Klaus Mayer Big Band - Swing Nights

Size: 103,6 MB
Time: 39:03
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz: Big Band, Vocals
Art: Front

01. Fly Me To The Moon (2:40)
02. Deed I Do (3:08)
03. Night And Day (3:33)
04. At Last (4:19)
05. Comes Love (3:57)
06. It Don't Mean A Thing (2:00)
07. I´ve Got The World On A String (3:01)
08. Cheek To Cheek (3:39)
09. Teach Me Tonight (3:48)
10. Time After Time (2:48)
11. Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen (4:23)
12. When You're Smiling/The Sheik Of Araby (1:39)

Exciting collection of big band song and swing from Mexico´s premier big band. Interpreted by young and talented musicians from Guadalajara, Mexico (the youngest one being 16 years old) under the direction of the Austrian saxophonist and bandleader Klaus Mayer. Features a young vocalist whose exceptional talent has led her to develop a unique and intriguing style that exudes youth yet reminds one of the maturity, brilliance and freshness of the great ladies of song Billy Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald and Etta James. Klaus Mayer, Austrian citizen, who left his country to play jazz in the US and then moved to Mexico where he found fertile grounds and acceptance for his music, formed the band in 2009 inviting young instrumentalists of Guadalajara, Mexico hungry to learn the craft of playing jazz and big band. Initially the band had five horns (term musicians use for wind instruments), a rhythm section of three (piano, bass and drums) and a singer. Over the next six years the instrumentation expanded and now there are five saxophones, three trumpets, three trombones, piano, guitar, drums, bass and vocals. The band has performed with some of Mexico´s famous rock singers like Jose Fors (Cuca), Ugo Rodriguez (Azul Violeta), Sara Valenzuela (La Dosis) and other singers and songwriters like Ricardo Caballero (La Academia), Paola Vergara, Jaramar, Henry Reneau (Afro Brothers) among others. The band is a steady at Mexico´s jazz festivals. It also has done concerts with some important jazz players and big band directors who live in the US like Alex Sipiagin (Mingus Big Band, Dave Holland Sextet), Boris Kozlov (Mingus Big Band), Pete Rodriguez (Celia Cruz, Johnny Pacheco, Tito Puente), Dave Douglas (SF Jazz Collective, John Zorn). The band has steadily expanded its repertoires starting out studying the styles of the orchestras of Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Buddy Rich, Glenn Miller, Duke Ellington, Count Basie.

Trombones:
Armando González (Gerzz) 1st tenor and bass trombone
Hugo Ayanegui 2nd tenor trombone (Trombone solo on Comes Love)
Adrián Nava 3rd tenor trombone
Samuel Flores Bass and additional tenor trombones
Rodrigo Sandoval additional tenor trombone

Trumpets:
José Luis Alemán 1st and additional trumpet
Oliver García 2nd trumpet
Cesar López 3rd trumpet
Omar Rosales 4th trumpet
Chai Flores additional trumpets

Saxofones:
Sara Ventura Sax 1st Alto Sax
Fernando García 2nd Alto Sax
Klaus Mayer Sax 1st Tenor and Baritone Sax
Juan Daniel Morfín Sax 2nd Tenor Sax

Rhythm section:
Alejandro Castro Bass
Jorge González Piano
Andrés Gallegos Drums
Erik Kasten Guitar

Vocals:
Ana Sandoval

Swing Nights

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Dannah Garay - My Miracle

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:14
Size: 120,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:33)  1. What We've Shared
(3:52)  2. My Miracle
(3:51)  3. In Love
(3:56)  4. Sunshine
(4:37)  5. There's a Place
(3:58)  6. The Road I Know
(3:11)  7. Music Itself
(5:40)  8. Once You Came
(4:56)  9. Spinning Around
(4:56) 10. Always There
(5:13) 11. Mr. Swing
(4:25) 12. Let Me Be Your Angel

With this new album Dannah Garay gets the title of "one of the best jazz singers in Mexico" with her previous album "From you to you" a tribute to Nat "King" Cole, she got the attention of the international press. https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/dannahgaray2

Personnel:  Dannah Garay: Voice; Alex Mercado: Piano; Agustín Bernal: Double bass; Gabriel Puentes: Drums

My Miracle

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Alex Gomez - Calle Doce

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:58
Size: 135.0 MB
Styles: Fusion
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[10:24] 1. Holograma
[ 8:06] 2. Ladyjazz
[ 3:58] 3. Q' Fusion
[ 9:45] 4. Tumbando
[ 4:22] 5. Andando Smooth
[ 4:56] 6. Adrenalina
[ 8:17] 7. Funkation
[ 3:19] 8. Teen Town
[ 5:48] 9. Como De Que Rock

