New York Swing - The Music Of Jerome Kern

Styles: Piano And Guitar Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:20
Size: 127,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:15)  1. The Song Is You
(2:52)  2. Why Was I Born?
(4:20)  3. I'm Old Fashioned
(3:19)  4. All The Things You Are
(4:51)  5. Remind Me
(3:33)  6. Nobody Else But Me
(2:55)  7. I Dream Too Much
(4:04)  8. Why Do I Love You
(3:06)  9. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
(4:35) 10. Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man
(4:11) 11. Sure Thing
(3:24) 12. Pick Yourself Up
(4:40) 13. Bill
(4:10) 14. Yesterdays

New York Swing consists of pianist John Bunch, guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli, and bassist Jay Leonhart, while the group worked with more than one drummer during their existence. On this 1993 session, Dennis Mackrel rounds out the group. The music is drawn exclusively from the Jerome Kern songbook, starting with a breezy, playful arrangement of "The Song Is You." But while the group plays a number of time-tested standards, including "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes," "Pick Yourself Up," "All the Things You Are," and "Yesterdays," all with a freshness that belies the vintage of these songs and the numerous times they have been recorded by jazz musicians, it is some of the less familiar tunes that especially stand out. The leisurely waltz "I Dream Too Much" and the shimmering ballad "Remind Me" are worthy of greater exploration, too. Pizzarelli's guitar is prominent throughout the date, though Bunch and Leonhart are capable soloists as well, with the veteran Mackrel focusing primarily on keeping time. This is one of the better releases in producer Sonny Lester's series of budget releases that have appeared on various labels.By Ken Dryden http://www.allmusic.com/album/plays-the-music-of-jerome-kern-mw0000234669

New York Swing: John Bunch (piano); Bucky Pizzarelli (guitar); Jay Leonhart (bass); Dennis Mackrel (drums).

The Music Of Jerome Kern

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Eddie Higgins Featuring Scott Hamilton & Ken Peplowski - A Handful of Stars

Styles: Piano And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:40
Size: 164,4 MB
Art: Front

(6:16)  1. In  Love In Vain
(6:04)  2. You Leave Me Breathless
(8:20)  3. A Handful Of Stars
(6:42)  4. Come Rain Or Come Shine
(6:14)  5. April In Torino
(8:16)  6. Night Has A Thousand Eyes
(5:39)  7. Flamingo
(6:01)  8. Breezin' Along With The Breeze
(7:17)  9. A Portrait Of Jenny
(5:28) 10. Softly As In A Morning Sunrise
(5:17) 11. All Too Soon

A solid bop-based pianist, Eddie Higgins has never become a major name, but he has been well-respected by his fellow musicians for decades. After growing up in New England, he moved to Chicago, where he played in all types of situations before settling in to a long stint as the leader of the house trio at the London House (1957-1969). Higgins moved back to Massachusetts in 1970 and went on to freelance, often accompanying his wife, vocalist Meredith D'Ambrosio, and appearing at jazz parties and festivals. Eddie Higgins has led sessions of his own for Replica (1958), Vee-Jay (1960), Atlantic, and Sunnyside; back in 1960, he recorded as a sideman for Vee-Jay with Lee Morgan and Wayne Shorter.
By Scott Yanow https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/eddie-higgins/id80690717#fullText


Personnel: Eddie Higgins – piano; Scott Hamilton - tenor sax; Ken Peplowski - tenor sax; clarinet; Jay Leonhart – bass; Joe Ascione - drums

A Handful of Stars

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Daryl Sherman, Johnny Mercer: A Centennial Tribute

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:57
Size: 146,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:42)  1. I'm Shadowing You
(5:21)  2. Little Ingenue
(5:11)  3. Midnight Sun
(3:20)  4. Jeepers Creepers
(4:38)  5. Come Rain Or Shine
(4:24)  6. The Bathtub Ran Over Again
(6:25)  7. Lazy Bones
(3:00)  8. Peter Piper
(5:38)  9. I Thought About You
(3:21) 10. At The Jazz Band Ball
(4:56) 11. Charade
(4:27) 12. Dream
(4:44) 13. Twilight World
(3:43) 14. Here Come The British

Choosing "I'm Shadowing You" as the opener on Daryl Sherman's fine Centennial Tribute to composer and lyricist Johnny Mercer inevitably recalls Blossom Dearie. Heretofore that tune has pretty much been the exclusive property of the late vocalist. There are also other, more than passing, resemblances between the two singers, both first-class self-accompanists on piano possessing underage sounding voices used effectively to slyly charming ends. With a legacy of 1,500 heartfelt and humorous songs, Mercer's is a rich one from which to choose. Sherman's selections are a welcome mix of classics such as "Come Rain or Come Shine" and "Midnight Sun" with more than a few choice rarities like "The Bathtub Ran Over Again." On the latter Wycliffe Gordon joins Sherman for a delightfully foxy vocal duet. His gravelly sound contrasts perfectly with Sherman's petite smoothness. "Little Ingenue" (co-written with Jimmy Rowles) is another gem. 

Here Sherman's silken glissando, backed by Jerry Dodgion's alto sax, is especially effective in capturing hope in the face of glamour that's a tad shopworn. On "Dream," one of the few songs for which Mercer wrote both music and lyrics, Gordon's trombone provides the most sensitive of accompaniment. As Sherman conjures "smoke rings rising in the air," he is playing heavenly notes behind her. It is a great, great song performed to perfection. The artistry and empathy between Sherman and her fellow musicians makes for a set that is a glowing tribute to one of the great masters of the jazz idiom and the American Songbook. ~ Andrew Velez  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/johnny-mercer-a-centennial-tribute-daryl-sherman-arbors-records-review-by-andrew-velez.php#.VFkx_8mHmtg

Personnel: Daryl Sherman: piano, vocals; Jerry Dodgion: alto sax; Wycliffe Gordon: Trombone, vocals; Howard Alden: guitar, banjo; Jay Leonhart: bass, vocals; Chuck Redd: drums, vibraphone; Marian McPartland: piano, Barbara Carroll: piano.

