Uptown Vocal Jazz Quartet - Vocal Madness (With Richie Cole)

Size: 149,1 MB

Time: 63:35

File: MP3 @ 320K/s

Released: 2014

Styles: Jazz Vocals

Art: Front

01. Now I Have Everything But You (3:30)

02. It's The Same Thing Everywhere (5:21)

03. Tokyo Rose Sings The Blues (6:51)

04. Take Me Away (5:31)

05. So You're Gone (5:23)

06. Bossa Nova Eyes (5:12)

07. He Was The Cat (4:00)

08. Pure Imagination (4:16)

09. I Got Friends (5:17)

10. Vanna Bonta (5:38)

11. D.C. Farewell (3:45)

12. I Love Lucy (8:45)

Legendary alto saxophonist Richie Cole first heard the Washington DC based Uptown Vocal Jazz Quartet in 2012 and immediately declared them "My new discovery, the whole package!" Cole, who has worked extensively with The Manhattan Transfer and been featured on their Grammy-winning albums "Vocalese," Mecca for Moderns," and "Extensions," instantly recognized the vocal appeal of Uptown Vocal Jazz Quartet and the unique songwriting and jazz arranging talents of their leader, Ginny Carr. A lover of swingin' vocal harmonies and a prolific songwriter himself, Cole invited Carr to arrange his own songs for her group and collaborate with him on a recording featuring their collective original compositions. Vocal Madness is a rich compilation of original songs by both Richie Cole and Ginny Carr, with most of the vocal arrangements by Carr. It's a high-flying and highly original performance by the power ensemble of Uptown Vocal Jazz Quartet and their terrific band, with guest Richie Cole on sax. The album includes two special reprises: Carr's original salute to the late Eddie Jefferson, "He Was The Cat," featuring Eddie's own musical partner and close friend Richie Cole on the alto sax solo, and a new version of Cole's famously bebopping "I Love Lucy" from his 1979 "Hollywood Madness" release... this time with Carr's vocal arrangement adding the UVJQ signature.

Vocal Madness 

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Uptown Vocal Jazz Quartet - Half-Past Swing

Styles: Vocal Jazz, Vocal Harmonies
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:27
Size: 84,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:52)  1. Bouncin' With Bud
(2:24)  2. It's Sand, Man
(5:44)  3. Close Your Eyes
(5:37)  4. Jouet
(4:39)  5. Jeannine
(4:41)  6. Lil' Darlin
(4:28)  7. What If I Told You?
(4:58)  8. Moten Swing

Oh! Hold on to those dancin' feet! From Merifield, Virginia comes the Uptown Vocal Jazz Quartet accompanied by a great big band. The quartet is composed of Ginny Carr, Robert McBride, Lisanne Lyons and Roger Reynolds. These folks swing wildly on Bud Powell's "Bouncin' With Bud", Benny Moten's "Moten Swing" and Ed Lewis' "It's Sand Man". Ginny Carr composed a few for this session in the form of "Jouet", "Close Your Eyes" and "What If I Told You". "Jouet" is sung partially in French and I found it particularly enjoyable. Also included is Neal Hefti's "L'il Darlin" and Duke Pearson's swinging "Jeannine". As good as this vocal quartet is, one cannot avoid being impressed by the band, especially Joe Jackson's trombone on "Bouncin' With Bud" and the vibraphone of Chuck Redd on "Jouet". I guess all vocal jazz quartets have recorded "L'il Darlin" but none have done it quite like this. All said, this is very nice stuff! 

~ Richard Bourcier  http://www.jazzreview.com/cd-reviews/jazz-vocals-cd-reviews/half-past-swing-by-uptown-vocal-jazz-quartet.html

Personnel:  Ginny Carr, Roger Reynolds , Robert McBride, Lisanne Lyons (vocals); Paul Wingo, Sean Purcell, Ramon Gonzalez (guitar); Chris Vadala (flute, alto saxophone); Don New (alto saxophone); Chip McNeill (tenor saxophone); Tim Leahey (trumpet, flugelhorn); Jack Wengrosky (trumpet); Joe Jackson (trombone); Dan Reynolds, Wade Beach, Dan La Maestra (piano); Chuck Redd (vibraphone); C.E. Askew, Alejandro Lucini (drums); Pat Shrieves (percussion).

