King Perry - Complete Jazz Series 1950-1954

Styles: Blues, R&B

Year: 1954

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 61:35

Size: 141,0 MB

Art: Front

(2:31)  1. Everything's Gonna Be Alright Tonight

(2:34)  2. Mellow Gal Blues

(2:37)  3. Blues And Lonesome

(2:32)  4. Natural Born Lover

(2:26)  5. I Ain'T Got A Dime To My Name

(2:23)  6. Day & Night Blues

(2:29)  7. Duck'S Yas Yas Yas

(2:16)  8. The Animal Song

(2:55)  9. I Wonder Who'S Boogin My Boogie

(2:39) 10. I Must Have Been An Ugly Baby

(2:31) 11. Coquette

(2:11) 12. On The Sunny Side Of The Street

(2:40) 13. Everybody Jump

(2:37) 14. Vaccinate Me Baby

(2:28) 15. Card Playin' Blues

(2:10) 16. Welcome Home Baby

(2:43) 17. Christopher Columbus

(2:34) 18. Things Ain'T What They Used To Be

(3:05) 19. Pitching A Party

(2:32) 20. Back To Kansas City

(2:41) 21. Get Out Of My Face

(2:29) 22. Till You'Re In My Arms Again

(2:52) 23. Blues At Xmas

(2:29) 24. Hello Peach

The second of two volumes, this chronological collection resumes King Perry's recording career in 1950 and features the complete Specialty, Got, RPM, Lucky and Hollywood recordings, and ends with the December 1954 release which was waxed for Sherman Williams' Unique Records. By these 1950s dates, most of Perry's repertoire consisterd of blues, jumps and r&b, however he never entirely forgot his jazz background.  http://www.worldsrecords.com/pages/artists/k/king_perry/king_perry_56299.html

The Chronological Blues & Rhythm Classics 5129 - King Perry 1950-1954

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Rebecca Kilgore & Dave Frishberg - Why Fight The Feeling

Size: 136,6 MB

Time: 57:54

File: MP3 @ 320K/s

Released: 2008

Styles: Jazz Vocals

Art: Front

01. Thank Your Lucky Stars (2:34)

02. Let's Get Lost (3:30)

03. Can't Get Out Of This Mood (3:46)

04. The Lady's In Love With You (3:27)

05. Say It (Over And Over Again) (3:40)

06. Then I Wrote The Minuet In G (2:20)

07. Somebody, Somewhere (3:17)

08. The Moon Of Manakoora (3:14)

09. On A Slow Boat To China (2:40)

10. I Wish I Didn't Love You So (3:14)

11. Says My Heart (2:44)

12. What Are You Doing New Year's Eve (4:23)

13. Sand In My Shoes (5:09)

14. What A Rhumba Does To Romance (2:41)

15. Why Fight The Feeling (4:01)

16. I Believe In You (4:30)

17. Sit Down, You're Rockin' The Boat (2:36)

Pianist Dave Frishberg describes Frank Loesser as his hero, succinctly describing the importance of Loesser to songwriters everywhere. Loesser could have no better champions than vocalist Rebecca Kilgore and Frishberg. They make the art of interpreting song seem natural and easy, despite the fact it's truly a craft to get to the heart of a great song so elegantly and simply. These two are relaxed and deeply in tune with what makes a great song and a great performance. Here they take on tunes both famous and obscure from the Loesser oeuvre 17 in all still just a small fraction of the composer's prolific output.

Frishberg once called "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve" a perfect song and so it's an appropriate vehicle to hear how two masters can 'improve' upon perfection. Kilgore makes it resonate emotionally for both its specific season and for the rest of the year too. We hear the rarely sung verse and the two achieve a breathtaking intimacy.

These songs have a little of everything humor, pathos, intelligence and often all in the same piece. Try "Let's Get Lost," which Chet Baker took in a wisp of blue. Frishberg and Kilgore find the blue too but there's more than a hint of Latin in Frishberg's brilliant accompaniment as Kilgore anticipates getting away.

The album closes with two true show-stoppers. Kilgore finds the architecture in "I Believe in You" (from How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying) and reveals just how terrific an actress she can be. And Frishberg complements her artistry by following her emotional lead. "Sit Down You're Rocking the Boat" comes from Guys and Dolls and what pianist and singer accomplish is combining personal expression with the feel of an entire Broadway cast rocking the house. This kind of magic can be found throughout this collection. ~Review by Donald Elfman

Personnel: Rebecca Kilgore: vocals; Dave Frishberg: piano

Why Fight The Feeling   

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Rebecca Kilgore - Moments Like This

Size: 127,8 MB
Time: 54:38
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2000
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Label: Moonburn
Art: Front

01. I Hear Music (3:40)
02. Dream (3:20)
03. Oh! You Crazy Moon (3:44)
04. You're My Everything (3:51)
05. Now That I Need You (3:34)
06. Miami Beach Rhumba (3:07)
07. Moments Like This (3:18)
08. Summer Song (3:45)
09. Summer Night (2:02)
10. The Day I Found You (3:50)
11. Tulip Or Turnip (2:28)
12. My Kind Of Trouble Is You (4:33)
13. You Say You Care (3:09)
14. Social Call (4:10)
15. I Told Ya I Love Ya (3:22)
16. This Can't Be Love (2:38)

How lucky we are! Super song stylist Rebecca Kilgore is now recording with comparative regularity. Moments Like This is her 5th release in a little more than two years. Some of these have been under her name, on others she guests. But the result is the same, hearing more of one of the most scintillating jazz singers on today's scene. This album is the first she has cut with her trio which she regularly performs with at jazz venues in and around her home base, Portland Oregon. Added to the crew is bassist Scott Steed, whose credits include working with Kitty Margolis and Mark Murphy.

Kilgore continues her journey through the book of romantic standards and traditional pop material. Also on the program are some not too often heard pieces like Dave Brubeck's wistful "Summer Song", Xavier Cugat's Latin favorite "Miami Beach Rhumba" and Don George's questioning "Tulip or Turnip". Kilgore's voice is not one of the strongest (loudest) in the business preferring a delicate, light approach to each of the tunes she performs. Nonetheless, whether they be ballad, up tempo swinger, or a tune with a Brazilian beat, she delivers them with absolute authenticity and authority. This earns her a spot high on that list of singers who, even though they occasionally employ a vocal gambit like scatting, made their name on the basis of their straightforward way with a tune. Among the notables on this list are Ella Fitzgerald, Carol Sloane, Helen Merrill, Rosemary Clooney, Peggy Lee, Anita O'Day, June Christy and yes, Doris Day. For this session, Kilgore applies her unique brand of vocal commentary to songs favored by her high priestesses of song colleagues. "I Told Ya I Love Ya (Now Get Out)" is from Anita O'Day. The upbeat "This Can't Be Love" recalls Fitzgerald's version from her Rodgers and Hart songbook. "Moments Like This" was favored by Peggy Lee and "Tulip or Turnip" by Carol Sloane.

