Hendrik Meurkens - Hendrik Meurkens & New York Samba Jazz Quintet

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 55:35

Size: 127.3 MB

Styles: Brazilian jazz, World Fusion

Year: 1999

Art: Front

[4:49] 1. Someday My Prince Will Come

[6:28] 2. In A Sentimental Mood

[5:42] 3. Baião De Janeiro

[4:39] 4. 's Wonderful

[6:24] 5. A Ra

[6:31] 6. Rapaz De Bem

[5:23] 7. Ceora

[5:22] 8. Muito A Vontade

[5:07] 9. Luisa

[5:05] 10. Solar

Hendrick Meurkens, the Dutch born harmonica player who's widely considered the heir to the Toots Thielemans legacy, is no slouch on the vibes, either. Here he joins some of the top Brazilian artists on the New York jazz scene to produce a CD of (mostly) joyful music. The sole exception is Jobim's "Luisa," arguably the most poignant and fluid melody he ever wrote, which becomes a tender duet between Meurkens and the fine pianist Helio Alves. Otherwise, the CD offers catchy renditions of familiar Brazilian standards, occasionally adding unexpected elements, like the bassy funk to "A Ra." There are also fresh Brazilian treatments of North American standards: Meurkens's soulful harp is featured on Lee Morgan's "Ceora," and his sultry vibes on Miles Davis's "Solar," where drummer Portinho and bassist Torben Westergaard also shine in the spotlight. The bouncy, winsome treatments of "S'Wonderful" and "Some Day My Prince Will Come" are delightful standouts; curiously, a similar treatment of "Sentimental Mood" seems a little stretched. The spirit of Rio lives in "Rapaz de Bem," which evokes a fast, two-seater drive around its famous curves, with mountains and jungle and beach zipping by. All hands are terrific throughout, their seamless and friendly interplay laced through with the wonderful native rhythms and sensibility of Portinho, master percussionist Cyro Baptista, and the ever-tasteful, first-call guitarist Romero Lubambo. This is real Brazil and real jazz, woven together with exuberance and grace. ~Judith Schlesinger

Hendrik Meurkens & New York Sambajazz All-Stars

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Sylvia Brooks - Dangerous Liaisons

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:56
Size: 95,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:17)  1. Come Rain Or Come Shine
(4:42)  2. One For My Baby
(3:44)  3. Never Dance
(5:56)  4. Harlem Nocturne
(2:55)  5. Sway
(5:13)  6. Cry Me A River
(4:37)  7. Sophisticated Lady
(2:37)  8. When The Sun Comes Out
(3:47)  9. Lush Life
(4:05) 10. The Man That Got Away

Sylvia Brooks has the look of a classic Hollywood femme fatale, suggesting an auburn-haired variation on Veronica Lake with a hint of Rita Hayworth. And Brooks sings precisely the way she looks a dark, smoky sound with impressive firepower that seems tailor-made for the sort of plush, palm-treed nightclubs that dotted L.A. in the 1940s and ’50s. Those intimate boîtes spots like Ciro’s, The Tally-Ho, The Encore and the richly historied Cocoanut Grove are gone now, but Brooks is rapidly emerging as an SRO favorite at the chic venues that have replaced them, including Catalina’s, the Jazz Bakery and Vitello’s Jazz and Supper Club. Now, with the release of Brooks’ debut CD, the aptly titled Dangerous Liaisons, the wider world can share Los Angelinos’ discovery of her alluring sultriness. Brooks can swing hot and hard, as illustrated by a blistering “Never Dance” and an equally scorching “Sway.” She can also swing brightly, taking “Come Rain or Come Shine” at mid-tempo to ably capture the depth of the Arlen/Mercer gem’s ardor, and holding her torch high on a sweltering “When the Sun Comes Out.” 

But Brooks is perhaps best at examining love’s murkier corners. That she was an accomplished actress before she set her focus on singing is evident in her tackling of four of the most challenging numbers in the entire American songbook “Sophisticated Lady,” “Lush Life,” “One for My Baby” and “The Man That Got Away” (the latter mistakenly credited to Harold Arlen and George Gershwin, when it was Ira Gershwin who crafted the lyric, 16 years after his brother’s demise). They are the Mount Rushmore of 3 a.m. tunes, and many a capable vocalist has failed at scaling even one of them. That Brooks ably captures the near-maddening disillusionment and bourbon-fueled bitterness that pervade all four is testament to her estimable storytelling skills. But significant credit is also due Brooks’ arrangers. Top of the list is Tom Gavin, whose masterful touch adorns seven of the album’s ten tracks. Kudos, too, to saxophonist/flautist Kim Richmond who teamed with Gavin to shape “The Man That Got Away” and single-handedly put the dizzying swirl in “Sway,” and to pianist Jeff Colella, who painted the film noir backdrop for Brooks’ exquisite, indigo-hued “Harlem Nocturne” and placed “One for My Baby” in an unexpectedly dreamy setting that is stunningly effective. ~ Christopher Loudon  http://jazztimes.com/articles/26349-sylvia-brooks-dangerous-liaisons

Personnel: Sylvia Brooks (vocals); Kim Richmond, Alex Budman (flute, saxophone); Jamie Havorka (trumpet); Jeff Colella (piano); Giovanna Imbesi (keyboards); Kendall Kay (drums); Brian Kilgore (percussion).

