Art Farmer - The Company I Keep: Art Farmer Meets Tom Harrell

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:37
Size: 141.0 MB
Styles: Hard bop, Trumpet jazz
Year: 1994/2006
Art: Front

[ 7:01] 1. Sunshine In The Rain
[ 8:15] 2. Song Of The Canopy
[10:37] 3. Santana
[ 5:29] 4. Beside Myself
[ 6:02] 5. Beyond
[ 6:59] 6. Tgtt
[ 8:22] 7. Who Knows
[ 8:48] 8. Turn Out The Stars

Flugelhornists Art Farmer and Tom Harrell meet up on this 1994 Arabesque CD, and although few fireworks occur (the two brassmen mostly sound pretty complementary and mellow), the music is tasteful, enjoyable advanced hard bop. With Ron Blake (doubling on tenor and soprano), pianist Geoff Keezer, bassist Kenny Davis and drummer Carl Allen completing the group, Farmer and Harrell explore group originals, a song by Fritz Pauer, Duke Ellington's "TGTT" and Bill Evans's "Turn Out the Stars." ~Scott Yanow

The Company I Keep: Art Farmer Meets Tom Harrell

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Sarah Vaughan - You're Mine You

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 41:37

Size: 95.3 MB

Styles: Vocal jazz

Year: 1962/2010

Art: Front

[3:58] 1. You're Mine You

[2:59] 2. The Best Is Yet To Come

[2:54] 3. Witchcraft

[2:52] 4. So Long

[3:39] 5. The Second Time Sround

[2:21] 6. I Could Write A Book

[3:10] 7. Maria

[3:38] 8. Baubles, Bangles And Beads

[2:53] 9. Fly Me To The Moon

[2:27] 10. Moonglow

[2:15] 11. Invitation

[3:01] 12. On Green Dolphin Street

[2:45] 13. One Mint Julep

[2:39] 14. Mama, He Treats Your Daughter Mean

This CD reissue finds Sarah Vaughan backed by big-band and string arrangements from Quincy Jones that could easily have been used for a Frank Sinatra date. Vaughan's voice is typically wondrous and sometimes a bit excessive on the ballads (some may find her slightly overblown version of "Maria" a bit difficult to sit through) but in top form on the more swinging numbers. In the repertoire are such tunes as "The Best Is Yet to Come," "The Second Time Around" and "Baubles, Bangles and Beads." More of a middle-of-the-road pop date than a creative jazz session (the personnel is not given), the set is not essential but should please those who love the sound of Sassy's remarkable voice. The final two "bonus" numbers ("One Mint Julep" and "Mama, He Treats Your Daughter Mean") were originally released as a single. ~Scott Yanow

You're Mine You

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Chuck Brown & The Second Chapter Band - Timeless

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:57
Size: 118.9 MB
Styles: Jazz-blues
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[4:31] 1. Nature Boy
[4:41] 2. Never Make Your Move Too Soon
[4:55] 3. I Only Have Eyes For You
[5:50] 4. Wild Is The Wind
[5:02] 5. Autumn Leaves
[3:52] 6. Love Won't Let Me Wait
[3:46] 7. Blue Skies
[3:41] 8. A Foggy Day
[2:49] 9. Tenderly
[3:51] 10. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
[4:36] 11. Hey There
[4:18] 12. Caravan

Chuck Brown will always be the godfather of go-go, but six years ago he made longtime fans aware of another aspect of his musical range with "The Other Side," a collection of pop, jazz and blues standards done as duets with Eva Cassidy. The two established a wonderfully warm rapport in the tradition of Ray Charles and Betty Carter. The project was clearly a liberating one for Brown and a chance for him to shine the spotlight on the immensely gifted but unrecorded Cassidy.

"Timeless," the new album by Chuck Brown and the Second Chapter Band (Raw Venture/Liason), is dedicated to Cassidy, who died two years ago after the sudden onset of cancer. Brown has credited Cassidy with giving him the courage to sing and record this type of material in the first place, and, perhaps in honor of Cassidy's spirit, the album is generally upbeat. Even its romantic plaints tend to the bittersweet, from the sage counsel of Richard Adler and Jerry Ross's "Hey There" (from "The Pajama Game") to the smooth surrender of the Al Dubin/Harry Warren chestnut "I Only Have Eyes for You."

Brown clearly has a genuine affection for, and an easygoing approach to, well-worn standards like "Autumn Leaves," "Blue Skies," "A Foggy Day" and "Tenderly." His smooth vocals recall the cool bravado of Billy Eckstine and Joe Williams, and there's the bluesy elegance of Charles Brown and Ray Charles. Brown, who provides some seamless fills on guitar, also benefits from the empathetic support of the Second Chapter Band, notably pianist Lenny Williams and bassist Chris Biondo, who co-produced the album. There are a few top-notch guests as well: Keter Betts, whose walking bass lines enliven "You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To" and "Nature Boy," and Ron Holloway, whose saxophone burnishes the smoky comeuppance blues "Never Make Your Move Too Soon" and the yearning "Wild Is the Wind."

