Nina Hennessey - With A Song

Size: 115,3 MB
Time: 49:20
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

01. Sometimes I'm Happy (2:37)
02. Girl Talk (3:24)
03. It Ain't Necessarily So (2:26)
04. Tre Giorni Son Che Nina (4:02)
05. Willow Weep For Me (Feat. Jeff Ganz) (2:57)
06. Falling In Love With Love (2:30)
07. Lover (2:47)
08. New Valley (2:56)
09. A Nightingale Sang In Berkley Square (4:07)
10. A Quiet Thing (4:02)
11. Temporary (Feat. Don Rebic) (4:20)
12. It's A Good Day (Feat. Ray Marchica) (1:22)
13. Mornin (5:29)
14. Theme From Ice Castles (2:34)
15. Without A Song (Feat. Sean Harkness) (3:38)

Her dreamy powerful voice, like a silvery fresh-water spring, flows effortlessly over the sophisticated fun material from a chacha treatment of the classical aria "Tre Giorni Son Che Nina" to the daringly simple accappella performance of her early mentor, Marvin Hamlisch's, "Looking Through the Eyes of Love", the arrangements and performance are simply world class.

"There aren't many singers who can make the transition from musical theatre to the intimate nightclub scene as easily and as beautifully as Nina. Listen closely and you'll hear what I mean-Nina Knows!" Marilyn Maye

"Ever since her last Broadway show, "Bye Bye Birdie", closed; Nina has been cookin' up something new. It began when Marilyn Maye and Don Rebic met Nina in the studio to play through her book of favorite songs.
Last fall, dear friend and fellow musician, Nick Cerrato, booked Nina and me for a gig. It was a perfect opportunity to feature Nina and her "new book" of songs. We called Don to be our MusicalDirector/pianist and Jeff Ganz to play the bass. In spite of us all being old friends, this was the first time we'd all played together.
It turned out that the gig took place three days after my dad passed away and less than 24 hours before hurricane Sandy
hit. Nobody cancelled!! The music we made that day was astonishingly good. We had serious chemistry and commitment. Nick said,"You have to keep doing this!" Well, we did, and asked Sean Harkness to join us on the way.
Nina has to sing. It's programmed in her DNA. It's like breathing to her. She has a gift of an incredible voice. I'm so glad she is sharing it with us all on this CD. Here she is..."With A Song"...or fifteen of 'em!" Ray Marchica

With A Song

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Dmitry Baevsky - Down With It

Size: 136,9 MB
Time: 59:01
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2010
Styles: Jazz: Straight-Ahead/Mainstream
Art: Front

01. Down With It (4:50)
02. Mount Harissa (7:20)
03. We See (6:34)
04. LaRue (7:41)
05. Shabozz (7:31)
06. Last Night When We Were Young (5:54)
07. Decision (5:32)
08. Webb City (5:12)
09. I'll String Along With You (8:23)

As jazz moves in many different directions and breaks free from the all too familiar and readily categorized sounds of its first century, how does an artist make bebop sound like something other than an exercise in nostalgia or an academic pursuit? In the hands of the thirty-four year-old alto saxophonist Dmitry Baevsky, bop is still a vein worth mining. Down With It, Baevsky's third date as a leader, contains an inspired selection of material, smart execution, and some marvelously telling details.

Each member of the quartet, with trumpeter Jeremy Pelt joining them on four of the nine tracks, plays his role to perfection. In nailing a ludicrously fast tempo on the head of "Down With It," bassist David Wong and drummer Jason Brown show no signs of strain. Baevsky's keening alto states Bud Powell's edgy, crackling melody with crisp economy. Pianist Jeb Patton dogs Baevsky every step of the way and, despite the band's wicked pace, sometimes his chords jump out and take on a life of their own. Brown's brief, flickering snare fills add just a little more thrust to the proceedings. All in all, the band's performance serves as a reminder that, at its best, bebop is truly a joyous, playful music.

Another highlight of a record which contains no mediocre tracks is Gigi Gryce's "Shabozz." The head makes a smooth transition from a sixteen bar Latin intro to medium tempo swing. Wong's walking bass line gives the band the right amount of lift. Goosed by Brown's snare drum accents—some of them more felt than heard—Pelt's solo is short on pyrotechnics and long on melodic invention. Every note sounds like it's played with Wong and Brown in mind. Baevsky takes a more aggressive stance. He balances long, twisting passages and shorter thoughts which adhere to the rhythm section's firm foundation.

Sonny Rollins' "Decision" contains some of Baevsky's finest improvising of the set. Once again, there's a palpable connection between his alto and the rhythm section—one really can't be separated from the other. The tune is taken at what Kenny Washington - Vocals once referred to as an "adult tempo," a pace somewhere between slow and medium which requires patience seldom found in the young. Though Baevsky eventually builds to a satisfying climax, what stays in mind is the way—particularly during the first chorus—he delivers a short phrase, briefly pauses to let it take effect, and then finds another one. ~Review by David A. Orthmann

To their credit, Baevsky and his cohorts don't invite facile comparisons to giants from a bygone era. Down With It is an excellent recording that stands on its own merits.

Personnel: Dmitry Baevsky: alto saxophone; Jeremy Pelt: trumpet (4, 5, 7, 8); Jeb Patton: piano; David Wong: bass; Jason Brown: drums.

