Alex Clarke Quartet - Only A Year

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2022
Time: 53:26
File: MP3 @ 128K/s
Size: 49,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:34) 1. Brazilian Affair
(5:03) 2. Shake It But Don't Break It
(5:36) 3. Bye Bye Baby
(6:02) 4. Ballad For Very Tired And Very Sad Lotus Eaters
(4:23) 5. Beetroots Burn
(7:17) 6. It’s You Or No One
(7:54) 7. Only A Year
(6:48) 8. Where Or When
(4:44) 9. Who's Smoking?

Since releasing her debut album, Mirage, in 2018 and her performance in the final of the BBC Young Jazz Musician of the Year 2020, Alex Clarke has continued to build on her early achievements and in doing so has made remarkable progress.

With this her second album, she has continued to up her game and delivered a fully realised set of standards that is difficult to fault. It certainly doesn’t hurt to recruit a top flight rhythm section of David Newton, Dave Green and Clark Tracey, but you still have to deliver the goods and this the saxophonist does with splendid results.

Playing both alto and tenor saxophones there is little to choose between either horn, and while she is happy to name Phil Woods, Cannonball Adderley and Scott Hamilton among her influences she sounds like none of them, instead bringing her own sound and feel for the material.

After a lovely piano introduction from Newton, Alex romps through ‘Bye Bye Baby’ with a strong and full alto sound, and a solo that is swinging, melodic and refreshingly cliche free.

This is immediately followed by Billy Strayhorn’s lovely ‘Ballad For Very Tired And Sad Lotus Eaters’ on tenor. Played with a big round sound, her tone on the larger horn grabs the attention and leaves the listener captivated by every phrase and nuance as she states the melody. There is a majestic quality to her phrasing on the ballad that is quite arresting, and one that Alex is able to transfer to quicker tempos too, as can be heard with her confident swagger on Erroll Garner’s ‘Shake It But Don’t Break It’.

Her phrasing positively sings on ‘Where Or When’ which also features an ebullient solo from Newton, and Alex pays a fitting acknowledgement to Phil Woods on ‘Brazilian Affair’ with some top draw alto playing.

In a set of predominantly standards, Alex has the confidence to sneak in a couple of her own compositions that don’t sound out of place at all in such esteemed company.

Sitting comfortably in there is a swinging ‘Beetroots Burn’ that have the rhythm section digging right in, and the lovely title track, ‘Only A Year’. A beautiful melody, simply played with a lovely full tone on alto by Alex and a gently swinging and lyrical solo from David Newton. Taking up the baton from the pianist, Alex spins out her own delightful and assured solo on what is rapidly becoming one of my favourite pieces on the album.

All in all, this is superb outing from a young musician who has absorbed enough of the tradition to have paid her dues, and yet feels confident about being able to stand up and bring her own personality to the music.

The rhythm section keeps things tight, yet have enough combined experience to allow the saxophonist plenty of space, and as such the music comes across as being more than simply the sum of its parts.

Special mention should also go to the fifth member, engineer Andrew Cleyndert who does an excellent job of capturing the sound and assisting in making this the quality album it is. By Nick Lea

Personnel: Alex Clarke (alto & tenor saxophone); David Newton (piano); Dave Green (double bass); Clark Tracey (drums)

Only A Year

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Alan Barnes - The Sherlock Holmes Suite Disc 1, Disc 2

Album: The Sherlock Holmes Suite Disc 1
Styles: Saxophone And Clarinet
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:28
Size: 151,8 MB
Art: Front

( 0:43) 1. 221b Play On
( 2:28) 2. Narration, Pt. 1
( 5:58) 3. The Game Is Afoot
( 2:40) 4. Narration, Pt. 2
( 7:14) 5. Watson
( 1:04) 6. Narration, Pt. 3
(11:29) 7. The Tiger Of San Pedro
( 2:22) 8. Narration, Pt. 4
(10:28) 9. The Napoleon Of Crime
( 0:48) 10. Narration, Pt. 5
( 7:24) 11. The Dancing Men
( 1:42) 12. Narration, Pt. 6
( 2:46) 13. Grimpen Mire
( 8:16) 14. The Hound Of The Baskervilles

