Swing Of Sahara - Nothing Toulouse

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 44:55
Size: 102.9 MB
Styles: Gypsy jazz
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[3:36] 1. Spanjolskij
[2:47] 2. It May Be June
[3:31] 3. Caravan
[3:56] 4. Douce Ambience
[3:34] 5. Indigo Stomp
[3:29] 6. Nothing Toulouse
[4:14] 7. Dos Cervezas
[4:50] 8. El Pueblo Grande
[2:54] 9. Minor Swing
[2:47] 10. Second Floor
[4:35] 11. Misirlou

This Danish trio consisting of Andreas Ugorskij and Peter Dobronyi on guitars and Johan Segerberg on double bass plays some amazing hot gypsy jazz.

Swing of Sahara was formed in the mid-1990s when Andreas Ugorskij and Peter Dobronyi got together to play Gypsy jazz classics. As new band members have joined in, other musical styles have been absorbed, including punk, surf, Latin and Balkan, sending them bursting out of the caravanserai. Over the years, the band has played more than 200 concerts.

Nothing Toulouse

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Elaine Dame - Comes Love

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 48:43
Size: 112.5 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[4:45] 1. The Best Is Yet to Come
[3:54] 2. If I Were a Bell
[4:15] 3. Ticket to Ride
[5:33] 4. Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye
[4:06] 5. Yesterdays
[5:30] 6. Midnight Sun
[4:03] 7. What'll I Do?
[3:54] 8. From This Moment On
[5:28] 9. How Long Has This Been Going On?
[3:01] 10. You're The Top
[4:11] 11. Comes Love

A fine singer whose style is at times between jazz and cabaret, Elaine Dame has a clear and powerful voice along with the ability to improvise with subtlety. She is also an excellent scat singer. Based in Chicago, Dame has a beautiful tone and the ability to swing while sounding completely straight, but then she will surprise listeners by coming up with new melodic variations. On this date she is backed by some of Chicago's better musicians (including cameos from veteran violinist Johnny Frigo) as she performs 11 veteran standards; even the Beatles' "Ticket to Ride" qualifies in that category. Based on this music, Dame deserves to be much better known outside of Chicago. Her performances are quite enjoyable. ~ Scott Yanow.

Elaine Dame (vocals, flute); David Onderdonk (guitar); Johnny Frigo (violin); Art Davis (trumpet); Jeremy Kahn (piano); Rob Amster (double bass); Tim Davis (drums).

Recording information: Hinge Studios, Chicago, IL.

Comes Love

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Quartette Trés Bien - The Very Best Of

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 74:26
Size: 170.4 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[7:31] 1. Exodus
[3:12] 2. I Am That I Am
[2:34] 3. The More I See You
[4:12] 4. Wish You Were Here
[7:17] 5. Three O'clock In The Morning
[2:47] 6. Caravan
[3:27] 7. Work Song
[5:57] 8. I Never Knew
[3:02] 9. Goodbye
[8:01] 10. The Sound Of Music
[4:11] 11. I've Never Been In Love Before
[5:55] 12. Invitation
[4:20] 13. Alfie
[2:31] 14. Bully!
[3:45] 15. Sunrise, Sunset
[5:36] 16. Sunny

The Quartette Trés Bien was an American jazz combo based in St. Louis led by pianist Jeter Thompson. The group started to play around 1960 and began recording in the mid '60s. Jeter Thompson played with Jimmy Forrest, Oliver Nelson and Emmett Carter in his early years. The bassist of the group is Richard Simmons, the drummer Albert St. James who accompanied also Charlie Parker, Tab Smith and Jimmy Forrest. Percussionist Percy James added a Latin flavor to the quartette who played more than ten years, before splitting. Jeter Thompson is still active leading for a few years the Trio Tres Bien with brothers Harold Thompson (bass) and Howard Thompson (drums).

The very Best Of

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Alexia Gardner - The Rest Of Your Life

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:56
Size: 135,3 MB
Art: Front

(6:38)  1. Night And Day
(4:24)  2. Let's Call The Whole Thing Off
(5:09)  3. Get Here
(4:11)  4. One Note Samba
(6:05)  5. Skylark
(6:08)  6. Redemption Song
(3:26)  7. What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life
(6:34)  8. Summertime
(2:43)  9. Hallelujah I Love Him So
(7:18) 10. Black Coffee
(4:14) 11. Send In The Clowns

Alexia Gardner is truely an international Jazz Artiste. She is British Born of Jamaican Roots, this recording happened whilst she was based in Hongkong; singing classic, African-American Jazz!  Her 'live' recording of "The Rest Of Your Life" reflects her years of touring Europe and Asia singing truely, heart warming, heart-felt jazz classics to captivated audiences. Her signature warm tones and beautiful, mellow renditions of the classics, leave the listener yearning for more!  The "Rest Of Your Life" was recording July 19th-20th 2001 at the Jazz and Blues Club, Hongkong. She is joined by Ted Lo on Piano (Hongkong) Sylvain Gagnon on bass (Canada) and Edmond Branson on drums (Singapore). These traditional accoustic instruments, with talented musicians from all over the globe, blend beautifully with Alexia's honey-like voice.  

