John Bunch Trio - Plays The Music Of Irving Berlin (Except One)

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 70:09
Size: 160.6 MB
Styles: Easy Listening, Piano jazz
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[6:44] 1. Soft Lights And Sweet Music
[5:28] 2. Coquette
[7:27] 3. How Deep Is The Ocean
[5:52] 4. What'll I Do
[4:44] 5. I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm
[5:23] 6. The Best Thing For You
[5:29] 7. Isn't This A Lovely Day
[6:08] 8. I'm Putting All My Eggs In One Basket
[7:10] 9. They Say It's Wonderful
[5:47] 10. All By Myself
[4:33] 11. Better Luck Next Time
[5:18] 12. Change Partners

This album sounds utterly effortless—like these guys went into the studio and hit the switch and just let it flow. They are pianist John Bunch (swinging his ass off at 86), guitarist Frank Vignola, bassist John Webber, and, on six tunes, flautist Frank Wess. The program is Irving Berlin songs, very familiar (“How Deep Is the Ocean,” “What’ll I Do”) and less so (“Better Luck Next Time”).

Bunch is probably best known as an accompanist, from Tony Bennett to Scott Hamilton. On tunes like “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm” and “Isn’t This a Lovely Day?,” his exquisitely timed little jabs and fills quietly but insistently prod Wess and Vignola into giving their all. Bunch’s style is to the left of Count Basie and to the right of John Lewis, but he makes you think of them when he solos because of his concision, his ability to choose exactly the four notes the air needs. On “All By Myself,” he builds polite swing into a kind of gentlemanly ecstasy.

The performances here are so consistent that your favorite will be determined by personal loyalty to a certain Irving Berlin song. The vote here goes to “They Say It’s Wonderful.” It is lilting and life-affirming and unsentimental, not to mention personal. ~Thomas Conrad

Plays The Music Of Irving Berlin (Except One)

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Serge Chaloff - Blue Serge

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 41:32

Size: 95.1 MB

Styles: Bop, Saxophone jazz

Year: 1998

Art: Front

[5:33] 1. A Handful Of Stars

[4:44] 2. The Goof And I

[3:45] 3. Thanks For The Memory

[5:24] 4. All The Things You Are

[6:43] 5. I've Got The World On A String

[5:08] 6. Susie's Blues

[4:50] 7. Stairway To The Stars

[5:23] 8. How About You

Baritonist Serge Chaloff's final recording as a leader is his best. Blue Serge is a quartet outing with pianist Sonny Clark, bassist Leroy Vinnegar and drummer Philly Joe Jones. Chaloff had already contracted the spinal paralysis that would kill him a year later but there is no hint of any weakness on this date. Whether it be "The Goof and I," "I've Got the World on a String" or a beautiful rendition of "Stairway to the Stars," this recording features Serge Chaloff at his best. ~Scott Yanow

Blue Serge

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Melani L. Skybell - Through The Years

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:27
Size: 100,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:38)  1. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
(4:28)  2. Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me
(3:43)  3. They Can't Take That Away From Me
(2:32)  4. Through The Years
(4:37)  5. These Foolish Things
(3:54)  6. Love Is Here To Stay
(4:21)  7. Close Your Eyes
(3:52)  8. Old Devil Moon
(3:43)  9. Easy Too Love
(3:32) 10. I Love You
(2:00) 11. No Moon At All
(2:59) 12. I Love Being Here With You

Melani L. Skybell is a vocalist and classically trained pianist, performing either solo or with and ensemble. Her training includes piano and vocal performance at Boston University and at the prestigious jazz studies department of University of North Texas College of Music. She has performed at all of the top venues in Dallas, Texas, and has a gig almost every night of the week. Some evenings there is a line to get into clubs to hear her play not an easy task in a city dominated by C&W and Rock. Melani's repertoire includes traditional jazz standards, sultry ballads, and Latin rhythms. She regularly entertains at Dallas' most popular nightspots.

Recently she was the featured artist at a sold out performance at the Sammons Center for the Arts program "Women In Jazz," and she has also apperared on television news programs covering benefits she has played in the north Texas, Dallas area. Melani is in demand outside of Dallas, having performed at events in Atlanta, Georgia, Kinston, Jamaica, and the Chautauqua Institute of New York. Melani combines her sensual style and compelling interpretations with respect for the tradition of classic jazz. Her first recording, "Through The Years," is in its third printing, and includes her first recorded original piece - the title track,"Through The Years." Her recent release "My Heart Sings," is already going into its third printing, as well. A national talent waiting to be discovered, Melani is not only an engaging singer/pianist with a unique voice and style, she also projects such personal warmth, sincerity, and positive energy that audiences take an instant liking to her.  http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/skybell2

Through The Years

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Kermit Ruffins - Happy Talk

Styles: Vocal And Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:26
Size: 143,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:17)  1. Panama
(7:46)  2. Sugar
(3:59)  3. More Today Than Yesterday
(6:36)  4. New Irleans (My Home Town)
(3:41)  5. Hey Look Me Over
(3:34)  6. Ain't That Good News
(3:54)  7. La Vie En Rose
(5:20)  8. Happy Talk
(9:08)  9. If I Only Had A Brain
(4:26) 10. High Hopes
(5:45) 11. I Got A Treme' Woman
(2:56) 12. Shine

It's no secret that New Orleans is a melting pot, a nexus that mixed African, Cuban, Native American, and European music to create a distinctive rhythm and attitude that can be found nowhere else in the U.S. New Orleans is the only city in American with a distinctive sound, and while you may not be able to describe it, you know it when you hear it. Even in a city known for musicians with a unique take on things, bandleader and trumpet player Kermit Ruffins stands out for his wide-ranging stylistic approach. Happy Talk tackles everything from low-down blues to Dixieland, with Ruffins well-known panache. "If I Only Had a Brain," from The Wizard of Oz, is given a Latin tinge by Herlin Riley's inventive percussion work. Ruffins sings the lyric simply, then gives the band plenty of room to explored the tune's changes with fine solos from Ruffins, Riley, trombonist Corey Henry, and pianist Matt Lemmler. 

