Paul Meyers - World On A String

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 64:04
Size: 147.1 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[7:14] 1. I've Got The World On A String
[8:46] 2. Eyes That Smile
[6:43] 3. Plum
[7:15] 4. Twilight
[7:03] 5. Stars
[9:06] 6. Panama
[4:42] 7. Because
[6:45] 8. River
[6:26] 9. North Meets South

The music of nylon-string acoustic guitarist Paul Meyers isn't easily classifiable, as it has elements of several Brazilian styles, along with both straight-ahead and contemporary jazz. His rhythm section includes two Brazilians, pianist Helio Alves, and drummer/percussionist Vanderlei Pereira (who is also a fine guitarist, though he sticks to drums in these sessions), plus saxophonist Donny McCaslin, and electric bassist Leo Traversa. For example, the opener, the chestnut "I've Got the World on a String," alternates styles and rhythms in an eclectic setting, ending in mid-phrase. The Beatles' "Because" is not commonly heard in a jazz setting, but Meyers' unusual reharmonization makes it work. The remaining tunes are all Meyers' originals. The infectious "Panama" was recorded in 1989 by Gary Burton with Pat Metheny; here Pereira does double duty on percussion and marimba, with the leader adding a guitar synth pickup for a portion of the piece. Meyers' chops are best displayed in the trio setting of "Plum," which blends his intricate solo with the constantly shifting bass and drums. In essence, WORLD ON A STRING is Brazilian music, but with a decidedly personal twist. Equally conversant in straight ahead jazz and Brazilian music, guitarist Paul Meyers has shared the bandstand with the likes of Kenny Barron, Andy Bey, Jon Hendricks, Frank Wess and Wynton Marsalis while also being active on the Brazilian scene in New York.

Recording information: The Studio (02/13/2007-06/18/2007).

Paul Meyers (acoustic guitar); Leo Traversa (electric bass); Vanderlei Pereira (drums, drum, percussion).

World On A String

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Tower Of Power - East Bay Grease

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 41:36
Size: 96.4 MB
Styles: Funk, Soul
Year: 1970
Art: Front

[7:12] 1. Knock Yourself Out
[7:25] 2. Social Lubrication
[6:10] 3. The Price
[5:52] 4. Back On The Streets Again
[5:51] 5. The Skunk, The Goose, And The Fly
[9:03] 6. Sparkling In The Sand

The renowned horn-driven funk outfit Tower of Power has been issuing albums and touring the world steadily since the early '70s, in addition to backing up countless other musicians. The group's leader since the beginning has always been tenor saxophonist Emilio Castillo, who was born in Detroit, but opted to pursue his musical dreams in Oakland, CA.

It was in Oakland that Castillo put together a group called the Motowns, which as its name suggested, specialized in '60s-era soul. Castillo teamed up with a baritone sax player (and Motowns fan) Stephen "Doc" Kupka, and soon the Motowns had transformed into Tower of Power (one of the first tunes the duo penned together was "You're Still a Young Man," which would eventually go on to be one of the TOP's signature compositions). Tower of Power played regularly in the Bay Area throughout the late '60s, as its lineup often swelled up to ten members, including such other mainstays as Greg Adams on trumpet and vocals and Rocco Prestia on bass. By 1970, the funk outfit had inked a recording contract with Bill Graham's San Francisco Records, resulting in the group's debut the same year, East Bay Grease, which failed to make an impression on the charts as TOP was still trying to find their own sound.

But it all came together quickly for the group, as 1972's Bump City would touch off a string of classic hit releases, including 1973's self-titled release (which included another one of the group's most enduring tunes, "What Is Hip?"), 1974's Back to Oakland, plus 1975's Urban Renewal and In the Slot. While Tower of Power remained a must-see live act, the quality of their subsequent records became erratic, resulting in some admirable releases (Ain't Nothin' Stoppin' Us Now, Live and in Living Color) and several uninspired albums that are best skipped over (We Came to Play, Back on the Streets).

East Bay Grease

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Tanja Siebert - Odd Times

Styles: Jazz Vocals
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:56
Size: 144,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:26)  1. Esperanto
(6:25)  2. How Deep Is The Ocean
(6:52)  3. Windmills Of Your Mind
(5:53)  4. Uzun Ince Bir Yoldayim
(4:28)  5. It's Only A Papermoon
(6:07)  6. I Will Say Goodbye
(4:33)  7. I Wish You Love
(6:20)  8. One Day I'll Fly Away
(4:22)  9. Solveigs Lied
(4:51) 10. I'll Be Seeing You
(8:33) 11. How Do You Keep The Music Playing

'Odd Times' refers both to the odd-meter tunes on this album and to the fact that Tanja Siebert has recently been through some odd times of her own. She went through an overwhelming mix of feelings that would make anyone think about the 'big questions' of life, perfectly reflected in songs like 'Esperanto' (Vince Mendoza), 'Uzun ince bir yoldayim' (Asik Veysel Satiroglu) and 'How do you keep the music playing?' (Michel Legrand). Tanja Siebert transformed the energy arising from her experiences in a very powerful and most creative way into music of an emotional depth, one simply can not resist. Carried by masterful arrangements and musicians who communicate on a highly sensitive level, her voice takes us to the subtle facets of emotional awareness, and makes her second album a sensual sound experience.

(http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=8447639&style=music&fulldesc=T).

Odd Times

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Tierney Sutton - After Blue

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:46
Size: 120,8 MB
Scans: Front

(4:11)  1. Blue
(3:28)  2. All I Want
(4:57)  3. Court And Spark
(5:56)  4. Don't Go To Strangers
(5:15)  5. Dry Cleaner From Des Moines
(3:06)  6. Big Yellow Taxi
(6:08)  7. Woodstock
(4:54)  8. Little Green
(5:50)  9. Be Cool
(3:45) 10. Answer Me My Love
(5:11) 11. Both Sides Now
(5:36) 12. April in Paris / Free Man in Paris

Joni Mitchell and jazz have long engaged in mutualism. Mitchell subtly absorbed the ideals of this music, which were then filtered into her work, and she built musical relationships with some of the finest jazz musicians to walk this Earth; the list of her collaborators bassist Charles Mingus, saxophonist Wayne Shorter, guitarist Pat Metheny and numerous others is long and staggering. Jazz, on the other side of the relationship, benefitted from her body of work and interpretive skills. Everybody from pianist Keith Jarrett to vocalist Kate McGarry has taken a stab at Mitchell's music, embracing and exploring the deep wellspring of emotions that exist within her work. Now, vocalist Tierney Sutton joins the list of Joni interpreters, as she sings Mitchell's praises and songs on After Blue.

