Bob James - The Essential Collection 24 Smooth Jazz Classics (2-disc set)

Issued by the U.K. -based Metro Doubles label in 2002, Essential Collection: 24 Smooth Jazz Classics only overlaps 2001's Restoration anthology with eight of the same tracks, and concentrates on material originally released from 1974 to 1984 (apart from 1995's "Ensenada Madness," everything fits into that time frame). A fine chronological overview of James' most productive period, this is a very attractive package that includes informative and insightful liner notes. "Nautilus," "Westchester Lady," "Take Me to the Mardi Gras," "Angela (Theme From Taxi)," "Touchdown," and "Sign of the Times" are among the inclusions. Naturally, this double-disc set can serve any number of purposes: as pleasant, occasionally funky background music, as proof of your extensive knowledge of hip-hop samples, or as cruel torture for your jazz purist peers. ~ Andy Kellman

Bob James (keyboards); Richie Resnicoff (guitar); Harold Kohon, Charles Libove, David Nadien, Gene Orloff, Max Ellen, Paul Gershman, Emanuel Green, Harry Lookofsky, Joe Malin (violin); Seymour Barab, Jesse Levy, Charles McCracken , Alan Shulman, George Ricci, Anthony Sophos (cello); George Marge, Romeo Penque (alto flute, recorder); Jon Faddis, Alan Rubin, Lew Soloff, Marvin Stamm, Victor Paz, Thad Jones (trumpet); Wayne Andre (trombone); Jack Gale, Alan Raph, Paul Faulise (bass trombone); Gary King (bass instrument); Steve Gadd (drums); Ralph MacDonald (percussion); Dave Friedman.

Album: The Essential Collection 24 Smooth Jazz Classics (Disc 1)
Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 73:03
Size: 167.3 MB
Label: Koch
Styles: Piano jazz, Crossover jazz
Year: 2013

[5:49] 1. Night On Bald Mountain
[6:35] 2. Feel Like Making Love
[5:03] 3. Nautilus
[8:22] 4. Farandole (L'arlesienne Suite No. 2)
[5:47] 5. Take Me To The Mardi Gras
[8:00] 6. Women Of Ireland
[7:23] 7. Westchester Lady
[6:40] 8. Where The Wind Blows Free
[6:37] 9. Heads
[6:16] 10. Night Crawler
[6:25] 11. Kari

The Essential Collection 24 Smooth Jazz Classics (Disc 1)

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Album: The Essential Collection 24 Smooth Jazz Classics (Disc 2)
Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 73:16
Size: 167.7 MB
Label: Koch
Styles: Piano jazz, Crossover jazz
Year: 2013

[5:40] 1. Angela
[5:36] 2. Touchdown
[5:31] 3. Blue Lick
[6:39] 4. Shepherd's Song
[7:19] 5. Thoroughbred
[5:40] 6. Reunited
[5:34] 7. Sign Of The Times
[6:57] 8. Spunky
[4:53] 9. Miranda
[5:20] 10. Marco Polo
[4:47] 11. Ruby, Ruby, Ruby
[5:28] 12. Ensenada Madness
[3:46] 13. Brooklyn Heights Boogie

The Essential Collection 24 Smooth Jazz Classics (Disc 2)

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Humphrey Lyttelton & His Band - Between Friends

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 70:38
Size: 161.7 MB
Label: Callograph
Styles: Trumpet jazz
Year: 2000
Art: Front

[3:45] 1. Now That We're Here, Let's Go!
[3:38] 2. Boston Glider
[3:14] 3. Everything But You
[6:12] 4. Cross A Busy Street
[4:57] 5. Blue Mist
[7:26] 6. You're Driving Me Crazy Moten Swing
[2:59] 7. Hand-Me-Down Love
[3:25] 8. You're Lucky To Me
[3:38] 9. I'm Just A Lucky So-And-So
[5:58] 10. Unbooted Character
[3:28] 11. If I Could Be With You One Hour Tonight
[5:00] 12. Rain
[5:08] 13. Sugar
[5:21] 14. Get Ready To Fly
[6:21] 15. Creole Love Call

The grand old man of British jazz, trumpeter and bandleader Humphrey Lyttelton spearheaded the postwar trad jazz revival before renouncing the movement in favor of more contemporary and restless creative vision. A larger-than-life figure, he also excelled as a writer and cartoonist, and for decades was a fixture of radio, serving as the hilariously deadpan host of the long-running I'm Sorry, I Haven't a Clue. Born in Eton on May 23, 1921, Lyttelton was the product of a distinguished and wealthy family -- a lifelong jazz enthusiast, he received his first trumpet at age 15 and formed a band with some Eton College classmates. He also studied military drumming under a former Coldstream Guards drum major and joined the school band as a percussionist. Lyttelton enlisted in the British Army on D-Day and saw combat in Italy -- on leave in London he sat in with local jazz bands, and upon returning to civilian life in 1945 he enrolled at the Camberwell School of Art. In March 1947, he signed on with semi-professional trad jazz combo George Webb's Dixielanders; when Dixielanders clarinetist and professional cartoonist Wally Fawkes was promoted to write and illustrate a full-fledged daily strip for The Daily Mail, Lyttelton was tapped to fill Fawkes' previous position sketching "column-breakers" -- i.e., humorous or decorative drawings inserted into the text. He also reviewed jazz and classical recordings for the newspaper, and later scripted the Fawkes-drawn strip Flook as well.

