Carl Fontana - The Great Fontana

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 1985
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 58:42
Size: 108,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:27)  1. Shoutin' On A Riff
(6:23)  2. It Might As Well Be Spring
(5:47)  3. Soon
(6:17)  4. I Thought About You
(5:09)  5. Showcase
(7:14)  6. Polka Dots And Moonbeams
(4:18)  7. Always
(6:02)  8. Expubident
(7:26)  9. What's New?
(5:35) 10. America The Beautiful

Considering his ability and strong reputation, it is very surprising that this was trombonist Carl Fontana's first recording date as a leader. Fifty-seven at the time, Fontana's fluent horn matches well with tenor saxophonist Al Cohn, pianist Richard Wyands, bassist Ray Drummond, and drummer Akira Tana. The CD reissue of the Uptown release expands the original six-song program to ten. An excellent effort from an underrated but talented bop-based trombonist. ~ Scott Yanow  

http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-great-fontana-mw0000204790              

Personnel: Al Cohn - tenor sax, Richard Wyands - piano, Ray Drummond - bass & Akira Tana - drums.         

The Great Fontana

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Joe Gilman Trio - Treasure Chest

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 60:21
Size: 138.1 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 1992
Art: Front

[4:18] 1. Treasure Chest
[6:41] 2. The Enchantress
[9:06] 3. It's All Right With Me
[6:14] 4. New Aftershave
[7:02] 5. A Second Wish
[5:06] 6. Chains
[5:35] 7. Non Compos Mentis
[5:11] 8. Nefertiti
[3:42] 9. Juris Prudence
[7:20] 10. It's Alright With Me

Dr. Joe Gilman is Artist in Residence at the Brubeck Institute, a full-time professor of music at American River College in Sacramento, and an adjunct professor of jazz studies at CSU Sacramento. Joe was the music director of Capital Jazz Project from 1997 to 2011. He has received bachelor's degrees in classical piano and jazz studies at Indiana University, a master's degree in jazz and the contemporary media from the Eastman School of Music, and a doctoral degree in education from the University of Sarasota.

Joe has been the primary pianist with jazz vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson since September 2006, and has also performed professionally with Eddie Harris, Woody Shaw, Marlena Shaw, Richie Cole, Joe Locke, George Duke, Chris Botti, Eric Alexander, Anthony Wilson, Nicholas Payton, Russell Malone, Charles McPherson, Wycliffe Gordon, David "Fathead" Newman, and Slide Hampton, and has recorded with Joe Henderson, Bobby Hutcherson, Frank Morgan, Jeff Watts, Robert Hurst, Tootie Heath, and Larry Grenadier.

Dr. Gilman has twice been an International Jazz Ambassador through the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and USIA, traveling to West Africa in 1999 and East and Southern Africa in 2000. He won the 1998 Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission Emerging Artist Award and the 2000 Sacramento News and Review SAMMIES Critical Achievement award for contribution to the arts community. Joe was the 2001 American River College Student Association Instructor of the Year and was named the first Brubeck Scholar at the 2005 Brubeck Festival. In 2004, Joe won the Great American Jazz Piano Competition in Jacksonville, Florida. Dr. Gilman's work with students at the Brubeck Institute has produced several CDs - Brubeck Revisited Vols. 1 and 2 (Sunnyside), Wonder Revisited Vols. 1 and 2, Americanvas, and Relativity (Capri) - all recorded with Brubeck Institute fellows. His work with the students at the Brubeck Institute and American River College has resulted in eighteen DownBeat magazine student awards.

JOE GILMAN, piano; BOB HURST, bass; JOE HENDERSON, tenor saxophone on 3, 5, 7,10; TOM PERON, trumpet on 7; JEFF 'TAIN' WATTS, drums

Treasure Chest

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Chris Connor - Now

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 32:03
Size: 73.4 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz, Easy Listening
Year: 1967/2013
Art: Front

[3:03] 1. Goin' Out Of My Head
[2:33] 2. Never On Sunday
[2:46] 3. Autumn
[2:58] 4. Stranger In The Night
[2:15] 5. The Boy From Madrid
[2:41] 6. Love Life
[2:04] 7. You're Gonna Hear From Me
[2:39] 8. The Shining Sea
[3:09] 9. Carnival
[2:14] 10. I'm Telling You Now
[2:46] 11. Nowhere Man
[2:49] 12. Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf

This 12 track slightly bossa nova pop Japanese import was released in 1967 under Paramount. The album captures Chris interpreting pop tunes in such a unique way making the song entirely new. Such is the case for the strong tempo changing opening number "Goin Out Of My Mind". You think you have heard it before, but nothing like this, which is why it is among one of my favorites, as well as the subtle, cool captivating "Carnival". "The Boys From Madrid" has a nice laid back "mariachi" sound, followed by the bossa nova infused "Love Life". Chris' rendition of "Never On a Sunday" is light, heady and fun, while "Autum" sets the mood for a cool, crisp, autumn day and is the song that concludes side one of the original album.

