Jaclyn Guillou - The Lover's Walk

Size: 72,8 MB
Time: 31:22
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. The Lover's Walk (6:21)
02. Burning Question (4:40)
03. If You (3:40)
04. Restless (5:02)
05. The Road (4:19)
06. Sometimes (3:53)
07. Goodbye December (3:24)

A treasure that is quietly evolving into one of the premier vocalists of our time. ~Brent Black

I pursue my craft slightly different than most critics. I'm honest...The female jazz vocalist sorority is a tightly clustered pack of individuals that are essentially releasing different versions of the same album and no new ground is being cut. Send me a release filled with covers and I am not terribly impressed. Send me a release with seven original and diverse compositions that allow your own artistic voice to shine through then you have my undivided attention.

Welcome Jaclyn Guillou and The Lover's Walk...

This is a release brimming with subtle sophistication and an intimate execution that is at times flawless. Organic, ambient, ethereal and contemporary may sum the release up in four words. While the plethora of female vocalists lurking about often leave me cold. The Lover's Walk succeeds on multiple levels including the Belgian trio that does far more than just accompany Guillou. This esteemed piano trio provides counterpoint and nuanced texture as needed, these are far more than afterthoughts but instead key pieces to Jaclyn Guillou's harmonic puzzle. The journey of love, almost cliché yet the compositions here take a trite conceptual notion and elevate the concept to an emotive quality rarely reached.

Tone, phrasing, and execution are all there. Guillou is an engaging and often introspective lyricist that brings an old word charm to tunes such as the exquisite "The Lover's Walk" while showing a range of influences on "Goodbye December." Over the past eighteen months I have listened to more female vocal releases than I can remember. Jaclyn Guillou is a breath of fresh air and The Lover's Walk is indeed a release to remember!

Personnel: Jaclyn Guillou: Vocals; Bram Weijters: Piano; Piet Verbist: Bass; Toon Van Dionant: Drums.

The Lover's Walk

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Ella Fitzgerald, Joe Pass - Speak Love

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 1983
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:59
Size: 99,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:14)  1. Speak Low
(2:57)  2. Comes Love
(4:45)  3. There's No You
(5:07)  4. I May Be Wrong (But I Think You're Wonderful)!
(4:21)  5. At Last
(4:13)  6. The Thrill Is Gone (Medley)
(3:54)  7. Gone With The Wind
(3:06)  8. Blue And Sentimental
(4:10)  9. Girl Talk
(6:09) 10. Georgia On My Mind

This set of duets with guitarist Joe Pass finds Ella Fitzgerald near the end of her career. Her voice mostly hinted at her former greatness and the setting was perhaps too intimate for what she had left. Fitzgerald's phrasing remained a joy despite the limited range, but there are many more significant records by the singer than this CD reissue despite touching versions of "Comes Love," "There's No You" and "Gone with the Wind." ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/speak-love-mw0000649511

Personnel: Ella Fitzgerald (vocals); Joe Pass (guitar).

Speak Love

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Denis Solee - Sax And Romance

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:24
Size: 104,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:43)  1. When I Fall In Love
(4:49)  2. The Nearness Of You
(4:44)  3. Willow Weep For Me
(3:33)  4. It Had To Be You
(4:43)  5. My Romance
(4:19)  6. Georgia On My Mind
(4:08)  7. My One And Only Love
(5:17)  8. Body And Soul
(4:54)  9. The Very Thought Of You
(4:08) 10. You Don't Know Me

Master of saxophones, flute, and clarinet, Denis Solees career includes playing on hundreds of recordings, commercials, TV shows, and film scores. His long list of recording credits includes projects by major artists including Chet Atkins, Garth Brooks, Bela Fleck, Amy Grant, Michael McDonald, Roy Orbison, and many more. Denis has appeared in concert with Natalie Cole, Sammy Davis Jr., Marvin Hamlisch, Bob Hope, Liza Minnelli, Mel Torme, and a vast group of others.   http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/solee2

Sax And Romance

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The Haggis Horns - Hot Damn!

