Jon Larsen feat. Biel Ballester - Short Stories From Catalonia

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:53
Size: 82,7 MB
Art: Front

(1:54)  1. Rupit
(2:09)  2. L'Ascensor
(2:43)  3. Els Quatre Gats
(2:03)  4. Anna de Codorniu
(2:27)  5. La Masia
(2:25)  6. Set Portes
(2:59)  7. Rosalert
(1:52)  8. Montserrat
(2:17)  9. El Velero
(2:34) 10. Bar Pastis
(2:59) 11. Adios Marcelo
(1:45) 12. Els Joglars
(3:29) 13. Musique Noir
(4:09) 14. Bielball

Jon Larsen Quartet presents the new guitar talent from SpainBiel Ballester in this hard swinging homage to Biel's hometown Barcelona. The music composed by guitarist Jon Larsen is in a 'Django-goes-mainstream' style. Back in the 70's Larsen who is also founder of the Hot Club label studied painting in Barcelona And this CD is dedicated to his m'stro; Salvador Dalf!  

http://www.systemrecords.co.uk/larsen-short-stories-from-catalonia-p-912749.html

Personnel: Jon Larsen, guitar; Biel Ballester, guitar; Svein Aarbostad, bass; Hakon Mjaset Johansen, drums; Special Guest: Eywind Olsen Wahlen, drums

Short Stories From Catalonia

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Libby York - Blue Gardenia

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:56
Size: 91,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:59)  1. Any Place I Hang My Hat Is Home
(2:20)  2. You Could Be Fred
(4:25)  3. It Might As Well Be Spring
(3:05)  4. Where Do You Start?
(3:34)  5. Old Cape Cod
(5:00)  6. Almost Like Being in Love
(4:37)  7. Blue Gardenia
(3:32)  8. I Ain't Got Nothin' But the Blues
(4:51)  9. Out of This World
(3:29) 10. Imagination

First, thanks to Southport Records for resisting the temptation to have vocalist Libby York strike a seductive pose à la Diana Krall to promote Libby’s debut album, Blue Gardenia. Not much is said about York except that she’s from Chicago, started singing rather late at age 35, and logged time in New York City and Key West, Florida, before returning to her hometown. She’s a polished, smoky–voiced cabaret singer with acceptable range and articulation, but I heard nothing here that would separate her from the herd. On the plus side, I admire York’s sultry version of “Old Cape Cod” more than I do Patti Page’s. She generally chooses the proper tempos too, with the exception, to me, of “It Might as Well Be Spring,” whose passionate longings are obliterated by her breezy, upbeat reading. 

But tempos must vary, I suppose, and York turns on the after burners, more appropriately, on “Almost Like Being in Love” and the delightful endpiece, Jackie Allen/Dan Nahmod’s “You Could Be Fred.” The second half of the album is especially strong, thanks in part to the material (“Blue Gardenia,” “I Ain’t Got Nothing But the Blues,” “Out of This World,” “Imagination”) and unwavering support from Schiff, Portolese, Cox and Gratteau who are splendid throughout. York, who lists Abbey Lincoln, June Christy, Rosie Clooney and Betty Carter among her influences, has a way to go to overtake any of them but she’s a charming singer in her own right, and Blue Gardenia marks a promising debut. But please note the 39:51 playing time.

~ Jack Bowers http://www.allaboutjazz.com/blue-gardenia-libby-york-southport-records-review-by-jack-bowers.php#.VF1a78mHmtg 
 

Personnel:  Libby York, vocals; Bobby Schiff, piano; Frank Portolese, guitar; Jim Cox, bass; Phil Gratteau, drums.

Blue Gardenia

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Jeremy Monteiro - My Foolish Heart

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:21
Size: 168,4 MB
Art: Front

( 9:58)  1. All the Things You Are
( 6:42)  2. A Night in Tunisia
( 6:02)  3. Orchard Road
( 8:34)  4. My Foolish Heart
( 6:54)  5. Summertime
( 5:41)  6. Blues for the Saxophone Club
( 9:31)  7. Always in Love
(12:56)  8. All Blues
( 6:59)  9. Carousel in a Child's Mind

Jeremy Monteiro (pianist, vocalist) has won critical acclaim in many parts of the world. He has performed all over the World in addition to numerous occasions at home in Singapore, where he has been dubbed "Singapore's King Of Swing" by the local press. On 8th October 2002, Jeremy was conferred the Cultural Medallion, Singapore's pinnacle award in arts achievement. On 28th November 2003, Jeremy was conferred the "Lifting Up The World With A Oneness-Heart" lifetime achievement Award by Sri Chinmoy, who is the leader of the interfaith Peace Meditation at the UN (since 1970) and also the leader of the International Peace Centre.

Previous receipients of this humanitarian award include, His Holiness Pope John Paul II, the Blessed Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela, scientist Dr, Jane Godall, sportsmen Muhammad Ali & Carl Lewis, Musicians Ravi Shankar, Roberta Flack and Sting. In 1988, Swing Magazine of Switzerland called him "one of the best exponents of Jazz Piano". That year, he performed with his all-star band, Monteiro, Young & Holt at the prestigious Montreux Jazz Festival. Jeremy has been mentioned in more than 400 press articles in publications around the world, including Billboard Magazine and The Washington Post. He has a total of 21 albums to his credit. He has performed and/or recorded with the likes of James Moody, Michael Brecker, Lee Ritenour, Herbie Mann, Paulinho DaCosta, Ernie Watts, Charlie Haden and Simon & Garfunkel to name a few.

