Holly Cole Trio - Montreal

Styles: Vocal
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 29:20
Size: 67,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:41) 1. Whatever Lola Wants
(3:18) 2. Little Boy Blue
(5:46) 3. Girl Talk
(5:11) 4. Talk To Me Baby
(5:19) 5. You've Got A Secret
(5:02) 6. Bali Ha'i

Back in the Spring of 2019, Holly Cole, in recognition and celebration of the 40th anniversary of Le Festival International de Jazz de Montreal decided to reform the original Holly Cole Trio, including David Pitch on Bass and Aaron Davis on Piano to perform live in the very intimate cabaret “Lion D’Or, during the Festival de Jazz, July 2-5. It’s been over 25 years since the band performed live as the Holly Cole Trio and these very special performances would bring back many memories of superlative Trio performances in Montreal at the old Club Soda, Spectrum and Place Des Arts. The revival performance was recorded and arranged into a new album entitled Montreal. The Holly Cole Trio recorded together under that name starting in 1986 and from 1990 -1996 made the international best-selling recordings and toured the world with Blue Christmas, Girl Talk, Blame It On My Youth and Don’t Smoke in Bed. Blame It On My Youth was responsible for the international hit recording and video of “I Can See Clearly Now”. Since that time Cole has gone on to record numerous successful solo recordings, including 2018’s HOLLY, all with Aaron Davis on piano and often with David Piltch on Bass however they never toured or played live as a unit again until the 2019 Montreal dates.

The relationship with the Festival is so special that in 2013, the Festival made Cole the 15th winner of their highly prestigious Ella Fitzgerald Award. The award is annually conferred upon “A jazz singer whose talents have had a major impact and influence on the international scene”. Holly is one of only two Canadians to ever receive this prestigious award. Other winners include Sade, Aretha Franklin, Harry Connick, Jr. and Etta James. The first track and lyric video is a version of a show tune from Damned Yankees, titled “Whatever Lola Wants”. The musical opened on Broadway in 1955 and is a song only Holly and the guys could find and so successfully contemporize! Holly states, “the moment I heard “Whatever Lola Wants” I knew it was perfect for us. Sexy, provocative, enigmatic and completely open to interpretation.” https://themontrealeronline.com/2021/03/holly-cole-new-live-album-new-concert-april-2-2021/

Montreal (Live)

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Bill O'Connell - Love For Sale

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1987
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:36
Size: 130,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:19)  1. Ping Pong
(6:25)  2. Have You Met Miss Jones?
(6:41)  3. Love Dance
(4:29)  4. Well You Needn't
(6:59)  5. Slow Motion
(4:31)  6. Casaba
(4:59)  7. Love For Sale
(5:52)  8. Old Folks
(5:07)  9. Sweet Love
(6:11) 10. Like Someone In Love

A veteran jazz pianist from New York City, Bill O'Connell is gifted soloist and bandleader known for his long-running Latin jazz big band. Born in New York City on August 22, 1953, O'Connell grew up in suburban Port Washington, Long Island. After high school, he studied classical piano at Oberlin College in Ohio but has lived in the New York area most of his life. O'Connell has not played Latin jazz exclusively and worked as a sideman with such luminaries as tenor saxophonist Sonny Rollins and the late trumpeter Chet Baker. However, he does have his share of Latin credentials; along the way, he has played with New York trumpeter Jerry Gonzalez's Fort Apache Band and crossed paths with flutist Dave Valentin, Argentinean tenor saxophonist Gato Barbieri, and the late Cuban percussion master Mongo Santamaria. As a pianist, O'Connell is known for a lyrical approach that owes something to Keith Jarrett, Bill Evans, and Chick Corea as well as Herbie Hancock. But it should be stressed that O'Connell is not the sort of jazzman who only sees himself as a soloist; in fact, his albums have underscored his talents as an arranger, bandleader, and composer. O'Connell can as Duke Ellington often put it use his band as his instrument. Much of his bandleading/arranging inspiration comes from Latin greats like Mongo Santamaria, Tito Puente, Machito, Ray Barretto, and Eddie Palmieri (all of whom are identified with Afro-Cuban jazz as well as salsa). As a leader, O'Connell debuted in 1978 with an LP titled Searching for the small Inner City label He then joined longtime associate flutist Dave Valentin's band, touring and recording for several years before returning to his solo work with 1993's Lost Voices on Creed Taylor's CTI Records (with Taylor himself serving as producer). 

Several of O'Connell's big-band albums also appeared in the mid-'90s with Jazz Alive and Unfinished Business. O'Connell also continued working with Valentin, and played on albums by Charles Fambrough, Jon Lucien, and others. In the 2000's, O'Connell signed with the independent Random Chance Records (a small, New York-based label with a fondness for jazz and blues). Black Sand, O'Connell's first album for Random Chance, came out in 2001; that disc was followed by Latin Jazz Fantasy in 2004. Four years later, he returned with the trio album Triple Play, featuring Valentin and percussionist Richie Flores. Rhapsody in Blue followed in 2010. 

