Victor D'Angelo And Harlem River Jazz - Dance With Us

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:28
Size: 134,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:04)  1. Something's Gotta Give
(5:27)  2. Willow Weep For Me
(5:48)  3. You're My Thrill
(4:11)  4. How Insensitive
(5:21)  5. A Night In Tunisia
(5:10)  6. Love For Sale
(4:19)  7. It's Delovely
(4:32)  8. Cry Me A River
(4:56)  9. Lost In A Fog
(3:30) 10. My Reverie
(7:14) 11. Don't Explain
(4:51) 12. Come Sunday

The Dance With Us album is a colabaration with some wonderful jazz artists from New York City. They are Lafayette Harris Jr.(Piano and Band leader), Paul Beaudry (Bass), Dion Parson (Drums and Percussion), Ron Jackson (Guitar) and Victor Provost (Seel Pan). The band has been playing together for years at the famous Lenox Lounge (Jazz Club in Harlem). 

When they got together in the studio it was like recording a live album. The general comments about the album are: Great music, great vocals, and a wonderful concept album, Dance with Us/Harlem River Jazz

The vocalist is quoted as saying, "Nat King Cole and Ella Fitzgerald have inspiried me and still do." http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/victordangelo

Dance With Us

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Bill Evans - The Sideman Years

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:36
Size: 163.9 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[3:37] 1. Kimona My House
[5:17] 2. Like Someone In Love
[2:49] 3. Ev'ry Night About This Time
[4:36] 4. I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good
[4:33] 5. Mother Of Earl
[7:09] 6. Indian Summer
[1:51] 7. Deep Purple
[6:05] 8. Aeolian Drinking Song
[3:23] 9. 'round About Midnight
[3:56] 10. Vanilla Frosting On A Beef Pie
[4:41] 11. You Stepped Out Of A Dream
[3:58] 12. How High The Moon
[5:47] 13. Idol Of The Flies
[3:43] 14. Ogling Ogre
[5:06] 15. Love Letters
[4:58] 16. Avid Admirer

Bill Evans (p), Tony Scott (cl), Jimmy Knepper (tb), Gene Quill (as), Dick Garcia, Joe Puma (g), Jerry Bruno, Oscar Pettiford, Les Grinage, Teddy Kotick (b), Camille Morin, Paul Motian, Lennie McBrowne, Dannie Richmond (d), Eddie Costa (vb).

Bill Evans has been one of the most influential pianists—if not one of the most influential musicians—in the history of modern jazz. Everybody who likes piano music enjoys listening to Bill’s playing, and that is why he is so big today, more than 25 years after he died in 1980. When in 1956 he joined the quartet of the acclaimed clarinetist Tony Scott, Bill’s playing caused much talk among musicians and big things were predicted for him. “When I started out, I worked very simply, but I always knew what I was doing,” said Evans of that time. In these early recordings as a sideman, Bill Evans demonstrates, with apparent effortlessness and without straining for gimmicks, what a strong and intelligent improviser he already was in those early years.

The Sideman Years

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Helen Merrill - S/T

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 32:38
Size: 74.7 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz, Standards
Year: 1955/1999
Art: Front

[5:09] 1. Don't Explain
[4:17] 2. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
[4:58] 3. What's New
[3:51] 4. Falling In Love With Love
[5:57] 5. Yesterdays
[5:12] 6. Born To Be Blue
[3:12] 7. 's Wonderful

Recording Date: December 22, 1954 - December 24, 1954.

Though she eventually came to be known as a "singer's singer," Helen Merrill's 1954 debut is an unmitigated success of mainstream jazz. Besides introducing the uniquely talented young singer, the date also featured small-group arrangements by Quincy Jones and marks the introduction of another future star, trumpeter Clifford Brown. Formidable as his playing is, Brown never overshadows Merrill. She is fully up to the challenge on all fronts and enthusiastically tackles uptempo numbers such as "You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To" and "Falling in Love with Love" with aplomb. A winning stylistic combination of cool jazz and hard bop, Merrill particularly excels on Mel Tormé's "Born to Be Blue," making the sophisticated tune her own as she revels in Tormé's down-and-out lyric. ~Richard Mortifoglio

Helen Merrill

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Donald Fagen - Sunken Condos

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:44
Size: 100.1 MB
Styles: Jazz-blues
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[5:08] 1. Slinky Thing
[4:28] 2. I'm Not The Same Without You
[4:13] 3. Memorabilia
[5:25] 4. Weather In My Head
[4:33] 5. The New Breed
[4:51] 6. Out Of The Ghetto
[4:40] 7. Miss Marlene
[4:51] 8. Good Stuff
[5:33] 9. Planet D'rhonda

It took Donald Fagen nearly a quarter century to release his Nightfly Trilogy, which started with 1982’s ‘The Nightfly’ and wrapped up with 2006’s ‘Morph the Cat.’ ‘Sunken Condos,’ the fourth solo album by the Steely Dan singer, is a slightly looser record than its predecessors, with more emphasis on groove this time around. And it sounds like it could be the next chapter in the solo odyssey Fagen started 30 years ago. Maybe it has something to do with his recent tour with the Dukes of September Rhythm Revue, which included soulful old friends Michael McDonald and Boz Scaggs, or maybe it has to do with the 64-year-old Fagen settling into his AARP years, but he doesn’t sound so uptight here. And let’s face it: Steely Dan were one of the ‘70s fussiest bands, so obsessed with getting every single detail right in their songs that they quit touring in the middle of their peak decade (they finally hit the road again in support of Fagen’s 1993 album ‘Kamakiriad’ and Steely Dan’s 2000 comeback LP ‘Two Against Nature’).

