Olivier Holland, Joscho Stephan - Gypsy Meets Groove

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:07
Size: 119.3 MB
Styles: Gypsy jazz/Funk/Soul
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[4:13] 1. Out Of Nowhere
[6:33] 2. Song For Eore
[6:40] 3. All Blues
[3:54] 4. Smile
[4:35] 5. Don't Look Any Further
[4:53] 6. La Vie En Rose
[6:04] 7. Somewhere Over The Rainbow
[5:20] 8. Chameleon
[5:12] 9. Yardbird Suite
[4:38] 10. Bye Bye Blackbird

Bassist, composer and arranger Olivier Holland has again joined forces with Joscho Stephan to produce an album that pushes stylistic boundaries. Gypsy meets Groove skilfully combines Gypsy Jazz with elements from groove-based music such as Funk, Soul or Reggae. Here is more than just playing jazz tunes with a different feel. On GMG, modern arranging techniques have been skilfully employed to blend different musical elements into an innovative work-of art. Gypsy meets Groove marks a mile-stone with regard to stylistic development. A ‘must’ for both Gypsy Jazz- and more groove-hungry listeners.

Gypsy Meets Groove mc
Gypsy Meets Groove zippy

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Bonnie Jensen - Lucky So & So

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:56
Size: 126,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:00)  1. All Of You
(4:28)  2. Garota De Ipanema
(4:25)  3. I'm Just A Lucky So & So
(4:54)  4. The Man I Love
(5:23)  5. Reality
(4:46)  6. Teach Me Tonight
(5:22)  7. A Foggy Day
(3:28)  8. No More Blues/Chega De Saudade
(4:24)  9. Waltz For Debby
(4:22) 10. Embraceable You
(5:43) 11. The Best Thing In Your Life
(3:35) 12. Time After Time

The La Brava label continues to bring many of Australia's finest jazz musicians to compact disc. Not missing a beat in this ambitious undertaking, the label has released a session that displays the vocal renderings of Bonnie Jensen. Maintaining the high standards set by the label with its previous releases, Jensen delivers a scintillating, expressive 55 minutes of music. Possessing a voice with excellent range, she distributes emotions tailored to the message she wants each song to convey to the listener, whether the tune be an original or standard -- the mark of a good jazz singer. Thus, "Waltz for Debby" is tender and a bit wistful. "Teach Me Tonight" imparts a sense of urgency as she staggers space between words and lines to make this oft-recorded song come across somewhat differently than one usually hears it. Her own "Reality" is more contemporary music and comes wrapped in a Brazilian beat. Jensen also recognizes the importance of imaginative arrangements to make sure that the proper combination of instrumentation is used to help her meet her performing objectives. On "No More Blues," Steve Brien's acoustic guitar is her sole accompaniment. Thus the album is peppered with astute use of fluttering flute, soprano sax that manages not to be whiny and off-pitch, and most of all, Michael Bartolomei's piano. His efforts are inventive and inspired, and consequently, he is rewarded with generous solo time. 

Even though Jensen's choice of songs is somewhat orthodox standards, originals, and contemporary pop material, pretty much standard fare these days -- she displays a vocal instrument power and clarity combined with a sense of intimacy that makes the session work. Recommended. ~ Dave Nathan http://www.allmusic.com/album/lucky-so-so-mw0000495138

Lucky So & So

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Adrienne Fenemor - Mo' Puddin'

Size: 115,6 MB
Time: 49:56
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz: Hammond Organ
Art: Front

01. Mo' Puddin' (6:02)
02. Minor Mixup (4:48)
03. Back at the Chicken Shack (4:51)
04. Old Yeller (5:56)
05. Lovers Embrace (5:07)
06. The Boss (6:30)
07. Sunday Sermon (5:29)
08. Caribbean Day Dream (4:22)
09. Moanin' (6:47)

Jazz organist Adrienne Fenemor is a truly unique talent on today’s music scene. With today’s musicians learning jazz within the classroom, it has become an exception rather than the rule for a musician develop and learn “on the road”, playing clubs, festivals and touring.

