Helen Sung - Push

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 55:34
Size: 102,2 MB
Art: Front + Back

(4:46)  1. Conundrum
(5:37)  2. One Step Forward, Two Steps Back
(4:50)  3. On A Clear Day
(7:00)  4. Push
(5:46)  5. Beauty For Ashes
(6:47)  6. The Fourth Maria
(5:31)  7. Bittersweet
(5:01)  8. Speak Low
(5:20)  9. The Waiting Game
(4:50) 10. Ugly Beauty

It's always a good sign when the opening cut has you snapping your fingers about fifteen seconds in. Push is pianist Helen Sung's debut effort. The song that elicited the fingersnaps is "Conundrum," a swinger that features some clean-lined tenor sax work by Marcus Strickland. It hits a groove early, and a couple of minutes in Sung sparkles into an effervescent solo. The pianist who semi-finaled in the 1999 Thelonious Monk Jazz Piano Competition exhibits some sharp angularities again when the sax blows back in.  "Vivacity" is the word that keeps coming to mind as I listen to Ms. Sung's music. Her approach brims with life, solid compositions and fine playing. "One Step Forward, Two Steps Back," sans sax with percussionist Jeffrey Haynes joining the pianist,along with drummer Brian Blade and bassist Richie Goods bubbles and jumps. 

Helen Sung is it's obvious having a helluva good time as her imagination soars. The disc's title tune features a marvelously imaginative Sung solo and some of Strickland's finest blowing on the set. Sung has a way of keeping the listener on her/his toes as the rhythm guys settle into a groove behind her while she takes the melody on some surprising twists and turns. The set is a nicely arranged mix of trio/quartet, up-tempo/ballad offerings, and Marcus Strickland switches from tenor to soprano to keep the sound interesting. The song "Bittersweet" sounds just like its title, with the soprano and piano playing the opposing emotions. "The Waiting Game" sounds Monk-ish, and the record closes on a perfect note with Thelonious's "Ugly Beauty," a pensive little solo gem in the hands of Helen Sung. ~ Dan McClenaghan   http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=13045#.Uz3zDldSvro

Personnel: Helen Sung—piano; Marcus Strickland—tenor and soprano saxophones; Richie Goods—bass; Brian Blade—drums; Jeffrey Haynes—percussion

Push

---

Jack Jezzro & The Mason Emb - Vintage Romance

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:47
Size: 107,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:05)  1. Moon River
(3:47)  2. It Could Happen to You
(4:16)  3. Overjoyed
(3:34)  4. Can't Help Falling in Love
(3:06)  5. Tangerine
(5:26)  6. The Very Thought of You
(3:46)  7. Waltz for Debby
(2:54)  8. Lullaby of Birdland
(3:25)  9. Unchained Melody
(3:32) 10. All My Loving
(4:03) 11. I Won't Last a Day Without you
(4:48) 12. Someone to Watch Over Me

Jack Jezzro has been one of Nashville’s most versatile musicians and record producers for over 30 years. He has appeared on many Grammy winning recordings and has numerous albums as an artist to his credit. His vast guitar discography as a recording artist includes the critically acclaimed Jazz Elegance and Brazilian Nights recordings, along with the Grammy nominated A Days Journey album. As a bassist, he was a member of the Nashville Symphony Orchestra from 1981-1991. He continues to be a member of the Nashville String Machine, playing on countless hit songs including those by Garth Brooks, Faith Hill, Bruce Springsteen, Carrie Underwood, Amy Grant, George Strait, Jennifer Lopez, Matchbox 20, Vince Gill, Wynonna, Olivia-Newton John, Rascal Flatts, Neil Diamond, Dolly Parton, and The Beach Boys. 

His productions, which number over 300 albums, include legendary jazz pianist Beegie Adair, acclaimed Dove award winning vocalist Kathy Troccoli, Grammy winning pianist/composer and producer Michael Omartian, jazz vocal sensation Jaimee Paul, tenor sax ace Denis Solee, renowned violinist David Davidson, bassist/vocalist Jim Ferguson featuring jazz sax great Chris Potter, singer/songwriter Christina Lake, trumpeter Leif Shires, and jazz violinist Antoine Silverman featuring virtuoso pianist Stefan Karlsson. His music and productions could also be heard in several motion pictures, including the recent Woody Allen movie, "To Rome With Love."  http://www.jackjezzro.com/

Personnel: Jack Jezzro (guitar); Mason Embry (piano); Joshua Hunt (drums).

Vintage Romance

---

Lisa Maxwell With The Keith Ingham Quartet - Happy

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:42
Size: 104,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:00)  1. I'll Take Romance
(2:30)  2. You Can't Lose A Broken Heart
(3:24)  3. Sunday In New York
(4:05)  4. The Folks Who Live On The Hill
(3:06)  5. It Might As Well Be Spring
(4:42)  6. Someone To Watch Over Me
(2:49)  7. My Heart Goes With You
(3:50)  8. Going Out Of My Head
(2:59)  9. This Is Always
(2:59) 10. Blue Moon
(2:38) 11. Under A Blanket Of Blue
(2:49) 12. June Night
(3:30) 13. Skylark
(3:15) 14. A Wonderful Guy

Lisa Maxwell's debut, Return to Jazz Standards (Self Produced, 2010), was well-received when released, marking the New York singer's recovery and comeback from a vocal cord disorder that sidelined her for several years earlier in the decade. Maxwell returns with Happy, a recital of not-so-standard standards, supported by Maxwell's coach, pianist Keith Ingham, and his fine quartet. The result is an evolution in cohesiveness and vision.  In a word, Maxwell's Happy is breezy. Her voice has filled out in all the right places and betrays a youthful, scrubbed, girl-next-door coquettishness. "Pretty" and "unadorned" will also describe this voice. Maxwell's natural instrument is her greatest asset, and her singing philosophy bears the same pretty and unadorned characteristics as her voice. A fan of melody, Maxwell is conservative in her adherence, more often than not. to the composer's melodic intent, demonstrated most clearly in textbook readings of "Someone to Watch Over Me" and "Skylark," two amply road-tested pieces, dusted off here. 

