Joyce Breach - Moments Like This

Size: 137,2 MB
Time: 59:22
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. A Journey To A Star (3:48)
02. I Like You, You're Nice (2:23)
03. Moments Like This (4:16)
04. I'm In Love Again (4:52)
05. (There Ought To Be A) Moonlight Saving Time (3:28)
06. Waiting For The Train To Come In (3:53)
07. Dancing On A Dime (4:25)
08. They Say It's Wonderful (4:50)
09. Sunday Afternoon (3:49)
10. I'll Only Miss Him When I Think Of Him (4:59)
11. Inside A Silent Tear (3:52)
12. Where Can I Go Without You (5:01)
13. That's For Me (3:03)
14. These Foolish Things (Remind Me Of You) (6:35)

Singer Joyce Breach lives in New York. Winner of the 2000 MAC Award for Best Jazz Performer and winner of the 1998 Bistro Award for Best CD, This Moment, she is an accomplished and sophisticated interpreter of classic American popular song. Before moving to New York in the 1990's, she was a well-known singer of long-standing reputation in her hometown of Pittsburgh, PA when she began to develop a more national profile with her first CD for Audiophile Records, released in 1992. In the fall of 1992, she made her New York debut at the Mabel Mercer Foundation Cabaret Convention in Town Hall. On October 25, 2002, Joyce was presented with the Mabel Mercer Foundation's Cabaret Classic award celebrating her dedication to keeping alive the art of fine singing. Joyce is a favorite at the popular Noon Concert Series at St. Peter's Church. Joyce's New York engagements include the Algonquin's Oak Room, Russian Tea Room, Arci's Place, Danny's and the Firebird Cafe. Joyce made her Plush Room debut in San Francisco in 2001. In 2002, 2003, and 2004 she played to sell-out crowds at London's Pizza on the Park where she recorded her first live CD, Live in London, on Audiophile.

After an appearance at the West Coast Cabaret Convention in San Francisco on June 9, 2000, a reviewer in the San Francisco Chronicle wrote, "Joyce Breach, whom I had not heard before, sang with a real sense of rhythmic adventure in a number from the motion picture High Society. Breach also—like Doris Day and Ella Fitzgerald—had a disarming way of letting her breath support ease away at the end of a phrase that made You're Sensational downright seductive." The velvet-voiced singer, as Rex Reed recently referred to her, is know for her excellent musicianship and taste, and her sophisticated interpretations of American classic pop--the songs of Berlin, Gershwin, Porter, Rodgers & Hart, Arlen, and Sondheim among others. She is the last of a breed of singer from a less-frantic era, following in the footsteps of Rosemary Clooney, Jeri Southern, Doris Day and Peggy Lee, but definitely her own singer and definitely one with class.

Moments Like This

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Cory Weeds - The Many Deeds Of Corey Weeds

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 74:07

Size: 169.7 MB

Styles: Saxophone jazz

Year: 2010

Art: Front

[10:41] 1. Juicy Lucy

[ 8:28] 2. Goin' Down

[ 5:27] 3. Fine And Dandy

[10:36] 4. Fin De L'affaire

[12:51] 5. Corner Kisses

[ 8:45] 6. Boss Bossa

[ 6:31] 7. Sunday In New York

[10:45] 8. Roofin' It

Vancouver’s do-it-all jazz strongman Cory Weeds is at it again, playing tenor on a live CD recorded for his jazz label at the jazz club that he runs.

As Weeds, 36, has said himself, he puts much more stock in affirming jazz tradition, swing and soulfulness than in being a stylistic maverick or jazz-language innovator. Nor is Weeds expending any energy composing material for the gig when themes by Horace Silver (Juicy Lucy, which opens the disc) and Hank Mobley (Fin de L’Affaire, Boss Bossa), among others, get the job done just fine. So, true to form, his live disc is a organ-based quartet date in the classic hard-bop mold, with no-nonsense blowing vehicles aplenty leavened by some gospel, funk, a ballad, and a bossa.

Questions of material and style aside, the execution of the music on Weeds’ disc is quite good to excellent. I like Weeds big sound and big beat that make the music feel really good on the opener, Juicy Lucy. I’m reminded of Dexter Gordon, in a good way. Weeds is a fluent, confident soloist throughout, and he has the idiomatic language at his fingertips to testify on Brad Turner’s funky Goin’ Down and the Mercy, Mercy, Mercy-ish closer, Roofin’ It. His frontline partner, trumpeter Chris Davis, is a tart, sassy foil.

To my ears, the scene-stealing excellence on Weeds’ disc is provided by the esteemed rhythm pair of organist Joey DeFrancesco and his right-hand drummer Byron Landham. The two Americans ensure that the music grooves without fail. I had the disc playing in my car this week, and people in the other lanes must have been gawking as my head swayed non-stop.

DeFrancesco, of course, is a world-class organist. His solos simply leap out of the mix with their brilliance and exuberance. He also ought to be paid double given the quality of his left-hand bassline work, whether he’s walking or syncopating like a funk freak.

