Monday, March 30, 2015

Hirofumi Asaba - Easy Like

Size: 105,3 MB
Time: 45:10
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz: Guitar Jazz
Art: Front

01. Jumpin' Asaba Blues (3:59)
02. Easy Like (4:00)
03. North Of The Border (3:18)
04. Angel Eyes (5:35)
05. Crazy Rhythm (4:18)
06. Blues For The Poll Winners (3:03)
07. Mean To Me (4:42)
08. Willow Weep For Me (4:00)
09. Give Me The Simple Life (4:35)
10. You Are The One For Me (4:13)
11. A Night At The Soultrane (3:23)

Jazz Guitarist in Tokyo, Japan.

His playing is a blend of modern and swing styles of jazz, and is strongly inspired by Barney Kessel and Charlie Christian.

His upbeat, swinging guitar playing and beautiful chord solos entertain music lovers of all genres and truly stands alone in today’s jazz scene.

Hirofumi was born in Tokyo. In 1986, he started playing piano at age five, and he has been playing the guitar since he was fourteen years old.

His playing has spanned genres, including punk, rockabilly, rock and roll,ska, and reggae music.

He has traveled with his guitar to New Orleans, Cuba, Jamaica, Australia, and Southeast Asia, jamming with many people along the way.

In Japan, he worked in a jazz bar, where he met many great jazz musicians, including Yoshiaki Okayasu, one of the greatest jazz guitarists in Japan. Hirofumi studied jazz under Okayasu for four years.

In April 2015 , Okayasu will produce Hirofumi’s first album.

In 2013, Hirofumi received a special judgement award at Asakusa Jazz Contest in Tokyo, Japan.

Easy Like

Ponte Aerea - Ponte Aerea

Size: 99,9 MB
Time: 40:16
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Brazilian Jazz
Art: Front

01. One For Victor (4:56)
02. Milky & Mellow (3:55)
03. Forro Da Dede (6:41)
04. Go For It (6:55)
05. Um Novo Dia (4:38)
06. Pro Tom (5:14)
07. Zaw (3:36)
08. Leve Turbulencia (4:17)

This quartet musicians joint effort of two of the most important cultural centers of Brazil, Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo. Integrated by AC (saxophones), Marcelo Elias (keyboards), André Rodrigues (bass) and Giba Favery (drums), the group's music stands out for jazz approach elements of Brazilian music. Experienced musicians with great performance in Rio instrumental music ( AC and Andre Rodrigues ) and São Paulo (Giba Favery and Marcelo Elias), they recorded the CD Shuttle to near where the musicality of the two cities into a vibrant music, creative , full of improvisation .

Ponte Aerea

Mary Nelson - The Meadows Of My Heart (Feat. Julien Kohler)

Size: 77,7 MB
Time: 33:06
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Stardust (4:01)
02. You're The Top (5:50)
03. Love For Sale (5:08)
04. You Don't Know What Love Is (4:22)
05. Time After Time (4:20)
06. Nature Boy (4:16)
07. I Will Wait For You (5:06)

Swedish-American jazz singer Mary Nelson releases her second album featuring French pianist Julien Kohler. She presents an exciting and well-conceived repertoire of carefully picked evergreens from the American songbook, joined by Kohler, bassist Pal Johnson and reed player Peter Fredman. She teams up with guest vocalist Jesper M Sjöberg for the lovely duet "You're The Top" by Cole Porter. Vocal jazz of the highest calibre.

Mary Nelson, vocals
Julien Kohler, grand piano
Pal Johnson, double bass
Peter Fredman, tenor saxophone & clarinet

Guest vocals: Jesper M Sjöberg

Recorded live at SMI in June 2013 by Gert Palmcrantz with additional recordings at Foxling Studios and Hacienda Studios in 2013 and 2014.

