The Modern Jazz Quartet - Concorde

Styles: Cool Jazz
Year: 1955
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:33
Size: 83,9 MB
Art: Front

(7:11)  1. Ralph's New Blues
(4:31)  2. All of You
(5:10)  3. I'll Remember April
(7:59)  4. Gershwin Medley
(7:58)  5. Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise
(3:41)  6. Concorde

After issuing 10" EPs for several years, Concorde (1955) marked two significant touchstones in the five-plus-decade career of the Modern Jazz Quartet (MJQ). One of those was the replacement of co-founder Kenny Clarke (drums) with former Lester Young quintet member Connie Kay (drums), who joined in time for the other hallmark -- this, the MJQ's very first full-length long-player. Kay remained with the combo for the better part of four decades, until his passing in 1994. The transition between percussionists is both smooth as well as sensible. Kay's understated rhythms and solid timekeeping are perfectly suited to the clever arrangements and sophisticated sound of Milt Jackson (vibraphone), John Lewis (piano) and Percy Heath (bass). 

One MJQ constant is the blend of classic covers and stunning original compositions that comprise their releases. Concorde is certainly no exception as the effort kicks off with a mid-tempo Jackson's "Ralph's New Blues." Immediately, Kay's contributions are ample yet discrete, as he interacts with a consistent backbeat, supporting the tasty vibe runs and improvisations from the tune's author. The title track "Concorde" is the other tune to be derived from within the band. Lewis' effervescent syncopation drives through the heart of the melody, with the pianist laying down essential interplay. Once again Kay impresses with well-placed ringing interjections that never overpower the soloist.

Most notable among the reworked popular standards are the slightly brooding opulence of Cole Porter's "All of You" and the fugal, if not slightly Third Stream approach taken on "Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise" from the short-lived collaborations of Sigmund Romberg and Oscar Hammerstein II. However, the centerpiece is undoubtedly the four selections within the "Gershwin Medley." The interpretations of "Soon," "For You, For Me Forevermore," "Love Walked In" and "Our Love Is Here to Stay" are nothing short of definitive. They collectively provide keen insight into the inner-workings of the MJQ and their collective abilities to improvise with purpose, rather than simply combining aimless solos. All manner of post-bop jazz listeners will find much to enjoy throughout Concorde. ~ Lindsay Planer  http://www.allmusic.com/album/concorde-mw0000192242

The Modern Jazz Quartet: John Lewis (piano); Milt Jackson (vibraphone); Percy Heath (bass); Connie Kay (drums).

Concorde

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Jacob Fischer Trio - My Romance ~ Tribute To Bill Evans

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:31
Size: 148,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:25)  1. You And The Night And The Music
(4:26)  2. Haunted Heart
(5:24)  3. Nardis
(3:43)  4. I Fall In Love Too Easily
(3:36)  5. Show Type Tune
(7:02)  6. My Foolish Heart
(3:54)  7. Interplay
(4:43)  8. My Romance
(6:37)  9. Time Remembered
(6:37) 10. Waltz For Debby
(4:29) 11. How My Heart Sings
(5:49) 12. Come Rain Or Come Shine
(2:40) 13. Polkadots And Moonbeams

Danish native Jacob Fischer is a rising star and one of the most in-demand jazz guitarists in Scandinavia and Europe. Born in 1967, the self-taught guitarist began working as a professional when he was 17 years old, and since then has participated in over 200 recordings. His fifth album as a leader, and his debut from the Japanese label Venus Records, is an ambitious project: A tribute to Bill Evans with a simple trio with Martin Wind on bass and Tim Horner on drums. Their efforts are a success on many levels. On some tracks, they succeed because they use completely different approaches from those used by Evans in his well-known recorded performances. Examples of these include the unsentimental, hard-boiled approach of the opening track and the imaginative collective improvisations on "Nardis." On a few other tracks including "My Foolish Heart," they succeed to recreate the mood and atmosphere of the legendary Bill Evans trio with Scott LaFaro and Paul Motian despite the difference in the leading instrument. http://www.elusivedisc.com/Jacob-Fischer-Trio-My-Romance-Tribute-To-Bill-Evans-180g-LP/productinfo/VENLP0077/.

Personnel: Jacob Fischer, guitar; Martin Wind, bass; Tim Horner, drums

My Romance ~ Tribute To Bill Evans

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Julie Kelly - Stories To Tell

Size: 112,3 MB
Time: 48:10
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1994
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. The Surrey With The Fringe On Top (2:54)
02. Long Ago And Far Away (3:36)
03. Tomorrow (4:56)
04. My Man's Gone Now (5:37)
05. When In Rome (4:54)
06. Inside A Silent Tear (3:54)
07. Royal Garden Blues (4:17)
08. A Sleepin' Bee (4:17)
09. Billie's Bounce (3:35)
10. The Day It Rained (4:33)
11. Only Trust Your Heart (5:33)

