Mike Field - Rush Mode

Styles: Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:30
Size: 108,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:33)  1. Rush Mode
(5:36)  2. Play for You
(5:12)  3. El Sótano
(6:23)  4. Red Eye Blues
(5:37)  5. Intersection
(6:01)  6. The Last of the Summer Days
(5:57)  7. Arizona Avenue
(4:04)  8. Balkan Swing
(4:04)  9. Streets of Santa Monica

The beauty of The Rex is that it’s very cleverly advertised, but not in the way of overt messaging. Rather, its allure lies in the cracked open window that aurally seduces passers-by with its whispers of jazzy music built upon years of promise. And once you resigned yourself to another temptation, you would have been treated to ocher-painted walls and a chandelier giving the stage a warm glow. The only thing missing were the ashtrays and smoky air, rendered obsolete by law.

On Oct. 6, 2013, trumpeter Mike Field was the latest fare to taste, giving jazz fans a wide open look at his latest CD, Rush Mode. Dressed in an open white shirt, single-breasted black jacket and slim fit pinstriped slacks, Field had the crowd eating out of his hand. It was evident that most of the crowd hadn’t just wandered in off the street that night, with the place so filled you could only find a seat or two if you didn’t mind being separated from your pack.

Field’s music selection was so varied and interesting, it was nigh impossible to remember one song as standing above another. “Attic Jump”, a peppy tune, featured Field playing his trumpet bright and snappily the way a good jazz trumpet should sound. It’s easy to lose yourself in jazz and forget how inherently difficult playing it can actually be, and a good musician keeps it that way for the entire song. When Field and Metcalfe worked together in combination, each snapping out individual notes that together created a seamless melody, Field had reached his mark.  http://www.mikefieldjazz.com/blog/item/117-rush-mode-cd-release-concert-review-in-the-examiner

Rush Mode

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Oscar Peterson Trio - With Respect To Nat

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 33:05

Size: 75.8 MB

Styles: Piano jazz

Year: 1965/2008

Art: Front

[2:17] 1. When My Sugar Walks Down The Street

[2:28] 2. It's Only A Paper Moon

[2:30] 3. Walkin' My Baby Back Home

[3:30] 4. Sweet Lorraine

[2:36] 5. Unforgettable

[2:34] 6. Little Girl Blue

[2:55] 7. Gee Baby, Ain't I Good To You

[2:11] 8. Orange Colored Sky

[2:25] 9. Straighten Up And Fly Right

[3:33] 10. Calypso Blues

[2:38] 11. What Can I Say After I Say I'm Sorry

[3:22] 12. Easy Listening Blues

This album is quite unusual. Recorded shortly after Nat King Cole's death, pianist Oscar Peterson takes vocals on all but one of the dozen selections, sounding almost exactly like Cole. Peterson, who rarely ever sang, is very effective on the well-rounded program, whether being backed by a big band (arranged by Manny Albam) on half of the selections or re-creating both the spirit of the Nat King Cole Trio and his own group of the late '50s during a reunion with guitarist Herb Ellis and bassist Ray Brown. ~Scott Yanow

With repect to Nat                              

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Don McLean - Addicted To Black

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 43:30
Size: 99.6 MB
Styles: Rock, Adult contemporary
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[4:22] 1. Addicted to Black
[5:51] 2. Run Diana Run
[2:46] 3. Beside Myself
[3:23] 4. Mary Lost a Ring
[2:41] 5. Lovers Love the Spring
[3:44] 6. Promise To Remember
[4:08] 7. The Three of Us
[3:42] 8. Shadowland
[4:58] 9. I Was Always Young
[3:38] 10. This is America (Eisenhower)
[4:12] 11. In a Museum

Don McLean is one of America's most enduring singer-songwriters and is forever associated with his classic hits 'American Pie' and 'Vincent (Starry Starry Night)'. Since first hitting the charts in 1971, Don has amassed over 40 gold and platinum records world-wide and, in 2004, was inducted into the Songwriters' Hall of Fame.

Addicted To Black is a new album of 11 original songs, excepting a co-write with one W. Shakespeare, and Don says this will be his last. On several tracks McLean adopts his morose side with lyrics about death and remembrance. "I don't know why I have this dark side to me," says McLean of the subject matter. "It's manifested itself in many of the songs that I've written. I'm not an unhappy person, I guess. Maybe I am. I don't know. But I do relate to people who have heartache." Appropriately, he even decorates the disc on the back cover with his first promotional photo, taken in 1964."I put it on there because that's the beginning and the song talks a lot about the end," says McLean. "I'm winding down. I'm doing my shows, and I don't know how many years I'll do that. And then I'll retire."

Don McLean (vocals, acoustic guitar, background vocals); Pat Severs (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, steel guitar, dobro); Mike Severs (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, ukulele, drums, keyboard programming); Hank Singer (fiddle); Mark Prentice (electric bass).

