Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie & Miles Davis - Riff Raff

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 41:00
Size: 93.9 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz, Trumpet jazz, Bop
Year: 2001
Art: Front

[2:41] 1. Scrapple From The Apple
[3:04] 2. Riff Raff
[2:56] 3. Ornithology
[3:19] 4. Don't Blame Me
[2:56] 5. Cool Blues
[3:02] 6. Bebop
[3:00] 7. How high the moon
[2:53] 8. Slow boat to China
[2:55] 9. Relaxin' At Camarillo
[2:26] 10. Big foot
[2:26] 11. The Gypsy
[2:35] 12. Carvin' The Bird
[2:59] 13. Bird Feathers
[3:41] 14. Barbados

There are few jazz artists who pack the emotional and sensual punch of Miles Davis. He learned his craft from Charlie and Dizzy, then moved on to be one of the founders of the “cool jazz” movement that removed much of the excess of Bebop while retaining its willingness to expand the medium beyond the traditional. As his career advanced, Miles frequently confused jazz zealots by wandering outside of the genre for inspiration. His rock-jazz fusion work popularized in Bitches Brew caused as much consternation in the jazz world as Bob Dylan’s electrically-charged performance at the Newport Folk Festival did in the folk world. ~altrockchick

Riff Raff

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Randy Brecker - Randy In Brasil

Styles: Latin, World
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:15
Size: 124,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:29)  1. Pedro Brasil
(2:17)  2. Ile Aye
(6:03)  3. Guaruja
(4:22)  4. Me Leve
(5:29)  5. Malasia
(5:11)  6. Sambop
(3:30)  7. Oriente
(3:49)  8. Maca
(4:26)  9. Olhos Puxados
(5:14) 10. Rebento
(4:20) 11. Fazendo Hora
(5:02) 12. Aiaiai

Perhaps unfairly overshadowed by his brother, the late saxophonist Michael Brecker, Randy Brecker has, nevertheless been one of the most significant trumpeters of the past forty years. While his small discography as a leader contains as many misses as it does hits, he's brought a unique voice to countless sessions, working with everyone from Horace Silver, Steve Khan and John Scofield to Steely Dan, Parliament and Frank Zappa, not to mention redefining the concept of fusion as co-leader of Brecker Brothers. Brecker's tone a curious combination of warmth and bite and a harmonic approach that, like Scofield, manages to tread the fine line between the in and the out, all the while possessing a keenly constructed melodic sense, makes him immediately recognizable in any context. Recorded in Brazil with a large cast of talented players, Randy in Brasil is Brecker at his most accessible, with style and substance on equal footing.

The lack of a core group often results in a generic sound that looks to the leader for definition, and Brecker's voice clearly gives Randy in Brasil its primary focus. Still, the participation of keyboardist/producer/arranger Ruria Duprat and guitarist Ricardo Silveira on all tracks lends the session a cohesion most "cast of thousands" projects lack. The material is largely culled from popular Brazilian writes including Djavan, Gilberto Gil, Ivan Lins and Joao Bosco, though Brecker's two contributions the breezy ballad "Guaruja" and up-tempo, samba-esque yet characteristically funkified "Sambop" fit seamlessly into the program.

The Brecker Brothers often dabbled with broader cultural styles, and Brecker is no stranger to Brazilian music having guested with Flora Purim, Joao Donato and Hector Martignon. Most remarkable about Randy in Brasil is perhaps how he places a firm stamp on the music, with a sometimes pervasive Brecker Brothers vibe despite the lack of a rhythm section on most tracks. Duprat's appreciation for Brecker's distinct horn voicings makes Lins' funky, synth bass-driven "Aiaiai" feel, in fact, as if it were drawn straight from The Brecker Brothers' songbook.