Down With It

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Michele Mele - Laugh / Feel

Album: Laugh
Size: 97,5 MB
Time: 41:39
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2004
Styles: Jazz: Vocals
Art: Front

01. Cabana Boy (4:47)
02. Laugh (3:18)
03. Tree Frogs (3:17)
04. Trying (3:46)
05. Tick Tock (3:13)
06. Why Go There (4:44)
07. I Choose (3:21)
08. Play With Me (3:49)
09. Flats & Sharps (3:28)
10. Doucement (3:23)
11. Cynthia (3:21)
12. Try To Imagine (1:07)

Michele Mele is from a family of professional musicians, and has been writing songs for over twenty years. She was something of a prodigy, and began playing piano as a small child. Her talent was quickly obvious, and before she actually entered High School she had already completed all of the necessary music credits necessary for graduation. Michele graduated from the University of Toronto Faculty of Music in 1982, and in 1984 she graduated from the Faculty of Education. That same year, she directed an original musical production written by the Music Department of the Faculty of Education for presentation to local public schools. With a keen interest in live theatre, she also directed productions of Tennessee Williams' "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" and "The Glass Menagerie". As a music educator, she has conducted numerous song writing and active listening workshops at schools and other Toronto area venues. In 1989, Michele Mele wrote, "That's All I Know", which was recorded and performed by Neil Donnell. The recording subsequently went "gold" in Canada. Michele has also composed and arranged choral works for large choirs, and in 1991 she composed a Christmas-themed work for the Toronto Philharmonic, which they performed in concert. Michele Mele has been a favourite performer at a number of Toronto's jazz boites, including the now defunct "Sax On Yonge", "The Top O' The Senator", "Gate 403" and "The Lemon Drop Martini". Michele's debut CD, "Like This" (which also contained exclusively original material), was released in 2003, and was warmly received by critics and fans alike. She is a diverse artist who (in addition to songwriting and performing) has a number of specialized skills. She is the Mother of four beautiful children, and is also a certified scuba diver, an accomplished flying trapeze artist and slalom water-skier.

She also speaks fluent French and Italian, and is a gourmet cook (much to the delight of her husband Luciano, and a crowd of her family and friends!). Michele is thrilled to be presenting her second solo CD, "Laugh!", and looks forward to many more projects produced in collaboration with an array of fine musical artists.

Laugh

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Album: Feel
Size: 131,7 MB
Time: 56:49
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2007
Styles: Jazz: Vocals, Bossa Nova
Art: Front

01. What's So Funny (5:04)
02. I Can't Sing The Blues (6:20)
03. Perspectivity (3:37)
04. Simplicity (2:29)
05. Beginning To See The Light (3:26)
06. Costa Rican Birds (3:58)
07. Don't Hide (6:29)
08. Cara Boo (4:37)
09. Morning Moon (2:38)
10. Why Choose (4:30)
11. You Must Believe In Spring (5:58)
12. Stop Talking (7:38)

Singer,composer,music educator Michele Mele releases her 3rd album of original material, entitled"feel".An enthusiastic and dynamic performer, her music reflects her many influences from a lifetime of music.Michele has had the good fortune of growing up in a musical family. She has been writing songs for over 20 years. A graduate of University of Toronto Faculty of Music and Faculty of Education, she has been inspiring music in everyone she meets. Her original song "That's All I Know" recorded by Neil Donnell we "gold" in Canada in 1989.As a composer she has written and arranged songs, choral and orchestral works including a piece written for and performed by The Toronto Philharmonic under Michele's baton.She has become a favorite performer in the Toronto Jazz scene playing at all the hot spots.Michele also offers workshops and clinics on songwriting performing and integrated arts.

Feel

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Don Lanphere - Like A Bird

Size: 142,5 MB

Time: 61:21

File: MP3 @ 320K/s

Released: 2000

Styles: Mainstream Jazz

Art: Front

01. Swingin' With Party Boy Will (6:04)

02. Somewhere (5:57)

03. Jeannine (4:44)

04. My Ship (3:41)

05. Blues For Les (7:30)

06. Slow Boat To China (5:23)

07. A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing (4:16)

08. Like A Bird (3:56)

09. Hello (5:21)

10. East Coast Attitude (5:29)

11. What Is This Thing Called Love (3:59)

12. Alexander's What (4:56)

Since Don Lanphere has been on the jazz scene since the 1940s, one would think that there is no format in which he hasn't performed. This album goes to show that there is always something new on the horizon. And that's the scene for this album, where, for the first time, Lanphere works with a Hammond B3 organ, here in the capable hands of Barney McClure. Also along for this occasion is guitarist Mimi Fox, and when you add Mel Brown on drums, you have a rather novel quartet of sax, organ, guitar, and drums. The boppish saxes of Lanphere, along with the organ groove and soul and the clean guitar strumming of Fox, produce a unique group sound. This is apparent right from the first track of Lanphere's "Swingin' With Party Boy Will," where both establish credentials as individual performers and as soloists. Lanphere's sax is appropriately vibrant, fitting well with McClure's organ and Fox's guitar reaching down to bass depths, on occasion. Brown gets in well-timed drum licks. And everything goes uphill from there. By the time they reach "East Coast Attitude," everyone is grooving high and strong. A Fox original, each gets the chance to stretch way out in that understated modal music style. Lanphere and Fox are alone on a lovely rendering of "A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing," where Fox has her guitar pitched rather low and sonorous as she works underneath Lanphere's statement of the melody line. This is a superior track of music. Opening with ethereal Fox strings then sequing into Lanphere's light, delicate and true pitch soprano sax, "My Ship" is another choice three-plus minutes of music. Altogether, the album is more than an hour of consummate musicianship and is highly recommended. ~Review by Dave Nathan

Like A Bird  

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Irene & Her Latin Jazz Band - Summer Samba

Styles: Latin Jazz, Brazilian Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:24
Size: 106,2 MB
Art: Front

(2:40)  1. Sway
(2:33)  2. The Constant Rain
(3:25)  3. Summer Samba
(3:05)  4. Whatever Lola Wants
(3:34)  5. Waters of March
(2:41)  6. Só Danço Samba
(3:00)  7. Little Boat
(3:45)  8. So Many Stars
(4:02)  9. Samba Saravah
(3:26) 10. Pretty World
(4:09) 11. Besame Mucho
(2:31) 12. One Note Samba
(3:15) 13. My Heart Belongs to Daddy
(4:11) 14. Let's Face the Music and Dance

