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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Joe Lovano - Flights of Fancy: Trio Fascination Edition Two

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2001
Time: 67:54
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 155,4 MB
Art: Front

(6:22) 1. Flights of Fancy
(3:31) 2. On April (I'll Remember April)
(4:36) 3. Amsterdam
(4:26) 4. Blue Mist
(4:01) 5. Off and Runnin'
(6:26) 6. Infant Eyes
(6:35) 7. 206
(8:00) 8. Bougainvillea
(4:52) 9. Windom Street
(4:42) 10. Hot Shot
(3:56) 11. Aisha
(3:09) 12. Amber
(5:46) 13. On Giant Steps
(1:26) 14. Flights of Fancy (Reprise)

The first edition of Joe Lovano's Trio Fascination featured Dave Holland on bass and Elvin Jones on drums. Following the album's release in 1998, however, Lovano's live shows featured the less famous but equally muscular bass/drum team of Cameron Brown and Idris Muhammad. On Trio Fascination, Vol. 2, the Lovano/Brown/Muhammad unit is only one of four trio configurations that the saxophonist employs. Taking the trio concept beyond the traditional confines of horn, bass, and drums, Lovano takes a left turn and colors this album with continually changing instrumentation.

Trio one is Lovano, Brown, and Muhammad. Trio two features the leader with Billy Drewes on soprano saxophone and alto flute and Joey Baron on drums; trio three with Toots Thielemans on harmonica and Kenny Werner on piano; and trio four with Dave Douglas on trumpet and Mark Dresser on bass. (The trios change unpredictably from track to track, sort of like a CD player in shuffle mode.) Varying the instrumentation even further, Lovano, like on volume one, switches from among his arsenal of horns: tenor, straight alto, soprano, and C-melody saxes, as well alto and bass clarinets.

On "206," he modifies trio four by playing drums behind Douglas and Dresser, and on "Blue Mist" he begins with gongs to supplement Muhammad's percussion textures. In two instances, the trios change during the very course of the tune. "Bougainvillea" (by Lovano's wife, vocalist Judi Silvano) starts with trio one and in the last two or so minutes segues to an impressionistic ending featuring trio three. "On Giant Steps," based on the groundbreaking Coltrane chord changes, proceeds in the opposite direction: Trio three solos freely and simultaneously, then passes the baton to trio one, which launches into a swing tempo far slower than is usual for the tune, but no less burning.

One of Lovano's first high-profile projects was an unorthodox trio with guitarist Bill Frisell and drummer Paul Motian. The saxophonist's association with Drewes and Baron dates back to the early '70s. So Lovano's "trio fascination" has deep roots, and the music on this record is a cumulative and probably near-exhaustive survey of his abilities within the form. One only need contrast "Hot Shot" or "Flights of Fancy" or the obscure McCoy Tyner ballad "Aisha" (all trio one) with modernist, offbeat abstractions like "Amber" and "Amsterdam" by trio four, or "Off and Runnin'" by trio two, to get an idea of Lovano's artistic range. Fans looking for more of the hard-driving, free-spirited swing of the first Trio Fascination record will find it here in smaller doses. And those who got their first taste of Lovano with 2000's neo-bop nonet record 52nd Street Themes ought to be prepared for something very different. By David R.Adler
https://www.allmusic.com/album/flights-of-fancy-trio-fascination-edition-2-mw0000105325

Personnel: Joe Lovano- tenor saxophone, straight alto saxophone, alto clarinet, soprano saxophone, bass clarinet, C-melody saxophone, gongs, drums, percussion; Billy Drewes- soprano saxophone, alto flute, percussion; Dave Douglas- trumpet; Toots Thielemans- harmonica; Kenny Werner- piano; Mark Dresser, Cameron Brown- bass; Idris Muhammad, Joey Baron- drums.

Flights of Fancy: Trio Fascination Edition Two

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Roseanna Vitro - Live At The Kennedy Center

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:19
Size: 150,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:46)1. Like Someone in Love
(6:09)2. Like a Lover
(5:40)3. Please Do Something
(0:32)4. Introduction to Commitment
(7:07)5. Commitment
(5:16)6. Worried over You
(6:22)7. I Think It's Going to Rain Today
(4:58)8. Tryin' Times
(5:02)9. Serrado
(0:24)10. Introduction to Twelve Tone Tune
(4:13)11. Twelve Tone Tune
(5:36)12. Epilogue
(9:09)13. Black Coffee

Roseanna Vitro is on tour throughout the U.S. these days, promoting her new CD, Live At The Kennedy Center. She gave two performances in New York recently, the CD's launch at The Blue Note on May 29 and an all-Porter tribute show at The Jolly Madison Hotel's Whaler Bar on the composer's birthday June 9. Porter didn't show, but one wonders what he would make of the metamorphosis in jazz singing that has occurred since his heyday as a jazz composer in the 1930s. It's hard to imagine that Porter would have any complaints: Vitro is the quintessence of modern vocal jazz interpretation. Vitro demonstrates an impressive command of jazz technique and invests each moment of her performance with a visceral understanding of the material.

Vitro admitted that she had to learn several new tunes in a short period of time for the Jolly Madison gig; if she hadn't mentioned it no one would have known, so exceptional is her improv ability. But don't take my word for it. Vitro's audiences are often filled with other singers and musicians.