Equal in importance to the present recital is the band, under Ingham's tutelage, the pianist turning out to be a most splendid accompanist to Maxwell; his simple, yet elegant arrangements perfectly frame the pure simplicity of Maxwell's voice and approach. Even on upbeat pieces like the opener, "I'll Take Romance," and "Under A Blanket of Blue," the two work with envious simpatico. Maxwell and Ingham coalesce perfectly on the Teddy Randazzo/Bobby Weinstein chestnut "Goin' Out of My Head," Ingham's electric piano and Maxwell's straight-arrow delivery recalling Petula Clark's 1965 recording of the song, flying slower than the speed of sound. The light samba spin is a nice touch. Maxwell is still interested in the standards, but also shows an interest in musical roads less traveled. "This is Always," "Blue Moon" and "What a Wonderful Guy" are a joy to behold in the hands and voice of this singer. A user-friendly jazz vocalist to the end, Lisa Maxwell is one to behold. ~ C.Michael Bailey   

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=40557#.UzyZvldSvro

Personnel: Lisa Maxwell: vocals; Keith Ingham: piano; Frank Tate, bass; Al Gafa: guitar; Steve Little: drums; Ben Wittman: percussion.

Happy

---

Jennifer Warnes - Famous Blue Raincoat

Styles: Adult Contemporary
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:34
Size: 95,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:47)  1. First We Take Manhattan
(4:42)  2. Bird On A Wire
(5:33)  3. Famous Blue Raincoat
(7:58)  4. Joan Of Arc
(3:21)  5. Ain't No Cure For Love
(3:44)  6. Coming Back To You
(3:55)  7. Song Of Bernardette
(4:53)  8. A Singer Must Die
(3:37)  9. Came So Far For Beauty

Jennifer Warnes was familiar with Leonard Cohen from a tour of duty as one of his backup singers in the early '70s, but this collection of Cohen's songs must have shocked her AM radio fans who knew her from her '70s country-pop hits and her movie themes, if they were even able to connect the woman who sang "It's the right time of the night for makin' love" with the one who declared "First we take Manhattan, then we take Berlin" over stinging guitar work by Stevie Ray Vaughan on the opening track here. As that pairing suggests, Warnes wisely took a tougher, more contemporary approach to the arrangements than such past Cohen interpreters as Judy Collins used to. Where other singers tended to geld Cohen's often disturbingly revealing poetry, Warnes, working with the composer himself and introducing a couple of great new songs ("First We Take Manhattan" and "Song of Bernadette," which she co-wrote), matched his own versions. The high point may have been the Warnes-Cohen duet on "Joan of Arc," but the album was consistently impressive. And it went a long way toward reestablishing Cohen, whose reputation was in a minor eclipse in the mid-'80s. A year later, with the way paved for him, he released his brilliant comeback album I'm Your Man. For Warnes, the album meant her first taste of real critical success: suddenly a singer who had seemed like a second-rate Linda Ronstadt now appeared to be a first-class interpretive artist. ~ William Ruhlmann   

http://www.allmusic.com/album/famous-blue-raincoat-the-songs-of-leonard-cohen-mw0000192376.

Personnel: Jennifer Warnes (vocals), Fred Tackett, Michael Landau, Robben Ford (guitar), David Lindley (lap steel guitar), Sid Page, Barbara Porter (violins), Novi Novog (viola), Larry Corbett, Suzie Katayama (cellos), Paul Ostermayer (tenor saxophone), "Reverend" Dave Boruff (saxophone), Bill Ginn (piano, synthesizer), Gary Chang (synthesizers, programming), William "Smitty" Smith (synthesizer, Hammond B-3), Russell Ferrante (synthesizer), Richard Feves, Jorge Calderon (bass), Roscoe Beck (bass, guitar, acoustic bass, synthesizer), Vinnie Colaiuta (drums), Larry Brown, Steve Forman, Lenny Castro (percussion), Bobby King, Terry Evans, Kal David, Willie Greene Jr. (background vocals).

Famous Blue Raincoat

---

J.J.Johnson - Plays Mack The Knife

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:27
Size: 157,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:05)  1. Bilbao Song
(6:06)  2. Barbara Song
(5:03)  3. Overture
(4:20)  4. Seerauber Jenny
(4:52)  5. Mack The Knife
(4:14)  6. Surabaya-Johnny
(6:07)  7. Wie Man Sich Bettet
(4:52)  8. Unzulanglichkeit
(3:31)  9. Portrait Of Jenny
(2:31) 10. Only The Lonely
(3:11) 11. Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child
(2:35) 12. In A Sentimental Mood
(2:16) 13. Get Out Of Town
(3:56) 14. I'm Glad There Is You
(2:57) 15. You're My Girl
(2:20) 16. To The End Of The Earth
(2:24) 17. What Is There To Say
(2:59) 18. Lazy Bones

Before he became a prominent orchestra conductor, André Previn was a talented jazz pianist based in Los Angeles. His firm touch, virtuosity and driving sense of swing were celebrated on jazz records he recorded for Contemporary and other labels. In October 2009, Sony Music Japan reissued several of his Columbia jazz albums. Released on CD for the first time in the world, Play Mack The Knife is an interesting project co-led by Previn and J.J. Johnson, a preeminent trombonist. With Previn's trusted rhythm section (Red Mitchell and Frank Capp), they form a formidable quartet. A celebration of the great composer Kurt Weill, the quartet arranges and performs Weill's evergreen musical numbers from "Happy End," "The Threepenny Opera" and "Mahagonny." Previn's clever and sophisticated arrangements are as much a star as the two principal soloists. 

