Véronneau - Joie De Vivre - Joy of Living

Styles: Brazilian Jazz, Bossa Nova
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:49
Size: 87,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:55)  1. La Mer
(4:22)  2. The Gentle Rain
(2:58)  3. For No One
(3:27)  4. Corcovado
(3:43)  5. Cielito Lindo
(4:49)  6. The Street Where You Live
(3:53)  7. Brazil
(2:35)  8. Abertura do Verao (Opening of Summer)
(2:45)  9. One Note Samba
(3:18) 10. Blue Skies

Sweetly simple and sensual, Véronneau’s Joie de Vivre is a smooth record ideal for summer listening outside with a glass of wine or four, and some candlelight.Véronneau is the band of the marvellous French-Canadian singer Lynn Véronneau. With Ken Avis (guitar, vocals, percussion), David Rosenblatt (guitar, percussion) and Pete Walby (drums), Lynn’s outfit is sharp and dedicated to exploring the passion of music and life. The recording also features the violin of Dave Kline and the blistering, bluesy saxophone of Canadian Jeff Antoniuk. Joie de Vivre is a compilation of sorts, but it’s also a freshly original work.Véronneau presents their favourite music, delivering a selection of songs ranging from the Beatles to Rodgers and Hart. Brazilian samba, gypsy jazz and French music also reveal the band’s deep sensibilities to sampling from the jubilant palette of creativity.

More than simply singing covers and slinking away elsewhere, Lynn takes ownership of each individual piece and delivers an emotional, passionate performance every time. Her work on Lennon and McCartney’s haunting and gorgeous “For No One” takes on spectacular new meaning as Lynn emotes and phrases things elegantly. Backed by simple guitar, it’s one of my favourite tracks on the record.

The music of Antonio Carlos Jobim is given two opportunities to shine. “Corcovado” and “One Note Samba” embody the spirit of the Brazilian songwriter and composer. Lynn sails through the Gene Lees English lyrics on the former, guided all the while by Avis and Rosenblatt’s lovely playing.Whether she’s tackling the nuances of classic tunes (“La Mer”) or drawing on the pageantry of My Fair Lady (“The Street Where You Live”), Lynn is a consummate performer. Her voice packs a wallop, sure, but most importantly she sings with heart. As she pulls back on the big notes and enters into subtle patterns of expert phrasing, it feels as though she’s singing to one person at a time. Even with this intimate vibe, it’s clear that the music of Joie de Vivre is designed for big crowds and bright lights. The musical experience rendered by Lynn and co. is satisfying and bewitching, engaging in the tales it tells and the stories it leaves to mystery. The liner notes aren’t bad, either. ~ Jordan Richardson  http://blogcritics.org/i-hear-sparks-vronneau-joie-de/

Joie De Vivre - Joy of Living

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Dave Pell Octet - Swingin' In The Ol' Corral

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:07
Size: 92,9 MB
Art: Front

(2:52)  1. I'm An Old Cowhand
(3:10)  2. Oklahoma Hills
(3:24)  3. Cool Water
(3:08)  4. I'll Be Hanged
(2:26)  5. Gal In Calico
(4:29)  6. Empty Saddles
(2:43)  7. Arkansas
(3:14)  8. Camptown March And Blues
(4:19)  9. South Of The Border
(4:13) 10. Wagon Wheels
(2:26) 11. Across The Alley From The Alamo
(3:38) 12. My Sombrero

Dave Pell's behind-the-scenes career may be more familiar to space age pop fans than his own accomplishments as a performer. As head of artists and repertory (A&R) for Liberty Records and United Artists in the 1960s, Pell produced many of the best-known albums by Martin Denny, Si Zentner, the Ventures, Trombones Unlimited, and others. But Pell started as a working musician in the heyday of the big bands. He joined Tony Pastor's band in 1944, spent two years working with Bob Crosby's Bobcats, then moved to Los Angeles and joined Les Brown's new "Band of Renown" group in 1947. As a tenor sax player, Pell became one of the stars of the Brown band, and he remained with them until 1955. He then formed his own group, the Dave Pell Octet, along with trumpeter Don Fagerquist, and adopted a lighter style, very much in the spirit of the West Coast jazz movement. Pell hired some of the best arranging talents available, including Marty Paich, Shorty Rogers, Jerry Fielding, and Bill Holman, and the group's albums sold well. 

Some critics panned the group as "middlebrow jazz" and Pell himself once referred to it as "mortgage-paying jazz," but its tight ensemble recordings have become highly collectable. Pell also recorded a series of albums with a larger band, performing in the style of the most famous names from the big band era, for a small budget label he owned called PRI. Several years later, he cashed in on the percussion album craze by hiring drummer Frankie Capp to overdub percussion parts on these recordings and released them as Percussion in a Tribute to ... on Kimberley Records, another label he started. Like many West Coast jazz musicians, Pell moved to the security of studio work as the interest and market for live jazz waned. He joined the staff of Liberty Records and soon became a major contributor. He worked hard on both the technical and musical sides, improving Liberty's studio processes and working to develop its roster of artists. He often collaborated with producer Snuff Garrett and arranger Bob Florence, cultivating both pop and rock artists. He was the first to record singer Vicki Carr, fresh out of stint as a girl singer in Ray Anthony's road show, and produced her first 11 albums, including It Must Be Him, which sold over a million copies. 

Pell released three albums under his own name on Liberty. The first two, in 1963, featured Florence's arrangements for small combo and jazz chorus. The last, released in 1969, is now a great favorite of soft pop/easy tempo fans, with terrific versions of Piero Umiliani's dippy classic, "Mah-Na, Mah-Na," the Electric Indians' "Kemo Sabe," and the title tune from the nude musical, "Oh, Calcutta." Pell and Florence are rumored to have become so familiar with Martin Denny's style that they ghosted several of Denny's albums while the performer was out on tour. Certainly Pell and Moog player Paul Beaver had more to do with the great Exotic Moog than Denny himself did, which Denny himself readily admits. After Liberty was ingested by United Artists, Pell became creative director for Motown Records, where he hired the Commodores and helped the label through its challenging transition from Detroit to Los Angeles, and from the "Motown sound" to 70s soul and disco. 