Styles: Jazz Funk
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:16
Size: 143,2 MB
Art: Front + Back

(4:28)  1. Enter The Haggis
(4:01)  2. Pipe Bag
(4:30)  3. Hot Damn!
(6:10)  4. The Traveller Part One
(8:27)  5. The Traveller Part Two
(6:26)  6. Eskimo
(4:15)  7. Huffalump
(3:51)  8. The Bump
(5:16)  9. Got To Lose Your Way
(5:04) 10. Tribe Vibes
(3:57) 11. Naughty Buddha
(5:47) 12. Who's Gonna Take The Weight

The Haggis Horns are an eight piece live funk extravaganza combining heavy breakbeat funk, soul, hip-hop and afrobeat with the virtuosity of trained jazz musicians. The members have performed and recorded with many top artists including: The Cinematic Orchestra, Lou Donaldson, Nightmares on Wax, Roots Manuva, Mark Ronson, Stuart Zender (Jamiroqui’s bassist), Corinne Bailey Rae, Snowboy, Tim Burgess (The Charlatans), Odyssey, Martina Topley-Bird, Lily Allen, Candie Payne and Amy Winehouse. Noteably, the horn section was featured on the legendary deep funk album “Keb Darge presents the New Mastersounds”. 

The first single, Hot Damn! feat John McCallum, released on Leeds UK based First Word Records was immediately picked up by Mr Scruff and became Fat City Record’s (Manchester) record of the week. Following his lead, many other top DJ’s have been raving about the tune and it’s been igniting the dance floors of the worlds most exclusive funk clubs. The band have just released their 3rd single “Got To Lose Your Way” which is recieving amazing reviews from the likes of Quantic, Giles Petterson (who recently played the track on his worldwide radio 1 show) and Craig Charles on his Funk and Soul Show. Their hotly anticipated first album is due for release in September 2007. Look out for them live and try to catch one of their legendary shows!   http://www.last.fm/music/The+Haggis+Horns/+wiki

Hot Damn!

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Shea Breaux Wells - Piece Of The Light

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:50
Size: 134,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:12)  1. Soothe Me
(5:24)  2. Warm
(4:39)  3. Through The Fire
(4:59)  4. Piece Of The Light
(3:52)  5. The Keeper
(4:04)  6. The Candy Man
(4:26)  7. State Of Love
(3:59)  8. Blackbird
(5:12)  9. Finest Of Lines
(5:03) 10. Ship Of Music
(4:08) 11. Sands Of Time
(5:35) 12. Nothing Stays The Same
(4:11) 13. Always Something There To Remind Me

From the opening notes of Shea Breaux Wells’ album, “Piece of the Light”, you are drawn in - with evocative imagery, a diverse emotional landscape, intriguing melodies and lush vocals. Shea wrote 10 of the 13 songs on "Piece of the Light", and has blended the genres of jazz and complex piano pop in a way that gives the songs a distinctly classic feel. In addition to writing the lyrics and music, Shea also arranged the album, and co-produced it with producer/engineer Oz Fritz of Grammy Award-winning Tom Waits’ "Mule Variations" and "Alice" acclaim. The album features the legendary Robben Ford on guitar, Bill Ortiz on trumpet, Noam Lemish on piano, and David Ewell on stand-up bass, and Alex Aspinall on drums. Fresh out of college, where she studied music and film, Shea played in most of the Hollywood nightclubs with her alternative rock band, Forrest Lawn (seriously, that was their name). 

After they disbanded, Shea began to learn, study and sing jazz standards - almost every night  all over Hollywood and Los Angeles. As her repertoire rapidly developed, Shea lit up the clubs as a member of the Little Big Band, as well as performing as a solo jazz singer. All the while, she was quietly writing her own material. The combined influences of her rock background and her burgeoning obsession with jazz were beginning to form a signature sound in Shea's voice, presentation and songwriting. Shea then relocated to the Bay Area to record an EP with Grammy Award winning Fantasy producer Michael Rosen, and featured musicians Bill Ortiz, Karl Perazzo and Trevor Dunn. Songs from this release, "Smolder", were chosen to be played on MTV's "Road Rules", from whence Shea developed a deep reverance for the royalty check...and an addiction to songwriting. Of the songs on "Piece of the Light", TAXI said the following:

"These are all fantastic songs, performances, etc.,. There is nothing I could tell you that could improve upon anything that's already here. This is a very authentic sounding project - a nice, rich voice with nice, jazz influenced songs." Of "Soothe Me", they said: "Cool, smoky vocal delivery...the track feels great. LOVE the tempo here. Love the verse melody. Love the horn; your vocal on this one is pure honey."