Brown is silky on the seductive "Love Won't Let Me Wait," virile on "Autumn Leaves" and jubilant on a sinewy reading of the Ellington/Tizol standard "Caravan." If the material occasionally strays to lounge fare, Brown's voice and engaging personality convey both the burdens of experience and the release of expectations in a consistently ingratiating manner.

Timeless

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New York Trio - Stairway To The Stars

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:49
Size: 132,7 MB
Art: Front

(6:18)  1. Lover Come Back to Me
(5:36)  2. Stairway to the Stars
(6:39)  3. Lullaby OfThe Leaves
(6:43)  4. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
(2:11)  5. I'll Be Seeing You
(5:03)  6. Can't Help Loving Dat Man
(7:05)  7. Body and Soul
(7:18)  8. Man I Love
(6:21)  9. Sleeping Bee
(4:34) 10. Stella by Starlight

The New York Trio has produced a series of enjoyable session for Venus since the beginning of the 21st century. Consisting of pianist Bill Charlap, bassist Jay Leonhart and drummer Bill Stewart, their fifth CD together is similar to earlier efforts, concentrating on accessible treatments of selections from the Great American Songbook. The opening track, "Lover, Come Back to Me," is a swinging affair, with lots of amusing quotes inserted into the mix. "Stairway to the Stars" is suitably a dreamy interpretation, full of romance and gorgeous voicings by Charlap. The bittersweet ballad "I'll Be Seeing You" (forever associated with World War II films where the soldier leaves his love) is a solo feature for Charlap, played with tenderness. "Body and Soul" is one of the most recorded songs in jazz history, but the trio's rendition is worthwhile, even if little new ground is broken. This well-played collection of timeless ballads is perfect for unwinding at the end of the day. ~ Ken Dryden  http://www.allmusic.com/album/stairway-to-the-stars-mw0000311278

Personnel: Bill Charlap – Piano; Jay Leonhart – Bass;  Bill Stewart – Drums

Stairway To The Stars

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Johnny Griffin, Eddie 'Lockjaw' Davis - Tough Tenors

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1960
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:19
Size: 92,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:30)  1. Tickle Toe
(7:09)  2. Save Your Love For Me
(6:35)  3. Twins
(9:17)  4. Funky Fluke
(4:29)  5. Imagination
(7:17)  6. Soft Winds

The appeal of a good cutting session is similar to that of a good boxing match: we all enjoy watching two competitors locked in combat, pushing themselves to new boundaries and discovering untapped resources. Johnny Griffin and Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis went so far as to establish a quintet which allowed them repeated opportunities to duke it out over a series of recording sessions and club dates. 1960's Tough Tenors is their first meeting on record, and as one might expect it features plenty of fire-breathing dynamics and bombast. Leaving the more complex material from the time by the wayside, Griffin and Davis make good use of popular songs from the swing era, a move which allows them to burn through solos without worrying about tricky changes. Griffin, once called the world’s fastest tenor player, is certainly well-suited to set a fearsome tempo, yet Davis, no slouch, is surprisingly fleet-fingered as well. The quintet rips through “Tickle Toe” at a scorching pace, using far more notes than Lester Young would ever have dreamed possible. 

They catch their breath on the bluesy swagger of “Save Your Love For Me” before re-establishing a rapid gait on “Twins” and scarcely letting up after that. Obviously the rhythm section carries the grunt work, content to stay out of the way of the gymnastics. The two hornmen were a terrific match; Davis’s and Griffin’s horns blend together with razor-sharp precision on the heads, yet diverge dramatically during their solos, Davis identifiable by a fluttery cascade of notes, Griffin by robust, slippery passages. Both musicians have proved their worth on several other occasions, yet the endless dazzle quickly grows tiresome and one longs for something a little more substantial than listening to these two guys lock horns. The sole ballad, “Imagination,” seems almost like an afterthought and only features Davis anyway; the last track, “Soft Winds,” allows the quintet to indulge in a more relaxed groove these players should have explored to a greater extent. Sure, these guys can play, but one longs for a little more nuance and finesse, and in the end the quintet could have worked toward a better balance between showmanship and artistry. ~ David Rickert  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/tough-tenors-johnny-griffin-jazzland-recordings-review-by-david-rickert.php

Personnel: Johnny Griffin - tenor saxophone; Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis - tenor saxophone; Junior Mance - piano; Larry Gales - bass; Ben Riley - drums.

