Anne Phillips - Ballet Time

Styles: Vocal Jazz 
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:39
Size: 153,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:12)  1. Ballet Time
(5:32)  2. I Have the Feeling I've Been Here Before
(4:02)  3. I've Got Just About Everything
(4:43)  4. Here's to Life
(4:51)  5. In Your Own Sweet Way
(3:39)  6. Doubletalk
(3:16)  7. You Are There
(4:01)  8. Late Late Show
(3:44)  9. In the Days of Our Love
(4:57) 10. I Never Went Away
(3:12) 11. I Was Doing All Right
(5:37) 12. Embracable You
(5:53) 13. Romancing Ketchikan
(4:50) 14. New York Night Time Blues
(5:02) 15. Fried Bananas

Vocalist Anne Phillips may not be a familiar name to many jazz fans, though since she began her professional career in the early 1960s as a member of the Ray Charles Singers on the Perry Como Show, she has worked in many musical formats as a singer, composer, arranger, conductor and producer. This project was a special labor of love, as she recruited a number of old friends that she met along the way and recruited them to appear on one track apiece with her. Her engaging vocal duet with Bob Dorough (who complements their vocals with some lively piano) of his "I've Got Just About Everything" is a playful affair. Phillips lays a bit behind the beat effectively in spots in Dave Brubeck's loping treatment of his timeless "In Your Own Sweet Way," while she captures the nostalgic magic of pianist Dave Frishberg's lyrics in his ballad (with music by Johnny Mandel) "You Are There." Marian McPartland is on hand for her haunting ballad "In the Days of Our Love," with Phillips bringing out the essence of Peggy Lee's lyrics. Phillips' duet with tenor saxophonist Bob Kindred (her husband) of "Embraceable You" is full of humor, as is "Double Talk" a duet with organist Larry Goldings that has a campy lyric in the style of Annie Ross. There's never a dull moment in this delightful musical scrapbook. ~ Ken Dryden http://www.allmusic.com/album/ballet-time-mw0001225843

She sings with jazz greats Dave Brubeck, Marian McPartland, Roger Kellaway, Dave Frishberg, Bob Dorough and more...

Ballet Time

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Giacomo Gates - Luminosity

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:59
Size: 117,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:50)  1. Comes Love
(3:30)  2. Me, Spelled M-E, Me
(5:43)  3. Melodious Funk
(6:20)  4. The Beginning of the End
(5:44)  5. Hungry Man
(4:31)  6. The Blues Are Out of Town
(5:32)  7. Romancin' the Blues
(4:01)  8. Someone's Rocking My Dreamboat
(7:32)  9. P.S. I Love You
(3:13) 10. Full of Myself

"Begin at the beginning," the King told the White Rabbit, "and go on until you come to the end. Then stop." Normally, that's good advice, except in the case of Luminosity, a sparkling CD/DVD package that proves Giacomo Gates is all about commitment to his listeners, to his fellow musicians (past and present), and to jazz and its history.

The DVD features a four-song excerpt from Gates' 2005 appearance at San Francisco's legendary club Jazz at Pearl's. But following that mini-set is the real prize of this package: "Influences, Concepts and Ruminations," a bonus feature that shows Gates discoursing about the songs and artists that have inspired him ever since he got his first taste of jazz from Dave Brubeck's Time Out (Columbia, 1959). Mind you, it's not necessary to watch this interview in order to enjoy Luminosity; Gates is always a treat to listen to whether he's on disc or in concert, and that's the way it is here. However, the insights and context "Influences" offers really puts Gates' overall performance in perspective.

First there are the artists, of whom Gates feels as passionately about today as he did when he first heard them: "Peace of Mind (Let's Cool One)" has Gates dispensing soothing advice over the startling music of Thelonious Monk; "What Am I Here For" combines Duke Ellington's music and Jon Hendricks' lyrics, doubling Gates' obvious pleasure; "Someone's Rocking My Dreamboat" lets Gates give shout-outs to Bugs Bunny and the Ink Spots; and Gates scores a three-fer with "Lady be Good/Disappointed" a merry mashup of the Gershwins' music, the solo from Charlie Parker's take on "Lady," and the Eddie Jefferson lyric inspired by Parker's solo. Then there are the lyrics, which gives Gates the stories he loves to tell: In a spoken-word intro to Bobby Troup's "Hungry Man" (one of several spoken intros on the studio set), Gates links Troup's love of travel he wrote "Route 66" with his love of fine food; Gates frames Dickie Thompson's "Me, Spelled M-E, Me" as a late-night infomercial for romance; and Gates shapes the questions Jimi Hendrix' alien protagonist asks during "Up From The Skies" into a snapshot-fast blast about global warming.

