Jackie McLean - Destination... Out!

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:03
Size: 80,6 MB
Art: Front

( 8:25)  1. Love And Hate
( 9:04)  2. Esoteric
(10:24)  3. Kahlil The Prophet
( 7:08)  4. Riff Raff

Is this a Jackie McLean album the way Somethin’ Else is a Cannonball Adderley album? On the latter, Cannon’s "sideman" Miles Davis seems to be calling the shots. On Destination...Out!, trombonist Grachan Moncur III wrote three of the four tracks and is heard first after the head on the opening number. So was Jackie giving his name to the project to boost sales and get his pal some notice? Another piece of evidence is that this album is almost nothing like other Jackie McLean albums of the period, including One Step Beyond, where Moncur is also present. And as excellent as are such non-Moncur McLean albums as It’s Time and Action, Destination...Out! was a great day for everyone involved (McLean, alto sax; Moncur, trombone; Bobby Hutcherson, vibes; Larry Ridley, bass, and Roy Haynes, drums). The album opens deep in Moncur’s chambers of darkness. "Love and Hate," a stalking, foreboding piece characteristic of Moncur’s composing at this time, draws from McLean a solo of tremendous depth and subtlety. 

This is McLean at his most moving. While he cannot entirely repress his native exultation, here he fits it into a larger picture that lives up to the title of the piece. Moncur’s solo provides something of a contrast; is he playing "hate" to Jackie’s "love"? Whatever, this track alone makes the album."Esoteric" is slightly more upbeat Moncur, with the two horn men and Hutcherson exploring a rich palette of moods. The lightest piece on the album is (of course!) the one number penned by McLean, "Kahlil the Prophet," and Moncur’s closer, "Riff Raff," is relatively conventional compared to his other compositions. But however upbeat anything on this album gets, there is nothing here that matches the magnificent jubilation reached by McLean and Lee Morgan on some of their collaborations. McLean’s destination here seems to be a vein of thoughtful music with a greater breadth of communicative power than was common in much of the music of the time.

Of course, the search for the same destination motivated the "outside" explorations of John Coltrane and a host of others in the same years. McLean, for all the self-advertising of his own adventurousness in the titles of his early Sixties albums ( Let Freedom Ring, One Step Beyond, and this one), actually never went as far over the line into "free" playing as did Trane or Ornette. Destination...Out! never approaches the startling unconventionality of those masters, but it succeeds in integrating "out" elements into the overall musical framework, and is richly satisfying on its own terms. ~ Robert Spencer  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/destinationout-jackie-mclean-blue-note-records-review-by-robert-spencer.php

Personnel: Jackie McLean (alto saxophone); Grachan Moncur III (trombone); Bobby Hutcherson (vibraphone); Larry Ridley (bass instrument); Roy Haynes (drums).

Destination... Out!

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Jonathan Kreisberg - Night Songs

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:32
Size: 141,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:22)  1. Laura
(8:51)  2. Autumn In New York
(7:13)  3. September Song
(7:13)  4. Prelude To A Kiss
(7:54)  5. Spring Is Here
(7:23)  6. I'll Be Seeing You
(5:55)  7. Blue In Green
(5:32)  8. Nefertiti
(6:04)  9. Warm Valley

Few artists dare to strictly play ballads on any full project, for it appeals to a specific audience only concerned with the soothing, relaxed quality of jazz. Guitarist Jonathan Kreisberg has chosen this route, performing the music effectively, calmly, and with the rationale of a poker player silently holding all the right cards until the proper moment to lay them out, as well as his or her calculated emotions. Gary Versace is the surprise element here, as he has put away his potent Hammond B-3 for a piano sound much more in tune with the introspective techniques employed by Bill Evans. Bassist Matt Penman (SF Jazz Collective, Kurt Rosenwinkel) and drummer Mark Ferber (Fred Hersch, Lee Konitz) utilize the difficult elements of tasteful restraint and loving patience in supporting the guitarist and pianist in ultimately subtle means and ways. The program is all standards, none of them at all challenging, many somber and wistful. 

"Laura" is the opener, a real beauty for starters as Kreisberg's one-note lines accent Versace's cascading piano chords. The program turns reflective on slow songs as the classic heartache evinced in "Autumn in New York," the tango styled, even keeled "September Song," and a midtempo melancholy refrain of "I'll Be Seeing You." Kreisberg plays much acoustic guitar very much in the style of Joe Pass or Kenny Burrell, and when he picks up an amplified model, it is toned down and kept completely in check, as in the slowly blossoming "Spring Is Here" or a laid-back version of the Miles Davis Kind of Blue icon "Blue in Green." Wayne Shorter's "Nefertiti" offers a slightly steelier tone and the churning piano of Versace in contrast. The final selection, Duke Ellington's "Warm Valley," is a bit different with an arrangement in 5/4 time led by the sullen tones of Penman, while the three main instruments trade mercurial melody lines spontaneously. 

This is Kreisberg's seventh effort as a leader, and at this point in his career, he was compelled to make this muted statement to touch the hearts of those who favor cooler heads prevailing over feverish neo-bop or modern jazz music. It's a credible effort, geared for people inclined to close off this troubled world and convene with one's significant other over dinner, drinks, and sitting by the fireplace. ~ Michael G.Nastos  http://www.allmusic.com/album/night-songs-mw0000808581

Personnel: Jonathan Kreisberg (guitar); Gary Versace (piano); Matt Penman (bass guitar); Mark Ferber (drums).

