Showing posts with label Terry Blaine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Terry Blaine. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 4, 2018

Terry Blaine - Too Hot For Words

Size: 136,6 MB
Time: 57:51
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1999
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. A-Tisket A-Tasket (3:18)
02. Dinah (4:02)
03. Looking At You (4:00)
04. It's Too Hot For Words (2:36)
05. My Very Good Friend The Milkman (4:18)
06. It's You (3:04)
07. A Ship Without A Sail (4:34)
08. The Joint Is Jumpin' (3:22)
09. Concentratin' On You (4:02)
10. You Go To My Head (4:36)
11. My Mother's Son-In-Law (2:37)
12. I'm No Angel (3:16)
13. You Meet The Nicest People In Your Dreams (2:42)
14. It's Easy To Remember (4:51)
15. Repeal The Blues (2:29)
16. Goodnight My Love (3:54)

With this album of 16 "blasts from the past," Terry Blaine solidifies her position as one of the leading contemporary practitioners of the traditional/swing vocal style. The subtitle for this album is "Great Ladies of Swing," a tribute to those song birds of the past who enthralled the public and, in doing so, set the standards for singers of this musical genre who were to follow. The technique Terry Blaine and Mark Shane use in presenting this tribute is as fascinating as the tribute itself. On most of the cuts, Blaine refines a technique she used in her earlier album, Whose Honey Are You?, by over-dubbing her voice to create background singers. Here she manages to sound as if she is accompanied by the Boswell Sisters, giving each of them a separate and distinct voice. The result is some very interesting vocal combinations, which is Blaine and Shane's objective. On "Looking at You," Cole Porter's under-recorded gem, it's as if Lee Wiley has the Boswell Sisters backing her. An unlikely combination is Mae West backed by these harmonious siblings on "I'm No Angel." On "My Very Good Friend the Milkman," made famous by the inimitable Fats Waller, Shane does Waller's piano while Blaine and her "background singers" do a jivy version of this perky tune. While most of the cuts are indeed "hot," there are some slowly turned-out ballads. Alan Vache's clarinet noodles behind Blaine's poignant delivery of "You Go to My Head" before he takes a patented soft, Benny Goodman-like solo. Blaine's interpretation and style on this tune recalls Bea Wain's with the Larry Clinton Orchestra. Another slow-tempo tune, "It's Easy to Remember," showcases Russell George's arco bass. Many other singers of the past are recalled on this entertaining album, among them Mildred Bailey, Peggy Lee, Ethel Waters, and, of course Ella Fitzgerald on the kick-off song "A-Tisket A-Tasket." Blaine does not imitate the voices of these singers of the past; rather, she sings in a similar style. She has garnered an extraordinary and likeminded set of musicians to work with her on this album. The Texas tailgate trombone of Joel Helleny and Ed Polcer's cornet go a long way in recreating the swing aura of the 1920s-1940s. Mark Shane's piano, however, is the glue which holds the set together. He sets exactly the right mood and pace, promoting Blaine's delivery and phrasing. That these two are musical soulmates is apparent.

Too Hot for Words serves as a reminder of how enduring the works of the great stylists of the past (and some from the relatively recent past) are, and of the very rich vocal legacy they left behind. In the hands of talented professionals, the reminder is a very entertaining one indeed. ~by Dave Nathan

Too Hot For Words

Sunday, April 16, 2017

Terry Blaine & Mark Shane - Lonesome Swallow

Size: 154,9 MB
Time: 65:49
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2002
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Squeeze Me (3:56)
02. Lonesome Swallow (4:04)
03. I Got Rhythm (2:53)
04. My Handy Man (4:10)
05. Memories Of You (4:30)
06. Hate To Talk About Myself (2:48)
07. Willow Tree (3:11)
08. Am I Blue (3:26)
09. I'm Glad There Is You (4:30)
10. Jeepers Creepers (3:35)
11. River (Stay 'way From My Door) (4:38)
12. You Don't Understand (4:01)
13. Do What You Did Last Night (2:56)
14. 100 Years From Today (4:16)
15. Long About Midnight (3:16)
16. Shim Sham Shimmy Dance (2:04)
17. Don't Cry Baby (3:56)
18. Home (When Shadows Fall) (3:31)

