Tuesday, March 14, 2023

Shirley Jones & Jack Cassidy - Speaking of Love

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2021
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:10
Size: 89,1 MB
Art: Front

(2:45) 1. Vienna, City of My Dreams
(2:22) 2. I'll Follow My Secret Heart
(3:03) 3. Try to Forget
(2:30) 4. Sympathy
(3:15) 5. The Song Is You
(3:31) 6. Will You Remember
(4:08) 7. If You Could Only Come with Me / I'll See You Again
(2:58) 8. Lover, Come Back to Me
(2:46) 9. Wanting You
(2:53) 10. A Kiss in the Dark
(3:27) 11. You Are Love
(3:25) 12. Kiss Me Again

Shirley Jones, the young star of the Rodgers & Hammerstein movie musicals Oklahoma! and Carousel, married Jack Cassidy, the Broadway stage musical performer whose featured appearances included Wish You Were Here and Shangri-La, on August 5, 1956, and the following year the couple released this LP of songs from musicals and operettas that had played in New York and London between 1905 ("Kiss Me Again" from Victor Herbert's Mlle. Modiste) and 1934 ("I'll Follow My Secret Heart" from Noel Coward's Conversation Piece).

By 1957, such material, the work of composers like Rudolf Friml, Jerome Kern, and Sigmund Romberg, was out of date on stage and film, but Jones and Cassidy applied their trained voices Jones' pure soprano, Cassidy's soaring tenor to it with sincerity and fervor, and Percy Faith gave them an accompaniment to support their best efforts. They didn't quite bring back the age of the operetta, but they showed that it could have a contemporary meaning, especially in its romantic sentiments.

Cassidy soloed brilliantly on Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II's "The Song Is You" from Music in the Air, taking the title back from such pop craftsmen as Frank Sinatra, and Jones had her way with Herbert and B.G. DeSylva's "A Kiss in the Dark" from Orange Blossoms. But the rest of the tracks were duets, and the couple's real-life romance turned Kern and Hammerstein's "You Are Love" from Show Boat and Romberg and Hammerstein's "Lover, Come Back to Me!" from New Moon into impassioned musical statements. The interpretations bordered on classical music rather than pop, but they also brought new life to a virtually moribund form.By William Ruhlmann
https://www.allmusic.com/album/speaking-of-love-mw0001286744

Speaking of Love

Dave Brubeck Quartet - London Flat, London Sharp

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:25
Size: 134,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:29)  1. London Flat, London Sharp
(5:07)  2. To Sit And Dream
(7:30)  3. The Time Of Our Madness
(7:04)  4. Unisphere
(3:26)  5. Steps To Peace
(6:23)  6. Forty Days
(4:19)  7. Cassandra
(8:04)  8. Yes, We All Have Our Cross To Bear
(8:04)  9. Mr. Fats
(3:53) 10. Ballad Of The Rhine

Straight and fast. That's how the Dave Brubeck Quartet grabs you with the opening title song of London Flat, London Sharp. Surrounded by a supporting cast of Bobby Militello, Michael Moore, and Randy Jones, the pianist is at the top of his game on this new outing. Clocking in at just under an hour, with ten tracks ranging from the three-and-a- half-minute ballad "Steps to Peace to the strutting, eight-minute "Mr. Fats, the album covers plenty of ground and takes no detours. After the dazzling opener, the group settles into a laid-back swing on "To Sit and Dream. On both, Militello carries the main melody on alto sax while Brubeck stirs up some delightful piano solos, complemented by Jones on drums and Moore on double bass. Brubeck, now 84, needs little introduction, having been a mainstay on the jazz scene for more than half a century. One of his early quartets struck gold in 1960. Their album, Time Out, and its singles, "Take Five and "Blue Rondo a la Turk, were the first in modern jazz to go gold. While Brubeck is frontman, Militello is the star. He has appeared on some fifty-plus albums with a varied list of performers, including Charlie Shoemake, Chuck Mangione, Mark Colby, and the Manhattan Transfer's Cheryl Bentyne. In the 1970s, Militello spent five years with Maynard Ferguson's orchestra, playing baritone sax and serving up sensational flute solos on such show tune adaptations as "Maria (from 'West Side Story'), "Theme from Star Trek, and "Over the Rainbow, plus Eric Gale's "Swamp. Militello also has four solo albums, and he's recorded fourteen with Brubeck, including the new release. Some of the songs were featured on Brubeck's 40th Anniversary Tour of the UK, including "London Flat, London Sharp, so named because during part of that tour, the group stayed in London apartments (flats), which Brubeck said was sharp after previously complaining about their accommodations. "Steps to Peace, the only song on the new album to feature Militello on flute, was penned by Derrill Bodley on September 11, 2001. 

