Leah Kline - Juzz Flirtin'

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:20
Size: 139,3 MB
Art: Front

(5:10)  1. Get Away
(7:03)  2. Hey You
(6:29)  3. Orange Blossoms In Summertime
(3:05)  4. More Than Matter
(5:37)  5. The Wizard
(7:19)  6. Obsession
(4:33)  7. Call of the Muse
(5:33)  8. Minuano
(5:03)  9. Butterfly
(4:24) 10. Dig It!
(6:02) 11. The Voice

JuzzFlirtin is a brand new band with original compositions by Léah Kline and Dirk Balthaus. Their lyrical melodies flirt with different genres. JuzzFlirtin transforms a regular music concert into a synergetic explosion drawing from jazz, drama, funk, rock, Brazilian music and Latin styles. These five passionate musicians play and compose music with the goal to “move and groove” an audience. Their engaging performance energy onstage, combined with the music’s crossover sound, appeal to a wider and younger audience target group. Published in Jazzflits year 5, number 10 (2007) ~ Frank A. Huser

‘Juzz Flirtin’ is the exceptionally listenable result of a rendezvous between vocalist Léah Kline and pianist/composer Dirk Balthaus. A meeting that caused musical sparks. Her lyrics inspired his music and vice versa. It’s obvious to hear that the American Léah Kline, who lives in the Netherlands since 2000, has her roots in the theater (singing, dancing and cabaret). Her narrating qualities are impressive and inviting. The playing of the band (Dirk Balthaus piano, Cord Heineking doublebass, Sebastiaan Kaptein drums and Yuchi Cordoba percussion) perfectly supports this. Even in the musical accompaniment the “story telling” is emphasized. Ingenious arrangements, intentionally intense intermezzos and playful solos give the numbers extra cachet and support the lyrics in an all round excellent manner. Kline is a vocalist of scale. Out of many examples, the vulnerably sung “Minuano’ (music Pat Metheny, lyrics Kurt Elling), is proof of this fact. She possesses a good diction, a beautiful alto timbre, feel for dynamics and timing plus an excellent technique. The Cd consists of numbers in up-tempo and swing but also ballads and jazzy arranged, more or less theatrically colored titles with funk and Latin influences. A not to miss flirt! MUSICMAKER Magazine, June 2007 ~ Frank Huser   http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/leahkline2

Juzz Flirtin'

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Paula Atherton & Interplay - Let Me Inside Your Love

Styles: Smooth Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:57
Size: 123,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:37)  1. I Long For Your Love
(5:05)  2. The Long Road Home
(4:37)  3. One Last Goodbye
(5:07)  4. Fireflies
(4:31)  5. Let Me Inside Your Love (Vocal Version)
(4:43)  6. Silk Pajamas
(5:23)  7. If I Hold You In My Arms
(5:28)  8. Samba Azul
(5:16)  9. Tuesday Morning
(4:41) 10. Raining
(4:24) 11. Let Me Inside Your Love (Instrumental)

"It's not hard to compare her to Minnie Ripperton. Although similar, she remains unique adding tremendous power." ~  Joe Grandwilliams, Good Times Music Publication

"Very cool release. Reminds me of David Sanborn but smoother, Candy Dulpher, but funkier. Paula has her own great sound." ~ Rob Moore, Creative Director, Privatejazz.com

Paula Atherton is a "Double Threat" and "If this were a perfect world," she would already have reached national stardom. " ~  Fran Fried of the New Haven Register

Let Me Inside Your Love is a contemporary jazz record by Paula Atherton & Interplay. It is a mix of some funky tunes (vocal and instrumental), some powerful vocal ballads, some latin influenced tunes and even a world music piece. Most of the songs were written by Paula (two songs co-written by Lou Gimenez). There is a cover of Yes I'm Ready on the record by Barbara Mason. Paula plays alto and soprano sax, flute, and sings on the record. She is in good company with the likes of Darin Brown, Steve Briody, Schuyler Deale and Vinny Conigliaro. ~ Editorial Reviews   http://www.amazon.com/Let-Me-Inside-Your-Love/dp/B00008NF9U

Let Me Inside Your Love

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Ted Rosenthal - Out of This World

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:17
Size: 149,8 MB
Art: Front

(8:11)  1. Out of This World
(6:52)  2. So In Love
(4:45)  3. Have You Met Miss Jones
(8:24)  4. Prelude No. 2
(6:00)  5. Embraceable You
(5:56)  6. People Will Say We're In Love
(6:11)  7. Lotus Blossom
(6:57)  8. How Long Has This Been Going On
(4:35)  9. Cry Me a River
(6:23) 10. In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning

2011 has been productive year in the recording realm for pianist Ted Rosenthal. His contribution to The Westchester Jazz Orchestra's superb Maiden Voyage Suite (WJO Records) helped elevate the re-imaging of pianist Herbie Hancock's classic Maiden Voyage (Blue Note, 1965) to the highest level of big band artistry. With Out of this World, Rosenthal slips back to the more minimal piano trio, for his exquisite interpretations of some of The Great American Songbook's most beloved compositions. Covering classic tunes by some of the Songbook's best-known composers with a high sheen and Rosenthal's distinctive style and refined touch, the trio opens with the title tune, written by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer. The trio takes the tune on a rolling and fluid 9/8 groove that seems to float on the clouds, buoyed by bassist Noriko Ueda's succinct bounce and drummer Quincy Davis' odd-meter surprises. It wouldn't be a standards set without some Cole Porter. Rosenthal and the trio explore the beauty of the composer's "So in Love," beginning with a wistful elegance that slips from Latin groove to up-tempo swing. 