Equally, Brecker adapts effortlessly to the cadence of Brazilian rhythmic forms like bossa nova and samba. There's no denying the Brazilian groove of Gil's bright "Ile Aye," the contemporary vibe of Djavan's "Me Leve" or the light, airy feel of Bosco's "Olhos Puxados." Throughout, Brecker solos with attention to the tune's melodic and percussive essence navigating his own winding changes on "Sambop" as he constructs a solo of narrative perfection that demonstrates his full range, and displaying equal focus but greater lyrical simplicity on "Olhos Puxados."

As a leader, Brecker's albums have sometimes lacked a clear focus or, in the case of Hanging in the City (ESC, 2001), a misplaced one with his vocal alter-ego Randroid. With its lush sound, beautiful song choices and ideal mesh of Brazilian culture and Brecker's singular voice, Randy in Brasil stands as one of his finest if not the finest albums in his long and varied career. ~ John Kelman   http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=30960#.UmCEVhAuf-J

Personnel: Randy Brecker: trumpets; Paulo Calazans: acoustic piano (1, 5, 8), keyboards (8); Ruria Duprat: keyboards (1-3, 5-8, 10-12), acoustic piano (4, 9), Fender Rhodes (12), clavinet (12), voice (2); Ricardo Silveira: acoustic guitar (1, 3, 5-11), electric guitar (1, 2, 4, 6, 9, 12); Sizao Machado: acoustic bass (1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10), electric bass (2, 8, 12); Teco Cardoso: soprano saxophone (1, 4, 9, 12); alto saxophone (2, 4, 12), tenor saxophone (2, 6, 12), baritone saxophone (2, 6), saxophone (3), G-flute (5), flute (8); Da Lua: percussion (1-3, 11, 12), timba (1); Andre Mehmari: acoustic piano (3, 6, 7); Robertinho Silva: drums (4, 6, 8); Joao Parahyba: percussion (4, 6, 8-10), timba (6, 8-10); Paolo Calazans: acoustic piano (5, 8), keyboards (8); Caito Marcondes: percussion (5, 7); Gilson Peranzetta: acoustic piano (11); Rogerio: acoustic bass (11); Edu Ribeiro: drums (12); Rubinho Ribeiro: voice (6).

Randy In Brasil

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Lisa Bell - It's All About Love

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:38
Size: 120,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:54)  1. It's All About Love
(4:50)  2. When I Wish
(4:32)  3. Don't Wait Forever
(4:31)  4. She's Not Right For You
(4:42)  5. Ain't Divorce Grand
(4:06)  6. Along the Beaches
(4:00)  7. Here I Am
(4:10)  8. Mary Had a Little Plan
(4:04)  9. You'll Find Me
(4:50) 10. Faraway Friends
(3:43) 11. When You Look For Love
(4:11) 12. Burning Desire

Lisa Bell, who has a warm and attractive voice, performs music that is jazzy but crosses into other musical genres at times, a bit like Norah Jones, whom she recalls on the title cut of It's All About Love. A superior singer/songwriter, Bell wrote or co-wrote eight of the 12 selections on It's All About Love, all of which have to do with love of some sort. Based in Colorado, Bell mostly uses top local players including pianist John Armstrong, who co-wrote much of the material. Whether called jazzy pop or pop-oriented jazz, this set shows that Bell is a fine writer and a singer well worth hearing. Some of the tunes, including the title cut, "Ain't Divorce Grand," and "When You Look for Love," deserve to be covered by other singers. ~Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/its-all-about-love-mw0000344136

It's All About Love

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David Hazeltine - Modern Standards

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 57:28
Size: 131.6 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[7:09] 1. Witchcraft
[6:42] 2. A House Is Not A Home
[5:17] 3. Yesterday
[5:23] 4. Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me)
[5:58] 5. How Deep Is Your Love
[7:54] 6. Moment To Moment
[6:24] 7. A Time For Love
[5:30] 8. Somewhere
[7:07] 9. For The Love Of You