Daryl Sherman Johnny Mercer: A Centennial Tribute

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Carol Sloane - Live At Birdland

Styles: Vocal
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:21
Size: 166,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:36) 1. Havin Myself A Time
(5:57) 2. Blue Turning Grey Over You
(6:13) 3. I Dont Want To Walk Without You
(4:58) 4. As Long As I Live
(7:57) 5. Glad To Be Unhappy I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues
(5:28) 6. If I Should Lose You
(4:48) 7. You Were Meant For Me
(6:55) 8. The Very Thought Of You
(8:23) 9. You're Driving Me Crazy
(6:13) 10. Two For The Road
(4:23) 11. Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams
(6:26) 12. I'll Always Leave The Door A Little Open

Marks the veteran vocalist's 60th anniversary as a recording artist, and her first album in over a decade. Accompanied by all-star jazz trio Mike Renzi on piano, Jay Leonhart on bass, and Scott Hamilton on sax. "Havin' Myself a Time," "Blue Turning Grey Over You," "I Don't Want to Walk Without You," "As Long As I Live," "Glad to Be Unhappy/ I Got a Right to Sing the Blues," "If I Should Lose You," "You Were Meant for Me," "The Very Thought of You," "You're Driving Me Crazy," "Two for the Road," "Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams," "I'll Always Leave the Door a Little Open."

Recorded in 2019. Produced by Joel Moss and Mark D. Sendroff. Liner notes by James Gavin. Sloane: A Jazz Singer, the documentary feature film profiling Carol Sloane's remarkable career and the creation of this album, is currently in production. https://www.broadwayworld.com/recordings/Carol-SloaneLive-at-Birdland-2022-Club44-Records

Personnel: Carol Sloane vocal; Mike Renzi on piano, Jay Leonhart on bass, and Scott Hamilton on saxophone.

More Information https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Club44-Records-Releases-New-Album-from-Carol-Sloane-Live-at-BIRDLAND-20220408

Live At Birdland

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Liz Callaway - Anywhere I Wander: Liz Callaway Sings Frank Loesser

Styles: Cabaret
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:10
Size: 147,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:46)  1. How To Succeed/I Believe In You
(2:58)  2. Standing On The Corner
(4:25)  3. What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?
(4:52)  4. Joey, Joey, Joey
(5:11)  5. Never Will I Marry
(2:45)  6. On A Slow Boat To China
(5:05)  7. I'll Know/Somebody Somewhere
(4:08)  8. If I Were A Bell
(5:37)  9. Anywhere I Wander
(3:11) 10. Inchworm
(4:00) 11. I Wish I Didn't Love You So
(4:05) 12. Brotherhood Of Man
(6:56) 13. My Heart Is So Full Of You
(3:24) 14. More I Cannot Wish You
(3:40) 15. Spring Will Be A Little Late This Year

Introductory notes on “Anywhere I Wander: Liz Callaway Sings Frank Loesser,” from Oscar Winner, David Shire:
"1958. I’m sitting in the back of the balcony of New York’s Imperial Theatre. Jo Sullivan is singing “My Heart Is So Full of You” as Frank Loesser’s The Most Happy Fella soars towards curtain. I’m crying.

1982. I’m sitting at a ringside table in the King Cole Room of the St. Regis Hotel listening to Liz Callaway sing “I Don’t Want to Walk Without You, Baby”, one of the songs in an all-Loesser revue she’s appearing in. Richard Maltby has brought me here because he feels that Liz is perfect for one of the leads in BABY, a new show we’re writing. I lean over and tell him he’s right.

1983. I’m in the back of another Broadway Theatre, the Barrymore. Liz Callaway is singing “The Story Goes On,” the finale of the first act of BABY. I’m crying again.

1993. I’m driving along a Connecticut highway listening to an advance cassette of Liz Callaway’s first solo album, “Anywhere I Wander” comprised of Frank Loesser songs. She’s making “My Heart Is So Full of You” come alive again, and I only wish Frank could hear it too. He spent a lot of time looking for the most exciting vocal instruments to sing his music, and nothing pleased him more than finding one. I think Liz Callaway would have blown him away as she blew away Richard and me and a lot of other people night after night during the run of BABY. This album is a feast for anyone who appreciates some of the greatest theatre (and pop) music ever written and one of the purest voices to sing it that God ever made.

Rest in peace, Frank. A new generation is taking good care of your music. And if I’m not careful I’m going to be crying again."~ David Shire  http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/lizcallaway2

Personnel: Liz Callaway, Ann Hampton Callaway (vocals); Scott Kuney (guitar); Michelle Stewart (violin); Nick Armstrong (viola); Ted Hoyle (cello); Dave Weiss (reeds); Dan Higgins (saxophone); Dave Rogers (trumpet); Kenny Rupp, Marco Katz (trombone); Alex Rybeck (piano); Rich Ruttenberg (keyboards, programming); Mark Minkler, Jay Leonhart (bass); Ron Tierno (drums).

Anywhere I Wander

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New York Swing - Cole Porter Collective

Styles: Piano And Guitar Jazz
Year: 1992
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:38
Size: 144,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:47)  1. What Is This Thing Called Love
(5:02)  2. Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye
(5:51)  3. Dream Dancing
(6:18)  4. All Through the Night
(4:29)  5. Easy to Love
(5:22)  6. Let's Do It
(5:05)  7. From This Moment On
(3:48)  8. You're Sensational
(5:36)  9. Where Have You Been
(4:53) 10. Get Out of Town
(5:50) 11. Lookin' At You
(5:31) 12. It's Alright With Me

Originally issued by Sonny Lester on his LRC label, this tribute to the music of Cole Porter has reappeared under the Laserlight banner. The album's style recalls the George Shearing groups, with Bucky Pizzarelli's guitar taking on the role that Joe Roland and other vibes players had with Shearing. Under the name New York Swing, the ensemble features Pizzarelli joined by a bevy of top-drawer New York musicians led by pianist John Bunch. This paean to Porter follows other albums by the group honoring other major contributors to the Great American Songbook, like Jerome Kern and Rodgers & Hart. All of these musicians have played these Porter gems before. Rather than making the songs sound old hat and tired because of this close familiarity, the group members have successfully found fresh ways to express their ideas. And that is what makes this composer a favorite among virtually all jazz performers: His work promotes improvisation. 

