Jeff Lorber, Chuck Loeb, Everette Harp - Jazz Funk Soul

Styles: Jazz Funk, Fusion
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:04
Size: 115,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:31)  1. Speed Of Light
(5:09)  2. Swingette
(4:29)  3. Adrenaline
(6:24)  4. Silent Partner
(4:26)  5. Telephone
(5:48)  6. We Were There
(4:27)  7. Line Drive
(4:33)  8. Serious Business
(4:15)  9. D.C.
(4:58) 10. Raccoon

Jazz Funk Soul is the new Smooth Jazz super group featuring 3 of the most important hit makers on the scene today: Jeff Lorber, Everett Harp and Chuck Loeb. As artists and producers they are responsible for selling millions of albums and scoring close to 50 #1 Smooth Jazz radio hits! As a touring ensemble, they are wowing audiences from coast to coast. Jeff Lorber is famous for launching the career of Kenny G and his productions and collaborations with such greats as Dave Koz, Janet Jackson, Lalah Hathaway and Miles Davis. He is one of the most sought after producers and performers in Jazz. Chuck Loeb is widely regarded as one of the finest guitarists ever. Both as a solo artist and as the producer and lead guitarist of the iconic group Fourplay, Loeb has amassed an astonishing record of Smooth Jazz hits!

Everette Harp has recorded and shared the stage with such musical giants as Aretha Franklin, Luther Vandross, Billy Joel and Patti LaBelle. A hit maker in his own right, Jazziz magazine hails his amazing virtuosity and Jazz Times calls him a rare talent. Since Jazz Funk Soul began touring in 2013, the popularity of the group and the audience s enthusiasm has been tremendous. This new album was created to satisfy the demand from their growing audience. Jazz Funk Soul is overflowing with soaring saxophone solos, brilliant guitar riffs, super funky piano riffs and incredibly compelling melodies. Highlights include the soon to be hit single, In the Moment, the sensuous Loeb original Feel Me, the high spirited romp All Over , and much more! ~ Editorial Reviews  http://www.amazon.com/Jazz-Funk-Soul/dp/B00IPL2BHG

Personnel: Jeff Lorber- keyboard, Chuck Loeb – Guitar;  Everette Harp – saxophone

Jazz Funk Soul

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Jeff Hackworth - Where The Blue Begins

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:44
Size: 133,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:35)  1. Can't Help Falling In Love
(6:45)  2. Love Is A Many Splendored Thing
(5:24)  3. What Will I Tell My Heart
(4:31)  4. Just A Sittin' And A Rockin'
(7:10)  5. Just One More Chance
(3:02)  6. Stranger In Paradise
(6:16)  7. Oh You Crazy Moon
(4:56)  8. One Mint Julip
(6:27)  9. Then I'll Be Tired Of You
(4:35) 10. Stairway To The Stars

Tenor saxophonist Jeff Hackworth is back. This time he has chosen to dwell on 10 pop tunes. On his previous CD, How Little We Know (Big Bridge Music, 2007), he brought to the fore his fluent sense of style and development. He shows that once again on Where the Blue Begins, as he gives the songs their integral melodic due and then turns them into pleasant little experiences. Hackworth has a firm grip on emotion and never lets a song descend into pap. His natural sense of swing runs a balmy air through several of the selections. However, when it comes to Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling In Love,” Hackworth has a becoming take on the indelible classic. He sways in with deep phrases, letting the redolent melody rise, and then switches the rhythm to a bossa. It’s done very nicely indeed, and the tune breathes freely of the new idiom. Jazz harmony is present in the development, and Hackworth knows just how to make that perceptible. 

At first, “One Mint Julep” is pure funk. The beat is buoyant, Hackworth revels in the music, and then as he likes to do, makes a switch. Then it’s time for some earthy swing, and the band fires it up with Lafayette Harris Jr. on piano and John Basili on guitar adding juicy runs. This certainly is top-notch. Hackworth is at ease in any tempo, and he mixes the tunes for maximum impact. He closes out with another strong effort in the beautiful ballad “Stairway to the Stars.” His pacing is articulate and deliberate, and he invests just the right sentiment. Some fine brushwork from Alvin Atkinson adds to the appeal. Pop music has had its votaries among jazz musicians. Turning them into jazz tunes, even in a contemporary styling has not always been successful. Hackworth proves otherwise. ~ Jerry D’Souza  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/where-the-blue-begins-jeff-hackworth-big-bridge-music-review-by-jerry-dsouza.php
 

Personnel: Jeff Hackworth: tenor saxophone; Lafayette Harris Jr.: piano; John Webber: bass; Alvin Atkinson: drums; John Basili: guitar (1, 4, 7, 8, 9).