This CD finds singer Julie Kelly in prime form. With the assistance of Bill Cunliffe on piano and synth, either Tom Warrington or John Clayton on bass, drummer Joe LaBarbera and several guests (guitarist Larry Koonse, tenorman Bob Sheppard, trumpeter Clay Jenkins and percussionist Brian Kilgore), Kelly creates fresh interpretations of such songs as "The Surrey with the Fringe on Top," "Long Ago and Far Away," "A Sleepin' Bee" and a boppish "Royal Garden Blues." Most unusual is her transformation of "Tomorrow" (from Annie) into jazz. An excellent showcase for the talented singer, who both scats well and interprets lyrics with sensitivity. ~Review by Scott Yanow

Stories To Tell

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Organ Trio East - Chemistry

Size: 156,3 MB
Time: 67:06
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Modern Creative Jazz
Art: Front

01. Lost In The Schade (8:01)
02. New Horizons (7:54)
03. Quietly (9:44)
04. Waiting For Spring (6:26)
05. Jaybird (8:13)
06. In The Moment (6:35)
07. A Place To Call Home (6:12)
08. Wandering (7:13)
09. What The Frack (6:45)

Organ Trio East (Vonada, Steve Adams on organ and Jim Schade on drums), recently released a CD, “Chemistry.”

The tunes on “Chemistry” are all original compositions by Vonada and Adams. The CD was recorded at Adams’ home in Danville on Jan. 8 and Feb. 24. Over past several years, the trio had been playing these tunes at gigs and then decided they needed to document what they had been doing.

“As a musician, you are only as good as the people you play with, and these gentlemen are top-notch musicians who I am honored to be making music with,” Vonada said. “They have played with cats such as Dave Liebman and Larry McKenna. Their artistry on this recording is amazing, and I thank them for their hard work and creativity.”

In addition to Organ Trio East, Vonada plays in Organ Trio West, and a quartet combination of trombone, guitar, bass and drums. He also is involved in duos of trombone and guitar or trombone and keyboard called Swing-Nova.

“Personally, I put pressure on myself when I record, which can be good and bad,” he said. “This is my fourth record, so I think I’ve gotten better and I think this is the best I’ve sounded at this point in my career.”

“This region needs to experience more jazz, and I want to help out and continue to grow our audience and bring this music to the State College region and beyond,” he said. “The audience member is the most important part of what we do; without them, we are just practicing in our house. The arts need to play a role in our lives and in public schools, and there needs to be an appreciation so that we have an audience in the future.”

Chemistry

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Ann Malcolm & Florian Favre Duo - Essence

Size: 81,7 MB
Time: 35:10
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. How Deep Is The Ocean (3:20)
02. I'm Blue (2:57)
03. Unintended (4:01)
04. A Child Is Born (3:30)
05. Jitterbug Waltz (2:54)
06. In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning (3:31)
07. Something Worth Waiting For (Con Alma) (3:13)
08. St. Louis Blues (4:59)
09. My Ship (2:59)
10. Cycle (3:41)

Ann Malcolm can look back on an impressive, colourful career as a singer and saxophonist. Her roots are in Iowa USA, but for many years she has been living and working in Europe, where she maintains close contact with the up-and-coming names in the jazz scene through her teaching activities.

The Swiss pianist and composer Florian Favre is one of those talents who has drawn the attention of the artist Ann Malcolm. Florian Favre seems to be almost obsessed by piano; always on the quest for new tones, he finds his adventures between the notes of the keyboard. And at the same time, he also pursued a career as a professional footballer (with very good results) right up until his graduation.

Essence

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Floriano Inacio Jr. - Attitude

Size: 143,1 MB
Time: 61:51
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Brazilian Jazz & Rhythms
Art: Front

01. Vila Fachini (4:35)
02. Cote D'azur (5:13)
03. Ja Sei Que E (3:58)
04. Attitude (5:50)
05. Sera Que E Sambista (6:23)
06. Pino De Gente (5:37)
07. Algarve (5:50)
08. Santa Cecilia (4:30)
09. Mythen (4:28)
10. Joaozinho (6:03)
11. Maestro Alba (4:13)
12. A Flor Da Pele (5:07)

At the age of six, in the decade of 80, in São Paulo, the boy Floriano Inácio Júnior gains of the father two unusual toys: a small accordion and a tambourine. The boy put aside them to, six years after, have a new contact with the cavaquinho and discover the music as vocation. Today, with 27 years old, the piano keeps company with the cavaquinho as his two work instruments in Switzerland, where he lives since 1999.

At the age of 12, the paulistano starts to play and accompany singers in the city. With a keyboardist colleague of a samba group, he realizes that he had a way with the keyboard. He starts to play every night in Santana, quarter of São Paulo´s capital. In this interval he meets the musicians Luís Cláudio e Denden, two lovers of choro. In São Paulo, he starts to play at RG Samba and travels all over Brazil with groups like Soweto (Belo), Gamação and Moleque Travesso. He begins to interest oneself in jazz, when he knows the maestro Louis Alba, on of his mentors.

In 1999, he receives an invitation to present in Switzerland. Back to Brazil he is invited to play again in the country and decides to study there. In his academic resumé appear the Geneva Conservatory of Music, in the professional class of jazz, and the Musikhochschule Luzern. In Switzerland, Floriano played with musicians of the caliber of Ademir Cândido, Rodrigo Botter-Maio, Diana Miranda, Rubens Jacob, Rafael Lima, Rogério Botter-Maio and Realce band. And he played in places like the pubs Bird"s Eye (Basel) and Moods (Zürich) and the Luzern Theater. He still participated of festivals like Montreux, Bellinzona, Le Locle, Flims, Verona, Barcelona, Coubur and Trier.