Chris gives "You're Gonna Hear From me" meaning, purpose and most of all passion. The song has a nice Broadway show tune feel and makes you wonder what could have happened had Chris had a chance to record a show tune album with her signature. "The Shining Sea" from the movie The Russians are Coming is another example of her ability to record for different genres. Chris puts her own magic touch on the 1963 hit pop song "I'm Telling You Now" originally by Freddy and the Dreamers, as she does with the Beatles 1965 hit "Nowhere Man". Her Latin flavored "Strangers In the Night" is nothing like Sinatra's but works. The album closes with the melodic and whimsical "Who's Afraid" from the motion picture Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

This cd finds Chris at her finest vocally and she sounds like a well-tuned instrument. The liner notes are very sparse and written in Japanese,although there is an English translation. "Now" is definitely a must have for any Chris Connor fan and of course those who just like good, nice easy listening music; perfect music for a quiet intimate evening at home. ~Garby Gable/amazon

Now   

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Walter Lang Trio - Softly As In A Morning Sunrise

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 53:18

Size: 122.0 MB

Styles: Piano jazz

Year: 2005

Art: Front

[3:52] 1. Monsieur Hulot

[5:18] 2. D'afrique

[4:37] 3. Autumn Leaves

[3:45] 4. October Breeze

[4:41] 5. Alone Together

[5:40] 6. Softly As In A Morning Sunrise

[8:27] 7. Spring Is Here

[4:31] 8. Casino Estoril

[4:23] 9. Call On Bill

[4:03] 10. Pensao Central

[3:55] 11. Monsieur Hulot (Bonus Track)

You'll oftern hear it said of a jazz record that it pays to give the music your full attention. That's usually good advice; much of the jazz offered up doesn't fall into the "hit you over the head" category. Subtleties and nuance often prevail, which is especially true of piano trio sets. But I've found another tack to take on the initial encounter: I put a disc on as background music and go about my life. The winning sounds refuse to fade into the background; they insist on your attention. They reach out and grab you and say, "Listen to me."

The Walter Lang Trio's Softly As In A Morning Sunrise passes that test. It takes you by the shoulders and spins you around so that you face the speakers and gives you a little shake, the way the best contemporary piano trios—led by the Jarretts and the Mehldaus—do.

The set opens with a quirky, sharp-edged melody, piano alone, joined soon by bass/drums, on the Lang-penned piece "Monsieur Hulot." It's apparent right away that the group cohesion is first-rate, a push/pull, give and take conversation where the players are listening, responding, and complementing each others' remarks.

Seven of the eleven tunes are Lang originals, songs that sound as though they could be classics, especially the aforementioned opener, as well as "Casino Estoril," which churns along of a buoyant momentum; the spicy "Pensao Central"; and the beautifully pensive "Call on Bill." The set is well-paced, with the trio swinging back and forth between extroversion and introversion, working with a fine choice of standard fare that they put their own stamp on with reverence: "Autumn Leaves," "Alone Together," "Spring is Here," and the title tune.

A fine disc that should earn the Munich-based trio some attention on this side of the Atlantic. ~Dan McClenaghan

Walter Lang: piano; Nicolas Thys: bass; Rick Hollander: drums.

Softly As In A Morning Sunrise

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Eileen Mager - Jazzin Around'

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:29
Size: 175,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:42)  1. Sweet Georgia Brown
(3:39)  2. Who Needs Spring?
(1:42)  3. Take Five
(5:47)  4. Autumn In New York
(2:26)  5. Them There Eyes
(3:11)  6. Night In Tunisia
(5:52)  7. Body And Soul
(2:50)  8. Nice Work If You Can Get It
(6:01)  9. Stardust
(3:01) 10. Harlem Hights
(3:03) 11. Best Thing For You
(4:06) 12. You Go To My Head
(3:50) 13. Staighten Up And Fly Right
(5:26) 14. 'Round Midnight
(3:02) 15. Peel Me A Grape
(6:28) 16. Spring Cane Really Hang You Up The Most
(3:23) 17. It's All Right With Me
(4:25) 18. My Funny Valentine
(4:26) 19. How High The Moon

Most of the songs in this new Turn On Records release, "Jazzin' Around," will be familiar to most listeners. "Stardust" and "My Funny Valentine" for example, have probably been heard and loved bhy well over half the planet. Others, like the seductive but funny "Peel Me A Grape" and the playful "The Best Thing For You" are treasures we rarely hear. Two of the songs, "Take Five" and "A Night in Tunisia," are almost always done in the instrumental versions. Most people don't even realize there actually are lyrics for them. "Who Needs Spring" although used in a movie, is largely unknown in the U.S. It was written bhy Ruth Allen and Alan Berry. Alan is a fine British musician with his own jazz band. His sister Ruth is a personal friend of mine whom I met when she was playing a piano bar gig in London, singing lots of great songs - some standards and some her own - and singing them all beautifully. She writes lyrics, and for many songs, the music as well, and they're all very good. "Who Needs Spring" is a special favorite of mine. 

 "Harlem Nights" is a brand new song, written by a new personal friend, Bud Mayer, with words by Steve Princiotta. I met Bud at a party about a week before we recorded this CD, and we got into a mini jam session. At one point, he played the song, showed me the words, and I thought, I've got to include it. So there was a mad scramble, and we got it in. I hope you have as much pleasure out of these great songs as we did in performing them. ~ Eileen Mager  http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/emager6
 

Personnel: Eileen Mager (vocals);  Brad Bauder (flute, clarinet, tenor saxophone); Estelle Brown, Ellen Brown (piano); Bob Graham (double bass); Jimmy Golini (drums); Glenn Brown (trumpet, piano).

