Angela Bofill - Something About You

Styles: Vocal, Soul
Year: 1981
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:25
Size: 133,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:02)  1. Something About You
(3:54)  2. Break It To Me Gently
(3:22)  3. On And On
(5:57)  4. Tropical Love
(3:27)  5. You Should Know By Now
(4:28)  6. Only Love
(3:22)  7. Holdin' Out For Love
(4:30)  8. Stop Look Listen
(4:32)  9. I Do Love You
(0:18) 10. Three Blind Mice
(5:17) 11. Time To Say Goodbye
(3:56) 12. Never Wanna Be Without Your Love
(3:46) 13. Esperando Al Amor
(3:56) 14. Love Light
(3:29) 15. Rhythm Of Your Mind

Angela Bofill enjoyed surprising commercial success with her first two albums, Angie and Angel of the Night, produced by contemporary jazz executives Dave Grusin and Larry Rosen for their GRP label, distributed by Arista. She then jumped to Arista proper (causing some bad blood with GRP) to try for a deliberate jazz-pop crossover on her third album, which was produced by Narada Michael Walden and shepherded by Arista president Clive Davis, who took an executive producer credit. Davis canvassed the publishing world for likely hit songs, then Walden put together a studio team to create a smooth, sophisticated sound that would, it was hoped, work for pop, R&B, and adult contemporary radio as well as setting feet moving in the discos. In practice, it didn't work out that way. 

The title track, with a lush disco arrangement, arrived as a single after disco had faded, though it, like second single "Holdin' Out for Love," a professional song by professional songwriters Cynthia Weil and Tom Snow, managed to peak in the R&B Top 40. With those calling cards, the album was able to register only a Top 20 R&B/Top 100 pop showing, not as high as Angel of the Night, as Bofill's contemporary jazz fans deserted her in droves for her commercial sellout. This is a shame, since, however compromised its goals, much of Something About You is effective early-'80s jazz-pop, and Bofill sings powerfully throughout. Particularly impressive are the ballads "Break It to Me Gently" and "Time to Say Goodbye." ~ William Ruhlmann http://www.allmusic.com/album/something-about-you-mw0000225004

Personnel: Corrado Rustici, Joaquin Lievano (guitar); Earl Klugh (acoustic guitar, nylon-string guitar); Larry Schneider (flute); Marc Russo (saxophone); Greg Adams, Mic Gillette (trumpet, flugelhorn); Wayne Wallace (trombone); Tower of Power (horns); Narada Michael Walden (piano, drums); Patrick Cowley (synthesizer, sound effects); Greg Levias (synthesizer); Andy Narell (steel drum); Paulinho Da Costa (percussion); Jim Gilstrap, John Lehman, Scherrie Payne, Vicki Randle, Myrna Matthews (background vocals).

Something About You

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Earl Klugh - Late Night Guitar

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:45
Size: 81.8 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 1980/1999
Art: Front

[1:58] 1. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
[2:59] 2. Nice To Be Around (Nice To Have Around)
[2:44] 3. Like A Lover
[1:46] 4. Laura
[3:26] 5. Jamaica Farewell
[1:52] 6. Tenderly
[2:54] 7. Mona Lisa
[2:05] 8. Triste
[4:20] 9. Two For The Road
[2:47] 10. Mirabella
[2:06] 11. Lisbon Antigua
[2:51] 12. A Time For Love
[3:51] 13. I'll Never Say Goodbye (The Promise)

This is the perfect setting for acoustic guitarist Earl Klugh, playing strong melodies (including such standards as "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes," "Laura," "Mona Lisa" and "Two for the Road") while joined by strings and several horns in an orchestra arranged and conducted by Dave Mathews. As usual for a Klugh session, the guitarist sticks mostly to the themes and does not improvise much, as he never considered himself a jazz player; but the overall effect is quite pleasing.

Late Night Guitar

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Earl Klugh - The Journey

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:35
Size: 119,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:14)  1. All Through the Night
(4:28)  2. Last Song
(3:58)  3. 4 Minute Samba
(5:05)  4. Sneakin' out of Here
(6:10)  5. The Journey
(4:19)  6. Good as It Gets
(5:53)  7. Fingerdance
(6:19)  8. Evil Eye
(3:59)  9. Walk in the Sun
(6:07) 10. Autumn Song

As is usual with Earl Klugh's recordings, Journey features the guitarist's pretty tone on melodic and lightly funky material. His backup band sounds very anonymous and none of his sidemen display an original personality. However Klugh's musicians do their job well, providing a safe background for the guitarist as he interprets ten of his original melodies. Earl Klugh collectors will most likely enjoy this effort due to his sound and the peaceful vibes, but those who prefer more adventurous music will not be converted. 

~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-journey-mw0000024744

Personnel: Earl Klugh - guitar, keyboards; Paul M. Jackson, Jr. - electric guitar; Al Turner - bass; Greg Phillinganes, David Spradley, Luis Resto, Albert Duncan - keyboards; Ray Manzerolle - synth wind; Ron Otis, Harvey Mason - drums; Paulinho da Costa - percussion; Lenny Price - saxophone; Johnny Mandel - orchestral arrangements, conductor

The Journey

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Earl Klugh, Bob James - Two Of A Kind

Styles: Guitar Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1982
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:52
Size: 87,2 MB
Art: Front

(8:52)  1. The Falcon
(5:28)  2. Whiplash
(5:39)  3. Sandstorm
(6:51)  4. Where I Wander
(3:07)  5. Ingenue
(7:52)  6. Wes

Keyboardist Bob James and acoustic guitarist Earl Klugh struck gold with this session, recently reissued on CD. The formula hasn't changed much in succeeding years. Both Klugh and James are capable musicians; they demonstrated on this collection of light, innocuous melodies and occasionally interesting backbeats a high degree of professionalism. 