Attitude

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Jacqueline Tabor - The Jazz In You: Live At The Seattle Vespers

Size: 122,3 MB
Time: 52:30
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps (Live) (3:33)
02. Close Your Eyes (Live) (3:31)
03. April In Paris (Live) (4:57)
04. Speak Low (Live) (4:56)
05. The Jazz In You (Live) (6:57)
06. One Note Samba (Live) (3:44)
07. Fly Me To The Moon (Live) (3:54)
08. Autumn Leaves (Live) (6:10)
09. Under The Spell Of The Blues (Live) (2:40)
10. Nature Boy (Live) (4:09)
11. No More Blues (Live) (4:14)
12. You've Changed (Live) (3:39)

On January 5th of 2014 at the Jazz Vespers concert series Jacqueline Tabor, Alexey Nikolaev, Randy Halberstadt, Mark Ivester and Clipper Anderson performed for a live audience in the beautiful First Baptist Church in Seattle, Washington. Without much preparation we created some pretty good music. With the help of Jim Wilke this concert was recorded live! The sound quality is so good that now it could be turned into a CD Project that was funded via Kickstarter and a lot of help from my friends and family. This will be my second album and right now I am calling it The Jazz in You” Project which is dedicated to all of the wonderful women in my life both past and present: Patricia J. Young, Dorothy Pounds, Edmonia Jarrett, Carol Tabor, and Shirley Cline.

The Jazz In You

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Jackie McLean - Makin' The Changes

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 35:38
Size: 81.6 MB
Styles: Hard bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1957/2006
Art: Front

[8:30] 1. Bean And The Boys
[7:06] 2. What's New
[2:56] 3. I Never Knew
[5:05] 4. I Hear A Rhapsody
[5:25] 5. Jackie's Ghost
[6:34] 6. Chasin' The Bird

Makin' the Changes features altoist Jackie McLean in two different settings. On three selections -- a rollicking "Bean and the Boys," an up-tempo "I Never Knew" and "I Hear a Rhapsody" -- McLean teams up with pianist Mal Waldron in a quartet with bassist Arthur Phipps and drummer Art Taylor. The other three numbers ("What's New," " "Chasin' the Bird" and McLean's original "Jackie's Ghost") have more of a jam session feel, and feature McLean in a sextet with trumpeter Webster Young, trombonist Curtis Fuller, pianist Gil Coggins, bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Louis Hayes. In general, the hard bop music is swinging and fairly advanced, a step above the usual jam sessions of the time. ~Scott Yanow

Makin' The Changes

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Alexia Gardner And Offbeat Trio - Chasing Hope

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 57:23
Size: 131.4 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[4:43] 1. Forbidden Fruit
[2:55] 2. Dont Get Around Much Anymore
[4:36] 3. Island In The Sun
[4:51] 4. Love For Sale
[5:55] 5. Nearness Of You
[4:13] 6. Fool On The Hill
[3:08] 7. Blue Moon
[4:19] 8. Chasing Hope
[4:25] 9. Everyday I Have The Blues
[4:52] 10. Love's Devine
[5:37] 11. Alvaneu
[2:36] 12. Moon River
[2:29] 13. Railroad Track
[2:35] 14. Mo Betta Blues

Alexia Gardner's new album - Chasing Hope - was recorded over two, warm, sunny days in the offBeat Studios of Switzerland’s St Gallen region. This is a gentle departure from Alexia’s first two albums. These were recorded in front of a live audience whilst living and touring Asia . With the new album, Alexia has had the luxury of selecting her musicians and musical standards – old and new – and presenting them in a studio setting. Chasing Hope moves from straight ahead Jazz to smooth Pop Ballads; from Cole Porter’s, 'Love For Sale' to Seal’s, 'Love Divine', from Rodgers and Hart’s timeless 'Blue Moon', performed in a Latin style, to the smooth rendition of Hoagy Carmichael’s, 'The Nearness Of You'. There is also a touch of Gospel and a sprinkling of the Blues!

'Chasing Hope' is the title track and one of the four original tunes featured on the recording. Alexia wrote this tune. It's all about a spunky 8-year old girl called Hope. She wrote this tune with gifted New Yorker, Oliver Von Essen, whilst living and touring in Shanghai, China. Have a read about this fascinating little girl called Hope at www.alexiagardner.com

Alexia is joined by the offBeat Trio on this recording, musicians she has been performing with throughout Switzerland (and neighbouring countries) since her move to this country with her husband in late 2006. They are Marcel Schefer on Piano, Kalli Gerhards on Bass and Beat Fraefel-Haering on drums. Special guests featured on the album are Pius Baumgartner on Tenor Saxophone. He perfroms on Forbidden Fruit, the opening funky, origianal track written by London based, songwriter and pianist, Alex Webb. Pius Baumgartner is also featured on the tracks - 'The Nearness Of You' and Branford Marsalis' 'Mo Betta Blues'. Alexia wrote some lyrics to go hand in hand with this moody, bluesy instrumental classic. Paula Gardner and Alexia Hope are guest Backing Vocalists on the tune 'Island In The Sun'. This is a tribute to Alexia's Jamaican heritage. Fittingly, these guests are also of Jamaican origin. Paula is Alexia's gifted, younger sister and Alexia Hope is the very same 'Hope' that is the inspiration for the title track 'Chasing Hope'. Alexia's spunky 8 year old niece!

