Josh Lawrence - Roots

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 36:55
Size: 84.5 MB
Styles: Trumpet jazz
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[2:41] 1. 125th Street Intro
[5:26] 2. Queensborough Bridge Stomp
[5:27] 3. Northwest Extension
[4:15] 4. Jacob & Aaron
[6:02] 5. Someday Afternoon
[4:20] 6. One For The Cats
[4:10] 7. Sugar Hill Stroll
[4:30] 8. 145th Street Outro

Josh Lawrence is an internationally acclaimed trumpeter, composer, bandleader and educator. He has performed with artists from Erykah Badu to Charli Persip and toured extensively throughout North America and Europe. His band the Josh Lawrence Jazz 3 fuses influences from New York City and Philadelphia into a fresh new sound called Soul Bop.

Lawrence studied at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia and became a popular sideman on the neo-soul and jazz scenes. After graduation, he moved to the historic Sugar Hill neighborhood in Harlem where he was introduced to jazz masters Barry Harris, Frank Lacy, Jimmy Cobb, Lou Donaldson and Olu Dara. He co-founded the Uptown Brass at the Church of the Intercession in Washington Heights, worked as musical director for the band Harlem PsychaDelic and taught on faculty as brass instructor at Bronx Arts and Bronx Lab.

Today Josh Lawrence performs in clubs and festivals across Europe spreading the “gospel of American jazz”. His duo project with pianist Reggie Moore is receiving critical praise in Germany, his work with Adam Baldych’s Damage Control is garnering rave reviews throughout Poland and the Jazz 3 tours are establishing him as a bright new star on the international stage. He has just released his second album Roots and continues to teach students of all ages through master class programs.

Roots

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Maruja Muci - My Funny Valentine

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:25
Size: 106,7 MB
Art: Front

(2:35)  1. All Of Me
(2:57)  2. Black Coffee
(3:16)  3. Tenderly
(3:53)  4. Fever
(2:21)  5. Lullaby Of Birdland
(2:50)  6. Peel Me A Grape
(3:28)  7. Every Time We Say Goodbye
(4:22)  8. It Ain't Necessarilly So
(4:36)  9. Cry Me A River
(2:50) 10. Night And Day
(4:02) 11. We'll Be Together Again
(3:12) 12. Do I Move You
(5:57) 13. My Funny Valentine

This is Maruja Muci’s second commercial release. “My funny Valentine”, the title of her second album, is inspired by R. Rodgers & L. Hart’s song of the same title. The album contains 13 songs chosen from what it is called The Great American Songbook , songs that were written between the decades of 1930 and 1960. This album seeks to reinterpret some of the most relevant songs of this era with a Latin influence. It was a very difficult to choose the songs, since this repertoire is so extense and beautiful. Nostalgia may have played a significant role in the selection, as the voices of Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, Peggy Lee and many others were always there when she visited her father’s home. 

The album was recorded live in Jazzmania studios in Caracas,the General Production was managed by Maruja Muci, with collaboration from pianist Alberto Lazo. Many other talented musicians also participated in this production such as Bassist Carlos Rodríguez, drummer Miguel Hernández, Benjamín Brea plays the flute and the saxo, Cellist Pedro Vásquez and Nadim Dao in the Harmonica. The great Austrian- Venezuelan musician, Gerry Weil arranged and played the piano for the title song of this work. Listening to Maruja's voice is listening to a clean, velvety and unaffected voice that wraps itself around the lyrics, it is a voice that tells stories while it sings and brings with it a sense of intimacy between the listener and the artist as if she is singing to you and you alone.   http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/marujamuci2

My Funny Valentine

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Patrick Saussois, Bucky Pizzarelli, Jerry Bruno - Swingin American Songs

Styles: Swing And Guitar Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:11
Size: 113,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:10)  1. Taking a Chance On Love
(4:54)  2. East Of The Sun
(3:50)  3. Pennies From Heaven
(6:35)  4. Tenderly
(3:18)  5. Struttin' With Some Barbecue
(3:56)  6. Indian Summer
(5:45)  7. When I Grow Too Old To Dream
(2:14)  8. The More I See You
(5:16)  9. If I Had You
(3:04) 10. But Not For Me
(7:05) 11. Body And Soul

The meeting in a studio of NY city in February of two generations of jazz guitarists, the first is French, the second American, and a bass player. Swingin' American Songs is a quite selected title. The beauty of the melodies of these American songs is certainly at the origin of their choice by the three protagonists. No artifice, just 2 guitars, a double bass, years of experiment, to know how to do and a nobstinated research of complementarity and the note which sound well with the moment when nobody have to prove its value, they express themselves in a righter and more significant way. 11 tracks. Djaz Records. 2005. ~Editorial Reviews http://www.amazon.com/Swingin-American-Songs-Patrick-Saussois/dp/B0009Y9EXG

