Arnett Cobb - Jumpin' The Blues

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 72:25

Size: 165.8 MB

Styles: Saxophone jazz

Year: 2013

Art: Front

[3:01] 1. The Shy One

[2:59] 2. Li'l Sonny

[3:07] 3. Someone To Watch Over Me

[2:52] 4. Open House

[2:50] 5. Whispering

[2:06] 6. Walkin' Home

[2:56] 7. Pay It No Mind

[2:43] 8. Smooth Sailing

[2:39] 9. Big League Blues

[3:04] 10. Flower Garden Blues

[4:17] 11. Jumpin' The Blues

[2:57] 12. Chick She Ain't Nowhere

[2:36] 13. Go Red Go

[2:38] 14. Cobb's Corner

[3:01] 15. Walkin' With Sid

[2:53] 16. I'm In The Mood For Love

[2:34] 17. Still Flying

[2:58] 18. Running With Ray

[3:10] 19. Dutch Kitchen Bounce

[2:45] 20. Arnett Blows For 1300

[2:43] 21. Cobb's Boogie

[5:27] 22. When I Grow Too Old To Dream

[2:53] 23. Top Flight

[3:05] 24. Cobb's Idea

A stomping Texas tenor player in the tradition of Illinois Jacquet, very robust and sometimes raw, who mixes the musical vocabularies of swing, bebop, blues and R&B, and originator of the “Open Prairie” tone and “Southern Preacher” style of playing. Arnett Cobb has that honking, bar-walking saxophone sound that used to blast from jukeboxes coast-to-coast. There was always excitement elicited by Cobb’s uninhibited, blasting style which earned him the label “Wild Man of the Tenor Sax.”

Cobb was a prolific showman, writer, stylist, arranger, and tenor saxophone technician. His saxophone technique and music style directly influenced Illinois Jacquet, Gene Ammons, Johnny Griffin, Houston Person, Sonny Stitt, Stanley Turrentine, King Curtis, Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, and a generation of musicians in jazz, swing, R&B, soul, and funk music.

Baritone Saxophone – Charles Fowlkes, Johnny Griffin; Bass – Carl Pruitt, Gene Wright, Walter Buchanan; Drums – Al Walker, George Ballard; Piano – George Rhodes; Tenor Saxophone – Arnett Cobb, Willard Brown; Trombone – Michael Wood, Dickie Harris; Trumpet – David Page, Ed Lewis, Lamar Wright, Willie Moore.

Jumpin' The Blues

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Joni Mitchell - Hits

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 65:54

Size: 150.9 MB

Styles: Folk, Folk-rock

Year: 1996

Art: Front

[5:04] 1. Urge For Going

[2:30] 2. Chelsea Morning

[7:41] 3. Big Yellow Taxi

[5:26] 4. Woodstock

[4:50] 5. The Circle Game

[3:02] 6. Carey

[3:49] 7. California

[2:38] 8. You Turn Me On I'm A Radio

[3:05] 9. Raised On Robbery

[3:21] 10. Help Me

[3:02] 11. Free Man In Paris

[4:02] 12. River

[5:16] 13. Chinese Cafe/Unchained Melody

[7:29] 14. Come In From The Cold

[4:32] 15. Both Sides Now

All tracks have been digitally remastered using HDCD technology. HITS and MISSES, released on the same day in October 1996, are, amazingly enough, the first compilations of Joni Mitchell's work. Mitchell is one of the most influential singer-songwriters of the rock era. By incorporating poetic lyricism and a jazzy harmonic sensibility into the troubadour tradition, she paved the way for everyone from Rickie Lee Jones to Sting. HITS features some of the best-known songs from her immense repertoire (MISSES highlights equally important, but less commercially successful, compositions). HITS begins and ends with early, acoustic guitar-based material. "Urge For Going" (previously unavailable on CD) and "Both Sides Now" both yielded reams of cover versions by the likes of Judy Collins, Tom Rush and countless others. Moving on through the stylistically divergent phases of Mitchell's career, the lush pop songs "Help Me" and "Free Man In Paris" segue into the starkly confessional piano ballad "River" and the slippery, jazzy feel of "Chinese Cafe/Unchained Melody," adorned by Larry Klein's Jaco-manque fretless bass. HITS can only skim the surface of Mitchell's prolific output; a truly thorough chronicle would require a box set. But every song here is a gem, and this is a perfect place for the uninitiated to begin.

Joni Mitchell (vocals, guitar, acoustic guitar, dulcimer, piano, electric piano, keyboards); Saskatunes, Lookout Mountain United Downstairs Choir (vocals); Larry Klein (guitar, percussion); Stephen Stills (guitar); James Taylor (acoustic guitar); José Feliciano, Larry Carlton, Robbie Robertson, Steve Lukather (electric guitar); Graham Nash (harmonica, background vocals); Tom Scott (woodwinds, horns); Joe Sample (electric piano); Larry Williams (synthesizer); John Guerin (drums, percussion); Jim Hughart, Russ Kunkel, Vinnie Colaiuta (drums); Alex Acuña & the Unknowns, Alex Acuña, Milt Holland, Bobbye Hall (percussion); David Crosby (background vocals).