Enjoy every moment! This is truely a smoking cd! It's as warm, sunny and fun as the two warm, sunny days that it took to record this album over in Switzerland's western countryside!

Chasing Hope

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Sounds Of Swing - Swinging On A Clear Day (2-Disc set)

27 big band numbers on 2 CDs studio recorded by a 17-piece orchestra and vocalist that have been performing for 15 years.

Album: Swinging On A Clear Day (Disc 1)
Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 44:21
Size: 101.5 MB
Styles: Easy Listening
Year: 2007

[3:19] 1. On A Clear Day
[3:28] 2. When Your Lover Is Gone
[2:32] 3. Blue Moon
[3:16] 4. Laura
[2:55] 5. South Of The Border
[2:54] 6. A String Of Pearls
[4:11] 7. The Very Thought Of You
[2:50] 8. Stompin' At The Savoy
[3:54] 9. Our Love Is Here To Stay
[3:26] 10. Stormy Weather
[2:12] 11. Candy
[3:50] 12. Look For The Silver Lining
[2:44] 13. Life Is Just A Bowl Of Cherries
[2:42] 14. Artistry For Trumpets

Swinging On A Clear Day (Disc 1)

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Album: Swinging On A Clear Day (Disc 2)
Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 43:10
Size: 98.8 MB
Styles: Easy Listening
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[2:45] 1. How High The Moon
[3:48] 2. The Man I Love
[4:08] 3. When You're Smilin'
[1:58] 4. A Nightingale Sang In Berkley Square
[3:46] 5. Cherry
[3:56] 6. Night Train
[3:05] 7. A Foggy Day
[2:41] 8. In This Whole Wide World
[3:22] 9. Cheek To Cheek
[3:38] 10. I've Got You Under My Skin
[3:28] 11. Cherokee
[2:37] 12. Orange Colored Sky
[3:52] 13. In The Mood

Swinging On A Clear Day (Disc 2)

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Valerie Gillespie - It Takes A Village

Styles: Vocal And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 78:18
Size: 179,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:36)  1. Nature Boy
(5:35)  2. A Night In Tunisia
(4:58)  3. I've Got The World On A String
(8:42)  4. Spain
(5:14)  5. Blame It On My Youth
(7:09)  6. Peel Me A Grape
(5:07)  7. Cherokee
(6:55)  8. Poinciana
(4:39)  9. Joy Spring
(5:17) 10. Someone To Watch Over Me
(3:51) 11. The Folks Who Live On The Hill
(4:57) 12. I Love Being Here With You
(3:56) 13. When October Goes
(6:16) 14. Joy!

Valerie Gillespie's first appearance in The Villages was on June 1st, 2004. The reception was enthusiastic. Six Months later she was invited by The Jazz Lover's Club to return and it was SRO! Her ensemble continues to draw spirited, delighted and responsive devotees every weekend at a local venue in what has become an 'open ended' engagement. Now we have this recording of a spectacular live performance at The Villages, which features a happy sampling of the tunes that have enchanted our audiences over the past year! Why is the Valerie Gillespie Ensemble so endeared by Villages Jazz Lovers? That's easy- Listen to the recording! First of all, they swing like crazy! Further, Ms. Gillespie and her charges approach their material in the sam no-nonsense, sans-gimmick manner reminiscent (but still VERY original) of the acclaimed 'straight-ahead' Jazz masters of the past. Woodrow Wilson (Woody) Herman used a term to describe one of his later herds that we believes very appropriate here; "Relentless!" 

A close listen to the contents of this CD reveals, (and of course is even more evident in person), the strident effort by Valerie and her bandmates to respect the composers' original material, while subsequently pursuing it, via improvisation, with a goal of creating a new masterpiece. This approach (essentially the definition of the jazz genre) persists, whether it be a warm, sensitive vocal ballad like 'The Folks Who Live on the Hill' or a real steamer like 'Cherokee!' The relatively mature Villages Jazz crowds have been weaned on this standard and for many it has been missing from their life experience for quite a spell, especially the 'in-the-flesh' versions. The ensemble fulfills that pent-up demand with a flourish! I think it is fair to say that Ms. Gillespie and her cohorts understand, and perhaps more importantly, genuinely respect the gratitude and affection the have been afforded here. Ergo: 'It Takes a Village...' Jazz endures! HAppiness Abounds!  This CD is dedicated to my mother, Jeanne, who was a constant source of inspiration for me, and to my dad, Chuck, who loved her more than life itself. Together they were 'The Folks Who Live on the Hill'. http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/valeriegillespie14

It Takes A Village

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Doris Cales - ...And All That Jazz (Disc 1) And (Disc 2)

