Jon Hendricks - Salud! João Gilberto

Styles: Bossa Nova
Year: 1963
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 29:48
Size: 68,3 MB
Art: Front

(1:57)  1. The Duck
(2:08)  2. Quiet Nights
(3:08)  3. You and I
(2:35)  4. Love and Peace
(1:18)  5. Little Paper Ball
(2:28)  6. Longing for Bahia
(1:56)  7. Little Train of Iron
(2:07)  8. No More Blues
(2:12)  9. Rosa Morena
(3:06) 10. The Most Beautiful Thing
(2:31) 11. Samba of My Land
(1:57) 12. Once Again
(2:19) 13. Jive Samba

Jon Hendricks idolizes João Gilberto  he has spoken fondly of their first meeting where they scatted to each other before ever speaking a word  and he wasted little time putting together a tribute album at the height of the first bossa nova wave. It ought to come as no surprise that he would display total sympathy with the bossa nova manner here, singing softly and smoothly  and Hendricks' English wordplay is quite faithful to the original tunes and meanings of the Portuguese lyrics, in contrast to his usual whimsical work with jazz improvisations. Hendricks is particularly winning, and irresistibly swinging on the rare occasions ("Voce E Eu," "Samba Da Minha Terra") when he scats to the Brazilian rhythm; he should have done more of that here. But then, his versions of Gilberto's repertoire are carefully based on Gilberto's early EMI/Odeon recordings (now available on The Legendary João Gilberto); even Antonio Carlos Jobim's string and wind charts for the originals are preserved by adapter Johnny Mandel. Alas, the only Hendricks lyric that has become a universal standard is Jobim's "Chega de Saudade" ("No More Blues"). As Hendricks' only album-length encounter with bossa nova, Salud! João Gilberto Originator of the Bossa Nova is essential. ~ Richard S. Ginell  

http://www.allmusic.com/album/salud!-joao-gilberto-originator-of-the-bossa-nova-mw0000225044

Salud! João Gilberto

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Paul Meyers Quartet - Paul Meyers Quartet Featuring Frank Wess

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 65:32
Size: 150.0 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz, Saxophone jazz
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[7:25] 1. Snibor
[6:32] 2. Blue Lanturn
[5:36] 3. In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning
[7:32] 4. One For Miss D
[5:00] 5. Lazy Afternoon
[4:53] 6. Menage A Bleu
[5:25] 7. Just One Of Those Things
[8:30] 8. My One And Only Love
[6:54] 9. Who Cares
[7:39] 10. I Cover The Waterfront

Count Paul Meyers among those relatively few jazz guitarists who concentrate on playing a nylon-string instrument. Assembling a terrific band for these sessions, including veteran bandleader and Basie alum Frank Wess on tenor sax and flute, bassist Martin Wind (a leader as well and regular collaborator with pianist Bill Mays), and drummer Tony Jefferson, Meyers includes a mix of standards, originals, and well-known jazz compositions. Oddly enough, the bluesy opener, "Snibor," is not one of Billy Strayhorn's more widely played works (though Duke Ellington fans will be familiar with it), but the light, swinging treatment with Wind's intricate solo, Wess' robust tenor, and the leader's subtle playing signals immediately that this is an impressive outing. All of the standards shine, including the breezy setting of "Just One of Those Things" with engaging features for Meyers and Wess; the warm rendition of "Lazy Afternoon" with guest vocalist Andy Bey; and the gorgeous "My One and Only Love," which opens as a duo by Wess and Meyers with a delayed entrance by the rhythm section. Wess contributed "Menage a Bleu," a tasty blues that sounds like the perfect wrap-up for a late-night club date. Meyers penned a pair of originals, "Blue Lantern," a pulsating vehicle featuring Wess' spirited flute and Meyers' cooking guitar, and the choppy, infectious "One for Miss D." The Paul Meyers Quartet Featuring Frank Wess is a delight from start to finish. ~ Ken Dryden

Acoustic jazz guitarist Paul Meyers is joined by Frank Wess on tenor saxophone and flute, bassist Martin Wind, drummer Tony Jefferson. Joining the quartet on vocals on the song Lazy Afternoon is Andy Bey.

Recording information: Bennett Studios, Englewood, NJ (01/18/2007-01/19/2007).

Personnel: Paul Meyers (nylon-string guitar); Martin Wind (acoustic bass); Tony Jefferson (drums).

Paul Meyers Quartet Featuring Frank Wess

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Jane Monheit - The Heart Of The Matter

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 57:00
Size: 130.5 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[5:56] 1. Until It's Time For You To Go
[4:29] 2. Depende De Nos
[5:12] 3. Little Man You Had A Busy Day
[4:51] 4. Two Lonely People
[5:25] 5. A Gente Merce Ser Feliz
[7:15] 6. Golden Slumbers / Long And Winding Road
[2:51] 7. When She Loved Me
[4:19] 8. Born To Be Blue
[4:16] 9. Close
[3:06] 10. Night Night Stars
[4:10] 11. I Get Along Without You Very Well
[5:05] 12. Sing

