George Mraz - Jazz

Styles: Jazz, Hard Bop
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:51
Size: 132,2 MB
Scans:

(5:19)  1. Moonlight in Vermont
(5:43)  2. Cinema Paradiso Love Theme
(8:01)  3. Infant Eyes
(6:44)  4. Happy Saint
(4:26)  5. Foolish Door
(8:00)  6. Your Story
(7:43)  7. Spring Is Here
(1:06)  8. Pepper
(5:43)  9. Time Remembered
(2:46) 10. The Peacocks
(1:13) 11. Cinema Paradiso (Reprise)

You couldn't have asked for a more sensitive, intuitive acoustic bassist in the '70s, '80s, and '90s than George Mraz. From Stan Getz and Joe Henderson to Hank Jones, Oscar Peterson, Jimmy Rowles, and Tommy Flanagan, the Czech bassist has accompanied one heavyweight after another since arriving in the U.S. in 1968. But surprisingly, Mraz didn't record as a leader until 1991. His first two albums, 1991's Catching Up and 1995's My Foolish Heart, were recorded for the Japanese Alfa label, and it wasn't until 1995's Jazz that Mraz finally recorded for an American label as a leader. Much of this excellent hard bop/post-bop CD finds him leading a trio that includes Richie Beirach on acoustic piano and Billy Hart on drums, although the trio becomes a quartet when tenor saxman Rich Perry steps in on Wayne Shorter's "Infant Eyes" and Mraz's brief "Pepper" (written for baritone saxophonist Pepper Adams). When Beirach shows us his lyrical side on Jimmy Rowles' "The Peacocks," Bill Evans' "Time Remembered," and the standard "Moonlight in Vermont," you can't help but admire Mraz's tremendous sensitivity in fact, Mraz enjoys as strong a rapport with Beirach as he did with Flanagan and Peterson. Produced by Todd Barkan, Jazz makes you wish that a U.S. label had recorded Mraz as a leader long before 1995. ~ Alex Henderson   http://www.allmusic.com/album/jazz-mw0000182147

Personnel: George Mraz (strings); Rich Perry (tenor saxophone); Larry Willis, Richie Beirach (piano); Billy Hart (drums).

Jazz

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Heather Bambrick - It's About Time

Size: 130,8 MB
Time: 56:19
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2003
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. (Sing) Joyspring (4:57)
02. That's Falling In Love (4:46)
03. Maybe (5:48)
04. Love For Sale (6:06)
05. I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter (4:07)
06. Night Night, Smiley (4:09)
07. Stormy Weather (5:27)
08. How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore (6:10)
09. Aren't I Cute (4:37)
10. That's All (4:56)
11. Let Me Fish Off Cape St. Mary's (5:12)

Heather Bambrick's voice has been described as a combination of "the cool smoothness of Diana Krall, with the rich honey sounds of Ella Fitzgerald". She has recorded and/or performed at some of Canada's top Jazz events, festivals, and venues with artists like Phil Nimmons, Oliver Jones, Kenny Wheeler, Peter Appleyard, and Darmon Meader.

Heather's voice and/or music has been heard on radio and television commercials, in film scores and soundtracks, and on made-for-TV movie soundtracks. She has recorded backing vocals on a number of projects, and remains a consistent success in her live performances. Her stage persona has been described as a "love child of Bette Midler and Jann Arden but not without influences from those big-name Jazz ladies of the 40s and 50s."

After spending five years recording and touring with the award-winning Beehive Singers, Heather released her debut solo CD "It's About Time" to rave reviews. In its first month of release, the recording hit #17 in the first ever Canadian National Jazz Chart. "It's About Time" continues to receive regular airplay on Canadian national radio programs, on stations in New Jersey, Florida, and Alaska, as well as on satellite stations across North America.

The CD has something for everyone: classic standards, fresh unique arrangements, clever and catchy original tunes, outstanding musicianship, and a sensitive vocal delivery that goes from soft and sexy, to offbeat and quirky, to just plain "swingin'"!!!

