Chuchito Valdes - Reflections

Size: 170,9 MB
Time: 73:48
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz: Latin Jazz, Afro Cuban Jazz
Art: Front

01. You're My Hope (5:01)
02. Estefano (9:01)
03. Para Monica (9:51)
04. El Alkadur (8:40)
05. In Memory Of Nelson Mandela (4:47)
06. Povolotty Isi (7:29)
07. Bossa Para Recordar (6:39)
08. La Guajira (5:47)
09. Glassfro (7:21)
10. Bossa Para Recordar (Bonus Track) (6:46)
11. 2374 (2:20)

Born and raised in Havana, Cuba, pianist, composer, and arranger Jesus "Chuchito" Valdés, Jr. is the third-generation manifestation of a Cuban jazz piano dynasty that includes his father, Chucho Valdés, and grandfather, Bebo Valdés. The oldest of five siblings, Valdés was a child prodigy, attending and graduating from La Escuela de Musica Ignacio Cervantes. He had his first professional gig at the age of 16, working with Cuban singer and trumpeter Bobby Carcasses, and also accompanied singers Pello El Afrokan and Anibel Lopez for a time. In the mid-'80s Valdés was a member of the Cuban jazz combo Sonido Contemporáneo, and by the late '90s he had taken his father's spot in the renowned Irakere band when the elder Valdés opted to go solo. Eventually Chuchito followed suit, leading his own band and touring behind his fiery brand of Afro-Cuban jazz. He released a debut album, Encantado, in 2002 on Town Crier Records, following it with La Timba in 2002 and Herencia in 2004, both on J&N Records, and Keys of Latin Jazz in 2007 from Sony BMG International. Valdés continues to tour and record, making his home in Cancun, Mexico. ~by Steve Leggett

Reflections

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Judith Owen - Ebb & Flow

Size: 98,6 MB
Time: 41:30
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz/Pop/Rock Vocals
Art: Front

01. Train Out Of Hollywood (3:32)
02. I Would Give Anything (3:29)
03. In The Summertime (4:20)
04. Hey Mister, That's Me Up On The Jukebox (3:21)
05. Under Your Door (2:36)
06. About Love (3:04)
07. I've Never Been To Texas (3:11)
08. You're Not Here Anymore (3:30)
09. One In A Million (3:36)
10. You Are Not My Friend (3:27)
11. Sweet Feet (2:58)
12. Some Arrows Go In Deep (4:21)

Judith Owen’s new album Ebb & Flow (her 10th studio release) evokes the spirit of the halcyon days of the great 1970s troubadours. Ebb & Flow features the great Russ Kunkel (drummer), Leland Sklar (bassist) and Waddy Wachtel (guitarist). Judith remains an unflinching singer-songwriter, bearing her soul as the core of her creativity.

British singer/songwriter Judith Owen's eclecticism has seen her records shelved in the rock, folk, and jazz sections of record stores. She was born the daughter of an opera singer and began writing songs as a teenager. Becoming a professional musician, she met and married actor/musician Harry Shearer and contributed vocals and keyboards to his 1994 album, It Must Have Been Something I Said. Her debut solo album, Emotions on a Postcard, was released on her own Dog on the Bed label in 1996. Among its songs was "Hand on My Heart," which was featured in the 1997 film As Good as It Gets and appeared on the soundtrack album. Owen befriended singer/songwriter Julia Fordham and appeared on Fordham's albums East West and That's Live. Another musical association was struck up with Richard Thompson, which led to Owen's appearances on the Thompson albums Mock Tudor, 1000 Years of Popular Music, and Old Kit Bag.

She released her second solo album, Limited Edition, in 2000. "Creatures of Habit" and "Get into It" from the album were featured in the film Olive Juice. 12 Arrows (2003), her third album, boasted guest appearances by Fordham and Thompson, and it featured Owen's cover of Soundgarden's "Black Hole Sun." It earned her an opening slot on a k.d. lang tour. In 2004, Owen released a holiday EP, Christmas in July, including her cover of "Christmas with the Devil," a song by her husband's fictional group Spinal Tap. She also placed her song "Dreaming" in the film P.S., then used it on her fourth album, Lost and Found, released on her newly formed Courgette Records label in 2005. Her cover of the Kinks' "I Go to Sleep" was featured in the TV movie Mrs. Harris, and she then included it on her fifth album, Here, released August 8, 2006. Happy This Way appeared a year later in 2007, with Mopping Up Karma following the next year. The compilation Beautiful Damage was issued in 2010, while a new studio album, Ebb & Flow, arrived four years later in 2014.

Ebb & Flow

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David Basse - The Hero & The Lover

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 49:55

Size: 114.3 MB

Styles: Jazz vocals

Year: 2013

Art: Front

[4:57] 1. That's Life

[3:25] 2. Sins Of The Father

[4:28] 3. Easy The Hard Way

[4:45] 4. Gravy Waltz

[5:19] 5. I Concentrate On You

[5:15] 6. The Hero

[4:07] 7. Vacation From The Blues

[4:01] 8. Sixteen Tons

[4:37] 9. Let's Go Back In Time

[4:49] 10. Katrina

[4:08] 11. Trio

The working title of David Basse’s 2013 recording project is, “The Hero And The Lover, The Hermit, The Dictator, The Wise Woman And The Fool.” a quote from Jack Kornfield. This is a very long title, and Basse does not try to be all things to all people; his music simply incorporates jazz and blues. Basse’s band included veteran bassist Curtis Lundy, pianist Richard Johnson, saxophonist Stacey Dillard, and drummer Neil Smith.