Between Friends

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Cris Delanno - Grandes Canções: Clássicos Do Cinema

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 46:50
Size: 107.2 MB
Label: Albatrozmusic
Styles: Brazilian jazz vocals, Bossa Nova
Year: 2000
Art: Front

[4:22] 1. Smile
[3:37] 2. Love Letters
[3:55] 3. Summer Of '42
[4:43] 4. As Time Goes By
[2:00] 5. Someday My Prince Will Come
[2:36] 6. Love Is A Many Splendored Thing
[4:51] 7. Laura
[5:24] 8. The Sound Of Music
[3:50] 9. Secret Love
[3:56] 10. The Shadow Of Your Smile
[4:01] 11. Moon River
[3:29] 12. Over The Rainbow

Nascida nos EUA, aos cinco anos de idade já era solista do Coral Infantil do Teatro Municipal do Rio de Janeiro, participando de óperas como "La Bohéme" e "Carmen". Estudou balé, flauta, piano e teoria musical na infância. Posteriormente teve aulas de técnica vocal, harmonia, improvisação musical e teatro. Começou a cantar profissionalmente em casas noturnas, tendo feito também algumas gravações de jingles para campanhas publicitárias, além de atuar como back vocal. Sua primeira como solista foi no CD "Ditos e feitos", de Roberto Menescal. Depois fez mais gravações em discos de outros artistas, como no CD "50 anos", de Aldir Blanc. Em 1993, participou do Projeto Aquarius, apresentando-se no espetáculo "Cem anos de Copacabana", ao lado da Orquestra Sinfônica Brasileira, sob a regência do maestro Isaac Karabtchevsky. Em 1993 seguiu para os Estados Unidos, sendo convidada para ser cantora solista do African American Unity, sendo a única branca a participar de um coral tipicamente negro de música gospel americana. Retornou ao Brasil em 1995, gravando seu primeiro disco, "Cris em Tom maior", produzido por Roberto Menescal, só com músicas de Tom Jobim. Em 1999, participou dos espetáculos "Diz que fui por aí" e "Nara, uma senhora opinião" (Teatro Ginástico e Teatro de Arena), concebidos e dirigidos por Solange Kafuri. "Nara, uma senhora opinião" foi registrado em CD no mesmo ano. Foi considerada uma três melhores vozes do Prêmio Visa-MPB de 1999, organizado pela Rádio Eldorado, de São Paulo. Publicou, em 1999, o CD-book "Mais que nunca é preciso cantar", sobre técnica vocal para o canto popular. É membro da Sociedade Brasileira de Laringologia e Voz e do National Association of Teachers of Singing, nos EUA e dá aulas de técnica vocal para o canto popular. foi professora do curso de canto popular no XXII Curso Insternacional de Verão da Escola de Música de Brasília e dá aulas na escola de Música da Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro. Em 2000, lançou o CD "Grandes canções: clássicos do cinema", nos quais interpreta clássicos do cinema norte-americano. Ainda nesse ano, participou do projeto "Novo canto", dividindo o palco com Roberto Menescal. Em 2001, gravou o CD "Filha da pátria", com as canções "It's a long way" (Caetano Veloso), "Ânima" (Zé Renato e Milton Nascimento), "Camisa amarela" (Ary Barroso), "Fantasia" (Chico Buarque) e outras. Em 2002, lançou o CD "Caminhos cruzados - Cris Delanno canta Newton Mendonça", interpretando exclusivamente obras do compositor. Em 2006 lançou pala Deck Discos o CD "Cris Delanno", interpretando músicas de Dorival Caymmi, João Bosco, Baden Powell, João Donato e outros. Em 2012 lançou no Japão o Cd "Nosso Quintal", ao lado de Alex Moreira, seu marido, e um dos membros do grupo Bossacucanova. Embora não seja um membro oficial, Cris Delanno é presença frequente nos shows e discos do grupo.

Grandes Canções: Clássicos Do Cinema

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Hildegunn Gjedrem - The End Of The Beginning

Styles: Jazz Vocals
Label: Sitmom
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:05
Size: 128,1 MB
Art: Front

(6:16)  1. What'll I Do
(6:06)  2. I Love You
(5:13)  3. Someone To Watch Over Me
(4:24)  4. Echo
(3:50)  5. I Can't Believe You
(4:48)  6. What Endures
(4:41)  7. Nocturnal
(4:04)  8. Summertime
(5:28)  9. Change Of Heart
(6:30) 10. Body And Soul
(3:41) 11. The End Of The Begining

Hildegunn Gjedrem was born in Norway. She moved to the United States in 2001 to pursue studies in Vocal Jazz at the renowned University of North Texas.  In 2005 she was awarded “Best Jazz Vocalist” by Downbeat Magazine. Also in 2005, Hildegunn was given the G9alt Scholarship of the Arts by Sparebank 1 of Norway. In the summer of 2006 she was one of 8 singers selected from 28 countries to travel to Switzerland and compete in the Montreux Jazz Festival Vocal Competition, judged by Al Jarreau, and was further selected as one of the finalists there. She has been featured vocalist with the Grammy Award winning One O’Clock Lab Band on several occasions, such as their 2005 tour of Poland and their 2007 concert with living legend bassist Rufus Reid. She has performed at Festivals and Conferences such as IAJE in Toronto, Long Beach and New York. She is active as a freelance singer in the Dallas/Ft.Worth Metroplex, at festivals, as a studio singer as well as with her own music. With her 2007 debut album “The End of the Beginning” Hildegunn has proved herself to be a warm and talented performer with a sound all her own, highly musically influenced by her Scandinavian roots. She has excelled as a writer, arranger and singer. The Hildegunn Gjedrem Group has a truly unique voice for modern jazz.~ http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/hildegunngjedrem

