Saturday, September 21, 2013

Johnny Capers Jr - The Good Life

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 33:52
Size: 77.6 MB
Styles: Cool jazz, Trumpet jazz, Vocal jazz
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[4:01] 1. Stormy Monday
[4:00] 2. Quiet Nights
[2:22] 3. Sunny
[3:29] 4. Walk On Bye
[4:21] 5. Stella By Starlight
[1:43] 6. Bye Bye Black Bird
[2:24] 7. Pennies From Heaven
[3:07] 8. Misty
[2:58] 9. A Foggy Game
[5:21] 10. The Good Life

The Bronx native's musical career as a trumpeter began at age 14 performing with the Capers Quartet, recording several records with Roulette & V.J. Records. as time moved on so did Johnny's career he found himself branching out as a Trumpeter, Vocalist & Band leader, which led him to some very prestigious jobs.

Johnny's band performed for the Inauguration of President Nixon, Working the stage with many acts: i.e., Red Fox, Duke Ellington, Guy Lombardo, Sarah Vaughn, and appeared with many top acts, Traveling the United States, Europe & the Caribbean, Performing at Venues such as Village Vanguard, The Blue Note, Palladium N.Y.C., Lighthouse & Apollo Theatre, Stardust, Rivera, Caesar's Palace, Dunes, Sands, & Atlantic City's Trump Castle, TV appearances include Merv Griffin, Maury Povich, Della Reese & William B. Williams show of Radio fame.

Johnny Caper's Jr. is constantly developing , further refining his approach to encompass a clear view on 21st Century jazz. Johnny comments: Being influenced by some of the Greatest trumpeters of all time Dizzy Gillespe, Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis , Lee Morgan, Freddie Hubbard,Maynard Ferguson, Chet Baker & Arturo Sandoval and I do give big props to our trumpet players of today such as Wynton Marsalis, Nicholas Payton, Scott Christan and the list goes on . I call it the the keep a open mind approach This allows me to keep current with today's ever changing music industry without losing the teachings of the greats!!

The Good Life: a Slick, approach to some of the more well known jazz standards. which Showcase's Johnny Capers Jr. as a fine trumpeter, a Swinging, Soulful vocalist of today's Jazz world..

The Good Life

Leata Galloway - Tenderly

Styles: Jazz Vocals
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:44
Size: 100,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:55)  1. Moondance/Fever
(5:01)  2. All Blues
(3:14)  3. Mood's Mood For Love
(4:25)  4. Desafinado
(3:49)  5. I Want To Be Loved
(2:09)  6. When A Woman Loves A Man
(4:03)  7. Tenderly
(4:31)  8. Ahmad's Blues
(3:57)  9. Stella By Starlight
(4:42) 10. I'm Gonna Laugh You Right Out of My Life
(3:53) 11. Yeah Yeah

Leata Galloway is the kind of powerfully persuasive singer that tastemakers in music proudly proclaim “a natural.” The Brooklyn-born beauty has wrapped the full spectrum of her vocal chops around every style of music under the sun and around the globe - in top flight musical theatre productions, scintillating headliner concert engagements and mood-drenched movie scores. However, she has always been, first and foremost, a Jazz Singer. An engagement at the Gardenia Cabaret in West Hollywood so moved renowned Jazz critic Leonard Feather that he waxed poetic in a Sunday Los Angeles Times review, “With well over three octaves at her command, Galloway is given to unpredictable switches of range, mood and idiom. Her act offers a chance to observe, in unrestricted splendor, every facet of this dynamic artist. She is…beyond category.” Across her illustrious career, Ms. Galloway appeared in the Duke Ellington-inspired musical “Sophisticated Ladies,” followed by her own Japanese import jazz CD Sophisticated Lady (recorded with the trio of pianist Mark Gray, drummer Billy Hart and bassist Tom Barney). That earned her a nomination in Japan’s Swing Journal for Best Female Vocalist. Sitting in for the great Betty Carter, Leata sang three songs on the album Live from The Hamburg Jazz Gala with Germany’s The Peter Herbolzheimer All-Stars, an international 18-piece aggregation that featured saxophonist Don Menza, trumpeter Chuck Findley, bassist Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen and drummer Grady Tate. From a year-long tour in the late `70s singing behind the legendary pop traditionalist Peggy Lee to embarking upon a 17 country European Tour in the `90s with Austrian contemporary keyboard wizard Joe Zawinul’s pan-cultural ensemble The Zawinul Syndicate, Leata’s journey proves her vocal gifts clearly have no bounds. Those gifts are the focus of Leata Galloway’s fourth and latest CD, Tenderly, an 11-song one-from-the-heart in which she interprets some of her all-time favorite songs with instrumentation that spans from solely piano accompaniment to a rhythm quartet with three horns. Co-producing the affair herself along with esteemed bassist Larry Ball, Leata revisits timeless chestnuts such as “Moody’s Mood For Love” (a tour de force for which she sings in its fabled alto AND tenor registers, riffing on the already improvised melody  a must hear), Antonio Carlos Jobim’s samba classic “Desafinado,” a rendition of Miles Davis’ “All Blues,” and a cool breeze thru the ever-hip “Ahmad’s Blues.”  “What I love most are songs that tell a story and that have melodies that linger in your memory,” Leata states. 

