Davy Mooney - Way Back

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:27
Size: 137,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:54) 1. The Ancient Song
(6:13) 2. Way Back
(6:08) 3. Bachian
(7:18) 4. In This Position
(4:57) 5. Meaning In A Streetlight
(6:50) 6. Wintry Mix
(5:07) 7. Liz
(6:25) 8. Doom Scroll
(5:36) 9. La Bruja
(4:54) 10. Checkup

One of the most valuable gifts of travel is to gain the friendship of those you meet from other cultures. For a musician, this is fundamental in widening a net of collaborators and musical inspiration. The recent pandemic shut down the populace's normal travel patterns, disrupting these exchanges.

On his new recording, Way Back, guitarist Davy Mooney celebrates the return of international travel and his renewed musical partnership with his collaborators in Brazil.Jazz is a language that is spoken all over the world. Speaking it is a way for Davy Mooney to find a connection in other places and with other people. Traveling back to his second home in Brazil, Mooney has recorded a fantastic album of unique original music on Way Back.https://www.amazon.ca/Way-Back-Davy-Mooney/dp/B0C1KQ5CLZ

Personnel: Davy Mooney - guitar, vocals (5); John Ellis - tenor saxophone, bass clarinet (1, 3, 6, 8, 9); Felipe Silveira - piano; Thiago Alves - bass; Paulinho Vicente - drums

Way Back

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Kate Schutt - Telephone Game

Styles: Vocal, Guitar
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:16
Size: 136,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:01)  1. Take Everything
(4:10)  2. Blackout
(6:57)  3. Open Window
(3:40)  4. Take Me With You
(8:12)  5. Who is Young, Who is Naive?
(3:56)  6. If Spring Comes Now
(4:02)  7. Fake ID
(4:57)  8. You Can Have the Sky
(6:07)  9. Our Legs Are Burning
(3:56) 10. We All Fall Down
(2:49) 11. The Actress
(5:21) 12. Love's Not Logical

Kate Schutt is a singer, songwriter, guitarist and producer living in New York City. Raised in Chadds Ford, PA, Kate was schooled in Boston, both in Harvard’s English department, where she studied the influence of jazz on modern poetry, and at Berklee College of Music, where she studied jazz guitar. A constant collaborator, Kate has worked with John Ellis (Charlie Hunter), Terri Lyne Carrington (Herbie Hancock), and Viktor Krauss (Lyle Lovett, Bill Frisell), to name only a few. In 2007 & 2009 Kate was the John Lennon Songwriting Contest Winner in the Jazz Category and received the ASCAP Plus Awards for Jazz Composition from 2006- 2009. https://www.kateschutt.com/about/

Personnel:  Kate — electric guitar, vocals;  Terri Lyne Carrington — drums;  Orrin Evans — piano;  Duane Andrews — acoustic guitar;  Marc Rogers — bass;  Chris Brown — B3, clavinet, Wurlitzer;  Damian Erskine — bass on tracks 3, 5;  Denis Keldie — accordions on track 5;  Andrea Zonn — viola on track 6;  John Ellis — saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet;  Alan Ferber — trombones;  Shane Endsley — trumpet, flugelhorn;  Grégoire Maret — harmonica

Telephone Game

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Lionel Loueke - The Journey

Styles: Vocal And Guitar Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:53
Size: 121,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:13)  1. Bouriyan
(3:54)  2. Molika
(3:57)  3. Bawo
(5:37)  4. Vi Gnin
(4:24)  5. Mande
(4:36)  6. Kaba
(2:18)  7. Dark Lightning
(3:18)  8. Vivi
(5:47)  9. Hope
(3:48) 10. Gbe
(4:05) 11. Gbedetemin
(0:29) 12. Guira
(2:33) 13. Okagbe
(2:26) 14. Reflections On Vi Gnin
(2:21) 15. The Healing

