Katrine Madsen - Katrine

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:29
Size: 118,7 MB
Art: Front

(8:20)  1. Ring of Gold
(5:24)  2. Vanishing Point
(6:10)  3. Seaborne
(6:34)  4. After Dark Days
(4:39)  5. In the House On the Hill
(2:18)  6. Cat
(3:54)  7. Chestnuts
(5:47)  8. Two Miles
(8:20)  9. Lost and Found

Katrine Madsen is a shining vocal star on the Scandinavian jazz heaven. Her voice is dark and intense and her recordings have been praised unanimously by jazz critics everywhere.

She has toured extensively throughout Europe, Australia, Asia and Japan. Katrine has released 12 albums, 2 of them has been nominated for a Danish Music Award as “Best Vocal Jazz Album”.

From the very start of her career, Katrine Madsen has revealed a well-developed sense of style and an inherent ability to capture the musical space and lead the listener into her vocal stories. Often in intimate love ballads and pensive songs, where we find some of the key words in life.

“Many women are called to jazz singing, few are chosen. Danish singer Katrine Madsen is one of the chosen few with a voice like dark wine and an unerring instinct for the perfect note at the right moment. No tricks. No showy pyrotechnics!” (The Courier-Mail - Brisbane)

“Katrine Madsen is truly a superb interpreter of jazz. The true measure of her talent is in her interpretation of a song…this lady of song is totally in control of her material. Katrine Madsen is style. Style is the necessary adjunct of talent and genius, a heaven-bestowed capacity for projecting a very personal, a very original image."

(The Age - Australian National Newspaper)  http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/katrinemadsen

Katrine

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Sunbirds (Klaus Weiss Sextet) - Zagara

Styles: Jazz Rock Fusion
Year: 1972
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:53
Size: 86,9 MB
Art: Front

( 4:09)  1. My Dear Groovin'
( 4:05)  2. I Don't Need
(10:58)  3. African Sun
( 4:43)  4. Fire Dance
( 4:05)  5. Homecoming
( 4:07)  6. Ocean Song
( 2:52)  7. Still Pointing
( 2:51)  8. Zagara

Sunbirds were a band project formed in 1971 by German drummer Klaus Weiss. (17/02/1942-10/12/2008) Weiss had already twelve years of career as a jazz drummer behind him in 1971 and was appreciated by US jazz men touring in Europe. He had played among others with Bud Powell, Johnny Griffin, Kenny Drew and Don Byas. From 1962 to 1965 he had worked with Klaus Doldinger and in 1966 Weiss won the International Jazz Competition in Vienna. 

In 1971 he formed the multinational Klaus Weiss Quartet featuring American bassist Jimmy Woode, Dutch saxophonist Ferdinand Povel and Austrian pianist Fritz Pauer, The same musicians joined by Philip Catherine on guitar and Juan Romero on percussion recorded in august of 1971 the first self titled Sunbirds record. The record presented an interesting form of early jazz rock with an extensive use of electronic keyboards. One year later in august of 1972 the Sunbirds released their second record, Zagara, again the Klaus Weiss Quartet joined this time by Ron Carter on double bass, Leczek Zadlo on flute, Lucas Costa and Rafael Weber on guitar and Norman Tolbert on percussion. This record presented an orientation towards Latin Fusion.  

http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=6088

Zagara

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Murray Hockridge & Dave Kilminster - Closer To Earth

Size: 137,0 MB
Time: 58:23
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Rock
Art: Front

01. Losing My Religion (5:27)
02. Rocket Man (4:44)
03. Father Figure (5:51)
04. I'm Not In Love (6:06)
05. Street Spirit (Fade Out) (5:08)
06. Brown Eyed Girl (6:13)
07. Any Major Dude Will Tell You (3:03)
08. Hallelujah (7:28)
09. Sara Smile (3:42)
10. Time After Time (3:45)
11. Wish You Were Here (6:49)

Vocalist Murray Hockridge and guitarist Dave Kilminster just released their first album of beautifully crafted acoustic covers titled 'Closer To Earth' on Killer Guitar Records, via Cherry Red Records. As fate would have it, a chance meeting brought these two musical innovators together for this special project. Says Dave, “This is essentially an album of acoustic covers, where we've taken some songs that we love and reconstructed them in a unique way. Also, it's an interesting format too, as I can't think of another acoustic duo where they both play guitar, sing lead vocals and throw in some crazy soloing too!”

“The creative potential when you find this kind of chemistry is truly open ended,” enthuses Murray (vocals, rhythm guitar & production), “there are so many combinations of instruments and voicings we can call on, both in the studio and on stage – there are no limits.”

Murray's three-octave voice is absolutely breathtaking and appears utterly effortless. Although a talented songwriter, interpreting other writers' songs is very much in Murray's DNA. His dynamic, soulful vocal approach on this album unites an unlikely array of classic tunes from many different genres in a deeply evocative way. In combination with Dave Kilminster's beautiful guitar work, the sound is both spellbinding and unique.