Addicted To Black

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Jimmy Raney - Featuring Bob Brookmeyer

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 34:20
Size: 78.6 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz, Post bop
Year: 1956/2006
Art: Front

[4:05] 1. Isn't It Romantic
[4:28] 2. How Long Has This Been Going On
[4:18] 3. No Male For Me
[4:09] 4. The Flag Is Up
[4:06] 5. Get Off That Roof
[4:02] 6. Jim's Tune
[4:55] 7. Nobody Else But Me
[4:15] 8. Too Late Now

Though Jimmy Raney recorded under his own name as early as 1953, this 1956 set is regarded as his arrival as a leader. Raney is as fine an arranger as he is a guitarist. These eight tracks with Bob Brookmeyer on trombone (another fine arranger in a soloist's role) shine with the ease and fluidity of the best of the cool sessions recorded at the dawn of hard bop. One of the finest examples of the interplay between Raney and Brookmeyer occurs at the beginning of the album's second track, "How Long Has This Been Going On?," where the pair engage in a brief contrapuntal dialogue before Brookmeyer solos on the melody and Raney gently fills the space behind him by whispering his chords and fills through the trombonist's phrasing, before taking his own solo and slipping an inverted harmonic pattern on the tune's lyric line. The pair re-engage about halfway through before Dick Katz solos on piano with a bluesy series of runs in the upper register. Raney's own tunes, such as "The Flag Is Up," are strident and swinging without losing the breezy cool feel . Raney's solo is a mix of bop phrasing and heated arpeggios that glide effortlessly into Katz's comping. Brookmeyer's "Get Off That Roof" is another swinging mini-opus that offers a new view of the trombonist as soloist. Hank Jones plays piano here and is stellar at creating a solid backdrop for both front-line players. This is as fine a set from the end of the cool jazz period as one is likely to hear. ~Thom Jurek

Recording information: New York, NY (07/23/1956-08/01/1956).

Jimmy Raney (guitar); Jimmy Raney; Teddy Kotick (bass guitar); Bob Brookmeyer (valve trombone); Dick Katz, Hank Jones (piano); Osie Johnson (drums).

Featuring Bob Brookmeyer

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Clare Teal & Grant Windsor - And So It Goes

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 47:25
Size: 108.6 MB
Styles: Easy Listening
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[3:18] 1. Dream A Little Dream Of Me
[3:20] 2. Skylark
[3:36] 3. Another Language
[3:24] 4. I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)
[3:57] 5. Stardust
[3:33] 6. In The Still Of The Night
[3:35] 7. Black Coffee
[4:29] 8. The Space I Leave For You
[5:26] 9. I'm A Fool To Want You
[4:03] 10. The Way You Look Tonight
[3:58] 11. Someone To Watch Over Me
[4:39] 12. And So It Goes

The latest Album by Clare Teal - 'And So It Goes' is yet another stunning product from the next Big Thing in UK Jazz! She has absolutely perfect intonation and the combination of her voice and the brilliant piano playing of Grant Windsor is a truly wonderful listening experience.

Clare is a consummate professional with a huge sense of humour and a soft heart. It comes across in this album of classic American songs. She just owns the tracks and does total justice to the writers and composers of the songs she sings. ~Rupert Kirkham/amazon

And So It Goes

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Joan Crowe - Bird on the Wire

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:20
Size: 106,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:22)  1. Fever/Caught a Touch of Your Love
(2:20)  2. Never- Never Land
(5:13)  3. Every Night I Sleep with an Angel
(3:21)  4. Boom Boom
(4:06)  5. The Way You Look Tonight
(3:00)  6. Petite Southern Woman
(6:14)  7. I Cover the Waterfront
(3:34)  8. I'm Only Sleeping
(2:14)  9. Everything
(4:06) 10. Me and Mrs. Jones
(4:35) 11. Twisted
(2:32) 12. Bird on the Wire
(1:36) 13. Ich bin von Kopf bis Fuss

Joan Crowe won the prestigious 2002 MAC Award, which is the cabaret industry's version of the Grammy or Academy Award. Crowe is a dynamic, witty, and unpredictable entertainer, and her debut album demonstrates these traits. Bird On The Wire has all the signs of a well-planned and executed cabaret album, rather than a jazz vocal session. The thirteen tracks display a fine sense of balance between reasonably fresh standards and songs from contemporary singer/songwriters, in addition to other surprises. Pianist/arranger Tedd Firth and bassist Jay Leonhart are among the supporting musicians.

The relative importance of improvisation on a jazz vocal album is usually an indication of its success. In the course of Bird On The Wire, Joan Crowe takes liberties with several songs, which I feel represents dramatic interpretation, not improvisation. She reinvents the rather famous, almost lethargic Leonard Cohen title tune as a gospel-type number with up-tempo horn riffs. As the song progresses, the pace picks up even more.
 

Crowe also presents a very dramatic rendition of the Philly soul classic "Me And Mrs. Jones" that is almost unrecognizable to anyone who may be fond of the original Billy Paul version. The Annie Ross lyrics to "Twisted" are half-spoken, and the catchy Wardell Gray melody line is barely discernable. The show tune and jazz classic "Never-Never Land," usually performed as a ballad or jazz waltz, is presented with a bouncy up-tempo treatment, which renders the intended lullaby-ish lyrics meaningless.

One gets the impression that all of the above issues play out in a positive way on the floor of a supper club or theatre stage. Unfortunately, the listener is left with only the audio portion of this scenario and must be able to disregard any feelings about previous versions of a particular song. We're not talking about Betty Carter reinventing "Surrey With The Fringe On Top" here. Rather, it would be that tune with either a tempo or melody change, or both.