A technically proficient singer with a distinctive style that straddles the line between Ella Fitzgerald's extroverted, loosely swinging approach and Linda Eder's more restrained Broadway and cabaret style, Jane Monheit is a virtuoso. One minute she's dazzling you with her resonant bebop-ready chops and the next she's making you cry with a single verse of a ballad. On her ninth studio album, 2013's Heart of the Matter, Monheit brings all of her gifts to bear on a set of mature, heartfelt songs that rank among her best. The album also works as a companion piece to 2009's The Lovers, the Dreamers and Me. With that album, Monheit celebrated such milestones as the birth of her son Jack and turning 30. She then followed up with 2010's equally as compelling if more swinging and straight-ahead jazz-sounding Home. Heart of the Matter, with its ruminations on motherhood and fidelity, returns Monheit to the more intimate, contemporary pop sound of The Lovers, the Dreamers and Me. Working with producer/arranger Gil Goldstein (who also adds his lyrical accordion sound to several tracks) and her usual rhythm section of drummer Rick Montalbano (her husband), pianist Michael Kanan, and bassist Neal Miner, Monheit has crafted a sumptuous, immaculately arranged album that once again shines a light on her immense vocal talent. Whether she's framed by a lush orchestral backing on the bossa nova "Depende de Nós" or a spare electric piano and flute arrangement on "Two Lonely People," Heart of the Matter finds Monheit nestled deep into the pocket of her own cross-genre sound, and it's a warm place to be. ~ Matt Collar

Recording information: Avatar Studios (2012-11-09&2012-11-10&2012-).

The Heart Of The Matter

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Jane Stuart - Don't Look Back

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:12
Size: 118,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:54)  1. I Just Found Out About Love
(3:35)  2. Experiment
(4:58)  3. Eleanor Rigby
(4:37)  4. Don't Look Back
(5:44)  5. Bird Of Beauty
(4:02)  6. Let It Come To You
(3:58)  7. Who Will Buy
(4:08)  8. Wheelers And Dealers
(2:48)  9. You Are there
(5:37) 10. Summertime
(4:43) 11. I'll Follow The Sun
(3:02) 12. I Didn't Know What Time It Was

From the opening bars of "I Just Found Out About Love," Jane Stuart takes control of this sophisticated collection of tunes with a voice that oozes style, confidence and emotional strength. Don't Look Back brings Stuart together with an empathic group of musicians, the arrangements are always interesting and at times inspired, and the conclusion is clear: this is a great vocal jazz album. Stuart has a long history as a dancer, actor and singer she was performing on TV at the age of five but her first album, the self-produced Beginning to See The Light, didn't appear until 2007. Her style is mainstream, informed by pop and by Broadway, and characterized by a clarity and control that ensures she invests each lyric with honest emotion. She sings with subtle but effective shifts in tone, emphasis or volume that immediately communicate the story there's no need for vocal acrobatics or showboating, and Stuart indulges in neither of them. 

Her performance of Johnny Mandel's "Don't Look Back" is absolutely beautiful. Sad but hopeful, her voice is superbly engaging: the restrained, gentle backing from drummer Rick De Kovessey, percussionist Emedin Rivera, bassist Kermit Driscoll and pianist Rave Tesar is the perfect accompaniment. The song selection takes from the Great American Songbook, musical theatre and pop classics. Stuart's own "Let It Come To You" is a ballad of regret that shares a lineage with Gene de Paul's "You Don't Know What Love Is." She removes Lionel Bart's "Who Will Buy" from its stage musical origins, gives it a slinky arrangement and brings in tenor saxophonist Frank Elmo to add a rasping, high-energy solo. Stuart's reworking of two songs by John Lennon and Paul McCartney is intriguing. Her arrangement of "Eleanor Rigby" slows it down, builds in delicate and spacious guitar from Dave Stryker and invests it with more glamour than this sad tale of loneliness usually receives, while her treatment of the lesser-known "I'll Follow The Sun" is genuinely fresh. 

The original is pretty, light and optimistic; here, Stuart turns it into a torch ballad, delivering a vocal performance of such emotional intensity that it seems as if she is telling of her own personal heartbreak. ~ Bruce Lindsay  

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=39075#.UkA7GxAkI5c

Personnel: Jane Stuart: vocals; Rave Tesar: keyboards, background vocals; Dick Oatts: alto saxophone, flute; Frank Elmo: tenor saxophone; Dave Stryker: guitar; Emedin Rivera: percussion, whistles; Rick De Kovessey: drums, background vocals; Sue Williams: bass (1, 2, 7, 8, 10, 12); Kermit Driscoll: bass (3-6, 11); Orlando Quinones: background vocals; Paige Sandusky: background vocals.

Don't Look Back

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The Trio Of OZ - The Trio Of OZ

Styles: Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:58
Size: 135,0 MB
Art: Front

(6:08)  1. Angry Chair
(5:07)  2. Sour Girl
(4:08)  3. Det Tar Tid
(6:37)  4. I Will Possess Your Heart
(6:14)  5. Lost
(6:07)  6. When You Where Young
(7:24)  7. In Your Room
(4:24)  8. Bizzare Love Triangle
(5:13)  9. There Is A Light
(7:31) 10. King Of Pain

The dilemma for modern jazz artists is how to grab the ears of younger audiences, while remaining respectful of the legacy of Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, and Louis Armstrong without recycling yet another variation of "So What?" The eclectic and restless musical tastes of drummer Omar Hakim and pianist Rachel Nicolazzo (aka Rachel Z.) offer some mighty impressive bait to reel them in, The Trio of Oz's repertoire reading like an hour's worth of college radio station programming. But how to reconcile music from artists including Depeche Mode, Alice in Chains and Stone Temple Pilots with two vets like Z and Hakim, who honed their skills with artists like Weather Report, Wayne Shorter and Steps Ahead?