The Journey finds Benin's guitar prodigy Lionel Loueke in a stripped-back setting, often painting gentle sound-sketches using only his voice and a guitar. In place of his long-standing trio, comprised of drummer Ferenc Nemeth and double bassist Massimo Biolcati, Loueke has assembled a divers array of guest musicians for subtle accompaniment when needed. The fifteen songs compiled on this album exhibit some of the most versatile music the guitarist has created to date, and represent a sort of summary of his career- spanning works. The creator himself states "This album is a very personal project—it is the clearest reflection of the melodies and musical atmosphere that I carry within me every day." Besides the jumpy funk-infused opener "Bouriyan" and jam tracks like "Bawo," folkier elements are especially prominent. "Molika" or "Vi Gnin" display the extent to which Loueke has developed as a vocalist, and carry most fragile melodies into the open. While most compositions rely on various acoustic guitars, some of his signature electric guitar playing makes it on to the record as well, the loop-based "Dark Lightning" being a prime example. He also draws from his past catalogue and presents reinterpretations of "Okagbé" and "Gbede Temin," now written together "Gbêdetemin." Both songs were featured on the trio-recording Gilfema (ObliqSound, 2005) and have been stripped down to their very core elements, now presented at a much slower pace in a much more atmospheric fashion. The booklet translates what Loueke sings in the Benin native Fon and reveals lyrics that contemplate war, and question the world we live in. While dancing rhythms and celebratory chants, typical for Lionel Loueke, do find their way into this record, the more reflective side of things prevails and makes this endeavor one of a very profound and touching amplitude. The minimalist instrumental approach only adds to this intimate feeling and places the listener right by the source. If not in person, then this is probably the closest one might ever get to meeting Lionel Loueke. ~ Friedrich Kunzmann https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-journey-lionel-loueke-aparte-review-by-friedrich-kunzmann.php

Personnel: Lionel Loueke: guitars, vocals, percussion; Pino Palladino: bass; Coro Baptista: percussion; John Ellis: soprano saxophone; Christi Joza Orisha: percussion; Robert Sadin: keyboards; Dramane Dembélé: peul flute; Mark Feldman: violin; Patrick Messina: clarinet; Vincent Ségal: cello; Étienne Charles: trumpet; Massimo Biolcati: bass; Ferenc Nemeth: percussion;

The Journey

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Will Bernard - Just Like Downtown

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:48
Size: 102.6 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[4:48] 1. Dime Store Thriller
[5:33] 2. Go West
[5:14] 3. Sweet Spot
[4:41] 4. Dancing Days
[5:18] 5. Little Hand
[5:19] 6. Safety In Numbers
[6:18] 7. Bali Hai
[5:11] 8. Route 46
[2:22] 9. P.M. Gone

Will Bernard: guitar; John Ellis: tenor saxophone, bass clarinet; Brian Charette: organ; Rudy Royston: drums.

Guitarist Will Bernard has been connected to a number of singular groups and individuals, from the Monk-to-funk outfit known as T.J. Kirk to New Orleans drumming giant Stanton Moore to multi-instrumentalist Peter Apfelbaum's boundary-pushing Hieroglyphics Ensemble, but a common denominator exists in his strongest work with each one: Bernard's best is always rooted in the groove. He has a no-fuss way of establishing and/or inhabiting the rhythmic currents of a song and he puts that skill to good use, once again, on Just Like Downtown.

This quartet date finds Bernard fronting a highly capable—and flexible—foursome. Together, they tackle original soul jazz ("Dime Store Thriller"), Led Zeppelin ("Dancing Days") and Richard Rodgers ("Bali Hai"). Some pieces are brisk and driving ("Sweet Spot") and others like to linger for a while ("Little Hand"), as Bernard and company simply let the music float on by. Most of these musical offerings get to the point right away, but a sense of mystery is occasionally in the air as things coalesce ("Bali Hai") or blow slowly in the Frisell-ian breeze ("P.M. Gone").