The Meadows Of My Heart

Ella Fitzgerald - Like Someone In Love

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 1957
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:28
Size: 157,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:23)  1. There's a Lull in My Life
(3:13)  2. More Than You Know
(3:27)  3. What Will I Tell My Heart?
(2:43)  4. I Never Had a Chance
(2:53)  5. Close Your Eyes
(3:17)  6. We'll Be Together Again
(3:10)  7. Then I'll Be Tired of You
(3:06)  8. Like Someone in Love
(3:54)  9. Midnight
(2:51) 10. I Thought About You
(3:55) 11. You're Blasé
(3:15) 12. Night Wind
(3:03) 13. What's New?
(4:37) 14. Hurry Home
(5:48) 15. How Long Has This Been Going On
(4:23) 16. I'll Never Be the Same
(3:59) 17. Lost in a Fog
(3:51) 18. Everything Happens to Me
(3:34) 19. So Rare

Ella Fitzgerald was accompanied by an orchestra arranged by Frank DeVol for this fine studio session; the CD reissue has been augmented by four selections recorded a month later. Most of the songs are veteran standards, Stan Getz's warm tenor helps out on four tunes, and although this is not an essential release  her voice was so strong and appealing during this era that all of her recordings from the mid- to late '50s are enjoyable and easily recommended. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/like-someone-in-love-mw0000272518

Personnel: Ella Fitzgerald (vocals); Ted Nash (alto saxophone); Stan Getz (tenor saxophone); Frank DeVol and his Orchestra.

Miles Davis - Someday My Prince Will Come

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1961
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:57
Size: 96,4 MB
Art: Front

(9:05)  1. Someday My Prince Will Come
(5:17)  2. Old Folks
(8:33)  3. Pfrancing
(4:31)  4. Drad-Dog
(9:35)  5. Teo
(4:53)  6. I Thought About You

After John Coltrane and Cannonball Adderly left the 'quintet', Miles Davis was forced to search for new qualified musicians. He found them in Hank Mobley, Wynton Kelly, Jimmy Cobb and Paul Chambers. In 1961, just two years after recording Kind Of Blue, Miles and his new line up started recording energetically and finished Someday My Prince Will Come after only three days. This album is a cross-over from Kind Of Blue (MOVLP019), which is known for the typical Miles Davis-tunes, to traditional pop-standards such as the eponymous title track from "Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs". Music On Vinyl turned this classic album, including glaring solo's from John Coltrane (joining Miles on two tracks on this album) and Hank Mobley, into a true gem! This record is re-mastered on 180 gram audiophile vinyl. http://www.musiconvinyl.com/catalog/miles-davis/someday-my-prince-will-come#more

Personnel: Miles Davis: trumpet;  John Coltrane: tenor saxophone;  Hank Mobley: tenor saxophone;  Wynton Kelly: piano;  Paul Chambers: bass;  Jimmy Cobb: drums;  Philly Joe Jones: drums.

Shelly Manne And His Men - At The Manne-Hole Vol. 1 And Vol. 2

Styles: Jazz, Hard Bop
Year: 1961
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:00
Size: 87,2 MB
Art: Front

(10:37)  1. Love For Sale
( 7:00)  2. How Could It Happen To A Dream
( 9:16)  3. Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise
(11:06)  4. The Champ

On the first of two albums, Shelly Manne & His Men are heard in prime form performing live at their home base, Shelly's Manne-Hole. Trumpeter Conte Candoli was in particularly strong form throughout the stint, showing self-restraint yet playing with power. Tenor saxophonist Richie Kamuca made for a complementary partner, while pianist Russ Freeman and bassist Chuck Berghofer formed an excellent rhythm section with the leader/drummer. For Vol. 1 they play "Love for Sale," Duke Ellington's fairly obscure "How Could It Happen to a Dream," "Softly as in a Morning Sunrise," and Dizzy Gillespie's uptempo blues "The Champ." This classic music falls between cool jazz and hard bop. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/at-the-manne-hole-vol-1-mw0000087788

Personnel: Shelly Manne (Drums), Conte Candoli (Trumpet), Richie Kamuca (Saxophone), Russ Freeman (Piano), Chuck Berghofer (Bass)

At The Manne-Hole Vol. 1


Shelly Manne And His Men - At The Manne-Hole Vol 2

Styles: Jazz, Hard Bop
Year: 1961
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:10
Size: 92,2 MB
Art: Front

