The David Liebman Trio - Lieb Plays The Blues A La Trane

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 53:12
Size: 121.8 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[ 9:21] 1. All Blues
[ 8:12] 2. Up Against The Wall
[11:08] 3. Mr. P.C
[15:34] 4. Village Blues
[ 8:56] 5. Take The Coltrane

One day in April, 2008, saxophonist Dave Liebman, on tour in Belgium, was feeling a little under the weather. He decided to replace his trio's planned set list for the evening with a set of blues tunes associated with John Coltrane. Kris Roevens recorded the set, at De Singer in Rijkevorsel, and two years later it has become Lieb Plays The Blues À La Trane—a tribute to the great saxophonist, but also a tribute to the creativity that can arise from spontaneous decisions.

A new release from Liebman is hardly an unusual event—he must be one of the most prolific of jazz musicians—but it is always a welcome one. Liebman has clearly been inspired by Coltrane—describing seeing him in the '60s as "my epiphany"—and there are plenty of tunes associated with the jazz legend in Liebman's back catalogue. The rhythm section here—bassist Marius Beets and drummer Eric Ineke—are both experienced Liebman sidemen, appearing on Lieb Plays Wilder (Daybreak, 2005) and Lieb Plays Weill (Daybreak, 2009).

Coltrane's "Mr. P.C." is the album's centerpiece, in both its track position and performance. It may not technically be Liebman's best performance of the set—that honor probably goes to his beautifully fluid soprano sax on another Coltrane composition, "Village Blues"—but it's the one that has the greatest drive, and the most visceral power. The trio really swings, Liebman's tenor playing has some inspirational moments, and Beets' solo is full of inventive, strong playing and fat tones.

The trio swings, too, on its up-tempo, spare but forceful rendition of Miles Davis' "All Blues." Liebman's soprano is almost aggressive at times, cascades of notes pouring out in a seemingly endless stream, while Ineke is both playful and commanding. Beets plays another fine bass solo, but his sound suffers from the album's one problem—a tendency for the sound mix to give too much emphasis to Ineke's drums. This is usually to the detriment of Beets, but at times Liebman's saxophone is also rather overwhelmed.

In contrast with much of Liebman's output, the spontaneous, unplanned, performance of Lieb Plays The Blues À La Trane might seem like a minor addition to the saxophonist's ouvre. Indeed, Liebman writes in the sleeve notes: "There is nothing new contained herein..." Maybe there isn't, but spontaneity is at the heart of jazz, and the in-the-moment decisions made by Liebman, Beets and Ineke one night in Belgium have resulted in some terrific music. This is a master class in trio jazz, a worthy tribute to Coltrane and a more than welcome addition to Liebman's extensive discography. ~Bruce Lindsay

David Liebman: soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone; Marius Beets: bass; Eric Ineke: drums.

Lieb Plays The Blues A La Trane

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Al DeLory - Floreando Salsa Jazz

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 55:07
Size: 126.2 MB
Styles: Afro-Cuban jazz, Salsa
Year: 1996
Art: Front

[5:02] 1. Classical Gas
[4:37] 2. Via
[3:37] 3. Floreando
[3:43] 4. Carta De Amor
[5:19] 5. Pa Gozar
[8:11] 6. Quiet Village, Part 1 & 2
[3:42] 7. Song From M A S H
[6:09] 8. Lover
[3:34] 9. Yo Tango Nuevo Amor
[3:18] 10. Maria Cervantes
[4:13] 11. Oxigeno
[3:35] 12. Pete Mambos On The Terrace

Al Delory needs no introduction to those who listen to the radio. Al DeLory was keyboard player in Phil Spector's famous and now legendary "Wrecking Crew" helping to create the "Wall of Sound" on hundreds of hit records for artists and groups in the 60's.

Al DeLory was asked by executives at Capitol Records to Produce Glen Campbell's third album, which then continued a music legacy of producing, arranging, and conducting dozens of recording sessions for major artists including Anne Murray, Wayne Newton, and The Lettermen. Al DeLory earned two Grammys, six Grammy nominations, and a multitude of gold and platinum records.

Al DeLory now returns to his Latin roots with a genuine genre of carefully selected Latin songs. With experience and talent gained from his Latin heritage, decades of involvement in the music industry, and time spent studying and playing with musicians in Cuba, "Al DeLory and Salsa 'n Nashville" create a spicy sauced, salsa recipe perfect for listening and dancing.

Floreando Salsa Jazz

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Ann Malcolm - The Crystal Paperweight

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 52:12
Size: 119.5 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz, Saxophone jazz
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[7:22] 1. Childhood
[5:08] 2. Evening (Beau Soir)
[5:42] 3. Give
[5:43] 4. The Red Cat
[8:54] 5. Before Down
[5:25] 6. The Crystal Paperweight
[9:26] 7. My Bells
[4:28] 8. Remember The Time

The American singer Ann Malcolm grew up in Iowa, USA. She began piano at the age of four, listening nearly daily to her grandmother who had been a pianist for silent movies. After adding the saxophone at age ten, Ann says, "I knew very young that I wanted to be a musician. In Iowa Ann had many opportunities to build up a strong musical foundation. She received her Bachelor of Music degree at the University at Iowa, and it was there she had her first engagements as a jazz singer. Ann received her Master of Music degree (saxophone performance) at New England Conservatory of Music in Boston with the highly respected professor, Joe Allard.