The support by her trio is admirable. They excel whether it be in shaping the musical framework for Kilgore's vocalizing or by the many opportunities she gives them to solo. One prime example of the latter is "You're My Everything", a vehicle for Randy Porter's groovy piano and offering very fancy bass playing by Scott Steed. Neil Masson's drums go a beyond keeping time with some creative stick handling. This is another triumph for Ms Kilgore and is highly recommended. ~Review by Dave Nathan

Personnel: Rebecca Kilgore - Vocals; Randy Porter - Piano; Neil Masson - Drums; Scott Steed - Bass

Moments Like This

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Vanessa Rodrigues - Soul Project / Soul Food For Thought

Album: Soul Project
Size: 175,0 MB
Time: 75:22
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2005
Styles: Jazz: Hammond Organ, Soul Funk
Art: Front

01. Marble Rye ( 7:43)
02. Runnin' & Rippin' & Runnin' ( 6:38)
03. One-Eyed Monster ( 5:43)
04. The Red Dirt Jam ( 7:39)
05. Be Careful What You Wish For (10:33)
06. Bemsha Swing ( 6:39)
07. Killa-Jewel In Da House ( 6:59)
08. Bou-Ya ( 7:36)
09. Supabad Stanley ( 8:07)
10. Sconk ( 7:41)

The band:
Vanessa Rodrigues - Hammond B-3 organ
Donna Grantis - guitar
Jean-Pierre Levesque - drums

Special guest - DJ Killa-Jewel - turntables

One of the most pleasant surprises of the '04 Ottawa International Jazz Festival was organist Vanessa Rodrigues, who appeared as part of saxophonist Dave Turner's quartet. At a mere 26 years of age, she delivered accompaniment so empathic and solos so well constructed that the only disappointment was that her work had never been documented on record. Until now. With Soul Project Rodrigues steps out with infectious grooves and outstanding playing, paying homage to the established organ trio tradition while remaining completely modern.
While Rodrigues has a strong background in everything from classical piano to more spiritual works on church pipe organ, it's clearly the soul-drenched music of artists like Dr. Lonnie Smith, with whom Rodrigues spent a month as a live-in student, that is her main passion. On Soul Project Rodrigues is teamed with guitarist Donna Grantis, a player with a warm, Grant Green-esque tone and similarly blues-informed approach; and drummer Jean-Pierre Levesque, who is as comfortable with the New Orleans second line approach of “Marble Rye” as he is the deeper funk of “The Red Dirt Jam.” Turntablist DJ Killa-Jewel is featured on four of tracks, adding a taste of hip hop to the mix.
The album's vibe bears some precedence in guitarist John Scofield's collaboration with Medeski, Martin and Wood, A Go Go, in terms of its in-the-pocket approach, but it avoids the more idiosyncratic playing typical of Scofield and Medeski. That's not to say Rodrigues and her trio are without energy and edge. Rodrigues is a more inside player, but with a keen sense of development—check out her playing on “The Red Dirt Jam,” where she fashions a solo that builds in intensity so gradually one is almost unaware that it's happening. Similarly, on “Be Careful What You Wish For,” Levesque takes DJ Killa-Jewel's solo and invisibly pulls up the dynamics. As much as everyone's playing reflects an intellectual bent, the inherent physicality of the group gives it much of its appeal.
While the programme consists mainly of originals penned by Rodrigues and Grantis, the trio's take on Thelonious Monk's classic “Bemsha Swing” is notable for demonstrating just how one can take liberties without losing sight of a tune's essence. Building the music over a quasi-reggae feel, Rodrigues stretches and twists the recognizable theme so that it lives in a completely new context. Grantis' solo is so relaxed it sneaks up on you.
As democratic as things are, this is really Rodrigues' showcase. While her training, including attendance at the Banff Centre for the Arts and a degree in jazz piano from McGill University, gives her formidable technical ability, she never sacrifices feel for more cerebral concerns. Soul Project, as well-executed as it is, is an audacious début all about heart and soul from an artist who will no doubt continue to be heard from in the future. - John Kelman

Soul Project

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Album: Soul Food For Thought
Size: 110,7 MB
Time: 47:30
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2009
Styles: Jazz: Hammond Organ, Soul Funk
Art: Front

01. Funky Pickle (5:00)
02. Chompy (5:29)
03. What's In This (5:03)
04. Ode To Monsanto (7:13)
05. Watermelon Man (6:31)
06. Planted (6:55)
07. Eater's Manifesto (6:33)
08. Funky Pickle (Alternate Take) (4:43)

Vanessa Rodrigues is a prolific local musician whose latest project blends a healthy combination of funk, groove and jazz with food activism. It's called Soul Food For Thought and the self-proclaimed Hammond Diva – she rocks the Hammond B3 organ like nobody's business - brings mindfulness to her complex and innovative tunes.

As with all good musicians, Rodrigues continues to push herself to new musical boundaries. Her collaborators are just as committed to complex music and food activism as she is, but that came more from synchronicity than careful planning. Soul Food For Thought brings together Rodrigues with DJ Killa Jewel and drummer Jean-Pierre Lévesque, long-time collaborators, and newcomers, MC BluRum13 and guitarist Olivier René-de-Cotret. This powerful group not only makes music that makes your hips swing all on their own, but digs under the surface of the food industry.

The album can't easily be classified, since songs slip easily between genres like fresh, organic fish, now jazz, now funk, and even the occasional hip hop groove. Speaking of fish, one very addictive song on the new album, Chompy, is named for the infamous two-jawed fish pulled from Lake Athabasca near the Alberta tar sands. It's a low groove that makes good use of the history of organ music in dark films and though the river described isn't quite a black lagoon, you'll taste traces of it in the rich sound.

The organ also has a history of powerful celebration, particularly in churches and this comes through in Eater's Manifesto, the most evangelical song on the whole album. Without using words, it insists on dancing, joining in and taking a different look on what's on the plate in front of us, and how it got there. Like all good gospel grooves, it carries you along with it, enticing you to agree instead of forcing an idea down your throat.

Any jazz lover knows of the fierce and sometimes destructive competition between singers and musicians. On this project though, you'll only hear creative and thought-provoking riffs from an up and coming rapper surrounded by satisfying grooves. Vanessa has a long history as an impressive band leader, so rather than fight for space, she makes room for all collaborators to add their special blend of spices and they always solo with the understanding that it's ultimately her recipe.

MC BluRum13 raps on two tracks, What's In This, a song asking a fairly reasonable question of our boxed food culture; and Planted, a fascinating story told from the perspective of a plant itself. If you're into Michael Pollan, you'll find these two songs edgy, topical and much less preachy than other activist music out there.

You don't have to love Herbie Hancock to love Watermelon Man and this version will have you craving fresh grooves for weeks to come. Ode to Monsanto blows kisses at one of the giants in the industry and winks at their, shall we say, insouciant attitude towards organic, local foods. Pick up a copy of this eclectic and altogether mouth-watering menu that is sure to tickle your musical palette.

