David Lahm - Jazz Takes on Joni Mitchell

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2021
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:02
Size: 143,7 MB
Art: Front

(7:03) 1. Solid Love
(6:44) 2. Song for Sharon
(6:14) 3. Edith and the Kingpin
(5:56) 4. Coyote

(7:19) 5. Blue Motel Room
(7:32) 6. The Blonde in the Bleachers and the Vamp from Hell
(5:23) 7. The Fiddle and the Drum
(6:57) 8. Solid Love (alternate version)
(8:50) 9. Shadows and Light

I somehow forgot just how intertwined pop star Joni Mitchell’s music has been with jazz. Maybe its because my sister bought the new Joni Mitchel records, and I only listened to them from the bedroom across the hall, that I didn’t memorize her album covers. But looking back on Mitchell’s work, up pops Bud Shank, Larry Carlton, and Jaco Pastorious. Her Mingus record was more a love offering than a musical statement.

Now, twenty-years later she’s back, singing on Herbie Hancock’s Gershwin tribute, and is paid homage to on trumpeter Dave Douglas’ Moving Portraits (DIW/Japan). Add to that, this tribute from producer/pianist David Lahm. The musicians include saxophonists Lew Tabakin and Thomas Chapin, trumpeter Randy Brecker, violinist Mark Feldman, and drummer Kenny Washington. Lahm effortlessly moves from a Kansas City styled opener “Solid Love” to a Jaco Pastorious tribute “Coyote.”

Chapin, a saxophonist we lost last year to cancer is haunting but so is Lew Tabakin. Wow, his straight-ahead jazz is so very expressive. On “Blue Motel Room,” he compliments organist Mike LeDonne and William Galison’s harmonica to slide the blues into your back pocket. Lahm reveals Joni Mitchell as a true jazzbo, something that could have wrecked her career so many years ago. By Mark Corroto https://www.allaboutjazz.com/jazz-takes-on-joni-mitchell-david-lahm-arkadia-jazz-review-by-mark-corroto

Personnel: David Lahm: Piano; Randy Brecker: Trumpet; Lew Tabackin: Tenor sax; Thomas Chapin: Alto sax/flute; Mark Feldman: Violin; Friedman: Vibraphone; William Galison: Harmonica; Roger Rosenberg: Sax/clarinet; Ron Vincent: Drums; Peter Herbert: Bass; Ed Naumeister: Trombone; Mike LeDonne: Organ; Kenny Washington: Drums; Peter Washington: Bass

Jazz Takes on Joni Mitchell

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Janet Seidel & William Galison - Love Letters

Styles: Jazz Vocals
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:23
Size: 131,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:06)  1. Love Letters
(4:10)  2. Small Fry
(4:10)  3. Lazybones
(4:23)  4. Baltimore Oriole
(3:24)  5. True Love
(5:11)  6. Nature Boy
(4:15)  7. Rockin' Chair
(4:16)  8. Stardust
(4:53)  9. The Nearness Of You
(4:36) 10. In A Sentimental Mood
(4:27) 11. It Ain't Necessarily So
(5:07) 12. Everytime We Say Goodbye
(4:18) 13. Moon River

With her clear, cool voice, Janet Seidel successfully combines the fluencies of such singers as Chris Connor, Blossom Dearie, Peggy Lee, and Doris Day into a style that focuses on delivering the story of the lyrics rather than making her vocal faculties the message. This is the Australian's eighth album for the La Brava label, and reflects her ability to make each new release as fresh and as captivating as the one that preceded it. Each new release has something novel. Here it is William Galison's harmonica, with the haunting, sensuous tone only that instrument can produce. The musical agenda is made up of songs that bring out the best in the combination of voice and harmonica, recalling Toots Thielemans' work with the likes of Peggy Lee, Sarah Vaughan, and Elaine Elias, to name just a few. Songs like "Baltimore Oriole," "In a Sentimental Mood," and "Stardust," classic standards all, fit perfectly within the feeling of soul created by Seidel and Galison. Add a generous helping of Chuck Morgan's guitar and the delicate drumming of Adam Pache, and out comes a different approach to these oft-saddled warhorses. 

On a lighter side, Seidel takes on a girlish tone (which she does very well) with another Hoagy Carmichael gem, "Rockin' Chair." One of the album's many good tracks is "Nature Boy," where Galison creates images of exotic places and landscapes. Galison shows a light but pleasant voice as he joins Seidel on a tender duet of "Every Time We Say Goodbye." Seidel has earned admission into that select cadre of singers who accompany themselves at piano, like Sarah Vaughan, Jeri Southern, Shirley Horn, and Nina Simone. One thing that stays the same is Seidel's affection for strings, which have shown up on earlier albums. But, on this session, she limits their participation to just two tracks. Love Letters is another fine production by Janet Seidel  with lots of help from her friends and is highly recommended. ~Dave Nathan

Personnel: Janet Seidel - Vocals/Piano/Conductor; William Galison -Harmonica/Vocals; Chuck Morgan - Guitar; David Seidel - Bass; Adam Pache - Drums; Michelle Kelly, Kate Morgan, Fiona Ziegler, Leon Ziegler, Phillip Peipman - Strings; Kevin Hunt - Piano; Len Barnard - Drums