Either way, ‘Sunken Condos’ is jazzy, bluesy and as musically precise as anything Fagen has recorded, with or without Steely Dan. No surprise, since many of the musicians have played with him in one form or another over the years. And he still doesn’t take the short way around. Most of the nine songs make room for efficient solos, tasteful backing vocals and the cleanest production this side of the late 1970s. ~Michael Galucci

Sunken Condos

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Earl 'Fatha' Hines Quartet - Lost 1971 Studio Masterpiece

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:57
Size: 91.5 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[2:43] 1. Little Girl
[5:14] 2. You're Mine, You
[4:35] 3. Coquette
[4:25] 4. Sometimes I'm Happy
[4:16] 5. More Than You Know
[9:49] 6. Texas Ruby Red
[4:49] 7. Ramona
[4:01] 8. Cavernism

Once called "the first modern jazz pianist," Earl Hines differed from the stride pianists of the 1920s by breaking up the stride rhythms with unusual accents from his left hand. While his right hand often played octaves so as to ring clearly over ensembles, Hines had the trickiest left hand in the business, often suspending time recklessly but without ever losing the beat. One of the all-time great pianists, Hines was a major influence on Teddy Wilson, Jess Stacy, Joe Sullivan, Nat King Cole, and even to an extent on Art Tatum. He was also an underrated composer responsible for "Rosetta," "My Monday Date," and "You Can Depend on Me," among others.

Lost 1971 Studio Masterpiece

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Rory Block - 2 albums: Shake 'em On Down / I'm Every Woman

Album: Shake 'em On Down
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:27
Size: 115.9 MB
Styles: Contemporary blues
Year: 2011
Art: Full

[4:40] 1. Steady Freddy
[4:53] 2. Mississippi Man
[4:02] 3. Kokomo Blues
[5:17] 4. Good Morning Little School Girl
[4:53] 5. What's The Matter Now?
[4:15] 6. Shake 'em On Down
[3:43] 7. Worried Mind
[3:41] 8. The Man That I'm Lovin'
[3:11] 9. Ancestral Home
[4:21] 10. The Breadline
[3:30] 11. Woke Up This Morning
[3:55] 12. Write Me A Few Of Your Lines

When she paid tribute to Robert Johnson on her 2006 album The Lady and Mr. Johnson, Rory Block tried to replicate Johnson's style exactly. She was not so reverent on 2008's Blues Walkin' Like a Man, a tribute to Son House, and on the third album she considers part of her Mentor Series, she takes some creative license with Mississippi Fred McDowell on Shake ‘Em on Down. One difference is that she actually met House and McDowell, which seems to have freed her to take a more creative approach. She acknowledges that McDowell's driving, repetitive playing also served as a challenge, noting that he played more for dancing, intent on keeping a constant rhythm, than with any sense of virtuosity. And while she has counted the number of times a given figure might have been repeated in a particular performance of one of his songs, in her own versions she has added solo guitar lines to the basic riffs and also included other features, such as overdubbed vocal choruses. She also has written songs concerning McDowell, such as the leadoff track, "Steady Freddy," an imagined autobiography, and its successor, "Mississippi Man," her account of meeting the bluesman when she was 15. And she has adapted some of his songs, switching gender on "Good Morning Little School Girl" (which she acknowledges uneasily as being about "child predation") and "The Girl That I'm Lovin'." All of this is to say that she has applied a fan and scholar's attention as well as an artist's vision to McDowell and his work, demonstrating that a tribute requires both. ~William Ruhlmann

thank you kempen.
Shake 'em On Down

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Album: I'm Every Woman
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:33
Size: 113.5 MB
Styles: Contemporary blues
Year: 2002
Art: Full

[1:14] 1. Guitar Ditty 1
[3:43] 2. I'm Every Woman
[3:05] 3. Fool For You
[1:26] 4. Sea Lion Woman (& Gaye Adegbalola)
[3:57] 5. Ain't No Grave Can Hold My Body Down (& Jordan Block Valdina)
[3:39] 6. Tired Of Being Alone
[4:27] 7. Love Tko
[2:22] 8. Rock Island Line (& Paul Rishell & Annie Raines)
[5:45] 9. Talkin' 'bout My Man
[3:30] 10. Ain't Nothin' Like The Real Thing (& Keb' Mo')
[5:14] 11. Pretty Polly
[5:06] 12. Hold On-Change Is Coming (& Rev. Herb Sheldon).
[5:34] 13. I Feel Like Breaking Up Somebody's Home.
[0:24] 14. Guitar Ditty 2