The End Of The Beginning

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Diane Schuur & Maynard Ferguson - Swingin' For Schuur

Styles: Jazz Vocals
Label: Concord Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:54
Size: 130,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:10)  1. Just One of Those Things
(5:20)  2. Besame Mucho
(6:28)  3. Deep Purple
(3:33)  4. Autumn Leaves
(3:53)  5. My Romance
(4:39)  6. Love Letters
(3:35)  7. East of the Sun and West of th
(5:59)  8. Midnight Sun
(4:31)  9. I Fall in Love too Easily
(5:58) 10. Lush Life
(4:59) 11. Just Friends
(3:45) 12. Let's Fall in Love

Well regarded as one of our greatest living jazz singers, Schuur seems to enjoy album titles created out of puns of her name prior to this there was Friends for Schuur but don't let the novelties distract you from this sassy, explosively brassy swing project blending her inventive vocals with Ferguson's blistering trumpet and the ensemble energy of his Big Bop Nouveau Band. Aside from crisp performances by both, the real key to the success here is the unexpected arrangements of standards by various members of Ferguson's band. Two classics generally rendered as intimate ballads  "Autumn Leaves" and "My Romance" are rendered as easy swaying, frisky finger-snapping romps. The interlude after the first verse on "Autumn Leaves" typifies the way Ferguson lets his guys jam before he steps up and challenges them with a powerful wailing flurry of high notes. "My Romance" finds Schuur moving out of her crystal clear midrange safety zone and reaching the high registers, with a few vocal notes matched at the end by the trumpet. Many of the arrangements are like baritone saxman Denis DiBlasio's twist on "East of the Sun and West of the Moon" Schuur gliding over a snappy but subdued jazz trio before Ferguson and company burst in with increasingly muscular horn textures, which then push her to emotional heights. Most of the songs incorporate such mood swings, but "Deep Purple" stays a slow, seductive, and subdued ballad the whole way through. Schuur once again proves she's an amazing vocalist who can sing along with the best of them. Is there another singer who's made duet recordings with both Ferguson and B.B. King?~ Jonathan Widran (http://www.allmusic.com/album/swingin-for-schuur-mw0000013875).

Personnel: Diane Schuur (vocals); Maynard Ferguson (trumpet, flugelhorn); Mike Dubaniewicz (alto saxophone); Jeff Rupert (tenor saxophone); Denis Di Blasio (baritone saxophone); Paul Armstrong, Peter Ferguson, Patrick Hession (trumpet); Reggie Watkins (trombone); Jeff Lashway (piano); Brian Stahurski (bass); Brian Wolfe (drums).

Swingin' For Schuur

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Brandi Disterheft - Second Side

Styles: Jazz
Label: Justin Time
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:59
Size: 89,6 MB
Art: Front

(6:34)  1. Sketches of Belief
(3:47)  2. Combien de Chances
(2:17)  3. Second Dawn
(4:30)  4. Twilight Curtain
(2:59)  5. My Only Friends Are the Pigeons
(4:10)  6. He's Walkin'
(1:03)  7. Dawn
(4:20)  8. Liege
(1:56)  9. A Night in Haiti
(4:31) 10. Let Her Shine
(2:48) 11. This Time the Dream's on Me

The Canadian equivalent of Esperanza Spalding, young bassist/vocalist Brandi Disterheft crosses over into many forms of modern and contemporary jazz on this, her second recording. Blessed with a sweet voice and instrumental chops to burn, she mixes up funk, pop, or fusion styles with a different group on every track, and diversity in mind. Like Spalding, Disterheft uses a playful sense of wonder, retaining her youthful exuberance and even innocence. Hip and upbeat during the instrumental waltz "My Only Friends Are the Pigeons," she could also easily hit the adult contemporary charts with the exciting, vocal based "Twilight Curtain." There's a restless spirit present during most of these tracks, whether in reference to the electric Miles Davis, the jangling guitar on top of hard funk, or regal sounds during "Liege." Cameo appearances from pop/jazz vocalist Holly Cole, or straight-ahead singer Ranee Lee on the Harold Arlen/Johnny Mercer evergreen "This Time the Dream's on Me" with a big band, broadens Disterheft's palette further. Though not definitive or sharply focused, Brandi Disterheft proves to be a formidable talent, ready to break out, essentially scratching the surface of her enormous talent and big ears.~Michael G.Nastos http://www.allmusic.com/album/second-side-mw0002028536

Second Side

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Down To The Bone - Best Of

Styles: Jazz Funk
Label: Narada
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:22
Size: 165,1 MB
Art: Front

(6:46)  1. Staten island groove
(5:20)  2. Cellar funk
(7:49)  3. The zodiac
(5:53)  4. Black choice
(5:12)  5. Gotta get back to you
(7:13)  6. Brooklyn heights
(6:57)  7. Electra glide
(5:56)  8. I'll always hold you close (ft. Brian Auger)
(6:46)  9. Carlito's way
(6:42) 10. Pure funk
(5:44) 11. Long way from Brooklyn

Far from your run-of-the-mill contemporary jazz chart-toppers, the duo of Stuart Wade and Chris Morgans come from a long line of British advocates of jazz including the Brand New Heavies and Us3. Their first album as Down to the Bone, 1997's From Manhattan to Staten, did predictably well around their base in Chobham, Surrey, but also transferred to American smooth jazz charts. Their second album, The Urban Grooves, featured a track recorded with one of Wade and Morgans' original inspirations, organist Reuben Wilson, and topped jazz charts in America after its 1998 release date. Spread the Word: Album III followed in early 2001, with Crazy Vibes and Things coming the next year. After moving to Narada, the group released Cellar Funk and Spread Love Like Wildfire in 2004 and 2005, respectively. The label celebrated the band's ten years in the game by issuing the greatest-hits album The Best of Down to the Bone in early 2007. The group’s tenth album, The Main Ingredients, released in 2011, found Down to the Bone taking their signature funk and groove sound to the Trippin 'N' Rhythm label.~ Bio https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/down-to-the-bone/id417709#fullText .

