Maureen Christine - The Very Thought Of You

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:22
Size: 120,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:28)  1. Embraceable You
(2:33)  2. Blue Skies/Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah
(3:24)  3. I'm So Glad Your Mine
(4:05)  4. Something Wonderful As Long As He Needs Me
(3:20)  5. A Kiss To Build A Dream On
(3:10)  6. All The Time
(3:04)  7. Climb Every Mountain
(3:14)  8. For All We Know/They Can't Take That Away
(1:41)  9. I Love You
(4:16) 10. Listen To My Heart
(2:22) 11. Sunny Side Of The Town
(4:35) 12. The Very Thought Of You
(1:43) 13. S' Wonderful
(3:59) 14. Can't Help Loving That Man
(2:32) 15. No Moon At All
(3:50) 16. One Heart Broken

This second album for Chicago cabaret singer Maureen Christine is a notable step forward from her first release, not that there was anything technically or stylistically wrong with the vocalizing on the first CD. The problem was the play list and arrangements, which were pretty much limited to sad songs done in a torpid tempo. Christine has added rays of sunshine to the repertoire of this CD, bringing a welcome balance to it. The medley of "Blue Skies"/"Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" zips along at a high-stepping pace with Jim Massoth's sax leading the way. Even on the slower material, still Christine's bread and butter, there seems to be renewed vigor. "Embraceable You" finds the singer with strings, with the middle register clarinet of Steve Leinheiser providing a strong base for the singer to rest on. This is a pleasant arrangement of a classic standard. 

Like many of her cabaret peers, Christine seems swayed by the songs of Barry Manilow, here represented by "All the Time," sung with obvious feeling. On "Climb Every Mountain," Christine displays a wide range, reaching the high notes without strain or screech. Of all the tracks on this very fine collection of songs, "Listen to My Heart" captures the heart and soul of cabaret (viz., a pretty tune with a story to tell sung by a natural storyteller with a natural melodious, expressive voice). Scott Metlica's flute adds a good deal to this track. Much of the credit for this release should go to musical handyman Bobby Schiff, who helped with the arrangements, played piano on several of the tracks, and, as string orchestrator, was responsible for assuring that the strings stay jaunty not drift off into dreariness. This is a fine second outing which is highly recommended.  ~ Dave Nathan  http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-very-thought-of-you-mw0000015537

The Very Thought Of You

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Pearl Django - Avalon

Styles: Gypsy Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:33
Size: 125,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:50)  1. Avalon
(3:46)  2. Troublant Bolero
(3:41)  3. Swing 42
(2:28)  4. Memories of You
(3:10)  5. Lover, Come Back to Me
(4:27)  6. Blues en Mineur
(5:22)  7. Smoke Gets in Your Eyes
(5:24)  8. Manoir de Mes Reves
(4:26)  9. Begin the Beguine
(3:05) 10. Belleville
(2:21) 11. Walc Nagrobek
(3:21) 12. Swingtonic
(3:57) 13. Honeysuckle Rose
(4:11) 14. I'm Confessin'

The fifth release by Pearl Django shows them in high spirits with string music that swings; three acoustic guitarists, a violinist & a bassist recapitulate the instrumentation of Django's legendary Quintet of the Hot Club of France, paying homage to a magnificent tradition, while bringing five wide-ranging backgrounds & a spectrum of stylistic capabilities to a new renaissance of string swing. ~ Editorial Reviews  http://www.amazon.com/Avalon-Pearl-Django/dp/B000050HP8

Personnel: Dudley Hill, Shelley D. Park, Neil Anderson (guitar); Michael Gray (violin); David Lange (accordion).

Avalon

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John Pizzarelli - Live At Birdland Disc 1 And Disc 2

Styles: Vocal And Guitar Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:52 (Disc 1)
Size: 153,8 MB (Disc 1)
Time: 65:21 (Disc 2)
Size: 150,2 MB (Disc 2)
Art: Front + Back

Disc 1

(0:06)  1. Introduction
(4:41)  2. Just You, Just Me
(5:31)  3. The Frim Fram Sauce
(6:16)  4. The Song Is You
(4:14)  5. Isn't It A Pity?
(1:04)  6. Rhode Island Intro
(3:45)  7. Rhode Island
(4:13)  8. Ray Kennedy: Library Of Congress Story
(5:22)  9. Gospel Truth
(3:14) 10. Ray Kennedy: Dizzy Gillespie Story
(5:05) 11. Tea For Tatum
(0:11) 12. James Taylor Intro
(3:14) 13. Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight
(1:02) 14. James Taylor Intro 2
(3:50) 15. Mean Old Man
(4:12) 16. Manhattan
(2:31) 17. Rosemary Clooney Story
(3:18) 18. Moonlight Becomes You
(0:30) 19. Final Intro
(4:24) 20. Will You Still Be Mine?

