Cannonball Adderley - Bohemia After Dark

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 46:55
Size: 107.4 MB
Styles: Hard bop, Soul jazz
Year: 1960/2009
Art: Front

[6:03] 1. Bohemia After Dark
[4:19] 2. Chasm
[6:19] 3. Willow Weep For Me
[3:14] 4. Late Entry
[9:09] 5. Hear Me Talkin' To Ya
[5:40] 6. With Apologies To Oscar
[6:54] 7. We'll Be Together Again
[5:13] 8. Carribean Cutie (Alternate)

The June 26, 1955 session is most notable for being the recorded debut of the recently discovered altoist Cannonball Adderley and his brother, cornetist Nat (who is also featured on the lone number from July 26, a quartet version of "We'll Be Together Again"). Although drummer Kenny Clarke is the nominal leader and the other sidemen include trumpeter Donald Byrd, Jerome Richardson on tenor and flute, pianist Horace Silver and bassist Paul Chambers, the impressive performance by the young Adderleys makes this a historic session that has often been reissued under Cannonball's name. ~Scott Yanow

Alto Saxophone – Julian "Cannonball" Adderley; Bass – Paul Chambers; Cornet – Nat Adderley; Drums, Leader – Kenny Clarke; Piano – Hank Jones, Horace Silver; Tenor Saxophone, Flute – Jerome Richardson; Trumpet – Donald Byrd.

Bohemia After Dark

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Loston Harris - Comes Love

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:59
Size: 98,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:49)  1. Swinging At The Haven
(4:48)  2. Moonlight In Vermont
(3:15)  3. Close Your Eyes
(4:22)  4. Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me
(4:00)  5. Stompin Down Broadway
(4:36)  6. Comes Love
(5:34)  7. There Goes My Heart
(6:50)  8. Easy Listening Blues
(4:42)  9. Shaw We Dance?

Loston Harris' debut makes it easy to compare him to early Harry Connick, Jr. Harris plays piano in a likable style that is swing-based but sometimes boppish; he takes four vocals that sound a bit like Connick, performs an Ellis Marsalis piece ("Swinging at the Haven") and even thanks Ellis and Wynton Marsalis and Marcus Roberts, among others, in the acknowledgements. Harris has stronger technique than Connick (his playing on "Easy Listening Blues" is a good example) and Oscar Peterson is one of his influences. His vocals are unassuming, straightforward and warm. Although no innovations are heard and Loston Harris is in the early stages of forming his own sound, overall this trio date (with bassist David Grossman, drummer Clarence Penn and, on three numbers, Mark Shim guesting on tenor) is an enjoyable set of swinging music. The highlights include "Moonlight in Vermont" (which has a groove reminiscent of the Ahmad Jamal Trio), "Do Nothin' Till You Hear from Me," "Comes Love" and "Easy Listening Blues." ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/comes-love-mw0000034193

Personnel: Loston Harris (vocals, piano); Mark Shim (tenor saxophone); Clarence Penn (drums).

Comes Love

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Ralph Sutton, Jim Galloway, Don Vickery - Pocketful Of Dreams

Styles: Piano And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:54
Size: 151,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:34)  1. Sleep
(7:50)  2. Farewell Blues
(7:33)  3. Sweet And Slow
(6:05)  4. Blue Skies
(4:54)  5. I've Got a Pocket Full of Dreams
(7:01)  6. You've Changed
(5:59)  7. Baby Won't You Please Come Home
(7:12)  8. Poor Butterfly
(6:49)  9. If Dreams Come True
(6:51) 10. She's Funny That Way

Ralph Sutton was the greatest stride pianist to emerge since World War II, with his only close competitors being the late Dick Wellstood and the very versatile Dick Hyman. Nearly alone in his generation, Sutton kept alive the piano styles of Fats Waller and James P. Johnson, not as mere museum pieces but as devices for exciting improvisations. Although sticking within the boundaries of his predecessors, Sutton infused the music with his own personality; few could match his powerful left hand. Ralph Sutton played with Jack Teagarden's big band briefly in 1942 before serving in the Army. After World War II he appeared regularly on Rudi Blesh's This Is Jazz radio show and spent eight years as the intermission pianist at Eddie Condon's club, recording frequently. He spent time playing in San Francisco, worked for Bob Scobey, moved to Aspen in the mid-'60s, and became an original member of the World's Greatest Jazz Band with Yank Lawson, Bob Haggart, and Bud Freeman. 