And if a standards set must have some Cole Porter, George Gershwin certainly can't be left out. There are three of Gershwin's works: "Prelude #2," taken into the deep blues; another odd-meter tryst with "Embraceable You;" and "How Long Has This Been Going On?," which gets the lightest of Rosenthal's touch wistful and pretty, full of inventive eddies. "Lotus Blossom," from the pen of Billy Strayhorn, is delicately lovely, and "In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning," which was covered so perfectly by vocalist Frank Sinatra on his 1955 Capitol Records album, In the Wee Small Hours, is the perfect closer here, a reverent treatment of the timeless ballad full of longing and, in the hands of Rosenthal and his trio, a glimmer, perhaps, of hope. ~ Dan Mcclenaghan   http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=40854#.UwfxsIVZhls
 

Personnel: Ted Rosenthal: piano; Noriko Ueda: bass; Quincy Davis: drums.

Out of This World

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Chloe Brisson - Blame It On My Youth

Size: 130,5 MB
Time: 56:10
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2012
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Send For Me (Feat. Ben Williams) (4:08)
02. Day By Day (Feat. Martin Wind) (4:34)
03. Blame It On My Youth (Feat. Fred Haas & Bill Mays) (7:12)
04. So Long, You Fool (Feat. Ben Williams & Matt Wilson) (5:10)
05. Dindi (Feat. Marvin Stamm) (6:08)
06. Just One Of Those Things (Feat. Bil Mays) (2:01)
07. I Fall In Love Too Easily (Feat. Fred Haas) (5:20)
08. What A Difference A Day Made (Feat. Matt Wilson) (3:35)
09. Deed I Do (Feat. Martin Wind) (4:26)
10. Aretha (Feat. Fred Haas) (3:31)
11. How Hgh The Moon - Ornithology (Feat. Martin Wind & Matt Wilson) (2:46)
12. Someone To Watch Over Me (Feat. Bill Mays) (4:03)
13. I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter (Feat. Sheila Jordan) (3:10)

At eighteen, Chloe Brisson is a talented and energetic emerging Jazz vocalist who has thrilled audiences with her gift of song and savvy stage presence. Her new CD, entitled "BLAME IT ON MY YOUTH" was released in Jan. 2012 to much acclaim and places her as a jazz talent that is here to stay! The August studio session, at Manfred Knoop Recording Studio, brought in friends and heavy hitters such as Bill Mays, Martin Wind, Marvin Stamm, Matt Wilson, Fred Haas and Ben Williams. The CD also includes a guest vocal duet with Jazz Master Sheila Jordan! As we move into 2013, it is apparent that this will be a very busy year for the high school senior. During the past three years, Chloe has studied at Dartmouth College where she attends classes, studies jazz theory and piano, and performs extensively with the nationally acclaimed Dartmouth College Gospel Choir. Chloe's devotion to the roots of jazz and her drive to continue the genre forward, make her a special asset to the jazz community. Chloe has attended Interplay Jazz Camp each summer and has worked with Sheila Jordan, Dianne Reeves, Karrin Allyson and Dena DeRose. She also attended the five week summer program at Berklee College of Music. Her Debut CD entitled "RED DOOR SESSIONS" was recorded in December of 2007 at the age of 13.

Chloe has a natural gift for expressing emotion through music and has developed the ability to free flow with musicians of many talents. She truly embraces the art of Jazz where the connection with the band and the audience are palatable in her performances. Chloe has performed for packed audiences throughout the NH and VT region, including First Night Burlington and the Burlington Waterfront Festival. She also has donated many evenings of wonderful jazz entertainment to local charities and fundraisers. Chloe has recently been selected as a winner for YoungArts and has been selected as a member of the acclaimed GRAMMY Camp- Jazz Session, where she will perform in Los Angeles at various events surrounding and at the GRAMMYS. Chloe will travel to Yaroslavl, Russia in March and spend a week performing at the "Jazz Over The Volga" Jazz festival!

Blame It On My Youth

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Buckaloose - Live At Upstairs

Size: 179,7 MB
Time: 77:55
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Jazz: Hammond Organ
Art: Front

01. Mile End Stomp (9:02)
02. Tastes Like Burning (7:31)
03. Barney Big Nuts (8:55)
04. Bits And Pieces (9:55)
05. Statement (9:41)
06. Tell Me About It (12:00)
07. Man Down (10:59)
08. Man Of The World (9:47)

Buckaloose brings you hard-driving groove and soul reminiscent of the Hammond B3 jazz organ groups of the 1960s and 70s, with a modern and personal touch. This intensely high-energy yet deeply warm and expressive performance at Montreal's top jazz venue is yours to enjoy over and over again!!

Chris Gale - saxophones
Vanessa Rodrigues - Hammond B3 organ
Mike Rud - guitar
Davide DiRenzo - drums

Recorded November 11, 2010
Upstairs Jazz Bar
Montreal, Canada
Engineer: Christopher Murtagh
Cover photo: Katherine Moller

Since meeting in 2003, Vanessa Rodrigues (Montreal) and Chris Gale (Toronto) have been collaborating, recording and touring across Canada.