Says Dave, “I met Murray a couple years ago, and just thought that he had the most incredible voice...and so one day we decided to jam together, and there was this instant magical connection... It's almost like ESP! We always have such a great time playing together too, and the audience can sense that...and there's literally no limits to the directions we can take the songs in when we're improvising.”

Best known for his work with Roger Waters and Keith Emerson, Dave Kilminster is a gifted guitarist and songwriter. His debut CD release 'Scarlet' garnered rave reviews from fans and music critics alike worldwide. Dave is also proficient at keyboards, bass and drums; all of these skills he infuses with his own unique blend of elegance, grace and raw passion. 'Closer To Earth' was recorded around Dave's commitments to Roger Waters 'The Wall' tour.

Individually, these two musicians have a enormous amount of talent and a mesmerizing stage presence. The duo's impressive new CD is sure to please music listeners worldwide!

In closing Dave has this to impart, “I am so incredibly proud of this album... It is definitely one of the best things I've ever done. If you're tired of hearing auto tuned, computer generated bleepy crap on the radio, then this really is the perfect answer.”

Closer To Earth

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Kris Adams - Longing

Size: 133,8 MB
Time: 57:44
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Jazz Vocals, Jazz Fusion
Art: Front

01. The Glide (5:23)
02. The Dawntreader (6:23)
03. Wrong Together (5:01)
04. When You Smile (5:01)
05. All Of You (5:13)
06. Once Upon A Summertime (5:07)
07. Longing (4:45)
08. What's Your Story Morning Glory (5:29)
09. Pulled Pork (4:42)
10. Voce E Eu (5:07)
11. You And Me Love (5:29)

Notes:
An eclectic mix of old and new songs arranged by jazz trumpeter Greg Hopkins for a large ensemble featuring Tim Ray - piano, Paul Del Nero - acoustic bass, Fernando Huergo - electric bass, Mark Walker - drums, Bertram Lehmann - percussion, Shannon LeClaire - alto sax/clarinet, Bob Patton - flutes/engineering, Fernando Brandão - flutes, Rick DiMuzio - tenor sax/clarinet, Ben Whiting - baritone sax/bass clarinet, Eric Hofbauer - guitar and Eugene Friesen - cello.

Review:
Longing is a very interesting and beautiful recording. Kris Adams has a straight-forward and honest delivery to her sound and she is right in the center of every note. She makes these melodies and other vocal lines sound so effortless on a set of songs that are anything but simple. She is surrounded by a cast of great jazz musicians from top to bottom and the arrangements by Greg Hopkins are perfect. This type of recording has so much depth that you know you will listen to it many times in order to catch everything. It is brave and also rare for a vocalist not to bathe her sound in reverb and it works here, very direct and personal. Very enjoyable and highly recommended. ~by Matt Richard

Longing

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Johnny Cash - The Classic Christmas Album

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 44:54

Size: 102.8 MB

Styles: Holiday

Year: 2013

Art: Front

[2:49] 1. Christmas As I Knew It

[2:12] 2. Christmas Time's A-Comin'

[2:14] 3. That Christmasy Feeling

[2:04] 4. Christmas With You

[2:21] 5. Blue Christmas

[2:32] 6. The Little Drummer Boy

[3:31] 7. The Gifts They Gave

[2:40] 8. King Of Love

[1:55] 9. Merry Christmas Mary

[2:28] 10. I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day

[2:04] 11. Joy To The World

[3:36] 12. It Came Upon A Midnight Clear

[2:44] 13. Ringing The Bells For Jim

[4:36] 14. The Christmas Guest

[4:59] 15. The Christmas Spirit

[2:01] 16. Silent Night

2013 holiday collection from one of the most beloved names in the music business. Deck the halls, wrap those gifts, jingle those bells and usher in the holidays with this platter of joyful Christmas melodies that will make your season even brighter!

The Classic Christmas Album 

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Aaron Weinstein - A Handful Of Stars

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 59:24
Size: 136.0 MB
Styles: Violin jazz
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[ 4:24] 1. After You've Gone
[ 4:26] 2. A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes
[ 4:18] 3. Samba De Orpheu
[ 5:01] 4. A Handful Of Stars
[ 3:11] 5. Swingtime In The Rockies
[ 2:43] 6. Let's Get Lost
[ 5:08] 7. Dark Eyes
[ 3:03] 8. Someone To Watch Over Me
[ 3:38] 9. If Dreams Come True
[ 5:19] 10. Pennies From Heaven
[ 5:18] 11. Dinner With Friends
[12:49] 12. Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me

