Amy Black - This Is Home

Size: 128,3 MB
Time: 54:32
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Americana, Country, Folk
Label: Reuben Records
Art: Front

01. Nobody Knows You (4:06)
02. I'm Home (4:20)
03. Old Hurt (3:34)
04. Alabama (3:45)
05. Make Me An Angel (5:11)
06. These Walls Are Falling Down (3:19)
07. Layin' It Down (3:40)
08. Hello (3:44)
09. Stronger (3:27)
10. Speed Of The Sound Of Lonliness (4:13)
11. We Had A Life (4:09)
12. Cat's In The Kitchen (2:53)
13. Still Learning How To Fly (4:29)
14. Gospel Ship (3:37)

Amy Black's voice comes alive here, there is a strength there that is growing with each release, and with this one she has truly stretched and given it full reign. Along with her voice becoming even more expressive on this disc she has eleven equally strong original songs and two covers, plus one hidden track. To give these songs and her voice the backing they should have she has enlisted a plethora of top shelf musicians. To give an idea of the caliber of the musicians she has accompanying her here the names include Will Kimbrough, electric guitars, Oliver Wood, electric guitars, and Lex Price, who doubles on electric and acoustic bass, tenor guitar, and Producer, as well as a number of others.

This disc is a full look at the scope of home and what it means, and especially what it means when you fully realize where your roots gained their strength. This Is Home shows the full range of emotion that is universal to growing up when remembering the good, the difficult, the hopes, and the hardships and setbacks we all went through in one form or another. There is no sugar coating here, it is the whole of the experience. These songs show a huge leap from her first disc, One Time, which was thought to be a strong debut.

This disc gives us a glimpse into the life of the blooming and unfolding singer. She shows signs of pushing the envelop further and stronger. This disc is very good, and it seems to be the beginning of a wonderful recording career. You will be hearing far more from this young woman. ~Review by Bob Gottlieb

This Is Home

---

Suzi Stern - Romancing The Dark

Size: 104,4 MB
Time: 44:50
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Jazz Vocals, Folk
Art: Front

01. Firefly (5:06)
02. Romancing The Dark (4:08)
03. Sounds Are Louder In The Dark (4:32)
04. Hymn (2:38)
05. Air (3:43)
06. Tango For Tina (5:00)
07. Sleepwalking Girl (3:51)
08. Deeper Quiet (3:33)
09. Moth (2:10)
10. Haunted Heart (4:50)
11. Snow Explorers (5:13)

Although usually associated with the Austin jazz community, Suzi Stern transcends the limitations of genre with this subtly compelling, quietly evocative collection of original compositions and imaginative arrangements that prove to be her most ambitious project to date. Stern surrounds herself with a cast of local virtuosos, most notably her pianist and musical partner George Oldziey. A tasteful combination of instruments, Oldziey's accordion and James Anderson's violin for instance, layer the sound to evoke a European cabaret vibe on "Air" and "Tango for Tina," with a splash of klezmer on the title track in John Mills' clarinet. Trumpeter Mike Sailors blows quite effective on "Deeper Quiet," an ethereal tune on which Stern's jazz sensibilities serve her well. This is a mature, contemplative album that requires intimate listening, and while Stern's vocals admirably carry the program, its within the limited range permitted by these delicate tunes. ~Review by Jay Trachtenberg

Romancing The Dark

---

Paul Millns - Undercover

Size: 124,6 MB
Time: 53:35
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2007
Styles: Vocal Pop/Rock, Blues
Art: Front

01. History Of A Kiss (3:52)
02. Undercover Man (4:07)
03. One Rainy Sunday (4:36)
04. Dust Off That Old Pianoforte (3:49)
05. No Donkey Ride (5:24)
06. So Long Sleepyhead (3:19)
07. Back In Your Mainstream (4:47)
08. Golden Boy (3:11)
09. Shallow Man (3:45)
10. Singles Night (5:02)
11. Stuck In A Bar (4:06)
12. Hang My Heart Out On The Line (3:45)
13. The Waiting Game (3:47)

An album of all new compositions also recorded in Ingo Rau’s Amps Factory Studio in Freiburg Germany. It features Nick Pentelow on saxophones, Ingo on upright bass, Vladi Kempf on drums, Steven Bailey on acoustic guitar, Butch Coulter on harmonica, and Daniela Dieterich on violin.

It’s amazing sometimes what a discrepancy there is between alleged fame and respect received: This Norfolk-born singer-songwriter had not been granted a hit so far. And yet, his career contains some impressive chapters: Countless stars made good use of the creativity and skill of this keyboard virtuoso, like Alex Korner, Eric Burdon, David Crosby, Ralph McTell and John Martyn. The songwriter, who lives in London, is also very active on his own. He has released a total of 14 albums and is no doubt well-remembered by the German public for his appearance in “Rockpalast”. His new release, “Undercover”, demonstrates the uniqueness of his graceful songs, a mixture of animated ballads, swingy piano tunes and timelessly beautiful songs that shuttle between soul, R&B and songwriter pop. “Undercover”, which features the support of excellent musicians, shows Millns in top form.

Undercover

---

Tamuz Nissim - The Music Stays In A Dream

Size: 117,4 MB
Time: 50:23
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. The Music Stays In A Dream (4:59)
02. Golden Earrings (7:33)
03. Shir (3:48)
04. Together (4:48)
05. By The Window (5:35)
06. Waltz For Winter (6:12)
07. Broken Promises (4:33)
08. Stretching The Blues (4:03)
09. Days Are Passing Slowly (5:23)
10. Part Of The Game (3:24)

After years of practicing, composing, and performing in Israel and Europe, Israeli singer Tamuz Nissim has now proven with her debut album that Jazz stars are still being born and are shining brighter than ever! With the assistance of acclaimed and talented musicians (Giorgos Nazos on the guitar, Francesca Tandoi on the piano, Vasilis Stefanopoulos on the double bass and George Polyhronakos on the drums) Tamuz has managed to express melodically her deep and rich feelings. Her voice can only be described as sensational. This is an album of true art, one that will accompany you over and over again in musical journeys of timelessness and imagination.