Ruffins swings through "Happy Talk," an optimistic love song from South Pacific, delivers a jumpin' jivey version of "Hey Look Me Over" from Lucille Ball's Wildcat, and plays Edith Piaf's "La Vie en Rose" in a slow, mournful tempo that intensifies the song's feeling of hopeless love. His expressive vocal wrings every bit of emotion out of each word with a measured delivery that stretches every breath almost to its breaking point. Ruffins also contributes two original tunes. "New Orleans (My Home Town)" is a slow blues featuring Ruffins' smoky, muted trumpet and playful vocal, Lemmler's late-night piano, and Daryll McCoy's Memphis-style guitar fills, while "I Got a Tremé Woman" is a rousing jump blues with an exuberant, barely contained energy that features the trombone of Henry and David Pulphus' inventive acoustic bass. Ruffins has been getting a lot of exposure on the HBO series Tremé, and although he's been touring more, he still holds down his weekly gig at Vaughan's Lounge, just as he's done for the past 17 years. ~ j.poet  http://www.allmusic.com/album/happy-talk-mw0002041345

Personnel: Kermit Ruffins (vocals, trumpet); Matt Lemmler (piano); Herlin Riley (drums).

Happy Talk

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Mark Elf - Mark Elf Returns 2014

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:14
Size: 124,6 MB
Art: Front

(6:19)  1. A Little Diddy
(4:32)  2. The Sandy Effect
(4:19)  3. It Was So Beautiful
(6:52)  4. Jacky's Jaunt
(4:45)  5. Time On My Hands
(5:41)  6. Michellie's Mambo
(5:36)  7. Low Blow (Baritone Guitar)
(6:49)  8. Titillating
(3:20)  9. The Bottom Line (Baritone Guitar)
(5:56) 10. People Will Say We're in Love

Nothing can stop guitarist Mark Elf from making music. He's battled serious health problems, contended with the ups and downs of the music industry for decades, and, most recently, dealt with the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, the massive storm that flooded his home, delaying the recording of this record for a year. In spite of all of those setbacks and hardships, Elf still manages to have a fairly sunny musical outlook when he straps on the guitar for this, his first album in eight years.  Mark Elf Returns 2014 finds the guitarist swinging alongside an A-list rhythm section made up of pianist David Hazeltine, bassist Peter Washington, and drummer Lewis Nash. All three men were aboard for Elf's two previous projects Glad To Be Back (Jen Bay Records, 2004) and Liftoff (Jen Bay Records, 2006) so there's instant rapport, something that's really required when recording without rehearsal, as was done here. The music presented on this one is direct and accessible, as Elf delivers swingers, a couple of ballads, a spicy mambo, and plenty of songs that basically follow the tried-and-true head-solos-head format. And though the song form(s) may be predictable at times, song forms are merely vessels meant to contain the music. It's what the musicians put into those songs that counts, and these men only add the finest musical ideas and ingredients to these successful sonic recipes. 

The album opens on "A Little Ditty," a swinging number that's based on the changes of "Jordu," and quickly moves to ballad country with "It Was So Beautiful." After that, there's more modest swing, a one-off guest shot from percussionist Steven Kroon on "Michellie's Mambo," a pair of burning numbers that feature Elf on baritone guitar, and a mellow goodbye in the form of "The Sandy Effect." There's lots to love here solo-wise, with plenty of fine work from Elf and Hazeltine, lots of trading fours with Nash, and an eye-of-the-storm solo from Washington during "Low Blow." 

This is straight-ahead jazz as it should be played. Here's to hoping that life doesn't delay the next one from Elf. ~ Dan Bilawsky http://www.allaboutjazz.com/mark-elf-returns-2014-mark-elf-jen-bay-records-review-by-dan-bilawsky.php#.VDq1ahawTP8
 

Personnel: Mark Elf: guitar; David Hazeltine; piano; Peter Washington: bass; Lewis Nash: drums; Steven Kroon: percussion (5).

Mark Elf Returns

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Latin Giants Of Jazz - Ven Baila Conmigo

Styles: Latin, Big Band
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:41
Size: 167,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:40)  1. Lo Que Traigo Es Salsa
(5:46)  2. Increible
(3:33)  3. Cannology
(6:45)  4. La Batidora Meneadora
(5:27)  5. Cuando Suenan Los Cueros
(4:43)  6. Ven Baila Conmigo
(6:08)  7. I Still Love You
(6:07)  8. Gua Cha Rumba
(5:33)  9. Ahora Mismo
(7:11) 10. Tengo Que Conformarme
(4:09) 11. Cookin' The Mambo
(5:43) 12. Dime Quien Eres
(5:51) 13. Si El Mar Se Volviera Ron

The third recording for the self-proclaimed Latin Giants of Jazz is an all-out dance party disc, designed specifically for partying on a Saturday night. Everything is midtempo to upbeat, with no ballads in the bunch, although romantic sentimentality cannot be more than a stone's throw away. Many members of the Tito Puente Orchestra are included here; jazz stalwarts such as Bobby Porcelli, Peter Brainen, Sam Burtis, Mitch Froman, and Lewis Kahn, while Latin stalwarts Jimmy Bosch, Sonny Bravo, lead vocalist Frankie Vazquez, Cita Rodriguez (daughter of the late Pete "El Conde" Rodriguez), and music director Jose Madera anchor the big band. Source material comes from a wide variety of composers and arrangers, making for an exciting listening experience that has translated to the concert stage when presented all over the U.S. Vazquez has a commanding voice, direct and to the point, as best heard on his own during "Si El Mar Se Volviera Ron" in an almost scolding refrain. For the majority of the material, other members of the group join Vazquez in either lusty horn/piano/vocal counterpoint as on Bravo's arrangement of the triple-threat tune "Gua Cha Rumba," the steamy midtempo dance tunes "Lo Que Triago Es Salsa" and the trombone-laden title track, or Raul Marrerro's "Increible." This band knows its basics inside and out, as demonstrated on the instrumental "Cookin' the Mambo" composed by Ray Santos, with Froman and Brainen's punctual tenor sax solos, and it can really burn in high speed, as on Ahmad Katab Salim's "Cannology" with Porcelli's world-class alto sax feature as the ultimate show-stopper.