A Handful of Stars is a startlingly mature and impressively confident debut album from 19-year-old jazz violinist Aaron Weinstein, a young man who plays with a felicitous combination of Stuff Smith's earthy, powerful attack and Stéphane Grappelli's elegant sophistication. Accompanied by a shifting complement of sidemen that includes, at various times, guitarists Bucky Pizzarelli and John Pizzarelli, saxophonist Houston Person, bassist Nicki Parrott, and drummer Joe Ascione, he's at his best and most confident on such traditional swing fare as "If Dreams Come True," "Swingtime in the Rockies" (in a very fun arrangement featuring multi-tracked violins), and "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes." He's just as good on the ballads as on the up-tempo numbers -- his sweet and tender rendition, with just a quiet guitar accompaniment, of "Pennies from Heaven" is one of the album's highlights -- but his feel for Brazilian rhythms is a bit less sure. On "Samba de Orfeu" he sounds just a bit tentative -- skillful and melodically insightful, but less confident and breezy than on the more ebullient swing selections. Still, if the worst that can be said of him is that he's a bit less fun on the sambas than he is on the other material, then that's high praise indeed. Strongly recommended. ~ Rick Anderson

Aaron Weinstein (violin); John Pizzarelli (vocals, guitar); Bucky Pizzarelli (guitar); Houston Person (tenor saxophone); Nicki Parrott (bass instrument); Joe Ascione (drums).

A Handful Of Stars

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Izaline Calister - Kandela

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 48:23
Size: 110.8 MB
Styles: Caribbean rhythms
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[3:39] 1. Aniversario
[3:11] 2. Damelo Aqui
[4:44] 3. Gracias A La Vida
[3:49] 4. Sosega Ta Miho
[4:51] 5. Bon Man'e Un Habon
[4:28] 6. De Repente
[7:10] 7. Kantika Di Despecho
[4:26] 8. Mi Sa
[3:43] 9. Pirata Di Amor
[4:40] 10. Sirkulo
[3:37] 11. Un Kurason

Curaçaoan singer Izaline Calister recently released her seventh music album called Kandela [Fire] on which she performs Cuban boleros, Brazilian bossa novas and other Latin American music in Papiamentu, her mother tongue. In the following interview with Peter Bruyn of Het Parool she explains the Latin tang of Kandela and the purpose behind writing songs.

“My mother would listen to a lot of Curaçaoan music,” says Izaline Calister. “But my father also played all sorts of music from Latin America and we used to watch Venezuelan television every day. I thought, after six albums with strictly Antillean music, it is now time to pay attention to a different part of my heritage. After all, one of every three songs you hear in Curaçao is in Spanish, is Latin.”

Kandela is the name of the new album by the Antillean diva who lives in the Netherlands. She has dedicated it to her father. Kandela expands her musical spectrum, but it is not because of a desire to conquer the rest of South America. Calister: “I was ready to broaden my horizons anyhow. And I already did so many Brazilian songs when I studied at the Conservatory. All cultures with a slavery past basically have comparable rhythms: Brazil, Cuba, Venezuela, the Antilles – it all eventually goes back to Mali and Senegal.”

Kandela

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Cosmo Intini Jazz Set - My Favourite Roots

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 50:53
Size: 116.5 MB
Year: 1990
Art: Front

[ 9:19] 1. My One And Only Love
[12:24] 2. When Sunny Gets Blue
[ 5:47] 3. Powerful Warrior
[ 7:38] 4. 'round Midnight
[10:30] 5. Fatherly Love
[ 5:12] 6. Steps

care to help? couldn't find any review in english so if you come across one, please put it in comments. thanks!

thank you Luis for the following review (see comments):
My Favourite Roots is a CD that illustrates jazz's international appeal. The musicians are Italian and American, while the label that provided A&R input and released the album, Timeless Records, is Dutch. Recorded in Rome in 1989, this post-bop session unites Italian pianist Cosmo Intini with saxophone dynamo Gary Bartz (who is heard on his main instrument, the alto sax, as well as the soprano), Italian trumpeter/flügelhornist Paolo Fresu, bassist Carroll Dashiell, and drummer Victor Lewis. In the '80s, Bartz had returned to post-bop and hard bop after many years of playing commercial pop-jazz/crossover, and it was clear that he was glad to be doing straight-ahead jazz again. The saxman is in decent form throughout the album, and he has a nice rapport with Intini on Chick Corea's "Steps" and lyrical interpretations of Thelonious Monk's "Round Midnight," the standard "My One and Only Love," and the Johnny Mathis hit "When Sunny Gets Blue." Intini's own compositions include the reflective "Fatherly Love" and the driving modal tune "Powerful Warrior." Not fantastic but certainly satisfying, My Favourite Roots is worth picking up if you come across a copy.

Recorded at Gulliver Master Studio, Rome on May 16th, 1989.

ARTISTS
COSMO INTINI piano
GARY BARTZ alto & soprano saxes
PAOLO FRESU trumpet &flugelhorn
CARROLL DASHIELL bass
VICTOR LEWIS drums

My Favourite Roots

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Ilja Reijngoud Quartet feat. Fay Claassen - The Shakespeare Album

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:30
Size: 194,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:19)  1. Sonnet 32
(6:33)  2. Sonnet 89
(7:59)  3. Sonnet 22
(6:24)  4. Sonnet 106
(0:49)  5. Introduction
(7:34)  6. Sonnet 36
(6:42)  7. Sonnet 18
(6:43)  8. English heart
(6:43)  9. Helas
(5:25) 10. Canzonet
(7:15) 11. Never Alone

This album is a live recording of a concert given by the Ilja Reijngoud Quartet with Fay Claassen, in which the texts of William Shakespeare take center stage. The best-known and best-loved sonnets of Shakespeare have been set to music by Ilja with much devotion and care. Inspired by two marvelous poems from the pen of Oscar Wilde, Ilja composed two additional songs to complete this album.

