Laurence Hobgood, Charlie Haden, Kurt Elling - When The Heart Dances

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:36
Size: 155,6 MB
Art: Front

(6:41)  1. Que sera sera
(4:49)  2. When The Heart Dances
(6:11)  3. First Song
(7:34)  4. Sanctuary
(5:17)  5. Chickoree
(5:26)  6. Stairway To The Stars
(5:39)  7. New Orleans
(6:44)  8. Why Did I Choose You
(5:52)  9. Leatherwood
(4:45) 10. Daydream
(5:33) 11. The Cost Of Living

Man, this is a beautiful album. How could it be otherwise? An intimate, unhurried conversation between Laurence Hobgood, since 1994 vocalist Kurt Elling's musical director, and one of the finest jazz pianists out there, and the magisterial Charlie Haden, featured bassist in bands led by saxophonist Ornette Coleman, pianist Keith Jarrett and guitarist Pat Metheny, among a truck load of other distinctions. The inimitable Elling guests on three tracks  In his liner notes, describing the genesis of When The Heart Dances, Hobgood relates how, at a convention of the IAJE (International Association of Jazz Educators), he was chatting with Haden. Commenting on the mayhem and confusion that is the recording industry in the 2000s, Haden said something like, "I don't know about you, but the crazier things get, the more I think how nice it is to make records where we can just play music.  And just play music is what they do gorgeous, transporting music unalloyed by artifice, gimmickry or any notion to be style jockeys. Within 30 seconds or so of the start of the opening track, Jay Livingston and Ray Evans' lovely "Que Sera Sera," Hobgood and Haden have woven a spell which doesn't let up until the final whispers of Don Grolnick's "The Cost Of Living," and lingers in the memory long after. If music can soothe the savage beast, the medicine doesn't get any more efficacious than that on When The Heart Dances  The pace is measured and moderate even Hoagy Carmichael's "New Orleans" is here more hymn-like than a dancehall romp the interaction deep and easy. Hobgood and Haden get straight to the heart of their source material, five originals and six standards, with a gentle intensity that is utterly beguiling. It's hard to think of many parallels, but the imagination with which the duo explore the hidden corners of the standards is on par with that of pianist Al Haig's The Al Haig Trio (Esoteric, 1954) or 55 years later, pianist Liam Noble and drummer Paul Clarvis's Starry Starry Night (Village Life, 2009). Exquisitely poised, it's music of shimmering beauty. Elling's three tracks slot right into the ambiance, his performance of Haden's rhapsodic "First Song" a masterpiece among masterpieces.  A mention has to made of sound engineer Ken Christianson, who has turned in what is in effect an audiophile recording, perfectly capturing the spectrum of resonances of both Hobgood's Steinway D and Haden's bass, made some 250 years ago by the French luthier Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume, and sounding never more like an instrument of the gods than it does here. Elling's warm caress is similarly ennobled. Were it recorded on a mobile phone, When The Heart Dances would be magical enough. By way of Christianson, it's simply irresistible. ~ Chris May https://www.allaboutjazz.com/when-the-heart-dances-kurt-elling-naim-label-review-by-chris-may.php

Personnel: Laurence Hobgood: piano; Charlie Haden: bass (1-3, 5-8, 10, 11); Kurt Elling: vocals (3, 6, 10).

When The Heart Dances

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Laila Biali - Your Requests

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:47
Size: 108,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:18) 1. Bye Bye Blackbird
(5:29) 2. Blame It On My Youth
(2:57) 3. But Not for Me
(4:51) 4. My Funny Valentine
(4:28) 5. My Favorite Things
(4:28) 6. Corcovado (Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars)
(5:30) 7. Pennies from Heaven
(5:18) 8. Autumn Leaves
(3:24) 9. The Nearness of You
(3:59) 10. All the Things You Are

While the jazz pipeline produces plenty of artists who pay no mind to an audience's interests, those types figures with tunnel vision, in many if not most ways rarely reach their full potential. Instead, it's the musicians who make it a point to communicate who tend to forge the strongest bonds with those on the receiving end. Laila Biali is one such figure. This JUNO-winning gem of a vocalist, pianist, arranger and songwriter always manages to connect.

Biali has a keen awareness that the act of making music does not or should not exist in a vacuum, and that those who create are often best fueled by people who'll be hearing their creations. Her success, be it through covers or finely-crafted originals, has always been linked to the understanding of a need for receptive ears, and that fact is magnified with this listener-friendly project.

Focusing on standards for the first time in a decade, Biali plays right to her people. Having specifically asked social media followers for some requests, they obliged with more than 150 entries. Eager to honor their wishes, Biali went through the list and picked ten classics, put her inimitable arranging stamp on all of them, and then hit the studio. Working with an ace band including saxophonist Kelly Jefferson, bassist George Koller, drummers Larnell Lewis and Ben Wittman, and percussionist Maninho Costa, she found the perfect balance points in both honoring and personalizing the material.

Opening with a take on "Bye Bye Blackbird" that vacillates between straight time in seven and a driving 4/4 swing, all while showcasing the vocal melody's malleable place in time and spotlighting Jefferson's tenor and Lewis' handiwork, it's immediately obvious that this is not your basic standards session. Add to that an evocative take on "Blame It On My Youth" with textural enhancements from organist Sam Yahel and it's clear that stylistic variety within the greater whole is another early selling point for the program.

As Biali moves toward the center of the album she welcomes a variety of high-profile guests into her music. Not surprisingly, each and every one of them brings their own brand of magic to bear on her artful arrangements. Anat Cohen's clarinet makes a winning appearance on an effervescent, Brazilian-bound take on "But Not For Me." Gregoire Maret's harmonica obbligato and soloing helps to accentuate the gentle charms of "Corcovado (Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars)." And three singers of note each make an appearance alongside the leader: Kurt Elling takes notable melodic liberties during an emotionally on-point rendition of "My Funny Valentine"; Emilie-Claire Barlow meshes beautifully with Biali for an energized "My Favorite Things"; and breakout vocal sensation Caity Gyorgy drops by for a gliding "Pennies from Heaven" buoyed by a "Poinciana"-esque groove.

Leaving those visitors behind for the back end of the set, Biali continues to dazzle while sharing space with some core collaborators. The wonderful marriage between her pure-toned pipes and piano work is key at the outset of a stirring "Autumn Leaves," which later spotlights Jefferson's fiery soprano. Biali engages in a winning pas de deux with Koller on an absorbing "The Nearness of You." And then, throwing a real curveball as a closer, she gives her voice a rest and offers the keys her full attention for a smartly-shaped instrumental take on "All the Things You Are." An outing that's both in tune with Laila Biali's fanbase and musical mindset,Your Requests is a real gift to one and all. By Dan Bilawsky
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/your-requests-laila-biali-act-music

Personnel: Laila Biali: piano and vocals; Kelly Jefferson: tenor saxophone, soprano saxophones; George Koller: bass; Larnell Lewis: drums; Ben Wittman: drums, percussion; Maninho Costa: percussion; Sam Yahel: Hammond B3 (2); Anat Cohen: clarinet (3); Kurt Elling: vocals (4); Emilie-Claire Barlow: vocals (5); Grégoire Maret: harmonica (6); Caity Gyorgy: vocals (7).

Your Requests

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Kurt Elling - SuperBlue

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2021
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:41
Size: 112,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:45) 1. SuperBlue
(4:18) 2. Sassy
(5:29) 3. Manic panic epiphanic
(4:51) 4. Where to find it
(5:49) 5. Can't make it with your brain
(4:22) 6. The seed
(5:58) 7. Dharma bums
(4:55) 8. Circus
(6:54) 9. Endless lawns
(1:16) 10. This is how we do

A collaboration with guitarist Charlie Hunter, SuperBlue finds vocalist Kurt Elling exploring a sophisticated funk and soul sound. Hunter, who plays here and also produced the album, is primarily known for his fusion-informed jazz and adventurous, funk-influenced projects like Garage a Trois. However, he has also made significant contributions to albums by forward-thinking neo-soul and R&B artists, including D'Angelo and Frank Ocean.

It's this deep grasp of those funky, groove-oriented vibes that he brings to his work with Elling on SuperBlue. Also contributing are Butcher Brown bandmates drummer Corey Fonville and bassist-keyboardist DJ Harrison, who bring their own hip-hop sensibilities to the proceedings. The ensemble initially began sharing tracks and musical ideas online while in quarantine due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Eventually, Elling and Hunter met up in an Illinois barn turned studio to add vocals and guitar to the arrangements.