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Album: The Sherlock Holmes Suite Disc 2
Time: 56:00
Size: 130,1 MB

(0:55) 1. Narration, Pt. 7
(4:21) 2. The Baker Street Irregulars
(3:26) 3. Narration, Pt. 8
(4:41) 4. Quite A Three Pipe Problem
(1:10) 5. Narration, Pt. 9
(5:46) 6. The 7% Solution
(2:15) 7. Narration, Pt. 10
(7:30) 8. Lestrade Of The Yard
(2:41) 9. Narration, Pt. 11
(8:23) 10. Watson's Women
(0:44) 11. Narration, Pt. 12
(7:07) 12. The Sussex Vampire
(1:38) 13. Narration, Pt. 13
(5:19) 14. 221b (Full Version)

Now this is something really different. It turns out that Alan Barnes has been a raving fan of Conan Doyle's writing, and more specifically, his greatest creation, Sherlock Holmes, since the age of eleven. This double album consists of 95 minutes of original music interspersed with narration relative to the plot and well put over by actor Alan Mitchell. Not only did Alan Barnes compose the music, he wrote the script, and jolly good it is as well.

This is all great fun, but more importantly, the music is outstanding, and the playing by this starry cast of musicians, is superb. Barnes chose his men very carefully, including some of his colleagues from groups in the past, and they all come up trumps, including their very talented leader.

The writing for the octet is clever as it leaves plenty of scope for each of them to show their improvisational skills, and they more than justify their selection. In his own liner notes, Alan states that he tried to write in a way that would bring out the unique qualities and strengths of his fellow musicians, and acknowledges that if that method was good enough for Duke, who is he to quarrel.

There are so many good things in these CDs; it is difficult to know what to pick out. Both Stan Sulzmann and Robert Fowler have their share of good moments, and Bruce Adams brings power and invention to the ensemble and to his solos. Mark Nightingale is just terrific in his spots, and especially in Grimpen Mire and The Hound of the Baskervilles. The rhythm section do a fine job throughout, with splashes of inspiration all over the place from David Newton, who swings hard in The Tiger of San Pedro, and then shows his reflective wistful side in The Napoleon of Crime. It doesn't matter a hoot whether you are familiar with the stories or not. The narration gives you the general idea, and the music is excellent. Alan Barnes has delivered an outstanding opus in this CD, great fun, fine production; I'd give it ten out of ten. Strongly recommended. http://www.woodvillerecords.com/Sherlock%20Holmes%20Suite.htm

Personnel: Alan Barnes - saxophones, clarinet; Bruce Adams - trumpet; Mark Nightingale - trombone; Robert Fowler - saxophones & clarinet; Karen Sharp - saxophones & clarinet; David Newton - piano; Simon Thorpe - bass; Clark Tracey - drums

The Sherlock Holmes Suite Disc 1, Disc 2

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Buddy DeFranco - Garden of Dreams

Styles: Clarinet Jazz
Year: 1988
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:08
Size: 126,8 MB
Art: Front

(6:34)  1. 73 Berkley Street
(5:19)  2. Sunshine State
(5:23)  3. I Remember Clifford
(4:42)  4. Mysteria
(5:15)  5. Blues for Breakfast
(5:28)  6. Holiday for Two
(6:13)  7. Garden of Dreams
(5:36)  8. Brazilian Dorian Dreams
(4:53)  9. Jena
(5:41) 10. Given Time