Rodriguez is featured on the classy, suave "Ahora Mismo," alongside Bosch's piquant trombone; Willie Martinez sings the only song in English, a pop/croon styled "I Still Love You." Luis "Perico" Ortiz's chart of Ignacio Piñero's "La Batidora Meneadora," is done in joyous, rich, la-la-la fashion, while the finale, "Cuando Suenan los Cueros" has the band more fervent than before, never letting up until the final notes are played, the players feeding off each other in typical but non-stop call and response. The excitement quotient of this band is way off the charts, there are no even moderately slow songs, therefore dancers should expect to be on their feet the entire time, with no rest breaks. Ven Baila Conmigo is perfect for either listening with friends, or your next celebratory gathering. ~ Michael G.Nastos  http://www.allmusic.com/album/ven-baila-conmigo-mw0001707738

Personnel: Kevin Bryan, John Walsh, Pete Nater, Richie Viruet, Guido Gonzalez (11): Trumpets; Bobby Porcelli, Todd Bashore, Lawrence Feldman (11): alto saxophones; Mitch Frohman, Peter Brainen: tenor saxophones; Pete Miranda: baritone saxophone; Sam Burtis, Reynaldo Jorge, Lewis Kahn, Noah Bless: trombones; Sonny Bravo: piano; Gerardo Madera: bass; George Delgado: congas and percussion; John Rodriguez: bongos and percussion; Jose Madera: timbales and percussion; Frankie Vazquez: vocals’ Cita Rodriguez (lead vocals on 5), Marco Bermudez, George Maldonado, Willie Martinez (on 3). - See more at: http://latinjazznet.com/2009/05/31/reviews/cds/latin-giants-of-jazz/#sthash.Hyiju5Ds.dpufPersonnel: Kevin Bryan, John Walsh, Pete Nater, Richie Viruet, Guido Gonzalez (11): Trumpets; Bobby Porcelli, Todd Bashore, Lawrence Feldman (11): alto saxophones; Mitch Frohman, Peter Brainen: tenor saxophones; Pete Miranda: baritone saxophone; Sam Burtis, Reynaldo Jorge, Lewis Kahn, Noah Bless: trombones; Sonny Bravo: piano; Gerardo Madera: bass; George Delgado: congas and percussion; John Rodriguez: bongos and percussion; Jose Madera: timbales and percussion; Frankie Vazquez: vocals’ Cita Rodriguez (lead vocals on 5), Marco Bermudez, George Maldonado, Willie Martinez (on 3). - See more at: http://latinjazznet.com/2009/05/31/reviews/cds/latin-giants-of-jazz/#sthash.Hyiju5Ds.dpuf

Ven Baila Conmigo

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Al Cohn - Live With Laila Dalseth/Totti Bergh Quintet

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 70:57
Size: 162.4 MB
Styles: Cool, Mainstream jazz, Saxophone jazz
Year: 2002
Art: Front

[ 6:55] 1. Someone To Watch Over Me
[12:46] 2. Robbins Nest
[ 6:23] 3. Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams
[11:09] 4. East Of The Sun
[ 7:49] 5. Little Man You've Had A Busy Day
[ 5:37] 6. I Remember You
[ 7:17] 7. St.Thomas
[ 6:15] 8. Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered
[ 6:40] 9. Stella By Starlight

An excellent tenor saxophonist and a superior arranger/composer, Al Cohn was greatly admired by his fellow musicians. Early gigs included associations with Joe Marsala (1943), Georgie Auld, Boyd Raeburn (1946), Alvino Rey, and Buddy Rich (1947). But it was when he replaced Herbie Steward as one of the "Four Brothers" with Woody Herman's Second Herd (1948-1949) that Cohn began to make a strong impression. He was actually overshadowed by Stan Getz and Zoot Sims during this period but, unlike the other two tenors, he also contributed arrangements, including "The Goof and I." He was with Artie Shaw's short-lived bop orchestra (1949), and then spent the 1950s quite busy as a recording artist (making his first dates as a leader in 1950), arranger for both jazz and non-jazz settings, and a performer. Starting in 1956, and continuing on an irregular basis for decades, Cohn co-led a quintet with Zoot Sims. The two tenors were so complementary that it was often difficult to tell them apart. Al Cohn continued in this fashion in the 1960s (although playing less), in the 1970s he recorded many gems for Xanadu, and during his last few years, when his tone became darker and more distinctive, Cohn largely gave up writing to concentrate on playing. He made many excellent bop-based records throughout his career for such labels as Prestige, Victor, Xanadu, and Concord; his son Joe Cohn is a talented cool-toned guitarist. ~bio by Scott Yanow

Live With Laila Dalseth/Totti Bergh Quintet

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Mary Cleere Haran - There's A Small Hotel

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 64:43
Size: 148.2 MB
Styles: Cabaret
Year: 1992
Art: Front

[0:48] 1. Introduction
[3:50] 2. Let's Do It
[2:48] 3. Interlude: Algonquin/Cole Porter
[3:17] 4. I Concentrate On You
[3:08] 5. Interlude: Regarding Rodgers & Hart
[4:23] 6. There's A Small Hotel
[4:35] 7. Personality
[7:30] 8. Interlude: Band Introduction Charles Boyer And Casbah
[4:50] 9. It Was Written In The Stars
[3:15] 10. Waters Of March (Aguas De Marzo)
[4:08] 11. Fine Romance Interlude: Dick Cavett/Dorothy Fields
[3:41] 12. I Won't Dance
[4:09] 13. Remind Me
[3:26] 14. (I'll See You In) Cuba
[0:53] 15. Interlude: Maurice Chevalier/Jeanette MacDonald
[5:02] 16. Lover
[1:27] 17. Interlude: Dressing Up
[3:24] 18. The Way You Look Tonight

An entertaining cabaret singer who swings when it fits the song, Mary Cleere Haran is heard in fine form on this live set from the Algonquin Hotel in 1992. Her talking between songs is entertaining, and, even though her repertoire is full of war-horses, her enthusiasm and appealing voice makes most of the material sound fairly fresh. This CD will probably be difficult to locate but cabaret collectors will want it. ~ Scott Yanow

Recorded live at the Algonquin Hotel, New York City, New York.