Ann proved to be an exciting and expressive vocalist at the Charles Mingus Memorial Concert. After attending saxophone master classes in France with Jean-Marie Londeix and Daniel Deffayet she moved to Switzerland to study further in the Konzertklasse at the Musik-Akademie der Stadt Basel with Iwan Roth. On the saxophone Ann has played and toured with the Tonhalle Orchestra Zürich, Opera Orchestra Zürich, Basel Symphony Orchestra, Hessischer Rundfunk Orchestra, as well as with the saxophone trio Europort.

"The Crystal Paperweight", ABEAT records, Italy, was released in July 2010. Arranged for octet by the great trumpeter, composer and arranger Tom Harrell, this very special work includes 4 new lyric versions of Tom Harrell's compositions and a second recording of Before Dawn ("Sail Away"), previously recorded by Ann in 1994 at Van Gelder Studio, New Jersey, with Kenny Barron.

As a producer, singer, lyricist and saxophonist Ann combines all facets of her musical talents on this new project. Ann is Professor for vocal jazz and workshop at the Hochschule für Musik, Abt. Jazz, in Basel and since Oct. 2005, is Professor for vocal jazz at the Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst in Mannheim, Germany. She is also internationally active at workshops and contests.

The Crystal Paperweight

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Don Byas - When The Sun Comes Out

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 75:26
Size: 172.7 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[3:53] 1. Lover Man
[2:51] 2. When The Sun Comes Out
[3:14] 3. Darling, Je Vous Aime Beaucoup
[3:32] 4. If I Had You
[3:27] 5. Lover Come Back To Me
[2:25] 6. Time On My Hands
[3:13] 7. Remember My Forgotten Man
[6:29] 8. Blues It
[3:11] 9. You Came Along From Out Of Nowhere
[3:32] 10. Sweet Lorraine
[3:25] 11. Hold My Hand
[2:46] 12. I Can't Give You Anything But Love
[2:43] 13. One O'clock Jump
[2:49] 14. April In Paris
[2:40] 15. Just One Of Those Things
[2:59] 16. Don't Blame Me
[5:27] 17. Indiana
[3:23] 18. I Can't Get Started
[2:59] 19. Them There Eyes
[3:47] 20. Blues For Don Carlos
[3:24] 21. No One But You
[3:07] 22. Sincerely

One of the greatest of all tenor players, Don Byas' decision to move permanently to Europe in 1946 resulted in him being vastly underrated in jazz history books. His knowledge of chords rivalled Coleman Hawkins, and, due to their similarity in tones, Byas can be considered an extension of the elder tenor. He played with many top swing bands, including those of Lionel Hampton (1935), Buck Clayton (1936), Don Redman, Lucky Millinder, Andy Kirk (1939-1940), and most importantly Count Basie (1941-1943). An advanced swing stylist, Byas' playing looked toward bop. He jammed at Minton's Playhouse in the early '40s, appeared on 52nd Street with Dizzy Gillespie, and performed a pair of stunning duets with bassist Slam Stewart at a 1944 Town Hall concert. After recording extensively during 1945-1946 (often as a leader), Byas went to Europe with Don Redman's band, and (with the exception of a 1970 appearance at the Newport Jazz Festival) never came back to the U.S. He lived in France, the Netherlands, and Denmark; often appeared at festivals; and worked steadily. Whenever American players were touring, they would ask for Byas, who had opportunities to perform with Duke Ellington, Bud Powell, Kenny Clarke, Dizzy Gillespie, Jazz at the Philharmonic (including a recorded tenor battle with Hawkins and Stan Getz), Art Blakey, and (on a 1968 recording) Ben Webster. Byas also recorded often in the 1950s, but was largely forgotten in the U.S. by the time of his death. ~bio by Scott Yanow

When The Sun Comes Out

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Arthur Blythe - Lenox Avenue Breakdown

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1979
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:23
Size: 92,7 MB
Art: Front

( 7:46)  1. Down San Diego Way
(13:27)  2. Lenox Avenue Breakdown
( 9:38)  3. Slidin' Through
( 9:31)  4. Odessa

Given the urban title of alto saxophonist Arthur Blythe's debut Columbia album, it's quite a shock when he and his red-hot band of collaborators that include James Blood Ulmer on guitar, Bob Stewart on tuba, flutist James Newton, bassist Cecil McBee, and Jack DeJohnette open with the decidedly funky Latin breaks on "Down San Diego Way." It's not a vamp and it's not a misleading intro, the first of four tracks showcases not only the deep versatility of the rhythm section, but Blythe's own gift as both a composer and as a soloist. He states the melody, handing off the harmonics to Ulmer and Newton and then flies high into the face of its chosen changes, allowing the beat to change under him several times before bringing back a theme and letting Ulmer solo. Blythe's grounding in the blues and in modal composition guide him on the title track; he and Newton move through intervallic shifts of chromatic intensity and spatial columnar structures, while Ulmer builds a middle bridge to both ground and fly from. 

