Allan Harris - Live at Blue LLama

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:23
Size: 157,2 MB
Art: Front

( 4:38) 1. Sunny
( 6:17) 2. Jeannine
( 6:16) 3. New Day
( 6:31) 4. The Very Thought Of You
( 4:45) 5. So What?
( 6:39) 6. Black Coffee Blues
( 5:22) 7. Shimmering Deep Blue Sea
( 8:40) 8. Spain
( 7:34) 9. There She Goes
(11:36) 10. Nature Boy

I have to admit the first thing that caught my attention about this album was the fact it was recorded at one of the region’s premier venues, Ann Arbor’s Blue Llama Jazz Club. That little tidbit aside, it didn’t take long to fall in love with the recording itself, which is being released this Friday.

There are a lot of great things going on with this album, the first live recording Harris known as the “Jazz Vocal King of New York” has issued in 13 years. First, Allan Harris is every bit of an outstanding vocalist as one might believe from the moniker.

On this 10-song disc, drawn from two live performances at the Blue Llama in January, he performs classics such as “Sunny,” “The Very Thought of You,” “So What?” and “Spain” to go along with several fine originals, each performed with skillful and intriguing jazz rhythm and textures.

His band is stunning throughout, with some really hot solos by keyboardist Arcoiris Sandoval, bassist Marty Kenney, drummer Norman Edwards, Jr., and saxophonist Irwin Hall. They really cut loose on the final song, “Nature Boy,” the Eden Ahbez classic that the great Nat King Cole turned into a hit way back in 1948.

Consider this unbelievable short list of superstars who have covered “Nature Boy” since then, including Frank Sinatra, Miles Davis, Bobby Darin, George Benson, Peggy Lee, Celine Dion, Grace Slick, Aaron Neville, the Tony Bennett-Lady Gaga duet, and Cole’s daughter, Natalie Cole. Amazingly, Harris and his other four band members come up with an arrangement that has a cool, spicy vibe and is distinctive from past versions.

This is a great album recorded only about an hour from most of Toledo. Harris said in his liner notes there was minimal editing beyond some of the distracting audience sounds being filtered out and is “the way we performed it live with all the grit and glory.”https://www.toledoblade.com/a-e/music-theater-dance/2023/07/26/

Live at Blue LLama

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Allan Harris - Open Up Your Mind

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:12
Size: 115,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:29)  1. Can't Live My Life Without You
(5:04)  2. Hold You
(5:29)  3. Fly Me To The Moon
(3:42)  4. Color Of A Woman
(7:00)  5. There She Goes
(3:58)  6. Autumn
(3:55)  7. Shores Of Istanbul
(5:41)  8. Inner Fear
(5:34)  9. Open Up Your Mind
(5:15) 10. I Do Believe

There is Allan Harris the romantic troubadour, serving up platters of Billy Strayhorn, Ellington and Nat King Cole tunes with his distinctly Cole-esque baritone. There is also Harris the singer-storyteller, two volumes 2006’s Cross That River and its 2009 companion Cry of the Thunderbird into his vibrant saga of unsung black cowboys, their trials and triumphs. Not until now, however, as his recording career enters its third decade, has an entire album been devoted to a meeting of Harris the romantic and Harris the songwriter. The inescapable Cole-ness that defined so much of his earlier work has all but disappeared. (Intriguingly, it only surfaces on the album’s sole cover, a gently funkified “Fly Me to the Moon,” suggesting that original material unleashes a more original Harris.) Instead, he eases into a smooth R&B groove more evocative of Teddy Pendergrass and Luther Vandross. 

