Martha Lorin - Come Walk With Me

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:15
Size: 163,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:43)  1. Close Your Eyes
(4:51)  2. Come Walk With Me
(4:19)  3. Carefully Taught
(4:47)  4. Let's Face The Music And Dance
(3:45)  5. The Island
(6:09)  6. You've Got A Friend
(5:38)  7. On Green Dolphin Street
(3:57)  8. Rain Song
(5:36)  9. Detour Ahead
(5:04) 10. Just A Sittin' & A Rockin'
(5:18) 11. Every Time We Say Goodbye
(5:10) 12. Low Down Blues
(4:37) 13. Cinnamon And Clove
(1:41) 14. Lush Life ( Intro)
(4:32) 15. Lush Life

Chicago's Southport label has brought different groupings of instrumentalists into the recording studio to back Martha Lorin for her second album. Only superb pianist Mike Black appears on all the cuts with Lorin. To Ms Lorin and Southport's credit, they avoid the temptation of limiting the musical agenda to the usual standards by offering songs that are not recorded that often.

But it is the way the musicians are mixed that makes for an intriguing, unusual event. On "You've Got a Friend" and "The Island," Leon Joyce's snare shares accompanist duties with Black resulting in a stark, slimmed down rendition of these two tunes. The dean of Chicago tenor saxophone players (although Eddie Johnson fans may disagree), Von Freeman, shows up on two tracks playing especially soulfully on "Carefully Taught" from South Pacific. Another staple of the Chicago jazz scene, violinist Johnny Frigo, lends his swinging fiddle to a fine arrangement of "Let's Face the Music and Dance" and well to "Detour ahead" for which he shares composer credit. Once again Leon Joyce's rat-a-tat snares are prominent in setting the pace. However, it's the opening cut which provides the clue that this album may not be the usual run of the mill release. 

"Close Your Eyes" is kicked off with as a tango by Black with William Blount's clarinet taking the melody providing a seductive lead in for Lorin. She keeps the tango beat going with strong support from Blount's playing in the clarinet's middle register. A very attractive performance, indeed. "On Green Dolphin Street" offers still another interesting assortment of instruments. With Black's piano continuing to be the constant, Fareed Haque's guitar provides the lead in for Lorin's vocal followed by an athletic Von Freeman tenor solo and he stays around to play behind Lorin for the last chorus. The arrangement of the Johnny Mandel/Alan and Marilyn Bergman tune "Cinnamon and Clove" centers on a Caribbean beat played against Johnny Frigo's straight ahead jazz violin. Lorin's own "Low Down Blues," which she wrote with pianist Frank Collett, is the best of her two compositions and highlights some excellent bass work by Larry Gray.

But nowhere is Lorin's ability to create a story with pictures  brought to life than on the album's coda, "Lush Life." With William Blount's brooding clarinet as background, Lorin delivers a stunning interpretation of Billy Strayhorn's difficult to sing tale of depression and woe. Although not a threat to replace the Johnny Hartman/John Coltrane Quartet version as the classic interpretation, Lorin's work does not suffer by comparison. Good work all around on this album which offers a generous 71 minutes of music. 

~ Dave Nathan http://www.allaboutjazz.com/come-walk-with-me-martha-lorin-southport-records-review-by-dave-nathan.php#.U6HBCbGoqdk

Personnel: Martha Lorin, Joanie Pallatto - Vocals; Miles Black - Piano; William Blount - Clarinet; Eddie de Haas - Bass; Larry Gray - Bass/Cello; Von Freeman - Tenor Saxophone; Johnny Frigo - Violin; Fareed Haque, Dave Onderdonk - Guitar; Leon Joyce - Drums; Mark Walker - Drums/Percussion

Come Walk With Me

---

Inger Marie Gundersen - For You

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:09
Size: 112,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:45)  1. Take On Me
(3:49)  2. Answer Me, My Love
(4:24)  3. Compassion
(4:50)  4. I Go
(5:13)  5. Blue Eyes Awake
(4:58)  6. Crying In The Rain
(4:31)  7. What It Means To Me
(4:56)  8. You Stole My Heart
(4:51)  9. I Will Always Love You
(4:33) 10. Kiteflyers Hill
(2:15) 11. Om Natten

Inger Marie Gundersen is a vocalist from Arendal in Norway. After years singing in rock bands and big bands, trying out different styles of music, Inger Marie has found a home in jazz. Her Debut CD “Make this moment” was released in Norway in October 2004 and it has been well recieved. The song “Will you still love me tomorrow” became a hit on the popular Norwegian radio channel P1.

Experience and dedication:
Inger Marie waited for many years before she ventured upon a solo career, but she has ample experience from many years’ activities in the music field. For twenty years she has been active as vocalist in several bands, ranging from a youthful rock band to a six year period as lead singer of a jazz big band. She has also fronted her own jazz quintet ”My Favoite Strings”, as well as collaborating with several excellent jazz musicans, among them Tom Lund, one of Norway’s finest latin jazz-guitarists, founder of the renowned group ”Trio de Janeiro”.

Recording debut:
Having thus gathered a lot of experience and ”paid her dues”, Inger Marie finally decided to enter the studio to record her debut solo CD ”Make This Moment”. The time was right. Years of singing had matured her voice into an instrument of impressive sensitivity and perfection. Producer Lars Martin Myhre, himself a brilliant musician and a major artist in Norway, says that never has he got a bigger surprise than the one he got when Inger Marie started singing in the studio. She was displaying a voice so controlled, so beautiful and so personal at her first recording date, that the seasoned producer was left with his mouth open, stunned in admiration of the awareness and the warm and direct communication in her voice. ~ Bio... More....http://www.last.fm/music/Inger+Marie+Gundersen/+wiki

For You

---

Jimmy Heath - Two Tees

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1961
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:00
Size: 91,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:15)  1. Two Tees
(4:11)  2. New Keep
(3:54)  3. Nice People
(5:37)  4. Who Needs It?
(4:52)  5. For Minors Only
(5:01)  6. Don't You Know I Care
(4:02)  7. The Thumper
(3:29)  8. I Can Make You Love Me
(4:34)  9. For All We Know

The middle of the three Heath Brothers, Jimmy Heath has a distinctive sound on tenor, is a fluid player on soprano and flute, and a very talented arranger/composer whose originals include "C.T.A." and "Gingerbread Boy." He was originally an altoist, playing with Howard McGhee during 1947-1948 and the Dizzy Gillespie big band (1949-1950). Called "Little Bird" because of the similarity in his playing to Charlie Parker, Heath switched to tenor in the early '50s. Although out of action for a few years due to "personal problems," Heath wrote for Chet Baker and Art Blakey during 1956-1957. 

