Pete Mcguiness - A Voice Like A Horn

Styles: Vocal And Trombone Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:51
Size: 105,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:57)  1. Yesterdays
(6:48)  2. Oh, You Crazy Moon
(6:49)  3. Never Let Me Go
(5:05)  4. 49Th Street
(5:45)  5. Birk's Works
(4:49)  6. Tea For Two
(4:20)  7. I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face
(6:14)  8. Who Cares?

"Did you hear the one about the singing trombonist?." It's not even a joke because there have been many a fine trombonist that also sing, to wit: beginning with the inestimable Jack Teagarden. Then there's Billy Eckstine, Wycliffe Gordon, Henry Darragh, Natalie Cressman, and one Pete McGuinness who releases his third recording as leader, Voice Like A Horn. It is McGuinness' vocal abilities that are showcased on this recording, where the singer is supported by a piano trio augmented with special guests. McGuinness is best known for his association with the Pete McGuinness Jazz Orchestra, whose First Flight (Summit, 2007) was roundly well received at All About Jazz. McGuinness has appeared as a sideman on some forty recordings and has sung with the likes of the Jimmy Heath Big Band and the Manhattan vocal project. Voice Like A Horn is made up of a single original and seven standards that showcase McGuinness' curious vocal cross of Chet Baker's vibrato-less delivery coupled with Kurt Elling's fearless attack on convention. 

All selections were given ample time for development, the lion's share being five minutes or longer. The disc opens with Jerome Kern's "Yesterdays." McGuinness opens fire with a machine-gun scat that could light a fire over a thundering piano support. A good start, to be sure. Both "Oh, You Crazy Moon," featuring the set's best ensemble arranging, and trumpeter Bill Mobley's "49th Street, which allows McGuinness to properly demonstrate his scat prowess, find the trombonist joined by the trumpeter and saxophonist Jon Gordon. Dizzy Gillespie's minor blues, "Birk's Works," join "49th Street" as a scat showcase, McGuinness' delivery is as smooth as a single malt, neat, recalling the vocal calisthenics of Lambert, Hendricks & Ross. Bassist Andy Eulau has his best solo, extended between the scat singing. McGuinness turns in a performance of "Tea For Two" that rivals that of Anita O'Day at Newport, 1958. His delivery is precise at speed and speed is the key operative. Voice Like A Horn has many charms and should appeal to a broad jazz listening public. McGuinness might prove to be the next thing in male jazz vocals, an area needing new and bolder talent. ~ C.Michael Bailey  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/voice-like-a-horn-pete-mcguinness-summit-records-review-by-c-michael-bailey.php#.U_4G6mMfLP8
 

Personnel: Pete McGuiness: vocals and trombone; Jon Gordon: alto saxophone, flute (2, 4); Bill Mobley: trumpet (2, 4); Ted Kooshian: piano; Andy Eulau: bass; Scott Newmann: drums.

A Voice Like A Horn

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Count Basie - Atomic Mr. Basie Disc 1/ One More Time Disc 2

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:35 (Disc 1)
Size: 95,9 MB (Disc 1)
Time: 36:57 (Disc 2)
Size: 89,4 MB (Disc 2)
Art: Front + Back

Atomic Mr. Basie  Disc 1

(2:42)  1. Kid From Red Bank
(4:12)  2. Duet
(3:26)  3. After Supper
(3:24)  4. Flight Of The Foo Birds
(2:46)  5. Double-O
(3:19)  6. Teddy The Toad
(3:51)  7. Whirlybird
(4:28)  8. Midnite Blue
(3:36)  9. Splanky
(2:56) 10. Fantail
(4:50) 11. Lil' Darlin'

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One More Time  Disc 2

(3:56)  1. For Lena And Lennie
(2:44)  2. Rat Race
(4:03)  3. Quince
(3:32)  4. Meet B.B.
(3:02)  5. The Big Walk
(2:22)  6. A Square At The Roundtable
(3:36)  7. I Needs To Be Bee'd With
(4:31)  8. Jessica's Day
(3:38)  9. The Midnite Sun Never Sets
(5:30) 10. Muttnik

Count Basie was among the most important bandleaders of the swing era. With the exception of a brief period in the early '50s, he led a big band from 1935 until his death almost 50 years later, and the band continued to perform after he died. Basie's orchestra was characterized by a light, swinging rhythm section that he led from the piano, lively ensemble work, and generous soloing. Basie was not a composer like Duke Ellington or an important soloist like Benny Goodman. His instrument was his band, which was considered the epitome of swing and became broadly influential on jazz.