Quite nicely, since these two masters' résumés also include stin ts with Dire Straits, Sting and Peter Gabriel, rendering their creation of new ways to splice the seemingly contradictory jazz and rock idioms together into some sort of mutant hybridcapturing the fun of the latter without compromising the integrity of the former completely understandable.

When going after a younger demographic, It's best not to pander to them with warmed-over covers of last month's pop hits, already deleted from their iPod; The Trio of Oz demonstrates far more respect for the sensibilities of its target audience. Hakim and Z, along with newcomer, bassist Maeve Royce, have redefined "jazz rock" into an absorbing and stirring hybrid, sans the trappings of cranked up guitars, banks of synthesizers, excessive volume, and piling notes atop each other in an act of sonic overkill.

It's probably no accident the last track, The Police's "King of Pain," is the most familiar to the ears of even the most casual rock listener Written by Hakim's old boss, Sting, it's a lovely, moody ballad delivered here with impeccable taste, as are the improbably named, "Angry Chair" and ominous "I Will Posses Your Heart," by Death Cab for Cutie.

Z says she enjoys playing in trios because she's "greedy," and gets ample opportunity to demonstrate her considerable chops, but she still plays well with others. Hakim is never overly flashy, a tasteful percussionist who never overwhelms with technique when finesse will do. On acoustic bass, Royce is short of the wealth of experience her two compatriots possess, but she's a formidable talent with more than a few moments of Ron Carter-like brilliance. When she alternatively caresses and attacks Coldplay's "Lost" with her bow, it's fully understood why she got the job.

Whenever jazz is in danger of becoming safe, static and scared to stray out of its comfort zone, that's when it's in the fast lane to becoming the muzak for museums naysayers already claim it is. The Trio of Oz strikes that delicate balance between respecting tradition while refusing to be handcuffed by it. There's a lot here, in one of 2010's most brilliant debuts for both purists and pioneers to admire. ~  Jeff Winbush   http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=37723#.UktRwBBvA1I

Personnel: Rachel Z: piano; Omar Hakim: drums; Maeve Royce: acoustic bass

The Trio of OZ

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Mora's Modern Rhythmists - Call Of The Freaks

Styles: Swing/Big Band
Label: Mr. Ace
Released: 2000
File: mp3 @320K/s
Size: 145,6 MB
Time: 63:35
Art: front

1. Call Of The Freaks - 3:22
2. Queer Notions - 3:05
3. Jazz Pie - 3:28
4. A Viper's Moan - 3:30
5. Rigamarole - 2:36
6. I'm Good For Nothing But Love - 3:31
7. Tar Paper Stomp - 3:32
8. Uptown Rhapsody - 2:39
9. Night Wind - 3:12
10. Serenade For A Wealthy Widow - 2:54
11. Get Rhythm In Your Feet - 2:20
12. I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues - 4:49
13. Cuban Pete - 3:25
14. The Dipsey Doodle - 2:58
15. Honeysuckle Rose - 2:40
16. Annie's Cousin Fannie - 3:06
17. Hunkadola - 3:05
18. If Dreams Come True - 2:52
19. Daybreak Express - 2:50
20. It's Over Because We're Through - 3:31

Notes: MORA'S MODERN MUSIC represents the various vintage-style bands founded by pianist Dean Mora and based in Los Angeles, California. These groups perform American dance music from the years 1900 to 1950, using period arrangements and transcriptions from the original recordings. Each group is presented with a keen eye towards authenticity, both in terms of musical performance, as well as the appearance of its musicians.
The musical ensembles represented are:

Mora's Modern Rhythmists (1920s-1930s dance band)
Mora's Modern Swingtet (1930s-1940s small band)
Dean Mora And His Orchestra (1930s-1940s big band)
Mora's Ragtime Orchestra (Music from 1900-1920)

MORA'S MODERN RHYTHMISTS is the "flagship" of the MMM family, having been the first to be organized back in 1994, for the purpose of performing American popular dance music from the 1920s and early 1930s, using period arrangements and transcriptions from the original recordings.
Following a series of small concerts around the Los Angeles area, the Rhythmists were hired as the Monday-night house band at the Derby, a nightclub situated in one of the original Brown Derby Restaurants, in Hollywood, and which was considered by many to be the "ground-zero" of the Swing Revival of the 1990s. Soon, Mora's Modern Rhythmists began to garner a reputation as one of the best swing bands in Los Angeles, and their Monday night performances gained a cult following among dancers and band enthusiasts alike. They remained at the club for almost three years.

Call Of The Freaks

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Anjali Perin Quartet - First Reflection

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 54:08
Size: 123.9 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[4:10] 1. Never Will I Marry
[5:19] 2. Autumn Leaves
[7:10] 3. Dare To Dream
[5:10] 4. You Must Believe In Spring
[2:24] 5. Lullaby Of Birdland
[4:34] 6. Speak Low
[6:37] 7. If You Wait
[5:15] 8. If I Should Lose You
[3:55] 9. A Light Inside
[6:28] 10. My Romance
[3:00] 11. Still Calling

This is the debut recording by young vocalist Anjali Perin and on the evidence of the music presented here she has a very promising future. Perin has been mentored by the more experienced singers Anita Wardell and Trudy Kerr. Indeed the album is released on Kerr’s Jazzizit label and the album maintains the high technical standards we have come to expect from the company. Once again the indefatigable Derek Nash deserves credit for his work both as engineer and as Perin’s co-producer.