Amongst his credits as a composer, Ilja won the prestigious Thelonius Monk/BMI Award in 2003. Besides writing for both jazz and classical musicians and ensembles of international allure, (Ben van Dijk, Henri Bok, the Metropole Orchestra, the Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw to name but a few), Ilja has always harbored a desire to write music for vocalists. For many years now, Fay Claassen has been Ilja's favorite jazz singer. The sound of her voice is unique, clear and honest. In 2006 Ilja invited her to perform five sonnets arranged for his quartet. After that first concert in Amsterdam, more performances followed (North Sea Jazz Festival 2007, theater tour 2008-2009).

Fay's beautiful voice gives new life to Shakespeare's texts, connecting the old literature with contemporary jazz. The quartet and Ilja's compositions act as solder between the lyrics, building a musical frame that together with the ancient poetry forms a surprising fit.  http://www.russiancdshop.com/music.php?zobraz=details&id=20564&lang=en

Personnel : BEETS, Marius (bass); CLAASSEN, Fay (vocal); HELLER, Paul (tenor saxophone); ITERSON, Martijn van (guitar); REIJNGOUD, Ilja (trombone); SERIERSE, Marcel (drums); Ilja Reijngoud (Trombone)

The Shakespeare Album

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Cécile Verny Quartet - Got a Ticket

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:26
Size: 139,0 MB
Art: Front

(6:15)  1. A Sleepin' Bee
(6:15)  2. Hometown Blues
(5:39)  3. Devil May Care
(5:11)  4. Listen to the Rainbow
(6:53)  5. Je Ne Veux Pas Mentir
(6:20)  6. Got a Ticket
(6:23)  7. Mina's Song
(5:38)  8. An Ocean to Go Sea ("Você Maluco")
(7:22)  9. Hideaway
(4:25) 10. African Flower

A musical journey through the landscapes of jazz and its musical fringe areas with dreams and expectations, packing of suitcases and goodbyes. Experience the strange and new and rediscover that already known in unexpected turmoil and the peace and quiet, which you have long sought. And of course obligatory hometown-blues has to be an integral part of it all. "Got A Ticket" presents mainly original compositions in a stylistic variety, which makes a comparison with the trip mentioned above comprehensible. Sometimes with a swinging rhythm as in the opener "Sleeping Bee", sometimes with a dreamy ballad-like sound as in "Hometown Blues" and "Je ne veux pas mentir" among others, and then Latin-influenced bebop ("Devil May Care") again and traditional jazz singing.

Where is the trip heading? The quartet around the brilliant and charming singer Cécile Verny entices listeners of "Got A Ticket" to engage in a pleasurable search for new paths away from well-trodden ones without fear of crossing linguistic or stylistic borders and without rigidly giving in to imaginary or real constraints. As a result, the texts are very emotional and evocative in addition to having fantastic arrangements. She sings them in her own unique way and proves that she is of a special quality. Cécile Verny has the right feeling for swing, always gets the different moods of the 10 beautiful tunes precisely right and shines above all thanks to her improvisatory skills.

The Cécile Verny Quartet is composed of four artists, who have gained all kinds of different experience in their own careers very individual and very far-reaching. First and foremost is the singer and leader Cécile Verny, who was born in the Ivory Coast and has lived in France since the beginning of the 80s where she could be found involved in very different music genres (jazz, gospel, musical, pop, blues and lots more). One of her and her quartet’s biggest successes was first prize at the song festival "Concours Vocal du Festival de Crest" in 1992. Pianist Andreas Erchinger is the "main composer" in the quartet. He comes from hardbop and modern jazz, graduated from the Swiss Jazz School where he developed into one of the best pianists for accompanying singers. He has worked with Charlie Antolini and Dusko Goykovic, among others. Bassist Bernd Heitzler made a name for himself above all with his numerous creative works as sideman in bands of very different sizes and styles jazz, pop, rock, world music, Latin, salsa and and and  there seems to be no genre where he is not at home. The same applies to drummer Matthias Daneck, who has also made a name for himself across European borders working with Randy Brecker, Arturo Sandoval and many others.  http://www.doublemoon.de/en/cddetails/dmcd1002.shtml

Got a Ticket

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Eddie Higgins - Sweet Lorraine

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:00
Size: 101,2 MB
Art: Front + Back

(3:57)  1. Teach Me Tonight
(3:54)  2. Sweet Lorraine
(4:02)  3. Ruby
(3:43)  4. Three Little Words
(3:50)  5. Someone To Watch Over Me
(3:07)  6. The Song Is You
(4:04)  7. Sometimes I'm Happy
(3:27)  8. Route 66
(3:21)  9. Rosetta
(3:18) 10. Somebody Loves Me
(3:23) 11. Take The 'A' Train
(3:49) 12. These Foolish Things

Born and raised in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Higgins initially studied privately with his mother. He started his professional career in Chicago, Illinois, while studying at the Northwestern University School of Music. An elegant and sophisticated pianist, his encyclopedic harmonic approach and wide range of his repertory made him one of the most distinctive jazz pianists to come out of Chicago, gaining the respect of local and visiting musicians for his notable mastery of the instrument. Higgins also had the unusual ability to sound equally persuasive in a broad span of music, whether he was playing traditional swing, exciting bebop or reflexive ballads, providing the tone and stylistic flavor of each styles, as both a soloist and as accompanist.

