Grant Stewart - Young At Heart

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:59
Size: 127,0 MB
Art: Front

(7:59) 1. Young At Heart
(8:36) 2. You're My Thrill
(6:13) 3. Roll On
(5:41) 4. Shades Of Jackie Mac
(7:00) 5. Repetition
(6:47) 6. Serenade To Sweden
(6:49) 7. Modinha
(5:52) 8. Jet Stream

Since moving from Toronto to New York at age 19, Grant Stewart has spent 15 years dutifully toiling in the city's jazz underground. Only over the past few years have we begun to hear some worthy examples of the tenor saxophonist's labor a release under his name for Criss Cross, a pair on the same label by Reeds and Deeds (a band he co-leads with Eric Alexander), and a couple on the Video Arts imprint. Although all of these discs are worth your discretionary income and time, 2007's In the Still of the Night (Sharp Nine) was a career-defining recording. From shrewd choices in material, a crack rhythm section, to Stewart's glowing solos, it was one of those rare instances in which everything came together in a near perfect manner. Sharp Nine owner/producer Marc Edelman wasted no time getting Stewart back in the studio, and he wisely decided there was no need to retool a winning formula. On Young at Heart, once again, Stewart is joined by pianist Tardo Hammer, bassist Peter Washington, and drummer Joe Farnsworth. The record is every bit as good as its predecessor in part because of Stewart's ability to sound at ease and establish his own identity on different kinds of material and at various tempos. There's stability and depth to his playing that sets him apart from a host of well-known, thirty-something tenor stylists who blow convoluted to a fault.

The tenor saxophonist's thoughtful interpretations of songs by Duke Ellington, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Neal Hefti, and others are complete in themselves. He lingers on the melodies instead of merely using them as a springboard for improvisation. Throughout the head of the title track, for example, Stewart deliberately moves thorough Hammer's lively accompaniment. A subdued rendition of "You're My Thrill" conveys a quiet resignation. Stewart's style of improvising is fresh, uncluttered, and cliche free. On medium and up tempo tracks like "Roll On," "Serenade to Sweden," "Shades of Jackie Mac," and "Jet Stream," he invariably plays a steady, evenly paced stream of ideas. One favorite device is burrowing into the rhythm section's thrust for an extended period before briefly easing up and gliding over them. Throughout the ballad "Modinha," Stewart's gift for spontaneous melodic invention is more pronounced, and so is his dramatic range. At one important juncture, he falls silent for what feels like an eternity before reaching a brief climax.By David A. Orthmann
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/young-at-heart-grant-stewart-sharp-nine-records-review-by-david-a-orthmann.php

Personnel: Grant Stewart: tenor saxophone; Tardo Hammer: piano; Peter Washington: bass; Joe Farnsworth: drums.

Young At Heart

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Mike Melito - To Swing is the Thing

Styles: Jazz, Swing
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:01
Size: 146,7 MB
Art: Front

(6:27) 1. You Said It
(4:57) 2. Big Red
(7:10) 3. A Bee Has Two Brains
(6:53) 4. Blue Key
(6:27) 5. Lush Life
(4:55) 6. Make Believe
(6:38) 7. Ruby My Dear
(7:57) 8. Straight Street
(5:52) 9. Three For Carson
(5:40) 10. Locke Bop

Twenty-eight years ago, in March 1994, Mike Melito's fellow Rochesterian, Chuck Mangione, presented a traveling festival in upstate New York. He hired Roy McCurdy to play with Nat Adderley - with whom McCurdy had played on 7 leaders, plus another 19 with Cannonball Adderley, between 1966 and 1979 - in a band that included pianist Don Menza and Rochester guitar stalwart Bob Sneider. He assigned Melito to the other act, James Moody, in a unit including then up-and-coming pianist Danilo Pérez.

Roy and I hit it off right away, Melito says. I'd obviously been checking him out for years. We played the same set of drums, same cymbals and I learned a lot about sound. He didn't talk to me about anything. I watched him, and figured out what he was doing that I wasn't. I believe you're a student forever. I work a lot on my sound, on my hands, on my cymbal beat. My goal has always been to sound as authentic as possible as a player and strive for the same sound as my heroes.

Melito offered this self-assessment after relating an encounter some thirty years ago with iconic drum conceptualist Max Roach, whom he'd studied closely since age 12, when Melito heard the 1947 Charlie Parker-Miles Davis-Roach classic Dewey Square on the first jazz record I ever bought on my own. Another Rochester friend, trumpeter John Sneider, had played Roach some tapes featuring Melito, and the maestro noticed.

I met Max and he gave me one of the greatest compliments I've ever received, Melito recounts. He said, 'You really know how to phrase; the snare drum...' and gave me a big hug. The 56-year-old master offers a highly personalized refraction of Roach's late 1950s investigations of the possibilities of 3/4 waltz time towards the end of his eighth self-released album, To Swing Is The Thing, a title that efficiently encapsulates the imperatives that have driven him through 40 years as a professional drummer.By Editorial Reviewshttps://www.amazon.com/Swing-Thing-Mike-Melito/dp/B0BVSDM92R

Personnel: Mike Melito- drums; Grant Stewart- tenor saxophone; Joe Magnarelli - trumpet and flugelhorn; Jeb Patton- piano; Neal Miner - bass

To Swing is the Thing

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Peter Anderson & Will Anderson - A Sax Supreme

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:54
Size: 101,5 MB
Art: Front

(6:16)  1. Let's
(6:36)  2. Walkin'
(5:23)  3. U.M.M.G.
(4:56)  4. Here's That Rainy Day
(1:37)  5. More Than You Know
(2:03)  6. You Go to My Head
(1:45)  7. Love Locked Out
(2:39)  8. Some Other Spring
(4:55)  9. Love Letters
(7:40) 10. Whoops