Soul Food For Thought

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Gaia Mattiuzzi - Laut

Size: 118,9 MB
Time: 51:57
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Contemporary Jazz, Vocal Jazz
Art: Front

01. Bettellied (5:09)
02. Harmonie (6:39)
03. Images Of A Wayward Soul (5:15)
04. Morenica (9:11)
05. Prospectus (5:13)
06. Ibla Balms (2:09)
07. The World Feels Dusty (5:23)
08. Nightfall (6:46)
09. Duquillity (6:08)

From Brecht to Steve Lacy and Mal Waldron , through the Sephardic traditions , Charles Baudelaire , Nina Simone , Rabih Abou Khalil , Aaron Copland and Emily Dickinson and, of course , a couple of original songs signed by Fabrizio Puglisi and Cristiano Calcagno .
The voice of Gaia Mattiuzzi leads the listener through Laut in so many ways of understanding music search , to want to use a single definition. Search understood according to the various possible meanings : experimental synthesis of roots and different references , creativity, recovery setting to opera singing , drama , sound combinations . The course is supported with great properties and the presence of two musicians as Fabrizio Puglisi and Cristiano Calcagno able to find effective solutions in response to changes in voice and expression to the different contexts . In two passages , moreover, the bass Stefano Senni adds to the trio - ie Morenika , revived recently by Avishai Cohen, Steve Lacy and Prospectus .
The choice of a sparse dimension because it is able to cover in a comprehensive manner the sound spectrum , allows the three musicians to move with great agility in different terrains crossed with the result that operate on separate planes to look for connections between the lines as well as having to meet the roles prebuilt tools . And then , song after song , alternate solutions aimed to play in a concrete manner as required by the score and programmatic intentions : unison between voice and piano; layers of sound electronics prepared piano and percussion ; strict structures and informal situations .
Laut plays in a manner consistent with the idea of provoking a reaction between the materials squad and the disc is the need on the part of Mattiuzzi , Puglisi and Calcagnile to see what happens to the points of departure once mixed and matched and compared with their experiences. In this sense, the three do not care about consistency punctual, where in practice each step is derived strictly from the previous one , but point to the overall package to make the game stand out among the many Contasti of "weave" side by side in the mosaic . ~Google translation from Italian

Laut

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Zoe Schwarz & Rob Koral - Celebration

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:23
Size: 129,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:32)  1. Cry Me A River
(2:21)  2. Don't Explain
(1:49)  3. Let's Fall In Love
(3:18)  4. My Funny Valentine
(3:24)  5. When I Grow Too Old To Dream
(4:15)  6. Let's Explain
(1:59)  7. Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby
(3:46)  8. Boulevard Of Broken Dreams
(5:12)  9. The Man I Love
(2:58) 10. You Don't Learn That In School
(5:17) 11. Until The Red Thing Comes Along
(3:14) 12. Careless Love
(3:55) 13. Baby Baby All The Time
(2:20) 14. That Old Feeling
(2:55) 15. Empty Rooms
(4:00) 16. Sitting On Top Of The World

Few performance formats can illuminate a talent and facility like the duet. Schwarz and Koral create a certain edgy intimacy on Celebration that is both very contemporary and quite traditional at the same time. Over the course of 16 jazz standards, blues and originals, the pair spin out a well-balanced musical vision, one that is well-conceived and performed. When all of these elements coalesce, exceptional music is made. Heavy on the jazz standards (a swinging "Sitting On Top Of The World" being the sole "blues") Celebration is a jazz vocal lesson.  Jazz needs its standards to remain grounded in where it came from, but also as a vehicle with original compositions to track where it is going. The opening standards "Cry Me A River" and Billie Holiday's sublime "Don't Explain" are preformed simply, even nakedly, exposed. Schwarz's voice balances between angry resignation and despair as is necessary for the lyrics. The inclusion of a Holiday tune is no mistake as Schwarz's delivery bears the influence of that great singer. 

But, Schwarz is no mere imitator of Holiday, only an attentive student with her eye (and ear) on something different, newer, and more revelatory.  Koral proves a grand accompanist for Schwarz. His guitar style is well informed and not plagued by the need to show off every technical arrow that obviously exists in his musical quiver. On "When I Grow To Old To Dream," Koral begins with a single-note choral that is melancholy and virtuosic without being showy. He puts that 1920s-30s vibe on the vocal section of the piece, a vibe he extends through the Louis Jordan classic "Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby." The has a great walking-bass facility that makes his support that much more valuable convincing. He co-composes "Let's Explain" with Schwarz, a clever bookend to Holiday's "Don't Explain," that is about Holiday. Where this could often go very wrong, Schwarz and Koral make it all look easy on this breezy, listenable collection. ~ C.Michael Bailey    http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=41964#.Uwf5jIVZhls

Personnel: Zoe Schwarz – vocals;  Rob Koral - guitars

Celebration

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Freddy Cole - Love Makes the Changes

Styles: Vocal, Piano Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:39
Size: 128,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:35)  1. Love Makes the Changes
(5:59)  2. On My Way to You
(5:31)  3. Wonder Why
(5:42)  4. The Right to Love
(6:19)  5. Alone With My Thoughts of You
(4:36)  6. A Sinner Kissed An Angel
(5:42)  7. Brother, Where Are You?
(4:01)  8. Do You Know Why?
(6:09)  9. Just the Way You Are
(6:02) 10. Like a Quiet Storm

When jazz vocalist Freddy Cole sings, it's with a built-in groove that's unshakeable, with warm, honeyed tones that wrap the lyrics in velvet and set them down firmly in the pocket. Cole has one great little album here; if you thought it was impossible to produce a modern-day jazz vocal album that's not infused with endless oodles-of-noodles riffing that shows you nothing except the ability of the vocalist to sing everything but the melody, be prepared for greatness. With a small combo led by pianist Cedar Walton and tenor saxophonist Grover Washington, Jr., Cole has a backdrop that never gets in the way of his magic nor does anything that doesn't help the song. Timber-wise, he owes a lot of his phrasing to his older brother, Nat "King" Cole, and Francis Albert Sinatra, but Freddy ultimately remains his own man and that's what makes this album such a success. Ten or 12 stars, at least. ~ Cub Koda   http://www.allmusic.com/album/love-makes-the-changes-mw0000038669

Personnel: Freddy Cole (vocals, piano); Grover Washington, Jr. (soprano & tenor saxophones); Eric Alexander (tenor saxophone); Cedar Walton (piano); Hiram Bullock (guitar); George Mraz, Will Lee, David Williams (bass); Ben Riley, Kenny Washington (drums).