Klugh is a first-rate guitarist whose solos are concise and nicely delivered, but frequently sound thin. James' piano and electric keyboard playing is a puzzling combination of flawlessness and lifelessness. ~ Ron Wynn https://www.allmusic.com/album/two-of-a-kind-mw0000622797

Personnel: Earl Klugh – acoustic guitar;  Bob James – keyboards; Gary King – bass; Harvey Mason – drums

Two Of A Kind

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Earl Klugh - Midnight In San Juan

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:31
Size: 95,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:52)  1. Midnight in San Juan
(4:00)  2. Every Moment with You
(6:06)  3. Kissin' on the Beach
(4:33)  4. She Never Said Why
(4:41)  5. Mobimientos Del Alma (Rhythms of the Soul)
(3:44)  6. Jamaican Winds
(5:27)  7. Theme for a Rainy Day
(7:06)  8. Take You There

The majority of Earl Klugh's albums have been throwaways not because he's choosing pop-flavored jazz and jazzy instrumental pop over straight-ahead jazz, but because of their total lack of substance and musical integrity. One of his more listenable commercial efforts, Midnight in San Juan finds the guitarist placing an unusually heavy emphasis on Latin and Caribbean elements. The CD is decent more often than not, and listeners are reminded of the fact that commercial pop-jazz can be tasteful or not so tasteful. 

Some of the more worthwhile tunes include the Brazilian-flavored "Kissin' on the Beach," and the salsa-influenced "Mobimientos del Alma," the haunting "She Never Said Why" and the Joe Sample-ish title tune. Harmonica player Toots Thielemans has a melodic cameo on the pensive "Theme for a Rainy Day," and pianist Eliane Elias is in good form on the vibrant "Take You There." Meanwhile, Klugh tosses good taste to the wind on "Every Moment with You," a glaring example of the type of insipid, toothless schlock he so often stoops to playing. This is far from an essential purchase, but overall, it was certainly superior to most of his other commercial albums. ~ Alex Henderson https://www.allmusic.com/album/midnight-in-san-juan-mw0000674962

Personnel: Earl Klugh – guitar, keyboards; Toots Thielemans – harmonica; Ron Carter – bass; Chuck Loeb – guitar; Paul McGill – guitar; Jose Oribe – guitar; Oscar Hernández – bass; Lucio Hopper – bass; Abraham Laboriel, Sr. – bass; Eliane Elias – piano; Ruben Rodriquez – piano; Sammy Figueroa – percussion; Paulinho Da Costa – percussion; Ralph Irizarry – percussion; Barnaby Finch – keyboards; Ronnie Foster – keyboards; Mark Nilan – keyboards; Richard Tee – electric piano; Robby Ameen – drums; Harvey Mason Sr. – drums; Buddy Williams – drums

Midnight In San Juan

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Hubert Laws, Earl Klugh - How To Beat The High Cost Of Living

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 31:30
Size: 72.1 MB
Styles: Crossover jazz
Year: 1980/2017
Art: Front

[2:20] 1. Down River
[5:22] 2. Night Moves
[4:27] 3. Piccolo Boogie
[3:35] 4. Dream Something
[4:04] 5. It's So Easy Loving You
[2:15] 6. The Edge
[2:27] 7. The Caper
[1:35] 8. Ready To Run
[2:13] 9. The Scuffle
[3:07] 10. Song For A Pretty Girl

After a series of low-quality commercial releases for Columbia, Hubert Laws came up with this surprisingly worthwhile album. Featured along with acoustic guitarist Earl Klugh, the flutist performed Patrick Williams' music for the film How to Beat the High Cost of Living, which starred Susan Saint James, Jane Curtin, and Jessica Lange. While the light comedy has been long forgotten and none of these ten selections caught on, the music is largely straight-ahead, with some strong melodies, and finds Laws and Klugh playing very well. They are backed by a six-piece rhythm section including keyboardist Michael Lang and both Tim May and Mitch Holder on guitars. This out of print LP (which probably will not get reissued on CD anytime soon) is well worth acquiring. ~Scott Yanow

How To Beat The High Cost Of Living

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Dave Valentin - Mind Time

Styles: Flute Jazz
Year: 1987
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:42
Size: 107,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:58)  1. Feel Like Jazz
(4:38)  2. Twine & Tangle
(5:19)  3. Show Business
(3:39)  4. Passion Flower
(6:06)  5. Coconuts
(5:30)  6. Chago
(3:11)  7. China
(4:49)  8. Sonlight
(6:28)  9. It Might As Weel Be Spring