In the 1970s, he recorded many exciting albums for the Chaz label and then cut albums for quite a few labels. Despite suffering a stroke in the early '90s, Sutton kept a busy schedule through the mid-'90s, playing at jazz parties and festivals. He died suddenly on December 29, 2001, in his car outside a restaurant in Evergreen, CO. Although he would have received much greater fame if he had been born 20 years earlier and come to maturity during the 1930s rather than the 1950s, at the time of his death it was obvious that Ralph Sutton had earned his place among the top classic jazz pianists of all time. ~ Bio  https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/ralph-sutton/id1579569#fullText

An excellent swing soprano player with a lighter tone than Sidney Bechet, Jim Galloway has made many recordings with like-minded veterans. He played locally in Scotland on clarinet and alto before emigrating to Canada in 1965. He soon began specializing on soprano, led the Metro Stompers (1968), put together the Wee Big Band (1978), and hosted the weekly jazz radio program Toronto Alive! (1981-1987). Galloway, who has appeared at many jazz festivals and jazz parties, has recorded for Sackville, Hep, and Music & Arts along with several smaller Canadian labels with such pianists as Dick Wellstood, Art Hodes, and most often with Jay McShann. ~ Bio  https://itunes.apple.com/ca/artist/jim-galloway/id110727063

Personnel: Ralph Sutton (piano); Jim Galloway (soprano saxophone); Don Vickery (drums).

Pocketful Of Dreams

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Hank Jones - I'm All Smiles

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:15
Size: 108,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:19)  1. Relaxin' At Camarillo
(7:37)  2. In A Sentimental Mood
(6:53)  3. Some Day My Prince Will Come
(4:29)  4. Afternoon In Paris
(6:17)  5. Au Privave
(5:03)  6. I'm All Smiles
(4:48)  7. Rockin In Rhythm
(6:46)  8. Con Alma

Although Tommy Flanagan tended to refer to two-piano dates as a gimmick, that's hardly the case during this superb 1983 concert in Germany with Hank Jones. The two pianists have the kind of feel for one another's playing that avoids the crash of egos and instead inspires the give and take necessary for each performance to reach its full potential. Immediately, the two veterans captivate their audience with a stunning aggressive improvisation upon Charlie Parker's "Relaxin' at Camarillo," then immediately quiet them with a soft, lyrical interpretation of the gorgeous ballad "In a Sentimental Mood." They're clearly having a lot of fun during their upbeat waltz through the popular ballad "Someday My Prince Will Come." The rest of the concert is every bit as fulfilling, with an inspired treatment of "Rockin' in Rhythm" getting the nod as the highlight of a memorable evening. ~ Ken Dryden  

http://www.allmusic.com/album/im-all-smiles-mw0000188033

Personnel:  Hank Jones – Piano; Tommy Flanagan – Piano.

I'm All Smiles

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The Al Nicholls Quartet - That Swing Thing

Size: 124,0 MB
Time: 53:34
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Jazz: Swing Jazz
Art: Full

01. Zing! Went The Strings Of My Heart (5:12)
02. God Bless The Child (7:04)
03. Love For Sale (6:55)
04. I've Got A Crush On You (5:31)
05. Night And Day (6:12)
06. The Man I Love (6:21)
07. Last Train's Gone (4:45)
08. Time After Time (5:24)
09. Tea For Two (4:50)
10. Too Close For Comfort (1:15)

A Modern recording of (mostly) swing standards of the 1940's and 50's played with aplomb by four masters of their craft.

Stylish small group swing of the kind that became popular alongside the big band music of the late 1930's and 1940's. There are ten tracks here - some well known standards, plus a few less frequently heard. The playing is superb - 4 guys who have obviously learnt their craft well through years of playing "on the road" as well as in the studio. The arrangements are intelligent and well thought out, and throw up quite a few surprises. The sound quality is excellent - crisp and modern, considering this was recorded in the "live" environment of the excellent Goldtop Studios.

That Swing Thing

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Geila Zilkha - Day Dreaming

Size: 162,1 MB
Time: 69:48
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz: Vocals
Art: Front

01. Phoebe (4:34)
02. Love For Sale (6:06)
03. Come Fly With Me (3:59)
04. Dray Dreaming (6:28)
05. My Funny Valentine (6:03)
06. The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face (7:17)
07. Summertime (5:45)
08. Sleeping With An Angel Who Broke My Heart (7:43)
09. Fate & Promises (4:09)
10. Moonlight Serenade (4:34)
11. What A Wonderful World (6:01)
12. When The Party's Over (7:04)

Geila Zilkha is a successful and highly recognized singer in Japan. With a solid background in jazz and additional essence of strong soul music, her vocal performances delight the audiences’ ears and hearts wherever she sings.

Born and raised in Kobe to an Israeli father and Japanese mother, Geila attended the international school Canadian Academy from kindergarten through high school and is fluent in both English and Japanese. She showed a strong interest in the arts and music from an early age, and studied ballet from the age of three. When Geila was nine years old, she was diagnosed with scoliosis and underwent surgery during which a metal rod was implanted in her back. This operation meant that she could no longer dance or play sports, and ever since then Geila knew that she would pursue a career in music.

Soon after the operation, Geila began learning how to play the alto saxophone. When she felt the need to deepen her understanding of music, she also began playing the keyboard. She played in bands in high school and led a jazz big band. Geila was then accepted to Berklee College of Music in Boston to study the alto saxophone. Shortly afterwards, she realized that her voice was the instrument she should pursue, and changed her major to singing from her second year.

During her time at Berklee, she participated in Vocal Jazz Ensemble taught by her vocal mentor April Arabian, Vocal Summit taught by Bob Stoloff, and Reverence Gospel Choir led by Orville Wright and Dennis Montgomery III. She graduated from Berklee in 1991.

