The Dave Miller Trio With Rebecca DuMaine - Better Than Anything

Size: 121,0 MB
Time: 51:36
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Better Than Anything (3:09)
02. You For Me (3:27)
03. Sometime Ago (4:13)
04. Oh, Look At Me Now (3:18)
05. No More Blues (2:52)
06. What Is There To Say (3:49)
07. I'm Gonna Go Fishin' (3:26)
08. Telephone Song (2:32)
09. I Just Found Out About Love (2:46)
10. It Might As Well Be Spring (3:47)
11. Cheek To Cheek (3:56)
12. It's Love (2:55)
13. Dreamer (4:24)
14. Lucky To Be Me (2:48)
15. That's All (4:04)

Better Than Anything is about past and present, songs and singers, influences and memories, and father-and-daughter chemistry. It's the second album, following Deed I Do, that finds vocalist Rebeccas DuMaine joining forces with her father, pianist Dave Miller.

DuMaine and Miller share more than genetic code, as they both seem to thrive in customized, straightforward settings. They don't really try to do anything out of the ordinary, but they aren't about mundane music making either. DuMaine and Miller basically take these songs down the center lane, have a blast doing it, and remind the world that too much ado has been made about too-clever-by-half arrangements and performances.

All fifteen tracks on this album are tightly organized numbers that fall into the two-and-a-half to four-and-a-half minute range. Miller's solos are concise and well-formed, DuMaine's performances are poised and pleasing, and bassist Mario Suraci and drummer Bill Belasco prove to be solid backers all the way through.

The program includes nods to Frank Sinatra ("Oh, Look At Me Now"), Irene Kral ("Better Than Anything"), Antonio Carlos Jobim ("No More Blues" and "Dreamer") and numerous others, but DuMaine doesn't try to recreate what those artists did with these songs. She just finds inspiration in their work and goes on her way, delivering the songs as she pleases.

Better Than Anything is simply a smartly-tailored collection of songs put together by a foursome that knows of what it speaks. ~Review by Dan Bilawsky

Personnel: Rebecca DuMaine: vocals; Dave Miller: piano; Mario Suraci: bass; Bill Belasco: drums.

Better Than Anything

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John Sheridan's Dream Band - Easy As It Gets

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 63:29
Size: 145.3 MB
Styles: Swing
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[4:10] 1. Devil May Care
[6:10] 2. Easy As It Gets
[3:33] 3. Spring Cleaning
[4:45] 4. Morning Glory
[3:17] 5. You Leave Me Breathless
[3:14] 6. Cherry
[5:02] 7. It's So Peaceful In The Country
[3:20] 8. You Lucky People You
[4:30] 9. The Gypsy
[4:25] 10. Someone Like You
[3:49] 11. When We're Alone
[2:46] 12. You Do Something To Me
[4:02] 13. Me, Myself And I
[4:55] 14. Dedicated To You
[5:26] 15. I'm Sitting On Top Of The World

Pianist John Sheridan delivers another superb album of swing jazz and standards with his Dream Band on Easy as It Gets. Once again featuring the talents of cornetist Randy Reinhart, trombonist Russ Phillips, clarinetist Ron Hockett, tenor saxophonist Scott Robinson, guitarist Bob Leary, bassist Phil Flanigan, drummer Joe Ascione, and, of course, vocalist Rebecca Kilgore, the band is traditional and old-timey without seeming staid. A solid dance-oriented ensemble, Sheridan's Dream Band keeps the tone light and lively with lesser performed songs including "You Leave Me Breathless," "Me, Myself and I (Are All in Love With You)," and "Devil May Care." Fans of old-school jazz should be very pleased with Easy as It Gets. ~ Matt Collar

John Sheridan (vocals, piano); Rebecca Kilgore (vocals); Bob Leary (guitar); Ron Hockett (clarinet); Scott Robinson (tenor saxophone); Randy Reinhart (cornet); Russ Phillips (trombone); Joe Ascione (drums).

Easy As It Gets

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Carl Allen & Rodney Whitaker - Get Ready

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 72:18
Size: 165.5 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[8:02] 1. La Shea's Walk
[9:01] 2. Get Ready
[7:39] 3. Inner City Blues
[5:34] 4. Desperate Desires
[6:14] 5. Alternative Thoughts
[6:54] 6. Summer (The Sweet Goodbye)
[6:09] 7. Preference Of Conviction
[7:33] 8. A Heart Enflamed, A Soul Enchanted
[8:26] 9. We Fall Down
[6:40] 10. Now Silence

Drummer Carl Allen and bassist Rodney Whitaker have a lot in common. They're both from the Midwest— Allen's from Milwaukee, Whitaker's from Detroit. Both grew up in homes filled with the sounds of gospel and R&B, and for the last twenty years or so both have achieved high ranking as two of the most heavy swinging sidemen in jazz. Get Ready, the muscular debut for the rhythm duo on Mack Avenue Records, is a collaborative effort of prolific achievement supported by pianist Cyrus Chestnut, guitarist Rodney Jones, organist Dorsey "Rob Robinson and saxophonist Steve Wilson. The dynamic set features original compositions, inventive interpretations of Motown classics and contemporary gospel repertoire. ~John Barron