Alejandro Gomez was born in Guadalajara Jalisco México december 20th 1980. At the age of 6, Alex discovered an irresistible attraction towards the drum set and music in general under his biggest influence his father Jose Gomez (professional musician). At the age of 13 he enrolled in the Conservatory of music of Guadalajara (U.D.G) and participated in several master classes with many great musicians, Alvaro Lopez Jr, Gregg Bissonette, Antonio Sanchez, Giovanni Figueroa, Dave Weckl and many others. At the age of 15 he began his professional career as a Studio musician working with several local bands with such stylings as pop, funk, Rock , Jazz, Fusion and many others Latin styles such as Salsa, Merenge, Jazz Latino, Timba and Brazilian Music. His introduction to the big city at age 19 was in the expromusic festival 2000 with his jazz Quartet McKanne. At that time they where one of the youngest and most recognize Jazz bands in Guadalajara. Since then, he has been offered work as a professional musician in Mexico City. Working with several artists as a studio Musician and touring in many countries with many Mexican artists such as Lucero, Angelica Vale, Nicola Di vari, Jose Jose, Emmanuel, Gloria Trevi, Mijares, Ana Sirre, Gilberto Gless, Paty Manterola, Pablo Montero, Belinda, Amaury Gutierrez, Ha Ash, Francisco Cespedes, Ana Barbara, Yuri, Tommy Torres, Alejandra Guzman, SPECIAL EVENT SHOW LIVE WITH ALEJANDRO SANZ MEXICO CITY AUDITORIO NACIONAL. nowdays he’s playing with, RICARDO MONATNER, Alex also has performed in important Mexican Tv shows like: MTV latin awards, Superball, Otro Rollo, No Manches, La Parodia, Permitame Tantito, Animal Nocturno, and many others. He is currently playing on the mexican jazz scene, recently was invited to play with Tom Coster (Jazz Master, Santana, Vital Information, etc.) He has conducted clinics and master classes in Mexico & latin America. Alex is sponsored by PEARL DRUMS, EVANS drum heads, ZILDJIAN cymbals. With "Calle Donce" Alex launches his solo career.

Calle Doce mc
Calle Doce zippy

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Jorge Estrada - Voices Of The Black Forest

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:20
Size: 129.0 MB
Styles: Latin jazz
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[6:38] 1. Black Gold
[8:51] 2. Lo Que Dejaste
[7:29] 3. Galadriel (For Bonnie Herman)
[7:24] 4. Voices Of The Black Forest
[4:02] 5. Si Sobrevives
[6:18] 6. Blue House
[9:44] 7. Istanbul Moments
[5:49] 8. Hannah's House

Hi my name is Jorge Estrada. I was born in Guadalajara, Mèxico and I’ve been a musician for 26 years. I studied in the Universidad de Guadalajara’s music school and from the beginning I was attracted mainly to jazz. Since then, I’ve been fortunate to learn and play with many people that have significantly helped me along the way. I also have been to places that not even in my wildest dreams I thought I would ever be. Some of the people I’ve worked with: Kitty Margolis, Joyce Cooling, Ann Dyer, Richard Howell, Steve Baughman, Madeline Eastman, Claudia Gômez, Jimmy Haslip, Sandro Albert, Marco Da Costa, Luis Conte, Sal Cracciolo,Brandon Fields, Jimmy Branly, Dean Taba, Don Shelton from The Singers Unlimited and The Hi-Lo's, Carlos Estrada and Alejandro Fernàndez, with whom I’ve had the pleasure of working and touring with for the last 10 years. Some of the countries I have performed are: USA, Venezuela, Turkey, Spain, Colombia and Brazil among others. I hope you enjoy my music ! ~Jorge.

Voices Of The Black Forest mc
Voices Of The Black Forest zippy

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Akira Tana - Jazzanova

Size: 137,3 MB
Time: 58:55
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Braizilian Jazz, Bossa Nova, Samba
Art: Front

01. Aguas De Março (Feat. Claudia Villela & Claudio Amaral) (4:13)
02. Love Dance (Feat. Carla Helmbrecht) (5:52)
03. Chega De Saudade (Feat. Maria Volonte & Jackie Ryan) (4:52)
04. Bilhete (Feat. Sandy Cressman) (4:12)
05. Corcovado (Feat. Carla Helmbrecht) (5:43)
06. Condename A Callar (Feat. Maria Volonte) (3:26)
07. Waiting For Angela (Feat. Branford Marsalis & Claudia Villela) (3:51)
08. Jangada (Feat. Claudia Villela) (5:33)
09. Caminhos Cruzados (Feat. Sandy Cressman) (4:51)
10. Aquele Frevo Axe (Feat. Claudio Amaral) (3:45)
11. Por Causa De Voce (Feat. Jackie Ryan) (3:45)
12. Diride (Feat. Claudia Villela & Ricardo Peixoto) (4:26)
13. La Gloria Eres Tu (Feat. Arturo Sandoval & Maria Volonte) (4:20)

With Special Guests Branford Marsalis and Arturo Sandoval and a Dazzling Cast Of Singers, Including Rio-Born Claudia Villela, Viva Brazil’s Claudio Amaral, Argentine Tango Master Maria Volonté, Mexican-American Jazz Diva Jackie Ryan, Thrice-Grammy Nominated Carla Helmbrecht, and Brazilian Jazz Specialist Sandy Cressman.

Akira Tana didn’t have to go looking for Brazilian music as a young musician. An elite jazz drummer since the mid-1970s, he’s been immersed in the verdant hothouse of Brazil’s surging rhythms and sensuous melodies his entire career. His new album JAZZaNOVA, which is slated for release by Vega on March 1, 2018, reflects an abiding passion kindled by his formative experiences with some of Brazilian jazz’s foundational figures. It’s a treasure trove of Brazilian riches, with beautifully crafted arrangements designed to shine a lustrous new light on classic material.

Featuring a cast of top-shelf Bay Area players, JAZZaNOVA was designed to showcase a superlative cast of singers and instrumentalist interpreting some of the Brazilian Songbook’s definitive standards and lesser known gems, with a couple of songs en Español included for good measure. While Tana is best known for the talent-proving band he co-led with bassist Rufus Reid, TanaReid, and as first call accompanist who toured and recorded with jazz legends such as James Moody, Zoot Sims, the Heath Brothers, Art Farmer and J.J. Johnson, he’s collaborated with Brazilian masters from the start of his career.