You know a singer is good when other singers and the musicians come out to hear her.Vitro is careful to select some of the best instrumentalists around for her band. David Budway (piano), Dean Johnson (bass) and Tim Horner (drums) backed her at the Jolly Madison. Budway is a demon player equally at home with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra as with the likes of jazz violinist Regina Carter and drummer Jeff 'Tain' Watts. On the CD and at The Blue Note Vitro appeared with her long-standing collaborator Kenny Werner on piano, along with Johnson and Horner, her ever-faithful rhythmic anchors. Besides artful playing, Werner contributed musical direction and arrangements to the Kennedy Center live recording. Werner recently signed with Blue Note Records; his playing and Vitro's vocals give a rare and valuable lesson in abandonment to artistic impulse.

Among the recording's many inspirational moments: "Commitment, a ballad with music by Werner and lyrics by Vitro's husband, saxophonist Paul Wickliffe; and a free improv piece called "Twelve Tone Tune (or "T.T.T. ), with music by Bill Evans and lyrics by Wickliffe. The disc also shows off Vitro's strong ;B chops on the blues tunes "Black Coffee and "Tryin' Times. Vitro represents the U.S. internationally as one of the State Department's Jazz Ambassadors. ~ Suzanne Lorge http://www.allaboutjazz.com/live-at-the-kennedy-center-roseanna-vitro-challenge-records-review-by-suzanne-lorge.php

Personnel: Roseanna Vitro: vocals; Kenny Werner: piano; Dean Johnson: bass; Tim Horner: drums.

Live At The Kennedy Center

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Roseanna Vitro - Tropical Postcards

Styles: Vocal, Bossa Nova
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:15
Size: 140,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:40)  1. Song Of The Jet
(6:46)  2. Land Of Wonder
(3:50)  3. I'll Be Seeing You
(5:21)  4. Certas Canções
(5:28)  5. Kisses
(5:17)  6. I Just Need Your Kisses
(5:50)  7. Reza
(3:47)  8. I Remember You
(5:27)  9. Wave
(5:49) 10. Cravo E Canela
(7:53) 11. In Search Of My Heart

Tropical Postcards isn't the first time that Roseanna Vitro has embraced Brazilian jazz; over the years, the expressive vocalist has recorded some Brazilian songs here and there. However, Tropical Postcards is the first time that Brazilian jazz has seriously dominated one of her albums, and it is also among her best, most inspired and memorable projects. Vitro doesn't embrace Brazilian jazz exclusively on Tropical Postcards; she gets away from the album's Brazilian theme on McCoy Tyner's "In Search of My Heart" (which favors more of a modal/Indian/Middle Eastern ambience) and Johnny Mercer's "I Remember You." Nonetheless, Brazilian jazz is the album's primary direction, and that theme serves Vitro impressively well whether she is tackling Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Wave" and two Milton Nascimento songs ("Cravo e Canela" and "Certas Cancoes") or providing a bossa nova interpretation of the standard "I'll Be Seeing You."

Thankfully, Tropical Postcards doesn't have an all-standards-all-the-time policy; Vitro, much to her credit, isn't afraid to offer some surprises when it comes to selecting material. "Wave," "I'll Be Seeing You" and "I Remember You" have been recorded countless times, but Vitro true to form also surprises us with some gems that jazz vocalists haven't paid nearly as much attention to, including Tom Harrell's "Terrestris" and Ivan Lins' "I Just Need Your Kisses." Clearly, Vitro is smart enough to realize that a song doesn't have to be a Tin Pan Alley warhorse to have value, and she knows how important it is for a jazz vocalist to put his/her stamp on some lesser known pearls. Tropical Postcards is an excellent addition to Vitro's catalog. ~ Alex Henderson   http://www.allmusic.com/album/tropical-postcards-mw0000209663

Recording information: Charlestown Road Studios, Hampton, NJ. Photographer: Paul Wickliffe.

Personnel: Roseanna Vitro (vocals); Dean Johnson , Nilson Matta, Robert E. Bowen (bass instrument); Tom Lellis (vocals); Romero Lubambo (guitar, acoustic guitar); Chieli Minucci (guitar, electric guitar); Don Braden, Joe Lovano (saxophone); Kenny Werner (piano); Duduka Da Fonseca, Cecil Brooks III (drums); Mino Cinelu (percussion); Trio da Paz.

Tropical Postcards

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Ali Ryerson - Portraits in Silver

Styles: Flute Jazz
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:36
Size: 135,6 MB
Art: Front

(6:02) 1. Windows
(5:19) 2. Beatrice
(6:00) 3. Ausência
(4:16) 4. Shadowlight
(4:51) 5. Beautiful Love
(6:53) 6. Zingaro
(5:55) 7. Very Early
(6:53) 8. Jardin de la Paresse
(6:40) 9. Lament
(5:41) 10. The Summer Knows

A pleasant recording from this fine flutist, Portraits in Silver finds Ms. Ryerson playing several pieces which have had other flute interpretations. Her classically trained tone is clear and shimmering. With a sympathetic supporting cast, she mines new gold from the material, creating warm, beautiful, relaxing music. By Jim Newsom
https://www.allmusic.com/album/release/portraits-in-silver-mr0001444483

Personnel: Ali Ryerson, flute, alto flute; Kenny Werner, piano; Dennis Irwin, bass; Danny Gottlieb, drums, percussion

Portraits in Silver

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Kenny Werner Quintet - Lawn Chair Society

