Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Chet Baker - Stella By Starlight

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 57:20
Size: 131.2 MB
Styles: Trumpet jazz
Year: 1962/1994
Art: Front

[ 6:23] 1. Milestones
[ 6:38] 2. Deep In A Dream
[13:06] 3. Once Upon A Summertime
[ 7:16] 4. Mister B.
[ 5:41] 5. I Waited For You
[10:49] 6. Stella By Starlight
[ 7:24] 7. Witchcraft

Despite his handicaps, Baker retained his compelling, moody performance style and had a consistent audience. Later based overseas, he produced a number of albums on European labels. In the last ten years of his life, he preferred playing in small clubs with trios and quartets, but managed a few concert appearances in New York, San Francisco and Tokyo for packed houses. One haunting Tokyo performance from June of 1987, less than a year before his death, is captured on the album Chet Baker in Tokyo, which includes an unforgettable version of “Stella By Starlight.”

On May 13, 1988, after three failed marriages and an erratic career, Chet Baker was found dead on a sidewalk two stories below his room at an Amsterdam hotel. The autopsy revealed the presence of narcotics but concluded nothing about the cause of the fall.

Even in decline, Baker maintained his mastery of midrange improvisations, many of which have been resurrected today by an obsessive coterie of fans, who post rare live performances on YouTube and MySpace. A subject of documentaries and several books, including Bruce Weber’s Let’s Get Lost and an incomplete autobiography, As Though I Had Wings, he was voted into the Down Beat’s Jazz Hall of Fame one year after his death.

Alto Saxophone – Glauco Masetti; Bass – Franco Cerri; Drums – Gianni Cazzola; Guitar – René Thomas; Trumpet – Chet Baker

Stella By Starlight

Cyrille Aimee - Cyrille Aimee & The Surreal Band

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 54:53
Size: 125.6 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[3:23] 1. This Can't Be Love
[4:08] 2. The More I See You
[6:01] 3. I'll Remember April
[5:29] 4. As Long As You're Living
[4:26] 5. How Deep Is The Ocean
[4:19] 6. Indifference
[8:00] 7. Que Pasa
[4:50] 8. Sunny
[5:41] 9. I'm Through With Love
[5:00] 10. Sometimes I'm Happy
[3:30] 11. Twenty Eight

Winner of the Montreux Jazz Festival's International Vocal Competition, the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition and finalist in the Thelonious Monk Vocal Competition, French vocalist Cyrille Aimée is—in the words of Will Friedwald of The Wall Street Journal—"one of the most promising jazz singers of her generation." In the same Wall Street Journal feature on Cyrille (and vocalist Cecile McLorin Salvant), Friedwald declared "Both are astonishing creative singers, with a brilliant sound, fresh ideas, impeccable rhythm and an overall approach that honors tradition without being shackled to the past."

Cyrille was born in Fontainebleau, France, to a French father and Dominican mother. Her introduction to jazz was the result of the fortuitous location of her upbringing, the village Samois-sur-Seine—the same place where the legendary gypsy guitarist Django Reinhardt once lived. For decades gypsies from throughout Europe have descended upon Samois every June, setting up caravans in nearby meadows for the annual Django Reinhardt Festival. Many years ago, a young, curious Cyrille wandered (unbeknownst to her parents) into the encampments and fell in love with the gypsies’ music and way of life. She would climb out her bedroom window at night and spend evenings in their quarters, learned their language and sang by the fire with Django's descendants—before returning home prior to sunrise and school. "I was hypnotized by this music which made me want to tap my feet," said Cyrille. "Swinging music makes me so happy."

As a teenager, Cyrille performed in various Parisian cafés and clubs. When her family moved to Singapore, she remained in Paris to attend the American School of Modern Music. She also auditioned for "Star Academy," the French version of "American Idol." Selected to be one of 16 semi-finalists, Cyrille had second thoughts when she was handed a contract that tied her up every which way for ten years—including what she would sing. This was too much for her gypsy and jazz spirit to accept—so she quit. The French media so pursued Cyrille, she sought refuge in her mother's homeland—the Dominican Republic.

Cyrille Aimée's hybrid of influences has resulted in a sound that's fresh and enlivening. In addition, her distinctive voice—which did not escape the attentions of Stephen Sondheim, who cast Cyrille in an Encores! Special Event at New York City's City Center in November 2013—is guaranteed to enthrall. If the notion of joy factors into a concertgoer’s equation, Cyrille's concerts—whether with her band, an orchestra or in a duo setting—are not to be missed.

Cyrille Aimee & The Surreal Band

Terell Stafford - Fields Of Gold

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 72:47
Size: 166.6 MB
Styles: Trumpet jazz
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[4:30] 1. Hey, It's Me You're Talkin' To
[5:24] 2. Minnesota
[6:47] 3. Dear Rudy
[7:18] 4. Ms. Shirley Scott
[4:56] 5. Ill Wind
[6:22] 6. If I Perish
[5:31] 7. Sagittarius
[6:46] 8. I Believe In You
[6:10] 9. His Eye Is On The Sparrow
[5:50] 10. Flashdance
[5:54] 11. That's All
[7:14] 12. September In The Rain

This is a recording of tightly arranged and performed originals (Stafford got almost everyone in the band to compose a piece) and not so standard standards ("Ill Wind" and "September in the Rain"). Never being a big fan of Antonio Hart, I found him to be quite the perfect foil for Stafford. Together, they have fashioned a finely crafted series of pieces, arrangements, and solos, all in that order. They swing in a succinct and propulsive manner. The disc is summed up on the Bill Cunliffe contribution, "Minnesota," where everyone solos extremely well.

