Laurindo Almeida & The Bossa Nova All Stars - Bossa Nova

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:19
Size: 96.9 MB
Styles: Bossa Nova, Jazz guitar
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[2:18] 1. Naked City Theme
[2:11] 2. Ramblin' Rose
[2:22] 3. Maria
[2:34] 4. Lollipops And Roses
[2:02] 5. Moon River
[3:11] 6. Desafinado
[1:51] 7. Mr. Lucky
[2:13] 8. One Note Samba
[2:01] 9. Theme From Route 66
[2:53] 10. Recado Bossa Nova
[2:26] 11. I Left My Heart In San Francisco
[2:16] 12. O Barquinho (Little Boat)
[2:32] 13. Fly Me To The Moon (In Other Words)
[2:18] 14. Satin Doll
[2:04] 15. The Alley Cat Song
[2:32] 16. Meditation (Meditação)
[2:24] 17. Walk Right In
[2:04] 18. Days Of Wine And Roses

b. 2 September 1917, Prainha, São Paulo, Brazil, d. 26 July 1995, Van Nuys, California, USA. A fluent and skilled musician, famous in his native country as a classical Spanish guitar player, Almeida went to the USA in the 40s to work in film and television studios. His jazz work was first widely exposed during a spell with Stan Kenton in the late 40s. Although continuing his film and television work, Almeida also took many opportunities to play jazz, joining forces with bass player Harry Babasin, altoist Bud Shank and drummer Roy Harte in 1953. The work of this group anticipated many of the hallmarks of the bossa nova craze that came a few years later. In 1974, Almeida gained further appreciation when he was teamed with bass player Ray Brown, drummer Chuck Flores and Shank to form the L.A. 4. Records by this group, with Flores replaced successively by Shelly Manne and Jeff Hamilton, and later teamings with Shank in duo performances and with fellow guitarists Larry Coryell and Charlie Byrd, showcased the distinctive style that set Almeida’s work apart from the mainstream of jazz guitar.

During his career Almeida won Grammy awards in 1959 for his performance on Danzas, and the following year for The Spanish Guitars Of Laurindo Almeida and Conversations With The Guitar. In 1961, he gained two more with Discantos and Reverie For Spanish Guitars, and in 1962 further honours with nominations for Viva Bossa Nova! in the Best Performance By An Orchestra For Dancing and Best Jazz Performance categories and a third nomination with The Intimate Bach (Best Classical performance). In 1964, the album Guitar From Ipanema won the Grammy for Best Instrumental Jazz Performance, and in 1972 he was nominated for the Best Soloist award with The Art Of Laurindo Almeida. ~bio from AMG

Bossa Nova mc
Bossa Nova zippy

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Joanie Sommers, Laurindo Almeida - Softly, The Brazilian Sound

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:14
Size: 85.3 MB
Styles: Bossa Nova, Easy Listening
Year: 1964/1997
Art: Front

[2:58] 1. Meditation
[3:16] 2. Dear Heart
[3:06] 3. Watching The World Go By
[2:49] 4. Quiet Nights (Corcovado)
[2:43] 5. Once
[3:21] 6. Softly, As I Leave You
[2:21] 7. I Could Have Danced All Night
[2:57] 8. I'll Remember April
[3:31] 9. You Can't Go Home Again
[3:23] 10. Carnival
[3:55] 11. Old Guitaron
[2:49] 12. That's All

Joanie had a great 'teen' hit in the early sixties called "Johnny Get Angry". But it was only a bit later when she released an album of Bossa Nova numbers that blew me away. Still a teen ager, I had landed a job with a local FM station and put Joanie's Bossa Nova on the air immediately. It was like a breath of fresh air. Her unique voice caressed subtle Bossa rhythms like a cool sea breeze. She handled rhythms and phrasing as subtly as Getz --lilting, gently swinging, precise. Listening to her ablbums are still like sipping Pina Coladas, barefoot on a sunset beach. Rio never had a better ambassador. The good news is: this sound is as fresh as ever. Timeless! This collection features some of the same songs that I remember from that sixites release --Quiet Nights and Meditation, specifically. But every song she touches, she makes hers. Joanie is definitely among the great vocalists. ~Len Hart

Softly, the Brazilian Sound

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Laurindo Almeida & Bud Shank - Brazilliance Complete Sessions

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:54
Size: 176.1 MB
Styles: Latin jazz
Year: 2001
Art: Front