Hits

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Robbie Williams - Swings Both Ways

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 44:40

Size: 102.3 MB

Styles: Swing, Jazz vocals

Year: 2013

Art: Front

[3:20] 1. Shine My Shoes

[4:29] 2. Go Gentle

[3:29] 3. I Wan'na Be Like You

[3:14] 4. Swing Supreme

[3:56] 5. Swings Both Ways

[3:31] 6. Dream A Little Dream

[3:17] 7. Soda Pop

[3:17] 8. Snowblind

[2:31] 9. Puttin' On The Ritz

[3:13] 10. Little Green Apples

[3:39] 11. Minnie The Moocher

[3:50] 12. If I Only Had A Brain

[2:48] 13. No One Likes A Fat Pop Star

Swings Both Ways, Robbie's much-anticipated tenth studio album is out now and recently earned the title of the UK's 1,000th ever No.1 album, a whole 999 releases after Frank Sinatra's Songs For Swingin' Lovers! became the first.

Following in the toe-tapping footsteps of Robbie's most successful album to date, 2001's Swing When You're Winning, the new record features a mix of classic covers and new material as well as duets with some of pop's biggest names, including Lily Allen, Michael Bublé, Kelly Clarkson, Olly Murs and Rufus Wainwright.

Swings Both Ways is the tenth studio album by British singer-songwriter Robbie Williams. The album is Williams's second swing album after 2001's Swing When You're Winning.

Swings Both Ways  

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Sarah Morrau - To Hold You

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:10
Size: 96,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:52)  1. Autumn Leaves
(2:41)  2. Skylark
(3:21)  3. Voices
(4:51)  4. Both Sides Now
(4:49)  5. Summertime
(4:07)  6. They Can't Take That Away From Me
(3:31)  7. Hold You
(3:35)  8. Suzanne
(3:57)  9. Smile
(2:29) 10. Nobody Knows You (When You're Down And Out)
(3:51) 11. Song Of Bernadette

Some local artists have released new CDs that might be worth a look especially if you're in a quiet mood...captured by local singer/songwriter Sarah Morrau on her new release, ...To Hold You.

Singing both old standards like "Autumn Leaves" and "They Can't Take That Away from Me," and her own compositions, Morrau often sounds like a hybrid of Connie Evingson and Beth Nielsen Chapman, with a little Lisa Loeb (minus the whininess) thrown in.

Morrau's two original compositions on the CD, "Voices" and the title track, are among its prettiest. The latter, particularly, is heartfelt without being schmaltzy in the least (it's particularly reminiscent of Chapman).

[Sarah's] CD, produced here by Barking Dog Records [sic  recorded and co-produced by Mike Coates at Raptor Studios] prove talent runs deep and wide in Fargo-Moorhead.

 ~Tom Pantera  http://www.barkingdogrecords.com/sar.press.html

To Hold You

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Karin Plato - Downward Dancing

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:31
Size: 122,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:41)  1. Gypsy In My Soul
(3:38)  2. Let There Be Love
(6:06)  3. So In Love
(4:35)  4. He Was Too Good To Me
(3:27)  5. Shoe Passion Blues
(4:58)  6. Falling In Love With Love
(4:58)  7. Sometimes I'm Happy
(7:39)  8. You Are Too Beautiful
(4:39)  9. Oh, What A Beautiful Morning
(4:52) 10. Downward Dancing
(3:53) 11. Sometime Ago / Hi Li Li Hi Lo

Passionate swinging standards and tender ballads sensitively sung by this Canadian jazz vocalist and composer. Here on her sixth release she is featured with acclaimed Toronto musicians: pianist Nancy Walker, bassist Steve Wallace and drummer Joel Haynes.  http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/plato5

Downward Dancing

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John Pizzarelli - Meets The Beatles

Styles: Revival Swing
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:03
Size: 108,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:37)  1. Can't Buy Me Love
(2:48)  2. I've Just Seen A Face
(5:04)  3. Here Comes The Sun
(4:16)  4. Things We Said Today
(3:27)  5. You've Got To Hide Your Love Away
(5:03)  6. Eleanor Rigby
(3:57)  7. And I Love Her
(2:45)  8. When I'm 64
(4:04)  9. Oh Darling
(4:01) 10. Get Back
(3:46) 11. Long And Winding Road
(3:12) 12. For No One

