Sarah Vaughan & Her Trio - Live At Mister Kelly's, Chicago 1957

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 35:38
Size: 81.6 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[3:34] 1. September in the rain
[5:19] 2. Willow weep for me
[3:14] 3. Just one of those things
[4:46] 4. Be anything but darling be mine
[2:45] 5. Thou swell
[5:06] 6. Stairway to the stars
[3:37] 7. Honeysuckle rose
[4:16] 8. Just a gigolo
[2:58] 9. How high the moon

After a rather shaky start (she can't find her key on "September in the Rain," knocks over a microphone stand, and stumbles on some lyrics during "Willow Weep for Me"), it doesn't take Sarah Vaughan long to overcome these glitches and deliver a nuanced, intimate performance on this live gig. Recorded in August 1957, this date features pianist Jimmy Jones, bassist Richard Davis, and drummer Roy Haynes. As should be expected, their solid performance is strictly accompaniment and, for the most part, unspectacular. The show, of course, belongs to Sassy. She swoops, soars, whispers, and belts it out. Her range is jaw dropping; her control and vibrato are simply beyond compare. And although Vaughan asks for her mic to be turned up throughout the performance, she is mixed up front and quite high in the recording--right where she deserves to be. ~S. Duda

Live At Mister Kelly's, Chicago 1957

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Hugo Montenegro - Magnificent

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 23:28
Size: 53.7 MB
Styles: Jazz-funk, Easy Listening
Year: 1968/2011
Art: Front

[2:23] 1. String Of Pearls
[2:29] 2. Heartaches
[2:35] 3. Chanson D'amour
[1:55] 4. Peg O'my Heart
[2:17] 5. Peg O'my Heart
[2:51] 6. And The Angels Sing
[2:44] 7. I'll Know My Love
[2:54] 8. Dardanella
[3:15] 9. Song Of India

Originally a staff manager for Andre Kostelanetz at Columbia Records, Hugo Montenegro began making albums of easy listening music under his own name in the mid-1950s. He recorded for a number of labels over the years, including this album recorded especially for Pickwick. Including such songs as Chanson D'Amour, And The Angels Sing and Song Of India, each receives the full orchestral treatment.

Magnificent

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Karin Plato - Out Of Town Disc 1 And Disc 2

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:58 (CD 1)
Size: 89,5 MB (CD 1)
Time: 34:52 (CD 2)
Size: 80,1 MB (CD 2)
Art: Front

CD 1

(3:16)  1. I'd Rather Be Somewhere Hot
(5:50)  2. Blue Skies
(7:04)  3. If I Only Had A Brain
(3:03)  4. Day In, Day Out
(4:38)  5. Golden Earrings
(3:22)  6. I'm Putting All My Eggs In One Basket
(3:51)  7. Summer Night
(3:14)  8. Try To Remember (#1)
(4:36)  9. Get Out Of Town

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CD 2

(3:54)  1. The Breeze & I

(3:27)  2. I Remember

(5:18)  3. Butterfly

(4:52)  4. That's All

(4:06)  5. Reality

(5:52)  6. Red Sails In The Sunset

(2:32)  7. Blackberry Winter

(4:46)  8. Try To Remember (#2)

If your familiarity with British Columbian vocalists is limited to Diana Krall and Michael Bublé, then it’s time you got to know Karin Plato. Though she has been based out of Vancouver for a quarter-century, Plato wasn’t actually born in B.C. She hails from a tiny farming community called Alsask, the name derived from its location on the Saskatchewan-Alberta border. Plato’s passion for jazz singing prompted the move west to Vancouver in 1985, where she earned degrees in jazz and arranging at Capilano College. A decade later, first in 1996 and again in ’98, she continued her schooling at the esteemed Banff Centre for the Fine Arts, studying vocal jazz under two of the world’s foremost experts, Jay Clayton and Sheila Jordan. Just prior to her first Banff session, Plato made her recording debut with the aptly-title Pastiche, an eclectic mix of covers and originals that fully showcased the rich fullness of her voice. 

Over the next seven years, four more albums followed. Apart from the 2000 Christmas release Snowflake Season, each followed a similar pattern: a well-chosen balance of ballads and up-tempo standards mixed with a few laudable originals. Her fifth CD, 2003’s The State of Bliss also featured several duets with another underappreciated Canadian vocalist, Nat “King” Cole sound-alike Denzel Sinclaire. After The State of Bliss there was, in terms of recordings, a prolonged silence. Finally, in 2008, Plato delivered Downward Dancing. It remains the most obscure of her albums and, oddly, is not included in the discography on her website. Nor will you currently find it on iTunes or, apart from an occasional second-hand copy, on Amazon. (It is, however, listed as available on CD Baby.) Its obscurity is a shame. Though all of Plato’s output has been exceptionally fine, Downward Dancing represented a new plateau, perhaps precipitated by her long absence from the studio. 

During that break, Plato’s voice grew deeper and slightly throatier. The stylistic result suggests a close kinship with both Krall and Rosemary Clooney. Fortunately, the same superb sound that emerged on Downward Dancing is equally evident throughout Plato’s latest release, a double-disc set entitled Out of Town. As she explains in the liner notes, the title can be taken literally. Plato departed Vancouver and relocated in London (London, Ontario that is) for the sessions. In recent years, pianist John Roney has often accompanied Plato on her club dates across Canada. On Out of Town the superbly simpatico relationship they’ve established on the road is at last captured. Though Roney is front-and-center on most of the 17 tracks, additional support is provided by cellist Christine Newland and bassist Brendan Davis. The first disc is intentionally the more upbeat of the two. 