An important record for fans of André Previn and J.J. Johnson!  

http://www.eastwindimport.com/product-info.asp?CategoryName=Search+Results&SearchType=TrackName&SearchKeyword=Mack+the+Knife&ProductID=1277

Recording information: Los Angeles (06/23/1960-06/24/1960); New York (06/23/1960-06/24/1960); Los Angeles (06/28/1960); New York (06/28/1960); Los Angeles (12/31/1961); New York (12/31/1961).

Personnel: J.J. Johnson (trombone); André Previn, Piano; Red Mitchell, Bass; Frank Capp, Drums

Plays Mack The Knife

---

Charlie Byrd - The Bossa Nova Years

Styles: Brazilian Jazz
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:17
Size: 124,6 MB
Art: Front + Back

(5:07)  1. Meditation
(4:50)  2. One Note Samba
(7:17)  3. Corcovado
(4:35)  4. Triste
(3:49)  5. Dindi
(3:35)  6. O Pato
(4:51)  7. The Girl From Ipanema
(5:03)  8. Samba D'Orpheo
(3:34)  9. How Insensitive
(4:20) 10. Wave
(3:21) 11. Pra Dizer Adeus (To Say Goodbye)
(3:55) 12. O Nosso Amor

Guitarist Charlie Byrd revisits a variety of bossa nova songs, including nine by Antonio Carlos Jobim on this pleasing and accessible set. What makes this CD stand out from his many similar dates is that Ken Peplowski's clarinet and tenor are well featured, adding variety to the music and a lead voice for Byrd to play off of. Otherwise the music is predictably excellent, with such classics as "One Note Samba," "Corcovado," "Dindi," "O Pato," and "The Girl from Ipanema" receiving very favorable treatment. ~ Scott Yanow   http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-bossa-nova-years-mw0000265338

Personnel : Charlie Byrd (guitar); Dennis Irwin (bass); Chuck Redd (drums); Ken Peplowski (tenor saxophone, clarinet); Michael Spiro (percussion).

The Bossa Nova Years

---

Marlene VerPlanck - You Gotta Have Heart: The Songs Of Richard Adler

Size: 148,4 MB
Time: 63:59
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1997
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

01. I'm Seeing Rainbows (3:20)
02. I Ask Myself (5:59)
03. Hey There (2:49)
04. Near To You (5:00)
05. Whoever Invented Love? (3:10)
06. What's Wrong With Me? (3:33)
07. A New Town Is A Blue Town (2:56)
08. If I Knew Then (4:10)
09. Whatever Lola Wants (2:47)
10. You Gotta Have Heart (6:10)
11. You Knew What I Needed (2:38)
12. Another Time Another Place (3:49)
13. Christmas In Your Heart (3:06)
14. No Soap Blues (6:18)
15. If You Win You Lose (4:55)
16. Put Your Money On Me (3:12)

It says something about the state of musical business in the United States when New York-based songstress Marlene Ver Planck has to travel to Paris and London to do an album honoring the writer of a musical about a New York baseball team. Richard Adler, with Jerry Ross, wrote Damn Yankees, which opened in 1954 and ran for more than a thousand performances. Three songs from that long running musical are included on this tribute album, the seductive "Whatever Lola Wants," the hopeful "You Gotta Have Heart," and "Near to You." The latter features an excellent solo by an unidentified tenor sax player. Adler's other hit musical Pajama Game, with Ross again collaborating, is represented by the romantic "Hey There" and the doleful "A New Town Is a Blue Town." "Hey There" reached No. 1 on the pop charts for Rosemary Clooney. Adler was never able to produce another Broadway musical winner but did come up with "Everybody Loves a Lover," a hit for Doris Day. The remaining tunes on the album are pretty, but not memorable. The quizzical "Whoever Invented Love?" and a vampish "I Ask Myself" are the best of the rest. What Adler's less familiar material lacks in substance, Ver Planck makes up for with her impeccable phrasing and delivery. She elevates Adler's lesser known songs to a level they likely have never seen. Like Jeri Southern, Ver Planck has the ability to breathe some life into unfamiliar, marginal material. The CD is also enhanced by lush arrangements by husband J. (Billy) Ver Planck and London's Radio Big Band, and the Paris based Saxomania, the latter group augmented with strings. Regrettably, the liner notes fail to identify which group is backing Ver Planck on each track. You Gotta Have Heart is a mixed bag, some good songs, some marginal, but all nicely performed by a talented singer. ~Dave Nathan

You Gotta Have Heart

---

John McLaughlin & The 4th Dimension - The Boston Record

Size: 145,3 MB
Time: 63:05
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz: Fusion, Progressive Rock
Art: Full

01. Raju (8:35)
02. Little Miss Valley (9:21)
03. Abbaji (6:53)
04. Echos From Then (8:15)
05. Senor C. S. (2:49)
06. Call & Answer (9:17)
07. Maharina (4:56)
08. Hijacked (6:45)
09. You Know You Know (6:10)

Ever since guitarist John McLaughlin formed the 4th Dimension—his first electric fusion band in a decade—fans have been hoping he'd dig a little further into his back catalog. The wait is over with The Boston Record, a live album recorded in 2013 at Boston's Berklee College of Music.

This isn't 4th Dimension's first live album, though it is the first to feature the seven year-old group's current configuration. Ranjit Barot, first heard with McLaughlin on Floating Point (Abstract Logix, 2009), replaced drummer Mark Mondesir on Now Here This (Abstract Logix, 2013), and is as outrageously virtuosic as ever; the equally impressive bassist Etienne Mbappe is back too, as is serious double-threat keyboardist/drummer Gary Husband—the only other remaining member of 4th Dimension's inaugural lineup and clearly an increasingly important musical collaborator.

