Mike Melvoin, Kim Park - The Art Of Conversation

Styles: Piano And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:07
Size: 154,0 MB
Art: Front

(8:44)  1. Speak Low
(7:59)  2. When I Fall in Love
(6:04)  3. I Remember You
(7:19)  4. Danny Boy
(6:44)  5. Tangerine
(8:09)  6. For All We Know
(6:48)  7. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
(7:27)  8. A Time For Love
(7:49)  9. Emily

Leading off is The Art Of Conversation, by pianist Mike Melvoin and alto saxophonist Kim Park.  Minus the familiar timekeeping of bass and drums,  a duet album might challenge the listener’s attention, but Melvoin, a stellar first-call player here in LA, and the lesser heard Park,  son of the late Stan Kenton soloist John Park, reward the listener at every turn.  On Tangerine, the spirit of  fellow Kansas City native Charlie Parker is evoked as Park explores the breadth of the instrument in exhilarating style, with Melvoin deftly filling in underneath, ending up with a quote from Sweet Georgia Brown.   A Time For Love features Park caressing the melody, exploring the lower register of the instrument, leaving it for Melvoin to seamlessly bring up the pace. When you listen to this album you can’t help but recall Stan Getz and Kenny Barron’s People Time.

Park was an artist-in-residence with Getz at Stanford in 1988, and demonstrates a striking lyricism throughout. Melvoin’s contributions are more complex, providing the rhythmic underpinnings for Park’s solos, while blending his own unaccompanied dialogue into the conversation. From the first pensive notes of Danny Boy to the sprightly upbeat rhythms of You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To and Speak Low, it’s a gorgeous set throughout. ~ Michael Katz  https://irom.wordpress.com/2009/02/17/cd-reviews-melvoin-park-cunliffe-and-wolff/

Personnel:  Mike Melvoin – piano; Kim Park - alto sax

The Art Of Conversation

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Matt Belsante - When You're Smiling

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:49
Size: 107,7 MB
Art: Front

(2:56)  1. When You're Smiling
(3:25)  2. Nothing But the Best
(4:37)  3. Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered
(3:01)  4. On the Sunny Side of the Street
(4:01)  5. The Nearness of You
(3:08)  6. It's Only a Paper Moon
(3:18)  7. Make You Feel My Love
(3:00)  8. They Didn't Believe Me
(2:32)  9. Exactly Like You
(4:59) 10. Skylark
(3:47) 11. Nothing Can Change This Love
(3:25) 12. More
(4:32) 13. Angel Eyes

Matt Belsante performs like a seasoned entertainer well beyond his years. An old soul with a distinctly modern sound, you can hear the respect and appreciation for the material in his smooth as silk voice.
Maybe it was the old Sinatra records that he used to listen to with his Grandfather. Or maybe it was the steady diet of Coltrane, Ellington, Basie and Fitzgerald that he was fed at home. Whatever it was, Matt knew it was in his bones, a part of his DNA that would ultimately lead this young artist to pursue a dream of his own. Just out of grade school, Matt picked up the tenor sax at the age of twelve and became a standard fixture in his middle school and high school jazz bands. But the sax wasn't his only instrument: he soon found he had a talent for using his voice. By his senior year of High School, Matt had won the prestigious Louis Armstrong Jazz Award in both the vocal and instrumental categories, the first student from his school to achieve such a feat.

That affirmation was a turning point for Matt, as he realized that his true passion was for using his voice to interpret a song. He grabbed a guitar, taught himself to play and began composing his own music the summer before he entered Nashville's Vanderbilt University. Before the first day of class commenced, the late Vanderbilt/Blair school of Music director, Billy Adair, had already recruited Matt to sing for the Blair Big Band. Soon, Matt was directing himself, leading the Dodecaphonics, an all-male a cappella group on campus. The rising star eventually came to the attention of Nashville's well-heeled music industry following a performance of the Nashville Jazz Orchestra. That night, the NJO performed a Sinatra tribute, and Matt sang many as if he was channeling Sinatra himself. That performance landed him a televised appearance as a featured entertainer for the Miss Tennessee Scholarship Pageant 2006, which eventually lead him to Green Hill Music, where he recorded an album of Christmas classic (White Christmas), and followed that with a spectacular non-seasonal collection of standards (Blame It On My Youth). The titles quickly became two of the label's top selling releases.

CBL Properties and KMT Creative Group tapped Matt to become both the voice and the face of the campaign. As a result, Matt was featured in a series of spots on television, radio and internet. Matt's latest collaboration with Green Hill, teams him with GRAMMY nominated producer, Jack Jezzro, acclaimed arranger and orchestrator, Jeff Steinberg and the exciting new jazz pianist, Mason Embry. A collection of traditional jazz and Big Band standards, as well a couple of pop and R&B classics, When You're Smiling boasts Matt's best vocal work to date. ~ Editorial Reviews  http://www.amazon.com/When-Youre-Smiling-Matt-Belsante/dp/B00QTVKD2Y

Personnel: Jack Jezzro (guitar); Janet Darnall, Conni Ellisor, Mary Kathryn Van Osdale, David Davidson , David Angell (violin); Chris Farrell , Elizabeth Lamb (viola); Sari Reist, Anthony LaMarchina (cello); Denis Solee (flute, alto saxophone); Sam Levine (flute, tenor saxophone); Matt Davich (clarinet, tenor saxophone); Doug Moffett (clarinet, baritone saxophone); Ellen Menking (oboe, English horn); Mike Haynes , Jeff Bailey , Steve Patrick (trumpet); Barry Greene, Roy Agee (trombone); Mason Embry (piano); Joshua Hunt (drums).