He allows good players to borrow the song, add his or her interpretative imprimatur to it, and then return it intact. "Easy to Love," for example, is presented in a chamber music setting featuring Jay Leonhart's bowed bass. In addition to those customary Porter gems, there are also a few songs that are not so often heard, like "Where Have You Been," which he wrote for an appropriately titled musical The New Yorkers. These are given the same high level of respectful treatment by the group as the more famous Porter material. With nary a bad track in the set, this album of outstanding small group performing is highly recommended. ~ Dave Nathan  http://www.allmusic.com/album/new-york-swing-cole-porter-mw0000280391

Personnel: John Bunch (piano), Bucky Pizzarelli (guitar), Jay Leonhart (bass), Joe Cocuzzo (drums).

Cole Porter Collective

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New York Swing - Live At The 1996 Floating Jazz Festival

Styles: Piano And Guitar Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 78:54
Size: 181,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:37)  1. Till Tom Special
(6:48)  2. The Song Is You
(6:32)  3. Dot's Cheesecake
(6:36)  4. Have You Met Miss Jones?
(8:31)  5. Always
(4:21)  6. All Too Soon
(3:57)  7. Benny's Bugle
(3:31)  8. Nobody's Heart Belong To Me
(6:38)  9. What Is This Thing Called Love
(6:32) 10. I'll Wind
(7:41) 11. Stars In My Eyes
(8:38) 12. If I Had You
(3:27) 13. Wholly Cats

Consisting of pianist John Bunch, guitarist John Pizzarelli and bassist Jay Leonhart, New York Swing is an acoustic trio that pretty much lives up to its name all three are New York-based, and they favor what is essentially '40s-type swing. The trio uses the same combination of instruments as the Nat King Cole Trio of the '40s (piano, guitar, and bass, but no drums), and their repertoire is pretty much what one would have expected from a swing-playing small group of that era. Enjoying a nice rapport on these intimate live performances (all of them from a Caribbean "jazz cruise" aboard the S.S. Norway), the trio turns its attention to the music of Benny Goodman ("Benny's Bugle," "Wholly Cats"), Duke Ellington (the lovely "All Too Soon"), Rodgers & Hart ("Have You Met Miss Jones?," "Nobody's Heart Belongs to Me"), and others with pleasing results. Although neither earth-shattering nor terribly original, this is a decent, if conventional, CD that lovers of small-group swing will enjoy. ~ Alex Henderson  http://www.allmusic.com/album/live-at-the-96-floating-jazz-festival-mw0000039314

Personnel:  John Buch – Piano; Bucky Pizzarelli – Guitar; Jay Leonhart – Bass.

Live At The 1996 Floating Jazz Festival

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Roger Kellaway - Live at the Jazz Standard Disc 1, Disc 2

Album: Live at the Jazz Standard Disc 1
Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:57
Size: 142,0 MB
Art: Front

( 6:44) 1. Cottontail
(10:16) 2. C jam blues
( 8:40) 3. Someday my prince will come
( 6:04) 4. All my life
( 8:36) 5. Im beginning to see the light
( 8:31) 6. Take5
( 6:34) 7. The nearness of you
( 6:32) 8. Doxy

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Album: Live at the Jazz Standard Disc 2
Time: 55:18
Size: 126,7 MB

(10:01) 1. Tumblin tumbleweeds
(14:54) 2. Cherry
( 8:51) 3. You dont know what love is
(15:12) 4. Freddie freeloader
( 6:20) 5. 52Nd street theme

Pianist and composer Roger Kellaway exists in that critical interface between little-known but respected session musician and known but unjustly little-recognized master. His recent recordings for IPO Heroes (2007) and I Was There: Roger Kellaway Plays from the Bobby Darin Songbook (2005) were very well received and revealed a professional, journeyman persistence. Kellaway is a national treasure who is omniscient in the field of jazz. Though not one to perform in public, Kellaway did play several nights at New York City's Jazz Standard which resulted in Roger Kellaway Live at the Jazz Standard.

Kellaway came to this recording with an agenda: the formation of a drummer-less band approximating Nat King Cole's piano, bass, guitar trios of the 1960s. Kellaway accomplishes this with guitarist Russell Malone and bassist Jay Leonhart, both veterans of the New York City jazz scene. Add vibraphonist Stefon Harris to the mix and the core trio becomes a facile swinging quartet. Cellist Borislav Strulev also shows up with a spotlight on the sole Kellaway composition of the set, the elegiac "All My Life." The overall sound is a sepia-toned 1950s and '60s period piece, right down to almost humid analogue sonics. Kellaway's repertoire reflects his aspirations for his band: heavy on Ellington and small combo bop.

The opening disc clocks no less than three Ellington compositions; sprite takes on "Cottontail" and "C Jam Blues," and a churchy "I'm Beginning to See The Light." Kellaway and Harris weave their respective melodies around one another, one starting a phrase with the other finishing. This is most provocative when applied to the song heads, particularly on Paul Desmond's "Take Five." With this jazz standard, there are certain expectations before hearing the arranged spin Kellaway has in store for it. Kellaway and Harris trade sections of the famous opening, leaving the piece slightly off-kilter, but in a pleasant, inventive way.

Kellaway retires his ballad jones with "Someday My Prince Will Come" and "The Nearness of You." Of bebop note is the searing "Doxy" that closes the first disc. The second disc opens with sheer genius. Kellaway arranges the 1930s Bob Nolan and the Sons of the Pioneers' "Tumbling Tumbleweeds." All of the band members have a healthy workout on this piece, Kellaway steering through country and western, roadhouse, and parlor music territories as Malone is particularly effective in his solo and accompanying guitar. The disc highlight is a lengthy treatment of Miles Davis' "Freddie Freeloader." Kellaway effectively draws a century of jazz piano through the modal prism of this abstract blues piece, offering the most compelling interpretation in recent memory. Much of the same can be said for the craggy Monk standard, "52nd Street Theme," which is presented in all of its bop glory. Any Roger Kellaway release deserves a certain respect, but Roger Kellaway Live at the Jazz Standard is a cut above his best. It has a vintage sound with vintage music.~C.Michael Baileyhttps://www.allaboutjazz.com/live-at-the-jazz-standard-roger-kellaway-ipo-recordings-review-by-c-michael-bailey

Personnel: Roger Kellaway: piano; Russell Malone: guitar; Stefon Harris: vibes; Jay Leonhart: bass; Borislav Strulev: cello.