This international line-up serves to bring a unique and diverse interpretation of the old classics. Look out for the reggae influence on one of the tracks. There is also a gospel/blues tribute and a love ballad that falls neatly into the pop genre - rendered wonderfully with the traditional jazz instruments. Alexia Gardner continues to sing and enjoy the jazz scene around her. She is currently based in the international city of Basel, Switzerland  http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/alexiagardner

"She demonstrates an impressive command of standards, including Night and Day, Let's Call The Whole Thing Off and Black Coffee, as well as the less obvious choice of Bob Marley's Redemption Song. A Highlight is a slick and sophisticated version of Ray Charles' Hallelujah I love Him (Her) So!" ~ All That's Jazz, Robin Lynam, Oct.2003

The Rest Of Your Life

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Ernie Watts Quartet - Alive

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:51
Size: 151,0 MB
Art: Front

( 8:58)  1. 3 + 5 = 4
(14:10)  2. River Of Light
( 9:45)  3. The Plan
(14:38)  4. Angel's Flight
(11:05)  5. Round Midnight
( 7:12)  6. Nostalgia In Times Square

Ernie Watts Quartet Alive 2004 provides Watts with a new forum for recording. Throughout his long and fruitful career, he has not previously made a live recording of his own, capturing a stage performance with no editing or overdubs. The chance to hear Watts at immediate heat in the midst of his own music is a special occasion, only available before to his concert audiences. Recording in Germany, he leads his quartet (which features acclaimed pianist Christof Saenger) through originals and some well-chosen classics by Thelonious Monk and Charles Mingus. The musicians stretch their imaginations and soar over a set of airtight arrangements. Released on Watts' own Flying Dolphin label, ALIVE begins a new chapter for the artist. "This is my first recording where I had complete control," notes Watts, "All the creative decisions were mine, from the tunes to the final mix. That freedom produced this CD. It shows who I really am as a musician." http://www.erniewatts.com/discography/alive.html

Personnel: Ernie Watts (tenor saxophone); Christof Saenger (piano); Heinrich Köbberling (drums).

Alive

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Joe Zawinul Trio - To You With Love

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1959
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:21
Size: 79,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:19)  1. I Should Care
(3:29)  2. Easy Living
(4:17)  3. Please Send Me Someone To Love
(3:06)  4. It Might As Well Be Spring
(4:28)  5. Love For Sale
(2:53)  6. Squeeze Me
(1:47)  7. Greensleeves
(3:37)  8. My One And Only Love
(2:59)  9. Masquerade Is Over
(4:22) 10. Sweet And Lovely

Joe Zawinul belonged in a category unto himself  a European from the heartland of the classical music tradition (Vienna) who learned to swing as freely as any American jazzer, and whose appetite for growth and change remained insatiable. Zawinul's curiosity and openness to all kinds of sounds made him one of the driving forces behind the electronic jazz-rock revolution of the late '60s and '70s and later, he would be almost alone in exploring fusions between jazz-rock and ethnic music from all over the globe. He was one of a bare handful of synthesizer players who actually learned how to play the instrument, to make it an expressive, swinging part of his arsenal. Prior to the invention of the portable synthesizer, Zawinul's example helped bring the Wurlitzer and Fender Rhodes electric pianos into the jazz mainstream. Zawinul also became a significant composer, ranging (like his idol Duke Ellington) from soulful hit tunes to large-scale symphonic jazz canvases. Yet despite his classical background, he preferred to improvise compositions spontaneously onto tape rather than write them out on paper. More Bio...https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/joe-zawinul-trio/id362546593#fullText

Personnel: Bass – George Tucker; Congas – Ray Barretto;  Drums – Frankie Dunlop; Piano – Joe Zawinul

To You With Love

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Mark Murphy - S/T

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 51:48
Size: 118.6 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[3:38] 1. This Could Be The Start Of Something
[3:55] 2. Day In Day Out
[3:08] 3. The Lady Is A Tramp
[2:27] 4. Mighty Like A Rose
[2:39] 5. Falling In Love With Love
[2:58] 6. Just In Time
[2:28] 7. It's Not For Me To Say
[2:57] 8. Send For Me
[2:48] 9. All The Way
[2:39] 10. Kansas City
[2:40] 11. Personality
[3:00] 12. Venus
[2:59] 13. I Only Have Eyes For You
[2:23] 14. Lonesome Town
[2:26] 15. Firefly
[2:44] 16. Catch A Falling Star
[2:17] 17. Come To Me
[3:33] 18. Witchcraft

Mark Murphy often seemed to be the only true jazz singer of his generation. A young, hip post-bop vocalist, Murphy spent most of his career sticking to the standards -- and often presented radically reworked versions of those standards while many submitted to the lure of the lounge singer -- during the artistically fallow period of the 1970s and '80s. Marketed as a teen idol by Capitol during the mid-'50s, Murphy deserted the stolid world of commercial pop for a series of exciting dates on independent labels that featured the singer investigating his wide interests: Jack Kerouac, Brazilian music, songbook recordings, vocalese, and hard bop, among others.