For more than two decades Higgins worked at some of Chicago's most prestigious jazz clubs, including the Brass Rail, Preview Lounge, Blue Note, Cloister Inn and Jazz Ltd. His longest and most memorable tenure was at the long gone London House, where he led his jazz trio from the late 1950s to the late 1960s, playing opposite the greatest jazz stars of this period, including Cannonball Adderley, Bill Evans, Errol Garner, Stan Getz, Dizzy Gillespie, Oscar Peterson and George Shearing, among others. Later, Higgins said the opportunities to play jazz music with Coleman Hawkins and Oscar Peterson were unforgettable moments. Eddie's time spent at the London House Restaurant was with two of the best sidemen that Chicago has produced, bassist Richard Evans and drummer Marshall Thompson. Thompson was a very articulate drummer and teacher as well as a recording performer. One particularly notable event that took place at the London House was Richard Evans introducing drummer Maurice White to jazz pianist Ramsey Lewis. 

After his stint with Ramsey, Maurice went on to form the renowned group Earth, Wind & Fire. At the time of this introduction, Maurice was a studio drummer at Chess Records. Eddie also worked for Chess records as a producer. During his stay in Chicago, Higgins also recorded a significant number of albums under his auspices and many more as a sideman with a wide variety of musicians, ranging in style from tenor saxophonists Coleman Hawkins to Wayne Shorter; trumpeters Bobby Lewis to Freddie Hubbard, and trombonists Jack Teagarden to Al Grey. His versatility was captured on stage and records, backing up singers and leading his own projects as both pianist and orchestrator, working in every jazz circle from dixieland to modal styles.

In 1970, Higgins moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida and began spending winters in Florida and summers on Cape Cod, where he played in local clubs. Since the early 1980s, he traveled widely on the jazz festival circuit and has performed frequently in Europe and Japan. His releases on the Japanese Venus label earned him number one in jazz sales on more than one album. Since then, Higgins played his music mainly in East Asia including Japan and South Korea and became sensationally famous. During his career in East Asia, Higgins formed a trio with Joe Ascione (Drums), Jay Leonhart (Bass), which is known as Eddie Higgins Trio. In 1988, Higgins and jazz singer and pianist Meredith d'Ambrosio were married and became a popular team at clubs and festivals, as well as recording for Sunnyside Records. In 2009, dates in Japan and Korea were on his calendar of upcoming concerts, which were suspended due to a long illness. Higgins died in Fort Lauderdale at the age of 77. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Higgins

Sweet Lorraine

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Babi Mendes - Short Stories

Size: 104,4 MB
Time: 44:45
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2011
Styles: Vocal Jazz, Blues Jazz
Art: Front

01. I Dreamt Of A Song (4:37)
02. O Canto Do Guerreiro - The Warrior's Chant (4:19)
03. Find Your Friends (4:32)
04. These Blues (3:55)
05. The Vase (3:49)
06. Play Me (4:46)
07. The Deepest It Could Be (5:36)
08. Drunk Man (4:03)
09. Grapefruit (3:56)
10. Julia'a Lullaby (5:09)

Babi Mendes is a Brazilian singer-songwriter who performs in a jazz style, taking inspiration from such jazz greats as Ella Fitzgerald and Nat King Cole as well as from the music of her home country.

As the granddaughter of the Brazilian composer Dinah Menezes and the journalist Carlos Menezes, Babi Mendes started studying English at the age of 9 and singing at the age of 14. She studied at local conservatories and since the beginning demonstrated a particular interest in jazz, blues, bossa nova and rythim'n'blues.

American music has always been her greatest influence, but she also admires musicians such as Tom Jobim, Chico Buarque and Milton Nascimento when it comes to Brazilian popular music. Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Betty Carter and Nina Simone are references to Babi's work and well as contemporary singers such as Norah Jones, Diana Krall, Diane Schurr, Jane Monheit and Karrin Allyson.

In her repertoire, since she started her music career in the city of Santos, in her country, Brazil, there are traditional jazz standards from songwriters such as Duke Ellington, Nat King Cole, Benny Goodman, George and Ira Gershwin, Louis Armstrong and Cole Porter. The singer has performed in jazz duos, quartets and bands.

