Jacqui Naylor - Live East/West CD 1 And CD 2

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:27 CD 1)
Time: 61:11 (CD 2)
Size: 111,3 MB (CD 1)
Size: 140,5 MB (CD 2)
Art: Front

CD 1

(3:17)  1. Thank You Baby
(4:25)  2. Once In A Lifetime
(3:38)  3. We'll Fly
(3:25)  4. For What It's Worth
(4:12)  5. Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow
(3:20)  6. Don't Let The Bastard Get You Down
(4:20)  7. My Funny Valentine
(4:11)  8. The Wind
(5:37)  9. But Not For Me
(3:52) 10. Julie's Song
(3:03) 11. It'll Be Fine
(5:01) 12. Me & Mr. Jones

CD 2

(3:18)  1. City By The Bay
(5:47)  2. Black Coffee
(4:02)  3. Angel
(5:25)  4. So Far Away
(8:00)  5. Calling You
(5:04)  6. Money
(4:15)  7. Before I'm Gone
(6:36)  8. Cheese Puff Dady
(3:10)  9. Peace In Our Lifetimes
(4:06) 10. No Moon At All
(5:12) 11. Christmas Ain't What It Used To Be
(6:10) 12. Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight

In the spirit of man bites dog, this is an album whose parts are greater than its sum. Jackie Naylor has a strong voice, good supporting players, a catchy "acoustic smashing" concept of singing the lyrics of one song to the tune of a second, and the freedom of stretching out in a double-disc live setting. But ultimately there's an uneven quality to 2005's Live East-West: Birdland/Yoshi's, with the fiery highlights diluted by too many lackluster and awkward moments. Naylor at her best possesses the rich vocal timbre of Billie Holiday (if not quite at the level of, say, Madeleine Peyroux) and the folk/rock passion of Carole King. The Holiday presence emerges strongly on "But Not For Me," which goes from traditional ballad to a syncopated beat and finally to a mid-tempo swing, and plenty of passion is injected into the original blues/rock "Don't Let The Bastard Get You Down." The "smashing" concept thankfully not overused to the point of wearing out its novelty can also provide some wild moments, such as "My Funny Valentine" performed to what (I believe) is an AC/DC-inspired vamp, and "Black Coffee" mixed with Led Zeppelin. 

Other "standards" run the range from Jimi Hendrix to Gershwin. The downside are moments like the evenhanded and unemotive vocals on "Once In A Lifetime," set to a Detroit-style oldies rock beat, and a rushed and forced feel to the arrangement of "For What It's Worth" to the beat of "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy." The worst part is many of these come early in the show, before she seems to unwind and get more passionate and playful with her audience. The supporting cast, when not providing simple accompaniments for low-key compositions like "Me And Mr. Jones," is first-rate nearly all the way. Pianist Ark Khu is the most prominent, with only one example being his mixing an excellent set of intense chord and runs on "So Far Away," but nearly everyone else has moments (with multiple guitarists and bass players, sorting everyone out for credit is a bit tricky). 

Drummer Micha Patri, aside from some of the ill-fitting "smashes," paces things well with support that is varied and interactive without intruding. Some may question whether Naylor is really an adult contemporary/folk singing merely borrowing a bit of jazz to accent her work, but her experimentation and variety far surpasses the likes of Norah Jones and others to whom such comparisons might be made. There's better and more heartfelt material to be heard on her earlier albums, but Live East-West still possesses enough strong qualities to reaffirm her talent. ~ Mark Sabbatini   http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=17511#.Uzsh8VdSvro

Personnel: Jacqui Naylor (vocals); Ark Khu (electric guitar, piano, organ); Michael Romanowski (steel guitar); Brian Pardo (nylon-string guitar); Jon Evans, Ugonna Okegwo, Emmanuel Vaughan- Lee (bass instrument); Josh Jones, Micha Patri (drums, percussion); Danny Gottlieb (drums); Alison Evans (background vocals)

Live East/West - East CD 1
Live East/West - West CD 2

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Helen Sung Trio - (Re)Conception

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 57:10
Size: 105,3 MB
Art: Front

(5:53)  1. (Re)Conception
(6:48)  2. I Believe In You
(4:45)  3. Far From The Home I Love
(7:16)  4. Duplicity
(8:02)  5. C Jam Blues
(5:37)  6. Wives And Lovers
(7:37)  7. Crazy, He Calls Me
(5:06)  8. Teo
(6:03)  9. Everything But You

Pianist Helen Sung has got the swing thing down. A graduate of the inaugural class of the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance, Sung has put out a series of increasingly distinctive CDs, from her ear-grabbing debut, Push (Blue Moon, 2004), to the classical leaning Sungbird (After Albeniz) (Sunnyside, 2007), through to 2010's quintet outing, Going Express (Sunnyside), with a trio stop for the outstanding Helenistque (Fresh Sound New Talent, 2006). A classically-trained pianist who didn't discover jazz until her college years, Sung's conversion to improvisation and swing must certainly have required enormous drive and effort, but it has paid great artistic dividends. On (re)Conception, her fifth CD as a leader, the pianist revisits the trio format, bringing her own original voice into a finer focus on a set of jazz standards, an engaging Burt Bacharach tune, and one first-rate original. The recording date was called on short notice, which can mean a disaster or a sound full of freshness and spontaneity. Sung's sense of wonder and adventure, in conjunction with an excellent choice of trio mates drummer Lewis Nash and bassist Peter Washington strikes a winning note straight through. The title tune, a re-stylizing of pianist George Shearing's 1949-penned "Conception," opens the disc swinging. Sung is virtuosic and full of surprises and the Nash/Washington team supplies an ebullient groove. 