Gates is up-front about not having "an act": He knows what he's going to do in a general sense, but a lot of it is left up to the moment. That puts Gates and his band out on the wire, possibly without a net below. But the result is an unparalleled level of trust and respect, which raises all the performances to a higher level on both the studio side and the live side.As Gates himself says, "There's gotta be a connection. Otherwise, I might as well stay home and sing." That connection would have been solid if Luminosity had only been a studio disc. But with the DVD, the listener not only makes the visual connection, but also connects with why Gates does what he does and ultimately sees why he does it so well. ~ J Hunter  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/luminosity-giacomo-gates-doubledave-music-review-by-j-hunter.php

Personnel: CD: Giacomo Gates: vocal; John diMartino: piano; Ray Drummond: bass; Greg bandy: drums; Bob Kindred: tenor sax; Tony Lombardozzi: guitar.

Luminosity

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Bob Kindred & Larry Willis - Gentle Giant Of The Tenor Sax

Size: 151,1 MB

Time: 65:12

File: MP3 @ 320K/s

Released: 2010

Styles: Jazz: Mainstream Jazz

Art: Front

01. Juicy Lucy ( 6:00)

02. Warm Valley ( 9:43)

03. Ethiopia (10:01)

04. We See ( 6:42)

05. Blood Count ( 7:27)

06. Blue Moon ( 5:25)

07. The Things We Did Last Summer ( 9:42)

08. Anouman (10:09)

Bob Kindred traveled to the bucolic surroundings of Mapleshade's recording studio in rural Maryland to team with pianist Larry Willis for a session of more than 60 minutes' worth of "gentle" but not outdated jazz performances. In some respects Kindred is a throwback to Ben Webster and the tender side of Stan Getz. His playing recalls that distinctive rasping timbre and excellent rhythmic momentum that characterized Webster, especially in his later years. But Kindred also shows that he is not unfamiliar with the modern jazz idiom as he interpolates dissonant avant-garde improvisations throughout, such as on of Django Reinhardt's "Anouman" while still managing to retain that Webster breathy sax sound. But it's the sheer beauty of Kindred's tone and his consummate lyricism that will catch the ear of most listeners. His warm, full-bodied rendition of "The Things We Did Last Summer" is a throwback to the days when melody was important. No matter how many times it was improvised upon, saxophone players like Webster, Getz, Young and Hawkins always returned to the melody, the heart of the song. There's a feeling of deja vu as the opening measures of Billy Strayhorn's "Blood Count" slither from the speakers. Kindred's tenor takes on the sensuous, earthy sound of Johnny Hodges' alto, a sound he retains through most of this cut. Kindred's fingers deftly flit over the keys of his tenor on Horace Silver's "Juicy Lucy" slipping in modern jazz ideas in between measures of soul jazz. Very innovative and quite singular.

Regular Mapleshade and top jazz pianist Larry Willis, is the sole playing chaperon for Kindred on this set. He becomes Kindred's alter ego on such tunes as "Blue Moon" where Willis' jagged comping sets off Kindred's in depth exploration of this classic warhorse. His pensive pianism is highlighted by a lengthy solo on "Warm Valley". He also contributed his "Ethiopia" to the play list. This album perfects the merging of the styles of earlier saxophone greats with modern jazz ideas and is highly recommended.

Personnel: Bob Kindred - Tenor Sax; Larry Willis - Piano

Gentle Giant Of The Tenor Sax

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Dee Daniels - Intimate Conversations

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:31
Size: 118,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:41)  1. Exactly Like You
(6:08)  2. All the Way
(4:28)  3. Come Try My Love
(6:27)  4. Get Here
(5:31)  5. I Who Have Nothing
(5:03)  6. Don't Touch Me
(5:00)  7. 4 Am
(5:21)  8. A Song for You
(4:14)  9. I Wish You Love
(5:34) 10. You'll Never Walk Alone

Dee Daniels, “Intimate Conversations” (Origin Records). Dee Daniels sang once with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, and though the concert was in 2002, I remember distinctly how good she was. She brought great emotion to a bunch of Ellington songs, and she sang the heck out of the blues. She was fun to write about, too. It’s not every day you can report accurately: “She held that note until it was thin as a ribbon, then fattened it out and pulled it down into the lowlands.” In short, it’s great to hear from Dee Daniels again after all these years. She is in good company, too. She is joined by musicians including but not limited to Cyrus Chestnut on piano.

Wycliffe Gordon on trombone, Houston Person on sax and Russell Malone on guitar. There are tremendous growly sax and trombone solos, almost like another singer, and Daniels responds to that vibe. (“All the Way” has to be heard to be believed.) The atmosphere is gritty and Tin Pan Alley. Daniels plays piano for herself in Leon Russell’s “A Song For You,” a kind of signature song for her. My one criticism of Daniels is that she doesn’t quite have the romance bit down. In “Exactly Like You” she doesn’t sound exactly loving. “Come Try My Love,” a tune of iffy quality that Daniels wrote, lacks that note of longing. The antagonistic blues “Don’t Touch Me” sounds like it’s more her speed. Then again, sometimes recordings can be a bit sterile. OOO½ (Mary Kunz Goldman)  http://www.buffalonews.com/gusto/classical/cd-review-dee-daniels-intimate-conversations-20140914

Personnel: Dee Daniels (vocals); Russell Malone (guitar); Ken Peplowski (clarinet); Houston Person, Bob Kindred (tenor saxophone); Wycliffe Gordon (trombone); Cyrus Chestnut (piano); Ted Brancato (keyboards).