Despite the implied difficulty of the process, SuperBlue is one of Elling's most sleek and relaxed recordings, bringing together some of the beat poetry-influenced spoken word of his early work with the warm, lyrical vocal swagger he's known for. Cuts like the title track, "Manic Panic Epiphanic," and "Can't Make It with Your Brain" are fluidly engaging jams that marry Elling's burnished lyrical flow with Hunter's knack for kinetic grooves. We also get a dusky reworking of "Endless Lawns," originally recorded on 2018's The Questions.

If the earlier version already evoked the romantic '70s soul of Stevie Wonder and Donny Hathaway, this version magnifies the influence as Hunter frames Elling in slow-burning organ and supple bass accents. SuperBlue certainly straddles the line between electric jazz fusion and groove-based neo-soul, with a heavy leaning toward the latter.

While there are some superb solo moments here from Hunter, not to mention dazzling sections of vocal gymnastics by Elling, the focus is less on post-bop improvisation and more on a song's overall vibe. For Elling and Hunter, the choice feels purposeful and right for the funky, organic nature of these songs. SuperBlue is an ebullient and creative production that further underlines Elling's dynamic and endlessly adaptable vocal skills, regardless of genre.By Matt Collar
https://www.allmusic.com/album/superblue-mw0003515798

Personnel: Kurt Elling: Voice; Charlie Hunter: Hybrid Guitar; DJ Harrison: Keyboards; Corey Fonville: Drums, Percussion

SuperBlue

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Karrin Allyson Sextet - Shoulder to Shoulder: Centennial Tribute to Women’s Suffrage

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:57
Size: 117,8 MB
Art: Front

(1:58)  1. Preamble
(3:17)  2. The March of the Women
(4:40)  3. The Great Convention
(1:38)  4. Susan B. Anthony (1873)
(3:30)  5. I’ll Be No Submissive Wife
(1:34)  6. Frederick Douglass (1888)
(4:11)  7. Anti Suffrage Rose
(2:41)  8. She’s Good Enough To Be Your Baby’s Mother
(1:38)  9. Elihu Root (1894)
(3:48) 10. Columbia’s Daughters
(1:43) 11. Sojourner Truth (1851)
(3:49) 12. The Promised Land
(4:34) 13. Winning the Vote
(1:35) 14. Alice Paul (1921)
(4:18) 15. Way Down Below
(4:57) 16. Big Discount

The Karrin Allyson Sextet releases Shoulder to Shoulder: Centennial Tribute to Women’s Suffrage, a very special and timely album, today to celebrate the centennial of women’s voting rights. In addition to five-time Grammy nominee Karrin Allyson, the sextet also features Ingrid Jensen (trumpet),Mindi Abair (alto saxophone) Helen Sung (piano),Endea Owens (bass), and Allison Miller (drums). Shoulder to Shoulder seeks to re-create the multi-decade debate  warts and all that culminated in the enactment of t he nineteenth amendment. “We want to highlight this significant movement in American history. One that we shouldn’t forget and that is relevant today. It’s also one in which music played an important role,” said Karrin Allyson.

A remarkable artist, Allyson is also an activist who feels equally comfortable on the bandstand, as she does at the podium making the case for women’s rights. In fact, she has a history of writing songs (“Big Discount,” “Way Down Below”) that challenge conventional political wisdom and call for societal change. Most of t hese songs are propaganda. They were composed in the nineteenth or early twentieth century to advance or abridge women’s voting rights. In fact, the “suffrage” repertoire is made up of hundreds of songs, and Allyson and the productio n team selected ones that typified the back -and-f or th debate of t he struggle. That these songs can be re-imagined speaks not only to their timeless quality but the power of music in advancing social movements. The “war” over women’s rights was waged, in part, through and by music. And here these songs are made relevant again through modern jazz. Because of t he theme’s inclusive import, Allyson and the production team invited several notable guests to “lend their voices” to the debate. Adding copious artists can risk turning any project from a cohesive musical statement to a “gathering place.” Alas,Allyson’s powerful and profound vocals provide the through line and beginning-to-end narrative arc of the entire production. This album is very much a story. 

And Allyson is its storyteller, with each guest thoughtfully featured to dramatize historical episodes in the women’s suffrage movement. Shoulder to Shoulder has an incredible array of featured artists. Guest appearances by Madeleine Peyroux (vocals),Kurt Elling (vocals),Regina Carter (violin),Denis e Donatelli (vocals), Veronica Swift (vocals), Rapsody (rap),Antonia Bennett (vocals),Emily Estefan (vocals),Pauline Jean (vocals),Olivia Culpo (cello) and a Choir of over forty Women's Rights Activists. There are several spoken word performances that re-create the debateover woman’s suffrage: Harry Belafonte performs a speech by Frederick Douglass, Rosanne Cash performs a speech by Susan B. Anthony, Julie Swidler performs a speech by Alice Paul,Lalah Hathaway performs a speech by Sojourner Truth, and Peter Eldridge performs a speech by Elihu Root. There is even a brief appearance by Roberta Flack on the album. Susan Morrison of The New Yorker serves as an Executive Producer of the project, which was produced by multi-Grammy winners Kabir Sehgal, John Daversa, and Doug Davis.more..... https://karrin.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/S2S-Press-Release.pdf

Shoulder to Shoulder: Centennial Tribute to Women’s Suffrage

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Sara Gazarek - Thirsty Ghost

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:41
Size: 148,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:58)  1. Lonely Hours
(3:47)  2. Never Will I Marry
(4:47)  3. I'm Not the Only One
(4:18)  4. Easy Love
(5:43)  5. I Get Along Without You Very Well
(5:43)  6. I Believe (When I Fall in Love)
(4:34)  7. Jolene
(5:27)  8. Gaslight District
(6:59)  9. The River/River Man
(0:33) 10. Intro: Chrysalis
(5:53) 11. Cocoon
(6:11) 12. Distant Storm
(4:45) 13. Spinning Round

Sara Gazarek has been working as a professional jazz singer since 2004. You can find plenty of vintage YouTube clips of her singing Great American Songbook material in a breezy, polished manner. A few years ago, things began to happen in her life. There was near-death tragedy in her family, her marriage fell apart and she began to wonder about her professional future. On this, her sixth album, her reactions to all this have resulted in a broadening and deepening of her art. She sings here with a new-found power and earnestness and draws her repertoire from a wide array of sources including Stevie Wonder, Nick Drake and her own writing. The music on the set includes funky fusion tracks, acoustic ballads and hybrids of differing styles. Hoagy Carmichael's "I Get Along Without You Very Well" gets a simple treatment with wistful voice against a piano trio while Frank Loesser's "Never Will I Marry" is buoyed by a bubbly African rhythm. Cuts like"I'm Not The Only One" and Stevie Wonder's "I Believe When I Fall In Love" have plush electric funk or soul backing and are brought to life through the earnest humanity of Gazarek's singing. She shows a more subtle sensuality on "Easy Love," cooing over sophisticated jazz-pop led by Larry Goldings' organ and Stu Mindeman's piano. The drama really comes out in Dolly Parton's classic country ballad, "Jolene." Over a turbulent rumble of piano and drums, Gazarek's voice starts out intense and gets harder and angrier as the song goes on. By the end she is practically screaming at Jolene to keep away from her man.

Over its last few tracks, the CD takes a more philosophical turn. "Gaslight District" is a calming combination of jazz and folk impulses with Gazarek's vocal supported by sensitive reeds. The horn section also provides a soothing backdrop to her singing of a Sara Teasdale poem "The River" which segues into Nick Drake's magical "River Man" sung over a gently rocking electric piano. Bjork's typically dreamlike "Cocoon" allows Gazarek to stretch her voice in a weightless atmosphere surrounded by softly pulsing bass and percussion and ghostly electric piano. Finally she sings her own words over the open sky landscapes of Brad Mehldau's composition, "Distant Storm," her voice firm with quiet conviction as she climbs through the folk-tinged melody with help from a rich alto solo by Josh Johnson and an elegant vocal interlude by her friend and mentor, Kurt Elling. This is the finest music of Sara Gazarek's career to date. Her voice is still glossy and polished but now it also has purpose and maturity. She sounds like a woman who has faced challenges and survived. The music on these tracks goes in several different directions but the depth and honesty of Gazarek's singing ties them all together. As the picture on the CD cover suggests, this work comes directly from her heart. ~ Jerome Wilson https://www.allaboutjazz.com/thirsty-ghost-sara-gazarek-self-produced-review-by-jerome-wilson.php

Personnel: Sara Gazarek: voice; Stu Mindeman: piano, rhodes; Alex Boneham: bass; Christian Euman: piano; Josh Johnson: alto saxophone; Danny Janklow: alto saxophone; Ido Meshulam: trombone; Brian Walsh: bass clarinet; Erin Bentlage, Michael Mayo: background vocals; Keita Ogawa: percussion (2); Aaron Serfaty: percussion (6); Larry Goldings: organ (4,8); Kurt Elling: voice (12).