He grew up near Syracuse, NY, born into an intensely musical family (both parents sang). Mark began playing piano as a child, and studied both voice and theater while at college. He toured through Canada with a jazz trio for a time and spent awhile back home before he moved to New York in early 1954. A few television appearances gained him a contract for Decca Records, and he debuted with 1956's Meet Mark Murphy. He released one more LP for Decca before signing to Capitol in 1959. Though label executives often forced material (and an excessively clean-cut image) on the young singer, he managed to distinguish himself with good sets of standards, musical accompaniment furnished by West Coast jazz regulars, and a distinctive vocal style that often twisted lines and indulged in brief scatting to display his jazz credentials.

He eventually released four LPs for Capitol, but never reached popular audiences the way the label intended. In 1961, Murphy recorded his first album for Riverside, a set of standards and bop vocals named Rah! that gave a first glimpse at his ambition. Though the twentysomething Murphy seemed a little young for a saloon-song chestnut like "Angel Eyes," he performed quite well on side two, styled after a Lambert, Hendricks & Ross LP with vocal covers of bop standards including "Milestones" and Annie Ross' "Twisted." It and its follow-up, the themed LP That's How I Love the Blues, included a top-notch backing group including jazz heroes such as Clark Terry, Snooky Young, Al Cohn, Bill Evans, and Blue Mitchell. The records also displayed Murphy's penchant for trawling the entirety of the 20th century popular/jazz repertory for songs ranging from the slightly overdone to the downright forgotten.

By the mid-'60s, Murphy had begun to recognize his sizable European fan base. Along with scores of American expatriates, he spent many years in Europe and didn't even issue his LPs in America during the rest of the '60s. Instead, he recorded LPs for British labels including Fontana and Immediate (the latter run by Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham). Murphy also collaborated with the Clarke-Boland Big Band for 1967's Midnight Mood. His frequent nightclub performances and intimate stage presence also earned rave reviews from jazz and vocal critics. By the time of his return to America in the early '70s, Murphy had become a major name in vocal jazz.

With a contract from Muse in hand, Murphy began recording what would become close to two dozen albums for the label, ranging from earthy '70s dates with the Brecker brothers to Jack Kerouac tributes complete with spoken word readings to a two-volume Nat King Cole Songbook series. During that period, Murphy was one of the only straight jazz vocalists (other than old-guard names like Sinatra and Tormé) to actually make a living out of his craft. He toured relentlessly as well, and remained as hip a name to drop in 1999 as he was in 1959. Since the '90s, Murphy has released a handful of albums including Some Time Ago in 2000, Memories of You in 2003, and Love Is What Stays in 2007. ~bio by John Bush

Mark Murphy

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Art Farmer - Brass Shout / The Aztec Suite

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 66:13
Size: 151.6 MB
Styles: Post bop, Trumpet jazz
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[ 5:55] 1. Nica's Dream
[ 5:10] 2. Autumn Leaves
[ 5:47] 3. Moanin'
[ 4:01] 4. April In Paris
[ 4:52] 5. Five Spot After Dark
[ 3:52] 6. Stella By Starlight
[ 3:54] 7. Minor Vamp
[16:28] 8. The Aztec Suite
[ 2:35] 9. Heat Wave
[ 2:51] 10. Delrio
[ 3:16] 11. Woody 'n You
[ 3:07] 12. Drume Negrita
[ 4:20] 13. Alone Together

This Gambit CD compilation combines the complete contents of two long unavailable records that Art Farmer made for United Artists. The first seven tracks come from Brass Shout, a very enjoyable collaboration with his Jazztet partner Benny Golson, who also wrote all of the arrangements for this date. The all-star cast of sidemen include trombonists Curtis Fuller and Jimmy Cleveland, plus trumpeters Lee Morgan and Ernie Royal. Golson's own "Five Spot After Dark" is an obvious highlight, as are his treatments of "Nica's Dream" and "Moanin'." Farmer, who had not yet made the switch from trumpet to flugelhorn, is in top form throughout the date. Unfortunately, The Aztec Suite hasn't aged as well. Half of the original album was devoted to the extended title cut, composed by Chico O'Farrill and in spite of the laudatory liner notes, this piece has not stood the test of time. Production problems plague the remaining tracks, with excessive Latin percussion and unexpected fades, along with insufficient space for Farmer to solo. While this latter session is disappointing, the chance for Art Farmer fans to pick up Brass Shout along with The Aztec Suite for one price will likely prove irresistible. ~Ken Dryden