Where The Blue Begins

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Carmel - As I Am

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:40
Size: 116.0 MB
Styles: R&B, Jazz vocals
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[5:15] 1. Heaven
[5:11] 2. Time
[4:41] 3. Promises (As I Am)
[5:17] 4. This Masquerade
[6:17] 5. Down Tonight
[3:41] 6. One Thing (Feat. Kevin Johnsen)
[6:27] 7. Just Don't Ring True
[4:23] 8. Moon Dance
[5:04] 9. Not Alone
[4:19] 10. Lover Man

Born and raised in Texas, Carmel traveled and sang in New Zealand, Australia, and the Fiji Islands. She trained formally in voice for four years, singing classical concerts and appearing in musical theater productions in college. Carmel also traveled to Thailand and Nepal, and credits her time abroad with helping shape a reflective and tolerant world-view.

Five years ago her music took a distinct change of direction. She began to focus on songwriting and singing mainly jazz/R&B. Carmel's songs are inspired by personal experiences and those of others. She describes often "getting caught somewhere in the middle" with a deep sense of empathy.

The recently released CD: Carmel, As I Am contains seven out of ten songs which are original compositions, several co-written with her husband and keyboard player, Kevin Johnsen.

As I Am

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Wily Bo Walker - Wily Bo Walker & The Danny Flam Big Band

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:59
Size: 125.9 MB
Styles: Big band
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[4:00] 1. The Openator
[6:07] 2. Moon Over Indigo
[4:59] 3. Appointment In Samarra
[3:49] 4. Jawbreaker
[4:45] 5. Rendez-Vous Des Cheminots (Feat. Kareña K)
[3:35] 6. Irritated Shadow (Feat. Amir Ben-Haim)
[4:44] 7. When The Angels Call Your Time
[3:47] 8. Drive
[5:18] 9. Same Thing
[4:13] 10. Long Way To Heaven (Feat. The Brown Sisters)
[3:21] 11. Tony's Good Morning (Instrumental)
[6:15] 12. You Don't Know What Love Is (Feat. Teddy Charles)

The 'Wily Bo Walker & The Danny Flam Big Band' album is a collection of tracks with a hard hitting brass section celebrating horn section styles from across the decades coloured with Wily Bo's own inimitable style and Danny Flam's Grammy award winning musical direction.

The Big Band instrumentals hark back to the Prima/Armstrong/Calloway era with 'The Openator', the sixties Vegas 'rat-pack' feel of 'Tony's Good Morning', the seventies 'Big Band Fusion' stylings of 'Appointment In Sammara' and exploitation movie soundtrack groove of 'Jawbreaker'. Wily Bo also adds the New Orleans funeral marching band celebration of 'When The Angels Call Your Time', the hard rockin' brass blast of 'Drive' as well as the cinematic landscape of 'Same Thing' which also features Cenovia Cummins' String Quartet. There is the 'swing-noir' (think 'Sam Spade pulp fiction B-movie') of 'Rendez-Vous des Cheminots' featuring the vocal talents of Kareña K, the Gospel big band working of 'Long Way To Heaven' featuring The Brown Sisters of Chicago and the New York powerhouse funk of 'Irritated Shadow' featuring Amir Ben-Haim with Will Lee on Bass and Nir Z on drums. And, finally, the moody, bluesy, laid back feel of the instrumental version of Wily Bo's signature song 'Moon Over Indigo' featuring the amazing trumpet work of Kenny Rampton and Wily Bo's cover of Billie Holiday's 'You Don't Know What Love Is' featuring the stunning, last ever recording of jazz legend Teddy Charles.