Tough Tenors

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Vivian Buczek - Curiosity

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:25
Size: 137,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:04)  1. Lighthouse
(5:05)  2. I'm Strong
(4:05)  3. Indian Love Song (Cherokee)
(6:19)  4. Goodbye Pork Pie Hat
(5:11)  5. It Might as Well Be Spring
(6:09)  6. Once You Love
(5:13)  7. Curiosity
(5:59)  8. How Deep Is the Ocean?
(5:46)  9. You're Everything
(5:08) 10. Nica's Dream
(5:21) 11. For All We Know

Vivian Buczek is blessed with a glorious voice warm, emotional, engaging and a talent for sophisticated interpretations of established but not over-worked songs. Curiosity, the Swedish singer's fifth album, places her in the company of a piano trio led by the excellent pianist and arranger Martin Sjöstedt. It's company she clearly relishes and in which she shines brightly.Buczek has put together a group of songs that draw on the American Songbook ("How Deep Is The Ocean," "For All We Know"), bop and post-bop standards ("Goodbye Pork Pie Hat," "Nica's Dream") and a few numbers from Scandinavian writers including her own "Once You Love," co-written with her father Bruno. Mostly these are songs of love, but it's not always the romantic kind and the lyrics tell many different stories. Whatever emotion or image the words aim to evoke, Buczek delivers. She captures the self-deprecation of "It Might As Well Be Spring," gives the romance of "How Deep Is The Ocean" an added touch of sensuality and lets her voice float over Sjöstedt's lovely arrangement of "For All We Know" with a perfect combination of longing and wistfulness. 

On "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat" Charles Mingus and Rahsaan Roland Kirk's eulogy for Lester Young she celebrates the saxophonist's legacy just as much as she mourns his passing. The tune's impact is itself heightened by a bluesy solo from guest guitarist Elias Källvik. Johan Björk's "Lighthouse" celebrates a relationship, the trio at its punchiest and most upbeat. Claudia Campagnol's "I'm Strong" reflects on the loss of a relationship: the album's most poignant song, backing vocals from the composer and Källvik's understated guitar help to create a smooth '80s soul vibe. Alongside these numbers the arrangement for Ray Noble's "Cherokee" sounds fresh, but Noble's lyrics seem archaic and clichéd although Buczek's performance is once again impeccable. Curiosity is delightful, thanks to the song choice, the arrangements, the instrumentalists and, of course, Buczek's vocals. ~ Bruce Lindsay  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/curiosity-vivian-buczek-volenza-review-by-bruce-lindsay.php

Personnel: Vivian Buczek: vocals; Martin Sjöstedt: piano, Fender Rhodes, organ; Niklas Fernqvist: bass; Johan Löfcrantz Ramsay: drums, percussion, backing vocals; Elias Källvik: guitar (2, 4, 7); Claudia Campagnol: backing vocals (2).

Curiosity

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Ralph Sutton & Jay McShann - Last of the Whorehouse Piano Players

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1989
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:32
Size: 141,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:50)  1. Honey
(6:23)  2. Old Fashioned Love
(3:10)  3. 'Fore Day Rider
(5:25)  4. On the Sunny Side of the Street
(3:43)  5. Sweet Georgia Brown
(3:53)  6. Do Wah
(3:56)  7. Indiana
(4:48)  8. 'Deed I Do
(4:18)  9. Crazy Rhythm
(6:19) 10. Cherry
(3:54) 11. Pretty Baby
(3:55) 12. I've Found a New Baby
(6:53) 13. JazzSpeak - a spoken interview

Not to be confused with the CD reissue of the same name (Chiaroscuro 206) recorded in 1979, this reunion encounter by pianists Ralph Sutton and Jay McShann (in a quartet with bassist Milt Hinton and drummer Gus Johnson) is up to the same level of the original dates, with plenty of heated moments on songs such as "Old Fashioned Love," "Sweet Georgia Brown," "Cherry," and "I've Found a New Baby." While Sutton is the definitive stride pianist of the past half-century, McShann (who also takes a couple of vocals) finds space to infuse the music with a strong dose of blues and Kansas City swing. A seven-minute "Jazzspeak" wraps up the enjoyable outing with some reminiscing about the sessions. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/last-of-the-whorehouse-piano-players-mw0000269534

Personnel: Ralph Sutton (piano); Jay McShann (piano); Gus Johnson (drums).

