Monday, February 6, 2023

Annie Ross - Autumn Rain in The City: Songs for a Rainy Day

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2022
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:11
Size: 76,9 MB
Art: Front

(2:10) 1. Manhattan
(2:19) 2. I Love Paris
(2:41) 3. Gypsy In My Soul
(2:15) 4. The Lady's In Love With You
(2:26) 5. Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea
(2:22) 6. Don't Worry 'Bout Me
(2:26) 7. I've Told Every Little Star
(2:46) 8. 'T Ain't What You Do
(2:30) 9. Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone
(2:56) 10. Skylark
(3:22) 11. I Didn't Know About You
(4:52) 12. Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying

Annie Ross has been an abundant contributor to the art of jazz for over 50 years. Born in the UK, she has been a permanent resident of the USA for many years and a US citizen since 2001. The following are some highlights of what has been a long and illustrious career in jazz:

Annie Ross is one of the pioneers of vocalese and the composer of "Twisted", one of the most well known examples of that art, as well as "Farmers Market", "Jackie" and many others. A founding member of Lambert, Hendricks and Ross, considered the greatest jazz vocal ensemble of all time, her influence is present in all subsequent practitioners of vocalese. “Twisted“ has been recorded by a host of vocalists, including some not normally associated with jazz, including Joni Mitchell and Bette Midler.

Annie Ross toured in the 50’s with the extraordinary Lionel Hampton band that included Art Farmer, Clifford Brown, Gigi Gryce, and Quincy Jones. Ms. Ross has recorded with James Moody, Kenny Clarke, Milt Jackson, Harry Sweets Edison, the Count Basie band, Louis Armstrong, Gerry Mulligan, Art Farmer, Chet Baker and many more. In this variety of settings, she became known as a great jazz singer, masterful at ballads and up tempos, with the ability to swing hard, improvise and make every lyric meaningful and revealing.

As a child, Annie Ross entered a talent show on the radio accompanied by the Paul Whiteman Orchestra, which resulted an a six-month contract with MGM. She went to Hollywood at age eight where she appeared in "The Little Rascals" singing a jazz version of "Loch Lomond." At age eleven she appeared as Judy Garland’s sister in "Presenting Lily Mars." At age 14 she composed the song "Let's Fly", which was subsequently recorded by Johnny Mercer and Jo Stafford.

In Paris in the late 40’s, she met up with musicians involved in modern jazz, including James Moody, Kenny Clarke, Charlie Parker, Coleman Hawkins, Billy Strayhorn, and displayed an unerring ear and savvy sense of harmony, which was much appreciated. At 19, she recorded “Le Vent Vert” with Moody. Back in the U.S. at age 21 she recorded for Savoy, along with Clarke, Milt Jackson and Percy Heath. She worked on 52nd St. with Max Roach, Tommy Potter and George Wallington and subbed for Billie Holiday at the Apollo Theater. The original recordings of “Twisted” and “Farmer’s Market” were done in 1952 with Wallington on piano and Art Blakey on drums.

Annie Ross has continued to bring the essence of jazz to a broad spectrum of listeners internationally, by touring, through her recordings, conducting workshops, writing, and appearances in film, television and radio.

Currently, Annie Ross is living in New York and is still active as a jazz performer, having recently performed in New York, Scotland, and Spain as well as having recorded a new CD, Let Me Sing.https://www.allaboutjazz.com/musicians/annie-ross

R.I.P.

Born: July 25, 1930, Mitcham, United Kingdom

Died: July 21, 2020, New York, New York, United

Autumn Rain in The City: Songs for a Rainy Day

Richard Galliano - New Yörk Tango Trio

Styles: Accordion Jazz
Year: 2022
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:42
Size: 125,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:53) 1. Vuelvo Al Sur
(5:51) 2. New York Tango
(6:24) 3. Chiquilin De Bachin
(1:44) 4. Gnossienne N°3
(4:14) 5. Chat Pître
(2:23) 6. Chiens Perdus Sans Collier
(4:39) 7. Il Piccolo Circo
(7:39) 8. Waltz For Nicky
(5:33) 9. Tango Pour Claude
(6:50) 10. Milonga Del Angel
(3:27) 11. La Javanaise

Almost certainly, Richard Galliano is the best accordionist alive today. It’s not just a matter of technique. Anyone who can keep a grip on all those buttons and bellows is halfway to being a genius anyway. It’s the delicacy, the light and shade of the ever-changing sounds, the clarity. I find it enchanting. This album was recorded earlier this year at a festival in Cully, a resort on Lake Geneva. Five of the 11 pieces are Galliano compositions and, this being his Tango Band, three are by Astor Piazzolla, his exemplar in that idiom. When Galliano plays Piazzolla the similarity is quite striking.

