Shawn Maxwell - Urban Vigilante

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 64:26
Size: 147.5 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[5:43] 1. Monster Shoes
[5:14] 2. Yo Gabba Blues
[7:16] 3. Urban Vigilante
[4:52] 4. Starscream
[6:08] 5. Boots
[6:27] 6. Charlie Work
[5:02] 7. Big Hurt
[5:55] 8. Beyond Infinity
[9:36] 9. The Sixth
[4:52] 10. Juggernaut
[3:17] 11. Special Order

"Invariably, mention is made of Shawn Maxwell's tone. It has invited comparisons to Kenny Garrett's, Jackie McLean's or Art Pepper's. On his Urban Vigilante performance, intimations of Phil Woods appear as well. In the end, the comparisons represent unsatisfactory attempts to describe Maxwell's distinctive, burly sound, certainly not sweet like Desmond's or Konitz's, and yet still fully expressive with a slight vibrato, undulating dynamics and extensions of notes for their full value... Maxwell leads a cohesive, exhilarating quartet of musicians equally inspired by the possibilities presented while they perform. Bassist Bob Lovecchio's vamp establishes the atmosphere for "Charlie Work," which veers between minor and major roots, and between abrupt stops and starts. And drummer Brandon Dickert creates the initial tension of "Special Order" with an extended solo that leads, after its end, into a bass and piano undercurrent roiling Maxwell's melody of long tones stretching over the streaming rhythm as volume builds and then fades... to silence. But the group's mutual support and unity of purpose combine to create separate overall moods for each of the tracks. The mysteriousness of the metrically tricky "Monster Shoes," accentuated by the minimization of Nelson's chords and the clip-clopping of Dickert's propulsion, contrasts with ethereal float of "Beyond Infinity," a reference to Buzz Lightyear's exclamation. Maxwell's quartet does have a lot of fun with the concept and with the music... The group's cohesiveness, the intriguing compositions and Maxwell's always appealing sound invite attention and enjoyment." ~ Bill Donaldson, Cadence Magazine

Shawn Maxwell - alto saxophone; Matt Nelson - piano; Bob Lovecchio - bass; Brandon Dickert - drums. Recorded 3/13 & 3/20/2011.

Urban Vigilante

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Kenny Garrett - Pushing The World Away

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 70:12
Size: 160.7 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[3:43] 1. A Side Order Of Hijiki
[6:03] 2. Hey, Chick
[7:45] 3. Chucho's Mambo
[6:26] 4. Lincoln Center
[4:52] 5. J'ouvert (Homage To Sonny Rollins)
[4:57] 6. That's It
[4:29] 7. I Say A Little Prayer
[8:06] 8. Pushing The World Away
[4:42] 9. Homma San
[5:52] 10. Brother Brown
[7:49] 11. Alpha Man
[5:22] 12. Rotation

On Kenny Garret's third album for Mack Avenue Records he explores many terrains. He uses two different pianists in Vernell Brown and Benito Gonzalez, bassist Corcoran Holt, drummers Marcus Baylor, McClenty Hunter, and Mark Whitfield, Jr., as well as a string quartet on "Brother Brown" (on which Garrett appropriately takes over on piano.) All but one of these 12 tunes offer sophisticated evidence of his own journey through the jazz lineage and his pushing at the margins of post-bop. There is a deep reliance on melody and singing through his horns, even when things get musically complex as they do on the title track in which he explores modal and Eastern musical terrains on his soprano. Quotes from Coltrane's "My Favorite Things" are in his solo, but so are moments of Eastern harmony, underscored by Brown's fat chords, wrangling arpeggios, and open-framed statements. There are also a pair of throaty vocal chants by him and the pianist -- his own Christian, the latter Buddhist -- commingling seamlessly to directly point at the spiritual nature inside the tune. Several other numbers offer overt nods to his forebears, collaborators, and influences. "Hey, Chick," with its Moorish-cum-flamenco vibe, evokes themes that Chick Corea explored potently on My Spanish Heart. "Chucho's Mambo," with its rumbero and son vibe, is a direct nod to pianist Chucho Valdes and also features trumpeter Ravi Best and percussionist Rudy Bird (in one of several appearances). "J'Ouvert" is subtitled "Homage to Sonny Rollins" and takes its cue from the saxophone colossus' use of calypso rhythms, cadences, and lyric themes. "A Side Order of Hijiki" doesn't refer to the Japanese culinary seaweed of its title, but the manner of his own playing as described by the late Mulgrew Miller. It is a driving post-bop jam, with sharp ostinatos by Gonzalez and a thrumming, furious bassline by Holt. A noticeable surprise is the inclusion of Burt Bacharach's and Hal David's "I Say a Little Prayer for You," with a subtle Latin framework that otherwise follows the arrangement written for Dionne Warwick. This is Garrett at his most songlike, and his most direct attempt on the album at communicating melodically; as in the past, it also reveals the deep, early influence of Junior Walker on his playing. Pushing the World Away is a wildly diverse offering for Garrett. What it doesn't reveal in swing it does in intricacies, shadows, impressive arrangements, and striking musicianship. ~ Thom Jurek.