Get Ready

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Roy Eldridge - Little Jazz Plays Swing

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 44:34
Size: 102.0 MB
Styles: Trumpet jazz, Swing
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[ 3:53] 1. Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams (And Dream Your Troubles Away)
[11:50] 2. Rock And Roll
[ 9:51] 3. Me And You Blues
[10:44] 4. Body And Soul
[ 2:26] 5. Embraceable You
[ 5:49] 6. Saturday Night Fish Fry

Little Jazz had a great influence on Dizzy Gillespie -one of the founders of bebop. Although he played with most the early bebop stars, he did not make the switch to bebop. Feeling out-dated musically, Eldridge moved to France for a year and came back to the United States reinvigorated and committed to playing his own brand of swing jazz. He continued to play as a virtuoso trumpeter in several venues. he made some great recordings with Coleman Hawkins and Benny Carter and also toured with Norman Grantz's Jazz at the Philharmonic on a regular basis and recorded for Norman Grantz. His trumpet playing was stopped by a heart attack in 1980 and Roy Eldridge died on February 26, 1989.

Known as the musical bridge between Louis Armstrong and Dizzy Gillespie, Roy Eldridge was also a hugely important jazz trumpeter in his own right.

Little Jazz Plays Swing

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Morgan James - Live From Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:17
Size: 138,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:58)  1. I Put A Spell On You
(5:54)  2. Little Girl Blue
(6:06)  3. Don't Explain
(3:38)  4. Be My Husband
(4:32)  5. Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood
(4:57)  6. My Man's Gone Now
(4:09)  7. Funkier Than A Mosquita's Tweeter
(4:01)  8. My Baby Just Cares For Me
(4:50)  9. Tell Me More And More And Then Some
(6:22) 10. Save Me
(4:11) 11. Trouble In Mind
(5:34) 12. Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out

Morgan James Live from Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola features the up-and-coming Broadway vocalist performing a tribute to legendary jazz singer/pianist Nina Simone. Recorded in July of 2012 at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola, which is part of Lincoln Center in New York City, the concert features James backed by a top-notch group of N.Y.C.-based musicians including drummer Clarence Penn, guitarist Doug Wamble, pianist David Cook, saxophonist Don Braden, and others. James is primarily known for her appearances in such Broadway musicals as the revival of Godspell and the original cast of Frank Wildhorn's Wonderland, among others. Here, James turns her crisp yet soulful Juilliard-trained chops toward Simone's sultry jazz and R&B-inflected material. Included are such songs as "I Put a Spell on You," "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood," "My Baby Just Cares for Me," and more. ~ Matt Collar   http://www.allmusic.com/album/morgan-james-live-from-dizzys-club-coca-cola-mw0002443026

Recording information: Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola, New York, NY (07/23/2012); Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola (07/23/2012).

Live From Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola

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Kirsti Huke - Deloo

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:02
Size: 112,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:50)  1. Old Country
(4:02)  2. Maria
(4:01)  3. Wish You Were Here
(2:37)  4. Don't Worry 'Bout Me
(5:05)  5. Caravan
(4:49)  6. Everytime We Say Goodbye
(6:08)  7. Not Dark Yet
(5:31)  8. I Will Wait For You
(3:01)  9. My Man's Gone Now
(4:31) 10. Someone To Watch Over Me
(5:22) 11. In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning

Kirsti Huke has become a household name on the Norwegian jazz scene. Her voice has been described as a "honey jar" and a "powerhouse", both apt descriptions of this gifted singer's playful and rooted approach to jazz standards as well as pop and rock songs in a quartet setting. http://www.gubemusic.com/album_9093

Personnel:  STEINAR RAKNES - acoustic bass; ERIK NYLANDER – drums; VIGLEIK STORAAS – piano; KIRSTI HUKE - vocals

Deloo

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Helen Sung - Helenistique

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:00
Size: 129,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:03)  1. H-Town
(4:19)  2. Lover
(6:22)  3. Sweet and Lovely
(7:11)  4. Voyage
(4:56)  5. Willow Weep For Me
(4:40)  6. Where or When
(6:06)  7. Black Narcissus
(5:50)  8. Bye Ya
(3:07)  9. Cottontail
(3:12) 10. Carolina Shout
(4:01) 11. Alphabet Street
(2:08) 12. H*Town [reprise]

The clean, uncluttered sound of the piano trio gets a refreshing workout on Helenistique, Helen Sung's tribute to the jazz standard. For her second recording, Sung works with drummer Lewis Nash and bassist Derrick Hodge. A classically trained pianist, Sung leads her trio well: she solos with authority, intelligence and grit, especially on Rodgers and Hart's "Lover" and above the stuttering rhythms of Thelonious Monk's "Bye Ya," but she knows when to retreat and let Nash and Hodge sparkle. Hodge has played with hip-hop stars like Mos Def and Q-Tip, as well as a host of jazz luminaries, among them Terrence Blanchard, Mulgrew Miller and Clark Terry. His warm bowed solo on Rodgers and Hart's "Where or When" reveals the song's inner melancholy. Nash's hi-hat adds a cushion of subtle rhythm.