In June 2004, Jeremy performed with legendary harmonica player, Toots Thielemans, together with the members of his NYC Trio, bassist Jay Anderson and drummer Adam Nussbaum.
With another of his own bands, Asiana, he has performed at Caesar's Palace, Las Vegas. In late 1992, he produced the Ernie Watts album "Stand Up", joining an illustrious alumnus of Ernie Watts' producers, which include Quincy Jones, Creed Taylor, Don Grusin and Gilberto Gil. In March of 1990, at the same time as Natalie Cole, he was admitted as an active voting member of the National Academy Of Recording Arts & Sciences (Los Angeles Chapter), and has voted at the Grammy Awards from 1991 through 2002. As a composer, Jeremy has been awarded a Silver Medal at the 1991 International Radio Festival of New York, as well as finalist awards at the 1990 and 1991 London International Advertising Awards for best original music score (radio, T.V. and Cinema). He has composed or produced over 700 pieces of music and is listed in the year 2000 edition of Who's Who of The World. He served as Artistic Director of the Singapore International Jazz Festival 2001, an event organized and presented by Singapore Airlines, with major support from Heineken and American Express. http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/monteiro

My Foolish Heart

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Kenny Garrett - No Parking Tow Away Zone

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:04
Size: 135,6 MB
Art: Front

(6:11)  1. Old Folks
(7:39)  2. Wanderlust
(7:47)  3. True Blue
(4:55)  4. Airegin
(6:02)  5. Signs and Wonders
(8:38)  6. Speak No Evil
(5:35)  7. Wingspan
(5:01)  8. The Oyster Dance
(7:12)  9. Sonhos do Brasil (Dreams of Brazil)

Although saxophonist, bandleader, and composer Kenny Garrett never had the benefit of a college education, that hasn't hurt his career as a jazz musician one bit. Garrett has released a number of critically acclaimed albums for the Warner Bros. label and, prior to the birth of his recording career, earned his master's degree in the jazz clubs in and around his native Detroit. Garrett's father was a carpenter who played tenor saxophone as an avocation. He got his first saxophone as an eight-year-old and quickly learned the G scale, thanks to his father. He studied with trumpeter Marcus Belgrave and began performing with Mercer Ellington's band before he had finished high school. His first few professional shows were with Detroit area musicians Belgrave and pianist Geri Allen. He felt he had arrived as a saxophonist when he was asked to join the Duke Ellington Orchestra under the direction of Mercer Ellington. He skipped college and went on the road with the band for the summer and ended up staying with them for three and a half years.

Garrett was raised in the Detroit jazz scene of the 1970s, which wasn't nearly as vibrant as it had been a decade earlier. In high school, he had the good fortune to play with organist Lyman Woodard locally in Detroit, but recalls having to travel an hour or two from home to maintain his status as a working musician. He was encouraged to begin writing his own compositions by various members of Ellington's band, and began doing so a short time later. Aside from alto and soprano saxes, Garrett also uses the piano to compose. Prior to his rise under his own name as a bandleader and composer, Garrett had the opportunity to perform and record with Miles Davis, Art Blakey, Freddie Hubbard, Woody Shaw, and the aforementioned Ellington orchestra. In 1982, he relocated to New York City, the jazz capital of the world. Garrett made his recording debut with Introducing Kenny Garrett on the Criss Cross label in 1984 and then jumped to Atlantic Records, a major label which, at that time, was interested in rebuilding its once glorious jazz legacy. He recorded two notable albums for Atlantic, Prisoner of Love and African Exchange Student. He began recording for Warner Bros. in 1992, when he released his stunning, critically praised Black Hope. He followed up in 1995 with Triology, and recorded Pursuance: The Music of John Coltrane in 1996. He released Songbook, his first album made up entirely of his own compositions, in 1997.

Since then, his other releases have included Simply Said, Happy People, and Standard of Language, all for Warner Bros.; 2006's Grammy-nominated Beyond the Wall on Nonesuch; and the 2008 live outing (recorded at N.Y.C.'s Iridium club) Sketches of MD, issued by Detroit's Mack Avenue label. In addition, Garrett joined the all-star lineup of the Five Peace Band spearheaded by keyboardist Chick Corea and guitarist John McLaughlin and also featuring bassist Christian McBride and drummer Vinnie Colaiuta for touring and recording during the late 2000s; the group's Five Peace Band: Live CD (Concord, 2009) won the Grammy for Best Jazz Instrumental Album in January 2010. Garrett has proven to be a most versatile player, equally at home playing classic blues and rhythm & blues as he is interpreting classic jazz compositions and even moving in a fusion direction. As a composer himself, his full potential may still lie ahead, with more bright moments in the offing in the recording studio and on-stage for this talented arranger, composer, musician, and bandleader. Garrett recorded the all original Seeds from the Underground with his own group bassist Nat Reeves and Venezuelan pianist Benito Gonzalez and utilized the talents of drummer Ronald Bruner from Detroit. The album was issued in the spring of 2012. ~ Bio  https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/no-parking-tow-away-zone/id933228171

No Parking Tow Away Zone

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Jay McShann - Jumpin' The Blues

