King Curtis - Soul Meeting

Styles: Jazz
Year: 1960/1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 79:04
Size: 181,2 MB
Art: Front

( 5:11)  1. Da-Duh-Dah
(10:23)  2. Have You Heard?
( 5:25)  3. Willow Weep For Me
( 8:34)  4. Little Brother Soul
(10:36)  5. In A Funky Groove
( 7:01)  6. Soul Meeting
( 7:16)  7. Lazy Soul
( 5:31)  8. All The Way
( 6:57)  9. Jeep's Blues
( 5:42) 10. What Is This Thing Called Love?
( 6:25) 11. Do You Have Soul Now?

King Curtis, an influential and greatly in-demand R&B tenorman, made relatively few jazz dates in his career. This CD has two of the best, complete albums originally called The New Scene of King Curtis and Soul Meeting; the former is also available as a separate CD but should be skipped in favor of this one. Curtis teams up with the passionate cornetist Nat Adderley, pianist Wynton Kelly, either Paul Chambers or Sam Jones on bass and Oliver Jackson or Belton Evans on drums. The music is blues-based bop, with seven basic Curtis originals and four standards. Highly recommended, this set serves as proof that King Curtis could have been a viable jazz player.~ Scott Yanow 

http://www.allmusic.com/album/soul-meeting-compilation-mw0000124320

Soul Meeting

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Harold Alexander - Sunshine Man

Styles: Jazz Funk
Year: 1971
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:15
Size: 92,4 MB
Art: Front

(11:13)  1. Sunshine Man
( 6:12)  2. Quick City
( 3:42)  3. Tite Rope
( 5:42)  4. Mama Soul
( 7:05)  5. Aquilla
( 6:18)  6. Clean-Up

Harold Alexander's Sunshine Man exists somewhere in the space between jazz-funk and free improvisation. Produced by Bob Thiele, the record combines Alexander's intricate, abstract melodies with the wickedly tight drumming of the great Bernard "Pretty" Purdie to create music with both profoundly spiritual and resolutely physical dimensions. Each of the record's six long songs shun direct paths from points A to B, instead coveting the eccentric twists and hairpin turns of roads less traveled, but the cosmic reach of Alexander's flute and soprano saxophone never dwarfs the rock-solid support of Purdie and keyboardist Neal Creque. Sunshine Man is the rare record that's both far-out and funky. ~ Jason Ankeny  http://www.allmusic.com/album/sunshine-man-mw0000754368

Sunshine Man

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Bob Wilber & The Scott Hamilton Quartet - S/T

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 57:53
Size: 132.5 MB
Styles: Swing
Year: 1977/1994
Art: Front

[3:47] 1. Riff
[4:09] 2. Rocks In My Bed
[6:05] 3. Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea
[3:16] 4. Time After Time
[4:01] 5. I Never Knew
[4:08] 6. Jonathan's Way
[4:52] 7. All Too Soon
[3:11] 8. Freeman's Way
[3:35] 9. Treasure
[3:25] 10. Puggles
[3:28] 11. Taking A Chance On Love
[6:31] 12. 144 West 54th
[7:20] 13. Jazzspeak

On this CD reissue, Bob Wilber (who triples on clarinet, soprano and alto) meets up quite successfully with the relatively young swing stylist Scott Hamilton (heard near the beginning of his career) and the tenor's rhythm section of the period (guitarist Chris Flory, bassist Phil Flanagan and drummer Chuck Riggs). Together they perform melodic and swinging renditions of six of Wilber's originals along with six veteran standards; the logical arrangements help to set up the solos. Also included on the reissue is a seven-minute "Jazzspeak" in which Wilber remembers how the date came about. Easily recommended to mainstream and small-group swing fans. ~Scott Yanow

Bob Wilber & The Scott Hamilton Quartet

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Claudia Acuna - Wind From The South

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 56:07

Size: 128.5 MB

Styles: Latin jazz vocals

Year: 2000

Art: Front

[4:12] 1. Pure Imagination

[3:25] 2. Viento De Sur (Wind Of The South)

[6:26] 3. My Man's Gone Now

[3:29] 4. Prelude To A Kiss

[4:56] 5. Gracias A La Vida (Thanks For Life)

[4:01] 6. What'll I Do

[4:59] 7. Long As You're Living

[6:32] 8. Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered

[3:22] 9. Alfonsina Y El Mar (Alfonsina And The Sea)

[5:15] 10. I'll Find You

[3:02] 11. The Thrill Is Gone

[6:21] 12. Visions

For her debut recording, Acuna makes an impression that is hard to forget or dismiss. A native of Santiago, Chile, she has been living in NYC and working on her craft at the Blue Note and Small's. On this date she hooks up with peer-group younger musicians as pianist Jason Lindner, bassist Avishai Cohen, drummer Jeff Ballard, and some special guests. Acuna is clearly a gifted singer with a strong, flexible, attractive voice that can lilt or soar. Her resiliency and directness can be favorably compared to Roseanna Vitro, and she proves to be quite an arranger in her own right, charting this set of standards and Hispanic lyric songs. Acuna likes odd meters, using 6/8 on the dramatic "My Man's Gone Now," while adopting shades of Flora Purim (she facially resembles a young Purim) with soaring vocal overdubbing on her original, the title cut, which is supported and colored by Avi Leibovich's trombone. Saturated in percussion and Latin pulse, the horn-fired 6/8 arrangement of Cohen's design "Gracias a la Vida" has tenor saxophonist David Sanchez and trumpeter Diego Urcola swimming in this mix and trading figures during the bridge. A driving 5/4 pushes "The Thrill Is Gone" (not B.B. King's) into a free section, while that same rhythm, more patient in a shuffle style, conjures more drama during the poignant "Long as You're Living." Though in 4/4, beats of separated five and three with beautiful breezy piano chords from Lindner sets this version of "Pure Imagination" apart from any other you'll hear -- a real triumph. There's a hard-bop two-note vamp take of "Prelude to a Kiss" and a quick waltz version of "Bewitched" where Acuna stretches the lyric line. Pianist Harry Whitaker is Acuna's lone foil for the ballad "What'll I Do?" while the trio with Whitaker and Leibovich dances with the singer in wafting, wordless, childlike wonder for "I'll Find You." Cohen and Acuna go it alone in mysterious, deep, and tender moments for "Alfonsina y el Mar"; Stevie Wonder's "Visions" is replete with "Autumn Leaves" paraphrasings, sporting devices both free and modern with dramatic punctuations and stop-starts, with Sanchez on soprano sax. Not only is there promise, but potential too, which is realized; when you consider this is Acuna's maiden voyage, her lengthy travels have already borne the seasoned fruit of a more experienced singer. Recommended. ~ Michael G. Nastos