Now Here This came under some fire for its drum-heavy mix; The Boston Record is more equitably balanced. McLaughlin's recent tone has also been criticized, but from the first power chords of the opening "Raju"—the group's standard opener from Floating Point, but which never gets old—it's clear that, while not quite as heavily fuzz-toned as in his Mahavishnu Orchestra days, the guitarist has returned to a far grungier tone that better suits the high octane, pedal-to-the-metal fusion which dominates much of The Boston Record.

The last time this group released a live document—2008's Official Pirate: Best of the American Tour 2007 (Abstract Logix)—it didn't have any material of its own; with Now Here This and its predecessor, the John Coltrane-inspired To the One (Abstract Logix, 2010), the 4th Dimension now has a repertoire on which to draw. From Now Here This, the group delivers the fast-paced "Call & Answer," featuring one of Husband's best solos of the set and a truly epic drum feature over an irregular-metered ostinato, while the equally odd-metered shuffle of "Echos from Then" harkens back to "The Dance of the Maya," from Mahavishnu Orchestra's groundbreaking debut, The Inner Mounting Flame (Columbia, 1971). Despite little abatement in the 63-minute set, Floating Point's "Maharina" does provide some respite, though with McLaughlin's searing lines, it's not without its own impressive power.

It's also great to hear McLaughlin and the group dig into older material like the altered blues of "Little Miss Valley," from the guitarist's Tokyo Live (Verve, 1994), where Mbappe lets loose some serious pyrotechnics, and the knotty, high velocity "Hijacked," from Que Alegria (Verve, 1992). But the biggest—and best—surprise is saved for last, a set-closing updated look at Inner Mounting Flame's "You Know You Know," where the ever-playful McLaughlin quotes everyone from Miles Davis ("Jean-Pierre") to Jimi Hendrix ("Foxy Lady"). It's the first time McLaughlin has looked back to the group that broke his career, but it's more than a piece of nostalgia; it demonstrates that his music is, indeed, timeless—sounding as fresh today as it did 43 years ago.

At 72, McLaughlin isn't just at the top of his game; with his best (and longest-standing) fusion group since his breakthrough/breakout days of the early '70s, The Boston Record documents an artist still vital, still treading new ground—and still as relevant as ever. ~John Kelman

Personnel: John McLaughlin: guitar; Gary Husband: keyboards, drums; Etienne Mbappe: bass; Ranjit Barot: drums.

The Boston Record

---

Hilary Gardner, Michelle Walker & Whitney James - You've Got A Friend: A Tribute To Joshua Wolff

Size: 107,5 MB
Time: 46:12
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz: Vocals
Art: Front

01. You've Got A Friend (Michelle Walker) (4:20)
02. Estate (Hilary Gardner) (5:17)
03. September In The Rain (Michelle Walker) (4:16)
04. Autumn Serenade (Whitney James) (2:47)
05. 'Tis Autumn (Hilary Gardner) (4:25)
06. Snowbound (Whitney James) (4:41)
07. Spring Will Be A Little Late This Year (Michelle Walker) (4:15)
08. You Must Believe In Spring (Whitney James) (5:24)
09. Everything Must Change (Michelle Walker) (5:27)
10. In My Life - So Far Away (Michelle Walker) (5:15)

Michelle, Whitney, and Hilary recently joined forces to record a full-length album of songs centered on themes of love, loss, friendship and faith. Inspired by Carole King’s famous refrain, the songs encompass all four seasons: “winter, spring, summer or fall/all you’ve got to do is call/and I’ll be there…You’ve Got a Friend.”

It’s fitting that Michelle, Whitney, and Hilary are bringing their “You’ve Got a Friend” project to the Metropolitan Room, as Joshua Wolff frequently performed there as a pianist and vocalist.

You've Got A Friend

---

Tony Monaco & Howard Paul - New Adventures (With Jim Rupp)

Size: 148,7 MB
Time: 64:15
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz: Hammond Organ
Art: Front

01. Alone Together) (6:10)
02. Days Of Wine And Roses (6:45)
03. Indonesian Nights (5:39)
04. Polka Dots & Moonbeams (8:01)
05. Rusty's Boogaloo (5:30)
06. The Way You Look Tonight (6:06)
07. Bewitched Bothered & Bewildered (5:27)
08. Just Friends (6:11)
09. Speak Low (7:59)
10. Blues For A.P. (6:24)

Tony Monaco and Howard Paul team up in a tribute Jimmy Smith & Wes Montgomery. Tony is an acknowledge master and internationally beloved Hammond organist and educator. Howard is a noted recording artist, lecturer, and most prominently known as President/CEO of Benedetto Guitars, Inc., the world's premier jazz guitar maker. They are joined Jim Rupp, who's years of road work and recording with the bands of Wood Herman, Maynard Ferguson, Glenn Miller and Diane Schuur make him one of the most dynamic and swinging drummers on the planet! This is a O.G.D. trio with an authenticity rarely seen in the genre today!

New Adventures

---

Jaki Graham - For Sentimental Reasons

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:29
Size: 124,2 MB
Art: Front

(6:09)  1. Ain't Nobody's Business
(3:19)  2. For Sentimental Reasons
(5:45)  3. God Bless The Child
(3:33)  4. Good Morning Heartache
(3:54)  5. How Long Has This Been Going On
(4:28)  6. Lover Man
(6:52)  7. My Funny Valentine
(3:47)  8. I Only Have Eyes For You
(3:09)  9. Someone To Watch Over Me
(5:06) 10. Summertime
(3:47) 11. Unforgettable
(3:36) 12. What A Little Moonlight Can Do

Birmingham's Jaki Graham's been conspicuous by her absence of late. Indeed her last full UK album release was way back in 1989 when she was riding high on the back of 20 plus chart singles. She's never stopped working though and now she feels that the time's right to re-launch her recording career with a new album that goes in a markedly different direction to the pop/soul/dance confections with which she's usually associated. This new collection, 'For Sentimental Reasons' sees Jaki offers her readings of 12 classic jazz standards. Songs like 'Good Morning Heartache', 'I Only Have Eyes For You' and the LP's title cut were the kind of songs young Jaki heard while growing up in Birmingham and wisely Ms G doesn't try to be too different or eccentric with the very familiar material. Equally she doesn't try to outdo the legends who've turned the songs into standards. 