Personnel: Jerry Bruno – bass; Bucky Pizzarelli – guitar; Patrick Saussois - guitar

Swingin American Songs

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Bob Wilber - Spreadin' Joy : The Music Of Sidney Bechet

Styles: Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:25
Size: 104,5 MB
Art: Front

(2:50)  1. Polka Dot Stomp
(4:42)  2. Where Am I?
(2:57)  3. Ghost Of The Blues
(4:05)  4. When The Sun Sets Down South
(4:24)  5. Little Creole Lullaby
(3:08)  6. Spreadin' Joy
(5:08)  7. Who'll Chop Your Suey When I'm Gone
(4:32)  8. Quincy Street Stomp
(4:44)  9. Georgia Cabin
(3:16) 10. Blackstick
(5:33) 11. Blue Horizon

Throughout his long career, Bob Wilber has done a lot to keep classic jazz alive. A bit misplaced (most jazz players of his generation were much more interested in bop and hard bop), Wilber (along with Kenny Davern, Ralph Sutton, and Dick Wellstood) was one of the few in his age group to stick to pre-bop music. In high school he formed a band that included Wellstood, and as a teenager he sat in at Jimmy Ryan's club in New York. Early on he became Sidney Bechet's protégé and led his own young group, the Wildcats (with whom he made his recording debut). The close association with the dominant Bechet led to a bit of a personality crisis in the 1950s as Wilber sought to find his own voice. 

He studied with Lennie Tristano and formed the Six, a group that tried to modernize early jazz. When that ended, he played Dixieland with Eddie Condon, and in 1957 joined Bobby Hackett's band for a year. Wilber freelanced throughout the 1960s, in 1968 became a founding member of the World's Greatest Jazz Band, and in 1973 he formed Soprano Summit with Kenny Davern, one of the top swing-oriented groups of the decade. A few years later the band broke up and Wilber teamed up with his wife, singer Pug Horton, in Bechet Legacy (which also featured either Glenn Zottola or Randy Sandke on trumpet).

In addition, Bob Wilber has worked with the New York Jazz Repertory Company, released music on his own Bodeswell label, wrote the authentic soundtrack to the movie The Cotton Club (1984), in 1988 led a band at Carnegie Hall to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Benny Goodman's famous concert, and authored his frank memoirs, Music Was Not Enough. Influenced on soprano, clarinet, and alto by respectively Bechet, Goodman, and Johnny Hodges, Wilber has long had his own sound on each of his instruments. He recorded frequently through the years for many labels, including Arbors in the '90s and 2000s. ~ Bio Scott Yanow   http://www.allmusic.com/artist/bob-wilber-mn0000074476/biography

Spreadin' Joy : The Music Of Sidney Bechet

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Vincent Herring - The Uptown Shuffle

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:29
Size: 157,3 MB
Art: Front

( 7:31)  1. Elation
( 5:47)  2. Love Walked In
(10:18)  3. Tenderly
( 7:57)  4. Uptown Shuffle
( 7:49)  5. The Atholete
( 8:17)  6. Polka Dots and Moonbeams
( 7:22)  7. Strike up the Band
( 9:10)  8. Don't Let It Go
( 4:15)  9. Big Bertha

Following on the heels of their vinyl sampler and an introductory set by pianist Harold Mabern, comes The Uptown Shuffle by alto saxophonist Vincent Herring. This nine-track recital offers a smattering of Herring originals along with some well-chosen standards. Herring's choice of bandmates is nothing short of top shelf, with pianist Cyrus Chestnut and drummer Joe Farnsworth locking in with up and comer Brandi Disterheft on bass. A native of Vancouver, Disterheft has three albums of her own and has been actively making a name for herself here in the States the past few years.

The opening "Elation" is a Herring original of the modal variety with plenty of up tempo fire and panache to go around. Herring's tone has matured over the years and now has a stronger core tone, not unlike that of Kenny Garrett. For "Love Walked In," Herring recalls Lou Donaldson with his buttery tone and rhythmic swagger. Chestnut's original, "Uptown Shuffle" is feel good music of the best kind with a substantive solo from its composer. A master of brisk tempos, Farnsworth makes "Strike Up the Band" bristle with excitement. Check out the Phineas Newborn quote from Chestnut that ushers in a brief series of exchanges with Farnsworth to hear how well this rhythm section collates into a unified whole. A favorite Duke Pearson ditty, "Big Bertha," wraps up the proceedings on a joyous note, making this one of Herrings best presentations to date. 

