. Their first venture for the Japanese Venus label, The End of a Love Affair finds One For All in the kind of hard bop mode that the Japanese audiences embrace lock, stock, and barrel.

There’s even more of a focus on the type of standards that have not previously been explored by the group, namely “Skylark,” Jobim’s “Corcovado,” and Oliver Nelson’s “Stolen Moments.” Of course, what makes for an engaging listen is the manner in which the familiar becomes reborn and pianist David Hazeltine can take a lot of the credit for crafting arrangements chock-a-block full of altered chords and suspended rhythms that find new routes to well-known destinations.Three of the eight tunes on tap are originals and that’s where the sparks really start to fly. Hazeltine’s “How Are You?” grooves over a 12/8 Afro-Cuban feel that everyone navigates with ease, especially Steve Davis, who adds a smoldering solo that’s one of his best of the date. A rock solid support throughout, bassist Peter Washington steps up front for a harmonious statement that institutes the string of solos on Eric Alexander’s breezy “Shinjuku Waltz.” Then from the pen of Steve Davis, there’s the Blakey-inflected shuffle of “The Eyes Have It” (nice play on words, huh?), with combustible solo moments from Davis, Alexander and trumpeter Jim Rotondi. More detailed descriptions are really unnecessary for those familiar with the gentlemen that make up One For All; these guys have each developed their individual voices and are among the most in-demand musicians of the current set. And for the uninitiated, this set comes highly recommended as a consummate example of modern mainstream know-how. ~ C.Andrew Hovan  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-end-of-a-love-affair-one-for-all-review-by-c-andrew-hovan.php#.VD2A-RawTP8

Personnel: Eric Alexander (tenor saxophone), Jim Rotondi (trumpet), Steve Davis (trombone), David Hazeltine (piano), Peter Washington (bass), Joe Farnsworth (drums)

The End Of A Love Affair

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Vanessa Rubin - Girl Talk

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:16
Size: 117,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:15)  1. Comes Love
(3:41)  2. Matchmaker, Matchmaker
(7:08)  3. Whatever Happens
(5:32)  4. But Not for Me
(7:51)  5. One for My Baby (And One More for the Road)
(4:25)  6. You'll Never Know (Until You Let Go)
(4:21)  7. Loving You
(4:34)  8. Girl Talk
(2:22)  9. Sex Is a Misdemeanor (The More You Miss de Meaner You Get)
(3:07) 10. Gee, Baby, Ain't I Good To You
(2:46) 11. Won't Have to Say Goodbye
(2:10) 12. If You Ever Go Away

This, Vanessa Rubin's second album for Telarc, is one of her best. The play list is varied and the arrangements allow plenty of room to strut her personality and versatility. There's a "that's all folks" scat coda on "Comes Love". "Matchmaker" is a swinging waltz with Eric Alexander's Coltrane influenced sax delving in and around the melody line. She dubs herself in as a backup vocalist on a having some fun "Sex Is a Misdemeanor (the More You Miss De Meaner You Get)" done with just Lewis Nash's drums helping out. Etta Jones guests with Rubin on a couple of tracks. Her Esther Phillips like nasal quality is put to good use on a "But Not for Me" which also features the tenor of Javon Jackson and the special piano of Cedar Walton. The two go to town on the blues classic, "Gee, Baby, Ain't I Good to You" ending with some jiving girl talk with each other. Jones also did a guest stint on Jeannie Bryson's latest release, Deja Blue. A premier track is the lovely lilting "Whatever Happens", a Vanessa Williams favorite.

Rubin caresses a ballad as well as anyone in the business.Rubin doesn't set the world on fire with this album, nor does it appear that her intention. Rather the album is a platform for Rubin's straight forward jazz singing where she recognizes that lyrics she can also be concerned with lyrics to earn the sobriquet "jazz singer." The voice doesn't always have to be just an instrument. Rubin's vocalizing meshes well with the instruments with words delivered with intelligent emotion. Telarc has surrounded her with top level support with the sidemen on this set befitting for a singing personage of Rubin's stature. It's a no brainer to highly recommend Girl Talk. ~ Dave Nathan  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/girl-talk-vanessa-rubin-telarc-records-review-by-dave-nathan.php

Personnel: Vanessa Rubin, Etta Jones - Vocals; Eric Alexander, Javon Jackson - Tenor Saxophone; Steve Davis - Trombone; Lewis Nash - Drums; Cedar Walton, Larry Willis - Piano; David Williams - Bass

Girl Talk

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Diane Schuur - Love Songs

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:46
Size: 102,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:18)  1. When I Fall in Love
(5:12)  2. Speak Low
(3:55)  3. I Thought About You
(4:56)  4. Prelude to a Kiss
(4:00)  5. Our Love Is Here to Stay
(4:24)  6. You'll See
(5:07)  7. September in the Rain
(4:31)  8. The More I See You
(3:57)  9. Crazy
(4:20) 10. My One and Only Love

The jazz content on this CD from singer Diane Schuur is rather slight, but this is actually one of her finest recordings. Schuur (who has a lovely voice) sings straightforward versions of ten veteran ballads while accompanied by one of two string orchestras. Tom Scott on reeds and trumpeter Jack Sheldon have short spots, but this is very much Schuur's show. She really excels in the restrained setting, making this a superior middle-of-the-road pop recording. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/love-songs-mw0000096750

Love Songs

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The Dan Barrett, Enric Peidro Quintet - It Goes Without Saying