Born in New Zealand into a musical family, Adrienne acquired her first organ in 2003 when she imported a Hammond C3 from Canada and with no jazz organ players in her country, she taught herself to play by copying recordings by Jimmy Smith, Joey DeFrancesco, Groove Holmes and Jack McDuff. Having performed at clubs and festivals throughout New Zealand and Australia, Adrienne moved to the USA in 2008.

During a year spent in the Midwest, performing at Hammond organ summits, jazz clubs and jam sessions in Cincinnati, Detroit, Dayton and Columbus, Adrienne further developed her sound on the bandstand.

Now based in New York, Adrienne actively performs throughout the city including hosting a weekly jam session in one of harlems most historic rooms. She has CD's released on HMV in Japan, EQ Muisc in Singapore and on Ode Records in New Zealand.

Adrienne has shared the stage with Joey Defrancesco, Ronnie Cuber, Bruce Forman, Victor Jones, Tony Monaco, Sherrie Maricle and and headlined at jazz clubs including Cliff Bells (Detroit), The Blue Wisp (Cincinnati, OH) and Jazz Central (Dayton, Oh), Night Town (Cleveland, OH)and performed in New York clubs including Minton's, The Garage, Smoke and the Iridium (as a special guest with Joey Defrancesco).

Mo' Puddin' is Adrienne's first instrumental album showcasing her great talent as a composer and instrumentalist.

Mo' Puddin'

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Bonnie J. Jensen - The Sapphire Tree

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:03
Size: 156,5 MB
Art: Front

(6:43)  1. The Sapphire Tree
(7:08)  2. I Still Haven't Found What I'm looking For
(7:23)  3. Colombus
(5:17)  4. A Night In Tunisia
(7:22)  5. Aeroblue
(4:47)  6. Night and Day
(5:38)  7. Little Wing
(6:23)  8. Neon Soliloquy
(6:13)  9. Ain't No Use
(5:50) 10. Angel Eyes
(5:13) 11. Lead The Way

With this, her third CD for La Brava, Bonnie J Jensen has moved up several artistic and creative notches. The Sapphire Tree is a highly mature and at the same time entertaining piece of work, a superb balance of the familiar and the new.......As a vocalist, she is blessed with astonishing accuracy and a deep feeling for her lyric.... (Steve Robertson, PBS Radio, Melbourne)

A vocal and instrumental tour de force. (South China Morning Post, April 2007)

"... she draws on many influences, sounding sometimes reminiscent of Renee Geyer, at others traces of Peggy Lee or Sarah Vaughan emerge…” (The Australian Weekend Review review February 2007)

Bonnie J Jensen’s third album “The Sapphire Tree” follows the last recording “Blue Joy” on her continuing journey towards a more personal style resulting in a certain glowing warmth of sound and musical integrity. The collaboration with the core musicians of the ARIA (Australia's equivalent of the Grammys) winning jazz group Wanderlust, brings an element of contemporary and European jazz flavour to the sound. This compliments Bonnie’s soulful interpretations well and subtly enhances her unique approaches to her diverse selection of songs, including three new engaging originals including the title song.

Listeners familiar with her past work will appreciate Bonnie’s signature treatments of classic songs, both jazz standards and pop classics.

Here they have reworked U2’s “I still haven’t found what I’m looking for” by changing the meter and adding a haunting horn arrangement. Her rendition of Jimi Hendrix’s “Little Wing”, like many of the tracks on this album, displays the wide emotional range of her voice.