Live at the Jazz Standard Disc 1, Disc 2

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Peggy Lee - Love Held Lightly: Rare Songs by Harold Arlen

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:53
Size: 117,5 MB
Art: Front

(2:40) 1. Look Who's Been Dreaming
(4:18) 2. Love Held Lightly
(3:30) 3. Buds Won't Bud
(3:39) 4. Can You Explain?
(2:31) 5. Wait'll It Happens To You
(4:39) 6. Come On, Midnight
(4:25) 7. Happy With The Blues
(3:27) 8. Bad For Each Other
(2:50) 9. Love's No Stranger To Me
(2:39) 10. I Could Be Good For You
(4:14) 11. Got To Wear You Off My Weary Mind
(2:44) 12. I Had A Love Once
(3:38) 13. Love's A Necessary Thing
(2:35) 14. My Shining Hour

In 1988, Peggy Lee was persuaded to leave her casual retirement by the promise of recording some recently unearthed Harold Arlen songs. Her voice was far less attractive and vivacious than it had been even in the '70s, and health problems forced her to record everything from a wheelchair; what's more, when she heard the results, she refused to let the record be released for another three years. Nevertheless, Love Held Lightly is an important album, not just because it saves a few Arlen compositions from the brink of disaster, but also because Lee's unpretty voice serves this material well. When she sings "Come on, Midnight" or "I Had a Love Once," she sings the twilight years with as much poignancy as she sang middle age on her '60s hit, "Is That All There Is?" Her group featured sensitive accompaniment from Ken Peplowski on tenor and Keith Ingham on piano (the latter also arranged and directed). Another highlight, "Buds Won't Bud," blossoms from just another saloon song into a playful, what-the-hell romp. Eight of the songs received their first recording here, including a Lee/Arlen collaboration from decades previously. The only standard, "My Shining Hour" (lyric by Johnny Mercer), comes last, thus allowing Lee to end on a wise, confident note, accompanied only by acoustic guitar.~ John Bush https://www.allmusic.com/album/love-held-lightly-rare-songs-by-harold-arlen-mw0000093720

Personnel: Peggy Lee (vocals), John Chiodini (guitar), Phil Bodner (alto saxophone, bass flute), Ken Peplowski (tenor saxophone), Glenn Zottola (trumpet, flugelhorn), George Masso (trombone), Keith Ingham (piano), Mark Sherman (vibraphone, percussion), Jay Leonhart (bass), Grady Tate (drums),

Love Held Lightly

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Mel Tormé And Friends - Mel Torme and Friends: Recorded Live at Marty's, New York City

Styles: Vocal, Piano, Swing
Year: 1988
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 78:59
Size: 181,7 MB
Art: Front

(2:51) 1. Let's Take a Walk Around the Block
(5:06) 2. New York State of Mind
(4:28) 3. When the World Was Young
(4:27) 4. Pick Yourself Up
(4:24) 5. Silly Habits
(3:46) 6. Mountain Greenery
(4:03) 7. Cottage for Sale
(2:29) 8. Take a Letter Miss Jones
(5:53) 9. Real Thing
(3:15) 10. Medley: Watch What Happens / Fly Me to the Moon / You And The Night And The Music / Shaking the Blues Away
(3:25) 11. Isn't It Romantic
(8:15) 12. "Porgy & Bess" Medley
(3:37) 13. The Folks Who Live on the Hill
(4:26) 14. The Best Is yet to Come
(3:54) 15. Isn't It a Pity
(4:36) 16. Wave
(5:02) 17. I Guess I'll Have to Change My Plan
(4:54) 18. Love for Sale

Recorded live at the nightclub Marty's in New York City, Mel Tormé and Friends was originally released as a double LP in 1981. It's a welcome reissue, presenting prime later Tormé who was, as usual, performing a nightclub show with a trio backup largely devoted to standards like Rodgers and Hart's "Mountain Greenery," Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields' "Pick Yourself Up," Cole Porter's "Love for Sale" and a medley of songs from the Gershwins and DuBose Heyward's Porgy and Bess. What is unusual is the "and Friends" part, as Tormé is joined by such complementary guests as Cy Coleman (who plays piano on his and Carolyn Leigh's "The Best Is Yet to Come"), Gerry Mulligan (who performs on his and Tormé's composition "Real Thing," but whose solo medley has been cut), Jonathan Schwartz (who sings Lorenz Hart's original lyric for the song that became "I Guess I'll Have to Change My Plan") and one surprising but appropriate one: Janis Ian (who duets with Tormé on her own "Silly Habits").~ William Ruhlmann https://www.allmusic.com/album/live-at-martys-mw0000875927

The Friends Are: Cy Coleman/Janis Ian/Gerry Mulligan/Jonathan Schwartz

Personnel: Bass – Jay Leonhart, Rufus Reid; Drums – Donny Osborn; Piano – Mel Tormé, Mike Renzi

Mel Tormé And Friends

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Carolyn Leonhart - Steal the Moon

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:57
Size: 116,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:02)  1. It Didn't Turn Out That Way
(6:20)  2. Nature Boy
(4:16)  3. A Sunday Kind of Love
(7:11)  4. Juju Knows
(4:14)  5. All Because of You
(5:17)  6. Steal the Moon
(5:12)  7. I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face
(4:16)  8. Little Man
(6:07)  9. Yesterday's a Dream
(3:57) 10. Moonglow

Carolyn Leonhart sits astride the jazz and pop worlds, allowing both to inform her singing and repertoire. The daughter of bassist Jay Leonhart and a backup singer for the reunited Steely Dan, Leonhart inflects her jazz singing with an unmistakable dose of soul and R&B, not unlike Chaka Khan or even Rickie Lee Jones. Pianist Rob Bargad is Leonhart's main collaborator on this album, contributing five compositions, including the lush ballad "Yesterday's a Dream" and a borderline-corny but charming vocal duo with Leonhart on "Steal the Moon," a good candidate for radio play. Leonhart even hands two tracks over entirely to Bargad: the Vince Guaraldi-like piano trio feature "Juju Knows" and a bluesy, smart-alecky vocal tribute to a child titled "Little Man." Leonhart is bright-toned and sultry on the standards "Nature Boy," "I've Grown Accustomed to His (Her) Face," and "Moonglow," the last an oh-so-hip duo between her and father Jay Leonhart on the bass. She struts her stuff sassily on "Sunday Kind of Love," Bargad's "All Because of You," and Mose Allison's "It Didn't Turn Out That Way." 