Love Makes the Changes

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Aleks Girshevich Trio - Tomorrow

Styles: Jazz, Post-Bop
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:30
Size: 97,4 MB
Art: Front

(6:48)  1. Strange Memories
(5:23)  2. Tomorrow
(5:08)  3. The Other Side
(3:20)  4. Fragility
(6:14)  5. Broken Promises
(7:54)  6. 222
(4:48)  7. Where Were You?
(2:51)  8. Dithering

The word "prodigy" comes from the Latin prodigium, which means "sign" or "portent." Jazz boasts its fair share of these exceptional individuals, including drummer Tony Williams, pianist Keith Jarrett, saxophonist Grace Kelly and Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews. Folks on the Colorado music scene have been talking for years about the tremendously talented drummer Aleks Girshevich, who was born in 2001. Now with Aleks' debut CD, appropriately titled Tomorrow, it's time for the rest of the jazz world to take note of this remarkable young man.  Like many jazz prodigies, Aleks grew up with music. His father, Vlad Girshevich, is a pianist and composer who began playing classical music at age four in his native Uzbekistan; when Vlad emigrated to America in the 1990s, his talent was quickly recognized by the musical community, including fellow pianist Herbie Hancock. 

Aleks, who was born in Uzbekistan but emigrated soon after, started imitating complex rhythms on a drum pad at age four, and when he received his first drum set two years later, he immersed himself in advanced Cuban and Brazilian rhythms. Aleks started sitting in on his father's gigs, rapidly gaining in ability and experience, and at age ten he recorded his debut CD with his father and bassist Dave Arend, an innovative San Francisco bassist who moves easily between jazz, classical and electronica.  Tomorrow is an immensely pleasing combination of elegant swing, original craftsmanship, and engaging melodies provided by Vlad. "Strange Memories," a spritely tune with a funky undertone, showcases the group's talent: Vlad provides sparkling piano runs that possess an intricate filigree; Arend's chocolaty, bending bass notes add a pleasing depth; and Aleks supplies a steady boil underneath the others while revealing a nice instinct for accent work. 

Other standouts include "Fragility," a lovely, delicate tune highlighted by Aleks' subtle cymbals; the up-tempo yet faintly melancholy "Broken Promises," which includes moving solos by Vlad and Arend; and "Dithering," a vigorous improvisation that accentuates the group's imaginative energy and offers an intriguing direction for future projects. In Todd Leopold's CNN.com article "The Making of a Prodigy," Professor Ellen Winner states: "You can say that prodigies are our best hope. They are our future. They are precious resources." Like all resources, such budding talent needs to be nurtured and understood, and happily Aleks Girshevich is surrounded by a supportive musical family. Judging from his excellent playing on Tomorrow, Aleks has a firm foundation to grow upon, and a shining future worth watching. ~ Florence Wetzel   

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=41613#.UwqJtoVZhhk
 

Personnel: Aleks Girshevich: drums; Vlad Girshevich: piano; Dave Arend: bass.

Tomorrow

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Tim Armacost - Fire

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:35
Size: 155,0 MB
Art: Front

(7:38)  1. Norwegian Wood
(5:43)  2. The Old Familiar Faces
(5:14)  3. Long Haired Girl
(7:25)  4. Pennies From Heaven
(6:21)  5. The Tabla Master
(6:53)  6. Maconde
(6:41)  7. There's A Lull In My Life
(6:42)  8. Voyage
(7:05)  9. Imprint
(7:50) 10. Bailey's Blues

Tim Armacost has led a life of constant motion. He has gathered knowledge and experience around the globe, which forms the foundation of his passionate brand of jazz. After landing in New York in 1993, Armacost quickly established his presence as a leader, releasing his first two albums, “Fire” (Concord) and “Live at Smalls” (Double Time) to critical acclaim. His hard hitting third release, “The Wishing Well,” (Double Time) announced the arrival of Armacost’s working unit, featuring Bruce Barth, Ray Drummond, and Billy Hart. The group has completed six successful tours in  Europe and Asia, working with sponsors Northwest Airlines, Marriott Hotels and Volkswagen. The band is now celebrating the release of its second recording, “Brightly Dark.” (Satchmo Records) Working with his quartet, the cooperative group Hornz in the Hood with fellow saxophonists Craig Handy and Ravi Coltrane, Ray Drummond’s “Excursion Band,” and co- leading the Brooklyn Big Band with Craig Bailey, Armacost is now seriously in the mix. Armacost's career is already distinguished by performance and recording credits alongside the likes of Al Foster, Jimmy Cobb, Kenny Barron, Tom Harrell, Billy Hart, Victor Lewis, Jeff “Tain” Watts, Ray Drummond, Roy Hargrove, Paquito D'Rivera, Claudio Roditi, Bruce Barth, Dave Kikoski, Don Friedman, Lonnie Plaxico, Robin Eubanks, Charlie Shoemake, Pete Christlieb, Randy Brecker, Akira Tana, Valery Ponomarev, the Maria Schneider Orchestra, and the David Murray Big Band. He has toured throughout East and West Europe, Japan, India, and the United States. 

Armacost describes his early upbringing as a pendulum swing between his hometown of Los Angeles, Tokyo, and Washington D.C. He began his musical training on clarinet in Tokyo at the age of eight. By sixteen he had switched to tenor saxophone, and was working in big bands around Washington. The turning point into a jazz career came back in LA at eighteen, where Armacost met his two primary teachers, Bobby Bradford and Charlie Shoemake. Through them he learned the fundamentals of melody and harmony, and was exposed to the giants of modern jazz, who would give shape to Armacost's early development. Among them were: Sonny Rollins, Hank Mobley, John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, Ornette Coleman, Freddie Hubbard, Tom Harrell, Sonny Stitt, Pete Christlieb, Harold Land, and Clifford Brown. Armacost graduated Magna Cum Laude from Pomona College with a major in Asian Studies in 1985. His restless spirit took him to Amsterdam later that year, where he established himself on the jazz scene, attained fluency in Dutch, and became the head of the Sweelinck Conservatory's saxophone department. After gaining seven years worth of extensive performing, teaching, and recording experience in Europe, Armacost raised his stakes once again and headed for India. Having studied melody and harmony for twelve years, Armacost arrived in New Delhi with the goal of concentrating on rhythm. He had the good fortune to become a student of the tabla master Vijay Ateet. 