But Blythe is not content here to showcase the extremes. On both "Slidin' Through," his exercise in harmolodic composition, and "Odessa," Blythe provides ample proof of his wisdom as a bandleader, encouraging solo and rhythmic interplay between different groups of musicians such as McBee and Blythe on the former and between himself, Newton and Ulmer on the latter as the rhythm section winds it out in both cases, stretching the narrow envelope into something far more textured and thematically unified note the Ornette-meets-noir ambience of "Odessa." This group lays like a band that had been together for years, not the weeklong period it took them to rehearse and create one of Blythe's masterpieces. Over 20 years later, Lenox Avenue Breakdown still sounds new and different and ranks among the three finest albums in his catalog. ~ Thom Jurek  http://www.allmusic.com/album/lenox-avenue-breakdown-mw0000045828

Personnel: Arthur Blythe (alto saxophone); Bob Stewart (tuba); James Newton (flute); James "Blood" Ulmer (guitar); Cecil McBee (bass); Jack DeJohnette (drums); Guillermo Franco (percussion).

Lenox Avenue Breakdown

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Al Grey & Jesper Thilo Quintet - Al Grey And Jesper Thilo Quintet

Styles: Trombone Jazz, Bop
Year: 1987
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:18
Size: 105,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:28)  1. Just Jazz
(6:16)  2. God Bless The Child
(6:54)  3. The Girl From Ipanema
(5:11)  4. I'm Hungry, Sabrina
(7:15)  5. The Vanguard Groove
(7:17)  6. A Night In Tunisia
(6:55)  7. On The Sunny Side Of The Street

This studio session in which the great swing trombonist Al Grey leads a fine quintet through a set of mostly standards is exactly what journalist Eddie Cook calls "Happy Jazz" in the liner notes. Grey is right at home with tunes such as "God Bless the Child," "The Girl From Ipanema," and "A Night in Tunisia." The surprise of the session is "On the Sunny Side of the Street," which is played at a slow though compelling pace. Grey came to favor the tenor-bone front line in his small groups, and the Dane, saxophonist Jesper Thilo, does a commendable job as his partner. Thilo's thick, rich tone recalls Coleman Hawkins, a perfect foil to the trombonist's brash, brassy sound. While Grey's best work was performed as a big-band sideman, both with Dizzy Gillespie and Count Basie, his excellent solo work here and in other intimate settings is nonetheless an important part of his discography. His unique tone and style are in full bloom, and this recording should appeal to anyone who enjoys the sound of the jazz trombone in a joyous, no frills, and straight-ahead role. ~ Steve Loewy  http://www.allmusic.com/album/al-grey-and-jesper-thilo-quintet-mw0000317923

Al Grey And Jesper Thilo Quintet

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Gregg Rolie - Five Days EP

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 21:48
Size: 49.9 MB
Styles: Rock
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[3:24] 1. Black Magic Woman
[4:12] 2. Anytime
[4:09] 3. Love Doesn't Live Here Anymore
[3:43] 4. If I Went Home
[3:48] 5. Trouble In Mind
[2:30] 6. Cool Little Mama

Gregg Rolie, a 1998 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, has learned a lot about himself since taking fame’s exit ramp to start a family almost 30 years ago. He’s put into perspective the work done as a founding member of Santana, a stint that saw Rolie co-produce the group’s first four albums beginning in 1969. The bluesy B-3 stylist then added to an overstuffed resume that already included an appearance at Woodstock, leaving with Neal Schon to launch Journey. There, he helped craft a series of 1970s recordings that set the stage for that band’s arena-rock supernova moment in the 1980s.

These days, when not leading the rollicking seven-piece Gregg Rolie Band, you’re apt to find him performing in a series of small, deeply interactive gigs around Austin. The days of headlining football stadiums, it seems, are happily behind him. Instead, Rolie’s engaging with the audience. “Back then, you wanted to be the gods descending from Olympus,” Rolie says, chuckling to himself. “Now, it’s more personal. It’s funny, I used to not want to talk to an audience, and I don’t think I could have talked to them. But I’m comfortable in my own skin now.”

In keeping, Rolie has just released Five Days, an intimate solo EP featuring updates of “Black Magic Woman” and “Anytime,” two of his most memorable vocals with Santana and Journey, along with three new songs. Five Days was recorded live with son Sean as producer, on a piano in the living room of Rolie’s Austin home.

