Mike Cuozzo - Mighty Mike Cuozzo

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:34
Size: 168.4 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[3:55] 1. There Will Never Be Another You
[4:46] 2. What Is This Thing Called Love
[4:51] 3. Nancy
[5:12] 4. Walk Up
[9:33] 5. An Evening At Papa Joe's
[6:14] 6. Undersided
[4:42] 7. Fools Rush In
[4:38] 8. Lover Man
[4:51] 9. Ten A.M.
[4:26] 10. That Old Feeling
[3:48] 11. I Cover The Waterfront
[4:09] 12. Easy To Love
[7:04] 13. Blue Jeans
[5:20] 14. Bounce For Mike

Two-fer: Tracks #1-6, from the Savoy 12" LP "Mighty Mike Cuozzo" (MG-12051). Tracks #7-14, from the Jubilee L "Mike Cuozzo With The Costa-Burke Trio" (JLP-1027).

Mike Cuozzo (ts), Eddie Costa (vib), Ronnie Ball (p), Vinnie Burke (b), Kenny Clarke, Nick Stabulas (d).

Tenor saxophonist Mike Cuozzo was 30 when he recorded his only two albums as a leader. He had played as a sideman with various orchestras, including the Gerry Mulligan-styled Elliot Lawrence band of 1948. His tone was big and round, his beat vigorous, and his style a confident combination of swing era and modern elements. The calibre of his outstanding associates on these sessions is a mark of the esteem in which he was held, with Vinnie Burke and “the bear”—a young, leaping Eddie Costa, on piano and vibes- soloing strongly, and the fluid drumming of Nick Stabulas and the hugely influential Kenny Clarke keeping a dynamic balance throughout the sessions.

Although he stopped being a full time musician by the mid Fifties, Mike Cuozzo realized the ambition of every jazz musician, playing regularly and blowing the way he wanted to blow – and, as these sessions show, he was more than merely good...

Mighty Mike Cuozzo

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The Anita Kerr Singers - Nostalgia

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:43
Size: 123.0 MB
Styles: Vocal harmony group, Easy Listening
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[2:48] 1. Lullaby Of Birdland
[4:11] 2. Makin' Whoopee
[3:59] 3. All The Way
[2:38] 4. All The Things You Are
[3:46] 5. I've Grown Accustomed To His Face
[4:33] 6. Let's Do It
[3:25] 7. I'm Glad There Is You
[3:27] 8. How Deep Is The Ocean
[2:23] 9. It's All Right With Me
[4:34] 10. Blues In The Night
[3:12] 11. Willow Weep For Me
[3:17] 12. Sometimes I'm Happy
[4:01] 13. I Get Along Without You Very Well
[3:51] 14. This Is All I Ask
[3:32] 15. The Party's Over

In the 1950s and '60s, the Anita Kerr Singers were one of the most popular group of backup vocalists in all of country music, appearing on countless recordings by renowned Nashville artists. Kerr was the group's leader, but was joined by alto Dottie Dillard, tenor Gil Wright, and baritone Louis Nunley, as the quartet initially gained attention by performing on the NBC radio program Sunday Down South in the early '50s, which led to a contract with Decca Records. In 1956, the Anita Kerr Singers landed a spot on the New York-based Arthur Godfrey Talent Scouts TV show, which led to further broadcast appearances (although the group never let their session work for others subside). Around the same time, Chet Atkins (then the head of RCA Records' country division) took the group under his wing, which led to the quartet appearing on countless recordings by renowned artists. The Singers continued to record and tour straight through the '60s, even managing to issue several of their own albums, including Anita Kerr Singers Reflect on the Hits of Burt Bacharach & Hal David, Velvet Voices and Bold Brass, and Simon & Garfunkel Songbook, among others. ~bio by Greg Prato

Nostalgia

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Laurent De Wilde, Eddie Henderson, Ira Coleman - Colors Of Manhattan

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:41
Size: 127.5 MB
Styles: Post bop
Year: 1999/2011
Art: Front

[6:57] 1. Everytime We Say Goodbye
[5:02] 2. Olde Devil Moon
[7:35] 3. Goodbye
[5:22] 4. El Gaucho
[8:54] 5. Fleurette Africaine
[7:44] 6. Armaggedon
[7:29] 7. For All We Now
[6:34] 8. You've Changed

EDDIE HENDERSON, trumpet, flugelhorn; LAURENT DE WILDE, piano; IRA COLEMAN, bass; LEWIS NASH, drums.

