Monday, June 6, 2022

Kristin Berardi - Just As You Are

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:53
Size: 142,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:48) 1. Yellow
(3:46) 2. Just As You Are
(7:21) 3. Better Day
(5:38) 4. Embraced I
(5:05) 5. Just Squeeze Me
(6:09) 6. Sara's Sea
(6:39) 7. Memories Of You
(4:27) 8. Ode To Oli
(5:43) 9. White Flag
(7:42) 10. Mr Jackson
(5:30) 11. Body And Soul - Live

If you are looking to play something that will bring a smile to your face then the search is over as this week’s featured album at the station is an album that is full of joy. On last week’s Album of the Week show we played a track featuring Kristin Berardi which was ‘Ode to Oli’, now this week it is time for Berardi to take centre stage as we focus on her latest release.

Originally from the country town of Koumala in North Queensland Berardi has well and truly established herself within the Jazz community of Australia and the world, known for her lovely voice she brings pleasure to the ears. Having toured Australia and Europe and played at numerous Jazz events and festivals such as the Montreux Jazz Festival where she supported Al Jarreau and George Benson, the Melbourne International Jazz Festival, the Sydney International Women’s Jazz Festival and many more. Picking up plenty of awards and nominations along the way Kristin’s career is only getting bigger and bigger which means her album collection is expanding as well.

Released on the 11th of March this year, however it was actually first recorded before her last album was released ‘Where or When’ which got her a nomination for a Jazz Bell Award. On the this album we get to her from Greg Coffin on piano, Carl Morgan on guitar, Brett Hirst on bass, Tim Firth on the drums and of course Kristin Berardi singing with her powerful voice. As we are brought on a journey from experiences that Berardi and friends have encountered in life there is happy tones but there is also some tones that come from times of heart ache.

Featuring original compositions by the band themselves there is also some nice covers added to the mix such as Duke Ellington’s ‘Just squeeze me’ a song that was first released back in 1941 Berardi really makes it her own, being able to transfer from high notes to low notes it really shines through in this one as it starts off nice and mellow like the original and then Berardi shows us her powerful voice as she rises throughout the track. Half way through we are greeted with a nice piano solo by Coffin which breaks it up nicely for Berardi to come back in and finish it off on an uplifting tone.

Another cover that is beautifully done, that is quite a daring one to do as so many of the greats have done it in the past such as Coleman Hawkins, Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday to name a few is the famous Jazz standard ‘Body and Soul’, here Berardi and her band do a wonderful job, on the album they use a live in concert version of the track and what a concert it must have been to attend as the passion gone into these words are as deep as they are meant to be and as smooth as only a great Jazz singer like Kristin Berardi herself could do.

An album that showcases the talent that is coming out of Australia and that proves that the young artists of today still love to cover the golden oldies and do an excellent job with them is this one right here. As Berardi’s career into the music industry is growing at a fast pace as she is currently touring the country with this album. Kristin also passes on her talents to the next generation of musicians as she was once a student at the Brisbane Conservatorium of Music she now teaches there and also travels around the country giving guest lectures. If you want a record to brighten up your day with stunning vocals and a talented band then get a hold of ‘Just as you are’ and give it a listen it is sure to put a smile on ones face. https://eastsidefm.org/album-week-just-kristin-berardi/

Personnel: Kristin Berardi- voice; Greg Coffin- piano; Carl Morgan -guitar; Brett Hirst – bass; Tim Firth -drums

Just As You Are

Eric Reed - Pure Imagination

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:55
Size: 128,7 MB
Art: Front

(2:01)  1. Overture
(6:34)  2. Maria
(5:16)  3. Hello, Young Lovers
(4:03)  4. Pure Imagination
(4:06)  5. 42nd Street
(4:53)  6. Send in the Clowns
(8:14)  7. My Man's Gone Now - Gone, Gone, Gone
(3:57)  8. Nice Work If You Can Get It
(2:18)  9. You'll Never Walk Alone
(5:04) 10. I Got Rhythm
(3:46) 11. Finale ('Last Trip')
(5:38) 12. Don't Cry for Me Argentina

Pure Imagination finds pianist Eric Reed offering fresh arrangements of traditional pop songs from classic Broadway and Hollywood productions. Supported by bassist Reginald Veal and drummer Gregory Hutchinson, Reed offers tasteful, inventive versions of such songs as "Maria," "Hello, Young Lovers," "42nd Street," "Send in the Clowns," "Nice Work If You Can Get It" and "I Got Rhythm." It's a clever, engaging record that only confirms that Reed is a singular pianist. ~ Leo Stanley http://www.allmusic.com/album/pure-imagination-mw0000033700

Personnel: Eric Reed (piano); Reginald Veal (bass); Gregory Hutchinson (drums).