Frank Loesser's "I Believe in You" sparkles into a jaunty momentum, with the trio locked into a collective jubilance, while the group's take on Jerry Bock's "Far From Home" shifts gears; a tune that sounds like heartbreak, featuring Sung's intricate and gentle touch and Washington and Nash's understated accompaniment. The only Sung original, "Duplicity," captures the mood of stealthy deception to perfection, with a prowling rhythm, and a forlorn and sometimes confused feeling from the piano melody. Sung visits composer/bandleader Duke Ellington's music on the often-recorded "C Jam Blues," with a strutting bounce in its step, and the less familiar but easily swinging "Everything But You." Between those tunes, Sung offers up Bacharach's "Wives and Lovers," treating the pretty melody reverently at first, before stretching out into a vibrant improvisational foray that includes some nice comping behind Nash's energetic bass solo. "Crazy, He Calls Me," a vehicle for vocalist Billie Holiday, has an inward mood, with Sung splashing some new colors on its beautiful melody. It wouldn't be a Sung standards date without some Thelonious Monk. Whether she is playing the bebop legend's idiosyncratic music in concert or in the studio, Sung always seems to find new angles and bright spots. "Teo" sounds wound tight at first here, like a stretched rubber band, before it flies free with a headlong freedom.  A superb jazz musician, no matter what the ensemble configuration, Sung seems to shine brightest and swing most mightily in the trio format, as she does on (re)Conception. ~ Dan McClenaghan   http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=40512#.UzscsVdSvro

Personnel: Helen Sung: piano; Peter Washington: bass; Lewis Nash: drums

(Re)Conception

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Ornette Coleman - Ornette!

Styles: Straight-ahead/Mainstream
Year: 1962
File: MP3@224K/s
Time: 54:29
Size: 87,4 MB
Art: Front + Back

(16:28)  1. W.R.U.
( 4:38)  2. T. & T.
(13:13)  3. C. & D.
( 9:43)  4. R.P.D.D.
(10:25)  5. Proof Readers (bonus track)

Saxophonist Coleman recorded Ornette! about a month after his milestone Free Jazz sessions, retaining bassist Scott LaFaro, drummer Ed Blackwell, and the amazing Don Cherry on pocket trumpet. Four tracks, each titled with an acronym, from the original 1962 release are supplemented by a fifth, “Proof Readers,” for this reissue. Ornette! uniquely blends musical tradition and revolution. Most arrangements sound almost conventional now, with melody statements leading into and out of each piece. Coleman honks out a surprising number of familiar-sounding R&B expressions, and Cherry burns through some Dizzy bop chops, on “W.R.U.”  

How they employ them is, of course, an entirely different matter. “W.R.U.” also sounds extremely difficult for the rhythm section, particularly the bassist, to navigate, and “R.P.D.D.” sounds like it’s missing its pianist, though not from lack of LaFaro’s rhythmic and harmonic effort. “C. & D.” scales the session’s peak: LaFaro tumbles through his walking basslines like a gymnast underneath Cherry as Blackwell impeccably rings out time on his cymbals, playing free but never feeling out of control the freedom of discipline. Although sometimes viewed as musically dour, Coleman sounds positively joyous in its middle section, while Cherry also suggests Kenny Dorham and even the inscrutable Miles. It is tribute to Coleman’s vision that, four decades after its release, Ornette! does not sound as menacing or subversive as once it might. ~ Chris M. Slawecki   http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=13723#.UzsT9VdSvro
 

Personnel: Ornette Coleman, alto sax; Donald Cherry, pocket trumpet; Scott LaFaro, bass; Ed Blackwell, drums.

Ornette!

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Kellylee Evans - Fight or Flight?

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:19
Size: 111,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:57)  1. What About Me?
(4:02)  2. Lead Me Closer
(3:53)  3. I Don't Want You To Love Me
(3:47)  4. Hooked
(3:18)  5. Fight or Flight? (Help Me, Help You)
(5:45)  6. I Don't Think I Want to Know
(3:47)  7. Let's Call a Truce Tonight
(3:39)  8. Rapunzel
(2:53)  9. How Can You Get Along Without Me?
(3:28) 10. Enough
(4:04) 11. Who Knows
(4:42) 12. What About Me? (bonus track)

As the extraordinarily stark and emotional, crystal-clear voiced Toronto native emerges as the new standard of neo-soul/jazz in the early 2000s, much ado will be made of her greatest professional calling card  winning second place in the prestigious Thelonious Monk International Jazz Vocals Competition. But that's just window dressing to two powerful life events which inspired Kellylee Evans to share her gifts for crisp storytelling in multiple styles with the world: the death of her mother, and nearly dying herself from an allergic reaction. Ironically, her torment is the indie music world's gain, as she proves herself on par, and even at times, surpassing contemporaries like Lizz Wright, Erykah Badu, Jill Scott and even India.Arie in the realm where the sterling voice glows amidst sensual and soulful atmospheres. 

The connection isn't just hype; Carlos Henderson, who produced the first two tracks on Fight or Flight, the seductive folk/soul gem "What About Me?" and the yearning and jazzy "Lead Me Closer," has previously worked with Wright and Badu. What sets Evans apart from some of these other young greats is the grand variety of rhythms she glides over effortlessly. There's the old-school soul meets reggae and African-flavored percussion of "I Don't Want You to Love Me"; the hypnotic Brazilian vibe of the title track; the romantic accordion and "castanet"-laced Latin vibe of the witty "Rapunzel"; and the simmering blues sear of "I Don't Think I Want to Know." The fascinating thing is that Evans could easily have done a whole collection of more straightforward trio jazz dates like "How Can You Get Along Without Me?" and still have won hearts everywhere. Evans herself likes to peg her vibe as "urban jazz" but no turn of phrase can do this work of extraordinary soul and depth proper justice. ~ Jonathan Widran   http://www.allmusic.com/album/fight-or-flight-mw0001443520

Personnel: Kellylee Evans (vocals, programming); Marvin Sewell (acoustic guitar, electric guitar); Carl Burnett (acoustic guitar); Rachelle Garniez (accordion); Alexander Pope Norris (trumpet); George Colligan, Jon Cowherd (keyboards); Rocky Bryant, Steve Hass (drums); Kahlil Kwame Bell (percussion).

Fight or Flight?

