The Hot Sardines - The Hot Sardines

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:20
Size: 94,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:04)  1. Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen
(2:49)  2. Let’s Go
(4:03)  3. (I Don't Stand) A Ghost Of A Chance With You
(3:06)  4. Goin’ Crazy With The Blues
(4:05)  5. Wake Up In Paris
(2:46)  6. Zazou (Sweet Sue)
(3:39)  7. I Can't Give You Anything But Love
(3:20)  8. Your Feet's Too Big
(3:51)  9. Honeysuckle Rose
(3:22) 10. Petite Fleur
(4:09) 11. What A Little Moonlight Can Do

Bandleader Evan Bibs Palazzo and lead singer Miz Elizabeth combine with the Sardine ensemble of powerhouse musicians and their very own tap dancer to play hot jazz as it was in the era when live music was king...with a little glamour, a little grit, and a lot of passion. Even while giving voice to the history-defining jazz of the 1920s, 30s, and 40s, the Hot Sardines vibrant performances bridge generations and captivate 21st century audiences. Forbes Magazine calls them One of the best jazz bands in NYC today. The Hot Sardines have a distinctive recipe for making musical magic: take a blustery brass lineup, layer it over a rhythm section led by a stride-piano virtuoso in the Fats Waller vein, and tie it all together with a one-of-the-boys front-woman who sings in both English and French with a voice from another era. The brainchild of Bibs and Miz Elizabeth, the Sardine sound fuses musical influences from New York, Paris, and New Orleans that were nurtured from the Prohibition era through the Great Depression, WWII and beyond. ~ Editorial Reviews  http://www.amazon.com/The-Hot-Sardines/dp/B00M856CNY

One of the best jazz bands in NYC today ~ Forbes Magazine

A sound and style that are distinctly their own ~ Vanity Fair

Unforgettably wild… consistently electrifying ~ Popmatters.com

Personnel: Elizabeth Bougerol (vocals, washboard, tambourine); Sam "Fez" Raderman (guitar, banjo); Nick Myers (flute, clarinet, tenor saxophone); Evan Palazzo (accordion, piano, background vocals); Jason Prover (trumpet); Joe McDonough (trombone); Evan Crane (sousaphone); Alex Raderman (drums, percussion).

The Hot Sardines

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The Great Jazz Trio - Someday My Prince Will Come

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:13
Size: 129,2 MB
Art: Front

(6:35)  1. Caravan
(4:47)  2. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
(6:27)  3. Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise
(5:19)  4. Moose The Mooche
(5:06)  5. A Child Is Born
(5:18)  6. Satin Doll
(4:43)  7. Someday My Prince Will Come
(6:51)  8. The Shadow Of Your Smile
(5:54)  9. Long Ago And Far Away
(5:08) 10. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To

Founded in 1976 by Hank Jones, the Great Jazz Trio produced several recordings and changed bassists and drummers frequently. This album marks the final studio recording for brothers Hank and Elvin Jones together. Elvin, who is heard here in his prime, soloing frequently and coloring everything admirably, passed away in May at age 76. The trio interprets these chestnuts with authority. As Richard Davis reiterates "Moose the Mooche" with bowed bass, he applies his personal zeal to the formula. Both bass and drums solo frequently, giving this trio session its equilateral charm. When Hank Jones expounds upon "Satin Doll" or "Someday My Prince Will Come," it's not like anything you've heard before. His creativity continues to produce vibrant improvisations unlike the standard treatment. The pianist renews himself every time out. His lush harmony and delicate touch give the audience just enough. Spontaneous left hand chord adjustments provide unexpected surprises on "Satin Doll" and "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes." 

The latter is performed a cappella. The Great Jazz Trio has given us the best of three worlds. Elvin Jones provides remarkable drum set action with a variety of textures. Richard Davis adds bowed and pizzicato thrills that respect these time-honored melodies. And Hank Jones continues to preach the gospel of bebop candidly, with an unforgettable charm. ~ Jim Santella  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/someday-my-prince-will-come-eighty-eights-review-by-jim-santella.php

Personnel: Hank Jones- piano; Richard Davis- bass; Elvin Jones- drums.

Someday My Prince Will Come

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Kate Hammett-Vaughan - So Lucky To Be Me

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:02
Size: 119,5 MB
Art: Front

( 5:42)  1. Lucky To Be Me
(10:09)  2. The Fiddle And The Drum/ Woodstock
( 4:35)  3. Cold Cold Heart
( 6:00)  4. Everybody's Song But My Own
( 3:50)  5. Remind Me
( 4:41)  6. Wait 'Til You See Him
( 5:54)  7. Love For Sale
( 5:22)  8. Sweet Sucker Dance
( 5:46)  9. Please Be Kind

“She can improvise with the best… Kate Hammett-Vaughan has a highly expressive and lovely voice, one that is heard at its best throughout this accessible and tasteful set.” Scott Yanow, Los Angeles Jazz Scene

“ The finest vocal jazz artist of her generation… Hammett-Vaughan’s subtle inflections of tone, timing, make her a standout.” Stephen Pedersen, Chronicle Herald

Since moving to Vancouver, BC from her home province of Nova Scotia in 1979, Kate Hammett-Vaughan has established a reputation as one of Canada’s most individual and creative jazz vocalists, and one of the West Coast’s most respected teachers of the art of jazz singing. Hammett-Vaughan’s ease with all manner of material and her improvisational instincts set her apart from many of her contemporaries. Her highly personal and expressive vocal style incorporates the breadth of her musical interests, from straight-ahead soulful ballads to hard-swinging grooves and improvisational adventures. Her approach is fresh and invigorating, paying tribute to the jazz tradition while interacting and exploring, always seeking to express herself in the moment. 