Today, Basse’s ninth recording, “The Hero and the Lover…” is a culmination of over forty years of trial and error, serendipitous miscalculation and a powerful and undying love of art and music. It is a testament to the tenacity that it takes to survive in the face of an international recession and continue to create worthwhile art.

The Hero & The Lover

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Janice Harrington - Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow: A Tribute To Dinah Washington

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 41:36
Size: 95.3 MB
Styles: Jazz blues vocals
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[2:40] 1. I Thought About You
[3:22] 2. Makin' Whoopee
[4:22] 3. New Blowtop Blues
[3:15] 4. My Old Flame
[3:14] 5. Salty Papa Blues
[2:40] 6. Love Walked In
[3:07] 7. I Wanna Be Around
[3:03] 8. I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart
[2:27] 9. Teach Me Tonight
[2:24] 10. Lean Baby
[3:50] 11. Bye Bye Blues
[3:04] 12. Olé
[4:03] 13. Willow Weep For Me

Janice Harrington - vocals; Lloyd Mayers - piano; Keter Betts - bass; Jimmy Cobb - drums. Special Guests:Hans Malte Witte - tenor sax (on 05 and 09); Nat Adderley - cornet, vocals (on 13); Billy Mitchell - tenor sax (on 13); Mike Hennessy - piano (on 13). Recorded on July 9, 1988 at Alantis Studio, Stockholm, Sweden.

"A special thank you to Bosse Steinhammer for bringing the band over. And I will always be grateful to Keter Betts for making this happen. Also a million thanks to Lloyd and Jimmy. Hugs to Sabine." ~Janice Harrington

Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow: A Tribute To Dinah Washington

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The Doobie Brothers - Toulouse Street

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 34:25
Size: 78.8 MB
Styles: Album rock
Year: 1972/2006
Art: Front

[3:46] 1. Listen To The Music
[3:18] 2. Rockin' Down The Highway
[2:27] 3. Mamaloi
[3:18] 4. Toulouse Street
[3:39] 5. Cotton Mouth
[2:40] 6. Don't Start Me To Talkin'
[4:31] 7. Jesus Is Just Alright With Me
[2:27] 8. White Sun
[6:41] 9. Disciple
[1:34] 10. Snake Man

Toulouse Street was the album by which most of their fans began discovering the Doobie Brothers, and it has retained a lot of its freshness over the decades. Producer Ted Templeman was attuned to the slightly heavier and more Southern style the band wanted to work toward on this, their second album, and the results were not only profitable -- including a platinum record award -- but artistically impeccable. Toulouse Street is actually pretty close in style and sound at various points to what the Eagles were doing during the same period, except that the Doobies threw jazz and R&B into the mix, as well as country, folk, and bluegrass elements, and (surprise!) ended up just about as ubiquitous as the Eagles in peoples' record collections, especially in the wake of the singles "Listen to the Music" and "Jesus Is Just Alright." But those two singles represented only the tip of the iceberg in terms of what this group had to offer, as purchasers of the album discovered even on the singles -- both songs appear here in distinctly longer versions, with more exposition and development, and in keeping with the ambitions that album cuts (even of popular numbers) were supposed to display in those days. Actually, "Listen to the Music" (written by Tom Johnston) offers subtle use of phasing and other studio tricks that make its seemingly earthy, laid-back approach some of the most complex and contrived of the period. Johnston's "Rockin' Down the Highway" shows the band working at a higher wattage and moving into Creedence Clearwater Revival territory, while "Mamaloi" was Patrick Simmons' laid-back Caribbean idyll, and the title tune (also by Simmons) is a hauntingly beautiful ballad. The band then switches gears into swamp rock for "Cotton Mouth" and takes a left turn into the Mississippi Delta for a version of Sonny Boy Williamson II's "Don't Start Me Talkin'" before shifting into a gospel mode with "Jesus Is Just Alright." Johnston's nearly seven-minute "Disciple" was the sort of soaring, bluesy hard rock workout that led to the group's comparison to the Allman Brothers Band, though their interlocking vocals were nearly as prominent as their crunching, surging double lead guitars and paired drummers. And it all still sounds astonishingly bracing decades later; it's still a keeper, and one of the most inviting and alluring albums of its era. ~Bruce Eder

Toulouse Street

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Manhattan Jazz Orchestra - Hey Duke!

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 60:37

Size: 138.8 MB

Styles: Modern big band

Year: 1999/2009

Art: Front

[ 6:53] 1. It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)