Peter and Will Anderson (born 27 March 1987) are identical twin American jazz saxophonists and clarinetists, composers and arrangers, and leaders of their own trio and quintet. They have performed at venues including The Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, and Blue Note Jazz. Peter and Will's music has been reviewed and featured in the New York Times, Seattle Times, Washington Post, Jazz Times. In addition, their music was used in HBO's Board Walk Empire. Peter and Will Anderson were born in Washington, DC and raised in Bethesda, MD. They attended Walt Whitman High School and were mentored by many musicians including saxophonist Paul Carr and drummer and vibraphonist Chuck Redd. At age 18, they moved to New York City to attend The Juilliard School from 2005-9 (Bachelor of Music) and 2009-11 (Master of Music). There they studied under many notable artists including Joe Temperley, Victor Goines, Frank Wess, Benny Golson, Kenny Washington, and Joe Wilder. From 2007-09, Peter and Will were both recipients of the Illinois Jacquet Scholarship in Jazz Studies from Juilliard. During their undergraduate studies, they were both selected from an international pool of applicants for the Betty Carter’s Jazz Ahead program, which included a residency of performances at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC.More... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_and_Will_Anderson

Personnel: Peter Anderson, tenor sax; Will Anderson Anderson, alto sax; Grant Stewart, tenor sax; Ken Peplowski, tenor sax; Ehud Asherie, piano; Neal Minerm, bass; Aaron Kimmel, drums

A Sax Supreme

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Grant Stewart - Namely You

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:53
Size: 132,0 MB
Art: Front

(7:44)  1. Namely You
(6:57)  2. Straight Street
(5:59)  3. Laura
(6:24)  4. Amsterdam After Dark
(9:07)  5. I Believe in You
(6:13)  6. Somewhere in the Night
(7:16)  7. The Shadow of Your Smile
(7:10)  8. All by Myself

Grant Stewart and Fabio Miano lead a swinging quartet that includes Austrian drummer Bernd Reiter and the young French double bassist Clement Daldosso. The group moves easily through the tunes on this recording. Stewart , a brilliant tenor saxophonist with a powerful, incisive swing is an esteemed figure on the international scene. He has been praised by many great musicians, such as Lou Donaldson, George Coleman, Clark Terry and Jimmy Cobb, with whom he has played and recorded. Fabio Miano, acclaimed pianist and jazz teacher, is a fine accompanist and skillful improviser. Italian Miano, who lives in Spain, has performed on both sides of the Atlantic and displays a knowledge of contemporary jazz as well as a solid grounding in jazz tradition. His tasteful, narrative playing is filled with nuances. The empathy between the two leaders helps to create a relaxed recording in which creativity is not restricted and jazz flows with joyful ease. https://www.jazzmessengers.com/en/79905/grant-stewart/namely-you-w-fabio-miano

Personnel: Grant Steward, tenor sax; Fabio Miano, piano; Clement Daldosso, bass; Bernd Reiter, drums

Namely You

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The Quintet, Ryan Kisor, Grant Stewart - A Night In Tunisia

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:39
Size: 116.0 MB
Styles: Bop
Year: 2004
Art: Front

[5:34] 1. Quicksliver
[7:40] 2. A Night In Tunisia
[4:33] 3. Confirmation
[4:01] 4. If I Had You
[6:22] 5. Split Kick
[5:12] 6. Mayreh
[5:45] 7. Now's The Time
[6:23] 8. Once In A While
[5:06] 9. Wee-Dot

Night in Tunisia is the second import CD by the Quintet, a group of thirty-something jazz musicians on the rise with trumpeter Ryan Kisor getting top billing, plus veteran drummer Victor Lewis. Also on hand are tenor saxophonist Grant Stewart, pianist Sam Yahel (who, since this 2004 session, has been better known for his work on organ), and bassist James Genus. A quick glance at the play list indicates this group is focused on bop and hard bop; there are no originals or groundbreaking arrangements, just sincere performances of material that will be familiar to bop fans. Kisor and Stewart take solo honors for the session, though the choice of one or two obscure compositions from the bop era might have added a little more spice to the date. ~Ken Dryden

A Night In Tunisia mc
A Night In Tunisia zippy

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Grant Stewart Quarter - Buen Rollo

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 54:17
Size: 100,1 MB
Art: Front

(8:55)  1. It's All Right With Me
(7:04)  2. Pannonica
(4:03)  3. Cyclops
(6:54)  4. Dizzy Moods
(6:25)  5. Manhattan
(5:45)  6. O.D.
(7:00)  7. Scotch Thing
(8:07)  8. Something To Live For

   Born in Toronto, Canada on June 4, 1971, Grant Stewart was exposed to the music of Charlie Parker, Wardell Gray and Coleman Hawkins by his father, a high-school English teacher and semiprofessional guitarist. Father and son often played together for hours on end. It was through these early experiences and his father's encouragement that Stewart first developed a strong ear for melody, style, and improvisation. He began with the alto saxophone at age 10, and when he was 14 his first teacher, noted Toronto bandleader Pete Schofield, invited him to play professionally in Schofield's Big Band. At 17 he switched to the tenor saxophone and was soon playing with such master saxophonists as Pat Labarbara and Bob Mover. Stewart considers Mover to be one of his greatest teachers and among his strongest influences along with Sonny Rollins, John Coltrane, Don Byas, and Lester Young. Since moving to New York City at the age of 19, Stewart has studied with such masters as Donald Byrd, Barry Harris, and Joe Lovano, and performed with Curtis Fuller, John Hendricks, Clark Terry, Etta Jones, Bill Charlap, Frank Gant, Dan Barrett, Bob Mover, Brad Mehldau, Russell Malone, Larry Goldings, Peter Bernstein, Jimmy Cobb, Harry Connick , Harold Mabern, Mickey Roker, Arthur Harper, Jimmy Lovelace, Cecil Payne, Dick Hyman, Herb Geller and was a member of the last Al Grey Sextet. https://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/grantstewart

