Adam Makowicz - Naughty Baby

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1987
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:55
Size: 126,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:33)  1. Somebody Loves Me
(5:57)  2. They All Laughed
(5:52)  3. Prelude 2
(6:05)  4. Maybe
(3:17)  5. Fascinating Rhythm
(4:27)  6. Naughty Baby
(2:41)  7. Oh Bess, Oh Where's My Bess
(6:12)  8. Embraceable You
(6:19)  9. Rhapsody in Blue
(4:25) 10. My Man's Gone Now
(4:01) 11. Summertime

The most unusual aspect of this typically exciting recital by Adam Makowicz is that on six of the 11 songs, the pianist is joined by two bassists, Dave Holland and Charlie Haden. Drummer Al Foster completes the group, and Haden is the only bassist on the remaining selections. Makowicz explores 11 George Gershwin songs, including "They All Laughed," "Prelude #2," "Fascinating Rhythm" and "Rhapsody In Blue." Although he shows great respect for the melodies, the pianist does come up with some fresh variations, even on the warhorses. 

~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/naughty-baby-mw0000194013

Naughty Baby

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Naoko Ichiizumi - Sweet Georgia Brown

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:35
Size: 135,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:25)  1. Sweet Georgia Brown
(3:56)  2. Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby
(6:17)  3. The Island
(4:37)  4. The End of a Love Affair
(4:42)  5. Never Let Me Go
(3:51)  6. He's a Carioca
(4:27)  7. Love for Sale
(5:49)  8. You Must Believe in Spring
(4:37)  9. The Best Is yet to Come
(3:49) 10. Bonita
(4:05) 11. Frim Fram Sauce
(4:22) 12. I'm Just a Lucky so and So
(4:37) 13. When October Goes

Sophisticated urban sense and outstanding attract jazz vocalist, one Izumi Naoko and New York recording albums of the hand listening in singing ability. Now his, by the appointed musician active in the New York of the front line now, succeeded in making further establish their own view of the world as a jazz vocalist. One piano trio + a variety of guests and exquisite collaboration wonderful.

Sweet Georgia Brown

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Ben Webster & Oscar Peterson - Ben Webster Meets Oscar Peterson

Styles: Piano And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1959/1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:44
Size: 85,0 MB
Scans: Front

(6:20)  1. The Touch Of Your Lips
(3:59)  2. When Your Lover Has Gone
(6:45)  3. Bye Bye Blackbird
(2:36)  4. How Deep Is The Ocean (How High Is The Sky)
(3:13)  5. In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning
(3:58)  6. Sunday
(9:51)  7. This Can't Be Love

Another fine Webster release on Verve that sees the tenor great once again backed by the deluxe Oscar Peterson Trio. In keeping with the high standard of their Soulville collaboration of two years prior, Webster and the trio Peterson is joined by bassist Ray Brown and drummer Ed Thigpen use this 1959 date to conduct a clinic in ballad playing. And while Soulville certainly ranks as one of the tenor saxophonist's best discs, the Ben Webster Meets Oscar Peterson set gets even higher marks for its almost transcendent marriage of after-hours elegance and effortless mid-tempo swing none of Webster's boogie-woogie piano work to break up the mood here. 

Besides reinvigorating such lithe strollers as "Bye Bye Blackbird" (nice bass work by Brown here) and "This Can't Be Love," Webster and company achieve classic status for their interpretation of the Sinatra gem "In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning." And to reassure Peterson fans worried about scant solo time for their hero, the pianist lays down a healthy number of extended runs, unobtrusively shadowing Webster's vaporous tone and supple phrasing along the way. Not only a definite first-disc choice for Webster newcomers, but one of the jazz legend's all-time great records. ~ Stephen Cook  http://www.allmusic.com/album/ben-webster-meets-oscar-peterson-mw0000022556

Personnel: Ben Webster (tenor saxophone); Oscar Peterson (piano); Ray Brown (bass); Ed Thigpen (drums).

Ben Webster Meets Oscar Peterson

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René Franc & Bootleggers - Summertime

Styles: Jazz
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:15
Size: 94,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:05)  1. Dardanella
(5:17)  2. Limehouse Blues
(5:54)  3. Summertime
(5:40)  4. Halle Hallelujah
(4:20)  5. Black Stick
(7:18)  6. Basin Street Blues
(4:05)  7. Liza
(4:32)  8. After You've Gone

René Franc (* 7 December in 1929 in Algiers ; † 2 April 2002 ) was a French jazz clarinetist and soprano saxophonist in the tradition of Sidney Bechet .Francesco began with violin and moved in 1946 to the clarinet in jazz. He played in the orchestras of Pierre Braslavsky , Claude Luter and André Réwéliotty and Sidney Bechet. He played from 1956 with his own band as well as, among others, Albert Nicholas , Bill Coleman , Peanuts Holland , Hal Singer .In 1980 he was awarded the Prix Sidney Bechet.He is the father of the soprano saxophonist and clarinetist Olivier Franc . He took under his own name several times. Tom Lord recorded in his jazz discography 29 recording sessions 1949-1999. Bio ~ http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ren%C3%A9_Franc