(13:11)  1. On Green Dolphin Street
( 6:56)  2. What's New
(12:31)  3. If I Were A Bell
( 4:29)  4. Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye
( 3:01)  5. A Gem From Tiffany

At the Manne-Hole, Vol. 2 is the second of two CDs featuring Shelly Manne Quintet in superior form at the legendary Shelly's Manne-Hole club in Hollywood. Trumpeter Conte Candoli (in top form) and the cool-toned tenor Richie Kamuca work together very well, while the contributions of the rhythm section (pianist Russ Freeman, bassist Chuck Berghofer and the drummer/leader) should not be overlooked. 

Together they perform four standards (highlighted by "On Green Dolphin Street" and "If I Were a Bell") plus their closing theme "A Gem from Tiffany." Both of the volumes are easily recommended. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/at-the-manne-hole-vol-2-mw0000087789

Personnel: Shelly Manne (drums); Richie Kamuca (tenor saxophone); Conte Candoli (trumpet); Russ Freeman (piano); Chuck Berghofer (bass).

At The Manne-Hole Vol 2

Joni Mitchell - Shadows And Light

Styles: Folk, Pop/Rock
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 84:27
Size: 193,7 MB
Art: Front

(1:55)  1. Introduction
(4:10)  2. In France They Kiss On Main Street
(4:10)  3. Edith And The Kingpin
(4:59)  4. Coyote
(6:06)  5. Goodbye Pork Pie Hat
(4:36)  6. The Dry Cleaner From Des Moines
(6:40)  7. Amelia
(3:05)  8. Pat's Solo
(7:53)  9. Hejira
(3:53) 10. Black Crow
(3:55) 11. Don's Solo
(4:50) 12. Dreamland
(3:22) 13. Free Man In Paris
(0:50) 14. Band Introduction
(5:25) 15. Furry Sings The Blues
(2:50) 16. Why Do Fools Fall In Love?
(5:25) 17. Shadows And Light
(5:03) 18. God Must Be A Boogie Man
(5:10) 19. Woodstock

Shadows and Light is Joni Mitchell's second live album, and it serves as a good retrospective of her jazzy period from 1975-1979. As expected, she assembles a group of all-star musicians including Pat Metheny (guitar), Jaco Pastorius (bass), Lyle Mays (keyboards), and Michael Brecker (saxophone) who give these compositions more energy than on the studio recordings. The musicians are given room to jam, and they sound terrific on uptempo songs such as "Coyote" and "In France They Kiss on Main Street." If there is a general theme of these songs, it's about growing older and maturing after the failed idealism of the late '60s (the album opens with audio clips from the movie Rebel Without a Cause). 

Although this album is pleasing, the live arrangements are not different enough from the studio versions to warrant higher marks. In fact, Mitchell has always been an album artist who recorded studio albums that had a sound and feel all their own. While Shadows and Light provides a nice summary of her experimental period for casual fans, interested listeners should start with Hejira or The Hissing of Summer Lawns. ~ Vik Iyengar  http://www.allmusic.com/album/shadows-and-light-mw0000200161

Personnel: Bass – Jaco Pastorius; Drums – Don Alias; Lead Guitar – Pat Metheny; Keyboards – Lyle Mays; Sax – Michael Brecker; Electric Guitar – Joni Mitchell; Vocals – The Persuasions

Shadows And Light

Sunday, March 29, 2015

Jack Van Poll, Red Mitchell, Ed Thigpen - Catsgroove

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:51
Size: 127.9 MB
Styles: Straight ahead jazz
Year: 1988
Art: Front

[4:14] 1. I Remember April
[8:21] 2. Cats Groove
[9:32] 3. In A Sentimental Mood
[4:49] 4. Topsy
[4:36] 5. Magie
[7:14] 6. In A Mellow Tone
[9:43] 7. Lover Man
[7:19] 8. Satin Doll

Red Mitchell (bass), Ed Thigpen (drums), Jack Van Poll, Philip Catherine (guitar). Recorded Oct. 27 & 28,1988.