Back in action in 1959, he worked with Miles Davis briefly that year, in addition to Kenny Dorham and Gil Evans, and started a string of impressive recordings for Riverside. In the 1960s, Heath frequently teamed up with Milt Jackson and Art Farmer, and he also worked as an educator and a freelance arranger. During 1975-1982, Jimmy Heath teamed up with brothers Percy and Tootie in the Heath Brothers, and since then has remained active as a saxophonist and writer. In addition to his earlier Riverside dates, Jimmy Heath has recorded as a leader for Cobblestone, Muse, Xanadu, Landmark, and Verve. Bio ~ https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/jimmy-heath/id44740#fullText

Two Tees

---

David B. Hooten & Bob Snyder - Dixieland Praise

Size: 121,8 MB
Time: 52:50
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1997
Styles: Jazz: Dixieland
Art: Front

01. Just A Closer Walk With Thee (3:29)
02. What A Friend We Have In Jesus (5:28)
03. In The Garden (4:38)
04. Down By The Riverside (3:40)
05. Sweet Hour Of Prayer (3:56)
06. Go Tell It On The Mountain (2:16)
07. Softly And Tenderly (4:42)
08. The Old Rugged Cross (4:25)
09. Onward Christian Soldiers (2:15)
10. Swing Low Sweet Chariot (2:36)
11. Whispering Hope (6:11)
12. When The Saints Go Marching In (1:39)
13. Amen (2:14)
14. Amazing Grace (5:13)

David B. Hooten:
Multi-Grammy and Emmy nominated musician, David B. Hooten is known as the “Musician’s Musician” and the “Maker of Memories.” Born in Frascati, Italy into an Air Force family, Hooten lived in various cities through the U.S. and Europe. Hooten received his Bachelors of Arts Degree in Music Education from North Texas State University and a Master’s Degree in Trumpet Performance from the University of Oklahoma.

Bob Snyder:
A master of four instruments - tenor and alto sax, clarinet, and flute, Bob has toured extensively with the "Airmen of Note" The Glenn Miller Air Force Dance Band, toured the world with Lionel Hampton, and was a staff musician for Motown Records in Detroit, Stax Records in Memphis, and WJR Radio in Detroit.

Dixieland Praise

---

Blossom Dearie - It's Love

Size: 225,3 MB
Time: 97:39
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. It's Love (2:46)
02. Deed I Do (2:10)
03. Manhatten (4:15)
04. Tea For Two (3:19)
05. Between The Devil And Deep Blue Sea (2:27)
06. Little Jazz Bird (3:39)
07. It Amazes Me (4:15)
08. Like Someone In Love (4:27)
09. Now At Last (3:19)
10. Comment Allez-Vous (2:09)
11. Some Other Time (3:53)
12. Hello Love (2:48)
13. Guys And Dolls (2:47)
14. Rhode Island Is Famous For You (2:13)
15. Confession (2:43)
16. To Keep My Love Alive (3:21)
17. Too Good For The Average Man (3:27)
18. The Gentleman Is A Dope (4:15)
19. Always True To You In My Fashion (2:48)
20. Napoleon (4:15)
21. Life Upon The Wicked Stage (2:37)
22. The Physician (2:12)
23. Love Is The Reason (3:32)
24. Bickle Down, Winsocki (1:46)
25. Gentleman Friend (3:46)
26. It's Too Good To Talk About Now (3:06)
27. Chez Moi (3:06)
28. You Fascinate Me (3:30)
29. You've Got Something I Want (2:37)
30. Someone To Watch Over Me (5:57)

Blossom Dearie (1926-2009) was an American jazz singer and pianist.

Born on 28th April 1926 in East Durham, New York, of mixed Scottish and Norwegian ancestry, Dearie began her career in vocal groups in New York. In the early 1950s she moved to Paris, forming her own vocal group, The Blue Stars, later to become the Swingle Singers.

After signing to Verve, Dearie returned to the U.S. where, despite developing a successful career and achieving international fame, by 1974 the lack of interest from major labels led her to start her own label, Daffodil Records. She continued performing into her eighties.

Blossom Dearie died on 7th February 2009, at her apartment in Greenwich Village, New York City

It's Love

---

Monty Alexander Trio - Love Me Tender

Size: 147,5 MB
Time: 64:00
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Piano Jazz
Art: Front

01. A Beautiful Friendship (4:49)
02. Can't You See (6:10)
03. Come Fly With Me (8:01)
04. Got To Go (6:07)
05. I've Never Been In Love Before (5:12)
06. Love Me Tender/A House Is Not A Home (5:10)
07. Ruby (4:54)
08. Sweet Lady (5:02)
09. Used To Be Jackson (6:01)
10. You Call It Madness (5:23)
11. We've Only Just Begun (7:06)

Monty Alexander long ago combined together the influence of Oscar Peterson with the soul of Gene Harris and Nat "King" Cole to form his own appealing and personable style. Long a bit underrated (due to the shadow of Peterson), Alexander has recorded more than a score of excellent albums. Monty Alexander began piano lessons when he was six and he played professionally in Jamaican clubs while still a teenager; his band, Monty and the Cyclones, was quite popular locally during 1958-1960. He first played in the U.S. when he appeared in Las Vegas with Art Mooney's Orchestra. Soon he was accompanying a variety of top singers, formed a friendship with vibraphonist Milt Jackson, and began gigging with bassist Ray Brown. With the recording of a pair of Pacific Jazz albums in 1965, an RCA date in 1967, and a Verve session in 1969, Alexander began to gain a strong reputation. His series of exciting albums for MPS during 1971-1977 found him in prime form, and his recordings in the '80s, '90s, and 2000s found him building on his original style. Alexander, who often pays tribute to his Jamaican heritage, performs regularly with his own trio and swings hard in his own voice. ~Biography by Scott Yanow

Love Me Tender

---

Lisa Howard - Songs Of Innocence & Experience The Songs Of William Finn

Styles: Stage & Screen
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:25
Size: 95,3 MB
Art: Front

(2:37)  1. Listen To The Beat
(4:33)  2. Trina's Song/I Have Found
(2:18)  3. I Don't Know Why I Love You
(3:36)  4. Sailing
(3:43)  5. Bad Boy
(5:30)  6. How To Make Delicious Chocolate Pudding
(4:21)  7. When The Earth Stopped Tuning
(2:54)  8. Hold My Baby Back
(4:55)  9. Father To Son/That's Enough To Me
(3:43) 10. Infinite Joy
(3:10) 11. Songs Of Innocence & Experience

Songs of Innocence and Experience: The Music of William Finn is the debut album from Lisa Howard one of the Broadway stars of William Finn's The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. It is the first solo recording to exclusively feature the music of the Tony Award winning composer and lyricist of Falsettos, A New Brain, Elegies and more.
Songs of Innocence and Experience: The Music of William Finn showcases Finn's trademark combination of pathos and idiosyncratic wit, brought to life by Howard's extraordinary voice. 