Beatles fans love to explain that the key to the successful partnership of John Lennon and Paul McCartney was their contrasting songwriting personalities  Lennon was the tongue in cheek sardonic wit, McCartney the earnest balladeer. On John Pizzarelli Meets the Beatles, a sharply conceived tribute which sets the duo's classics in a jazz trio with big-band arrangements, the singer/guitarist hits the mark more often when he's taking on the Lennon persona. He approaches "Cant' Buy Me Love," "When I'm 64," and "Get Back" with a playful wink, jumping off his speedy melody lines and the rising brass sections for extended improvisational tradeoffs with pianist Ray Kennedy, and adding colorful touches like scatting and even ad libbing his own lyrical verses based on the originals. Likewise, he attacks the all-instrumental "Eleanor Rigby" with a jumpy, swinging aggression. Pizzarelli, however, becomes overly schmaltzy in presenting ballads like "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away" and "Long and Winding Road" too seriously, with maudlin, straightforward arrangements that grind the party to a halt. The one exception is the more percussive "Oh Darling," where his intense vocal helps the tune rise above the hotel lounge mentality. ~ Jonathan Widran    http://www.allmusic.com/album/meets-the-beatles-mw0000041997

Meets The Beatles

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Cedar Walton - Live at Maybeck Recital Hall Series, Vol. 25

Styles: Jazz
Year: 1992
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:20
Size: 122,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:01)  1. The Maybeck Blues
(5:52)  2. Stella by Starlight
(3:48)  3. Sweet Lorraine
(5:04)  4. Darn That Dream
(7:19)  5. Zingaro/Caminhos Cruzados
(4:21)  6. Bremond's Blues
(4:09)  7. You're My Everything
(4:04)  8. The Meaning of the Blues
(3:51)  9. I'm Old Fashioned
(5:07) 10. I Didn't Know What Time it Was
(5:40) 11. Just One of Those Things

Although this is hardly Cedar Walton's first attempt to go completely solo, his fans still know him primarily from his ensemble work and will no doubt be surprised and pleased with this album, No. 25 in the Maybeck Recital Hall series. After warming up with an intricate self-composed workout, "The Maybeck Blues," Walton veers into some standards ("Stella By Starlight," "Sweet Lorraine") with the polystylistic twists and turns of an Art Tatum. Walton's other composition "Bremond's Blues" is somehow generated by the changes from "Giant Steps" a neat trick. Beyond the strong Tatum influence, Walton remains a strong hard bopper with his right hand, a manner that takes very well to the characteristically bright, crisp tone of the hall's Yamaha pianos; but he also displays as fully equipped a harmonic arsenal as that of anyone. The CD concludes with a technical tour de force on "Just One of Those Things," which almost, but not quite, ties itself in knots. ~ Richard S. Ginell  

http://www.allmusic.com/album/live-at-maybeck-recital-hall-series-vol-25-mw0000096005

Live at Maybeck Recital Hall Series, Vol. 25

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Martina McBride - White Christmas

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 52:05
Size: 119.2 MB
Styles: Holiday, Country
Year: 1998
Art: Front

[1:46] 1. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
[4:07] 2. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
[2:43] 3. Silver Bells
[2:28] 4. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
[3:55] 5. Do You Hear What I Hear
[3:11] 6. I'll Be Home For Christmas
[3:25] 7. Winter Wonderland
[3:59] 8. O Come All Ye Faithful
[3:28] 9. Away In A Manger
[2:54] 10. Baby, It's Cold Outside
[2:12] 11. Jingle Bells
[3:19] 12. White Christmas
[3:23] 13. Silent Night
[3:39] 14. The Christmas Song
[3:46] 15. What Child Is This
[3:44] 16. O Holy Night

All tracks have been digitally mastered using HDCD technology. On Martina McBride Christmas, the singer delivers heartfelt renditions of "O Holy Night," "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!" and "Away in a Manger," putting a welcome new spin on these and eight other seasonal favorites. ~ Marvin Jolly

Ann Richards (flute); Dan Lochrie, Dan Lochrie (clarinet); Bill Woodworth, Bobby G. Taylor , Bill Woodworth, Bobby Taylor (oboe); Mark Wilson Jordan, Mark Jordan (synthesizer); Dennis Wilson Quintet, Dennis Wilson (background vocals); Biff Watson (acoustic guitar); Brent Mason (electric guitar); The Nashville String Machine (strings); Sam Levine (flute); Skip Cleavinger (pennywhistle); Karen Winkelmann (recorder); Lee Levine (clarinet); Jim Medlin, Matt Rollings (piano); Steve Nathan (synthesizer); Joe Chemay (bass guitar); Lonnie Wilson, Shannon Forrest (drums); Eric Darken, Sam Bacco (percussion); Lisa Silver, Marabeth Jordon, Mark Ivey, Bergen White, James Ferguson, Louis Dean Nunley (background vocals).

Recording information: Blackbird Studios, Nashville, TN; Emerald - The Tracking Room, Nashville, TN; Emerald Studios; Love Shack; Masterfonics, Nashville, TN; Ocean Way Studios, Nashville, TN; Seventeen Grand recording; Sound Stage Studios, Nashville, TN; The Money Pit, Nashville, TN.

