Something Else! - Soul Jazz

Styles: Bop
Year: 2024
Time: 50:54
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 117,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:56) 1. Filthy McNasty
(7:55) 2. Too Blue
(4:05) 3. Mean Greens
(4:57) 4. The Chicken
(7:05) 5. Driftin'
(7:23) 6. Slow Drag
(5:34) 7. Strasbourg/St. Denis
(8:57) 8. Naima (Bonus Track)

Jazz supergroup Something Else! is led by Vincent Herring, featuring some of the very best musicians today, playing some of the most iconic toe-tapping Soul Jazz songs ever created. This era of fantastic, rhythmic and soul warming music will be presented with new arrangements plus original compositions in the same genre.

The septet lineups draw from a pool of talented artists whose combined talents make for exciting, danceable and hugely enjoyable shows.

Alto Sax: Vincent Herring
Trumpet: Jeremy Pelt / Randy Brecker / Freddie Hendrix
Tenor sax: James Carter / Eric Alexander
Guitar: Paul Bollenback / Russell Malone
Piano: David Kikoski / Mike LeDonne
Bass: Essiet Essiet / Yasushi Nakamura
Drums: Lewis Nash / Jeff Watts / Johnathan Blake

"The jazz supergroup Something Else!, …then followed with top-shelf soul-jazz and swing… Every one of these musicians is elite it was an extraordinary set. “ ~ Glide Magazine

“…the band wears its hard-bop heart on its sleeve …It practically dares audiences to sit still and remain on their best behavior.” By Steve Futterman, The New Yorker
https://atljazzfest.com/artists/something-else/

Soul Jazz

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Troy Roberts - Green Lights

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2024
Time: 71:57
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 165,2 MB
Art: Front

( 8:06) 1. Green Lights
( 7:13) 2. The Question
( 5:56) 3. By Your Side
( 6:52) 4. Solar Panels
(10:07) 5. Harry Brown
( 9:21) 6. Jive Dumpling
( 9:04) 7. Up to No Good
( 6:31) 8. The Scotsman's Ballad
( 8:13) 9. Stretch Armstrong
( 0:30) 10. Soundcheckin'

There is an abundance of listenable music on Green Lights, the album from New York-based tenor saxophonist Troy Roberts his sixteenth as leader in sixteen years. Clearly, he must be doing something right.

That "something" includes playing graceful and eloquent tenor, mustering admirable sidemen for this quartet date, and focusing on largely agreeable music (Roberts wrote all of the album's ten generally likable songs). The sidemen in question are guitarist Paul Bollenback, bassist John Patitucci and drummer Jimmy Macbride. No guest artists, simply Roberts and rhythm, which is all that is needed to carry the day.

As leader and composer, much of the album's allure rests on Roberts' shoulders. While there is no questioning his competence at either task, neither is there sufficient cause based on what is presented here to raise him above a crowded field of contemporaries who have similar goals in mind. Comparisons aside, Roberts is simply quite good at what he does and that should be good enough to please most listeners.

The leader's comrades are exceptionally talented and responsive, lending the quartet a tight and synchronous vibe. Paticucci is metronomic, as always, while MacBride blends power and sensitivity to get the job done. Bollenback, meanwhile, coaxes several esoteric sounds from his guitar, none of which is unseemly or out of place. And to ice the cake, each of them is an accomplished soloist.

Roberts'themes are for the most part soft-flowing and sober, with an emphasis on burnished and tasteful sound. No flag-wavers here, with the possible exceptions of "Solar Panels" and "Stretch Armstrong," which turn up the heat while allowing Roberts and the others to flex their impressive chops. Another outlier is the chimerical "Harry Brown," on which the group veers off the beaten path for a few moments of more exploratory blowing before returning safely home. After "Stretch," the session ends with thirty seconds of light-hearted "Soundcheckin.'"

In sum, Green Lights is another very good recording by the talented Troy Roberts and his dexterous teammates, and well worth one's time.By Jack Bowers
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/green-lights-troy-roberts-self-produced/

Personnel: Troy Roberts - tenor saxophone, compositions; Paul Bollenback - guitar; John Patitucci - acoustic bass; Jimmy Macbride - drums

Green Lights

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Ed Wiley, Jr. - Sassy

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:45
Size: 135,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:15)  1. Room 608
(5:28)  2. Stretchin' Out
(4:07)  3. Sassy
(6:41)  4. Little Girl Blue
(4:50)  5. Lazarus
(8:29)  6. No Greater Love
(3:08)  7. Max The Maximum
(4:17)  8. Billy Boy
(5:13)  9. Do You Know A Good Thing When You See One?
(4:51) 10. Blues For Duane
(2:20) 11. Here, There And Everywhere
(4:00) 12. Sassy - (Alternate Take)

One of the tracks on Sassy, the Lennon-McCartney tune “Here, There and Everywhere,” says much about Ed Wiley’s fourth release for Swing Records. The album was compiled from three sessions recorded between 1999 and 2000 in Brooklyn, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and mixed in two Washington, D. C., studios. Not surprisingly the results are uneven. To Wiley’s credit, the one constant is his big, soulful Texas tenor. The other constants, despite an occasional clash of styles, include the adventurous minds of trumpeter Nicolas Payton, pianist Sir Roland Hanna and guitarist Mark Whitfield. Compare styles in the two versions of the title tune-a truly sassy line-that Wiley wrote in honor of Sarah Vaughan. B-3 organist Joey DeFrancesco propels the first version, while the second, lower and slower, relies on Whitfield’s guitar, but that soul-filled, down-home cushion is missing. Elsewhere, “Room 608,” a tricky bop line by Horace Silver, finds alto player Donald Harrison stealing some of the thunder from Wiley. 