Dangerous Liaisons

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Paul Jost - Breaking Through

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:03
Size: 117,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:00)  1. Singing In the Rain
(2:33)  2. I Got Rhythm
(5:29)  3. Waltz For Debby
(5:15)  4. Days Of Wine And Roses
(4:19)  5. This Nearly Was Mine
(2:40)  6. Sweet Loraine
(3:07)  7. Blues On The Corner
(4:48)  8. Book Faded Brown
(5:41)  9. I Don't Nedd No Doctor
(3:29) 10. Waltz New
(6:03) 11. Gentle Rain
(3:32) 12. All Of You

The contemporary (meaning "current") male jazz vocalist approaches the hypothetical when compared to his female counterpart. Based simply on what crosses this desk weekly one could believe that the only male "jazz" vocalist are board professionals (dentists, lawyers and the like) making vanity recordings. Where are male counterparts for Cassandra Wilson, Tierney Sutton, Gretchen Parlato, Kate McGarry Laurie Antonioli, Jacqui Sutton or Sara Gazarek? Well...they do not exist. Harry Connick, Jr., Peter Cincotti, Tony DeSare don't count because they are Frank Sinatra altar boys (though Connick has that undeniable Southern thing going on). Michael Buble? He is not a jazz singer, though, to be fair, he was heavily influenced by Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire rather than Sinatra, so he has that in his favor. This also brings up the question: were (are) Frank Sinatra, and Tony Bennett for that matter, jazz vocalists? Bennett more than Sinatra, but both are masters of the popular song when than term really meant something and were not "technically" jazz singers. Like anything else, what we consider jazz vocals today is the product of an evolution of some earlier designation. 

Bennett's longevity has allowed him to develop into more of a jazz singer than Sinatra did. Bennett has risen to that point where, like Ray Charles, Willie Nelson or Van Morrison, he can sing whatever he wants, however he wants and it is still perfection. That said, as an imperfect segue, who has Bennett fostered in the influence department?  That brings us to Paul Jost, who in a joyous and rollicking "Singing in the Rain" takes Bennett's ebullient and robust delivery and turns it on its ear. And then he scats... doubletime. Jost invests in the freedom principle just enough to freshen things up, ending the piece with an electric piano solo and chuckled, "Ah, George..." foreshadowing an equally outside-the-box "I've Got Rhythm." Jost's talent, like that of Beat Kaestli's is in the art of arranging his songs. "Days of Wine and Roses" features Jost singing and playing body percussion while Mark Adler's flute flies around like a demented magpie throwing off notes like pixie dust. He, rocks the Ashford/Simpson classic "I Don't Need No Doctor," acoustically allegro con brio. Breaking Through is a solid statement by an equally solid artist deserving more attention. ~ C.Michael Bailey  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/jazz-vocals-june-paul-jost-by-c-michael-bailey.php#.U8F8erFryM0

Breaking Through

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Philip Gordon - Stolen Moments

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:36
Size: 152,6 MB
Art: Front

( 6:50)  1. Stolen Moments
( 7:22)  2. Someone To Watch Over Me
( 6:04)  3. Blue Bossa
( 5:31)  4. Lament
( 4:44)  5. Body And Soul
( 6:10)  6. Ceora
(11:02)  7. My Foolish Heart
( 6:49)  8. Blame It On My Youth
( 4:02)  9. Killer Joe
( 7:59) 10. I Remember William

"One cool cat," Philip Gordon has been playing music since he was 13. A natural on the saxophone, he has released three albums and is currently working on his fourth. He gave me a copy of his newest CD, "Stolen Moments," and two weeks later it is still in my CD player. His music is influenced by Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Ben Webster, Coleman Hawkins, and Stan Getz. Though his full-time profession is architecture, his passion is his music. Over the years, he has performed live in different big bands and has also done freelance studio work. Known as San Francisco's "King of Swing," Philip Gordon and The Out of Nowhere Band have been together for four years performing at clubs, festivals, as well as corporate and private parties all over the Bay Area. The band is available as a quartet or as a quintet with vocals. Before your event, Philip will work with you to customize the list of songs you like. 

During dinner, the band will play your favorite jazz tunes in the background. When it is time for dancing, they will turn up the volume and play swing, big band, motown, and rhythm and blues. Making all the necessary announcements, guests will not miss your first dance, cake cutting, or garter toss. You can hear song samples on his website (www.bluematrix.org) or see them perform live at one of his regular appearances in San Francisco. He is at the Cafe Metropol on the second and fourth Wednesday of every month, Farley's Cafe on the third Wednesday of every month, and every Sunday night at the Marriott Hotel, View Lounge, 34th floor. The publisher of Bay Arts and Music Magazine, John Rocker, wrote: "Gordon turns jazz into poetry and his songs into beautiful music, few will be unmoved by his passion and eloquence." ~ Critic and Music Reviewer, Jon Webster  http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/philipgordon

Stolen Moments

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Oswego Jazz Project - Oswego Jazz Project

Styles: Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:34
Size: 116,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:29)  1. There Will Never Be Another You
(4:31)  2. Recordame
(4:24)  3. Jason's Jig
(9:18)  4. Lullaby For L.A.
(7:23)  5. Caravan
(7:51)  6. Natasha's Song
(3:37)  7. Not Impressed
(4:17)  8. St. Thomas
(4:40)  9. Straight, No Chaser

Aspiring jazz musicians can find it difficult to hone their skills in a real-world setting, since jazz clubs that might sponsor jam sessions have mostly disappeared from America’s downtowns. Our intention in forming the Oswego Jazz Project (OJP) in early fall 2006 was to provide an opportunity for our university students and community members to play jazz with a faculty quartet in a public jam session setting on a weekly basis. The core of the OJP consists of SUNY music professors Rob Auler (piano), Trevor Jorgensen (saxophone) and Eric Schmitz (drums) and senior music major Max McKee (bass). In August, we approached the management at King Arthur’s Steakhouse in downtown Oswego with the idea of holding our jam session there every Wednesday night they said yes. We’ve been playing there ever since. 