Five Days

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Raymond Scott & His Swinging Strings - Amor

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 37:06
Size: 84.9 MB
Styles: Easy Listening
Year: 1965/2009
Art: Front

[3:16] 1. How High The Moon
[3:31] 2. Summertime
[2:27] 3. Orchids In The Moonlight
[4:09] 4. Amor
[1:57] 5. What Is This Thing Called Love
[3:08] 6. Deep Purple
[3:30] 7. Stardust
[2:18] 8. True Love
[3:47] 9. All The Things You Are
[2:00] 10. La Cumparsita
[3:26] 11. Somewhere Over The Rainbow
[3:30] 12. Where Is Your Heart (Song Of The Moulin Rouge)

Composer, bandleader, and inventor Raymond Scott was among the unheralded pioneers of contemporary experimental music, a figure whose genius and influence have seeped almost subliminally into the mass cultural consciousness. As a visionary whose name is largely unknown but whose music is immediately recognizable, Scott's was a career stuffed with contradictions: though his early work anticipated the breathless invention of bebop, his obsession with perfectionism and memorization was the very antithesis of jazz's improvisational ethos. Though his best-known compositions remain at large thanks to their endless recycling as soundtracks for cartoons, he never once wrote a note expressly for animated use, and though his later experiments with electronic music pioneered the ambient aesthetic, the ambient concept itself was not introduced until a decade after the release of his original recordings. ~Jason Ankeny

Amor

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Frank Rosolino - I Play Trombone

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 37:26

Size: 85.7 MB

Styles: Bop, Trombone jazz

Year: 1956/2014

Art: Front

[7:03] 1. I May Be Wrong (But I Think You're Wonderful)

[4:17] 2. The Things We Did Last Summer

[6:07] 3. Frieda

[7:46] 4. Doxy

[7:34] 5. My Delux

[4:37] 6. Flamingo

It was said that Frank Rosolino played what he did on trombone because he didn’t know it was impossible. First gaining notice with Stan Kenton in the Forties, his fast solos and stratospheric high notes were unlike any heard up to that time. Part of a large crowd to leave Kenton en masse in the Fifties (Art Pepper, Bob Cooper, Shorty Rogers, Shelly Manne) he was a major part of the West Coast school, even though his hard-charging style didn’t fit the "mellow" stereotype. Best known as a sideman, he rarely got the chance to lead his own sessions; one such effort, from 1958, was planned to be the first West Coast hard-bop album. His attack and his tone helped direct the modern style on trombone.

Frank Rosolino was born into a musical family; his earliest instruments were guitar and accordion. When he was thirteen he began taking trombone lessons and continued through high school, despite being unable to read music. His agility and horn speed supposedly came from his youthful attempts to emulate his brother playing the violin. He served in the Army at the tail end of World War II, stationed in the Philippines. After completing guard duty one night (and bored with it), Rosolino went onstage during an Army dance, and played with the rhythm section during the band’s intermission. The crowd was impressed, and Frank was transferred to a band unit – as was his plan. It was there that he learned how to sight-read, and upon discharge joined the Bob Chester band in 1946. Several jobs followed: the Casa Loma Orchestra in 1947, Gene Krupa in 1948 (Frank’s comedy vocal on "Lemon Drop" might be his most famous performance) and Stan Kenton from 1952 to ’54 … at its peak of popularity.

Frank became a star with Kenton, and shortly afterwards joined the Lighthouse All-Stars, where he played with other Kenton veterans for a number of years. He recorded often in this period, but rarely as a leader; he was particularly upset that Free for All, which he considered his best album, was never released in his lifetime. He became very productive as a studio musician, playing on movie soundtracks, singing occasionally, and working on the pop recordings of Phil Spector. While he still played jazz now and then (he appears on some Paulinho Da Costa sessions for Pablo, and toured with Benny Carter in 1974) but in the Seventies he played commercial music most of the time. In an event still clouded with mystery and speculation, Frank Rosolino died in a group suicide with his two sons. (One of the boys did survive the wounds.) His music remains vibrant, and often emulated.

Bass – Wilfred Middlebrooks; Drums – Stan Levey; Piano – Sonny Clark; Trombone – Frank Rosolino.

I Play Trombone

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Muriel Zoe - Red and Blue

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:43
Size: 123,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:31)  1. Bye Bye Blackbird
(4:37)  2. You Go To My Head
(3:09)  3. Up Jumped Spring
(3:17)  4. Lovesong, No. 1
(5:37)  5. My One And Only Love
(4:04)  6. Round Midnight
(4:14)  7. Don´t Explain
(5:38)  8. Willow Weep For Me
(4:20)  9. You Don't Know What Love Is
(2:16) 10. Second Time Around
(2:52) 11. Happiness Is Just A Thing Called Joe
(2:50) 12. The Masquerade Is Over
(3:55) 13. All The Way
(3:17) 14. Autumn Leaves

Muriel Zoe’s creativity springs from a rare skill in two fields: she has not just a great musical but also an artistic talent which developed early and which have fed off each other since then. Muriel Zoe is today a freelance musician and painter as well as a teacher of painting and graphic art in Hamburg. Muriel Zoe was born in 1969 in Ludwigshafen. Part of her schooling was at an English boarding school in South India. Back in Germany, she began to play guitar at age 12 and wrote her first songs with English lyrics at 15.  

