Erin Bode - Your Song Volume 1

Styles: Vocal
File: MP3@128K/s
Time: 51:25
Size: 48,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:49) 1. Because Of You
(2:49) 2. Happy Together
(3:50) 3. The Moon Is Ours Tonight
(3:45) 4. Be Here Now
(3:29) 5. Slide
(3:38) 6. Save The Best For Last
(4:07) 7. I Knew
(2:32) 8. You Can Close Your Eyes
(4:36) 9. The Grey Lady
(2:48) 10. My Heart Is All I Have
(2:50) 11. In My Life
(4:51) 12. One Stone
(2:42) 13. Lullaby
(4:33) 14. You Just Can't Smile It Away

Erin Bode hails from the Twin Cities, where her parents emphasized music in daily life and encouraged her to join the church choir. Her music studies continued at the University Of Minnesota and at Webster University in St. Louis. Describing herself as a positive person, Erin collects happy moments and seeks to take all things in a positive direction. Bode has released eight albums, gently walking the line between traditional Jazz and more pop based compositions.

Erin Bode has brought an entirely new concept to the world of music: when a fan approached her and asked to her to record a song for his wife on their anniversary, a world of positive possibility opened up. Erin continued to connect with fans and not just record, but also compose specific songs. In a world of massive stages and distanced celebrity, Erin Bode has developed a new space, a form of intimacy between artist and listener that truly reflect and bolster the human spirit. The music is no longer pointed AT the listener, it is OF the listener. In this way it is folk music, but in an entirely new form that establishes and fosters a unique personal experience and bond.

The aptly titled album YourSong , due out on October 15, 2021, is a curated set of songs from this ongoing project. Chosen for musical content and storyline, the songs range from those composed with Viktor Krauss to arrangements of some well known covers. Erin was connected to Viktor through an idol and friend of hers, Suzanne Cox (The Cox Family). The two immediately bonded over Erin’s concept and the opportunity to record, arrange, and write together. YourSong is an experience, offering more than just a casual listen. Bode’s voice is crisp and clear, like flowing water, and the immediate response is an uplifting feeling, a sense of joy. With each track one envisions the other person in the room, the human that requested the creation of the song. In this way Erin’s unique project continues to foster connection, which is what music is truly about. https://erinbode.bandcamp.com/album/yoursong-volume-1

YourSong Volume 1

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Alyssa Allgood - What Tomorrow Brings

Styles: Vocal
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:38
Size: 123,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:01) 1. There Are Such Things
(3:21) 2. Enclosure
(6:53) 3. Should've Been
(4:23) 4. Memories
(4:00) 5. This Bitter Earth
(4:48) 6. Mad About the Boy
(4:18) 7. Time Found
(5:14) 8. Bridges
(3:45) 9. Try Your Wings
(4:48) 10. Light out of Darkness
(3:06) 11. For All We Know3
(4:55) 12. Passing Glance

In the chemistry lab, solvents are said to be punctilious when they have been completely purified through filtering, distillation, and chromatography. Punctilious ether, if a sound, could be compared to the perfectly polished tone generated from lead crystal when struck with a platinum spoon. This is the level of refinement heard in Alyssa Allgood's voice on What Tomorrow Brings. Allgood has been filtering and distilling her tone over three previous recordings: Lady BIrd (Self Produced, 2015); Out Of The Blue (Self Produced, 2016 ); and Exactly Like You (Cellar Live, 2018). Her tone, delivery, and performance have been honed to a fine and nuanced point. Vocally, Allgood is capable of impressive melodic expression and tautly muscular vocalese/scatting, often in the same song. Regarding the latter, Allgood shares her level of artistry with only Dorian Devins and Veronica Swift. Vocalese/scat is not for every vocalist, but for those with the knack, it offers that added level of artistry to be explored and mastered. And mastered it, Allgood has.

An additional facet in which Allgood has evolved is repertoire. Her project song choice and programming has always been from a road less taken. She chooses a song based on its creative potential for her and not the song's popularity or track record. On What Tomorrow Brings, Allgood presents the infrequently performed 1960 Dinah Washington ballad, "This Bitter Earth" (also recently featured by Veronica Swift on her album of the same title (Mack Avenue, 2021), giving the song a free and breezy interpretation properly framed by her guitar trio of guitarist Michael Allemana, bassist Dennis Carroll and drummer George Fludas. This particular format provides the singer with an improvisatory/support index well suited for her intentions. She extrapolates this approach to the remainder of this project.