Stewart can be found playing at such clubs in NY as, Birdland, Smoke, The Ketano, The Jazz Standard, Fat Cat and can be heard every Tuesday night at Smalls Jazz Club. Stewart has performed all over North America and Europe as well as Japan, Brazil, Taiwan and was one of the first jazz artists to be invited to play at the historical Hermitage Museum in St.Petersberg Russia. Grant was also a featured artist at the Guggenheim Museums' Jazz series with his trio-featuring Jimmy Cobb. Stewart has two releases as a leader out on Criss Cross, Downtown Sounds and More Urban Tones, as well as a third on the Fresh Sounds label entitled Buen Rollo. Downtown Sounds, heralded by critics in the U.S., Canada and Europe, was recorded in 1992 and includes Brad Mehldau, piano, Kenny Washington, drums, Peter Washington, bass and Joe Magnarelli, trumpet. Geoff Chapman, of the Toronto Star selected Downtown Sounds as one of the Top Five Jazz Albums of 1994. More Urban Tones features Peter Bernstein, guitar, Peter Washington, bass, and Billy Drummond, drums. You can also hear Grant on Ryan Kisors' recent Quintet release The Awakening on Criss Cross Jazz. One of his latest projects is a two-tenor group co-led with Eric Alexander. The C.D.is called Wailin' and is available on Criss Cross. Grant's latest quintet release Estate featuring Bill Charlap and Joe Cohn is available on Criss Cross as well.

Grant Stewart Quartet: Grant Stewart (tenor saxophone); Fabio Miano (piano); Chris Higgins (bass); Marc Miralta (drums).

Buen Rollo

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Grant Stewart - Tenor And Soul

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:48
Size: 127.8 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz, Mainstream jazz
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[6:15] 1. Hush A Bye
[6:32] 2. Willow Weep For Me
[6:49] 3. Old Devil Moon
[6:14] 4. Alacant
[8:02] 5. On Green Dolphin Street
[7:00] 6. Tijuana Gift Shop
[7:58] 7. Quiet Sip
[6:55] 8. Dr. Bob's Nightmare

Grant Stewart sounds like a throwback to earlier eras on this 2005 session. His full-bodied tenor sax has a bit of Coleman Hawkins and Dexter Gordon at times, though he is very much finding his own voice. The bluesy "Willow Weep for Me" is as much a feature for guitarist Joe Cohn (son of the late master tenorist Al Cohn), while the breezy setting of "Old Devil Moon" features the leader's explosive solo. The Latin setting of "On Green Dolphin Street" seems almost obligatory for jazz musicians, though Stewart's lush tenor makes it worthwhile listening. The brisk take of Charles Mingus' rarely performed "Tijuana Gift Shop" is a welcome change from standard jazz repertoire. Two originals add trumpeter Ryan Kisor: the intricate "Alacant" and the hip, slinky "Dr. Bob's Nightmare." ~Ken Dryden

Tenor And Soul

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Grant Stewart Trio - Roll On

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:24
Size: 113,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:15)  1. Thinking Of You
(6:40)  2. Here I'll Stay
(4:02)  3. After You've Gone
(6:28)  4. Just As Though You Were Here
(6:59)  5. Un Poco Loco
(5:43)  6. End Of A Love Affair
(3:48)  7. Fats Flats
(5:51)  8. Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans
(5:33)  9. Roll On

Born in Toronto, Canada on June 4, 1971, Grant Stewart was exposed to the music of Charlie Parker, Wardell Gray and Coleman Hawkins by his father, a high-school English teacher and semiprofessional guitarist. Father and son often played together for hours on end. It was through these early experiences and his father's encouragement that Stewart first developed a strong ear for melody, style, and improvisation. He began with the alto saxophone at age 10, and when he was 14 his first teacher, noted Toronto bandleader Pete Schofield, invited him to play professionally in Schofield's Big Band. At 17 he switched to the tenor saxophone and was soon playing with such master saxophonists as Pat Labarbara and Bob Mover. Stewart considers Mover to be one of his greatest teachers and among his strongest influences along with Sonny Rollins, John Coltrane, Don Byas, and Lester Young. Since moving to New York City at the age of 19, Stewart has studied with such masters as Donald Byrd, Barry Harris, and Joe Lovano, and performed with Curtis Fuller, John Hendricks, Clark Terry, Etta Jones, Bill Charlap, Frank Gant, Dan Barrett, Bob Mover, Brad Mehldau, Russell Malone, Larry Goldings, Peter Bernstein, Jimmy Cobb, Harry Connick , Harold Mabern, Mickey Roker, Arthur Harper, Jimmy Lovelace, Cecil Payne, Dick Hyman, Herb Geller and was a member of the last Al Grey Sextet.