Came across this wonderful cd recently by legendary jazz trumpeter Eddie Henderson and haven't had it out of my player since. Recorded & released in 1990 on the French IDA label, it's a gorgeous quartet date featuring Dr.Henderson (he's a psychiatrist as well) on trumpet and flugelhorn, French pianist Laurent De Wilde (a new name for me) on acoustic piano, Ira Coleman on bass, and the great Lewis Nash on drums. There are eight selections on the release, including standards by Cole Porter ("Everytime We Say Goodbye"), Gordon Jenkins ("Goodbye"), Burton Lane ("Old Devil Moon"), Carl Fisher ("You've Changed"), J. Fred Coots ("For All We Know"), Duke Ellington ("Fleurette Africaine") and two pieces by saxophonist/composer Wayne Shorter ("El Gaucho" and "Armageddon"). The instinctive interplay between the four musicians produces a marvelous, dreamy atmosphere upon which the tunes float with an easy laid-back quality that is stimulating, as well. De Wilde and Henderson have an obvious affinity with each other on the recording and it's no coincidence, as he was Eddie's pianist for years before this session took place at "Le Studio" in New York City. In 1987, they had recorded a quintet album together on IDA called "Off The Boat". Henderson's trumpet and flugelhorn playing on "Colors of Manhattan" is effortless, sublime, and remarkable throughout. His muted horn on the great standard "Goodbye" is poignant and heartfelt, supported with De Wilde's gentle, sensitive piano backing. Duke Ellington's classic "Fleurette Africaine" -("African Flower")- was also performed on his landmark 1963 "Money Jungle" album and was suggested for this session by producer Philippe Vincent. Once again, Henderson is great on flugelhorn and the rhythm section of Coleman and Nash are strong and effective in invoking the original African feel of the piece. The two Wayne Shorter tunes, "El Gaucho" and "Armageddon", were both previously recorded on two of Shorter's 1960's Blue Note albums ("El Gaucho" on 1966's "Adam's Apple" lp and "Armageddon" from 1964's "Night Dreamer"). The quartet's performances with these two pieces are sophisticated, relaxed, and exquisite. "Armageddon", in particular, features extended, gravitating, well-developed solo's that display most clearly WHY this recording is so stellar. I have been a huge fan of Eddie Henderson's playing since his 70's cosmic fusion and funk work with not only Herbie Hancock's "Mwandishi" band but also his own solo albums from that era right up to his more acoustic jazz releases in recent years. Based onthe fine performances and production on "Colors of Manhattan", I will get the other IDA release Henderson madewith pianist Laurent De Wilde, "Off The Boat", along with the live 2003 quartet date with Henderson & De Wildeon the French Marge label called "Echoes". The superb arranging on "Colors of Manhattan" was by De Wilde andbass player Ira Coleman. It was beautifully recorded, as well. Elegant and highly recommended. ~James K. Stewart

Colors Of Manhattan

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Scott Hamilton - Race Point

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:39
Size: 132,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:07)  1. Groove Yard
(3:51)  2. Chelsea Bridge
(5:26)  3. Race Point
(5:54)  4. Close Enough For Love
(3:52)  5. Oh, Look At Me Now
(7:12)  6. Alone Together
(5:06)  7. I've Just Seen Her
(4:46)  8. Limehouse Blues
(4:20)  9. You're My Thrill
(7:17) 10. You Say You Care
(4:42) 11. The Song Is You

Scott Hamilton is the premier 'mainstream' saxophonist of today. Born in Providence, Rhode Island, in 1954, he came along at the time when the kind of jazz he loved-the small-group swing of such great stylists as Illinois Jacquet and Eddie Lockjaw Davis-was out of fashion, and largely out of the public ear. Scott's handsome sound and impeccable phrasing were a rare commodity among young jazzmen. So when he signed to Concord Records, and began making albums for label boss and mainstream advocate Carl Jefferson, it caused surprise and excitement among both devotees of the style, and in the wider musical world. His first Concord set, [Scott Hamilton is A Good Wind Who IS Blowing Us No Ill] was made in 1977 and took it’s title from an admiring remark from veteran jazz critic Leonard Feather. But it became only the first in a long and memorable series of albums for the label, which now stretches to nearly 30 releases They feature Scoff's playing in all kinds of settings-with small groups, string orchestras, in partnership with such distinguished players as Ruby Braff and Dave McKenna, and in many other situations. The constant is Scoff's creative imagination and the beautiful, honeyed sound he gets out of the tenor saxophone.

While he acknowledges the sidelong influence of players such as John Coltrane, he continues to perform the music he loves, which first brought him into jazz - great ballads and blues, played from the heart, with the timeless virtues of swinging playing underscoring every phrase. A worldwide following of admirers wouldn't have it any other way. Long regarded a consummate interpreter of standards, Scoff Hamilton's big, warm tenor saxophone tone and unerring sense of swing have a way of making every tune he plays uniquely his own. For his latest Concord Jazz outing, Hamilton-with the help of his simpatico group featuring John Bunch (piano), Dave Green (bass), and Steve Brown (drums)-presents some of his very favorite tunes. Tunes which happen to have been penned by other great jazz players, including such legendary jazz musicians/composers as Dave Brubeck, Fats Waller, Illinois Jacquet, Benny Carter, and many others. http://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/scotthamilton

Personnel: Scott Hamilton (tenor saxophone); Gerry Wiggins (piano); Howard Alden (guitar); Andy Simpkins (bass); Jeff Hamilton (drums).