Dave Valentin, who recorded over 15 albums for GRP, combined together the influence of pop, R&B, and Brazilian music with Latin jazz to create a slick and accessible form of crossover jazz. At age nine, Valentin enjoyed playing bongos and congas. He gigged at Latin clubs in New York from age 12 and it was not until he was 18 that he seriously started studying flute. Valentin's teacher, Hubert Laws, suggested that he not double on saxophone because of his attractive sound on the flute. In 1977, he made his recording debut with Ricardo Marrero's group, and he was also on a Noel Pointer album. Discovered by Dave Grusin and Larry Rosen, Valentin was the first artist signed to GRP and he was a popular attraction for years to follow. After the mid-2000s, Valentin was signed to Highnote Records, releasing World on a String in 2005, Come Fly with Me in 2006, and Pure Imagination in 2011. Valentin suffered a debilitating stroke in 2012 and a second stroke three years later; he died in 2017 at the age of 64. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/artist/dave-valentin-mn0000625994/biography

Personnel: Dave Valentin (flute, piccolo, panpipes); Earl Klugh (acoustic guitar); Oscar Hernandez (piano, keyboards, synthesizer); Bill O'Connell (piano); Richard Martinez (keyboards, synthesizer, programming); Ted Lo (keyboards, synthesizer); Lincoln Goines (electric bass, fretless bass); Robert Gonzales, Robby Ameen (drums); Giovanni Hidalgo (congas, percussion).

Mind Time

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Larry Carlton & Guests - All Star Jazz - The Jazz King

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:22
Size: 125,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:25)  1. Blue Day
(4:20)  2. Candlelight Blues
(5:54)  3. H.M. Blues
(3:53)  4. Love at Sundown
(4:31)  5. Lullaby
(5:45)  6. Magic Beams
(5:44)  7. When
(3:53)  8. Never Mind The Hungry Men's Blues
(7:21)  9. Love Light in My Heart
(4:31) 10. Lullaby (Instrumental Version)
(4:00) 11. Celebration

Like so many other Los Angeles studio musicians, guitarist and composer Larry Carlton was faced with a choice a number of years back: whether to go solo and develop a name for himself, or to continue the less risky, more lucrative existence of a session guitarist, making good money and recording with prominent musicians. Fortunately for fans of this eclectic guitarist, he chose the former, and has recorded under his own name for Warner Bros., MCA Records, GRP Records, and various other labels since 1978. Carlton's studio credits from the ''0s and early '80s include work with musicians and groups like Steely Dan, Joni Mitchell, Michael Jackson, Sammy Davis, Jr., Herb Alpert, Quincy Jones, Bobby Bland, Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, and literally dozens of others. Among his more notable projects as a session guitarist were Joni Mitchell's critically acclaimed Court and Spark album and Donald Fagen's Nightfly album. For much of the '70s, Carlton was active as a session guitarist, recording on up to 500 albums a year. Although he recorded a number of LPs under his own name as early as 1968's With a Little Help from My Friends (Uni) and 1973's Playing/Singing (Blue Thumb), he didn't land a major-label contract until 1978, when he signed with Warner Bros. Carlton began taking guitar lessons when he was six. His first professional gig was at a supper club in 1962. After hearing Joe Pass on the radio, he was inspired to play jazz and blues. Wes Montgomery and Barney Kessel became important influences soon after he discovered the jazz guitar stylings of Pass. B.B. King and other blues guitarists had an impact on Carlton's style as well. He honed his guitar-playing skills in the clubs and studios of greater Los Angeles while he attended a local junior college and Long Beach State College for a year until the Vietnam War ended. Carlton toured with the Fifth Dimension in 1968 and began doing studio sessions in 1970. His early session work included studio dates with pop musicians like Vikki Carr, Andy Williams, and the Partridge Family. In 1971, he was asked to join the Crusaders shortly after they'd decided to drop the word "Jazz" from their name, and he remained with the group until 1976. In between tours with the Crusaders, he also did studio session work for hundreds of recordings in every genre. But it was while he with the Crusaders that he developed his signature, highly rhythmic, often bluesy style. His credits include performing on more than 100 gold albums. 

His theme music credits for TV and films include Against All Odds, Who's the Boss, and the theme for Hill Street Blues. The latter won a Grammy award in 1981 for Best Pop Instrumental Performance. Carlton delivered his self-titled debut for Warner Bros. in 1978, shortly after he was recognized for his groundbreaking guitar playing on Steely Dan's Royal Scam album. (Carlton contributed the memorable guitar solo on "Kid Charlemagne.'') He released four more albums for Warner Bros., Strikes Twice (1980), Sleepwalk (1981), Eight Times Up (1982), and the Grammy-nominated Friends (1983), before being dropped from the label. He continued studio session work and toured in between, emerging again in 1986 on MCA Records with an all-acoustic album, Discovery, which contained an instrumental remake of Michael McDonald's hit "Minute by Minute." The single won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance in 1987. Carlton's live album Last Nite, released in 1987, got him a Grammy nomination for Best Jazz Instrumental Performance. While working on his next album for MCA, On Solid Ground, Carlton was the victim of random gun violence, and was shot in the throat by gun-wielding juveniles outside Room 335, his private studio near Burbank, California. The bullet shattered his vocal cords and caused significant nerve trauma, but through intensive therapy and a positive frame of mind, Carlton completed work on On Solid Ground in 1989. He formed Helping Innocent People (HIP), a non-profit group to aid victims of random gun violence. Despite the tragedy foisted on him in the late '80s after he was shot, with a long period of hospitalization and rehabilitation, Carlton continued his active recording and performing schedule over the next two decades, beginning with a number of albums during the '90s on the GRP label: 1992's Kid Gloves; 1993's Renegade Gentleman; 1995's Larry & Lee (with Lee Ritenour); and 1996's The Gift. Carlton also released the 1995 holiday collection Christmas at My House on MCA. And in 1997 he replaced Lee Ritenour in the popular, contemporary jazz outfit Fourplay, first appearing on the group's 4 album in 1998. 

