Robert Edwards - Up Swing

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:42
Size: 131,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:58) 1. Edges
(3:38) 2. Baubles, Bangles, And Beads
(5:52) 3. Stand Up!
(4:14) 4. Time To Shine
(6:22) 5. Groundwork
(4:31) 6. Healing The Heart
(3:48) 7. Don't Blame Me
(5:39) 8. The Manhattaners
(3:26) 9. My Way
(6:10) 10. Rocks, Lime
(6:58) 11. Cupbearers

Veteran trombonist, educator and bandleader Robert Edwards is a fixture of New York City jazz scene, performing in many of the jazz venues in the city and, as of this writing, becoming the newest member of the famed Vanguard Jazz Orchestra. Edwards fronts a marvelous quintet that has been performing regularly at Smalls Jazz Club for many years now. Up Swing celebrates the post-bop sounds the group is known for and covers many of the ensemble's "greatest hits from over the years."

Joining the leader on his fifth recording to date is a star-studded group of players including trumpeter Joe Magnarelli, pianist Adam Birnbaum, bassist Mike Karn and drummer Aaron Kimmel. Singer Vanessa Perea provides her luscious vocals on the Jimmy McHugh and Dorothy Fields standard "Don't Blame Me," the only vocal tune of the session and one of five covers in an eleven-piece repertoire that features six originals.

Opening up the music is the Edwards original "Edges," a sprawling up-tempo bebop-dominant number quickly establishing the exciting sounds one is in for throughout this album with the trombonist featured prominently. The Robert Wright classic "Baubles, Bangles and Beads," a favorite of the leader, takes off with some splendid solo moments from Magnarelli accompanying the trombonist on a delicious and fresh treatment of an old beautiful standard. The leader's original "Stand Up!" is all Edwards making that trombone sing and dance all over the place, a blues-styled tune and tip of the hat to pianist Horace Silver with pianist Birnbaum weighing in on Silver-like solos of his own.

The leader does some quick work on Cedar Walton's "Groundwork" followed by Magnarelli the pianist and drummer Kimmel all delivering aggressive solos on another outstanding interpretation of a terrific jazz number. The band steps back and plays it warm and mellow on the session's soft spot, "Healing the Heart," featuring bassist Karn on light fingerplay on a beautiful light tune worth repeated spins.

The classic pop tune "My Way," made famous by Frank Sinatra, sounds splendid here with Edwards doing things on the trombone his way, while his last original, "Rocks, Lime," a "shuffle that harkens the sound of Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers." The album closes with "Cupbearers," a tune that has served as the band's opening number for many years, a burner for sure whether in the beginning or the end.

There's truly no downside to the remarkable Up Swing, as trombonist Robert Edwards crafts an album that appeals to everyone but, in particular, to jazz audiences that prefer the straight-ahead, bebop-infused style of jazz that remains so popular today. To swing is the thing and this album does it well. By Edward Blanco https://www.allaboutjazz.com/up-swing-robert-edwards-self-produced

Personnel:Robert Edwards – Trombone; Joe Magnarelli – Trumpet; Adam Birnbaum – Piano; Mike Karn – Bass; Aaron Kimmel – Drums; Vanessa Perea – Vocals

Upswing

---

Adam Birnbaum Trio - Ballade Pour Adeline

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:57
Size: 145,8 MB
Art: Front

(7:05)  1. Nostalgy
(6:39)  2. Ballade Pour Adeline
(6:03)  3. So in love
(6:50)  4. The Way We Were
(5:23)  5. Nocturne No. 2, Op. 9: II
(6:20)  6. Besame Mucho
(6:58)  7. Serenade de l'Etoile
(5:54)  8. Travels
(6:16)  9. Tara's Theme (Movie "Gone With The Wind")
(5:25) 10. Kitano Blues

Adam Birnbaum is emerging as one of the top young voices in jazz piano. Since receiving a graduate Artist’s Diploma in jazz studies from The Julliard School in 2003, he has become a presence on the New York City scene as a leader and sideman, performing in such venues as the Village Vanguard, the Blue Note, Birdland, the Jazz Standard and Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola. He has also performed on many national and world stages, including the Gilmore International Keyboard Festival, the Kennedy Center, the Montreal Jazz Festival, The Spoleto Festival, The Red Sea Jazz Festival, The Rockport Chamber Festival, NPR Jazz Christmas, and the Capetown Jazz Festival. As a leader, Birnbaum has released four albums under his name in Japan and the U.S. His first release, Ballade Pour Adeline, received a Gold Disk award from As a leader, Birnbaum has released four albums under his name in Japan and the U.S. His first release, Ballade Pour Adeline, received a Gold Disk award from Swing Journal as one of the top albums of 2006. Adam’s U.S. debut Travels, released in 2009 under the Smalls record label, received enthusiastic reviews in Allmusic.com, All About Jazz and JazzTimes. Birnbaum’s recent release Three of A Mind, featuring bassist Doug Weiss and drummer Al Foster, was hailed as “an eloquent dispatch from the heart of the contemporary piano trio tradition” by the New York Times, and received an Editor’s Pick and four star review in Downbeat magazine. As a sideman, Birnbaum’s wide-ranging versatility and artistry have made him a first call for a wide variety of ensembles. He has performed or toured with established jazz artists such as Al Foster, Greg Osby, Regina Carter, The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, and Jazz at Lincoln Center with Wynton Marsalis, as well as with young artists such as Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society and Cecile Mclorin Salvant. Birnbaum has appeared as a sideman more than 25 albums. Birnbaum is also recognized as a composer and arranger. Allmusic.com reviewer Ken Dryden said “Birnbaum’s compositions prove immediately infectious, each with a hook that draws the listener along for the ride. “A review of Travels in JazzTimes praised the album’s “stellar originals.” In 2009 Birnbaum premiered Dream Songs, a trio suite based on the poetry of John Berryman. The work was commissioned by Chamber Music America. Since 2012 Birnbaum has worked with Chelsea Music Festival each year to arrange Bach, Debussy, Beethoven, etc, for his own trio featuring strings and other guests musicians. Born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts, Birnbaum studied at the New England Conservatory of Music before moving to New York City in 2001, one of two pianists selected to participate in the Julliard School’s inaugural jazz studies program. In 2004 he won the American Jazz Piano Competition and became the American Pianists Association's Cole Porter fellow in Jazz. That same year, he became the first jazz pianist to present a recital at the prestigious Gilmore Rising Stars Recital Series. In 2006, he received the first-ever "special mention" prize at the Martial Solal Jazz Piano Competition in Paris. He has toured West Africa and Asia sponsored by Jazz at Lincoln Center and the U.S. State Department. Adam has studied with Danilo Perez, Kenny Barron, and Fred Hersch. Adam Birnbaum is currently an Assistant Professor of Jazz at SUNY Purchase. He is also a Steinway Artist. http://www.adambirnbaum.com/bio