A good example, the sweetly sad Chiquilin De Bachin, is a little masterpiece in this respect. It also reveals the double talents of Sébastien Giniaux, the trio’s superb guitarist, who plays an eloquent cello here. In contrast, the trio, including bassist Diego Imbert, presents seven-and-a-half minutes of sheer virtuosity with Galliano’s jazz-tinted Waltz for Nicky. The evening ends on a touchingly intimate note, the audience quietly joining in Serge Gainsbourg’s La Javanaise, with Galliano acting as their gentle accompanist.
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/oct/22/richard-galliano-new-york-tango-trio-cully-2022-swiss-radio-days-jazz-series-vol-47-review-an-enchanting-accordion-evening

New Yörk Tango Trio

Eric Alexander - The First Milestone

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:06
Size: 144,6 MB
Art: Front

(8:52)  1. Stand Pat
(7:06)  2. #34 Was Sweetness (for Walter Payton)
(7:36)  3. The First Milestone
(8:41)  4. The Towering Inferno
(8:55)  5. Night Song
(7:15)  6. Last Night When We Were Young
(7:56)  7. The Phineas Trane
(6:40)  8. I'm Glad There Was You

With the release of The First Milestone, Eric Alexander continues to make the transition from a young, hard-blowing tenor saxophonist to a mature soloist and leader of interesting small bands. Alexander is simply getting better at what he’s been doing quite well all along; that is, making high-energy music largely based on the spectrum of straight-ahead jazz of the 50s and 60s. Throughout the disc, his playing has its characteristic intensity, and his solos sound like complete statements rather than a fusion of disparate ideas. As always, Alexander has surrounded himself with bandmates (pianist Harold Mabern, guitarist Pat Martino, bassist Peter Washington, and drummer Joe Farnsworth) who push him to the limit and have something of their own to say. Alexander’s sheer joy in making music comes through loud and clear on several cuts, most notably the jaunty “Night Song,” and a funky version of “I’m Glad There Is You,” which is reminiscent of the sounds made during his tenure in the band of Hammond B3 organist Charles Earland. On both tunes, the liberties he takes on the melodies are as interesting as his improvised solos. 

“Last Night When We Were Young” gets a ballad treatment and doesn’t stray very far from that vein even when the tempo doubles in the middle of Alexander’s solo. “34 Was Sweetness,” a deliberate, virile stroll, is a fitting tribute to the late Walter Payton. The contrasting solo approaches of Martino and Mabern are important to the success of the disc. Although Martino appears on only four of the eight tracks, his impeccable single-note lines swing quietly but intensely. Mabern plays with an odd combination of abandon and delicacy, and even at its most restrained, his playing has a startling momentum.
By David A.Orthmann https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-first-milestone-eric-alexander-fantasy-jazz-review-by-david-a-orthmann.php

Personnel: Eric Alexander- tenor saxophone, Pat Martino- guitar, Peter Washington- bass, Joe Farnsworth- drums

The First Milestone

Joe Beck & Ali Ryerson - Alto

Styles: Guitar and Flute Jazz
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:21
Size: 121,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:41)  1. Ode To Billy Joe
(3:13)  2. 'Round Midnight
(3:09)  3. Joy Spring
(4:11)  4. Mother's Day
(2:51)  5. Willow Weep For Me
(4:32)  6. Waiting Is The Hardest Part
(3:44)  7. Summertime
(4:51)  8. Scarborough Fair / Norwegian Wood
(3:32)  9. Autumn Leaves
(3:52) 10. Cuidado
(4:13) 11. Song For My Father
(2:59) 12. What Would I Do Without You?
(3:30) 13. Billie's Bounce
(2:55) 14. We Will Meet Again

After an initial listen to this CD I knew full well that I would thoroughly enjoy it, mainly because I am somewhat partial to great jazz guitar work, and this CD certainly has plenty of it. Coincidentally, I have the same last name as one of the featured artists, Joe Beck (no family ties). My first reaction is that Joe's approach to guitar playing reminds me a lot of Tuck (from Tuck and Patty). The music has a similar feel for me, except that Ali Ryerson plays an alto flute for the majority of the leads, whereas Patty provides leads with her exceptional vocals. Joe and Ali have demonstrated a remarkable ability to seamlessly integrate the sounds of an electric guitar with those of an alto flute. Steve Davis rounds out most all of the selections with judicious applications of a variety of percussion that fit so well as to go un-noticed unless you're really listening for them. Joe is able to tune his guitar so that he supplies not only the rhythms and some leads, but the base lines at the same time! This is one CD that I seem to be able to listen to and enjoy, no matter what mood I am in. Definitely a keeper! http://www.jazzreview.com/cd-reviews/contemporary-jazz-cd-reviews/alto-by-joe-beck-ali-ryerson.html

Personnel:  Joe Beck (Guitar); Ali Ryerson (Alto flute); Steve Davis (Percussion).

Alto