After listening to the opening track of I'm Every Woman, one might be inclined to expect 45 minutes of acoustic blues to follow. "Guitar Ditty" features no more than a girl and her guitar with a great big sound. It's quite surprising, then, when Rory Block cuts loose on the title cut, a pastiche of slide guitar, disco beat, and funky '70s orchestra. Clearly, the listener isn't in the Delta anymore. Indeed, Block pretty much keeps her guitar in the corner of the studio for most of the album, trading her deep blues for a healthy dose of soul, a bit of gospel, and few other odds and ends. It's probably impossible to compare I'm Every Woman to Confessions of a Blues Singer, Block's 1998 recording. One features songs by Robert Johnson, Charlie Patton, and Blind Willie McTell; the other, by Al Green and Ashford-Simpson. One maintains a fairly straightforward production, centering on acoustic guitar and vocals; the other jumps from guitar ditties to a cappella gospel to full-tilt boogie. Kelly Joe Phelps lends his vocals and a nice bit of guitar to "Pretty Polly," while Annie Raines and Paul Rishell help out on a stirring vocal version of "Rock Island Line." Block also successfully tackles Bonnie Raitt/Toni Price territory with the vibrant "I Feel Like Breaking Up Somebody's Home." While there are several memorable moments on I'm Every Woman, the overall approach seems more scattershot than eclectic, and will confuse and perhaps anger Block's fans. ~Ronnie D. Lankford Jr.

thank you kempen.
I'm Every Woman

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Benny Golson - My Funny Valentine

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 78:51
Size: 180.5 MB
Styles: Hard bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[4:32] 1. My Funny Valentine
[3:31] 2. Lament
[6:03] 3. Blues On Down
[5:49] 4. Hi-Fly
[3:02] 5. The Cool One
[5:53] 6. Wonder Why
[4:52] 7. Bean Bag
[3:17] 8. Five Spot After Dark
[5:00] 9. Con Alma
[2:45] 10. The Best Thing For You Is Me
[4:09] 11. My Heart Belongs To Daddy
[3:01] 12. Impromptune
[3:33] 13. Little Karin
[1:33] 14. You're My Thrill
[4:24] 15. Swing It
[4:45] 16. I Fall In Love Too Easily
[5:13] 17. The Touch
[3:33] 18. Time
[3:46] 19. Out Of This World

This 1960 session from the Jazztet, featuring tenor saxophonist Benny Golson and trumpeter Art Farmer, is a swinging, straight-ahead date. The follow-up to the ensemble's debut, 1960's Meet the Jazztet, Big City Sounds includes the midtempo groover "The Cool One," which echoes Golson's previous hit, "Killer Joe." ~Matt Collar

My Funny Valentine

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Nicki Parrott - Angel Eyes

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:59
Size: 136,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:08)  1. I Wanna Be Around
(3:23)  2. You Make Me Feel So Young
(4:39)  3. The Nearness Of You
(3:11)  4. I'll Never Be The Same
(4:34)  5. The Very Thought Of You
(4:10)  6. One For My Baby
(4:06)  7. I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues
(4:53)  8. I Told Ya I Love Ya, Now Get Out
(3:50)  9. I'm Beginning To See The Light
(3:17) 10. Can Anyone Explain (No, No, No)
(2:11) 11. Something's Gotta Give
(4:59) 12. I'm Glad There Is You
(2:46) 13. I Cried For You
(3:02) 14. You Don't Know
(5:45) 15. Angel Eyes

Born in Newcastle, Australia, Nicki started her musical training at age four with the piano, followed by the flute, soon after. Nicki switched to double bass at the age of 15.  After graduating high school she moved to Sydney to study jazz at the New South Wales Conservatorium of Music where she began to play with Australian musicians such as Mike Nock, Dale Barlow, Paul Grabowsky, Bernie McGann, and Ten Part Invention. She also toured Australia with Russian musicians Daniel Kramer and Alexander Fischer and American trumpeters Bobby Shew and Chuck Findley. She continued her studies with various bassists including visiting artists Ray Brown and John Clayton. Nicki was the recipient of two awards, a scholarship to Pan Pacific Music Camps at the age of 16, and first place in the 1992 Jazz Action Society’s Annual Song Competition for her composition “Come and Get It”, which is the opening track of Nicki and her sister Lisa’s debut CD, “Awabakal Suite”. She was also nominated for the annual Australian Young Achievers Award by the Arts Council of Australia who granted her the funds to come to New York to study with Rufus Reid. Nicki came to New York in May 1994. In June 2000, Nicki began performing on Monday nights at the Iridium Jazz Club with the legendary guitarist and inventor, Les Paul. 

As part of the Les Paul Trio, Nicki worked side-by-side with guitar greats from Paul McCartney, Slash, Steve Miller to fellow Aussie, Tommy Emmanuel. Since then she has performed with such notable musicians as Michel Legrand, Joe Wilder, Randy Brecker, Clark Terry, Jose Feliciano, Bucky Pizzarelli, John Pizzarelli, Dick Hyman, Patti Labelle & the New York Pops Orchestra, Harry Allen, Warren Vache, Marlena Shaw, David Krakauer, Ken Peplowski, Ann Hampton Callaway, Bill Mays, Scott Hamilton, Lillian Boutte, Larry Carlton and Houston Person, to name a few.  

