Raul De Souza - Sweet Lucy

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 1978
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:31
Size: 95,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:27)  1. Sweet Lucy
(3:19)  2. Wires
(7:34)  3. Wild And Shy
(4:18)  4. At Will
(4:57)  5. Banana Tree
(6:17)  6. A Song Of Love
(4:25)  7. New Love
(5:09)  8. Bottom Heat

Raul De Souza is one of the mysteries of the jazz world. In the 1970s, it was obvious that the Brazilian trombonist had a lot going for him: a distinctive and appealing tone, major chops, versatility, and a lot of soul and warmth. So why did he mysteriously fade into such obscurity in the 1980s? In an ideal world, De Souza would have built a huge catalogue. But regrettably, his recording career was short-lived. Produced by George Duke, 1977's Sweet Lucy is the first of three albums that De Souza recorded for Capitol in the late '70s. Vocal-oriented funk jams like "Wires" and the title song (both written by Duke) are catchy, but the fusion and pop-jazz instrumentals are where De Souza really shines. When he stretches out on "Bottom Heat," "Wild and Shy," and other pieces that he composed himself, De Souza shows a great deal of potential as a soloist. The LP's weakest track is a performance of the Brazilian ballad "New Love (Cancão do Nosso Amor)," which finds De Souza attempting to sing. 

The song is gorgeous, but De Souza doesn't do it justice because, quite honestly, he can't sing calling his voice thin is being charitable. Besides, De Souza doesn't need to use his vocal chords to sing; he does plenty of "singing" with his trombone, and his command of that instrument makes Sweet Lucy an LP that is excellent more often than not. ~ Alex Henderson http://www.allmusic.com/album/sweet-lucy-mw0000869231

Personnel:  Trombone – Raul De Souza;   Backing Vocals – Deborah Thomas (tracks: 1, 2, 5), Lynn Davis (tracks: 1, 2, 5), Sybil Thomas (tracks: 1, 2, 5), Victoria Miles (tracks: 1, 2, 5);  Bass – Byron Miller, Embamba (tracks: 6, 7);  Drums – Leon Ndugu Chancler;  Guitar – Al McKay;  Keyboards – Dawilli Gonga (tracks: 1, 2, 6), Patrice Rushen;  Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Freddy Hubbard* (tracks: 2, 3, 8)

Sweet Lucy

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Carmen McRae - For Lady Day, Vol. 1

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 1983
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:15
Size: 117,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:32)  1. Intro
(2:34)  2. Miss Brown to you
(4:21)  3. Good morning heartache
(4:24)  4. I'm gonna lock my heart and throw away the key
(6:23)  5. Fine and mellow
(1:26)  6. Them there eyes
(6:18)  7. Lover man
(2:20)  8. I cried for you (now it's your turn to cry over me)
(6:42)  9. God bless the child
(2:57) 10. I hear music
(3:17) 11. I'm pulling through
(4:06) 12. Don't explain
(2:50) 13. What a little moonlight can do

Carmen McRae always considered Billie Holiday to be the most important influence not only on her singing but on her life. Six years before she recorded her monumental tributes to Thelonious Monk and Sarah Vaughan, McRae performed a Billie Holiday set at New York's Blue Note Club that was broadcast over the radio; on the first of two volumes, McRae, who talks movingly about Lady Day at the beginning of the set and accompanies herself on piano on "I'm Pulling Through," is heard in prime form, combining the power and range of her earlier years with the emotional depth and behind-the-beat phrasing of her last period. Accompanied by her rhythm section of the time (pianist Marshall Otwell, bassist John Leftwich, and drummer Donald Bailey) and occasionally the tenor of Zoot Sims, McRae really digs into the material, interpreting the songs in her own style but with a knowing nod toward Holiday. This wonderful set is far superior to most of the Billie Holiday tribute albums and reminds one how much Carmen McRae is missed.~Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/for-lady-day-mw0000123562

Personnel: Carmen McRae (vocals, piano), Zoot Sims (tenor saxophone), Marshall Otwell (piano), John Leftwich (bass), Donald Bailey (drums).

