Don Redman & His Orchestra - All The Swing Cats Ball

Styles: Clarinet And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 77:37
Size: 180,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:11)  1. Park Avenue Patter
(2:33)  2. Seedless Grapefruit
(2:39)  3. Last Night In Town
(2:18)  4. To The River
(2:31)  5. Ballad 'N Bounce
(2:26)  6. Dreamy Melody
(2:39)  7. Desert Dance
(2:37)  8. Chevy's Chase
(2:04)  9. Christmas In The Valley
(2:52) 10. Donnybrook
(3:51) 11. Ain't Gonna Get Fooled Again
(2:10) 12. Good Boog Di Goodie
(1:18) 13. Voodoo
(2:50) 14. At The Swing Cats Ball
(2:34) 15. My Dream Of Yesterday
(2:18) 16. Fall Leaves
(2:37) 17. Waiting On The Corner
(2:34) 18. Peetni Petite
(2:21) 19. Free And Easy
(2:55) 20. Coffee Light
(3:06) 21. The Black Cat
(2:24) 22. Echoing
(3:13) 23. Black Velvet
(1:49) 24. I Dream Of Summer
(2:37) 25. Ballade De Ballet
(2:24) 26. My Confectionary Baby
(2:53) 27. My Girl Friday
(2:24) 28. Looney
(2:51) 29. The Blame's On You
(2:25) 30. Penthouse Alley

Don Redman has been one of the most influential people in the development of swing and the proliferation of big band jazz during the 20's and 30's. He actually was the first musician in jazz's history to write complex arrangements for big orchestras. The music in this CD is a compilation of two sessions recorded in New York in 1957. The first one has many songs composed by Don Redman. The formation playing is variable but well balanced and includes great musicians as Joe Wilder, Seldon Powell and Coleman Hawkins who leaves his unique style. For the next session, Redman gathered a true big band. This time he had the collaboration of a few composers, most of them little known, taking care himself of all arrangements and also participating as a musician. We can hear again Coleman Hawkins, Joe Wilder and Seldon Powell joined by Charlie Shavers and Al Cohn. 30 tracks. Fresh Sounds. 2005. ~ Editorial Reviews  

http://www.amazon.com/Swing-Redman-Orchestra-Coleman-Hawkins/dp/B000B7M8UW

All The Swing Cats Ball

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Lou Bennett - Blue Lou's Blues

Size: 101,0 MB
Time: 39:52
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2008
Styles: Blues/Soul Jazz
Art: Front

01. Blues Goes South (3:39)
02. Toi Mon Soleil (4:54)
03. Meridien Rendez Vous (4:38)
04. Blue Lou's Blues (4:20)
05. Goodbye Paris (4:28)
06. Bossalou (3:41)
07. L'Amour Est Une Drole De Chose (4:37)
08. The Pitch Tree Thing (6:05)
09. Just A Little Bop (3:26)

Lou Bennett (b. May 18, 1926, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - d. February 10, 1997, Paris, France) was an American jazz organist. Bennett first played bebop on piano, but started playing organ in 1956 after hearing Jimmy Smith. Bennett toured the U.S. with an organ trio between 1957 and 1959, and then moved to Paris in 1960. There he recorded and performed at the Blue Note with Jimmy Gourley and Kenny Clarke (as well as Rene Thomas); he returned to America only once, for the 1964 Newport Jazz Festival. He also recorded in the 1960s with Philip Catherine and Franco Manzecchi. In the 1980s he played in his own quintet with Gerard Badini, among others.

Blue Lou's Blues

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Milla - Prelude

Size: 132,1 MB
Time: 57:00
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2008
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Love For Sale ( 7:17)
02. No Moon At All ( 4:10)
03. Sophisticated Lady ( 5:09)
04. Blue Prelude ( 4:36)
05. Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered (10:14)
06. Love Me Or Leave Me ( 4:01)
07. Corcovado (Quiet Nights And Quiet Stars) ( 4:21)
08. I Didn't Know What Time It Was ( 3:39)
09. You Don't Know What Love Is ( 5:28)
10. Everything I've Got ( 3:05)
11. Embraceable You ( 4:56)

Milla is a San Francisco-based singer that possesses the unique ability to deliver shy and gutsy in the same breath, using her empathic abilities to affect her audience to its core.

In Prelude, Milla maximizes the talent of her recording band, led by pianist Adam Shulman. Dayna Stephens’ dreamy sax solos wail over the burnin’ rhythm section (John Wiitala on bass and Tim Bulkley on drums) revealing new ideas in an old setting. Guitarist Bob Brumbeloe joins the group for a couple tunes, upping the cool factor considerably with his groovy sound.

At the heart of it all is the voice of Milla. She delivers with sex appeal, sorrow, sass, and intensity. Her sound is educated and inspired.

Milla’s warm, sultry tone translates effortlessly between genres, also exemplified in Prelude. From smoky bossas to fearless blues, her style is distinct and her interpretations soulful. The CD features imaginative arrangements of well-represented classics, in addition to the lesser-known gems she digs up and just has to share.

Of her new CD Prelude, Milla comments, “If I had to picture someone listening to this CD, I would hope they’d be near a lover and a fireplace.”