In preparation for our weekly gig, we decided to focus on “standards” that is, time-tested classics from the pens of some of America’s greatest songwriters George Gershwin, Jerome Kern, Irving Berlin, Duke Ellington, et al. Aside from the immense musical value of these pieces, they constitute a body of work with which jazz musicians are expected to be intimately familiar. In addition, we wanted to include some more recent compositions by noted jazz players (such as Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, and Sonny Rollins), which have become standards in their own right.

In order for jazz (or any other art form, for that matter) to survive, new contributions must be made. To this end, we’ve included four original pieces on this album. This recording documents some of the standards we have been playing for the past few months, as well as several new additions to our book. It was recorded “live” in the studio, with no overdubs and minimal editing, to achieve a sound as close as we could get to our weekly performances. We hope that you enjoy what you hear and will join us on Wednesday nights! http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/ojp

Personnel:  Rob Auler (piano), Trevor Jorgensen (saxophone), Eric Schmitz (drums), Max McKee (bass)

Oswego Jazz Project

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Pearlnoire - Phoenix Pearl

Size: 103,6 MB
Time: 44:36
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Jazz Vocals, Cool Jazz, Fusion
Art: Front

01. Time To Move On (4:44)
02. Autumn Rushes (4:35)
03. Replaced (3:17)
04. Crazy Tonight (2:52)
05. Start The Day Again (3:42)
06. People Say (4:16)
07. Half Moon, Red Orchid (4:53)
08. Be Happy (4:33)
09. Dream Intention (5:39)
10. Letting It Go (6:02)

Pearlnoire (Black Pearl) is a vocalist whose voice has been likened to velvet tones and Dark Chocolate on a lovers tongue. Blues Bessie mama and Black magic diva are a few terms also used recently in live reviews and also reviews about her debut CD 'Ain't All Blues'

Pearlnoire has always been an entertainer bringing her unique style to various roles including Runway Model, Actress, Compere, Mistress of Ceremonies and many appearances on Television & Radio in the United Kingdom , West Indies and now Australia. Pearlnoires current repertoire runs from jazz, swing, soul, soft rock, socca , funk, reggae, country and she loves new challenges bringing her own marque and influence to a song and loves to sing whatever her audience or client requests.

Wollongong may not have the intense, concentrated and competitive jazz and blues scene of the UK, but for London born singer Pearlnoire it is the perfect home.

Phoenix Pearl

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The Kraig Greff Group - Hammond' Eggs

Size: 99,4 MB
Time: 40:51
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2009
Styles: Jazz: Hammond Organ
Art: Front

01. Song For A Little Person (3:36)
02. Bytely & Ginger (3:24)
03. On Broadway (6:23)
04. Were You There (3:04)
05. My Gostosa (3:53)
06. Peace (7:39)
07. Love Won't Let Me Wait (3:49)
08. My Funny Valentine (9:00)

Take four accomplished career musicians dedicated to creating and performing great music, who love playing together. Add the inspirational Hammond B3. The result is the Kraig Greff Group, performing a dynamic mix of contemporary jazz, blues and R&B influenced by Gospel and Brazilian grooves.

Kraig Greff is an accomplished keyboardist who has toured with the likes of Barry White and Dianna Ross and performed as a guest artist with the Baltimore Symphony. His music is emotional and awe-inspiring, with a twist of wacky humor.

Doug Rich is a grooving, melodic bass player who graduated from Berklee and has performed with the likes of Lionel Hamption, Vanessa Bell Armstrong, and Ray Felder.

Kraig and Doug worked together extensively in Cincinnati in the 80's and couldn't forget the experience.

In 2008, Kraig and Doug decided to record another album together. Doug recruited Stanley Swann, one of Boston' most sought-after drummers who honed his skills touring globally with the Air Force Band. Kraig brought in Kenny Jones, one of his favorite guitar players ever. The Kraig Greff Group was born.

Hammond' Eggs

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Joe Gransden - Songs Of Sinatra & Friends

Size: 103,5 MB
Time: 44:29
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz Vocals, Big Band
Art: Front

01. I've Got You Under My Skin (3:41)
02. The Best Is Yet To Come (3:01)
03. Let's Face The Music And Dance (2:35)
04. I've Got The World On A String (2:08)
05. My One And Only Love (4:46)
06. Fly Me To The Moon (2:22)
07. Luck Be A Lady (4:36)
08. Night And Day (3:57)
09. She Was Too Good To Me (4:43)
10. Call Me Irresponsible (3:03)
11. Corcovado (4:03)
12. Ain't That A Kick In The Head (2:22)
13. Beyond The Sea (3:06)

Joe's new CD "Songs Of Sinatra & Friends" Features the big band as well as a string orchestra! Its a collection of unforgettable classics made famous by folks like Sinatra, Dean Martin, Bobby Darin & more!