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:28 (Disc 1)
Size: 122,5 MB (Disc 1)
Time: 46:57 (Disc 2)
Size: 107,6 MB (Disc 2)
Art: Front

Disc 1

(5:41)  1. I'm Not Blue
(3:19)  2. For Onced In My Life
(3:47)  3. Moon Over Bourbon Street
(4:25)  4. Looking For Another Love
(5:29)  5. If I Asked You
(4:26)  6. Our Love Is Here To Stay
(4:52)  7. Past Time Paradise
(5:35)  8. Everything Happens To Me
(3:30)  9. Indelible
(3:51) 10. Night And Day
(4:34) 11. God Bless The Child
(3:54) 12. You know It's Right

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Disc 2

(5:55)  1. Lucky So And So
(3:37)  2. Ain't Nobody's Business
(5:44)  3. When I Fall In Love
(6:17)  4. As Time Goes By
(4:35)  5. Ain't Necessarily So
(6:13)  6. The Shadow Of Your Smile
(4:55)  7. The Fool On The Hill
(4:07)  8. That's All
(5:30)  9. Somewhere Over The Rainbow

A voice and an 8-string guitar. Doris Cales and Dan Rochlis. Two native New Yorkers with a common passion: Broadway and cinema musicals. The songs they heard a thousand times in films like “The Wizard Of Oz”, “Breakfast In Tiffany’s”, “Casablanca” have become their Leif motif in this occasion. Cole Porter, the Gershwins, Duke Ellington, they all wrote songs that were used in films where we could see Fred Astaire swishing Ginger Rogers around a dance floor, or Frank Sinatra doing what he did best. A handful of beautiful songs that ring of ball rooms, silk gowns and champagne. With Doris Cales’ elegant voice and persona and Dan Rochlis’ talent, we are assured glamour and show biz in “ALL THAT JAZZ”. http://www.doriscales.com/bioeng.html

...And All That Jazz  (Disc 1)

...And All That Jazz  (Disc 2)

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The Warren Vaché & John Allred Quintet - Top Shelf

Styles: Bop, Big Band
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:33
Size: 166,4 MB
Art: Front + Back

(5:04)  1. Top Shelf
(6:04)  2. Sweet Pumpkin
(4:43)  3. Aussieology
(7:51)  4. Ba-lue Bolivar Ba-lues
(5:39)  5. Moonlight in Vermont
(4:30)  6. Tiny Capers
(5:26)  7. The Best Thing for You
(6:12)  8. Spontaneous Combustion
(5:12)  9. By Myself
(5:35) 10. My Romance
(5:47) 11. Whisper Not
(5:09) 12. East of the Sun (and West of the Moon)
(5:15) 13. A Parisian Thoroughfare

Warren Vaché and John Allred have played numerous times together, working at jazz parties and club dates, as well as making an earlier CD for Arbors. Accompanied by pianist Tardo Hammer, bassist Nicki Parrott, and drummer Leroy Williams, they explore more than a few forgotten gems that have plenty of potential, starting with the snappy rendition of trumpeter Blue Mitchell's "Top Shelf," a breezy bop vehicle with on-the-money ensembles and tight solos all around. Thelonious Monk's "Ba-lue Bolivar Ba-lues" is one of his less frequently performed works, but the quintet plays it with the wry sense of humor that is a part of many of the jazz legend's pieces.

Cannonball Adderley's sassy, loping blues "Spontaneous Combustion" is full of fire, while Parrott's bop vehicle "Aussieology" crackles with energy as well. There are a number of familiar songs as well. The interplay between the leaders is the highlight of the standard "By Myself." The quintet begins with a free-form introduction to "Parisian Thoroughfare" that is somewhat reminiscent of the hilarious duo recording by Jaki Byard and Roland Kirk, though their interpretation is at a far more relaxed tempo, much like a brisk stroll that still allows time to see the sights. Top Shelf is a welcome alternative to the many jazz CDs of all originals by young unknowns or all familiar repertoire by artists of all ages. ~ Ken Dryden http://www.allmusic.com/album/top-shelf-mw0002014682.

Personnel: Warren Vaché (vocals, cornet); John Allred (trombone); Tardo Hammer (piano); Leroy Williams (drums).

Top Shelf

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Theo Croker - Afro Physicist

Styles: Jazz, Soul, Funk
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:21
Size: 142,0 MB
Art: Front

(2:00)  1. Alapa (For Doc)
(5:37)  2. Realize
(6:14)  3. It's Not You, It's Me (But You Didn't Help)
(3:23)  4. Light Skinned Beauty
(4:43)  5. Wanting Your Love
(5:31)  6. Save Your Love for Me (feat. Dee Dee Bridgewater)
(6:38)  7. Visions (feat. Stefon Harris)
(4:35)  8. The Fundamentals
(4:53)  9. Roy Allan (feat. Roy Hargrove)
(3:23) 10. Moody's Mood for Love (feat. Dee Dee Bridgewater)
(5:30) 11. I Can't Help It (feat. Dee Dee Bridgewater)
(2:50) 12. Bo Masekela