A highly talented young band surrounds Perin. Pianist Liam Noble is the most experienced and is probably the best known. Young multi instrumentalist Jim Hart is also making quite a name for himself. He appears in the drum chair here but he also has a growing reputation as an outstanding vibes player. The quartet is completed by the excellent young bassist Amy Baldwin.

Perin is prepared to let her musicians stretch out thereby making this a real group effort. Noble is superb throughout, consistently inventive as a soloist and sensitive as an accompanist. On this album he shows the lyrical side of his playing, whereas on his own records he is more spiky and percussive. Nash has recorded him superbly and his playing here is a constant delight. Hart and Baldwin are an excellent rhythm section, combining swing with sensitivity. Baldwin has a warm rounded tone and solos fluently when required and the imaginative Hart is right on the money always conjuring up the right sounds and textures from his kit.

First Reflection

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Sony Holland - I'll Remember Paris

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 44:22
Size: 101.6 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2003
Art: Front

[2:29] 1. Barcelona
[4:13] 2. Million Dollar Dreams
[2:50] 3. Your Style And Charm
[3:08] 4. You're Always With Somebody New
[2:47] 5. Savin' My Life Everyday
[3:23] 6. A Man In Manhattan
[3:42] 7. This City Is Mine
[4:31] 8. I'll Lead The Way
[2:42] 9. I'll Remember Paris
[2:46] 10. Tokyo Too
[4:27] 11. Carnival
[3:30] 12. Is It Jazz
[3:47] 13. Curiosity

Singer Sony Holland has created some buzz around Nashville. Her debut CD with the Dennis Burnside Trio aims to spread to word beyond Tennessee. Holland has a warm, appealing voice. While her style has been likened to Diana Krall, Holland’s voice is higher and is buoyed by a good dose of cabaret showmanship. On one song, "Is It Cabaret," she even pokes a little fun at her repertoire. "So is it jazz or cabaret? I don’t know," she sings.

The CD, "I’ll Remember Paris," is made up of 13 songs written by Holland’s husband, Jerry Holland. The music is said to be inspired by the energetic streets of Paris and New York. A pair of New York numbers highlight the album. "A Man in Manhattan" is a swinging affair, one woman’s odyssey of looking for Mr. Right. It’s followed by "This City is Mine," a soaring, cinematic love song to New York.

Dennis Burnside is on piano; Dave Pomeroy, bass; Mickey Grimm, drums. Jim Hoke plays flute, sax and harp. The CD, however, is Holland’s show. She handles the mix of ballads and up tempo numbers with grace. Listeners can practically see her smiling through their speakers. If you are looking for something off the beaten path, consider "I’ll Remember Paris."

I'll Remember Paris

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Diane Hubka - Look No Further

Styles: Vocal, Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:59
Size: 98,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:20)  1. Look No Further
(4:37)  2. Morning
(4:32)  3. Dolphin Dance
(4:46)  4. In Walked John
(3:47)  5. Photograph
(3:45)  6. Small Day Tomorrow
(5:16)  7. Baby, You Should Know It
(4:34)  8. In April
(3:56)  9. August Moon
(4:21) 10. Better Than Anything

This is Washington, D.C. based Diane Hubka's second album for A-Records, a subsidiary of The Netherlands label, Challenge Records. Like her first, she stays avoids standard material. Instead the play list is dominated by what most would call "off-beat" songs. Whatever, these tunes do not receive much recording attention even though many are the product by well know writers like Richard Rodgers, Jule Styne and Herbie Hancock.

Filling a CD with this kind of material can be a risky endeavor; a vocalist must have great confidence in her ability to pull it off. Hubka obviously met that bill since this is as entertaining an album that has hit the streets for some time. This album demands the listener give it an intense listen, not only to the lyrics, but to the interplay between Hubka and the musicians who accompany her on this journey down the road of fresh ideas and changing tempos.

The satisfactory results make the effort worthwhile as there is not a bad track on this CD. "In Walked John", Malachi Thompson's lyrical description of John Coltrane's influence on jazz, is one of the highlights of the album. Hubka's delivery is straight forward and compelling while everyone gets an opportunity to stretch out paying their personal homage to the seminally influential tenor saxophonist. Especially commanding is Scott Whifield's trombone solo. "Never Never Land" (somewhere between Oz and Wonderland, I suppose), has a fairy tale aura about it. Along with Hubka's delicate phrasing, there's an extended solo by guitarist John Hart with Tony Moreno's drums dancing among the chords of the guitar. Hubka shows that she is no slouch with a guitar as she honors one her mentors, Bob Dorough, on "Small Day Tomorrow." With "Baltimore Oriole" comes a mood change. As Hart's guitar provides just the right accents to complement her vocal eloquence, Hubka goes blues with the Hoagy Carmichael tune, recalling the versions by Carmen McRae and Lorez Alexandria. Another singer who explores material similar material, Meredith d'Ambrosio. Another contribution to making this album as successful as it is the balance Hubka strikes between straight singing and wordless vocalizing and scatting. She doesn't scat on every tune but when she does, it is important to the lyrical message she is conveying. Other singers could learn a good deal from listening to the album.

