Kaz Simmons - Different Smile

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 44:06
Size: 101.0 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz-folk vocals
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[4:11] 1. Mantra
[5:47] 2. Estrada Do Sol
[3:33] 3. If You Knew
[5:54] 4. Big Smile
[4:58] 5. Here Lies Love
[4:11] 6. By The Round Pond
[4:59] 7. S.A.D Song
[3:16] 8. O Circo Mistico
[5:18] 9. How Can I Be Sure
[1:54] 10. Hi Lili Hi Lo

Kaz is an increasingly acclaimed, young UK singer, songwriter & guitarist. Her second album Different Smile, is a new departure of originals and arrangements with Spanish and Brazilian classical guitar styles as well as influences from the likes of Rufus and Martha Wainwright, The Divine Comedy, and her background in jazz. Kaz's original compositions showcase her conversational, often humorous lyrics coupled with an unaffected delivery and accomplished guitar playing, complimented by the sensitive and uncluttered support of a fine young British band : SAM CROCKATT - tenor sax, IVO NEAME - piano & Fender Rhodes, SIMON THORPE- bass and DAVE SMITH - drums. Ife Tolentino also makes a guest appearance on percussion.

Different Smile also features the Brazilian gems "Estrada do Sol" and "O Circo Mistico"; a musical setting to British poet Wendy Cope's "By The Round Pond"; an unusual take on the classic "How Can I Be Sure?" as well as the rarely heard "If You Knew" by Nina Simone, which was originally inspired by a Jeff Buckley recording.

"Simmons brings a graceful charm and insinuating ease that makes the album simply melt in the ear" ~ Chris Parker

Different Smile

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Xavier Cugat & His Orchestra - The Original Latin Dance King

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 73:14
Size: 170.5 MB
Styles: Latin rhythms
Year: 2002
Art: Front

[2:47] 1. Babalú
[2:39] 2. Jamay
[2:47] 3. Anana Boroco Tinde
[2:42] 4. The Brand New Cha Cha
[3:10] 5. Cuca
[2:59] 6. Bim Bam Bum
[3:01] 7. A Bailar Merengue
[2:23] 8. Coco Seco
[3:17] 9. Suavecito
[3:19] 10. Miami Beach Rhumba
[2:42] 11. Yo Quiero Un Mambo
[2:32] 12. Son Los Dandis
[3:16] 13. Mambo Jambo
[2:46] 14. Ritmo Tropical
[2:53] 15. (The Chi Chi) Cha Cha Cha
[2:52] 16. Yo Ta Namora
[2:19] 17. The Anything Can Happen Mambo
[3:15] 18. Mambo Gordo
[3:22] 19. Bésame Mucho
[3:07] 20. Tumbao
[2:13] 21. Bread, Love, And Cha Cha Cha
[2:28] 22. La Mucura
[2:51] 23. Cuban Mambo
[2:42] 24. Mondoguero
[2:27] 25. Mondongo
[2:11] 26. Who Me?

Recorded between 1941 & 1955. Includes liner notes by Joe Conzo. Xavier Cugat had a recording career that stretched over many more years than are covered on this collection. But this single-disc, 26-song anthology of sides from the 1940s and 1950s has to be considered the best collection of his work. This was Cugat's prime, and the tracks boast better fidelity than those he made prior to 1940, if one considers his prime to have started earlier. Hearing these lively and exceptionally well-performed, pioneering blends of Latin, jazz, and pop music, one is surprised that Cugat has not gotten more serious critical respect along the lines of Machito and Tito Puente. The 1940-1957 span ensures a good deal of variety in the orchestral players and the numerous featured vocalists, with Miguelito Valdés handling those more often than anyone on various early-'40s songs, but several others (including one female singer, Abbe Lane) taking turns as well. "Babalu," presented here in a 1941 recording with Valdés on lead vocals, might be the most famous tune, but in truth this is virtually nonstop energy and fun mambo, cha cha, rumbo, and such, played with consummate timing and humor. This only occasional crosses over into novelty territory, with highlights including "Yo Ta Namoa," where Valdés unleashes some amazing stuttering phrasing; the cover of Pérez Prado's "Mambo Jambo"; and a gorgeous, cinematic version of "Besame Mucho." ~ Richie Unterberger

Recording information: 11/26/1940-03/27/1957. All tracks have been digitally remastered.

Xavier Cugat (leader); Migueleito Valdes, Abbe Lane, Tito Rodiguez, Vitin Aviles, Pepito Arvelo, Juan Manuel (vocals).