Bernard's buddies deserve a good deal of credit for bringing his music to life. They sound good when working from the same playbook as the leader ("Dime Store Thriller"), but they sound great when one person's contributions are thrown into sharp relief; John Ellis' swaggering bass clarinet riff, for example, enlivens the jaunty "Go West," and drummer Rudy Royston delivers a tornado of a performance on the choppy "Safety In Numbers," which also features a beast-of-a-solo from Bernard. Organist Brian Charette—the fourth piece of the puzzle—is the one most responsible for adding color to the project. He brings all manner of sound—both earthy and alien—into the picture. Just Like Downtown possesses an immediately likeable, unforced quality. The music simply flows when Will Bernard and company get going. ~Dan Bilawsky

Just Like Downtown mc
Just Like Downtown zippy

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Jason Marsalis - Music In Motion

Styles: Jazz, Bop
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:00
Size: 244,2 MB
Art: Front

( 8:01)  1. There's a Thing Called Rhythm
( 7:26)  2. Marakatu de Modernizar
( 4:50)  3. The Sweeper
( 6:12)  4. On the First Occasion
( 7:59)  5. The Steepistician
( 5:40)  6. Discipline Strikes Again
( 4:48)  7. Treasure
(13:08)  8. It Came From the Planet of Nebtoon
( 3:33)  9. Short Story #1
( 7:40) 10. Seven-Ay Pocky Way
( 4:39) 11. [Untitled Hidden Track]

All aboard! All Aboard! The cover on Jason Marsalis' sophomore recording shows the young musician standing in the center of a train track in some unknown location. This would seem a little odd at first , but upon listening to the music, the idea behind the visual makes perfect sense. The musical trek will take the listener on a journey that will leave a memorable impression at the point of disembarkation. The name Marsalis is a common household word in today's current music environment. Ellis, Delfeayo, Branford, and the minister of jazz himself, Wynton; have carried forth the great tradition of jazz for the past few decades. But who is Jason Marsalis? The youngest among his famous sibling brothers, you may not have easily recognized that he is an utterly talented jazz drummer and percussionist. The 24 year old has the skill and musicianship of a veteran. His first recording, The Year of the Drummer, received critical acclaim. He has played and recorded with notables such as Marcus Roberts, Marcus Printup, and with his brothers, Branford, Wynton, and father Ellis. He is an equal contributor to the hot Afro-Cuban Jazz group Los Hombres Calientes, which stars trumpter Irwin Mayfield and long time percussionist Bill Summers. 

Encompassing rhythmic beats that directly affect the flow of music; jazz drummers make profound statements concerning timing and motion. Marsalis' latest recording displays his control of that art in a compelling way. Each selection will take the listener on a percussive excursion . On the first track, "There's a Thing Called Rhythm," the journey snakes from swing to blues, intricate time changes, and then to a unique drum solo by Marsalis. On the second piece, "Marakatu de Modernizer," the musical jaunt travels down the upbeat path like a Brazilian parade that swings. 

The musicians on this outing are all capable jazz attendants who exhibit consumate precision and talent on this entertaining journey. Tenor saxophonist John Ellis conveys a quiet skill and poise on the serene cut "On the First Occasion." Altoist Derek Douget, bassist Peter Harris and pianist Jonathan Lefcoski all display exquisite musicianship and creativity throughout the recording. This is all held together by the master rhythm Conductor; Jason Marsalis. Jason displays a kaleidoscope of skills on the drums. Every conceivable area of his drum kit is utilized adeptly. Each tune exhibits an expressive motion montage that carries the willing listener to a toe tapping destination. ~ Mark F.Turner https://www.allaboutjazz.com/music-in-motion-jason-marsalis-basin-street-records-review-by-mark-f-turner.php

Personnel: Jason Marsalis - Percussion, Drums, Producer Peter Harris - Bass Derek Douget - Sax (Alto), Sax (Soprano) John Ellis - Sax (Tenor) Jeff Lefcoski - piano