Shea's sold-out performance at the Healdsburg Jazz Festival last summer captured the eyes and ears of many appreciative new listeners. Festival Director, Jessica Felix said, "I rarely hear vocalists of Shea's quality her heartfelt approach to the music is very natural ...I think Shea can be one of the jazz world's success stories in the next few years."
Shea's additional release, "A Blind Date", featuring the staggering talents of George Cables, Billy Hart, Cecil McBee, Craig Handy and David Weiss is a straight ahead jazz project that also showcases Shea's versatility with an intensely different musical palette. The rich and textured quality of Shea’s voice, melded with her compelling presence finds Shea inhabiting a world that is rich with originality, artistry and deep respect for the craft of making delicious music.   

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

Piece Of The Light

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Chris Botti - Live With Orchestra And Special Guests

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:40
Size: 175,9 MB
Art: Front + Back

(4:14)  1. Someone To Watch Over Me
(7:33)  2. When I Fall In Love
(5:03)  3. A Thousand Kisses Deep
(5:45)  4. What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life (Feat. Sting)
(5:31)  5. Good Morning Heartache ( Feat. Jill Scott)
(4:02)  6. My One And Only Love ( Feat.  Paula Cole)
(5:17)  7. The Look Of Love ( Feat.  Paula Cole)
(5:01)  8. Cinema Paradiso
(3:30)  9. Pennies From Heaven ( Feat. Renee Olstead)
(4:08) 10. Are You Lonesome Tonight ( Feat. Paul Buchanan)
(5:31) 11. Lover Man ( Feat. Gladys Knight)
(6:20) 12. My Funny Valentine ( Feat. Sting)
(9:49) 13. Why Not
(4:49) 14. One For My Baby

Love it or hate it, the "Smooth Jazz" phenomenon has all but taken over the genre, at least in terms of mainstream appeal. Chris Botti, Kenny G., Dave Koz, Najee  if you've never heard one of these instrumentalists interpret the classics with their New Age-y musical stylings, then somehow you've managed to avoid riding in an elevator over the last decade or so. Combined, they're a commercial force to be reckoned with, having sold a gazillion CDs, and commanding what seems to be the musical entirety of the far corners of the radio dial. But whether you consider their work a fresh take on a commercially impoverished musical genre or a cynical repackaging for the Oprah Book Club set, one thing's for sure: all those "Best of Smooth Jazz" CD collections on the racks of your local Starbucks are here to stay.

Truth be told, it's probably unfair to lump Botti in with such critically-despised contemporaries as Kenny G. and (heaven help us) John Tesh. He may be a bit bland for younger audiences, but his reverence for the material and love of his instrument is obvious, while his Sinatra-esque wit and rakish good looks seem to reduce normally-composed soccer moms into swooning, giggling schoolgirls.

In 'Chris Botti Live with Orchestra and Special Guests,' Botti doesn't mess with his formula for success. Originally broadcast in PBS this past March, this show is never anything less than a classy, black-tie affair  not just in terms of sartorial splendor, but musically as well. While Botti certainly doesn't take any risks with his chosen catalog of fail-safe classics  "Someone to Watch Over Me," "Pennies From Heaven," "Are You Lonesome Tonight?", "My Funny Valentine"  he also never fails to deliver anything but flawless, gorgeous renditions. Simply put, his musicianship is breathtaking in its purity and cleanliness. As a filmed event, 'Chris Botti Live' is no less straightforward an affair. It may lack the narrative interludes and creative staging of a 'Tony Bennett: An American Classic' (another flamboyant, flashy television extravaganza that recently hit Blu-ray), but Botti is not unaware of his rather static stage presence, and wisely calls upon an impressive range of special guests to keep tedium at bay. Sting shows up to offer polite accompaniment on two numbers, including a humorous take on "My Funny Valentine," while the unlikely pairing of Burt Bacharach and Paula Cole surprise with inspired interpretations of "The Look of Love" and "My One and Only Love."