Jazzin Around'

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Steve Kuhn - Temptation

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:57
Size: 121,2 MB
Art: Front

(7:13)  1. Temptation
(6:07)  2. Dark Eyes
(6:25)  3. You Better Go Now
(7:47)  4. The Summer Knows
(6:46)  5. Love Is Here To Stay
(3:47)  6. Django
(9:18)  7. A Likely Story
(5:30)  8. I Can't Get Started

Steve Kuhn mixes standards and forgotten gems in these 2001 studio sessions with bassist Buster Williams and drummer Billy Drummond. Beginning with a tantalizing take of "Temptation" that has a slight Latin undercurrent, Kuhn finds new directions in these timeless pieces. "Dark Eyes" is another gem that has long fallen out of favor, though Kuhn's intricate workout demonstrates that there is plenty of life left in this decades-old warhorse. His treatment of Michel Legrand's "The Summer Knows" (written as theme music for the early-'70s film Summer of '42) is a bit jagged rather than the usual setting as a straight, slow, bittersweet ballad. John Lewis' "Django" has long been a favorite of jazz musicians, and the trio's elegant setting opens with an imaginative improvisation, slowly working into its well-known theme. Kuhn's sole original, "A Likely Story," is a driving post-bop vehicle that never runs out of steam. It's hard to go wrong by purchasing any Steve Kuhn CD, and this is among his best dates.~ Ken Dryden  http://www.allmusic.com/album/temptation-mw0000530382

Personnel: Double Bass – Buster Williams; Drums – Billy Drummond; Piano – Steve Kuhn

Temptation

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Dan Adler - All Things Familiar

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:44
Size: 167,0 MB
Art: Front

(8:05)  1. If I Were A Jazz Man
(7:14)  2. Star Eyes
(5:24)  3. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
(5:51)  4. Talia's Waltz
(7:32)  5. All Things Familiar
(6:39)  6. Sivan's Samba
(7:58)  7. Emily
(8:59)  8. Blues For Keren
(8:02)  9. I Love You
(6:55) 10. Bird's Idea

All Things Familiar is a hard-swinging modern bop album led by guitarist Dan Adler. Adler has surrounded himself with a strong ensemble cast for the record, including pianist Richard Samuels, bassist Dmitri Kolesnik, drummer Philip Steward and saxophonist Grant Stewart. The album rests firmly in the jazz tradition without sounding like a carbon copy of an historical recording. The group comes together to lay down tracks that are full of bop vocabulary, deep-pocket swing and highly-creative improvisations. The tunes on the album are a mix of originals written by Adler and arrangements of classic jazz standards. Each arrangement is fresh and not simply a retelling of these often-recorded tunes. A great example of this is Adler's arrangement of "Star Eyes." While all the elements of the original tune are present in Adler's version, he adds a series of dissonant piano voicings under the intro and A sections of the melody that immediately maks the tune his own. Before going too far with the dissonance, Adler brings the tune back into a swing feel with more standard voicings for the bridge, essentially cleansing the sonic palette before returning to the dissonant harmony for the final A section. 

It is moments like these that prevent the album from becoming a blowing session, as each of the standard tunes is approached from a new and unique angle. Adler's playing is consistently solid on every tune. Firmly steeped in the bebop tradition, rarely does a line go by that doesn't exude a deep understanding of the genre's vocabulary. Not that Adler is simply "running lines" in his solos, his playing goes much further than that. While many players will run long lines and phrases taken directly from classic bebop solos, Adler's playing has evolved to the point where he is creating his own new and unique melodic ideas that use elements of bebop vocabulary, but are far from the realm of pure imitation. His solo on "Blues for Keren" is a great example of how Adler takes traditional vocabulary and makes it his own. The solo is full of short bebop motifs that Adler then warps and spins into new phrases that lift his playing to a level where it stands alongside some of the best modern bebop recordings of recent years. All Things Familiar is filled with hard-swinging grooves, twisting and turning bebop based runs and smart and creative melodic interpretations. The rhythm section is tight and they constantly react to cues from the soloists, while throwing some back as well. All of which combine to lay down an album that is as easy to get into musically as it is intellectually engaging. ~ Matthews Warnock 

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/all-things-familiar-dan-adler-self-produced-review-by-matthew-warnock.php#.U9BCwrFryM0
 

Personnel: Dan Adler: guitar; Richard Samuels: piano; Dmitri Kolesnik: bass; Philip Stewart: drums; Grant Stewart: tenor sax.

All Things Familiar

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Jelly Roll Morton - Jazz King Of New Orleans

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 48:54
Size: 112.0 MB
Styles: New Orleans jazz, Piano jazz
Year: 2002/2006
Art: Front

[3:11] 1. Black Bottom Stomp
[3:02] 2. Steamboat Stomp
[3:29] 3. Cannon Ball Blues
[3:24] 4. Doctor Jazz
[3:28] 5. Jungle Blues
[2:58] 6. Original Jelly Roll Blues
[3:30] 7. Someday Sweetheart
[3:24] 8. The Pearls
[3:15] 9. Shreveport
[3:27] 10. Mournful Serenade
[3:07] 11. Red Hot Pepper
[3:29] 12. New Orleans Bump
[3:03] 13. Blue Blood Blues
[2:52] 14. Gamblin' Jack
[3:08] 15. Winin' Boy Blues