At 42 Years old, Joe Gransden has already performed worldwide and released 14 CDs under his own name. Renowned first for the hard bop approach of his trumpet, Gransden’s singing voice has been compared to that of Chet Baker and Frank Sinatra.
"When I first heard Joe nine years ago, I immediately thought of Chet," says Jazziz magazine critic James Rozzi, “but lately his voice has taken on its own style with a deeper resonance. His trumpet has always alternated lyricism with an aggressive, angular approach. He has the ability to cover the gamut of emotions."
Joe is from just north of Manhattan, New York. Coming from a family full of musicians, Joe’s introduction to music came early on through his father, a gifted singer and pianist. His grandfather was a trumpeter of merit, playing professionally his whole life throughout New York. On his mother’s side of the family was the piano virtuoso Carmen Cavallero.
"Music has been a part of my life as far back as I can remember,” says the unassuming Joe Gransden. “I can remember practicing with my father, and eventually him taking me along to sit in at jam sessions. Early on I developed a respect for individuals like my father whose lives revolved around music. While still in high school, I knew that music was the life I would choose.”
Not long after high school, Joe was on the road as a sideman with the big bands of Tommy Dorsey and Glenn Miller. A number of A.F.M. contracted sideman gigs include Barry White, The Moody Blues, Kenny Rogers, The Temptations, Aretha Franklin, The Whispers, etc. Eventually moving to New York City, he performed with numerous groups, including sub work with Toshiko Akiyoshi and Chico O’Farrill at the famous Birdland Jazz Club. Meanwhile, Joe formed his own group, which performed in Brooklyn each week and included the venerable guitarist Joe Cohn and ex-Betty Carter bassist, Matt Hughes. “Having my own group and being fortunate enough to travel, play, and record has been a dream come true,” says Joe.

Songs Of Sinatra & Friends

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Oridano Gypsy Jazz Band - Swing 14

Size: 108,6 MB
Time: 46:47
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Gipsy Jazz
Art: Front

01. Beautiful Love (2:39)
02. Lullaby Of Birdland (5:06)
03. Caravan (4:25)
04. I Wanna Be Like You (2:55)
05. Fly Me To The Moon (3:49)
06. All Of Me (2:37)
07. Bei Mir Bist Du Schon (2:24)
08. I Can't Give You Anything But Love (2:03)
09. Nature Boy (4:28)
10. I Wish You Love (2:45)
11. It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing) (2:08)
12. It's All Right With Me (3:32)
13. Undecided (3:57)
14. Dream A Little Dream Of Me (3:53)

Members: Orjen Ridanovic (lead guitar), Aldo Fosko (clarinet/piano), Tomi Novak (ac.bass/double bass/ac.guitar), Marko First (violin), Juraj Birin (rhythm guitar)

The band was set up in the spring of 2010, after meeting at jazz workshop in Groznjan, Croatia.

Fascination with Django Reinhardt's opus as well as love for jazz manouche brought them together which resulted in forming a quintette.

Ever since, they have been playing Django Reinhardt's music, performing in jazz clubs and festivals in Croatia.

In July 2011, Oridano Gypsy Jazz Band won the first prize of First International Jazz Band contest at Liburnia Jazz Festival in Opatija (CRO).

They performed at the Springtime Jazz Session 2011 in Vatroslav Lisinski Concert Hall in Zagreb where they were presented as new faces of Croatian Jazz.

The band participated in live recording for the 500th episode of the "Time for Jazz" show broadcasted on Croatian National Television in 2011.

Their performance was also noticed at the „PSSST! Silent Film Festival“ 2012/2013 in Zagreb, where they were playing background music for silent movies.

In June 2013 the band released their debut album in association with Hot Club Records (NOR).

Swing 14

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Janice DeRosa - La Vie En DeRosa..

Size: 109,6 MB
Time: 47:17
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz Vocals, Blues, Soul
Art: Front

01. Cry Me A River (4:43)
02. Everything Happens To Me (5:23)
03. Our Love Is Here To Stay (2:55)
04. Loverman (4:44)
05. The Way You Look Tonight (4:58)
06. Que Reste T-Il De Nos Amours (3:52)
07. Can't Buy Me Love (3:37)
08. You Go To My Head (7:02)
09. I'm Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down (3:25)
10. You Don't Know What Love Is (6:37)

This native Harlem girl gone Parisian diva is a woman who has defined her own way in this city and on the international music scene. She moved to Paris in 1990, playing clubs ever since and working her way up to a sort of fame not only in Paris, but Europe as well. She's produced five records, two of those with Warner Bros. Last year her recording of "Groovin" was at the top of French radio charts for weeks. Her latest CD "deRosa" is a blues-flavored concoction that triggers Janis Joplin flashbacks with a graceful pace reminiscent of a Tom Waits album.

La Vie En DeRosa..

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Sue Tucker - Meant for You

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:04
Size: 114,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:02)  1. A Foggy Day
(3:45)  2. You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To
(4:01)  3. Sugar
(4:32)  4. Easy Street
(5:34)  5. I've Got The World On A String
(5:11)  6. The Very Thought Of You
(4:06)  7. Too Close For Comfort
(6:18)  8. Undecided
(5:21)  9. Blame It On My Youth
(3:41) 10. Waltz For Debbie
(2:27) 11. Meant For You

I have to admit that, for very superficial reasons, I did not have high expectations for Sue Tucker's Meant for You. An unknown Minnesota-based singer performing standards on a CD produced, engineered, manufactured and distributed by the singer and her husband. It had the feel of a housewife's vanity project. The CD packaging is not exactly eye-catching, and I recognize that this is ridiculous, but even her name sounded boring. However, I'm pleased to report that there is nothing boring about the music on Meant for You. Sue Tucker is a wonderful singer. Not just better than expected or good for an unknown singer, but straight out wonderful. As with every good jazz singer, Ms. Tucker has the fundamentals down - she sings in tune and she swings hard. Her voice has a light, unforced, attractive tone. Stylistically, she falls into the traditional jazz singing school. The standards are not in 12/8 time and you won't find any rock tunes in her repertoire. There are no radical reinterpretations of standards or bold expansions of the art of jazz singing. She doesn't vocalize instrumental solos or even scat. 

