Chu Berry & Lucky Thompson - Giants Of The Tenor Sax

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1988
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:19
Size: 99,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:54)  1. Body And Soul
(2:14)  2. Sittin' In
(3:56)  3. Stardust
(2:32)  4. Forty Six West Fifty Two
(3:57)  5. On The Sunny Side Of The Street No. 2
(3:15)  6. My Gal Is Gone
(2:51)  7. Rockin' At Ryans
(2:45)  8. Blowing Up A Breeze
(4:00)  9. On The Sunny Side Of The Street
(3:00) 10. Monday At Minton's
(4:16) 11. Gee, Baby Ain't I Good To You
(3:15) 12. You'd Be Frantic Too
(3:16) 13. Blues Jumped A Rabbit

This Commodore material reissued as an LP culls out tracks from sessions headed by others, but which feature tenor saxophonists Chu Berry and Lucky Thompson. The Chu Berry cuts come from separate Roy Eldridge and Hot Lips Page sets. Hot Lips Page also led the group, which included the Lucky Thompson tracks heard here. Berry was killed at the age of 31 in a car accident. Although he spent most of his performing career in someone else's sax section, there's no telling what heights he might have reached if he lived longer. His version of "Body and Soul" on this album was recorded 11 months to the day prior to Coleman Hawkins', the man usually given the credit for "setting the saxophone free." Yet Berry was as improvisational as Hawkins would later be. In fact, Hawkins probably heard the Berry recording and used its ideas a year later. 

Hawkins was 35 when he recorded his famous rendition; Berry was just 28 when he cut his interpretation, which was never accorded the same magnitude of acknowledgment. This track also features some hot trumpet by Eldridge. Berry also shows his incredible technique on "Stardust." Thompson has four cuts to Berry's nine, but he makes the most of his time. His big, fat tenor sound dominates the four tracks he's on, all tunes by Page. He went on to lead many of his groups, making a name for himself on the center of the jazz universe, 52nd Street in N.Y.C., before moving to Europe where he achieved even greater success. Unfortunately, his later life was marred by mental problems. This fine album has been transferred to CD and is a testimonial to two top tenor saxophone players whose respective careers were shortened by different types of calamitous circumstances. ~ Dave Nathan   http://www.allmusic.com/album/a-giants-of-the-tenor-sax-mw0000201234.

Personnel : Chu Berry, Lucky Thompson (Saxophone); Roy Eldridge, Hot Lips Page (trumpet); Clyde Hart (piano); Sid Catlett (drums).

Giants Of The Tenor Sax

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Cynthia Sayer - Forward Moves (Feat. Kenny Davern & Vince Giordano)

Size: 118,9 MB
Time: 50:29
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2010
Styles: Traditional Jazz Combo
Art: Front

01. Kiss Me Sweet (4:05)
02. Moonlight On The Ganges (3:06)
03. My Honey's Lovin' Arms (4:49)
04. Melancholy (4:23)
05. Douce Ambiance (4:04)
06. Blues In My Heart (5:07)
07. Kansas City Kitty (4:10)
08. Cryin' For The Carolines (5:08)
09. Forward Moves (4:16)
10. Crazy Man Blues (3:26)
11. Them There Eyes (3:46)
12. Is You Is, Or Is You Aint (Ma' Baby) (4:03)

This charming, joyous recording by stellar swing banjoist Cynthia Sayer was released in 1992. Back by popular demand, FORWARD MOVES showcases Sayer’s superb playing, vocal and arranging talents, as well as her illustrious side musicians:

Kenny Davern on clarinet
Peter Ecklund on cornet
Vince Giordano on bass saxophone
Greg Cohen on string bass

This CD was remastered by multi-award-winning engineer Alan Silverman of Arf! Digital

FORWARD MOVES is fresh and vibrant as when it was first released, thanks to Cynthia’s usual unique approach to early jazz styles.

Cynthia Sayer is regarded a one of the top 4-string banjoists in the world today. A member of Woody Allen’s jazz band for over 10 years, Cynthia’s solo career has taken her well beyond these New Orleans roots to become an acclaimed bandleader and guest artist. She has a unique and expansive approach to
the instrument which is all her own, and she is also a respected vocalist. Her eclectic repertoire ranges from swing and hot jazz to tango, western, classical, and more. Cynthia has worked with a variety of leading jazz and popular artists such as Dick Hyman, Wynton Marsalis, Marian McPartland, Bill Cosby, Warren Vaché, Les Paul, Wycliffe Gordon, Marvin Hamlisch, Bucky Pizzarelli, Scott Robinson, and many others. She has also played with some top bluegrass/roots/country artists,
including Tony Trischka, Bill Keith, Odetta, Eric Weissberg, Mike Marshall, and John McEuen (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band).

Cynthia's extensive career includes performances in New York City's Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center, playing the White House, appearing with The New York Philharmonic, feature film and TV soundtracks, TV commercials, radio jingles, and numerous national TV and radio show appearances in the USA and
abroad. She plays at many music festivals in North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.

Cynthia has accumulated numerous awards and honors, including induction into the National Banjo Hall of Fame. Her most recent CD release, “Attractions,” which includes legendary jazz guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli, received two 2009 award nominations. She is also a subject of a PBS documentary about the banjo, expected to be aired in 2011. Cynthia endorses Ome banjos and GHS Strings.