In 2007 and 2008, Nicki received back to back honors for Swing Journal’s Best Jazz Vocal Album (“Moon River” and “Fly Me to The Moon”, respectively). In 2010 her album Black Coffee (Venus) received Swing Journal’s Gold Disc award. In 2012, Nicki headlined the Fujitsu Concorde Jazz festival after the release of her eighth CD from Venus Records, “Sakura Sakura”.Nicki has performed at most major festivals around the globe including the Mary Lou Williams Jazz Festival, Newport Jazz Festival, Jazz in July at the 92nd Street Y, Litchfield Jazz Festival, Detroit Jazz Festival, the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival and the Newport Beach Jazz Party, Jazz Ascona and Bern Jazz Festival in Switzerland and many others. Nicki has also performed in several Broadway shows such as “Avenue Q”, “Imaginary Friends”, “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown”, “Summer of ’42” and “Jekyll and Hyde” and has made several television and documentary appearances including “The Gossip Girls”, “Chasing Sound” and “Thank You Les”, which recently debuted on PBS.  http://www.nickiparrott.com/about-us.html

Personnel:  Nicki Parrott, vocals & bass;  John Di Martino, piano

Angel Eyes

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John Scofield - Hand Jive

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:48
Size: 146,5 MB
Art: Front

(7:00)  1. I'll Take Les
(7:43)  2. Dark Blue
(8:08)  3. Do Like Eddie
(5:53)  4. She's So Lucky
(5:28)  5. Checkered Past
(4:47)  6. 7th Floor
(7:38)  7. Golden Daze
(6:11)  8. Don't Shoot The Messenger
(5:39)  9. Whip The Mule
(5:16) 10. Out Of The City

Guitarist John Scofield and tenor saxophonist Eddie Harris make a very complementary team on this upbeat set of funky jazz, for both have immediately identifiable sounds and adventurous spirits. Along with a fine rhythm section that includes Larry Goldings on piano and organ, Scofield and Harris interact joyfully on ten of the guitarist's originals. 

~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/hand-jive-mw0000626033

Personnel: John Scofield (guitar); Eddie Harris (tenor saxophone); Larry Goldings (piano, organ); Dennis Irwin (bass); Bill Stewart (drums); Don Alias (percussion).

Hand Jive

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The Dutch Jazz Orchestra - You Go To My Head: Strayhorn And Standards

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:44
Size: 144,8 MB
Art: Front

(7:50)  1. Autumn in New York
(3:40)  2. Where or When
(5:49)  3. The Man I Love
(4:41)  4. I'll Remember April
(4:48)  5. I Don't Stand a Ghost of a Chance
(3:25)  6. Moon River
(6:30)  7. Lover Man
(5:16)  8. You Go To My Head
(2:58)  9. Night and Day
(3:19) 10. Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man
(2:56) 11. I'll Buy That Dream
(4:18) 12. Skylark
(4:33) 13. I've Got the World on a String
(2:35) 14. Yesterdays

The ballad component of the Great American Songbook has seldom sounded better than it does on this marvelous collaboration between the superlative Dutch Jazz Orchestra and the brilliant composer / arranger Billy Strayhorn, who wrote these exquisite charts for the Duke Ellington Orchestra over two decades beginning in the early ’40s. Eight of the arrangements are presented here for the first time, with four others preserved solely on hard-to-find radio broadcasts, and only two “Where or When” and “Lover Man” ever recorded commercially, the last in an abridged form. The most recent, a delightfully brisk cruise along Henry Mancini’s “Moon River,” dates from around 1962, five years before Strayhorn’s death at age fifty one. “Where or When” and “Lover Man” are sung by Marjorie Barnes, as are Hoagy Carmichael’s “Skylark” and Jerome Kern’s “Yesterdays.” Nothing is said about Barnes in the liner notes, but if she’s not an American living in the Netherlands she fashions one of the most remarkable impressions of one I’ve ever heard.

The DJO is loaded with world-class soloists, several of whom  flugel Ack van Rooyen (“Moon River,” “Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man”), clarinetist John Ruocco (“Ghost of a Chance,” “I’ve Got the World on a String”), tenor Toon Roos (“I’ll Remember April”), alto Albert Beltman (“Night and Day”), baritone Nils van Haften (“I’ll Buy That Dream”), pianist Rob van Bavel (“You Go to My Head”) are showcased on the various instrumentals. Van Rooyen escorts Ruocco on “Autumn in New York,” trombonist Martijn Sohier on “The Man I Love,” while Roos adds shapely commentary on three of the four vocal tracks. Strayhorn was nearly as prolific as he was gifted, and close to six hundred of his elegant arrangements survive. Thanks to the DJO and Strayhorn scholar Walter van de Leur, at least some of them are now accessible in state-of-the-art digital sound. This is the second DJO / Strayhorn album I’ve heard (the other is Portrait of a Silk Thread, Dutch Jazz 95001). Challenge Records has apparently produced two others, So This Is Love (CHR 70091) and Something to Live For (CHR 70092). If they are anywhere near as grand and rewarding as You Go to My Head, they're worth your attention. 