Pushing The World Away

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Herb Ellis - Thank You, Charlie Christian

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 36:44
Size: 84.1 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 1960/2004
Art: Front

[3:16] 1. Pickley Wickly
[2:51] 2. I Told You I Loved You, Now Get Out
[4:40] 3. Cook One
[4:16] 4. Karin
[2:50] 5. Cherry Kijafa
[7:36] 6. Thank You, Charlie Christian
[2:46] 7. Alexander's Ragtime Band
[2:53] 8. Lemon Twist
[3:33] 9. Everything's Pat
[1:58] 10. Workin' With The Truth

Thank You Charlie Christian pays homage to the legendary jazz guitarist in a manner most appropriate to an innovator of his stature -- rather than merely imitate that which is inimitable, Herb Ellis channels the imagination and expressiveness of his hero to create a lean, mean sound far more forward-thinking than nostalgic. Like Christian, Ellis favors feeling over flash and economy over excess -- paired here with pianist Frank Strazzari, bassist Chuck Berghofer, cellist Harry Babasin and drummer Kenny Hume, he creates a series of compact and determinedly contemporary bop snapshots in vivid Technicolor, not the black-and-white of a bygone era. A beautiful and heartfelt record that draws from the past but refuses to live in it. ~Jason Ankeny

Thank You, Charlie Christian

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Tina May - One Fine Day

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 47:24
Size: 108.5 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz vocals
Year: 2000
Art: Front

[4:59] 1. Pure Imagination
[3:49] 2. One Fine Day
[5:51] 3. Make Someone Happy
[5:26] 4. I'll Be Seeing You
[3:57] 5. Bop `til You Drop (Bop People)
[6:56] 6. Spring Is Here
[3:48] 7. 's Wonderful
[2:11] 8. The Vain Desire
[4:25] 9. The Aerialist
[5:58] 10. Whaley Whaley

On the jazz scene for more than 15 years, Tina May is one of UK's premiere jazz vocal virtuosos. In a country which can boast of important contributors to the art of jazz vocalizing, this is not faint praise. Along with Carol Kidd, Claire Martin, Annie Ross and British diva, Norma Winstone, among others, May has become a major mainstay of contemporary jazz singing. Having the reputation of "doing it her way," May looks to a wide variety of sources for the material she records, including jazz standards, originals, ethnic material and contemporary pop/rock. May is also comfortable with a variety of singing styles making her a complete jazz singer. She is at ease with vocalese, cabaret, improvisation, etc., possessing a delightful, pure English voice which fits very nicely with the material she works with. That One Fine Day is her seventh album for England's 33Jazz label testifies to her success in the way she approaches the music. ~Dave Nathan

Tina May - Vocals; Nikki lles-Piano; Alan Barnes-Saxophones/Clarinet; Mick Hutton-Bass; Simon Morton-Drums

One Fine Day

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Armik - Cafe Romantico

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 52:30
Size: 120.2 MB
Styles: Easy Listening, Acoustic guitar jazz
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[5:00] 1. Lover's Moon
[5:13] 2. Cafe Romantico
[5:00] 3. Rain Drops
[4:55] 4. Sweet Dreams
[4:58] 5. Madrid
[5:05] 6. Lyceros
[4:55] 7. La Luna De Seville
[5:09] 8. Gypsy Romance
[4:39] 9. Puerto De Malaga
[4:58] 10. Tonight With You
[2:32] 11. Guitar Passion

While never receiving the notoriety of Ottmar Liebert, the primary conveyor of the hip, sassy and romantic nuevo flamenco style, this acoustic guitar stylist has quietly built a bestselling indie catalog with five releases. All including the new one have a similar packaging style, with gorgeous, exotic paintings and romantic-themed titles. Cafe Romantico also follows the established musical pattern for the most part, blending gorgeous ballads, loping seductions and zippy, fiery Latin pieces while complementing his numerous custom guitars with lush keyboard atmospheres and romantic accordion harmonies and solos. Despite the variety, all of these cuts seem perfectly designed to first accompany a meal at a trendy European café and then inspire an evening of close, sexy dancing. The nicest surprise on the disc -- a Santana-like electric guitar intro segment on the opening track "Lover's Moon" -- doesn't last long, but there are numerous other charms along the way. The title cut has a sweet, starry-eyed way about it, while "Rain Drops" is handclapping and danceable. These early tracks set the tone for a set of engaging tunes which show off Armik's ability to both seduce with great melodies and excite with lightning fast nylon string solos over a wide range of Latin and Spanish grooves. ~Jonathan Widran

Cafe Romantico

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New York Trio - Venus Favourites

Styles: Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 79:46
Size: 182,6 MB
Art: Front

(6:45)  1. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
(4:46)  2. There's A Small Hotel
(6:38)  3. The Things We Did Last Summer
(4:01)  4. Have You Met Miss Jones
(5:57)  5. In A Sentimental Mood
(5:03)  6. Can't Help Loving Dat Man
(4:49)  7. Change Partners
(4:54)  8. The Shadow Of Your Smile
(5:36)  9. Stairway To The Stars
(7:18) 10. The Man I Love
(4:16) 11. That's For Me
(5:20) 12. Always
(4:46) 13. Jump For Joy
(5:46) 14. Cheek To Cheek
(3:48) 15. They Say It's Wonderful

Also known as the New York Jazz Trio, this combo is a studio-only group who specialize in recording classic standards in a straightforward, post-bop style. The New York Trio features three gifted musicians who are firmly established on the East Coast jazz scene. Pianist Bill Charlap is a member of the Phil Woods Quintet, has accompanied the likes of Tony Bennett, Benny Carter, and Gerry Mulligan, and has recorded a handful of well-received albums for Blue Note as a bandleader. Bassist Jay Leonhart has recorded as a headliner since 1983, while also making a name for himself as a vocalist and songwriter as well as backing up Marian McPartland, Louie Bellson, Lee Konitz, and many others. And drummer Bill Stewart had handled demanding gigs with a variety of musicians, including jazz guitarist John Scofield, funky sax man Maceo Parker and R&B legend James Brown. In 2001, Charlap, Leonhart, and Stewart teamed up in the studio to cut the album Blues in the Night for the Venus Jazz label; featuring leisurely but heartfelt interpretations of eight classic melodies, the album was well-received by fans of classic jazz. Seven similar collections have been recorded by the trio for Japanese jazz labels. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/new-york-trio-mn0000393325/biography

Venus Favourites

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Oscar Peterson - The Soul Of Oscar Peterson - CD1 And CD2