[2:47] 1. Atãbaque
[3:41] 2. Rio Rhapsody
[2:57] 3. Simpatico
[4:06] 4. Mood Antigua
[3:17] 5. Blue Baião
[3:32] 6. Nocturno
[3:00] 7. Stairway To The Stars
[3:10] 8. Terra Sêca
[2:19] 9. Speak Low
[3:01] 10. Acertate Mas
[3:01] 11. Nonô
[3:09] 12. Carioca Hills
[4:44] 13. Tocata
[2:55] 14. Amor Flamengo
[2:41] 15. Little Girl Blue
[3:33] 16. Carinhoso
[2:51] 17. I Didn't Know What Time It Was
[4:37] 18. Noctambulism
[3:00] 19. Baa-Too-Kee
[2:33] 20. Choro In A
[2:47] 21. Hazardous
[2:02] 22. The Color Of Her Hair
[3:55] 23. Lonely
[3:02] 24. Inquietaçao

Alto Saxophone – Bud Shank; Bass – Harry Babasin; Drums – Roy Harte; Guitar – Laurindo Almeida.

Laurindo Almeida (born September 2, 1917, São Paulo, Brazil–died July 26, 1995, Van Nuys, California) was a Brazilian classical guitarist. Prior to being invited to the United States in 1947 by Stan Kenton, Laurindo Almeida played guitar in Rio De Janeiro where he was known for his classical Spanish guitar playing. He joined Kenton's band during the height of its success in the 1940s, then was employed as a studio musician. In 1953 he recorded, with Bud Shank, two albums called Brazilliance for the World Pacific label. He also recorded with Stan Getz and Herbie Mann, among others, and recorded for film and television.

Clifford Everett "Bud" Shank, Jr. (May 27, 1926 – April 2, 2009) was an American alto saxophonist and flautist. He rose to prominence in the early 1950s playing lead alto and flute in Stan Kenton's Innovations in Modern Music Orchestra and throughout the decade worked in various small jazz combos. He spent the 1960s as a first-call studio musician in Hollywood. In the 1970s and 1980s he performed regularly with the L. A. Four. Shank ultimately abandoned the flute to focus exclusively on playing jazz on the alto saxophone. He also recorded on tenor and baritone sax. He is also well known for the alto flute solo on the song "California Dreamin'" recorded by The Mamas & the Papas in 1965.

Brazilliance Complete Sessions

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June Christy - June's Got Rhythm

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:06
Size: 98.7 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 1958/2006
Art: Front

[2:23] 1. Rock Me To Sleep
[3:16] 2. The Gypsy In My Soul
[2:41] 3. I'm Glad There Is You
[2:43] 4. They Can't Take That Away From Me
[1:55] 5. It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)
[2:46] 6. My One And Only Love
[2:56] 7. When Lights Are Low
[3:34] 8. I Can Make You Love Me (If You Let Me)
[4:17] 9. Easy Living
[3:15] 10. Blue Moon
[2:16] 11. All God's Chillun Got Rhythm
[2:30] 12. Baubles, Bangles And Beads
[2:22] 13. Aren't You Glad You're You
[2:39] 14. Looking For A Boy
[3:26] 15. Small Fry

Bass – Monty Budwig; Drums – Mel Lewis, Shelly Manne; Flute – George Spelvin; Guitar – Laurindo Almeida; Oboe – Bob Cooper; Piano – Russ Freeman; Trombone – Frank Rosolino; Trumpet – Ed Leddy; Tuba – Red Callender. Recorded in Hollywood, June, 1958.

Many of singer June Christy's popular Capitol albums feature her cool-toned vocals backed by an orchestra. This recording is an exception. Christy excels on a jazz-oriented set with a nonet that includes trumpeter Ed Leddy, trombonist Frank Rosolino and her husband Bob Cooper (who arranged the set) on tenor and oboe. Christy accurately called this music "intimate swing." Her versions of such songs as "I'm Glad There Is You," "My One and Only Love," "When Lights Are Low" and "Blue Moon" are tasteful, sincere and often quite memorable. ~Scott Yanow

June's Got Rhythm

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Laurindo Almeida - Viva Bossa Nova!