It’s not meant to be a cutting session; Wiley is consistently generous with stretch-out room for his sidemen. “Lazarus” is interesting in that it begins with solos and ends with the written head for the ensemble. Included in four front lines is trombonist Al Grey, but he solos only on “No Greater Love.” Good to hear his Vic Dickenson inspired humor, but also bittersweet: he died before the CD was released. Overall, Wiley can be proud of this release, but he shouldn’t stray too far from his roots. ~ Harvey Siders https://jazztimes.com/reviews/albums/ed-wiley-jr-sassy/

Personnel: Ed Wiley Jr. - tenor saxophone; Roland Hanna - piano; Paul Bollenback - guitar; Al Grey - trombone; Nicholas Payton - trumpet; Donald Harrison - alto saxophone; Carl Allen - drums; Davey Yarborough - tenor saxophone.

Sassy

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Houston Person - The Art and Soul, Vol.1, Vol.2, Vol.3.

Album: The Art and Soul, Vol. 1
Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:52
Size: 121,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:51) 1. You Do Something To Me
(6:53) 2. I Don't Stand A Ghost Of A Chance
(3:54) 3. You're A Sweetheart
(6:49) 4. Maybe You'll Be There
(4:56) 5. All The Things You Are
(5:28) 6. You're My Everything
(5:39) 7. Skylark
(4:36) 8. I Only Have Eyes For You
(5:35) 9. Everything I Have Is Yours
(4:05) 10. Wonder Why

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Album: The Art and Soul, Vol. 2
Time: 54:34
Size: 125,4 MB

(5:50) 1. Do Nothing Till You Hear from Me
(5:05) 2. Here's That Rainy Day
(4:15) 3. Isn't It Romantic?
(5:48) 4. Fools Rush In
(6:36) 5. It Had to Be You
(6:13) 6. But Beautiful
(5:59) 7. For All We Know
(5:48) 8. Blue Moon
(4:42) 9. Bewitched
(4:13) 10. Don't Get Around Much Anymore

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Album: The Art and Soul, Vol. 3
Time: 55:20
Size: 127,2 MB

(6:07) 1. Sentimental Journey
(5:09) 2. Where Are You?
(4:32) 3. There's A Small Hotel
(6:43) 4. Tenderly
(6:06) 5. Be My Love
(6:08) 6. It Might As Well Be Spring
(5:05) 7. My Funny Valentine
(6:27) 8. Gentle Rain
(4:04) 9. Mack The Knife
(4:56) 10. The Very Thought Of You

The Art and Soul of Houston Person is an irresistible combination of the celebrated tenor saxophonist and the Great American Songbook. The 30 songs on this generous three-CD set were culled by Person from ten of his HighNote CDs, with the addition of four new songs recorded in spring, 2008. The songs feature an array of talented sidemen, including pianist Bill Charlap, bassists Ron Carter and Ray Drummond and drummer Grady Tate. If that isn't compelling enough, all the tracks were mixed, edited and mastered by the eminent Rudy Van Gelder in his legendary Englewood Cliffs studio.

The collection is full of high points, with several songs particularly worth noting. The upbeat opener, "You Do Something to Me," showcases Person's golden warmth and impeccable swing. The song also features John di Martino's exquisite touch on piano and John Burr's fluid bass. The same group shines on "I Don't Stand a Ghost of a Chance," elegantly capturing the song's quiet longing. Person exhibits a poignant tenderness and drummer Jerome Jennings adds just the right backup with incredibly spacious brushwork. "Sentimental Journey" is a joyful toe-tapper; "Here's That Rainy Day" explores the rich undertones of melancholy and "Blue Moon" is surprisingly upbeat, with Person's tenor fat and happy. And don't miss "Mack the Knife," a duet with Ron Carter where the two musicians turn the song inside out and trade lines with fluent ease.

In a 2004 interview, Person defined jazz as, "something that, when the end of the day comes, after a hard and frustrating day out in the world, relieves you. Relaxes you and makes you feel good." The Art and Soul of Houston Person is exactly that kind of music, a treasure chest of luscious, soothing sound. By Florence Wetzel https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-art-and-soul-of-houston-person-highnote-records-review-by-florence-wetzel

Personnel: John di Martino: piano; Jon Burr: bass; Jerome Jennings: drums; Richard Wyands: piano; Ray Drummond: bass; Kenny Washington: drums; Russell Malone: guitar; Grady Tate: drums; Stan Hope: piano; George Kaye: bass; Chip White: drums; Ron Carter: bass; Peter Washington: bass; Paul Bollenback: guitar; Per-ola Gadd: bass; Bill Charlap: piano.

The Art and Soul,Vol.1,Vol.2, Vol.3

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Stan Killian - Brooklyn Calling

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:22
Size: 122,7 MB
Art: Front

(8:53) 1. Horizon
(8:57) 2. Holocene
(5:14) 3. Buy Back
(7:40) 4. Shibuya Crossing
(9:01) 5. Concept of Peace
(7:45) 6. Brooklyn Calling
(5:49) 7. Open Doors

Years ago, a group of folks were having dinner at a Westside San Antonio, Texas, restaurant known as Los Barrios. Occasionally, some restaurants there would start a jazz policy. In a place better known for mariachis, this would be a pleasant surprise. One Friday evening, some kid was playing tenor sax, quite a bit of tenor sax, in fact. The guy's name because getting his card seemed like a good idea was Stan Killian, not a familiar one among the roll of local notables, which made his instrumenal facility even more interesting. What was this guy doing playing here?

There have been a number of players who made the seventeen-hundred mile trek from San Antonio to New York, such as Ernie Caceres, for one. Others have, too, but Killian has stuck around, for good reason. While the temptation to label him a Texas Tenor is understandable, that is not really fair to Killian. Apart from being able to blow with a raw edge, he does not really put a listener in mind of Arnett Cobb, Buddy Tate, or David "Fathead" Newman. In the end, he sounds very much himself, modern, less bluesy or r&b than any of the other Texans. On "Horizon," one thinks, a taste of Sonny Rollins, but Killian's bridge is the Brooklyn, not the Williamsburgh.

Killian also plays with his band, not just backed by a rhythm section. "Shibuya Crossing," which he dedicates to his Japanese fans, is an interactive production, not just solo tenor, and pretty as well. We get to hear plenty of both bassist Corcoran Holt and McClenty Hunter, a fine drummer who can definitely play time. "Concept of Peace" is reflective, framed by Paul Bollenback's spare guitar and a fine arco solo on bass which shows how far bowing on jazz bass has come since Paul Chambers.