Both of Basie's parents were musicians; his father, Harvie Basie, played the mellophone, and his mother, Lillian (Childs) Basie, was a pianist who gave her son his earliest lessons. Basie also learned from Harlem stride pianists, particularly Fats Waller. His first professional work came accompanying vaudeville performers, and he was part of a troupe that broke up in Kansas City in 1927, leaving him stranded there. He stayed in the Midwestern city, at first working in a silent movie house and then joining Walter Page's Blue Devils in July 1928. The band's vocalist was Jimmy Rushing. Basie left in early 1929 to play with other bands, eventually settling into one led by Bennie Moten. Upon Moten's untimely death on April 2, 1935, Basie worked as a soloist before leading a band initially called the Barons of Rhythm. Many former members of the Moten band joined this nine-piece outfit, among them Walter Page (bass), Freddie Green (guitar), Jo Jones (drums), and Lester Young (tenor saxophone). Jimmy Rushing became the singer. The band gained a residency at the Reno Club in Kansas City and began broadcasting on the radio, an announcer dubbing the pianist "Count" Basie. ~ William Ruhlmann  Bio..More..http://www.allmusic.com/artist/count-basie-mn0000127044/biography

Atomic Mr. Basie  Disc 1

One More Time  Disc 2

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Johnny Moore's Three Blazers - Be Cool Modern & Dolphin Sessions

Styles: Piano Blues, Jump Blues
Year: 1952
File: MP3@224K/s
Time: 72:59
Size: 118,2 MB
Art: Front

(2:38)  1. Dragnet Blues
(2:54)  2. Drifting Blues
(3:19)  3. Saturday Night
(2:58)  4. There Is No Greater Love
(2:51)  5. Johnny, Johnny
(3:43)  6. Johnny's After Hours
(2:19)  7. Down In Texas
(2:48)  8. My Last
(2:50)  9. Be Cool Aka Keep Cool
(2:54) 10. Lonesome Gal Blues
(3:19) 11. False Love
(3:04) 12. What Makes A Man Fool Around
(2:19) 13. Playing Numbers
(2:53) 14. Crazy With The Blues
(2:57) 15. Nightmare Blues
(3:22) 16. My Song
(2:43) 17. Gee, It's Rough
(3:19) 18. Lonesome Train
(3:25) 19. If You Don't Love Me
(2:56) 20. Blues In My Heart
(2:40) 21. Lonesome Stranger
(2:32) 22. Too Bad
(2:31) 23. Merry Christmas Baby
(2:42) 24. I Don't Know, Yes I Know
(2:54) 25. So Long

Johnny Moore's Three Blazers have a notable place in the history of early R&;B as the group with whom Charles Brown first rose to prominence. This odd compilation, however, gathers material from some years after Brown's departure for a solo career in the late 1940s (though he'd occasionally return to Moore's group in subsequent times). Moore ran through a lot of vocalists after Brown left (including Floyd Dixon), and this particular anthology focuses on 25 sides the group cut from 1952 through 1954 featuring either his girlfriend Mari Jones or Frankie Ervin as lead singer. It wasn't a period that found Johnny Moore's Three Blazers at either their commercial or artistic peak, and not only because Brown couldn't be replaced with a talent of equal skill. 