Stewart can be found playing at such clubs in NY as, Birdland, Smoke, The Ketano, The Jazz Standard, Fat Cat and can be heard every Tuesday night at Smalls Jazz Club. Stewart has performed all over North America and Europe as well as Japan, Brazil, Taiwan and was one of the first jazz artists to be invited to play at the historical Hermitage Museum in St.Petersberg Russia. Grant was also a featured artist at the Guggenheim Museums' Jazz series with his trio-featuring Jimmy Cobb. Stewart has two releases as a leader out on Criss Cross, Downtown Sounds and More Urban Tones, as well as a third on the Fresh Sounds label entitled Buen Rollo. Downtown Sounds, heralded by critics in the U.S., Canada and Europe, was recorded in 1992 and includes Brad Mehldau, piano, Kenny Washington, drums, Peter Washington, bass and Joe Magnarelli, trumpet. Geoff Chapman, of the Toronto Star selected Downtown Sounds as one of the Top Five Jazz Albums of 1994. More Urban Tones features Peter Bernstein, guitar, Peter Washington, bass, and Billy Drummond, drums. You can also hear Grant on Ryan Kisors' recent Quintet release The Awakening on Criss Cross Jazz. One of his latest projects is a two-tenor group co-led with Eric Alexander. The C.D.is called Wailin' and is available on Criss Cross. Grant's latest quintet release Estate featuring Bill Charlap and Joe Cohn is available on Criss Cross as well. https://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/grantstewart

Personnel:   Grant Stewart - tenor saxophone;  Paul Sikivie – bass; Phil Stewart – drums.

Roll On

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Grant Stewart - More Urban Tones

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:17
Size: 142,8 MB
Art: Front

(6:40)  1. Nica's Tempo
(8:42)  2. I Should Care
(7:21)  3. You Go To My Head
(7:26)  4. Rabbitron
(6:45)  5. All Through The Night
(8:04)  6. You Sweet And Fancy Lady
(7:06)  7. Manhattan Bridge
(7:12)  8. Pie-Eye Blues

Born in Toronto, Canada on June 4, 1971, Grant Stewart was exposed to the music of Charlie Parker, Wardell Gray and Coleman Hawkins by his father, a high-school English teacher and semiprofessional guitarist. Father and son often played together for hours on end. It was through these early experiences and his father's encouragement that Stewart first developed a strong ear for melody, style, and improvisation. He began with the alto saxophone at age 10, and when he was 14 his first teacher, noted Toronto bandleader Pete Schofield, invited him to play professionally in Schofield's Big Band. At 17 he switched to the tenor saxophone and was soon playing with such master saxophonists as Pat Labarbara and Bob Mover. Stewart considers Mover to be one of his greatest teachers and among his strongest influences along with Sonny Rollins, John Coltrane, Don Byas, and Lester Young.

Since moving to New York City at the age of 19, Stewart has studied with such masters as Donald Byrd, Barry Harris, and Joe Lovano, and performed with Curtis Fuller, John Hendricks, Clark Terry, Etta Jones, Bill Charlap, Frank Gant, Dan Barrett, Bob Mover, Brad Mehldau, Russell Malone, Larry Goldings, Peter Bernstein, Jimmy Cobb, Harry Connick , Harold Mabern, Mickey Roker, Arthur Harper, Jimmy Lovelace, Cecil Payne, Dick Hyman, Herb Geller and was a member of the last Al Grey Sextet. Stewart can be found playing at such clubs in NY as, Birdland, Smoke, The Ketano, The Jazz Standard, Fat Cat and can be heard every Tuesday night at Smalls Jazz Club. Stewart has performed all over North America and Europe as well as Japan, Brazil, Taiwan and was one of the first jazz artists to be invited to play at the historical Hermitage Museum in St.Petersberg Russia. Grant was also a featured artist at the Guggenheim Museums' Jazz series with his trio-featuring Jimmy Cobb. Stewart has two releases as a leader out on Criss Cross, Downtown Sounds and More Urban Tones, as well as a third on the Fresh Sounds label entitled Buen Rollo. Downtown Sounds, heralded by critics in the U.S., Canada and Europe, was recorded in 1992 and includes Brad Mehldau, piano, Kenny Washington, drums, Peter Washington, bass and Joe Magnarelli, trumpet. Geoff Chapman, of the Toronto Star selected Downtown Sounds as one of the Top Five Jazz Albums of 1994. More Urban Tones features Peter Bernstein, guitar, Peter Washington, bass, and Billy Drummond, drums. You can also hear Grant on Ryan Kisors' recent Quintet release The Awakening on Criss Cross Jazz. One of his latest projects is a two-tenor group co-led with Eric Alexander. The C.D.is called Wailin' and is available on Criss Cross. Grant's latest quintet release Estate featuring Bill Charlap and Joe Cohn is available on Criss Cross as well. https://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/grantstewart

Personnel:  Grant Stewart (Ts);  Peter Bernstein (G);  Peter Washington (B);  Billy Drummond (D);  Chris Byars (Ts);  Jay Collins (Ts).

More Urban Tones

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Giacomo Gates - Everything Is Cool

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:23
Size: 115,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:14)  1. Everything Is Cool
(5:40)  2. If I Were You, Baby, I'd Love Me
(5:17)  3. When Lovers They Lose
(4:16)  4. Social Call
(3:16)  5. Hazel's Hips
(2:54)  6. Almost Blue
(4:33)  7. Take Five
(3:39)  8. Who Threw The Glue
(5:11)  9. Here Today Gone Tomorrow
(3:24) 10. Please Don't Bug Me
(2:59) 11. All Alone
(3:55) 12. Well You Needn't (It's Over Now)