Under Mr. Ateet's guidance, Armacost explored the rich rhythmic tradition of Hindustani classical music. With the sponsorship of The United States Information Service, and the Delhi chapter of Jazz India, Armacost performed frequently with Indian jazz and classical musicians. He returned to India to play at the Jazz Yatra, Bombay’s international jazz festival in 1998. Indian rhythmic concepts continue to be a source of inspiration in Armacost's development as an improviser. As evidenced by his recently recorded pieces “The Tabla Master,” “Indian News,” and “Afro Pentameter,” Hindustani music has also profoundly influenced Armacost's compositional style. Throughout twenty-five years of frequent traveling to Japan, Tim Armacost has developed a deep and special relationship with its people. He is a fluent speaker of Japanese, which he studied as an exchange student at Waseda University, and is an active student of Japanese culture and religion. His performances there have included such great musicians as Terumasa and Motohiko Hino, Fumio Karashima, Nobuyoshi Ino, Fumio Itabashi, Shingo Okudaira, Benisuke Sakai, Kiyoto Fujiwara, and Yutaka Shiina.    http://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/musician.php?id=3476#.Uw69D4VZhhk

Fire

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Salena Jones - Love And Inspiration

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:23
Size: 97,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:05)  1. Get Here
(3:51)  2. Hope Love And Inspiration
(2:55)  3. This Girl's In Love
(4:16)  4. That's What Friends Are For
(4:28)  5. All I Ask Of You
(3:48)  6. It Must Be Love
(3:39)  7. Let's Dance
(3:25)  8. Don't Take Your Love From Me
(3:56)  9. Always Something There To Remind Me
(2:22) 10. You're My Everything
(3:40) 11. There Is No Greater Love
(2:53) 12. When You Love Someone

A direct descendant of Crazy Horse, the Indian Sioux warrior, Joan Shaw was born in Newport News, Virginia, and began singing in church and school before making her debut on life's bigger stages. As a very young teenager, Joan Shaw`s career began at Manhattan's legendary Harlem Apollo, when she won the amateur night singing “September Song”. Joan grew up in New York in the company of musicians who would become the legends: Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, Dizzie Gillespie, Bud Powell, Wes Montgomery, Chico Hamilton and Stan Getz - she met all these people, jamming with some of them, and began making demonstration records for artists like Peggy Lee, Brenda Lee and Lena Horne, before getting her own recording contract. 

Based in New York, with her own “Blues Extra Orchestra”, Salena toured widely across the US with “King” Curtis in her band (whom she named), also working with Johnnie Ray, Laverne Baker, Arthur Prysock, and Frankie Lyman. This rhythm`n`blues period was the forerunner to rock`n`roll and looking back, one sees how Joan Shaw is now revered by afficionados of those times. Joan then worked regularly at the famous venues of the Village Vanguard, Minton`s Playhouse and Wells Supper Club. Leonard Feather, the noted jazz critic for “Downbeat” magazine, named Joan Shaw as one of the “most promising newcomers of 1964”, together with “Peggy Lee, Ella Fitzgerald and Mel Torme”. Glamorous and beautiful, with her distinctive voice and relaxed style, by then she had met and sung with a breathtaking array of great jazz names. Her photo album shows her arm in arm with everyone from Betty Carter to Cab Calloway, Billy Eckstine, Vic Damone and Lena Horne. 

However, wanting to expand her horizons, and concerned at the racism in her native country, Joan Shaw bought a one way ticket to Madrid where, having sung one song at the “Whiskey and Jazz Club”, on the same night as her arrival in Spain, she was immediately engaged to sing nightly with Dexter Gordon. But London called, and arriving in 1965, her management recommended a name-change ”and Salena Jones was born! She was soon booked to appear for the first time at Ronnie Scott`s for two weeks but, such was the audience reaction that she was held over for another week, and then another: eventually appearing for seven consecutive weeks - still a record after this time for one of the the most famous clubs in the world. Over the last five decades, Salena Jones has been a central figure on the British jazz scene and from her base here she has conquered the world. Salena has played everywhere, from Canada, throughout Europe, South Africa, South America, to the US and Asia, where she has appeared in Japan at least annually since 1978, and where she is a well loved artiste. Salena`s recording career has reflected her ability to both choose exciting repertoire and also to move beyond jazz boundaries. 

She has recorded collections of Porter, Lennon and McCartney and Carlos Jobim as well as Hollywood and Broadway musical numbers, making 38 solo albums and 22 singles to date. Salena has sung with Cab Calloway, Louis Armstrong, Hank Jones, Ray Brown, Sarah Vaughan, Maynard Ferguson, Mark Murphy, Lionel Hampton, Kenny Burrell, Dudley Moore, Roy Budd, and Toots Thielemans, Tom Jones, Antonio Carlos Jobim, the BBC Big Band and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, amongst many well-known names. Latterly, over the past twelve months, Salena has appeared in China, for the second time at the Shanghai Jazz Festival, Thailand and made three concert trips to Japan. Whether singing jazz standards, blues or contemporary songs, critics acclaim Salena Jones`s perfect pitch, natural swing and her interpretations of stylish songs. They also describe her elegance, panache and charismatic stage presence which make her shows a very special experience.

http://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/musician.php?id=1653#.UweVu4VZhls

Love And Inspiration

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Rob McConnell & The Boss Brass - Play The Jazz Classics

Styles: Straight-ahead/Mainstream
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:41
Size: 153,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:58)  1. The Duke
(9:09)  2. Invitation
(7:10)  3. Autumn In New York
(5:24)  4. A Child Is Born / Our Waltz
(9:17)  5. Peace / Blue Silver
(3:45)  6. Santa Claus Blues
(6:58)  7. Pensativa
(5:40)  8. Day Dream
(8:49)  9. Sophistacated Lady
(5:28) 10. Lil' Darlin (Don't Dream Of Anybody But Me)

Competent is the key word here. Rob McConnell and The Boss Brass have been at their labor of love of big band music for almost thirty years; here, as they Play the Jazz Classics, their long experience shows. The playing is lovely and loving, every detail is in place, and the record is thoroughly satisfying in every way. Lovers of adventure and innovation should look elsewhere, but does music have to be new or inventive to be beautiful? Lovers of beautiful music for its own sake will become immediate fans of Mr. McConnell and his merry brassters. If you wish Basie were still around  if you wish Miles had released two hundred variations of Miles Ahead  this is for you. In fact, McConnell confesses amiably in the liner notes to having listened to Miles Ahead "so many times"; he obviously listened hard. Wary big band fans can be certain that McConnell hasn't spent nearly as much time with, say, Bitches Brew, or Agharta.  

The shadow of Miles certainly falls long over the trumpet section. His melancholy and expressive tone has been thoroughly absorbed by John MacLeod, whose flugelhorn infuses Bronislaw Kaper's "Invitation" with a sober longing that is set off in interesting fashion by the band. MacLeod seems to be feeling a little more down than the rest of them, and the resulting contrast is intriguing in a Sinatra-at-the-bar-at-3-AM sort of way: this is music for the dregs of an ever-so-sophisticated party after she's gone and there's nothing to do but set the fedora down and order another. While the band plays and plays. In contrast, John Johnson's alto seems to be the up one while the band is down on "Autumn in New York." Maybe this is what Miles meant when he said that Gil Evans had taught him so much about "contrary motion and shit like that." Of course, he was referring to the harmonic motions of the soloist and accompanists, but McConnell seems to have captured its potential for casting the moods of his soloists in particularly effective lights. All the music here has been recorded before, so this has a bit of a Greatest Hits feel to it, although it's an all-new recording from May 1997.