Bargad's solid post-bop piano work anchors every track. Jimmy Cobb and Billy Drummond share drumming duties, Daniel Sadownick weighs in with perfect percussion flourishes, and David Gilmore guests on acoustic guitar for the title track. As might be expected from a singer with such diverse influences, Leonhart walks a fine line between telling a coherent story and presenting a musical patchwork. But her voice is polished and distinctive, and her band cooks, which invariably makes Steal the Moon a fun listen. ~ David R.Adler https://www.allmusic.com/album/steal-the-moon-mw0000066428

Personnel: Carolyn Leonhart (vocals); Rob Bargad (piano, vocals, producer, songwriter); Jay Leonhart (bass).

Steal the Moon

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The Eddie Higgins Trio - A Lovely Way To Spend An Evening

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:45
Size: 139.1 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[4:32] 1. I Could Write A Book
[5:55] 2. Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry
[4:17] 3. April In Paris
[5:36] 4. Polka Dots And Moonbeams
[4:06] 5. A Lovely Way To Spend An Evening
[4:39] 6. Gentle Rain
[5:29] 7. I Get A Kick Out Of You
[5:00] 8. Serenade In Blue
[3:31] 9. Why Was I Born
[3:53] 10. Come Rain Or Come Shine
[5:00] 11. The Way You Look Tonight
[5:04] 12. Moonlight Serenade
[3:39] 13. It Might As Well Be Spring

Bass – Jay Leonhart; Drums – Mark Taylor; Piano – Eddie Higgins. Recorded at Clinton Studio, N.Y, October 14-17, 2006.

A solid bop-based pianist, Eddie Higgins has never become a major name, but he has been well-respected by his fellow musicians for decades. After growing up in New England, he moved to Chicago, where he played in all types of situations before settling in to a long stint as the leader of the house trio at the London House (1957-1969). Higgins moved back to Massachusetts in 1970 and went on to freelance, often accompanying his wife, vocalist Meredith D'Ambrosio, and appearing at jazz parties and festivals. Eddie Higgins has led sessions of his own for Replica (1958), Vee-Jay (1960), Atlantic, and Sunnyside; back in 1960, he recorded as a sideman for Vee-Jay with Lee Morgan and Wayne Shorter.

A Lovely Way To Spend An Evening mc
A Lovely Way To Spend An Evening zippy

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Don Sebesky - Moving Lines

Styles: Contemporary Jazz, Big Band 
Year: 1984
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:47
Size: 96,5 MB
Art: Front

( 4:27)  1. Claire's Song
( 6:22)  2. Cherokee
( 5:16)  3. Moondreams
( 5:11)  4. I Go To Rio/Mardi Gras
(13:40)  5. Malaguena
( 6:50)  6. Skyliner

As a composer, arranger and conductor, he has worked with such orchestras as the London Symphony, the Chicago Symphony, the Boston Pops, The New York Philharmonic, the Royal Philharmonic of London, and the Toronto Symphony.  His Broadway theater credits include Porgy and Bess (London production by Trevor Nunn), Sinatra At The Palladium, Sweet Charity, Kiss Me Kate (2000 Tony Award), Bells Are Ringing, Flower Drum Song, Parade, The Life, Cyrano, The Goodbye Girl, Will Rogers Follies,  and Sinatra At Radio City. Among his film credits are The Rosary Murders (starring Donald Sutherland), Hollow Image (starring Morgan Freeman), The Last of the Belles (starring Susan Sarandon), Let's Get Lost (starring Chet Baker “ Best Documentary at the Cannes Film Festival), The People Next Door (starring Eli Wallach and Julie Harris), Time Piece (Jim Henson Productions “ Academy Award nomination for Best Short Subject).  For television, Sebesky's work has included Allegra's Window on Nickelodeon (Emmy nomination), The Edge of Night on ABC (Emmy nomination), and Guiding Light on CBS (Emmy nomination).  As a recording artist, Sebesky's work includes nine recordings under his own name, all of which were GRAMMY nominated.  Included are Giant Box, Rape of El Morro, Full Cycle, Moving Lines, Symphonic Sondheim, I Remember Bill (1999 GRAMMY Award), and Joyful Noise (winner of two GRAMMY Awards in 2000). Sebesky has also created the music for many well known commercials.  Among the companies he has represented are:  Corning (Clio Award), Hanes, Hallmark, Dodge Trucks, General Electric (Clio Award), Hershey's, Cheerios, Calvin Klein (Clio Award), Nike, Oil of Olay, Pepsi and Kodak.  Sebesky is the author of the best selling orchestration text book, The Contemporary Arranger. http://www.donsebeskymusic.com/about.htm

Personnel:  Electric Piano, Conductor, Arranged By, Producer – Don Sebesky;  Acoustic Bass, Electric Bass – Jay Leonhart;  Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute – Alex Foster;  Baritone Saxophone, Bass Clarinet, Flute, Clarinet – Roger Rosenberg;  Bass Trombone, Horn [Baritone], Tuba – Alan Raph;  Drums, Percussion – Jimmy Madison;  Electric Guitar [12 String], Acoustic Guitar [12 String] – Ken Sebesky;  Leader, Piano [Acoustic];  Tenor Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute, Piccolo Flute, Flute [Alto & Bass] – Eddie Daniels;  Trombone, Horn [Baritone] – Jimmy Pugh;  Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Barry Ries, Brian O'Flaherty

Moving Lines

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John Bunch - Tony's Tunes

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:07
Size: 146.8 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2003
Art: Front

[3:53] 1. I've Got The World On A String
[4:44] 2. Somewhere Along The Line
[5:05] 3. Emily
[4:04] 4. Broadway
[5:04] 5. The Second Time Around
[6:29] 6. Sleepin' Bee
[4:44] 7. Forget The Woman
[3:48] 8. Takin' A Chance On Love
[3:36] 9. The Good Life
[4:44] 10. Chicago
[3:53] 11. Maybe September
[6:44] 12. Street Of Dreams
[3:55] 13. Girl Talk
[3:16] 14. Put On A Happy Face

John Bunch (piano); Bucky Pizzarelli (guitar); Jay Leonhart (bass). Recorded at Nola Recording Studio, New York, New York on May 12, 2003.