The Original Latin Dance King

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Trijntje Oosterhuis - Trijntje Oosterhuis

Released: 2003
Size: 141,2 MB
Time: 61:22
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Styles: Female Pop Vocals
Art: Big Front

01. Free [4:18]
02. Whatever You Want [4:07]
03. What About Us [3:23]
04. In This Together [4:04]
05. It's You I Need [3:17]
06. All That And More [3:27]
07. Lie To Me [4:21]
08. To See Your Face Again [4:33]
09. Don't Say That You Love Me [4:04]
10. All Around The World [4:00]
11. Little Something [3:45]
12. Blind [4:22]
13. Better [3:36]
14. This Goodbye [9:59]

Jazz-pop vocalist Trijntje Oosterhuis (aka Traincha) was born in Amsterdam on February 5, 1973. Daughter of a theologian (Huub Oosterhuis) and a musician (Jozefien Melief, flutist for the Amsterdam Promenada Orchestra), Trijntje was brought up in a culturally rich, supportive household. In 1990,at age 17, she formed a group with her brother Tjeerd called Total Touch. Together the siblings performed consistently, even entering the Grote Prijs van Nederland, an important amateur music competition. Trijntje developed a good reputation regionally, which led to collaborations with increasingly influential artists. Her partnership with the well-established saxophonist Candy Dulfer began with a two-year international tour following their first joint effort, "Big Girl", in 1995. The following year Trijntje's work with Total Touch reached new heights with the release of their self-titled debut. Two years later the group's follow-up, "This Way", hit number one on Dutch charts, ultimately going quadruple platinum. Total Touch split as the siblings began to develop different career paths, beginning with Trijntje's solo debut, "For Once in My Life", which went gold in 1999. Her self-titled follow-up, released in 2003, established Oosterhuis as her nation's premier jazz diva. Signed to Blue Note in 2004, Oosterhuis continued to distance herself from the pop world with "Strange Fruit", drawing repertoire from the likes of George Gershwin and Billie Holiday. The 2005 release "See You as I Do" and 2006's Burt Bacharach collaboration "The Look of Love" have continued to distinguish Oosterhuis as one of the finest European vocal jazz talents of her generation.(~~Evan C. Gutierrez)

Trijntje Oosterhuis

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Sara Gazarek - Yours

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:05
Size: 117,0 MB
Art: Front + Back

(3:13)  1. My Shining Hour
(4:02)  2. Yours
(5:12)  3. Amazing
(3:41)  4. Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye
(3:58)  5. Cheek To Cheek
(4:27)  6. You Got By
(5:55)  7. Blackbird / Bye Bye Blackbird
(5:07)  8. The Circle Game
(6:53)  9. All Or Nothing At All
(4:59) 10. Too Young To Go Steady
(3:34) 11. You Are My Sunshine

When an older jazz singer warns a younger jazz singer that vocal jazz is an extremely crowded, brutally competitive field, it isn't just rhetoric vocal jazz (like just about any other area of music) has a lot more applicants than openings or opportunities. Therefore, aspiring young jazz singers need to do everything possible to stand out and make a personal statement  and on the more memorable parts of her debut album, Yours, Sara Gazarek stands out. While the West Coast singer (who was in her early twenties when bassist John Clayton produced this album in April 2005) still has some growing and developing to do, she definitely has potential. Gazarek's approach is best described as vocal jazz by way of a singer/songwriter aesthetic; one hears influences like Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday, and Abbey Lincoln in her vocals, but a healthy appreciation of Carole King and Joni Mitchell asserts itself as well. In fact, one of the best things on the album is an interpretation of Mitchell's "The Circle Game." Unfortunately, the warhorse factor is much too strong on this 51 minute disc; do listeners really need to hear a singer who was born after the '70s embracing "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye," "My Shining Hour," "Cheek to Cheek," and other Tin Pan Alley warhorses that have been totally beaten to death over the years? 

There is so much jazz history attached to those songs that younger, newer jazz singers are better off avoiding them and turning their interpretive powers to gems that haven't been beaten to death  "The Circle Game," for example. But an excess of warhorses doesn't erase the fact that Gazarek has an appealing vocal style; although subtle and understated, she projects a lot of warmth and gets her emotional points across. All things considered, Yours is a noteworthy, if inconsistent, debut and Gazarek is certainly worth keeping an eye on. ~ Alex Henderson   http://www.allmusic.com/album/yours-mw0000659871

Yours

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René Marie - I Wanna Be Evil: With Love to Eartha Kitt

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:09
Size: 138,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:04)  1. I'd Rather Be Burned as a Witch
(5:48)  2. C'est si bon
(5:33)  3. Oh, John
(7:58)  4. Let's Do It
(6:14)  5. Peel Me a Grape
(7:12)  6. My Heart Belongs to Daddy
(4:42)  7. I Wanna Be Evil
(4:52)  8. Come On-A My House
(6:08)  9. Santa Baby
(7:31) 10. Weekend

A brilliantly entertaining tribute to the musical spirit of the divine Eartha Kitt as performed by René Marie, whose unique style incorporates elements of jazz, soul, blues and gospel. Her reputation as the most provocatively risk-taking of today's jazz divas makes her the perfect performer to deliver the first full-album tribute to Miss Kitt.  'I Wanna Be Evil' features both well-known and obscure gems of the Kitt repertoire including "C'est Si Bon", "Come On to My House", "Santa Baby" and more. "The voice is as stunning as always, her phrasing immaculate, her ability to pack emotional wallops equalled by very few." ~ JazzTimes   