Jones and Ervin were only adequate, and the pop-jazz-R&B crossover music the group was playing which was something like a watered-down version of Nat King Cole's early style was itself passing out of style as tougher R&B, doo wop, and early rock & roll picked up steam. What's more, some of the tracks they laid down during this period were remakes of songs originally recorded in the '40s with Brown on lead. Consequently, this anthology is neither the group or the early-'50s smooth R&B genre itself at its best, though it does include one R&B hit (the 1953 cash-in "Dragnet Blues"), and benefits from Ace's usual scrupulously detailed liner notes and packaging. It's more for the small market of die-hard genre enthusiasts and Moore collectors, and includes nine previously unreleased cuts and alternate mixes. ~ Richie Unterberger  http://www.allmusic.com/album/be-cool-the-modern-and-dolphin-sessions-1952-1954-mw0000575694

Personnel: Nelson Alexander (vocals); Frankie Ervin, Mari Jones (vocals).

Johnny Moore's Three Blazers - Be Cool Modern & Dolphin Sessions

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Buddy Rich - Just Sings

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 40:18
Size: 92.3 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 1957/2004
Art: Front

[3:19] 1. Cathy
[3:58] 2. Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea
[2:27] 3. It's All Right With Me
[4:16] 4. Over The Rainbow
[3:39] 5. You Took Advantage Of Me
[3:27] 6. Can't We Be Friends
[2:48] 7. It's Only A Paper Moon
[3:00] 8. My Melancholy Baby
[5:00] 9. Cheek To Cheek
[3:01] 10. It Don't Mean A Thing
[3:35] 11. I Hadn't Anyone 'til You
[1:43] 12. That Old Feeling

The complete album “Buddy Rich Just Sings” paired with “The Voice Is Rich” , the first LPs in which Buddy Rich set aside his drums and limited himself exclusively to singing with a warm and mellow voice.

On the earlier album, Rich is accompanied by a fine line-up including Ben Webster and Harry "Sweets" Edison; while on the second one, he was backed by The Hal Mooney Orchestra, with arrangements by Mooney and Phil Moore. While it is an undisputed fact that Buddy Rich (1917-1987) earned his fame behind a drum kit, his early career also included work as a singer and entertainer. The two albums reissued here were certainly not Buddy Rich's first vocal recordings, but they were his first full vocal albums. During a 1971 interview with Les Tomkins, Rich admitted his devotion to Lena Horne, Billy Eckstine and Frank Sinatra.

Ben Webster - tenor saxophone; Buddy Rich - vocals, drums; Alvin Stoller - drums; Harry "Sweets" Edison - trumpet; Howard Roberts - guitar; Paul Smith - piano; Joe Mondragon - double bass; Mike Mainieri - vibraphone.

Just Sings

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Harmonie Ensemble/New York - Henry Mancini: Music For Peter Gunn

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 48:58
Size: 112.1 MB
Styles: Easy Listening
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[2:07] 1. Peter Gunn Theme
[3:00] 2. Sorta Blue
[2:43] 3. The Brothers Go To Mother's
[3:51] 4. Dreamsville
[3:58] 5. Session At Pete's Pad
[3:43] 6. Soft Sounds
[3:10] 7. Fallout
[3:44] 8. The Floater
[3:05] 9. Slow And Easy
[3:32] 10. A Profound Gass
[3:36] 11. Brief And Breezy
[2:42] 12. My Manne Shelly
[3:32] 13. Blue Steel
[3:14] 14. Blues For Mother's
[2:54] 15. Spook

Who could ever forget the assertive, pulse-quickening theme from Peter Gunn, the urbane TV detective series that ran from 1958-61, with its jazz-centered score by the incomparable Henry Mancini. In case you are one of those who has (forgotten the theme, that is), you can now savor it anew (with much more music from the show), splendidly performed by the Harmonie Ensemble / New York, directed by Steven Richman. Among other things, the series showcased a small jazz group playing unassuming themes at Gunn's waterfront hangout, Mother's, while backing the establishment's stylish singer, played by Lola Albright. Although it wasn't the first time jazz had been used in film or on television, Mancini's seductive score was the first to gain wide public notice and approval, earning an Emmy award for the composer as well as two Grammies for the soundtrack album.