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Disc 2

(0:20)  1. Introduction
(4:30)  2. Three Little Words
(6:04)  3. They Can't Take That Away From Me
(4:27)  4. Oh, How My Heart Beats for You
(3:09)  5. The Day I Found You
(1:44)  6. Polliwog Story
(7:42)  7. It's Only a Paper Moon
(4:44)  8. Stompin' at The Savoy
(3:40)  9. Better Run Before It's Spring
(2:56) 10. Grover Kemble Story
(3:55) 11. Headed Out to Vera's
(5:29) 12. Medley: Gee Baby / Ain't I Good To You
(0:57) 13. I Like Jersey Best Intro
(8:28) 14. I Like Jersey Best
(3:55) 15. My Castle's Rockin'
(3:14) 16. Baby Just Come Home to Me

This is a wonderful, warm-hearted, and effortlessly virtuosic live recording by one of the finest living exponents of pre-bop small-ensemble jazz. With pianist Ray Kennedy and bassist Martin Pizzarelli (and on two songs joined by vocalist Grover Kemble), singer and guitarist John Pizzarelli runs through a generally lightweight but thoroughly charming set of standards, homages, funny stories, and the occasional original tune; the fast tunes are light and frothy, the ballads smooth and gentle, and even the moments that are less than utterly inspired work together with the album's highlights to create a very satisfying whole. John Pizzarelli has a suit sponsor, which tells you something about what to expect of him as a singer: his voice is smooth and warm, offering a nice combination of Chet Baker's timbre and Dean Martin's fullness; as a guitarist you need to know that he favors seven-string guitars and flat-wound strings, leading him naturally to a swinging Django Reinhardt-meets-Freddie Green kind of sound. 

As for the trio's instrumentation, it's true that when you can comp with this kind of authority you don't technically need a drummer. But on a few tracks a drummer would have filled out the band's sound nicely. Highlights include the group's fun, slightly greasy take on "Frim Fram Sauce" and a great ode to Art Tatum called "Tea for Tatum," as well as a fine original blues composition titled "Headed Out to Vera's." Pizzarelli's own "Oh, How My Heart Beats for You" and "Day I Found You" are also wonderful. But the album's standout track is a limpidly gorgeous rendition of another original, "Better Run Before It's Spring." Pizzarelli is obviously having a blast in the intimate setting of the legendary Birdland club, and so will any jazz lover who takes the time to listen. Very highly recommended. ~ Rick Anderson  

http://www.allmusic.com/album/live-at-birdland-mw0000592767

John Pizzarelli Trio: John Pizzarelli (vocals, guitar); Ray Kennedy (piano); Martin Pizzarelli (bass); Grover Kemble (vocals)

Live At Birdland Disc 1, Disc 2

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Lee Morgan With Hank Mobley's Quintet - Introducing

Styles: Trumpet And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1956
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:18
Size: 84,3 MB
Art: Front

(7:03)  1. Hank's Shout
(8:53)  2. Nostalgia
(7:56)  3. Bet
(2:29)  4. Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise
(4:22)  5. P.S. I Love You
(2:49)  6. Easy Living
(2:43)  7. That's All

Originally a Hank Mobley session, this is one of trumpeter Lee Morgan's earliest recordings. At the time Morgan (who was just 18) was very much under the musical influence of Clifford Brown although a bit of his own personality was starting to shine through. With the fine tenor of Mobley, pianist Hank Jones, bassist Doug Watkins and drummer Art Taylor, Morgan sounds quite comfortable playing bebop and participating in a ballad medley. This set (along with a previously unissued version of "Nostalgia") was later reissued as A-1 The Savoy Sessions. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/introducing-lee-morgan-mw0000094279

Personnel: Lee Morgan (trumpet); Hank Mobley (tenor saxophone); Hank Jones (piano); Doug Watkins (bass); Art Taylor (drums).

Introducing

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Danny Caron - How Sweet It Is

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 48:40
Size: 111.4 MB
Styles: Jazz-blues guitar
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[4:54] 1. Zydeco Boogaloo
[4:37] 2. The Promised Land
[4:30] 3. One For The Road
[4:19] 4. Grand Lake Shuffle
[4:56] 5. E.S.B. Blues
[6:12] 6. The Chicken
[4:22] 7. Need Your Love So Bad
[4:31] 8. Rock Candy
[7:09] 9. Body And Soul
[3:04] 10. Our Miss Brooks

n his own description, Danny Caron sees How Sweet It Is as an extension of Good Hands, and in many ways it is. But to my ears while Good Hands is about incredible guitar work from an incredible guitarist, How Sweet It Is is about musical choices. Don’t get me wrong, there is still plenty of great guitar work here but the choices make How Sweet It Is the great CD it is.

The first choice, naturally enough, is the music. While mostly slow blues and stylized jazz, there are even a couple of different flavors of zydeco, the jumping Zydeco Boogoloo and the slow, country roots One For The Road. As his bio indicates, this is the range of music Danny has been playing his whole life, and continues to play. All the numbers are beautifully arranged.

The next choice is the musicians. While all the players on this CD are noteworthy, to me the keyboard players deserve special mention: Wayne De La Cruz and Jimmy Pugh driving B-3 and John R. Burr on piano. It doesn’t get better at providing a counterpoint to Caron’s guitar. And though he only appears on a couple of tracks, Jeff Ervin delivers some truly powerful sax.

Did I mention vocals? The late Charles Brown is here; so smooth, like silk, forever. And Barbara Morrison, playful and earthy, like hearing the blues you always knew but never knew you missed quite so much.

For what is primarily an instrumental album, the several vocals on this CD are, on their own merit, worth the price of admission.

