Monday, February 9, 2015

Dexter Gordon - Clubhouse

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:55
Size: 89.1 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 1965/2007
Art: Front

[6:27] 1. Hanky Panky
[6:40] 2. I'm A Fool To Want You
[7:02] 3. Devilette
[7:30] 4. Clubhouse
[5:37] 5. Lady Iris B
[5:37] 6. Jodi

Although tenor saxophonist Dexter Gordon had moved to Europe in 1962, he made a return visit to the U.S. in 1965 that resulted in both this album and Gettin' Around. Gordon teams up with trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, pianist Barry Harris, bassist Bob Cranshaw and drummer Billy Higgins for three of his originals, two obscurities, and a standard that ended up being the date's most memorable performance: "I'm a Fool to Want You." The CD reissue is a reproduction of the original LP which was not issued until the mid-'70s. It is excellent music if not quite essential. ~Scott Yanow

Clubhouse         

Stephanie Porter - How Deep Is The Ocean

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:09
Size: 96.5 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[5:29] 1. Love Me Or Leave Me
[3:03] 2. Love For Sale
[2:25] 3. Where Or When
[3:31] 4. A Foggy Day
[3:08] 5. Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me
[5:27] 6. I Can't Get Started
[3:52] 7. How Deep Is The Ocean
[2:56] 8. At Last
[3:38] 9. I Get A Kick Out Of You
[3:56] 10. I Remember You
[4:38] 11. Speak Low

Seattle native Stephanie Porter, an outstanding jazz vocalist with a clear, sultry tone and a bright and appealing stage presence, has had a passion for music her whole life. From 1996 to 2000, Porter opened for a multitude of national acts (including Chaka Khan, Living Colour and Kansas), as a member of the popular disco group, “Hit Explosion.” During this time, she also recorded “My Heart Belongs to Daddy,” which ascended to the top 100 of the Gavin Jazz Chart. National Public Radio station, KPLU (88.5 FM), still features a number of songs from her critically-acclaimed album, Mood Swings, nationwide. The album has been sold in over 25 countries.

A longtime figure in the Northwest jazz scene, Porter has worked with over 50 groups as a freelance vocalist and is often spotlighted as a featured or special guest artist in some of the region’s top venues. She has also performed at numerous festivals and special events. In addition to the Northwest, she has performed in venues across the country, as well as Canada, France and England.
Her latest album, How Deep is the Ocean, is a brilliant showcase of her amazing talent as a vocalist.

How Deep Is The Ocean

Matt Catingub - Your Friendly Neighborhood Big Band

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:39
Size: 127.4 MB
Styles: Big band
Year: 1989
Art: Front

[ 4:18] 1. Don't Be That Way
[ 2:56] 2. Honeysuckle Rose
[10:23] 3. Bloozball
[ 4:36] 4. Work Song
[ 4:29] 5. Easy Living
[ 4:28] 6. Jeanine
[ 3:20] 7. You Leave Me Breathless
[ 6:06] 8. Donna Lee
[ 3:00] 9. Baubles, Bangles And Beads
[ 4:39] 10. Ballad
[ 7:20] 11. Your Friendly Neighborhood Big Band

Altoist/arranger Matt Catingub's second recording as a leader has some good, swinging music, but the recording balance is odd. Not only are the drums a bit too loud, but the soloists are sometimes off mike (even though this is a studio date. The music is mostly fairly conventional, except when Catingub's sense of humor (such as on the title cut) gets a bit out of control . Among the key soloists are altoist Catingub, valve trombonist Mike Fahn, and veteran singer Mavis Rivers (the leader's mother); the big band also includes the young Eric Marienthal, who is unfortunately not featured. Highlights include "Don't Be That Way," "Easy Living," "Jeanine," and "Donna Lee," but the strange sound quality does lower this CD reissue's appeal. ~Scott Yanow

Your Friendly Neighborhood Big Band

Karen Egert - Let's Get Lost

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:32
Size: 111,3 MB
Art: Front

(2:33)  1. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
(3:25)  2. Let's Get Lost
(3:05)  3. No More Blues (Chega De Saudade)
(4:32)  4. Skylark
(2:47)  5. Wait Until I'm Through With You
(3:10)  6. Everytime We Say Goodbye
(2:14)  7. I'm Checking Out Goom-Bye
(4:17)  8. Please Go Away
(1:38)  9. Too Close For Comfort
(5:58) 10. How Long Has This Been Going On?
(2:55) 11. Just One Of Those Things
(4:03) 12. If You Could See Me Now
(3:05) 13. Joy Spring
(4:44) 14. Daydream

"Let's Get Lost" is a CD with a smooth and sophisticated sound that sets it apart from other CDs. Karen Egert's swinging sound and lyrical ballads is well complimented by the top-notch band backing her up on this new release. You can hear on this CD what has won crowds over wherever Karen has entertained. She has charmed audiences with her jazz vocals wherever she goes. This songbird is truly talented. Karen first built her following at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. She played the piano and serenaded devotees for many years in the famous Peacock Alley Lounge. 