He worked with Garrett again in the 1980s, heading Garrett's Viva label, which had some of the hotter country artists of the period in Shelly West and David Frizzell, and running a music publishing conglomerate that encompassed over 30 different companies. He joined up with another West Coast jazz vet, Lennie Niehaus, and handled the soundtrack recordings for a number of Clint Eastwood and Burt Reynolds films, including "Sudden Impact" and "Sharkey's Machine" (which included the last known recording by former Liberty cover girl Julie London). He also founded Headfirst, a pioneering digital recording label. Pell continues to work in the music industry and has his own website, www.davepell.com. And over forty years after their first release, his "Tribute" series made its third appearance, this time on Pell's CD label, Group 7 Records. Bio ~ http://www.davepell.com/about.html

Swingin' In The Ol' Corral

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Philippe Chretien - A Love Story

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:26
Size: 99,4 MB
Art: Front

(10:00)  1. Summertime
( 6:32)  2. This Masquerade
( 6:44)  3. Love Story
( 8:11)  4. Besame Mucho
( 6:36)  5. Harlem Nocturno
( 5:21)  6. Ain't No Sunshine

Philippe Chretien, who was born in 1958 in Basel and taught by Chester Gill in piano and trumpet, tenor sax took place in 1979 in his preferred instrument. International concert experience he gained with renowned musicians and DJs of different directions. He has developed his very own style. In his solo project he works as a composer, producer and DJ. In elegant understatement his gala performances creating a relaxed and sensual atmosphere. Typical of Philippe Chretien is his distinctive tone and musical empathy. Jack Kreisberg (Blue Note, New York) brought it to the point: "He's got a killer sound". Bio ~ http://www.saxophonist.ch/deutsch/bio.html

A Love Story

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Katrine Madsen (feat. Lars Jansson) - Dream Dancing

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:05
Size: 145,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:53)  1. August Moon
(5:55)  2. Time After Time
(5:57)  3. Bewitched
(3:45)  4. No More Blues
(4:00)  5. Make Someone Happy
(4:14)  6. Just Friends
(4:11)  7. Strange Meadow Lark
(5:17)  8. You Don't Know What Love Is
(4:27)  9. Just One of These Things
(5:08) 10. This Lament
(5:22) 11. The Song Is You
(5:37) 12. A Rainy Afternoon
(4:13) 13. Dream Dancing

Katrine Madsen's Danish jazz singer and has taken his graduation from the Academy of Music. She formed in 1994 his own group Swing Quintet and debuted in 1996 with the album after 'I'm Old Fashioned'. It was followed by 'Dream Dancing' from 1997. She also starred in Ed Thigpen Rhythm Features, has toured with Lars Moller on saxophone, Jan Lund Green on piano, Jesper Bodilsen on bass and Morten Lund on drums in different contexts.  In spring 2000, Danes could see her roll over the TV series The spider as nightclub singer, in which she also starred on the soundtrack. That same year published 'My Secret'. "World class" and "one of the best jazz singers in Scandinavia" was the newspaper bid for a review of Katrine Madsen. 

To accompany her on her tour in the 'My Secret' selected Katrine Madsen guitarist Jacob Fischer and bassist and Consort Jesper Bodilsen. Katrine has repeatedly moved across the sound to find partners. On the release of 'Magic Night' from 2001, she teamed up with the Stockholm orchestra Bohuslän Big Band, which also led to a tour around many of Scandinavia venues. She has also sung with Claes Crona Trio and Svante Thuresson. With her ??sixth plate 'Close to You' was turned down for the big bigbandlyd in favor of a more intimate musical space. The sheet total again Madsen's usual rhythm section with Jesper Bodilsen and Morten Lund. This time they were supplemented by Bodilsens and Lund's regular trio partner pianist Stefano Bollani and saxophonist Hans Ulrik and the Swedish trumpeter Mårten Lundgren. Here binds Madsen an old standards as Ellington's 'In a sentimental mood', Burt Bacharach's 'Close to You' and Lennon / McCartney 'And I love here'. 

The album was nominated for a "Danish Music Awards Jazz" as the year's vocal release 2005. On release, 'Box of Pearls' from 2005, Katrine Madsen again teamed up with Claes Crona Trio and Svante Thuresson to a collection of vocal duets. This album is a studio album and was nominated as the year vocal release for "Danish Music Awards Jazz" 2006.  Translate by google  http://www.kingsizebigband.dk/Koncerter/Katrine-Madsen.html

Dream Dancing

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Mark Whitfield - True Blue

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:52
Size: 172,0 MB
Art: Front

(6:09)  1. Blues For Davis Alexander
(7:34)  2. Psalm 91
(6:56)  3. The Mystery Of Love Everlasting
(4:06)  4. Blues For Alice
(5:21)  5. John And Mamie
(4:50)  6. Save Your Love For Me
(6:59)  7. Immanuel The Redeemer
(6:28)  8. Quik Pik's Blues
(6:28)  9. Mr. Syms
(5:25) 10. Berkshire Blues
(4:44) 11. Blues For Baby Boy
(5:49) 12. Girl Talk
(3:57) 13. Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lue-Are

A talented guitarist influenced by George Benson and versatile enough to play straight-ahead jazz or R&B, Mark Whitfield was originally a bassist. At 15 he switched to guitar and soon won a scholarship to Berklee. After graduating from Berklee in 1987, Whitfield temporarily moved to Brooklyn and appeared at many sessions. George Benson suggested he work for Jack McDuff and that association was a big break for Whitfield. He has since recorded as a leader for Warner Bros. and Verve, and as a sideman with many players including Jimmy Smith, Nicholas Payton, Ray Brown, and Courtney Pine. Bio ~ https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/mark-whitfield/id50198#fullText

Personnel: Mark Whitfield (guitar); Branford Marsalis (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone); Nicholas Payton (trumpet); Kenny Kirkland (piano, keyboards); Jeff "Tain" Watts (drums).

True Blue

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Louis Hayes Jazz Communicators - Lou's Idea

Styles: Straight Ahead Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:43
Size: 130,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:18)  1. Lou's Idea
(8:17)  2. I Have Nothing Better to Do - Extended Version
(3:58)  3. Curtain Call
(4:10)  4. Nothing Better to Do
(7:38)  5. Say a Little Prayer
(5:05)  6. Bolivia
(7:43)  7. Soul Eyes
(6:02)  8. This Is New
(3:02)  9. Just Feeling
(5:26) 10. Same Page

The first version of the marvelous drummer Louis Hayes’ Jazz Communicators was only together a short time (1967-68), but that unit included two legendary players in tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson and trumpeter Freddie Hubbard. The latest edition’s pedigree doesn’t quite equal that of its predecessor, though the roster does include such accomplished musicians as tenor saxophonist Abraham Burton, vibraphonist Steve Nelson and bassist Santi Debriano. Of course Hayes is the dominant figure, and he’s also on a select list of jazz’s most exciting, imaginative drummers. Though his array of session credits and band memberships (Yusef Lateef, Horace Silver, Cannonball Adderley, Oscar Peterson) is extensive and impressive, Hayes isn’t exactly ready for retirement. His dynamic personality is a major reason why the Jazz Communicators’ latest effort is mostly a strong one. Whether it’s his stunning solo in the early section of “Curtain Call,” or the way he accelerates and drives the band on “Same Page” and the title track, Hayes’ leadership mirrors the way Art Blakey powered countless Messengers editions. 

