Christian Jacob - New Jazz Standards Vol 5 • the Music of Carl Saunders

Styles: Piano Jazz

Year: 2022
Time: 59:01
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 135,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:19) 1. August in New York
(6:42) 2. A Ballad for Pete Candoli
(4:58) 3. Zig Zag Waltz
(4:33) 4. The Hipper They Are The Harder They Fall
(5:42) 5. Complex Simplicity
(5:16) 6. A Ballad for Now
(3:04) 7. A Pill for Bill
(5:28) 8. Silver Ambience
(4:26) 9. Dark Blanket
(4:48) 10. Sweetness
(4:20) 11. Admired
(5:19) 12. Encore

New Jazz Standards Vol 5 • the Music of Carl Saunders

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Featuring 12 of Carl Saunders' finest songs and the consistently brilliant playing of Christian Jacob, New Jazz Standards delivers in a special way!

Carl Saunders is one of the world's great jazz trumpeters, a super technician who is a masterful improviser with his own sound. In his career he has performed with a countless number of jazz greats.

This recording (and Series) feature Saunders' originals taken from his New Jazz Standards book. "I have been writing tunes all of my life," says the trumpeter-composer. "I had many of them sitting by the piano, unorganized and looking like a bit of a mess. I finally decided to print them out and organize them in a folder and finally publishing them into a book which I called New Jazz Standards which has over 300 songs."

"I let the artists pick whatever tunes they want to do from the book and interpret them in their own style." The rewarding series has thus far showcased quite an array of talent, starting with flutist Sam Most and continuing with sets starring trombonist Scott Whitfield, pianist Roger Kellaway, and guitarist Larry Koonse.

For Vol. 5, Carl Saunders wanted to feature pianist Christian Jacob. "He's one of the very best, a complete classical musician who has mastered jazz."

Multi-Grammy nominated Christian Jacob, who was born in France, studied classical music from the age of four and was considered a child prodigy but became attracted to jazz and improvisation by the time he was ten. He not only attended the Berklee College of Music but won a series of awards as a student and for a time taught at the college. He gained his initial fame in the jazz world when he played and arranged for some of the great.

The pianist suggested that bassist Darek Oles be part of this project. Oles has made many recordings including sets with Brad Mehldau and Charles Lloyd.

Saunders says "Christian and I decided on the great Joe LaBarbera for the drum duties who is one of the most musical drummers on the scene. When you listen to him play music comes out of his drums.

https://www.summitrecords.com/release/new-jazz-standards-vol-5-the-music-of-carl-saunders-christian-jacob/

Personel:

Christian Jacob, piano

Darek Oles, bass

Joe LaBarbera, drums

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Wesla Whitfield - High Standards

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1997
Time: 56:36
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 129,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:01) 1. From This Moment On
(3:41) 2. I Didn't Know What Time It Was
(6:03) 3. Don't Explain
(4:33) 4. Just One Of Those Things
(4:03) 5. Where Are You?
(3:53) 6. My Favorite Things
(5:06) 7. Exactly Like You
(4:31) 8. Ev'rything I Love
(4:46) 9. How High The Moon
(5:59) 10. Don't Take Your Love From Me
(5:04) 11. Let's Do It
(3:53) 12. Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye

On this, her tenth album, Wesla Whitfield continues her journey through the Great American Songbook. Liner notes to the contrary, it seems as if Whitfield is trying to move toward a jazzier presentation of the music with High Standards. Toward this end, she has surrounded herself with some excellent jazz musicians. Gary Foster's cool, boppish alto appears on all but two cuts.

Michael Moore's bass and Joe LaBarbera's drums have graced more jazz albums than one can count. The presence of these established players notwithstanding, the results are mixed. On "From This Moment On" and "Don't Explain," the meshing of Foster's high-energy jazz playing and Whitfield's splendid vocalizing provides two examples of where it works.

But it's clear that Whitfield continues to be more at ease with cabaret than with the riskier jazz genre. Like many in cabaret, she creates expectations and sets the mood by including the verse for most of the songs on this set. Cabaret or jazz notwithstanding, her voice of springwater purity, excellent diction, imaginative phrasing, and excellent breath control which allows her to stretch out the words giving continuity to the lyrics, make Whitfield a leading champion of the traditional popular song. Listen to her as she extends the lyrics on "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye" and "Don't Explain."

Her outstanding control can be credited to her classical training. This album will strengthen her position as one of popular song's most creative interpreters. One final note: there are discrepancies on the way Whitfield spells her first name. Most places where it appears spell it "Weslia." However, "Wesla" is the way it is spelled on her official web site, and that is the spelling used here.
By Dave Nathan https://www.allmusic.com/album/high-standards-mw0000601801#review

Personnel: Vocals – Wesla Whitfield; Bass – Michael Moore (2); Drums – Joe LaBarbera; Reeds – Gary Foster (tracks: 1 to 8. 10, 12)

High Standards

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Lyn Stanley - Potions

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2015
Time: 58:45
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 137,0 MB
Art: Front

(2:55) 1. Lullaby Of Birdland
(4:01) 2. Cry Me A River
(3:40) 3. Fly Me To The Moon
(3:29) 4. Hey There
(2:35) 5. I'm Walkin'
(4:35) 6. You Don't Know Me
(4:27) 7. In The Still Of The Night
(4:39) 8. The Thrill Is Gone
(3:31) 9. A Summer Place
(3:26) 10. Love Potion #9
(3:52) 11. Teach Me Tonight
(3:21) 12. After The Lights Go Down Low
(5:23) 13. Misty
(2:47) 14. The Party's Over
(5:56) 15. The Man I Love

We Baby Boomers are a persnickety bunch. We revel in our nostalgia while keeping a jaundiced eye on current trends and how derivative they are compared with those we experienced when they were really new. Critics dismiss this nostalgia as wasted pathos, pining away for what can never be again. That is missing the point. Memory and reminiscence are powerful comforts much like a cat's purr. They help us recall and allow us to put the past into perspective in the relative safety of our own minds and time.