Last of the Whorehouse Piano Players

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Stan Getz - Cool Velvet: Stan Getz And Strings

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:05
Size: 165.0 MB
Styles: Post bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1960/1995
Art: Front

[4:59] 1. The Thrill Is Gone
[4:03] 2. It Never Entered My Mind
[4:41] 3. Early Autumn
[3:56] 4. When I Go I Go All The Way
[2:38] 5. A New Town Is A Blue Town
[3:03] 6. Round Midnight
[3:50] 7. Born To Be Blue
[5:00] 8. Whisper Not
[4:22] 9. Goodbye
[2:57] 10. Nature Boy
[2:47] 11. Once
[3:24] 12. I Didn't Know What Time It Was
[3:52] 13. Nica's Dream
[2:26] 14. Little Rio
[3:58] 15. Keep Me In Your Heart
[3:05] 16. Zigeuner Song
[2:53] 17. I Want To Live
[3:03] 18. Where Flamingos Fly
[2:09] 19. Midnight Samba
[2:05] 20. Infinidad
[2:45] 21. Darling Joe

After a decade establishing himself as one of the premiere tenor saxophonists in jazz with a slew of top Verve albums, Stan Getz began the '60s with this first foray into the world of strings. This, of course, would not be his last album with strings; later milestones like the Eddie Sauter-arranged Focus and lesser bowing dates like the Michel Legrand collaboration, Communications '72, would follow. And while certainly not on the same level as Focus, Cool Velvet still finds Getz at his melodic best over the course of ten tracks. Like earlier strings dates by Charlie Parker and Clifford Brown, Cool Velvet's slinky charts bring out the best in Getz's already romantic and liquid-toned approach. Recorded in Germany with a local combo, the album features Russell Garcia's (Louis Armstrong, Mel Tormé, Anita O'Day) relatively tame charts on a program that includes such highlights as "Early Autumn" and "Born to Be Blue." A very pleasant outing that trades in the cinematic atmospherics of Focus for some straightforward ballad dreaminess. Cool Velvet is also available as a two-fer with 1966's Voices album. ~Stephen Cook

Cool Velvet: Stan Getz And Strings

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Louise Baranger Jazz Band - Trumpeter's Prayer

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:55
Size: 137.2 MB
Styles: Big band, Trumpet jazz
Year: 1998
Art: Front

[2:17] 1. Well Git It!
[3:44] 2. Buttercup
[4:38] 3. I Didn't Know What Time It Was
[2:59] 4. All The Things You Are
[5:05] 5. I Only Want Some
[6:23] 6. Mood Swings
[3:54] 7. Alexander's Ragtime Band
[4:23] 8. Hip Hep Hop
[4:30] 9. Chitlins
[3:32] 10. The Way She Makes Me Feel
[4:29] 11. Not Tonight I Have A Headache
[5:05] 12. If You Remember Me
[2:52] 13. Girl Meets Horn
[3:02] 14. A Turmpeter's Prayer
[2:55] 15. A Royal Firework

Louise Baranger’s economy–sized big band (basically four trumpets including her own, three saxophones, one trombone and rhythm) is at its best when unencumbered by guest artists, a string section or other commercially–oriented considerations. While such moments are too infrequent on Trumpeter’s Prayer, Baranger’s bandleading debut, when they do arrive (as on “Alexander’s Ragtime Band,” “Chitlins,” “A Royal Firework,” for example) they are almost persuasive enough to redeem the others. Baranger is an excellent player with a pristine tone and admirable technique, as she shows on the title selection (one of several on which strings are used to amplify the core ensemble) and her many other appearances, all uncredited. The band, when given room to maneuver, is able–bodied and industrious. Saxophonists Don Shelton (“Mood Swings,” “Firework”) and Steve Wilkerson (“Ragtime Band”), trombonists Bob McChesney (“Hip Hep Hop”) and Alex Iles (“Ragtime Band”), flugel Warren Luening (Neal Hefti’s “Buttercup”) and pianist Linda Martinez (“Firework,” “Not Tonight, I Have a Headache”) spearhead a corps of topnotch soloists. Among the guests, Tom Kubis (who arranged seven of the 15 selections) unlimbers his keen–edged soprano while trombonist Carl Fontana trades rapid–fire salvos with Baranger on Steve Allen’s “Chitlins” (which Allen introduces), but Baranger and guest Arturo Sandoval are unable to ignite any sparks on Sy Oliver’s “Well, Git It!” (which suffers greatly in comparison to Tommy Dorsey’s original version). There are two nondescript vocals by Frank Sinatra Jr. (“I Only Want Some,” “The Way She Makes Me Feel”), another by Gisele Jackson (“I Didn’t Know What Time It Was”). “Headache” is Kubis’s contemporary look at Glenn Miller’s “In the Mood,” while “Firework” is Georg Friedrich Handel’s “Music for the Royal Fireworks” updated by Don Gillis. Baranger has three handsome showcases in a row for her trumpet, David Raksin’s “If You Remember Me,” Duke Ellington’s “Girl Meets Horn” and Tutti Camarata’s “Trumpeter’s Prayer,” leading to the explosive finale. A sometimes admirable session that would have been enhanced by more straight–ahead swinging and fewer detours. ~Jack Bowers