Weeds surely must have felt that raised his game playing with an inspiring jazz monster like DeFrancesco, and I hope he won’t mind if I say that DeFrancesco and Landham lift his CD from solid and likeable to deeply enjoyable. ~Peter Hum

The Many Deeds Of Corey Weeds

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Anna Nygren - My Songs

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 51:32
Size: 118.0 MB
Styles: Pop/jazz vocals
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[3:38] 1. The Moon Takes On A Shade Of Paler White
[3:04] 2. Just Once More
[6:02] 3. No One Compares
[3:43] 4. In New York Without You
[2:09] 5. Darling I'll Miss You
[5:33] 6. Easy Love
[3:37] 7. We Are Fools
[4:19] 8. Won't Let You Go To My Head
[3:36] 9. A Night For Celebration
[3:42] 10. Crush
[4:07] 11. Lonely Afternoon
[3:22] 12. Oh La La
[4:36] 13. Goodbye

After studies at the Royal Collage of Music in Stockholm 1989-­1993 where she majored in classical piano, Anna Nygren has been freelancing as a pianist, singer and composer throughout genres such as classical, pop and jazz. Since 1994 she regularly performs at the fashionable Grand Hôtel in Stockholm. She has toured with great Swedish artists such as Roger Pontare and Cajsa­Stina Åkerström. Between 1997­-2005 Anna was one of the editorial staff members for Swedish Televisions most popular music entertainment show ”Så ska det låta”. She has written music for artists and her songs has appeared in movies and has been played at Swedish radio.

Anna has produced, composed and arranged two albums: “In a Sentimental Mood” 2007 and ”My Songs” 2009.

Outside Sweden, Anna has been playing at jazz clubs in Paris and Hong Kong. She has also appeared at Beijing Jazz Festival 2007, Dubai International Jazz Festival 2008, and Nanning Folksong and Arts Festival in China 2009.

My Songs

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Mike Catalano - A Rio Affair

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 47:16
Size: 108.2 MB
Styles: Piano jazz, Crossover jazz
Year: 1989
Art: Front

[4:53] 1. Groovin Along (Feat. Cornell Dupree)
[5:04] 2. The Reality
[6:29] 3. Cancao Para Fatima (Feat. Ricardo Silveira)
[6:32] 4. Let The Party Begin (Feat. Dean Bailin)
[4:16] 5. Bons Vizinhos (Good Neighbors) (Feat. Nico Assumpcao & Toninho Horta)
[6:19] 6. Wishing You Were Here (Feat. Mark Egan, Steve Gadd & Ricardo Silveira)
[4:54] 7. Pensando No Pasado (Thinking In The Past)
[5:04] 8. Attitudes (Feat. Randy Brecker)
[3:41] 9. Raf's Theme (Feat. Lou Marini)

Pianist/composer Mike Catalano is a jazz artist with a bent toward melodic smooth jazz and a particular interest in Brazilian music. Born in New York City, Catalano studied classical piano growing up and eventually attended the Five Towns College of Music. During this time he began writing and performing his own music and developed a deep love of bossa nova. A subsequent trip to Brazil led to Catalano's debut album, A Rio Affair. Featuring both Brazilian and New York artists including drummer Steve Gadd, bassist Mark Egan, guitarist Ricardo Silveira, and bassist Nico Assumpção, the album was released on Polygram in Brazil. In the '90s, Catalano branched out into television work, even composing all the music for the tabloid news program A Current Affair. Since that time, he has performed regularly with his own ensemble, and released A Manhattan Affair on his own Catman Records label in 2007. ~Matt Collar

A Rio Affair

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Duke Ellington - 1969: All-Star White House Tribute To Duke Ellington

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:46
Size: 175,9 MB
Art: Front + Back

(2:39)  1. Take the 'A' Train
(2:15)  2. I Got It Bad
(2:06)  3. Chelsea Bridge
(2:42)  4. Satin Doll
(1:51)  5. Sophisticated Lady
(3:18)  6. Just Squeeze Me
(1:00)  7. I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart
(0:55)  8. Do Nothing Till You Hear from Me
(0:55)  9. Don't Get Around Much Anymore
(7:04) 10. In a Mellow Tone
(1:55) 11. In a Sentimental Mood
(3:56) 12. Prelude to a Kiss
(2:16) 13. Ring Dem Bells
(2:23) 14. Drop Me Off in Harlem
(1:56) 15. All Too Soon
(2:18) 16. It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)
(4:28) 17. Things Ain't What They Used to Be
(2:09) 18. Perdido
(3:33) 19. Warm Valley
(5:22) 20. Caravan
(3:45) 21. Mood Indigo
(2:11) 22. Prelude to a Kiss [2]
(2:38) 23. I Didn't Know about You
(2:26) 24. Praise God and Dance
(2:28) 25. Come Sunday
(2:13) 26. Heritage
(1:56) 27. Jump for Joy
(2:56) 28. Pat

A big band with Gerry Mulligan and Milt Hinton at the bottom, Paul Desmond and Clark Terry at the top, and an all-star cast in the middle makes this previously unissued session quite special. At the end, Duke Ellington sits down at the piano and performs a solo improvisation that he dedicated to Mrs. Pat Nixon. The President awarded Ellington the Medal of Freedom that day. It was the maestro's 70th birthday: April 29, 1969. Preserved on tape and broadcast overseas on the Voice of America, this program has remained in seclusion. Mulligan's unconventional arrangement of "Prelude to a Kiss" comes as quite a surprise. Emotional conversations between Mulligan and Desmond, Green and Johnson, and Terry with Mulligan, make the up-tempo affair rock heartily. Four of the songs are interpreted without the full ensemble, by piano trios. 

