Gene Bertoncini With Bill Charlap & Sean Smith - Gene Bertoncini

Styles: Guitar And Piano Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 77:59
Size: 180,2 MB
Art: Front

( 8:28)1. Japanese Maple
(9:39) 2. Medley; Lullaby Of The Leaves/Summer Night
(9:45) 3.Ellington,StrayhornMedley; Lush Life/Chelsea Bridge/In A Sentimental Mood
( 9:34)4. Dream Dancing
(10:10)5. You Can't Go Home
( 9:42)6. Emily
( 9:30)7. My Funny Valentine
(11:07)8. Medley; Sophisticated Lady/ All The Things You Are

The Floating Jazz Festival, organized by Chiaroscuro owner Hank O'Neal, has produced many outstanding live sessions, this trio date takes its place among the very best. Not satisfied with just tackling familiar standards, guitarist Gene Bertoncini's group opens with bassist Sean Smith's captivating ballad "Japanese Maple." The leader's classically flavored arrangement of "My Funny Valentine" is refreshing. Several tracks are devoted to long but well played medleys. Pianist Bill Charlap rounds out this outstanding trio, whose playing throughout seems to have mesmerized the audience into devoted silence, less they miss a moment of music. ~ Ken Dryden http://www.allmusic.com/album/gene-bertoncini-mw0000047219

Personnel:  Bill Charlap (piano), Gene Bertoncini (guitar), Sean Smith (bass).

Gene Bertoncini

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Nicole Zuraitis - All Wandering Hearts

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:51
Size: 100,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:40) 1. Make it flood
(4:55) 2. The way home
(4:08) 3. I would die 4 u
(4:58) 4. Overdrive mind
(3:11) 5. What a wonderful world
(5:25) 6. Gold
(4:03) 7. Sugar spun girl
(4:48) 8. Rock bottom
(3:14) 9. Lullabye
(4:26) 10. Send me on my way

Nivoli Zuraitis has a heart full of soul and a voice full of sunshine. She's got a mix of things on her mind with her fourth album, everyday themes and weighty matters alike, and yet they ultimately come out sounding exuberant in her hands. The fundamental optimism is one key asset of All Wandering Hearts, even if her variety of jazzy coffee-shop balladry is no less eloquent in the spots when things get more somber.

The too-spirited-for-AOR "Make It Flood" starts off with subtly buoyant optimism to balance out its depiction of life's trials, and the set's original pieces keep that bright spirit as they touch on themes of change, loss, family and modern-day burnout. It's dressed up with an instrumental backing somewhere between contemporary jazz and the livelier side of adult-contemporary singer-songwriter pop. Husband Dan Pugach keeps the rhythms light yet propulsive while Alex Busby Smith's sprightly electric bass stays in step; the small cast of other players is likewise just as subtly energetic as needed.

While a recurrent string backing gives a dash of grandeur to back up several pieces, usually staying on the right side of bombastic, Zuraitis keeps any vocal theatrics on the judicious side. Her delivery maintains an intimate tone that remains relatable throughout; here she's an actress as much as a singer, conveying emotional shades without quite emoting. The positivity comes out most in the sporadic covers here, from a rubato "What a Wonderful World," rich in its wistful simplicity, to the reinvented '90s alt-rock staple that soars to the finish on clever new jazzy chordings and sweeping guitar. If "Sugar Spun Girl" crosses the line into cutesy or "Rock Bottom" leans trite (though genuine), those moments are temporary enough not to derail things. Hearts still gives all kinds of weary hearts a refreshing lift.~ Geno Thackara https://www.allaboutjazz.com/all-wandering-hearts-nicole-zuraitis-dot-time-records

Personnel: Nicole Zuraitis: voice / vocals; Idan Morim: guitar; Dan Pugach: drums; Alex Busby Smith: bass; Carmen Staaf: piano; Thana Alexa: voice / vocals; Elise Testone: voice / vocals; Chase Potter: various.

All Wandering Hearts

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Michael Dease - Best Next Thing

Styles: Trombone Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:19
Size: 129,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:56) 1. Rainbow People
(4:42) 2. Parker's Brood
(4:47) 3. Tiktaalik
(4:06) 4. Doxy
(6:09) 5. Charly Jaye
(5:40) 6. Glory
(4:53) 7. One for Dease
(7:19) 8. With Love
(5:43) 9. Horse Trading
(6:00) 10. Lullaby for Rita

Michael Dease keeps the music moving forward toward the "Best Next Thing" on his ninth album for Posi-Tone. With clear purpose, Trombonist Michael Dease gathers together an assemblage of exceptional musicians to help him interactively explore the essence of the blues and reframe the abstract truths of jazz as the "Best Next Thing" for today's audience of listeners. Providing support in bringing this vision to fruition, the session features an all-star lineup of musicians including trumpeter Alex Sipiagin, alto saxophonist Rudresh Mahanthappa, pianist Renee Rosnes, bassist Boris Kozlov, and powerhouse drummer Rudy Royston.

As a band leader, Dease makes sure the entire session stays insightfully straight forward and refreshingly melodic throughout while he conducts his topnotch crew through a series of his new compositions and some inventive arrangements of selections crafted by Dease's musical mentors. With this latest release, Michael Dease not only confirms his status as a virtuoso soloist and one of the biggest stars in jazz today, but also demonstrates that he is clearly an artist for jazz fans to rely upon to bring them the "Next Best Thing" in jazz for years to come.https://posi-tone.com/bnthing/bnthing.html

Personnel: Michael Dease - trombone; Alex Sipiagin - trumpet; Rudresh Mahanthappa - alto sax; Renee Rosnes - piano; Boris Kozlov - bass; Rudy Royston - drums

Best Next Thing

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