When You're Smiling

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Wolfgang Haffner - Kind of Cool

Styles: Contemporary Jazz, Crossover
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:04
Size: 138,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:37)  1. Hippie
(7:20)  2. So What
(5:02)  3. Piano Man
(4:03)  4. Autumn Leaves
(3:18)  5. Tantricity
(5:23)  6. Summertime
(7:00)  7. My Funny Valentine
(6:26)  8. One for Daddy O
(5:55)  9. I Fall in Love Too Easily
(5:00) 10. Django
(4:56) 11. Remembrance

Drummer Wolfgang Haffner is one of Germany's most respected and experienced jazz musicians: his 30 year career features recordings with Al Cohn, Joe Pass and Till Bronner as well as numerous albums as leader. On Kind Of Cool he's joined by an excellent line-up of European jazzers, including pianist Jan Lundgren and trombonist Nils Landgren: their mix of classics and Haffner originals is a delight from first note to last. Haffner and bassist Dan Berglund open "Hippie" (one of the drummer's own compositions) with a relaxed groove that immediately establishes the inaccuracy of the album title: this music isn't kind of cool, this is cool. The tune's title is also rather inaccurate: this melodic number, thanks especially to Jukka Perko's breathy alto sax, is redolent of the '50s not so much "Hippie" as "Beatnikie." 

Haffner contributes two more numbers. "Tantricity" is another relaxed tune that fits neatly into the cool school Perko's long, fragile, notes give it added grace. The lovely "Remembrance" gives the spotlight to 83-year-old trumpeter Dusko Goykovich (who's played with icons of cool, Miles Davis and Chet Baker). His languid, romantic playing on this tune is some of the finest on the record, although Lundgren's piano solo almost matches Goykovich for emotional depth. One of the striking things about Kind Of Cool is the presence of so many classic, world famous, tunes. Davis' "So What," Rogers and Hart's "My Funny Valentine," George Gershwin's "Summertime" are all iconic compositions. Most of them, in the right hands, have come to epitomise cool jazz one reason for Haffner's decision to include them here and these interpretations carry on that fine tradition. 

John Lewis' "Django," a Modern Jazz Quartet classic, is given a fresh tonal quality by the sax and trumpet of Perko and Goykovich "So What" gets its own shift in feel thanks to Christopher Dell's vibes and Berglund's subtle variation on Paul Chambers' bass line, "Summertime" is a beautiful mix of a gently swinging rhythm section and Goykovich's heartfelt muted trumpet. Two numbers deviate somewhat from the predominant cool sound. {Billy Eckstein}}'s "Piano Man" is a late-night story of lost love ..."that can only be told by the blues." Vocalist Max Mutzke tells the tale with just the right mix of self-pity and melancholy it's easy to imagine the empty bar-room, the tired bartender and the spurned lover as they listen to Frank Chastenier's piano. Nat Adderley's "One For Daddy O," featuring guest trombonist Landgren, is another blues, but this time swing and good vibes replace Mutzke's melancholy. So what kind of cool is Kind Of Cool? The good kind, the cool kind that's the kind of cool to be found on Kind Of Cool. ~ Bruce Lindsay  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/kind-of-cool-wolfgang-haffner-act-music-review-by-bruce-lindsay.php

Personnel: Wolfgang Haffner: drums; Dusko Goykovich: trumpet; Jukka Perko: alto saxophone; Christopher Dell: vibraphone; Jan Lundgren: piano; Dan Berglund: bass; Max Mutzke: vocals (3); Frank Chasteniere: piano (3); Christian von Kaphengst: bass (3); Nils Landgren: trombone (8).

Kind of Cool

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Kenny Burrell - Blues The Common Ground

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:16
Size: 85.3 MB
Styles: Bop, Guitar jazz
Year: 1968/2001
Art: Front

[3:16] 1. Everydays
[3:17] 2. Every Day (I Have The Blues)
[2:54] 3. The Preacher
[3:59] 4. Angel Eyes
[2:48] 5. The Common Ground
[1:07] 6. Were You There
[2:43] 7. Burning Spear
[3:57] 8. Wonder Why
[5:33] 9. Soulful Brothers
[3:28] 10. See See Rider
[4:10] 11. Sausalito Nights

Recording Date: December 15, 1967 - February 19, 1968. Bass – Ron Carter; Drums – Donald MacDonald, Grady Tate; Guitar – Kenny Burrell; Percussion – Johnny Pacheco; Piano – Herbie Hancock; Trombone – Bill Watrous, Jimmy Cleveland, Paul Faulise, Tony Studd, Urbie Green, Wayne Andre; Trumpet – Bernie Glow, Ernie Royal, Snookie Young, Jimmy Nottingham, Jimmy Owens, Thad Jones; Tuba – Don Butterfield, Harvey Phillips; Woodwind, Reeds – Jerome Richardson .

When it comes to Kenny Burrell, a title like Blues -- The Common Ground speaks volumes. His approach always keeps in mind the connection of jazz to the blues, infusing his guitar with a soulful, hard bop edge. Recorded in 1967 and 1968, Blues -- The Common Ground finds Burrell backed by lots of brass and wind instruments for most of the album, hardly his usual setting. But his guitar successfully weaves in and out of songs like "Every Day (I Have the Blues)" and "Burning Spear," blending with the band and creating a pleasant balance. Much of this works thanks to arranger Don Sebesky's tasteful settings.

Sebesky seems to have an instinctive grasp of when to sit on the band and when to let it fly loose. There's the late-night, gentle feel of "Angel Eyes," and the more animated setup on the title cut. The only time this doesn't work is on pieces like "The Preacher" and "See See Rider," where the upbeat horns and shrill flutes remind one of a "groovy" soundtrack from a bad '60s movie. It's also interesting to note that the album's unusual song choices, like "Everydays" by Stephen Stills, do find common ground in the blues. There's a beautiful, short solo piece, "Were You There?," and two quartet pieces, "Sausalito Nights" and "Soulful Brothers." Blues -- The Common Ground holds up well, and the 2001 reissue offers Burrell fans a cleaned-up version of this fine album. ~Ronnie D. Lankford Jr.

Blues The Common Ground

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Marcus Shelby Trio - Un Faux Pas!