In 1988 she began to train as painter and engraver at the art school in Nurtingen in the Southern region of Baden-Wurttemberg and continued her education from 1990 at the technical university for design in Hamburg. Since 1994 she has exhibited in both group and solo shows.  In 1990 she began studies... https://www.actmusic.com/en/Artists/Muriel-Zoe/Red-And-Blue/Red-And-Blue-CD

Personnel: Muriel Zoe: vocals, acoustic guitar; Michael Verhovec: drums, percussion; Matthias Pogoda: acoustic guitar; Johannes Huth: bass; Michael Leuschner: trumpet

Red and Blue

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Gary Smith - The Midnight Sun

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:01
Size: 128,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:55)  1. Angel Eyes
(6:53)  2. Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man
(6:02)  3. Twilight
(7:01)  4. Midnight Sun
(5:41)  5. Lullaby Of The Leaves
(5:31)  6. Stardust
(6:11)  7. Say What?
(3:49)  8. Emily
(5:25)  9. Sopros Suaves
(3:29) 10. Easy To Love

The Midnight Sun

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Peter Pearson - Lost In A Summer Haze

Styles: Lounge
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:18
Size: 83,6 MB
Art: Front

(6:18)  1. We're Looking at the Stars
(5:40)  2. So Beautiful
(4:55)  3. French Favour
(4:56)  4. Cafe De Paris
(2:46)  5. A Long Way Off
(5:59)  6. Lost In A Summer Haze
(5:40)  7. Stars In The Sea

Born in London 1947, qualified as a Doctor 1970, and subsequently became a General Practitioner until retirement in 1997. He dabbled in guitar (with brother), piano, and songwriting (with sister) in an earlier life, and played keyboards in a blues band (Blue Shift) in the nineties. After retirement from medicine, Peter was then able to concentrate on his other great passion- music composition. He completed "Music for the Media" course, obtaining a Diploma in Media Composition, and was awarded a Diploma in Music (composition) by the WMF. He achieved some notable successes in various song contests. He collaborated with and received much guidance from Nic Rowley. Several of his pieces have been published by Music Libraries, and over 200 tracks released, including a dozen albums. He is proud to be published by Mustard Music. 

Peter's chief earlier influences have been Rachmaninov, Elgar, Chopin, Ray Charles, Burt Bacharach, John Barry, Francis Lai, Michel Legrand, Jobim, and Ennio Morricone; and then the great pop composers of a later era, with emotive, romantic and soul influences. More recently, he has been heavily influenced by the Chillout scene, notably Michael e.. A curiously diverse combination that may explain his equally diverse styles, that crosses the genres of Easy Listening and Chillout, with elements of Ambient, Lounge, Jazz, Blues, light Classical and Rock.His primordial need in composition is to be emotionally moved- if there is no passion there is no music. 

He also feels a need to share his music, and strives to compose for the enjoyment of others. Peter's compositions are mainly instrumental. Being essentially a keyboardist, his chief materials are keyboards and a computer, with occasional use of an acoustic guitar and accordion. Peter's other passions include wine, sun, nature and his family. He lives happily in the south of France with his patient and supportive wife. As Francis Lai once told him: when music becomes a passion, it is an outlet that helps us surmount the imponderables of life. Bio ~ http://www.peterpearsonmusic.com/bio

Lost In A Summer Haze

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Michael Brecker - Nearness Of You : The Ballad Book

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@224K/s
Time: 60:23
Size: 97,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:15)  1. Chan's Song
(4:44)  2. Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight
(6:18)  3. Nascente
(6:23)  4. Midnight Mood
(4:38)  5. The Nearness Of You
(5:22)  6. Incandescence
(5:29)  7. Sometimes I See
(7:11)  8. My Ship
(5:37)  9. Always
(5:34) 10. Seven Days
(3:49) 11. I Can See Your Dreams

There comes a time, it seems, when every major-label jazzer has to add a ballads album to his or her discography. That time has come for Michael Brecker, who enlists the formidable Pat Metheny as both producer and guitarist. Along for the ride are three players you may have heard of: Herbie Hancock, Charlie Haden, and Jack DeJohnette. The 11 tracks (divided into two five-track "chapters" and a one-track "epilogue") are flawlessly executed practically airbrushed and as mainstream as can be, but darned if they don't raise a few goosebumps. Brecker is restrained and mellow-toned throughout, shelving some of his pet licks and pushing himself into more lyrical territory. Metheny's guitar work is exquisite, particularly on Hancock's "Chan's Song," which contrasts nicely with Jacky Terrasson's version on 1997's Rendezvous (Blue Note). These aren't the ballads you'd expect, and that's primarily what makes the date work. There are two cuts from Metheny's 1996 album Quartet (Geffen), "Sometimes I See" and "Seven Days." 