No one can accuse John Bunch of having a short career; born on December 1, 1921, the veteran pianist was 81 when he recorded Tony's Tunes for Chiaroscuro on May 12, 2003. What's the secret to Bunch's success? In addition to having impeccable chops and an inherent sense of swing and melody, Bunch is smart enough to realize that a musician needs to be true to himself. All these years, Bunch has been a swing-oriented pianist along the lines of Teddy Wilson and Nat King Cole; that's his turf, and he has excelled by sticking with what he does best. This CD is called Tony's Tunes because all 14 of the songs are ones that Bunch played with Tony Bennett in the '60s, when he was the singer's music director -- familiar gems that range from "Street of Dreams" and Harold Arlen's "I've Got the World on a String" to Neal Hefti's "Girl Talk." Tony's Tunes is a tribute to Bennett, but it's a tribute on Bunch's own pianistic terms; there are no vocals at all, and Bunch maintains an improviser's mindset whether he is interpreting "Chicago" (that toddlin' town!) or "Put On a Happy Face." When Chiaroscuro president Hank O'Neal (who produced this release) first came up with the idea for Tony's Tunes, he seemed to envision an album of unaccompanied solo piano. But Tony's Tunes ended up being a trio session -- not a traditional piano trio (piano, bass, and drums), but a drummer-less trio uniting Bunch with frequent companions Bucky Pizzarelli (guitar) and Jay Leonhart (bass). That piano/guitar/bass format is, of course, the same format that the Nat King Cole Trio favored in the '30s and '40s, and it's a format that works pleasingly well for Bunch throughout this fine CD. ~ Alex Henderson

Tony's Tunes mc
Tony's Tunes zippy

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Barbara Carroll - Old Friends

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1988
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:40
Size: 102,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:38)  1. Old Friends
(4:23)  2. Together Wherever We Go
(3:59)  3. Early Autumn
(4:21)  4. There Will Never be Another You
(3:29)  5. Looking At You
(6:13)  6. Dancing On The Ceiling
(3:59)  7. Can't We Be Friends
(5:08)  8. Too Soon
(3:43)  9. Aus Nossos Silhos
(5:44) 10. You Stepped Out Of A Dream

Entering her nineties, Barbara Carroll could boast that she had been playing piano for over 85 years. Not without a pause to sleep and eat, obviously, but with a determination that might suggest such extremes. Born Barbara Carole Coppersmith, she began the instrument at only five years old and went on to classical training three years later, eventually graduating from the New England Conservatory. In terms of professional stagecraft, her initial training ground was a USO tour during World War II in which she was part of an all-girl trio. This was quickly followed by leading her own trio on New York City's famous lane of jazz, 52nd Street, where she adopted a variation of her middle name, Carole, as a stage name. The pianist was associated with such fine players as guitarist Chuck Wayne and bassist Clyde Lombardi, but what would develop into an extensive discography began in 1949 with a recording session backing up multi-instrumentalist Eddie Shu for the Rainbow label.

Among female piano players, Carroll was known as the first to venture into the progressive bebop style that was especially associated with Bud Powell. Unlike the infamous Billy Tipton, Carroll also did not think it was necessary to hide the fact that she was a woman in jazz but this was New York City, not Oklahoma or the state of Washington. Not that Carroll had an easy time in a genre dominated by men. "People tended to put you down before they ever heard you," she commented. "If you were a girl piano player, the tendency was to say: 'Oh, how could she possibly play?' You never even got a chance to present what you could do. But then, if you did prove yourself, it almost became a commercial asset, in a sense; you were regarded as unique."

One audience that found Carroll to their liking was the high society crowd, becoming enamored with her during an extended run at the ultra-chic Embers supper club. Her group at the latter venue included the bassist Joe Shulman, whom she married in 1954. Carroll did not ignore the pop styles of subsequent decades, yet always managed to keep a strong jazz flavor present in whatever material she performed. If swing was a bay leaf, it would be said that Carroll had a large bush growing right outside her kitchen window. She recorded for many of the best labels in the genre including Verve and Atlantic and continued to be in demand at clubs and cabarets into her nineties, playing a regular gig at Manhattan's Birdland venue until December 2016. Carroll also worked as an actress on occasion, such as the Broadway play entitled Me and Juliet. She died in February 2017 at the age of 92. ~ Eugene Chadbourne  https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/old-friends/889301524

Personnel:  Barbara Carroll - Vocal; Phil Bodner - Reeds;  Jay Leonhart - Bass;  Grady Tate - Drums         

Old Friends

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Laurie Beechman - Time Between The Time

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:43
Size: 116,8 MB
Art: Front

(2:32)  1. Another Hundred People
(3:22)  2. It Might Be You
(4:01)  3. Look At That Face
(3:18)  4. A Very Precious Love
(3:33)  5. Long Before I Knew You
(4:14)  6. The Look Of Love
(3:50)  7. A House Is Not A Home
(3:08)  8. I'll Never Stop Loving You
(4:21)  9. The Shining Sea/The Shadow Of Your Smile
(4:22) 10. Soon It's Gonna Rain/Rain Sometimes
(3:12) 11. Music That Makes Me Dance
(3:52) 12. Time Between The Time
(3:41) 13. Never Never Land
(3:11) 14. Home

On her 1990 debut album Listen to My Heart, Laurie Beechman, best known for her roles in Broadway shows like Cats and Les Miserables, predictably performed her songs from those shows along with a selection of other show music. Three years later, her second album, Time Between the Time again chose primarily from theater and film songs, but it had more of a personal character and more of a narrative structure. Recently married, the singer examined romantic love in a contemporary setting, beginning with Stephen Sondheim's "Another Hundred People," about how people find each other, moving on to early infatuation in "It Might Be You" from the film Tootsie, and, by the middle of the album, advancing to songs of full-blown devotion. Later, songs like a medley of "Soon It's Gonna Rain" from The Fantasticks and "Rain Sometimes" detailed difficulties in a long-term relationship, and the title song concerned the specific problem of maintaining a relationship in the entertainment business with its itinerant nature, before "Never Never Land" from Peter Pan and "Home" from The Wiz concluded the cycle by touching on the magical nature of love. Beechman inhabited the narrative with an actress' talent, glowing with new love on "Look at That Face," for example, but restraining her well-known ability to belt until some of the later songs. Often, however, she retained a certain distance from the material, and, just turning 30-years-old, still seemed to be trying to perform the material precisely rather than fully experience the emotions expressed in the songs. Her stage roles had required a high degree of technical efficiency, but little emotional involvement; on her solo albums, she was still feeling her way towards expressing her real feelings in song. But Time Between the Time marked a significant advance in that direction. ~ William Ruhlmann https://www.allmusic.com/album/time-between-the-time-mw0000105854

Personnel: Laurie Beechman (vocals); John Pizzarelli (guitar); Mike Renzi (piano, synthesizer); Jay Leonhart (acoustic & electric basses); Warren Odze, Terry Clarke (drums); Tom Spahn (programming).         

