Sonny Rollins - The Sound Of Sonny

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1957
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:09
Size: 102,3 MB
Art: Front

(2:58)  1. The Last Time I Saw Paris
(4:00)  2. Just In Time
(4:24)  3. Toot, Toot, Tootsie! (Goo' Bye)
(4:55)  4. What Is There To Say?
(3:07)  5. Dearly Beloved
(3:22)  6. Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye
(5:56)  7. Cutie
(3:46)  8. It Could Happen To You
(5:35)  9. Mangoes
(6:00) 10. Funky Hotel Blues (bonus track)

A new phase in Sonny Rollins' career began in 1957. He started what was at the time an almost blasphemous trend of recording for a number of different labels. His pioneering spirit yielded a few genre-defining albums, including this disc. His performances were also at a peak during 1957 as Down Beat magazine proclaimed him the Critics' Poll winner under the category of "New Star" of the tenor saxophone. This newfound freedom can be heard throughout the innovations on The Sound of Sonny. Not only are Rollins' fluid solos reaching newly obtained zeniths of melodic brilliance, but he has also begun experimenting with alterations in the personnel from tune to tune. Most evident on this platter is "The Last Time I Saw Paris" which is piano-less and most stunning of all is Rollins' unaccompanied tenor solo performance on "It Could Happen to You."

Indeed, this rendering of the Jimmy Van Heusen standard is the highlight of the disc. That isn't to say that the interaction between Sonny Clark (piano), Roy Haynes (drums), and bassists Percy Heath and Paul Chambers who is featured on "The Last Time I Saw Paris" and "What Is There to Say" is not top-shelf. Arguably, it is Rollins and Heath the latter, incidentally, makes his East Coast debut on this album who set the ambience for The Sound of Sonny. There is an instinctually pervasive nature as they weave into and back out of each others' melody lines, only to emerge with a solo that liberates the structure of the mostly pop standards. This is a key component in understanding the multiplicities beginning to surface in Rollins' highly underappreciated smooth bop style. 

~ Lindsay Planer  http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-sound-of-sonny-mw0000188598

Personnel: Sonny Rollins (tenor saxophone); Sonny Clark (piano); Percy Heath, Paul Chambers (bass); Roy Haynes (drums).

The Sound Of Sonny

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Herb Alpert - In The Mood

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:05
Size: 122,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:18)  1. Chattanooga Choo Choo
(2:14)  2. Blue Moon
(3:17)  3. Zoo Train
(3:10)  4. Begin The Beguine
(3:01)  5. Don't Cry
(4:33)  6. Ol' Man River
(2:45)  7. Let It Be Me
(2:42)  8. Spanish Harlem
(3:27)  9. 5 am
(4:04) 10. Morning
(4:24) 11. When Sunny Gets Blue
(2:41) 12. Amy's Tune
(3:07) 13. All I Have To Do Is Dream
(3:54) 14. Sneaky
(2:45) 15. Conversation
(2:36) 16. America The Beautiful

Although trumpeter and pop icon Herb Alpert is largely associated with his jazz, Latin, and lounge instrumentals of the '60s and '70s, he's never fully retired from the music scene. In fact, Alpert's 2013 album with wife and vocalist Lani Hall won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Album. Coming on the heels of that album, Alpert's 2014 effort, In the Mood, finds the stylistically wide-ranging artist once again bringing together a mix of jazz standards, smooth pop instrumentals, and infectious original compositions. Working with his nephew, arranger/producer Randy Badazz Alpert, as well as such longtime collaborators as Bill Conti, Mike Shapiro, and Jeff Lorber, Alpert has crafted an album that perfectly updates his approach for a modern audience. 

Alpert was an early adopter of electronic sounds and In the Mood is no exception as it features a very club-ready, EMD reworking of the swing-era classic "Chattanooga Choo Choo." It's an iconoclastic move also echoed in his funky, hip-hop-inflected take on "Blue Moon." While Alpert always seems to be in search of new musical ground to explore, he's conversely never afraid to revisit his past, as evidenced by his electronic- and contemporary R&B-infused arrangement of his old Tijuana Brass number "Spanish Harlem." Elsewhere, Alpert teams again with Hall for several gorgeous, laid-back Latin numbers including the funky "Don't Cry," and the romantic "5 A.M." And it’s not just Alpert's knack for crafting listenable, relaxing pop songs that makes In the Mood so enjoyable. 

Arguably, Alpert's trumpet playing has only deepened over the years and cuts here, like his poignant orchestral reading of "When Sunny Gets Blue," reveal his gift for small group jazz balladry that brings to mind a mix of Chet Baker and Harry Sweets Edison. Ultimately, whether he's digging deep into a jazz standard, or defying expectations with a breezy electronic arrangement, Alpert proves yet again he is a true pop journeyman on In the Mood. ~ Matt Collar  

http://www.allmusic.com/album/in-the-mood-mw0002710332

In The Mood

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Maxine Sullivan - S as In Sullivan, Maxine Vol 1

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:13
Size: 110.4 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[3:06] 1. Say It With A Kiss
[3:11] 2. Dark Eyes
[2:31] 3. Kinda Lonesome
[3:24] 4. Night And Day
[2:45] 5. I';m Happy About The Whole Thing
[2:43] 6. Annie Laurie
[2:27] 7. I'm Comin', Virginia
[3:06] 8. Blue Skies
[3:07] 9. Moments Like This
[3:26] 10. Corn Pickin'
[2:47] 11. When Your Lover Has Gone
[3:03] 12. Easy To Love
[2:54] 13. Nice Work If You Can Get It
[3:15] 14. My Curly Headed Baby
[3:38] 15. It Ain't Necessarily So
[2:42] 16. Just Like A Gypsy

A subtle and lightly swinging jazz singer, Maxine Sullivan's delivery was very likable, and she did justice to all of the lyrics she sang during her long career. After moving to New York, Sullivan sang during intermissions at the Onyx Club and was discovered by pianist Claude Thornhill. Thornhill recorded her with a sympathetic septet singing a couple of standards and two Scottish folk songs performed in swinging fashion -- "Annie Laurie" and "Loch Lomond." The latter became a big hit and Sullivan's signature song for the rest of her career.