This is beautifully apparent in her takes on picturesque standards such as “Stella by Starlight,” an especially breathtaking “I Want to Be Loved,” the more modern gem “Moondance” and, naturally, the title track “Tenderly.” Leata also gets down to the swing of things on the finger-snappin’ blues “Yeah-Yeah” and the horn-spiked “When a Woman Loves a Man” which she learned as the understudy for the Billie Holiday role in the one-woman play “Lady Day at the Emerson Bar and Grill.” Leata reprised her portrayal of Holiday in the 5-hour CBS mini-series “Sinatra.” Accompanying Leata on Tenderly are pianist Frank Zatolli, guitarist Phil Upchurch, drummer Kenny Elliott, saxophonist Ron Brown, trumpeter Nolan Shaheed and trombonist Dwayne Benjamin. “I’d been away from music for awhile,” Leata laments, “but it’s what makes my heart beat. So I took my time and brought some of my favorite songs and musician friends together to do an album. I believe it’s some of my best work.”
Bio ...http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/leatagalloway12

Lee Gibson - Here's To Love

Styles: Vocal, Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:51
Size: 127,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:42)  1. No Moon At All
(3:33)  2. Easy To Love
(5:01)  3. The Nearness Of You
(4:57)  4. Every Little Thing
(6:00)  5. Love Dance
(4:49)  6. Joy Spring
(7:25)  7. The Shadow Of Your Smile
(4:30)  8. Not Like This
(5:33)  9. Come Back To Me
(4:35) 10. Here's To Life
(4:42) 11. Just Friends

B. 5 March 1950, Watford, Hertfordshire, England. Gibson began her show business career as a singer and dancer, performing in many of the top nightspots in London’s West End. These included the Talk Of The Town, where she headlined and was heard by a BBC radio producer who booked her for her first jazz broadcast. During succeeding years she made over 1, 000 broadcasts for the BBC and toured with several big bands, including those led by Syd Lawrence and Don Lusher and the BBC Radio Big Band. Her parallel career as a session singer extended into films and television and she also appeared at seven Royal Command Variety Shows. She was a member of the folk rock group Chorale, recording a self-titled album for Arista Records in 1980, and the single, ‘Riu Riu’, which charted in several European countries.  Meanwhile, Gibson extended her reputation as a solo singer throughout Europe, performing at concerts and on radio and television with leading orchestras. In Finland she sang with the UMO Jazz Orchestra, in Denmark with the Danish Radio Big Band, directed by Thad Jones, in the Netherlands with the Skymasters and the Metropole Orchestra, recording 1998’s Night Songs with the latter, and in Germany with the WDR Orchestra and the Francy Boland Band, conducted by Lalo Schifrin. She also sang the music of Andrew Lloyd Webber with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at a Royal Gala concert in London. Her jazz festival performances have included Munich, Sydney, Montreux, Birmingham, Cork and Grimsby, appearing at the latter with Michael Brecker. Gibson sings with elegant charm, her interpretations of lyrics being eloquent and understanding. Adjusting to the needs of the material and the nature of the performance, she can deliver the popular repertoire with warmth and enormous confidence while her jazz work is suffused with an intense yet subtle sense of swing. Bio...http://www.allmusic.com/artist/lee-gibson-mn0000740852/biography

Carla Bley, Andy Sheppard & Steve Swallow - Trios

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:17
Size: 129,0 MB
Art: Front

( 7:55)  1. Utviklingssang
( 7:22)  2. Vashkar
(14:59)  3. Les Trois Lagons (D'apres Henri Matisse): Plate XVIi - Plate XVIII - Plate XIX
(11:34)  4. Wildlife
(14:24)  5. The Girl Who Cried Champagne: Pt. 1, 2, 3

In a career more defined by memorable compositions than instrumental acumen, it's easy to forget that Carla Bley may not be the most virtuosic pianist on the planet, but she's a far more than capable one, as evidenced on duo recordings like Are We There Yet? (Watt, 1999), with life partner/bassist Steve Swallow, and Songs With Legs (WATT, 1995), a trio date with longtime collaborator, saxophonist Andy Sheppard also heard in Bley's larger ensemble of Appearing Nightly (Watt/ECM, 2008) and quartet session, The Lost Chords (Watt/ECM, 2004). On Swallow's recent Into the Woodwork (XtraWATT/ECM, 2013), Bley proved a clever, quirky and comedic organist; with Trios an album that, perhaps for the first time ever, features absolutely no new compositions Bley reunites the Songs With Legs trio, refocusing attention on her thoughtful, precise piano work. That's not to suggest there isn't still a clever compositional mind at work in these fresh, intimate arrangements of music ranging from Bley's elegiac "Utviklingssang," her most-recorded ballad that first appeared on Social Studies (Watt, 1981), to lesser-known but still previously recorded suites including "The Girl Who Cried Champagne," from the aptly titled Sextet (Watt, 1987) and "Wildlife," heard for the first time on the larger ensemble session Night-Glo (Watt, 1986). Only the dark-hued "Vashkar" one of Bley's most well-known tunes, having appeared on Tony Williams' fusion classic Lifetime (Polydor, 1969) and, most recently, on John McLaughlin and Carlos Santana's Invitation to Illumination: Live at Montreux 2011 (Eagle Vision, 2013) is played on record by Bley for the first time. 

Driven by Swallow's superb time all the more essential to a group's without a drummer Bley's reading of "Vashkar" opens with the pair exploring its mid-eastern modality for a full ninety second before Sheppard comes in, on soprano, to double its memorable yet quirky melody with Bley's right hand. Sheppard's star has been on the ascendancy for years, but most recently on the superb Trio Libre (ECM, 2012), his second recording as a leader for the label. Here, he demonstrates the same kind of care-ridden patience, his solo reflecting a trio whose ears are wide open, meticulously responding to each others' every move. Even as they adhere to the song's form, there's the sense that were this to be immediately followed by another take, it would be an entirely different experience. 

Swallow introduces "Utviklingssang" alone, its haunting melody soon joined by Bley, whose thoughtful introduction of a contrapuntal theme and spartan supporting chords yield to sparer accompaniment still when Sheppard finally enters. While time is something to which the trio adheres carefully when required Swallow's inimitable swing fundamental to the first section of "Les Trois Lagons (d'après Henri Matisse)" Trios' ultimate beauty is in the interpretive nuances that allow time to be ever-so-slightly pliant subtly stretched and compressed to imbue these five pieces with their own personalities. The balance of the program consists of longer, multipart compositions, but remains underscored by the same attention to detail. 