Bonnie is s a respected and versatile singer, songwriter and pianist. Born in New Zealand but based in Sydney, Australia for many years, she has also performed repeatedly in Europe, Japan and Hong Kong.
She released her debut album “Lucky So & So” in August 2001. This album quickly reached No.3 in the Australian Independent Jazz Charts. It was surpassed by her second release “Blue Joy” in 2004 that featured luminaries Don Rader (trumpet), Jeremy Sawkins (guitar) and Jonathan Zwartz (bass). “Blue Joy” rose to No. 8 in Japan’s (vocal) Jazz charts for the month of June 2004. Both albums now sell in 6 countries and receive a lot of local airplay in Australia. http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/jensen3

Personnel: Bonnie J Jensen –Vocals, Piano (Tracks 1, 5, 7, 3);  Alister Spence –Fender Rhodes, Organ, Piano (Tracks 2, 4, 9, 11);  Craig Walters – Tenor and Soprano Saxophone;  Fabian Hevia – Drums, Percussion;  Jeremy Sawkins – Guitars;  John Napier – Cello;  Jonathan Zwartz – Bass;  Miroslav Bukovsky – Trumpet, Flugelhorn

The Sapphire Tree

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Reuben Bradley - Cthulhu Rising

Size: 122,6 MB
Time: 52:37
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. Prologue (1:08)
02. Clay Horror (7:34)
03. Inspector Le Grasse (7:11)
04. Johansen's Voyage (5:17)
05. The Price We Pay (5:26)
06. In His House At R'lyeh (2:42)
07. The Esoteric Order Of The Dragon (5:01)
08. Cthulhu Fhtagn (2:34)
09. Erich Zahn (5:07)
10. Shadow Out Of Time (7:44)
11. Epilogue (2:48)

Native to Wellington, Reuben Bradley has travelled the world extensively. Drumming with international jazz performers has developed his creativity and passion for new music, whilst international cruise ship work has empowered him with the versatility of a first rate session musician.

Reuben has performed with artists such as: Mike Nock (Aus), Bernie McGann (Aus), James Muller (Aus), Matt Penman (US), Kristin Berardi (Aus), Brenda Earle (Canada), James Morrison (Aus), Roger Manins, Steve Barry, Charmaine Ford, Jonathan Crayford and Dixon Nacey. His session work have in turn led to work with: Julia Deans, Don McGlashan, Mickey Dolenz (the Monkees) The Coasters, The Drifters, NZSO, CSO & Wellington Vector Orchestra.

Formal education at Massey University (NZSM) culminated in his B.Mus (Jazz Performance 1999) led in turn to further individual study with rhythmic masters Scott Tinkler (Aus) and Master Jazz Drummer Barry Altschul in NYC. Although being awarded the greatly coveted position on the City College Masters course (NYC), Reuben decided in turn to focus on developing his performance abilities and compositional creativity.

Reuben has performed & headlined in every major Jazz Festival in New Zealand including; The Wellington International Jazz Festival, The Queenstown Jazz & Blues Festival, The Nelson Jazz & Blues Festival, Tauranga Jazz Festival, The Waiheke Island Jazz Festival. Reuben has also performed at major Australian festivals such as Wangaratta & the Melbourne women in Jazz Festival.

Cthulhu Rising

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Reuben Simpson - Introducing Reuben Simpson

Size: 113,0 MB
Time: 48:28
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz Vocals, Swing
Art: Front

01. New York, New York (3:14)
02. The Best Is Yet To Come (2:51)
03. Let's Fall In Love (2:07)
04. Manhattan (3:42)
05. My Kind Of Girl (2:53)
06. I Only Have Eyes For You (3:10)
07. The Girl From Ipanema (3:00)
08. As Time Goes By (3:16)
09. Smile (2:49)
10. Fly Me To The Moon (2:28)
11. Swinging On A Star (2:20)
12. Route 66 (2:57)
13. The Look Of Love (3:30)
14. Let's Do It (Let's Fall In Love) (3:31)
15. Bella Notte (1:20)
16. Luck Be A Lady (5:12)

Reuben is currently studying in Auckland, although he regularly travels back to his home-town in Tauranga for performances.

Reuben has sung in hotels, theatre shows, rest homes, at weddings, restaurants, functions, wineries & estates, birthdays, festivals and at other events at various locations in the North and South Island of New Zealand, including a performance on live television (TV1).

With a wide selection of swing, jazz and bossa nova numbers, Reuben is able to provide hours of quality entertainment. Reuben is also available for hire with the Sunset Coast Big Band.