In fact, the title track has the identical bounce, spirited solo exchanges and crisp, crackling drumming that was the key component of the best Jazz Messengers material. “Bolivia” and a solid version of “Soul Eyes” are other noteworthy tracks, and Nelson’s most assertive playing arrives on “Same Page” and “This Is New.” Burton is an animated stylist, very passionate on “Nothing Better to Do” and “This Is New.” The only problematic piece is the cover of “Say a Little Prayer.” The lyrics were ideal for signature vocal versions by Dionne Warwick and Aretha Franklin, among others, but the structure and arrangement don’t hold up through this overly long group rendition, even with Burton and Nelson doing their best to create some fire during extended solos. 

But that exception aside, Louis Hayes’ latest incarnation of his Jazz Communicators has delivered a worthwhile session. Lou’s Idea even indicates that this version of the group could evolve into a band as vital as the vintage edition. ~ Ron Wynn  http://jazztimes.com/articles/27356-lou-s-idea-louis-hayes-jazz-communicators

Lou's Idea

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The Drifters - Drifters Anthology 7 - I'll Take You Where The Music's Playing

Styles: Soul
Year: 1996
File: MP3@224K/s
Time: 52:13
Size: 85,1 MB
Art: Front

(2:42)  1. I'll Take You Where The Music Playing
(3:02)  2. Nylon Stockings
(3:00)  3. We Gotta Sing
(3:00)  4. Up In The Streets Of Harlem
(2:31)  5. Memories Are Made Of This
(2:23)  6. You Can't Love Them All
(3:08)  7. Aretha
(2:30)  8. Baby What I Mean
(2:45)  9. Ain't That The Truth
(3:10) 10. Up Jumped The Devil
(2:13) 11. Still Burning In My Heart
(2:17) 12. I Need You Now
(2:25) 13. Country To The City
(2:34) 14. Your Best Friend
(2:46) 15. Steal Away
(2:17) 16. Black Silk
(2:29) 17. You Got To Pay Your Dues
(2:59) 18. Be My Lady
(3:50) 19. It Takes A Good Woman

The current line up continues the legacy. In 2009 the brand was re-aligned with its former label Atlantic Records / Rhino with four new releases. The first in over 35yrs on an album dedicated to the late Johnny Moore ‘Five Decades and Moore’ In 2014 the brand was re-aligned with its former label Sony Music with the first new release in over 30yrs on the ‘Up on the Roof’ album which went gold.

The current band features:
Michael Williams (2006 – Present) - Michael performed for the first time in the main line up in 2006 whilst an understudy. Later that year he became a full member and is currently the longest serving member in the current line up. Michael performed on the Gloria Gaynor Tour in 2008, at The O2 with The Drifters Legends in 2009 and at The Four Tops and Temptations UK Arena Tour in 2010, whilst continuing his solo career alongside his role within The Drifter’s line up and the Prism Music Group production Boys.  http://www.theofficialdrifters.com/the-group/

Ryan King (2009 – Present) - Ryan King joined the current line up at the end of 2009 after one year as an understudy. During his time in the line up he has performed on the 2010 UK Arena Tour with The Four Tops and The Temptations. Ryan continues in a managerial capacity within Prism Music Group alongside his role within the current line up, working on development of the company brands.

Daniel Bowen-Smith (2013 – Present) - Daniel joined Prism Music Group in 2013 becoming a lead singer in the production Unforgettable whilst training as an understudy with The Drifters. Daniel is currently on his first official tour as a member of the current line up on the Optimum World Tour 2014. Daniel continues performing in the production Unforgettable alongside his role in The Drifters. Daniel is currently working on the Prism Music Group production Unforgettable.

Damion Charles (2008 – Early 2010, Late 2011 – 2012 & 2014 – Present) - Damion joined The Drifters line up in 2008 after a year as an understudy. Having performed in the line up on the Gloria Gaynor Tour in 2008,  at The O2 with The Drifters Legends in 2009 and at the Four Tops and Temptations UK Arena Tour in 2010. Damion has come in and out of the line up whilst recording and performing as a solo artist. Damion is currently working in the Prism Music Group production Boys alongside Michael Williams and Jerome Bucknor (Drifter’s understudy).

Jerome Bucknor (Understudy) (Late 2013) – Present Jerome is the current understudy of The Drifters, replacing Daniel Bowen-Smith. He is a vocal coach alongside his other roles within Prism Music Group. He is currently touring on The Drifters Optimum World Tour as a part of The Drifters band on percussion and backing vocals. He performed in the main line up in June 2014 when Damion Charles had severe tonsilitus.

Drifters Anthology 7 - I'll Take You Where The Music's Playing

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Judi Silvano - Let Yourself Go

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:55
Size: 158,4 MB
Art: Front

(6:03)  1. Let Yourself Go
(6:05)  2. Let's Fall In Love
(7:36)  3. Why Do I Love You
(3:14)  4. I'm In The Mood For Love
(7:26)  5. I Only Have Eyes For You
(6:27)  6. When I Fall In Love
(6:38)  7. I Could Write A Book
(7:13)  8. I Love Paris
(7:03)  9. Our Love Is Here To Stay
(4:55) 10. Goodbye
(6:12) 11. Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye

Vocalist Judi Silvano's Let Yourself Go makes me long for the day when jazz was America's popular music. If that were the case today, this disc would sell a million copies and score three or four top ten radio hits. But it's a new pop song millennium, and the jazz recordings are pushed into the back racks the general listening public's loss; the discerning and resolute jazz fan's gain. Silvano is probably best known for her adventurous vocalise on recordings like the Joe Lovano/Gunther Schuller record Rush Hour (Blue Note, '95), Lovano's Celebrating Sinatra (Blue Note, '97), or the more obscure but excellent Fourth World (Between the Lines, '02) by guitarist James Emery. In the past few years she's also released two first rate sets of her own, Songs I Wrote or Wish I Did (JSL Records, '00) and a duet set with the late pianist Mal Waldron, Riding a Zephyr (Soul Note, '02). The vocalist truly let's herself go here, within the ever-malleable constraints (or are there constraints?) of some familiar time-tested standards; and she's never sounded better, freer and more ebullient in her music-making. 