In addition to songs from Finn's acclaimed shows Falsettos ("Father To Son," "Trina's Song"), A New Brain ("Sailing") and Elegies ("When The Earth Stopped Turning"), this CD presents the world premiere recordings from his song-cycle Songs of Innocence and Experience and the yet-unproduced musical The Royal Family of Broadway. Other highlights include the rousing opener "Listen To The Beat" from Royal Family, the soaring "Infinite Joy" from Elegies, and the tender "That's Enough For Me" from Romance In Hard Times. Howard's interpretations perfectly capture the pluck, sass and drama that make Finn such a seminal composer. 

On the CD Howard is joined by a 14-piece band led by Music Director Vadim Feichtner and a team of backing vocalists. Derrick Baskin her Spelling Bee co-star also known for roles in Memphis and The Little Mermaid  and Sebastian Arcelus, Broadway star of Elf The Musical, Jersey Boys and Wicked, join Howard for special duets. "The first time I heard Lisa Howard sing, my head exploded," said William Finn. "Her diction is always perfect, her singing powerful yet effortless. When she sings, she illuminates a song like a lightbulb illuminating a maze. She makes the act of interpreting a song look ridiculously easy, even when it's ridiculously hard."  

http://www.sh-k-boom.com/lisahoward_songsofinnocenceandexperience.html

Personnel: Matt Hinkley (guitar); Una Tone, Christian Hebel (violin); Beth Meyers (viola); Peter Sachon (cello); John Winder, Rick Heckman, Steve Kenyon (reeds); Jami Dauber (trumpet); Patrick Pridemore (French horn); Bruce Eidem (trombone); Vadim Feichtner (piano); Jay Mack (drums); Caesar Samayoa, Andrew Kober, Orville Mendoza, James Sasser, Robert Lenzi, Gaelen Gilliland, Rashidra Scott , Adam Kantor, Victoria Huston-Elem, Karen Shriner, Ethan Paulini, Eric Michael Krop (background vocals).

Songs Of Innocence & Experience The Songs Of William Finn

---

Chris McNulty - Whispers the Heart

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:42
Size: 153,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:57)  1. Summer Me, Winter Me
(6:24)  2. Make It Easy
(5:24)  3. Come Rain or Shine
(5:27)  4. Lonely Town
(7:15)  5. Springosphere
(4:51)  6. If You Never Come to Me
(4:00)  7. How deep is the Ocean
(2:12)  8. Quiet Your Thoughts, part 1
(5:03)  9. Quiet Your Thoughts, part 2
(5:54) 10. I Should Care
(8:42) 11. Lullaby for a Young Boy
(5:28) 12. When Love was You and Me

Whispers The Heart, the sixth album from Chris McNulty, a native-born Australian, continues the positive vibe of last year's Dance Delicioso, with a similar cast of jazz players. McNulty has selected an average collection of tunes, some of which are familiar titles from the Great American Songbook, plus others which make this an interesting package. The Michel Legrand/Alan and Marilyn Bergman movie song "Summer Me, Winter You," the Bacharach/David '60s hit "Make It Easy On Yourself" (with a guest appearance by Frank Wess on tenor sax), Leonard Bernstein's showtune "Lonely Town," and Abbey Lincoln and Thad Jones' "When Love Was You and Me" (a fine duet with Paul Bollenback) all add to this collection. It isn't so much any actual tune but McNulty's delivery that places this singer ahead of the crowd. 

On titles like "How Deep Is The Ocean," McNulty slows the pace down and applies a distinctive cool '50s femme vocalist attitude that really works. On Jobim's "If You Never Came," she sounds very much like Lani Hall singing lead for Sergio Mendes' Brazil '66. Her version of the Cahn/Stordahl/Weston standard "I Should Care" is taken at mid-tempo and given a fine swing treatment. Chris McNulty adds three original tunes ("Springosphere," "Quiet Your Thoughts," "Lullaby For A Young Boy") to the album. There are also lots of good solo opportunities here for Paul Bollenback's guitar, Ingrid Jensen's flugelhorn, Dave Pietro's tenor sax and flute, and Tineke Postma's alto and soprano sax. ~ Michael P.Gladstone  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/whispers-the-heart-chris-mcnulty-elefant-dreams-records-review-by-michael-p-gladstone.php#.U522Eyioqdk
 

Personnel: Chris McNulty: vocals; Paul Bollenback: guitar; Frank Wess: tenor saxophone (2); Ingrid Jensen: flugelhorn; Dave Pietro: tenor saxophone, flute, clarinet; Tineke Postma: alto and soprano saxophone, flute; Gary Versace: piano; Ed Howard: bass; Matt Wilson, Montez Coleman: drums; Rogerio Boccato: percussion.

Whispers the Heart

---

George Van Eps & Howard Alden - Hand-Crafted Swing

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1992
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:26
Size: 140,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:11)  1. Stompin' At The Savoy
(4:15)  2. What's New
(4:12)  3. It's Wonderful
(2:33)  4. Lap Piano
(4:37)  5. I could Write A Book
(3:35)  6. Tenderly
(5:14)  7. Can't We Be Friends
(4:17)  8. Lil'l Darlin'
(6:26)  9. Just In Time
(6:10) 10. The Nearness Of You
(1:17) 11. Forty-Eight
(4:52) 12. I've Got A Crush On You
(4:57) 13. All The things You Are
(4:46) 14. Moonglow

This is the second of four CDs featuring George Van Eps (still at the top of his game at age 77), the pioneer of the seven-string electric guitar, with Howard Alden (just 32 at the time of these recordings), one of the most gifted guitarists of his generation, along with bassist Dave Stone and drummer Jake Hanna (who sticks to brushes when present). The interaction between the two players is similar to that of two old friends who have performed together countless times; lyricism and effortless swing are the key ingredients throughout the sessions. The focus is primarily upon standards of the 1930s and 1940s, including show tunes like "All the Things You Are," "I Could Write a Book," and "The Nearness of You," as well as jazz classics such as "What's New," "Stompin' at the Savoy," and "Lil' Darlin'." 

