Pete Fountain - Big Bands Of The Swingin' Years

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 32:45
Size: 75.0 MB
Styles: New Orleans jazz
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[3:09] 1. St. James Infirmary
[3:10] 2. Lazy River
[4:04] 3. Jazz Me Blues
[2:31] 4. Sunset In Paradise
[2:54] 5. Margie
[2:53] 6. That's A-Plenty
[3:53] 7. When The Saints Go Marching In
[3:16] 8. High Society
[3:59] 9. Moanin' Low
[2:52] 10. South Rampart Street Parade

The greatest ambassador of New Orleans jazz since Louis Armstrong, clarinetist Pete Fountain epitomizes the sound of New Orleans and has always remained true to the roots of Dixieland jazz. Presented here is some of Fountain's most treasured classic recordings including "St. James Infirmary Blues," "Up A Lazy River," "When The Saints Go Marching In" and "High Society." All selections newly remastered.

Big Bands Of The Swingin' Years

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America - Homecoming

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 32:55
Size: 75.4 MB
Styles: Soft rock, Pop-folk
Year: 1972/1995/2008
Art: Front

[3:30] 1. Ventura Highway
[3:10] 2. To Each His Own
[2:29] 3. Don't Cross The River
[3:40] 4. Moon Song
[3:17] 5. Only In Your Heart
[2:09] 6. Till The Sun Comes Up Again
[4:17] 7. Cornwall Blank
[3:46] 8. Head And Heart
[3:02] 9. California Revisited
[3:30] 10. Saturn Nights

Homecoming, America's finest album, refines and focuses the folk-pop approach found on their debut release. The songs here are tighter and more forthright, with fewer extended solo instrumental sections than before. The sound quality is clear and bright; the colorful arrangements, while still acoustic guitar-based, feature more electric guitar and keyboards. The performance quality is more assured, among the most urgently committed the group would ever put on vinyl. Verses are still sometimes banal and clunky ("You can't disregard your friends/But life gets so hard when you reach the end") or cryptic ("Sorry, boy, but I've been hit by purple rain"), but a number of the song subjects here exhibit a yearning sense of wanderlust and love of the outdoors that proves to be highly evocative and compelling (particularly on "Moon Song," "Ventura Highway," "California Revisited," and "Cornwall Blank"). Chordal progressions are sophisticated and contain many subtle surprises. A few new style wrinkles can be seen in the country-influenced "Don't Cross the River," the drivingly gutsy "California Revisited" (perhaps the hardest-rocking song the group would ever produce), and the hushed yet mildly funky "Head & Heart." Chart hits from this release include "Ventura Highway," "Only in Your Heart," and "Don't Cross the River," but each song here has something to recommend it. This top-flight album is a very rewarding listen. ~David Cleary

Homecoming     

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Sue Raney - Listen Here

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:42
Size: 127.5 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[3:08] 1. Listen Here
[4:12] 2. My Melancholy Baby
[3:02] 3. A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square
[4:35] 4. The Bad And The Beautiful
[3:36] 5. The Music That Makes Me Dance
[5:49] 6. He Was Too Good To Me
[5:04] 7. You'll Never Know
[4:46] 8. Skylark
[3:51] 9. It Might As Well Be Spring
[3:17] 10. It Never Was You
[5:16] 11. You Must Believe In Spring
[5:05] 12. There Used To Be A Ballpark
[3:54] 13. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes

One of the most underappreciated jazz vocalists of the past half-century, Sue Raney is also proving one of the most durable. Raney, who has been singing professionally since age 14, delivered a trio of excellent albums for Capitol while still in her teens and early 20s, then endured a peripatetic recording career that involved multiple labels and occasionally lengthy gaps (filled with teaching and jingle work—as both writer and performer). Through it all, she has never stopped plugging and, remarkably, still sounds as vibrant and clarion-pure as ever.

In recent years, Raney has formed a mutually beneficial alliance with pianist Alan Broadbent. It was Broadbent at the helm, as arranger, conductor and accompanist, on Raney’s previous album, the silken Doris Day tribute Heart’s Desire. Here it’s just Broadbent and Raney, two thoroughbreds shaping an exemplary exercise in simpatico intimacy. They open with Dave Frishberg’s tenderly introspective “Listen Here,” then keep the tempo on simmer through a spectrum of major league ballads, extending from the romantic coziness of “My Melancholy Baby” and “You’ll Never Know” to the hazy heartache of “He Was Too Good to Me” and “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes.”

The pace quickens slightly for a sprightly “It Might as Well Be Spring” and a shimmering “A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square.” But the standout piece in this sea of marvelous tracks is Raney and Broadbent’s gorgeously realized treatment, neither too maudlin nor too wistful, of Joe Raposo’s “There Used to Be a Ballpark.” ~Christopher Loudon

Listen Here

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Joe Diorio Trio - Live

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:11
Size: 153.8 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz, Post bop
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[14:28] 1. Lover Man
[11:30] 2. Corcovado
[10:19] 3. Green Dolphin Street
[10:08] 4. A Child Is Born
[10:38] 5. Yesterdays
[10:05] 6. The Night Has A Thousand Eyes