In short, How Sweet It Is is a great musical choice. Check it out. ~Karl Cishek

How Sweet It Is

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Chicago Afro Latin Jazz Ensemble - Blueprints

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 56:57
Size: 130.4 MB
Styles: Latin jazz
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[ 6:17] 1. Send Eggs
[ 8:38] 2. Milesmiles
[ 8:19] 3. Captain Spok
[ 5:33] 4. Vuelvo A Vivir
[ 5:50] 5. Blueprints
[ 6:06] 6. Bossa Pegajosa
[ 5:42] 7. Tierra
[10:28] 8. Timeless

When cooking a marvelous soup or stew from scratch with all the finest ingredients, there's that special moment when the culinary creation rushes to a boil and marvelous flavors burst out explosively into the air. It's the penultimate moment only surpassed by the delicious devouring. Contentment follows.

The selections contained in the Chicago Afro-Latin Jazz Ensemble's fine Blueprints are wonderfully reminiscent of a musical recipe that simmers slowly and then bursts into a fiery buffet. This is a marvelously entertaining offering by a group of outstanding musicians, writers and arrangers. Forget the designations "Latin" and "jazz." This is outstanding, high-energy music. The recipe here is exclusively spicy Latin with wonderful, generous dollops of inventive, hard jazz playing across the board. While the Latin (and one reggae) grooves might sound familiar, it's the playing and exciting soloing over those rhythmic/harmonic structural underpinnings that blow white-hot. There's an air of machismo that runs throughout Blueprints from note one.

Not surprisingly, this group delivers. Each selection also offers intelligent and compelling writing. The arrangements all seem to be neatly constructed to allow room for both ensemble and solo showcases to reach a climax, all while avoiding any Latin band rhythmic or harmonic clichés. The ensemble playing is tight and the arrangers demand absolutely everything of the band, including cascading pyramids and melodic/time complexities on tracks like "Captain Spok." The one vocal cut, "Vuelvo a Vivir," segues from a rather restrained reggae groove to a blistering salsa, complete with screaming trumpet dog-whistle holdover. Soloists Juan Turros, on tenor sax, and trumpeter Victor Garcia (both of whom also add marvelous compositions and arrangements) delight. Alto saxophonist Greg Ward II inspires, while pianist Darwin Noguera throbs. The addition of trombonist/shell player Steve Turre is a wonderful, exciting touch, his playing always intelligently emotional. Noted trumpeter Roger Ingram helps add atmosphere and supreme lead playing to an ensemble whose rhythm section drives everything unmercifully.

The Chicago Afro-Latin Jazz Ensemble soars with this exciting CD. It also further embraces the important and integral mix of Afro-American jazz and Latin pulses. Blueprints delivers the goods and cooks. Mama, this is not your average Latin paella. This is muy fuego. ~Nicholas F Mondello

Victor Garcia: trumpet; Tito Carrillo: trumpet; Roger Ingram: trumpet; Freddie Rodriguez: trumpet; Steve Turre: trombone, shells; John Mose: trombone; Craig Sunken: trombone; Greg Ward II: alto sax; Rocky Yera: tenor sax, baritone sax, flute; Steve Eisen: baritone sax; Rich Moore: alto sax (7), clarinet (7); Neal Alger: guitar; Darwin Noguera: piano: Joshua Ramos: electric bass; Paoli Mejia: congas; Victor Gonzales, Jr. congas; Juan Picorelli: timbales; Ernie Adams: drums (1, 3, 4, 6, 8); Juan Daniel Pastor: drums (2, 5, 7); Juan Daniel Pastor: cajon; Nythia Martinez: vocal; Ricky Luis: vocal.

Blueprints

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Deborah Brown - Jazz 4 Jazz

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 65:53
Size: 150.8 MB
Styles: Vocals, Standards
Year: 1988/1993/2000
Art: Front

[5:03] 1. Little Esther
[4:24] 2. Denise
[6:30] 3. Finally
[4:55] 4. It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)
[8:05] 5. Embraceable You
[7:42] 6. Since I Fell For You
[7:31] 7. I Thought About You
[3:06] 8. My Romance
[3:26] 9. What Is This Thing Called Love
[5:08] 10. When We Were One
[2:53] 11. Bebop
[7:03] 12. When I Fall In Love

A pleasing and swinging singer who has not become famous in the United States despite her talents, Deborah Brown is in top form on this 1993 reissue of a set recorded in 1988 for the tiny Reaction label. Accompanied by a top-notch trio of American expatriates (pianist Horace Parlan, bassist Red Mitchell, and drummer Ed Thigpen), Brown swings her way through such songs as "It Don't Mean a Thing," "I Thought About You," "My Romance," and Dizzy Gillespie's "Bebop." This CD starts out a little unusual with one song apiece by Parlan, Thigpen, and Mitchell, tunes that give Deborah Brown an opportunity to show how creative a singer she is, before she tackles the well-known standards. Happily, Brown has remained active in Europe into the 21st century. Recommended. ~Scott Yanow

Jazz 4 Jazz

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Cris Monen Jazz & Blues Band - You've Got To Pay The Band

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 48:01
Styles: Blues-jazz, Easy Listening
Year: 1995
Art: Front

[3:34] 1. Oh Babe
[2:09] 2. Ma, She's Making Eyes A Me
[4:14] 3. Blue Light Boogie
[2:42] 4. Lulu's Back In Town
[3:46] 5. After You've Gone
[3:15] 6. One Note Samba
[3:40] 7. Georgia Mae
[3:51] 8. Hush, Hush
[3:31] 9. Some Of These Days
[2:55] 10. A Good Girl Is Hard To Find
[3:31] 11. I'm Crazy 'bout My Baby
[4:18] 12. She's Funny That Way
[3:21] 13. Saturday Night Fish Fry
[3:09] 14. You've Got To Pay The Band

You've Got To Pay The Band is the debut album of blues and jazz singer Cris Monen. He tours around the world with his band and sometimes solo. His beautiful voice and perfect guitar playing are very special. The album truly is magnificent and contains 14 superb easy listening jazz and blues songs. Band members: Cris Monen - guitar and vocals, Sjoerd Dijkhuizen - tenor/alto/saxophone/clarinet, Jos Machtel - trombone/cornet/tuba, Martijn Vink - drums and Frans van Geest - bass. A must fans of this genre.