If I were to define an overall mood, I would say light Bossa Nova. Certainly "Hey, It'' Me..." and Stafford's own "Dear Ruby" fill that bill. But as soon as I say that, things get a little greasy with Stafford's "Ms. Shirley Scott." Fueled by Cunliffe's chicken shack organ and Kitagawa's walking bass, Ms. Scott proves to be a saucy and daring lady. Stafford chooses tow traditional pieces, a samba heavy "If I Perish" and a 3/4 "His Eye is on the Sparrow." All other pieces follow suite. Fields of Gold is superb debut on a super label. Merci! ~Michael Bailey

Terell Stafford: trumpet; Antonio Hart: alto aaxophone; Bill Cunliffe: piano, organ; Kiyoshi Kitagawa: bass; Rodney Green: drums.

Fields Of Gold

Mark-Almond - The Best Of Mark-Almond

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 75:22
Size: 172.5 MB
Styles: Pop rock, Jazz rock
Year: 1990
Art: Front

[ 4:53] 1. Tuesday In New York
[ 6:08] 2. The Ghetto
[10:25] 3. The City
[ 4:59] 4. Tramp And The Young Girl
[21:50] 5. Sausalito Bay Suite
[ 5:39] 6. One Way Sunday
[ 4:16] 7. Monday Bluesong
[ 5:07] 8. What Am I Living For
[ 5:02] 9. Lonely Girl
[ 6:58] 10. Home To You

Jon Mark and Johnny Almond were top London session musicians in the 60s, at a time when the British rock explosion was at full force. They played with everyone from The Rolling Stones to Marianne Faithfull. Mark even owned a production company with guitarist Jimmy Page, who later started the seminal rock group, Led Zeppelin. Mark and Almond met in the late 60s, on a two year tour with John Mayall, the acknowledged father of the white blues. Both recorded on Mayall's classic album, The Turning Point. On tour, they discovered a strong musical affinity which ultimately resulted in Mark-Almond. Through the 70s the band toured the United States and Europe, and made recordings for a variety of labels. Over time, Mark-Almond consistently forged new ground and retained an uncanny sense of identity due to the strong musical vision of its leaders.

The Best of Mark-Almond is a compelling retrospective of the band's most inventive and best-loved songs. We all know the distinctive sound this innovative English band was exploring in the late 60s and early 70s, carving out a niche in the unchartered territory between rock and jazz. Although the saxophone was rarely heard in pop music at that time, the smoky, melancholy tones of reedman Johnny Almond were an integral part of the group's sound. Characterized by an innovative blend of blues licks, jazz riffs, Latin beats, and rock sensibilities, and in counterpoint to the screaming guitar licks of his contemporaries, Jon Mark, the composer and band leader, lingered over subtle, melodic lines with a unique sense of warmth and intimacy.

The Best Of Mark-Almond

Barbara Ann Van - Special Delivery

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:18
Size: 115,8 MB
Scans:

(5:01)  1. All Blues
(4:15)  2. It Had To Be You
(3:55)  3. Accentuate The Positive
(3:50)  4. Squeeze Me
(4:29)  5. This Nearly Was Mine
(3:40)  6. Funny But I Still Love You
(3:49)  7. If I Had You
(3:52)  8. On A String
(4:39)  9. Maybe You'll Be There
(2:49) 10. Just One Of Those Things
(4:58) 11. Cry Me A River
(4:56) 12. God Bless The Child

This Body of work consists of songs I fell in love with at various points in my life.From 'Cry Me A River" which I first heard on my Dads HIFI by Julie London to " Just One of Those Things" by Rosemary Clooney.  My biggest musical influences in my life have been singers like Judy Garland, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Carmen McRae, Frank Sinatra and Ray Charles.I grew up hearing these great singers and knew that I also wanted to sing their music. The Music of the 1940's and 1950's is some of the best music we still have to enjoy today. "Special Delivery" was my first album and it was done in a small local studio in Fort Lauderdale. 

The musicians were all friends of mine and we had a great time recording these out of the norm tunes. Paul Bonman ,piano and keyboards was in my band "The Johnson Boys " in the early 90's and we have always had a special connection. Don Miller on acoustic Bass helped me with arrangements as well as keeping the group tight and focused.Bobby Stern is a very energetic saxaphone player used to playing more  Rhythm and Blues than Jazz but delivered a strong back up for me.Brian Smith on drums kept us all in time all the time.Brian works with many groups in South Florida. 