Thirsty Ghost

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Brad Mehldau - Finding Gabriel

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:38
Size: 130,1 MB
Art: Front

(7:18)  1. The Garden
(4:01)  2. Born to Trouble
(4:38)  3. Striving After Wind
(5:21)  4. O Ephraim
(6:20)  5. St. Mark Is Howling in the City of Night
(6:47)  6. The Prophet Is a Fool
(4:32)  7. Make It All Go Away
(5:13)  8. Deep Water
(4:17)  9. Proverb of Ashes
(7:06) 10. Finding Gabriel

Brad Mehldau fans should be used to his shapeshifting ways by now. Rightfully acclaimed for his jazz trio recordings, it is the balance of his catalog that delivers a rounded portrait of the musician, from Largo and The Highway Rider to Mehliana: Taming the Dragon, and more. But Finding Gabriel marks his most idiosyncratically expansive release yet. Its thematically linked compositions were inspired by a close reading of Old Testament sources  Daniel, Hosea, Psalms, Ecclesiastes, and Job while considering our current sociopolitical era. He also experimented with the Oberheim OB-6 analog synth while composing, an instrument whose possibilities were new to him. It's used alongside acoustic and electric pianos, organ, xylophone, mores synths, and voice. His celebrated cast of guests includes trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire, violinist Sara Caswell, saxophonist Joel Frahm, drummer Mark Guiliana, vocalists Becca Stevens, Kurt Elling, and Gabriel Kahane, and small string and horns sections. In addition to ensemble pieces, three tunes are performed by Mehldau as a one-man band. A repetitive melody on grand piano and analog synth introduces overture "The Garden," with Giuliana's kick drum offering an urgent pulse underneath. Next, Mehldau's, Stevens', and Kahane's voices sing wordlessly, like instruments, before Giuliana executes furious breakbeats and cymbal crashes. Akinmusire's smeared post-bop trumpet bleats are (like Gabriel's horn at the end of time) countered by contrapuntal reeds and winds. "Striving After Wind" is a fusion tune akin to something by Flying Lotus, with sweeping synths, electric pianos, and synthetic drums ballasted by entwined wordless vocals. 

On the solo "O Ephraim," synths, pianos, and Mehldau's (lovely) wordless singing juxtapose prog rock and jazz. Chiming keyboards introduce "St. Mark Is Howling in the City of Night" with Caswell's violin, funky breaks, and other strings ushering in a rockist frame that morphs into a minimalist piano theme accented by beats and classical strings. "The Prophet Is a Fool" is introduced by the crowd chanting "Build that wall!" in a jarring freeze frame of this historical moment; it's followed by a dialogue that underscores just who the subject is. Frahm delivers a fire-breathing tenor solo, followed by Akinmusire's as junglist rhythms underscore the tune's urgency. "Make It All Go Away" is a pillowy, near-pop melody with Stevens and Elling hovering alongside keys and drums. "Deep Water" is darker, a piece of neo-classical prog with violin and string trio and Mehldau's elliptical piano. Elling takes a killer sonically treated scat vocal on "Proverb of Ashes," with its backing track wedding EDM futurism to post-punk. Mehldau closes the set solo with the title track, a spoken prayer surrounded by angelic voices, shimmering pianism, mellotrons, synths, and percussion instruments concluding with a quote from the prophet Daniel. It will take several listens to appreciate all that takes place on Finding Gabriel, but that's as it should be. Mehldau is scratching an itch; whatever bothers him is provoking action that leads to a strange, ethereal space where the questions and answers of both history and mystery are not only provocative, but interchangeable. 

~ Thom Jurek https://www.allmusic.com/album/finding-gabriel-mw0003269321

Personnel:  Brad Mehldau – synthesizers (1–10), piano (1, 2, 5–10), Fender Rhodes (3, 4), Hammond B-3 organ (10), Musser Ampli-Celeste (4), Morfbeats gamelan strips (4), xylophone (6), Mellotron (10), drums (2, 4, 10), percussion (10), vocals (1, 2, 4, 5, 9, 10); Ambrose Akinmusire – trumpet (1, 6); Chris Cheek – baritone sax and tenor sax (1); Charles Pillow – baritone sax (6), alto sax and bass clarinet (1), soprano sax (1, 6); Joel Frahm – tenor sax (1, 6); Michael Thomas – alto sax and flute (1, 6); Sara Caswell – violin (5, 8); Lois Martin – viola (5, 8); Noah Hoffeld – cello (5, 8); Mark Guiliana – drums (1, 3, 5–9); Aaron Nevezie – effects (9); Kurt Elling – vocals (7, 9); Gabriel Kahane – vocals (1, 3, 5, 8); Becca Stevens – vocals (1, 3, 5, 7, 8); "Snorts" Malibu – vocals (9)

Finding Gabriel

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Kurt Elling - The Questions

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:13
Size: 149,9 MB
Art: Front

(8:05)  1. A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall
(3:46)  2. A Happy Thought
(6:12)  3. American Tune
(4:10)  4. Washing Of The Water
(6:18)  5. A Secret In Three Views
(6:54)  6. Lonely Town
(9:04)  7. Endless Lawns
(6:07)  8. I Have Dreamed
(6:24)  9. The Enchantress
(8:11) 10. Skylark

How does one grapple with existence and its juxtaposition against the present state of affairs? That's the question that hangs heaviest over The Questions. While vocalist Kurt Elling didn't come into this production with a theme in mind, he discovered a through line in the act of wrestling with difficulties and dreams in this age of marked unreason and unrest. With these ten songs he explores that topic to the fullest, coloring the music with his signature blend of authority and understanding.

 A mixture of tones inquiring and knowing sets this meditation on humanity and our times in motion with "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall." Bob Dylan's difficult truths by way of Elling's passionate delivery immediately become the cynosure of ears and minds, though co-producer Branford Marsalis's soprano solo and drummer Jeff "Tain" Watts' pelting finish certainly garner attention. What follows an examining and affirming smile at life in pianist Stu Mindeman's musical setting of poet Franz Wright's " A Happy Thought," a gorgeous treatment of "American Tune" that recasts the Paul Simon classic as a treatise on immigration wrapped in hope's light and trapped in fear's web, and a hymn-like interpretation of Peter Gabriel's "Washing Of The Water" that's as emotive as anything in Elling's discography greatly furthers the image of the artist playing with the powers of enlightenment and doubt.  Through the remainder of the album, Elling paints with the various shades of perception, poetry, and philosophy that he knows so well. The bluesy resonance of "A Secret In Three Views" belies the deep thinking behind his Rumi-inspired lyrics to Jaco Pastorius' "Three Views Of A Secret," "Lonely Town" utilizes lighthearted sounds to frame the topic of solitude, "Endless Lawns" uses pianist-composer Carla Bley's "Lawns" as the musical basis for an arc that includes turmoil and release, and "I Have Dreamed" speaks to a yearning for love to bloom. Then the album closes with "The Enchantress," a work nodding toward matriarchal figures both Marsalis' and Elling's and taking directional cues from poet Wallace Stevens' "The Idea Of Order At Key West," and a toned-down "Skylark," bringing the title of this album into lyrical consideration in a subdued light. The core band members and notable guests all make the weight of their contributions felt along the way here, but Elling manages to carry the weight of the world in his voice. He may not have the answer to all of the questions, but he certainly makes you think about them. ~ Dan Bilawsky https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-questions-kurt-elling-okeh-review-by-dan-bilawsky.php

Personnel: Kurt Elling: vocals; Stu Mindeman: piano, Hammond B-3 organ; Joey Calderazzo: piano (4, 6, 9); John McLean: acoustic guitar, electric guitar; Clark Sommers: bass; Branford Marsalis: saxophones; Marquis Hill: trumpet, flugelhorn; Jeff "Tain" Watts: drums.

