Tuesday, May 28, 2024

Lisa Fox - Imagine

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2019
Time: 55:01
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 128,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:10) 1. Imagine
(3:14) 2. Route 66
(4:04) 3. Georgia on my mind
(3:58) 4. Autumn leaves
(3:50) 5. Lullaby of birdland
(5:14) 6. Somewhere over the rainbow
(3:31) 7. They can't take that away from me
(4:38) 8. Bewitched, bothered & bewildered
(4:09) 9. Girl from Ipanema
(6:10) 10. Summertime
(4:44) 11. Bye bye blackbird
(6:14) 12. Hallelujah

A spirited singer who covers the Jazz, classical, gospel, and folk genres with aplomb, Lisa Fox currently heads up the Lisa Fox Group based in Seattle.

Having studied classical music at Saint Mary’s College, Lisa then learned gospel from Cora Jackson, Jazz with Jay Clayton at Cornish College of the Arts and later she studied with internationally acclaimed jazz vocalist Greta Matassa. Lisa sang with the Shades of Praise Gospel Choir for many years, toured with them in China, as well as recorded three CDs with the group.

Over the years, Lisa has been under the tutelage of 10 vocal coaches who have each encouraged her to sing from the heart and to form her own style.

Her earliest memory was of singing in the back seat of her parents Plymouth into her pretend microphone, and seeing her parents looking at each other and smiling. It was from that experience with her first attentive audience that she knew she wanted to sing.

“When I perform, I lose myself in the experience. I love that! It is a magical feeling. Singing makes me feel alive and it feeds the soul.”

And after one listen, you’ll feel the same way. Such is the magnanimity of Lisa Fox’s voice.

Over the past decade, Lisa has released three albums including “Watch What Happens”, “Winter Wonder” and most recently “Imagine”. Her talent has afforded the opportunity to perform in many well-known jazz venues in the Seattle area including The Jazz Club, Tula’s, Triple Door, Eagan’s Jazz Jam House, and North City Bistro. Lisa has performed in many other venues, private parties, festivals, conferences and fundraisers. Lisa is a proud supporter of Seattle Women in Jazz and Music 4 Life supporting free instruments for kids in need.
https://lisafoxgroup.com/bio

Imagine

George Robert Jazztet - Remember The Sound

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2008
Time: 54:18
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 124,3 MB
Art: Front

(8:47) 1. Burn
(7:29) 2. Silver Spheres
(9:25) 3. In Step, Out Ahead
(5:48) 4. Bumps
(7:53) 5. Into Thy Hands
(8:10) 6. Hudson Funkshon
(6:45) 7. Remember The Sound

Working with a tentet similar to mid-size bands he's led on his own projects, composer/arranger Jim McNeely has fashioned a musical tribute to the late Michael Brecker that manages to conjure up aspects of the late saxophonist's music and musical personality, without resorting to overt mimicry or pastiche. Led by alto saxophonist George Robert, with faculty from the jazz program he heads at Switzerland's Lausanne Conservatory, the Jazztet negotiates the harmonic and counterpoint-rich music with esprit and élan.

The music references various periods and stylistic aspects of Brecker's career, beginning with the aptly titled "Burn," a flag waver the composer says is inspired by Brecker's many up-up-tempo quartet numbers. But "Burn" is no quartet piece; it's a full-fledged orchestral number with a theme that burgeons into counterpoint and fugue-like contrasts before giving way to Robert Bonisolo's inspired tenor sax and guest Randy Brecker's fiery trumpet solos over restlessly churning horns. "Silver Spheres" recalls Michael Brecker's tenure with Horace Silver, in an undulating tune that could have come from the pianist's book.

High and low horns provide an ongoing ensemble counterpoint on "In Step, Out Ahead," a salute to Brecker's time in Steps Ahead, while the rocking backbeat groove of "Hudson Funkshon" recalls the Brecker Brothers years, complete with a distorted guitar solo and a saxophones/flute soli emulating the sound of the EWI (electronic wind instrument) that Brecker played in that band. Brecker's more spiritual side is remembered in the ballad "Into Thy Hands," featuring Robert's alto and a coda from Mathieu Schneider's flute, and the title tune, a gospel-influenced number with Bonisolo's tenor in the lead interacting with the horns as choir.By George Kanzler https://www.allaboutjazz.com/remember-the-sound-homage-to-michael-brecker-george-robert-tcb-music-review-by-george-kanzler

Personnel: Jim McNeely: composer/arranger; George Robert: alto sax; Robert Bonisolo" tenor sax; Matthieu Michel: trumpet and flugelhorn; Rene Mosele: trombone; Mathieu Schneider: flute; Laurent Wolf: soprano, alto and baritone saxes; Vinz Vonlanthen: guitar; Emil Spanyi: piano and keyboards; Jean-Piere Schaller: electric bass; Marcel Papaux: drums; Randy Brecker: trumpet (1).

Remember The Sound

Ray Obiedo - Sweet Summer Days

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1997
Time: 55:15
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 127,3 MB
Art: Front

(5:39) 1. Casserra
(6:20) 2. Blue Cactus
(4:57) 3. Sweet summer days
(5:32) 4. Cha La Island
(5:47) 5. Juliet
(4:57) 6. Current state
(6:23) 7. Macondo
(6:03) 8. What in the world
(5:37) 9. Coco
(3:56) 10. One wish

It would be easy to peg Ray Obiedo's Sweet Summer Days in the lazy title category, but in this case, the Bay Area guitarist's easygoing approach applies perfectly. That's not to say he's dogging it; this is a tightly produced mix of memorable ballads and gentle, mid-tempo melodies, with subtle hints of the Latin fusion punch that is Obiedo's trademark. It's more like a well-planned vacation from the usual sense of polyrhythmic, Latin-meets-African busyness that previous efforts like Iguana had.

While his usual angle is breaking off the predictable melodic path towards odd metered explorations before returning, here he focuses on getting from A to B with minimal fuss. Less exotic and unique, sure, but the zip in his electric string style (which compares favorably to Steve Laury) is still center stage, and he still enjoys shading in the harmonies with splashes of Latin piano (Peter Horvath), trombone (Jeff Cressman) and sax, EWI and flute (the versatile Norbert Stachel). The title track, a foray into the smooth urban sound sung by Peabo Bryson, doesn't tax Obiedo's chops but is amiable enough. Which seems to be the point of the whole album.
By Jonathan Widran https://www.allmusic.com/album/sweet-summer-days-mw0000024082#review

Sweet Summer Days

Jack Walrath - Unsafe At Any Speed

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:40
Size: 166.3 MB
Styles: Trumpet jazz
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[ 8:53] 1. Happiness Really Is A Warm Puppy!
[ 8:46] 2. Religion
[ 8:06] 3. End The Beguine
[ 8:17] 4. Beauty Is A Dangerous Thing
[ 8:56] 5. Why Not
[ 7:05] 6. Bobby Timmons
[ 6:30] 7. Unsafe At Any Speed
[10:04] 8. What Would I Do Without Her
[ 5:58] 9. They Say His Head Might Have Been Fat, But His Heart Was Even Fatter

'Unsafe at Any Speed' is trumpeter Jack Walrath's sixth album as a leader for SteepleChase and every track is an original composition by the leader. In a stellar career dating back to the mid-60s Walrath's talents have been utilised by everyone from Charles Mingus, Ray Charles, Miles Davis and Quincy Jones to Elvis Costello and Motown records.

Jack Walrath shares his inner thoughts on music and society in his liner notes for 'Unsafe at Any Speed', which makes an interesting read in addition to yet another intriguing recording.

Unsafe At Any Speed