Recorded at Avatar Studios, New York, New York on November 17-20, 1999.

Claudia Acuña (vocals, background vocals); David Sanchez (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone); Diego Urcola (trumpet); Harry Whitaker, Jason Lindner (piano); Avishai Cohen (electric piano, acoustic bass, electric bass); Jeff Ballard (drums, percussion). 

Wind From The South

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Winnie Dahlgren - Till We Meet Again

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 55:12
Size: 126.4 MB
Styles: World fusion
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[6:12] 1. I Wouldn't Mind
[7:57] 2. 1-2-60
[4:49] 3. Now Let's Move On
[9:01] 4. To My Grandmother
[7:03] 5. Sunset Over Noyalito Avenue
[6:18] 6. Yeleni
[7:25] 7. Join Me
[6:24] 8. Till We Meet Again

Winnie Dahlgren provides the listener with a distinct musical experience with delicate twists. Her classical background showcases her musical technique as a performer, but her use and knowledge of Latin, world music and jazz styles give her performances a modern quality. Her compositions contain a contemporary harmonic universe marked with Latin and world influences, and run the gamut of playful and energetic to sweet and endearing pieces with thoughtful melodies. As a vibraphonist leading her quintet, the band presents a unique instrumental sound.

When writing music I can’t help but be inspired by my surroundings. Sometimes the music is inspired by one single person or event, other times it’s solely about the music. When the latter is the case and it’s time to title a song, it’s the spirit of the moment that brings forth the words. The titles on this album are a mix of these two scenarios. For “I Wouldn’t Mind”, “Now Let’s Move On”, and “Join Me” the titles can be open to your own interpretation as I simply let the “title muse” inspire me. The rest of compositions have a more specific meaning or event leading up to them.

“1-2-60” was written for my parents the year they both celebrated their 60th birthday. “To My Grandmother” is also a birthday song, this one inspired by Danish children songs. “Sunset Over Noyalito Avenue” was written at a time when a relationship to a friend was changing, causing me to reflect on my life. “Yeleni” is my African name. While visiting Mali in 2000/01, I was given this name by one of the local majors in Bamako, as it is tradition to give an African name to visitors. After having observed me for a few days, he told me I shall be called Yeleni. He explained that the name means a celebration of the African woman and is a symbol of a strong woman. What an honor to have been given such a powerful name! In 1999/2000 I went to Mozambique, on my very first trip to Africa, to visit a friend in Maputo and to celebrate the beginning of the new millennium. This trip marked me with very strong emotions and powerful memories. Not knowing when I would be able to return to this beautiful place or when I would see my friend made me write “Till We Meet Again”.

Till We Meet Again

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Rodney Jones-Tommy Flanagan Quartet - My Funny Valentine

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 38:15

Size: 87.6 MB

Styles: Guitar-Piano jazz

Year: 1990

Art: Front

[4:25] 1. Giant Steps

[3:31] 2. Oleo

[7:16] 3. I'll Remember April

[1:33] 4. Yesterday

[6:02] 5. D Natural Blues

[4:23] 6. Star Eyes

[2:30] 7. Morning Of The Carnival (Theme)

[8:32] 8. My Funny Valentine

An underrated cool-toned guitarist who sounds at his best in straight-ahead settings, Rodney Jones had his highest visibility during his period with Dizzy Gillespie (1976-1979), when he was in his early twenties. Jones had previously worked with Jaki Byard and recorded with Chico Hamilton, and he would follow the association with Gillespie by working for a time as Lena Hornes accompanist. As a leader, Jones has recorded for Timeless (in 1978 and 1981), the RR label, and in the late 80s for Minor Music.

My Funny Valentine  

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Sarah Ellen Hughes - Darning The Dream

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:05
Size: 119,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:47)  1. That's All
(5:23)  2. On A Misty Night
(3:32)  3. Afro Blue
(4:18)  4. Devil May Care
(5:19)  5. Darning The Dream
(4:09)  6. Love For Sale
(4:13)  7. Workin' Hard
(6:06)  8. You Go To My Head
(4:33)  9. When Sunny Gets Blue
(4:49) 10. Some People
(3:31) 11. But Not For Me
(2:20) 12. A Hymn For Janet

A naturally swinging musician, with a finely controlled vibrato, a keen ear for apposite songs, an avoidance of an all-purpose transatlantic accent, and knack for gathering like-minded confreres: that's Sarah Ellen Hughes. If you need to package her - and I don't but some might - I'd say she's listened to Anita O'Day closely and has assimilated Ella Fitzgerald's propensity to scat, something  as on That's All - I can well do without, but which is liked in some circles. When Ian Shaw joins to joust in a scat battle in Devil May Care I have to admit I switch off, but it's undeniably exciting and virtuosic.