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:36 (CD1)
Size: 175,4 MB (CD1)
Time: 74:33 (CD2)
Size: 170,7 MB (CD2)
Art: Front

CD1

( 8:26)  1. Carnegie Blues
( 3:25)  2. My Heart Stood Still
( 2:51)  3. Debut
( 3:09)  4. Little White Lies
( 2:51)  5. Salute To Garner
( 3:13)  6. Love For Sale
( 3:21)  7. Willow Weep For Me
(12:01)  8. The Astaire Blues
( 2:52)  9. Night And Day
(13:29) 10. Funky Blues
( 7:48) 11. Just You, Just Me
( 3:14) 12. It Ain't Necessarily So
( 3:03) 13. Blue Skies
( 6:47) 14. Tea For Two

CD2

(5:02)  1. 7 Come 11
(5:02)  2. Tenderly
(2:57)  3. Carioca
(2:17)  4. Over The Rainbow
(4:43)  5. Pompton Turnpike
(3:37)  6. Surrey With The Fringe On Top
(3:34)  7. Blues For Basie
(8:11)  8. Love You Madly
(2:35)  9. Love Me Or Leave Me
(8:16) 10. Desert Sands
(3:55) 11. The Man I Love
(1:58) 12. Goody Goody
(3:59) 13. When Lights Are Low
(7:37) 14. I Want To Be Happy
(2:41) 15. What's New
(8:03) 16. Soulville

Watch this remarkable new high quality 2CD incl. rare information and pictures celebrating the history of great jazz legends! Oscar Peterson died at the age of 82.
During an illustrious career spanning seven decades, Peterson played with some of the biggest names in jazz, including Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie and Dizzy Gillespie. He is also remembered for touring in a trio with Ray Brown on bass and Herb Ellis on guitar in the 1950s. Peterson's impressive collection of awards include all of Canada's highest honors, such as the Order of Canada, as well as a Lifetime Grammy and a spot in the International Jazz Hall of Fame. His growing stature was reflected in the admiration of his peers. Duke Ellington referred to him as "Maharajah of the keyboard," while Count Basie once said "Oscar Peterson plays the best ivory box I've ever heard."(http://www.bhm-music.de/bhm/en/catalog.php?bhm_releasesPage=5&PHPSESSID=01e123eeac2ff603deead1192f7975b7)

The Soul Of Oscar Peterson - CD1

The Soul Of Oscar Peterson - CD2

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The Ralph Sharon Sextet - Around The World In Jazz

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 33:34
Size: 76.9 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 1957/2010
Art: Front

[3:03] 1. Tipperary Fairy
[3:33] 2. Strictly Occidental
[3:13] 3. Ask An Alaskan
[2:58] 4. Blue In Peru
[3:05] 5. Prettily Italy
[3:05] 6. Piccadilly Panic
[2:54] 7. Sorta Spanish
[2:49] 8. Parisienne Eyeful
[2:54] 9. Stateside Static (Original)
[2:38] 10. Hassle In Havana
[3:16] 11. Gibraltar Rock

Ralph Sharon made his professional debut with Ted Heath in 1946, then moved on to Frank Weir's orchestra before leading his own sextet. He moved to the U.S. in 1953, where he initially worked as an accompanist to Chris Connor. In 1957, he became musical director and pianist for Tony Bennett. He acquired American citizenship in 1958. In 1965, he and Bennett split up, but they got back together in 1979 and have played together since. Sharon has also led various groups and made many recordings as a leader. ~William Ruhlmann

Pianist Ralph Sharon's Sextet features Lucky Thompson on tenor sax, Eddie Costa on vibes, Joe Puma on guitar, Oscar Pettiford on bass, and Osie Johnson on drums.

Recorded in NYC, 1957.

Around The World In Jazz

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Ellyn Rucker - Now

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 71:09
Size: 162.9 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2003
Art: Front

[ 5:33] 1. Now
[ 3:34] 2. Can't Get Out Of This Mood
[ 5:33] 3. Now
[ 7:02] 4. Strollin'
[ 5:06] 5. With You In Mind
[ 5:28] 6. Estate (Summer Passed)
[ 5:07] 7. Stockholm Sweetnin'
[ 5:32] 8. The Heather On The Hill
[ 6:25] 9. Last Resort
[10:52] 10. Useless Landscape Moon And Sand
[ 2:35] 11. The Best Thing For You
[ 2:09] 12. Lucky To Be Me
[ 6:07] 13. Here

Not many people can get away with putting two 5/4 bossa novas into a single program, but pianist and singer Ellyn Rucker has always done things just a bit differently. On her fifth album as a leader she steers clear of the usual repertoire of jazz standards, instead selecting a winning program of more obscure material both new and old, though a number of the songs and tunes were written by such familiar names as Horace Silver (the vocal version of "Strollin'"), Quincy Jones ("Stockholm Sweetnin'"), Ron Carter ("Last Resort"), and Irving Berlin ("Best Thing for You"). The arrangements call for a shifting complement of sidemen; her cool and lovely rendition of "Stockholm Sweetnin'" is performed by a standard quartet that includes alto saxophonist Rich Chiaraluce, while she handles Leonard Bernstein' s "Lucky to Be Me" all alone, singing and accompanying herself on piano. Rucker is an expert and charming singer, but for some reason this album's highlights tend to come on the instrumental numbers: her duo arrangement (with the exquisitely tasteful bassist Dave Young) of Lerner & Loewe's "Heather on the Hill" is simply gorgeous, as is her simple trio take on "Last Resort." And she effectively treads the fine line between excessive rhythmic looseness and effortless swing on those two 5/4 bossas, both of which could probably have done without the additional vocal contributions of their male composer. Recommended. ~ Rick Anderson

Recorded at Greywood Studios, Denver, Colorado, March 2001.