Wily Bo Walker & The Danny Flam Big Band

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Rick Zunigar - Rick Zunigar Organ Trio

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:48
Size: 136.9 MB
Styles: Organ jazz, Hard bop
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[7:42] 1. Tweedle Dee Tweedle Dum
[8:08] 2. Look Ahead
[9:39] 3. Highway One
[5:32] 4. Ahimsa
[7:03] 5. (Old) Milestones
[8:07] 6. In A Sentimetal Mood
[6:55] 7. All Blues
[6:38] 8. While You’re Sleeping

The Rick Zunigar organ Trio embodied on this disc heralds the state of the jazz organ trio genre at the dawn of the 21st Century. The archetype of this venerated form emerged in the mid '50s and was championed by such major proponents as Jimmy Smith, Brother Jack McDuff, Jimmy McGriff, Shirley Scott, Big John Patton, along with guitarists, Wes Montgomery, George Benson, Kenny Burrell, and drummers Grady Tate, Bernard Purdie. Blues-based and always swinging, the organ trio was usually a forum for blowing and was characterized by long solos and exploration of varied moods and soulful expression. From the early '60s, it seems as though just about every local tavern in the Black neighborhoods of the cities of this country had a Hammond B3-based group -- sometimes duos, sometimes trios, sometimes quartets with tenor saxophone or singer. These groups provided a proving ground for young musicians of the day, as well as a satisfying outlet for people who wanted to hear live music which they could relate to. The body of work by the leaders in the organ trio idiom in its heyday has been well-documented, owing to the fact during that era, based on record sales, the organ groups -- most significantly those led by Jimmy Smith -- represented perhaps the most popular genre of jazz.

In the late '60s Larry Young and others ventured into more remote territory, expanding the harmonic palette of the form, but gradually, through the natural evolution of jazz -- particularly because of the advent of jazz fusion which also featured guitar and electronic keyboards, but with a decidedly different style, the organ trio as a recording medium for jazz faded into the background. In recent years, jazz has seen a movement towards a renewed interest in its historical styles and consequently, the recent past has seen a resurgence of interest in the form, spearheaded by new recordings by Jimmy Smith and Joey DeFrancesco, among others. Guitarist Rick Zunigar's conception of the organ trio gives us a present-day look at the genre, filtered through all of the tradition of the past, but also infused with other influences and trends that have their roots in the major jazz movements of the last 30 years.

Rick Zunigar Organ Trio

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Jeanie Bryson - I Love Being Here With You

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:37
Size: 128,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:05)  1. Cheek To Cheek
(4:55)  2. Squeeze Me
(5:35)  3. Bittersweet
(3:55)  4. A Sleepin’ Bee
(8:35)  5. Love Dance
(4:17)  6. I Feel So Smoochie
(5:14)  7. You’ve Changed
(6:45)  8. Sunshower
(3:03)  9. Cloudy Morning
(4:25) 10. Change Partners
(4:42) 11. I Love Being Here With You

Jeanie Bryson, Dizzy Gillespie's daughter, made her recording debut on this CD. Her voice is highly appealing and often sensuous, hinting at Peggy Lee and Susannah McCorkle. A fine middle-of-the-road song stylist (rather than a jazz singer), Bryson does an excellent job on a set dominated by standards. She mostly concentrates on melody statements with subtle improvising and is at her best on ballads. Steve Nelson's vibes fit in well during his appearances and trumpeter Wallace Roney (as usual sounding like Miles Davis) also takes some good solos. This is a promising beginning for Jeanie Bryson. ~ Scott Yanow  

http://www.allmusic.com/album/i-love-being-here-with-you-mw0000109321

Personnel : Jeanie Bryson (vocals); Don Braden (tenor saxophone); Wallace Roney (trumpet); Steve Nelson (vibraphone); Kenny Barron (piano); Vic Juris (guitar).

I Love Being Here With You

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Thelonious Monk & Sonny Rollins - Thelonious Monk & Sonny Rollins

Styles: Piano And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1954
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:18
Size: 78,7 MB
Art: Front

( 5:15)  1. The Way You Look Tonight
( 7:46)  2. I Want to Be Happy
( 5:20)  3. Work
( 5:20)  4. Nutty
(10:35)  5. Friday the 13th

Since a 50th Anniversary edition of this recording was released only several years ago, it's possible that this recent RVG edition was seen by the parent company, Concord, as an opportunity to capitalize on the success critical and popular of the Monk/Coltrane Carnegie Hall concert (Blue Note, 2005). Regardless, this early meeting of masters, while yielding music of undeniable historical significance and timeless interest, is no match for the later one.To begin with, the title is deceptive. Rollins and Monk play together on three of the five tracks on the album, which comprises three separate sessions recorded between November 1953 and September 1954. On the opening "Way You Look Tonight Monk's solo is a mere half chorus played in a fairly conventional bebop style. This leaves but two tunes, "I Want to Be Happy and "Friday the 13th, on which the two strong musical personalities seek to negotiate a happy result. The proceedings are enjoyable, frequently original and illuminating, but not as miraculous as some reviews of earlier editions have suggested. It's instructive to hear the "real" Monk emerge on "Happy," allowing the beat to establish itself before he plays off of and around it, making the piano another polyrhythmic, percussive voice as opposed to a solo voice accompanied by rhythm section or simply another member of the accompanying team itself. 

