Lorez Alexandria - In A Different Bag

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1969
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:43
Size: 79,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:17) 1. Hey Jude
(3:24) 2. Confessin' The Blues
(2:01) 3. Deacon Jones Daughter
(3:20) 4. I Don't Want To Hear It Anymore
(3:21) 5. I'll Never Be Free
(3:00) 6. Just One More Chance
(3:40) 7. Trust In Me
(2:35) 8. Vibrations
(2:59) 9. I've Got A Right To Cry
(5:04) 10. My Way

Given the deep gospel roots that inform her pure, powerful vocals, Lorez Alexandria was always as much a soul singer as a jazz singer, regardless of where record stores racked her albums. In a Different Bag emphasizes and expands her pop possibilities, borrowing songs and sounds from the mainstream to create a richly nuanced session that's wonderfully accessible yet true to Alexandria's immense talents.

Produced by Pzazz owner Paul Gayten and arranged by Jack Scott, the album boasts an organic intimacy that underscores its R&B-inspired approach. Alexandria excels on unlikely covers like the Beatles' "Hey Jude" and Randy Newman's "I Don't Want to Hear It Anymore," wrapping this daring and unconventional album on a perfectly poetic note with a reading of "My Way." [Long out-of-print, In a Different Bag was finally reissued in 2001 alongside its 1968 predecessor Didn't We via the two-fer The 60's Pzazz Sessions.] By Jason Ankeny https://www.allmusic.com/album/in-a-different-bag-mw0001249470

In A Different Bag

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Nat King Cole - From The Capitol Vaults (Vol. 4)

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:50
Size: 87,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:01) 1. Little Child
(2:49) 2. You Will Never Grow Old
(2:27) 3. You Are My Sunshine
(3:09) 4. True Blue Lou
(2:50) 5. We Are Americans Too
(3:03) 6. This Holy Love
(2:54) 7. Peace Of Mind
(2:19) 8. Steady
(2:28) 9. The First Baseball Game
(2:47) 10. Goodnight, Little Leaguer
(2:53) 11. The Right Thing To Say
(2:04) 12. Nothing Goes Up (Without Coming Down)
(2:28) 13. More And More Of Your Amor
(2:31) 14. Wanderlust

Continuing Capitol/UMe's ongoing roll-out of rare tracks by Nat King Cole comes the highly anticipated From The Capitol Vaults (Vol. 4) out June 16, 2023, just in time for Father's Day and Juneteenth. This fourth digital-only collection features 14 timeless tracks, 12 of which are available for the first time on streaming platforms.

From The Capitol Vaults (Vol. 4) highlights Cole's velvety smooth voice that is perfectly suited to some of the greatest love songs ever written, capturing him at his most engaging. From the dramatic and lilting "Little Child" (1951) to the charming romantic waltz of "You Will Never Grow Old" (1952), to the whimsical "The First Baseball Game" (1961), the fourth volume of From the Capitol Vaults shows a playful side of Cole's music. The bossa nova and samba of "More and More of Your Amor" (1964) perfectly captures the steamy tropical vibes as we enter the dog days of summer. His jazzy take on "You Are My Sunshine" puts a big band spin on the 1940 American standard by Jimmie Davis and Charles Mitchell.

His focus on harmony in music and in life allowed him to effortlessly inject a poignant and important Civil Rights message in the track "We Are Americans Too" (1956), featured on this compilation. Echoing the sentiments celebrated by the Juneteenth holiday toward emancipation, he conveys the well-documented struggle for equality in the eyes of his fellow Americans ("By the pick and the plow and the sweat of our brow / We are Americans too / We have given up our blood and bone / Helped to lay the Nation's cornerstone").

While he is best known as an iconic vocal legend, Nat King Cole is also remembered as being a loving father to his five children. His daughter Casey Cole told People.com in 2021, "We are so proud that our father touched the soul with his voice and was a quiet leader in the arts. He believed that he could bring harmony among people with his music. We want to continue that dream in a time when we really need it."

Cole's effervescent swing and moonlit balladry propelled him to the forefront of the most iconic performers ever to emerge from the jazz/pop sphere. An icon from the bygone Swing Era and Jazz Age, this volume is a great way to revisit and enjoy the Cole tracks that permeate our culture. But when it comes to American geniuses like him, digging a little deeper now and again is always an excellent idea.https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/capitolume-releases-from-the-capitol-vaults-vol-4-by-nat-king-cole-digitally-today-301852790.html

From The Capitol Vaults (Vol. 4)

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Papik Present: Sea Breeze - West Coast Rendez Vous

Styles: Smooth Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:02
Size: 138,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:19) 1. Chains Of Our Love
(3:51) 2. How Long
(4:08) 3. A Blur In A Morning Dew
(4:08) 4. I Shouldn't Say
(4:54) 5. Biggest Part Of Me
(3:50) 6. Bottom Line
(3:42) 7. I'm Counting On You
(4:36) 8. Movin' On
(3:26) 9. The Many Things I've Lost Along The Way
(3:52) 10. Wait Another Day
(4:03) 11. Never Too Late
(4:21) 12. Right Or Wrong
(3:34) 13. Walking By My Side
(4:31) 14. Miss Sun
(3:41) 15. My Favourite Song (Feat. Kenneth Bailey)

The Roman musician, composer, arranger and producer Nerio “Papik” Poggi is featured here regularly, and is one of my favourites.

I was therefore very excited when I saw that he had realized a new project, and that is this Sea Breeze. The “yacht rock” from the west coast of the USA is central to this.