Future sessions found her singing vintage folk tunes such as "Darling Nellie Gray," "I Dream of Jeanie," "Drink to Me Only with Thine Eyes" and "If I Had a Ribbon Bow." Even if lightning did not strike twice, she was now a popular attraction. She appeared briefly in the movie Going Places opposite Louis Armstrong and in the Broadway show Swingin' the Dream. From 1940-1942, Sullivan often sang with her husband, bassist John Kirby's Sextet, a perfect outlet for her cool sound. She starred for two years on a radio series, Flow Gently Sweet Rhythm; she had a reasonably successful solo career, and then in the mid-'50s (similar to Alberta Hunter) became a trained nurse. In 1968, the singer began making a comeback, performing at festivals and even playing a little bit of valve trombone and flügelhorn. Now married to pianist Cliff Jackson, Sullivan (whose style and appealing voice were unchanged from earlier years) sometimes appeared with the World's Greatest Jazz Band, and she recorded frequently. During her later period, she often sang with mainstream jazz groups, including Scott Hamilton's. Quite fittingly, the last song that she ever recorded in concert was the same as her first record, "Loch Lomond." Maxine Sullivan's earliest recordings are available on a Classics CD. A Tono LP has some of her mid-period recordings, and from 1969 on, she recorded for Monmouth Evergreen (reissued on Audiophile), Fat Cat Jazz, Riff, Kenneth, Stash, Atlantic, and Concord. ~bio by Scott Yanow

S as In Sullivan, Maxine Vol 1

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JMood - No Small Thing

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:26
Size: 120.0 MB
Styles: Crossover jazz
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[4:20] 1. Brighter Than Sunshine
[4:19] 2. Blackbird
[5:16] 3. Consider Me Gone
[4:21] 4. Loving A Person
[4:44] 5. Hope Restored
[5:54] 6. Last Time I Felt The Sun
[3:41] 7. Don't Wait Too Long
[5:52] 8. Harvest Moon
[3:19] 9. Pick Yourself Up
[4:23] 10. Who Are You
[6:11] 11. Desafinado

“No Small Thing” is the second release on Blue Canoe Records and is a captivating compilation of covers and intelligent, home-grown numbers that expose the brilliance of the Carrozza clan. Mrs. Jennifer Carrozza is classically trained and has been singing professionally for nearly 20 years. Keyboard/Producer/Engineer/Solo Artist John Carrozza has featured parts on the platinum selling Boyz II Men album “Evolution” and has worked with Grammy winning jazz superstar Earl Klugh.

“No Small Thing” opens with the classic in the pop rock world, Aqualung’s Brighter Then Sunshine. “…suddenly you’re mine”, sings Jennifer Carrozza as the listener is drawn into the dynamic odyssey. With the use of lush instrumentation, Mr. Carrozza sets up the voyage perfectly. The Carrozza’s fall effortlessly into the McCartney standard Blackbird. The Carrozza connection of piano and vocals is haunting and memorable…adding a novel take on the classic. From there, J-Mood travels effortlessly from Sting to Neil Young to winning melodies of their own. Of note, John Carrozza’s own Hope Restored composition is an emotional contemporary jazz number with energizing give-and-take between Sam Skelton’s genius sax and John Carrozza’s expressive piano stylings.
No Small Thing is a smart, diverse must-have that falls right into the spiritual hip pocket of the audience’s subconscious. Classic and contemporary at the same time, The Carrozza team leave an important impression while using all the colors in the palette. It is, indeed, No Small Thing.

No Small Thing

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Gwyneth Herbert - Bittersweet and Blue

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:44
Size: 114,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:05)  1. Fever
(3:36)  2. (Looking For) The Heart Of Saturday Night
(4:14)  3. The Very Thought Of You
(3:11)  4. It's Alright With Me
(4:17)  5. Bittersweet And Blue
(4:18)  6. Glory Box
(2:41)  7. Every Time We Say Goodbye
(2:57)  8. Almost Like Being In Love
(4:48)  9. At Seventeen
(4:44) 10. Into Temptation
(3:22) 11. A Little Less
(4:08) 12. Fallen
(3:16) 13. Only Love Can Break Your Heart

Gwyneth Herbert sounded like a star from the first time she opened her mouth in the Soho Pizza Express Jazz Club last year; this is the first product of her signing to Universal. Herbert mixes Broadway songs with a few originals and torchy classics such as Fever, Portishead's Glory Box and Tom Waits's Looking for the Heart of Saturday Night. Backed by a fine band including saxist Nigel Hitchcock and guitarist John Parricelli, she has a precociously powerful chemistry of taste and meticulous care for every sound from a whisper to an exhortation. 