Karen was inspired by being able to play on Cole Porter's piano, the instrument on which he wrote so many of the most beloved songs. Among the many celebrities for whom she performed, her biggest thrill was the night Stevie Wonder heard her voice while strolling through the lobby, stopped dead in his tracks and was so taken by her singing that he joined her at the piano for a night of magic.Karen has had a diverse career. She appeared on Broadway in a principal role in Dick Clark's "Rock & Roll - the First Five Thousand Years." And she recorded with The Flirts, who had a top-ten record entitled "Don't Put Another Dime in the Jukebox." 

On top of all this, Karen is also an accomplished songwriter. Judge for yourself by listening to her two original compositions on the CD  "Wait Until I'm Through You" and "Please Go Away." Karen's new release is already getting industry attention on the radio and in record stores. After hearing it, you will know why!  http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/karenegert

Saskia Laroo - Really Jazzy

Styles: Jazz Funk, Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:48
Size: 132,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:46)  1. Jazzn'Jamz
(4:16)  2. Courtesy To Coltrane
(4:07)  3. Really Jazzy
(4:05)  4. Up The Mountain
(5:15)  5. Same Song
(5:37)  6. Munchin'
(4:21)  7. Kumpa
(5:13)  8. Big Blues
(5:29)  9. Night Garden
(6:19) 10. Funky Roads
(4:26) 11. Jealousy
(4:46) 12. Go For It

Saskia Laroo, hailed by American public and press at large as “Lady Miles of Europe”, is one of the few women trumpet stylists, blowing for more than three decades. Born July 31, 1959 in Amsterdam, she began on trumpet at age 8, never dreaming of becoming a professional musician. That all changed when Saskia, turned 18, after briefly majoring in Mathematics at University of Amsterdam switched her focus to a career in music. 

She worked extensively in various groups from this point, primarily on upright bass, though eventually, on both bass and trumpet. Saskia Laroo combines today's music by uncontrived romps into new styles, eagerly limned as “nu jazz” or “swingin' body-music” a vivacious blend of hip-hop, jazz, salsa, funk reggae, and world, that many other artists dare not venture. Her artistry and her groove ring vibrantly and free on her four albums journeying us through the music she has absorbed and plays from heart and soul. http://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/saskialaroo

Personnel: Saskia Laroo (vocals, trumpet, flugelhorn, upright bass, programming); Warren Byrd (vocals, whistling, piano, grand piano, keyboards, synthesizer); Franklin Lacey (vocals, trombone); Ronald Wright (vocals, drums); MC Phantom, MC Firestorm (rap vocals); Zoran Jager (guitar); Stewlocks (harmonica, didjeridu); Robin Koerts (electric bass); Rob Gaasterland (programming)

Eddie 'Lockjaw' Davis - Gentle Jaws

Styles: Hard Bop, Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1960
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:00
Size: 174,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:58)  1. When Your Lover Has Gone
(5:41)  2. We'll Be Together Again
(4:52)  3. I Heard You Cried Last Night
(3:08)  4. The Red Blues
(5:12)  5. Untitled Blues
(5:59)  6. Softly Baby
(5:48)  7. Blue Room
(4:28)  8. Stella By Starlight
(5:43)  9. It Could Happen To You
(3:56) 10. What's New
(6:25) 11. The Very Thought Of You
(4:16) 12. Serenade In Blue
(4:20) 13. The Man I Love
(4:31) 14. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
(5:35) 15. I Cover The Waterfront

The Moodsville label was a subsidiary of Prestige in the late '50s/early '60s that sought to document jazz artists exclusively playing ballads so as to win over the mood music audience of the time. This 75-minute reissue CD combines together two sessions featuring the warm tenor of Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis. On the first half he "sits in" with the Red Garland Trio (that date was originally issued under Garland's name) while on the latter half he is backed by the Shirley Scott Trio with organist Scott switching to piano. The standard-dominated program is tasteful but uneventful and the similarity of the tempoes succeed in making the results more successful as background music than as creative jazz. ~ Scott Yanow  
http://www.allmusic.com/album/gentle-jaws-mw0000179254

Personnel: Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis (tenor saxophone); Red Garland, Shirley Scott (piano); Arthur Edgehill (drums).