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wanna-Evil-With-Love-Eartha/dp/B00E5QJ9V6

Personnel: Rene Marie (vocals), Wycliffe Gordon (trombone), Adrian Cunningham (tenor saxophone, clarinet, flute), Etienne Charles (trumpet), Kevin Bales (piano), Elias Bailey (bass), Quentin Baxter (drums)

I Wanna Be Evil: With Love to Eartha Kitt

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Sylvie Lewis - Translations

Styles: Folk
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:01
Size: 84,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:07)  1. Starsong…what became of us
(2:27)  2. Happy Like That
(2:26)  3. If It Don't Come Easy
(2:40)  4. Say in Touch
(3:03)  5. Just You
(4:18)  6. Of course, Isabelle
(3:14)  7. Cheap Ain't Free
(3:12)  8. Something to Dream to
(3:27)  9. Old Queens, Monet and Me
(3:43) 10. Death by Beauty
(4:19) 11. Your Voice Carries

It makes sense that Sylvie Lewis' music projects continental qualities. Born and raised in Great Britain, she has lived in America, Switzerland, Spain and currently resides in Italy. Listening to her music, it's easy to imagine her singing in a stylish café society nightclub on either side of the Atlantic. There's also a timelessness to her cabaret-style jazz that makes it sound like it could have existed anytime between the '30s to the present. She starts off her sophomore outing with the snappily paced "Starsong...What Became of Us," one of several tunes that examines a love affair that didn't end well. Lewis then slows down the pace with the melancholic "Happy Like That." On this Roches-recalling tune, she namedrops Jobim and Johnny Cash while telling off an unsatisfying boyfriend ("You flirt like a married man/The way you do it only the married can."). Her songs are populated with a number of winning bon mots. In "Say in Touch," she describes a man's relationship with his mistress by saying that "He reads her like scriptures/Reads her like Braille." Later, in the Bacharach-ish portrait of a carefree gal pal "Cheap Ain't Free," she slips in the wonderfully colorful line: "We treat a broken heart, parking ticket style/Once you've got one, you can't get another for a little while." 

Collaborating again with Los Angeles-based chamber pop-ster Richard Swift, Lewis nicely creates a lush musical setting for her tunes without making it overly fussy. A tango beat enlivens "Old Queens, Monet and Me," while keyboards and synthesizers combine with a percussive beat to underscore the uneasy tension on "Your Voice Carries." Two other tunes that are definitely worth noting show up back to back midway through the disc: "Just You" and "Of Course, Isabelle." The former is a gorgeous, optimistic love ode, something of a rarity for this disc. On the latter, Lewis assumes the voice of both a philandering man and his mistress, Isabelle. This sophisticated look at an affair gone stale wouldn't feel out of place on a Broadway stage. "Sophisticated," in fact, is a good word to use to describe Lewis. Her music and lyrics hold a charming sophistication, but she also instills them with a liveliness that circumvents the tunes from turning stodgy and old-fashioned. Translations builds impressively upon her striking debut Tangos and Tantrums. ~ Michael Berick  http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=7425565&style=music&fulldesc=T

Translations

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David Hazeltine - Impromptu

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:46
Size: 120,8 MB
Art: Front + Back

(7:39)  1. Clair de Lune
(5:15)  2. Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring
(6:16)  3. Impromptu No. 4
(6:49)  4. Moonlight Sonata
(5:06)  5. Waltz of the Flowers
(8:12)  6. Prelude
(6:11)  7. Reverie
(7:16)  8. Fur Elise

On 'Impromptu' the David Hazeltine Trio successfully take well-known classical works and reinvent them through jazz. Joined by George Mraz on bass and Jason Brown on drums, Hazeltine is able to reformat these classics into high energy, sweet swinging, syncopated adaptations of their originals. The group tackles works by the composers Bach, Chopin, Debussy, Tchaikovsky, and Beethoven; restructuring their works but all the while keeping them recognisable to the originals. David Hazeltine is a major pianist on the New York and Japanese jazz scenes. He became the house pianist at Milwaukee's Jazz Gallery while still in his teens, performing with such greats as Charles McPherson, Eddie Harris, Sonny Stitt, Pepper Adams and Chet Baker. Since moving to New York City in 1992, he has performed with Freddie Hubbard, James Moody, Louis Hayes, Marlena Shaw and Eric Alexander amongst many others. 

http://www.propermusic.com/product-details/David-Hazeltine-Trio-Impromptu-157176

Personnel: David Hazeltine (piano), George Mraz (bass), Jason Brown (drums)

Impromptu

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Ed Reed - Born To Be Blue

Size: 135,2 MB
Time: 58:01
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2011
Styles: Vocal Jazz
Art: Front