Barbara Rosene & Vince Giordano - Deep Night

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:34
Size: 139,4 MB
Art: Front

(2:51)  1. Fit As a Fiddle
(3:01)  2. Keep Sweeping the Cobwebs Off the Moon
(3:30)  3. Deep Night
(3:16)  4. It All Depends on You
(3:14)  5. I Have to Have You
(3:23)  6. Blue, Turning Grey Over You
(2:44)  7. Me Minus You
(3:19)  8. Exactly Like You
(3:18)  9. Am I Blue?
(3:00) 10. Ain't That a Grand and Glorious Feeling?
(3:03) 11. You're the One I Care For
(2:47) 12. Twenty Million People
(2:50) 13. 'Deed I Do
(3:25) 14. Guilty
(2:40) 15. Cooking Breakfast for the One I Love
(3:03) 16. There's Something in the Air
(2:56) 17. I'm Nobody's Baby
(2:40) 18. Dancing with Tears in My Eyes
(3:00) 19. Lovable and Sweet
(2:26) 20. I'm in Training for You

New York/Cleveland vocalist Barbara Rosene has teamed up with Vince Giordano and the latest incarnation of the Nighthawks for a romp through 20 songs from the 1920s and 1930s. Some of these nuggets are familiar, others haven't been recorded for awhile. These Prohibition-era tunes were performed by Ruth Etting, Annette Hanshaw, Connee Boswell, and others, who laid down the foundations for popular-song singers to come. Even though some of the tracks retain that "old" sound, such as the title tune, "Deep Night," which has that Russian Tea Room violin of Andy Stein playing the interludes, they don't sound dated for nary a minute. Many of the old trappings are present. When Rosene sings the line about knockin' on wood on "Ain't That a Grand and Glorious Feeling?," there's Arnie Kinsella hitting the wood block. 

Among the selections Rosene picked for this session is "Cooking Breakfast for the One I Love," a tune made popular by Fanny Brice in the 1929 film Be Yourself. Rosene brings just the right vocal expression and emphasis to each tune with her very appealing vocalizing. She has a great feel for the offbeat syncopation inherent in music from this era, such as on "Exactly Like You," in which Rosene warbles with Rose Murphy in mind, while Conal Fowkes' music hall piano is plunking the melody right along with the singer, a rarity these days. These orchestrations are from the fine hand of Giordano. Rosene is fortunate to have the veteran trad jazz stylist on this her debut album. There are few who have devoted more time to transcribing, performing, and recording vintage jazz from the period covered by the album. The result? A fun, happy CD is the product of a fine vocalist and top-of-the-list musicians and is recommended.      
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/deep-night-vince-giordano/id449710088

Personnel: Barbara Rosene (vocals); Matt Munister, Jay Berliner (guitar); Vince Giordano (banjo, tuba); Andy Stein (violin); Dan Levinson (clarinet, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone); Jon-Erik Kellso (cornet); Brad Shigeta (trombone); Conal Fowkes (piano); Arnie Kinsella (drums, timpani).

Tia Brazda - When I Get Low

Styles: Vocal
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 30:58
Size: 72,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:29) 1. Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall
(4:15) 2. Lullaby of the Leaves
(3:38) 3. When I Get Low, I Get High
(3:02) 4. A Kiss to Build a Dream On
(2:46) 5. Smile
(3:21) 6. Easy Living
(3:06) 7. I Don't Want To Set The World on Fire
(3:26) 8. When The World Stops
(3:51) 9. I'll Be Seeing You

One of Canada’s most recognizable voices in jazz, TIA BRAZDA delves into the past with her new album WHEN I GET LOW. It’s officially out May 27th on Flatcar Records, with European and Canadian dates in support and finds Brazda rediscovering songs largely from the 1930s, in the Great American Songbook. Brazda’s band features Grammy and JUNO award winners and nominees. https://nowtoronto.com/events/concert-or-performance-tia-brazda-album-release-concert

Personnel: Vocals – Tia Brazda; Trumpet – Alexis Baro; Guitar – Mike Freedman; Piano – Anthony D’Alessandro; Bass – Chris Adriaanse; Drums – Max Senitt

When I Get Low