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 59:23
Size: 136.0 MB
Styles: Jump blues
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[5:28] 1. Lady Be Good
[4:25] 2. Jumpin At The Woodside
[4:39] 3. Back Slider And Hypocrite
[5:51] 4. Jumpin The Blues
[4:18] 5. Laura
[4:55] 6. Jumpin' The Blues (Take 1)
[7:32] 7. Moten Swing
[4:59] 8. Back Slider & Hypocrite (Take 1)
[3:57] 9. Food For Thought
[9:05] 10. Satin Doll
[4:08] 11. Watermelon Man

Jay McShann typically is lumped in the "other" category of Kansas City big bands, after Basie. True, no one could keep up with Basie's roster of superstars, and Basie's rhythm section was innovative, but McShann made up for all that with a grittier, earthier version of the blues. This whole collection swings and rocks in a good, low-down way. Another winner from Proper. ~Hank Schwab

Jumpin' The Blues 1970

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John Swana - Tug Of War

Bitrate: 320K/s

Time: 69:06

Size: 158.2 MB

Styles: Post bop, Trumpet jazz

Year: 1999

Art: Front

[ 7:59] 1. Freddie

[10:02] 2. Tug Of War

[ 7:57] 3. Vic Arpeggio

[ 8:05] 4. Innocence

[ 8:01] 5. Pure Bliss

[ 7:22] 6. Smile

[ 6:38] 7. Puss 'n' Boots

[ 7:25] 8. Pure Imagination

[ 5:33] 9. Quick Fix

On Philadelphia-based trumpeter John Swana's sixth Criss Cross recording, the Philadelphia-based trumpeter joins forces with drummer and fellow Philadelphian Byron Landham and other musical peers -- tenor saxophonist Chris Potter, pianist David Hazeltine, and bassist Dwayne Burno -- to perform a good mixture of up-tempo swingers, medium swingers, and ballads, with seven of the nine selections written by Swana. Highlights include "Freddie" -- dedicated to Freddie Hubbard but reminiscent of Wayne Shorter's classic composition "Black Nile" -- "Vic Arpeggio," a humorous swinger named after a character on a TV comedy, the slow blues "Puss 'n Boots," and the up-tempo "Quick Fix." Tug of War exemplifies the high-quality modern mainstream jazz usually found on this Dutch label and is a welcome addition to the Swana discography. ~Greg Turner

Recorded December 17, 1997 & December 14, 1998 in New York City, NY, USA & Brooklyn, NY, USA by Max Bolleman

Tug Of War

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Rodney Jones-Tommy Flanagan Quartet - My Funny Valentine

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 38:14
Size: 87.5 MB
Styles: Post bop, Guitar & Piano jazz
Year: 1980
Art: Front

[4:25] 1. Giant Steps
[3:30] 2. Oleo
[7:16] 3. I'll Remember April
[1:33] 4. Yesterday
[6:02] 5. D Natural Blues
[4:23] 6. Star Eyes
[2:29] 7. Morning Of The Carnival (Theme From Black Orpheus)
[8:31] 8. My Funny Valentine

It's hard to imagine a pianist like Tommy Flanagan sounding less than his best, but the Timeless label evidently was a bit too cheap with its production budget for this studio date featuring a quartet co-led by the pianist with guitarist Rodney Jones. The sound is a consistently muddy and poorly mixed, while the piano often sounds out of tune, nullifying somewhat a fine effort by the two men. They are joined by the fine bassist Major Holley and drummer Jesse Hameen, the latter who evidently made his recording debut with this session. The program mixes standards ("I'll Remember April," "Star Eyes," and "My Funny Valentine"), classic jazz works ("Giant Steps" and "Oleo"), along with a miniature unaccompanied performance by Jones of the Beatles' "Yesterday." This meeting had a lot of potential, but the producer owed it to the musicians to hire a first-rate engineer and provide a superb instrument for a giant like Tommy Flanagan, instead of rivaling the miserly attitude of the legendary skinflint Herman Lubinsky (founder of the Savoy label). ~Ken Dryden

My Funny Valentine

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Julie Kelly - Everything I Love

Styles: Vocal Jazz, Bossa Nova
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:50
Size: 107,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:38)  1. Moon Bird
(3:56)  2. Indian Summer
(4:38)  3. I Keep Going Back to Joe's
(3:16)  4. Berimbau
(5:56)  5. I'm Glad There Is You
(3:30)  6. Your Blues
(5:01)  7. Woodstock
(3:12)  8. You're My Everything (From 'The Laugh Parade')
(4:05)  9. Ela é Carioca (She's a Carioca)
(3:56) 10. Everything I Love
(4:35) 11. Both Sides Now

She looks like a suburban soccer mom and has a wide-open, sun-burnished voice to match. Which is not to suggest that Julie Kelly, who has been churning out terrific albums for over a decade, is a jazz lightweight. To appreciate the depth of Kelly’s talent, one need look no further than “Indian Summer,” the penultimate track of the dozen included on her latest, and most satisfyingly wide-ranging, disc. Most singers take the safe, predictable route with “Indian Summer,” injecting the Al Dubin/Victor Herbert chestnut with autumn chill to underscore the lyrics’ wistful sense of loss. Kelly instead does something marvelously clever, intensifying the ache by playing it lighter, filling her skies with clouds that are just starting to gray. I suspect it’s a technique she learned by studying June Christy so carefully (her previous disc was a full-length tribute to the misty Miss Christy), and it returns full force for the closing number, “I Keep Going Back to Joe’s” which, in the contemplative spirit of Christy’s classic “Something Cool,” lines the inherent regret with a layer of faint, fading hope. Such skill also pervades Kelly’s gentle blend of “Once Upon a Summertime” and “When the World Was Young” and Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now.” 