Rather, she puts the material into a jazz-lite setting making it perfect for late night radio or the intimacy of the small cabaret lounge. On some cuts  notably 'Lover Man (Oh Where Can You Be)' and 'How Long Has This been Going On' she brings a soulful urgency that really does refresh friendly old chestnuts. The biggest surprise, though, is the almost Caribbean twist given to the closer 'What A Little Moonlight Can Do' ... there's almost a whiff of Amy Winehouse about the arrangement. Throughout the set the musicianship is keen and sympathetic. Wayne Pollock's piano is outstanding and the three piece horn section (Rob Mitchell, Simon Nixon and Kev Holborough) add a genuine vibrancy. Little wonder, then that leading radio stations Jazz FM and Smooth Radio have added the album to their playlists. They know that the easy on the ear sound, the familiar songs and the artist "name" will satisfy the majority of their listeners. Ultimately it's undemanding but for a sizable section of the audience that's just what they require.   

http://www.soulandjazzandfunk.com/reviews/1953-jaki-graham-for-sentimental-reasons-cherry-pop.html

For Sentimental Reasons

---

Jill Barber - Chansons

Styles: Chanson
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:57
Size: 89,2 MB
Art: Front

(2:43)  1. Petite fleur
(3:49)  2. J'attendrai
(4:04)  3. Melancolie
(3:16)  4. La javanaise
(3:20)  5. Sous le ciel de Paris
(3:01)  6. En septembre sous la pluie
(2:47)  7. Je cherche un homme
(3:03)  8. N'oublie jamais
(3:02)  9. Quand les hommes vivront d'amour
(4:11) 10. Les feuilles mortes
(3:23) 11. Plus bleu que tes yeux
(2:13) 12. Adieu foulards

Jill Barber has earned a strong rep as a warm, intimate, even sultry low-fi chanteuse with a songbook cued to amorous intentions. Chansons is the latest chapter, a delightful collection of French pop ballads made familiar by romantics such as Gainsbourg, Piaf, Aznavour and Bechet. Drew Jurecka does a brilliant job pairing her voice to a set of arrangements that sound seductively authentic. Chansons can count on a long life in bistros, boutiques, on Jazz and Oldies formats, CBC Radio-and, of course, on  the stage. She performs in Zurich, Hamburg, Berlin and Paris this month, along with a couple of theatre concerts in ON and AB. Tres tres bon!~ David Farrell   http://www.newcanadianmusic.ca/releases/c/chansons/jill-barber/2013-01-29

Chansons

---

Janet Klein & Her Parlor Boys - Whoopee Hey! Hey!

Styles: Americana, Early jazz, Early pop
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:15
Size: 135,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:17)  1. Honey Child
(2:41)  2. My Honey's Lovin' Arms
(4:28)  3. Delta Bound
(3:51)  4. I Found A New Baby
(4:15)  5. Isn't Love The Strangest Thing
(2:39)  6. Shanghai Shuffle
(1:51)  7. Poppa's Back With Momma Now
(3:41)  8. Baby
(3:27)  9. I'll Never Be The Same
(3:03) 10. Give Me Liberty Or Give Me Love
(2:24) 11. Maybe She'll Write Me, Maybe She'll Phone Me
(3:11) 12. Under The Moon (Yoo-oo-oo-oo)
(4:38) 13. A Little Bit Independent
(2:44) 14. Mississippi Mud
(3:52) 15. Ambling Along
(3:22) 16. Keko
(2:22) 17. A Room With A View
(3:19) 18. Bye Bye Blues

“Whoopee Hey Hey!”, Tunes to Cheer In Tumultuous Times, is Janet Klein & Her Parlor Boys’ 7th CD release and times couldn’t be more ripe for this vibrant and evocative bunch of rare and wonderful tunes from the 1920s and 1930s. Performed with freshness and zeal these long lost tunes are alive again with timeless perspectives on life’s ups and downs and will surely have listeners musing over parallels with our current state of affairs. Songs from the 20s and 30s reflect culturally "tumultuous times"- the heady frivolity and sassy wild good times followed by modernistic stylings colored by “The Crash” and the Great Depression that followed. The enchanting and effervescent Ms Klein’s singing on "Whoopee Hey Hey!" is sweeter than ever. The album is chock full (19 tracks) of rich and bold music and lyrics vivid with heady parlance of the period. Included are eleven tunes from the 1920s… It is the first time Janet and Boys have tried to get a characteristic 1920s dance band feel. You can hear the crisp foxtrot and vertical clip on ‘Honey Child’ 1929, ‘Shanghai Shuffle’ 1924, ‘I Found A New Baby’ 1926 and ‘Bye Bye Blues’ 1929. ‘Honey Child’, the CD’s opening track at once transports the listener to a 1920s dance hall with its bright tenor guitar and up-beat, bouncy accordion stabs. The record then leads with more Southern fantasy tunes such as the yearning ‘Delta Bound’ and playful romping of ‘Mississippi Mud’. 