Fever sounds as if it was right inside your head; her Tom Waits interpretation is subtle and warm; The Very Thought of You floats like smoke; the original title track, Janis Ian's Seventeen and Herbert's own Fallen all purr with the singer's remarkably tender composure. Although Herbert is an immensely moving interpreter of good lyrics on conventional songs rather than an improvising jazz singer, not many listeners are going to mind the difference. ~ John Fordham  http://www.theguardian.com/music/2004/sep/24/jazz.shopping1

Bittersweet and Blue

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Sonny Clark - Cool Struttin'

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1958
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:44
Size: 123,9 MB
Art: Front

( 9:24)  1. Cool Struttin'
(10:20)  2. Blue Minor
( 8:19)  3. Sippin' At Bells
( 9:34)  4. Deep Night
( 9:02)  5. Royal Flush
( 7:03)  6. Lover*

Recorded in 1958, this legendary date with the still-undersung Sonny Clark in the leader's chair also featured a young Jackie McLean on alto (playing with a smoother tone than he had before or ever did again), trumpeter Art Farmer, and the legendary rhythm section of bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Philly Joe Jones, both from the Miles Davis band. The set begins with one of the preeminent "swinging medium blues" pieces in jazz history: the title track with its leveraged fours and eights shoved smoothly up against the walking bass of Chambers and the backbeat shuffle of Jones. Clark's solo, with its grouped fifths and sevenths, is a wonder of both understatement and groove, while Chambers' arco solo turns the blues in on itself. 

While there isn't a weak note on this record, there are some other tracks that stand out, most notably Miles' "Sippin' at Bells," with its loping Latin rhythm. When McLean takes his solo against a handful of Clark's shaded minor chords, he sounds as if he may blow it  he comes out a little quick but he recovers nicely and reaches for a handful of Broadway show tunes to counter the minor mood of the piece. He shifts to both Ben Webster and Lester Young before moving through Bird, and finally to McLean himself, riding the margin of the changes to slip just outside enough to add some depth in the middle register. The LP closes with Henderson and Vallée's "Deep Night," the only number in the batch not rooted in the blues. It's a classic hard bop jamming tune and features wonderful solos by Farmer, who plays weird flatted notes all over the horn against the changes, and McLean, who thinks he's playing a kind of snake charmer blues in swing tune. This set deserves its reputation for its soul appeal alone. [Some reissues include two bonus tracks: "Royal Flush" and "Lover."] ~ Thom Jurek  http://www.allmusic.com/album/cool-struttin-mw0000241425

Personnel: Sonny Clark (piano); Jackie McLean (alto saxophone); Art Farmer (trumpet); Paul Chambers (acoustic bass); Philly Joe Jones (drums).

Rachelle Ferrell - Individuality

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:51
Size: 138,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:53)  1. Individuality  (Can I Be Me?)
(3:59)  2. Sista
(6:17)  3. Will You Remember Me
(5:30)  4. I Forgive You
(5:06)  5. I Gotta Go
(5:30)  6. Why You Wanna Mess It All Up
(5:44)  7. Gaia
(4:04)  8. Run To Me
(5:10)  9. Reflections Of My Heart
(5:32) 10. Satisfied
(8:02) 11. I Can Explain

Rachelle Ferrell is back, if not with a vengeance, at least with an attitude. An attitude of confidence, perseverance and hope. Jazz enthusiasts couldn't help but be bowled over by Ferrell's extraordinary technique on her 1995 Blue Note album, First Instrument. And then, nothing. Reports of occasional performances here, irregular publicity there. What happened to her? We may never know, except that Ferrell has moved from Philadelphia to New Mexico and has attained the peace that many find in the union with nature there. Individuality (Can I Be Me?) , though, hints strongly that Ferrell has gone through some tough times. Not only that, the titles of the tunes imply an identity crisis. No wonder. Her work on Blue Note was one-of-a-kind, but was it jazz, or was it overcompensation? Was it scat, or was it gimmickry? It seems that her audiences were divided in their reactions, although they agreed on the astounding depth of her talent. 

Well, Ferrell's identity seems to dwell within an R&D sensibility. All of the vocal techniques that Ferrell employed earlier gutturalisms, purrs, peeps, siren-like cranking up of intensity, growls and moans are appropriate to the material she wrote for Individuality (Can I Be Me?). The coquetry and hurt that seep through her delivery assume consistency with meaning on "I Forgive You". In contrast, Ferrell's irrepressibility sometimes overpowered the wholeness of her expression in the jazz idiom, which depends on group interplay.Perhaps "Reflections Of My Heart" stands out as the most melodic and expressive of the tunes on the CD. Ferrell and her younger brother Russ Barnes create a dialog of like-mindedness and belief that certainly should gain attention on the nation's R&B stations.

Rachelle Ferrell has found her own truth, it seems. Yes, she can be herself now. The convergence of self and music has led to the album that Ferrell was destined to make, jazz or no and one that is congruent with her personality. ~ AAJ Staff  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/individuality-can-i-be-me-rachelle-ferrell-capitol-records-review-by-aaj-staff.php
 

Personnel: Rachelle Ferrell, vocals; Jonathan Butler, guitar, vocals; Russ Barnes, vocals; George Duke, keyboards; Jef Lee Johnson, Tony Maiden, guitar; Byron Miller, bass; Lil' John Roberts, drums; Lenny Castro, percussion

Individuality

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David Ari Leon - Fragile: The Piano Tribute To R.E.M.

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:06
Size: 94,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:25)  1. Losing My Religion
(3:22)  2. The Great Beyond
(3:07)  3. The One I Love
(3:50)  4. Everybody Hurts
(3:16)  5. Imitation Of Life
(2:51)  6. So. Central Rain
(3:13)  7. (Don't Go Back To) Rockville
(3:49)  8. Leaving New York
(3:14)  9. Man On The Moon
(2:27) 10. Daysleeper
(3:14) 11. Fall On Me
(3:13) 12. Talk Of Circadian Rhythms (Original Composition Inspired By The Music Of R.E.M.)