Ellyn Rucker (vocals, piano); David Mackay (vocals); Mark Rose (soprano & tenor saxophone); Rich Chiaraluce (alto & tenor saxophone); Pete Sommer (tenor saxophone); Ron Satterfield (synthesizer); Mitchell Long (guitar); Dave Young (bass, percussion); Claudio Slon, Paul Romaine (drums).

Now

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Joao Donato & Paulo Moura - Dois Panos Para Manga

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 48:06
Size: 110.1 MB
Styles: Brazilian jazz
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[5:16] 1. A Saudade Mata A Gente
[5:01] 2. On A Slow Boat To China
[4:31] 3. Swanee
[5:37] 4. Copacabana
[4:33] 5. Tenderly
[4:36] 6. That Old Black Magic
[7:56] 7. Minha Saudade
[4:36] 8. Pixinguinha No Arpoador
[5:56] 9. Sopapo

During a party at TV director Carlos Manga’s home, João Donato and Paulo Moura decided to work together and to issue a record in which they, for the first time, performed as a duo. It was Manga´s birthday and, while having a few drinks, the host asked them to play some of the themes which had once delighted the members of the Sinatra-Farney Fan Club in the auditions that were performed during the decade of the 50ies. The Murray Stores, in downtown Rio were then the meeting point for samba and jazz buffs, and such meetings have been regarded by many as the origin of Bossa Nova. During hours, and inspired by so many memories, Donato and Moura presented before a distinguished group of guests some of the songs mostly requested during those anthological auditions. And that is precisely the core of the repertory of “Dois panos para Manga”, based on the sentimental remembrances of João and Paulo, with some hints from Manga. “He even sang a few tunes with his tenor voice and managed to improvise in certain passages while we were playing our favorite songs from that period”, remembers Donato. “Carlos Manga was the president of the Sinatra-Farney Fan Club and its driving force”, recalls Moura. The interaction between performers and repertory was so intense that this album was recorded in less than a week, in February last, at the AR studio, with the only presence of Paulo’s clarinet and Donato’s piano. The repertory includes seven classics and two new songs composed by them expressly for this album: "Pixinguinha no Arpoador", and "Sopapo". Among the jazz classics - favorites of the Fan Club members – are “In a slow boat to China”, (Frank Loesser); “Swanee” (George and Ira Gershwin); “That old black magic” (Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer), as a tribute to Sinatra; and “Tenderly” (Walter Gross and Jack Lawrence), one of Nat King Cole’s greatest hits. In the Brazilian repertory, there are two re-creations of songs composed by Braguinha (João de Barro) that were great hits during the 40ies: “A saudade mata a gente”, in partnership with Antonio Almeida, and “Copacabana”, written together with Alberto Ribeiro. Also included are “Minha saudade”, by Donato and João Gilberto, and that has a special meaning to Paulo: “This was the first song in Bossa Nova format that I came across. I included it in first record. It probably was that music's first recording”, reports Paulo. The new songs, composed after the party in Manga’s home (not by chance located in Dick Farney Street, in Barra da Tijuca), reflect the influence of this repertory's earlier ones. "Pixinguinha no Arpoador", contains passages with themes recurrent in Brazilian and international songs. “My inspiration came after visiting Paulo at his home and having played a few chords. He asked what those chords were and I answered that they were nothing, but in reality they were the first notes of ‘Carinhoso’. We kept on playing until it turned out to be a samba canção (samba with lyrics) somewhat resembling also “La vie en rose”, explains Donato. On that same day, “Sopapo” was written. Paulo gave it that name. “Sopapo is the name of a drum from the Pelotas region, state of Rio Grande do Sul, one of which was given to me as a present by percussionist Giba-Giba”. Coincidently or not, Pelotas is the native town of Ivone Belém, João’s wife, who together with Halina Grymberg, Paulo’s wife, is in charge of the executive production of this record. “Sopapo is a joyful theme that appeals to any child. Besides, joy is my favorite emotion”, concludes Donato. * “Dois panos para mangas” makes a pun with the Brazilian idiomatic expression “dar panos para a manga" (which means “a lot to be said”, "a lot to occur”,” a lot f things that may happen”, and / or similar meanings) and the family name of director Carlos Manga.

Dois Panos Para Manga

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Chantale Gagné - Wisdom of the Water

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:45
Size: 105,7 MB
Scans: Front

(7:06)  1. Wisdom of the Water
(6:35)  2. Over the Bridge
(5:29)  3. My Wild Irish Rose
(5:25)  4. Squinky Pete
(1:45)  5. Roseline
(6:12)  6. The Light We Need
(4:52)  7. Waking Dreams
(4:27)  8. I Shall Not Be Moved
(3:50)  9. Lullaby For Winter

In many ways, water is the ultimate life force. Approximately seventy percent of the Earth's surface is covered by water and more than half of the human body is made up of water. Perhaps, it was with this in mind that nature endowed water with a certain degree of logic in motion. Water often flows ever-forward in endless streams of beauty, creating deep ripples within the very fabric of its moving form, and the same can be said for much of the music that pianist Chantale Gagné creates on Wisdom Of The Water.
On this, her sophomore effort, Gagné has crafted a program that demonstrates her ample skills behind the piano, while highlighting her compositions, which balance accessible ideas with unique harmonic hues. The can't-miss rhythm team of drummer Lewis Nash and bassist Peter Washington that appeared on her debut Silent Strength (Self Produced, 2008) return for round two, providing just the right touches in all the right places. While Gagné was clearly happy with her rhythm men, she obviously wasn't content to repeat herself, and she chose to augment this ensemble with the addition of the inimitable Joe Locke on vibraphone.

Both Locke and Gagné give off a similar sense of emotional radiance, embodied by the warm cocoon of sound they create on tracks like "Over The Bridge" co-written by Locke and Gagné and "The Light We Need." A sense of longing lives in these pieces and Gagné proves to be masterful in the molding and shaping of her own creations. While Locke's presence is most impressive in these types of setting, he also proves to be an asset on more lively fare, like the squirrelly "Squinky Pete." Gagné and Locke deftly move through single note lines together before Nash and Washington launch into a swinging groove. Locke is his ever-impressive self during his solo spot, Gagné tosses off her spunkiest solo on the record, and Nash is given some room to let loose before the head returns.