~Jack Bowers 

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/you-go-to-my-head-billy-strayhorn-and-standards-challenge-records-review-by-jack-bowers.php

Personnel: Marjorie Barnes (vocals); Mieke Honingh (violin); Erica Korthals Altes (viola); Olaf Groesz (cello); Albert Beltman (clarinet, alto saxophone); John Ruocco (clarinet, tenor saxophone); Nils Van Haften (bass clarinet, baritone saxophone); Hans Meijdam (alto saxophone); Toon Roos, Ab Schaap (tenor saxophone); Ack Van Rooijen, Ack Van Rooyen (trumpet, flugelhorn); Jan Hollander, Jan Wessels, Jan Oosthof, Ruud Breuls, Peter Van Soest (trumpet); Bert Van Dijk, Ilja Reijngoud, Martijn Sohier, Hansjörg Fink (trombone); Rob van Bavel (piano); Eric Ineke, Martijn Vink (drums).

You Go To My Head: Strayhorn And Standards

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Red Holloway Quartet - Nica's Dream

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 46:01

Size: 105.3 MB

Styles: Saxophone jazz

Year: 1984/1995

Art: Front

[ 4:19] 1. Reshma Rani Barnase

[10:25] 2. Lover Man

[ 7:52] 3. Love For Sale

[ 7:10] 4. Nica's Dream

[ 5:38] 5. Georgia On My Mind

[ 6:07] 6. 369 Blues

[ 4:27] 7. Wee

Doubling on tenor and alto, Red Holloway shows on this no-nonsense quartet set how strong an improviser he is within the world of bebop. Joined by pianist Horace Parlan, bassist Jesper Lundgaard and drummer Aage Tanggaard, Holloway plays two basic originals and five jazz standards, highlighted by a lengthy "Lover Man," "Love for Sale" and a speedy "Wee." ~Scott Yanow

Recording Date: July 7, 1984

Nica's Dream

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Rose Room - Am I Blue

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:29
Size: 99.6 MB
Styles: Gypsy swing
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[3:04] 1. Me, Myself And I
[3:42] 2. China Boy
[4:31] 3. J'attendrai
[4:14] 4. Bossa Dorado
[3:25] 5. Sweet Sue
[5:41] 6. Am I Blue
[3:30] 7. Songe D'automne
[3:05] 8. 'deed I Do
[3:34] 9. Limehouse Blues
[5:08] 10. I'll See You In My Dreams
[3:29] 11. It's A Sin To Tell A Lie

Scottish Jazz Awards finalists Rose Room have become one of Scotland’s leading ensembles influenced by the Gypsy Jazz genre. Sharing a love of Swing music and the style of the great Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli, their“vigorous and vivacious” performances seem to go “down a storm” with any audience as their 1930s ‘Hot Club’ standards and self-penned originals are always served up with great energy and panache.

Based in Glasgow, the quartet features award-winning virtuoso violinist and vocalist Seonaid Aitken (who also performs with Scottish Opera, folk singer Roddy Woomble and recently orchestrated the music for the BBC/Richard Curtis film ‘Esio Trot’), guitar maker to the stars Jimmy Moon on double bass, and Danny Kyle Award-winners ‘Swing Guitars’ Tam Gallagher and Tom Watson on rhythm and lead guitars respectively.

Am I Blue

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Mike Melvoin - Oh Baby

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 59:22

Size: 135.9 MB

Styles: Straight ahead jazz, Piano jazz

Year: 2007

Art: Front

[6:54] 1. There Is No Greater Love

[6:54] 2. The Melody Is You

[7:22] 3. You And The Night And The Music

[8:34] 4. Sandy

[5:13] 5. North Star

[7:55] 6. I'll Never Smile Again

[6:59] 7. Fifth Power

[5:29] 8. So In Love

[3:59] 9. Oh Baby

Oh Baby is about as good a jazz piano trio album as you’ll ever hear, at least in this millennium. Mike Melvoin is one of the unsung heroes of the music industry, a prolific composer/arranger/producer for countless albums, television shows and films. As a pianist he’s logged more hours in the recording studio than just about any pianist on the planet. He’s been President of NARAS, he’s been the musical director for the Grammy Awards, and now he’s going back to his first love, straight ahead jazz.

With the infectious swing of Ahmad Jamal, the acute harmonic sensitivity of Bill Evans and the deft dexterity of Chick Corea, Mike Melvoin is the consummate jazz pianist. And his sidemen are every bit his equal. John Guerin on drums has impeccable dynamic control that propels the beat but never overwhelms; his solos overflow with taste and musical sensitivity. Brian Bromberg on bass is a phenomenon of nature. The speed at which he plays double- and triple-stops would lead one to believe that he has three or perhaps four arms. And to top it all off, he has impeccable time.