Race Point

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Joni Mitchell - Miles Of Aisles

Styles: Folk, Pop/Rock
Year: 1974
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 78:03
Size: 179,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:18)  1. You Turn Me On I'm A Radio
(3:12)  2. Big Yellow Taxi
(4:04)  3. Rainy Night House
(4:27)  4. Woodstock
(5:00)  5. Cactus Tree
(5:38)  6. Cold Blue Steel And Sweet Fire
(3:39)  7. Woman Of Heart And Mind
(4:42)  8. A Case Of You
(4:23)  9. Blue
(5:41) 10. Circle Game
(2:49) 11. Peoples' Parties
(3:31) 12. All I Want
(4:38) 13. Real Good For Free
(4:57) 14. Both Sides Now
(3:35) 15. Carey
(4:19) 16. The Last Time I Saw Richard
(3:38) 17. Jericho
(5:24) 18. Love Or Money

Like most live albums, this two-record set was a profit-taking release on which the artist re-presented many of her old songs for a new acceptance now that she had a larger pop audience. Backed by the pop-jazz ensemble the L.A. Express Mitchell reprised the best from her first five albums, pointedly ignoring Court and Spark, and including two new cuts, "Love or Money" and "Jericho." ~ William Ruhlmann  http://www.allmusic.com/album/miles-of-aisles-mw0000190928

Personnel: Joni Mitchell (vocals, guitar, dulcimer, piano); Robben Ford (electric guitar); Tom Scott (reeds, wind); Larry Nash (piano); Max Bennett (bass instrument); John Guerin (drums, percussion).

Miles Of Aisles

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Eliane Elias - Made In Brazil

Styles: Brazilian Jazz, Bossa Nova
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:26
Size: 132,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:39)  1. Brasil (Aquarela do Brasil)
(5:17)  2. Você
(5:50)  3. Águas de Março (Waters of March)
(4:49)  4. Searching
(5:02)  5. Some Enchanted Place
(4:49)  6. Incendiando
(4:37)  7. Vida (If Not You)
(3:28)  8. Este Seu Olhar / Promessas
(5:27)  9. Driving Ambition
(4:48) 10. Rio
(3:45) 11. A Sorte do Amor (The Luck of Love)
(4:48) 12. No Tabuleiro da Baiana

The music of Brazil extends far past the samba with a musical diversity as deep and rich as their citizens. Eliane Elias returned to her country of origin and recruited some of Brazil's finest musicians for a slightly more contemporary interpretation of this most influential music. While there is nothing lacking in authenticity, the sound is meticulously crafted and built around  improvisational music with an occasional classical flair. Six originals confirm her astounding compositional skill while her vocal style is beyond reproach.  

This music with one foot in the past but with both eyes on the future with guests and band members including Mark Kibble from Take 6, daughter Amanda Brecker and Marcus Teixeira. Made In Brazil ignites a slow romantic burn with tunes such as "Incendiano" and "Driving Ambition" thanks to the stellar contributions from Kibble. Another incredible highlight includes Amanda Brecker's appearance on the buoyant "Some Enchanted Place." Elias produces the release along with the help of critically acclaimed Steve Rodby and Marc Johnson. A true collaborative effort, it is the ability to nuance deceptively subtle sounds and textures that is the key to both the artistic brilliance of Elias and perhaps the best release of the year with Made In Brazil. Flawless. ~ Brent Black  http://www.criticaljazz.com/2015/02/eliane-elias-made-in-brazil-concord-2015.html

Made In Brazil

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Jeremy Davenport - We'll Dance 'Til Dawn

Styles: Vocal And Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:56
Size: 115,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:19)  1. Almost Never
(4:20)  2. When I Take My Sugar To Tea
(5:18)  3. That Old Black Magic
(3:35)  4. Mr. New Orleans
(5:18)  5. We'll Dance 'Til Dawn
(4:12)  6. There's a Small Hotel
(4:17)  7. The Lady Is a Tramp
(4:04)  8. Forever
(3:40)  9. By the Time I Get to Phoenix
(2:54) 10. I Could Hear Your Heartbeat
(5:07) 11. I Didn't Know What Time It Was
(3:45) 12. Come Rain or Come Shine

A blithely swinging crooner with a warm and jaunty improvisational style, trumpeter/vocalist Jeremy Davenport showcases his nightclub-honed charm on his third studio album and Basin Street Records debut, We'll Dance 'Til Dawn. A regular on the New Orleans music scene, Davenport made good on his '90s tag as Harry Connick, Jr.'s protégé by performing weekly at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in the French Quarter. If Davenport's 2005 concert album, Live at the Bistro, was an earthy, unpredictable, and unfiltered document of his nightclub act, then 2009's We'll Dance 'Til Dawn is the more refined and polished business card follow-up. 

Where Bistro showcased how Davenport a Missouri-born/N.Y.C. trained musician had fully steeped himself in the rhythmic gumbo of the New Orleans jazz tradition, We'll Dance 'Til Dawn is a dry martini of an album filled with crisp, urbanely delivered standards and supple afterglow ballads. In that sense, it's a much more modern take on the New Orleans tradition and frames Davenport in a wider lens than just a New Orleans act. Here listeners find more of Davenport's clever, Gershwin-esque originals like "Almost Never" and "I Could Hear Your Heartbeat." Equally as engaging are his cover choices, like his propulsive Latin-tinged take on "That Old Black Magic" and his surprisingly effective contemporary jazz reworking of Jimmy Webb's "By the Time I Get to Phoenix." That said, there's plenty of Southern hospitality here, including Davenport's playful duet with the famous city's other singing/trumpet-playing institution, Kermit Ruffins, on "Mr. New Orleans." 