Dave Dunlop is introduced as the new lead trumpet player, but the new man has to pay his dues, and Dave doesn't get to solo. We do hear from, among others, Guido Basso on flugelhorn, the leader on a charming valve trombone, and the soulful David Restivo on piano.  Also on hand in this enormous ensemble are Moe Koffman, Alex Dean, Rick Wilkins, and Bob Leonard (reeds); Steve McDade and Kevin Turcotte (trumpets, flugelhorns); Alastair Kay, Bob Livingston, Jerry Johnson and Ernie Pattison (trombones); James MacDonald and Judy Kay (French horns); Ed Bickert (guitar); Jim Vivian (bass); and Ted Warren and Brian Leonard (drums and percussion). What are they playing? Well, McConnell stays on predictably firm ground here: fans of "Ascension," "Kulu Se Mama" and "Karyobin" will have to wait for future releases. For this one, how about Brubeck's "The Duke," the Duke's "Sophisticated Lady," and Vernon Duke's "Autumn in New York"? Garnish with "A Child is Born," "Blue Silver," "Pensativa," Strayhorn's "Day Dream," and a few other deserved perennials. Warm lightly over a low fire. Serve cool. ~ Robert Spencer   

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=2458#.UxD4lIVZhhk

Play The Jazz Classics

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Mark Winkler - Till I Get It Right

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:55
Size: 125,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:47)  1. Till I Get It Right
(3:43)  2. How Can That Make You Fat?
(4:25)  3. Cool
(3:54)  4. Spring Is Where You Are
(4:34)  5. Lowercase
(4:00)  6. Sissies
(5:34)  7. In A Lonely Place
(4:02)  8. Future Street
(4:57)  9. Evolution
(3:47) 10. How To Pack A Suitcase
(5:10) 11. In The Moment
(4:56) 12. You Might As Well

If Mark Murphy is the reigning king of vocal hipsterism, then Mark Winkler ranks directly behind Kurt Elling among heirs apparent. Though the title of Winkler’s ninth album echoes his longstanding predilection for self-effacement, better to consider it ironic. As the jazz cognoscenti are well aware, Winkler has been getting it right for years. As a singer, he mirrors Murphy’s arch sophistication while suggesting an amalgam of Curtis Stigers’ blithe ingenuousness and Matt Dennis’ breezy bonhomie. As a lyricist, he is as consummate a traveler in the world of Dave Frishberg drollness as he is in the land of Cole Porter urbanity. This time around, Winkler’s lyrical skills span 10 tunes (augmented by the sparse, budding beauty of Steve Allen’s “Spring Is Where You Are” and witty sagacity of Ivan Lins’ “Evolution”) of dexterous ingenuity. 

He shapes clever accolades to personal heroes Truman Capote (“Sissies”) and Barbra Streisand (“In the Moment”), swaps hepcat accolades with Cheryl Bentyne on “Cool,” serves up the deliciously Frishberg-ian “How Can That Make You Fat?” and proves a master of the sweet adieu with “How to Pack a Suitcase.” But it is on a pair of ballads that Winkler shines brightest, seeking silver linings in “You Might As Well Live” and, inspired by a classic slice of Humphrey Bogart film noir, fog-bound in the aftermath of a doomed romance in “In a Lonely Place. ~ Christopher Loudon   http://jazztimes.com/articles/24644-till-i-get-it-right-mark-winkler

Till I Get It Right

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Claire Colton - Cry Me A River

Size: 71,3 MB
Time: 30:37
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2012
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Cry Me A River (3:54)
02. Besame Mucho (3:06)
03. Don't Blame Me (3:54)
04. Fly Me To The Moon (2:41)
05. Hey Good Lookin' (2:46)
06. Ain't Misbehavin' (3:53)
07. Sway (3:24)
08. Lady Is A Tramp (3:56)
09. Can't Buy Me Love (2:58)

Claire Colton is a versatile performer who loves music and loves being a vocalist. Whether working with a Big Band, a Dance Band, a Combo or a pianist, Claire gives of her best and her warmth and enthusiasm give her great audience appeal. She has a rich quality to her voice reminiscent of the Greats of yesteryear.

Cry Me A River

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Bobby Lyle - The Way I Feel

Size: 135,6 MB
Time: 58:26
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Jazz: Hammond B-3
Art: Front

01. The Cat (4:51)
02. Feelin Wes (6:49)
03. Baby It's Cold Outside (5:53)
04. Diddley Boom Boom (French Quarter Strut) (5:46)
05. B's Bop (5:11)
06. Horizon (6:16)
07. The Way I Feel (5:24)
08. On The Fly (5:15)
09. Hard Workin Man (5:56)
10. Walk On The Wild Side (7:01)

Pianist and composer Bobby Lyle's first encounter with the great Hammond B-3 player Jimmy Smith was in a Minneapolis nightclub called Big Al's, where the then-teenaged Lyle performed as the "local talent" on the downstairs stage. Upstairs, Smith was playing as the headliner and Lyle, after finishing his set as quickly as possible, raced upstairs to hear Smith and perhaps shake his hand.

"Jimmy was a black belt in karate," says Lyle of that first meeting. "So when he shook my hand, he almost broke my little fingers!"

Lyle would go on to teach himself the organ on the job by playing organs he came across in Minneapolis' nightclubs, including the occasional strip club. There are some things you just can't learn in a music conservatory.

The Way I Feel, is Lyle's tribute to Smith—who, shortly after that memorable first handshake, became a personal mentor and friend to the young organist/pianist. This recording, Lyle's first since 2006, may come as a surprise to those who know him only for his beautifully arranged and produced chart-topping albums of jazz, funk, fusion, and so-called smooth jazz, as it is the first album where Lyle plays Hammond B-3 organ on every track.

The CD is also a tribute to the great guitarist Wes Montgomery, who recorded several popular, genre-busting albums with Smith back in the sixties. Houston-based guitarist Brennen Nase steps up and steps into Montgomery's role and his playing is a joy to hear. Montgomery's sound and technique—not to mention right hand thumb—were truly one of a kind. Nase easily navigates what amounts to several decades of guitar history, channeling Montgomery on the standard "Baby It's Cold Outside" and the Lyle-penned tribute, "Feelin' Wes," bringing some inspired funk to Lyle's "Horizon," and stepping on the distortion pedal for "Hard Workin' Man," which includes some vocals from Lyle and the CD's featured drummer, Patrick Williams.

Not content to just recreate a 1965 Verve recording session, Lyle brings the Hammond B-3's legacy into the 21st century for a program that includes New Orleans second line, gospel, and even sixties-era go-go music. The playing on The Way I Feel is tight and inspired and Lyle's organ playing burns throughout.

Smith may arguably be responsible for making the Hammond B-3 a "viable lead jazz instrument," but with The Way I Feel, Lyle and his co-conspirators carry that legacy and kick it into a funky future. ~Review by Chris Becker

Personnel: Bobby Lyle: Hammond B-3 organ, acoustic piano, synthesizer; Brennen Nase: guitar; Patrick Williams: drums; Mark Simmons: drums; Mark Prince: drums; Keith Vivens: bass; Milton Comeaux: percussion.