Also, a major factor in the success of the session is Hubka's supporting cast. Special mention needs to be made of Frank Kimbrough whose piano is the glue which holds the session together. Diane Hubka belongs to the coterie of special singers who can work magic with off the beaten track material. Irene Kral, Jeri Southern, Meredith d'Ambrosio, Sheila Jordan and Blossom Dearie are other members of this special group. This album is highly recommended. ~ Dave Nathan  

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=5806#.UkIxnxAkI5c

Personnel: Diane Hubka-Vocals, Guitar; John Hart-Guitar; Frank Kimbrough-Piano; Dean Johnson - Bass; Tony Moreno - Drums; Scott Whitfield -Trombone

Look No Further

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Sandy Stewart & Bill Charlap - Something To Remember

Styles: Jazz Vocals
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:06
Size: 144,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:00)  1. Where or When
(3:36)  2. I Thought About You
(2:38)  3. Why Did I Choose You
(3:36)  4. Somebody Loves Me
(5:14)  5. A Ghost Of A Chance
(3:08)  6. Isn't This A Lovely Day?
(4:08)  7. Something To Remember You By
(6:05)  8. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
(5:02)  9. I Was Telling Him About You
(1:41) 10. Stars
(4:55) 11. Where Do You Start?
(2:28) 12. The Best Thing for You
(4:58) 13. Solitude
(4:41) 14. When You Wish Upon A Star
(4:49) 15. Two for the Road

The new album from mother-son duo of world-class jazz pianist, BILL CHARLAP and Grammy Award-nominated vocalist SANDY STEWART features a collection of ballads from some of the most popular songwriters of the twentieth century, such as George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Harold Arlen, Richard Rodgers and Irving Berlin.

In addition to classic songs by Rodgers & Hart (“Where Or When”), Henry Mancini & Leslie Bricusse (“Two For The Road”) and Irving Berlin (“Isn’t This A Lovely Day”), the album features rarely-heard gems such as “I Was Telling Him About You”with music by Moose Charlap (the composer of Peter Pan starring Mary Martin, also Bill’s father and Sandy’s late husband) and “Stars” by noted songwriter Charles Sweeney.

When the duo previewed the album at a recent engagement at the New York nightclub Feinstein’s at Loews Regency, Will Friedwald raved in the Wall Street Journal, “The Stewart-Charlap combination is, eternally, like a master class in interpretation.The team is so subtle, so understated, so specific in their approach that even a clinking glass might break the spell. Ultimately, by the encore Feinstein's has become nothing less than a serenely reverent church of the Great American Songbook.”

SANDY STEWART is best known for the Grammy-nominated recording “My Coloring Book” (she lost to Ella Fitzgerald’s “Mack The Knife”). She began her performing career at 15 in her native Philadelphia and soon moved to New York for a variety of television gigs with Merv Griffin, Dick Van Dyke, and as a regular with “The Perry Como Show” while also touring with Benny Goodman. After marrying Broadway composer Moose Charlap, she retired to raise a family. Later, she resumed singing in clubs and on recordings and voiceovers. Sandy’s previous CD with Bill, Love Is Here To Stay, was greeted with universal acclaim.

BILL CHARLAP – one of the world’s premier jazz pianists, has performed and recorded with many leading artists of our time – ranging from jazz masters Phil Woods and Wynton Marsalis to singers Tony Bennett and Barbra Streisand. Since 1997, he has led the Bill Charlap Trio with bassist Peter Washington and drummer Kenny Washington, now recognized as one of the leading groups in jazz. Charlap is the artistic director of New York City’s Jazz in July Festival at the 92nd Street Y, and he has produced concerts for Jazz at Lincoln Center, the JVC Jazz Festival and the Hollywood Bowl. A two-time Grammy nominee, Charlap is married to renowned jazz pianist Renee Rosnes. http://www.sh-k-boom.com/stewart-charlap_somethingtoremember.html.

Something To Remember

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Robert Palmer - Ridin' High

Styles: Vocal, R&B
Year: 1992
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:21
Size: 114,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:44)  1. Love Me or Leave Me
(2:35)  2. (Love Is) The Tender Trap
(3:57)  3. You're My Thrill
(4:07)  4. Want You More
(3:31)  5. Baby, It's Cold Outside
(3:01)  6. Aeroplane
(3:17)  7. Witchcraft
(2:43)  8. What A Little Moonlight Can Do (Road House)
(2:27)  9. Don't Explain
(2:43) 10. Change
(2:51) 11. Goody Goody
(3:45) 12. Do Nothin' Till You Hear from Me
(2:49) 13. Honeysuckle Rose
(2:23) 14. No, Not Much
(2:15) 15. Ridin' High
(3:06) 16. Hard Head

Robert Palmer's tuxedo on the album cover isn't much of a surprise; he's always been the most dapper of pop stars. However, the tux turns out to be an apt representation of an album that's a real change of pace. Here, Palmer performs a program of pre-rock pop standards, with a couple of original ringers in the classic style. Palmer's not Sinatra, but he can swing when he puts his mind to it, and between his appealingly intimate vocals and the lush, Nelson Riddle style arrangements, this is a terrific late night moonlight and whiskey sort of album. Highlight: "Baby it's Cold Outside," done as a frankly erotic duet with Carnie Wilson.  http://www.allmusic.com/album/ridin-high-mw0000616162