Forward Moves

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Fernando Rusconi Hammond Organ Trio - Lost In Time

Size: 105,0 MB
Time: 45:14
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2010
Styles: Jazz: Hammond Organ
Art: Front

01. Bajo Una Supersticion (5:01)
02. Joven Y Verde (5:16)
03. Lost In Time (5:45)
04. Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lues Are (3:25)
05. El Grosso (5:41)
06. Donde Estas (6:05)
07. Voy Hacia Vos (7:10)
08. No Me Extranes Tanto (3:57)
09. Mercy, Mercy, Mercy (2:50)

The album Lost in time is a great gift of sound level international, as it could have been done anywhere in the United States, but no. this is Argentina, and its title reflects this idea to propose a music that knows no age or place time; it is alive and moves ...
Rusconi, is who does not know the name of Hammond in Argentina for the last few years; is the largest collector of these instruments, and a leading interpreter, knower of all its bells and possibilities.
This fourth and final album presented to complete the combo of this interesting instrumentalist and prolific composer, has just been published . And it appears as directly with the label jazz & funk. But the music does not stop with that. More danceable night if wants ; with a lot of groove . In this case the accompanying trio format: Timothy Cid in battery coming from the rock, and played with the band The Balls, Axel Krygier, and swing groups .
Same school for guitarist Ryan Anderson, born in USA ( ... )

If you drooling with things like Medeski Martin & Wood, why not give the right keyboardist Rusconi, guitarist and drummer Ryan Anderson Timothy Cid? This album is a journey hung sometimes flasher and energy at times before, but always attractive, especially with the opening of " Under a superstition," the power of " The grosso " pulse and soul of "I to you. " Elegant and refined, with the right amount of virtuosity and blood drive, one of those records that conquer the heart almost immediately ( ... )

Lost In Time

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Lisa Casalino - I'm Old Fashioned

Size: 98,7 MB
Time: 42:09
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. No Denying (3:08)
02. I'm Old Fashioned (4:12)
03. Lie To Me In French (4:17)
04. Optimistic (2:55)
05. I'll Never (6:46)
06. Call Waiting (2:42)
07. Is That On The Menu (3:31)
08. P.S. I Love You (6:15)
09. Charade (5:30)
10. Honeysuckle Rose (2:49)

Originally from Long Island, New York, and a graduate of the Crane School of Music, the dulcet sounds of Lisa Casalino's voice have been serenading Tampa Bay for nearly two decades. It was music education that brought Lisa down to Tampa from New York as she was hired to be the Choral Music Director for a brand new high school. Miss Casalino opened that school and taught for eight years before she decided to become a full time musician. With beauty, charisma, stage presence and talent, Lisa is the darling "Songbird" of Tampa and one of the most highly sought after Jazz Vocalists performing over 224 times in 2013 alone. Lisa's versatility to sing in many genres makes her the perfect match for any atmosphere, however it's her Jazz and Standards repertoire that have people coming back to see her time and again. Whether performing at jazz festivals, major charity events, or countless hotspots around the city, Lisa is the "it" girl and has all the characteristics of what a national and international singing sensation is!

Lisa Casalino's second album "I'm Old Fashioned" will be released May 2014. This record consists of six original tunes co-written by Lisa Casalino and international jazz guitarist Nate Najar along with four jazz standards we all know and love. Miss Casalino's melodies are reminiscent of Gershwin and her lyrics of Cole Porter. Witty, fun and diverse in styles, this record is one you will listen to over and over again. Lisa's debut CD "Introducing Lisa Casalino" has had worldwide appeal on Jazz Stations, Satellite TV and Radio. It was a great springboard for multiple television performances on Daytime Tampa, Studio 10 Tampa and 6 in the Mix Miami. Three original tunes written, nine favorite standards with unique arrangements and top-notch jazz musicians recording at Nola Studios in NYC were a winning combination.

I'm Old Fashioned

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Tom Ferris - Time Clock

Size: 102,0 MB
Time: 43:56
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz Guitar
Art: Front

01. Time Clock (5:12)
02. Sign Of The Times (3:49)
03. Bluesmobile (5:09)
04. You Can Too (4:34)
05. Gattonsville (4:24)
06. Jamies Tune (4:13)
07. Road Runner (5:15)
08. Vittoria (4:52)
09. Scaffolding (4:01)
10. Wisteria (2:22)

Growing up in the 60sTom studied classical guitar from the age of eight. ”How lucky was I that we lived so close to a teacher who taught me the value of being able to read music, it was a springboard that has over the years opened so many musical doors for me.”

Even as a young guitarist he found himself working with musicians and entertainers both local and from abroad who had been stars of the industry for years. Artistes like Vera Lynn, Matt Monroe, Max Bygreaves, Cilla Back, Jackie Trent and Tony Hatch, the list goes on. There was even a season with The Australian Ballet Company performing in Michael Kamens “Caravan” ( a ballet based on the music of Duke Ellington).

Session work was also coming his way with calls to work on albums, jingles television and movie scores. Tom was the original guitar player and regular on Australias long serving soap opera “Home and Away”. He recalls, ”every Thursday the musicians including colleague and longtime friend Leon Gaer would arrive at the studio for an 8:30 am start and we’d manage to lay down a weeks worth of underscore in just three hours, the pressure was on and overdubs were frowned upon. We did that for three years straight”.

Television work as house guitarist includes Network Nines Midday Show, Network Tens Starsearch and appearances on many other productions.

Motion Picture soundtracks have also played a big part in Toms career and most recently he has worked with composers David Hirschfelder on the movie “Australia”, and with Basil Hogios on “Romulus My Father”, both internationally acclaimed.