01. Old Country (4:14)
02. Born To Be Blue (4:16)
03. Inside A Silent Tear (5:31)
04. Throw It Away (4:53)
05. All My Tomorrows (3:29)
06. End Of A Love Affair (5:55)
07. She's Funny That Way (3:47)
08. You're Looking At Me (3:26)
09. Some Other Time (5:42)
10. Kiss And Run (4:50)
11. Monk's Dream (3:30)
12. How Am I To Know (4:01)
13. Wee Baby Blues (4:20)

Ed Reed joins fellow West Coasters Art Pepper and Frank Morgan in returning to a critically acclaimed career previously derailed by substance abuse. After 40 years of scuffling, Reed cleaned up, became a chemical dependency treatment professional and began recording in earnest. Reed has released two recordings, Love Stories (Self Produced, 2007) and The Song is You (Blue Shorts Records, 2008), each well-received and now followed up by Born To Be Blue, featuring a youthful and upbeat take on Jon Hendricks' vocalese treatment of Thelonious Monk's "Monk's Dream."

Reed has a unique voice, not overtly powerful but nuanced and experienced. He navigates Hendricks' circuitous phrasing without unnecessary tonal alteration, singing with straight grace and confidence. Pianist Randy Porter and tenor saxophonist Anton Schwartz turn in blazing solos, angular and curious in a hot sort of way. Reed reenters, cooling things off in the coda—the complete professional. This is refined vocal jazz that only a lifetime can produce. ~Review by C. Michael Bailey

Personnel: Ed Reed: vocals; Randy Porter: piano; Robb Fisher: bass; Akira Tana: drums; Anton Schwartz: tenor saxophone.

Born To Be Blue

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Arnett Cobb - The Wild Man From Texas

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 56:31
Size: 129.4 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 1991/2007
Art: Front

[7:08] 1. Smooth Sailing
[8:19] 2. Flying Home No. 2
[6:27] 3. Where Or When
[4:48] 4. Dutch Kitchen Bounce
[3:42] 5. Blowing In Paris No. 2
[6:30] 6. The Nearness Of You
[5:45] 7. Tenor Duet
[4:51] 8. Blues In My Heart
[4:55] 9. I Don't Stand A Ghost Of A Chance
[4:02] 10. September In The Rain

This Black & Blue session, made available domestically on a Classic Jazz LP in the late '70s, has some typically rambunctious playing by tenor saxophonist Arnett Cobb. The tough tenor is featured in a larger group than usual (a nonet also including trumpeter Wallace Davenport, trombonist Buster Cooper, fellow tenor Eddie Chamblee, and organist Milt Buckner), with side one consisting of three romps (including "Smooth Sailing" and "Flying Home") and the second half made up of three ballads (highlighted by "The Nearness of You"). Cobb, who had emerged a couple years earlier after a decade spent sticking close to Texas, was still in prime form, making this hard to find set worth the search. [A ten-track CD reissue is also available on Black & Blue.] ~ Scott Yanow

The Wild Man From Texas

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Trish Hatley - On The Quiet Side

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 52:21
Size: 119.8 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz, Easy Listening
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[4:59] 1. I Get Along Without You Very Well
[4:37] 2. You Must Believe In Spring
[4:36] 3. So Many Stars
[5:04] 4. You Don't Know Me
[3:31] 5. Zanzibar
[5:26] 6. Where Do You Start
[5:05] 7. I'm Not Alone
[7:16] 8. Lush Life
[6:54] 9. Love Dance
[4:47] 10. That's All

It has been said that marriages are made in heaven. I want to announce a wedding made in the state of Washington. When you put vocalist Trish Hatley of Anacortes together with pianist Darin Clendenin of Seattle, you have a marriage of musical talents that is heavenly. When Trish sings, it is as if she were singing to you and you alone. Her style, phrasings and interpretations bring out every possible intimacy and nuance contained in each song. All of this is then complemented by her impeccable intonation. Every note is a pearl.

It is obvious that Trish and Darin have been collaborating for a long time, as his arrangements and accompanying are a perfect match to her every musical utterance. His harmonic choices are a joy to those of us who like rich chordal structures, and he never disappoints with his ever varying accompanying textures. With his rhythmic, melodic and harmonic language, he gives his piano all of the dynamic ranges and sounds of a full orchestra.