On this set, pianist David Hazeltine performs songs from the 1960s and '70s. While "Witchcraft," "Who Can I Turn To," "Moment to Moment," "A Time for Love," and "Somewhere" (along with, to a lesser extent, "A House Is Not a Home") have all long ago qualified as jazz standards, the other selections, by the Beatles, the Bee Gees, and the Isley Brothers, are a bit off the wall. However, Hazeltine manages to swing each of them, turning the music into viable devices for his trio. Certainly "How Deep Is Your Love" has never been swung this hard. The overall playing is high quality if conventional, with the repertoire and Hazeltine's inventive solos (along with his close interplay with bassist David Williams and drummer Joe Farnsworth) making this outing stand apart from many of the other current trio recordings. ~ Scott Yanow

Recording information: Systems Two Studios, Brooklyn, NY (12/01/2004).

David Hazeltine (piano); David Williams (double bass); Joe Farnsworth (drums).

Modern Standards

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Allison Adams Tucker - Come With Me

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 44:02

Size: 100.8 MB

Styles: Contemporary jazz vocals, World music

Year: 2008

Art: Front

[3:33] 1. World On A String

[3:12] 2. My Funny Valentine/Sakura

[2:50] 3. Blue Skies

[3:08] 4. La Vie En Rose

[4:04] 5. I'll Be Seeing You

[3:10] 6. Rosa

[4:08] 7. You Got Me

[4:36] 8. The Sea

[3:34] 9. Volver

[4:42] 10. You Belong To Me

[2:59] 11. O Barquinho

[3:59] 12. Over The Rainbow

Multi-lingual vocalist Allison Adams Tucker has a passion for world cultures and the communication of music that binds us all. She began singing before she could speak, raised in the home of classically trained musician parents in the Southern California city of San Diego, and has performed in front of audiences since her childhood. Her love for studying languages also began at a young age, and she has gone on to live, study, and sing in 6 languages besides her own. Her travels have taken her to over 12 countries, with a large piece of her heart and her life spent in Japan and Latin America. This "wanderlust" is distinctive in the music she chooses today. Give a listen and come with her on a journey that evokes images of sounds, generations, and lands both distant and in our own backyard.

"Come With Me" is Allison's debut release and includes an eclectic mix of swing, ballads, gypsy jazz, and Latin rhythms with a global celebration of songs from Japan, France, Argentina, Brazil, and the U.S.

Recorded and engineered by Peter Sprague at SpragueLand Studios - San Diego, CA.

Featuring: Kamau Kenyatta, piano/arrangement (Hubert Laws, Earl Klugh, Patti Austin) - Peter Sprague, guitar (Chick Corea, Dianne Reeves, David Benoit, Sergio Mendes) - Derek Cannon, trumpet (Natalie Cole, The Four Tops, The Temptations) - Evona Wascinski, bass - Dylan Savage, drums - Fabio Oliveira, percussion - Louisa West, flute - Reiko Obata, Japanese koto harp - Ray Suen, violin - Patrick Berrogain, French guitar - Danny Green.

Come With Me

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John Cocuzzi Quintet - Swingin' And Burnin'

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 65:59
Size: 151.1 MB
Styles: Swing, Straight ahead jazz
Year: 2000
Art: Front

[3:39] 1. Benny's Bugle
[6:48] 2. Broadway
[5:11] 3. What Did I Do To Be So Black And Blue?
[6:48] 4. Things Ain't What They Used To Be
[5:18] 5. Crazy 'bout My Baby
[4:27] 6. Slipped Disc
[6:39] 7. Cheek To Cheek
[3:23] 8. You're Nobody 'til Somebody Loves You
[6:07] 9. I Don't Stand A Ghost Of A Chance With You
[4:23] 10. Oh, Lady Be Good
[3:44] 11. The Curse Of An Aching Heart
[4:52] 12. Comes Love
[4:34] 13. 'tis Autumn

