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Nellie McKay - Normal As Blueberry Pie: A Tribute To Doris Day

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:54
Size: 101,2 MB
Art: Front

(2:10) 1. The Very Thought Of You
(3:13) 2. Do Do Do
(3:11) 3. Wonderful Guy
(4:01) 4. Meditation
(2:42) 5. Mean to Me
(2:54) 6. Crazy Rhythm
(2:47) 7. Sentimental Journey
(3:48) 8. If I Ever Had a Dream
(4:02) 9. Black Hills Of Dakota
(2:52) 10. Dig It
(3:21) 11. Send Me No Flowers
(4:23) 12. Close Your Eyes
(4:24) 13. I Remember You

If vocal fans were forced to predict the honoree for a Nellie McKay tribute album, most would have gone far down the list before eventually happening upon the winner, Doris Day. (Granted, McKay had penned her praise of Day two years earlier in an article for the New York Times Review of Books.) But even though her lyrics and attitude are another story (or another era), McKay has a pure but nuanced voice that was always a good match for Day's, and her concern for animal rights is even closer (just check the liner notes for evidence). It's clear to see also that she truly honors her subject; she arranged and selected nearly all of the songs on the album, and even plays all the instruments on the opener, "The Very Thought of You" (that would be vocals, piano, organ, and bells). The selection choices shy away from Day's hits; only "Sentimental Journey" appears from a list of Doris Day's biggest, while "Secret Love," "Day by Day," "Come to Baby, Do," and "Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)" are left behind. Many of the songs play up Doris Day the coquette, with "Do Do Do" and "Mean to Me" coming across just as sweet as the originals (actually, sweeter).

The arrangements are strictly small-group, which is slightly surprising granted that the originals were either big-band swingers or highly orchestrated pop, but McKay shines here too, posing most of the charts halfway between cabaret and Broadway. Actually, when the professionals Bob Holderbaum and Bob Dorough reveal their orchestrations, the charts are a little too Broadway, a little too bland compared to McKay's although "Wonderful Guy" is rescued by the most subtle vocal of McKay's career and wonderful accompaniment from Charles Pillow (channeling John Coltrane) on tenor sax. Fans of her subject may doubt her sincerity when, on "Crazy Rhythm," she revels in a series of corny asides "Absolutely pip!" and "That's jazz!" while Cenovia Cummins takes a hot violin solo. So, the question becomes: Does she revere all the lyrics she sings, as must any artist born past 1950? Of course not, but neither did Day herself. The long tradition of stagecraft (as well as songcraft) honors the fact that a performer can inhabit any character she wishes. The success of the project obviously hinges on McKay herself, and she brings it off thanks to one of the most affecting voices in modern music, a bewitching way of humanizing her songs, and her ability to echo Day's sincerity and joi de vivre (even if it is a performance). ~ John Bush https://www.allmusic.com/album/normal-as-blueberry-pie-a-tribute-to-doris-day-mw0000829710

Normal As Blueberry Pie: A Tribute To Doris Day

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Manhattan Jazz Quintet - Face to Face

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1989
File: MP3@320K/s
v Time: 65:41
Size: 150,5 MB
Art: Front

( 8:36) 1. Face to Face
( 9:59) 2. Take Five
( 8:01) 3. Work Song
(15:26) 4. Summertime
(17:26) 5. Moanin'
( 6:11) 6. Rosario

The Manhattan Jazz Quintet are an unusual group in that they very rarely perform as a unit in the United States (much less Manhattan) but have been a major hit in Japan, both for their recordings and occasional tours. Originally comprised of leader/pianist David Matthews, trumpeter Lew Soloff, tenor saxophonist George Young, bassist Eddie Gomez, and drummer Steve Gadd, the band (which emphasizes straight-ahead hard bop swinging) first came together in 1983 at the suggestion of the King label and the top Japanese jazz magazine Swing Journal. To everyone's surprise, its first recording (simply called Manhattan Jazz Quintet) became such a big seller that it was awarded Swing Journal's annual 1984 Gold Disk Award as the number one album in Japan. Several years later the group broke up when Gomez and Gadd needed more time to pursue their individual projects and all of the quintet members later became quite successful in their own careers but this edition of the MJQ recorded reunions in 1990 (which found John Scofield guesting on a few selections) and in 1993. Victor Lewis replaced Gadd that year, and subsequently Young was replaced by Andy Snitzer and Gomez by Charnett Moffett. The Manhattan Jazz Quintet recorded primarily for King in Japan (those dates were mostly made available in the U.S. by Projazz) during the 1980s, although they cut some later recordings among the comparative very few that actually took place in Manhattan! for the Sweet Basil label. During the new millennium the Manhattan Jazz Quintet have recorded regularly for Video Arts. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/manhattan-jazz-quintet-mn0000674690/biography

Personnel: Piano - David Matthew; Bass – John Patitucci ; Drums – Dave Weckl ; Piano; Saxophone – George Young ; Trumpet – Lew Soloff

Face to Face

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Bob Scobey's Frisco Jazz Band - Swingin' On The Golden Gate

Styles: Trumpet Jazz, Swing
Year: 1957
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:31
Size: 89,3 MB
Art: Front

(2:48) 1. Sunny Disposish
(3:11) 2. Carolina In The Morning
(3:48) 3. Feet Draggin' Blues
(2:22) 4. It Happened In Sun valley
(4:07) 5. I Can't Get Started With You
(3:19) 6. Come Back Sweet Papa
(2:48) 7. Wabash Cannonball
(2:48) 8. New Orleans
(3:15) 9. Ain't-Cha Glad?
(3:19) 10. Let's Dance The Ragtime, Darlin'
(4:24) 11. Snag It
(2:18) 12. Waiting For The Robert E. Lee

Trumpeter Bob Scobey used an expanded version of his Frisco Jazz Band for this fine effort, last available as a now out-of-print LP. Matty Matlock's arrangements for the six horns (including three trombones), four-piece rhythm section and banjoist Clancy Hayes (who takes five vocals) are colorful and swinging. Some of the song choices are a bit off the wall (including "It Happened In Sun Valley," "Wabash Cannonball" and the recent "Let's Dance The Ragtime Darlin'"), but this brand of Dixieland avoids corn in favor of sincere swinging. In addition to Scobey (who is in fine form), the supporting cast has such strong players as trumpeter Dick Cathcart, clarinetist Matlock and pianist Ralph Sutton. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/swingin-on-the-golden-gate-mw0000896219

Personnel: Bob Scobey - leader, trumpet; Clancy Hayes - banjo, guitar, vocals; Matty Matlock - clarinet, arranger; Abe Lincoln - trombone; Warren Smith - trombone; Jack Buck - trombone; Ralph Sutton - piano; Bob Short - tuba; Sammy Goldstein - drums.

Swingin' On The Golden Gate

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