But there’s more to Kelly than just softly fogged remorse and reflection, as demonstrated by a double dip into the Brazilian bag she loves so intensely, with the yin-and-yang of “Ela E Carioca” and “Berimbau,” a Dr. John-worthy delight called “Your Blues,” written by Lou Rawls’ longtime pianist Jeff Colella, which Kelly aptly describes in the liner notes as a “New Orleans swampy thing,” and a gleeful reading of the title track, among the lesser known but most sublime of Cole Porter’s list songs. ~ Christopher Loudon  http://jazztimes.com/articles/18765-everything-i-love-julie-kelly

Personnel: Julie Kelly (vocals, guitar, percussion); Bob Sheppard (flute, saxophone); Mike Wofford (piano); Joe La Barbera (drums).

Everything I Love

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Harry Allen - Day Dream

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:13
Size: 142,7 MB
Art: Front

(7:33)  1. A Sleepin' Bee
(3:50)  2. Maybe September
(5:56)  3. I'm Checking Out, Goombye
(6:41)  4. A Child Is Born
(5:40)  5. Shibuya After Dark
(4:12)  6. The Midnight Sun Will Never Sets
(6:13)  7. Three And One
(5:11)  8. Day Dream
(7:31)  9. Low Life
(4:52) 10. They Say It's Spring
(4:27) 11. The Christmas Song

Fathers serious about seeing their sons one day becoming famous athletes begin developing their offspring's skills at a very young age. In the case of Harry Allen's father, who was a big-band drummer, he played jazz records each day for Harry before he went off to kindergarten. Starting off with accordion lessons, there was a fortuitous switch to saxophone later. Attending Rutgers University, Allen studied saxophone with Sahib Shihab, Bob Mintzer, and John Purcell. In 1989, he graduated from Rutgers with a degree in jazz tenor saxophone. While at Rutgers, Allen got his first gig with the help of master bass player Major Holley, where he replaced Zoot Sims at a studio recording with John Bunch, George Masso, Bucky Pizzarelli, and Ruby Braff. During the session, Dizzy Gillespie dropped by. Quite heady company for a young tenor player doing his first recording. Wholley also led Allen to Oliver Jackson, who Allen subsequently accompanied on several tours to Europe. A 1986 session with Kenny Barron was Allen's first recording date. 

After that, Allen had 19 recordings to his name for such labels as Progressive, Audiophile, and Nagel-Heyer. Later, his recordings were with major label RCA-Victor. Three of his discs have been awarded a Gold Disc by Swing Journal Magazine and his CD Tenors Anyone won both the Gold Disc and New Star awards. He has recorded as a sideman with Bucky Pizzarelli (with whom he performs quite frequently), Warren Vache, and Jeff Hamilton. Allen's musical inspiration and interpretive approach come from the giants and innovators of mainstream saxophone, including Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster, Stan Getz, Illinois Jacquet, and Lester Young. Unlike many of his contemporaries, Allen has pretty much eschewed the modern, avant-garde, and impressionist schools of jazz of John Coltrane, Archie Shepp, and Ornette Coleman. Allen continues to record extensively and makes frequent appearances at jazz festivals and concerts. Bio ~ https://itunes.apple.com/ca/artist/harry-allen/id296978#fullText

Personnel: Harry Allen - tenor saxophone; Tommy Flanagan – piano; Peter Washington – bass; Lewis Nash - drums

Day Dream

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Rachelle Ferrell - First Instrument

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 1990
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:54
Size: 130,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:07)  1. You Send Me
(5:14)  2. You Don't Know What Love Is
(4:25)  3. Bye Bye Blackbird
(6:01)  4. Prayer Dance
(2:21)  5. Inchworm
(6:24)  6. With Every Breath I Take
(1:33)  7. What Is This Thing Called Love
(7:15)  8. My Funny Valentine
(5:15)  9. Don't Waste Your Time
(4:59) 10. Extensions
(8:16) 11. Autumn Leaves

Rachelle Ferrell made her name performing R&B, but this strictly acoustic jazz CD is her earliest recording. Her voice is quite soulful, making her later shift to R&B less of a surprise in hindsight, but Ferrell seems quite unsure of how to use her wide range, and her improvisations are often quite eccentric. Her lack of warmth and subtlety (along with a tendency to scream and screech in unexpected spots without a buildup) makes it difficult to listen to several of the numbers on this standards-oriented set. Trumpeter Terence Blanchard and Wayne Shorter on tenor make worthwhile cameo appearances, but Rachelle Ferrell at that point in her career did not really sound ready for prime time, despite her potential. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/first-instrument-mw0000124970

Personnel:  Rachelle Ferrell (vocals, piano); Alex Foster (soprano saxophone); Wayne Shorter (tenor saxophone); Terence Blanchard (trumpet); Gil Goldstein (piano, synthesizer); Eddie Green , Michel Petrucciani (piano); Doug Goldstein (synthesizer, drums); Pete Levin (synthesizer); Doug Nally, Lenny White (drums).