Music In Motion

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Will Bernard - Out & About

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:31
Size: 111,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:36)  1. Happy Belated
(1:48)  2. Not Too Fancy
(4:18)  3. Next Guest
(6:44)  4. Habenera
(4:17)  5. Redwood (Business Casual)
(5:37)  6. Homeward Bound
(3:12)  7. Homebody
(5:13)  8. Suggested Reading
(4:26)  9. Full Sweep
(3:16) 10. Pan Seared
(3:59) 11. Out & About

Will Bernard has received his due for sideman work in a variety of settings, but you rarely hear anybody talk about stylistic range when it comes to his own leader dates. This is the album that could and should change that. Over the course of eleven originals, Bernard continually frames himself in different ways, constantly redefining his outlook and mining fresh musical veins with some help from four A-list musicians organist Brian Charette, saxophonist John Ellis, bassist Ben Allison, and drummer Allison Miller. It's a winning formula, making Out & About an out-and-out success. The album opens with "Happy Belated," a funky number with a twist or two that falls right into Bernard's comfort zone. Allison's fulsome bass and Miller's solid drumming lock everything in place, Bernard and Ellis sync up when an angular interlude appears, and metric adjustments are made without altering the natural feel of the piece. It's a number that could've set Bernard up perfectly for a funk-themed record, but he doesn't oblige. Instead, he turns sharply at every opportunity. "Not Too Fancy" a brief and intimate guitar-and-bass duo that's quaint, serene, and comforting follows, completely changing the direction implied with "Happy Belated." 

Then there's "Next Guest," a piece that flies and gives Ellis, Bernard, Allison, and Miller a chance to really dialogue with one another; "Habenera," a shape-shifting avant-tango that benefits from Charette's out-of-the-box organ work; "Redwood (Business Casual)," a number energized by Miller's propulsive ride cymbal and powerful soloing; and "Homeward Bound," a straight-eighth selection that plays up the partnership between rhythmic recurrence and mood evolution. With each of the five numbers that remain, Bernard and his buddies continue to defy expectations. "Homebody" carries some heartland inflections and gives Ellis and Bernard a chance to continually cross paths and dance, "Suggested Reading" sets Bernard's slinky guitar against Allison's stout yet slippery bass lines and Miller's happening grooves, and "Full Sweep" delivers wonderfully off-balanced hits and harmonic shifts. Then things wind down with a gravity-reduced exploration called "Pan Seared" and the swaying title track. After all of that it's tempting to see this as an identity crisis record. The truth, however, is something much simpler: This is Will Bernard, in all of his multifaceted glory. ~ Dan Bilaswsky https://www.allaboutjazz.com/out-and-about-will-bernard-posi-tone-records-review-by-dan-bilawsky.php

Personnel: Will Bernard: guitar; John Ellis: saxophone; Brian Charette: organ; Ben Allison: bass; Allison Miller: drums.

Out & About

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Brian Charette - Music For Organ Sextette

Styles: Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:36
Size: 157,8 MB
Art: Front

( 5:52)  1. Computer God
( 5:25)  2. Fugue For Kathleen Annex/Ex Girlfriend Variation
( 8:50)  3. Risk
( 7:46)  4. The Elvira Pacifier
( 7:11)  5. Equal Opportunity
( 4:43)  6. Prayer For An Agnostic
( 5:17)  7. Late Night TV
( 6:01)  8. French Bird
(10:06)  9. Mode For Sean Wayland
( 6:21) 10. Tambourine

Finding an organ in a gathering of more than four in jazz seems to be taboo, yet no logic exists behind this unspoken truth. The organ is constantly making friends with guitars and drums, with the occasional singular horn dropping by to converse with them, but the possibility of a broader social circle always seems to elude this unwieldy instrument. Thankfully, organist Brian Charette is helping to rectify this issue. On Music For Organ Sextette, Charette weaves a unique and gripping aural tapestry together with a mélange of woodwinds serving as the thread. He channels his energy into creating constructs that benefit from the blending of multiple voices, yet remain flexible enough to allow for outspoken soloists to have their say. Charette's organ voice is prominent throughout as he cuts swaths through the sonic fields that lay before him and rides the tides of energy created by drummer Jochen Rueckert, but this outing is a true team effort.