But easily stealing the show are Jill Scott and Gladys Knight, who both bring a fire lacking in the rest of the show by infusing their respective numbers "Good Morning Heartache" and "Lover Man" with some welcome diva posturing.  http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/837/chrisbottilivewithorchestra.html

Live With Orchestra And Special Guests

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Grace Garland - Lovers Never Lie (In Bed)

Styles: R&B
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:32
Size: 106,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:26)  1. Send Me Someone
(4:00)  2. Lovers Never Lie (In Bed)
(4:35)  3. Time
(3:53)  4. Love Without Pain
(4:19)  5. Thief in the Night
(3:36)  6. What Doesn't Kill You
(3:39)  7. New York (Every Day Is Sweeter)
(4:06)  8. Single Mingle Jingle
(4:20)  9. Voice on the Phone
(3:30) 10. Maybe
(4:16) 11. Why Not Me (Live @ West 11)
(2:46) 12. Simple

Grace Garland, singer-actress-songwriter, brings a unique fusion of jazz and contemporary R&B to her ultra-sultry lyrics. Grace's music is an intimate experience; it's that innervoice, that voice behind closed doors after having a few martinis with your girlfriends, or that voice that you're only courageous enough to share with yourself. Grace Garland's music speaks to women, allowing for reflection, empowerment and feel-good moments. Grace has been an entertainer from the beginning. She is known for her stunning solo performances and for sharing the spotlight with her band The G-Spot Band as well as a variety of musicians including: the late Phyllis Hyman; Jazz Flutist Bobbi Humphrey; Grammy Award-Winning Songwriter Julie Gold; The Carl Orrie Trio, Peter Cincotti, Rob Thomas and John Mayer.

When she's not singing, Grace's voice can be heard on countless TV and radio spots, most notably with actor James Earl Jones and the legendary blues guitarist B. B. King. Grace's film & TV credits include; Q's Mom (Omar Epps' mother in the Hip-Hop cult classic Juice); the voice of Aunt Debra in Bill Cosby's animated series Little Bill; Thicker Than Blood (TNT) with Dan Futterman; three seasons in the sketch comedy ensemble of the Apollo Comedy Hour (National Syndication) originating new characters as well as parodying everyone from Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton to Tina Turner; and the relationship therapist, Dr. Love in the romantic comedy 30 Years to Life starring former SNL's Tracy Morgan.

However, Grace is most proud of her work as a volunteer entertainer for Lifebeat Hearts & Voices, where she performs for patients living with AIDS. The ability to make someone smile and forget their problems, if even for a minute, is what Grace saysit is all about. Lovers Never Lie (In Bed) is Grace's debut album on Shark Meat Records. The album is the definition of Grace: sexy, honest and passionate without apologies.   http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/gracegarland

Lovers Never Lie (In Bed)

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Harold Mabern - Kiss Of Fire

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:30
Size: 150,0 MB
Art: Front

(6:26)  1. How insensitive
(5:58)  2. It's a Lonesome Old Town
(7:47)  3. Nancy (with the laughing face)
(6:19)  4. Bag's groove
(5:53)  5. Blue Bossa
(8:26)  6. Black orpheus
(9:13)  7. Cheese Cake
(5:43)  8. Recado Bossa
(4:57)  9. Kiss of Fire
(4:45) 10. Brazil

One of several excellent hard bop pianists from the Memphis area, Harold Mabern has led relatively few dates through the years, but he has always been respected by his contemporaries. He played in Chicago with MJT + 3 in the late '50s and then moved to New York in 1959. Mabern worked with Jimmy Forrest, Lionel Hampton, the Jazztet (1961-1962), Donald Byrd, Miles Davis (1963), J.J. Johnson (1963-1965), Sonny Rollins, Freddie Hubbard, Wes Montgomery, Joe Williams (1966-1967), and Sarah Vaughan. During 1968-1970, Mabern led four albums for Prestige, he was with Lee Morgan in the early '70s, and in 1972, he recorded with Stanley Cowell's Piano Choir. Harold Mabern has recorded as a leader for DIW/Columbia and Sackville and toured with the Contemporary Piano Ensemble (1993-1995).  http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kiss-Of-Fire-Harold-Mabern/dp/B00005V4HI

Personnel: Harold Mabern – piano;  Nat Reeves – bass;  Joe Farnsworth – drums;  Eric Alexander - tenor sax

Kiss Of Fire

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Anna Bonomolo - Jazz In Progress

Size: 134,5 MB
Time: 57:54
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Easy Listening, Pop/Rock
Art: Front

01. Round Midnight (5:56)
02. Ain't No Sunshine (4:16)
03. For Once In My Life (2:58)
04. What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life (3:50)
05. Roxanne (4:44)
06. What A Wonderful World (6:12)
07. Human Nature (4:05)
08. Tenderly (4:26)
09. A Song For You (4:22)
10. Teardrop (5:21)
11. If I Were Your Woman (4:07)
12. Impressioni Di Settembre (4:48)
13. Why (2:43)

Jazz and Pop classics performed and sung with Italian soul, including a creative interpretation of the original language version of the hit "The World Became the World" by Patty Smith (original title: "Impressioni di Settembre").