Singer Terry Blaine likes to use her album releases as a vehicle for giving a nod to those who have influenced her. Among these are Ella Fitzgerald, Fats Waller, Lee Wiley, Helen Ward, Annette Hanshaw, Martha Tilton, Helen Forrest and Ethel Waters . For their fifth album together Blaine and long time accompanist Mark Shane have structured a program patterned after recordings made between 1929 and 1939 by Ethel Waters and J. P. Johnson for the Columbia label. With James P. Johnson in the mix, it's understandable why 1/3 of the play list belong to tunes by Fats Waller and Andy Razaf, including their lovely, underplayed "Lonesome Swallow". Blaine picks up several of the jazz influenced mannerisms that made Waters one of the top singers of her day before the movies beckoned, such as those cute second chorus embellishments. While at first hearing, these sound somewhat dated, they only add to the charm of Blaine's (and Water's) handling of these great tunes. Mark Shane captures the stride of James P. Johnson and the way Johnson used that device to highlight Water's vocal artistry, especially on such tunes as "Am I Blue" and "Willow Tree". There are a couple of ballads on the program, such as a lovely "Home (When Shadows Fall)", but mostly what we hear are the highly infectious rhythms of Blaine and Shane.

It's hard to imagine any two performers who can handle this material better than these two. With Blaine's dark, husky Lee Wiley like voice and Shane's delicate stride piano, this happy album is one that should be considered for the record collection. ~Dave Nathan

Personnel: Terry Blaine - Vocals; Mark Shane - Piano

Lonesome Swallow

Friday, April 14, 2017

Allan Vache, Mark Shane, Terry Blaine - Classic Jazz Duets

Size: 155,8 MB
Time: 66:32
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz Funk, Smooth Jazz
Art: Front

01. How It's Done (4:41)
02. Together (7:26)
03. Show Ur Id (4:42)
04. Age (5:52)
05. Sincerity (5:54)
06. After Tonight (4:10)
07. Out Of Time (For P) (5:15)
08. What U Do (When The Music Hits) (4:30)
09. Promises (3:20)
10. L.O.V.E. Intro (2:49)
11. Hold Up (3:40)
12. So Close (4:24)
13. D.I.S.C.O (4:08)
14. L.O.V.E. Outro (1:27)
15. I Cannot Believe (4:10)

Sweet Jazz Recordings is proud to have world class clarinetist Allan Vache on the roster. Joining Allan is pianist extraordinaire Mark Shane and top jazz vocalist Terry Blaine.

Allan Vaché, born December 16, 1953, grew up in Rahway, New Jersey where he attended school and graduated Rahway High School in 1971. He grew up in a musical family, with a father (Warren Vaché Sr.), a renowned bass player and with a brother (Warren Vaché, Jr.) who is well known for his expertise on cornet and flugelhorn. Allan not surprisingly took to music early and while at Jersey City State College from 1971-1975, studied with David Dworkin of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra as well as independently studying with the famous jazz artist, Kenny Davern.
During that same period Allan also performed many professional engagements with such jazz greats as: Bobby Hackett, Wild Bill Davison, Pee Wee Erwin, Gene Krupa, Dick Hyman, Max Kaminsky, Clark Terry, Dick Wellstood, Ed Hubble, Cliff Leeman, Bob Haggart, Jack Lesberg, Lionel Hampton, Bob Wilber and many others. He also made numerous appearances with his brother Warren Vaché, Jr.
In 1974-1975 Allan appeared in an on stage band in the Broadway musical "Doctor Jazz" at the Winter Garden theater, starring Bobby Van and Lola Falana for which Luther Henderson and Dick Hyman wrote instrumental arrangements.