Music proves to be a most potent generator of nostalgia. Most properly, it acts as our life soundtrack, the Stones' "Gimme Shelter" in turbulent times and Vivaldi's "Winter" when calm. A well-programmed collection of songs, housed within a thoughtful theme can be a most effective nostalgia stimulant. Such programming maximizes the joy and pleasure of the music above and beyond the songs considered individually.

It is this invention in programming and repertoire choice that makes singer Lyn Stanley accomplished by any measure. Her debut recording, Lost in Romance (A.T. Music, LLC, 2011) revealed the singer's keen ear for the well-known and not-so-well-known in the American Songbook. By including the less known songs, Stanley has effectively expanded the Songbook, something she continues on Potions: From the '50s.

On Potions, Stanley assembles 15 pieces prominent in the 1950s. They are not all jazz standards or showtunes, though both are in evidence. Stanley's artistic care and attention to detail expresses itself from the start in George Shearing's superb "Lullaby of Birdland." Pianist Bill Cunliffe consorts with bassist Mike Valerio and drummer John Robinson, establishing a light Latin vibe over which Stanley delivers George David Weiss' piquant lyrics. Tom Rainer provides a woody clarinet to the mix, making the piece quite international. "Cry Me a River" is taken at a ballad pace, accented by Ricky Woodards's tenor saxophone. The effect is close, smoky, intimate.

Stanley's nod to Sinatra is in a sprite and bouncy "Fly Me to the Moon. The singer assimilates the country and western of Eddy Arnold's "You Don't Know Me" and the early New Orleans rock of Fats Domino's "I'm Walkin,'" Bill Cunliffe and guitarist Thom Rotella trading eights in the solo section. Central to the collection's theme is Leiber & Stoller's "Love Potion #9." Stanley pulls a sexy samba out of the tune, propelled by Kenny Werner's piano and Hammond B3. Stanley punctuates the disc with a delicate and revealed "Misty" that showcases her command of all things ballad.

The music industry is changing so quickly and seems moving away from the cogently produced arranged album format. That is too bad. On Potions, Stanley perfects the thematic ring of her collection, adding one more bit of the past, analog recording. Music this warm should be bonded like fine brandy heated by the smoke of a Monte Cristo.By C. Michael Bailey
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/potions-from-the-50s-lyn-stanley-at-music-llc-review-by-c-michael-bailey

Personnel: Lyn Stanley: vocals; Kenny Werner: keyboards; Bill Cunliffe: Keyboards; Mike Lang: keyboards; Johannes Weidermeuller: bass; Mike Valerio: bass; Joe LaBarbera: drums; Ari Hoenig: drums; John Robinson: drums; Glenn Drewes: trumpet, flugelhorn; Thom Rotella: guitar; Rickey Woodward: tenor saxophone; Tom Rainer: clarinet; Luis Conte: percussion.

Potions

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Rachael & Vilray - I Love A Love Song!

Styles: Vocal And Guitar Jazz
Year: 2023
Time: 45:48
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 105,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:31) 1. Any Little Time
(3:47) 2. Even In The Evenin'
(4:13) 3. Is A Good Man Real?
(3:16) 4. Just Two
(3:04) 5. Why Do I?
(3:14) 6. I'm Not Ready
(3:33) 7. Join Me In A Dream
(3:33) 8. Hate Is The Basis (Of Love)
(3:48) 9. A Love Song, Played Slow
(3:07) 10. Just Me This Year
(3:41) 11. I've Drawn Your Face
(3:25) 12. Goodnight My Love
(3:31) 13. Let's Make Love On This Plane (Full Band Version Bonus Track)

Harking back to the jazz of the 1940s and '50s, Rachael & Vilray's sophomore album, 2023's I Love a Love Song!, is a delightfully romantic and swinging homage to the golden era of traditional pop. Showcasing the talents of singer Rachael Price and singer/guitarist/songwriter Vilray Blair Bolles, Rachael & Vilray initially met while students at Boston's New England Conservatory before reconnecting around 2015 over their shared love of jazz standards and Tin Pan Alley pop. Although they've performed classic standards together (here, they take on Mack Gordon and Harry Revel's "Goodnight, My Love"), it's their knack for crafting their own swooning, literate songs in the traditional style of composers like Cole Porter and Johnny Mercer that makes their work so uniquely compelling.

It's a vibe they debuted on 2019's Rachael & Vilray and which they further perfect here. Even if their songs weren't so good (and they are) Price and Bolles can sing the heck out of a tune. Although best known for her funk-infused pop with Lake Street Dive, Price is a trained jazz singer whose dusky style evokes the cool, West Coast sound of icons like June Christy and Peggy Lee. Equally evocative, Bolles' warm, matter of fact tone brings to mind a relaxing blend of Dean Martin and Perry Como. They take turns leading songs throughout the album, often trading choruses, or as on the magical, Count Basie-esque "Just Two," sing in close harmony á la vocal groups like the Modernaires.

Other notable songs full of wry, melodic wordplay pop up throughout, as on Bolles' "Why Do I" in which Price compares her relationship woes to the animal world, singing "clams to my knowledge don't sigh/and moths ain't left wondering why/each time their fellow flies out, they needn't weep their eyes out/so why do I?" Also adding to the air of stylistic legitimacy are the duo's stellar backing ensemble featuring pianist Larry Goldings, bassist David Piltch, and drummer Joe La Barbera. Also joining them again is saxophonist/arranger Jacob Zimmerman and his horn section, all of which add to the old-school nightclub vibes Rachael & Vilray are going for.By Matt Collar https://www.allmusic.com/album/i-love-a-love-song%21-mw0003837217

Personnel: Vocals – Rachael Price, Guitar, Vocals – Vilray; Alto Saxophone, Clarinet – Jacob Zimmerman (tracks: 1, 4, 6, 7, 10); Bass – David Piltch; Drums – Joe LaBarbera; Piano, Organ, Celesta – Larry Goldings; Tenor Saxophone – Nate Ketner (tracks: 1, 7, 10); Trombone – Joey Sellers (tracks: 10); Trombone, Trumpet – Dan Barrett (3); Trumpet – Jim Ziegler (tracks: (Except track 10)

I Love A Love Song!