Even though written with specific scenarios in mind, it's remarkable how well these songs stand on their own, even after all these years. That's no doubt a tribute to Mancini's exceptional skills as a composer / arranger, one who was in many respects ahead of his time. Not only did he write music that enhanced a particular scene or circumstance, it was also integrated into the plot line itself, triggering pragmatic or emotional responses from the viewing audience and providing a suitable backdrop for leading man Craig Stevens as Gunn, songstress Albright and Gunn's detective friend Lt. Jacoby, handsomely embodied by Herschel Bernardi.

While soloists play no salient role in music that is essentially rigorous and narrative-driven, there are several brief yet impressive statements along the way, by tenor saxophonist Lew Tabackin, baritone Ronnie Cuber, vibraphonist Christos Rafalides, pianist Lincoln Mayorga and drummer Victor Lewis (who sits in for dedicatee Shelly Manne on "My Manne Shelly"), among others. It is the ensemble as a whole, however, that commands center stage and calls the tune most of the way, lending Mancini's persuasive music a tasteful small-group ambience in spite of its twenty-two member makeup. Richman, who is clearly a fan of Mancini's as well as Peter Gunn, takes few liberties, choosing instead to let the music speak for itself, as it has so eloquently since it was first composed.

For those who are too young to recall Peter Gunn and its dramatic impact on television music, this perceptive and well-recorded album provides a superb introduction. For those who do remember the series, it represents a nostalgic trip down memory lane to a time when jazz was often an important part of one's television viewing and listening experience. ~Jack Bowers

Steven Richman: conductor; Lew Soloff: trumpet; Dominic Derasse: trumpet; Joe Giorgianni: trumpet; Stanton Davis: trumpet; Mark Gross: alto sax, alto flute; Lawrence Feldman: alto sax, alto flute; Lew Tabackin: tenor sax, alto flute; Lino Gomez: tenor sax, alto flute; Ronnie Cuber: baritone sax; Larry Farrell: trombone; John Fedchock: trombone; Mark Patterson: trombone; Frank Cohen: trombone; R.J. Kelly: French horn; Alexandra Cook: French horn; Eric Davis: French horn; David Peel: French horn; Bob Mann: guitar; Christos Rafalides: vibes; Lincoln Mayorga: piano; Francois Moutin: bass; Victor Lewis: drums.

Henry Mancini: Music For Peter Gunn

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Jean-Luc Ponty - Sunday Walk

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 38:41
Size: 88.6 MB
Styles: Post bop, Violin jazz
Year: 1967/2014
Art: Front

[6:27] 1. Sunday Walk
[7:45] 2. Carol's Garden
[6:02] 3. Cat Coach
[8:29] 4. You've Changed
[9:56] 5. Suite For Claudia

Although there were two earlier dates led by violinist Jean-Luc Ponty (for Palm in 1963 and Philips in 1964), this was the first album to get much circulation. Originally recorded for the German Saba label and made available in the U.S. on this Pausa LP, Ponty is heard performing in a quartet also including pianist Wolfgang Dauner, bassist Niels Pedersen and drummer Daniel Humair. The music, much more straight-ahead than Ponty's output of the 1970s, is quite advanced, looking toward John Coltrane at times. In addition to "You've Changed" (one of the few standards ever recorded by the violinist), the band performs Denny Zeitlin's "Carole's Gordon" and three group compositions, including Ponty's "Suite for Claudia." Already at this time, Jean-Luc Ponty was a highly original and brilliant player. ~Scott Yanow

Sunday Walk

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Oliver Nelson - Screaming The Blues

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 39:33

Size: 90.6 MB

Styles: Hard bop, Saxophone jazz

Year: 2006

Art: Front

[10:55] 1. Screamin' The Blues

[ 4:56] 2. March On, March On

[ 5:45] 3. The Drive

[ 6:39] 4. The Meetin'

[ 6:20] 5. Three Seconds

[ 4:56] 6. Alto-Itis

Oliver Nelson (on tenor and alto sax) meets Eric Dolphy (alto, bass clarinet and flute) on this frequently exciting sextet session with trumpeter Richard Williams, pianist Richard Wyands, bassist George Duvivier, and drummer Roy Haynes. Although Dolphy is too unique and skilled to be overshadowed in a setting such as this, Nelson holds his own. He contributed five of the six compositions (including "Screamin' the Blues," "The Meetin'," and "Alto-Itis") and effectively matches wits and creative ideas with Dolphy. This CD reissue (also available as part of a huge Eric Dolphy box set) is recommended, as is the follow-up record Straight Ahead. ~Scott Yanow