The album's strongest feature is the musicians' shared sense of celebration. Not only does the trio's sound project great affection for this music, but the performers demonstrate a ready affinity for each other's contributions. The band churns through Kenny Barron's "Voyage," one of the most harmonically rich numbers on the album. The sound is suffused with a sense of exploration, and each player digs deep during solos. Sung's left hand drives the music as surely as Nash's crisp precision on the snare or Hodge's percolating bass. Joe Henderson's "Black Narcissus" offers some of the album's brightest moments, from Sung's quietly astonishing piano playing to Hodge's searching bass and Nash's kaleidoscopic yet restrained drumming. Sung's chords are lush, her arpeggios and trills feathery. Her ability to corral the tune after her bandmates' brief excursions reveals her poise and flexibility. The album includes one of Sung's own compositions, the funk-infused "H*Town," and Prince's "Alphabet Street." They aren't exactly standards, but they show off the trio's versatility. 

Her solo tribute to James P. Johnson on his "Carolina Shout" bounces with fervor and wholesomeness. Duke Ellington's "Cottontail," Ann Ronell's "Willow Weep For Me," and Arnheim, Tobias and Daniels' "Sweet and Lovely" round out the album. Sung arranged every piece. Sung graduated from the inaugural class at the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance at the New England Conservatory of Music in 1997. Since then, she has played with Terry, Wynton Marsalis and the late Jackie McLean, among others, and toured with Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter. She is a musician of serious promise.     ~ John Fidler   http://www.allaboutjazz.com/helenistique-helen-sung-fresh-sound-new-talent-review-by-john-fidler.php#.U35ZWyioqdk

Personnel: Helen Sung: piano; Derrick Hodge: bass; Lewis Nash: drums.

Helenistique

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Terrence Brewer - Groovin' Wes

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 52:20
Size: 96,1 MB
Art: Front

(7:00)  1. Speak Low
(8:04)  2. Bumpin' on Sunset
(6:23)  3. In Your Own Sweet Way
(5:58)  4. Road Song
(6:33)  5. Bumpin'
(6:58)  6. Here's That Rainy Day
(6:27)  7. Yesterdays
(4:54)  8. Dearly Beloved

A Musical Expression of Admiration for Wes Montgomery

'Lots of guitarists can imitate Wes Montgomery, I wanted to pay tribute to him with my own voice'...Terrence Brewer

Following QuintEssential, his third album for the Strong Brew Music label, San Francisco based jazz guitarist Terrence Brewer pays homage to the man who set the standard for modern jazz guitar Wes Montgomery.

After receiving both regional and national acclaim for his all original albums, The Calling: Volume One and Volume Two (2006) and QuintEssential (2008 - 12 weeks on the JazzWeek album charts peaking at #17), Brewer is set to light up the jazz scene once again with Groovin' Wes, music written and popularized by one of jazz guitar s greatest heroes, Wes Montgomery.

On Groovin' Wes, Brewer is joined by a familiar cast: B3 organist Wil Blades (John Lee Hooker, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Idris Muhammed, Stanton Moore, winner of Downbeat magazines Rising Star poll) and drummer Micah McClain (Red Rodney, David Baker and James Moody). Both Blades and McClain are veterans when it comes to working with Brewer; Blades is featured on The Calling: Volume Two and McClain has held the drum chair on two of Brewer s previous albums, The Calling Volume One and QuintEssential. Recorded by chief engineer Stephen Hart (McCoy Tyner, Oscar Peterson, Joe Pass, Branford Marsalis, Flora and Airto) at the world famous Fantasy Studios in Berkeley California, Groovin Wes will, take you on a journey; rejuvenating the classic Guitar, Organ, Drums trio sound like never before. From burnin up-tempo swing to funky Soul-Jazz backbeats, Groovin Wes is a masterpiece.

A naturally gifted player with a beautiful, warm tone and a melodic penchant, his playing is eminently pleasing... Bill Milkowski, Jazz Times.

Brewer is the recipient of the Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, Artist of the Year Award and the winner of San Francisco Weekly s, Best Jazz Artist Award.

Dan King of the San Francisco Chronicle proclaimed, Brewer is, the reason the Bay area jazz scene looks promising. ~ Editorial Reviews  (Amazon.com)

Groovin' Wes

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Kevyn Lettau - Walking In Your Footsteps: Songs Of The Police

Size: 112,7 MB
Time: 48:26
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2000
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Message In A Bottle (5:48)
02. Wrapped Around Your Finger (4:32)
03. Every Breath You Take (5:47)
04. Murder By Numbers (4:36)
05. Every Little Thing He Does Is Magic (4:18)
06. Walking In Your Footsteps (3:23)
07. King Of Pain (4:14)
08. When The World Is Running Down (0:44)
09. Synchronicity (3:25)
10. Don't Stand So Close To Me (4:34)
11. De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da (2:51)
12. I Burn For You (4:08)

Kevyn is on a journey. Her life and career have always been about movement and a refusal to accept boundaries, confinement or stereotypes.