In 2006, took part in a project called Santos de Casa, at SESC Santos, in which she was the guest singer at Maurício Fernandes Quartet's presentation. Besides contributing with several musicians, Babi Mendes is currently working with the quartet, 'The Old News', and with the guitar player Pedro Ramos on her own songs. She also joined 4act Performing Arts and studied musical theater in São Paulo. Babi wrote the songs from 'Short Stories' between 2003 and 2010. Journalist, Portuguese and English teacher, what she loves writing the most is not news or literature: but songs.

'Short Stories' is her debut album.

Short Stories

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The Greg Tivis Trio - I Got It Bad... (Feat. Kelsey Taylor)

Size: 133,4 MB
Time: 57:38
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Vocal Jazz
Art: Front

01. Almost Like Being In Love (3:09)
02. Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me (3:51)
03. I Got It Bad, And That Ain't Good (4:32)
04. Dream A Little Dream Of Me (4:31)
05. Lullaby Of Birdland (4:33)
06. Come Rain Or Come Shine (5:57)
07. Love Me Or Leave Me (4:18)
08. Body And Soul (6:12)
09. Moondance (6:29)
10. Mood Indigo (4:50)
11. Summertime (5:16)
12. Lush Life (3:54)

After working as bassist with Greg Tivis and Kelsey Taylor practically every week for the past few years, it seemed only natural to attempt to capture on CD the magic we had developed playing live. The word “natural” accurately describes the recording process. The confidence and familiarity with each other that grew out of all those live performances is pleasingly demonstrated in the music we played on this project. The tracks just seemed to flow into the recorder.

Kelsey is simply amazing. She doesn’t just sing the words, she sings the song and makes you believe she’s singing to you and you alone.

Nobody likes to swing more than I do, and nobody swings harder than Greg Tivis. Wow. He makes it easy. His playing skills combined with his knowledge and willingness to share said knowledge has caused me to
grow exponentially over these last few years where my playing is
concerned.

In addition to playing bass on this project, this is my second opportunity to produce and record these two fabulous musicians. It is a thrill and an honor. Thank you both. ~Steve Carr

I Got It Bad...

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Oscar Peterson - An Oscar Peterson Christmas

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 52:20
Size: 119.8 MB
Styles: Holiday
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[3:24] 1. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
[4:45] 2. What Child Is This
[3:38] 3. Let It Snow
[3:47] 4. White Christmas
[3:18] 5. Jingle Bells
[2:47] 6. I'll Be Home For Christmas
[3:28] 7. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
[3:15] 8. O Little Town Of Bethlehem
[6:51] 9. Christmas Waltz
[3:55] 10. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
[3:11] 11. Silent Night
[4:06] 12. Winter Wonderland
[3:32] 13. Away In A Manger
[2:16] 14. O Christmas Tree

Oscar Peterson takes it easy during his relaxed set. He had not completely recovered from his stroke but he was still an impressive pianist. Peterson, who is assisted by guitarist Lorne Lofsky, bassist David Young, and drummer Jerry Fuller, is joined by a 20-piece string section arranged and conducted by Rick Wilkins. The 14 holiday tunes (which include "God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman," "White Christmas," "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas") are given tasteful and lightly swinging treatments and there are guest appearances by vibraphonist Dave Samuels and flugelhornist Jack Schantz. But no real surprises or chancestaking occurs and the music is mostly just pleasant. ~Scott Yanow

An Oscar Peterson Christmas

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Warren Vache & Bill Charlap - 2gether

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 51:59
Size: 119.0 MB
Styles: Bop, Cornet jazz, Piano jazz
Year: 2001
Art: Front

[4:50] 1. If I Should Lose You
[3:47] 2. You And The Night And The Music
[5:46] 3. Darn That Dream
[3:31] 4. What'll I Do
[4:11] 5. Easy Living
[4:49] 6. Nip-Hoc Waltz (Homage To Chopin)
[3:12] 7. Etude #2
[4:27] 8. Soon
[4:49] 9. Dancing On The Ceiling
[7:44] 10. Prelude To A Kiss
[4:48] 11. St. Louis Blues

This studio session featuring the duo of cornetist/fluegelhornist Warren Vache and pianist Bill Charlap deserves to rank alongside nearly any similar date recorded during the last two decades of the 20th century. Vache has been overlooked by far too many critics (which even Wynton Marsalis acknowledged in print); while Charlap has had a little easier time with the exposure he has received as a member of the Phil Woods Quintet and recording as a leader for Blue Note. Vache's lyricism come through, whether utilizing a mute, as on the foot patting "If I Should Lose You" or a swinging "You and the Night and the Music," or with the open horn, especially in the warm rendition of "Easy Living." Charlap not only proves himself an incredible accompanist, but that he has a sense of humor, too, especially with his lush introduction to Duke Ellington's "Prelude to a Kiss," which briefly detours into Thelonious Monk's "'Round Midnight." Although the emphasis is primarily on standards, "Nip-Hoc Waltz" (an homage to Chopin) and "Etude" (which features Vache unaccompanied) are two fine examples of Charlap's considerable abilities as a composer. Sadly, the liner notes stick to separate biographies of each musician and don't explain what prompted them to work together. This very entertaining date will stand up very well to repeated listening. ~Ken Dryden