Brass Shout / The Aztec Suite

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Three Dog Night - The Complete Hit Singles

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 73:55
Size: 169.2 MB
Styles: Rock, AM pop
Year: 2004
Art: Front

[3:02] 1. One
[4:21] 2. Try A Little Tenderness
[3:11] 3. Easy To Be Hard
[2:45] 4. Eli's Coming
[2:58] 5. Celebrate
[3:17] 6. Mama Told Me (Not To Come)
[3:06] 7. Out In The Country
[2:50] 8. One Man Band
[3:13] 9. Joy To The World
[3:17] 10. Liar
[3:45] 11. An Old Fashioned Love Song
[3:42] 12. Never Been To Spain
[3:24] 13. The Family Of Man
[3:23] 14. Black And White
[4:10] 15. Pieces Of April
[3:23] 16. Shambala
[3:14] 17. Let Me Serenade You
[3:43] 18. The Show Must Go On
[4:46] 19. Sure As I'm Sittin' Here
[4:47] 20. Play Something Sweet (Brickyard Blues)
[3:28] 21. Til The World Ends

Three Dog Night ran off a string of 21 Top 40 hits between 1968 and 1975, including three number ones: "Joy to the World," "Mama Told Me (Not to Come)," and "Black & White." Despite this, they are often written off as a lightweight band who couldn't write their own songs. Granted they were laid-back and very easygoing, but they had some heft. The vocals of Chuck Negron, Danny Hutton, and Cory Wells were surprisingly soulful and the band that backed them was solid, and even rocked pretty hard on occasion. They didn't write songs -- it is true -- but their genius was picking songs. Along with producer Richard Podolor, the group found songs by writers like Randy Newman, Harry Nilsson, Laura Nyro, Hoyt Axton, Paul Williams, and John Hiatt and turned them into hits. So the group had laudable credentials, but more importantly, the songs collected here play like the soundtrack to the '70s. If you were just a casual fan, listening to Complete Hit Singles provides moment after moment of "I didn't remember these guys did that song!" exclamations. The hits just keep coming one after the other: "Joy to the World," "Celebrate," "Shambala," "Liar," "An Old Fashioned Love Song," and "Let Me Serenade You." Never sappy, never overbearing, always settled into a low-key, hooky groove, these songs are about as good as early-'70s pop gets. Another impressive thing about Three Dog Night is that they never showed any signs of slowing down. 1974's "Play Something Sweet (Brickyard Blues)" is just as good as "Eli's Coming" from 1969. The only thing that stopped them was the inevitable bout of creative differences that split the band up in 1976. This collection basically supplants the excellent Best of Three Dog Night from 1983. It boasts improved sound and one more song, their last Top 40 hit, "Til the World Ends," from 1975. ~Tim Sendra

The Complete Hit Singles

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Luiz Bonfa - Amor! The Fabulous Guitar Of Luiz Bonfa

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 31:11
Size: 71.4 MB
Styles: Brazilian jazz guitar, Easy Listening
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[2:14] 1. Brasilia
[2:31] 2. I'll Remember April
[2:33] 3. Lonely Lament
[1:40] 4. Carnival
[1:31] 5. George Back In Town
[1:48] 6. Blue Madrid
[2:30] 7. Island Of Tindade
[2:44] 8. Old Times (Velhas Tempos)
[2:05] 9. Marajo
[1:20] 10. Indian Dance
[2:34] 11. Nelly
[1:40] 12. Preludio
[2:11] 13. Yesterdays
[1:46] 14. Bagpipes
[1:57] 15. Arabesque

I think this may be the first album made by Bonfa following the international success of "Manha De Carnaval," the theme from Black Orpheus. It's a fairly sparse instrumental album, filled mainly with solo pieces, as well as several tunes where Bonfa is delicately backed up by George Shearing and his band, along with Don Elliott. There is some flashy guitar work, although this album feels pretty lightweight and isn't immediately arresting. It will grow on you with repeated listens, though. Silly cover art. ~slipcue.com

Luiz Bonfa (guitar); Ralph Freundlich (flute); Don Elliott (mellophone, vibraphone, triangle); Tommy Lopez (bongos, congas).

