Sylvie Vartan - Sylvie In Nashville

Size: 106,4 MB
Time: 45:14
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Pop, Rock, Blues
Art: Front

01. Cheveux Au Vent (5:06)
02. I Like It, I Love It (3:05)
03. Etrangere (3:32)
04. Ciel (3:04)
05. Dans Le Bayou (3:07)
06. Le Feu Sous La Glace (4:24)
07. Loin D'ici (3:32)
08. Sandy (3:14)
09. En Rouge Et Or (3:10)
10. Si Les Annees (3:48)
11. Mr. John B (3:21)
12. Non Merci (2:47)
13. Come A Little Closer (2:58)

Although actor/pop singer Sylvie Vartan is Bulgarian, she would eventually receive recognition from the French, usually singing entirely in the language of her adopted homeland. Born August 15, 1944, in Iskretz, Bulgaria, Vartan showed great talent for both acting and singing at an early age, resulting in an appearance in the Bulgarian film Under the Yoke in 1950. Two years later (while only ten years old), Vartan and her family relocated to France. 1961 would prove to be an important year for Vartan's career, as she entered a recording studio for the first time, picked up some TV work, and appeared at the famed Olympia Theater. The early '60s saw the release of a steady stream of singles, EPs, and albums (such as 1962's Sylvie), in addition to further appearances in European movies -- including A Moonlight in Maubeuge and Just for Fun.

Other impressive accomplishments for Vartan in the early '60s included recording a pair of songs ("If I Sing" and "Most Beautiful to Go to Dance") with famed country artists Chet Atkins and Ray Stevens, and playing on the same bill as the Beatles at the Olympia in January of 1964. During the mid-'60s, Vartan concentrated on making inroads to the American music market, as she appeared on such TV shows as The Ed Sullivan Show, Hullaballooh, and Shindig, while one of her best singles, "2'35 de Bonheur," hit the charts in early 1967. Subsequently, Vartan kept on issuing albums and touring at a steady rate right up to the 21st century, as 2001 saw the release of the 14-track career overview L'Essential. ~by Greg Prato

Sylvie In Nashville

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Maya Nova - Open

Size: 120,2 MB
Time: 51:39
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2010
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Groovin' High (3:19)
02. Upside Down A.K.A. Flor De Lis (4:58)
03. Polegnala E Todora Blues (5:55)
04. Speak Low (5:21)
05. My Shining Hour (5:23)
06. I'm Old Fashioned (3:13)
07. Dindi (5:58)
08. You And The Night And The Music (5:30)
09. Wild Is The Wind (5:23)
10. Open (6:33)

Bulgarian singer Maya Nova cut her teeth in pop, funk and jazz bands in her native Sofia, before relocating to Singapore in 2002. There, she successfully established her presence on the local jazz scene, in addition to holding the post of Main Study Voice Lecturer at the prestigious La Salle College of the Arts. Open, her debut recording, sees Nova wrapping her vocal chords around a selection of mostly standards, extracting the most out of familiar tunes with her surprising vocal range and uninhibited improvisations.

Nova scats breezily through "Groovin' High," one of trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie's most popular tunes, ably supported by Tan Wei Xiang on Fender Rhodes and the swinging rhythm team of double-bassist Andrew Klein and drummer Tan Boon Gee. Xiang's touch on Rhodes is refreshingly light and the perfect accompaniment to Nova's relaxed delivery on "Upside Down" and Antonio Carlos Jobim's lovely "Dinde."

The singer returns to her roots on "Polegnala E Todora Blues," with an enchanting but all too short snatch of traditional Bulgarian folk song, which segues into an extended blues workout. Nova's strong runs, punctuated by striking high notes, have the excitement of the unexpected, yet flow naturally and melodically, suggesting the influence of Gillespie. Not for nothing did Nova make the semifinals of the Shure Montreux Voice Competition at the 43rd Montreux Jazz festival, in 2009. Nova's scat on Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer's "My Shining Hour" exudes the same boppish freedom, accompanied solely by Klein's plunging, walking bass. ~Ian Patterson

"I'm Old Fashioned," with full trio backing, has much the same feel as "My Shining Hour," perhaps because Mercer's lyrics left their stamp on both songs. The change in combinations, from quartet to duos, with either bass or keyboard, nicely alters the music's texture. Xiang plays something more than a comping role, and steals the show on Kurt Weill's "Speak Low" with a dark-hued, snaking solo.

An original intro of vocals and snare drum colors "You and the Night and the Music," and features telling work from Xiang and Klein. Elsewhere, Nova brings great intimacy and nuance to Dimitri Tiomkin and Ned Washington's ballad, "Wild is the Wind." The title track—the only self-penned number—is effectively an instrumental, with Nova's wordless vocals tracing a melody which could almost have been written for a two- or three-piece brass section.

Open succeeds in being simultaneously tuneful and technically absorbing. It will be interesting to see if Nova develops her own songwriting abilities or if she opts for a more left-field choice of material in the future. In the meantime, this satisfying recording will hopefully introduce a singer of notable skill and natural flair to a wider audience.