A Davenport original, the track finds the two members of this dynamic duo celebrating and poking fun at their respective reputations, with the gruff Ruffins as "King of Treme" and the boyish Davenport as "Mr. Fancy Pants." It's a joyous wink of a tune and the type of track that only performers confident in their personas can get away with. Ultimately, that's the clearest thing about Davenport on We'll Dance 'Til Dawn he knows he's got you in a spin as long as he wants. ~ Matt Collar  http://www.allmusic.com/album/well-dance-til-dawn-mw0000820085

Personnel: Jeremy Davenport (vocals, trumpet); Kermit Ruffins (vocals, trumpet); David Torkanowsky (piano); George Porter, Jr., Roland Guerin (bass instrument); Troy Davis (drums, percussion); Herman Ernest, Herman V. Ernest III (drums); Michael Skinkus (percussion).

We'll Dance'Til Dawn

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Joe Turner - Joe's Back In Town

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 56:01

Size: 128.2 MB

Styles: Blues piano & vocals

Year: 2008

Art: Front

[2:28] 1. Harlem Strut

[2:42] 2. Pastel

[2:46] 3. Honeysuckle Rose

[2:53] 4. Jitterburg Waltz

[3:30] 5. Tea For Two

[2:31] 6. Sweet Georgia Brown

[3:11] 7. Honey Hush

[2:15] 8. Route 66

[1:59] 9. Keep Off The Grass

[2:36] 10. Lulu's Back In Town

[1:59] 11. Thou Swell

[2:19] 12. Rejane Boogie

[1:57] 13. Argentina

[2:00] 14. Thou Swell (Take 4)

[3:09] 15. Tea For Two (Take 2)

[3:25] 16. Pastel (Take 1)

[2:16] 17. Route 66 (Take 3)

[3:14] 18. Honey Hush (Take 1)

[2:25] 19. Harlem Strut (Take 2)

[3:37] 20. I Cover The Waterfront

[2:39] 21. Route 66 (Take 2)

JOE TURNER, piano, vocals; ROLAND LOBLIGEOIS, bass; PANAMA FRANCIS, drums. Recorded in Paris, France, May 22, 1974.

Recorded over 30 years ago in Paris, this excellent album hasn't been available in what seems an eternity! Joe does Honey Hush; Harlem Strut; Sweet Georgia Brown; Thou Swell; Route 66 , and more. 21 tracks!

Joe's Back In Town 

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Van Morrison - Duets: Reworking The Catalogue

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:43
Size: 175.6 MB
Styles: R&B, Rock, Blues, Soul vocals
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[5:15] 1. Some Peace Of Mind (With Bobby Womack)
[3:50] 2. If I Ever Needed Someone (With Mavis Staples)
[3:49] 3. Higher Than The World (With George Benson)
[6:23] 4. Wild Honey (With Joss Stone)
[3:43] 5. Whatever Happened To P.J. Proby (With P.J. Proby)
[4:54] 6. Carrying A Torch (With Clare Teal)
[4:12] 7. The Eternal Kansas City (With Gregory Porter)
[4:58] 8. Streets Of Arklow (With Mick Hucknall)
[3:52] 9. These Are The Days (With Natalie Cole)
[4:42] 10. Get On With The Show (With Georgie Fame)
[4:24] 11. Rough God Goes Riding (With Shana Morrison)
[6:42] 12. Fire In The Belly (With Stevie Winwood)
[4:00] 13. Born To Sing (With Chris Farlowe)
[5:15] 14. Irish Heartbeat (With Mark Knopfler)
[4:02] 15. Real Real Gone (With Michael Buble)
[6:34] 16. How Can A Poor Boy (With Taj Mahal)

On DUETS: RE-WORKING THE CATALOGUE, Van Morrison and the guests selected and recorded some of his songs from the catalog of 360 songs across his career. Deliberately steering away from his more well-known classics, Van enlisted some of the artists he most respects to perform these songs with him to re-craft and re-imagine them. The album was recorded in his home town of Belfast and London in the United Kingdom over the last year, using a variety of musicians and fresh arrangements.

Produced by Van Morrison along with Don Was and Bob Rock, the album features duet performances with Bobby Womack, Steve Winwood, Mark Knopfler, Taj Mahal, Mavis Staples, Michael Bublé, Natalie Cole, George Benson, Gregory Porter, Clare Teal, P.J. Proby, Joss Stone, Georgie Fame, Mick Hucknall, Chris Farlowe, and Van's daughter Shana Morrison.

Van Morrison is considered one of the most prolific recording artists and extraordinary live performers of our time. He has received a multitude of awards and accolades including 6 Grammy Awards, a Brit Award, an OBE, an Ivor Novello, and has been inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. His visionary songwriting and mastery of many genres continues to shine on albums celebrating and re-exploring his blues, jazz, skiffle and country roots. With one of the most revered catalogues in music history, his talents as a composer, singer and performer are unmatched.