Jelly Roll Morton (vocals, piano); Johnny St. Cyr (guitar, banjo); Lee Blair, Howard Hill, Lawrence Lucie, Bernard Addison, Bud Scott (guitar); Barney Alexander (banjo); Clarence Black (violin); Omer Simeon (clarinet, bass clarinet); George Baquet, Johnny Dodds, Albert Nicholas, Russell Procope (clarinet); Paul Barnes (soprano saxophone, alto saxophone); Sidney Bechet (soprano saxophone); Stump Evans, Walter "Foots" Thomas (alto saxophone); Joe "Cornbread" Thomas , Happy Caldwell, Joe Garland (tenor saxophone); Edwin Swayzee, Ed Anderson, Ward Pinkett, Sidney DeParis (trumpet); George Mitchell (cornet); William Kato, Geechie Fields, Gerald Reeves, Kid Ory, Claude Jones, Charlie Irvis (trombone); Billy Taylor, Sr., Pete Briggs, William Moore, Harry Prather, Quinn Wilson (tuba); Andrew Hilaire (drums, washboard); William Laws, Manzie Johnson, Baby Dodds, Tommy Benford, Zutty Singleton, Bill Beason (drums). Recording information: Camden, NJ (09/15/1926-10/09/1930); Chicago, IL (09/15/1926-10/09/1930); New York, NY (09/15/1926-10/09/1930).

Jazz King Of New Orleans

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Little Esther - Lookin' For A Man

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 18:58
Size: 43.5 MB
Styles: R&B
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[2:48] 1. 't Ain't What You Say
[2:44] 2. Double Crossing Blues
[2:53] 3. Hollerin' And Screamin'
[2:41] 4. Lookin` For A Man
[2:33] 5. Cupid Boogie
[2:58] 6. Mistrustin' Blues
[2:18] 7. Turn The Lights Down Low

One of the premiere r&b vocalists of the 1950s through the 1980s, 'Little Esther' Phillips possessed both great talent and even greater demons. When she was an adolescent, her parents divorced, and she was forced to divide her time between her father in Houston and her mother in the Watts area of Los Angeles. Although she was brought up singing in church, she was hesitant to enter a talent contest at a local blues club, but her sister insisted and Esther complied. The young dynamo wowed the club owner, bluesman Johnny Otis, and he immediately signed her to his roster of performers. Esther would record on Otis's record label, and perform in his revue. Otis gave her the moniker 'Little Esther' that would follow her throughout her career.

Esther Phillips' voice had a unique nasal sound that delighted audiences with its distinct phrasing and exacting diction. She scored many r&b hits in the early 1950s, but soon became disillusioned with Johnny Otis, finally walking out when her refused her request for a salary increase. Through the remainder of the decade, Esther recorded for various record companies without success. She returned to Houston to live with her father at this time, and to deal with the greatest challenge in her young life -- her drug dependency. Apparently, the stress of life on the road with hardened blues performers, and her insecurities had led her to indulge in heroin as an escape.

After rebounding from her dark days, Esther worked small nightclubs in the southwest, and was spotted by rising star Kenny Rogers, who loved her sound. He arranged a recording contract for her, and she released a hit country and western album. She dropped the adjective 'Little' from her name then. Soon after she signed with Atlantic records and released a series of records with only modest success. They dropped her in 1967, and her drug dependency deepened.

After a stint in a rehab hospital, Atlantic re-signed Esther, and soon released a live album consider to be among her best. The label attempted to squeeze Esther into a pop singer mold, but she wasn't comfortable in the role, so again they cut her free from her contract. In 1971 jazz maestro Creed Taylor signed her to his Kudu label, and this is where Esther's best work can be found. Soon she was singing in high-profile venues along with big-name talent, and international jazz festivals. In 1975, she scored her biggest hit single since her early days with Johnny Otis with the early disco track 'What A Diff'rence A Day Makes,' a remake of a Dinah Washington standard.

Soon restless, Esther left Kudu records for another label in 1977, but was never able to duplicate her success. Depression and insecurity again hounded her and she again turned to heroin, and this time alcohol. She released a few records on small independent labels with little success or notice. The years of addiction had taken a huge toll on 'Little Esther' Phillips and she succumbed to liver and kidney failure in Los Angeles in August of 1984.

Lookin' For A Man

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Harry Allen - Once Upon A Summertime

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 68:44

Size: 157.3 MB

Styles: Bossa Nova, Saxophone jazz

Year: 2009

Art: Front

[6:01] 1. The Girl From Ipanema

[5:07] 2. Song Of The Jet

[6:27] 3. Caminhos Cruzados

[5:04] 4. Agua De Marco

[4:27] 5. I've Got You Under My Skin

[6:24] 6. Agua De Beber

[5:57] 7. Menina Flor

[5:15] 8. How Insensitive

[6:31] 9. One Note Samba

[4:14] 10. Falsa Bahiana

[3:21] 11. Once Upon A Summertime

[5:07] 12. Bolinha De Papel

[4:45] 13. This Happy Madness

The sequel to Eu Nao Quero Dancar - I Won't Dance, this is Harry's second bossa nova album for BMG, with Brazilian guitarist/arranger Dori Caymmi, Brazilian drummer Duduka DaFonseca, and Brazilian vocalist Maucha Adnet, as well as pianist Larry Goldings, guitarist Joe Cohn, and bassist Dennis Irwin.

Harry Allen - tenor saxophone; Larry Goldings - piano; Dori Caymmi - accoustic guitar; Joe Cohn - electric guitar; Dennis Irwin - bass; Duduka DaFonseca - drums, percussion; Maucha Adnet - vocal; Alana DaFonseca - back-up vocal.