It's About Time  

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Emmanuel Bex, Glenn Ferris, Simon Goubert - BFG: Now Or Never

Size: 144,5 MB
Time: 62:44
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Contemporary Jazz
Art: Front

01. Take Five (9:01)
02. Fa Diese (7:19)
03. Le Sourire De Babik (8:17)
04. Bluehawk (7:22)
05. Light'n Up (If You Can) (6:02)
06. Something On My Mind (6:52)
07. Seul Sans Toi (9:55)
08. Mr Sanders (7:52)

In 2001, the first album of BFG ( Bex, Ferris & Goubert ) : " Here & Now" was the first production Naïve Jazz and a great success since the album rather unusual trio (organ , trombone , drums) was awarded of the highest honors : " Victoire de la Musique ", " Grand Prix de L' Académie Charles Cros ", " Choc Jazzman of the Year ", " FFFF Télérama " Select "World" ... the trio was born the same year , a one-night stand at Sunset during a carte blanche Emmanuel Bex who chose to surround himself with Glenn Ferris trombone and Simon Goubert on drums. A furious and mind-blowing concert remained in the memories of hundreds of spectators at a club trance.

Twelve years later , the trio is reuniting for a concert by the New Morning in Paris in January 2013. Alchemy intact and it imposed both as a necessity and as an emergency : we had record "live" this legendary group. This was done in a completely new directory at Sunset , even where they were " born " . After " Here & Now" , here " Now or Never" . Provided they do not expect another twelve years! ~google translation from french.

BFG: Now Or Never

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Dena Taylor - The Nearness Of You

Size: 101,1 MB
Time: 41:05
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. When October Goes (3:42)
02. Solitude (4:02)
03. But Beautiful (4:33)
04. Besame Mucho (4:04)
05. The Nearness Of You (5:48)
06. Do Nothing Til You Hear From Me (3:42)
07. If I Love Again (2:41)
08. For All We Know (4:37)
09. The Look Of Love (3:20)
10. The Very Thought Of You (4:31)

Dena Taylor explores the varying levels of personal intimacy through both her song selection and masterful delivery of these Jazz Standards on The Nearness of You. From the first bars of “When October Goes,” the piano gently leads the listener into Taylor’s first silky vibrato, and from that point on there is no choice but to give in to her melodic journey. Taylor’s singing on this track evokes a sense of nostalgia and seclusion, as if one is sitting in a smoke-filled Jazz nightclub watching the moments drift softly into the abyss and waiting for a lost love that is not going to show. She follows this with the more ironically up-beat “Solitude.” Echoing the timbres and style of the great Billie Holliday, she explores another glimpse towards nostalgia that arouses the sense of such a longing, and the sweet side of a bittersweet feeling. The juxtaposition of these two tracks right from the start demonstrates not only the strong range of her Jazz repertoire, but also a deeper understanding of the versatility of feeling that can be conveyed given similar subject matter.

A distinct shift in tone and sentiment comes with Taylor’s rendition of the sultry “Besame Mucho.” The listener, mentally transported to a charming Latin club somewhere on the Central American coast, feels the gentle swells in both her band’s accompaniment and her lyrical delivery. The feel is cool, mellifluously smooth, and triggers a wonderful sensation of something foreign, yet universal though music. This leads directly into the title track, “The Nearness of You.” Taylor has led the listener from nostalgia through longing, and lands us in the ephemeral and warm spirit of Ella Fitzgerald with this track. She leaves room for her accompanying musicians to tastefully explore and muse with the form, and then takes up the mantel herself, commenting melodically through her own expression of tenderness.