Sutton became an ardent admirer of Mitchell's work after hearing the brilliant Both Sides Now (Reprise, 2000), but she had some trepidation about trying on Mitchell's treasured songs. In the liner notes for this album, Sutton notes, "I knew that Mitchell's music was not something I could glance at and then perform. I had to live with it for years." She goes on to say that she needed to "marinate" in Mitchell's music; that process proved successful. Sutton absorbed the flavors in Mitchell's work, blending them with her own essence during the interpretive process.

Though Sutton is, admittedly, tardy to the Joni party, she's fashionably late. The twelve songs that she visits on After Blue are cleverly arranged vehicles that balance creative impulses with a sense of respect for the material. She demonstrates this time and again, whether bestowing elegance upon "Little Green" with the Turtle Island String Quartet, tackling "All I Want" with that group's cellist Mark Summer or reworking the oft-covered "Big Yellow Taxi" into a voice-with-drums number in five. Sutton's captivating "Woodstock" veers closer to the Mitchell template than most of the other performances, but Sutton never resorts to imitation; originality seems to flow through her veins.

While the Tierney Sutton Band a mainstay on her albums is noticeably absent, the quality of the music doesn't suffer one bit. In fact, the diversity in musical partnerships here brings something fresh into the picture. A you-never-know-what's-next feeling carries through this album, as Sutton moves from refined, string-enhanced music to hip-and-fun scenarios with flautist Hubert Laws in the mix to guitar-meets- voice encounters with Serge Merlaud. Other key collaborators include drummer Peter Erskine, pianist/organist Larry Goldings, and special guest Al Jarreau, who drops in to add some vocals on "Be Cool."

The news of this album was met with much anticipation in (vocal) jazz circles, and with good reason. Sutton-as-singer and Mitchell-as-muse are like fine wine and cheese: they're two tasty delicacies that pair well together.~ Dan Bilawsky  

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=45398#.UkN9iFfNmSo
 
Personnel: Tierney Sutton: vocals; Hubert Laws: flute (5, 9); Peter Erskine: drums (5, 9); Ralph Humphrey: drums (6); Larry Goldings: piano, B3 organ (3, 5, 7, 9, 12); Serge Merlaud: guitar (4, 10); Al Jarreau: vocals (9); Turtle Island String Quartet (1, 8); David Balakrishnan: violin; Mateusz Smoczynski: violin; Benjamin Von Gutzeit: viola; Mark Summer: cello

After Blue

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Bryan Shaw - Night Owl

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:49
Size: 139,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:52)  1. I Wish I Were Twins
(5:28)  2. Snafu
(5:24)  3. Body And Soul
(3:58)  4. Panhandle Roag
(5:28)  5. Ol' Pappy
(6:26)  6. Bean And The Boys
(8:16)  7. Night Owl
(4:18)  8. They Say It's Spring
(3:59)  9. I'm Comin' Virginia
(5:30) 10. Accent On Youth
(4:54) 11. Aunt Hagar's Blues
(3:09) 12. It's Been So Long

Trumpeter Bryan Shaw should be well-known in the trad/swing world, but his decision long ago to settle in Los Angeles and help raise a family, playing at Disneyland and with local Dixieland bands, has kept him fairly anonymous. However, his classmate trombonist Dan Barrett persuaded Shaw to record for Arbors, and the results are so strong that Shaw seems destined to gain at least a little bit of the fame he deserves. Shaw is joined by Barrett (who, in addition to his trombone, contributes quite a few colorful arrangements), Brian Ogilvie on clarinet and tenor, altoist Chuck Wilson, Scott Robinson on baritone, tenor, and clarinet, and a top-notch rhythm section. Added pluses are two vocals by Rebecca Kilgore and one by banjoist Eddie Erickson. The music ranges from Dixielandish to modern swing with several of the songs dating in style from the mid-'40s. "Snafu," which has Louis Armstrong's original solo harmonized for the band, and the trumpet-piano duet by Shaw and Dave Frishberg on "Body and Soul" are among the many highlights. Highly recommended. ~Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/night-owl-mw0000609587

Night Owl

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Lynne Arriale - Inspiration

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:44
Size: 134,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:56)  1. America
(5:14)  2. In Don't Mean A Thing
(5:09)  3. Blackbird
(4:48)  4. A House Is Not A Home
(6:48)  5. Bemisha Swing
(4:24)  6. So Tender
(7:08)  7. Tones for Joan's bones
(6:26)  8. Feeling Good
(7:27)  9. The nearness of you
(7:20) 10. Mountain Of The Night

Lynne Arriale and her fine trio have become a bright diamond in the TCB catalog. To date she has released four recordings: A Long Road Home (TCB 979520), Melody (TCB 99552), Live At Montreux (20252) and the present Inspiration. I am continually stuck with the sheer cerebral power of Ms. Arriale's playing. She is a smart performer with and expansive and orchestral style that substitute the mundane earthiness encountered in many trio settings with a sophisticated intellect, exuding confidence and competence. The rhythm unit made up of bassist Jay Anderson and drummer Steve Davis represent the tightest section I have heard since first hearing Fred Hersch. Steering the arrangements as well as all else, Ms. Arriale proves to be a master bandleader. Inspiration represents a number of different influences. Leonard Bernstein's "America" from West Side Story is propulsively driven in head and solos, perfectly preserving Bernstein's intent and excitement. Ellington's "It Don't Mean a Thing" sounds like a cross between Gene Harris and Matthew Shipp. The Beatles "Blackbird" is a totally digestible cover, as is Burt Bacharach's "A House is Not a Home." Ms. Arriale's Monk is more iconoclastic than the original ("Bemsha Swing") as are her nods to two contemporaries (Keith Jarrett "So Tender" and Chick Corea "Tones for Joan's Bones"). The Lynn Arriale Trio is Jazz as high art. If, as I always tout, that the piano trio is the true jazz chamber music, then Arriale is Mozart.~ C.Michael Bailey  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=9426#.Uj-TEBAkI5c

Personnel: Lynne Arriale: Piano; Jay Anderson: Bass; Steve Davis: Drums.