Joan Crowe does in fact present many positive aspects on this album. The ballads "The Way You Look Tonight" and "I Cover The Waterfront" are given a first-class treatment and Tom Anderson's "Every Night I Sleep With An Angel" exemplifies a cabaret standard that is waiting for discovery by the general public. "I'm Only Sleeping" is an obscure Beatles tune set to a reggae feel, and "Boom Boom" shows Crowe's sense of humor. The album ends with her rendition of "Falling In Love Again" in German ("Ich Bin Von Kopf Bis Fuss"), in what must be a Marlene Dietrich tribute. ~ Michael P.Gladstone  

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=18894#.UlnUqxDFpEM

Personnel: Joan Crowe: vocals; Tedd Firth: piano; Jay Leonhart or Scott Neuman: bass; Justin Flynn: horns, clarinet; Mike Petit: Hammond organ; George Walker Petit: guitars, percussion, background vocals.

Bird on the Wire

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Harry Allen - Eu Não Quero Dançar - I Won't Dance

Styles: Latin, World
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:50
Size: 134,7 MB
Art: Front + Back

(5:23)  1. O Pato
(3:56)  2. Corcovado
(7:02)  3. Desafinado
(4:00)  4. Once I Loved
(4:01)  5. Time Is Standing Still
(6:07)  6. Meditation
(5:42)  7. No More Blues
(4:07)  8. Air
(5:22)  9. I Won't Dance
(3:09) 10. If You Never Come To Me (Inutil Paisagem)
(5:26) 11. Doralice
(4:30) 12. Retrato Em Branco Preto

There's a true universal appeal to Brazilian music. Somehow the exuberant lilting quality it possesses has an uplifting effect on music lovers everywhere. Maybe that's why there was an avalanche of bossa nova projects to appear in the '60s. Not to mention that Jobim has continued to sell records and have his classics performed by countless number of performers. Now, add to that list tenor saxophonist Harry Allen. One of many musicians to benefit from the rediscovery of "swing", Allen is immensely popular in Japan, where his cool Getz-influenced sound has become a viable commodity. By taking on the hip sound of the bossa nova, Allen is sure to captivate his fans abroad, while most likely gaining new ones here in the States.

Originally recorded for BMG Japan at the end of 1997, Eu Nao Quero Dancar (I Won't Dance) features 12 bossa performances, such as the familiar "O Pato", "Corcovado", and "Meditation". In addition, there's a few jazz standards, like the title track, that are given the Brazilian treatment and even a classical work by Bach puts on a new face via this tropical affair. Really inspired choices were made when choosing personnel, with Americans Larry Goldings on piano and Dennis Irwin on bass. Plus, guitarist and vocalist Dori Caymmi and Brazilian drum legend Duduka Da Fonseca are part of the line up too.

Not much further elaboration is really needed, as this is music for the heart and maybe a dance step or too. Allen, as previously stated, surely has done his homework in terms of knowing the resonance and melodic ingenuity of Stan Getz. Like his inspiration, Allen has the ability to approach a line with great logic and facility. And like the best of them, he makes it sound so much easier than it really is. For the final icing on the cake, Caymmi and Maucha Adnet add their sensuous Portuguese vocals on a few numbers. So turn down the lights, pour a glass of wine and get ready to bask in the warmth of Allen and company's "universal" sound.~ C.Andrew Hovan  

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=4303#.Ul3YuBDFrkc

Personnel: Harry Allen- tenor saxophone, Larry Goldings- piano, Dori Caymmi- acoustic guitar & vocals, Joe Cohn- electric guitar, Dennis Irwin- bass, Duduka Da Fonseca- drums & percussion, Maucha Adnet- vocals

Eu Não Quero Dançar - I Won't Dance

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George Kahn - Cover Up!

Styles: Straight-ahead/Mainstream
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:30
Size: 143,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:37)  1. Sunshine of Your Love
(5:20)  2. Wes' Coast
(3:47)  3. Mr. K. V.
(4:49)  4. Use Me
(5:25)  5. Eleanor Rigby
(6:41)  6. Mitchell's Blues
(6:50)  7. Cover Up!
(6:26)  8. Yesterday/Yesterdays
(6:03)  9. Comfortably Numb
(3:53) 10. Waiting on the World to Change
(7:34) 11. My Favorite Things

In the liner notes to Cover Up!, George Kahn discusses his goal of drawing upon the heritage of west coast jazz. For most people, this brings to mind Gerry Mulligan, Chet Baker, or the Lighthouse All Stars.

For Kahn, though, it means a particular way of portraying the popular songs of his youth tunes that fall outside the normal purview of jazz. On this disc, he provides graceful renditions of Eric Clapton, Pink Floyd, The Beatles, John Mayer, and Bill Withers. Hence, as jazz updates of rock covers, Cover Up! is a coherent project.

In spite of the title's other potential meaning, everything on Kahn's album is perfectly overt. This is perhaps its greatest link to west coast jazz, which moved away from the intellectualism of New York bebop Dizzy Gillespie is largely responsible for the field of jazz education, and Charlie Parker absorbed Stravinsky in addition to the blues.

Whether it's Bill Withers' "Use Me," which he plays according to the original recording, or the jazz standard "Yesterdays," which he spins unexpectedly out of the melody of the John Lennon's "Yesterday," Kahn presents music not as a set of cerebral enigmas, but as something fun for both the listener and the player. In this sense, he touches on the visceral pleasure that is usually connected to rock more than jazz.