Although this live gig by guitarist Joe Diorio was released for the first time in 2006, the music dates from a lost 1991 recording uncovered by his wife, with the guitarist joined by bassist Bob Magnusson and drummer Jim Plank. This entirely unrehearsed set focuses on standards, all played in extended form with imagination and plenty of risk-taking. The trio members eschew the normal approach to the ballad "Lover Man," instead slowly working their way into it, repeating a series of chords before finally loosening up and increasing the tempo as they play straight-ahead. The leader softly hums to himself during his unaccompanied introduction to the old warhorse "On Green Dolphin Street," though this standard sounds very fresh in the hands of the trio, featuring terrific breaks by each musician. The slowly savored interpretation of Thad Jones' lush "A Child Is Born" is yet another highlight, as is the intense workout of "Yesterdays." It seems unfair that Joe Diorio has not been more widely recognized within the jazz community, but those who discover the music on this highly recommended CD will quickly become devoted fans. ~Ken Dryden

Live

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Ella Fitzgerald needs no introduction to most jazz fans because the "First Lady of Swing" had a remarkably productive recording and performing career that spanned from the mid '30s until around 1990, when multiple health problems forced her into retirement. Ella was 44 in 1961, recording several albums a year for Verve and managed by impresario Norman Granz, who was very interested in seeing that the singer earned a hefty income from concert bookings and record royalties.

This four-CD set consists of live performances made at the Crescendo over 10 nights in 1961, plus a two-day return to the club the following year, during which Granz arranged to record every set. This vast volume of tape produced only one LP, Ella in Hollywood; while some of the songs within it are repeated, none of the issued performances are included in this boxed set. 74 previously unheard selections are the set's bounty. It is peculiar that this relatively small venue had an unusually loud audience response on the earlier album; there is no such artificial applause added to this collection. Although Fitzgerald rarely was recorded in a club setting, she reacts to the intimacy of the venue by connecting with her audience as if she is performing for a small group of close friends. The listener feels like they are at a front-and-center table, taking in Fitzgerald's effortless swing and energy, with her matchless scatting plus lots of fun ad-libs and song quotes, along with recognizing friends and fellow celebrities in the audience.

The energetic interpretation of "Lover, Come Back to Me" signals that Fitzgerald is on fire from the opening of the show. Her slowly savored take of "Baby, Won't You Please Come Home" interpolates both "Am I Blue" and "Blue and Sentimental" in a bluesy setting. Extended workouts of "Perdido," "Take the A Train" and "How High the Moon" feature her matchless scat singing, with the latter song including numerous interpolated song quotes (often messing with the lyrics such as "Sweat Gets in My Eyes") and her campy imitation of a bowed bass. She milks the childish humor in her long-popular hit "A-Tisket, A-Tasket" and swings through an engaging take of "Lullaby of Birdland." The breezy "Joe Williams Blues" is another obscurity in Fitzgerald's discography, as only one other version has ever been released; she never runs out of ideas in her seven-plus minute workout, detouring into "Alright, Okay, You Win," "Fever" and even "Georgia on My Mind" while also scatting up a storm.

Fitzgerald reprises her cheerful rendition of Steve Allen's "This Could Be the Start of Something Big" (though her studio version recorded earlier in the year remained unreleased until the expanded 1989 reissue of Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie). When she recognizes Mack David in the audience, she decides to tackle an impromptu version of "Candy," which she claims not to know and jokes that "Those are the only records of mine that sell." She has trouble remembering the words and continues "The lyrics are not handy / I'm messing up your song" to the delight of the audience. The grand finale consists of Fitzgerald's hilarious series of vocalist impressions in "Bill Bailey, Won't You Please Come Home," which prompts a brief encore of the piece.

Pianist Lou Levy, guitarist Herb Ellis, bassist Wilfred Roland Middlebrooks and drummer Gus Johnson make up Fitzgerald's band on discs 1-3, while pianist Paul Smith and drummer Stan Levey join Middlebrooks on the final disc. The musicians primarily serve a supporting role, as Fitzgerald is the show, though their accompaniment is flawless throughout the collection. The audio is generally excellent (minor miscues like a bumped microphone), with detailed notes and lots of photos in the package, though some fans may be disappointed with the open-top CD cardboard sleeves, which leave the discs exposed to dust and possible scratching. Fitzgerald was always at her best performing live (and thus many of her finest albums are concert recordings). Fans of jazz, vocals and just excellent showmanship will enjoy this limited edition boxed set, which is clearly music for the ages. ~ Ken Dryden  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/ella-fitzgerald-twelve-nights-in-hollywood-by-ken-dryden.php

Personnel: Ella Fitzgerald: vocals; Lou Levy: piano; Paul Smith: piano; Herb Ellis: electric guitar; Wilfred Middlebrooks: bass; Gus Johnson: drums; Stan Levey: drums.

Album: Ella Fitzgerald - Twelve Nights In Hollywood (Disc 1)

Styles: Vocal Jazz  

Bitrate: 320K/s

Year: 2009

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 60:25

Size: 140,2 MB

Art: Front

(0:48)  1. Introduction

(1:55)  2. Lover Come Back To Me

(2:39)  3. Too Close For Comfort

(3:01)  4. Little White Lies

(2:49)  5. On The Sunny Side Of The Street

(2:53)  6. Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive

(3:47)  7. Baby Won't You Please Come Home

(2:28)  8. I Found A New Baby

(2:25)  9. On A Slow Boat To China

(3:15) 10. My Heart Belongs To Daddy

(6:52) 11. Perdido

(2:23) 12. I've Got A Crush On You

(2:10) 13. But Not For Me

(3:03) 14. You Brought A New Kind Of Love To Me

(2:00) 15. Across The Alley From The Alamo

(3:15) 16. I'm Glad There Is You

(3:37) 17. 'Round Midnight

(6:45) 18. Take The 'A' Train

(4:10) 19. Mr. Paganini

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Album: Ella Fitzgerald - Twelve Nights In Hollywood (Disc 2)