Without muss or fuss, Bley, Swallow and Sheppard have, with Trios, created that most perfect of chamber records, filled with shrewd surprises and a delicate dramaturgy that reveals itself further with each and every listen. ~ John Kelman   http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/profile.php?id=398

Personnel: Carla Bley: piano; Andy Sheppard: tenor and soprano saxophones; Steve Swallow: bass.

The Jeff Lorber Fusion - Hacienda

Styles: Jazz, Fusion
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:52
Size: 127,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:27)  1. Corinaldo
(4:57)  2. Solar Wind
(5:40)  3. King Kong
(5:18)  4. The Steppe
(5:28)  5. Hacienda
(4:51)  6. Fab Gear
(5:44)  7. Raptor
(5:06)  8. Everlast
(4:44)  9. Playa Del Falco
(4:55) 10. Escapade
(4:37) 11. Dragonfly

Hacienda is the third volume in the Jeff Lorber Fusion's revisioning of the music they began with in the late '70s and early '80s, with a 21st century twist. Co-produced by Lorber and bassist Jimmy Haslip, the trio is rounded out by drummer Vinnie Colaiuta. There are a slew of studio regulars here to boot, including guitarists Paul Jackson, Jr. and Michael Thompson, horn players Eric Marienthal and David Mann, and percussionist Lenny Castro. "Solar Wind," featuring guest Larry Koonse on guitar, is a fine example of Lorber's current obsession with intricate composition. While its pulse is kept by Haslip and expanded by Colaiuta, the complex lyric sets up terrific solos by Mann, Lorber, and Koonse. There is a real surprise here in the cover of Frank Zappa's "King Kong," with guest Jean-Luc Ponty on violin. The band attacks it with discipline and class. There's a rockist backdrop, and Haslip's bassline not only threads the changes but foreshadows them. There are fine keyboard and violin solos and killer wah-wah guitar from Thompson as this band weds itself to the composer's shifty time changes and spidery melodies. Ed Mann's marimba fills out the sound and adds lyric counterpoint. This tune is followed by the majestic, midtempo "The Steppe," a shimmering, layered groover with crystalline piano from Lorber, soulful alto from Marienthal, and a virtual orchestra of guitars from Thompson. The title track is a driving dance number (it's named for the Manchester dance club), with some surprising rhythmic changes inside the groove. Haslip's bass is bubbling and funky while Colaiuta lays out some outstanding breaks on the repetitive theme. Lorber throws in some killer vamps on a variety of keys and Marienthal's alto solo accents the changes even as it glides over the top. A small misstep occurs in sequencing two midtempo ballads "Everlast" and "Playa del Falco" next to one another, but the heavier grooves come back on "Escapade," with nice horns from both Marienthal and Mann; Lorber's soloing is in the pocket yet wildly creative, and his piano arpeggios showcase his own roots-jazz-funk in the soul-jazz tradition, evoking Horace Silver, Sonny Clark, Herbie Hancock, and Ramsey Lewis. Hacienda features some of Lorber's best compositions in recent memory.

This set is more varied than the hard party aspect of Galaxy: the fusion aspect is more pronounced, while the overall mood and flow is more diverse, nuanced, and beautifully textured.~Thom Jurek  http://www.allmusic.com/album/hacienda-mw0002553292.

Hacienda

Friday, September 20, 2013

Peggy Lee - Pass Me By

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 24:29
Size: 56.1 MB
Styles: Vocal, Easy Listening
Year: 1965/2011
Art: Front

[2:20] 1. Sneakin' Up On You
[2:22] 2. Pass Me By
[2:26] 3. I Wanna Be Around
[2:03] 4. Bewitched
[2:30] 5. My Love, Forgive Me (Amore, Scusami)
[1:43] 6. You Always Hurt The One You Love
[2:04] 7. A Hard Day's Night
[2:03] 8. L-O-V-E
[2:19] 9. Dear Heart
[2:20] 10. Quiet Nights (Corcovado)
[2:15] 11. That's What It Takes

Capitol aimed songs from Pass Me By at several different markets, and the effect is a scattershot LP with several nuggets but no real cohesion. First up is the delightfully tossed-off popcorn tune "Sneakin' Up on You," but it's followed by the title track, a queasy strike-up-the-band march which surprisingly reached the charts. "Dear Heart" leans toward the countrypolitan sound (it would've fit much better as a vehicle for Charlie Rich), and the Beatles cover "A Hard Day's Night" wasn't a good match at all; Lee strains to hit the lower notes, and sounds tentative singing the lyrics. While her vocals are on the weak side from a technical standpoint, Lee's interpretive powers are mostly intact, and her flair on "Sneakin' Up on You" makes it a natural for one of those swinging novelties often heard on '60s compilations. ~John Bush

Bass – Bob Whitlock; Drums – John Guerin; Guitar – Bill Pitman, Bob Bain, Dennis Budimir, John Pisano; Percussion [Latin] – Francisco Aguabella; Piano – Lou Levy; Vocals – Peggy Lee

Pass Me By

Paul Toshner - Hotel Corus

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 53:22
Size: 122.2 MB
Styles: Easy Listening, Adult contemporary
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[3:14] 1. Home
[3:14] 2. Gran Torino
[2:29] 3. A Case Of You
[2:44] 4. Evaporated
[3:08] 5. Wonderful Tonight
[2:36] 6. The Lady Is A Tramp
[3:09] 7. I Dreamed A Dream
[3:38] 8. Strawberry Fields
[3:41] 9. Hide Your Love Away
[4:09] 10. The Space Between
[3:25] 11. Rocket Man
[2:50] 12. The Berlofsky Boogie
[3:51] 13. Candle In The Wind
[3:24] 14. You're Nobody Til Somebody Loves You
[4:07] 15. Hotel California
[3:37] 16. Funny

Paul provides an interactive musical show covering over 8 decades of music, woven together with humour, dexterity, artistry, and an improvised twist. Something for everyone, from timeless classics, to the purest toe-tapping boogie-woogie & honky-tonk. Paul combines technical ability and technology to take requests from his guests, oftentimes that he has never before heard. Upon receiving the request he uses key-changing and lyric technology in tandem with a DJ system to identify and learn a track, which he then performs. Paul also uses a loop pedal, which allows him to layer a performance as if four hands were on the piano.