New Album from Trumpet Phenom that blends Soul, Jazz and Funk. Produced by and Featuring the Legendary Dee Dee Bridgewater. Plus Special Guests Stefon Harris and Roy Hargrove. Enter the AfroPhysicist trumpeter/composer Theo Croker. Coming straight out of Leesburg, Florida by way of Shanghai, China, this bold young soul-jazz newcomer, grandson of New Orleans trumpet legend Doc Cheatham, is fortified by tradition with no lack of contemporary electricity to propel him into the future. His trumpet pops over rock guitars and roaring organs, floats on the ballads and bops along on straight ahead swing. Croker deftly bridges generation gaps on Afro Physicist, his first album for OKeh Records, produced by Dee Dee Bridgewater for her DDB Records imprint. On Afro Physicist, Theo's music literally shape-shifts without pause through twelve captivating selections; from the solo opening "Alapa (For Doc)"(dedicated to Cheatham) to the funk-rock furnace blast "Realize" to the dreamy "Wanting Your Love." 

The album includes three vocals sung by Bridgewater including the classic "Moody's Mood For Love," and Michael Jackson's "I Can't Help It," flipped here into a sizzling Afro-Cuban whirlwind. Afro Physicist also features vibraphonist Stefon Harris on a cover of Stevie Wonder's "Visions" and trumpet veteran Roy Hargrove performing on one of Croker's compositions, "Roy Allan." Theo will be touring the U.S. both on his own and with Dee Dee Bridgewater throughout 2014 including an appearance at the Newport Jazz Festival on August 1. ~ Editorial Reviews  http://www.amazon.com/AfroPhysicist-Theo-Croker/dp/B00HQUQQEG

Afro Physicist

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Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra - SRJO Live

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 68:10
Size: 156.0 MB
Styles: Big band
Year: 2002
Art: Front

[ 5:06] 1. Happy Go Lucky Local (Parts 1 & 2)
[ 5:11] 2. Stomp It Off
[ 4:25] 3. The Maids Of Cadiz
[ 4:49] 4. Jumpin' At The Woodside
[ 3:33] 5. Concerto For Cootie
[ 7:41] 6. Better Get Hit In Your Soul
[ 6:00] 7. Isfahan
[ 7:20] 8. Nasty Magnus
[ 4:40] 9. Blue And Sentimental
[ 5:49] 10. Caravan
[13:28] 11. Walk On The Wild Side

The jazz scene in Seattle has a richness and depth that is rare. Not only is there a wealth of fine musicians who have gained recognition throughout the nation and around the globe, but also a lineage of jazz writers and players that began in the 1920s, and reached a golden age in the 1940s when Seattle enjoyed a flowering of jazz culture centered around the clubs and dance halls of Jackson Street. This period produced such greats as Ray Charles, Ernestine Anderson, Dick Wilson, Quincy Jones and Buddy Catlett. Since then, the torch has consistently been passed. Sixty years later, there is still a major jazz scene, supported by many clubs, large, enthusiastic audiences, and populated by both veteran and young players and writers who carry on Seattle's own, unique jazz tradition.

The Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra (SRJO) is an award-winning, 17-piece big band comprised of many of the region's leading jazz soloists and band leaders. The SRJO is the Northwest's only permanent ensemble dedicated to the accurate and historically observant performance of the great works of big band jazz. Drummer Clarence Acox, nationally recognized director of bands at Seattle's Garfield High School, and saxophonist/arranger Michael Brockman, long-time faculty member at the University of Washington School of Music, founded the SRJO in 1995. As early as 1988, however, many of the players had assembled for a now-annual concert of the Sacred Music of Duke Ellington, presented by Seattle's Earshot Jazz Society. A 1992 "Evening of Ellington" program, presented by Brockman at the University of Washington's Meany Theater, brought together players not normally included in the sacred concerts, and featured new transcriptions by Brockman of classic Ellingtonia. ~John Killoch

SRJO Live

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Bobby Durham Trio - We Three Plus Friends

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 73:48
Size: 169.0 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[0:12] 1. Planet Max
[8:48] 2. Planet Max
[8:30] 3. Almost Like Being In Love
[4:26] 4. Secret Love
[6:43] 5. Sack Of Woe
[3:37] 6. Ducky Is In Town
[5:17] 7. Azule Serape
[6:03] 8. Estate
[5:26] 9. Una Lunga Storia D'amore
[5:46] 10. The Very Thought Of You
[6:29] 11. Isn't She Lovely
[5:34] 12. Cherokee
[6:53] 13. Stompin' At The Savoy

Part of the enormous Philadelphia family tree of jazz players, Bobby Durham has amassed a long list of impressive jazz credits while alternating residencies between Italy and his hometown. He is perhaps best known as a member of several of the virtuoso pianist Oscar Peterson's classic trios from the '50s and as one of the great jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald's most sensitive accompanists, although jazz fans that are into the smoking organ trio sound will know Durham from his associations with the likes of turbaned Charles Earland or the innovative organist Shirley Scott. Durham is a personal favorite of jazz producer Norman Granz, who has turned to Durham again and again for help with his projects involving the likes of Fitzgerald and Basie as well as using Durham as the rhythm section drummer for jam session encounters with the likes of pianist Tommy Flanagan, guitarist Joe Pass, and trumpeter Harry "Sweets" Edison, among many.