Bollenback also provides a reflective solo which strikes a delicate feeling. Killian comes roaring back on "Brooklyn Calling," with a certain urgency which adds to the jazz-rock ambience Bollenback provides. "Open Doors," with its shifting rhythmic feel, closes things out. All the compositions are original, by the way. There was, of course, nothing laid back about the Texas Tenors. Maybe, in just that way, Killian does fit right on this very appealing and dynamic recording.
By Richard J Salvucci https://www.allaboutjazz.com/brooklyn-calling-stan-killian-sunnyside-records

Personnel: Stan Killian: saxophone, tenor; Paul Bollenback: guitar; McClenty Hunter: drums; Corcoran Holt: bass.

Brooklyn Calling

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Pat Bianchi - In the Moment

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:54
Size: 138,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:43) 1. Humpty Dumpty
(7:20) 2. Blue Gardenia
(7:29) 3. Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing
(3:46) 4. Mr. PM
(7:51) 5. Barracudas (General Assembly)
(5:25) 6. Crazy
(6:51) 7. No Expectations
(5:43) 8. I Want to Talk About You
(7:11) 9. Fall
(4:29) 10. Four in One

If you glance at the tracks listed here, you may be tempted to start out with two notable collaborations and one Willie Nelson-penned country classic. Not a bad move, as it turns out. The cameos by vocalist Kevin Mahogany, who died in late 2017, and guitar legend Pat Martino, organist Pat Bianchi’s mentor and bandmate, swiftly live up to expectations, albeit in sharply contrasting performances.

And the thoroughly reinvigorated reprise of Nelson’s “Crazy” somehow manages to salute both Patsy Cline and vintage organ-combo traditions with as much ingenuity as ease. It’s just one of several reminders of Bianchi’s flair for devising fresh, compact arrangements. Over the course of 10 tracks, Bianchi and a seasoned cast of session mates cover a lot of ground. Besides Nelson and Billy Eckstine the prime inspiration for Mahogany’s luxe, soulful rendering of “I Want to Talk About You” In the Moment features compositions by Chick Corea (“Humpty Dumpty”), Stevie Wonder (“Don’t You Worry ’Bout a Thing”), Miles Davis/Gil Evans (“Barracudas [General Assembly]”), Wayne Shorter (“Fall”), and Thelonious Monk (“Four in One”).

Throughout, Bianchi, guitarist Paul Bollenback, and drummer Byron Landham make an agile, tightly cohesive trio. The keyboardist and guitarist often display a mutual talent for offsetting resonating atmospherics with flashing chromaticism, while Landham is busy neatly negotiating dynamic tempo shifts and tricky rhythmic displacements. It soon becomes clear that the trio’s special guests are prepared for similar challenges. So don’t be surprised when guitarist Peter Bernstein, vibist Joe Locke, and drummer Carmen Intorre, Jr. suddenly snare, and reward, your attention. ~ Mike Joyce https://jazztimes.com/reviews/albums/pat-bianchi-in-moment-savant/

Personnel: Pat Bianchi (organ); Paul Bollenback (guitar); Byron Landham (drums). With special guests: Peter Bernstein (guitar); Carmen Intorre Jr.(drums); Joe Locke (vibes); Kevin Mahogany (vocal); Pat Martino, (guitar)

In the Moment

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Paul Bollenback - Double Vision

Styles: Guitar Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:00
Size: 122,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:55) 1. I Am Singing
(5:44) 2. Open Hand
(6:54) 3. Danny
(7:33) 4. Breaking the Girl
(5:07) 5. Reflections of Jaco
(3:16) 6. Lush Life
(6:00) 7. After the Love Has Gone
(6:35) 8. Thank You Mr. Hancock
(6:54) 9. Let Her Cry

Award-winning jazz guitarist Paul Bollenback developed a taste for the exotic over the course of a three-year period when his family lived in India. He was 11 years old when the family traveled to New Delhi, and years later the sounds and experiences of that early journey found their way into his first album from Challenge Records, Original Visions. His next release, Double Gemini, continued to stir up a buzz among critics, and it drew honors as CD of the Month from both WBGO, a Newark jazz station, and 20th Century Jazz Magazine. Bollenback remained with Challenge for his next project, Soul Grooves.

The guitarist first got his hands on an instrument with nylon strings when he was seven years old. The guitar was a gift from his dad, who adored music as much as the younger Bollenback and also played the trumpet. At the age of 14, the budding guitarist headed home to the states with his family, where he discovered the delights of rock & roll. Around this time he started to play the electric guitar, another gift from his dad. When he discovered Miles Davis, it was a major turning point in his musical development.

Bollenback's education includes music studies at the University of Miami. He continued his studies with eight more years of private instruction under the tutelage of Asher Zlotnik in Baltimore. In 1993, the year that he embarked on a European tour, he received a National Endowment for the Arts grant, in conjunction with the Virginia Commission on the Arts, for "New Music for Three Jazz Guitars." The Washington Area Music Awards dubbed him Musician of the Year in 1997, the same year that he joined the music faculty at American University. SESAC honored two of his original pieces, "Romancin' the Moon" and "Wookies' Revenge," both of which were included on the album Reboppin' by Joey DeFrancesco, who returned the favor by appearing on Bollenback's Soul Grooves.