The material, though consistently charming, is occasionally derivative. “Color of a Woman” suggests a mellower take on Sinatra’s mid-’60s quasi-hit “Tell Her (You Love Her Each Day),” the sparkling “Hold Me” sounds as if it was plucked from the Stylistics’ ’70s songbook, and “There She Goes” echoes countless other if-only-she’d-notice-me laments. But when Harris examines more distinctive sentiments, such as the swirling, mysteriously exotic “Shores of Istanbul” or the sinister, duplicitous “Inner Fear,” the results are impressively fresh and invigorating. ~ Christopher Loudon  http://jazztimes.com/articles/28872-open-up-your-mind-allan-harris

Open Up Your Mind

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Allan Harris - The Genius Of Eddie Jefferson

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:56
Size: 94,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:59)  1. So What
(4:09)  2. Sister Sadie
(3:31)  3. Dexter Digs In
(3:53)  4. Billy's Bounce
(4:30)  5. Body And Soul
(4:18)  6. Jeannine
(3:29)  7. Filthy McNasty
(3:51)  8. Lester's Trip To The Moon
(3:54)  9. Memphis
(5:17) 10. Waltz For A Rainy Bebop Evening

In an accompanying press release, Allan Harris compares his deep dive into Eddie Jefferson’s groundbreaking oeuvre to “taking a master class at MIT.” No question that navigating the tricky, rapid-fire, street-smart wordplay of vocalese an art form Jefferson is widely credited with creating and of which he remains the undisputed champ, even 39 years after his untimely death is a daunting endeavor. But although he’s best known for his buttery tributes to Nat “King” Cole and Billy Eckstine, Harris ranks among the most dexterous singers around, and he proves fully up to the challenge. Indeed, it’s intriguing to hear these 10 gems mostly vocalese, plus such covers as “Memphis” and Duke Pearson’s “Jeannine” rechanneled from Jefferson’s vocal grit to Harris’ rich baritone. Befitting so notable a project, Harris has enlisted top-drawer support: tenor saxophonist Ralph Moore, pianist Eric Reed, bassist George DeLancey, drummer Willie Jones III and, most significant, alto saxophonist Richie Cole, who worked closely with Jefferson in his later years, including on the night he was shot and killed after a Detroit gig in 1979. The beauty of so many Jefferson creations is that they’re not only based on jazz standards but also reworked to lyrically celebrate jazz masters and jazz lore. “So What” recalls Miles and Coltrane’s famous mid-performance co-exit, while “Body and Soul” venerates Coleman Hawkins. Prez, Bird, Dex and Horace Silver are all genuflected to. Aptly, Harris closes with Cole’s “Waltz for a Rainy Bebop Evening,” a whirling salute to the jazz life and its giants. ~ Christopher Loudon https://jazztimes.com/reviews/vox/allan-harris-eddie-jefferson/

The Genius Of Eddie Jefferson

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Allan Harris - Love Came: The Songs Of Strayhorn

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:58
Size: 137.3 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2001
Art: Front

[5:16] 1. Just A-Sittin' And A-Rockin'
[5:04] 2. Something To Live For
[3:33] 3. My Little Brown Book
[4:07] 4. Love Came
[5:42] 5. Chelsea Bridge
[4:38] 6. Lush Life
[6:35] 7. Daydream
[4:29] 8. Pretty Girl (The Star Crossed Lovers)
[6:02] 9. Passion Flower
[2:05] 10. Oo (You Make Me Tingle)
[3:07] 11. Your Love Has Faded
[4:26] 12. A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing
[3:03] 13. Lotus Blossom
[1:44] 14. Love Has Passed Me By Again

Because the lyrics to so many of Billy Strayhorn's compositions reflect love lost or not yet obtained, few vocalists have attempted to record an entire release of his songs. But singer Allan Harris is up to the challenge, mixing very familiar tunes (while avoiding the all too obvious choice of his best-known song, "Take the 'A' Train") with some rarely recorded at all. With a superb cast of supporting musicians, including pianist Eric Reed, tenor saxophonist Don Braden, guitarist Ron Affif, bassist Essiet Okon Essiet, and drummer Cecil Brooks III, Harris' rich voice carries the day with ease. Part of his success is due to the unusual arrangements: "Something to Live For" is at a brisker than normal tempo with a slightly funky feeling, Ron Affif's lively Joe Pass-like guitar removes the stop-and-go melodrama that pervades nearly every other recorded version of "Lush Life," and "A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing" is recast as a driving samba. But there are treasures also awaiting within the less familiar selections. Harris makes the first recording of the words Strayhorn wrote for "My Little Brown Book," a bittersweet ballad that again benefits from a gently faster and swinging tempo and also has some nice licks by Reed. "Love Came," with lyrics by Ellington and music by Strayhorn, is a powerful bossa nova with soft accompaniment by Affif. "Oo! (You Make Me Tingle)" gives Harris an opportunity to show off his playful side and provides a welcome relief from a steady diet of downcast lyrics. Harris wraps the CD with a powerful a cappella take of the rarely heard "Love Has Passed Me By Again." Allan Harris' brilliant and innovative approach to the works of Billy Strayhorn should make this an essential CD for jazz lovers. ~Ken Dryden