Styles: Post-Bop, Piano Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:21
Size: 141,3 MB
Art: Front

( 4:48)  1. Lo's Garden
( 6:28)  2. New Amsterdam
(12:25)  3. The 13th Day
( 2:29)  4. 4X
( 7:03)  5. Uncovered Heart
( 5:04)  6. Inaugural Balls
( 3:32)  7. 3X
( 9:39)  8. Lawn Chairs (and other foreign policy)
( 2:39)  9. Loss
( 7:08) 10. Kothbiro

With this upbeat program of original material, pianist Kenny Werner takes his quintet through a swinging confrontation that combines modern innovation with classical training. His music is timeless. Working with an all-star lineup on Lawn Chair Society that features trumpeter Dave Douglas, saxophonist Chris Potter, bassist Scott Colley and drummer Brian Blade, he's at the top of his game. Werner's story is familiar. He studied hard to learn to play piano as well as he does but with all that hard work, however, came a reluctant disposition. He felt that all his "hard work and no play had kept him from becoming completely free. Perfect piano performances had held little allure for him, since one note followed another in phrase after phrase; however, something about the feel of it all bothered him. 

After working with Madame Chaloff in Boston and Juao Assis Brasil in Brazil, he began to relax and enjoy what was happening, lighten up somewhat, and develop into the pianist that he wants to be. That was a long time ago. Werner has continued to grow at the piano for over thirty years. He is a spiritual person. As a composer, his music flows with a natural lyricism that harbors a deep-down blues sensibility. From this session, "Uncovered Heart releases that kind of emotion freely, and Werner's musical partners feel it as well as he does. Other selections capture new and interesting ideas and release them at will. Werner's use of a computer to bring contrasting rhythms to play on several pieces provides a unique thrill. Throughout the session, a tried and true mainstream fiber holds Werner's feet to the jazz fire of our forefathers. As far out as he leans from time to time, we always know that his heart is at the center. Lawn Chair Society sits atop this year's best-of list for its innovation, for its ties with tradition, and for the quintet's superb musicianship. ~ Jim Santella  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/lawn-chair-society-kenny-werner-blue-note-records-review-by-jim-santella.php
 

Personnel: Kenny Werner: piano, keyboards, computer; Dave Douglas: trumpet, cornet; Chris Potter, tenor saxophone, bass clarinet; Scott Colley: bass; Brian Blade: drums; Lenny Pickett, wooden flute.

Lawn Chair Society

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Kenny Werner & Roseanna Vitro - Delirium Blues Project: Serve or Suffer

Styles: Contemporary Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:26
Size: 139,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:59) 1. What Is Hip
(9:05) 2. Goodnight Nelda Grebe, the Telephone Company Has Cut Us Off
(7:40) 3. Blue
(4:24) 4. Be Cool
(8:07) 5. Half Moon
(5:13) 6. In the Dark
(4:45) 7. Cheater Man
(6:42) 8. Everybody's Cryin' Mercy
(8:26) 9. Don't Ever Let Nobody Drag Your Spirit Down

This all-star jazz-meets-R&B project, recorded live at the Blue Note in August '07 is orchestrated by vocalist Roseanna Vitro and pianist Kenny Werner who contributes several head-spinning arrangements of familiar blues, rhythm and blues, and not-quite-blues. The album certainly gets an "A" for effort. "I found the writing process fascinating. Some of the tunes were very familiar in their original recorded versions, but I still wanted to give them a new spin," enthuses Werner. "That required me to honor the essence of what made them work the first time around whether they were funky or nasty or rockin."Werner's opening rearrangement of the '70s R&B classic "What is Hip?" comes blasting out like a cannonball and smartly retains most of the original Tower of Power horn chart, which maximizes the considerable punch of the Delirium all-star horns: Ray Anderson (trombone), Randy Brecker (trumpet), James Carter (tenor sax) and Geoff Countryman (baritone sax, bass clarinet). "Cheater Man" similarly plays rough and tumble but with the big-band R&B meets blues sound of Roomful of Blues, especially when the horns play cat-and-mouse with Rocky Bryant's whippersnap snare in the bridge.

Joni Mitchell's "Be Cool" fits Vitro's voice and delivery best, with Werner's arrangement wafting comfortably in Mitchell's ethereal and floating jazz-pop fusion, bobbing like a balloon after air punches from its horn chart. Werner's take on "Blue," co-written by Jon Hendricks, echoes the classic "big band with vocalist" sound: Overlaying horns harmonize the introduction, then step aside for Vitro's dance with Werner's acoustic piano to time softly kept by brushes; Vitro steps aside in turn for James Carter's well-trimmed alto solo. Arranged to a rousing blend of classic blues styles the chugging locomotive of electric Chicago blues lugging a boxcar bursting with New Orleans brass "Don't Ever Let Nobody Drag Your Spirit Down" proves the perfect closer. Vitro tugs and pulls with all her might though she sometimes seems a bit overmatched if not by Werner's arrangements then by the material (Lil Green's "In the Dark," for example). Even so, Werner and guitarist Adam Rogers rip off electric blues solos almost as torrid as the call and response between Brecker and Anderson, who proceeds to blow out all the windows with his trombone solo rampage. ~ CHRIS M. SLAWECKI https://www.allaboutjazz.com/serve-or-suffer-delirium-blues-project-half-note-records-review-by-chris-m-slawecki.php

Personnel: Kenny Werner: keyboards, arrangements; Roseanna Vitro: vocals; Randy Brecker: trumpet; James Carter: tenor sax; Ray Anderson: trombone; Geoff Countryman: baritone sax; Adam Rogers: guitar; John Patitucci: acoustic bass, electric bass; Rocky Bryant: drums.