Buddy DeFranco is one of the great clarinetists of all time and, until the rise of Eddie Daniels, he was indisputably the top clarinetist to emerge since 1940. It was DeFranco's misfortune to be the best on an instrument that after the swing era dropped drastically in popularity and, unlike Benny Goodman and Artie Shaw, he has never been a household name for the general public. When he was 14, DeFranco won an amateur swing contest sponsored by Tommy Dorsey. After working with the big bands of Gene Krupa (1941-1942) and Charlie Barnet (1943-1944), he was with TD on and off during 1944-1948. DeFranco, other than spending part of 1950 with Count Basie's septet, was mostly a bandleader from then on. Among the few clarinetists to transfer the language of Charlie Parker onto his instrument, DeFranco has won a countless number of polls and appeared with the Metronome All-Stars in the late '40s. He recorded frequently in the '50s (among his sidemen were Art Blakey, Kenny Drew, and Sonny Clark) and participated in some of Norman Granz's Verve jam session. During 1960-1963 DeFranco led a quartet that also featured the accordion of Tommy Gumina and he recorded an album with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers on which he played bass clarinet. Work, however, was difficult to find in the '60s, leading DeFranco to accept the assignment of leading the Glenn Miller ghost band (1966-1974). He has found more artistic success co-leading a quintet with Terry Gibbs off and on since the early'80s and has recorded throughout the decades for many labels.~Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/buddy-defranco-mn0000638918/biography

Personnel:  Clarinet – Buddy DeFranco;  Bass – Alec Dankworth;  Drums – Clark Tracy;  Guitar – Martin Taylor;  Piano, Synthesizer – David Newton

Garden of Dreams

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Jim Tomlinson Feat. Stacey Kent - The Lyric

Styles: Vocal And Saxophone Jazz 
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:11
Size: 136,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:09)  1. Manhã De Carnaval
(3:50)  2. Corcovado
(4:55)  3. I've Grown Accustomed To His Face
(3:59)  4. If I Were A Bell
(5:16)  5. I Got Lost In His Arms
(6:32)  6. What Are You Doing The Rest Of your Life?
(4:41)  7. Cockeyed Optimist
(3:45)  8. My Heart Belongs To Daddy
(4:38)  9. The Surrey With The Fringe On Top
(4:55) 10. Outra Vez
(3:21) 11. Jardin D'Hiver
(3:55) 12. Something Happens To Me
(5:09) 13. Stardust

Jim Tomlinson originally intended to make this outing an instrumental CD, but when he had the opportunity to work with his wife, vocalist Stacey Kent, he quickly adapted most of the session to include her. The English tenor saxophonist chose time-tested material from standards and a few bossa novas, playing all of them with a lyrical sound reminiscent of the late giant Stan Getz, particularly in "'Manha de Carnaval" and"Corcovado." Kent's sweet voice complements her husband's band very well, catching the playfulness of "If I Were a Bell" and savoring the thoughtful tempo of "The Surrey with the Fringe on Top." Pianist David Newton, one of Europe's most underrated jazz pianists, anchors the rhythm section (with bassist Dave Chamberlain and drummer Matt Skelton), providing perfect backgrounds for the couple, with his lush playing in "What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life" especially standing out. Highly recommended. ~ Ken Dryden http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-lyric-mw0000466832

Personnel: Jim Tomlinson (tenor saxophone); Stacey Kent (vocals); David Newton (piano); Dave Chamberlain (double bass); Matt Skelton (drums).

The Lyric

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Alan Barnes & David Newton - Summertime

Styles: Clarinet, Saxophone And Piano Jazz 
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:55
Size: 152,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:22)  1. Art's Oregano
(5:57)  2. Summertime
(3:45)  3. Freeman of London
(5:56)  4. Di's Waltz
(3:16)  5. The Bluebird of Delhi
(3:36)  6. Tico Tico
(4:35)  7. Street Of Dreams
(5:05)  8. Black and Tan Fantasy
(4:05)  9. Don't Be That Way
(4:40) 10. Early Autumn
(4:07) 11. The Hawk
(4:15) 12. Autumn Nocturne
(2:44) 13. Charlie the Chulo
(5:59) 14. The Haunted Melody
(4:26) 15. Zoot