[ 9:01] 2. Prelude To A Kiss

[ 9:02] 3. Mood Indigo

[ 6:03] 4. Come Sunday

[ 6:58] 5. Satin Doll

[ 4:49] 6. Song For Edward

[ 7:00] 7. Cotton Tail

[10:48] 8. In A Sentimental Mood

Pianist/arranger David Matthews turns his pen to the classic music of Duke Ellington on Hey Duke!, the latest release featuring the adroit talents of the Manhattan Jazz Orchestra. Matthews came up during the 1970s, when straight-ahead jazz was about as cool and mainstream as a buzz cut and pegged pants. College jazz programs were barely in their infancy but, despite the general cultural malaise regarding the music, there was still a sense that more could be done with what Bird, Monk, and Coltrane had given the world. Creativity could flow unimpeded by draconian notions of the "tradition." Granted, this didn't always produce the most lasting and desirable music, but for every Spyro Gyra there is a Weather Report. Matthews keeps this vision alive on Hey Duke! Influenced by the progressive, angular, and modern work of Stan Kenton and Chick Corea, Matthews reworks some of Ellington's songs in a respectful, albeit liberal manner. "It Don't Mean a Thing" screams itself to life, eventually laying into a speedy swing featuring the immense post-bop lines of soprano saxophonist Aaron Heick and Manhattan man about town trumpeter Ryan Kisor. One of the most compelling departures from traditional style is the police drama funk of "Mood Indigo," featuring bright horn hits and a dirty, wah-wah plunger trumpet over a driving hi-hat. Conversely, "Come Sunday" is given a pastoral, West Coast gospel feel à la Gerald Wilson, and features the operatic soprano of vocalist Christine Sperry. Matthews also pays tribute to Duke with his original "Song for Edward," a mid-tempo ballad featuring the soul-inflected alto sax of Chris Hunter. These are thoroughly invigorating and unconventional interpretations of Ellington's work. ~Matt Collar

Hey Duke!  

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Erika Matsuo - True Colors

Styles: Latin Jazz, Vocal
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:35
Size: 175,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:23)  1. Sina
(3:25)  2. Without a Song
(4:20)  3. Encontros E Despedidas
(3:33)  4. Beyond the Sky
(5:31)  5. Bilhete / Ticket
(5:15)  6. What a Difference a Day Made
(5:51)  7. Vera Cruz
(5:49)  8. Song for Elena
(5:51)  9. Sunny
(5:45) 10. True Colors
(4:54) 11. Smoke Gets in Your Eyes
(6:37) 12. Skindo Le-Le
(3:08) 13. Kachofugetsu
(4:08) 14. Cicatrizes
(3:45) 15. Smile
(4:13) 16. Meguriai

"Her singing is heartfelt and honest. She sings with depth and passion. What a joy to hear her” - Sheila Jordan

"Erika's voice is filled with sentiment and warmth. She integrates both passion and gentle emotion into her lyrics” ~  Dr. Lonnie Smith

"Obsession is a promising debut...beautifully produced, finely performed” ~ All About Jazz

Erika celebrates the release of her new CD True Colors this fall with a tour of Japan and a CD release party at the famed New York Blue Note Club! The CD features an all-star cast of a wide variety of stellar musicians from younger sidemen in high demand to leaders with international fame: Dr. Lonnie Smith, Gil Goldstein, Romero Lubambo, Dana Leong, Gregoire Marret, Juancho Herrera, Yosvany Terry, Helio Alves, Paulo Levi, James Zollar, Jorge Continentino, Garrett Fishbach, Meg Okura, Essiet Essiet, Leo Traversa, Willard Dyson and Keita Ogawa. The beautiful arrangements cover some classic American and Brazilian standards: Sunny, What a Difference a Day Made, Without a Song and Smile by Charlie Chaplin...Milton Nacimento's Vera Cruz, Djavan's Sina, Ivan Lins' Bilheteand two catchy sambas Cicatrizes and Skindo Lele. Erika expands the colors of this musical palette with two Japanese themes, Erika's original,Kachofugetsu, Meguriai by Toru Takemitsu and Song for Elena by Ennio Morricone touchingly performed with strings, guitar and accordion as well as an original song by Erika, Beyond the Sky. The title cut by Cindy Lauper, True Colors is a final touch that shows Erika's true expansive range that finds meaning, beauty and rhythm in songs from around the world. 

Erika's CD celebration started with a tour of Japan with guitarist, Freddie Bryant in August and September. This was just a few months after she recorded Bilhete by Ivan Lins on James Zollar's new CD where she met Gregoire Marrett. This was the beginning of the creative process that gave birth to True Colors. She continues her celebration at the Blue Note with a full band, Helio Alves, Freddie Bryant, Ben Zwerin,Yosvany Terry,Willard Dyson and more on November 25th. A native of Japan, Erika showed love for music at an early age when she started studying classical piano in her pre-teenage years. By the time she reached her late teens, she was a member of an all-girl rock group, Tear Drops, that had won first prize in Japan’s most respected teen music competitions, the Yamaha Teen Music Festival. Through a chance meeting with Quasimode pianist Yusuke Hirado, Erika was invited to New York to tour as the lead vocalist of his jazz group. After relocating to New York City, she immersed herself in the city’s jazz scene, exploring everything from straight-ahead to Brazilian jazz. She was accepted in the jazz voice program at the City College of New York where she studied with Sheila Jordan and received her BFA and music award, ''The Pro Musica Award'' in 2003. 