A few years ago he decided it was time to devote more time to his own music and the result is three very diverse albums, “Waxhead”, “Declassified”(with Leon Gaer) and his latest “The Red Room” (with Stefan Nowak).

Time Clock

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Valerie Gillespie - Lush Life

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 72:44
Size: 166.5 MB
Styles: Straight ahead jazz
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[6:20] 1. Beautiful Love
[4:37] 2. Dearly Beloved
[7:42] 3. Honeysuckle Rose
[5:43] 4. Lush Life
[7:00] 5. Tanga
[8:00] 6. Maiden Voyage
[4:35] 7. Almost Like Being In Love
[5:01] 8. Don't Explain
[6:18] 9. Caravan
[6:29] 10. It's Alright With Me
[5:39] 11. Jane's Song
[5:12] 12. You're Everything

Valerie Gillespie was born in the beautiful state of Pennsylvania, where at the ripe old age of eight she picked up a saxophone for the first time. She was paid for her first professional gig at the age of fourteen and has been playing ever since, though not strictly on stage. Valerie paid her dues in the university classrooms just like the rest of us, earning her Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh with a major in Classical Saxophone Not content to stop there, she went on to get her Masters Degree in Jazz Saxophone from the University of South Florida in Tampa. Being a well-rounded player is something that is very important to Valerie. She might be seen one night playing classical pieces with the Florida Orchestra, the next evening playing with a jazz band in the park, then on Sunday morning you will usually find her playing in church.

Valerie's newest CD is entitled "Lush Life", and it spans a wide variety of straight ahead jazz, from the beautiful title track, "Lush Life" which is a Billy Strayhorn ballad, to the high-energy samba of Dizzy Gillespie titled "Tanga". From the traditional jazz tunes "Honeysuckle Rose", and Billie Holiday's "Don't Explain", to the more contemporary works of Herbie Hancock's "Maiden Voyage" and Chick Corea's "You're Everything", this CD will take you on an historical jazz journey you won't soon forget.

Lush Life

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Chuck Hedges - Just For Fun

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 69:59
Size: 160.2 MB
Styles: Dixieland
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[5:05] 1. Night And Day
[4:16] 2. Old Folks
[3:38] 3. On A Slow Boat To China
[3:54] 4. Black Butterfly
[4:19] 5. You Stepped Out Of A Dream
[4:24] 6. Come Sunday
[4:55] 7. Deep Purple
[6:25] 8. Poor Butterfly
[2:35] 9. On The Street Where You Live
[4:06] 10. Soon
[6:27] 11. Nina Never Knew
[5:21] 12. One Note Samba
[5:12] 13. If You Could See Me Now
[5:56] 14. Dinah
[3:19] 15. Just For Fun

Chuck Hedges was never someone to turn to for innovation; his swing recordings of the 1990s and 2000s sound like they could have been recorded in the 1940s. But the clarinetist can usually be counted on for quality, and Just for Fun is no exception. This CD is, for the most part, state-of-the-art small group swing which is ironic when you consider that it was recorded in 2000 (55 years after the swing era ended). Few surprises occur; Hedges excels by sticking with what he does best, and that means playing favorites like "Dinah" and "Deep Purple" very much the way that Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, and their colleagues would have played them in the 1930s or 1940s. Hedges (who is joined by pianist Eddie Higgins, bassist Paul Keller, and drummer Ed Metz, Jr.) isn't oblivious to bop  his version of Antonio Carlos Jobim's "One Note Samba," for example, is more bop than swing but as a rule, Just for Fun is faithful to the Goodman/Shaw school of swing clarinet playing. One could complain about the fact that Just for Fun offers so few surprises when it comes the choice of material. The two Duke Ellington gems that Hedges' quartet embraces on this album ("Come Sunday" and "Black Butterfly") have been recorded extensively, and while no one is suggesting that he should give up standards altogether, it would have been nice to hear the clarinetist interpret some of the Duke's lesser-known work  there are a wealth of great Ellington pieces from the 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s that didn't become standards and often go ignored. Regardless, Just for Fun is excellent. Hedges may not be the most adventurous jazzman in the world, but when it comes to playing swing with a lot of heart and warmth, he's unbeatable. ~Alex Henderson

Just For Fun

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Royal Dutch Jazz Band - Fine 'n Dandy

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 61:42
Size: 141.3 MB
Styles: Traditional jazz
Year: 2002
Art: Front

[5:53] 1. Bugle Boy March
[4:31] 2. The Gypsy
[6:03] 3. Chinatown My Chinatown
[4:22] 4. Delia's Gone
[4:51] 5. Fidgety Feet
[4:00] 6. Mood Indigo
[3:33] 7. Ole Miss
[4:27] 8. Heartaches
[4:21] 9. Blues My Naughty Sweety
[5:14] 10. Some Of These Days
[2:54] 11. You're Driving Me Crazy
[4:03] 12. Limehouse Blues
[4:01] 13. Royal Garden Blues
[3:24] 14. Hey Look Me Over

Hans Hooijmans - clarinet; Peter van de Geijn - cornet, vocals; Henk van Muijen - trombone, vocals; Robert Veen - Baritone sax; Hans Bos - banjo; Peter Krynen - double bass; Arnold van Gelder - drums.

