Charles Sullivan - Kamau

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:29
Size: 139,2 MB
Art: Front

(11:07)  1. Carefree
(11:57)  2. Dreams Die Young In the Eyes of the Native Son
( 9:33)  3. Malcolm
(12:16)  4. Patrice
( 5:37)  5. Last Embrace
( 9:57)  6. Looking For Love

Charles Sullivan (who changed his name to Kamau Muata Adilifu in 1980) was quite active as a member of various Broadway show orchestras during 1981-95 but had only played jazz on an irregular basis during the interim, most notably with McCoy Tyner's big band. His first date as a leader since a Japanese record in 1974 features Adilifu playing his own originals. The frequently modal music is in some ways a throwback to the acoustic scene of the 1970s in that there are long melody statements and a liberal use of vamps. Adilifu's six originals generally develop slowly but are quite effective in setting moods and serving as viable vehicles for the solos of the trumpeter, tenor saxophonist Craig Handy and pianist Kenny Barron; bassist Rodney Whittaker and drummer Victor Lewis are active and alert in support. Everyone plays up-to-par, making Kamau Adilifu/Charles Sullivan's "comeback" record quite successful as creative jazz. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/kamau-mw0000186257

Personnel:  Charles Sullivan – trumpet; Craig Handy – tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone; Kenny Barron – piano; Rodney Whitaker – double bass; Victor Lewis – drums

Kamau

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Count Basie & His Orchestra - Basie's Beatle Bag

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:24
Size: 86,2 MB
Art: Front

(2:14)  1. Help
(3:20)  2. Can't Buy Me Love
(2:42)  3. Michelle
(3:19)  4. I Wanna Be Your Man
(2:58)  5. Do You Want To Know A Secret
(4:21)  6. A Hard Day's Night
(2:58)  7. All My Loving
(3:03)  8. Yesterday
(2:49)  9. And I Love Her
(2:43) 10. Hold Me Tight
(2:53) 11. She Loves You
(3:59) 12. Kansas City

Many recording artists covered The Beatles in the '60s; even their own producer, George Martin, released George Martin Instrumentally Salutes The Beatle Girls (One Way, 1966). Pianist/bandleader Count Basie recorded two albums of Beatles tunes in that decade: Basie's Beatles Bag (Verve, 1966) and Basie On The Beatles (Happy Tiger, 1969). Both discs contain vital versions of John Lennon/Paul McCartney classics, but Basie's Beatles Bag is rawer and more cohesive. Arranged by Chico O'Farrill, it selects some of the more rough and ready Beatles songs, back to "Hold Me Tight" and "I Wanna Be Your Man," from With The Beatles (EMI, 1963). Revealing much about the tunes themselves, the album is also a fun party album. The faster hits are there, such as "Help," "A Hard Day's Night" and "Can't Buy Me Love," but the arrangement of "Do You Want To Know A Secret" shows the pure swing era influence in its writing. With its beautiful Johnny Hodges-style saxophone solo, it is far superior to The Beatles' version. "Michelle," also, has the authentic Basie touch, his piano evoking his '30s-era band.

The strong R&B origins of "Hold Me Tight" are clear here, its great back beat making it one of the album's most fruitful recreations. O'Farrill throws elements of Nelson Riddle into "I Wanna Be Your Man" and "All My Loving," his gifted understanding of the music also giving saxophonist Charlie Fowlkes a baritone part on "And I Love Her" (a very imaginative touch). "All My Loving" shows, however, that guitarist Freddie Green was no match for George Harrison's soloing capabilities. Instrumentally daring, the grooving Basie's Beatles Bag casts new light on some classic songs, reveling in the rawer bluesy, swing and R&B roots of The Beatles' music. ~ AAJ Staff  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/basies-beatles-bag-count-basie-verve-music-group-review-by-aaj-staff.php

Personnel: Al Aarons: trumpet; Sonny Cohn: trumpet; Wallace Davenport: trumpet; Phil Guilbeau: trumpet; Henderson Chambers: trombone; Al Grey: trombone; Grover Mitchell: trombone; Bill Hughes: bass trombone; Marshall Royal: alto saxophone, clarinet; Bobby Plater alto saxophone, flute; Eddy Davis: tenor saxophone; Charlie Fowlkes: flute, baritone saxophone; Freddie Greene: guitar; Norman Keenan: bass; Sonny Payne: drums; Chico O'Farrill: arranger; Bill Henderson: vocal (8).