Duets: Reworking The Catalogue

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Rita Coolidge - Out Of The Blues

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 45:26

Size: 104.0 MB

Styles: Contemporary Blues vocals

Year: 2010

Art: Front

[2:53] 1. Mean To Me

[4:38] 2. Am I Blue

[3:07] 3. Hallelujah, I Love Him So

[5:01] 4. Stormy Monday

[5:14] 5. For The Good Times

[4:35] 6. Black Coffee

[3:54] 7. Bring It On Home To Me

[3:33] 8. Nobody Wins

[3:58] 9. The Man I Love

[4:02] 10. When The Night Rolls In

[4:26] 11. Out Of The Blues

Even though the duo-tone cover looks new and jazzy, most of this cozy set was recorded over twenty years ago. Primarily working with bass, drum and piano, the smoky-voiced chanteuse delivers these eleven songs with her own inimitably laidback vigor, performing best on moody ballads such as "Am I Blue," "Mean To Me" and "The Man I Love." Some of these tracks have appeared on Rita's albums during her A&M Records tenure in the 1970s, but most of them remained in the vault until now. It's a fine set with simple arrangements of chestnuts such as "Bring It On Home To Me" and the blues staple "Stormy Monday." Rounding the set out are two recent cuts, the Top 40-ish "When The Night Rolls In" and the bluesy "Out of the Blues." ~Bill Carpenter

Out Of The Blues

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Wild Bill Davison With Fessor's Big City Band - S/T

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:05
Size: 137.5 MB
Styles: Dixieland
Year: 1997
Art: Front

[4:37] 1. Sweet Georgia Brown
[3:33] 2. Blue And Brokenhearted
[4:25] 3. I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me
[4:03] 4. Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans
[3:26] 5. Open Ears
[4:34] 6. General Booze
[3:15] 7. Blue Again
[4:06] 8. Louisiana
[2:25] 9. Keepin' Out Of Mischief Now
[4:06] 10. I Would Do Anything For You
[5:13] 11. Just A Closer Walk With Thee
[6:12] 12. Dyet
[6:55] 13. Sweet Lorraine
[3:10] 14. My Friend Bill

Recording Date: December 15, 1973 - December 11, 1978

Cornetist Wild Bill Davison spent a good amount of time in Scandinavia during the 1970s where he enjoyed playing with both Papa Bue's Vikings and Fessor's Big City Jazz Band. The latter group, led by trombonist Ole "Fessor" Lindgreen, is heard on this 1997 CD performing with the exciting cornetist in 1973, 1974, 1977 and 1978. The repertoire is primarily Dixieland and swing standards with a few departures (Johnny Hodges' "Open Ears," Neal Hefti's "Duet" and an original, "My Friend Bill") working out quite well. Some selections have Finn Otto Hansen or Verner Work Nielsen on trumpets, Steen Vig helps out on tenor and soprano and, on "Sweet Lorraine," the great pianist Ralph Sutton sits in. A typically spirited Dixieland-oriented set from Wild Bill. ~Scott Yanow

Wild Bill Davison With Fessor's Big City Band

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Paul Simon - Still Crazy After All These Years

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:47
Size: 102.6 MB
Styles: Soft rock, Contemporary Pop rock,
Year: 1975/1987/2011
Art: Front

[3:23] 1. Still Crazy After All These Years
[3:49] 2. My Little Town
[3:31] 3. I Do It For Your Love
[3:36] 4. 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover
[2:54] 5. Night Game
[3:37] 6. Gone At Last
[3:10] 7. Some Folks' Lives Roll Easy
[3:23] 8. Have A Good Time
[3:16] 9. You're Kind
[4:00] 10. Silent Eyes
[5:27] 11. Slip Slidin' Away (Demo)
[4:36] 12. Gone At Last

The third new studio album of Paul Simon's post-Simon & Garfunkel career was a musical and lyrical change of pace from his first two, Paul Simon and There Goes Rhymin' Simon. Where Simon had taken an eclectic approach before, delving into a variety of musical styles and recording all over the world, Still Crazy found him working for the most part with a group of jazz-pop New York session players, though he did do a couple of tracks ("My Little Town" and "Still Crazy After All These Years") with the Muscle Shoals rhythm section that had appeared on Rhymin' Simon and another ("Gone at Last") returned to the gospel style of earlier songs like "Loves Me Like a Rock." Of course, "My Little Town" also marked a return to working with Art Garfunkel, and another Top Ten entry for S&G. But the overall feel of Still Crazy was of a jazzy style subtly augmented with strings and horns. Perhaps more striking, however, was Simon's lyrical approach. Where Rhymin' Simon was the work of a confident family man, Still Crazy came off as a post-divorce album, its songs reeking of smug self-satisfaction and romantic disillusionment. At their best, such sentiments were undercut by humor and made palatable by musical hooks, as on "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover," which became the biggest solo hit of Simon's career. But elsewhere, as on "Have a Good Time," the singer's cynicism seemed unearned. Still, as out of sorts as Simon may have been, he was never more in tune with his audience: Still Crazy topped the charts, spawned four Top 40 hits, and won Grammys for Song of the Year and Best Vocal Performance. ~William Ruhlmann

Still Crazy After All These Years

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Warren Vaché - Ballads And Other Cautionary Tales

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:48
Size: 162.1 MB
Styles: Cornet jazz
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[5:04] 1. Ballad For Very Tired And Very Sad Lotus
[7:22] 2. Solitude
[7:39] 3. I See Your Face Before Me
[6:35] 4. Fools Rush In
[6:36] 5. I Have Dreamed
[6:02] 6. Autumn Serenade
[7:14] 7. Everything Happens To Me
[3:49] 8. I'll Only Miss Her When I Think Of Her
[6:49] 9. I'll Never Be The Same
[5:18] 10. Stairway To The Stars
[3:48] 11. I Remember You
[4:27] 12. Don't You Know I Care