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:48
Size: 123.2 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[4:35] 1. Je L'ai Vu En Permier (I Saw Her First)
[6:36] 2. Un Faux Pas! (One False Move)
[2:28] 3. Mademoiselle Mila (Enters)
[4:53] 4. J'ai Beaucoup De Chance (I'm So Lucky)
[4:27] 5. Desilusions De Grandeur (Delusions Of Grandeur)
[3:40] 6. Quest Coastings (West Coastings)
[6:32] 7. Femme Metisse
[4:50] 8. Rendez-Vous Avec Mila (Rendez-Vous With Mila)
[3:47] 9. Mademoiselle Mila (Exits)
[4:31] 10. Une Lettre Ouverte (An Open Letter)
[7:25] 11. Resolution D' Antoine (Antoine's Resolution)

The Marcus Shelby Trio was founded in 1997 and performs regularly in the San Francisco Bay Area, including national and international festivals. The trio consists of Marcus Shelby (bass), Matt Clark(piano) and Howard Wiley (drums). The MST performs original compositions, re-arranged Standards, spirituals, Rhythm and Blues, and pop music—all with a progressive influence of swing, ballads, and blues. The MST has released 2 CDs (“Un Faux Pas”, “The Sophisticate”), and serves as the rhythm section for the Marcus Shelby Orchestra, which has released 4 CDs, including their last recording on Porto Franco Records “Soul of the Movement”.

Un Faux Pas!

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Betty Johnson - The Take Five Sessions

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 31:27
Size: 72.0 MB
Styles: Cabaret, Standards
Year: 1995/2008
Art: Front

[1:04] 1. It's Been A Long, Long Time
[0:58] 2. After You've Gone
[1:31] 3. Two Faces In The Dark
[1:24] 4. September Song
[1:30] 5. That Old Feeling
[1:41] 6. I'm Confessin' That I Love You
[1:01] 7. You Are In Love
[1:03] 8. Somebody Loves Me
[2:40] 9. You Stepped Out Of A Dream
[1:19] 10. I Concentrate On You
[1:18] 11. Everybody Loves A Lover
[1:21] 12. Lazy River
[1:43] 13. You Go To My Head
[1:30] 14. So Rare
[1:42] 15. The Party's Over
[1:30] 16. Whispering
[1:03] 17. Taking A Chance On Love
[1:04] 18. Just In Time
[1:08] 19. Comes Love
[1:48] 20. Once In A While
[1:40] 21. I Only Have Eyes For You
[1:19] 22. Sand In My Shoes

Betty Johnson's first career in music coincided with the music career of her family, the Johnson Family Singers. Starting in 1938 and throughout the 1940s, the young soprano sang hymns with her parents and three brothers. The family had a daily broadcast on the powerful WBT radio in Charlotte, North Carolina and appeared at churches, military bases, and all-night sings throughout the South. Singing in the vein of the Carter Family and Speer Family, the Johnsons garnered enough attention to appear on the Grand Ole Opry and record for RCA-Victor and Columbia records.

As the 1950s dawned, Betty charted a course that would take her away from the Johnson Family Singers and toward popular music stylings. In New York City, Johnson shared the top prize on Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts and also found a regular Sunday evening radio job singing with the CBS orchestra as well as a Saturday morning spot on the Galen Drake Show.

Johnson kept a breathless pace. In addition to her recordings and television, she was the spokeswoman for Borden dairy products and starred in summer stock performances of Brigadoon, The King And I and South Pacific. She met live dates at the Copacabana in New York, the Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans, the Drake Hotel in Chicago, the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco, the Sands in Las Vegas, the Cocoanut Grove in Los Angeles, and other clubs around the nation.

Betty Johnson works hard on her third career in music, a career that's defined by pop standards and cabaret performances. Betty draws from the Johnson Family Singers who groomed her voice and a 1950s solo tenure that proved her ability to sell whimsical pop records in the midst of the rock revolution. She presses on in the 1990s. "I feel like I'm about 23 years old. I feel very young because this is all so challenging for me and a little scary and very rewarding." -- Adapted from Discoveries Magazine

The Take Five Sessions

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Jens Fuglsang & Rêve Bohème - Cafe Django

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:13
Size: 121.8 MB
Styles: Gypsy jazz
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[3:44] 1. Embraceable You
[3:41] 2. Cherifa Says
[4:25] 3. Don’t Worry About Me
[3:24] 4. Flaxen Hair
[3:35] 5. I’ve Got You Under My Skin
[4:32] 6. R&R Heart
[2:46] 7. Them There Eyes
[4:56] 8. Partyoverkill
[4:00] 9. Old Moon
[4:02] 10. I Can’t Get Started
[3:59] 11. Just One Of Those Things
[3:39] 12. Trying To
[3:30] 13. Red Lights
[2:51] 14. Tiger Rag

Jens Fuglsang (vocal & lead guitar); Finn Poulsen (harmonica & vocal); Robert Pilgaard (rhythm guitar); Jesper Riis (bass).

The inspiration from the guitarplayer Django Reinhardt is the key to Rêve Bohème’s music and characteristic acoustic sound. Did the famous French guitarist Django Reinhardt ever play in the North? Yes, actually Django did visit Denmark back in February 1939 just before the outbreak of World War 2. With his “Le Quintette du Hot Club de France” he played 4 concerts in two days in the city of Copenhagen – for an enthusiastic crowd and with great reviews in the newspapers.

Obviously Rêve Bohème never had a chance to see the concerts back in 1939 but the spirit from Django’s music still lives on 73 years after his visit to Denmark. Over the years Rêve Bohème has performed in different line-ups and musical settings. Their fusion between the Nordic and South-European traditions always creates a unique musical universe which can be heard on their four previous albums: Café Django 2009 (Calibrated), Best of Rêve Bohème 2007 (Hot Club Records), Django’s Dream 2005 (Calibrated) and Django Jalousie 2002 (Cope). These albums feature Jens Fuglsang, Robert Pilgaard (guitars), Kasper Fredholm (sax), Morten Ravn (bass) and various guest appearances by Karina Kappel (voc), Lisa Haavik (voc), Knut Haavik (perc) and Bjarke Falgren (vio).