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Carol Duboc - Burt Bacharach Songbook

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:38
Size: 95,4 MB
Art: Front + Back

(4:08)  1. What the World Needs Now
(3:18)  2. Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head
(3:45)  3. Wives and Lovers
(3:13)  4. My Melody
(3:31)  5. Anyone Who Had a Heart
(3:35)  6. Walk on By
(3:00)  7. I'll Never Fall in Love Again
(3:14)  8. The Look of Love
(4:52)  9. A House Is Not a Home
(3:15) 10. Close to You
(2:51) 11. Always Something There to Remind Me
(2:50) 12. Say a Little Prayer

Pianist Jimmy Rowles once famously remarked, "Burt Bacharach's tunes sound like third alto parts." Well, don't try to sell singer Carol Duboc on that notion. Based on the effort she expended on her latest album, she's quite comfortable with the songwriter who hails from Carol's hometown, Kansas City. That effort extended to producing the session; doing all the arrangements; adding one of her own songs to the mix; and above all, securing flutist Hubert Laws to be principal soloist and gap-filler. Their music-making pays off handsomely. While Bacharach's rangy lines and awkward intervals post a challenge to most singers, Ms Duboc is not your average vocalist. She boasts a clear soprano range so necessary to scale the frequent Bacharach peaks plus firm intonation, as well as the ability to swing. In short, she's an intelligent jazz stylist. 

Duboc also possesses a warm, soothing alto range, which she puts to good use on her original bossa, "My Melody," and especially on "A House Is Not A Home." She takes "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head" slower than most, plumbing its depth and finding a surprising poignancy in the tune, turning it into a ear-opener. "Wives and Lovers" is also given unique treatment: it has bookends in 3/4, but they bracket a straightforward, swinging 4/4. She also turns "The Look of Love" into a seductive swinger. Listen carefully to the beginning of "I'll Never Fall in Love Again:" following a clever, economical instrumental introduction, the first time Duboc sings the title, the first word, "I'll," slides off her tongue just like a Hubert Laws flute lick.  Whether that was planned, or a matter of osmosis, it makes for a convenient segue. Laws goes well beyond his second billing and very nearly dominates the session. His timbre is ideal for her voice; her gaps are custom-ma de for his pithy comments. The same kind of rapport is heard elsewhere: listen for the comping support from pianist Joe Cartwright; guitarist Danny Embrey; and particularly bassist Bob Bowman. Must be something in that K.C. water. Thank you, Carol...3rd alto parts never sounded so good. ~ Harvey Siders   http://jazztimes.com/articles/25347-burt-bacharach-songbook-carol-duboc-featuring-hubert-laws.

Personnel: Carol Duboc (vocals); Danny Embrey (guitar); Hubert Laws (flute); Joe Cartwright (piano); Luis Conte (percussion).

Burt Bacharach Songbook

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Helen Sung - Anthem for a New Day

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:41
Size: 118,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:37)  1. Brother Thelonious
(4:37)  2. Armando's Rhumba
(5:48)  3. Hidden
(4:11)  4. It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)
(5:33)  5. Hope Springs Eternally
(5:44)  6. Anthem for a New Day
(7:18)  7. Never Let Me Go
(5:04)  8. Chaos Theory
(5:30)  9. Epistrophy
(2:16) 10. Equipoise

There's a bit of the iconoclast in pianist Helen Sung. Her musical journey began in the classical world, and didn't take its rebellious tangent into jazz until her college years, after a chance encounter with a Harry Connick, Jr. concert, in a "bang on the piano" solo interlude. And then there was pianist Tommy Flanagan's solo on saxophonist Charlie Parker "Confirmation," and Sung was jazz bitten, in the best way. Anthem for a New Day, Sung's sixth album her first on Concord Records represents a full blossoming of Sung's talents as a pianist, band leader, arranger and writer. Not that Sung has turned her back on her classical experience. You can hear it in her take on Duke Ellington's "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing,)" which doesn't swing much, but does indeed showcase her classically tinged technique. And the album's opener, "Brother Thelonious" written on commission as a theme song for a Belgian ale of the same name  features a crisp Sung piano solo that revs into high gear for some "piano banging" of the highest and most technically-proficient order. This is mostly a sextet outing, with Sung employing a trumpeter (the always marvelous Ingrid Jensen) for the first time on one of her discs. 

Jensen's front line playing with saxophonist Seamus Blake opens "Brother Thelonious," leading into her searing trumpet solo that gives way to Blake's robustly smoldering bluster that Sung fans into high flames on her solo. Sung brings in some guests. Clarinetist Paquito D'Rivera joins the pianist in an ebullient duet (with accompanying palmas) on Chick Corea's "Armundo's Rhumba," and violinist Regina Carter sits in on "Hidden," a pensive Sung original, and on a very distinctively-arranged Great American Songbook tune, "Never Let Me Go." "Chaos Theory," another Sung-penned tune, takes things into freer territory, with the piano slipping into an exquisite rapid- fire mode. Sung adds another color to her palette on the disc's title tune, with bass clarinetist John Ellis sitting in. Beginning as a dark-hued tone poem, with Sung shining on Fender Rhodes, the sound shifts to a proud and bold proclamation, a neo-funk/free flying "Here I Am!" anthem that has Sung, Jensen and Blake playing off each other in what sounds like a choreographed street fight, jazz style. And what has Helen Sung done to Thelonious Monk's "Epistrophy?" The sextet sounds like a big band; Monk's quirky angularity is translated into an anthem, that leads into the set's closer, a Sung piano solo that represents, it seems a centered-ness, a confident calm from the always evolving Helen Sung. ~ Dan McClenaghan   

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=46238#.Uznhq1dSvro
 

Personnel: Helen Sung: piano, Fender Rhodes; Seamus Blake: tenor and soprano saxophones; Ingrid Jensen: trumpet; Reuben Rogers: bass; Obed Calvaire: drums; Samuel Torres: percussion; John Ellis: bass clarinet (6); Regina Carter: violin (3, 7); Paquito D'Rivera: clarinet (2).