"[Milla] sings with admirably good taste, keen sense of time and implacable intonation . . . . Her emotional colors warm and animate her soulful interpretations” —Dr. Herb Wong, famed jazz journalist/producer

“Milla stands out with a beautiful vocal sound....This woman has real feeling in her singing.” —Larry Vuckovich, jazz pianist

"Milla is an emissary from another era -- her music, her lingo, her style. She evokes experiences certainly beyond her years. Must be that Balkan soul." —Bruce Bellingham, SF Examiner

Prelude

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Lisa Simone - All Is Well

Size: 113,9 MB
Time: 49:03
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz/Soul/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

01. Interlude (0:37)
02. Finally Free (4:18)
03. All Is Well (5:00)
04. Child In Me (4:48)
05. Revolution (4:16)
06. Suzanne (5:06)
07. The Hardest Part (4:27)
08. Ain't Got No I Got Life (5:03)
09. Take Itto The Father (4:21)
10. Lullabye (5:47)
11. Autumn Leaves (5:15)

SIMONE is her own woman: a singer, songwriter & performer whose ability to transcend genres echoes the tradition of her mother, musical icon Nina Simone.

A highly-praised live performer whose impressive resume includes starring roles on Broadway in such acclaimed musicals as Rent and Aida, Simone has developed an exciting and diverse repertoire of pop, soul, jazz, rock and funk, expressed in shows she’s done throughout the world. “Touring with Simone on Simone has been a dream come true as I’ve traveled around the world and graced stages that are legends unto themselves. Among my favorites have been the Sydney Opera House, the Montreaux Jazz Festival, New York’s Lincoln Center, Los Angeles’ Hollywood Bowl, and the North Sea Jazz Festival.”

With the success of her 2008 release, Simone On Simone (a big band tribute to her mother produced by famed jazz musician and arranger Bob Belden), music lovers worldwide have discovered the vocal dynamism that live audiences have witnessed for over a decade. “This is my tribute to my mother, a chance for me to do the songs I love the most the way I hear them. It’s a glimpse of my life over four decades…” Fortunate to have been gifted over fifty of her mother’s original arrangements, Simone began working with producer Bob Belden (whose credits include work with Herbie Hancock, Cassandra Wilson, Sting and Chick Corea) on the recording project, culling eleven songs from Nina Simone’s repertoire, including one live performance on which her mother accompanied her and featuring one poignant and highly personal song, “Child In Me” which Simone fondly refers to as “my love song to my mother.”

She succeeds admirably turning in tour-de-force performances on little-known gems from her mother’s recorded repertoire such as “Keeper Of The Flame,” “I Hold No Grudge” and “Don’t You Pay Them No Mind” (all from Nina Simone’s 1966 LP High Priestess Of Soul) as well as rewordings of such classics as “Feeling Good,” “Black Is The Color Of My True Love’s Hair” (given a completely new and original twist), “Work Song,” the spirited “(You’ll) Go To Hell” and swinging versions of “Love Me Or Leave Me” and Duke Ellington’s “Gal From Joe’s.” Rounding out her first of many future albums: “I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free” (the Billy Taylor tune closely identified with her mother as one of the potent message songs which were so much a part of Nina Simone’s catalog of music with themes of freedom, self-empowerment and justice for all) and “How Long Must I Wander,” a plaintive song that speaks to Simone’s own formative years traveling across the globe with her mother. The album went on to be come #14 on the Billboard Jazz charts and was Top 5 at iTunes on their Jazz Vocalist chart.

Simone recently recorded a new version of her mother Nina’s original classic “Four Women” for Tyler Perry’s film, For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf. In keeping with the organic integrity of the original recording with a slightly younger rendition, “Four Women” produced by Warryn Campbell, will be available and heard on the commercially released movie soundtrack (Atlantic Records), closing credits and the movie trailer.

Since her mother’s passing in 2003, Simone has taken on many projects which include managing her mothers’ extensive estate. Simone is also an avid supporter for Breast Cancer Awareness (the disease which claimed her mother’s life in 2003) and actively involved in other philanthropic causes such as Nina’s Kids, a Miami, FL based non-profit organization whose mission is to educate, nurture and motivate musically talented children to achieve the highest level of music artistry. All music in the program will be influenced by the work of Nina Simone, whose life and passion for music is the inspiration for Nina’ Kids.

Encouraged by the constant support of God, family, friends and fans, Simone says her commitment is to “keep singing, keep writing, keep performing, spreading the word, spreading the healing, spreading the message and spreading the love!” With a rich heritage to draw from, a wealth of accomplishments and accolades as a Broadway star and live performer and a finely-developed sense of her own unique artistry, Simone is ready to establish herself as a successful recording artist of the first order. She has had a wonderful run with Simone On Simone, an album that honors her mother’s musical contribution while beginning a new chapter in her own musical journey. Look for the new album to be released in 2011.

All Is Well

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Sani Gamedze - Colourmeover

Size: 135,3 MB
Time: 57:50
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

01. Purple Rain (3:44)
02. Mood Indigo (2:59)
03. Business Goes On As Usual (4:28)
04. Fire And Rain (6:15)
05. The Day It Rained (4:48)
06. Girl Blue (4:55)
07. Being Green (4:51)
08. Easy Like Sunday Morning (4:18)
09. Reverend Lee (5:17)
10. On A Clear Day (3:19)
11. Look To The Rainbow (5:52)
12. Medley: Music Is A Rainbow/There's Music In The Air (7:00)

Remarkable South African vocalist Sani Gamedze tells us a very personal story about her life in South Africa and Sweden by way of songs strongly connected to her past, using the colours of the rainbow as a spiritual and musical guidance. 'Colourmeover' presents her most personal approach to these songs - carefully selected gems of jazz, soul and pop - coupled with her sparkling vocals and poetic narration - brings rare depth to the listener's musical journey. Colourfully arranged by Daniel Lantz and others, plus a guest performance by legendary jazzfunk pianist and arranger Bob James, this album is based on her 'Colourmeover' stage performance where all the colours, music and lyrics come into play.

Personnel:
Sani Gamedze, vocals
Bobbo Andersson, guitar
Daniel Lantz, wurlitzer and piano
Per V Johansson, electric and double bass
Karl Jansson, drums

Special guest: Bob James, electric piano

Colourmeover

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Chris Walden Big Band - Full-On!