Recording Date: October 6, 2010 & October 7, 2010

Young jazz instrumentalists often get carried away with showcasing their chops at a blazing tempo, while forgetting one important lesson known by successful veteran artists. The way a musician plays a ballad lets the listener know how good he is at telling a story; cornetist Warren Vaché is a seasoned improviser who caresses the melody as he improvises, making judicious use of rests, and he interacts with his musicians rather than simply keeping the spotlight on himself. Working with bassist Neal Miner, drummer Leroy Williams, and alternating between Tardo Hammer and Richard Williams on piano, Vaché explores a dozen ballads, most of which will be very familiar to seasoned jazz fans. "Ballad for Very Tired and Very Sad Lotus Eaters" isn't one of Billy Strayhorn's most commonly performed tunes, yet Vaché's poignant interpretation brings out its longing character, with lush held notes and just a touch of vibrato in all the right spaces; Tardo Hammer is often noted for his bop chops, but he is equally adept at providing understated accompaniment in a mainstream setting. Vaché's soft, muted horn proves captivating in his shimmering rendition of "I See Your Face Before Me," while his sassy open horn is on display in the whimsical setting of the old chestnut "I'll Never Be the Same." "(In My) Solitude" adds trombonist John Allred, who provides a perfect foil for the leader in a loping, easygoing setting of this gem by Duke Ellington. Tenor giant Houston Person is a guest on several tracks, and takes the lead in the bittersweet "Everything Happens to Me"; he follows Vaché's spry, breezy opening statement in "I Remember You," adding a punchy, vocal-like solo that one can't help but wonder if it's his tribute to his longtime musical partner Etta Jones. Warren Vaché's Ballads and Other Cautionary Tales is easily one of his finest all-around record dates. ~Ken Dryden

Ballads And Other Cautionary Tales

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George Benson & Jack Mcduff - George Benson & Jack Mcduff

Styles: Vocal, Guitar And Piano Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:48
Size: 151,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:44)  1. Shadow Dancers
(4:36)  2. The Sweet Alice Blues
(6:48)  3. I Don't Know
(3:00)  4. Just Another Sunday
(4:26)  5. Will You Still Be Mine
(6:36)  6. Easy Living
(3:57)  7. Rock-A-Bye
(2:57)  8. Hot Barbeque
(6:47)  9. The Party's Over
(2:54) 10. Briar Patch
(6:24) 11. Hippy Dip
(4:13) 12. 601 1/2 North Poplar St.
(4:46) 13. Cry Me a River
(3:35) 14. The Three Day Thang

George Benson's facile post-Wes Montgomery single-line and chord-accented style was well received in his salad days of the mid- to late '60s. Primarily self-taught and ear-trained, he made great strides in a five-year period around his native Pittsburgh, working with organist Jack McDuff on the East Coast chitlin circuit. As the soul-jazz and boogaloo movement was establishing itself, Benson was right in the pocket, as these seminal mid-'60s sessions perfectly illustrate. In tandem with saxophonist Red Holloway, the two Prestige label LPs New Boss Guitar and Hot Barbeque were initially reissued in 1977 on a vinyl two-fer, and now on this single CD. The first two tracks, "Shadow Dancers" and "The Sweet Alice Blues," sans McDuff though toeing the groove line, are the most original and modern numbers. The remaining tracks on the New Boss Guitar 1964 dates add McDuff, with "Just Another Sunday" a gold standard for the emerging style.

Benson's balladic expertise during "Easy Living" is as impressive as in the different dynamic of the rompin' stompin' "Rock-A-Bye." From May Day of 1965, the title cut and original version of "Hot Barbeque" has become an all-time hit and ultimate groove biscuit. Drummer Joe Dukes is the difference maker, as his fluid ease in either swinging or mixing hard bop with R&B fifty-fifty effectively drives the band so simply. "Briar Patch" approaches rock & roll, while "Hippy Dip" shows a completely unified Benson and McDuff on a fun melody line. A most arresting high-register organ sound, near unearthly, surrounds an easy swing on "The Party's Over." In addition, check out the slow late-night blues "I Don't Know" (from the 1964 dates) and "Cry Me a River" from 1965. Although Benson would reach a zenith in his short career as a jazz musician during this period, before abandoning its purity for commercial pop singing, Holloway and McDuff went on and on and on to their own great acclaim. This is Benson's initial emergence, and a valuable reminder of how great he once was. ~ Michael G.Nastos  http://www.allmusic.com/album/george-benson-jack-mcduff-mw0000584878

Personnel: George Benson (vocals, guitar); Jack McDuff (piano, organ, keyboards); Ronnie Boykins (bass guitar); Red Holloway (tenor saxophone); Montego Joe (drums, percussion); Joe Dukes (drums).

George Benson & Jack Mcduff

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Harry 'Sweets' Edison & Earl 'Fatha' Hines - Just You, Just Me

Styles: Trumpet And Piano Jazz
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:56
Size: 98,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:34)  1. I Cover The Waterfront
(7:42)  2. Just Squeeze Me
(4:59)  3. But Not For Me
(3:51)  4. Just You Just Me
(6:57)  5. Mean To Me
(9:38)  6. I Surrender Dear
(4:13)  7. The One I Love Belongs To Someone Else

Leave it to European labels like Black & Blue to come up with inspired pairings of musicians who American labels never seem to get around to considering. This 1978 meeting between pianist Earl Hines and trumpeter Harry "Sweets" Edison is a match of masters, covering tunes they had likely performed hundreds of times in their respective careers. Everything seems to gel in the opening track, a strident take of "I Cover the Waterfront," with plenty of trills by Hines in support of Edison's brilliant open horn. Edison adds a mute for an exquisite, deliberate take of "Just Squeeze Me" and a sauntering "But Not for Me." Hines' dancing tenths come to the forefront in their romp through "Just You, Just Me." If there is any complaint about this exciting CD, it is that no alternate takes or unissued songs turned up on this CD reissue. There is nothing like two veterans at the top of their game joining forces for a record date. https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/just-you-just-me-definitive/id267348589

Personnel:  Harry Edison – trumpet; Earl Hines – piano.