Time Between The Time

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Marlene VerPlanck - I Like To Sing!

Styles: Vocal Jazz 
Year: 1984
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:44
Size: 141,3 MB
Art: Front

(2:33)  1. I Like To Sing!
(2:47)  2. Highly Emotional State
(3:57) 3. Medley  It Could Happen To You Love Walked In
(2:42)  4. Here I Go Again
(2:58)  5. Let Yourself Go
(4:32)  6. All The Things You Are
(2:52)  7. Here's That Sunny Day
(4:05)  8. (I Think Of You) With Every Breath I Take
(1:45)  9. All Or Nothing At All
(3:19) 10. Incurably Romantic
(2:47) 11. The One I Love Belongs To Somebody Else
(2:37) 12. Instead Of Saying Goodbye
(4:02) 13. The Man That Got Away
(2:35) 14. Song On The Sand
(2:29) 15. Where Am I Going
(4:23) 16. Don't Worry 'bout Me
(3:57) 17. That's How I Love The Blues
(3:48) 18. Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry
(2:27) 19. Just One Of Those Things

Marlene Ver Planck paid tribute to the great American songbook. Ver Planck, who grew up in Newark, NJ, listening to Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald on WNEW radio, collaborated throughout her long career with her husband, arranger, composer, and conductor Billy Ver Planck. Her 2000 CD, My Impetuous Heart (DRG), her 17th album, reunited her with some old friends, including jazz pianist Hank Jones and special guests jazz pianists George Shearing and Marian McPartland and guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli. Ver Planck's career was a long string of success stories, which showcased her as a versatile singer with a gorgeous, pliable voice that knew how to tell a story.

She started singing at age 19. Her career stretched back to the '50s when she worked with Tex Beneke and Charlie Spivak. Her first big break came in 1955 when she teamed up with pianist Hank Jones, flutist Herbie Mann, trumpeter Joe Wilder, bassist Wendell Marshall, and drummer Kenny Clarke on I Think of You with Every Breath I Take on Savoy Records. She met her husband while performing with Charlie Spivak's band, then both moved over to the Dorsey Brothers Orchestra. Tommy Dorsey died in 1956, so the Ver Plancks decided to stay in New York City to pursue studio work with the likes of Frank Sinatra, Perry Como, Tony Bennett, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Blood Sweat and Tears, and Kiss. Millions of people outside the jazz world first heard Ver Planck's voice, though, doing jingles in the '60s : "Weekends were made for Michelob/Yeah!" and "Winston tastes good like a cigarette should!" and "Mmm good/mm-mm good/that's what Campbell's Soups are/mm mm good." After thousands of commercial jingles and hours and hours of studio session work in New York, the Ver Plancks decided to settle down in their house in Clifton, NJ, and began performing and recording together.

Their first recording together was A Breath of Fresh Air, arranged, produced, and conducted by Billy Ver Planck in 1968. In 1976, Marlene Ver Planck hooked up with North Carolina-based composer/pianist Loonis McGlohon, who hired her to do two installments of a radio show he co-hosted called Alec Wilder's American Popular Song. Afterwards, she recorded Marlene Ver Planck Sings Alec Wilder, and later, after Wilder's death, she appeared on the radio show The American Popular Singers, co-hosted by McGlohon and opera singer Eileen Farrell. Ver Planck performed at Carnegie Hall, Michael's Pub, and the Rainbow Room in New York City. She appeared on Entertainment Tonight, The Today Show, and CBS's Sunday Morning. In The Digital Mood, featuring Ver Planck, Mel Torme, and Julius La Rosa with the Glenn Miller Orchestra, became the first big band CD to go gold in the '90s. Ver Planck planned to record again in late 2001 in tribute to her love for the music of Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, Jerome Kern, and Cole Porter. ~ Robert HicksMarlene Ver Planck paid tribute to the great American songbook. Ver Planck, who grew up in Newark, NJ, listening to Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald on WNEW radio, collaborated throughout her long career with her husband, arranger, composer, and conductor Billy Ver Planck. Her 2000 CD, My Impetuous Heart (DRG), her 17th album, reunited her with some old friends, including jazz pianist Hank Jones and special guests jazz pianists George Shearing and Marian McPartland and guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli. Ver Planck's career was a long string of success stories, which showcased her as a versatile singer with a gorgeous, pliable voice that knew how to tell a story.

She started singing at age 19. Her career stretched back to the '50s when she worked with Tex Beneke and Charlie Spivak. Her first big break came in 1955 when she teamed up with pianist Hank Jones, flutist Herbie Mann, trumpeter Joe Wilder, bassist Wendell Marshall, and drummer Kenny Clarke on I Think of You with Every Breath I Take on Savoy Records. She met her husband while performing with Charlie Spivak's band, then both moved over to the Dorsey Brothers Orchestra. Tommy Dorsey died in 1956, so the Ver Plancks decided to stay in New York City to pursue studio work with the likes of Frank Sinatra, Perry Como, Tony Bennett, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Blood Sweat and Tears, and Kiss. Millions of people outside the jazz world first heard Ver Planck's voice, though, doing jingles in the '60s : "Weekends were made for Michelob/Yeah!" and "Winston tastes good like a cigarette should!" and "Mmm good/mm-mm good/that's what Campbell's Soups are/mm mm good." After thousands of commercial jingles and hours and hours of studio session work in New York, the Ver Plancks decided to settle down in their house in Clifton, NJ, and began performing and recording together.