The shift in subject matter that occurs with “Do Nothing Til You Hear From Me” marks a turning point towards reflection in this journey. The very feelings of longing and solitude that drive one to find and explore passion also lead down roads of trepidation, and the remaining tracks convey that distance from the build to “nearness.” There is no clearer example of this than her choice to follow with “If I Love Again.” Taylor echoes the sentiment conveyed in the opening tracks, but with a new understanding and exploration of those feelings. Closing out with Ray Noble’s “The Very Thought of You” comments on the cycle of the journey The Nearness of You embarks upon from the outset. The distance between longing and love, nearness and solitude, tenderness and indifference, comes full circle when looked at through the wider lens of the album as a whole.

Musically, Taylor executes these Jazz standards with an ear towards the past, but an eye towards the sentiment. What’s most striking is how she blends a range of styles within the Jazz genre to explore exactly what “nearness” implies both semantically and emotionally. The longing for nearness, the distance from nearness, and the ambivalence of nearness are all metaphorically and harmonically commented upon in a subtle way that does not demand a trained ear to decipher, but does reward one. ~Samuel Marvin, MA Humanities – University of Chicago

The Nearness Of You

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Kat Zotos - Any Given Moment

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:01
Size: 127,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:08)  1. I've Got Your Number
(5:32)  2. Dog and Butterfly
(4:25)  3. Rio de Janeiro Blue
(3:59)  4. River
(4:37)  5. Crazy Love
(5:15)  6. Laughing on the Outside
(3:34)  7. Love Me Like a Man
(6:15)  8. Am I Blue
(3:46)  9. Comes Love
(4:54) 10. Come Rain or Come Shine
(4:06) 11. Teach Me Tonight
(5:26) 12. Will You Still Love Me

Donna Franklin, KTSU-FM "The Choice" in Houston, Texas- Program Director, says:
Kat Zotos has really put her talents to work on her new project “ANY GIVEN MOMENT”. This is “real music” from the heart. One of my favorite pieces and the audience agrees is Rio de Janeiro Blue…I love how she sings that song!! I’m already excited about her next project…what an incredible vocalist!!   http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/katzotos

Any Given Moment

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Grady Nichols - Sophistication

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:44
Size: 109,3 MB
Art: Front + Back

(4:28)  1. Tuesday Morning
(3:47)  2. Livin' the Life
(5:01)  3. Sneak
(4:47)  4. End of the Night
(3:42)  5. All Right
(4:27)  6. Dinner and a Movie
(4:38)  7. Within the Blue
(4:27)  8. Behind the Scenes
(3:50)  9. Circle of Friends
(4:38) 10. Alone with You
(3:54) 11. Quiet Times

Saxophonist Grady Nichols is drawing some attention since his fourth CD is produced by Jeff Lorber, mixed by Paul Brown and boasts both Lorber and trumpeter Chris Botti's playing. The attention is deserved. Nichols has a polished alto sax voice, which he prefers for the most part on these ten songs, all co-written by Nichols and Lorber. Lorber knows talent when he sees it, and this wonderfully smooth CD signals the arrival of a fresh new talent. Nichols’ sax style is similar to Euge Groove’s, and although he doesn’t provide as many hooks as Groove, Nichols' main asset thus far is his superb playing. He obviously knows his way around his instrument, and isn’t afraid to hold long notes and dip and groove with those notes, all the while staying within the framework of his songs and never losing the melody. 

His alto works best, but he does switch to soprano on “Within the Blue“ and “Quiet Times.” But the alto is what he does best, which he shows on “Tuesday Morning,” the memorable radio hit “All Right,” “Livin’ the Life,” and “End of the Night,” which he duets with Botti to make some delightful sounds. While there’s plenty of generic sax stuff out there, Nichols is able to make a thoroughly modern smooth jazz recording without sounding derivative. That’s an accomplishment.
~ Brian Soergel  
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=13554#.Uv1SyYXYMbg

Personnel: Grady Nichols (alto, tenor, soprano sax); Jeff Lorber (keyboards, programming); Ray Fuller (guitar); Chris Botti (trumpet); Paul Pesco (guitar); Gene Morrison (trombone); Bill Gable (trumpet, Rhodes); Rich Gable (flute);