Equally at home as a front-line performer or as a member of an ensemble, singing straight-ahead swing or participating in free-improv adventures, Hammett-Vaughan makes sure that what she is performing remains accessible to her audience. Kate Hammett-Vaughan has received multiple JUNO nominations for her recordings, as well as several nods from the Canadian Independent Music Awards and the West Coast Music Awards. She has worked in a number of ensembles over the last two decades, the most notable being her own Quintet and Trio, her long-time bass/voice duo with André Lachance, the improvising jazz trio Garbo’s Hat, and the acclaimed large ensemble, the Now Orchestra. Hammett-Vaughan's artistic sensibilities and musical interests have led her to a variety of related projects, including film scores, guest hosting of CBC television and radio shows, collaborations with modern dance artists and performance artists, and a fulfilling career as a teacher.  http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/hammettvaughan5

So Lucky To Be Me

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Willis Jackson - At Large

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1961
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 77:29
Size: 178,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:27)  1. Shuckin'
(3:47)  2. Cachita
(3:21)  3. I Left My Heart In San Francisco
(5:09)  4. What Kind Of Fool Am I?
(4:54)  5. Mama Inez
(6:06)  6. By The Time I Get To Phoenix
(7:10)  7. Florence Of Arabia
(5:43)  8. Arrivederci Roma
(7:00)  9. Neapolitan Nights
(4:13) 10. Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen
(3:44) 11. Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child
(5:40) 12. A Twist Of Blues
(6:51) 13. Sweet Peter Charleston
(4:25) 14. Cat Meal
(3:52) 15. He Said, She Said, I Said

The 1960s were a very productive time for Willis "Gator" Jackson, whose Prestige output of 1959-1971 was impressively consistent. At the label the big-toned tenor saxman didn't try to be something he wasn't  Gator liked his soul-jazz/hard bop accessible, hard-swinging, and straight-forward, and he excelled by being honest with himself and his audience. Spanning 1962-1968, At Large paints an attractive picture of Jackson's Prestige years. The CD, which Fantasy assembled in 2000, draws on five of Gator's Prestige albums (Shuckin', Swivel Hips, Neapolitan Nights, In My Solitude and Really Groovin') and finds him turning his attention to a variety of material. On this album, one hears Jackson successfully interpreting everything from Italian songs ("Arrivederci Roma") to spirituals ("Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child" and "Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen") to funky boogaloos ("Florence of Arabia"). The saxman also puts his spin on pop ballads that include "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" (the tune that became Tony Bennett's signature song) and "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" (which was a major hit for both country-pop singer Glen Campbell and soul innovator Isaac Hayes). At Large isn't the last word on Jackson's Prestige period, although it's easily recommended to anyone who is interested in 1960s soul-jazz. ~ Alex Hendersen  http://www.allmusic.com/album/at-large-mw0000104853

Personnel: Willis "Gator Tail" Jackson (tenor saxophone); Tommy Flanagan, Gildo Mahones, Richard Wyands, Jimmy Neeley (piano); Jack Ivory (organ); Kenny Burrell, Bill Jennings, Bucky Pizzarelli (guitar); Ben Tucker (acoustic & electric basses); Eddie Calhoun, George Tucker, Peck Morrison, Wendell Marshall (bass); Roy Haynes (drums, cabasa); Jerry Potter, Bobby Donaldson, Mickey Roker, Gus Johnson (drums); Juan Amalbert (congas, timbales); Montego Joe, Ralph Dorsey (congas); Jose Paulo (percussion).

At Large

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Beegie Adair - Cocktail Party Jazz

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:20
Size: 125,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:19)  1. I've Got You Under My Skin
(4:15)  2. Cheek To Cheek
(3:01)  3. L-O-V-E
(3:18)  4. Here's That Rainy Day
(3:19)  5. The Way You Look Tonight
(4:33)  6. Unforgettable
(3:48)  7. Satin Doll
(4:08)  8. Summer Wind
(3:19)  9. 'S Wonderful
(3:49) 10. I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart
(3:16) 11. Blue Skies
(3:33) 12. Night And Day
(3:10) 13. Dancing On The Ceiling
(3:47) 14. Let's Fall In Love
(3:37) 15. You're The Top

Jazz great, Helen Merrill, salutes her “inventive jazz sense, her wonderful sense of time and improvised melody.”

Christopher Louden of Jazz Times magazine says Adair is “an accomplished artist with a delicate touch.”

Singer and pianist, Michael Feinstein says, "...jazz pianist Beegie Adair, a marvelously understated player whose interpretations of the standards are just brilliant."

The Los Angeles Times calls her music “Elegant.”

Entertainment News writes, “Beegie Adair is one of the finest piano players in the world.”