First Instrument

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Jeff Golub - Blues For You

Styles: Guitar, Jazz, Blues
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:40
Size: 118,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:27)  1. Shuffleboard
(4:56)  2. Fish Fare
(5:59)  3. I'll Play The Blues For You
(3:33)  4. Rooster Blues
(5:52)  5. Goin' On
(5:36)  6. Everybody Wants You
(6:01)  7. The Blink Of An Eye
(3:37)  8. I Don't Worry 'Bout A Thing
(5:03)  9. Nikki's Walk
(3:18) 10. Lost Mind
(4:13) 11. Gone Fishin'

Guitarist Jeff Golub has long mixed his soulful crossover jazz with a healthy dose of modern electric blues. However, he's never devoted a whole album to the kind of greasy rocking blues that makes up his 2009 effort Blues for You. An assured fret-wiz with a knack for juicy, well-tempered jazz licks, here we find Golub going for more of a laid-back shuffle and rocking twang that is more Stevie Ray Vaughan than George Benson. Joining Golub are a bevy of unexpected, but no-less blues familiars, guest vocalists most likely culled from Golub's time in the pop world backing Rod Stewart. Included are such names as Tom Waits, Marc Cohn, and even '80s rocker Billy Squier who shows up here to help Golub rework his classic hit "Everybody Wants You" into funky, Southern-blues drawl. The result works surprisingly well and overall brings to mind the earthy late-career efforts of Bob Dylan. Golub-himself has never sounded as muscular and assured as he does on such tracks as the shuffling jump-blues "Rooster Blues" which also features Peter Wolf sounding as inspired and back-alley slippery as ever. This album may be Blues for You, but it is clearly a work meant to please Golub's own soul as much as his audience's. ~ Matt Collar  http://www.allmusic.com/album/blues-for-you-mw0000825508

Personnel: Jeff Golub (guitar); Billy Squier (vocals, acoustic guitar, background vocals); John Waite, Marc Cohn, Peter Wolf (vocals); Kirk Whalum (saxophone); David Woodford (tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone); Rick Braun (trumpet); Nick Lane (trombone); Jon Cleary (piano); Kenny White (keyboards, background vocals); Tony Garnier (acoustic bass, electric bass, background vocals); Shawn Pelton (drums, percussion); Bud Harner (background vocals).

Blues For You

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Kelly Dickson - Vocal Point

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 43:15
Size: 99.0 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2004
Art: Front

[4:25] 1. Close Your Eyes
[3:59] 2. It Could Happen To You
[4:43] 3. Baltimore Oriole
[8:05] 4. I've Never Been In Love Before
[3:59] 5. Stella By Starlight
[4:53] 6. Everything Happens To Me
[5:05] 7. I Got You Under My Skin
[2:53] 8. April In Paris
[5:09] 9. Cheek To Cheek

Singer Kelly Dickson is a recent Leeds College graduate who has made a rare debut for a newcomer in recording a launch disc with a classy US swing group that includes the fine saxophonist George Garzone. Subtle UK pianist Nikki Iles also appears, and the quality of the playing on this all-standards set is, unsurprisingly, impeccable.

Dickson is a thoughtful singer with a lustrous tone, and she handles the slow ballads maturely - notably I've Never Been in Love Before, alongside a deliciously Stan Getz-like Garzone. However, she sounds as though she needs to listen to more albums and bounce off a few more improvising partners before she gathers the resources to be relaxed and spontaneously free in open spaces. But she's a straightahead artist, with promise. ~John Fordham

Vocal Point

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Roy Haynes - Birds Of A Feather: A Tribute to Charlie Parker

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 64:24
Size: 147.4 MB
Styles: Neo-bop
Year: 2001
Art: Front

[5:18] 1. Diverse
[5:12] 2. Ah Leu Cha
[5:13] 3. April In Paris
[5:38] 4. Moose The Mooche
[6:03] 5. Now's The Time
[6:03] 6. Rocker
[5:01] 7. Barbados
[4:45] 8. Yarbird Suite
[6:44] 9. The Gypsy
[7:00] 10. My Heart Belongs To Daddy
[7:21] 11. What Is This Thing Called Love

To say that drummer Roy Haynes is the driving force behind this session is an understatement verging on insult.

Haynes has been at the forefront of bop long enough to have earned membership in that elite of founding fathers: Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk, Bud Powell, Clifford Brown, John Coltrane, Miles Davis-all of whom Haynes has played and recorded with extensively. Stylistically he follows in a direct line from Kenny Clarke and Max Roach, and, like Art Blakey and Billy Higgins, Haynes has remained faithful to experimenting in the idiom of bebop. So it comes as no surprise that Haynes is in complete control of a combo that thrives on no-nonsense hard bop: trumpeter Roy Hargrove, alto saxist Kenny Garrett, pianist Dave Kikoski and bassist Dave Holland. Like their leader, all of the musicians on Birds of a Feather are hard-driving, take-no-prisoners players, perfect for the material they're working with: six Parker originals and five tunes associated with Bird.

Thanks to the drummerman behind them, the band can be loose and tight at the same time. Focus on the crispness of a head such as "Diverse," then switch to the contrapuntal give and take of the front line on "Ah Leu Cha." With his arsenal of dynamic shadings, Haynes is never content with being a mere metronome. Haynes always has something to say on the drums, but he doesn't dominate or overshadow. He prods, he gooses, he suggests; if there's a call he has a response.