Introducing Reuben Simpson

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Ricky May & Bob Barnard - Just Foolin' Around: A Tribute To Louis Armstrong

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 71:25
Size: 163.5 MB
Styles: Vocal
Year: 1987
Art: Front

[3:10] 1. Ding Dong Daddy From Dumas
[4:03] 2. Shadrach
[3:41] 3. Public Melody Number One
[3:23] 4. Swing That Music
[4:06] 5. Just Foolin' Around
[5:20] 6. Old Rockin' Chair
[4:05] 7. I'm Confessing That I Love You
[3:23] 8. That's My Desire
[3:30] 9. A Kiss To Build A Dream On
[3:20] 10. I Get Ideas
[3:42] 11. La Vie En Rose
[5:10] 12. What A Wonderful World
[4:20] 13. Mack The Knife
[5:29] 14. Now You Has Jazz
[4:29] 15. Blueberry Hill
[5:26] 16. Hello Dolly
[4:41] 17. Cabaret

Ricky May was a Maori jazz / pop vocalist from Onehunga, Auckland. In 1961 jazz pianist Ronnie Smith set up a group to play at the "Sorrento" in Wellington. The group included Tommy Tamati on bass and a young Ricky May on drums and vocals. Bruno Lawrence was always watching in the audience and was given a chance to play the drums when Ricky got up to sing. He impressed Ronnie enough to become a regular with the group. That group stayed together for about a year, even touring around the lower North Island area.

Robert Graeme Barnard, 24 November 1933, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Born into a musical family, Barnard began playing trumpet partly because the family band, led by his father, needed a trumpeter, but also because he had heard and was deeply impressed by a record of Muggsy Spanier. Barnard gained experience playing dance music but listened eagerly to records, notably those by his major influence, Louis Armstrong, and also to popular Australian jazz bands of the 40s, including that led by Graeme Bell. During this period and on into the 50s, Barnard had a day job, in a bank, but played extensively, touring with bands including the one led by his brother, Len Barnard. In 1957, he played in Sydney with a small group led by guitarist Ray Price. Back in Melbourne, he continued to play as a semi-pro, making occasional records, such as The Naked Dance with a band led by his brother. Bell called him with a job offer in Sydney and, although the gig failed to materialize, Barnard later joined Bell’s band. This led to a tour of his home country, and a visit to New Zealand and New Guinea alongside pop singer Frank Ifield. In 1963, Armstrong came to Australia, and Bell’s band greeted the visitor at the airport where Barnard played briefly with his idol.

Just Foolin' Around: A Tribute To Louis Rmstrong

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Bonnie J. Jensen - Shimmer

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:27
Size: 130,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:33)  1. Spend a Little Time with Me
(4:14)  2. Here Comes the Rain Again
(4:44)  3. Bluesette
(5:24)  4. Without a Word
(4:36)  5. Sweetest Somebody I Know
(6:00)  6. Higher Ground
(4:26)  7. Everybody's Cryin' Mercy
(5:03)  8. If You Love Somebody
(3:10)  9. Come Take my Hand
(5:11) 10. My Romance
(4:23) 11. Stolen Moments
(4:38) 12. First Love's Call

Born in New Zealand but based in Sydney, Australia for over 20 years, Bonnie has played a variety of international stages, fulfilling engagements at Stockholm’s legendary jazz club Stampen, Singapore’s Southbridge jazz club, Kuala Lumpur’s Alexis Club and Barcelona’s Bel Luna jazz club. Locally, she has performed at The Basement, at numerous interstate corporate and bespoke events as well as major Jazz Festivals, most recently the 2012 Thredbo Jazz Festival and the 2011 Manly Jazz Festival, where she appeared with her all-star Quintet line-up.

Late 2009, she teamed up with exceptional talents Graham Jesse, Matt McMahon, Phil Stack, James Muller, Nicolas McBride and recorded her 4th album S H I M M E R. The result of this collaboration is a colourful palette of sounds, featuring 3 new diverse original compositions.