There's also Brecker's "Incandescence" and "I Can See Your Dreams," the latter serving as the wistful "epilogue." Joe Zawinul's "Midnight Mood" is another unusual entry. The only standards are "Always," "My Ship" (Gil Evans's Miles Ahead arrangement, Gil Goldstein's adaptation for quintet), and "The Nearness of You," the last of which features James Taylor (!) on vocals. Taylor's presence raises some interesting issues. His is not a jazz voice by any means, and in a way, that's what redeems his performance on "The Nearness of You." Cynics may lambaste his inclusion as a commercial ploy, and they may be partly right, but one thing's for sure: he puts his own stamp on the tune, preventing it from sounding recycled and retro. The same can be said for "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight," which also features Taylor's singing. One could argue that Taylor is this track's saving grace. Without him, the group might have played the song as a boring, muzaky instrumental. Instead, we hear Taylor revisiting one of his own classics, rearranged as a jazz ballad. There's artistic merit there for sure. ~ David Adler  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/nearness-of-you-the-ballad-book-michael-brecker-verve-music-group-review-by-david-adler.php#.VC3iFBawTP8

Personnel: Michael Brecker, tenor sax; Pat Metheny, guitars, producer; Herbie Hancock, piano; Charlie Haden, bass; Jack DeJohnette, drums; James Taylor, vocals (2, 5)

Nearness Of You:The Ballad Book

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Mimmo Langella - Funk That Jazz

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 44:48
Size: 102.6 MB
Styles: Guitar rock-jazz, Fusion
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[5:11] 1. Follow Me Now
[6:09] 2. Scò
[5:57] 3. Up Two
[4:09] 4. The Gig Una Razza
[6:56] 5. The Harmony Of The Soul
[5:12] 6. In The Air
[4:05] 7. Come On
[7:06] 8. Jean Paul

"Langella continues the musical journey begun some years ago with the record "The Other Side". The jazz/blues influences absorbed after all these years merge naturally into a fine blend of styles on the rhythmic territory of black music roots (with pleasand hints of modern electro-lounge trends), colored with "retro" timbres so warm and "alive" that, when the listener closes their eyes, they seem to be there in the studio during the recording sessions. The bandleader shows great maturity in conducting the combo, accommodating his partners and relegating his fine guitar technique in the sevice of his music. The music of Langella is once again personal, fresh and melodically engaging; the phrases of the neapolitan guitarist are articulated in the rhythm that has the naturalness of one." Funk That Jazz features guest guitarist Scott Henderson on "Up Two" and "The Harmony Of The Soul"

Funk That Jazz

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Kelly Dickson & Werner Kristiansen - Doodlin'

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 40:24
Size: 92.5 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[5:00] 1. Beautiful Love
[6:53] 2. Gentle Rain
[3:21] 3. Like Someone In Love
[4:36] 4. If I Should Lose You
[3:17] 5. Doodlin'
[5:32] 6. My One And Only Love
[3:22] 7. I'm An Errand Girl For Rhythm
[4:02] 8. That Was Then
[4:17] 9. To Michael Brecker

Doodlin’ is vocalist Kelly Dickson’s second New York jazz recording. This album is a collaboration with Norwegian guitarist Werner Kristiansen and features the great George Garzone on Saxophones throughout. Recorded in January 2007 the trio was also joined by Jeff Pedraz on Double Bass and Pete Zimmer on drums.

Doodlin’ comprises a selection of jazz standards as well as two originals compositions, one written by Kristiansen and the second penned by Garzone honoring the late Mike Brecker.

Doodlin'

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Jimmy Bosch - A Million!

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 56:30
Size: 129.4 MB
Styles: Latin jazz, Salsa
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[ 4:26] 1. Bailalo Si Te Atreves
[ 7:08] 2. Maracayero
[ 5:19] 3. Foreclosure Ejecucion De Una Hipoteca
[ 4:38] 4. Mujeres Mandan
[ 4:01] 5. Te Adoro Mami
[ 6:26] 6. Cuantas Veces
[ 6:20] 7. Quedate
[ 5:12] 8. Alma Compartido
[12:57] 9. Foreclosure -Long Version-Ejecucion De Una Hipoteca

Jimmy Bosch is known throughout the world to be a powerful force as a trombonist, as a composer, as an entertainer and as the producer of his own records for his own Independent record label, JRGR Records, Inc. People all over the world who follow Jimmy know to expect something different from the norm. He does it his way and his records are like no other records in the world.

“A MILLON,” is Jimmy’s 4th solo record release. On this record, he introduces yet another lead vocalist, a true young “Sonero” from Puerto Rico. He also presents a female, singing lead on one track. And if that’s not enough, he wrote and sang a Bolero himself on this production. A powerful song about the love between a mother and her son, audiences will no doubt be moved by its delivery and its sincerity.

People worldwide refer to Bosch as Salsa’s Brutal Trombone, “a real person”, “awesome”, “extraordinary”, “most expressive”, “great soloist,” etc. Considered one of today’s most important composers/lyricists in Salsa music, his songs are thought provoking, educational, inspiring, socially reflective and even comedic. His ability to conquer the rhythmic complexities with his heartfelt and gifted trombone playing styles has placed him in the Royal Court of the music world, covering the Salsa, Latin Jazz and World music genres.