The Litchfield Jazz Festival Summer Music School installed Bollenback as artist-in-residence. He also is a featured artist on the bill of the Summer Guitar & Bass Workshop offered by Duquesne University. The guitarist has performed on numerous television programs, among them Entertainment Tonight, The Tonight Show, The Today Show, Joan Rivers, and Good Morning America. He has shared the stage with a long list of musical artists, including Charlie Byrd, Arturo Sandoval, Herb Ellis, Stanley Turrentine, Spyro Gyra's Scott Ambush, and Della Reese. ~ Linda Seida https://www.allmusic.com/artist/paul-bollenback-mn0000746344/biography

Personnel: Paul Bollenback - guitar; Joey DeFrancesco - organ; Ed Howard - bass; Terri Lyne Carrington – drums

Double Vision

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Paul Bollenback - Double Gemini

Styles: Guitar Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:39
Size: 139,8 MB
Art: Front

(7:35) 1. Breaking the Girl
(6:02) 2. After the Love Has Gone
(7:53) 3. Double Gemini
(5:09) 4. Reflections of Jaco
(6:41) 5. Let Her Cry
(6:51) 6. So Many Stars
(5:45) 7. Open Hand
(6:03) 8. Field of Gold
(4:57) 9. I Am Singin'
(3:41) 10. Cat's Eye

Other than Sergio Mendes' "So Many Stars," the music on this CD will probably be quite unfamiliar to most jazz listeners. In addition to four originals by the leader-guitarist, there is a song apiece by The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Earth, Wind And Fire, Hootie And The Blowfish, Sting and Stevie Wonder. But the results actually fit securely into the soul jazz organ tradition. Guitarist Paul Bollenback, who has an appealing sound and an adaptable style, reharmonized some of the simpler pieces, stripped them of their pop rhythms and alternated swinging numbers with slower grooves. Although the strongest numbers are "So Many Stars" and the guitarist's solo rendition of his own "Cat's Eye," none of the selections are throwaways, and Wonder's "I Am Singin'" really cooks. Organist Joey DeFrancesco sounds fairly restrained and happy to be a sideman for a change, still showing off the strong influence of Jimmy Smith. Drummer Jeff "Tain" Watts is solid in support. Although it is doubtful if any of these songs (other than "So Many Stars") will catch on in the jazz world (the melodies are not overly strong), the performances on this disc are excellent and should interest soul-jazz collectors.~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/double-gemini-mw0000030913

Personnel: Guitar – Paul Bollenback; Organ – Joey DeFrancesco; Drums – Jeff "Tain" Watts

Double Gemini

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Gemma Sherry - Let's get serious

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:31
Size: 105,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:23) 1. Blossom's blues
(3:16) 2. Give me the simple life
(3:05) 3. Too much in love to care
(5:38) 4. Try your wings
(3:21) 5. The alley cat song
(5:16) 6. The gentleman is a dope
(4:06) 7. Why don't you do right
(5:10) 8. Whatever Lola wants
(3:09) 9. Straighten up and fly right
(4:42) 10. Go away little boy
(3:20) 11. The doodlin song

A perfect response to challenge and change. In the parlance of the agrarian American South, Gemma Sherry is "makin' hay while the sun shines. Let's Get Serious is the singer's light-as-air, coquettishly coy wink at the COVID-19 pandemic a wink as opposed to any other response, as Sherry is a true Lady. The title of her third full-length (in 2020 alone) recording is deliciously ironic as the tone is anything but. Globally, this release is best defined in the Nat King Cole classic "Straighten Up and Fly Right:" light, sophisticated, ready-made for entertainment and consideration. Sherry showed up in 2020 with Songs I Love (Tunley Records), a collection of carefully selected standards that define exactly Sherry's musical inspirations. Sherry exposes her heart from the beginning with songs clearly important to her. The singer follows this debut with the surprise Gemma Sherry Sings Bossa Nova (Tunley Records, 2020), singing these Brazilian classics with a pristine voice. Sherry has two great artistic advantages: a perfect ear for melody and a voice so clearly realized and experienced that she could sing a telephone book, should one exist anymore. In that metaphor, her repertoire is derived from a similar, simpler time when martinis were served dry, asked for or not. She encompasses classic beauty and urbanity. This is Mad Men music, has the series been more light-hearted.

Sherry expands her band stable with names new to her but not at large. Guitarist Paul Bollenbeck, pianist Rick Germanson, drummer George Coleman, and bassist Eric Wheeler. Wanting to select from lesser covered songs, the singer, nevertheless, plants some well-known ringers. Devoting much of the recording to songs like "The Alley Cat Song," "Try Your Wings," and "Doodlin' Song" and other tunes enjoying only sparse attendings over the last 50 years, Sherry includes "Give Me The Simple Life" and "Straighten Up and Fly Right" as proof of her grounding. She surprises with an innocently flirtatious performance of the Carole King-Gerry Goffin "Go Away Little Boy." The singer closes things with "The Doodling Song," featuring vibraphonist Joseph Doubleday, sung with coquettish delight. Let's Get Serious is Gemma Sherry's artistic gift to a worn world, one with hope and grace built in, so we remember what to expect on the other side of challenge.~C.Michael Bailey https://www.allaboutjazz.com/lets-get-serious-gemma-sherry-tunley-records

Personnel: Gemma Sherry: voice / vocals; Paul Bollenback: guitar; Rick Germanson: piano; Eric Wheeler: bass; George Coleman Jr.: drums; Joseph Doubleday: vibraphone.

Let's get serious

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Joe Locke - Storytelling

Styles: Piano and Vibraphone 
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:28
Size: 125,4 MB
Art: Front

(6:33)  1. The Thrill Is Gone
(6:39)  2. Nature Boy
(7:55)  3. Hello Like Before
(5:09)  4. Who Killed Davey Moore?
(5:51)  5. Midnight Star
(7:30)  6. A Tale of Coincidence
(5:55)  7. Blame It On My Youth
(4:46)  8. I'll Be There
(4:06)  9. Don't Let It Bring You Down

In a disappointing shift from 2000's Beauty Burning, vibraphonist Joe Locke enlists vocalist Mark Ledford and keyboardist/co-producer Henry Hey for the pop-oriented Storytelling. Surrounding Locke and Ledford is a solid jazz ensemble: Hey, saxophonist Tim Garland, bassist Eric Revis, drummer Jeff "Tain" Watts, and guitarist Paul Bollenback. But there's a preponderance of contrived rock and Motown covers, including an eye-rolling "I'll Be There." (Is there a need for another remake after Mariah Carey's?) The standards are given fluffed-up, unexceptional treatments, although the ensemble passages toward the end of "The Thrill Is Gone" are a brief ray of light. "Midnight Star," with original words and music (and piano playing) by Locke, unfortunately doesn't rise above the morass, nor does his "A Tale of Coincidence," the only instrumental track. There's some fine playing on the record. Tim Garland's tenor break on Bob Dylan's "Who Killed Davey Moore?" is a highlight, and every solo by Locke, Hey, and Bollenback is an unfailing display of expertise. Ledford's singing voice, too, can be quite appealing  he sounded terrific on Don Byron's A Fine Line: Arias and Leider. But here he's saddled with lame material, and his presence rapidly becomes unwelcome. ~ David R. Adler https://www.allmusic.com/album/storytelling-mw0000001217

