Django Club - S/T

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 39:22
Size: 90.1 MB
Styles: Gypsy jazz, Swing
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[2:58] 1. Club Sandwich
[3:37] 2. Lilie
[4:29] 3. It's Time
[3:23] 4. Marée basse
[3:51] 5. Blues Arranger
[4:22] 6. Valse pour Marie
[4:00] 7. Loin
[4:20] 8. Momentum
[4:09] 9. Elo
[4:10] 10. Va-et-vient

Django Club is the encounter of 5 young heirs of the tradition of the ‘Hot Club de France’. They are all aged between 24 and 35, they have all grown up with Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli’s music and they have all come together to make an album in tribute to their grand masters!

That means four boys and a girl, three guitars, one violin, a double bass, overwhelming energy and irresistible swing. Welcome to the Club!

Fiona Monbet: violin; Richard Manetti: guitar; Adrien Moignard: guitar; Sebastien Giniaux: guitar; Jeremie Arranger: double bass.

django club

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Rebekka Bakken - Is That You?

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 45:39
Size: 104.5 MB
Styles: Adult alternative, Jazz vocals
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[4:14] 1. As Tears Clear Our Eyes
[2:56] 2. As I Lay Myself Bare
[4:13] 3. Didn't I
[3:58] 4. Going Home (Is A Lonely Travel)
[3:30] 5. Is That You
[2:52] 6. Even If You Buy Me Thousand Cars
[4:01] 7. Why Do All The Good Guys Get The Dragons
[4:39] 8. So Ro
[3:29] 9. Just A Little Moon
[6:13] 10. Innocence
[5:29] 11. As Long As There Is A Voyage Away

Nordic folk-jazz chanteuse Rebekka Bakken was the most successful exponent of a new generation of Scandinavian jazz singers that also included Silje Nergaard, Sidsel Endresen, and Solveig Slettahjell. Born in Oslo in 1970, Bakken studied violin and piano as a child, and in 1995 relocated to New York City to pursue a professional music career. There she paired with Austrian-born guitarist Wolfgang Muthspiel, and together they toured the local nightclub circuit as a duo. In time Bakken also befriended German pianist Julia Hülsmann, with whom she recorded the 2003 album Scattering Poems, a collection of jazz performances inspired by the poems of e.e. cummings. Upon completing the project Bakken returned to Europe, settling in Vienna and signing a solo deal with the Universum label. Her debut LP, The Art of How to Fall, followed by year's end, and in 2005 she resurfaced with her commercial breakthrough, Is That You? I Keep My Cool followed a year later. ~bio by Jason Ankeny

Eivind Aarset (guitar, electronics); Bendik Hofseth (saxophone); Nils Petter Molvær (trumpet); Peter Scherer (organ); Per Lindvall (drums); Knut Koppang (background vocals)

Is That You                 

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JC Stylles - Blakey Grease

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 46:18

Size: 106.0 MB

Styles: Guitar jazz

Year: 2014

Art: Front

[6:41] 1. Hammerhead

[6:12] 2. Ping Pong

[6:51] 3. Yama

[5:04] 4. United

[6:11] 5. Hipsippy Blues

[4:16] 6. Stretching

[5:10] 7. Pensativa

[5:50] 8. One by One

New York based Jazz Guitarist JC Stylles (aka Jason Campbell) first touched a guitar around 7 years of age, and was introduced to the world of jazz in the most unlikely of places, that being in the rainforests of Kuranda, a tiny, predominantly aboriginal town in the tropics of Far North Queensland Australia, via his stepfather's jazz record collection. At 16 years of age he left the rainforests for Sydney where significantly in his development, he had the opportunity to attend 2 shows a night for nearly a week in front row seats of the touring jazz guitar great George Benson. This sponge-like absorption at such a close range left an indelible mark in his development long term as a guitarist. He also had the opportunity simultaneously to study with an incredible array of touring jazz giants at the time that included John Scofield, Steve Erquiaga, Miroslav Vitous, Woody Shaw, Johnny Griffin and others. Having initially immigrated to New York in 1992, he continued studies with the likes of Pat Martino, Tal Farlow, Rodney Jones, John Abercombie and Barry Harris and further developed his skills in clubs like Visione’s before returning to Australia in the mid-nineties for personal matters.

JC Stylles relocated permanently back to New York in 2005 where he released the recordings “Chillin’ at Home” and “Live and Unveiled” of which both are in the guitar/organ trio format, where he has staked his claim. He also concentrated on performing with the best Jazz Organists in the business including, Jimmy McGriff, Dr Lonnie Smith, Tony Monaco, Pat Bianchi, Seleno Clarke, Jimmy “Preacher” Robbins, Melvin Davis, Nathan Lucas, Akiko Tsuruga and others.

His previous recording “Ex-hil-a-ra-tion and other states” for Motema Music, featuring Pat Bianchi on organ, Lawrence Leathers on drums, and produced by the Grammy award winning producer Jack Kreisberg, received rave reviews from those in the know. C Stylles' Libran commitment to ensuring the balance of the important musical elements that makes for great jazz experiences for listeners, are what sets him apart from many others in the field today.

With his most current release in 2014 being "Blakey Grease", he teams up again with Grammy winning producer Jack Kreisberg for an exclusive project on American Showplace Music, featuring a quintet line-up delivering an "all Art Blakey"repertoire in an organ combo setting for the first time in recorded history!

Blakey Grease 

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Kathleen Holeman - I'm All Smiles

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:11
Size: 147,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:07)  1. I'm All Smiles
(5:01)  2. Love Dance
(3:48)  3. In The Still Of The Night
(5:21)  4. Why Did I Choose You?
(3:53)  5. Your Smiling Face
(8:57)  6. Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most
(3:51)  7. I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart
(4:31)  8. Smile
(4:56)  9. Lush Life
(5:31) 10. Smile All The While
(4:49) 11. Close Enough For Love
(4:19) 12. Autumn Nocturne
(5:00) 13. The Bare Necessities

Kathleen Holeman is a chameleon, able to make her voice be exactly what she wants on any song she wants, and she scats like the pro she is. Jazz standards, vintage swing,blues and pop, ballads and fast romps, relaxing to hot.she does it. 

"Kathleen Holeman is the real deal, a singer who can sing." I had the pleasure of writing those words for a rave I penned for the Topeka Capital-Journal titled "KC Jazz Diva Soars at Topeka Jazz Workshop." I therefore come to the happy task of writing these notes as a partisan. I am a devoted Kathleen Holeman fan!
Since first meeting Kathleen several years ago in preparing notes for her debut album, the acclaimed Don't You Wonder?, I've had the joy -- as countless other Kansas City area jazz fans have had -- of watching her continue to grow. With I'm All Smiles the happy beat goes on. In fact, there's a palpably positive feeling that's just plain life-affirming. In Kathleen's hands, even Billy Strayhorn's "Lush Life" exudes good cheer.