Night Songs

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Bette Midler - It's The Girls!

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:31
Size: 109,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:08)  1. Be My Baby
(2:54)  2. One Fine Day
(2:23)  3. Bei Mir Bist du Schon
(3:18)  4. Baby It's You
(2:57)  5. Tell Him
(2:54)  6. He's Sure The Boy I Love (duet with Darlene Love)
(2:25)  7. Mr. Sandman
(4:14)  8. Come And Get These Memories
(3:05)  9. Too Many Fish In The Sea
(3:30) 10. Teach Me Tonight
(4:14) 11. Waterfalls
(3:07) 12. You Can't Hurry Love
(3:01) 13. Give Him A Great Big Kiss
(3:35) 14. Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow
(2:38) 15. It's The Girl

Bette Midler's 2014 effort, It's the Girls!, finds the legendary vocalist paying homage to female girl groups from the '40s, '50s, and '60s. Never one to be underestimated, however, Midler also brings the homage full circle with a reworking of TLC's 1995 R&B hit "Waterfalls." Midler's 14th studio album and 25th album overall, It's the Girls! follows up her successful compilation Memories of You. Though it represents an all-new effort in the studio, It's the Girls! nonetheless feels like a retrospective, a return to the cabaret and theatrical style of her early career. Working with veteran producers Marc Shaiman and Scott Riesett (both of whom previously helmed albums by Harry Connick, Jr., Mariah Carey, and others), Midler frames her resonant vocal chops with lush arrangements that, while reverential to the original recordings, certainly allow her to express her own personality on each song. 

Here, we get Midler's take on such classics of '60s girl group pop as the Ronettes' "Be My Baby," the Chiffons' "One Fine Day," and the Supremes' "You Can't Hurry Love." Elsewhere, she turns her attention to more golden-age vocal group standards like the Andrews Sisters' "Bei Mir Bist du Schön" and the Chordettes' "Mr. Sandman." These are brightly produced songs perfectly suited to Midler's vocal style, stage bravado, and cheeky sense of humor. ~ Matt Collar  http://www.allmusic.com/album/its-the-girls!-mw0002749613

It's The Girls!

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Coleman Hawkins - Confessin'

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:33
Size: 99.7 MB
Styles: Swing, Saxophone jazz
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[3:49] 1. There Is Nothing Like A Dame
[3:08] 2. On My Way
[3:07] 3. Should I
[4:15] 4. Thanks For The Misery
[2:52] 5. Flight Eleven
[2:55] 6. You Can't Take That Away From Me
[2:57] 7. I'll Tell You Later
[2:57] 8. Modern Fantasy
[5:34] 9. I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face
[2:41] 10. Goin' Down Home
[2:57] 11. Confessin'
[3:24] 12. September Song
[2:51] 13. Last Stop

Confessin' compiles two separate studio dates recorded on May 27, 1954, and April 24, 1958, under the leadership of legendary tenor saxophonist Coleman Hawkins. The Chicago 1954 session brings together an unknown combo consisting of organ, piano, guitar, and bass; the only surviving personal listing has Buddy Smith on drums. Originally released on the Savoy LP The Hawk Returns, the ten tracks pulled from that album emphasize slow blues, hard swinging, and a few standards, including "September Song" and "You Can't Take That Away from Me." The New Jersey date was recorded four years later at Van Gelder Studios and finds the Hawk teamed up with Count Basie's sax section and guitarist Freddie Green, with the rhythm section consisting of Nat Pierce on piano, Eddie Jones on bass, and Bobby Donaldson on drums. These three cuts were originally part of Savoy's Coleman Hawkins Meets the Sax Section, and include big-band versions of the Broadway themes "There Is Nothing Like a Dame" and "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face," along with "Thanks for the Misery," written by the session's arranger/conductor, Billy VerPlanck. ~Al Campbell

Confessin'

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Kelly Auty - Mademoiselle Chante

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 29:10
Size: 66.8 MB
Styles: Chanson, Jazz vocals
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[2:59] 1. Padam Padam
[3:36] 2. Une Fille De L'est
[2:36] 3. Pour Faire Une Jam
[2:52] 4. Chantez Les Bas
[2:43] 5. Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen
[3:43] 6. Mademoiselle Chante Le Blues
[2:07] 7. For Me Formidable
[2:24] 8. Under The Bridges Of Paris
[2:33] 9. Mon Manege A Moi
[3:32] 10. Dream A Little Dream Of Me

Listening to these contemporary interpretations of French chanson it’s hard to believe the woman responsible comes from Victoria.

You don’t need to speak a word of French to feel the life experience and sheer joie de vivre that springs from her voice. Martha Wainwright has established herself as a standard bearer in this area and while Auty doesn’t quite reach these heights, she appears to be heading there fast. ~Lynden Barber

Mademoiselle Chante

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Torben Westergaard - Oktober

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:56
Size: 141.8 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[4:54] 1. The Eagle And The Great Tit
[5:20] 2. Anna
[4:52] 3. Glemsel
[5:47] 4. Day In, Day Out
[5:55] 5. Thee And That
[1:59] 6. E.M.I.L
[8:02] 7. Enos (The First Primate In Space)
[5:03] 8. God Know What Awaits
[6:38] 9. The Countryside Landed
[2:56] 10. Tromsø
[4:09] 11. Surya Namaskara A
[6:15] 12. Tromsø Dubmix

Ida Nørholm cello; Anders Banke bass clarinet; Jacob Andersen percussion; Torben Westergaard bass.