Geila returned to her hometown of Kobe following graduation and worked as a TV and radio personality. At FM802, a leading Osaka radio station, she hosted her own program for almost three years. She also co-hosted a morning show for ABC Television.

In 1995, the great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake occurred and interrupted the course of her career as a well-known personality and singer, forcing her to take a leave of absence.

However, Geila was not ready to give up her dreams of becoming a successful musician. She moved to Tokyo, the cultural center of Japan. There, she sang in TV commercials and worked as a radio personality for InterFM. She worked as a voice actor for Benesse, a major correspondence education and publishing company, which earned her more spots narrating and singing in TV commercials for companies such as Mazda, All Nippon Airways (ANA) and Haagen Dazs. In the case of ANA, the commercial was so popular that audiences requested the company disclose the singer's name.

In 2002, she began an all-female gospel choir named Voissalot Choir. The group released three albums, sang in TV commercials and performed at Tokyo Disney Sea, JZ Brat and Sweet Basil as well as other renowned clubs. In 2004, Geila gave birth to a son. Six months later, she started singing again. In 2006, she was invited to teach at a high-ranking jazz school. In 2007, she met the highly acclaimed male vocalist Ayumu Yahaba, and they started singing duo shows entitled SOLO-DUO.

In 2009, after successfully leading Voissalot Choir to the Apollo Theater in New York, Geila decided to concentrate her efforts on solo shows. In 2010, she earned the Grand-Prix title for the annual Kobe Jazz Vocal Queen Contest which entitled her to sing a highly acclaimed show at the renowned jazz club Jazz Alley in Seattle. In October of the same year, she released her first solo album, all Me, which surprisingly became a megahit among jazz audiences although many people had never heard of her before. Print media feedback has also been very positive: the top jazz magazines in Japan, Jazz Japan, Jazz Life and Jazz Hihyo [Jazz Review], gave high praise, and the national newspaper Asahi Shimbun dedicated two feature articles.

Day Dreaming

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Smooth Jazz All Stars - Smooth Jazz Tribute To Richard Marx

Size: 105,4 MB
Time: 45:07
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz: Smooth Jazz
Art: Front

01. Right Here Waiting (4:27)
02. Now & Forever (4:56)
03. This I Promise You (4:09)
04. Endless Summer Nights (4:30)
05. Hold On To The Nights (5:10)
06. Keep Coming Back (4:53)
07. Until I Find You Again (4:13)
08. Heaven Only Knows (4:55)
09. Chains Around My Heart (3:40)
10. Hazard (4:09)

A nice collection of well known contemporary songs played with a rich sax, comfortable bass, keyboard, and drums. May be the perfect fusion of contemporary music and jazz.

Smooth Jazz All Stars

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The Cookers - Time And Time Again

Size: 143,2 MB
Time: 61:27
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. Sir Galahad (7:54)
02. Reneda (6:12)
03. Slippin' And Slidin' (7:00)
04. Double Or Nothing (6:43)
05. Farewell Mulgrew (6:44)
06. Three Fall (6:36)
07. Time And Time Again (6:35)
08. Dance Of The Invisable Nymph (9:17)
09. Dance Eternal Spirits Dance (4:22)

Celebrating seven years together, Time and Time Again is the fourth release by The Cookers since the group's recording debut, Warriors (Jazz Legacy Productions, 2010). The band's all-star lineup, who first rose to prominence in the late '60s and early '70s, was initially formed by trumpet player David Weiss, who also serves as musical director. In addition to Weiss, the septet features the muscular frontline of trumpeter Eddie Henderson, tenor saxophonist Billy Harper and alto saxophonist Donald Harrison (replacing Craig Handy), with pianist George Cables, bassist Cecil McBee and drummer Billy Hart manning the blue chip rhythm section.

Drawing upon their varied experiences, the ensemble members split writing duties, effectively summarizing the entire spectrum of the jazz continuum in the process. Although hard bop-influenced post-bop is the unit's forte, most of these musicians have also worked in cutting-edge avant-garde settings; their forward-looking tendencies imbue the project's straight-ahead sensibility with a bold, modernistic aesthetic.

With five of the seven members contributing tunes to the session, there is ample stylistic diversity on display, ranging from breakneck swingers ("Double or Nothing") and swaggering blues ("Slippin' and Slidin'") to majestic waltzes ("Three Fall") and opulent ballads ("Farewell Mulgrew"). As seasoned veterans, their spirited performances convey the informality of an old school blowing session, tempered by an awareness of formalized song-craft. The arrangements are rhythmically tight and harmonically sophisticated, but supple enough to demonstrate the band's freewheeling rapport, with ample room for each member to shine.

Working as a true collective, no one player dominates the session, although Harper's commanding tone and assured phrasing lifts the bandstand when he takes center stage, with quicksilver cadences underscored by the nimble rhythm section, whose fluid interplay is a marvel of triadic interaction. Lending credence to its title, Time And Time Again expertly conveys the palpable commitment of these elder statesmen to push beyond preconceived boundaries and move the music forward, while acknowledging the innovations of the past. ~by Troy Collins

Personnel: Billy Harper: tenor saxophone; Eddie Henderson: trumpet; David Weiss: trumpet; Donald Harrison: alto saxophone; George Cables: piano; Cecil McBee: bass; Billy Hart: drums.