While Gagné is clearly a competent soloist and expert musical architect, her gifts aren't limited to these two areas. She proves to be a solo pianist with great range, as demonstrated by her ability to move from reflection and rumination ("Lullaby For Winter") to rubato introductions for pseudo-saloon piano playing ("Roseline"), and she takes a keen interest in providing bassist Peter Washington with a platform that he so richly deserves. It's a far-too-frequent occurrence for bassists to be buried beneath the rest of the band, but Gagné gives Washington more than his fair share of solo space, and uses his cello-like pizzicato work to provide the introductory melody on "My Wild Irish Rose." Gagné's ability to showcase her own skills, while proving to be selfless in highlighting each member of the band, is telling.

From the first note to the last, Wisdom Of The Water presents the wisdom, warmth, passion and promise inherent within the work of up-and-comer Chantale Gagné.~ Dan Bilawsky http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=38707#.UlG82RDNn8p

Personnel: Chantale Gagné: piano; Joe Locke: vibraphone; Peter Washington: bass; Lewis Nash: drums.

Wisdom of the Water

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Judy Wexler - What I See

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:23
Size: 112,9 MB
Scans: Front

(6:30)  1. Tomorrow Is Another Day
(3:15)  2. The Moon Is Made of Gold
(4:17)  3. Convince Me
(4:46)  4. They Say It's Spring
(5:25)  5. A Certain Sadness
(5:11)  6. The Long Goodbye
(3:49)  7. Just for Now
(5:35)  8. Follow
(3:28)  9. Another Time, Another Place
(3:21) 10. A Kiss to Build a Dream On
(3:37) 11. Laughing at Life

Vocalist Judy Wexler is more than a mere singer of songs. She's an actress, mood painter, song archaeologist and vocalist par excellence, and those designations shouldn't be taken as independent virtues; they all merge in her marvelous musical pursuits.

When I See is Wexler's fourth album, but it only took two Easy On The Heart (Jazzopolis, 2005) and Dreams & Shadows (Jazzed Media, 2008)  to establish her as one of the most highly respected vocal artists on the West Coast. She furthered her sterling reputation with the all-encompassing Under A Painted Sky (Jazzed Media, 2011), and she's likely to do the same with this one; it's a real beaut.

What I See finds Wexler covering a lot of ground again, as she moves from Benny Carter to John Williams to King Pleasure. She's in familiar company, working with some longtime colleagues like multi-reedist Bob Sheppard, drummer Steve Hass and pianist/arranger Jeff Colella, but she continually avoids the familiar in all other aspects of her work; she doesn't radically reinterpret anything or purposely pounce on never-before-heard numbers, but she also doesn't tread over well-worn ground.

Wexler kicks off the album with a comfortably swinging take on Pleasure's "Tomorrow Is Another Day." Her reading of this better-things-are-on-the-horizon statement is neither depressed nor sunny; it's matter-of-factly honest about the topic at hand. A similar sense of clarity and truthfulness shines through on every number. Wexler's acting credentials no doubt help her in this regard, but it never sounds like she's acting. When Judy Wexler sings a song, it becomes her song and her story, period. She's more than convincing on "Convince Me," a slow jam-of-a-song if ever there was one, and her voice rises to the occasion on "The Moon Is Made Of Gold." The mere mention of spring on "They Say It's Spring" and "Just For Now" brings a blooming quality to her voice, and she carries "Follow" forward in her own inimitable fashion.

The A-list musicians that join Wexler on this journey also do their part to make this a magical listen. Sheppard is ever-impressive, delivering the goods on bass clarinet ("Tomorrow Is Another Day") and adding warmth with his alto flute ("A Certain Sadness"), and Ron Stout adds a touch of brass beauty to the proceedings ("The Moon Is Made Of Gold"). Colella and guitarist Larry Koonse match Wexler in the sensitivity department and prove to be the instrumental MVPs on the project.

What I See, much like Wexler's prior album, is a marvel of sincerity and beauty.~ Dan Bilawsky  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=45314#.UlHATRDNn8o

Personnel: Judy Wexler: vocals; Jeff Colella: piano; Larry Koonse: guitar, ukulele; Chris Colangelo; bass; Steve Hass: drums; Ron Stout: flugelhorn, trumpet; Bob Sheppard: bass clarinet, alto flute; Scott Whitfield: trombone; Billy Hulting: percussion.

What I See

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Chicago Jazz Orchestra - Burstin' Out! (feat. Cyrille Aimée)

Styles: Vocal

Year: 2013

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 57:45

Size: 131,8 MB

Scans: Front

(2:41)  1. What a Little Moonlight Can Do

(5:33)  2. September in the Rain

(4:39)  3. A Night in Tunisia

(4:49)  4. Sometimes I'm Happy

(5:33)  5. Dindi

(3:25)  6. Yardbird Suite

(4:42)  7. Easy Living

(3:18)  8. Cheek to Cheek

(7:18)  9. Long as You're Living

(5:34) 10. Them There Eyes

(5:35) 11. I'm Through with Love

(4:20) 12. It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)

Covering the Great American Songbook can be tricky, thankless work for a singer. The options for handling the material just aren't as numerous (i.e., nigh infinite) as they are for instrumentalists. Severely warping a melody, chopping it up or getting rid of it altogether work perfectly well if you're blowing through a horn. But such abstractions of voice can seem forced or simply too weird within a straight-ahead format. There's scatting, of course, and other forms of nonverbal vocalization, but they rarely score on the same level as instrumental solos, and they can turn stale or quaint-sounding pretty quickly.