You've Got To Pay The Band

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Barb Jungr - Chanson: The Space In Between

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:03
Size: 128,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:32)  1. Ne Me Quitte Pas
(6:29)  2. Sunday Morning St Denis
(3:50)  3. I Love Paris
(6:32)  4. Les Marquises
(2:40)  5. Cri du Coeur
(5:13)  6. Quartier Latin
(4:02)  7. Marieke
(2:48)  8. April in Paris
(5:56)  9. La Chanson des Vieux Amants
(3:33) 10. New Amsterdam
(3:19) 11. Les Poetes
(3:14) 12. The Space In Between
(2:48) 13. No regrets

Timeless as it is, you could have asked, justly, whether or not the new millennium really needed yet another interpretation of the Jacques Brel songbook, so often had it been attempted, both successfully and miserably, in the preceding century. Barb Jungr definitively answered that question on Chanson: The Space in Between, and she answered resoundingly in the affirmative -- it is an exhilarating purr of an effort. But then, Jungr, a longstanding anchor of the British alternative cabaret circuit, had already been compared to both Lotte Lenya and Edith Piaf prior to recording this first full-fledged effort in the genre (she had previously performed some of the music live and Bare did include a Brel song amongst its set list), so its accomplishment is no surprise.

The album, too, goes well beyond Brel, featuring as it does a repertoire that includes songs by Cole Porter, Jacques Prévert, Léo Ferré, and E.Y. "Yip" Harburg from the old tradition, as well as a tune from the pen of Elvis Costello and a modern chanson from compatriot Robb Johnson. There are several reasons why Chanson is such a splendid realization of Jungr's vision. For one, the singer specially commissioned translations of the Brel and Ferré pieces from Johnson and fellow cabaret haunter Des de Moor, and they represent the most accurate renderings of these songs into English.

Secondly, producer Calum Malcolm, utilizing an extremely sympathetic band, creates rich, poignant backdrops for the songs. You can hear the mythic Paris of yore wafting throughout, particularly in "Sunday Morning St. Denis" and "Cri du Coeur," while there is an equally strong strain of straight-ahead jazz ("Quartier Latin," "The Space in Between"). Most important, though, are the ravishing readings given by Jungr. Her performance ranges from the almost desperate and passion-haunted, both in life and love ("La Chanson des Vieux Amants"), to the positively triumphant ("Marieke") with equal skill, sounding as gorgeously weathered on "I Love Paris" as she seems delightfully guileless and clear-eyed on "New Amsterdam" (with its flawlessly ringing production). This is cabaret in its highest form. ~ Stanton Swihart  

http://www.allmusic.com/album/chanson-the-space-in-between-mw0000097710

Personnel: Barb Junger (vocals); Rolf Wilson (violin); Kim Burton (kaval, accordion, piano); Russell Churney, Simon Wallace (piano); Julie Walkington (bass); James Tomalin (samples); Kevin Hathway (percussion).

Chanson: The Space In Between

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Joe Sample - Soul Shadows

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:38
Size: 113,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:30)  1. How You Gonna Keep 'Em Down On The Farm?
(5:09)  2. Ain't Misbehavin'
(4:23)  3. Avalon
(5:07)  4. Soul Shadows
(3:36)  5. I Got Rhythm
(4:14)  6. I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good
(3:45)  7. Spellbound
(2:20)  8. It's A Sin To Tell A Lie
(3:36)  9. The Entertainer
(4:09) 10. Shreveport Stomp
(5:13) 11. Embraceable You
(4:30) 12. Jitterbug Waltz

If anyone out in CD land ever wondered what a Joe Sample solo piano album would sound like, here it is and it's a good bet that this is not what a Sample fan would expect. Rather than conform to the cerebral solo piano mainstream as exhaustively set forth in the "Maybeck" series, Sample's inspiration goes way, way back back to the teens and 1920s, to the formative, nearly-forgotten example of James Reese Europe, to the heydays of ragtime and stride. 

On this CD, the key for Sample is to make sure no one misses the missing bass and drums, to keep the pulse of jazz present as much as possible, with lots of thumping stride as a default mode. He does not disguise his heavyweight, full-fisted approach to the keyboard, and there are some occasionally clumsy moments when the line of thought strays. The repertoire is old, perhaps even ancient, at times a bit naive; When was the last time you heard "How You Gonna Keep `Em Down on the Farm?" on any new recording, let alone a jazz record? Gershwin gets his due ( a brittle "I Got Rhythm" and a sometimes whimsical ballad treatment of "Embraceable You"), so does Fats Waller ("Ain't Misbehavin," a staccato "Jitterbug Waltz"), Scott Joplin (a somewhat hesitant "The Entertainer"), and Jelly Roll Morton (a jaunty "Shreveport Stomp"). There are also a pair of Sample originals in a contemplative manner ("Soul Shadows" and "Spellbound"). Although smooth jazz outlets probably won't touch this sampling of Sample, antiquarians will be intrigued. ~ Richard S. Ginell  http://www.allmusic.com/album/soul-shadows-mw0000701715

Personnel: Joe Sample (piano); Paul Mitchell (recorder).