Amor! The Fabulous Guitar Of Luiz Bonfa

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Mose Allison - Swingin' Machine

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz, Swing
Year: 1966
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:36
Size: 78,5 MB
Art: Front

(2:31)  1. Swingin' Machine
(4:35)  2. Do It
(3:26)  3. Stop This World
(5:12)  4. Promenade
(3:50)  5. If You're Goin' To The City
(5:00)  6. Saritha
(3:57)  7. I Ain't Got Nothing But The Blues
(5:02)  8. So Rare

Jazz fans may find this Mose Allison session unique among scads of releases from this laid-back, witty and original singer and pianist. Almost never found recording outside of the piano trio context, this album perhaps reveals the reason why: on a whole, adding horns to Allison's band just doesn't work that well. The trombonist Jimmy Knepper is of particular interest, in that he most often recorded under the intense leadership of Charles Mingus, a far cry from the loose and relaxed sound of Allison. His fellow hornman here is tenor saxophonist Jimmy Reider; not a very well-known jazzman but certainly competent in a swing style. If the leader had stuck to all vocal numbers this might have been a top drawer album. All the vocal tracks here are fine, with the song "Stop This World" rating among the best things this artist has recorded in a long career. It's the instrumental tracks that drag, however, since like any respectable pianist bandleader, Allison chooses to put the two horns out front for theme-solo-theme arrangements that would only be worth repeated listening if every other jazz performance ever recorded happened to vanish off the face of the earth. Allison's piano playing picked up some steam as the '60s wore on, so it is a shame he didn't revisit this concept at a later date. ~ Eugene Chadbourne  

http://www.allmusic.com/album/swingin-machine-mw0000662004

Personnel: Mose Allison (vocals, piano); Jimmy Reider (tenor saxophone); Jimmy Knepper (trombone); Addison Farmer (bass); Frankie Dunlop (drums).

Swingin' Machine

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Dexter Gordon - Our Man In Paris

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1963
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:08
Size: 89,2 MB
Art: Front

(7:21)  1. Scrapple From The Apple
(8:47)  2. Willow Weep For Me
(6:44)  3. Broadway
(6:58)  4. Stairway To The Stars
(8:16)  5. A Night In Tunisia

This 1963 date is titled for Dexter Gordon's living in self-imposed Parisian exile and recording there with two other exptriates and a French native. Along with Gordon, pianist Bud Powell and Kenny "Klook" Clarke were living in the City of Lights and were joined by the brilliant French bassman Pierre Michelot. This is a freewheeling bop date with the band working out on such categoric standards as "Scrapple from the Apple," and "A Night in Tunisia." In addition, American vernacular tunes such as "Willow Weep for Me" and "Stairway to the Stars" are included. Gordon is at the very top of his game here. His playing is crisp, tight, and full of playful fury. Powell, who at this stage of his life was almost continually plagued by personal problems, never sounded better than he does in this session. His playing is a tad more laid-back here, but is nonetheless full of the brilliant harmonic asides and incendiary single-note runs he is legendary for. The rhythm section is close-knit and stop-on-a-dime accurate. ~ Thom Jurek  http://www.allmusic.com/album/our-man-in-paris-mw0000191916

Personnel: Dexter Gordon (tenor saxophone); Bud Powell (piano); Pierre Michelot (bass); Kenny Clarke (drums).

Our Man In Paris

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Chantal Chamberland - Soirée

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:24
Size: 148,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:31)  1. Besame Mucho
(4:13)  2. Que Reste-T'il De Nos Amours
(2:43)  3. J'ai Deux Amours
(3:15)  4. J'ai Oublié Le Jour
(4:29)  5. Dis Moi
(3:09)  6. Vous Qui Passez Sans Me Voir
(3:04)  7. For Me Formidable
(5:33)  8. Toi Qui as Pris Mon Coeur
(6:05)  9. Ne M'en Veux Pas
(3:27) 10. Je L'aime À Mourir
(4:03) 11. L'attente
(4:28) 12. Je Te Vois
(3:50) 13. J'aime Paris Au Mois De Mai
(3:44) 14. Mon Mec À Moi
(4:42) 15. Gran Torino

French Canadian singer Chantal Chamberland strikes a perfect balance between the soul of the classic singer/songwriter and the dynamic verve of a jazz chanteuse. She can swing with the best of them, then capture your heart with a soft torch song. Her sixth album, SOIREE, captures both of those components - lively and tender, with a beautiful collection of songs mostly sung in French. Chamberland describes this set as a collection of songs with personal meaning; songs and composers that she grew up with like Charles Aznavour, Francis Cabrel and Diane Tell. As always, Chamberland bewitches the listener with her smoky, smooth vocals, which glide sensually over a light jazz backdrop of piano, bass, rhythm and sax. One particular highlight of this set is the bittersweet closing song "Gran Torino," a song about love and loss. Chamberland's voice has a fragile, wistful quality that makes the song particularly emotional.  http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/chantalchamberland2

Soirée

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Baby Face Willette - Face To Face

Styles: Soul Jazz
Year: 1961
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:04
Size: 128,8 MB
Art: Front