The individualist/pianist solos for three choruses, each discretely original in conception and execution. After a chorus of connected, seamless lines played in the middle register, he leaps to the upper register for the second chorus, jabbing dissonant chord clusters at irregular intervals in the unfilled space. The third chorus finds him relinquishing his left hand to its independent devices while maintaining an elliptical melody in the right. Always an authoritative solo voice, Rollins seems emboldened by Monk's example, playing with unmistakable conviction, especially compared to his work on an earlier session like Miles Davis' Diggin' (Prestige, 1951), where the tenorist clearly was aiming to make an impression. Still, after hearing the Monk/Coltrane concert this encounter is inescapably anticlimactic. Rollins, whose playing anticipates some of the melodic/rhythmic characteristics of his successor Charlie Rouse, lacks the light articulations and responsive quickness of the less-renowned player. Compared to Rouse's sportive playfulness, the tenor colossus sounds somewhat heavy and ponderous in Monk country. On the other hand, Coltrane's intensity meshes with Monk's whimsy because the piano "grounds the rapturous, altissimo flights of the tenor saxophone, as though Monk's insistent harmonies and unyielding time are the falconer around which the falcon's gyres are free to expend themselves without spiraling out of control. 

Julius Watkins adds his solo voice for Monk's extended and challenging (certainly for the listener) four-bar composition, "Friday the 13th, and the album is rounded out by the two trio numbers which, though they include Blakey, aren't the equal of the later dialog between the pianist and the percussionist on Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers with Thelonious Monk (Atlantic, 1957) a fascinating and lively, yet ultimately one-sided conversation that might just as well have been titled "The Thelonious Monk Quintet."

~ Samuel Chell  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/thelonious-monk-sonny-rollins-thelonious-monk-prestige-records-review-by-samuel-chell.php
 

Personnel: Thelonious Monk: piano; Sonny Rollins: tenor saxophone; Julius Watkins: French horn; Tommy Potter and Percy Heath: bass; Arthur Taylor, Art Blakey and Willie Jones: drums.

Thelonious Monk & Sonny Rollins

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Jennifer Sheehan - You Made Me Love You

Size: 127,3 MB
Time: 54:50
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2010
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

01. All The Things You Are (3:04)
02. Some Of These Days (2:48)
03. You Made Me Love You (1:41)
04. In The Still Of The Night (3:21)
05. How Long Has This Been Going On (3:36)
06. Do You Miss Me (3:39)
07. If You Hadn't, But You Did (3:38)
08. I'll Be Seeing You (2:32)
09. Take Me To The World - Take The Moment (3:07)
10. Two For The Road/What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life (4:44)
11. When October Goes (3:41)
12. I Can't Be New (2:42)
13. Movie Of My Life (3:09)
14. What'll I Do/Unexpressed (5:12)
15. Some Enchanted Evening - Fable (5:34)
16. Love Is Here To Stay (2:15)

It's time to celebrate! The Great American Songbook is celebrating its 100th birthday and multi-award winning vocalist Jennifer Sheehan has created a critically-acclaimed show (and now an album of songs from that show) that recognizes this milestone and celebrates the phenomenal music that has moved and delighted generations.

While the Great American Songbook is widely considered to be a collection of standards from the 1920s until about 1960 (when rock 'n' roll and other genres began to dominate the airwaves), Jennifer shows how the Songbook actually began about 100 years ago, with the recording of the first true modern American standard, "Some of These Days." And, while the Songbook may have lost the spotlight in the '60s, the second chapter of the Songbook- just as glorious as the first- continues to be written!

Passionate about classics from the Songbook’s Golden Era, as well as more contemporary masterpieces, Sheehan sings the songs—and the praises—of America’s finest lyricists and composers—from Berlin to Bucchino and Gershwin to Guettel. And she shares how their songs have taken hold of the hearts and imaginations of generations, including her own!