Linc Lackey and Valerio Conti also joined me for a few tunes adding a different flavor to bass and piano backup for me.Linc was also in my band "The Johnson Boys" and has always been key in song selection for me at times. I hope you enjoy the first album as well as my second album "Her Way" This album was heavily influenced by a dear friend of mine who passed away a couple years ago.He was a very extrordinary pianist, composer, arranger by the name of Jim Belt. He accompanies me on the first two tracks as well as selecting 6 of the 12 songs I recorded. Jim took me under his wing in 1996 in Fort Lauderdale where we first met and mentored and encouraged me to record .He was a special person who now plays in the big jazz band in the sky.Keep the music in your heart always my fans I love you Barbara.   
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/barbaraannvan2

Diane Marino (Feat. Houston Person) - Loads of Love

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:14
Size: 128,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:50)  1. Get Out of Town
(5:05)  2. It Shouldn't Happen to a Dream
(3:24)  3. I Just Found Out About Love
(5:15)  4. Too Late Now
(4:16)  5. How Am I to Know
(5:32)  6. Someone You've Loved
(5:44)  7. Take Love Easy
(5:27)  8. Just for a Thrill
(4:05)  9. I Didn't Know What Time It Was
(4:37) 10. Never Let Me Go
(5:34) 11. I See Your Face Before Me
(3:19) 12. Loads of Love

Diane Marino is an artist worthy of your attention, for her ability to combine the talents of a swinging pianist, a vocalist that communicates with feeling and warmth, and an arranger who can package the music in a fresh and intriguing manner that can grab your interest. In today s diffuse musical world, with remotely varied styles that lack a concise emphasis on melody and the classic forms, it s important to have a lively presentation of the great standards to keep these great songs invigorating and in the moment. This album from Diane Marino serves those purposes well. It should be an important addition to your collection. Loads Of Love is Diane Marino s fifth album, all on the M & M label. A native New Yorker, Diane attended the High School for the Performing Arts and Mannes College of Music for classical piano. Her first album, A Sleeping Bee included a jazz quartet, playing standards, the next, On The Street Where You Live , had jazz, but also with a Brazilian and Latin flair, while Just Groovin reinterpreted pop songs of the 60's with a larger ensemble and guest artists. Select songs from these three CD s were re-mastered for the 2011 offering From The Heart . 

They all received widespread air play and international exposure. Diane also has performed around the country, in festivals, jazz clubs, and cabaret settings like New York City s Metropolitan Room. This wealth of experience and broad outlook can now be synthesized in this current album, with a focus back to her jazz roots. Helping that focus and contributing mightily to the proceedings is Houston Person, who appears as a guest artist on the tenor sax, and more important, has lent a creative direction as producer of the album. For those who don t know him, Person is a towering figure from the classic generation of the tough tenor , with a robust yet sweet bluesy sound. But equally important here, as a producer he has a sweepingly broad knowledge of the American popular songbook, and an approach that focuses on the melody. This approach combines neatly with Diane Marino s sensibilities and they ve known each other for several years and collaborated before. On this album, they join together to explore the ballads and blues. These aspects of jazz inform the best sides of Diane s interpretations of these standards, with her own arrangements that put a little individual spin on the chestnuts. In addition to Diane Marino s piano and Houston Person s tenor sax, the band includes musicians with whom Diane has performed frequently in her current Nashville base, and beyond, and the comfortable familiarity adds a soothing and tight level to the presentation. 

The bassist is Diane s husband and musical partner, too, Frank Marino, Chris Brown lays down a solid groove on the drums, and Pat Bergeson appears on guitar on several tracks. And another special guest is trumpeter George Tidwell, who adds an element of beauty in his appearance on Someone You ve Loved . The program of songs on the album include some well-known Richard Rodgers and Cole Porter you should know, some less prevalent nuggets of the songbook, and even some Ellington, all conveyed with an intimacy of warmth and interpretation. The title track Loads Of Love comes from the legendary later Rodgers show No Strings , originally performed by Diahann Carroll and popularized to jazz audiences by Shirley Horn. Indeed, there are several Shirley Horn connections here, obvious in Horn s coy stylistic influence on Marino, and also in the material, like Johnny Pate s Someone You ve Loved which Shirley Horn also recorded as Have You Tried To Forget , or Jimmy McHugh s I Just Found Out About Love. ~ Editorial Reviews   http://www.amazon.com/Loads-Love-Diane-Marino/dp/B00BLRQKKK.

Personnel: Diane Marino (vocals, piano); Chris Brown (drums); Houston Person (Producer).

Alexandra Caselli - Rough Edges

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:32
Size: 116,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:36)  1. Waiting For Jennifer
(4:26)  2. Blues For Stevie
(5:51)  3. Colors Of The Rain
(6:51)  4. Field Trip
(4:51)  5. If You Loved Me As Much As I Can Imagine
(3:45)  6. Out Of The Blue
(2:54)  7. Butterfly Eyebrows
(4:42)  8. Home At Last
(6:12)  9. Rough Edges
(5:20) 10. Lift Me Up

A rather inappropriate title for an album that is seemingly flawless with no discernable rough edges heard, Rough Edges is another blazing effort from pianist Alexandra Caselli and a pleasing one at that. A classically-trained pianist who began playing the instrument at the age of six, Caselli begins to reveal the depth of that training on the light ballad of "Colors of The Rain" with a warm performance on the keys. Not only is Caselli an exceptional player, she's also a talented composer providing eleven creative and lively original compositions to sample.  Unlike her previous album, Out The Aquarium (Moonjumpers 2, 2004), where Caselli performs with two different rhythm sections in a standard piano trio format, she augments her core trio of bassist Jennifer Leitham and drummer Randy Lake with several guest players. 

