Stuff Smith (With Svend Asmussen & Paul Olsen) - Hot Violins

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:21
Size: 133.6 MB
Styles: Violin jazz
Year: 1967/1991
Art: Front

[6:04] 1. C-Jam Blues
[8:57] 2. Caravan
[5:40] 3. Timme's Blues
[4:19] 4. Oh, Lady Be Good
[6:09] 5. Hello Copenhagen
[5:42] 6. Swingin' Softly
[5:56] 7. One O'clock Jump
[6:15] 8. How High The Moon
[4:55] 9. Swingin' Bach
[4:19] 10. Stand By Blues

Violinist Stuff Smith is heard on this CD during three different dates from his later years when he lived in Copenhagen. Best are four hard-swinging collaborations with fellow violinist Svend Asmussen, including a charming version of "Lady Be Good" that has both of the fiddlers singing. In addition, Smith performs two of his originals in 1967 with the Kenny Drew Trio (seven months before his death) and matches up with violinist Poul Olsen (who sounds a bit like Stuff) on four numbers, including a riff-filled "One O'Clock Jump." An excellent and well-recorded release by the exciting swing violinist Stuff Smith. ~Scott Yanow

Hot Violins mc
Hot Violins zippy

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Stuff Smith Quartet, Svend Asmussen - Hot Stuff

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:15
Size: 170.0 MB
Styles: Violin jazz
Year: 2004
Art: Front

[4:27] 1. Skip It
[4:26] 2. The Girl From Ipanema
[7:06] 3. Tenderly
[6:18] 4. Take The A Train
[4:35] 5. Bugle Blues
[4:53] 6. I Can't Get Started
[6:11] 7. Mack The Knife
[6:44] 8. Blues For Timme
[4:39] 9. Old Stinkin' Blues
[6:01] 10. The C Jam Blues
[8:55] 11. Caravan
[5:38] 12. Time's Blues
[4:15] 13. Oh, Lady Be Good

Violinist Stuff Smith's recording career was a bit erratic, so every new release is greeted with much anticipation by fans of the swinging violinist. But Hot Stuff is actually a compilation of two earlier, out of print Storyville CDs, containing all nine tracks from Smith's Live at the Montmartre and four duets with violinist Svend Asmussen taken from Hot Violins. Smith is joined by expatriate pianist Kenny Drew, the young virtuoso bassist Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, and drummer Alex Riel at the Montmatre. Highlights include a blazing rendition of "Take the 'A' Train" and his own "Timme's Blues" (saluting the gadfly producer Baron Timme Rosenkrantz), the latter of which features the hottest solos of the evening. The songs from a year later feature violinist Svend Asmussen joining Smith in a live recording made for Danish radio, along with pianist Jorgen Borch, bassist Erik Molback, and drummer Bjarne Rostvold. There's quite a bit of vocal banter in "C Jam Blues," with Smith toying with the lyrics to "Duke's Place" and clearly taking his own path as Asmussen plays a pizzicato line behind him. "Caravan" is especially exotic, as Asmussen switches to a tenor violin, while their unusually slow introduction establishes a catchy vamp before they revert to a swinging mode. Asmussen is thrown by Smith's ad-libbed vocal introduction to "Oh, Lady Be Good," though he recovers quickly to trade scatted choruses with the American and even scats in unison with his violin. This CD should be considered essential for anyone who enjoys jazz violin. ~Ken Dryden

Hot Stuff mc
Hot Stuff zippy

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Teresa Brewer - What A Wonderful World

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 1989
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:23
Size: 91,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:04)  1. What A Wonderful World
(4:04)  2. June Night
(4:15)  3. I Dream Of You
(5:03)  4. Just Imagine
(3:22)  5. Isn't It A Lovely Day?
(3:45)  6. I've Got A Feeling
(2:55)  7. Live Is Just A Bowl Of Cherries
(3:46)  8. On The Road Again
(3:50)  9. Come And Drive Me Crazy
(5:18) 10. My Heart Belongs To Daddy

A 1989 release of Brewer singing and being backed by Stephane Grappelli and Ruby Braff. I'd rather hear them.~Ron Wynn http://www.allmusic.com/album/what-a-wonderful-world-mw0000201527