The playing, very much in the jazz idiom, is strong throughout. Kahn surrounds himself with other highly competent Los Angeles musicians. The most stand-out name on the set is Alex Acuna, formerly the percussionist for Weather Report. The finest playing, though, comes from bassist Brian Bromberg, who acquits himself as nicely on the bass-heavy 70s sound of "Use Me" as he does in an eloquent high-register solo on "Sunshine of Your Love."

In improvisation, Kahn's tendency is towards modal playing, which doesn't wholly fit with the traditions of west coast jazz. On "Sunshine of Your Love," "Wes' Coast," and a John Coltrane-style "My Favorite Things," he draws heavily from the language of Miles Davis circa Kind of Blue (Columbia, 1959). "Wes' Coast," which Kahn explains as Wes Montgomery meets Miles Davis, draws equal parts from Davis' compositions "Milestones" and "So What." Although an excess of modal jazz can turn to an easy conceit, playing at length over such scales suits Kahn's voice: it is here that he sounds most urbane.

The strength of Cover Up! lies in its careful balance of originals, standards, and pop covers. With little alteration to the original recording, John Mayer's "Waiting On The World to Change" becomes a tasteful gospel appeal in the pianist's hands. But just as inspiring is the latin-beat "Mitchell's Blues," a wonderful, lively composition by Kahn, with great horn-work from Justo Almario and John Fumo. Throughout the album, Kahn uses breadth and accessibility to keep the listener thoroughly entertained. ~ Jay Deshpande  

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=31995#.UlmSaxDFpEM

Personnel: George Kahn: piano; Alex Acu

Cover Up!

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Dan Barrett - Dan Barrett's International Swing Party Vols 1 & 2

A bunch of international jazz cats that all seem to have gotten together through an association with Arbors Jazz get their passports stamped for a get together in various places in Germany to jam, taking a lot of jazz back to the root. The kind of players that really blossom in a live setting away from the show biz trappings of the record making process, nobody steps on anybody else’s toes and the playing is one of those rare treats throughout. A delightfully swinging pair of discs, available separately, you can jump in any place and have a fine time. Wonderful stuff that’s sure to give you that blissful smile of enjoyment as you just sink into the music and let it do it’s thing. Killer stuff throughout. ~Chris Spector

Duke Heitger (trumpet); Dan Barrett (trombone, head arrangements, vocals); Dan Block (alto sax, tenor sax, clarinet); Engelbert Wrobel (clarinet, soprano sax, tenor sax); Chris Hopkins (piano); Eddie Erickson (guitar, banjo, vocals); Nicki Parrott (bass, vocas); Butch Miles (drums); Bernard Flegar (drums, special guest.

Album: Dan Barrett's International Swing Party

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 76:46

Size: 175.8 MB

Styles: Swing

Year: 2001

Art: Front

[4:03] 1. Easy Street

[7:42] 2. Linger Awhile

[4:31] 3. 'tain't Me

[4:39] 4. I'm On My Way From You

[4:45] 5. Vic's Spot

[6:02] 6. The Lamp Is Low

[8:52] 7. I Double Dare You

[6:54] 8. What Is This Thing Called Love

[5:18] 9. Early Session Hop

[3:43] 10. Jumpin' Punkins

[9:15] 11. Hindustan

[6:41] 12. Esquire Bounce

[4:16] 13. Dream A Little Dream Of Me

International Swing Party 

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Album: Dan Barrett's International Swing Party Vol 2

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 67:33

Size: 154.7 MB

Styles: Swing

Year: 2012

Art: Front

[3:23] 1. Neal's Deal

[3:57] 2. Georgia Jubilee

[6:33] 3. Waste No Tears

[3:30] 4. Whoa Babe

[4:49] 5. Is You Is, Or Is You Ain't (Ma' Baby)

[4:32] 6. Cavernism

[5:19] 7. Absolutely, Positively

[5:15] 8. With 'em

[6:25] 9. One O'clock Jump

[4:41] 10. Montevideo (Bonus)

[6:03] 11. If I Had You (Bonus)

[6:53] 12. Sweet Sue (Bonus)

[6:08] 13. Hindustan (Bonus)

International Swing Party Vol 2

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Will Matthews - Count On Swingin'

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 45:07
Size: 103.3 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[3:01] 1. Count On Swingin'
[4:05] 2. Corner Pocket
[5:12] 3. Can't Help It
[4:40] 4. Mikayla's Song
[6:43] 5. The Grease
[4:19] 6. Where There's A Will
[4:03] 7. Soul Changes
[8:35] 8. Milestones (Old)
[4:25] 9. Up And At It

In 1996 Will Matthews joined the Count Basie Orchestra, taking over the chair of the late Freddie Green, who had been Basie's guitarist for decades. The unique role Greene played in the Basie band was more of a supportive musician, as he rarely soloed. But Matthews is an articulate soloist, sounding like a cross between George Benson and Mark Elf. His disciplined, staccato delivery comes at you full faced and unadorned, cutting through harmonic nuances to get to the flesh and bones of the changes. Scotch without the soda.