Oh Baby is a fine album by an outstanding jazz pianist and jazz combo. Maybe Mike Melvoin should be onstage receiving a Grammy instead of directing the show. ~William Grim

Mike Melvoin, piano; John Guerin, drums; Brian Bromberg, bass; Tom Scott, alto and soprano saxophone

Oh Baby

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John Lee Hooker - Hooker 'n Heat (2-Disc Set)

When this two-LP set was initially released in January 1971, Canned Heat was back to its R&B roots, sporting slightly revised personnel. In the spring of the previous year, Larry "The Mole" Taylor (bass) and Harvey Mandel (guitar) simultaneously accepted invitations to join John Mayall's concurrent incarnation of the Bluesbreakers. This marked the return of Henry "Sunflower" Vestine (guitar) and the incorporation of Antonio "Tony" de la Barreda (bass), a highly skilled constituent of Aldolfo de la Parra (drums). Sadly, it would also be the final effort to include co-founder Alan "Blind Owl" Wilson, who passed away in September 1970. Hooker 'n Heat (1971) is a low-key affair split between unaccompanied solo John Lee Hooker (guitar/vocals) tunes, collaborations between Hooker and Wilson (piano/guitar/harmonica), as well as five full-blown confabs between Hooker and Heat. The first platter focuses on Hooker's looser entries that vacillate from the relatively uninspired ramblings of "Send Me Your Pillow" and "Drifter" to the essential and guttural "Feelin' Is Gone" or spirited "Bottle Up and Go." The latter being among those with Wilson on piano. Perhaps the best of the batch is the lengthy seven-minute-plus "World Today," which is languid and poignant talking blues, with Hooker lamenting the concurrent state of affairs around the globe. "I Got My Eyes on You" is an unabashed derivative of Hooker's classic "Dimples," with the title changed for what were most likely legal rather than artistic concerns. That said, the readings of the seminal "Burning Hell" and "Bottle Up and Go" kept their familiar monikers intact. The full-fledged collaborations shine as both parties unleash some of their finest respective work. While Canned Heat get top bill -- probably as it was the group's record company that sprung for Hooker 'n Heat -- make no mistake, as Hooker steers the combo with the same gritty and percussive guitar leads that have become his trademark. The epic "Boogie Chillen No. 2" stretches over 11 and a half minutes and is full of the same swagger as the original, with the support of Canned Heat igniting the verses and simmering on the subsequent instrumental breaks with all killer and no filler. The 2002 two-CD pressing by the French Magic Records label is augmented with "It's All Right," with a single edit of "Whiskey and Wimmen." ~Lindsay Planer

John Lee Hooker vocals; guitar; Alan Wilson harmonica; Henry Vestine guitar; Antono de la Barreda bass; Adolfo de la Parra drums.

Not to be confused with the later live recordings Hooker made with Canned Heat at the Fox Venice Theatre (that's currently available on Rhino).

Album: Hooker 'n Heat (Disc 1)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:48
Size: 93.4 MB
Styles: Electric blues
Year: 1971/1991/2005

[3:21] 1. Messin' With The Hook
[4:31] 2. The Feelin' Is Gone
[4:46] 3. Send Me A Pillow
[4:04] 4. Sittin' Here Thinkin
[3:31] 5. Meet Me In The Bottom
[4:30] 6. Alimonia Blues
[4:55] 7. Drifter
[3:14] 8. You Talk Too Much
[5:26] 9. Burning Hell
[2:26] 10. Bottle Up And Go

Hooker 'n Heat (Disc 1)

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Album: Hooker 'n Heat (Disc 2)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:05
Size: 103.2 MB
Styles: Electric blues
Year: 1971/1991/2005
Art: Front

[ 7:44] 1. The World Today
[ 4:24] 2. I Got My Eyes On You
[ 4:34] 3. Whiskey And Wimmen'
[ 7:39] 4. Just You And Me
[ 4:04] 5. Let's Make It
[ 5:05] 6. Peavine
[11:32] 7. Boogie Chillen No. 2

Hooker 'n Heat (Disc 2)

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Bria Skonberg - Fresh

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:39
Size: 97.7 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz, Trumpet jazz
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[3:25] 1. Lovefool
[3:14] 2. Won't You Come Out And Play
[3:14] 3. Just One Of Those Things
[2:29] 4. Come On-A My House
[5:24] 5. Beau Dirk
[4:45] 6. I'll Never Be The Same
[2:47] 7. Almost Like Being In Love
[2:18] 8. Why Do Fools Fall In Love
[3:42] 9. Lucky Devil
[2:32] 10. L.O.V.E
[4:16] 11. Meet Me In Your Dreams
[4:29] 12. Mercedes Benz

Hailing from Chilliwack, BC, and now living in New York City, award winning trumpeter / vocalist / composer Bria Skonberg is "poised to be one of the most versatile and imposing musicians of her generation."- Wall Street Journal.