The personnel list remains consistent from start to finish, but stylistic direction does not. Charette explores reggae ("Elvira Pacifier"), touches on churchy hymns with intentionally ironic titling ("Prayer For An Agnostic") and dabbles in outré modernism ("Mode For Sean Wayland"). His funky side comes out on occasion ("Late Night TV" and "Tambourine") and swing sneaks into the party ("Equal Opportunity"), but no single style reigns supreme on this tasting menu of music.

All four horns distinguish themselves as individuals, but they work even better as a unit. They move through the Baroque-influenced "Fugue For Kathleen Anne" with sensitivity and end up engaging in a raucous game of musical twister atop Rueckert's Tony Williams-meets-Clyde Stubblefield drumming when the music morphs into "Ex Girlfriend Variations." "Tambourine," likewise, benefits from their delightfully dovetailing lines, but they can also be found making magic with simple riffs in various places. Music For Organ Sextette is an anomaly in the world of organ-centric jazz, but not for the obvious reason. It's a recording that emphasizes the importance of textural exploration, multiple stylistic personalities, groove variations and the balance between group dynamics and solo statements. Charette challenges the status quo with this one and winds up the victor in every way.~Dan Bilawsky http://www.allaboutjazz.com/music-for-organ-sextette-brian-charette-steeplechase-records-review-by-dan-bilawsky.php 

Personnel: Brian Charette: organ; Jochen Rueckert: drums; Jay Collins: flute; Mike DiRubbo: alto saxophone; Joel Frahm: tenor saxophone; John Ellis: bass clarinet.

Music For Organ Sextette

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Otis Brown III - The Thought Of You

Styles: Contemporary Jazz, Post-Bop
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:00
Size: 131,2 MB
Art: Front

(7:47)  1. The Way (Truth & Life)
(4:11)  2. The Thought Of You - Part I
(1:29)  3. Interlude I - Truth
(7:18)  4. Stages Of Thought
(6:51)  5. The Two Become One (For Paula)
(5:03)  6. You’re Still The One
(3:15)  7. The Thought Of You - Part II
(8:20)  8. I Love You Lord/We Exalt Thee/In The Beginning (Medley)
(5:27)  9. The Thought Of You - Part III
(5:10) 10. I Am Your Song
(2:04) 11. Interlude II - Life

Drummer Otis Brown III is a well-known, in-demand sideman and the founding drummer in Joe Lovano's Us Five. The Thought of You, his debut as a leader, was co-produced with Derrick Hodge. Pianist Robert Glasper, saxophonist John Ellis, trumpeter Keyon Harrold, and bassist Ben Williams -- the only one of these men who was not Brown's classmate at the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music -- are the core of this lineup. Bilal Oliver (another schoolmate), Gretchen Parlato, and Nikki Ross all make vocal appearances. Hodge and Brown obviously share a love for the classic Blue Note quartet and quintet sounds of the late '50s through the middle '60s: tight, crisp, clean. But that doesn't mean the music is retro; it's anything but. Opener "The Way (Truth & Life)" commences with a punchy bass vamp before Brown enters with a kinetic Afro-Latin groove and Glasper offers his signature elliptical piano line. The horns counter with an urgent, melodic head with labyrinthine asides. Ellis moves toward the outside and Glasper follows.