The operative word on this cut is tradition. Propelled along at a blistering pace by veteran organist Mel Rhyne, this satisfying quartet of Kansas City jazzmen make their money the old fashioned way — they swing it. In the tradition of Burrell and Montgomery, Matthews delivers a solid, straight-ahead performance on his D'Angelico. Rhyne, a seemingly immortal B3 icon, holds it all together while adding well-seasoned chops to the stew. A satisfying chorus from Blakely alumnus Bobby Watson brings the lively romp back to the head. For those who have become addicted to the guilty pleasure of a guitar/organ ensemble, this session is a welcome fix. ~Bill Barnes

Count On Swingin'

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Shakin' Stevens - The Collection

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 77:37
Size: 177.7 MB
Styles: Roots Rock, Rockabilly
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[3:04] 1. This Ole House
[3:12] 2. Cry Just A Little Bit
[2:44] 3. Lipstick, Powder And Paint
[3:10] 4. Green Door
[3:20] 5. A Love Worth Waiting For
[2:49] 6. What Do You Want To Make Those Eyes At Me For
[2:54] 7. Rockin' Good Way (To Mess Around And Fall In Love)
[2:44] 8. Marie, Marie
[3:55] 9. Teardrops
[3:22] 10. Turning Away
[2:50] 11. You Drive Me Crazy
[3:09] 12. A Letter To You
[2:33] 13. Oh Julie
[3:18] 14. Because I Love You
[2:35] 15. Hot Dog
[3:56] 16. Breaking Up My Heart
[3:15] 17. It's Raining
[2:47] 18. Shirley
[3:28] 19. A Little Boogie Woogie (In The Back Of My Mind)
[3:03] 20. Give Me Your Heart Tonight
[3:29] 21. Radio
[3:10] 22. I'll Be Satisfied
[2:59] 23. Feel The Need In Me
[2:01] 24. It's Late
[3:39] 25. Merry Christmas Everyone

While there may not be many Shakin Stevens fans left here at the dawn of the 21st century, there are perhaps enough to take great delight in this double-disc set that collects the British rockabilly artist's many singles -- there are 25 cuts on the CD -- and also includes a live performance DVD (with the UK import version only). Stevens burst onto the scene at the dawn of the 1980s performing a roots rock style that was in fact both dated and timeless. His readings of Dave Alvin's classic "Marie, Marie" (right after the Blasters' version tanked) and Stuart Hamblen's "This Ole House" became nearly definitive versions as he used his '50s warble combined with a full and rich baritone. Stevens could sing country, blues, R&B, and (of course) rockabilly with equal acumen, as this excellent collection bears out. There have been many compilations over the years, but none are this extensive or pervasive in covering his underappreciated career. The DVD included with the import version offers proof as to why Stevens sold out concert halls all over Europe and Japan. This is a dynamite find. ~Thom Jurek

The Collection

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Sarah Moule - A Lazy Kind Of Love

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 48:39
Size: 111.4 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[3:54] 1. A Lazy Kind Of Love
[3:24] 2. I Fall In Love Too Easily
[3:53] 3. It's Not Your Night
[4:13] 4. I Will Write Your Book
[3:33] 5. Secret Of Silence
[3:01] 6. Hyde Side Blues
[4:26] 7. I Was Lost
[3:20] 8. In A Matter Of Moments
[2:57] 9. Remind Me
[3:37] 10. Living In Overdrive
[2:18] 11. The Flowers And The Wine
[3:57] 12. Sounds Like Goodbye
[2:59] 13. Devil May Care
[3:00] 14. The Last Smoker

This is my third CD, the first two (It's A NIce Thought and Something's Gotta Give) having been released on Linn Records. But what with building our own studio and all we decided to put this one out ourselves. It's mainly Landesman & Wallace songs, but with a lyric contributed by Julie Burchill, a song from the Clive James/Pete Atkin canon, something by the maverick Joe Henry, and two jazz classics from Styne/Cahn and Dorough/Kirk. Together with my regular (but irregularly splendid) trio, Simon Wallace piano and Hammond, Mark Hodgson bass, Paul Robinson drums, we had some stellar guests - Alan Barnes on tenor sax, Alec Dankworth guesting on bass for a couple of numbers, Clive Bell on shakuhachi, Paul Clarvis on percussion, and Mike Outram on guitar. Simon produced and arranged as well as writing 10 of the tunes. ~SM

Not sure that Ms Moule's CD is a jazz album at all, for although the band boasts top guns like Alan Barnes and Mike Outram as well as occasional haunting colours from Clive Bell's shakuhachi, they are all deployed completely in the service of the songs by MD, pianist and organ player Simon Wallace, an absolute master of his craft. He can turn in those storytelling piano solos as well, check 'Remind Me'. Most of the material is from the growing canon of work by Wallace himself and that brilliantly sharp lyricist Fran Landesman, who specialises in wryly humorous appraisals of love and a certain kind of metropolitan angst - searching for chemical comfort, wondering why we're depressed - which peaks on the insinuatingly catchy 'Living In Overdrive'. Moule can actually strut, but you have to wait until track 10, Bob Dorough's 'Devil May Care' (boasting an insanely good bass solo from Alec Dankworth), for her to show it. So for once just forget about looking for jazz thrills and let the verbal intelligence, original tunes that you can actually remember and Sarah Moule's truly outstanding voice get under your skin. They certainly did mine. ~Brian Blain

A Lazy Kind Of Love

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Jimmy Dorsey - The Complete Standard Transcriptions

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 73:55
Size: 171.1 MB
Styles: Big Band, Swing
Year: 1999
Art: Front