Anna Bonomolo is an Italian singer with a soulful, black voice who has worked with famous musicians including Artie Traum (Bob Dylan's late guitarist ), the Irish group The Chieftains, Sarah Jane Morris, and others. This album features music that listeners have enjoyed in live European concerts, and is now offered as a high quality studio recording. Let Anna in your soul with her unique voice accompanied by the best European musicians of our time.

Personnel:
Diego Spitaleri PIANO-Filippo Rizzo ARRANGEMENTS and BASS-Sebastiano Alioto DRUMS- Riccardo Lo Bue DOUBLE BASS- Miriam Alasia VIOLIN- Roberto Alasia CELLO- Roberto Gervasi ACCORDION- Tony Remy GUITARS

Jazz In Progress

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Martinho Da Vila - Duetos

Size: 187,2 MB
Time: 80:10
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Brazilian Rhythms, MPB
Art: Front

01. O Nega (Feat. Sally Nyolo) (3:51)
02. Danadinho Danado (Feat. Simone) (Ao Vivo) (5:27)
03. Pelo Telefone (Feat. Vo Maria) (Ao Vivo) (2:42)
04. Nota De Cem (Feat. Tunico Ferreira) (Ao Vivo) (3:33)
05. Dar E Receber (Feat. Katia Guerreiro) (3:41)
06. Uma Casa Nos Ares (La Casa En El Aire) (Feat. Rosario Flores) (3:07)
07. Um Dia Tu Veras (Un Jour Tu Verras) (Feat. Nana Moskouri) (2:47)
08. Um Beijo, Adeus (Prima Dammi Un Bacio) (Feat. Mafalda Minnozzi) (5:11)
09. O Amor Da Gente (Feat. Negra Li) (3:42)
10. Madeleine, I Love You (Madalena Do Jucu) (Feat. Madeleine Peyroux) (4:30)
11. Nossos Contrastes (Feat. Cidade Negra) (4:56)
12. De Uma Chance Ao Amor (Take A Chance On Love) (Feat. Eliana Pitman) (4:58)
13. Por Ti America (Feat. Fito Peez) (3:56)
14. Filosofia De Vida (Feat. Ana Carolina) (3:34)
15. Agradeço A Vida (Gracias A La Vida) (Feat. Paula Tribuzy) (5:13)
16. Jobiniando (Feat. Maíra Freitas) (2:55)
17. Lara (Feat. Mart'nalia) (5:18)
18. O Amor Da Gente - Casa De Bamba (Feat. Juju Ferreirah) (3:35)
19. Que Bom! (Feat. Analimar Ventapane) (3:43)
20. Cuca Maluca (Feat. Ovidio Britto) (3:22)

An important composer of the samba of the hills, Martinho da Vila has written many successful sambas-enredo (the vehicles for the parades of the samba schools during the Carioca Carnival). As a composer and interpreter, he has recorded more than 30 LPs and CDs, some of which have sold over one million copies. His songs have been recorded by many interpreters, among them Simone, Beth Carvalho, Roberto Ribeiro, and Alcione.