The Way I Feel

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Laura Austin Wiley - They Say It's Wonderful

Size: 95,9 MB
Time: 40:49
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Speak Low (4:12)
02. What A Difference A Day Makes (3:49)
03. I Should Care (4:49)
04. Hey There (4:39)
05. Where Or When (4:45)
06. They Say It's Wonderful (4:20)
07. I Remember You (4:03)
08. Fall, Leaves, Fall (2:37)
09. Lover, Come Back (3:32)
10. Two Sleepy People (3:59)

A compilation of vocal classics from the Great American Songbook performed by a jazz quartet. Laura Austin Wiley has sung and played flute in the San Francisco Bay Area for years. As a vocalist, she started out as a singer/actress doing musical theater, and then gravitated toward jazz. As a flute player, she is a trained classical flutist who eventually started playing jazz after realizing that jazz was the genre she listened to in her free time, instead of classical music. Laura plays and sings with her own quartet as well as with Resonance Jazz Ensemble.

Musicians:
Flute/vocals--Laura Wiley
Guitar--Bernie Bagshaw
Bass--Bruce Barrett
Drums--Glen Iwaoka

They Say It's Wonderful

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Daryl Lowery Instant!Groove - Let It Go

Size: 150,3 MB
Time: 64:56
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Smooth Jazz, Soul Jazz
Art: Front

01. S K O Stomp (6:02)
02. Prelude (1:10)
03. Shuffle Down (7:26)
04. Let It Go (7:13)
05. Blue Runner (4:02)
06. The Solace Of My Eyes (5:55)
07. Love Bug (5:41)
08. So Jah (6:43)
09. Jackson Groove (5:44)
10. Popeye (5:47)
11. Tyrannosaurus Jam (2:53)
12. S K Y Drummer (3:04)
13. S K O (Reprise) (3:09)

The the long awaited followup to the "SoulJazz" organ group's highly acclaimed self titled debut features the eclectic Rakalam Bob Moses on drums and the late T Lavitz on Hammond B3.

A Berklee College of Music faculty member since 1987, saxophonist Daryl Lowery was born and raised in the Metropolitan New York area. After coming to Boston to study at New England Conservatory he has recorded and/or performed with such notables as immortals Dizzy Gillespie and Jackie Byard, the eclectic Ran Blake and Boston’s funk legend Ellis Hall. He has been a member of Al Kooper’s band since 1999 and is featured on his latest releases "Black Coffee," and "White Chocolate." His group Instant!Groove released its highly successful first recording in 2004 of which Jazziz magazine wrote “[Daryl Lowery and Instant!Groove] specialize in the funky soul-jazz grooves commonly referred to as “acid-jazz.” …The rhythm section is elastic, mid-tempo patterns aid excellent solos…, resulting in a sound akin to guitarist John Scofield’s “A Go Go” CD, on which he was backed by organ trio Medeski, Martin and Wood.” The band's current release "Let It Go" features Ra-kalam Bob Moses on drums and the late T Lavitz on B3.

Keyboardist T Lavitz is best known for his work with the "rock, jazz, and everything else" instrumental band, the Dixie Dregs, which he joined in 1978. "Bring 'em Back Alive" and the subsequent "Full Circle" studio disc each garnered Grammy nominations (bringing the total to six), and earning T the coveted "Jazz Keyboardist of the Year" award in Keyboard Magazine's readers poll. In addition to being a member of Jazz Is Dead, , an instrumental exploration into the music of the Grateful Dead, Widespread Panic, and the Steve Morse Band, he has recorded with Jeff Berlin, Pat Benetar, Jefferson Starship, and many other artists.

Drummer Rakalam Bob Moses grew up surrounded by musicians such as Charlie Mingus, for whom his father was press agent. He appeared with Rahsaan Roland Kirk in the mid-60s and formed Free Spirits with Larry Coryell, one of the first jazz rock bands. After a short stay with Dave Liebman's Open Sky he joined Gary Burton. In the early 70s he formed Compost with Harold Vick and Jack DeJohnette and toured the UK with the Mike Gibbs Orchestra before returning to the groups of Gary Burton and Pat Metheny. In the 80s he played with the Steve Kuhn/Sheila Jordan Band (1979-82), George Gruntz Big Band and his own quintet. Moses makes personal use of a wide range of influences to create colorful, complex yet swinging music. Bob teaches at New England Conservatory of Music.

Rick Peckham is an internationally known jazz guitarist, composer, writer and clinician. He has performed with George Garzone, Jerry Bergonzi, Mike Gibbs and Tim Berne, and recorded the album Stray Dog as a member of the highly original jazz ensemble Um, led by trombonist Hal Crook and featuring organist John Medeski. Assistant chair of the guitar department, Peckham has been a Berklee faculty member since 1986. He is also a prolific and accomplished writer, and a frequent contributor to DownBeat and other music magazines.

Sought after bassist Bruno Råberg has performed/recorded with numerous internationally known jazz artists including Sam Rivers, Jerry Bergonzi, Billy Hart, Dave Mann, Rachel Z, Bob Moses, Mick Goodrick, Dick Oats, Bruce Barth and Bob Mintzer. After leading his own group for several years Råberg released his CD "Pentimento" in 1992 and "Orbis" in 1998. Originally from Sweden, Bruno currently lives in the Boston area where he teaches at Berklee College of Music.

Let It Go

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Marci Haus - Do It Again

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:33
Size: 127,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:19)  1. I Love Being Here With You
(4:40)  2. East of the Sun
(5:26)  3. Let's Face the Music and Dance
(3:38)  4. Frim Fram Sauce
(3:01)  5. Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me
(4:13)  6. The Look of Love
(2:23)  7. I Can't Give You Anything but Love
(3:33)  8. Straighten Up and Fly Right
(3:21)  9. Deed I Do
(3:47) 10. Baby, Baby All the Time
(3:14) 11. Devil May Care
(4:08) 12. S'wonderful
(3:56) 13. Popsicle Toes
(2:42) 14. Pick Yourself Up
(4:03) 15. Do It Again

"Hearing Marci Haus sing for the first time on radio station WXEL was a pleasant surprise. At that time I thought, 'How refreshing to hear a singer with a new style all her own and not imitating any other singer I am familiar with.' As music director of the Big Band Hall of Fame Museum in West Palm Beach and band leader of the Big Band Hall Of Fame Orchestra, I can fully appreciate her warm style, her casual nuances and most important her passion for the lyrics. Catching her live recently reassured me she's for real." ~ Mr. Ben Grisafi   http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/marcihaus

Do It Again

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Barbara Fasano - Written In the Stars

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:40
Size: 153,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:52)  1. It Was Written In the Stars
(3:35)  2. Let's Fall In Love
(2:19)  3. Here's What I'm Here For
(5:32)  4. Blues In the Night / I Wonder What Became of Me
(4:16)  5. Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
(3:30)  6. Don't Like Goodbyes
(3:16)  7. As Long As I Live
(3:11)  8. I Had a Love Once
(5:48)  9. This Time the Dream's On Me
(3:42) 10. The Eagle and Me
(5:29) 11. When the Sun Comes Out
(4:34) 12. My Shining Hour
(3:58) 13. Last Night When We Were Young
(6:25) 14. Come Rain or Come Shine
(5:06) 15. One for My Baby

Singer Barbara Fasano is the real deal! In a perfect world, if this was forty years ago, Fasano could have been a world-class pop singer/star on par with Streisand. Does this sound far-fetched? It's not, if you consider that Streisand's eponymous album (in 1963) was comprised of tunes largely from Broadway and the Great American Songbook; and that The Second Barbra Streisand Album, released during that same year, consisted of the same pattern, with five of the eleven tracks by Harold Arlen. Consider what your own reaction was back then to the Streisand versions of "Right as the Rain," "Anyplace I Hang My Hat Is Home," "Down With Love" and "When The Sun Comes Out." Barbara Fasano's third album, Written In The Stars is, coincidentally, a tribute to the music of Harold Arlen, and it is just as important a work as the aforementioned 1963 recordings. I've recently seen Fasano's live performance of some of this same material within the framework of her Two For The Road cabaret concert with husband Eric Comstock. 