Thank You my Friend!

The Questions

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Jimmy Greene - Beautiful Life

Styles: Saxophone And Flute Jazz

Year: 2014

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 49:11

Size: 113,4 MB

Art: Front

(5:12)  1. Saludos / Come Thou Almighty King

(6:38)  2. Last Summer

(3:22)  3. When I Come Home

(7:14)  4. Ana's Way

(5:21)  5. Your Great Name

(4:35)  6. Where Is The Love?

(6:16)  7. Seventh Candle

(3:06)  8. Maybe

(4:03)  9. Prayer

(3:23) 10. Little Voices

Two years after the death of his six-year-old daughter, Ana Grace Marquez-Greene, in the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, saxophonist Jimmy Greene returns with 2014's Beautiful Life. Both a direct response to Ana's death and a celebration of her life, Beautiful Life is a gorgeous, heartbreaking, and ultimately uplifting album. Backed by a stellar rhythm section featuring pianist Renee Rosnes, bassist Christian McBride, and drummer Lewis Nash, as well as a handful of guests and many close friends, including NBC's The Voice season one winner (and fellow Hartt School graduate) Javier Colon, pianist Cyrus Chestnut, and singer Kurt Elling, Greene has crafted an album of deep spiritual grace, imbued throughout with Ana's exuberant personality and wide-eyed joy in life. With his warm, burnished saxophone tone and swinging improvisational lines, one might expect Greene to stick to a straight-ahead jazz approach here. Certainly, while his concept is grounded in soulful post-bop jazz, he displays an open-hearted, cross-genre love of music, reworking a contemporary Christian worship song into a small-group jazz number, as he does on "Your Great Name," and setting "The Lord's Prayer" to music, as he does on the orchestral "Prayer" with vocalist Latanya Farrell. Whether it's his lyrical duet with pianist Kenny Barron on "Where Is Love?" from the musical Annie or the spoken word soliloquy set against a children's choir in "Little Voices," delivered here by The Princess and the Frog actress Anika Noni Rose, Greene incorporates songs and artists Ana loved. And it's not just Ana's spirit that's present on all of Beautiful Life; working with guitarist Pat Metheny, Greene begins the album in poignant fashion, weaving together recordings he made of Ana singing both the traditional Puerto Rican holiday song "Saludos" and the hymn "Come Thou Almighty King." Although born out of tragedy, Beautiful Life is surprisingly never sad or, as one might understand, angry. On the contrary, by celebrating his daughter's unconditional love for her family, music, and life, Greene transforms his personal anguish into something that's as inspirational to the soul as it is beautiful to the ears. ~ Matt Collar http://www.allmusic.com/album/beautiful-life-mw0002757119

Personnel:  Jimmy Greene - tenor and soprano sax, flute;  Lewis Nash – drums;  Renee Rosnes - piano (tracks 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 10);  Isaiah Marquez-Greene - piano (track 1);  Kenny Barron - piano (tracks 6 and 8);  Cyrus Chestnut - piano (track 9);  Pat Metheny - acoustic guitar (track 1);  Jonathan DuBose - guitar (track 10); Christian McBride – bass;  Jeffrey Krieger and Peter Zay - cello (tracks 3 and 9);  Michael Wheeler and Sharon Dennison - viola (tracks 3 and 9);  Leonid Sigal, Cyrus Stevens, Karin Fagerburg, Millie Piekos, Yuri Kharenko-Golduber, Candace Lammers, Krzysztof Gadawski, Lu Sun Friedman, Michael Pollard - violins (tracks 3 and 9);  Javier Colon - vocals (track 3);  Kurt Elling - vocals (track 4);  Latanya Farrell - vocals (track 9);  Ana Marquez-Greene - vocals (track 1);  Anika Noni Rose - spoken word (track 10)

Beautiful Life

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Bob Mintzer Big Band - Live At MCG

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:28
Size: 161.3 MB
Styles: Big band
Year: 2004
Art: Front

[ 6:09] 1. El Caborojeno
[ 6:41] 2. My Foolish Heart
[ 4:37] 3. One O'Clock Jump
[ 7:12] 4. Gently
[12:05] 5. Eye Of The Hurricane
[ 8:03] 6. Timeless
[ 8:58] 7. All Is Quiet
[ 8:38] 8. Who's Walkin' Who
[ 7:59] 9. Original People

Bob Mintzer, leader, tenor saxophone; Lawrence Feldman, Pete Yellin, alto sax; Bob Malach, tenor sax; Roger Rosenberg, baritone sax; Frank Greene, Bob Millikan, Scott Wendholt, Michael Philip Mossman, trumpet; Michael Davis, Larry Farrell, Keith O'Quinn, trombone; David Taylor, bass trombone; Phil Markowitz, piano; Rufus Reid, bass; John Riley, drums. Special guest — Kurt Elling, vocals.

Bob Mintzer leads a superlative big band with seasoned pros in every chair, but what really gives the engine its get-up-and-go are the maestro's invariably admirable charts, unerring road maps that always ensure a smooth and delightful journey. This first-ever live album by the ensemble, recorded in May '02 at the Manchester Craftsmen's Guild in Pittsburgh, PA, is at its best on the half-dozen instrumentals, even though guest vocalist Kurt Elling does what he can to jump-start the other three.

All but one of the selections, Herbie Hancock's turbulent "Eye of the Hurricane," have appeared on earlier albums, but it's no less pleasurable to revisit them in a concert setting. Elling puts his formidable chops to the test on the lingering (twelve-minutes-plus) "Hurricane" with some acrobatic scatting and vocalese, parrying taut statements by Mintzer, trumpeter Scott Wendholt and drummer John Riley. He's more loose and mellow on Victor Young/Ned Washington's hauntingly beautiful love song "My Foolish Heart" (complete with its charming yet seldom-heard introduction) and in front of a quartet on the less-persuasive ballad "All Is Quiet," which he and Mintzer co-authored.

Mintzer arranged "One O'Clock Jump" (for the album Homage to Count Basie ) and wrote everything else—"El Caborojono," "Gently," "Timeless," "Who's Walkin' Who," "Original People." Each of these themes has its own allure, and all are interlaced with weighty remarks by Mintzer's cadre of talented soloists, especially pianist Phil Markowitz (dazzling on "One O'Clock Jump," "Timeless" and "Original People"). Others who have their say are trombonists Michael Davis, Keith O'Quinn and Larry Farrell, trumpeter Michael Philip Mossman, alto saxophonist Pete Yellin, tenor Bob Malach and baritone Roger Rosenberg.

Fans of big bands in general and Mintzer in particular should find much to enjoy on this buoyant and generally likable album, and may even warm to the vocal tracks more readily than yours truly. As a bonus, all proceeds from its sale go directly to support a worthy cause, the MCG Jazz program. ~Jack Bowers

Live At MCG

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Kurt Elling - Nightmoves

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:02
Size: 145,2 MB
Art: Front

( 4:23)  1. Nightmoves
( 2:55)  2. Tight
( 7:38)  3. Change Partners / If You Never Come To Me
( 5:10)  4. Undun
( 5:27)  5. Where Are You, My Love?
( 4:23)  6. And We Will Fly
( 4:13)  7. The Waking
( 5:31)  8. The Sleepers
( 5:04)  9. Leaving Again / In The Wee Small Hours
(10:20) 10. A New Body And Soul
( 6:53) 11. I Like The Sunrise