With the addition of Mike Rud (Montreal) and Davide DiRenzo (Toronto), a serious collective was formed with a live CD being the product of their intense musical bond (Gale/Rodrigues Group Live at the Rex - CGVR01; 2007)

The next chapter of the group's creative efforts came with the birth of Buckaloose, and along with the new name, their first studio album, recorded in 2010 for LeLab Records' “The 270 Sessions” jazz series.

Live At Upstairs

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Karen Taborn - Singin' A Sonny Song

Size: 79,0 MB
Time: 33:58
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz Vocals, Brazilian Rhythms
Art: Front

01. Meu Bem Meu Mal (4:29)
02. Billy's Blues (5:03)
03. Chovendo Na Roseira (5:17)
04. Love Me Or Leave Me (3:00)
05. Singin' A Sonny Song (4:26)
06. Once I Loved (6:55)
07. Yesterdays (4:43)

What music journalist, Jeff Davis wrote about Karen Taborn in 1990 still holds true today. "Far from flamboyant, Taborn has an appealingly unaffected voice. She uses dynamics and a horn player's ear for phrasing to draw out the emotional depths of original material, Brazilian tunes and jazz standards. In other words, Taborn is a jazz singer, not a saloon shouter; her approach to performing is about taste and swing, not flash and brass."

Singin' A Sonny Song

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Brian Culbertson - Another Long Night Out

Size: 128,1 MB
Time: 55:06
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Smooth Jazz
Art: Front

01. City Lights (Feat. Lee Ritenour) (5:57)
02. Fullerton Ave. (Feat. Chuck Loeb) (5:57)
03. Beyond The Frontier (4:37)
04. Heroes Of The Dawn (Feat. Eric Marienthal & Rick Braun) (5:29)
05. Beautiful Liar (Feat. Steve Lukather) (4:17)
06. Double Exposure (Feat. Russ Freeman) (4:43)
07. Twilight (Feat. Eric Marienthal) (4:06)
08. Horizon (Feat. Patches Stewart) (4:26)
09. Alone With You (6:31)
10. Long Night Out (Feat. Candy Dulfer) (4:54)
11. Changing Tides (Feat. Jonathan Butler) (4:04)

My name is Brian Culbertson and I am a contemporary jazz multi-instrumentalist with 13 award-winning albums released over the last 20 years. I’ve been touring non-stop while continually writing and producing new music and am currently in the studio re-recording my very first album, Long Night Out, with many of the musicians that inspired me back in the day! The new version (which will be released on the 20th anniversary of the original in February of 2014) will aptly be named, Another Long Night Out.

I’ve had the idea to re-record this album for many years now and have been waiting for just the right time. Since I recorded the original while attending DePaul University in my college apartment (above a Costume Shop) with 3 roommates on a busy street in Chicago with very little money, I was extremely limited to say the least. Therefore, I had to make do with my resources at hand which meant programming most of the instruments to sound real using drum machines, synth bass and most dreadedly, sampled/synth piano. Since those days, I’ve been able to meet and work with many of the top names in the music industry so I thought coming up on the 20th anniversary of the original release would be the perfect time to re-record all of those songs with the artists and musicians that have been so influential to me since the beginning.

This record is a true passion for instrumental contemporary jazz and a real full circle for me as a recording artist...and YOU can help make it happen!

To record this album ‘the way I always wanted to make it’ is going to be a huge undertaking both financially and logistically. For starters, every song will feature a host of the biggest names in jazz, many with legendary status. I also have to hire recording and mix engineers, a few outside studios (other than my own), a mastering engineer and studio time there, plus I have an idea to use a real orchestra on four of the songs (this is not cheap). Here is a list of musicians currently confirmed to play on Another Long Night Out:

• Russ Freeman (Rippingtons) - guitar
• Eric Marienthal (Chick Corea Elektric Band, solo and others) - sax
• Chuck Loeb (Fourplay and solo) - guitar
• Candy Dulfer (solo & Prince) - alto sax
• Steve Lukather (Toto) - guitar
• Paul Jackson, Jr. (Tonight Show with Jay Leno and countless records) - guitar
• Will Kennedy (Yellowjackets) - drums
• Jimmy Haslip (Yellowjackets, Bruce Hornsby and others) - bass
• Nathan East (Fourplay, Toto, Eric Clapton and others) - bass
• Ricky Lawson (Michael Jackson, Phil Collins, Yellowjackets and others) - drums
• Michael Thompson (David Foster, Celine Dion and others) - guitar
• Lenny Castro (percussionist for everyone) - percussion
• Michael Bland (Prince and the New Power Generation) - drums

Another Long Night Out

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Linda Kosut - Long As You're Living

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:45
Size: 113,2 MB
Art: Front

(2:49)  1. A Tree and Me
(3:02)  2. Mr. Kicks
(3:55)  3. Hazel's Hips
(3:24)  4. Summer in the City
(3:46)  5. A Column of Birds
(6:17)  6. 'Round Midnight & The Beach
(3:25)  7. Brother, Where Are You?
(1:39)  8. Bid 'Em In
(2:30)  9. The Call of the City
(2:15) 10. The Snake
(3:54) 11. Old Lovers' Song
(3:42) 12. Humdrum Blues
(3:36) 13. Tower of Time
(3:26) 14. Long As You're Living

Singer Linda Kosut has admired the music of Oscar Brown Jr. from the time she first heard it in the 60s. In 2006, she turned his songs into a tribute on stage. Long As You're Living - The Songs & Poetry of Oscar Brown Jr. has been performed in San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. Kosut has pulled some of the songs from Brown's repertoire for this CD. She has her own style, she never seeks to imitate or pay cloying tribute to him. She gives Brown's songs a fresh slant, which by and large makes this a pleasure to listen to. 