Just You, Just Me

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Ida Sand - Young At Heart

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:49
Size: 116,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:32)  1. Cinnamon Girl
(3:13)  2. Hey Hey, My My
(4:24)  3. Don't Let It Bring You Down
(4:45)  4. Harvest Moon
(3:23)  5. Woodstock
(3:30)  6. Birds
(3:47)  7. Only Love Can Break Your Heart
(4:01)  8. Ohio
(3:28)  9. Old Man
(4:32) 10. Helpless
(4:16) 11. War of Man
(4:21) 12. One of These Days
(3:30) 13. Sea of Madness

The Swedish jazz singer Ida Sand comes from a musical family, her father was a famous opera singer, her mother made sacred music. Ida himself learned cello, before she began training as a singer. Meanwhile, the Swedish part of the leading group of Scandinavian jazz vocalists that have been discovered by the famous producer and trombonist Nils Landgren. Heidi Eichenberg presents our CD of the week. ~ Heidi Eichenberg

The Pensive, Moody is in the dark timbre of Ida Sands voice, already with their debut album, "Meet Me Around Midnight" was provided by the Swedish 2007 enthusiasm, because they stood out from the girly pop-jazz their Scandinavian colleagues Silje Nergaard or Rigmor Gustafsson. With gospel and soul she sat from the beginning to the black tradition of Nina Simone and Aretha Franklin, and on the other hand saw everything else as pale. Why born in 1977 as Ida Kristina sand Lund in Stockholm singer and pianist has now picked just the repertoire of Neil Young for their fourth album, she explains: "His music had something to tell me, I have heard a lot from him in recent years. It must have something to do with the mood of the songs that I also saw in me, but which you do not normally hear in my music. So I took his lyrics and his music before, and tried to take over this mood and still interpret the songs in my own way. I do not know if there are so many Neil Young fans among jazz-lovers - and as part of the plan was to bring the jazz listeners the music of Neil Young closer ". ~ Ida Sand 

The weather is supposed to be in Canada similar to "humble" as in Sweden, which could explain the melancholy which is sometimes the case with both cultures. The plan to take the spiritual minimalist songs of Neil Young as a template for an acoustic jazz album, but is bold. Neil Young's indestructible classics like "Cinnamon Girl" or "Harvest Moon" learn one way or another harmony in addition, chords and melodies to be reorganized by the double bass, keyboard, piano and drums and take the originals of the Canadian folk and rock singer / songwriter yet none of its melancholy magic.

"Young at Heart" - the title of the album is a love letter in a double pun and a celebration of melancholy. A melancholy in the Ida Sand recognize themselves and which gives the ageless songs by Neil Young not only with her voice an additional depth. Translate by google  http://www.mdr.de/mdr-figaro/musik/cd-der-woche-ida-sand-young-at-heart100.html

Young At Heart

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Suss Von Ahn - Walk Between The Raindrops

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:38
Size: 132.0 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[2:46] 1. Walk Between The Raindrops
[3:14] 2. Waltz For Debby
[3:40] 3. It's Alright With Me
[2:24] 4. Night And Day
[4:06] 5. The Trolley Song
[5:22] 6. Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered
[3:33] 7. My Baby Just Cares For Me
[4:58] 8. Both Sides Now
[2:44] 9. Night In Tunisia
[2:34] 10. It's Only A Paper Moon
[5:12] 11. A Nightinggale Sang In Berkeley Square
[3:24] 12. For Once In My Life
[3:25] 13. Too Darn Hot
[2:45] 14. What A Difference A Day Made
[3:00] 15. Don't Cry For Louie
[4:21] 16. Imagine

Suss von Ahn´s fourth album is a Jazz cover album with many of the songs that Suss sings live. From Donald Fagen, John Lennon to Cole Porter and Bill Evans. Including Johan Löfcrantz on drums, Martin Sjöstedt – Bass, Mathias Algotsson – Piano, Robert Nordmark – Tenor sax.

Walk Between The Raindrops

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Matt Ray - We Got It!

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:29
Size: 122.5 MB
Styles: Piano jazz, Soul-jazz
Year: 2001
Art: Front

[3:24] 1. We Got It
[5:29] 2. Fish Night
[5:26] 3. El Gaucho
[6:01] 4. Think Of One
[5:22] 5. The Great Paper Chase
[4:12] 6. The Star-Crossed Lovers
[5:13] 7. Happier Than The Morning Sun
[5:27] 8. Sippin' At Bell's
[6:11] 9. Not Long Now
[6:39] 10. Vista

Recording Date: March 27, 2000

Pianist Matt Ray was only 28 years old when he recorded We Got It!, a promising debut album that unveils a wonderfully understated piano player searching for his voice. The songs here are actually quite diverse, including everything from a laid-back cover of Stevie Wonder's "Happier Than the Morning Sun" to the spaced-out slow jazz of "Think of One" to the winding horns and stuttered beats of "Great Paper Chase." His excellent piano playing takes front and center as he flows from track to track effortlessly. Unfortunately, the album still does not seem as though it has a distinct direction, despite all of the quality music found here. This may be because the album is his first, but it does detract from the overall feel of the album. This is still a good debut album, and would be of interest to any fan of piano-based modern jazz. ~Bradley Torreano

We Got It!