Anthem for a New Day

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Willie Nelson - Without A Song

Styles: Country
Year: 1983
File: MP3@224K/s
Time: 38:39
Size: 62,0 MB
Art: Front + Back

(3:48)  1. Without A Song
(4:21)  2. Once In A While
(3:57)  3. Autumn Leaves
(3:52)  4. I Can't Begin To Tell You
(3:45)  5. Harbor Lights
(3:41)  6. Golden Earrings
(4:05)  7. You'll Never Know
(4:00)  8. To Each His Own
(3:45)  9. As Time Goes By
(3:21) 10. A Dreamer's Holiday

In 1978, Willie struck gold with Stardust, a collection of jazz and vocal standards that might well have been titled "Great American Songs Volume I." Periodically thereafter Willie made other forays into the American songwriting catalogue. Without a Song was his third such effort (Somewhere Over The Rainbow was his second, What a wonderful World his fourth). This time Willie stuck close to the formula that had succeeded so well with Stardust. He reteamed with producer/organist Booker T. Jones (leader of the famous r&b combo Booker T. and the MGs, who do not appear on this album), and chose a pleasing collection of great ballads that includes "Autumn Leaves," "Harbor Lights," and "You'll Never Know." Also featured is a duet with Julio Iglesias on "As Time Goes By." It is no criticism to say that Without a Song  never quite reaches the heights of Stardust , since the latter is one of Willie's greatest records. Still, on tracks like "Golden Earrings" and "A Dreamer's Holiday," Nelson fully recaptures the magic of Without a Song’s classic predecessor. Strings and horns arranged by Booker T. Jones and conducted by Jules Chaikin.  http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=1086117&style=music&desc=1

Personnel: Willie Nelson (vocals, guitar, acoustic guitar); Jody Payne (vocals, guitar); Bobby Wood (vocals, keyboards); Toni Wine, Julio Iglesias (vocals); Grady Martin, Reggie Young (guitar); Bob "Chicago" Nelson, Bobbie Nelson (piano); Booker T. Jones (organ, keyboards); Bobby Emmons (keyboards); Gene Grisman, Paul English (drums); Billy Gene English (percussion). 

Without A Song

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Tommy Ridgley - The Chronological 1949-1954

Styles: New Orleans R&B
Year: 1954
File: MP3@224K/s
Time: 54:58
Size: 88,8 MB
Art: Front

(2:40)  1. Boogie Woogie Mama
(3:01)  2. Shrewsbury Blues
(2:16)  3. Early Dawn Boogie
(2:35)  4. Lonely Man Blues
(2:41)  5. Anything But Love
(2:38)  6. Once in a Lifetime
(2:31)  7. Come Home Baby
(2:32)  8. Tra La La
(1:47)  9. Got You on My Mind
(1:47) 10. Booted
(2:45) 11. Lavinia
(2:27) 12. I Live My Life
(2:21) 13. Good Times
(2:08) 14. A Day Is Coming
(2:21) 15. Looped
(2:23) 16. Junie Mae
(2:18) 17. Monkey Man
(2:15) 18. Nobody Cares
(2:49) 19. Ooh Lawdy My Baby
(2:59) 20. I'm Gonna Cross That River
(2:50) 21. Wish I Had Never
(2:43) 22. Jam Up

Tommy Ridgley was on the Crescent City R&B scene when it first caught fire, and he remained a proud part of that same scene until his death in 1999. That was a lot of years behind a microphone, but Ridgley never sounded the slightest bit tired; his 1995 Black Top album Since the Blues Began rated as one of his liveliest outings. Ridgley cut his debut sides back in 1949 for Imperial under Dave Bartholomew's direction. His "Shrewsbury Blues" and "Boogie Woogie Mama" failed to break outside of his hometown, though. Sessions for Decca in 1950 and Imperial in 1952 (where he waxed the wild "Looped") preceded four 1953-1955 sessions for Atlantic that included a blistering instrumental, "Jam Up," that sported no actual Ridgley involvement but sold relatively well under his name (incomparable tenor saxist Lee Allen was prominent). 

New York's Herald Records was Ridgley's home during the late '50s. The consistently solid singer waxed "When I Meet My Girl" for the firm in 1957, encoring with a catchy "Baby Do-Liddle." From there, it was on to his hometown-based Ric logo, where he laid down the stunning stroll-tempoed "Let's Try and Talk It Over" and a bluesy "Should I Ever Love Again" in 1960. He recorded intermittently after leaving Ric in 1963, waxing a soulful "I'm Not the Same Person" in 1969 for Ronn. Ridgley always remained a hometown favorite even when recording opportunities proved scarce. Happily, Since the Blues Began ranked with 1995's best albums, Ridgley sounding entirely contemporary but retaining his defining Crescent City R&B edge. Not long after the appearance of 1999's How Long, Ridgley passed away, on August 11th of that year. Bio ~ Bill Dahl   http://www.allmusic.com/artist/tommy-ridgley-mn0000612421/biography

Tommy Ridgley - The Chronological    1949-1954

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SaraLee Vos & Alexander Beets Quartet - Great American Songbook, Vol. 1

Size: 113,1 MB
Time: 48:53
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2011
Styles: Jazz: Vocals
Art: Front

01. Caravan (5:03)
02. Fly Me To The Moon (3:47)
03. Gee Baby, Ain't I Good To You (2:35)
04. Moon River (4:57)
05. Nica's Dream (3:41)
06. Dindi (4:16)
07. My Funny Valentine (3:32)
08. I Thought About You (4:26)
09. Skylark (5:09)
10. It's All Right With Me (3:27)
11. Lover Man (4:41)
12. Psychedelic Sally (3:14)

Personnel:
SaraLee Vos vocals
Alexander Beets tenor sax
Stormvogel piano
Marius Beets bass
Gijs Dijkhuizen drums

SaraLee gives a new twist to the American songbook, throwing in some Brazilian notes and "Silver pieces", with her unmistakable charming lilting voice.

She makes it all sound anew and fresh, as if written especially for her!

Her favourite musical stalwarts more than ably comfort and accompany her in a dozen delightful "quintessential" arrangements.

A must for newcomers and oldtimers! ~Cees Schrama

Great American Songbook, Vol. 1

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Ken Clark Organ Trio - Dr. Organstein

Size: 75,5 MB
Time: 32:03
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Jazz: Jazz Funk, Hammond Organ
Art: Front

01. Goodbye Mr. Smith (4:04)
02. 2 Young (4:28)
03. Ella In The Belly (3:02)
04. Unconditional Groove (4:23)
05. Lovelocks (3:51)
06. Naima's Knee (4:07)
07. The Rhapsody I Hear (4:46)
08. Jinkies (3:18)

This is the 4th Ken Clark Organ Trio cd. They have been performing around New England and the eastern U.S. for
the past 15 years.