Personnel: Drums, Cymbal – Jeff "Tain" Watts ; Guitars – Paul Bollenback ; Piano – Joe Locke (tracks: 5); Piano, Hammond B3, Synthesizer – Henry Hey ; Saxophone, Bass Clarinet, Flute – Tim Garland; Trumpet, Vocals – Mark Ledford; Vibraphone – Joe Locke

Storytelling

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Nancy Kelly - Remembering Mark Murphy

Styles: Vocal 
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:06
Size: 117,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:39)  1. Empty Faces (Vera Cruz)
(5:09)  2. Song for the Geese
(5:03)  3. Again
(5:57)  4. I'm Glad There Is You
(4:18)  5. On the Red Clay
(4:45)  6. Night Mood (Lembra)
(4:50)  7. Stolen Moments
(6:38)  8. Body and Soul
(3:52)  9. Sunday in New York
(4:51) 10. This Could Be the Start of Something Big

"People often ask me who my favorite singer is, and my answer is always, without hesitation, Mark Murphy. He was “the real deal.” With Mark’s passing, I was moved to honor him musically with this recording.

I joined musical forces with pianist John DiMartino on this project. He too is a huge Mark Murphy fan and we are very excited to see this endeavor take on its own life. You certainly won't need to be a Mark fan to be moved by the music I’ve chosen for this recording.

Mark’s music went through many changes as he grew and matured. I've recorded the songs that most affected me over the years as an artist. These compositions nourished me and gave birth to my jazz soul.

Mark grew up in Fulton, NY, not far from Fair Haven NY, where I’ve been living for many years. After getting to know him on and off the bandstand, I was thrilled to find out he spent many summers with his family in Fair Haven and he adored Little Sodus Bay, which inspired him to write the lyrics to “Song for the Geese.” The song has a profound place in my heart. As I worked on developing this recording, I gazed out my window on the bay and drew love and inspiration.

Some cuts we chose are Mark Murphy classics. Randy Brecker joined us for Body and Soul, Red Clay and Vera Cruz, and as he did on Mark's original recordings of these tracks.

When John and I developed the material, we agreed to keep the integrity of some of these numbers while I joyfully took liberties with some of the others." (by Nancy Kelly)

Randy Brecker: "Nancy Kelly's tribute to Mark Murphy is wonderful remembrance and dedication to one of the jazz world's greatest vocalists. Each track brings something new to the table though...a heartfelt effort that I was proud to be a part of, having known/toured with Mark, and played on a couple of his albums."

Eric Cohen, Former WAER Music director and 2-time award winning programmer of the year says: " The CD is a Masterpiece "

Frank Wilner,  WNHN FM 94.7 Concord, NH: " You have a winner here, very classy recording"

Peter Jones, author of the 2018  Biography, This Is Hip: The Life of Mark Murphy had this to say about the CD.: "This hip and mellow album is far more than a tribute to the great Mark Murphy; it’s an outstanding contribution to vocal jazz in its own right. With her warm, sensuous voice, Nancy Kelly has recorded sleek contemporary interpretations of the songs that formed such an integral part of the Mark Murphy repertoire."

Scott Elias, Freelance Film Producer and President  at Random Acts Entertainment: " The charts are all cool, and your PHRASING just slays me!  It's like listening to Mark Murphy's hip kid sister, who is now a woman who shares his sensibilities, but has her OWN impeccable virtuosity and unique experiences to share."

Personnel:
Nancy Kelly, Vocals, Executive Producer
John DiMartino, Piano, Arranger and Producer
Randy Brecker, Trumpet, Flugelhorn, 1,5,8
Bobby Militello, Soprano, Alto, Flute, 1,4,5,6,7,8,9
Paul Bollenback,  Electric Guitar 3,6,9
Paul Meyers, Acoustic Guitar 1,2,
Ed Howard, Electric and Acoustic bass
Carmen Intorre Jr, Drums and Percussion
Peter Mack,  Co-Executive Producer. bass 10
Steve Brown guitar, conga.10

Remembering Mark Murphy

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Joe Locke - Beauty Burning

Styles: Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:44
Size: 131,0 MB
Art: Front

(6:58)  1. Litha
(6:26)  2. Twilight
(7:31)  3. Pools Of Amber
(7:30)  4. Somewhere Waiting
(8:30)  5. Quiet As It's Kept
(5:45)  6. Where Is Love?
(6:37)  7. I - 95
(7:22)  8. Rasputainian Dance

On Beauty Burning, the fourteenth release under his own name, it's clear that vibraphonist Joe Locke was interested in making a good recording rather than merely providing a showcase for his own considerable talents. The disc is a thoughtful mixture of intimate, finely tuned ensemble playing and capable solos by the leader, pianist Frank Kimbrough, bassist Ray Drummond, drummer Jeff "Tain" Watts, and guitarist Paul Bollenback. Recording shortly after the band (minus Bollenback) played an engagement in New York, their empathy and willingness to listen to one another is evident on every cut. With the exception of Bollenback, each musician contributes at least one tune, and the material also includes compositions by Chick Corea, Darrell Grant, and Lional Bart. At his most assertive, such as on the lively "Litha," Locke's long, skittering lines are balanced by reflective, blues influenced passages. Kimbrough's solo on the same track sustains the vibraphonist's momentum, and Watts backs them both with insistent rhythms. "Twilight" is smooth jazz with substance, with Locke playing more deliberately and displaying considerable intelligence and wit. His "Somewhere Waiting" (which would make a great theme for a movie soundtrack) features a fine solo turn by Drummond. The bassist's "I-95" is mysterious-sounding stroll in which Watts fuels Locke's busy, intense solo. The empathy between Locke and Kimbrough on last year's release, Saturn's Child (OmniTone), is once again apparent in the ballad "Where Is Love." Their duet is filled with understated pleasures, such as Locke's beautiful voicing of the melody, his figures behind Kimbrough's graceful solo, and their penchant for augmenting and finishing each other's phrases. ~ David A.Orthmann https://www.allaboutjazz.com/beauty-burning-joe-locke-sirocco-music-limited-review-by-david-a-orthmann.php?width=1920

Personnel: Joe Locke: vibraphone; Frank Kimbrough: piano; Ray Drummond: bass; Jeff “Tain” Watts: drums; Paul Bollenback: guitar.