At the age of fourteen Kevyn left her native Germany for the United States, where she finished high school while supporting herself cleaning houses and studying dance on the side. By seventeen the singing bug had gripped her and she was ready to make the fulltime commitment to becoming a singer. She started working with Peter Sprague singing Jazz, R & B and Brazilian music on the streets of Del Mar, California.

Kevyn sang with local San Diego groups until she was discovered by the famous Brazilian legend, Sergio Mendes. She toured and recorded with Sergio for eight years, as she developed her own very personal vocal style.

Kevyn's first two solo releases were on Nova records entitled Kevyn Lettau and Braziljazz respectively. She immediately garnered critical acclaim and a loyal following both in the U.S. and abroad, particularly in Japan and the Philippines, where she achieved near superstar status. She was a spokes model for a San Miguel soft drink, with multiple television commercials and print ads running there for years.

In 1992, Kevyn signed with JVC Music, where she continued her journey of musical and personal exploration. She recorded four albums for JVC including Simple Life in 1992, Another Season in 1994, Universal Language in 1995 and The Language of Flowers in 1998. 1999 brought the release of her greatest hits collection entitled Miracle Voice: The Best of Kevyn Lettau.

In 2000, Universal Music released Kevyn's Police CD, which was Kevyn's exploration of the music from the pop/rock genre-bending group, The Police. She followed in 2001, with another Universal Music release entitled Little Things.

"I feel like music has to grow and change as I do the same. I hate to have to categorize my music as one style or another. It seems impossible to put it into one small box with a neat bow wrapped around it! My hope is just to make good music one song at a time!"

Walking In Your Footsteps

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Ian Date, Andy Firth, Nigel Date & Howard Cairns - A Date With Firth

Size: 131,3 MB
Time: 56:32
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2012
Styles: Jazz: Swing, Gipsy
Art: Front

01. Date Fingers (4:28)
02. Call Me Darling (5:12)
03. Flamingo (2:48)
04. South of the Border (4:32)
05. Bei Dir War Es Immer So Schon.mp3 (5:45)
06. Cherokee (2:49)
07. I Left My Heart In San Fransisco (3:37)
08. On The Street Where You Live (3:59)
09. All The Way (6:32)
10. Up A Lazy River (4:37)
11. Besame Mucho (4:07)
12. Starlight Serenade (4:24)
13. Your Smile (Bonus Track) (4:21)
14. Far Away Across The Sea (5:00)

Personnel:
Andy Firth - Clarinet & Tenor Saxophone
Ian Date - Solo guitarist
Nigel Date - Rhythm guitar
Howard Cairns - Upright Bass

"On a very quick trip through my home town of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, Ian, Nigel and Howard came over to my home for a very quick recording session. After 5 hours recording we had about nine good tracks in the can. We all did a few more the next morning and then played a gig that night. In April of 2012 Ian came back over for another duo session with me and we got a further 5 tracks done. The bonus tracks come from a session that Ian and I did with John Morrison and Natalie his bass playing wife at the time. As Ian resides in Ireland I grab every opportunity I can to work and record with this master of Gypsy swing guitar".

A Date With Firth

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Oz Noy - Twisted Blues Vol. 2

Size: 144,0 MB
Time: 62:08
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Blues Jazz, Jazz Rock
Art: Front

01. You Dig (Feat. Greg Leisz) (6:33)
02. Rhumba Tumba (Feat.Chick Corea) (6:04)
03. Let Your Love Come Down (Feat. Gregroire Maret) (6:32)
04. Come Dance With Me (7:35)
05. Ej's Blues (Feat. Eric Johnson) (6:36)
06. Get Down (6:46)
07. Blue Ball Blues (Feat. Warren Haynes) (6:06)
08. Just Groove Me (Feat. Dave Weckl) (4:59)
09. Slow Grease (Feat. Allen Toussaint) (5:54)
10. Freedom Jazz Dance (Feat. John Medeski) (4:59)

Bassists Will Lee (The Late Show with David Letterman) and Roscoe Beck (Leonard Cohen, Robben Ford, The Dixie Chicks, Eric Johnson) provide the low end for singular guitarist/composer Oz Noy on his sixth album, Twisted Blues: Volume 2. The album is a follow-up to the 2011 release of Volume 1, also featuring Lee and Beck.

An Israeli native who has called the U.S. home since 1996, Noy says his work isn’t as complicated as some may think, and believes an understanding of the blues is key to sounding good. He says the improvisation in his work “is always on straight R&B or blues grooves. To me, blues and bebop are the glue to good music.”

Twisted Blues not only features the two star bassists, but guitarists Johnson and Warren Haynes (Gov’t Mule, The Allman Brothers Band), legendary New Orleans songwriter and musician Allen Toussaint, and another jazz legend, Chick Corea, on piano.

Twisted Blues Vol. 2

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Laura Garam - This Gentle Rain

Size: 96,3 MB
Time: 41:12
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. An Easy Tune (2:57)
02. Lonely Hours (4:51)
03. Don't Be That Way (2:43)
04. Summer Goodbye (3:20)
05. Shiny Stockings (3:22)
06. Get The Feeling (2:27)
07. I Didn't Know What Time It Was (3:59)
08. This Could Be The Start Of Something Big (2:14)
09. Sweet Georgia Brown (3:44)
10. This Gentle Rain (3:17)
11. Look For Me I'll Be Around (3:56)
12. That's All (2:28)
13. Once Again (1:49)

Laura Garam comes as something of a surprise. A household name, even in her homeland Finland, she left full obscurity one and a half year ago and began singing jazz in the old way. Her voice, a natural and enjoyable one, shows exceptional talent and sense of style. Jazz ballads’ sentiment comes off amazingly and expressively, without compulsion over a jazz song cliché.