Love Came: The Songs Of Strayhorn mc
Love Came: The Songs Of Strayhorn zippy

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Allan Harris - Nat King Cole: Long Live The King

Size: 128,3 MB
Time: 54:50
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2007
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front & Back

01. It's Only A Paper Moon (3:27)
02. I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons (5:18)
03. L-O-V-E (5:11)
04. I'll Be Seeing You (3:29)
05. The Very Thought Of You (5:34)
06. Straighten Up And Fly Right (3:01)
07. A Blossom Fell (3:43)
08. Non Dimenticar Pretend (4:11)
09. Walkin' My Baby Back Home (2:42)
10. Mona Lisa (3:33)
11. Too Young (3:23)
12. Nature Boy (6:33)
13. Unforgettable (4:37)

Allan Harris has oft been told his vocal style bears close resemblance to the late Nat King Cole, so he has followed that sentiment by concocting a program from Cole's repertoire for performance. These sessions from the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. have him interpreting most of Cole's most well-known numbers, with half of them being ballads. There is no fault with that, primarily because Harris sounds quite similar, but not perfectly like Nat. His personalized lyric phrasing is his own, while his good piano playing is not as masterful as his hero, which would be a daunting task anyway. Saxophonist Jesse Jones plays a more perfunctory rather than complementary role in the band, and at times is a bit overbearing for the general dynamics of the music. The concert is an up-and-down affair, gaining and losing momentum to the point where a coach would drastically improve the pacing. Overall the sound of the band is tight and unassuming, pleasant, light and carefree. There is a drawback with the production values, as the recording is a bit thin and not completely clear and robust. The typical songs you expect are here -- "For Sentimental Reasons," "Love," "Walkin' My Baby Back Home," "Mona Lisa," "Unforgettable," etc., with "I'll Be Seeing You" less like Nat and more like Harris. "Non Dimenticar/Pretend" comes closest to a direct cop of Cole, sporting a nice Latin baseline. Of the more lively selections, the opener "It's Only a Paper Moon" differs in that Harris improvises in his own way on the second chorus. The other variation "Nature Boy" is adapted in bold and dramatic modal trim, with the fluttery, overblown sax of Jones shooting a spark. The introductory arrangement on "Straighten Up & Fly Right" is somewhat unique with a stop-start technique employed, while Jones eschews a boppish Richie Cole-like line during "Too Young." Putting this up against a Nat or Freddy Cole recording might be unfair, for Harris does exude his own soul, but as a single concept phase in his career, it's a decent, unobtrusive aside. ~by Michael G. Nastos

Nat King Cole

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Allan Harris - Nobody's Gonna Love You Better

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:02
Size: 110,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:56)  1. Mother's Love
(4:02)  2. Any Major Dude Will Tell You
(4:18)  3. More Today Than Yesterday
(5:55)  4. I Remember You
(2:41)  5. Doralice
(3:43)  6. Moody's Mood for Love
(2:29)  7. Swing
(5:38)  8. Ruby
(4:04)  9. Up from the Skies
(6:40) 10. Blue Was Angry (From the Cross That River Song-Cycle)
(3:32) 11. Secret Moments