Her boppish phrasing is evident on Misty, cleverly segued with On a Misty Night. Semi-ubiquitous Dave O'Higgins lends some Latin grooves to Afro Blue. Darning the Dream is all one could reasonably ask - sensitively phrased, fine vibes from Jim Hart, and a winner of a coda. The unexpectedly demotic lyrics to Love for Sale, I noticed, are by none other than Sting - they add an undeniable verit‚ to the proceedings, though a rather blatant one. Shaw is on more conventional ground on When Sunny Gets Blue where Hughes plays flute. Her own song, Workin' Hard drolly deals with life on the road, and making copies of her CDs to sell. Some People is another original - a soulful opus that engages strongly

But one of the things I most liked about her singing is encapsulated in a small detail from You Go To My Head where she sings `..that you might...' rather than the more often encountered `...that you might...' I liked the particularity of this, and also the melodic tweaking, which works - so too the long vibes solo. A Hymn for Janet is a deeply and richly sensitive envoi.

From Georgie Fame inspired vocalise on But Not For Me to a careful curating of the standard repertoire Hughes proves up to the challenges. She has a fine band - with Rick Simpson ever supportive on piano. The two bass players alternate. ~ Jonathan Woolf   http://www.musicweb-international.com/jazz/2010/hughes_darning_the_dream_01.htm

Personnel : Sarah Ellen Hughes (vocals and flute): Dave O'Higgins (saxophone): Ian Shaw (vocals); Rick Simpson (piano): Tom Farmer, Andy Hamill (bass): Jim Hart (vibes); Darren Altman (drums)

Darning The Dream

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Nanette Natal - Sweet Summer Blue

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:20
Size: 85,5 MB
Art: Front

(7:14)  1. Silver Night
(4:18)  2. The Eye Of The Storm
(4:14)  3. It Sure Ain't Nothin' New
(5:49)  4. Deep In My Memory
(4:11)  5. The Devil Is Working Here
(6:32)  6. Don't Take The Easy Way Out
(4:58)  7. I Got Rhythm

If you’re expecting the bold flights of wordless vocalizing that have defined so much of Nanette Natal’s previous recorded work, proceed directly to Sweet Summer Blue’s seventh and final track, a lissome “I Got Rhythm” filled with those inimitable Natal touches. The balance of the album, comprising six original compositions, might wrongly be perceived as a new direction for Natal. In fact, they recall the earliest phase of her career, harkening back to her long-ago days on the coffeehouse circuit.

The recording technique skewed old-school too, with live performances transferred direct to two-track and then onto analog tape, contributing to the pervading warmth. The intimacy is heightened by the largely acoustic settings, featuring Rolf Sturm on guitars, Dave Silliman on drums, Tony Cimorosi on bass, Clarence Ferrari on violin, with Natal accompanying herself on guitar on three tracks. The arrangements provide her a pan-Americana palette, with waves of country, folk, blues and jazz variously roiling beneath.

Thematically, the songs are equally wide-ranging, extending from the evocation of quicksilver romance on “Silver Night” to the growly assertion of openheartedness on “Don’t Take the Easy Way Out.” Her slinking “It Sure Ain’t Nothin’ New,” propelled by Silliman’s bongos, skillfully examines the chimera of humankind, while the madrigal-like “The Eye and the Storm” and august “Deep in My Memory” offer impassioned prayers for peace. Most poignant, though, is Natal’s forlorn tally of modern American woes on “The Devil Is Working Here.”  Christopher Loudon  

http://jazztimes.com/articles/28542-sweet-summer-blue-nanette-natal

Sweet Summer Blue

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Barbara Dennerlein - Straight Ahead!

Styles: Hammond Organ
Year: 1989
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:29
Size: 159,4 MB
Art: Front

( 5:51)  1. Bad And Blue
(11:57)  2. It Just So Happens
( 5:59)  3. What's Up
( 8:32)  4. All That Blues
( 4:58)  5. Open And Free
(11:30)  6. Stormy Weather Blues
( 4:31)  7. Straight Ahead
( 5:38)  8. Rumpelstilzchens Bossa
( 4:14)  9. Opus De Funk
( 6:15) 10. A Night In Tunesia

After several recordings on her own Bebap label and for a few tiny German companies, organist Barbara Dennerlein came to the attention of a larger public with the release of this superior effort for Enja. Teamed up with eccentric trombonist Ray Anderson, fiery guitarist Mitch Watkins, and drummer Ronnie Burrage, Dennerlein performs six of her swinging originals, one apiece by Anderson and Burrage plus "Opus de Funk" and "A Night in Tunisia." The colorful voices of these musicians constantly inspire each other, and Dennerlein (whose sound with the use of MIDI had become quite original) quickly emerged as one of the brightest new stars of the organ in the late '80s. ~ Scott Yanow   

http://www.allmusic.com/album/straight-ahead-mw0000207690

Personnel: Barbara Dennerlein (organ), Ray Anderson (trombone), Mitch Watkins (guitar), Ronnie Burrage (drums)

Straight Ahead!

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Pippo Guarnera - Spinnin'

Styles: Hammond Organ
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:52
Size: 112,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:56)  1. Gumbo Lickers
(7:02)  2. Peep'n
(5:48)  3. Brother Jack
(6:34)  4. After Hours
(7:28)  5. The Way I Feel
(5:57)  6. Spinnin' The Blues
(4:03)  7. Are Are
(6:00)  8. Tight Mall

Born in Sicily in 1953, got his first Jazz gig at the Rome MUSIC INN  jazz club. 1974 sees the beginning of a collaboration with "NAPOLI CENTRALE", an Ethno Jazz-Rock band  with several albums out and about 500 concerts performed during two years span ; worth mentioning the opening for WEATHER REPORT and DUKE COBAHM BAND in Rome 1975 and an appearance at the Swiss MONTREUX JAZZ FESTIVAL.  After various studio sessions and a tour with EUGENIO FINARDI  (1976), Guarnera moves to Los Angeles in 1977 refinishing his musical skills studying arrangement, composition, orchestration and film scoring at the GROVE SCHOOL, located at that time in Studio City Los Angeles CA, under the direction of masters as Dick Grove, Jack Eliot, Albert Harris, Jack Smalley, Allyn Ferguson, Mundell Lowe, Roger Kellaway, Clare Fischer.