Fine 'n Dandy

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Solitaire Miles - Melancholy Lullaby

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:44
Size: 132,7 MB
Art: Front

(2:54)  1. The Night Wind
(3:37)  2. How Little We Know
(5:17)  3. Tenderly
(2:21)  4. Stars Fell On Alabama
(5:49)  5. Darn That Dream
(5:32)  6. I Found A New Baby
(4:13)  7. I'm Getting Sentimental Over You
(3:40)  8. Baby What Else Can I Do?
(4:45)  9. Nuages
(3:49) 10. Softy As In A Morning Sunrise
(3:02) 11. September In A Rain
(3:42) 12. Melancholy Lullaby
(4:07) 13. Out Of Nowhere
(3:45) 14. Me And The Moon
(1:04) 15. Blue Skies

“The memory of things gone is important to a jazz musician. Things like old folks singing in the moonlight in the back yard on a hot night or something said long ago.” ~ Louis Armstrong

I’ve spent most of my life listening to old swing and early jazz so this album is a compilation of popular American standards and also some lesser known songs that I’ve cherished over many years. Each selection is a discovery that I made along my musical journey, and some are abandoned melodies that I felt needed to be resurrected and restored. The project began in 2005 with countless happy hours spent hunting through stacks of ancient sheet music in the “Old Pop’s” collection at Chicago’s Harold Washington Library. It was a challenge to find some of these disregarded tunes like “Baby What Else Can I do” or “Say it with a Kiss” because they had only been recorded and released back in the 1930’s and 40’s, but the music librarians enjoyed the challenge and never failed to find any song that I asked for. After holding two public fundraisers to help pay for this project, I was able to record around 35 songs over several sessions with different groups of musicians in Chicago between 2008-11. Many of those songs appeared on my most recent album “Born to Be Blue, so these two albums are like sisters, similar in composition and tone, and I have tried to keep a common theme running between them. 

In 2011, I began recording the vocals using a vintage AEA Ribbon microphone, which gave my singing an old fashioned sound that I thought was more appropriate for this type of material. Legendary singers like Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra and Peggy Lee all recorded on Ribbons, and I hope I was able to capture a smooth and smoky feeling similar to early jazz and swing styling. Very old tunes like “The Night Wind” which hasn’t been recorded since vocalist Helen Ward laid it out with Benny Goodman in 1935, and “Melancholy Lullaby” which was recorded by Peggy Lee early on in her career, are complimented by the Ribbon’s dark, velvety sound, giving a more authentic feeling to these erstwhile songs. People ask me why I like to record older or more uncommon tunes and I’m not sure. Maybe it’s the antiquated lyrics or that they’re not performed very often, but I hope that I’ve been able to breathe some life back into these overlooked moments of the past. I think of myself as a music historian as well as a performer and so I’m very pleased to present a new recording from the late swing violinist Johnny Frigo and his accompanist and long time friend Joe Vito. 

Taken from my first recording session in 1996, this version of “I’m Getting Sentimental Over You” was never released because of technical problems. It was difficult to edit tape in those days, but with modern digital processing, my engineers were able to get the sound from the old tape to match the clarity of my new digital recordings, allowing us to present a new song from these late, beloved players. I am so happy to be able to revive this unreleased gem and include it with these other tunes. This project is a mixture of material from several sessions recorded in three different studios over the course of 16 years, but the glue that holds it all together is the fine playing by the talented musicians involved and our passion for the material. I hope you enjoy this musical excursion as much as I enjoyed living it.  http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/solitairemiles2

Melancholy Lullaby

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Bill Allred - The New York Sessions

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:25
Size: 152,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:27)  1. Lullaby Of Broadway
(4:04)  2. Liza (All The Clouds'll Roll Away)
(3:16)  3. Don't Worry 'Bout Me
(3:13)  4. Day By Day
(6:59)  5. Davenport Blues
(3:24)  6. I Want To Be A Sideman
(6:38)  7. Red Top
(5:38)  8. Always
(7:11)  9. This Can't Be Love
(5:12) 10. Angel Eyes
(5:16) 11. Muskrat Ramble
(4:22) 12. Ida! Sweet As Apple Cider
(5:39) 13. Sweet Sue - Just You

Bill Allred is an accomplished veteran trombonist who spent a good part of his career working at Disney World and serving as entertainment director at Rosie O'Grady's, though he has crossed paths with many jazz greats on live dates and record dates. These 2009 sessions feature him with some of his favorite New York-based musicians, several of whom are in constant demand, like guitarist Howard Alden, bassist Nicki Parrott, and cornetist Warren Vaché. Pianist Jeff Phillips, drummer Ed Metz, and Bill's son John Allred (who is also a fine trombonist) round out the excellent personnel. While many of the songs are decades-old warhorses, each is approached with a fresh look. The snappy interplay is a highlight of the brisk reading of George Gershwin's "Liza," while the Latin hook added to "Angel Eyes" and Allred's whimsical muted horn add a nice touch. The two Allreds shine in the bop setting of "Lullaby of Broadway" and the Dixieland favorite, "Ida! Sweet as Apple Cider." The leader shares the vocals with Parrott in Dave Frishberg's humorous "I Want to Be a Sideman." This is an all-around enjoyable disc that will please fans of mainstream jazz. ~ Ken Dryden   http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-new-york-sessions-mw0002026206.

Personnel: Bill Allred (vocals, trombone); Nicki Parrott (vocals); Howard Alden (guitar, banjo); Warren Vaché (cornet); Jeff Phillips (piano, Hammond b-3 organ); Ed Metz, Jr. (drums).