“This Gentle Rain” is a welcome debut from a new European jazz vocalist. Laura's voice has charm, and her willingness to go beyond the standard vocal repertoire is to be applauded.

The thirteen songs are accompanied by Mikki Nuorivaara (piano), Jukka Kampman (double bass, guitar) Antti Snellman (flute, saxophone) and Roni Kaspi (drums, percussion).

This Gentle Rain

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David Reinhardt Trio - S/T

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 49:44
Size: 113.9 MB
Styles: Gypsy jazz
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[3:09] 1. All The Things You Are
[2:55] 2. Berga
[3:25] 3. Casting
[4:00] 4. Chaumont
[5:07] 5. Dawson
[4:39] 6. Histoire Simple
[5:06] 7. Micro
[4:44] 8. Nina
[3:16] 9. Nuages
[4:20] 10. Oh Samba Lec
[2:44] 11. Pretexte
[6:14] 12. Swing 42

Grandson of the great Django Reinhardt and son of Babik, David Reinhardt was born in Longjumeau, France in 1986. He made his first stage appearance as a guitar player in 1993 at the age of 6, accompanied by his father Babik in a tribute to Django at the Django d'or. Without any concerns for the pressures that might come with such a namesake, David Reinhardt has carried out his family tradition with grace and a style all his own. After the passing of his father in 2001, he naturally took on his role in Christian Escoudé's Trio Gitan. With his David Reinhardt Trio, he has graced the stage of countless jazz events worldwide, including Philips Dubaï International Jazz Festival, Festival Internazionale Jazz Manouche de Turin and Le Festival International de Jazz de Montréal.

David Reinhardt Trio

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Kellylee Evans - Nina

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 48:40
Size: 111.4 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[3:23] 1. Do What You Gotta Do
[3:59] 2. Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood
[2:48] 3. Ain't Got No/I Got Life
[4:27] 4. Mood Indigo
[4:21] 5. Feeling Good
[4:03] 6. Tomorrow Is My Turn
[2:30] 7. I Loves You Porgy
[2:11] 8. July Tree
[3:43] 9. Love Me Or Leave Me
[4:02] 10. Ne Me Quitte Pas
[5:19] 11. Sinnerman
[7:48] 12. Wild Is The Wind

Every once in a while an homage project comes along actually doing what it sets out to do: pay homage. That the object of the present homage is the enigmatic Nina Simone makes Canadian Kellylee Evans' Nina that much more a definitive statement of a courageous cultural career. Add to this that Evans thoughtfully does not cover Simone's "Mississippi Goddamn," and this collection is properly frames not only Simone, but also Evans, whose musical vision, already established, is a formidable one.

Evans employs a small, uncomplicated band for her spare treatment of the Simone songbook. The piano trio is replaced by a svelte guitar trio led by guitarist Marvin Sewell, whose damped round tone provides a retro-Herb Ellis tone. Evans effects a performance of the traditional "Sinnerman" that lays half-way between Simone's 1965 recording pm Pastel Blues (Philips), and Peter Tosh's reggae incarnation "Downpressor Man," from Equal Rights (CBS, 1977). Sewell plays a soupy slide guitar over Francois Moutin's burping jungle groove, propelled by Andre "Dede" Ceccarelli's snare-less drumming. Evans sings with a relaxed urgency, one not unlike Simone. But amidst it all, Evans retains her own potent identity with material that would have eaten lesser talent alive. Simone is properly honored while Evans is properly framed. ~C. Michael Bailey

Kellylee Evans: vocals; Marvin Sewell: guitars; François Moutin: bass; Andre Ceccarelli: drums.

Nina 

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Oscar Peterson Trio - Encore At The Blue Note

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 73:55
Size: 169.2 MB
Styles: Bop, Piano jazz
Year: 1990/2009
Art: Front

[ 9:24] 1. Falling In Love With Love
[ 9:00] 2. Here's That Rainy Day
[13:00] 3. Medley: Goodbye Old Girl/He Has Gone
[ 8:35] 4. The Gentle Waltz
[ 9:15] 5. Billie's Bounce
[ 5:10] 6. The More I See You
[ 8:43] 7. I Wished On The Moon
[10:45] 8. Cool Walk

The fourth CD taken from a reunion engagement at the Blue Note by pianist Oscar Peterson, guitarist Herb Ellis, bassist Ray Brown and drummer Bobby Durham, this set is up to the same level as the other three. The Oscar Peterson Trio of the late '50s (along with Peterson's drummer of a decade later) jam through five standards (including a heated "Falling in Love with Love") and four of Peterson's originals, highlighted by a medley of his "Goodbye Old Girl" and "He Has Gone."