Gentle Jaws

Sunday, February 8, 2015

Toots Thielemans - Toots Thielemans Harmonica: Live

Size: 113,0 MB
Time: 48:47
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1962/2014
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. Bluesette (Live) (6:43)
02. Only Trust Your Heart (Live) (4:56)
03. If You Go Away (Live) (7:10)
04. Three And One (Live) (5:28)
05. Green Dolphin Street (Live) (6:18)
06. Meaning Of The Blues (Live) (6:49)
07. Round Midnight/Little Rootie Tootie (Live) (3:16)
08. The Days Of Wine And Roses (Live) (3:46)
09. End Credits (Live) (4:20)

Although preceded by Larry Adler (who has actually spent much of his career playing popular and classical music), Toots Thielemans virtually introduced the chromatic harmonica as a jazz instrument. In fact, ever since the mid-'50s, he has had no close competitors. Toots simply plays the harmonica with the dexterity of a saxophonist and has even successfully traded off with the likes of Oscar Peterson.

Toots Thielemans' first instrument was the accordion, which he started when he was three. Although he started playing the harmonica when he was 17, Thielemans' original reputation was made as a guitarist who was influenced by Django Reinhardt. Very much open to bop, Thielemans played in American GI clubs in Europe, visited the U.S. for the first time in 1947, and shared the bandstand with Charlie Parker at the Paris Jazz Festival of 1949. He toured Europe as a guitarist with the Benny Goodman Sextet in 1950, and the following year moved to the U.S. During 1953-1959, Toots was a member of the George Shearing quintet (mostly as a guitarist) and has freelanced ever since. He first recorded his big hit "Bluesette" (which featured his expert whistling and guitar) in 1961, and ever since has been greatly in demand (particularly for his harmonica and his whistling) on pop records (including many dates with Quincy Jones) and as a jazz soloist. Toots' two-volume Brasil Project was popular in the 1990s and found him smoothly interacting on harmonica with top Brazilian musicians. ~by Scott Yanow

Toots Thielemans Harmonica

Bonnie Harris - Listen Here

Size: 111,1 MB
Time: 47:33
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2010
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. They Say It's Spring (4:05)
02. East Of The Sun (5:19)
03. Listen Here (4:57)
04. If I Were A Bell (3:12)
05. Be A Sweet Pumpkin (5:45)
06. No More Blues (Chega De Saudade) (3:42)
07. The Trouble With Hello Is Goodbye (3:33)
08. On The Sunny Side Of The Street (3:52)
09. All You Need To Say (Never Say Yes) (4:30)
10. Something Worth Waiting For (Con Alma) (3:57)
11. Sack Full Of Dreams (4:37)

Bonnie Harris has been performing at many of the leading jazz venues in the Washington Metropolitan area.

Bonnie is a talented and accomplished vocalist whose interactive style and lyrical interpretations are distinctive. She has the ability to totally engage her listeners by establishing a sense of mutuality between performer and audience.

Listen Here

Feyza - I Wish I Knew

Size: 138,3 MB
Time: 58:55
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Wish I Knew (2:58)
02. Look Of Love (3:59)
03. Bye Blackbird (5:34)
04. Never Let Me Go (5:03)
05. Alone Together (3:49)
06. All Blues (5:12)
07. Lazy Afternoon (1:58)
08. Lover Man (4:52)
09. Alice (5:11)
10. Porgy (5:15)
11. Feelin Good (3:16)
12. Estate (6:06)
13. Sweet And Lovely (5:36)

Feyza Eren is a jazz vocalist based in St. Louis, Missouri since 2011. Feyza was born and raised in St. Louis where she graduated with a degree in broadcast journalism. She studied classical violin for 8 years, and also performed in several musical and theatrical productions before turning professional. Feyza sang various styles of music and with various groups in St. Louis before moving to Istanbul. She was a jazz vocalist in Istanbul for 15 years.

In addition to her ventures in the jazz arena, she spent four years learning Turkish music and singing with a popular ethnic/folk group, Ezginin Günlügü, with which she recorded four albums: Ebruli, Hürriyete Dogru, Ask Yüzünden, and Rüya, including singing a title on their 25th anniversary album, Çeyrek. She left the group in 2000 to pursue a solo career.