Once Upon A Summertime

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Chantal Chamberland - The Other Woman

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:50
Size: 115,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:46)  1. I Don't Know Enough About You
(2:51)  2. I Wish You Love
(4:19)  3. The Other Woman
(3:50)  4. La Mer
(3:04)  5. Alright, Okay, You Win
(3:46)  6. I'm A Woman
(3:12)  7. In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning
(3:04)  8. Little Wonder
(3:44)  9. On The Street Where You Live
(5:00) 10. What A Difference A Day Made
(5:28) 11. By Your Side
(3:58) 12. All I Ask Of You
(3:43) 13. Just For A Thrill

Chantal Chamberland. The very name has a lovely musical lilt to it, so perhaps music has always been the destiny of this superbly skilled jazz vocalist. It has certainly always been the life-long passion of the Montreal-raised, Dundas, Ontario-based, Chamberland, and her new CD, The Other Woman, represents the full blossoming of her prodigious artistic talent. Out now via Universal Music Canada, the disc is Chantal’s fourth solo release. Her previous albums (2002’s This Is Our Time, 2004’s Serendipity Street and 2005’s Dripping Indigo ) served notice that this was an artist to watch. They received radio play across Canada, notched rave reviews, and brought Chantal a loyal fan base in the U.S.. The Other Woman definitely ups the ante. The mandate of a great voice tackling great songs remains, while Chamberland’s decision to take a different approach to the recording pays off handsomely. She recruited acclaimed producer Danny Greenspoon (Jane Bunnett,Sophie Milman, Great Big Sea) and an A-list of Toronto jazz musicians for the sessions, and she is justifiably proud of the results. 

“I wanted to bring in a little more variety in terms of the instrumentation and have more of a big band feel,” Chantal explains. “As an artist, musically and vocally, I have to say this is my best album. It showcases my voice the way it should be done, and it showcases the musicians without taking over the vocals.” Chamberland and Greenspoon set up shop in The Canterbury Music Company in Toronto, alongside such stellar players as drummer Mark McLean, bassist Marc Rogers, guitarist Rob Piltch, pianist Robi Botos, organist Dennis Keldie, cellist Kevin Fox and horn players Phil Dwyer, Perry and Paul White, Guido Basso, William Carn, and Steve McDade. There, as Chantal recalls, “Danny really challenged me. I’ve never been pushed that much before but what a difference it made overall. I refer to him as coach, one saying ‘you can do it, try one more time.’ To have a real connection with your producer makes a huge difference. I always compare it to being an actor and working with a great director.” On The Other Woman, the compelling results are equivalent to a Robert De Niro and Martin Scorsese collaboration. It always helps to have a top-notch script, and Chamberland shows a deft touch in her song selections. 

Such much-loved jazz standards as “On The Street Where You Live” and “In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning” nestle snugly alongside French songs (“La Mer” and the bilingual “I Wish You Love”) and contemporary tunes like Sharon Washington’s “Little Wonder,” Sade’s “By Your Side,” and “All I Ask Of You” (from Phantom Of The Opera). The result is a refreshing diversity of tempo and tone, and Chantal’s vocals move from sultry and soulful to bluesy and brassy with graceful ease. No vocal histrionics here, just a subtle yet always sincere take on material that resonates in her heart and soul. “A slower song has to be one that really moves me,” says the singer. “For instance, Nina Simone’s ‘The Other Woman’ is a sad song with a beautiful melody, and I just knew I could pull it off. I thought it was important to have fun songs on this album too, so we have faster fun stuff like ‘I’m A Woman’ and Peggy Lee’s ‘Alright, Okay, You Win.’” Chantal’s stylistic eclecticism comes naturally. She cut her musical teeth singing rock in Montreal bars (while still underage), then gained prominence in an acoustic folk-rock duo that shared stages with the likes of Barenaked Ladies and Sarah McLachlan. After taking a break to reassess her musical direction, she began singing jazz in fine dining establishments in Ontario. “I was raised by my grandmother and aunt and they always had music in the house,” Chamberland recalls. “Big band stuff, Ella Fitzgerald, and French music by Jacques Brel and Edith Piaf. 

Maybe it was stuck in my subconscious from my teen years, because I later developed a really big craving for vocal jazz.” Encouraged by the response from her audiences, Chantal recorded This Is Our Time, and the positive reaction it received confirmed she was on the right track. A triumphant 2004 appearance at the Montreal International Jazz Festival showed that this charming entertainer was equally at ease in front of a crowd of 100,000 as in an intimate supper club, and there has been no looking back. A 2006 return to the Montreal festival was another hit, and La Belle Province has proven a very welcoming market for the fluently bilingual Chamberland. Closer to her current home, Chamberland won a People’s Choice trophy at the Hamilton Music Awards in 2004, while Toronto shows at Hugh’s Room and the 2008 Toronto Jazz Festival have demonstrated that, in a city crammed with female jazz singers, there is always room for one this talented. With the release of The Other Woman, look for the ascent of this rising star to accelerate. Prepare to be seduced.  http://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/chantalchamberland

The Other Woman

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Ben Webster - Centennial Celebration

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:32
Size: 136,6 MB
Art: Front

( 3:46)  1. Like Someone In Love
( 6:11)  2. My One And Only Love
( 6:33)  3. Soulmates
( 7:11)  4. All The Things You Are
( 7:46)  5. Lula
( 6:09)  6. Trav'lin' Light
( 4:45)  7. Have You Met Miss Jones?
(10:17)  8. Caravan
( 6:49)  9. Georgia On My Mind