A year later, he delivered the follow-up to Triple Play, Triple Play Plus Three, which showcased a rotating lineup of guests including Valentin, clarinetist Paquito D'Rivera, vibraphonist Dave Samuels, and others. O'Connell then joined his Latin Jazz All-Stars for a series of albums including 2013's Zocalo, 2014's Imagine, and 2016's Heart Beat. In 2017, he delivered the intimate solo concert album, Monk's Cha Cha: Solo Piano Live. ~ Alex Henderson https://www.allmusic.com/artist/bill-oconnell-mn0000085005/biography

Personnel:  Bill O'Connell (Piano, Synthesizer); Joey Baron, Robert Amean (Drums); Lincoln Goines (Bass); Giovanni Hidalgo (Percussion); Dave Valentin (Flute); Alex Foster (Soprano Sax).

Love For Sale

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Salena Jones - Salena Sings Jobim With The Jobim's

Styles: Vocal, Brazilian Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:03
Size: 117,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:26)  1. I Was Just One More For You
(3:11)  2. Agua de Beber
(3:10)  3. Useless Landscape
(3:37)  4. Quiet Night Of Quiet Stars
(3:04)  5. Somewhere In The Hills
(5:16)  6. Dindi
(3:31)  7. Desafinado
(4:53)  8. How Insensitive
(3:21)  9. Girl / Boy From Ipanema
(3:22) 10. Once I Loved
(3:11) 11. Meditation
(2:52) 12. One Note Samba
(4:35) 13. Bonita
(3:28) 14. Song Of The Jet

Born in Newport News, VA, in 1944, Salena Jones (real name: Joan Elizabeth Shaw) would over the course of a 60-plus-year career become one of the leading vocalists of swing music, performing in a number of countries in Europe and Asia and recording a number of albums. Jones got her first break at the famed Apollo Theater in New York, winning a talent contest that resulted in a record deal. She spent the early part of her career touring and performing with such leading lights as Louis Armstrong, Cab Calloway, and Duke Ellington. Her first forays overseas, to Spain and the U.K., were in the mid-'60s and were to begin a life spent mostly outside the rather fickle confines of the United States. In 1978, she made her first appearance in Japan and performed there on an annual basis. By the first decade of the 21st century, she had performed on most continents, recorded more than 40 albums, and sang at the 2006 Shanghai International Jazz Festival. ~ Chris True https://www.allmusic.com/artist/salena-jones-mn0000290681                

Personnel:  Salena Jones (vocal);  Antonio Carlos Jobim (piano);  Paulo Jobim (guitar);  Daniel Cannetti Jobim (piano);  Sebastiao Netto (bass);  Ricardo Costa (drums);  Paulo Antonio Braga (percussion);  Raul de Souza (trombone);  Paulo Roberto de Oliveira (flugel);  Danilo Caymmi and Paulo Jobim (flute);  Marcio Mallard and Diana Lacerda (cellos)

Salena Sings Jobim With The Jobim's

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Fred Hersch - Passion Flower

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:42
Size: 143,8 MB
Art: Front

(2:54)  1. Lotus Blossom
(5:21)  2. Day Dream
(7:14)  3. U.M.M.G. (Upper Manhattan Medi
(5:28)  4. Pretty Girl (The Star-Crossed
(5:02)  5. Rain Check
(7:55)  6. Something to Live For
(5:43)  7. Lament for an Orchid (Absinthe
(5:11)  8. Elf (Isfahan)
(5:10)  9. Ballad for Very Tired and Very
(3:16) 10. Tonk
(5:56) 11. Passion Flower
(3:28) 12. Lush Life

A few years ago, I went down to the Village Vanguard to check out pianist Fred Hersch. Sitting next to me in the crowded club was one of today's most popular jazz singers - also a pianist. After the first set, said jazz celeb commented that Hersch was in a different league and that she really needed to take some lessons from him. What strikes us all in Hersch's playing is his perfect blend of technique, style, and sensitivity. His version of Billy Strayhorn's "Daydream," from Hersch's 1996 Strayhorn-tribute album, Passion Flower, illustrates just how good a trio and string orchestra (arranged and orchestrated by Hersch and conducted by Eric Stern) can sound. A lot of players (and arrangers) could use lessons from Hersch. ~ Jazziz https://www.amazon.com/Passion-Flower-Fred-Hersch/dp/B000005J3W

Personnel: Fred Hersch (piano); Eric Stern (conductor); Andy Bey (vocals); Laura Seaton, Joyce Hamman, Sandra Park (violin); Lois Martin, Ruth Siegler, Alejandro Mohave (viola); Erik Friedlander, Richard Locker, Jesse Levy (cello); Nurit Tilles (piano); Drew Gress (bass); Tom Rainey (drums).

Passion Flower

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