Ridin' High

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Anne Drummond - Like Water

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 32:13
Size: 73.8 MB
Styles: Flute jazz, New Age
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[4:27] 1. Aquelas Coisas Todas
[4:25] 2. Like Water
[3:27] 3. Frevo
[3:18] 4. Curumim
[4:13] 5. Lazy Afternoon
[3:55] 6. Alexamba
[4:19] 7. Bossa For Copacabana
[4:06] 8. Spring

Anne Drummond has gained her greatest exposure by working and recording with Kenny Barron and Stefon Harris and the flutist is looking to expand her horizons with her first full CD as a leader. Drummond is more conservative than most jazz musicians who focus on flute, taking an understated, lyrical approach rather than focusing on fast runs and overblowing. Her focus is on Brazilian music, while she utilizes two members of Trio da Paz (bassist Nilson Matta and percussionist Duduka Da Fonseca. Pianist Klaus Mueller contributed the snappy arrangement of "Aquelas Coisas Todas," though Drummond is a bit buried in the mix near the beginning of the track. Matta penned the infectious "Bossa for Copacabana," in which Drummond delivers her best solo of the date. She also penned several originals for the session, including the elegant, lovely bossa nova "Like Water," the sauntering and relaxing "Lazy Afternoon" (which is buoyed by Mueller's solo), plus the playful ballad Spring, which has a sporadic rainfall incorporated throughout the piece. With this admirable effort, Anne Drummond comes across as a talented instrumentalist and composer who is willing to share the spotlight with her fellow musicians, good advice for any up-and-coming jazz musician. Recording information: Kampo Studios, NY (06/2007-09/2007). Photographer: David Bergman. Arrangers: Klaus Mueller ; Anne Drummond. Personnel: Anne Drummond (flute); Paul Meyers (guitar); Tom Chiu (violin); Dave Eggar (cello); Klaus Mueller , Xavier Davis (piano); Duduka Da Fonseca (drums, percussion)

Like Water

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Eli Yamin & Evan Christopher - Louie's Dream: For Our Jazz Heroes

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 44:03
Size: 100.9 MB
Styles: Piano jazz, Clarinet jazz
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[4:44] 1. Louie's Dream
[4:21] 2. The Mooche
[4:52] 3. You Gotta Treat It Gentle
[3:31] 4. It's The Way That You Talk
[4:15] 5. Don't Go Back On Your Raisin'
[4:50] 6. What's Your Story Morning Glory
[4:21] 7. Azalea
[0:26] 8. My Jazz Hero
[0:14] 9. Baraka 75
[0:12] 10. Let His Love Take Me Higher
[4:01] 11. Impromptu
[5:44] 12. Dancers In Love
[2:27] 13. Louie's Dream (Reprise)

From jazz clubs to concert halls and even the White House, the intuitive and playful spark they bring to the bandstand is always marked with passion and dynamic interplay. Yamin and Christopher share a deep commitment to celebrating the enduring legacy and relevance of the greats who inspire them. Yet, even though aural glimpses of their heroes are evident, their dedication to their own personal voices is abundant in this collection of thoughtfully chosen songs. Louie's Dream, is a song recorded only one other time by Louis Armstrong with co-composer Marty Napoleon on piano, the last surviving member of the Armstrong All-Stars. Other selections include The Mooche for Barney Bigard and the Ellingtonians, What's Your Story Morning Glory?. for Mary Lou Williams, Baraka 75, a spiky Yamin original dedicated to poet/activist Amiri Baraka, and You Gotta Treat It Gentle, Christopher's bluesy ballad for Sidney Bechet. Two songs from Yamin's jazz musical about women's suffrage, "Holding the Torch for Liberty, are also featured. The New Orleans flavored It's the Way That You Talk and the heartstring-pulling ballad, Don't Go Back On Your Raisin'. Two Ellington rarities, Azalea and Dancers in Love round out the collection. Label-Yamin Music LLC, co-sponsored by The Jazz Drama Program, a non-profit 501-c3 corporation, inspiring students and teachers with interactive experiences in the jazz arts-storytelling, music, theatre, dance and visual arts.

Louie's Dream: For Our Jazz Heroes

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Joey deFrancesco - Organic Vibes

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 64:16

Size: 147.1 MB

Styles: Organ jazz

Year: 2006

Art: Front

[8:06] 1. The Tackle

[6:29] 2. Little B's Poem

[9:25] 3. I Thought About You

[8:30] 4. Somewhere in the Night

[6:49] 5. Down the Hatch

[7:49] 6. Speak Low

[4:21] 7. Jeneane's Dream

[6:03] 8. My Foolish Heart

[6:41] 9. Colleen

Having reviewed some of Hammond organist Joey DeFrancesco's early albums on Columbia, then caught up with him again when he teamed up with the high-flying guitar acrobat Danny Gatton on Relentless, and then lost track of him, the word that comes to mind upon hearing this effort for Concord is "adult." DeFrancesco's earlier work was that of a young and precocious kid with a burning love of his instrument and something to prove. Fifteen years into what has become a celebrated career, he's settled in and is demonstrating the kind of taste and maturity that separates the flashy young hotshots from the serious musicians, the ones who will leave a legacy. On Organic Vibes, DeFrancesco goes beyond the traditional organ trio format that he has generally preferred up until now and is joined by a group that includes vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson and tenor sax player George Coleman, and his desire to give them the space they need leads him to move away somewhat from center stage; as a result, his solos are tighter, more focused, and less frenetic than they have sometimes been. There's also more of a focus on slower numbers than has often been the case on past DeFrancesco projects, an approach that bears sweet fruit on the group's tender rendition of "I Thought About You" and on the sauntering and funky "Down the Hatch." DeFrancesco's own "Colleen" is lovely bossa nova that ends the album on an almost contemplative note. Very highly recommended. ~ Rick Anderson

Recording information: Tempest Recording, Tempe, AZ (08/24/2005-08/26/2005).