[ 3:04] 1. Stop, Look and Listen
[ 3:00] 2. Tangerine
[ 3:16] 3. All of Me
[ 3:32] 4. On the Alamo
[ 3:14] 5. In a Little Spanish Town
[ 2:57] 6. Out of Nowhere
[ 3:29] 7. Green Eyes
[ 3:16] 8. Don’t Blame Me
[ 2:00] 9. Contrasts
[ 2:29] 10. A You’re Adorable
[ 2:30] 11. Everywhere You Go
[ 2:39] 12. Careless Hands
[ 2:40] 13. Bali Hai
[ 2:39] 14. Some Enchanted Evening
[ 2:40] 15. Always True to You In My Fashion
[ 2:39] 16. Once and for Always
[ 3:14] 17. Similau
[24:29] 18. Jimmy Dorsey Interview (With Guy Knight)

Seventeen radio transcription recordings made by Jimmy Dorsey around 1949, and particularly priceless as studio documents by a band that hardly ever had a chance to record. The vocalists are Claire Hogan and Larry Noble, taking over for Helen O'Connell and Bob Eberly, respectively, on such classics as "Tangerine" and "Green Eyes," both of which are handled in a slower -- and, in this reviewer's outlook, more successful -- tempo than the originals. "All of Me" gets a gorgeous alto sax solo from Dorsey himself. A lot of the rest of the repertory includes the band's versions of such contemporary compositions as "Some Enchanted Evening" from the then new musical South Pacific. Charlie Teagarden, Herb Winfield, and pianist Al Waslohn all get their good solo moments as well, in what was a surprisingly fresh and lively-sounding band (with Carl Kress on the guitar and Ray Bauduc at the drums). If the audience for big band music was declining, you'd never know that the music was on the ropes by 1949 from the bright and spirited playing on these sides. Additionally, sound quality is a major virtue on these tracks -- they compare favorably, in fidelity and volume, with any 1949-vintage recordings that one cares to name, all apparently drawn from clean, or carefully cleaned up, sources. The disc concludes with an extended May 1956 interview with Jimmy Dorsey, 13 months before his death, in which he addresses a multitude of subjects concerning his career, including his past disputes with his brother and the 1947 biographical film in which they both participated. ~Bruce Eder

The Complete Standard Transcriptions

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Corliss Dale - Crazy Rhythm

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:58
Size: 116,7 MB
Art: Front

(2:39)  1. Crazy Rhythm  Broadway
(4:18)  2. You Stepped Out Of A Dream
(6:17)  3. It Might As Well Be Spring
(4:08)  4. No More Blues (Chega De Saudade)
(4:08)  5. Rome
(4:17)  6. Alone Together
(4:07)  7. Zing! Went The Strings Of My Heart
(3:41)  8. My Buddy
(3:46)  9. Lonely Eyes
(4:16) 10. Kiss And Run
(5:02) 11. Born To Be Blue
(4:14) 12. On A Slow Boat To China

Corliss Dale grew up listening to some of the greatest jazz singers of our time thanks to her mother who loved great musicians and great vocalists. As a result Corliss became familiar with the very best of the best… Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Anita O’Day, and Rosemary Clooney to name only a few, not to mention the men such as Tony Bennett, Nat King Cole and of course the legendary Frank Sinatra. Their styles became engrained in her heart and soul and so no matter what musical path she has followed and continues to follow in her career, she always comes back to the great standards and the amazing musical styles of these great artists.

Corliss is a native Minnesotan born and raised in Minneapolis. She began singing very early in her life, at age 8 to be exact, singing solos in church, and at school concerts and talent shows. She is also a trained dancer in ballet,tap and jazz, which became very important as she started her professional career at the tender age of 16. Corliss was hired at a very prestigious dinner theatre in Minneapolis named “The Edgewater Inn” as one of the “Edgewater Eight” where she spent 2 years entertaining audiences and expanding her musical repertoire and experiences from singing Cole Porter & Gershwin to belting her heart out in Broadway review shows like Cabaret & Guys & Dolls where her dance training really came into play. You could have seen her tap dancing in a 1930’s review to “Lullabye of Broadway”, jitterbugging in a 1940’s show to “In The Mood”, or even dancing the tango to Pajama Game’s, “Hernando’s Hideaway”. Corliss left the show at only age18 and created her own theatrical show group, which was self-staged and self-choreographed. For 5 years she traveled the country with her band performing to sell out crowds and receiving standing ovations coast to coast.

Once while performing in a club in Minneapolis, she was approached by the owner of a local well known recording studio who asked her if she would like to be called for studio work whether it was singing on a commercial, or back up singing for various artists. After her first session it was apparent that this would be another avenue for her already busy singing career. She soon became the first call studio singer and recorded many local and national jingles such as Northwest Airlines, Dairy Queen, Hormel and Land O’ Lakes to name a few. Her success in the studios led her to Los Angeles where she has made her home. Continuing her dance and vocal training, she added songwriting and acting to her credits. She was a featured vocalist in a Movie of the Week produced by Dick Clark, and landed a costarring role in a PBS Movie Special for the Wonderworks series.