Appearing on over 70 recordings, Bosch has made records and/or toured with his 11 piece band as well as with Israel Cachao Lopez, Ruben Blades and Son del Solar, Celia Cruz, Ray Barretto, Willie Colon, Manny Oquendo y Libre, Paquito D’Rivera, Oscar De Leon, Jose Alberto “El Canario,” Marc Anthony, FANIA Allstars, Eddie and Charlie Palmieri, Steve Turre, Incognito, Spanish Harlem Orchestra, Jon Faddis, Arturo O’farril and the list goes on.

A Million!

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The Ed Bickert Trio - Out Of The Past

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:33
Size: 149,4 MB
Art: Front

(7:49)  1. Con Alma
(8:01)  2. Soft Winds
(9:00)  3. When Sunny Gets Blue
(5:28)  4. I'm Just A Lucky So And So
(5:26)  5. Where Is The One
(4:52)  6. Deep In A Dream
(5:34)  7. Have You Met Miss Jones
(7:34)  8. Skating In Central Park
(9:46)  9. Nica's Dream

Ed Bickert was born in Hochfeld, Manitoba on November 29th, 1932, and raised in Vernon, British Columbia. His early interest in guitar was in part influenced by his musical household (his mother and father played piano and guitar in country bands). He was self-taught, developing an interest in jazz harmony by studying and analyzing Stan Kenton records. Via radio broadcasts from the American West Coast, he heard and was influenced by Nat “King” Cole Trio guitarist Oscar Moore, Barney Kessel and Les Paul. In his early teens he gained experience by playing onstage with his parents. In 1952 Ed moved to Toronto, working as a radio station engineer and playing after-hours jazz clubs on the side. Shy and retiring, he was slow to work himself into the Toronto jazz circuit, but by 1955 he was a regular club performer and in 1957, he made his first studio recording date, appearing on Moe Koffman's fluke hit single Swinging Shepherd Blues. 

In the 60s, Ed worked regularly with Koffman and other major figures of Canadian jazz. He was invited to be a founding member of Rob McConnell's Boss Brass in 1968 and has played with that unit ever since, as well as becoming increasingly in demand as a session guitarist. In 1974, on the recommendation of the legendary Jim Hall, the equally legendary Paul Desmond sought out Ed to form a performing quartet, marking Desmond's return to the musical stage after an absence of seven years. Desmond, a jazz star who had seen the world and played with the best, was utterly blown away by Ed's playing, and determined to record with him; this marked Ed's first session for an American label, with consequent wider exposure. During the next three years [Desmond's last], the Desmond-Bickert quartet performed frequently, and many of these gigs were recorded. (Lucky for us! Paul and Ed brought out the best in each other, and their records together constitute a high-water mark in jazz.)

In 1979, Ed recorded a duo album with his fellow Desmond Quartet alumnus Don Thompson the album won the 1980 Juno Award for Best Jazz Recording of the Year. In the 80s, Ed continued to work regularly with Koffman and McConnell. Furthermore, he signed with Concord Jazz Records, which meant even greater exposure in the States. For Concord, he frequently backed up Rosemary Clooney, toured with the Concord Jazz All-Stars, and [finally] began to record as a session leader on a regular basis. In 1983, Ed also became co-leader of a dual-guitar quartet with Lorne Lofsky, an arrangement that lasted a full ten years. The 90s have seen Ed go on unstoppably working with Canada's jazz élite, hotly sought after by fellow musicians but shunning the limelight, playing like God on that same old, worn, creamy-yellow Tele. And finally, on January 7, 1997, our Governor-General appointed Ed as a Member of the Order of Canada in recognition of his “distinguished service” to Canadian music. This entitles Ed to wear a medal like the one pictured over there, and to append to his name the honorific CM. (Chances are he greeted the news with an “aw shucks” worthy of Gary Cooper...) Bio ~ http://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/edbickert

Personnel: Ed Bickert (guitar); Terry Clarke (drums); Don Thompson (bass)

Out Of The Past

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The Jive Bombers - Jump! With The Jive Bombers

Styles: Jazz, Swing
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:37
Size: 95,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:39)  1. Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens
(3:18)  2. We're Gonna Make It
(7:45)  3. Theme For Coleman Hawkins (feat. Alex Dean)
(3:55)  4. Send Me to the 'Lectric Chair
(3:02)  5. Harlem Nocturne (feat. Bobby Brough)
(2:47)  6. A Chicken Ain't Nothin' But a Bird
(2:34)  7. Goin' Out the Back Way (feat. Del Dako)
(4:02)  8. Person To Person
(2:53)  9. On Revival Day
(3:54) 10. Hallelujah I Love Her So
(3:42) 11. St Louis Blues