So are thousands of jazz fans, who agree with critics about Adair’s sophisticated and listenable jazz performances, and who have made her recordings among the biggest sellers in the jazz world. Citing George Shearing, Bill Evans, Oscar Peterson and Erroll Garner among her influences, Adair has recorded 24 CDs, ranging from Cole Porter standards to Frank Sinatra classics to romantic World War II ballads. Her 6-CD Great American Songbook Collection of tunes by Rodgers, Gershwin, Kern, Ellington, Carmichael and Berlin became an instant collectible classic when it was released in 2002 Kentucky born and raised, Adair lives and records in Nashville something of a surprise to people who associate the city solely with country music. In fact Nashville lives up to its “Music City” nickname by hosting a vibrant jazz scene, in which she has been a leading light for decades. 

A sought-after studio musician in her early days there, Adair accompanied such legendary performers as Chet Atkins, Dolly Parton and Johnny Cash and also worked with Lucille Ball, Dinah Shore, Mama Cass Elliott and Peggy Lee. Adair has guested on McPartland’s NPR radio show, Piano Jazz twice and has performed with Nat Adderley, Bill Watrous, Lew Tabackin, Terry Clarke, Urbie Green and Jim Ferguson, among many others. She was also the featured musical guest on NPR's comedy/quiz show Says You!  http://www.amazon.com/Beegie-Adair/e/B000APF4CE/ref=ac_dtp_sa_bio

Cocktail Party Jazz

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Cedar Walton - Latin Tinge

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:40
Size: 123,2 MB
Art: Front

(7:04)  1. Brazil
(6:14)  2. Latin America
(4:53)  3. Triste
(5:55)  4. Tres Palabras
(5:39)  5. Perfidia
(6:31)  6. The Vision
(7:56)  7. Besame Mucho
(5:31)  8. Serenata
(3:53)  9. Latino Blue

Cedar Walton's latest release, Latin Tinge, is a middle-of-the-road assemblage of tunes in a trio setting. Walton, an accomplished and masterful pianist, is joined by bassist Cucho Martinez and percussionist Ray Mantilla, both experienced and talented veterans. The songs, however, follow the same structure and scheme, and it's this lack of variation that disappoints.  Latin Tinge ’s lineup includes timeless standards and three Walton originals. Each piece has basically the same set-up: intro, theme, solo by Walton, repeat of intro, restatement of theme, a second Walton solo, then out. The leader has the only true solos on the disc, fluid excursions that show a formidable dexterity, but not a whole lot of adventure. Though Martinez and Mantilla don’t take any solos per se, they do shine in particular on a couple of tunes when given the space. 

The Walton originals - "Latin America", "The Vision", and "Latino Blue" all have a more confident feeling, and there's a little more inventiveness in the playing and the arrangements, almost as if the pianist felt more confident taking the trio through songs he wrote. It’s almost as if being the composer gave him the license to bleed the borders in a way that he wouldn't otherwise have done with the other songs. The two standards "Besame Mucho" and "Brazil" show Walton actually leading his trio through surprisingly standard runs. With a pair of songs like this, which have been interpreted ad nauseum, one would expect a different angle, some new approach that would reveal new possibilities. The trio takes a careful route, and the music consequently remains faithful to the canonical texts. Walton's playing is sure and thoughtful, and Martinez and Mantilla provide ample support (the former is especially memorable on "Triste" in which his bass seems to sing a song all its own). It's jazz by the numbers, played with metronomic regularity, simmering but never boiling over, smoldering but never burning. ~ Terrell Kent Holmes  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/latin-tinge-cedar-walton-review-by-terrell-kent-holmes.php
 

Personnel: Cedar Walton (piano); Cucho Martinez (bass); Ray Mantilla (percussion).

Latin Tinge

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The Ballroom Kings - Angela

Styles: Rock
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 30:22
Size: 70,3 MB
Art: Front

(2:25)  1. Angela
(2:37)  2. Hot Banana
(2:57)  3. Boogie Woogie Chicks
(3:15)  4. Loving Advice
(2:38)  5. Pretty One
(2:36)  6. Moon of Love
(2:20)  7. Ding Dong Bing Bang
(2:13)  8. For You My Love
(2:43)  9. Pal from Kokomo
(3:09) 10. I'll Even Turn Square for You
(3:24) 11. Nite Life Boogie

The Ballroom Kings, the popular Sicilian combo that since 2009 is constantly busy throughout the continent performing (spreading out) that unmistakable Ballroom sound: a perfect blend of rock’n’roll, rhythm’n’blues, boogie, …in other words pure dance music. THE BALLROOM KINGS were born on January the 1st of 2009, when Vincenzo Puleo, an active piano/harmonica player from Palermo, Sicily, met up with a rockabilly band that played down the road the night before, and a trio of sax players led by the baritone virtuoso Al Vella. 