"Organist Ken Clark, guitarist Mike Mele, and drummer Steve Chaggaris lean on the beat, (high stepping funk, shuffle boogaloo back beat ballad), build dynamic climaxes sprinkle in jazz solos and deliver the goods. Clark controls the B3 like a master: hip bass lines, sizzling chordal washes, feel-good riffs, funky blues lines and syncopated accents figure in the mix. The groove, the sonic power of the organ and a soulful message are a forceful combination for reaching the people, all the way from the church to the dance floor. Can't beat the feeling."---Owen Cordle, Jazz Times

"You might be skeptical about listening to the a CD without a bass player, but from the opening bars of the first track, school is in session! Organist Ken Clark has a punchy, thick bass tone that rivals Rocco's, and he grooves like a funky S.O.B. His right hand is pretty happening, too. A must hear for fans of jazzy, funky groove music."-----Bass Player Magazine

Ken Clark has toured and recorded with Bernard Purdie, Melvin Sparks and David "Fathead" Newman among others

Dr. Organstein

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Veronika Harcsa & Balint Gyemant - Live

Size: 167,7 MB
Time: 72:24
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Jazz: Vocals
Art: Front

01. For My Lover (5:19)
02. Stop Haunting (4:53)
03. Time And Space (5:01)
04. Go On Swimming (4:53)
05. A Szomj (3:23)
06. Lifelover (4:58)
07. Moss And Lichen (4:41)
08. Play Me, Play Me (5:38)
09. Drive Into The Sun (5:22)
10. Nothing Left (4:41)
11. Glisten (7:09)
12. Lacs (5:57)
13. Red Baggage (4:02)
14. Saying No (6:20)

Graduated from The Liszt Academy of Music in 2008. Veronika founded her first own jazz band in 2005, publishing their first album „Speak Low”, covering jazz standards, the same year. In 2007 Speak Low was released in Japan to critical success, reaching the top of the vocal jazz charts at Tower Records.

Her second album „You Don’t Know It’s You”, was released in 2008 and included her own songs. This important second album followed the first one’s success, again reaching the top of the charts in Japan. In Hungary it became a platinum jazz album, and was awarded with the prestigious „Hungarian Jazz Album of the Year” title in 2009 at the Fonogram Gala. The song „Too Early” from this album was the most played song on MR2 radio in February 2008.
The third album Red Baggage reached similar successes in Hungary as well as in Japan, where the releases were followed by two live tours.

The Jazz Quartet includes Attila Blaho (piano), Zoltán Oláh (double bass), Bálint Majtényi (drums). Their regular guest is Bálint Gyémánt (guitars).

Parallel to her Quartet she is a member of the experimental and electronic music band Bin- Jip. Their first album „Enter” won the award for „Alternative Album of the Year” at the 2011 Fonogram awards. The music video for the title track was directed by Pater Sparrow.

The fourth album of the Quartet, will be released in May 2011, titled „Lámpafény” (Lamplight) and will be the first album in Hungarian language, covering works by 20th century Hungarian poets.

Veronika has performed at festivals and clubs in 20 countries worldwide. She is often invited to participate in renowned projects and regularly works together with Italian producer Nicola Conte.

Live

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Matija Dedic - Sentiana

Size: 124,2 MB
Time: 53:38
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz: Piano
Art: Front & Back

01. Sentiana ( 4:01)
02. Plan B ( 4:20)
03. Coutlett ( 4:02)
04. Green Dolphin Street ( 5:21)
05. Deep (10:09)
06. Stella By Skylark ( 2:43)
07. Freerony ( 3:18)
08. Uncle M ( 5:06)
09. 6 Umbrellas ( 2:24)
10. Bremen ( 8:47)
11. Helia ( 3:20)

The classically trained, Croatian born pianist Matija Dedic’ certainly wears his Euro-classical heritage on his sleeve, and why not? Putting that heritage together with a potent American rhythm section can be an exciting collision of Old World jazz with New World jazz.

And so it is with Sentiana, Dedic’s third and latest album, featuring Yankee bassist Scott Colley and Pat Metheny’s prime drummer from Mexico City, Antonio Sanchez. The other distinction of Sentiana is that this is one that showcases Dedic’s aptitude for composing; ten of these eleven songs are his. Some people might expect a certain stuffiness from an Old World guy, but that doesn’t describe Dedic’. His playfulness often goes hand-in-hand with his pursuit of some choral notion or a good swift, knotted riff.

The touch he applies on “Sentiana” gives it superb flow with dramatic moments that bracket lithe progressions. Sometimes it feels like a classic ECM piano trio recording and other times Chick Corea. Regardless of what it evokes, it’s clear that Dedic’ has chops. Making good use of the immense talent, Colley’s taut, bouncy bass lines match the pianist’s own virtuosity and Sanchez solos underneath to power the trio right up to the conclusion.

“Coutlett” begins with quick-paced, stop/start action that can test the togetherness of any group, but these guys got this. Colley launches a solo early on, cooling down the hot start, and Dedic’s rapid right-hand runs are followed by Sanchez’s controlled rumbling. “Uncle M” is bop updated with plenty of modernity, Dedic swings with effusiveness, after which Colley solos with a few Sanchez asides tossed in. Still, the piano improvising on “Bremen” is the most tireless and stimulating of all.

Dedic & Co. stretch out the most on “Deep” a tune that’s classically inclined, dramatic, and floating without tempo, save for a couple of brief, rhumba type moments. It even slides into a brief free jazz excursion at one point.

A full half dozen of these performances are done by Dedic alone. “Green Dolphin Street” is treated well with a stately, European interpretation. Other solo pieces, like “Plan B” and “Helia” lay Dedic’s pretty, twisting melodies to bare, rendered with the flair and dexterity of a master concert pianist.