Styles: Trombone, Saxophone, Swing
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:51
Size: 108,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:05) 1. S'wonderful
(4:58) 2. Lean Baby
(3:23) 3. It Goes Without Saying
(4:54) 4. Just a Riff
(5:14) 5. Ballad Medley: I Didn´t Know About You / Chelsea Bridge
(4:03) 6. This Can´t Be Love
(5:18) 7. A Smooth One
(4:58) 8. Undecided
(5:45) 9. Fur Piece
(4:08) 10. I Want to be Happy

Trombone legend Dan Barrett, from California and spanish tenor player Enric Peidro got together for the first time in March 2018 for a two week tour and since then they have reunited as often as possible to perform together.Not long after their first tour they released a first album called "And the angels swing" Less than a year after that first release they present a brand new album: his second release together, this time co-leading an international quintet wich includes world-class australian bass player Nicki Parrott, piano master Richard Busiakiewicz from UK and talented german drummer Michael Keul.
This new album,recorded July 30th 2019 over a 5 hour recording session swings top to bottom with their usual clean, elegant and hard-driving swing.
https://enricpeidro.bandcamp.com/album/it-goes-without-saying

Personnel: Dan Barrett Tbn; Enric Peidro Ts; Richard Busiakiewicz Pno; Nicki Parrott Bass; Michael Keul Dms

It Goes Without Saying

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Julie London - The Wonderful World Of Julie London

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 29:34
Size: 67.7 MB
Styles: Easy Listening
Year: 1963/2012
Art: Front

[2:23] 1. I'm Coming Back To You
[2:14] 2. Soft Summer Breeze
[2:23] 3. Can't Get Used To Losing You
[3:22] 4. A Taste Of Honey
[2:56] 5. Little Things Mean A Lot
[2:46] 6. In The Still Of The Night
[3:05] 7. Love For Sale
[1:49] 8. When Snowflakes Fall In The Summer
[1:59] 9. How Can I Make Him Love Me
[2:27] 10. Say Wonderful Things
[2:23] 11. Guilty Heart
[2:12] 12. (I Love You And) Don't You Forget It

The Wonderful World of Julie London is a pop album without the jazz underpinnings of "Cry Me a River" and most of her best work. The LP was produced by Snuff Garrett and arranged by Ernie Freeman, but the music isn't pop/rock -- it's a neat foreshadowing of the easy listening sound of the mid- to late '60s, and a perfect example of the kind of music that necessitated the adult contemporary label. Breezy and modern without borrowing from rock, The Wonderful World of Julie London delivers snappy performances of Cole Porter songs alongside contemporary numbers by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman in London's distinctive sultry voice. This was London's final charting album and is still an agreeable listen, but isn't as timeless and appealing as her traditional pop recordings. ~Greg Adams

The Wonderful World Of Julie London

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Evan Christopher - Blues in the Air

Styles: Clarinet Jazz
File: MP3@128K/s
Time: 58:40
Size: 136,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:46) 1. Blues Dans le Blues
(4:17) 2. Polka Dot Stomp
(6:35) 3. Southern Sunset (When the Sun Sets Down South)
(5:36) 4. Dans les Rues d'Antibes
(5:02) 5. What a Dream
(3:51) 6. Si Tu Vois Ma Mère
(5:23) 7. Lastic
(5:24) 8. Blues in the Air
(5:09) 9. Girl's Dance (Themes from the ballet: La Nuit Est une Sorcière)
(6:52) 10. This Is That Tomorrow That I Dreaded Yesterday
(4:40) 11. Ghost of the Blues

A more impressive lineup could not be asked for. Five of the most technically proficient, creative, and expressive jazzmen working today appear together for the first time on this album. Men who would have been giants even a generation ago. Evan Christopher, as the American, will be most familiar to our readers, and if you closely follow his work you may have heard him on the Django à la Créole albums with bassist Sébastien Girardot. They also met up on the recent A Summit in Paris, which paired Evan Christopher with Gypsy guitar legend Fapy Lafertin. On another effort, Clarinet Road Vol. III: In Sidney’s Footsteps, recorded during Christopher’s post Katrina residency in Paris, he and Girardot are joined by drummer Guillaume Nouaux. Christopher also appears on Nouaux’s The Clarinet Kings.

Though I would not bet money on it, as far as I could learn from my investigations this is the first time Christopher has been joined on an album by either guitarist Félix Hunot or the trumpet player Malo Mazurié, who, with Girardot, make up the Three Blind Mice. Malo Mazurié has been for several years seen as one of the best trumpet and cornet players alive, particularly in the Bixean tradition. Which is saying a lot for someone who will turn 32 this year. He obviously got an early start, playing in professional environments since the age of ten and since his late teens, touring internationally to festivals. Classically trained, he can play more modern styles of jazz but is most often chooses to play in the style heard here. As a member of Three Blind Mice he has had particular room to shine on three albums I have raved about in this paper.

Guitar takes a special place in the Three Blind Mice line up, and I see Félix Hunot as the person who distinguishes the group from trios with similar instrumentation. His playful interactions with Mazurié, and playful vocals, steer them clear and above the staid technical proficiency they might otherwise fall into and make their output genuinely entertaining. He has appeared as a sideman on a number of recent albums to witch I would offer the moniker, “important,” but they are also thoroughly enjoyable, and his playing is a part of that. They include the David Lukacs led Dream City, Atilla Korb’s Tap Room Swing, and Jérome Etcheberry’s Satchmocracy. I believe the disc at question today will sit proudly on the shelf among them. Around 36 years old, he made his debut as a leader in 2020 with his Jazz Musketeers.