The six 1930s songs and arrangements let on a more "knowing", lush and world-weary sound with sophisticated undulating rhythms, ie “Delta Bound”, “Isn't Love the Strangest Thing”, “I'll Never Be the Same”. A novelty song on the CD (written by band-member, the incomparable Ian Whitcomb) is lovingly inspired by the English Music Hall favorites- Flanagan and Allen who were known for their down and out but jolly tramp tunes such as "Underneath the Arches", 'Two Very Ordinary People', On the Outside Looking In'. In this vein Ian’s tune, "Ambling Along”, complete with old style introductory patter, is a bitter sweet strolling melody and a heartfelt hobo song for our own agitated times. Featured are two new full time Parlor Boy band members: best on the planet 1930’s style guitar and plectrum banjo whistling master-John Reynolds and hobo bon vivant Marquis Howell who plays stand-up bass with an authentically inspired vintage panache. Other notable performers are: Daniel Glass who literally “wrote the book” on vintage percussion styles. Set to the task, he succeeded in deciphering and recreating in his own style the fantastic percussion effects of Paul Whiteman’s original recording of ‘Mississippi Mud’ and discovered a rare devise called a bockety bock. Also, Randy Woltz who continues with his marvelously adroit Vibraphone and xylophone playing is featured on jaunty piano duets with Janet. One of these tunes ‘Poppa’s back With Momma Now’ (from a lost Vitaphone short) is a virtual laundry list of pre 1929 whoopee lavish lifestyle ‘when every fella from a banker to his caddy’ had lots of dough and wandering ways only to find they are now all staying home with momma because they’ve discovered ‘there’s a kick in the old gal still’. Having come so perilously close to the brink of economic calamity... what better time than now to contemplate the zeitgeist of pre and post Depression America…

As Janet likes to say, ‘This music got folks through the Depression, the last time’. So Bye By Blues… Since Janet’s last release (‘Ready For You’ in 2008) the band has toured Japan and Australia and played at the famous Fuji Rock Festival and Adelaide Cabaret Festival. The group plays regularly in and around Los Angeles. “Whoopee Hey Hey!” is produced by Robert Loveless (Scenic, 17 Pygmies and Savage Republic) with gorgeously crafted vintage style artwork adornments designed by Janet, David Barlia and Robert...http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/kleinj7

Personnel: John Reynolds, John Reynolds (vocals, whistling, National guitar, tenor guitar, banjo); Ian Whitcomb (vocals, ukulele, accordion, piano); Janet Klein (vocals, ukulele); Marquis Howell (vocals, upright bass); Tom Marion (guitar); Robert Loveless (mandolin); Benedict Brydern (violin); Dan Levinson (clarinet, C-melody saxophone); Chloe Feoranzo (alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, C-melody saxophone); Dan Weinstein (cornet, trombone, tuba); Corey Gemme (cornet, trombone); Randy Woltz (piano, vibraphone, xylophone, percussion); Brad Kay (piano); Daniel Glass (drums, percussion).

Whoopee Hey Hey

---

Eddie Higgins Feat. Scott Hamilton - Smoke Gets In Your Eyes

Styles: Piano And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:28
Size: 155,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:37)  1. Melancholy Rhapsody
(7:34)  2. It's A Lonesome Old Town
(6:35)  3. Your Don't Know What Love Is
(6:21)  4. By Myself
(7:31)  5. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
(6:30)  6. Lullaby Of The Leaves
(5:34)  7. When The Sun Comes Out
(6:25)  8. Love Letters
(5:00)  9. When You Wish Upon A Star
(5:02) 10. All This And Haven Too
(5:15) 11. You're My Everything

Listening to this CD, which reached a number one chart position in Japan, is like slipping into a bubbly hot tub with a glass of champagne: relaxing and sparkling at the same time. The ever-classy Eddie Higgins Trio is joined throughout by the superb Scott Hamilton, a fluid tenorist in the romantic tradition of Lester Young and Ben Webster, with soul-touching low notes and never a squawk or squeal. Borrowing the perfect image from master critic Whitney Balliett, Hamilton's sound is like "firelit mahogany." All the playing here is elegant and swinging: classic material delivered lovingly and without cliché. Higgins' gentle improvisations are often as beautiful as the original melodies (see, for example, his introduction and solos on the title track). 

He's also unique in his use of Bach-inspired counterlines to add depth and interest to the harmony; this is particularly evident on the faster tunes like "It's a Lonesome Old Town" and "Lullaby of the Leaves," where these left-hand figures supply extra propulsion and support for Hamilton's solos. Another distinction is the group's approach to "You Don't Know What Love Is" and "When the Sun Comes Out," timeless torch songs that are traditionally angst-ridden features for vocalists; in these hands, the flow of melody transcends any despair associated with the lyrics. Even the opening ballad, "Melancholy Rhapsody," is lightened by the tenderness of the playing. While the liners are in Japanese, the superb quality of the music needs no translation. Recommended. 

~ Dr Judith Schlesinger   

http://www.allmusic.com/album/smoke-gets-in-your-eyes-mw0000320640

Personnel : Scott Hamilton (tenor saxophone) Eddie Higgins (piano) Steve Gilmore (bass) Bill Goodwin (drums)

Smoke Gets In Your Eyes

---

Jennifer Porter - The Way You Look Tonight

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:39
Size: 96,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:13)  1. The Way You Look Tonight
(2:34)  2. There's A Small Hotel
(4:19)  3. Sophisticated Lady
(2:40)  4. I'll Get By (As Long As I Have You)
(3:40)  5. A Foggy Day
(3:38)  6. Don't Explain
(3:47)  7. There Is No Greater Love
(3:30)  8. Ain't Misbehavin' (I'm Savin' My Love For You)
(3:29)  9. I'm Beginning To See The Light
(4:37) 10. Can't Help Lovin' That Man
(6:07) 11. Rollin' In My Sweet Baby's Arms