Sophistication

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Catherine Russell - Bring It Back

Styles: Vocal, Beyond Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:58
Size: 110,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:54)  1. Bring It Back
(2:31)  2. I'm Shooting High
(4:08)  3. I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart
(3:09)  4. You Got To Swing And Sway
(4:40)  5. Aged And Mellow
(2:39)  6. The Darktown Strutters' Ball
(3:55)  7. Lucille
(2:39)  8. You've Got Me Under Your Thumb
(5:24)  9. After The Lights Go Down Low
(3:07) 10. I'm Sticking With You Baby
(3:30) 11. Strange As It Seems
(3:13) 12. Public Melody Number One
(5:01) 13. I Cover The Waterfront

New York City vocalist Catherine Russell is the brilliant eutection of two bright tones. Her father, the late Luis Russell, collaborated with Louis Armstrong as his bandleader and arranger. Russell's mother was the inestimable Carline Ray who concluded her seven decade career with her debut as a leader Vocal Sides (Self Produced, 2013) before passing away at aged 88 July 27, 2013). Russell was intimately involved in the project with her mother. These spirits mixed to create the formidable talent that is Russell. Bring It Back is Russell's fifth recording and her first for the Harmonia Mundi Jazz Village imprint.

Russell creatively stretches with both a larger ten-piece band and an equally enlarged repertoire spanning from the dawn of jazz to the heyday of rhythm and blues. Russell and her cadre of arrangers opted for a more earthy presentation, giving the music a sepia hue without turning it into an all-out period piece. There is a comfortable and familiar 1930s cinematic feel to this music sans the rudimentary sonic technology. This is that honest music made by Esther Phillips, Al Hibbler, Wynonie Harris, Johnny Otis and Little Willie John, music that existed in the interface between jazz and R & B, where the two genres and all that made them linger and embrace.  The disc's true center is the first full performance of Russell's father's composition, "Lucille," which was recently found in the Louis Armstrong archives as a demo. It is a shimmering ballad that migrates into a Count Basie riff-fest. Russell addresses the slow blues in "After the Lights Go Down Low" complete with Glenn Patscha's Hammond and Matt Munisteri's thin, metallic guitar fills raise the song above gutbucket into the Chittlin' Circuit realm. "I'm Sticking to You Baby" is a Henry Glover jump blues. 

Perfectly wedged in is Fats Waller's "Strange as it Seems" and the Koehler/Arlen hidden swing treasure, "Public Melody Number One." Russell's title Bring It Back is a call for reconsideration. The primary focus in jazz, or music in general, need not be the ever- expanding trajectory outward. It can also be inward, old forms well considered. Russell provides essential and emphatic interpretations of songs close to her life and spirit making this an exceptional recording. ~ C.Michael Bailey   http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=46402#.Uvw1koW2yNA

Personnel: Catherine Russell: vocals, percussion (6, 10); Matt Munisteri: guitar; Mark Shane: piano; Lee Hudson: bass (1-5, 7-13); Nicki Parrott: bass (6); Mark McLean: drums, percussion (6); Andy Farber: tenor saxophone; Jon-Erik Kellso: trumpet; Brian Pareschi: trumpet (2-13); Dan Block: alto saxophone, tenor saxophone (5), clarinet (4); John Allred: trombone; Mark Lopeman: baritone saxophone; Glen Patscha: Hammond B-3 (6, 9, 10).