Kosut has selected a wide range of songs that showcase her vocal ability. She is bang in the groove on "Bid 'Em In evocating the charged atmosphere of a slave auction which she sings a capella. Brown's words focused not only on social issues but also on observations of everyday life. "Hazel's Hips gets its first undulation from Max Perkoff's piano. Kosut is slinky and sly in unraveling the blues. Perkoff returns for an appropriately greasy solo on the trombone. The slow burn of the blues and the saucy lyrics make this salivating.  A Tree and Me is awash in warmth. Kosut plumbs the depth of the emotion and comes up with a winning performance. "Mr. Kicks is quite a different bag. Upbeat and joyous, the song gives Kosut an opportunity to show her mettle as a jazz singer. ~ Jerry D’Souza   http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=26833#.UwY-y4VQE9c

Personnel: Linda Kosut: vocals;  Max Perkoff: piano, trombone;  Tom Shader: bass;  Paul van Wageningen: percussion.

Long As You're Living

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Tim Armacost - The Wishing Well

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:41
Size: 150,6 MB
Art: Front

(10:04)  1. Body And Soul
( 7:58)  2. Sustenance
(17:15)  3. Crescent
(14:42)  4. Black Sand Beach
( 8:18)  5. The Wishing Well
( 7:22)  6. Special Delivery

In order to play true jazz, a musician needs to assimilate all that went before him, paying particular attention to those artists who charted the course and defined the vernacular for the specific instrument that he has set out to master. In music, nothing ever gets pulled out of thin air. You carry forth a linage, and hopefully along the way, through intense study and careful examination, you can extend that lineage by putting your own fingerprint on what you play; a sort of musical DNA that separates you from everyone else. On The Wishing Well , the latest CD from tenor saxophonist Tim Armacost, we hear Tim re-examining and re-assessing that linage, while carefully placing his own ideas under a microscope, crystalizing them, absorbing them, and preserving them, not unlike a scientist does with laboratory samples of organic DNA. A native of California, 37 year old Armacost is a young lion with a mature and toasty-warm sound, a lyrical approach, and a innate sense of swing. He plays through this program of originals (plus two standards) with the grace of an albatross; gliding effortlessly over the thermal convection provided by bandmates Bruce Barth, Ray Drummond, and Billy Hart. All the performances are on a very high level on this date, and the selection of tunes are nothing to sneer at either. 

Just when you thought "Body and Soul" had been played to death, Armacost gives us a version in waltz time, with a substitution in the bridge comprised of modulating two-fives, which greatly extends the harmonic interest of the piece. When listening to this disc you also will get a feeling that Armacost has been deeply moved by the music of John Coltrane(what saxophonist of the last forty years hasn't?), and his stirring rendition of Cresent shows that he is not afraid to let us know just that. The set closes with Armacost's Special Delivery; indeed special, for this up-tempo burner finds everyone inspired and in good spirits. Throughout The Wishing Well, Tim Armacost shows us that he is a voice and a talent to be reckoned with, thus earning the honorable distinction in jazz circles as being "one of the cats." Welcome aboard, Tim! ~ Aaj Staff   

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=5732#.Uw0-FYVZhhk

Personnel: Tim Armacost (tenor sax); Bruce Barth (piano); Ray Drummond (bass); Billy Hard (drums)

The Wishing Well

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Paula Lammers - Deep Purple Dreams

Size: 137,9 MB
Time: 59:21
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2011
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. In The Still Of The Night (5:30)
02. Moonfall (6:07)
03. You Must Believe In Spring (4:54)
04. How Can I Keep From Singing (5:46)
05. (Not That) South Of The Border (3:46)
06. And So It Goes (4:41)
07. Waltz For Debby - Not While I'm Around (4:12)
08. Deep Purple (3:42)
09. Now I've Seen You (5:14)
10. You And The Night And The Music (4:16)
11. I'm Just A Lucky So And So (4:36)
12. Two For The Road (4:10)
13. You Are There (2:21)

Unstrained, clear, distinguished, Paula Lammers’s voice soars above the relaxing jazz instrumentals on her album Deep Purple Dreams. Her voice is delicate but dominate, calm and controlled.

The Minnesotan jazz artist is full of talent. Her voice is undeniably gorgeous— it's a vocal beauty. Her voice demands attention and asks for no less. Honestly, I would be fine with an album without the instrumentals and entirely her voice. Lammers is a jazz gem and has been shining bright for the past few years on the local Minneapolis jazz scene. However, you can expect to hear much more from Paula Lammers.

Fortunately, all the tracks on Lammers’ album are different. I often find new jazz musicians very repetitive and monotonous. Lammers’ lyrics are entirely distinctive. I find some of the lyrics dark, but Lammers perfectly suits the mood with her talented voice. The lyrics are above and beyond others that I have heard, especially from other jazz artists.

There are thirteen tracks on Lammers’ album, “You Must Believe In Spring” being one of my favorites. The song is made of Lammers’ lighter lyrics. In this song, Lammers definitely paints a picture for her listeners with the lyrics used to evoke the perfect spring scene.

Lammers went to college to major in vocal music and became interested in improvisation and opera. When listening to her sing, Lammers still has a distinct opera-style to her vocal delivery. She sang largely classical music as her musical interests grew, obviously a great choice for her skilled voice. All of her influences shine in this album. This is a great album to be released after Paula Lammers’ first album over five years ago.