Soul Shadows

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Lynne Barber - Don't Let Another Day Go Bye

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:23
Size: 105,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:50)  1. Crazy He Callsme
(3:52)  2. Ain't Misbehavin'
(4:15)  3. Blame It on My Youth
(3:29)  4. Don't Let Another Day Go Bye
(5:34)  5. I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good
(3:32)  6. Honeysuckel Rose
(3:49)  7. The More I See You
(4:23)  8. Skylark
(3:54)  9. Makin'whoopee/The Glory of Love
(4:42) 10. Baby Don't You Quit
(2:58) 11. When Your Lover Has Gone

Like the great Sarah Vaughn, Lynne bounces around melodies with a sweet mellowness that sets you at ease immediately. Lynne Barber has shared the microphone with such greats as Dizzy Gillespie, Vince Guaraldi and Dodo Marmarosa. Critics have praised her intimate style and soulful delivery. With this CD, her career begins anew. And we, the lucky listeners, get to go along for the ride. Lucky, because Lynne Barber has returned to her jazz roots without letting another day go by. http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/lynne1

Don't Let Another Day Go Bye

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Johnny Guarnieri - Cheerful Little Earful

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 24:08
Size: 55,5 MB
Art: Front

(2:04)  1. At Sundown
(2:01)  2. Three Little Words
(2:10)  3. Ain't We Got Fun
(2:01)  4. After You've Gone
(1:49)  5. Cheeful Little Earful
(1:53)  6. I Love Louisa
(2:12)  7. Ain't Misbehavin'
(2:12)  8. Facinating Rhythm
(1:57)  9. Breezin' Along With The Breeze
(1:58) 10. Let's Have Another Cup Of Coffee
(1:54) 11. I Know That You Know
(1:52) 12. Anything Goes

One of the most talented pianists of the 1940s, Johnny Guarnieri had the ability to closely imitate Fats Waller, Count Basie, and even Art Tatum. Not too surprisingly, he was in great demand during his prime years. Guarnieri started classical piano lessons when he was ten and soon switched to jazz. In 1939, he joined Benny Goodman's orchestra, recording frequently with both the big band and B.G.'s sextet. In 1940, Guarnieri became a member of Artie Shaw's orchestra and gained fame playing harpsichord on Shaw's popular Gramercy Five recordings. 

After further associations with Goodman (1941) and Shaw (1941-1942), he was with Tommy Dorsey (1942-1943) and then freelanced. Among Guarnieri's many recordings during this era were important dates with Lester Young ("Sometimes I'm Happy"), Roy Eldridge, Ben Webster, Coleman Hawkins, Rex Stewart, Don Byas, and Louis Armstrong ("Jack-Armstrong Blues"). He also recorded frequently as a leader during 1944-1947, including one date on which Lester Young was his sideman. Guarnieri joined the staff of NBC in the late '40s, appeared in the Coleman Hawkins/Roy Eldridge television pilot After Hours (1961), moved to California in the '60s where he often played solo piano, and a few times in the 1970s toured Europe. Guarnieri's later records often found him playfully performing stride in 5/4 time. He recorded as a leader through the years for such labels as Savoy, Majestic, Coral (1956), Golden Crest, Camden, Dot, Black & Blue, Dobre, and Taz-Jazz (1976 and 1978). Bio ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/artist/johnny-guarnieri-mn0000210757/biography

Cheerful Little Earful

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Horace Silver - The Hardbop Grandpop

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 62:26

Size: 142.9 MB

Styles: Hard bop, Piano jazz

Year: 1996

Art: Front

[5:15] 1. I Want You

[6:42] 2. The Hippest Cat In Hollywood

[5:37] 3. Gratitude

[6:17] 4. Hawkin'

[8:03] 5. I Got The Blues In Santa Cruz

[7:04] 6. We've Got Silver At Six

[5:19] 7. The Hardbop Grandpop

[6:02] 8. The Lady From Johannesburg

[6:23] 9. Serenade To A Teakettle

[5:38] 10. Diggin' On Dexter

Pianist Horace Silver's 1996 CD introduced ten new compositions and, although none of the originals will probably become standards, they are consistently catchy, full of the infectious Silver personality and very viable vehicles for improvisation. The instrumental set matches Silver with quite an all-star group comprised of trumpeter Claudio Roditi, tenor saxophonist Michael Brecker (an alumnus), trombonist Steve Turre, baritonist Ronnie Cuber, bassist Ron Carter and drummer Lewis Nash. Most of the selections feature solo space for one or two of the horn players (all get their spots), and the results live up to the great potential. One of Horace Silver's finest recordings in his post-Blue Note era. ~Scott Yanow

The Hardbop Grandpop

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Robin McKelle - Modern Antique