Rather than sounding like Ella or Sarah or Anita, Ms. Tucker's style is more reminiscent of great classic jazz singers like Mildred Bailey and Connee Boswell. She improvises within the words adhering closely to the melody at first and then building on and expanding her variations as the tune progresses. Her relaxed, understated phrasing breathes new life into "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To" and "I've Got the World on a String." Ms. Tucker builds genuine excitement on "Too Close for Comfort" and "Undecided" without resorting to overheated theatrics. Her sensitive, thoughtful interpretations of "The Very Thought of You" and "Blame It On My Youth" demonstrate a deep appreciation for the meaning of lyrics. The album's highpoint comes in a sexy, swinging, unmissable version of "Sugar" (the Stanley Turrentine tune not the Maceo Pinkard tune associated with Lee Wiley). Sue Tucker is a singer who shouldn't have to make her own records. She deserves the support of a good record label and the opportunity to be heard by the national jazz audience. ~ Mathew Bahl  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/meant-for-you-sue-oatts-tucker-review-by-mathew-bahl.php#.U73KUrFrzIs
 

Personnel: Sue Tucker: vocals; Jim Oatts: trumpet/fugelhorn; Doug Haining: alto saxophone, baritone saxophone, clarinet; Kent Saunders: guitar; Rick Carlson: piano; Gordy Johnson: bass; Steve Pikal: bass; Gordy Knudtson: drums; Brett Forberg: drums; Ricky Peterson: piano.

Meant for You

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Marsha Heydt & The Project Of love - Diggin' The Day

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:57
Size: 144,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:26)  1. Twistin' Baby
(5:09)  2. Diggin' The Day
(4:07)  3. Fredi's Cha Cha
(5:48)  4. Blue Asharam
(4:40)  5. Spirit
(4:13)  6. Bliss
(4:46)  7. Shine
(4:25)  8. Baby Blue
(4:58)  9. Fields Of Love
(4:35) 10. Gold
(3:46) 11. Tootin'
(5:03) 12. Groovin'
(3:43) 13. The Bull
(4:13) 14. Shram Splat

On this new recording, Marsha Heydt explores all possibilities, full of fantasy, inventiveness, passion and love. Her connected musical expressions can’t miss here, and her sound empathy avoids any classifications. The music is created, listened to and speaks in real time and nothing is taken for granted no already heard. From my vantage point as a saxophonist and educator, I am fortunate to see many up and coming talents as soon as they start to get noticed. But in this gifted player’s life, (I’ve known Marsha since she emerged on the scene back in the Pennsylvania daze) she always had a very important agenda as a player. It is a very rare occasion when a truly dedicated player and writer emerges from the crowd where you can hear the commitment and serious agenda from note one. Music these days needs much more of this, and here is the woman to do it. 

Do it she does- just listen! The very first time I met Marsha, I know she was her own person. She made an appointment to see me and presented a demo recording of her arrangement of the standard tune “Laura” with strings. One listen sold me. To this day, I couldn’t imagine where she had gotten all these ideas. I never for that. I don’t think I have ever met a person who has more exuberance and joy in their music and personality. Her music is always so new and fresh. I am really pleased that Marsha has recorded a CD with a powerful concept that will appeal to all. She has produced a fascinating fusion of traditions that not only are great listening but have a personal approach that is very special. Every piece is captivating; and when I listen to the whole recording I quickly get lost in the music and it’s like time stops. Marsha is truly a gift to this art form, and a player I feel very fortunate to have gotten to know.  http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/marshaheydtandtheproject.

Musicians:Alto Saxophone: Marsha Heydt (1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9,10, 12, 14)Soprano Saxophone: Marsha Heydt (4, 13)Flute: Marsha Heydt (2, 8, 11)Piano/ Keyboard: Norman PorsTrumpet / Flugelhorn: James Zollar (1, 3, 5, 8, 10, 12, 14)Guitar: Sheryl Bailey (1, 4, 7, 12)Upright and Electric Bass: Carlo De RosaPercussion: Daniel SadownickDrums: Rossen NedelchevVocal: Carla Cook (6)Violin: Sam Bardfeld (2, 6, 9, 11)Viola: Judith Insell (2, 6, 9)Cello: Tomas Ulrich (2, 6, 9)

Diggin' The Day

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Harry Allen & Scott Hamilton - 'Round Midnight

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:13
Size: 178,7 MB
Art: Front

( 6:03)  1. My Melancholy Baby
( 8:01)  2. Great Scott
(11:29)  3. How Am I To Know
( 6:26)  4. The Opener
(11:50)  5. Baubles, Bangles and Beads
(10:23)  6. Hey Lock!
( 8:10)  7. Lover
( 6:06)  8. Flight Of The Foo Birds
( 6:40)  9. 'Round Midnight

Johannes Brahms was called "the keeper of the flame" for Beethoven. Tenor saxophonist Harry Allen and Scott Hamilton are the same keepers for a tenor tradition that existed from the swing era through hard bop. The pair champions a sound and method established by Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster and Lester Young: a broad, dense tone, both confident and hesitant. Allen and Hamilton highlight a stylistic history that ended in 1956 when Sonny Rollins and John Coltrane recorded "Tenor Madness." This music is romantic, balladic and, when played up-tempo, swinging.  'Round Midnight is a predictable recording, which is exactly perfect because one knows just what to expect from these two and their many recordings for Nagel-Heyer, Arbors Records, Concord and various other labels. It is a collection of nine standards, all having great empathy for one another and a brilliant rhythm section smoothing them out before these two saxophonists. Pianist Rossano Sportiello must be singled out for attention for his certain and sure guidance of the music. Bassist Joel Forbes and drummer Chuck Riggs are solid throughout. 