Whether David Ari Leon is creating recordings of soothing instrumental music, full-blown edgy hard rock theme songs for companies like Marvel Entertainment on titles such as The Avengers and Astonishing X-Men, or all and everything in between, his music is equal parts artistically captivating and accessible. A classically trained pianist from an early age and a subsequent UCLA grad (with a B.A. in music composition), Leon has rendered his signature blend of acute classical expertise and emotive pop ethos to countless films, TV shows, video games, and albums. Leon’s delicately honed musical vision substantiates many popular songs, including re-imagined compositions - via Vitamin Records - of works by artists including Neil Young, R.E.M., The Cure, and Pink Floyd. ~ Bio  http://www.amazon.com/David-Ari-Leon/e/B001LHFPAG/ref=ac_dtp_sa_bio

Thank You My Friend!!
Fragile: The Piano Tribute To R.E.M.

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Resistance Organ Trio - The Resistance Organ Trio Does Zeppelin

Size: 150,1 MB
Time: 64:36
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2012
Styles: Jazz/Rock Instrumental
Art: Front

01. Immigrant Song (3:52)
02. Trampled Underfoot (5:21)
03. Your Time Is Gonna Come (5:37)
04. Living Loving Maid (3:08)
05. D'yer Mak'er (8:07)
06. Whole Lotta Love (4:42)
07. Houses Of The Holy (4:04)
08. What Is And What Should Never Be (4:47)
09. All Of My Love (5:54)
10. Babe, I'm Gonna Leave You (6:58)
11. Misty Mountain Hop (4:43)
12. Kashmir (7:15)

While Teddy Presberg has put together many configurations of his group, his most recent alignment, The Resistance Organ Trio, has been a keeper. With Presberg on guitars, the group also features LeClare Stevenson on Organ and Kyle Honeycutt on drums. The group, highly regarded at home in St. Louis as well as nationally, has albums on renowned record labels and several tours under their belt.

The organ trio brings the heat with their instrumental tribute to Led Zeppelin. Recorded out in a cabin in the Missouri woods over the course of a weekend, the album contains 12 classic, creative arrangements of Zeppelin classics. Guaranteed face-melting!

The resistance organ trio is:
Kyle Honeycutt - drums
Leclare Stevenson - organ, bass, and pianos
Teddy Presberg - guitars, synths, and production
With guests Adam Hucke (trumpet) and Ben Reece (sax)

The Resistance Organ Trio Does Zeppelin

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Golden Gate Quartet - The Church Concert

Size: 116,6 MB
Time: 49:53
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2004
Styles: Gospel
Art: Front

01. Behold The Bridegroom Cometh (3:03)
02. Joshua Fit The Battle Of Jericho (2:40)
03. Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child (4:21)
04. Jezebel (3:35)
05. Michael (3:33)
06. Swing Down Chariot (4:04)
07. He Never Said A Mumbalin' Word (4:25)
08. Samson (2:46)
09. Sweet Hour Of Prayer (5:20)
10. He's Got The Whole World In His Hands (3:03)
11. Shadrack (3:11)
12. Go Tell It On The Mountain (3:46)
13. Oh Happy Day (5:04)
14. When The Saints Go Marching In (0:55)

Pioneer Virginia gospel/pop quartet of the '30s and '40s. Calling their innovative approach to sacred hymns "jubilee" singing, the Golden Gate Quartet, propelled by Willie Johnson and William Langford, enjoyed massive acceptance far outside the church. Their smooth Mills Brothers-influenced harmonies made the Gates naturals for pop crossover success, and they began recording for Victor in 1937. National radio broadcasts and an appearance on John Hammond's 1938 "Spirituals to Swing" concert at Carnegie Hall made them coast-to-coast favorites. By 1941 the Gates were recording for Columbia minus Langford, and movie appearances were frequent: Star Spangled Rhythm, Hollywood Canteen, and Hit Parade of 1943, to name a few. Some experiments with R&B material didn't pan out during the late '40s, and Johnson defected to the Jubilaires in 1948. The group emigrated to France in 1959; led by veteran bass singer Orlando Wilson, the Golden Gate Quartet's vocal blend is as powerful as ever. ~by Bill Dahl

The Church Concert

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Ray Obiedo - There Goes That

Size: 126,7 MB
Time: 54:39
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz: Latin Jazz, Jazz Funk, Croosover Jazz
Art: Front

01. Southern Side (4:34)
02. Fayola (6:33)
03. Werewolf (6:24)
04. Small Fortune (7:35)
05. Four Square (5:09)
06. Avila (5:08)
07. There Goes That (4:57)
08. Ten Thirty (4:24)
09. Somebody (4:20)
10. Almost Certain (5:31)

The 7th release by Bay Area guitarist and composer Ray Obiedo "There Goes That" on Rhythmus Records is a another collection of original compositions fused with Latin Jazz, Funk and Brasilian styled rhythms. His eclectic groove oriented compositions never stray far from his love of R&B. The melodies are simply stated and gracefully glide over jazz influenced chord structures. Obiedo enlisted some of the music industries top musicians and longtime cohorts for the project. Percussionist Sheila E, drummer Peter Michael Escovedo, steel pan master Andy Narell, trumpeter Michael "Patches" Stewart and Tower of Power drummer David Garibaldi, all make brief appearances. Santana members David K. Mathews, Karl Perazzo, Jeff Cressman and Bill Ortiz contribute their expertise. Playing soprano sax on two tracks, "Werewolf" and "Four Square", is Miles Davis alumni Kenny Garrett. "There Goes That" also features Norbert Stachel, Elena Ayodele Pinderhughes, Marc & Paul van Wageningen, Roger Glenn, Michael Spiro, Peter Horvath, Stefen Kuehn and Sandy Cressman. Ray has 5 previous releases on the Windham Hill jazz label; this is his first on his own Oakland based Rhythmus Records label. The music on "There Goes That" is a highly energized and hypnotically rhythmic soundscape revealing all the passion, flavor, color and style of the San Francisco Bay Area which conceived, nourished and inspired Obiedo's latest musical venture.