Bring It Back

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Steve Kuhn Trio - Baubles, Bangles And Beads

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:35
Size: 141,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:49)  1. And This Is My Beloved
(6:06)  2. Till the End of Time
(5:03)  3. Symphony No. 3
(4:54)  4. If You Are But a Dream
(3:58)  5. Stranger in Paradise
(6:10)  6. Gymnopedie No. 1
(5:36)  7. I Think of You
(4:01)  8. Prelude in C Minor,
(5:15)  9. I Look at Heaven
(5:33) 10. Baubles, Bangles and Beads
(4:37) 11. Vilia Lehar From The Merry Widow
(5:28) 12. Prelude, N 7 Op. 28

This trio session by Steve Kuhn includes classical works and pieces adapted into pop songs decades ago. He initially studied classical music as a young man with the mother of baritone saxophonist Serge Chaloff, so he is well grounded in the music. With bassist Dave Finck and Billy Drummond accompanying him, Kuhn's driving, boppish treatments of "Till the End of Time" (based upon Chopin's Polonaise No. 53) and "Stranger in Paradise" (taken from Borodin's Plovetzian Dance) sizzle with energy. His vibrant waltz setting of Erik Satie's Gymnopedie No. 1 is far removed from the Impressionist composer's minimalist conception, with Finck's arco bass solo adding an interesting touch. Borodin's "Baubles, Bangles and Beads" was a favorite of baritone saxophonist Gerry Mulligan during the 1950s; the trio's introspective approach works equally well. While classical listeners who are unfamiliar with jazz may have reservations, jazz fans will savor these outstanding performances. ~ Ken Dryden   http://www.allmusic.com/album/baubles-bangles-and-beads-mw0001923159

Baubles, Bangles And Beads

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Carolyn Lochert - She's Lookin' Back

Size: 141,2 MB
Time: 60:42
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz Vocals, Blues Jazz
Art: Front

01. A Girl Gets Weary (7:37)
02. She's Lookin' Back (5:14)
03. Grecian Urn (6:49)
04. In The County (5:53)
05. When It's This Right (4:35)
06. Walking The Moon (3:21)
07. Blues In July (6:12)
08. I Want Her Back (4:41)
09. Lone Tree (5:57)
10. This Place (3:49)
11. Carlota (6:28)

Carolyn Lochert's musical path has taken her from roots in a small North Dakota town growing up in a large musical family, through Flagstaff, Portland and Tucson - landing her in Corvallis where she studied jazz composition.

Along the way she encountered some of the great musicans who appear on She's Lookin' Back: Warren Rand (alto and soprano sax), John Willis (electric bass), and Dan Gaynor (piano and organ). Lochert brought in Corby Simpson (upright bass), whom she met in Yelapa, Mexico, just a year prior to the recording, and Simpson introduced her to the project's drummer, Todd Strait.

"I wanted to put together a CD that represents where I've been musically and emotionally all these years," Lochert said. " I grew up with blues, soul, funk, rock, the music of Mexico and was introduced to jazz in my early twenties. I believe all of these influences can heard in my music. I hope you enjoy it."

She's Lookin' Back

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Barb Jungr - Waterloo Sunset

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:26
Size: 131,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:00)  1. Do You Play Guitar
(6:04)  2. High Water for Charlie Patton
(3:42)  3. Cathy's Clown
(5:24)  4. This Masquerade
(3:54)  5. The Great Valerio
(3:07)  6. When Do The Bells Ring For Me
(5:32)  7. Written In The Dark Again
(6:09)  8. Like A Rolling Stone
(4:34)  9. Lipstick Lips Lament
(3:39) 10. Laugh Clown Laugh
(4:43) 11. Waterloo Sunset
(6:33) 12. The Joker

With her previous three albums, Barb Jungr had already proved herself one of Britain's most engrossing cabaret singers and one of the most adroit song interpreters in modern vocal pop, and Waterloo Sunset does nothing to alter or diminish that assessment. It does feel like a small step backward in terms of content after the all-Bob Dylan program of Every Grain of Sand, but it is certainly not a step down in quality and intelligence of performance. In fact, it is a return to the interpretive eclecticism of Bare, with its dramatic overhauls of pop tunes (in effect, similar to her contemporary Cassandra Wilson, if not in style) by the Everly Brothers, Leon Russell, and Richard Thompson (a masterful, almost art song "The Great Valerio"), among others, intermingled with a few of Jungr's own delightful originals. It might even be thought of as a dressed-up version of that album, nowhere more evident than in the Ray Davies-penned title tune. The stripped-down take from Bare is damaged, lonely, movingly reflective; the reimagined version of "Waterloo Sunset" is wistful, sure, but also bluesy, impregnable, rounding the corner toward sanguinity. That this Brit Invasion song sounds perfectly fluent and fluid coming after the Tin Pan Alley jazz chestnut "Laugh Clowns Laugh" says much about the caliber of the writing, of course, but also about how Jungr is able to locate and explore the je ne sais quoi of a composition, what is both ageless and new, unknown, what connects even as it perplexes. 