The 2000s found Carlton as active as ever, recording live and in the studio as both leader and collaborator for a variety of labels. Two albums on Warner Bros. began the decade, Fingerprints including guest appearances by Michael McDonald, Vince Gill, Kirk Whalum, and Vinnie Colaiuta  in 2000, and Deep Into It in 2001. A popular concert draw in Japan, Carlton could be heard as a collaborator on two live recordings from that island country during the decade, Live in Osaka (with Steve Lukather), issued in 2001 on the Favored Nations label, and Live in Tokyo (with Robben Ford) on 335 Records in 2007. Meanwhile, his albums as a leader continued, with Sapphire Blue and Fire Wire released by Bluebird/RCA in 2004 and 2005, respectively, and The Jazz King with Carlton leading an all-star band performing music he composed on commission to celebrate the 80th birthday and ascension to the throne of Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej issued by Sony BMG in 2008. In 2009 Carlton appeared as guest guitarist on selected dates during Steely Dan's U.S. summer tour. Take Your Pick (with Tak Matsumoto) appeared in 2010. Always happy to meet with the press, Carlton has a sweet, peaceful personality, and listeners continue to hear it in his unique rhythmic and warm guitar chords and ringing guitar tones. Carlton was featured on and produced vocalist Michele Pillar's holiday album, I Hear Angels Calling, in 2011. Also appearing in 2011 was Larry Carlton Plays the Sound of Philadelphia, followed by Four Hands & a Heart, Vol. 1 in 2012. ~ Richard Skelly https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/larry-carlton/id29989

Personnel: Larry Carlton – guitars;  Abraham Laboriel – bass;  Earl Klugh – guitar;  Tom Scott – sax;  Nathan East – bass;  Abraham Laboriel, Jr. – drums;  Greg Mathieson – keyboards;  Michele Pillar – vocals;  Jeff Babko - keyboards

The Jazz King

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Flora Purim - Stories To Tell

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:59
Size: 91.6 MB
Styles: Fusion, Latin jazz
Year: 1974
Art: Front

[3:40] 1. Stories To Tell
[5:52] 2. Search For Peace
[3:53] 3. Casa Forte
[2:44] 4. Insensatez
[3:14] 5. Mountain Train
[4:03] 6. To Say Goodbye
[5:38] 7. Silver Sword
[4:10] 8. Vera Cruz (Empty Faces)
[6:41] 9. O Cantador I Just Want To Be Here

Though her recordings for Chick Corea's Return to Forever provide a better introduction to her vocal talents, Stories to Tell is an excellent outing by Flora Purim and friends. Assisted by a cast of jazz/fusion all-stars led by husband Airto Moreira, Purim shows off the wide range of her abilities: from wordless vocal soaring to songs with lyrics in English and Portuguese, from uptempo percussion-driven workouts to beautiful ballads. In addition to Airto, the assembled cast includes bassists Miroslav Vitous and Ron Carter, keyboard wunderkind George Duke, guitarists Earl Klugh and Oscar Castro-Neves, and trombonist Raul de Souza. Also, Carlos Santana turns in one of his patented sizzling guitar solos on "Silver Sword." With material from Antonio Carlos Jobim, Vitous, Milton Nascimento, McCoy Tyner, and Purim herself, this is an album worth savoring. ~Jim Newsom

Stories To Tell

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Earl Klugh - Ballads

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:31
Size: 196,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:41)  1. This Time
(4:58)  2. Waltz For Debby
(2:40)  3. If You're Still In Love With Me
(3:45)  4. The April Fools
(5:13)  5. Rayna
(2:59)  6. Natural Thing
(2:49)  7. Waiting For Cathy
(4:34)  8. Julie
(3:50)  9. Nature Boy
(3:36) 10. Dream Come True
(5:09) 11. The Shadow Of Your Smile
(4:12) 12. Christina

While this collection of ballads from past Klugh releases has many pleasant moments, it's so pastoral and calming that each song fades into another one without making much impression. As background music, they're effective. Klugh's solos are well constructed, marvelously articulated, and his lines and phrasing sublime. The material covers an impressive range of genres, from jazz to pop, originals and standards. Those who enjoy untaxing material should find this another delightful Klugh collection; others seeking visceral fare should look elsewhere. ~ Ron Wynn http://www.allmusic.com/album/ballads-mw0000105266

Personnel:  Earl Klugh (guitar), Greg Phillinganes (electric piano, keyboards); Dave Grusin (keyboards); Lee Ritenour (electric & 12 string guitars); Paul Jackson (electric guitar); Charles Meeks, Anthony Jackson, David Saltman (bass); James Bradley Jr., Victor Lewis, Harvey Mason, Raymond Pounds (drums), Ralph MacDonald, Paulinho Da Costa, Dr. Gibbs (percussion).