The outstanding and internationally renowned vocalist, guitarist and composer Allan Harris sums up his personal perspective on music in clear and straightforward terms. "There is nothing that I have found that defines and gives credence to my place in this wild and mysterious universe than this thing called music." Harris exemplifies that statement perfectly with his stunning new album Nobody's Gonna Love You Better (Black Bar Jukebox Redux), his eleventh album following on the heels of his highly acclaimed 2015 release Black Bar Jukebox. For this, Harris takes an even more eclectic approach, drawing upon the wide range of music that he heard growing up in Brooklyn, and feasting on the expansive palette of the Harlem cultural landscape. "My new album captures some of the varied sounds and feelings that have shaped my growth as an artist. I had not one style to heavily rely upon when putting these tunes together, but only my young memories of music, people and events." Nobody's Gonna Love You Better is a bold statement that builds upon the entire breadth of Harris' already esteemed reputation, demonstrating his enormous versatility within the full scope of his highly creative musical vision. Swinging jazz, rich R&B, sumptuous balladry, wailing rock, rumbling blues and even a touch of playful Brazilian are all woven seamlessly into the tapestry of a musical odyssey that is all Allan Harris. With a deeply resonant baritone/tenor voice that is soulful, richly expressive and flawless in both intonation and phrasing, Harris displays a total command and fluency in every context.

Back from the previous album are the GRAMMY® Award-winning producer Brian Bacchus and Harris' longtime keyboard cohort Pascal Le Boeuf (on acoustic and electric pianos, and Hammond B3 organ), whose deep understanding and empathy for Harris' music creates a marvelous sense of intimacy and shared joy of expression. Pascal is also the primary instrumental soloist and delivers in an inspired fashion throughout. Joining Pascal in the exceptional rhythm section are Russell Hall on acoustic and electric bass, Shirazette Tinnin on drums and cajón, and Freddie Bryant on both electric and classical guitar. Together, with Harris also on acoustic, electric and resonator guitar, they provide impeccably flawless support, whether driving, embellishing, shaping or enhancing the settings as ideally suited to the intent of the music. The delightful repertoire includes four Harris originals, a couple of American Songbook gems, a pair of jazz classics, and re-imaginations of hit songs from Jimi Hendrix, Steely Dan and Spiral Staircase. As he does with every lyric, Harris pays proper homage to those who have provided the inspiration for his own highly personal sound, specifically here to Ray Charles, Nat 'King' Cole and Eddie Jefferson on three individual items. On "I Remember You," Harris channels Nat (a subject of an earlier Harris tribute project) in a beautifully touching rendition with brilliant piano support throughout, as well as a solo that glides in the territory where Red Garland and Erroll Garner meet. "Ruby" from the Ruby Gentry film score, and a major hit for Ray Charles -is satin-smooth balladry over an old-school swing-jazz groove, complete with Bryant's Freddie Green-like guitar strumming. For the iconic "Moody's Mood For Love," Harris takes the concept of making an often-performed song one's own to an entirely new level, offering a totally fresh interpretation in rhythm, phrasing and lyrical structure--to the Eddie Jefferson classic. The Stan Getz/João Gilberto hit "Doralice" is a deliciously infectious samba, sung by Harris in Portuguese, and featuring a fine acoustic solo by Bryant.

The three popular song re-imaginations include a somewhat up-tempo blues shuffle take on Hendrix' "Up From The Skies," with Harris in a neatly syncopated groove over LeBoeuf's funky B3. Pascal's Hammond organ sets a bright tone for a bouncy swing version of Spiral Staircase's mega-hit "More Today Than Yesterday" and Steely Dan's "Any Major Dude Will Tell You" gets a transformation (and relocation) from Americana to Harlem, shifting smoothly between brisk syncopation and atmospheric rubato. The four Harris originals aptly demonstrate that he is as skilled a composer as a vocalist--and his lyrics are moving, heartfelt and poetic. The album opener "Mother's Love (Nobody's Gonna Love You)" begins on a poignant, emotive and dramatic note before morphing into a vibrantly swinging excursion. Its bookend closer "Secret Moments" is a lovely, gentle and lushly evocative ballad, while "Swing" is a powerfully syncopated and punchy romp. Provocative, confrontational and rousing best describes "Blue Was Angry (from the Cross That River song-cycle). Hard-edged, fiery and with a message of barely-controlled ferocity, it flies over a rip-roaring rhythm section and Harris' raw electric guitar. It may be unexpected by Harris' large fan base, but it's deeply emotional and on point.