Beauty Burning

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Joey DeFrancesco - The Street of Dreams

Styles: Jazz, Hard Bop
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:07
Size: 126,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:08)  1. How Little We Know
(3:42)  2. Twisted Blues
(6:02)  3. Incognito
(3:20)  4. Stop Leading Me On
(6:29)  5. Black Nile
(3:53)  6. The Street of Dreams
(6:05)  7. Puttin' on the Ritz
(5:45)  8. Moanin'
(4:03)  9. I Wish You Love
(7:07) 10. A Real Goodun'
(5:28) 11. What's New

Organist Joey DeFrancesco switched to a small label for this release. He is featured with his regular trio (with guitarist Paul Bollenback and drummer Byron Landham), guest bassist Keter Betts, and a six-piece horn section arranged by Horace Ott. Most unusual about this set is that DeFrancesco is also heard on piano, trumpet, and vocals. Unfortunately, his singing is more heartfelt than musical and brings down the value of the record. However, DeFrancesco's organ playing is as strong as ever and he is an underrated trumpeter most influenced by Miles Davis. Among the better selections are Wes Montgomery's "Twisted Blues," Wayne Shorter's "Black Nile," and "Moanin'." 

~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-street-of-dreams-mw0000179292

Personnel: Organ – Joey DeFrancesco; Bass – Keter Betts; Bass Trombone – Dudley Hinote; Drums – Byron Landham; Guitar – Paul Bollenback; Saxophone – Pete Berrenbregge; Trombone – Doug Elliott , Rick Lillard; Trumpet – Bruce Gates, Rick Sigler

The Street of Dreams

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Polly Gibbons - All I Can Do

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:06
Size: 157,3 MB
Art: Front

(5:08)  1. Permit Me to Introduce You to Yourself
(6:28)  2. Good Hands Tonight
(4:21)  3. Beautiful Things
(5:21)  4. If You Had the Chance
(6:36)  5. Some of My Best Friends Are the Blues
(4:30)  6. Anything Goes
(5:39)  7. This Is Always
(5:03)  8. All I Can Do
(7:23)  9. Everything Must Change
(5:48) 10. I'm Just a Lucky so and So
(6:24) 11. Nothing Compares to You
(5:20) 12. Sugar in My Bowl

It is enough to listen to some songs by the English Polly Gibbons to let yourself be taken by her exuberant feeling. Nothing to do with the many vocalists who have invaded the scene with a mediocre and plasticized synthesis of pop, jazz and soul. The young woman discovered by producer Ian Shaw is something special. His tone is deep, the vocal technique is sparkling and supported by musical impetus and imagination: qualities that bring him closer to the great jazz vocalists. But the artistic identity of Polly does not belong only to this musical tradition and ranges in balance between past and present. Can make credible soul themes like "Dr. Feelgood" by Aretha Franklin , folk ballad like "All I Want" by Joni Mitchelland ranges from Leonard Cohen , Prince , Marvin Gaye and D'Angelo . Other privileged areas are the blues and the classics of American song. Born into a Suffolk (England) family of farmers, she took her first steps in the colorful London music and her recording debut ( My Own Company , Diving Duck Recordings 2014) recorded it at Ronnie Scott's, with the trio of James Pearson. Soon afterwards, the contract came with George Klabin's Resonance, which is now releasing his third album.In this recording at the New York City Power Studio in front of a small audience, Polly Gibbons ranges between genres with the usual flexibility, in an effective calibration of swinging, intimate or blues-soaked atmospheres. 

The opening song "Permit Me to Introduce You to Yourself" is an incisive soul by Horace Silverand has nothing to envy to the vocal version of Dee Dee Bridgewater ; they follow the warm blues atmosphere "Good Hands Tonight" taken from the repertoire of Al Jarreau and the pop cover "Beautiful Things" of Leslie Bricusse . Having established the first reference coordinates, the singer passionately interprets "If You Had the Chance," a ballad written by her together with James Pearson. Alongside the imaginative exuberance fully evident in "I'm Just Lucky and So-So-So" - it is precisely in the intimate themes that Polly expresses the most intense moments: the ballad "This Is Always" which reminds us of Chet Baker , the poignant torch song "Nothing Compares 2 U" by Prince and the torrid blues "I Want a Little Sugar in My Bowl," a tribute to Bessie Smith and Nina Simone.~ Angelo Leonardi https://www.allaboutjazz.com/all-i-can-do-polly-gibbons-resonance-records-review-by-angelo-leonardi.php

Personnel: Polly Gibbons: vocals; Tamir Hendelman, James Pearson: piano; Shedrick Mitchell: hammond organ; Paul Bollenback: guitar; Richie Goods: bass; Mark McLean: drums.