In 1983 Guarnera is back in Rome, Italy to participate to the TV show MISTER FANTASY on national channel RAI 1. In 1985 moves to Bologna starting a collaboration with Blues artists Andy Forest and Billy Gregory paying another visit to the MONTREAUX JAZZ FESTIVAL. A tour with Enzo Jannacci  during 1987 and 1988 ends in a TV show on RAI 2 with Dario Fo`- Franca  Rame and Jannacci.  Again on tour in 1991 with Neapolitan singer Edoardo De Crescenzo and brazilian percussionist Nanà Vasconcelos.

In 1991 Guarnera joins the RUDY ROTTA BAND which collects performances at many european blues and jazz festivals as : Gaildorf, Lugano, Fribourg, Locarno, Montreux, Leipzig, Dresden,  Hohentwiel, Sanremo Blues, Pistoia ... The MEDITERRANEAN BLUES CRUISE with John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, Marcia Ball, Little Charlie and the Nightcats, Buckwheat Zydeco, Louisiana Red, John Mooney and USA as well at the KANSAS CITY BLUES & JAZZ FEST con Jay McShann, Al Green e Taj Mahal, historical blues clubs as The Grand Emporium in Kansas City and Rosa's in Chicago, performing and recording with Carey Bell, Lovie Lee, Jeann Carroll, Sugar Blue, Karen Carroll, Luther Allison, Lowell Fulson, Billy Brunch, Zora Young, Coco Montoya, Maria Muldaur,  Corey Harris and many others. During the 2000 decade starts new collaborations,  BLUE TRAIN TRIO with Jimmy Villotti and Vince Vallicelli , the trio MEMPHIS ON STHEROIDS (Green Onions),  Antonio Gramentieri  and Matteo Monti  and not to forget the MAGIC TRIO with James Thompson and Vince Vallicelli plus some other tours with the jazz singer Harriet Lewis. A participation  to the Dubai International Jazz Festival with  guitarist Enrico Crivellaro. The following is a long series of collaborations with Jono Manson, tours with Sax Gordon Beadle, Chris Cain, Guy King, Peaches Staten, J.W. Williams, Katherine Davis.

Discography includes Tolo Marton "Quarantasuonati", AndyForest "Cat On A TinHarp" "Grooverockbluesfunk'n'roll", furthermore  DIABOLIC LIVE, SO` DI BLUES , LIVE IN KANSAS CITY and BLURRED with the Rudy Rotta Band, SUGARVILLE with Green Onions, “The Night the Mòjo Stood Still” with the Magic Trio renamed as  “FEARLESS GUMBO”, "ANIMA BLUES" a blues project with Eugenio Finardi, "SPINNIN' THE BLUES" under his own name, "SAX GORDON LIVE AT NAIMA" and countless studio session at Hammond Organ and piano with among others Alberto Solfrini,  Ligabue, Gianna Nannini, Stadio , Grignani and Timoria.  http://www.studiologic-music.com/musicians/pippo-guarnera.html

Spinnin' the Blues

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Sam Cooke - Twistin' The Night Away

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 28:44
Size: 65.8 MB
Styles: R&B
Year: 1962/2013
Art: Front

[2:38] 1. Twistin' The Night Away
[2:15] 2. Sugar Dumpling
[2:07] 3. Twistin' In The Kitchen With Dinah
[2:31] 4. Somebody's Gonna Miss Me
[2:19] 5. A Whole Lotta Woman
[2:26] 6. The Twist
[2:07] 7. Twistin' In The Old Town Tonight
[2:33] 8. Movin' And Groovin'
[2:12] 9. Camptown Twist
[2:54] 10. Somebody Have Mercy
[2:06] 11. Soothe Me
[2:30] 12. That's It, I Quit, I'm Moving On

This was one of Cooke's more successful LPs, only his second ever to chart (the first was his 1957 debut long-player), and from here on, all of his albums would sell in serious numbers. Twistin' the Night Away remains one of Cooke's most accessible records, despite the fact that it was a "twist" album, aimed by the producers at cashing in on that craze, and Cooke was shoehorned into doing numbers like "Camptown Twist," "Twistin' in the Kitchen With Dinah," and "Twistin' in the Old Town," as well as his version of Hank Ballard's "The Twist." Around them, the singer is at his most soulful, exciting, and passionate, on the bluesy "Somebody Have Mercy"; the romantic lament "Somebody's Gonna Miss Me"; the ebullient "Sugar Dumpling"; the achingly beautiful, yearning "A Whole Lot of Woman"; the soaring "Soothe Me" (with Lou Rawls); and the slow dance number "Movin' and Groovin' ." One of the great dance albums of its period, but a brilliant soul album as well, which is why it holds up 40 years later. ~Bruce Eder

Twistin' The Night Away

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Charlie Rouse - Soul Mates (Feat. Sahib Shihab)

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 61:58
Size: 141.9 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 1995
Art: Front

[5:45] 1. November Afternoon
[5:08] 2. Green Chimneys
[5:39] 3. Prayer Song
[5:10] 4. So Nice
[6:05] 5. Soul Mates
[5:36] 6. Bohemia After Dark
[5:58] 7. Soft Shoulder
[7:41] 8. I'm Never Happy Anymore
[4:50] 9. Dida
[5:33] 10. Bittersweet
[4:29] 11. Bird's Nest