Time And Time Again

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The Dave Brubeck Quartet Feat. Paul Desmond - Stardust

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 67:16
Size: 154.0 MB
Styles: West Coast jazz, Piano jazz
Year: 1954/1983/2006
Art: Front

[ 2:49] 1. Mam'selle
[ 6:56] 2. Stardust
[ 2:33] 3. Frenesi
[ 2:26] 4. Me And My Shadow
[ 2:51] 5. At A Perfume Counter
[ 3:20] 6. Crazy Chris
[ 3:06] 7. A Foggy Day
[ 3:18] 8. Somebody Loves Me
[ 3:12] 9. Lyons Busy
[ 3:40] 10. Look For The Silver Lining
[ 3:01] 11. Stardust
[15:01] 12. At A Perfume Counter
[ 3:32] 13. Alice In Wonderland
[ 3:17] 14. All The Things You Are
[ 2:19] 15. Lulu's Back In Town
[ 2:35] 16. My Romance
[ 3:12] 17. Just One Of Those Things

This CD features the Dave Brubeck Quartet in its early days. Although the dates are unaccountably left off of this two-fer, most of the music is from 1951-52 and features such short-term sidemen as bassists Norm Bates, Fred Dutton (who doubled on bassoon) and Wyatt "Bull" Reuther and drummers Herb Barman and Lloyd Davis in addition to pianist Brubeck and altoist Paul Desmond. Highlights include "Crazy Chris," "Lyons Busy," "Look for the Silver Lining" and "Alice in Wonderland." Two later selections ("Stardust" and a 14-1/2-minute version of "At a Perfume Counter") are from 1954-55 when the personnel stabilized with bassist Bob Bates and drummer Joe Dodge. ~Scott Yanow

Stardust

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Molly Johnson - Because Of Billie

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 59:17
Size: 135.7 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[4:36] 1. Body And Soul
[3:21] 2. What A Little Moonlight Can Do
[5:04] 3. Fine And Mellow
[3:44] 4. Them There Eyes
[4:27] 5. You've Changed
[5:31] 6. God Bless The Child
[4:25] 7. How Deep Is The Ocean
[3:17] 8. Strange Fruit
[4:00] 9. Lady Sings The Blues
[4:19] 10. Do Nothing 'til You Hear From Me
[4:00] 11. You Go To My Head
[3:41] 12. They Can't Take That Away From Me
[3:30] 13. Now Or Never
[5:14] 14. Don't Explain

Renowned Canadian multi-genre chanteuse Molly Johnson has just released her sixth studio album, Because Of Billie!

“For years, people have said to me, ‘You are so much like Billie Holliday,’” says Johnson by way of explanation for this ambitious and also deeply personal project, presenting 14 songs of Lady Day’s cherished standards. “My response has been ‘No, I am because of Billie.” During the recording, Molly looked to infuse this project with her idol’s spirit, preparing the songs emotionally and technically so many could be recorded in one take. “Billie and her generation were the civil rights movement, they moved forward. That generation sacrificed and died for my privilege. I am honour-bound to that idea. I love history. I love to look back while pulling forward.” In keeping with the album’s theme, Johnson will also be donating a portion of sales to the Boys & Girls Clubs.

Recorded in Toronto with producers John Bailey and Mike Downes, the album features a stellar cast of musicians that include Robi Botos (Piano), Terry Clarke (Drums), Mike Downes (Bass and Trombone), John Johnson (Tenor Saxophone), Bryden Baird (Flugelhorn and Trumpet) & Colleen Allen (Alto Saxophone and Clarinet).

As singer-songwriter, artist, broadcaster, and philanthropist, her roots are Canadian while her reach is worldwide. Johnson has performed with such diverse artists as Tom Jones, Anne Murray & Lenny Kravitz and has performed for the legendary Quincy Jones, the late Princess of Wales and Nelson Mandela. Molly was awarded the JUNO Award for Best Vocal Jazz Album, and is recipient of the Queen’s Jubilee Medal and The Officer of the Order of Canada in recognition of her charitable work and contributions to the arts.

Because Of Billie

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George Braith - Bop Rock Blues

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 51:01
Size: 116.8 MB
Styles: Bop, Blues
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[4:01] 1. Car Tune
[3:49] 2. Double Clutch
[4:01] 3. Capital Dive
[4:27] 4. Bishkabash
[4:18] 5. Metwo
[5:05] 6. Sweet Salt
[6:27] 7. You Know I Love You
[4:23] 8. Green Beats
[2:53] 9. High Beam
[5:11] 10. Hoagies & Wings
[3:01] 11. Pick & Roll
[3:18] 12. Cane Walk

Jazz musicians play multiple styles of music through their careers. Most of the time, the kind of music presented depends on who is listening. A tremendous audience has accumulated to Rock and Blues Styles. Bop Rock Blues contains the musical ingredients of Bop, Rock and Jazz with an emphasis on dance rhythms.