There Goes That

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Roberta Donnay & The Prohibition Mob Band - Bathtub Gin

Size: 146,2 MB
Time: 62:29
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz/Blues Vocals
Art: Front

01. Bathtub Gin (3:49)
02. Why Don't You Do Right (4:49)
03. If You Want The Rainbow (You Must Have The Rain) (3:25)
04. Wake Up And Live (3:49)
05. Just What The Doctor Ordered (2:43)
06. When I Take My Sugar To Tea (4:09)
07. Shake Sugaree (5:58)
08. Throw Your Heart (Over The Fence) (4:27)
09. (We've Got To) Put The Sun Back In The Sky (3:49)
10. Happy Feet (3:36)
11. Bye Bye Blackbird (3:36)
12. Kitchen Man (3:18)
13. Smile (4:56)
14. Horizontal Mambo (3:34)
15. I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues (6:25)

Roberta Donnay and her Prohibition Mob Band swing mightily on this exquisitely arranged, authentic collection of vintage jazz, blues and swing. Bathtub Gin features rare gems from the 1920's and '30s, plus four party-rousing shout-chorus originals that evoke and revive the open spirit where jazz was born.

No matter what type of music Roberta Donnay is performing, she sings with the spontaneity, honesty and the individuality of the best jazz vocalists. A colorful and passionate performer, she is a joy to see in concert and to hear on records.

In her multi-faceted musical career, Donnay has won numerous awards for her work as a singer/songwriter. However, her first musical love has always been jazz. After the critical success of her 2008 album of jazz standards, “What’s Your Story”, produced by NEA Jazz Master Orrin Keepnews, she is now focusing her attention on the music of the Prohibition Era, with her beguiling and entertaining new recording, Bathtub Gin.

Bathtub Gin

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Marion Meadows - Soul Traveler

Size: 119,6 MB
Time: 51:08
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz: Smooth Jazz
Art: Front

01. Celebration Road (Feat. Najee) (4:38)
02. Magic Men (Feat. Elan Trotman) (4:11)
03. Andalusian Sunset (4:22)
04. Soul Traveler (4:04)
05. Humanity (Feat. Lamar Gaines) (4:19)
06. Invisible (4:20)
07. Mother Earth (Feat. Tony 'TB' Bias) (4:30)
08. Dark Beauty (Feat. Lamar Gaines) (4:15)
09. Life In The Clouds (Feat. Joey Summerville & Kyle Turner) (4:08)
10. Dream Catcher (3:57)
11. Real Time (Feat. Vincent Ingala) (4:09)
12. Last Ticket To Somewhere (4:10)

Smooth Jazz Superstar Marion Meadows is without question one of the most popular and unique talents on the Jazz scene today. Blessed with movie star looks and the smoothest saxophone tone on the planet, Marion has sold close to one million albums in his brilliant career. His constant string of radio hits and relentless touring have garnered legions of fans, and his appearances with such varied artists as the Temptations, Michael Bolton and Will Downing are a testament to his broad audience appeal. Soul Traveler, Marion s most intimate and heartfelt album to date, takes the listener on a sensuous journey through a soundscape of brilliant original compositions and masterful improvisations. The album is co-produced by Marion s long-time collaborator Carlo Panisi, who produced Marion s previous Shanachie album, Whisper , which debuted at #1 on the Smooth Jazz charts, and garnered 3 Top 10 Smooth Jazz Radio singles. Highlights include the spirited Latin-tinged Celebration Road featuring the great Najee on flute, the deeply sensuous ballad Dark Beauty , Real Time featuring up and coming Smooth Jazz superstar Vincent Ingala and much more.

Soul Traveler

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Shayna Steele - Rise

Size: 122,9 MB
Time: 52:37
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz, R&B, Soul
Art: Front

01. I Got You (4:13)
02. Sunshine Girl (4:29)
03. Everybody's Cryin' Mercy (4:17)
04. Can't Let You Go (4:00)
05. Gone Under (6:05)
06. I Will Be Love (3:46)
07. Grandma's Hands (4:42)
08. Coulda Had Me (4:10)
09. Paper Bag (4:26)
10. Hyde Park (3:35)
11. Wear Me Down (4:30)
12. Teardrop (Bonus Track) (4:18)

There's no need to sugar coat it, since her impressive credits speak for themselves. Her colleagues praise her ability, her dedication and drive to perfecting her craft as a professional singer and knockout performer. Since her arrival in New York City over a decade ago, singer and songwriter Shayna Steele proves she is a vocal force to be reckoned with.

Steele’s sophomore LP Rise is a collection of songs inspired by the change of things happening within her touring band after the release of her debut LP, I’ll Be Anything. “We (myself and my partner David Cook) made a beautiful first album with horns and strings and then we completely had to strip down the songs to tour with a smaller band. I really enjoyed the freedom and ease of performing with a trio or a quartet. It was intimate and vulnerable and I felt the need to start writing music to feature not only my lyrics, but to give the musicians a chance to breathe on their instrument. I really wanted the audience to feel like they were part of this moment with me, so I needed to make space.”

Rise is produced by Matt Pierson and features David Cook (piano, keys, organ, co-writer), Eric Harland (drums), Marcus Miller (electric bass), Christian McBride (acoustic bass), Robin Macatangay and Errol Cooney (guitar) with guests Robert Randolph (slide guitar), Bashiri Johnson (percussion), Gregoire Maret (harmonica), Andy Snitzer (saxophone) and Downbeat Rising Star jazz vocalist Sachal Vasandani.