“Bria Skonberg’s new CD is like a breath of fresh air in a stuffy room…She has a voice that is pure and almost little girl in quality except on bluesey items where she displays some of the authority of Dinah Washington…This is a totally fun album and very contagious. There is never a dull moment…most of all there is the bright, inquisitive talents and spirit of Bria Skonberg who promises to be a mighty musical force.” ~ Marcia Hillman

Fresh

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Ronnie Laws - Tribute To The Legendary Eddie Harris

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:04
Size: 84.9 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz, Funk-jazz
Year: 1997
Art: Front

[3:55] 1. Listen Here
[4:26] 2. Freedom Jazz Dance
[4:27] 3. Boogie Woogie Bossa Nova
[3:58] 4. Cold Duck
[4:27] 5. Sham Time
[5:21] 6. I Don't Want No One But You
[4:02] 7. Hip Hoppin
[6:24] 8. Compared To What

Ronnie Laws' performs eight songs associated with the late, great saxophonist Eddie Harris. In some spots Laws (whose other recordings are in the worlds of jazz-funk and pop) closely copies his early inspiration, but when he tries to sound like himself, he comes across as a fine improviser. Laws (who doubles on tenor and soprano) is joined by a rhythm section including pianist Vernell Brown, Jr.; trumpeter Oscar Brashear makes two welcome appearances (particularly on "Cold Duck Time"). This CD (which is highlighted by lightly funky versions of "Freedom Jazz Dance," "Hip Hoppin'," and "Compared to What") is the first Ronnie Laws release recommended for conservative jazz listeners. ~Scott Yanow

Tribute To The Legendary Eddie Harris

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Anita O'Day With Oscar Peterson Quartet - Anita Sings The Most

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 1957
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:45
Size: 77,8 MB
Art: Front

(2:55)  1. 'S Wonderful/ They Can't Take That Away From Me
(3:19)  2. Tenderly
(2:51)  3. Old Devil Moon
(2:32)  4. Love Me Or Leave Me
(3:36)  5. We'll Be Together Again
(2:03)  6. Stella By Starlight
(2:21)  7. Taking A Chance On Love
(2:36)  8. Them There Eyes
(3:56)  9. I've Got The World On A String
(3:39) 10. You Turned The Tables On Me
(3:53) 11. Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered

Anita O'Day recorded many rewarding albums in the 1950s when her voice was at its strongest, and this collaboration with the Oscar Peterson Quartet (comprised of pianist Peterson, guitarist Herb Ellis, bassist Ray Brown, and drummer John Poole) may very well be her best. Not only is the backup swinging, giving a Jazz at the Philharmonic feel to some of the songs, but O'Day proves that she could keep up with Peterson. "Them There Eyes" is taken successfully at a ridiculously fast tempo, yet the singer displays a great deal of warmth on such ballads as "We'll Be Together Again" and "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered." 

While Peterson and Ellis have some solos, O'Day is never overshadowed (which is saying a lot) and is clearly inspired by their presence. The very brief playing time (just 33 minutes) is unfortunate on this set, but the high quality definitely makes up for the lack of quantity. A gem. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/anita-sings-the-most-mw0000188608

Personnel: Anita O'Day (vocals); Herb Ellis (guitar); Oscar Peterson (piano); Milt Holland, John Poole (drums).

Anita Sings The Most

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Bud Powell - The Best Of Bud Powell On Verve

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:08
Size: 131,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:42)  1. Lady Bird
(2:16)  2. Dance Of The Infidels
(3:13)  3. So Sorry, Please
(2:47)  4. Sweet Georgia Brown
(4:22)  5. Willow Grove (Willow Groove)
(2:25)  6. Tempus Fugit
(2:55)  7. It Never Entered My Mind
(3:37)  8. Bean And The Boys
(2:57)  9. Celia
(3:45) 10. Tea For Two
(3:28) 11. Star Eyes
(3:07) 12. April In Paris
(3:14) 13. Tenderly
(2:59) 14. All God's Chillun Got Rhythm
(4:57) 15. Stairway To The Stars
(3:49) 16. Just One Of Those Things
(2:27) 17. Parisian Thoroughfare

When approaching the work of pioneering bebop pianist Bud Powell, the most vexing question is where to start. In 1994, the year that would have been Powell's 70th had he not died tragically at the age of 42, Verve released a five-disc retrospective titled The Complete Bud Powell on Verve. That box set provides a great starting place for anyone with deep pockets, but for everyone else Verve also released this handy one-disc distillation. It won't be anywhere near enough for Powell fans or, really, for anyone who loves jazz piano, but it is a good place to begin. Most of the signature tunes are here the sprightly "Dance of the Infidels," the kitschily Oriental "So Sorry Please," the potboiler ballads "April in Paris" and "Tenderly," the astonishingly Bach-like "Tempus Fugue-It." 

Everywhere Powell's otherworldly grace and confidence are in evidence; while he made ample use of the jagged harmonic gestures and lightning speed that typified bebop playing, his compositions never sounded anything other than logical and his playing never sounded frantic or rushed. Of all the pianists of the period, Powell is the one who came closest to rivaling Charlie Parker in his ability to condense and exemplify the bebop movement. Highly recommended.~ Rick Anderson  http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-best-of-bud-powell-on-verve-mw0000117853

Personnel: Bud Powell (piano), Ray Brown, George Duvivier, Percy Heath, Curly Russell, Lloyd Trotman (bass), Art Blakey, Kenny Clarke, Buddy Rich, Max Roach, Art Taylor (drums).