Inspiration

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Will Bernard Trio - Outdoor Living

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 50:05
Size: 114.6 MB
Styles: Cool jazz, Funk-jazz
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[5:36] 1. Nature Walk
[5:00] 2. Morgan Deux
[5:45] 3. Nooksack
[4:55] 4. 6b
[7:03] 5. Roaming Charges
[3:39] 6. Point Blank
[7:05] 7. Squeaky Chug Chug
[7:25] 8. Katskan
[3:33] 9. Implitude

As if capturing the Will Bernard Trio caught up in a rush of inspiration, both the initial and concluding pairs of tracks on Outdoor Living are sequenced together without breaks between. It's an appropriate production touch for an album on which the participants are clearly feeding on each others' ideas and building on the individual and collective talent on hand. The initial segue to "Morgan Deux" from "Nature Walk" is a springboard for the musicians and listeners alike to become caught up in the spirit of the moment, while "Implitude" completes the album with a flourish as it follows "Katskan."

The Bernard Trio functions in an altogether remarkable way: any of the three, at any given time, can assume prominence in such an authoritative way that he seems like the leader of the group. Take drummer Simon Lott, for instance. The New Orleans-based drummer has played with Charlie Hunter among others, and his ability to play around the basic rhythm of a tune like "6B" (suggesting all manner of polyrhythms intrinsic to that beat) makes his kit a natural to take over as the lead instrument. He never overshadows his comrades, though. In this instance, guitarist Bernard creates a variety of syncopations, while keyboardist Blades weaves in and out of the sounds of the other two.

Akin to the ability to fluently speak many languages, Bernard has the uncanny ability to siphon selected characteristics from a given style to suit his purposes. The use of a slide, for instance, allows him to impart the visceral grind of blues guitar to "Nooksack," his confidence and natural affection for the music allowing Bernard to avoid superficiality. The twists he injects into "Roaming Charges" with his creative fretwork are a natural extension of his skill as a composer; he builds the momentum of the performance so that the drama is palpable.

As evidenced by Blades' quietly insistent role on "Point Blank," the keyboardist glues this group together with the grand flow of his Hammond B3. The instrument could fill the crevices in the trio's sound by its very nature, but Bernard's longtime collaborator assertively takes charge, navigating through the arrangements in such a way as to make the trio sound larger than the sum of its three parts. His staccato attack on "Squeaky Chug Chug," gentle as it is, only adds to the assortment of colors and textures on Outdoor Living and, by extension, to the trio as a whole. Blades' playing mirrors the sonic diversity Bernard supplies, and the ingenious relish with which Lott explores his whole kit.

Blessed with consummate finesse and sounding skilled beyond their years, the Will Bernard Trio retains the traditional virtues of this classic instrumental lineup on Outdoor Living through a collective attitude that is wholly contemporary. ~Doug Collette

Will Bernard: guitar; Wil Blades: Hammond B3; Simon Lott: drums.

Outdoor Living

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Pharoah Sanders - Welcome To Love

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 70:51

Size: 164.0 MB

Styles: Crossover jazz, Saxophone jazz

Year: 2008

Art: Front

[4:58] 1. You Don't Know What Love Is

[5:21] 2. The Nearness Of You Dedicated To Eddy Moore

[8:09] 3. My One And Only Love

[8:15] 4. I Want To Talk About You

[9:24] 5. Soul Eyes

[6:55] 6. Nancy

[7:23] 7. Polka Dots And Moonbeams

[7:03] 8. Say It (Over & Over Again)

[6:19] 9. Lament

[7:00] 10. The Bird Song

When this was first released, the slow, straight sounds of Pharoah Sanders on a series of mostly famous ballads came as a bit of a surprise to some. Others saw Sanders as following the road of his mentor, John Coltrane, who had recorded most of these tunes himself. In retrospect, the inside playing of Sanders is less of a surprise, the saxophonist having followed that path regularly since at least the '80s. This performance has held up well through the years, and while the thin, reserved approach is reminiscent of Coltrane, it is still marked with Pharoah's print. The competent and thoroughly professional rhythm section of pianist William Henderson, bassist Stafford James, and drummer Eccleston W. Wainwright takes a decidedly reserved cue from the saxophonist, but each song is infused with a subtle emotional quality that simply does not let go. ~ Steven Loewy

Recording information: Gimmick Studios, Yerres, France (07/17/1990-07/19/1990).

Pharoah Sanders (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone); Bill Henderson (piano); Eccleston W. Wainwright, Jr. (drums).

Welcome To Love

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Brenda Boykin - Brenda Boykin

Styles: Soul, R&B
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:49
Size: 99,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:41)  1. Stone Mad
(3:58)  2. All the Time in the World
(5:32)  3. Wonderful
(5:21)  4. Love Is in Town
(4:55)  5. Hard Swing Travellin Man
(4:26)  6. Be My Lover
(4:43)  7. Some Like It Hot
(5:15)  8. Straight to Memphis
(3:55)  9. A Cool Cat in Town

Brenda calls it “Bourbon and Cornbread,” the musical mixture of jazzy sweetness and down-home sass that marks her as “the most authentic and most inventive female jump blues vocal stylist of her generation,” according to blues historian Lee Hildebrand. Brenda Boykin has earned a sterling reputation in the San Francisco Bay Area as a masterful interpreter of jazz and blues material gleaned from big bands, old blues hands, and honky tonk heroes. Boykin has firmly established herself as an unsurpassed vocal talent whose elixir of bourbon and cornbread - sounds from silk to sandpaper delight both new listeners and purists who compare her to the giants of the past. A native of Oakland, California, Boykin’s first musical experience came through the youth choir of the North Oakland Missionary Baptist Church, one of the many houses of the lord where raucous, heart-felt sounds of the faithful still ring out on the wide streets of the East Bay flatlands. The church strains can still be found in her rich, husky contralto, effortless power and controlled vocal passion. After studying the clarinet in high school Boykin entered the University of California at Berkeley  and though studying psychology and social welfare - gravitated toward the jazz bands working on and near campus. 