Summertime

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Nikoletta Szoke - A Song for You

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:15
Size: 136,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:05)  1. A Song for You
(5:05)  2. Waltz for Debby
(3:42)  3. If I Were a Bell
(3:55)  4. Time After Time
(5:45)  5. Everytime We Say Goodbye
(3:29)  6. I've Grown Accustomed to His Face
(3:07)  7. Summer Night
(3:16)  8. Almost Like Being in Love
(4:05)  9. I Didn't Know What Time It Was
(4:29) 10. Just the Way You Are
(4:21) 11. Nobody Else But Me
(5:37) 12. Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most
(7:13) 13. The Look of Love

Nikoletta Szoke is a young Hungarian jazz singer with a pure, emotive voice and a bright future. Born in 1983 in Hungary into a musical Gypsy family, she showed talent at an early age. She found and began singing jazz after high school, and in 2005 won the first prize and the public prize in the Shure Montreux Jazz Voice Competition. A label that searches for new talent far and wide, Atelier Sawano is now introducing her to jazz fans in Japan and beyond. Following her self-produced debut CD, Golden Earrings, comes a full-fledged new album produced for Atelier Sawano by the late Klaus Weiss, a superb German drummer who helped create many of Sawano's great jazz albums. Szoke is also aided by Weiss' frequent partner and bassist Thomas Stabenow, and a fellow Hungarian and wonderful pianist Robert Lakatos. 

Those familiar with the Sawano discography will realize that this is indeed a superb piano trio! Such talented and experienced musicians, however, do not seem to faze Szoke, who is undoubtedly the star of this recording. Unlike her previous album that reflected her eclectic musical interests, she sticks mostly to standards (except for the title song by Leon Russell and "Just The Way You Are" by Billy Joel), and she sings and swings them confidently.

http://www.eastwindimport.com/product-info.asp?ProductId=972

Personnel:  Nikoletta Szoke (vocal); Robert Lakatos (piano); Thomas Stabenow (bass); Klaus Weiss (drums).

A Song for You

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Dave Pell Octet - Jazz & Romantic Places

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1955
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:14
Size: 93,5 MB
Art: Front

(2:59)  1. How Are Things In Glocca Morra
(3:56)  2. On A Slow Boat To China
(2:56)  3. Memphis In June
(2:56)  4. Paris In The Spring
(4:28)  5. London In July
(2:35)  6. Isle Of Capri
(2:56)  7. The White Cliffs Of Dover
(3:22)  8. Sunday In Savannah
(4:07)  9. Deep In The Heart Of Texas
(3:41) 10. Shuffle Off To Buffalo
(3:26) 11. New Orleans
(2:46) 12. Flying Down To Rio

In the midst of the 1950s, Dave Pell was one of the so-called "cool" jazz musicians on the West Coast of the United States, though he hasn't received as much recognition as others. Utilizing a variety of charts by talented arrangers including Johnny Mandel, Marty Paich, Jack Montrose, Wes Hensel, and Shorty Rogers (who also conducted the sessions), Pell's octet interprets the charts with gusto. For those not familiar with Pell's work, these sessions are similar in nature to recordings by Gerry Mulligan. The outstanding group includes baritone saxophonist Bob Gordon, trumpeter Don Fagerquist, and trombonist Ray Sims. In addition to the usual standards, Pell delves into infrequently heard gems like "Shuffle Off to Buffalo" (from the Broadway musical 42nd Street) and even a playful take of "Deep in the Heart of Texas." This is a very enjoyable LP that has been out of print for decades and it may be somewhat challenging to locate.
~ Ken Dryden http://www.allmusic.com/album/jazz-and-romantic-places-mw0000790334

Jazz & Romantic Places

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Oliver Jones Trio - Just Friends

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1989
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:02
Size: 116,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:14)  1. Blues For Helene
(4:01)  2. Just Friends
(4:46)  3. In My Solitude
(5:52)  4. Last Night In Rio
(5:20)  5. Big Pete
(5:33)  6. A Time For Love
(5:13)  7. It Could Happen To You
(5:32)  8. Sophie
(4:51)  9. Canadian Sunset
(3:36) 10. Georgia On My Mind

Pianist Oliver Jones has recorded over a dozen albums (both LPs and CDs) for the Canadian Justin Time label, and virtually all are recommended. This particular outing finds Jones and his trio (with bassist Dave Young and drummer Nasyr Abdul Al-Khabyyr) welcoming guest flugelhornist Clark Terry to their date. Performing four of Jones' originals and a quartet of standards (including "Just Friends" and "It Could Happen to You"), C.T.'s joyful presence clearly inspires the other musicians and makes this excellent set even more memorable than a typical Oliver Jones date. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/just-friends-mw0000177544

Personnel: Oliver Jones (piano); Clark Terry (trumpet); Dave Young (bass); Nasyr Abdul Al-Khayyr (drums).