As an award-winning actress, musician, screenwriter, composer and arranger, Jennifer Porter leads a very busy life. It is obvious from listening to The Way You Look Tonight that Jennifer has a beautiful voice, a real feeling for vintage lyrics and the ability to swing at every tempo. Featured on the CD are pianist / accordionist Sonny Barbato, guitarist Kevin Barry, trumpeter Trent Austin, saxophonist Matt Langley, drummers Les Harris, Jr. and Dave Jamrog, and bassists Jim Lyden and Aubrey Harris. Each contributes colorful solos and blends in very well with Jennifer's voice. The set opens with "The Way You Look Tonight," a happy version reminiscent of Billie Holiday's recording with Teddy Wilson. Austin's exuberant trumpet is a major asset. "There's A Small Hotel," inspired by Ella Fitzgerald's version from her Rodgers and Hart Songbook project, is sung sweetly and with feeling. Duke Ellington's "Sophisticated Lady" is taken as a tasteful duet with pianist Barbato.

"I'll Get By," usually performed as a slow ballad, is taken as a medium-tempo cooker with some fine tenor from Langley. Jennifer's expressive vocal on "A Foggy Day" is followed by a creative trumpet solo and a colorful tradeoff by piano and drums. After a quietly passionate version of "Don't Explain," Jennifer swings "There Is No Greater Love," which has an excellent chorus from guitarist Barry.

A playful and sensuous "Ain't Misbehavin'" and a spirited "I'm Beginning To See The Light" precede Jennifer's heartfelt duet with guitarist Barry on "Can't Help Lovin' That Man." The set concludes with a rollicking "Rolling In My Sweet Baby's Arms" which features infectious New Orleans parade rhythms, Sonny Barbato on accordion, and a party atmosphere that is pure joy. First trained as an opera singer and classical pianist, Jennifer has been performing Jazz for over twenty years. With her partner Dana Packard, she co-founded The Originals Theatre Company and Honey Tree Films. She starred in and composed the film scores for The Ballad Of Ida And Doob, and wrote, starred in and composed the film scores for Mr. Barrington and the recent 40 West. Among the 17 international film awards that 40 West has received, Jennifer won six, including two for best original score and one for best original song. In 1988, Jennifer was the first vocalist in Maine inducted into the prestigious music honor society, Pi Kappa Lambda. Audiences will love the way Jennifer Porter uplifts songs with her simple and effective delivery, her phrasing, and the beauty of her voice.~ Scott Yanow, author of ten books including The Jazz Singers, Trumpet Kings, Jazz On Film and Jazz On Record 1917-76   http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/jenniferporter

The Way You Look Tonight

---

Fraser MacPherson Quartet - Honey & Spice

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1987
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:02
Size: 107,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:40)  1. Soon
(6:40)  2. How Deep is The Ocean
(4:44)  3. How Long Has This Been Going On
(6:06)  4. Blue Prelude
(6:15)  5. I Love You Samantha
(6:31)  6. Suddenly It's Spring
(4:43)  7. Memories of You
(6:21)  8. You Took Advantage of Me

Although recorded in Montreal, Canada, this album features the same quartet (with guitarist Oliver Gannon, bassist Steve Wallace and drummer John Sumner) that tenor saxophonist Fraser MacPherson used during his notable tours of the Soviet Union. All eight of the selections are veteran songs (Cole Porter's mid-'50s "I Love You Samantha" is the most recent), and the emphasis is on relaxed, slow to medium tempos. MacPherson's cool tone sounds as beautiful as ever and works well with Gannon's quiet guitar. ~ Scott Yanow   

http://www.allmusic.com/album/honey-and-spice-mw0000664401.

Personnel:  Fraser MacPherson (tenor sax); Oliver Gannon (guitar); Steve Wallace (bass); John Sumner (drums)

Honey & Spice

---

Plas Johnson - Rockin' With the Plas

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1982
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 31:03
Size: 71,9 MB
Art: Front + Back

(2:02)  1. Hoppin' Mad
(1:56)  2. Blow your Blues away
(1:54)  3. Popcorn
(2:02)  4. Downstairs
(2:20)  5. The Loop
(2:19)  6. Swanee River Rock
(2:24)  7. The Big Twist
(2:11)  8. Little Rockin' Deacon
(2:19)  9. You Send Me
(2:12) 10. Robin's Nest Cha Cha
(2:09) 11. Plas Jazz
(2:20) 12. Come Rain or Come Shine
(2:33) 13. Dinah
(2:17) 14. Everyone Knows

Jazz aficionados know him by name, but almost anyone exposed to music is familiar with his playing. His is the purring sax solo on Henry Mancini's famous “Pink Panther” movie theme song. His is the saxophone counterpart to Harry “Sweets” Edison's trumpet on Neal Hefti's signature music for “The Odd Couple” TV series. Plas is the featured soloist heard on countless albums, including those of such artists as Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee, Nat King Cole, Barbra Streisand, Quincy Jones, Ray Charles, Ella Fitzgerald, Linda Ronstadt and Sarah Vaughan. Plas was born in Donaldsonville, Louisiana, about sixty miles north of New Orleans. As teens, Plas and brother Ray formed a band, the Johnson Brothers Combo, that played in and around New Orleans for a number of years. Plas left New Orleans in 1951 to go on the road with the Chartes Brown Blues Band. The road, a stint in the Army and a permanent move to California followed. 