Alan Barnes was born in Cheshire in 1959. He studied at Leeds College of Music and became proficient on alto and baritone saxophones and clarinet. Following graduation in 1980, Barnes led several groups, including Pizza Express Modern Jazz Sextet, and recorded with Dave Newton, Tony Coe, Ken Peplowski, and Warren Vache. He dominated the saxophone and clairnet section of the British jazz awards throughout the '90s and performs at major international jazz festivals. Barnes has also spent time teaching. ~ Al Campbell https://www.allmusic.com/artist/alan-barnes-mn0000936422

Personnel:  Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Alan Barnes; Piano – David Newton

Summertime

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Stacey Kent - In Love Again

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:57
Size: 125,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:42)  1. Shall We Dance?
(5:05)  2. Bewitched, Bothered And Bewild
(2:57)  3. My Heart Stood Still
(4:39)  4. It Never Entered My Mind
(4:06)  5. I Wish I Were In Love Again
(4:52)  6. Thou Swell
(4:39)  7. It Might As Well Be Spring
(3:48)  8. Nobody's Heart (Belongs To Me)
(4:35)  9. I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right
(3:07) 10. This Can't Be Love
(4:57) 11. Easy To Remember
(4:22) 12. Manhattan
(3:00) 13. Bali Ha I

Stacey Kent is back, with her regular combo, for an engaging tribute to Richard Rodgers. In addition to routinely covered songs like "It Never Entered My Mind" and "Bewitched," the Britain-based vocalist looks to the South Pacific book and comes up with two items seldom performed in a jazz context "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair" and "Bali Ha'i." Happily, these are two of the best cuts; the former, with its burlesque-ish 6/8 middle section, works amazingly well. The sound of the disc is strong, highlighting the nicely varied arrangements and the innate charm of Kent's puckish voice. There are a few downsides: a sluggish "Thou Swell," an aimless bossa nova reading of "It Might as Well Be Spring," and a general overabundance of ballads. But swinging tracks like "This Can't Be Love" and "My Heart Stood Still" (the latter spiced with tasty chord substitutions) make up for the lukewarm spots. ~ David R.Adler http://www.allmusic.com/album/in-love-again-mw0000018773

Personnel: Stacey Kent (vocals); Colin Oxley (guitar); Jim Tomlinson (flute, tenor saxophone); David Newton (piano); Jesper Kviberg (drums).

In Love Again

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Stacey Kent - The Boy Next Door

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:29
Size: 136,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:28)  1. The Best Is Yet to Come
(3:43)  2. The Boy Next Door
(4:06)  3. The Trolley Song
(4:43)  4. Say It Isn't So
(3:28)  5. Too Darn Hot
(3:11)  6. Makin' Whoopee
(4:12)  7. What The World Needs Now Is Love
(4:21)  8. You've Got a Friend
(4:59)  9. I Got It Bad
(3:07) 10. Ooh-Shoo-Be-Doo-Bee
(3:48) 11. People Will Say We're in Love
(4:32) 12. 'Tis Autumn
(3:28) 13. All I Do Is Dream of You
(3:28) 14. I Get Along Without You Very Well
(2:31) 15. You're the Top
(1:16) 16. Bookends

Wrapping her sweet voice around songs by male singers she admires, Stacey Kent delivers another pleasant and low-key album with The Boy Next Door. Kent's tribute choices range from traditional pop (Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett) to mainstream jazz instrumentalists (Dave Brubeck, Dizzy Gillespie) to the softer side of rock (James Taylor, Simon and unmentioned in the liner notes Garfunkel). With a gentle conviction akin to early Blossom Dearie without the cheeky flair, the album makes for breezy listening. The 16 tracks don't differ enough in tone, making the album a bit too long, but individual moments of warm openhearted excellence make it worthwhile. The sentimentality of "Bookends" or "'Tis Autumn" suit her precious delivery well, while the sly moments of "Makin' Whoopee" feel out of the singer's reach. 