Van Eps also wrote two of the songs, "Lap Piano" and "Forty-Eight," both of which are miniatures featuring the veteran unaccompanied. The influence of Van Eps upon Alden can't be underestimated, as the younger guitarist was having a seven-string electric guitar built for him while these sessions were in progress, so by the time of their next meeting in the studio he could also take advantage of the musical possibilities of having the added bass string. Highly recommended. ~ Ken Dryden   http://www.allmusic.com/album/hand-crafted-swing-mw0000083163.

Personnel: Howard Alden (guitar), George Van Eps (guitar), Dave Stone (bass), Jake Henna (drums).

Hand-Crafted Swing

---

Count Basie - Count Basie & The Kansas City 7

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1978
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:00
Size: 82,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:36)  1. Oh, Lady Be Good
(4:06)  2. Secrets
(4:12)  3. I Want A Little Girl
(4:05)  4. Shoe Shine Boy
(5:26)  5. Count's Place
(4:11)  6. Senator Whitehead
(4:25)  7. Tally-Ho, Mr. Basie!
(4:55)  8. What'cha Talkin'?

Count Basie was visiting some old musical territory when he recorded this CD in 1962, but he was also enjoying the qualities of his sidemen. While "Shoe Shine Boy" and "Lady Be Good" look back to his late 1930s small group recordings with Lester Young, there are also new tunes by Basie, cornetist Thad Jones, and flutist Frank Wess. The septet has the Basie big band's rhythm section, with Freddie Green on guitar, Ed Jones on bass, and Sonny Payne on drums, all underpinning the leader's spare and graceful piano punctuations. Thad Jones and multi-reed player Eric Dixon are joined on five tracks by Frank Foster on tenor and clarinet and on three by Wess to complete the septet. It's an engaging band, with an air of characteristic Basie ease. 

Jones is a particularly inventive soloist, and his shifting mutes add to the surprising tone colors from the reeds. Within the swinging Basie framework, contrasts abound. The riffing tenors of "Count's Place" supply a big band in miniature, and Basie even plays organ on "I Want a Little Girl," a dreamlike slow tune with a serene clarinet solo from Dixon. ~ Stuart Broomer  Editorial Reviews   http://www.amazon.com/And-Kansas-City-Count-Basie/dp/B000003N8T

Personnel:  Bass – Ed Jones; Drums – Sonny Payne ; Flute – Frank Wess ; Flute, Tenor Saxophone – Eric Dixon ; Guitar – Freddie Green ; Piano, Organ – Count Basie ; Tenor Saxophone – Frank Foster;
Trumpet – Thad Jones

Count Basie & The Kansas City 7

---

The Taylor/Fidyk Big Band - A Perfect Match / Live At Blues Alley

Album: A Perfect Match
Size: 120,2 MB
Time: 51:43
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2003
Styles: Big Band
Art: Front

01. The Gorillaman Blues (6:10)
02. Lullaby Of Birdland (6:10)
03. Full Count (4:49)
04. Chelsea Bridge (4:37)
05. Brush Taps (4:04)
06. Granada Smoothie (5:31)
07. Boptitude Test (5:14)
08. After You've Gone (4:11)
09. Soft Skies (4:48)
10. Kansas City (6:03)

This is the second album I’ve encountered that promised A Perfect Match, and both have made good on that unequivocal warranty. What is “matched” herein are the invigorating compositions and arrangements of Mark Taylor and a rip-roaring big band securely anchored by drummer Steve Fidyk and comprised mainly of personnel from two of the country’s leading military ensembles, the Army Blues and Navy Commodores. It’s always a kick to hear them working so closely and so well together.

Taylor and Fidyk have been members of a mutual admiration society since Steve came to DC to take over the Blues’ drum chair, so it was all but inevitable that they’d decide one day to record an album of Taylor's music with Fidyk serving as commander-in-chief. It seemed A Perfect Match, and that is precisely how it turned out. As another pretty fair drummer, Peter Erskine, observes, “. . .the playing is superlative and the writing is great.” He is, of course, correct on both counts. From the brawny curtain-raiser, “Gorillaman Blues,” to Lieber and Stoller’s R&B smash, “Kansas City,” which showcases the band’s awesome trombone section, the collaborative enterprise is marvelously enriched by Taylor’s creative energy and Fidyk’s masterful control. Taylor composed half of the album’s ten selections, wrote all of the charts, co-authored the playful “Brush Taps” with drummer Louie Bellson, and affirms with every stroke of the pen that he is among the world’s most impressive big-band composer / arrangers. “Gorillaman Blues” is a spectacular tour de force for the ensemble, but no more so than Taylor’s “Full Count,” “Boptitude Test,” “Soft Skies” or “Granada Smoothie,” the last written for the peerless Stan Kenton Orchestra.

Not content to rest on his laurels, Taylor transforms George Shearing’s melodious “Lullaby of Birdland” into a sprightly cha cha, the usually kinetic standard “After You’ve Gone” into a sumptuous ballad. Rounding out the program is Billy Strayhorn’s mournful “Chelsea Bridge,” a sturdy platform for Bill Mulligan’s plaintive alto sax. Other featured performers are pianist Tony Nalker (“After You’ve Gone”) and trombonist Matt Niess (“Soft Skies”). They’re letter-perfect, as are the other soloists — baritone Scott Silbert, trumpeter Graham Breedlove (“Gorillaman Blues”); Breedlove (flugel), Fidyk, alto Scott Weinhold (“Birdland”); bassist Jim Roberts, tenors Luis Hernandez and Joseph Henson (“Full Count”); Fidyk, trumpeter Craig Fraedrich (“Brush Taps”); Fidyk, flugel Tom Williams, trombonist Jim McFalls (“Granada Smoothie”); trombonists Niess, McFalls, Jay Gibble (“Kansas City”) — and the ensemble itself, steadfastly inspired by Fidyk and lead trumpeter Liesl Whitaker. This is big-band music-making at its spine-tingling best, and if A Perfect Match doesn’t light your fire, you’d best double-check to be absolutely sure the pilot light hasn’t gone out. ~By Jack Bowers

Personnel: Mark Taylor, conductor, composer, arranger; Steve Fidyk, co-leader, drums, percussion; Bill Mulligan, Scott Weinhold, Luis Hernandez, Joseph Henson, Scott Silbert, reeds; Liesl Whitaker, Ken McGee, Graham Breedlove, Craig Fraedrich, Tom Williams, trumpet; Matt Niess, Jim McFalls, Jay Gibble, trombone; Jeff Cortazzo, bass trombone; Tony Nalker, piano; Jim Roberts, bass.