Just Friends

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Hal Galper Trio - O's Time

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:06
Size: 112,6 MB
Art: Front

(8:14)  1. Like Sonny
(9:04)  2. Wildflower
(8:23)  3. O's Time
(8:28)  4. Moonglazed
(7:42)  5. Smile
(7:12)  6. Our Waltz

It's hard to be innovative in the piano trio format. The last big change happened in the late fifties and early sixties, with pianist Bill Evans' groundbreaking trio featuring bassist Scott LaFaro and drummer Paul Motian. The democratization of input and interplay changed the trio game, and countless groups have worked on refining that Evans approach ever since. A more recent development has been bombast and the inclusion of rock and poplar tunes into the jazz piano trio endeavor with varying degree of success. Rubato playing, the stretching of the varying of tempos, in a three way improvisational way, is pianist Hal Galper's contribution to piano trio innovation.  O's Time is Galper's fifth recording in the rubato style on Origin Records. His trio, with bassist Jeff Johnson and drummer John Bishop, perfected their approach with 2011's Airegin Revisited. The current offering rolls that artistic peak out on a high plateau, twsiting the familiar (John Coltrane "Like Sonny," Charlie Chaplain's "Smile") into different shapes, revealing different sides to the melodic threads. "Coltrane's "Like Sonny" opens the set. The three voices bounce off each other like a cocktail party conversation, synchronous and discordant at the same time. 

And like that party, as the drinks flow, the volume rises toward the raucous, without, on this tune at least, actually going there. Then there's the Zen serenity of a Johnson bass solo, sparely comped by Galper. Saxophonist Wayne Shorter's "Wildflower" has a "fractured then put back together" feeling, turbulent drums from Bishop behind Galper's relative restraint. "O's Time," written by Galper in honor of alto saxophonist/free jazz pioneer Ornette Coleman, moves away from the concept of restraint. It rolls and tumbles and sounds like, at its peak, a piano trio stuffed into a burlap bag and pushed down the stairs, with the players hanging on tight and still keeping the tune from chaos. And Charlie Chaplain's much-covered smile sounds like they're set up on the back of a flatbed truck, careening ninety miles an hours down a winding mountain road.  Exhilarating! The Hal Galper Trio shows the others guys what innovative is all about.

~ Dan McClenaghan  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/os-time-hal-galper-origin-records-review-by-dan-mcclenaghan.php
 

Personnel: Hal Galper: piano; Jeff Johnson: bass; John Bishop: drums

O's Time

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Cedar Walton - Bambino: Cedar Walton Plays Music of Art Blakey

Styles: Jazz, Straight-ahead/Mainstream
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:47
Size: 114,0 MB
Art: Front

(10:09)  1. Arabia
( 8:12)  2. Wee Dot
( 7:20)  3. If I Had You
(16:06)  4. Blues March
( 7:58)  5. Along Came Betty

Cedar Walton's sextet recorded this session before an appreciative audience at Sweet Basil in New York in 1993. Joining the pianist for this date were trumpeter Philip Harper, tenor saxophonist Javon Jackson, trombonist Steve Turre, bassist David Williams and drummer Billy Higgins. The recording was taped during two August nights at the club; alto saxophonist Lou Donaldson appears on "Wee Dot" and "If I Had You." Four of the sextet are alumni of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers; moreover, Lou Donaldson's work experience with Blakey predates the founding of his Jazz Messengers. Horace Silver was with the ensemble at that time (the early 1950s) and likes to refer to The Jazz Messengers as "the Art Blakey College of Musical Education." 

Blakey's working unit remained at the vanguard of hard bop for 36 years, and included well-known jazz artists such as Benny Golson, Jackie McLean, Curtis Fuller, Lee Morgan, Cedar Walton, Freddie Hubbard, Keith Jarrett, Wayne Shorter, Chick Corea, and Wynton Marsalis (Blakey, who passed away in October 1990, used to introduce himself to audiences as "Mrs. Blakey's bambino, Arturo"). Curtis Fuller's "Arabia" features Turre's expressive trombone. J.J. Johnson's "Wee Dot" includes Walton's exciting hard bop piano work and fours from the ever-tasteful Billy Higgins. "If I Had You" is a gentle ballad that features Donaldson. Benny Golson's "Blues March" and "Along Came Betty" provide the most excitement, as each soloist pushes the envelope. Harper and Jackson are particularly creative in their solo spots, weaving quiet mouse-like lines together and building them into uproarious shouts. Art Blakey taught them well. ~ Jim Santella  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/bambino-cedar-walton-evidence-music-review-by-jim-santella.php

Bambino

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Vito Di Modugno - Organ Trio Play Modern Jazz Standards

Styles: Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:46
Size: 153,3 MB
Art: Front

(5:42)  1. Das' Dat
(6:13)  2. Short Story
(6:43)  3. Ritha
(6:32)  4. Evoli Park
(6:43)  5. Appointment In Milano
(5:46)  6. Broadway Blues
(6:24)  7. Domneck
(6:41)  8. Three View Of A Secret
(5:37)  9. Ana Maria
(4:54) 10. Bluesnik
(5:27) 11. Bolivia