She has performed at venues such as BB Kings, Sweet Rhythm, Kitano and S.O.B.’s, and has regularly toured in Japan. In March 2007, Erika won first prize in the Asakusa Jazz Contest, Japan’s number one jazz contest. Later that year, she was featured in Coca Cola’s So-Ken-Bi Cha TV commercial - her voice became one of the most recognized in the nation. Erika Matsuo’s debut album, Obsession was also supported by a dynamic team of musicians including Romero Lubambo, Carlton Holmes, Freddie Bryant, Paulo Levi, Yosvany Terry, Essiet Essiet, Willard Dyson and Nanny Assis. OBSESSION takes the listener on a journey of love traveling between jazz and Brazilian Popular Music melting with Erika's original compositions. A special treat for world music lovers and jazz fans!  http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/erika5

True Colors

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Bill Charlap Trio - Somewhere: The Songs Of Leonard Bernstein

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:43
Size: 137,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:02)  1. Cool
(4:49)  2. Lucky To Be Me
(5:42)  3. It's Love
(6:37)  4. Lonely Town
(2:32)  5. Jump
(6:57)  6. Some Other Time
(7:37)  7. Glitter And Be Gay
(1:35)  8. A Quiet Girl
(5:38)  9. Big Stuff
(3:53) 10. America
(7:18) 11. Ohio
(2:59) 12. Somewhere

This month Brooke Shields steps into the starring role of Broadway's Tony-Award winning Wonderful Town revival; 25 of Leonard Bernstein's Young People's Concerts with the New York Philharmonic are available on DVD; and radio listeners will have the pleasure of hearing an eleven-part documentary on the maestro's life and career, narrated by Susan Sarandon. Fourteen years after his death, his fans are just as devoted to the immensely loved composer/conductor/pianist as ever and they won't want to miss Somewhere , pianist Bill Charlap's interpretation of twelve Bernstein tunes. Charlap and his trio, rounded out by Peter Washington on bass and Kenny Washington on drums, play songs from West Side Story, Wonderful Town , On The Town , Candide and Fancy Free with cool finesse. Shot up with a stroke of jazz, these show tunes lose any traces of hyper-panache and sob story sap one might associate with Broadway. Instead, they come out swinging jauntily but covertly like in "Big Stuff," or splashing seismically with flourishes of drums emblazoned by the simple, yet heart-piercing melody of "America," pecked out on piano.

 There's a strong sense of consciousness flowing through each player's every note and phrase. While Charlap gracefully solos with an honest integrity completely lacking in pretension as in "Lonely Town," the drums add faint, dusty shades of sparkle, while the bass tumbles delicately in. With a Broadway composer for a father and a singer for a mother, Charlap grew up with these tunes. And you can tell he cherishes each one, as one does those familiar objects from home and life. Arranged for such a small group, tunes like "Ohio" and "Some Other Time," with their subtle intimations and gentle, earnest force convey a quiet yearning. Some songs, such as "Lucky To Be Me" and "It's Love," combine wonderful orchestration and intelligent playing that glow with a fabulous beauty a stunning tribute to the charm and skill of the man who wrote them. ~ Celeste Sunderland  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/somewhere-the-songs-of-leonard-bernstein-bill-charlap-blue-note-records-review-by-celeste-sunderland.php#.VAdunWMfLP8
 

Personnel: Bill Charlap: Piano; Kenny Washington: Drums; Peter Washington: Bass.

Somewhere: The Songs Of Leonard Bernstein

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Al Viola - Solo Guitar

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1957
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:46
Size: 84,6 MB
Art: Front

(2:40)  1. Alone Together
(2:44)  2. Yesterdays
(3:42)  3. Imagination
(2:26)  4. My Old Flame
(3:24)  5. Warm Valley
(2:21)  6. I Get A Kick Out Of You
(3:35)  7. Don't Blame Me
(2:31)  8. Cheek To Cheek
(3:19)  9. My Romance
(3:44) 10. I'll Remember April
(3:58) 11. How Long Has This Been Going On
(2:16) 12. Nocturne

During his more than 40 year career, Al Viola has been among the most active guitarists in the world. He has appeared on over 500 albums. He accompanied Frank Sinatra for 25 years. He has worked on countless TV shows and movies. His playing has been heard by everyone. This release recorded for Mode Records in September, 1957 was his first under his own name. It features eleven standards and a Bobby Troup composition played solo on acoustic guitar and provides an impressive demonstration of his great taste and style. ~ Editorial Reviews  http://www.amazon.com/Solo-Guitar-Al-Viola/dp/B00B7EQQ7Y

Solo Guitar

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Johnny Coles - Little Johnny C

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 40:10

Size: 92.0 MB

Styles: Hard bop, Trumpet jazz

Year: 1963/1996

Art: Front

[5:08] 1. Little Johnny C

[8:12] 2. Hobo Joe

[7:20] 3. Jano

[7:07] 4. My Secret Passion

[5:56] 5. Heavy Legs

[6:24] 6. So Sweet My Little Girl

Although this Blue Note session (reissued on CD in 1996) is led by trumpeter Johnny Coles, pianist Duke Pearson (who contributed the arrangements and five of the six compositions) really functioned as leader.

The typically impressive Blue Note lineup (which includes Leo Wright on alto and flute, tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson, bassist Bob Cranshaw, and either Walter Perkins or Pete LaRoca on drums, in addition to Coles and Pearson) handles the obscure material with creative invention. Most memorable are the catchy title cut and the somber ballad "So Sweet My Little Girl." Cole's brittle trumpet is the lead voice throughout, although the young Joe Henderson was already instantly recognizable. ~Scott Yanow

Little Johnny C

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Braziliando - Tempo De Brasil

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 62:12
Size: 142.4 MB
Styles: Latin jazz
Year: 2004
Art: Front