“It goes back to when I was in school in Boston,” Tana says. “Trumpeter Claudio Roditi was living there after studying at Berklee, and we’d play Brazilian jazz around Boston that sometimes included alto saxophonist and composer Victor Assis Brazil and trombonist Raul de Souza. I met Ricardo Peixoto when I was doing gigs in Nantucket during the summers. I followed his career and am fortunate that he ended up living in the San Francisco Bay Area and was able to be involved in this project.”

Rio-born Peixoto, a Bay Area mainstay who provides the essential pulse throughout the album, is a direct link between Tana’s early immersion in Brazilian music and JAZZaNOVA. Tana’s band also features Peter Horvath on piano and Fender Rhodes, Airto and Flora Purim collaborator Gary Brown on bass, and percussion master Michael Spiro. Saxophonist Branford Marsalis or Cuban-born trumpeter Arturo Sandoval contribute vivid solos on almost every track, providing incisive commentary for the six extraordinary vocalists. As Andrew Gilbert writes in the liner notes, “the album’s concept is based upon matching singers and songs…an eclectic cast united by the fact that each possesses an utterly personal sound and approach.”

The album opens with Peixoto’s playful arrangement pairing Claudio Amaral and Claudia Villela on “Águas de Março” (Waters of March), a loving hat tip to Jobim and Elis Regina duet on the classic 1974 album Elis & Tom. It’s a welcome spotlight for Amaral, who’s better known as a prolific composer and guitarist via collaborations with vocalist Mark Murphy and Brazilian stars Martinho da Vila, Joao Gilberto, and Airto Moreira. Villela, one of the world’s finest Brazilian jazz singers, also contributes two original pieces, the soaring, Joni Mitchell-esque “Jangaga” and “Diride,” which pairs her with her longtime creative partner Peixoto on acoustic guitar.

Vocalist Sandy Cressman steps forward on a gorgeous version of “Caminhos Cruzados” (Crossroads), one of five classic Jobim songs on the album. Known for her expansive repertoire of MPB (musica popular brasileira), she’s an ideal choice to interpret Ivan Lins and Vitor Martins’s popular ballad “Bilhete,” which features a startlingly beautiful Branford soprano sax solo. Carla Helmbrecht also puts her stamp on Jobim and Lins, delivering supple and emotionally resonant versions of “Corcovado” and “Love Dance” (Lins’s best known jazz standard).

While Helmbrecht isn’t usually associated with Brazilian music, Jackie Ryan has honed a polyglot repertoire encompassing numerous Brazilian standards, and her aching rendition of Jobim’s “Por Causa De Você” (Don’t Ever Go Away) taps into the same bottomless well of desperation that made Frank Sinatra’s collaboration with the composer so powerful. Ryan and the great Argentine vocalist Maria Volonte effectively team up on Peixoto’s sleek and buoyant multi-lingual arrangement of Jobim’s “Chega De Saudade” (No More Blues).

One of Argentina’s most celebrated tango singers, Volonté fits neatly into the JAZZANOVA fold. In addition to “Chega De Saudade,” she performs another duet, joining Sandoval on the album’s closer, the romantic ballad “La Gloria Eres Tu,” indelibly linked to Mexican superstar Luis Miguel. Volonté’s impassioned performance is no surprise, but Sandoval’s potent vocals offer another glimpse at his prodigious musical gifts.

Throughout the session, Tana renders the various grooves with taste and an unerring ear for textural support. As authoritative as he is behind the drum kit, he’s emerged in recent decades as a savvy producer who can turn a concept into a singular musical communion, such as 2011’s Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (Sons of Sound), a session exploring title themes from James Bond films, and 2013’s Otonawa, a strikingly beautiful project marrying traditional Japanese melodies with trenchant jazz improvisation.

Born in San Jose in March 14, 1952 and raised in Palo Alto, Tana played in a rock band as a teenager, and become a devoted jazz convert after acquiring a used copy of Miles Davis’s classic 1966 album Miles Smiles. His father led various Buddhist congregations around the Bay Area and his mother played koto and piano. While majoring in East Asian Studies at Harvard, he continued to play jazz whenever he could. His friendship with budding jazz drum star Billy Hart led to an early epiphany when he had a chance to sit in with Herbie Hancock’s Mwandishi band in the early '70s. A protégé of the great drum teacher Alan Dawson (whose past students included Tony Williams and Clifford Jarvis), Tana decided to pursue music full time and enrolled at New England Conservatory, graduating with a degree in percussion, still finding time to do tours with Sonny Rollins, Hubert Laws, and the Paul Winter Consort.