Among them are flautist Jennifer Hall who was part of ABC's Dancing with The Stars house band, former Ray Charles guitarist Brad Rabuchin and saxophonist Carol Chaikin. Adding yet another element to her music, Caselli includes two lyrical pieces with "Blues for Stevie" and "Out of the Blue" with vocals provided by Jonathan Dane, who also plays the trumpet and flugelhorn on other tracks. The music is quite charming as the program opens up with the lively, upbeat "Waiting for Jennifer," featuring spirited playing from Hall on alto flute, and well accompanied by guitarist Rabuchin as Caselli plays the melody. On "Blues for Stevie" it's saxophonist Chaikin, following the vocal intro from Dane, who distinguishes herself with a sparkling solo on alto while Leitham and Lake make their presence felt. 

The guitarist takes part of the limelight with cool, crisp play on "Field Trip," sharing the stage with Leitham's brisk acoustic bass. While graced by excellent solos from her band mates and guests, it's pianist Alexandra Caselli who delivers a marvelous performance and deserves the credit for crafting, sanding down and polishing the Rough Edges off one very fine recording. ~ Edward Blanco   http://www.allaboutjazz.com/rough-edges-alexandra-caselli-moonjumpers-review-by-edward-blanco.php#.U4vuSiioqdk
Personnel: Alexandra Caselli: piano; Jennifer Leitham: bass; Randy Drake: drums; Jennifer Hall: alto flute (1,3,10); Carol Chaikin: alto sax (2)soprano sax (5,9); Brad Rabuchin: electric guitar (1,4), acoustic guitar (3); Jonathan Dane: vocals (2,6)flugelhorn (6,8), trumpet (11).

Rough Edges



Charles Atkins & Paul Montgomery - Reunion

Styles: Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:55
Size: 96,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:42)  1. Break This a Loose
(5:45)  2. I Had a Good One
(4:14)  3. The Kinks
(3:01)  4. Another One Down
(3:51)  5. Ask and Ye Shall Receive
(3:50)  6. Doctor's Degree
(4:49)  7. Oh Little Darling
(2:46)  8. Short Skirt
(4:38)  9. He's on the Phone Again
(3:15) 10. I'm Your Child, Lord

Sir Charles Atkins, Professor of the Blues,Tallahassee's Soul Brother Number One: these are all titles that Charles Atkins has earned. To most people, he is known as a serious musician and a polite gentleman with a social conscious. A real, down home person, and a talented musician with a big heart. Charles learned music at the Florida School for the Blind in Saint Augustine, Florida. Like Ray Charles, another famous alumni of that school, his chosen instruments are keyboards and vocals. He has performed with Sam and Dave, the Ink Spots, and Benny Latimore. He has since branched out on his own. Charles Atkins is not just a piano player, a soulful vocalist, and a talented songwriter. He has produced and played for other artists' recordings. Charles is willing to share his experience, teaching music in several settings. Paul Montgomery, who started his career as a blues singer, has taken a different path than Charles. Paul's first love is gospel music. He's toured with the Blind Boys of Alabama, and has toured around the country and worldwide as a gospel artist. "Charles and Paul Reunion" is their second collaboration. ~ http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/paulcharles

Personnel:  Paul Montgomery (acoustic guitar); Charles Atkins (keyboards).

Reunion

Monday, June 2, 2014

Laura Crema - Fotografia

Size: 113,2 MB
Time: 48:45
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

01. Seraphina (3:47)
02. Brigas Nunca Mais (3:55)
03. Beautiful Boy (5:17)
04. Azure (4:04)
05. Photograph (4:02)
06. At Long Last Love (5:00)
07. Wild Is The Wind (5:53)
08. Waters Of March (3:10)
09. This Time The Dreams On Me (4:48)
10. Love Be Kind (4:10)
11. Lost In The Stars (4:34)

Almost everything we come into contact with today is disposable. Things catch our eyes, tickle our fancies, and then we throw them away. When it seems as if nothing around us has been built to last, it can be very disorienting and make us reach for something timeless - something like Laura Crema’s new CD, ‘Fotografia’.

Like the great vocalists of jazz’s golden age, Crema’s voice resonates from a place that is deeper than the words she sings to connect her listeners to the elusive feelings and unexpressed longings that her music suggests. Laura Crema has a rare interpretive gift that allows her to inhabit a song and dive deeply into the lyrics of an old standard to suggest new meanings, shades and inferences that have lain dormant until they were lit up by the sultry warmth of her voice. Opportunities to experience such deep and pure musical expression are rare, which makes the release of Laura Crema’s 3rd studio album, ‘Fotografia’ cause for celebration.
Like her 2007 release, ‘Spring Is Here’, ‘Fotografia’ was produced by Brad Turner, one of Canada’s most accomplished bandleaders and trumpet players. It is easy to hear the chemistry in the studio as Crema and Turner tapped some of the country’s greatest talents to contribute instrumental performances to augment her exceptional voice. Bill Coon’s guitar playing shines on many tracks, especially the emotive versions of Kurt Weil’s ‘Lost In The Stars’ and Duke Ellington’s ‘Azure.’ Empathetic piano and bass support from Sharon Minemoto, Dave Restivo, Adam Thomas and Paul Rushka provide a warm and sultry backdrop for Crema’s vocal explorations on ‘Wild Is The Wind’ and Antonio Carlos Jobim’s ‘Photograph’ while Joe Poole and Andrew Miller’s sympathetic drum and brush work keep everything moving ahead beautifully. The unexpectedly touching reading of John Lennon’s ‘Beautiful Boy’ offers a perfect entry point for ‘Seraphina’ a love song to Crema’s daughter that is one of ‘Fotografia’s’ original tracks along with ‘Love Be Kind’ that was co-written by Sharon Minemoto.