I Wish I Knew

Steve Thompson - Evidence Bag

Size: 107,4 MB
Time: 46:06
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz: Hard Bop
Art: Front

01. Deposit (7:36)
02. The Long Goodbye (5:11)
03. Utopia (5:54)
04. Bideford (5:59)
05. Cool Or Something (5:09)
06. Blow (3:53)
07. Jake (4:38)
08. Evidence Bag (4:08)
09. Stephanie (3:35)

Full of hip grooves, this exciting collection of originals cooks up a storm with that classic Blue Note sound of Hammond, sax, guitar, drums and double bass, evoking film noir, 70's t.v cop show themes mixed with fresh, contemporary jazz flavors.

After years of being a side-man playing with musicians of the caliber of Scott Hamilton, Warren Vache and Ken Peplowski British double bass player Steve Thompson steps out of the shadows to become band leader...only to step back into the shadows with his noirish collection of his originals tunes and a specific concept in mind; the evocation of the the 70's T.V detective and the Blue Note inspired music that often served as accompaniment,

"I liked the cop show detective. He’s for justice but against the law. He knows everyone and everyone knows him but he’ll forever walk a lonely street, getting his man but losing the girl, cracking the case but never cracking love. He’s wide lapelled and flappy flared, always stylish but never a follower of fashion. There’s a cigarette in the corner of his mouth and a shot of the strong stuff close to hand. He carries a visible hurt on the outside but hides a deeper hurt that festers on the inside and stains his soul. He lives on a boat or in a trailer or in a half-built house but never in a home - no home could ever contain him for he’s as edgy as a panther and twice as dangerous. He drives a car that no one else drives and at a speed that no one else could ever hope to match because no one else shares his sense of direction, his sense of purpose, his fatal destiny...

I grew up in a time when classic American cop shows like Harry-O, Rockford Files, Cannon and Petrocelli were a television staple and I loved all of them. I loved their L.A locale, convoluted plots, cheerful sadism and world-weary philosophy. And I loved the detectives of course. I wanted to be their partner; wise-cracking away as we pieced together the case. But the thing I really loved the most of all about these shows was the music. Without realizing it, these classic theme tunes, chase sequence scores, musical stings and love interest melodies provided my first taste of jazz, expertly written and arranged as they were by true bona fide jazz greats like Quincy Jones, Benny Golson, Oliver Nelson and Lalo Schifrin. They influenced my formative musical tastes in a profound and lasting way".

With this new collection of original compositions Steve has successfully revisited those influences, captured something of the atmosphere of those shows and yet still created something contemporary and fresh. This is an outstanding debut.

Steve Thompson - Double Bass
Tim Wells - Hammond Organ
Dave Smith - Guitar
Nick Higgins - Tenor Saxophone
Preston Prince - Drums

Evidence Bag

Vince Watson - Mellow

Size: 146,5 MB
Time: 61:51
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz Vocals, Swing, Easy Listening
Art: Front

01. Where Do You Start (4:01)
02. Once Upon a Time (3:40)
03. Hallelujah (5:23)
04. Perhaps Love (2:50)
05. For the Good Times (4:01)
06. I Wish You Love (3:35)
07. In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning (2:37)
08. My Funny Valentine (2:38)
09. The Very Thought of You (4:00)
10. That's All (3:55)
11. Everything Happens to Me (3:42)
12. How About Me (2:50)
13. Why Try to Change Me Now (3:39)
14. Young At Heart (2:54)
15. The Girl That I Marry (2:47)
16. One for My Baby (4:13)
17. Dublin in the Rare Ould Times (5:00)

Vince's follow-up album to the popular "Livin' My Dream", "Mellow" is a collection of great ballads, most of them prominent entries in the Great American Songbook. Those who are familiar with his sensitive deep baritone vocals will surely appreciate the quality of the songs selected for this project.
"Mellow" is music for times you want to take it down a notch and relax. So sit back with your favorite libation, dim the lights and soak in the haunting and wonderful lyrics of "Where Do You Start", "Hallelujah", "Why Try to Change Me Now" or "One For My Baby". These great songs are just a sample of what you can expect to hear when you listen to "Mellow".

Mellow

Lyambiko - Muse

Size: 140,8 MB
Time: 60:18
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Muse (5:10)
02. I Went To Heaven (3:49)
03. Landslide (4:25)
04. Willow Weep For Me (5:47)
05. Do You Remember Me (4:50)
06. Can't We Be Friends (2:54)
07. Besame Mucho (5:58)
08. Goodbye Pork Pie Hat (4:47)
09. Horacio (3:07)
10. On & On (4:13)
11. Spring (2:50)
12. Looking For Love (3:38)
13. Exit Ahead (4:20)
14. And How I Hoped For Your Love (4:22)

Personnel: Lyambiko (vocals) | Marque Lowenthal (piano) | Robin Draganic (bass) | Heinrich Koeb­berling (drums)

German-Tanzanian jazz singer Lyambiko burst onto Berlin's music scene in 1999 after a music-oriented upbringing. The multi-talented performer brought together her skills of singing and playing piano to stages all over Berlin, slowly gathering attention as an urgent new talent. By 2001, she was fronting a jazz quartet that began touring throughout Germany, then Europe and abroad. Lyambiko has been heralded as one of the strongest voices to emerge on the jazz scene in a long time. She has since released seven albums with her quartet, reaching the top of the jazz charts in international circuits.

