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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Harvey Mason - Funk In A Mason Jar

Styles: Jazz Funk
Year: 1977
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:39
Size: 96,4 MB
Art: Front + Back

(5:13)  1. Pack Up Your Bags
(3:43)  2. Till You Take My Love
(3:36)  3. Space Cadets
(3:36)  4. Freedom Either Way
(1:56)  5. Funk In A Mason Jar
(8:31)  6. What's Going On?
(5:54)  7. Set It Free
(4:29)  8. Phantazia
(4:38)  9. Liquid

Throughout his career, Harvey Mason has been a busy studio musician and a highly versatile drummer able to excel in many different situations. Mason attended Berklee and graduated from the New England Conservatory. Early gigs included four months with Erroll Garner in 1970 and a year with George Shearing from 1970-1971. Soon after leaving Shearing, Mason moved to Los Angeles and quickly became established in the studios, working in films and television. In addition to his anonymous work through the years, Mason has often been part of the jazz world. He played with Herbie Hancock's Headhunters in 1973, Gerry Mulligan for a 1974 Carnegie Hall concert, Freddie Hubbard, Grover Washington, Jr. (appearing on Mister Magic), Lee Ritenour, Victor Feldman, George Benson (playing drums on "This Masquerade"), and Bob James, among many others. In 1998, Mason paid tribute to Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers in some local Los Angeles club gigs. The early 2000s found Mason continuing with his steady session work, as well as releasing two solo albums with 2003's Trios and 2004's With All My Heart. In 2014, Mason revisited his '70s Headhunters roots with Chameleon on Concord. ~ Scott Yanow https://itunes.apple.com/gb/artist/harvey-mason/id917601#fullText

Personnel: Harvey Mason, Sr. Funk In A Mason Jar songs (drums); George Benson (vocals, guitar); Debra Laws, Eloise Laws, Julia Tillman Waters, Kim Hutchcroft, Merry Clayton, Paulette McWilliams, Stephanie Spruill, Venetta Fields (vocals); Walker, Jay Graydon, Al McKay, Lee Ritenour , Phil Upchurch, Ray Parker, Jr. (guitar); Dorothy Ashby (harp); Charles Veal (violin); Kenny Mason (trumpet); Bill Watrous (trombone); Chuck Findley, Emilio Castillo, Gary Grant, Richard Hyde, Greg Adams, Jerry Hey, Lenny Pickett , Seawind, Tom Scott, Tower of Power, Mic Gillette (horns); Dave Grusin, David Paich, Jerry Peters, Jorge Dalto, Ronnie Foster, Bob James (keyboards); Ralph MacDonald (percussion); Larry Williams (wind).

Funk In A Mason Jar

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Diane Schuur - Blues for Schuur

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:55
Size: 115,0 MB
Art: Front

(6:25)  1. I'm Not Ashamed To Sing The Blues
(4:16)  2. When Did You Leave Heaven?
(3:04)  3. Stormy Monday Blues
(4:42)  4. These Blues
(4:23)  5. Moonlight & Shadows
(3:09)  6. All Right, OK, You Win (I'm In Love With You)
(2:29)  7. Who Will The Next Fool Be?
(5:05)  8. Save Your Love For Me
(6:05)  9. Someone To Love
(1:57) 10. Toodle Loo On Down
(4:57) 11. You've Got To Hurt Before You Heal
(3:18) 12. I Want To Go Home