Styles: Vocal Jazz  

Bitrate: 320K/s

Year: 2009

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 53:23

Size: 124,0 MB

Art: Front

(2:30)  1. Nice Work If You Can Get It

(3:31)  2. I Can't Get Started

(1:53)  3. Give Me The Simple Life

(2:05)  4. Caravan

(4:18)  5. One For My Baby

(3:16)  6. Lorelei

(1:54)  7. A-Tisket, A-Tasket

(3:04)  8. Witchcraft

(2:31)  9. Gone With The Wind

(3:45) 10. Happiness Is Just A Thing Called Joe

(2:15) 11. It's De-Lovely

(2:41) 12. The Lady Is A Tramp

(3:33) 13. That Old Black Magic

(2:08) 14. Lullaby Of Birdland

(0:39) 15. Ella Introduces The Band

(2:41) 16. Imagination

(3:09) 17. Blue Moon

(7:21) 18. Joe Williams' Blues

Twelve Nights In Hollywood (Disc 1) (Disc 2)

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Album: Ella Fitzgerald - Twelve Nights In Hollywood (Disc 3)

Styles: Vocal Jazz  

Bitrate: 320K/s

Year: 2009

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 75:20

Size: 174,5 MB

Art: Front

(1:39)  1. The Lady's In Love With You

(3:34)  2. Love Is Here To Stay

(3:36)  3. Come Rain Or Come Shine

(2:26)  4. Anything Goes

(2:25)  5. This Could Be The Start Of Something Big

(5:07)  6. Candy

(3:49)  7. Little Girl Blue

(3:30)  8. You're Driving Me Crazy

(2:33)  9. It's All Right With Me

(2:49) 10. Just Squeeze Me (But Please Don't Tease Me)

(2:28) 11. 'S Wonderful

(6:20) 12. How High The Moon

(2:17) 13. Deep Purple

(3:33) 14. In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning

(3:53) 15. Mack The Knife

(4:30) 16. Exactly Like You

(3:35) 17. Rock It For Me

(6:49) 18. Stompin' At The Savoy

(4:11) 19. Love For Sale

(6:05) 20. St. Louis Blues

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Album: Ella Fitzgerald - Twelve Nights In Hollywood (Disc 4)

Styles: Vocal Jazz  

Bitrate: 320K/s

Year: 2009

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 62:32

Size: 145,2 MB

Art: Front

(3:15)  1. All Of Me

(2:38)  2. Hard Hearted Hannah

(2:47)  3. Broadway

(2:42)  4. My Kind Of Boy

(3:56)  5. It Had To Be You

(3:28)  6. C'est Magnifique

(2:49)  7. How Long Has This Been Going On?

(2:10)  8. When Your Lover Has Gone

(2:23)  9. Taking A Chance On Love

(4:24) 10. Good Morning Heartache

(3:24) 11. Clap Hands! Here Comes Charlie!

(2:19) 12. Hallelujah, I Love Him So

(3:25) 13. Angel Eyes

(3:13) 14. Ol' Man Mose

(3:06) 15. Teach Me Tonight

(1:10) 16. Medley: Too Darn Hot • Ella's Twist

(2:42) 17. Too Darn Hot

(5:19) 18. Bewitched

(3:41) 19. Bill Bailey

(3:32) 20. Bill Bailey (Reprise)

Twelve Nights In Hollywood (Disc 3) (Disc 4)

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Jeremy Pelt - Tales, Musings and Other Reveries

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:06
Size: 133,0 MB
Art: Front

(11:04)  1. Glass Bead Games
( 7:19)  2. Vonetta
( 5:59)  3. Harlem Thoroughfare
( 5:36)  4. Everything You Can Imagine Is Real
( 6:46)  5. Ruminations On Eric Garner
( 6:32)  6. I Only Miss Her When I Think Of Her
( 6:54)  7. Nephthys
( 7:52)  8. The Old Soul Of The Modern Day Wayfarer

Jeremy Pelt's 12th studio album, 2015's Tales, Musings and Other Reveries, finds the trumpeter continuing on his trajectory of making swaggering yet artful and introspective post-bop. The album follows up his equally compelling releases, 2013's Water and Earth and 2014's Face Forward, Jeremy. As with those albums, Pelt succeeds here in combining all of his disparate stylistic inspirations from swinging, straight-ahead jazz to expansive modalism to soulful fusion into one cohesive sound that is never anything but organic. Even his bold choice of using two drummers here, Billy Drummond (heard in the right channel) and Victor Lewis (heard in the left), never gets in the way of creating utterly lithe, buoyant, and often gorgeous music. Also joining Pelt here are pianist Simona Premazzi and maverick, genre-defying bassist Ben Allison, who add their own forward-thinking touches to Pelt's sophisticated compositions. ~ Matt Collar  http://www.allmusic.com/album/tales-musings-and-other-reveries-mw0002798073

Personnel: Jeremy Pelt (trumpet); Simona Premazzi (piano); Victor Lewis, Billy Drummond (drums).