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 43:51

Size: 100.4 MB

Styles: Vocal jazz

Year: 2009

Art: Front

[3:29] 1. Abracadabra

[3:21] 2. Comes Love

[3:36] 3. I Want To Be Loved

[4:39] 4. Lover Man

[3:43] 5. Cheek To Cheek

[3:21] 6. Day By Day

[6:13] 7. Save Your Love For Me

[2:47] 8. Go To Hell

[3:23] 9. Lullaby Of Birdland

[4:39] 10. Make Someone Happy

[4:36] 11. Remember

Robin McKelle is a California based singer who enjoys the big-band sound, as well as old-time singers like Peggy Lee and Dinah Washington, reflective in her voice. She has a slightly sultry, at times girlish sound that is striving for vintage sophistication, but also relies on contemporary song stylist precepts. She's not Norah Jones, Diana Krall, or Joni Mitchell by a long shot, and not trying to be. She sounds quite similar to Detroit based vocalist Kathy Kosins in her phrasing and affectations. The problem with this recording, her third, is that it is way overproduced, not in a contemporary synthesizer soaked way, for all of the arrangements are acoustically derived. But the rather large horn section and strings dominate this stylized singer on too many occasions. It will be good someday to hear her with a much smaller ensemble, but meanwhile, you have a fairly good representation of what McKelle sounds like doing a Las Vegas type show set. The program starts off smart enough with of a swinging and rousing version of Steve Miller's "Abracadabra," with McKelle tossing in some good scat singing. A montuno/Afro-Cuban take of "Comes Love" shows the sexy influence of Lee, while the slight contemporary light rock beat tacked on to "I Want to Be Loved" is a popular concession, but the orchestration drenches this tune. Veteran tenor saxophone soloist Pete Christlieb shines on the string infused easy swinger "Cheek to Cheek," while flugelhorn and trumpet guest Joe Magnarelli is strong and supple for the breezy "Day by Day" and stands out during the very complementary chart of "Make Someone Happy." McKelle scats again and quite effectively for "Lullaby of Birdland" with interesting staggered phrasings above a less orchestrated backdrop -- a good thing for her. She also plays piano while singing on her original, the closer "Remember," a pop ballad with strings and laden with the otherwise tasteful guitarist Larry Kuhns. This band has some other good players like trumpeter Wayne Bergeron, saxophonists Bob Shepard or Andy Snitzer, and bassist Reggie McBride, but their individualism is all but smothered. This CD will appeal to a certain audience, but there's nothing new or innovative, save the occasional vocal excursions of the clearly talented McKelle. ~Michael G. Nastos

Modern Antique

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Joe Van Enkhuizen - Joe Meets The Rhythm Section

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 39:25
Size: 90.2 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[6:23] 1. Alfies Theme
[5:27] 2. God Bless The Child
[7:37] 3. Bluesville
[6:36] 4. Willow Weep For Me
[8:47] 5. Wadin'
[4:33] 6. F.S.R

Charlie Parker once said that he needed a rhythm section like old slippers. Bird's meaning was clear. He wanted a backing trio of handpicked musicians that he had frequently encountered. Men who would supply warm and comfortable accompaniment. Three who thought and flowed as one, and styled their support to suit the flights and fancies of the soloist. There have been many notable rhythm sections in modern jazz - from Haig/Potter/Roach through Silver / Heath / Blakey, Kelly / Chambers / Cobb, Clark / Warren / Higgins to Hancock / Carter / Williams and Tyner / Garrison / Jones. One of the best functioned as three-quarters of the Playhouse Four and appeared on a series of outstandig Blue Note albums in the early 1960s. The components of that perfectly balanced threesome who lit the fires under a dozen memorable dates for Alfred Lion were pianist Horace Parian, bassist George Tucker and drummer Al Harewood. Besides trio sessions they were involved in a series of quintet albums using a front line of Stanley and Tommy Turrentine, several recordings with the fourth member of the Playhouse Four, tenor saxophonist Booker Ervin, and the memorable Blue Note debut of Dexter Gordon - Doin' Allright. Their work on those LPs 25 and more years ago made a profound impression on a young Dutch saxophonist who at just about that time made the switch from alto to tenor saxophone - Joe van Enkhuizen. Saldy, the partnership was broken by the untimely death of the redoubtable George Tucker, arguably the most rhythmically exciting bassist of his time in 1965. More than 20 years elapsed before Joe was able to realise most of his dream, and the occasion was his first self-produced album. Since Joe was calling the shots he booked Horace and Al and joining them in this All American Rhythm Section was the immensely talented Rufus Reid. If you had to pick a worthy successor to George Tucker you could't do any better than the rock-steady Rufus.

Joe has again presented us with an excellently balanced program which opens and closes with thoughtful tributes to Sonny Rollins. "Bluesville" is an earthly line from the pen of alto saxophonist Sonny Red Kyner. The other composers represented in this set are Horace Parian whose "Wadin'" was first heard on his Us Three LP in 1960, and Ann Ronell whose "Willow Weep For Me" has served as inspiration for many Jazz players including Bud Powell and Dexter Gordon. On these tunes, Joe confirms his allegiance to the soulful school of tenormen. His penchant is for a vivid, robust and vocal form of expression. He employs a wide range of the horn's sonorities. His clear, vibrant tone has the stamp of individuality which is the equivalent of the painter's signature. Joe's jazz encompasses the attitude of an entire generation towards improvisation. Regardless of whether you were a Netherlander or a New Yorker in the 1960s. If you were remotely interested in jazz, you moved and grooved to a hard bop beat. That's where it is on Rollin's "Alfie's Theme", the most catchy of the melodies that Sonny wrote for the 1966 British film Alfie. This 32-bar tune in the AABA form has a bluesy and surging feel that acts as propulsion to the soloists. Joe wails it, but in an economical statement refrains from overblowing. Note Horace's march-like prompts and the beautiful walking of Rufus' bass. Horace gets to the heart of the matter in his mesmeric portion with Al laying down righteous percussive patterns. Good groovin' indeed!