Basie's Beatle Bag

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Brasuka - A Vida Com Paixão

Styles: Post Bop
Year: 2021
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:28
Size: 107,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:47) 1. Samba Jiji
(3:07) 2. A Vida Com Paixão
(4:40) 3. Road to Hermeto
(5:25) 4. Marakandombe
(5:35) 5. Deusa Do Meu Carnval
(5:10) 6. Reina's Song
(5:50) 7. Praia Felix
(3:52) 8. La Higuera
(5:19) 9. Confundido
(3:39) 10. Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band

Brasuka first came together as a side project, led by keyboardist and vocalist Rosana Eckert and percussionist Ricardo Bozas , from out of a Sergio Mendes tribute band. You can still hear these roots in this full-length debut. But you can also hear where and how Brasuka's sound branches out into different styles and frameworks and yet retain the warm, inviting and bright sound of their original inspiration.

Eckert's lead vocal on the title track to A Vida Com Paixão ("A Life With Passion") glows with soft yet intense romance, so much like Janis Hansen's in the original Brasil '66 ("The Look of Love" is a great example), a description offered as both comparison and compliment. Piano and keyboard parts often seem to direct the music other instruments play, just like Mendes seemed to conduct Brasil '66 through his own keyboards. Brasuka's frantic raveup through "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" to close this show places the period at the end of all this 1960s afterglow.

"Road to Hermeto" documents the first tune Brasuka composed together. Eckert's voice floats and whispers like clouds of Flora Purim through a bright, jumping melody inspired by groundbreaking Brazilian composer Hermeto Pascoal, while chattering percussion and rhythmic piano keep everything moving in time. Composed and sung by keyboardist Denny Robinson , "La Higuera" extends another lovely musical invitation written in piano and flute to linger in a groove as sunny and warm as a summer day and culminates in a spirited singalong over thick, pulsating percussion. The title track bounces Portuguese vocals atop Caribbean reggae with clattering drums, and ventures through a pinwheeling electric guitar solo before winding up in another fun singalong.

But the opening "Samba Jiji" is the prototype for this set and the best place from which to start. It immediately showcases Eckert's vocal and Bozas' percussion, both steered by strong piano lines into a luscious musical ride as powerful yet smooth as a luxury vehicle. Its closing verses explode into a joyous vocal chorus shot through with saxophone improvisation, police whistles, and other party sounds. "This song best represents the band. It's based on the Partido Alto rhythm which is a different kind of samba that is modern and funky," Eckert explains. "It's danceable, and like many of our songs, has a big sing-along at the end."

"We're trying to create happy music. We want to tell stories and get people to dance. We want to bring people together."By Chris M. Slawecki https://www.allaboutjazz.com/a-vida-com-paixao-outside-in-music

Personnel: Rosana Eckert: keyboards; Tom Burchill: guitar, acoustic; Brian Warthen: bass; Jose Aponte: drums; Drew Zaremba: flute; Jeff Robbins: saxophone, tenor.

Additional Instrumentation: Ricardo Bozas: percussion; Denny Robinson: keyboards, vocals; Daniel Pardo: flute.