White Christmas

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Callie Cardamon - Easy Street

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 36:18
Size: 83.1 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[3:28] 1. Easy Street
[3:15] 2. Dream A Little Dream
[4:14] 3. When Sunny Gets Blue
[2:26] 4. Let's Do It
[3:17] 5. Love Jazz
[3:49] 6. Don't Fence Me In
[3:03] 7. When Lights Are Low
[3:01] 8. Moon River
[3:29] 9. Stormy Weather
[2:37] 10. Ain't Misbehavin'
[3:33] 11. I Remember Sky

Easy Street is a delightful collection of jazz ballads presented with simple but effective arrangements that allows the listener to appreciate Callie Cardamon beautiful voice and cool delivery.

As any good jazz singer Callie imprint every song with a bluesy feeling, singing behind the beat, a vocal technique most female jazz singers learned from the great Billie Holiday. "When sunny gets blue" and "Dream a little dream are perfect examples of the application of this technique. On "Dream a little dream" Callie even add some nice scats at the end. The sound of the clarinet played by Rob Lockart, on some of the songs gives the muisc a kind of swing era feeling, reminiscent of Benny Goodman and Artie Shaw. Even though the Billie Holiday delivery style can be heard in other songs like "Stormy Weather", "Don't fence me in" and "Ain't Misbehavin", the arrangements on these songs borders on bluegrass.

Some of the highlights of the album are the Cardamon original jazz ballad "Love Jazz", a song with a touch of broadway; the jazzier and faster version of the classic "Moon river"; the cool, kind of Sinatra approach to "Let's do it" and the heartfelt vocals of the lovely ballad "I remember sky". ~Wilbert Sostre

Callie Cardamon (vocals), Rob Lockart (clarinet), Larry Steelman, Jason Danielson (piano)

Easy Street

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Harry James & His Orchestra - The Hits Of Harry James

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 35:47
Size: 81.9 MB
Styles: Big band
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[2:43] 1. The Mole
[3:30] 2. You Made Me Love You
[2:55] 3. I've Heard That Song Before
[2:39] 4. Trumpet Blues
[3:03] 5. Cherry
[3:07] 6. I'm Beginning To See The Light
[3:08] 7. Sleepy Lagoon
[2:58] 8. Two O'clock Jump
[3:19] 9. I Cried For You
[3:07] 10. Music Makers
[3:38] 11. Velvet Moon
[1:34] 12. Ciribiribin

Harry James was one of the most outstanding instrumentalists of the swing era, employing a bravura playing style that made his trumpet work instantly identifiable. He was also one of the most popular bandleaders of the first half of the 1940s, and he continued to lead his band until just before his death, 40 years later. James was the child of circus performers. His father, Everette Robert James, was the bandleader and trumpet player in the orchestra for the Mighty Haag Circus, and his mother, Maybelle Stewart Clark James, was an aerialist. Growing up in the circus, James became a performer himself as early as the age of four, when he began working as a contortionist. He soon turned to music, however, first playing the snare drum in the band from about the age of six and taking trumpet lessons from his father. At 12, he took over leadership of the second band in the Christy Brothers Circus, for which his family was then working. He attended grade school in Beaumont, Texas, where the circus spent the winter, and when he was 14 he won a state music contest as a trumpeter.

That inspired him to turn professional and begin playing in local bands. James' first job with a national band came in 1935 when he was hired by Ben Pollack. In May 1935, he married singer Louise Tobin, with whom he had two children and from whom he was divorced in June 1943. He made his first recordings as a member of the Pollack band in September 1936. Not long after, he was tapped by Benny Goodman, then leading one of the country's most popular bands, and he began working for Goodman by the end of 1936. He rapidly gained notice in the Goodman band, and by December 1937 he had begun to make recordings under his own name for Brunswick Records (later absorbed by Columbia Records). ~ excerpt from the bio by William Ruhlmann

The Hits Of Harry James

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Cory Jamison - Kemton's Cool School

Styles: Vocal, Cabaret
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:57
Size: 118,9 MB
Art: Front

(2:36)  1. It's a Most Unusual Day
(2:26)  2. Shoo Fly Pie
(3:16)  3. That's All
(2:28)  4. The Lady in Red
(3:01)  5. I Told Ya I Love Ya (Now Get Out)
(4:50)  6. The Night We Called It a Day
(2:37)  7. Ridin' High
(2:48)  8. When Sunny Gets Blue
(4:46)  9. Senor Blues
(4:04) 10. Something Cool
(3:47) 11. A Stranger Called the Blues
(2:08) 12. On the First Warm Day
(3:53) 13. Hallelujah! I Love Him So!
(2:54) 14. All About Ronnie
(2:19) 15. Chiquita from Chi-Wah-Wah
(3:54) 16. My Shining Hour