Boykin worked Bay Area jazz and blues hot spots that helped her expand her musical horizons. With the encouragement of family friend and guitarist Sonny Lane, Boykin began to dig in with the blues people at Oaklands’s legendary Eli’s Mile High Club. The famous North Oakland night spot has been for many years the heartbeat of East Bay blues life, with giant figures including Percy Mayfield, Lowell Fulson and Jimmy McCracklin gracing the small stage alongside lesser-known stalwarts including guitarist and arranger Johnny Heartsman, Sonny Lane and Mississippi Johnny Waters. Under tutelage of Lane, Waters and drummer Francis Clay - an influential force in the great Muddy Waters bands of the late ‘50’s and early ‘60’s - Boykin absorbed the laid back, call-and-response magic of the late night urban blues. “Boykin does delightfully unfamiliar things with familiar tunes,” said the East Bay Express in 1988, “using her rhythmic authority and arranger’s sensibility to create exciting new version” of tunes from Basie, B.B., Buck Owens and everybody in between. She often cites Sarah Vaughn as a major influence, but Brenda Joyce Boykin is certainly not a devotee to any one stylist or genre. She says that the incomparable blue balladeer Bobby “Blue” Bland, whose string of hits dates back to the early ’50s, has had an enormous impact to her vocal approach. She also gives a nod to Brenda lee and Elvis Presley, LaVern Baker and even the “divorcee music” of Nancy Wilson and Dakota Staton. Boykin has won rave reviews for her repeat performances at the venerable Monterey Jazz Festival, the more boisterous Monterey Bay Blues Festival, the San Francisco Blues Festival, the Mississippi Valley Blues Festival in Davenport, Iowa, the DuMaurier Jazz Festival in Vancouver, and the Umbria Jazz Festival in Italy. For many years she has performed duets with her “musical soul mate” Eric Swinderman, a sensitive guitarist who accompanies Boykin on material ranging from New Orleans rhythms to jazz standards. 

Boykin has performed countless times with Home Cookin’, a small combo with a changing roster that has included guitarists Anthony Paule and Steve Freund, pianists Steve Lucky and Caroline Dahl, bassist Tim Wagar and drummer Tyler Eng. For the past three years Boykin has also taught singing workshops at the Rhythmic Concepts Jazz Camp, alongside a roster of the San Francisco Bay Area’s most celebrated and dedicated jazz musicians. Boykin has mastered all of the crafts of a complete vocalist, she has a rich voice, a masterful grasp of musical dynamics, and a natural, unforced empathy with her listeners. “Part of showmanship is to turn to the guitar player and bass player and exchange some energy, look him in the eye and say ‘Yeah, Baby,’” Boykin told Blues Revue in 1995. “I’m like the party master. The way a hostess gets at a house party. I’m walking around making sure the energy is up in every part of the room.” In 1997 Brenda received a BAMMIE nomination for Best Vocalist of The Year. http://www.last.fm/music/Brenda+Boykin/+wiki

Brenda Boykin

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Richie Cole - Hollywood Madness

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1979
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:43
Size: 86,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:50)  1. Hooray For Hollywood
(6:54)  2. Hi-Fly
(4:53)  3. Tokyo Rose Sings The Hollywood Blues
(4:38)  4. Relaxin' At Camarillo
(6:00)  5. Malibu Breeze
(5:12)  6. I Love Lucy
(3:55)  7. Waitin' For Waits
(1:16)  8. Hooray For Hollywood (Reprise)

This is one of Richie Cole's most successful LPs. Four songs utilize the Manhattan Transfer; the great vocalese singer Eddie Jefferson (heard two weeks before his tragic death) makes his final record appearance; there are some good solos by pianist Dick Hindman and guitarist Bruce Forman; and Tom Waits makes an eccentric guest appearance. But it is altoist Cole who stars throughout on an unlikely program highlighted by boppish versions of such tunes as "Hooray for Hollywood," "Hi-Fly," "Relaxin' at Camarillo," "I Love Lucy," and his original "Tokyo Rose Sings the Hollywood Blues." A gem. 

~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/hollywood-madness-mw0000187826.

Hollywood Madness

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Warren Wolf - Wolfgang

Styles: Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:09
Size: 141,0 MB
Art: Front

(7:55)  1. Sunrise
(7:18)  2. Frankie and Johnny
(7:25)  3. Grand Central
(6:05)  4. Wolfgang
(5:34)  5. Annoyance
(5:34)  6. Lake Nerraw Flow
(6:07)  7. Things Were Done Yesterday
(6:27)  8. Setembro
(8:41)  9. Variations sur "Le carnaval de Venise"

In a succession of vibraphonists that began with Lionel Hampton and Red Norvo, Wolf has come into his own. His new album finds him with one rhythm section of veterans pianist Benny Green, bassist Christian McBride and drummer Lewis Nash and another of young musicians from his own quartet. He and the increasingly impressive pianist Aaron Diehl play duets on two pieces. With Wolf on marimba, the two defy categories in variations on the 19th century trumpet chops buster “The Carnival of Venice.” In “Wolfgang” and “Grand Central” (unrelated to the John Coltrane piece of that name) Wolf the composer writes straightforward melodic invention that is also a hallmark of his soloing. His improvisation on “Frankie and Johnny” is a bluesy joy. ~ Doug Ramsey  http://www.artsjournal.com/rifftides/2013/09/cd-warren-wolf.html

Wolfgang

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Ann Savoy & Her Sleepless Knights - If Dreams Come True