Performance highlights include a punchy and fun "Mad About The Boy," and a breakneck scat break on "Time Around" that could cause whiplash, masterful and solidly swinging. Allgood continues to grow and evolve in a measured and thoughtful manner, taking well-calculated chances when the return is not necessarily guaranteed, but always pays off. It is satisfying to hear this talent bloom and take command, Allgood assuming her proper place as one of the finest jazz vocalists today.~ C.Michael Bailey https://www.allaboutjazz.com/what-tomorrow-brings-alyssa-allgood-cellar-records

Personnel: Alyssa Allgood: voice / vocals; Mike Allemana: guitar; Dennis Carroll: bass; George Fludas: drums.

What Tomorrow Brings

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Art Hodes - Sweet Lorraine

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 24:57
Size: 57.1 MB
Styles: Jazz-blues piano
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[2:59] 1. Caravan
[3:06] 2. Rose Room
[3:51] 3. C Jam Blues
[3:41] 4. Blues
[3:39] 5. Perdido
[3:27] 6. Sweet Lorraine
[2:36] 7. High Society
[1:35] 8. When It Is Sleepy Time Down South

Throughout his long career, Art Hodes was a fighter for traditional jazz, whether through his distinctive piano playing, his writings (which included many articles and liner notes), or his work on radio and educational television. Renowned for the feeling he put into blues, Hodes was particularly effective on up-tempo tunes, where his on-the-beat chordings from his left hand could be quite exciting. Born in Russia, he came to America with his family when he was six months old and grew up in Chicago. Hodes had the opportunity to witness Chicago jazz during its prime years in the 1920s, and he learned from other pianists. In 1928, he made his recording debut with Wingy Manone, but spent most of the 1930s in obscurity in Chicago until he moved to New York in 1938. He played with Joe Marsala and Mezz Mezzrow before forming his own band in 1941. Hodes recorded for Solo Art, his Jazz Record label, Signature, Decca, and Black & White during 1939-1942, but he made more of an impression with his heated Dixieland recordings for Blue Note during 1944-1945 (all of which have been reissued on a Mosaic box set). During 1943-1947, Hodes edited the important magazine the Jazz Record, had a radio show, and became involved in the moldy fig versus bebop wars with Leonard Feather and Barry Ulanov; jazz on a whole lost to the latter. In 1950, he returned to Chicago, where he remained active locally and made occasional records. Hodes hosted a television series, Jazz Alley, for a time in the 1960s, wrote for Downbeat, and was a jazz educator. Art Hodes recorded frequently during the 1970s and '80s, and was widely recognized as one of the last survivors of Chicago jazz. His later recordings were for such labels as Audiophile, Jazzology, Delmark, Storyville, Euphonic, Muse, Parkwood, Candid, and Music & Arts. ~bio by Scott Yanow

Sweet Lorraine

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Ralph Bowen - Dedicated

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:24
Size: 97,6 MB
Art: Front

(6:38)  1. Canary Drums
(5:35)  2. Pat
(7:00)  3. Qaiyam
(9:47)  4. Mr. Bebop
(9:22)  5. Prof.
(4:00)  6. E.R.

Tenor saxophonist Ralph Bowen's Dedicated is a project that was nurtured and produced by Posi-tone Records' founder Marc Free, who felt that Bowen was under-appreciated by the jazz public at large. Bowen has influenced hundreds of players through his teaching position at Rutgers, and many top jazz players know how skilled he is. Having heard him live several times, Free has long admired Bowen's sound and technical ability on his horn, and wanted people to really hear how good he was. This goal was accomplished by starting with the concept of basing the supporting ensemble around guitar, since Bowen's previous recordings were often accompanied by organ or piano. Free and Bowen discussed several names before agreeing that Adam Rogers would be a good choice, due in part to the excellent working relationship Bowen already had with Free, the musical trust they shared, and Rogers' ability to mix subtlety and intuition into an ensemble. The logical next step was to bring in John Patitucci (bass) and Antonio Sanchez (drums), since they had already played together with Rogers hundreds of times, both with Rogers as leader, and in other groups such as Chris Potter Underground. The musicians rehearsed together for 2 weeks in the making of this recording, and it was mixed for another 2 weeks, which is rare in the world of all-star jazz recordings. The well-matched timbre of the group's sound reveals that the time and care put into this project paid off. Bowen has a mastery of his instrument not unlike Michael Brecker, cites John Coltrane as his main influence, but plays with more nuance and reserve than either. He travels through the music and chooses to become part of the fiber of the group-sound, except on "E.R.," which is a solo piece that let's him weave his own song, from long drawn out tones to 32nd-note runs, syncopated triplets and reflection. That's why the choice of sidemen on this recording is so important. 