Hotel Corus

Dana Sedgwick - S/T

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 47:31
Size: 108.8 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[2:50] 1. Some Cats Know
[4:24] 2. I'll Be Seeing You
[2:36] 3. Hit Me With A Hot Note
[3:20] 4. Forget About The Boy
[4:20] 5. Somebody's Eyes
[2:51] 6. Life Is Just A Bowl Of Cherries
[3:32] 7. Someone To Watch Over Me
[3:38] 8. Take Me
[3:34] 9. Ladies Who Lunch
[4:01] 10. Gus The Theatre Cat
[2:47] 11. There's A Fine, Fine Line
[3:25] 12. By My Side
[6:09] 13. If Ever I Would Leave You

Dana Sedgwick is a 18-year-old recording artist from Seattle. In the studio, she has recorded a variety of projects for Disk Eyes Productions in both Seattle and Nashville . Dana attends the Clive Davis School of Recorded Music at NYU, where she is excelling in Music Production. Also, an alumni member of ICE, the Island Choral Experience, a theatrical choir for high school students. Last spring, she performed with the national touring company of Joseph and the Technicolor Dream Coat at the Paramount Theatre in Seattle as a member of their children chorus.

Recently, Disk Eyes Productions has completed Dana's first solo effort, Broadway: Jazz Interpretations and Show Tunes. Dana has a focus and passion for music. She sets high standards and works hard to extend her capabilities beyond her comfort zone. Dana takes direction well and has a great attitude in a close working environment. Her ability to read music and translate with near perfect pitch and breath control is a skill highly desired in the recording industry.

In summary, Dana is a delightful, engaging, talented young artist and professional with a bright future and a clear understanding of her direction. She will be an exceptional candidate and superb asset to the Clive Davis School of Recorded Music. Keep an eye out for this extraordinary new talent.

Dana Sedgwick

The Hot Club Quintet - Hot Club Of Paris

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 36:57
Size: 84.6 MB
Styles: Swing, Gypsy jazz
Year: 2002
Art: Front

[2:56] 1. Honeysuckle Rose
[2:57] 2. Swing '42
[2:19] 3. How High The Moon
[2:31] 4. MCQ Strut
[3:11] 5. Villa Georgette
[3:03] 6. Viper's Dream
[2:43] 7. The French Connection
[2:12] 8. Swing '84
[2:26] 9. Minor Swing
[3:15] 10. This Can't Be Love
[3:44] 11. Body And Soul
[2:48] 12. Losing No Time
[2:45] 13. It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)

Gypsy jazz (also known as gypsy swing or hot club jazz) is a style of jazz music often said to have been started by guitarist Jean "Django" Reinhardt in the 1930s. Because its origins are largely in France it is often called by the French name, "jazz manouche", or alternatively, "manouche jazz", even in English language sources. Django was foremost among a group of Gypsy guitarists working in and around Paris in the 1930s through the 1950s, a group which also included the brothers Baro, Sarane, and Matelo Ferret and Reinhardt's brother Joseph "Nin-Nin" Reinhardt.

Many of the musicians in this style worked in Paris in various popular Musette ensembles. The Musette style waltz remains an important component in the Gypsy jazz repertoire. Reinhardt was noted for combining a dark, chromatic Gypsy flavor with the swing articulation of the period. This combination is critical to this style of jazz. In addition to this his approach continues to form the basis for contemporary Gypsy jazz guitar. Reinhardt's most famous group, the Quintette du Hot Club de France, also brought fame to jazz violinist Stéphane Grappelli.

Hot Club Of Paris

Eeppi Ursin - Yellow Page Girl

Styles: Jazz Vocals
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:53
Size: 98,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:10)  1. Yellow Page Girl
(4:15)  2. Have You Ever
(3:45)  3. Take a Look
(5:10)  4. Say Goodbye
(6:02)  5. Right Now
(2:52)  6. Purple Mind
(4:05)  7. Got to Run
(4:28)  8. Chasing a Vision
(5:40)  9. Past and Gone
(2:20) 10. Tuuli

Eeppi Ursin is a Helsinki-based freelance musician. She has created a versatile career working as a singer, composer, arranger and pianist. She has released two albums with her own name: Violet (2005) and Yellow page girl (2009). She is also known for various projects with theatre and music and working with bands like AiA, Maija Kaunismaa&Yhtye, Warp!, Castafioren Korut, AinoA, Soi and for her collaboration with New York based pianist Mika Pohjola. In 2011-2013 she was singing in vocal ensemble Club For Five. Eeppi has performed at festivals all around the world and recorded numerous albums with different groups. At the moment her singer-songwriter type of music combines elements from jazz, pop and rock. Eeppi has also worked as a composer and an arranger in several theater productions and has been teaching solo and vocal ensemble singing. Bio..
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Eeppi-Ursin/142678342434839?sk=info

One For All - Too Soon To Tell

Styles: Jazz
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:00
Size: 139,3 MB
Art: Front

(8:19)  1. Too Soon To Tell
(6:56)  2. Alfie
(5:54)  3. Stranger Than Fiction
(7:03)  4. Dedicated To You
(8:46)  5. Blues For All
(8:03)  6. Betcha By Golly Wow
(8:29)  7. Visionary
(6:29)  8. Captain's Song

Having reviewed last month Optimism, the second Sharp Nine release by One for All, the New York–based co–op sextet patterned after Art Blakey’s celebrated Jazz Messengers, we must beg your indulgence as we backtrack a year to appraise its debut session, recorded in February ’97 by the eminent Rudy Van Gelder (whose apparently escalating faith in greater reverb is somewhat misplaced). Personnel is unchanged, as is the group’s impassioned point of view. In spite of the rather self effacing title, it’s hardly too soon to tell you, the reader and potential listener, that these are six of the most accomplished and emphatic young neo boppers in the Big Apple or anywhere else. If the Messengers were still around, this is probably quite close to what they’d sound like. While it may be hard to imagine anyone completely filling Blakey’s enormous shoes, Farnsworth has more than a few Bu like drum rolls up his sleeve and kicks the group along in splendid fashion.