Joey DeFrancesco (organ); Joey DeFrancesco (Hammond b-3 organ); Jake Langley (guitar); Ron Blake (saxophone); George Coleman (tenor saxophone); Bobby Hutcherson (vibraphone); Byron Landham (drums).

Organic Vibes

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Fats Navarro - Nostalgia

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 33:14
Size: 76.1 MB
Styles: Trumpet jazz
Year: 1958/2001
Art: Front

[2:41] 1. Nostalgia
[2:36] 2. Barry's Bop
[2:34] 3. Be-Bop Romp
[2:47] 4. Fats Blows
[2:57] 5. Dextivity
[2:46] 6. Dextrose
[2:49] 7. Dexter's Mood
[3:01] 8. Index
[2:42] 9. Stealin' Trash
[2:38] 10. Hollerin' And Screamin'
[2:50] 11. Fracture
[2:47] 12. Callin' Dr. Jazz

Taken from three different, late-'40s sessions, Nostalgia features Navarro in the fine company of bebop stars like Dexter Gordon, Tadd Dameron, and Art Blakey. While looser sounding than the legendary sides the trumpeter cut for Blue Note, the tracks here still include the usual bevy of sharp Navarro solos, plus stellar contributions by all involved. The first session with tenor saxophonist Charlie Rouse (one of the earliest recordings of the future Monk sideman), Dameron, and Blakey, finds Navarro mixing poised and fluid solo work with more intense high-note statements, demonstrating his masterful blend of both Miles Davis' cool approach and Dizzy Gillespie's incendiary technique. The highlights continue with four more cuts from a Dexter Gordon-led session from 1947, which adheres to the brief head statement and round of solos mode used on the earlier cuts. Dameron returns on piano, nicely comping behind Gordon's already distinct solo work and more of Navarro's pearl-like horn lines (these numbers have also been released on various Gordon titles on Savoy). The disc ends with a date led by honking tenor man Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, which, while less intriguing than the other sessions, stills swings mightily with a mix of bebop and R&B flavored tunes. Nostalgia is worthy of any jazz collection and certainly is an essential title from the bebop era. ~ Stephen Cook

Fats Navarro (trumpet), Charlie Rouse, Dexter Gordon, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis (tenor saxophones), Tadd Dameron, Al Haig (piano), Huey Long (guitar), Nelson Boyd, Gene Ramey (bass), Art Blakey, Art Mardigan, Denzil Best (drums).

Nostalgia

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Shannon Forsell - The Nearness Of You

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 46:57
Size: 107.5 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[2:51] 1. Sing Me A Swing Song (And Let Me Dance)
[4:01] 2. Old Man Moon
[3:43] 3. The Nearness Of You
[3:17] 4. Heart And Soul
[4:19] 5. Skylark
[4:59] 6. Baltimore Oriole
[5:15] 7. Georgia On My Mind
[3:41] 8. Lazy River
[5:00] 9. Winter Moon
[4:47] 10. Can't Get Indiana Off My Mind
[4:59] 11. Stardust

On her debut CD, Shannon Forsell’s vocals capture the essence of the songs of one of America’s finest composers and quintessential Hoosier, Hoagy Carmichael. With the perfect blend of sophistication and authenticity, Forsell keenly interprets Hoagy’s most well known songs (The Nearness of You, Skylark, Stardust, Georgia On My Mind) along with a few less-recorded musical gems.

Forsell’s lush vocals and superb lyric interpretation, backed by critically acclaimed jazz musicians, make this top-notch recording a sure bet for jazz and cabaret lovers alike. The Nearness of You is a pleasure, a cool trip through wonderful chapter in the great American songbook.

Tributee: Hoagy Carmichael. Personnel: Shannon Forsell (vocals); PJ Yinger (ukulele, trumpet); Rob Dixon (saxophone); P.J. Yinger (trumpet); Zach Lapidus (piano); Greg Artry (drums).

The Nearness Of You

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The Four Lads - Breezin' Along

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 30:57
Size: 72.2 MB
Styles: Harmony vocal group, Easy Listening
Year: 1958/2010
Art: Front

[2:13] 1. Breezin' Along With The Breeze
[2:40] 2. That Old Feeling
[2:11] 3. Swingin' Down The Lane
[2:12] 4. Someone Like You
[2:17] 5. You Were Meant For Me
[2:19] 6. Hit The Road To Dreamland
[2:25] 7. Long Ago (And Far Away)
[2:57] 8. That's My Desire
[2:56] 9. Someone To Watch Over Me
[3:17] 10. You May Not Be An Angel
[2:38] 11. Come To Me
[2:47] 12. A Lovely Way To Spend An Evening

Breezin' Along was an LP album by The Four Lads released by Columbia Records as catalog number CL 1223 (monaural) and CS 8035 (stereo) in 1958, containing mostly popular standard songs. The Four Lads were backed by Ray Ellis' orchestra.