~ C.Andrew Hovan http://www.allaboutjazz.com/smoke-sessions-a-threesome-from-herring-jackson-and-hazeltine-by-c-andrew-hovan.php#.U6iKhLG4OSo

Personnel: Vincent Herring: alto sax; Cyrus Chestnut: piano; Brandi Disterheft: bass; Joe Farnsworth: drums.

The Uptown Shuffle

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Tom Scott & Special Guests - Cannon Re-Loaded: All-Star Celebration Of Cannonball Adderley

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 52:19
Size: 119.8 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz. Saxophone jazz
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[6:32] 1. Jive Samba
[5:48] 2. Work Song
[5:47] 3. Mercy, Mercy, Mercy
[4:50] 4. Save Your Love For Me
[5:28] 5. Sack O' Woe
[3:18] 6. Country Preacher
[5:05] 7. Inside Straight
[5:46] 8. I Should Care
[5:27] 9. The Masquerade Is Over
[4:15] 10. Stars Fell On Alabama

Cannon Re-Loaded is simply that: a collection of tunes closely associated with Cannonball Adderley interpreted by an all-star collection of players on the current scene, with bandleader Tom Scott (who co-produced with Gregg Field) on alto saxophone (an instrument he doesn't play that often anymore), trumpeter Terence Blanchard, pianist George Duke (who was actually a member of the Adderley quintet and who also plays Rhodes and Wurlitzer), drummer Steve Gadd, bassists Marcus Miller and Dave Carpenter, and Larry Goldings on the Hammond B-3. Vocalist Nancy Wilson also guests on a pair of cuts that reprise her performances with Adderley from the Nancy Wilson/Cannonball Adderley set released in 1962. In his liner notes, Scott claims Adderley as a major influence on his own playing, and that what he and his dream band wanted to convey was not only Adderley's brilliance as a musician, but also his sense of humor, one that welcomed the audience in to the music he made.

There is no doubt that this quintet gets the tunes right. They open with "Jive Samba," move toward a fast-paced "Work Song," and then of course to "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" before Wilson joins the band for "Save Your Love for Me." The music has plenty of swing and groove, and it's tight. And maybe that's the problem. Adderley's best records (we could all argue forever about which records those were) had a sense of looseness and a vibe inherent in them that is lost on this group -- with the exception of Duke, who uses his own sense of humor, percussive flair on the keys, and angular bits here and there to dress these jams up for the bandstand instead of the studio. The sound is so utterly pristine and shiny it contains none of that laid-back approach that made the Adderley groups so enjoyable.

For audiophiles, there is plenty to like: the stereo separation is perfect. There isn't a sound out of place here, with the occasional exception of Duke's touches that at least give the thing some air. "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" and "Work Song," feel like they're being read off the page -- and we know that isn't so. Wilson's tunes "Save Your Love for Me" and "The Masquerade Is Over" come off beautifully, but they don't really echo the originals, they feel like standard contemporary jazz radio fare. Thanks to the Rhodes and B-3, "Country Preacher" comes off best because of the interplay between Goldings and Duke. They let so much soul drip from their respective keyboards that Scott can't make it shine so much., He has to stay closer to the warmth of the tune, and Blanchard, who actually might have been a bandleader in this setting, has got everything he needs in the melody to just let it fall out of his horn. "Inside Straight," while it has the melody, changes, and timing right, is so slick because of Miller's slaphappy bass; it contains a kind of mellowed-down funk that belongs on the studio-perfected jazz records released in the '80s. Thankfully, Blanchard lets some real grit come from his horn. The ballads "I Should Care" and "The Stars Fell on Alabama" come off better than just about anything here because of their reliance on more restrained charts (particularly on the former, with Blanchard's wonderful solo). Scott's solo is less his than Adderley's on the latter. He restrains himself from over-blowing for the most part, and allows some real emotion into the tune.

Overall though, this date may introduce contemporary jazz fans to the music of Adderley, but it doesn't begin to capture his spirit, his irreverent, dry and elegant sense of humor, or the sheer power he could wrench form a funky blues tune, or the soul he could dig out of that horn -- especially in front of an audience. Perhaps if this band would have cut this in front of a club crowd, they might have been able to get more inside the vibe of Adderley. As it stands, it sounds so controlled and rigid that it's simply a pleasant recording to listen to rather than a real tribute to one of the giants of jazz who was also one of its greatest communicators. And while we're at it, one has to wonder why some of Adderley's great soul classics like Black Messiah, Accent on Africa, Pyramid, Happy People, and Music You All have never been issued on CD? ~Thom Jurek

Cannon Re-Loaded: All-Star Celebration Of Cannonball

Adderley

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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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