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Rosemary Clooney With the L.A. Jazz Choir - Sings Rodgers, Hart & Hammerstein

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1990
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:24
Size: 118,4 MB
Art: Front

(2:15) 1. Oh, What A Beautiful Morning
(4:55) 2. People Will Say We're In Love
(3:47) 3. Love, Look Away
(6:07) 4. The Gentleman Is A Dope
(2:54) 5. It Might As Well Be Spring
(6:22) 6. The Sweetest Sounds
(3:10) 7. I Could Write A Book
(3:59) 8. You Took Advantage Of Me
(5:58) 9. The Lady Is A Tramp
(4:34) 10. Little Girl Blue
(4:01) 11. My Romance
(3:15) 12. Yours Sincerely

This Rosemary Clooney recording differs from all of her previous Concord albums in that she is joined by the L.A. Jazz Choir (a 12-voice group) on half of the dozen selections. The choral backing is a bit of an acquired taste for jazz listeners but Clooney's backup sextet does consist of tenor saxophonist Scott Hamilton, trumpeter Jack Sheldon (who helps out Clooney with his vocal on "People Will Say We're in Love"), trombonist Chauncey Welsch, pianist John Oddo (who is responsible for both the choral and instrumental arrangements), bassist John Clayton and drummer Joe LaBarbera.

Clooney interprets the music of Richard Rodgers and lyrics which are split almost evenly between Lorenz Hart and Oscar Hammerstein. Most of the tunes are fairly well-known (including "It Might as Well Be Spring," "I Could Write a Book," "You Took Advantage of Me" and "My Romance") but Rosemary Clooney makes them sound fresh and alive.By Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/sings-rodgers-hart-hammerstein-mw0000207686

Personnel: Rosemary Clooney – vocals; Jack Sheldon – trumpet, vocal (track 2); Chauncey Welsch – trombone; Warren Vaché Jr. – cornet; Scott Hamilton – tenor saxophone; John Oddo – piano, vocal and instrumental arrangements; John Clayton – bass; Joe LaBarbera – drums; The L.A. Jazz Choir – vocals (tracks 1,3,7,10-12)

Sings Rodgers, Hart & Hammerstein

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Wesla Whitfield - Let's Get Lost

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:48
Size: 139,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:40) 1. Let's Get Lost
(5:29) 2. Don't Blame Me
(4:58) 3. I Can't Believe That You're in Love with Me
(5:12) 4. Too Young to Go Steady
(3:07) 5. I Just Found out About Love
(2:28) 6. It's Me Remember?
(4:41) 7. You're a Sweetheart
(4:51) 8. They Really Don't Know You
(3:25) 9. I've Got My Fingers Crossed
(5:19) 10. On the Sunny Side of the Street
(3:40) 11. Hoory for Love
(3:23) 12. You're the One for Me
(5:25) 13. Where Are You
(2:32) 14. I'm Shooting High
(2:36) 15. Warm and Willing

Although not in the same class as innovators like Jerome Kern, Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, Cole Porter or Harold Arlen, the composer Jimmy McHugh (1894-1969) achieved, by any standard, the songwriting trifecta. His songs were of exceeding musical merit, they enjoyed huge commercial success, and they have endured the test of time. In his seminal book, American Popular Song, Alec Wilder observed that Mr. McHugh “wrote a great many songs, among them some of the best pop songs ever written.” In The Unsung Songwriters, his survey of Tin Pan Alley songwriters published last year, Warren W. Vaché noted that Mr. McHugh’s songs “have become fixtures in the jazz catalog . . . and will probably remain an integral segment of our musical heritage.” Yet, for all that, Mr. McHugh’s songs are rarely associated with him. The singer Wesla Whitfield seeks to remedy that situation on her latest recording, Let’s Get Lost: The Songs of Jimmy McHugh.

At the beginning of the new century, Wesla Whitfield has emerged as one of the finest living interpreters of songs from the beginning of the last century. Like Rosemary Clooney and Sylvia Syms, Ms. Whitfield is a jazz-influenced storyteller rather than an improviser. Her dry, acidic voice has a way of sharpening the edges of a song. Never content to simply define a song by its tempo, Ms. Whitfield extracts meaning from every word. She focuses the listener’s attention on lyrics in a way that can make you think you are hearing the words to a warhorse like “I Can’t Believe That You’re In Love With Me” for the first time.

She mines all the wit from Johnny Mercer’s lyric for “You’re the One for Me” without ever sounding like she is trying to be witty. Ms. Whitfield also has the gift of taking antiquated expressions like “You’re a Sweetheart” or “that doggone moon above” (from “Don’t Blame Me”) and making them sound natural and even poignant. With her tendency to hold long, sustained notes with no vibrato and her clear-eyed approach to lyrics, Ms. Whitfield’s ballad singing strongly recalls the late Irene Kral.

As always, anchoring this collection is Ms. Whitfield’s pianist, arranger and husband, Mike Greensill. Both as an accompanist and an arranger, Mr. Greensill seems to have a deep understanding of exactly the kind of support his wife requires. He plays with a light touch and an attentive ear. His smart, superbly crafted arrangements make good use of not only the reeds but also the rest of the excellent rhythm section. Mr. Greensill also explores the many gradations of tempo that exist between slow and fast on this generally well-paced CD.