The Music Stays In A Dream

---

Arlee Leonard - Wild Honey

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:47
Size: 153,0 MB
Art: Front

(6:10)  1. Doin' My Thang
(6:11)  2. Rose's Song (Ready for Love)
(6:31)  3. Token's of Appreciation
(6:09)  4. Inside of You
(6:52)  5. Sistas Blues (Blue Is What I Am)
(5:36)  6. Cry Me A River
(5:07)  7. Crescent City Serenade
(4:34)  8. On A Clear Day
(5:18)  9. I'm Beginning To See The Light
(5:09) 10. Dindi
(4:31) 11. The Ride
(4:34) 12. Sugar

“Arlee Leonard has written some impressive originals, and her voice crackles with life. Deep and woody, she's sensual at the same time that she's playful...Arlee has many talents, and is not afraid to use them.” ~ Jazz Improv

The versatile Arlee Leonard began performing at age six in coffee houses in Detroit with her parents, blues/folk icons David & Roselyn. In 1991, her multi-racial family toured Germany, France, Holland and Switzerland, and she’s sung with them, led her own groups, and been a guest vocalist for a variety of occasions and events around the world since. Ms. Leonard, raised in California, Michigan and New Orleans, studied and performed in music, theater and dance at Santa Monica High School and the University of California Santa Cruz, while earning a B.A. in Sociology, with honors.

Ms. Leonard can swing standards, wail blues, caress ballads, harmonize with a classical harpist, scat a samba, belt gospel, and get funky in a groove, bringing a joie de vivre and well-honed expertise to any stage she’s on. With her 4- octave range and strong command of the classic elements of jazz vocalizing, Arlee's multifaceted singing style is complimented by her joyfully engaging stage presence and graceful moves. She is also a gifted lyricist, songwriter, and poet. Alee travels the world singing, receiving praise from critics and audiences alike for her debut CD “Wild Honey” and her dynamic live performances. Ms. Leonard has headlined in Singapore, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, South Africa, Thailand, France, China, The Philippines, Japan, Dubai, Taiwan, Spain, Canada, Guatemala, and across the USA. In 2011, Arlee traveled to Russia three times and Ukraine, performing in jazz clubs, concerts halls, and with a big band. In August she was a semi-finalist in the MetroSTAR competition in New York. She performed at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in May with her parents’ group Mo’Lasses, and continues a standing engagement in Stamford, CT. 2010 also began with a return to Russia, and Arlee’s first appearances in Belarus and Ukraine. She performed for the Great Women In Music Festival Oct. 2010 in NYC, and had a fall tour in California. 2009 performances included the Jazz Province Festival (Russian Tour), Standard Bank Joy of Jazz Festival (Johannesburg, SA), Satchmo Summerfest and New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (New Orleans), Women in Jazz Festival 2009 (NYC), and concerts in France with Moussu  Et Le Jovents for a project honoring the writer Claude McKay entitled “ZOU, Shake That Thing!” (Marseille, France). One highlight from 2008 was a headlining performance at The French Quarter Festival (New Orleans). Arlee’s self produced debut CD “Wild Honey” (SolaJazz Records, 2000) includes seven originals and distinctive arrangements of five classics. Ms. Leonard assembled some of New York’s finest for the recording, including Don Braden, Marcus Printup, Eric Lewis, Freddie Bryant, Dwayne Burno, Dwayne Broadnax, and Danny Sadownick. She has recorded for many others, including Fall '07 releases by New Orleans' trumpeter Shamarr Allen with clarinetist Dr. Michael White, and with The Campbell Brothers.

When home in New York and New Orleans, Arlee has graced the stage at renowned jazz venues including Snug Harbor, Bombay Club and Sweet Lorraine's (New Orleans), and Sweet Rhythm, Birdland, Lenox Lounge, Blue Note and BAMCafe (New York). Arlee has sung for the International Association of Jazz Education (IAJE) conference, the JVC Jazz Festival, and several International Women In Jazz (IWJ) concerts. In addition to concert, Ms. Leonard sings and hosts for corporate and private functions, churches, fundraisers, film events, universities and more. Arlee has performed as an actress and dancer, for live radio and television, and is a certified Music Together® teacher. For several years she was the Secretary to the Board of Directors of IWJ, and has been a member of IAJE, the Jazz Foundation of America, the Jazz Vocal Coalition, and Jazz Alliance International. Arlee is an ASCAP writer and publisher. As an artist and as a person, Arlee is always reaching for her higher ground. When she shines, you will smile! http://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/musician.php?id=14258#.Uvqtq4W2yNA

Wild Honey

---

Carol Kidd - The Very Best of Carol Kidd (CD1) And (CD2)

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:40 (CD 1)
Size: 151,1 MB (CD 1)
Time: 60:10 (CD 2)
Size: 138,5 MB (CD 2)
Art: Front + Back