The Best Of Bud Powell On Verve

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Calacas Jazz Band - Gracias Por Cooperar

Styles: Dixieland, Swing, Vocal
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:21
Size: 106,8 MB
Art: Front

(0:48)  1. Intro (Exactly Like You)
(6:23)  2. After You've Gone
(4:25)  3. Bourbon Street Parade
(3:56)  4. I've Found a New Baby
(4:12)  5. All of Me
(3:23)  6. That's a Plenty
(3:33)  7. Sweet Georgia Brown
(7:46)  8. Some of These Days
(3:33)  9. Royal Garden Blues
(5:34) 10. My Bucket's Got a Hole in It
(2:42) 11. The Pink Panther Theme

The sextet Calacas Jazz Band, composed of Alejandro Hernandez (drums), Angel Leal (trumpet), Gary Anzures (tuba), Jasmine Luna (sax), Cristian Merino (banjo) and the elegant voice of Maria Arellano, make "Thank You For Cooperate ", a real treat for lovers of Cotton Club. Calacas Jazz Band manages to convey not just a good portion of joy for music, but also a new feel to the merger, a kind of thunderous dixieland, wearing a tuxedo in the style of New Orleans in the 20's. Certainly we can say that people do not stay seated while listening to this material. The result is cheerful and festive thanks to the hard copy of the repertoire, which includes memorable tracks like "The Pink Panther Theme" by Henry Mancini, "After You've Gone" Marion Harrys of pride, "My Bucket's Got A Hole In It "the country icon Hank Williams, to name a few. A nostalgic album begins his task with an authentic sound. Translate by google  http://eclecticmusic.entula.mx/node/41

Gracias Por Cooperar

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Gerry Beaudoin - Sentimental Over You

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:03
Size: 112,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:06)  1. Witchcraft
(5:08)  2. Misty
(2:14)  3. I'm Getting Sentimental Over You
(2:54)  4. Just in Time
(5:56)  5. I Got It Bad
(3:01)  6. What'll I Do
(2:40)  7. Seven Come Eleven
(5:26)  8. Chelsea Bridge
(3:10)  9. The Days of Wine and Roses
(3:15) 10. Shiny Stockings
(5:36) 11. This Love of Mine
(2:46) 12. Move
(3:46) 13. My Romance

This CD Sentimental Over You is the second in a three CD series of great songs from the Great American Songbook performed Tby the Boston Jaz Ensemble. The Boston Jazz Ensemble is an all-star group put together by award winning jazz guitarist Gerry Beaudoin. Boston has a jazz history that is long and legendary. When putting together this group Gerry chose the cream of the Boston jazz scene. Drummer Alan Dawson is best known for his stints with pianist Dave Brubeck and vibist Lionel Hampton but has performed with a who's who in the jazz world including Kenny Burrell, Tal Farlow, Ruby Braff, Dave McKenna,Scott Hamilton and a host of others. The three Boston Jazz Ensemble CD's also feature Alan on vibes. Pianist Paul Schmeling is the Chairman of the piano department at Berklee College Of Music. His performance credits range from vocalists Dakota Staton and Carol Sloan to Jackie McClean, Scott Hamilton, Ruby Braff and Herb Pomeroy. Bassist Bob Nieske is the jazz artist in residence at Brandeis University and a graduate of New England Conservatory. Jeff Stout from the Buddy Rich Band plays trumpet and flugelhorn , Fred Lipsius Grammy winning arranger from Blood, Sweat and Tears is on alto sax, and Dick Johnson a world reknowned clarinetist, flautist and the leader of the Artie Shaw Orchestra add's his considerable talent to this project. 

Leader,arramger and guitarist Gerry Beaudoin is a guitarist's guitarist having performed or recorded with John and Bucky Pizzarelli, Jack Wilkins, Jimmy Bruno, Howard Alden, Frank Vignola. Ronnie Earl,Duke Robillard and J.Geils. He has also performed or recorded with Eddie Cleanhead Vinson, Fred Lipius from the seminal jazz rock group Blood Sweat and Tears , Dick Johnson from the Artie Shaw Orchestra, legendary Kansas City pianist Jay McShann, Carol Sloan, and Jerry Portnoy from the Muddy Waters and Eric Clapton Bands. His 1998 recording Just Among Friends was " submitted for consideration for a Grammy nomination." He is a featured performer on the Mel Bay Productions DVD Cafe Benedetto and a member of the New Guitar Summit featuring Gerry alongside blues icon Duke Robillard and rock superstar Jay Geils from the J. Geils Band. In 1992 In A Sentimental Mood by the Boston Jazz Ensemble was released to critical acclaim and rave reviews. It relieved a Cadence Jazz Magazine Editors Choice Award and was soon followed by this CD Sentimental Over You and then Sentimental Christmas.  http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/gerrybeaudoinandthebosto

Personnel: Gerry Beaudoin (guitar); Dick Johnson (cittern, flute, clarinet); Mike Turk (harmonica); Rich Lataille (alto saxophone); Fred Lipsius (tenor saxophone); Jeff Stout (trumpet); Paul Schmeling (piano); Alan Dawson (vibraphone, drums); Bob Nieske (acoustic bass)

Sentimental Over You

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