Celebrating a decade of making music, The Best of Down to the Bone collects 11 of the soul-jazz/fusion band's biggest songs -- at least one from each of their six albums -- into one neatly compiled collection. Released by Narada, who Down to the Bone has been with since 2004's Cellar Funk, this best-of is a superfluous addition to anyone who has most, or many, of the group's records, but for someone who just wants to learn what Down to the Bone is about, this hits the spot.~ Marisa Brown  http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-best-of-down-to-the-bone-mw0000569826 .

Best Of

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Kevin Mahogany - Old New Borrowed And The Blues

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 47:11
Size: 108.0 MB
Label: Mahogany Jazz
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[6:26] 1. I'm Still Swinging
[3:52] 2. Autumn Leaves
[5:14] 3. I'm Walkin'
[5:02] 4. Tony Bennett
[2:00] 5. You Better Know It
[4:56] 6. The Big Rubout
[3:58] 7. Serenade In Blue
[6:17] 8. When I Fall In Love
[4:32] 9. I'd Rather Drink Muddy Water
[4:49] 10. His Eye On The Sparrow

Whether you are looking for a CD to add to your collection or Introduce a friend to listening to jazz you will not want to miss ' OLD, NEW, BORROWED AND THE BLUES". Just like it says it is a combination of tunes you have heard before and some you have not. New tunes, and old tunes..... and don't forget the BLUES ! Kevin Mahogany gives you a collection of tunes that will be a perfect addition to your collection or a intro to jazz for the younger listener.

Old New Borrowed And The Blues

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Carmen Lundy - Moment To Moment

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 44:20
Size: 101.5 MB
Label: Arabesque
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 1991
Art: Front

[6:20] 1. Invitation
[4:56] 2. Don't You Worry Your Head About It
[4:47] 3. You'll Always Have A Part Of Me
[4:34] 4. Samba De Laplaya
[3:24] 5. As One
[4:25] 6. A Time For Love
[9:54] 7. Big Girls
[5:57] 8. Moment To Moment

Carmen Lundy began her professional career as a jazz vocalist and composer when there were very few young, gifted and aspiring jazz vocalists on the horizon. Three decades later, Ms. Lundy is celebrated throughout the world for her vocal artistry and is highly regarded for her jazz innovation. Her contribution of over 80 self-penned published compositions now comprises the New Jazz Songbook.

Having recorded more than twelve albums as a leader, Carmen has also performed and recorded with such musicians as brother and bassist Curtis Lundy, Ray Barretto, Kenny Barron, Bruce Hornsby, Mulgrew Miller, Terri Lyne Carrington, Kip Hanrahan, Courtney Pine, Roy Hargrove, Jimmy Cobb, Ron Carter, Marian McPartland, Regina Carter, Steve Turre, Geri Allen, Robert Glasper and the late Kenny Kirkland. Ms. Lundy's 2005 release, the critically acclaimed “Jazz and The New Songbook-Live at The Madrid”, features some of the jazz world's best known musicians paying tribute to Ms. Lundy.

Carmen Lundy's work as a vocalist and composer has been critically acclaimed by The New York Times, The Village Voice, The Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, as well as numerous foreign publications. As a composer, Ms. Lundy's catalogue numbers over eighty published songs, one of the few jazz vocalists in history to accomplish such a distinction, and has led to the first publication of the Carmen Lundy Songbook (2007). Her songs have been recorded by such artists as Kenny Barron ("Quiet Times"), Ernie Watts ("At The End Of My Rope"), and Straight Ahead ("Never Gonna Let You Go").

Carmen Lundy (vocals); Kevin Eubanks (guitar); Chico Freeman (tenor saxophone); Onaje Allan Gumbs (piano, keyboards); Kenny Davis (acoustic bass, electric bass); Buddy Williams (drums); Mayra Casales (percussion).

Recording information: Sorcerer Sound Recording Studios, New York, NY (04/10/1991-04/18/1991); Sorcerer SOund, New York, NY (04/10/1991-04/18/1991).