Originally from Australia and long resident in Europe, Sébastien Girardot rounds out the Mice on bass. As top tier bassists often are, he is in demand seemingly everywhere. He appears on the majority of the albums so far referenced here as well as those of Don Vappie, as well as releases with a strictly jazz manouche focus. He also accompanies notables on their visits to the continent, including Cecile McLorin Salvant, Ken Peplowski, Harry Allen, Dan Barrett, and many others. There is a reason so many jazz scenes have that one ubiquitous bassist, when building out a band there is no more critical contributor, and everyone wants the best.

Drummer Guillaume Nouaux’s 2020 album The Stride Piano Kings paired him in duos with seven of the best pianists in our style. While the rhythm and piano combo is one that I am particularly enamored with this album absolutely rose above. As recently as January I recommended it on a radio program, and I was far from the only reviewer who considered it lightning in a bottle, an album that could show anyone what this jazz thing is all about. It sent me exploring his discography, which runs to over 100 albums, with many as a leader. At 45 he is by any measure one of the top classic jazz drummers in the world, he also has a talent for pairing himself with the musicians that can help create his visions.

Which brings us finally to Evan Christopher and through him Sidney Bechet. I found a source that, using the quotation marks, referred to his style of clarinet playing as “contemporary early jazz.” The phrase may have originated with the man himself. It is a fitting descriptor of his choice to both stay true to the old masters but embrace the larger stages not always available to traditional jazz musicians. With his Clarinet Road project he makes early jazz cool, while taking his craft seriously, not unlike Bechet. In addition to Bechet, Christopher has studied the other great New Orleans clarinetists Barney Bigard and Omer Simeon. Though he has very recently relocated to New York, New Orleans remains at the root of his playing. He even leads a mentorship program for New Orleans style clarinet.

At 52, Evan Christopher has earned his earned his prominent place in the scene. He moved to New Orleans in ’94, and played with Al Hirt among others, in ’96 he relocated to San Antonio to be the feature clarinetist for Jim Cullum’s band. After three years he returned to New Orleans where he began to come into his own, touring internationally and beginning to record as Clarinet Road. Then Katrina upended everything and set his career in an unexpected direction. He was invited by the French government to stay in Paris, and success emerged from tragedy.

Django à la Créole combined the gypsy jazz of France and the traditional jazz of New Orleans he had been immersed in. The group was an international sensation. Though of the artists on this album only Girardot was part of that group, the connections began to be formed that bless us all these years later with such an all star lineup.

With a lead in like that I hope you are already sold, but maybe I should talk about the album itself, just in case! It consists of eleven titles associated with Bechet. Some are expected, perhaps required, like “Si Tu Vois Ma Mère.” Others dig deeper. “Girl’s Dance” is taken from Bechet’s Ballet, La Nuit Est une Sorcière. The result is a remarkably cinematic arrangement in which each of the quintet conveys the feel of a whole orchestra section. It is unclear who to credit for that arrangement but the dialogue in the liner notes attributes arrangements for other titles variously to Mazurié and Hunot. Mazurié gets credit for a an engaging slow to fast arrangement of “Dans le Rues d’Antibes” that for me was the album high point.

While Christopher makes every effort to “faithfully render” Bechet the album is of this time not Bechet’s, “contemporary, early jazz” at its finest. Aside from “Polka Dot Stomp,” “Lastic,” “Ghost of the Blues,” and parts of “Dans le Rues d’Antibes” the pace is kept contemplatively subdued but those exceptions are spaced perfectly throughout the album to get your heart pumping again. These musicians have a world to draw on—and do. The rhythm section employs subtle variations from West Indian and other sources, led in these efforts by Nouaux as I’ve never heard him before. “Lastic” is particularly spicy. The playing throughout is rich and harmonious, Christopher is not showy but blends in with the whole and his interactions with Mazurié, even on such tried and true pieces as “Si Tu Vois Ma Mère,” played as a waltz, are marvelous. Hunot and Girardot both have stand out solos on “Blues in the Air.”

“Ghost of the Blues” was an excellent theme to go out on. The arrangement is exciting, rich, dense, hot, the perfect closer, giving everyone on stage a goodbye turn as the audience removes their jackets and sits back down to take it in. There are few albums of this caliber. It goes on sale in March. Get yourself a copy. https://lejazzetal.com/shop/blues-in-the-air/

Personnel: Evan Christopher (clarinet); Malo Mazurié (trumpet); Félix Hunot (guitar); Sébastien Girardot (double bass); Guillaume Nouaux (drums)

Blues in the Air

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Mundell Lowe - A Grand Night For Swinging

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1957
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:59
Size: 88,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:22) 1. It's A Grand Night For Swingin'
(7:18) 2. Blues Before Freud
(7:19) 3. Easy To Love
(2:53) 4. It Could Happen To You
(3:35) 5. Love Me Or Leave Me
(5:37) 6. You Turned The Tables On Me
(6:52) 7. Crazy Rhythm

At one time a listener could place a CD like guitarist Mundell Lowe's A Grand Night for Swinging in the disc player and immediately date it to the 1950s. But the revival of many older styles by younger musicians like guitarist Howard Alden in the '80s and '90s has led to an overlapping of styles. This may make it difficult to match an album to a particular date, but it does help to make older styles more familiar and, thus, accessible. A Grand Night for Swinging is a nice set, featuring Lowe and a good supporting cast including pianist Billy Taylor, bassist Les Grinage, drummer Ed Thigpen, and, on three cuts, alto saxophonist Gene Quill. Known for his cooler tone and lighter touch at the time, Lowe had decided to record an album that proved he could swing a little harder.