Like all of Ms. Whitfield’s recordings, Let’s Get Lost is a mixture of the familiar and the forgotten. Even veteran song hounds will be surprised by the three beautiful and obscure ballads unearthed here: “Warm and Willing,” “They Really Don’t Know You” and “It’s Me, Remember.” There are also a number of rarely heard verses reunited with their more often encountered choruses. Throughout his long career, Mr. McHugh wrote with some very talented lyricists including Frank Loesser, Ted Koehler, Harold Adamson, and his most prominent partner, Dorothy Fields. The album allows the composer’s unique “voice” to be heard by not drawing too heavily from any one of these collaborations.

Let’s Get Lost is not by any means ground breaking or revelatory. However, it is a thoughtful and satisfying examination of the music of a songwriter whose best work surprisingly reflects Tin Pan Alley’s vision of itself: bright, optimistic and, most importantly, hummable.
~Mattheu Bahlhttps://www.allaboutjazz.com/lets-get-lost-the-songs-of-jimmy-mchugh-wesla-whitfield-review-by-mathew-bahl

Personnel: Wesla Whitfield: vocals; Mike Greensill: piano; Ken Peplowski: clarinet, tenor sax; Gary Foster: alto flute, clarinet, bass clarinet, tenor sax; Michael Moore: bass; Joe LaBarbera: drums.

Let's Get Lost

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Bill Evans Trio - Live In Buenos Aires Disc 1, Disc 2

Album: Live In Buenos Aires Disc 1
Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1979
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:23
Size: 104,2 MB
Art: Front

(7:34) 1. Stella by Starlight
(8:18) 2. Laurie
(4:58) 3. Theme From MxAxSxH
(5:57) 4. Turn Out the Stars
(6:42) 5. I Do It for Your Love
(7:10) 6. My Romance
(4:42) 7. Letter to Evan

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Album: Live In Buenos Aires Disc 2
Time: 49:53
Size: 114,5 MB

( 7:35) 1. I Loves You Porgy
( 7:23) 2. Up with the Lark
( 4:11) 3. Minha
( 6:48) 4. Someday My Prince will Come
( 6:31) 5. If You Could See Me Now
(17:22) 6. Nardis

This two-CD set features the final edition of the Bill Evans Trio with Marc Johnson on bass and Joe LaBarbera on drums in a complete concert that originally appeared as a two-LP set on the Yellow Note label. In spite of occasional surface noise resulting from using the earlier records as this set's source material, the music catches the trio during one of its many peaks from their last year of touring together. A rather reserved rendition of "Stella By Starlight" kicks things off, which is a bit of surprise because Evans seemed to prefer his moody "Re: Person I Knew" as an opener during this period.

An excellent version of "Turn Out the Stars," one of Evans' most beloved compositions, is also a first-set highlight. As the second CD gets underway the groove noise proves somewhat distracting during the otherwise quiet beauty of "I Loves You Porgy." A romp through "Someday My Prince Will Come" is followed by the almost obligatory closer "Nardis," in its typically abstract form, with long solos by each of the musicians. Well worth acquiring.Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/live-in-buenos-aires-1979-mw0000678039

Personnel: Bill Evans - piano; Marc Johnson - bass; Joe LaBarbera - drums

Live In Buenos Aires Disc 1, Disc 2

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Bill Evans Trio - Live At Casale Monferrato Disc 1 And Disc 2

Album: Live At Casale Monferrato Disc 1

Styles: Piano Jazz 

Year: 2015

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 42:23

Size: 97,8 MB

Art: Front

(4:52)  1. Re: Person I Knew

(6:46)  2. Midnight Mood

(4:56)  3. Polka Dots and Moonbeams

(3:58)  4. Theme From MASH

(6:09)  5. A Sleepin' Bee

(5:51)  6. I Do It for Your Love

(9:48)  7. My Romance

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Album: Live At Casale Monferrato Disc 2

Time: 50:33
Size: 116,6 MB

( 3:13)  1. Noelle's Theme
( 6:43)  2. I Loves You Porgy
( 6:37)  3. Up with The Lark
( 5:26)  4. Turn out The Stars
( 5:10)  5. Five
( 4:22)  6. Spring Is Here
(15:21)  7. Nardis
( 3:37)  8. But Beautiful

Casale Monferrato is a town and commune in the Piedmont region of Northwest Italy, which is part of the province of Alessandria. It is situated about 60 km east of Turin on the right bank of the Po, where the river runs at the foot of the Montferrato hills. Beyond the river lies the vast plain of the Po valley. The pianist played there with his last trio, which included the aforementioned Marc Johnson and Joe LaBarbera, who were both very young musicians. According to LaBarbera, the pressure of playing with the celebrated Bill Evans fell mostly on the trio’s bassist, who always had the shadow of the late Scott LaFaro looming over him: “My opinion was that the only stigma placed on a member of Bill’s trio was on the bass player, because of Scott’s legacy. Bill had great drummers over the years, but they never shaped what the trio was doing the way Scott did.

I wanted to be Scott LaFaro, though, I wanted to have that thing going with Bill in every possible way, to have some of that thing for me. I found out later that Bill had no preconceived ideas of what you should do. His bass preferences, for instance, were as diverse as Scott and Percy Heath. He definitely was not looking for people to emulate his earlier groups.” This release presents a beautiful never before released complete live performance by the last incarnation of the Bill Evans Trio. Taped in Italy just a few months before the pianist’s untimely death, its highlights include beautiful solo piano versions of Michel Legrand’s “Noelle’s Theme” and George Gershwin’s “I Loves You Porgy”.https://jazzmessengersblog.wordpress.com/2012/05/15/all-tracks-previously-uni/

Personnel: Bill Evans -  piano;  Marc Johnson - Bass;  Joe LaBarbera - Drums

Live At Casale Monferrato Disc 1, Disc 2

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Don Sebesky - I Remember Bill - A Tribute To Bill Evans