It was not too long before Ylenia Mannisi joined the Kings to complete the line up. Coming from all different corners of the island of Sicily, the common passion for the Big Beat music shortened the distance in between them, and it’s no surprise if their first show on a rainy Monday night at the Metropolitan theatre in Palermo was a sold out event and a real blast! Since then, each and every show of The Ballroom Kings has gained positive feedbacks, not only for the music itself, but for the energy and appeal of the show which is sure to ignite the crowd, no matter if they perform in a small basement club or in an outdoor arena in front of thousands of people! With a growing popularity, thanks to their successful live performances, a record by the Ballroom Kings was highly expected, therefore the first CD “Angela” was released on BK Records on 2011. Enthusiastic reviews appeared on specialized music magazines, and the Ballroom Kings are even busier now with live performances both at home and abroad, from Spain to Poland, from Greece to UK, so check the gig list to make sure you won’t miss The Ballroom Kings live on stage the next time they come in your area! Bio ~ http://www.ballroomkings.it/en/biography

Angela

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Jennifer Hanson - How The Night People Pray

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:44
Size: 84,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:50)  1. Little Dreamer
(2:54)  2. Only Waiting
(3:10)  3. In The Cathouse Again
(3:41)  4. How The Night People Pray
(3:56)  5. Crazy (This Is What I Am)
(2:09)  6. Drunk Again
(2:36)  7. Honey, Won't You Please Come Home
(4:19)  8. No One To Say Goodbye To
(3:14)  9. In Hollywood It Happens All The Time
(3:50) 10. When I'm With You

Canadian vocalist extraordinaire Jennifer Hanson, currently based in Atlanta Georgia, dispels any confusion with the country singer of the same name, by presenting ten beautiful songs from the pen of renowned Canadian songwriter Graham Shaw. This cd is all about terrific songs performed by a singer with outstanding chops, displaying a vulnerability and emotion not often found in today's punch-it-up market. The music runs on the edges of jazz, pop and even folk, and  is propelled by some of the finest musicians in Canada. There is much craft evident in all aspects of "How The Night People Pray", and it won't be surprising if the "other" Jennifer Hanson starts getting requests to perform some of these songs. http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/jenniferhanson

How The Night People Pray

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Ryan Kisor - The Dream

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:08
Size: 126,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:48)  1. Minor Ordeal
(8:52)  2. The Dream
(6:32)  3. Deception
(7:25)  4. Calypso Cove
(6:06)  5. Bert's Blues
(5:09)  6. Panic Attack
(7:01)  7. I Should Care
(8:11)  8. Fiesta Mojo

With The Dream, Ryan Kisor returns to the quartet lineup that graced 2000's Point of Arrival: pianist Peter Zak, bassist John Webber, and drummer Willie Jones III. The program is wholly original except for the final two tracks, a ballad reading of "I Should Care" and a fun romp on Dizzy Gillespie's infectious "Fiesta Mojo." (Tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander and percussionist Renato Thoms join in on the latter.) Kisor sends sparks flying with the opening "Minor Ordeal," a hot minor blues, and "Deception," a muted foray over "Cherokee" changes (with a faint echo of "Half Nelson" at the top of the melody). The band also cooks on the mid-tempo "Bert's Blues" and the galloping modal Hubbard-esque "Panic Attack." But the waltz-time title track and the bossa piece "Calypso Cove" fail to sustain much interest. In sum, there are compelling moments, but after the fairly adventurous sound of 2001's Power Source, The Dream seems like a retreat to safer shores. ~ David R. Adler  http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-dream-mw0000221312

Personnel: Ryan Kisor (trumpet); Eric Alexander (tenor saxophone); Peter Zak (piano); Willie Jones III (drums); Renato Thoms (percussion).

The Dream

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Hanna Richardson & Phil Flanigan - Do Something

Styles: Jazz, Vocal, Swing
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:10
Size: 126,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:55)  1. Three Little Words
(3:48)  2. Foolin Myself
(3:17)  3. What Have You Got That Gets Me
(4:14)  4. The Very Thought of You
(4:22)  5. A Porters Love Song To Chambermaid
(6:54)  6. The Ladys In Love With You
(4:56)  7. Me Minus You
(3:24)  8. Romance Without Finance
(5:05)  9. Talk To Me Baby
(3:50) 10. Do Something
(3:37) 11. I Double Dare You
(3:43) 12. Show Your Linen Miss Richardson

Classic, swinging American music at its finest, with Hanna now keeping flawless time on rhythm tenor guitar, and featuring Randy Reinhart on cornet, Stefan Vasnier on piano, Jared Mulcahy on bass, and Phil on both bass and tenor guitar. http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/richardsonflanigan4

Do Something

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The Al Cohn - Zoot Sims Quintet - You 'N Me

Styles: Clarinet And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1960
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:28
Size: 83,8 MB
Art: Front + Back

(4:08)  1. The Note
(4:47)  2. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
(4:36)  3. You 'N Me
(4:30)  4. On The Alamo
(3:40)  5. The Opener
(3:13)  6. Angel Eyes
(4:15)  7. Awful Lonely
(4:53)  8. Love For Sale
(2:23)  9. Improvisation For Unaccompanied Saxophones

The most unusual selection on this Al Cohn-Zoot Sims set from 1960 is "Improvisation for Unaccompanied Saxophones," a short but effective two-tenor workout that, through a clever arrangement by Cohn, gives one the impression that both saxophonists are using circular breathing. Another departure is "Angel Eyes," which has both Cohn and Sims switching to clarinet and showcases Major Holley's singing and bowed bass. Otherwise, the co-leaders stick to their main instruments and enjoy swinging together with the assistance of Holley, pianist Mose Allison (who would soon be starting his own successful solo career), and drummer Osie Johnson. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/youn-me-mw0000211151

Personnel:  Zoot Sims - tenor saxophone, clarinet; Osie Johnson – drums; Al Cohn - clarinet, tenor saxophone; Major Holley – bass; Zoot Sims Quintet

You 'N Me

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The Bad Plus - Inevitable Western