Other extracurricular gigs with heavyweight jazz artists like Milt Jackson, Sonny Stitt and Helen Humes during his eight years in Boston helped pave the way for his move to New York in 1979. He made a name for himself as a leader with TanaReid, a band he co-founded and led with bassist Rufus Reid. During the course of the 90s the group toured internationally, released six CDs and helped boost the careers of brilliant young improvisers like pianist Rob Schneiderman, and tenor saxophonists Mark Turner and Ralph Moore. With JAZZaNOVA , he’s staked a rightful claim to the Brazilian jazz canon, joined by a cast of redoubtable cast of collaborators. ~Mouthpiece Music

Jazzanova

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Margo Rey - The Roots Of Rey | Despacito Margo

Size: 120,4 MB
Time: 51:29
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz Vocals, Latin Jazz
Art: Front

01. Prelude To Angel Eyes (1:25)
02. Angel Eyes (3:35)
03. This Masquerade (4:13)
04. The Nearness Of You (4:20)
05. Mi Gran Deseo (My Heart's Desire) (4:27)
06. Windmills Of Your Mind (4:57)
07. Nuestra Cancion (4:12)
08. Speak Low (2:47)
09. Verdad Amarga (3:32)
10. Nature Boy (4:03)
11. You Don't Know What Love Is (4:01)
12. Chan Chan (5:26)
13. My Heart's Desire (4:26)

Personnel:
Margo Rey - Vocals
Oscar Hernandez - Piano
Jimmy Branly - Drums
Rene Camacho - Bass
Ramon Stagnano - Guitar
Justo Almario - Sax & Flute
Joey De Leon - Percussion

"Margo is a high-energy, self-motivated singer...What she does with a melody and a groove is just gorgeous! It's no wonder, she has exploded on to the music scene." ~BBC Radio

Los Angeles-based singer, songwriter, arranger and producer, Margo Rey, has had a rich career of performance and songwriting, including eight Billboard Top 20 hits over the years.The Roots Of Rey is Margo conceptualizing and embracing her roots as an accomplished Latin Jazz musician, presenting a modern American & Latin American songbook reimagined for the times. Performed by Rey in English and Spanish and arranged by multi-Grammy-winning pianist, Oscar Hernandez (Spanish Harlem Orchestra), the 13 songs cover some of the most memorable work from composers like Leon Russell, Hoagy Carmichael, and Michel LeGrand, and also includes an inspired 10-year anniversary salsa arrangement of Rey's original jazz composition, My Heart's Desire. "...a velvety sensuality within which one can discern a very well trained voice. Fans of Nora Jones and Sade have much to celebrate because the intimate vocalizations of Margo Rey with her rich and sensual voice evokes these figures but in Rey's case, she does it with a personal and modern twist." ~American Airlines Magazine.

The Roots Of Rey

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Pepe Jaramillo - Latin World, Piano & Coffee

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:34
Size: 150.1 MB
Styles: Latin piano jazz
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[2:42] 1. La Chanson D'orphée (Manha De Carnaval)
[2:51] 2. La Vie En Rose
[3:58] 3. Desafinado
[2:14] 4. Les Enfants Du Pirée (From Never On Sunday)
[2:48] 5. La Paloma
[2:33] 6. Tangerine
[2:38] 7. Para Vigo Me Voy
[1:54] 8. The Coffee Song
[2:47] 9. Till
[2:58] 10. Sand In My Shoes
[2:52] 11. Romántica
[2:07] 12. María Elena
[2:30] 13. Tú Que Pasas Sin Mirarme
[2:20] 14. I Wish You Love
[2:28] 15. In A Litlle Spanish Town
[2:31] 16. Acércate Más
[2:48] 17. Nightingale
[2:40] 18. In Other Words (Fly Me To The Moon)
[3:13] 19. Delicado
[1:47] 20. Rico Vacilón
[2:52] 21. Sirenas Bajo El Mar
[2:35] 22. Love Of My Live
[2:15] 23. Día Si, Día No
[2:35] 24. La Comparsa (Batucada)
[2:28] 25. Serenata

Pepe Jaramillo (born José Jaramillo García; October 27, 1921, Lerdo - April 30, 2001, Andalucia) was a notable Mexican pianist, composer, arranger, and recording artist. He was most active in London as an EMI recording artist in the 1960s and 1970s. Born in Lerdo, Durango, he began his professional music career playing in night clubs in México City. Relocating to London in the late 1950s, his many recordings and world-wide concert appearances brought him international fame. He died in his sleep of anemia at his villa in Spain. (On the internet, his activity has often been confused with the Ecuadorean singer of the same name.)

Latin World, Piano & Coffee mc
Latin World, Piano & Coffee zippy

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Gabriel Espinosa - Songs Of Bacharach And Manzanero

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:55
Size: 114.3 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz, Latin jazz
Year: 2016
Art: Front

[5:09] 1. Adoro
[5:06] 2. (They Long To Be) Close To You (Feat. Tierney Sutton)
[5:02] 3. Como Yo Te Ame
[3:18] 4. The Look Of Love (Feat. Tierney Sutton)
[5:00] 5. Esta Tarde Vi Llover
[4:46] 6. What The World Needs Now (Feat. Tierney Sutton)
[4:04] 7. Somos Novios
[6:16] 8. Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head (Feat. Tierney Sutton)
[4:40] 9. Cuando Estoy Contigo
[6:29] 10. Alfie (Feat. Tierney Sutton)

Bassist-composer-arranger Gabriel Espinosa explores the common ground between two prolific and influential popular composers who came to prominence during the ‘60s in their respective countries -- Burt Bacharach in the United States and Armando Manzanero in Mexico. With five-time Grammy Award-nominated vocalist Tierney Sutton handling the five familiar Bacharach tracks and Espinosa himself singing the Spanish lyrics of five tunes by his fellow countryman and native of Yucatan, this alluring concept album is brimming with the kind of sophisticated harmonies, unexpected chord progressions and changing meters that mark both acclaimed composers’ work, while also being unabashedly romantic at his core.