Mary Cleere Haran (vocals); Lee Musiker (piano); David Finck (bass); Dave Ratajczak (drums).

There's A Small Hotel

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Wallace Roney - No Job Too Big Or Small

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 75:02
Size: 171.8 MB
Styles: Post bop, Trumpet jazz
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[7:29] 1. Melchizedek
[8:48] 2. Alone Together
[6:04] 3. Daahoud
[6:05] 4. Obsession
[5:41] 5. Blue In Green
[4:19] 6. Donna Lee
[8:52] 7. Solar
[5:43] 8. Float
[6:06] 9. Lost
[8:19] 10. For Duke
[7:32] 11. Love For Sale

32 Jazz's No Job Too Big or Small contains 11 highlights (as chosen by producer Adam Dorn) from Wallace Roney's recordings for Muse in the late '80s and early '90s. Although these were made at the outset of his career, Roney was already at the top of his game, as evidenced by this highly enjoyable collection. While the original albums are certainly worth hearing themselves, this is an excellent introduction to the trumpeter's finest recordings. ~Stephen Thomas Erlewine

No Job Too Big Or Small

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The Jive Aces - Life is a Game

Styles: Swing
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:00
Size: 108,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:03)  1. Jive, Jive, Jive Aces
(2:49)  2. Start, Change and Stop
(3:04)  3. I've Got Affinity For You
(4:23)  4. Singing In The Rain
(2:14)  5. Second Chance To Fly
(3:23)  6. Long Distance Love Affair
(3:04)  7. High Energy Jive
(3:25)  8. Only Mugs Take Drugs
(3:36)  9. Clear Body, Clear Mind
(2:56) 10. White Cliffs Of Dover
(4:07) 11. Three Cats Called Louis
(3:14) 12. Sweet Georgia Brown
(3:58) 13. What A Wonderful World
(3:36) 14. Life Is A Game

“A group of lads from London, England were drawn together by their love for a style and music that outclassed anything else around.  The music was hot jive that had the beat, energy and enthusiasm of rock ‘n’ roll and the fun and rhythm of big band swing all rolled into one.  Their musical journey took them from Elvis Presley to Bill Haley and from Louis Prima to Frank Sinatra.  This was the sound that excited the guys so much that they quickly started dancing and would often be seen tearing up the floow when hot bands came to town.  The dancing became a musical learning ground with one common theme:  foot tapping, swinging, spirit-raising fun.  The lads loved dancing but iw was difficult finding bands that they could really swing to, so they turned their talents to making hot music themselves." ~ Website Press Release

The Jive Aces are a fun, swingin’ band.  Their music is upbeat and happy, just like swing should be.   You’ll find mostly jump blues style with a mix of jazz on this CD. The musicianship is very good.  Each get their turn to shine.  But what’s most inspiring about the musicians is that you feel through their music the joy they have about presenting it.  I’m sure some of that comes from their dance experience as well.  It’s reminiscent of Lucky Millinder, who also started out as a dancer before becoming a musician (Millinder actually became a band leader/singer).  My favorite song on the CD has to be Singing in the Rain.   Yes, that song.  It’s a fun, swingin’ version made famous by Gene Kelly in the movie but with a Louis Prima twist.  But there are lots of fun songs on this CD.  

I also liked White Cliffs of Dover, Jive Jive Jive Aces, and their crazy fast version of Sweet Georgia Brown.  Balboa dancers should really love the latter because of it’s 273 tempo plus the energy the band puts behind it.  The Jive Aces do a great job of getting a really full sound out of 6 musicians.  They’ve also done a great job writing original material that keeps swing fresh.  They are also not afraid to send a message.  Only Mugs Take Drugs is clear on it’s message and could easily be used in any anti-drug message.  They underscore the message with Clear Body, Clear Mind.  Hey, whether you like the message or not, the songs still swing!  A couple songs of note include Three Cats Called Louis and What a Wonderful World.  The former is a tribute to Louis’ Armstrong, Jordan and Prima.

 Three giants who have influenced more bands than you can shake a stick at!   The latter is a ballad done with an Elvis Presley flavor.  I don’t know if Elvis ever recorded this song but I bet it would sound similar to this version.  Overall, this is a fun, energetic CD.  It has lots of original music and a couple of covers.  A good mix with tempos made for swing dancing.   http://www.tcswing.com/CD%20Reviews/jiveaces.htm

The Band: Lead Vocals and Trumpet:  Ian Clarkson; Tenor Sax, Baritone Sax, Clarinet:  John Fordham; Piano:  Vince Hurley; Upright Bass:  Ken Smith; Trombone:  Alex Douglas; Drums:  Peter Howell

Life is a Game

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Joan Griffith & Laura Caviani - Sambanova

Styles: Guitar And Piano Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:27
Size: 121,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:58)  1. Sambanova #1 in C
(5:45)  2. La Bellevue
(4:52)  3. Joan's Baiao
(3:58)  4. Pauleando
(5:13)  5. Choro
(6:10)  6. Sertao
(5:09)  7. Sambanova #2 in F Minor
(5:22)  8. Samambaia
(4:55)  9. Triste
(6:01) 10. Samba For Jacob

Antonio Carlos Jobim, Luiz Bonfa, Baden Powell, Ivan Lins... add now the name Joan Griffith, guitarist/bassist/mandolinist/composer who lives in the Twin Cities but whose heart beats in Rio, Sao Paulo and Bahia. From her first fascination with Brazilian rhythms as a teen in Nebraska to the college classrooms where she teaches jazz performance and composition, Joan has inhaled the warmth of bossa nova and choro, exhaling a personal fusion of the African, European and Amerindian traditions that define the soul of Brazil. Sambanova is not only the work of a gracefully lyrical performer but a showcase of Joan’s compositions that infuse the poetry and rhythms of Brazilian forms with modern jazz idioms. And one can not imagine a more sympathetic partner than Laura Caviani, a pianist of exceptional range whose uncanny rhythmic sense and soulful eclecticism offer the perfect musical bond to Joan’s guitar. Of Laura, Joan notes that “I have always loved her playing, her time is impeccable, her solos are breathtaking, but most of all she always plays with her whole heart and soul and with love.” On six of the ten tracks, the due is complemented by master percussionist Cyro Baptista, who Joan describes as “one of the world\'s great ambassadors of Brazilian music.” It has been more than a decade since Joan’s last recording, a duo with vocalist Lucia Newell, Enter You, Enter Love, which showcased several of Joan’s tunes and standards arranged with a Brazilian flair. Inspiration for the largely original Sambanova, says Joan, came from a guitar/piano recording by Cesar Camargo Mariano and Helio Delmira of Mariano’s “Samambaia.” 