Muse

Doc Cheatham & Nicholas Payton - S/T

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:09
Size: 142.3 MB
Styles: Trumpet jazz
Year: 1997
Art: Front

[5:53] 1. How Deep Is The Ocean
[3:34] 2. Jeepers Creepers
[8:40] 3. Stardust
[3:18] 4. I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues
[2:21] 5. Dinah
[4:44] 6. Save It Pretty Mama
[3:26] 7. Do You Believe In Love At Sight
[3:58] 8. Jada
[4:17] 9. I Cover The Waterfront
[3:16] 10. Maybe
[4:42] 11. Black And Blue
[6:02] 12. Out Of Nowhere
[4:53] 13. She's Funny That Way
[2:58] 14. The World Is Waiting For The Sunrise

Despite their immense age difference, Cheatham and Payton find common ground in their shared affection for Louis Armstrong. Cheatham used to sub for Armstrong in Chicago in 1926, while Payton grew up in Armstrong's hometown of New Orleans and resembles the jazz giant physically as well as musically. Many of the Tin Pan Alley standards on this project are associated with Satchmo, and the two trumpeters focus on his buttery tone and precision phrasing rather than his pyrotechnics. Like his old friend, Cheatham is a singer as well as a trumpeter, and his graceful, romantic vocals on numbers such as "I Gotta Right to Sing the Blues" and "Save It Pretty Mama" show the way for the trumpet solos, which closely resemble the human voice. It bodes well for Payton's future that he adapts so instinctively to the past. ~Geoffrey Himes

Doc Cheatham & Nicholas Payton

Toninho Horta - From Ton To Tom: Tribute To Tom Jobim

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:24
Size: 133.7 MB
Styles: Post bop, Brazilian jazz
Year: 1998
Art: Front

[4:32] 1. Meditacao
[3:58] 2. Infinite Love
[4:44] 3. From Ton To Tom
[4:39] 4. Christiana
[4:53] 5. Promessas Que Eu Flz
[5:12] 6. Desafinado
[5:42] 7. Retorato Em Branco E Preto
[3:26] 8. Modinha
[5:48] 9. Agua De Beber
[3:27] 10. Sem Voce
[6:07] 11. Chega De Saudade (No More Blues)
[5:14] 12. Se Todos Fossem Iguas A Voce
[0:36] 13. The Girl From Ipanema

When you abbreviate "Anthony" in English, you say "Tony or Tom". When you abbreviate "Antonio" in Portuguese, you say "Toninho". So Antonio Carlos Jobim and Toninho Horta are both "Antonios" and the similarity does not end with their name. This Toninho Horta's tribute to Tom Jobim happens to make it clear how similar they are in their open mind and how different they are in their top quality wonderful results. Both are great composers and players with an orchestra's conception in their minds.

This is a must-have CD. The Brazilian master guitarrist, arranger and composer Toninho Horta pays his tribute to Tom Jobim. I think it is always dangerous for an artist to use Jobim's material because it has been re-recorded over and over and over. However, this is not absolutely the case here. Toninho Horta simply re-creates all material. His creative fresh approaches are unique.

Toninho Horta sings his vocalises on all tracks and Brazilian singer Gal Costa sings on two tracks: "Chega de Saudade" (aka "No More Blues") and "From Ton to Tom", the Horta's composition dedicated to Tom Jobim. All sung in Portuguese except for one track.~Carlos from Rio

From Ton To Tom: Tribute To Tom Jobim

John Petrucelli Quintet - The Way (2-Disc Set)

The temptation, upon hearing John Petrucelli’s uncanny flow and remarkable command of his tenor sax in all registers on tunes like the suite-like opener “Arrows of Longing,” the cascading “Boots” or his superb take on the sumptuous 1948 ballad “Early Autumn,” is to say: “Where has this cat been?” The New Jersey native spent some time in the Virginia-D.C. area working with trumpeter John D’Earth and in New Orleans, where he played in trombonist Delfeayo Marsalis’ group, before returning to the New Jersey-New York area to attend Rutgers University studying under Stanley Cowell, Charles Tolliver and Ralph Bowen, and finally relocating to Pittsburgh where he currently resides. The gifted 26-year-old now makes a startlingly mature, fully realized statement as player-composer-bandleader on his auspicious debut. Surrounded by a first-rate crew of New York players, kindred spirits and marvelous improvisers -- pianist Victor Gould, guitarist Peter Park, bassist Alexander Claffy, drummer Gusten Rudolph and special guest drummer Victor Lewis on three tracks -- Petrucelli weds astounding technique to harmonic and rhythmic invention and a forceful sense of swing on The Way.