San Francisco-based Cory Jamison is one of the leading new cabaret artists in America. She has charmed audiences throughout the US with her insightful and sensitive interpretations of American popular song. Jamison is best known for her critically acclaimed interpretations of Hoagy Carmichael's music. Her popular Carmichael tribute, Star Dust Melodies, has been extended numerous times at Toulouse on the Park, Chicago's premier cabaret room, and was called "A masterful homage to Hoagy" by Howard Reich of the Chicago Tribune. Jamison is currently taking Star Dust Melodies on a national tour, which began at New York's Eighty-Eight's cabaret club and continues nationally through 2000.  As the leading interpreter of Carmichael's music, Jamison was the featured Carmichael performer at the 1999 Chicago Jazz Festival with Dick Sudhalter, the Bloomington Pops Carmichael Celebration Concert with Randy Carmichael, and the Chicago Humanities Festival Carmichael Centennial event with Hoagy Bix Carmichael. Further documenting her passion for Hoagy's music, Jamison has recently released a CD tribute, Here's to Hoagy, with accompanist and musical director Dan Stetzel. According to the Chicago Tribune's CD review, "If the centennial of Hoagy Carmichael is going to inspire just one new recording, then this release deserves to be it." The CD is available nationally through LML Music. 

In addition to her Carmichael centennial performances, Jamison is known for her tributes to Johnny Mercer, June Christy, Cole Porter, and most recently, Noel Coward. She joined Patricia Morrison, Steve Ross, Barry Day, Robert Kimball, and Billy Stritch in the Chicago Humanities Festival's Noel Coward Tribute and at The Player's Club's tribute in New York City. This past year, Jamison was a featured performer at the Mabel Mercer Foundation?s Annual Cabaret Convention in New York City, where she was specially selected to perform as part of an evening honoring the 75th birthday of cabaret legend, Julie Wilson. She also performed in the West Coast Cabaret Convention in San Francisco in June of 2000. Some of her other recent appearances include Odette's in New Hope, PA, The Plush Room in San Francisco, The Cinegrill in Los Angeles, and she will be performing on October 19 at the 11th Annual Cabaret Convention at Towne Hall, and November 12 at the Chicago Humanities Festival?s tribute to Johnny Mercer featuring Billy Stritch, Margaret Whiting, and Michael Feinstein. In addition to her cabaret talents, Jamison has numerous theatre credits. In Chicago she performed the roles of Ariel and Belle in Disney?s production of A Hercules Spectacular at The Chicago Theatre. Nationally, she has appeared as Babe in The Pajama Game and in The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas. Cory Jamison is a graduate of Indiana University and a 1998 Eugene O'Neill Cabaret Symposium fellow. ~ Bio  http://www.amazon.com/Cory-Jamison/e/B000APIEZ8/ref=ac_dtp_sa_bio

kemton's cool school

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Paul Anka - Duets

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:07
Size: 174,3 MB
Art: Front

(5:32)  1. Walk A Fine Line
(4:39)  2. Find My Way Back To Your Heart
(4:53)  3. Do I Love You (Yes, In Every Way)
(4:07)  4. This Is It
(4:45)  5. I Really Miss You
(5:05)  6. Think I'm In Love Again
(4:12)  7. Pennies From Heaven
(4:45)  8. Crazy
(4:11)  9. You Are My Destiny
(5:03) 10. Les Filles De Paris
(5:11) 11. It's Hard To Say Goodbye
(4:20) 12. She's A Lady
(4:52) 13. Hold Me 'Til The Mornin' Comes
(5:14) 14. My Way
(4:08) 15. I'm Not Anyone
(5:03) 16. Les Filles De Paris

Released as a tie-in to Paul Anka's 2013 memoir My Way (really, would an Anka autobiography bear another name?), the 2013 collection Duets attempts to illustrate the depth of Anka's career through song, letting the singer/songwriter indulge himself with duet partners both expected and unfamiliar. There is a degree of posthumous trickery here  he sings "This Is It" with Michael Jackson and "My Way" with Frank Sinatra, two vocalists long deceased by the time Anka assembled this album  but Anka is such a creature of show biz that this sleight of hand doesn't much matter; arguably, it even enhances the splash and glitz of this deliberately showy album.

There may be a little too much modernity on Duets , Anka succumbs to Auto-Tune here and there, including on "Find My Way Back to your Heart," the only solo song here  and there's the odd sense that he's trying to appeal to every possible audience that may exist in 2013, although nothing here could conceivably be played on modern radio. Instead, Duets plays like a fantasia of pre-MTV pop, songs designed for maximum radio play even when there are no outlets for that sound. There are some pleasant moments here, to be sure  many of them play like throwbacks to 1990, including Tom Jones' new take on "She's a Lady" but it's a sound that belongs to past that's long since gone. 