Papik helped write most of the songs, and also recorded some covers. The opener 'Chains of our Love' was sung by Filippo Perbellini, and immediately sets the tone for this beautiful album, which was released by the Italian label Irma Records Group.

The relaxed atmosphere creates a real holiday feeling. This is followed by the well-known cover 'How Long' by Paul Carrack, now sung by Lo Van Gorp. The ballad 'A Blur in a Morning Dew' has vocals from Dario Daneluz, after which the relaxed mid-tempo of 'I Shouldn't Stay' was sung by Alan Scaffardi. ‘Biggest Part of Me’ is a song written by David Pack when he was a member of the band Ambrosia. Mario Rosini sang it.

This is followed by the original track 'Bottom Line', again with vocals by Lo Van Gorp. The ballad 'I'm Counting on You' is the next track with vocals by Dario Daneluz and sax by Carlo Maria Micheli. 'Movin' on' sounds a bit more funky, with vocals by Filippo Perbellini, followed by the ballad 'The Many Things I've Lost along the Way', which was sung by Alessandro Pitoni.

'Wait Another Day' is another relaxed track, with vocals by Lo Van Gorp. 'Never too Late' is a bit more mid-tempo with vocals by Dario Daneluz, after which 'Right or Wrong' was sung by Andrea “Satomi” Bertorelli. Alfredo Malabello then sings 'Walkin' by My Side', followed by the David Paich cover 'Miss Sun', which was recorded by both Boz Scaggs and Toto. Here David Florio takes care of the vocals. As a bonus track you will receive 'My Favorite Song' as a gift on this CD. Kenneth Bailey provides the vocals on this somewhat funky track.

Again a really cool CD, with relaxed West Coast music. If you like the music of Toto, Boz Scaggs, and smooth soul, this one is for you. Highly recommended!http://www.smooth-jazz.de/Patrick/Papik/WestCoastRendevous.htm

West Coast Rendez Vous

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Lin Rountree - The Message

Styles: Smooth Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:35
Size: 125,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:00) 1. Justified
(4:26) 2. Solid
(4:19) 3. It's You
(4:37) 4. A Little Closer
(3:36) 5. One You
(4:28) 6. To The Top
(6:05) 7. Can't
(7:12) 8. The Message
(3:51) 9. Nite Of Passion
(4:29) 10. Magic Hour
(3:57) 11. Back In The Day
(3:32) 12. Tree's Groove

We have to say that Lin Rountree‘s Fluid album was one of the best Smooth Jazz album in the past few years. Now he is back with a new one for 2023. It is called The Message, and you get 12 tracks with the trumpet as the lead instrument. Guests include Chris ‘Big Dog’ Davis, Ryan La Vallete, Algebra Blessett, Gary Johnson, and Greg Manning.

The set starts off with Justified. You will notice the New Jack Swing beat, which gives the track that extra bounce. This song is all about Rountree’s horns, the lead the hook and the change is horn heavy, and we are not mad at that!

Solid is up next. Ryan La Vallete if featured, and this is another groovy song with a funky beat. Rountree’s trumpet is bouncing off that beat, and La Vallete can really strum that guitar. This is a track that will put a smile on your face.

It’s You, in our opinion, is the best song that Lin has recorded. The change (the part right before the hook) and the hook arrangements are outstanding. The bass adds that extra layer of goodness, and you may have to play this twice to soak it all in.

We pick up the pace with A Little Closer. This is a Greg Manning produced track, and it is alright if you just want to get up and dance. Once again the trumpet arrangement is stellar, with some great ad libs toward the end.

Algebra Blessett is the featured vocalist on One You. Some people have been saying that R&B is dead. Actually, it is not, as it is living in the Smooth Jazz Genre. Tracks like this prove that point. If this was released as a single, it would chart on the R&B side.

To listen to the track To The Top is like being on a rollercoaster. There are several twists and turns here, and we are all about it. It starts out mellow, then on to a mid-tempo feel, with Ryan La Vallete adding some inspiring guitar play. After the song builds up a little, they break it all the way down. After that, they bring the energy, only to break it down again. They bring back the mid-tempo groove to close it out.

You know how artists like to add those interlude breaks between songs? Well, Can’t Wait is like a six minute interlude. That is until those guitar licks wake you up at the end.

The title track, The Message, is next. Gary Johnson is featured on guitar, and this is a slow jam that has a little bounce to it. Coming in at seven minutes, it gives the musicians time to do their thing. This track solidifies Rountree’s place as the top trumpet player on the scene right now.

Nite Of Passion is a Chris ‘Big Dog’ Davis production, and it has some interesting sounds throughout. Rountree is on point with the horn play, and the bassline really sets the tone as this track will be one of the standout pieces on the album.

It seems every Jazz album has at least one ‘jam session’ track, one where all of the musicians get to shine. Magic Hour is that track. Everything just comes together, leaving us with a versatile song that can be played at any occasion.

If you are ready for a little funk, then Back In The Day will do it for you. We are loving the horn arrangements, and do not sleep on the keys, as they are sort of in the background, but they really complete the song.

The album concludes with Tree’s Groove. This is a track has an R&B base, and it just shows of Rountree’s range as an artist. Something with a little different feel than the rest of the tracks on the album.

The Message is another winner for Lin Rountree. You can stream it in its entirety through your favorite service. https://simplyjazztalk.blog/review-the-message-by-lin-rountree/

The Message

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