Trumpeter's Prayer

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Sonny Davis - Djangology

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:55
Size: 146.3 MB
Styles: Gypsy jazz guitar
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[6:10] 1. Wave
[3:18] 2. Avalon
[2:24] 3. Blue Bossa
[2:40] 4. Blues En Mineur
[3:15] 5. Body And Soul
[2:56] 6. Claire De Lune
[3:09] 7. Danube
[2:41] 8. Djangology
[4:27] 9. Donna Lee
[4:16] 10. Limehouse Blues
[3:55] 11. Nuages
[4:11] 12. Perdido
[4:37] 13. Satin Doll
[2:19] 14. Shine
[5:17] 15. Take Five
[4:14] 16. Tears
[3:58] 17. There Will Never Be Another You

Sonny Davis (real name is Alex Davidson)was born & raised in Niagara Falls, Ont.After 13 years on the road playing Rock, country, jazz & blues he settled into session life. The studio experience was great so I applied it to creating the 13 CD's (of mine) to date. Musically, I enjoy composing & improvising and for guitar playing I enjoy GYPSY JAZZ (the music of Django Reinhardt).Such beautiful melodies & chord progressions & passion!

Djangology

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Yvonne Sanchez - Invitation

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:21
Size: 152,3 MB
Art: Front

(5:48)  1. Old Devil Moon
(3:12)  2. The Way You Look Tonight
(5:46)  3. In A Mellow Tone
(5:10)  4. Feitico de Irena
(3:24)  5. My Romance
(6:28)  6. Invitation
(4:33)  7. Nica's Dream
(5:07)  8. All of Me
(3:02)  9. I'll Remember April
(6:11) 10. Lover Man
(5:47) 11. Well You Needn't
(8:25) 12. Dindi
(3:21) 13. Autumn Leaves

Yvonne Sanchez first album Invitation (Cube Metier) was produced and released in 2002 by Yvonne Sanchez and Robert Balzar. This album received a music award nomination and was well embraced by fans and critics. Ranging from Jazz Standards which were rearranged by Yvonne Sanchez and Robert Balzar (Bass), Yvonne Sanchez also presents her first original composition Feticio de Irena. After the release Yvonne Sanchez received an award for best Jazz Singer of the Year by the Jazz Association.  http://yvonnesanchez.eu/yvonne-sanchez-invitation-2002.html

Personnel: Yvonne Sanchez (vocals); Ernesto Chuecos (guitar); Radek Zapadlo (tenor saxophone); Filip Jelínek (trombone); Stanislav Macha (piano); Robert Balzar (double bass); Jiri Slavicek (drums).

Invitation

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Dave Pike - Times Out of Mind

Styles: Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 1975
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:15
Size: 97,1 MB
Art: Front

(7:27)  1. Dance of the Grebes
(4:13)  2. Wee
(8:40)  3. Times Out of Mind
(9:20)  4. Djalma
(7:10)  5. Morning in the Park
(5:23)  6. I Love My Cigar

Vibraphonist Dave Pike's debut for Muse (which has been reissued on CD) has generally strong individual playing although the material (five group originals plus a brief version of the bop standard "Wee") and use of electronics sound a bit dated. Pike teams up with keyboardist Tom Ranier (who also plays some alto and tenor), guitarist Ron Eschete, either Luther Hughes or Harvey Newmark on bass, drummer Ted Hawke and (on three of the six numbers) guitarist Kenny Burrell. Nothing all that memorable occurs during this lesser effort. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/times-out-of-mind-mw0000612796

Personnel:  Bass – Harvey Newmark (tracks: 2, 3, 5), Luther Hughes (tracks: 1, 4, 6); Drums, Percussion – Ted Hawke; Guitar – Kenny Burrell (tracks: 2, 3, 5), Ron Eschete (tracks: 1, 4, 6);  Piano, Electric Piano, Synthesizer [Arp], Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Tom Ranier; Vibraphone – Dave Pike

Times Out of Mind

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Peggy Lee - Jump For Joy

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:11
Size: 78.3 MB
Styles: Vocal
Year: 1959/2010
Art: Front

[2:02] 1. Jump For Joy
[2:24] 2. Back In Your Own Back Yard
[1:57] 3. When My Sugar Walks Down The Street
[2:06] 4. I Hear Music
[2:49] 5. Just In Time
[2:56] 6. Old Devil Moon
[2:41] 7. What A Little Moonlight Can Do
[2:31] 8. Four Or Five Times
[2:29] 9. Music! Music! Music!
[2:44] 10. Cheek To Cheek
[2:34] 11. The Glory Of Love
[2:09] 12. Ain't We Got Fun
[2:13] 13. Listen To The Rockin' Bird
[2:29] 14. Baby, Baby Wait For Me

With the introduction of stereo fidelity in 1958, most albums by artists and singers were released in two formats: mono and stereo. In some cases artists recorded the same material twice. In other cases gear was in place to record both formats at once. Stereo recordings involved the special placement of musical instruments in the studio and a more dynamic recording process, enabling the left-hand side of the orchestra to predominate through the left speaker and the right-hand side in the right speaker. The result was a radically vivid and exciting sound, since stereo records and a stereo phonograph produced a much more panoramic listening experience. One artist who recorded at the dawn of stereo technology was Peggy Lee.