In late 1975 Allan joined "The Jim Cullum Jazz Band" of San Antonio Texas, formerly "The Happy Jazz Band." With this organization, Allan has appeared numerous times on the Public Radio Series "Riverwalk, Live from the Landing" The band traveled extensively to Europe, Australia and Mexico, as well as making many festival appearances throughout the United States. Allan recorded nine albums and compact discs with this band, including the only jazz CD of the entire score of "Porgy and Bess", released on CBS Masterworks records. Vaché and the band also made many concert appearances of "Porgy and Bess" , many featuring opera great William Warfield as narrator, throughout the Western Hemisphere and including The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., and "The Cervantino Arts Festival" in Mexico City, for the U.S. State Department.

Allan has appeared in several "World Series of Jazz" concerts in San Antonio. These concerts featured the "Cullum" band alongside such jazz luminaries as Benny Goodman, Pete Fountain, Joe Venuti, Teddy Wilson, Scott Hamilton, Bob Wilber, and many others. Allan appeared with Jim Cullum at Carnegie Hall at the "Tribute to Turk Murphy" concert in January 1987. He has also performed with Cullum on the CBS Morning News, and PBS television show "Austin City Limits." He also performed on NPR’s "A Prairie Home Companion" with Garrison Keillor, and was a regular performer on PRI’s "Riverwalk – Live from the Landing," from 1987-1992. This program aired on over 200 public radio stations in the U.S. and abroad. Many of these shows are still rebroadcast today. In the summer of 1992 Allan left San Antonio to pursue a free lance career. Since that time he has appeared as a solo performer at several jazz festivals and parties around the country and abroad. He has appeared with pop performers Bonnie Rait and Leon Redbone and can be heard on the soundtrack of the 1998 film “The Newton Boys”.

In 1993 he moved to Orlando, Florida to perform at various Orlando attractions including Walt Disney World and Church Street Station. Vache has numerous recordings to his credit, several under his own name, for various labels. These include Audiophile, Jazzology, Arbors, and Nagel-Heyer, of Hamburg, Germany. Vache has presently recorded twelve CDs for this label, six of these as the leader. His latest CD “Ballads, Burners & Blues”, released in March of 2004 for the Arbors label, includes his wife, Vanessa Vache’, on clarinet, as a special guest. In March 2006 he recorded a tribute to Benny Goodman for Arbors entitled “With Benny in Mind” to be released early in 2007.
Having toured in Germany, Austria, England, Scotland, Ireland, Italy, Poland and Switzerland, Allan continues to work as a freelance artist in the Orlando area as well as appearing at many concerts and festivals in the U.S. and around the world.

Mark Shane’s jazz piano is firmly rooted in the swinging tradition of jazz piano masters James P. Johnson, Fats Waller, Teddy Wilson, Duke Ellington, Fletcher Henderson, Count Basie, Earl Hines and Art Tatum. Shane was house pianist in New York’s “Eddie Condon’s” jazz club and has played with Benny Goodman and many all star alumni from the great bands of Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Tommy Dorsey and Glenn Miller.

Mark Shane has been featured on radio and television jazz special broadcasts and has appeared as a featured soloist at major jazz festivals worldwide. Shane has toured for Columbia Artists and with the Smithsonian Jazz Repertory Ensemble. Featured in the 50th anniversary Benny Goodman memorial concert in Carnegie Hall, Shane has also played jazz piano for the Twyla Tharp Dance Company as well as for the Grammy Award-winning soundtrack, “The Cotton Club” as well as other films.

For Carnegie Hall’s 100th Anniversary celebration, Shane accompanied hosts Beverly Sills and Barbara Walters. Mark Shane has played a royal command performance of Duke Ellington’s “The Queen’s Suite” for HRH Princess Anne in London’s Festival Hall.