Enter Cyrille Aimee. Over the course of the last several years, the French singer has established herself as one of the more innovative interpreters of this music. Her sound is classic, tinged with the exotic. Her vocals thrill with technical proficiency, yet don't lack emotional nuance. Yes, she scats (quite a bit, actually), but as a natural and very instrumental extension of her verbal singing. All her skills are on display here, allowing her to mix exceedingly well with the Chicago Jazz Orchestra . It's notable that track particulars list Aimée as a soloist like any other in the band. For while she certainly has a more prominent position in these performances than singers often did in the heyday of big band music, where they might come in for a verse or two at the end after the big-gun instrumentalists had had their say, this album is by no means simply an Aimée vehicle with CJO assigned to the boiler room. Through both its orchestrated sections and plentiful solo statements (pianist Dan Trudell is a particular standout) the band plays just as prominent a role as Aimée.

As the album's title suggests, the performances tend toward big, brash swing. Many of the arrangements come from the band's artistic director, Jeff Lindberg, though other band members lend a hand as well. Still other arrangements are adapted from the likes of Duke Ellington and Count Basie. Fans of Frank Sinatra's work with Antonio Carlos Jobim will be intrigued or distracted perhaps both by Lindberg's faithful use of Claus Ogerman's arrangement of "Dindi."

Aimée has recorded a handful of these songs before, albeit in smaller settings. And her approach certainly changes to adapt to the grander backing, her style a bit less free, more refined, with even some of her scatting dialed back to play as but another instrument in orchestrated section pieces. Again, group sound is emphasized over the individual. And all in all, CJO and Aimée have produced a compelling, highly enjoyable record a testament, of sorts, to the continuing power of straight-ahead big band jazz in the contemporary music world.~ Matt Marshall

 http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=45453#.UlHFShDNn8o

Personnel: Jeff Lindberg: artistic director, conductor; Charley Harrison: associate artistic director; Cyrille Aimée: vocals; John Wojciechowski: alto sax, flute; Bill Overton: alto sax; Scott Burns: tenor sax; Eric Schneider: tenor sax; Jerry DiMuzio: baritone sax, flute, alto flute; Danny Barber, Doug Scharf, Marquis Hill, Art Davis, Victor Garcia: trumpet, flugelhorn; Scott Bentall, Tom Garling, Kendall Moore, Andy Baker: trombone; Michael Young: bass trombone; Dan Trudell: piano, Fender Rhodes; Dennis Carroll: bass; George Fludas: drums; Charley Harrison: guitar; Lisha McDuff: flute, alto flute; Darlene Drew: flute, alto flute; Janice MacDonald: flute; Lyon Leifer: flute; Daniel Won: clarinet, bass clarinet; Jennifer Cappelli, Eugene Pazin: violin, co- concertmasters; Bernardo Arias, Karl Davies, Pauli Ewing, Roberta Freier, Katherine Hughes, Whun Kim, Betty Lewis, Carmen Llop Kassinger, James Sanders, Paul Zafer: violin; Patrick Brennan, Matthew Mantell, Cheryl Wilson: viola; Barbara Haffner, William Cernota, Jocelyn Davis-Beck, Edward Moore: violoncello; Robert Kassinger: double bass; Marcia Labella: harp; Steve Ramsdell: acoustic guitar; Rubén Alvarez: bongos, shaker.

Burstin' Out!

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The Jive Aces - Planet Jive

Styles: Jive, Swing

Label: Right Records

Released: 1999

File: mp3 @320K/s

Size: 106,7 MB

Time: 46:35

Art: full

1. Planet Jive - 3:52

2. Ride Ride Ride - 3:29

3. Spectator - 3:26

4. What Do I Tell My Heart? - 3:08

5. Aces Swing - 2:57

6. Think For Yourself - 4:05

7. When You Wish Upon a Star - 2:59

8. Blue Skies - 3:25

9. Anything You Wanna Be - 3:39

10. Imagination (or Something Else?) - 2:55

11. Ac-cent-tchu-ate The Positive - 3:59

12. Apprehend That Feline - 3:08

13. Junky Joe - 3:34

14. Return To Planet Jive - 1:52

The Jive Aces are:
Ian Clarkson – Vocals & Trumpet
Ken Smith – Double Bass
Vince Hurley – Piano
Peter Howell – Drums
John Fordham – Saxophone
Alex Douglas – Trombone

Notes: Having become the first ever band to reach the semi finals of Britain's Got Talent in 2012 following up with a performance for Her Majesty The Queen as part of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations and performances for both the Olympic and Paralympic celebrations, The Jive Aces have truly established themselves as the UK's top Jive & Swing band.
Together for over a decade, this extremely popular six piece group have performed at thousands of festivals, theatres and events throughout the UK, Europe and USA, as well as Japan, Israel, South Africa, Morrocco and the Caribbean, 30 countries in all. The Jive Aces are renowned for their high energy Jump Jive music (the exciting sound where Swing meets Rock ‘n Roll) and spectacular stage show.
Click here to see what people are saying about the Jive Aces.

Planet Jive

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Joe Turner - Big Joe Is Here

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 32:26
Size: 76.0 MB
Styles: R&B, Blues vocals
Year: 1959/2005
Art: Front

[2:19] 1. Wee Baby Blues
[2:03] 2. Rock A While
[2:48] 3. Baby I Still Want You
[2:46] 4. The Chill Is On
[2:41] 5. Poor Lover's Blues
[2:29] 6. Don't You Cry
[2:55] 7. Ti-Ri-Lee
[2:49] 8. Married Woman
[2:30] 9. Midnight Cannonball
[3:18] 10. I'll Never Stop Loving You
[3:17] 11. After My Laughter Came Tears
[2:24] 12. Bump Miss Susie

he premier blues shouter of the postwar era, Big Joe Turner's roar could rattle the very foundation of any gin joint he sang within -- and that's without a microphone. Turner was a resilient figure in the history of blues -- he effortlessly spanned boogie-woogie, jump blues, even the first wave of rock & roll, enjoying great success in each genre.