Soul Mates, an exciting studio date from 1988, combines a front line of Charlie Rouse, Sahib Shihab, and Claudio Roditi (who doubles on trumpet and flügelhorn), with a first-rate rhythm section of Walter Davis, Jr., Santi Debriano, and Victor Lewis. With Don Sickler providing most of the arrangements, the full sextet is heard on six of the 11 tracks. The fast-paced hard bop opener, "November Afternoon," is a neglected work by Tom McIntosh and features some of the hottest playing of the two sessions that make up the date. Rouse, already well-versed in Thelonious Monk's "Green Chimneys," makes the most of Sickler's well-crafted chart, which incorporates quick quirky phrases by Shihab and Roditi to accent his tenor sax. Shihab composed and arranged the tricky "DiDa," in which Davis mirrors the baritone saxophonist throughout the introduction. Rouse is heard with just the rhythm section in his lyrical arrangement of the ballad "Bittersweet." On a sad note, by the time this Uptown CD was finally released in 1993, Rouse, Shihab, and Davis had all passed away. ~Ken Dryden

Soul Mates (Feat. Sahib Shihab)

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Henry Mancini - Breakfast At Tiffany's (50th Anniversary Edition)

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 42:48
Size: 98.0 MB
Styles: Easy Listening
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[2:35] 1. Moon River (Original Main Title)
[3:09] 2. Something For Cat
[3:07] 3. Sally's Tomato
[2:31] 4. Mr. Yunioshi
[2:28] 5. The Big Blow Out
[2:02] 6. Moon River (Audrey Hepburn Version)
[2:31] 7. Hub Caps And Tail Lights
[2:47] 8. Breakfast At Tiffany's
[2:57] 9. Latin Golightly
[3:20] 10. Holly
[3:10] 11. Loose Caboose
[3:08] 12. The Big Heist
[2:36] 13. Moon River Cha Cha
[2:42] 14. Moon River (Choral Version)
[3:38] 15. Moon River [fjohnny Mercer Vocals]

It seems extraordinary now to think that Moon River almost didn't make it into the final cut of Blake Edwards' iconic 1961 film, Breakfast at Tiffany's. However, when a Paramount executive suggested it be deleted after an early screening, it was only at the insistence of the film's star, Audrey Hepburn, that the song was kept in. Of course, the rest is history. Moon River went on to win an Academy Award for Best Original Song, alongside the film's other Oscar, for Best Score.

Henry Mancini's soundtrack is certainly a work of musical storytelling genius. As brassy big band numbers rub shoulders with slinkily suave city sophisticate ones, you find yourself submersed within the 1960s New York It Girl glamour to which Hepburn's character, Holly Golightly, aspires. Then, amidst all this jazzy energy and upper Manhattan class comes Moon River. Simple, wistful, strummed on a guitar as Golightly perches over the fire escape, it's a striking encapsulation of the culture divide between her New York existence and her country roots.

Fast-forward to the present day and, whilst Mancini's music itself sounds as alive and evocative as ever (with the exception of the bizarre Mr Yunioshi theme), it's hard to make a new recording look fresh and desirable when it's been on the market in one form or another since 1961. That said, Jackpot Records have made a pretty good fist of it by offering more bonus tracks than any previous or existing recording.

In addition to the soundtrack itself, there are seven Henry Mancini Orchestra tracks, featuring songs such as Misty and Blue Satin. Then, there are five extra Moon River recordings, performed by Danny Williams, the Eddie Harris Quartet, Jerry Butler & Orchestra, the Grant Green Quartet, and finally Audrey Hepburn's version extracted directly from the film.

Less impressive is the fact that whoever compiled these extra bonus tracks did so by the powers of logic rather than of musical flair, grouping them into two distinct sections. Most people would agree that five Moon Rivers in a row is a bit much even for the most enthusiastic Tiffany's fan. Still, it's all good stuff, and if you don't yet own the soundtrack this will be the version to go for, not least because it's cheaper than the others. You may want to do a bit of re-sequencing, though. ~Charlotte Gardner

Breakfast At Tiffany's (50th Anniversary Edition)

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Diane Marino - From The Heart

Styles: Vocal Jazz, Samba
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:53
Size: 160,4 MB
Art: Front

(2:48)  1. I Concentrate On You
(6:27)  2. Don't Misunderstand
(6:33)  3. Incompatibilidade De Genios
(5:32)  4. (The Man From) The Old Country
(8:38)  5. Killer Joe
(4:26)  6. Anyone Who Had A Heart
(2:51)  7. This Can't Be Love
(6:24)  8. You Don't Know What Love Is
(4:25)  9. So Danco Samba
(6:29) 10. Moanin'
(5:09) 11. Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye
(4:28) 12. Bernie's Tune
(5:35) 13. Once I Loved / O Amor Em Paz

The whole is the sum of its parts. That statement is a principle in the science of mathematics and the art of music. You're holding a sampling of the sum of what I'm musically about. These selections flow from my soul to your heart via the sounds of my voice and piano. This music carries a kind of communication that words alone cannot, and emanates from deep inside me where thoughts are often expressed, and unavoidably felt. To hear these selections, priorities from my life of musical nurturing, is to know me as I've been, and accompany me as I go in multiple directions, often onward, always upward and never backward. I feel as though my music, although having its foundation in Jazz, is resistant to a particular branding. Following the release of my album, "Just Groovin," some people assumed I was a exclusively a smooth jazz artist. Because I'm comfortable with Brazilian music, others later surmised I'm a Brazilian artist. Admittedly, the labels are flattering, but ultimately restrictive. My music is diversified and it's my own, offered for my satisfaction and your edification. I might even refer to this CD as “Eclectic Jazz”. “Eclectic jazz? With this album, have I birthed a new genre? If so, it was intentional, and was the unavoidable upshot of a maverick artist, and the lovable liability of that incessant spiral onward, upward and never backward. Diane Marino… Building Bridges Across Jazz Lines…

When you combine an accomplished vocalist, an accomplished pianist, and accomplished arranger all in one individual, you have the dynamic Diane Marino. M&M Records Recording Artist Diane Marino has recorded, performed, and shared the stage with jazz legends Houston Person, Joe Henderson, Wycliffe Gordon, Pete Escovedo, Tania Maria, Kirk Whalum, pop music icon Felix Cavaliere and many others. Having a passion to “Build Bridges Across Jazz Lines”, Diane arranged and blended the elements of contemporary, traditional, smooth and Latin jazz with great pop standards from the sixties. This creative mosaic of music led to Diane’s 2008 Release, ‘Just Groovin’.
Critically acclaimed, “‘Just Groovin’ is a stellar collection featuring twelve wonderful re-interpretations of pop standards from the sixties. These are not copies of other versions. Diane's fantastic voice and arranging is a breath of fresh air for these tunes, reminding us once again that a great song can be interpreted in any number of styles”… Bob Perry – The Penthouse Radio.