At 13, da Vila began to frequent the Escola de Samba Aprendizes da Boca do Mato. At 15, he wrote the samba de terreiro "Piquenique." In 1957, he began to write one samba-enredo per year for his samba school's parade, beginning with "Carlos Gomes" in that year, and following with "Tamandaré" (1958), "Machado de Assis" (1959), "Rui Barbosa na Conferência de Haia" (1960), and nine others in subsequent years. Along with the role of composer, he also was the mestre de harmonia of that school. In 1965, the school paraded to his samba "Construtores da Cidade do Rio de Janeiro," and in the next year he moved to G.R.E.S. Unidos de Vila Isabel (where he developed a new style of samba-enredo) and adopted the nickname Martinho da Vila. In 1967, he participated in the III FMPB with the partido-alto "Menina moça." In the same year, he appeared in the show A Fina Flor do Samba, at the Teatro Opinião (Rio), singing his songs. The samba school Unidos de Vila Isabel paraded in the same year with his "Carnaval de ilusões" (with Gemeu). In 1968 and 1969, he continued to have his sambas-enredo sung by escolas de samba, having Eliana Pittman sing (with Rodolfo de Souza) his "Laiá do cais dourado" in the latter year. In 1968, he appeared in the show Samba Autêntico, No. 1 and in the IV FMPB, with "Casa de bamba." The samba was included on his first LP, released in the same year through RCA Victor. The group A Voz do Samba (of whom he was a member) recorded an LP with his songs in 1970. "Segure tudo" reached the hit parade in 1972, and with "Canta, canta, minha gente" and "Disritmia," he broke sales records in 1974. He continued composing the annual samba-enredo for the Unidos da Vila Isabel throughout the following years. His Tá delícia, tá gostoso (Sony, 1995) album sold 1.5 million copies. He had an entire album dedicated to his compositions by singer Simone in 1996 (Café com leite). He launched new talents of the samba community, like the groups Compassos da Vila and Roda de Saia, and the sambistas Agrião and Tiago Mocotó. Active as a black awareness proponent, he promoted interchanges with Africa in shows, lectures, and albums.

Duetos

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Earlene Davis - Earlene Davis

Size: 53,5 MB
Time: 22:49
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1998/2008
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Somewhere Along The Way (2:15)
02. Time After Time (2:43)
03. Old Friend (3:41)
04. Until It's Time For You To Go (2:13)
05. Picnic (2:39)
06. I'm A Fool To Want You (2:38)
07. Don't Pull The Shade (2:33)
08. You Go To My Head (1:56)
09. At Last (2:08)

The First full-length album by Earlene Davis, who plays "Andrea Carmichael" on the hit Fox show "Glee". A sultry jazz style reminiscent of a 1940s nightclub.

Earlene Davis was born on April 27, 1956 in Oregon, USA as Earlene Marie Davis. She is an actress, known for Shannon's Deal (1989), Glee (2009) and An Old Man's Gold (2012). She has been married to Gary Epp since June 23, 1984.

Earlene Davis

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Robin Phillips - Sing. Play... For Pleasure

Size: 106,0 MB
Time: 45:07
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Art: Front

01. Don't Get Scared (2:47)
02. All Of Me (4:05)
03. Doodlin' (Feat. Ian Shaw) (4:05)
04. No More Blues (3:16)
05. Moody's Mood For Love (Feat. Anita Wardell) (3:22)
06. Jumpin' With Symphony Sid (Feat. Brandon Allen & Steve Fishwick) (2:56)
07. Night In Tunisia (4:16)
08. Let's Get Lost (Feat. Steve Fishwick) (4:11)
09. Billie's Bounce (Feat. Sam Mayne) (2:39)
10. That Old Black Magic (Diaper Pin) (5:00)
11. Jackie (Feat. Anita Wardell & Albert Garza) (2:52)
12. Parker's Mood (5:32)

Robin Phillips is forging a name for himself on the London and UK jazz scenes. He is one of few singer/pianists to concentrate equally on both disciplines and using them together to create a unity only possible when done by a single person. His latest studio album, ‘Sing. Play.. for Pleasure’, demonstrates this approach, as he becomes the first performer to record a vocalese album, where he plays as well as sings the vocalese tunes.

The album, to be launched at the revered Pizza Express jazz club in Soho, London on 2nd Feb 2014, features Tim Thornton (Rising Star, British Jazz Awards 2013) on bass and Chris Draper on drums, both regular performers at the Ronnie Scott’s jazz club’s Late Late Shows. It also features an impressive collection of guest artists including award-winning vocalist Ian Shaw, vocalese specialist and award-winning vocalist Anita Wardell (Best Vocalist, British Jazz Awards 2013), Brandon Allen (tenor sax), Steve Fishwick (trumpet), Sam Mayne (alto sax), and Albert Garza (tenor sax).

The Sing. Play. album project is inspired by the work of one of the originators of the artform, 1950s/60s singer King Pleasure, who drew Robin to the artform with his clever lyrics and smooth vocal delivery.