All I Can Do

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Houston Person - To Etta with Love

Styles: Saxophone Jazz

Year: 2004

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 54:29

Size: 124,9 MB

Art: Front

(5:18)  1. It's Magic

(6:20)  2. Love Walked In

(4:43)  3. Don't Misunderstand

(4:55)  4. I Should Care

(5:22)  5. Don't Go To Strangers

(6:00)  6. For All We Know

(6:31)  7. Since I Fell For You

(4:31)  8. Ain't Misbehavin'

(7:11)  9. What A Wonderful World

(3:33) 10. Gee Baby Ain't I Good To You

One of the longest-lasting and critically lauded partnerships in jazz, the duo of vocalist Etta Jones and tenor saxophonist Houston Person ran from a concert in 1968 to Jones' death in 2001 on the same day their last album together, Etta Jones Sings Lady Day, was released. In tribute to Jones, To Etta With Love finds Person digging into various standards that Jones loved throughout her career. There is a melancholy, heartbreaking quality to these tracks. The fact that liner notes are included on an album without a vocalist only serves to further underline how much Jones' personality and style inform every note Person plays. The journeyman's warm, burnished tenor sound veritably weeps and more often soars through such classics as "Don't Go to Strangers," "For All We Know," and "Gee Baby Ain't I Good to You." Backing Person here are the always sensitive talents of pianist Stan Hope, guitarist Paul Bollenback, bassist Per-Ola Gadd, and drummer Chip White. Much like the singer Person knew, To Etta With Love is an understated, moving, and swinging elegy. ~ Matt Collar https://www.allmusic.com/album/to-etta-with-love-mw0000397922    

Personnel: Houston Person (tenor saxophone); Per-Ola Gadd (bass instrument); Paul Bollenback (guitar); Stan Hope (piano); Chip White (drums).

To Etta with Love

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Andrei Kondakov & Paul Bollenback - Alone and Together

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:43
Size: 128,5 MB
Art: Front

(7:00)  1. Song for Michel (Kondakov)
(3:57)  2. Together (Bollenback)
(7:02)  3. And I Love Her (Lennon - McCartney)
(4:55)  4. Alone Together (Dietz - Schwartz)
(5:16)  5. Skylark (Carmichael - Mercer)
(6:08)  6. If I Should Lose You
(8:17)  7. Cat's Eye (Bollenback)
(4:33)  8. Alone (Kondakov)
(8:30)  9. I Thought About You (Mercer - Van Hensen)

Award-winning jazz guitarist Paul Bollenback developed a taste for the exotic over the course of a three-year period when his family lived in India. He was 11 years old when the family traveled to New Delhi, and years later the sounds and experiences of that early journey found their way into his first album from Challenge Records, Original Visions. His next release, Double Gemini, continued to stir up a buzz among critics, and it drew honors as CD of the Month from both WBGO, a Newark jazz station, and 20th Century Jazz Magazine. Bollenback remained with Challenge for his next project, Soul Grooves.The guitarist first got his hands on an instrument with nylon strings when he was seven years old. The guitar was a gift from his dad, who adored music as much as the younger Bollenback and also played the trumpet. At the age of 14, the budding guitarist headed home to the states with his family, where he discovered the delights of rock & roll. Around this time he started to play the electric guitar, another gift from his dad. When he discovered Miles Davis, it was a major turning point in his musical development.

Bollenback's education includes music studies at the University of Miami. He continued his studies with eight more years of private instruction under the tutelage of Asher Zlotnik in Baltimore. In 1993, the year that he embarked on a European tour, he received a National Endowment for the Arts grant, in conjunction with the Virginia Commission on the Arts, for "New Music for Three Jazz Guitars." The Washington Area Music Awards dubbed him Musician of the Year in 1997, the same year that he joined the music faculty at American University. SESAC honored two of his original pieces, "Romancin' the Moon" and "Wookies' Revenge," both of which were included on the album Reboppin' by Joey DeFrancesco, who returned the favor by appearing on Bollenback's Soul Grooves. he Litchfield Jazz Festival Summer Music School installed Bollenback as artist-in-residence. He also is a featured artist on the bill of the Summer Guitar & Bass Workshop offered by Duquesne University. The guitarist has performed on numerous television programs, among them Entertainment Tonight, The Tonight Show, The Today Show, Joan Rivers, and Good Morning America. He has shared the stage with a long list of musical artists, including Charlie Byrd, Arturo Sandoval, Herb Ellis, Stanley Turrentine, Spyro Gyra's Scott Ambush, and Della Reese. ~ Linda Seida https://www.allmusic.com/artist/paul-bollenback-mn0000746344/biography  

Alone and Together

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Tommy Flanagan, Tommy Cecil, Billy Hart, Paul Bollenback, Gary Bartz, Cyro Baptista - Samba For Felix

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:47
Size: 139.1 MB
Styles: Bop, Piano jazz
Year: 1999
Art: Front

[8:25] 1. Samba For Felix
[5:52] 2. Don't Get Around Much Anymore
[6:03] 3. You're So Retro
[9:01] 4. Ce
[7:27] 5. Cavalier
[8:17] 6. The Heather On The Hill
[6:56] 7. Perspective Changes
[8:43] 8. Pastorale

Though headlined by Tommy Flanagan, Samba for Felix is truly Tommy Cecil's recording session. Cecil serves as the bandleader, principle songwriter (writing five of the album's eight tracks), and outstanding bassist on this valuable set. For his part, Flanagan is masterful on piano and is expertly joined by Billy Hart (drums), Gary Bartz (alto sax), Paul Bollenback (guitar), and Cyro Baptista (percussion). This all-star cast would be expected to put forth a great effort and they do not disappoint. The title track is a wailing samba, highlighted by Bollenback's intense guitar attack. "Don't Get Around Much Anymore" stays true to Ellington's simple and evocative melody. "Ce" takes on a distinctive Latin flavor and is notable for Baptista's sensitive accompaniment. "The Heather on the Hill" is a lovely ballad on which Bartz makes the alto sing. "Pastorale," a Cecil original, closes the set with understated brilliance. Throughout Samba for Felix, Billy Hart and Cecil lay down a deep, pronounced groove and Flanagan displays the confidence of a genuine master with nothing more to prove. This album is highly recommended. ~Brian Bartolini

Samba For Felix mc
Samba For Felix zippy

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Paul Bollenback - Brightness of Being

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:16
Size: 156,7 MB
Art: Front

(6:42)  1. Together
(9:00)  2. Unchain My Heart
(6:57)  3. Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing
(6:01)  4. Breathe
(4:50)  5. You Don't Know Me
(5:48)  6. A.M. Special
(6:41)  7. El Desierto
(3:12)  8. Dark Eyes of Floria Tosca, Pt. 1
(5:32)  9. Dark Eyes of Floria Tosca, Pt. 2
(2:11) 10. Dark Eyes of Floria Tosca, Pt. 3
(3:38) 11. Philadelphia
(7:38) 12. Siberian Passages