As Espinosa states, “I’m not a jazz musician, I’m not a Brazilian musician or Afro-Cuban musician or bolero musician. I’m a little bit of everything, so I put a little bit of everything in these songs.” What do the famed American pop composer and beloved Mexican bolero composer have in common? Espinosa rattles off a list of qualities: “Beautiful melodies, beautiful harmonies, beautiful lyrics. Friendly songs. Songs that people can relate to. Songs that people can sing along to. They’re beautiful songs. To me, they are like the new American Songbook writers. Bacharach is a magic composer. Nobody was writing popular music like that in the ‘60s. And Manzanero is the equivalent of Jobim, but in the Mexican bolero music tradition. He is one of the idol composers in Mexico.” ~Grady Harp

The ensemble is Gabriel Espinosa, vocals, Tierney Sutton, vocals, Misha Tsiganov, piano and fender Rhodes, Mauricio Zottarelli, drums, percussion. Jim Seeley, trumpet, flugelhorn, Hendrik Meurkins, harmonica, Gustavo Amarante, electric bass, Joe Martin, acoustic bass, Gabriel Espinosa, eclectic bass, Rubens De La Corte, acoustic guitar, Itai Kriss, flute, and Johathan Gomez, bongos.

Songs Of Bacharach And Manzanero

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Enrique Haneine - Instants Of Time

Size: 156,1 MB
Time: 67:02
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Contemporary Jazz, Latin Jazz
Art: Front

01. Angularity Within (5:06)
02. If You Know What I Mean (5:47)
03. Houston (4:14)
04. Esperanza (4:19)
05. Slippery When Dry (4:06)
06. Inside The Journey (6:29)
07. Color And Space (6:06)
08. By Choice (6:58)
09. The East Side Of Lloyd (5:22)
10. The Tear And Smile Of An Angel (6:05)
11. Let The Cedar Tell The Story (6:22)
12. Who's Willing (6:01)

New York based multi-instrumentalist Enrique Haneine dazzled the music world with superb pianism on the 2005 collaborative release At the End of the Day (Foxhaven, 2005). Ten years later, he leads his sextet on the gripping and spirited Instants Of Time this time from the drummer seat.

Haneine is a native of Mexico of Lebanese ancestry so he peppers his intricately designed compositions with a vibrant Latin groove and Levantine lyricism. Some pieces lean in one direction or another, most, however, are a deft blend of his many heritages.

The cinematic "Let The Cedar Tell The Story" has a definite Middle Eastern folk motif at its core. Haneine propels the tune forward with his commanding drumming, embellished with chiming, tambourine beats. Saxophonist Catherine Sikora blends east and west in an expressive and pastoral soprano improvisation as the band performs an exuberant chorus laced with melancholy.

Sikora opens the sensual "Esperanza," the most distinctly Spanish song on the disc, with her unaccompanied, thick and wistful tenor lines. Vocalist Lori Cotler steals the spotlight with her delightfully haunting wordless singing that undulates over trumpeter Lex Samu's clear burnished tones.

Samu's warm, languid phrases meander between Sikora's poetic tenor solo and trombonist Michael Rörby's pensive growl on the mystical "By Choice." The amalgam of rolling Afro Cuban flavored rhythms and lilting, Arabesque harmonies brings forth an Andalusian style romanticism to the richly textured music.

Rörby's expressive horn opens the simultaneously intimate and tense "The Tear And Smile Of An Angel." Over Haneine's percolating thuds and thrums the frontline blows a serpentine and soulful melody. Bassist Carlo De Rosa thrills with his virtuosity as he handles his instrument with breathtaking agility and vibrant spontaneity. His and Haneine's sharper, more angular refrains complement perfectly the horns' fluid interwoven vamps giving the track its dramatic edge.

Intriguingly inventive Haneine's first release under his own name showcases his many talents and skills. His evocative, richly colored works are sublimely balanced to allow for individual extemporizations without sacrificing their thematic essence. His brilliant percussion rivals his elegant and superlative piano playing heard on earlier albums and his leadership underscores synergistic individualism of his side musicians. Hopefully it won't be another 10 years before Haneine records again.

Personnel: Lori Cotler -voice (1,5 & 7); Lex Samu: trumpet; Catherine Sikora:tenor and soprano saxophones; Michael Rorby: trombone; Carlo de Rosa: acoustic bass; Enrique Haneine: drums, cymbals, Udu drum & tambourine.

Instants Of Time

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Magos & Limon - He For She

Size: 139,6 MB
Time: 59:50
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz/World Vocals
Art: Front

01. Reencuentro (Live) (4:07)
02. La Martiniana (Live) (5:40)
03. Essa Mulher (Live) (4:44)
04. Deja La Vida Volar (Live) (4:50)
05. Soy Pan, Soy Paz, Soy Mas (Live) (4:39)
06. Rabo De Nube (Live) (3:57)
07. Brigas Nunca Mais (Live) (4:16)
08. Vengo A Ofrecer Mi Corazon (Live) (4:06)
09. Al Lado Del Camino (Live) (5:58)
10. Quizas, Quizas, Quizas (Live) (3:33)
11. De Que Callada Manera (Live) (3:14)
12. Calabrian Nights (Live) (5:35)
13. Among The Waters (Live) (5:05)

Personnel:
Magos Herrera: vocals
Javier Limón: guitar
Eugenia León:vocals
Fito Paez: vocals
Chabuco: vocals
Sachal Vasandani:vocals
Gregoire Maret-harmonica
Oran Etkin: clarinet & sax
Rogerio Boccato:Percussions

With a soulfull repertoir of latinamerican classics and originals, Magos & Limón join forces to record a second album together inviting international top artists like Fito Paez, Eugenia León, Gregoire Maret, Chabuco, Oran Etkins, Sachal Vasandani and Rogerio Boccato, to support the “He for She” UN campaign, a musical conversation around gender equality.