~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine   http://www.allmusic.com/album/duets-mw0002487037

Duets

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James Taylor - James Taylor At Christmas

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 51:38
Size: 118.2 MB
Styles: Holiday
Year: 2006/2012
Art: Front

[3:32] 1. Winter Wonderland
[3:40] 2. Go Tell It On The Mountain
[3:52] 3. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
[3:03] 4. Jingle Bells
[4:16] 5. Baby, It's Cold Outside
[3:33] 6. River
[2:47] 7. Here Comes The Sun
[3:23] 8. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
[4:36] 9. Some Children See Him
[3:05] 10. Mon Beau Sapin
[3:51] 11. The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire)
[4:09] 12. Who Comes This Night
[4:10] 13. In The Bleak Midwinter
[3:35] 14. Auld Lang Syne

For the most part, holiday-themed albums are about as memorable as what you had for lunch a month ago. As humans continue to evolve, there's a very good chance that we'll develop some sort of yuletide audio bypass valve that will allow us to filter the three-and-a-half million versions of every Christmas song ever made into one solid rendition that either pleases or displeases us, and can be dealt with accordingly. That said, James Taylor's brilliantly titled James Taylor at Christmas is about as inoffensive a collection of seasonal classics as one could hope for. The legendary singer/songwriter's warm voice is the perfect vessel for "Winter Wonderland," "Jingle Bells," and the "Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)" because it makes absolutely no impression on the listener. [A digital version added two bonus tracks.] ~ James Christopher Monger

Recording information: Capitol Studios (03/07/2008); Studio At The Palms, Las Vegas, NV (03/07/2008); The Barn, Washington, MA (03/07/2008); Capitol Studios (03/2004-04/2004); Studio At The Palms, Las Vegas, NV (03/2004-04/2004); The Barn, Washington, MA (03/2004-04/2004).

James Taylor At Christmas

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Michael Bublé - Live From Las Vegas

Size: 89,3 MB
Time: 38:04
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Swing Jazz
Art: Front

01. Fly Me To The Moon (2:34)
02. It Had To Be You (2:39)
03. You Make Me Feel So Young (2:24)
04. Let There Be Love (3:07)
05. Sway (3:31)
06. Lady Is A Tramp (3:19)
07. Mack The Knife (3:22)
08. Young At Heart (2:34)
09. Come Fly With Me (2:13)
10. Ain't That A Kick In The Head (2:45)
11. Everybody Loves My Baby (Diga Diga Do) (4:27)
12. Cry Me A River (5:03)

Michael Bubble is THE swing music performer from the UK. NOT to be confused with the young pretender Mr Bublé, Michael Bubble has been in the business of swing music since the mid 1980's and has toured extensively around Europe. Michael had previously released all his music on formats such as CD, Vinyl, and even Cassette (Remember them?), before making his debut on Itunes and other digital sites in July 2011 with the hugely successful album 'Forever, For Now'. He is currently in the process of releasing his follow-up album, and playing dates around the UK.

Live From Las Vegas

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Randy Brecker - The Brecker Brothers Band Reunion

Size: 156,1 MB
Time: 67:30
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Crossover Jazz, Electric Jazz, Jazz-Funk
Art: Front

01. First Tune Of The Set (7:29)
02. Stellina (7:36)
03. Dipshit (6:03)
04. Merry Go Town (5:13)
05. Slag (6:34)
06. Really In For It (7:45)
07. Elegy For Mike (7:37)
08. On The Rise (5:33)
09. Adina (6:15)
10. R N Bee (7:22)

Though saxophonist Michael Brecker passed away in 2007, his brother, trumpeter Randy Brecker, keeps the jazz-funk fusion of the Brecker Brothers alive with the Brecker Brothers Reunion Band. While not a strict reunion of the original ensemble, the band does feature many of the players who have performed with the Brecker Brothers over the years, such as guitarist Mike Stern, drummer Dave Weckl, and keyboardist George Whitty, as well as new members including Italian saxophonist Ada Rovatti (Brecker's wife), and keyboardist Oli Rockberger. The band played several shows beginning in 2011, and in 2013 released this album, which also featured such former Brecker Brothers' associates as guitarists Dean Brown, Adam Rogers, and Mitch Stein, drummer Rodney Holmes, bassist Chris Minh Doky, and saxophonist David Sanborn. ~Review by Matt Collar

The Brecker Brothers Band Reunion

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The Hot Club Of Dublin - Fin Voyage

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 49:32
Size: 113.4 MB
Styles: Swing, Gypsy jazz
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[3:38] 1. Dankerr
[2:54] 2. Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen
[2:27] 3. Fintan - Waltz
[1:44] 4. Chez Mathieu
[3:23] 5. Music Maestro Please
[1:59] 6. D. G. Swing
[3:24] 7. Over The Rainbow
[2:48] 8. Shine
[4:54] 9. That's All
[2:51] 10. I Wonder Where My Baby Is Tonight
[2:53] 11. Georgia On My Mind
[4:15] 12. New Years Day
[5:04] 13. All Of Me
[3:21] 14. Some Of These Days
[3:49] 15. Fin Voyage

The Hotclub of Dublin consists of three members of the Gilligan Family, John, Fintan and Daniel, along with Russian gypsy violin player Oleg Ponomarev. United by their passion for Hotclub and old swing, this vibrant quartet have developed and expanded on the Hotclub style, to include four part vocal harmonies with hints of eastern gypsy flavour. On their second album Fin Voyage, we find instruments not normally associated with Hotclub, such as clarinet, piano and saxophone. This album is a collection of original tunes with some old standards included. The Hotclub of Dublin is currently playing venues in Ireland and across Europe and are looking forward to playing in Russia in the New Year.