Born in Bari (Italy), Vito Di Modugno was voted among the best organ players in the world in "Downbeat" magazine's poll. He began his musical studies very early. Guided by his father Pino Di Modugno, an experienced and well-known accordionist, he studied piano, organ, electric bass and upright bass. His gave his first public performance at age five and in 1973 at age 11, made his debut in his father’s orchestra. He began studying piano with Maestro Binetti, earning his diploma in 1984. The same year, he was one of several winners of the musical contest "Coppa pianisti d’Italia". He attended masterclasses with Medori and Caporali; jazz seminars by Michael Brecker and Pat Metheny, and ultimately courses at Siena Jazz. From 1996 to 1999 he toured with Patty Pravo, recording two CDs and a DVD. In 2003 he was voted among the best new talents in "Musica Jazz" magazine's "Top Jazz" poll. He participated as soloist in concerts with the Symphony Orchestra "Arturo Toscanini" of Parma directed by Beppe D’Onghia, playing organ in Jon Lord's Concerto for Ensemble and Symphony Orchestra based on the Deep Purple piece from 1969.

He was invited to perform in the U.S. with saxophonists Jerry Bergonzi and Carol Sudhalter, guitarist Bill Wurtzel, organist Radam Schwartz and vocalists Sarah McLawler, Madame Pat Tandy Myrna Lake and Marti Mabin. In the course of his concert activity he has also played with internationally recognized stars Dionne Warwick, Jeff Berlin, Dennis Chambers, Bob Mintzer, Randy Brecker, Bobby Watson, Robben Ford, Michael Mossman, Irio De Paula, Tony Scott, Billy Hart, Rachel Gould, Dave Liebman, Urbie Green, Jazz Studio Orchestra, Enrico Rava, Patrizia Conte, Tiziana Ghiglioni, Gianni Basso, Tullio De Piscopo, Salvatore Bonafede, Andrea Braido, Eddy Palermo, Gigi Cifarelli, Fabio Zeppetella ecc… 

He records for the prestigious label 'Red Records', using in his ensembles such fine musicians as American saxophonist Jerry Bergonzi, as well as Fabrizio Bosso, Fabio Morgera, Massimo Manzi, Pietro Condorelli, Sandro Gibellini, Pino Di Modugno, Michele Carrabba and Stefano D'Anna. The Italian jazz magazine "Musica Jazz" included him among players specializing in Hammond Organ in their supplement with CD dedicated to the history of the instrument.He is winner of the Jazzit Magazine 2011 and 2012 award for Best Italian Organist. He has taught at the "N. Piccinni" Conservatory, Bari, and has given masterclasses in jazz at Espartina - Sevilla (Spain). For the past 25 years he teaches at "Il Pentagramma" Music School, Bari, Italy. 

Bio ~ http://www.vitodimodugno.it/storia.htm

Organ Trio Play Modern Jazz Standards

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Barney Kessel - Easy Like: Barney Kessel: Volume 1

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1953
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:12
Size: 106,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:04)  1. Easy Like
(4:06)  2. Easy Like (alt take)
(3:16)  3. Tenderly
(3:10)  4. Lullaby of Birdland
(3:34)  5. What Is There To Say?
(2:37)  6. Bernardo
(2:52)  7. Vicky's Dream
(3:18)  8. Salute To Charlie Christian
(4:12)  9. That's All
(3:41) 10. I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart
(3:00) 11. Just Squeeze Me
(2:46) 12. April In Paris
(2:45) 13. North Of The Border
(2:44) 14. North Of The Border (alt take)

Other than four songs apiece released by Onyx and Verve, the CD reissue of Easy Like, Vol. 1 has guitarist Barney Kessel's first sessions as a leader, performances which launched his longtime association with the Contemporary label. Augmented by two "new" alternate takes, the set features Kessel in boppish form with quintets in 1953 and 1956 featuring, either Bud Shank or Buddy Collette doubling on flute and alto. Kessel shows off the influence of Charlie Christian throughout the performances, with the highlights including "Easy Like," "Lullaby of Birdland," "North of the Border," and the accurately titled "Salute to Charlie Christian." ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/easy-like-vol-1-mw0000197295

Personnel: Barney Kessel (guitar); Bud Shank, Buddy Collette (alto saxophone, flute); Arnold Ross, Claude Williamson (piano); Harry Babasin, Red Mitchell (bass); Shelly Manne (drums).