The band debutised at the famous gypsy jazz restaurant Bistro d'Eustache in Paris, 1998. Since then they have been touring and playing at clubs and festivals in Norway, Sweden, Finland, France, England, Germany, Holland, Greece and Poland. The band have played and performed with international gypsy jazz artists such as Dorado Schmidt, Robin Nolan, Andreas Öberg, Jon Larsen & HCN, Basily, Paulus Schäfer, Angelo Debarre, Gary Potter, Biel Ballester…and many others.

Cafe Django

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Von Freeman Quartet - Dedicated To You

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 64:22

Size: 147.3 MB

Styles: Post bop, Saxophone jazz

Year: 1994

Art: Front

[10:08] 1. There Is No Greater Love

[ 7:38] 2. Dedicated To You

[ 7:37] 3. Song For My Father

[11:55] 4. My Foolish Heart

[10:22] 5. Anthropology

[ 7:41] 6. There Goes My Heart

[ 8:57] 7. Four

Not nearly as famous as his son Chico Freeman (also a tenor saxophonist), Von Freeman was nevertheless an equally -- if not more so -- accomplished jazz musician. While not a free jazz player per se, Von exhibited traits commonly associated with the avant-garde: a roughly hewn, vocalic tone; a flexible, somewhat imprecise approach to rhythm, and a fanciful harmonic concept. The son of a ragtime-loving policeman and guitar-playing housewife, Freeman himself began playing music around the age of two, beginning on the family piano. He was surrounded by music from a young age; his maternal grandfather and uncle were guitarists, and his brothers George and Bruz also became jazz musicians (on guitar and drums, respectively). At the age of seven, Freeman made a primitive saxophone by removing the horn from his parents' Victrola and boring holes in it. Shortly thereafter he began playing clarinet, then C-melody saxophone. Louis Armstrong was an early influence.

Freeman attended Chicago's DuSable High School, where his band director was the famed educator Captain Walter Dyett. He also learned harmony from the school's chorus director, Mrs. Bryant Jones. Freeman worked for about a year with Horace Henderson's Orchestra (1940-1941). He played in a Navy band while in the military (1941-1945). Following that, he played in the house band at Chicago's Pershing Ballroom (1946-1950), and for a time with Sun Ra (1948-1949). While at the Pershing, he played with many of the top jazz musicians who passed through town, including Charlie Parker. Freeman developed an underground reputation among Chicago-area musicians, and purportedly influenced members of the city's Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM). Freeman seldom left Chicago and recorded infrequently, therefore never achieving a great measure of fame.

Freeman recorded with Milt Trenier for Cadet in the mid-'60s; Rahsaan Roland Kirk produced a Freeman session for Atlantic in 1972. In the late '70s (as his son Chico became well-known) Von was discovered by a somewhat wider audience. In 1982, Chico and Von shared a Columbia LP with pianist Ellis Marsalis and his sons Wynton and Branford (Fathers & Sons). In the '90s Freeman recorded for the Steeplechase and Southport labels. Freeman was one of the great individualists of the tenor saxophone, and remained creatively vital through the end of the millennium. Freeman died of heart failure in 2012. ~bio by Chris Kelsey

Dedicated To You

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Gabor Szabo - Spellbinder

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:11
Size: 82.8 MB
Styles: Post bop, Guitar jazz
Year: 1966/1998/2015
Art: Front

[5:25] 1. Spellbinder
[4:33] 2. Witchcraft
[2:43] 3. It Was A Very Good Year
[5:08] 4. Gypsy Queen
[2:24] 5. Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)
[4:04] 6. Cheetah
[5:25] 7. My Foolish Heart
[2:53] 8. Yearning
[3:31] 9. Autumn Leaves/Speak To Me Of Love

Released just six months after Gypsy '66, Gabor Szabo's second album as a leader (after leaving a sublime Chico Hamilton band that also included Charles Lloyd) remains one of his finest moments in the studio. Szabo utilized the tales of bassist Ron Carter and his old boss Hamilton on drums, as well as a pair of fine Latin percussionists -- Willie Bobo and Victor Pantoja. The groove quotient was very high on Spellbinder, maybe even higher than on later albums such as Jazz Raga or Sorcerer. This set is all Szabo, drifting, wafting, and soaring above all that rhythm; the track selection provides ample space for Szabo's highly individualized Eastern modal style to shine. The set opens with the title track, a snaky guitar masterpiece with plenty of droning strings and pinched chords that are followed by open string flourishes. Carter holds the entire band together as Hamilton plays in counterpoint to the percussionists. This is followed with two nuggets from the pop book of the day, the Coleman/Leigh classic "Witchcraft" and "It Was a Very Good Year." From the performances here, it's apparent that Szabo was deeply influenced by singers, and Frank Sinatra was at his pinnacle during this time. There's the emerging '60s psychedelic sound in Szabo's playing, but it is underlaid with bossa rhythms and swells. These tracks, while flavored with Latin and pop stylings, are gorgeous guitar jazz. Szabo gets back into his own mystic thang with "Gypsy Queen" (the opening droning moments of which the Doors lifted entirely for "The End"). Here the Latin rhythms and guitar go head to head, point to counterpoint. A pronounced yet elusive melody line propels a series of polyrhythms forward into an abyss of melody, mode, and frighteningly intense legato phrasing, leaving the listener breathless. He takes the edge off with Sonny Bono's "Bang Bang (She Shot Me Down)." Szabo sings here in his plaintive Hungarian-inflected English, and the tune becomes something other than a pop song, but a tome on despair and loss.