After taking some years off to raise a family, Corliss jumped back into her singing career and began performing in local Los Angeles jazz clubs returning to her love of jazz and the great American Songbook. She has been a featured artist at the “Jazz at the Hilton Concert Series” in Salt Lake City, and opened for the late great Jimmy Smith at the International Snowbird Jazz & Blues Festival. An evening performing at LA jazz club Monteleone’s, brought her together with jazz pianist and composer, Lou Forestieri. This was the beginning of a great partnership both musically and romantically. Corliss and Lou were married in Southern Italy in the year 2002 and now write, record and perform throughout the Los Angeles area. Their first album,” Fascinating Rythms”, was released in 2004 on the British record label, Mainstem Productions. Corliss and Lou can often be heard across the BBC airwaves, and just finished performing at 4 different venues for the 2008 London Jazz Festival where they debuted the release of their second album, “Crazy Rhythm”, also on the Mainstem label.  http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/corlissdale2

Crazy Rhythm

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Hot Club Of San Diego - West Swing

Styles: Gypsy Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:51
Size: 95,8 MB
Art: Front

(2:06)  1. The Gypsy Bug
(2:24)  2. Les Feuilles Mortes (Autumn Leaves)
(2:49)  3. Folie  Amphion
(3:21)  4. Conversation
(1:31)  5. Le Dindon s'Est Enfui!
(3:26)  6. Sabor a Mi
(2:22)  7. Bon Voyage!
(2:01)  8. It Always Does (Get Better)
(2:03)  9. Papy Musette
(3:17) 10. Bei Mir Bist du Schn
(6:27) 11. Nuages (Recorded Live At KSDS Radio)
(2:12) 12. Yes, I'm in Love
(1:47) 13. Gadjo de Luxe
(4:16) 14. The Shape of Things to Come
(1:44) 15. Take the 'A' Trailer

After hearing Gypsy Jazz, it is not hard to understand why its popularity is growing. It is a style rooted in tradition, yet it welcomes innovation. It offers guitarists a chance to express themselves in a wide variety of moods, ranging from the melancholic waltzes to timeless compositon by legendary Gypsy guitarist Django Reinhardt to hard-driving swing standards. As one writer said when asked to describe the sound of Gypsy Jazz, "It is the music I hear in my happiest dreams."

This last sentence best describe the music of the Hot Club of San Diego. Formed in the spring of 1998, the Hot Club of San Diego perpetuates the tradition with a repertoire including many of Django Reinhardt's compositions, jazz standards, and a variety of the band's members' own compositions in the same style, Gypsy Jazz. 

 http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/hotclubsd

West Swing

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Kenny Rogers - You Can't Make Old Friends

Styles: Country
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:13
Size: 101,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:56)  1. You Can't Make Old Friends With Dolly Parton
(3:29)  2. All I Need Is One
(3:58)  3. You Had To Be There
(3:41)  4. 'merica
(4:30)  5. Turn This World Around
(6:03)  6. Dreams Of The San Joaquin
(2:49)  7. Don't Leave Me In The Night Time Feat. Buckwheat Zydeco
(3:54)  8. Look At You
(4:29)  9. Neon Horses
(3:38) 10. When You Love Someone
(3:42) 11. It's Gonna Be Easy Now

With an astonishing recording career that now spans over seven decades, you would think music legend Kenny Rogers had already accomplished it all. However, you d be wrong. Rogers 2013 album You Can t Make Old Friends proves once again that he still has plenty to say. The album reunites Rogers with long-time friend and collaborator, Dolly Parton, for a brand new duet on the title track, "You Can t Make Old Friends." It was over thirty years ago when Kenny and Dolly released "Islands In The Stream, " which went on to become an instant classic and one of the most successful singles by a duo in history.

"What a thrill it was for me to work again with my buddy, Dolly Parton, and what a special song, " remarked Rogers. "Working with Dolly is always a little like going home. Everything felt comfortable. " With a collaboration of producers, including Kyle Lehning, Warren Hartman, and Dann Huff, You Can t Make Old Friends is Rogers first country album since the release of Water & Bridges in 2006. Rogers considers this release the most varied and complete album of his lifetime.

"I can honestly say this may be the best album I've ever recorded, " added Rogers. "The musical diversity is extraordinary. It goes from songs I would normally sing, to songs I would normally never even listen to. In this business, you do albums to both grow artistically, and for the sheer love of music. We chose what I think are the most diverse and best songs I've ever had access to." You Can't Make Old Friends showcases a certain familiarity that can be expected from Rogers, along with fresh twists of creativity that see the versatile Grammy Award-winner stretching his artistry into new musical territory. In addition to the great story songs and love songs Rogers has become well known for, flavors of rock and roll, soul, gospel, southern rock, zydeco, and sounds of the Southwest are embraced in this bold recording.

Kenny Rogers had a massive year in 2013, including the announcement of his induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame this fall. Rogers also performed on the main stage at this year s Glastonbury Festival to a colossal audience on the grounds and around the UK as it was televised on BBC. His Through The Years World Tour included stops in Morocco, England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Switzerland, Canada and the U.S. In addition, a novel Rogers co-wrote with Mike Blakely, What Are The Chances, and Rogers New York Times Best Selling autobiography, Luck Or Something Like It, were both released. ~Editorial Reviews  http://www.amazon.com/You-Cant-Make-Old-Friends/dp/B00EZEHHRG

You Can't Make Old Friends

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The Great Jazz Trio - Love For Sale

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 44:44
Size: 102.4 MB
Styles: Bop, Piano jazz
Year: 1976/2009
Art: Front

[6:55] 1. Love For Sale
[6:51] 2. Glad To Be Unhappy
[6:42] 3. Gee Baby, Ain't I Good To You
[5:47] 4. Secret Love
[6:05] 5. Someone To Watch Over Me
[6:22] 6. Autumn Leaves
[6:00] 7. Tenderly (Bonus)

The name of the group might be immodest, but the combination of pianist Hank Jones, bassist Buster Williams and drummer Tony Williams lives up to its billing. Originally cut for the Japanese East Wind label and last available domestically as an Inner City LP, this swinging but unsurprising session features boppish interpretations of six jazz standards including "Love for Sale," "Secret Love," and "Autumn Leaves."