Easy Like: Barney Kessel: Volume 1

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The Hot Sardines - Shanghai'D

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:15
Size: 81,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:20)  1. Baby Won't You Please Come Home
(2:31)  2. Dinah
(3:50)  3. Some of These Days
(3:28)  4. Lulu's Back in Town
(4:47)  5. St. James Infirmary Blues
(4:00)  6. C'est Si Bon
(3:29)  7. Meet Me at the Bottom of the Bottle
(2:45)  8. Them There Eyes
(2:55)  9. Bread and Gravy
(0:15) 10. Eddy's Fancy
(3:50) 11. Dinah (Live)

New York's the Hot Sardines are an eight-member jazz ensemble who make 1920s- and '30s-influenced swing and blues. Formed in 2007 after lead singer/washboard player Miz Elizabeth met pianist Evan Palazzo at a jam session, the Hot Sardines eventually grew into a full-fledged group featuring trumpeter Jason Prover, percussionist Alex Raderman, clarinetist/saxophonist Nick Myers, bassist/sousaphonist Evan Crane, and tap dancer Edwin Francisco. In 2011, they released their full-length debut album Shanghai'd. That same year, the band's profile grew even bigger with their breakthrough Bastille Day performance as part of Lincoln Center's Midsummer Night's Swing series. Two years later, they returned with the holiday-themed The Hot Sardines' Lowdown Little Christmas Record. In 2014, they delivered the concert album Live at Joe's Pub, recorded during their15-night residency at the Manhattan club in 2013. 

Bio ~ https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/the-hot-sardines/id453039522

Personnel: 
Vocals: Elizabeth Bougerol, except on Lulu's Back in Town: Evan Palazzo
Piano, Pianny & Accordion: Evan Palazzo
Drums & Assorted Percussive Doodads: Justin Hines
Trumpet & Cornet: Jason Prover, except on Dinah (Live): Drew Nugent
Saxophone & Clarinet: Peter Anderson, except on Meet Me at the Bottom of the Bottle: Jay Rattman and Dinah (Live): Tom Abbott
Trombone: Joe McDonough, except on Dinah (Live): Britta Langsjoen
Bass: Kevin Hseih, except on Dinah (Live): Rob Adkins
Guitar: Nick Russo
Tap: Eddy Francisco

Shanghai'D

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René Franc & Bootleggers - Blues In The Air

Styles: Jazz
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:09
Size: 94,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:24)  1. St.Louis Blues
(4:03)  2. Dardanella
(3:18)  3. Si Tu Vois ma Mere
(4:47)  4. Just One Of Those Things
(3:28)  5. Parle de Christel
(5:12)  6. Don't Get Around Much Any More
(3:34)  7. Bugle Call Rag
(3:36)  8. Dorothea
(2:54)  9. Let's Face Fats
(5:49) 10. Blues In the Air

René Franc (* 7 December in 1929 in Algiers ; † 2 April 2002 ) was a French jazz clarinetist and soprano saxophonist in the tradition of Sidney Bechet .Francesco began with violin and moved in 1946 to the clarinet in jazz. He played in the orchestras of Pierre Braslavsky , Claude Luter and André Réwéliotty and Sidney Bechet. He played from 1956 with his own band as well as, among others, Albert Nicholas , Bill Coleman , Peanuts Holland , Hal Singer .In 1980 he was awarded the Prix Sidney Bechet.He is the father of the soprano saxophonist and clarinetist Olivier Franc . He took under his own name several times. Tom Lord recorded in his jazz discography 29 recording sessions 1949-1999. Bio ~ http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ren%C3%A9_Franc

Blues In The Air

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Hanna Richardson & Phil Flanigan - Simply... With Spirit

Size: 151,2 MB
Time: 64:32
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2006
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. I Got The Sun In The Morning (3:03)
02. Don't Let It Bother You (3:38)
03. I Told Ya I Love Ya, Now Get Out (5:16)
04. Love Is The Tender Trap (3:30)
05. Detour Ahead (5:31)
06. Love You Madly (4:49)
07. Oh! Look At Me Now (3:51)
08. Are You Havin' Any Fun (2:58)
09. Stardust (5:18)
10. A Brown Bird Singing (2:56)
11. Slap That Bass (2:00)
12. It's A Lovely Day Today (3:45)
13. A Hundred Years From Today (4:26)
14. They All Laughed (5:31)
15. I'm Walkin' (4:18)
16. We Three (3:35)

Bassist Phil Flanigan and his compatriots (guitarists Chris Flory and Bob Sneider, violinist Johnny Frigo and drummer Mike Melito) have the bounce of Tigger on a sugar high, providing an ideal set of springs for cocoa-voiced Hanna Richardson as she winds her way through 16 soft-swingin' standards.

Richardson's warm/cool dichotomy, simultaneously suggesting the frosted richness of Chris Connor and tousled sexiness of Julie London, gets quite a workout as she enlivens the already peppy likes of "I Got the Sun in the Morning," "I Told Ya I Love Ya, Now Get Out," "Don't Let It Bother You," "Oh!ww Look at Me Now" and "Slap That Bass."