With heavy hitters like Antonio Sanchez and Scott Colley prominently headlined on the CD cover, perhaps a few more trio tracks and a couple less piano-only tracks could have made Sentiana live up to the billing a little better. Then again, it’s hard to against Dedic’s prowess as a solo performer, too. In either setting, he delivers the goods. ~S. Victor Aaron

Sentiana

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Rhonda Lehman - On Gossamer Wings

Size: 157,1 MB
Time: 67:23
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

01. Since I Fell for You (4:55)
02. It Had to Be You (3:23)
03. As Time Goes By (2:50)
04. What a Difference a Day Makes (3:44)
05. What a Wonderful World (3:17)
06. I've Got a Crush On You (2:53)
07. At Last (4:18)
08. God Bless the Child (2:55)
09. The Way You Look Tonight (4:00)
10. Unforgettable (4:03)
11. Bewitched, Bothered & Bewildered (4:42)
12. I Wish You Love (3:27)
13. Where or When (4:05)
14. All of Me (3:09)
15. But Not for Me (2:48)
16. I Hear Music Medley (4:25)
17. Just One of Those Things (3:52)
18. Cry Me a River (4:28)

These are some of the greatest songs ever written. They have stood the test of time and are loved by people all over the world. Every one of these wonderful old songs have been given a new arrangement tailor made for Rhonda's voice and recorded using live instruments in studio. The album was created as the kind of album that you can play as you are going about your day or having a relaxing dinner with someone you love. Nothing heavy. Not life changing. This one is just for fun.

Bio:
A graduate of Indiana University School of Music, singing has always been very important to Rhonda. While at Indiana University, Rhonda studied under the late great Eileen Farrell and was a soloist with the Singing Hoosiers. She has worked as a soloist for the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and the Fort Wayne Philharmonic enjoying every moment on stage. Rhonda has served as emcee to local beauty pageants, has directed choirs, both adult and children's, has performed leading roles in the civic theater & had her own radio talk show.
In 2004, Rhonda was diagnosed with breast cancer and for a brief time, lost her ability to sing. With the cancer treatments behind her, Rhonda is determined to do whatever she can to encourage and strengthen others who are going through difficult times.

On Gossamer Wings

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Bebo Best & The Super Lounge Orchestra - Bossa & Sitar

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:21
Size: 153,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:54)  1. Dolce Vita
(4:13)  2. Out Of Myself (Radio Mix)
(4:21)  3. Magic World Remix
(4:35)  4. Teu Corpo
(4:39)  5. Whole Lotta Love
(5:07)  6. La Fleur De La Musique
(4:22)  7. Beat Conductor
(4:38)  8. Afinado Remix
(4:02)  9. Samba Wonder
(3:32) 10. Life Is On The Sea
(3:43) 11. Entao Eu Vou
(5:06) 12. Bass 70
(4:30) 13. Riempimi Di Baci
(4:28) 14. Sigo Vere Mama
(4:07) 15. Bollywood Ghost Dance

I thought that well orchestrated/arranged lounge/dance music with its own character was from a different time (50s->60s), but this project proves me wrong, even when the arrangements are not blasted by a huge orchestra, the effect remains the same. Leading talent for this is Bebo Best, an experienced composer/arranger and multi-instrumentalist with his awards in filmmusic (some movies that played on the Venice International Film Festival), theatre and other projects (he played on works like ‘electronic paintings’ for Wim Wenders). He also collaborated before with people like Gilberto Gil, Jon Hassel, Steven Brown, Steve Reich, Michael Nyman, Wim Mertens, Trilok Gurtu, Sinead O’Connor, Sakamoto, Frank Zappa, guitarist David Torn (D.Sylvian, J.Garbarek, Don Cherry). 

The music is perfectly arranged with clarity and a bit of humour, and there are chosen perfect voices, there’s a warm whistling added. Not one note is too much, and the effect is equally suiting for dance purposes as for a perfect listening experience. There is no exploitation whatsoever of the concept of sitar nor bossa nova. The sitar only delivers just here and there the right accents, and the music switches from samba (often) over bossa nova (mostly) over hints of chachacha, disco-swing, and so on, with a few clever hints to known samba classics (like on “Whole Little Love”, a track from which brilliantely takes and reshapes a few riffs the Led Zeppelin rock classic), and a few modern beats (fastened sambas,..). There is more a Brazil flavour to whatever is composed and arranged. A great album. ~ http://www.psychefolk.com/bollywoodbeat.html

Bossa & Sitar

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Ben Wolfe - From Here I See

Styles:  Straight-ahead/Mainstream
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:54
Size: 128,0 MB
Art: Front

(6:33)  1. The Good Doctor
(6:32)  2. Angela
(6:25)  3. Baby Tiger
(1:47)  4. Interlude
(5:40)  5. So Lovely
(4:38)  6. Mellow As You Please
(2:02)  7. Lovely Lady
(4:08)  8. Who's Lily?
(6:22)  9. How You Love
(5:57) 10. Two-Beat Numba
(3:36) 11. From Here I See
(2:09) 12. 12 More

If you were to initially mistake From Here I See for a leaderless small-combo session with strings, chances are Ben Wolfe would be pleased. The bassist-composer isn’t merely in self-effacing form on this outing he puts into play a group of top-flight musicians who adroitly and discreetly follow suit. As Branford Marsalis comments in his accompanying liner notes, “… there is no overplaying … no massive technical displays of prowess or excessively long solos on the entire recording. The single focus seems to be on serving the melody.” Yes, the melodies that’s where the album’s chief allure resides. Though Wolfe solos sparingly, his imprint here is evident throughout the album’s dozen selections tunes that may or may not have been written with precisely this lineup in mind. It’s hard to imagine, however, Wolfe wishing for a more striking take on his gorgeous ballad “Angela,” a melody softly illuminated and embellished by guitarist Russell Malone, or a more appealing performance of the waltzing “Who’s Lily?,” a splendid showcase for Malone, pianist Orrin Evans and its composer.  

Likewise, Wolfe takes full advantage of the remaining talent gathered, providing trumpeter Wynton Marsalis with more than ample inspiration on two cuts, the highlight being the lyrical gem “So Lovely.” The Baltimore-bred bassist also neatly accommodates his reedmen JD Allen and, on two particularly enjoyable tracks, Marcus Strickland. Drummer Donald Edwards, dependable as ever, rounds out the rhythm section. As for the string quartet, it’s far from intrusive, often helping reveal the melodic charms inherent in Wolfe’s writing. ~ Mike Joyce  http://jazztimes.com/articles/93065-from-here-i-see-ben-wolfe.

Personnel: Ben Wolfe: acoustic bass; Cyrus Beroukhim, Owen Dalby (violin); Kenji Bunch (viola); Greg Hesselink (cello); JD Allen (tenor saxophone); Orrin Evans (piano); Donald Edwards (drums).