Styles: Post-Bop, Avant-Garde Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:32
Size: 116,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:29)  1. I Hear You
(6:26)  2. Gold Prisms Incorporated
(4:32)  3. Self Serve
(6:45)  4. You Will Lose All Fear
(3:54)  5. Do It Again
(4:16)  6. Epistolary Echoes
(9:43)  7. Adopted Highway
(4:00)  8. Mr. Now
(5:23)  9. Inevitable Western

It's in the opening moments of "I Hear You," the first track on Inevitable Western: the mercurial, mysterious, yet utterly musical sense of adventure that lies at the heart of the Bad Plus' sound. After recording the rigorous, mathematically challenging score for Igor Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring -- released only six months prior to this -- one can almost hear relief in the trio's return to its own universe. These nine tracks are equally divided compositionally among bassist Reid Anderson, pianist Ethan Iverson, and drummer Dave King. The bassist's aforementioned opener is a seemingly simple lyric stated by the piano but given a slightly quirky yet nearly processional tilt in its meter as Anderson illustrates the time as the drummer's syncopated accents add drama and humor. King's "God Prisms Incorporated" is a marvelous cut-time jazz illustration of post-rock song form. Iverson's pulsing chord statement rides atop the minimal melody, offset by the rhythm section's inventive interplay. A piano solo commences halfway through, stretching the notion of time, though the tune never quite abandons its interlocking grooves. Iverson's "Self Serve" is a knotty, almost swinging post-bop tune, with gorgeous harmonic statements by Anderson. 

The mutant classicism in the bassist's "You Will Lose All Fear" feels like it was simultaneously influenced by both Charles Ives and Aaron Copland. Iverson's solo, full of bright arpeggios and forceful dynamic chords, is adorned by King's hyperactive rolls and fills. The set's longest piece is the drummer's "Adopted Highway." Introduced by a shimmering crash cymbal and a single piano chord, all three members engage in measured, dissonant stop-and-start counterpoint. Iverson rumbles along the lower and middle registers as Anderson's pizzicato lines exhort King to use his brushes aggressively in response. The tune unfolds very gradually, as free-flowing improvisation alternates with intricately written lines, building to a taut climax before gradually whispering to a close. Iverson's "Mr. Now" is almost funky in its intro. His sharp, labyrinthine head is offered in short statements with King playing double time and Anderson holding the center. 

It becomes a meaty, hard-driving exercise in modern post-bop, as all three members engage in spirited dialogue. King delivers a bracing solo in the final third. The closing title number, by the pianist, seamlessly melds jazz, classical, blues, modal, and great American saloon-style music in dexterous and lyrical phrases and rhythmic frames. Inevitable Western is a reminder that the Bad Plus are not a "piano trio" in any ordinary sense of the term, but a unit of strikingly different voices acting as one in expanding the boundaries of jazz. ~ Thom Jurek  http://www.allmusic.com/album/inevitable-western-mw0002702271

Personnel: Ethan Iverson (piano); Dave King (drums).

Inevitable Eestern

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Sinne Eeg - Sinne Eeg

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:07
Size: 99,0 MB
Art: Front

(6:19)  1. How Deep Is The Ocean
(5:34)  2. The Night Has A Thousand Eyes
(6:28)  3. You Don'T Know What Love Is
(5:21)  4. Everybody's Song But My Own
(5:01)  5. Comes Love
(7:01)  6. Silence
(4:00)  7. Month Of May
(3:19)  8. Close Your Eyes

Sinne Eeg is one of the strongest new female vocalists from the Scandinavian jazz scene. With 5 albums Sinne Eeg has established herself as a Danish jazz singer with international potential.

Sinne’s distinctive vocals have earned her a loyal and ever growing fan base around the world as well as in her native country. As a singer she is influenced by Nancy Wilson, Betty Carter and Sarah Vaughan, but with her personal touch of soft darkness, Sinne keeps the Scandinavian melancholy settled in her music. Since the release of the album “Waiting For Dawn” (2007) Sinne has won several music awards in Denmark,amongothersDanishMusicA ward (Best jazz vocal Album 2007, 2010), Danish Radio Jazz Award 2009. http://www.sinnemusic.com/

"The ravishing young Danish vocalist Sinne Eeg. Eeg has an amazing technique, coverage for all the tones she sings, a genuine jazz feeeling and an unusually large vocal range from top to bottom. Coupled with a totally obvious stage charisma, dignity and a sparkle in the eye, this really makes you surrender." (Review of Sinne Eeg + trio at Kristianstad Jazzfestival 10 Oct 2008 by Alexander Agrell, jazz journalist at Sydsvenskan (leading morning paper of South Sweden)

”A fully mature artist who dares to take chances, and succeeds with an instinctive feeling that lends credibility to everything she does.”  ~ Boris Rabinowitsch, Politiken  (Danish national daily newspaper)

”A voice that is warm and tremendously expressive sometimes revealing a touch of fragility - and whose emotional register ranges from delicate modesty to explosiveness, without falling for the temptation of over dramatizing. Add to this a talent for phrasing and a rhythmic emancipation that makes the music come alive in a way I have not experienced in any other Danish singer. It is equally rare to encounter a CD release containing a series of newly-written songs that are such gems.” ~ Boris Rabinowitsch, Politiken