For Lady Day, vol. 1

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Ronnie Cuber - Live at JazzFest Berlin

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:15
Size: 145,0 MB
Art: Front

(12:31)  1. Tokyo Blues
( 6:11)  2. Coco B
( 9:28)  3. Things Never Were What They Used to Be
( 8:27)  4. Passion Frui
( 8:45)  5. Tell Me a Bedtime Story
( 8:18)  6. Perpetuating the Myth
( 9:31)  7. Arroz con Pollo

Baritone saxophonist Ronnie Cuber’s third release for SteepleChase predates his association with the label, and might be thought of as a happy accident. At the titular fest, in 2008, Cuber’s quartet-with pianist Kenny Drew Jr., electric bassist Ruben Rodriguez and drummer Ben Perowsky-played a two-set show that the four remembered as a highlight of their European tour. Unbeknownst to them, the concert was recorded for a radio broadcast, and Cuber subsequently opted to give the music an official release. He had good instincts: The seven tunes culled from the evening have Cuber and co. in fine form, with the saxophonist, underappreciated pianist Drew and the in-sync rhythm section excelling on blues, swing and Latin-oriented tunes, including four originals.

The band romps from the get-go with Horace Silver’s “Tokyo Blues,” its call-and-response head opening up into an extended solo for Cuber, who incorporates artful repetition, syncopation, overblowing effects and a Gershwin reference before turning it over to Drew. He proceeds to build a dizzying, masterful solo, and Rodriguez and Perowsky also shine on the 12 1/2-minute tune. The samba rhythms of Clare Fischer’s bright, catchy “Coco B” fuel sterling improvisations by Drew and Cuber. So, too, do the fertile Afro-Caribbean grooves of Cuber’s “Passion Fruit,” the title track from the saxophonist’s 1985 album, which opens up for a high-energy montuno section, and his “Arroz con Pollo,” bolstered by Rodriguez’s fleet-fingered workout. 

The quartet also takes on Herbie Hancock’s melancholy, slowly shifting “Tell Me a Bedtime Story” and two originals from Drew: the funk-edged “Things Never Were What They Used to Be,” a nod to the Mercer Ellington tune, and “Perpetuating the Myth,” a strolling, twisting, bluesy piece with a bari-and-piano unison melody that nods to Monk. Fat, gritty tone? Check. Agile, clever improvisations? Check. Cuber still has it. ~ Philip Booth https://jazztimes.com/reviews/albums/ronnie-cuber-live-at-jazzfest-berlin/

Personnel: Ronnie Cuber: baritone saxophone; Kenny Drew Jr.: piano; Rubén Rodríguez: bass; Ben Perowsky: drums.

Live at JazzFest Berlin

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Christian McBride/Edgar Meyer - But Who's Gonna Play the Melody?

Styles: Jazz Fusion
Year: 2024
Time: 66:15
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 152,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:56) 1. Green Slime
(4:43) 2. Barnyard Disturbance
(3:29) 3. Bebop, of Course
(5:15) 4. Bass Duo #1
(3:59) 5. Solar
(4:33) 6. Canon
(3:25) 7. Philly Slop
(1:55) 8. Interlude #1
(4:18) 9. FRB 2DB
(6:01) 10. Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered
(6:08) 11. Bass Duo #2
(5:05) 12. Lullaby for a Ladybug
(5:35) 13. Days of Wine and Roses
(1:45) 14. Interlude #2
(4:02) 15. Tennessee Blues

It is not known exactly how many duets of this nature have fallen into the lackluster bin of audio history. But rest assured that But Who's Gonna Play The Melody? is as far from that incalculable number as the moon is from the sun.

Emblematic of Christian McBride's whole groove credo, everything falls into place quickly, smoothly, and easily on But Who's Gonna Play The Melody?. On the bassist's gazillionth high spirited musical offering, McBride soul-teams with finger-snapping, bluegrass-bred, classical composer & bassist Edgar Meyer who has previously played with Joshua Bell, Bela Fleck, and Yo-Yo Ma for a most rousing revelry. Both virtuosos with a keen sense of humor, McBride and Meyer curate their heartland musical idiosyncrasies, resulting in some very sweet moments such as the hip swaying "Green Slime" and the see-sawing "Barnyard Disturbance," both mischievous Meyer originals.