Special features include Jim Hall on "In a Sentimental Mood," Desmond on "Chelsea Bridge," Mulligan on "Warm Valley" and "Sophisticated Lady," Johnson on "Satin Doll," Terry on "Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me," Berry on "I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart," Joe Williams on two piercing, emotional pieces and one swinger, Mary Mayo on four lovely ballads and Louie Bellson on a romping "Caravan." The session has high points all through it. A little loose in places and yet highly recommended, this all-star program airs jazz the way it's supposed to be. ~ Jim Santella  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/duke-ellington-1969-all-star-white-house-tribute-duke-ellington-blue-note-records-review-by-jim-santella.php#.VB4WxRawTP8
 

Personnel: Duke Ellington, Dave Brubeck, Earl Hines, Hank Jones, Billy Taylor- piano; Paul Desmond- alto saxophone; Gerry Mulligan- baritone saxophone; Jim Hall- guitar; Urbie Green, J.J. Johnson- trombone; Bill Berry, Clark Terry- trumpet; Milt Hinton- bass; Louie Bellson- drums; Joe Williams, Mary Mayo- vocal.

1969:All-Star White House Tribute To Duke Ellington

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Red Garland Trio - All Kinds of Weather

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1958
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:00
Size: 91,8 MB
Art: Front

( 4:17)  1. Rain
( 4:46)  2. Summertime
(10:39)  3. Stormy Weather
( 5:45)  4. Spring Will Be a Little Late This Year
( 5:23)  5. Winter Wonderland
( 9:07)  6. 'Tis Autumn

Red Garland was always a consistent pianist and all of his mid-to-late-'50s Prestige dates are worth acquiring. This CD reissue has six titles having to do with seasons and the weather (such as "Rain," "Summertime" and "Winter Wonderland"). The gimmick served as a good excuse for Garland, bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Art Taylor to explore six superior songs and their interpretations always swing and uplift the melodies. 

~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/all-kinds-of-weather-mw0000313866

Personnel: Red Garland (piano); Paul Chambers (bass); Art Taylor (drums).

All Kinds of Weather

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Annie Gallup - Pearl Street

Styles: Folk
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:39
Size: 125,8 MB
Art: Front

( 3:22)  1. Down The Other Side
( 5:30)  2. Tulsa
( 3:22)  3. Down the Other Side (Reprise)
(10:56)  4. Annie Interviews Annie
( 2:04)  5. The Synopsis
( 4:08)  6. Thicker Than Water
( 3:06)  7. Pearl Street
( 3:59)  8. Skinny Arms
( 4:09)  9. Grace
( 4:42) 10. Jack
( 3:21) 11. Betsi Went to Jersey
( 1:11) 12. Lori's Long Legs
( 4:43) 13. I Think About Richard

Annie Gallup's writing is unabashedly imaginative and richly sensual. She is a teller of short, elaborate tales song-length works of fiction that sparkle with the complexity and polish of poetry; tightly packed lyrical strands that crackle with intelligence and spry wordplay, and pulse with insistent rhythm. Her musical instincts are a match for her pen Annie is a gifted, inventive instrumentalist. Her guitar work is a fresh, welcome interplay of short lead runs and complex picking patterns. (As a teenager in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Annie learned to play listening to records by Doc Watson and blues great Mississippi John Hurt.)

Fusing elements of spoken word and poetry with sharp melodies and a trademark delivery, Annie Gallup has created her own musical sub-genre. Annie Gallup’s sixth album, Pearl Street, is scheduled for release in April, 2005. Originally written as a one-person performance piece, Pearl Street is a song cycle of linked songs that follow the same characters through ten years of their lives. This is an ambitious and rewarding recording, as compelling musically as it is lyrically. With Pearl Street Annie Gallup has once again succeeded in creating something entirely her own, breaking the barrier between music and literature, fusing elements of spoken word with sharp melodies and a trademark delivery.  http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/gallup5

Personnel: Annie Gallup (vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, resonator guitar); Duke McVinnie (vocals, electric guitar); Billy Masters, Duke McVinney (guitar); David Seitz (keyboards); Mark Dann (acoustic bass); Michael Visceglia (bass guitar); Dennis McDermott (drums).

Pearl Street

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DR Big Band - Jazz Divas Of Scandinavia

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 46:41
Size: 106.9 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[5:21] 1. Be Still My Heart (Silje Nergaard)
[4:27] 2. Voodoo Skills (Rigmor Gustafsson)
[4:57] 3. Send In The Clowns (Cæcilie Norby)
[6:01] 4. Nothing's Better Than Love (Rigmor Gustafsson)
[5:16] 5. Naked In The Dark (Cæcilie Norby)
[5:15] 6. Tell Me Where You're Going (Silje Nergaard)
[5:25] 7. Somewhere Over The Rainbow (Rigmor Gustafsson)
[4:42] 8. Japanese Blue (Silje Nergaard)
[5:14] 9. Circus, Circus (Cæcilie Norby)

For the first time ever the three most significant female jazz vocalist of Scandinavia are gathered on a single album. Jazz Divas of Scandinavia beautifully documents the meeting of the legendary DR Big Band and the three distinct jazz vocal traditions of Denmark, Sweden and Norway. Norby, Nergaard and Gustafsson have each defined female jazz vocal in Scandinavia over the last 10 years and have spearheaded the current surge of talented new female jazz singers. The three women each have an impressive career in their native countries as well as around the world. The collaboration with the DR Big Band is undoubtedly the ultimate experience of Scandinavian jazz vocal.

Jazz Divas Of Scandinavia

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Sonny Stitt & Bennie Green - My Main Man

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 35:01
Size: 80.2 MB
Styles: Hard bop, Saxophone jazz, Trombone jazz
Year: 1964/1972/2005
Art: Front

[4:31] 1. Flame And Frost
[4:49] 2. Let's Play Chess
[4:41] 3. Double Dip
[5:18] 4. Our Day Will Come
[5:57] 5. My Main Man
[5:15] 6. The Night Has A Thousand Eyes
[4:27] 7. Broilin'

My Main Man was a quintet date, teaming Stitt with trombonist Bennie Green. Joining the front line was Bobby Buster on organ, Joe Diorio on guitar and Dorrell Anderson on drums. This album features three hip bossa novas—Our Day Will Come, The Night Has a Thousand Eyes and Flame and Frost. The remaining tracks are blues.