”Not a single track seems superfluous; not one passage in a song seems lacking  which is why the album is so masterful. Immediately accessible, but at the same time so complex that new layers are constantly revealing themselves.” ~ Gaffa (Danish music magazine)

Sinne Eeg

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Russell Malone - Triple Play

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:17
Size: 138,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:52)  1. Honeybone
(5:25)  2. Mind Wine
(4:19)  3. Unchained Melody
(6:24)  4. Butch and Butch
(3:41)  5. Pecan Pie
(6:53)  6. Sweet Georgia Peach
(3:12)  7. Du Barry Was a Lady:  Do I Love You
(4:50)  8. Pocketwatch
(6:35)  9. The Witching Hour
(6:11) 10. Tail Feathers
(7:49) 11. The Kind of Girl She Is

Russell Malone's Triple Play is a notable session because it mixes his infectious originals with a number of decades-old songs that have unjustly been overlooked. Superbly accompanied by bassist David Wong and drummer Montez Coleman, Malone kicks off with his breezy bossa nova "Honeybone," which blends in a funky flavor and a bit of the blues. Malone's easygoing ballad "Pecan Pie" is an engaging melody worthy of a tasty lyric, while he showcases Coleman in his funky "Sweet Georgia Peach." The guitarist uncovered several gems by earlier jazz artists, including the late John Hicks' hip bop vehicle "Mind Wine" and Oliver Nelson's early-'60s intricate "Butch and Butch," both of which the trio interprets with flair. Malone's excursions into forgotten standards include an intimate setting of Cole Porter's "Do I Love You" and a moving solo interpretation of Alex North's hit "Unchained Melody" (the latter which has been recorded many times but infrequently by jazz artists). All in All, Triple Play is an impressive outing by Russell Malone. ~ Ken Dryden  http://www.allmusic.com/album/triple-play-mw0002044854

Personnel: Russell Malone: guitar; David Wong: bass; Montez Coleman: drums.

Triple Play

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The Rein de Graaff Trio, Conte Candoli, Bob Cooper - Thinking Of You

Styles: Piano, Trumpet And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:54
Size: 151,1 MB
Art: Front

(11:31)  1. Thinking Of You
( 9:53)  2. We'll Be Together Again
(10:33)  3. Star Eyes
(10:11)  4. I'll Remember April
( 8:34)  5. Ow!
( 5:58)  6. Loverman
( 9:12)  7. Oleo

This previously unreleased 1993 recording features two legendary West Coast jazz musicians, trumpeter Conte Candoli and tenor saxophonist Bob Cooper. Recorded shortly before Cooper suffered a fatal heart attack aged 67 the two musicians perform a set of standards backed by a seriously good Dutch rhythm section.  http://www.amazon.co.uk/Thinking-You-Rein-Graaff-Trio/dp/B001U041MM

Personnel: Conte Candoli (trumpet), Bob Cooper (tenor saxophone), Rein de Graaff (piano), Koos Serierse (bass), Eric Ineke (drums)

Thinking Of You

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Adam Cohen - Like A Man

Styles: Vocal, Folk
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:05
Size: 85,3 MB
Art: Front

(6:01)  1. Out of Bed
(3:20)  2. Matchbox
(3:31)  3. Like A Man
(3:31)  4. Sweet Dominique
(4:42)  5. What Other Guy
(3:10)  6. Girls These Days
(4:14)  7. Lie Alone
(2:39)  8. Overrated
(3:29)  9. Beautiful
(2:23) 10. Stranger

On his fourth solo recording, songwriter Adam Cohen, progeny of one of pop music's greatest poets, Leonard Cohen, finally quits struggling against his birthright and surrenders. And in doing so, he's come all the way over to the side he seemed so determined to escape. Thank goodness. Like a Man assembles ten songs about what else? Love. There's no mistaking the singer's lineage: it's in his expressive baritone (his voice, though still somewhat flat, is not gruff or harsh). The arrangements and production bear his dad's influence: nylon-string guitars, upright bass, piano, subtle strings, and harmony vocals by no less than Jennifer Warnes. For those suspecting that Cohen is merely channeling and cashing in on his dad's rep, that's their problem. He makes no secret of his father's influence, but his way of writing songs is certainly his own. He uses fewer metaphorical or metonymic devices; his approach is more halting, less authoritative, but he possesses a keen eye for observation. Cohen is a mature songwriter whose work has been featured on other artists' records, but this is the first time his own voice so completely possesses his material. 

The title track, with its damning observations and admissions about the male gender, offers no excuses, its vulnerability evident. Producer Patrick Leonard's lilting string arrangements and Warnes' hushed backing vocals lend the song a quiet power. "Sweet Dominique" is as poignant a love song seen through the rearview mirror of life as you're likely to find. "What Other Guy" is from the same perspective, but without the distance of time to lessen the ache. It's all the more devastating because the protagonist knows virtually everything about his former, still-longed-for love, including "what you smell like when the night ends." Warnes' multi-tracked backing vocals on the chorus underscore the song's poignancy and tenderness. Like a Man was a recording Cohen had to make; it feels like he's coming to terms with exactly who he is. No, he's not as profound as his dad, but who the hell is? Measure him up to other great songwriters of his own generation born between the late '60s and the mid-'70s and he shines. ~ Thom Jurek  http://www.allmusic.com/album/like-a-man-mw0002203943

Personnel: Adam Cohen (vocals, nylon-string guitar); Bruce Geitch (steel guitar); Pat Leonard (piano, harmonium, Hammond b-3 organ, synthesizer).