Styles: Guitar Jazz, Brazilian Jazz
Year: 1962
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 28:22
Size: 65,6 MB
Art: Front

(2:21)  1. Naked City Theme
(2:27)  2. Lazy River
(2:16)  3. Ramblin' Rose
(2:25)  4. Maria
(2:18)  5. Petite Fleur
(2:22)  6. Teach Me Tonight
(2:36)  7. Lolipops and Roses
(2:05)  8. Moon River
(3:15)  9. Desafinado
(1:55) 10. Mr. Lucky
(2:15) 11. One Note Samba
(2:01) 12. Theme from 'Route '66'

Although Laurindo Almeida was involved in many top notch authentic Bossa Nova albums, he was hardly a purist and didn’t mind mixing pop elements with Bossa Nova with the intent of reaching a broader audience. Such is the case with “Viva Bossa Nova!” from 1962, the rhythms are pure Bossa Nova, and they are expertly played, but the melodies come from popular movies and TV shows. Adding to the early 60s pop appeal is Jimmy Rowles playing a beautifully cheezy electric organ, the ultimate in ‘lounge cool’ in this pre-hippie era. It all adds up, real Bossa Nova fans may not dig this, but its perfect for fans of exotica and 60s bachelor pad mystique. Although this was mostly meant to be a pop album, none of these excellent musicians checked their creativity and talent at the door. All of the arrangements are varied and interesting and almost every tune provides a solo or two. Some top tune honors go to “Maria”, with a great sax solo from Bob Cooper, and “Petite Le Fleur” with a beautiful bass flute melody from Justin Gordon. 

“Mr Lucky” and “Theme from Route 66” are also successes in arrangement and execution. Throughout this album, Almeida and his producers stay away from overplayed tunes and the kind of super corny songs that can often drag these kind of records down. “Moon River” is probably the only song close to that category, everything else on here sounds fairly fresh. Although the choice of songs pushes this album more in a pop/exotica type direction, the high musicianship and general good-taste in presentation might make this appealing to fans of real Bossa Nova too. http://www.jazzmusicarchives.com/review/viva-bossa-nova/247448

Personnel:  Bass – Max Bennett;  Flute – Justin Gordon;  Guitar [Second] – Al Viola, Howard Roberts;  Guitar, Cavaquinho – Laurindo Almeida;  Organ [Electronic] – Jimmy Rowles;  Percussion – Chico Guerrero, Milt Holland, Shelly Manne;  Tenor Saxophone – Bob Cooper;  Trumpet – Don Fagerquist

Viva Bossa Nova!

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Laurindo Almeida - Guitar from Ipanema

Styles: Guitar Jazz, Brazilian Jazz

Year: 1964

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 30:07

Size: 69,2 MB

Art: Front

(2:20)  1. Girl from Ipanema

(3:10)  2. Manhã de Carnaval

(2:08)  3. Sarah's Samba

(2:59)  4. Winter Moon

(2:34)  5. Izabella

(2:49)  6. Choro for People in Love

(2:43)  7. Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars

(3:51)  8. Old Guitaron

(2:13)  9. Um Abraço No Bonfa

(3:04) 10. Twilight in Rio

(2:10) 11. The Fiddler's Wolf Whistle

It is a bit ironic that guitarist Laurindo Almeida found himself in the 1960's jumping on the bossa-nova bandwagon a bit late for he had actually pioneered the movement a decade earlier. The Brazilian guitarist plays well enough on the 11 bossa tunes included on this out-of-print Lp (mostly originals plus covers of "The Girl From Ipanema," "Manha De Carnaval" and "Quiet Nights Of Quiet Stars") but the arrangements (which sometimes utilize the whistling of Jack Marshall, George Field's harmonica and flutist Harry Klee among others) are commercial and overly concise; all but two of the songs are under three minutes. Irene Kral's two vocals (quite early in her career) are a plus and the music is quite pleasing but there are no surprises. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/guitar-from-ipanema-mw0000573855

Personnel: Laurindo Almeida (guitar); Irene Kral (vocals); Jack Marshall (whistling, guitar); Al Hendrickson (guitar); Fafá Lemos (violin); Harry Klee (flute); George Fields (harmonica); Djalma Ferreira (organ).