Tales, Musings and Other Reveries

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Jay Geils, Gerry Beaudoin & The King Of Strings - St

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:32
Size: 146,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:19)  1. Desert Sands
(4:06)  2. The Flat Foot Floogie
(2:56)  3. Jackie's Serenade
(3:48)  4. Sweet Georgia Brown
(7:46)  5. All Blues
(6:26)  6. In a Mellow Tone/ Rose Room
(6:15)  7. Out of Nowhere
(4:26)  8. Blue Benedetto
(4:33)  9. Here's That Rainy Day
(3:10) 10. Minor Swing
(5:49) 11. I Thought About You
(5:04) 12. Take the A Train
(4:49) 13. Sweet One

Veteran guitarists Jay Geils and Gerry Beaudoin, aka the Kings of Strings, welcome to their jazz den a cub, young fiddle phenom Aaron Weinstein. Beaudoin is a Grammy-nominated guitarist and Jay Geils is the iconic founder of the eponymous rock & roll J.Geils Band. Together they hit some nice grooves and breeze us gently through an eclectic, easy-going set of Tin Pan Alley and Swing Era classics, with a few original blues and a timeless bop blues update.

Personnel: Gerry Beaudoin-guitar, Jay Geils-guitar, Aaron Weinstein-violin & mandolin, Bob Nieske-bass, Les Harris Jr-drums

Jay Geils, Gerry Beaudoin & The King Of Strings

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Easy Livin' Organ Trio - Slow News

Size: 53,9 MB
Time: 23:08
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz: Hammond Organ
Art: Front

01. Mr. B's Blues (3:52)
02. I Love Lucy (2:58)
03. Seventh Train (3:40)
04. Borderline (4:16)
05. Dan's Theme (3:08)
06. Slow News (5:12)

Personnel: Lorrie Goodman, Steve Gallatin, Daniel Johnson

Easy Livin Organ Trio is a contemporary jazz trio dedicated to honoring the tradition of swing and blues while reaching out to a new generation of jazz audiences.

Slow News

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Barbara Dane - Livin' With The Blues/Own My Way

Size: 145,6 MB
Time: 62:57
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Jazz/Blues Vocals
Art: Front

01. Livin' With The Blues (2:52)
02. How Long, How Long Blues (2:58)
03. If I Could Be With You (3:08)
04. In The Evenin' (When The Sun Goes Down) (2:55)
05. Bye Bye Blackbird (2:27)
06. A Hundred Years From Today (3:27)
07. Mecca Flat Blues (2:59)
08. Why Don't You Do Right (2:45)
09. Porgy (3:50)
10. Since I Fell For You (2:46)
11. Take It Slow And Easy (2:28)
12. I'm On My Way (2:29)
13. Draggin' My Heart Around (2:08)
14. Crazy Blues (3:26)
15. Goodby Daddy Goodby (2:16)
16. Cake Walking Babies From Home (2:16)
17. Wild Women Don't Have The Blues (2:19)
18. This Little Light Of Mine (3:03)
19. Hurry Up Sundown Let Tomorrow Come (3:27)
20. Good Old Wagon (3:25)
21. The Hammer Song (3:06)
22. Mama Don't Allow No Twistin' (2:17)

Personnel on "Livin’ with the Blues":
Earl 'Fatha' Hines and his Orchestra: Benny Carter (tp); Herbie Harper, John Halliburton out on #1 and 8 (tb); Plas Johnson (ts); Earl Hines (p, arr); Leroy Vinnegar (b); Shelly Manne (d)

Personnel on “On My Way”:
Kenny Whitson Quartet: Kenny Whitson (cnt, tp); Wellman Braud (b); Billy Strange (g); Jesse Sailes or Earl Palmer #12, 18 & 20 (d). On tracks #12 & 18, The Andrews Sisters of Berkeley, and Rocco Wilson, conga, added. On track #20, Ray Johnson, piano, added

Barbara Dane (1927) started her musical career in folk music and traditional jazz circles in the mid Forties, first in her native Detroit and then in San Francisco, where in 1954 she came into contact with some local jazz revivalists, including trombonist Bob Mielke and banjo player Dick Oxtot. During her high school years, she had received training as an operatic contralto, but Mielke and Oxtot encouraged her to probe further into the blues with their band, the Bearcats.

From the time she first stirred interest among aficionados and critics in San Francisco, she developed into virtually the only white singer of classic blues at the time. Both albums here, made in Los Angeles, where she moved to in 1958, show her in excellent company. On “Livin’ with the Blues” (1959), she belts out her message in an all-star group conducted by pianist Earl Hines. It is interesting to hear the splendid trumpet work of Benny Carter, Shelly Manne playing traditional drums, and Plas Johnson soloing to good effect in this context.

“On My Way” (1962) also presents a different side of Miss Dane’s expressiveness: a deep and fervent spirituality as fundamental as her blues. Her accompanying group included pianist and cornet player Kenny Whitson, whose performance—simultaneously in both instruments—is astonishing, particularly on cornet. Barbara Dane is more than a singer, she is also a guitarist, passionately dedicated researcher, friend of forgotten pioneers, and sponsor of unpopular causes.