While the witty and urbane spoken word portion of that event is not included on this album, the beauty of the Arlen songs and the breathlessness of Fasano's beautiful singing comes fully through. While several of the Arlen songs are well known, like "Come Rain Or Come Shine," "One For My Baby" and "Blues In the Night," most of these fifteen selections range from the obscure to the underappreciated. Fasano is a natural romantic interpreter of the Great American Songbook, and her versions of such ballads as "Here's What I'm Here For," "Last Night When We Were Young," "I Wonder What's Become Of Me" and "Don't Like Goodbyes" are among her best. When she performs a downtempo version of "This Time The Dream's On Me," all of the yearning described within the Johnny Mercer lyrics, which presumedly comes from a 1940s environment, comes pouring out. Barbara Fasano's musical forte is cabaret music, yet the album is fashioned with a jazz sensibility. The ensemble is led by pianist/arranger John DiMartino, and it includes bassist Sean Smith (who was the third musician present at the above mentioned Fasano-Comstock Show), tenor and soprano player Joel Frahm, trumpet/flugelhorn player Tim Ouimette, guitarist John Hart and drummer Tim Horner. Eric Comstock joins Fasano on a light-hearted duet version of "As Long As I Live." 

The shading and solo opportunities from Di Martino, Frahm, Ouimette and Hart serve to make this a far more jazz-related album. Each musical genre has examples of albums that demand repeated listening and appreciation. In terms of the Great American Songbook, this is one of them! ~ Michael P.Gladstone  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=23179#.Uw9Jw4VZhhk
 

Personnel: Barbara Fasano: vocals; John Di Martino: piano and arrangements; Sean Smith: bass; Tim Horner: drums; Kahlil Kwame Bell: percussion; John Hart: guitars; Joel Frahm: tenor and soprano sax; Tim Ouimette: trumpet and flugelhorn; Eric Comstock: vocal (7).

Written In the Stars

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Bill Evans - Eloquence

Styles: Piano Jazz

Year: 1975

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 40:53

Size: 95,7 MB

Art: Front

(5:33)  1. Gone With The Wind

(5:45)  2. Saudade Do Brasil

(6:09)  3. In A Sentimental Mood

(3:42)  4. But Beautiful

(4:58)  5. All Of You

(3:41)  6. Since We Met

(5:09)  7. Medley: But Not For Me/Isn't It Romantic/The Opener

(5:52)  8. Medley: When In Rome/It Amazes Me

This interesting album was originally released posthumously in 1982. Pianist Bill Evans is featured on four duets with his longtime bassist Eddie Gomez in 1974-75, exploring a quartet of superior standards. The second half of the program (which dates from 1973 and 1975) is not on the same level. Evans is heard playing two songs he was not all that familiar with late at night at a club, and he performs two other songs and a wandering medley while rehearsing in a recording studio. Being a musical perfectionist, it is a bit doubtful if he would have wanted this music to be released although longtime Bill Evans collectors will find the explorations to be intriguing. ~ Scott Yanow   http://www.allmusic.com/album/eloquence-mw0000201738

Personnel: Bill Evans (piano, electric piano); Eddie Gomez (acoustic bass).

Eloquence

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Thelonious Monk - The Unique

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1956
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:24
Size: 88,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:13)  1. Liza (All the Clouds'll Roll Away)
(4:17)  2. Memories of You
(5:34)  3. Honeysuckle Rose
(6:31)  4. Darn That Dream
(5:55)  5. Tea for Two
(4:56)  6. You Are Too Beautiful
(7:57)  7. Just You, Just Me

The seven-song Unique Thelonious Monk (1956) platter was the pianist's second during his remarkable five-year tenure on Riverside. His debut for the label was the aptly titled Plays Duke Ellington (1955) and once again, on this disc, Monk's song selection did not feature any original compositions. Rather, the well-chosen standards included exemplify and help further establish the pianist and bandleader within the context of familiar melodies at the head of a trio consisting of Oscar Pettiford (bass) and Art Blakey (drums). Regarding the personnel, while Pettiford had also accompanied Monk on the Ellington sides, Blakey replaces Kenny Clarke. 

The pairing of Monk and Blakey cannot be overstated. Immediately, evidence of their uncanny instrumental interaction is the rhythmic focal point of "Liza, All the Clouds'll Roll Away" as the two play musical cat-and-mouse. They cajole and wheedle atop Pettiford's undulating undercurrent as it sonically corals their skilled syncopation and otherwise inspired mile-a-minute interjections. This is starkly contrast to the haunting, lyrical piano solo on "Memories of You." Monk infuses the piece with such profound ingenuity and integrity that his re-evaluation and innovative arrangement are singularly and undeniably his own. Fats Waller's "Honeysuckle Rose" reels with a frolicking and ever-so-slightly inebriated gate. It is likewise highlighted by Monk's dreamlike single-note runs up and down the keyboard and the stride piano-style chord progressions that preserves a fluidity within the tune. The advanced score maintains a guise of almost goofy abandon within Monk's highly logical and well-sculpted musical structure. 

The juxtaposition of "Darn That Dream" is another study in the vacillating moods of The Unique Thelonious Monk. The sophisticated performance is understated, yet remains loose and limber and perfectly in keeping with the album's leitmotif of exploring Monk's skills as an arranger and musician. As if he were testing his audience, the manic and atonal opening to "Tea for Two" briefly featuring Pettiford on bowed upright bass rollicks with a youthful visage, rather than being a simple reworking of this well-established classic. This LP concludes with one of Monk's most memorable pieces on the fun and freewheeling "Just You, Just Me." The trio struts and glides as Monk's intricate fingering simultaneously displays his physical dexterity as well as his ability to play so deftly in the moment. Both attributes would resurface ten-fold once Monk began to animate his own compositions on the genre-defining Brilliant Corners (1956). ~ Lindsay Planer   http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-unique-thelonious-monk-mw0000192246

Personnel: Thelonious Monk (piano); Oscar Pettiford (bass); Art Blakey (drums).

The Unique

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