Haynes is one of the most melodic drummers on this planet. When the tune is "April in Paris," or the beginning of "The Gypsy," he provides brush strokes worthy of Cezanne. On "My Heart Belongs to Daddy," he devises an elaborate intro in which he not only sets the tempo, but he sets the mood. He is virtually part of the front line for "What Is This Thing Called Love?" And once that tune gets launched, Haynes sets a jet-propelled environment in which he quietly explodes behind each soloist without interfering with their playing. The secret lies in the fact that he is always listening, always anticipating, which is the true mark of a swinging control freak-and this is in no way pejorative. As pianist Kikoski told the album's liner annotator, Nat Hentoff: "The accents Roy does with his different limbs are more complex than anything that came before him. What he plays on drums is the way he lives, the way he talks, the way he walks."

If Haynes had his way, this tribute to Bird would have been recorded in a club. He loves the excitement of live interaction, as he told writer Chris Slawecki: "Playing is like therapy for me. If I don't play for a while, when I come back to it I'm like a wild man. You gotta tie me down. It's like letting a tiger or lion out of his cage. I try to pace myself and not overplay."

Everyone who plays on Birds of a Feather has grown accustomed to his pace. In fact, even though Haynes will be 76 next spring, his sidemen find themselves trying to match his pace. It conjures up the title of one of the drummer's recent releases for Dreyfus: When It Haynes It Roars. ~Harvey Siders

Birds Of A Feather

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Fernando Jazz Gang - Gipsy Violin Swing Guitars

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 44:50
Size: 102.6 MB
Styles: Swing, Ragtime, Gypsy jazz
Year: 1993
Art: Front

[6:39] 1. Whisper Not
[2:02] 2. Hora Du Berger
[2:49] 3. Spoutlisj S'trapinki
[4:37] 4. Black And White
[2:00] 5. Premiere Main
[2:02] 6. Bagatelle With Variations
[4:05] 7. Suite En Ré Et La Mineur
[6:37] 8. I Mean You
[4:37] 9. Chelsea Bridge
[5:49] 10. Cherokee
[3:28] 11. O Letschto Gurko

Premier disque du Fernando Jazz Gang. Un album plutôt de couleur tzigane que manouche avec un violon plein d’envolées lyriques. C’est sur ce disque que Philippe "Doudou" Cuillerier - avec des cheveux s’il vous plait - , qu’on retrouvera comme accompagnateur de pas mal de manouches, va commencer à prendre le chant (O Letschto Gurko)

Gipsy Violin Swing Guitars

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David Sills - Light Touch

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:19
Size: 148,2 MB
Art: Front

(7:08)  1. Strollin'
(4:56)  2. It's All You
(5:55)  3. Inter Play
(8:26)  4. Chelsea Bridge
(7:12)  5. How About You
(3:15)  6. Sertão Alagoano
(4:03)  7. Blues For Alice
(6:42)  8. Peace
(6:39)  9. Love For Sale
(4:25) 10. Goodbye Porkpie Hat
(5:34) 11. Everything I Love

For saxophonist David Sills' seventh album as a leader he's employed two of LA's finest musicians, long time associates, pianist Chris Dawson and bassist Darek Oles. Featuring a wonderful mix of jazz standards, this crack team of artists have assembled a program that flows seamlessly from tune to tune and leaves the listener in complete satisfaction. The album is light yet robust like a fine glass of cabernet. The sound is warm and clear. The artists all have unique original voices yet comand a clear understanding and respect for the jazz tradition. http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/DavidSills

Personnel:  David Sills – tenor saxophone & flute; Chris Dawson – Piano; Darek Oles – bass

Light Touch

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Ray Charles - Crying Time

Styles: Vocal, Soul
Year: 1966
File: MP3@224K/s
Time: 40:15
Size: 65,1 MB
Art: Front

(2:53)  1. Crying Time
(3:13)  2. No Use Crying
(2:52)  3. Let's Go Get Stoned
(4:00)  4. Going Down Slow
(2:11)  5. Peace of Mind
(4:34)  6. Tears
(6:18)  7. Drifting Blues
(2:17)  8. We Don't See Eye to Eye
(3:30)  9. You're In for a Big Surpr
(1:53) 10. You're About To Lose Your
(3:02) 11. Don't You Think I Ought T
(3:25) 12. You've Got A Problem

R&B innovator Ray Charles was one of the most important musicians of the 1950s. Despite being blind from childhood, he was hugely successful at fusing elements of blues, country, gospel and doo-wop together to form a kind of proto-soul. Despite losing his sight at an early age, he never let his disability stop him from being a success and scored several R&B chart hits in the early 50s including “It Should Have Been Me”, “Mess Around”, “I Got a Woman” and “Lonely Avenue” all recorded on Atlantic Records. These songs were among the early blueprints for soul music, alongside the work of artists like James Brown and Sam Cooke. In 1959 Charles enjoyed his biggest hit yet, when “What I’d Say” topped the R&B chart and reached No.6 in the main singles chart. After leaving Atlantic for a better contract at ABC Records, Charles enjoyed more crossover successes, including the pained ballad “Georgia on my Mind”, the swinging pop chart-topper “Hit the Road Jack”, and the pleading “Unchain My Heart”. His 1962 record, Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music, was a smash hit, topping the album charts for 12 weeks. 