Plato opens with a bouncy original, the peppery “I’d Rather Be Somewhere Hot,” a paean to warmer climates dedicated to snowbound Canadians. The tempo remains bright and sunny for her arrestingly offbeat arrangement of “Blues Skies.” Then the proceedings slow for a leisurely, seven-minute ramble through “If I Only Had a Brain.” Plato again revs up for a feverish “Day In, Day Out” and a mid-tempo “I’m Putting All My Eggs In One Basket” that is cunningly sensuous. “Golden Earrings” is given a balladic reading that is fittingly mysterious. Plato’s unfettered handling of Harry Warren’s too-rarely covered “Summer Night” packs plenty of lusty August heat and there’s s parallel abundance of barely-contained hunger in her “Get Out of Town.” 

Rounding out the first CD is an appropriately wistful “Try to Remember.” The second platter gets underway with a gorgeously reflective “The Breeze and I.” The meditative mood continues through Stephen Sondheim’s pensive “I Remember” and “Butterfly,” a sweet ode to youthful curiosity from celebrated children’s entertainer Jennifer Gasoi. Plato’s “That’s All” is suitably tender, and the raw power of her “Red Sails In the Sunset” superbly captures the lyric’s profound sense of contentment. As a counterpointed bookend to the sizzling “I’d Rather Be Somewhere Hot,” Plato closes with a masterfully barren exploration of Alec Wilder’s regret-fueled “Blackberry Winter.” A second, more contemplative version of “Try to Remember” is added as a bonus track. ~ Christopher Loudon http://jazztimes.com/articles/26933-karin-plato-jazz-vocals-north-by-northwest

Out Of Town  Disc 1

Out Of Town  Disc 2

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David Kikoski - Lighter Way

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:07
Size: 126,4 MB
Art: Front

(7:50)  1. Blanket of Byrd
(6:43)  2. Grey Area
(6:52)  3. Wanting and Waiting
(5:40)  4. Joyous
(6:40)  5. Lighter Way
(6:34)  6. Florence's Reverie
(6:44)  7. Stigmata
(8:01)  8. Variation

There was a time when most artists pursued linear careers. While the Miles Davis of Kind of Blue (Columbia, 1959) was very different than that of Bitches Brew (Columbia, 1969), a straight line could be drawn through his career, with each successive album usually representing an incremental step. These days artists often run multiple and vastly different projects concurrently, to some extent because of broadening interests resulting from the ever-expanding and cross-pollinating nature of improvised music. Pianist David Kikoski's Limits (Criss Cross, 2006) was an accessible, all-acoustic and modernistic mainstream affair. The equally contemporary Lighter Way is even more approachable. It finds its way into a broader sonic space through Kikoski's addition of synthesizers, and it explores greater stylistic territory that blends hints of Americana, romantic classicism, mid-'70s ECM and more.  Lighter Way features bassist Ed Howard and drummer Victor Lewis, who work regularly with Kikoski in support of artists like Eddie Henderson and Dave Stryker. This is the first time they've recorded as a standalone trio, and the reason they're in demand as a unit is in even greater evidence here. 

While often considered for its ability to swing hard in a variety of settings, here the trio is no less groove-centric, but in some ways distanced from the straight-ahead tradition. The fusion energy of "Stigmata" may come as a surprise, but anyone who's heard Howard with vibraphonist Joe Locke's Four Walls of Freedom band and Lewis' work with the late Jaco Pastorius in the mid-1980s knows both are no strangers to kicking it hard. Kikoski's synth tone is reminiscent of Genesis' Tony Banks, but that's as far as the comparison goes. Kikoski is obviously a far greater improviser, and both Howard and Lewis are with him every step of the way. The darker "Wanting and Waiting" sounds like an outtake from a 1970s ECM session by John Abercrombie's quartet with pianist Richie Beirach. 

It's one of four tracks that feature Kikoski solely on piano, and here Lewis' touch is light while Howard's warm pizzicato provides the lyrical theme. The Midwestern vibe of the equally acoustic but more optimistic "Joyous" belies Kikoski's Jersey roots, while the title track's gentle synth washes and soulful groove border on but never extend into smooth jazz territory. The romanticism of "Florence's Reverie" suggests a less Jarrett-esque Lyle Mays. But Kikoski's closer, the solo "Variation 1," is most portentous. Kikoski, most often thought of as a group player, may well have a solo record in him. In the meantime, Lighter Way demonstrates a broader side to Kikoski that bodes equally well for the future. ~ John Kelman  

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/lighter-way-david-kikoski-sunnyside-records-review-by-john-kelman.php#.U6OJ17EguSo

Personnel: David Kikoski: piano, synth; Ed Howard: bass; Victor Lewis: drums.

Lighter Way

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Grant Green - Street Funk & Jazz Grooves

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:17
Size: 172,7 MB
Art: Front

( 9:08)  1. Grantstand
( 7:44)  2. Lazy Afternoon
(11:04)  3. Sookie Sookie
(11:44)  4. Talking About JC
( 5:39)  5. Windjammer
( 6:45)  6. A Walk In The Night
( 5:54)  7. I Don't Want Nobody
( 8:53)  8. Cease The Bombing
( 3:28)  9. The Final Comedown
( 4:54) 10. In The Middle

Following the 1993 hit "Tukka Yoot's Riddim" by US3, which featured a sample from his 1971 track "Sookie Sookie", Grant Green has been enjoying a revival of popularity. Blue Note records released this compilation of the guitarist to catch the interest. So of course "Sookie Sookie" is here in it's original 11-minute three-second glory. As are other funk faves "Talkin' About JC" and "Windjammer", which amply show why Green is such an influence on acid jazz. Certainly on this Best of Blue Note have picked the more groove-based numbers from his 1965-72 work with the label.