From Here I See

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Art Blakey Quintet - A Night At Birdland, Vol.1 And Vol.2 [Live]

Styles: Straight-ahead/Mainstream

Year: 1954

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 53:10

Size: 122,0 MB

Art: Front

Disc 1

(0:58)  1. Annoucement By Pee Wee Marquette

(8:44)  2. Split Kick

(5:18)  3. Once In A While

(6:58)  4. Quicksilver

(9:20)  5. A Night In Tunisia

(6:19)  6. Mayreh

(6:53)  7. Wee-Dot [Alternate Take]

(8:37)  8. Blues (Improvisation)

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Disc 2

Styles: Straight-ahead/Mainstream

Year: 1954

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 52:01

Size: 119,3 MB

Art: Front

( 7:16)  1. Wee-Dot

( 3:30)  2. If I Had You

( 8:46)  3. Quicksilver [Alternate Take]

( 9:00)  4. Now's The Time

( 9:10)  5. Confirmation

(10:14)  6. The Way You Look Tonight

( 4:00)  7. Lou's Blues

We should all stand up right now and applaud Alfred Lion and Rudy Van Gelder of Blue Note Records for rolling the tapes at Birdland on a February night in 1954. Lion and Van Gelder captured drummer Art Blakey's quintet at the New York nightclub on a night when they were really cooking. Because of their efforts, listeners have been able to relive A Night at Birdland whenever they wanted to. Now, Van Gelder has digitally remastered the two-volume set. Originally, nine songs recorded that night were released on three 10-inch records. Two years later, an alternate take of Horace Silver's "Quicksilver" had been added to the expanded 12-inch format. In 1975, three additional songs and an alternate track of "Wee-Dot" were added to the two albums. Volume Two features the quote from Blakey that became the credo for what would become the Jazz Messengers: "I'm going to stay with the youngsters. 

When these get too old, I'm going to get some younger ones. It keeps the mind active." The two discs (sold separately) have some amazing performances from Blakey's quintet, including their interpretations of classics like "A Night in Tunisia," "Now's the Time" and "Confirmation" (also, check out the drum break on "Mayreh" and "The Way You Look Tonight"). "Once in a While" features the incredible talent of Brown, who's able to create a gentle melody, then weave in and out of the chords in the cut-time section with the greatest of ease. Meanwhile, Lou Donaldson and Clifford Brown lay down monster solos behind Silver's chords on the improvised tune simply titled "Blues," the backbone of what would be coined hard bop. Silver even takes a romp around the keys. "Wee-Dot" and "Quicksilver" each have alternate takes, but the master version of “Wee-Dot” has more prodding from Blakey, as well as the alternate version of "Quicksilver," which has a faster tempo. Curly Russell is given a chance to solo on both alternates. Listening to these two songs side-by-side with their alternate tracks shows the quintet's amazing ability to create something new for the same tune. To put it simply, Blakey and company had clicked that night at Birdland. ~ Michael Fortuna   http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=8511#.Uzg6fFdSvro

Personnel: Clifford Brown, trumpet; Lou Donaldson, alto saxophone; Horace Silver, piano; Curly Russell, bass; Art Blakey, drums

A Night At Birdland, Vol. 1 [Live]

A Night At Birdland, Vol. 2 [Live]

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Barbara Lusch - Barbara Lusch

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:37
Size: 100,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:34)  1. Come On-A My House
(3:01)  2. Ain't Doin' Bad Doin' Nothin'
(4:14)  3. Girl Talk
(2:41)  4. Light My Fire
(3:20)  5. Nature Boy
(3:20)  6. I Love The Way You're Breaking
(3:17)  7. Black Coffee
(3:34)  8. Every Night
(4:24)  9. They Can't Take That Away From
(3:23) 10. So Nice
(4:19) 11. Now Baby, or Never
(4:23) 12. Bonita

Barbara Lusch is a communicator. She sings with a deeply sensual vibrancy that gets right to the heart of the matter. Her songs take on added meaning that ensures we'll "get it. It helps that she's chosen songs to which we can all relate. They're timeless, of course, and provide pleasant memories that we cannot overlook. Lusch brings a delightful voice to the forum that's always clear and crisp. Her confidence comes from the high musical standards that she exhibits throughout the program. The piano trio accompaniment that appears with her gives the session a no-nonsense texture. The focus remains on the singer. The musical arrangements for both "Black Coffee and "Nature Boy include several welcome surprises. Lusch isn't one to settle for ordinary. "Every Night comes with a convincing blues feel, while "Bonita takes the audience on a journey through distant lands.  From the Great American Songbook, "They Can't Take That Away from Me lets Lusch swing with a kittenish charm. The soft edges in her voice ensure a laid-back interpretation throughout the program. "Now, Baby or Never, another heartfelt blues, stands out as the session's high point, issuing a meaningful dialogue through a swinging piano trio romp. One listen and you may feel as if you've known Barbara Lusch all your life. ~ Jim Santella   http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=22211#.UzdRLFdSvro
 

Personnel: Barbara Lusch: vocals; Dan Gaynor: piano; Scott Steed, Essiet Essiet, Kevin Dietz: bass; Reinhardt Melz: drums; Bobby Torres: percussion; Sean Holmes, Kirk Green, Billy Bradford: background vocals.

Barbara Lusch

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Elek Bacsik - Nuages (Jazz In Paris)

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:44
Size: 118,1 MB
Art: Front + Back

(6:16)  1. Blue Rondo A La Turk
(3:29)  2. Angel Eyes
(3:54)  3. Godchild
(3:15)  4. Take Five
(4:25)  5. Willow Weep For Me
(2:55)  6. Opus De Funk
(4:07)  7. My Old Flame
(5:18)  8. On Green Dolphin Street
(3:07)  9. Nuages
(3:06) 10. Milestones
(2:43) 11. Desafinado
(2:26) 12. Recado
(2:30) 13. Samba De Uma Nota So
(2:07) 14. Stardust