CD 1

(3:33)  1. I got plenty of nuthin
(4:48)  2. Geogia on my mind
(2:55)  3. Sing for your supper
(3:52)  4. Then I'll be tired of you
(2:28)  5. I wish I'd met you
(3:28)  6. I'm shadowing you
(2:13)  7. Haven't we met
(5:22)  8. The night we called it a day
(4:37)  9. Autumn in new york/My funny valentine
(2:29) 10. You're cheating yourself
(4:16) 11. Where or when
(3:46) 12. How little we know
(2:15) 13. We'll be together again
(3:57) 14. Don't worry about me
(2:41) 15. Never let me go
(2:18) 16. I'll take romance
(3:40) 17. Lean baby
(4:38) 18. Don't take your love from me
(2:17) 19. Nice work if you can get it

---

CD 2

(2:08)  1. New York on Sunday
(4:34)  2. When I dream
(2:26)  3. Sometimes (not often)
(2:20)  4. I'm all smiles
(3:01)  5. Bad, Bad Leroy Brown
(3:28)  6. Ain't necessarily so
(2:20)  7. I could have told you so
(4:02)  8. I'm a fool to want you
(1:49)  9. Starting tomorrow
(3:29) 10. I'll guess I'll have to change my plan
(3:06) 11. I fall in love too easily
(3:01) 12. Round Midnight
(2:35) 13. It isn't so bad
(3:51) 14. Don't go to strangers
(4:21) 15. Where are you
(3:21) 16. The more I see you / I've grown accustomed to your face
(3:33) 17. Trouble is a man
(1:38) 18. Bidin' my time
(2:57) 19. Dat dere
(2:01) 20. Please don't talk about me when I'm gone

This album is a composite of tracks from Carol Kidd’s previous albums Crazy for Gershwin, I’m Glad we Met, Nice Work, Debut, All My Tomorrows and The Night We Called it a Day. The backings vary from solo guitar, solo piano, jazz trio, medium sized jazz combo to orchestra with strings.

Carol Kidd is one of the finest female vocalists I have ever heard, of those who are still living, she may well be the best. She has perfect relative pitch, perfect diction and the ability to tell a story with every song she sings. She also has a natural ability to swing and to sound good in any setting. It is amazing that such a fine singer is so undervalued in the UK, when did you last see her on television or hear her records on BBC radio. This compilation by LINN records from their earlier releases is a delight, from the lists above it is easy to see that this is a first class selection of songs. Her artistry is exemplified by the fact that I enjoyed the songs that were unknown to me as much as the familiar ones at a first hearing. It normally takes a couple of hearings for me to get into a new song, but not when the singer is Carol Kidd. 

This album is pure quality all the way, since I received it, it has been constantly on my CD player. It is most unusual to find an album where every track is superb, it rarely happens to me anyway, but this one is the exception. Not only are all the vocals of equal quality, but the various backings are equally good through out. Having heard Carol live on a few occasions, I can tell you that like Ella & Sarah before her, her performance before a live audience is even better.~ Ron Mather   http://www.musicweb-international.com/jazz/2005/Carol_Kidd_very_best.htm

 

The Very Best of Carol Kidd (CD1)
 

The Very Best Of Carol Kidd (CD2)

---

Beegie Adair - Quiet Romance

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:01
Size: 100,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:14)  1. A Time For Love
(3:19)  2. When I Fall In Love
(3:05)  3. I'm Confessin'
(3:32)  4. For All We Know
(4:04)  5. Tenderly
(4:21)  6. Body And Soul
(3:41)  7. It Had To Be You
(3:33)  8. My Foolish Heart
(3:53)  9. That Old Feeling
(3:17) 10. A Kiss To Build A Dream On
(3:11) 11. The More I See You
(3:47) 12. We'll Be Together Again

Born in Cave City, Kentucky, a small farming community of 1,400 residents, Beegie Adair (say B-G) grew up avidly listening to music. At age four she started the "two-finger-hunt-and-peck" system on the piano, but began actual lessons when she was five and continued studying piano through college at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green where she received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Music Education. During college, she played jazz professionally every weekend. She taught music to children in the Kentucky school system for three years, but spent her summers working in Nashville. The first summer she joined the Hank Garland Quartet, "and my education continued. 

Hank was a jazz guitarist that many other guitarists looked up to," Beegie comments. Arriving in Nashville during the heyday of Country music allowed her the opportunity to accompany such legendary performers as Chet Atkins, Johnny Cash, and Dolly Parton. Because Nashville was a hot bed of musical television tapings and live performances during that time, Adair also worked with such entertainers as Neil Diamond, Mama Cass Elliott, and Peggy Lee in her position as in-house pianist for The Johnny Cash Show for ABC-TV plus other television programs featuring Lucille Ball, Carol Burnette, and Dinah Shore. She currently records exclusively for the Village Square label, (www.villagesquare.com), and performs around the country with her trio as well as a weekly gig in Nashville at F. Scott's lounge. ~ Editorial Reviews   

http://www.amazon.com/Quiet-Romance-Beegie-Adair/dp/B000E117K2

Quiet Romance

---

Liz Childs Quartet - Take Flight

Size: 178,0 MB
Time: 76:30
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2012
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. It Could Happen To You (4:49)
02. Dindi (3:49)
03. Lover (5:50)
04. Baby All The Time (4:51)
05. Just One Of Those Things (3:10)
06. Hallelujah (6:31)
07. Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise (4:33)
08. You Don't Know What Love Is (5:56)
09. Meditation (3:49)
10. Bad Luck Card (3:57)
11. Bluesette (4:59)
12. Estate (4:23)
13. Take Flight (3:22)
14. I'll Be Your Baby Tonight (4:35)
15. Baby, Don't Quit Now (1:59)
16. Famous Blue Raincoat (5:18)
17. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To (4:33)

The thing that intrigued me the most about jazz vocalist/pianist Liz Childs' second album Take Flight was that among the seventeen jazz standards and tunes from the great American songbook, the kinds of songs you would normally expect from a jazz singer, she had included two pieces from Leonard Cohen and one from Bob Dylan. Having just reviewed a CD from Monika Borzym, another promising young jazz vocalist, that featured an unlikely repertoire of music from the likes of Fiona Apple and Amy Winehouse, I was interested in seeing what Childs was doing with this material.