This album is thoroughly enjoyable for any music lover. Hopefully Paula Lammers does not take long breaks in between album releases because I am looking forward to hearing much more from this talented jazz artist. ~Review by Stephanie Trottier

Deep Purple Dreams

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Christine Hart - Jazz Standards Vol. 1

Size: 44,2 MB
Time: 18:54
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2012
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. My Baby Just Cares For Me (2:30)
02. Summertime (2:59)
03. Stormy Monday (3:14)
04. Cry Me A River (3:31)
05. Fever (3:56)
06. I Want A Little Sugar In My Bowl (2:42)

In her debut EP, Christine Hart pays tribute to select artists who have greatly inspired her along the way.

When I speak of the music I want to share, it seems I often use a similar description "I want to create music that soothes and relaxes people". I want my voice and style to evoke positive emotions and make people smile. Growing up on Jazz, I developed a true appreciation - especially for the Vocal Jazz Greats of whom I would sing along with every chance I had. This debut EP is really a tribute to some of my favorites who have greatly inspired me along the way. It's my honor to share their work and keep these standards alive. Much Love, Christine

Jazz Standards Vol. 1

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Seamus Blake & Chris Cheek Quintet - Reeds Ramble

Size: 143,5 MB
Time: 61:52
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. Na Carreira (7:47)
02. 1974 Blues (7:02)
03. Holodeck Waltz (6:06)
04. Blue Moose (6:24)
05. De Dah (6:20)
06. 'til I Die (7:31)
07. I Surrender Dear (7:26)
08. All About Me (6:32)
09. Lady In Languor (6:41)

Fellow saxophonists Seamus Blake and Chris Cheek have thrived as leaders, sidemen, big band soloists and much else, contributing to the creative health of the jazz scene over the last 20 years. As a pair they worked on the exploratory groove-oriented project The Bloomdaddies (CRC 1110) back in 1995. but with Reeds Ramble Blake and Cheek reunite in an acoustic setting, buoyed by the extraordinary Ethan Iverson of the Bad Plus on piano, making his first Criss Cross appearance. Drummer Jochen Rueckert, too, makes his first label appearance, teaming-up with in-demand bassist Matt Penman, a valued presence on Criss Cross sessions led by Jonathan Kreisberg, John Ellis and Zach Brock.

Reeds Ramble

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Carol Fredette - No Sad Songs For Me

Size: 112,3 MB
Time: 48:16
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. I Am In Love (3:57)
02. No Sad Songs For Me (3:29)
03. It's Good To Be Alive (2:00)
04. The Best Thing For You (1:56)
05. To Love And Be Loved (4:26)
06. You'd Better Love Me (3:08)
07. Chovendo Na Roseira (Double Rainbow) (4:42)
08. You're Getting To Be A Habit With Me (3:49)
09. Havin' Myself A Time (3:41)
10. This Is Always (4:56)
11. Dancing In The Dark (2:42)
12. Long Ago And Far Away (3:06)
13. You'd Better Go Now (1:46)
14. No Regrets (4:31)

Don't take the CD title, No Sad Songs for Me, too literally, friends, 'cause Carol Fredette knows how to lay out a nightcub blueser with the best of 'em…although, in cases like You're Getting to be a Habit with Me, she can go from coy to curious to wistful to seductive to sparkling with ease. More, her vocal range covers a moody Kurt Weill-ish Marianne Faithfull low end to a balmy Peggy Lee and chipper Helen Reddy mid-range; it all depends on how she interprets the moment in the song. Having worked with Bucky Pizarelli, Chuck Loeb, Claudio Roditi, Steves Kuhn and Swallow, and a host of other high notables, it ain't like she doesn't know her way around a music sheet nor how to supply what wasn't written as well, the key to real jazz.

Bassist David Finck arranges everything around Fredette's voice as she fashions her way via various musical architectures, floor plans, and finials, and he did so absolutely dead-on, measuring each accompanying musician against the highest possible output for the most sparing input. Even when swingin', as in I Am In Love, the economy of atmospherics allows each soloist (first trombone, then voice and guitar, then piano, and so on) a clear path among fellow musicians until the band falls together right beneath Carol's emphatics on rhyme schemes, afterwards flowing like a river to the sea, Helio Alves' pianistics a gentle mist of spring rain.

"She's as good as they come!" remarked Stan Getz, who knows from music and then some, and there's indeed a very classic glow in No Sad Songs. Whether it's muted, husky, smoky, saucy, or just liltingly larksome, the listener is transported by her back to the days of Chet Baker, when coolness pervaded the fingersnapping milieu of the 50s as it attempted to slow the hurtling rush towards the '60s and dwell a bit longer in a Tin Pan Alley that had happily been infiltrated by the hip 'n jive set. No Sad Songs for Me is precisely a case in point. ~Review by Mark S. Tucker

No Sad Songs For Me 

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Peter Appleyard - Sophisticated Ladies