Plas attended the Westlake School of Music in Los Angeles for a year and a half, when his studies were derailed by an overloaded schedule of record dates. He was brought to the attention of Johnny Otis, who immediately added him to his blues aggregation. Johnny then introduced Plas to Dave Cavanaugh, who held an influential A&R position at Capitol Records, where he soon became a regular session sideman and soloist during Capitol's halcyon years. Plas has been one of the most well-known and sought-after musicians around the California studio scene. He joined “The Merv Griffin Show” band, led by Mort Lindsey, in 1970, where he remained for the next fifteen years, joining an all-star line-up which also included such prominent instrumentalists as Ray Brown, Herb Ellis, Jake Hanna, Benny Powell, Jack Sheldon, Kai Winding and others. He has kept busy ever since on a constant touring schedule and appearing on scores of sessions. Plas' recent recordings include his own albums, “Hot, Blue & Saxy,” “Evening Delight,” “Christmas in Hollywood,” and “Keep That Groove Going!” on Milestone, with Red Holloway. ~ Bio   

http://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/musician.php?id=8127#.UzxMk1dSvro

Rockin' with the Plas

---

Karen Jones - A New York Vibe In Tokyo

Size: 77,4 MB
Time: 33:25
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Jazz: Vocals
Art: Front

01. Song For My Father (5:33)
02. So Many Stars (5:14)
03. All Blues (4:58)
04. All Or Nothing At All (3:22)
05. Both Sides Now (5:05)
06. Who Can I Turn To (3:14)
07. My One And Only Love (5:55)

I had been giggin' singing jazz for many years in Tokyo before the idea came to me to create a KICKSTARTER project to create a CD. The setting is the Park Hyatt Tokyo's New York Bar on the 52nd floor. The same setting for the film "Lost in Translation" with Bill Murray. To this day many people come in to check out this famous space with spectacular views and food!

The band I was given while I was under contract were some of the best Jazz musicians in town. Jonathan Katz on piano, Brent Nussey on Bass and last but not least Tod Carver on guitar! These stellar musicians give me the harmonic foundation to create the melodic wonder that fill my nights, and the crowds, every night I work with them.
I wanted everyone to taste the magic of what that is like......so I asked my friends, family and fans to contribute to making that happen with this vibin' album. And together, as a coming together of energy, we did it!!!

So please enjoy a night out in the big city of Tokyo with a New York vibe,
(I'm a native and New Yorker and so is Jonathan the piano player) ;-)
listening to some great jazz where jazz is loved and revered.

A New York Vibe In Tokyo

---

Eric Alexander - Chicago Fire

Size: 130,1 MB
Time: 56:02
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz: Post-Bop, Straight-Ahead
Label: HighNotert: Front

01. Save Your Love For Me (7:43)
02. The Bee Hive (9:10)
03. Eddie Harris (6:19)
04. Just One Of Those Things (5:14)
05. Blueski For Vonski (7:19)
06. Mr. Stitt (7:53)
07. You Talk That Talk (6:26)
08. Don't Take Your Love From Me (5:54)

Eric Alexander is a lunch pail tenor saxophonist. He isn't afraid to get dirty and will work changes till there is nothing left. Chicago Fire is a prime example of an artist simply going about his work with all the tools of his trade firmly in hand. The intangibles are what make Eric Alexander a master at his craft. A harmonic depth of field other tenor players could only dream of combined with his fat sound and superior technique make Alexander an A list talent be it as a leader or first call improvisational utility infielder. Eric Alexander smokes!

Chicago Fire has some familiar names in his rhythm section of the great Harold Mabern on piano, John Webber on bass, and mainstay Joe Farnsworth on drums. A very special guest is trumpet phenom Jeremy Pelt who sits in on 3 tracks. The tribute here is to the Chicago saxophone greats such as Eddie Harris and Johnny Griffin and those that just cooled their heels there including Sonny Stitt. Chicago Fire smolders with highlights including the "Blues for Vonski" in tribute to the great Von Freeman who passed a few years back at 88. This is a musical conversation, intimate yet brimming with passion. An interesting dynamic tension is created with the Harold Mabern tune "Mr. Stitt." Why so good? Chemistry, Love and Passion. First or second takes have Chicago Fire with the classic warm sound of jazz recordings made fifty years ago.
To sum it up:
Roll tape!

Personnel: Eric Alexander: Tenor Saxophone; Jeremy Pelt: Trumpet: Harold Mabern: Piano; John Webber; Bass; Joe Farnsworth: Drums.

Chicago Fire

---

Inga Swearingen - First Rain

Size: 120,8 MB
Time: 51:55
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2009
Styles: Jazz/Blues/Folk: Vocals
Art: Front

01. April Afternoon (4:01)
02. Black Is The Color Of My True Love's Hair (3:55)
03. Brick By Brick (4:16)
04. Blackbird (3:29)
05. Heart And Soul (3:53)
06. Two Trees (4:46)
07. Rooted (5:56)
08. Before The Journey (3:50)
09. Indian Summer (4:16)
10. Skylark (4:57)
11. Visa Fran Jarna (3:32)
12. Ample (4:58)

Inga infuses her signature jazz style with a good helping of folk and finds herself right at home.

"First Rain" enters new territory with songs rooted in family, farm, nature and love. It’s an upbeat mixture of smoky, bluesy jazz and beautiful down-home folk, with acoustic layers that bloom like a flower. Deeply personal, most of the songs were written, arranged and produced by Inga and feature silky vocal harmonies with her sister, Britta. The instrumentation is warm and intimate, with electric and acoustic guitar, stand up bass, cello, violin and Inga’s signature scatting solos.

“This album is a departure for me musically and it feels very personal,” says Inga. “The lyrics are about the people, places and times that have been and still are most dear to my heart. The making of it felt like a community barn-raising. Friends contributed and donated to the project adding another layer of gratitude to the music.”

A regular guest on "A Prairie Home Companion," Inga has earned consistently high praise from audiences around the world for her effortlessly natural phrasing, infectious positive spirit and vocal gifts that allow her to juxtapose husky textures with silky lightness.

“Inga has a gorgeous voice, very fresh and evocative and note perfect.”
- Garrison Keillor, A Prairie Home Companion

First Rain

---