The set kicks off with the upbeat title track, a Taylor original, that finds Lowe bopping along with clean flowing lines, similar to Barney Kessel. The up-tempo pieces, like "Love Me or Leave Me" and "Crazy Rhythm," work best, pushing the band into fervent workouts. The addition of Quill on several selections adds depth and drive to cuts like "Blues Before Freud," creating something akin to Kenny Burrell's early '60s work. That this recording should be re-released soon after 2000's Mundell's Mood is fitting; it's a reminder of a distinguished bop/cool tone guitarist who has recorded a number of fine albums since the 1950s. A Grand Night for Swinging will be a real treat for fans unfamiliar with Lowe's earlier work, and a satisfying selection for fans of good jazz guitar.~ Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr. https://www.allmusic.com/album/a-grand-night-for-swinging-mw0000116708

Personnel: Mundell Lowe - guitar; Billy Taylor - piano; Les Grinage - bass; Ed Thigpen - drums; Gene Quill - alto saxophone (tracks 2, 5 & 6)

A Grand Night For Swinging

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Connie Francis - My Thanks to You

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1959
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:50
Size: 91,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:38)  1. My Thanks to You
(2:35)  2. The Bells of St. Mary's
(3:10)  3. A Garden in the Rain
(3:53)  4. Try a Little Tenderness
(3:32)  5. A Tree in the Meadow
(2:37)  6. Now Is the Hour
(3:30)  7. I'll Close My Eyes
(3:51)  8. The Very Thought of You
(4:24)  9. These Foolish Things
(2:26) 10. Cruising Down the River
(3:04) 11. The Gypsy
(3:04) 12. Goodnight Sweetheart

Only two weeks after recording The Exciting Connie Francis, her first adult pop album, Connie Francis was in a studio in England cutting a second one. While the earlier record featured some swinging uptempo material with big band backing, however, My Thanks to You was strictly a sting-filled ballad session, complete with choir backing. Francis sang in her best chaste Catholic girl voice, sounding somewhat constricted by the material and arrangements, but nevertheless respectful. Her attempt to cross over to the adult market turned out to be premature, however, as neither album sold. Francis then hit upon a more commercial idea for expanding her audience, turning to a series of ethnic albums, starting with Italian Favorites.

~ William Ruhlmann https://www.allmusic.com/album/my-thanks-to-you-mw0000895214

My Thanks to You

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Stu Williamson - Stu Williamson Plays

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1955
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 79:41
Size: 183,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:20)  1. Slugger
(3:10)  2. Ther'll Never Be Another You
(2:39)  3. Autumn In New York
(3:16)  4. Sunday
(4:17)  5. The Lady Is A Tramp
(3:51)  6. Yardbird Suite
(3:23)  7. Sapphire
(2:51)  8. The Things We Did Last Summer
(3:54)  9. Strike Up The Band
(3:30) 10. Don't Get Around Much Anymore
(5:40) 11. Stu's Dues Blues
(3:29) 12. Pee Jay
(4:25) 13. Just Friends
(3:48) 14. Darn That Dream
(6:09) 15. Hongry Child
(4:30) 16. Big Red
(5:05) 17. Red Cross
(3:20) 18. Talk Of The Town
(3:58) 19. Dom's Tune
(4:57) 20. Rose Bud

The younger brother of pianist Claude Williamson, Stu Williamson was a fixture on West Coast jazz dates of the 1950s. He moved to Los Angeles in 1949 and spent periods playing with Stan Kenton (1951), Woody Herman (1952-1953), and Kenton again (1954-1955), in addition to shorter stints with Billy May and Charlie Barnet. The mellow-toned Williamson, best-known for his association with Shelly Manne (off and on during 1954-1958), was on a countless number of sessions up until 1968 when he dropped out of the music scene. A drug addict, Stu Williamson spent most of his last two decades struggling outside of music. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/artist/stu-williamson-mn0000526195/biography

Personnel:  Stu Williamson on trumpet, Charlie Mariano on alto sax, Claude Williamson on piano, Max Bennett on bass and Stan Levey on drums.

Stu Williamson - Plays

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The Dan Barrett, Enric Peidro Quintet - It's a Wonderful World

Styles: Trombone And Saxophone Jazz
File: MP3@128K/s
Time: 47:25
Size: 44,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:27) 1. Cherokee
(6:22) 2. You blew the flame out of my heart
(4:13) 3. Laughing at life
(3:38) 4. Good Queen Bess
(3:22) 5. Swingin' At The Famous door
(5:20) 6. Ballad Medley: Stairway To The Stars / Dedicated To You
(3:58) 7. This Is My Lucky Day
(4:56) 8. It's a Wonderful World
(4:09) 9. Foolin' Myself
(5:56) 10. Blues for Five

Third album by the swinging team formed by trombonist Dan Barrett and tenor player Enric Peidro.As usual they swing really hard together and respective their tones blend as bread and butter, creating a unique and gorgeous sound that a jazz critic recently described as "medicine for sore ears". Backed by a smooth rhythm section, led by the excellent Richard Busiakiewicz on piano, the two horns keep their "conversational" approach to soloing heard in their previous albums.

Its a joy to hear how their singing soloing lines and phrasing complement each other perfectly. In short this is a new release that both complements and its the perfect following to their previous Cds, as the band keeps intact his "modus operandi".A choice that makes perfect sense cause this unusual two horn team (unusual as they come from different backgrounds, countries and generations) really excels at what they do, so as someone said rightfully "if its not broken, don't fix it".Looking forward to their fourth album together!!