Delirium Blues Project: Serve or Suffer

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Janis Mann, Kenny Werner - Dreams of Flying

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:43
Size: 144,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:35) 1. The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress
(6:18) 2. Edith and the Kingpin
(6:31) 3. Wichita Lineman (Live)
(3:56) 4. Overjoyed
(6:30) 5. Where Do You Start
(3:54) 6. I Do It for Your Love
(5:19) 7. American Tune
(6:17) 8. When October Goes
(5:50) 9. Inside a Silent Tear (Live)
(6:28) 10. I Remember (Live)
(8:00) 11. Who Knows Where the Time Goes (Live)

Renowned jazz vocalist Janis Mann teams up once again with world-class pianist Kenny Werner for “Dreams of Flying”, a mesmerizing collection of modern standards from the New American Songbook.

Songs by Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon, Stevie Wonder, Jimmy Webb, Stephen Sondheim, Johnny Mandel, Blossom Dearie and others get the rich interpretations they deserve in this unforgettable recording. https://janismann.hearnow.com/

Dreams of Flying

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Dick Sisto, Kenny Werner - Engaging Compassion: A Musical Meditation

Styles: Vibraphone And Piano 
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:39
Size: 96,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:55)  1. Save Tibet
(5:30)  2. Compensation
(4:50)  3. Endless
(6:17)  4. Shivaya
(5:11)  5. What We Have
(9:19)  6. Guru
(4:34)  7. Remembering the Rain

Dick Sisto has embraced Tibetan Buddhism as part of his life’s spiritual journey for more than four decades, and so was a natural to essentially be the Dalai Lama’s opening act when His Holiness appeared at the KFC Yum! Center on May 19.The Dalai Lama’s talk was also titled “Engaging Compassion,” and the jazz that vibraphonist Sisto and pianist Kenny Werner recorded that day reflects a sense of empathy, joy and hope. A wistful quality seeps into a few songs, but “Engaging Compassion” doesn’t dwell on what’s been lost but on, as one song is titled, “What We Have. Sisto, who has graced clubs and concert stages in Louisville for many years, trades songs with Werner, and the duo’s chemistry is palpable. 

Sisto brings out a talking drum for brief appearances, giving some songs an exotic flourish, but the record is largely a straight-ahead conversation between two old friends with a mutual interest in beautiful music and a better world. Proceeds from sales of “Engaging Compassion” will benefit Louisville’s Drepung Gomang Institute Tibetan Buddhist Center and Tibetan Refuge. ~  Jeffrey Lee Puckett, The Courier-Journal https://www.courier-journal.com/story/entertainment/music/2013/09/25/album-review-dick-sisto-and-kenny-werner-engaging-compassion-a-musical-meditation/2867727/

Engaging Compassion: A Musical Meditation

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Dick Sisto - End of Time

Styles: Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:58
Size: 124,8 MB
Art: Front

( 8:08)  1. End of Time
( 5:52)  2. Rhythm Thing
( 6:33)  3. You Must Believe in Spring
( 7:57)  4. Two Five City
(10:25)  5. Nature Boy
( 6:00)  6. Nobody Else but Me
( 5:42)  7. Insider
( 3:18)  8. Back to Nature

Vibraphonist Dick Sisto's follow up to his earlier independently produced CD, American Love Song, is worth seeking. He's backed by a strong rhythm section, including pianist Kenny Werner, bassist Drew Gress, and either Steve Davis or Barry Ries on drums. His "End of Time" was written for the funeral of a good friend, but there's nothing maudlin about the tune; it is a driving yet reflective number. "Rhythm Thing" is another fine original by the leader, an uptempo bop chart that features Barry Ries on flügelhorn; Sisto also composed "Two Five City," a strutting hard bop vehicle. 

His interpretations of standards are also inspired. "You Must Believe in Spring" is played with a samba feeling, "Nature Boy" has a more exotic air than usual due to Sisto's use of a talking drum in addition to vibes. Ries also plays talking drum on several selections, including his composition "Insider," which has a captivating theme that is hard to predict. The closer, "Back to Nature," is a group improvisation by Sisto, Werner, and Ries that moves easily into free jazz. ~ Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/end-of-time-mw0000006131

Personnel:  Dick Sisto - Vibraphone; Barry Ries - Trumpet/Flugelhorn; Kenny Werner - Piano; Drew Gress - Bass; Steve Davis - Drums

End of Time

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Chico Freeman - Tangents

Styles: Post-Bop, Progressive Jazz
Year: 1984
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:06
Size: 109,6 MB
Art: Front

(7:52)  1. Tangents
(5:40)  2. Sir Tashi And The Yetti
(3:23)  3. Ballad For Hakima
(5:12)  4. Fifty Tenth Street
(5:42)  5. Computerized Indifference
(4:59)  6. Sangoma And Nelly
(7:22)  7. You Are The One
(6:53)  8. Spook And Fade

An interesting if quite diverse set, this album is best remembered for featuring up-and-coming singer Bobby McFerrin on a few selections. McFerrin has his moments, as does tenor saxophonist Chico Freeman and such notable sidemen as altoist Steve Coleman, John Purcell on reeds, either Kenny Werner or Mark Thompson on piano, Freeman's longtime bassist Cecil McBee and drummer Billy Hart, among others. 