The funky "Cheetah" follows with gorgeous arpeggios, pointedly turning into chords of distinction as Hamilton rides the crash cymbal into territories unknown and double-times the band until it notches up the intensity. This set follows with one more Szabo original ("Yearning") and a trio of standards, with a heartbreakingly beautiful read of "My Foolish Heart" and a medley of "Autumn Leaves" and "Speak to Me of Love." Szabo's read on jazz in the '60s was brilliant. He embodied all of its most popular aspirations with a genuine spirit of innovation and adventure. Spellbinder is a masterpiece. ~Thom Jurek

Spellbinder

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Ed Thigpen - Young Men & Olds

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:17
Size: 133.4 MB
Styles: Hard bop
Year: 1991
Art: Front

[6:20] 1. Strike Up The Band
[5:48] 2. Yesterdays
[7:09] 3. Summertime
[5:50] 4. Night And Day
[5:49] 5. Scramble
[6:39] 6. Shufflin' Long
[4:25] 7. Oh My Gosh
[8:59] 8. Dark Before The Dawn
[7:16] 9. I Should Care

Terence Blanchard (trumpet) Bill Easley (alto saxophone) Branford Marsalis (tenor,soprano saxophone) Ronnie Mathews or Sir Roland Hanna (piano) Rufus Reid (bass) Ed Thigpen (drums) Bobby Thomas Jr. (hand drums). Recording Date: November 20 - 21, 1990

Edward Leonard Thigpen was born in Chicago, Illinois on December 28, 1930. His father, Ben Thigpen, was a professional jazz drummer who worked in Andy Kirk's band for close to twenty years throughout the 1930s and 40s. At the beginning of 1959, Thigpen joined Oscar Peterson and Ray Brown to form perhaps the most revered incarnation of the Oscar Peterson Trio. The group stayed together until 1965 and can be heard on close to 50 recordings.

The sensitive, quiet burn of Thigpen's famed brushwork and the forward-leaning foundation of Brown's bass playing made for one of the most well-developed drummer/bassist relationships in the history of the piano trio. Once asked to discuss the style of his longtime drummer, Oscar Peterson explained, Ed Thigpen was a reflective yet complete percussionist. He wasn't really a drummer, he was a percussionist. He had that feeling all the time that it wasn't just drums that he was sitting at. He sees his drums as a complete, not instrument, but orchestra. Whatever he wants it to be. Ed Thigpen has a touch on the drums that you seldom hear. Jo Jones had that same thing.

Young Men & Olds

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Katharine Whalen - Katharine Whalen's Jazz Squad

Styles: Vocal, Retro Swing
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:14
Size: 88,1 MB
Art: Front

(2:40)  1. Deed I Do
(2:35)  2. No Greater Love
(2:53)  3. Sugar
(4:59)  4. Yesterdays
(3:20)  5. Just You, Just Me
(2:11)  6. Now or Never
(3:23)  7. My Old Flame
(2:54)  8. That Old Feeling
(3:02)  9. Badisma
(3:36) 10. All My Life
(3:46) 11. After You've Gone
(2:49) 12. My Baby Just Cares For Me

Singer and banjoist Katharine Whalen is one of the founding members of the Squirrel Nut Zippers, the North Carolina-based retro band whose joyful fusion of raw jump blues and hot jazz has been one of the most unlikely success stories of the 1990s. On her solo debut, Whalen steps out a bit (though not entirely) from the shadow of Billie Holiday, whose nasal, declamatory style has been a huge influence on Whalen from the beginning. She sings "'Deed I Do" and "There Is No Greater Love" in a somewhat warmer, sexier voice than usual; same with the finger-popping "That Old Feeling" (which, strangely, sounds like it was faded out halfway through the track). But she delivers "Yesterdays" with what almost sounds like a tribute to Holiday's delivery of the classic and controversial "Strange Fruit." The program ends with a strutting, ska-inflected version of "My Baby Just Cares for Me." Derivative or not, Whalen is a gifted chanteuse and a wonderful interpreter. Highly recommended. ~ Rick Anderson  http://www.allmusic.com/album/katharine-whalens-jazz-squad-mw0000243941

Personnel: Katharine Whalen (vocals); James Mathus & His Knockdown Society (guitar, banjo); Mike Minguez (clarinet); Cecil Johnson (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone); Je Widenhouse (trumpet); John Kennedy (trombone); Robert Griffin (piano); Ted Zarras (drums).

Katharine Whalen's Jazz Squad

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Wendy Zoffer - Bird Of Beauty

Styles: Jazz, Smooth Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:53
Size: 77,9 MB
Art: Front

(2:52)  1. Autumm Leaves
(3:40)  2. Nica's Dream
(3:51)  3. Sunday Kind Of Love
(3:35)  4. Black Orpheus
(2:29)  5. Can't Help Lovin Dat Man
(3:12)  6. Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me
(2:41)  7. One Note Samba
(3:26)  8. On the Street Where You Live
(3:18)  9. Wave
(4:44) 10. Bird Of Beauty

Wendy Zoffer is a flutist extraordinaire. Her clear lilting tone and fluid style are a breath of fresh air to the listener. Classically trained, Wendy has crossed over to the world of jazz, blues and popular standards. She expresses her enthusiasm and love of music whether she plays pop, standards, Broadway, Brazilian, or jazz. Wendy shapes classic melodies with exquisite feeling extracting the full melodic potential of her material-"it sounds as if she is singing through her flute."