Intimate Conversations

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Johnny Frigo - Debut of A Legend

Styles: Jazz, Swing
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:58
Size: 132,3 MB
Art: Front + Back

(4:34)  1. Get Happy
(4:03)  2. I'm Old Fashioned
(3:04)  3. Osaka Saki
(5:09)  4. Too Late Now/Street of Dreams
(3:30)  5. Bow Jest
(4:25)  6. Nuages
(6:14)  7. Jitterbug Waltz
(5:25)  8. Heather On The Hill/How Are Things In Glocca Morra
(5:01)  9. I Love Paris
(6:18) 10. Here's That rainy Day
(3:09) 11. Lush Life
(5:03) 12. Jeannine

Violinist Johnny Frigo's third album as a leader (he had previously made a forgotten date for Mercury in 1957 and a Chesky CD in 1988) is his definitive set, even though he was 77 at the time. With a good supporting cast (guitarist Gene Bertoncini, Bob Kindred on tenor and clarinet, pianist Joe Vito, bassist Michael Moore, and drummer Bill Goodwin), Frigo mostly explores standards, plus two of his originals. The music, falling between swing and bop, is superior straight-ahead jazz; among the highlights are "Get Happy," "Bow Jest," "Jitterbug Waltz," and "Jeannine." Frigo's sudden prominence in his '70s (considering he spent most of his career as a bassist) was as unlikely and welcome an event as trumpeter Doc Cheatham's late-period triumphs. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/debut-of-a-legend-mw0000119053

Personnel: Johnny Frigo (violin); Gene Bertoncini (guitar); Bob Kindred (clarinet, tenor saxophone); Joe Vito (piano); Bill Goodwin (drums).

Debut of A Legend

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Jimmy Scott - Over The Rainbow

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:30
Size: 129,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:18)  1. Pennies From Heaven
(3:48)  2. Over The Rainbow
(5:44)  3. All Or Nothing At All
(3:56)  4. Strange Fruit
(5:27)  5. Don't Take Your Love From Me
(5:35)  6. Just Friends
(4:49)  7. P.S. I Love You
(4:34)  8. Everybody's Somebody's Fool
(3:19)  9. If You Only Knew
(5:00) 10. I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)
(5:04) 11. I'll Close My Eyes
(5:50) 12. When Did You Leave Heaven?

There have been few 75-year-old vocalists working in any popular music style that sounded as good as Scott did on this session from late 2000, aided by contributions from top players like Joe Beck (guitar) and Grady Tate (drums). Scott loves those sentimental songs, and this set is full of standards in that vein, from the title track and "Pennies From Heaven" to "P.S. I Love You" (the Jenkins-Mercer composition, not the Beatles song) and "I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)." For the most part the arrangements are appropriately small-scale, letting Scott's voice hog the foreground and squeeze plenty of nuances from his sad vibrato. "Over the Rainbow" itself suffers from an excessive wash of vibes, but fortunately that's not typical of most of the set, which just does toe the right side of gushing emotion. It is a refreshing change of pace, though, when a trace of somber darkness is introduced on the foreboding, doomy arrangement of "Strange Fruit," which benefits from a guest shot by David "Fathead" Newman on tenor sax. ~ Richie Unterberger   http://www.allmusic.com/album/over-the-rainbow-mw0000001817

Personnel: Little Jimmy Scott (vocals); Joe Beck (guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar); Grégoire Maret (harmonica); Justin Robinson (alto saxophone); David "Fathead" Newman , Bob Kindred (tenor saxophone); Larry Willis, Michael Kanan (piano); Joe Locke (vibraphone); George Mraz (acoustic bass); Clarence Penn, Grady Tate (drums).

RIP 

Jul 1925/Jun 2014

Over The Rainbow

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Bob Kindred & Paul Meyers - Your Place Or Mine

Styles: Jazz, Easy Listening
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:25
Size: 112,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:28)  1. These Foolish Things
(3:27)  2. I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good
(2:49)  3. My Funny Valentine
(3:26)  4. The Touch of Your Lips
(4:04)  5. Tenderly
(3:53)  6. Makin' Whoopie
(3:56)  7. Hey, Look Where I Am
(4:16)  8. Everything I Have Is Yours
(3:40)  9. My Foolish Heart
(3:16) 10. Perdu
(5:09) 11. Teach Me Tonight
(2:37) 12. Two Dances of Love (Flirtation Embrace)
(3:19) 13. Love Is Just Around the Corner

That romantic moment can happen at anytime. Be ready! ‘Your Place Or Mine’ will set the mood. This is the CD to have in your collection for those moments.

“Bob Kindred invests every note with passion,” “The ‘Gentle Giant’ of the tenor saxophone,” “Just plain sexy!”… combined with the intimate beauty of Paul Meyers’ acoustic guitar, ‘Your Place Or Mine’ sets the scene for an unforgettable evening of romance. http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bobkindredandpaulmeyers

Your Place Or Mine

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