A Perfect Match

---

Album: Live At Blues Alley
Size: 139,3 MB
Time: 59:48
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2006
Styles: Big Band
Art: Front

01. Intro ( 0:07)
02. Full Count ( 6:40)
03. Maiden Voyage ( 5:24)
04. Bradley's Bop House ( 5:31)
05. My One And Only Love ( 0:11)
06. When Johnny Comes Marching Home (10:08)
07. What'll I Do' ( 5:27)
08. Anthropology ( 5:29)
09. Brush Taps ( 4:10)
10. My Cherie Amour ( 4:44)
11. The Gorillaman Blues ( 7:05)

Here's a second impressive album by the outstanding Taylor/Fidyk Big Band, in every respect a worthy successor to its superlative studio date, A Perfect Match, from three years ago. The same basic ingredients—exhilarating charts by co-leader Mark Taylor, inspired blowing by the ensemble—are amplified this time around by the adrenaline rush induced by the presence of an audience at Blues Alley in Washington, DC.

As before, the band is comprised largely of Army Blues, Airmen of Note and Navy Commodores in civvies—and it can't get much better than that. Fidyk anchors a smokin' all-Blues rhythm section (Tony Nalker, piano; Jim Roberts, bass), and the band boasts not one but two remarkable lead trumpeters, one each from the Blues (Liesl Whitaker) and Airmen (Brian MacDonald). To underscore its kinship to the earlier album, three of Taylor's original compositions—"Full Count, "Brush Taps, "The Gorillaman Blues — reappear on this one. Ordinarily, that could be a sticking point, but it's refreshing to hear these splendid charts performed in concert and compare them with the studio versions, which vary in specifics if not in temperament. For example, tenor Joseph Henson duels with Tedd Baker, not Luis Hernandez, on "Full Count, while trombonist Matt Niess replaces baritone Scott Silbert as a soloist (alongside growling trumpeter Graham Breedlove) on the muscular "Gorillaman Blues, which opened the earlier album and closes this one.

Silbert, the lone Navy Commodore on the duty roster, has his own seductive showcase, "My One and Only Love. Nalker is featured on Irving Berlin's "What'll I Do, trombonist Jim McFalls on Herbie Hancock's "Maiden Voyage, alto saxophonist Bill Linney on Stevie Wonder's pop hit, "My Cherie Amour, Fidyk (with trumpeter Craig Fraedrich) on the gently understated "Brush Taps (co-written by Taylor and drummer Louie Bellson). Besides the tunes already mentioned, Taylor wrote the buoyant "Bradley's Bop House (dapper solos courtesy of Fraedrich and Baker) and arranged everything save the upbeat anthem "When Johnny Comes Marching Home, scored as a towering home run for Fidyk on his first turn at bat. Bassist Roberts is formidable here, as he is throughout the album.

The unsigned liner notes pay homage to recording engineer Bob Dawson, and for good reason. I've heard more than a few studio sessions that weren't as well-recorded as this. The balance, shadings and dynamics are such that the band could be playing in one's living room. But no matter what the venue, this is one of the finest big bands you're likely to hear in this or any other year. Those who've enjoyed A Perfect Match won't need any prodding from yours truly to check out its charming sequel, Live at Blues Alley. ~By Jack Bowers

Personnel: Mark Taylor: composer, arranger, co-leader; Steve Fidyk: drums, co-leader; Liesl Whitaker, Brian MacDonald, Craig Fraedrich, Graham Breedlove: trumpet; Antonio Orta, Bill Linney: alto sax Joseph Henson, Tedd Baker: tenor sax; Scott Silbert: baritone sax; Matt Neiss, Jim McFalls, Jay Gibble, trombone: Jeff Cortazzo: bass trombone; Tony Nalker: piano; Jim Roberts: bass.

Live At Blues Alley

---

Carmel McCreagh - Skylark: Carmel McCreagh Sings Songs Of Johnny Mercer

Size: 88,9 MB
Time: 38:09
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Something Tells Me I'm Falling In Love (2:59)
02. The Days Of Wine And Roses (3:19)
03. This Time The Dream's On Me (2:46)
04. Come Rain Or Come Shine (3:02)
05. Empty Tables (2:59)
06. The Long Goodbye (3:02)
07. Skylark (3:41)
08. Trav'lin' Light (3:13)
09. Drinking Again (3:28)
10. I Thought About You (2:50)
11. When A Woman Loves A Man (3:30)
12. P.S. I Love You (3:15)

It’s the twist in the lyric that makes many songs worth your attention and time; the songs may deliver the same message, but it’s the sharp detour away from the middle of the road that sets them apart from the standard and the static.

Singer, occasional songwriter and mother of four Carmel McCreagh knows all about twists and turns. Life, she says as someone who knows only too well about such things, is not a linear journey. Just when you think that the path is smooth and clean, something jagged comes along to trip you up and rip the skin.

So it comes as no surprise that, when looking for repertoire for her second album, Carmel chose songs with lyrics by Johnny Mercer, one of the greatest poet-lyricists of the twentieth century. As with her debut album, Nice Girl, the songs on Skylark — each placed strategically to the next, allowing a narrative flow of sorts — represent a journey. The unifying thread is someone's life. "Relationships are never linear and love is a crazy thing", she says.

"McCreagh’s voice is mellow and velvety, rather than-in-your-face, and she effortlessly performs timeless standards such as ‘The Days of Wine and Roses’, ‘Come Rain or Come Shine’ and ‘Trav’lin’ Light’, along with some slightly less well-known Mercer compositions, including ‘Empty Tables’, ‘This Time the Dream’s on Me’ and ‘Drinking Again’. Beautifully produced with sumptuous arrangements, Skylark is the perfect late-night album and a fitting salute to one of the songwriting greats." Colm O'Hare, Hot Press

"Carmel’s intimate and warm approach does justice to an interesting mix of familiar and lesser-known Johnny Mercer songs on her Skylark album." Jim Simpson, The jazz Rag

"Carmel’s done a magnificent job… good songs, smart lyrics, and arrangements to match. Her phrasing is spot on. For me 'Drinking Again' is a performance that from the first note creates its own space and atmosphere, with a kind of edge-of-the-seat delicacy that draws the listener in." Ray Comiskey