"Life is wonderful and I feel so blessed to be able to share these feelings and sounds with so many people," the St. Joseph, Missouri, native told me recently. Speaking of sharing, Kathleen also gives full credit to her fellow musicians. "The guys helped me pick some of the tunes, and I feel that this is their album as much as its mine," Kathleen stressed. "Most of our small group arrangements are a collective effort and it was great fun to see how the songs would turn out!" Now, we get to share that "fun." More.... http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/holeman2

I'm All Smiles

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Holly Hofmann - Low Life

Styles: Flute Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:29
Size: 114,3 MB
Art: Front

(5:03)  1. Jack of Hearts
(6:49)  2. Touch the Fog
(4:17)  3. Grow (For Dick Oatts)
(5:48)  4. Lumiere de la vie
(5:49)  5. Cedar Would
(5:48)  6. The Very Thought of You
(5:08)  7. Make Me Rainbows
(5:50)  8. Soul-Leo
(4:51)  9. Farmer's Trust

Holly Hofmann has been a fairly high profile jazz flautist for years, working with everybody from bassist Ray Brown to pianist Bill Cunliffe to trombonist Slide Hampton. Her work in Flutology, a flute trio-plus-rhythm group that put her in a front line with Ryerson and the great Frank Wess, raised her profile quite a bit, and a string of positively-received releases on the Capri and Azica imprints have helped her establish a reputation as one of the finest jazz flute players operating today. Low Life is Hofmann's twelfth album, and it finds her working exclusively with alto flute. It's an instrument that, as Hofmann notes, has a limited range, but in her hands, its expressive qualities are limitless. The idea for this record was to take the negative connotation away from the concept of an "easy listening" record. Hofmann just wanted to present "simply arranged songs that show the beauty of the music and the alto flute," and that she does. 

Here, Hofmann works with longtime piano mate Mike Wofford and a trio of West Coast heavies guitarist Anthony Wilson, bassist John Clayton, and drummer Jeff Hamilton. The results are predictably positive. Hofmann connects with Wilson on the guitarist's "Jack Of Hearts," melds with Wofford on Clayton's haunting "Touch The Fog," and keeps crossing lines, moving from the serious to the serene to the soulful, on her own "Lumiere De La Vie." A hip bass-and-drum-rims groove makes Mulgrew Miller's "Soul-Leo" an easy sell, a flute-and-piano duet on "The Very Thought Of You" puts the spotlight on the established Hofmann-Wofford team, and tranquility triumphs during Pat Metheny's "Farmer's Trust." If only all easy listening records were this easy to listen to. ~ Dan Bilawsky   http://www.allaboutjazz.com/furthering-the-flute-in-jazz-holly-hofmann-and-bill-mcbirnie-by-dan-bilawsky.php#.U46ofiioqdk

Personnel:  Holly Hofmann (Flute); Mike Wofford (Piano); John Clayton (bass); Jeff Hamilton (drums);  Anthony Wilson (guitar)

Low Life

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Jackson, Hazeltine, Reedus, Gill - Sugar Hill : The Music Of Duke Ellington And Billy Strayhorn

Styles: Jazz, Hard Bop
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:09
Size: 124,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:18)  1. Caravan
(6:29)  2. Warm Valley
(5:54)  3. In My Solitude
(7:10)  4. Prelude To A Kiss
(5:02)  5. Things Ain't What They Used To Be
(6:36)  6. Chelsea Bridge
(5:33)  7. In A Mellow Tone
(7:02)  8. In A Sentimental Mood
(5:01)  9. Lotus Blossom

This is a tight little quartet date led by saxophonist Javon Jackson, celebrating the music of the Duke. His co-conspirators on the session are arranger/pianist David Hazeltine, drummer Tony Reedus, and bassist Paul Gill. The material ranges from the obvious like "Caravan," "Chelsea Bridge," and "Lotus Blossom," to selections usually not played by quartets such as "In My Solitude." The emphasis here is on the bluesier and moodier side of Ellington's music, which works beautifully. The colors and textures a larger orchestra display may be richer, but in the quartet setting they can go deeper. It puts additional pressure on the individual players, but Jackson and Hazeltine as front line soloists are more than up to the challenge. The greatest proof of this lies in the ballads like "Warm Valley," and in the more lithe and slightly more up-tempo tunes like "In a Sentimental Mood." This is a fine session, and utterly lyrically beautiful all around.      ~ Thom Jurek   http://www.allmusic.com/album/sugar-hill-music-of-duke-ellington-and-billy-strayhorn-mw0000795709

Sugar Hill

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McGregor's Brotherhood Of Breath - Country Cooking

Styles: Avant-Garde Jazz , Big Band
Year: 1988
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 55:50
Size: 102,7 MB
Art: Front

( 5:12)  1. Country Cooking
( 7:34)  2. Bakwetha
( 6:21)  3. Sweet As Honey
( 6:55)  4. You And Me (Sejui)
( 3:49)  5. Thunder in the Mountain
( 7:14)  6. Big G
(10:04)  7. Maxine
( 8:37)  8. Dakar

Pianist McGregor has tamed his BOB big band for this recording it isn't the fire-breathing monster it has been in past years. It's a more refined musical, lyrical beast, less sloppy and raw, with different personnel and approach. The music reflects South African townships beats, swing, Latin underpinnings, and expansive horn charts that represent the best orchestral jazz offerings of the modern era. McGregor also seems more at ease with his role, dishing out more solos and ensemble passages that cue his very able bandmates. Typical highlife music is the focal point on the title track and "You & Me." The former tune is happy, a bouncy rhythm by drummer Gilbert Matthews leading into McGregor's slight melodic notion for the horns respond to, extending the pianist's line, after which Annie Whitehead's trombone solo is backed by the horns in joyous fashion.