[5:58] 1. Samba Do Aviao
[5:27] 2. Passaros
[4:05] 3. Brigas Nunca Mais
[3:36] 4. Viva O Rio
[5:47] 5. That's The Way Of The World
[6:30] 6. Bons Tempos
[6:58] 7. Dindi
[3:36] 8. Ame
[4:46] 9. Caminhos Cruzados
[3:42] 10. Olivia's Dance
[5:45] 11. Izaura
[5:57] 12. Our Time Is Here

"Braziliando" plays an enchanting mix of Samba, Bossa Nova & Brazilian Jazz. Featuring the beautiful guitar playing and soulful vocals of Kleber Jorge, a native of Rio De Janeiro, singing in both Portuguese and English. Kleber has been a touring member of the Sergio Mendez band for many years. Also from Brazil, percussionist Cassio Duarte, who's played with a long list of Brazilian and jazz stars from Gal Costa to Djavan to Toots Thielmans. Cassio provides the raw rhythmic energy and hypnotic pulse, playing a wide variety of Brazilian & African drums and percussion instruments. The lyrical and passionate saxophone and flute playing of Robert Kyle round out this trio. Robert too has a long list of jazz credits, and he has a deep love for Brazilian music that shows up in every note he plays. The members of "Braziliando" have been performing together for over 10 years. Their debut CD "Tempo de Brasil" features a mix of instrumental and vocal music, with several songs from the pen of the great Antonio Carlos Jobim, as well as songs by other contemporary Brazilian composers, and original material too.

Tempo De Brasil

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Maria Muldaur - Live In Concert

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 79:14
Size: 181.4 MB
Styles: Light rock
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[4:49] 1. Buckets Of Love
[4:35] 2. Lay Lady Lay
[4:59] 3. To Be Alone With You
[4:05] 4. Heart Of Mine
[4:38] 5. Make You Feel My Love
[4:54] 6. Meet Me In The Moonlight
[5:52] 7. Your Gonna Make Me Lonesome
[7:23] 8. Cajun Moon
[5:57] 9. Golden Loom
[4:11] 10. On A Night Like This
[5:10] 11. I'll Be Your Baby Tonight
[5:10] 12. Bessie's Advice
[5:28] 13. Midnight At The Oasis
[7:42] 14. Wedding Song
[4:14] 15. Ride Me High

Within one's lifetime, there will only be only a few rare vocalists who hit the peak of success, remain there for decades, and produce works that last eternally. Maria Muldaur is best known for her no.1 selling hit, Midnight At The Oasis , and is back with her new live DVD, featuring love songs from Bob Dylan. Maria gives us a stellar performance as she bravely recasts several songs in unlikely grooves.

Live In Concert

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Bobby Durham - Domani's Blues

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 57:34
Size: 131.8 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[5:52] 1. Blueberry Hill
[3:48] 2. Domani's Blues
[4:52] 3. Embraceable You
[5:42] 4. Solar
[4:58] 5. I Should Care
[6:25] 6. Moanin'
[7:17] 7. A Nasty Dirty Blues
[6:43] 8. That Lucky Old Sun
[3:58] 9. My Babe
[5:30] 10. I'm Glad There's You
[2:23] 11. Cry

(February 3, 1937, in Philadelphia – July 6, 2008, in Genoa), was an American jazz drummer.

Durham was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and learned to play drums while a child. He played with The Orioles at age 16, and was in a military band between 1956 and 1959. After his discharge he played with King James and Stan Hunter. In 1960 he moved to New York City, where he played with Lloyd Price, Wild Bill Davis, Lionel Hampton, Count Basie, Slide Hampton, Grant Green, Sweets Edison, Tommy Flanagan, Jimmy Rowles, and the Duke Ellington Orchestra, in which he played for five years. While working with Basie he met Al Grey, and was a member of several of Grey's small ensembles. He accompanied Ella Fitzgerald for more than a decade, and worked with Oscar Peterson in a trio setting.

Durham also played in trios with organists such as Charles Earland and Shirley Scott, and there was a resurgence in interest in Durham's work during the acid jazz upswing in the 1990s. Many of Durham's projects, both as sideman and as leader, have come due to his association with producer Norman Granz, who had him work with Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie, Harry Edison, Flanagan, and Joe Pass. Durham has led his own combos as well; he is noted for scat singing along with his drum solos. Durham has also performed often with pop and soul musicians such as Frank Sinatra, James Brown, Ray Charles, and Marvin Gaye.

Domani's Blues

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Allison Moorer - Mockingbird

Styles: Country
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:24
Size: 109,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:16)  1. Mockingbird
(5:43)  2. Orphan Train
(3:23)  3. Where Is My Love
(2:57)  4. I'm Looking For Blue Eyes
(2:59)  5. Ring Of fire
(4:19)  6. Dancing Barefoot
(2:37)  7. I Want A Little Sugar In My Bowl
(3:38)  8. Go, Leave
(5:41)  9. Revelator
(4:28) 10. Both Sides Now
(3:58) 11. Daddy, Goodbye Blues
(4:19) 12. She Knows Where She Goes