Encore At The Blue Note

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Sarah McLawler & Richard Otto - We Bring You Swing

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 57:18
Size: 131.2 MB
Styles: Swing
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[1:51] 1. When Lilacs Bloom
[2:05] 2. Canadian Sunset
[2:23] 3. Slow Boat To China
[2:39] 4. Robbins Nest
[2:35] 5. Rainbow On The River
[2:35] 6. My Reverie
[2:52] 7. Midnight Sun
[2:15] 8. Lullaby Of Birdland
[2:15] 9. Love Walked In
[2:29] 10. The High And The Mighty
[2:18] 11. A Foggy Day
[2:18] 12. Caravan
[2:16] 13. A Foggy Day
[2:36] 14. My Reverie
[2:15] 15. Lullaby Of Birdland
[2:29] 16. The High And The Mighty
[1:51] 17. When Lilacs Bloom
[2:18] 18. Caravan
[2:23] 19. Slow Boat To China
[2:37] 20. Robbins Nest
[2:17] 21. Love Walked In
[2:05] 22. Canadian Sunset
[2:35] 23. Rainbow On The River
[2:50] 24. Midnight Sun

In mid 1953, Sarah is signed to Brunswick. She is joined by her childhood friend Gayle Brown for the Brunswick release "Gone Are The Days". In June, Sarah and her trio are on stage for a week at New York's Apollo Theater. In May Brunswick releases #84009 - "I'm Tired Of Crying Over You" and "Foolin' Myself". This is followed the next month by #84014 - "Let's Get The Party Rockin'" and "Blue Room" recorded with Georgie Auld and his band. In early July Sarah plays a week at Washington D.C.'s Howard Theater. Not much is heard from McLawler until the following April when she begins a long association with violinist Richard Otto. Brunswick #84026 contains "Somehow" and "You're Gone". Other records for Brunswick include "Body And Soul" and "Yesterday". The Capitol Lounge is the last remaining R & B room in the Chicago Loop. In May of 1954 that room calls it a day and Sarah has the distinction of being the last musical attraction to perform at that room. In October Sarah plays a number of club dates in New York's Harlem.

From that time on for a number of years, Sarah was part of a unique trio of organ, violin, and drums. The violinist was Otto whom she eventually married, and the drummer was Tommy Hunter. They recorded a number of singles including "Relax Miss Frisky", "Flamingo", "Canadian Sunset", and "At The Break Of Day", and albums for the Vee-Jay label, the most successful being the "We Give You Love". A followup LP was recorded under the title "We Give You Swing". The McLawler - Otto trio closed out 1959 with a tour through the Midwest with Ray Charles ending up with a holiday week at Chicago's Regal Theater. She remained a wonderful performer, and a part of the R & B legacy that started it all.

We Bring You Swing

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Janis Mann - A Perfect Time - Drummers And Other Friends

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:23
Size: 175,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:51)  1. All my tomorrows
(6:29)  2. Summer night
(4:11)  3. Sharing the night with the blues
(6:35)  4. Quietly there
(4:32)  5. Can’t get out of this mood
(6:11)  6. The meaning of the blues
(4:26)  7. Cool
(5:41)  8. Someone to light up my life
(4:29)  9. Young and foolish
(5:31) 10. Everything happens to me
(4:27) 11. Love walked in
(4:18) 12. Watch what happens
(4:25) 13. Just in time
(3:41) 14. Once in a while
(5:29) 15. Old devil moon

Perhaps you know Janis Mann for her decade-long prominence among Seattle’s many great female jazz singers, or for the four collections of standards she released between 1997 and 2003. If not, then A Perfect Time: Drummers and Other Friends is, indeed, a perfect time to acquaint yourself with a truly splendid, if vastly underappreciated, vocalist. Mann, who originally hails from Brooklyn and has now settled in L.A, is owner and operator of a splendid instrument that owes as much to June Christy as it does to Sarah Vaughan. She possesses the unique ability to be simultaneously cool and sultry, to seem as crystalline as Baccarat’s finest yet smoky as a Dietrich film festival, and to suggest that she’s just stepped out of the 1950s while sounding utterly contemporary.

As the album’s title hints, Mann’s intent is to celebrate her admiration for first-class drummers by dividing the 15 tracks among four of the very best, with Peter Erskine, Joe La Barbera and Roy McCurdy each sitting in for four tracks and Paul Kreibich stick-handling the remaining three. The four lads’ contributions are expectedly superb. But, being the pros they are, all are far more interested in keeping their brilliance in the background, pushing Mann’s magnificent voice fully in the spotlight. (Oh, and while we’re on the subject of superlative accompaniment, it is imperative to add that bassists Chuck Berghofer and John Clayton deserve high praise for their equally subdued, equally gorgeous work.) The exquisite way in which Mann, with considerable assistance from arranger, producer and pianist Tamir Hendelman, finesses the likes of “Love Walked In,” “Just in Time,” “Once in a While” and “Watch What Happens” is beyond compare.