Shayna’s critically acclaimed performance of her single Gone Under for Grammy Award winning band Snarky Puppy’s Family Dinner, Volume 1, was a game changer. “I’d performed with SP a few times in NYC for the Family Dinners at Rockwood Music Hall and I knew this was something special and I had to be involved.” Right she was. With Ground UP Records releasing Gone Under as the debut video, to this date it’s reached over 500,000 views on YouTube.

Shayna calls home to such venues as the Blue Note, Rockwood Music Hall and Joe’s Pub in NYC, The Fillmore Jazz Festival in front of 3,000 people in San Francisco, LA’s Hotel Café and several tours throughout Italy, Switzerland and France.

She most recently performed with Snarky Puppy at the 2014 Nice Jazz Festival, Estival Jazz Festival and the world famous North Sea Jazz Festival to an incredible response. In addition to her recording with Snarky Puppy, Shayna’s songs and/ or vocals have been featured on Moby’s Disco Lies which reached #1 on the Billboard Dance Charts in 2010 and was featured live on Conan O’Brien, the Yahoo! Live Sessions and the Carson Daly show. Her song The Bund co-written and produced by David Liang was featured on the BBC during the 2008 Olympics in China. ~ Jazz Times

Rise

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Wynton Kelly - Kelly Blue

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:23
Size: 129.1 MB
Styles: Hard bop, Piano jazz
Year: 1959/2014
Art: Front

[10:46] 1. Kelly Blue
[ 6:29] 2. Softly As In A Morning Sunrise
[ 4:41] 3. On Green Dolphin Street
[ 6:05] 4. Willow Weep For Me
[ 7:29] 5. Keep It Moving (Take 4)
[ 7:40] 6. Old Clothes
[ 8:47] 7. Keep It Moving (Take 3)
[ 4:23] 8. Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me

Recorded for Riverside, this set mostly features the influential pianist Wynton Kelly in a trio with his fellow rhythm-section mates from the Miles Davis bands, bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Jimmy Cobb. "Kelly Blue" and "Keep It Moving" add cornetist Nat Adderley, flutist Bobby Jaspar and the tenor of Benny Golson to the band for some variety. Kelly was renowned as an accompanist, but as he shows on a set including three of his originals and four familiar standards (including "Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise" and "Willow Weep for Me"), he was also a strong bop-based soloist too. A fine example of his talents. [Some reissues augment the program with a previously unreleased "Do Nothin' Till You Hear from Me" and the alternate take of "Keep It Moving."] ~Scott Yanow

Recording Date: February 19, 1959 & March 10, 1959

Kelly Blue

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Lauren Mascitti - A Gypsy Point Of View

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:27
Size: 131.5 MB
Styles: Country, Americana
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[2:33] 1. Babydoll
[4:01] 2. A Love Like That
[4:01] 3. Mr. Merlot
[3:50] 4. Freeze
[3:27] 5. You Were Wrong
[3:20] 6. Waiting On You
[3:47] 7. Daddy's Doublewide
[4:06] 8. Invisible
[3:06] 9. Ain't No Room
[5:02] 10. I'll Love You From Here (Feat. Brian Taylor)
[3:42] 11. Throwing Stones
[3:46] 12. Masquerade
[5:12] 13. Delta Joe
[3:38] 14. Men In Black
[3:49] 15. My God's Bigger Than The Law

Don’t let her quiet, laid-back demeanor fool you. When Lauren Mascitti hits the stage, she’s a little Italian spitfire ready to give her all to an audience. “I would describe my sound as an earthy, yet edgy country with some Americana and Delta Blues flavors. Lyric-wise, I write about life experiences.” And that she does. From the candid message to the church in “Throwin Stones”, the dual emotions of loss and coping in “I’ll Love You from Here”, to the unexpectedly twisted storyline of “Delta Joe”, this young writer’s style goes far beyond the realm of relationships.

Lauren Mascitti is a country singer/songwriter, guitarist, pianist, and mandolin player from Louisville, OH. Raised by her grandparents, she has been singing since the age of 7 and writing since she was old enough to make up jingles on her toy tape recorder. “I grew up surrounded by classic country music. My papaw is a huge fan of the Highwaymen, especially Waylon Jennings, so Waylon became a big musical inspiration to me. My Nana would let me stay up late to watch the Statler Brothers show on TV, especially when Crystal Gayle was on. I even got the music bug watching Disney movies like Fantasia and Pocahontas. Music and lyrics have always been my way of expressing myself, and country and gospel music have always been the most honest outlet for me.” She has sung at many of the theaters in Branson, MO including the Mickey Gilley Theater (in the Mickey Gilley show) Hamner Barber Theater, Mansion America, Tri Lakes, Mo Bandy Theater, the Americana, the Whitehouse Theater, and the Radisson Hotel. She also lived in Branson while doing "Southern Gospel Sundays" and over 30 shows with gospel legend Gary McSpadden at the Americana Theater. She has studied under the vocal genius of Nashville, Brett Manning, and the very beautiful and talented Jana King Evans of Branson, MO. Lauren was also blessed to be in the top 8 for the Inspiration Network's National "Christian Artist Talent Search" for 2008 where she worked with Southern Gospel vocalist, Jason Crabb. At the age of 16, Lauren’s first radio release, an original titled “Child of God”, debuted at #70 on the national Southern Gospel radio charts. In February 2009, she was a runner up in the Miss Italia USA pageant held at The Landerhaven in Cleveland OH. Lauren was blessed to be the Colgate Country Showdown 2009 winner for the state of Ohio. In 2011, Lauren was excited to have had two #1s on Radioactive Airplay, one of which she wrote (“Save Me from Myself”). This past April, Lauren had another #1 on Radioactive airplay with “Mercy and Grace”, a dynamic duet with well-known gospel recording artist, Buddy Mullins.