In addition to “Samambaia,” Joan included arrangements of Jobim’s “Triste” (a haunting bossa nova) and Joao Lyra’s “Pauleando,” an energetic example of the rhythmically jagged “frevo” style of northeastern Brazil. The seven original tracks pay homage to the musical heroes of Brazil through the heart and mind of Joan Griffith: Opening with “Sambanova No. 1 in C,” Joan fulfills her goal to introduce the recording with “a tune that was upbeat, confident, swinging, a little bluesy...” as well as one that highlights the interplay of guitar and piano, Joan and Laura weaving back and forth with a joy that enhances anticipation for all that follows. “I must have been in a Getz/Gilberto mood” says Joan of her gentle bossa nova, “La Bellevue,” named for the Nebraska town where she spent her teens. No percussion on this track, just two voices, one soul. The Moorish tapestry of “Joan’s Baiao” gives this dance form, rooted in Brazil’s rural northeast, the composer’s intended “relentless and mysterious feeling,” highlighted by a darkly romantic collaboration among piano and percussion. 

The widely emotive form, “Choro” can mean to sing or cry, and here Joan moves us to both, a slow dance in which piano and classical guitar alternately tug the heart. Another baiao, this one from the arid “Sertao” region, has an air of majestic melancholy enhanced by the addition of Joan’s mandolin. Joan based her “Sambanova No.2 in F Minor” on a slow bossa written by her brother Marshall, taking it in a faster, blusier, samba direction. Cyro adds a magical shimmer on pandeiro. Let’s dance! “Samba for Jacob” closes this remarkable set, a tribute to the great choro mandolinist Jacob Bittencourt, aka Jacob do Bandolim. Says Joan, “I wanted to capture his spirit and send the listener off with a little ectasy.” Sambanova and the pen of Joan Griffith give us ten moments of ecstasy.  http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/joangriffith

Personnel: Joan Griffith – guitar; Laura Caviani – piano.

Sambanova

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Jason Moran - All Rise: A Joyful Elegy for Fats Waller

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:47
Size: 100,8 MB
Art: Front

(0:20)  1. Put Your Hands On It
(2:53)  2. Handful Of Keys
(6:10)  3. Jitterbug Waltz
(4:58)  4. Sheik Of Araby/I Found A New Baby
(3:42)  5. Ain't Misbehavin'
(4:03)  6. Yacht Club Swing
(2:36)  7. Lulu's Back In town
(4:05)  8. Two Sleepy People
(5:07)  9. The Joint Is Jumpin'
(3:46) 10. Honeysuckle Rose
(4:19) 11. Ain't Nobody's Business
(1:43) 12. Fats Elegy

Jason Moran is an artist who is not afraid to look back while constantly pressing forward. The 2010 MacArthur Fellow is a leading jazz pianist with moments of kinetic energy, agility, and sensitivity, the likes of his one-time teacher, the great Jaki Byard. Whether performing with varied ensembles and musicians, bringing new perspectives as the Artistic Director for Jazz at The Kennedy Center or combining freestyle jazz with live skateboarders in San Francisco, Moran's passion and capacity is having an impact in the way jazz is seen and heard. All Rise: A Joyful Elegy for Fats Waller re-envisions the music of the colorful pianist, singer, and entertainer who shook things up during the Harlem Renaissance in the 1920s and 1930s. Fats Waller's bright musical canvas is the perfect outlet for Moran's multicolored ideas; a boisterous amalgam of blues, jazz, and house music, reshaping famous Waller tunes like "Ain't Misbehaving" and "The Joint Is Jumpin." 

The recording harnesses Waller's infectious spirit caring less about the demarcation between musical genres while putting emphasis on Waller's incredible talents. In collaboration with respected multi-genre musician/vocalist MeShell NdegeOcello, the release is an extension of ideas that came to fruition in 2011 through the Harlem Stage commissioned Fats Waller Dance Party. Ongoing dates at venues and universities found people eager to put their dance shoes on and Moran donning an oversized papier-mâché mask of Waller's head as the band provided hot grooves. The signal that All Rise is anything but nostalgic arrives in the low pitched hip-hop processed voice in the funky "Put Your Hands on It" which sets up "Ain't Misbehavin'" with its snazzy horn arrangement, Moran jazzing it on Rhodes as Ndegeocello's sensual voice brings the song's famous lyrics. 

The musicians also include varied vocalists, members of Moran's Bandwagon trio Taurus Mateen on electric bass and drummer Nasheet Waits, and a tight horn section with heightened contributions from trombonist Josh Roseman and trumpeter Leron Thomas. The reworking of Waller's 1929 "Honeysuckle Rose" hits the sweet spot, the perfect combination of laid-back funkiness, smooth arranging and a soulful vamp. Though Waller was well known for his songwriting, Moran sheds light on his musicianship in "Lulu's Back in Town" with a riveting display of pianistic bravura and "Handful of Keys" where he adds his own virtuosic flair to Waller's well known stride-piano solo piece. Moran proves once again that jazz is a transformative art-form in his unique arrangement of Waller's "Jitterbug Waltz." The tune is almost unrecognizable yet gorgeously reshaped as saxophonist Steve Lehman adds a rousing solo to Moran's touching version. Regardless of the era in which created, music still has the ability to move listeners in varied ways whether to sing, dance, or simply listen in a new way. ~ Mark F.Turner  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/all-rise-a-joyful-elegy-for-fats-waller-jason-moran-blue-note-records-review-by-mark-f-turner.php#.VDfwRBawTP8
 

Personnel: Lisa Harris: vocals; Charles Haynes: drums, vocals; Stephen Lehman: saxophone; Tarus Mateen: bass; Jason Moran: Rhodes, piano, Wurlitzer; Meshell Ndegeocello: vocals; Josh Roseman: trombone; Leron Thomas: trumpet, vocals; Nasheet Waits: drums.