His daughter, Deora, was a passenger on Flight 93, which was hijacked and later crashed into rural Pennsylvania. The song, written later that day, was dedicated to Deora, the other passengers who died and The Sharing of a Just Peace, an organization Bodley has worked with in recent years. All other tracks are Brubeck originals, including such standouts as "Forty Days, which depict Jesus' period of solitude in the desert, and "The Time of Our Madness. "Yes, We All Have Our Cross to Bear is one of the few spots where bassist Moore gets to stretch out. Jones and Moore provide the backdrop for Brubeck and Militello's leads and improvisations. Though Jones doesn't have any extended solos, his presence is felt on all but "Ballad of the Rhine, a Brubeck solo. With upbeat grooves and eloquent ballads, London Flat, London Sharp is straight jazz with no gimmicks.By Woodrow Wilkins
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/london-flat-london-sharp-dave-brubeck-telarc-records-review-by-woodrow-wilkins.php

Personnel: Dave Brubeck, piano; Bobby Militello, alto sax and flute; Michael Moore, double bass; Randy Jones, drums

London Flat, London Sharp

Linda Keene - One More for the Road. The Dixie Songbird's Complete Recordings Disc1 and Disc 2

Album: One More for the Road.The Dixie Songbird's Complete Recordings Disc 1
Styles: Jazz
Year: 2022
Time: 63:57
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 149,5 MB
Art: Front

(2:25) 1. Blue And Disillusioned
(2:23) 2. Poor Butterfly
(3:11) 3. White Sails
(3:22) 4. Octoroon
(2:35) 5. The Sheik Of Araby
(3:58) 6. Tears From My Inkwell
(2:38) 7. Yankee Doodle
(3:02) 8. Especially For You
(2:48) 9. You're The Moment In My Life
(2:54) 10. At The Balalaika
(3:14) 11. The Straight Hour
(2:51) 12. As Long As I Live
(2:51) 13. Ac-dc Current
(2:59) 14. I Love You Too Much
(2:31) 15. Time Square Scuttle
(2:55) 16. One Cigarette For Two
(2:54) 17. For Whom The Bell Tolls
(2:24) 18. Number Ten Lullaby Lane
(2:54) 19. Strictly From Dixie
(2:59) 20. Embraceable You
(2:53) 21. Somebody Loves Me
(3:04) 22. Mound Bayou

Album: One More for the Road.The Dixie Songbird's Complete Recordings Disc 2
Styles: Jazz
Year: 2022
Time: 62:45
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 146,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:01) 1. Georgia On My Mind
(3:00) 2. Way Down Yonder In New Orleans
(2:50) 3. Shine
(2:54) 4. Someone To Watch Over Me
(2:52) 5. Ja-da
(2:48) 6. Frankie And Johnny
(2:59) 7. When My Sugar Walks Down The Street
(3:57) 8. Romance
(3:50) 9. Zero Hour
(4:09) 10. Joe-joe Jump
(4:07) 11. Unlucky Woman
(4:44) 12. Blues In The Storm
(3:54) 13. Don't Let It End
(2:50) 14. Gee Baby, Ain't I Good To You
(2:32) 15. I Don't Stand A Ghost Of A Chance With You
(2:53) 16. Blues On My Weary Mind
(2:36) 17. I Must Have That Man
(2:29) 18. Muddy Water
(4:10) 19. One For My Baby

"Just when you think you’ve heard every canary from the big band era like Helen Ward, Helen Forrest or Martha Tilton, Fresh Sound Records digs up the virtually unknown Linda Keene, who was the vocalist for bands including Jack Teagarden, Tony Pastor, Bobby Hackett and Lennie Hayton before teaming up with Henry Levine’s Strictly From Dixie Jazz Band.