The show (and album) includes songs by Jerome Kern, George & Ira Gershwin, Cole Porter, Rodgers & Hammerstein, Stephen Sondheim, Jule Styne, Betty Comden and Adolph Green, Henry Mancini, Alan & Marilyn Bergman, Michel Legrand, Barry Manilow, Susan Werner, Adam Guettel and more!

You Made Me Love You

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Paul Shinn Trio - Easy Now: Live At The Green Lady Lounge

Size: 128,1 MB
Time: 55:18
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz: Contemporary Jazz, Piano Jazz
Art: Front

01. Lucidity (Live) ( 6:23)
02. Handful Of Keys (Live) ( 5:06)
03. Spin Cycle (Live) ( 3:30)
04. Ton Of Simple (Live) (10:01)
05. High Five Blues (Live) ( 6:45)
06. A Desolate Cath (Live) ( 7:30)
07. Easy Now (Live) ( 6:15)
08. The Birth Of The Blues (Live) ( 9:45)

The Paul Shinn Trio was formed in the summer of 2013. After first filling in a few dates at Kansas City's Green Lady Lounge, the band was asked by owner John Scott to perform a weekly Sunday evening engagement there. The positive reception from audiences and fellow musicians alike only encouraged the creative spirit of the group and by the end of that summer their debut album "Reason Pure" was released. Featuring solely Paul’s original compositions and arrangements, this album was deemed an “essential souvenir of his time in Kansas City” (PlasticSax.com) and characterized as “having a unique Shinn Trio stamp” (JAM Magazine). This album chronicles a young trio well on its way towards carving out its own unique 'sound' which simultaneously seeks to maintain a healthy respect for the lineage of jazz piano trios while continuously pushing past conventional boundaries of all sorts. With a release date of January 11th, 2015, the trio's newest album Easy Now: Live at the Green Lady Lounge presents a brand-new set of exciting original compositions and arrangements captured with all the energy the band presents in its live performances.

Easy Now

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Dottie Warner - A Serenade In Blue

Size: 194,0 MB
Time: 83:19
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz/Blues Vocals
Art: Front

01. Streets Of November (2:02)
02. But Beautiful (2:44)
03. It Ain't Necessarily So (3:29)
04. Since I Fell For You (3:39)
05. Feelin' Good (3:33)
06. Fine & Mellow (4:08)
07. Lover Man (3:24)
08. It's A Lonesome Old Town (2:40)
09. Speak Low (3:33)
10. Baltimore Oriole (3:21)
11. Atlanta Blues (3:10)
12. Street Of Dreams (3:37)
13. Blue Prelude (3:03)
14. Serenade In Blue (2:13)
15. Beale Street Blues (2:23)
16. I Get Along Without You Very Well (2:26)
17. Ain't Misbehavin' (3:43)
18. Weepin' Willow Blues (3:26)
19. Summertime (4:26)
20. Singin' The Blues (3:44)
21. Somewhere Over The Rainbow (2:50)
22. Pennies From Heaven (2:30)
23. Angel Eyes (3:41)
24. What Cha Gonna Do When There Ain't No Jazz (2:52)
25. Natchez Mama's Wail (4:14)
26. The Joint Is Jumpin' (2:16)

Have been singing at Arnold's Bar and Grill in Cincinnati for over 30 years and this is the first CD we have produced. The music, from the 20's, 30's and 40's (and even going back to the teens), is a rich repertoire in which to become submerged. For this 2 CD set, we chose to keep it very simple, with just piano and vocals and just little trumpet thrown in here and there.

Ricky Nye fans who know him for his "Boogie Woogie and Blues" piano style will enjoy hearing Ricky play in a different genre and hearing him sing several duets on the album. Also included are Wayne Shannon (one of the few pianists around with a great stride left hand) and Roy Tate who plays beautifully on the trumpet.

The first CD of the 2-CD set is titled "A Serenade In Blue" and is mostly ballads and a few blues tunes, including a wonderful Billie Holiday tune called "Fine & Mellow Blues". The second CD is titled "Thursday's At Arnold's" and includes a variety of jazz and blues classics from Fat's Waller to Harold Arlen, George Gershwin, and Hoagy Carmichael.