Size: 125,8 MB
Time: 54:27
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz Vocals, Big Band
Art: Front

01. Bailout (6:14)
02. I Can Cook Too (5:06)
03. Lost In The Memory (3:27)
04. Gatsby (5:32)
05. Sir Duke (3:45)
06. Bada Bamba (5:40)
07. If I Only Knew (3:48)
08. Only The Lonely (3:15)
09. Arturo (5:56)
10. Hey Good Looking (3:02)
11. Out Of Town (4:39)
12. Ride Like The Wind (3:58)

It's been a while since the jazz world has seen a release from this group. The first three albums credited to the Chris Walden Big Band—the Grammy-nominated Home Of My Heart (Origin Records, 2005), No Bounds (Origin Records, 2006), and Kurt Marti Suite (Origin Records, 2007)—came in quick succession. And then there was silence from Walden. Well, that's not exactly true. Walden's actually been quite busy in the interim, even if his work didn't center on his own big band. He's been cranking out orchestrations and arrangements for mega-stars like Rod Stewart, Michael Bolton, Michael Buble, and numerous others, so given that information, it's perfectly understandable that it took him seven years to deliver another album from this group. It was well worth the wait.

Full-On! is a tight and crisp set of big band music with solid and swinging lines, strong solos, and superb singing. Everybody brings their A game here, expertly nailing all the kicks and hits in Walden's impeccably crafted arrangements. Everything is in its right place, but the music still retains that indefinable spark that's often absent from sessions that are as orderly as this.

The program contains a handful of Walden originals along with natty rewrites and expansions on the music of Christopher Cross, Hank Williams, Leonard Bernstein, Stevie Wonder, The Yellowjackets, and others. Half of the material focuses on the band itself while the other six songs serve as showcases for vocalists. Melanie Taylor brings high-energy to her two features ("I Can Cook Too" and "Sir Duke"), Dorian Holley adds a dose of soul—and a dash of rap—to the proceedings ("If I Only Knew,") and Tierney Sutton is ever-captivating, working in a highly controlled and nuanced environment ("Only The Lonely"). Then there's Carol Welsman, riding high through Williams' territory ("Hey Good Looking"), Siedah Garrett , passionately pushing her way through a Christopher Cross classic ("Ride Like The Wind"), and Courtney Fortune, slyly sashaying over the lone original with vocals ("Lost In The Memory").

While the band sounds great on the vocal features, it's the instrumental numbers that really give pause to admire Walden's writing and the musicians that bring it to life. "Bailout" takes off with slinky saxophones, muted trumpet punches, and low end asides, but it turns into a real swinger when the solos start; "Gatsby" is a more mellow and measured statement from the band; the cheery, Brazilian-tinged "Bada Bamba" shines a spotlight on the marriage of Bill Reichenbach's bass trombone and Jeff Driskill's flute; and "Arturo" brings the warm flugelhorn sound of special guest Arturo Sandoval into the picture.

There are no weak spots on this one and no throw-away tracks to be heard. The Chris Walden Big Band gives its all throughout Full-On! ~Dan Bilawsky

Personnel: Jeff Driskill: saxophone; Bob Sheppard: saxophone; Rob LockhartL: saxophone; Brandon Fields: saxophone; Tom Peterson: saxophone; Kim Richmond: saxophone (7, 10); Wayne Bergeron: trumpet; Kye Palmer: trumpet; Rom King: trumpet; Kevin Richardson: trumpet; Bob McChesney: trombone; Alex Iles: trombone; Paul Young: trombone; Rich Bullock: trombone; Andy Martin: trombone (7, 10); Mitch Holder: guitar; Andrew Synowiec: guitar (5); Alan Steinberger: piano, keyboards; Kenny Wild: bass; Ray Brinker: drums; M.B. Gordy: percussion.

Full-On!

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Manuel Valera & New Cuban Express - In Motion

Size: 145,5 MB
Time: 62:37
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Afro-Cuban Jazz
Art: Front

01. Descargando (6:19)
02. Preamble (8:50)
03. Bantu (6:43)
04. No Puedo Ser Feliz (5:37)
05. Storyteller (8:40)
06. Mirrors (7:15)
07. Para Emiliano (6:17)
08. NYC (6:33)
09. Factors (6:19)

2013 Grammy-nominated pianist and composer Manuel Valera is a 34-year-old powerhouse who has taken New York by storm since relocating there from his native Cuba in 2000. Having worked with many of today's finest artists in the genre of Afro Cuban jazz, Valera made his Criss Cross debut on Brian Lynch's Conclave Vol. 2.

Valera's maiden voyage for Criss Cross features his band, New Cuban Express, on a selection of originals that cover a good deal of ground, touching on both Latin and swing sensibilities.

Yosvany Terry on alto sax, Tom Guarna on guitar and Alex Sipiagin on trumpet make strong statements, while Valera tastefully uses the Fender Rhodes to add new colors to the ensemble mix. Bassist is Hans Glawischnig, on drums Ludwig Afonso, and Mauricio Herrera on percussion.

His strongest set as leader, Valera's In Motion marks the pianist and composer as a major talent on the rise.