The bandmembers stay out of the way for the most part, waiting for their solos rather than interacting much with Kent. Drummer Matt Home's light but lively style is especially accommodating and guitarist Colin Oxley's percussive take on "Too Darn Hot" ends up being the album's greatest moment. ~ Jeff Jeffries http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-boy-next-door-mw0000314615

Personnel:  Stacey Kent – vocals;  Jim Tomlinson – saxophones, backing vocals;  Curtis Schwartz - backing vocals;  Colin Oxley – guitar;  David Newton – piano, keyboards, backing vocals;  Dave Chamberlain – double bass;  Matt Home - drums

The Boy Next Door

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David Newton - Twelfth Of The Twelfth

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:34
Size: 162,3 MB
Art: Front

( 3:58)  1. My Kind Of Town (Chicago Is)
( 5:23)  2. I've Got the World On a String
( 4:07)  3. I Fall In Love Too Easily
( 4:40)  4. Witchcraft
( 4:10)  5. The Lady Is a Tramp
( 3:58)  6. This Is All I Ask
( 5:39)  7. It's Nice To Go Trav'ling
( 5:07)  8. Violets For Your Furs
( 3:20)  9. All Or Nothing At All
( 5:57) 10. You Make Me Feel So Young
( 2:38) 11. All the Way
(11:30) 12. Twelfth Of the Twelfth
( 5:37) 13. Medley: Only the Lonely/Saturday Night Is the Loneliest Night Of the Week
( 4:24) 14. In the Wee Small Hours Of the Morning

Whether or not you regard Frank Sinatra as a jazz singer, he is clearly respected by jazz musicians for his ability to interpret the cream of American songwriters' work. David Newton's solo piano salute surveys over a quarter century of Sinatra favorites, including a bluesy "Witchcraft," a wild calypso-flavored "The Lady Is a Tramp" and a very lyrical "This Is All I Ask." The title track is an intriguing improvisation which clearly shows that the singer's records have had an impact on the young pianist. ~ Ken Dryden  http://www.allmusic.com/album/twelfth-of-the-twelfth-mw0000647913

Personnel: David Newton (piano).

Twelfth Of The Twelfth

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David Newton - Halfway To Dawn

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:37
Size: 139,1 MB
Art: Front

(7:16)  1. Dreamsville
(5:45)  2. I Wish
(6:48)  3. Halfway To Dawn
(5:24)  4. Tricotism
(4:16)  5. Scotch Blues
(7:13)  6. Bright New Day
(6:26)  7. Last Night When We Were Young
(7:43)  8. You Do Something to Me
(9:42)  9. Kiss and Tell

Born 2 February 1958, Glasgow, Scotland. As a child Newton took lessons on piano, clarinet and bassoon, but while studying at the Leeds College of Music he decided to concentrate on piano. After playing in various bands as a semi-pro, he secured his first professional engagement leading a trio at a restaurant in Bradford, Yorkshire, in 1978. Around this time Newton also played in numerous other bands, ranging musically from traditional jazz to funk, from strict-tempo dance bands to classical. In the early 80s he worked extensively in the theatre, especially with Scarborough-based playwright Alan Ayckbourn. Newton then returned to Scotland, and from a base in Edinburgh quickly established himself as a rising star of the jazz world. He played in backing groups for many visiting jazzmen, including Art Farmer, Bud Shank, Shorty Rogers and Nat Adderley. He also recorded with Buddy De Franco. 

