Emily Remler - Retrospective Volume One: "Standards"

Styles: Bop, Cool Jazz
Year: 1981
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:33
Size: 141,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:20) 1. Daahoud
(8:33) 2. How Insensitive
(5:33) 3. Strollin'
(5:45) 4. Hot House
(4:56) 5. In Your Own Sweet Way
(5:50) 6. Joy Spring
(8:24) 7. Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise
(2:28) 8. Afro Blue
(6:50) 9. Del Sasser
(7:49) 10. In A Sentimental Mood

This is the first of two CDs issued by Concord Jazz compiling some of the best tracks from Emily Remler's sessions for that label. Cut short at a far too early age by a heart condition while touring in Australia, Remler had all the talent necessary to carve herself a niche in the jazz world as a premier jazz guitar interpreter and performer. Retrospective, Vol. 1 is probably the superior of the two volumes, as it includes, among other gems, an enticing unaccompanied rendition of "Afro Blue." Remler had the ability to be expressively warm with a romantic ballad, as on "In a Sentimental Mood," but she excelled on tunes that allowed her to bring out her hard bop credentials, especially in the company of similarly tough-minded rhythm sections.

She displays those credentials on several tracks, such as "Hot House" and "Daahoud," where she is joined by the inestimable Hank Jones on piano and Marvin "Smitty" Smith on drums. "Del Sasser" is the sole representative from that intriguing album she made with trumpet player John D'earth. On this cut, D'earth plays muted trumpet under a clean, straight-lined Remler guitar with a rather unusual scrimpy, but pleasing, sound as the result. Indeed an appropriate testimonial to a fine guitarist, this album is recommended for those who want an overview of the work by Remler without having to buy all the albums from whence the selections came.~Dave Nathan https://www.allmusic.com/album/retrospective-vol-1-standards-mw0000262616

Retrospective Volume One "Standards"

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Shakatak - Live in Lockdown

Styles: Smooth Jazz, Jazz Funk
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 79:54
Size: 184,1 MB
Art: Front

( 5:15) 1. Dark Is the Night
( 3:27) 2. To Be Loved
( 4:29) 3. Streetwalkin'
( 3:58) 4. All Around the World Tonight
( 3:46) 5. Chi Chi Castenengo
( 5:03) 6. A Million Voices
( 5:24) 7. Day by Day
( 4:33) 8. Takin' off
(10:35) 9. Night Birds
( 4:34) 10. Down on the Street
( 3:43) 11. Beautiful Day
( 3:08) 12. Bitch to the Boys
( 3:46) 13. City Rhythm
( 3:38) 14. Down on the Street
( 3:27) 15. Light on My Life
( 3:44) 16. Lonely Afternoon
( 3:16) 17. On Nights Like Tonight
( 4:00) 18. Steveland

British crossover jazz, funk, and pop outfit Shakatak are a sophisticated ensemble who have enjoyed a long career. With a sound steeped in contemporary jazz and R&B, they found success with both instrumental albums and pop vocal productions. Formed in London in 1980, Shakatak originally featured keyboardists Bill Sharpe and Nigel Wright, guitarist Keith Winter, bassist Steve Underwood, and drummer Roger Odell. The group quickly scored an underground hit with its debut single "Steppin'." The following year, they cracked the British Top 50 with the singles "Livin' in the UK" and "Brazilian Dawn," both of which were included on their debut album, Drivin' Hard. With their 1982 follow-up Nightbirds, Shakatak (which replaced Underwood with bassist George Anderson) scored their first Top 20 hit with "Easier Said Than Done"; the disc's title track rocketed into the Top Ten. The album also introduced singer Jill Saward, who quickly emerged as the group's lead vocalist, showcased on 1984's Down on the Street and its accompanying hit single "Watching You." After a 1985 live album, the band returned to studio work on Day by Day: City Rhythm, which included the title track single featuring Al Jarreau.

A series of largely instrumental albums including Into the Blue, Golden Wings, Da Makani, and Niteflite were then issued exclusively in Japan, where Shakatak enjoyed immense popularity. In the meanwhile, 1988's Manic and Cool was released internationally, highlighted by the singles "Mr. Manic and Sister Cool" and "Something Special." After 1992's Open Your Eyes topped Billboard's Contemporary Jazz chart, the band supported 1993's Street Level with a tour of South Africa, while the following year's Full Circle expanded into hip-hop beats. In 1997, Shakatak by then consisting of Sharpe, Odell, Saward, and Anderson resurfaced with Let the Piano Play, followed by View from the City in 1999. Along with a busy live concert schedule, Shakatak stayed busy over the next decade, delivering a handful of well-received albums including 2002's Under Your Spell, 2003's Blue Savannah, and 2009's Afterglow. In 2010, they celebrated their 30th anniversary and marked the occasion a year later with the release of Across the World. On the Corner appeared in 2014, followed by Times and Places in 2016.~Jason Ankeny https://www.allmusic.com/artist/shakatak-mn0000791326/biography

Live in Lockdown

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John Di Martino Romantic Jazz Trio - Lisztomania: Liszt Jazz