 "You & Me" takes the highlife funky; tiny mezzo-piano horns swell to loud staccato flashes, with piano dominating them all in the middle. 6/8 beats solidify "Dakar" with dancing clarinets and high woodwinds, while various skittering melodies skate across "Bakwetha" in a peaceful framework, McGregor's piano rambling over this terrain. In a more straight-ahead jazz vein, atypical for this group, "Sweet As Honey" is simpler in terms of its Basie-like chart and trading of fours by different band members with Matthews, while "Maxine" is McGregor's famous easy swing ballad, with tangy tenor saxophonist Steve Williamson and trumpeter Harry Beckett's poignant solos, plus an ever-changing multi-melody line a la Ellington's "Come Sunday." There's confusion in the titles of "Thunder in the Mountain" or "Big G." Seven cuts are listed on the disc, eight in the liners and back cover. Likely it's "G" missing and "Thunder" present and accounted for, with an Afro-Cuban rhythm from percussionist Tony Maronie underpinning a swing that sets up a one-note to many-note melody, horns in unison expressing an impessive, kinetic dynamic range. 

This is McGregor's most accessible Brotherhood lineup, though somewhat less potent, and the only domestically available document of his work. It's a good, easily recommended primer to encourage you to explore the possibility of hearing his import recordings for Ogun, and other groups The Blue Notes and District Six. ~ Michael G.Nastos   http://www.allmusic.com/album/country-cooking-mw0000202868

Personnel:  Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Steve Williamson ; Baritone Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Julian Argueles; Bass Guitar, Bass, Percussion – Ernest Mothle ;Drums, Percussion – Gilbert Matthews ;Percussion – Tony Maronie ;Piano – Chris McGregor ; Recorded By – John Temperley ; Tenor Saxophone, Bass Clarinet, Flute – Jeff Gordon (4) ;Tenor Saxophone, Bassoon – Robert Juntz ; Trombone – Annie Whitehead, Fayyaz Virji ; Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Claude Deppa, David Defries, Harry Beckett

Country Cooking

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Rebecca Kilgore - Sings From The Ellen Vanderslice Songbook EP

Size: 44,7 MB
Time: 19:23
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2012
Styles: Jazz Vocals, Chanson, Country
Art: Front

01. Moonshadow Dance (Feat. Randy Porter, Ron Steen, Dan Faehnle & Phil Baker) (4:08)
02. Someday He'll Break Your Heart (the Way He Broke Mine) (feat. James Mason, Harley James, John Standefer & Dick Titterington) (4:03)
03. Fiona The Femme Fatale (Feat. Courtney Von Drehle & Eli Reisman) (2:50)
04. Apres L' Amour (Feat. Courtney Von Drehle & Eli Reisman) (4:54)
05. Why Am I The Last To Know (Feat. John Standefer, James Mason, Dick Titterington & Harley James) (2:51)
06. Twilight Of Blue (Feat. James Mason, Harley James, John Standefer & Dick Titterington) (4:39)

Rebecca Kilgore is one of America’s greatest living jazz singers, and she tells a story in song like no other vocalist. On this digital EP release she delivers masterful renderings of six songs by award-winning composer Ellen Vanderslice.

The album opens with the hip classic “Moonshadow Dance,” with music co-composed by Mike Horsfall, which won First Place Jazz in the 2002 USA Songwriting Competition. Accompanying Rebecca Kilgore are the incomparable Randy Porter on piano, Phil Baker on bass, Ron Steen on drums, and the amazing Dan Faehnle on guitar.

Second up is “Someday He’ll Break Your Heart (the Way He Broke Mine),” which can be heard in the movie “Looper” that opened September 28, 2012. (It’s in the background of the diner scene between Bruce Willis and Joseph Gordon-Levitt.) This country song was inspired by the life experiences of one of Ellen’s dear friends, who also served as the inspiration for the song that follows. Rebecca is accompanied by James Mason on fiddle, Harley James on pedal steel guitar, John Standefer on guitar, and Dick Titterington on upright bass.

Next up are two songs from a recording session with Courtney von Drehle on accordian and Eli Reisman on guitar. The upbeat “Fiona the Femme Fatale” is catchy and funny, while “Aprés L’Amour,” which follows, is a chanson triste sung entirely in French.

“Why Am I the Last to Know?” was inspired by the breakup of a favorite musical trio, and was written surreptiously during a tedious meeting about transportation access management. Ellen says, “I wanted to write a song that Patsy Cline could have sung, but Becky sings it better than I imagined it!” The musical accompaniment on this and the final tune are provided by the same great players as on "Someday He'll Break Your Heart (the Way He Broke Mine.)

The album closes with a Vanderslice favorite, “Twilight of Blue.,” previously recorded both by Ellen herself (on the CD The Standard Vanderslice) and by the evocative Johnny Martin (on the CD Once in a Blue Moon). In this previously-unreleased recording by Rebecca Kilgore, the sad and subtle colors of twilight come to life in song.

Sings From The Ellen Vanderslice Songbook

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Just For Swing - Primo

Size: 94,0 MB
Time: 40:32
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Gipsy Jazz, Swing
Art: Front

01. Pluie D'ete (5:55)
02. En Roulotte (4:10)
03. Rue Des Rosiers (4:07)
04. Waltz For Lulu (2:22)
05. Volero (4:19)
06. Brothers' Swing (4:25)
07. Ballade Des Niglos (4:05)
08. Nuevo Comienzo (3:48)
09. Praha (2:35)
10. Songe D'hiver (4:42)

Personnel:
Guillaume Bertrand - Contrebassiste
Benjamin Bertrand - Guitariste solo
Valentin Bertrand - Guitariste rythmique

Depuis le début des années 2000, les frères Bertrand jouent ensemble du Rock, de la Pop puis ils évoluent vers le Classique, ... et le Jazz. Musiciens autodidactes et poly-instrumentistes, ils puisent leur inspiration essentiellement dans la musique de Django Reinhardt, la musique dite "manouche", En sus de l’héritage laissé par les grands maîtres tels que Wes Montgomery, Joe Pass, Georges Benson, Astor Piazzola ou même Chopin, Debussy, on peut retrouver dans leur musique l’influence d’artistes plus contemporains comme Biréli Lagrène, Stochelo Rosenberg, Angelo Debarre, Avishaï Cohen, Gonzalo Bergara, le collectif Selmer #607 ou encore Les Doigts de l’Homme.

Dix ans après la naissance du trio, Just for Swing prend son envol et affirme son swing suite à plusieurs représentations dans le bocage Vendéen. En 2010, le trio fait la découverte d'un lieu mythique, le "Gadjo Swing Café", situé en plein centre de Nantes. Là-bas, les frères Bertrand rencontrent des musiciens chevronnés, et ils ont la chance de jouer avec la plupart d'entre eux. C'est dans ce bar aujourd’hui disparu et auprès de musiciens comme Daniel Givone, Youenn Derrien, ou encore Anthony Muccio que les trois frères ont appris la culture et la technique propre au "Jazz Manouche" ! Fort de ces expériences, Just for Swing se produit aujourd'hui en trio familial sur les scènes locales, notamment en Vendée et sur la région Nantaise. Leur professionalisme et leur complicité sans borne sauront contribuer au succès de vos évènements qu’ils soient publics ou privés.