As you can tell, for the most part Keene was associated with “traditional” sounding bands, aka “Chicago” or “New Orleans”, but, hey, this was the Big Band Era, so everything recorded had a swing feel to it. Keene has a tone in the warm school of Forrest and Tilton, easy on the ears for “Blue and Disillusioned” with Hackett (along with Pee Wee Russell/cl and Eddie Condon/g) and sounding comfy with Teagarden’s band on a fun “Yankee Doodle” and “Tears From My Inkwell”. Hayton’s Orchestra, including guitarist Dave Barbour, has Keene in uptown swing form on “At The Starlight Hour” and the Ellingtonian “I Love You Much Too Much”. In 1941 she fronts Tony Pastor’s band, sharing the vocals with Dorsey Anderson on cozy “For Whom The Bell Tolls.”

She spent a couple of years with Levine’s Dixie Jazz Band, giving an impressive read of “Georgia On My Mind” and sounding believable on “Someone to Watch Over Me”. A bluesy meeting with Joe Marsala’s Orchestra, which included Leonard Feather/p, Joe Thomas/tp and Chuck Wayne/g along with the clarinet leader, having Keene tap into her inner Peggy Lee on “Unlucky Woman” and “Blues in the Storm”.

Most fun and modern is her stint with trumpeter Charlie Shavers in a smaller unit, and Keene sounding delightful on “Gee Baby, Ain’t I Good To You” and a drenched “Blues On My Weary Mind”. A spartan early 50s session with guitar and piano has her in a rowdy mood for “Muddy Water” and out Sinatra-ing on “One For My Baby”. Included are all of the session notes, and a great 52-page booklet giving you some background on this lady. How did we miss this?" By George W. Harris (June 16, 2022)
https://www.jazzweekly.com

One More for the Road. The Dixie Songbird's Complete Recordings Disc1,Disc2

Mark Sherman - The L.A. Sessions

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:53
Size: 162.3 MB
Styles: Vibraphone jazz
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[5:39] 1. Woody N' You
[5:18] 2. Quasimodo
[5:47] 3. It Could Happen To You
[5:46] 4. Celia
[5:31] 5. Far Away
[5:43] 6. Whisper Not
[5:00] 7. Moment's Notice
[9:11] 8. Bag's Groove
[5:02] 9. Serpent's Tooth
[5:27] 10. Quasimodo (Bonus)
[5:31] 11. Woody 'n You (Bonus)
[6:51] 12. Celia (Bonus)

Vibraphonist Mark Sherman has had a longstanding desire to release an album featuring some of his favorite bebop and standard tunes. Now, in L.A. Sessions, this dream comes true, with happy results. These jazz gems from a half-century ago are played in the tradition, but Sherman and his cohorts lovingly add luster. Chief help comes from Bill Cunliffe, on Hammond B-3 organ (rather than his usual piano), and masterful guitarist John Chiodini, a favorite on the Southern California club scene.

Sherman has 30 years of recording, composing, and performing with top players and vocalists. Indicating his prowess, he topped Downbeat Magazine's Critics Poll in 2007, 2008 and 2009. Much influenced by Milt Jackson, his centerpiece here is an extended version of the great vibraphonist's classic "Bag's Groove." On this, he is laidback and mellow, embracing, midway, solid guitar, organ and drum solosBop's progenitors are well represented. Dizzy Gillespie's 1942 standby, "Woody N' You," is a pleasure, as is Bud Powell's "Celia," another game-changing genre piece with its unmistakable and groundbreaking rhythmic repetition and chord tones. The quartet excels on both.

Sherman travels forward in time with Miles Davis' "Serpent's Tooth," featuring Charles Ruggiero's torrential drums, helping to create a swirling vibes-guitar tempest. Along the way, John Coltrane's "Moment's Notice" brings a post bop feel to the proceedings, while Sherman's original, "Far Away," with its haunting atmosphere, brings to mind Thelonious Monk's "'Round Midnight" from the earlier era.

If asked what bop was like, this CD could be used as an aural illustration. Not as authentic as listening to a pioneer like Charlie Parker, perhaps, but these enthusiastic recreations do prevail. ~Larry Taylor

Mark Sherman: vibes; Bill Cunliffe: Hammond B3 organ; John Chiodini: guitar; Charles Ruggiero: drums.

The L.A. Sessions