Remembered for his seminal solos on such classics as "Cotton Tail" and "All Too Soon" as much as for his historic clashes with boss Duke Ellington, hot-tempered saxophonist Ben Webster's legacy truly stands the test of time. The year 2009, being the centennial of the tenor titan's birth, Concord Records marks the occasion with this 9-track compilation taken from four different sessions spanning the years 1956 to 1963. Borrowed from Soulmates (Riverside, 1963) his collaboration with Austrian piano whiz Joe Zawinul "Like Someone In Love" is one of the tracks that garners especial attention. Exemplifying that singularly cool eloquence and bulky, breathy tone, it features the Kansas City-born blower in a superb solo that commands reverence for both the intrinsic coherence and emotional depth of the earnest storytelling it displays. 

With few, carefully spewed out motives and phrases, he arrives at conjuring a most perfect melodic solo. Interestingly, the belaboring outbursts that tainted his reputation paved the way to a generosity and warmth in his music making. Indeed, the poignant, buttery tone, undulant vibrato, and soul-fathoming lines betray a sensitivity witnessed by few privileged colleagues. Guitarist Jim Hall, who performs on the two closing live tracks "Caravan" and "Georgia on My Mind" perhaps sums it up best: "He started telling me what Tatum was like he loved to talk about the great ones he knew who were gone and the next thing I knew, he was crying." Another case in point: the emotion oozing out of his horn on Kern and Hammerstein's ballad, "All The Things You Are," could not get any more touching, especially in the last chorus of his delectably debonair solo. A ray of light, Centennial Celebration may very well be the most effective cure against the current morosity plaguing the world. ~ Martin Gladu  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/centennial-celebration-ben-webster-concord-music-group-review-by-martin-gladu.php#.U8_jorFryM0 
 

Personnel: Ben Webster: tenor sax; Joe Zawinul: piano (1, 3, 6); Richard Davis: bass (1, 6); Philly Joe Jones: drums (1, 3, 6); Art Tatum: piano (2, 4, 7); Bill Douglass: drums (2, 4, 7); Red Callender: bass (2,4,7); Thad Jones: cornet (3); Sam Jones: bass (3); Benny Carter: alto sax (5); Barney Bigard: clarinet (5); Shorty Sherrock: trumpet (5); Jimmy Rowles: piano (5, 8, 9); Dave Barbour: guitar (5); Leroy Vinegar: bass (5); Mel Lewis: drums (5); Red Mitchell: bass (8, 9); Frank Butler: drums (8, 9); Jim Hall: guitar (8, 9).

Centennial Celebration

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Bill Cunliffe - Imaginacion

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:11
Size: 154,2 MB
Art: Front

(6:50)  1. El Optimista
(5:57)  2. Do It Again
(7:12)  3. Bone Crusher
(8:22)  4. Afluencia
(6:57)  5. Chuco
(7:46)  6. Havana
(7:23)  7. Heat Wave
(6:04)  8. How High The Moon
(5:34)  9. Pure Imagination
(5:00) 10. Flying High

Grammy-nominated pianist Bill Cunliffe loves a good melody. He's recorded a couple of sets of Reed Kotler's beautifully lyrical tunes, most recently Tomo (Torii, '05). With his latest offering, Imaginacion, the pianist/arranger wraps some melodies his own and a few classics in a strong Latin vibe. The expanded lineup, featuring two trombones, two trumpets, and a reed player, plus piano and bass, along with three percussionists, offers more harmonic possiblities, and Cunliffe has a genius in this arena, crafting lush washes of sound over the percolating percussion.

Five of the tunes here are Cunliffe originals, and the covers are well-chosen: Steely Dan's "Do It Again," the American Songbook classic "How High The Moon," and a gorgeously cool take on Irving Berlin's "Heat Wave," featuring the gentle freon caress of Bob Shepard's flute work a highlight for this listener. And of course, there's a Reed Kotler tune (Kotler produced the disc): the spicy closer, "Flying High." The Cunliffe-penned "Chucho" (for Cuban piano great Chucho Valdes, a logical guess), cooks with one fine solo after another a trumpet soaring out of horn interplay, then Bob Shepard's tangy soprano sax, followed by a belt-it-out trombone turn, over always the ebullient percussion. This is the type of recording that earns Grammy nods beautiful and perfectly crafted tunes without a weak spot to be found. Perhaps the next review of a Bill Cunliffe record will say "Grammy Award-winner" on it. ~ Dan Mcclenaghan  

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/imaginacion-bill-cunliffe-torii-records-review-by-dan-mcclenaghan.php#.U8_yqLFryM0
 

Personnel: Bill Cunliffe--piano, arranger; Bob Shepard--sax, flute; Bobby Shew, Kye Palmer--trumpet; Bruce Paulson, Arturo Velasco--trombone; Rene Camacho--bass; Joey De Leon, Jose "Papo" Rodriquez--percussion; Ramon Banda--drums

Imaginacion

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Black Swan Classic Jazz Band - This Joint Is Jumpin'