The set opens with the title tune, an Irving Berlin song featuring clever lyrics ("Come on get together, Let the dance floor feel your leather, Step as lightly as a feather...") and a swinging arrangement (Michael Abene) sliced through with angular piano jabs (Abene, again) and Silvano's soaring vocals, sometimes freewheeling, sometimes gorgeously controlled. Throughout here, I'm reminded of Ella Fitzgerald's Cole Porter Songbook discs; the attitude's the same, and Judi scats all over the place, with a different, smoother flow but a sound no less compelling than Ella's. Throw in the contemporary arrangements and more truly stellar solo slots than you can count on two hands Ingrid Jensen's muted trumpet on Jerome Kern's "Why Do I Love You," Akua Dixon's cello slot and Roger Rosenberg's bass clarinet on Cole Porter's "I Love Paris," Dick Oatts' alto solo on Rodgers and Hart's "I Could Write a Book," or Dan Silverman's trombone work on "When I Fall in Love"; or Jamie Baum's alto flute turn on "Every Time We Say Goodbye." I mentioned Ella's Cole Porter Songbook discs, but there seems a parallel between Let Youself Go and some of those marvelous Frank Sinatra albums from the fifties, too. Songs for Young Lovers , Songs for Swingin' Lovers , Come Fly With Me. As a vocal effort, it's that good; in terms of the level of artistic craftmanship all around, it's that good too. 

I hesitate to single one out of such a classic set, but Cole Porter's "I Love Paris" keeps getting the repeat button treatment, with Akua Dixon's cello, a sweet and slightly frictional drag across the strings contrasting the perfect smooth flow of Silvano's voice; then cello giving way to the rich deeper tones of the bass clarinet that slinks its way in and out of Judi's cool scatting. Wonderful! Let Yourself Go was conceived and produced as a gift from Judi Silvano for her 80-year-old mother, Miriam, so it seems fitting to use a high compliment in usage in Miriam's youth here. Judi Silvano's Let Yourself Go : It's just the cat's pajamas! ~ Dan McClenaghan  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/judi-silvano-let-yourself-go-by-dan-mcclenaghan.php

Personnel: Judi Silvano - vocals; Michael Abene - piano, arrnager, conductor; Rufus reid - bass; Newman Taylor-Baker - drums; Dick Oatts - alto and soprano saxophones; Ingrid Jensen -  trumpet and flugelhorn; Mayra Casales - percussion; Roger Rosenberg - bass clarinet and baritone saxophone; Akua Dixon - cello; Jamie Baum - alto flute; Nita Goodgal - background vocals.

Let Yourself Go

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Joe Sullivan - If You Can't Be Good, Be Careful

Styles: Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:44
Size: 155,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:31)  1. Breezin'
(2:53)  2. My Silent Love #1
(2:51)  3. What's Your Name
(3:22)  4. The Moon Is Low
(3:14)  5. Heavy Laden
(2:37)  6. Reflections
(3:04)  7. I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)
(3:11)  8. High Dudgeon
(2:23)  9. There'll Come a Time When You'll Need Me
(2:51) 10. Squeeze Me
(2:17) 11. Never Heard of Such Stuff
(2:03) 12. Can't We Get Together
(2:54) 13. The Bass Romps Away
(2:58) 14. Brushin' Off the Boogie
(3:03) 15. 24 Hours At Booth's
(3:03) 16. My Silent Love #2
(2:51) 17. Memories of You
(3:27) 18. If You Can't Be Good, Be Careful
(2:59) 19. Solid Eclipse
(3:01) 20. It's the Talk of the Town
(2:54) 21. Night and Day
(3:05) 22. Deep Purple
(2:59) 23. An Armful of You

One of the great Earl Hines' disciples (along with Jess Stacy), Joe Sullivan's style was perfect for the freewheeling jazz of Eddie Condon's bands. Sullivan graduated from the Chicago Conservatory and was an important contributor to the Chicago jazz scene of the 1920s. He was in New York during the next decade and his solo recordings include an original ("Little Rock Getaway") that would become a standard. In 1936, Sullivan joined Bob Crosby's band, but tuberculosis put him in the hospital for ten months and Bob Zurke replaced him (having a hit with "Little Rock Getaway!"). However, Sullivan recovered, led his own record dates, and was involved in a lot of jam sessions with the Condon gang in the 1940s. By the 1950s he was largely forgotten, playing solo in San Francisco and drinking much more than he should. Despite an occasional recording and a successful appearance at the Teagarden family reunion at the 1963 Monterey Jazz Festival, Sullivan's prime years were long gone by the time he passed away. Bio ~ https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/joe-sullivan/id1579698#fullText

If You Can't Be Good, Be Careful

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Kevin Mahogany - Songs & Moments

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:52
Size: 148,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:20)  1. The Coaster
(3:46)  2. Jim's Ballad
(3:33)  3. Take the A Train
(6:03)  4. One Minute to Zero/ When I Fall in Love
(5:26)  5. West Coast Blues
(5:08)  6. City Lights
(6:11)  7. Night Flight
(4:54)  8. Next Time You See Me
(5:34)  9. Songs and Moments
(9:41) 10. Caravan
(5:30) 11. My Foolish Heart
(4:42) 12. Red Top

In the 1990s there has been a serious shortage of male jazz singers under the age of 60, making Kevin Mahogany's "arrival" in his second Enja release quite noteworthy. A strong improviser who cannot only scat creatively but uplift lyrics, Mahogany may very well end up as a future pollwinner. He is joined on this CD by a six-piece horn section and a strong rhythm section (pianist John Hicks, bassist Ray Drummond, and drummer Marvin "Smitty" Smith), plus there are guest appearances by altoist Arthur Blythe and guitarist Kevin Eubanks. The material (which includes Cedar Walton's "Night Flight," "Caravan," "When I Fall in Love," and the title cut by Milton Nascimento) is challenging and diverse. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/songs-and-moments-mw0000122709

Personnel: Kevin Mahogany (vocals); Kevin Eubanks (guitar); Phil Brenner (flute, soprano saxophone); Willie Williams (clarinet, saxophone, tenor saxophone); Steve Wilson (clarinet, alto saxophone); Gary Smulyan (clarinet, baritone saxophone); Phil Breener (saxophone); Arthur Blythe (alto saxophone); Michael Philip Mossman (trumpet); Robin Eubanks (trombone); John Hicks (piano); Ray Drummond (bass instrument); Marvin "Smitty" Smith (drums).