(6:35)  1. Swingin' At Sugar Ray's
(7:24)  2. Goin' Down
(7:21)  3. Whatever Lola Wants
(6:17)  4. Face To Face
(6:42)  5. Something Strange
(7:07)  6. High 'N Low
(6:52)  7. Face To Face (alternate take) (bonus track)
(6:42)  8. Something Strange (alternate take) (bonus track)

While it's true that Baby Face Willette's Stop and Listen is widely regarded as his finest recording, this, his Blue Note debut from January of 1961, should not by any means be overlooked. After all, before this session he had the same lot as most Blue Note artists at the time; they played as sidemen on other's recordings before being allowed to headline their own dates. Willette performed on dates by Grant Green (Grant's First Stand) and Lou Donaldson (Here 'Tis). Face to Face boasts a mighty meat and potatoes soul-jazz lineup: Green on guitar, Fred Jackson on tenor, and drummer Ben Dixon. Comprised of six cuts, five of them are Willette originals. 

The evidence of the rough and rowdy side of Willette's playing is evident from the opener, "Swinging at Sugar Ray's." His approach to the B-3 is far more percussive than Jimmy Smith's, each note is a distinct punch; not only in his solos, but in his chord and head approaches. His solo is a nasty, knotty blues sprint that encompasses gospel licks and R&B fills, too. The other notable thing about the cut is Green's guitar break that shows a side of him we seldom got to hear early on, where he's bending strings, playing in the high register, and using intense single-note runs. 

It's nearly a breathless way to open a record. Things slow down on the blues "Goin' Down" that features a nice emotive solo by Jackson. The mambo-infused "Whatever Lola Wants" by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross comes next and includes some beautiful stop-and-and start moves in the melody, as well as beautiful call and response between Jackson and Willette, while Dixon's drums shift around the outside before the whole thing breaks down into a groover. The poppin' funky title track has one of those beautiful hard bop heads that's instantly memorable. Sure, it's not terribly sophisticated but it's full of soul and a relaxed yet quick group of changes before Jackson begins to blow. "Somethin' Strange" is pure blues, Chicago style, before moving into tough funky soul. 

The set closes with "High 'N' Low," a relaxed show-closing groove joint; it's all blues with fine contributions from Green, Jackson, and Willette. The two alternates are not necessarily revelatory, but they do keep the solid vibes happening for another 13 minutes or so. Certainly it's true that these compositions don't show a ton of imagination conceptually, but that doesn't mean anything. The group interplay here is the thing, it works seamlessly. The other notable is the looseness with which Green was playing on the date, and the true introduction of Willette's trademark approach to the B-3. That's all here. These tunes have their own little trademark knots and notches all over them. Highly recommended. ~ Thom Jurek  http://www.allmusic.com/album/face-to-face-mw0000595874

Personnel: Baby Face Willette (organ); Grant Green (guitar); Fred Jackson (tenor saxophone); Ben Dixon (drums).

Face To Face

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Masha Campagne - Caminhos Cruzados = Crossroads

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 44:01
Size: 100.8 MB
Styles: Latin jazz, Standards
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[5:54] 1. Romance Além Das Nuvens Romance Beyond The Clouds
[5:36] 2. So In Love
[3:19] 3. Doralice
[9:20] 4. Jobim Medley
[5:30] 5. Pra Quem Quiser Me Visitar For Those Who Want To Visit Me
[3:54] 6. O Côco Do Côco The Coconut Beat
[4:15] 7. It Might As Well Be Spring
[6:09] 8. Faltando Um Pedaço Missing A Piece

Since moving from Russia to San Francisco in 1991, Campagne has forged relationships with some of the region’s finest musicians, and she makes the most out of those ties on her debut album, Caminhos Cruzados. Most importantly, she’s collaborated widely with Iago, the brilliant Rio-raised pianist/arranger who has so enriched the Northern California music scene. Exploring a program of American Songbook standards and Brazilian gems by the likes of Dorival Caymmi, Jobim and Guinga, Champagne has forged a delicious Brazilian jazz sound that she traces back to her early infatuation with Astrud Gilberto.

“I think it was the vulnerability of her voice that caught me, and the energy, passionate yet subtle,” Campagne says. “Later I realized that Brazilian songs had all the components for great music. The lyrics are poetic and beautiful, the melodies are gorgeous, the rhythms swaying and bouncy, and the harmonies are very sophisticated.” ~Andrew Gilbert

Caminhos Cruzados = Crossroads

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Alain Mion & His Funkey Combo - Groovin' In Paris

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 48:08
Size: 110.2 MB
Styles: Funky jazz, Piano jazz
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[5:01] 1. The Wrong Soul Blues
[5:36] 2. East St. Louis, 1917
[3:03] 3. Dee Da Doo Ha !
[7:00] 4. Some Soul Food
[3:57] 5. The Last Train To Gila Bend
[6:04] 6. When The Ship Sails Away
[4:52] 7. Phila Nite Song
[3:29] 8. Joshua Fits The Battle Of Jericho
[6:37] 9. The Tap Tap
[2:24] 10. Greene Street

Recorded Live At the Jazz Club Lionel Hampton, Méridien Etoile, Paris, France

International top level band, directed by Alain Mion, formidable pianist, singer, composer, bandleader and arranger, certainly one of a kind in the “jazz funk and soul” style, in the same vein as Les McCann, Ramsey Lewis or Monty Alexander.