Washington, pianist Tommy Flanagan’s bassist of choice, and Hazeltine complete a purposeful and close knit rhythm section that never lets the music drag or falter. The front liners, meanwhile, blend well together (several of the voicings are truly enchanting), and each one is an intrepid soloist as well  Rotondi the fiery triple tonguing aggressor, Davis the Fuller style acrobat, Alexander the muscular clean up batter in the volcanic image of his main man, George Coleman. Like many of Blakey’s sidemen, these guys double as composer/arrangers, and fare well in that department too. Rotondi contributed the buoyant Messengers like opener, “Too Soon to Tell” and the flag waving “Stranger Than Fiction.” Alexander wrote the minor key “Blues for All,” Davis the modal waltz “Visionary” and Hazeltine the up tempo closer, “Captain’s Song.” Hazeltine set “Alfie” to a brisk Latin beat and scored “Betcha By Golly Wow,” while Alexander arranged his earnest ballad feature, Sammy Cahn’s “Dedicated to You.” A superb collaborative effort that is easily recommended to partisans of the mainstream, as is the group's second release.~Jack Bowers 
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=2968#.UjTFUT8kI5c

Personnel: Eric Alexander, tenor saxophone; Jim Rotondi, trumpet, flugelhorn; Steve Davis, trombone; David Hazeltine, piano; Peter Washington, bass; Joe Farnsworth, drums.

Celia Baron - Sax Appeal

Styles: Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:43
Size: 135,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:41)  1. I
(3:36)  2. Dark Gold
(3:35)  3. I Put A Spell On You
(3:48)  4. For The Love Of Him
(3:59)  5. Na, Na, Na
(3:56)  6. Big Sky
(4:19)  7. You Know That I Love You
(3:37)  8. Move Around
(3:53)  9. Panipat
(3:50) 10. Tango Me
(3:37) 11. F - Street
(3:54) 12. I Try
(3:30) 13. You
(4:28) 14. Funky Girl
(4:55) 15. Hey, Hey Now

.. As the daughter of two professional muscians, my heart was always going to be in music. Working in a music shop and selling instruments is not as much fun as playing them so I decided on a study of music at the “Conservatoire de la musique” in Luxemburg. I studied jazz saxophone for 4 years and during that time I had some early musical successes. With my band at the time V.I.S., we won the prize for young composers at the Berlin Film Festival three times. Upon completion of my music degree I began teaching at the music house of A. Knopp in Saarbrücken in between touring Europe wich several bands. More recently solo projects, composing and concert appearances have been the focus, playing alongside such musical stars as Maceo Parker, George Clinton, Fred Wesley , Martha High and Tom Principato. Although my musical range stretches from orchestral, gospel and musicals through to rock, jazz and blues my favorite style would have to be funk. Exposure to such a varied range of styles has led me to develope my own style, best described as “ Funky Chilljazzhiphoppop” . My first Album “Saxcess” was released in October 2008.. http://www.jango.com/music/Celia+Baron?l=0

Jon Lucien - Lucien Romantico

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:34
Size: 76,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:11)  1. Tender Love of Mine
(3:42)  2. I Like It
(4:02)  3. Sempre Maria
(3:51)  4. How 'Bout Tonight
(5:09)  5. Tell Me You Love Me
(3:44)  6. Takes More Than Words
(6:01)  7. Together As One
(3:51)  8. Too Damn Hot

Jon Lucien made his first recording as a leader in 1970. This album is a reissue of one that was initially released in 1982 on the Precision label, but not widely distributed. In addition to singing, Lucien also plays a variety of instruments while he sings, I assume to keep his hands busy. Many of the tunes have a definite Caribbean beat to them including "Tender Love of Mine" and "How`Bout Tonight". Not surprising given that he was born in St. Thomas and has been elected to the Caribbean Hall of Fame. One of the special elements of the CD is the grand instrumental backing. There is a rhythm section, piano, Rhodes piano, drums, lots of backup vocals, and other assorted Latin percussion, all augmented live in the studio by large symphony orchestras including the Chicago and London symphonies as well as the New York orchestra which is conducted by renowned jazz trombone player and arranger Billy Byers. Matters, therefore, get a bit busy from time to time. But miraculously, everything stays under control and it all manages to fit together very well. But with all this activity, Lucien's voice doesn't stand out all that well as it is subsumed into comings and goings of larger groups. One exception is a "I Like It" which Lucien delivers with a cocky hat tilted forward manner. Another is "Too Damn Hot" which has a high-spirited beat that will keep your toe tapping and your shoulders moving. If you like the rhythm of the Islands, Romantico is a must have.~ Dave Nathan  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=9070#.Ujt5VRAkI5c.