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:12
Size: 106,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:35)  1. Peter Appleyard Feat. Emilie-Claire Barlow - After You've Gone
(3:33)  2. Peter Appleyard Feat. Elizabeth Shepherd - It's Only A Paper Moon
(4:09)  3. Peter Appleyard Feat. Jill Barber - Love For Sale
(6:32)  4. Peter Appleyard Feat. Jackie Richardson - Georgia On My Mind
(5:23)  5. Peter Appleyard Feat. Sophie Milman - If You Could See Me Now
(5:02)  6. Peter Appleyard Feat. Molly Johnson - Sophisticated Lady
(4:03)  7. Peter Appleyard Feat. Carol Welsman - Night And Day
(4:12)  8. Peter Appleyard Feat. Barbra Lica - Satin Doll
(5:30)  9. Peter Appleyard Feat. Carol McCartney - Mood Indigo
(4:10) 10. Peter Appleyard Feat. Diana Panton - Smile

Peter Appleyard seems to have a way with the ladies. The octogenarian vibraphonist brings his virile mallet work to bear while escorting a dozen lovely songbirds through some smartly arranged standards on this, his second release the span of a few months. Appleyard started off the year by looking toward the past, issuing a previously unreleased all-star jam session from 1974, but his gaze is firmly on the present throughout Sophisticated Ladies. He hobnobs with some of the finest vocalists operating north of the 49th parallel today and a sense of mutual respect for the music and one another comes through in the music. 

While astute jazz vocal fans are probably aware that bassist Charlie Haden beat Appleyard to the conceptual punch, releasing his own Sophisticated Ladies (Emarcy, 2011) a year ahead of Appleyard, the basic format and album title are the only thing that these two releases share. Haden's album mixed instrumental pieces and vocal numbers, favoring slow material containing string sweetening and came off as a mostly-manicured set of music with mellow appeal. Appleyard, on the other hand, shares the stage with a singer on every song, covering a wider range of emotions. The playlist has no surprises, but Rick Wilkins' arrangements have their fair share. Tempo changes, funk-to-swing shifts ("Love For Sale"), double-time adjustments, Brazilian-tinged turns and intimate introductions ("Smile") keep things interesting. Each singer brings something different to the table and Appleyard responds in kind by shaping his solos around the specific songs and singers. 

Emilie-Claire Barlow shows great range on the slow-to-fast "After You've Gone," Elizabeth Shepherd engages Appleyard in a scat-vibraphone solo trading session, Jackie Richardson's deeply resonant voice takes center stage on a soulful "Georgia On My Mind," Diana Panton turns the lights down low for "Smile" and Sophie Milman takes her time fleshing out the emotional ideals of "If You Could See Me Now." Molly Johnson, who interprets the title track with her smoky and dusky pipes, proves to be the only singer who seems ill-suited to her number. The female musicians on this album will probably get the lion's share of attention, but Appleyard has top billing for a reason. His vibraphone soloing enlivens and enhances the music. Guitarist Reg Schwager's comping is a key ingredient in the mix, as pianist John Sherwood takes the right tack on every tune, drummer Terry Clarke expertly navigates the through each number and bassist Neil Swainson keeps everything in check.  Appleyard may be 84 now, but his playing doesn't betray that fact. He's clearly young at heart and Sophisticated Ladies is the evidence that proves this case. ~ Dan Bilawsky   

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=42527#.UwelFoVZhls

Personnel: Peter Appleyard: vibraphone; John Sherwood: piano; Reg Schwager: guitar; Neil Swainson: bass; Terry Clarke: drums; Emilie-Claire Barlow: vocals (1); Elizabeth Shepherd: vocals (2); Jill Barber: vocals (3); Jackie Richardson: vocals (4); Sophie Milman: vocals (5); Molly Johnson: vocals (6); Carol Welsman: vocals (7), piano (7); Barbara Lica: vocals (8); Carol McCartney: vocals (9); Diana Panton: vocals (10).

Sophisticated Ladies

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Peter Lerner - Cry for Peace

Styles:  Straight-ahead/Mainstream
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:12
Size: 142,8 MB
Art: Front

(7:28)  1. Lerner Burner
(7:04)  2. Billie's Bossa
(7:37)  3. Inner Drum
(8:57)  4. Cry For Peace
(6:28)  5. Dolphin Dance
(6:01)  6. Minority
(6:51)  7. Stretch
(5:53)  8. Pina
(5:49)  9. The Mean Mr Green

Sometimes an artist must leave his comfort zone to discover his true creative potential. Chicago guitarist Peter Lerner left his Windy City home and ventured east to record "Cry For Peace," a delightful session recorded at the legendary Van Gelder Recording Studio in New Jersey. Producer Don Sickler recruited a supporting cast of A-list New York sidemen, including trumpeter Jim Rotondi, tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander, trombonist Steve Davis and pianist/organist David Hazeltine, all members of the band One For All. The disc opens with Lerner's medium-tempo greaser "Lerner Burner," anchored by Hazeltine's in-the-pocket organ playing.

Alexander takes a lengthy solo turn before Lerner weighs in with his warmed over swinging lines. The guitarist's straight-forward improvisation takes center stage throughout, especially on the relaxed "Billie's Bossa," Gigi Gryce's "Minority" and the organ groover "The Mean Mr. Green." Far from a mere blowing session, the disc emphasizes slick, small-group arranging, as evidenced on the ominous title track and Herbie Hancock's "Dolphin Dance." Legendary drummer Victor Lewis, bassist Ed Howard and reedman Jerry Dodgian round out the powerhouse ensemble assembled to breathe life into Lerner's inspired compositions. Lerner proves himself a highly communicative soloist who applies his ample guitar chops with diligence. From beginning to end, Cry For Peace is an enjoyable, well programmed listen. ~ John Barron   

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=29423#.UwtSKoVZhhk
 

Personnel: Jim Rotondi: trumpet, flugelhorn; Jerry Dodgion: alto saxophone, alto flute, flute; Eric Alexander: tenor sax; Steve Davis: trombone; David Hazeltine: piano, organ; Ed Howard: bass; Victor Lewis: drums.

