Joyce Cooling - Living Out Loud

Styles: Vocal And Guitar Jazz
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 23:16
Size: 54,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:38)  1. It's So Amazing
(4:17)  2. Marina's Dream
(6:11)  3. Living Out Loud
(4:44)  4. Got To Find My Own Way
(4:24)  5. Carry On

Living Out Loud is the first Joyce Cooling album in 10 years. Exquisitely produced by Jay Wagner, this original 5-song EP is Cooling, Wagner, and friends at their best. San Francisco-based guitarist, singer, songwriter, Joyce Cooling, has recorded seven previous albums - five charting albums on Billboard; two #1 radio singles; six top 10 singles; and thirteen charting singles in all. Cooling received the "Gibson Best Jazz Guitarist of the Year" Award and "Best New Talent" in the Jazziz Reader’s Poll.  With a nod to where they’ve been, coupled with a full-on embrace of the now, Living Out Loud is an innovative twist on their signature sound. Joyce’s musicianship shines with a unique, soulful energy and the entire album makes a passionate statement. From the uplifting 1st single, “It’s So Amazing,” to the sultry, “Marina’s Dream,” Living Out Loud takes the listener on a colorful, compelling journey. 

The exciting title track boasts superb playing from Joyce and the band, and the R&B-tinged “Got To Find My Own Way” is downright crazy funky. The EP ends with “Carry On,” a gorgeous vocal ballad with a whole lot of heart. The trip is rich and powerful and one worth taking.https://joycecooling.bandcamp.com/album/living-out-loud

Personnel: Joyce Cooling - guitars & vocals; Jay Wagner - keyboards; Danny Montgomery - drums track 1; Billy Johnson - drums track 3; David Garibaldi - drums track 4; Celso Alberti - drums track 5; Bill Ortiz - trumpet & flugelhorn; Peter Michael Escovedo - percussion; Roberto Quintana - additional percussion track 1; Mixes by Jay Wagner and Ray Obiedo; Mastered by Brian Gardner. 

Living Out Loud

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Joyce Cooling - Revolving Door

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:51
Size: 105.0 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[5:43] 1. Mildred's Attraction
[5:14] 2. Cool Of The Night
[5:44] 3. Revolving Door
[6:17] 4. At The Modern
[5:44] 5. Come And Get It
[3:55] 6. I'll Always Love You
[5:04] 7. Little Sister
[1:39] 8. In Case Of Rain
[4:26] 9. Jesse's Bench
[2:00] 10. One Again

On her previous album, This Girl's Got to Play -- which was inspired by the soul-searching she did post 9/11 -- this popular San Francisco-based smooth jazz guitarist made an ongoing commitment to making music about things that matter. Joyce Cooling's early album titles were cute twists on her name, but the Revolving Door she's referring to on this diverse and heartfelt disc goes into some deep territory; it's about the cycle of mental illness, which she knows intimately about due to growing up with a brother who was schizophrenic. That sounds like heavy stuff for an artist in a genre that's usually about happy escapist music, but Cooling finds a way to balance the darker edges with the joyful breeziness that has long endeared her to fans. First the shadier stuff, off the smooth path: the title track is a seductive and emotional blues-drenched expression featuring some of her most gutsy, heartfelt playing ever; it's reminiscent of some of Larry Carlton's brilliant fusions of smooth jazz and real blues. Though it only runs for over a minute, the simple and percussive acoustic tune "In Case of Rain" delves into some interesting Brazilian territory, while "Jesse's Bench" more fully explores her talent for gritty emotional digging on the acoustic. Powered by trippy and hypnotic backing vocals, "Cool of the Night" is all vibey, atmospheric, exotic, retro, and has an irresistible straight-ahead drum brush-driven groove. These songs show tremendous artistic growth for both her and her longtime keyboardist partner Jay Wagner, but Cooling's bread and butter will always be lighthearted gems like the opening tune "Mildred's Attraction," and the jubilant, brass-enhanced "At the Modern." The guitarist always includes a few pleasant vocals in the mix, and the most memorable one here, on the sparsely arranged live track "I'll Always Love You (Ode to the Audience)" directly addresses her love affair with the fans. They'll be giving a lot of love back thanks to the magic of this collection. ~Jonathan Widran

Revolving Door mc
Revolving Door zippy

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Joyce Cooling - Keeping Cool

Styles: Vocal And Guitar Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:14
Size: 83,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:37)  1. Callie
(0:27)  2. Want to Coast?
(3:38)  3. Coasting
(4:29)  4. Ain't Life Grand?
(2:35)  5. Out of a Movie
(4:40)  6. Before Dawn
(4:03)  7. China Basin
(3:33)  8. Simple Kind of Love
(5:05)  9. Little Five Points
(4:04) 10. Gliding By