BOPTRONICS, developed by George Braith, is a method of using modern recording techniques to produce any kind of instrumentation. Unlike Midi, BOPTRONICS is played in real time. The BRAITHOPHONE is an invention of George Braith. it is a woodwind instrument that is played by producing two sounds at once.

George Braith - Vocals, Braithophone, Tenor Sax; Space Island Singers - Vocals; Earl Davis - Vocals, Trumpet; Bernard Wright - Piano; Charles Smith - Guitar; Reggie Bordeaux - Drums & Percussion.

Bop Rock Blues

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Leon Redbone - Champagne Charlie

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 32:02
Size: 73.3 MB
Styles: Ragtime, Dixieland, Texas Blues
Year: 1979/1995
Art: Front

[2:56] 1. Champagne Charlie
[2:52] 2. Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone
[2:41] 3. Sweet Sue, Just You
[4:32] 4. The One Rose (That's Left In My Heart)
[1:42] 5. Alabama Jubilee
[3:19] 6. Big Bad Bill (Is Sweet William Now)
[2:48] 7. Yearning (Just For You)
[3:31] 8. If Someone Would Only Love Me
[3:40] 9. I Hate A Man Like You
[3:55] 10. T.B. Blues

From the opening track, "Champagne Charlie," to the dazzling finale, "T.B. Blues," Leon Redbone presents an introspective collection of blues and big band melodies in timeless fashion, a rare feat because of its release date in 1978. The record was highly acclaimed and regarded as the purest of jazz and classic blues by a remarkable legend and icon in this musical form. Most of the record, like the amiable "Sweet Sue (Just You)" and memorable "Big Bad Bill (Is Sweet William Now)," is filled with the best that blues and ragtime has to offer. The music itself is quite light and jolly during the more uplifting moments, with others such as "I Hate a Man Like You" very depressing and sorrowful. The band backing up Redbone is delightful, filled with jubilant horns, oboes, and trumpets. "T.B. Blues" closes out this record as a charming look back into the world of blues via pioneer Jimmie Rodgers. Two melodies written and composed by giant Jelly Roll Morton are featured here, with fresh and stunning new arrangements by Leon Redbone and company, "If Someone Would Only Love Me" and "I Hate a Man Like You." The record is somewhat poorly recorded, losing its listening ability though still portraying its exuberant style and antique mysteriousness. A charming and romantic listen and study of this period of ragtime and blues that will surely not disappoint the average listener. ~Shawn M. Haney

Champagne Charlie

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Leann Rimes - Lady & Gentlemen

Styles: Country
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:20
Size: 106,8 MB
Art: Front

(2:59)  1. Swingin'
(4:04)  2. Wasted Days And Wasted Nights
(2:36)  3. The Only Mama That’ll Walk The Line
(3:09)  4. I Can't Be Myself
(2:38)  5. 16 Tons
(2:58)  6. Help Me Make It Through The Night
(3:03)  7. Rose Colored Glasses
(3:38)  8. A Good Hearted Woman
(3:37)  9. When I Call Your Name
(3:48) 10. He Stopped Loving Her Today
(2:26) 11. Blue
(3:27) 12. The Bottle Let Me Down
(3:21) 13. Crazy Women
(4:31) 14. Give

As concept albums go, LeAnn Rimes’ 2011 album Lady & Gentlemen is a good one: a collection of masculine country classics reinterpreted by a female singer. Sometimes, this reinterpretation amounts to little more than swapping a gender “The Only Daddy That’ll Walk the Line” becomes “The Only Mama That’ll Walk the Line,” Charlotte in John Anderson’s “Swingin'” becomes Charlie and some of these songs are standards that have often been sung by either gender (“Help Me Make It Through the Night”), but there are a few songs that do feel slightly different when sung by Rimes, including “A Good Hearted Woman” and “He Stopped Loving Her Today,” neither given a gender switch yet changing slightly with the perspective shift.

Generally, though, Lady & Gentlemen isn’t much more than a good straight-ahead covers album, given grit and tradition from co-producers Vince Gill and Darrell Brown, who give John Conlee’s “Rose Colored Glasses” a dusty beer joint kick and Gill’s own “When I Call Your Name” a soulful sway, and transform Merle Haggard’s “Tonight the Bottle Let Me Down” into a slow, spooky crawl, all moves that more than compensate for the too frenetic take on “Swingin'.” Throughout it all, Rimes hits her marks with ease, and the new version of her breakthrough hit “Blue” illustrates just how far she’s come how she’s become a stronger, more nuanced singer over the years. ~ Thomas Erlewine  http://www.allmusic.com/album/lady-gentlemen-mw0002203135

Lady & Gentlemen

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Nancy Kelly - B That Way

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:50
Size: 139,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:04)  1. Come Back to Me
(5:09)  2. Don't Explain
(5:28)  3. Common Touch
(5:06)  4. Billie's Bounce
(5:31)  5. Here's Looking at You
(4:39)  6. The Great City
(5:32)  7. Don't Go to Strangers
(3:57)  8. Day In Day Out
(4:47)  9. Don't Worry 'Bout Me
(4:24) 10. Please Don't Talk About Me Whe
(6:10) 11. The Very Thought of You
(5:59) 12. Good Morning Heartache