Brown lays down hip fills and rolls and cymbal washes. The title track, written by Oliver, is quizzically done in three parts spread over the record -- though they were obviously edited from one longer cut. The first part the single has a knotty piano and horn intro before his breezy vocal claims the center briefly before the tune evolves into driving, fingerpopping post-bop. Parlato's reading of Shania Twain's "You're Still the One" is smoky, spacious, nocturnal, and understated. The hook is there, but in her phrasing and Brown's cymbal ticks and snare and tom-tom syncopations, its margin blurs and almost alchemically transforms into jazz. "Stages of Thought" and "The Two Become One" are instrumentals that offer differing sides of Brown's musical vision. The former is tumultuous, with layered dissonant harmonics. Glasper's piano alternates between inquisitive and declamatory as the horns engage in swooping dialogic call-and-response solos. The rhythm section prods and provokes with accents, feints, and dekes. The latter cut employs spoken samples from the tune's (literally) speaking subject (Brown's wife) during their wedding ceremony. It's a spacious, ethereal, open-ended ballad. Ellis' bass clarinet and Glasper's electric piano surround the rhythm section, which lays down a lithe, atmospheric groove. "I Love You Lord/We Exalt Thee/In the Beginning" is one of two fine Ross vehicles here. This one reveals the perfect intersection between gospel and contemporary jazz. 

Glasper's piano accompanies her on the melody, adding dimension and lyric harmony amid guest Shedrick Mitchell's organ swells. The singer soulfully and elegantly commits to the lyric yet never over-emotes. Brown's playing is like a chorale as he and Ross engage to develop an improvisational dialogue. The Thought of You is ambitious in its musical reach and affirmative in its themes of spiritual faith and family (actual and relational). It is a thoroughly classy, sophisticated, at times provocative offering by a top-notch talent.~Thom Jurek http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-thought-of-you-mw0002702040

Personnel: Otis Brown III (drums, cymbals, percussion); Gretchen Parlato, Bilal Oliver, Nikki Ross (vocals); Nir Felder (acoustic guitar); John Ellis (bass clarinet, tenor saxophone); Keyon Harrold (trumpet); Robert Glasper (piano, Fender Rhodes piano); Shedrick Mitchell (Hammond b-3 organ); Derrick Hodge (percussion).

The Thought Of You

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Dr. Lonnie Smith - Evolution

Styles: Jazz, Straight-ahead/Mainstream

Year: 2016

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 63:21

Size: 146,0 MB

Art: Front

(14:04)  1. Play It Back

( 8:20)  2. Afrodesia

( 5:51)  3. For Heavens Sake

( 6:43)  4. Straight No Chaser

( 7:18)  5. Talk About This

(11:09)  6. My Favorite Things

( 9:53)  7. African Suite

Artist repatriation seems to be something of a theme in the Don Was era of Blue Note Records. In 2013 there was the return of saxophonist Wayne Shorter, a jazz giant who delivered many of his landmark '60s albums on this storied imprint. Then, in 2015, Charles Lloyd left ECM for Blue Note, a label that had previously held one Lloyd album in its portfolio. Now, as 2016 arrives, organist Dr. Lonnie Smith returns to the fold. Evolution is Smith's first album for Blue Note in forty-five years, and it's a real humdinger. Everything we've come to expect from him, included the unexpected, is here. The album is populated with raunchy riffs, greasy grooves, soulful sermons, tidal organ shifts, moody statements, hard-hitting solos, and punchy interjections, all of which help to enliven throwback songs, standards, and new pieces alike. This is past, present, and future Smith rolled into one.

The album kicks off with "Play It Back," a funky number from Smith's Live At Club Mozambique (Blue Note, recorded 1970/released 1995). Double drumming from the likes of Johnathan Blake and Joe Dyson underscores the music, setting a foundation for soloist after soloist to build upon; Robert Glasper, making his lone guest appearance on the album, hits it out of the park when he steps to the plate; the horns sound hot, whether riffing together or taking to the spotlight as individuals; and the good doctor does what he does best. Smith follows that up by inviting Joe Lovano into the picture to reprise his role on "Afrodesia." Lovano originally recorded the song with Smith some forty years ago, working his magic with his tenor. Here he turns to his G mezzo soprano saxophone, delivering the goods on this grounded groove number. Then, for good measure, Lovano brings out his main ax on "For Heaven's Sake," a balladic mood painting that stands as gentle contrast to the majority of the material on the playlist.