Love For Sale

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Amanda Carr - Live In San Giorgio

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 47:47
Size: 109.4 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2000
Art: Front

[5:36] 1. Sweet Marta
[5:22] 2. That Old Devil Moon
[3:10] 3. The Nearness Of You
[4:38] 4. Watch What Happens
[6:57] 5. Nothing's Wrong
[4:08] 6. They Can't Take That Away From Me
[6:21] 7. Night And Day
[5:02] 8. Save Your Love For Me
[6:29] 9. Take Your Time

"So where is San Giorgio, Italy?.S.G. is a quaint 11th century village just a few miles south of the Italian Alps where the 2,300 local residents peacefully make their living or commute to the larger surrounding cities of Turin, Ivrea or Milan. In 1998, I was performing in Ivrea for the Eurojazz Festival which included appearances in peripheral cities and towns. A good friend of mine, who lives in San Giorgio, proudly showed me around this village and I stayed a few nights with his family... I fell in love with the place: the ancient winding streets, the central square framed by its historic church and the people who were so accommodating and interested in me and my music. After viewing the Teatro Comunale (Central Theater), we decided it would certainly be worth doing a concert there. I contacted Luigi Martinale in Turin and the rest of the trio who agreed to perform in March of 99 when I returned to Italy. The theater acoustics rendered a good opportunity for a live recording and thus, the birth of the CD. The material I chose is a combination of original compositions and American standards that I thought would gracefully cross the language barrier. Limited time with the players and a feeble grasp of Italian was a challenge that created a naturally dynamic environment and , ultimately, an exciting recording. The generous instrumental and solo sections, to me, make for good listening. Live in San Giorgio is the result of four of us whimsically getting together and, transcending mere words, coming up with something delightfully memorable."

Live In San Giorgio

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Nat King Cole - To Whom It May Concern

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 37:06
Size: 85.0 MB
Styles: Easy listening
Year: 1959/2008
Art: Front

[2:56] 1. To Whom It May Concern
[3:53] 2. Lovewise
[3:18] 3. Too Much
[3:00] 4. In The Heart Of Jane Doe
[2:57] 5. A Thousand Thoughts Of You
[3:07] 6. You're Bringing Out The Dreamer In Me
[2:54] 7. My Heart's Treasure
[2:53] 8. If You Said No
[3:37] 9. Can't Help It
[2:37] 10. Lovesville
[1:52] 11. Unfair
[3:56] 12. This Morning It Was Summer

Nat "King" Cole's interesting 1959 experiment in creating a unique collection of songs in the style of classic 1920s and `30s pop songs features the singer performing works by such storied talents as Sammy Cahn and Johnny Burke, in inimitably romantic fashion. String arrangements come courtesy of Cole's frequent collaborator Nelson Riddle, all adding up to a solid helping of sophisticated late-1950s musical memorabilia. All tracks have been digitally remastered. Personnel includes: Nat "King" Cole (vocals), Nelson Riddle (conductor).

To Whom It May Concern

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The Quintet Of The Hot Club Of San Francisco - QHCSF

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 61:24
Size: 141.4 MB
Styles: Gypsy jazz, Swing
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[5:34] 1. Don't Panic
[2:57] 2. Place De Broukere
[4:59] 3. Giselle - Waltz D'Entichement
[4:01] 4. I'm Not Impressed
[4:58] 5. Caravan
[5:13] 6. And I Love Her
[5:33] 7. Round Midnight
[6:11] 8. Jitterbug Waltz
[3:15] 9. Armando's Rumba
[5:16] 10. Manoir De Mes Rêves
[2:33] 11. Flambeé Montalbanaise
[4:04] 12. Melodie Au Crepscule
[3:36] 13. My Walkin' Stick
[3:09] 14. Parfum

Paul Mehling, the leader of HCSF and the man dubbed the godfather of American gypsy jazz, discovered the music of Django Reinhardt and the Quintet of the Hot Club of France in grammar school. Decades later the music that took root in his young soul finally bore fruit.

“I was born in Denver and grew up in what is now Silicon Valley, when it was all fruit trees,” Mehling recalls. “My father was a record collector. I grew up with the music of Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey, Glen Miller and all the swing era bands. He’d come home and turn on the stereo and, at a year old, I’d sit in front of the speakers and soak up the music. To this day, I get a sense of déjà vu whenever I hear a song I heard back then. When I was older, I became a discipline problem because I wanted to stay up all night and listen to records. Being exposed to swing at and early age predisposed me to playing this kind of music.

“I had an older sister who turned me onto rock’n’roll. When I was six, we saw The Beatles on Ed Sullivan and it was like getting hit by lightening. I said, ‘I wanna do that - make the girls scream and give people the buzz I get from hearing the music.’ The Beatles made music guitar-centric and I picked up the guitar. I tried playing in rock bands, but it didn’t work for me. The music wasn’t satisfying. I liked the acoustic guitar better and learned classical music, but that wasn’t what I wanted either. Then I heard Django: three guitars, bass, and violin and they sounded and acted like a rock band. I saw pictures of them and they looked sharp, sophisticated and mysterious.

QHCSF