There is nothing wrong with songs that are tried and true, but there is something important to be gained both for the artist and the genre when they broaden their horizons. Jazz, after all, is in a real sense about breaking away from the same old same old. It is about taking a piece of music and making it your own. Childs takes us on a biting ride through Cohen's iconic "Hallelujah." At times her voice fairly reeks with bitterness and scorn, at least until the very end. "Famous Blue Raincoat" is a wistful haunting gem. Childs invests both lyrics with an emotional truth that is nothing short of mesmerizing. Bob Dylan's "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight" gets a swinging old style treatment with some nice guitar solo work from Ed MacEachen. Truth to tell, I wouldn't have minded a few more of these kinds of songs.

Not that there's anything wrong her work on the standards; she has a voice that rings with bell like clarity, that can move from intense passion to playful girlishness with equal appeal. She takes a lyric and plumbs its depth weaving sweet scat arabesques around its melodies. Two good examples are the songs which open and close the album. Jimmy van Heusen's "It Could Happen to You" and "You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To," the Cole Porter classic, both highlight her scatting talents. Her vocal play on "fire" and "desire" in the Porter tune is a kick. There's a nice little obligatory bossa nova in Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Dindi." There is even a nod to the blues with Bobby Troupe's "Baby All the Time." Among the other standards on the album are Porter's "Just One of Those Things," Lorenz Hart's "Lover," and Toots Thielemans' "Bluesette," each getting a fine reading.

The album takes its title from an original piece by guitarist MacEachen, who also is responsible for arranging ten of the songs on the CD. "Take Flight" offers some nice opportunities for interaction between the singer's scatting and the composer's guitar.

Childs is backed by MacEachen, Dan Fabricatore on bass, and Anthony Pinciotti on drums. She, herself, has decided to escape from the piano for this album. "I wanted," she says, "to experience the freedom to explore singing without being constricted by sitting at the piano, and to be able to more completely respond to the band as a vocalist only. So, that's what this CD is the start of." If this is any indication of what she can do standing at the front of the band, one can only hope to hear more from her in the future. ~Review by Jack Goodstein

Take Flight

---

Kimmie Rhodes - Covers

Size: 137,8 MB
Time: 58:39
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Blues Rock, Americana
Art: Front

01. Bluebird (3:31)
02. Yesterday (3:12)
03. Moonlight Mile (5:28)
04. White Freight Liner (3:54)
05. Georgia Lee (4:14)
06. Everything Is Broken (3:37)
07. Birds (2:41)
08. Stuck In A Moment (4:32)
09. Adam's Song (Duet With Rodney Crowell) (5:14)
10. Don't Think Twice (3:48)
11. Southern Accents (4:45)
12. Shame Shame Shame (Duet With Delbert McClinton) (3:47)
13. Cannibals (Duet With Marcia Ball) (3:31)
14. What A Wonderful World (3:07)
15. Little Help From My Friends (3:13)

“Covers” marks a “sea change” for Kimmie Rhodes. For the first time, the songwriters songwriter, puts down her pen to devote an entire album to singing of the songs of others whose music has served milestones of her storied performing and recording career, and her life.

Rhodes first studio adventure since the passing of longtime partner and collaborator Joe Gracey, Kimmie draws deep from a wide range of catalogues – Thiele and Weiss, Lennon and McCartney, Jagger and Richards, Jimmy Reed, Mark Knopfler, Dylan, Bono, Tom Petty, Leon Russell, Neil
Young and Tom Waits, and channels close friends Townes Van Zandt and Rodney Crowell; telling each story in that clear, soaring songbird voice that takes ownership of every composition.

Embellishing the voice is a dream team of pickers including son/collaborator Gabriel Rhodes, multiple Handy Award winner Marcia Ball, singer-songwriter-author Rodney Crowell, songwriter and performer Bill Carter, Delbert McClinton, daughter Jolie Goodnight, guitar hotshot David
Holt (Joe Ely), singer-songwriter/producer Gary Nicholson, pedal steel ninja Tommy Spurlock, fiddler Richard Bowden
(Joe Ely), Glen Fukunaga (Joe Ely), Mike Thompson (The Eagles), Brian Standefer (Alejandro Escovedo).

The chemistry is explosive, and the music, perfect for all radio formats. What’s your pleasure? Vintage pop from the Great American Songbook? “What a Wonderful World.” Beatles? “Yesterday,” “With a Little Help from My Friends” Stones? “Moonlight Mile,” like you’ve never heard it before.
Album rock? Neil Young’s “Birds” or her duet with Marcia Ball on Dire Straits “Cannibals.” Low down blues? “Shame,Shame, Shame,” sung with “the” Delbert McClinton. Texas high lonesome singer-songwriter? “White Freight Liner.” Americana classic? Rodney’s Crowell’s poignant, “Adam Song” with Rodney helping out on the vocals.