In Motion

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Jo Jones & His Orchestra - Vamp Til Ready (Digitally remastered)

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 36:06
Size: 82.6 MB
Styles: Big band
Year: 1960/2009
Art: Front

[3:13] 1. Vamp 'til Ready
[2:26] 2. You're Getting To Be A Habit With Me
[2:43] 3. Should I
[2:51] 4. Thou Swell
[3:32] 5. Show Time
[3:28] 6. Sandy's Body
[2:37] 7. Liza
[3:02] 8. But Not For Me
[3:12] 9. Royal Garden Blues
[2:58] 10. Mozelle's Alley
[3:23] 11. Sox Trot
[2:36] 12. In The Forrest

Personnel are identified in the Amazon listing for the vinyl version, and they're the upside. Jo Jones, best known for his work with the Old Testament (1930s-40s) Basie orchestra and one of the great figures in the history of jazz drumming, generally runs the rhythm, emerging on "Mozelle's Alley," "Royal Garden Blues," and "In the Forrest" to demonstrate his unsurpassed (and Basie-like) ability to create maximal drive with minimal fuss. Jones was vastly admired by musicians in this swing-mainstream idiom and beyond, and could pick his associates. Bennie Green (trombone) was a younger Basieite, also featured on Jones' celebrated and somewhat similar Vanguard date. Harry "Sweets" Edison was a teammate from the old Basie band, a master sometimes downgraded because of his tendency to anthologize his favorite licks, he's at his best here, open-horn and muted, and not into recycling. Jimmy Forrest (tenor sax), Basie veteran and popularizer of "Night Train," is powerful. The pianist, Tommy Flanagan, was younger and associated with more newer styles, but fit in brilliantly with his elders (as on the great Prestige date with Pee Wee Russell and Buck Clayton). The uncredited bassist is Tommy Potter, well recorded and agile.

This is great stuff by great, wonderfully compatible musicians, making it all sound easy. For these guys, it was. ~Martin Berger/amazon

Vamp Til Ready

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Kermit Ruffins - Swing This!

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 53:41
Size: 122.9 MB
Styles: Trumpet jazz, New Orleans jazz
Year: 1999
Art: Front

[4:28] 1. Bogalusa Strut
[5:35] 2. Things Are Getting Better
[2:05] 3. He's Making Eyes At Me Ma
[4:34] 4. Ain't Misbehavin'
[5:23] 5. But Not For Me
[2:19] 6. This Little Light
[5:47] 7. Treme Second Line-Blow Da Whistle
[3:50] 8. Can't Take My Baby Nowhere
[3:23] 9. Hide The Reefer
[4:45] 10. Fruit Punch
[4:38] 11. Swing This!
[6:47] 12. Bucket's Got A Hole In It

New Orleans trumpeter/vocalist Ruffins concentrates on good time jive and swing, with a big band taste and second-line influence on this CD with his group, the Barbeque Kings. His bright trumpet sound and slightly Louis Armstrong-inflected vocal style is complemented by his band of fellow young jazzmen, the most distinctive being trombonist Corey Henry. Ruffins wrote four of the 12 selections: "Treme Second Line" (Blow Da Whistle)," "Can't Take My Baby Nowhere," and "Hide the Reefer" are silly goof numbers, the latter with a Gene Krupa rhythm. The title track is a bopping instrumental where Ruffins, Henry, and tenor saxophonist Roderick Paulin get to blow a little. Ed Frank's "Fruit Punch" is also a swinging instrumental with promising solos. Ruffins cops Eddie Jefferson's lyric on "Things Are Getting Better," adding a peanut vendor line. He sings "Ain't Misbehavin'" and "Bucket's Got a Hole in It" with that self-effaced Satchmo charm. Additional horns turn the ensemble into a big band sound for "Ma, He's Makin' Eyes at Me" and "But Not for Me." Six-year-old Neshia Ruffins and seven-year-old Christina Ruffins join four-year-old Milan Arriola on a truly kiddish "This Little Light of Mine," and the CD kicks with a true New Orleans trad classic, "Bogalusa Strut." As he matures, Ruffins should grow out of camp into pure musical value. This is a quite an entertaining recording. ~Michael G. Nastos

Swing This!

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Tony Airoldi - South Austin Gypsy Jazz

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 49:35
Size: 115.2 MB
Styles: Gypsy jazz
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[5:16] 1. Adios Muchachos
[2:06] 2. Minor Swing
[4:34] 3. La Yunta
[6:22] 4. Tarantas
[3:24] 5. J'attendrai
[4:22] 6. For Sephora
[3:10] 7. Moreno Waltz
[2:52] 8. Django's Moustache
[5:30] 9. Latcho Drom
[3:27] 10. Nuages
[4:07] 11. Bossa Dorado
[4:19] 12. Mediterranean Blues

Tony Airoldi's South Austin Gypsy Jazz is inspired by Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grapelli's "Swing Manouche". His musical Style is a unique blend of authentic gypsy jazz with modern, contemporary Latin influence. Tony Airoldi's South Austin Gypsy Jazz can transport you to the heart of Paris and the Mediterranian shores of Barcelona with its passionate, ambient rhythms; providing an energetic and engaging entertainment experience to remember.

South Austin Gypsy Jazz

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Martha Lorin - Don't Slam That Door! The Many Moods Of Martha Lorin

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:18
Size: 138,9 MB
Art: Front

(2:16)  1. The Best Is Yet To come
(3:57)  2. Rain Song
(4:29)  3. New York State Of Mind
(5:43)  4. Close Your Eyes
(2:49)  5. Coney Island
(3:03)  6. Last Night When We Were Young
(3:39)  7. You're Changed
(1:59)  8. Don't Slam That Door
(3:00)  9. Ill Wind
(5:11) 10. Low Down Blues
(4:33) 11. We Two
(3:40) 12. Let's Begin Again
(3:19) 13. Nerves
(3:17) 14. Remember (For Shelly Mann)
(4:21) 15. Close Enough For Love
(4:51) 16. Come Walk With Me

"Martha Lorin has developed into one of the most emotive singers to hit the jazz scene." Growing up in Pueblo, Colorado, Martha Lorin found herself at a crossroads of diverse cultures. Martha's early vocal development was nourished by two generations, her Welsh grandmother, Sarah Dalton, a highly touted popular singer of the 1920's, and her jazz pianist/singer/songwriter mother, Margaret Dalton.