All Rise:  A Joyful Elegy for Fats Waller

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Deanna Reuben - The Look Of Love

Size: 127,0 MB
Time: 54:33
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2005
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. How Do You Keep The Music Playing (5:08)
02. Body And Soul (4:59)
03. Lazy Afternoon, Summertime (5:40)
04. Here's That Rainy Day (5:17)
05. The Look Of Love (4:12)
06. My Funny Valentine (3:23)
07. I Concentrate On You (3:09)
08. More Than You Know (4:01)
09. This Masquerade (4:58)
10. Bewitched (5:19)
11. If I Never Met You (3:52)
12. I'll Be Seeing You (4:30)

Deanna Reuben captures the essence of romance through her heartfelt interpretation of our favorite songs. The Look of Love sends a message clearer than flowers or a box of candy or dinner and a movie. With this session, you get clarion vocals with a stellar jazz quintet that sparkles brightly through sensual ballads and upbeat rhythms. Tenor saxophonist Larry McKenna serves as Reuben's musical partner, adding rapturous melodies to her resonant vocal themes.

With a fluid delivery, she shapes each song like clay. The rhythm from bass and drums gives each piece a heartbeat, while Marty Mellinger's keyboards surround the session with synth strings and wallpaper of velvet. Reuben's attack moves with emotional force as she sends a passionate message through her charming interpretations. With "Summertime," for example, she explodes with the power of Shirley Bassey and creates lightning sparks along the way.

Most of the program, however, mellows out with soothing ballads that allow Reuben to wear her heart on her shirtsleeve. McKenna partners with her to add melodic grace. "The Look of Love" stands out for its floating quality as the singer caresses the familiar melody with a hug and a kiss. "I Concentrate on You" puts Reuben and McKenna together in one of those simpatico relationships that bring out the best from all parties. In her upper register, the singer wears thin when the volume diminishes, causing some of her sheen to fade. She's at her best when projecting forcefully up high and when crooning sweetly in the lower registers with that natural romantic spirit. ~Jim Santella

Personnel: Deanna Reuben: vocals; Marty Mellinger: keyboards; Larry McKenna: tenor saxophone; Keith Mohler: bass; Dave Santana: drums.

The Look Of Love

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Maurizio Geri Swingtet - Tito Tariero (Feat. Nicola Vernuccio)

Size: 117,7 MB
Time: 50:16
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2012
Styles: Jazz: Gipsy Jazz, Swing Jazz
Art: Front

01. Ali's Wing (4:19)
02. Gingillone (5:19)
03. Melancolia (3:46)
04. Melodie Au Crepuscule (3:29)
05. Cette Nuit La (4:31)
06. Presente Archeologico (4:25)
07. Rapido Per Algeri (3:28)
08. Algeri (3:00)
09. Foresta (5:05)
10. Hunn O Pani Naschella (4:45)
11. Piccolo Valzer (3:42)
12. Mito (4:21)

Gipsy-jazz and world music and songwriting. Guitarist pistoiese at third test on cd. 12 tracks of original tunes and standard manouche. Presentation at the Festival international Django Reinhardt.

The historical group of the manouche style in Italy the Maurizio Geri Swingtet comes out with its new disc, "Titus Tariero". Like the earlier work "Manouche e dintorni" (1996) and "open sky" (2002), this disc contains heterogeneous ideas that take inspiration from classic gipsy-jazz French, but also from the Italian tradition, from world music and songwriting.

The recording live in the studio retains the freshness of sound and of solo. Numerous original compositions ("little Waltz", "forest", "Gingillone", "quick to Algiers," "Algiers", "myth", "Ali's wing", "present" archaeological) that spread to an original and elegant reworking of some standard ("Melodie au crepuscule", "Bertossa or naschella tablets", "Melancholy", "Cette nuit là"), has always characterized the research work of the Tuscan formation. The drive to the historic Tuscan label Sound Materials.

Only Italian group to have participated in the festival Django Reinhardt in Samois (Paris), the Maurizio Geri Swingtet is still for many fans of the genre, and for those who seek an original approach and "Italian" swing manouche style.

Tito Tariero

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Myles Hayes - You Were Mine

Size: 101,1 MB
Time: 40:51
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Comin' Up Soon (3:04)
02. Skylark (3:43)
03. Danger Of Sleep (3:50)
04. Pure Imagination (3:50)
05. Sweet Life (2:43)
06. How Little We Know (2:42)
07. My Sweetest Dream (3:42)
08. Moon River (3:04)
09. But Not For Me (2:52)
10. Makin' It Your Way (3:50)
11. Happiness Is In Your Reach (3:25)
12. You Were Mine (4:01)

Originally from Mequon, Wisconsin, Myles Hayes studied vocal performance at Texas Christian University . Beginning his career performing in venues throughout the Midwest, Myles focused on such influences as Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Bobby Darren, Tony Bennett and Nat King Cole.
He recorded his first album entitled “Empty Tables” in 2005 and his second album entitled “Night & Day” in 2007, both by Grammy Award Winning Producer, Jordan Richardson at Fort Worth Sound.
Now based in Chicago, for the past seven years he has performed professionally in dozens of venues not only throughout the city, but also across the country. He can be found singing weekly at The Ritz Carlton Chicago, and is regularly featured as the pregame entertainment, or performing the National Anthem, for the Milwaukee Brewers, Chicago Bulls, White Sox and Cubs. Myles has recently appeared on National & International Television in commercial advertisements for companies such as Mistubishi & BNI Bank as well.
For his latest studio album, Myles teamed up with producer Anthony Gravino and four of the finest jazz musicians Chicago has to offer, to record both a new take on five jazz standards, and seven new originals destined to become classics. Through this album and his enthusiastic stage presence, his care-free charisma personify the legacy of his jazz predecessors. Wherever you may find him, Myles Hayes “brings new life to the standards of the Sinatra and Nat King Cole era by invoking his own unique style representative of a new generation of progressive jazz” -Fort Worth Star Telegram