C'est en 2014 qu'ils sortent leur premier album, "Primo", fruit d'un long travail de composition. On y retrouve des influences jazz, swing mais aussi des teintes classiques et latines donnant une couleur très personnelle, propre à Just for Swing. On notera également la participation du violoniste Max Bédouelle qui s'illustre remarquablement sur 5 titres de l'album.

Primo

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Keely Smith - Misty And Other Classics

Size: 128,8 MB
Time: 55:43
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz Pop
Art: Front

01. Misty (3:25)
02. Only You (2:47)
03. Memories Are Made Of This (2:36)
04. It's Magic (3:44)
05. I Wish You Love (3:45)
06. My Special Angel (2:01)
07. Because You're Mine (2:05)
08. All The Way (3:01)
09. The Man I Love (3:16)
10. Canadian Sunset (3:09)
11. Prisoner Of Love (2:41)
12. The Loveliest Night Of The Year (2:13)
13. No Other Love (2:00)
14. Because (2:52)
15. Tell Me Why (2:18)
16. Moments To Remember (2:33)
17. Someone To Watch Over Me (3:01)
18. Please Mr Sun (2:51)
19. Stardust (2:53)
20. The Will Never Be Another You (2:23)

As a solo jazz vocalist Keely sang mostly pop oriented material. Her greatest solo achievements were on albums for Capitol in the late 1950s backed by Nelson Riddle and Billy May

Beginning her career as the female singer in Louis Prima’s band, and later becoming famous as one half of their hugely successful Las Vegas lounge act, Keely Smith's early achievements were tied to someone or something else.

Now in her 70s, she has found the renewed interest and acknowledgment of her own talent to be immensely gratifying. "I’m thrilled that the resurgence is of my career by myself because for many years everything I did was with Louis, and now all of a sudden I’m being recognized on my own and that really is the ultimate for me," she recounted to the Los Angeles Times.

Throughout the 1950s, Louis Prima and Keely Smith were the undisputed King & Queen of Las Vegas and have been credited with essentially inventing the modern lounge act. Performing five shows a night at the Sahara’s Casbar Lounge, they became a huge draw for both the average blue-collar tourists as well as some of the biggest celebrities at that time. On any given night, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Spencer Tracy, Gary Cooper, Natalie Wood, Robert Wagner, Howard Hughes, and the young Senator John F. Kennedy could be found in the audience. Many of the show business elite would add to the audience’s enjoyment of the show by affably heckling the duo and sometimes even getting up on stage to join the act.

During this period, Capitol Records issued a series of chart-topping albums that consisted of abridged versions of Louis Prima and Keely Smith’s beloved nightclub act. In addition, Keely released I Wish You Love, a solo debut that confirmed her own star power by receiving a GRAMMY nomination and selling over a million copies. Keely’s appeal and renown is just as strong today, having survived several decades, various musical trends and the fickle nature of the entertainment industry. Actor Robert DeNiro and director Martin Scorcese have been long-time fans of Keely’s and over the years have placed her music in numerous films, including “The Deerhunter,” “Raging Bull,” “Analyze This,” “That Old Feeling,” “Big Night” and “Mad Dog and Glory.”

The revival of the swing movement in the late ‘90s inspired The Gap retail chain to use Louis Prima’s signature tune, "Jump, Jive and Wail" in one of its popular ad campaigns. This renewed interest in swing and big band music also led to an invitation for Keely to perform at the House of Blues in Los Angeles, where she sang to a jam-packed crowd of admirers, both young and old. Most recently, Keely has performed to SRO audiences across the country, including a five-night stop in Atlantic City and a stint at Feinstein’s at the Regency in New York City. Talks are currently underway to book Keely into Caesar’s in Las Vegas, bringing her back full circle to where it all began.

Keely Smith is currently writing her autobiography, which has been a work in progress for several years. "I started it about four years ago and then put it aside," she explains. "When I read it, I wasn’t sure if I liked what I had written, but now I’ve started on it again. I want to do it with complete honesty, or not at all." And there are certainly plenty of lifetime experiences to chronicle: winning one of the first-ever Grammy Awards in 1959, performing at President Kennedy’s inauguration, receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and friendships with everyone from The Rat Pack to Elvis Presley.

"I have been very blessed in my life," says Keely Smith reflecting back. And as she looks towards the future, there are even more accolades to receive and sold-out shows still to come. In October of 2000 in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, The Cherokee Honor Society will bestow Keely with its prestigious Cherokee Medal of Honor. "It’s the highest recognition that can be bestowed to a woman in the Cherokee nation," she states proudly. The Medal of Honor is given out annually to recipients whose achievements bring pride and honor to the Cherokee nation and community.

The incomparable Tony Bennett has gone on record naming Keely Smith "one of the greatest jazz-pop singers of all time." What better candidate then to honor Count Basie, one of the greatest bandleaders of all time. Further expanding her audience and repertoire, Keely Smith once again pays tribute to an important figure in her life with class, respect, and above all, an immense display of pure talent. Merv Griffin says it best—“Keely is awesome!”

Misty And Other Classics

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Tony Monaco - West To East

Size: 93,1 MB
Time: 40:29
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2006
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. I Remember Jimmy (Screamin' Monaco Version) (4:01)
02. O Barquino ('Little Love Boat' Version) (4:28)
03. Rudy And The Fox ('Rudy's Not Chicken' Mix) (4:07)
04. Nancy With A Laughing Face (4:06)
05. Roz Da' Cat (Rudy The Rooster's Intro Mix) (6:52)
06. The Best Things In Life Are Free (6:10)
07. It's Magic (6:23)
08. Indiana ('In 5' Version) (4:18)

This is not "East To West" album, this one contains different versions.

Tony Monaco, an excellent organist who is happy to acknowledge the influence of Jimmy Smith (who he pays tribute to on his "I'll Remember Jimmy"), also has a personal sound and a swinging style of his own. Teamed with the fine bop guitarist Bruce Forman, drummer Adam Nussbaum, and occasionally saxophonist Byron Rooker, Monaco romps through a variety of jazz standards and a few basic originals. Although it seems odd that he performs both "Indiana" and "Donna Lee" (the latter is based on the former), both versions are enjoyable. Fans of swinging and soulful jazz organists will find much to enjoy in Tony Monaco's music.