Over the past 20 years, Harris has steadily developed his reputation as one of the finest vocalists of his era. Brooklyn-born and Harlem-based, he has forged his sterling credentials through his ten previous albums, covering a broad range of contexts, all netted together within the rich territory of the jazz tradition. In addition to his recordings, he has performed on a worldwide stage that has taken him to prestigious international festivals and halls in Europe, the Middle East and Asia, as well as the 2012 Olympics in London. At home, he has toured nationally at festivals and top venues, including New York's Lincoln Center and D.C.'s Kennedy Center.

He has received numerous awards, including the New York Nightlife Award for "Outstanding Jazz Vocalist" (which he won three times), the Backstage Bistro Award for "Ongoing Achievement in Jazz," the Harlem Speaks "Jazz Museum of Harlem Award," and the DownBeat Critic's Poll Award for "Rising Star Vocalist." Nobody's Gonna Love You Better (Black Bar Jukebox Redux) will continue to build his legacy as another milestone in the extraordinary artistic aesthetic of Allan Harris. ~ The New York Times  http://www.allanharris.com/about

Nobody's Gonna Love You Better

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Thilo Wolf & Guests - The Best Of Thilo Wolf

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:59
Size: 162,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:15)  1. The Flintstones
(3:20)  2. Take The A-Train
(4:39)  3. Swinging Fingers
(2:25)  4. Girl From Ipanema
(2:48)  5. Looking at the World
(4:42)  6. Nice Toys
(2:47)  7. Riffifi
(4:41)  8. Late Summernight
(3:49)  9. It's Alright with me
(2:47) 10. S'Wonderful
(4:17) 11. My One And Only Love
(4:31) 12. Can You Hear These Dirty Horns
(5:25) 13. Mr. Grooverix
(5:40) 14. Come Sunday
(5:09) 15. Amazing Grace
(6:50) 16. Sing Sing Sing
(3:46) 17. In The Wee Small Hours

Thilo Wolf, born in 1967, works as pianist, composer and arranger. He is leader of his own formations, the “Thilo Wolf Big Band”, the “Thilo Wolf Jazz Quartet“ and the "Groove Selection".His first love is pulsating, swinging Jazz but he is also open for crossover projects. He combines classical music and jazz through concerts together with the classical “Berliner Saxophone Ensemble”, the “Windsbacher Knabenchor” (Windsbacher Boys Choir) and his Jazz Quartet and in multiple collaboration with the Nuremberg Symphonic Orchestra. In collaboration with the Skibbe Band or the singer Max Mutzke he unites big band sound with rock, pop and soul music. Thilo Wolf and his formations have been performing concerts throughout Germany, Austria, Switzerland, China and Great Britain, in concert halls such as the Philharmonic in Munich or Dortmund, as well as at numerous jazz festivals at Burghausen, Oberkochen, Erding and the “Augsburger Jazzsommer“. His crossover projects led to concerts at classical music festivals such as “International Beethoven Festival“ in Bonn, “Gluck Opera Festival“ in Nuremberg or “Kurt Weill Festival“ in Dessau.  Besides the piano Thilo Wolf learned to play double bass and drums. 

In his youth, he received numerous honours, among them the „Förderpreis“ of his home town Fürth (1986), of the Theaterverein Fürth (1982) and the first price at the “Forum of young German composers of orchestral music” (1984). Furthermore, Thilo Wolf was winner (1983) and holder of a scholarship by the regional newspaper Nürnberger Nachrichten. In June 2012, the „Metropolregion Nürnberg“ appointed him artist of the month June. His musical education was exclusively formed by private tutors like Charly Antolini (drums) and “besides” he graduated with honours in Business Administration from the University Erlangen-Nürnberg. Other awards include the “Louis Armstrong Memorial Award“ (2004) as well the “Grosse Kulturpreis“ of his hometown Fürth (2004). The great dream of founding a big band was already clear from an early age. At the age of 16 he wrote his first big band arrangement. In 1992, at age 25, with the help of the Bavarian Television who dedicated him the TV show “SWING IT!” his dream came true.  This show was priced as the “Best Jazz Broadcast of the Year” (2002) by “Swinging Hamburg e.V.”, a society dedicated to preserve and promote Jazz. In 2012, Thilo Wolf, his big band and numerous guests celebrated the 20th Anniversary. The Bavarian Television devoted him a half-hour portrait and broadcasted the recording of the anniversary concert. His newest project ROCK THE BIG BAND had its first appearance at the end of 2013. The release concert of the eponymous album has been broadcasted already several times.Thilo Wolf does not see himself as a jazz purist. 