Shane is particularly noted for his Fats Waller program, “Fats Lives!!!”, a swinging piano and vocal tour de force which has been featured with many of New York’s popular dance orchestras and at jazz festivals world wide. Mark Shane has played for society and debutante cotillions throughout the United States, for Presidential Inaugural Balls in Washington, DC, and for the Mayor of New York City at Gracie Mansion. Shane has also played private parties for Mikhail Gorbachev, Henry Kissinger, Estee Lauder, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and for openings and fund raising events at major libraries, museums and cultural centers throughout the United States. Shane is regularly featured at Lincoln Center’s “Midsummer Nights’ Swing” concerts.

Named to the Steinway international roster of piano artists, Mark Shane has been called
“...one of the great accompanists of his time…” (Mississippi Rag). Shane’s piano, featured on many recordings, reflects a true sense of living jazz history and continues the tradition of deep swing and lyrical melodic improvisation. Mark Shane plays Classic Jazz Piano, America’s unique musical contribution to world culture.

Jazz vocalist Terry Blaine was born in NYC, and has been singing virtually all of her life. Embracing both pop and classical styles, it was not until after she graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Buffalo with a BA in Music that she chose to trade in her flute for a microphone. As a singer and musician, she has enjoyed a multi-faceted career that includes live performances, recordings, studio work, television and radio shows, musical composition, songwriting and production. Her unique interpretations of classic jazz standards have brought her international attention and recognition as one of the few contemporary female jazz singers performing the hot small-band swing material from the 1930s.

Forging a fresh link in the regal chain that recalls the tradition of Billie Holiday, Bessie Smith, Ethel Waters, and others, Terry's style of singing is a gentle, swinging reminder of who we were and where we came from, instilled with a spirit that only genuine affection can inspire. Her collaboration with classic jazz pianist Mark Shane, which began with a three-and-a-half year duo engagement at Café Society in Greenwich Village, led to the CD "Whose Honey Are You," a Jazz Journal International Record of the Year. With support from enthusiastic fans and radio stations all around the country, a pair of sold-out, breakthrough concerts launched the duo into the larger world of concert appearances and touring. A second CD, "Terry Blaine in Concert," was released. Terry & Mark have since performed at prestigious venues such as Michael's Pub, Fat Tuesday's, the Plaza Hotel, the Lakeland Jazz Festival, JVC New Jersey Jazz Festival, Artown Celebration in Reno, NV, Colorado Jazz Party, Pabst Theater in Milwaukee, WI, Sarasota Opera House in Florida, the Norris Center for the Performing Arts in Los Angeles, and the Sacramento Jazz Jubilee.

Classic Jazz Duets

Thursday, April 13, 2017

Terry Blaine - In Concert With The Mark Shane Quintet

Size: 137,0 MB
Time: 58:21
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1995
Styles: Jazz Vocals, Retro Swing
Art: Front

01. Eeny Meeny Miney Mo (Live) (3:39)
02. A Little Bit Independent (Live) (3:40)
03. Them There Eyes (Live) (3:20)
04. Take Me For A Buggy Ride (Live) (3:40)
05. Guess Who's In Town (Live) (2:56)
06. Yankee Doodle Never Went To Town (Live) (2:01)
07. When Day Is Done (Live) (3:59)
08. Keepin' Out Of Mischief Now (Live) (3:28)
09. I'd Love To Take Orders From You (Live) (2:56)
10. Carolina Shout (Live) (4:44)
11. Baby Brown (That Georgia Queen) [Live] (2:30)
12. When A Woman Loves A Man - My Man (Live) (5:36)
13. Runnin' Wild (Live) (3:25)
14. Louisiana Fairytale (Live) (4:00)
15. Handful Of Keys (Live) (3:51)
16. Thanks A Million - Waiting At The End Of The Road (Live) (4:29)

Personnel:
Terry Blaine - Vocals
Mark Shane - Piano
David Lopez - Drums
Daryl Cornutt - Bass
Ed Polcer - Cornet
Allan Vaché - Clarinet