Jon Lucien - Vocal/Fender Bass/Phodes Piano/Yamaha Grand Piano/Percussion/Mini Moog/Congas; Carlos Bega, James Gadson, Earl Palmer - Drums; Gloria Agostini - Harp; Angel Allende - Timbales; Steve Thornton - Percussion; Bill Byers, Michel Colombier, Richard Evans - Conductor; Josh Sklair, Oscar Castro Nevers - Guitar; Franchine Smith, JoAnn Brown - El, Cynthia White, Keithen Carter, Cinnamon - Backup Vocals; Larry Ball - Bass; Fred Jenkins, Clarence Charles, Dennis Budimir- Guitar; Gip Nobles - Rhodes Piano; Michael Melvoin/Aloisio Aguitar - Piano; Nana Vasconcelos - Talking Drums

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Dave Brubeck & Paul Desmond - So Real

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 77:13
Size: 176.8 MB
Styles: Cool jazz, Saxophone/piano jazz
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[ 3:19] 1. I'm In A Dancing Mood
[10:05] 2. Two Part Contention
[ 2:07] 3. Camptown Races
[ 4:57] 4. Jeepers Creepers
[ 6:21] 5. Gone With The Wind
[ 5:17] 6. Take Five
[ 8:10] 7. Lonesome Road
[ 4:23] 8. Eleven Four
[ 2:27] 9. Short'nin' Bread
[ 4:30] 10. Basin Street Blues
[ 5:36] 11. Take The A Train
[ 7:58] 12. Blue Rondo Ala Turk
[ 6:36] 13. Georgia On My Mind
[ 5:21] 14. Brother, Can You Spare A Dime

Desmond and Brubeck began their partnership at a club called the Bandbox in Palo Alto, California in the late 1940s. Brubeck would intentionally goad Desmond beyond his musical comfort zone, by forcing him to play more uptempo songs. Brubeck knew that pushing Desmond to play at faster tempos would encourage him to overcome his natural reserve and play with more conviction and expression.

While Desmond and Brubeck's engagement at the Bandbox was a commercial success, they fell out over personal and financial concerns. Desmond moved to New York in 1950 to perform with pianist Jack Fina on alto saxophone and clarinet. At the same time, Brubeck formed a new trio that began to receive critical acclaim. Desmond soon found out about the trio's success and returned to San Francisco to see if he had a chance of joining his old friend's group.

The story of how Desmond got back on Brubeck's good side is amusing. Brubeck held a grudge against Desmond over the difficulties they had from when they last performed together. Brubeck, now married with three children, told his wife Iola that Desmond was not allowed in their home. One day, Desmond showed up at the door and Iola took him into the back yard, where Brubeck was folding diapers. Desmond pleaded with him, but Brubeck would consider hiring him back until the saxophonist offered to babysit his three children. This turned out to the offer Brubeck could not refuse.

So Real

Carol Welsman - S/T

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 50:33
Size: 115.7 MB
Styles: Easy Listening, Vocal jazz
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[4:28] 1. Brazasia
[3:53] 2. Hold Me
[3:53] 3. Dans Cette Chambre
[3:59] 4. What A Fool Believes
[2:48] 5. Eu Vim De Bahia
[3:51] 6. Cafe
[4:56] 7. Live To Tell
[4:01] 8. Nosotros
[4:59] 9. Too Close For Comfort
[2:25] 10. With Me
[3:28] 11. Dans Mon Ile
[3:53] 12. Beautiful
[3:53] 13. Ora

If this self-titled CD had more of a straight-ahead jazz outlook, it would be easy to describe Carol Welsman as a member of the Cool School; the Canadian singer favors the type of relaxed, subtle phrasing that June Christy, Helen Merrill and Chris Connor were known for in the '50s. But for the most part, this 2007 release (which was produced by Jimmy Haslip of Yellowjackets fame) is not straight-ahead jazz but rather, is best described as jazz-tinged pop/NAC singing along the lines of Basia, Marilyn Scott and Sade. The 50-minute CD does have its improvisatory moments; the Brazilian-flavored "Café" (a Welsman original) demonstrates that Welsman can scat and improvise effectively when she puts her mind to it. But pop dominates the album, and that isn't a problem because Welsman's pop -- although certainly light -- is not lightweight. For all her subtlety and understatement, Welsman gets her emotional points across whether she is putting her spin on the Doobie Brothers' "What a Fool Believes," Madonna's "Live to Tell" or the Latin standard "Nosotros." Welsman has no problem performing in Spanish on "Nosotros"; in fact, she performs in a total of five languages on this disc -- not only English and Spanish, but also in Portuguese on "Eu Vim de Ahia," in Italian on "Ora" and in French on "Dans Cette Chambre." The latter is an example of a familiar melody with new lyrics; "Dans Cette Chambre" is Welsman's French-language interpretation of Gordon Lightfoot's "Beautiful." A Lightfoot melody and French lyrics might seem an unlikely combination, but it works for Welsman. This disc falls short of exceptional, although it's a pleasing, likable effort that is worth hearing if one has spent a lot of time listening to NAC favorites like Basia and Scott. ~ Alex Henderson

Carol Welsman (keyboards); Pierre Côté (acoustic guitar); Vern Dorge (soprano saxophone); Jimmy Haslip (bass guitar); Jimmy Branly (drums); John Acosta (background vocals). Additional personnel: Eric Marienthal (alto saxophone).

Carol Welsman

Delicatessen - 2 albums: Goodnight Kiss / Jazz & Bossa

A jazz / bossa nova band, from Porto Alegre, Brazil. Formed by Ana Kruger (vocals), Carlos Badia (guitar), Nico Bueno (bass), Mano Gomes (drums) & sometimes, New (piano). Their work is recognized by brazilian music critics, inc: Nelson Motta & Roberto Muggiati.

Their début album, Jazz + Bossa, was produced by Beto Callage & Carlos Badia. This album has ‘bossa nova’-influenced reinterpretations of US jazz standards music & two original compositions, sung in Portuguese. Ana Kruger has a soft & clean voice, reminiscent of 50’s female vocalists.

They have played live in Porto Alegre’s Iguatemi Mall on Valentine’s Day and they have played live in other cities like Buenos Aires (Argentina), Florianópolis (South Brazil), Rio de Janeiro & São Paulo.