The Hammond B-3 organ has been in my life from the very early days of my career. It was there throughout my musical evolution from Rock to R&B and on to jazz. In the early Eighties, I moved to Philly and began singing at the “salt and mostly pepper” jazz club Jewel’s on Broad St., where for 4 years I was the house singer with an organ trio made up of local Philly cats. At the time I didn’t know it, but I was at B-3 jazz ground zero. Jewel’s was host to headliners such as Groove Holmes, Jack McDuff, Jimmy McGriff, Shirley Scott, local favorite Trudy Pitts and a very young Joey DeFrancesco. I was in heaven. The organ trio sound had now become a major part of my musical fiber. We had a good long run at Jewel’s. Sadly, years later the club closed and, for various reasons, I moved back to upstate New York.

I spent the next era with piano. One day on a trio gig, Dino Losito used the organ sound on his keyboard and we both knew where we were headed. We loved it and dove into the sound, working solely as an organ trio for the past 6 years, and it led to this recording.  http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/nancykelly22

Personnel: Nancy Kelly - Vocals;  Jerry Weldon - Tenor Sax;  Dino Losito - Hammond Organ;  Peter Bernstein – Guitar;  Carmen Intorre Drums

B That Way

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Louis Sclavis Quartet - Silk and Salt Melodies

Styles: Clarinet Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:40
Size: 144,1 MB
Art: Front

(9:00)  1. Le parfum de l'éxil
(9:22)  2. L'homme sud
(8:15)  3. L'autre rive
(7:36)  4. Sel et soie
(6:59)  5. Dance for Horses
(5:49)  6. Des feux lointains
(8:40)  7. Cortège
(5:50)  8. Dust and Dogs
(1:05)  9. Prato plage

With its ancient roots and latter-day association with New Orleans, Dixieland and swing, the clarinet isn't often a frontline instrument in modern jazz let alone avant-garde. A handful of players such as Don Byron and Marty Ehrlich have aided in its prominence but not many. In the hands of Louis Sclavis the bass clarinet is not only a deterrent against conformist thinking; it is an instrument with greatly expanded borders and characteristics. Sclavis incorporates European chamber music, Middle-Eastern samazens and free jazz in his ambitious and literate compositions. Silk and Salt Melodies speaks to Sclavis' years of shaping a world view, unique stylization and his belief that improvisation is not a free-for-all but a discipline integral to telling a story. Almost twenty years ago Sclavis with bassist Henri Texier and drummer Aldo Romaro boldly experimented with blending components of European and West African folk tunes and jazz on Carnet de routes (Label Bleu, 1995). Sclavis, working with continually evolving lineups, has never fallen back on a purely mainstream approach.

Now reunited with the Atlas Trio partners who created the excellent Sources (ECM, 2012), guitarist Gilles Coronado and pianist Benjamin Moussay are joined by percussionist Keyvan Chemirani on Silk and Salt Melodies. The Iranian native conveys a new aspect not only in his use of some unusual regional instruments but in his distinctive approach to beat cycles and rhythms. Chemirani's presence is a good fit with Sclavis' proclivity for pursuing global inspirations. The leisurely pacing of Sclavis' long expressive lines unfold dramatically on "Le parfum de l'éxil" allowing time for Coronado take a more angular route as together they cautiously accelerate the pace. Aided by Chemirani's intricate pacing and Moussay's late arriving countermelody, the piece adds multiple layers while maintaining a pastoral air. Coronado injects some jagged edges into "L'homme sud" complimented by Sclavis and Moussay almost speaking in one voice until the pianist takes off on a particularly nice solo.

Chemirani and Sclavis turn the piece around with an injection of Middle-Eastern flavor. Moussay's beautiful and extended solo opens "L'autre rive," eventually joined by Sclavis and again upended by Coronado with a turn toward a darker, more mysterious side. A more rough and tumble "Sel et soie" has Sclavis wailing and Coronado assuming the more expressive role ; his lyrical and limpid notes bringing to mind guitarist Bill Frisell. Silk and Salt Melodies is the manifestation of Sclavis' vision of a surreal and exotic journey but on a less analytical level it is an appreciation of musicianship. Sclavis' clarinet can sound as deep and resonant as a double bass. He can uncannily mimic the folky sound of an accordion or play as boisterously as reed player Peter Brötzmann. Putting Silk and Salt Melodies in the context of Sclavis' larger body of work is somewhat irrelevant; he builds, incorporates and moves on. It's a good philosophy for listening as well. ~ Karl Ackermann  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/silk-and-salt-melodies-louis-sclavis-ecm-records-review-by-karl-ackermann.php#.VCXsmRawTP8
 

Personnel: Louis Sclavis: clarinet; Gilles Coronado: guitar; Benjamin Moussay: piano, keyboard; Keyvan Chemirani: percussion.