So this is album is, indeed, a musical marriage made in heaven! ~Steve Sample

On The Quiet Side

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Fernando Huergo - Jazz Argentino: Live At The Regattabar

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 74:11
Size: 169.8 MB
Styles: Latin jazz
Year: 2002
Art: Front

[11:26] 1. Chacarera Para El Diego
[ 7:25] 2. Che
[12:02] 3. Lucero
[ 9:18] 4. Esperanza
[ 8:24] 5. Serrana
[ 8:44] 6. El Tren De Las Nubes
[ 7:05] 7. Elusive Happiness
[ 9:44] 8. Espejos

For his sophomore release, bassist Fernando Huergo enlists Chris Cheek on soprano and tenor saxes, Bruce Barth on piano, Jeff Ballard on drums, and Franco Pinna on percussion. The steady personnel makes for a more focused session, a sign of growth since Huergo's 1998 debut, Living These Times. Huergo seeks to incorporate a full range of Argentinean idioms -- not just the tango sounds associated with urban areas, but also the folkloric, rural styles of the north. Again, he plays mainly electric bass, switching to acoustic for "Adán Buensayres" and "Che" (both of which involve tricky tempo and mood transitions), as well as the somewhat ominous and relatively brief "Chicos De Malvinas." (It's interesting that the acoustic bass tracks are, for the most part, also the tracks on which Cheek plays tenor rather than soprano.) Compositionally, Huergo is at his best on "Truco," a snaky tango line with a dramatic B section, paving the way for fiery piano-soprano sax exchanges and a drum-percussion breakdown. There's a mournful quality to much of the music, although the improvisational skills of these players brighten even the darkest moments. A fine piece of work from one of South America's most significant jazz exports. ~ David R. Adler Fernando Huergo was born in Cordoba, Argentina in 1968. Has recorded over 60 albums, including 3 as a leader and 4 as co-leader. Fernando has toured in North, Central and South America, Europe and Asia. He has given clinics in Argentina, Costa Rica, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico, Portugal, England, France, Germany, Sweden, Finland, Turkey, Japan and in many cities in the United States.

Fernando graduated from Berklee College of Music in 1992, where he is a Faculty Member in the Bass Department since 1996, with the position of Assistant Professor. He also teaches at Tufts University since 2001.

Jazz Argentino: Live At The Regattabar

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Dana Lauren (Feat. Arturo Sandoval) - Stairway to the Stars

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:08
Size: 117,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:39)  1. Mean to Me
(5:05)  2. But Beautiful
(3:12)  3. If I Were a Bell
(4:18)  4. Sometimes I'm Happy
(5:55)  5. I've Grown Accustomed to His Face
(3:24)  6. Devil May Care
(3:34)  7. I Thought About You
(4:16)  8. I Could Write a Book
(4:54)  9. You Hit the Spot
(2:56) 10. How High the Moon
(4:41) 11. Corcovado
(4:09) 12. Stairway to the Stars

Being at the right place at the right time is certainly relevant for Dana Lauren. On August 12, 2006, Dana attended the Newport Jazz Festival where Arturo Sandoval was performing. As luck would have it, Dana bumped into Mr. Sandoval as he was headed back to the stage in between performances. During a brief conversation, Mr. Sandoval found out that Dana was a jazz vocalist and getting ready to begin her first year at New England Conservatory as a jazz vocal performance major. He invited Dana to join him on stage at Sculler’s Jazz Club in Boston that following November. Since that time, Dana has had the honor of performing with Arturo at the Arturo Sandoval Jazz Club in Miami, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and Birdland in NYC to mention a few. This CD is the result of that meeting in Newport. Dana will always be thankful to Arturo for giving her this amazing opportunity and considers him not only her mentor but also a very good friend. Meeting Arturo Sandoval on the day of her 18th birthday was a life changing experience.

Dana has loved music for as long as she can remember. Her parents knew she had a passion and love of music when she was playing songs by ear on her keyboard at 6 years old. Shortly after that, she began taking classical piano lessons. While she was always singing, it didn’t dawn on anyone that her “gift” was her voice. While Dana’s mother loved to listen to jazz, Dana did not discover her passion for jazz until she arrived at high school and was chosen as the piano player for her high school jazz ensemble. Through her high school years, Dana was a member of the jazz band, jazz choir and women’s choir. She also directed an a cappella jazz quartet. Dana added jazz piano instruction as well as voice lessons to her schedule knowing that she would be majoring in jazz performance in college. Dana was thrilled to receive the Outstanding Vocal Soloist Award at the 2006 Berklee College of Music High School Jazz Festival and the Judge’s Choice Award for her piano and choir performance. Dana is completing her sophomore year at New England Conservatory as a jazz vocal performance major. She is excited to be transferring to Berklee College of Music on scholarship for the fall 2008 semester where she will continue her jazz vocal training and get back to seriously working on her jazz piano chops. Dana continues to perform with her own band in venues along the East Coast.  http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/danalauren

Stairway to the Stars

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Gladys Knight - Another Journey

Styles: R&B
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:27
Size: 88,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:15)  1. Old School
(3:34)  2. I Who Have Nothing
(3:59)  3. The Dream
(4:19)  4. All in Due Time
(3:33)  5. Settle
(4:15)  6. I L-O-V-E Y-O-U
(5:45)  7. I Hope You Dance
(4:36)  8. I Who Have Nothing (club Remix)
(4:08)  9. Searching for the Real Thing

The great ones endure, and Gladys Knight has long been one of the greatest. Very few singers over the last fifty years have matched her unassailable artistry. This eight-time Grammy winner has enjoyed #1 hits in pop, R&B and Adult Contemporary, and has triumphed in film, television and live performance.