But what makes A Perfect Time most pleasurable is Mann’s ability to dig up less-familiar chestnuts Harry Warren’s softly wistful “Summer Night,” Johnny Mandel’s heartbreakingly wishful “Quietly There,” Jimmy Van Heusen and Sammy Cahn’s joyously optimistic “All My Tomorrows” and the cautionary West Side Story anthem “Cool” (performed with such keenly intelligent precision that it sounds more choreographed than arranged) and transform them into the luminous gems they deserve to be.                 ~ Christopher Loudon   http://jazztimes.com/articles/20852-a-perfect-time-drummers-and-other-friends-janis-mann

Personnel: Janis Mann (vocals); Diane Schuur (vocals, piano); Jeff Clayton (alto flute, alto saxophone); Tamir Hendelman (piano); Joe La Barbera, Peter Erskine, Roy McCurdy, Paul Kreibich (drums).

A Perfect Time - Drummers And Other Friends

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Jessy J - Second Chances

Styles: Vocal And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:41
Size: 96,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:57)  1. Listen 2 the Groove
(3:42)  2. Second Chances
(3:34)  3. Feel Like Makin' Love
(4:25)  4. Magalenha
(4:15)  5. Tango For Two
(4:14)  6. Dos
(3:24)  7. La Luna Feliz
(5:15)  8. Double Trouble
(3:06)  9. Mambo Gumbo
(4:45) 10. Twice

It's a paradox that what distinguishes Jessy J was the very thing she did not put enough emphasis upon; being a female Latin jazz artist. Through three albums of solid, if standard, smooth jazz grooves enlivened somewhat by more distinctive outbursts of originality the lady known as Jessica Spinella stumbled with the blandly generic Hot Sauce (Heads Up, 2011). In every musician's career a time comes when they must choose to follow a path to success chartered by others or one chartered by themselves. Perhaps Jessy J realized she was marginalizing herself as just another smooth jazz saxophonist in an overcrowded field and decided it was time for a course correction. Either way Second Chances shows a musician willing to take chances even if they aren't big chances. It's still a compliment as Hot Sauce failed to be little more than product. Here, with Jessy J handling the production chores herself, she isn't going for complete reboot as much as a conceptually constructed album built around original compositions on the number two ("Listen 2 the Groove," "Second Chances," "Tango for Two," "Dos," "Double Trouble," "Twice") and a few covers, Eugene McDaniels' classic "Feel Like Makin' Love" and "Magalenha" by Sergio Mendes. 

The result is the most fully realized album of the young musician's career and certainly her most consistent. Playing alto, tenor, soprano and baritone sax as well as flute, Jessy J shows off her versatility. Her breathy, girlish vocals on "Feel Like Making Love" won't make anyone forget Roberta Flack, but the support from Bryant Sinono (bass), Tim Stewart (guitar) and Norman Jackson (keyboards) from her own band step up and elevate the tune from a skip to at least listenable. In the shift to put smooth jazz riffing aside to get closer to her Latin roots Jessy J is ably assisted by Jeff Lorber and Johnny Britt, a multi-instrumentalist, vocalist and songwriter who takes a lead vocal turn on the jumpin' "Mambo Gumbo" penned by Jessy J and Joe Sample. It doesn't hurt that her playing here is easily her best on record. Jessy J's confidence and skill has done nothing but grown and whether she's jamming on the tenor sax with Lorber and Jimmy Haslip on "Tango for Two" or soaring as she alternates between soprano and flute the lady does not fail to impress. 

Initially, Jessy J seemed fated to be just another underachiever playing her saxophone competently if not memorably. Despite this being her fourth album, she truly seems to have made the most of a second chance to distinguish herself from a crowded field of players and by getting back to basics Second Chances is reason enough to give her a second listen. ~ Jeff Winbush   http://www.allaboutjazz.com/second-chances-jessy-j-shanacie-review-by-jeff-winbush.php#.U3PpdCi9a5w

Personnel: Jessy J: tenor, alto, baritone, and soprano saxophone, flute, vocals; Jeff Lorber: keyboards, guitar, strings; Jimmy Haslip: bass, background vocals; Tony Moore: drums; Dwight Sills: guitar; Johnny Britt: keyboards, drum programming, trumpet, vocaks, additional vocals and vocal arrangement; Norman Brown: guitar, keyboards; Frank Abraham: bass; Michael Angel: rhythm guitar; Richie Gajate Garcia: percussion; keyboards; Norman Johnson: keyboards, strings; Bryant Sinono: bass, bass, keyboards, electric guitar; Charles Streeter: drums; Tim Stewart: guitar; Michael Thompson: guitar; Mike White: drums; Nancy Lyons: chorus vocals; Facundo: vocals, guitars

Second Chances

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Gordon Webster - Live In Rochester

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:08
Size: 124,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:59)  1. Night Train
(4:04)  2. Five Foot Two
(4:29)  3. Ochi Coymiye
(3:47)  4. Paramour
(5:12)  5. Darkness On The Delta
(4:15)  6. Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gives To Me
(4:47)  7. Sweet Sue
(3:15)  8. Diga Diga Doo
(4:26)  9. Sweet Potato Fries
(4:23) 10. Comes Love
(5:37) 11. I Like Pie
(5:47) 12. Dream A Little Dream