Styles: Crossover Jazz, Hard Bop

Year: 1998

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 78:34

Size: 183,6 MB

Art: Front

(4:46)  1. Waltz for Debby

(5:29)  2. I Remember Bill

(8:24)  3. So What

(4:07)  4. Quiet Now

(6:16)  5. All the Things You Are

(6:47)  6. Peace Piece

(5:58)  7. Bill, not Gil

(7:22)  8. Very Early

(4:22)  9. (T.T.T.T.) Twelve Tone Tune Two

(4:52) 10. Autumn Leaves

(5:06) 11. Blue in Green

(7:52) 12. I'm Getting Sentimental over You

(1:18) 13. Epilogue

(5:53) 14. Bill Evans Interview

Veteran arranger Don Sebesky crafts an often-glowing portrait of famed jazz pianist Bill Evans in this quite welcome orchestral jazz tribute. While he is too often derided (and unfairly) as the guy who mucked up Wes Montgomery and other CTI stars with strings and horn sections, Sebesky often presents subtle arrangements that offer keen respect for a soloist's musicianship. When a listener notices Sebesky's work, it's often in the occasional punctuation mark or interesting sound combinations he creates. But it's his respect for the featured musician that sets him apart and probably drew him to this project. Here, Sebesky has gathered a prominent collection of top-shelf jazz musicians, many of whom actually worked with Evans during his career. But one instrumentalist he did not recruit was a pianist. A wise move. This permits appropriate direction from the bassist and drummer and allows reliance on a rhythm player who is not burdened by aping or avoiding Bill Evans' style. Such daunting responsibility falls to the guitarist; in most cases, Larry Coryell, who is outstanding in his eight appearances here and, perhaps, emerges as this session’s real star.

The material is carefully drawn from Evans' originals and standards associated with the pianist. But, in a quest for variety, the result is something of a mixed bag. Standouts include sterling takes of "All the Things You Are" (with Lee Konitz), Sebesky's oddly-titled "Bill, Not Gil" and "T.T.T.T." (both featuring Bob Brookmeyer and Eddie Daniels) and, of course, "Waltz for Debby" (with Joe Lovano and Tom Harrell). But Sebesky achieves greatness with his transformation of Evans' lovely "Peace Piece" into an elegant adagio. Effectively coordinating strings, harp, percussion and Hubert Laws' flute, he has surely crafted one for the ages here. His boisterous take on "So What" (with solid contributions from Joe Lovano, Tom Harrell and Larry Coryell) is also worthwhile, but seems reminiscent of his showy work with Wes Montgemery. The three vocal tunes (separately featuring Chet Baker-like John Pizzarelli, Jeannie Bryson and the intolerable New York Voices), though, all are quite unnecessary and seem to break any mood Sebesky may have been aiming for. Still, it's refreshing to hear high-quality orchestral jazz being made in the late nineties  and one hopes Don Sebesky will be in the forefront of keeping it alive. ~ Douglas Payne https://www.allaboutjazz.com/i-remember-bill-a-tribute-to-bill-evans-don-sebesky-rca-victor-review-by-douglas-payne.php

Personnel: Tom Harrell: flugelhorn; Bob Brookmeyer: valve trombone; Joe Lovano: tenor sax; Lee Konitz: alto sax; Eddie Daniels: clarinet; Hubert Laws: flute; Larry Coryell, Ken Sebesky: guitar; John Pizzarelli: guitar, vocals. Marc Johnson, Eddie Gomez: bass; Joe LaBarbera, Marty Morell, Dennis Mackrel: drums; Toots Thielmans: harmonica; Sue Evans, Joe Passaro: percussion; Dave Samuels: vibraphone; New York Voices (Darmon Meader, Lauren Kinhan, Peter Eldridge, Kim Nazarian), Jeanie Bryson: vocals; with brass, woodwinds and strings.

I Remember Bill - A Tribute To Bill Evans

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Conte Candoli - Conte-Nuity

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:42
Size: 158,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:28) 1. Ray's Idea
(3:44) 2. Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me
(5:11) 3. Jive at Five
(5:36) 4. Easy Street
(5:41) 5. Caravan
(7:38) 6. Nostalgia
(6:00) 7. Little Jazz
(6:19) 8. Stockholm Sweetnin'
(4:54) 9. You're a Lucky Guy
(7:30) 10. Rockin' Chair
(6:41) 11. Tun Up
(3:56) 12. Serenade to Sweden

This is another wonderful recording documenting the trumpet artistry of another great trumpet legend. Conte plays with elegance, skill and a tone that is so distinct. The label fresh sounds had done it again to only produce the best in jazz. Conte is a Ray Brown to trumpet players, he is so versatile and has been recording with only the best in the business. To have a solo album featuring Conte you are guaranteed to get the best quality in jazz you can listen to. Conte you are a true legend and this cd is a real gem. This this cd before it gets deleted. https://www.freshsoundrecords.com/conte-candoli-albums/1139-conte-nuity.html

Personnel: Conte Candoli (trumpet); Jan Lundgren (piano); Chuck Berghofer (bass); Joe LaBarbera (drums).

Conte-Nuity

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Deborah Shulman - The Shakespeare Project

Styles: Vocal 
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:21
Size: 104,6 MB
Art: Front

(6:46)  1. All the World's a Stage / If Music Be the Food of Love - As You Like It & Twelfth Night
(3:17)  2. Blow Blow Thou Winter Wind - As You Like It
(4:50)  3. Dunsinane Blues - The Story of Macbeth
(4:37)  4. Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer's Day - Sonnet 18
(1:55)  5. Who is Sylvia - Two Gentlemen of Verona
(4:01)  6. You Spotted Snakes - A Midsummer Night's Dream
(3:43)  7. When to the Sessions of Sweet Silent Thought - Sonnet 30
(2:49)  8. Sigh No More Ladies - Much Ado About Nothing
(3:13)  9. Oh Mistress Mine - Twelfth Night
(2:41) 10. My Love is as a Fever - Sonnet 147
(3:59) 11. Take All My Loves - Sonnet 40
(3:26) 12. Our Revels Now Are Ended - The Tempest