Kurt Elling has mellowed some. Quite the original voice in jazz for more than a decade, he's introduced us to adventure and thrills. He's helped to maintain the spirit of straight-ahead jazz with a superb pianist by his side while moving enchantingly in and out of the mainstream. Elling's soothing baritone voice lends itself to both the romantic ballad and to the thrills of more adventurous music. Lately, however, he's concentrated more on the romantic ballad and has put less effort into challenging material. It works, of course, but some of the spontaneity has disappeared. Through one romantic moment after another, Elling rewards us with lyric beauty while following the normal path for lovers. Pop music popularity combines with mellow overtures for a program that everyone can feel deeply. Nightmoves rolls comfortably with a program of poignant ballads. Even "A New Body and Soul, the old chestnut of a jazz standard interpreted in his unique, personal manner, remains true to its original form. Vocalese makes up a part what the singer does with this familiar tune, and he does create a masterpiece worthy of award-winning accolades. Pianist Laurence Hobgood, bassist Christian McBride and drummer Willie Jones III breathe life into the piece in support. Together, they represent jazz's mainstream with genuine authority. Most of the program remains tied to passionate ballads. Elling fills these selections with emotion worthy of goose bumps and back-of-the-neck tingling. Bob Mintzer lends an ethereal tenor saxophone quality to two selections, while the Escher String Quartet joins Elling's quartet for his heartfelt reading of "Where Are You, My Love? and "The Sleepers. Guitarist Guilherme Monteiro lends a bossa nova presence to several selections along with sultry harmonica refrains from guests Howard Levy and Gregoire Maret that captivate. Bassist Rob Amster joins Elling on "The Waking for a lovely duet ballad performance that simmers gently. When the singer turns to his pianist for "In the Wee Small Hours, he summarizes his latest album accurately through an emotional reading that adorns his shirtsleeve with hearts that glow noticeably. ~ Jim Santella https://www.allaboutjazz.com/nightmoves-kurt-elling-concord-music-group-review-by-jim-santella.php

Personnel: Kurt Elling: vocals; Laurence Hobgood: piano; Willie Jones, III: drums; Christian McBride: bass (1-4,6,10); Rob Amster: bass (5,7,8,11); Rob Mounsey: electric piano, keyboards (1, 4, 6); Guilherme Monteiro: guitar (3,6); Bob Mintzer: tenor sax (1); Howard Levy: harmonica (3); Gregoire Maret: harmonica (6); The Escher String Quartet (5,8).

Nightmoves

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Kurt Elling - Close Your Eyes

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:39
Size: 146,0 MB
Art: Front

(6:08)  1. Close Your Eyes
(6:36)  2. Dolores Dream
(6:20)  3. Ballad Of The Sad Young Men
(6:59)  4. (Hide The) Salomé
(1:32)  5. Married Blues
(6:16)  6. Storyteller Experiencing Total Confusion
(5:33)  7. Never Say Goodbye (For Jodi)
(3:09)  8. Those Clouds Are Heavy, You Dig?
(3:58)  9. Wait 'Till You See Her
(4:50) 10. Hurricane
(2:03) 11. Now It Is Time That Gods Came Walking Out
(5:53) 12. Never Never Land
(4:15) 13. Remembering Veronica

For his debut recording, Chicago vocalist Elling pushes the envelope, challenging listeners and his musicians with beat poetry, ranting, and his Mark Murphy-ish singing. There's quite a bit of dramatist/actor in Elling, although the romantic in him is also pretty prevalent. Acting much like a tenor saxophonist, Elling can wail and shout, expound on social themes, and scat like a demon. Help from the extraordinary pianist Laurence Hobgood, bassists Eric Hochberg and Rob Amster, and drummer Paul Wertico inspires Elling to even higher plateaus, while tenor saxophone foils Ed Peterson and Von Freeman appear separately on three of the 13 tracks. Elling writes a ton of lyrics. His take on Wayne Shorter's "Dolores" is "Dolores Dream," on which the singer speaks of Chi-Town in terms both favorable (hanging out at the Green Mill jazz club) and not so favorable ("fat frying, spluttering rank Chicago smeltering along, smothered in hot wooly sweat"), with a maniacal swing following his a cappella intro. His ramrod scatting is amazing both on this piece and on an exploratory take of Herbie Hancock's "Hurricane." A "So What"-type modality informs "(Hide The) Salome," with vicious scatting and Freeman's tenor in complete, frustrated agreement. Elling's poetic recitation of "Married Blues" and the avant beat style of "Now It Is Time" show his reverence for Rexroth and Rilke, respectively. As far as pure singing goes, "All the Sad Young Men" is beautifully rendered similar to Murphy, but not as overtly pronounced. "Close Your Eyes" opens with a tender piano intro, flowing into bass/vocal wistfulness and a midtempo romp. Elling extrapolates on the original lyric and scats feverishly on the bridge. He is at his most sexual on the slinky bossa "Never Say Goodbye" and the ballad "Storyteller Experiencing Total Confusion," with Peterson's sax shyly filling in cracks of fear and disillusionment. There's clearly more in store for Elling as he matures, but this is as auspicious a vocal jazz debut as the world has heard. ~ Michael G.Nastos http://www.allmusic.com/album/close-your-eyes-mw0000644447

Personnel: Kurt Elling (vocals); Edward Peterson, Von Freeman (tenor saxophone); Laurence Hobgood (piano, synthesizer); Dave Onderdonk (acoustic & electric guitars); Rob Amster (acoustic & electric basses); Eric Hochberg (acoustic bass); Paul Wertico (drums, percussion).

Close Your Eyes

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Kurt Elling - Dedicated To You: Kurt Elling Sings The Music Of Coltrane & Hartman

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 55:58

Size: 128.1 MB

Styles: Vocal jazz

Year: 2009

Art: Front

[6:50] 1. All Or Nothing At All

[4:05] 2. It's Easy To Remember (A Jazz Story Memory)

[6:36] 3. Dedicated To You

[2:40] 4. What’s New

[4:39] 5. Lush Life

[3:11] 6. Autumn Serenade

[6:40] 7. Say It (Over And Over Again)

[4:00] 8. They Say It's Wonderful

[3:27] 9. My One And Only Love

[4:56] 10. Nancy With The Laughing Face

[0:39] 11. Acknowledgements

[8:10] 12. You Are Too Beautiful

Kurt Elling: voice; Laurence Hobgood: piano; Clark Sommers: bass; Ulysses Owens: drums; Ernie Watts: tenor saxophone (1, 4-7, 10, 12); Corenlius Dufalo: violin; Ralph Farris: viola; Dorothy Lawson: cello; Mary Rowell: violin.

Dedicated To You is a tribute to one of the most beloved and beautiful recordings in jazz, John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman. On that six song album, John Coltrane introduces a relatively unknown singer named Johnny Hartman. The two musicians had only just met one another, however in a mere three hours, they produce a classic. Hartman unfortunately never gains much recognition beyond this one album. Coltrane obviously fares a bit better. Kurt Elling is a standout choice to honor Hartman. He boasts a rich baritone with flawless intonation and an uncanny flair for storytelling, just like Hartman before him. They're also both from Chicago, which may be related to Elling's interest in this project (Elling was recently named "Chicagoan of the Year" and holds down a regular night at The Green Mill when not on tour). The supporting voice on that classic album is, of course, Coltrane. Ernie Watts, a veteran of the LA studio scene, doesn't jump out as the obvious pick for this role. Nonetheless, he doesn't disappoint, though at times he sounds more like Lenny Pickett than John Coltrane. But while his tone may not match the expectations of purists, his solos compliment the vocal approach of Elling perfectly.

This is not meant to be a replica of the 1963 classic. In fact, many of the tracks are from Ballads (Impulse!, 1962), another seminal Coltrane album recorded around the same time. It also doesn't have the spare quartet sound of the original. Elling's pianist and arranger Laurence Hobgood enlists the ETHEL string quartet to fill-out the group. This provides opportunities for a fuller orchestral feel with a few chamber interludes too. The CD's lone instrumental "What's New?" receives a bit too much care (and vibrato), which when combined with strings starts to drift into the realm of '70s-style Muzak. The track is short and soon the band is back to business with one of the most memorable songs on the original LP, "Lush Life."