Personnel: Dan Barrett: Trombone; Enric Peidro: Tenor sax; Richard Busiakiewicz: Piano; Andrés Lizón : Bass; Michael Keul: Drums

It's a Wonderful World

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Anna Gréta - Nightjar in the Northern Sky

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:23
Size: 112,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:47) 1. Nightjar in the northern sky
(4:43) 2. Ray of sun
(4:34) 3. Sleepless
(3:06) 4. The tunnel
(4:26) 5. Blue streams
(4:25) 6. Mountain
(3:08) 7. Falling down
(3:17) 8. Like a river
(3:25) 9. Home
(5:16) 10. Waiting never ends
(3:04) 11. Guide the way
(4:06) 12. Carry me across the sky

Anna Gréta’s Nightjar In The Northern Sky unfolds with the metamorphic diversity of a year’s seasons. The album’s opener, which is also the title track, seems primed for the increasing darkness of the autumn and winter seasons. Delicate brushstrokes that sound like bursts of light rain serve as the primary rudder for the meter and a sparse piano melody that’s intermittently minor in its tonality and mildly loose in its sustain and decay. It ushers forth the urge to find light and warmth, and to huddle. Conversely, on songs like “Ray Of Sun” and “Blue Streams,” Gréta’s dynamically light, gentle and crisp performance pairs with uptempo, major-key melodies and a drier vocal tone. These characteristics give the songs more sonic clarity and vibrance, which makes them seem, by contrast, like a natural companion for the energetic afternoons of spring or summer.

Much like the ever-changing colors of the enduring Northern lights, Gréta’s voice ties the album together. However, taking in the whole experience means traversing a wide chasm of creative change. A track like “Mountain” really accentuates the stylistic distanced traveled, as the audible drag of fingers against the metal winding of electric guitar strings feels miles away from the almost impressionistic musical aesthetic presented at the outset. Yet, by the finale “Carry Me Across The Sky,” the divergent emotional settings of the album converge in a song that is rich with tonal variety, harmonic expanse and percussive character appearing to showcase the album’s complete seasonal character, in the last musical journey.~ Kira Grunenberg https://downbeat.com/reviews/detail/nightjar-in-the-northern-sky

Personnel: Anna Gréta, piano, keyboards, vocals; Skúli Sverrisson, bass; Einar Scheving, drums; Hilmar Jensson, guitar; Sigurður Flosason, saxophone; Johan Tengholm, bass; Ragnheiður Gröndal, backing vocals.

Nightjar in the northern sky

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LaVern Baker - The Best Of The Rest: Singles As & Bs 1960-1962

Size: 139,0 MB
Time: 58:56
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: R&B, Blues, Soul, Jazz
Art: Front

01. Shadows Of Love (2:18)
02. Wheel Of Fortune (1:58)
03. A Help Each Other Romance (2:40)
04. How Often (2:37)
05. Bumble Bee (2:26)
06. My Time Will Come (2:22)
07. You're The Boss (2:15)
08. I'll Never Be Free (2:13)
09. Saved (2:55)
10. Don Juan (2:25)
11. I Didn't Know I Was Crying (2:38)
12. Hurting Inside (2:15)
13. Voodoo Voodoo (1:47)
14. Hey Memphis (2:27)
15. Must I Cry Again (2:33)
16. No Love So True (2:17)
17. See See Rider (2:24)
18. Story Of My Love (2:00)
19. Loads Of Love (2:25)
20. You Don't Tell Me (2:52)
21. Eager Beaver (2:07)
22. Senor Big And Fine (2:14)
23. Eternally (1:56)
24. He's A Real Gone Guy (2:14)
25. Don't Let The Stars Get In Your Eyes (2:29)

LaVern Baker was one of the sexiest divas gracing the mid-'50s rock & roll circuit, boasting a brashly seductive vocal delivery tailor-made for belting the catchy novelties "Tweedlee Dee," "Bop-Ting-a-Ling," and "Tra La La" for Atlantic Records during rock's first wave of prominence.

Born Delores Williams, she was singing at the Club DeLisa on Chicago's south side at age 17, decked out in raggedy attire and billed as "Little Miss Sharecropper" (the same handle that she made her recording debut under for RCA Victor with Eddie "Sugarman" Penigar's band in 1949). She changed her name briefly to Bea Baker when recording for OKeh in 1951 with Maurice King's Wolverines, then settled on the first name of LaVern when she joined Todd Rhodes' band as featured vocalist in 1952 (she fronted Rhodes' aggregation on the impassioned ballad "Trying" for Cincinnati's King Records).

LaVern signed with Atlantic as a solo in 1953, debuting with the incendiary "Soul on Fire." The coy, Latin-tempo "Tweedlee Dee" was a smash in 1955 on both the R&B and pop charts, although her impact on the latter was blunted when squeaky-clean Georgia Gibbs covered it for Mercury. An infuriated Baker filed suit over the whitewashing, but she lost. By that time, though, her star had ascended: Baker's "Bop-Ting-A-Ling," "Play It Fair," "Still," and the rocking "Jim Dandy" all vaulted into the R&B Top Ten over the next couple of years.

Baker's statuesque figure and charismatic persona made her a natural for TV and movies. She co-starred on the historic R&B revue segment on Ed Sullivan's TV program in November of 1955 and did memorable numbers in Alan Freed's rock movies Rock, Rock, Rock and Mr. Rock & Roll. Her Atlantic records remained popular throughout the decade: she hit big in 1958 with the ballad "I Cried a Tear," adopted a pseudo-sanctified bellow for the rousing Leiber & Stoller-penned gospel sendup "Saved" in 1960, and cut a Bessie Smith tribute album before leaving Atlantic in 1964. A brief stop at Brunswick Records (where she did a sassy duet with Jackie Wilson, "Think Twice") preceded a late-'60s jaunt to entertain the troops in Vietnam. She became seriously ill after the trip and was hospitalized, eventually settling far out of the limelight in the Philippines. She remained there for 22 years, running an NCO club on Subic Bay for the U.S. government.