Durham got into music young, starting out dancing and singing before beginning drums well before his teen years. He was a professional musician by the time he was 16 with the group the Orioles. From 1956 to 1959 he served in a United States military band, then began working with the band of King James and the Stan Hunter trio upon getting out of the services. In 1960 his career really took off when he moved to New York and began working with a who's who of mainstream jazz greats that includes Lloyd Price, Wild Bill Davis, Lionel Hampton, Count Basie, Slide Hampton, Grant Green, Hary Edison, Tommy Flanagan, and Jimmy Rowles. He met the fine trombonist Al Grey in the Basie band and was later a part of Grey's own combos. In these small groups, Durham was often given ample solo space, and several recordings by these groups represent the best examples of Durham's jazz drumming that are available. Then again, the upsurge in interest in hard-driving organ trio jazz that came along with the acid jazz scene in the late '90s has sparked an interest in groups such as the trio led by organist Earland, featuring Durham and the impressive guitarist Pat Martino. Durham worked with Fitzgerald for a decade, for an equal length of time with Peterson, and with the big band of Duke Ellington for five years. A tasteful and restrained drummer with great control, Durham has also been called in to help perform and record with top pop and soul vocalists such as Frank Sinatra, James Brown, Ray Charles, and Marvin Gaye. He has performed on many television shows including the Tonight show hosted by Johnny Carson and with Fitzgerald on the Ed Sullivan Show. Perhaps Fitzgerald is where Durham picked up his flair for scat singing on his own, a talent which he has put to great use in a variety of settings but particularly when leading his own trios. European concert listeners have remarked on the entertaining number entitled the "Airplane Song," supposedly based on the printed safety instructions handed out to passengers. Durham certainly would have had plenty of time to study up on such material through his frequent touring, but has yet to record the number. Perhaps he might want to consider a full-length opera based on the idea, adding in all the new airline safety regulations added after September 11, 2001. During his long European residencies, much of them based out of Italy, Durham has formed trios with support from Italian and Scanadanivian musicians. These players include Aldo Zunino, Andrea Zonzaterra, and Massimo Farao. ~bio by Eugene Chadbourne

We Three Plus Friends

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Django Reinhardt - Swing 39

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 49:59
Size: 114.4 MB
Styles: Swing, Gypsy guitar
Year: 2000
Art: Front

[3:12] 1. Jeepers Creepers (Instrumental)
[3:12] 2. Jeepers Creepers
[3:17] 3. Swing 39
[2:38] 4. Japanese Sandman
[3:00] 5. I Wonder Where My Baby Is Tonight
[3:06] 6. I Wonder Where My Baby Is Tonight (Alternate Take)
[2:49] 7. Tea For Two (Instrumental)
[2:50] 8. Tea For Two
[3:20] 9. My Melancholy Baby (Instrumental)
[2:39] 10. Time On My Hands
[2:37] 11. Twelfth Year (Instrumental)
[2:39] 12. Twelfth Year
[2:46] 13. My Melancholy Baby
[3:06] 14. Japanese Sandman
[3:12] 15. Tea For Two (Alternate Take 2)
[2:44] 16. I Wonder Where My Baby Is Tonight (Alternate Take 2)
[2:44] 17. Hungaria

Although the war was raging when Django Reinhardt, Stephane Grappelli, and the Quintet of the Hot Club of France recorded these tracks in 1939, their light-hearted swing on standards such as "Jeepers Creepers," "Tea for Two," and "My Melancholy Baby" recalls an earlier, more peaceful time. Reinhardt and Grappelli trade solos as if they are giving each other presents. They sound as if they are in a friendly competition to see not who is the fastest or flashiest, but rather who can play the most elegant, musical lines. This CD contains multiple takes of a number of songs, including "Japanese Sandman," "I Wonder Where My Baby Is Tonight," and the Reinhardt composition "Twelfth Year," but Reinhardt and Grappelli's inventiveness keeps them from sounding repetitive. Their intros and solos are different each time, and you get the feeling they could have recorded the same song a dozen times and come up with 12 different, but equally perfect, versions. The tracks on Swing 39 are among the last recorded in Paris by Django Reinhardt, Stephane Grappelli, and the Quintet of the Hot Club of France. Within a few months the group would be split up by the war, with Grappelli spending the duration in London and Reinhardt trapped in Paris. These tracks are a fitting tribute to not only a great band, but also to an era that was soon to disappear forever. ~Michael Simmons

Swing 39

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Ana Paula Lopes - Meu

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 52:21
Size: 119.9 MB
Styles: Brazilian traditions
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[4:33] 1. Meu
[4:01] 2. Chovendo Na Roseira
[5:06] 3. Sereia. Amor D'água
[3:37] 4. Água De Beber
[4:55] 5. A Mais Bonita
[5:02] 6. A História De Lily Braun
[4:52] 7. Águas De Março
[4:14] 8. O Morro Não Tem Vez
[5:00] 9. Esperança Perdida
[5:11] 10. What's New
[5:45] 11. Lisa

Influenciada pelo jazz, bossa nova e pela música popular brasileira, apresenta novas versões de um repertório clássico e já consagrado.  Produzido por Celso Marques e co-produzido pela própria cantora, o CD de estréia retrata toda a sua formação musical. Canções de Tom Jobim, Vinícius de Moraes, Chico Buarque, Djavan, Edu Lobo, Suba, Johnny Burke, Bob Haggart e Sonny Henry ganharam sofisticados arranjos. Seu timbre suave e muito agradável, aliado a sua técnica vocal, demonstram todo o cuidado e refinado trabalho feitos neste CD.