The New York Sessions

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Manhattan Jazz Quintet - Someday My Prince Will Come

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:00
Size: 101,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:55)  1. Wheel Of Fortune
(5:20)  2. So What?
(5:36)  3. Someday My Prince Will Come
(5:39)  4. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
(4:46)  5. The Wind Machine
(6:10)  6. Fly Me To The Moon
(5:11)  7. On the Sunny Side Of The Street
(6:18)  8. A Song For You

The Manhattan Jazz Quintet have been an on-again, off-again collective of New York City-based musicians who primarily record for the Japanese market. Co-founding members David Matthews (piano and arranger) and trumpeter Lew Soloff are still on hand, though the remainder of the group on this occasion consists of tenor saxophonist Andy Snitzer, bassist Charnett Moffett, and drummer Victor Lewis. Matthews' driving post-bop composition "Wheel of Fortune" provides an excellent introduction, though his scoring of "So What" is somewhat disappointing, as it doesn't make good use of Lewis' immense talent with its lazy funk backbeat. "Someday My Prince Will Come" opens with laconic opening statements by Snitzer and Soloff (the latter on muted horn), though it quickly transforms into a breezy waltz setting. 

One can feel the energy of a big band in the brisk arrangement of Sammy Nestico's "The Wind Machine," featuring Snitzer to good effect. The old warhorse "On the Sunny Side of the Street" also benefits from Matthews' scoring, transforming it into a hard bop cooker. Even pop artist Leon Russell's often syrupy "A Song for You" sounds good in the hands of The Manhattan Jazz Quintet. If there is a downside to this CD, it is the stingy 46 minutes of music, which seems rather brief in the 21st century for a jazz release. ~ Ken Dryden   http://www.allmusic.com/album/someday-my-prince-will-come-mw0000485807.

Personnel: Lew Soloff – Trumpet; Andy Snitzer - Tenor Saxophone; David Mathews – Piano; Charnett Moffett – Bass; Victor Lewis - Drums

Someday My Prince Will Come

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Cyrus Chestnut Trio - Moonlight Sonata

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:02
Size: 133,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:05)  1. Solfeggietto
(5:47)  2. Swan Lake
(7:20)  3. Prelude In E Minor
(5:26)  4. Siciliano
(4:50)  5. Moonlight Sonata
(5:33)  6. Love's Dream
(6:44)  7. Romance-From-Masquerade
(7:11)  8. Kinderszenen
(5:31)  9. Hungarian Dance No.5
(4:29) 10. Moonlight Sonata - Reprise

Cyrus Chestnut first studied piano with his father at the age of five, with official lessons beginning two years later. By the age of nine, he was enrolled in the prep program at the Peabody Institute. He graduated from Berklee with a degree in jazz composition and arranging. Chestnut took his time, working with a number of top-notch musicians (Jon Hendricks, Betty Carter, Terence Blanchard, and Donald Harrison) before finally recording his first solo CD at the age of 30. Chestnut enjoys mixing styles and resists being typecast in any one niche, though his gospel sound is apparent on a number of his recordings. 

His initial dates as a leader were recorded for the Japanese label Alfa (reissued on Evidence), and he became an Atlantic artist in 1994. A self-titled LP followed in 1998 with Tribute to Duke Ellington following a year later. In subsequent years, Chestnut remained busy, releasing Charlie Brown Christmas in 2000, the all-original Soul Food in 2001, You Are My Sunshine in 2003, Genuine Chestnut in 2006, and Cyrus Plays Elvis in 2007. The following year, he released Black Nile on Japan's M&I label.  https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/cyrus-chestnut-trio/id395862446#fullText.

Personnel: Cyrus Chestnut – Piano; Dezron Douglas – Bass; Neal Smith - Drums

Moonlight Sonata

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Ron Hockett - Finally Ron

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 73:40
Size: 168.6 MB
Styles: Clarinet jazz
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[3:42] 1. Too Close For Comfort
[4:24] 2. Nuages
[4:38] 3. Hindustan
[5:57] 4. My Ideal
[4:13] 5. Everybody Loves My Baby
[5:06] 6. Blues For Jack
[4:32] 7. Just One Of Those Things
[4:23] 8. On The Sunny Side Of The Street
[4:44] 9. Memories Of You
[4:37] 10. If Dreams Come True
[5:00] 11. Gone With The Wind
[5:33] 12. Reverie
[5:54] 13. Beale Street Blues
[5:32] 14. Undecided
[5:17] 15. Strange Blues