Styles: Jazz: Dixieland
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:36
Size: 144,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:44)  1. This Joint Is Jumpin'
(3:34)  2. Tia Juana
(3:49)  3. I'd Give A Dollar For A Dime
(3:44)  4. Minnie The Moocher
(2:37)  5. Danza De Los Nanigos
(5:32)  6. Floatin' Down The Old Green River
(3:51)  7. Michigander Blues
(4:00)  8. Shreveport Stomps
(6:53)  9. Sweet Mama Stringbean
(3:49) 10. Dude Ranch Blues
(4:04) 11. East St. Louis Toodle-oo
(3:31) 12. Scott Joplin's New Rag
(4:12) 13. Midnight In Moscow
(3:02) 14. Lassus Trombone
(5:06) 15. Atlanta Blues

Hot, swinging early jazz stylings, featuring great ensemble work and vocalist Marilyn Keller. Black Swan Classic Jazz Band formed in 1989 as a hot dance band dedicated to the preservation and performance of Dixieland, old-time gospel, early jazz and ragtime music. The band has toured numerous festivals and community events in the U.S. and British Columbia. When not on the road, the band's members call Oregon's beautiful Willamette Valley home. http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bscjb2

This Joint Is Jumpin'

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The Jim Seeley-Arturo O'Farrill Quintet - ST

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 47:32

Size: 108.8 MB

Styles: Post bop, Latin jazz

Year: 2004

Art: Front

[5:58] 1. Truth Juice

[6:14] 2. Solita

[6:01] 3. Starry Night

[4:01] 4. Little General

[7:57] 5. Forest Path

[6:46] 6. New Meaning

[9:04] 7. Cha-Cha Un-Uh

[1:27] 8. Child's Toy

Although trumpeter Jim Seeley co-leads the quintet on this Zoho CD with pianist Arturo O'Farrill, he is very much the dominant force. Seeley contributed all eight selections and is the most memorable soloist in the group. The music includes a tribute to Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers ("Truth Juice"), a few funky jazz pieces, the straight-ahead blues "New Meaning," and a brief unaccompanied trumpet solo ("Child's Toy"). Seeley teams up with the underrated tenor saxophonist and flutist Jed Levy and the rhythm section of the Lincoln Center Afro-Latin Orchestra (pianist O'Farrill, bassist Andy Gonzalez, and drummer Phoenix Rivera). The music is not as Latin-oriented as one would expect from this personnel and can be considered hard bop with funk overtones. Most importantly, this CD introduces Jim Seeley as a potentially major new trumpeter and a rare jazz export from Kansas. ~Scott Yanow

The Jim Seeley-Arturo O'Farrill Quintet

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Sylvia Bennett - C'est Si Bon

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 40:33
Size: 92.8 MB
Styles: Jazz-pop vocals
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[2:51] 1. C'est Magnifique
[3:00] 2. C'est Si Bon
[3:44] 3. Que Reste-T-Il De Nos Amours
[2:18] 4. Moulin Rouge
[2:38] 5. Un Homme Et Une Femme
[3:21] 6. Pour Toi
[2:49] 7. La Seine
[3:26] 8. Les Feuilles Mortes
[3:36] 9. Les Parapluies De Cherbourg
[3:18] 10. Ce Je Ne Sais Quoi Sur Mon Paris
[2:42] 11. La Vie En Rose
[3:20] 12. La Mer
[3:24] 13. Et Maintenant

C'est Si Bon was born from Sylvia Bennett s love affair with France and the enchanting songs that, like Paris herself, sparkle with seduction and panache. The protege of jazz legend Lionel Hampton, this Grammy nominated, international recording artist, is an American diva with a French heart. C'est Si Bon is a musical tour de force that magically transports you to a place of romance, rapture, and heady possibility... Veritably, si bon! With such songs as C'est Magnifique, Un Homme et Une Femme, and La Vie En Rose the album weaves a world of enchantment where romance reigns, fancy takes flight, and Paris beckons.

Sylvia Bennett the timeless smooth jazz and pop vocalist sings of love with a warmth, clarity, and spirit that is enveloping and tender, showcasing the depth of her skill, talent and experience. She's sung with Lionel Hampton and she's sung for presidents all with a singular style and intimacy that is hers and hers alone.

She's one part jazz, one part pop, and one part sultry. If you like Ella Fitzgerald, Barbra Streisand, and Rosemary Clooney, you'll LOVE Sylvia Bennett.

C'est Si Bon

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Joe Albany - Portrait Of An Artist

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 42:46
Size: 97.9 MB
Styles: Bop, Piano jazz
Year: 1982/2013
Art: Front

[6:31] 1. Autumn In New York
[4:46] 2. I Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry
[6:42] 3. For The Little Guy
[5:07] 4. They Say It's Wonderful
[5:28] 5. Too Late Now
[5:37] 6. Confirmation
[3:42] 7. Ruby, My Dear
[4:51] 8. A Conversation With Joe Albany

This mostly ballad-oriented trio set with bassist George Duvivier and drummer Charlie Persip was pianist Joe Albany's final recording. Albany, whose career (especially on records) did not really get going until his final decade, is in generally good form on such tunes as "Autumn In New York," "They Say It's Wonderful" and "Confirmation." The album concludes with a brief interview that sums up some aspects of his episodic life. ~Scott Yanow

Portrait Of An Artist

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Klüver's Big Band - Better Believe It

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 57:25
Size: 131.4 MB
Styles: Big band
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[ 5:08] 1. Better Believe It
[ 2:50] 2. Gee Baby, Ain't I Good To You
[ 6:03] 3. Tired Of Pretty Women
[ 3:13] 4. I Want A Little Girl
[ 2:50] 5. Indiana
[ 3:53] 6. I'm Confessin'
[ 3:15] 7. Dinah
[ 3:52] 8. I Can't Give You Anything But Love
[ 3:36] 9. On The Sunny Side Of The Street
[ 2:35] 10. Ooo-Pa-Pa-Da-Introduction
[ 9:16] 11. Ooo-Pa-Pa-Da
[10:48] 12. A Prayer For Pops

"Better Believe It" er Klüvers Big Bands hyldest til jazz-legenden Louis Armstrong. Med numre taget fra Satchmos eget repertoire og nyere numre skrevet i hans ånd leverer Big Bandet sammen med trompetisten Byron Stripling og den eminente New-York-trommeslager Dennis Mackrel musik med stor intensitet og intens nerve.