This album chronicles a live 1994 performance in Cleveland, OH before an enthusiastic crowd of almost 2,000 jazz fans. Sponsored by radio station WRMR, the concert features songs from the 1930s and the musical style of that period, which has become the trademark of Terry Blaine and her musical soulmate and mentor, pianist Mark Shane. Each tune is performed not only with skill and verve, but with an infectious enthusiasm that the audience immediately picks up. The concert gets off on the right foot with a very fast "Little Bit Independent," which was number one on the charts for the Freddie Martin Orchestra in 1935. "Them There Eyes" showcases the hot clarinet of Allan Vache. Blaine gets vampish on "Take Me for a Buggy Ride," recalling Bessie Smith's 1933 recording. As one would expect, the melodies he performed and wrote, as well as the syncopated rhythms of Fats Waller, get plenty of attention on this album. There's a variety here, from the familiar "Keepin' out of Mischief Now" to the lesser-known "Baby Brown (That Georgia Queen)" through "Handful of Keys." The latter piece confirms Shane's affinity for the Fats Waller brand of striding, stomping piano playing. Shane also pays homage to another member of the stride royalty, James P. Johnson, with a rip-roaring solo of "Carolina Shout." "Runnin' Wild" is a nod to the performance of this tune in Some Like It Hot with Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis in drag and performing with an all-girl band. The authenticity as well as the enjoyment of the proceedings is due in no small measure to Shane and his quintet. Vache's clarinet has already been mentioned, and equal billing needs to go to the hot cornet playing of Ed Polcer, as he heats things up on such numbers as "Eeny Meeny Miney Mo" and "Louisiana Fairytale." David Lopez on drums and Daryl Cornutt on bass provide the steady, uptempo beat needed to make this music work. In Concert is almost an hour's worth of music from an earlier time performed by excellent musicians who clearly are happy in their work, as was the Cleveland audience. This album is recommended. ~ by Dave Nathan

In Concert

Sunday, January 31, 2016

Terry Blaine, Mark Shane, Allan Vache - Swingin' The Benny Goodman Songbook

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:35
Size: 150.1 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[3:09] 1. After You've Gone
[4:11] 2. You Turned The Tables On Me
[3:17] 3. I Don't Know Why
[3:21] 4. Junk Man
[4:30] 5. Body And Soul
[3:08] 6. Would You Like To Take A Walk
[3:53] 7. Sweet Lelilani
[4:00] 8. More Than You Know
[3:06] 9. Miss Brown To You
[5:01] 10. I Wished On The Moon-Moonglow
[3:57] 11. Memories Of You
[2:48] 12. Lulu's Back In Town
[3:58] 13. Low Down
[4:50] 14. Time On My Hands
[3:37] 15. You Can't Stop Me From Loving You
[4:12] 16. Goodbye
[4:26] 17. On The Sunny Side Of The Street

Singer Terry Blaine, pianist Mark Shane, and clarinetist Allan Vaché had performed as a trio for several years at the Sacramento Jazz Jubilee before they decided to tour as a trio and perform music from the repertoire of Benny Goodman. It was a logical move for Vaché can closely emulate Goodman, Shane's main piano influence is Teddy Wilson, and Blaine is flexible enough to hint at Helen Ward, Martha Tilton, and Mildred Bailey while still sounding like herself. While most of these songs are familiar items played by Goodman regularly sometime during 1935-1939, there are a few ringers such as "I Don't Know Why," "Junk Man" (which Goodman recorded with Mildred Bailey in 1934), "Would You Like to Take a Walk," "Cause if Feel Lowdown," and "You Can't Stop Me From Loving You" plus a couple numbers that Goodman recorded with Billie Holiday. While most of the selections are taken as trios, "Sweet Leilani" and "Time on My Hands" are played as instrumentals and Vaché sits out on the duo rendition of "Cause I Feel Low Down." The music overall is quite delightful and would have been enjoyed by the King of Swing. This is one of Terry Blaine's finest recordings to date although all are quite worthwhile. ~Scott Yanow