Her first mono/stereo effort for Capitol was Jump for Joy, with arrangements by Nelson Riddle. For years, the only CD version of the album available was the mono version released by Capitol EMI U.K. as part of its mid-1990s two-fer series. But the mono release suffered terribly from narrow fidelity, shallow depth and pinched dimension. Now DRG/EMI has issued a remastered stereo version for the first time on CD, and the mixed and mastered result by Alan Silverman is positively stunning. But not necessarily for the reasons you'd expect.

I love Lee, but I never thought Jump for Joy was her best outing from the period. In all likelihood, the new stereo technology may have compelled producer Lee Gillette to urge Lee to lay back after delivering her lyrics to allow the Riddle orchestra to come up fast in stereo behind her. So Lee rarely lingers on notes, and the result in most cases sounds a bit too relaxed, as though Lee were singing from a sofa while filing her nails. Or pulling back from the microphone. (The rare exception is Ain't We Got Fun.) By comparison, Things Are Swingin', her next Capitol release recorded six months later in 1958 with Jack Marshall arrangements, featured a much more engaged and lingering Lee. ~Marc Myers

Jump For Joy

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George Cables - Looking For The Light

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 57:27

Size: 131.5 MB

Styles: Hard bop, Piano jazz

Year: 2003

Art: Front

[7:09] 1. Looking For The Light

[5:15] 2. Klimo

[6:52] 3. Senorita De Aranjuez

[5:08] 4. Alice Brown

[7:10] 5. Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow

[3:37] 6. Tasshi's Night Out

[5:32] 7. Mr Baggy Pants

[6:09] 8. Gymnopedie

[6:20] 9. E.V.C

[4:11] 10. Helen's Mothers Song

George Cables has long been one of the top modern mainstream pianists, developing his own voice in the straight-ahead jazz tradition. On this CD he performs eight of his originals, Erik Satie's haunting "Gymnopedie," and a trio ballad version of "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow." Other than the latter and a solo piano piece ("Helen's Mothers Song"), all of the selections are performed by Cables in a quartet. Gary Bartz is an asset, splitting his time evenly between alto and soprano. The music is both thoughtful and swinging with the attractive jazz tango "Senorita de Aranjuez," "Alice Brown" (which sounds as if it could have been written by Horace Silver), and the attractive bop piece "Tasshi's Night Out" being highlights. Recommended. ~Scott Yanow

Looking For The Light

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Alessandro Usai Jazz Trio - The Cool Jazz Session

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:24
Size: 104.0 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[4:34] 1. My Funny Valentine
[3:36] 2. So What
[4:31] 3. Bluesette
[3:30] 4. Anthropology Take 2
[4:39] 5. Someday My Prince Will Come
[4:41] 6. Wave
[2:53] 7. Billie's Bounce Take 2
[4:09] 8. Autumn Leaves Take 2
[3:49] 9. Just Friends
[4:05] 10. Satin Doll
[4:52] 11. Darn That Dream

The Cool Jazz Session

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Dave Pell - I Had The Craziest Dream

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:31
Size: 123,0 MB
Art: Front

(2:52)  1. I Had The Craziest Dream
(3:27)  2. Jazz Wagner
(2:27)  3. Mike's Peak
(2:39)  4. Poopsie
(2:56)  5. Star Eyes
(2:47)  6. Klump Jump
(2:44)  7. My Heart Belongs To Daddy
(2:09)  8. On The Good Ship Lollipop
(2:22)  9. The Way You Look Tonight
(5:12) 10. Nap's Dream
(3:12) 11. Time After Time
(3:48) 12. Crescendo Date
(2:40) 13. People In Love
(3:32) 14. The Way You Look Tonight
(3:22) 15. The Man I Love
(3:36) 16. Love Is Just Around The Corner
(2:37) 17. Play, Fiddle, Play