In addition to his own projects he writes, arranges and produces CD-and music recordings for film, television and radio, for other artists such as Bill Ramsey, Al Martino or Angelika Milster and for orchestras such as the RIAS Big Band, HR Big Band, the New York Strings, the Babelsberger Movie Orchestra or the Munich Radio Orchestra. Since 2007, Thilo Wolf works regularly as musical director for productions of the Fürth Theatre (“Petticoat & Schickedance” and “The Last Five Years”). As composer, he wrote two musicals “Bahn frei” (Fürth Theatre, 2012) and “Tod im Turm” (Lüneburg Theatre, 2012). In early 2015 the Thilo Wolf Big Band together with the Nuremberg Symphonic Orchestra recorded the soundtrack to "La Cage Aux Folles" (Comödie Fürth).CD productions and concerts led to cooperation with Grammy award winners Diane Schuur and the New York Voices as well as with John Pizzarelli, Randy Becker, James Morrison and many others. Thilo Wolf produced and published over 20 CDs in New York, Munich and Berlin with over a quarter million copies sold. Translate by google  http://www.thilo-wolf.de/de/persona/

(Feat. Randy Brecker, Etta Cameron, Joan Faulkner, Allan Harris, Chuck Loeb, New York Strings)

The Best Of Thilo Wolf

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Allan Harris - Black Bar Jukebox

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:23
Size: 119.9 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[3:05] 1. Got A Lot Of Livin' To Do
[5:12] 2. Miami
[3:15] 3. Catfish
[2:46] 4. I Got The Blues (Lester Leaps In)
[4:06] 5. A Little Bit Scared
[5:10] 6. Take Me To The Pilot
[3:41] 7. Love's The Key
[5:41] 8. My Funny Valentine
[5:42] 9. Can It Be This Is A Dream
[3:31] 10. Daughters
[3:45] 11. Stranger On The Shore
[3:03] 12. You Make Me Feel So Young
[3:22] 13. Haven't We Met

Black Bar Jukebox, due for release on January 20, 2015, is the latest album from award-winning jazz vocalist Allan Harris. In an age when the supply of male jazz singers is sparse, his earlier albums (like his 2012 duo set with pianist Takana Miyamoto, Convergence and Love Came, his journey through the songs of Billy Strayhorn, as well as his tributes to the great Nat ‘King’ Cole) have generated justified comparison to the giants of jazz vocalists. A new album from a man who has been compared to Tony Bennett and Frank Sinatra is bound to have jazz lovers’ mouths watering.

Not to worry—Black Bar Jukebox delivers the goods. Opting for a 13-song set that combines original material, standards, and a modern pop classic or two, Harris is equally at home with a variety of styles. As he says in a promotional video for the album, he wanted his new CD to show that you can listen to any song that has a groove and gets down musically, whether it be, James Brown, Count Basie, or Elton John.

So it’s no surprise that a tune like the Eddie Jefferson “I Got the Blues” channels the Basie vibe, while the Elton John hit “Take Me to the Pilot” takes a soulful turn. Kenny Rankin’s “Catfish” takes him to a Latin groove, while his arrangement of “My Funny Valentine” adds a rich Hammond B-3 organ backing to the brandy of his baritone. His take on John Mayer’s “Daughters,” on the other hand, stays fairly close to the original, but as he says in the liner notes, “I put a little more jukin’ soul on it.” He also plays acoustic guitar on the track.

Harris is joined on the set by Pascal Le Boeuf, who handles piano and organs, Leon Boykins on bass, Jake Goldbas on drums, Yotam Silberstein on guitar, and Samuel Torres on percussion. ~ Jack Goodstein

Black Bar Jukebox

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