A Serenade In Blue

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Ali Neander - This One Goes To Eleven (Feat. Hellmut Hattler)

Size: 164,8 MB
Time: 70:52
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz Rock
Art: Front

01. A Thrill From Over The Hill (5:16)
02. This One Goes To Eleven (4:17)
03. Nine Lives (4:47)
04. A Salty Dog (4:15)
05. Lionel's Joint (4:30)
06. Settlement Seventeen (4:44)
07. Gloombox (7:46)
08. Ghostnotes (4:00)
09. The Dance Of Maya (5:15)
10. Eightball (4:28)
11. Chord Of Doom (5:19)
12. Slomo Gizmo (5:02)
13. Mysterious Leftover (6:16)
14. The Day With Sensuous Vibes (4:51)

Ali Neander from Frankfurt/Germany is a great guitar player . He has been one of the few who can consistently make you leap off your seat and whoop. Neander is not only a virtuoso improviser who doesn't seem to know what a cliche is, he is a natural contrarian who bucks prevailing trends and still trying to recall the passion of early jazzrock and combine it with contemporary sounds. There`s a little prog and kraut and ambient included his time for your enjoyment. Starting with german rockband Rodgau Montones more then 30 years ago, he is now one of Germany’s most requested studio cats.

Again with Hellmut Hattler on bass (Kraan, Tab Two), Martin Kasper Keyboards and Moritz Müller on drums Neander has recorded his second solo outing.. The dynamic of this well-seasoned band depends greatly on the interaction of Neander and his fellows.
Special guests are Paul McCandless (from the band Oregon), Joo Kraus formerly with Tab Two and fusion legend Clive Stevens.

"Hello everybody and welcome to my second journey into the wild and wonderous world in between jazz and rock.The first CD had a little more of a „hunters and collectors“-style soundwise , the new one could well be called a band effort.In the last years we had the opportunity to play enough gigs to develop more of a band sound and I´m glad we`re able to put that on CD now together with the phantastic contributions by our distinguished guests Paul McCandless,Joo Krauss and Clive Stevens. I`m still trying to recall the passion of early jazzrock and combine it with contemporary sounds.There`s a little prog and kraut and ambient included his time for your enjoyment.Bon appetit!" Ali

This One Goes To Eleven

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Elizabeth Shepherd - The Signal

Size: 121,3 MB
Time: 52:04
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

01. Willow (Feat. Lionel Loueke) (4:41)
02. What's Happening (3:30)
03. B.T Cotton (6:21)
04. The Signal (6:46)
05. Lion's Den (5:07)
06. This (Feat. Lionel Loueke) (6:46)
07. On Our Way (4:20)
08. I Gave (3:59)
09. Another Day (5:40)
10. Baby Steps (4:49)

Montreal-based singer Elizabeth Shepherd gently stirs jazz with an underground pop aesthetic in Signal. Similar to the fresh styles of contemporaries such as Esperanza Spalding and Gretchen Parlato, Shepherd's appeal is heard in her multifaceted gifts as a songwriter, musician, and composer; attributes which garnered her a Juno Award nomination for Best Vocal Jazz Album for her 2012 release Rewind (Linus Entertainment).

Signal takes a soulful groove-centric stance with tight rhythmic hooks and beats that would fit comfortably in a club-like setting as some tracks segue into one another like a DJ set mix. The music is on point with strong performances from Shepherd's band and the noticeable inclusion of guitarist Lionel Loueke who brings his signature West African styling on select tracks starting with the hypnotic opener "Willow."

First the music grabs you, Shepherd's keyboard skills providing groovy Fender Rhodes accents or trippy MOOG synth tones in "Lion's Den" a tune which develops into a serious groove with a Miles Davis Tutu-esque trumpet solo. Second, there are no syrupy love ballads or party-like-there's-no-tomorrow songs. Instead, these lyrics poetically address a range of social issues such as the exploitation of farmers ("B.T.Cotton"), gun violence/racial profiling ("Another Day") and a tribute to the perseverance of Mother Teresa ("I Gave").

Shepherd's inventive way with composition, words, and ideas is equally balanced throughout the album, heard in the way a funky acoustic bass vamp sways with a melodic vocal arrangement, sampled voices of historic figures in songs, or the tropical sound of steel pans. The title song based on a sampled loop creates Déjà vu lyric sequence between Shepherd and vocalist Alex Samaras as the two rich voices intricately intertwine and articulate an unconventional love story.