Ballads

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Kirk Whalum - Roundtrip

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:38
Size: 133,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:42)  1. Courtney
(4:34)  2. Desperately
(4:55)  3. Ruby Ruby Ruby
(6:51)  4. Glow
(4:51)  5. The Wave
(4:27)  6. Big Ol' Shoes
(4:42)  7. Inside
(4:47)  8. In A Whisper
(3:48)  9. Roundtrip
(6:13) 10. Back In The Day
(6:42) 11. Afterthought

Contemporary jazz saxophonist Kirk Whalum decided to take a little trip back in time on Roundtrip, back to the Memphis club scene that nurtured him early on, and to record some of his earliest compositions and ones written expressly for him with fresh ears as well as some new ones. Recording in four different places from Memphis to Los Angeles to New York to England, Whalum asked some old pals to pop in, like Earl Klugh, Jeff Golub, Gerald Albright, and Philippe Saisse, as well as some of his stalwart rocksteady bandmates such as Rex Rideout, drummer Michael White, bassist Melvin Davis, guitarist Mark Jaimes, and trumpeter James McMillan. There are a few other surprises as well, such as the appearance of Kim Fields on "In a Whisper," Shanice on "Inside," and sons Kyle, Hugh, and Kevin making appearances as well. Issued on his own Rendezvous Music imprint, this is Whalum at his most relaxed and celebratory. That said, Roundtrip has no less polish than anything recorded over his nearly 30-year career, and the label was his idea. It's a deeply personal offering that is celebratory in nature rather than merely reflective. The pairing with Klugh on "Ruby Ruby Ruby" is on the money. The keen melodic sensibilities both men possess complement one another perfectly, and the mix is skeletal enough to let Klugh's gorgeous guitar playing stand out. Whalum's tenor playing and the light, Latin-kissed composition are sparse and in the pocket. The reading of Nat Adderley, Jr.'s "The Wave" (the original is from 1988's And You Know That LP on Columbia) doesn't work quite so well in that Saisse does all the keyboards and programming and Whalum just blows over the top. The problem is that the synthetic handclaps add nothing; in fact, they detract from what otherwise might have been a nice funkier version of the tune. "Big 'Ol Shoes," which immediately follows, however, gets right down to it. Co-written by Whalum and Rideout, it's funky in all the right places, with one of those transcendent choruses that Whalum slips into his own tunes so often. The Grover Washington, Jr./Creed Taylor/Kudu feel is all over this one, with some killer keyboard work from Rideout and tasty guitars by Darrell Crooks.

The vocal performance by Shanice on "Inside" is a beautiful urban soul and nearly gospel performance, and Whalum lets his vocalist get to it without getting in her way. Producer James McMillan (who co-wrote the cut) keeps his star back in the mix until it's time for him to blow a solo. Kim Fields speaks her track, and it works seamlessly. Rideout, who co-wrote the cut, produces it and takes the same approach with Whalum, though the saxophonist plays more fills, allowing his in-the-pocket sense of lyric improvisation to underscore the vocalist's lines. "Back in the Day" is a slick but fruitful hip-hop track with rapper Caleb tha Bridge and Albright on alto. This is positive hip-hop, with plenty of soul casting a reflective and nostalgic look at the past. Whalum and John Stoddart act as a backing chorus. It's innocent but not cloying, the groove is solid, and the saxophonists playfully entwine around one another and do call and response, ending up playing harmony in the solo break. The chorus has "single" written all over it if only the square urban and smooth jazz radio programmers would get out of their rut and test it on an actual audience. The set ends with another early Whalum composition in "Afterthought" from his debut album, Floppy Disk, in 1985. The lithe groove shimmers and swirls as White's backbeat kicks the tune just enough in contrast to the deep bassline of Alex Al and the vibes-like percussion of Kevin Ricard; Rideout's keyboards paint Whalum's backdrop brightly and he blows the tune out of memory, from that charmed place of having the gratitude and sheer lyric talent needed to look back. It's not hollow nostalgia here, but rather the quintessential taste to revisit this tune with so much soul over two decades later and play it like he means it only there's wisdom here, too: the tune means something a little different now, and his blowing near the cut's end is full of deep swelling emotion and smoking chops he didn't have in 1985. Anybody could play his old tunes, or replay them, or re-record a greatest-hits album, but Whalum didn't do that; he made something new and beautiful out of his past that points to an even brighter, more aesthetically satisfying future now that he -- instead of another record company controls it. Highly recommended.~Thom Jurek http://www.allmusic.com/album/roundtrip-mw0000584656

Personnel: Kirk Whalum (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone, background vocals); Caleb tha Bridge (vocals, rap vocals); Kevin Whalum, Shanice Wilson (vocals); Kim "Blondielocks" Fields (spoken vocals); Mark Jaimes (guitar, guitars, bass guitar); Earl Klugh, Jeff Golub (guitar); Gerald Albright (alto saxophone); Peter Murray (piano, Fender Rhodes piano); Chris Carter (organ); Julian Crampton, Melvin Davis , Alex Al (bass guitar); Michael White , Elijah "DD" Holt (drums); Ekpe Abioto (percussion); Garry Goin, Darrell Crooks (guitar); James McMillan (trumpet, flugelhorn, piano, Fender Rhodes piano, programming); Philippe Saisse, Rex Rideout (keyboards, programming); John Stoddart (keyboards, background vocals); Simon Phillips (drums); Martin Ditcham, Kevin Ricard (percussion); Priscilla Jones-Campbell (background vocals).