The upbeat melodies on this CD will excite anyone who appreciates a finely crafted tune. "I've known Wendy Zoffer for several years and every time I hear her play the flute she sounds better and better. This CD especially impressed me. Her tone and choice of material is excellent! Wendy can improvise without lossing the message of the song. The jazz trio does a great job accompanying Wendy throughout and the recording sound is as good as any I've heard. This is a CD to be proud of." ~ Richie Cole  http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/wendyzoffer

Bird Of Beauty

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Steve Tyrell - The Disney Standards

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:06
Size: 110,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:52)  1. When You Wish Upon A Star
(3:46)  2. Kiss The Girl
(3:27)  3. You've Got A friend In Me
(2:58)  4. Bella Notte
(2:52)  5. Ev'rybody Wants To Be A Cat
(3:38)  6. Beauty and the Beast
(3:07)  7. He's A Tramp
(4:42)  8. You'll Be In My Heart
(2:48)  9. A Deeam Is A Wish Your Heart Makes
(3:07) 10. When She Loved Me
(2:46) 11. The Bare Necessities
(3:29) 12. Once Upon A Dream
(3:33) 13. Cruella De Vil
(3:54) 14. Baby Mine

On 2006's Disney Standards, pop vocalist Steve Tyrell offers up a charming set of tunes from vintage Mouse House films. Although Tyrell's gravelly voice may seem like an unlikely match for the melodies from animated classics such as Dumbo and Pinocchio, the project works to wonderful effect, allowing the vocalist to imbue the songs with plenty of emotion. Trumpeter Chris Botti joins Tyrell on a delicate reading of "When You Wish Upon a Star" (from Pinocchio), and Dr. John sits in on an easy-going rendition of "You've Got a Friend in Me" (from Toy Story). (The latter is a slightly strange pairing since Tyrell's voice echoes Dr. John's own singing style). Other highlights include "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes" (a dreamy, piano-driven version of the beloved Cinderella song) and "The Bare Necessities" (a smooth, orchestral take on the Jungle Book original). For fans of both Disney movies and Tyrell, this disc is sure to entertain. http://www.allmusic.com/album/disney-standards-mw0000702722

Personnel: Steve Tyrell (vocals); Bob Mann (guitar, keyboards); Dave Koz (saxophone); Chris Botti (trumpet); Dr. John, Lee Musiker (piano); Paulinho Da Costa (percussion).

The Disney Standards

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Ruby Braff - The Canadian Sessions (2-Disc Set)

Ruby Braff has often recorded in small groups, which suit him well because all he really needs is a minimal backing for his beautiful musical statements. The duets between Ruby Braff and Gene DiNovi on this double CD were recorded in Toronto in 1984, and the quartet was recorded there in 1979.

Pianist Gene DiNovi cites his main influences as Teddy Wilson, Mel Powell, Ellis Larkins and Duke Ellington - all pianists with elegant taste. Ellis Larkins recorded some celebrated duets with Ruby Braff in 1955 and 1972, which proved that Braff needs a delicate pianist who is not going to drown him out. Gene DiNovi is another such pianist. Like Larkins, he is experienced in accompanying singers: a task which demands subtlety and which prepares a pianist for accompanying the singing cornet of Ruby Braff.

Most of the second CD puts Braff in a quartet which includes substantial players Don Thompson and Terry Clarke. Yet they don't drown out Braff either, and Ed Bickert supplies ideally gentle accompaniment and inventive solos. But it is good for Ruby to be challenged occasionally, and Terry Clarke's dynamic drumming adds sparkle to such tracks as I've Got A Feeling I'm Falling. Terry even swaps fours with Ruby on The World Is Waiting For The Sunrise. Gene DiNovi sings on a few tracks but his mediocre vocals add little to the album. Yet who cares when you have the mellow Ruby Braff with sympathetic accompanists for more than 140 minutes? ~Tony Augarde

Gene DiNovi (p, voc); Ruby Braff (co); Ed Bickert (g); Don Thompson (b); Terry Clarke (dr). Recording Date: June 14, 1979 & January, 1984.

Album: The Canadian Sessions (Disc 1)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:54
Size: 160.0 MB
Styles: Trumpet jazz
Year: 1999

[9:15] 1. Medley: My Funny Valentine My Heart Stood Still Be Careful It's My Hea
[4:12] 2. Have A Heart
[3:33] 3. Says My Heart
[2:11] 4. Nobody's Heart
[4:32] 5. Break My Heart
[3:46] 6. My Foolish Heart
[3:08] 7. Sweethearts On Parade
[3:38] 8. Blues In My Heart
[3:10] 9. This Heart Of Mine
[3:23] 10. Beware My Heart
[5:36] 11. Medley: Love Walked In/Embraceable You/The Man I Love
[2:38] 12. Love Is Sweeping The Country
[4:07] 13. Of Thee I Sing
[3:29] 14. For You, For Me, For Evermore
[4:08] 15. I've Got A Crush On You
[5:50] 16. Oh, Lady Be Good
[3:08] 17. Maybe

The Canadian Sessions (Disc 1)

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Album: The Canadian Sessions (Disc 2)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:08
Size: 162.9 MB
Styles: Trumpet jazz
Year: 1999
Art: Front

[3:27] 1. True Love
[5:01] 2. I've Got A Feeling I'm Falling
[4:33] 3. This Year's Kisses
[4:24] 4. The World Is Waiting For Sunrise
[5:38] 5. The Very Thought Of You
[7:02] 6. After Awhile
[5:16] 7. What Is There To Say
[5:11] 8. My Funny Valentine
[8:08] 9. Medley The Song Is Ended When I Fall In Love
[4:20] 10. I Must Have That Man
[4:38] 11. If Dreams Come True
[4:08] 12. Medley: Trumpeter/Blow Your Golden Horn/Do It Again
[3:25] 13. Isn't It A Pity
[5:49] 14. He Loves And She Loves

The Canadian Sessions (Disc 2)

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Julian Jackson Quartet - I Can't Get Started

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:41
Size: 134.3 MB
Styles: Harmonica jazz
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[3:15] 1. Alfie
[6:50] 2. Etude No. 1
[9:38] 3. I Can't Get Started
[1:57] 4. When I Fall In Love
[5:04] 5. Airegin
[7:42] 6. I Hear A Rhapsody
[5:56] 7. Three Views Of A Secret
[6:41] 8. Autumn Leaves
[8:07] 9. You Must Believe In Spring
[3:27] 10. Laurie

Julian Jackson (harmonica); Tim Lapthorn (piano); Tom Herbert (bass); Patrick Levett (drums).