What one immediately hears is a mood almost like chamber music with exquisite arrangements. It is remarkable that people who are not very ‘jazz minded’ quickly become charmed by this album. Interesting, and worth listening to.

Oktober

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Camille Filfiley - Camille Filfiley

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:28
Size: 108,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:30)  1. Misty
(1:59)  2. The Lady Is A Tramp
(2:33)  3. Our Love Is Here To Stay
(3:11)  4. The Shadow Of Your Smile
(3:01)  5. Teach Me Tonight
(6:30)  6. My Funny Valentine
(2:16)  7. Them There Eyes
(4:00)  8. Dindi
(3:03)  9. What A Difference A Day Made
(6:19) 10. I Wish You Love
(3:23) 11. Twisted
(5:36) 12. Since I Fell For You

"A wonderful singer with her own sound" says eight-time Grammy award winning artist Michael Brecker, of the incredible and sultry vocalist Camille Filfiley, whose interpretations of these twelve classic and timeless standards are a must for any jazz collector. Chances are, you've heard her voice... After hundreds of recording sessions, from solo artist to jingles, from jazz to pop and everything else in between, Camille Filfiley has established herself as a first call studio pro, and her name has appeared on numerous gold records. In addition, her live performances have excited many an audience in the New York area. Now hear her like you've never heard her before on her debut jazz CD, titled simply "Camille Filfiley". 

Here is a collection of tunes performed with a style and phrasing truly unique and remarkable. TV personality and host Laura Savini remarked "the CD is incredible" in the network television appearance featuring Camille performing two of the CD's tunes. With influences from Nancy Wilson to Sarah Vaughn, Camille delivers the goods, backed by a stellar jazz trio featuring pianist Al Quinn, upright bassist Bill McCrossen, and drummer Chris Roselli (who spent several years with the great jazz legend Sir Roland Hanna). Several guest sax players join the trio as well. This is a must have for any fan of great jazz vocals! http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/filfiley

Camille Filfiley

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Caribbean Jazz Project - Birds Of A Feather

Styles: Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:50
Size: 144,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:04)  1. Birds Of A Feather
(5:29)  2. On The Road
(8:29)  3. Turnabout
(6:06)  4. Against The Law
(6:04)  5. Tell Me A Bedtime Story
(7:38)  6. Valencia 1
(6:02)  7. Picture Frame
(5:59)  8. Blue
(5:51)  9. Weird Nightmare
(5:03) 10. Minor Mood

A brassier, busier and a wee bit more aggressively urban Caribbean Jazz Project is featured on Birds of a Feather (Concord Picante). Dave Samuels is now leading this new lineup with Ray Vega on trumpet, Dario Eskenazi on piano and special guests guitarist Romero Lubambo, trumpeter Randy Brecker, drummer Mark Walker and percussionist Cafe. Bassist Ruben Rodriguez, percussionist Robert Quintero and drummer Dafnis Prieto round out the gang. The Brazilian "Valencia 1," with flutelike melodic harmonization, Lubambo's rapid note firings and a jazzy and percussively correct trumpet solo, is just a sampling of what the tropical-inflected crew can do in that territory. They are just as meritorious in their other Carioca explorations on "Turnabout" and "Picture Frame." Headed by a custom-made danzon figure, "Weird Nightmare" romps into an oddly metered sizzle, while on "Blue" everyone shines through in an updated guaguanco that fades into a hypermodern percussive coda skin slapping passage. The writing must be commended through and through. It brings forth fresh vistas from familiar Latin outcroppings and the supergroup readily assimilates its superior level. This is a cooker of a release, with depth to boot, fortified by great melodicism and peerless changes. ~ Javier Quinones  http://jazztimes.com/articles/14306-birds-of-a-feather-caribbean-jazz-project

Personnel: Romero Lubambo (guitar); Ray Vega (trumpet, flugelhorn); Randy Brecker (trumpet); Dario Eskenazi (piano); Dave Samuels (vibraphone, marimba); Dafnis Prieto (drums, timbales); Mark Walker (drums); Robert Quintero (congas, percussion).

Birds Of A Feather

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The David Liebman Trio - Lieb Plays The Beatles

Styles: Saxophone, Piano and Flute Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:38
Size: 147,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:41)  1. Medley - She's Leaving Home - Let it Be
(6:10)  2. While My Guitar Gently Weeps
(5:28)  3. Because
(5:15)  4. The Fool On The Hill
(6:05)  5. That Means A Lot
(3:40)  6. If I Fell
(6:28)  7. Within You Without You
(2:16)  8. Something
(3:02)  9. Blackbird
(3:32) 10. Medley - Tomorrow Never Knows - Blue Jay Way - Love Me Do
(4:21) 11. Julia
(7:20) 12. Medley - She's A Woman - Lady Madonna
(4:14) 13. And I Love Her

With over 350 recording dates to his credit, of which he has been leader or co-leader of 150 plus a repertoire ranging from jazz and songbook standards, several hundred self penned originals and interpretations of classic composers like Bernstein,  Kurt Weill and Puccini to name but three it’s hardly surprising that it has taken Liebmann so long to get around to the Beatles ; suffice to say it has been worth the wait and the thoughtful, if at times rather sombre lines he and his partner Ruocco weave about these familiar melodies invest them with a gravitas that elevates them to the condition of contemporary chamber jazz of a very high order.The employment of John Ruocco  in a conversational counterpoint  reminds me very much of the late recordings that Jimmy Giuffre partnered with French clarinettist Andre Jaume, the effect is rather like that of two old friends chewing over a topic of mutual nterest but whereas  Giuffre and Jaume operated purely as a duo this project by Liebman is supported on a buoyant bass and drums foundation that is integral to the artistic process and provides a polyphonic  fabric that enhances  the quality and complexity of the dialogue.