Roundtrip

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Nelson Rangell - Soul To Souls

Styles: Saxophone Jazz

Year: 2006

File: MP3@320K/s 

Time: 52:43

Size: 121,3 MB 

Art: Front

(5:57)  1. Free As The Wind

(5:31)  2. City Lights

(4:21)  3. When I Saw You

(4:58)  4. Vonetta

(3:36)  5. Instrumental Theme, Pt. 2

(4:58)  6. Mean Business

(6:42)  7. A Night In Tunisia

(6:27)  8. A New Avenger

(4:19)  9. Send One Your Love

(5:51) 10. The World View

If you've never heard saxophonist Nelson Rangell, you may find Soul To Souls a pleasant step beyond typical smooth radio fodder. Listeners familiar with his work will find it, for better or worse, a return to safety. Rangell put out unpolished fusion albums with scattered moments of innovation during his early years, hit a brief peak during mid-'90s, and has since lapsed into lukewarm territory. He took a detour for the better on My American Songbook Vol. 1 (Koch, 2005), which featured chestnuts like "Billy Boy" with novel arrangements and honest-to-goodness straight-ahead soloing. But that relative daring is missing on Soul to Souls, replaced by steady beats, familiar licks, and highlighting of guest players like guitarists Chuck Loeb and Earl Klugh. 

"Doing a pop recording in this day and age has a lot of challenges," he writes. "The marketplace and the mechanisms within it can be complicated and often cynical." But Soul to Souls doesn't achieve his stated goal of overcoming those challenges with an album emulating a "direct experience of playing for people." Like many improvisers, his live performances can take things to a serious next level, but the glossiness of this album mostly leaves a nagging feeling that he's playing below his potential.Rangell's rapid-phrase solos go beyond mere lyricism, blending his classical flute training with harmonically challenging post bop, which is why they may catch the ears of first-time listeners. But those familiar with previous albums will almost certainly find themselves thinking they've heard these exact phrases before. Rangell's range of instrumentation isn't as diverse as it was on some albums; he doesn't spent much time dong the extreme upper-register alto sax exercises of years past, and there's no novelties like his strikingly clear and precise whistling.

Soul to Souls is basically a ten-song, radio-friendly album with an even mix of covers and originals co-written by Rangell. With such a lineup, a nearly seven-minute long version of Dizzy Gillespie's "A Night In Tunisia" all but demands extra attention. The first three minutes are a mood music prelude and feature a chorus somewhat diluted by smooth synths. Rangell fingers his way competently through a minute-long solo of those rapid notes without much direction or development. In a more lyrical and deliberate way, pianist Vlad Girshevich massages a pleasant but unmemorable passage against a backdrop of more synths.The beat-driven, high-register chorus of "A New Avenger" catches the ear enough to see if anything memorable will result, but the result from Loeb and Rangell is a lot more notes that are compatible with the composition without enhancing it. Klugh's impact is similarly minimal on "Vonetta," although it's as good a piece as any to hear Rangell on flute, where he often does his most accomplished work. ~ Mark Sabbatini  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/soul-to-souls-nelson-rangell-koch-records-review-by-mark-sabbatini.php

Personnel: Nelson Rangell: saxophones, flute, piccolo, vocals; Alex Nekrasov: keyboards, vocals; Christian Teele: drums, percussion; Chuck Loeb: guitar (1,8); Herb Lowe: bass (1,4,10); Joe Gamble: guitar (2,6,8); Ross Martin: guitar (3-5); Earl Klugh: guitar (4); Bill Cooper: guitar (9); Chris Engleman: bass (5); Vernon Barbary: bass (6); Vlad Girshevich: piano (7).

 

Soul To Souls

Earl Klugh - HandPicked

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:08
Size: 126.2 MB
Styles: Jazz guitar
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[2:31] 1. Alfie
[2:26] 2. Lullaby Of Birdland
[6:09] 3. Blue Moon
[4:05] 4. In Six
[3:12] 5. Cast Your Fate To The Wind
[8:02] 6. Hotel California
[3:37] 7. More And More Amor
[2:29] 8. 'round Midnight
[1:45] 9. But Beautiful
[3:43] 10. All I Have To Do Is Dream
[3:36] 11. Going Out Of My Head
[1:57] 12. If I Fell
[2:01] 13. Where The Wind Takes Me
[3:14] 14. Morning Rain
[2:19] 15. Love Is A Many Splendored Thing
[3:55] 16. This Time

In a recording career of over three decades, master guitarist Earl Klugh has been lauded as a prodigy and a groundbreaker of contemporary jazz. Klugh's highly-anticipated Concord debut, HandPicked, is a self-produced solo album with guest guitarists Bill Frisell, Vince Gill, Jake Shimabukuro and others.