Federal regulations require food and beverage manufacturers to provide "Nutrition Facts" on all package labels. They want you to know what you're digging into. Now, if recordings had that same requirement, Everything Is Cool from Giacomo Gates might read this way: "Ingredients: 100% genuine talent and devotion to the true art of jazz vocalizing. All natural and swinging ingredients. No artificial jive, smooth jazz, or ju-ju. Organic, filled with mojo, and very much the Real Deal, Baby!" You see, Gates is an adoring acolyte to one of jazz's most honored traditions the hard-swinging male jazz vocalist. No smooth, well-coiffed crooner or re-homogenized "package," this blues-collared Cat carries the torch that "Dippermouth" lit when he opened his and began to scat on Perdido Street. That flame was handed down, flickering through artists such as Babs Gonzales (whom Gates highlights here), Jon Hendricks, and Eddie Jefferson. However, Gates drives his own iron in this superior effort and this one's as cool as it gets. The selections, perfectly selected for Gates hip style, tip the beret rakishly to Mr. Gonzalez ("Everything Is Cool," "When Lovers They Lose," "Here Today and Gone Tomorrow"), as well acknowledging other boy hipsters, including Oscar Brown Jr. ("Hazel Hips"), Lenny Bruce ("All Alone"), Frank Rosolino ("Please Don't Bug Me"), Thelonious Monk (Well You Needn't"), Dave Brubeck ("Take Five"), et al. The repertoire is an acknowledgement and fine presentation of great jazz material and is testimony to Gates' enormous versatility, dramatic range, and even hip humor ("If I Were You Baby, I'd Love Me").

Vocally, Gates is a ballsy baritone who offers more swings than a big city park. His rhythmic sense -one festooned with syncopated upbeats is swingingly instrumental. He can taffy-pull a beat's heart with the best of them and does so here. And, his lyric delivery has a speak-song flair to it which provides a pungent, yet attractive seasoning, bringing those black dots on the staff to jazz life. Gates' dramatic sense, one robust and filled with obvious life-experience overtones, is evidently displayed on the superb balladic material (Bruce's "All Alone" and Elvis Costello's "Almost Blue"). The accompanying crew here is indeed up for the date, with guitarist Tony Lombardozzi and pianist John J. DiMartino (both frequent Gates sidekicks) standing out, but not on anyone's toes. Saxophonist Grant Stewart is a hair reserved here, but covers his solos admirably. Bassist Ed Howard and drummer Willard Dyson provide whiplash momentum for the stagecoach when needed and offer tasteful textures when not. Giacomo Gates may not have his dough, notoriety, or "square"-ish black-rimmed glasses, but, after digging what's richly served up in Everything Is Cool, that other Gates might very well be in the market for shades, a black beret, and finger-popping lessons. Dig it.

~Nicholas F.Mondello http://www.allaboutjazz.com/everything-is-cool-giacomo-gates-savant-records-review-by-nicholas-f-mondello.php

Personnel: Giacomo Gates: vocals; Grant Stewart: saxophone; John Di Martino: piano; Tony Lombardozzi: guitar; Ed Howard; bass; Willard Dyson: drums.

Everything Is Cool

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Grant Stewart - Estate

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:55
Size: 141.7 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[8:55] 1. Systems
[6:52] 2. Soul Station
[6:12] 3. Rain Check
[6:28] 4. Estate
[5:26] 5. Carving The Rock
[7:01] 6. 3 For Carson
[5:48] 7. Jacqueline
[8:09] 8. Cool Struttin'
[7:01] 9. Felicidade

Grant Stewart's 2005 session for the Japanese Video Arts label features several musicians of his generation, including the highly regarded guitarist Joe Cohn and seasoned bassist Joel Forbes, drummer Phil Stewart, and the twenty-ish rising pianist Ehud Asherie. The tenor saxophonist's program mixes hard bop, Brazilian pop hits from the '60s, and originals in an enticing program. His performances of overlooked hard bop gems include Sonny Clark's "Cool Struttin'," Hank Mobley's breezy "Soul Station," and the Elmo Hope/Sonny Rollins collaboration "Carving the Rock," all interpreted with strong solos throughout. Stewart recalls the big-toned boppers of the '50s with his brisk setting of Billy Strayhorn's "Raincheck." His breezy take of "Felicidade" and the rhapsodic treatment of the bittersweet "Estate" also merit praise. Fellow tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander is an added guest for two of the leader's originals. ~Ken Dryden

Estate

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Grant Stewart - Live At Smalls

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:34
Size: 157,4 MB
Art: Front

( 9:08)  1. Make Someone Happy
( 6:56)  2. Mr. Lucky
( 9:46)  3. Meaning Of The Blues
( 9:25)  4. Somewhere In The Night
( 8:19)  5. Reflections
( 7:57)  6. Tea For Two
( 6:28)  7. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
(10:30)  8. Get Out Of Town

Grant Stewart continues to be one of my favorite modern tenor saxophonists. He has a huge sound, he's nimble and knows when to turn on the speed, and he loves showing-off on standards. I'm old school jazz to me is about showing your stuff, competing hard, and having respect for the music's grand tradition. Grant hits all of these hot buttons. Grant is up on his Sonny Stitt, Gene Ammons, Don Byas and Jimmy Forrest. Way back when, leaders understood the need for suspense and wowing the listener. An artist like Ammons might start a run, pause ever so briefly to let the line sink in, and then pick up where he left off as though hitting pause on a DVD remote and hitting play a few seconds later. It was a crafty way to build drama and let the cool set in momentarily before resuming the heat.  On Live at Smalls, recorded back in April, Grant was joined by a superb rhythm section: Tardo Hammer [pictured above] on piano, David Wong on bass and brother Phil Stewart on drums. Tardo is a swinging, technical monster who also knows his history, David hits the upright's strings with huge authority, and Phil is a master of delicate intimidation.

In each case, Grant adds a twist. Tea for Two is taken about twice as fast as most versions, as is Mr. Lucky and Somewhere in the Night, which gives them a more urgent coloration. Get Out of Town and Make Someone Happy also are uptempo, requiring Grant to make improvising choices on the superfly, demonstrating yet again why he's a standout. And his ballad work on Meaning of the Blues will knock you out. Best of all, Grant never slides into cliches but instead makes all of these battles personal as it should be. ~ Marc Myers http://www.jazzwax.com/2012/12/grant-stewart-live-at-smalls.html

Personnel:  Grant Stewart, tenor sax;  Tardo Hammer, piano;  David Wong, bass;  Phil Stewart, drums.