The acoustic duo of Mexican jazz vocalist Magos Herrera and Spanish Flamenco guitarist Javier Limón made their debut in 2014 with the album Dawn, a richly nuanced collection of American and Latin jazz standards. Prior to their collaboration, Herrera was based out of Mexico City where she was widely known as one of the country's premier jazz vocalists. After relocating to New York, she met up with the Madrid-based Limón, a multiple Grammy-winning guitarist, producer, and composer who has worked with artists like Caetano Veloso, Wynton Marsalis, and Paco de Lucia. ~Timothy Monger

He For She   

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Julia Vari - Adoro

Size: 110,5 MB
Time: 47:32
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz Vocal, Latin Jazz
Art: Front

01. Adoro (Feat. Armando Manzanero) (4:48)
02. Voy A Apagar La Luz (5:23)
03. Llegando A Ti (4:58)
04. Contigo Aprendí (5:01)
05. Por Debajo De La Mesa (5:41)
06. Yo Se Que Volveras (3:48)
07. Como Yo Te Ame (5:15)
08. Un Mundo Raro (Feat. Rafael Negrete) (5:21)
09. Media Vuelta (3:06)
10. Se Fue (4:06)

Recognized by the pubic for her extraordinary interpretation, elegance, and outstanding vocal technique and stage presence, Julia Vari is a multicultural and multilingual singer, pianist and composer based in Mexico and the USA. Currently one of the most active and sought-after vocalists in the Mexican and international jazz scene, Julia has performed at top-level festivals, theaters, cultural events, and other important forums throughout Mexico and abroad. Her most recent CD, “Lumea: songs of the world in jazz” by Prodisc Records (in which Julia sings in seven different languages), soared to the “Top 5” on the jazz charts in Mexican and online music stores during its first week, competing with artists such as Diana Krall and Michael Buble. Julia is currently preparing her next album, in collaboration with the famous Mexican composer Armando Manzanero.

Julia was born with music in her blood, as her mother is a pianist and her father plays the guitar. Julia began to sing, play the piano, and star in musical theater productions as a small child, and studied voice and composition at the renowned Eastman School of Music, as well as New York University and Univerisdad Panamericana de Guadalajara.

Julia has traveled around the world participating in different concerts and musical events, and her contact with such a wide variety of cultures and languages has encouraged her to blend music from different countries, languages and genres in new and innovative ways. Julia interprets her music in different languages (Spanish, English, Portuguese, French, Italian, Romanian, German and Hebrew), and her current new project is an innovative fusion of jazz, bossa nova, bolero, and swing, offering her listeners a chance to enjoy traditional Mexican and world music in a whole different light.

Adoro

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Arturo O'Farrill & The Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra - 40 Acres And A Burro

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:34
Size: 157.0 MB
Styles: Big band, Latin jazz
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[6:21] 1. Rumba Urbana
[6:48] 2. A Wise Latina
[5:20] 3. Almendra
[4:57] 4. Um A Zero
[8:43] 5. El Sur
[6:48] 6. She Moves Through The Fair
[4:52] 7. Ruminaciones Sobre Cuba
[6:38] 8. Tanguango
[7:29] 9. Bebê
[4:08] 10. A Night In Tunisia
[6:24] 11. 40 Acres And A Burro

Recording Date; May 19 - 20, 2010. Piano: Arturo O’Farrill; Bass: Ricardo Rodríguez; Drums: Vince Cherico; Congas: Roland Guerrero; Percussion: Joe González. Featured Guest: Paquito D’Rivera (clarinet); Other Guests:Pablo O. Bilbraut (güiro); Heather Martin Bixler (violin); Hector Del Curto (bandoneón); Yuri Juárez (guitar); Freddy “Huevito” Lobatón (cajón, cajita, quijada); Sharon Moe (French horn); Guilherme Monteiro (guitar); Adam O’Farrill (trumpet); Jeff Scott (French horn).

For over 60 years, big bands have been the exception instead of the rule in jazz -- and that is very much a matter of economics. It is a lot easier to pay four, five, or six musicians than it is to pay 19 or 20 musicians. But there are still some great big bands if one knows where to find them, and acoustic pianist Arturo O'Farrill's Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra has been offering excellent big-band Latin jazz since 2003. O'Farrill's outfit celebrated its seventh anniversary in 2010, which was also the year in which 40 Acres and a Burro was recorded. This fine album (which boasts guest Paquito d'Rivera on clarinet) is a perfect example of why O'Farrill calls his big band the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra instead of the Afro Cuban Jazz Orchestra; O'Farrill favors a pan-Latin approach, demonstrating that Afro-Cuban music isn't the only type of Latin music that can have a positive effect on acoustic jazz. Certainly, Afro-Cuban rhythms are an important part of the equation; the Afro-Cuban influence serves the orchestra well on material ranging from O'Farrill's "Ruminaciónes Sobre Cuba" (Ruminations About Cuba) to the Abelardo Valdés standard "Almendra" to Dizzy Gillespie's "A Night in Tunisia." But O'Farrill ventures into Brazilian jazz territory on interpretations of Pixinguinha's "Um a Zero" and Hermeto Pascoal's "Bebê," and his big band combines jazz with Argentinian tango on Astor Piazzolla's "Tanguango." But the biggest surprise of all comes when the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra puts a somewhat bolero-ish spin on the traditional Irish-Celtic standard "She Moves Through the Fair"; it's an unlikely choice for a jazz band, but this arrangement successfully unites post-bop, Celtic, and Latin elements with absorbing results. In a perfect world, it wouldn't be difficult for jazz musicians to keep a big band together. But some big bands will excel despite the difficulty, which is exactly what O'Farrill's Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra does on 40 Acres and a Burro. ~Alex Henderson