William Shakespeare's works have generated many musical endeavors. Duke Ellington's Such Sweet Thunder (Columbia Records, 1957) and Leonard Bernstein's score for West Side Story are among those which come to mind. In 1941, British composer Arthur Young recorded Shakespeare in Swing (Decca Records, 1941), which featured his compositions over Shakespeare's words. And, in 1964, celebrated British reed player John Dankworth and his wife, Cleo Laine, recorded Shakespeare and All that Jazz, (Fontana Records, 1964), a collection predominantly of Dankworth's jazz tunes with lyrics taken from Shakespeare. With The Shakespeare Project, vocalist Deborah Shulman not only resurrects and refreshes some of the Young/Dankworth-Lane efforts, but adds some terrific new originals from pianist/co-producer, Jeff Colella. Starting with a track which combines Dankworth's "All the World's a Stage" around the up-tempo "If Music Be the Food of Love," it is obvious that this is not going to be a novelty or an over-intellectualized effort. The upbeat tone continues with the modal and swinging, "Blow, Blow Thou Winter Wind," which features tasty guitar work from Larry Koonse. Dankworth's "Dunsinane Blues" is an azure head-tilter with Shulman and pianist Collela soulful. The ballad "Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer's Day" is a textured, dramatic highlight on which Shulman and all shine bright. A challenge which is met exceptionally well here is Shulman's vocal approach to the 16th century lyric. Her voice is very attractive and swinging. The manner in which she caresses the lyrics is exceptional. Dankworth's "Who Is Sylvia?" is an inquisitive, theatrical Laboriel/Shulman duo. His "You Spotted Snakes" is darker fare with tasty ensemble backing. "When to the Sessions of Sweet Silent Thought," a Colella original, is an introspective piano/vocal duet. Arthur Young's, "Sigh No More Ladies" is a bossa nova swinger with a fine Bob McChesney trombone solo and "Oh, Mistress Mine" is delivered in a lilting swing-groove with Shulman's ace piping and another fine McChesney ride. 

Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn's "My Love Is a Fever" and the swinging "Take All My Loves" were also recorded by Dankworth and Lane and are given a fine fresh coat here. Although the lingo served here is near a half-millennium old, Shulman and her team make this rendering as delicious as fresh-baked Elizabethan pie. Go ahead and pull out a plum. ~ Nicholas F.Mondello https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-shakespeare-project-deborah-shulman-summit-records-review-by-nicholas-f-mondello.php

Personnel: Deborah Shulman: vocals; Jeff Colella, piano; Larry Koonse: guitar; Abraham Laboriel: bass (1, 3, 5, 10, 11); Chris Colangelo: bass (2-4, 6, 7, 12); Bob Sheppard: flute, clarinet, soprano sax, bass clarinet; Bob McChesney: trombone; Kendall Kay: drums (2, 3 ,6, 9, 12); Joe LaBarbera: drums (1, 8, 10, 11).

The Shakespeare Project

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Bill Cunliffe - Bill Plays Bud

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:06
Size: 146,1 MB
Art: Front

(6:16)  1. Melancholia
(5:26)  2. Un Poco Loco
(8:49)  3. Polka Dots and Moonbeams
(4:25)  4. Comin' Up
(6:05)  5. Hallucinations
(3:46)  6. Tempus Fugit
(4:49)  7. Sure Thing
(6:01)  8. 52nd Street Theme
(3:51)  9. Borderick
(3:09) 10. Dusk at Saudi
(4:17) 11. Willowgrove
(4:06) 12. Glass Enclosure

Bouncing With Bill. Chick Corea's recent tribute to Be Bop pioneer Bud Powell, Remembering Bud Powell (Concord/Stretch 9012-2) was a welcome tribute to the Charlie Parker/Dizzy Gillespie of the piano. Bud Powell, while constantly being critically acknowledged, has had relatively few program recordings of his music by other musicians. Joining Corea in recognizing Powell is the East Coast-West Coast pianist Bill Cunliffe. Standard and Nonstandard Fare. The Cunliffe and Corea recordings share several Powell originals. Both boast "Tempus Fugit," "Glass Enclosure," and "Dusk in Saudi." "Willow Grove" is also represented on both discs. Each pianist includes a personal composition. But, where Corea confines himself to all original compositions; Cunliffe chooses to explore both rarer Powell compositions and jazz standards closely associated with Powell. "Coming Up" and "Sure Thing" are rarely heard Powell vehicles that are brought out for closer inspection by Cunliffe. "Tempus Fugit" and "Hallucinations" along with "Un Poco Loco" are capably interpreted, often with the original Powell arrangements. Ralph Moore and More. Tenor Saxophonist Ralph Moore proves he is empathetic with both Powell and Cunliffe. His muscular support and solos on "Polka Dots and Moonbeams" and "52nd Street Theme" make this already excellent disc a gem. Dave Carpenter provides a solid bottom upon which Cunliffe rocks and croons; while Joe La Barbera and Papo Rodriguez provide the rhythmic direction. The music herein is personally played by musicians of great substance. The modest Naxos price should make this fine recording a must have. Naxos Jazz. This recording is among the third wave of Naxos Jazz releases, all of which have been review within these electric pages by this critic. I have found that all of these recordings have been of a very high quality. All, for the most part, have been recorded live direct to two track digital, preserving that special spontaneity that is jazz. Naxos Jazz has also provided a wide variety of styles and performances, all executed superbly. The other recent Naxos Jazz recordings include Donny McCaslin's Exile and Discovery (Naxos Jazz 86014-2), Clifford Adams' The Master Power (Naxos Jazz 86015-2), the Mike Nock Quintet's Ozboppin' (Naxos Jazz 86019-2), Flipside's Flipside (Naxos Jazz 86013-2), and Larry Karush's Art of the Improviser (Naxos Jazz 86011-2). ~ C.Michael Bailey https://www.allaboutjazz.com/bill-plays-bud-bill-cunliffe-naxos-review-by-c-michael-bailey.php?width=1920