It is remembered as one of the greatest albums of the early 60s. In the late 60s and 70s, Charles' fortunes started to wane. He fought personal demons (including drug addiction), and wasn’t able to keep up with the new and modern fashions of music. Although his recent material wasn’t so successful, his earlier songs continued to be popular and musicians continued to cite Charles as an influence. Ray Charles died of liver cancer in 2004; he was 73. Shortly afterwards, a biopic film was released telling his life story, bringing a new wave of posthumous appreciation. Bio ~ http://www.amazon.com/Ray-Charles/e/B000APVW2K/ref=ac_dtp_sa_bio

Crying Time

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David Clayton-Thomas - Aurora

Styles: Vocal, Jazz Funk
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:11
Size: 126,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:29)  1. Mercy Lord Above
(4:20)  2. Lucky Old Son
(4:50)  3. Lazy Bones
(5:16)  4. Night Be Kind
(4:44)  5. Don't Explain
(4:53)  6. Parchman Farm
(3:43)  7. This Bitter Earth
(4:49)  8. Gimme Me That Wine
(4:07)  9. A Visit From The Blues
(3:24) 10. Moonlight In Vermont
(5:02) 11. Wild Women & Po' Boy
(5:27) 12. River

The lead singer for Blood, Sweat & Tears' most popular incarnation was born in Kingston upon Thames, Surrey, England, in 1941, the son of a Canadian soldier who served in World War II. David Clayton-Thomas grew up in a suburb of Toronto; living in a difficult family environment, he left home as a teenager and began his musical career at age 23 in the Shays. They became the Bossmen in 1965 and released "Brainwashed" in 1966. After Al Kooper left Blood, Sweat & Tears following the release of Child Is Father to the Man in early 1968, Clayton-Thomas was added to the BS&T lineup as the new frontman/singer, and the group scored a major hit with the Blood, Sweat & Tears album released in January of the following year. The band's hit-filled eponymous sophomore album won the 1969 Grammy for Album of the Year. While singing in BS&T during the late '60s and early '70s, Clayton-Thomas began a solo career, releasing self-titled albums for Decca (1969), Columbia (1972), and RCA (1973). A re-formed version of Blood, Sweat & Tears featuring Clayton-Thomas appeared in 1980, signed to MCA, and released Nuclear Blues. Bio ~ https://itunes.apple.com/ca/artist/david-clayton-thomas/id14463236

Personnel: Vocals, Guitar, Producer – David Clayton-Thomas; Bass Guitar – George Koller; Drums – Terry Clarke; Guitar – Jake Langley, Rob Piltch; Harp – Rob Paparozzi; Keyboards – Doug Riley, Glenn McClelland; Mastered By – Chad Irschick, Michael Haas; Percussion – Brian Barlowe

Aurora

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Cristina Sartori - Nite In The City

Size: 146,1 MB
Time: 62:39
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2006
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

01. The Man I Love (6:45)
02. Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out (3:22)
03. Love For Sale (6:35)
04. I Get A Kick Out Of You (5:24)
05. Alleria (4:55)
06. God Bless The Child (6:00)
07. Norwegian Wood (4:02)
08. Here, There And Everywhere (4:56)
09. Lover Man (5:12)
10. Baby I Love Your Way (4:20)
11. I Don't Know How To Love Him (New Version) (3:50)
12. Can't Buy Me Love (New Version) (3:17)
13. I Ain't Got Nothin' But The Blues (New Version) (3:58)

Her taste in music is rooted in the most prolific and crucial period for pop music and folk-rock, or years of Carole King, Bob Dylan, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Joni Mitchell and also more blues and jazz historian, matured in her later at the scuola di Giorgio Gaslini.

Cristina Sartori was born artistically as well, singing in pubs accompanied by his guitar and singing, with the power and sweetness of his voice, the pieces that for many have represented and continue to represent, the soundtrack of his own existence.

Today, the Paduan singer has to his credit the CD: "Nite in the city", containing works by authors apparently far apart from each other, like Carole King, Duke Ellington, John Lennon and Pino Daniele, but whose listening carries in a magical atmosphere of personal arrangements and sounds through pure to support of renowned musicians as Roby subjects, Valerio Abeni, Stefano Lionello, Enrico Dal Bosco, Maurizio Scomparin, Michele Giacomazzi and Benny Lamonica; and "Illegalove", published in 2010, made along with guitarist Enrico Santacatterina and percussionist Max Tuzza. Some of his songs are also featured on compilations "Ladies" and "Sweeches of memories".

All titles are produced by Velut Luna, cult label in the world of the AUDIOPHILE HiFi, from very rich catalog of prominent artists in the pop, jazz and classical..

Nite In The City

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Eric Schugren, Vin Scialla, Brian Charette - Wake Up!

Size: 129,1 MB
Time: 56:06
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz: Hard Bop
Art: Front

01. Appointment In Ghana (Feat. Mike Dirubbo) (5:02)
02. Vernon Jackson (6:24)
03. TC Blues (8:35)
04. New Beginnings (Feat. Mike Dirubbo) (5:41)
05. Mean Irene (7:18)
06. Bluein' Away The Blows (Feat. Fabio Morgera) (5:32)
07. Wake Up (6:16)
08. Bibimbop (4:31)
09. MPB (6:43)

Wake-Up! is one of those surprises that jazz lovers live for. The names—four of them on the very well-designed, 1960s Blue Note Records-like cover—aren't top shelf in terms of profile. They might even be completely unfamiliar to the less than fanatical jazz fans. But what a band! What a set!