Livin' With The Blues/Own My Way

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Tom Collier - Alone In The Studio

Size: 144,7 MB
Time: 62:37
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz: Vibraphone/Marimba Jazz
Art: Front

01. Little Green Thing (4:10)
02. Lines (3:04)
03. Double Bars (6:31)
04. Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most (7:00)
05. Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise (3:50)
06. God Only Knows - Here, There, And Everywhere (9:50)
07. Five Brothers (3:51)
08. Anyone Who Had A Heart (7:10)
09. Turning To Spring (4:39)
10. Alone (5:15)
11. Orbital Dance (7:12)

A talented multi-instrumental percussionist, Collier debuted at age 13 on The Lawrence Welk Show. He became intrigued with jazz and odd time signatures through Brubeck. Relocating to Los Angeles in 1974, he played with Ernie Watts, Bill Holman, Shelly Manne, Howard Roberts, Bobby Shew, and Don Ellis. He joined the faculty at the University of Washington in 1980, and has recorded three albums as a leader. ~ by David Szatmary

Alone In The Studio

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Miss Georgia Bridgwater - The Sultry Song Stylings Of...

Size: 75,8 MB
Time: 32:25
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz/Soul Vocals
Art: Front

01. Why Don't You Do Right (2:32)
02. My Funny Valentine (3:05)
03. Gee Baby Ain't I Good To You (2:36)
04. Makin' Whoopee (3:09)
05. Whatever Lola Wants (2:38)
06. With Every Breath I Take (3:41)
07. You've Changed (4:46)
08. 'Round Midnight (4:06)
09. You Do Something To Me (2:12)
10. Smile (3:35)

Introducing, all the way from Manchester, England, the sultry song stylings and inimitable charm of Miss Georgia Bridgwater. With a voice that has been described as ‘melted chocolate,‘ and a striking Pin Up inspired image, this self confessed Jessica Rabbit wannabe will make your jaw drop and hair stand on end with her sultry vocals and bombshell vibe.

Miss Georgia’s musical taste knows no bounds, with big influences including Steely Dan’s unconventional chord progressions, Tower of Power’s epic horn lines, Big Hair bands of the 70s and 80s such as Whitesnake and Heart, and not forgetting vocal inspiration from the likes of Bonnie Raitt, Susan Tedeschi and Stevie Nicks, as well as the Jazz greats- Ella and Nina to name but a few.

Miss Georgia lives to entertain a live audience, and has spent the last few years travelling the world performing to crowds of up to 2000 per night for the prestigious Qdos Productions on board Celebrity Cruise Lines, leading to the development of her own headliner show. she has recently settled in Dallas, Texas, and has some exciting new projects up her sleeve, including an original collaboration with Justin wade and will foraker, working title: 'miss georgia and the gentlemen callers.' Whether showcasing her original material, blues classics, jazz standards or rock anthems, her infectious personality and dazzling presence will certainly keep georgia on your mind.

The Sultry Song Stylings Of...

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Anat Cohen - Luminosa

Size: 140,3 MB
Time: 60:21
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz: Post-Bop
Art: Front

01. Lilia (5:58)
02. Putty Boy Strut (4:39)
03. Ima (4:03)
04. Bachiao (Feat. Romero Lubambo) (3:35)
05. Cais (Feat. Romero Lubambo) (9:44)
06. Happy Song (3:49)
07. In The Spirit Of Baden (Feat. Romero Lubambo) (5:21)
08. Ternura (6:30)
09. Espinha De Bacalhau (4:44)
10. Beatriz (Feat. Romero Lubambo) (4:32)
11. The Wein Machine (Feat. Gilad Hekselman) (7:21)

Anat Cohen's music is literally all over the map. Across her previous six albums, Cohen has explored the sounds of America, Brazil, France, Cuba, South Africa, and her homeland, Israel; she's addressed the work of John Coltrane, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Benny Goodman, Abdullah Ibrahim, Sam Cooke, Jacques Brel, Edith Piaf, Louis Armstrong, Ernesto Lecuona, Luiz Bonfa, and numerous others; and she's delivered original material that speaks to her ceaseless globetrotting. Here, she continues to explore a wide range of music, but there's a bit more focus on a single locale.

A strong Brazilian current runs through Luminosa. With three Milton Nascimento-associated pieces, two performances from a choro outfit, and key contributions from guitarist Romero Lubambo and percussionist Gilmar Gomes, many may simply look at this as a Brazilian-themed album. But that's not what this is. For Luminosa also contains a dimension-rich take on Flying Lotus' perky and mechanized "Putty Boy Strut," Cohen originals like the touching "Ima" and the excitable "Happy Song," and music that defies easy categorization. Luminosa, like every other Cohen release, is simply the artist's extension of self.

The aforementioned tracks prove to be album highlights, but there's lots more to admire here. "Beatriz," an intimate beauty that features Cohen's bass clarinet, is unforgettable; Choro Aventuroso—Cohen, accordionist Vitor Goncalves, guitarist Cesar Garabini , and pandiero virtuoso Sergio Krakowski—shines on "Ternura," which sings with a sense of longing, and "Espinha De Bacalhau," which comes off as sunny and gleeful; and Cohen's tenor saxophone makes for a good match with Gilad Hekselman's guitar on "The Wein Machine." Luminosa, like Claroscuro (Anzic Records, 2012) before it, manages to be both expansive and cohesive. It's another strong showing from one of jazz's shining stars. by Dan Bilawsky

Personnel: Anat Cohen: clarinet, bass clarinet, tenor saxophone; Jason Lindner: piano, Wurlitzer electronic piano, analog synthesizer; Joe Martin: bass; Daniel Freedman: drums; Gilmar Gomes: percussion (1, 2, 4, 5, 7); Romero Lubambo: guitar (4, 5, 7, 10); Gilad Hekselman: guitar (11); Vitor Goncalves: accordion (8, 9); Cesar Garabini: 7-string guitar (8, 9); Sergio Krakowski: pandeiro (8, 9).