Personnel: Bill Cunliffe: Piano, Ralph Moore: Tenor Saxophone, Dave Carpenter: Acoustic Bass, Joe La Barbera: Drums, Papo Rodriguez: Percussion

Bill Plays Bud

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Chuck Mangione - Land of Make Believe

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1973
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:04
Size: 91,1 MB
Art: Front

( 7:38)  1. Legend Of The One-Eyed Sailor
( 3:37)  2. Lullaby For Nancy Carol
( 7:23)  3. El Gato Triste
( 4:07)  4. The Gloria From The Mass Of St. Bernard
( 3:52)  5. As Long As We're Together
(12:24)  6. Land Of Make Believe

Though much less expansive than Mangione's other Mercury concerts (only 37 minutes on a single CD or LP), Land of Make Believe is the most successful of the lot, a winning combination of attractive tunes, big-thinking orchestrations, just enough jazz content, and a genuinely felt sense of idealism. Here there is no dead weight; all of the material is very engaging and the combined forces of Mangione's quartet and the Hamilton (Ontario) Philharmonic are on fire. The performance of Mangione's "Legend of the One-Eyed Sailor" still exerts a ferocious jolt of life-affirming energy, "El Gato Triste" is an attractive Latin number, and the buoyant "Gloria" from The Mass of St. Bernard with the Horsehead Chamber Singers makes one want to hear more. The childlike title tune has both a touching sense of naïveté and a lot of drive in key spots credit expert drummer Joe LaBarbera with the latter and Esther Satterfield's clear-eyed Nancy Wilson-like vocals made her famous for a time. This would be Mangione's most irresistible attempt at embracing the whole world of music and for awhile, it was possible to believe that he would become a major unifying figure in American music. Alas, thus far this would be the last full flowering of that promise. ~ Richard S.Ginell https://www.allmusic.com/album/land-of-make-believe-mw0000192140

Personnel:  Chuck Mangione - Flugelhorn, Mixing, Orchestration, Conductor, Arranger;  Joseph C. Crupi - Conductor, Director;  Marta Hidy - Concert Master, Violin;  Gap Mangione - Electric Piano, Toy Instruments;  Cello: Edgar Hayes, Zdenek Konicek;  Flute: Ned Corman, Ron Davis, Paula Elliott, Gordon Johnson, Gerry Niewood, Ray Ricker, Joe Romano, Jeff Tkazyik,;  Tuba: Charles Daellenbach;  Trombone: Eugene Watts, Bill Reichenbach Jr., Janice Robinson, Art Linser III,;  French Horn: Robert Hansen, Gregory Hustis, Graeme Page, Brad Warnaar;  Trumpet: Jon Faddis, Jeff Tyzik, Fred Mills, Ronald Romm;  Viola: Barbara Hustis, Jaroslav Karlovský, Ann Armin;  Violin: David Hung, Rudolph Kalup, Christine Haarvig, Beth Gorevic, Natalie Mysko, Margaret Neufeld, Kathryn Wunder, Michel Zaitzeff;  Tenor Sax: Ron Davis, Ray Ricker, Joe Romano;  Tenor Vocals: Ron Berger, Scott Bump, Jeff Bowlby, Steve Russell;  Alto Vocals: Kathleen Collins, Barbara Hendricks, Terry Lodge;  Soprano Vocals: Jan Walp,;  Bass Vocals: Russ Cembrinski, Michael Cleveland, Jim Smith, Jeff Wilber, Jim Wilber;  Electric Bass: Al Johnson;  Drums: Joe LaBarbera;  Bassoon: Tom Elliot, John Courtney;  String Bass: David Young, Jack McFadden;  Guitar, Guitar (Acoustic), Piano (Electric), Unknown Contributor Role: Don Potter

Land of Make Believe

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Legends & Lions - Swingin'

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:29
Size: 131.6 MB
Styles: Mainstream jazz
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[6:14] 1. Mighty Burner
[5:53] 2. Blues For Hamp
[5:48] 3. I Am Old Fashioned
[4:28] 4. Comment Allez-Vous
[3:40] 5. Seven Steps To Heaven
[6:06] 6. Nancy Jo
[5:39] 7. Blues For Matt B
[7:55] 8. Old Man Jazz
[6:21] 9. Centerpiece
[5:19] 10. The Masquerade Is Over

Legends & Lions: Swingin' is one of a pair of specially priced compilations simultaneously released by Mack Avenue at a special price to showcase their artists. Unlike typical collections, this CD combines previously issued tracks and music from future projects along with one unissued track that evidently will not appear elsewhere. The selections range from the tasty uptempo blues "Mighty Burner," which showcases trumpeter Rashawn Ross extensively before tenor saxophonist and leader Ron Blake makes his entrance; to vocalist Ilona Knopfler's sensual "Comment Allez-Vous" backed by a fine big band; to a bluesy down-home gospel-flavored treatment of "Centerpiece" that features Kenny Burrell, James Moody, Teddy Edwards, Cedar Walton, and Oscar Brashear. The unissued track, a brisk take of "I'm Old Fashioned" featuring alto saxophonist Bud Shank with pianist Mike Wofford, bassist Bob Magnusson, and drummer Joe La Barbera, may have been set aside due to a few reed squeaks in the opening minute. This excellent sampler showcases a label that is not focused exclusively either on veteran artists or rising stars, but one that simply seeks to record valuable jazz. ~Ken Dryden

Swingin' mc
Swingin' zippy

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Jake Fryer, Bud Shank Quintet - In Good Company

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:58
Size: 146.4 MB
Styles: Bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[7:41] 1. Caravan
[7:28] 2. Bopping With Bud
[9:34] 3. Agnieszka
[4:33] 4. Tip Top And Tickety Boo
[5:56] 5. Breaking Loose
[6:21] 6. The Time Lord
[7:32] 7. Almost Like Being In Love
[5:10] 8. In Good Company
[9:39] 9. Speak Low

Jake Fryer: alto saxophone; Bud Shank: alto saxophone; Mike Wofford: piano; Bob Magnussson: bass; Joe LaBarbera: drums.