Personnel: Maya Nova: vocals; Tan Wei Xiang: Fender Rhodes; Andrew Klein: double-bass; Tan Boon Gee: drums.

Open

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Sylvie Vartan - Live A Pleyel: The 50th Anniversary Concert

Size: 129,0+187,6 MB
Time: 55:01+80:26
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2011
Styles: French Pop, Chanson
Art: Front

CD 1:
01. La Plus Belle Pour Aller Danser (Live) (4:50)
02. Des Heures De Desir (Live) (4:14)
03. Tape Tape (Live) (4:38)
04. Par Amour Par Pitie (Live) (3:26)
05. Deux Mains (Live) (2:54)
06. Oblatche Le Bialo (Live) (3:32)
07. Moya Goro (Live) (3:58)
08. On Entre En Scene (Live) (3:43)
09. Moi (Live) (3:22)
10. L'amour C'est Comme Les Bateaux (Live) (3:54)
11. Mon Enfance (Live) (5:29)
12. Je Croyais (Live) (4:06)
13. Sous Ordonnance Des Etoiles (Live) (3:11)
14. Aimer (Live) (3:39)

CD 2:
01. La Maritza (Live) ( 5:39)
02. La Drole De Fin (Live) ( 3:08)
03. Pour Lui Je Reviens (Live) ( 2:55)
04. Medley (Live) (11:14)
05. Blanches Nuits De Satin (Live) ( 5:09)
06. Moi Je Pense Encore A Toi (Live) ( 3:07)
07. Je Viens Vers Vous (Live) ( 3:46)
08. Mon Pere (Live) ( 3:09)
09. Personne (Live) ( 5:06)
10. Medley (Live) (10:51)
11. Quand On A Que L'amour (Live) ( 5:45)
12. Ma Vie C'est Moi Qui L'ai Choisie (Live) ( 5:13)
13. Je Viens Vers Vous (Bonus Studio) ( 4:00)
14. On Entre En Scene (Bonus Studio) ( 3:20)
15. Blanches Nuits De Satin (Bonus Studio) ( 4:42)
16. Moi (Bonus Studio) ( 3:13)

Although actor/pop singer Sylvie Vartan is Bulgarian, she would eventually receive recognition from the French, usually singing entirely in the language of her adopted homeland. Born August 15, 1944, in Iskretz, Bulgaria, Vartan showed great talent for both acting and singing at an early age, resulting in an appearance in the Bulgarian film Under the Yoke in 1950. Two years later (while only ten years old), Vartan and her family relocated to France. 1961 would prove to be an important year for Vartan's career, as she entered a recording studio for the first time, picked up some TV work, and appeared at the famed Olympia Theater. The early '60s saw the release of a steady stream of singles, EPs, and albums (such as 1962's Sylvie), in addition to further appearances in European movies -- including A Moonlight in Maubeuge and Just for Fun.

Other impressive accomplishments for Vartan in the early '60s included recording a pair of songs ("If I Sing" and "Most Beautiful to Go to Dance") with famed country artists Chet Atkins and Ray Stevens, and playing on the same bill as the Beatles at the Olympia in January of 1964. During the mid-'60s, Vartan concentrated on making inroads to the American music market, as she appeared on such TV shows as The Ed Sullivan Show, Hullaballooh, and Shindig, while one of her best singles, "2'35 de Bonheur," hit the charts in early 1967. Subsequently, Vartan kept on issuing albums and touring at a steady rate right up to the 21st century, as 2001 saw the release of the 14-track career overview L'Essential. ~by Greg Prato

Live A Pleyel CD 1
Live A Pleyel CD 2

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Ana Velinova - The Thief

Size: 89,6 MB
Time: 38:34
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz: Vocals
Art: Front

01. Could You See Could I Say (4:41)
02. I'm Movin' On (4:21)
03. How Can I Sleep (3:33)
04. O Bebado E A Equilibrista (3:42)
05. Mystic In My Soul (3:52)
06. I Want You (3:19)
07. Baby Bye Bye (3:14)
08. Cool (3:17)
09. Nani Mi Damiancho (Bulgarian Folk Song) (4:57)
10. The Thief (3:33)

Ana Velinova has won the love of jazz fans from around the globe. Originally from Sofia Bulgaria, Ana has lived in many major US and Canadian cities such as New York, Boston, Los Angeles and Vancouver, Canada. "The Thief " is Ana Velinova's first album of predominantly original jazz compositions featuring world renowned musicians Neil Swaison (George Shearing) on bass, Willard Dyson (Cassandra Wilson, Regina Belle, Michael Franks) on drums and percussion and Misha Piatiigorksy on keys. The album was recorded and produced by Grammy Award winning producer Joby Baker at Joby Baker Studios in Canada. In the words of her band members: "Ana's "The Thief" is steal! Ana is definitely one of the most exciting vocalists and songwriters in the contemporary jazz music scene. She tells a story with energy, character, sophistication, elegance
and musical wonder.” Ana holds a Master's Degree in Jazz & Contemporary-Classical Voice Performance from the Longy School of Music in Boston, undergraduate studies in Vocal Jazz from the Musician’s Institute in Los Angeles and a diploma in classical guitar from the National Music School in Bulgaria.

The Thief

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