Don't be put off by the Ink Spots-style talking in the beginning of the second track, "It's Easy To Remember." Elling proceeds to tell the fascinating story of the Coltrane/Hartman session. For those don't know the album's history, it may be surprising to learn how loose and unstructured the session really was Hobgood likely spent a bit more time preparing for this set. It's also poignant to hear of Hartman's struggle to achieve prominence as a vocalist, as his fame is mostly posthumous. Dedicated to You is a live recording from the Lincoln Center's lavish Allen Room. The sound quality is first-rate, and the audience enthusiastic. Elling has once again shown that he's not only a lover of this music, but a big part of its future. ~Andrew

Dedicated To You: Kurt Elling Sings The Music Of Coltrane & Hartman

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Bob Mintzer Big Band - Old School: New Lessons

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:44
Size: 145.9 MB
Styles: Big band, Progressive jazz
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[7:46] 1. Not Quite Yet
[5:59] 2. Mofongo
[5:44] 3. My One And Only Love
[6:39] 4. Runferyerlife
[7:50] 5. Mosaic
[6:56] 6. Resolution
[7:14] 7. March Majestic
[8:12] 8. Black Sand
[7:19] 9. Go Go

Bob Mintzer: tenor saxophone, flute; Peter Yellin: alto saxophone, flute; Lawrence Feldman: alto saxophone, flute; Bob Malach: tenor saxophone, clarinet; Scott Robinson: baritone saxophone, clarinet; Bob Millikan: trumpet; Scott Wendholt: trumpet, flugelhorn; Terrell Stafford: trumpet; Frank Greene: trumpet; Michael Davis: trombone; Jason Jackson: trombone; Larry Farrell: trombone; David Taylor: bass trombone; Phil Markowitz: piano; Jay Anderson: bass; John Riley: drums; Kurt Elling: vocals; Yellowjackets--Bob Mintzer: tenor saxophone, EWI; Russell Ferrante: acoustic piano, synthesizer; Jimmy Haslip: electric bass; Marcus Baylor: drums.

He may be best known these days as one quarter of the contemporary jazz group Yellowjackets' best lineup in 25 years, but woodwind multi-instrumentalist Bob Mintzer first cut his teeth in the big bands of Buddy Rich and Mel Lewis, along with the late bassist Jaco Pastorius' groundbreaking Word of Mouth Big Band. And so, while he's made a significant part of his reputation through work in smaller ensembles, he's always had an affinity for the sonic possibilities and sheer power of larger ensembles. His own big band has been an ongoing concern since the early 1980s. Mintzer has clear reverence for the swing tradition of those early big bands' experiences. Still, with his own ensembles he's always been equally committed to moving that tradition forward, something he does to great effect on Old School: New Lessons, culled from a series of Manchester Craftsmen's Guild shows in Pittsburgh in 2004 and 2005. Augmenting his sixteen-piece band on two tracks with vocalist Kurt Elling, and on two others with his Yellowjackets bandmates, Mintzer has fashioned a large ensemble record that's respectful enough to appeal to staunch traditionalists, yet contemporary enough to perhaps act as an entry point for contemporary jazz fans who are less familiar with what a big band has to offer.

The two Elling tracks are a lush reading of "My One and Only Love and a powerful version of "Resolution" that puts last year's Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra's overly-arranged version of John Coltrane's A Love Supreme to shame. Otherwise, the compositions are all Mintzer's. And of those seven Mintzer titles, a full five were originally recorded with Yellowjackets. While the use of his electronic wind instrument (EWI) feels a little out of place on the samba-inflected "Mofongo, which also features Yellowjackets pianist Russell Ferrante, electric bassist Jimmy Haslip and drummer Marcus Baylor, Mintzer's thirteen-piece horn section gives the piece a bright energy that surpasses the Yellowjackets version from Mint Jam (Heads Up, 2002). The pop balladry of "Mosaic, which also first appeared on Mint Jam, on the other hand, feels more organically integrated here. But Mintzer's Yellowjackets tunes interpreted by the big band alone best exemplify the convergence of these two seemingly disparate musical worlds. "Go Go, rhythmically rooted in the underground scene of Washington, DC, manages to feel authentic yet swings a little harder; pianist Phil Markowitz's accompaniment to Bob Malach's tenor solo is more abstractly modal than Ferrante's take on Time Squared (Heads Up, 2003). And while the burning "Runferyerlife grooved with a kind of Weather Report swagger on the live Mint Jam, it's more closely aligned here with traditional big band swing.

All too few artists today are exploring the greater possibilities a large ensemble can afford. So it's good news that Mintzer has chosen to remain committed to his big band throughout his career. Old School: New Lessons, a vivid set filled with excitement and color, continues to demonstrate Mintzer's ability to comfortably marry tradition with innovation. ~John Kelman

Old School: New Lessons

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Kurt Elling - The Beautiful Day: Kurt Elling Sings Christmas

Size: 126,5 MB
Time: 54:13
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz Vocals/Xmas
Art: Front

01. Sing A Christmas Carol (4:33)
02. Wenceslaus (Image I) (1:27)
03. Star Of Wonder (2:04)
04. We Three Kings (6:31)
05. Christmas Children (4:30)
06. Wenceslaus (Image II) (0:52)
07. Some Children See Him (7:10)
08. Little Drummer Boy (2:46)
09. Wenceslaus (Image III) (1:22)
10. The Michigan Farm (Cradle Song, Op. 41 1) (3:03)
11. The Snow Is Deep On The Ground - Snowfall (6:33)
12. Same Old Lang Syne (6:17)
13. This Christmas (4:31)
14. The Beautiful Day (2:27)

When Kurt Elling embraced the meaning, the spirit and the word Christmas in creating his new album The Beautiful Day (OKeh), he also wanted to make a holiday album that celebrated the promise and magic of the season that touches people of all beliefs. Inventive and fresh, The Beautiful Day reimagines the sounds of Christmas, mixing traditional carols decked out in new arrangements with songs that are revelations and rediscovered treats. New versions of "Little Drummer Boy" and "We Three Kings" join the wistful folk-rock of Dan Fogelberg ("Same Old Lang Syne") and the jazz-and-gospel-influenced soul of Donny Hathaway ("This Christmas"). Elling's lovely duet with his daughter on the title track is the perfect ending for an album that's destined to be a holiday jazz classic.
Grammy® winner Kurt Elling is among the world's foremost jazz vocalists. He won the DownBeat Critics Poll for fourteen consecutive years and was named Male Singer of the Year by the Jazz Journalists Association on eight occasions. An international jazz award winner, the New York Times declared, "Elling is the standout male vocalist of our time." The Washington Post added, "Since the mid-1990s no singer in jazz has been as daring, dynamic or interesting as Kurt Elling. He has come to embody the creative spirit in jazz."

The Beautiful Day

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Branford Marsalis Quartet - Upward Spiral (Feat. Kurt Elling)

Size: 161,3 MB
Time: 69:34
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz Vocals, Modern Jazz
Art: Front

01. There's A Boat Dat's Leavin' Soon For New York (5:21)
02. Blue Gardenia (4:34)
03. From One Island To Another (6:00)
04. Practical Arrangement (9:44)
05. Doxy (3:51)
06. I'm A Fool To Want You (3:00)
07. West Virginia Rose (2:28)
08. So Tinha De Ser Com Voce (3:38)
09. Momma Said (2:43)
10. Cassandra Song (8:28)
11. Blue Velvet (3:44)
12. The Return (Upward Spiral) (7:15)
13. Long As You're Living (8:45)

To one extent or another, jazz has always maintained a discriminatory dividing line between vocalists and instrumentalists. Instead of being viewed as equals—artists on par with all the rest, possessing the same good sense, skill, and stake in an artistic outcome—vocalists have often been unfairly stigmatized and interned in a separate category. But all of that has slowly been changing, due in no small part to a large and continually growing crop of vocalists who are consistently raising the bar.

For the past two decades, the one and only Kurt Elling has been a central figure in that category. He's both world-wise and street smart in his moves, able to touch on highbrow topics and base emotions with equal success. There's been a hint of vanity in some of his fine art, but it's never there without just cause. The man acknowledges his influences but remains a school of one, a force of nature who's capable of covering more ground than almost anybody. There's simply nobody else who's better suited to enter into an artistic agreement with one of jazz's most outspoken personalities—saxophonist Branford Marsalis.

Whether on or off the bandstand, Marsalis doesn't mince words or ideas. Due to that fact, few vocalists are really up to the challenge of entering his orbit and thriving in such a climate. In Elling, however, Marsalis has found one who's every bit his match. The saxophonist and his quartet mates are able to telescope focus toward Elling's warm, strong, and pliant voice, and Elling is able to accentuate the inherently melodic and lyrical qualities in this group's work. The beauty in Marsalis' music isn't cited often enough, as many tend to focus exclusively on the edgier side of his sound. This project rectifies that problem.