Bass – Al Harewood; Drums – Joe Van Enkhuizen; Piano – Horace Parlan; Tenor Saxophone – Rufus Reid.

Joe Meets The Rhythm Section

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Gato Barbieri - Passion And Fire

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 37:45

Size: 86.4 MB

Styles: Latin jazz, Saxophone jazz

Year: 1994/2007

Art: Front

[5:56] 1. I Want You

[4:00] 2. Fiesta

[4:11] 3. Europa (Earth's Cry, Heaven's Smile)

[3:41] 4. Poinciana (Song Of The Tree)

[3:16] 5. Theme From Firepower

[6:11] 6. She Is Michelle

[3:57] 7. Ruby

[6:30] 8. Speak Low

Argentine saxophonist Gato Barbieri splashed into the European-American avant garde jazz scene in the mid 1960s. His sax playing is unmistakeable, wild and full. He found his voice bringing the percussion and rhythms of South America into his music; while his focus was more cultural than spiritual, his association with keyboardist Lonnie Liston Smith brought his music into the cauldron of musical ferment centered around Pharoah Sanders. It should be suggested that the Indian (native American, that is) and Afro-Brazilian rhythms infused into Gato Barbieri's music all had their roots in indigenous religion.

Barbieri has had several distinct phases in his career: first, as an avant gardist (mid-1960s); second--his most "kozmigroov" period if you will--incorporating "third world" roots, culture, spirituality, and politics (late '60s/early '70s); third as a reasonably succesful pop jazz artist (late '70s/early '80s); fourth as an artist struggling to reestablish an identity (1980s); and finally, in 1997, a return to pop jazz.

David Spinozza, Eric Gale, Jeff Layton, Greg Poree, Joe Beck, Lance Quinn, Lee Ritenour , Wah-Wah Watson (guitar); Don Grolnick (piano, keyboards, synthesizer); Jimmy Maelen (piano, percussion); John Barnes, Eddie Martinez, Richard Tee, Pat Rebillot (keyboards); Lenny White, Leon "Ndugu" Chancler, Bernard "Pretty" Purdie, Billy Cobham, Allan Schwartzberg (drums); Bill Summers (congas, percussion); Armando Peraza (bongos); José Chepitó Areas (timbales); Miguel Valdez, Mtume, Paulinho Da Costa, Ralph MacDonald, Angel "Cachete" Maldonado (percussion).

Passion And Fire

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Julia Rich - If I Spoke French

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:58
Size: 131,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:06)  1. If I Spoke French
(3:07)  2. Teach Me Tonight
(4:15)  3. Working Girls
(5:32)  4. The Tennessee Watz
(2:32)  5. Matching Rings
(3:25)  6. All The Cats Join In
(4:13)  7. I Know Why
(3:30)  8. You're Nobody Til Somebody Loves You
(3:53)  9. La Vie Rose
(2:38) 10. I Will
(3:09) 11. What A Difference A Day Made
(3:26) 12. Boyfriends
(3:26) 13. My First Love
(5:17) 14. Don't Blame Me
(2:17) 15. Hula Girls And Sea Shells
(2:05) 16. Ding Dong! The Witch Is Dead

Julia Rich has a warm singing voice, a style that falls between swinging jazz and cabaret, and the ability to sing a wide variety of material. She is best-known for singing with the Glenn Miller "ghost orchestra" but has the ability to stretch herself far beyond nostalgia swing. On If I Spoke French, her second CD as a leader, the repertoire ranges from "La Vie en Rose" to the Beatles' "I Will"; from a few of her witty and at-times wistful originals to "The Tennessee Waltz" and "All the Cats Join In." In addition to a rhythm section with either Tony Migliore or Gary Weaver on piano, she is joined by a combo that includes trombonist Larry O'Brien (from the Glenn Miller Band) and tenor-saxophonist Rickey Woodard. All in all, this is an entertaining and very musical outing. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/if-i-spoke-french-mw0001414408

If I Spoke French

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Jack Teagarden - Jazz Maverick

Styles: Dixieland, Swing, Jazz
Year: 1960
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:05
Size: 87,6 MB
Art: Front

(2:29)  1. Ever Lovin' Baby
(4:10)  2. Aunt Hager's Country Home
(4:23)  3. High Society
(3:29)  4. Blue Down
(6:15)  5. Riverboat Shuffle
(2:39)  6. Roundtable Romp
(4:29)  7. Ain't 'Cha Glad
(5:21)  8. A Hundred Years From Today
(4:44)  9. Tin Roof Blues