Personnel:
Kimmie Rhodes – vocals
Marcia Ball – vocals, accordion (Cannibals, Little Help)
Rodney Crowell – vocals (Adams Song, Little Help)
Delbert McClinton – vocals & harmonica (Shame)
Jolie Goodnight – vocals (Cannibals, Little Help)
Bill Carter – vocals, harmonica (Cannibals, Little Help)
Gabriel Rhodes -guitars, keyboards, accordion, mandolin,vocals (Cannibals, Little Help, Stuck Moment)
Mike Thompson – keyboards, bass (Little Help),vocals
Avery Gardner – bass guitar
Glen Fukunaga – bass guitar
John Gardner – drums & perussion
Dony Wynn – drums & percussion
Richard Bowden – violin
Brian Standefer – cello
Will McFarlane – guitars
Colin Linden – slide guitar (Moonlight Mile)
Gary Nicholson – electric lead & solo (Shame Shame)
David Holt -guitar (Shame Shame, White Freight)
Tommy Spurlock – steel guitar

Covers

---

Bill Coté - Where Do You Start (Feat. Tamir Hendelman Trio)

Size: 166,5 MB
Time: 71:39
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz Vocals, Swing
Art: Front

01. Where Or When (4:00)
02. When Do The Bells Ring For Me (2:38)
03. Teach Me Tonight (4:58)
04. What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life (5:46)
05. L.A. State Of Mind (5:03)
06. Who Can I Turn To (5:09)
07. Satin Doll (4:15)
08. Where Do You Start (4:04)
09. Sunday In New York (3:01)
10. My Funny Valentine (4:42)
11. When Sunny Gets Blue (5:20)
12. Never Let Me Go (5:48)
13. On A Clear Day (3:33)
14. Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most (6:02)
15. I Just Found Out (3:20)
16. Indian Summer (3:53)

I’ve been singing jazz standards for nearly 50 years and have had the honor to be close friends with some of the greatest jazz musicians around. But it wasn’t until a jazz cruise I took in 2010 that my longtime dream of making my own CD was re-ignited. It was on that cruise that I met piano great Tamir Hendelman, who is a regular with the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra and has performed and recorded with the likes of Barbra Streisand and Natalie Cole, among others. We struck up a conversation about music, and Tamir offered to accompany me on a tune. I was pleased and gratified that he liked my voice so much that he strongly encouraged me to make my own recording. This CD is the result of that encounter.

I have lived with the songs on this album for many, many years. They all come from the heart. It was a fantastic experience recording them with Tamir’s great arrangements and the remarkable talents of this stellar band.

Where Do You Start

---

Judi D. - Nightshade

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:07
Size: 118,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:21)  1. Tenderly
(6:15)  2. Love Dance
(4:42)  3. You've Changed
(4:20)  4. Out Of This World
(5:34)  5. Sophisticated Lady
(7:03)  6. Up Jumped Spring
(4:18)  7. If You Went Away
(4:11)  8. Weaver Of Dreams
(3:11)  9. All Of Me (A La King Pleasure)
(3:54) 10. Small Feats
(3:15) 11. A House Is Not A Home

While there are plenty of jazz survivors indomitable artists thriving in their 70s and 80s Miami-based Judith Dubowsky can proudly claim that survival opened her path to a jazz career. Diagnosed with thyroid cancer just over a year ago, left with “three notes, my whole range was gone,” and vowing to rebuild her voice, she underwent three years of therapy, enrolled in the University of Miami to earn a Master of Music degree and began intense study of the great female jazz singers. Now, supported by an enviable rhythm section comprised of pianist Kenny Barron, drummer Leroy Williams, bassist Ray Drummond and, doubling on tenor sax and flute, Frank Wess, she has released her debut album.

That Dubowsky is a superb student is evident throughout these ten standards and one original (the heartfelt “Small Feats” that traces her road to recovery and vocal revitalization). Her style borrows heavily from Sarah Vaughan, Carmen McRae and Diana Krall; her phrasing owes a huge debt to Rosemary Clooney (particularly on the disc-opening “Tenderly”). But there’s much more to Dubowsky than mere mimicry. She handles Ellington’s hugely challenging “Sophisticated Lady” with just the right combination of refracted pain, misty disillusion and judgmental disdain. Her “Up Jumped Spring,” superbly underlined by Wess’ sax, effectively blends unexpected pleasure and thankful satisfaction. Best track: a loose-limbed “All of Me,” crafted in homage to King Pleasure, that boldly displays the marvelously imaginative spirit of the unfettered Judi. ~ Christopher Loudon   http://jazztimes.com/articles/18405-nightshade-judi-d

Nightshade

---

Glennis Houston - I'll Reminisce You

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:22
Size: 116,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:21)  1. Being Green, But Beautiful
(3:42)  2. Beloved
(3:25)  3. Lonely Without You
(4:49)  4. Lullaby for a Boy
(4:54)  5. Since You Walked Out That Door
(3:47)  6. Mockingbird
(4:07)  7. A Slow Blues
(3:42)  8. Oh! Gee!
(5:40)  9. Spare Change
(4:36) 10. Tears of Stone
(2:43) 11. L.O.V.E.
(3:31) 12. I'll Reminisce You

Calgary vocalist Glennis Houston follows up her debut album Lies of Handsome Men (2004, Self-Produced) with a warm session of light contemporary vocal jazz on I'll Reminisce You. Unlike the first disc comprised entirely of standards Houston designs a repertoire of primarily originals with the incorporation of a handful of cover songs touching on bebop, blues and ballads. This second effort actually began in early 2006 but, life got in the way with family, work, education, pursuing a PhD and other such mundane matters preventing her from fulfilling the goal until now. The singer fronts a standard piano trio with Calgary musicians Sheldon Zanboer on piano, Robin Tufts on drums and Simon Fisk on the violin-shaped bass bassetto, recording the album in both a studio as well as in a live setting. Armed with silky vocals, Houston begins this adventure with a ballad medley of a Joe Raposo song and a Burke/Van Heusen standard "Being Green, But Beautiful" where the vocalist delivers a measure of emotion along the way. 