A cursory listen to his flowing and intense tenor lines on any number of tunes here, from the urgently burning “The Flip” to “For Dawn” (dedicated to vocalist Dawn Thompson) to his forceful opus “Hil’s Blues,” will invite comparisons to such modern tenor titans and role models as Ralph Bowen, Michael Brecker, Chris Potter, Mark Turner and Donny McCaslin. But Petrucelli is also quick to point out the towering influence of Lennie Tristano disciple Warne Marsh, he of the long flowing line and vertical improvisation concept. In fact, Petrucelli did a harmonic analysis of Marsh’s recordings as his master thesis at Rutgers, and he takes those lessons to heart on The Way.

As The Way launches him on his way, saxophonist-composer-bandleader Petrucelli remains someone to watch in the future. ~Bill Milkowski

Album: The Way (Disc 1)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:40
Size: 100.0 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2015

[7:18] 1. I Hear A Rhapsody
[5:16] 2. Prism
[6:50] 3. Hil's Blues
[8:57] 4. The Flip (Feat. Victor Lewis)
[8:57] 5. For Dawn
[6:19] 6. The Way (Feat. Victor Lewis)

The Way (Disc 1)

Album: The Way (Disc 2)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:55
Size: 98.2 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[ 5:18] 1. Moment Of Grace
[ 8:45] 2. Gallop's Gallop
[ 9:32] 3. Early Autumn (Feat. Victor Lewis)
[10:05] 4. Arrows Of Longing
[ 9:12] 5. Boots

The Way (Disc 2)

Kasia Stankowska - Passions

Styles: Vocal Jazz         
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:57
Size: 100,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:17)  1. In Walked Bud
(4:06)  2. Something's Coming
(5:50)  3. Skylark
(4:05)  4. Agua De Beber
(4:07)  5. Easy To Love
(6:10)  6. A Time For Love
(3:44)  7. How Am I To Know
(3:14)  8. Walking After Midnight
(3:29)  9. Sunday In New York
(5:51) 10. Afro Blue

She annually ranks high among jazz singers in the poll Jazz Top magazine "Jazz Forum". She is the winner of the first prize Zamosc Jazz Vocalists Competition 2001. Lower Silesia region is represented at the International Expo 2000 in Hanover, concerts in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. She has performed as a soloist in the Big Band Aleksander Mazur. The repertoire includes songs Wladyslaw Szpilman in jazz arrangements, which are presented in Berlin and the Polish Institute in Paris. In his vocalism uses a technique scatu. Demonstrates an extraordinary sense of harmonic and improvisational abilities.

The new album "Passions" contains 10 standards sung in English, including In Walked Bud (T. Monk, J. Hendricks), Something`s Coming (L. Bernstein, S. Sondheim), Skylark (H. Carmichael, J. Mercer), Agua de Berber (AC Jobim, N. Gimbel) Easy To Love (C. Porter, R. Cate), Sunday In New York (O. Cates, F. Nero). Translate by google  http://independent.pl/wiki/Plyta:Stankowska%20Kasia%20-%20Passions

Singer is accompanied on the album until 9 musicians: Marek Markowski – piano; Zbigniew Wrombel – bass; Jacob Olejnik – bass; Marcin Jahr – drums; Przemek Jarosz – drums; José Torres - percussion; Thomas Pruchnicki - soprano & tenor sax; Adam Viscous – trumpet; Lukasz Perek – trombone

Katja Rieckermann - Never Stand Still

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:11
Size: 126,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:15)  1. Buckaroo (feat. Joe Bonamassa)
(4:07)  2. Never Stand Still
(4:46)  3. Sweet Talk (feat. D'extra Wiley)
(4:35)  4. Bourbon Street (feat. Humberto Ruiz)
(5:22)  5. My Man (feat. Arturo Sandoval)
(4:32)  6. Blues for Joe (feat. Joe Bonamassa)
(6:11)  7. Walkin' the Dog
(5:09)  8. Curaçao (feat. Russ Henry)
(5:09)  9. Funky Pussycat (feat. Lyndsay Haldorson & Arturo Sandoval)
(4:59) 10. Soul Ride
(5:02) 11. Don't Wanna Go Home (feat. Lamont Van Hook & Chuck Kentis)