Alto Saxophone – Sonny Stitt; Drums – Dorel Anderson; Guitar – Joe Diorio; Organ – Bobby Buster; Tenor Saxophone – Sonny Stitt; Trombone – Bennie Green.

My Main Man

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Allan Vache - Breezy

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 69:21
Size: 158.8 MB
Styles: Clarinet jazz
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[8:34] 1. Meet Me Tonight In Dreamland
[4:57] 2. Spain
[7:09] 3. My Inspiration
[6:39] 4. My Honey's Lovin' Arms
[4:56] 5. Krazy Kapers
[4:44] 6. Baby Won't You Please Come Home
[6:29] 7. Breezin' Along With The Breeze
[6:05] 8. South Rampart Street Parade
[3:47] 9. What's New
[5:16] 10. Jubilee
[5:32] 11. Poor Butterfly
[5:07] 12. Sleep

Featuring Allan Vache, David Jones, John Allred, Johnny Varro, Bob Haggart and Ed Metz Jr.

When Allan Vaché plays swing on his clarinet, the smooth sounds invite comparisons to a young Benny Goodman, which isn't surprising since the King of Swing was one of Vaché's chief influences. Vaché can be downright blistering as well as warm and inviting and his graceful playing makes even complicated pieces seem easy. Critics also compare him to jazz clarinetist Peanuts Hucko.

Vaché evinced an early aptitude for music, which he pursued while at college during the 1970s. He became a student of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra's David Dworkin. He also studied with traditional jazz clarinetist Kenny Davern. Early on he performed professionally with a number of noted musicians, among them Lionel Hampton, Bobby Hackett, Gene Krupa, Pee Wee Erwin, Clark Terry, Dick Hyman, Dick Wellstood, Max Kaminsky, Bob Wilber, Cliff Leeman, and Wild Bill Davison. He also often played with his brother, flügelhorn and cornet player Warren Vaché Jr. In 1974, he hit Broadway in a production of Doctor Jazz.

By 1975, Vaché was a member of the Jim Cullum Jazz Band, which was based in San Antonio, TX. He appeared on nine of the group's albums, among them the CBS Masterworks recording of Porgy and Bess. Playing portions of that score, Vaché and the group took to the stages of Mexico City's Cervantino Arts Festival, Washington, D.C.'s Kennedy Center, and other stops. Vaché performed a number of times at San Antonio's World Series of Jazz with Cullum's band, a venue that also hosted jazz luminaries such as Goodman. In 1987, he and the group played Carnegie Hall.

Vaché's other appearances included A Prairie Home Companion and Riverwalk, Live From the Landing on radio and television's Austin City Limits. The clarinetist branched out into films in 1998 when two numbers that he played were featured in The Newton Boys. Both songs came from the Shootin' the Agate album released by the Jim Cullum Jazz Band.

Vaché left the band to perform solo during the early '90s. In 1993, he relocated to Orlando, FL, where he appeared at Rosie O'Grady's and Walt Disney World, among other venues. He has recorded for Arbors Records, Audiophile, and Jazzology, both as a solo artist and in conjunction with others. He put out a dozen albums for the German label Nagel-Heyer, half of which saw him in the role of leader with bands that include the Florida All-Stars, Swingtet, and the Big Four. ~bio by Linda Seida

Breezy

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Teddi King - Pocketful Of Rainbows

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 74:30

Size: 170.6 MB

Styles: jazz-pop vocals

Year: 2014

Art: Front

[2:29] 1. When Did You Leave Heaven

[2:57] 2. Unforgettable

[2:54] 3. You Go To My Head

[2:49] 4. A Cottage For Sale

[3:39] 5. Love Is Here To Stay

[3:14] 6. After All It's Spring

[2:36] 7. Porgy

[2:40] 8. I Guess I'll Have To Change My Plan

[3:49] 9. This Love Of Mine

[3:10] 10. If I Could Be With You One Hour Tonight

[2:48] 11. When It's Sleepy Time Down South

[3:56] 12. To You

[3:24] 13. You Don't Know What Love Is

[2:23] 14. When I Grow Too Old To Dream

[2:33] 15. June In January

[2:30] 16. Love Is A Now And Then Thing

[2:23] 17. Love Walked In

[3:44] 18. Autumn In New York

[2:34] 19. Chicken Today And Feathers Tomorrow

[2:48] 20. The Very Thought Of You

[2:54] 21. The Way You Look Tonight

[3:05] 22. I Can't Get Started

[3:12] 23. Once Too Often

[3:04] 24. That Old Feeling

[2:43] 25. Nothin' For Nothin'

Teddi King (September 18, 1929 - November 18, 1977) was an American jazz and pop vocalist. Born Theodora King in Boston, Massachusetts on September 18, 1929, she won a singing competition hosted by Dinah Shore at Boston's Tributary Theatre, later beginning work in a touring revue involved with "cheering up the military in the lull between the Second World War and the Korean conflict." Improving her vocal and piano technique during this time, she first recorded with Nat Pierce in 1949, later recording with the Beryl Booker trio and with several other small groups from 1954-1955 (recordings which were available on three albums for Storyville). She then toured with George Shearing for two years beginning in the summer of 1952, and for a time was managed by the famed George Wein. King later began performing for a time in Las Vegas. Ultimately signing with RCA, she recorded three albums for the label, beginning with 1956's Bidin' My Time.