West To East

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Louis Hayes - Return Of The Jazz Communicators

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 75:23
Size: 172.6 MB
Styles: Straight Ahead jazz
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[8:06] 1. Soul-Leo
[6:57] 2. Shape Shifting
[8:56] 3. Lush Life
[6:51] 4. Groovin' For Nat
[4:39] 5. It's To You
[6:42] 6. Without A Song
[5:17] 7. Simple Pleasures
[5:29] 8. Vagabond Ron
[8:42] 9. Portrait Of Jennie
[7:28] 10. Lou's Idea
[6:12] 11. Village Greene

The first version of the marvelous drummer Louis Hayes’ Jazz Communicators was only together a short time (1967-68), but that unit included two legendary players in tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson and trumpeter Freddie Hubbard. The latest edition’s pedigree doesn’t quite equal that of its predecessor, though the roster does include such accomplished musicians as tenor saxophonist Abraham Burton, vibraphonist Steve Nelson and bassist Santi Debriano. Of course Hayes is the dominant figure, and he’s also on a select list of jazz’s most exciting, imaginative drummers. Though his array of session credits and band memberships (Yusef Lateef, Horace Silver, Cannonball Adderley, Oscar Peterson) is extensive and impressive, Hayes isn’t exactly ready for retirement. His dynamic personality is a major reason why the Jazz Communicators’ latest effort is mostly a strong one.

Whether it’s his stunning solo in the early section of “Curtain Call,” or the way he accelerates and drives the band on “Same Page” and the title track, Hayes’ leadership mirrors the way Art Blakey powered countless Messengers editions. In fact, the title track has the identical bounce, spirited solo exchanges and crisp, crackling drumming that was the key component of the best Jazz Messengers material. “Bolivia” and a solid version of “Soul Eyes” are other noteworthy tracks, and Nelson’s most assertive playing arrives on “Same Page” and “This Is New.” Burton is an animated stylist, very passionate on “Nothing Better to Do” and “This Is New.”

The only problematic piece is the cover of “Say a Little Prayer.” The lyrics were ideal for signature vocal versions by Dionne Warwick and Aretha Franklin, among others, but the structure and arrangement don’t hold up through this overly long group rendition, even with Burton and Nelson doing their best to create some fire during extended solos. But that exception aside, Louis Hayes’ latest incarnation of his Jazz Communicators has delivered a worthwhile session. Lou’s Idea even indicates that this version of the group could evolve into a band as vital as the vintage edition. ~Ron Wynn

Louis Hayes (drums); Abraham Burton (tenor saxophone); David Bryant (piano); Steve Nelson (vibraphone).

Return Of The Jazz Communicators

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Baden Powell - Lembrancas

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 60:25
Size: 138.3 MB
Styles: Brazilian jazz
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[6:07] 1. Pastorinhas
[6:46] 2. Inquietação
[3:37] 3. Molambo
[6:02] 4. Falei E Disse
[8:23] 5. Dora
[4:36] 6. Linda Flor
[8:32] 7. Maria
[3:08] 8. Minha Palhoça
[4:23] 9. Branca
[5:03] 10. Mágoas De Caboclo
[3:42] 11. O Astronauta

When hearing the name Baden Powell, people tend to think about the famous British founder of the Boy Scouts association (1908). But in Brazil it often happens that parents name their child after a famous person. On August 6, 1937, in Varre-e-Sai (near Rio de Janeiro) Adelina and Lino de Aquino welcomed the birth of a son. As a Boy Scout enthusiast, father Lino took the opportunity to name his son after Sir Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell (1857-1941). A new, Brazilian Baden Powell was born! However, this Baden Powell de Aquino turned out to be one of Brazil’s most talented and renowned guitarists. His typical Brazilian guitar style with influences from jazz, classical and African music is admired by music lovers all over the world. He’s also known for his work as a composer, with a repertoire of more than 500 compositions. ~Kees Schoof

Lembrancas

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Joanie Pallatto - Words & Music

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:27
Size: 161,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:45)  1. Baltimore Oriole
(3:41)  2. S'Wonderful
(3:55)  3. Love, Webster's Definition
(3:37)  4. So Fine
(5:48)  5. New Blues
(2:50)  6. I Got Rhythm
(2:35)  7. Daisy Bell
(7:19)  8. Antonio
(3:33)  9. Desafinado
(5:47) 10. Lil' Darlin'
(4:53) 11. Somethin' Else
(6:16) 12. This Can't Be Love
(4:36) 13. The Lady Is A Tramp
(6:55) 14. But Not For Me
(4:49) 15. Blue Bossa

“Give my new disc a spin,” said Joanie Pallatto (via e–mail). “I think you’ll like it” (or words to that effect). Yeah, sure, I thought; another undiscovered phenom. Okay, so she was right; I liked it. A shade below phenomenal, perhaps, but I’ve heard a large number of female singers over the past few years including some big label hotshots, and she’s in the same league with any of them. Pallatto’s warm, personal style suits well her charming, slightly husky voice. She has splendid control, range and diction, and most important abiding respect for a lyric. Oh, and her choice of material is exemplary, as is the 70:44 playing time on Words and Music, Joanie’s sixth recording on Chicago’s Southport label, which she and husband Bradley Parker Sparrow co own. Sparrow does more than serve as producer and recording engineer; he wrote and plays piano on a musical tribute to Jobim, “Antonio” (for which Joanie supplied the lyrics), and “So Fine.” Pallatto also penned new lyrics for Miles Davis’ “Somethin’ Else!” (on which she breezily sings and scats with Ron Cooper) and Kenny Dorham’s lovely “Blue Bossa.” These are high spots, as is Bob Dorough’s amusing “Love (Webster’s definition),” whose clever lyric lends itself perfectly to Pallatto’s sardonic point of view.