40 Acres And A Burro

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Thalia - Habítame Siempre

Styles: Latin Pop, Mexican Traditions
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:22
Size: 108,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:59)  1. Habítame Siempre
(4:55)  2. Con los Años Que Me Quedan
(3:49)  3. Manías
(3:37)  4. Te Perdiste Mi Amor
(4:05)  5. No Soy el Aire
(3:38)  6. Bésame Mucho
(3:11)  7. Regalito de Dios
(3:38)  8. Tómame o Déjame
(3:30)  9. Muñequita Linda (Te Quiero, Dijiste)
(4:35) 10. Bésame
(4:41) 11. Dime Si Ahora
(3:38) 12. Ojalá

Four years after her last studio offering, Mexican pop diva Thalía returns with the ambitious Habítame Siempre. Dedicated to her late mother, the album features a wide array of styles, and more than a few surprises. While the title track single is a ballad in the grand Mexican pop tradition, it is quickly followed by a cover of Gloria Estefan's classic "Con los Años Que Me Quedan," with a similar arrangement but using four different voices to color it differently. The set includes a series of duets as well, including "Te Perdiste Mi Amor" with Prince Royce and "Muñequita Linda" with Robbie Williams, with a musical cabaret style that harks back to the 1940s.

Her reading of the ubiquitous "Bésame Mucho" with Michael Bublé, in both Spanish and English, weds classic pop to tango and nueva canción in a stunning arrangement. [The Mexican and Target versions have three exclusive bonus tracks.] ~ Thom Jurek  http://www.allmusic.com/album/hab%C3%ADtame-siempre-mw0002438392

Personnel: Charlie Bisharat (violin).

Habítame Siempre

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Magos & Limon - Dawn

Size: 127,0 MB
Time: 54:40
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz Vocals, Flamenco, Fusion
Art: Front

01. Afro Blue (4:41)
02. Dawn (3:41)
03. Skylark (4:23)
04. La Martiniana (4:42)
05. My Love For You (5:11)
06. Wild Is The Wind (3:36)
07. O Que Tinha De Ser (3:24)
08. Tierra Movida (5:28)
09. Oraçao Ao Tempo (4:14)
10. La Llorona (6:04)
11. Nature Boy (4:33)
12. Blue In Green (4:37)

It’s seven p.m., in an indistinguishable neighborhood bar in New York City. There’s a man sitting alone with a cup of coffee, his guitar leaning against the wall. A tall, thin, young woman with a slow, elegant gait walks through the door. Without saying a word she approaches him, and sits down next to him.

This could be the opening scene of a novel or a French thriller from the 50s, but in reality, it is the start of an extraordinary musical adventure – a first encounter between two musicians destined to fall in love.

Magos Herrera, renown Mexican-born jazz singer and resident of New York City, has worked with the best jazz musicians from around the world for many years, combining her Latin roots with the sound of contemporary American jazz, thus, positioning herself among a musical elite.

The man sitting in the bar, Javier Limón, is a laureate composer, guitarist and internationally recognized producer, known for his collaboration with Paco de Lucia, Bebo and Chucho Valdes, Buika, Avishai Cohen and Wynton Marsalis, among others. He has become an indispensable reference in the genre of Flamenco and future international music.

DAWN represents an encounter between the profound, sophisticated voice of Magos Herrera and the intricate Flamenco guitar of Javier Limón, the convergence of vanguard jazz and minimalist Flamenco, a summit of sound for the 21st century.

It is an intimate trek through a repertoire of select American and Latin jazz masterpieces including songs such as Afroblue, Skylark and Blue in Green by Miles Davis and O que tinha de ser (What Has to Be) by Antonio Carlos Jobim, among others, while flirting with some new and surprisingly original compositions by the duo.

Be it in English, Spanish or Portuguese, the self-control of Magos’ interpretation and the power of her words and voice combined with Limón’s refined simplicity and harmony, in addition to the careful rendering of this project make DAWN a cutting-edge, revolutionary approach to Flamenco-jazz.

A blanket of silence in the air, fragile words, glances and emotions which mark the momentum of the recording production coupled with a live performance experience give pause to time affording a trek through an eternal DAWN.

Dawn

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Magos Herrera - Distancia

Styles: Latin Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:47
Size: 144,4 MB
Art: Front

(6:31)  1. Reencuentro
(7:01)  2. Tus Ojos
(5:42)  3. New Song
(6:42)  4. Retrato Em Branco E Preto
(4:38)  5. Inutil Paisajem
(7:01)  6. Vera Cruz
(5:18)  7. Staying Closer
(6:48)  8. Tu Mi Delirio
(5:10)  9. Alegria
(7:51) 10. Dindi

Mexican jazz vocalist Magos Herrera may not be a household name among jazz audiences, but she certainly deserves to be. With the release of her seventh album as a leader, Distancia (Sunnyside, 2009) shows off not only her rich contralto voice but also an artist with expressive depth. Distancia is an extraordinarily diverse album. Herrera sings in three languages English, Portuguese and Spanish and, in doing so, treads broken ground of Brazilian composers Antonio Carlos Jobim and Milton Nascimento, and Cuban composer César Portillo de la Luz. Herrera's own compositions, including "Reencuentro," "Tu Ojos" and "New Song," are also featured, and are full of life, passion and unforgettable melodies. Despite the album's eclectic repertoire and various stylistic approaches, it is held firmly together by a stellar band, as drummer Alex Kautz navigates with ease between an Afro-Cuban triplet feel and a loping swing on "Alegría." 