In June 2013, Knight released her much anticipated 8th solo album, Another Journey, featuring the hit “I Who Have Nothing.” The album also features the up-tempo track “Settle,” produced by Randy Jackson, with whom she previously collaborated with on her Grammy-winning album At Last.

Georgia-born Knight began performing gospel music at age four. Three years later, she won the grand prize on Ted Mack’s Amateur Hour, and the following year, she, along with her brother Bubba, her sister Brenda and her cousins William and Elenor Guest, formed The Pips.  In 1959, Brenda and Elenor left the group, replaced by cousin Edward Patten and friend Langston George.  The group was renamed Gladys Knight & The Pips, and following George’s departure in 1962, the classic line-up was in place.

The group debuted their first album in 1960 when Knight was just 16.  They went on to achieve iconic status, having recorded some of the most memorable songs of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.  Top 20 hits like “Every Beat of My Heart,” “Letter Full of Tears,” “I Heard it Through the Grapevine” and “If I Were Your Woman,” set the stage for an amazing run in the mid-1970s, with Top 10 gold-certified singles like “Neither One of Us (Wants to be the First to Say Goodbye),”  “I’ve Got to Use My Imagination,”  “Best Thing to Ever Happen to Me” and the #1 smash “Midnight Train to Georgia” established Gladys Knight and The Pips as the premiere pop/R&B vocal ensemble in the world.  Knight enjoyed another #1 hit in 1985 when she teamed with Stevie Wonder, Elton John and Dionne Warwick on “That’s What Friends Are For.”  Recently, Knight reunited with her collaborators for the first time in 25 years for the anniversary of their historic “That’s What Friends Are For” performance benefiting AIDS research.

All told, Knight has recorded more than 39 albums over the years, including five solo albums during the past decade:  Good Woman (1991); Just for You (1994); Many Different Roads (1999); At Last (2001) and Another Journey (2013).

In 1995, Knight earned her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and the next year, Gladys Knight & The Pips were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  Knight published an autobiography, Between Each Line of Pain and Glory in 1997, and the next year, she and The Pips were presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame.

Adding to her already impressive collection (7), Knight won another Grammy for her duet with the late Ray Charles on his posthumous album Genius Loves Company (2005). The duo won for Best Gospel Performance for their duet “Heaven Help Us All.”  http://www.hardrocklivehollywoodfl.com/blog/2013/10/gladysknightathrl112213/

Another Journey

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Brandy Clark - 12 Stories

Styles: Country
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:21
Size: 97,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:22)  1. Pray To Jesus
(3:37)  2. Crazy Women
(3:34)  3. What'll Keep Me Out Of Heaven
(3:31)  4. Get High
(3:36)  5. Hold My Hand
(3:16)  6. Stripes
(3:38)  7. In Some Corner
(3:29)  8. Take A Little Pill
(3:56)  9. Hungover
(3:22) 10. Illegitimate Children
(3:23) 11. The Day She Got Divorced
(3:31) 12. Just Like Him

Brandy releases her high anticipated, critically acclaimed debut record  "12 Stories" Oct 22. Rolling Stone describes it as "airtight craftsmanship, sly wit and precise detailing." Leading up to the release Brandy has been featured in Redbook, Billboard, Entertainment Weekly and New York Magazine. Kacey Musgraves is taking "Follow Your Arrow" to country radio. The single, which was written by Brandy, Kacey and Shane will also be performed on the 2013 CMA Awards! A big congrats go out to Brandy for her 2013 CMA Nomination! "Mama's Broken Heart" has been nominated for CMA Song of the Year.  The song, recorded by Miranda Lambert and co-written with Shane McAnally and Kacey Musgraves is also up for Single of the Year and Video of the Year. Brandy's debut album 12 Stories is available for presale at I Tunes and Amazon.com. The full length record, produced by Dave Brainard hits the shelves October 22 but if you are an early bird you can download the album for only $8.99 here!  Brandy is excited about having two songs on two different projects being released this week. Keith Urban's new album, Fuse  includes "Come Back to Me," written by Brandy, Shane McAnally and Trevor Rosen and Sheryl Crow's debut country record,  Easy features Brandy's song "Homecoming Queen," which was cowritten with Shane and Luke Laird.  http://brandyclarkmusic.com/

12 Stories

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Bucky Pizzarelli, John Bunch And Jay Leonhart - Manhattan Swing: A Visit With The Duke

Styles: Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:31
Size: 166,0 MB
Art: Front + Back

(8:15)  1. Do Nothin' till You Hear from Me
(5:27)  2. I'm Beginning to See the Light
(5:54)  3. Isfahan (From the Far East Suite)
(7:01)  4. Satin Doll
(6:22)  5. All Too Soon
(6:55)  6. Don't Get Around Much Anymore
(6:23)  7. Passion Flower
(7:26)  8. In A Mellow Tone
(6:53)  9. Black Butterfly
(6:32) 10. Take The
(5:18) 11. C Jam Blues