Jack van Poll was born in 1934 in Roosendaal, Holland. He started playing piano at the age of four. After the liberation of the Second World War in 1945, he discovered the first Bebop tunes on V-discs and on the American Forces Network Channel. With his teen age trio “The Rose Valley's”, he took part in the Dutch Jazz Competition in Amsterdam in 1946. From the early Fifties on, he backed up single artists from the U.S.A., who performed in Holland and Belgium, like Don Byas, Ben Webster, Johnny Griffin, Clark Terry, Tony Scott, Ted Curson, Buddy DeFranco and many others. In the late seventies he opened the “September Jazz Club” in Antwerp, Belgium. In 1984 he founded the “September Jazz Records” label. He joined the Lionel Hampton band on their East Coast Summer tour in 1985 and made his debut in Manhattan with Dee Dee Bridgewater that same year. He performed at many International Jazz Festivals; Antibes, Pori, Prague, JVC Jazz Festival NYC, Cork, San Sebastian, Grahamstown, NSJF The Hague, Vienna, Comblain La Tour, Cracow, Berlin, Milano and Zurich. Apart from playing piano and tenor sax, he composes, writes lyrics, presents his weekly radio program, teaches music, is correspondent for a Flemish Jazz Magazine, writes Film Music and supports young musical talents.

Born Keith Moore Mitchell in New York City on September 20, 1927, Red showed an early interest in both music and how things work. While growing up in New Jersey, he was encouraged by both his mother, who loved nature and poetry, and his engineer father, who loved music and could explain how things worked. After nine years of piano lessons, four years of alto sax and clarinet and an engineering scholarship to Cornell, he started playing bass in the army in 1947. Red Mitchell was dedicated to music and communication. His personality and his playing were often described as being larger than life. Jim Hall said, "Red played the most gorgeous melodic solos of anybody on any instrument, I think maybe he and Lester Young were in the same league. The fact that it was coming out of a string bass was mind-boggling." And the classical bass soloist, Gary Karr, said, "I have always judged talent, whether its jazz or classical, on the sound a person produces because the sound is your signature. I think Red's signature was sure genius."

A tasteful and subtle drummer who is a master with brushes, Ed Thigpen is still most famous for his longtime membership with the Oscar Peterson Trio. The son of Ben Thigpen (who played drums with Andy Kirk's Orchestra throughout the 1930s), Ed gained early experience playing with Cootie Williams from 1951-1952. After a period in the Army, he worked with Dinah Washington (1954), Lennie Tristano, Johnny Hodges, Bud Powell, and Billy Taylor's Trio (1956-1959). Thigpen replaced guitarist Herb Ellis with Peterson's group in 1959, staying with the masterful pianist through 1965 and appearing on dozens of records. His quiet yet swinging style perfectly supported Peterson and bassist Ray Brown. After leaving Peterson, Thigpen spent two periods touring the world with Ella Fitzgerald during 1966-1972. He settled in Copenhagen in 1972, worked as a teacher, wrote several instructional books, and continued playing with the who's who of jazz as a freelancer. As an occasional leader, Ed Thigpen has recorded dates for Verve (an obscurity from 1966), GNP Crescendo, Reckless, Timeless, and Justin Time.

Catsgroove

Blue Harlem - Jump Jack Jump

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:24
Size: 103.9 MB
Styles: Jump blues, Swing
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[2:36] 1. Jump Jack Jump
[2:39] 2. Teardrops From My Eyes
[3:07] 3. Act Right
[4:03] 4. Fever
[2:58] 5. Blues For Dudes
[3:06] 6. For You My Love
[2:02] 7. Till The Well Runs Dry
[3:38] 8. Stormy Weather
[4:23] 9. Hats Off To Mr. Lee
[3:27] 10. I Don't Hurt Anymore
[3:12] 11. My Baby Just Cares For Me
[2:40] 12. What Good'll It Do Me
[3:55] 13. Birthday Blues
[3:33] 14. The Jeep Is Jumpin

Blue Harlem have been widely regarded as one of the top swing/jump-blues bands on the London scene for over 15 years. They have become regular favourites at venues such as the world famous Ronnie Scott's, The100 Club, The Hippodrome, Hideaway, Jitterbugs and many, many more.