The album sustains this inquisitive mood, plowing into emotions that lurk beneath façades, like the enigmatic clowns and jesters that dance through the lyrics, and finally bubbling over on the marvelous concluding rehabilitation of Steve Miller's "The Joker," in which a crass come-on is transformed into an effusive flirtation. It's something to behold. Jungr had not quite gotten Mr. Zimmerman out of her blood either, so fans of Every Grain of Sand have a couple more Dylan treats in store with versions of the classic "Like a Rolling Stone" and the more recent Love and Theft track "High Water (For Charley Patton)." Calum Malcolm again produces beautifully, employing a carnival of colors and textures; the entirely new backing band is crackerjack throughout, breezing through music hall, cocktail jazz, bossa nova, and Western swing with the equal panache. 

~  Stanton Swihart    http://www.allmusic.com/album/waterloo-sunset-mw0000404763

Personnel: Barb Jungr (vocals); Geoff Gascoyne (double bass); Matt Backer (guitar); Stuart Hall (violin); Adrian York (piano); Nic France (drums).

Waterloo Sunset

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Johnny Varro Quintet - Speak Low

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:37
Size: 173,7 MB
Art: Front

(6:02)  1. Speak Low
(3:51)  2. I Wish I Knew
(6:49)  3. Once I Loved
(4:24)  4. Falling in Love With Love
(6:11)  5. It Could Happen to You
(4:09)  6. Tangerine
(3:32)  7. This Year's Kisses
(6:11)  8. My Heart Stood Still
(6:52)  9. All the Things You Are
(6:49) 10. Waltz for Debby
(5:12) 11. Four
(5:35) 12. Sweethearts on Parade
(3:50) 13. The Lamp Is Low
(6:05) 14. Summer Samba (So Nice)

Johnny Varro has been a solid mainstream pianist since the 1940s, equally at home playing swing, cool, and bop, along with standards. In his eighties and still going strong, he assembled a quintet for these 2010 sessions featuring cornetist Warren Vaché, tenor saxophonist Harry Allen, bassist Nicki Parrott, and drummer Chuck Riggs, all seasoned musicians who know a wide range of songs. While there aren't any surprises among the 14 songs selected for the session, several of them have fallen out of favor for no apparent reason. One of the nice things about hearing skilled musicians who know their music is that things seem to fall naturally into place; they can play around the melody without resorting to clichés, while they also share the spotlight without egos clashing. Varro's light touch at the piano is reminiscent of Teddy Wilson, though he eschews predictable improvised passages and keeps his solos short. 

Over half of the CD is devoted to standards. "All the Things You Are" is one of the most recorded songs, though Varro skips Dizzy Gillespie's famous added introduction, instead launching a swinging, lighthearted treatment featuring Allen's robust tenor and Vaché's sparkling cornet bookending his masterful piano solo, followed by Parrott's intricate feature. Varro tackles both Rodgers & Hart selections at a brisk clip, with terrific interplay in "Falling in Love with Love" and offering an unusually peppy "My Heart Stood Still." There are lovely interpretations of Brazilian favorites ("Once I Loved" and "Summer Samba") and a loping, happy "Sweethearts on Parade" (a throwback to the Eddie Condon era of Chicago swing). This is a thoroughly satisfying release. ~ Ken Dryden   http://www.allmusic.com/album/speak-low-mw0002137584