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 45:20
Size: 103.8 MB
Styles: Swing, Jazz vocals
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[3:42] 1. If Dreams Come True
[4:22] 2. The Very Thought Of You
[2:56] 3. Melodie Au Crepuscule
[3:31] 4. Getting Some Fun Out Of Life
[4:19] 5. If You Don't I Know Who Will
[3:55] 6. Ces Petites Choses
[4:42] 7. Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered
[4:06] 8. If Your Kisses Can't Hold The Man You Love
[4:35] 9. It's Like Reaching For The Moon
[4:45] 10. Si Tu Savais
[4:21] 11. The Way You Look Tonight

Renowned for her respectful and authentic zydeco recordings with a variety of groups, Ann Savoy took a small detour on this 2007 release that lounges near the smoother, jazzier end of the French-Southern spectrum, and includes several jazz and pop standards as well. Savoy's voice is red-wine rich and intoxicating, and Her Sleepless Knights provide able support. ANN SAVOY & HER SLEEPLESS KNIGHTS Ann Savoy never rests musically. She and the players have produced a hugely enjoyable and timeless recording. ~ Richard Thompson

In the world of Cajun music, Ann Savoy is one of the most admired icons of the genre. She's a singer with a gift for subtlety and nuance, an adept musician and producer. Beyond that, as a writer and photographer, she has extensively documented the unique music and culture of Southwest Louisiana. Now, with the May 15th release of Ann Savoy & Her Sleepless Knights, she's making music that breaks new ground while maintaining respect for the traditions of the past. She, together with her all-star band, has made an album of jazz-tinged music that is, at once, swinging and sultry. With both down home and cosmopolitan overtones, it's a unique work that is certain to find an audience far removed from the Louisiana prairie and bayou land that birthed it. Born and raised in Richmond, VA, she began playing guitar as a pre-teen and went on to become a French major at the University of Virginia.

She met Cajun music traditionalist Marc Savoy more than thirty years ago at the National Folk Festival in Washington, DC. The two soon married and went on to raise four children. Ann would write Cajun Music: A Reflection of a People, a Botkin Book Award winner, a chronicle of the history of Cajun and Zydeco music, an essential source for anyone interested in Cajun or Creole culture. As a musician, she's been involved in Cajun music both with her husband and compatriots in Savoy Doucet Band, with her Marc and their sons Joel and Wilson in the Savoy Family Band and with her all-woman band The Magnolia Sisters. She most recently collaborated with Linda Ronstadt on Adieu False Heart and received a Grammy ® nomination for her efforts. She was previously nominated for a Grammy for the tribute album Evangeline Made that featured Ronstadt, John Fogerty, Nick Lowe, Rodney Crowell and Richard and Linda Thompson and followed that up with Creole Bred, a tribtue to Creole and Zydeco music featuring such notables as Cyndi Lauper, Taj Majal and Tom Tom Club. Ann Savoy & Her Sleepless Knights features jazz virtuosos and old friends Tom Mitchell (guitar) and Kevin Wimmer (fiddle) along with Eric Frey (upright bass) Chas Justus (guitar), Glenn Fields (drums) as well as her sons Wilson and Joel Savoy on piano and guitar, respectively.

The album was produced by Joel along with Tom Mitchell and Ann in Eunice, Louisiana, all of the music having been recorded live with no "fixing." The group breathes fresh air into standards and traditional songs, some in French but speaking a universal language to the listener. From sensual love songs to original songs of local color and humor, Ann and the guys bring forth their superb artistry with a relaxed, fun filled feeling.

Ann Savoy (vocals); Joel Savoy (guitar, violin); Tom Mitchell , Chas Justus (guitar); Kevin Wimmer (fiddle); Wilson Savoy (piano); Eric Frey (upright bass); Glenn Fields (drums).

If Dreams Come True

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The Mark Craddock Trio - Goodbye Blue Monday

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 50:22
Size: 115.3 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[4:34] 1. Goodbye Blue Monday
[6:46] 2. Womp
[6:43] 3. J-Bird
[4:59] 4. Tres Dados
[4:16] 5. Jam Night
[5:31] 6. Lost Ballad
[3:54] 7. Nosferatu
[6:42] 8. Funk In D
[6:53] 9. Libre

A San Francisco player through the 1990s, Mark Craddock was a member of “Thunder Blue,” a heavily Jimi Hendrix-influenced blues-rock band fronted by Bay Area veteran Regi harvey. Mark also was a member of a popular San Francisco free-jazz group, “The Lab Rats,” and did occasionals, session work and jams with many Bay Area notables such as percussionist Hugh “Sweetfoot” Manard (Caribbean All Stars), blues harpist Red Archibald, and steel guitarist Freddie Roulette. At one time or another, he played in most of the Bay Area’s major blues and rock venues, including New George’s (San Rafael); Skip’s Tavern, The Blue Lamp, Lou’s Pier 47, Biscuits and Blues, The Boom Boom Room (all San Francisco clubs); and JJ’s Blues (San Jose).

In late 2001, Mark moved to Walsenburg, Colo., his wife’s hometown.

In addition to gigging with local musicians such as Brent and Babz Seawell, Steve Hohn, and Glenn Wilbanks, Craddock formed his own 9-piece funk/fusion band “Blue Monday,” which gigged frequently around Pueblo and Colorado Springs from 2002 to 2004. In 2004, Mark met Chicago blues pianist Ken Saydak and Nashville songwriter Fred James at a local watering hole. For the next three years he played extensively around Colorado and New Mexico as a member of Ken’s band, as well as gigging with Fred’s “Blazz” (blues-jazz) project.

For the last year and a half, Mark been playing pretty much exclusively with his own jazz combo, “The Mark Craddock Trio,” with bassist Tom Read and percussionist David Zehring. The trio has just released its first CD project on the L.A.-based Snailworx label, engineered by Steve Hohn, produced by Fred James, and featuring Ken Saydak, who stopped by the studio to lay down some incredible Hammond B3 tracks.

Mark Craddock - Tenor, soprano sax; Dave Zehring - drums; Tom Reid - bass.