Clifford Brown's up beat classic "Beloved" is in good hands with Houston voicing Meredith d'Ambrosio's lyrics in swinging fashion something this artist does throughout the album. The first of seven original songs on the disc is the lovely "Lonely without You" followed by "Lullaby for a Boy" and "Since You Walked Out That Door," the first another soft ballad and the latter a bluesy number where the singer reaches. One of the livelier songs on the album, "Oh! Gee!" featuring a swinging Houston and handy solo work from Zanboer and Fisk, is clearly a standout tune but, there's more. The singer's interpretation of the standard "L.O.V.E." and the trio's energetic performance, make this track one of the highlights of the recording.  Other moments of notable mention have to be the cover song "Mockingbird" and Houston's own "Tears of Stone" with the love ballad and title finale song voiced from the heart does indeed leave a lasting impression. Though a long time in the works, songbird Glennis Houston's tasteful performance of traditional vocal jazz on I'll Reminisce You, is well worth the wait. Perhaps her next endeavor may not be as long in coming. ~ Edward Blanco   http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=46424#.UvonRoW2yNA
 

Personnel: Glennis Houston: vocals; Sheldon Zanboer: piano; Simon Fisk: bassetto; Robin Tufts: drums.

I'll Reminisce You

---

Bill Charlap - Along With Me

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:23
Size: 166,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:56)  1. On Green Dolphin Street
(6:05)  2. Along With Me
(4:47)  3. I Was Telling Her About You
(8:29)  4. Has This Song Been Written For You Before?
(7:23)  5. Early To Bed
(5:30)  6. Lonely Town
(9:42)  7. Gone With The Wind
(7:06)  8. A Ghost Of A Chance
(3:27)  9. Donna Lee
(5:32) 10. I'll Be Around
(9:21) 11. Jazzspeak

This CD has the recording debut as a leader of pianist Bill Charlap. Already a member of the Gerry Mulligan Quartet, Charlap would soon join the Phil Woods Quartet/Quintet. A master at swinging veteran standards and casting new light on warhorses, even at this early stage Charlap sounded quite impressive. He is heard in duets with bassist Sean Smith, a trio with bassist Andy Eulau and drummer Ron Vincent, and unaccompanied on "Lonely Town" and "I'll Be Around." Charlap is particularly effective on ballads. The fine recital (which is highlighted by his rendition of his father Moose Charlap's "I Was Telling Her About You," "Gone With the Wind," and an interesting reworking of "Donna Lee") concludes with a nine-minute "Jazzspeak" during which Charlap gives his lifetime story up to 1993. Recommended. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/along-with-me-mw0000627816

Along With Me

---

Jim Wynn - Goofin' Off

Size: 110,1 MB
Time: 47:29
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2012
Styles: Jump Blues, Blues Jazz
Art: Front

01. Goofin' Off (2:09)
02. Put Me Down Blues (2:31)
03. Let's Rock (2:26)
04. Blow Wynn Blow (2:08)
05. Down To The Ocean (2:36)
06. Snug As A Bug In A Rug (2:30)
07. West Coast Lover (2:40)
08. Strange Love (3:13)
09. Hollywood Stampede (2:44)
10. J W Bop (2:28)
11. Dog House Blues (2:59)
12. Rubber Legs (2:17)
13. Cold Blooded Boogie (2:44)
14. Fat Meat (2:32)
15. I'm The Boss (2:45)
16. Muffle Joe Shuffle (2:35)
17. Farewell Baby (3:00)
18. PS I Love You (3:03)

Saxophonist and bandleader Jim Wynn was born June 21, 1912, in El Paso, TX, but grew up in Los Angeles, where his first instrument was the clarinet. Switching to tenor saxophone, he began his professional career with Charlie Echols and was a sideman on hundreds of West Coast recordings, including a long association with Johnny Otis. As a bandleader (often billed as Big Jim Wynn), he recorded sporadically from 1945 to 1959 with a dozen different labels, including 4 Star/Gilt Edge (which issued his best-known side, "Ee-Bobaliba"), Modern, Specialty, Supreme, and Mercury. Wynn switched to baritone sax later in his career, and continued working as a sideman into the 1970s. He died in 1977. ~Biography by Steve Leggett

Goofin' Off

---

Abigail Rockwell - Union Station

Size: 96,4 MB
Time: 41:19
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2009
Styles: Jazz Vocals, World Fusion, Fado
Art: Front

01. I Got It Bad (4:21)
02. Les Mures Sauvages (3:32)
03. Never Let Me Go (2:32)
04. Modinha (2:21)
05. The Man That Got Away (3:56)
06. Aria (5:52)
07. Midnight Sun (4:16)
08. Medo (3:01)
09. Por Toda Minha Vida (2:30)
10. Trouble Is A Man (3:19)
11. Company (5:34)

Abigail Rockwell is a singer that specializes in international torch songs, which she describes as “songs of longing from around the world.”

Abigail began singing at an early age, writing songs, playing the guitar. The album she listened to over and over was Joni Mitchell’s Clouds. As she got older, training and lessons came, eventually leading her to classical training in her teenage years. As the training evolved, her joy in singing diminished. Worrying about “placement” and the other aspects of classical training took her away from why she loved to sing. Performance anxiety crept in and eventually she just stopped singing publicly, and instead chose to study acting at the Conservatory of Theater Arts & Film at Purchase in New York. She became a “closeted singer,” singing in empty churches, parking lots and at night in her darkened kitchen. Some years later, her mother gave her a recording of Sarah Vaughan. She began singing with it and gradually started to find her voice again, along with the kind of music that suited it. But she still hadn’t met that special teacher that she had been searching for. One day at Urth Cafe in Los Angeles she met Gary Catona, the renowned voice coach. They worked very hard to rebuild her voice and eventually, really for the first time, she found her natural, free singing voice.