"Like a consummate actor, singer Carmel McCreagh gives every lyric its due, so it’s no surprise she’s chosen the songs of lyricist Johnny Mercer for her second album. Mercer’s sophisticated lyrics adorn some of the greatest “standards” in the American Song Book, and some of the best-known are given a dusting down here: ‘The Days of Wine and Roses’, Come Rain or Come Shine’ and ‘I Thought About You’, not to mention the gorgeous title track… Skylark is balm for the ears and a worthy addition to the songbook canon." Cormac Larkin, The Irish Times

Skylark

---

Reuben Wilson - Azure Te

Size: 146,1 MB
Time: 62:50
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2009
Styles: Jazz: Hammond Organ
Art: Front

01. Scrapple From The Apple (7:14)
02. Blues For Rw (6:03)
03. Stella By Starlight (8:10)
04. Kitchen Fire Blues (8:42)
05. Summertime (7:31)
06. Once In A While (4:25)
07. Streets Of Laredo (8:07)
08. Still Grooving (6:34)
09. Azure Te (6:00)

It's hard to believe that jazz organist Reuben Wilson actually retired from music for a time beginning during the 1980s, but he went for a long spell without any recording opportunities as a leader, until a revival of interest in his music prompted steady work beginning in the middle of the following decade. Azure Te is an admirable effort because of Wilson's seasoned chops and the diversity of material selected for the session, in addition to the contributions of guitarist Rodney Jones, alto saxophonist Kenny Garrett, and drummer J.T. Lewis. Starting with a breezy interpretation of Charlie Parker's "Scrapple from the Apple," the quartet displays an amazing energy without resorting to overplaying at any point. One surprise is the wonderfully funky setting of the country ballad "Streets of Laredo," while "Summertime" benefits from a peppy setting, with a particularly thoughtful, bluesy solo by Jones. Wilson does justice to the late organist Wild Bill Davis' "Azure Te," a snappy yet understated swinger. Wilson's soul-jazz roots are on display in his invigorating originals "Still Grooving" and "Kitchen Fire Blues." Recommended. ~Review by Ken Dryden

Azure Te

---

Henry Butler, Steven Bernstein & The Hot 9 - Viper's Drag

Size: 119,4 MB
Time: 51:24
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: New Orleans Jazz/Blues
Art: Front

01. Some Iko (3:56)
02. I Left My Baby (5:52)
03. King Porter Stomp (6:18)
04. Wolverine Blues (5:37)
05. Gimmie A Pigfoot (5:48)
06. Henry's Boogie (5:34)
07. Buddy Bolden's Blues (5:11)
08. Dixie Walker (6:19)
09. Viper’s Drag (6:45)

Viper’s Drag is the happy collision of two perfectly matched musical sensibilities—that of the New Orleans singer/pianist Henry Butler and trumpeter/arranger Steven Bernstein--two students of early jazz with decidedly modern voices. “Their collaboration is both historically aware and fully prepared to cut loose,” remarked The New York Times in an enthusiastic review of their recent New Year’s Eve performance at the Jazz Standard.

Blind since birth, Butler tells stories through the rise, swing, and rumble of his fingers as they channel sounds as diverse as his Louisiana birthplace: jazz, Caribbean, classical, pop, blues and R&B, among others. A giant among giants, he is a member of a special brotherhood that also includes Professor Longhair, James Booker and Allen Toussaint. His technical ability and expansive repertoire are legendary.

A veteran of New York City's downtown scene and a GRAMMY-winning arranger, Bernstein juggles a forward-looking perspective with a rooted sense of what’s come before. Known for his work with The Lounge Lizards and Sexmob, he’s also the leader of the Millennial Territory Orchestra, a nine-piece ensemble that draws tunes and inspiration from the dance orchestras that toured the U.S. before World War II.

Viper's Drag

---

Lauren Kilgore - Before My Time

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:52
Size: 94,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:46)  1. Miss Otis Regrets
(2:56)  2. Nature Boy
(3:50)  3. I Will
(3:42)  4. Jolene
(4:34)  5. Dream a Little Dream of Me
(3:26)  6. Yesterday
(3:26)  7. Ready for the Times to Get Better
(2:57)  8. In My Life
(3:14)  9. Summertime
(4:29) 10. I Still Miss Someone
(4:27) 11. Do I Love You

This is the 1999 debut album by Birmingham, Alabama vocalist Lauren Kilgore. Recorded and produced by guitarist Jim Ohlschmidt, this 11-song collection presents a variety of styles that showcase the singer's beautiful young voice. Opening and closing the CD are two Cole Porter selections; "Miss Otis Regrets," which enjoys a surprisingly swinging, up tempo treatment, and the gorgeous ballad, "Do I Love You." The haunting Nat King Cole classic "Nature Boy" is performed with only electric guitar and clarinet accompaniment, and Gershwin's timeless "Summertime" swings along with guitar, brushes, and superb jazz pedal steel played by none other than Doug Jernigan. Winfield flat picking champion Allen Shadd plays many tasty licks on a bluegrass version of Dolly Parton's "Jolene." The writing of Lennon and McCartney is represented with a lovely version of "Yesterday" (which also features Jernigan's pedal steel work), a sexy bossa nova reading of "I Will," and the ever-popular "In My Life" featuring Alabama Symphony Orchestra cellist Craig Hultgren. On the country side is an acoustic arrangement of Johnny Cash's "I Still Miss Someone" and Allen Reynold's "Ready For The Times To Get Better" featuring the twin fingerpicking of Jim Ohlschmidt and Lauren's father, Larry Kilgore.

Many other fine Alabama musicians lent their talents to the project, including Gaines Brake (clarinet and saxophone), Keith Knox (piano and keyboards), Bobby Horton (dobro), Jerry Ryan (harmonica), Clyde Kendrick (electric guitar), Chris Wendle (bass guitar), Roy Yarbrough (upright bass), Robbi Podrug (fiddle), Herb Trotman (banjo), Craig Dobbins (Del Vecchio resonator guitar), and Sally White (saxophone). Recorded at age 18, Lauren's interpretations of these classic songs laid the groundwork for her newest release, "Today Is Mine" featuring more great selections focused on folk-pop, with arrangements, production, and guitar work by Jim Ohlschmidt along with many of the musicians on "Before My Time." Both CDs reveal the range and depth of this extraordinary singer. http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=7130900&style=music&fulldesc=T

Before My Time

---

Holly Hofmann - Minor Miracle

Styles: Flute Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@224K/s
Time: 53:48
Size: 86,5 MB
Art: Front

(7:59)  1. Everything I Love
(6:01)  2. CRS - Craft
(7:15)  3. Minor Miracle
(6:22)  4. Samba Do Avião
(7:31)  5. Tonk
(6:12)  6. Johnny Come Lately
(6:54)  7. Minha
(5:31)  8. Will You Still Be Mine?