Silk and Salt Melodies

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Bobby Bryant - Swahili Strut

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1971
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:11
Size: 97,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:46)  1. Swahili Strut
(8:20)  2. A Prayer For Peace
(5:49)  3. Peace
(4:57)  4. Kriss Kross
(4:25)  5. We've Only Just Begun
(6:34)  6. The Beauty of Her Soul
(6:18)  7. Nite Crawlers

I’m not sure whether I’m familiar with Bobby Bryant’s work. What I do know is that I found this record after a random listen through some jazz albums. The title song is a nice soulful jazz opener, but the real gem on here is A Prayer For Peace. This searing bit of funk sounds like it walked right off the set of a 70s cop show like Streets Of San Francisco or Hawaii Five-O right onto this slab of vinyl. A fast paced walking bass line, guitar and stabbing and screeching horn lines drive the song. The second side is just as good with songs like Kriss Kross, Nite Crawlers and probably the only version of We’ve Only Just Begun I’ve heard that I actually like.  http://www.soulstrut.com/index.php?/reviews/indepth/Swahili%20Strut/

An excellent bit of funky stuff from LA trumpeter Bobby Bryant. The set was recorded for Cadet in LA, features tight arangements by Bryant, and a lot of nice long cuts that have a bit more of a groove than some of his other recordings (although most of them are pretty great). Tracks include "Swahili Strut", "Prayer For Peace", "Kriss Kross", and "Nite Crawlers". (Blue label pressing. Cover has a split top seam, some wear, and remnants of a sticker.)  http://www.dustygroove.com/item/12331

Personnel: Arranged By, Conductor – Bobby Bryant; Bass – Max Bennett, Willie Allen; Congas – Bob Norris; Drums – Carl Lott; Guitar – Arthur Adams, David T. Walker; Organ – Henry Cain; Tenor Saxophone – Charles Owens, Herman Riley; Trumpet – Bobby Bryant

Swahili Strut

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Lancaster & Flavio Naves - Bluesamba

Size: 128,3 MB
Time: 55:08
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2005
Styles: Jazz, Blues, Brazilian Rhythms
Art: Front

01. Caruaru (4:14)
02. Ela Gosta De Blues (3:50)
03. Copenhagem Jam (6:21)
04. Itamara (6:09)
05. Pedrinho (3:22)
06. Relaxando Com Lancaster E Flavio (5:22)
07. Bluesamba (5:45)
08. Voando Com Simpatia (5:15)
09. Sufle (5:21)
10. Ser Humano (4:25)
11. Katita (5:01)

In Bluesamba, Lancaster and Flavio Naves recreate the classic sound of guitar and Hammond organ, combining the intensity of the blues with the swing of bossa nova, samba and salsa. "Copenhagen Jam", "Flying with Sympathy" and "Katita "are some highlights among the 11 tracks on the album.

Bluesamba

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Leslie Zimei - Black And White

Size: 101,1 MB
Time: 42:09
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

01. Can I Change My Mind (3:41)
02. Girl Don't Come (3:54)
03. Save The Bones For Henry Jones (3:00)
04. Baby Can I Hold You Tonight (4:09)
05. Same (4:44)
06. Don't Explain (4:14)
07. Mercy, Mercy, Mercy (3:54)
08. Comin' Home (4:32)
09. Black And White (3:56)
10. Tell Mama (3:40)
11. Old Folks (2:21)

So, along comes Black and White, a new album by Long Islander, Leslie Zimei, released this summer and dedicated to her mom. Ms. Zimei is no novice to music even though her name may not be immediately recognized. She has sung with the likes of Ben E. King and Bo Diddley. She has opened for artists such as Peggy Lee, Petula Clark and Bonnie Bramlett (Delaney & Bonnie). She was lead vocalist for a local blues-based band, Cadillac Moon, and she currently sings with The Pearl Street Band. And now, after more than 40 years recording and performing, she has finally put out her first “solo” album.

Armed with an enviable voice and a band of musicians so accomplished as to make the music sound, well, easy to create, Ms. Zimei has chosen to record an album of mostly covers from a wide range of rhythm and blues composers and performers from Billie Holiday and Etta James to Tracy Chapman. She moves between deep soul (“Bill Withers’ “Same Love that Made Me Laugh” and Etta James “Tell Mama”) and blues (an original, “Black and White”) with effortless sincerity and compassion, and stops for some fun along the way (“Save the Bones for Henry Jones” (Nat King Cole)). But mostly it’s straight rhythm and blues with style.

You only get one change at a first impression, as the saying goes, and Ms. Zimei has chosen wisely. The disc opens rather strongly with a cover of Tyron Davis’ “Can I Change My Mind?”, and you know instantly that if the album can only live up to the promise of its beginning, you will be in for a treat. And I’m happy to say that it certainly does, and you are. For example, her cover of Cannonball Adderly’s “Mercy, Mercy, Mercy” adds a female perspective to the song that oozes with a sexiness that can only come from a woman with a little mileage; and, from this reviewer’s point of view, that is a decisive virtue. This song, above all, begs for the repeat button.