If your idea of heaven is Brazilian music of he bossa nova vein, you've just passed through Saint Peter's gates with Summer Samba. Sweet-voiced Irene Nachreiner sways through a cornucopia of '60s samba with a slick, light and glossy band. Songs like Jobim's "One Note Samba" and "Waters of March" evoke images of Brazil, with Irene's infectious pop treatment of these tunes from the great South American songbook. Songs that we've grown accustomed to that have even a hint of samba flavor like "Whatever Lola Wants" are treated with a twinkle in the eye with the extra groove kicking in. What catches ones ear with a raised eyebrow are her wonderful Brazilian additions to songs like "My Heart Belongs to Daddy" and "Let's Face the Music and Dance." Just as Count Basie and Benny Goodman could swing anything that would come their way, Irene transforms these Tin Pan Alley tunes into snappy and infectious salsas. Cheerful, bright and optimistic, Irene can't help but cheer you up if you're down in the dumps or feeling the blues. Summer Samba is a great recording to start and if you've ever wondered what drove the music world mad in the '60s besides the Beatles pick up a copy of your own for a taste of summer in the winter. ~ "Summer Samba" review by George Harris /All About Jazz - Los Angeles/San Francisco/Chicago Edition /December 2007/Vol. 5 No. 11... More......http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/irenesings2

Personnel : Irene Nachreiner (vocals), Daniel Groisman (bass), Marco Tulio (guitar), Cristiano Novelli (percussion), Ron Snyder (piano), Scott Martin (saxophone and flute), Rich Wenzel (piano), Brice Martin (flute)

Summer Samba

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Engelbert Wrobel, Frank Roberscheuten, Chris Hopkins - Jammin'

Styles: Straight-ahead/Mainstream
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:03
Size: 172,4 MB
Art: Front

(6:53)  1. You Do Something To Me
(5:08)  2. Can't Help Lovin' That Man
(5:41)  3. Rose Room
(5:16)  4. I Can't Get Started
(6:52)  5. Robbin's Nest
(5:30)  6. Smiles
(6:46)  7. When I Grow Too Old To Dream
(4:58)  8. Mama Inez
(6:10)  9. I Surrender Dear
(4:19) 10. You Brought A New Kind Of Love To Me
(5:56) 11. I Can't Believe That You Are In Love With Me
(4:21) 12. Candlelights
(7:05) 13. El Salon De Gutbucket

This is the beauty of Jazz. As if from a dream, a multinational collection of musicians gather on the neutral ground of an international convention and are asked, on short notice to prepare and play a program. This particular group of musicians was to first meet on the bandstand. During a 15 minute Götterdammerung, they decide on a program and arrangements and then proceed to swing like they have known each other forever. This is exactly what took place at the International Association of Jazz Record Collectors convention held in Hamburg Germany in 1999. Reedists Engelbert Wrobel, Frank Roberscheuten, and pianist Chris Hopkins joined ranks to lead a band is a sometimes suprising collection of mainstream jazz standards presented in a mainstream manner. What is so stunning about this collection is the seamless telepathy with which these musicians, strangers to one another except by reputation, mix into a perfect solution of sound and swing. Martin Williams queried once that the big nonjazz listener question was, "Where is the melody". In this jazz, lake many other performances, the melody is presented up front in the head and then each musician, in a time honored manner, steps up to say what he or she has to say about that melody by offering their own melodies. This modus operandi worked all too well on this night, much to the satisfaction of those who will purchase this performance.~ C.Michael Bailey   http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=8354#.UzHAD4UqPro

Personnel: Engelbert Wrobel: Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone; Frank Roberscheuten: Clarinet; Tenor Saxophone; Alto Saxophone; Chris Hopkins: Piano; Harvey Weston: Bass; Bobby Worth: Drums.

Jammin'

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Willie Nelson - Nacogdoches

Styles: Country
Year: 2004
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 39:22
Size: 73,2 MB
Art: Front

(2:49)  1. Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone
(2:57)  2. A Dreamer's Holiday
(2:16)  3. Corine, Corina
(2:42)  4. Walkin' My Baby Back Home
(3:32)  5. To Each His Own
(3:05)  6. I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter
(2:57)  7. Golden Earrings
(2:40)  8. Columbus Stockade Blues
(2:57)  9. I Can't Begin To Tell You
(3:50) 10. I'll String Along With You
(2:33) 11. I'm Beginning To See The Light
(2:34) 12. How High The Moon
(4:26) 13. Stardust

Profile of the iconic American troubadour, whose career as a muscian, actor and political activist has spanned five decades and has seen him collaborating with many of music's greats.

'Outlaw' country music star, songwriter, actor, author and philanthropist, there is little left for Willie Nelson to accomplish during his life-time. With an apparently open and affable character Nelson has always been, nevertheless, a somewhat guarded man. In interviews his natural manner glosses over much information and he reveals only as much, or rather as little, as he feels like. It has been suggested that this stems from his poor Texan childhood. Born 30 April 1933 in Abbott, Texas, then abandoned by his mother at only six months old, he and his older sister Bobbie were raised by their paternal grandparents. Despite the poverty which the family underwent during the Great Depression, Nelson and Bobbie were never deprived of music. They grew-up with Gospel, Country and of course Frank Sinatra. Nelson began scribbling poetry at the age of five and when he received his first guitar, aged six, he began to put his lyrics to music. Both he and Bobbie benefited from the knowledge of their musical grandparents. Sadly, when Nelson was still very young, his grandfather died, leaving a gaping hole in his life. Nelson used his talent and song-writing ability to translate his grief into music.