Clarinetist Ron Hockett's debut recording as a leader comes later in life at age 60, after hanging out in the Chicago scene studying with Benny Bailey, going to Princeton University, returning to Chi-Town, working in the Washington, D.C. jazz scene and the U.S. Marine Jazz Band for three decades, and enjoying considerable time with the trad band of Jim Cullum. The clear influence of Benny Goodman's smooth and sweet swing sound is noticeable from the start, but you can hear the influence of his hero Peanuts Hucko, Bob Wilber, and even Stan Getz in the lyrical quality Hockett exudes. He's put together an excellent backup band, with the brilliant guitarist James Chirillo and pianist John Sheridan as his main foils. Bassist Phil Flanigan and drummer Jake Hanna are veterans who know all too well the values of the swing rhythm and the tunes that brought it to prominence. You'd be hard pressed to find a better group anywhere that can play standards as well, or support Hockett's sleek and mellow style the way they do. His original "Blues for Jack," the immortal "Beale Street Blues," and Wingy Manone's "Strange Blues" are more about feeling than technical skills, while "Gone with the Wind," "If Dreams Come True," and the stop-start "Too Close for Comfort" display and define the flawless and consistent fluid dynamics the band employs. At their hottest, the group is playful and utterly swinging on the no-frills take of "Hindustan," the slightly extrapolated "Just One of Those Things," and the cute near bopper "Undecided." Chirillo is a marvelous man to have in the starting five, as his witty, clean, and charming guitar riffs fit perfectly with Hockett and Sheridan during "Undecided." He plays off the two, trading phrases for "Nuages," or jumps in rhythmic cohesion à la Freddie Green for "Reverie," the Bob Wilber tune where Hockett switches to soprano sax. Another piece, "My Ideal," has Hockett's soprano in a bossa nova groove, a twist for this type of group, and reflective of the influence of Getz. Admittedly this is a jam session with not much writing or arranging involved, but a document of a thoroughly professional band having fun in support of an old friend finally given an opportunity to show his wares. If you like the clarinet work of other lesser knowns like Kim Cusak, Chuck Hedges, or the truly great Kenny Davern, you'll easily enjoy this long overdue effort from a wonderful lifetime sideman finally making the first team. ~Michael G. Nastos

Finally Ron

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Virginia Mayhew - Sandan Shuffle

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 60:50
Size: 139.3 MB
Styles: Post bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[4:27] 1. Sandan Shuffle
[5:20] 2. Let's Fall In Love
[5:21] 3. Now I Know
[6:36] 4. Spring Is Not Here
[6:46] 5. Jazz-Like
[7:59] 6. I Thought You Loved Me
[5:14] 7. In Walked Bud
[7:59] 8. Tenderly
[4:36] 9. I Get Along Without You Very Well
[6:28] 10. Monterey Blues

Virginia Mayhew first drew critical praise as a part of the Diva big band reed section. Her fourth CD since going out on her own features the tenor saxophonist leading a potent quartet with guitarist Kenny Wessel, bassist Harvie S, and drummer Victor Jones, a band that interacts beautifully throughout the session. In celebration of her earning a third-degree black belt (or sandan) in karate, she named the funky opener "Sandan Shuffle." It's a slightly off-kilter piece with some superb blowing by the leader. Mayhew switches to soprano sax for the upbeat "Spring Is Not Here," creating a playful mood that contrasts with its title. Harvie S contributed the eerie "Jazz-Like" and the melancholy "Now I Know." Her interpretations of standards and jazz classics also merit strong praise. Mayhew updates the old warhorse "Let's Fall in Love" with a catchy Caribbean flavor that incorporates several styles. She is back on soprano sax for her emotional reworking of "I Get Along Without You Very Well." The funky street beat of Thelonious Monk's "In Walked Bud" also breaks new ground. To top it off, Mayhew's cover photo with her karate teacher is a refreshing change from typical packaging for jazz CDs. Highly recommended. ~Ken Dryden

Sandan Shuffle

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Jason Paul Curtis - Faux Bourgeois Cafe

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 44:25
Size: 101.7 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[2:32] 1. Phone
[3:15] 2. American Gypsy
[4:01] 3. Pane e Vino
[5:43] 4. Every Time
[3:17] 5. Back of My Mind
[3:06] 6. Brooklyn July
[5:28] 7. Longest Day
[5:23] 8. Summer Star
[5:25] 9. Speak Softly, Love
[6:09] 10. One More Kiss, Dear

For his eagerly anticipated second album, Faux Bourgeois Café, the outstanding vocalist/songwriter /trumpeter Jason Paul Curtis described his focus in straightforward terms: “I wanted original gypsy-jazz- that moves and makes you move.” It definitely is that – and a good bit more. Following up on his highly acclaimed 2012 debut, "Lovers Holiday", Jason serves up a delightful menu of Django-inspired originals, sumptuous ballads, sublime Brazilian and unfettered swing – an ideal soundtrack to the sultry nights of summer.

Returning from the previous album is the brilliant piano-drum tandem of Ray Mabalot and Woody Hume, both members of Jason’s regular trio – along with the remarkable multi-reedman/flautist Dave Schiff. Joining them for this journey are guitarist John Albertson and bassist Ephriam Wolfolk, Jr., both of whose consummate skills contribute powerfully to this extraordinary album. The vast array of top artists with whom these exemplary musicians have performed are a veritable Who’s Who of jazz and popular music, including Tony Bennett, Natalie Cole, Mel Torme, the Mills Bothers, Buddy Rich, Sonny Stitt, Sir Roland Hanna, Ahmad Jamal, Anita O’Day, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles and so many more.