Fin Voyage

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Don Byas - Big City Nights

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 57:29
Size: 131.6 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[2:46] 1. Laura
[2:47] 2. Riffin' And Jivin'
[2:21] 3. I'm Beginning To See The Light
[3:01] 4. Stardust
[2:59] 5. Embraceable You
[2:43] 6. Ain't Misbehavin'
[3:09] 7. Stormy Weather
[2:43] 8. Slam-In' Around
[3:05] 9. Harvard Blues
[2:48] 10. Rosetta
[2:49] 11. Blues For Panassie
[3:14] 12. Nancy
[2:55] 13. Body And Soul
[2:57] 14. Annie Laurie
[2:29] 15. I Can't Explain
[3:02] 16. Dark Eyes
[2:59] 17. Three O'clock In The Morning
[2:40] 18. Blue And Sentimental
[3:02] 19. These Foolish Things
[2:50] 20. Humoresque

One of the greatest of all tenor players, Don Byas' decision to move permanently to Europe in 1946 resulted in him being vastly underrated in jazz history books. His knowledge of chords rivalled Coleman Hawkins, and, due to their similarity in tones, Byas can be considered an extension of the elder tenor. He played with many top swing bands, including those of Lionel Hampton (1935), Buck Clayton (1936), Don Redman, Lucky Millinder, Andy Kirk (1939-1940), and most importantly Count Basie (1941-1943). An advanced swing stylist, Byas' playing looked toward bop. He jammed at Minton's Playhouse in the early '40s, appeared on 52nd Street with Dizzy Gillespie, and performed a pair of stunning duets with bassist Slam Stewart at a 1944 Town Hall concert. After recording extensively during 1945-1946 (often as a leader), Byas went to Europe with Don Redman's band, and (with the exception of a 1970 appearance at the Newport Jazz Festival) never came back to the U.S. He lived in France, the Netherlands, and Denmark; often appeared at festivals; and worked steadily. Whenever American players were touring, they would ask for Byas, who had opportunities to perform with Duke Ellington, Bud Powell, Kenny Clarke, Dizzy Gillespie, Jazz at the Philharmonic (including a recorded tenor battle with Hawkins and Stan Getz), Art Blakey, and (on a 1968 recording) Ben Webster. Byas also recorded often in the 1950s, but was largely forgotten in the U.S. by the time of his death. ~ bio by Scott Yanow

Big City Nights

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Holly Cole - Night

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 39:46
Size: 91.0 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[3:14] 1. You Only Live Twice
[3:37] 2. Walk Away
[3:09] 3. Good Time Charlie's Got The Blues
[4:30] 4. You've Got A Secret
[4:03] 5. Viva Las Vegas
[3:25] 6. I Only Have Eyes For You
[3:28] 7. I Thought Of You Again
[3:53] 8. Love Lies
[3:06] 9. Whistling Past The Graveyard
[3:23] 10. If You Go Away
[3:52] 11. If You Could Read My Mind

Internationally acclaimed recording and touring artist Holly Cole returns with NIGHT, her first studio album in over five years. Supported by musicians Cole recognizes as soul mates and companions, NIGHT presents a reunion of the original Holly Cole Trio, featuring pianist Aaron Davis and bassist David Piltch along with co-producer Greg Cohen. The line-up is completed by Davide DiRenzo (drums), Johnny Johnson (horns), Greg Leisz (lap steel), Kevin Breit (guitars), Cyro Baptista (percussion) and others.

In trademark Holly Cole fashion, NIGHT crosses different corners of the musical spectrum from the first focus track, a Bond theme by John Barry (“You Only Live Twice“), to a Mort Shuman classic (“Viva Las Vegas“) to Tom Waits (“Walk Away“, “Whistling Past The Graveyard“), Jaques Brel (“If You Go Away”) and Gordon Lightfoot (“If You Could Read My Mind“). A song by late Sixties/early Seventies Canadian folk-pop duo The Poppy Family has gently found its way into the repertoire (“I Thought Of You Again“). All of this is complimented by an American songwriter/folk classic from the Danny O’Keefe songbook (“Good Time Charlie’s Got The Blues“), a riveting version of a Captain Beefheart tune (“Love Lies“), a timeless pop ballad (“I Only Have Eyes For You“) and – a wonderful new Holly Cole original – “You’ve Got A Secret“.