Holly Hofmann has been recording steadily since the late 1980s and her credibility among musicians and jazz critics secured an award for her in the "Rising Star" category in the Downbeat Critics Jazz Poll as a flutist. Her latest outing is with her husband and frequent musical partner, Mike Wofford (piano), plus Peter Washington (bass) and Victor Lewis (drums). Hofmann has appeared in a variety of musical settings over the past fifteen years for a number of labels like Capri, Azica and Jazz Alliance in duo, trio and small combo sessions. Although Holly Hofmann has classical training, her flutework is bebop-influenced. She possesses a strong but soulful delivery and in no way resembles the "flute-lite" sound heard frequently in smooth jazz recordings nowadays. 

The album begins with two songs associated with her former employer, bassist Ray Brown. On Cole Porter's "Everything I Love" and the jaunty Brown original, "CRS-CRAFT," Hoffman states the melody and launches into lyrical and swinging solos just as she did on the road with the Ray Brown trio. On the latter, Peter Washington gets to provide a Brown-like bass line.  There's a very pleasing touch of Brazil via her perfomance on Jobim's "Samba do Aviao" with Wofford providing sympatico support and on Francis Hime's "Minha" with tasty work from Wofford and then Victor Lewis. Beginning with a rhythmic vamp from pianist Wofford, "Tonk," written by pianist Ray Bryant, is a sure-fire toe-tapper and, in other eras, would have been a hit. It features an intense flute solo. 

Billy Strayhorn's tender ballad "Johnny Come Lately" and Matt Dennis' "Will You Still Be Mine?" allow for Hofmann's balladry and a swinging finale. ~ Michael P.Gladstone   http://www.allaboutjazz.com/minor-miracle-holly-hofmann-review-by-michael-p-gladstone.php#.U6Crmiioqdk 
 

Personnel: Holly Hofmann,flute; Mike Wofford,piano; Peter Washington,bass; Victor Lewis, drums.

Minor Miracle

---

Barney Kessel Plus Big Band - Bossa Nova

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 30:14
Size: 69,7 MB
Art: Front

(2:29)  1. Love For Sale
(2:43)  2. String Of Pearls
(2:39)  3. They Can't Take That Away From Me (From Shall We Dance)
(2:10)  4. Summertime
(2:47)  5. You Came A Long From St. Louis
(2:21)  6. Muskrat Ramble
(2:06)  7. Heartaches
(2:29)  8. It Ain't Necessarily So
(2:36)  9. Jada
(2:23) 10. Sweet Georgia Brown
(3:03) 11. Tumbling Tumbleweeds
(2:23) 12. Bye Bye Blues

"It has been my desire to create a new sound which people will want to hear over and over, a sound which they will be able to understand immediately and to which they will be unable to resist dancing with or without partner" writes renowned Jazz guitarist Barney Kessel (1921–2004) himself in the liner notes of his album Bossa Nova, released in 1961 on Reprise Records. And rest assured that Kessel in tandem with arranger Bob Florence fulfills this desire time and again, whether it is fueled by his own needs or the craving of his fans. On Bossa Nova, though, this desire remains unfulfilled, but what may seem to you as a first tentative attempt of panning the album could not be farther from my endeavor. The 12 renditions Kessel presents with his big band are indeed highly innovative in that they transform and reinvent classic material and pour it into the Bossa Nova mould. No particular style can escape Kessel, whether it is Blues, Mambo or piano arrangements in general, everything on this album is driven by the Bossa Nova rhythm, gorgeous brass blasts of the friendly and embracing kind and Kessel's work on the lead guitar. 

Strangely enough, it is his guitar work that remains unexpectedly pale compared to the furious brass rivers. What works well in trio or sextet form  especially so on his Exotica work of 1963 with the less than optimal title Contemporary Latin Rhythms is not overly enjoyable here. Bossa Nova and Latin fans will not mind Kessel's weaker guitar, maybe even reversely see it as an added bonus in-between the interplay of the surfaces. However, his fans probably want to feast on the guitar God's riffs and eclectic patterns, and these are simply not good enough on this album. That said, I will write in greater detail about this perception in the final paragraph, so do not let these shadows distract you from the sunny side of this album, as there are enough gorgeous tidbits and intersections on board to even lure the Exotica fan..... More   

http://www.ambientexotica.com/exorev231_barneykessel_bn/

Bossa Nova

---

Hetty Kate & The Twenty 20s - Uh!Oh!

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:50
Size: 105,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:01)  1. Uh!Oh!
(3:55)  2. Raining In My Heart
(4:41)  3. Hymn For Him
(7:00)  4. Clouds
(4:17)  5. I've Got Your Number
(3:48)  6. Workin' In A Coalmine
(5:03)  7. Black Coffee
(4:24)  8. Ever Fallen In Love
(4:37)  9. Close Your Eyes
(5:01) 10. Cellophane

Late summer 2011 has produced two off-piste jazz vocal gems. The first was CTI Masterworks' reissue of Jackie Cain and Roy Kral's A Wilder Alias (CTI, 1974). The second is Hetty Kate and The Twenty 20s' Uh! Oh!. The disc focuses, lovingly, on standards from the 1950s and laces them, bizarrely but immaculately, with vestigial psychedelia, electro-acoustica and surf twangadelica. The result sounds like a David Lynch movie looks, but with a warm embrace replacing Lynch's icy grip on the spine. For Uh! Oh!, Kate British born, Australia based, and until now better known for more straight-ahead performances of the standards songbook is accompanied by a quintet of Melbourne's finest, between them adept in swing, hard bop, lounge/exotica and rhythm-and-roots. Saxophonist Deal Hilson and trumpeter Vinnie Bourke deal out classic era Blue Note sounds with dashes of ska and Stax; bassist Steve Purcell (who also composed three of the album's four originals) and drummer Sharky Ramos keep things lithe and swinging. 