Diane’s debut jazz quartet CD ‘A Sleepin’ Bee’ was released in 2003 and has received national acclaim charting #25 on the national JazzWeek charts as well as receiving extensive radio airplay and rave reviews. This CD offers a wide array of vocal and instrumental traditional jazz standards, Latin jazz, and Brazilian jazz (sung in Portuguese). Diane’s second CD ‘On the Street Where You Live’, released in May of 2004 has also received national acclaim charting on the national JazzWeek charts and proves once again that Diane is a natural whether playing, singing, or both. This CD will take the listener to the very depths of emotions. There is a re-current theme throughout that tells stories of love, and love lost, as well as playful gems of Latin and Brazilian jazz. Diane is joined by bandmates Frank Marino (bass), Mitch Reilly (saxes/flute), and Chris Brown (drums).

Diane has performed at Trumpets Jazz Club in NJ, The Metropolitan Room-NYC, Montreux Atlanta Festival, Town Point Jazz Festival, Music City Jazz & Heritage Festival, WorkPlay Theatre, BayFest, Jazz n’ June Huntsville, Minnetrista Cultural Center Jazz Series, Churchill Grounds Atlanta, Riverfest, Jazz In The Valley, Music Midtown, Bowling Green International Festival, The Jazz Factory, HarborFest, Main Street Jazz Festival, City Stages, Three Rivers Music Festival, Jazz Junction, Bele Chere Music Festival, Franklin Jazz Festival, Summer Lights Music Festival, Celebration of The Arts USCS, and more.

Singer/pianist Diane Marino was born in Manhattan, NYC. She received her early piano training of classical studies and improvisation from the age of 10. Diane was accepted on NYC’S ‘Famed’ High School for the Performing Arts as a classical piano major. She later attended and graduated from Mannes College of Music in Manhattan where she studied piano with world-renowned concert pianist Murray Perahia.  

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/dianemarino4

From The Heart

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Johnny Guarnieri - Walla Walla

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1975
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:26
Size: 120,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:32)  1. Gliss Me Again
(1:56)  2. Walla Walla
(3:59)  3. I Left My Heart in San Francisco
(2:23)  4. Sweet Georgia Brown
(2:56)  5. Tea for Two
(3:03)  6. My Honey's Lovin' Arms
(2:37)  7. The Sheik of Araby
(4:13)  8. Love for Sale
(4:03)  9. Sometimes I'm Happy
(2:37) 10. Cherokee
(3:59) 11. Back Home Again in Indiana
(0:56) 12. One O'Clock Jump
(1:58) 13. Walla Walla (take 2)
(3:19) 14. Black and Blue
(3:38) 15. Gypsy in My Soul
(3:28) 16. Back Home Again in Indiana
(3:41) 17. Gliss Me Again (take 2)

Johnny Guarnieri (March 23, 1917 – January 7, 1985) was an American jazz and stride pianist, born in New York City, perhaps best known for his big band stints with Benny Goodman in 1939 and with Artie Shaw in 1940. Guarnieri is also noted for his embellishment and juxtaposition of jazz with classical piano, such as Scarlatti and Beethoven. In the early 1980s, Guarnieri recorded "Johnny Guarnieri plays Duke Ellington" on a Bosendorfer Grand "SE" player piano, for the Live-Performance Jazz Series.

Throughout the 1940s Guarnieri was a busy sideman, recording with artists such as Charlie Christian, Cozy Cole, Ike Quebec, Charlie Kennedy, Hank D'Amico and Ben Webster. He also led his own group called the "Johnny Guarnieri Swing Men" and recorded with them on the Savoy label, a group that included Lester Young, Hank D'Amico, Billy Butterfield and Cozy Cole. He also led a trio in the 1940s composed of himself, Slam Stewart and Sammy Weiss, recording again for Savoy. During the 1940s he also recorded for the short-lived Majestic label, playing solo piano and with his trio. In 1949 Guarnieri recorded an album with June Christy titled June Christy & The Johnny Guarnieri Quintet.

In his later years Guarnieri shifted more toward jazz education. In commemoration of his reputation as a teacher, Guarnieri's students financed a label for him called Taz Jazz Records. In the 1970s Guarnieri recorded numerous albums on his new label, and until 1982 worked at the "Tail of the Cock" nightclub in Studio City, California. He died onstage during a performance with Dick Sudhalter.  