Moment To Moment

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The Spitfire Band - Big Band Swing Things

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 39:17
Size: 90.0 MB
Label: Alanna
Styles: Big Band
Year: 1999
Art: Front

[2:58] 1. Skyliner
[3:03] 2. It Happened In Monterey
[3:04] 3. Thou Swell
[3:00] 4. Days Of Wine And Roses
[2:47] 5. Caravan
[3:03] 6. Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise
[3:46] 7. If I Were A Bell
[2:53] 8. Marie
[2:49] 9. Brazil
[3:02] 10. One
[3:07] 11. Something's Gotta Give
[3:06] 12. Chattanooga Choo Choo
[2:32] 13. By Myself

This is a partial reissue of a disc the Canadian-based Spitfire Band did for Columbia several years ago called In Flight; it's a partial reissue because not all the tunes from the original session have been included, thus providing a meager 40 minutes of music. It's a bit misleading not to include this information on the back cover of the album so that prospective purchasers are aware they are in a sense buying a used car. The good news is that Alanna Records has remastered the album, as it has done for other Spitfire Band releases. As a result, the sound is wonderfully clear and crisp, just right for big band music. And the arrangements are all familiar. Charlie Barnet is honored with "Skyliner," Xavier Cugat with "Brazil," and Tommy Dorsey with "Marie," although the trombone solo here is not nearly as smooth as Dorsey's. There is also a vocal solo, with the band helping out, as they did when Jack Leonard sang the original. And the train still pulls out of the station like it did on Glenn Miller's "Chattanooga Choo Choo," which was number one on the pop charts in 1941. But there's no Tex Beneke and Modernaires' vocal like there was way back then. The Laurie Bell Singers do a credible job on "If I Were a Bell." Not all cuts are from the 1940s big band era. The Count Basie Orchestra's 1966 arrangement of "Days of Wine and Roses" is given a reworking. The Spitfire Band is made up of excellent musicians, several of whom are also part of Rob McConnell's Boss Brass aggregation. This is a great album to play in the car while on a trip and you need something to keep the adrenaline flowing so you don't fall asleep (or to drown out the kids). ~ Dave Nathan

Big Band Swing Things

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Fleetwood Mac - Then Play On

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 53:55
Size: 123.4 MB
Label: Reprise
Styles: Rock
Year: 1969/1990
Art: Front

[3:47] 1. Coming Your Way
[4:54] 2. Closing My Eyes
[3:52] 3. Showbiz Blues
[3:30] 4. My Dream
[2:50] 5. Underway
[8:59] 6. Oh Well
[2:24] 7. Although The Sun Is Shining
[3:30] 8. Rattlesnake Shake
[6:58] 9. Searching For Madge
[2:47] 10. Fighting For Madge
[4:31] 11. When You Say
[2:21] 12. Like Crying Like Dying
[3:25] 13. Before The Beginning

There were 2 different versions of this LP, each with slightly different tracks. The CD contains all tracks from both versions. Led by singer-guitarist Peter Green, the first version of Fleetwood Mac was one of England's premier bands and possibly the greatest white blues band ever to emerge from the '60s blues revival.1969's THEN PLAY ON is their best album and Green's pinnacle achievement. Heavily influenced by Otis Rush, Green had an unusually lyrical style for a blues musician, able to draw on flamenco, folk, even classical guitar--all of which make an appearance in the ambitious instrumental coda to his major opus, "Oh Well." Despite the inclusion of superior modern blues songs like "Rattlesnake Shake" and "Show-Biz Blues," THEN PLAY ON is notable for its instrumentals. Standout cuts range from the dream-like voyages "My Dream" and "Underway" to virtuosic three-guitar jams like "Searching For Madge" and "Fighting For Madge," both of which feature Green's inspired guitar work.

Peter Green, Jeremy Spencer, Danny Kirwin (vocals, guitar); John McVie (bass); Mick Fleetwood (drums); Christine Perfect (background vocals).

Then Play On

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Irene Nachreiner & Her Latin Jazz Band - A Song of You

Styles: Latin Jazz, Brazilian Jazz
Label: Self Released
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:16
Size: 112,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:45)  1. Dance With Me
(3:23)  2. The Waiting Song
(3:56)  3. A Song Of You
(3:49)  4. Triste
(3:34)  5. TinTim For TinTim
(3:19)  6. Change The World
(3:22)  7. South Seas Samba
(3:52)  8. S'Wonderful
(3:29)  9. Fragillidad
(3:59) 10. Like A Lover
(3:08) 11. It's Too Darn Hot
(4:00) 12. Quiet Nights Of Quiet Stars
(2:20) 13. Bim Bom
(3:15) 14. La Foule

Irene, a daughter of Russian and Irish immigrants raised in Los Angeles, came to singing Brazilian music through a trip to the South Sea Islands. That's quite a cultural mix-up, so maybe it's not surprising that her vocal approach is so deliberate and matter of fact; she still seems to be a dutiful student of the form, not wanting to make any mistakes. She doesn't, but neither does she swing. In fact, although she makes a point of using the word "jazz" in the name of her backup band, this isn't jazz singing at all, or rather, it is only jazz in the very broad sense that categorizes nearly all non-rock/pop aimed at adults as "jazz." On the other hand, Irene's Latin Jazz Band does earn its name, even if it might be called "Her Bossa Nova Band" more accurately. 

Core members Marco Tulio (acoustic guitar) and Cristiano Novelli (drums/percussion) actually are Brazilian, as is pianist Rique Pantoja, called a "special guest" in the album's press release although he plays on 12 of the 14 tracks, and bassist Daniel Groisman is from Argentina. Together, they play samba and bossa nova arrangements with the appropriate feel, and do some authentic jazz soloing, along with reed player Scott Martin. The selections include covers of Antonio Carlos Jobim and João Gilberto, plus some Latinized versions of Gershwin and Porter show tunes and a few adequate originals. Irene makes a pleasant and unassuming frontwoman, able to switch languages easily and keep up with her musicians, even if she never seems to relax with music that should be relaxing. 