The Jive Bombers (who are not to be confused with the rockabilly group bearing the same moniker) are best known for their Savoy single "Bad Boy" which reached number seven on the R&B charts in 1957. The group Earl Johnson, Al Tinney, William Tinney (aka "Pee Wee"), and lead vocalist Clarence Palmer were formed from the membership of two other vocal acts: Sonny Austin & the Jive Bombers and the Palmer Brothers. They were originally known as the Sparrows again, these weren't the Sparrows who recorded "Why Did You Leave Me?" for Jay Dee when they recorded early in their career for Coral in 1949; they later changed names back to the Jive Bombers when they switched over to Citation Records in 1952.  The Jive Bombers' "Bad Boy" (written by Avon Long and Lillian Hardin Armstrong, better known perhaps as "Lil Hardin" and wife of Louis Armstrong from 1924-1938) was their only charting hit, it peaked at number 36 on the pop/number seven on R&B in 1957. Clarence Palmer's beautifully sung classic has been re-recorded by a number of artists, including the Escorts ('50s), Mink Deville, Ringo Starr, Sha Na Na, and many more. It was later featured prominently in the John Waters-directed movie, Cry Baby. Bio ~ https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/the-jive-bombers/id62048189

Jump! With The Jive Bombers

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Loston Harris - Swingfully Yours

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:51
Size: 86,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:26)  1. Kiss And Run
(3:04)  2. Nice Work If You Can Get It
(3:13)  3. I'm Old Fashioned
(2:52)  4. Hey You With The Crazy Eyes
(6:20)  5. How About You
(4:24)  6. I've Got The World On A String
(4:08)  7. 9:26 Special
(4:39)  8. The Lamp Is Low
(2:40)  9. You Can't Love 'Em All

The liner notes for Loston Harris’ Swingfully Yours set a clear agenda. “This recording is all about swing,” declares the pianist and singer, a mainstay at New York’s famed Carlyle Hotel. “No torch songs or ballads, just tunes with tempos that make you wanna tap your toes.” Harris delivers on his promise with this nine-track collection, his quartet deep in the pocket of their frontman’s all-swing, all-the-time marching orders.Harris isn’t out to re-conceptualize the standards that make up the setlist for Swingfully Yours. This is old-school small-group swing, with a bounce and ebullience that works for laidback listening as well as it would for the dance floor. Harris’ work on the 88s is crisp and elegant, simultaneously devoted to pace and melodic clarity. 

But he’s unafraid to lay down hammer-blow block chords on “Hey You With the Crazy Eyes,” and he burns through a finger-busting solo on his own instrumental arrangement of Earl Warren’s “9:20 Special.” While perhaps not as stylistically distinctive as his piano, Harris’ vocals, smoky-smooth with a minimum of croon, caress Ralph Freed’s legendary lyrics for “How About You?,” and he brings a pleasing breathiness to Cahn and Van Heusen’s “You Can’t Love ’Em All.” Tenor saxophonist Ian Hendrickson-Smith offers a fine, full tone whether soloing or comping behind Harris’ vocals. Gianluca Renzi works his bass’ natural woodiness for all it’s worth on “Kiss and Run,” and Carmen Intorre Jr.’s slick snare shots and sharp ride cymbal give the music a splashy energy throughout. Swingfully Yours runs a brisk 39 minutes, but Harris and his ensemble pack every second with pure, no-nonsense swing. ~ Matt R.Lohr  http://jazztimes.com/articles/132473-swingfully-yours-loston-harris

Personnel: Loston Harris (vocals, piano); Ian Hendrickson-Smith (tenor saxophone); Carmen Intorre (drums).

Swingfully Yours

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Rein De Graaff - Bebop, Ballads & Blues

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 60:40
Size: 138.9 MB
Styles: Mainstream jazz
Year: 1990/2000
Art: Front

[5:21] 1. There's No You
[5:03] 2. Blue Skies
[2:17] 3. Darn That Dream
[3:24] 4. Old Folks
[5:43] 5. Take The A Train
[2:58] 6. Improvisation In Confirmation
[1:43] 7. Goodbye
[3:59] 8. Drifting On A Reed
[5:08] 9. I Waited For You
[4:24] 10. Blue Bossa Samba
[4:15] 11. Little Willie Leaps
[5:29] 12. What Is This Thing Called Love
[4:04] 13. My Old Flame
[6:44] 14. Now Is The Time

Take a listen.Great song selection,swinging interpretations and has some fine Dutch aces like Five Diamonds drummer (and two others joining leader and bassist Hank Havehook (if you can find Five Diamonds Brilliant you'll thank me forever) this CD has one of the least appreciated yet still famous tenors of all time, My Man, Charlie Rouse leaving his beautiful tones on Tenor. A must for the Charlie Rouse completion and a fine example of what has always been a vibrant jazz scene in the Netherlands. Maybe not "Kind Of Blue" or Blue Train" nevertheless it's a very good CD worth getting that a hard bop/post bop fan with appreciation for good rendition of standards will enjoy. Cheers. ~Chazz

Bebop, Ballads & Blues

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