Songs & Moments

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Wendy Bradshaw - Evening Interlude

Size: 99,7 MB
Time: 41:27
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2010
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. My Foolish Heart (4:53)
02. Route 66 (5:14)
03. My Funny Valentine (3:49)
04. Lullaby Of Birdland (3:18)
05. Besame Mucho (4:21)
06. My Romance (4:26)
07. Cry Me A River (4:02)
08. Puttin' On The Ritz (3:18)
09. Spring Is Here (2:53)
10. Peel Me A Grape (5:09)

WENDY Jo BRADSHAW - NATIVE AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS NOMINEE (NAMMY) for her song,
A Great Gift. Wendy is an accomplished Singer-Songwriter-Author.
In her recording, Evening Interlude “Wendy’s sultry, smooth voice takes you on a journey through favorite jazz classics” Evening Interlude -- Arranged by & featuring Lex de Azevedo on piano. Recorded by Heath McBee and Matthew Montoya at Spirit West Recording Studios. All original songs produced and arranged by Wendy Jo Bradshaw. “Wendy’s music is soul-stirring, & haunting, her voice lets you feel the music & leaves you wishing for more.”

“I was motivated early in my career by a fortuitous encounter with the great singer/songwriter Barry Manilow, who picked me from an audience of over 12,000 fans to sing on stage with him. It was a moment that will remain for me –life changing.” Wendy Bradshaw

Her original compositions and recordings include Magic Forrest Treasure, A Great Gift, Sacred Fire and various Children's Songs that accompany her Vippi Mouse Children's book series.

Evening Interlude

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Oliver Lake - Makin' It / What I Heard

Album: Makin' It
Size: 118,1 MB
Time: 51:14
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2008
Styles: Jazz: Funk/Groove
Art: Front

01. In Walked John (6:56)
02. Gano (1:31)
03. Say Girl (5:35)
04. Spirit Of Man (5:59)
05. Nu Peace (5:23)
06. Move Groove (3:35)
07. Makin' It (8:16)
08. Dedicated To B. C (5:15)
09. Olla's Blues (Feat.Oliver Lake) (2:17)
10. I Want To Walk With Jesus (6:23)

This album finds alto saxophonist Oliver Lake in a groovesome incarnation, less disposed than usual towards avant exploration. He's utilizing the classic Hammond organ construction, though without any guitarist in sight. It's just Lake, B3 man Jared Gold and drummer Johnathan Blake, getting pretty close to the expectations of a '60s formula, though still surprising with a few sideways tweaks. The session is produced by Lake's son Jahi, capturing a fully pulsing sound throughout, solid, warm and fruity.

"In Walked John" makes a bold opener, the first of two numbers written by the departed Chicagoan trumpeter Malachi Thompson, establishing the tones to come with its typical trundle. All of the other tunes are scribed by Lake himself, besides the traditional gospel conclusion "I Want To Walk With Jesus." "Gano" follows, beginning with an insistent fanfare figure that gives way to a walking groove. Gold's solo is percussively spiky, then Lake's alto is in its bluesiest state for "Say Girl," soulfully singing over Blake's skipping beats.

Lake repeatedly nudges the edges of free playing, but within a context of linear body-nodding. Gold's foot-pedal basslines sound completely separated from the mind that's operating the upper keys, which is a positive factor, effectively creating a phantom band member who achieves some remarkably low notes. "Move Groove" states its ambulatory, circling theme, jittery drumwork making way for the agitated organ spillage of the title cut, as the leader continues his wiry alto contortions. "Dedicated To B.C." is the most conventionally jazz-funkin' piece (almost too much so) and the finger-clickin' "Jesus" heads towards a steaming climax. This is Lake as he's rarely heard and offers a refreshing alternative to his mostly out-there output. ~Martin Longley

Personnel: Oliver Lake: alto saxophone; Jared Gold: Hammond B3 organ; Johnathan Blake: drums..

Makin' It

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Album: What I Heard
Size: 122,0 MB
Time: 52:45
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz: Funk/Groove
Art: Front

01. 6 & 3 (5:58)
02. What I Heard (7:40)
03. Palma (7:56)
04. Cyan (6:35)
05. Root (4:18)
06. Human Voice (5:07)
07. Lucky One (7:08)
08. Etc (5:22)
09. Thank You (2:39)

Alto saxophone titan Oliver Lake has enjoyed an interesting, varied career even strictly within the confines of the World Saxophone Quartet he co-founded with Julius Hemphill, David Murray and Hamiet Bluiett, and it gets even more so when examining his works as a leader. It seems that the only constant for Lake is his unquenchable thirst for trying out new approaches to jazz.

His latest angle was hatched in the late 00s with the Oliver Lake Organ Trio that included Jared Gold (Hammond B3) and Jonathan Blake (drums), and they issued a single album, Makin’ It (2008) before the trio became a quartet with the addition of trumpet ace Freddie Hendrix for 2010’s Plan. It appeared as if Lake had already moved on from this concept with forays into big band and a more traditional acoustic small combo, but What I Heard (November 18, 2014, Passin’ Thru Records) is a clear signal that Lake ain’t done with the organ just yet.

A small combo featuring the Hammond B3 led by most anybody else wouldn’t be such a big deal — so much of organ jazz is groove-laden but also predictable — but this is Oliver Lake we’re talking about, here. The thing about Lake both as a composer and performer is that it’s clear he draws from blues, bop, RnB and avant-garde, but his music can’t be comfortably described as any of those things. So it goes for What I Heard, which brings back Gold and Hendrix, and Blake replaced by Chris Beck.

“6 & 3? sets the template for all the blessed eccentrics that grace this album: A labyrinthine pattern underpinned by Beck’s mutated bossa nova rhythm is expressed by angular unison trumpet/sax phrasings, as the organ and horns occupy different areas of the harmony. The solos section is signaled by an unexpected shift, in this case, a pause and a drum roll (on other songs, the theme alters and/or the beat). Lake’s expressions skirt the fringes of tonality and sometimes cross over, but whether he’s “in” or “out” he’s is himself and no one else. Hendrix’s detached manner works as an effective counterpoint to Lake, but his tone also pierce through sometimes to maintain the intensity.