Jack Teagarden started 1960 off with his first studio recording for Roulette Records, Jazz Maverick, in New York City on January 2 of that year he and the band are in great form, no surprise given how tight they were on-stage during this period, with Big T and trumpeter Don Goldie sharing the vocals (especially on "Aunt Hagar's Country Home") and romping and stomping through pieces like "High Society" at breakneck speed (and also showcasing clarinetist Henry Cuesta on the latter number along with T and Goldie); Goldie's richly atmospheric "Blues Dawn" and the unexpectedly inventive and clever "Tin Roof Blues" are also just about worth the price of admission. And the whole record is worth retrieving as a killer artifact by a first-rate working jazz band of the period, and one of the finest, most representative bodies of music to emerge from the Dixieland legend's Indian Summer of recording. ~ Bruce Eder  http://www.allmusic.com/album/jazz-maverick-mw0000874221

Jazz Maverick

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Jeff Hackworth - Soul To Go

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:18
Size: 127,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:39)  1. Soul To Go!
(5:28)  2. Autumn Nocturne
(7:29)  3. The Feeling Of Jazz
(6:18)  4. Wise One
(4:38)  5. Blues In A Few
(6:33)  6. Little Girl Blue
(6:21)  7. Live And Learn
(4:33)  8. Under A Strayhorn Sky
(8:16)  9. Vaya Con Dios

His fifth album as leader and follow up to the critically acclaimed Night Owl (Big Bridge Music, 2011), Jeff Hackworth's Soul To Go! offers a brash new statement packed with bop, blues and soulful renditions of jazz classics. A New York based saxophonist of note, and like many a great sax men Sonny Rollins, Charlie Parker, Julian "Cannonball" Adderley and Stan Getz among others who have called the Big Apple their home at some point in their respective careers, has the benefit of drawing from the jazz-rich environment of the city for a supporting cast of players which he does for this effort. Among the veteran musicians all leaders in their own right of his vibrant quartet, is legendary guitarist Ed Cherry best known for his long association with the Dizzy Gillespie bands who along with fellow band mate, Hammond B3 specialist Radam Schwartz make immediate impressions on the opening salvo and title piece "Soul To Go!. 

Arthur Prysock and David "Fathead" Newman drummer Vince Ector, anchors the rhythm section delivering a pounding beat when required and a light brushes on obvious balladic tracks like the beautiful "Autumn Nocturne" and others. The Ellington/Troup classic "The Feeling of Jazz" gets a relaxed humble read from the band yet, offers plenty of solo space for Hackworth and others. Sounding a tad like the master himself, the saxophonist delivers a superb Coltrane-like performance on a fresh new arrangement of Trane's "Wise One," followed by a spicy saxophone-led blues rumble on the original "Blues In A Few," which happens to showcase appreciable solo support from every member of the group. Featuring the tender side of Hackworth's tenor saxophone voice, the music turns soft and gentle on a delicious rendition of the Rogers and Hart standard "Little Girl Blue," then, with strong highlights from Cherry, slides into a bit more upbeat texture on the original, "Live and Learn."  

Providing some of his best solo sparks of the disc, Hackworth winds down the music with the burning Billy Strayhorn tribute, "Under A Strayhorn Sky" and comes to a swinging finale in a muscular reprisal of the old Larry Russell/Inez James/Buddy Pepper song "Vaya Con Dios" sounding much livelier than when first recorded by the late Anita O'Day in 1952, making this one of the definite highlights of the album. Hackworth states ..."my fifth album as a leader and I think It's my best yet," while obviously not an objective statement by any measure, delivered from a body of tender swinging sounds, Soul To Go! captures an exciting command performance from which, drawing such a conclusion, is certainly understandable. ~ Edward Blanco  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/soul-to-go-jeff-hackworth-big-bridge-music-review-by-edward-blanco.php#.U_GD-GMfLP8
 

Personnel: Jeff Hackworth: tenor Saxophone; Ed Cherry: guitar; Radam Schwartz: Hammond B3 organ; Vince Ector: drums.

Soul To Go

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John Swana & Joe Magnarelli - Philly - New York Junction

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:53
Size: 158,1 MB
Art: Front

(8:38)  1. Fat Cat
(8:06)  2. In Balance
(7:44)  3. Growing Pains
(7:12)  4. Philly - New York Junction
(6:28)  5. Pannonica
(9:56)  6. I've Never Been In Love Before
(7:53)  7. Lollipops And Roses
(6:21)  8. Ughy Beauty
(6:31)  9. Buffalo

On this collaboration of Criss Cross recording artists, trumpeters John Swana and Joe Magnarelli join forces with tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander, pianist Joel Weiskopf, bassist Peter Washington, and drummer Kenny Washington, all veterans of many Criss Cross recording sessions, to perform four originals by the band members, three jazz classics, and two standards. Both Swana and Magnarelli are skilled improvisers on their chosen instruments and active performers on their city's respective jazz scenes. Philadelphia resident Swana has a slightly darker tone and plays the longer phrases, and Alexander's energetic tenor sax is a nice contrast to the twin trumpets. Favorites include Swana's up-tempo blues "Fat Cat," Magnarelli's introspective "Growing Pains," the swinging title track based on the changes to "Star Eyes," and the medium shuffle of Kenny Dorham's "Buffalo." This is a welcome addition to both player's discographies. ~ Greg Turner  http://www.allmusic.com/album/philly-new-york-junction-mw0000043151

Personnel: John Swana (trumpet, flugelhorn); Eric Alexander (tenor saxophone); Joe Magnarelli (trumpet, flugelhorn); Joel Weiskopf (piano); Kenny Washington (drums).

Philly - New York Junction

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