Talented, attractive and sexy, Katja Rieckermann truly is a "Horn Star." Born and raised in Luebeck, a small town in the north of Germany, she moved to Hamburg to study music. Restless and looking for a challenge, she eventually made it to Hollywood, California, the starting point of so many successful careers. One of Katja's first high profile performances was with the rock band Scorpions in 1997 followed by a guest appearance with the Canadian rock band Saga. In true Hollywood fashion, Katja was eventually cast as a regular on the hit television series "Alley McBeal" and in the feature film Star Trek "Nemesis." With increased high profiled visibility, the entertainment industry quickly took notice of Katja's musical talent.

In 2001, Katja had the opportunity of a lifetime when she went on the Rod Stewart Human World tour 2001 and 2002. This opportunity gave her the ability to prove herself as a soloist, performing with a super star on an international stage. Since then, Katja has been on countless tours, concerts, TV performances, award shows and recordings with big stars like Al Green, Carol King, Brooks and Dunn, Rue Paul, Jeff Goldblum, and Branscombe Richmont, to name a few. Katja has performed in front of musicians, VIP's and music fans from all over the world, including the Queen of England! In 2007 Katja released her self-titled debut CD, title "KATJA." She also established her role as the lead saxophonist in Rod Stewart's band.

In 2008 another big time musician with the same last name as Rod, hired Katja to record saxophone on his Songbook, Vol 1: Dave Stewart from the Eurithmics. This occasion was followed by a couple of live performances with his Rock Fabulous Orchestra. Inspired by her work with big stars, Katja has been working on her 2nd CD for the last 3 years. Sandi Strmljan, an extremely talented musician, songwriter and producer, produced this progressive new project. Together, they created a new sound that combines pop, jazz, dance and electro house with a sophisticated horn section. The name of the project "Horn Star" is well earned. In Horn Star, Katja shows off her hardcore musical talent; her sensual presence and ability to please an audience shines through in every song. http://www.katjarieckermann.com/bio.html

"Never Stand Still" the title of Katja's 3rd studio album. Currently on tour with Rod Stewart for the last 13 years. Produced by Grammy nominated producer Jeff Carruthers and Katja Rieckermann. Talented and sexy Katja Rieckermann celebrates the release of her newest CD "Never Stand Still". The idea for "Never Stand Still" was born in january 2014 during a lunch with producer Jeff Carruthers. The vision was to create an instrumental version of "Amy Winehouse's Rehab", basically 70s music inspired by artists like The Temptations, Sam Cooke and Jr. Walker and the AllStars. Within the following 2 months Katja and Jeff ended up writing 11 tunes. "Ideas just kept coming at me" says Katja, which she then took to Jeff and he polished them. The next step was an Indiegogo campaign to help raise funds for the making of the CD which was very successful and made it possible for Katja and Jeff to take some of LA's best musicians to the some of the best studios in Los Angeles. Great artists like Joe Bonamassa and Arturo Sandoval gave the honor of a guest appearance. Now, a year later, the CD is finally done and will be released on HornStar Records. http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/katjarieckermann2

Never Stand Still

Urbie Green - Sea Jam Blues

Styles: Trombone Jazz
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:16
Size: 162,3 MB
Art: Front

( 7:19)  1. Sea Jam Blues [C Jam Blues]
( 0:35)  2. Opening comments
( 8:14)  3. You've Changed
( 7:17)  4. Giant Steps (featuring Chris Potter)
(10:19)  5. I Thought about You
( 8:25)  6. The Song Is You
( 7:28)  7. The Bach Suite (featuring Jesse Green)
(10:52)  8. Old Folks
( 9:04)  9. But Not For Me
( 0:39) 10. Closing Comments

There are two reasons why this excellent live album is titled Sea Jam Blues. First, it was recorded aboard a "jazz cruise" in different parts of the Caribbean Sea in 1995. Second, one of the songs that Urbie Green performs on this CD is Duke Ellington's "C Jam Blues." The veteran trombonist was 68 at the time, and he is in fine form on inspired, energetic performances of that standard as well as John Coltrane's "Giant Steps," the Gershwin brothers' "But Not for Me," and Jerome Kern's "The Song Is You." Green swings passionately on the up-tempo selections, but he shows how lyrical a ballad player he can be on "You're Changed" and "Old Folks." 