 It was this honesty and simplicity that would become an unwavering part of his style and character over the years, earning him devoted fans from all walks of life. By the age of 10 Nelson was playing his first gigs with a local polka band. Then when his sister married at the age of 16 both Nelson and Bobbie joined her husband Bud Fletcher's band. Playing local dances and even on the radio Nelson stood out from the rest of the band. So much so that by the time he was 14 he had his own fan-club. After graduating from high school and a short stint in the Air Force, Nelson found himself married with three kids before he reached 25. Broke and with a family to support Nelson took to the road to try and find jobs. Working at radio stations and performing in local clubs the family struggled to pay the rent, often having to up and leave in the middle of the night to avoid the landlords. It was during these difficult years that Nelson sold his first song to keep his family afloat. 'Family Bible', now a country classic, was sold for the sum of $50. With one hit under his belt Nelson was convinced he could write more. Two of his most famous songs, 'Crazy' and 'Nightlife' were written at the wheel of his car driving to and from gigs in Houston, Texas. 

While working in a radio station in Vancouver, Washington, Nelson often performed on air. It was here that he met song-writer and promoter Mae Axton. She advised him to take his songs back with him to Texas or Tennessee and play amongst his peers. Nelson headed for Nashville where he found a music scene that was not quite ready for him. Ahead of his time, Nelson did not conform to the local 'Nashville Sound' and finding gigs became difficult. With little success as a performer Nelson continued to write songs eventually finding himself as a popular regular at Tootsie's, the hangout of the local songwriters....More... http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biographies/willie-nelson.html

Nacogdoches

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Elisa Fiorillo - Labor Of Love

Size: 92,1 MB
Time: 39:32
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2006
Styles: Jazz: Vocals
Art: Front

01. Mood For A Melody (3:32)
02. Everything Happens For A Reason (4:10)
03. Bun In The Oven (3:01)
04. Reminiscing (4:51)
05. Hip Hop Skip (3:59)
06. Singing My Song (4:08)
07. Good Lovin' (3:31)
08. Oak Tree (3:31)
09. Loving You (5:09)
10. All The Way (3:37)

An ebullient new Jazz voice with an artistry and style reminiscent of the classic Jazz divas of yesteryear. Singer, composer, producer Elisa Fiorillo and composer, producer Nyalle Iameh proudly present 9 original compositions on the CD “Labor Of Love”. The album was recorded when Elisa was pregnant with her first child “Olivia”. The album was truly a labor of love. Talented musicians, great songs, one great cover of “All The Way” and the spectacular singing voice of Elisa…how can you go wrong? Purchase “Labor of Love” by clicking on the link below and get ready to dive into the new “not so standards” of today!

Labor Of Love

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Hadley Caliman - Straight Ahead

Size: 91,1 MB
Time: 39:06
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2009
Styles: Modern Jazz
Art: Front

01. Cigar Eddie (5:48)
02. Rapture (5:57)
03. You Leave Me Breathless (6:28)
04. Cathlamet (4:53)
05. Blues For Pt (3:14)
06. Lush Life (3:24)
07. Totem Pole (4:47)
08. The Night Has A Thousand Eyes (4:31)

Seattle-based saxophonist Hadley Caliman returns to the recording studio with his working band for Straight Ahead, the follow-up to his superb Gratitude (Origin, 2008). Aided by trumpeter/producer Thomas Marriott, pianist Eric Verlinde, bassist Phil Sparks and drummer Matt Jorgensen, the 78-year old Caliman charges head-on through a set of standards, jazz classics and original gems.

The disc opens with the listener-friendly "Cigar Eddie," an old school boogaloo—Caliman wrote the tune in the 1960s while living in Los Angeles—with a sly melodic line and ultra-funky groove. The clever toe tapper features brief, to-the-point blowing from Caliman, Marriott and Verlinde. Harold Land's quasi Afro-Cuban piece "Rapture" follows with even more high energy accessibility; inspired, compact solos bookended by a straightforward theme.

There is a consistent flow of lyricism from Caliman's horn on the session's two ballads, "You Leave Me Breathless" and "Lush Life." The leader handles these two harmonically-rich gems with the kind of seasoned finesse to be expected from a dedicated veteran of jazz service. Adding to these exceptional ballad performances is Verlinde's sensitive, swinging piano accompaniment.

Vibraphonist Joe Locke, who appeared on Gratitude, contributes "Blues for PT," a hard driving minor blues that finds Marriott and Verlinde in top form. The up-tempo swinger stands out as a disc highlight. Lee Morgan's "Totem Pole" is done in similar fashion to the original 1963 recording of the tune from The Sidewinder (Blue Note). Here, Caliman matches his bold tenor tone with stylized wit, recalling the hip quirkiness of Joe Henderson.

A spirited run down of "The Night Has a Thousand Eyes" closes out the proceedings with Caliman flying effortlessly through the familiar jam session staple, propelled by Jorgensen's swinging drums and Sparks rock-solid bass. The ensemble's energy is inexorable and, as the disc's title proclaims, undeniably straight-ahead. ~John Barron

Straight Ahead

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Sophie Darly - Twelve Secrets Of A Lady

Size: 111,7 MB
Time: 47:44
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Jazz: Vocals
Art: Front

01. Rags And Old Iron (Feat. Airelle Besson) (4:42)
02. People Make The World Go Round (Feat. Pierre Desassis) (4:06)
03. Amazing Grace (4:39)
04. Where Is The Love (4:26)
05. Flying Easy (4:49)
06. Who Is She (And What Is She To You) (2:50)
07. What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted (3:44)
08. Brother Where Are You (3:36)
09. Baby Love (4:12)
10. No Stranger Am I (3:52)
11. Nobody's Fault But Mine (2:43)
12. Don't Make Me Over (4:00)

3 ans après l’album Soul Game, salué par la presse (Télérama, Jazzman-Jazzmag, SoulBag…), Sophie Darly présentera cet automne son nouvel opus « Twelve Secrets of a Lady » : 12 titres, une musique soul et jazzy puisée dans le répertoire sixties de Dusty Springfield, Roberta Flack, Oscar Brown Jr…, de beaux arrangements, des mélodies envoûtantes et une voix chaleureuse qui vient nous parler de manière très personnelle de vies, d’amours, de blessures, de rêves, de secrets…de Femme.
Twelve Secrets of a Lady est un hommage à ces femmes transcendées et magnifiées par une musique soul qui ne saurait exister sans elles...