Martha had her first club gig at age 19 at Enrico Banucci's "Hungry Eye" in San Francisco, where she met long-term mentor, pianist Shelly Robin.  After the tragic loss of her husband, Capt. Bruce Walker (shot down in Viet Nam and still MIA) Martha moved to Germany with their one year old baby girl for two years. Upon returning to the U.S. she completed her B.A. in American Literature at the University of Maryland, after which she moved to San Francisco to resume her singing career. 

Martha's first solo album, "The Best Is Yet To Come," was co-produced by Joni Mitchell's producer and sound engineer, Henry Lewy. After its release Martha toured Japan and the Philippines, and then spent a year in Los Angeles where she met and collaborated with pianist/songwriter Frank Collett. Several of those compositions are included on Martha's new collection, "Don't Slam That Door." New York Times music critic John Wilson says of these collaborations that Martha's "lyrics, with music by Frank Collett, stand up well in the company of such established gems as Strayhorn's "Day Dream" and "Easy Living" by Ranger/Robbins. More....http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/marthalorin3

Don't Slam That Door ! The Many Moods Of Martha Lorin

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Dick Sudhalter & His London Friends - After Awhile

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:20
Size: 143,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:01)  1. Dream A Little Dream Of Me
(4:34)  2. Emaline
(4:07)  3. How Could We Be Wrong?
(3:32)  4. Rose Of Washington Square
(4:41)  5. P.S. I Love You
(4:26)  6. After Awhile
(6:09)  7. People Will Say We're In Love
(3:38)  8. Isn't This A Lovely Day?
(5:00)  9. Tea For Two
(4:17) 10. Concentratin'
(4:03) 11. The Blue Room
(3:50) 12. Chasing Shadows
(5:15) 13. My Heart Stood Still
(3:44) 14. The Love Nest

Dick Sudhalter, best known as one of the three writers responsible for one of the great jazz biographies (Bix - Man and Legend), is also a fine trumpeter who has the influence of Bix Beiderbecke fairly well-buried in his own lyrical style. Sudhalter had lived in England during the 1965-75 period, making this get-together (subtitled "& His London Friends") a musical reunion. Sudhalter and 13 other musicians are heard together in different combinations caressing a set of high-quality swing standards. With Keith Nichols (doubling on piano and trombone), altoist John R.T. Davies and trombonists Roy Williams and Jim Shepherd emerging as the top soloists in the supporting cast, Sudhlater sounds quite inspired. Whether it be "Dream a Little Dream of Me," "Tea for Two," "The Blue Room" or "Rose of Washington Square," this is a delightful and very melodic set. ~ Scott Yanow  

http://www.allmusic.com/album/after-awhile-mw0000124909

Personnel: Dick Sudhalter (trumpet, flugelhorn); Chris Ellis (vocals); John R.T. Davies (alto saxophone); Al Gay (tenor saxophone); Jim Shepherd (bass saxophone, trombone); Keith Nichols (trombone, piano); Roy Williams (trombone); Mick Pyne (piano); Nevil Skrimshire (acoustic guitar); Paul Sealey (electric guitar); Dave Green, Jack Fallon (bass); Allan Ganley, Jack Parnell (drums).

After Awhile

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Dick Hyman & Ralph Sutton - Just You Just Me

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:30
Size: 152,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:43)  1. Just You Just Me
(6:13)  2. Out Of Nowhere
(5:05)  3. I'm Crazy 'Bout My Baby
(5:53)  4. Lover Come Back To Me
(6:07)  5. 'Deed I Do
(5:12)  6. Viper's Drag
(5:20)  7. Truckin'
(5:55)  8. Echoes Of Spring/Passionate
(3:46)  9. Changes
(9:46) 10. St Louis Blues
(7:26) 11. After You've Gone

The two living stride pianists, Dick Hyman and Ralph Sutton, had only recorded one earlier album together, a set for the Concord label. This encore performance is on the same high level. Among the tunes that Hyman and Sutton romp through are "Just You, Just Me," "'Deed I Do," "Truckin'" and "After You've Gone." The complex but hard-swinging "Changes" is another one of the highlights. Sutton takes a pair of Willie "The Lion" Smith tunes as his feature while Hyman stretches out solo on "Out Of Nowhere." Classic music from a pair of keyboard masters. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/just-you-just-me-mw0000588598

Personnel: Dick Hyman (piano); Ralph Sutton (piano).

Just You Just Me

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Don Braden, Dave Liebman, Dan Moretti - Latin Genesis

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:38
Size: 130,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:10)  1. Vail Jumpers
(5:08)  2. Calling Miss Khadija
(6:07)  3. Have You Met Miss Jone?
(4:43)  4. PP Phoenix
(5:33)  5. For All The Other Times
(6:12)  6. Three Card Molly
(5:11)  7. Tiara
(7:14)  8. Cecilia Is Love
(7:13)  9. Brite Piece
(5:02) 10. Trippin'

Latin Genesis, Dave Liebman writes in the liner notes, marks the thirtieth anniversary of a groundbreaking session in which he took part with drummer Elvin Jones, bassist Gene Perla and saxophonists Joe Farrell and Frank Foster. This time around, the front line consists of Liebman, Don Braden and Dan Moretti, all doubling on soprano and tenor sax, with bassist Oscar Stagnaro replacing Perla and three others (drummer Mark Walker, percussionists Pernell Saturnino and Jorge Najaro) supplying the group’s rhythmic backbone in lieu of Jones. Rhythmic it is, with an abundance of energy to boot, but as a consistently pleasing musical experience the session is less than wholly successful. Blame it on personal preference, perhaps, but to me a number of the solos, while undeniably full of sound and fury, seem to embody more flash than substance. Aside from that, everything nestles tidily into place, with an admirable choice of material and splendid charts on which to blow. Braden’s saucy “Vail Jumpers,” a charming opener, is followed by another excellent “Latin” number, Rodgers and Hart’s “Have You Met Miss Jones.” Liebman (on soprano) takes his first extended solo on Perla’s sensuous “PP Phoenix,” and it’s good to hear him playing in a more straight–ahead manner than is usually the case. 