Luminosa

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Carol Fran - Gulf Coast Blues: The Frantastic Carol Fran

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:47
Size: 116.3 MB
Styles: R&B, Blues-jazz vocals
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[4:37] 1. Don't Deceive Me
[3:10] 2. I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter
[3:01] 3. You're Nobody Until Somebody Loves You
[4:45] 4. You Don't Know Me
[3:39] 5. Ain't Misbehaving
[3:12] 6. I Know
[3:15] 7. I Love You So
[3:44] 8. Cold Cold Heart
[3:03] 9. Don't You Want To Go
[4:03] 10. Went Up On The Mountain
[4:01] 11. Looking For Love
[4:13] 12. Take My Husband
[5:59] 13. Sick And Tired

Born in Lafayette, Louisiana, this highly accomplished pianist and singer’s outstanding talent has paved the way for her prominence in the best Gulf Coast nightclubs, several East Coast recording studios, and, most recently, a series of European music festivals.

It all began when she won a local talent contest at the age of 15 and hit the road with the likes of 1950s blues pioneer Guitar Slim and 1960s soul icon Joe Tex. Along the way, she had several regional hits before cutting “Crying in the Chapel” in New York City in 1965, a classic that was just about to break nationwide when none other than Elvis Presley stole her thunder by putting out a version of his own. After relocating to Miami during the 1970s, Fran moved back home to the Gulf Coast and reunited with an old acquaintance, guitarist Clarence Holliman, a driving musical force behind Charles Brown, Dionne Warwick, the original Jazz Crusaders, and more. As a duo, the two performed and recorded to great acclaim throughout the 1990s.

This recording is Fran’s first musical outing since Holliman passed away in 2000. Backed by guitar, bass, and drums, she turns in some intensely upbeat and swinging performances, astounding treatments that highlight a diversity of styles, from nightclub ballads and in-the-groove classic jazz to rollicking blues and hard-rocking R&B. Check out Hank Williams’ “Cold, Cold Heart” done, according to Fran, “Dinah Washington-style,” the sultry “You Don’t Know Me,” a Fran & Holliman staple, or her fired-up version of the New Orleans R&B classic “Sick and Tired,” to sample some of this soulful lady’s exquisite talent. We think you’ll be pleased and more than a little surprised by this powerhouse release.

Gulf Coast Blues: The Frantastic Carol Fran

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Clare Fischer & Friends - Rockin' In Rhythm

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:36
Size: 159.3 MB
Styles: Latin jazz
Year: 1997
Art: Front

[ 8:05] 1. O Canto
[ 5:58] 2. Speak Low
[ 5:24] 3. O Pato Takes A Train
[ 5:50] 4. Rockin' In Rhythm
[ 6:28] 5. Blues At Play
[ 5:38] 6. Donde
[ 4:34] 7. Passarinho
[ 6:35] 8. Sakura
[ 4:57] 9. Dance The Samba With Me
[12:08] 10. Baroque
[ 3:53] 11. Moleque

Ever-creative keyboardist-composer Clare Fischer is back with another great Latin-infused issue, full of strong melodies and infectious rhythms. The session features six singers who apply the Hi-Lo's voices-as-instruments sound to original charts and jazz hits.

Fischer's inventive merging of "Take the 'A' Train" with a Brazilian song "O Pato" that has the same opening changes creates a joyous groove on "O Pato Takes 'A' Train." The title track is played in Cuban 6/4 time, while the standard "Speak Low" is given a 3/2 signature. Every track is a jubilant celebration of Latin music, with Fischer's liner notes providing a valuable listening guide. The session's sextet includes Don Shelton, formerly with the Hi-Lo's and Singers Unlimited, who both sings and plays reeds; Fischer's son, Brent, on electric bass; guitarist John Pisano and percussionists Walfredo Reyes and Michito Sanchez. ~Patricia Myers

Rockin' In Rhythm

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Marc Copland & Vic Juris - Double Play

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:50
Size: 141.5 MB
Styles: Post bop, Piano & guitar jazz
Year: 2002
Art: Front

[7:02] 1. Who Can I Turn To
[6:54] 2. I Loves You Porgy
[8:03] 3. Dark Territory
[5:37] 4. Stella By Starlight
[5:52] 5. Vaults
[5:06] 6. Jive Samba
[8:22] 7. I Concentrate On You
[5:37] 8. Blackbird
[3:33] 9. Twenty Five
[5:39] 10. Con Alma

This warm duo collaboration between pianist Marc Copland and guitarist Vic Juris is a textbook example of a well-planned and executed studio date. Starting with an imaginative treatment of "Who Can I Turn To," the chemistry between the two musicians is apparent in their support of each other's solos as well as in the crisp interplay. Other standards, such as "I Loves You, Porgy" and "Stella By Starlight," also display a freshness even though they have been recorded countless times by many other jazz artists. The originals by each man deserve attention as well; both Copland's brooding "Dark Territory" and Juris' "Vaults" have a haunting sound, while the breezy bop of the guitarist's "Twenty Five" is pure joy. Nat Adderley's "Jive Samba" takes on a darker tone in their intriguing arrangement, and the last-minute suggestion of Dizzy Gillespie's "Con Alma" proves to be the perfect closer, with Copland's lush chords accompanied by Juris on acoustic guitar in a very deliberate performance. This outstanding session deserves to be ranked alongside any of the landmark piano/guitar duo recordings one can name. ~Ken Dryden