A Gypsy Point Of View

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Gretchen Parlato - In A Dream

Styles:  Vocal
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:26
Size: 106,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:46)  1. I Can't Help It
(5:32)  2. Within Me
(4:59)  3. Butterfly
(5:27)  4. In A Dream
(3:18)  5. Doralice
(5:10)  6. Turning Into Blue
(4:02)  7. E.S.P.
(4:14)  8. Azure
(3:55)  9. On The Other Side
(4:59) 10. Weak

Gretchen Parlato grew up in a musical household, the daughter of bassist/guitarist Dave Parlato (who worked with Don Ellis, Warne Marsh, Gil Melle and Frank Zappa, among others). She won the 2004 Thelonious Monk Jazz Vocal Competition and released her debut CD on her own label the following year; In a Dream is her long awaited follow-up and it does not disappoint. Like many jazz musicians of her generation, Parlato casts a wide net in choosing her repertoire, drawing from pop, jazz standards and her own originals, with a sympathetic band including African guitarist/singer Lionel Loueke, pianist Aaron Parks, bassist Derrick Hodge and drummer Kendrick Scott, all of whom have recorded as leaders. Parlato kicks off by engaging in a playful Latin setting of Stevie Wonder's "I Can't Help It," with Loueke as her sole partner. 

Her first original, the album's title track, is set to a tune by pianist Robert Glasper, a breathy ballad that shimmers like sunlight on the water. "Turning Into Blue," with music by Alan Hampton, is a breezy affair that successfully blends elements of jazz and pop. Parlato's magical rendition of Duke Ellington's infrequently performed "Azure" finds her musicians very reserved yet taking the music down a different path, while the singer overdubs extra lines at times. She bubbles with energy in the electric setting of Wayne Shorter's "E.S.P.," scatting a solo with occasional overdubbed excerpts of her singing at the age of two. A vintage home recording is also added to her interpretation of Herbie Hancock's "Butterfly," with her sweet voice complemented by Loueke's inventive acoustic guitar and offbeat mouth clicking. Parlato resists preset boundaries and follows her own muse, rewarding listeners with her spirit of adventure. ~ Ken Dryden  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/in-a-dream-gretchen-parlato-obliqsound-review-by-ken-dryden.php

Personnel: Gretchen Parlato: voice, percussion; Lionel Loueke: acoustic guitar, voice; Aaron Parks: piano, Fender Rhodes, synthesizer, glockenspiel; Derrick Hodge: acoustic bass, electric bass; Kendrick Scott: drums.

In A Dream

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Dave Grusin/Lee Ritenour - A Twist Of Jobim

Styles: Piano And Guitar Jazz
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:36
Size: 132,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:05)  1. Water To Drink (Agua de Beber)
(5:05)  2. Capain Bacardi
(4:57)  3. Dindi
(4:38)  4. Waters of march
(4:04)  5. Bonita
(8:48)  6. Stone flower
(4:46)  7. Favela
(3:53)  8. Children's games
(6:26)  9. Lamento
(5:22) 10. Mojave
(4:28) 11. Girl from Ipanema

The debut release from the I.E. label (which is connected with Polygram) is an unusual multi-artist tribute to the music of Antonio Carlos Jobim. Some of his tunes are made funky (but in a melodic and tasteful way), while others become quiet (but still passionate) ballads. The treatments are all jazz-oriented, and there is plenty of solo space for the likes of guitarist Lee Ritenour (in one of his finest jazz efforts), pianists Dave Grusin and Alan Pasqua, altoist Eric Marienthal, bassist Christian McBride, and tenor saxophonist Ernie Watts. Plus, there are guest spots for Herbie Hancock (an excellent acoustic piano solo on "Stone Flower"), the sopranos of Art Porter (on "Dindi") and Steve Tavaglione, the Yellowjackets (who team up with Ritenour on "Mojave"), singer El DeBarge ("Dindi") and the vocal duo of Al Jarreau and Oleta Adams ("Waters of March" and a lightweight rendition of "The Girl from Ipanema"). Nearly every song holds one's interest, the melodies are celebrated, and the fresh interpretations contain more than their share of surprises. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/a-twist-of-jobim-mw0000616318

Personnel: El DeBarge, Al Jarreau, Oleta Adams (vocals); Lee Ritenour (guitar, keyboards, synthesizer); Yellowjackets (guitar); Dan Higgins (flute); Steve Tavaglione (soprano saxophone, EWI); Art Porter (soprano saxophone); Eric Marienthal (alto saxophone); Ernie Watts, Bob Mintzer (tenor saxophone); Jerry Hey (flugelhorn); Dave Grusin, Russell Ferrante (piano, synthesizer); Herbie Hancock, Alan Pasqua (piano); John Beasley (synthesizer); Gary Novak, Harvey Mason, Sr. , Will Kennedy , William Kennedy (drums); Paulinho Da Costa, Cassio Duarte (percussion).

A Twist Of Jobim

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Jackie McLean - Swing, Swang, Swingin'

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1959
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:14
Size: 87,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:19)  1. What's New
(4:51)  2. Let's Face The Music & Dance
(5:47)  3. Stablemates
(5:16)  4. I Remember You
(5:11)  5. I Love You
(5:46)  6. I'll Take Romance
(6:01)  7. 116th & Lenox

One of Jackie McLean's earliest Blue Notes, Swing, Swang, Swingin' parts company with the vast majority of his output for the label by concentrating chiefly on standards (only one of the seven tunes is a McLean original). Perhaps as a result of Blue Note's more prepared, professional approach to recording sessions, McLean sounds invigorated here, catapulting each melody forward before launching into a series of impassioned improvisations. Not that every track is a mind-blowing meltdown McLean's playing always fits the mood of the song but his total commitment to the material is evident throughout the album. He's also very much the focal point of the quartet, which includes pianist Walter Bishop, bassist Jimmy Garrison, and drummer Art Taylor. 