Personnel:  Johnny Varro – piano;  Warren Vaché - cornet, trumpet; Harry Allen - tenor sax;  Nicki Parrott – bass;  Chuck Riggs - drums

Speak Low

Zoot Sims With The Joe Castro Trio - Live At Falcon Lair

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:32
Size: 139,0 MB
Art: Front

(6:21)  1. A Night In Tunisia
(6:59)  2. Pennies From Heaven
(6:39)  3. I'll See You In My Dreams
(9:32)  4. It's Always You
(9:24)  5. Blues for Nat
(7:19)  6. Swinging With Rudolph
(7:01)  7. East Of The Sun (West Of The Moon)
(7:13)  8. J.C. Blues

This loose-limbed rendezvous sounds exactly as it was, an impromptu late-night jam session planned on the fly in someone’s apartment in this case, however, no ordinary apartment but “The Playhouse,” a spacious second-story room above a garage and adjacent to the main house at Falcon Lair, the imposing Beverly Hills estate then owned by tobacco heiress Doris Duke and previously occupied by legendary silent film star Rudolph Valentino. Pianist Joe Castro, who was married to Duke from 1956-64, liked to invite his friends over for unrehearsed get-togethers, and one frequent guest who would blow anytime, day or night, at the drop of a downbeat was the irrepressible Zoot Sims. An unusual aspect of this particular session is that Zoot brought only his alto sax, not the tenor for which he is much better known. Not to worry; if he hadn’t been such a great tenor stylist, Zoot would certainly have been numbered among the best alto players of his day. Strangely, after playing alto for a couple of years in the mid-'50s he packed up the horn and seldom played it again. And as far as anyone knows, he never said why (he did play soprano sax in later years). As Zoot never recorded on alto with only a rhythm section, this album is, in that respect at least, historic. Castro, who thought he might be able to interest record companies in some of the sessions (Stan Getz was another regular visitor), generally had his Telefunken microphones plugged in and Ampex quarter-inch tape recorder running. 

Considering the source, the sound quality is quite good, the overall balance evenhanded with Castro, bassist Leroy Vinnegar and drummer Ron Jefferson clearly defined. Zoot also comes through loud and clear, complementing but never overshadowing the trio. Musically, the group doesn’t stray far from familiar territory, renovating five standards and a trio of undemanding Castro originals including two blues. There are one or two awkward moments when everyone is searching for the proper groove and tempo, but they are of little consequence in a session that swings as hard and consistently as this one, thanks mainly to Zoot’s inability to do anything less, regardless of time, place or crewmates which is not meant to suggest that the supporting cast, especially bassist Vinnegar, is less than admirable. “Zoot was a joy, a groove to be with,” says Castro, who has lived in Las Vegas since 1980 and still jams at home whenever he can. “He was a wonderful guy, unpretentious, and played his ass off” on alto as well as tenor, as Castro’s Ampex bears witness. We’ll not see his like again, and Live at Falcon Lair documents one of those occasions when Zoot was happiest relaxed, swinging, and clearly having great fun deconstructing and reassembling musical scores and swapping ideas with like-minded companions.~ Jack Bowers   http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=13810#.UwEoZoXYMbg
 

Personnel: Zoot Sims, alto saxophone; Joe Castro, piano; Leroy Vinnegar, bass; Ron Jefferson, drums.