Allison Moorer's Mockingbird was released a mere two weeks after her sister Shelby Lynne's Just a Little Lovin', a Dusty Springfield covers tribute. Moorer's album is a natural sounding set of covers that runs the gamut from rock and barrelhouse blues, to jazz, country, and traditional and indie folk. Mockingbird was produced by Buddy Miller and includes a stellar cast of players including husband Steve Earle, Richard Bennett, Julie Miller, Darrell Scott, Tammy Rogers, Tim O'Brien, and Phil Madeira. It feels organic. The set opens with the title cut, the only original. It's a breezy acoustic ballad with warmly layered guitars, a brushed snare, a hi-hat, a B-3, and the Nashville String Machine ensemble. The cut shifts midway and becomes a graceful pop tune kissed by R&B, courtesy of Jim Hoke's tough tenor sax solo. June Carter's "Ring of Fire" is in a very slow 4/4 with violin, viola, and B-3 walking alongside the singer as she lets her voice just ring out over the top. The reading of Patti Smith's "Dancin' Barefoot" has to be heard to be believed. It's a contender for best track on the set. Moorer's enunciation captures what is at the heart of Smith's song, expressing a powerful desire as it surrenders to raw need. The lyrics walk a knife's edge as the singer observes herself in both first and third person. It's awash in blazing electric guitars, tambourines, cymbals, popping drums and organ; they wash through it all violently, yet reflect the lyrics perfectly.

Moorer's take on Nina Simone's "Sugar in My Bowl" is a bluesier one. She can sing anything; her voice sways, swings, and swoops through acoustic guitars, bluesed out keyboards, and whispering drums. It's wonderful to hear Kate McGarrigle's "Go Leave" again, especially given this spare, reverential treatment. It will hopefully create in listeners the desire to investigate the McGarrigle Sisters' own records. Moorer's voice simply allows the song to have its way; she follows its turns with rapt attention. A New Orleans style bass drum, mandolin, Earle's nasty guitar, and a vintage microphone displace time on Ma Rainey's "Daddy Goodbye Blues." Of the remaining tracks, Moorer's interpretation of Julie Miller's "Orphan Train" takes us down a moving path: her father killed Moorer's mother and himself, in front of her and Lynne. Lynne's stirring "She Knows Where She Goes," precedes it. Together they reflect the deliberately forgotten, topically tragic side of the American country tradition Nashville is just plain afraid of songs like this. 

The album nears its end with Chan Marshall's simple yet deeply moving "Where Is My Love," especially as a follow-up to the aforementioned cuts. It feels as if it's sung by a survivor; an empty handed, full-hearted hero who paid the price and has little but loneliness to show for it. When Moorer, Buddy Miller, and company bring it to close with Jessi Colter's lusty "I'm Looking for Blue Eyes," it's as if the circle that began with "Mockingbird" is complete. Moorer, who has followed a restless career path through the wiles of Nashville's machine and lived to tell about it, ups her own ante here both creatively and emotionally. It is her warmest, most ambitious, and gutsy record yet. 

~ Thom Jurek  http://www.allmusic.com/album/mockingbird-mw0000581824

Personnel: Allison Moorer (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, programming, background vocals); Allison Moorer (vocals); Richard Bennett , Richard Rodney Bennett (acoustic guitar, electric guitar); Steve Earle (electric guitar); Darrell Scott (bouzouki); Chris Donohue (bass guitar); Kenny Malone (drums, percussion); Buddy Miller (vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, glockenspiel, percussion); Julie Miller, Ann McCrary, Regina McCrary (vocals); Russ Pahl (steel guitar); Tim O'Brien (banjo); Mike Compton (mandolin); Connie Ellisor, Pamela Sixfin (violin); Tammy Rogers (fiddle); Jim Grosjean (viola); Carole Rabinowitz-Neuen (cello); Chris Carmichael (strings); Phil Madeira (accordion, keyboards); Jim Hoke (saxophone); Neil Rosengarden (trumpet); John Deaderick (keyboards); Bryan Owings (drums); The Nashville String Machine, Tom Howard.

Mockingbird

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Nancy Fox Hall - Just Singin

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:16
Size: 83,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:32)  1. You Don't Know Me
(2:14)  2. Walking After Midnight
(2:42)  3. Someone To Watch Over Me
(2:03)  4. Rock-A Bye Your Baby
(2:30)  5. I Don't Know Why
(2:18)  6. How Long Has This Been Going On
(1:52)  7. Cry Me A River
(1:44)  8. Hard Hearted Hannah
(3:49)  9. God Bless This Child
(2:22) 10. I Fall To Pieces
(2:31) 11. Can't Help Lovin' That Man
(2:44) 12. Crazy
(2:52) 13. Funny Valentine
(2:57) 14. Our Love Is Here To Stay

Just Singin' album by Nancy Fox Hall was released May 01, 2014. This album was fulfilling to create ,and I hope it is an enjoyable ensemble for you. It is a collection of some of my favorite tunes from past live participation in shows, musical performances and memorable evenings in cabarets. Just Singin' CD music contains a single disc. http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=9224560

Just Singin

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Quincy Jones - Free And Easy!