On April 2, 2009 the world lost another giant of jazz when alto saxophonist great Bud Shank died peacefully in his Tucson, Arizona home. But the master chose not to pass away with a whimper but, rather, with a bang, blowing his last notes the day before at Studio West in San Diego. Shank was one of Jake Fryer's greatest influences on the alto saxophone. Fryer, a British composer and alto saxophonist, had dreamed of pairing up with Shank for a magical recording, leading to In Good Company. The two alto saxophonists, along with Shank's west coast rhythm section of pianist Mike Wofford, bassist Bob Magnusson and drummer Joe La Barbera, combined for an electrifying session.

While Shank and his stellar rhythm section play a major part on this recording Shank takes the alto lead an all tracks it is Fryer who contributes most of the original material. Another important aspect of this album is the fact that all of the music was recorded on the first take, as if it were done at a live gig. With a Magnusson tease on the opening Juan Tizoll/Duke Ellington standard, "Caravan," the 82 year-old Shank, in obvious ill health, blows tight, high-pitched notes in contrast to Fryer, who follows with a more mellow-toned alto solo of his own. This seems to be the duo's template throughout the recording.

Fryer's "Bopping With Bud," penned as a tribute to the altoist, permits both saxophonists to trade salvos on a perky, bop-ish tune. Wofford steps up to the plate, setting up the players for some individual playing time on the spacious ballad "Agnieszka," while "Tip Top And Tickety Boo," as well as "Breaking Loose," have a racier, hard bop texture. La Barbera takes center stage on "The Time Lord," a piece specifically written for him, and the band tones down on a lovely rendition of the Lerner/Lowe classic, "Almost Like Being In Love." The title piece features all band mates claiming a portion of the number, in recognition of the obvious good company they found themselves in on this recording.

The session culminates with a creative, nine minutes-plus version of Kurt Weill's oft-performed "Speak Low," where both Shank and Fryer let it all hang out in what turns out to be Shank's last piece of recorded music. Fryer will, undoubtedly, go on to record more good music in the future, but probably no album will be as memorable to the altoist as the magnificent blowing session he shared with a legend on In Good Company, an inspirational session of sizzling jazz. ~Edward Blanco

In Good Company 

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George Kahn - Freedom Vessel...

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:57
Size: 139,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:44)  1. Millenium Schmellenium
(5:03)  2. Blues for Sonny
(4:59)  3. Evan's seven
(7:53)  4. Freedom vessel
(8:46)  5. Bill & Gil's excellent adventure
(4:52)  6. The way you do the things you do
(5:35)  7. One moment of your life
(5:33)  8. Samba by starlight
(3:30)  9. Over the rainbow
(4:09) 10. Strollin' (wif ma bebe)
(4:48) 11. The garden

Melodic jazz piano trio, music from the heart, direct to the hands. No drum machines, no synthesizers, playing live, real, in the moment. Music to listen to over and over again.Creating a time and place that is new, yet familiar. George Kahn is a jazz pianist who has played in and around Los Angeles for the last 20 years. His current group, "Party of Four" features M.B. Gordy on drums, Karl Vincent on Bass and Eric Marienthal on saxes. They will play anywhere that people will pay them to show up! George's misson in life is to return jazz to the glory days before synthesizers and drum machines raomed the earth.

Review by Phrygia, from MP3.com: OK, we are sickened by the amount of fun these guys are having. What's the matter with desolate guilt ridden music? Well, to tell you the truth, it sucks, so here we bring you some brassy jazz that wipes the cool off the mirror and hazes it up with something incredibly hot. George Kahn is what the teeming listeners would consider a 'mature' composer and musician, in the sense that he incorporates what we here in the Land of Phrygia Musical Appreciation and Phenomenal Artists College feel to be the most intense, if not the most difficult, music to master in the world. Classical music has cadence, structure, and is imprisoned or freed by the conductor. But when it comes to pure agility and stamina, Acid Jazz outshines any other genre in the abilities of the artists. That's where the crucial element comes in? Is it credible? For George, we would have to say no, it's not that credible. It's friggin' Incredible!  https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/gkahn3

Personnel:  George Kahn - Piano, Eric Marienthal - Saxes, Bobby Rodriguez on trumpet, Joe Labarbera on drums and Dave Carpenter on bass.

Freedom Vessel...

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Bill Evans - We Will Meet Again

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1979
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:59
Size: 142,3 MB
Art: Front

(10:09)  1. Comrade Conrad
( 8:22)  2. Laurie
(10:52)  3. Bill's Hit Tune
( 3:40)  4. For All We Know (We May Never Meet Again)
( 9:14)  5. Five
(10:51)  6. Only Child
( 6:14)  7. Peri's Scope
( 2:33)  8. We Will Meet Again

This was pianist Bill Evans' final studio session, a rare outing with a quintet (starring trumpeter Tom Harrell and Larry Schneider on tenor and soprano) and his first recording with the members of his final regular trio (bassist Marc Johnson and drummer Joe LaBarbera). The playing time is over 61 minutes. The group interprets "For All We Know" and seven Evans originals, including "Peri's Scope" and "Five." The thoughtful session is full of lyrical melodies and strong solos; even Evans' electric keyboard work on a few tunes is distinctive. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/we-will-meet-again-mw0000276230

Personnel:  Piano, Electric Piano – Bill Evans;  Acoustic Bass – Marc Johnson;  Drums – Joe LaBarbera;  Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Flute [Alto] – Larry Schneider;  Trumpet – Tom Harrell

We Will Meet Again

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