Together, they bring a glowing vitality and a spirited synergy to Jason’s musical vision. His background in musical theater and opera in his native Texas, coupled with the influences of Nat ‘King’ Cole, Harry Connick Jr. and the Manhattan Transfer – and with a clear touch of Chet Baker and the Chairman of the Board, Frank Sinatra – has resulted in a beautiful vocal style, marked by flawless intonation and impeccable phrasing. But beyond his talents as a singer, Jason’s songwriting and arranging talents are exceptional, as fully evidenced throughout Faux Bourgeois Café. Comprised of eight original compositions and two unexpected but perfectly complementary songs, the album is an aural delight from beginning to end, further enhanced by his inspired and compelling lyrics. ~Larry Kahn

Faux Bourgeois Cafe

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Jim Kerl's Swing Session Big Band - With Thanks To My Friends

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 38:41
Size: 88.6 MB
Styles: Big band, Trumpet jazz, Swing
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[2:05] 1. Undecided
[4:21] 2. Alley Cat
[2:35] 3. Goody Goody
[3:10] 4. Where Or When
[4:27] 5. Caravan
[3:21] 6. Theme Without A Movie
[3:49] 7. Samba De Los Me
[2:23] 8. I Wanna Be Around
[3:47] 9. Skylark
[3:16] 10. Basie
[5:20] 11. Hava Nice Day

When mention is made of the "Big Band Era", people tend to think of the bands of the 1940's that were so popular then. Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, and Tommy Dorsey were all household names, with new recordings sweeping the airwaves and record players of the nation on a weekly basis. Certainly this was a golden age for the big bands in terms of the number of bands working and the sheer quantity of musicians employed. For me, however, the true "golden age" of big band music started in the 1960's. The bands of Harry James, Count Basie, Stan Kenton, Maynard Ferguson and the like began playing a looser kind of swing, with more emphasis on jazz and more room for individual soloists to express themselves. At the same time, vocalists such as Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Rosemary Clooney, and June Christy were being featured with these bands. This collaboration of voice and big band is nowhere more finely showcased than on the incredible 1966 Reprise recording, "Sinatra at the Sands," with the Count Basie Orchestra.

This is the music that has fueled my passion as a trumpet player and band leader since I first picked up the horn. As the leader of Swing Session, it is immensely satisfying to perform music in the genre of these bands and vocalists that I have enjoyed so much. If you like your big band music to swing hard, featuring vocals with words you can actually understand, and have some great individual soloists as well, then without reservation I recommend With Thanks To My Friends.

Jim KerlSwing Session Big BandAll the way from the drummer to the singers, Swing Session lives up to its name-it can really swing! The arrangements are well written and performed with amazing excitement and energy. The ensemble is tight and the solos are inspired. This is no sleepy "old school" big band album. This band is on fire! With Thanks To My Friends is a great listen and I highly recommend it. ~Bill Gibson

With Thanks To My Friends

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Mary Jenson - Close Your Eyes

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:20
Size: 124,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:06)  1. Close Your Eyes
(6:37)  2. It's All Right With Me
(4:53)  3. Cool
(5:13)  4. Fools In Love
(4:58)  5. You're Fine
(4:25)  6. The Hunter Get's Captured By The Game
(4:43)  7. Small Day Tomorrow
(4:16)  8. Dindi
(3:26)  9. Like Someone In Love
(5:19) 10. Besame Mucho
(3:09) 11. Pure Imagination
(4:10) 12. Les Feuilles Mortes

A vibrant vocalist with a love of both jazz and modern music, Mary’s repertoire includes the evolution of popular songs into the jazz context, as well as beautiful renditions of the traditional and familiar.

Mary Jenson's musical tastes were largely influenced by her stint as a radio disc jockey in her early years up on the Mendocino Coast. Exposed to the Bay Area Music scene through the eclectic library of a small market radio station and the left coast culture of Mendocino, those days in a studio lined with LPs had a profound effect on her taste in music. http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/maryjenson

Close Your Eyes

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John Pizzarelli - Rockin' In Rhythm

Styles: Jazz, Swing, Guitar Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:47
Size: 115,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:11)  1. In A Mellow Tone
(3:41) 2. East St. Louis Toodle-oo/Don't Get Around Much Anymore
(3:38)  3. Satin Doll
(7:59)  4. C Jam Blues
(3:51)  5. In My Solitude
(3:21)  6. Just Squeeze Me
(4:10)  7. Perdido
(3:09)  8. All Too Soon
(4:06)  9. I'm Beginning To See The Light
(3:48) 10. Love Scene
(3:46) 11. I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good
(4:00) 12. Cottontail/Rockin' In Rhythm

John Pizzarelli is a walking, talking embarrassment of riches. He has a great pedigree, as his father, Bucky Pizzarelli), was a prodigious guitar talent (on a seven-string guitar, no less) with a voice like Chet Baker should have had. It is all this charm that Pizzarelli freely shares with us lesser mortals. Rockin' in Rhythm: A Tribute to Duke Ellington is a thematic collection picking up where his 2006 collection, Dear Mr. Sinatra (Telarc), left off. What more can be done with Duke Ellington that has not been done before? Well, quite a lot it turns out. What sets Pizzarelli's Ellington apart from the rest (that is, in addition to his infectious, happy singing) are the arrangements. An artistic discipline unto itself, jazz arrangement often provides the crux upon which a song's success or failure rests. Rockin' in Rhythm sports two of the finest in the business, with the date leader working on the quartet pieces and Don Sebeskyarranging the Swing Seven Horns on seven of the 12 compositions held within. 