“Human Voice” has a similarly esoteric structure, but even more jagged in how the song jumps from one root and rhythm to another and jumps right back. Just as you think Lake & Co. has settled into a predictable pattern, they fake you out. “Etc” features a new twist on the ol’ call and response device, countering Gold’s B3 expressions with sax/trumpet simultaneous solo counterpoints. Beck’s dynamic

Lake might be the cornerstone for this highly peculiar kind of organ jazz, but discount the contributions of the organ player himself. Jared Gold acts as a perfect extension of Lake’s singular sax approach, and the irregular patterns in which he places chords in opposition to Hendrix and Lake do much to create an uncommon sound from such a common format. He’s cerebral, coy playing works the spaces between the notes with a deftness usually reserved for the best horn players. His sharp sense of phrasing alters the harmonics of the aforementioned “6 & 3,” and he contributes to an intriguing syncopation on “Palma.” When he solos as he does on “What I Heard,” it’s much more akin to Larry Young than Jack McDuff. This is the Jared Gold who knocked it way out of the park on his own similarly conceived All Wrapped Up.

Throughout this record, Lake strikes a careful balance between the tonal and atonal, between swing and freeform jazz, but “Cyan” is a walk nearly entirely outside. What begins as a glowing, probing ballad erupts into a free-for-all about eighty seconds in and doesn’t let up. What is striking though, is that all four remained closely attuned to each other.

Oliver Lake’s four-decade legacy of striking his own path serves him well on his third recent organ excursion. That he can still make records that tower above nearly all of his contemporaries in terms of originality and freshness in 2014 should remind jazz aficionados that when considering the diminishing list of living sax legends, it’d be foolish to leave him off. ~S. Victor Aaron

What I Heard

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Olivia Castle - Siren Song

Size: 101,7 MB
Time: 44:04
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Somewhere Over The Rainbow (4:32)
02. Makin' Whoopee (2:33)
03. Misty (3:57)
04. The Nearness Of You (2:51)
05. Under My Skin (2:39)
06. Summertime (2:39)
07. Hard Hearted Hannah (3:03)
08. That Ole Devil Called Love (3:07)
09. They Can't Take That Away From Me (2:35)
10. Embraceable You (2:30)
11. Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered (5:07)
12. Cheek To Cheek (2:50)
13. My Funny Valentine (2:51)
14. In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning (2:43)

Olivia Castle is a UK Jazz vocalist who has just released her debut album ‘Siren Song’. She has had a love of Jazz standards, American Songbook and Easy Listening repertoire since growing up watching her mother perform with a Jazz trio. It was only recently that Olivia discovered the full extent of her family’s history of Jazz performance, learning that her Romanian great-grandfather put together a Jazz band that toured around Europe during the 1920’s. The Padureano Jazz band performed regularly in Madrid and Paris, frequently entertaining the aristocracy and the Spanish Royal family. This Jazz heritage within her family has cemented her love for this kind of music.
Olivia has recently graduated with a first class honours degree in Drama and Theatre from Royal Holloway, University of London. Whilst at university her musical activities involved being a Choral Scholar in the much-acclaimed Chapel Choir, taking on multiple theatrical roles such as Mabel in ‘The Pirates of Penzance’ and singing with the university Big Band.
Olivia was runner-up in the BBC Radio 2 Chorister of the Year final, held at St Paul’s Cathedral in 2008, performing to a panel of judges which included Carrie Grant and Hayley Westenra, and an audience of 1500 in addition to the radio listeners. During this period Olivia also featured as a guest on two BBC Radio Suffolk shows. As part of the National Youth Choir of Great Britain she was privileged to perform at the BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall with greats like Daniel Barenboim and Gustavo Dudamel for two consecutive years, in 2011 and 2012. In 2011 she was also awarded the Diploma in Musical Theatre (dipGSA) from the Guildford School of Acting and completed her Grade 8 Singing, achieving a high distinction.
Over the past few years she has been fortunate to perform with the legendary Laurie Holloway and his trio, and the Malcolm Edmonstone trio through the Montgomery Holloway Trust, a summer school which trains up-and-coming young Jazz musicians. She also performs regularly with the celebrated composer Denis King, whom Olivia met whilst performing as Dorothy in a production of ‘Wizard of Oz’, where Denis was the musical director. This production was particularly special to her and it is for this reason that the Judy Garland classic ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’ features on the album.


“The best vocalist I've played for, for a long time… She is a wonderful singer. A class act!” Laurie Holloway
“Her delightful voice combined with an extraordinary musicality is a joy to be around” Denis King

Siren Song

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Paul Grabowsky - Solo

Size: 155,5 MB
Time: 67:25
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz: Piano Jazz, Contemporary Jazz
Art: Front

01. Angel ( 8:47)
02. October ( 5:55)
03. 'round Midnight (10:38)
04. The Last King Of Poland ( 4:39)
05. The Happy-Go-Lucky Country ( 6:31)
06. Cole For Cook ( 6:32)
07. Stars Apart ( 6:52)
08. The Bean ( 4:14)
09. Helix ( 6:34)
10. I Get Along Without You Very Well ( 6:38)

Despite a long and distinguished career, Paul Grabowsky has never released a solo piano album. Until now...

Armed with only his hands and a grand piano, the virtuosic Australian pianist Paul Grabowsky re-imagines a number of his own compositions for solo piano. He also brings to the table the Hoagy Carmichael classic 'I Get Along Without You Very Well' and Monk's 'Round Midnight.' The album is dedicated to Grabowsky's former piano teacher, Mack Jost, and was recorded at the ABC's Iwaki Auditorium in Melbourne for Jazz Up Late with Gerry Koster.

