Leni Stern - Like One

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:17
Size: 118,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:12)  1. Bubbles
(6:04)  2. Jessie's Song
(5:23)  3. Low Blow
(5:39)  4. Leave Softly
(4:42)  5. Lights Out
(6:46)  6. Blue Cloud
(4:11)  7. Bruze
(4:22)  8. Every Breath You Take
(3:54)  9. Court and Spark
(5:00) 10. Back Out

It isn't elitism that makes many in the jazz hardcore shudder whenever the word "fusion" is mentioned; it is the attempt to define any and everything instrumental as jazz, regardless of sound, structure, intent and content. Guitarist Leni Stern clearly has improvisational skills, and there are certainly songs on his current session designed in a jazz context. But neither Sting's "Every Breath You Take" nor Joni Mitchell's "Court and Spark" qualify; these are clearly pop covers, done with little or no jazz sensibility. Other songs reveal Stern's penchant for light, finely played voicings and bluesy chords, and includes some fervent blowing from tenor saxophonist Bob Malach. There is a lot on this session that is entertaining and commendable; just don't call the Sting cover jazz. ~ Ron Wynn  http://www.allmusic.com/album/like-one-mw0000619594 .

Personnel: Leni Stern (electric & slide guitar, tiple, 6 & 12-string acoustic guitar); Bob Malach (tenor saxophone); Didier Lockwood (violin); Russel Ferrante (keyboards); Alain Caron (bass); Dennis Chambers (drums).

Like One

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Esperanza Spalding - Radio Music Society

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:37
Size: 131.9 MB
Styles: Adult Contemporary R&B, Contemporary jazz
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[6:32] 1. Radio Song
[5:33] 2. Cinnamon Tree
[4:32] 3. Crowned & Kissed
[1:53] 4. Land Of The Free
[5:14] 5. Black Gold (Special Guest Algebra Blessett)
[4:40] 6. I Can't Help It
[3:40] 7. Hold On Me
[5:47] 8. Vague Suspicions
[6:35] 9. Endangered Species
[4:19] 10. Let Her
[4:32] 11. City Of Roses
[4:16] 12. Smile Like That

Esperanza Spalding's fourth album, Radio Music Society (a companion piece to Chamber Music Society in name only) is one of enormous ambition -- polished production, sophisticated, busy charts, and classy songwriting -- that consciously juxtaposes neo-soul and adult-oriented jazz-tinged pop. It employs a stellar cast, largely of jazz musicians, to pull it off. She produced the set, with help from Q-Tip on a couple of numbers, and wrote all but two songs here: a cover of "I Can't Help It" (a Michael Jackson cover written by Stevie Wonder) and Wayne Shorter's "Endangered Species." There are truckloads of players, including three different all-star drummers in Terri Lyne Carrington, Jack DeJohnette, and Billy Hart, saxophonist Joe Lovano, and guitarists Jef Lee Johnson and Lionel Loueke on "Black Gold" (which also contains his vocals and an appearance by the Savannah Children's Choir). Though Ms. Spalding takes most lead vocals, there are also duet appearances from Lalah Hathaway and Algebra Blessett. Backing vocalists include Gretchen Parlato (who also anchors a chorus on several tunes) and Leni Stern. The American Music Program horn section appears on three cuts. The highlights here include "Crowned & Kissed" (a Q-Tip co-production) with its rubbery bassline, contrapuntal horns, Leo Genovese's artful pianism, and Carrington's impeccable sense of swing that bridges funk, neo-soul, jazz, and hip-hop. "Radio Song" contains layered interpolated rhythms (again courtesy of Carrington), sparkling Rhodes piano, syncopated horns and backing chorus, Spalding's alto croon, and a taut, popping bassline. Lovano's saxophone adds a truly elegant and graceful dimension to "I Can't Help It." The charts on Shorter's tune (with lyrics by Spalding) illuminate what may have been the composer's intent all along -- and nod at Pastorius-era Weather Report simultaneously. DeJohnette's funky subtlety drives the knotty fingerpop of "Let Her," and Hart's trademark, shimmering cymbal work on "Hold on Me" complements Spalding's sultry vocal in retro bluesy pop -- it's one of only a couple of places on the record where she plays acoustic bass. While Radio Music Society may play better to younger pop audiences than more die-hard jazzheads, this program is so diverse and well executed -- despite a little overreaching -- it's anybody's guess. ~Thom Jurek

Radio Music Society mc
Radio Music Society zippy

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Leni Stern - Kindness Of Strangers

Size: 121,7 MB
Time: 52:34
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2000
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals, Guitar Jazz
Art: Front

01. I Call You ( 4:34)
02. Rescue My Heart ( 5:10)
03. La Soledad ( 3:54)
04. Kindness Of Strangers ( 5:02)
05. Carry Me ( 5:18)
06. You Won't Forget Me ( 6:08)
07. Vedo Il Tuo Viso (I See Your Face) (18:53)
08. Resonance ( 3:33)

Originally from Germany, guitarist/ vocalist /composer/ orchestrator LENI STERN is a formidable woman: uncompromising artist, businesswoman, cancer survivor and social advocate.