The recital features seventeen Beatles songs including seven that form a part of three medleys: some like `Blackbird ‘will be familiar to those with only a passing interest in Fab Four’s output whilst there are others that will only readily recalled by diehard fans. None of them, as you would expect, offer facile sing- along immediacy but are reinterpreted with sensitive originality. No post modern parodies here. Tunes like `While My Guitar Gently Weeps` and the lesser known `That Means A Lot` receive fairly lusty ,straight ahead blow outs but mostly the mood is introspective and ruminative with dark hued bass clarinet musings contrasting with sharper, keening soprano voicing. 

On two pieces Liebman plays piano to effect some tonal variation. On the first, a chromatic and at times atonal version of `The Fool on The Hill` there is an assertive walk through part for bass which contrasts effectively with the tentative keyboard musings and in the final solo piano piece, `And I Love Her`Liebman barely alludes to the melody but makes statement that shorn of romantic effusiveness still manages to communicate on an emotional level.If through limited exposure to his music something to which I must confess- you had Liebman marked down as a post Coltrane speed merchant, this disc will convince you of his magnitude as a creative artist of considerable depth and sensitivity. ~ Euan Dixon  http://jazzviewscdreviews.weebly.com/october-2013.html

Personnel: David Liebman - soprano & tenor saxophones, piano & wooden flute; John Ruocco - tenor saxophone, clarinet & bass clarinet; Marius Beets – bass; Eric Ineke - drums

Lieb Plays The Beatles

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Charles Tolliver - Impact

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1975
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:12
Size: 110,5 MB
Art: Front

(8:01)  1. Impact
(8:24)  2. Mother Wit
(6:22)  3. Grand Max
(9:51)  4. Plight
(7:24)  5. Lynnsome
(8:07)  6. Mournin' Variations

Trumpeter/flügelhornist Charles Tolliver often straddled the line between the lyricism of hard bop and the adventurous nature of the avant-garde. Released in 1975, Impact contained a stimulating progressive edge within an energetic large band (14 horns, eight strings, and rhythm section) format. Tolliver's arrangements are consistently bright and build momentum, while the soloists are given sufficient room to maneuver through the multiple textures. Featured soloists in the remarkable reed section include Charles McPherson, James Spaulding, George Coleman, and Harold Vick. ~ Al Campbell  http://www.allmusic.com/album/impact-mw0000626875

Personnel: Charles Tolliver (trumpet, flugelhorn); Winston Collymore, Noel Pointer (violin); Julius Miller, Ashley Richardson (viola); Gayle Dixon, Noel DaCosta (strings); James Spaulding (flute, piccolo, soprano saxophone, alto saxophone); Harold Vick (flute, soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone); Charles McPherson (alto saxophone); George Coleman (tenor saxophone); Charles Davis (baritone saxophone); Richard Gene Williams , Larry Greenwich, Jimmy Owens, Jon Faddis, Virgil Jones (trumpet); Garnett Brown, John Gordon, Jack Jeffers, Kiane Zawadi (trombone); Stanley Cowell (piano); Clifford Barbaro (drums); Big Black (congas, percussion); Warren Smith (percussion, chimes); Billy Parker (percussion).

Impact

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Walt Weiskopf Quartet - A World Away

Size: 130,9 MB
Time: 56:38
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1994
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. A World Away (7:31)
02. Heads In The Clouds (7:42)
03. Immortal Soul (7:16)
04. Mercenary (6:38)
05. The Long Hot Summer (4:39)
06. Oceans (6:16)
07. Paradox (6:04)
08. December (5:04)
09. Dragon Lady (5:23)

Personnel:
Walt Weiskopf - Tenor Sax
Larry Goldings - Organ
Peter Bernstein - Guitar
Bill Stewart - Drums