Pocketful Of Rainbows

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Melissa Sweeney - Golden Thread

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:23
Size: 124,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:08)  1. You're My Thrill
(3:24)  2. My Baby Just Cares For Me
(4:55)  3. Golden Thread
(6:07)  4. Sex Kills
(5:38)  5. I Have Dreamed
(4:31)  6. Skylark
(6:57)  7. Pavane
(3:19)  8. Sweet Lorraine
(5:12)  9. Vivo Sonhando
(3:02) 10. Why Don't You Do Right
(5:05) 11. Where I Belong

The lady, Melissa Sweeney, has a voice, warm, rich-toned, mature; and she had a childhood that sounds like heaven a "record fiend" mother who provided her with the sounds of Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, Nat King Cole, MJQ, Ella, Anita O'Day; and then a tender-age job at KBIG-FM jazz station in Los Angeles and the access to thousands of promo copies of jazz LPs. A voice, a feeling for the history of jazz, and the savy/good fortune of hooking up with pianist Bill Cunliffe as arranger/producer of her debut disc, Golden Thread. The set opens with "You're My Thrill," lushly-arranged, with a Lady in Satin atmosphere. The arrangements on Golden Thread alternate between classy string treatments including "You're My Thrill," to a jazzier piano/bass/drums trio with great horn solos on several tunes, including the marvelous rendition of Joni Mitchell's "Sex Kills", with the Rob Lockart's saxophone smoldering around Sweeney's telling of Mitchell's dark tale. 

"My Baby Just Cares" has the sparer arrangement, an insouciant bounce, the trombone dancing with Sweeney's vocal in front of the sparkle of Cunliffe's piano work. Hoagy Carmichael's "Skylark" rolls along in a relaxed mode, with drummer Joe La Barbera providing some beautifully subtle brushwork. The set has standards, a Brazilian sound (the Jobim/Gilberto tune "Vivo Sonhando"), French lyrics ("Pavane"), and first-rate pop songs ("Sex Kills and Paul Simon's "Where I Belong"), wrapped in classy arrangements with a gorgeous voice out front.~ Dan Mcclenaghan  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/golden-thread-melissa-sweeney-azica-records-review-by-dan-mcclenaghan.php#.VBdabBawTP8

Personnel: Melissa Sweeney - vocals; Bill Cunliffe - piano and arrangements; George Bohanon - trombone solo; Joe La Barbera - drums; Derek Oles and Tom Warrington - bass; John Chiodini - guitar; Paulino DaCosta - percussion; Ricky Woodard, Rob Lockart, Bob shepard - sax solos; John Yoakum, Brian Scanlon - woodwinds; John Mascon - French horn; Peter Kent - concertmaster;
Amy Schulman -harp

Golden Thread

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Eldar Djangirov - Eldar

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:53
Size: 133,1 MB
Art: Front + Back

(3:21)  1. Sweet Georgia Brown
(5:30)  2. Nature Boy
(7:38)  3. Moanin'
(6:55)  4. Point of View with Michael Brecker
(2:46)  5. Raindrops
(5:01)  6. Lady Wicks
(6:57)  7. Maiden Voyage
(6:22)  8. 'Round Midnight
(4:16)  9. Ask Me Now
(5:39) 10. Watermelon Island
(3:23) 11. Fly Me to the Moon

Eldar more than lives up to the hype. If the opening Tatum-esque "Sweet Georgia Brown" doesn't bowl you over with his demonstration of articulate talent, try his head-spinning version of "Maiden Voyage" that makes the original sound absolutely archaic. Don't think this teen is simply some trained freak show. He is able to demonstrate speed with plenty of emotional depth. His incredibly insightful take on "Nature Boy," as well as his own deeply Debussy-influenced "Raindrops," demonstrate maturity far beyond his age. The pianist shows absolutely no signs of intimidation or deferment with his illustrious sidemen: John Patitucci (bass), Michael Brecker (tenor saxophone), or Todd Strait (drums). Whether using a range on the piano that rivals McCoy Tyner, sparring to a draw with Brecker ("Point of View'), or waxing rapturously rhapsodic on Monk's "Ask Me Now," Eldar is not demonstrating potential that hopefully will reach an artistic zenith; he has hit the ground running and the earth is shaking. ~ George Harris  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/eldar-eldar-djangirov-sony-classical-review-by-george-harris.php#.VB4ZlxawTP8
 

Personnel: Eldar: piano; John Patitucci: bass; Todd Strait: drums; Michael Brecker: tenor saxophone.

Eldar

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Steve Davis - For Real

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:10
Size: 133,3 MB
Art: Front

(5:57)  1. For Real
(4:06)  2. Nicky D
(6:56)  3. Angie's Groove
(6:54)  4. Days Gone By
(4:25)  5. Big East
(7:15)  6. Blues On Blues
(6:16)  7. Tactics
(7:35)  8. I Found You
(8:41)  9. Daylight