She is also one of the foremost female musicians performing today.

In her 15-year recording career, Leni has been recognized five consecutive times as the Gibson Female Guitarist of the Year and her new album, Kindness of Strangers - released on her own label - may be the work that catapults her to well-deserved recognition as one of the most complete, affecting musicians performing today.

Kindness Of Strangers is Leni's first full-length album of new material in three years and finds her achieving yet another new artistic level: orchestrator. Featuring eight new songs, framed in a lush orchestral setting, the music astounds the listener with both its beauty and its meaningful impact. The album's centerpiece, the epic mini-concerto "Vedo Il Tuo Viso (I See Your Face)," was commissioned for the Agosto 2 festival held annually in Bologna, Italy. The festival commemorates a neo-facist terrorist attack in a train station which left 85 people dead - mostly children - and more than 160 seriously injured.

As Leni writes in her liner notes, "I wrote the song when I discovered the story of Marco, a six-year- old who had half of his face ripped apart by the explosion. He grew up to be a famous painter... Marco's father sent me a pile of books that had been written over the years about the events of August 2nd. Among them was a transcript from the trial that showed...photographs of most of the victims along with a list of names. Some 80 little faces lay over my scoring paper as I wrote the last movement by setting their names to music. This piece is dedicated to them."

The CD also features the new songs, "I Call You", "Rescue My Heart", "Carry Me", "Resonance", and the title track "Kindness Of Strangers," which Leni wrote after encountering a homeless man on Madison Avenue in her hometown of New York City. This is music in the vein of Pat Metheny's "Secret Story", Gil Evans' work with Sting, as well as Steely Dan and Joni Mitchell.

Then again, Leni Stern belongs in her own category.

Kindness Of Strangers

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Various - Come Together: Guitar Tribute To The Beatles

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 58:42
Size: 136.1 MB
Label: NYC Music
Styles: Album rock, Alternative rock, Guitar jazz
Year: 1993
Art: Front

[4:51] 1. Mark Whitfield - Come Together
[6:04] 2. Toninho Horta - She's Leaving Home
[5:54] 3. Ralph Towner - Here, There, And Everywhere
[8:19] 4. Steve Khan - Within You, Without You/Blue Jay Way
[5:13] 5. Zachary Breaux - Eleanor Rigby
[2:16] 6. Adrian Belew - Blackbird
[5:24] 7. John Abercombie - And I Love Her
[4:54] 8. Allan Holdsworth - Michelle
[5:53] 9. Leni Stern - Norwegian Wood
[5:41] 10. Larry Coryell - Something
[4:09] 11. Toots Thielemans - Yesterday

Strictly speaking, this isn't just a guitar tribute to the Beatles, although stringed instruments that are plucked, strummed, and otherwise manipulated are in abundance, representing styles and sounds that will recall Django Reinhardt at one moment and the Mahavishnu Orchestra at the next. Toots Thielemans adds some astonishingly tasteful harmonica (and whistling) to "Yesterday" and Thomas Dawson's organ is almost a lead instrument on "Come Together." But it's the guitars (plus some superb bass) that make up the core of this delightful recording. Larry Coryell, Steve Khan, Ralph Towner, Adrian Belew, John Abercrombie, Allan Holdsworth, Toninho Horta (whose Brazilian-flavored rendition of "She's Leaving Home" is worth the price of admission by itself), and others do what they do best, and the results are revelatory and dazzlingly entertaining. This reviewer's favorite cut was Khan's medley of "Within You, Without You/Blue Jay Way," but that's just because it's that much more unexpected than anything else here. Mark Whitfield's lead work on the title cut, which is also the leadoff track, sets the bar pretty high for the rest of the CD, but everyone clears it and then some, each in his own way. One only wishes there'd been a follow-up album. ~Bruce Eder

Come Together: Guitar Tribute To The Beatles

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