Live At Smalls

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Grant Stewart - Shadow of Your Smile

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:56
Size: 116,7 MB
Art: Front

(6:55)  1. This Could Be the Start of Something Big
(5:34)  2. The Fabio Complex
(7:28)  3. Shadow of Your Smile
(6:22)  4. Kawa Power
(7:57)  5. You and the Night and the Music
(4:21)  6. Danny Boy
(5:44)  7. I Won't Dance
(6:31)  8. Autumn Leaves

Grant Stewart was born in Toronto, Canada, on June 4, 1971, and moved to New York City at the age of nineteen studying with masters such as Donald Byrd and Barry Harris. He has performed internationally with Jimmy Cobb, Harold Mabern, Louis Hayes, Curtis Fuller, Renee Fleming, Clark Terry, Bob Mover, Etta Jones, Bill Charlap, Lewis Nash, Peter Washington, Brad Mehldau, Russell Malone, Larry Goldings, Peter Bernstein, Harry Connick, Mickey Roker, Jimmy Lovelace, Cecil Payne, Dick Hymen, Herb Geller and was a member of the last Al Grey Sextet. In New York, Stewart can be found playing at such clubs as Smalls, Lincoln Center, Birdland, Smoke, The Kitano, The Jazz Standard and many more. Stewart has performed all over North America and Europe as well as in Japan, Brazil, and Taiwan. He was also one of the first jazz artists to be invited to play at the historical Hermitage Museum in St.Petersburg, Russia. In addition Grant was a featured artist at the Guggenheim Museums’Jazz series with his trio including drum legend Jimmy Cobb.

Stewart has released sixteen recordings as a leader, the highlights of which are his most recent release Grant Stewart Trio on Cellar Live Records and his award winning Live At Smalls (2012), released on Smalls Live Records, In the Still of the Night (2007), Young at Heart (2008), Grant Stewart Plays the Music of Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn (2009) and Around The Corner (2010). He also has co-led two sessions with fellow tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander on the Criss Cross label and has appeared on many other recordings as a sideman.

From 2008 until 2015, Stewart has been voted a “rising star on the tenor” in the Downbeat Critic’s Poll and was the subject of a feature in the July/August 2009 issue of JazzTimes magazine. Downbeat magazine has also featured Grant in its the December 2008 issue in a piece written by noted jazz writer Ted Panken. On the international front Stewart was named one of the top 3 tenor saxophonists and as number 7 jazz artist of the year by the noted jazz magazine Swing Journal in its 2009 poll. http://grantstewartjazz.com/about/

Shadow of Your Smile

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Grant Stewart - Plays The Music Of Duke Ellington & Billy Strayhorn

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:24
Size: 136,4 MB
Art: Front

(6:26)  1. Raincheck
(7:46)  2. Tonight A Shall Sleep
(8:18)  3. Angelica
(7:22)  4. I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart
(5:53)  5. It Don't Mean A Thing
(7:07)  6. Something To Live For
(7:18)  7. The Star Crossed Lovers
(9:10)  8. The Feeling Of Jazz

Here's a refreshing take on Ellingtonia, one that doesn't rely on the overdone ("Take the A Train," "Perdido") or easy ("C-Jam Blues"). Canadian native Grant Stewart brings a post-Swing, combo approach to his Ellingtonia, even going so far as to reference Max Roach, Sonny Rollins, Charles Mingus, Thelonious Monk/John Coltrane collaboration. The tenor saxophonist, whose own distinctive style has echoes of Clifford Jordan and later Al Cohn in tone and conception, leads a pos tbop/hard bop-leaning quartet with pianist Tardo Hammer, bassist Paul Gill and drummer Joe Farnsworth.

All of the material here should be familiar to fans of Ellingtonia with one exception: "Tonight I Shall Sleep," a ballad the Ellington Orchestra first recorded in 1945 with guest soloist Tommy Dorsey limning the melody on trombone. Stewart brings a rich warm tone and Dorsey-like legato approach to both the melody and his lyrical solo. Hammer's delicate, mostly single-note solo lines are reminiscent of the late John Lewis. And the ending tenor coda, with its unresolved chord echoing the conclusion of "Lush Life," suggests Strayhorn may have had a hand in the tune, although it's credited solely to Ellington. Stewart ups the tempo, via Bob Mover's chart, of "Something to Live For," revs up "It Don't Mean a Thing" to bebop speed and excavates a bluesy groove on "The Feeling of Jazz." "Raincheck" and "I Let A Song Go Out of My Heart" demonstrate the charms of melodic substance to swing, while "Star-Crossed Lovers" from The Shakespearean Suite, is a tribute to alto saxophonist Johnny Hodges' sumptuous style. ~ George Kanzler  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/plays-the-music-of-duke-ellington-and-billy-strayhorn-grant-stewart-sharp-nine-records-review-by-george-kanzler.php

Personnel: Grant Stewart: saxophone; Tardo Hammer: piano; Paul Gill: bass; Joe Farnsworth: drums.