Meu

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Opus 5 - Pentasonic

Styles: Trumpet And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:33
Size: 150,6 MB
Art: Front + Back

(6:30)  1. The Saboteur
(7:48)  2. Videlles Dreams
(8:14)  3. Sign of Life
(8:16)  4. Ducktones
(8:50)  5. Little Dancer
(5:49)  6. Three Days of Maybe
(9:07)  7. Danny
(7:31)  8. Red Clay
(3:25)  9. Charlie's Wig

The powerful all-star quintet Opus 5 returns with Pentasonic, the follow-up to their muscular 2011 debut Introducing Opus 5. It's a can't-miss lineup with tenor saxophonist Seamus Blake and trumpeter Alex Sipiagin in the front line, David Kikoski doubling on piano and Fender Rhodes, Boris Kozlov on bass, and Donald Edwards on drums. Once again Opus 5 puts original music by the band's members in the forefront, but the choice arrangements of Charlie Parker's seldom-heard Charlie's Wig and Freddie Hubbard's classic Red Clay bring unique and unexpected angles to the session. Moody and ethereal, rhythmically skewed, always furiously burning, this is music that lives up to the name of everyone involved. ~ Editorial Reviews  http://www.amazon.com/Pentasonic-Opus-5/dp/B008I66CSC

Personnel: Seamus Blake (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone); Alex Sipiagin (trumpet, flugelhorn); Dave Kikoski (piano, Fender Rhodes piano); David Edwards (drums).

Pentasonic

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Brenda Earle Stokes - Right About Now

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:30
Size: 143,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:46)  1. It's High Time
(4:40)  2. In September
(5:51)  3. Water Into Wine
(4:59)  4. The Letters on the Pages
(3:07)  5. Balao Em Minha Cabeca
(6:29)  6. (Meant) For You
(4:59)  7. Everything I Love
(5:07)  8. Right About Now
(7:16)  9. She Sings
(5:48) 10. The Birthday Song
(4:23) 11. Got the Time
(4:00) 12. Let My Love Open the Door

Is Brenda Earle Stokes primarily a vocalist, a composer, or a pianist? That's an unanswerable question if ever there was one. The marketplace typically forces artists to list their chief credential first, making it easier to categorize and pigeonhole them, but that's a problem for Stokes; she's equally talented in all three areas, as demonstrated throughout Right About Now. This album marks Stokes' return to recording after a five year hiatus. During that time, her life, outlook, and approach to music evolved and settled into a new space. Marriage, the birth of a child, and the passage of time all managed to alter and deepen her perspective, but Stokes' longtime fans need not worry about things being too different. She still has that same attractive sound, with a gentle-yet-weighted voice and playing style, and she still uses the three-pronged approach to song presentation that worked on Songs For A New Day (Allsheneeds, 2009), delivering originals, a classic or two, and contemporary fare; she just does so with greater ease, comfort, and emotional range. The album opens with a bluesy odd-metered original that's firm in conviction ("It's High Time"). That initial sign of strength is then washed away by the wistful "In September," a tale of a romance with a summer-long lifespan. Egberto Gismonti's "Water Into Wine," featuring Stokes-penned lyrics, follows, proving to be the most affecting song on the program. 

A sense of longing, obsession and desire all come through during this mesmerizing and heart-wrenching number. Stokes goes on to visit all sorts of other places across the nine tracks that follow. Her wordless vocals gleefully bound along during the sprightly, Brazilian-based "Baiao Em Minha Cabeca," snazzy swing surfaces in the form of Joe Jackson's "Got The Time," and Stokes looks at the many faces of love on "(Meant) For You," "Everything I Love," and "Let My Love Open The Door." All of those pieces manage to make an impression, but "The Birthday Song," which finds her mulling over life as it exists at the age of thirty-three, is more emotionally potent than the rest. The crew that Stokes works with seems tailor-made for her brand of music. Bassist Matt Aronoff and drummer Jordan Perlson balance firmness and sensitivity in their rhythmic pursuits, guitarist Steve Cardenas is a wonderful colorist, and saxophonist Joel Frahm is a man for all moods. Together, this collection of musicians makes for a great team that helps Stokes document life as she knows it and sees it on Right About Now. ~ Dan Bilawsky  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/right-about-now-brenda-earle-stokes-magenta-label-group-review-by-dan-bilawsky.php#.U7YpD7F8eM0
 

Personnel: Brenda Earle Stokes: piano, vocals, rhodes, triangle; Matt Aronoff: bass; Jordan Perlson: drums; Steve Cardenas: guitar; Joel Frahm: saxophone.

Right About Now

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