Swingin' The Benny Goodman Songbook

Monday, October 26, 2015

Terry Blaine with Mark Shane - With Thee I Swing

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 78:50
Size: 180.5 MB
Styles: Standards, Vocal jazz, Piano jazz
Year: 1997/2004
Art: Front

[ 9:21] 1. I Never Knew
[ 8:39] 2. It's A Wonderful World
[ 4:02] 3. What A Little Moonlight Can Do
[ 3:48] 4. They Say That Falling In Love Is Wonderful
[ 5:28] 5. Why Don't You Do Right
[ 3:55] 6. Carolina Shout
[ 6:41] 7. St. Louis Blues
[ 2:17] 8. With Thee I Swing!
[ 3:43] 9. Oh, Daddy
[ 4:43] 10. What Is This Thing Called Love
[10:02] 11. I Would Do Most Anything For You
[ 5:46] 12. Medley Dream Dream A Little Dream Of Me
[ 3:31] 13. Getting Some Fun Out Of Life
[ 6:47] 14. Mama Don't Allow It

This live set (recorded at Hamburg, Germany) matches together pianist Mark Shane and vocalist Terry Blaine (who are the co-leaders) with the hot cornetist Ed Polcer, trombonist Tom Artin, clarinetist Allan Vache (who doubles a little on tenor), bassist Phil Flanigan and drummer Ed Metz, Jr. Although Blaine's husky vocals are musical and swinging (best are "What a Little Moonlight Can Do," "St. Louis Blues" and "Mama Don't Allow"), the instrumentals are most memorable. The renditions of "I Never Knew" (which is nearly nine minutes long), the ten-minute version of "I Would Do Most Anything for You," and a speedy "What Is This Thing Called Love" are among the highlights. Polcer in particular is heard throughout in top form, making this a worthwhile acquisition for trad collectors. ~Scott Yanow

With Thee I Swing

Thursday, May 15, 2014

Terry Blaine & Mark Shane - My Blue Heaven

Size: 128,9 MB
Time: 55:35
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz: Retro Swing
Art: Front

01. My Blue Heaven (3:39)
02. Honeysuckle Rose (3:55)
03. Ain't He Sweet (2:26)
04. Skylark (5:02)
05. Lock And Key (3:24)
06. My Melancholy Baby (4:24)
07. Rockin' Chair (3:08)
08. I Love Being Here With You (3:47)
09. The Nearness Of You (5:52)
10. There'll Be Some Changes Made (2:45)
11. My Special Friend Is Back In Town (3:34)
12. Come Up And See Me Sometime (4:03)
13. Let's Do It (3:12)
14. Some Of These Days (3:38)
15. Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams (2:38)

Terry Blaine and Mark Shane are remarkable transmitters of wondrous vibrations. In the Thirties they would have been called “solid senders.” Although they have lovingly studied the great improvisers of the past, they emerge whole and joyous as themselves. In swinging synergy, Terry and Mark travel through and beyond any song. Hearing them, we emerge, refreshed and nourished by what they embody in music. They do not “imitate”; they do not approach the music from an ironic postmodern distance. They are the emotions they transmit – sly hilarity, pleasure, longing, romantic fulfillment, contentment. This is the real thing, without pretense, full of warmth.

In the first minutes of this disc, a listener will hear great sincerity in music that never parades itself, an art secure in its wisdom. Terry’s voice is sweetly intuitive, connected to the mood of each song. The way she slides from one note to the next is a caress. Her approach is both generous and wise, for she always lets the song shine through. Mark Shane is a master of delicate yet profound swing; he honors the great musical traditions by creating an orchestra at the piano, with unceasing rhythmic motion. A simple melody statement in his hands has the fluidity of a river, with currents of shading and light, surprising depths and textures. Mark and Terry are a marvelous team, a musical community that needs no other players. Their interpretations of music and words are whole-hearted gifts to the composers, the lyricists, and to us.

We know what our response to this music is: it makes us feel the joy of being alive.

My Blue Heaven