Bonnie adds, “I was very inspired while writing and working on these songs, knowing that Graham, Matt, James and the other exceptional players would be adding their midas touch. Graham co-arranged most of the tracks with me and also wrote beautiful string arrangements for 2 of them. Plus, the legendary James Morrison graced us with a guest appearance on one track”.

“SHIMMER” is the most personal and intimate of Bonnie's 4 releases to date. Her trademarks are all there, the smoky timbre of her voice, the pitch perfect accuracy, the lovely way she controls her lower register. And as with her other albums, her songs are blessed with superb backups… it has the contemporary feel that was just hinted at in her excellent earlier CDs. This is a logical next step for an artist who clearly has a vision for her craft and knows where she is going.” ~ Steve Robertson, On Air, PBS FM 2010   http://www.bonniejjensen.com/biography.php

Shimmer

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Hot Club Sandwich - Enjoy Yourself Or Get Out

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 38:50
Size: 88.9 MB
Styles: Gypsy swing
Year: 2004
Art: Front

[3:33] 1. New Friends
[2:23] 2. Sittin' Rockin' On Sunday
[3:10] 3. Enjoy Yourselfor Get Out
[3:11] 4. That's What I Thought You Said
[2:37] 5. Morning Train
[4:22] 6. Can't Stand The Heat
[2:48] 7. Wake Up Baby
[3:23] 8. Feet Back On The Ground
[4:29] 9. Middle Class White Boy Blues
[2:16] 10. Laid Back Lizzie
[3:37] 11. Livin' It Up
[2:55] 12. Marcelo

While the name of the combo and the bio both suggest jazz standards of the 30s and 40s a la Django Reinhardt, this recording bears little resemblance to any of its Paris (almost) namesake. There is the Grappelli-like violin style of Nik Brown and some lovely jazz guitar from Andrew London, but Terry Crayford's piano and smooth vocals along with the wit and vocal edge of London's songs take this album into a very different terrain. In fact Andrew London's Middle Class White Boy Blues sort of sums it up. It's great! Polished performances all round, plenty of variety and a sense that they're not taking it all too seriously. Yes, it's jazz but not for the purists, it's way too accessible!

Enjoy Yourself Or Get Out

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The Vipers - A Time To Swing

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 30:40
Size: 70.2 MB
Styles: Swing
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[4:20] 1. Sunny
[6:33] 2. Just Squeeze Me
[2:13] 3. Sway
[3:25] 4. Makin' Whoopee
[2:14] 5. Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps
[4:01] 6. Don't Know Why
[4:21] 7. Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me
[3:30] 8. Besame Mucho

The Vipers are run by the dynamic husband and wife team of Josh and Adrienne Hindmarsh. Their diverse talents create a unique musical sound in New Zealand's music industry and their numerous projects have become a fixture to the Wellington city scene. Since their inception a decade ago the band has maintained a busy schedule of gigs in Wellington and throughout New Zealand.

Fronting the The Vipers is sultry singer Adrienne Hindmarsh, whose vocals are often compared to Norah Jones and Eva Cassidy. Her repertoire includes popular jazz standards, bossanovas and more popular tunes including hits by Burt Bacharach and Norah Jones. Adrienne Hindmarsh also brings to The Vipers her unique skill on the Hammond B3 organ, where her skill on the footpedal bass and use of dynamic chords make sure the classic sound of the Hammond B3 lives again. Founding member and guitarist Josh Hindmarsh contributes his unique driving chords and spirited improvisations in the spirit of George Benson and Wes Montgomery and his playing never fails to give the bands performance the upbeat swinging edge they have become known for. To complete the bands lineup The Vipers use a rotating roster of special guest artists on the drums. For larger performances The Vipers add a horn section, augmenting their sound to include the trumpet, saxophone and trombone. Josh Hindmarsh's swinging arrangements create a contemporary take on retro ballroom swing, funky latin, and 60's classic motown soul. .

A Time To Swing

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