This slick electric guitarist seemed to come out of nowhere in 1997, becoming The Gavin Report's artist of the year based on the enormous reception of her radio smash "South of Market" and her Heads Up debut Playing It Cool (pun intended). In reality, she had been (and still is) one of the Bay Area's premier club and festival performers, trading off between straight-ahead jazz, Brazilian rhythms, and the funky, lighthearted kind of perfection we find on her even better follow-up (pun still intended and not quite yet wearing thin). Her precise, crisp, and relaxed style serves melodies that are instantly catchy throughout; she and her keyboardist/partner have emerged from years of playing more free-form music in clubs and have the smooth jazz hook thing down pat. What makes this so much more fun than the average genre guitar release are the varied trappings that reflect a myriad of influences. "Callie" bounces in with a retro-bluesy disco groove, Cooling blending her delightful wordless vocalizing and easy punch before giving way to Wagner's piano frolic. The title "Coasting" might imply "laid-back, bland, " but in this case, it finds her being spunky with a hypnotic lead riff over an artsy jazz piano groove. The irrepressible blues pieces "Ain't Life Grand" and "China Basin" give her a chance to show off her Stevie Ray Vaughn influence. When she's not being the queen of perky, Cooling simmers down on the meditative moods of "Out of a Movie" and "Little Five Points," which features her understated but still smart improvisation over Wagner's Rhodes harmony. While more a guitarist who sings than vice versa, the Brazilian-flavored vocal track "Gliding By" with just her voice and an acoustic guitar gives a fuller view of one of the genre's premier new talents. Kudos for also finally realizing that she can use her knockout looks and sex appeal in the packaging design. ~ Jonathan Widran http://www.allmusic.com/album/keeping-cool-mw0000671216

Personnel:  Joyce Cooling (vocals, guitar);  Jay Wagner (vocals, keyboards, programming);  Gary Calvin (bass);  Billy Johnson (drums);  Peter Michael Escovedo III (percussion).

Keeping Cool

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Joyce Cooling - This Girl's Got to Play

Styles: Vocal And Guitar Jazz 
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:47
Size: 104,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:07)  1. Expression
(4:12)  2. Take Me There
(4:04)  3. Camelback
(5:39)  4. No More Blues
(4:21)  5. Green Impala
(4:33)  6. The Girl's Got to Play
(3:25)  7. Toast & Jam
(5:52)  8. Natural Fact
(5:11)  9. The Wizard
(4:18) 10. Talk

Guitarist Joyce Cooling continues her particular smooth jazz style on her fourth CD, with plenty of tight grooves, clean electric and acoustic guitar runs, an occasional blues, rock or Brazilian aside, and several chances to display her jazz-style vocals. Cooling and partner/producer/keyboardist Jay Wagner breeze through nine diverse tracks that have plenty of hit potential, beginning with the opener, "Expression." Cooling trades acoustic and electric riffs, and Wagner keeps time on the keyboards, as is their style. Wagner also plays some bouncy solos. Another potential smash is "Camelback," a rump-shaker with a blues-lite groove. Add a come-hither piano solo, and you've got a song perfect for that Saharan camel ride you've always wanted to take. The title of "Green Impala" gives a clue to its content it's a funky ride down Main Street, accompanied by a right-on drum loop. "Toast & Jam" says it all too: a thumping bass beat by Nelson Braxton, bluesy organ riffs. Here Cooling shows her unabashed love of pure funk. The vocal tune that works best is "Take Me There," with Cooling's refrain on the title unobtrusive while she stays within herself vocally. "No More Blues" works also, because Cooling sings likes she's having a conversation, and it goes well with the jazz beat burnished with Alan Hall's brushed drumstrokes. The autobiographical title track gives a glimpse into Cooling's inspirations. The lyrics are revealing, as she allows for some insight into her struggles as a pretty woman struggling to break into instrumental music: "They said, put your guitar and sing/just look real cute and entertain/sorry, honey, it ain't my thing." "Natural Fact," the last vocal track, is another slice of funk with some wonderful trumpet playing by Bill Ortiz. Subtract the vocals, however, and you'd have a head-boppin' drums-and-bass ambient and chill gem. ~ Brian Soergel https://www.allaboutjazz.com/this-girls-got-to-play-joyce-cooling-narada-jazz-review-by-brian-soergel.php
 

Personnel: Joyce Cooling, guitars, vocals;  Jay Wagner, keyboards;  Bill Johnson, drums;  Peter Michael Escovedo, percussion;  Nelson Braxton, bass;  Nicolas Beard, vocals;  Bill Ortiz, flugelhorn;  Ray Obiedo, guitar;  Annie Beard, background vocals

This Girl's Got to Play

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Joyce Cooling - Global Cooling

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:53
Size: 93.6 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[4:12] 1. Grass Roots
[3:37] 2. Global Cooling
[4:16] 3. Save This Dance For Me
[4:36] 4. Cobra
[2:49] 5. What Are We Waiting For
[4:21] 6. Dolores In Pink
[3:05] 7. We Can
[4:27] 8. Rhythm Kitchen
[4:06] 9. The Red Rose
[3:59] 10. Chit Chat
[1:21] 11. In The Streets

Global Cooling features Cooling’s signature, colorful, body-moving sound, blending funky contemporary jazz with flavors and vibes from around the world. “It's eclectic - you can dance to it, you can trance to it. It's up to you." Global Cooling is like taking a transcontinental flight, touching down in fun, exciting and beautiful places. “We were inspired to travel into uncharted territory, so we really stretched ourselves to get our passports in order! We played with a lot of new instruments and layered tablas, congas, bongos, sitar, berimbau and even accordion over funk, rock and jazz. It was a trip.”

Joyce Cooling and songwriting partner, Jay Wagner, have crafted a stunning collection of songs that embody places, feelings and thoughts. “Cobra” and “The Red Rose” paint sound-scapes of exotic lands. Other songs are born of ideas and concepts near and dear to Joyce. In particular, the title track, “Global Cooling,” and “We Can” are driven by Cooling's optimism and love of things global and universal. “Jay and I wanted to make music in the spirit of that interconnectedness that I like to call our global neighborhood.” Cooling, who is known for her eclectic and swinging style, is recognized as one of the most dynamic and popular contemporary jazz guitarists in the world. She invites her fans to join her on the fantastic Global Cooling trek.

Global Cooling

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