Goodbye Blue Monday

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Gipsy Kings - Savor Flamenco

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 38:36
Size: 88.4 MB
Styles: Gypsy jazz, Latin rhythms
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[3:30] 1. Caramelo
[3:30] 2. Bye Bye (Ella Me Dice Vay)
[3:08] 3. Como L'agua
[3:38] 4. Tiempo Sel Sol
[3:48] 5. Me Voy
[3:51] 6. Fairies Melody
[3:10] 7. Samba Samba
[3:28] 8. Corazon
[3:39] 9. Savor Flamenco
[3:37] 10. Sueno
[3:10] 11. Habla Contingo

It has been seven long years since France's groundbreaking Gipsy Kings have issued a recording of new material. Savor Flamenco, the group's debut for Knitting Factory, still features the band's original lineup of two groups of brothers -- the Reyes (Nicolas, Canut, Paul, Patchai, and Andre) and the Baliardos (Tonino, Paco, and Diego) -- with guest players filling out the cast. The set was produced by Tonino Baliardo and Nicolas Reyes. Musically, Savor Flamenco looks simultaneously backward and forward. The single "Samba Samba" commences with a breezy bossa nova before spiraling out, wedding both fiery flamenco and driving Brazilian samba. The tune dates to the years before the band ever recorded. While this arrangement has been updated to reflect the group's garnered knowledge of Brazilian folk and pop forms, it's still raw and immediate. Bossa and samba also inform the striking instrumental "Tiempo del Sol," as jazzy flamenco is complemented by organic percussion and Stephane Chausse's brilliant flute improvisation, and the burning opener "Caramelo," which is driven by forro and carnival rhythms. "Me Voy" is modern flamenco, embellished by an acoustic piano and Bernard Paganotti's upright bass playing. For those who love the Kings' traditional meld of pop-nuevo flamenco, tracks such as "Como L'Agua" and "Corazon" should satisfy -- though the latter is influenced by Brazilian MPB as well. Not everything works quite so well, however, as the instrumental "Fairies Melody" and the ballad "Sueño" both feel too polished and slight in comparison to everything else here. Thankfully, a slicker approach isn't always a bad thing. Closer "Habla Contiguo" weds Latin son, flamenco, and acoustic pop for a successful finish -- it also features one of Tonino Baliardo's finest guitar solos on the album. Other than two (slight) missteps, Savor Flamenco marks a welcome return for the progenitors of nuevo flamenco. ~ Thom Jurek

Andre Reyes, Nicolás Reyes, Patchai Reyes, Canut Reyes (vocals, guitar); Francis Cabrel (vocals); Diego Baliardo, Paco Baliardo, Paul Reyes, Tonino Baliardo (guitar); Bernard Paganotti (upright bass); Rodolfo Pacheco Jimenez (percussion). Recording information: Studio Ephemere; Studio Ferber, Paris.

Savor Flamenco

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Robin McKelle - Soul Flower

Styles: Jazz Vocals
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:41
Size: 116,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:19)  1. So It Goes
(3:58)  2. Tell You One Thing
(3:34)  3. Nothing's Really Changed
(3:49)  4. Fairytale Ending
(5:09)  5. Miss You Madly
(3:41)  6. Don't Give Up
(3:12)  7. Walk On By
(4:06)  8. To Love Somebody
(3:42)  9. Change
(4:49) 10. I'm Ready
(4:29) 11. Love's Work
(4:47) 12. I'm A Fool To Want You

First, Robin McKelle & The Flytones Soul Flower is not neo-soul. Neo-soul is what Amy Winehouse was and Cee Lo Green is (at least on his "Forget You"). Neo-soul is a cheeky attempt to cash in on a classic style while, at the same time, not taking it seriously. Second, Soul Flower might be better termed retro-soul, except that McKelle avoids the pitfall of clinging too tightly to the old style that has plagued other artists trying to put a new spin on the soul canon. A mixture of originals with some clever covers make up Soul Flower. McKelle is a more than capable composer a roll she shares with Sam Barsh (bassist Avishai Cohen's former pianist).

For any Baby Boomer, Soul Flower can be eaten with a spoon. It is more Motown than Memphis by way of Muscle Shoals, and smacks of Bobbie Gentry having a pool party with Gladys Knight and the Pointer Sisters. McKelle possesses a contemporary authenticity that manifests in her assimilation of multiple older styles presented with a freshness that has the fragrance of experience re-imagined. Pianist Beat Kaestli Ben Stivers ' use of the electric piano lends this collection of a dozen songs that sound, which is at once retro and chic. This, coupled with McKelle's honesty, makes this a recording that should encourage a reappraisal of period soul and that being made today. And isn't that what all art is supposed to do? ~ C.Michael Bailey

  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=44970#.UjyFKhAkI5c

Personnel: Robin McKelle: vocals; Derek Nievergelt: bass; Adrian Harpham: drums; Ben Stivers: keyboards; Al Street: guitar, Scott Aruda: trumpet; Mike Tucker: saxophone.

Soul Flower

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Elizabeth Shepherd - Heavy Falls The Night

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:53
Size: 93,6 MB
Art: Front

(2:50)  1. What Else
(4:02)  2. The Taking
(4:19)  3. Heavy Falls The Night
(3:04)  4. Numbers
(3:15)  5. Seven Bucks
(3:28)  6. One More Day
(4:03)  7. A Song For Dinah Washington
(3:23)  8. High
(3:27)  9. It's Coming
(2:42) 10. On The Insufficiency Of Words
(6:14) 11. Danny's Song

There is something so totally alluring about Elizabeth Shepherd's album Heavy Falls the Night that it bears very close listening. Every word and each note resonates with a certain swagger and at times, a soulful intensity that makes it impossible to give it a casual listen. Whether it is the manner in which Shepherd holds onto a spry note just out of her vocal range as if her life depended on it, or the unusual harmonies she overlays onto her "lead" voice, the effect is the same: it is mesmerizing. But she never allows this vocalizing to become de rigueur or predictable. Often tempering her flat delivery with soaring, bell-like tones of the Rhodes or the grinding triads and multi-colored arpeggios on the Wurlitzer, Shepherd draws the listener right in to her world. Joni Mitchell has that effect too, but Mitchell is confessional almost vulnerable as she bares her soul. Shepherd eschews that Plath-like school, preferring to make oblique attacks on the senses, delivering a surprise as she takes hard knocks on her jaw.