This is the second self-released album by an artist likely to be encountered in Los Angeles clubs or at vacation spots, where listeners can pick up her CDs as souvenirs of an enjoyable night out, and for that they should satisfy. This isn't Getz/Gilberto, but it's not bad. ~William Ruhlmann  

http://www.allmusic.com/album/a-song-of-you-mw0000818844

A Song of You

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Holly Near - With A Song In My Heart

Styles: Folk
Label: Calico Tracks Music
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:14
Size: 101,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:18)  1. Love Is Here to Stay
(3:08)  2. The Best Is Yet to Come
(2:34)  3. Just in Time
(4:21)  4. Isn't This A Lovely Day
(4:24)  5. The Nearness Of You / My Romance
(2:30)  6. I'm Beginning To See The Light
(2:19)  7. Where Or When
(2:23)  8. When Somebody Thinks You're Wonderful
(4:04)  9. What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?
(2:30) 10. The Very Thought Of You
(1:52) 11. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To/ Easy To Love
(3:38) 12. I've Got The World On A String
(2:41) 13. Old Devil Moon
(2:39) 14. With A Song In My Heart
(0:44) 15. Reprise: When Somebody Thinks You're Wonderful

Despite her excellent voice and interpretive ability, Holly Near would not seem like the best candidate to record an album of classic pop standards, if only because the underlying social attitudes of such songs are at such variance from her own, a point driven home in 1983 when she put together a medley of standards on the Lifeline album and questioned the "unhappy together" line in "Come Rain or Come Shine." 

Her sleeve note on this album indicates that she remains ambivalent and still doesn't really approve of the material, apologetically stating that one reason to sing these songs is "to keep some sweet innocence in our revolution." Lorenz Hart, Cole Porter, and their contemporaries were rarely sweet and never innocent. Still, Near has chosen some of their more straightforwardly romantic songs, and her very skepticism lends her an interpretive distance that accentuates the sophistication of the lyrics; many cabaret singers work hard to achieve the same effect. Whether she knows it or not, it's okay that Near doesn't believe that "Love Is Here to Stay" or that "The Best Is Yet to Come": Ira Gershwin and Carolyn Leigh didn't, either.~William Ruhlmann

http://www.allmusic.com/album/with-a-song-in-my-heart-mw0000036716.

With A Song In My Heart

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Jay Leonhart - Sensitive To The Touch

Styles: Jazz

Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:54
Size: 227,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:06)  1. Ding Dong The Wicked Witch Is Dead
(7:52)  2. Accentuate The Positive
(8:21)  3. Come Rain Or Come Shine
(8:50)  4. My Shining Hour
(5:44)  5. Let's Fall In Love
(5:15)  6. Devil & The Deep Blue Sea
(4:35)  7. Get Happy
(7:43)  8. I've Got The World On A String
(5:34)  9. Ill WInd
(8:53) 10. If I Only Had A Brain
(3:57) 11. As Long As I Live

Feeling very much at home in a swing setting, Jay Leonhart takes on Harold Arlen, making Arlen's hits zip to new life on Sensitive to the Touch. From the clarinet, bass, drum opening of "Ding Dong the Wicked Witch Is Dead" to the sax, bass, vocalizing of the last tune, "As Long as I Live," this band swings hard. 

Leonhart and clarinetist/saxophonist Ken Peplowski have such obvious synchronicity, while pianist Ted Rosenthal and drummer Grady Tate don't hesitate to jump right into the fray. ~Sunsh Stein

http://jazztimes.com/articles/10849-sensitive-to-the-touch-the-music-of-harold-arlen-jay-leonhart .

Sensitive To The Touch

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Jeff Lynne - Long Wave

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 24:28
Size: 56.0 MB
Label: Frontier Records
Styles: Pop/rock
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[2:19] 1. If I Loved You
[2:30] 2. So Sad
[2:51] 3. Mercy, Mercy
[2:14] 4. Running Scared
[2:18] 5. Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered
[2:30] 6. Smile
[2:32] 7. At Last
[2:29] 8. Love Is A Many Splendored Thing
[1:49] 9. Let It Rock
[2:52] 10. Beyond The Sea

When Jeff Lynne was growing up, he listened to music on longwave radio, soaking up all the sounds coming through the big radio in the living room. His 2012 tribute to these days, appropriately called Long Wave, is a far-reaching salute to the glory days of pop in the years before the Beatles. It's too easy to peg this as a standards album, a designation that isn't quite accurate. Lynne may cover many show tunes along with '50s favorites of big-band vocalists but he spends nearly as much time with rock & roll, and not just the operatic pop of his fellow Traveling Wilbury Roy Orbison, either. He cranks through Chuck Berry's "Let It Rock," slides into the silken harmonies of the Everly Brothers on "So Sad," and grooves through Don Covay's "Mercy, Mercy." These are the cuts that stick the closest to the original hit recordings. When Lynne tackles Rodgers & Hammerstein ("If I Loved You"), Rodgers & Hart ("Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered"), Fain & Webster ("Love Is a Many Splendored Thing"), and Chaplin ("Smile"), he breaks the song down to its melodic basics then builds up candied, layered arrangements that are distinctly his own, suggesting the gorgeous cascades of sound that were the signature of prime ELO. Indeed, when these sweet reinterpretations are combined with the straight-ahead rockers, Long Wave adds up to a blueprint in reverse for Lynne; by going to back to his beginnings, he winds up figuring out why he went in the direction he did. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Jeff Lynne (vocals, guitar, piano, keyboards, vibraphone, drums, background vocals); Marc Mann (strings); Steve Jay (shaker, tambourine).

Long Wave

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Tom Rust & The Malcolm Edmonstone Trio - Are We There Yet?