Street Funk is a fun package, ideal for summer evenings. It's perfect for those not familiar with his playing apart maybe from the odd sampled riff, or those who have heard the respect paid to him by contemporary jazz musicians. True, Green's output went further than soul-jazz and it would be wrong just to tag him the father, god-father, or what-ever familial reference you wish to make, of the current jazz trend. But then even if this compilation doesn't tell the whole story it's still a great introduction. ~ Phil Brett   http://www.amazon.co.uk/Street-Funk-Jazz-Groove-Grant/dp/B000025KO5

Street Funk & Jazz Grooves

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Jimmy Cobb (feat. Peter Bernstein, Brad Mehldau & John Webber) - The Original Mob

Styles: Jazz, Bop
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:43
Size: 146,6 MB
Art: Front

(8:09)  1. Old Devil Moon
(6:31)  2. Amsterdam After Dark
(6:37)  3. Sunday in New York
(5:54)  4. Stranger in Paradise
(8:25)  5. Unrequited
(5:05)  6. Composition 101
(4:32)  7. Remembering U
(5:32)  8. Nobody Else but Me
(7:14)  9. Minor Blues
(5:41) 10. Lickety Split

Far more than the last surviving member of the Miles Davis Kind of Blue sessions, Jimmy Cobb is one of the last and foremost pioneers of modern jazz drumming. The Original Mob is a live studio recording at the legendary Smoke Night Club with three former students that are all accomplished artists in their own right. Pianist Brad Mehldau, guitarist Peter Bernstein and bassist John Webber join forces with Cobb for quartet that does far more than smoke but exhibits a controlled burn of swing that pushes the limits of all the participants in an intimate atmosphere made for such an event.  An old school based collective with offerings from each member that are inventive yet seemingly tailored for the smoldering groove Cobb works finesse and precision. 

There are some surprises including an amped up "Sunday In New York" and the deceptively subtle swing of "Nobody Else But Me." The exquisite Jimmy Cobb original "Remembering U" could easily be mistaken as a tune from the Great American Songbook. Peter Bernstein's odd metered "Minor Blues" moves with an effortless flow that permeates this release. Brad Mehldau's "Unrequited" while the most adventurous tune still embraces the land of rhythm and groove without sacrificing melody for meter. We close out with John Webber's "Lickety Split." Webber's original is indeed a rousing smoker and a perfect end to what might easily be called the sound track to a city at last call. You don't have to go home but you have to get the hell out of here!  Jimmy Cobb has been doing his thing for seven decades. Cobb is not getting older, he is getting even better! ~ Brent Black   http://www.criticaljazz.com/2014/05/jimmy-cobb-original-mob-smoke-session.html

Personnel: Peter Bernstein: Guitar; Brad Mehldau: Piano; John Webber: Bass; Jimmy Cobb: Drums.

The Original Mob

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Helen Merrill - You've Got A Date With The Blues

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 36:43

Size: 84.1 MB

Styles: Vocal jazz

Year: 1959/2006

Art: Front

[5:21] 1. The Blues From Black, Brown And Beige

[3:33] 2. Am I Blue

[3:17] 3. Blue Gardenia

[3:27] 4. You've Got A Date With The Blues

[3:34] 5. The Thrill Is Gone

[3:08] 6. (Ah The Apple Trees) When The World Was Young

[3:36] 7. Blues In My Heart

[3:22] 8. Vous M'eblouissez (You Go To My Head)

[2:45] 9. Lorsque Tu M'embrasses (Just Squeeze Me)

[3:05] 10. The Meaning Of The Blues

[1:31] 11. Signing Off

Helen Merrill dates are always something special. This set for Metrojazz, which has been reissued as a Verve CD, matches the cool-toned yet inwardly heated singer with an all-star sextet arranged by Quincy Jones and featuring solos by trumpeter Kenny Dorham and either Frank Wess or Jerome Richardson on flute and tenor. The repertoire includes versions of "You Go to My Head" and "Just Squeeze Me" sung in French, a couple of numbers by producer Leonard Feather, Duke Ellington's "The Blues From Black, Brown and Beige," and a haunting rendition of "The Thrill Is Gone." Recommended. ~Scott Yanow

You've Got A Date With The Blues

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Stan Getz - The Essential Stan Getz: The Columbia Years (2-Disc set)

One of the all-time great tenor saxophonists, Stan Getz was known as "The Sound" because he had one of the most beautiful tones ever heard. Getz, whose main early influence was Lester Young, grew to be a major influence himself and to his credit he never stopped evolving.

Getz had the opportunity to play in a variety of major swing big bands while a teenager due to the World War II draft. He was with Jack Teagarden (1943) when he was just 16, followed by stints with Stan Kenton (1944-1945), Jimmy Dorsey (1945), and Benny Goodman (1945-1946); he soloed on a few records with Goodman. Getz, who had his recording debut as a leader in July 1946 with four titles, became famous during his period with Woody Herman's Second Herd (1947-1949), soloing (along with Zoot Sims, Herbie Steward, and Serge Chaloff) on the original version of "Four Brothers" and having his sound well-featured on the ballad "Early Autumn." After leaving Herman, Getz was (with the exception of some tours with Jazz at the Philharmonic) a leader for the rest of his life.