Turner, whose powerful physique certainly matched his vocal might, was a product of the swinging, wide-open Kansas City scene. Even in his teens, the big-boned Turner looked entirely mature enough to gain entry to various K.C. niteries. He ended up simultaneously tending bar and singing the blues before hooking up with boogie piano master Pete Johnson during the early '30s. Theirs was a partnership that would endure for 13 years. ~excerpt from bio by Bill Dahl.

Big Joe Is Here

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Lisa Ono - Soul & Bossa

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 31:52
Size: 73.0 MB
Styles: Bossa Nova
Year: 2007/2013
Art: Front

[2:59] 1. For Once In My Life
[3:59] 2. (Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay
[4:29] 3. You've Got A Friend
[2:40] 4. Family
[3:29] 5. Georgia On My Mind
[3:55] 6. I Got You (I Feel Good)
[3:58] 7. I Can't Stop Loving You
[2:55] 8. Unchain My Heart
[3:24] 9. What's Going On

The latest album from one of the hippest Bossa Nova performers in the world, Lisa Ono's "SOUL & BOSSA" is out and what a wonderful and pleasant album.For those not familiar with Lisa Ono, Lisa's roots on bossa nova music came at an early age with her father having a club in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. When the family moved to Japan, her father opened up a restaurant which featured bossa nova and samba music.

Having released many albums since 1989 in English, French and Portguese, her 2007 album "SOUL & BOSSA" features the artist singing covers of popular songs such as Carol King's "You've Got A Friend", Otis Redding's classic"(Sittin' on) The Dock of the Bay", Marvin Gaye's "What's Going on", Stevie Wonder's "Overjoyed", James Brown's "I Got You (I Feel Good)" and much more and giving them a bossa nova spin.

Her takes on songs such as the James Brown and Marvin Gaye classic turns out remarkably well. I just found the bossa nova interpretations of the classics on this album done to be remarkably done and gives a fresh dulcet interpretation at the songs that many of us enjoyed for so long. ~Dennis A. Amith/amazon

Soul & Bossa  

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Jim Rotondi & The Loop - Hard Hittin' At The Bird's Eye

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 79:05

Size: 181.0 MB

Styles: Trumpet jazz

Year: 2013

Art: Front

[10:34] 1. Summit Meeting

[10:07] 2. Higher Calling

[13:51] 3. Amsterdam After Dark

[13:58] 4. Cry Me A River

[ 8:13] 5. Blue Moon

[11:06] 6. The Loop

[11:15] 7. Love Walked In

Trumpeter Jim Rotondi's 2013 effort, Hard Hittin' at the Bird's Eye, features the jazz musician performing live in 2012 at the Bird's Eye Jazz Club in Basel, Switzerland. Joining Rotondi here are saxophonist Eric Alexander, organist Renato Chicco, and drummer Bernd Reiter. Anyone who is familiar with Rotondi and Alexander's solo albums or their work with the all-star band One for All will know just what kind of top-notch straight-ahead jazz to expect here. With a bent toward '60s hard bop, this swinging, bluesy, and often soulful acoustic jazz features adventurous soloing throughout. ~ Matt Collar

Recording information: The Bird's Eye Jazz Club, Basel, Switzerland (03/30/2012-03/31/2012).

Bernd Reiter (drums); Eric Alexander (tenor saxophone); Jim Rotondi (trumpet, flugelhorn); Renato Chicco (organ).

Hard Hittin' at the Bird's Eye

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Dinah Washington - Dinah Jams

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 61:17
Size: 140.3 MB
Styles: Blues-jazz vocals
Year: 1954/1990
Art: Front

[ 9:54] 1. Lover, Come Back To Me
[ 2:25] 2. Alone Together
[ 2:27] 3. Summertime
[ 2:29] 4. Come Rain Or Come Shine
[ 3:22] 5. No More
[ 5:26] 6. I've Got You Under My Skin
[ 2:15] 7. There Is No Greater Love
[11:08] 8. You Go To My Head
[ 5:14] 9. Darn That Dream
[ 4:47] 10. Crazy He Calls Me
[11:46] 11. I'll Remember April

DINAH JAMS is a specially imported, limited-edition reissue. All tracks have been digitally remastered (24-bit). Recorded in Los Angeles, California on August 14, 1954. All tracks have been digitally remastered. Recorded at the start of Dinah Washington's climb to fame, 1954's Dinah Jams was taped live in front of a studio audience in Los Angeles. While Washington is in top form throughout, effortlessly working her powerful, blues-based voice on both ballads and swingers, the cast of star soloists almost steals the show. In addition to drummer Max Roach, trumpeter Clifford Brown, and other members of Brown and Roach's band at the time -- tenor saxophonist Harold Land, pianist Richie Powell, and bassist George Morrow -- trumpeters Maynard Ferguson and Clark Terry, alto saxophonist Herb Geller, and pianist Junior Mance also contribute to the session. Along with extended jams like "Lover Come Back to Me," "You Go to My Head," and "I'll Remember April" -- all including a round of solos -- there are shorter ballad numbers such as "There Is No Greater Love" and "No More," the last of which features excellent muted, obbligato work by Brown. Other solo highlights include Land's fine tenor solo on "Darn That Dream" and Geller's alto statement on the disc's standout Washington vocal, "Crazy." And even though she's in the midst of these stellar soloists, Washington expertly works her supple voice throughout to remain the star attraction, even matching the insane, high-note solo blasts trumpeter Ferguson expectedly delivers. A fine disc. Newcomers, though, should start with more accessible and more vocal-centered Washington titles like The Swingin' Miss D or The Fats Waller Songbook, both of which feature top arrangements by Quincy Jones. ~ Stephen Cook

Dinah Washington (vocals); Herb Geller (alto saxophone); Harold Land (tenor saxophone); Clark Terry, Clifford Brown , Maynard Ferguson (trumpet); Junior Mance, Richie Powell (piano); Max Roach (drums).