Good music is where you find it, and breadth of stylistic interest needn't dilute a distinguishable voice. Like Bill Frisell's East/West (Nonesuch, 2005), guitarist Paul Bollenback's Brightness of Being brings these points home most effectively. While Bollenback and Vic Juris are two very different players (Bollenbeck is also younger), both remain sadly underappreciated, despite their ability to elevate every project into something special. Looking at Bollenback's substantial catalogue of recorded work, one can find the same pattern emerging which is really a distinct lack of pattern. While unequivocally mainstream, Brightness of Being is no retro relic. There's nary a standard to be found, although Bollenback places some contemporary songs into straight-ahead but fluidly open contexts. Saxophonist David "Fathead Newman appears on two tributes to the late Ray Charles: "Unchain My Heart, which has a '60s Blue Note soul-jazz vibe; and "You Don't Know Me, which Bollenback relocates from country juke joint to late night smoky bar. But Bollenback interprets even familiar material with an open-minded and unencumbered approach. He constructs his solos every bit as well as Pat Metheny does, but they somehow feel looser. He thinks fast on his feet, effortlessly shifting from clean lines to complex chordal passages, yet always relying on a clear conception and strong narrative development.

Bollenback reinvents Stevie Wonder's "Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing, which also features saxophonists Gary Thomas and Tim Garland. Opening almost unrecognizably, the three players enter a heated exchange, ultimately finding their way to the complex chord changes that bridge the chorus and verse. They respect Wonder's melodicism, but Bollenback proves adept at improvising in ways that might seem reckless if they didn't make so much sense. The song ultimately ends as it began Bollenback, Garland and Thomas in virtual free fall, with bassist James Genus and drummer Terri-Lyne Carrington offering intuitive and responsive support. Bollenback's ability to envision greater possibilities is especially vivid in his adaptation of Garcia de Leon's "El Desierto, which starts as a gentle tone poem but then picks up steam for his solo. Again, he skirts the edges of abandon but never loses focus a characteristic equally applicable to Garland's nimble soprano solo. Bollenback's imaginative three-part adaptation of Puccini's "Dark Eyes of Floria from Tosca moves from freedom to form, temporal elasticity to loose swing, change-based improvisation to more open-ended modality. Bollenback's writing demonstrates similar adaptability. "Together may sound straightforward, but its inherent complexity challenges everyone to find common melodic threads. The gently Latin-inflected "Breathe, where Bollenback plays classical guitar, features Chris McNulty's sultry tone in a Norma Winstone-like wordless vocal. The set closes with "Siberian Passages, another deceptive piece where McNulty again mirrors Bollenback, who manages to make the elaborate flow with ease while retaining a simmering intensity. No one album can tell the whole story on Paul Bollenback. But certainly more than any record he's led to date, Brightness of Being demonstrates an out-of-the-box thinker working freely in a compositionally refined yet wholly accessible mainstream context. ~ John Kelman https://www.allaboutjazz.com/brightness-of-being-paul-bollenback-elefant-dreams-records-review-by-john-kelman.php

Personnel: Paul Bollenback: guitar; David "Fathead" Newman: tenor saxophone; Tim Garland: soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone, bass clarinet; Gary Thomas: tenor saxophone; James Genus: bass; Terri-Lyne Carrington: drums; Ari Hoenig: drums; Chris McNulty: vocals.

Brightness of Being

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Joey DeFrancesco - Snapshot: The Original Trio

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:35
Size: 136,6 MB
Art: Front

(7:58)  1. Eighty One
(9:55)  2. The End of a Love Affair
(2:44)  3. Introductions
(7:28)  4. Ode to Angela
(6:19)  5. Songline
(7:16)  6. You Don't Know Me
(8:32)  7. Fly Me to the Moon
(9:20)  8. Whichole

Joey DeFrancesco has come a long way from his recording debut made in 1989 as a fresh-faced 17-year-old. From the get-go, he established his credentials with virtuoso technique and an innate soulfulness that he developed under the tutelage of his father, Papa John DeFrancesco. Combining monstrous chops with a flair for showmanship, DeFrancesco is regarded by organ aficionados as the baddest B-3 burner in the business. Joey's latest manages to look both ahead and back back to the trio's roots which extend back 15 years and ahead to musical triumphs to come. ~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/Snapshot-Joey-DeFrancesco/dp/B002N1AEJG

Personnel:  Joey DeFrancesco (Hammond B-3 organ); Paul Bollenback (Guitar); Byron Landham (Drums).

Snapshot: The Original Trio

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Joey DeFrancesco - The Champ: Round 2

Styles: Jazz, Hard Bop
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:18
Size: 156,7 MB
Art: Front

(8:37)  1. The Champ
(5:37)  2. Back at the Chicken Shack
(5:04)  3. Bayou
(6:44)  4. I'm an Old Cowhand
(5:53)  5. The Sermon
(7:56)  6. The Boss
(6:56)  7. Oh No, Babe
(4:38)  8. Hackensack
(8:19)  9. Greensleeves
(8:29) 10. The Champ (The Rematch)

The Champ: Round 2 is the second volume of Joey DeFrancesco's tribute to mentor and Hammond B3 groove master Jimmy Smith. While 1999's The Champ was an entertaining and honorable tribute, Round 2 produces only patchy rewards even with the swinging camaraderie provided by guitarist Paul Bollenback and drummer Byron Landham. Compared to the first volume in which the initial freshness of the idea was more palatable, Round 2 suffers from slight stagnation (two versions of "The Champ" on this disc!) for the same reason. Following the late-'90s studio releases of The Champ, Goodfellas, and the live set Incredible, three discs that rely mainly on standards and jazz classics, this disc is ultimately disappointing, finding DeFrancesco repeating challenges we have already heard him acheive. ~ Al Campbell https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-champ-round-2-mw0000620309

Personnel: Joey DeFrancesco (Hammond B-3 Organ); Paul Bollenback (guitar); Byron Landham (drums).

The Champ: Round 2

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