Even when she (and the boys) moderate the tempo on such comparatively delicate delights as "A Hundred Years From Today" and "Detour Ahead," there's no missing how much energy is percolating right below the surface. Fans of Montreal's retro-hip Susie Arioli will delight in Richardson, Flanigan and company's ability to harness a similarly enervating liveliness. ~Christopher Loudon

Simply... With Spirit

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Bobby Broom - My Shining Hour

Size: 132,4 MB
Time: 56:41
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz: Soul Jazz, Bebop, Post-bop
Art: Front

01. Sweet And Lovely (5:52)
02. My Ideal (7:30)
03. Just One Of Those Things (6:56)
04. My Shining Hour (6:04)
05. Sweet Georgia Brown (6:01)
06. The Heather On The Hill (6:36)
07. The Jitterbug Waltz (6:54)
08. Oh, Lady Be Good (6:30)
09. The Tennessee Waltz (4:13)

Personnel:
Bobby Broom - guitar
Dennis Carroll - bass
Makaya McCraven - drums

If you’ve showed up for Steely Dan’s continuing Jamalot Ever After tour on time, then you are already familiar with the great tone and texture of opening act Bobby Broom, the Chicago-based guitarist. Curious to hear more? Here’s your chance.

With his largest release, My Shining Hour, Broom forgoes expressive original compositions like those on his most recent album, 2012’s Upper West Side Story — focusing instead on jazz standards. A jazzer with a wide musical vocabulary, Broom deploys his stellar and versatile band of bassist Dennis Carroll and drummer Makaya McCraven with the cunning of an insane genius. The results are gorgeous, respectful of the originals and often jaw dropping in their emotional punch. Amazing, considering the album was recorded in three days at Shirk studios in Chicago by engineers Anthony Gravino and Jonathan Horwich.

My Shining Hour kicks off with “Sweet and Lovely,” and it’s easy to be captivated by McCraven expert stick work. But then you’d miss the elegant tone and phrasing of Broom’s hollow-bodied guitar. It’s also easy take for granted the way Carroll holds the bottom down, while the band glides from 5/4 to 7/4 time signatures. Subtle and captivating. On the song “My Ideal,” Carroll likewise provides a perfect foil to Broom’s guitar work with his mid-song solo. Then McCraven steps in with an all-too-brief drum break, demonstrating in a few bars why he’s one of the best in the business.

The pace picks up with Cole Porter’s “Just One Of Those Things,” as the three musicians toying with each other to create tension. Broom’s fleet-fingered solo dances effectively around the song’s main theme, yet still fits perfectly. The title track continues the album’s concept. Hinting of East Coast jazz traditions, and creating visions of jazz greats like Ella Fitzgerald, the song effectively casts a spell over the listener. Then “Sweet Georgia Brown,” a joyous shuffle that provides the perfect opportunity for Brown to show off his be-bop, cleanses the palette.

In the end, this group has cast a perfect set of American standards, and the concluding “Tennessee Waltz” is no exception. Bouyed by McCraven’s stellar cymbal work, Carroll’s growling walking bass and Broom’s impressive phrasing — he impressively dances around the song’s main theme — “Tennessee Waltz” continues the spell cast from the first note on My Shining Hour. By Preston Frazier

My Shining Hour

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Steve Lawrence - Take It On Home

Size: 91,0 MB
Time: 38:36
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1981/2014
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

01. New York, New York (3:23)
02. She's Out Of My Life (4:01)
03. I'd Rather Leave While I'm In Love (3:11)
04. You Had To Be There (3:51)
05. I Won't Break (4:00)
06. I Take It On Home (3:29)
07. I Still Believe In Love (2:50)
08. We're All Alone (3:56)
09. One Word (3:17)
10. Maybe This Time (3:29)
11. Welcome To Paradise (3:04)

By 1981, Steve Lawrence was only in his mid-40s, but he was eight years removed from the status of a major label recording artist, having been swept out of record company corridors along with his peers when the bottom finally dropped out of pre-rock pop music in the early 1970s. Of course, he hadn't hung up his tux in the interim, and if Take It on Home -- the premiere release on Beverly Hills, CA, independent label Applause Records -- was any indication, he had kept his pipes in prime shape. Only a year after his mentor, Frank Sinatra, had scored a surprising success with John Kander and Fred Ebb's theme from the film New York, New York, Lawrence had the chutzpah to commission Don Costa to do a different arrangement and then led off the album with it, first teasing "Chicago" and then "I Left My Heart in San Francisco." And his version is credible; he even got the words right, which the Chairman of the Board never did. After that, it was a short step to besting Michael Jackson's then recent Top Ten version of "She's Out of My Life"; Lawrence demonstrates that it was possible -- and preferable -- to get through the song without crying. He is equally effective on such 1970s songs as the Rita Coolidge hits "We're All Alone" and "I'd Rather Leave While I'm in Love," Charlie Rich's "I Take It On Home," "Maybe This Time" from the film version of Cabaret, and "I Still Believe in Love" from the Broadway musical They're Playing Our Song. (It seemed like he'd been keeping his ears open throughout the decade, waiting for his chance.) But more interesting are the songs that weren't well-known previously, such as the break-up ballad "I Won't Break," written by Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager, and Peter Allen, and the Michel Legrand/Dennis Lambert tribute to New York "You Had to Be There." Taken together, the collection demonstrates that if record companies were no longer interested in Steve Lawrence, it was their loss (and, of course, his fans'). ~ William Ruhlmann