Their first recording together was A Breath of Fresh Air, arranged, produced, and conducted by Billy Ver Planck in 1968. In 1976, Marlene Ver Planck hooked up with North Carolina-based composer/pianist Loonis McGlohon, who hired her to do two installments of a radio show he co-hosted called Alec Wilder's American Popular Song. Afterwards, she recorded Marlene Ver Planck Sings Alec Wilder, and later, after Wilder's death, she appeared on the radio show The American Popular Singers, co-hosted by McGlohon and opera singer Eileen Farrell. Ver Planck performed at Carnegie Hall, Michael's Pub, and the Rainbow Room in New York City. She appeared on Entertainment Tonight, The Today Show, and CBS's Sunday Morning. In The Digital Mood, featuring Ver Planck, Mel Torme, and Julius La Rosa with the Glenn Miller Orchestra, became the first big band CD to go gold in the '90s. Ver Planck planned to record again in late 2001 in tribute to her love for the music of Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, Jerome Kern, and Cole Porter. ~ Robert Hicks  https://itunes.apple.com/tt/album/i-like-to-sing!/id826388231

Personnel:  Vocal - Marlene Ver Planck;  Bass – Jay Leonhart;  Drums – Luther Rix;  Piano – Ben Aronov

I Like To Sing!

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Cleo Laine - Blue And Sentimental

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:58
Size: 117,2 MB
Art:  Front

(4:44)  1. Lies of Handsome Men
(4:57)  2. I've Got a Crush on You
(3:34)  3. Blue and Sentimental
(5:55)  4. Afterglow
(6:24)  5. Not You Again
(3:55)  6. Primrose Colour Blue
(4:31)  7. Love Me
(5:26)  8. Dreamsville
(3:54)  9. A Cryin' Shame
(3:32) 10. Love Comes and Goes
(4:01) 11. Soft Pedal Blues

This album would be worth buying for one track alone, a faultless version of "The Lies Of Handsome Men", Francesca Blumenthal's unsettling little song about self-deception. Not only does Cleo Laine have the musicality and dramatic skill to do justice to a delicate piece like this, she also has the best possible musical director in John Dankworth, who plays some very good alto saxophone here, too. The programme of 13 songs is impeccably chosen, as usual. Few singers, jazz or otherwise, have ever commanded a stylistic range anywhere near Cleo Laine's. For example, after opening with the Blumenthal song she goes on, via Gershwin and Irving Berlin, to Bessie Smith. The most remarkable thing of all about her is that she and Dankworth have been making intelligent, enterprising albums like this for more than 40 years and there is absolutely no sign of wear and tear. Quite the reverse, in fact. The work just goes on getting better. ~ Dave Gelly https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Sentimental-Cleo-Laine/dp/B000003FCX

?Personnel: Cleo Laine, Joe Williams (vocals); John Dankworth (conductor, soprano & alto saxophones, clarinet); Ray Loeckle (soprano & tenor saxophones, flute, bass clarinet); Gerry Mulligan (baritone saxophone); Allen Smith (trumpet); Dean Hubbard (trombone); David Sprung (horn); Jeremy Cohen (violin, Concertmaster); Roxanne Jacobson (viola); Terry Adams (cello); Larry Dunlop (piano, synthesizer); Mark Renzi, George Shearing (piano); Mark Whitfield (guitar); Rich Girard (bass); Jay Leonhart (bass); Jim Zimmerman (drums, percussion); Keith Copeland (drums)

Blue And Sentimental

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New York Trio - Essential Best

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:43
Size: 164.2 MB
Styles: Mainstream jazz
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[6:35] 1. I Could Have Danced All Night
[5:05] 2. Blue Skies
[5:44] 3. As Time Goes By
[7:45] 4. How High The Moon
[4:32] 5. Star Crossed Lovers
[6:13] 6. Lover Come Back To Me
[6:34] 7. Lullaby Of The Leaves
[6:13] 8. My Heart Belongs To Daddy
[8:03] 9. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
[5:18] 10. I Didn't Know What Time It Was
[5:41] 11. Cheek To Cheek
[3:57] 12. They Say It's Wonderful

Also known as the New York Jazz Trio, this combo is a studio-only group who specialize in recording classic standards in a straightforward, post-bop style. The New York Trio features three gifted musicians who are firmly established on the East Coast jazz scene. Pianist Bill Charlap is a member of the Phil Woods Quintet, has accompanied the likes of Tony Bennett, Benny Carter, and Gerry Mulligan, and has recorded a handful of well-received albums for Blue Note as a bandleader. Bassist Jay Leonhart has recorded as a headliner since 1983, while also making a name for himself as a vocalist and songwriter as well as backing up Marian McPartland, Louie Bellson, Lee Konitz, and many others. And drummer Bill Stewart had handled demanding gigs with a variety of musicians, including jazz guitarist John Scofield, funky sax man Maceo Parker and R&B legend James Brown. In 2001, Charlap, Leonhart, and Stewart teamed up in the studio to cut the album Blues in the Night for the Venus Jazz label; featuring leisurely but heartfelt interpretations of eight classic melodies, the album was well-received by fans of classic jazz. Seven similar collections have been recorded by the trio for Japanese jazz labels. ~ bio by Mark Deming

Essential Best

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New York Trio - Begin The Beguine

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:22
Size: 131.3 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[8:02] 1. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
[6:12] 2. My Heart Belongs To Daddy
[6:48] 3. So In Love
[6:48] 4. Begin The Beguine
[6:30] 5. I Love Paris
[6:54] 6. From This Moment On
[3:02] 7. Just One Of Those Things
[6:19] 8. Easy To Love
[6:41] 9. Every Time We Say Goodbye

The New York Trio consists of pianist Bill Charlap, bassist Jay Leonhart, and drummer Bill Stewart, though it exists solely as a studio band for the Japanese label Venus, as Charlap's regular trio includes Peter Washington and Kenny Washington. Even though this band only meets occasionally in the studio to record yet another release in their prolific series for the Japanese jazz market, there is plenty of chemistry between the three veterans, while the nine songs from the vast Cole Porter songbook were likely to have been a part of each musician's repertoire long before these 2005 sessions. Charlap's lyrical piano style is quite effective, capturing the nuances of Porter's humor (even though none of his lyrics are heard), while the rhythm section gels nicely with the pianist. Highlights include a jaunty "My Heart Belongs to Daddy," a dreamy "Begin the Beguine," and a snappy "From This Moment On." ~Ken Dryden

Begin The Beguine

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