The guitar/piano/bass trio of Bucky Pizzarelli, John Bunch, and Jay Leonhart, who have also recorded together under the group name of New York Swing, have a grand time with this collection of favorites from the Duke Ellington songbook. The interplay between them as well as their solos are never less than first rate, especially on an unusually brisk take of "I'm Beginning to See the Light," a foot-tapping "Don't Get Around Much Anymore" that has the flavor of western swing, and a bluesy "All Too Soon." But the trio really come into their own on the slow ballads, with a romantic "Passion Flower" and a shimmering "Isfahan." Jay Leonhart's liner notes are entertaining anecdotes, even if the time frame given for his one opportunity to sit in with Ellington is off by at least 15 years. ~ Ken Dryden  http://www.allmusic.com/album/manhattan-swing-a-visit-with-the-duke-mw0000004237

Manhattan Swing: A Visit With The Duke

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Clare Teal - Live At Ebenezer Chapel

Size: 124,4 MB
Time: 54:01
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2009/2013 USA
Styles: Vocal Jazz
Art: Front

01. Tea For Two (4:19)
02. Mountain Greenery (3:06)
03. Brave Face (5:00)
04. Teach Me Tonight (3:54)
05. Heber, The Receiver (3:11)
06. Circle Moon (4:43)
07. Shiny Stockings (3:40)
08. I Loves You Porgy (5:25)
09. Night And Day (3:05)
10. Blues In The Night (5:41)
11. In The Still Of The Night (5:28)
12. The Road Less Travelled (6:23)

Recorded in front of an intimate live audience at The Ebenezer Chapel one snowy night in February 2009. This album has a wonderful vibe and captures perfectly the joyous atmosphere of a very special evening.

Having developed an obsession with her grandmother's old Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday 45s at a young age, critically acclaimed vocalist Clare Teal went onto become one of the biggest names on the U.K. contemporary jazz scene. Born in Kildwick, a tiny village near Yorkshire, in 1973, Teal learned to play the piano, clarinet, and electronic organ before studying music at Wolverhampton University, where she discovered her vocal abilities during an impromptu exam. After stints writing jingles and selling advertising space, she signed a deal with jazz specialty label Candid Records, where she released three albums, That's the Way It Is, Orsino's Songs, and The Road Less Travelled. In 2004, she landed the biggest-ever record contract by a U.K. jazz artist with Sony, and scored a Top 20 album with her major-label debut, Don't Talk. In 2005, she became a regular DJ on BBC Radio 2, hosting both the Big Band Special and Friday Night Is Music Night shows, and a year later, won the BBC Jazz Vocalist of the Year. Teal has since released three LPs, 2007's Paradisi Carousel, 2008's Get Happy, and 2009's Live at the Ebenezer Chapel, appeared on Helmut Lotti's Time to Swing, and is set to release her new studio album, Clare Teal Sings the Great British Songbook, in 2011. ~ Jon O'Brien

Live At Ebenezer Chapel

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Tony Monaco, Yosuke Onuma & Gene Jackson - Live At Cotton Club Japan

Size: 169,8 MB
Time: 74:01
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Contemporary Jazz, Soul Jazz, Hammond B3 Jazz
Art: Front

01. Answering Service ( 8:48)
02. Nice To Be With You ( 9:49)
03. Happy Play Ground ( 9:09)
04. Aglio E Olio ( 9:35)
05. Happy Sergio ( 9:55)
06. Called Love ( 7:49)
07. Slow Down Sagg (10:24)
08. I'll Remember Jimmy ( 8:28)

Tony Monaco is a leader in a modest revival of the Hammond B3 organ in jazz. As he has been with so many fledgling jazz organists, Jimmy Smith played a significant role in attracting Monaco to jazz and retaining his interest in the music. Monaco was 12 years old when he first heard Smith and, as a 16th birthday present, got a phone call from the organ giant. The culmination of this association came when Smith invited the young performer to join him at Smith's club. Monaco has also been fortunate to spend time with other jazz organ masters, including Hank Marr and Dr. Lonnie Smith. He started subbing for players, like Marr, in and around Columbus, OH, when he was just 16. Monaco has also been helped along by one of his peers, Joey DeFrancesco, who produced Monaco's first album, Burnin' Grooves, and joined the session on piano. Monaco added horns to his second album, Master Chops T, released in 2002, giving the Hammond organ player much more flexibility to the arrangements. It also allowed him to take full advantage of the rhythmic invention the electric organ allows its players to engage in. A live follow-up, Intimately Live, followed later that year. In addition to his albums as leader, Monaco has recorded with Eric Neymeyer and neo-bop guitarist Mark Elf. Monaco doesn't rely entirely on his jazz work to support his family. He and his brother run and own a concrete construction business. When not performing or building, Monaco listens to other masters of the organ, including Smith, Richard "Groove" Holmes, and Larry Goldings.