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Guarnieri

Walla Walla

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Chantal Chamberland - This is Our Time

Styles: Vocal

Year: 2002

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 54:00

Size: 123,7 MB

Art: Front

(6:16)  1. This Is Our Time

(6:22)  2. Don't Explain

(3:37)  3. Why Don't You Do Right

(6:07)  4. Here Comes The Rain Again

(6:19)  5. Just The Way

(4:23)  6. Rock Away Baby

(4:53)  7. Fever

(6:12)  8. When You Leave

(5:16)  9. La Vie En Rose

(4:32) 10. The Best Thing

Slow burning passion and world-weary grit coalesce in the sultry, urban nightclub-style vocals of Chantal Chamberland. The Canadian singer/songwriter mines the depths of emotion once again with her album

This Is Our Time, a collection of original compositions, pop covers and classic torch songs. With her mature, aggressive vocal delivery, Chamberland turns each of these songs into an intense display of soul-searching poignancy.Included is a lusciously smoky rendition of the Peggy Lee classic "Fever,"an already sensual song that Chamberland makes even more potent. Also included are covers of Edith Piaf's "La Vie en Rose" and The Eurythmics'"Here Comes the Rain Again"

" Chantal has always had the ability to create moving, atmospheric music out of pop arrangements, and now she effortlessly transfers that ability to jazz... sparse but never empty, This Is Our Time is a smoky affair that manages to avoid the glossy trappings to which some jazz recordings succumb."  Chamberland puts a unique spin on Edith Piaf's beautiful "La vie en rose" as well as her lead-off radio single "Here Comes The Rain Again", first made famous by the Eurythmics. "This is our time showcases Chamberland's talent for jazz with deep, resonating, passionate vocals." http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/chamberland2

This is Our Time

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Silver Horace Quintet - The Tokyo Blues

Styles: Hard Bop
Year: 1962
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:01
Size: 91,6 MB
Art: Front

( 6:44)  1. Too Much Sake
(12:13)  2. Sayanora Blues
( 7:43)  3. The Tokyo Blues
( 6:08)  4. Cherry Blossom
( 7:10)  5. Ah! So

Following a series of concert dates in Tokyo late in 1961 with his quintet, Horace Silver returned to the U.S. with his head full of the Japanese melodies he had heard during his visit, and using those as a springboard, he wrote four new pieces, which he then recorded at sessions held on July 13 and 14, 1962, along with a version of Ronnell Bright's little known ballad "Cherry Blossom." One would naturally assume the resulting LP would have a Japanese feel, but that really isn't the case. Using Latin rhythms and the blues as a base, Silver's Tokyo-influenced compositions fit right in with the subtle cross-cultural but very American hard bop he'd been doing all along. Using his usual quintet (Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Junior Cook on tenor sax, Gene Taylor on bass) with drummer Joe Harris (he is listed as John Harris, Jr. for this set) filling in for an ailing Roy Brooks), Silver's compositions have a light, airy feel, with plenty of space, and no one used that space better at these sessions than Cook, whose tenor sax lines are simply wonderful, adding a sturdy, reliable brightness. 

The centerpieces are the two straight blues, "Sayonara Blues" and "The Tokyo Blues," both of which have a delightfully natural flow, and the building, patient take on Bright's "Cherry Blossom," which Silver takes pains to make sure sounds like a ballad and not a barely restrained minor-key romp. The bottom line is that The Tokyo Blues emerges as a fairly typical Silver set from the era and not as a grandiose fusion experiment welding hard bop to Japanese melodies. That might have been interesting, certainly, but Silver obviously assimilated things down to a deeper level before he wrote these pieces, and they feel like a natural extension of his work rather than an experimental detour. ~ Steve Leggett   

http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-tokyo-blues-mw0000081525

Personnel: Horace Silver (piano); Junior Cook (tenor saxophone); Blue Mitchell (trumpet); Gene Taylor (bass instrument, bass guitar); John Harris, Jr. (drums)

The Tokyo Blues

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Joani Taylor - In My Own Voice

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:05
Size: 167,3 MB
Art: Front

(5:15)  1. Just Let Go
(3:34)  2. The Secret
(4:25)  3. Take Five
(5:36)  4. Thank You for Loving Me
(6:39)  5. Who's Gonna Hold Me Now
(3:19)  6. Lucky in Love
(6:43)  7. Peace Lullaby
(6:21)  8. Dance With Me
(7:24)  9. You Are My Sunshine
(4:07) 10. Photograph
(4:49) 11. Compared to What
(6:15) 12. Jim's Lament
(4:28) 13. Dance With Me
(4:02) 14. Just Let Go

Joani Taylor is a grand Dame among jazz singers, displaying a luster in her voice that glitters with the splendor of a Queen’s crown jewels. Taylor’s sixth album In My Own Voice shows her moving from spirited swing jaunts to sultry ballads while swigging a captivating R&B clef in her vocal holster that tells you this is a woman with a sturdy backbone who possesses the vulnerability of a maiden’s heart. Produced by Taylor and Miles Foxx Hill, In My Own Voice has chiefly original material co-written by Taylor with a handful of covers. The songs exhibit the multiple facets of Taylor’s vocals while honing her singing into sculptures for audiences to behold. She sings to a timing that she hears in head similarly to country music’s Faith Hill, which causes the lyrics to spill outside of the melodic lines making her voice move with authority and autonomy from the confines of her surroundings. She is not singing to the music scores but to someone whom she has in mind, which she puts on a pedestal and serenades with the charm of a love-soaked cockatoo. The Latin flare of “Dance With Me” brings out the sultry aspects of Taylor’s register while tracks like “Compared To What” and “Just Let Go” light up with the R&B intonations of her vocal nuances which infuse the melodies with a nice shot of adrenaline. 