Take It On Home

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Rhoda Scott - Les Orgues De Noel

Size: 131,7 MB
Time: 55:28
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1998
Styles: Jazz: Soul Jazz, Holiday
Art: Front

01. Jingle Bells (2:26)
02. Petit Papa Noel (2:35)
03. Douce Nuit, Sainte Nuit (2:47)
04. The Little Drummer Boy (2:28)
05. There Is A Balm In Gilead (5:39)
06. Ave Maria (2:09)
07. C'est Noel (2:57)
08. I Wonder As I Wander (3:24)
09. Ave Maria (2:34)
10. Medley De Noel (6:22)
11. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! (3:10)
12. Every Time I Feel The Spirit (3:47)
13. Winter Wonderland (2:56)
14. Green Sleeves (3:55)
15. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (2:14)
16. Les Orgues De Noel (2:38)
17. Minuit Chretiens (3:18)

Rhoda Scott (b. July 3, 1938, Dorothy, New Jersey) is an African-American hard bop and soul jazz organist.

The daughter of an AME minister, Scott spent much of her childhood in New Jersey, where she learned to play organ in the churches where her father served. Soon she herself was serving frequently as organist for youth and gospel choirs at her father's and other churches. Scott later studied classical piano, but she concentrated on the organ, eventually earning a Masters' degree in music theory from the Manhattan School of Music.

By this time she had been asked by a choir member to fill in with a small band as a jazz pianist. Enjoying the music, she agreed to stay on with the band on condition that she be allowed to play organ instead of piano. Choosing as her instrument the Hammond organ, she soon became a preeminent jazz musician and is considered by many to be the top female jazz organist.

Scott was first attracted to the organ in her father’s church at age seven. "It's really the most beautiful instrument in the world," she stated in a recent interview. "The first thing I did was take my shoes off and work the pedals." From then on she always played her church organ in her bare feet, and to this date she has continued the practice, earning her nicknames such as "The Barefoot Lady" and "The Barefoot Contessa".

In 1967 Scott moved to France, where she has since spent most of her career and earned recognition far greater than that accorded to her in the United States, though she often performs in the latter country as well.

She has many famous standards in her repertoire, like In the Mood, Theme from New York, New York, Summertime, Mack the Knife, Take Five, Hit the Road Jack, Greensleeves, Tico-Tico no Fubá, Let it Snow, and Delilah. In May 2011 in a context of Versailles Jazz Festival she gave a significant performance together with a classical organist Francis Vidil, combining sonic palettes of classical organs with jazz and Hammond organs.

Les Orgues De Noel

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Penelope Sai - Some Kind Of Dream

Size: 116,3 MB
Time: 49:54
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Let's Get Lost (4:57)
02. How It Ends (4:44)
03. Blue Champagne (3:58)
04. Melt Away (3:01)
05. Some Kind Of Dream (5:14)
06. Neon Nights (2:37)
07. Ave Guynemer (3:56)
08. I Guess I'll Have To Change My Plan (3:40)
09. Spring Will Be A Little Late This Year (4:20)
10. Diamonds Are Forever (3:39)
11. Adrien's Imaginings (3:53)
12. 12eme (5:50)

Some Kind of Dream captures the exquisite fleeting moments between sleep and wakefulness - the midnight borderland of a lover’s whisper and star-shot skies. The melting ballad and title track sets the tone for the 3rd album from singer / songwriter Penelope Sai, who has joined once again with Sean Mackenzie (piano), Jonathan Zwartz (bass) and Nic Cecire (drums), and the much acclaimed American artist Scotty Barnhart on horns. The 12 tracks include 7 stunning original compositions and 5 jazz standards. From the smooth cascades of Melt Away to the playful lines of Ave Guynemer this lush album curls up and unfurls with a delicious sway and verve.

Some Kind Of Dream

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The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra - Overtime: Music Of Bob Brookmeyer

Size: 152,0 MB
Time: 66:02
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Art: Front

01. The Big Time ( 3:58)
02. Suite For Three, Oatts ( 5:57)
03. Suite For Three, Scott ( 6:38)
04. Suite For Three, Rich ( 5:36)
05. Xyz (14:29)
06. Skylark ( 7:44)
07. At The Corner Of Ralph And Gary (11:07)
08. Sad Song (10:30)

Trumpeter Thad Jones and drummer extraordinaire Mel Lewis may have given birth to the band that's now known as The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, but the late Bob Brookmeyer gave the group artistic independence at a time when it was sorely needed.

When Jones left the fold and departed for Europe at the tail end of the '70s, things could've gone a very different way for this storied outfit: it could've simply carried on as a pretty good band that covered Thad Jones' music, endlessly recycling songs of the then-recent past. The Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra, né Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra, was certainly headed in that direction at that point in time, but Brookmeyer was the game-changer. He took the reins, ushering in a new era of creativity for this organization.