Abigail co-produced her debut CD, Union Station, with Bill Brendle, the pianist/arranger/composer who has worked with various artists, including Sergio Mendes, Lamont Dozier and Erykah Badu. It was mixed by Grammy award-winning Mauricio Guerrero and mastered at Capitol by Ron McMaster.

“With the completion of this CD, in effecting a synthesis between my acting and my singing, I feel I’ve finally found my true path. Now I am focused and working on upcoming shows and excited about taking my work to the next level.”
-A.R.

Union Station

---

Almaz Yebio - Down To Earth

Size: 123,8 MB
Time: 53:17
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Merry-Go-Round (4:54)
02. Further To Fly (5:41)
03. Hearts And Bones (6:07)
04. En Dag Var Hon Borta (5:11)
05. Down To Earth (4:37)
06. Dancing (5:31)
07. Have A Good Time (4:56)
08. The Little Things (4:24)
09. Solsbury Hill (5:51)
10. Washing Of The Water (6:02)

There are so many great songs out there! From different eras and places. In different styles. My curiosity has taken me into exploring the groove of jazz, the strength of gospel, eclectic composers from Brazil, melancholy in Scandinavian folk songs and the catharsis of free improvisation.
But right under my nose I find LPs with thumbprints still there from my childhood. Simon & Garfunkel and Genesis to name a few. Teenage memories with soundtracks from Paul Simon's or Peter Gabriel's solo projects. They're composers, lyricists and performers a generation before me, whose music deeply affected popular music of today. And they're still going strong.
Almaz Yebio: vocals, Krister Jonsson: guitars, Mats Ingvarsson: Basses, Fredrik Lundin: reeds, Björn Jönsson: drums and Christian Glass: percussion

Down To Earth

---

Mariska Veres & Shocking Jazz Quartet - He's Not There

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:44
Size: 109,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:01)  1. He's Not There
(3:59)  2. You Really Got Me
(3:13)  3. Shocking You
(4:32)  4. Radar Love
(5:14)  5. Try A Little Tenderness
(3:26)  6. Venus
(5:11)  7. I Feel The Earth Move
(3:39)  8. Never Marry A Railroad Man
(3:39)  9. Somebody To Love
(3:12) 10. A Lot Of Lovin' To Do
(3:14) 11. All By Myself
(4:17) 12. Rockin' Good Way

Veres began her career as a singer in 1963 with the guitar band Les Mysteres. In 1964 this band made an EP (GTB-label, 10 copies only) and Mariska is singing on side 1: Summertime (solo) and Someone (a duet). In 2010 this EP was re-released by record club Platenclub Utrecht (PLUT 009). On www.platenclubutrecht.nl you can see the sleeve and listen to a part of Summertime. In 1965 she joined the Bumble Bees,[1] the Blue Fighters, Danny and his Favourites and General Four in 1966, and the Motowns later in 1966. She also played organ in the last band. In 1968 she was invited to join Shocking Blue to replace lead singer Fred de Wilde who had to join the army. In 1969/1970 Shocking Blue gained worldwide fame with the hit single "Venus". The month of their arrival in the United States gossip columnist Earl Wilson referred to Veres as a beautiful busty girl.

However, when she joined Shocking Blue she made it clear to the other band members that romantic relationships were not going to happen. Shocking Blue split up on 1 June 1974; Veres continued in a solo career until the band was reunited in 1984. This comeback turned out to be successful, but one of the other original members, Robbie van Leeuwen, stepped back from the group, partly because he had moved to Luxembourg but also because of the success of Bananarama's cover of "Venus". Mariska Veres started the jazz group The Shocking Jazz Quintet in 1993, and recorded an album ('Shocking You') with pop songs from the 60s and 70s, now in a jazz version. From 1993 to 2006 she performed in yet another reincarnation of Shocking Blue (recorded the songs 'Body and Soul' and 'Angel', both produced by former member Robbie van Leeuwen), and also recorded an album with Andrei Serban in 2003, named 'Gipsy Heart', going back to her Romani roots.

A version of "Venus" was posthumously released in 2007, a few months after her death, recorded with pianist/bandleader Dolf de Vries (on the album "Another Touch"). Mariska has recorded "Venus" four times: with Shocking Blue (1969), with the Mariska Veres Shocking Jazz Quintet (1993), with Formula Diablos (in English/Spanish, 1997), and with Dolf de Vries (a lounge version of "Venus", 2005/2006). ~ Bio   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariska_Veres

Shocking Jazz Quartet

---

Charlie Parker - The Essential Charlie Parker

Styles: Bop, Big Band
Year: 1992
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:15
Size: 138,9 MB
Art: Front + Back

( 3:03)  1. Now's the Time
( 2:49)  2. If I Should Lose You
( 2:55)  3. Mango Mangue
( 3:27)  4. Bloomdido
( 3:31)  5. Star Eyes
( 3:01)  6. Confirmation (master take)
( 3:06)  7. My Little Suede Shoes
( 3:33)  8. Just Friends
( 3:24)  9. Lover Man
(12:56) 10. I Got Rhythm
( 2:59) 11. Repetition
( 3:27) 12. K.C. Blues
( 2:49) 13. Relaxing With Lee (master take)
( 3:08) 14. April in Paris
( 3:04) 15. Okiedoke
( 2:56) 16. The Song Is You