The remaining four tracks are split evenly between new originals and standards. That first category includes "Talk About This," a funky number with a hard-hitting solo from trumpeter Maurice Brown, and "African Suite," which stands apart thanks to John Ellis' flute work and some Afrocentric accents and underpinnings. The standards "Straight No Chaser" and "My Favorite Things," both delivered by the trio of Smith, Blake, and guitarist Jonathan Kreisberg prove to be fiery and forward-thinking. The former is a take-no-prisoners performance that's set aflame by the spark of life. And the latter? It's a piece that's full of surprises. It emerges from uncertainty, departs into the shadows, and emits power and potency from its core. It takes tremendous creativity to pull a rabbit out of the hat on such a well worn piece, and this trio has that and then some. Dr. Lonnie Smith left Blue Note as a young man, but he returns as a sagacious elder. The wisdom he's gained in the intervening years is parceled out in his every gesture, flourish, and note. Evolution is but a single album, yet it speaks to a lifetime of music making from one of our most treasured organists. ~ Dan Bilawsky  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/evolution-dr-lonnie-smith-blue-note-records-review-by-dan-bilawsky.php?width=1024

Personnel: Dr. Lonnie Smith: Hammond B-3 organ, keyboards (6, 7); Robert Glasper: piano (1); Joe Lovano: G mezzo soprano saxophone (2), tenor saxophone (3); Johnathan Blake: drums; Joe Dyson: drums (1-3, 5, 7); Jonathan Kreisberg: guitar; Keyon Harrold: trumpet (1); Maurice Brown: trumpet (2, 3, 5); John Ellis: tenor saxophone (1, 2, 5), bass clarinet: (3), flute (7);

Evolution

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Kat Edmonson - Take To The Sky

Styles: Vocal Jazz

Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:53
Size: 98,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:12)  1. Summertime
(4:09)  2. Just Like Heaven
(3:49)  3. Night and Day
(4:17)  4. Charade
(4:01)  5. Lovefool
(5:10)  6. Angel Eyes
(2:27)  7. Just One Of Those Things
(4:55)  8. One Fine Day
(5:08)  9. (Just Like) Starting Over
(3:42) 10. Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most

Jazz vocalist Kat Edmonson summed up her musical philosophy best when she told journalist Joey Guerra, "I just think good music is good music." The Austin-based singer's album Take To The Sky draws half of its repertoire from America's most timeless Tin Pan Alley songwriters, including the Gershwins and Cole Porter. The other half of the album draws from a wide range of contemporary popular songwriters, including the Cure and John Lennon.This strategy of mixing the classic with the modern is not a new approach for jazz vocalists. Cassandra Wilson, for example, has built an impressive career covering songs by compositional innovators from Miles Davis to Bob Dylan. Edmonson's particular stylistic approach is unique and satisfying for two reasons the high-quality arrangements by pianist Kevin Lovejoy and Edmonson's own quirky synthesis of nymph-like timbre and classic jazz phrasing. Edmonson's first statement is bold. 

Though jazz singers have covered the Gershwin standard "Summertime" ad nauseam, she shows why the classic song deserves just one more chance. Lovejoy begins with an ominous Brad Mehldau-inspired piano and bass ostinato in six-eight time. At the second verse, drummer J.J. Johnson (best known for his work with Eric Clapton and John Mayer) adds decisive buoyancy to the band with an Afro-Cuban groove pitting four beats against every three in the piano and bass. The repetitive nature of the instrumentation is the perfect backdrop to introduce Edmonson's stark, whispery vocal style. Equal parts Billie Holiday and Hacke Bjorksten, it is Edmonson's distinctive coyness that marks her as a vocalist of 2009, not merely a re-do of the 1930s. For the most part, Edmonson holds true to the original melodies of the jazz standards, including "Night and Day." Here, Lovejoy channels inspiration from soul music with a driving four-on-the-floor groove complete with tambourine. Edmonson's charming delivery successfully disguises the fact that the lyrics are more than 70 years old. In fact, she is so convincing that one might easily mistake her cover of Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer's "Charade" as one of Rufus Wainwright's latest laments. Edmonson and Lovejoy can easily dress up classic jazz in modern pop clothing, but that clothing must be reversible. 