Double Play

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Various - Cha Cha Party

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:59
Size: 132.7 MB
Styles: Afro-Cuban jazz, Latin rhythms
Year: 2001
Art: Front

[4:17] 1. Poncho Sanchez - Bodacious Q
[5:23] 2. Mongo Santamaria - Day Tripper
[5:48] 3. Tito Puente - Oye Como Va
[6:09] 4. Caribbean Jazz Project - Jamboree
[5:45] 5. Ray Barretto - Killer Joe
[3:42] 6. Poncho Sanchez - Watermelon Man
[6:14] 7. Cal Tjader - Soul Sauce (Guachi Guaro)
[5:38] 8. Ray Vega - Boperation
[4:25] 9. Ed Calle - Rum & Coke (Cuba Libre)
[5:06] 10. Pete Escovedo - 'ah' Bailar Cha-Cha-Cha
[5:28] 11. Poncho Sanchez, Ray Vega - Besame Mama

Cha Cha has the distinction of being one of the most dominant "pop" rhythms of the last 40 to 50 years and is characterized as having an upbeat, infectious rhythm, which creates a sense of playfulness and flirtation. The Cha Cha is said to be a combination of the Mambo and the American Swing.

Cha Cha is a Cuban innovation of the old Latin form (danson). Originally known as the Cha-Cha-Cha the Cha Cha became popular about 1954. Cha Cha is an off-shoot of the Latin dance 'Mambo'. In the slow Mambo tempo, there is a distinct sound in the music that people began dancing to, calling the step the "Triple" Mambo. Eventually it evolved into a separate dance, today known as the Cha Cha.

Cha Cha Party

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Harry 'Sweets' Edison & Jonah Jones - S/T

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:38
Size: 145.7 MB
Styles: Mainstream jazz, Trumpet jazz
Year: 1985
Art: Front

[ 8:08] 1. Black Orpheus
[ 6:59] 2. Keester Parade
[ 7:31] 3. The Shadow Of Your Smile
[ 9:08] 4. Seven Eleven
[10:48] 5. Ode To Billie Joe
[ 1:07] 6. Don't Get Around Much Anymore
[ 2:16] 7. I Let A Song
[ 2:57] 8. Mood Indigo
[ 4:15] 9. It Don't Mean A Thing
[ 3:11] 10. Caravan
[ 3:04] 11. Take The A Train
[ 4:07] 12. The Sheik Of Araby

A talented and flashy trumpeter, Jonah Jones hit upon a formula in 1955 that made him a major attraction for a decade; playing concise versions of melodic swing standards and show tunes muted with a quartet. But although the non-jazz audience discovered Jones during the late '50s, he had already been a very vital trumpeter for two decades. Jones started out playing on a Mississippi riverboat in the 1920s. He freelanced in the Midwest (including with Horace Henderson), was briefly with Jimmie Lunceford (1931), had an early stint with Stuff Smith (1932-1934), and then spent time with Lil Armstrong's short-lived orchestra and the declining McKinney's Cotton Pickers. Jones became famous for his playing with Stuff Smith's Onyx club band (1936-1940), recording many exciting solos. He gigged with Benny Carter and Fletcher Henderson and became a star soloist with Cab Calloway (1941-1952), staying with the singer even after his big band became a combo. Jones played Dixieland with Earl Hines (1952-1953), toured Europe in 1954 (including a brilliant recording session with Sidney Bechet), and then led his quartet at the Embers (1955), hitting upon his very successful formula. His shuffle version of "On the Street Where You Live" was the first of many hits and he recorded a long series of popular albums for Capitol during 1957-1963, switching to Decca for a few more quartet albums in 1965-1967. Jonah Jones recorded a fine date with Earl Hines for Chiaroscuro (1972) and still played on an occasional basis in the 1980s and early '90s; he died April 30, 2000, at the age of 91.

Harry "Sweets" Edison (1919-1999) is one of the few players in the history of jazz trumpet who could be instantly identified after only a few notes; along with Bobby Hackett, he was acknowledged as one of the few master trumpet accompanists. Born in Columbus, Ohio, Edison moved to Louisville, Kentucky to live with his uncle, a coal miner and farmer. It was his uncle who first exposed Edison to music, first teaching him to play a pump organ. Edison later found an old cornet in the house and taught himself scales. He cited early exposure to recordings of Louis Armstrong backing up Bessie Smith as important influences on his playing.

In 1952, Edison moved to California, where he established himself as a stalwart studio musician and first call trumpet soloist for the influential arranger Nelson Riddle. He would record with Sinatra for six years, and fill similar roles on recordings Bing Crosby, Billy Daniels, Nat Cole, Margaret Whiting, Jerry Lewis and Ella Fitzgerald, and played on many film soundtracks. (His commercial work and the studio pension system provided him $800 a week for the rest of his life, giving him a great deal of prosperity later in life.) During this time, Edison also led his own band in Los Angeles, and toured with Norman Granz's all-star Jazz at the Philharmonic unit. During the Fifties he recorded frequently with Shorty Rogers' Giants. He played in the bands led by Henry Mancini, Quincy Jones, Buddy Rich and Louie Bellson, plus frequent guest appearances with the Basie band. Edison taught music seminars at Yale University and was honoured as a 'master musician' in 1991 with a National Endowment for the Arts Award at the Kennedy Center.

Harry "Sweets" Edison (trumpet); Jerome Richardson (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone); Charles Coker (piano); Earl Palmer , Paul Humphrey (drums).