                        
2gether                

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Daryl Sherman - A Hundred Million Miracles

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 61:26

Size: 140.7 MB

Styles: Jazz vocals

Year: 2006

Art: Front

[3:49] 1. Getting To Know You

[3:01] 2. How Was I To Know

[4:55] 3. You're Nearer

[2:56] 4. Ten Minutes Ago

[4:18] 5. Ev'rything I've Got

[5:50] 6. You Are Too Beautiful

[3:48] 7. A Hundred Million Miracles

[3:16] 8. Do I Hear A Waltz

[6:56] 9. Little Girl Blue

[5:09] 10. Sixteen Going On Seventeen

[7:34] 11. Bewitched, Bothered, And Bewildered

[2:40] 12. Do It The Hard Way

[3:53] 13. What's The Use Of Wond'rin'

[3:16] 14. This Can't Be Love

Listening to and enjoying the vocals of Daryl Sherman seems almost natural. She's talented, for sure, but it's the joy and sensitivity she instills in each song that impresses one. It doesn't hurt that Sherman has chosen to interpret the songs of Richard Rodgers on A Hundred Million Miracles, nor that she's enlisted the help of guitarists James Chirillo and Joe Cohn and bassist Boots Maleson. Her piano work and a number of guest appearances fill out the arrangements on an hour's worth of music from the classic American songbook. Sherman's rendition of "You Are Too Beautiful" is wonderfully underlined by Ruby Braff's cornet work, while her upbeat version of "Do I Hear a Waltz?" is accented by Chirillo's bouncy lead. She's joined on vocals by Bob Dorough for fun versions of "Everything I've Got Belongs to You" and "Sixteen Going on Seventeen." Even with high-profile support, though, Sherman's vocals remain the centerpiece of A Hundred Million Miracles. There's a lovely, seven-minute-plus "Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered," and the album closes with a cheerful "This Can't Be Love." As one might note from these two songs, even though the lyrics of Rodgers form the connecting thread, his writing partners -- like Lorenz Hart -- also deserve mention. A Hundred Million Miracles is beautifully realized and Sherman's singing is an absolute joy. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr.

Live Recording Recorded at Nola Studios, New York, New York on October 4-8, 2002.

Daryl Sherman (vocals, piano); Bob Dorough (vocals, piano); James Chirillo, Joe Cohn, Bucky Pizzarelli (guitar); Houston Person (tenor saxophone); Ruby Braff (cornet); Jim Gwin (drums).

A Hundred Million Miracles      

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Lee Russo - Trading Off

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 48:25
Size: 110.8 MB
Styles: Hard bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[5:16] 1. Blues For Judith
[2:45] 2. Diatonic
[5:54] 3. Goldfinch
[5:46] 4. Kin
[8:05] 5. O's Waltz
[5:33] 6. Nat And Em
[4:57] 7. Ivory Romance
[5:32] 8. You're It
[4:32] 9. Trading Off

No keyboards. No guitars. No other horns except for a guest artist in the middle of the disc. In short, no other “lead” instruments to fall back on. For most players, this would be like juggling torches while walking the high wire. Lee Russo wanted it this way for Trading Off, his first CD. Maybe he's an insane risk-taker. Or maybe he's got the goods.

The disc should look Old School, because Russo's got an Old School tone, both in his playing and writing styles. In the liner notes, Lee says his influences are too numerous to mention. The opening track, “Blues For Judith”, reveals two influences right off, as Russo hits you with a West Coast mood and a mellow tenor sax that took me back to the first time I heard Paul Desmond. I will love Dave Brubeck until I die, but it was Desmond's singular sax work - mellow like Getz, but with an underlying edge as sharp as a knife - that elevated the Brubeck Quartet above everything else on the scene. Russo's playing has Desmond's edge while his writing has West Coast's sense of subtlety.

Don't worry about your cholesterol, because Russo's not re-frying anything. He's learned his lessons well, but all these pictures come straight from Lee's easel. “Diatonic” is a frantic abstract painted one slash and splash at a time, while “You're It” is a happy, playful travelogue that lets Russo take off on soprano sax. It was a good choice for Russo to do a couple of numbers on soprano; given the small size of his group, some kind of tonal variation was needed to break up the overall attack. Trading Off wouldn't be boring if Lee only played tenor, but why take the chance?

Trading Off

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Klára Hajdu Quartet - Come With Me

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:04
Size: 147,5 MB
Art: Front

(9:25)  1. Overjoyed
(8:42)  2. Come With Me (Sicily)
(6:57)  3. Smoky Lights
(8:02)  4. Volt Nékem Szeretom
(7:11)  5. Jonathan Livingston
(5:09)  6. The Good Life
(7:35)  7. In Vain
(4:34)  8. Open Your Eyes
(6:25)  9. Lullaby

Klara was born on 3rd of June, 1982. She started her musical studies in a music preschool, after that came a music primary school and a music school. She sang in a choir and she learned to play the piano. Her parents, being fond of music, made her meet jazz music at a very young age. When she was 15 years old, she started to study jazz singing in Szeged at the HAMMIDO music school. Her teacher was Adrienn Szabó. At this time she started to sing on stage. After High-School in 2001 she won the first prize in the solo voice category of the SONY MUSIC & BRAVO Talent Competition.