Personnel:
Sophie Darly (voix)
Arnaud Gransac (piano)
Sébastien Maire (contrebasse)
Julien Jolly (batterie)
Invités: Airelle Besson (trompette) et Pierre Desassis (saxophone)

Twelve Secrets Of A Lady

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Ilya Yeresko & Organic Formation - The Beginning

Size: 169,7 MB
Time: 73:32
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz: Hammond Organ
Art: Front

01. Mysterious Map (6:56)
02. Sundown (7:17)
03. Science (6:09)
04. The Bright Side (5:10)
05. The Hero Must Live (8:20)
06. Safe Trip (5:14)
07. Bird King (4:47)
08. You'll Never Find Me (4:42)
09. The Great River (4:15)
10. The Ring (7:08)
11. Underworld Games (6:25)
12. Adoration (7:05)

Jazz organ quartet that combines tradition and modern approach.

The Beginning

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Cindy Scott - Historia

Size: 128,6 MB

Time: 55:25

File: MP3 @ 320K/s

Released: 2014

Styles: Jazz: Vocals

Art: Front

01. Shaw 'nuff (4:20)

02. There Is No Greater Love (5:29)

03. What's Comin' Atcha (3:57)

04. Historia De Un Amor (7:37)

05. It's Gonna Be Okay (4:21)

06. Turnaround (Feat. Karrin Allyson) (3:40)

07. Look For The Silver Lining (3:15)

08. Laura Lee (5:14)

09. Shenandoah (4:02)

10. I Concentrate On You (5:45)

11. Silence Of The Stars (O Silencio Das Estrelas) (4:29)

12. Some Of That Sunshine (Feat. Karrin Allyson) (3:10)

Stating the obvious right off, vocalist Cindy Scott is from New Orleans. This fact thoroughly and three-dimensionally informs the twelve selections on Historia, Scott's follow-up to Let The Devil Take Tomorrow (Catahoula Records, 2009), without making a burden of it. In subtle and not-so-subtle ways, the aural aroma of the Crescent City appears like an essence, that hyperdistillation that leaves neither finger nor footprint but exists as an indelible mark on the music readily recognised. This mark is made audible immediately in Scott's arrangement (with her lyrics) of the Gillespie/Parker shot- over-the-bow, "Shaw 'Nuff." Looking at that title makes it all too easy to expect an Eddie Jefferson or even Bob Dorough sliced bebop.

What curls from the speakers is something else altogether. A French- Quarter- Sunday-Afternoon march is established by drummer Jamison Ross and perpetuated by pianist Randy Porter channelling Professor Longhair. Guitarist Brian Seeger reaches down deep into the blues and shows where Bo Diddley came from. Scott sings of taking chances to learn, stretching beyond one's conception into that next creative place. Scott makes breezy "No Greater Love," pulling the piece from the dusty silver service of standards. She blow the soot off the classic, polishing it to a high and complex Creole sheen. Porter plays a eutection of impressionistic stride and Antoine Domino- left hand magic against Ross' shimmering cymbals and Scotts wordless song.

On the nominal title cut, "Historia de un Amor," Scott waxes darkly over an earth-pulse played by bassist Dan Loomis. Seeger seasons the piece with electric guitar cries in the extended introduction and then when Scott gets her Spanish on, leading up to Seeger's craggy and urgent solo, overdriven and cutting. Scott picks up and completes this urgent ache, completing the piece as a humid Caribbean tone poem. Scott penned the English lyrics. The original "It's Gonna Be Okay" ia a cross-over dream, a song of certain hope that would be as at home in the modern country realm as it is here, full of Louisiana and sunshine.

"Look at the Silver Lining" and "Shenandoah" are so completely transformed they become a celebration of all that jazz is in its absolute exegesis. In both songs, Scott winds up and throws a wicked curve ball. The former is taken up-tempo and is perhaps the most "jazzy" of all of the selections. The latter is made even more pastoral than the original by its slower tempo amid bass harmonics and Scott's rich flute playing. Scott duets with Karrin Allyson on "Some of that Sunshine" providing an upbeat and inclusive end to a very fine recording indeed.~Review by C. Michael Bailey

Personnel: Cindy Scott: vocals; Randy Porter: piano; Dan Loomis: bass; Jamison Ross: drums; Brian Seeger: guitar (1, 4, 5); Shannon Powell: percussion; Evan Christopher: clarinet (11); Karrin Allyson: vocals (12).

Historia

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Kate Reid - Sentimental Mood

Styles: Piano And Vocal Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:47
Size: 133,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:59)  1. I Thought About You
(4:36)  2. Quiet Nights Of Quiet Stars
(3:40)  3. Lush Life
(3:41)  4. Let's Do It/Let's Fall In Love
(4:05)  5. Dreamer
(8:18)  6. Too Late Now
(4:53)  7. I Can't Believe You're In Love With Me
(3:12)  8. Only Trust Your Heart
(5:47)  9. In A Sentimental Mood
(5:11) 10. Out Of This World
(4:22) 11. Nothing Is Too Wonderful
(4:58) 12. The Face I Love

Pianist and vocalist Kate Reid is the latest singer to present music from The Great American Songbook, covered by so many others over the years. Blessed with a rich alto voice and being a consummate pianist to boot, Reid puts her own unique spin to a selection of oft-heard standards. Sentimental Mood benefits from a fine cast of Los Angeles musicians, among them guitarist Ron Eschete and saxophonist Ernie Watts, who plays sparingly here. Also performing with the singer is trumpeter and husband Steve Reid.  Unlike some jazz vocal recordings where the instrumentals play a major role in the music, Reid's vocals dominate the album, pushing the other musicians to the background. This is rhythm-based music where the piano, bass, guitar and drums provide the majority of the support. 