Like A Man

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Rondi Charleston - Signs of Life

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:15
Size: 106,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:37)  1. DNA
(4:36)  2. Signs of Life
(5:37)  3. How the River Flows
(4:19)  4. The Wind Speaks
(4:12)  5. Footprints
(3:17)  6. Spirit Voices
(3:32)  7. In These Hours
(4:38)  8. Reflections
(2:55)  9. Babe's Blues
(3:22) 10. Chega de Saudade
(3:04) 11. The Cave Knows

Motéma Music recording artist, Rondi Charleston, is an award winning jazz singer/lyricist/composer whose work has appeared in film, TV and on stage throughout the U.S. and Europe. Her most recent album, Signs of Life, climbed the Jazz Week charts for ten consecutive weeks and has critics raving; JazzTimes says “she is a songwriter whose poetic, narrative, and compositional skills are comparable to such modern masters as Joni Mitchell and Paul Simon.”Touring nationally in support of Signs of Life, Rondi and her all-star band gave sold out performances from coast to coast from Yoshi’s in San Francisco to Mayne Stage in Chicago to Joe’s Pub in New York with TV appearances on such prestigious stations as PBS Chicago Tonight and ABC’s Windy City Live. She has collaborated with some of the foremost jazz luminaries of our time including Fred Hersch, Lynne Arriale and Dave Stryker. Rondi was chosen for the Women in Jazz Festival at Jazz at Lincoln Center, and has played Birdland and BlueNote with her quartet in New York City. Her original song, “The Cave Knows”, for the film, No Place on Earth, is currently featured on The History Channel as well as in worldwide theatrical release. In addition Rondi is a Juilliard graduate, Emmy and Peabody award winning journalist at ABC News Primetime Live. Bio ~ http://motema.com/artists/rondi-charleston/

Signs of Life

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Sonny Red - Red, Blue & Green

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1961
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 77:06
Size: 176,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:16)  1. Moon River
(4:24)  2. I Like the Likes of You
(5:38)  3. Super-20
(4:36)  4. Bye, Bye Blues
(8:55)  5. The Mode
(6:34)  6. Never, Never Land
(4:18)  7. Ko-Kee
(6:34)  8. Images
(4:50)  9. Blues for Donna
(5:22) 10. Dodge City
(8:33) 11. Blue Sonny
(5:14) 12. The Rhythm Thing
(5:46) 13. Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered

Sylvester “Sonny Red” Kyner, Jr. was part of the fruitful exodus of Detroit jazzmen to New York in the late 1950s. Though his style was steeped in the deft architectures of Bebop his sound and approach also incorporated a healthy fascination with earlier traditions. This disc dusts off two of his sessions for the Jazzland label and delivers a substantial program of mainly originals from a player who should have recorded more often. A strong team of sidemen fronted by guitarist Grant Green (on leave from Blue Note) is on board to assist. Throughout the disc Green’s guitar is unusually dry in terms of amplification making his single note lines seem all the more carefully chosen. “The Mode,” an up tempo swinger contrary to the connotation of its title, is positively charged by crystal clean solos from Red, Green, Harris and Tucker. 

“Never, Never Land” opens with a bright piano fantasia by Walton followed by Red’s reflective horn above a pillowy rhythm. “Ko-Kee” works off a swaggering set of blues-inflected changes and an authoritative core statement by Walton. The hard bop flag waves more prominently on the next several tunes, which trade up Green for the crisp trumpet stylings of Blue Mitchell. The brassman’s vivacious tone is especially effective on the rollicking “Blues For Donna” and his agile phrases work as a fine foil for bringing out Red’s more extroverted side. Green reconvenes with Humphries in tow for the final three tracks and the drummer even takes a few blistering choruses on the aptly titled “The Rhythm Thing.” Tucker’s tiptoe bass preface to “Blue Sonny” serves as another highlight of the final stretch and sets the stage smoothly for one of Red’s most creative solos of the entire disc. One thing that really moves these sessions beyond the scope of the usual hard bop chaff of their vintage is the way Red’s various rhythm sections react to and support his own fluid inventions. 

Tucker was a vastly underrated session bassist who possessed the requisite chops for a leadership role, but always seems to favor lending his prodigious talent to the causes of others. Harris and Walton weren’t as uniformly altruistic, each carving out satisfying solo careers of their own. As for the drummers, Cobb served at the rhythmic core of one of Miles Davis’ most famous aggregations- the Kind of Blue ensemble, and Humphries eked out paychecks working behind the likes of Donald Byrd, Dizzy Gillespie and John Coltrane. Albert “Tootie” Heath is also listed in the original liners, but is absent on the tray card roster so it’s unclear whether or not his sticks actually in service on any of the dates. Red’s discography as a leader is fairly slight to begin with and since his Blue Note material ( Out of the Blue ) once again out of circulation this generous Fantasy two-fer becomes something of an essential purchase for listeners hungry to hear the unsung hard bop hero’s work. ~ Derek Taylor http://www.allaboutjazz.com/red-blue-and-green-sonny-red-fantasy-jazz-review-by-derek-taylor.php
 

Personnel: Sonny Red- alto saxophone (all tracks); Grant Green- guitar (1, 3, 5, 8-13); Barry Harris- piano (1, 3, 5, 8-13); George Tucker- bass (all tracks); Jimmy Cobb- drums (1-7, 11-13); Cedar Walton- piano (2, 4, 6-7); Lex Humpries- drums (8-10).