This 5 piece band has been created by Alain for a one week’s engagement at a prestigious Paris venue. The rare infectious energy of Alain, the groove of the trio and the swing and pleasure to play of the rhythm section (Swedish bassist Patrik Boman and German drummer Michael Kersting, both of them top level jazzmen with prestigious credits) are enriched with funky arrangements, played by a 2 sax ‘’rythm’n’blues’’ section (alto, tenor).

Fine melodist, radio hits composer (Pheno-Men, Devil’s Dance, The Tap Tap), gifted with a virtuoso pianist technique and a rare infectious energy, Alain Mion (today 63 years old) has performed on many radio and TV shows as well as at international festivals and prestigious venues, performing or recording from USA to China, from Sweden to Morocco, Poland, Belgium, Switzerland, France

Groovin' In Paris

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Maggie Green - Maggie Green

Styles: Brazilian Jazz, Bossa Nova
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:59
Size: 92,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:46)  1. Bahia Com H
(4:22)  2. Leveza Do Ser
(4:06)  3. Eu Nao Existo Sem Voce
(2:49)  4. One Note Samba
(4:51)  5. A Ra
(5:20)  6. Sem Mais Adeus
(5:03)  7. That's All
(3:54)  8. Inquietacao
(3:22)  9. Trocando Em Miudos
(2:21) 10. Samba Do Aviao

“Maggie is one of the most promising new musicians… an accomplished singer and great live performer” ~ Ray Hanley, Greater Columbus Arts Council President

American singer Maggie Green traveled to Rio de Janeiro to make this recording with some of Brazil's finest musicians including Luiz Avellar, Marcos Ariel and Kiko Freitas to name a few. Features original arrangements of bossa nova classics and more. Studying at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston, Maggie filled her time listening to recordings of the jazz greats and began developing a style all her own. It was also during this time that she started absorbing the music of Brazil. The exploration of this music has become an integral aspect of her work. This new CD release was recorded in Rio de Janeiro, features pianists Marcos Ariel and Luiz Avellar, drummer Kiko Freitas and bassist Ney Conceicao, Jurim Moreira, bassist Andre Neiva and guitarist Leonardo Amuedo. Maggie has performed sold out shows at Rio’s Estacio de Sa and has also sang at Abbey Road Studio Pub in Porto Alegre, Brazil with guitarist Julio Herrlein. 

While in Porto Alegre, Maggie was featured in an article in the statewide newspaper Zero Hora and gave live performances on Brazilian television. She leads her own various ensembles and formed the bossa nova-samba group Canto Poetico. She has performed in the Columbus Latino Festival, Columbus Jazz & RibFest, and the Columbus Arts Festival. Her club performances include Nighttown in Cleveland and Acton Jazz Café in Acton, Massachussetts. Her first self-produced CD entitled “First Song” features Maggie with several Columbus artists, including violinist Chris Howes, guitarist Stan Smith, bassists’ Roger Hines and Chris Berg and drummer Joe Ong. Maggie has served on the faculty as jazz vocal instructor at Capital University. http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/maggiegreen

Maggie Green

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Dana Robbins - So So Good

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 30:44
Size: 73,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:29)  1. Poquito Mas
(4:25)  2. For The Boyz
(3:31)  3. So Good
(3:35)  4. Watch It
(3:44)  5. Alexandra
(4:13)  6. Love Crusade
(4:16)  7. Groovin' The Boulevard
(3:28)  8. Maddi's Lullaby

Dana Robbins is an American singer who was the first contestant eliminated from the music reality competition Rock Star: INXS, in 2005. The daughter of a physician father and a nurse/real estate agent mother, Dana was born and mostly raised in Las Vegas, Nevada. Despite her parents’ professional backgrounds, Dana caught the performance bug early, becoming a showgirl at the age of 17 and performing in the Riviera hotel shows Jubilee and Splash. She also founded the band Honey Pot and performed at Vegas hotspots like Club Utopia. She then moved to Los Angeles where she formed her current band Aerial. As the lead singer of Aerial, she's rocked in L.A.’s classic clubs, including the Viper Room, the Roxy, and the Gig. She has also performed in a number of softcore films and television series, including Intimate Nights (1998), Stripper Wives (1999), Sinful Obsession (1999), The Pleasure Zone (1999) and Pleasure Zone: Volume 4 - Promiscuous (2000). By day Dana is a bartender, yoga instructor and dancer.Her rock idol is Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin.  