Pianist Gordon Webster has performed with Wycliffe Gordon, Grant Green Jr., Tim Hagans, Donny McCaslin, Ingrid Jensen, Chris Parker, Steve LaSpina, Jim Rotondi, Adam Nussbaum, Ron McClure, Chris Potter, Joel Frahm, and Jim Black among others. His playing has been showcased in numerous New York City venues including the Blue Note, The Iridium, Sweet Rhythm, The Cutting Room, Cleopatra’s Needle, Makor, 92nd Street Y, Mannahatta Lounge, Kavehaz, Triad Theater, Smalls, Cafe Vivaldi, The Bar Next Door, St. Nick’s Pub, Night and Day, and Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola. Webster graduated from the Manhattan School of Music Masters Degree in jazz studies program in 2006, and has studied privately with Kenny Barron, Garry Dial, Sonny Bravo, Ari Heonig and Samir Chatterjee. He has performed in Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, France, Australia, and throughout the United States and Canada at international jazz festivals, jazz clubs, and dancing events including lindy exchanges, workshops and camps. 

Originally from Ottawa, Webster began studying music at the age of four. In 1993 he moved to Toronto where he earned a Bachelor of Music from the University of Toronto in 1999. During his eleven years as a Toronto resident, Webster was able to collaborate with many of Canada’s finest jazz instrumentalists and singers. His first trio recording, as a leader, “Three We” was released in 2000 with sidemen Duncan Hopkins and Kevin Dempsey. Other recording credits include Canadian jazz releases with Chris Robinson, Kim Addison, Rita di Ghent; groove/fusion projects KITE, Jukejoint and Gruvoria; a recent duo album with Rochester trumpeter Mike Kaupa; and brother Mike Webster’s fall 2005 release Leading Lines featuring bassist John Benitez (Eddie Palmeri, Chick Corea, John Scofield) and trumpeter Mike Rodriguez (Charlie Haden, Joe Lovano, Clark Terry). 

Gordon has taught jazz improvisation and piano at Jazzworks summer camp near Ottawa, Canada for five years, maintains a sizeable roster of private students, and has appeared in educational concerts for children with the National Arts Centre Orchestra in collaboration with conductor Boris Brott. In addition to his ongoing creative pursuits as a jazz musician, Gordon developed a passion for lindy hop and blues dancing over the past six years, which has become a significant influence in his life since 2001. ~ Bio   http://www.last.fm/music/Gordon+Webster/+wiki

Personnel: Naomi Uyama, Steven Mitchell, Aurora Nealand, Jesse Selengut - vocals; Gordon Au, Jesse Selengut - trumpet; Aurora Nealand, Dan Levinson - reeds; Matt Musselman - trombone; Gordon Webster - piano; Cassidy Holden - guitar; Rob Adkins - bass; Jeremy Noller - drums

Live In Rochester

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Evan Christopher - Delta Bound

Styles: Clarinet Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:39
Size: 153,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:50)  1. Vieux Carre
(5:58)  2. Rampart Street Ramble
(4:02)  3. Creole Belles
(7:26)  4. New Orleans
(3:34)  5. Kiss Me Sweet
(7:22)  6. La Ciudad Criolla
(3:48)  7. The King Of Treme
(4:55)  8. Desire
(3:55)  9. Out Of There
(6:17) 10. While We Danced At The Mardi Grac
(6:30) 11. Sunday Morning
(6:55) 12. Delta Bound

The clarinet and New Orleans share a long tradition of rhythmic swing and lyrical adventure. Long before Pete Fountain and Larry Shields, there were trad jazz pioneers including Lorenzo and Louis Tio, Lorenzo Tio Jr., Albert Nicholas, Alvin Batiste, Johnny Dodds, Barney Bigard, Omer Simeon, Jimmy Noone, Tony Scott and Sidney Bechet. The instrument, with its throaty, wooden timbre, allows emotions to be bared and feelings set free when in the hands of a master. Delta Bound recalls the masters of the clarinet while applying fresh, original songs to a syncopated rhythmic memory that remains timeless. Clarinetist Evan Christopher, still in his thirties, hails from Long Beach, California, where he was exposed to all kinds of music and art as a youngster. Now working on his Masters Degree at Tulane University in New Orleans, he's enlisted the support of pianist Dick Hyman, bassist Bill Huntington and drummer Shannon Powell to 'splain the magic of The Big Easy and all its charming musical elements. 

Christopher has you dancing in the streets, holding a colorful parasol and tossing baubles and beads to passers-by before the CD player reaches the album's title track. Written by Alexander Hill, it drives like a slow freight that knows where the tracks lead, as Christopher's clarinet signals a passive voice above the rhythmic stride of piano, bass and drums. Christopher gives Hoagy Carmichael's "New Orleans a welcome waltz step that swings high and low through the clarinet's registers. "La Ciudad Criolla and "The King of Treme, both originals, balance deep feeling with superb musicianship. A winning combination such as this shares the tradition of New Orleans while lifting spirits to lofty heights. ~ Jim Santella   http://www.allaboutjazz.com/delta-bound-evan-christopher-arbors-records-review-by-jim-santella.php#.U3bqIyi9a5w

Personnel: Evan Christopher: clarinet; Dick Hyman: piano; Bill Huntington: double-bass; Shannon Powell: drums.

Delta Bound

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