A Vida Com Paixão

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Joan Chamorro - Remembering Toni Belenguer

Styles: Mainstream Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:10
Size: 164,0 MB
Art: Front

(6:22) 1. I Can't Get Started
(9:55) 2. Densificación por Fuga
(7:20) 3. Darn That Dream
(4:01) 4. Close Your Eyes
(5:38) 5. Softly as in a Morning Sunrise
(4:09) 6. My Ideal
(5:11) 7. Motel
(6:02) 8. Polka Dots and Moonbeams
(4:05) 9. Angel Eyes
(6:22) 10. Samba Em Preludio
(5:06) 11. Love Your Spell is Everywhere
(5:03) 12. Riviera
(1:49) 13. Motel (Duet)

There are people who have a light of their own, who give off a special energy. People that each time you meet them, even after a long time, always invade you with a special feeling of joy.

People with whom the embrace is absolutely sincere. You know you can trust them. That they exude love. That their music reflects exactly what they are, how they breathe, how they feel, how they think. Toni Belenguer was one of those people, difficult to find and that, once you meet them, you want them to be close to you, because they are loved, because they bring positive energy, with their genius and their existential doubts, but above all for their generosity and love.

I met Toni Belenguer around 2005, when we started playing together in groups with double bass player David Mengual and drummer David Xirgu. We played a tribute to Gerry Mulligan. We played some gigs at the Jamboree and other venues. I remember that playing with Toni was a constant source of inspiration, both melodically and rhythmically. He never ceased to surprise you with his phrasing, with his ideas of overwhelming coherence. In 2008 I recorded an album called “Baritone Rhapsody”, where he played practically all the songs. That was my first recording with Toni.

After that came other collaborations, both in my personal projects and those related to the Sant Andreu Jazz Band. He participated in the JAZZINGS (that's how the SAJB CDs are called) 5 (2014), 6 vol2 (2015), 7 (2016) and 8 vol2 (2017). He also participated in other CDs of the collection "Joan Chamorro presenta": Rita Payés (2014), Marc Martín (2015), Joan Mar Sauqué (2016), Èlia Bastida (2017), Joan Codina (2017) and also in the album "Joan Chamorro Nonet & More Play Alfons Carrascosa's Arrangements"(2017). When in 2020 I received the sad news that Toni had left us, I thought of paying him a tribute, dedicating a concert to him in the framework of the Jazz Festival that I direct: the Jazzing Festival.

From the collaborations that Toni made with us in previous years came a great part of the repertoire that we would perform and that you can listen to in this CD. Themes that he had played with us and in which he left a sample of his art and originality. That was the reason why I invited Rita Payés (I can't get Started ), Èlia Bastida (My Ideal ), Andrea Motis (Samba em Preludio), Marc Martín (Softly as in a Morning Sunrise and Close your Eyes) and Joan Mar Sauqué (Motel and Polka Dots and Moonbeans).

I contacted Francisco "Blanco" Latino to see if we could do an original song and an arrangement by Toni and, from the proposals he made, we finally performed Densificación por Fuga (original) and Darn that Dream (arrangement). The other 3 themes of the CD are arrangements by Joan Monné in which the trombones have a special participation: Angel Eyes, Love Your Spell Is Everywhere and the original by J.J.Johnson, Riviera. For the concert I invited three important people in Toni's career: Perico Sambeat, Francisco "Blanco" Latino and Carlos Martín, three wonderful musicians who immediately accepted the invitation.

During the concert we read a text dedicated to Toni and we presented Sedajazz with a painting by Enric Bastida (Sedajazz is the project of Latino where Toni grew up, where he took his first steps in jazz music and where he has a classroom named after him). On one wall of that classroom is Toni's painting. The painting is the cover of this album! Thank you, Toni, for everything you offered us.

We will come back again and again to your music to remember and enjoy you. I hope you like, wherever you are, this tribute, and that you enjoy it as we did when we recorded it. Always in our hearts!!!!By Joan Chamorro
https://santandreujazzband.bandcamp.com/album/remembering-toni-beleng

Remembering Toni Belenguer

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