My particular favorites among the half–dozen standards are Rodgers and Hart’s “This Can’t Be Love” and the Gershwins’ “But Not for Me,” although the sensuous opener, Hoagy Carmichael / Paul Francis Webster’s “Baltimore Oriole,” doesn’t lag far behind in that parade. Pallatto spices the menu by using a number of admirable back–up groups from duo (she and guitarist Dave Onderdonk in a saucy rendition of the turn–of–the–last–century hit, “Daisy Bell”) to quintet with Windy City veterans Eldee Young, Redd Holt and Willie Pickens among the better–known names. They’re first–rate, as are pianist Lou Gregory, bassist Dan Shapera, drummer Chanté Hamilton, percussionist Alejo Poveda and flutist Rich Fudoli (who’s on board for “Love” and “Desafinado”). Pallatto may never become what the world considers a star, but she’s doing what she loves best, and doing it quite well. That should be enough to make anyone happy including, of course, those who are lucky enough to hear and appreciate what she has to say. ~ Jack Bowers   http://www.allaboutjazz.com/words-and-music-joanie-pallatto-southport-records-review-by-jack-bowers.php#.U4z4kSioqdl 
 

Personnel: Joanie Pallatto, vocals, with Rich Fudoli, flute; Dave Onderdonk, guitars; Lou Gregory, Willie Pickens, Bradley Parker

Words & Music

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Janiece Jaffe - Hearts Desire

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:18
Size: 120,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:46)  1. You Taught My Heart To Sing
(2:59)  2. Up Jumped Spring
(3:57)  3. How Long Has This Been Going On?
(4:17)  4. Fever
(3:29)  5. Easy To Love
(3:15)  6. Over The Rainbow
(4:15)  7. But Beautiful
(5:06)  8. Cry Me A River
(2:00)  9. Let's Get Lost
(2:34) 10. That's All
(4:36) 11. In Summer
(4:52) 12. Waltz For Debby
(2:51) 13. Hearts Desire
(3:14) 14. How Long Has This Been Going On? (Alternative Take)

Janiece Jaffe was born into a home of musical influence. Her father was a classically trained pianist, organist, and collegiate musical director. Her mother was a classical vocalist and light operatic performer in summer stock. They encouraged Janiece in singing, acting, and dancing. Janiece studied voice at both the University of New Mexico and later at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, where she studied with David Baker and Dominic Spera of the Jazz Studies Program. Baker refers to Jaffe's vocal talent as her "marvelous instrument and sites her impressive control and emotional punch. Janiece was also influenced by the Janis Borla Vocal Jazz Camp in Chicago, where she studied with Janet Lawson, Borla, and others. Jaffe produced her first Cd Keep The Flame Alive in 1994. In 1996, Jaffe produced her second Cd, It Takes Two, accompanied by either Brazilian guitarist Marcos Cavalcante or jazz bassist Tom Hildreth. Dave Nathan, reviewer for the internationally known publication "All About Jazz", in his review of It Takes Two, raved: "One of the Midwest's most talked about jazz vocalists, Janiece Jaffe, is blessed with an amazingly warm, sweet voice. With an exceptional range and a beautifully tender way of expressing a lyric in an almost achingly intimate fashion, Jaffe brings her vocal gifts to light in one of the most vulnerable of musical situations, the duet, on her latest Cd It Takes Two. 

Jaffe sets the mood perfectly with a cool, breezy "Blue Bossa", her silky vocals intermingling with the exemplary guitar work of Marcos Cavalcante, who collaborates with Jaffe on a total of six cuts, the aforementioned "Blue Bossa", as well as "You Go To My Head", "La Vie En Rose", "Rain On The Roses", "Just A Lucky So And So", and "Gentle Rain". For the remaining eight of IT TAKES TWO's fourteen selections, Janiece Jaffe is joined by bassist Tom Hildreth, wrapping gorgeously sinuous lines around tunes like "Angel Eyes", "'Till There Was You", "My Romance", "Blue Moon" and " Harlem Nocturne", "The Nearness of You", "Prelude to a Kiss" and "Lotus Blossom". Inspired by singers Like Janet Lawson, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, Cleo Laine, Minnie Ripperton, Joni Mitchell, Betty Carter, Carmen McRae, Peggy Lee, and Bobby McFerrin, Janiece Jaffe maintains an original style and a distinctive voice that touches upon her influences but manages to remain refreshingly unique. Listeners may well be inspired to pick up an additional copy of Jaffe's latest, after all, It Takes Two!" A third Cd, Heart’s Desire, was just released in January of 2003. 

It features Janiece and the Simon Rowe trio, with Rowe on piano, John Huber on bass, and Pete Wilhoit on drums. David Baker, Distinguished Professor of Jazz Studies at Indiana University and President of the International Association of Jazz Educators, said of this CD in his liner notes: "Simply put, Heart's Desire is a brilliant CD. Janiece Jaffe has a gorgeous voice. The accompanying trio of world-class performers is outstanding. The choice of tunes, and manner in which they are presented, makes for a wonderfully balanced musical offering. Janiece Jaffe is a marvelous talent. She is sensitive, thoughtful when appropriate, swinging like mad when required, and masterful and sympathetic in her approach to lyrics. The outstanding performances and sound quality make this a CD you'll want to listen to over and over again."

In 1999, Jaffe returned from an tour of Japan where she performed with a big band for concert audiences. On her own she has performed at Manhattan's "Danny's Skylight Room" and twice at Washington DC's "Blues Alley", where she performed with Ketter Betts, former bassist with Ella Fitzgerald, who said of Jaffe: "Stop looking to the heavens for new stars. There's a bright star here on earth that shines with her voice." Janiece has also appeared with the big bands of David Baker, Dominic Spera, Al Colbine, Clem De Rosa, and the Midcoast Jazz Project, now known as the Busselli Wallarab Jazz Orchestra. Jaffe was a headliner at the Newburgh Jazz Festival in August 2002. In November 2002, Jaffe and Dominic Spera paid homage to two big jazz legends, Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong, in their memorable performance "Tribute to Ella and Louis" at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater (with Al Cobine as a special guest)in Bloomington, Indiana. Most recently Janiece was a jazz headliner for Crystal Cruiselines. Janiece Jaffe performs regularly with Roy Geesa's Cool City Swing Band in Indianapolis, and at Bear's Place and Café D'Jangos in Bloomington, Indiana. Jaffe is a member of the International Association of Jazz Educators, and teaches voice in her home studio. http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/jaffe

Hearts Desire

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Dave Pike - On Green Dolphin Street

Styles: Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:58
Size: 87,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:13)  1. Forward
(3:16)  2. Solar
(5:01)  3. Cheryl
(5:35)  4. On Green Dolphin Street
(5:39)  5. It's Time
(3:54)  6. Little Girl Blue
(5:07)  7. Tendin' To Business
(4:09)  8. Hot House

Dave Pike has been a consistent vibraphonist through the years without gaining much fame. He originally played drums and is self-taught on vibes. Pike moved with his family to Los Angeles in 1954 and played with Curtis Counce, Harold Land, Elmo Hope, Dexter Gordon, Carl Perkins, and Paul Bley, among others. After moving to New York in 1960 he put an amplifier on his vibes. Pike toured with Herbie Mann during 1961-1964, spent 1968-1973 in Germany (recording with the Kenny Clarke-Francy Boland big band), and then resettled in Los Angeles, playing locally and recording for Timeless and Criss Cross. ~ Bio   https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/dave-pike/id5222089#fullText