Live At Cotton Club Japan

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George Masso Sextet - C'est Magnifique!

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 73:04
Size: 167.3 MB
Styles: Trombone jazz, Dixieland
Year: 2000
Art: Front

[ 9:40] 1. It's De-Lovely
[10:46] 2. It's All Right With Me
[ 4:48] 3. Why Shouldn't I
[ 7:05] 4. What Is This Thing Called Love
[ 5:47] 5. I Love You, Samantha
[ 9:38] 6. Get Out Of Town
[ 8:40] 7. C'est Magnifique
[ 4:51] 8. Night And Day
[ 7:16] 9. Just One Of Those Things
[ 4:28] 10. Ballad For A Friend

Recorded live at the Hanse-Merkur Auditorium, Hamburg, Germany on March 6, 1999. The fine swing trombonist George Masso leads a top-notch sextet through seven Cole Porter songs on a spirited live date recorded in Hamburg, Germany. Masso has long been a valuable sideman but he also excels as a leader and is generous in allocating solo space. Trumpeter Lou Colombo (long a legend in the Northeast) is heard on one of his best showcases, tenor saxophonist Harry Allen (who sounds quite close to Stan Getz in spots) swings hard, and the rhythm section (pianist Johnny Varro, bassist Phil Flanigan, and drummer Jake Hanna) sounds as good as they look. Easily recommended to swing, trad, and classic jazz collectors. ~ Scott Yanow

George Masso (leader, trombone); Harry Allen (tenor saxophone); Lou Colombo (trumpet, flugelhorn); Johnny Varro (piano); Phil Flanigan (bass); Jake Hanna (drums).

Recording information: Hanse-Merkur Auditorium, Hamburg, Germany (03/06/1999).

C'est Magnifique!

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Trijntje Oosterhuis - For Once In My Life: Songs of Stevie Wonder Live

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 77:40
Size: 177.8 MB
Styles: Pop-soul
Year: 1999
Art: Front

[ 0:47] 1. You Will Know
[ 4:00] 2. I Wish
[ 4:04] 3. I Was Made To Love Her
[ 3:48] 4. Pastime Paradise
[ 3:37] 5. Don't You Worry 'bout A Thing
[ 2:38] 6. Lately
[ 1:31] 7. Overjoyed
[ 3:18] 8. For Once In My Life
[ 5:01] 9. All I Do
[ 5:05] 10. Higher Ground
[ 5:02] 11. Living For The City
[ 5:31] 12. These 3 Words
[ 4:59] 13. Love's In Need Of Love Today
[ 4:49] 14. Sir Duke
[ 3:14] 15. Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours
[ 3:28] 16. Superstition
[12:38] 17. Do I Do
[ 4:02] 18. My Cherie Amour

FOR ONCE IN MY LIFE is a Stevie Wonder tribute album by Dutch pop singer Trijntje Oosterhuis.2008 release from the lead singer of Total Touch. On For Once In My Life, Trijntje pays tribute to the songwriting talents of Stevie Wonder. 18 tracks including 'Overjoyed', 'My Cherie Amor', 'Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing' and many more.

Trijntje Oosterhuis (vocals); Berget Lewis, Keith John (vocals); Leendert Haaksma (guitar); Peter Lieberom (tenor saxophone); Jan Van Duikeren (trumpet); Thomas Bank (keyboards); Cyril Directie (drums); Anthony Tolsma (percussion).

Recording information: Bacchus, Leiden, The Netherlands (09/21/1999/09/28/1999); Paradiso, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (09/21/1999/09/28/1999).

For Once In My Life

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Peter Beets - New York Trio

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 59:01
Size: 135.1 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2001
Art: Front

[5:52] 1. Beets' Beat
[7:20] 2. The Game
[4:31] 3. First Song
[7:01] 4. It's Happening
[8:43] 5. The Nearness Of You
[6:12] 6. The Best Thing For You
[5:29] 7. Admirable
[7:21] 8. The Way You Look Tonight
[6:30] 9. Blues For The Apple

"The title of one of Beets' originals -"Admirable"- is an appropriate metaphor for all of them. Stylistically, he's a lineal descendant of such quintessential boppers as Bud Powell, Hampton Hawes, Bobby Timmons and Wynton Kelly and is closely attuned to their modern progeny but with a lyrical outlook and rhytmic conception of his own underscored by tasteful, cogently structured lines that always swing and a technique that rivals anyone this side of vintage Oscar Peterson." ~Cadence

On his debut album for Criss Cross, award-winning Dutch piano virtuoso Peter Beets links up with A-list American bass/drums pair Rodney Whitaker & Willie Jones III for a swinging, meaty program of six Beets originals & three timeless standards. Recorded in Brooklyn, New York on May 22, 2001.

Peter Beets (piano); Willie Jones III (drums). Liner Note Author: Ted Panken.

Recording information: Systems Two Studios, Brooklyn, NY (05/22/2001).

New York Trio

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