Throughout his career Getz recorded as a leader for Savoy, Spotlite, Prestige, Roost, Verve, MGM, Victor, Columbia, SteepleChase, Concord, Sonet, Black Hawk, A&M, and EmArcy among other labels (not to mention sessions with Lionel Hampton, Dizzy Gillespie, and Gerry Mulligan) and there are dozens of worthy records by the tenor currently available on CD. ~Scott Yanow

Album: The Essential Stan Getz: The Columbia Years (Disc 1)
Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 74:37
Size: 170.8 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2013

[ 3:53] 1. Early Autumn
[ 3:47] 2. Blue Getz Blues
[ 4:16] 3. Blue Serge
[ 4:29] 4. Clear Out Of This World
[ 5:15] 5. Misty
[ 7:01] 6. Who Cares
[ 5:49] 7. Lester Left Town
[ 5:39] 8. The Peacocks
[ 4:52] 9. What Am I Here For
[ 3:58] 10. Skylark
[10:35] 11. Invitation
[ 9:58] 12. Summer Night
[ 4:59] 13. Polka Dots & Moonbeams

The Essential Stan Getz: The Columbia Years (Disc 1)

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Album: The Essential Stan Getz: The Columbia Years (Disc 2)
Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 76:46
Size: 175.7 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[15:31] 1. tanglewood concerto
[ 5:42] 2. A Song After Sundown
[ 3:50] 3. The Girl From Ipanema
[ 3:29] 4. Double Rainbow
[ 4:40] 5. Aguas De Marco
[ 5:19] 6. Ligia
[ 5:16] 7. E Preciso Perdoar
[ 4:01] 8. Retrato Em Branco E Preto
[ 8:09] 9. Five Hundred Miles High
[ 4:14] 10. Lush Life
[ 5:06] 11. Captain Marvel
[11:24] 12. Infant Eyes

The Essential Stan Getz: The Columbia Years (Disc 2)

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Raphael Wressnig's Organic Trio - Cut A Little Deeper On The Funk

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 52:37

Size: 120.4 MB

Styles: Organ jazz

Year: 2008

Art: Front

[4:46] 1. Road To Detroit

[4:37] 2. N.O.T. Aka N'awlins Thang

[7:06] 3. Cut A Little Deeper On The Funk

[4:41] 4. Ridin'

[5:17] 5. Stringdance

[7:40] 6. Exit Soul-Ville

[7:01] 7. Midnight On The Bayou

[4:45] 8. Twenty Four

[6:39] 9. Growlin' The Blues

Raphael Wressnig was 28 at the time of this recording but is already considered one of Europe's top jazz organists. On this CD, Wressnig plays the usual assortment of blues and soul-jazz grooves but also stretches his instrument by playing some music that borders on the avant-garde, some funk, a second-line New Orleans parade rhythm groove, a soulful country ballad, and even hints of hip-hop. Two songs are performed solely by Wressnig's Organic Trio, a unit that had been together for six years by 2008, featuring the fine guitarist Georg Jantscher and drummer Lukas Knöfler. Three numbers add either tenor saxophonist Craig Handy or Christian Bachner, two others have the team of trumpeter Eric Bloom and tenorman Sax Gordon, and the remaining two find percussionist Luis Ribeiro making the group a quartet. The constant changes in instrumentation along with the wide variety of styles give Cut a Little Deeper on the Funk plenty of variety, but the main reason to pick up this CD is to discover the brilliant playing of Raphael Wressnig. ~Scott Yanow

Cut A Little Deeper On The Funk

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Novabossa - S/T

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 38:25
Size: 88.0 MB
Styles: Bossa Nova, Latin jazz
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[4:01] 1. O Barquinho (My Little Boat)
[2:52] 2. Wave
[2:46] 3. The Look Of Love
[2:56] 4. Garota De Ipanema
[3:00] 5. Corcovado
[3:02] 6. You Don't Know Me
[2:42] 7. Dindi
[3:02] 8. Skylark
[3:30] 9. Smile
[4:27] 10. The Nearness Of You
[3:13] 11. My One And Only Love
[2:48] 12. The Look Of Love (Sax Version)

novabossa, a Seattle-based jazz/bossa nova quintet, performs the music of Antonio Carlos Jobim and a selection of great standards and sultry ballads. Featuring the stunning vocals of Márcia Távora; and the spirited musical stylings of Marty Jourard (keyboards), Frederick Cockfield (bass), Peter Caruso (guitar) and Eric Larson (drums/perc), novabossa combine the best of two musical worlds: Brazil's beautiful bossa nova, and elegant tunes from the Great American Songbook.

Novabossa

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Adelaide Ruble - Come Fly With Me

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:15
Size: 85,5 MB
Art: Front

(2:16)  1. On The Street Where You Live
(4:00)  2. A Nightingale Sang In Berkley Square
(2:38)  3. Come Fly With Me
(3:36)  4. Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans
(4:29)  5. I've Got You Under My Skin
(2:25)  6. They Can't Take That Away From Me
(2:32)  7. I Get Along Without You Very Well
(2:25)  8. A Wink And A Smile
(3:39)  9. Don't Worry Bout Me
(2:12) 10. Devil May Care
(2:42) 11. I Thought About You
(3:16) 12. I See Your Face Before Me

Adelaide Ruble evidently makes her debut recording as a leader with Come Fly with Me. The Washington, D.C., area resident digs deeply into a number of frequently recorded gems from the Great American Songbook, backed by a strong band anchored by keyboardist and guitarist Rick Eldridge and some terrific trombone by Harry Watters. Ruble has a warm alto voice and an almost conversation approach, though occasionally with a touch of excessive vibrato that seems to come from nervous energy. She's best on the slow ballads like a heartfelt "I Get Along Without You Very Well" (a lovely duet with Eldridge on piano) and a sassy, brisk treatment of "Devil May Care" (complemented by Watters' tasty licks). Ruble avoids many of the traps that singers can fall into, like running a song into the ground with excessive choruses (only one runs past the four-minute mark), though the CD is rather brief at just over 36 minutes. Adelaide Ruble's initial release is a promising beginning to her career as a recording artist. ~ Ken Dryden  http://www.allmusic.com/album/come-fly-with-me-mw0000515926.