Jazz Messengers-alum and sideman trombonist of choice Steve Davis makes his fourth Posi-Tone disc For Real yet another enjoyable collection of no-bullshit, genuine hard bop. Retaining Larry Willis (piano), Nat Reeves (bass) and Billy Williams (drums) from the dandy Gettin’ It Done of 2012, For Real pairs Davis with only one other horn this time, the tenor sax of Abraham Burton. Burton, whose sweet elongated notes lifts “Angie’s Groove,” fits in splendidly with Davis’ ’60s Blue Note soul-jazz vibe, the major reason I get a kick out of Davis’ records. True to that vibe, Davis himself is often remindful of the great Curtis Fuller, and he can burn (as on “Tactics”) and cool down (as on “Days Gone By”) as well as any ‘bone player alive today, in a rare class with Steve Turre and Michael Dease. This time, Davis went with a slate of all-originals, which, save for Willis’ “Blues On Blues” are self-penned. As before, Davis introduced tunes that could have been conceived fifty years ago and rarely conceived as well since then. Davis’ tunes have a flair for rhythm, too, from the “Sidewinder” boogaloo present on “For Real” to the festive Brazilian carnival groove of “Daylight.” Steve Davis has led another sturdy date that packs a lot of soul, plenty of acumen and tight ensemble playing. It’s all you can ask for from a straight-ahead date, and Davis does it with regularity. For real. ~ S. Victor Aaron  http://somethingelsereviews.com/2014/01/05/steve-davis-for-real-2014/

Personnel: Steve Davis (trombone); Abraham Burton (sax); Larry Willis (piano); Nat Reeves (bass); Billy Williams (drums)

For Real

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Donald Harrison - Nouveau Swing

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:08
Size: 149,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:34)  1. Nouveau Swing
(5:00)  2. Christopher Jr
(1:09)  3. South Side People
(6:39)  4. Dance Hall
(0:52)  5. Duck's Groove
(0:49)  6. Amazing Grace
(5:56)  7. Bob Marley
(5:08)  8. Come Back Jack
(6:12)  9. Little Flowers
(5:23) 10. Eighty-One
(6:37) 11. Sincerely Yours
(4:58) 12. Setembro
(3:27) 13. One Of A Kind
(7:17) 14. New Hope

On his Impulse! Records debut, Donald Harrison mixes his usual straight-ahead work with rhythmic elements from tropical climates. Albert Wonsey plays appropriate piano on all tracks, though Harrison employs two different rhythm sections, Christian McBride and Carl Allen for the more conventional tunes and Ruben Rogers and Dion Parson for the others. The others include "Bob Marley," twhich borrows its rhythmic feel from such later Marley songs as "Exodus"; "Little Flowers," which also has a Caribbean lilt; "Septembro," the requisite samba; and "Duck's Groove," the requisite New Orleans second-line number. The concept is slight and inconsistently applied, as if Harrison was looking for something distinctive, but not too challenging. As ever, he is a proficient alto player with a comfortable retro style. But one might have expected more from producer Tommy LiPuma, who is usually able to make things lively even if not impressive, and one certainly hoped for more from Harrison, who is too old to be a young turk yet still shows no signs of mature mastery. ~ William Ruhlmann  http://www.allmusic.com/album/nouveau-swing-mw0000020678

Personnel: Donald Harrison (soprano saxophone, alto saxophone); Anthony Wonsey (piano); Dion Parson, Carl Allen (drums).

Nouveau Swing

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Pippi Ardennia - Black Coffee / Love So Good2

Album: Black Coffee
Size: 101,5 MB
Time: 41:22
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2006
Styles: Jazz/Soul Vocals
Art: Front

01. I've Got A Lotta Livin' To Do (3:01)
02. All The Way (4:23)
03. Black Coffee (3:59)
04. Don't Get Around Much Anymore (4:19)
05. Fire And Rain (5:52)
06. Honeysuckle Rose (3:29)
07. I Can't Give You Anything But Love (3:24)
08. Our Day Will Come (4:35)
09. September In The Rain (3:12)
10. They Call It Stormy Monday (5:02)

The following testimonials are examples that demonstrate how Pippi is more than a singer, song writer & song stylist... “Thank you for the CD! WOW!!! You are an incredibly gifted musician. So, you actually gave me 2 gifts! Ha Ha! I was a little stressed when I started the CD, and by „Black Coffee? I was groovin? as I was cruisin? to get to my lunch date”... Gretchen. Another admirer says, “Her voice has been described as an instrument; another master has emerged, as Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn and Dinah Washington.” Pippi is a natural entertainer, sultry at times, always powerful and exciting, but what sweeps you away is the electric and sensual emotion that emanates from her to you, telling a story in song like you’ve never heard before; a natural power in nature.

Pippi Ardennia…a Chicago native, singing since she was 13 years old, has performed at many of Chicago's most respected music and jazz clubs from the Burning Spear, High Chaparral, Capitol Theater, Redhead, Green Dolphin, Chicago Symphony Center, the Taste of Chicago, Dakota Jazz Club in Minneapolis, MN and on Chicago’s internationally famous Rush Street. She has appeared at Mr. Kelly’s, The Rosebud, The Backroom, and Chicago’s elite private Tavern Club. She has performed for such notables as President Clinton, Mayor Daley, Tony Bennett, Liza Minnelli and more. She’s been featured in commercials, on TV, and on numerous radio interviews.

Liza Minnelli said, “Pippi, you have a great voice, you?re great.” The great jazz trumpeter, Freddy Hubbard said, “People will know Pippi!” Ramsey Lewis said, “You know what you?re doing.”

“Ms. Ardennia's classy style puts her in the Major League of jazz vocalists. Her easy-going style and varied delivery does stand in comparison to the great jazz divas such as Ella Fitzgerald and Lena Horne.”--Ian Tiele, President, Brookfield Jazz Society.

Pippi’s ‘Black Coffee CD is a collection of jazz classics from the Great American Songbook which is hard to beat; “A monument to a magical musical era now long gone by.”---Allen Hall. After listening to Black Coffee, jazz lovers recognize the subtle, blended tones of Jazz eras most powerful Mistresses of Song that seem to channel through Pippi Ardennia’s style.