Plays The Music Of Duke Ellington & Billy Strayhorn

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Ryan Kisor - Awakening

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:49
Size: 121,2 MB
Art: Front

(12:56)  1. Awakening, Pts. 1-2
( 7:58)  2. Sioux City
( 4:53)  3. UFO
( 6:28)  4. Harlem Moon
( 5:13)  5. Effing Blues
( 7:10)  6. What Can I Say?
( 8:08)  7. Free As a Bird

On his first album of all original material, trumpeter Ryan Kisor delivers an atmospheric mix of organ-based post-bop. Calling to mind the work of such late-'60s luminaries as Pat Martino, Freddie Hubbard, and Wayne Shorter, Awakening coalesces various harmonic and rhythmic themes Kisor has explored on his previous efforts. That said, there is something deeper and more crystallized about his work here, especially on the two-part opening title track, an eerie, spacy, and fractured bossa nova piece. Throughout the album, Kisor displays a knack for unpredictable, intellectual improvisation. He draws you in with warm storytelling phrases and pretty birdcall-like tones. Urging him on are the expansive organ sounds of Sam Yahel and sensitively funky guitar work of Peter Bernstein. Together they bring a mix of angular minimalism and gooey nonlinear swing to Kisor's understatedly hip compositions. Similarly, tenor saxophonist Grant Stewart and drummer Willie Jones III add their distinctive styles to an ensemble that seems to thrive on subtle group interplay. While Kisor does not push the boundaries of jazz style and form to their edges, he has found a fresh way to imprint his persona on the tradition with an album that ranks as his best so far. ~ Matt Collar  http://www.allmusic.com/album/awakening-mw0000324295

Personnel: Ryan Kisor (trumpet); Grant Stewart (tenor saxophone); Sam Yahel (Hammond B-3 organ); Peter Bernstein (guitar); Willie Jones III (drums).

Awakening

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Grant Stewart - + 4

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:57
Size: 137.2 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[7:29] 1. You 'n' Me
[8:39] 2. Yesterdays
[6:42] 3. Cohn On The Cob
[5:57] 4. Limehouse Blues
[8:59] 5. The Folks Who Live On The Hill
[8:27] 6. Sabia
[7:22] 7. Lonely Town
[6:20] 8. You Leave Me Breathless

Grant Stewart: tenor saxophone; Joe Cohn: guitar; Bill Charlap: piano; Paul Gill: bass; Willie Jones III: drums.

Grant Stewart is a young Canadian tenor saxophonist with a big, burly sound and plenty of drive. On Grant Stewart + 4, he demonstrates his command of both his instrument and the hard bop idiom. He swings without pretense and his top-shelf sidemen move things along with considerable brio. Stewart's improvisations are marked by long, rolling lines and heated swing. He displays a cohesive sense of invention even at the fastest tempos, as on "Limehouse Blues," for example. And while Stewart is deeply indebted to Sonny Rollins, he's clearly looking for his own approach, making interesting and original note choices throughout. His flaring solo on "Lonely Town" is especially good.

Guitarist Joe Cohn is also a big part of the success of this album, through sleek, clean solos and clever arrangements, which serve to lift these proceedings well above the usual blowing date. Cohn is highlighted on "Yesterdays," on which he interacts sensitively with Stewart, and where his arrangement adds a fresh dimension to the oft-played chestnut. Pianist Bill Charlap nearly steals the album. His improvising is absolutely fresh and distinctive, using space to advantage, varying phrase lengths, and overall providing a classic reminder that jazz is, after all, supposed to be the sound of surprise.

In keeping with the sound of surprise, Grant Stewart + 4 successfully mines the tricky terrain of repertoire with rarely played songs, clever originals, and less conventional song treatments. "You Leave Me Breathless," for example, is played as an up-tempo romp, rather than a ballad. In fact, most of the program is played at fast and even faster tempos, and Stewart's cooking rhythm section nails it every time. Even at the fearsome speeds of "Limehouse Blues" and "You Leave Me Breathless," bassist Paul Gill and drummer Willie Jones III maintain solid, vibrant swing. Grant Stewart + 4 may not be innovative, but it is very, very good.

+ 4

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Grant Stewart - Trio

Size: 128,7 MB
Time: 54:56
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. A Time To Smile (6:51)
02. Everything I Love (4:53)
03. I'll Never Be The Same (6:58)
04. Everything's Coming Up Roses (5:00)
05. The Thrill Is Gone (7:04)
06. This Is New (4:35)
07. I Surrender Dear (7:26)
08. Uranus (6:22)
09. Is That All There Is (5:42)

TRIO is a varied and balanced program of material. Grant, like so many of the better musicians of his generation, has a knack for resurrecting jazz compositions from the ‘50s and ‘60s that are overlooked gems. Freddie Redd’s typically sunny “A Time To Smile” from “The Connection” cover that territory here. “Everything I Love” is medium-up but joyous and swinging with a delightful danceable groove that Phil lays down on the ride cymbal. Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller’s “Is That All There Is” is their 1969 ode to ennui in a bid to be seen as more than R & B songwriters. It was recorded in “grande dame” style by Peggy Lee and became a big hit. Here the trio mercifully leaves the drama on the theatre stage and fashions the great melody in an easy, cool swing much the way Sonny Rollins made cowboy songs sound hip on “Way Out West.” “Everything’s Coming Up Roses,” the flag waver from the musical “Gypsy” that brought out everything that’s bad about Ethel Merman’s singing. Grant explains, “I always picture the hospital scene in the movie “Airplane” where she comes out of nowhere and sings that song. Then I heard Zaid Nasser, the alto player who is Jamil Nasser’s son, play a wild version of it live and heard it in a whole different way.” Grant deconstructs the theme in true Rollins fashion and the trio cooks. Side 2 begins with “I’ll Never Be The Same,” and this is all about heartbreak, emptiness and regret and Grant’s delivery is letter perfect. Thanks to its melody and changes, Kurt Weill’s “This Is New” has been favored over the years by the likes of Kenny Drew, Chick Corea and Al Cohn among others. On this version, Grant turns out a fluid, brilliant solo that sails over the bass and drums with grace and panache.