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 44:09
Size: 101.1 MB
Label: Swing Out
Styles: Contemporary jazz vocal, Easy Listening
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[4:41] 1. Tv Blues
[3:04] 2. The Coffee Song
[4:50] 3. Learning The Blues
[5:12] 4. Saturday Night
[3:12] 5. Witchcraft
[3:45] 6. The Bare Necessities
[3:51] 7. I Only Have Eyes For You
[4:29] 8. Ruby Baby
[4:09] 9. Honey Suckle Rose
[3:54] 10. That's Amore
[0:00] 11. I Keep Going Back To Joe'sâ
[2:57] 12. Orange Coloured Sky

Are we there yet? is another collaboration with The Malcolm Edmonstone Trio. The jazz trio features Malcolm Edmonstone on piano, Andrew Bain on drums, Julian Jackson and Alec Dankworth on bass. This "Radio friendly" recording has a considered vocal approach and intimacy of recording that takes the listener through a thoroughly entertaining journey. Edmonstone's arrangements give the impression of a big band, with confident vocals from the slightly altered lyrics of the opening track TV Blues, right through to the snappy arrangement of Orange Coloured Sky. Rust has dedicated this CD to beautiful and precious gifts, his two children.

Tom Rust - Voice; Malcolm Edmonstone - Piano; Julian Jackson - Double Bass; Alec Dankworth - Double Bass; Andrew Bain - Drums.

Recorded at Red Gables Studios in London.

Are We There Yet?

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Roy Meriwether - This One's On Me

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 64:18
Size: 147.2 MB
Label: Fahrenheit
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 1999
Art: Front

[ 5:57] 1. The Sidewalks Of New York
[ 4:16] 2. This One's On Me
[ 6:42] 3. Don't Look Under The Bed
[ 7:24] 4. When I Think Of Miles
[10:45] 5. Ah George, We Hardly Knew You
[ 5:38] 6. Don't Call Me Brother (& Rip Me Off)
[ 6:05] 7. Please Send Me Someone To Love
[ 5:41] 8. Soup & Onions
[ 5:27] 9. Silver Mist
[ 6:19] 10. The Beautiful Ones

New York City-based pianist Meriwether has always had chops to burn, as he displays here. There are instances, however, where he does tone down and get into more soulful, patient constructions. Bassist Chris Berger and drummer Neal Smith are relatively unheralded, but do their rhythmic jobs in buoying the leader's flights of fancy. Meriwether also composed several of these ten selections. Three are ballads: the moderately slow title track; the slower "Silver Mist," an older composition (1968) which Meriwether revisits; and the languid "When I Think of Miles." He also penned the wildly upbeat soul blues "Soup & Onions," another older tune (1966) that has perennially been a set closer in his live dates. The pianist also has a penchant for jazzing up pop tunes: The O'Jays "Don't Call Me Brother" is done as a waltzy funk; Prince's "The Beautiful Ones" as a steady tick-tock ballad; and the universal Percy Mayfield evergreen "Please Send Me Someone to Love" as a patently slow and sweet number. A little more progressive is the Don Pullen piece "Ah George, We Hardly Knew Ya" in a six-beat blues funk bag with none of Pullen or Meriwether's histrionic pianistics, but with plenty of soul. A blues strut -- perhaps what the pianist does best á la Gene Harris -- appears on "Don't Look Under the Bed," while Meriwether's signature tune "Sidewalks of New York" sports "Cherokee" changes and inflections of "When I Grow Too Old to Dream" in solid blues-gospel garb where the pianist splashes note clusters and furious runs in showy fashion. For those who are familiar with Meriwether's expertise, this CD will serve as further evidence of his talent. For those who are not, this may be a good primer to lead toward his older recordings, especially the Columbia discs of the '60s. ~ Michael G. Nastos

This One's On Me

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Geri Allen - Maroons

Styles: Piano Jazz

Label: Blue Note

Year: 1992

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 72:19

Size: 166,5 MB

Art: Front

(1:32)  1. Feed the Fire I

(7:06)  2. No More Mr. Nice Guy

(5:32)  3. And They Partied

(4:38)  4. Number Four

(5:45)  5. Prayer for Peace

(7:40)  6. Mad Money

(2:49)  7. Two Brothers

(3:29)  8. Feed the Fire II

(5:01)  9. Dolphy's Dance

(4:10) 10. For John Malachi

(8:21) 11. Laila's House

(3:19) 12. Feed the Fire III

(1:05) 13. Brooklyn Bound "A"

(5:21) 14. Bed-Sty

(6:25) 15. Maroons

Geri Allen's star had fully risen by 1992 with the release of this potpourri of tracks reflecting various aspects of her recording career and peeking at the future. Detroit mentor Marcus Belgrave appears on two tracks, while trumpeter and husband Wallace Roney is on the remainder of the ensemble selections -- and he has shed the Miles Davis clone visage, striking his own poses and shadings. There are also several trio or quartet tracks with different drummers and bassists, as Allen revisits older material and adds to her widening repertoire with new compositions, always with the ingenious, virtuosic, and spontaneous style that makes her one of the most interesting players in modern post-McCoy Tyner jazz. A remake of "No More Mr. Nice Guy" (done with Charlie Haden and Paul Motian on In the Year of the Dragon) is rendered a bit faster here with bassist Dwayne Dolphin and drummer Tani Tabbal, but retains its elusive, cryptic quality. There are three versions of "Feed the Fire" as preludes -- one with hand percussionists Tabbal and Pheeroan akLaff; one with them and twin bassists Dwayne Dolphin and Anthony Cox; and a third with Allen, Dolphin, and Tabbal -- and all are very energetic and probing, with drum solos or bop notions inserted. The best trio track is "Bed-Sty" with Dolphin and Tabbal, a steamrolling, head-nodding piece, swimming in the spontaneous improvisations only Allen can conjure on the spot. 