The material (by Freeman, Thompson and Werner) is actually not that significant, and the date on a whole is less memorable than many of Chico Freeman's earlier sets, but it has its enjoyable spots. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/tangents-mw0000800513

Personnel:  Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Steve Coleman;  Bass – Cecil McBee, John Koenig;  Drums – Billy Hart, James Bradley, Jr.;  Drums, Percussion – Frederick Waits;  Piano – Mark Thompson ;  Piano, Synthesizer – Kenny Werner;  Vibraphone – Jay Hoggard;  Vocals – Bobby McFerrin;  Woodwind – John Purcell;  Woodwind, Percussion – Chico Freeman

Tangents

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Harry Allen - Henry Mancini Songs With Strings

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:36
Size: 137,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:38)  1. Breakfast At Tiffany's
(5:32)  2. Charade
(5:57)  3. Dear Heart
(4:15)  4. Days Of Wine And Roses
(5:14)  5. Shadow Of Paris
(5:34)  6. Send A Little Love My Way
(6:02)  7. Moon River
(4:34)  8. Too Little Time
(7:12)  9. Whistling Away The Dark
(3:45) 10. Mr. Lucky
(4:32) 11. Dreamsville
(3:13) 12. Two For The Road

A swinging jazz saxophonist, Harry Allen is a highly regarded performer whose musical inspiration and interpretive approach come from the giants and innovators of mainstream saxophone, including Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster, Stan Getz, Illinois Jacquet, and Lester Young. Unlike many of his contemporaries, Allen has generally eschewed the modern, avant-garde, and impressionist schools of jazz of John Coltrane, Archie Shepp, and Ornette Coleman. Born in Washington, D.C. in 1966, Allen grew up in a musical family as the son of big-band drummer Maurice Allen. He started off with accordion lessons before there was a fortuitous switch to saxophone. Attending Rutgers University, Allen studied with Sahib Shihab, Bob Mintzer, and John Purcell. While there, he got his first gig with the help of master bass player Major Holley, replacing Zoot Sims in a studio recording with John Bunch, George Masso, Bucky Pizzarelli, and Ruby Braff.

Wholley also led Allen to Oliver Jackson, whom Allen subsequently accompanied on several tours to Europe. A 1986 session with Kenny Barron was Allen's first recording date. After that, Allen made his debut as a leader on 1988's How Long Has This Been Going On?  From there, he delivered a steady stream of recordings under his name for such labels as Progressive, Audiophile, and Nagel-Heyer. Later, his recordings were with major-label RCA-Victor, including 1999's Harry Allen Meets the John Pizzarelli Trio and 2000's Plays Ellington Songs. Three of his albums were awarded a Gold Disc by Swing Journal magazine, and his CD Tenors Anyone won both the Gold Disc and New Star awards. He has also recorded as a sideman with Bucky Pizzarelli (with whom he performs quite frequently), Warren Vache, and Jeff Hamilton.  Allen continues to record extensively and makes frequent appearances at jazz festivals and concerts. Highly prolific, he delivered a slew of well-regarded albums for BMG in the 2000s before moving back to boutique labels like Arbors, Sackville Records, and Challenge for albums like 2007's Cocktails for Two with Joe Temperley, 2009's New York State of Mind, and 2010's When Larry Met Harry with pianist Larry Goldings. He then paired with longtime associate Scott Hamilton for 2012's 'Round Midnight, and explored bossa nova rhythms on 2015's Something About Jobim. The following year he delivered The Candy Men: Harry Allen's All-Star New York Saxophone Band, featuring fellow saxophonists Grant Stewart, Eric Alexander, and Gary Smulyan. ~ Dave Nathan https://www.allmusic.com/artist/harry-allen-mn0000668457/biography

Personnel:  Tenor Saxophone – Harry Allen;  Bass – Johannes Weidenmueller;  Cello – Dorothy Lawson, Leo Grinhauz;  Composed By – Henry Mancini;  Drums – Tim Horner;  Harp – Park Stickney;  Percussion – Gilad;  Piano, Synth, Arranged By, Conductor – Kenny Werner;  Vibraphone [Vibes] – Laura Friedman;  Viola – Kenji Bunch, Ralph Farris;  Violin – Conway Kuo, Heidi Stubner, Joyce Hammann, Laura Seaton, Todd Reynolds

Henry Mancini Songs With Strings

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Dave Liebman - Fire

Styles: Saxophone, Flute Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:34
Size: 159,7 MB
Art: Front

( 8:42)  1. Flash!!
(32:35)  2. Fire
( 9:12)  3. Sparks
( 6:42)  4. Flames
( 7:24)  5. Inferno
( 4:56)  6. Ashes

The Elements: Fire
The four elements found in the natural world (Air, Fire, Water, Earth) represent the ultimate example of duality, observed in both nature and humankind. Whether it is called yin.yang, nigh/day (any opposing pari), the principle remains the same. As Yoda, the Star Wars sage said: "There are always two!!"Extreme manifestation of this duality pertaining to the element of air are realized as tornadoes, hurricanes and cyclones; the for the water element as floors and blizzards; the earth as earthquakes and for fire, conflagration. Equally on the opposite side there are the life-giving and sustaining qualities of air, water, fire and the earth... all gifts of nature granted to the human species. Conceptually, this music alludes to one aspect of the duality of the fire element. Sparks begin the process, evolving into flames, progressing to an inferno... finally ashes remain as a testament to fire's destructive legacy, but with the understanding that fire is also realized as heat, light and sustenance.