Perla also wrote “For All the Other Times,” on which each of the front liners solos, while Jones composed “Three Card Molly,” a drum–driven vehicle with impassioned commentary by Walker. Moretti’s full–throated flute is featured on his sparkling “Tiara,” and he shares the stage with Liebman on Foster’s brash “Cecilia Is Love.” Liebman wrote the gladsome “Brite Piece” (on which his soprano solo follows Braden’s), Moretti the rhythmically powerful “Trippin’” (taking his turn on soprano with Liebman moving to tenor). The group wraps things up with Lee Morgan’s bop Latin hybrid “Calling Miss Khadija.” Here, as throughout, Walker and the percussionists, Saturnino and Najaro, are an awesome force, hammering the session into shape while driving the horns relentlessly forward. Everything is sunny and sharply drawn, and if the solos were a touch less strident and more coherent (our opinion, of course) the album would earn near perfect marks. ~ Jack Bowers  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/latin-genesis-dave-liebman-whaling-city-sound-review-by-jack-bowers.php#.VBtiNBawTP8
 

Personnel: Dave Liebman, Don Braden, tenor, soprano sax; Dan Moretti, tenor, soprano sax, flute, alto flute, bass clarinet; Oscar Stagnaro, bass; Mark Walker, drums; Pernell Saturnino, Jorge Najaro, percussion; Rick Andrade (2), talking drum.

Latin Genesis

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Anthony Wilson - Adult Themes

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 68:21

Size: 156.5 MB

Styles: Post bop, Guitar jazz

Year: 1999

Art: Front

[ 4:18] 1. Barry's Tune

[ 3:54] 2. Maxine

[ 4:36] 3. Chorale

[11:15] 4. Idle Blues

[ 7:25] 5. Invention In Blue

[ 3:32] 6. Because

[ 7:02] 7. Danny Boy

[ 1:44] 8. Unfinished Situation

[10:06] 9. Impermanence

[ 2:32] 10. The Impasse

[ 7:42] 11. Lullaby

[ 4:11] 12. Integration

Anthony Wilson showed a fair amount of promise on his self-titled debut album of 1997, and he lives up to that promise on 1998's Goat Hill Junket, and on his third album Adult Themes. This CD is noteworthy not only because of Wilson's Wes Montgomery-influenced guitar playing, but also because of his arranging and composing. On Adult Themes, Wilson leads what Phil Woods might call a "little big band." No less than five horn players are employed (including trumpeter/flügelhornist Carl Saunders, trombonist Ira Nepus, alto saxophonist Jeff Clayton, tenor saxophonist Pete Christlieb, and baritone saxophonist Jack Nimitz), and the hard-swinging rhythm section includes, among others, pianist Donald Vega, bassist Danton Boller, and drummer Mark Ferber. Wilson does much of the writing himself, but he also provides inventive arrangements of the Beatles' "Because," Donald Fagen's "Maxine," and the traditional Irish ballad "Danny Boy." None of these songs have been done to death by jazz musicians, and Wilson deserves credit for successfully bringing them into a jazz environment. Adult Themes isn't innovative, but this enjoyable date is certainly neither generic nor predictable. ~Alex Henderson

Adult Themes

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Wilford Brimley & The Jeff Hamilton Trio - S/T

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 55:54
Size: 128.0 MB
Styles: Straight ahead, Mainstream jazz
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[3:11] 1. I Wish You Love
[4:45] 2. I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face
[3:49] 3. Pick Yourself Up
[4:04] 4. I Have Dreamed
[3:32] 5. Waltz For Debby
[3:28] 6. Ain't She Sweet
[4:10] 7. That Sunday, That Summer
[3:10] 8. When I Take My Sugar To Tea
[3:32] 9. Walkin' My Baby Back Home
[3:51] 10. This Love Of Mine
[3:32] 11. Nice Work If You Can Get It
[3:52] 12. Love Letters
[3:53] 13. A Sleepin' Bee
[3:23] 14. Yours Is My Heart Alone
[3:34] 15. I'm Bidin' My Time

Acting and singing aren't mutually exclusive talents. The best singers, in fact, are natural born actors, inhabiting the stories set out for them in the songs that they sing. The opposite, however, doesn't always ring true; the best actors are not always natural born singers. In this day and age, the fame of the thespian has become a license to sing, with everybody from Hugh Laurie to Hugh Jackman and Russell Crowe to Russell Brand brandishing a microphone, but the results are mixed. Some can pull it off; others simply can't. The four actors listed above have taken vocal detours into various locales, from Broadway to bluesville, but others have been tempted to visit jazzier territory instead. Joe Pesci (a.k.a. Joe Doggs), for example, put his Jimmy Scott-esque vocals to good use on organist Joey DeFrancesco's Falling In Love With Love (Concord Records, 2003), and now, Wilford Brimley is taking a run at the classics with drummer Jeff Hamilton's classy trio backing him up. Brimley and Hamilton are an odd match on the surface, but they share a love for this music, and that's all that's really required to make a go of things.