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:09
Size: 145,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:11) 1. The Nobleman's Journey (Hungarian Rhapsody No.1)
(4:40) 2. Lost Love (Hungarian Rhapsody No.5)
(3:59) 3. Gypsy Fire Song (Hungarian Rhapsody No.13)
(4:27) 4. Dawn of a New Day (Funeral {Intro Theme})
(5:43) 5. Sugar Baby (Dreams of Love)
(5:15) 6. Forest Spirits (Forest Murmur)
(4:16) 7. Farewell Minuet (Funeral {Main Theme})
(3:47) 8. Goulash Blues (Hungarian Rhapsody No.3)
(4:39) 9. Soft Kisses at Midnight (Hungarian Rhapsody No.9)
(4:08) 10. Sea Goddess (La Campanella)
(5:04) 11. Once Before Goodbye (Consolation No.3)
(6:00) 12. Don't Ask Twice! (Hungarian Rhapsody No.4)
(5:05) 13. An Afternoon in Budapest (Hungarian Rhapsody No.2)
(1:48) 14. Carnival of Flowers (Hungarian Rhapsody No.9, 2nd Theme)

John di Martino is a composer, arranger, jazz pianist, producer and educator, based in New York City. He is described as a “shape-shifter”, for his creativity across musical genres. John composed the music for the documentary series: “A Glimpse Of Paradise” ( Prospera Medienproduktion ) aired on Europe’s Arte Channel, and music for the video games: ”Batman: The Telltale Series” Mr. Di Martino latest CD’s are: “Passion Flower” ( the music of Billy Strayhorn ), Featuring Raul Midon, Eric Alexander, Boris Kozlov,and Lewis Nash, and: “Mazel” ( Yiddish Songs, re-imagined ), with Janis Siegel and Cantor Daniel Krammer. https://mazelthealbum.com/

John has recorded numerous CDs on the High Note and Venus Records (Japan) labels as a leader, and with Freddy Cole, Gloria Lynn, Houston Person, and Nicki Parrott. John’s discography includes Grammy-nominated CD’S: ”Love” ( Issac Delgado ), ”Freddy Cole Sings Mr. B” and ”Live And In Clave” ( Bobby Sanabria ). John di Martino was a long time member of Ray Barretto's “New World Spirit”, He is a featured arranger and pianist on many of Ray Barretto's recordings including the grammy-nominated, CD: ”Contact” and ”Portraits In Jazz And Clave ” ( featuring James Moody, Kenny Burrell, Joe Lovano, Steve Turre, and Eddie Gomez ). Born in Philadelphia, Pa in 1959, John studied with Jimmy Amadie, Lennie Tristano, and Don Sebesky. https://www.allaboutjazz.com/musicians/john-di-martino

Personnel: Piano – John Di Martino; Acoustic Bass – Ed Haward; Drums – Alvin Atkinson

Lisztomania: Liszt Jazz

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Rhoda Scott Lady Quartet - We Free Queens

Size: 102,5 MB
Time: 42:49
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz, Hammond Organ
Art: Front

01. We Free Queens (Feat. Geraldine Laurent & Anne Paceo) (5:45)
02. I Wanna Move (Feat. Geraldine Laurent & Anne Paceo) (4:20)
03. Que Reste-t-il De Nos Amours (5:01)
04. One By One (Feat. Julien Alour) (5:06)
05. Rhoda's Delight (Feat. Geraldine Laurent) (4:25)
06. Valse A Charlotte (5:43)
07. Joke (Feat. Anne Paceo) (7:31)
08. What I'd Say (Feat. Geraldine Laurent & Julien Alour) (4:54)

Rhoda Scott (b. July 3, 1938, Dorothy, New Jersey) is an African-American hard bop and soul jazz organist.

The daughter of an AME minister, Scott spent much of her childhood in New Jersey, where she learned to play organ in the churches where her father served. Soon she herself was serving frequently as organist for youth and gospel choirs at her father's and other churches. Scott later studied classical piano, but she concentrated on the organ, eventually earning a Masters' degree in music theory from the Manhattan School of Music.

By this time she had been asked by a choir member to fill in with a small band as a jazz pianist. Enjoying the music, she agreed to stay on with the band on condition that she be allowed to play organ instead of piano. Choosing as her instrument the Hammond organ, she soon became a preeminent jazz musician and is considered by many to be the top female jazz organist.

Scott was first attracted to the organ in her father’s church at age seven. "It's really the most beautiful instrument in the world," she stated in a recent interview. "The first thing I did was take my shoes off and work the pedals." From then on she always played her church organ in her bare feet, and to this date she has continued the practice, earning her nicknames such as "The Barefoot Lady" and "The Barefoot Contessa".

In 1967 Scott moved to France, where she has since spent most of her career and earned recognition far greater than that accorded to her in the United States, though she often performs in the latter country as well.

She has many famous standards in her repertoire, like In the Mood, Theme from New York, New York, Summertime, Mack the Knife, Take Five, Hit the Road Jack, Greensleeves, Tico-Tico no Fubá, Let it Snow, and Delilah. In May 2011 in a context of Versailles Jazz Festival she gave a significant performance together with a classical organist Francis Vidil, combining sonic palettes of classical organs with jazz and Hammond organs.

We Free Queens

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