Night

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US Army Blues Jazz Ensemble - 25th Anniversary Concert (Feat. The New York Voices)

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 72:52
Size: 166.8 MB
Styles: Big band
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[ 3:39] 1. Air Mail Special
[ 6:30] 2. Willow Weep For Me, All Blues
[ 4:27] 3. Oh, Lady, Be Good
[ 5:09] 4. Desafinado
[ 7:36] 5. A Sideward Glance
[ 6:31] 6. Body And Soul
[ 7:59] 7. My Ship
[ 7:38] 8. Summertime
[ 4:09] 9. Star Dust
[14:11] 10. Conspiracy Theory
[ 4:58] 11. Love Makes The World Go Round

This 18-piece ensemble has performed at renowned venues worldwide and is featured here backing the vocal ensemble "New York Voices". The 25th Anniversary Concert album celebrates the bands 25 years of great service to our country. My favorite track is "Air Mail Special", a jazz standard that they perform with the same excellent verve they do all their numbers. Any Jazz lover should check this group out and if you're already a fan, this album is a must have. ~Al McCree/amazon

25th Anniversary Concert

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Anne Walsh - Go

Styles: Vocal, Bossa Nova
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:31
Size: 119,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:29)  1. Cinnamon & Clove
(4:36)  2. Je Vousem Beacuop
(2:35)  3. Bumble Bee
(4:24)  4. Melanie
(5:12)  5. So In Love
(4:56)  6. South American Getaway
(4:52)  7. Bewitched
(4:57)  8. Cascade of the Seven Waterfalls
(4:33)  9. Go
(3:47) 10. Batucada
(3:42) 11. I'll Wish for You
(4:22) 12. Spring's Unfold

Eclectic yet incredibly accessible with a cool Latin vibe that has the ability to creep into your soul.A conceptualized release that finds critically acclaimed vocalist Anne Walsh doing her own riff on exploring artistic beauty in the fast paced world of the digital download. The follow up to Pretty World which earned a Grammy nomination for the arrangement of "In The Still Of The Night" finds Walsh striking out on a slightly more diverse path and in fine voice.  While an admitted intent to go the more organic route there is the musical dichotomy of rich layered textures that create an ambient tapestry showcasing Walsh's pristine vocals. A common stumbling block for a great many vocalists would be arrangements where the musicians are seemingly an afterthought. Go is a well thought out release with stellar arrangements that highlight a sonic conversation between vocalist and musicians creating a more harmonious approach than what you may hear with some artists. "Je Vousem Beaucoup" is an engaging and somewhat haunting tune hinting at the varied background of Walsh including the slight Broadway feel to this number. "Bumble Bee" is an incredibly playful number with sassy vocals and a gentle swing that adds a subtle pop with delightful scat vocals added for flavor along with the violin solo of Christian Howes. 

The Cole Porter standard "So In Love" smolders with a dynamic tension from shifting meters and arrangements to match. Pianist Thomas Zink compliments the mood with a gorgeous lyrically driven solo. Anne Walsh takes the Rogers & Hart classic "Bewitched" to another level. More than just knocking out a passable cover, Walsh transforms from vocalist to story teller and delivers an intoxicating performance. Reinforcing the brilliant arrangements finds Walsh recreating the "South American Getaway" from Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid and breathing new life into a forgotten Burt Bacharach number. Adding original vocals to an accepted instrumental jazz classic can be the equivalent of tap dancing in a musical mine field. The original lyrics added to the Wayne Shorter tune "Go" are inventive and keep with the more conceptual nature of this incredibly strong release. Original lyrics, stellar arrangements and a first call list of musicians pushes Go to the top of the heap for vocal releases, even going back to the previous year. Anne Walsh is a fabulous vocal talent with impeccable phrasing and the background to allow herself the freedom to adapt to an eclectic and intoxicating set of tunes not often heard from similar artists. There is a perfect ebb and flow to this release from the beautiful cover art to the last note. The musical stars were in perfect alignment for this virtually flawless release. 5 Stars!   

http://www.criticaljazz.com/2012/02/anne-walsh-go-atozink-music-2012.html

Personnel: Chris Wabich: drums; Brian Bromberg: acoustic bass; Jerry Watts: electric bass; Thomas Zink: piano; Ramone Stagnaro, Larry Koonse, Mitchell Long, Gannin Arnold: guitar; Gary Meek: saxes, flutes, woodwinds; Tiki Pasillas, Chris Wabich: percussion; Anne Walsh, Rogerio Jardim: background voice; Anne Walsh, Johnathan Mack, Jim Graft: Voices "South American Getaway."; Christian Howes: violin solo; Tony Guerrero: trumpet solo; Bill Brendle: accordion; Kathleen Robertson, Cameron Patrick: violins; Darrin McCann: viola; Melissa Hasin: cello.

Go

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