Come Fly With Me

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Rebecca Zapen - Nest

Styles: Pop/Rock
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:29
Size: 123,4 MB
Art: Front

(2:31)  1. Beautiful Love Songs Without the Love
(4:09)  2. Peace
(3:58)  3. Ledge
(2:29)  4. Swamp Pit
(3:07)  5. Lakewood
(3:09)  6. I'm Gonna Make So Many Things For You
(3:03)  7. 888
(1:41)  8. Tiny and Strong
(3:51)  9. You Did Me Wrong
(2:38) 10. Grandfather's Song
(2:36) 11. Jacaranda
(4:03) 12. Addicted to Love
(3:06) 13. Colorado

Barely out of the starting gate, Rebecca Zapen's brand-new release, Nest, was awarded Florida Album of the Year 2011 (Florida Times-Union). The album's delicate, cinematic, lush new folk forays into Americana, bossa nova, and pop. In essence, Zapen made Nest while she was building a nest of her own, with husband and recording engineer Jeremy Douglass, who also plays keyboards and melodica on the new album. The two met when Jeremy (from St. Petersburg) was searching for a string player for a friend's recording project and found classically-trained violinist Rebecca (in Jacksonville). After corresponding for a while, a chance gig allowed the two to meet and it was love at first sight. It was bashert, fate. In a dizzy, giddy whirlwind, Rebecca moved to St. Pete where they soon married and started a family. The recording for Nest began when Rebecca was 6 months pregnant, during which time they laid down all the rhythm tracks before baby Joel came into the world. They took a break from the recording as they adjusted to being new parents and getting back into the swing of gigging and such. After 13 months away from the recording they dedicated themselves to finishing it, burning the midnight oil (and 1 and 2am oil), and had it mastered when Joel was 20 months old.

Twelve of the thirteen tracks on Nest are originals, with one cover, a bossa nova version of Robert Palmer's "Addicted to Love". Singer and multi-instrumentalist Zapen plays violin, guitar, ukulele, and cavaquiño on the album, which hops genres from the finger-picked folk and lush vocal harmonies and strings of "Peace", to the sultry bossa nova rhythms of "Ledge" and "Addicted to Love", to the stark Appalachian twang of "Colorado", in which Zapen delivers one of her most powerful songs with the simplest arrangement of voice and violin. Ukulele and its South American cousin the cavaquiño make an appearance on "Tiny and Strong" and "Beautiful Love Songs Without the Love", respectively. Rebecca forays into pop with her feel-good "I'm Gonna Make So Many Things For You", and features autobiographical songs "Jacaranda", "888", "Lakewood", and "Grandfather's Song". 

The cinematic "You Did Me Wrong" moves seamlessly from folk to string-driven pop to spaghetti western to jazz waltz. The songs' instrumentations vary, including support from violin, double bass, drums, clarinet, trumpet, trombone, and keyboards. And there is Zapen's beautiful voice, lilting and crooning, with purity of tone and minimal use of vibrato, although she reveals a rarely-heard facet of her voice, belting key phrases in "Colorado". Said one listener, "your voice made my heart break into a million pieces".http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/rebeccazapen

Nest

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Louis Stewart - Overdrive

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:49
Size: 164,4 MB
Art: Front

( 5:30)  1. All The Things You Are
( 9:44)  2. (Oh) Lady Be Good
( 8:04)  3. Polka Dots And Moonbeams
( 6:37)  4. Oleo
( 7:17)  5. Yesterdays
( 5:50)  6. Stomping At The Savoy
(11:23)  7. Body And Soul
(10:33)  8. Walkin'
( 6:47)  9. My Shinging Hour

There is no doubt that Irish jazz guitarist Louis Stewart is one of the all-time greats, and it is obvious from the first notes he plays on any occasion. Quick witted, clean and clear, original, inventive, steeped in tradition, astonishing at most turns and only remarkable on the others, the only reason most of you don't know him is that he works in Europe, barely visiting the continental America's during his five decades of performing. This live club date at the Tron Jazz Cellar in Edinburgh, Scotland shows Stewart at the height of his powers during a set of well-worn standards, brought to life by this brilliant plectrist. As most use energy as a fuel for the others, or as a flashy pyrotechnical show, Stewart has no problem playing quickly. 

In fact, for him it all seems so effortless when he plays a straight melody on the well-worn "All the Things You Are," the rousing "Oleo" with its tricky changes played perfectly, or the very fast, never flustered "Stompin' at the Savoy," where he seems really in his element. Did it take any time for him to warm up? In contrast to the fleet fingered display of virtuosity, Stewart also likes to change things up a bit. He strips down the melody of "Lady Be Good," extrapolates slightly on the basic theme, and then stretches out the song in his solo spotlight, swings the normally balladic "Body and Soul," and fattens the tempo for the usually relaxed "Walkin'." Ronnie Rae is the bassist, and the Edinburgh native and regular accompanist for vocalist Fionna Duncan acquits himself well on this recording, especially taking the lead for "Walkin." The appropriate closer "My Shining Hour" closes this set of music that showcases Stewart wonderfully, and is likely the best, certainly most accessible recording of his relatively small discography. ~ Michael G.Nastos  http://www.allmusic.com/album/overdrive-live-at-the-tron-edinburgh-mw0000665369.

Personnel: Louis Stewart (guitar); Ronnie Rae (bass instrument); Tony McLennan (drums).