Harry 'Sweets' Edison & Jonah Jones

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Marty Paich - I Get A Boot Out Of You

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 35:05

Size: 80.3 MB

Styles: Bop, Cool

Year: 1959/2010/2014

Art: Front

[3:10] 1. It Don't Mean A Thing

[4:20] 2. No More

[4:25] 3. Love For Sale

[4:59] 4. Moanin'

[4:04] 5. Violets For Your Furs

[5:30] 6. What Am I Here For Cottontail

[4:23] 7. Warm Valley

[4:12] 8. Things Ain't What They Used To Be

The last of three Marty Paich albums reissued by Discovery in the early 1980s, this outing finds the arranger featuring a 13-piece band with such all-stars as altoist Art Pepper (showcased on "Violets for Your Furs"), trumpeters Jack Sheldon and Conte Candoli, tenorman Bill Perkins, vibraphonist Victor Feldman and pianist Russ Freeman. Paich does not play any piano this time around, but he contributed the eight arrangements. The selections are all jazz standards, with Paich's reinterpretations of such numbers as "It Don't Mean a Thing," "Moanin'" and "Things Ain't What They Used to Be" making even the most familiar songs sound fresh. This LP is well worth searching for. ~Scott Yanow

I Get A Boot Out Of You

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Jessica Molaskey & Dave Frishberg - At the Algonquin

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:45
Size: 119,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:19)  1. Who's On First?
(2:42)  2. Slappin' the Cakes On Me
(3:53)  3. I'm Hip
(4:14)  4. My Attorney Bernie
(1:16)  5. Introduction for Will You Die?
(3:32)  6. Will You Die?
(4:50)  7. Excuse Me for Living
(3:19)  8. I Want to Be a Sideman
(3:43)  9. Heart's Desire
(0:45) 10. Introduction for Long Daddy Green
(4:42) 11. Long Daddy Green
(4:26) 12. My New Celebrity Is You
(3:59) 13. Do You Miss New York?
(3:18) 14. Can't Take You Nowhere
(0:16) 15. Introduction for Listen Here
(3:21) 16. Listen Here

The Algonquin Hotel's Oak Room was long a favorite of jazz artists who warmed to its intimate setting, excellent piano, and attentive audiences, though it closed for good at the start of 2012. This live set featuring pianist/vocalist/composer Dave Frishberg and vocalist Jessica Molaskey features music from an entire performance in March 2011, not the highlights of several nights, focusing on Frishberg's pieces. The pianist has plenty of experience playing for singers, having made a series of recordings with Rebecca Kilgore and accompanying greats like Jimmy Rushing, among others. Molaskey is a seasoned Broadway performer who has frequently worked with guitarist John Pizzarelli (her husband) on live dates, as well as his and her own CDs. Together Frishberg and Molaskey make quite a team, with a playful attitude and rapport that makes it seem like they've been a team for years. With the exception of two new songs, most of the material will be familiar to Frishberg's fans. 

Old favorites include the hilarious "I'm Hip" (co-written with another funny pianist/vocalist/composer, Bob Dorough), the side-splitting samba "My Attorney Bernie," the whimsical "Do You Miss New York?," and a rollicking version of "Can't Take You Nowhere." Frishberg has his serious side as well, delivering a thoughtful "Long Daddy Green," while Molaskey's touching performances of the pianist's lyric to "Heart's Desire" and Frishberg's solo finale of his introspective "Listen Here" also stand out. The new material was written for a theater project about the famous writers who held court in the Algonquin bar back in the 1930s and '40s. The duo excels in the witty "Will You Die?," a piece about Dorothy Parker's numerous suicide attempts, while Molaskey's acting skills come across in her interpretation of "Excuse Me for Living." The Algonquin's Oak Room may no longer play host to live music, but it's a safe bet that this won't be the last time Dave Frishberg and Jessica Molaskey join forces to entertain appreciative audiences. ~ Ken Dryden  

http://www.allmusic.com/album/at-the-algonquin-mw0002392491

Personnel: Dave Frishberg (vocals, piano); Jessica Molaskey (vocals).

At the Algonquin

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Joe Williams and Friends - I Just Want to Sing

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:55
Size: 133,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:07)  1. Corner Pocket:  Until I Met You
(3:41)  2. What a Difference a Day Made
(5:26)  3. Sawmill Blues
(4:20)  4. It's Later Than You Think
(4:27)  5. All the Things You Are
(4:49)  6. After You've Gone
(5:06)  7. Fat and Forty
(3:15)  8. War No More
(3:22)  9. It's Not Easy Being White
(5:09) 10. Dimples
(4:45) 11. Young And Foolish
(3:39) 12. I Was a Fool
(6:44) 13. I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good

For this session, Joe Williams is backed by such master jazzmen as trumpeter Thad Jones, the contrasting tenors of Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis and Benny Golson and guitarist John Collins. The material varies from the dated humor of "It's Not Easy Being White" to classic versions of "Until I Met You" and "I Got It Bad." Joe Williams is in prime form, and this is one of his better sessions from his later years. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/i-just-wanna-sing-mw0000649786

Personnel:  Vocals – Joe Williams;  Bass – John Heard;  Drums – Gerryck King;  Guitar – John Collins;  Keyboards – Jerry Peters; Piano – Norman Simmons; Tenor Saxophone – Benny Golson, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis;  Trumpet – Thad Jones

I Just Want to Sing

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