Each was afforded solo space that was well used. No matter the age of the composition, whether 1912's "My Melancholy Baby" or 1958's "Great Scott," Allen and Hamilton swing them with a personal touch and professional ability. The sympatico shared between the two saxophonists is impressive. At once, they are very similar players with very different sounds even within the constraints of the material. Allen's tone is full-bodied and sure, while Hamilton's is a bit breathier, somewhere between Zoot Sims and Dexter Gordon. 'Round Midnight is not another Tenor Madness (Prestige, 1956). It is Tenor Elegance. ~ C.Michael Bailey  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/round-midnight-harry-allen-challenge-records-review-by-c-michael-bailey.php#.U77ydrFryM0
 

Personnel: Harry Allen: tenor saxophone; Scott Hamilton: tenor saxophone; Rossano Sportiello: piano; Joel Forbes: bass; Chuck Riggs: drums.

'Round Midnight

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Charlie Haden Quartet West - The Art Of The Song

Styles:  Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:26
Size: 161,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:30)  1. Lonely Town
(7:23)  2. Why Did I Choose You
(5:36)  3. Moment Musicale Opus 16 No. 3 In B Minor
(5:04)  4. In Love In Vain
(4:14)  5. Ruth's Waltz
(6:23)  6. Scenes From A Silver Screen [Instrumental]
(6:15)  7. I'm Gonna Laugh You Right Out Of My Life
(4:23)  8. You My Love
(5:13)  9. Prelude En La Mineur
(6:55) 10. The Folks Who Live On The Hill
(4:54) 11. Easy On The Heart
(4:06) 12. Theme For Charlie
(4:23) 13. Wayfaring Stranger

Increasingly mired in nostalgia, Charlie Haden's Quartet West plunges further into the dream world of old movies and postwar domesticity in this down-tempo album of ballads, this time with the vocal help of Shirley Horn and Bill Henderson on four numbers apiece. But if you must find a focal point, this album is mainly a showcase for the string chamber orchestra arrangements of Haden's pianist Alan Broadbent, who has turned in far more imaginative charts for this group than the velvety muzak heard here. Even classical piano pieces are fair game as Broadbent produces mournful orchestrations of Rachmaninoff's Moment Musical Op. 16, No. 3 in B Minor and Ravel's Prelude in A Minor. In a rare latter-day visit to the recording studio, Henderson is frequently off-key and shaky, though his distinctive blues timbre is intact. 

But the subtle, conversational Horn is right at home in this late-night lounge idiom, particularly when she revives an obscure Nat Cole single, Cy Coleman's "I'm Gonna Laugh You Right Out Of My Life." Tenor saxophonist Ernie Watts sounds fairly listless and bland in tone most of the time, Larance Marable is limited mostly to brushes, and Haden confines his robust tone mostly to simple basic accompaniment. And if you want real nostalgia, Haden reaches all the way back to his Midwestern childhood by singing the folk song "Wayfarin' Stranger" in a lost-sounding, threadbare voice. Frankly, this sounds like the work of a weary musician. ~ Richard S. Ginell  http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-art-of-the-song-mw0000668250

Personnel: Charlie Haden (vocals, bass); Shirley Horn, Bill Henderson (vocals); Don Palmer, Marcy Vaj, Russ Cantor, Robert Sanov, Ezra Kliger, Robert Brosseau, Tibor Zelig, Murray Adler, Kathleen Robinson, Gina Kronstadt, Rachel Sokolow, Francine Walsh, Israel Baker, Robert Peterson, Paul Shure, Bobby Bruce, Charlie Bisharat (violin); Mimi Granat, Paolo Gozzetti, Carol Mukagawa, Suzanna Giordono, Steve Gordon, Harry Shirinian (viola); Jerry Kessler, Ray Kelley, Earl Madison, Suzie Katayama, Larry Corbett (cello); Ernie Watts (tenor saxophone); Alan Broadbent (piano); Larance Marable (drums).
 

R.I.P.
(August 6, 1937 – July 11, 2014)

The Art Of The Song

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Wycliffe Gordon - The Intimate Ellington: Ballads & Blues

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 71:57

Size: 164.7 MB

Styles: Trombone jazz

Year: 2013

Art: Front

[6:35] 1. Pie Eye's Blues

[6:06] 2. Jeep's Blues

[6:59] 3. I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good

[7:59] 4. Creole Love Call

[7:28] 5. Stevie

[6:56] 6. The Intimacy Of The Blues

[5:13] 7. Lotus Blossom

[7:59] 8. Something Sexual

[8:20] 9. Sophisticated Lady

[8:16] 10. Caravan

On his eighth Criss Cross leader date, Wycliffe Gordon distills his exhaustive knowledge of the oeuvre of Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn on a well crafted, ten-piece program spanning a timeline from 1927 (Creole Love Call) to 1967 (The Intimacy Of The Blues). Throughout the proceedings, which explore a broad array of flavors, Gordon – spurred by a killer rhythm section of pianist Aaron Diehl, bassist Yasushi Nakamura, and drummer Alvin Atkinson – plays with characteristic effervescence and tonal creativity, matched by Adrian Cunningham on saxophones and woodwinds and, on several selections, the soulful violin virtuoso Zach Brock and vocalist Dee Daniels.”