John Cocuzzi is a versatile, talented multi-instrumentalist jazz musician who, with his quintet, stretches out for an entertaining 60 minutes-plus of solid, straight ahead jazz on this very good album. A Washington, D.C. native, Cocuzzi gained an appreciation of jazz at an early age listening to his record collection and to his father, who was a percussionist with the U.S. Marine Band. Initially studying piano and then drums after hearing Lionel Hampton, vibes were added to his arsenal of instruments. Swingin' and Burnin' revisits the small group swing of the '30s and '40s popularized by Benny Goodman, Hampton, Artie Shaw, and others. Cocuzzi adds his own flavor along with some artful arrangements to such warhorses from the past as "Slipped Disc," "Benny's Bugle," and "You're Nobody Till Somebody Loves You." On the latter, Cocuzzi shows off his vocal skills along with a boogie woogie piano. "Broadway" epitomizes the adroit swinging of the quintet, with each member of the group getting a chance to show their wares during the seven minutes they devote to this Teddy McRae/Bill Bird melody. The New Orleans idiom is represented on the CD as well with "What Did I Do to Be So Black and Blue?" This tune, a favorite of Louis Armstrong, is done slow drag featuring muted vibes' mallet by Cocuzzi working with a very soulful clarinet by Allan Vaché. This track is one of the highlights of the album. This session is in no way limited to up beat "swingin' and burnin'" pieces. There's some pretty slow stuff here as well. "Ghost of A Chance" features electrically enhanced Cocuzzi vibes, coupled with some imaginative bass by John Previti. "Cheek to Cheek" belongs to veteran Washington D.C. guitar player, Steve Abshire. Abshire, who has graced the albums of jazz diva Ronnie Wells, plays in a calm, flowing fashion bringing out the best this lovely melody has to offer. "Things Ain't What They Used to Be', another slow piece, spotlights a bluesy Cocuzzi piano with Big John Maher's drums laying a solid foundation. Vaché and Cocuzzi, on clarinet and vibes respectively, combine on a striking"Comes Love" with Vaché's impulsive and sometimes wailing clarinet recalling Artie Shaw's 1949 rendition. The album's coda brings Cocuzzi's cheerful voice to the mike again in a pretty rendition of "'Tis Autumn" accompanying himself on the piano and showing a romantic side with the ivories. This is an agreeable ending to a highly recommended album. ~ Dave Nathan

Recorded at Mapleshade Studio, Upper Marlboro, Maryland on July 12 & 13, 1999.

John Cocuzzi (vocals, vibraphone, piano); Allan Vache (clarinet); Steve Abshire (electric guitar); John Previti (bass); Big Joe Maher (drums).

Swingin' And Burnin'

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Karen Gallinger - Live At The Jazz Bakery

Styles: Vocal, Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:57
Size: 116,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:59)  1. Softly As In A Morning Sunrise
(3:53)  2. Long Ago And Far Away
(5:15)  3. Makin' Whoopee
(7:16)  4. The Song Is You
(5:34)  5. Lost In The Stars
(5:52)  6. Estate (In Summer)
(4:13)  7. It Could Happen To You
(4:20)  8. Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me
(5:34)  9. So Many Stars
(4:56) 10. Scrapple From The Apple

One of Southern California's more active jazz singers, Karen Gallinger makes her recording debut with a live performance at the famous jazz watering hole, the Jazz Bakery. The "active" as it applies to Gallinger means not only the number of gigs she plays, but the way she prances on this album. Upbeat, loose, and definitely hip, Gallinger shines as she delivers a play list of ten tunes, mostly familiar standards she infects with a large dose of freshness. The centerpiece is a seven-minute romping of "The Song Is You." 

Not only does Gallinger take this tune on a hair-raising vocal roller coaster ride, it's also one of the frequent occasions where the fine rhythm section of Jack Reidling, Tom Warrington, and Joe LaBarbera are given the freedom to express themselves. Their playing is important to making this CD as attractive as it is. While the temperature cools down on such tunes as "Estaté," Gallinger's husky, smoky voice still pulsates, here adding a touch of sensuality to help capture the picture of sultry summer this tune creates. Most of the time, Gallinger and her cohorts are moving along at a speedy pace. Gallinger manages to sing up-tempo while keeping her precise diction intact, no slurring of words here. It's also here and elsewhere that Gallinger makes apparent she is well-versed in the importance of selectively using her scatting skills to make a musical point without drowning the tune. The most emotional moment on the session is a poignant rendition of "Lost in the Stars," where Gallinger uses the full force of her vocal skills for her emotional reading, which she dedicates to a friend in need. This album is an excellent first effort by a very talented vocalist. ~Dave Nathan   http://www.allmusic.com/album/live-at-the-jazz-bakery-mw0000126138