Love Letters

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Jackie Messina - Necessary Arrangements

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:25
Size: 124.6 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[3:38] 1. Inchworm
[4:12] 2. I Feel Pretty
[3:38] 3. Easy Street
[4:47] 4. Wild Is The Wind
[4:34] 5. Quiet Now
[4:19] 6. Little B's Poem
[3:46] 7. Surrey Wtih A Fringe On Top
[4:27] 8. I Believe In You
[4:17] 9. I'm A Fool To Want You
[4:25] 10. Baltimore Oriole
[4:46] 11. Alfie
[4:02] 12. Slow, Hot Wind
[3:27] 13. Show Me

Original arrangements breathe new life into an unusual choice of jazz standards sung with charm, wit, and authenticity. Vibrant solos by Bruce Barth, piano, Will Galison, harmonica, Paul Beaudry and Ed Howard, bass.

Jackie Messina breezes her way through thirteen songbook gems with sexy panache and a wink in her eye. Her tasteful re-imaginings of the melodies we know and love are both logical and magical. Backed by a stellar ensemble, Jackie swings lightly inside smart arrangements that perfectly highlight each story as well as her lovely voice. ~ Amy London

Necessary Arrangements mc
Necessary Arrangements zippy

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Madeleine Peyroux & William Galison - Got You on My Mind

Styles: Jazz Vocals
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:51
Size: 96,5 MB
Art: Front

(2:34)  1. Back In Your Own Backyard
(3:17)  2. J'ai Duex Amours
(3:04)  3. Flambee Mantalbanese
(4:18)  4. Got You On My Mind
(3:41)  5. Jealous Guy
(3:04)  6. The Way You Look Tonight
(3:19)  7. Rag for Madi
(4:42)  8. Playin'
(5:09)  9. Shoulda Known
(4:05) 10. Heaven To Me
(4:32) 11. Heaven Help Us All

The trippy, cinematic journey that is William Galison and Madeleine Peyroux's new album, Got You On My Mind , opens with the bright, swinging glee of "Back In Your Own Backyard." It sways through the happily plaintive "J'ai Deux Amours," swaggers through a Charlie Chaplin-in-Technicolor "Rag For Madi," and continues on this diversely scenic escapade for eleven deeply touching tracks. Meanwhile, hallucinations of a passionate Josephine Baker sauntering past Montmartre cafés, a dust-kickin' John Lennon strolling through a corn field and lovers everywhere, aching with tumult, dancing with blissful indulgence flash through the mind.

Peyroux's husky, full-throated voice brings to mind one iconic, white gardenia-wearing lady. The way her inflection lilts up and quivers for a few suspended moments, like in "Heaven To Me" when she breaks the word "heaven" in two, make you think Billie Holiday must be standing behind her breathing through Peyroux's brown locks. Other times, she sings with a lovely, tarnished allure, cut with a hint of tartness like a Granny Smith apple, like on the samba-infused "The Way You Look Tonight."

In July, Peyroux sang and played guitar at the Blue Note with her band (keyboardist Adam Holzman, bassist Andy McKee, drumer Ben Perowski). Her ageless presence oscillated between youthful, adolescent exuberance, to the bittersweet melancholy of a woman who has known a broken heart quite intimately. She connected with her audience, locking eyes until you began to wonder if you were the one in the song who gave her those flowers.

Seven tracks on the album feature Galison's harmonica. At times mournful, at times wild, he always displays superb control over the tiny instrument, whether weaving through Peyroux's vocals in "Heaven To Me," rambling out a boogie-down solo in "J'ai Deux Amours," mingling with Brad Terry's clarinet in "Rag For Madi," or mixing with Shawn Pelton's drums, Tony Garnier's bass and Brian Mitchell's piano to create the fully heart wrenching universe of "Jealous Guy."

Galison also sings and plays guitar on the disc. He turns out a fierce electric solo on "Playin'" and chugs along on acoustic guitar or dobro during the standards. "Shoulda Known" shows up like a weird dream. He sings the tale of the frog and the scorpion in a gentle folk voice. Carly Simon even pays a visit.

There may be an odd combination of tone and atmosphere on Peyroux's long-awaited followup to her 1996 Dreamland , but who doesn't want to leap into the French carnival panache of Heinz Jeromim's accordion on "Flambee Montalbanese," then call out to providence in a desperate plea to save mankind as Galison and Peyroux duet along to Jean Baptoste Bocle's Hammond B3 in "Heaven Help Us All".~ Celeste Sunderland  

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=14919#.UjHO1T9vA1I

Personnel: Tracks with Peyroux and Galison: Madeleine Peyroux: vocals and rhythm guitar; William Galison: harmonica, acoustic and electric guitars, dobro, vocals; James Wormworth: drums; Conrad Korsch: acoustic and electric bass; Jean Baptiste Bocle: B3 organ. Tracks with Galison: William Galison: guitars, harmonica, vocals; Shawn Pelton: drums, percussion; Tony Garnier: acoustic and electric bass; Brian Mitchell: piano, organ.

Got You on My Mind

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