You only have to listen to the first few seconds of this album to realize that Julian Jackson is a true master of the harmonica and that he has a tone to rival that of his heroes, Larry Aldler and Toots Thielemans, the superabundance of his ideas and his natural jazz feeling recalling the great Toots in particular.

Jackson has put together a nicely balanced programme for his debut solo jazz album. His harmonica sings beautifuly on the ballads "Alfie", "I Can't Get Started" and "When I Fall in Love", the latter an impressive a cappella version of Victor Young's classic tune, and effervesces on the swingers "I Hear a Rhapsody" and "Autumn Leaves". Sonny Rollins' "Airegin" is an exhilarating work-out for the quartet and features a telling solo from the talented Tim Lapthorn on piano. Jackson takes us on a wonderful musical journey on Jaco Pastorius' searching jazz waltz "Three Views of a Secret" with Lapthorn at his bluesy best, Patrick Levett displaying some impressive jazz-rock chops on drums. Jackson's lilting theme "Etude No 1" recalls the work of bossa nova genius Antonio Carlos Jobim, Michel LeGrand's haunting "You Must Believe in Spring" similarly infused with hypnotically swaying latin rhythms after its poignant rubato beginning. The album ends with Bill Evans' exquisite melody "Laurie", the last few bars evanescing into the ether with a series of harmonically ambiguous suspended chords, leaving the listener in a state of supreme calm.

Finally, taking time off from his bass guitar duties with award-winning groups Acoustic Ladyland and Polar Bear, Tom Herbert is rock-solid on acoustic bass, providing the necessary foundation for Jackson and co. to take flight. ~Geoff Eales

I Can't Get Started

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Jo Jones - Count On Me

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 78:25
Size: 179.5 MB
Styles: Mainstream jazz, Swing
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[4:42] 1. Georgia Mae
[6:39] 2. Embraceable You
[7:06] 3. Stomp It Off
[5:48] 4. Satin Doll
[5:50] 5. Shoe Shine Boy
[3:57] 6. Cubano Chant
[4:39] 7. Nice Work If You Can Get It
[6:29] 8. Lover Man
[6:38] 9. Ol' Man River
[4:43] 10. Ballin' The Jack
[5:14] 11. Squeeze Me
[4:49] 12. Splittin'
[7:45] 13. Lincoln Heights
[4:01] 14. Caravan

The sound of Jo Jones' drums defined the sound of swing: he brought the beat up from the bass drum into the drummer's hands, which took rhythm into the modern era. He expanded the drum kit's palette of accents, and forged a path for every drummer who has followed in his soft steps. His "ting-ta-ting" taps are ubiquitous, yet few listeners realize this is the sound Jo built.

Jones's elegant, propulsive groove laid the foundation for William "Count" Basie's breakout big band hits, such as "Tickle Toe," and "One O'Clock Jump." . Also not to be missed are the drummer's memorable small-group sessions with Benny Goodman, Billie Holiday and Lester Young, such as "I Can't Get Started" and "A Sailboat in the Moonlight."

Count On Me

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Sunny Sumter - Sunny

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 59:10

Size: 135.5 MB

Styles: Jazz vocals

Year: 2010

Art: Front

[3:49] 1. Nick Of Time

[5:53] 2. Detour Ahead

[5:32] 3. I Fall In Love Too Easily

[8:23] 4. Jim

[3:56] 5. The Best Is Yet To Come

[5:33] 6. Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen

[7:21] 7. Overjoyed

[6:09] 8. Daydream

[7:47] 9. Save Your Love For Me

[4:43] 10. Lonely Woman

After hearing Sarah Vaughan on the radio at the age of 9, Washington, D.C. native Sunny Sumter knew that the life of a jazz singer was her future. After attending Washington's renowned Duke Ellington High School, she went on to Howard University to earn a music degree. Private studies from pianist/composer Geri Allen and drummer/vocalist Grady Tate were the icing on Sumter's educational cake. While at Howard, she worked at local clubs and in 1992, took a short tour of Europe. Sumter shared the stage at the Dominican Republic Jazz Festival with David Sanchez, Jason Marsalis, Mimi Fox and Pamela Williams. 1998 was a break through year. She opened for Shirley Horn and Dee Dee Bridgewater at D.C.'s Lincoln Theater, toured Russia (Moscow and St. Petersburg), performed at Camelot Jazz Club in Tel Aviv and at the LaVilla Jazz Club in Paris. Returning to the US, Sumter was at Sanford University with modern trombonist Wycliffe Gordon. Sumter was also a guest on a BET Jazz Central show hosted by Ramsey Lewis. Sumter's debut recording was Getting to Know You and her latest Sunny, on the Mapleshade label, features an eclectic program of ballads performed and/or composed by Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday, and Stevie Wonder. With influences as disparate as Sarah Vaughan, Phyllis Hyman, and Kate Bush along with a warm, deep and soulful voice, Sumter has all the musical tools to become a legitimate jazz diva. ~bio by Dave Nathan

Sunny     

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David Bowie - The Best Of 1980-1987

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:42
Size: 175.6 MB
Styles: Album rock, Dance rock
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[4:04] 1. Let's Dance
[3:35] 2. Ashes To Ashes
[4:02] 3. Under Pressure
[3:25] 4. Fashion
[3:57] 5. Modern Love
[4:14] 6. China Girl
[3:32] 7. Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)
[3:13] 8. Up The Hill Backwards
[3:51] 9. Alabama Song
[2:25] 10. Drowned Girl
[4:10] 11. Cat People (Putting Out Fire)
[3:51] 12. This Is Not America
[7:06] 13. Loving The Alien
[5:35] 14. Absolute Beginners
[3:35] 15. When The Wind Blows
[3:09] 16. Blue Jean
[4:09] 17. Day-In Day-Out
[4:16] 18. Time Will Crawl
[4:24] 19. Underground