Overdrive

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Louis Hayes - Dreamin Of Cannonball

Styles: Jazz, Bop
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:59
Size: 158,3 MB
Art: Front

(7:06)  1. What Is This Thing Called Love
(5:49)  2. The Chant
(5:16)  3. Dat Dere
(7:29)  4. I Can't Get Started
(5:46)  5. Work Song
(6:14)  6. Naturally
(8:33)  7. Fiddler On The Roof
(7:46)  8. The Jive Samba
(7:15)  9. Scoth And Water
(7:41) 10. Del Sasser

Louis Hayes & the Cannonball Legacy Band pay tribute to the drummer's late employer by exploring a number of songs that he recorded while working with Cannonball Adderley. The veteran is in great form, joined by alto saxophonist Vincent Herring, trumpeter Jeremy Pelt, pianist Rick Germanson, and bassist Vicente Archer. The music doesn't focus on any one edition of Adderley's band, but delves into music the alto saxophonist recorded during the early '60s. Hayes' crop of Young Lions opens with an explosive take of "What Is This Thing Called Love?," delves with gusto into Bobby Timmons' soul-jazz hit "Dat Dere" and Nat Adderley's spiritual-flavored "Work Song," and delivers a playful performance of "Fiddler on the Roof," the latter tune showcasing the leader's effective solo. No effort is made to mimic Adderley's style or the sidemen who played alongside him, though it is clear that all the musicians are enjoying themselves throughout these sessions. ~ Ken Dryden   http://www.allmusic.com/album/dreamin-of-cannonball-mw0000223532.

Personnel: Louis Hayes (drums); Vincent Herring (alto saxophone); Jeremy Pelt (trumpet); Rick Germanson (piano).

Dreamin Of Cannonball

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Tardo Hammer - Simple Pleasure

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 58:13

Size: 133.3 MB

Styles: Piano jazz

Year: 2013

Art: Front

[4:43] 1. Asiatic Raes

[6:03] 2. The Folks Who Live On The Hill

[5:32] 3. New Rhumba

[5:01] 4. Uranus

[6:09] 5. I'll Wait & Pray

[6:06] 6. Kay Dee

[5:48] 7. Short Story

[5:21] 8. Simple Pleasure

[4:38] 9. Fran Dance

[4:34] 10. My Conception

[4:13] 11. No Smokin'

In his JazzWax Blog of September 30, 2007, Marc Myers described Tardo Hammer as follows: “ Hammer 49 (then), is an old soul and knows his way around a keyboard—having played with Lou Donaldson, Bill Hardman, Junior Cook, Annie Ross, Art Farmer…. among others.” Now several years on, Hammer offers a new album in a trio setting, recorded live by Cellar Live in New York City in March 2013 at Klavierhaus Recital Hall and called Simple Pleasure

For the most part Hammer is self-educated on the piano, started playing at five, and was performing professionally when he was fifteen. Such is the unpredictable nature of being a jazz musician that while not generally well-known much beyond the boundaries of New York City, Tardo is a bebop-oriented player along the lines of Bud Powell with flashes of Tommy Flanagan and Barry Harris. In this session, he offers a set list of an eclectic nature, using the composing talents Kenny Dorham, Ahmad Jamal, Miles Davis, and Horace Silver among others.

With thoughtful support from Jimmy Wormworth on drums, and the ever adaptable Lee Hudson on bass, Hammer starts the proceedings with a Kenny Dorham composition “Asiatic Raes” and fully demonstrates his exploratory instincts. The Jerome Kern chestnut ”The Folks Who Live On The Hill” has been done to death by numerous artists, but Tardo has managed to avoid the usual clichés with his thoughtful rendition. Ahmad Jamal’s “New Rhumba” gained currency when Miles Davis included it on his album Miles Ahead. Now Hammer, following a strong introduction from bassist Hudson and a subsequent solo, gives the wonderful stop-time melody a fresh approach.

Fulfilling an early promise, is often a challenge in an overly-competitive musical environment. Perhaps that may help to explain why Hammer has perhaps not received the kind of recognition his talent deserves. But clearly in this recital he exhibits that he is a harmonically confident pianist, whether it’s on Cedar Walton’s title tune “Simple Pleasure” where he shows his poised technique, or the Miles Davis composition “Fran Dance” as he gives free rein to his probing instincts. This is a sparkling album that deserves wide recognition.

Recording information: Klavierhaus Recital Hall, New York, NY (03/20/2013).

Tardo Hammer (piano); Lee Hudson (acoustic bass); Jimmy Wormworth (drums).

Simple Pleasure

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Laura Simo Sextet - The Best Is Yet To Come: Live At The Jamboree

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 70:51
Size: 162.2 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[5:13] 1. With A Song In My Heart
[6:15] 2. Sconsolato
[6:41] 3. Waltz For Debbie
[2:51] 4. The Best Is Yet To Come
[4:56] 5. Moody's Mood
[3:51] 6. Maxine
[3:41] 7. Three Views Of A Secret
[4:44] 8. Crazy Life
[6:18] 9. I Mean You
[4:21] 10. Walter Whitman Where Are You
[3:37] 11. Walk Between Raindrops
[6:00] 12. Since I Fell For You
[5:39] 13. I've Got It Bad And That Is Good
[6:36] 14. Lousiana Sunday Afternoon

Simó and Capella are two of the best-established exponents of Barcelona jazz who have been working together for a couple of years. In 1996, Capella worked with Simó on his album The Best Is Yet To Come (1996, recorded live at the Jamboree). He also wrote two arrangements for the CD Senza Fine (2002), recorded by Laura Simó with the Bellaterra Big Band, and he placed himself at the service of the vocalist for the Sueño inmaterial project (2009). Lovers of the eternal standards and of film music, Simó and Capella will offer a session of classics performed with taste and finesse.