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:47
Size: 137,1 MB
Art: Front

( 2:57)  1. Introduction By Olle Helander
( 3:29)  2. Moanin'
( 3:01)  3. Tickle Toe
( 3:44)  4. I Remember Clifford
( 3:50)  5. Whisper Not
(11:08)  6. The Phanton Blues
( 4:20)  7. Birth Of A Band
( 4:37)  8. The Gypsy
( 4:53)  9. Ghana
(13:01) 10. Walkin'
( 4:42) 11. Big Red

Quincy Delight Jones was born in Chicago on March 14, 1933. When he was a still a youngster, his family moved to Seattle and he soon developed an interest in music. In his early teens, Jones began learning the trumpet and started singing with a local gospel group. By the time he graduated from high school in 1950, Jones had displayed enough promise to win a scholarship to Boston-based music school Schillenger House (which later became known as Berklee School of Music). After a year at Schillenger, Jones relocated to New York City where he found work as an arranger, writing charts for Count Basie, Cannonball Adderley, Tommy Dorsey and Dinah Washington, among others. In 1953, Jones scored his first big break as a performer; he was added to the brass section of Lionel Hampton’s Orchestra. With his ability to dig up promising newcomers, Hamp had, among others, enlisted noted altoist-arranger Gigi Gryce, Clifford Brown and Art Farmer on trumpet, trombonist Jimmy Cleveland, pianist George Wallington and singer Annie Ross. In September, Lionel Hampton took his band to Sweden for the first time and made a tremendous impression on the youngsters with his frenetic rhythmical show. 

Hampton’s band continued the tour through Europe and having reached Casablanca it was decided that a return visit to Sweden was imperative and thus Quincy wrote and arranged tunes for a recording with an All Star band from which the iconic Stockholm Sweetin’ track emerged. Three years later, Dizzy Gillespie hired Jones to play in his band and later in 1956 when Gillespie was invited to put together a big band of outstanding international musicians. Diz chose Quincy to lead the ensemble. Jones also released his first album under his own name that year, a set for ABC-Paramount appropriately entitled This is How I Feel About Jazz. In 1957, Jones moved to Paris in order to study with the renowned Nadia Boulanger, an expatriate American composer with a stellar track record in educating composers, bandleaders and musicians. During his sojourn in France, Jones became friends with the now legendary Eddie and Nicole Barclay and they soon engaged Quincy as musical director and he produced and arranged sessions for Jacques Brel and Charles Aznavour, as well as American artists Billy Eckstine and Sarah Vaughan. In late 1959, the now 26 year old Jones was engaged to create the orchestra for a new musical Free and Easy, the songs for which were written by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer. The intention was to tour the show throughout Europe before moving to Broadway, however the show ran into difficulties right from the start. 

After engagements in Amsterdam and Brussels and at the Alhambra in Paris in January 1960, by mid-February amongst bitter recriminations it eventually folded and the 18 musicians and their families were stranded. Having put together and rehearsed such a wonderful band Quincy, to his great credit decided to try to tour the band in it’s own right and for almost a year they struggled on playing concerts in many European countries including Scandinavia, Switzerland, France and Italy but exhausted and desperately short of money Quincy inevitably had to call it a day and return to the States. Fortunately several recordings of the “Free and Easy” band and some film footage were made of concerts given by this outstanding orchestra  just some of the awesome achievements this remarkable man has given to the world in his lifetime. http://www.candidrecords.com/product_info.php?products_id=331

Personnel: Les Spann (guitar, flute); Jerome Richardson (flute, tenor saxophone); Porter Kilbert, Phil Woods (alto saxophone); Budd Johnson (tenor saxophone); Sahib Shihab (baritone saxophone); Clark Terry (trumpet, flugelhorn); Lennie Johnson, Floyd Standifer, Benny Bailey (trumpet); Julius Watkins (French horn); Åke Persson, Jimmy Cleveland, Melba Liston, Quentin Jackson (trombone); Patti Bown (piano); Joe Harris (drums).

Free And Easy!

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The North Star Jazz Ensemble - The Way You Look Tonight

Styles: Jazz, Mainstream Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:12
Size: 141,2 MB
Art: Front

(6:10)  1. The Way You Look Tonight
(4:59)  2. Every Time We Say Goodbye
(3:08)  3. Taking A Chance On Love
(5:37)  4. It Never Entered My Mind
(4:27)  5. I'm Old Fashioned
(4:54)  6. What A Wonderful World
(5:15)  7. My One And Only Love
(3:33)  8. On The Sunny Side Of The Street
(3:39)  9. Tangerine
(3:34) 10. I've Got The World On A String
(5:23) 11. I Thought About You
(3:33) 12. Cheek To Cheek
(3:10) 13. Tenderly
(3:44) 14. Stompin' At The Savoy

North Star Jazz Ensemble, as much as any inhabitant of their stable, epitomize the jazz philosophy of New England's North Star label. Get a bevy of good musicians in a studio, give them a play list of familiar standards that are tastefully arranged, and then let them express themselves, with special emphasis on the melody and chord structure which elevated these songs into the standard category in the first place. This does not mean the session is limited to mere recitation of the melody. There is plenty of room for improvisation hear Artie Montanaro's enterprising wending trombone on "The Way You Look Tonight." But the extemporization is not so far out as to dissociate it from the basic melody, losing many of the listeners in the process. 

The members of the ensemble, put together for this recording session, are all well-respected New England musicians. Guitarist Gray Sargent works with Tony Bennett, mouth organ player Mike Turk has been with Donna Byrne and Paul Broadnax, and horn player Jeff Stout with Gary Burton. Each member of the octet gets a chance to display their considerable individual talent. Mike Turk's harmonica takes the spotlight on "I'm Old Fashioned." Bruce Abbott's tenor on "My One and Only Love" recalls John Coltrane's solo on that seminal album with Johnny Hartman. This album is filled with exquisite playing of great American romantic ballads by jazz musicians of the highest caliber. It reminds one just how well this music can sound if played in a forthright, elegant manner without the artifices found on too many CDs. Recommended. ~ Dave Nathan  http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-way-you-look-tonight-mw0000666423

Personnel: Gary Sargent (guitar); Bruce Abbott (soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone); Jeff Stout, John Allmark (trumpet, flugelhorn); Artie Montanaro (trombone); Paul Mason (drums).