They enjoy an international reputation - 2007 found them launching the 4th International Film Festival of Dubai and in 2008, they were personally invited by Baz Luhrmann to perform for the launch of his 1940's blockbuster movie ‘Australia’. They have been invited on three separate occasions to perform at Highgrove House charity balls for the Prince’s Trust. They have an enviable reputation as a party band, having played for society soirees all over the UK - including Buckingham Palace, Annabel’s, The Sands Venue and Burgh Island. They also regularly perform abroad, appearing at jazz festivals in Spain, Norway, Belgium and Germany.

Blue Harlem launched the career of rising star Imelda May, and are now proud to feature as their vocalist the sensational Sophie Shaw. Blue Harlem is led by Al Nicholls on Tenor Sax and features Paul Eldridge on Piano, Sandy Burnett on Double Bass, Sam Brown on Drums, Gethin Liddington on trumpet and Horace Cardew on Baritone Sax.

Jump Jack Jump

Yoio Cuesta - Back To The 40s

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:10
Size: 105.7 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[4:26] 1. Jim
[2:37] 2. You Won't Be Satisfied
[3:56] 3. It 's Only A Paper Moon
[2:32] 4. In The Evening When The Sun Goes Down
[4:07] 5. Crying
[3:22] 6. He's My Guy
[5:01] 7. At Last
[3:09] 8. Sentimenal Journey
[2:55] 9. No Sense
[3:49] 10. I Didn't Mean A Word I Said
[3:48] 11. Cry You Out Of My Heart
[3:03] 12. Undecided
[3:20] 13. I'm Just A Lucky So And So

Yoio Cuesta se lanza a liderar un proyecto propio con Back to the 40's.

En él se pretende capturar el espíritu de los comienzos de la música de Jazz y Blues, recogiendo la herencia de las melodías afroamericanas asociadas a la vida de los esclavos, y baladas de gran contenido emocional, muy cercanas al lenguaje del blues o a los espirituales negros.

Aparte de la formación clásica de cuarteto de jazz vocal, se une a estos músicos una pequeña sección de cuerda,-violín y viola - lo que imprime a Back to the 40's un aire de elegancia y complejidad refinada, que pocas veces puede verse en un proyecto de Jazz nacional.

Back To The 40s

Grant Green - Am I Blue

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:43
Size: 95.5 MB
Styles: Hard bop, Guitar jazz, Soul-jazz
Year: 1963/1994/2007
Art: Front

[ 6:52] 1. Am I Blue
[ 6:08] 2. Take These Chains From My Heart
[ 7:34] 3. I Wanna Be Loved
[ 7:12] 4. Sweet Slumber
[13:57] 5. For All We Know

A severely underrated player during his lifetime, Grant Green is one of the great unsung heroes of jazz guitar. Like Stanley Turrentine, he tends to be left out of the books. Although he mentions Charlie Christian and Jimmy Raney as influences, Green always claimed he listened to horn players (Charlie Parker and Miles Davis) and not other guitar players, and it shows. No other player has this kind of single-note linearity (he avoids chordal playing). There is very little of the intellectual element in Green's playing, and his technique is always at the service of his music. And it is music, plain and simple, that makes Green unique. ~Blue Note

This quintet date by guitarist Grant Green was one of the last of his Blue Note albums to be reissued on CD, and it is somewhat clear why. The musicians (Green, trumpeter Johnny Coles, tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson, organist John Patton, and drummer Ben Dixon) play well enough, but there are few inspiring moments. The material is not all that exciting, and the laid-back feeling sometimes leads to dull moments. Most of the fire is provided by Henderson, but such songs as "Am I Blue," "I Wanna Be Loved," and a nearly 14-minute version of "For All We Know" are a bit sleepy. Although certainly listenable enough, this is one of Grant Green's lesser efforts from the 1960s. ~Scott Yanow

Am I Blue

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

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

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

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).

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

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

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

Saturday, March 28, 2015

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 

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