HandPicked

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Various Artists - Blue Note Plays Burt Bacharach

Styles:  Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:37
Size: 121,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:16)  1. The Jazz Crusaders - Promises, Promises
(5:57)  2. Stanley Turrentine - Walk On By
(3:41)  3. Lou Rawls - Any Day Now
(3:57)  4. Richard "Groove" Holmes - Do You Know The Way To San Jose?
(6:46)  5. Grant Green - I'll Never Fall in Love Again
(2:01)  6. Nancy Wilson - Wives And Lovers
(2:31)  7. Three Sounds - The Look Of Love
(4:29)  8. Stanley Jordan - One Less Bell To Answer
(6:43)  9. Stanley Turrentine - What the World Needs Now Is Love
(3:44) 10. Earl Klugh - The April Fools
(3:04) 11. Nancy Wilson - Alfie
(4:23) 12. Ernie Watts - Knowing When to Leave

Unfortunately, the 2004 issue of Blue Note Plays Bacharach falls short of the similar (now deleted) compilation from 1999, Blue Bacharach: A Cooler Shaker, also on Blue Note. Usually when a compilation disc is reissued, songs are added to the original program rather than omitted, which isn't the case in this instance. While Blue Bacharach originally had 14 tracks, this version has been whittled down to 12 tracks, nine of which are repeats. The three newly added songs, "The April Fools" by Earl Klugh, "One Less Bell to Answer" by Stanley Jordan, and "Any Day Now" by Lou Rawls, were recorded in 1976, 1986, and 1990, respectively, undermining the overall continuity of the '60s-based arrangements. Still, it's nice to have Bacharach standards played in a lively soul-jazz groove by Stanley Turrentine, Grant Green, Richard "Groove" Holmes, and Reuben Wilson, along with Nancy Wilson's outstanding vocals on "Wives and Lovers" and "Alfie." Blue Note Plays Bacharach is a passable compilation, but keep your eyes open for a used copy of the superior Blue Bacharach: A Cooler Shaker. ~ Al Campbell  http://www.allmusic.com/album/blue-note-plays-burt-bacharach-mw0000697637

Personnel: Nancy Jo Wilson , Lou Rawls (vocals); Cornell Dupree, Dennis Budimir, Grant Green, John Michael Gray (guitar); Earl Klugh (acoustic guitar); Ernie Watts (alto saxophone, tenor saxophone); Bobby Ray Watson, Frank Strozier, James Spaulding, Anthony Ortega (alto saxophone); Wilton Felder (tenor saxophone, electric bass); Eddie Harris, Plas Johnson , Rick Margitza, Stanley Turrentine (tenor saxophone); Bill Green , Howard Johnson , Richard Aplanalp, Pepper Adams (baritone saxophone); Larry McGuire, Herbert Anderson, Freddie Hill, Jack Walrath, Jerry Rusch, Blue Mitchell, Buddy Childers (trumpet); William Peterson (electric trumpet); Peter Myers, Lou Blackburn, Steve Turre, Wayne Henderson , Billy Byers, Frank Strong (trombone); Michael Wimberly, Ernie Tack (bass trombone); Richard Tee (piano, organ); Gene Harris, Clarence MacDonald, Joe Sample, Lou Levy, McCoy Tyner (piano); Richard "Groove" Holmes, Emanuel Riggins (organ); Eluriel Tinker Barfield, Jimmy Lewis (electric bass); Chris Parker , Donald Bailey , Idris Muhammad, Mickey Roker, Paul Humphrey & the Cool Aid Chemists , Roberto Marín, Stix Hooper, Kenny Dennis (drums); Ken Watson, Candido Camero (congas); Richard Landrum (bongos); Milt Holland (percussion).

VA - Blue Note Plays Burt Bacharach

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Kirk Whalum - Promises Made : The Millennium Promise Jazz Project

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:37
Size: 143,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:07)  1. Stand By Me
(6:43)  2. Bridge Over Troubled Water
(4:46)  3. I Wish I Knew (How It Feels to Be Free)
(6:10)  4. A Day In The Life
(3:57)  5. The Fool on the Hill
(6:06)  6. People Get Ready
(3:39)  7. Eleanor Rigby
(8:39)  8. I'll Take You There
(4:33)  9. A Change Is Gonna Come
(5:36) 10. War
(6:15) 11. What's Going On
(2:00) 12. (Untitled)

With precious few exceptions, star-studded lineups on benefit recordings are usually a mixed bag at best particularly when it comes to the jazz arena. We tend to support these albums more as a way of showing solidarity than for their musical value. This set of stellar, contemporary jazz versions of socially conscious pop and soul songs is a clear exception. Promises Made is a benefit offering on Koch for the Millennium Project, an organization dedicated to the relief of hunger, disease prevention and economic development in Africa. This set is co-directed by saxophonist Kirk Whalum and pianist Takana Miyamoto. Some of those who signed on for this date include George Duke, David Sanchez, Marcus Printup, Russell Gunn, and Earl Klugh, who appear as soloists in different settings with a couple of different rhythm sections. The album was recorded in Nashville and produced by Miyamoto and Whalum with Norbert Simmons acting as executive producer.