Of the cuts featuring the emerging personal voice of Roney's trumpet, "Mad Money" is all about the insane drive for the Benjamins, deliberate and clipped in its modal melody, but moving right into Allen's clever solo. "And They Partied" has the contemporary funky M-Base approach with a bit of an inebriated, sauced line from Roney, while the title selection is totally in an underground mood, with the trumpeter evincing voodoo tones but quite unlike Miles Davis. Allen and Belgrave play a jaunty, lyrical duet on the Lawrence Williams composition "Number Four" as a tribute to their Detroit home base, while the two trumpeters join forces for "Dolphy's Dance," an angular, scattered post-bop melody that has future standard written all over it. Because of the variety of groupings, ever-changing and chameleonic through this program, it makes for a remarkable listening session from beginning to end. Dressed in elegant Victorian period clothing in the artwork, Allen seems to suggest that her past is as important as her present -- yet Maroons still exists in modern times, and she refuses to be stuck in old habits while reaching for new vistas, standing solidly on terra firma. Thisexcellent recording is easily recommended to her fans and potential new devotees.~Michael G.Bastos http://www.allmusic.com/album/maroons-mw0000616167.

Personnel: Geri Allen (piano); Marcus Belgrave, Wallace Roney (trumpet); Anthony Cox, Dwayne Dolphin (bass); Pheeroan AkLaff, Tani Tabbal (drums).

Maroons

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Eddie Higgins Trio - Speaking Of Jobim

Styles: Piano Jazz

Label: Sunny Side

Year: 1998

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 58:02

Size: 132,9 MB

Art: Front

(5:40)  1. O Morro Nao Tem Vez

(6:51)  2. I Was Just One More For You

(4:38)  3. Brigas, Nunca Mais

(4:35)  4. Falando de Amor

(3:53)  5. Two Kites

(4:16)  6. Bonita

(5:21)  7. Voce e Eu

(6:32)  8. Choro

(6:26)  9. Felicidade

(3:17) 10. So Tinha De Ser Com Voce

(3:52) 11. Caminhos Cuzados

(2:34) 12. Inutil Paisagem

By now everyone has heard at least one of Antonio Carlos Jobim's beautiful compositions, if only his most famous ones, "Girl From Ipanema" or "Desafinado," playing poppishly in an elevator or mall somewhere. His work has been recorded by every combination of instrument and voice, including Sinatra's. What distinguishes this CD from hundreds of others is its inclusion of 11 relatively obscure Jobim tunes, and the way this classy trio succeeds in communicating the essence of his special gifts with a minimum of fuss and feathers. (One track is a Carlos Lyra composition, "Voce e Eu," which blends in nicely.) The arrangements are elegant, combining jazz and Brazilian rhythms to gently swing the melodies and highlight Jobim's lush harmonies. The under-recognized pianist Eddie Higgins is a delight: Straightforward, relaxed, and varied, he sizzles on the up-tempo "Two Kites" and does a gorgeous rubato turn on "Inutil Pasagem" (Useless Landscape), one of Jobim's most heartbreaking songs. 

The always melodic bassist Jay Leonhart has some wonderfully warm solos, and demonstrates his superb bowing technique on several tracks, including the lovely "Bonita," while drummer Terry Clarke is consistently sensitive and vital, whether lofting a samba or swaying a ballad. It's difficult to pick highlights from this collection of sparkling gems, but it's easy to recommend it. An excellent introduction to Jobim's unique beauty, it will also appeal to long-term fans who already have an extensive collection of his work. Highly recommended.~Judith Schlesinger http://www.allmusic.com/album/speaking-of-jobim-mw0000620445.

Personnel: Eddie Higgins (piano); Jay Leonhart (bass); Terry Clarke (drums).

Speaking Of Jobim

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Richie Beirach & George Coleman - Convergence

Styles: Jazz

Year: 1990
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:43
Size: 130,4 MB
Art: Front

( 6:57)  1. The Lamp Is Low
( 6:48)  2. I Wish I Knew
( 4:39)  3. Flamenco Sketches
( 5:15)  4. Rectilinear
( 6:54)  5. For BC
( 5:45)  6. Riddles
( 6:16)  7. Zal
( 3:27)  8. What Is This Thing Called Love?
(10:37)  9. Infant Eyes

Pianist Richie Beirach and saxophonist George Coleman interpret a collection of standards, with a few Beirach originals thrown in for good measure. Beirach's a world-class jazz romantic; his soft touch makes it sound as if there's a pillow underneath the keyboard. Which is not to say he's an imprecise player, or needlessly docile. He's really quite the opposite, but there's an underlying gentleness to his work that imparts an air of vulnerability to everything he plays, even when he's at his most aggressive. Coleman is similar, in a way, though the saxophonist's sensitivity is occasionally camouflaged by a good-natured surliness that we know is just a front. On this album, Coleman can't help but put his heart on his sleeve Beirach's accompaniments demand it. The music that results is a nice blend of the bucolic and the temperamental; the pianist's pastoral tranquility combines with the saxophonist's restless urbanity to good ends.~Chris Kelsey http://www.allmusic.com/album/convergence-mw0000279091.

Personnel: Richie Beirach (piano); George Coleman (tenor & soprano sax).

Convergence

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