Hungarian guitarist Elek Bacisk is a cousin of Django Reinhardt, and has continued his tradition of blending swing and gypsy elements into a coherent, expressive jazz mode. Bacisk initially studied classical violin and played gypsy songs in Budapest, then switched to jazz guitar. As a teen, he recorded in a band with alto saxophonist Geza Szabo and trumpeter Jozsef Quitter, then later toured Europe with Mihaly Tabanyi's band. Bacisk moved to Paris in 1959, and through the early and mid-'60s recorded and played with visiting American musicians, among them Art Simmons, Quentin Jackson, Lou Bennett and Dizzy Gillespie. He also did sessions heading his own bands. Bacsik came to America in 1966, and worked from 1967-1974 with Teresa Brewer before cutting his own sessions. He appeared at the 1974 Newport Jazz Festival and 1984 Olympic Games Jazz Festival in Los Angeles. ~ Bio  https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/elek-bacsik/id123399#fullText

Personnel: Elek Bacsik (guitar); Michel Gaudry, Pierre Michelot (double bass); Kenny Clarke, Daniel Humair (drums)

Nuages (Jazz In Paris)

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Marlene VerPlanck - My Impetuous Heart

Size: 167,9 MB
Time: 71:50
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2000
Styles: Jazz Vocals, Cabaret
Art: Front

01. Fools Fall In Love (4:52)
02. Can't We Be Friends (4:56)
03. I'm Travelin' Light (2:53)
04. Call Me Irresponsible (2:58)
05. Soul Eyes (3:55)
06. I Can Hardly Wait (3:21)
07. All In Fun (4:32)
08. You're Getting To Be A Habit With Me (3:59)
09. The Day I Found You (4:27)
10. Dance With Me (3:39)
11. You Must Believe In Spring (4:50)
12. Fun To Be Fooled (3:56)
13. Willow Creek (5:13)
14. There's Never Been A Better Day (3:27)
15. How Little We Know (3:04)
16. We'll Be Together Again (5:12)
17. Love Won't Let You Get Away (3:03)
18. My Impetuous Heart (3:26)

She's come a long, long way from the time she set the jingle world on end by singing those three syllables, "mmm-mmm-good," and kicking off a commercial idolization of Campbells Soup. My Impetuous Heart, Marlene Ver Planck's 16th album and first for DRG, makes manifest that her voice is as light, lilting, clear, and entertaining as it ever was, maybe even more so. Her backing on this album, with the Hank Jones Trio taking the lion's share of accompanying duties, is as impeccable as the playlist, which blends standards with some compositions that aren't performed often.

There are guest appearances by George Shearing, Marian McPartland, and Bucky Pizzarelli on a couple of the cuts.

Ver Planck is blessed with an unsurpassed sense of timing and phrasing. Listen to her with Hank Jones on the "Friends" medley "Can't We Be Friends" and "Just Friends." Those small pauses between phrases has the listener waiting in anticipation for the next line. No matter what the style, Ver Planck handles it with aplomb. She's bouncy with "Call Me Irresponsible," where Jones gets some solo time, and she's soulful on "Fools Fall in Love." Ver Planck doesn't scat -- at least not very much -- but engages in sophisticated cooing and humming on "...Irresponsible" and on the introduction to Mal Waldron's "Soul Eyes." Pizzarelli's guitar does melodic but unobtrusive yeoman work in support as Ver Planck caresses haunting lyrics penned by the undervalued vocalist Bev Kelly. Excellent playing by Hank Jones' regular bass player, Gary Mazzaroppi, prevails as he weaves in and out with Ver Planck on "Travelin' Light." Ver Planck and Jones deliver "You're Getting to Be a Habit With Me" as a ballad. The slower pace permits greater appreciation of the lyrics, which often get glossed over by the breakneck speed in which this tune is usually performed. Ver Planck displays her poignant, melancholy side with a heartrending interpretation of "You Must Believe in Spring," and does so without being maudlin. George Shearing shows up to assist in the presentation of the cabaret favorite "All in Fun." Among the less familiar but listenable material is "Willow Creek"; Marian McPartland joins with Ver Planck on this wistful tune, which McPartland wrote with Loonis McGlohon. The inviting "Dance With Me Outside," introduced with some of that sophisticated cooing, is a cosmopolitan vocalist/trio rendering reminiscent of a small, cozy (and expensive) New York City Lounge. It's an intimate setting, with musicians delivering a slightly off-center tune.

Marlene Ver Planck is among those contemporary "veteran" performers who are in the upper tier of jazz pop singers, along with the likes of Carol Sloane and Sue Raney. Never dull, the performances here are filled with delightful surprises, and the amazingly facile Ver Planck possesses an extraordinary feel for her songs, a feel which she then passes on to the listener. ~Review by Dave Nathan

My Impetuous Heart

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Jim Oblon - Sunset

Size: 118,4 MB
Time: 50:37
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Blues, Rock, Jazz, Hammond Organ
Art: Front

01. Before I Grow Too Old (3:18)
02. Lucille (7:39)
03. Desert Sun (4:08)
04. With You On My Mind (5:37)
05. When I Was A Cowboy 1911 (5:05)
06. Blueberry Hill (4:18)
07. Wrapped Up In Your Love Again (6:35)
08. Sunset (5:11)
09. Railroad Bum (3:43)
10. Copperhead (4:58)

Out of the smoky bars and neon lights of East Nashville comes the swinging Telecaster blues of guitar-slinger Jim Oblon. His new album Sunset, recorded with the legendary session drummer Jim Keltner and renowned GRAMMY-winning pianist/organist Larry Goldings, has musical roots that go deep into blues, R&B and classic country on a variety of ballads, vintage rock and standards. Oblon, always a believer in the bigger musical picture, aims to expound upon musical legacy without becoming an impersonation. “Today there’s a ‘blues scene’ with Brylcreem and bowling shirts, all the gear, but it doesn’t have the essence of music. I wanted to honor the people who came before me. Maybe I can add a few of my own things, but I want to not lose what was.”

A classically trained multi-instrumentalist from New England, Jim Oblon is now a local icon as the Tuesday night host/performer at East Nashville’s Foobar rock club when he isn’t on the road with Paul Simon as his touring guitarist. He gained national attention playing bass, drums and guitar on Paul Simon’s excellent So Beautiful or So What and his 2011 single, a Jim Morrison-esque recording of the traditional song “Where Did You Sleep Last Night,” which was used in the season finale of HBO’s hugely popular vampire drama True Blood.

“Unlike so many hot players onstage every Tuesday night in East Nashville, Jim Oblon understands restraint is as much the realm of passion as stinging notes that fall like shrapnel.” —Nashville Arts Magazine

Thanks to kamane.
Sunset

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