The Dave Pell Octet was the epitome of mid-'50s West Coast jazz. With its tight arrangements, concise performances (usually around three minutes long despite the rise of the LP), soft tones, and distinctive brand of restrained swing, Pell's ensemble was a perfect representative of cool jazz. The ensemble originally was part of the Les Brown Big Band, gaining an independent life of its own in 1955. This valuable reissue CD from 1998 has all of the first 13 selections that Pell recorded for Capitol eight from 1955 and the remainder from 1957 plus four titles (one previously unissued) led by trumpeter Don Fagerquist with a similar band in 1955 (one of only two opportunities that the underrated great had to head his own date). Dave Pell's four-horn, four-rhythm group includes Fagerquist, either Bob Gordon or Ronny Lang on baritone, the leader on tenor, trombonist Ray Sims, guitarist Tony Rizzi, pianist Paul Smith, drummer Jack Sperling, and one of three bassists. The Fagerquist group differs in that, instead of a trombone, he featured three tenors (Pell, Zoot Sims, and Bill Holman). The arrangements (by Marty Paich, Wes Hensel, Shorty Rogers, Bill Holman, Jack Montrose, and Andre Previn) put an emphasis on melody, subtle surprises, and light swing, even at faster tempos. Basic originals alternate with updated versions of standards (mostly from the swing era). Of the soloists, Fagerquist and Rizzi come off best, although Pell also fares quite well. Although this style of West Coast jazz is largely extinct decades later (other than the notable Phil Norman Tentet), the music still sounds quite fresh and timeless. The Dave Pell Octet's many other recordings (for Trend, Kapp, Atlantic, Victor, and Coral) are out of print, so grab this valuable CD while you can. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/i-had-the-craziest-dream-mw0000041365

Personnel: Dave Pell (tenor saxophone); Bob Gordon, Ronny Lang (baritone saxophone); Don Fagerquist (trumpet); Ray Sims (trombone); Paul Smith (piano); Tonny Rizzi (guitar); Joe Mondragon, Ralph Pena, Rolly Bundock (bass); Jack Sperling (drums); Roy Harte (bongos) ; Bill Hollman,  Zoot Sims (tenor saxophone); Bob Gordon (baritone saxophone); Donn Trenner (piano); Vernon Polk (guitar); Buddy Clark (bass); Bill Richmond (drums).

I Had The Craziest Dream

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Hilary Gardner, Michelle Walker & Whitney James - You've Got A Friend: A Tribute To Joshua Wolff

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:12
Size: 107,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:20)  1. You've Got A Friend (Michelle Walker)
(5:17)  2. Estate (Hilary Gardner)
(4:16)  3. September In The Rain (Michelle Walker)
(2:47)  4. Autumn Serenade (Whitney James)
(4:25)  5. 'Tis Autumn (Hilary Gardner)
(4:41)  6. Snowbound (Whitney James)
(4:15)  7. Spring Will Be A Little Late This Year (Michelle Walker)
(5:24)  8. You Must Believe In Spring (Whitney James)
(5:27)  9. Everything Must Change (Michelle Walker)
(5:15) 10. In My Life - So Far Away (Michelle Walker)

Vocalists Michelle Walker, Whitney James, and Hilary Gardner met for the first time at the hospital bedside of their dear friend and collaborator, jazz pianist Joshua Wolff, in May 2013. Joshua had just been diagnosed with Stage IV pancreatic cancer, and he tragically passed away just one week later at 39 years old. Joshua left behind a loving community of musicians and friends determined to keep his memory alive. To that end, Michelle, Whitney, and Hilary recently joined forces to record a full-length album of songs centered on themes of love, loss, friendship and faith. Inspired by Carole King’s famous refrain, the songs encompass all four seasons: “winter, spring, summer or fall/all you’ve got to do is call/and I’ll be there…You’ve Got a Friend.” The CD is a poignant and heartfelt celebration of Joshua’s musical life and legacy. Proceeds from the album will benefit the Joshua Wolff Memorial Music Education fund, providing free music education and scholarships to children in Moore and Cumberland counties, North Carolina. http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/michellewalker

You've Got A Friend: A Tribute To Joshua Wolff

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Red Garland - Swingin' on the Korner: Live at Keystone Korner CD 1 And CD 2

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:50 (CD1)
Size: 135,0 MB (CD1)
Time: 70:42 (CD2)
Size: 162,2 MB (CD2)
Art: Front

CD 1

(11:45)  1. Love for Sale
( 6:50)  2. I Wish I Knew
( 5:03)  3. It's Impossible
( 9:30)  4. Billy Boy
( 6:23)  5. Dear Old Stockholm
( 5:41)  6. If I'm Lucky
( 6:35)  7. Blues in Bebop
( 6:59)  8. Green Dolphin Street

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CD 2

( 6:53)  1. Straight No Chaser
( 9:16)  2. On a Clear Day
( 7:24)  3. The Christmas Song
( 8:57)  4. The Best Things in Life Are Free
( 6:02)  5. Never Let Me Go
( 9:00)  6. Autumn Leaves
( 7:33)  7. Bag's Groove
(15:33)  8. It's All Right with Me/The Theme

Recorded in 1977, the two-disc Swingin' on the Korner: Live at Keystone Korner showcases pianist Red Garland performing with his trio at the legendary San Francisco venue. Joining Garland here are bassist Leroy Vinnegar and fellow Miles Davis bandmate drummer Philly Joe Jones. Included with the disc is a 44-page booklet detailing Garland's legacy and featuring interviews and essays. This is superb, swinging straight-ahead jazz. ~ Matt Collar  http://www.allmusic.com/album/swingin-on-the-korner-live-at-keystone-korner-mw0002789686