On Green Dolphin Street

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Sidney Bechet - The Blue Note Years

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:18
Size: 174,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:11)  1. Summertime
(4:03)  2. Dear Old Southland
(4:50)  3. St. Louis Blues
(4:28)  4. Blue Horizon
(3:39)  5. High Society
(4:53)  6. Days Beyond Recall
(3:10)  7. Save It Pretty Mama
(3:20)  8. St. James Infirmary
(2:58)  9. Blame It On The Blues
(3:50) 10. Bechet's Fantasy
(3:09) 11. I Found A New Baby
(3:11) 12. Nobody Knows When You're Down And Out
(3:03) 13. When The Saints Go Marching In
(3:20) 14. Basin Street Blues
(3:04) 15. At The Jazz Band Ball
(3:22) 16. Joshua At The Battle Of Jericho
(3:10) 17. Runnin' Wild
(5:43) 18. Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gave To Me
(4:08) 19. All Of Me
(3:34) 20. Black And Blue

Sidney Bechet was the first important jazz soloist on records in history (beating Louis Armstrong by a few months). A brilliant soprano saxophonist and clarinetist with a wide vibrato that listeners either loved or hated, Bechet's style did not evolve much through the years but he never lost his enthusiasm or creativity. A master at both individual and collective improvisation within the genre of New Orleans jazz, Bechet was such a dominant player that trumpeters found it very difficult to play with him. Bechet wanted to play lead and it was up to the other horns to stay out of his way.

Sidney Bechet studied clarinet in New Orleans with Lorenzo Tio, Big Eye Louis Nelson, and George Baquet and he developed so quickly that as a child he was playing with some of the top bands in the city. He even taught clarinet, and one of his students (Jimmie Noone) was actually two years older than him. In 1917, he traveled to Chicago, and in 1919 he joined Will Marion Cook's orchestra, touring Europe with Cook and receiving a remarkably perceptive review from Ernst Ansermet. While overseas he found a soprano sax in a store and from then on it was his main instrument. Back in the U.S., Bechet made his recording debut in 1923 with Clarence Williams and during the next two years he appeared on records backing blues singers, interacting with Louis Armstrong and playing some stunning solos. He was with Duke Ellington's early orchestra for a period and at one point hired a young Johnny Hodges for his own band. However, from 1925-1929 Bechet was overseas, traveling as far as Russia but getting in trouble (and spending jail time) in France before being deported.

Most of the 1930s were comparatively lean times for Bechet. He worked with Noble Sissle on and off and had a brilliant session with his New Orleans Feetwarmers in 1932 (featuring trumpeter Tommy Ladnier). But he also ran a tailor's shop which was more notable for its jam sessions than for any money it might make. However, in 1938 he had a hit recording of "Summertime," Hugues Panassie featured Bechet on some records and soon he was signed to Bluebird where he recorded quite a few classics during the next three years. Bechet worked regularly in New York, appeared on some of Eddie Condon's Town Hall concerts, and in 1945 he tried unsuccessfully to have a band with the veteran trumpeter Bunk Johnson (whose constant drinking killed the project). Jobs began to dry up about this time, and Bechet opened up what he hoped would be a music school. He only had one main pupil, but Bob Wilber became his protégé.

Sidney Bechet's fortunes changed drastically in 1949. He was invited to the Salle Pleyel Jazz Festival in Paris, caused a sensation, and decided to move permanently overseas. Within a couple years he was a major celebrity and a national hero in France, even though the general public in the U.S. never did know who he was. Bechet's last decade was filled with exciting concerts, many recordings, and infrequent visits back to the U.S. before his death from cancer. His colorful (if sometimes fanciful) memoirs Treat It Gentle and John Chilton's magnificent Bechet biography The Wizard of Jazz (which traces his life nearly week-by-week) are both highly recommended. Many of Sidney Bechet's recordings are currently available on CD. Bio ~ Scott Yanow   http://www.allmusic.com/artist/sidney-bechet-mn0000033234/biography

The Blue Note Years

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Gina Kronstadt - Come Over

Size: 79,0 MB
Time: 33:50
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Magic (3:40)
02. Tell Me (Or Not) (4:54)
03. Come Over (4:24)
04. Twitter Stole My Boyfriend (4:02)
05. That Night (5:39)
06. Turn Around (3:04)
07. One More Time (4:01)
08. Just Ask (4:04)

Everybody wants to be a star and everybody wants their turn in the spotlight. The recent documentary 20 Feet From Stardom focused on the struggles of background singers to emerge from the shadows. Gina Kronstadt can surely identify with that struggle.

Whatever motivated Kronstadt's debut, Come Over, she demonstrates she's ready for her close-up. A veteran studio and concert performer, the Los Angeles based singer and songwriter can boast of an impressive resume performing on film soundtracks, television commercials, scores, and backing up a multitude of artists including Stevie Wonder, Chris Botti, and Michael Buble.

Kronstadt's skill sets are as an in-demand violinist and a vocalist, but Come Over emphasizes her singing talents as she wrote, composed, arranged, and produced the whole affair. The success of the album is in no small part due to the exceptional support she receives from John Beasley, Christian McBride, Reggie Hamilton and Bob Sheppard among a drum- head tight group of players.

"Magic" is a breezin' jazzer with Kronstadt bopping along to Sheppard's saxophone, McBride's upright bass, Gary Novak's in the pocket drumming and Beasley on Fender Rhodes complimented by the lush, string section conducted by Joel DeRouin. Kronstadt's expressive vocals are well-served by how effectively her arrangements match her talents. The moody, swaying "Come Over" embraces the listener as Sheppard's sax plays off of Kronstadt's sensuous crooning.

The only misfire is "Twitter Stole My Boyfriend,."a sort of half- sung/half-rapped stab at trendiness, but its mostly all lame. It a throwaway tune and one that should have remained buried deep on Kronstadt's hard drive. "That Night" offers a full recovery as her bluesy crooning meshes with another Sheppard sweet sax solo.

Come Over is one of the pleasant discoveries of the summer and leaves a lasting first impression. This is Kronstadt's time in the spotlight and she makes a strong case it is where she has belonged all along. ~By Jeff Winbush

Personnel: Gina Kronstadt: vocals; John Beasley: fender rhodes; Christian McBride: upright bass (1, 2, 5, 6); Reggie Hamilton: upright bass (3, 4, 7, 8); Gary Novak: drums; Luis Conte: percussion; John Daversa: trumpet (3, 5); Walt Fowler: trumpet (4); Bob Sheppard: flute, sax, bass clarinet; Joel Deroun: concertmaster; John Wittenberg, Daphne Chen, Susan Chatman, Cameron Patrick, Calabria Foti, Adrianna Zoppo, Shari Zippert: violins; Lynn Grants, Nancy Roth: violas; Maurice Grants, Stefanie Fife: celli.