Cry for Peace

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Glenn Frey - Solo Collection

Styles: Pop/Rock
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:56
Size: 167,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:26)  1. This Way to Happiness
(4:05)  2. Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed
(4:43)  3. Common Ground
(4:10)  4. Call on Me
(4:33)  5. The One You Love
(3:30)  6. Sexy Girl
(3:50)  7. Smuggler's Blues
(3:46)  8. The Heat Is On
(5:52)  9. You Belong to the City
(4:40) 10. True Love
(5:35) 11. Soul Searchin'
(5:57) 12. Part of Me, Part of You
(5:35) 13. I've Got Mine
(6:08) 14. River of Dreams
(0:38) 15. Rising Sun
(6:22) 16. Brave New World

Glenn Frey has had a mixed solo career, alternating between Top Ten hits and outright commercial disasters. Solo Collection performs a welcome service by collecting the highlights from his decidedly uneven solo albums, including all of his biggest hits. Not only is it a perfect introduction, it's arguably the most consistent solo record Frey ever released. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine  http://www.allmusic.com/album/solo-collection-mw0000124934

Solo Collection

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The Lana Hawkins Quartet - Beyond The Rainbow

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:18
Size: 134,1 MB
Art: Front

(2:25)  1. Orange Colored Sky
(3:22)  2. Fever
(4:26)  3. You Belong To Me
(3:37)  4. Route 66
(4:28)  5. The Boy From Ipanema
(3:06)  6. I'm Beginning To See The Light
(4:46)  7. My Funny Valentine
(3:11)  8. I Got A Woman
(4:26)  9. At Last
(2:55) 10. Whatever Lola Wants
(3:22) 11. I've Got The World On A String
(3:45) 12. These Boots Are Made For Walkin'
(3:38) 13. They Can't Take That Away From Me
(2:48) 14. Do You KNow What It Means To Miss New Orleans
(3:55) 15. It's Too Late
(4:02) 16. Over The Rainbow

Lana Hawkins has been singing many genres of music for most of her life, ranging from a portrayal of Patsy Cline in live theatrical productions to lounge acts featuring jazz, pop and blues standards and classics. Her latest album by The Lana Hawkins Jazz Quartet, "Beyond the Rainbow," is a dedication to her younger brother who passed away in January 2007. "Over the Rainbow," the last track on the album is a touching acoustic version guaranteed to bring a tear to the eye. The musicians who performed on this album are Lana Hawkins: Vocals, Steve Kamerling: jazz guitar and vocals, Denis Shebhukov: acoustic and electric bass guitar, Aaron Tully: acoustic and electric bass guitar, Keith Hall: percussion and drums. Lana's pure, soulful voice is perfect for the song selection on this album as she uses excellent control of style with tons of passion in her voice. She has been compared to Diana Krall, Eva Cassidy and Patsy Cline. She currently resides in Michigan and performs regularly with her quartet locally and regionally. She is looking to expand her fan base and venues to nationally as well as internationally.  http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/lanahawkins

Beyond The Rainbow

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Donald Brown - The Sweetest Sounds

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1988
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:46
Size: 148,7 MB
Art: Front

(7:01)  1. I Used To Think She Was Quiet
(7:05)  2. I Should Care
(5:36)  3. Gee Baby Ain't I Good To You
(5:00)  4. Theme For Ernie
(5:05)  5. The Sweetest Sounds
(6:55)  6. Affaire D'Amour
(7:13)  7. Nature's Folk Song
(3:04)  8. Betcha By Golly Wow
(6:57)  9. Woody N' You
(6:49) 10. Night Mist Blues
(3:57) 11. Killing Me Softly With His Song

Donald Brown has had a fairly low-profile career despite his talents, settling in Tennessee as a teacher after a period playing with the Jazz Messengers and teaching at Berklee. This lesser-known effort, cut for the JazzCity label and reissued a decade later by Evidence, matches the pianist with bassist Charnett Moffett, drummer Alan Dawson, and (on four of the 11 songs) vibraphonist Steve Nelson. Brown contributed three of the originals and digs into such standards as "I Should Care," "Woody N' You," and Ahmad Jamal's "Night Mist Blues," uplifting such later pop tunes as "Killing Me Softly With His Song" and "Betcha By Golly Wow." An excellent effort by a greatly underrated player and composer. ~ Scott Yanow   http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-sweetest-sounds-mw0000035476

Personnel: Donald Brown (piano); Steve Nelson (vibraphone); Charnett Moffett (bass); Alan Dawson (drums). Reissue Producer: Jerry Gordon.