Brookmeyer tightened and polished up the band's interpretations of the Jones charts, brought in new music, and allowed the organization to stand as a creative force that's forever connected to its founders, but constantly evolving. In the process, he also got his own creative juices flowing again, as this band served as his laboratory for compositional and arranging experimentation. Brookmeyer eventually followed in Jones' footsteps, leaving America and setting up shop in Europe, but he never completely severed his ties with this organization. He played with the band on occasion and, in 2008, he finally brought up the idea about making a new recording with The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra.

While Brookmeyer didn't live long enough to see this album to completion, he was around long enough to shape it. He delivered four new pieces—all homages to various members of the band—that share space with some of his older compositions. "Suite For Three" focuses in on the sound of longtime VJO alto hero Dick Oatts, who works atop fragmented rhythms on his namesake movement, trumpeter Scott Wendholt, whose horn brings warmth and brightness to the sensitive setting made in his honor, and tenor saxophonist Rich Perry, who uncorks one brilliant phrase after another on his lively showcase number. The fourth new one—"At The Corner Of Ralph And Gary"—is a sly swinger that gives pause to admire the interactive spirit of band with soloist(s); the handiwork of the two soloists—baritone saxophonist Gary Smulyan and tenor saxophonist Ralph Lalama—lines up perfectly with the movements of the whole apparatus here.

The four remaining selections on the album were culled from the Brookmeyer book that took shape between 1979 and 1981. Oatts gets to revisit Brookmeyer's landmark "Skylark" arrangement more than three decades after he originally recorded it with this group; a parade of soloists shine during "XYZ"; rapidly shifting ideas and chromatic pathways are explored during "The Big Time," a previously unrecorded Brookmeyer chart from said time period; and the powers of space and suggestion are on display as Oatts' flute casts spells during the haunting "Sad Song."

Most composers that are blessed with long life tend to outlive their inventiveness, but the opposite seems to be true in the case of Bob Brookmeyer: his body left this world in 2011, but his body of work is still turning heads. ~Dan Bilawsky

Personnel: John Mosca: trombone; Luis Bonilla: trombone; Jason Jackson: trombone, bass trombone; Douglas Purviance: bass trombone; Nick Marchione: trumpet, flugelhorn; Tanya Darby: trumpet, flugelhorn; Terell Stafford: trumpet, flugelhorn; Scott Wendholt: trumpet, flugelhorn; Dick Oatts: alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, flute; Billy Drewes: alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, flute; Rich Perry: tenor saxophone, flute; Ralph Lalama: tenor saxophone, clarinet, flute; Gary Smulyan: baritone saxophone; Jim McNeely: piano; John Riley: drums; David Wong: bass; Frank Basile: bass clarinet (3, 5, 8); David Peel: French horn (1, 5, 6, 8); Michael Truesdell: percussion (1, 5, 8).

Overtime

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Aurielle Sciorilli - Live In Paris

Size: 158,7 MB
Time: 68:36
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

01. Inganno (4:55)
02. Why Don't You Do Right (5:01)
03. How Insensitive (7:48)
04. My Funny Valentine (8:41)
05. Ispirazione (5:29)
06. Let's Do It (5:24)
07. Cry Me A River (7:52)
08. Danny Boy (5:16)
09. In Cerca Di Te (5:01)
10. Non Si Fa L'amore (4:55)
11. Makin' Whoopee (8:10)

A Paris based singer-songwriter with Australian-Italian origins, for her 15th birthday Aurielle was given the album 'Blue' by Joni Mitchell. Inspired by this she bought herself a guitar and taught herself to play. She began writing songs and playing in coffee houses. During this time Aurielle also attended the Sydney conservatorium of music part time to study Jazz vocals. Between her folk roots and her new love of Jazz the delicate fusion of Aurielles signature sound began to evolve. In 2011, she recorded her first studio album of her own compositions titled 'Send the wandering girl home' .

At age 22, Aurielle moved to Milan where she secured a publishing contract with Sony music. There she began learning to speak and sing in Italian and discovered much about her own Italian families rich musical history. Her father Ettore Sciorilli was a popular singer-songwriter and her grandfather Eros Sciorilli a renowned composer and director or orchestra. " I delved into the history of my grandfather and found he published more than 500 songs performed by some of the best singers in Italy. His song 'non pensare a me' performed by Claudio Villa won the Sanremo festival in 1967. It became clear to me that his music was still relevant today and so I decided to present it to a new audience with new jazz arrangements ."

"With a voice that is as sensual as it is sweet and an aura of fragility combined with unaffected song delivery, Aurielle Sciorilli is truly an enigma. Australian born into a family of renowned Italian musicians, she follows in their footsteps whilst carving her own unique sound; slinky and sultry with a beautiful velvety voice, performing an adult contemporary blend of jazz interpretations of her grandfathers compositions in her up-coming album 'Eros Blues'." -Drum media

Live In Paris

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