For those of you who crave the Larry Young-Grant Green Blue Note sides of the '60s, this should sufficiently whet your appetite. Tenor saxophonist Weiskopf has come up with a winning formula, adding his deft, fluid, literate tenor to the Larry Goldings organ trio; Goldings on Hammond B-3, Peter Bernstein on guitar, and Bill Stewart on drums. The combination is quite likable, Goldings and Bernstein particularly have clearly defined roles which they execute with verve and passion. Weiskopf, 33 years old at the time of this recording, does not display influences on his sleeve, nor does he have a distinctive voice, but his playing is all his own without resorting to copped licks. He's quite good, and wrote all save one of these nine selections. The more urgent numbers are the ones that stand out, because on them, there's not only a shared interest in swinging hard, but a kineticism that seems to flow naturally with uptempos. Hard-bop numbers like "Paradox," and "Dragon Lady" are no-nonsense, mainstream, horn-fired delights. The title track has similar forward motion, but exudes a deeper, soulful feel with devices clearly and originally wrought by Young and Green. The quick waltz "Oceans" shows their adaptability in a more dancing scheme; improvs fly here and there with no hesitation. The steamier waltz "Heads In the Clouds" refers to musical daydreaming, while the lone standard "The Long, Hot Summer" is a light yet resilient, hopeful ballad. As for the blues, the trio offers the extra patient "Immortal Soul," rife with impulse-driven lines from the leader, and the easy swinger "December" with a more animated Weiskopf, especially on his solo. "Mercenary" may be the topper, a modal vehicle on the head with its hard swinging bridge and Bernstein in his element, tossing in bits of Green, Wes Montgomery and Kenny Burrell, altered to his own style. Stewart is the jazz mercenary here; his workout at the end of the bridge is all you want from a great drummer, and what you always get when he performs live. It would be nice if Weiskopf would explore this format even further. Though he does many other types of mainstream and modern jazz with different groups (his own and others), he seems to be quite comfortable with this band, who stand on their own. Weiskopf's tenor is a cool cherry on top. Recommended. ~ Michael G. Nastos

A World Away

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Yonrico Scott - Only A Smile

Size: 72,4 MB
Time: 31:00
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. Swish (3:41)
02. Dance Of Life (3:35)
03. Them Changes (4:13)
04. Out Of The Madness (4:41)
05. Crazy (6:49)
06. Ode To Ricky (2:10)
07. Only A Smile (5:47)

Longtime member of The Derek Trucks Band and current member of Royal Southern Brotherhood, Grammy Award Winner Yonrico Scott releases his third CD for Blue Canoe Records titled, "Only A Smile".

Featuring Ronda Scott (vocals), Kofi Burbridge (keys/flute), Todd Smallie (bass), Joseph Patrick Moore (bass), Larry Jackson (alto/tenor sax), Mace Hibbard (alto/tenor sax), YS Jr. (hand percussion), Lebron Scott (bass),
Randy Honea (guitar), Buzz Amato (keys), Rick Hinkel (guitar), Count Mubutu (congas), Grant Green Jr. (guitar), Bruno Spreight (guitar), Oliver Wells (keys, bass, string arr.), Tiffany Jackson (bgv) and Minnie Orr (bgv).

Only A Smile

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Kama Ruby - Rock Dreams In Jazz

Size: 101,2 MB
Time: 42:15
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

01. Embraceable You (Intro) (1:42)
02. Embraceable You (3:12)
03. God Bless The Child (5:34)
04. Hotel California (7:57)
05. Nature Boy (5:54)
06. Sisters Of The Moon (7:21)
07. Something Cool (4:16)
08. Total Control (6:16)

Kama Ruby is a jazz vocalist/actress/dancer. Her credits include Stella in a Western States Tour of “A Streetcar Named Desire,” a producer and cast member in “Stages: A Unique and Unusual Cabaret” that has quarterly performances in various cities in California as well as performing with the Utah Shakespearean Festival, the Kern Shakespeare Theater, the Rogue Fringe Festival, the Nevada Conservatory Theater, and many other venues.

Kama’s focus in the last several years has been on performing as a jazz vocalist. Gifted with a beautiful, sexy, and sultry voice, she is well versed in the standard jazz vocal repertoire. Her performances of classics such as “Something Cool” or “One for My Baby” display her remarkable emotional as well as vocal range.

However, whether performing as a solo artist, backed by an accompanist, or with her band, Kama Ruby and Company, she also adheres to the notion that “Jazz isn’t just for the straight ahead folks!” by covering compositions that are hardly ever associated with jazz. She combines her love for jazz with her love for classic & alternative rock, and gives those tunes a completely different, jazzy flavor, while still maintaining the recognizable feel of the originals.

As a jazz singer, she has opened for, performed with, and studied with a variety of jazz musicians, including Tom Scott and Clayton Cameron. She has continued her jazz education by participating in jazz clinics given by Carl Saunders, Javon Jackson, Dave Tull, Barbara Morrison, Sherry Williams, Theo Saunders, Henry Franklin, and others.

Kama's first album “Kama Ruby, Straight-up & Chilled” and her sophomore album, "Kama Ruby: Rock Dreams in Jazz" are both a mix of jazz standards, acid jazz, classic rock, and pop tunes. The recordings capture the live feel of her performances and her unique take on familiar works.

Rock Dreams In Jazz

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Brian Culbertson - Live: 20th Anniversary Tour

Size: 125,4+81,5 MB
Time: 53:38+34:53
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz: Smooth Jazz, Soul Jazz, Funky Jazz, R&B
Art: Front

CD 1:
01. City Lights Intro (Live) (0:40)
02. Always Remember (Live) (4:25)
03. Hollywood Swinging (Live) (2:55)
04. Do You Really Love Me (Live) (5:43)
05. Come To Me (Live) (3:59)
06. All About You (Live) (2:26)
07. Let's Get Started (Live) (3:45)
08. Fullerton Ave. (Live) (5:41)
09. Beautiful Liar (Live) (4:23)
10. Get It On (Live) (8:28)
11. Skies Wide Open (Live) (3:39)
12. Another Love (Live) (2:44)
13. Horizon (Live) (4:43)

CD 2:
01. Think Free (Live) (4:31)
02. Dreams (Live) (2:13)
03. On My Mind (Live) (3:13)
04. Secret Garden (Live) (9:31)
05. Serpentine Fire (Live) (3:27)
06. Funkin' Like My Father (Live) (4:49)
07. City Lights Outro (Live) (1:11)
08. Our Love (Live) (5:54)

Recorded live at the famed Yoshi's jazz club in Oakland, CA Sept 11-14, 2014. This is the first ever live concert CD released by Brian and his band.