“I was looking into the various vocalese artists as part of my development as a singer and was blown away by the beauty of his voice and the intelligence and humour of his work. It was around the same time as I was trying to decide the theme for my next studio album. Realising that Pleasure was being forgotten about in the genre, and after a few people suggested combining the voice and hands for a unique project, I was sold, but it meant a lot of work ahead!”..

The album also features the work of vocalese legends Jon Hendricks, Eddie Jefferson, and Annie Ross.

Robin’s previous studio album ‘Old Street, New Groove’ (2010) gave a collection of jazz standards funky re-harmonisations, and he is also a proponent of researching and bringing back into use the classic ‘verses’ to the many jazz standards that originated in stage shows. He performs over 200 times a year in London, the UK and in Europe and current performances include a collection of tunes from all of these projects.

Sing. Play... For Pleasure

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Sarah Moule - Something's Gotta Give

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:54
Size: 114,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:28)  1. Something's Gotta Give
(3:56)  2. How Was It For You?
(3:19)  3. I'm Old Fashioned
(4:00)  4. Save The Photographs
(4:00)  5. That Old Black Magic
(3:23)  6. What Love Knows
(3:09)  7. Jeepers Creepers
(3:27)  8. Days Of Wine and Roses
(3:02)  9. Come Rain Or Come Shine
(4:29) 10. Down
(3:26) 11. You're So Now
(3:19) 12. Trav'lin' Light
(2:51) 13. High Noon
(3:59) 14. Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most

Not only does England's Sarah Moule boast a stunning vocal spectrum-simultaneously tough and tender, warm and cool, sweet and salty-but she's surely done more than any contemporary performer to preserve, protect and promote the stellar work of lyricist Fran Landesman. On her richly praised debut, It's a Nice Thought, Moule showcased Landesman's work with composer Simon Wallace. Now she's back with another half-nod to Landesman, whose songs fill seven of the 14 tracks on Something's Gotta Give (Linn), the balance of the album devoted to the words of Johnny Mercer.

Moule does a superlative job of interleaving such Mercer classics as "That Old Black Magic," "Days of Wine and Roses" and "Trav'lin' Light" with the poetic likes of Landesman's misty "Save the Photographs," wittily sophisticated "How Was It for You?" and self-indulgently desolate "Down." But the cherry on this rich layer cake is Moule's closing rendition of Landesman's most famous composition, the hauntingly gorgeous "Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most." ~ Christopher Loudon   http://jazztimes.com/articles/15773-something-s-gotta-give-sarah-moule

Something's Gotta Give

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Lorraine Feather & Stephanie Trick - Fourteen

Styles: Vocal, Piano Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:34
Size: 102,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:18)  1. Pour On The Heat
(4:06)  2. Bat Boogie
(3:42)  3. New York City Drag
(2:43)  4. Rules Of The Park
(3:58)  5. Vive Le Boogie Woogie
(4:08)  6. Dreamily
(2:50)  7. Let's Do This
(3:04)  8. Pretzel Man (The Contortionist)
(3:23)  9. Imaginary Guy
(3:25) 10. Carolina Shout
(2:27) 11. The Tango Lesson
(3:55) 12. Timeless Rag
(3:30) 13. California Street

Composing lyrics to established jazz standards those jazz instrumental compositions that have become established in the canon, Thelonious Monk's "'Round Midnight" is the most famous example is an artform all it own. Classic composers/interpreters include Eddie Jefferson, Babs Gonzales, King Pleasure (Clarence Beeks) and Jon Hendricks. There have been recent vocalese contributions made by a new generation that includes most recently Dorian Devins on The Procrastinator (Self Produced, 2013)

Nouveau Stride is vocalist/lyricist Lorraine Feather and pianist Stephanie Trick. Feather, well known for her clever and inventive lyrics for Tales of the Unusual (Jazzed Media, 2012), plies her special trades here with the rich tradition of stride piano playing. That is where Trick comes in, being a precocious young virtuoso of such a piano style. And all of the great Harlem stride players are represented: James P. Johnson, Fats Waller, Duke Ellington (yes, Duke Ellington) and Willie "The Lion" Smith. The project is studiously ambitious, with Trick practiced to a high shine and Feather having done her homework on the book. ~ C.Michael Bailey   

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=44360#.UwO-SoVQE9c

Personnel: Lorraine Feather: vocals and lyricist; Stephanie Trick: piano.

Fourteen

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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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