Taylor holds her notes longer than humanly imaginable in “You Are My Sunshine” which penetrates deep into the listener’s skin, and the smooth way that she sings “The Secret” stokes a solace over the listener. Her remake of Paul Desmond and Dave and Lola Brubeck’s classic tune “Take Five” inflames a charming flirtation between herself and rapper Jay Kin. Afterwards, Taylor goes into a relaxing mode with a string of smooth torchlight melodies like “Thank You For Loving Me” featuring the lively trumpet curlicues of Brad Turner, and the “Who’s Gonna Hold Me Now” with its silk bedding of consoling piano keys played by Bob Murphy. “Lucky In Love,” penned by Taylor and Sharon Minemoto, has all the classic twinkles and cool cat strut which mark a memorable jazz standard, and the loving way that Taylor’s voice cradles the verses of “Peace Lullaby” is reminiscent of the feminine softness of Dena DeRose showing soulful caresses that feel ideal. In My Own Voice establishes Joani Taylor as a purveyor of love sonnets. Her voice delivers words of love as if they should be an everyday occurrence. Her songs seem more than wishful thoughts and ideal illusions. They seem so real as if these stories actually happened and are still happening everyday. Her album allows audiences to enter a world filled with blissful sensations and starry romances. No one in their right mind could say no to such temptation, and most of all, the human heart craves it. http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/joani5

Personnel: Saxophone - Ross Taggart, Trumpet - Brad Turner, Piano and Hammond B3 organ - Bob Murphy, Guitar - Doug Stephenson, Bass - Miles Foxx, Drums - Buff Allen and Berni Arai, Percussion - Jack Duncan, and Emcee - Jay Kin

In My Own Voice

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Katie Eagleson - Once Upon a Time

Styles: Cabaret
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:44
Size: 148,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:54)  1. Once Upon a Time
(3:19)  2. No One Is Alone
(2:14)  3. What You Don't Know About Women
(3:25)  4. You Are There
(3:54)  5. Losing My Mind
(5:43)  6. The End of a Love Affair
(3:55)  7. Where Do You Start
(2:59)  8. A Little Taste
(4:22)  9. You Must Believe in Spring
(4:52) 10. So Many Stars
(5:16) 11. My Foolish Heart
(4:36) 12. I'm All Smiles
(4:06) 13. How Do You Keep the Music Playing
(4:17) 14. Why Did I Choose You
(2:19) 15. I Like You, You're Nice
(4:24) 16. My Buddy

Katie Eagleson’s first musical memory is of sitting in the family station wagon, singing along with the car radio – and her mother – and Patti Page.  The song was “Let Me Go Lover,” but Katie was singing “Ging Ging Go Gover” because she was two years old.  Fast forward to the present and you can hear Katie’s own recordings on the radio, on Sirius XM Satellite Radio, WXPN and WRTI in Philadelphia, WNYC in New York, and other stations. The youngest of seven children, Katie grew up harmonizing with her sisters, singing songs they learned from their mother.  Singing with her family, and listening to the great singers of American popular music, such as Judy Garland, Fred Astaire, Nat King Cole, and Barbra Streisand, provided the inspiration that determined Katie’s musical taste and career path. 

Katie considers herself a lyric interpreter.  With her excellent pitch and crystal clear diction, it is obvious that she has great respect and appreciation for the composer and lyricist.  Performing the music of songwriters such as the Gershwins, Cole Porter, Stephen Sondheim, or Marilyn and Alan Bergman, she delivers the lyrics, whether sad, romantic, or funny, with great sincerity.  “I’m drawn to songs, of any era, that have words I can sing with emotional honesty,” said Katie.  “When those words are combined with well-crafted music, I think the impact of each is intensified.  And that to me is magic.”  As one reviewer wrote, “The Great American Songbook is a treasure of American culture, and Katie Eagleson is one of those rare vocalists whose artistry both preserves and inspires it.” Since the beginning of her professional career, Katie has been the featured vocalist in many ensembles, ranging from duos to Big Bands, singing “pop” music, in venues large and small, and for events both public and private, including the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Chris’ Jazz Café, and the Sellersville Theater.  These days most of Katie’s performances are jazz cabaret shows with her husband and musical director, Lenny Pierro and his group. http://www.katieeagleson.com/

Once Upon a Time

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The Manhattan Transfer - The Spirit of St. Louis

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:22
Size: 107,7 MB
Art: Front

(2:41)  1. Stompin' At Mahogany Hall
(6:18)  2. The Blues Are Brewin'
(3:28)  3. Sugar
(4:30)  4. A Kiss To Build A Dream On
(3:16)  5. Old Man Mose
(5:29)  6. Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans
(4:11)  7. Gone Fishin'
(5:46)  8. Nothing Could Be Hotter Than That
(4:46)  9. Blue Again
(5:54) 10. When You Wish Upon A Star

You always look for new things from the Manhattan Transfer, and after a couple of releases that weren't too innovative, followed by a three-year gap, suddenly they come out with a really peculiar-sounding, refreshingly weird observance of the Louis Armstrong centennial. It sounds as if they had spent those three years racking their brains trying to come up with a totally different studio sound that's neither nostalgic nor modern. Which is exactly what they've done; the sound is compressed to evoke that of an ancient 78 rpm disc but not any 78 you'll ever encounter, whether by Louis or anyone. You hear all kinds of odd things bumping around in the back like loose parts in a machine, strange electronic treatments of the voices, an accordion wailing through many of the tracks, Delta blues guitar, Cajun, and rock & roll, and even more modern styles (with members of k.d. lang's band and Los Lobos's Steve Berlin joining in). 

The A&R guys probably would have killed to make this CD an exercise in reverent nostalgia  "Do You Know What It Means to Miss Orleans" is the closest thing to it  but a track like "A Kiss to Build a Dream On" with its touch of hip-hop in the rhythm, electronically limited guitar, and strings doesn't sound nostalgic in the least. "Gone Fishin'" is an affectionate, extended Alan Paul/Tim Hauser takeoff on the easygoing rapport between Armstrong and Bing Crosby on their duet version, wisely leaving the funny topical references to the original. "Nothing Could Be Hotter Than That" has some trademark Cheryl Bentyne high-wire vocalese. And to end the album, a normally warm and cozy tune like "When You Wish Upon a Star" opens and closes with a spacy electronic arrangement, with harmonies that thankfully undercut the sweetness, transforming the tune. Louis Armstrong wouldn't have recognized this "tribute," but his younger self probably would have hailed the Transfer's renewed moxie and experimental spirit.  ~ Richard S.Ginell  http://www.allmusic.com/album/spirit-of-st-louis-mw0000619824

The Spirit of St. Louis

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