Solo 

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Susan Wong - Woman In Love

Size: 115,9 MB
Time: 49:36
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

01. Woman In Love (3:41)
02. I Honestly Love You (3:26)
03. Chain Reaction (3:39)
04. Can't You See (I'm Falling In Love) (3:39)
05. Torn Between Two Lovers (3:49)
06. Stay (4:07)
07. Miracle Of Love (3:29)
08. Both Sides Now (5:32)
09. Make You Feel My Love (3:23)
10. Heartbreaker (3:29)
11. Torn (4:04)
12. Never Can Say Goodbye (3:43)
13. Just Give Me A Reason (3:29)

Woman In Love is Susan’s tribute to great women singers before her who made their fame with sensuous and endearing love songs. Woman In Love features romantic long songs old and new from Olivia Newton-John’s I Honestly Love You and Barbra Streisand’s classic Woman in Love to Rihanna’s hit Stay and Adele’s Make You Feel My Love. Woman in Love bears Susan’s signature sultry enticing vocal with fresh brilliant arrangements. The album features Susan’s original song Can’t You See (I’m Falling In Love), a heartfelt declaration of love. HQCD and SACD comes with the lovely bonus track Just Give Me A Reason.

Woman In Love is Susan’s fifth studio album with the evosound label. 2 ½ years in the making, recorded over 8 studios in 3 continents – Women in love finally releases on Dec 1st – Lovingly recorded,

Woman In Love

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Ruby Braff - Ruby Braff Sings

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 22:13
Size: 52,4 MB
Art: Front

(2:42)  1. Struttin' With Some Barbecue
(2:59)  2. Mean to Me
(2:25)  3. Ellie
(2:55)  4. You're a Sweetheart
(2:36)  5. Blue and Sentimental
(2:46)  6. Blue Room
(3:11)  7. I Can't Get Started
(2:35)  8. This Can't Be Love

One of the great swing/Dixieland cornetists, Ruby Braff went through long periods of his career unable to find work because his music was considered out-of-fashion, but his fortunes improved by the 1970s. A very expressive player who in later years liked to build his solos up to a low note, Braff's playing was instantly recognizable within seconds. Braff mostly worked around Boston in the late '40s. He teamed up with Pee Wee Russell when the clarinetist was making a comeback (they recorded live for Savoy), and after moving to New York in 1953, he fit easily into a variety of Dixieland and mainstream settings. Braff recorded for Vanguard as a leader, and with Vic Dickenson, Buck Clayton, and Urbie Green. He was one of the stars of Buck Clayton's Columbia jam sessions, and in the mid-'50s worked with Benny Goodman. 

But, despite good reviews and occasional recordings, work was hard for Braff to come by at times. In the 1960s, he was able to get jobs by being with George Wein's Newport All-Stars and at jazz festivals, but it was not until the cornetist formed a quartet with guitarist George Barnes, in 1973, that he became more secure. Afterward, Braff was heard in many small-group settings, including duets with Dick Hyman and Ellis Larkins (he had first met up with the latter in the 1950s), quintets with Scott Hamilton, and matching wits with Howard Alden. He remained one of the greats of mainstream jazz until his death in 2003. Bio ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/artist/ruby-braff-mn0000357057/biography

Personnel:   Ruby Braff - Trumpet,  Johnny Guarnieri - Piano, Walter Page - Bass, Bobby Donaldson - Drums.

Ruby Braff Sings

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Veronneau - Jazz Samba Project

Styles: Brazilian Jazz, Bossa Nova
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:00
Size: 96,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:57)  1. É Luxo Só
(5:01)  2. Waiting in Vain
(4:40)  3. September Moon
(3:20)  4. Mas Que Nada
(3:53)  5. Meditation
(2:55)  6. One Note Samba
(3:53)  7. Samba Saravah
(4:00)  8. Samba Triste
(4:48)  9. Autumn Leaves
(3:30) 10. Wave

Musical revisionists often view the outstanding Getz/Gilberto (Verve, 1963) as the point of ignition for the stateside bossa nova explosion of the early '60s, but those in the know are fully aware that Jazz Samba (Verve, 1962) is the album that actually lit the fuse. While saxophonist Stan Getz's classic recordings with Antonio Carlos Jobim, Joao Gilberto and Astrud Gilberto have taken their rightful place at the top of the heap, his earlier, trailblazing collaboration with guitarist Charlie Byrd is of greater importance in the big picture of jazz history. Byrd became enamored with Brazilian music during a State Department-sponsored tour of South America and couldn't hide his enthusiasm when he returned to America. He exposed Getz to the magical strains of sound that he encountered during this jazz junket and they joined forces to create one of the finest examples of stylistic fusion in the history of music. They put their signature sound prints atop bossa nova structures and struck a chord of interest that still resonates throughout the world today. Now, a full fifty years after Byrd and Getz joined Brazilian music and jazz in holy matrimony, Veronneau pays tribute to that triumphant teaming with its own Jazz Samba Project.

Subtle bossa nova beats, lightly strummed guitars, seductive horn work and attractive vocals are served up in sensitive fashion during this highly enjoyable program. Vocalist Lynn Veronneau and her able-bodied band mates deliver a ten-song program that honors the historic pairing of Charlie Byrd and Stan Getz but stands on its own as a separate work. Veronneau visits the past with performances of Ary Barroso's "E Luxo So," Baden Powell's "Samba Triste" and Jobim's "One Note Samba," but the group doesn't live in the past; the inclusion of a bossa-tinged take on a Bob Marley classic ("Waiting In Vain") and a gently swaying original ("September Moon") prove this point. Lynn Veronneau's easy-going vocals, whether in Portuguese, English or French, set the tone here and everybody falls in line with her measured mannerisms. While Brazilian jazz has become more buoyant and boastful over the years, Veronneau's version hearkens back to a time when less-is-more delivery and dynamic sensitivity were key elements in the architectural design of the music. This band clearly understands the nature of Jazz Samba and honors that classic recording through its own fine work. ~ Dan Bilawsky  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/jazz-samba-project-lynn-veronneau-veronneau-music-review-by-dan-bilawsky.php

Personnel: Lynn Veronneau: vocals; Ken Avis: acoustic guitar, vocals; David Rosenblatt: acoustic guitar; Pete Walby: drums; Jeff Antoniuk: tenor saxophone (1, 6, 8, 10); Alejandro Lucini: percussion; Jim McFalls: trombone (1-5, 9).