Laura Crema performs regularly, both as a singer and a multi-disciplinary artist and dancer in both her hometown of Vancouver and around the country. The depth and resonance of her voice as well as the singularity and discipline of Laura’s artistic vision has opened many door for her. She has performed with Canada’s finest vocalists at the ‘Divas for Life’ benefits in Vancouver, been featured on CBC radio’s Studio One Jazz Series during The Vancouver Jazz Festival in 2002, 2004 and 2010 as well as appearing on ‘Hot Air’, ‘North by Northwest’ and several other influential radio programs. Her previous recordings, 2007’s ‘Spring Is Here’ and 2002’s ‘Almost Blue’ received airplay worldwide and positive notices in ‘Downbeat’, ‘Coda’ and other taste making journals.

Fotografia

The New Jump Blues - The New Jump Blues

Size: 69,7 MB
Time: 29:29
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jump Blues, Blues Jazz
Art: Front

01. Don't Roll Those Blood Shot Eyes At Me (2:31)
02. Tell Me How Long This Train's Been Gone (3:14)
03. Wastin' My Time (3:04)
04. Mama's Got To Have Two (3:14)
05. Keep On Churnin' Til The Butter Comes (2:27)
06. Good Rockin' Daddy (2:30)
07. You Showed Me (2:35)
08. Mama He Treats Your Daughter Mean (1:59)
09. All She Wants To Do Is Mambo (2:43)
10. Train Kept A-Rollin' (2:21)
11. Cow Cow Boogie (2:46)

Based in Los Angeles and Las Vegas, this tight combo of veteran musicians brings new energy to a style that has its roots in the swing era. The New Jump Blues blends up-tempo elements of blues and jazz and adding touches of calypso.

The ensemble showcases dynamic front man Antonio "Huggy Bear" Fargas who gained fame an as actor earning the nickname as the iconic street character from the mid-'70s television series Starsky & Hutch. He has also appeared in countless films such as “I’m Gonna Get You, Sucka”, “Foxy Brown” and played a recurring role Everybody Hates Chris.

The New Jump Blues also features additional vocalists Adrian Battle and Airreal Watkins and is packaged as an exuberant revue-style stage show with dazzling choreography giving its audience an authentic dancehall experience reminiscent of the 40’s and 50’s.

The band taps into that infectious energy, setting a modern tone while building the traditions of the great jump blues artists of yesteryear, such as Tiny Bradshaw, Wynonie Harris, Louis Jordan, and Ella Mae Morse.

The band celebrates the art of the swing style with having performed at events like Twilight Series, Central Avenue Jazz Festival and the Hollywood & Highland Summer Jazz Concert Series as well.

One standout performance at last year’s Playboy Jazz Fest’s Community Concert prompted Don Heckman’s strong praise in the International Review Of Music in which he described a New Jump Blues performance: “Their opening number immediately showcased the essence of their art with fast-stepping choreography and rapid-fire vocals”.

Currently, The New Jump Blues is laying plans to continue spreading jump blues tradition throughout the universe..

The New Jump Blues

JJ Sansaverino - Waiting for You

Size: 132,2 MB
Time: 56:35
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz: Smooth Jazz
Art: Front

01. Intro (1:35)
02. Back Talk (Feat. Ze' Luis) (3:51)
03. Strive (4:32)
04. Desert Heat (4:40)
05. Montego Bay (Feat. Gary Stanionis) (4:51)
06. Looking For Love (4:11)
07. Gravy Train (Remix) (6:51)
08. For Everything (4:22)
09. Sweet Baby (4:17)
10. The Struggle (5:13)
11. Take My Hand (4:46)
12. Gravy Train (4:31)
13. Padre (2:49)

Guitarist JJ Sansaverino is an absolutely incredible performer, you will love him. He has a "take no prisoners" performance style and his musical style, is a mix of R&B, smooth jazz and fusion ala Santana meets Benson. He has reached millions with his music, touring the World for the last 25 years. He has worked with the best in the business in a wide range of idioms, both live and in the studio and has appeared on hundreds of recordings
Now, with the release of his debut album Sunshine After Midnight on Innervision Records, JJ puts forward a stunning selection of his original compositions, with the help of a stellar array of musicians, producers and special guests. His latest single "Gravy Train" has topped the radio charts climbing on Billboard, Smooth Jazz.Com and Groove Jazz. JJ continues to perform with reggae legend Maxi Priest, while simultaneously touring with his own band and recording his sophomore album "Waiting For You" due for release 5/20/14.