On Herrera's "Staying Closer," Kautz serves as the singer's competent co-arranger. Underneath her glass-like vocals, Kautz cooks up a driving, syncopated fusion groove, kept at a rolling boil. The energy is contagious, propelling guitarist Lionel Loueke through an agile solo feature. Pianist Aaron Goldberg proves to be a deft accompanist on the rubato introduction to de la Luz's classic "Tú, Mi Delirio." Goldberg returns later for a superb solo to rival the best linear conceptions of Herbie Hancock. The quartet plays with a truly lovely sense of dynamic contour, and Herrera takes full expressive advantage with impassioned whispers and a grand dramatic climax. The song makes a quietly joyful close, giving Loueke and Herrera space for creative interplay. 

The gems of the album come with Herrera's thoughtful reinterpretation of two classic Brazilian songs, both sung in her native Spanish. Jobim's "Inutil Paisaje" is rendered here as a contemplative ballad, but one propelled by modern reharmonization. Herrera's final reading in English proves that beauty can be found inside immense solitude. Herrera's arrangement of Nascimento's "Veracruz" transforms the Brazilian composer's samba into a loping lament in 5/4 time. Loueke delivers another intricate solo, but leaves ample room for interaction with bassist Ricky Rodriguez. For Distancia, Herrera creates a repertoire of well-crafted arrangements, executed with energy and elegance by her quartet, but her use of the human voice boosted the ensemble to greater heights. "Reencuentros" opens the album and features Herrera imitating the bass line, then breaking into a playful improvisation over the 7/8 vamp. Sisters Ingrid and Jennifer Beaujean join in, as if to simulate a classic brass section throughout the song. Later, the three singers combine forces to expand the final chorus of "Tus Ojos" and add a funky postlude to "Veracruz." As a Latin American female jazz singer, Herrera is often compared to fellow New Yorkers Luciana Souza (of Brazil) and John Ellis (of Chile). With the release of Distancia, there is no mistaking that Herrera has sculpted a distinctive and charming musical identity. ~ Holly Holmes   http://www.allaboutjazz.com/distancia-magos-herrera-sunnyside-records-review-by-holly-holmes.php#.U2VmTleS-PM 

Personnel: Magos Herrera: vocals; Alex Kautz: arranger, drums; Lionel Loueke: guitar, vocals; Aaron Goldberg: piano, Ricky Rodriguez: bass; Ingrid and Jennifer Beaujean: background vocals.

Distancia

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Dannah Garay - From You... To You: Remembering Nat King Cole

Size: 131,4 MB
Time: 56:22
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2012
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. The Very Thought Of You (5:00)
02. Dream A Little Dream Of Me (2:47)
03. Day In Day Out (2:53)
04. Stardust (3:30)
05. I'm Thru With Love (3:05)
06. How Does It Feel (4:20)
07. Makin' Whoopee (3:56)
08. Smile (4:32)
09. That Ain't Right (3:35)
10. When I Fall In Love (5:30)
11. Almost Like Being In Love (2:31)
12. I Love You For Sentimental Reasons (4:47)
13. Gee Baby Ain't I Good To You (2:56)
14. Straighten Up And Fly Right (2:17)
15. Just One Of Those Things (2:48)
16. You're Nobody Till Somebody Loves You (1:46)

Dannah Garay (born January 12, 1984) is a Mexican Jazz singer. She began to feel curious about music, especially Jazz, at a young age. Her father used to play the guitar for her and this greatly influenced her musical development.

Dannah won a scholarship from the Jazz Fest Foundation and was a part of the Foundation’s representative ensemble for a year. Dannah has performed in the U.S., Latinamerica and in acclaimed Jazz festivals all over Mexico. She also performed at the inaugural concerts of the Global Jazz Institute at the Berklee College of Music in Boston.

She received her fist award for the album “Forever and Ever Bossa and Jazz” after it sold 15 thousand copies during the first months of its release in Mexico. Her latest album, “From you… to you”: A tribute to Nat “King” Cole, made the list of the top ten best-selling Jazz albums of the most important music stores in Mexico.

Her strongest musical influences are Nat “King” Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, Johnny Hartman, Dianne Reeves, Kurt Elling, Count Basie, Oscar Peterson, Frank Sinatra, B.B. King, Duke Ellington, as well as classical music and other genres.

Dannah Garay presents her album “From you… to you”: A tribute to Nat “King” Cole, who has been a deep source of inspiration even before she began her musical career. For this recording, Dannah worked with international musicians such as Gabriel Hernández, an acclaimed Cuban pianist, who is the music arranger and musical director of this project. Gabriel has shared the stage with great artists such as Roy Hargrove and Chucho Valdéz and he is currently a member of the Afro-Cuban All-Stars; Ken Basman, virtuoso guitar player from Canada; Tyler Mitchell, double bass player who has performed with renown Jazz artists such as Shirley Horn, Jon Hendricks and Wynton Marsalis; and Juan Alejandro Sáenz one of the youngest and most acclaimed Mexican drummers who won the Steve Gadd Award from the Berklee College of Music in 2012.

From You... To You 

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