Recording information: Los Angeles, CA (08/15/1954). Unknown Contributor Roles: Paul Ramey; Richard Seidel.

Dinah Jams

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Stephanie Nakasian - Dedicated To Lee Wiley

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:48
Size: 123,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:30)  1. Sweet & Lowdown
(3:51)  2. Stars Fell On Alabama
(2:44)  3. Oh, Look At Me Now
(3:38)  4. A Woman's Intuition
(2:43)  5. Down With Love
(4:01)  6. East Of The Sun
(3:41)  7. Don't Blame Me
(2:39)  8. Sugar
(3:22)  9. Ghost Of A Chance
(2:42) 10. Manhattan
(4:08) 11. A Hundred Years From Today
(2:44) 12. Down With Love
(2:19) 13. I've Got The World On A String
(2:42) 14. Stormy Weather
(3:14) 15. Come Rain Or Come Shine
(2:11) 16. My Shining Hour
(2:32) 17. I've Got A Right To Sing The Blues

Stephanie Nakasian is listed in the Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz as one of the world's leading jazz singers. She first came to international attention in the mid-80s when she sang and toured with the vocal jazz master Jon Hendricks and Company - her 'vocal jazz apprenticeship.

Since then, she has toured and recorded as a leader and with her partner and internationally acclaimed jazz pianist Hod O'Brien. Together with their daughter Veronica they make their home in Charlottesville, Virginia. Since 1980 Ms. Nakasian has been actively recording. Her debut album featured legendary saxophonist Phil Woods and received four stars from critic Leonard Feather. There are many jazz singers on the scene now. Hendricks chose her because of her hip, swinging rhythm. The Jim Cullum Jazz Band features her frequently on their internationally syndicated show "Riverwalk" portraying Lee Wiley, Peggy Lee, Helen Ward, Helen Humes, '20s singers and blues singers. Their reason - swing and authenticity. She portrayed herself on the show with Dick Hyman on tributes to composers Hoagy Carmichael and Walter Donaldson. The Richmond Times-Dispatch "compared her to Ella! and she deserves is." In Europe they have heard similarities to Sarah Vaughn. In New York, they heard early Margaret Whiting. Her clean, clear lovely tone is another reason for her popularity.

Some of Ms. Nakasian's concert appearances as a features performer include performances with Urbie Green, Pat Metheny, Bobby McFerrin, Milt Hinton, Clary Terry, J.R. Monterose, Joe Temperly, Scott Hamilton, Harry Allen, Sheila Jordan, Bob Dorough, Valery Ponomarev and (with Hendricks) Red Mitchell, Hank Jones, Philly Joe Jones, Roy Haynes, and Annie Ross to name a few. The final element which makes all this so exciting is her electric and personal stage persona - she does a world class vocal trombone imitation and she's fun to watch. It's exciting to be part of the experiment and spontaneous creativity of her art. This album is a sensational tribute to the great Lee Wiley, one of the mainstays of American vocal jazz. Nakasian is joined by an excellent combo including Hod O'Brien on piano, Dan Barrett on trombone, Spanky Davis on trumpet, Harry Allen on tenor sax, Allan Vache on clarinet, Michael Moore on bass, James Chirillo on guitar, and Jackie Williams on drums. http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=7968957&style=music&fulldesc=T

Personnel: Stephanie Nakasian (vocals); James Chirillo (guitar); Allan Vaché (clarinet); Harry Allen (tenor saxophone); Spanky Davis (trumpet); Dan Barrett (trombone); Hod O'Brien (piano); Jackie Williams (drums).

Dedicated To Lee Wiley

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The Everly Brothers - Born Yesterday

Styles: Pop/Rock
Year: 1986
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:26
Size: 101,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:20)  1. Amanda Ruth
(2:37)  2. I Know Love
(4:03)  3. Born Yesterday
(3:44)  4. These Shoes
(2:26)  5. Arms Of Mary
(3:11)  6. That Uncertain Feeling
(2:47)  7. Thinkin' 'Bout You
(4:46)  8. Why Worry
(4:00)  9. Abandoned Love
(4:40) 10. Don't Say Goodnight
(5:01) 11. Always Drive A Cadillac
(3:44) 12. You Send Me

The Everly Brothers (Isaac Donald "Don" Everly, born February 1, 1937, and Phillip "Phil" Everly, born January 19, 1939) are American country-influenced rock and roll singers, known for steel-string guitar playing and close harmony singing. The duo was elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986.

Don and Phil Everly are both guitarists and use vocal harmony mostly based on parallel thirds. With this, each line can often stand on its own as a melody line. This is in contrast to classic harmony lines which, while working well alongside the melody, are not as melodic by themselves.

For most of their recordings, Don sings the baritone part and Phil the tenor part. One exception is on "Devoted To You." Although Don is still low and Phil is high, they switch lead and harmony back and forth. (Also listen to "That's Old Fashioned", a 1962 #9 hit.) Don almost always sings any lines that are sung solo (for example, the verses of "Bye Bye Love"). Among the exceptions to this rule is the Everlys' 1965 single "It's All Over," where Phil sings the song's solo lines.

In the late 1950s, the Everly Brothers were the rock 'n' roll youth movement's addition to close harmony vocal groups of which many were family bands. Among the Everly's famous counterparts in country music were The Delmore Brothers, The Louvin Brothers, Jim & Jesse (McReynolds) and The Osborne Brothers.

The duo's harmony singing had a strong influence on rock groups of the 1960s. The Beatles, The Beach Boys and Simon & Garfunkel developed their early singing styles by performing Everly covers.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Everly_Brothers

 

Born Yesterday

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