So far, so solid for a group accompanying a charismatic and technically gifted vocalist whose gorgeous timbre carries echoes of Peggy Lee, June Christy and Julie London. The genius instrumental ingredient, however the ace in the hand is tenor guitarist Dale Lindrea. The tenor guitar is a four-string instrument tuned in fifths, a structure which more or less necessitates unusual chord voicings and big interval jumps. To these Lindrea adds psychedelia, blues riffs, surf tropes, loops and a magic bag of electro-acoustic effects. When they first reach the ear, his counterpoints to Kate's vocals may sound startlingly, crazily strange, but, a nanosecond later, they reveal themselves as absolutely on song. It is reality, Jim, but not as we know it. Lindrea's lost in space contributions are empathetically framed by the band's arrangements and post-production. The album was recorded over about a year, all in one room, by Purcell, with tracks collectively reviewed and recalibrated as the project progressed. Instrumental textures were gently twisted, dub effects alluded to, layers added, instruments moved back and forth in the mix. In front of all this, Kate's vocals remained relatively untouched, and the tunes' original melodies and underlying chord progressions left pretty much alone. The effect is hyper-real, sophisticated and quietly, totally, out of its tree. 

The disc opens with the title track, a Top 40 hit in 1959 for scat-singing virtual band/animated cartoon The Nutty Squirrels, whose jazz-informed, speeded-up vocals narrowly predated The Chipmunks' poppier and, ultimately, more successful take on the gimmick. Surreal to start with, by the time The Twenty 20s are through with it rubbing surf guitar up against a Lee Morgan-like trumpet solo "Uh! Oh!" is doubly out there. Three other covers are of songs made totemic by Peggy Lee, Tony Bennett and Sarah Vaughan: Cy Coleman and Carolyn Leigh's "I've Got Your Number," Sonny Burke and Paul Francis Webster's "Black Coffee"" and Bernice Petkere's "Close Your Eyes." There is a rock 'n' roll icon, Felice and Boudleaux Bryant's "Raining In My Heart;" a rhythm and blues classic, Allen Toussaint's "Workin' In A Coalmine;" and a British punk rock ballad, Pete Shelley's "Ever Fallen In Love," recorded by his band, The Buzzcocks, in 1978, but sitting comfortably alongside the older material. Purcell's originals are fine fare, particularly the spacey, minor keyed "Clouds," at 7:04 the longest track on the disc. 

But it is the covers and the way they are covered that ultimately lodge deepest in the head. Warning! There is a YouTube clip of "I've Got Your Number," by Kate and the band, which is presented as a taster for Uh! Oh!. It is no such thing. It is a straight-ahead performance of the song, which, though perfectly decent, is several light years away from the version on this album. The clip of "Cellophane" below is a better representation, though you have to penetrate poor audio quality to get the flavor.        ~ Chris May   http://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-twenty-20s-uh-oh-by-chris-may.php#.U5zrriioqdk

Personnel: Hetty Kate: vocals; Dean Hilson: saxophones; Vinnie Bourke: trumpet, flugelhorn; Dave Lindrea: tenor guitar; Steve Purcell: double bass; Skarky Ramos: drums. Guests: Hugh Harvey: drums (5, 7, 9); Steve Grant: trumpet (4).

Uh!Oh!

---

Al Cohn - Al Cohn & His Charlie's Tavern Ensemble

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1954
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:51
Size: 153,6 MB
Art: Front

(6:48)  1. Inside Out
(6:09)  2. Autumn Leaves
(6:58)  3. Serenade For Kathy
(7:16)  4. Move
(5:29)  5. Never Never Land
(6:26)  6. Something For Lisa
(3:08)  7. Count Every Star
(2:47)  8. La Ronde
(4:07)  9. Breakfast With Joe
(3:15) 10. This Reminds Me Of You
(3:05) 11. Cabin In The Sky
(2:22) 12. Lullaby Of Birdland
(2:54) 13. Cohn My Way

Al Cohn was something special, a gem among musicians. Writer, arranger, performer, leader he was one of those rare creative artists gifted with unlimited imagination and technical resources, with magnificent taste and an unerring insight into the expressiveness of East Coast jazz. In the 50s, the personnel he assembled for the four sessions that make up this CD often relaxed in Charlie’s Tavern, a congenial watering hole on Broadway across from Birdland, “the jazz corner of the world”. Despite slight personnel changes, each group was power-packed and, unlike many such outfits, married outstanding individuality to collective cohesiveness. With them, Cohn emphatically demonstrated the allembracing brilliance of the many-faceted talents that earned him the title “Mr. Music”.  

http://www.freshsoundrecords.com/and_his_charlies_tavern_ensemble-cd-4924.html

Featuring: Al Cohn (ts), Joe Newman (tp), Billy Byers, Eddie Bert (tb), Hal McKusick, Gene Quill (as), Sol Schlinger (bars), Sanford Gold (p), Billy Bauer, Jimmy Raney (g), Milt Hinton (b), Osie Johnson (d). Al Cohn, Johnny Carisi, Ralph Burns (arrangers)

Al Cohn & His Charlie's Tavern Ensemble

---

Jack Jezzro - The Beatles On Guitar

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:14
Size: 98,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:01)  1. Hey Jude
(3:15)  2. Yesterday
(4:48)  3. Let It Be
(4:35)  4. Eleanor Rigby
(3:56)  5. Here There And Everywhere
(4:22)  6. In My Life
(4:36)  7. Michelle
(4:05)  8. If I Fell
(3:54)  9. And I Love Her
(3:38) 10. I Will

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

His productions, which number over 300 albums, include legendary jazz pianist Beegie Adair, acclaimed Dove award winning vocalist Kathy Troccoli, Grammy winning producer/composer/pianist Michael Omartian, jazz vocal great Jaimee Paul, tenor sax ace Denis Solee, bassist/vocalist Jim Ferguson featuring jazz great Chris Potter, renowned violinist David Davidson, composer/arranger/pianist Jeff Steinberg, multi-instrumentalist and Fiddler's Hall of Fame member Craig Duncan, virtuoso accordionist/pianist Jeff Taylor, singer/songwriter Christina Lake, pianist Christopher Phillips, trumpeter Leif Shires, jazz violinist Antoine Silverman featuring pianist Stefan Karlsson, and saxophonist Sam Levine. His music and productions could also be heard in several motion pictures, including the recent Woody Allen movie, "To Rome With Love." ~ http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/jezzro11

Personnel: Jack Jezzro (acoustic guitar, nylon-string guitar); Mary Alice Hoepfinger (harp); The Nashville String Machine (strings); Mark Douthit (alto saxophone, tenor saxophone); Jeff Bailey (piccolo trumpet); George Tidwell (flugelhorn); Pat Coil (piano); Craig Nelson (acoustic bass, electric bass); Bob Mater (drums); Eric Darken (percussion).

The Beatles On Guitar

---