The Rhythm Section
My roots with Dave Holland and Jack DeJohnette go back to the late 1960's. I met Dave in London in 1967 when I was visiting Europe for a few months. With Jack it was about that time we met at jam session in New York. My first album as a leader ("First Visit") was recorded in Japan while I was with Miles Davis and they were with Stan Getz along with my long time partner, pianist Richie Beirach. (Also there was the 1988 "Trio + 1" recording with Dave, Jack and my wife Caris Visentin on oboe. When Dave came to New York joining Miles Davis' group in 1968 he ended up living on the second floor of a loft building where I was the first tenant, eventually joined by Chick Corea on the first floor... 138 W. 19th Street. Of course Jack and Dave have gone on to be recognized as one of the classic bass/drum combinations in jazz history and individually two of the greatest artists on their instruments. Jack especially is a force of nature. Besides the programmatic aspect of the recording as described above, there was in my mind the idea of re-creating the feeling of the music we played in the loft days from that early period, featuring a heavy dose of free jazz inspired by Coltrane's seminal recording "Ascension". There were many sessions that might feature several horn players "soloing" together (Mike and Randy Brecker, Terumasa Hino, Bob Berg, Steve Grossman, etc) all embracing the free spirit of the late 60's period both in the real world and musically. At the same time the so-called "fusion" movement with Miles at the head became popular along with the rock/jazz horn band phenomenon... 10 Wheel Drive (the group I played in), Chicago, Blood, Sweat Tears, etc... These contemporary activities co-existed with the jazz tradition we were all still learning about, since many of the original masters were still very active. Quite an exciting period!! If I must say so, we have all definitely improved in the ensuing decades, especially when it comes to playing "free jazz"... the ability to play less, to play soft, to express a feeling above all .... in sum demonstrating maturity at its highest level. For this recording the opportunity to have Kenny Werner join Jack and Dave in the rhythm section was a blessing as he fit right into the very open and loose scenario I was looking for. Playing and communing with these great artists was an honor and privilege.

Dave Liebman
Special thanks to Kurt Renker for his many years of support in both the practical and musical realms; to John Fishell who is my first call engineer; to mix master, Florian Van Volxem; and as always to Caris and Lydia for their ever-present support.
Note: Along with the recordings "Water- Giver of Life" from the later 90's featuring Pat Metheny, "Air" (all available on the internet), and the present Fire" what remains is "Earth" which will conclude my series on the elements. http://davidliebman.com/home/new_releases/fire/

Personnel:  Dave Liebman (ts, ss, wooden flute, c-flute);  Kenny Werner (p);  Dave Holland (b);  Jack DeJohnette (ds)

Fire

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Ilan Salem & Kenny Werner - Twists & Turns

Styles: Flute And Piano Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:51
Size: 137,7 MB
Art: Front

(7:10)  1. Floating
(6:02)  2. Naivete
(4:29)  3. Hurly-burly
(7:16)  4. Sway
(8:53)  5. Twists and turns
(5:23)  6. Song for anna
(7:18)  7. Heart and soul
(7:14)  8. Longing
(6:01)  9. Bliss

Ilan Salem is an Israeli jazz flautist. His latest solo album, Twists and Turns, was recorded in 2005 and released in 2006 under the Ilan Salem & Eyla label. He graduated from Thelma Yellin, which is one of Israel's most important schools for art. After graduating from Thelma, he went to to the Berklee College of Music, out of which he graduated aswell.

Personnel: Ilan Salem on flute and alto flute;  Kenny Werner on piano;  Eitan Itzcovich on drums;  Johannes Weidenmueller on bass.

Twists & Turns

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Christopher Hollyday - And I'll Sing Once More

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1992
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:20
Size: 141,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:40)  1. Heroes
(4:39)  2. Hate the Roommate
(5:23)  3. The Sound of Music
(4:19)  4. Storm
(9:59)  5. Beyond the Barren Lands
(8:25)  6. Chant
(5:55)  7. Nefertiti
(7:03)  8. Let the Moon Stand Still
(8:51)  9. The Very Thought of You

By the time he recorded his fourth Novus release, alto saxophonist Christopher Hollyday, who often sounded like a particularly abrasive version of his teacher Jackie McLean, was starting to show some individuality. Then 22, Hollyday is heard on this set with a 14-piece group that includes six brass, Scott Robinson on reeds, violinist Mark Feldman and two Indian percussionists. He performs four originals, two by pianist Kenny Werner and three standards, exploring the area between hard bop and post-bop. Shortly after this set, Hollyday was dropped by Novus and began a long hiatus from recording. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/and-ill-sing-once-more-mw0000075218

Personnel:  Christopher Hollyday - alto saxophone;  Scott Robinson - tenor & baritone saxophones, flute, clarinet;  Earl Gardner - trumpet, flugelhorn;  Scott Colley - bass;  Mark Feldman - violin;  Douglas Purviance - bass trombone;  Ed Neumeister - trombone;  Ron Savage - drums;  Joe Mosello - trumpet, flugelhorn;  John Mosca - trombone;  Eric Charry - tanpura;  Janey Haddad - talking drum, caxixi, Indian bells, frame drum;  Kenny Werner - piano

And I'll Sing Once More

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Kenny Werner Trio - With A Song In My Heart

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:46
Size: 162.0 MB
Styles: Piamo jazz
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[ 7:30] 1. With A Song In My Heart
[ 8:43] 2. Nardis
[ 6:47] 3. Autumn Leaves
[ 7:15] 4. If I Should Lose You
[12:19] 5. Beauty Secrets
[ 3:33] 6. All The Things You Are
[ 9:18] 7. Balloons
[ 7:52] 8. 26-2
[ 7:25] 9. Blue In Green

Kenny Werner: piano; Johannes Weidenmueller: bass; Ari Hoenig: drums.