Shepherd is also a wonderfully melodic storyteller and combines dense lyricism with clear annunciation almost as if she were reciting lyrics that are slanted into the music, as if the two were separate parts that just happened to jive by magic. The title song and "On the Insufficiency of Words" both illustrate the unique quality of her music. It is this subtle almost unobtrusive charm that makes her style attractive in a wan way. Her phrasing is also quite unique. The ebb and flow of her breath brings words, phrases and whole lines to the senses in wave after rising wave of intensity or calmness in a rhythm that conjures imagery of the pastoral. She is certainly in no rush to clutter feelings and emotions with the urban density from which many of these might spring. Still, the alternative is presented with near perfect counterpoint and timing.

This is because unlike many vocalists, Shepherd is a rhythmic singer who feels the rhythm of the earth in her whole being and makes music to its pulse. Perhaps this is why her emotions are so authentic and almost palpable when she sings. And this is also why she can pull off a wonderful tribute to another great vocalist in "A Song for Dinah Washington."

The beauty of the music also has much to do with the striking work of bassists Scott Kemp and Ross MacIntyre, drummer Colin Kingsmore, the unobtrusive percussion colorist, Roman Tome, vibes player Michael Davidson and guitarists Brian MacMillan and Paul MacDougall. Together these musicians assist Shepherd in making the dense imagery of Heavy Falls the Night a captivating album that sticks in the memory with the thick echoes that follow in the wake of the last notes of "Danny's Song." ~ Raul D’Gama Rose  

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=36113#.UkC0ERAkI5c

Personnel: Elizabeth Shepherd: piano, Rhodes, Wurlitzer, Glockenspiel, prepared piano, Vocals, background vocals; Scott Kemp: bass (2, 6, 8, 9, 12); Colin Kingsmore: drums, circular saw, cajon; Ross MacIntyre: bass: 1, 3-5, 7, 10, 11); Roman Tome: percussion (1, 2, 4-6, 9, 10); Michael Davidson: vibraphone (9); Brian McMillan (guitar (10); Paul MacDougall: guitar (11).

Heavy Falls The Night

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Aaron Robinson - La Belle Epoque

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:56
Size: 111,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:09)  1. Friendship
(2:12)  2. Kentucky Couture
(4:28)  3. Song Without Words
(4:46)  4. La Belle Epoque
(3:48)  5. Caterpillar Hill
(2:58)  6. Ragtime Waltz
(3:57)  7. Hallelujah!
(6:35)  8. For My Daughter
(3:43)  9. Perpetual Motion
(2:48) 10. Grey Gardens
(4:26) 11. Waltz for Little Edie
(3:01) 12. Closing Credits

The piano music of Aaron Robinson draws upon 20 years of inspiration and creativity ranging from the Broadway Stage to the Silver Screen. Heard here for the very first time, these piano vignettes pay homage to the music of Vince Guaraldi, Dave Grusin, Paul Sullivan, and celebrates legendary masters such as Jelly Roll Morton and George Gershwin - all the while maintaining their unique distinctive voice. Belle Epoque (Age of Beauty) encompasses all forms of musical genre including early Jazz and Ragtime, Swing and Stride piano, Classical Vocalise and Minimal, Nightclub and Cinema. Dedicated to friends and colleagues who inspired their creation, each piano piece provides a small glimpse into the vast world from which they were created. ~Editorial Reviews   http://www.amazon.com/La-Belle-Epoque-Aaron-Robinson/dp/B006R8RZA2

La Belle Epoque

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Paula Castle - Lost Love

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 24:10
Size: 55.4 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 1955/2004/2013
Art: Front

[1:53] 1. Mountain Greenery
[3:18] 2. Lost Love
[2:22] 3. I'm Shooting High
[3:52] 4. Yesterday's Gardenias
[4:36] 5. Here I Am In Love Again
[2:43] 6. Love Is A One Way Street
[2:59] 7. Why Can't I
[2:24] 8. You Don't Know What Love Is

With the release of Paula Castle's Lost Love (c. 1955) by the Verse Music Group—which recently acquired the Bethlehem Records catalog—we're presented with something of a mystery. Castle's voice was leather-glove warm and elegantly sensuous—with hip phrasing and a credible range reminiscent of Sarah Vaughan's. And Lost Love by any measure is a superb recording. Songs dwell thematically on love lost and found.

But there's a subtext. This would be Castle's first 10-inch LP—and her last, according to Lord's Jazz Discography. Little is known about Castle or what became of her after this album was released—though we may have a clue.

The band here is equally mysterious. Beyond flutist Sam Most, the rest of the quartet's members aren't exactly household jazz names. Bassist Chet Amsterdam would have a lengthy career as a sideman, but Lost Love was the last known recording for pianist Ronnie Selbey and drummer Herbie Wasserman (d), who became journeymen players.

But back to Castle. She began her recording career in February 1949 with bassist Chubby Jackson. The New Yorker called her recording of All Wrong (made with Jackson that month) "a slow ballad with a foolish lyric" but "interestingly worked out by the musicians and well sung by Paula Castle." ~Marc Myers

Lost Love

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Michel Camilo & Tomatito - 2 albums: Spain / Spain Again

Album: Spain
Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 45:05
Size: 103.2 MB
Styles: Flamenco guitar, Piano jazz
Year: 2000
Art: Front

[3:28] 1. Spain Intro
[5:30] 2. Spain
[7:51] 3. Besame Mucho
[4:48] 4. A Mi Niño José
[5:55] 5. Two Much Love Theme
[6:00] 6. Para Troilo Y Salgán
[5:24] 7. La Vacilona
[6:06] 8. Aire De Tango