Jazz Samba Project

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Mary Foster Conklin - Blues For Breakfast

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:29
Size: 127,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:34)  1. Before The Show
(4:03)  2. Spring Isn't Spring Anymore
(3:40)  3. Show Me The Way To Get Out Of This World
(5:52)  4. Angel Eyes
(2:19)  5. That Tired Routine Called Love
(3:56)  6. Encanto D'Amor
(4:34)  7. Blues For Breakfast
(3:28)  8. Will You Still Be Mine
(2:47)  9. Where Am I To Go
(5:23) 10. The Night We Called It A Day
(3:45) 11. Let's Get Away From It All
(3:19) 12. Let's Just Pretend
(4:14) 13. Learn To Love
(4:30) 14. Violets For Your Furs

I don't review many albums by singers these days, but I couldn't pass up a tribute to Matt Dennis, one of the most talented and sadly neglected songwriters of the Twentieth Century. Before scoffing, remember "Angel Eyes," "Will You Still Be Mine," "Everything Happens to Me," "Violets for Your Furs," "Let's Get Away from It All," "Show Me the Way to Get Out of This World" and "The Night We Called It a Day." All were written by Dennis, who sang them (and others) for many years in nightclubs across the country while accompanying himself at the piano. To Mary Foster Conklin's credit, she doesn't rest her case on these familiar melodies but has unearthed a cache of other forgotten treasures with lyrics by Sammy Cahn, Bobby Troup, Ted Steele, Jerry Gladstone and Ginny Dennis, and performs a duet with Cuban artist David Oquendo on "Encanto d'Amor," Dennis/David Gillam's "It Wasn't the Stars That Thrilled Me" translated into Spanish by Oquendo.

Among the others, Dennis/Steele's "That Tired Routine Called Love" is especially clever, right up there with Rodgers and Hart's "Everything I've Got Belongs to You," Lerner and Loewe's "How Can Love Survive," any Cole Porter lyric, and Dennis/Tom Adair's "Let's Get Away" and "Will You Still Be Mine."  Conklin's midrange voice is sweet and expressive, her articulation clean, and she caresses each lyric with notable warmth and perception. She's not quite as irresistible as Dennis himself, but few singers, no matter how adept, have ever equaled his offhanded charm. The backup group is splendid, with pianist John di Martino doubling as arranger and saxophonist Joel Frahm making brief but welcome appearances on three tracks. Dennis/Troup's "Where Am I to Go?" is a graceful duet with guitarist Tony Romano. Conklin also sings the seldom-heard verses to "Angel Eyes," "Will You Still Be Mine" and (spoken) "The Night We Called It a Day." Conklin deserves applause for breathing life into such moribund classics as "Before the Show," "Spring Isn't Spring Anymore," "Blues for Breakfast," "Let's Just Pretend," "Learn to Love" and the other songs already cited. The album is worth hearing for them alone, even more so for Conklin's earnest and caring interpretations. Even for those who thought they knew Matt Dennis, it should be a real eye-opener. ~ Jack Bowers  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/blues-for-breakfast-remembering-matt-dennis-mary-foster-conklin-rhombus-records-review-by-jack-bowers.php

Personnel: Mary Foster Conklin: vocals; John di Martino: piano, arranger; Tony Romano: guitar; Sean Smith: bass; Ron Vincent: drums; Joel Frahm (1,3,13): tenor, soprano saxophone; Wilson "Chembo" Corniel (3,6): percussion; Leo Traversa (3,6): electric bass; David Oquendo (6): vocal, lyrics.

Blues For Breakfast

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Joe Magnarelli - Mr. Mags

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:08
Size: 122,1 MB
Art: Front

( 5:20)  1. 215 #1
( 8:19)  2. Our Song
( 5:38)  3. Passage
( 7:16)  4. I Should Care
( 5:54)  5. Mean What You Say
( 5:01)  6. Oh' Suzanne
(10:45)  7. Blue Opus
( 4:50)  8. Mississippi Jazz Club

At a time when many contemporary jazz trumpeters seem to be pushing to the extremes (i.e. Russell Gunn’s rap/world beat groove or Dave Douglas’ avant stance), a player like Joe Magnarelli might seem more like a throw back to the past. A great reader and reliable sideman, Magnarelli can run down the bebop or blow pretty, depending on what the situation calls. He also possesses a crisp and burnished tone that is immediately attractive. But it would be unfair to suggest that the trumpeter is stuck in a time warp. More accurately, Magnarelli excels in the mainstream tradition and has found his own voice within such structures. His third set as a leader for Criss Cross, Mr. Mags is certainly nothing radically different from past endeavors, yet it offers further sustenance in an area where swing and melodic integrity are at a premium. 

Pacing is particularly strong, as the rapid “215 #1” (Coltrane’s “Countdown” seems to be an inspiration here) gives way to the lilting waltz tempo of “Our Song.” Pure bebop marks Jim Snidero’s “Passage,” “I Should Care” provides for Magnarelli’s ballad feature, “Oh, Suzanne” is a Latin romp, and “Blue Opus” taps, of course, the blues. It’s not often these days that we hear a trumpet-alto sax front line, so the pairing of Magnarelli and Snidero seems like a very sagacious choice. So too, pianist David Hazeltine puts his stamp on the proceedings with his advanced sense of harmony. So if your tastes run toward the adventurous this may not cut it for you, but those with middle-of-the-road sensibilities will find much to sink their teeth into. ~ C.Andrew Hovan  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/mr-mags-joe-magnarelli-criss-cross-review-by-c-andrew-hovan.php
 

Personnel: Joe Magnarelli (trumpet), Jim Snidero (alto sax & flute), David Hazeltine (piano), John Webber (bass), Tony Reedus (drums)

Mr. Mags

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Ben Sidran - Mr. P's Shuffle

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 56:38
Size: 129.6 MB
Styles: Smooth jazz
Year: 1996
Art: Front

[5:29] 1. I'm Back
[4:31] 2. Like A Boat On The Water
[5:24] 3. Sentimental Journey
[4:51] 4. Get Happy
[5:16] 5. Jive Samba
[3:58] 6. I'm Not Talking
[2:25] 7. The Glory Of Love
[4:33] 8. Mr. P's Shuffle
[3:40] 9. Walk Right In
[8:21] 10. Lover Man
[4:02] 11. No Moon At All
[4:01] 12. Memory Lane

When I was a young man of 20, I played six nights a week for a period of several months at at club called The Tuxedo Lounge, one of the warmest musical environments I have known; several decades later, the club had changed its name to Mr. P's Place and I started playing there again; this recording is a document and a testament to that spirit of groove and return.

Ben Sidran - Piano, Vocals; Frank Morgan - Saxophone; Richard Davis - Bass; Clyde Stubblefield - Drums; Phil Upchurch - Guitar; Roscoe Mitchell - Saxophone; Ricky Peterson - Organ; Howard Levy Harmonica; Margie Cox - Vocals; Alejo Poveda - Percussion; Leo Sidran - Drums.

Mr. P's Shuffle

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