One of the most successful pop-to-jazz conversions on the album is "Lovefool," a song best known for its performance by the Cardigans and subsequent inclusion on the 1996 Romeo and Juliet film soundtrack. Lovejoy's arrangement pairs Edmonson's voice with an austere brass accompaniment on each verse, making his switch to a tongue-in-cheek salsa montuno for the choruses a delightful surprise. Edmonson is not one to pursue the vocal improvisations of the classic jazz singers, but it is her subtlety that is most appreciated here. The band, however, provides numerous tasteful moments of improvisational depth to the album. Reed player John Ellis plays a lovely, if brief, tenor saxophone solo on Edmonson's inspired bossa nova cover of the Cure's "Just Like Heaven." Likewise, Ellis's bass clarinet musings on "Charade" prove the weighty jazz roots of the band members without forcing unnecessary harmonic complexity upon what is meant to be an understated aesthetic. 

One of the gems of the album is made possible by the communication between the trio of Lovejoy, Revis and Johnson: the standard "Angel Eyes" is captivating. The only song that comes close to conventionality is Carole King's "One Fine Day," heard here as a loping ballad. But, even then, it does not disappoint. The same is true of the soft ballad performance of John Lennon's "(Just Like) Starting Over." Edmonson delivers each lyrical line with such sensitivity and thoughtfulness as to rival any classic jazz songstress. The final piece (a hidden track 10) is a pitch-perfect unaccompanied performance by Edmonson of "Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most." Though the album certainly straddles numerous stylistic divides, there is one category that fits without question it is just "good music." ~ Holly Homes  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/kat-edmonson-take-to-the-sky-by-holly-holmes.php#.VE1kLclZi5g

Personnel: Kat Edmonson: vocals; Kevin Lovejoy: piano, arranger; Eric Revis: bass; J.J. Johnson: drums (1-4, 6, 7, 9); Chris Lovejoy: percussion (1-5, 7); John Ellis: tenor saxophone (2, 7), bass clarinet (4); Ron Westray: trombone (1, 5, 8), euphonium (5); Donald Edwards: drums (8).

Take To The Sky

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John Ellis - It's You I Like

Styles: Post-Bop
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:57
Size: 135,0 MB
Art: Front

(7:08)  1. What Do You Do?
(9:22)  2. Memory Lane
(5:28)  3. It's You I Like
(8:05)  4. Everything Means Nothing To Me
(7:57)  5. Let's Think Of Something To Do
(2:27)  6. Because We're Kids
(4:51)  7. You Are Special
(3:36)  8. Waltz # 1
(6:59)  9. It's Such A Good Feeling
(2:59) 10. Won't You Be My Neighbor

Melody and groove are the watchwords on John Ellis' masterful Criss Cross debut, which mixes optimistic songs composed by the iconic children's television host, Fred (a.k.a. 'Mister') Rogers, himself a fine jazz pianist, and dark ones by the late singer-songwriter Elliott Smith. Joined by New York A-listers Mike Moreno (guitar), Aaron Goldberg (piano), Matt Penman (bass, and Rodney Green (drums), Ellis - playing mostly tenor saxophone and a bit of bass clarinet - addresses the repertoire with a surefooted time feel, gorgeous tone,and abiding melodicism. ~ Editorial Reviews   http://www.amazon.com/Its-You-Like-John-Ellis/dp/B007GNMIK4

It's You I Like

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