Ballade Pour Adeline

---

Adam Birnbaum Trio - A Comme Amour

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:37
Size: 149,3 MB
Art: Front

(5:44)  1. Whisper Not
(5:34)  2. All Through the Night
(4:35)  3. Goodby
(5:19)  4. Gabriel's Dance
(5:39)  5. In Your Own Sweet Way
(5:22)  6. A Comme Amour
(6:09)  7. Kate the Great
(6:13)  8. Urgency
(4:35)  9. In Walked Bud
(5:28) 10. New Orleans
(5:10) 11. I Got It Bad
(4:44) 12. Blind Seven

Adam Birnbaum is emerging as one of the top young voices in jazz piano. Since receiving a graduate Artist’s Diploma in jazz studies from The Julliard School in 2003, he has become a presence on the New York City scene as a leader and sideman, performing in such venues as the Village Vanguard, the Blue Note, Birdland, the Jazz Standard and Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola. He has also performed on many national and world stages, including the Gilmore International Keyboard Festival, the Kennedy Center, the Montreal Jazz Festival, The Spoleto Festival, The Red Sea Jazz Festival, The Rockport Chamber Festival, NPR Jazz Christmas, and the Capetown Jazz Festival. As a leader, Birnbaum has released four albums under his name in Japan and the U.S. His first release, Ballade Pour Adeline, received a Gold Disk award from As a leader, Birnbaum has released four albums under his name in Japan and the U.S. His first release, Ballade Pour Adeline, received a Gold Disk award from Swing Journal as one of the top albums of 2006. Adam’s U.S. debut Travels, released in 2009 under the Smalls record label, received enthusiastic reviews in Allmusic.com, All About Jazz and JazzTimes. Birnbaum’s recent release Three of A Mind, featuring bassist Doug Weiss and drummer Al Foster, was hailed as “an eloquent dispatch from the heart of the contemporary piano trio tradition” by the New York Times, and received an Editor’s Pick and four star review in Downbeat magazine. As a sideman, Birnbaum’s wide-ranging versatility and artistry have made him a first call for a wide variety of ensembles. He has performed or toured with established jazz artists such as Al Foster, Greg Osby, Regina Carter, The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, and Jazz at Lincoln Center with Wynton Marsalis, as well as with young artists such as Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society and Cecile Mclorin Salvant. Birnbaum has appeared as a sideman more than 25 albums. Birnbaum is also recognized as a composer and arranger. Allmusic.com reviewer Ken Dryden said “Birnbaum’s compositions prove immediately infectious, each with a hook that draws the listener along for the ride. 

“A review of Travels in JazzTimes praised the album’s “stellar originals.” In 2009 Birnbaum premiered Dream Songs, a trio suite based on the poetry of John Berryman. The work was commissioned by Chamber Music America. Since 2012 Birnbaum has worked with Chelsea Music Festival each year to arrange Bach, Debussy, Beethoven, etc, for his own trio featuring strings and other guests musicians. Born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts, Birnbaum studied at the New England Conservatory of Music before moving to New York City in 2001, one of two pianists selected to participate in the Julliard School’s inaugural jazz studies program. In 2004 he won the American Jazz Piano Competition and became the American Pianists Association's Cole Porter fellow in Jazz. That same year, he became the first jazz pianist to present a recital at the prestigious Gilmore Rising Stars Recital Series. In 2006, he received the first-ever "special mention" prize at the Martial Solal Jazz Piano Competition in Paris. He has toured West Africa and Asia sponsored by Jazz at Lincoln Center and the U.S. State Department. Adam has studied with Danilo Perez, Kenny Barron, and Fred Hersch. Adam Birnbaum is currently an Assistant Professor of Jazz at SUNY Purchase. He is also a Steinway Artist. http://www.adambirnbaum.com/bio

A Comme Amour

---