The Intimate Ellington: Ballads & Blues

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Sambosseros - Gabiroba

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 50:09
Size: 114.8 MB
Styles: Latin jazz
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[3:02] 1. A Rã
[2:51] 2. Lobo Bobo
[2:16] 3. Só Danço Samba
[3:40] 4. Gabiroba
[3:07] 5. A Rita
[3:20] 6. Fotografia
[4:37] 7. Sambossero
[4:52] 8. Brigas Nunca Mais Discussão
[3:58] 9. Bonita
[2:58] 10. Forrosnazzy
[5:04] 11. Meditação
[3:31] 12. A Violeira
[3:30] 13. Doralice
[3:16] 14. Coração Vagabundo

The Argentine-born guitarist/composer/painter/engineer grew up with in the era of progressive rock, but was strongly influenced by Brazilian music as a teenager. After moving to the Los Angeles area, he studied harmony. He later moved to the Bay Area and focused on electronic music composition, but returned to his beloved guitar in 2001, when he became a founding member of Sambosseros. Pablo has since been continuing his research into Brazilian music and playing with the group for Bay Area audiences.

Bill Cawthorne came from Southern California. His parents, both musicians, immersed him in jazz, classical & even Brazilian music pretty early. Piano lessons began at 6. At 13 he discovered the trumpet, which took him from there through college, playing in every music performance class available. He studied music theory, synthesis and composition, while gigging regularly with various local “soul”, R&B, and rock groups.

Jesse Van Hiller, drums: A relative newcomer to the Brazilian scene, Jesse draws from a wide variety of styles in his performance. From jazz to country, pop and rock, funk and groove, his work with the Sambosseros blends jazz sensibilities with backbeat roots and in-the-pocket grooves. He relies on listening to the performance, responding to collaborators as they emote, anticipating changes as they arrive and allowing the music to create itself. “I try to let the music speak through me. I am a conduit.” Jesse lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Carl Herder is a musical chameleon who inhabits a broad swath of the musical style spectrum. He first joined the Bay Area Brazilian music scene in the late 1970s with Aguamarinha. But his love of the music was really cemented through his participation in the first San Franciso Carnaval celebrations as part of Culebra. In addition to samba, jazz, funk and rock bands, Carl has performed the full range of Caribbean music, including salsa, soka and reggae. Before joining Sambosseros, Carl performed brazillian music with Anna Estrada and Almas Feras.

Additional musicians: Bebel Delgado on voice, Kirk Abe on drums, and Jim Shearer on bass.

Gabiroba

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Chet Baker & Art Pepper - Complete Playboy Sessions

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 67:01

Size: 153.4 MB

Styles: West Coast jazz

Year: 2007/2011

Art: Front

[6:16] 1. Tynan Time

[4:14] 2. Little Girl

[7:12] 3. Minor Yours

[3:55] 4. Sonny Boy

[5:05] 5. The Route

[3:59] 6. For Minors Only

[6:42] 7. Minor Yours

[5:41] 8. Resonant Emotions

[5:32] 9. Tynan Time

[6:42] 10. Picture Of Heath

[6:26] 11. For Miles And Miles

[5:11] 12. C.T. A

This 2007 disc gathers all known sides cut during a July 26, 1956 confab led by West Coast cool purveyors Chet Baker (trumpet) and Art Pepper (alto sax). Keen-eyed enthusiasts will note that this particular date occurred during a remarkable week -- July 23 through July 31 -- of sessions held at the behest of Pacific Jazz label owner and producer Dick Bock at the Forum Theater in Los Angeles. Recordings made during this week not only inform The Route, but three other long-players as well: Let's Get Lost, Chet Baker & Crew, and At the Forum Theater. These were likewise the first sides cut by Baker since returning from his triumphant and extended stay in Europe. The Route compiles all 11 tracks by the sextet featuring Richie Kamuca (tenor sax), Pete Jolly (piano), Leroy Vinnegar (bass), and Stan Levey (drums) in support of Baker and Pepper. Bock had no immediate plans to use these recordings for any one album, that is to say he incorporated the titles throughout various compiles released on Pacific Jazz. Three months later, however, Baker and Pepper did record with a completely different personnel for the expressed purpose of creating what would become known as Playboys and alternately Picture of Heath. Perhaps encouraged by the swinging interaction on Pepper's "Tynan Time" and "Minor Yours," both cuts were featured at this get-together as well as during the Picture of Heath collaboration. There are a few unexpected moments of sheer brilliance spread throughout, such as the Baker penned title composition, which contains supple and nicely contrasting solos from Kamuca and Vinnegar -- whose solid pendulum accurately swings all through this collection. Complete Playboys Sessions 1956 is recommended for completists as well as curious consumers wishing to expand their knowledge of the light and airy rhythms that typify the cool West Coast jazz scene of the mid-'50s. ~Liondsay Planer

Complete Playboy Sessions

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Lars Erstrand & Rebecca Kilgore - Lars Erstrand Meets Rebecca Kilgore

Styles: Vocal And Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:39
Size: 167,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:28)  1. I Want To Be Happy
(5:02)  2. I'm Confessin'
(5:09)  3. The Lady's In Love With You
(4:37)  4. Boogie Blues / Drum Boogie
(4:56)  5. Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams
(5:31)  6. Sometimes I'm Happy
(4:37)  7. Cherokee
(2:28)  8. All Too Soon
(2:18)  9. Satin Doll
(2:40) 10. In A Mellow Tone
(6:14) 11. 'Deed I Do
(4:21) 12. Laverne Walk
(4:33) 13. Perdido
(5:54) 14. Them There Eyes
(3:44) 15. Blue Moon

Rebecca Kilgore, born in 1949, since 1979 American singer and guitarist, cultivate the great American songs from the 30 - 40 (The Great American Songbook) about thirty solo recordings, withThe Rebecca Kilgore Quartet or other renowned artists are cited ( the most notable accompanied by the piano of Dave Frishberg).