The '80s were a curious time for David Bowie. Never had he sold more records, had bigger hits, his influence was everywhere, and yet, the music he made often fell a little flat, especially after his commercial high-water mark of 1983's Let's Dance. The 2007 compilation Best of David Bowie 1980/1987 deals with that drop-off in quality in an admirable fashion, perhaps the only appropriate fashion: it ignores it. There are two tracks from 1984's Tonight, and two from its 1987 sequel Never Let Me Down, while there are four apiece from Let's Dance and Scary Monsters -- a skewed ratio that is nevertheless an accurate barometer of the worth of the albums. It also makes for a better listen as a compilation, since the hit singles from these records are surrounded by non-LP cuts and soundtrack contributions like "This Is Not America" and "Absolute Beginners," a move that's not only helpful as a clearinghouse of relative oddities, but also helps make this Best of David Bowie 1980/1987 a truly representative collection of the best music of some patchy years, which is a more worthwhile endeavor than having this be truly representative of the decade as a whole. For some Bowie fans, this may be all they need from that decade (although they'd be well-advised not to ignore the truly masterful Scary Monsters, and use that as a supplement to this excellent disc). ~Stephen Thomas Erlewine

The Best Of 1980-1987

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Phil Woods & Franco D'Andrea - Our Monk

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:58
Size: 151.0 MB
Styles: Bop,Saxophone jazz
Year: 1994/2011
Art: Front

[7:12] 1. Ask Me Now
[7:18] 2. Well You Needn't
[8:50] 3. 'round Midnight
[5:51] 4. Straight No Chaser
[6:38] 5. Pannonica
[6:28] 6. I Mean You
[7:08] 7. Misterioso
[5:59] 8. In Walked Bud
[4:52] 9. Epistrophy
[5:36] 10. Blue Monk

This lively duo date with pianist Franco D'Andrea is a very enjoyable all-Monk affair. Phil Woods was a part of several larger groups led by Thelonious Monk, and his effortless swing makes it clear why he was chosen. Another choice track is "I Mean You," highlighted by Woods' singing tone. D'Andrea isn't nearly as well known, but he justifies his presence with a clever tapestry of chords around Woods on "Well, You Needn't." Recommended. ~Ken Dryden

Our Monk

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Andy Leggett - 2 albums: Shades Of Bechet / Shades Of Bechet #2

Since 1996 Andy Leggett has worked in Germany as the clarinet/sax player in the Rod Mason Hot Five. The two "Shades of Bechet" CDs however are Andy's own tribute to one of the great New Orleans instrumentalists. Sidney Bechet wrote (or in a few cases claimed to have written) at least 120 tunes.

The first CD contains 16 tracks, 12 of which are Bechet's own. In addition, "The Coffee Grinder" which he claimed as his, was in fact based on the "Rubber Plant Rag" by Geo. L. Cobb, published in 1909 when Bechet was 12. There are also 3 tracks written and arranged by Andy Leggett, featuring Bechet-style clarinet and soprano sax. One of these, "Pussy Willow Blues" highlights the distinctive rolling piano of Dave Collett, composer of Acker Bilk's "Summer Set". The remaining tracks, recorded in Dormagen Germany in 2000/2001, were arranged over a three-year period. They display the improvisational and reading talents of outstanding German and English musicians, brought together as a studio band especially for the CD.

The second CD containsa further 17 tracks, 15 of which are Bechet compositions. In addition, the 12 bar "Blues In Thirds" is credited to Earl Hines but owes much to Bechet's three immortal chorusses. There is one more Leggett original – "Montserrat". Like the former CD, "Shades of Bechet #2" was recorded in the COMA Media Studio, Dormagen/Germany, and features an 8 piece Anglo-German band.

Album: Shades Of Bechet
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:53
Size: 134.8 MB
Styles: Traditional jazz combo
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[2:47] 1. The Fish Seller
[5:42] 2. As-Tu Le Cafard
[3:37] 3. Dans Les Rues D'antibes
[3:31] 4. I Keep Calling Your Name
[4:33] 5. Buddy Bolden Stomp
[4:50] 6. Refrain For Jane
[3:19] 7. The Coffee Grinder
[2:28] 8. I Had It But It's All Gone Now
[3:05] 9. Petite Fleur
[3:32] 10. Viper Mad
[3:49] 11. Pussy Willow Blues
[2:21] 12. The Onions
[3:01] 13. Southern Sunset
[4:23] 14. Old Stack O'lee Blues
[3:45] 15. Ce Mossieu Qui Parle
[4:02] 16. Gentle Treatment

Andy Leggett's tribute to the memory of the first great jazz soloist on the soprano saxophone. Bechet's compositions are arranged for an international 8-piece line-up.

Shades Of Bechet

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Album: Shades Of Bechet #2
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:12
Size: 121.8 MB
Styles: Traditional jazz combo
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[3:19] 1. Polka Dot Rag
[2:24] 2. Waste No Tears
[3:07] 3. Ghost Of The Blues
[4:26] 4. Si Tu Vois Ma Mere
[2:43] 5. Blackstick
[2:50] 6. Passport To Paradise
[3:11] 7. I Want You Tonight
[3:02] 8. Okey Doke
[4:11] 9. Bechet's Fantasy
[2:43] 10. Montserrat
[2:58] 11. Georgia Cabin
[3:18] 12. Blues Dans Le Blues
[3:59] 13. Halle Hallelujah
[2:49] 14. Blues In Thirds
[2:51] 15. Lastic
[2:37] 16. Egyptian Fantasy
[2:35] 17. DSC Blues

Recorded in Dormagen, Germany early in 2005. The following international line-up took part: Andy Leggett, soprano sax and clarinet; Matthias Seuffert, tenor sax and second clarinet; John Emms, trumpet; Christoph Wackerbarth, trombone; Fraser Gartshore, piano; Benny Daniels, string bass; Sean Moyses, guitar & banjo; Joerg Mueller, drums.

Andy Leggett's second tribute album to the first great jazz soloist on the soprano saxophone. Mostly Bechet's own timeless compositions, again arranged for an international 8-piece band.

Shades Of Bechet #2

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