Laura Simó vocals, Francesc Capella piano, Guillermo Prats double bass, David Simó drums. Recorded live in Jamboree of Barcelona the CD “THE BEST IS YET TO COME”, from the group Laura Simó Sextet, with arrangements from Joan Vinyals and Francesc Capella.

The Best Is Yet To Come: Live At The Jamboree

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Kristine Mills - Kristine Mills Playing With The Big Boys Live!

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:50
Size: 158,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:15)  1. I Love Paris
(5:38)  2. Lullaby Of Birdland
(7:48)  3. How Long Has This Been Going On
(7:29)  4. Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me
(4:35)  5. Bye Bye Blackbird
(7:19)  6. If You Never Come To Me (Intuil Passagim)
(7:46)  7. Norwegian Wood
(3:28)  8. Mountain Greenery
(5:35)  9. They Can't Take That Away From Me
(4:20) 10. Tennesse Waltz
(4:48) 11. How High The Moon
(4:43) 12. One For My Baby (...And One More For Lee)

Vocalist Kristine Mills is doing something almost no one else in Houston is doing these days: singing jazz. Not watered-down jazz lite, but real, actual jazz with nuance, improvisation, interplay between her and her musicians, and respect for the art form. Mills's new CD, Playing with the Big Boys Live!, recorded live at Cezanne in April 2007, is filled with her fresh takes on standards including "They Can't Take That Away from Me," "How Long Has This Been Going On?" and especially "Do Nothing Till You Hear from Me." She's sassy, smart and smoldering on that Duke Ellington classic; if it's not her signature song, it should be. On "One for My Baby," she's both fantastically forlorn and somehow hopeful. 

Accompanied by the Ken Ward Trio and guests Barry Lee Hall Jr. and Rocky White, Mills is technically flawless, and her performance seems effortless. Pianist Ward does a good job supporting Mills, while bassist David Craig is less helpful, but thankfully stays out of the way for the most part. Paul Chester's guitar adds a melancholy sound to tunes like "How Long...," and Big Boys stands as a memorial to White, a longtime drummer in the Duke Ellington Orchestra who recently died after a long illness. His brushwork, especially on "Do Nothing...," adds just the right touch, fluidly going from delicate to bold. The interplay between Mills and Hall, on trumpet and flugelhorn, makes "Bye Bye Blackbird" another bright spot. But without taking anything away from her band, Mills is clearly the star here. As well she should be. ~ Olivia Flores Alvarez  http://www.houstonpress.com/2008-09-25/music/kristine-mills-playing-with-the-big-boys-mdash-live/full/

Kristine Mills Playing With The Big Boys Live!

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Jeri Brown - I've Got Your Number

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:05
Size: 149,3 MB
Art: Front

( 5:19)  1. I've Got Your Number
( 5:49)  2. Midnight Sun
( 4:08)  3. Softly, As in Morning Sunrise
( 5:55)  4. The Nearness of You
( 8:34)  5. Joy
(12:24)  6. You Must Believe in Spring
( 8:22)  7. Echoes
( 6:15)  8. As Long as You're Living
( 8:16)  9. What Goes Around

The torch has been passed, Betty Carter is gone, and Jeri Brown is in line here and now. On this, her seventh CD for the Canadian Justin Time label, Brown continues to mature as a jazz interpreter, and proves a cherry picker in terms of choosing world class back-up. As on her previous CD "Zaius, " she's got John Hicks on piano throughout, Curtis Lundy and Wali Muhammad on four cuts, Avery Sharpe and Sangoma Everett for another three on bass and drums respectively. David Murray plays tenor sax on two tracks, Don Braden on another one, and two selections reprise the appearance as on "Zaius" of vocalist Leon Thomas. The difference is that these duels with Thomas are released posthumously following his untimely death in mid-1999. 

Brown's voice is getting decidedly better and better, he lower register center profoundly richening, and her confidence building. You should further appreciate in Brown, traces of Sarah Vaughan's range and expressiveness, Ella Fitzgerald's clear enunciation, and Carter and Ella's super scatting powers. This combination produces a singer unlike any other on the current scene. Brown's eminent scatability is fully pronounced on the title track, the wild 5/4 duet with Thomas and Braden plus ensemble on "Long As You're Living," and in a more undercurrent, low down arena with sympatico ostinato bass (Lundy) on "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise." There's a 12 1/2 minute, lugubrious slow version of "You Must Believe In Spring," seperate verses sung in French & English with a long Hicks solo, a subtle rubato format for Brown and Hicks only during "The Nearness Of You," and other beautifully turned out ballads "Midnight Sun" (w/Murray, ) and the closer "What Goes Around."

Murray's other feature, the Gerry Niewood waltz "Joy" has Brown & the saxophonist in a surreal unison setting that bears a second or third listening. The cherry-on-the sundae is the modal, Coltrane-ish Thomas piece "Echoes," as they trade yodels, yelps, oohs and ahhhs. This CD is easily as tasteful and skilled as her others, but not yet her magnum opus. She's getting close, and has surpassed others, including several more popular singers in term of heart, soul and warmth. ~ Michael G.Nastos   http://www.allmusic.com/album/ive-got-your-number-mw0000240703.

Personnel: Jeri Brown, Leon Thomas (vocals); Don Braden, David Murray (saxophone); John Hicks (piano); Curtis Lundy (bass); Sangoma Everett, Wali Muhammad (drums). Personnel: Jeri Brown (vocals); Leon Thomas (vocals); David Murray, Don Braden (tenor saxophone); Hicks (piano); Muhammad, Sangoma Everett (drums).