By the late 80s he had settled in London, recording with Alan Barnes, the Jazz Renegades, Martin Taylor, with whom he toured India, and also playing club dates with Andy Cleyndert, Don Weller, Spike Robinson and others. At the end of the decade he became accompanist and musical director to Carol Kidd, recording with her and making numerous concert appearances. During the 90s, Newton worked to great effect with Clark Tracey and Tina May. An outstanding talent, Newton’s wide-ranging experience has ensured that he is at home in most musical settings. Despite his eclecticism he has developed a distinctive and distinguished personal style. ~ Bio  http://www.allmusic.com/artist/david-newton-mn0000810716/biography

Personnel: David Newton (piano), Matt Miles (bass), Steve Brown (drums)

Halfway To Dawn

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David Newton - Inspired

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:38
Size: 132,6 MB
Art: Front

(6:50)  1. On A Misty Night
(6:12)  2. Just Enough
(7:56)  3. So In Love
(5:29)  4. Detour Ahead
(5:00)  5. FSR
(5:48)  6. Isfahan
(5:19)  7. I'm Getting Sentimental Over You
(5:19)  8. Lifetimes
(4:19)  9. Alone Together
(5:22) 10. Both Sides Now

Growing up in Renfrewshire, Scotland, David Newton had a musical upbringing with the piano trio sound of Peterson, Tatum or Garner an ever-present feature in the Newton household. After graduating from Leeds College of Music in 1979 he freelanced around Yorkshire and eventually became a resident musician at the Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough for two and a half years. A move to Edinburgh followed where theatre work using local musicians quickly led to an established position on the Scottish jazz scene but after some four years there, his old roommate from college, Alan Barnes, persuaded him to move to London where he rapidly became a much sought after pianist teaming up with Barnes, guitarist Martin Taylor and saxophonist Don Weller. Newton's recording career had begun in 1985 with Buddy De Franco and Martin Taylor and his first solo album was released in 1988 in association with producer Elliot Meadow who oversaw the next nine years of recording for Linn Records followed by Candid Records.

In 1989 ha became Carol Kidd's musical director and pianist and as a result of his participation in her album "The Night We Called it a Day ", Linn Records asked him to record his album "Victim of Circumstance" (Linn AKD 013). It received many excellent reviews proclaiming it as "a beautifully mature and relaxed collection", "a brilliantly accomplished recording" and one to be "highly recommended ". This was followed by "Eye Witness" which received an equally strong response - "even better than his debut, which is saying something" The List. In 1997, David Newton and Alan Barnes teamed up and together with Concorde Label agent Barry Hatcher, made four CDs for that label. By 2003, Newton set up a business partnership with former pupil Mike Daymond and they established Brightnewday Records initially as a vehicle for Newton's own music but with an eye to opening up the catalogue to other artists later on. In the first five years of the nineties, Newton's reputation as an exquisite accompanist for a singer, spread rather rapidly and by '95 he was regularly working with Carol Kidd, Marion Montgomery, Tina May, Annie Ross, Claire Martin and Stacey Kent, with whom he spent the next ten years recording and travelling all over the world. 

While all this was going on, Newton was composing music which he would record on his own CDs as well as writing specifically for Martin Taylor, Alan Barnes, Tina May or Claire Martin. Indeed, Newton's music can now be heard on many television productions, especially in the United States where over twenty TV movies benefit from Newton's haunting themes. In 2003, after a twenty year gap, David Newton was reunited with playwright Alan Aykbourn having been involved with eight world premiers in Scarborough and London back in the early eighties, and he was asked to write the music for two new productions, "Sugar Daddies" and "Drowning on Dry Land". Currently, with the release of a new CD called "Inspired", on the Brightnewday label, David Newton is relishing the musical freedom of his Trio and the special sound it makes whilst working on two other new recording projects, as an arranger and a composer. David Newton has been voted Best Jazz Pianist in the British Jazz Awards six times and was made a Fellow of Leeds College of Music in 2003.  http://www.linnrecords.com/artist-david-newton.aspx

Personnel :  David Newton – piano; Matt Miles – bass; Steve Brown - drums

Inspired

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