Personnel: Teresa Brewer (vocals); Bob Haggart (whistling); Bucky Pizzarelli (guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar); John Bertoncini (guitar); Diz Disley (acoustic guitar); Martin Taylor (electric guitar); Stéphane Grappelli, Svend Asmussen (violin); Bob Wilber (clarinet, saxophone); Bud Freeman (tenor saxophone); Yank Lawson (trumpet); Ruby Braff , Bobby Hackett (cornet); Vic Dickenson, Benny Morton (trombone); Derek Smith , Hank Jones , Ralph Sutton , Earl Hines (piano); Ron Traxler, Grady Tate, Gus Johnson , Oliver Jackson (drums)

What A Wonderful World

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Stephane Grappelli - Olympia 1988

Styles: Violin Jazz
Year: 1988
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:51
Size: 156,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:19)  1. Pick Yourself Up
(3:07)  2. Chicago
(2:26)  3. Shine
(5:15)  4. I Can't Give You Anything But Love
(5:40)  5. Love For Sale
(3:26)  6. I Get A Kick Out Of You
(4:16)  7. Swing 42
(4:13)  8. La Chanson Des Rues
(2:33)  9. Chatanooga Choo Choo
(4:45) 10. Someone to Watch Over Me / I Got Rhythm
(4:30) 11. Ol' Man River
(5:43) 12. Willow Weep For Me
(4:09) 13. 'S Wonderful
(4:00) 14. Lady Be Good
(3:46) 15. Nuages / Daphne
(4:37) 16. Honeysuckle Rose

Violinist Stephane Grappelli has recorded so many fine sets during the past two decades that although virtually all of them are enjoyable, most are not essential. This fine concert performance with a quartet (which also includes the guitars of Marc Fosset and Martin Taylor) is typical of Grappelli's ability to infuse familiar melodies that he has performed a countless number of times with enthusiasm, energy and wit. Pianist Martial Solal and violinist Svend Asmussen make guest appearances but most of the focus is on the great Grappelli, who never seems to have an off day.~Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/olympia-88-mw0000314869

Personnel: Stéphane Grappelli (violin); Marc Fosset (acoustic guitar, electric guitar); Martin Taylor (electric guitar); Svend Asmussen (violin); Martial Solal (piano); Patrice Caratini (double bass).

Olympia 88

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Svend Asmussen - Embraceable

Size: 168,0 MB
Time: 72:24
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz Swing
Art: Front

01. Singin' In The Rain (5:07)
02. Sophisticated Lady (5:35)
03. Hushabye (8:26)
04. Trubbel (6:01)
05. Prelude In C-Minor (5:34)
06. Things Ain't What They Used To Be (7:57)
07. Waltz For Sonny (7:32)
08. Just A Gigolo (4:34)
09. There Will Never Be Another You (7:35)
10. Embraceable You (3:54)
11. Pent-Up House (5:48)
12. June Night (4:14)

In 1987 when he was a young man of 70, Svend Asmussen played a gig in a small club in Paris. This year, on the eve of his 100th birthday, the Danish violinist rediscovered a tape made of the evening for a Parisian radio station. He says: "I assumed it would be just another radio show which I wouldn't care to hear again. But when it was transferred to CD, it was a revelation.

"It was a night with three excellent musicians who I had never played with before. It was quite a difficult gig for a 70-year-old: first set at 11pm, second at 12.30 and third at 2am. We didn't have a rehearsal. I had a few things scribbled down but I don't think anyone looked at them. They just played.

"The radio man casually mentioned, 'And by the way, the concert will be broadcast live so would you please announce the whole thing in French,' which I did."

Now, as the Asmussen centennial draws near, the rest of the world can finally listen in on the gig, shorn of most of the extraneous background noise and Asmussen's French introductions.

It's a rollicking, swinging affair, The Fiddling Viking kicking off with "Singin' In The Rain," which he first played as a 12-year-old long before the Gene Kelly musical popularized the tune.

The highspot of the evening is the Mercer Ellington number "Things Ain't What They Used To Be," which gives Georges Arvanitas a chance to strut his bluesy stuff on piano.

Then there's "Hushabye" by rock 'n' roll songsmith Doc Pomus and Frédéric Chopin's "Prelude in C-minor" to keep listeners on their toes amid such jazz staples as Toots Thielemans' "Waltz For Sonny" and George Gershwin's "Embraceable You."

Let's give Asmussen the final say: "Thirty years later, I find there is an unusually 'live' atmosphere in this recording. Honestly, I think it is the best music I've ever recorded." ~Chris Mosley

Personnel: Svend Asmussen: violin; Georges Arvanitas: piano; Patrice Caratini: bass; Charles Saudrais: drums.

Embraceable

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