I've Got Your Number

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Florian Ross Elektrio - Wheels & Wires

Styles: Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 50:20
Size: 92,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:06)  1. Doors Closed
(5:36)  2. Okay
(4:54)  3. Heather Deep
(5:23)  4. Sarinah
(6:23)  5. Swing By
(5:18)  6. Scratch
(5:16)  7. Biscuit
(4:10)  8. West Babylon, Nj
(4:54)  9. Kat & Penny
(3:16) 10. Tremor

German pianist/composer Florian Ross has been making provocative music since his early Naxos Jazz recordings. He is a rolling stone, moving from one format to the next, always bringing something new and leaving something newer. The organ trio, specifically that of the organ-guitar-drums variety, has proven to be as durable an instrument format as it has a fertile ground from the whole of jazz, as well as rock. This format has included groups as disparate at Wild Bill Davis/Floyd Smith/Chris Columbus, Jimmy Smith/Eddie McFaddin/Donald Bailey, Big John Patton/Grant Green/Ben Dixon Quintet, Larry Young/John McLaughlin/Tony Williams and Keith Emerson/Greg Lake/Carl Palmer (throwing in Ray Manzarek/Robbie Krieger/John Densmore for good measure). Well-documented German keyboardist Florian Ross has been known to front an organ trio from time to time: the Florian Ross Elektrio. 

In the above spectrum of organ trios, the Elektrio falls this side of Tony Williams; Emergency! (Polydor, 1969) band and that side of the Doors' rhythm section. Ross is even tempered as is guitarist Jesse Van Ruller, who only occasionally hits an over-driven segment and never so much that it annoys.  "Doors Closed" opens the recital with an intricate, descending figure that makes its way into a driving momentum sustained by drummer Martijn Vink channelling his best Stanton Moore. Ross' playing is super-scrubbed no chitlin' circuit grease here. His B3 is taut and controlled even when he steps out in solo. However, none of the three fear turning up the heat as heard in the opener's coda. "Okay" shows a rhythmic-melodic side to Ruller, who establishes a polished, mid-tempo ballad for Ross to ruminate over. The closest thing to a "traditional" organ trio piece is "Heather Deep." 

Ross adopts an apostolic tone to his B3, modulating through a considered prelude where he dances with Ruller's guitar before getting down to his sanctified business. The song recalls the Crusaders' "Way Back Home" being played over a simple church figure. Ruller plays above and beyond the lines. Ross shows himself a very capable small band leader and one not afraid to recast older formats in new and creative ways.
~ C.Michael Bailey  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-little-and-big-of-florian-ross-florian-ross-by-c-michael-bailey.php#.U6S4pLEguSo

Personnel: Florian Ross: Hammond B3; Jesse Van Ruller: guitar; Martijn Vink: drums.

Wheels & Wires

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Paul Gonsalves - Tell It The Way It Is

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 77:22
Size: 180,7 MB
Art: Front

(11:37)  1. Tell it the way it is
( 4:43)  2. Things ain't what they used to be
( 5:28)  3. Duke's place
( 5:01)  4. Impulsive
( 3:46)  5. Rapscallion in rab's canyon
( 5:35)  6. Body and soul
( 4:13)  7. Caesar and Cleopatra Theme
( 3:09)  8. Antony and Cleopatra Theme
( 5:40)  9. Bluz for liz
( 4:25) 10. Cleo's blues
( 5:10) 11. Action in alexandria
( 6:46) 12. Cleo's asp
( 6:43) 13. Cleopatra's Lament
( 4:59) 14. Second chance

When Duke Ellington's sidemen recorded on their own, the Duke's influence often had a way of asserting itself even if he was nowhere near the studio. This was true in the 1930s and 1940s, and it was true on some of Paul Gonsalves' recordings of the 1960s. Nonetheless, Gonsalves was his own man, and this excellent CD points to the fact that the breathy tenor saxophonist wasn't afraid to enter a variety of musical situations. This reissue combines two excellent 1963 dates Cleopatra Feelin' Jazzy and Tell It the Way It Is on a single CD. Tell It the Way It Is unites Gonsalves with the great Swedish trumpeter Rolf Ericson and pianist Walter Bishop, Jr. as well as such Ellington alumni as Johnny Hodges (alto sax) and Ray Nance (cornet, violin). The strong Ellington influence asserts itself on pieces that range from Hodges' "Rapscallion in Rab's Canyon" to "Things Ain't What They Used to Be" and "Duke's Place." 

Meanwhile, Cleopatra Feelin' Jazzy is an interesting session that finds Gonsalves painting a musical picture of the Egyptian queen Cleopatra. Joined by guitarist Kenny Burrell, pianist Hank Jones, bassist George Duvivier, and drummer Roy Haynes, Gonsalves salutes Cleopatra with music that is generally moody and evocative yet swinging. Cleopatra Feelin' Jazzy is an example of a jazz concept album that really works, and this CD is highly recommended to anyone who has appreciated Gonsalves' soulful tenor playing. ~ Alex Henderson   http://www.allmusic.com/album/tell-it-the-way-it-is!-mw0000764567

Personnel: Paul Gonsalves (tenor saxophone); Ernie Shepard (vocals); Kenny Burrell (guitar); Ray Nance (violin, cornet); Johnny Hodges (alto saxophone); Rolf Ericson (trumpet); Hank Jones , Walter Bishop, Sr., Walter Bishop, Jr. (piano); Dick Hyman (organ); Osie Johnson, Roy Haynes (drums).

Tell It The Way It Is

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