Featuring: Marqueal Jordan (sax, vocals & perc), Adam Hawley (guitar & vocals), Eddie Miller (keys & vocals), Michael Stever (trumpet & keys), Rodney Jones Jr. (bass) & Chris Miskel (drums).

Even though Brian Culbertson might be categorized as jazz lite, his music has enough "oomph" to keep you interested. The talented composer, arranger, keyboardist, and trombonist displayed a talent beyond his years at an early age, and credits his dad with helping him develop an ear for the type of music he makes. His father, Jim Culbertson, a respected high school jazz band director and trumpeter, cultivated a love of sanguine sounds in the young Brian, who eagerly listened to anything his dad put on the stereo. Their Decatur, Illinois, home would be alive with the recorded sounds of Maynard Ferguson, Buddy Rich, the Brecker Brothers, and David Sanborn. Growing up, Culbertson also listened to '70s R&B/pop/funk bands like Blood, Sweat & Tears, Tower of Power, and Earth, Wind & Fire. He began his musical training at the age of eight with piano lessons; at nine he moved to drums, at ten trombone, and at 12 bass. Bored with classical recital pieces, he began composing in junior high. By his freshman year in high school, he was experimenting with the then-new Yamaha DX-7 synthesizer and an old four-track recorder in the basement of his parents' home. His dedication earned him six individual and five group Down Beat student awards.

During his high school years, he started getting into MIDI sequencing and synthesizers. He couldn't find players who were able to play his songs on the level he wanted, as most of his peers were into heavy metal, so Culbertson, who cites pop producer/songwriter David Foster (Earth, Wind & Fire's "After the Love Is Gone") as one of his strongest influences, learned how to play all the parts himself. After graduation, Culbertson headed to Chicago to begin studies in the music program at DePaul University. On campus, he began to run into high-level musicians and started playing in a band. A family friend helped Culbertson get a deal with Mesa/Blue Moon in 1994. In the bedroom of the apartment he shared with three college buddies, Culbertson single-handedly recorded his debut album, Long Night Out. The album spent ten consecutive weeks in the Top Five of the adult contemporary charts. On his follow-up album, Modern Life, Culbertson eschewed the one-man band approach in favor of a live band made up of some of the best musicians in Chicago, plus stellar saxophonist Gerald Albright.

He's since put out several other albums, including After Hours (1995), Secrets (1997), and Somethin' Bout Love (1999). Culbertson's productions include albums by Bob Mamet and Steve Cole. Having gotten into composing advertising jingles, Culbertson set his sights on soundtracks. In 2001 the pianist (who could play the trombone, trumpet, and percussion as well) released Nice & Slow, followed by Come on Up in 2003. Two years later he issued It's on Tonight, and in 2006 Soulful Christmas, a collection of holiday favorites as well as an original. In 2008 Culbertson released Bringing Back the Funk, an acclaimed album that is credited with bringing new life to the urban jazz genre. It featured a sizable list of collaborators including Bootsy Collins, Larry Graham, Ray Parker, Jr., and David T. Walker, just to name a few. He followed it with a live album in 2009 and XII, a return to the studio, in 2010. In June of 2012, Culbertson released Dreams, his 13th album, featuring a host of all-star contemporary jazz and R&B session players and vocalists. Later that year he set about realizing a dream project.

Now an independent artist, Culbertson had long desired to revisit the music from his 1994 debut offering, A Long Night Out, which was initially cut in his apartment on a very limited budget. He played most of the instruments himself but also enlisted a small backing group. In 2013 he re-recorded the same tracks, with a large all-star lineup that included Nathan East, Russ Freeman, Steve Lukather, and Candy Dulfer, to name a few, plus a 33-piece orchestra. Entitled Another Long Night Out, it was issued on his own BCM label in February of 2014.

Live: 20th Anniversary Tour CD 1
Live: 20th Anniversary Tour CD 2

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Tamra Hayden - Love Is...

Size: 93,7 MB
Time: 40:03
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz Vocals, Broadway
Art: Front

01. But Beautiful (3:30)
02. Every Step Of The Way (2:57)
03. I Got A Number (2:02)
04. Something's Gotta Give (2:39)
05. Alright, Ok, You Win (2:38)
06. Song For An Accident (Acoustic Version) (3:40)
07. Temporarily Lost (3:21)
08. Lucky (Acoustic Version) (4:23)
09. Fever (3:59)
10. When You Are Old And Gray (3:20)
11. It All Fades Away (4:56)
12. Love Is.. (2:31)