While a large majority of the album is a diverse assortment of impressive covers, the two originals, “Comin’ Home”, a sensitive, hopeful ballad in the soulful style of Dusty Springfield, and the aforementioned, bluesy title track, “Black and White”, both written with her former husband, Michael Mattia, complement their more familiar counterparts in rather impressive fashion, proudly putting Ms. Zimei’s own song-writing talents on display. Perhaps at first glance, seeing the song list of mostly R & B covers, you might be tempted to dismiss this collection as more of the same – you know, another in the seemingly endless line of uninspired, over-interpreted R & B standards. But after a listen or two, you’ll realize, as I did, that Black and White is really something quite special and deserves a place in your rhythm and blues collection. ~Michael J Mand

Black And White

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Dutch Swing College Band - Fine And Dandy (Live)

Size: 183,3 MB
Time: 78:48
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz: Dixieland
Art: Front

01. Basin Street Blues (3:29)
02. Buddy's Habits (6:34)
03. Creole Love Call (5:47)
04. King Of The Zulus (3:22)
05. Opus 5 (3:11)
06. Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone (4:08)
07. The Lonesome Road (4:56)
08. Apex Blues (3:02)
09. The Last Time (4:27)
10. Milenberg Joys (5:39)
11. St. James Infirmary (4:34)
12. Jazz Me Blues (3:43)
13. Shim-Me-Sha-Wabble (3:15)
14. Out Of The Gallion (3:19)
15. Freeze An' Melt (3:04)
16. Mood Indigo (3:15)
17. Ory's Creole Trombone (2:51)
18. Ballin' The Jack (4:34)
19. Carry Me Back To Old Virginny (2:15)
20. South Rampart Street Parade (3:16)

The Dutch Swing College Band has endured numerous personnel changes in its more than fifty-year history as one of the Netherlands' top jazz ensembles. Although no members remain from the original group, the latest lineup continues to honor the tradition-rooted approach of the founders.

Bob Kaper (1939- ) replaced clarinet player Peter Schilperoort during an illness in 1966, and remained with the band; he has led the Dutch Swing College Band since Schilperoort's death in 1990. The fourth leader in the group's history, Kaper succeeds Frans Vink, Jr. (1945-46), Joop Schrier (1955-60), and Schilperoort (1946-55; 1960-1990). Kaper previously led the Beale Street Seven, a group he founded in 1957.

An amateur group from 1945 until turning professional in 1960, the Dutch Swing College Band reached their early peak in the late '40s, when they were tapped to accompany such jazz musicians as Sidney Bechet, Joe Venuti, and Teddy Wilson.

The New Melbourne Jazz Band recorded an album, A Tribute to the Dutch Swing College Band, featuring music associated with the Holland-based group. ~Biography by Craig Harris

Fine And Dandy

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Jesse Winchester - A Reasonable Amount Of Trouble

Size: 99,3 MB
Time: 42:23
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Folk Rock, Blues Folk
Art: Full

01. All That We Have Is Now (2:20)
02. She Makes It Easy Now (2:59)
03. Neither Here Nor There (3:55)
04. Rhythm Of The Rain (2:51)
05. A Little Louisiana (2:55)
06. Ghosts (4:41)
07. Never Forget To Boogie (4:00)
08. Devil Or Angel (3:15)
09. Don't Be Shy (3:47)
10. Every Day I Get The Blues (4:34)
11. Whispering Bells (2:39)
12. Just So Much (4:21)

Jesse Winchester's career was sometimes shadowed by grave themes that didn't often express themselves in his music — most notably, he fled the United States rather than fight in the Vietnam War, and was an exile in Canada when he did most of his best-known work — and it seems curiously fitting that his final album, A Reasonable Amount of Trouble, would arrive five months after Winchester's death in April 2014. But mortality and tragedy don't figure into these songs much at all; they were mostly written and recorded after Winchester survived an earlier bout with cancer of the esophagus in 2011, and this music sounds like the work of a man who is grateful for his new opportunities, without having too many false illusions in his late sixties. There's a pleasing warmth and grace to this music, and while Winchester's medical issues added a rougher texture to his voice, the velvet sounds just right for songs like the rootsy "A Little Louisiana," the contemplative "Just So Much," and the romantic "All That We Have Is Now." Winchester also seemed to be in a nostalgic mood when he was recording these songs; "Ghosts" includes a verse about playing guitar to the radio in 1963, while three of the 12 songs are covers that date back to the '50s and early '60s, and his version of the Del Vikings' "Whispering Bells" is kitted out with doo wop harmonies and period-appropriate honking sax. Not every song on this set is a winner — "Never Forget to Boogie" hardly sounds like the work of a first-class songwriter — but the tone of A Reasonable Amount of Trouble is one of a man enjoying himself as he makes an album he never expected he'd be able to record. It's mindful of the past but stands happily in the present, and this release doesn't mourn the loss of a gifted songwriter and vocalist so much as it celebrates the joy he found in his music, and this album will bring a smile to anyone who loved Jesse Winchester's music.

A Reasonable Amount Of Trouble

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