Diane Schuur is, in my opinion and many others', one of the premiere vocalists of this era. But I've been disappointed with her last couple solo releases, forgettable collections of sappy love songs. Thankfully, with Blues For Schuur, Deedles has some material she can really sink her teeth into, and the result is one of her best albums in years! The program, as the title suggests, is all blues; gut-wrenching, soul-searching, emotion-dripping blues. Schuur milks every stylistic nuance for all it's worth and backs it up with her full, powerful voice. You can tell she's really getting into it. Of course, great arrangements help a lot. The credit here goes to former Tower of Power horn arranger Greg Adams. Adams wrote the complete arrangements, not just the horns. And the all-pro seven-piece horn section (two trumpets, two trombones, three saxophones) gives the music all the punch it needs. The sweetly stinging guitar solos of David T. Walker fit the mood just right, too. Diane Schuur's collaboration album with B.B. King gave us a good indication of her ability to sing the blues. This album provides all the proof you need.~Dave Hugles https://www.allaboutjazz.com/blues-for-schuur-diane-schuur-grp-records-review-by-dave-hughes.php

Personnel: Diane Schurr (vocals); Gary Herbig, Johnnie Bamont, Larry Williams (saxophone); Chuck Findley, Greg Adams (trumpet); Nick Lane, Matt Finders (trombone); Jai Winding (piano, organ); David T. Walker (guitar); Melvin Davis (bass); Harvey Mason (drums).

Blues for Schuur

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Greg Adams - East Bay Soul That's Life

Size: 110,8 MB
Time: 47:38
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Smooth Jazz, Pop, Rock, Soul, R&B
Art: Front

01. Little Black Dress (4:08)
02. Hush Hush (5:15)
03. Come Together (3:56)
04. Get Smart (4:10)
05. Going In Circles (5:02)
06. Didn't Wanna Do It (4:10)
07. Grow Old With Me (4:55)
08. Earth To Mars (3:39)
09. Without You (2:57)
10. Damned If You Do (4:49)
11. Let's Stay Together (4:31)

Jazz trumpeter Greg Adams, known by his work for Tower of Power, is now building a new monument with the formation East Bay Soul. Adams has recorded six solo albums, two releases with East Bay Soul and fourteen recordings as a founding member of Tower of Power. That's Life is his third album with the band.

Greg is joined by Kay-Ta Matsuno, guitar, Joey Navarro, keys, Dwayne “Smitty” Smith, bass, Herman Matthews, drums and Johnny Sandoval, percussion. The horn section consist of Lee Thornburg, trumpet, flugelhorn, French horn and trombone, Johnnie Bamont, alto, tenor and bari sax. Greg Vail, alto and tenor sax.

If one frequently plays with a band, then the recording of a new CD is a flash. Greg say’s? “It’s like looking bliss in the eye. Before you know it, we’ve made a record. It is amazing how it happens.” The album starts powerfully with Little Black Dress. Darryl Walker gives this song his voice and makes it to his own. With Hush Hush Greg Adams presents his muted trumpet in perfect harmony with the horn section. A self-perpetuating piece.

The Beatles song Come Together receives an attractive coating by Greg's muted trumpet. Do you like Reggae? Then listen to the cool Get Smart. After the intro the horizon opens to the full brass sound. On Going Circles Darryl Walker impresses anew with his melodious voice well supported by a broad horn arrangement. Didn’t Wanna Do It is not a piece as musician would regret to play. It starts restrained and then gets infectious.

The sentimental Grow Old With Me has for Greg certainly biographical traits. Though it is a love letter written for a friend’s wife. Earth To Mars is funky and rocking, a salute to Greg’s percussive horn style and a tribute retro funk. Without You comes with a melancholic trumpet and a mellow string background. The bombastic themed orchestral song (Greg's description) Damned If You do got his lyrics by Rocky Maffit. Greg comments? “Rocky had it for a while and nothing was coming to him, until one day he said “Damned If I Do” out loud. Now we had the title and lyric for the song.?

Final piece is the classic Let’s Stay Together by Al Green. This song is very popular with renditions of Eric Darius, Peter White, Walter Beasley and more. Every musician has a special approach. East Bay Soul's very own version has to thank Darryl Walker. East Bay Soul is a high powered band with the great soul singer Darryl Walker and a formidable horn section. That's Life is the next step to a new legend.

East Bay Soul: That's Life

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