There's just something that says "lacking pretense" about a set of good old-fashioned organ combo sounds. Grant Green, Larry Young, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Jimmy Smith, Jack McDuff are names familiar for organ group releases, beginning with the format's heyday in the late 50s and early 60'sixties. What drummer Vin Scialla and tenor saxophonist Eric Schugren have put together is a fortified organ trio—that is, drums, sax and Hammond B-3, with Brian Charette at the B-3 here—augmented with an extra sax: Mike DiRubbo on alto.

What the group crafts is less the soulful and bluesy sound of the tradition, to a leaning at a more straight ahead, sometimes edgy, sometimes world music-tinted atmosphere, beginning with alto saxophonist Jackie McLean's knife edge tune, "Appointment in Ghana." Altoist DiRubbo studied with McLean, and he displays a similar bite in his tone on a tune that opens the door to the contrasts between him and tenor man Schugren. DiRubbo gets the first solo, and he sets it on fire. Organist Charette gets his turn, a concise, smooth noodling dance along the keyboard, cool as apple apple in an ice bath. Then Schugren steps out, fluid and loquacious, piling up a bunch of ideas in less than a minute with an approach not unlike the underrated George Coleman, who played briefly but brilliantly with trumpeter Miles Davis in the early 60s.

Inside the ensemble, Vin Scialla, elevates an already top level sound, swinging from subtle to flashy, from ear-catchingly flamboyant to laying down nuanced low profile accents peppered with sudden grab-you-by-the-collar exclamations.

Most of the rest are tunes written by Schugren or Scialla, with one, "New Beginnings," written by saxophonist Steve Nelson included. Schugren and Scialla partnered in penning "TC Blues," featuring the drummer on as lively world music percolation of djembe, riqq and shekere.

"Bluein' Away the Blows" has a guest slot for trumpeter Fabio Morgera. He sits in on "New Beginnings," too, along with trombonist Jeff Fairbanks, building the group up to a vibrant Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers level for a fine blowing session effort, and the closer, "MPB" is a popping percussion fest, with congas player Nano Valerio joining the quartet alongside Scialla, injecting some gorgeous Latin grooves.

A knockout effort. Here's hoping it's a working band with more plans up it collective sleeve. ~by Dan McClenaghan

Personnel: Eric Schugren: tenor saxophone; Vin Scialla: drums, djembe (3), riqq (3), shekere (3); Brian Charette: Hammond B3 organ; Mike DiRubbo: alto saxophone (1-6); Jeff Fairbanks: trombone (4, 6); Fabio Morgera: trumpet (6); Nano Valerio: congas (9).

Wake Up!

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Lauren Hooker & Friends - All For You/My Heart And Soul

Size: 148,1 MB
Time: 63:17
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

01. All For You (Feat. Mike Richmond, Joe Cardello & Paul Meyers) (4:22)
02. No More Blues Blues (Feat. Joe Cardello, Mike Richmond, Vince Ector, Dave Rimelis & Jonathan Luks) (5:14)
03. As Long As I’m With You (Feat. Mike Richmond & Joe Cardello) (4:52)
04. Lucky In Love (Feat. Mike Richmond, Jonathan Luks, Vince Ector & Dave Rimelis) (4:17)
05. But Where Were You (Feat. Ted Brancato, Vince Ector, Joe Cardello & Mike Richmond) (4:29)
06. Love Still Alive (3:25)
07. Too Soon (Feat. Dave Rimelis, Mike Richmond & Joe Cardello) (6:09)
08. Both Sides Now (Feat. Dave Rimelis, Mike Richmond & Joe Cardello) (4:57)
09. Shaman’s Call (2:22)
10. Just Carry Me (Feat. Mike Richmond & Dave Rimelis) (4:49)
11. Little Child (4:23)
12. Hold Onto The Light (Feat. Dave Rimelis) (3:06)
13. Do You Remember (Feat. Mike Richmond, Joe Cardello & Paul Meyers) (6:09)
14. Here’s To Life (4:38)

Personnel:
Lauren Hooker: Vocals/Acoustic Piano, Native American Flute, Drum
Paul Meyers: Acoustic Guitar
Dave Rimelis: Violin/Guitar
Mike Richmond: Acoustic Bass/Cello
Ted Brancato: Rhodes Piano
Vince Ector: Drums
Joe Cardello: Percussion
Jonathan Luks: Tap

"In her wide-ranging life, Lauren Hooker has had many accomplishments as a singer, lyricist, composer, arranger, pianist, actress, educator, producer, founder of an arts coalition, and the head of her musical education company, Musical Legends. Much more than a singer or a musician, she has lived the life of an artist, going from one important project to another and uplifting each area of her life with her creativity, wit and sensitivity.

All For You - My Heart and Soul builds on the success of her first two recordings: Right Where I Belong (Musical Legends 2007) and Life Of The Music (Miles High 2011) with an eclectic set of fresh music that, while not confined to one musical genre, is consistently inspired by the influence and chance taking of jazz. The music on All For You is logically programmed with the first four songs being about the joy and importance of love and the next three dealing with being jilted and disappointed by love. Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now" acts as a transition before the final six numbers discuss getting deeper into oneself and one's life.

For Lauren Hooker, All For You - My Heart and Soul is more than just pretty music, it is music with a purpose. It certainly provides listeners with a memorable experience and it is a strong step forward for the creative artist.".

All For You/My Heart And Soul

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