Another anthology that has less value due to the exploding reissue market. These cuts were among Parker's most influential compositions and performances, but they've been reissued many times, both in anthology packages and on re-releases of their original albums. But it's part of the Essentials sampler line, and if you only want a little Parker, it's a good choice. ~ Ron Wynn   http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-essential-charlie-parker-mw0000090502

The Essential Charlie Parker

---

Eddie Higgins Quartet & Scott Hamilton - My Foolish Heart

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:37
Size: 169,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:30)  1. My Foolish Heart
(7:59)  2. Russian Lullaby
(5:40)  3. What Is There To Say
(5:22)  4. That Old Black Magic
(5:58)  5. Skylark
(5:49)  6. Night And Day
(6:27)  7. Embraceable You
(6:04)  8. Am I Blue
(6:10)  9. These Foolish Things
(6:23) 10. The More I See You
(5:47) 11. The Song Is You
(6:23) 12. This Love Of Mine

Eddie Higgins has been a solid bop pianist for decades, though he seems most appreciated by the folks who run the Japanese label Venus, for whom he has recorded frequently in his golden years. Joined by two-thirds of Phil Woods' longtime rhythm section (Steve Gilmore and Bill Goodwin), along with special guest Scott Hamilton on tenor sax, Higgins explores a dozen ballads, most of which have been favorites of jazz musicians longer than the pianist has been playing professionally. Higgins doesn't mind taking a back seat to Hamilton's Ben Webster-inspired tenor, though he can also wail when he chooses to do so. The snappy take of "Russian Lullaby" is a highlight, featuring all four of the musicians in turn. One can hear Higgins singing softly to himself as he introduces his lush arrangement of "Embraceable You." While there is nothing groundbreaking about any of the selections, this is excellent music that will provide a perfect backdrop for any jazz fan's romantic evening. ~ Ken Dryden  

http://www.allmusic.com/album/my-foolish-heart-mw0000327856

My Foolish Heart

---

Marc Copland, Drew Gress & Bill Stewart - New York Trio Recording Vol.3 - Night Whispers

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@224K/s
Time: 58:29
Size: 94,0 MB
Art: Front

(1:59)  1. Emily (Take One)
(8:36)  2. The Bell Tolls
(8:01)  3. Night Whispers
(2:50)  4. Emily (Take Two)
(6:59)  5. So What
(6:42)  6. Like It Never Was
(7:11)  7. Space Acres
(2:07)  8. Emily (Take Three)
(6:32)  9. Scattered Leaves
(7:27) 10. I Fall In Love Too Easily

Some artists are so consistent that it's difficult to tag one release as better than another. Still, every now and then they manage to release career milestones that stand above the rest. Pianist Marc Copland's Time Within Time (HATology, 2005) is one such watershed a sublime solo piano session that transcends mere virtuosity and digs so deeply into its repertoire that it's almost impossible not to feel fully a part the experience rather than just an innocent bystander.  Night Whispers, the final volume in Copland's New York Trio Recordings series, also including Vol. 1: Modinha (Pirouet, 2006) and Vol. 2: Voices (Pirouet, 2007), is more than just the best of the bunch; it leverages Copland's unique strengths while avoiding a comfort zone that could entice the pianist and his trio to take the road well-traveled. Instead, Copland, bassist Drew Gress, and drummer Bill Stewart explore unexpected twists and turns while remaining true to Copland's introspective nature, simmering with a rare underlying heat that occasionally bursts to a boil. One obvious reason for Night Whispers' distinction is the substitution of Stewart for Jochen Rueckert, the drummer in Copland's longstanding trio. On this set of Copland, Gress, and Stewart originals, and standards including Miles Davis' "So What," Julie Styne's "I Fall in Love Too Easily," and Johnny Mandel's "Emily," the flexible and uniquely melodic drummer has rarely sounded better. Copland's "The Bell Tolls" begins in melancholy abstraction, but following Gress' lyrical solo Stewart begins turning up the heat during Copland's impressionistic turn, leading to a drum solo that perfectly meshes empathic responsiveness with reckless abandon, pushing the group to a level of energy rarely heard from the Copland/Gress/Rueckert trio. 

Copland's title track is surprisingly upbeat despite its harmonic abstrusity and contrapuntal melodicism, as Stewart's turbulent but firm support drives the pianist to an uncharacteristically heated solo, all the while retaining a touch so delicate that it almost demands leaning forward into the music to catch it all. "Scattered Leaves" also simmers with smoldering energy, an altered blues not unlike Voices' "River's Run," with marvelously indirect interplay between Copland, Gress, and Stewart. Gress' dark-hued tone poem, "Like It Never Was," revolves around a gently explored, repetitive motif, as does Stewart's "Space Acres," though the latter does gradually pick up a head of steam. Copland often divides his albums into sections through exploring multiple takes of a tune, and here it's three solo readings of "Emily": softly abstract ("Take One"); song-like and literal ("Take Three"); and near stream-of-consciousness ("Take Two"). Copland's ties to the tradition are undeniable, but he's rarely swung as hard as he does here on "So What" where, once its familiar theme is dispensed with, it becomes an improvisational free-for-all that remains structured, even as it's clear there's little holding the trio back. It's rare that a single personnel change so significantly alters a group's dynamic and creativity, but Stewart makes Night Whispers an outstanding and definitive trio disc for Copland. On the merits of this seminal set, it would be almost criminal were this group to be but a one-time affair. ~ John Kelman  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=31682#.Uv0IQIXYMbg
 

Personnel: Marc Copland: piano; Drew Gress: bass; Bill Stewart: drums.

New York Trio Recording Vol.3 - Night Whispers

---