The music here is clearly designed to appeal to one's softer side, beginning with Van Heusen/Mercer's "I Thought About You" and offering others like Billy Strayhorn's "Lush Life," and Cole Porter's "Let's Do It/Let's Fall In Love," which set the mood here and it's all sentimental. Reid is particularly enjoyable with splendid interpretations of Jobim's "Dreamer" and "Too Late Now," two of the softer and mellow songs on the disc. She ends on a high note with "The Face I Love," the best pick-up tune and the only one featuring Watts' dazzling saxophone, with whom Reid shares the stage on a wonderful closer and departure from the theme of the album. With a doctorate degree in Jazz Performance, Reid's Sentimental Mood is just the kind of musical medicine to cure that moody feeling, providing a jazzy prescription of sentimental love songs to soothe the tender heart. ~ Edward Blanco   

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=30692#.UzD7XYUqPro 

Personnel: Kate Reid: piano and vocals; Steve Reid: trumpet; Steve Barnes: drums; Chris Conner: bass; Ron Eschete: guitar; Ernie Watts: tenor saxophone.

Sentimental Mood

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Laverne Butler - Blues in the City

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:27
Size: 136,6 MB
Art: Front + Back

(3:21)  1. This Bitter Earth
(4:29)  2. Please Send Me Someone To Love
(2:47)  3. Hit The Road Jack
(5:42)  4. Willow Weep For Me
(3:32)  5. The Blues Are Out Of Town
(6:06)  6. One For My Baby
(6:22)  7. Late Sunday Afternoon
(5:04)  8. I'm A Fool To Want You
(4:30)  9. Born To Be Blue
(3:54) 10. Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying
(4:20) 11. All That I Know
(4:43) 12. Since I Fell For You
(4:30) 13. Backwater Blues

In the Tradition. Was Bessie Smith a “blues singer” or a “jazz singer”? What about Dinah Washington? Billie Holiday is an easier case. She recorded only two true twelve bar blues songs. But these other artists? They are not so easy. So with the case of LaVerne Butler. The music on Blues In The City is that seductive hybrid existing where the edges of barroom blues and high-style jazz begin to dissolve into one another, creating an aural taste and aroma that is at once sophisticated and earthy. This is a disc that remains firmly (and comfortably) in the middle of that intersection where popular music, jazz and blues kiss.  Influences. Colleagues have opined that Ms. Butler sounds like a pop Dinah or blue Billie. I think she is a female Sinatra. Her repertoire on this disc includes the Sinatra classics “One More for the Road” and “Willow Weep for Me”. 

Her phrasing is simple and lean in a thoughtful way, like the Chairman’s. Her delivery is in all good taste. There are no scat pyrotechnics. No, this is not Butler’s style. Instead, she concentrates on the nuances. Caressing syllables and rests in a sensuous way that is never cheap always tasteful and refined. This disc is populated with work-horse standards made fresh by Butler’s spare approach. The only possible quibble would be the inclusion of background vocalists, who detract from Butler’s authoritative delivery. Then again, the songs are all fun because of their inclusion. A sexy “Hit The Road Jack” is the disc highlight. The supporting trio is very fine delivering smart, understate solos that perfectly match Butler’s overall approach. This is not music of reverence, it is music of practice. Blues In The City is a pragmatic release illustrating how this music is supposed to sound. ~ Michael G. Nastos   

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=4031#.UzBeVoUqPro

Personnel: LaVerne Butler: Vocals: Bruce Barth: Piano; John Webber, Bass; Klaus Suonsaari: Drums; Ava Burton and Janet Givens: Background Vocals

Blues in the City

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Jack Jezzro With The Beegie Adair Trio - Jazz On Broadway

Styles: Guitar And Piano Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:00
Size: 108,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:14)  1. Hello Dolly! (Hello Dolly)
(4:01)  2. On The Street Where You Live (My Fair Lady)
(4:35)  3. Some Enchanted Evening (South Pacific)
(3:24)  4. Anything Goes (Anything Goes)
(3:16)  5. They Say It's Wonderful (Annie Get Your Gun)
(3:10)  6. Matchmaker, Matchmaker (Fiddler On The Roof)
(4:58)  7. Summertime (Porgy And Bess)
(4:12)  8. If Ever I Would Leave You (Camelot)
(3:45)  9. I Got Rhythm (Girl Crazy)
(4:53) 10. If I Loved You (Carousel)
(3:29) 11. Hello, Young Lovers (The King And I)
(3:57) 12. Somewhere (West Side Story)

Jazz on Broadway features guitarist Jack Jezzro and the Beegie Adair piano trio performing a nice selection of standards from classic Broadway musicals. Included are songs from such shows as My Fair Lady, Anything Goes, South Pacific, Hello Dolly, and others. This is a warm, romantic album with an urbane, relaxed vibe perfect for intimate dinners and afterglow situations. http://www.allmusic.com/album/jazz-on-broadway-mw0001026181.

Personnel: Jack Jezzro (guitar); Beegie Adair (piano); Chris Brown (drums).