From Broadway to the Blues, critics have called Tamra Hayden, an 'emotionally rich, psychologically detailed singer that can reheat coffee' and 'outsizzle Peggy Lee'.
Tamra Hayden performed on Broadway as Cosette in Les Miserables and Texas in Cabaret (Studio 54); Off-Broadway in Jacques Brel Is Alive And Well And Living In Paris; and has toured throughout the US as Christine in Phantom of the Opera, Cosette in Les Miserables, It Ain't Nothin' But The Blues, and Hodel in Fiddler On The Roof (opposite Theodore Bikel).
A versatile singer, Tamra performed with organist, Michael Gailit, at St. Stephen's Cathedral, Vienna, as part of the Lange Nacht der Kirchen, as well as Broadway Pops Concerts with The Nashville Symphony, Charlotte Symphony, Tucson Symphony, New Jersey Symphony, and Palm Beach Pops, to name a few.
Chosen as one of the "Top Ten to watch in 2010" by CDBaby, Tamra's numerous musical collaborations have resulted in a wide variety of recordings including: Love Is...; Tradition, Tartan & Tears; I Believe In The Fire; A Day At The Fair; Reggae On Broadway; Songs From The North Country; Stars At Night; Angus Mohr's: A Christmas Pageant; and Unwrapped.

Love Is...

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Michael Haggins - Dare To Dream

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 30:33
Size: 70.0 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[3:29] 1. Dare To Dream
[3:40] 2. There's Nothing More Beautiful Than You (Instrumental)
[4:10] 3. Natural Wonder
[3:37] 4. Here I Come
[3:41] 5. Summer's Gone
[4:24] 6. World Of Dreams (Remix)
[3:40] 7. There's Nothing More Beautiful Than You
[3:48] 8. In Your Lifetime (Remix)

Michael Haggins is a successful contemporary bass player and songwriter in the L.A. scene. Michael, who was born in Pasadena and began playing music in his early teens, has worked and recorded with many artists while also working in the Network Television industry.

Michael continues to write and produce songs with his special brand of original music with his own unique sound. Michael's touring band, Michael Haggins & Friends, is based in Southern California.

Dare To Dream

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A La Carte Brass & Percussion - Boogeyin'! Swamprock, Salsa & 'trane

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:04
Size: 116.9 MB
Styles: Funk, Salsa, New Orleans Jazz
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[5:58] 1. Papa Was A Rolling Stone
[4:12] 2. Tipitina
[3:14] 3. Mellow Saxophone
[4:35] 4. After The Rain
[1:11] 5. Canto Por Elegua
[4:34] 6. Sidewinder
[6:19] 7. Calcutta Cutie
[5:05] 8. Who Do Da Voodo
[8:19] 9. Blues A La Carte
[5:16] 10. Canteloupe Island
[2:14] 11. Theme From 'i Love Lucy'

A La Carte serves up a New Orleans street band marinated with a hot salsa percussion section. The brass section stomps like the Dirty Dozen and moans like a Bourbon Street funeral. Led by Santana’s Gali Sanchez, the percussion anchors the celebration with impact and fire. A La Carte’s repertoire is a danceable mixture of jazz and pop—everything from a funk and salsa rendition of “Papa Was A Rolling Stone” to Lee Morgan’s “Sidewinder”. This recording’s “…so real you can tell what the trumpet players ate for lunch,” according to Stereophile.

Boogeyin'! Swamprock, Salsa & 'trane

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Carmen Leggio Quartet - Carmen Leggio Quartet Featuring Joe Cohn

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:10
Size: 122,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:53)  1. Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise
(3:04)  2. Lose One-Gain One
(7:32)  3. It Had To Be You
(5:26)  4. Black Orpheus (A Day In The Life Of A Fool)
(4:23)  5. Emily
(5:22)  6. Gone With The Wind
(3:36)  7. You Go To My Head
(6:00)  8. Embraceable You
(5:25)  9. Polka Dots And Moonbeams
(3:01) 10. Sing, Sing, Sing
(4:23) 11. Undecided

New York tenor saxophonist Carmen Leggio has performed with the likes of Gene Krupa, Woody Herman, Benny Goodman and Maynard Ferguson. This self-titled quartet recording finds the veteran reedman swinging hard on eleven standards done in a no-nonsense, straight-ahead manner. Leggio is joined by guitar great Joe Cohn, bassist Rick Petrone and drummer Joe Corsello. Leggio rips through familiar themes like "Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise," "It Had to Be You" and "Emily" with assuredness, speaking through his horn with a lyrical ease reserved for the most seasoned of players. The saxophonists pronounced, in-the-pocket phrasing on "Gone With The Wind" is reminiscent of Stan Getz. Cohn plays the dual role of sensitive accompanist and inventive soloist. His piano-style comping behind Leggio on "You Go to My Head" expands one's expectations of the guitar's capabilities. Cohn's brilliant single-line soloing on the Leggio burner "Lose One-Gain One" and the classic ballad "Embraceable You" is evidence of bop mastery. Petrone and Corsello keep things moving along with impeccable time and soulful grooves. Petrone's warm tone and lively lines sparkle on "Black Orpheus" and "Polka Dots and Moonbeams." The session closer, "Undecided" is an energetic romp with inspired trading between Leggio and Cohn. An all around wonderful recording, the disc beckons for repeated listening. ~ John Barron  

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/carmen-leggio-quartet-carmen-leggio-mighty-quinn-productions-review-by-john-barron.php

Personnel: Carmen Leggio: tenor saxophone; Joe Cohn: guitar; Rick Petrone: bass; Joe Corsello: drums.