Live At The Jazz Bakery

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Beata Pater - Golden Lady

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:32
Size: 126,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:56)  1. Wild Is the Wind
(6:33)  2. The Day It Rained
(4:29)  3. Turned to Blue
(3:33)  4. Save Your Love for Me
(3:00)  5. I Don't Remember Ever Growing Up
(5:30)  6. I Live to Love You
(6:03)  7. This Is All I Ask
(5:29)  8. Golden Lady
(5:52)  9. If You Went Away
(5:27) 10. Someone to Light Up My Life
(3:35) 11. A Little Tear

This is an album created by a uniquely formed jazz trio whose artistic chemistry surpasses cultural distinctions, led by vocalist Beata Pater whose international jazz career earned her a CBS/Sony recording contract during her ten years in Japan.
It was twenty-five years ago on one of the rare day’s that Beata wasn’t performing or traveling Japan that she serendipitously met pianist Hiromu Aoki. Arduously searching for the right pianist to complete her trio  after finding Serbian-born acoustic bass player Buca Necak  she decided to visit a jazz club in her then hometown of Yokohama. It was here that Beata heard a performance by pianist Hiromu Aoki for the very first time. “Immediately I knew he was ‘the one’,” Beata recalls. Instantly drawn to the pianist, she introduced herself after the performance, eagerly convincing him to take the hour’s drive with her into Tokyo to hear the acoustic bass player perform, in spite of them being strangers.

After Aoki heard Buca’s performance, they instantly fell in love with each other’s artistry, as all three perfectly clicked. “Trying to form a band with the [right] chemistry where everyone’s ‘on purpose’,” as Beata explains, “is difficult and contingent on musicianship and style.” That was the night this musical partnership began, continuing to this day - their musical acquaintance over twenty-five years is a natural connection that ignites each time they perform.  http://www.beatapater.com/album/goldenlady/

Golden Lady

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Michael Davis - Tango Bossa

Styles: Jazz, Bossa Nova
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:40
Size: 90,0 MB
Art: Front

(2:14)  1. The Conversation
(3:51)  2. Mambo Alice
(3:58)  3. Simple Smooth
(4:11)  4. The Little Rumba
(5:07)  5. Not Now
(4:06)  6. Romance and Time
(2:22)  7. I Think of You
(4:57)  8. Tango Bossa
(3:16)  9. Paris Nights
(4:33) 10. Samba De Romance

A creative mixture of instrumental Brazilian Jazz, Spanish jazz (tangos and rumbas), and smooth jazz. Original music with a fresh twist of hip harmonic, melodic and rhythmic surprises. Featuring the 7 string guitar in solo, trio and quartet sounds.

“I am a full time guitarist/composer. I write a creative mixture of instrumental Brazilian Jazz, Spanish jazz (tangos and rumbas), smooth jazz and much more. Original music with a fresh twist of hip harmonic, melodic and rhythmic surprises. Featuring the 7 string guitar in solo, trio and quartet sounds.

One of my original compositions, A WARM SMILE, (solo 7 string classical guitar) is featured in Fingerstyle Guitar Magazine, issue 68 (a nationally published magazine). The Warm Smile CD can be purchased at this site.

I write for solo electric and nylon string guitar and small ensembles (bass, keyboard and percussion. I am currently writing rumbas, tangos and smooth jazz with a fresh new sound of harmony and melody. I have recently started a TV/Movie sound track writing company. See my website for details.“

 ~ Michael Davis  http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/michaeldavis6

Tango Bossa

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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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