Jazz On Broadway

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Bernd Lhotzky And Chris Hopkins - Tandem

Styles: Dixieland/New Orleans/Swing
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:15
Size: 126,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:28)  1. Shake It And Break It
(3:23)  2. I Adore You
(3:08)  3. Everything I've Got Belongs To You
(4:18)  4. Warm Valley
(3:45)  5. Finger Buster
(4:41)  6. Black And Tan Fantasy
(3:15)  7. You Do Something To Me
(3:00)  8. Flashes
(3:42)  9. I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm
(3:12) 10. Sweet And Slow
(2:40) 11. I Wish I Were Twins
(5:24) 12. Lullaby Of The Leaves
(3:23) 13. Armand The Groove
(4:21) 14. J. Fred Coots-Medley: Louisiana Fairytale* + The More I Know You**
(3:31) 15. Bess, You Is My Woman Now (from "Porgy And Bess")

Making a successful piano duet recording is a challenge. In addition to the performance, there is the issue of the recording process: getting the mix right and capturing both instruments with clarity. This is not an easy thing to do, as the evidence of many poorly recorded piano duets will attest. In addition, there's the task of pacing, which is a considerable challenge with the sound of two pianos. Such duet recordings often have a frenetic dueling pianos feel, which quickly gets old. The good news about Tandem is that it's beautifully recorded, well paced, and displays the inspired performances of two excellent pianists. Pianists Chris Hopkins and Bernd Lhotzky are not just notable soloists. They also accompany each other with an intuitive sense of nuance and a sophisticated sense of musical taste. They focus on standards from the '20s to the '40s by the likes of Duke Ellington, Willie "The Lion Smith, Cole Porter, Richard Rodgers, Bix Beiderbecke, the Gershwins and other great songwriters of the age. 

This is traditional jazz, and these two pianists are extremely comfortable in this world. Arbors Jazz fans will recognize Chris Hopkins as a label regular. Anyone who has heard him on record will not be surprised by the mastery he demonstrates on Tandem. Lhotzky, an apt musical match for Hopkins, has recently released a solo recording on Arbors. Both players were raised in Germany and have a special affinity for stride and swing piano. Both are building considerable international reputations, which Tandem will undoubtedly enhance. Some of the best tracks on this consistently fine recording are breathtakingly graceful and complex stride piano duets. The musical rapport is a delight. If you're a traditional jazz fan, and especially a piano jazz fan, this is a recording not to miss. 

~ Mike Neely   http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=23191#.UzDKAYUqPro
 

Personnel: Bernd Lhotzky, Chris Hopkins: piano.

Tandem

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Laura Taylor - Cry Me a River

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:28
Size: 124,5 MB
Scans:

(4:20)  1. Gone With the Wind
(3:26)  2. What Is This Thing Called Love
(4:37)  3. How Long Has This Been Going On
(3:05)  4. No Moon At All
(3:05)  5. I Love You
(5:06)  6. Blue Moon
(2:36)  7. Easy Street
(4:14)  8. Cry Me a River
(3:11)  9. I'm in the Mood for Love
(4:49) 10. Julie
(2:14) 11. The One I Love Belongs to Somebody Else
(4:55) 12. I'm Glad There Is You
(2:55) 13. Can't Help Lovin' That Man of Mine
(3:48) 14. Swonderful

From tiny acorns, mighty oaks may grow. Such might describe this project, to feature Laura Taylor in renditions of some of the beautiful songs done in such a sensual style by Julie London. The acorn, or thought, was dropped as a suggestion, that Laura’s voice and style (not to mention looks!) might complement the styling which caused so many college boys to swoon in the 50’s and 60’s (My older brother had the albums: Julie Is Her Name, Vol 1, with Barney Kessel-guitar, Ray Leatherwood-bass, 1955; Julie Is Her Name, Vol 2, with Howard Roberts-guitar, Red Mitchell-bass, 1958, both by Liberty Records). And so the memories of Blue Moon, S ‘Wonderful, Can’t Help Lovin’ That Man of Mine, and the incomparable version of Cry Me a River flashed into warm recollections of October nights on campus and fireside listening sessions on coveted 33-rpm LPs (which had only appeared in 1951).

Laura’s notable collaborations with close friend and very talented guitarist Joe Lano (see: Mountain Greenery, Songs of the Winter Season, etc.) prompted an admirer, Doctor Howard Hoffman, to suggest that the Julie London/Barney Kessel recordings would be a natural for the two of them. Howard, like many others, was under the impression that Kessel was the only guitarist on these two famous recordings. Kessel was, in fact, guitarist on Julie is Her Name, Vol. 1, which included Cry Me a River, but the very talented (though perhaps lesser known) Howard Roberts did the Julie is Her Name, Vol. 2, recording that, according to Joe, had many guitarists rushing to emulate what Roberts had done. Laura and Joe began listening to those wonderful recordings to decide whether to further pursue the idea. But the conclusion was easy-the songs fabulous and still timely, and the fit was right. Typical of their collaborations, Joe and Laura next met with guitar, piano, voice, pencils and score sheets to discuss song selection, key choices and arrangement concepts. Julie made so many fabulous recordings that priorities had to be established. In addition to Julie’s most famous recording, Cry Me a River, Laura and Joe needed to narrow the choices to songs which they could put their own signature on without compromising the original intent of the London-guitar-bass-renditions.

Laura and Joe started to work their usual magic! Some songs were done closely adhering to the original, while others received an entirely different approach. Joe suggested a bossa nova style for Gone With the Wind, a rhythm unknown in the U .S. in the 50's and Laura brought her bossa concept of I’m Glad There is You to the mix, based on an arrangement she conceived while playing and singing at The Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas. To my knowledge, I’m in the Mood for Love has never been recorded as a waltz, another concept Joe and Laura developed in the living room that eventful day. Each song, however, was approached with a respect for Julie’s original interpretation and the warmth and intimacy she created. And from the acorn, mighty oaks may grow!