Featuring pianist Red Garland, bassist Leroy Vinnegar and drummer Philly Joe Jones

Swingin' on the Korner: Live at Keystone Korner CD1

Swingin' on the Korner: Live at Keystone Korner CD2

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Johnny Varro Swing 7 - Swingin' On West 57th Street

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:04
Size: 161,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:52)  1. As Long As I Live
(3:15)  2. Caught
(4:10)  3. On the Sunny Side of the Stree
(4:17)  4. Old Fashioned Love
(5:00)  5. Mission to Moscow
(5:23)  6. Black Butterfly
(7:06)  7. You Need To Rock
(3:49)  8. Bounce Of The Sugar Plum Fairi
(4:30)  9. It's Been So Long
(4:00) 10. Avalon
(4:03) 11. Constantly
(5:01) 12. Complainin'
(4:08) 13. Doin' The New Low-Down
(2:55) 14. Polonaise
(5:11) 15. Hag's Blues
(3:18) 16. I'm Shooting High

The Johnny Varro Swing Seven: Swingin’ on West 57th Street is a bright, upbeat septet recording that presents a band with distinctive soloists and a superb rhythm section. Johnny Varro on piano, Michael Moore on bass, and Joe Ascione on drums, are about as good a rhythm section as there exists in traditional jazz, precise and agile with the power to push the music to another level. The lively arrangements are nearly all written by the leader/pianist Johnny Varro. The compositions include works by Fats Waller, Duke Ellington, Jess Stacy, and James P. Johnson. There’s a Chopin "Polanaise," and an outrageous Charlie Shavers arrangement of a Tchaikovsky piece entitled "Bounce of the Sugar Plum Fairies." Highlights of the recording include Ellington’s "Black Butterfly," with enticing solo work by trumpeter Rande Sandke and pianist Varro.

This band can swing, indeed it can, just check out the old Benny Goodman classic "Mission to Moscow." The section work is a joy throughout. The Hodges number "You Need To Rock" features the extraordinary team of Ascione and Moore, and the unison work of the horns and reeds. Throughout the disc Ken Peplowski, on clarinet and alto sax, is an inspired presence. Swingin’ on West 57th Street does exactly that what it promises. Good stuff. ~ Mike Neely  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-johnny-varro-swing-seven-swingin-on-57th-street-johnny-varro-arbors-records-review-by-mike-neely.php
 

Personnel: Johnny Varro, piano, leader, arranger; Randy Sandke, trumpet; Dan Barrett, trombone; Ken Peplowski, clarinet, alto sax; Scott Robinson, tenor sax; Michael Moore, bass; Joe Ascione, drums.

Swingin' On West 57th Street

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Daryl Sherman - Mississippi Belle: Cole Porter In The Quarter

Size: 116,6 MB
Time: 49:30
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2012
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Label: Audiophile Records
Art: Front

01. Let's Do It (3:40)
02. Get Out Of Town (5:33)
03. Ours (5:13)
04. Rosalie (2:57)
05. Tale Of The Oyster (4:25)
06. Use Your Imagination (3:17)
07. By The Mississinewah (3:15)
08. Looking At You (4:03)
09. From This Moment On (2:52)
10. Mississippi Belle (4:47)
11. Who Wants To Be A Millionaire (2:52)
12. Where Have You Been (4:03)
13. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To (2:25)

Four years after her laudable, post-Katrina New O’leans, vocalist-pianist Daryl Sherman returns to the French Quarter’s Audiophile Studios for this wide-ranging salute to Cole Porter. Again Sherman favors local musicians, this time limiting her accompanists to just two: reedman Tom Fischer (a holdover from New O’leans) and bassist Jesse Boyd, both simpatico choices.

Porter and the Crescent City may seem an odd pairing. With the exception of the sentimental title track (written for a never-produced Hollywood musical), Porter’s urbane lyricism has always felt distinctly Yankee. Nor do Boyd and Fischer set out to infuse these 13 tracks with any overt regional flavor. Sherman—belle of Manhattan’s elite for 14 years while showcased at the Waldorf Astoria, where the Steinway she tickled once belonged to Porter—maintains her trademark blend of girlish charm and winking sophistication, akin to a cozy commingling of Blossom Dearie and Lee Wiley.

Still, there’s a laidback charm pervading the album that seems right at home in the Big Easy. Along the way, Sherman unearths such rarities as “By the Mississinewah,” Porter’s playful homage to the Indiana river of his youth, transformed into a freewheeling romp with guest vocalist Banu Gibson; “Tale of the Oyster,” with its lighthearted poke at high society; and the coyly romantic “Where Have You Been?” ~By Christopher Loudon

Mississippi Belle

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