Come Over

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Raul De Souza - Voila

Size: 112,9 MB
Time: 48:44
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Brazilian Jazz
Art: Front

01. Por Aqui Por Ali (4:49)
02. Alibi (5:19)
03. Todas As Tribos (5:03)
04. Up Jumped Spring (6:29)
05. Ligia (4:53)
06. 10 Minutos (5:08)
07. Isabella (6:13)
08. Voila (6:07)
09. Viva O Rio (4:39)

Boasting a distinctive and highly appealing tone, Raul de Souza was a Brazilian trombonist who kept busy in the '70s but faded into obscurity in the '80s. De Souza, although essentially a jazz artist, was quite versatile -- he played his share of fusion, pop-jazz, and Brazilian jazz, but could also handle funk and disco. Born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on August 23, 1934, de Souza was employed as a sideman by some of Brazil's musical heavyweights in the '70s, including Sergio Mendez, Flora Purim, Airto Moreira, and Milton Nascimento. The trombonist, who also appeared on '70s albums by Sonny Rollins and Cal Tjader, signed with Capitol in 1976, and his first Capitol session, Sweet Lucy, was released the following year. Both Sweet Lucy and de Souza's second Capitol date, Don't Ask My Neighbors, were produced by George Duke. But de Souza changed producers on his next album, 'Til Tomorrow Comes, which was produced by Arthur Wright and found the Rio native jumping on the disco bandwagon. Devoid of jazz, the 1979 release is pure disco. 'Til Tomorrow Comes was his last album for Capitol -- after that, he faded into obscurity. All three of de Souza's Capitol albums are out of print, although his 1974 recording, Colors, is available on CD as part of Fantasy's Original Jazz Classics series. ~Biography by Alex Henderson

Voila

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The Rebecca Kilgore Trio - Just Imagine

Size: 160,1 MB
Time: 68:44
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz Vocals, Ragtime
Art: Front

01. Oh, Look At Me Now (4:13)
02. Daddy Won't You Please Come Home (5:04)
03. Just A Little Bit South Of North Carolina (4:29)
04. Song Of The Blues (5:31)
05. Seventh Avenue (3:36)
06. Just Imagine (5:16)
07. Lucky Day (3:14)
08. Almost In Your Arms (4:15)
09. I'm In A Low Down Groove (5:12)
10. I'm Rhythm Crazy Now (4:31)
11. Three Coins In The Fountain (4:35)
12. Cry Me A River (4:51)
13. Serenade To Sweden (4:49)
14. Soft Winds (4:51)
15. Mis'ry And The Blues (4:12)

More often than not, jazz is asked to blossom forth in inhospitable places: the noisy club where musicians must compete with the bartender’s blender, or the recording studio, a maze of headphones and wires. Imagine a quiet room, shaded as if an Edward Hopper nightscape, with three musicians, two grand pianos, the only other people a recording engineer, himself a musician; another man taking notes. It was no fantasy, for this all happened during two December 2013 sessions in Portland, Oregon, in a back room at CLASSIC PIANOS, where three friends gathered for warm, intimate musical conversations in the name of classic jazz.

Becky, Dan, and Paolo believe that music, created on the spot, can bring joy in the moment and renew us in the future. They gave each of the songs they had chosen its own life, reflective or ebullient: the poignancy of DADDY, the bounce of CAROLINA, the swagger of RHYTHM CRAZY, the romance of COINS, the melancholy of MIS’RY AND THE BLUES. Many of the songs have associations with Annette Hanshaw, Anita O’Day, Jack Teagarden, Julie London, Billie Holiday, Ellington, Charlie Christian, Trummy Young, Sophia Loren, Joe Bushkin, Lee Wiley, Fletcher Henderson. But these sessions were no “tribute,” no “repertory” re-creation, for the musicians brought their own personalities to this project, adding new melodies to the ones we know.

When Becky sings, we hear a gently compelling honesty. Yes, we admire the way she glides from note to note, the creamy naturalness of her voice, the way her smallest melodic embellishments enhance the song, her infallible swing. But what sets her apart is her quiet determination to share the song’s emotional message candidly, fully. Becky doesn’t overstate or dramatize. She doesn’t place herself in front of the material, but she opens the song for us, so that we feel what its creators hoped for.

Hearing Dan, I think, “That is how any creative player should sound: forthright, assured, subtle, inventive.” Like a great musical conversationalist, he always knows the right epigram to add at the right time. I can guess what some other musicians might play in their next phrase, but Dan’s imagination is larger and more rewarding than we expect. His reading of a melody is a joy; his improvisations are witty, pungent. The trombone can be a buffoon or a bully; in his hands it can be divinely inspired, even when Dan’s aural messages are earthy indeed.

Becky and Dan could float or soar all by themselves, and they’ve proved that many times in concert and on recordings since they first met in 1994. CRY ME A RIVER on this disc, majestic and mournful, is proof. But recently they have called in an Italian sorcerer, Paolo Alderighi, who generously spreads rich sound-weavings, Garneresque threads glittering – lovely orchestral tapestries, neither formulaic nor overemphatic. His solos gleam and chime.

In duet, Dan and Paolo are a model of creative conversation in jazz – empathic, intuitive, concise yet fervent. And when they sat down at the two pianos to accompany Becky for MIS’RY AND THE BLUES their contrasting textures were a delight. Completely original, too – neither Evans and Brookmeyer nor Ferrante and Teicher, but splendidly themselves.

What we call The Great American Songbook sometimes weaves helplessly towards songs that, if their lyrics were actual speech, would be legal documentation of domestic abuse, self-inflicted destruction. Over time, Becky has turned away from these famous masochistic outcries. But this disc shows her playing bravely in the dark, getting in a lowdown groove, calling out to an absent lover, creating rueful and vengeful tears. This isn’t a major life-shift in all things Kilgore, but a willingness to expand her repertoire into classic songs based on real life-experiences. She is having a good time being so sad for a few minutes: like Basie, she keeps the blues at bay by playing them. Or it might be her own particular jazz homeopathy practice, where dark cures dark.

These sessions produced lasting music, the rare kind that emerges from a devotion to the art. What a gift to us all!

Just Imagine

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