The Way You Look Tonight

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Sarik Peter Trio - Jazz Request Show

Size: 153,3 MB
Time: 65:47
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. Sex Machine - So What (4:49)
02. Allegro Barbaro (4:47)
03. Hotel California (5:36)
04. Ode To Joy (4:54)
05. Don't Give Up (4:46)
06. Theme From 'Mission Impossible' (5:47)
07. Lacrimosa (7:06)
08. Rehab (5:33)
09. Teardrop (7:15)
10. Can't Buy Me Love (4:34)
11. The Winner Takes It All (6:21)
12. Don't Stop Me Now (4:12)

The Jazz Request Show concerts began in 2010 and have been popular ever since. Every three months, we play the songs requested earlier by our audience. No matter what the original style or genre of the song was, we play a jazz version of it.

Peter Sarik, jazz pianist, composer, teacher
He was born in Cegléd-Hungary, in 1972.
He studied at the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music, where he got his degree in 1997.
Throughout the years, besides the jazz he has proved himself in almost all genres:
he has played classical, popular, Latin, and world music.
Nowdays he’s leading his own Trio and workind together with several artists and bands.

As a composer, he has had huge international success: his compositions received awards in United States and United Kingdom.

Jazz Request Show

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John Taylor - Demons And Angels

Size: 74,3 MB
Time: 31:34
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Folk/Rock
Art: Front

01. The Day I Said Goodbye (2:11)
02. Bible In The Drawer (4:07)
03. Promised Land (3:12)
04. Taste The Rain (2:55)
05. Streetlights (2:49)
06. Autumn (3:30)
07. Heavens Collide (3:17)
08. I Will Be Your Friend (2:40)
09. Different Ways (4:06)
10. The Last Gunfight (2:43)

This is John’s fifth studio album with a new collection of songs following in the footsteps of past releases with some stripped back acoustic songs and some with a full band.

Scottish acoustic singer/songwriter John Taylor was born and raised in Glasgow where he played in many bands before going solo as a singer/songwriter. John Released his first album “Bring the stars alive” in 2009, “A place called Paradise” in 2010 and “Sorrow and Sunshine” in 2011 and plans to release his fourth album in 2012.

John's song "Pull you through" was placed in Golden globe and Emmy winning show "Californication" and sent it into the itunes singer/songwriter charts around the world including No 1 in Sweden, the top 5 in Canada, France, Norway and the Netherlands and the top 10 in Germany, Spain, and Switzerland and no12 in the USA. John released his fourth album in California in June 2012 where he also made his TV debut on the CBS network and shot two music videos as part of a documentary filmed by Bruce Springsteens photographer Joseph Quever. video's of John's song "Pull you through" had more than 500,000 hit's on youtube after the show.

In August 2013 John had his song "Break my bones" placed in hit USA TV show Necessary Roughness and again in December 2013 and March 2014 in the Hit show Revenge reaching viewing figures of over ten million. Safe to say John is on his way up as an independant artist and will release his latest album on September 5th 2014.

Demons And Angels

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Sydney Claire - All Ella

Size: 113,2 MB
Time: 48:21
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz/Blues Vocals
Art: Front

01. Frim Fram Sauce (2:38)
02. Manhattan (3:57)
03. Slap That Bass (3:11)
04. Makin' Whoopee (4:44)
05. Blue Room (2:13)
06. It's Only A Paper Moon (2:20)
07. They All Laughed (2:44)
08. Let's Do It, Let's Fall In Love (3:39)
09. They Can't Take That Away From Me (3:49)
10. Bewitched, Bothered & Bewildered (4:27)
11. Summertime (3:30)
12. Dream A Little Dream (4:02)
13. Rocks In My Bed (3:31)
14. Black Coffee (3:29)

Sydney Claire is an American singer with a long, rich history in jazz and blues. Born and raised in Louisiana, the birthplace of jazz, Sydney Claire is known for her rich, deep, bluesy, soulful voice and fresh vocal interpretations of The Great American Songbook. Critics have described Sydney Claire as the "songstress with the warmest, richest voice of sultry low notes mixed with the feeling of a young girl's innocence and amazing soul stirring vibrato." Her voice is a modern day Ella Fitzgerald. She is being described as the female equivalent of Harry Connick, Jr. and Michael Buble.

Sydney Claire's debut solo artist studio album ALL ELLA is a fourteen track album including such jazz and blues standards as Bewitched, Bothered, & Bewildered, Slap That Bass, Summertime, and Rocks In My Bed. While Sydney has been singing professionally her entire life, the past 20 years have been strongly focused in jazz and blues. Sydney's voice is truly one of a kind. A real joy to the listener. Sydney Claire's voice possesses a remarkably commercial sound with a real and substantive technique that only a lifetime of singing and performing could garner. The industry is taking notice of this iconic Louisiana voice. The new voice of the 21st century.

Sydney's inspiration comes from the rich sounds of such great jazz legends as Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker, King Oliver, Count Basie, and Cab Calloway. Sydney's blues inspiration comes from the late great Leadbelly, particularly his Black Betty from his Library of Congress recordings, an obvious influence on her blues track Rocks In My Bed.

All Ella

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