SPAIN won the 2000 Latin Grammy Award for Best Latin Jazz Album. There's a simple, basic, and direct approach that pervades the duets from pianist Camilo and acoustic guitarist Tomatito. But that seemingly bottom-line approach is transcended by the brilliant musicianship of these two players, as they play ultra-melodic music to its ultimate zenith time and time again. The tone is set from the get go as they languish in the freedom of Rodrigo and Chick Corea's "Spain," played as perfectly and spirited as anyone could want. But "Besame Mucho" is changed up, interpreted in loose associations extrapolated out of strict time on this famous melody. Tomatito wrote two of the eight tracks as the pair use a combination of counterpoint and unison lines, approaching sheer telepathy on the brightly melodic "A Mi Nino Jose," while evoking more Chick Corea-isms with melodies passionately flying about on "La Vacilona." Two compositions by the underappreciated Luis Salinas are included as the urgent 4/4 of "Para Troilo Y Salgan" shows Camilo and Tomatito to be the virtuosic speed demons their preceding reputations evince, while "Aire De Tango" is like a samba version of "I Concentrate on You," nicely warmed with a calmed guitar solo. Camilo's lone writing on "Two Much/Love Theme" is also restrained and relaxed, atypical for the usually fiery pianist. This is a recording that bears ripe, luscious fruit, albeit only 45 minutes worth. A follow-up please. Recommended. ~ Michael G. Nastos

Recorded at Carriage House Studios, Stamford, Connecticut in August 1999.

Michel Camilo (piano); Tomatito (flamenco guitar).

Spain

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Album: Spain Again
Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 52:03
Size: 119.1 MB
Styles: Flamenco guitar, Jazz piano
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[5:16] 1. El Dia Que Me Quieras
[4:06] 2. Libertango
[3:49] 3. Fuga Y Misterio
[7:14] 4. Adios Nonino
[3:27] 5. Stella By Starlight
[5:10] 6. Twilight Glow
[4:34] 7. A Los Nietos
[2:02] 8. La Tarde
[5:54] 9. La Fiesta
[6:18] 10. From Within
[4:07] 11. Amor De Conuco

Michel Camilo, the New York-based, Dominican-born pianist, and Tomatito, the Spanish flamenco guitarist, recorded a well-received duets album called Spain in 2000, and this sequel is intended to take the collaboration to the next level. Spain Again does. It's a bravura performance that pushes both men into strange and satisfying new territories and spotlights the abilities of each to find places where they are mutually comfortable and inspired. As on the first pairing, the musicianship is flawless throughout, the two virtuosos dancing around each other's melodies, creating fascinating, harmonious bridges, building upon and toying with structural ideas beyond what each composition calls for. Camilo's complex jazz piano inventions suddenly give way to Tomatito's spellbinding acoustic guitar runs; the two meet someplace in the middle, enjoy the freedom that unfettered exploration allows, and emerge with new entities that only an alliance of equals can bring about. The pace is set quickly with "El Dia Eque Me Quieras," a tribute to tango legend Astor Piazzolla, moves through various originals and standards (a silky, semi-classical "Stella by Starlight" is both graceful and awe-inspiring in its mastery) and eventually finds its way to the only vocal piece on the album, "Amor de Conuco," sung by guest Juan Luis Guerra. Strangely, though the vocal is quite lovely, it's a mood-breaker, diminishing the evocative elegance that Camilo and Tomatito have spent much of the past hour laying out. ~ Jeff Tamarkin

Musically, Camilo & Tomatito come from 2 different worlds. Camilo grew up in the Dominican Republic but has lived in New York since 1979 & is classically-trained as well as a straight-ahead acoustic jazz pianist who incorporates Latin & Caribbean elements, citing Chick Corea, Keith Jarrett, Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans and Art Tatum as influences. Tomatito lives in his native Spain, born into a family of Gypsies and is recognized as one of the country's top flamenco guitarists. Discovered at an early age by Paco de Lucía, Tomatito is the premier flamenco guitarist of his generation and has accompanied Spain's greatest flamenco singers including the legendary Camarón de la Isla. Navigating the boundaries of jazz and flamenco, Camilo and Tomatito create an experience that is both unique and unforgettable. This reunion includes their original compositions, a Tribute to Piazzolla, jazz standards and a collaboration with renowned singer/songwriter Juan Luis Guerra.

Recording information: Avatar Studios, New York, NY (02/19/2006-02/24/2006); El Estudio A (02/19/2006-02/24/2006).

Michel Camilo (piano); Tomatito (flamenco guitar).

Spain Again 

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Hank Jones - I Remember You: The Original Black And Blue Sessions

Styles: Bop, Piano jazz

Released: July 1978/2002

File: mp3@224K/s

Size: 118.1 MB

Time: 73:42

Art: Front Cover

1. I Remember You [6:04]

2. Young No More [5:54]

3. You Took Advantage Of Me [3:15]

4. Love Walked In [4:59]

5. Dat Dere [7:28]

6. I'll Be Around [4:49]

7. Let's Fall In Love [2:47]

8. Like Someone In Love [5:24]

9. Theme for Jobim [7:30]

10. It's The Talk Of The Town [3:16]

11. I Remember You (Take 3) [6:11]

12. Young No More (Take 2) [5:24]

13. Love Walked In (Take 1) [5:09]

14. Like Someone In Love (Take 1) [5:26]

Hank Jones is in top form on this studio effort, consisting of a 1977 session with two veterans, bassist George Duvivier and drummer Oliver Jackson. The trio concentrates on less frequently heard standards, including a brisk "I Remember You," while Duvivier's walking bass sets up an exotic arrangement of "Young No More." Jones detours into a bit of jaunty stride piano in "You Took Advantage of Me" and renders an especially heartfelt "I'll Be Around."

Duvivier's arco bass adds to the warmth of "Like Someone in Love," and Jones incorporates a few flashy tremolos into a soulful take of Bobby Timmons' memorable "Dat Dere." Jones also finds new avenues to explore in "It's the Talk of the Town" and Gerry Mulligan's bossa nova tribute "Theme for Jobim," both of which were omitted from the original LP. The 2002 reissue also adds four alternate takes not present on an earlier CD issued in 1987. ~Ken Dryden

I Remember You

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