Finally, in 1988, Baker returned stateside to star in Atlantic's 40th anniversary bash at New York's Madison Square Garden. That led to a soundtrack appearance in the film Dick Tracy, a starring role in the Broadway musical Black & Blue (replacing her ex-Atlantic labelmate Ruth Brown), a nice comeback disc for DRG (Woke Up This Mornin'), and a memorable appearance at the Chicago Blues Festival. Baker died on March 10, 1997. ~by Bill Dahl

The Best Of The Rest

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Suede - Dangerous Mood

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 53:59
Size: 123.6 MB
Styles: Jazz/blues vocals
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[3:05] 1. Let Me Love You
[6:29] 2. Dangerous Mood
[3:39] 3. I Like To Lead When I Dance
[4:45] 4. New Coat Of Paint
[3:55] 5. Defying Gravity
[2:58] 6. You Can Leave Your Hat On
[5:24] 7. Teach Me Tonight
[4:04] 8. Do It Again
[4:35] 9. Never Neverland
[5:49] 10. No Goin' Back
[4:39] 11. Love And Regret
[4:31] 12. Here's To Life

Imagine a cross between Ella Fitzgerald and Bette Midler, add a dash of Louis Armstrong, and you might get some idea of Suede's powerful presence, musical talents, and well honed skills. She is a consummate entertainer and song stylist among the likes of Tony Bennett and company - the classic singer's singer. Suede sings original material and pop, blues and jazz standards like nobody you've ever heard. Think sophisticated pop/jazz; think naughty blues with a sizzling trumpet, think love songs that make you swoon, think funny, think wow, what a voice!

Recording information: Bennett Studios, NJ.

Janice Friedman (vocals, guitar, trumpet, piano); Tim Horner (viola, drums, percussion); Justine Flynn (flute, clarinet, alto saxophone); Frank Basile (flute, clarinet, baritone saxophone); Lily White (flute, soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, horns); Marc Mommaas, Jenny Hill (flute, tenor saxophone); William Galison (harmonica); Tom Christiensen (tenor saxophone); Nathan Eklund (trumpet, flugelhorn); Tim Ouimette, Vinnie Cutro (trumpet); Ben Williams II (trombone); Mike Christianson (bass trombone, tuba); Janice Friedman (piano, organ); Bill Moring (bass guitar).

Dangerous Mood

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Hendrik Meurkens - Samba Jazz Odyssey

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:16
Size: 145,8 MB
Art: Front

(7:22) 1. A Night in Jakarta
(5:41) 2. Manhattan Samba
(5:37) 3. Prague in March
(5:40) 4. Sambatropolis
(7:51) 5. Mountain Drive
(9:03) 6. You Again (Live)
(5:56) 7. Bolero para Paquito
(7:42) 8. Samba Tonto
(8:20) 9. Choro

Maestro Hendrik Meurkens isn’t just an acclaimed artist, whom we have all come to admire. He’s a man brimming with incandescent ideas which manifest into musical gold. What makes Meurkens so special is the singularity of his sound. A German-born, New York-based harmonica player who performs Latin Jazz. If there is a Venn diagram of these attributes, he would be one of the few in the middle. That he has carved such a niche over a storied career should put this album under a special light. Samba Jazz Odyssey is an adventure with seven pieces composed by Meurkens, which were undoubtedly informed by his trailblazing musical journeys around the world. The maestro pairs with the august WDR Big Band, from Cologne, Germany, with arrangements which were also conducted by Michael Philip Mossman, a Grammy-nominated arranger. “This project is very special to me,” said Meurkens. “It is everybody’s dream to record with the WDR Big Band, and I was honored to collaborate with them.” The resulting production is a vivid voyage through samba jazz in its many forms.

A Night in Jakarta isn’t just a get-up samba with feel good effect. It exemplifies the theme of this project, a veritable tour of samba jazz, which begins in the South Pacific. Meurkens wrote the piece as an honorific for the Java Jazz Festival organizers based in Jakarta. He and his Samba Jazz Quartet have played at this well-regarded festival many times. Meurkens has fond memories, particularly of the late-night jam sessions at the hotel. Paul Heller (tenor saxophone) and Raphael Klemm (trombone) deliver dazzling solos to get this album going.

Meurkens first recorded Manhattan Samba on his album Poema Brasileiro (Concord, 1996). It’s a tune of many layers, runs, and hits. The band plays as one, navigating the sections with aplomb. Pascal Bartoszak (flute) offers an uplifting and thoughtful solo. Meurkens’ harmonica solo is beautiful and buoyant, bright and bluesy. The maestro is at home at this piece because well…he’s at home. After all, he’s a New Yorker. And this piece is a musical dedication to the vibrant samba jazz scene in New York, as many terrific Brazilian artists live in the Big Apple. Next stop, central Europe. Prague in March is one of Meurkens’ veritable hits, as many accomplished artists have recorded it over the years, including Claudio Roditi, the Brazilian trumpeter. This particular arrangement is by Carlos Franzetti for a project on which he and Meurkens collaborated. In fact, Meurkens wrote this masterpiece before he immigrated to the US, just one year after the Berlin Wall fell. The namesake of the song, Prague, is also its inspiration. Meurkens was fascinated with this beautiful city, and on this rendition, check out Ludwig Nuss’ refined trombone solo.