You Were Mine

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Jimmy McGriff - At The Apollo (Original Album Plus Bonus Tracks)

Size: 100,7 MB
Time: 43:01
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1963/2013
Styles: Jazz: Soul Jazz, Blues Jazz
Art: Front

01. There'll Never Be Another You (6:17)
02. The Deacon (6:50)
03. Frame For The Blues (5:45)
04. Red Sails In The Sunset (4:40)
05. A Thing For Jug (5:42)
06. We Four (5:47)
07. Blip Time (Bonus Track) (3:21)
08. One Of Mine (Bonus Track) (4:37)

There's no question; organist Jimmy McGriff and company cook up some steaming blues grooves on this live date. Beyond that, though, there is little that distinguishes this set from countless others in the same mold. McGriff and his band are a dynamo when they unite in churning, bluesy bluster. As individual players, however, no one here generates much in the way of a memorable performance. Next to the roar of the leader's Hammond, guitarist Larry Frazier's fills and rhythm work sound slight. He's better when he steps forward to solo in a frenetic Chicago blues style. Saxophonist Rudolph Johnson honks and barks with a spirited, but limited, vocabulary of licks. Drummer Willie Jenkins clatters away with vigorous abandon, but never at the expense of the groove. To McGriff's credit, he pulls these talents together so they total something more than the sum of the parts. The band shines brightest on the McGriff originals "The Deacon" and "A Thing for Jug." This is where Frazier, Johnson, and Jenkins most effectively combine forces with the leader's meat-and-potatoes music and groove-bound B-3 to do what they do best -- play the blues. Amen. ~Review by Jim Todd

At The Apollo

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Linda Kosut - Easy Come, Easy Go: The Music Of Johnny Green

Size: 145,1 MB
Time: 61:45
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. The Turntable Song (2:00)
02. Hello My Lover, Goodbye (3:38)
03. I Cover The Waterfront (5:21)
04. Foolish Baby (3:34)
05. There's A Ring Around The Moon (4:00)
06. Betty Boop (2:32)
07. Am I In Another World (4:41)
08. I Wanna Be Loved (3:44)
09. You Wanna Keep Your Baby Looking Right (3:51)
10. I'm Yours (3:49)
11. Easy Come, Easy Go (4:33)
12. I Love A Mystery (2:30)
13. Candlelight (2:15)
14. Derry Down Dilly (3:40)
15. Body And Soul (5:06)
16. Gonna Fall In Love With You (3:22)
17. Never 'til Now/The Song Of Raintree County (3:01)

Award winning jazz and cabaret performer Linda Kosut’s new release “Easy Come, Easy Go: The Music of Johnny Green,” is a tribute to the great composer and music director.”

Kosut’s appearance coincides with the release of her third CD, “Easy Come, Easy Go: The Music of Johnny Green,” on the LML Music Label. Produced and arranged by Mike Greensill, the CD represents a 3 year research project into the life and music of John W. Green, composer of the number one song on the Jazz Standards charts, “Body and Soul.” Performed by singers from Gertrude Lawrence to Tony Bennet & Amy Winehouse, “Body and Soul” has remained as the most recorded jazz song for over 50 years. Linda will be accompanied by Greensill on piano, Tom Shader on bass, Alan Hall on drums, and Jeremy Cohen on violin.

Linda Kosut, Backstage Magazine’s Bistro/BMI award winner, has been performing to steady acclaim on the cabaret and jazz scenes of New York and the San Francisco Bay Area for many years. The Los Angeles Times wrote of her Oscar Brown tribute: “She deserved a far longer run….there was versatility in her interpretations … her warm, dark sound and articulate theatrically trained phrasing…an illuminating view into the complex byways of Brown’s imagination.”

A native New Yorker, Kosut has been living in San Francisco for more than twenty years. She is a graduate of CCNY and studied musical theater and cabaret. She has appeared in clubs in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago; and in San Francisco Bay Area jazz & cabaret venues. She has played at the Jazz Bakery in Los Angeles, Davenport’s in Chicago, in San Francisco at the Empire Plush Room, The Purple Onion, the Octavia Lounge, Anna’s Jazz Island, and the Rrazz Room, as well as The Metropolitan Room, The Triad and Don’t Tell Mama in New York.

Now Kosut brings “Easy Come, Easy Go,” her tribute to the great composer Johnny Green, to Feinstein’s. Green was an inspirational and influential composer, Hollywood musical arranger and conductor who died in 1989. He won five Oscars for his soundtracks for movies. “I was so happy to discover Johnny’s music,” says Kosut. “My goal for this project was to bring more attention to his larger body of work. His ballads, and jazz standards like “I Cover the Waterfront” are still sung today and I wanted to introduce his other great songs to new audiences.”

Easy Come, Easy Go

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Isha Love - Jars Of Waters

Size: 148,7 MB
Time: 63:30
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz: Piano Jazz
Art: Front

01. Jars Of Waters (Intro) (0:52)
02. Crucifixion (4:07)
03. Nothing But The Blood (4:20)
04. Rain On Me (4:44)
05. I've Got Peace Like A River (5:02)
06. Draw Me Nearer (5:05)
07. Living Water (5:38)
08. Heaven In Me (5:08)
09. The Road (3:51)
10. Without You Where Would I Be (4:14)
11. Where You Lead Me (3:56)
12. When He Comes (2:57)
13. There Is No Place Like Home (5:07)
14. There Is A Fountain (Bonus Track) (4:58)
15. Jars Of Waters (Bonus Track) (3:25)

When the fingers of Isha Love glide across the piano, a dazzling cascade of melody rushes forth spraying the atmosphere like the mist from a waterfall. Whether she is surfing across the keys, like a boogie board bouncing above the ocean or rafting quietly down the river’s bank, tickling the ivories like a paddle propelling the current, her compositions shower light and shimmer with the presence of love. “Jars of Water,” her debut offering, is a fluid tapestry of 14 luscious piano solos that pour sweet liquid libations for the soul. With ten gospel tinged jazz originals and four unique interpretations of traditional spiritual hymns, Isha Love’s “Jars of Water” is a tall refreshing glass to drink from.