Shepherd'sSignal seductively draws you into its world and delivers music for both the mind and body. ~Mark F. Turner

Personnel: Elizabeth Shepherd: vocals, Fender Rhodes, kalimba, sampling, piano, modified piano, MOOG; tuned bottles; Scott Kemp: bass, vocals (3, 6, 7, 8 ); Colin Kingsmore: drums (2-5, 9); Larnell Lewis: drums, vocals (6, 7, 9); Lionel Loueke: guitar, vocals (1, 6, 9); Ross MacIntyre: bass (1, 4, 5, 9, 10); John Maclean: clapping, flute, ngoni (1, 8, 10); Mark Mosca: steel pans (3); Alex Samaras: vocals (4 ); Scott Kemp: bass (2 ,3, 6-8); Yvette Tollar: vocals (9); Roman Tome: acoustic roar machine (5), drums (1, 10); Kevin Turcotte: trumpet (5, 10); Joshua Van Tassel: drums (8).

The Signal

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Kenny G - Brazilian Nights (Deluxe Edition)

Size: 180,9 MB
Time: 77:44
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz: Smooth Jazz, Brazilian Rhythms
Art: Front

01. Bossa Antigua (3:45)
02. Corcovado (Quiet Nights Of Quiet Stars) (7:28)
03. Bossa Real (7:33)
04. Brazilian Nights (6:31)
05. April Rain (6:45)
06. Menina Moça (5:55)
07. Bu Bossa (4:23)
08. Clouds (5:35)
09. Girl From Ipanema (5:31)
10. Summer Love (6:12)
11. Loving You (Live) (3:23)
12. G Bop (Live) (4:18)
13. Forever In Love (Live) (5:41)
14. Heart And Soul (Live) (4:39)

The biggest selling instrumental musician of the modern era and one of the best-selling artists of all-time returns with Brazilian Nights, his all-new salute to Bossa Nova. This Deluxe Edition features 4 bonus live tracks!

Kenny G has had one of the most eclectic and dominant careers the music business has ever seen. He’s maintained a high level of creative excellence through decades of unprecedented commercial success by never allowing himself to stay in one place too long. That reputation for musical curiosity stays well intact on his fourteenth studio album Brazilian Nights, set for release on January 27th, 2015 via Concord Records.

“I’ve been in love with bossa nova my whole life,” says the saxophonist in the album’s liner notes. “I think the first song that ‘won me over’ was Cannonball Adderley’s version of “Quiet Nights.” And more recently I’ve been listening (non-stop!) to Stan Getz’s album called Getz For Lovers. I think I've listened to that record almost every day for the past 5 years and it really was the inspiration in making this album. My goal was not only to make a bossa nova album that pays tribute to the “Masters” who I’ve been listening to (Cannonball Adderley, Paul Desmond and Stan Getz) but also to write and record original bossa novas that I hope can ‘hold their own’ in this distinguished company. I humbly say that I feel we’ve succeeded.”

Starting with melodious sounds of “Bossa Antigua,” the ten-song set is a mixture of classics and Kenny G originals. Writing five of the ten tracks with longtime collaborator (and co-producer) Walter Afanasieff, the veteran performer plays alto, tenor and soprano sax and dazzles on such cuts as “Bossa Real, ”the gently pulsating “April Rain,” and the relaxed yet dramatic flair of the title cut.

He admits that he took his time making Brazilian Nights, as he wanted to immerse himself into the light and melodic sounds of music from across the globe. “I spent a year and a half studying and embracing the style of the bossa novas from decades ago. I had fun and learned a lot during my "wonderful labor of love” and I truly hope you get the same pleasure from this album that I have experienced when I sit down after a long day and put on my “bossa nova” sounds. Words can’t describe that feeling but hopefully the melodies that I’ve played here will.”

Melodies and music have long been a signature part of Kenny G’s life. Since releasing his self-titled debut disc in the fall of 1982, Kenny G has become the biggest selling instrumental musicians of the modern era and one of the best selling artists of all-time with global sales totaling more than 75 million records. His biggest album was 1992’s Breathless, which sold a staggering twelve million copies in the United States alone. In addition, his 1994 Christmas disc Miracles: The Holiday Album ranks as one of the most successful Yuletide albums ever, with sales of over eight million copies. Seven of his singles have hit the Top-40 on the Billboard Hot 100. He has also been ranked as one of the most-played artists in the Adult Contemporary format with nine top ten singles. His biggest hit came with 1987’s “Songbird,” which peaked at #4 on the Hot 100. Kenny G continues to play to sold out houses both here and abroad, with dates on his calendar already filled through mid-2015.

Brazilian Nights

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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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