The trombonist also shows that he has no problem working with both younger and older musicians; on Sea Jam Blues, he leads a cohesive quintet that includes two veteran improvisers (bassist Paul Rostock and drummer Glenn Davis) and two "Young Lions" (his piano-playing son Jesse Green and saxman Chris Potter, both of whom were in their twenties in 1995). Those who own most or all of Potter's Concord Jazz releases know that he is a flexible wind player who can handle everything from alto sax to bass clarinet to flute, but he sticks to tenor and soprano sax on this disc. 

Although Green is quite capable of playing swing and Potter is quite capable of playing modal post-bop, Sea Jam Blues is essentially a hard bop album so you can say that Green and Potter find some common ground and have a lot of fun doing it. Not all of the albums that Green has provided over the years are great, but bop fans can't go wrong with Sea Jam Blues. ~ Alex Henderson  http://www.allmusic.com/album/sea-jam-blues-mw0000617327

Personnel: Urbie Green (trombone); Chris Potter (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone); Jesse Green (piano); Glenn Davis (drums).

Luca Sestak - New Way

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:31
Size: 173,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:54)  1. James Weber's Breakdown
(4:25)  2. Walk with the Devil
(5:32)  3. Laci's Boogie
(6:01)  4. For Her
(6:10)  5. Blame Game
(6:26)  6. 47's Theme
(7:13)  7. Frederic's Dream (Frederic's Dream of Blues)
(6:11)  8. Joogie Wazz
(4:12)  9. Dr. James
(5:37) 10. Maymories
(6:04) 11. Put out the Light
(5:54) 12. Key Engine
(6:46) 13. O Holy Night (Cantique de Noël)

Luca was born on January 10, 1995 in Celle (Niedersachsen). At age 7 he was introduced to the piano by his father, but didn’t show much interest. For that reason two years later his parents sent him to a piano teacher who still gives him classical lessons. In 2008 Luca took part in the local piano solo competition “Youth plays music” and won 1st prize with advancement to the State Contest level. After two years of classical piano lessons Luca accidentally discovered jazz and with that also the Blues and Boogie Woogie. He self-trained and studied his first pieces of this music style and presented them at various occasions with great success. 

At age 11 he published some of his pieces on the internet platform YouTube where they quickly achieved great popularity. With rising recognition numerous performances at festivals and concerts followed in his home country as well as abroad with big-name pianists of the genre such as Silvan Zingg, Vince Weber, Bob Seeley, Frank Muschalle and Ben Waters. From 2010 to 2012 Luca presented his own concert series under the name of “Blues im Schaf” in Karlsruhe. 

Luca recorded his first CD album “Lost in Boogie” in August 2010 which was published in November of that year. One year later, Luca participated in the biggest Boogie Woogie Festival of the world in Laroquebrou, France. In 2014 Luca released his second album New Way. Today Luca’s program contains mainly his own compositions and interpretations in which he expresses his unmistakable style. He includes in these the most varied directions of music from the blues and boogie through jazz and funk all the way to pop, rock and the classics. http://veniceblues.com/artist/luca-sestak/

Saturday, February 7, 2015

Aretha Franklin - The Tender, The Moving, The Swinging Aretha Franklin

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:53
Size: 132.5 MB
Styles: Soul
Year: 1963/2011
Art: Front

[3:18] 1. Don't Cry Baby
[3:13] 2. Try A Little Tenderness
[2:51] 3. I Apologize
[2:45] 4. Without The One You Love
[3:02] 5. Lokk For The Silver Lining
[2:39] 6. I'm Sitting On Top Of The World
[2:30] 7. Just For A Thrill
[3:01] 8. God Bless The Child
[3:24] 9. I'm Wandering
[2:46] 10. How Deep Is The Ocean
[2:47] 11. I Don't Know Anymore
[2:33] 12. Lover Come Back To Me
[2:13] 13. Trouble In Mind (Mono Mix)
[2:45] 14. Without The One You Love (Mono Mix)
[3:13] 15. Don't Cry, Baby (Mono Mix)
[3:23] 16. I'm Wandering (Mono Mix)
[3:12] 17. Try A Little Tenderness (Mono Mix)
[2:50] 18. I Apologize (Mono Mix)
[2:32] 19. Lover Come Back To Me (Mono Mix)
[2:46] 20. I Don't Know Anymore (Mono Mix)

The Tender, The Moving, The Swinging Aretha Franklin is the Queen of Soul's third studio album for Columbia. It was her first album to receive commercial success, becoming a massive hit on the Billboard 200. Here, Franklin performs hits and standards including “God Bless the Child,” “Try a Little Tenderness” and “How Deep Is the Ocean.” Absolutely essential.

The Tender, The Moving, The Swinging Aretha Franklin