A classically trained pianist, Isha Love emerges on the music scene as a source of “living water.” She embodies the scripture passage from the Book of Ephesians: “Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord.” With “Jars of Water,” Isha hopes to share and spread her ever-abundant love of God. The inspirational solo performances on the CD transcend genres though, riding the waves of jazz, gospel, worship and pop.

Isha reveals that she only composes when she feels led by the Spirit. In fact, each track from “Jars of Water” emerged from a series of compelling visions she believes God used to guide her musical journey. Song titles like “Rain On Me,” “I’ve Got Peace Like A River,” “There is a Fountain,” “Living Water,” and the title track “Jars of Water” reveal her personal plunge to sacred depths.

“One day as I was praying,” Isha reveals, “I saw a large field with hundreds upon hundreds of empty jars. God stood at the beginning of the long line and was holding a pitcher. It contained water and God was pouring the water into the jars. He explained that the many jars represented the songs that I have within me, that are waiting to be filled – and told me that the water that fills the jars are His Spirit. During the vision, God explained that when the jars are filled with Living Water, each becomes a completed song anointed by Him. Each song is one of these ‘jars of water.”

Jars Of Waters

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Renée Fleming - Christmas In New York

Size: 148,0 MB
Time: 63:07
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals, Holiday
Art: Front

01. Winter Wonderland (With Wynton Marsalis) (3:49)
02. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (With Gregory Porter) (3:32)
03. Silver Bells (With Kelli O'Hara ) (3:03)
04. Merry Christmas, Darling (With Chris Botti) (5:36)
05. The Christmas Waltz (3:15)
06. Who Knows Where The Time Goes (With Brad Mehldau) (4:23)
07. Sleigh Ride (With Wynton Marsalis) (5:14)
08. Snowbound (With Kurt Elling) (6:24)
09. In The Bleak Midwinter (With Rufus Wainwright) (3:42)
10. Central Park Serenade (With Gregory Porter) (4:12)
11. The Man With The Bag (2:36)
12. Love And Hard Times (With Brad Mehldau) (4:43)
13. Still, Still, Still (With Kurt Elling) (5:14)
14. New York Tendaberry (With Yo-Yo Ma) (7:18)

American soprano Renee Fleming's first-ever holiday album celebrates the beloved and iconic Christmas season in New York City. From the holiday windows lining 5th Avenue to the red and green-lit spire of the Empire State Building, the essence of the city at the most wonderful time of year is captured on Christmas in New York. Pop, Broadway and jazz greats Chris Botti, Kurt Elling, Wynton Marsalis, Brad Mehldau, Kelli O Hara, Gregory Porter and Rufus Wainwright join Renée as she lends her sublime voice to hits like "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," "Silver Bells" and other gems, including "Central Park Serenade" a brand new duet by songwriting legend Diane Warren. In total, Renee Fleming and her guests have won 16 Grammy awards across multiple categories.

Renee Fleming's lush vocals, elegant persona, and intimate delivery of holiday classics make this album the perfect soundtrack for holiday parties, and a gift that will delight anyone who loves music.

An exclusive recording artist with Decca since 1995, Renee Fleming is known around the globe as a classical singer with a voice as warm and rich as a fine single malt, (The Times, London), and a career that has ranged from the stages of world's greatest opera houses to concerts and recordings of jazz, the American songbook, movie soundtracks and indie rock. In February 2014, Renee Fleming became the first classical singer in history to perform the National Anthem at the Super Bowl, which was enjoyed by more than 111.5 million viewers in the US.

Christmas In New York

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Benny Green - Too Marvelous For Words: A Tribute To Johnny Mercer

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 59:20
Size: 135.8 MB
Styles: Easy Listening, Standards
Year: 1997
Art: Front

[3:04] 1. Too Marvelous For Words
[2:55] 2. Strip Polka
[2:25] 3. When A Woman Loves A Man
[3:00] 4. Something Tells Me
[2:22] 5. Swing Is The Thing
[2:39] 6. Jeepers Creepers
[3:04] 7. Arthur Murray Taught Me Dancing In A Hurry
[2:42] 8. Mister Meadowlark
[3:09] 9. I'll Dream Tonight
[2:36] 10. Tangerine
[3:04] 11. Fools Rush In
[3:02] 12. Say It With A Kiss
[3:01] 13. That Old Black Magic
[2:59] 14. If I Had A Million Dollars
[3:07] 15. Blues In The Night
[2:30] 16. On Behalf Of The Visiting Firemen
[2:48] 17. I'm Old Fashioned
[2:40] 18. I Thought About You
[2:37] 19. Dearly Beloved
[2:34] 20. Goody Goody
[2:53] 21. I'd Know You Anywhere

Although not yet an innovator himself, Benny Green has managed to combine the styles of Bobby Timmons, Wynton Kelly, Gene Harris, and especially Oscar Peterson in his playing; his fast octave runs are often wondrous. He grew up in Berkeley and played as a teenager with Joe Henderson and Woody Shaw. After moving to New York, he spent important periods with Betty Carter (1983-1987) and Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers (1987-1989), becoming quite well-known during the latter association. In addition to working with Freddie Hubbard, Green popped up in many bop-oriented settings for a few years before joining Ray Brown's Trio in 1992. At the same time, he has worked with his own trio, which originally included Christian McBride and Carl Allen. When Oscar Peterson was asked in 1992 to name his protégé for a concert, Green was his choice. Benny Green has recorded for Criss Cross and Blue Note in addition to his work with Ray Brown on Telarc and his earlier Blakey dates. ~bio by Scott Yanow

Too Marvelous For Words: A Tribute To Johnny Mercer

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