Waiting for You

Kathy Sanborn - Fantasia

Size: 85,0 MB
Time: 36:11
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz Vocals, Latin Jazz
Art: Front

01. Unidos (1:18)
02. Fantasia (3:23)
03. Pensamiento (3:29)
04. Viva El Sueno (3:56)
05. Madre Mundo (3:43)
06. Woe Be Gone (4:30)
07. Sencillamente Amor (3:51)
08. La Rosa (3:57)
09. Daybreak (3:51)
10. De Todo (4:09)

Experience a musical fantasy with sultry singer/composer Kathy Sanborn's Latin jazz vocal album, Fantasía. Sanborn's sixth album includes ten irresistible melodies that showcase her trademark velvet voice and stylish piano. Fantasía includes both English and Spanish songs to capture your musical imagination. From upbeat vocals to elegant ballads, Fantasía will fuel the Latin fires in your soul.

Fantasia

Andy Reiss, Ranger Doug & Bobby Durham - The Art Of The Archtop

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 45:51
Size: 105.0 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[2:44] 1. Blue Lou
[4:33] 2. Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me
[2:27] 3. Love Me Or Leave Me
[5:06] 4. Besame Mucho
[5:01] 5. The Nearness Of You
[3:38] 6. I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me
[2:39] 7. Usted
[3:31] 8. You Took Advantage Of Me
[4:00] 9. I'm Confessin' That I Love You
[4:21] 10. Stompin' At The Savoy
[3:50] 11. Skylark
[3:54] 12. Exactly Like You

If you’re a fan of classic archtop guitar, you’ll be delighted with this beautifully recorded and relentlessly swinging set of tunes celebrating the f-hole sound. Backed by Bobby Durham on upright bass (and sousaphone on one track), Andy Reiss and Ranger Doug perform timeless music on a collection of vintage D’Angelico and Stromberg 6-strings. Here’s the kicker: There are no amps involved. This is strictly an acoustic outing, so the sonic quality of these priceless carved-top instruments comes through loud and clear, colored only by the room and a few high-end mics.

These gifted musicians tracked their parts live, with Reiss handling all the lead work and Doug strumming the changes in a two-chord-per-bar style à la Freddie Green. Both guitarists play in the Time Jumpers—a Grammy-nominated, Nashville-based Western swing band— which means they’ve spent thousands of hours exploring this repertoire together. And it shows. As Reiss snakes up and down the fretboard, juggling chromatic approach tones, sly bends, slurs, and double- stops, Doug holds steady, chonking out crisp three- and four-note voicings that define the harmony and drive the beat. The guitarists’ musical empathy is palpable and they play as if joined at the hip.

The primarily instrumental The Art of the Archtop consists of standards—including Duke Ellington’s “Do Nothing Till You Hear from Me,” Benny Goodman’s “Stompin’ at the Savoy,” and Hoagy Carmichael’s “The Nearness of You”—augmented by the occasional vocal from Doug, Durham, or a guest singer. We’re so conditioned to think of the archtop jazzbox as a dark-sounding instrument— after all, that’s the way we typically hear it when it’s amplified—it’s a revelation to experience the crisp, woody snap of these carved-top guitars au naturel. What a treat. ~Andy Ellis

The Art Of The Archtop

Sonny Stitt - Sits In With The Oscar Peterson Trio

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 38:47
Size: 88.8 MB
Styles: Bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1991/2008
Art: Front

[4:01] 1. I Can't Give You Anything But Love
[3:56] 2. Au Privave
[3:22] 3. The Gypsy
[4:39] 4. I'll Remember April
[4:17] 5. Scrapple From The Apple
[7:06] 6. Moten Swing
[6:02] 7. Blues For Pres, Sweets, Ben & All The Other Funky Ones
[5:21] 8. Easy Does It

This CD combines a complete session that Sonny Stitt (doubling on alto and tenor) did with the 1959 Oscar Peterson Trio (which includes the pianist/leader, bassist Ray Brown, and drummer Ed Thigpen) and three titles from 1957 with Peterson, Brown, guitarist Herb Ellis, and drummer Stan Levey. The music very much has the feel of a jam session and, other than a themeless blues, all of the songs are veteran standards. Highlights of this fine effort include "I Can't Give You Anything But Love," "The Gypsy," "Scrapple from the Apple," "Easy Does It," and "I Remember You." Lots of cooking music. ~Scott Yanow

Sits In With The Oscar Peterson Trio

Marla Gibbs - Never Too Late

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 52:00
Size: 119.0 MB
Styles: Vocal
Year: 2006/2014
Art: Front

[3:04] 1. Never Too Late
[2:17] 2. Counting The Days
[3:34] 3. Game
[4:02] 4. Beautiful Friendship
[3:53] 5. The Island
[3:45] 6. Alone Together
[3:24] 7. Where Have You Gone
[5:30] 8. A Day In The Life Of A Fool
[4:18] 9. The Night Has A Thousand Eyes
[3:21] 10. Easy Living
[5:15] 11. Don't Tell Me Not To Dream
[3:56] 12. I Knew
[5:34] 13. Bonus Commentary

What do you have when a legendary music Producer and TV icon come together? A classic project. Her timeless voice and jazzy style will serenade your soul. Big band blended with jazz fusion & a bonus commentary digitally remastered.