Half-Past Swing

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Uptown Vocal Jazz Quartet - When The Sun Goes Down

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 58:31

Size: 134.0 MB

Label: House Kat

Styles: Vocal jazz, Vocal harmonies

Year: 2002

Art: Front

[2:32] 1. Love Walked In

[5:58] 2. You're Everything

[4:52] 3. 'Deed I Do

[5:20] 4. And the Melody Still Lingers On (A Night in Tunisia)

[6:29] 5. Le Souffle Dernier D'hiver

[5:19] 6. Birth of the Blues

[3:52] 7. Jazz Face

[3:49] 8. When the Sun Goes Down

[6:46] 9. Secrets Held By Time

[4:56] 10. He Beeped When He Should Have Bopped

[4:43] 11. You Don't Love Me Like You Used To

[3:48] 12. In the Gloaming

A rising star on the jazz horizon, Uptown Vocal Jazz Quartet has been captivating audiences internationally with its creative, lush vocal arrangements sung against a blazing jazz rhythm section. They have put their mark on group vocal jazz with their own tightly harmonized arrangements, inventive lyrics and swinging renditions of classic and original jazz.

An interview and sampling of the group's musical excerpts on NPR's broadcast of "Weekend Edition" with Susan Stamberg made the group's first release, "Half-Past Swing", a top-selling jazz CD on Amazon in 2000.

The group has appeared at the Ford Detroit International Jazz Festival and Ottawa International Jazz Festival, sharing the main stage with such jazz greats as Nancy Wilson, Tony Bennett, Abbey Lincoln, Mingus Big Band, and Sonny Rollins. They have teamed in concert with the Four Freshmen, been profiled by PRI's Jazz Smithsonian in the documentary series "The Jazz Singers", hosted by Al Jarreau, been profiled on Radio Jazz Copenhagen, and played extensively on jazz and public radio across the US, Canada and Europe. They have also appeared as symphony orchestra guest artists, adding another dimension to their growing resume of live performances in jazz festival, concert, club, and educational venues.

When The Sun Goes Down                

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Uptown Vocal Jazz Quartet - Hustlin' For A Gig

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 44:37
Size: 102.1 MB
Label: HouseKat
Styles: Jazz vocal harmonies
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[4:02] 1. He Was The Cat [a Tribute To Eddie Jefferson]
[5:28] 2. Hustlin' For A Gig
[5:02] 3. Gone Gone Gone
[4:33] 4. I'll Remember Why
[3:02] 5. Caught You Spreadin' Your Love All Over The Place
[2:42] 6. This Is The Life
[5:00] 7. A Million Miles
[3:45] 8. Java Junkie
[6:45] 9. Now I Have This
[4:14] 10. You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet

Their sound reminds the listener of such iconic vocal groups as Lambert/Hendricks/Ross and The Manhattan Transfer, but Uptown Vocal Jazz Quartet has put their own distinctive signature on 4-part harmony jazz vocals with this diverse package of new music, clever lyrics, and arrangements they wrote themselves! spanning vocalese, bop, big band swing, sentimental ballads, Chicago blues, cool jazz, driving samba, lilting bossa nova, Basie-style swing, lyricized scat, and even a warm dose of harmonized R&B.

Recording information: Bias Studios, Springfield, VA.

Ginny Carr (vocals, keyboards); Andre V. Enceneat, Robert McBride, Holly Shockey (vocals); Steve Herberman (guitar); Chris Vadala (clarinet, alto saxophone); Leigh Pilzer (tenor saxophone, bass saxophone); Chris Walker (trumpet); Jen Krupa (trombone); Alan Blackman (piano, Fender Rhodes piano); Frank Russo (drums, percussion).

Hustlin' For A Gig 

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