Album: Goodnight Kiss
Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 42:20
Size: 96.9 MB
Styles: Bossa Nova
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[4:02] 1. You Turned The Tables On Me
[3:06] 2. As Long As I Live
[4:06] 3. I'm Old Fashioned
[5:30] 4. Someone To Watch Over Me
[3:30] 5. The Best Is Yet To Come
[3:20] 6. I Don't Know Enough About You
[4:22] 7. Where Do You Start?
[3:40] 8. My Heart Belongs To Daddy
[3:03] 9. It's A Pity To Say Goodnight
[2:46] 10. Outras Dicoes
[4:51] 11. Low, Slow, Less

Goodnight Kiss

Album: Jazz & Bossa
Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 53:14
Size: 121.9 MB
Styles: Bossa Nova, Jazz vocals
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[4:23] 1. Angel Eyes
[3:04] 2. In A Mellow Tone
[6:10] 3. Black Coffee
[5:16] 4. In A Sentimental Mood
[1:56] 5. You're Getting To Be A Habit With Me
[3:46] 6. The Very Thought Of You
[2:38] 7. Do It Again
[4:08] 8. I Fall In Love Too Easily
[2:06] 9. I Love The Way You're Breaking My Heart
[3:36] 10. That's All
[3:45] 11. The Touch Of Your Lips
[6:09] 12. I'm Through With Love
[3:38] 13. Todos Os Dias
[2:32] 14. Setembro

Jazz & Bossa

Hiromi Kanda - Hiromi In Love

Styles: Jazz Vocals
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:13
Size: 107,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:14)  1. That Old Feeling
(3:22)  2. Always Here For You
(3:36)  3. How Deep IS The Ocean
(3:12)  4. I'll Never Smile Again
(4:14)  5. Blue Love
(4:03)  6. Someone To Watch Over Me
(3:27)  7. My Funny Valentine
(2:57)  8. In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning
(3:26)  9. All The Way
(3:31) 10. When I Fall In Love
(3:16) 11. Cry
(4:03) 12. The Second Time Around
(3:47) 13. Unforgettable

Japanese singer Hiromi Kanda expresses her affection for American pre-rock traditional pop music on Hiromi in Love. She is accompanied by members of the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra, playing arrangements written and conducted by Matt Catingub (who also contributes alto saxophone, piano, and backup vocals) on a set of standards written by the likes of Irving Berlin, the Gershwins, and Rodgers & Hart, plus a couple of originals in a similar style. Her timbre may remind some listeners of Linda Ronstadt, who made three albums of similar music, though native English speakers probably will feel the same way about Kanda that native Spanish speakers did listening to Ronstadt's albums of Mexican music, in the sense that Kanda sings with a slight Japanese accent throughout. She is certainly comprehensible, and these are much more than karaoke-like performances, but it is impossible to ignore that, for example, in "That Old Feeling," the word "foolish" comes off sounding like "fulitch," or that, in "Cry," "sunshine" is rendered as "sanshan." Thus, English speakers may suppose they are listening to the soundtrack of an old movie set in post-World War II, U.S.-occupied Japan. This probably means that Hiromi in Love will be most successful in Japan itself and the Pacific Rim in general, where Kanda's accent won't be as much of an issue.~ William Ruhlmann  http://www.allmusic.com/album/hiromi-in-love-mw0001959346

Karin Krog - One on One

Styles: Jazz Vocals
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:18
Size: 154,1 MB
Art: Front + Back

(2:35)  1. Blues In My Heart
(3:12)  2. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
(5:05)  3. These Foolish Things
(2:58)  4. But Not For Me
(6:16)  5. God Bless The Child
(3:22)  6. Just In Time
(3:58)  7. A Song For You
(4:14)  8. Feeling Too Good Today Blues
(5:31)  9. Stardust
(2:02) 10. I Wont Dance
(3:07) 11. Medley: Blue and Sentimental/ Sentimental and Melancholy
(2:49) 12. Scandia Skies
(2:28) 13. I Was Doing All Right
(3:33) 14. I Got The Right To Sing The Blues
(3:05) 15. Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child
(7:21) 16. John Coltrane`s `A Love Supreme`
(2:31) 17. As You Are
(3:07) 18. Going Home

Not overwhelmed with the song now playing on this album? Be patient, the next track may be something more to your liking. This album is a musical smogarsboard of songs cutting across a variety of vocal genre. The play list runs from the traditional "Sometimes I Feel like a Motherless Child," through Hoagy Carmichael's ultimate standard "Stardust" through John Coltrane's poem-song "A Love Supreme" with a little of 1960s popsters Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller thrown in. It would be unkind to say that the singer is simply trying out everything until she finds something she does well. Not so with Karen Krog, one of the finer and more inventive jazz singers of the last three decades. One on One is a compilation of three different recording sessions Krog made as part of a duo performances. Krog and premier bass player Red Mitchell are on the first six tracks, recorded in 1977. Also recorded in the same year, Krog and Swedish pianist Bengt Hallberg are on tracks seven through fourteen. The last four tracks, recorded in 1980, are devoted to Krog's work with Nils Lindberg, Swedish composer and organist. There are not many singers who would risk singing with just a bass or an organ as accompaniment. The vocalist and bass player must have great musical rapport given the limitations of the instrument. As far as an organ goes it, if not delicately played, can overwhelm the vocalist. The fact that it comes off incredibly well is a tribute not only to Krog, but to Mitchell and Lindberg. The Krog/Mitchell sessions are especially haunting. Mitchell plays cello like passages on Cole Porter's "You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To." His phrasing and articulation seem to be made especially for Krog's vocal inflections and phrasing. Hallberg has been a top performer in Europe for several years and has recorded with Krog before. Lindberg is a composer and, as is evident on the almost sacred rendition of "A Love Supreme," a church organist. This album offers a over an hour of a wide variety of music all showcasing Karen Krog's amazing vocal virtuosity.~Dave Nathan  http://www.allmusic.com/album/one-on-one-mw0000725523

Come Shine - With The Norwegian Radio Orchestra In Concert

Styles: Jazz Vocals
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:46
Size: 134,5 MB
Art: Front