Carmen Leggio Quartet Featuring Joe Cohn

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Rachelle Ferrell - Rachelle Ferrell

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 1992
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:09
Size: 155,1 MB
Art: Front

(6:08)  1. I'm Special
(5:39)  2. Welcome To My Love
(6:02)  3. Waiting
(4:41)  4. It Only Took A Minute
(6:23)  5. With Open Arms
(6:16)  6. 'Til You Come Back To Me
(3:46)  7. You Can't Get (Until You Learn To Start Giving)
(6:26)  8. Nothing Has Ever Felt Like This
(3:56)  9. I Know You Love Me
(3:39) 10. Sentimental
(4:38) 11. Could've Fooled Me
(4:11) 12. Too Late
(4:19) 13. Peace On Earth

Rachelle Ferrell wore two hats in the 1990s: straight-ahead jazz singer and commercial R&B/pop singer along the lines of Anita Baker, Miki Howard, and Angela Bofill. Produced mostly by George Duke, this self-titled album is an example of her R&B/pop side. With this smooth, classy effort, Manhattan/Capitol was obviously intent on appealing to the more adult-oriented tastes in the urban contemporary market. While artists like Mary J. Blige, Bell Biv DeVoe, Babyface, and Janet Jackson were making R&B relevant to hip-hoppers, Ferrell opted for maximum quiet storm appeal with this album. 

If you were buying a lot of Baker, Luther Vandross, and Freddie Jackson albums in the early '90s (along with some Grover Washington, Jr. and Joe Sample, perhaps), you were exactly the type of listener Manhattan/Capitol had in mind with sophisticated numbers like "It Only Took a Minute," "'Til You Come Back to Me," and "Sentimental." Most of the songs are appropriate vehicles for the Philadelphian's big, rich voice, but while this collection of mood music isn't bad, it isn't the gem that Ferrell had the ability to deliver. As pleasant and likable as much of the material is, one got the impression that she was capable of a lot more. ~ Alex Henderson  

http://www.allmusic.com/album/rachelle-ferrell-mw0000084207

Personnel: Rachelle Ferrell (vocals, piano, keyboards, horns, strings, organ); Will Downing (vocals); Michael J. Powell (guitar, percussion); Paul Jackson, Jr., Kevin Eubanks, Mike Campbell, Carlos Rios (guitar); Oscar Brashear (trumpet); George Bohannon (trombone); Barry Eastmond, Vernon Fails, Brian Simpson (keyboards); George Duke (keyboards, strings, percussion, background vocals); Freddie Washington, Al Turner, Larry Kimpel, Anthony Jackson (bass); Ricky Lawson, Buddy Williams, Doug Nally (drums, cymbals); Paulinho Da Costa (congas); Steve Thornton (percussion); David I. Ward II, Paul D. Allen (programming); Jim Gilstrap, Carolyn Perry, Lori Perry, Darlene Perry, Sharon Perry, Lynn Fidmont-Linsey, Josie Jones, Alex Brown (background vocals).

Rachelle Ferrell

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Sachal Vasandani - Eyes Wide Open

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2007
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 56:15
Size: 103,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:36)  1. Naked As We Came
(5:47)  2. Please Mr. Ogilvy
(6:13)  3. A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing
(5:03)  4. Its Only Love That Gets You Through
(3:03)  5. Storybook Fiction
(3:30)  6. Strange Things Happening
(4:16)  7. Send 'Em Up To Heaven
(6:25)  8. I Could Have Told You
(3:59)  9. I Was Just One More For You
(4:41) 10. September In The Rain
(2:59) 11. I Can't Give You Anything But Love
(5:37) 12. You Won't Forget Me

Sachal Vasandani has all the right credentials in tow as he makes his debut recording. He was a semi-finalist at the 2004 Thelonious Monk Institute Competition. He has a string of appearances in New York that have served to showcase his talent as a singer. And he has the right instincts when it comes to selecting the songs for his CD. He does not restrict himself to jazz, a good thing considering that he leans strongly into pop territory here. Vasandani has a fine voice. He is articulate and he parlays his sense of phrasing into some vivid experiences. Helping him along are pianist Jeb Patton, bassist David Wong and drummer Quincy Davis. Guests including vibraphonist Stefon Harris, trumpeter Marcus Printup and guitarist Doug Wamble extend the parameters. 

Vasandani wrote three tunes, of which "Please Mr. Ogilvy not only has a sly sense of humor, but also a blues feel, attributes that give it strength and pith. "Send 'Em Up to Heaven has a strong pulse. Vasandani gets into the depth of the lyric and whirls it forward, capturing the doubts that assail one, on this song that deals with the struggle to forgive. He rips into "Strange Things Happen, curling his voice around the words, chewing on them and letting the coil jump loose in a welter of blues. Printup adds to the punch with some earthy, deep rooted play on the trumpet. One of the finest moments comes with his take of "I Could Have Told You, in which all the pain comes through in the shades he brings to the tale of a love lost. Vasandani makes enough of an impact and points the way to a promising future. ~ Jerry D’Souza  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/eyes-wide-open-sachal-vasandani-mack-avenue-records-review-by-jerry-dsouza.php
 

Personnel: Sachal Vasandani: vocals; Quincy Davis: drums; Jeb Patton: piano, Rhodes; David Wong: acoustic bass; Stefon Harris: vibes and marimba (2, 7, 12); Marcus Printup: trumpet (6, 8 11); Doug Wamble: guitar (1, 5, 9, 11).

Eyes Wide Open

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