This playlist is as eclectic as one might expect given the architects at the drawing board. Everybody from saxophonist Sonny Rollins to vocalist Elis Regina and pianist Fred Hersch to poet Calvin Forbes is referenced in one way or another, and the music is suffused with graciousness, beauty, and, on occasion, heartbreak. Elling dons the face of Mr. Charisma on "There's A Boat Dat's Leavin' Soon For New York," maintains his status as the heir to Mark Murphy's throne of hip on "Doxy," delves into modern jazz Americana on Hersch's "West Virginia Rose," and plays it cool as the breeze on "Só Tinha De Ser Com Você." Through every one of those turns, Marsalis and company are right there with him, exploring every little and large event with the utmost respect for the music and the contributions of one another.

Understatement serves as a source of strength in much of this music, and fragility is as strong a lure as any of the aforementioned qualities. Case in point is Sting's "Practical Arrangement," a song that elicits an incredibly strong emotional response. That number alone is worth the price of admission, and it's not the only tearjerker. The Marsalis-Elling duo take on "I'm A Fool To Want You," while delivered with more poise and less vulnerability, belongs in the same category.

While there are far more ambitious outings in the respective discographies of both of these marquee names, there's nothing more arresting in either man's portfolio. Beauty becomes these musicians. They carry the torch of grace to the heavens in their own inimitable upward spiral.

Personnel: Branford Marsalis: saxophones; Joey Calderazzo: piano; Eric Revis: bass; Justin Faulkner: drums; Kurt Elling: vocals.

Upward Spiral

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Various Artists - Bob Belden's Shades Of Blue

Styles: Contemporary Jazz, Post-Bop
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:40
Size: 162,3 MB
Art: Front

(6:54)  1. Dianne Reeves, Geri Allen - Maiden Voyage
(5:34)  2. Jacky Terrasson - Un Poco Loco
(5:49)  3. John Scofield - Tom Thumb
(2:36) 4. Cassandra Wilson, Ron Carter - Joshua Fit De Battle Ob Jericho
(8:21)  5. Tim Hagans, Bob Belden - Siete Ocho
(7:40)  6. Marcus Printup - You've Changed
(5:36)  7. Holly Cole, Javon Jackson - Hum Drum Blues
(5:56)  8. Geoff Keezer - 2300 Skiddoo
(6:08)  9. Renee Rosnes - Song For My Father
(6:51) 10. Kurt Elling - Tanganyika Dance (The Man From Tanganyika)
(4:41) 11. T.S. Monk, Ron Carter - Evidence
(4:29) 12. Eliane Elias - Una Mas

In 1994, producer-tenor saxophonist Bob Belden received the unusual assignment of putting together a variety of all-star groups to revisit tunes associated with the Blue Note legacy. From November 1994 to March 1995 he recorded most of Blue Note's then-current roster, documenting 39 compositions in all. Twelve are on this CD, while many of the others have been released in Japan. Each of the dozen numbers uses a different group and they are generally consistent, if not filled with surprises. Dianne Reeves, Cassandra Wilson, Holly Cole, and Kurt Elling are heard on vocal features (Reeves and Elling fare best), trumpeter Marcus Printup shows off his warm tone on "You've Changed," and, in a performance that brings back the "Bitches Brew" era (and is both the most modern and the most dated of these interpretations), Belden, trumpeter Tim Hagans and three keyboardists explore Andrew Hill's "Siete Ocho." 

Of the many pianists who are featured on this set (including Geri Allen, Jacky Terrasson, Renee Rosnes, and Eliane Elias), Geoff Keezer's fairly free improvisation on Herbie Nichols' "2300 Skidoo" is the most memorable. Quite unusual is the complete absence of any of the quintet or sextet lineups that were almost a trademark of Blue Note in the '50s and '60s, and the relatively few trumpet and saxophone solos. Sure to be a collector's item, this CD is not essential but it has enough variety to keep the interest of most jazz listeners. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/shades-of-blue-mw0000184479

Bob Belden's Shades Of Blue

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Kurt Elling - Live In Chicago

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:25
Size: 163,2 MB
Art: Front

( 3:50)  1. Downtown
(12:17)  2. My Foolish Heart
( 8:29)  3. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
( 3:51)  4. Oh My God
( 8:58)  5. Night Dream
( 5:20)  6. (I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons
( 1:44)  7. Intro: (Esperanto)
( 5:16)  8. Esperanto
( 3:38)  9. Don't Get Scared
( 0:44) 10. Intro: (Goin' To Chicago)
( 5:39) 11. Goin' To Chicago
( 0:43) 12. Intro: (The Rent Party)
( 8:18) 13. The Rent Party
( 1:30) 14. Blues Chaser

Fans of Kurt Elling have long known that his recordings, as clever and well-orchestrated as they might be, don't quite match up to the power and charm of his live performances. Years of holding court at the Green Mill and other Chicago clubs are what really have brought Elling his most devoted followers, so it is exciting to see that Blue Note's new Elling album is a document of three special nights spent recording at the legendary Uptown jazz club. And indeed, with a few small exceptions, the album shows off Elling at his best  loose, uninhibited, creative, and solid. His standard backing trio has never been tighter and more balanced, and the performance of pianist (and Elling collaborator) Lawrence Hobgood really shines. Three saxophonists Von Freeman, Ed Petersen and Eddie Johnson manage to blend together in perfectly balanced harmonies, as well as command attention in solos of their own. 

Chicago's own Khalil El'Zabar makes a fine appearance, and a rare contribution by legendary jazz vocalist Jon Hendricks shows that he can still steal a show. The enthusiasm of the highly appreciative audience is captured, as well as more than a little evidence of the noise in the surrounding bar. The three nights of recording produced some fine versions of new and classic songs, including "Esperanto," Elling's pairing of the poetry of Pablo Neruda with the music of Vince Mendoza's jazz classic, "Esperança"; and "The Rent Party," which recalls Elling's jazz-poet days at the beginning of his career. ~ Stacia Proefrock http://www.allmusic.com/album/live-in-chicago-mw0000672757

Personnel: Kurt Elling, Jon Hendricks (vocals); Von Freeman, Ed Petersen, Eddie Johnson (tenor saxophone); Laurence Hobgood (piano); Rob Amster (acoustic bass); Michael Raynor (drums); Kahil El 'Zabar (hand drums).

Live In Chicago

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Harold Mabern - Afro Blue

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:42
Size: 160,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:07)  1. The Chief
(5:25)  2. Afro Blue (feat. Gregory Porter)
(5:51)  3. The Man from Hyde Park (feat. Gregory Porter)
(4:35)  4. Fool Rush In (feat. Norah Jones)
(4:23)  5. Don't Misunderstand (feat. Norah Jones)
(3:50)  6. I'll Take Romance (feat. Jane Monheit)
(5:38)  7. My One and Only Love  (feat. Jane Monheit)
(4:24)  8. Billie's Bounce (feat. Kurt Elling)
(5:39)  9. Portrait of Jennie (feat. Kurt Elling)
(4:01) 10. You Needed Me (feat. Kurt Elling)
(5:07) 11. Such Is Life (feat. Alexis Cole)
(5:18) 12. Do It Again (feat. Peter Bernstein)
(5:51) 13. Mozzin'
(4:28) 14. Bobby, Benny, Jymie, Lee, Bu

With Afro Blue, his second album for Smoke Sessions Records, Harold Mabern has taken a compelling new angle on his exceptionally creative musical vision. But for those who are truly familiar with this extraordinary pianist's talents, it is a project that is long overdue. While he may be best known for his powerful playing while soloing or driving so many of jazz' finest hornmen to spectacular heights of fire and thunder, Mabern has enjoyed a reputation among vocalists as one of the music's most sensitive and stimulating accompanists for more than 50 years ever since his early days playing with the unparalleled Betty Carter.

On this album, Mabern has selected five of his favorite vocalists who also just happen to be some of the most popular and respected singers on today's scene and is featuring them as special guests in the company of his own outstanding ensemble. Gregory Porter, Norah Jones, Jane Monheit, Kurt Elling and Alexis Cole perform individually alongside Mabern's regular ensemble of Eric Alexander on tenor sax and the bass/drums tandem of John Webber and Joe Farnsworth; plus additional guests, trombonist Steve Turre and trumpeter Jeremy Pelt on four and six tracks respectively. Eminent guitarist Peter Bernstein is featured on one track as well.

"I love to play for singers," explains the pianist. "I feel honored and flattered that these wonderful vocalists would want to be part of my little project. I feel good when singers say they love the way you play. That's a very special compliment."