Sambatropolis is another of Meurkens’ popular compositions, recorded previously with English and Portuguese lyrics. It’s a terrific ode to the samba jazz scene of New York. The back-and-forth trades between Meurkens and Johan Hörlén (alto saxophone) are pure delight. This juxtaposition of virtuosity may spark memories or engender one to imagine the music geniuses found at many New York jazz clubs.

On Mountain Drive, we find ourselves somewhere in the American West, driving amid the Rocky Mountains. Meurkens named his piece after a car ride from Denver to Aspen. The natural beauty of the jagged mountains and greenery enveloped Meurkens’ mind. For this particular rendition, Andi Haderer (trumpet) goes to work with a terrific solo. “I love the groove that Mossman found for the band. He added a totally new perspective with his arrangement,” reflects Meurkens.

Beginning with pulsing drum hits, You Again is Mossman’s composition, and it unfolds with a steady groove and blooming harmonies. The band is put through the paces, and it’s clearly up to the task as the full sonic and dynamic range is on display. Meurkens contributes an epic harmonica solo that demonstrates his effortless mastery. Joining him with remarkable solos: Jens Neufang (baritone sax), Andy Hunter (trombone), Mattis Cederberg (bass trombone), Hans Dekker (drums), Paul Shigihara (guitar), and Rob Bruynen (trumpet). This piece is a jam session. Meurkens wrote Bolero Para Paquito for Paquito D’Rivera, the legendary jazz saxophonist and clarinetist. “Paquito remains one of my main inspirations in Latin Jazz, and he has so much positive energy,” said Meurkens. In fact, Paquito recorded the piece, too. And this particular arrangement by Franzetti is a thoughtful and well-placed work. One highlight is indeed Billy Test’s piano solo.

The premiere recording of Samba Tonto is a high point of this album. A samba in seven with a bridge that undulates between 2/4 and 3/8 could make your head spin. But the move among meters is handled gracefully, with colorful woodwinds and lush harmonies. Paul Shigihara (guitar) adds his stamp with a modern and soulful solo. The album ends with Choro, the well-known piece composed by A.C.Jobim. But you’ve never heard it like this before. Mossman’s cinematic arrangement frames the number in a special manner, giving space for solos by Billy Test (piano), Ludwig Nuss (trombone), Ruud Breuls (trumpet), and Meurkens (harmonica).

Jazz Samba Odyssey exemplifies basic addition. One plus one equals two. But the combination of Meurkens, Mossman, and the WDR Big Band have given us something ever more. This album is a calculus of creativity, a diagram of distinction, and a watershed work for the jazz and samba communities. It has been a distinct honor for Doug Davis, Matthew Mayer, and I to help produce this album for maestro Meurkens and the entire group. The project has indeed been an odyssey into the music, from the heart, and out of this world. Kabir Sehgal – Multi-GRAMMY & Latin GRAMMY Award winning producer, New York Times Bestselling Author. https://jazzdelapena.com/new-york-report/hendrik-meurkens-and-the-wdr-big-band-release-samba-jazz-odyssey-may-20-2022/

Samba Jazz Odyssey

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Jason Palmer - Wondaland

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@224K/s
Time: 63:49
Size: 102,7 MB
Art: Front

( 6:40)  1. Sir Greendown
( 9:34)  2. Neon Valley Street
(10:36)  3. 58321
( 8:43)  4. Babopbyeya
( 5:30)  5. Look Into My Eyes
( 8:31)  6. Oh, Maker
( 6:08)  7. Say You'll Go
( 8:04)  8. Wondaland

Trumpeter Jason Palmer’s intriguing new release is the second in his planned “series of homages to singers who have produced powerful music,” which began three years ago with his Minnie Riperton tribute, Take a Little Trip. Wondaland is more contemporary, celebrating the artistry of Janelle Monáe via jazzed-up arrangements of her songs, all but one drawn from the eclectic R&B star’s much-lauded 2010 album, The ArchAndroid. Palmer isn’t alone among his jazz contemporaries in admiring Monáe. She featured Esperanza Spalding on the track “Dorothy Dandridge Eyes,” from her The Electric Lady, and the theatricality of Spalding’s new Emily’s D+Evolution project, as well as her singing, both suggest Monáe’s influence. But Palmer’s album makes his admiration overt, and he’s joined by an impressive young crew of mostly current or former members of his working band at the venerable Boston club Wally’s Cafe, located just up Massachusetts Avenue from his and their alma mater, Berklee College of Music.  Luke Marantz, Dan Carpel and Lee Fish make an able rhythm section on Fender Rhodes, bass and drums, respectively, with Marantz chipping in solid solos along with deft comping. Guitarist Greg Duncan’s soloing brings to mind Kurt Rosenwinkel on “Neon Valley Street,” “BaBopByeYa” and “Look Into My Eyes.” Rising-star alto saxophonist Godwin Louis shines on uptempo tunes (“Sir Greendown,” “Neon Valley Street,” the set-ending title track) and slower ones (“57821,” “Look Into My Eyes”). Palmer’s trumpet excellence is getting to be old news, and it’s on display plenty here. But he skips taking a solo turn on “Look Into My Eyes,” and overall seems more interested in building on the beauty of Monáe’s music with his arrangements than in flashing his chops. Which keeps this charming album a bona fide homage. ~ Bill Beuttler http://jazztimes.com/articles/171187-wondaland-jason-palmer-plays-janelle-monae-jason-palmer

Personnel: Jason Palmer (trumpet), Godwin Louis (alto saxophone), Greg Duncan (guitar), Luke Marantz (Fender Rhodes), Dan Carpel (bass), Lee Fish (drums).