McLean's unique, cutting tone always threatening to go ever so slightly out of tune lends a particular urgency to his melody statements and extended notes, highlighted by an intense and swinging version of Cole Porter's "I Love You" and an exuberant take on Irving Berlin's "Let's Face the Music and Dance." Though Bishop and Taylor are less well-known than their compatriots, they offer active support that helps push McLean even more. Swing, Swang, Swingin' may not be as groundbreaking as McLean's more modernist work, but it's a solid session from an artist just beginning an incredible hot streak. ~ Steve Huey  

http://www.allmusic.com/album/swing-swang-swingin-mw0000023908

Personnel: Jackie McLean (alto saxophone); Walter Bishop Jr. (piano); Art Taylor (drums).

Swing, Swang, Swingin'

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Charlie Parker & Dizzy Gillespie - Bird and Diz

Styles: Trumpet And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1950
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:36
Size: 107,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:29)  1. Bloomdido
(3:29)  2. My Melancholy Baby
(2:50)  3. Relaxin' with Lee
(2:35)  4. Leap Frog
(3:28)  5. An Oscar for Treadwell
(3:45)  6. Mohawk
(3:20)  7. My Melancholy Baby (alternate take)
(3:59)  8. Relaxin' with Lee (alternate take)
(2:37)  9. Leap Frog (alternate take)
(2:04) 10. Leap Frog (alternate take)
(2:09) 11. Leap Frog (alternate take)
(3:24) 12. An Oscar for Treadwell (alternate take)
(4:06) 13. Mohawk (alternate take)
(0:20) 14. Relaxin' with Lee (breakdown take)
(1:13) 15. Relaxin' with Lee (breakdown take)
(0:06) 16. Relaxin' with Lee (false start)
(0:27) 17. Relaxin' with Lee (breakdown take)
(0:28) 18. Leap Frog (breakdown take)
(0:17) 19. Leap Frog (breakdown take)
(0:41) 20. Leap Frog (breakdown take)
(0:19) 21. Leap Frog (breakdown take)
(0:21) 22. Leap Frog (breakdown take)
(0:15) 23. Leap Frog (breakdown take)
(0:41) 24. Leap Frog (breakdown take)

Charlie Parker played in some strange settings during his career with a cowboy band in Hollywood, a "Gypsy" string trio in a Manhattan restaurant, the street busker Moondog, and several klezmer bands but such liaisons tended to be random, unrecorded encounters in clubs and restaurants. Aside from a 1945 session which included the novelty hipster, vocalist and guitarist Slim Gaillard and the New Orleans drummer Zutty Singleton, which was issued under Gaillard's name, bop's pre-eminent saxophonist preferred to record with carefully chosen, like-minded A-listers. Which makes this 1950 session for producer Norman Granz a strange one, particularly as it came so late in Parker's career. For the date, a world class bop line-up of Parker, trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie, pianist Thelonious Monk and bassist Curly Russell was completed by the barn-storming big band drummer Buddy Rich. A fine technician and swing auteur, Rich was so massively unsuited to bop's rhythmic subtleties it's a wonder the other guys didn't laugh him out of the studio. That instead, they treated the encounter seriously and Rich himself politely, we know from the scraps of studio chatter heard on some of the breakdown takes included on Bird And Diz, a new, warts and all, completist reissue of the session. Maybe Granz was aiming to broaden Parker's appeal, as he intended with the Parker-with-strings sessions later the same year. 

But from a rhythm section perspective, the experiment was a failure. Rich's explosive, take-no-prisoners style, exciting and propulsive as it was in a big band context, here sounds lumpen and bombastic. If you can filter Rich out however and that's easier to do than it sounds, for there's so much else going on worth listening to the music survives. In the company of three of his chief constituents, Parker plays blistering and coherent, mostly up-tempo, primetime bop, rising above a little local difficulty just as he did with the string sections. There are two blues ("Bloomdido" and "Mohawk"), two "I Got Rhythm" chord change derivations ("An Oscar For Treadwell" and "Leap Frog"), another using the changes from "Stompin' At The Savoy" ("Relaxin' With Lee"), and the delightfully cheesy 1912 ballad, "My Melancholy Baby," played with gusto by Parker (and belly up for one of Monk's semi-parodic Tin Pan Alley deconstructions, had playing time permitted it). The eighteen alternative and breakdown takes, lasting between four seconds and three minutes, forty-eight seconds, all of them previously released, make for an interesting extended coda to the six master takes which start the disc. Archivists won't need to be told that this was the last time Parker and Gillespie recorded together in the studio, or that it was the only time they recorded with Monk. Gillespie, like Parker, is strong throughout, perfectly in sync with Parker on the theme statements and a consistently stimulating soloist; comping was never Monk's forte, but he delivers some quirky, if brief, solos. Bird And Diz is often dismissed out of hand because of Rich's presence. It shouldn't be. ~ Chris May  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/bird-and-diz-charlie-parker-verve-music-group-review-by-chris-may.php
 

Personnel: Charlie Parker: alto saxophone; Dizzy Gillespie: trumpet; Thelonious Monk: piano; Curly Russell: bass; Buddy Rich: drums.

Bird and Diz

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