Brimley-as-vocalist comes with some drawbacks and strengths, as many musicians do. He tends to favor a form of speak singing with a vibrato chaser, which isn't likely to win over the vocal jazz set, but he also has a few important things going for him. First and foremost is his storyteller's delivery. It's clear that he gets the ins-and-outs of what the songs are saying. One of his other strengths is his ability to give the material a quaint, lived-in feel.

Hamilton and company play their part(s) to perfection. Hamilton's break away brush work and impeccable sense of swing are a joy to experience, pianist Tamir Hendelman is ever-charming, and bassist Christoph Luty is the connective tissue. Sometimes he bridges the gap between Hendelman and Hamilton, but he's just as likely to fill the spaces Brimley leaves ("A Sleepin' Bee") or simply serve as a harmonic guidepost. The arrangements that surround and support Brimley are clever and concise, with twelve of the fifteen numbers clocking in under the four minute mark; the idea seems to be to say what needs to be said, let a quick solo or two sneak in, and then move on. It's not likely that vocal aficionados will be ditching their Nat "King" Cole in favor of Brimley's "Walkin' My Baby Back Home" or choosing his "A Sleepin' Bee" over Mel Torme's take on the song, but Brimley's work shouldn't be discounted. He's always possessed an ability to win over an audience, regardless of the setting, and he does his best to do it again here. ~Dan Bilawsky

Wilford Brimley: vocals; Jeff Hamilton: drums; Tamir Hendelman: piano; Christoph Luty: bass.

Wilford Brimley & The Pete Hamilton Trio

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Sarah Moule - Songs From The Floating World

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 52:25
Size: 120.0 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[3:52] 1. Lord I Wanna Be Good
[3:20] 2. Men Who Love Mermaids
[3:16] 3. Lots Of People Do
[3:58] 4. Scars
[3:20] 5. Cri Du Coeur
[3:42] 6. I've Got You Under My Skin
[3:09] 7. My Babe
[2:23] 8. Hell's Angel
[3:14] 9. Don't Fall In Love With Me
[2:30] 10. Love's Eyes
[3:19] 11. Looking For A Boy (Girl)
[4:23] 12. Stranger
[3:28] 13. I Need A Little Sugar In My Bowl
[2:57] 14. Noir
[3:01] 15. If You Believe That
[2:24] 16. Did I Break Your Heart

On her latest album, acclaimed jazz singer Sarah Moule has recorded six new songs by Simon Wallace and Fran Landesman, alongside a new lyric by Julie Burchill, two blues numbers and imaginative reworkings of classic songs. Songs from the Floating World reminds us that Sarah is a brilliant interpreter of both melody and lyrics.

‘The Floating World’ was the name given to the red light districts in 17th-19th Century Japan where geishas, Kabuki actors and Sumo wrestlers rubbed shoulders with artists and musicians against a backdrop of hedonism. Sarah discovered her own ‘Floating World’ where America’s Beat Generation crossed with London’s jazz nightlife when she met her husband Simon Wallace and Fran Landesman. Fran, who died in 2011, was a friend and peer of Jack Kerouac, Lenny Bruce and Ken Kesey. She was one of the finest lyricists of the last fifty years and her work with Wallace has been admired by critics and appreciated by the many singers who have recorded their songs. Sarah has championed their work since her 2002 Linn Records debut, ‘It’s A Nice Thought’, when journalists were quick to celebrate the artistic symbiosis of Sarah’s voice with Simon and Fran’s songs.

Songs From The Floating World

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David Hazeltine - The Classic Trio Meets Eric Alexander

Styles: Piano And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:43
Size: 127,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:37)  1. On The Boulevard
(7:50)  2. O Grande Amor
(6:12)  3. Jessica's Night
(7:59)  4. Hayes' Phase
(5:46)  5. Knocks Me Off My Feet
(7:38)  6. East Of The Sun
(6:54)  7. Didn't We
(6:43)  8. Our Delight

One has to admit that it is a bit presumptive to name a jazz combo the "Classic Trio." There have been many "Classic" piano trios. The ones that quickly spring to mind are Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans, Ahmad Jamel, Ray Brown, Gene Harris, and the list continues. Pianist David Hazeltine has slapped this leaden moniker on himself and his rhythm section of bassist Peter Washington and drummer Louis Hayes. The moniker may not be too far from completely accurate. The Classic Trio Meets Eric Alexander marks the third outing of the Classic Trio and the first to include a plus-one musician, in this case tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander. Alexander almost sounds like the session leader, a tribute to both him and Hazeltine. Honor Alexander for a fiery brand of assertive tenor playing and Hazeltine for allowing him space. 

The results are seamless and exact, like a finely-drafted drawing. The arrangements and performances on this collection are crisply precise. There are no "blowing session" excesses here, only finely crafted music played confidently on the head of a pin. The disc opener is the jaunty Hazeltine original "On the Boulevard." Alexander contributes the swingingly complex "Hayes' Phase." These originals are mixed with Jobim Bossa ("O Grande Amor"), Stevie wonder contemporary ("Knocks Me Off My Feet") and the Be Bop ("East of the Sun" and "Our Delight"). There is no way to fault craftsmanship this fine. In the pregnant field of straight-ahead mainstream, The Classic Trio Meets Eric Alexander stands out as a crystalline example of how jazz is supposed to sound in the main. ~ C.Michael Bailey  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-classic-trio-meets-eric-alexander-david-hazeltine-sharp-nine-records-review-by-c-michael-bailey.php#.VBsiHxawTP8

Personnel: David Hazeltine - piano; Eric Alexander - tenor saxophone; Peter Washington - bass; Louis Hayes - drums.