Baritone Vocals – Frank Busseri; Bass Vocals – Connie Codarini; Tenor Vocals [2nd] – Jimmy Arnold ; Tenor Vocals [Lead] – Bernie Toorish.

Breezin' Along

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Molly Ringwald - Except Sometimes

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:21
Size: 99,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:49)  1. Sooner Or Later
(4:44)  2. I Get Along Without You Very Well (Except Sometimes)
(4:12)  3. I Believe In You
(3:56)  4. I'll Take Romance
(4:42)  5. The Very Thought Of You
(2:41)  6. Exactly Like You
(4:51)  7. Where Is Love?
(2:02)  8. Pick Yourself Up
(6:30)  9. Ballad Of The Sad Young Men
(4:51) 10. Don't You (Forget About Me)

Well, of course Molly Ringwald was going to sing "Don't You (Forget About Me)" on her 2013 singing debut Except Sometimes -- it provides the hook to draw the curious into the fold, to bring in listeners who may otherwise have never paid attention to another album of an actor singing standards. And, in most regards, Except Sometimes is indeed another album of actors singing standards, distinguished by a more-adventurous-than-usual selection of songs (Ringwald has good taste and an aversion to shopworn warhorses) and a nicely intimate vibe, suggesting a comfortable, brightly lit nightclub where smoking was prohibited long, long ago. Apart from "Don't You (Forget About Me)," there are no radical rearrangements here, so what carries the day is that sweet, softly swinging feel, as Ringwald is a game but limited singer, hampered slightly by her thin, airless voice. Certainly, she seems to be enjoying herself but she also seems overly concerned with hitting her marks; her phrasing is precise and mannered, contradicting the otherwise relaxed vibes of the record. If Ringwald wasn't well-known, odds are Except Sometimes would never have shown up on a major label, but that's no reason to hate it: it's too cheerful and slight to inspire hate. It's merely a pleasant curiosity, one that seems like you've heard it before. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine  

http://www.allmusic.com/album/except%A6-sometimes-mw0002482713

Except Sometimes

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Oli Silk - All We Need

Styles: Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:02
Size: 120,0 MB
Art: Front + Back

(3:31)  1. All We Need
(5:36)  2. Tokyo
(5:21)  3. Don't Know About Love
(5:41)  4. L.A to London: The Return Journey
(5:48)  5. Latin Haze
(4:39)  6. Ahead of The Weather
(3:29)  7. Get Out Claws
(5:12)  8. Bring Back Those Days
(6:29)  9. Just an Allusion
(6:12) 10. Lay Back and Think of England

On his third solo album, All We Need, British keyboardist Oli Silk continues to fulfill the demands of the smooth jazz genre without displaying much innovative capacity. Drummer Oscar Seaton and bassists Mark Jaimes and Dwayne Smith set up percolating rhythm tracks, over which Silk solos easily on acoustic piano and/or electric keyboards, although "pleasant noodling" would be an equally accurate description. There is the de rigueur vocal track for radio, "Didn't Know About Love," and the expected Latin variation, "Latin Haze," on which Jaimes plays acoustic guitar; someone speaks in Spanish; and Joe Beckett provides some Latin percussion. Jaimes gets to use his electric guitar on "L.A. to London: The Return Journey" and the unfortunately titled "Lay Back and Think of England," while horn players Cindy Bradley and Gary Honor get look-ins on "Tokyo" and "Ahead of the Weather." The most characteristic track may be "Bring Back Those Days," which alludes to the smooth jazz affection for ‘70s R&B, as singers Rebeca Vega Felipe and Shannon Pearson repeat a chorus beginning, "Feels like an old-school jam." Throughout, Silk tinkles along agreeably, creating a near-generic example of the smooth jazz field. ~ William Ruhlmann  

http://www.allmusic.com/album/all-we-need-mw0002022706

All We Need

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Grover Washington Jr. - Time Out Of Mind

Styles: Jazz
Year: 1989
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:01
Size: 129,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:40)  1. Jamaica
(3:53)  2. Gramercy Park
(5:38)  3. Sacred Kind Of Love
(5:18)  4. Brand New Age
(5:28)  5. Fly Away
(4:25)  6. Don't Take Your Love From Me
(5:02)  7. Time Out Of Mind
(4:26)  8. Split Second
(6:02)  9. Nice-N-Easy
(5:06) 10. Unspoken Love
(5:58) 11. Protect The Dream

One of the most electrified of Grover Washington, Jr.'s albums, this Columbia set features the popular saxophonist (who plays soprano, alto and tenor) joined by oversized rhythm sections and plenty of keyboards on a variety of funky and danceable material. The pacesetter among R&B-ish saxmen is actually in fine form. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/time-out-of-mind-mw0000653825

Personnel: Grover Washington, Jr. (soprano, alto, tenor & baritone saxophones); Phyllis Hyman (vocals); Ronnie Foster, Bill Jolly (various instruments); Philip Woo, Donald Robinson, Sid Simmons (keyboards); Randy Bowland, Richard Lee Steacker (guitar); Gerald Veasley (bass, programming);

Time Out Of Mind

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