Lars Erstrand (born September 27, 1936, died March 11, 2009) Swedish vibraphonist School Benny Goodman, with whom he played in Paris in 1972. During the 60's duet form with clarinetist Ove Lind, who establish collaboration for nearly forty years. In 1991 recorded Two Generations Together with Lionel Hampton, who is considered a follower in style.

Lars Erstrand Meets Rebecca Kilgore

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Byron Stripling - Byron, Get One Free...

Styles: Vocal And Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:41
Size: 137,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:02)  1. Indiana
(7:14)  2. Con Alma
(2:39)  3. Gee Baby, Ain't I Good To You
(6:34)  4. Frank's Magic
(5:41)  5. Lover Man
(5:41)  6. Sometimes I'm Happy
(7:02)  7. I Can't Give You Anything But Love
(9:31)  8. Byron, Get One Free...
(4:47)  9. I'm Old Fashioned
(6:26) 10. Woody 'N' You

Byron Stripling is a confident trumpeter who is unafraid of being compared to earlier greats on his instrument; he delves into time-tested standards of the swing era as well as the music of Dizzy Gillespie, yet produces a fresh approach in every case. With pianist Bill Charlap, drummer Dennis Mackrel, either Peter Washington or Ira Coleman on bass, trombonist Wycliffe Gordon, and tenor saxophonist Frank Wess joining him, Stripling's lively playing is a delight throughout the sessions. His spirited interplay with Gordon on the strutting opener, "(Back Home Again In) Indiana," and a bluesy exchange of solos with Wess in "Lover Man" are both gems. Fellow trumpeter Michael P. Mossman arranged both Gillespie's "Con Alma" and "Woody 'n You," and Stripling makes the most of his good friend's imaginative charts. The trumpeter also contributes two potent originals, the Basie-like swinger "Frank's Magic" (with a wide-ranging solo by Wess) and the low-key "Byron, Get One Free," which focuses on his tasty muted horn. Highly recommended.    ~ Ken Dryden  http://www.allmusic.com/album/byron-get-one-free-mw0000015845.

Personnel: Byron Stripling (vocals, trumpet); Frank Wess (tenor saxophone); Wycliffe Gordon (trombone); Bill Charlap (piano); Dennis Mackrel (drums).

Byron, Get One Free...

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Cosa Nostra Jazz Band - Cosa Nostra Jazz Band

Styles: Big Band
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:38
Size: 134,7 MB
Art: Front

(6:56)  1. I've Found A New Baby
(6:12)  2. On The Sunny Side Of The Street
(5:45)  3. That's A Plenty
(5:01)  4. Rose De Picardie
(4:55)  5. It Don't Mean A Thing
(4:20)  6. Big City Blues
(5:38)  7. All Of Me
(4:25)  8. Tiger Rag
(5:05)  9. Si Tu Vois Ma Mère
(4:43) 10. Royal Garden Blues
(5:33) 11. The Sheik Of Araby

Cosa Nostra is one of Japan's '70s retro bands with a modern taste for samples and loops, while keeping their sound as organic as possible. With ties to United Future Organization, Pizzicato Five, and Spank Happy, the band, led by Momoko Suzuki and Reiko Oda, follow in the good-vibes feel of early Sly and the Family Stone, Stevie Wonder, and various Philly soul acts, while borrowing from modern house music, trip-hop, and turntablism. Their earlier work was mostly in English, which left them with few fans initially, some seeing the band as trying to pander to the West (more likely they were trying to be as authentic as possible in their experiment). Their main founder, Tetsutaro Sakurai, came from the Tokyo music scene, first coming to fame with the Girl! Girl! Girl! radio show on FM Yokohama, where he shared songwriting duties with Pizzicato Five's Yasuharu Konishi and guitarist Haruo Kubota. Like Konishi, he brought an encyclopedic knowledge of Western pop to his group, and throughout the '90s produced many other acts. 

They debuted in 1991 with Cosa Nostra. Though self-titled, it was actually a shared album with United Future Organization and various groups, the former of which went on to considerable success. The remaining groups, if one examines the credits, contain the members of Cosa Nostra in various guises. A follow-up album, Cosa Nostra II, continued the theme. The band was finding their footing, trying out various genres and styles. With Medicated Soul, their first album in 1993, Cosa Nostra first introduced Momoko Suzuki and Reiko Oda as their main vocalists, but the true coalescence of the group came with a label switch the next year from Sony to Bellissima! Toy's Factory records, and their second album, 1994's Mind Songs. Cosa Nostra's sound reached an apex in 1995, with World Peace, featuring: funk, soul, hip-hop, a mix of vintage instruments, and new sounds. 

By 1997's Trip Magic, the group was moving toward a hard rock sound, as well as singing in Japanese. 1998's Our Thing turned out to be a turning point for the group. After its release, founding member Jun Sasaki left the band, and Cosa Nostra left Bellissima! Records. The obligatory compilation album was released soon after. Fears that Cosa Nostra were finished as well were unfounded the group resurfaced on 1999's Yippee! on Sony once again, with a companion remix album surfacing a year later.  Bio ~ Ted Mills  http://www.allmusic.com/artist/cosa-nostra-mn0000780601/biography

Cosa Nostra Jazz Band

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