Trio

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Grant Stewart - Grant Stewart + 4

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:57
Size: 137,5 MB
Art: Front

(7:29)  1. You 'N' Me
(8:39)  2. Yesterdays
(6:42)  3. Cohn On The Cob
(5:57)  4. Limehouse Blues
(8:59)  5. The Folks Who Live On The Hill
(8:27)  6. Sabia
(7:22)  7. Lonely Town
(6:20)  8. You Leave Me Breathless

Grant Stewart is a young Canadian tenor saxophonist with a big, burly sound and plenty of drive. On Grant Stewart + 4, he demonstrates his command of both his instrument and the hard bop idiom. He swings without pretense and his top-shelf sidemen move things along with considerable brio. Stewart's improvisations are marked by long, rolling lines and heated swing. He displays a cohesive sense of invention even at the fastest tempos, as on "Limehouse Blues," for example. And while Stewart is deeply indebted to Sonny Rollins, he's clearly looking for his own approach, making interesting and original note choices throughout. His flaring solo on "Lonely Town" is especially good. Guitarist Joe Cohn is also a big part of the success of this album, through sleek, clean solos and clever arrangements, which serve to lift these proceedings well above the usual blowing date. Cohn is highlighted on "Yesterdays," on which he interacts sensitively with Stewart, and where his arrangement adds a fresh dimension to the oft-played chestnut. 

Pianist Bill Charlap nearly steals the album. His improvising is absolutely fresh and distinctive, using space to advantage, varying phrase lengths, and overall providing a classic reminder that jazz is, after all, supposed to be the sound of surprise. In keeping with the sound of surprise, Grant Stewart + 4 successfully mines the tricky terrain of repertoire with rarely played songs, clever originals, and less conventional song treatments. "You Leave Me Breathless," for example, is played as an up-tempo romp, rather than a ballad. In fact, most of the program is played at fast and even faster tempos, and Stewart's cooking rhythm section nails it every time. Even at the fearsome speeds of "Limehouse Blues" and "You Leave Me Breathless," bassist Paul Gill and drummer Willie Jones III maintain solid, vibrant swing. Grant Stewart + 4 may not be innovative, but it is very, very good. ~ AAJ Staff  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/grant-stewart--4-grant-stewart-criss-cross-review-by-aaj-staff.php#.VGgmxcmHmtg

Personnel: Grant Stewart: tenor saxophone; Joe Cohn: guitar; Bill Charlap: piano; Paul Gill: bass; Willie Jones III: drums.

Grant Stewart + 4

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John Swana - Bright Moments

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:05
Size: 165,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:42)  1. Wilbert
(6:21)  2. Chillin' Out
(6:45)  3. Road Trippin'
(7:44)  4. Ferris Wheel
(5:24)  5. Shrack's Corner II
(8:10)  6. Bright Moments
(8:06)  7. Inevitable Encounter
(6:47)  8. Everything I Have Is Yours
(7:04)  9. KD
(6:27) 10. Open Highway
(4:31) 11. Shrack's Corner I

Trumpeter John Swana's Philadelphia hard bop roots are clearly evident on this set of originals that takes definite cues from the distinctive sound of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers in bygone days. The title is not a reference to Rahsaan Roland Kirk's classic album, but a concept suggested to the leader by organist Trudy Pitts. With a solid, burnished, and clear tone, Swana and his sextet featuring twin tenor saxes in Eric Alexander and Grant Stewart swing strongly through original mainstream jazz that is lyrically tuneful and harmonically rich. Where tracks like "Wilbert" (for ex-Philadelphia Eagles NFL running back Wilbert Montgomery) and "Road Trippin'" reflect that fleet-foot hard bop image, others tend to be effortlessly bluesy or soulful. This simple but direct approach is a rarity in contrast with modern mainstream, complex jazz, but Swana is not so much looking back as he is keeping the straight-ahead home fires burning. ~ Michael G.Nastos  http://www.allmusic.com/album/bright-moments-mw0000752017

Personnel: John Swana (trumpet, flugelhorn); Eric Alexander, Grant Stewart (tenor saxophone); David Hazeltine (piano); Peter Washington (bass instrument); Kenny Washington (drums).

Bright Moments

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Grant Stewart - In The Still Of The Night

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 60:01
Size: 137.4 MB
Styles: Mainstream jazz, Saxophone jazz
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[6:28] 1. In The Still Of The Night
[6:42] 2. Theme For Ernie
[7:43] 3. Wives And Lovers
[8:26] 4. Autumn In New York
[7:50] 5. If Ever I Would Leave You
[8:00] 6. Work
[8:35] 7. Lush Life
[6:13] 8. Loads Of Love

This is hardly tenor saxophonist Grant Stewart's first recording as a leader, but his earlier CDs were for various European labels. In the Still of the Night is the release that set his career afire, as he joins forces with three of New York's in-demand musicians in his rhythm section: the hard-driving pianist Tardo Hammer, everyone's first call bassist Peter Washington and the talented drummer Joe Farnsworth. Right of the box, the big-toned Stewart makes his presence known with an up-tempo rendition of "In the Still of the Night" that makes one stand up and take notice. Stewart and Hammer dive head first into Thelonious Monk's "Work" (not exactly one of the pianist's more frequently recorded numbers), with Washington and Farnsworth fueling their spirited solos. But Stewart is also no slouch playing ballads, as his dreamy take of "Autumn in New York" and haunting treatment of "Lush Life" display a profound lyricism. Stewart's astute choice of Richard Rodgers' "Loads of Love" uncovers another gem that is rarely recorded, his sizzling solo will invite comparisons to Dexter Gordon. Even Burt Bacharach's often blandly played "Wives & Lovers" is rejuvenated with Stewart's lighthearted but aggressive interpretation. Highly recommended! ~Ken Dryden

In The Still Of The Night

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