Darrell Crooks (guitar); John Wittenberg, Sharon Jackson , Gina Kronstadt, Pamela Gates, Karen Briggs , Peter Kent, Lesa Terry, Mark Cargill (violin); Robin Ross, Cameron Patrick (viola); Ray Herrmann (woodwinds, saxophone); Ernie Fields Jr. (woodwinds); Ernie Fields (saxophone); Charlie Peterson, Harry Kim, Nolan Andrew Smith (trumpet); George Bohannon, Duane Benjamin (trombone); Onaje Murray (vibraphone); Daniel Doom Bejarano, Kenny Elliott (drums); Vanessa Brown (percussion).

Recording information: Private Island Tracks, Hollywood, CA.

Never Too Late

Various - Friends & Lovers: Songs Of Bread

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 43:31
Size: 99.6 MB
Styles: Soft rock
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[2:44] 1. Josh Rouse - It Don't Matter To Me
[3:16] 2. Call And Response - Baby I'm A Want You
[4:47] 3. Jon Auer - Games Of Magic
[3:27] 4. Erlend Oye - Friends And Lovers
[4:32] 5. Paula Frazer - Everything I Own
[2:48] 6. Ken Stringfellow - Down On My Knees
[3:19] 7. Oranger - Make It With You
[2:23] 8. Dave Derby - I Use The Soap
[3:16] 9. Holy Sons - Last Time
[3:24] 10. Emily Sparks - Too Much Love
[2:58] 11. The Moore Brothers - Look At Me
[3:09] 12. Rachel Goswell - If
[3:22] 13. Eric Shea & Bart Davenport - The Goodbye Girl

The soft rock revival reaches its possible peak with the release of Friends and Lovers: Songs of Bread. Badman has gathered some of the main practitioners of the revival and a few other less obvious choices here, giving a shout-out to the songs of David Gates, James Griffin and Robb Royer. A well-deserved nod for sure as Bread were definitely at the top of the soft rock mountain; the bands involved here certainly treat them with respect, turning in mostly reverent versions of some of their biggest songs. Josh Rouse turns in a breathtakingly beautiful and relaxed "It Don't Matter to Me," Erlend Øye's "Friends and Lovers" has a sweetly lilting quality, Ken Stringfellow power pops "Down on My Knees," making it sound like a Badfinger song, Oranger juice up "Make It With You" with some sitar and fuzz bass, and Eric Shea and Bart Davenport drop some absolutely beautiful harmonies on "Goodbye Girl" (which is a David Gates solo track but it is so nicely done you have to give it a pass). A few bands do take liberties with the source material with varying results. Two bands who make it work are Call & Response, whose vocalist Carrie Clough is a dead ringer for Karen Carpenter on "Baby I'm a Want You," the first 30 seconds of which is pure soft rock heaven before heading into a pleasantly bubbling Stereolab-like direction, and Paula Frazer, who imbues "Everything I Own" with a broken grandeur the original didn't have. Those who fail include Rachel Goswell, whose overly somber take on "If" sounds like a failed audition for a This Mortal Coil album; the Holy Sons noodly and vocally overcooked guitar-meets-electronic beats version of "The Last Time," and Emily Sparks' overly earnest and gray "Too Much Love." The rest is pretty decent, especially Dave Derby's sweet "I Use the Soap" and Cake's dorky yet enjoyable "The Guitar Man." Overall the disc is a fitting tribute to a fine band whose time to be rediscovered had come. Coming next -- American Hero: Songs of Joey Scarbury. ~Tim Sendra

Friends & Lovers: Songs Of Bread

Yvonne Smeets - Under A Cloud

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:47
Size: 147,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:52)  1. Under A Cloud
(3:30)  2. Camouflage
(4:21)  3. Child Of Tomorrow (Nicolette)
(5:32)  4. Looking Up
(3:57)  5. Iris
(4:18)  6. On The Line
(4:30)  7. Of Smiles Remembered (Kind Folk)
(5:37)  8. Houdini
(4:08)  9. Black Nile
(3:24) 10. Black And White Portrayal
(4:19) 11. Adams Apple
(3:43) 12. Circle
(3:58) 13. In The Warm Room
(4:06) 14. Madeira De Sangue
(3:25) 15. Retrato Em Branco E Preto

Jazz-singer, composer and lyricist. All these qualifications are true for versatile and multi-talented Yvonne Smeets in her debut CD ‘Under a cloud’. This rich scope of talents results in four compositions of her own in quite varied musical colours: from the grooving title song to the philosophical ‘Circle’. That she aims high is clear from her choice of six compositions by jazzmasters Dave Holland, Kenny Wheeler and Wayne Shorter  from the latter his ‘Black Nile’, ‘Adam’s apple’ and ‘Iris’ all sung with her own, striking lyrics. Moreover she presents two songs by Kate Bush and three Brazilian songs (a.o. Jobim).  Yvonne Smeets’ music is always pure, warm en never obvious. It can be the wit and finesse of the musical story she tells, the spirited improvisations she scats along, or the relaxed grooves. 