Wondaland

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Vince Giordano & The Nighthawks - Cheek To Cheek

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:05
Size: 105.5 MB
Styles: Big band
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[3:05] 1. Let Yourself Go
[3:53] 2. Cheek To Cheek
[2:48] 3. No Strings
[3:52] 4. Let's Face The Music
[3:07] 5. The Carioca
[3:07] 6. A Fine Romance
[2:46] 7. Shall We Dance
[2:34] 8. Flying Down To Rio
[4:12] 9. Night And Day
[4:07] 10. Isn't This A Lovely Day
[3:20] 11. I Won't Dance
[3:29] 12. Top Hat, White Tie And Tails
[2:52] 13. The Continental
[2:48] 14. Cet's Call The Whole Thing Off

Yet another stellar CD by Vince and his Nighthawks. This time, they explore the musicals of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, and capture perfectly the grace, beauty and appeal of the music they danced to. I always have to emphasize that, unlike so many other "period" jazz bands, the Nighthawks show absolute respect for early jazz, and present it as it was back in the early days - in its authentic form, rather than in the form of caricature. This album is a great one for introducing a listener to early jazz - these pieces are all standards, whereas most of the Nighthawks' other albums focus on lesser-known, but equally great, examples. ~Danielle Bennignus

Cheek To Cheek

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Terra Hazelton Trio - That's All

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:13
Size: 122,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:08)  1. That's All (feat. Nathan Hiltz & Jordan O'Connor)
(2:59)  2. Down With Love (feat. Nathan Hiltz & Jordan O'Connor)
(4:03)  3. The Lure of Little Voices (feat. Nathan Hiltz & Jordan O'Connor)
(3:49)  4. This Time the Dream's On Me (feat. Nathan Hiltz & Jordan O'Connor)
(4:17)  5. Am I Blue? (feat. Nathan Hiltz & Jordan O'Connor)
(2:44)  6. You're Driving Me Crazy (feat. Nathan Hiltz & Jordan O'Connor)
(4:24)  7. Solitude (feat. Nathan Hiltz & Jordan O'Connor)
(4:58)  8. You Always Hurt the One You Love (feat. Nathan Hiltz & Jordan O'Connor)
(4:30)  9. Keeping You In Mind (feat. Nathan Hiltz & Jordan O'Connor)
(2:47) 10. You Brought a New Kind of Love To Me (feat. Nathan Hiltz & Jordan O'Connor)
(4:09) 11. I'm Confessing (that I love you) [feat. Nathan Hiltz & Jordan O'Connor]
(4:26) 12. Gettin' Some Fun Out of Life (feat. Nathan Hiltz & Jordan O'Connor)
(4:51) 13. I'm Confessing (that I love you) [feat. Nathan Hiltz & Jordan O'Connor] [alternate take]

Joy is the first word that comes to mind when Terra Hazelton sings. A popular and wonderful performer on the Toronto jazz scene, Hazelton beams with happiness when she performs. Now, she has released her third album featuring jazz classics for which she is known and new material as well including a lovely jazz ballad setting of Canadian poet Robert Service’s “The Lure of Little Voices” composed by Jeff Gladstone, a friend of hers she has known since childhood.  Recorded live off the floor with Jordan O’Connor on bass and Nathan Hiltz on guitar and ukulele, “That’s All” features classics by the team of Harold Arlen and E.Y. Harburg, by Duke Ellington and the ballad “Keeping You in Mind” by Mary Margaret O’Hara. O’Connor also produced, recorded and mixed the album.Born in British Colombia and raised mostly in Calgary, Hazelton is also a radio personality and an actress who has been nominated for a Genie Award.

Her career began in theatre and comedy improv. She also wrote music and formed her own rock band. Blues great Jeff Healey heard her perform at a country jam called the Melody Ranch at the Brunswick House. Although Healey was renowned as a rock performer, his first love was traditional jazz. He was opening a night club and planned to perform trumpet and guitar on Saturday matinees with his band the Jazz Wizards. “Jeff asked to meet me,” Hazelton said with a smile, “and courted me … musically. Then, he just called me one day and said `Be in Fredericton.’ He got me out of where I was, gave me a job and paid me a lot of money.” Healey also produced her debut CD “Anybody’s Baby” and played on most of the tracks. Terra toured with him as his group’s featured vocalist until his untimely death in 2008. Healey also passed on a personal habit to Terra. 

He passionately collected jazz on 78s and had a collection of approximately 50,000 in his house. Terra’s collection now numbers 3,000. “I’ve built my own shelves,” she laughed. “Everyone in the band became a record collector.” “Gimme Whatcha Got,” her second CD, was released in 2009. Featuring favorite jazz and blues material of hers, the album was produced by veteran John Sheard and features many Canadian jazz luminaries including George Koller, Michael Kaeshammer, William Sperandei, Drew Jurecka and special guests Alex Pangman, Russell DeCarle and the Polyjesters. Today, Hazelton performs frequently in Toronto with various ensembles, most notably The Hogtown Syncopators. They perform most Fridays at The Rex Hotel on Queen Street West from 4 to 6 p.m. She also has been an occasional guest host on Jazz FM 91 and, for a period, had a program called “Timeless” celebrating classic compositions from the 1920s, ‘30s and ‘40s from her own collection.  http://www.songandscript.ca/index.php?option=com_k2&view=ite

That's All

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