Black Coffee

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Album: Love So Good2
Size: 119,7 MB
Time: 51:17
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Jazz/Soul Vocals
Art: Front

01. Love So Good (4:00)
02. Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head (5:11)
03. Here's To Life (5:16)
04. Prelude To A Kiss (3:30)
05. Midnight At The Oasis (4:05)
06. Something (5:38)
07. My Favorite Things (4:02)
08. Blue Moon (4:12)
09. Tiny Dancer (5:13)
10. Here Comes The Sun (2:55)
11. Modern Day Blues (4:01)
12. Prelude To A Kiss (Fun) (3:08)

From the first track, you start to wonder, Anita Baker? Roberta Flack? Etta James? A shade of Aretha and a little Billie on the side? One look at this set list and you know you are in for a wildly joyous ride: From Burt Bacharach to Billy Strayhorn, from Rodgers & Hart to the Beatles, from Elton John to Rodgers & Hammerstein, from Shirley Horn to Maria Muldaur, the covers are as diverse as Pippi herself. And she also draws on her own creative resources for the sweetly engaging title track (written with Kenny Campbell) and the down and not quite dirty "Modern Day Blues", co-written with her remarkable PipJazz Experience band (Billy and Ricky Peterson, Peter Schimke, Glenn Swanson and more) and business partner Jack Scheetz. It's hard to single out one gemstone from a bagful of diamonds --a "Here's to Life" with the power of Shirley Horn and a touch of sass that is pure Pippi; a samba spin on "Midnight at the Oasis" that underscores Pippi's unerring sense of time; the stunning duet with bassist Billy Peterson that opens "Blue Moon." And then there's her elegant pairing with guest guitarist Paul Bollenback on "Prelude to a Kiss" that she reprises as a swinging "symphony" with just pianist Mary Louise Knutson on the final track. Pick any tune here -- Pippi exudes a commanding musical presence as readily in the studio as on the live stage, with that storyteller's art that can turn the most benign lyric into a Shakespearian masterpiece. Songs so good, performed so well, Pippi and her band "make you want to sang."

Love So Good2

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Avi Rothbard - Twin Song

Size: 112,1 MB

Time: 48:15

File: MP3 @ 320K/s

Released: 2005

Styles: Jazz: Cool Jazz

Art: Front

01. Preach's Inches (4:41)

02. Minor Impact (4:49)

03. Cheerleader (5:37)

04. Twin Song (4:54)

05. Triad (5:11)

06. Five Corners (8:19)

07. One And Nine (4:50)

08. The Password (4:36)

09. Just A Little Sip (5:15)

Twin Song, guitarist Avi Rothbard's second recording, is a funky, atmospheric exploration. Rothbard's group, which includes organist Jared Gold, drummer Joe Strasser and guest tenor saxophonist Wayne Escoffery (on three tracks), works as a tight unit, inviting the listener in on spirited musical conversations. The opening "Preach's Inches is a soulful, infectious groove that's hard not to dance along to; the subsequent up-tempo "Minor Impact really lets each musician burn. They slow things down with the ballad "Cheerleader. The title track is a swinging 6/8 workout.

Other highlights on the recording include "Five Corners, a moody 5/4 tune, and "The Password, a beautifully executed solo guitar piece. Rothbard's compositions are fully realized and clever, still retaining their emotional center. Strasser and Gold, who make a great rhythm section, are skilled in the art of listening. It is a joy to hear the interplay among the musicians. Overall, Twin Song is an excellent recording. ~by Karen Hogg

Personnel: Avi Rothbard: guitar: Jared Gold: bass; Joe Strasser: drums; Wayne Escoffery: saxophone.

Twin Song  

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Glenn Zottola - Clifford Brown Remembered

Size: 106,6 MB
Time: 45:28
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz: Trumpet Jazz
Art: Front

01. Yesterdays (3:02)
02. Laura (3:32)
03. What's New? (3:25)
04. Blue Moon (3:16)
05. Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man of Mine (3:46)
06. Embraceable You (3:05)
07. Willow Weep For Me (3:28)
08. Memories of You (3:35)
09. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes (3:15)
10. Portrait of Jenny (3:27)
11. Where or When (3:26)
12. Stardust (3:28)
13. I Remember Clifford (4:36)

The trumpet is a cruel—yet loving—mistress. It can announce the slightest executional blemish, instantly betraying its player's most sincere efforts, while also allowing its lover to express every possible nuance and emotion. The greatest Masters of the instrument in jazz—Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis, Chet Baker and others—all could brilliantly deliver expressive emotion. Of those in the trumpet's pantheon, Clifford Brown, by virtue of his genius and enhanced by his mythology, stands out. Any attempt by a trumpeter to emulate Clifford would have all the risk of a tightrope walk across Niagara Falls.

With Clifford Brown Remembered, trumpeter Glenn Zottola takes up the Herculean task of playing tribute to Brownie in the most extraordinary manner. He's taken the classic Clifford Brown with Strings recording (EmArcy, 1955) and, deploying his own formidable talents, recreated the recording in a musical salute. And, he's done it marvelously.

The dozen selections (with an added cover of Dinah Washington's recording of Benny Golson's, threnody, "I Remember Clifford")—were originally drawn primarily from the GAS ("Yesterdays," "Embraceable You,""Stardust") and are performed here in the same sequence as the 1955 recording. Zottola, well-respected as a mainstream and swing performer, interprets the Brown ballad performances with reverence and interpretive artistry. His lush sound is warm and inviting, and nearly as resonant as his idol's. He possesses a fine vocalist's sense of phrasing and lyric savvy. While there may be understandable comparisons to the original, Zottola's ease of playing, technical and articulation skills, and superlative dynamic control make this recording shine.