The singer is supported by the subtly swinging and open sounding trio of guitarist Jens Larsen, bassplayer Maciej Domaradzki and drummer Emanuel Donadelli. For three songs she chose as sole accompaniment the piano of Tilmar Junius. With a beautiful outcome that is both delicate and intriguing. The remarkable debut of a singer who makes choices both attractive and daring and already deserves her very own place in jazz.   http://www.oaprecords.com/index.php?id=29&tx_ttproducts_pi1[product]=24

Personnel:   Yvonne Smeets – Vocals;  Jens Larsen – Guitar;  Maciej Domaradzki - Double Bass;  Emanuel Donadelli - Drums & Percussion

Rosalba Lazzarotto - My Funny Valentine

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:14
Size: 147,5 MB
Art: Front

( 3:46)  1. My Funny Valentine
( 5:10)  2. What Are You Doing The Rest Or Your Life?
( 7:07)  3. Blue Monk
( 5:21)  4. Estate
( 6:53)  5. Vanishing
( 4:09)  6. Tenderly
( 3:39)  7. Song For My Father
(10:08)  8. Body And Soul
( 7:00)  9. Everybody's Song But My Own
( 6:02) 10. My Favorite Things
( 4:54) 11. My Funny Valentine

The standard is the birthplace of Jazz. It takes care of him, the rhythems swaying with the roll, the challenge to leave him to grow, while protecting the memory of her... Sometimes I like to start over as a child....?  With these words the author defines the works on this disc. ?... All the music contained in them is so popular, it's emotion felt. You are the strength of this recording, not only do you make me feel what you sing but you also involve the band in a remarkable musical unification.   http://www.tonlist.is/Music/Album/410296/rosalba_lazzarotto/rosalba_lazzarotto_-_my_funny_valentine_mp3_album/

Jazz vocalist, composer, voice only. For many years, is present in the Italian jazz scene with many musical projects, in collaboration with musicians of national and international caliber. Original teacher in his Academy of Modern Singing and jazz, combines his being a musician and, at the same time, a psychologist. In 2006 she was given an episode of the radio program Argentine "La guagua". He has released two CDs under his own name, published by the label "Wide sound": "Double Rainbow" and "My Funny Valentine" ~ Translate by google  http://1mytalent.tv/site/rosalba-lazzarotto/

Personnel:  Rosalba Lazzarotto - Voce, Massimo Manzi - Batteria, Luciano Troja - Piano, Giancarlo Mazzù - Chitarra, Gabriele Pesaresi - Contrabbasso.

Louis Jordan - One Sided Love then Sakatumi

Styles: R&B
Year: 1968
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:01
Size: 78,7 MB
Art: Front

(2:06)  1. One Sided Love
(2:48)  2. Bullitt
(2:40)  3. New Orleans And Rusty Old Horn
(2:32)  4. You Gotta Go
(3:38)  5. I'll Get Along Some-how
(2:32)  6. Wild Is The Night
(3:14)  7. Sakatumi
(2:48)  8. What's On Your Mind
(2:32)  9. Monkey See, Monkey Do
(2:55) 10. Watch The World
(2:46) 11. The A-Men Corner
(3:23) 12. Santa Claus, Santa Claus

These 1968 Recordings Represent One of his Last Visits to a Studio in the United States. Originally Released on the Pzazz Label this was a Rare Collectors Item for Over 30 Years. All the Titles Are Making their Worldwide Debut on CD! ~ Editorial Reviews   http://www.amazon.com/Sided-Love-Sakatumi-Louis-Jordan/dp/B00004Y2HN

Sunday, June 1, 2014

Stan Getz - Bossas And Ballads: The Lost Sessions

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 68:30
Size: 156.8 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz, Bossa Nova
Year: 2003
Art: Front

[7:21] 1. Sunshower
[7:59] 2. Yours And Mine
[7:49] 3. Joanne And Julia
[7:22] 4. Soul Eyes
[7:53] 5. Spiral
[8:13] 6. Beatrice
[8:54] 7. The Wind
[6:34] 8. El Sueno
[6:22] 9. Feijoada

First off, these "Lost Sessions" were never actually lost. The music here was supposed to be released as the Stan Getz Quartet's first issue on A&M, and for the usual record company reasons, it was shelved instead. The tapes were in the vault and catalogs, so it's not like they were found in someone's closet. The bottom line is that Getz, already ill at this point, still had the goods. Produced by Herb Alpert (a genius in his own right even if his records don't always hold up), the bossas here are tough, innovative jazz tunes mainly written by Getz's pianist, Kenny Barron. Don't look for the gentle side of Getz that was so beautifully displayed on his early bossa records with Charlie Byrd and Antonio Carlos Jobim. Instead, this is the man who had reinvented his playing technique. With a strong foil in Barron, Getz was free to explore his form of melodic improvisation to a fuller and wider extent, which is evident if you simply check out his solos on Barron's "Sunshower" and "El Sueno," and Mal Waldron's classic ballad "Soul Eyes." Interestingly, this was Barron's date as much as it was Getz's. His compositions and musical direction are key here, and he was trying to get deeper into and stretch the samba groove in his writing. Finding Getz in such an adventurous space in his playing allowed for this. With a rhythm section that includes bassist George Mraz and drummer Victor Lewis, this disc is essential not only for fans of Getz and Barron, but for real jazzheads. ~Thom Jurek

Bossas and Ballads: The Lost Sessions