Red, Blue & Green

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Claudio Roditi, Klaus Ignatzek, Jean-Louis Rassinfosse - Smile

Styles: Trumpet And Piano Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:50
Size: 155,7 MB
Art: Front

(6:24)  1. Light In The Dark
(6:46)  2. Little Sunflower
(5:05)  3. Eu e a Brisa
(3:34)  4. Believe It Or Not
(6:12)  5. Corcovado
(3:28)  6. Cantaloupe Island
(6:45)  7. Misty
(4:19)  8. The Shadow Of Your Smile
(7:19)  9. The Monster And The Flower
(4:27) 10. Obrigado
(5:22) 11. Moonlight And Tears
(8:04) 12. The Girl From Ipanema

The trio of Brazilian-born trumpeter Claudio Roditi, German pianist Klaus Ignatzek and Belgian bassist Jean-Louis Rassinfosse has been working together for some years now. Roditi has been based in New York since 1976, after study at Berklee, and has a considerable and well-deserved reputation as a trumpeter within both hard-bop and Latin-jazz traditions; he has worked with, amongst many others, Joe Henderson and McCoy Tyner. He worked for some time with Dizzy Gillespie’s United Nations Orchestra and then with the Jazz Masters, Slide Hampton’s Gillespie tribute band. His work with Cuban reed player Paquito D’Rivera attracted many plaudits.

 Klaus Ignatzek is a thoroughly accomplished pianist, equally at home in bop and hard-bop idioms, who has extensive experience working with European and American greats. Rassinfosse is another European musician who has worked successfully with a whole catalogue of masters, both European (such as Tete Montoliu and Michel Petrucciani) and American (e.g. Pepper Adams and Clifford Jordan). For ten years he worked and recorded with Chet Baker  so he knows a thing or two about accompanying a trumpeter. The three have recorded some beautiful trio albums for the Nagel Hayer label  Three for One (recorded 2002, NH 2028), Light in the Dark (recorded 2004, NH 2004) and Reflections (recorded 2005, NH 2065). On these drumless recordings, the sense of space and transparency allows the interplay of instruments to be heard with exceptional clarity; there is an intimacy of mutual attention and subtlety of exchange which makes the recordings chamber jazz of a high order. Here the trio has been supplemented by the addition of Dutch drummer Hans Dekker and a body of strings arranged and conducted by Steffen Drabek. 

The resulting live recording comes, unfortunately, as something of a disappointment. Dekker is a good drummer, and he doesn’t, in any crude sense, swamp the work of Roditi, Ignatzek and Rassinfosse; but he does, unavoidably, change the nature of their musical conversation, particularly rhythmically, and the change isn’t for the better, since the rhythms have become much more homogenous. But the real problem lies with the strings. Mixing jazz soloists with stings has never been an easy thing to bring off  it is easy to think of many attempts which failed and hard to think of many that succeeded (Clifford Brown with Neil Hefti’s arrangements?, Art Pepper with Bill Holman’s arrangements?). The strings here largely have the effect of muddying the textures still further; some of the writing is rather oversweet and there are times when there seems to be little real connection between what the four jazz musicians are doing and what the strings are doing. Nor does the recording balance really integrate them consistently. Roditi, in any case, doesn’t seem to be on his very best form. Ignatzek is excellent; indeed, some of his solos are the best reason for listening to the album, and will probably be the reason I shall make occasional future returns to it. 

The best of Roditi-Ignatzek-Rossinfosse is to be heard on their ‘pure’ trio albums, not on this rather unsatisfying, if well intentioned, creation . ~ Glyn Pursglove  http://www.musicweb-international.com/jazz/2007/Roditi_smile_2072.htm

Personnel :  Claudio Roditi (Trumpet, flugelhorn, vocals), Klaus Ignatzek (piano), Jean-Louis Rassinfosse (bass), Hans Dekker (drums), Bremen Philharmonic Strings, Steffen Drabek (conductor, arranger)

Smile

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Oliver Jones - Second Time Around

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:08
Size: 122,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:30)  1. Broadway
(2:53)  2. Remembering Chris
(6:00)  3. When I Fall In Love
(7:56)  4. Simple Blues
(4:29)  5. Museric Waltz
(4:26)  6. D for Doxas
(7:08)  7. Misty
(4:11)  8. Surrey With a Fringe On Top
(4:21)  9. Dizzy-Nest
(7:11) 10. Angel and Mr. Jones

Oliver Jones was already in his fifties when he was discovered by the jazz world. He had started playing piano when he was seven and at nine, he studied with Oscar Peterson's sister Daisy; the Peterson influence is still felt in his style. Jones played with show bands and worked with pop singer Ken Hamilton (1963-1980), much of the time in Puerto Rico. It was not until he returned to Montreal in 1980 that he committed himself to playing jazz full-time. Since the mid-'80s, Oliver Jones has recorded extensively for Justin Time and established himself as a major modern mainstream player with impressive technique and a hard-swinging style. ~ Bio  https://itunes.apple.com/ca/artist/oliver-jones/id29498006#fullText

Second Time Around

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