Kenny Werner has long been active as a jazz pianist/bandleader, composer and jazz educator, having recorded around two dozen albums as a leader and many more as a sideman. He has performed with quite a few jazz greats, including Charles Mingus, Bob Brookmeyer, Lee Konitz and Toots Thielemans. He's also a sought after pianist by vocalists, having long worked with Broadway star Betty Buckley and jointly leading the Delirium Blue Project with Roseanna Vitro. This trio date pairs the pianist with bassist Johannes Weidenmueller and drummer Ari Hoenig, two top musicians of their generation. Werner incorporates the lyricism of Bill Evans while blending in his own inventive arrangements and intensity. ~Ken Dryden

With A Song In My Heart mc
With A Song In My Heart zippy

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Kenny Werner - Copenhagen Calypso

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:36
Size: 131.9 MB
Styles: Bop, Piano jazz
Year: 1994
Art: Front

[ 4:24] 1. If I Should Lose You
[ 8:39] 2. Ballad For Trane
[ 4:56] 3. My Romance
[ 6:24] 4. Copenhagen Calypso
[ 2:10] 5. What Is This Thing Called Love
[10:37] 6. Naima
[ 6:37] 7. Watch What Happens
[ 9:46] 8. Round About Midnight
[ 3:59] 9. Yesterdays

One of two stunning CDs of solo piano recorded by Kenny Werner for Steeplechase -- upon hearing it one wonders why this brilliant pianist isn't more widely known. His takes of great standards such as "If I Should Lose You" and "My Romance" are very refreshing and strikingly original. His masterpiece is a breathtaking reworking of "Yesterdays," although the phenomenal rendition of "What Is This Thing Called Love?" and the reflective, imaginative take of "Naima" are equally impressive. For anyone not familiar with Kenny Werner, this CD should serve as a great introduction. ~Ken Dryden

Copenhagen Calypso mc
Copenhagen Calypso zippy

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Bobby Selvaggio - Unspoken Dialogue

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:54
Size: 153,2 MB
Art: Front

(7:22)  1. Forgotten Man
(7:18)  2. Follow The Leader
(6:39)  3. Like Tears In Rain
(8:46)  4. Jungle Animals
(8:25)  5. None Left Behind
(8:19)  6. Alone Together
(7:21)  7. Spy Movie
(5:17)  8. On The Outside Looking Out
(7:21)  9. Today's A New Day

Listening to Unspoken Dialogue by saxophonist Bobby Selvaggio raises the old debate of composer versus improviser. Of the nine tracks found here, eight were penned by Selvaggio, plus "Alone Together by Arthur Schwartz. Is he a player or a writer? Perhaps arranger is his strongest suit.

Selvaggio's compositions are keen to animate his fellow musicians on this recording, especially the adroit humor that is Kenny Werner's piano and the exuberant trumpet/flugelhorn of Paul Tynan. This ensemble recalls the early Wynton/Branford Marsalis or Bobby Watson bands. That is, the 21st century offspring of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. Like fellow musician Joe Lovano, Selvaggio is both Cleveland-born and a second generation jazz musician. He has been a member of Lovano's 52nd Street Nonet, the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra, and the Village Vanguard Orchestra. This is his fourth release as a leader.  That influence is best found in the composition "Jungle Animals. The Selvaggio/Tynan two-horn attack opens into a cheeky and changing path of a melody. Selvaggio shares the track with soloing partners Tynan and Werner. Werner maintains the architecture for Selvaggio to muscle his solo alongside Tynan's very snappy trumpet. This post-bop is both clever and intellectual without sounding dry or academic. Likewise the animated "Spy Movie is a combination muted Miles meets Ennio Morricone at cartoon time, full of funky runs down back alleys.

Selvaggio writes music to gain the most from this specific configuration of players, whether it is a song in full flight like the rambunctious "On The Outside Looking In or the more intimate "Follow The Leader. The latter, taken at a slower pace, never lacks for intensity. He sits in on a nice duo piece, "Like Tears In Rain, where Werner opens with the interior piano strings. Selvaggio's soprano wraps Werner's chamber piano playing with a warmth that is quite difficult to coax out of a the straight horn. Is Selvaggio a better player, composer, or arranger? The answer to all three is yes, as this is a near-perfect recording.~ Mark Corroto https://www.allaboutjazz.com/unspoken-dialogue-bobby-selvaggio-playscape-recordings-review-by-mark-corroto.php

Personnel: Bobby Selvaggio: alto and soprano sax; Kenny Werner: piano; Paul Tynan: trumpet, flugelhorn; Ben Street: bass; Matt Perko: drums; Jamey Haddad: drums and cahon.