The Sweetest Sounds

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The John Scofield Band - Up All Night

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:08
Size: 154,0 MB
Art: Front

(6:18)  1. Philiopiety
(6:05)  2. Watch Out For Po-Po
(7:28)  3. Creeper
(5:53)  4. Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get
(2:57)  5. I'm Listening
(6:57)  6. Thinkhathali
(6:04)  7. Four On The Floor
(6:38)  8. Like The Moon
(8:20)  9. Freakin' Disco
(5:05) 10. Born In Troubled Times
(5:16) 11. Every Night Is Ladies Night

The Freaky Deaky is back! This is the most inspired playing I have heard from John Scofield in many years. On Up All Night, Scofield has found the elusive spot (as a player) between knowing what he's doing and what he doesn't know. The band caught at the time of this recording exists at that junction a place beautifully balanced between solid compositional form and sheer improvisational grace. Scofield hasn't been this hungry in a long, long time!  If you liked Scofield's last album, Uberjam, be prepared for a quantum leap in both conception and playing on Up All Night. And if you didn't like Uberjam, then you might be surprised here by the extent of Scofield's talent. This music harkens back to the leader's lean and mean days with Miles Davis, although it doesn't have the same sound. What it does share with Miles' work from that era is rawness, sheer guitar power from an expert player, and genre-busting grooves that have one foot in the jazz camp and the other in deep-fried Philly Soul. 

The band is comprised of a solid electric bass and drums rhythm section, then complemented with massive samples and rhythm guitar work from Avi Bortnick, and topped off with Scofield using creative guitar samples, live backwards guitar, and an extended tonal palette. Six tunes employ a badass horn section that really fills the sound out. The horn arrangements were written by Scofield, who brings an almost "Gamble and Huff" sensibility to the music. The new technology and "jam band" sensibility works wonders for Scofield's playing style. While his playing has been rather contrived in the past, it is anything but on this recording. Scofield's style has always owed a lot to his ability to create fluid chromatic melodic lines. That was what made him and Mike Stern a formidable duo in Miles' band. Stern's raw power and direct blues-rock feel pushed Scofield to a new, more supple guitar style, and I hear a similar rawness and thrust behind the band here. 

These young guys push Scofield into much- needed new directions, and he rises to the challenge. He throws his fluid legato style smack dab into the middle of some warped-out funked-out backwards shit, still coming out on top. It's a joy to hear someone who can play the guitar so well actually play the music so well. Check his guitar work on "Like The Moon." His playing on the disco-tinged and aptly-named "Freakin' Disco" is absolutely on fire...damn! This modern gem from a modern guitar icon is well worth your listening consideration. ~ Farrell Lowe   http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=12297#.Uwk-JIVZg9c  
 

Personnel: John Scofield-electric guitar, guitar samples; Avi Bortnick-rhythm guitar, samples, loops; Andy Hess- bass; Adam Deitch-drums; Craig Handy-tenor saxophone, flute, bass clarinet; Earl Gardner-trumpet; Gary Smulyan- baritone saxophone; Jim Pugh-trombone; Samson Olawale-percussion sample

Up All Night

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Bing Crosby With Bob Scobey's Frisco Jazz Band - Bing With A Beat

Styles: Big Band
Year: 1957
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:36
Size: 87,0 MB
Art: Front

(2:51)  1. Let A Smile Be Your Umbrella
(3:02)  2. I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myelf A Letter
(3:29)  3. Along The Way To Waikiki
(3:16)  4. Exactly Like You
(2:40)  5. Dream A Little Dream Of Me
(2:47)  6. Last Night On The Back Porch
(2:45)  7. Some Sunny Day
(3:27)  8. Whispering
(2:57)  9. Tell Me
(3:54) 10. Mack The Knife
(3:15) 11. Down Among The Sheltering Palms
(3:07) 12. Mama Loves Papa

They just don't write songs like "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter" anymore. It's a catchy melody combined with witty lyrics that conveys an innocent longing for love that would be inconceivable as a radio hit today. However, the same goes for just about any other song on Bing With A Beat.  But then they weren't really writing songs like that in 1957, either. That's when this album first appeared, and none of the songs were in heavy circulation among pop singers at the time. Only "Mack The Knife" still had some legs, thanks to versions recorded by Louis Armstrong (earlier) and Bobby Darin (later). But most are relics from the time when Bing first became famous, long forgotten by the artists whom he influenced. 

Leave it to Crosby to resurrect these old tunes tunes that he always wished he had recorded to create his one true jazz album, a tribute to the music he always loved. Crosby had continued to record well into the fifties, straddling two generations with his blue-eyed, gentlemanly appeal. But where it would have been easy to sing over a lush Nelson Riddle-type orchestration as he had already done he hand-picked Bob Scobey and the rest of his Frisco Jazz Band to create a swinging Dixieland backing that has no strings at all. Dixieland was always Crosby's love, and while the presentation and song selection may seem a little trad, it's a tribute to the talents of Crosby and Scobey that the album works as well as it does and has an instant appeal today. For one thing, Crosby sounds positively jubilant at the opportunity to sing these songs with the hot band behind him, and truly Bing With A Beat sounds like no other vocal album from the time period. Scobey and company rip through the choruses when given the chance and provide punchy backing when Crosby takes the mike. 

There's a snap in Crosby's delivery that wasn't always featured on previous recordings, but his strength was always making lyrics sound earnest. No one has written a song about "Waikiki" in years, but Crosby makes it sound like the hot new vacation spot. In his book Jazz Singing Will Friedwald claims that Bing With A Beat is one of the top ten jazz vocal albums ever made. This may come as a surprise to those who never thought of Crosby as a jazz vocalist in the first place, but there's no denying that Armstrong and Sinatra both owe him debts in their rhythm and phrasing, and most of all the art of singing naturally. Top ten? Maybe. Leave it to Bing, though, to assert himself as capable of creating a jazz album that out-jazzes most of them. ~ David Rickert   http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=15506#.Uwl0MIVZg9c

Personnel:  Bing Crosby - vocals; with Bob Scobey's Frisco Jazz Band.

Boing With A Beat

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