Despite the wide variety of personnel, the album is fully cohesive and artfully conceived, with Mabern's soulful, blues-rooted style of piano expression as its radiant nucleus. The repertoire of 14 pieces is a fascinating assemblage of standards, jazz classics, Mabern originals and a couple of unexpected contemporary hit songs all performed in captivating fashion and constructed upon marvelous arrangements. Of the four Mabern originals, three are dedications to jazz immortals. The album opens and closes with two of the homages - both instrumentals. "The Chief" (for John Coltrane) is for quintet, appropriately modal and fiery; and the trio piece "Bobby, Benny, Jymie, Lee, Bu" closes with a tribute to that edition of Blakey's Jazz Messengers in the funky hard bop flavor those five giants brought to their classic version of Bobby Timmons' "Moanin'". The trio is also featured on a sizzling rendition of John 'Moz' Farnsworth's "Mozzin'" fired up by his brother's drumming. The other instrumental, Steely Dan's biggest hit "Do It Again," is a feature for Bernstein's guitar wizardry. A third Mabern original, "Such Is Life," features Alexis Cole deftly handling Mabern's lyrics and infectious melody, with the three horns providing a backdrop somewhere between calypso and highlife.

Gregory Porter is featured on two pieces, a vividly smoking take on the Mongo Santamaria/Oscar Brown Jr. title cut, with Mabern stoking in classic Afro-Cuban piano mode; and in a delightful easy groove on the fourth Mabern original "The Man from Hyde Park" - a dedication to Herbie Hancock. Norah Jones brings her highly personal style to Bloom & Mercer's "Fools Rush In," smoothly swinging over Blakey-ish horns; and in an enchanting, intimate duet with Mabern on Gordon Parks' lovely "Don't Misunderstand." Jane Monheit is buoyantly spirited on Oakland & Hammerstein's "I'll Take Romance," and mesmerizing on Wood & Mellin's gorgeous "My One and Only Love." Bird's bop icon "Billie's Bounce" is a rip-roaring sojourn in scat by the remarkable Kurt Elling, while the acclaimed vocalist aptly demonstrates his ballad mastery with a most poignant take on Robinson & Burdge's exquisite "Portrait of Jennie." A fortunate serendipity on the Anne Murray mega-hit, Randy Goodrum's "You Needed Me" which was slated to be an instrumental feature for Alexander's robust tenor - caused Mabern to call an audible when he heard Elling sing the first few words as he was about to depart the studio. The deeply moving results show how magic can be born by chance.

Mabern is unequivocally enthusiastic about this new album: "Wow! I can't believe we pulled all of it off. Everybody involved did a ten-star job. Simply beautiful!" Dazzling vocal artistry, impeccable musicianship, imaginative soloing, and that elusive substance of true synergy focused by the singular vision of a brilliant artist make Afro Blue a truly special experience. For Harold Mabern, whose enormous accomplishments as a leader are sometimes eclipsed by his reputation for helping so many Jazz heavyweights realize their own musical visions, Afro Blue is further testimony to his own legend. http://www.criticaljazz.com/2015/01/mark-your-calendar-for-new-harold-mabern.html

Afro Blue

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John Pizzarelli - Rockin' In Rhythm

Styles: Jazz, Swing, Guitar Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:47
Size: 115,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:11)  1. In A Mellow Tone
(3:41) 2. East St. Louis Toodle-oo/Don't Get Around Much Anymore
(3:38)  3. Satin Doll
(7:59)  4. C Jam Blues
(3:51)  5. In My Solitude
(3:21)  6. Just Squeeze Me
(4:10)  7. Perdido
(3:09)  8. All Too Soon
(4:06)  9. I'm Beginning To See The Light
(3:48) 10. Love Scene
(3:46) 11. I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good
(4:00) 12. Cottontail/Rockin' In Rhythm

John Pizzarelli is a walking, talking embarrassment of riches. He has a great pedigree, as his father, Bucky Pizzarelli), was a prodigious guitar talent (on a seven-string guitar, no less) with a voice like Chet Baker should have had. It is all this charm that Pizzarelli freely shares with us lesser mortals. Rockin' in Rhythm: A Tribute to Duke Ellington is a thematic collection picking up where his 2006 collection, Dear Mr. Sinatra (Telarc), left off. What more can be done with Duke Ellington that has not been done before? Well, quite a lot it turns out. What sets Pizzarelli's Ellington apart from the rest (that is, in addition to his infectious, happy singing) are the arrangements. An artistic discipline unto itself, jazz arrangement often provides the crux upon which a song's success or failure rests. Rockin' in Rhythm sports two of the finest in the business, with the date leader working on the quartet pieces and Don Sebeskyarranging the Swing Seven Horns on seven of the 12 compositions held within. 

Sebesky's genius is exercised in spades on the opening of the disc. "In a Mellow Tone" features tart horn backing to Pizzarelli's uncommonly sweet vocals. Pizzarelli provides an equally tart guitar solo doubled expertly with the guitarist's voice. "East St. Louis Toodle-Do" is overlaid with a sung "I Don't Get Around Much Anymore," with the two tunes attached firmly at the bridge. The effect is startling. Gerald Wilson's arrangement of "Perdido" is given lyrics by Pizzarelli's wife, Jessica Molaskey, who shares vocal duties with Kurt Elling. Other guests include tenor saxophonist Harry Allenand violinist Aaron Weinstein playing Ben Webster and Ray Nance on "C Jam Blues." Pizzarelli takes Ellington for a solo guitar spin on "Just Squeeze Me," giving his father a loving nod in the bargain. Speaking of Bucky, he provides the solo for "Satin Doll." Mainstream jazz is a demanding mistress and Pizzarelli manages her with grace and wit. This recording is an accomplishment of the most rarefied order. ~ C.Michael Bailey   http://www.allaboutjazz.com/rockin-in-rhythm-a-tribute-to-duke-ellington-john-pizzarelli-telarc-records-review-by-c-michael-bailey.php#.U6mlfbG4OSo

Personnel: John Pizzarelli: vocals, guitar; Jessica Molaskey, Kurt Elling: vocals; Bucky Pizzarelli: acoustic guitar, electric guitar; Aaron Weinstein: violin; Andy Fusco: clarinet, alto saxophone; Kenny Berger: bass clarinet, baritone saxophone; Harry Allen: tenor saxophone; Tony Kadleck: trumpet; John Mosca: trombone, alto horn; Larry Fuller: piano; Martin Pizzarelli: double bass; Tony Tedesco: drums.

Rockin In Rhythm

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Kurt Elling - 1619 Broadway: The Brill Building Project

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 56:31

Size: 129.4 MB

Styles: Vocal jazz

Year: 2012

Art: Front

[6:15] 1. On Broadway

[6:19] 2. Come Fly With Me

[4:57] 3. You Send Me

[5:40] 4. I Only Have Eyes For You

[2:47] 5. I'm Satisfied

[6:59] 6. A House Is Not A Home

[3:30] 7. Shoppin' For Clothes

[5:57] 8. So Far Away

[3:18] 9. Pleasant Valley Sunday

[5:23] 10. An American Tune

[5:21] 11. Tutti For Cootie

Kurt Elling celebrates a legendary legacy from outside the jazz world. 1619 Broadway – The Brill Building Project honors a locale that the London Telegraph called "the most important generator of popular songs in the Western world." Even for the ceaselessly inventive GRAMMY-winning singer-lyricist, it's a hugely unexpected step, and one guaranteed to further solidify his reputation for bold innovation and superb craftsmanship.

"Having done so many projects about my love for Chicago," Elling says, "I wanted to make something that spoke of my love for New York." The two cities define his career. Elling developed his craft in Chicago, and recorded several of his early albums there – including his debut, Close Your Eyes, which catapulted him onto the national stage and earned the first of his many GRAMMY nominations. (All told, every one of Elling's ten albums has been nominated for at least one jazz GRAMMY – a streak unequalled in GRAMMY history.)

But in fact, Elling and his family have lived in Manhattan since 2008, and 1619 Broadway – The Brill Building Project is his response to that experience.

"I didn't want to cover any of the New York songwriters jazz people usually go to: the Gershwins, Rodgers and Hart, Cole Porter, all of whom I love; I wanted to reach out for something different for jazz. The vast collection of songs coming out of The Brill Building seemed like a gold mine."

The Brill Building Project

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