Unspoken Dialogue

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Kenny Werner, Hans Van Oosterhout, Hein Van De Geyn - Collaboration

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:05
Size: 137.5 MB
Styles: Bop, Piano jazz
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[10:16] 1. Sound Of Silence
[ 3:47] 2. Do You Do
[ 3:47] 3. Feeling Round For It
[ 5:02] 4. Attitude
[10:12] 5. Elegante
[ 3:09] 6. First Line
[ 2:31] 7. Crystals
[ 3:01] 8. In The Heart
[ 6:51] 9. There Will Never Be Another You
[ 2:40] 10. Passage
[ 4:10] 11. Dot Dash
[ 4:34] 12. Raising The Bar

Bass, Mixed By – Hein Van de Geyn; Drums – Hans Van Oosterhout; Piano – Kenny Werner. Recorded on May 19 and 20 2012 at Fattoria Musica, Osnabrueck (DE).

Collaboration has a dozen fascinating and mostly free improvisations by the great pianist Kenny Werner in a trio. Pianist Kenny Werner, bassist Hein Van De Geyn and drummer Hans Van Oosterhout have worked together on an occasional basis in the past including taking a short tour and functioning as Toots Thielemans’ quartet for a few concerts. But while the musicians are familiar with each other, they have not performed together all that often. Rather than sharing years of mutual experiences, they share a similar outlook towards improvising jazz. Their common vision is on display throughout this continually fascinating and intriguing disc.

With Werner leading the way, the trio creates new compositions and improvisations on the spot during a dozen performances. One of Werner’s songs, “Elegante,” is explored at great length. The trio also performs Paul Simon’s “Sound Of Silence” and the standard “There Will Never Be Another You.” However even those two songs are mostly freely improvised with the tunes being largely unrecognizable until late in the performances when the melodies gradually appear. In addition to the close interplay and the many fine Van De Geyn bass solos, it is difficult not to be impressed by Kenny Werner’s chord voicings. Not only does he seem to know every chord ever played but gives the impression that he is creating some never heard before. Even with the fairly free playing on many of these selections, the results are often melodic, lyrical and a logical extension of each piece’s ideas. Collaboration deserves several close listens. ~Scott Yanow

Collaboration mc
Collaboration zippy

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Kenny Werner Trio - Animal Crackers

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:09
Size: 124,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:27)  1. Ari
(5:07)  2. The Song Is You
(3:59)  3. Animal Crackers
(6:41)  4. Breathing Torso
(4:04)  5. I Should Care
(5:00)  6. What?
(6:42)  7. If I Should Lose You
(9:58)  8. Lago
(7:08)  9. Mechanical Arm

Four loud snare hits and you're right in the middle of this album! The first song ("Ari") starts programmatically: More modern jazz does not work! Are John Lewis and George Russell resurrected? We know everything! But no, if we listen more closely, we notice immediately: Kenny Werner has a very personal signature. There is no soulless copyist at work here. This music lives.Jazz legend Quincy Jones told the Brooklyn pianist: "100 percent soul and precision in a single person!" The next title sounds like tailor-made. "The song is you" - somewhere between Dave Brubeck and Thelonious Monk - is driven by drums. Flogging blows jostle the pearling repeatedly stumbling piano torrents until the lemming crash into the harmonic orc! Drummer Ari Hoenig convinces with his own signature and stoically precise timing but also angry Rolls and hectic pelvic work. The bassist Johannes Weidenmüller from Cologne, with his accentuated style of playing, adds exactly that little bit of cohesion to the arrangement, making the arrangements look like one piece - in spite of all the freedom that all the musicians of this trio take. Sure, the 66-year-old New York pianist and composer Werner, who completed his first TV appearance at the age of eleven, is washed with all the musical waters. He played with jazz-heroes like Archie Shepp, Dizzy Gillespie, Stan Getz, Charles Mingus, Elvin Jones, Lee Konitz, Lou Rawls, Mel Lewis, Toots Thielemans, John Scofield and so on ... ..has no proof of his extraordinary abilities in Showbizz omitted.

He even succeeds in futuristic sound paintings like "Breathing Torso". Despite Synthigewaber in the intro a typical Werner play almost filmmusikmäßig and soundtrack suspicious. Hats off: There mixes radio play sounds with Gregorian-sounding choral set pieces and swelling orchestral passages including synthetic violins, but suddenly dissolve into nothingness. A true, yet 100 percent successful, challenge is "What". Choppy accented modern jazz with struggling resolution-seeking chords that suddenly switch to sparkling impersonal e-piano tones, then step into a kind of competition to make a grandfathership with him. An interesting, highly exciting finger exercise almost like the intro of a fifties newscast. Is this a radio play now? No matter, this song is captivating, exciting, somehow avant-garde but also retro yet always up-to-date music. The final piece is also fascinating: "Mechanical Arm" is a stubborn, restrained composition (sometimes exploring the limits of free jazz) but still grounded and extremely (dis-) harmonious. Had also in the disco of spaceship "Orion" can run (I see Dietmar Schönherr and Eva Pflug almost dancing in front of my eyes). A real Burner! Translate by Google ~ Willy Theobald https://www.aboutjazz.de/2017/12/kenny-werner-trio-animal-crackers.html

Personnel: Piano, Electric Piano, Synthesizer – Kenny Werner;  Bass – Johannes Weidenmueller;  Drums – Ari Hoenig

Animal Crackers

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