Guitar from Ipanema    

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Laurindo Almeida - A Man and a Woman

Styles: Guitar Jazz, Latin Jazz
Year: 1967
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 32:05
Size: 73,9 MB
Art: Front

(2:26)  1. A Man and a Woman
(3:05)  2. Call Me
(2:25)  3. Michelle
(2:23)  4. 'Cause I Love Her
(2:41)  5. Bluesette
(3:28)  6. Here's That Rainy Day
(3:48)  7. Secret Love
(3:49)  8. Distant Shores
(2:53)  9. Soft Mood
(2:49) 10. Goin' Out of My Head
(2:13) 11. Mas Que Nada

Laurindo Almeida (September 2, 1917 – July 26, 1995) was a Brazilian virtuoso guitarist and composer who made many recordings of enduring impact in classical, jazz and Latin genres. He is widely credited, with fellow artist Bud Shank, for creating the fusion of Latin and jazz which came to be known as the “Jazz Samba.” 

Almeida was the first artist to receive Grammy Awards for both classical and jazz performances. His discography encompasses more than a hundred recordings over five decades.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurindo_Almeida

A Man and a Woman

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Laurindo Almeida - The Look of Love

Styles: Guitar Jazz, Latin Jazz
Year: 1968
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 30:12
Size: 69,5 MB
Art: Front

(2:28)  1. Windy
(3:06)  2. Angel Eyes
(2:26)  3. I Love You
(2:36)  4. Up, Up and Away
(3:12)  5. Don't Sleep in the Subway
(2:27)  6. The Look of Love
(3:13)  7. When I Look in Your Eyes
(2:54)  8. Alfie
(2:47)  9. A Beautiful Friendship
(2:26) 10. Simplicidade
(2:33) 11. My Own True Love

During a long and uncommonly productive career, Brazilian guitarist Laurindo Almeida achieved a ubiquity in popular music that has yet to be fully recognized. Largely responsible for the Brazilian/North American "samba jazz" that would eventually catch on in the form of a musical trend known as bossa nova, he played behind dozens of well-known pop vocalists and improved the overall texture of many a studio production ensemble. One credible estimate states that Almeida contributed to no less than 800 film soundtracks (among them The Old Man and the Sea, How the West Was Won, and Breakfast at Tiffany's), as well as countless TV scores. He also authored a series of guitar instruction books that are still in use worldwide. A master improviser and a skilled arranger as well as a brilliant interpreter of classical repertoire, he left for posterity superb recordings of works by J.S. Bach, Fryderyk Chopin, Claude Debussy, and Joaquín Rodrigo as well as a host of Brazilian composers including Heitor Villa-Lobos, Radamés Gnattali, and Alfredo Vianna. Almeida's own chamber compositions include a concerto for guitar and orchestra.

Laurindo Jose de Araujo Almeida Nobrega Neto was born in the village of Prainha near the Port of Santos in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, on September 2, 1917. He received his first musical instruction from his mother, a classically trained pianist, and credited her fondness for the music of Fryderyk Chopin as a primary influence. After observing his sister being given guitar lessons, "Lindo" borrowed her instrument and retreated to a barn where he taught himself to play entirely by ear, transferring what he'd heard his mother play on the piano to the strings of the guitar. Many years later he would declare his preference for the direct intimacy of the guitar as opposed to the more percussive piano. By the age of nine he had become uncommonly skilled and was well on the way to becoming a guitar virtuoso; it was then that he lost his father to typhoid fever. At 12 he relocated to São Paulo with his brother. He joined the Revolutionary Army at 15 and was wounded in a civil conflagration. While recuperating in a hospital he met Garoto, a nationally respected guitarist who was visiting to perform for the patients. Within a few years, Almeida would perform and record extensively with Garoto.

In 1935 Almeida moved to Rio de Janeiro, where he teamed up with singer and tenor guitarist Nestor Amaral and began working in radio while becoming active as a songwriter, arranger, and multi-instrumentalist and performing regularly at the Casino da Urea. He composed folk songs, fox trots, sambas, choros, waltzes, and comedic airs, and worked with a broad range of artists including choro master Pixinguinha. He also collected 78-rpm jazz records, and was especially fond of the way Fats Waller played the piano. In 1936, at the age of 19, he got a job (playing banjo for the most part so as to be heard) for half a year on the Cuyaba, a cruise ship that docked in every country along the coast of Europe from Spain to Germany. While visiting Paris he was able to hear Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli in person. In 1941 he played the Casino Copacabana, and switched over to the Casino Balneario da Urca the following year. It was there that he met a Portuguese ballerina named Natalia (Maria Miguelina Ferreira Ribeiro) in 1944 and married her shortly afterwards. More... ~ arwulf arwulf  http://www.allmusic.com/artist/laurindo-almeida-mn0000761478/biography

The Look of Love

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