Incredibly, in this recording, Zottola re-creates the legendary session performing it completely from memory, interpreting Clifford's playing by ear. The original string charts (by Neal Hefti) were transcribed by Mark Stallings and are superbly performed. Given that the original recording was done in 1955, the music's beauty withstands time's test and glows yet again.

Rarely does a performer rise to a level of excellence as that of the artist that he or she salutes. Zottola certainly comes close. Be that so, while Clifford Brown remains to this day, nearly 60 years after his tragic death, an influential voice in jazz trumpet, the adulation that is performed here is indeed apropos. Glenn Zottola portrays himself not only an adoring acolyte, but a superlative and sensitive trumpet artist in his own right. And, just as Brownie did, Zottola certainly speaks. ~by Nicholas F. Mondello

Clifford Brown Remembered

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Sans Elle - Beyond

Size: 100,0 MB
Time: 42:47
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz//Soul/Blues/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

01. Nothing Is Eternal (4:03)
02. If You Were Mine (Latin Version) - Latin Version (3:33)
03. Our Children's Skins (3:57)
04. Giving Love (2:49)
05. Naturally (3:29)
06. Better Life (5:03)
07. In Between (5:10)
08. Chercheurs D'or (4:32)
09. Tout Et Son Contraire (2:51)
10. Are You Just A Dream (3:53)
11. If You Were Mine (R'nbombay Mix) (3:23)

'A voice that reminds the warm shades & subtle sparkles of magnificent fabrics'
Félix Marciano (Jazz Mag, Jazzman)

For Sans Elle – litterally ‘Without Her’ - music is like a good book: pages follow one another but are not alike. Exposed early to Debussy & Gershwin just as much as Sting, James Taylor, Pat Metheny, Georges Benson, Stevie Wonder or Barbra Streisand, Sans Elle grew as a multidisciplinary artist (singing, piano, composition, arrangements), interfering with pop, electro-acoustic, soul or jazz music throughout the years. Her personal style has kept re-inventing itself since then & materializes today with Beyond: her debut album, entirely made of originals, produced & supported by her own label SAY YAY!

Sans Elle started studying classical music theory & classical piano at 5 for several years. Aged 12, she started singing as a self-trainer and composing nearly simultanesouly. At 17, she launches with her first band in Festival d'Angers. But her business studies in Lille take her away from her music for a while. Neverthless, she continued music investing herself into various local projects, notably being the lead voice of the very Motown Maddoc' band. This was the opportunity to give a series of shows in the region and at the prestigious Théâtre Sébastopol in Lille, to explore soul, rhythm 'n' blues and the repertoire of her beloved Stevie Wonder & Aretha Franklin.

Along her educational & professional experiences & trips, she met, formed relationships with & has been influenced by people from across the World. From then on this intercultural dimension has never stopped shaping her life & approach to music.

In late 2007, she self-produced 4 original tracks, of which 'Invisible' which she published on the internet. Her mesmerising voice & sense of melody soon attracted the attention of Havas & the French national railway company (SNCF), who decided a few months later to publish the track on the compilation Le Son du Transilien - 101,500 copies - & sponsor a series of gigs. Besides, she decided to go back to music full time performing on stage & studying jazz at IMEP, where she met many incredible musicians, some of whom right away came aboard her 2 projects: Sans Elle Pop Project & Sans Elle Jazz 'N Soul.

After 50 shows in France and abroad (Festival des Nuits acoustiques de Reims with Virgin Radio, Festival de St Germain en Laye, Casino Mondorf, Le Biplan, Le Pavillon Baltard, L’Entrepôt…), she took a break from live music with a promise made to herself: to come back only producing a jazz, soul & world album & setting up her own label.

That's now done with BEYOND, a debut album born by a brilliant voice & transcontinental grooves where jazz is infused with soul & blues also flirts with pop & classical sounds...

Beyond

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Mari Wilson - Emotional Glamour

Size: 89,4 MB
Time: 38:13
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2008
Styles: Pop
Art: Front

01. Have You Got What It Takes (3:42)
02. The It Girl (3:05)
03. The Loneliest Road (4:09)
04. Killing Time (4:03)
05. Hits And Misses (3:18)
06. Only Human (3:36)
07. Movin' In (3:31)
08. Me And My Baby (3:46)
09. Right For You (3:13)
10. Forever Young (3:13)
11. Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps (2:32)

The huge “Just What I’ve always wanted” and “Cry me a river” launched Mari into the limelight and years of touring. As well as pop Mari has performed on stage in many musicals, including the role of Dusty Springfield. She has also played with Stand Getz, BB King and Ray Charles, and has now become very well known on the jazz/cabaret circuit. The Neasden Queen of Soul, Miss Beehive, 80's Icon, Mari Wilson is still wowing audiences across the UK. She has released three critically acclaimed albums since 2006:- Dolled Up, The Platinum Collection (Mari’s Best Of) and her latest, Emotional Glamour, promoting all three with major UK tours with her band. "An enjoyable evening complete with the right amounts of irony, kitsch, coolness and witty repartee sprinkled over a killer songbook." Craig Astley, rememberthe80's.com "The evening encompassed a varied selection of songs from the albums Dolled Up, The Platinum Collection and her stunning new album, Emotional Glamour, all of which were beautifully arranged and magnificently delivered." Steve Burbidge uktheatre.net The huge “Just What I’ve always wanted” and “Cry me a river” launched Mari into the limelight and years of touring. As well as pop Mari has performed on stage in many musicals, including the role of Dusty Springfield. She has also played with Stand Getz, BB King and Ray Charles, and has now become very well known on the jazz/cabaret circuit.

Emotional Glamour

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