Better Believe It

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Connie Evingson - Gypsy in My Soul

Styles: Vocal Jazz, Gypsy Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:51
Size: 140,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:44)  1. Nature Boy
(4:30)  2. I'm Confessin'
(4:20)  3. Gypsy in My Soul
(5:05)  4. Nuages
(2:56)  5. Lover Come Back to Me
(3:56)  6. Lullaby of the Leaves
(4:13)  7. Until
(4:39)  8. April in Paris
(3:52)  9. Caravan
(4:26) 10. The Lonely One
(3:39) 11. Night and Day
(4:43) 12. You and the Night and the Music
(2:44) 13. Django's Premonition
(3:45) 14. I Cover the Waterfront
(3:13) 15. S'Wonderful/Dizzy Atmosphere

Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli gave us a timeless chapter in jazz history that emphasized acoustic music with cultural influences from various parts of the world. To that lovely aroma Connie Evingson adds her mellifluous voice and intimate way with a melody. She interprets songs that carry a nostalgic memory, and she carves each one with a distinctive flair. Seamless phrasing, smoky resonance and a genuine caring give her presentation a natural quality. "Gypsy in My Soul" swings lightly with a comfortable texture, as The Parisota Hot Club lends powerful support. The band complements Evingson's convincing lyric interpretation and her lively scat chorus. Singing French and English lyrics to "Nuages," Evingson unleashes a century of passion. Sam Miltich and The Clearwater Hot Club deliver a heartfelt ambience to carry her message in no uncertain terms. She's equally at home with Sting's "Until," a soulful waltz that resembles Jim Croce's "Time in a Bottle." 

It's another example of the timeless nature of Evingson's album. With Pearl Django providing graceful acoustic charm and guest vibraphonist Susan Pascal weaving her melodies among the singer's pert lines, the song transforms into an exotic adventure. Guitarist Neil Anderson adds a lovely reflection of Django Reinhardt's manner, as Sting's music meets Django. "Caravan" swings madly with a driving spirit and "Night and Day" swings with a lighter disposition, while "April in Paris" takes the listener on a vacation to France, with lyrics in French and English. Both "Nature Boy" and "The Lonely One" allow Evingson to capture every ounce of emotion that comes with the territory. She portrays a Gypsy's freedom in her interpretations, while giving her audience a highly recommended musical program. Audio examples of Evingson's performances may be found at her web site. ~ Jim Santella  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/gypsy-in-my-soul-connie-evingson-minnehaha-music-review-by-jim-santella.php#.U805uLFryM0

Personnel: Connie Evingson- vocals; Don Chouinard, Patrick Harrison- accordion; Darryl Boudreaux- percussion; Susan Pascal- vibraphone; Greg Williamson- drums; Clearwater Hot Club: Sam Miltich- guitar; Mark Kreitzer- guitar, mandolin; Matthew Miltich- bass; Raphael Fraisse- violin; Parisota Hot Club: Robb Henry, Bob Ekstrand- guitar; Keith Boyles- bass; Tony Baluff- clarinet; Pearl Django: Neil Anderson, Greg Ruby- guitar; Rick Leppanen- bass; Michael Gray- violin.

Gypsy in My Soul

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Martin Taylor - Change of Heart

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:32
Size: 112,0 MB
Art: Front

( 9:52)  1. 73 Berkley Street
( 5:02)  2. The Gypsy
(10:45)  3. You Don't Know Me
( 5:05)  4. After Hours
( 5:47)  5. Change Of Heart
( 4:44)  6. I Get Along Without You Very Well
( 7:13)  7. Angel's Camp

Martin Taylor's star rose considerably during the 1990s with a flurry of recording activity as a leader, especially dates such this one from the series he did for the Scottish label Linn. With a rhythm section of pianist David Newton, bassist Brian Shiels, and drummer John Rae, the guitarist's program is wide-ranging and has some surprises. Taylor wrote a pair of originals: The opener, "73 Berkeley Street," at first gives the impression of being a groove tune until the quartet launches into a brisk bop setting, and his "Angel's Camp" has a rhythm & blues flavor with a touch of gospel. Country great Eddy Arnold's "You Don't Know Me" has been covered by a few jazz musicians, but Taylor's bluesy guitar and Newton's soulful piano make this extended performance a treat. 

Taylor overdubbed a second guitar on his otherwise unaccompanied treatment of Ike Isaacs' snappy "After Hours," and he's truly solo on a soft lyrical take of Hoagy Carmichael's timeless "I Get Along Without You Very Well." This recommended CD is well worth acquiring. 

~ Ken Dryden  http://www.allmusic.com/album/change-of-heart-mw0000188626

Personnel: Martin Taylor – guitar; David Newton - piano & synthesiser; Brian Shiels – bass; John Rae - drums

Change of Heart

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