Until 2005 she studied at the jazz department of the Dr. Lauschmann Gyula Collage of Jazz Music in Székesfehérvár. Her teachers were Kriszta Pocsai, Barnabás Pély and Noémi Kiss. Then she sang with many great musicians and bands. In 2003 she was among the best 16 singers of the Hungarian TV2 Megasztár 1. competition, the Hungarian version of Pop Idol.  Since 2004 she has been the singer of the famous Hungarian jazz band, Elemer Balazs Group. She sings with the great jazz singer, Gabor Winand. They have given many successfull concerts at numerous festivals in Hungary, Austria, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Germany, Serbia, Transylvania, Italy, Norway, Scotland and England. Their first collective album, titled Refracting Sounds won the Fonogram Award and thus became the “Hungarian Jazz Album Of The Year” in 2005. 

In 2007 they released their album, entitled “Early Music”, in which baroque music is mixed with jazz. In the winter of 2009 they released their latest album, entitled “Memories”, wich was nominee the Fonogram Award “Hungarian Jazz Album Of The Year” in 2010. Klara contributed with background vocals to many singers’ albums and concerts (Tisza Bea, Mujahid Zoltán, Rácz Gergo, Dobrády Ákos, Zentai Márk, Iván, Völgyi Zsuzsi, Bon-Bon…). Klara contributed with background vocals to many singers’ albums.  Her own quartet was founded with pianist József Balázs, bassist Márton Soós and drummer Balázs Cseh in the spring of 2008. She graduated from the vocal jazz faculty of the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music Budapest in June 2009. Her teachers were Tamás Berki, Ágnes Lakatos and Irma Holczer. ~Bio  http://www.hajduklara.hu/bioen

Come With Me

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Christine Tobin - House of Women

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:38
Size: 129,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:59)  1. House of Women
(4:34)  2. Story of Isaac
(7:14)  3. The Invisible Thread
(4:56)  4. Acts of Obscenity
(7:12)  5. Echoes
(4:46)  6. Seneca
(4:12)  7. Lovin' Kind
(3:27)  8. Love-Lies-Bleeding
(3:38)  9. Ooh! Salamander
(7:06) 10. Morro Velho
(4:32) 11. Hey Joe

Born Dublin, Eire. After singing in Dublin, Tobin went to London where she studied at the Guildhall School of Music, taking the jazz course. Tobin is now a regular on the UK jazz scene, working with musicians such as Jean Toussaint, Billy Childs, Kenny Wheeler, and Django Bates, and has established regular slots at Ronnie Scott’s and the South Bank’s Purcell Room. She also tours Europe regularly, appearing at festivals in Austria, Germany, Bulgaria, Spain and Hungary. Her repertoire is wide-ranging, rooted in jazz but drawing on Irish folk, world, and Latin influences. Tobin’s recorded output for the Babel label has focused on her own melodically-complex compositions, although the highlight remains her languorous and husky vocals. Deep Song concentrated on interpretations of jazz standards such as ‘Little Girl Blue’, ‘I Can’t Get Started’, and ‘How Deep Is The Ocean’. 

~ Bio  http://www.allmusic.com/artist/christine-tobin-mn0000905178

House of Women

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John Hicks, Cecil McBee, Elvin Jones - Power Trio

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:24
Size: 112,5 MB
Art: Front

(6:36)  1. Cousin Mary
(8:09)  2. After the Rain
(6:49)  3. D Bass-IC Blues
(9:39)  4. Duke's Place
(8:38)  5. Chelsea Bridge
(7:29)  6. After the Morning

This summit recording by pianist John Hicks, drummer Elvin Jones, and bassist Cecil McBee might not always hit the heights, but it still impresses with a fine repertoire and quality playing. John Coltrane's "Cousin Mary" kicks things off with Hicks and Jones matching the vigorous interplay the drummer and pianist McCoy Tyner plied so well in Coltrane's classic quartet, while a faithful reading of the tenor giant's airy ballad "After the Rain" is also included. Unlike these impressive covers, the two Duke Ellington numbers in the set bring mixed results:

While "Duke's Place" (aka "C-Jam Blues") is given a spry and inspired reading, spotlighting Hicks' amazing Tyner and Art Tatum-inspired chops, "Chelsea Bridge" becomes a missed opportunity thanks to the group's listless interpretation. Hicks' lovely, easy-swinging "After the Morning" redresses the balance, closing the set with fine contributions from all three players. In spite of a few musical missteps and the somewhat tinny sound of Hicks' piano, this fine trio recording still comes highly recommended.
~ Stephen Cook   http://www.allmusic.com/album/power-trio-mw0000674404

Power Trio

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