http://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=6740

So So Good

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Nicholas Payton - Numbers

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:20
Size: 158,0 MB
Art: Front

(7:48)  1. Two
(6:42)  2. Three
(5:46)  3. Four
(3:15)  4. Five
(4:59)  5. Six
(5:49)  6. Seven
(6:25)  7. Eight
(6:00)  8. Nine
(6:33)  9. Ten
(4:51) 10. Eleven
(6:37) 11. Twelve
(3:29) 12. Thirteen

I think y’all are going to dig this one. It's what Prince was going for on the Madhouse joints, but we leaned closer to Funk and Soul with a flare of New Orleans, of course. It’s like Leon Ware and Marvin Gaye - I Want You meets the vamps of The Meters and the cues of The Ohio Players, with a touch of Herbie Hancock and Patrice Rushen thrown in, and a dash of Dilla. But it don't sound like none of that shit at the same time. This album was recorded at Jellowstone Studios on all live instruments in one room with these cats out of VA called "Butcher Brown." Butcher Brown is Corey Fonville on drums; Devonne Harris on keys and bass; Keith Askey on guitar; and Andrew Randazzo on bass. Fonville's been working with me since 2010. I met him while he was still in college. I kept my eye on him and snatched him up as soon as he finished. 

He had been telling me about Harris, aka DJ Harrison, for years. Being the product of mentorship myself, the idea of sharing, lineage, and ancestry inspired me to get with these cats whom I felt a kinship. Sankofa is the spirit of Paytone Records. Go back and get it! When we tracked, I played mostly Rhodes and just a hint of trumpet with the idea that I would go back and overdub solos. After I lived with the material for a while, I came to love it just the way it is. As a result we may have recorded the hippest, funkiest Play-A-Long album that's ever been documented. Musicians, rappers, singers, DJs, and lovers have in this collection of records an album designed for you to float on top of. It’s a bed of sex wrapped in 500-thread count sonic sheets. The idea is that we leave space for you to find yourself in the music. In the New Orleans tradition, collective interplay is key. The cats from Virginia fit right in with my concept. I had these motifs sitting around for years these little 2 and 4-bar vamps. Part of the reason I started Paytone Records is to get all this stuff out, so I can do it on my schedule and not have to wait for the green light from someone else. I stopped writing songs over 10 years ago. I get moments of melodic, chordal, or rhythmic inspiration and I put that down. 

They write themselves. That’s the real stuff. When I began to assemble all of these melodic fragments, I was astonished at how seamlessly they all fit together. It’s like when you buy clothes and pick up a tie here or a vest there. Then you go to your closet and arrange an ensemble and it works as if you bought all the pieces at the same time, but it’s an assortment of things you’ve accumulated over the years. Because they were all picked with your eyes, it works. That’s what composing is for me these days. So far, Butcher Brown and I have done two sessions. The first was September 9 – 11, 2013, and the one that produced Numbers was from December 18 – 20, 2013. The last tune we did in the first session is called “One,” so I called the first piece from the 2nd session, “Two.” So if you’re wondering why the first track on Numbers is “Two,” and it makes you ask, “Where’s One?” you’ll have to wait for the first album. If someone wants you to describe what Numbers sounds like, tell them it’s like Nicholas and Butcher Brown took a time capsule back to 1973 and played a gig for the people demonstrating what's happened in music for the past 40 years. ~ Nicholas Payton, June 2014  http://nicholaspayton.wordpress.com/2014/07/09/press-release-for-numbers-by-nicholas-payton-ft-butcher-brown/

Numbers

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Shirley Scott & Stanley Turrentine - Blue Flames

Styles: Hard Bop, Soul Jazz
Year: 1964
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:32
Size: 77,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:41)  1. The Funky Fox
(5:41)  2. Hips Knees An' Legs
(5:31)  3. Five Spot After Dark
(7:25)  4. Grand Street
(9:12)  5. Flamingo

All of the many collaborations between organist Shirley Scott and tenor saxophonist Stanley Turrentine in the 1960s resulted in high-quality soul jazz, groovin' music that was boppish enough to interest jazz listeners and basic enough for a wider audience. This CD reissue has the duo (joined by bassist Bob Cranshaw and drummer Otis "Candy" Finch) performing a pair of Scott originals, Benny Golson's "Five Spot After Dark," Sonny Rollins' obscure "Grand Street" and the veteran standard "Flamingo." The only fault of this CD reissue is its brief length, just 32 minutes. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/blue-flames-mw0000263755

Personnel: Shirley Scott (Hammond organ); Stanley Turrentine (tenor saxophone); Bob Cranshaw (bass); Otis Finch (drums).

Blue Flames

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