This set is a treat: it's polished to be sure, but it's far from slick. The rhythms are all organic, there are no programmed beats, just drums and percussion instruments. Every selection is drenched in real emotion and, to quote Charles Mingus, "plenty, plenty soul." The opener is a great place to start: Whalum and Miyamoto front a septet performing Ben E. King's classic "Stand by Me," which becomes a hymn of solidarity underscoring this project. With a B-3, electric guitar, two bassists (upright and electric), drums, and percussion behind the soprano and piano, it is reminiscent of the Blue Note soul-jazz sound of the mid-'60s except that the production is pure 21st century, smooth and seamless. The melody is pronounced and there is a bridge for the soloists to move forward a bit before returning to it. It is groove conscious without being synthetic and is drenched with honest emotion. The songs of Lennon and McCartney are well represented here: "Eleanor Rigby," "A Day in the Life," and "The Fool on the Hill" are present. 

In addition, there as are excellent readings of Curtis Mayfield's standard, "People Get Ready," Barrett Strong's and Norman Whitfield's "War," Marvin Gaye's "What's Goin' On," Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come," Paul Simon's "Bridge Over Troubled Water," Alvertis Isbell's "I'll Take You There," (so closely associated with the Staple Singers), and the civil rights-era classic, "I Wish I Knew (What It Means to Be Free)" immortalized byNina Simone. As fine as this set is as a whole, there are some clear standouts: "A Day in the Life" with Klugh's warm but funky acoustic guitar and gorgeous piano work by Miyamoto, the long improv that introduces the Mayfield tune with Whalum at his soloing best on soprano and a nice koto part woven in by Junko Takeo; Sanchez's lyrical tenor paired with Printup's trumpet on "Fool on the Hill"; and the five-horn front line of the Common Ground Collective on "War," with talking drum, wah-wah guitars, and smoking breakbeats. This is not only a benefit record worth supporting, it's a musical statement that stands on its own; it is worth celebrating as one of contemporary jazz's shining lights in 2008. ~ Thom Jurek  http://www.allmusic.com/album/promises-made-the-millennium-promise-jazz-project-mw0000796603

Personnel: Kirk Whalum (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone); Kevin Whalum (vocals, background vocals); Paige Lackey Martin, JIVA Singers, Alex Lattimore, Chanda McKnight, Lizz Wright (vocals); Kevin Turner, Earl Klugh, Kevin Turner (guitar); Junko Takeo (koto); Takana Miyamoto (melodica, piano, Fender Rhodes piano); Kenton Bostick (alto saxophone, drums); Darryl Reeves (alto saxophone); David Sanchez , Jorga Mesfin, Kenneth Whalum, Kebbi Williams (tenor saxophone); Alex Lowe (baritone saxophone); Dallas Smith & the Boys From Shiloh, Marcus Printup, Russell Gunn (trumpet); Mausiki Scales (Fender Rhodes piano, percussion); George Duke (Fender Rhodes piano); Ralph Lofton (Hammond b-3 organ); Chris Kent, Zack Pride (bass instrument); Terreon Gully (drums, drum, tambourine); J.D. Blair (drums, drum, percussion); Chris Burroughs (drums); Adebisi Adeleke (talking drum); Juan Carlos Santos, Rafael Pereira (percussion); Joey Kibble, Mark Kibble (background vocals).

Promises Made : The Millennium Promise Jazz Project

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Earl Klugh - The Spice Of Life

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:06
Size: 133,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:11)  1. Ocean Blue
(5:08)  2. Sleepyhead
(5:33)  3. Canadian Sunset
(2:34)  4. Venezuelan Nights
(3:47)  5. Driftin'
(4:39)  6. Snap!
(3:57)  7. Bye Ya
(4:17)  8. Heart of My Life
(5:25)  9. Morning In Rio
(4:51) 10. C'est Si Bon
(3:48) 11. Lucy's World
(6:15) 12. My Foolish Heart
(2:35) 13. The Toy Guitar

Smooth jazz guitarist Earl Klugh’s Spice Of Life shows that he hasn’t lost any of his mellow flair. Plus, he’s learned a thing or two. Spice reflects the influence of Latin American classical and pop music forms, as Klugh alternates lush orchestration and unaccompanied solo guitar. Variety, in this case, is the Spice Of Life, Klugh effortlessly mixes straight-up jazz (a Thelonious Monk classic getting a Brazilian makeover), romantic R&B, chilled-out balladry, pop, and a touch of funk. ~ Mark Keresman  http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-spice-of-life-mw0000783646

Personnel: Earl Klugh (acoustic guitar, keyboards, synthesizer, percussion); Grace Paradise (harp); Karen Karlsrud, Rob Shaw, Eric Degioia, Laura Oatts, Rick Dolan, Una Tone, Dale Stuckenbruck, Martin Agee, Cenovia Cummins , Carol Pool (violin); William Paul Murphy, Debra Shufelt, Maxine Roach, Kenji Bunch (viola); Laura Bontrager, Daniel Laufer, Richard Locker, Sarah Seiver (cello); Hubert Laws, Pamela Sklar (flute, alto flute, bass flute); Keith Underwood (alto flute, bass flute, contrabass flute); Robert Bush (alto flute, bass flute); Ann E. Lilya (oboe); Carl Nitchie (bassoon); Lenny Price (saxophone); Brice C. Andrus (French horn); John Corrozzu (keyboards, synthesizer); Gordon Gottlieb (vibraphone, shaker); Jeff Cox (acoustic bass); Al Turner (electric bass); Yonrico Scott, Scott Meeder (drums, percussion); Ron Otis (drums); Gene Dunlap (drum programming).

The Spice Of Life

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