(6:19)  1. My Funny Valentine
(5:42)  2. Moon River
(4:41)  3. Let'S Do It
(5:23)  4. Memories Of You
(7:51)  5. You Don'T Know What Love Is
(6:54)  6. September Song
(5:34)  7. Somewhere Over The Rainbow
(4:35)  8. Lush Life
(7:39)  9. When I Fall In Love
(4:04) 10. I Like To Hear It Sometime

Live Maria Roggen (born 22 March 1970 in Oslo) is a Norwegian jazz singer, songwriter and composer, educated at Foss High School (violin and vocals), sociology and Musicology intermediate at the University of Oslo and Jazz Line at Trøndelag Conservatory of Music (NTNU) (1995–98). Worked as Jazz and singing teacher at the Sund folkehøgskole, Høgskolen in Agder (music conservatory) and at Trøndelag Conservatory of Music (NTNU). Since 2006, Associate Professor of jazz singing at the Norwegian Academy of Music.[1] She is the older sister of the twin sisters Ane Carmen and Ida Roggen from the Norwegian vocal band Pitsj. Roggen first appeared in the duo Tu'Ba with the tuba player Lars Andreas Haug 1994. She helped start the band Wibutee in 1997-2000, and then was the lead singer of the Norwegian jazz band Come Shine 1998-2004. In 2003-08, she appeared with their own lyrics and compositions in the Live Band. In 2007, a solo disc Circuit songs which won Spellemannprisen the Norwegian Grammy Award in the Open class. Since 2004, Roggen has been co-singer and one of the driving forces of the improvisational vocal ensemble Trondheim Voices, for whom she made the compositions. In 2009, Roggen and pianist Helge Lien formed the Norwegian-language duo Live/Lien that performs original music written to texts by Norwegian poets, cover songs and jazz tunes. In addition to her own bands and groups Roggen have sung with, among other Trondheim Jazz Orchestra, the Norwegian Radio Orchestra, Trondheimsolistene, Bugge Wesseltoft, Tom Steinar Lund & Trio de Janeiro, deLillos and Leieboerne, and she has since 1996 been a backup singer in the group Young Neils. In 2008 and 2009 she participated in four tribute concerts For Radka together with Arild Andersen, Jon Eberson and Jon Christensen, including in the Norwegian National Opera. In 2006-2009 she sang the tango and jazz compositions in the Atle Sponberg and Frode Haltli s La Fuente. She participated in children's records Magiske kroker & hemmeligheter, (Egmont 2008) and Go'natt, (Jazzland/Universal 2009). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Live_Maria_Roggen

Gregory Porter - Liquid Spirit

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:05
Size: 139,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:55)  1. No Love Dying
(3:35)  2. Liquid Spirit
(3:09)  3. Lonesome Lover
(3:31)  4. Water Under Bridges
(3:19)  5. Hey Laura
(3:42)  6. Musical Genocide
(4:08)  7. Wolfcry
(4:58)  8. Free
(4:16)  9. Brown Grass
(3:23) 10. Wind Song
(3:35) 11. The "In" Crowd
(4:47) 12. Movin'
(6:52) 13. When Love Was King
(7:47) 14. I Fall In Love Too Easily

After two solid albums on Motema, both of which earned Grammy nominations, singer and songwriter Gregory Porter makes his Blue Note debut with Liquid Spirit. A singer whose quicksilver vocal style refuses to be caged by either jazz, gospel, or R&B, his warm, inviting baritone utilizes them all when he wishes to. Using the musicians who appeared with him on 2012's Be Good  Yosuke Sato and Tivon Pennicott, saxophones; Chip Crawford, piano; Aaron James, bass, Emanuel Harrold, drums Porter wrote or co-wrote 11 of these 14 songs. There is a dynamite reading of Billy Page's hard-grooving "The In Crowd" that highlights Porter's rhythmic phrasing. Though it's a soul tune at heart, he swings hard. The cover of Max Roach's and Abbey Lincoln's "Lonesome Lover" evokes the soulful post-bop spirit of the original and offers a bracing portrait of the singer's command of his own upper range. Covers aside, the real strength of Liquid Spirit lies in Porter's songs: his lyrics and melodies are as rich as his voice. 

Opener "No Love Dying Here" walks a line between jazz and soul; its life-affirming words are underscored by the effortless conviction and authority in his vocal, while Sato's alto saxophone solo affirms the lyric. The fingerpopping, handclapping gospel groove in the title track is punched up by saxophones and Curtis Taylor's trumpet. The call-and-response between Porter and James' bass is tasty, and one can hear a trace of Donny Hathaway in the singer's commanding, heartfelt delivery. "Hey Laura" is characterized by Porter's relaxed but utterly sincere delivery, and packs a knock-out emotional punch in his protagonist's plea to the object of his affection. "Brown Grass" is a close second in the emotional punch department; it's a love song to be sure, but a sadder one. Porter articulates his protagonist's regrets simply and honestly, and therefore resonantly. For all of his innovative ability to effortlessly combine, shift, and shape various musical genres in his own image, Porter is militantly old school check "Musical Genocide," as he celebrates the music of the past with a popping piano, hard-grooving horns, funky Rhodes, and swelling B-3. 

On the tender ballad "Wolfcry," he is accompanied only by Crawford; it's so hip and melodically rich, it could easily have been sung by a young Nat Cole. The way he and his band move through blues, jazz, gospel, and R&B simultaneously on the declamatory testimonial "Free" is breathtaking. The intro to "Movin'," near set's end, suggests Bill Withers, but Porter quickly shifts it into higher gear with the horns punctuating the ends of his sung lines. While his first two recordings revealed a major new talent with their promise, Liquid Spirit is a giant step forward artistically, and for the listener, an exercise in musical inspiration.~Thom Jurek  http://www.allmusic.com/album/liquid-spirit-mw0002555419