Screaming The Blues

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Hetty Kate - Kissing Bug EP

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 17:38
Size: 40.4 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[3:25] 1. All Of You
[3:11] 2. You Turned The Tables On Me
[3:24] 3. Kissing Bug
[3:21] 4. As Long As I Live
[4:16] 5. Young At Heart

Hetty Kate sings a collection of five of her favourite standards, accompanied by New York Jazz Musicians: Art Hirahara (piano); Tal Ronen (double bass) and Dan Aran (drums). The 'Kissing Bug' EP showcases composers including Cole Porter, Harold Arlen and Billy Strayhorn, all revisited and sung from the heart. No overdubs, recorded all in the one room.. the way jazz is meant to be.

Created one snowy afternoon in Brooklyn, NY in December 2009, this is a snapshot into Hetty's larger repertoire and the recording allows each musician to shine.. referencing a sound forged many years ago in the 40's and 50's jazz scene.

Kissing Bug

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Patrick Saussois - It's The Same Thing Everywhere

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 59:06
Size: 135.3 MB
Styles: Swing, Big band
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[3:08] 1. Lucky Pierre I Love You
[4:07] 2. Lola
[4:59] 3. Papa Loves Mambo
[4:04] 4. La French Connection
[5:23] 5. Lana
[4:36] 6. Senza Fine
[6:18] 7. La Vie En Rose
[4:52] 8. Tropical Sunrise More
[4:51] 9. Lady September
[4:18] 10. The Good Life
[4:54] 11. Claudinho
[7:29] 12. It's The Same Thing Everywhere

French jazz guitarist Patrick Saussois plays with American saxophonist Richie Cole on this recording.

Patrick Saussois, guitar; Richie Cole, alto sax; Rick Stepson, trombone; Chris Jaudes, trumpet; Michael Smith, trumpet on 1, 2 & 6; Andrei Riabov, guitar; Rick Crane, bass; Wayne Dunton, drum; and special guests: Enrico Grnafei, harmonica; Vitali Imereli, violin. Recorded in 2003

It's The Same Thing Everywhere

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Bobby Watson - This Little Light Of Mine

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 55:54
Size: 128.0 MB
Styles: Hard bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1991/2010
Art: Front

[3:25] 1. Misterioso
[3:23] 2. Donna Lee
[4:24] 3. These Foolish Things
[4:50] 4. Rock The House
[3:32] 5. This Little Light Of Mine
[3:58] 6. Tico Tico
[4:01] 7. Body And Soul
[3:15] 8. Sundance
[3:15] 9. Recorda Me
[3:07] 10. Giant Steps
[2:25] 11. Mes' Tou Bosporou Ta Stena (Take 1)
[2:59] 12. Over And Over
[2:50] 13. Yebga And Me
[2:13] 14. Five One Four
[5:49] 15. Blue Sax
[2:21] 16. Mes' Tou Bosporou Ta Stena (Take 2)

Bobby Watson accepted the challenge of doing an entire CD of unaccompanied alto saxophone solos and succeeded in putting together an outstanding, wide-ranging collection. The opener, Thelonious Monk's "Misterioso," finds him alternating between the theme and improvisations that show off his brilliant technique. By comparison, the up-tempo runs through Charlie Parker's "Donna Lee" and the Latin favorite "Tico Tico" seem almost effortless as his ideas spring forth. He also explores Joe Henderson's "Recorda Me," John Coltrane's "Giant Steps," and every saxophonist's mandatory ballad, "Body and Soul," with the same degree of adventure and risk-taking. The old spiritual "This Little Light of Mine" is subtle and soulful. Watson also composed five of the songs, with the catchy miniature blues "Five One Four" standing out from the pack. The only real complaint with the CD is the label's extremely sloppy typesetting on the back of the booklet, as there several errors in the listings of songs and composers. ~Ken Dryden

This Little Light Of Mine

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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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