McBride answers those compositional hijinks with "Bebop, Of Course" and, as the duo reels and rolls from that throbbing bounce-a-thon, they willingly engage in "Bass Duo #1," a complex yet informal and actively conversational Meyer invention. In the overall scheme of things, it comes as no surprise that the duo follow up with a romping take on Miles Davis's richly languid "Solar" (Miles Davis Quintet, Prestige, 1954.)

"Canon," with its chamber echoes and achingly emotive arching, catches the lift and frees itself with "Philly Slop," a noir jump-hop which the ever- agile duo jitterbug merrily through. On "FRB 2DB" Meyer thoroughly enjoys his time on the grittier side of the classical tracks and McBride is gleeful to be his bro-boy companion.

With McBride sidling over to the piano to provide delicate guardrails, an extremely wistful "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered," gracefully unravels as Meyer takes his bow to the tune and soars. "Bass Duo # 2" pops as elegantly and playfully as its predecessor, with the two masters slurring, walking, giving way. It is a six-minute lesson in the art of being human, ready to compromise for the better of all, here and now, ready to support, to huddle, to move forward towards a more perfect union. And that is what But Who's Gonna Play The Melody? is really all about.By Mike Jurkovic https://www.allaboutjazz.com/but-whos-gonna-play-the-melody-christian-mcbride-mack-avenue-records

Personnel: Christian McBride – acoustic bass (all tracks except 8, 12); piano (tracks 8, 12); Edgar Meyer – acoustic bass (all tracks except 10, 14); piano (tracks 10, 14)

But Who's Gonna Play the Melody?

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Viktoria Tolstoy - Stealing Moments

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2024
Time: 44:22
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 102,1 MB
Art: Front

(2:27) 1. A Love Song
(4:43) 2. Good and Proper End
(4:07) 3. Wherever You're Going
(4:23) 4. Hands Off
(4:34) 5. Summer Kind of Love
(4:32) 6. I Don't Wanna Lose You
(4:49) 7. License to Love
(3:51) 8. What Should I Do
(6:16) 9. Synchronicity
(4:35) 10. Stealing Moments

For me, the album that stands out and allowed me to discover the music of Viktoria Tolstoy was her beautiful album “Letters to Herbie“, released in 2011. Her previous album “Stations” from 2019 only added to Viktoria’s musical excellence over time.

With a beautiful vocal technique and a selection of tracks from musicians and singers well-known to those who listen to Bayou Blue Radio, including Nils Landgren, Iro Rantala, Esbjörn Svensson, Ida Sand, Lars Danielsson, Caeclie Norby, etc., Viktoria adeptly appropriates each track with great intelligence. It’s an album characterized by its gentle and remarkably interpreted style.

Talking about this album so long before its release might surprise you, but the reason is simple: we receive so many albums that it’s challenging to keep up with the latest releases. With this album set to be released on March 1st and February already filled with other releases, the only way for us to talk about it is now.

“When you sing, the sun rises,” as Pat Metheny once told Viktoria Tolstoy. The common thread across all the tracks on “Stealing Moments” is her powerful, crystal-clear voice, coupled with her temperament, where lightness and sparkling energy irresistibly coexist. Listeners will enjoy this music as much as she does, and she knows it. As she subtly reformulates the words of the album title into an implicit invitation: “Let me steal a little bit of time to listen.”

Surrounded by remarkable musicians: Joel Lyssarides on piano & keys, Krister Jonsson on guitar, Mattias Svensson on bass, Rasmus Kihlberg on drums & percussion, all skillfully highlighting Viktoria’s voice, make this album a very intimate experience. The finesse is not only in the voice but also in the musicians’ play. This album is so easy to listen to that one finds oneself almost frustrated at the end, wishing for two or three more tracks. So, you go back to the beginning and settle in even more comfortably.

What better way to celebrate the arrival of spring? Artists like Viktoria Tolstoy have contributed to the radiance of the ACT label, and we are delighted that she hasn’t fallen through the cracks like many other talented artists who have disappeared from the label over the years.

“Stealing Moments” is a very European album that will certainly be appreciated in the USA for its sincerity in its creative form. The editorial teams of Bayou Blue Radio and Paris-move have once again placed this beautiful album on the “must-have” pile. If you enjoy romantic and poetic albums, this one is for you! https://www.paris-move.com/reviews/viktoria-tolstoy-stealing-moments/

Stealing Moments

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