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Spanky & Our Gang - The Best Of Spanky & Our Gang

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 31:27
Size: 72.0 MB
Styles: Folk rock, AM pop
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[3:01] 1. Sunday Will Never Be The Same
[2:35] 2. Making Every Minute Count
[3:06] 3. Lazy Day
[3:51] 4. Sunday Mornin'
[3:18] 5. Like To Get To Know You
[3:34] 6. Give A Damn
[3:19] 7. Yesterday's Rain
[2:54] 8. Anything You Choose
[2:30] 9. And She's Mine
[3:13] 10. Echoes (Everybody's Talkin')

Spanky & Our Gang is one of the great overlooked bands of the '60s. As in the case of other groups like the Monkees or Paul Revere & the Raiders, their chart success seemingly blinded people as to just how good they were. Like a more baroque Mamas & Papas, their strength was their amazingly constructed harmonies. They also boasted impressive songwriting from sources as diverse as Bob Dorough, Margo Guryan and Terry Cashman, wonderfully brassy lead vocals by Elaine "Spanky" McFarlane and charming blend of hippie sensibilities and old time show biz attitudes. This collection boils their short career (three albums in three years between 1966 and 1969) down to ten tracks and includes all their best songs, like "Sunday Will Never Be the Same," "Lazy Day," "Sunday Mornin'," "Like to Get to Know You," "And She's Mine" and "Give a Damn." It delivers quite a knockout punch, but the short format of the series doesn't allow for much exploration of the different aspects of the group. For a more expanded view of Spanky & Our Gang's talents, you might pick up their 1999 collection Greatest Hits as it has five more tracks, including their wild cover of "Brother Can You Spare a Dime" and a moving rendition of "Stardust." It also has all the tracks this disc does and is roughly the same price, leading one to wonder why the label felt the need to release this collection at all. ~Tim Sendra

The Best Of Spanky & Our Gang

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Coleman Hawkins Quartet - The Complete Jazz Sessions 1962 (2-Disc Set)

The sound of Coleman Hawkins (1904-1969) remains, after all these years, as immediately recognizable as his direct and compelling ability to swing. No jazzman played with more fire the uptempo tunes and no one could be more persuasive on ballads. With the fluent support of his then-regular rhythm section, he made these four excellent albums. Three "Good Old Broadway," "No Strings," "Make Someone Happy" which include jazz versions of Broadway show tunes, are from Prestige's Moodsville series. The fourth, "Today and Now," made for Impulse, explores everything from gentle, moody ballads and bluesy, mid-tempo pieces to some Hawk originals.

Overall, this 2-CD set is an interesting mixture of classics and undeservedly lesser-known compositions. Hawk gives each of these richly melodic songs a broadly warm and moving reading. Tommy Flanagan is his usual imperturbable, tastefully swinging self, intuitively grasping the feeling of the tunes and showing he was among the best pianists, technically and creatively, excellent as a soloist and a superb accompanist. On drums, Eddie Locke is typically capable, and bassist Major Holley contributes some delightfully humorous solos in a quartet that shows how to play firstrate, uncomplicated music.

Album: The Complete Jazz Sessions 1962 (Disc 1)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 79:48

Size: 182.7 MB

Styles: Saxophone jazz

Year: 2013

[4:31] 1. Don't Sit Under The Apple Tree

[5:31] 2. Swingin' Scotch

[9:52] 3. Put On Your Old Grey Bonnet

[4:20] 4. The Sweetest Sounds

[3:15] 5. Maine

[4:48] 6. A Fellow Needs A Girl

[4:08] 7. Here I'll Stay

[4:14] 8. Love Song From Apache

[4:41] 9. Don't Love Me

[4:12] 10. Get Out Of Town

[6:16] 11. Strange Music

[4:47] 12. Quintessence

[6:26] 13. Go Li'l Liza

[4:32] 14. Look No Further

[4:44] 15. I Believe In You

[3:25] 16. Have I Told You Lately

The Complete Jazz Sessions (Disc 1) 

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Album: The Complete Jazz Sessions 1962 (Disc 2)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 65:09

Size: 149.2 MB

Styles: Saxophone jazz

Year: 2013

Art: Front

[4:51] 1. Out Of My Dreams

[4:12] 2. Loads Of Love

[3:05] 3. Make Someone Happy

[2:25] 4. Wanting You

[4:06] 5. The Man That Got Away

[3:06] 6. Be My Host

[4:32] 7. Climb Ev'ry Mountain

[3:22] 8. Nobody Told Me

[5:58] 9. The Man Who Has Everything

[3:20] 10. La La La

[4:21] 11. I Talk To The Trees

[4:31] 12. Cry Like The Wind

[4:46] 13. No Strings

[7:48] 14. Wouldn't It Be Loverly

[4:38] 15. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes

The Complete Jazz Sessions (Disc 2)

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