Live At Falcon Lair

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Titi Winterstein Quintett - Gipsy Feelings

Styles: Gypsy Jazz
Year: 1993
File: MP3@224K/s
Time: 46:55
Size: 75,7 MB
Art: Front

(2:48)  1. Noto-Swing
(2:37)  2. Amoureux
(4:15)  3. Sur Ma Tombe
(4:02)  4. Milko
(3:37)  5. Sinto Nova
(5:32)  6. Swing '85
(4:48)  7. DJinee Tu Kowa Ziro
(2:54)  8. For Babs
(4:31)  9. Ich Liebe Die Sonne, Den Mond Und Die Sterne
(1:51) 10. Lulu-Valse
(5:11) 11. Hunn, O Pani Naschella
(4:42) 12. J'ai Souvent Pleure

Violinist, 1956 - 2008
After all these years of touring, recordings and concerts, Titi Winterstein has not changed his lifestyle. He continues to travel by caravan from April to October, following in the footsteps of his father. In memory of the tragedy inflicted on his people by the Nazi regime, Gypsies often gather in a tent to pray … together. Titi Winterstein was born in Breisgau (Germany) in 1956. Tokeli his father and his uncle during the war suffered the abomination of the deportation and Nazi camps of Auschwitz and Buchenwald. They are the only survivors of a family of 50 people.

Apprenticeships: At 8 years, Titi is learning the rudiments of the violin with his father. It mounts a first time on stage one year later, at a celebration commemorating the end of a gypsy pilgrimage (Illingen, Saarland). He plays the same pilgrimage in 1969 at the age of 12 years, and surprise, dazzled the audience by playing swing standards of Schnuckenack Reinhardt. The latter also record his first album Musik Deutscher Zigeuner two months later. In 1972, things get serious. Weiss Häns’che just form a string quintet and asked Titi then 15 years old to join. The press widely encenser this quintet, and in particular the young violinist now presented as a child prodigy. The quintet is formed, in addition to Titi Häns’che violin and the guitar solo, by Holzmanno and Ziroli Winterstein guitar accompaniment and Hojok Merstein double bass which by his age and his character is also the role of group manager . The quintet recorded five albums before guitarist Holzmanno Winterstein is replaced by Lulu Reinhardt. These five years with the quintet of Häns’che Weiss have been training for Titi. The group toured much in Europe. 

One of the most memorable time of their tour was when played alongside the trio of Stéphane Grappelli, concerts ending in wild jam sessions with the two violinists, to the delight of the public. The quintet’s fifth disc, Fünf Jahre Musik Deutscher Zigeuner, won an important award in Germany: Deutscher Schallplattenpreis. At the end of this price Häns’che Weiss left the band. The Titi Winterstein Quintett officially created on 14 May 1978 at the “Festival der Jugend” in Dortmund. Titi then to 21 years, and the group welcomes pianist Silvano Lagrène. That same year produced a 45-minute documentary for television, Saitenstrassen, which shows a portrait of musicians and their families during their summer travel. Titi Winterstein is also his first LP with the harpist Lee Reed invited. A second documentary was filmed in 1979 at the Festival in Darmstadt with the quintet. They also participate in a play in Stuttgart. I raise, the second album was recorded in 1980. 

After five years of nonstop touring, the band recorded its third album: Djinee To Kowa Ziro in 1985. The accordionist Klaus Bruder, bassist Peter Gropp and guitarist Reinhardt Geisel (the younger brother of Lulu) joined the group. We may also note the group members are very active in defending the rights of Gypsies and Roma, in particular by advocating a massive movement entitled “Grüne Raupe” defending human rights.

- In 1987, the quintet recorded the beautiful Live mit Vanessa & Sorba Merstein with Vanessa and Sorba Kwiatowski, two musicians from Poland who bring songs Roma in Eastern Europe.
- In 1988, the group appears in the TV series “Tatort” in an episode entitled Arming Nanosh!
- In 1989, they play “World Festival 89” in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
- In 1993, Titi playing with Yehudi Menuhin in a festival in Brussels entitled “All the World’s Violins”. He was asked by Arte for a documentary on the culture of the Gypsy and Jewish communities.
- In 1994 the album seems Maro Djipen rehear which allows the pianist Silvano Lagrène.
A very good compilation was also released in 1999 (series Starportrait). ~ Bio  http://www.last.fm/music/Titi+Winterstein+Quintett/+wiki

Gipsy Feelings

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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)

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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

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