The Classic Trio Meets Eric Alexander

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Buck Clayton All Stars (Feat. Jimmy Rushing) - Jive At Five

Styles: Straight-Ahead, Mainstream Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 77:44
Size: 178,6 MB
Art: Front

( 5:46)  1. I Want A Little Girl
( 7:23)  2. Exactly Like You
( 7:24)  3. Outer Drive
( 7:56)  4. Sent For You Yesterday
( 8:06)  5. Moonglow
( 6:55)  6. Every Day I Have The Blues
( 6:27)  7. Deed I Do
(13:15)  8. Night Train
( 5:06)  9. Goin' to Chicago Blues
( 9:21) 10. Swingin' Along On Broadway

An excellent bandleader and accompanist for many vocalists, including Billie Holiday, Buck Clayton was a valued soloist with Count Basie Orchestra during the '30s and '40s, and later was a celebrated studio and jam session player, writer, and arranger. His tart, striking tone and melodic dexterity were his trademark, and Clayton provided several charts for Basie's orchestra and many other groups. Clayton began his career in California, where he organized a big band that had a residency in China in 1934. When he returned, Clayton led a group and played with other local bands. During a 1936 visit to Kansas City, he was invited to join Basie's orchestra as a replacement for Hot Lips Page. Clayton was also featured on sessions with Lester Young, Teddy Wilson, and Holiday in the late '30s. He remained in the Basie band until 1943, when he left for army service. After leaving the army, Clayton did arrangements for Basie, Benny Goodman, and Harry James before forming a sextet in the late '40s. He toured Europe with this group in 1949 and 1950.

Clayton continued heading a combo during the '50s, and worked with Joe Bushkin, Tony Parenti, and Jimmy Rushing, among others. He organized a series of outstanding recordings for Columbia in the mid-'50s under the title Jam Session (compiled and reissued by Mosaic in 1993). There were sessions with Rushing, Ruby Braff, and Nat Pierce. Clayton led a combo with Coleman Hawkins and J.J. Johnson at the 1956 Newport Jazz Festival, then reunited with Goodman in 1957 at the Waldorf Astoria. There was another European tour, this time with Mezz Mezzrow. He appeared in the 1956 film The Benny Goodman Story and played the 1958 Brussels World Fair with Sidney Bechet. Clayton later made another European visit with a Newport Jazz Festival tour. He joined Eddie Condon's band in 1959, a year after appearing in the film Jazz on a Summer's Day. Clayton toured Japan and Australia with Condon's group in 1964, and continued to revisit Europe throughout the '60s, often with Humphrey Lyttelton's band, while playing festivals across the country. 

But lip and health problems virtually ended his playing career in the late '60s. After a period outside of music, Clayton once again became active in music, this time as a non-playing arranger, touring Africa as part of a State Department series in 1977. He provided arrangements and compositions for a 1974 Lyttleton and Buddy Tate album, and did more jam session albums for Chiaroscuro in 1974 and 1975. He also became an educator, teaching at Hunter College in the early '80s. Clayton led a group of Basie sidemen on a European tour in 1983, then headed his own big band in 1987 that played almost exclusively his compositions and arrangements. That same year Clayton's extensive autobiography Buck Clayton's Jazz World, with Nancy Miller-Elliot, was published. Bio ~ https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/jive-at-five-live-feat.-emmett/id894093387?ign-mpt=uo%3D4

Jive At Five

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Derrick Gardner And The Jazz Prophets - A Ride To The Other Side

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 92:42
Size: 212,6 MB
Art: Front

(7:41)  1. Funky Straight
(7:20)  2. Don't Blink
(8:58)  3. Bugabug - Extended Play
(6:41)  4. The Crux Of The Matter
(8:12)  5. A Ride To The Other Side
(9:32)  6. Mac Daddy Grip
(8:04)  7. Be One
(6:07)  8. Bugabug
(7:33)  9. God's Gift
(6:42) 10. Lazara
(6:49) 11. Just A Touch
(8:56) 12. Of Infinity

Trumpeter Derrick Gardner, former sideman to the orchestras of Count Basie and Harry Connick Jr., founded The Jazz Prophets upon arriving in New York City in 1991. With swinging arrangements and soulful soloing, the hard-bopping sextet takes its lead from the classic sounds of 1950s and ‘60s ensembles led by Art Blakey and Horace Silver. For A Ride to the Other Side, Gardner is joined by trombonist and brother Vincent Gardner, tenor saxophonist Rob Dixon, pianist Anthony Wonsey, bassist Rodney Whitaker and drummer Donald Edwards. Following the soulful, feel-good opener, “Funky Straight,” the high-octane title track brings out inspired front-line solos with modern edginess. 

The Blakey-inspired “Mac Daddy Grip” has an insatiable, toe-tapping effect courtesy of Whitaker’s larger-than-life walking pulse and Edwards’ driving shuffle groove. Gardner’s thorough understanding of the jazz trumpet lineage is showcased throughout the disc. The trumpeter evokes the spirit of Lee Morgan on “Bugabug” and Woody Shaw on “Of Infinity.” Bill Lee’s captivating ballad “Be One” demonstrates a serene, assured tone from the big band veteran.  Aside from moments of predictability, A Ride to the Other Side is a solid outing for Gardner and his torch-bearing collaborators. The playing is of the highest order and the vibe is downright infectious. ~ John Barron  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/a-ride-to-the-other-side-derrick-gardner-review-by-john-barron.php#.VBsyoRawTP8 
 

Personnel: Derrick Gardner: trumpet, flugelhorn; Vincent Gardner: trombone; Rob Dixon: tenor saxophone; Anthony Wonsey: piano; Rodney Whitaker: bass; Donald Edwards: drums; Kevin Kaiser: percussion.

A Ride To The Other Side

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