The slightly reserved modern cool that each player is able to bring to the studio matches up with Bowen's playing style, and Posi-Tone's Free as producer and engineer Nick O'Toole serve as kind of sixth and seventh men on this project. Sanchez, for example, has demonstrated in his career with the Pat Metheny Group and on his solo work as well that he can play with subtlety, and make it exciting at the same time. It's not Elvin Jones-type crash and bang drumming; Sanchez often uses a light touch and many soft to medium cymbal strokes to bring out a more reflective artistic sound, but he enhances his playing by finding varied ways to communicate. Rogers' tone on guitar is also something that blends into the collective sound. His reserved style is modern, and full of potential sparks, leaving listeners keen to hear where he will go next. But he supports the songs, and is able to soar into several important solos that would only work if they were on par with Bowen's tenor sax riffs, and they very much are. John Patitucci is able fully to support the band by playing with a style that could be described as dark, full and round. He's like a prominent tree trunk that allows the rest of the players to branch out and ascend. Sean Jones adds trumpet to the mix on "Mr. Bebop," playing counterpoint through the head, and taking off on a solo midway through, introducing a new sound to the ensemble at just the right time. Dedicated consists of just six songs with a total recorded time of 42 minutes, a throwback to the days of Blue Note discs that tended to run short, but made up for it with quality. Each tune is dedicated to one of Bowen's mentors (Keith Blackley, Pat La Barbera, Jim Blackley, David Baker, William Fielder, and Eugene Rousseau). "The recent passing of a close friend and mentor left me with the distinct awareness of my personal need to acknowledge several of my contemporaries for their support and influence on my own musical development. Dedicated is a musical message of gratitude to my mentors for their time, patience, wisdom, knowledge and friendship." (Ralph Bowen). "One way or another we all have to find what best fosters the flowering of our humanity in this contemporary life and dedicate ourselves to that." (Joseph Campbell) ~ Blaine Fallis https://www.allaboutjazz.com/ralph-bowen-dedicated-by-blaine-fallis.php

Personnel: Ralph Bowen: tenor saxophone; Sean Jones: trumpet; Adam Rogers: guitar; John Patitucci: bass; Antonio Sanchez: drums.

Dedicated

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Carmell Jones - Jay Hawk Talk

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:11
Size: 87.4 MB
Styles: Bop, Trumpet jazz
Year: 1965/2000
Art: Front

[5:50] 1. Jay Hawk Talk
[4:56] 2. Willow Weep For Me
[8:56] 3. What Is This Thing Called Love
[5:32] 4. Just In Time
[6:17] 5. Beepdurple
[6:37] 6. Dance Of The Night Child

Bass – George Tucker; Drums – Roger Humphries; Piano – Barry Harris; Tenor Saxophone – Jimmy Heath; Trumpet – Carmell Jones. Recorded May 8, 1965.

Hard bopper Carmell Jones is in fine form on this 1965 outing, Jay Hawk Talk. Together with tenor Jimmy Heath, pianist Barry Harris, bassist George Tucker, and drummer Roger Humphries, Jones confidently tackles a half-dozen tunes. From the piano/bass riff at the beginning of "Jay Hawk Talk" to the Parker-esque kickoff of "Beepdurple," the band holds a steady, driving groove. Both of those instrumentals, plus "Dance of the Night Child," were written by Jones and stand comfortably beside the other selections on this album. Tucker kicks off a particularly affecting version of "Willow Weep for Me," with a simple descending bass run. Jones enters with a full and rich tone for a beautiful, extended solo, and is followed by Harris, who emphasizes the bluesy, late-night feel of the piece. The band turns in a nine-minute version of Porter's "What Is This Thing Called Love?" that pulls out all the stops, and gives Heath plenty of room to show that he can fly as high and play as fast as Charlie Parker himself. Throughout the album, Tucker's bass work adds greatly to the overall texture; Tucker and Humphries together provide a steady pulse with lots of charged rhythm to keep the whole project stimulating. Jay Hawk Talk will remind everyone of Jones' distinctive voice. Like Johnny Griffin, Jones moved to Europe in the '60s, greatly lowering his profile in the United States. This re-release of an old classic should help to familiarize everyone once again with a great trumpeter. ~Ronnie D. Lankford Jr.

Jay Hawk Talk

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