Two more ingredients were needed to augment this project-the talents of recording engineer T-Bone Demman and his Sonsong’s Studio, where Joe and Laura had recorded two previous and wonderful CDs (see paragraph 2 above)-and one more musician. The instrumentation of Volumes 1 & 2 of Julie is Her Name was the same for both sessions- voice-guitar-bass. The Los Angeles-based Tom Warrington was the one to fill the bass chair. Tom’s articulate yet warm, full sound was the perfect complement to complete the project...   http://laurataylor.com/cry-me-a-river/

Personnel includes: Laura Taylor (vocals); Jay Lano (guitar); Tom Warrington (bass).

Cry Me a River

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One For All - Killer Joe

Styles: Jazz, Post-Bop
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:35
Size: 148,6 MB
Art: Front

( 6:18)  1. Killer Joe
( 6:48)  2. Island
(11:06)  3. Night Mist Blues
( 6:53)  4. Mating Call
(10:33)  5. Hot Sake
( 6:24)  6. Say When
( 7:07)  7. I Remember Clifford
( 6:26)  8. You Know I Care

One for All has developed into one of the solid hard bop units, consisting of six talented New York-based musicians, most of whom have recorded a fair amount as individual leaders. With tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander, trombonist Steve Davis, and trumpeter Jim Rotundi in the front line, along with pianist David Hazeltine, bassist David Williams, and drummer Joe Farnsworth providing a great rhythm section, the sextet delves into decades-old gems like "Killer Joe," "Matin Call," and "I Remember Clifford" with authority. But such a band needs to come up with original material to stay fresh, so Alexander contributed the mellow, sauntering ballad "Island," which features superb interplay among the horns. Davis penned the driving"Hot Sake," which sounds like it would have been perfect fodder for Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, or any hard bop band. Recommended. ~ Ken Dryden   

http://www.allmusic.com/album/killer-joe-mw0000673962.

Personnel: Eric Alexander (tenor saxophone); Jim Rotondi (trumpet); Steve Davis (trombone); David Hazeltine (piano); David Williams (double bass); Joe Farnsworth (drums).

Killer Joe

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Echoes Of Swing - Blue Pepper

Styles: Swing
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:54
Size: 121,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:07)  1. Blue Pepper
(3:45)  2. Azzurro
(3:12)  3. Blue Prelude
(4:00)  4. La Paloma Azul
(3:08)  5. Blue & Naughty
(4:03)  6. Blue Moon
(3:35)  7. Black Stick Blues
(3:30)  8. Blue River
(3:12)  9. Out Of The Blue
(3:44) 10. Aoi Sanmyaku
(2:56) 11. The Smurf
(3:53) 12. Blue Gardenia
(3:17) 13. The Blue Medicine
(3:37) 14. Wild Cat Blues
(3:51) 15. Echoes Of Swing

It's hard to believe at first that there are only four instruments here. The arrangements are so ingenious, and the playing so nimble, that it could be at least twice that number. But listen closely and you will discover just a quartet of trumpet, alto saxophone, piano and drums – with absolutely no electronic tricks. The style is sophisticated small-band swing, the material a judicious mixture of originals and swing-era numbers and there is not a hint of whiskery nostalgia in any of it. It's about time this idiom received some fresh attention and here's the perfect curtain-raiser. ~ Dave Gelly   http://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/oct/13/echoes-of-swing-blue-pepper.

Personnel:  Colin T. Dawson / trumpet, vocals on 3, 8 & 12; Chris Hopkins / alto sax; Bernd Lhotzky / piano, celesta on 9; Oliver Mewes / drums

Blue Pepper

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Fraser MacPherson Quintet - Our Blues

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:48
Size: 119,4 MB
Scans:

(2:53)  1. Our Blues
(4:48)  2. Born to Be Blue
(3:51)  3. Whisper Not
(5:14)  4. Round Midnight
(4:57)  5. Louisiana
(4:11)  6. Theme
(3:56)  7. Crazy Rhythm
(5:27)  8. Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most
(4:43)  9. Woody 'n' You
(5:29) 10. Round Midnight
(6:13) 11. Speak Low

The late Fraser MacPherson (1928-93) was among the most admired musicians in Canadian jazz. A prominent member of the Vancouver jazz scene for over four decades, "Fras" remains a much beloved icon to virtually every Vancouver jazz player that's come along in the last fifty years. As a tenor player from the early 1970s, he earned an international reputation. These marvelous tracks, originally captured by CBC radio, date from 1962 and 1963. Fraser is in great company, including legendary pianist Chris Gage, who has never been previously heard on a commercially released recording, and who was said to be the only serious rival to Oscar Peterson at that time. Sadly, Gage was to take his own life in November 1964. 

After moving to Vancouver in 1948, he studied in NYC (1956-57), and worked for 20 years in local nightclubs, among them the Palomar (1950-54) with Chuck Barber, Bob Reid, and Lance Harrison) and the Cave (1961-63 with Chris Gage, then to 1970 with his own band), where he played with such visiting luminaries as Ella Fitzgerald, Earl Hines, Tony Bennett and Duke Ellington. Concurrently he was a first-call studio musician (saxophone, flute, and clarinet) and occasionally played saxophone with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. MacPherson, with Oliver Gannon, won a Juno Award for Best Jazz Album in 1983 for I Didn't Know About You, (Sackville 4009), was made a Member of the Order of Canada in 1987, and won the Oscar Peterson Trophy shortly before his death in 1993.   http://vancouverjazz.com/newcd/2007/05/fraser-macpherson.html

Personnel:  Fraser MacPherson, tenor saxophone; Carse Sneddon, trumpet, valve trombone; Chris Gage, piano; Stan Johnson, bass; Jimmy Wightman, drums

Recorded in Vancouver BC, July 26, 1962 and January 31, 1963

Our Blues

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