Sebesky's genius is exercised in spades on the opening of the disc. "In a Mellow Tone" features tart horn backing to Pizzarelli's uncommonly sweet vocals. Pizzarelli provides an equally tart guitar solo doubled expertly with the guitarist's voice. "East St. Louis Toodle-Do" is overlaid with a sung "I Don't Get Around Much Anymore," with the two tunes attached firmly at the bridge. The effect is startling. Gerald Wilson's arrangement of "Perdido" is given lyrics by Pizzarelli's wife, Jessica Molaskey, who shares vocal duties with Kurt Elling. Other guests include tenor saxophonist Harry Allenand violinist Aaron Weinstein playing Ben Webster and Ray Nance on "C Jam Blues." Pizzarelli takes Ellington for a solo guitar spin on "Just Squeeze Me," giving his father a loving nod in the bargain. Speaking of Bucky, he provides the solo for "Satin Doll." Mainstream jazz is a demanding mistress and Pizzarelli manages her with grace and wit. This recording is an accomplishment of the most rarefied order. ~ C.Michael Bailey   http://www.allaboutjazz.com/rockin-in-rhythm-a-tribute-to-duke-ellington-john-pizzarelli-telarc-records-review-by-c-michael-bailey.php#.U6mlfbG4OSo

Personnel: John Pizzarelli: vocals, guitar; Jessica Molaskey, Kurt Elling: vocals; Bucky Pizzarelli: acoustic guitar, electric guitar; Aaron Weinstein: violin; Andy Fusco: clarinet, alto saxophone; Kenny Berger: bass clarinet, baritone saxophone; Harry Allen: tenor saxophone; Tony Kadleck: trumpet; John Mosca: trombone, alto horn; Larry Fuller: piano; Martin Pizzarelli: double bass; Tony Tedesco: drums.

Rockin In Rhythm

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Walt Weiskopf - See The Pyramid

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:14
Size: 176,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:38)  1. See The Pyramid
(9:00)  2. Marcieana
(7:33)  3. Hook Me Up
(9:05)  4. Equality
(5:27)  5. Call Me
(7:53)  6. Little Minor Love Song
(6:07)  7. Double Rainbow
(4:38)  8. A Time For Love
(3:04)  9. Goodbye John
(7:43) 10. Make Someone Happy

Walt Weiskopf's discography for the Criss Cross label has displayed a substantive and well-rounded discipline on the tenor saxophone with many larger ensembles. While peers Donny McCaslin, Chris Potter, Eric Alexander, and Harry Allen have gone into the respective routes of improvised neo-bop, progressive fusion, soul-jazz, and swing, Weiskopf mines the deep well of post-Sonny Rollins/John Coltrane mainstream modern jazz. He's also more composer than interpreter, as evidenced by the original material on this recording, and he also revisits the smaller format of sax with rhythm section, something he hadn't done in nearly 20 years. 

Weiskopf loves to scale hard bop mountain heights on his horn without any abrasion or slippage, as on the modal title track. Also notable is that he does not overuse technique, preferring to evoke the essential spirit of Coltrane on a hip modal "Hook Me Up" or the bossa nova-flavored "Equality," which echoes Trane's "Equinox." There's no real emphasis on rock 'em, sock 'em bebop, but instead an unforced swing and lighter tone. He does venture a bit into pop-jazz with a cover of the Chris Montez Top 40 hit "Call Me" and a bubbling version of "Make Someone Happy." With a piano-bass-drums trio led by Peter Zak on the 88s, Weiskopf has just enough energy to drive these tunes comfortably in mid-gear ratios. It's another sterling example of why he's always one of the more enjoyable tenor players on the current scene solid, unspectacular, logical, and very substantive. ~ Michael G.Nastos   http://www.allmusic.com/album/see-the-pyramid-mw0001987891.

Personnel: Walt Weiskopf (tenor saxophone); Peter Zak (piano); Quincy Davis (drums).

See The Pyramid

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The World's Greatest Jazzband - The World's Greatest Jazzband of Yank Lawson and Bob Haggart

Styles: Jazz
Year: 1969
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:47
Size: 82,4 MB
Art: Front

(2:19)  1. Sunny
(2:23)  2. Panama
(3:21)  3. Baby, Won't You Please Come Home
(2:45)  4. Up, Up &  Away
(3:24)  5. Ode To Billy Joe
(3:44)  6. Honky Tonk Train
(3:04)  7. A Taste Of Honey
(3:56)  8. Limehouse Blues
(2:40)  9. Big Noise From Winnetka
(2:48) 10. This Is All I Ask
(2:57) 11. Mrs. Robinson
(2:20) 12. Bugle Call Rag

The World's Greatest Jazz Band was an all-star jazz ensemble active from 1968 to 1978. Dick Gibson founded the group at his sixth Jazz Party, an annual event. The group performed mostly Dixieland jazz and recorded extensively. It was co-led by Yank Lawson and Bob Haggart, and did early jazz standards alongside contemporaneous pop songs done in a Dixieland style. Though the group disbanded in 1978, the name was revived several times by Lawson and Haggart for limited engagements. 

More..http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World%27s_Greatest_Jazz_Band

This all-star group was founded in 1968 by Dick Gibson at his sixth annual Jazz Party. Despite the impossibility of living up to its outrageous name, the band was indeed the finest in Dixieland/classic jazz. Co-led by Yank Lawson and Bob Haggart, and also featuring Billy Butterfield, Bud Freeman, Bob Miller, and Ralph Sutton, the WGJB originally alternated standards with Dixiefied versions of current pop tunes like "Mrs. Robinson," but its finest album (Live on Atlantic) sticks to hot jamming. After the personnel changed a bit (Eddie Miller and Dick Wellstood passed through the band), the group broke up in 1978, although reunions by Lawson and Haggart in later years sometimes revived the name. Their recordings for Project 3, Atlantic, and their own World Jazz label are pretty much all worth getting. Bio ~ Scott Yanow   http://www.allmusic.com/artist/worlds-greatest-jazz-band-mn0000683075/biography.

The World's Greatest Jazzband of Yank Lawson and Bob Haggart

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