Martin Taylor - Kiss and Tell

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:56
Size: 167,3 MB
Art: Front

( 5:11)  1. Kiss and Tell
( 4:48)  2. You've Changed
( 7:53)  3. The Odd Couple
( 6:07)  4. Garden of Dreams
( 0:58)  5. What a Friend We Have in Jesus
( 3:56)  6. Midnight at the Oasis
( 4:51)  7. Mona Lisa
( 6:11)  8. Five-O
( 4:14)  9. Sunstep
( 6:38) 10. Ginger
( 4:16) 11. Midnight Voyage
(11:25) 12. The Nearness of You
( 6:21) 13. I Should Care

The veteran electric guitarist dashes off some spectacular solo runs on this collection, but he seems confused as to which genre he's playing in. His jumpy, shuffling cover of "Midnight at the Oasis" features a blazing Kirk Whalum sax solo and would be a natural for smooth jazz radio if other artists hadn't already redone the 1974 chestnut. On numbers like "You've Changed," however, he slows the pace down to Quaalude calm, aiming for intimacy with a small string section, but ending up with an insomnia cure. Then he's trying the bossa nova thing on the easy swaying "Garden of Dreams," and simply noodling and trying to impress us with his coolness on a brief improvised interlude "What a Friend We Have in Jesus." 

While he's all over the map throughout, he offers some musical oases that the casual listener can turn to while trying to figure out the rest inventive reworkings of the theme songs to '70s TV icons The Odd Couple and Hawaii Five-0. At eight minutes and pretty sluggish, "The Odd Couple" is kind of like watching Felix and Oscar listen to jazz while on Prozac. But "Five-O" features some of Taylor's snappiest soloing as well as a glimmering electric piano solo by Matt Rollings that puts the tune in its rightful retro place. The dichotomy of these two approaches characterizes the whole disc, which is highly listenable in spots, but too inconsistent on the whole. ~ Jonathan Widran  http://www.allmusic.com/album/kiss-tell-mw0000607940

Personnel: Martin Taylor, Pat Bergeron (guitar); Jay Ashey (vocals, trombone, tamborim); Kirk Whalum (soprano & tenor saxophones); George Garzone (tenor saxophone); Randy Brecker (flugelhorn); John Catchings (violin);  (viola); David Davidson (cello); Matt Rollings (acoustic & electric pianos, organ); Brian Siewert (keyboards, programming); Eddie Gomez, Chris Kent (bass); Eric Darken (percussion).

Kiss and Tell

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Lucky Thompson - Home Comin'

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:37
Size: 93,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:32)  1. Home Comin'
(5:28)  2. Tea Time
(4:29)  3. Soul Lullaby
(5:01)  4. Then Soul Walked In
(6:25)  5. Fillet of Soul
(5:00)  6. Monsoon
(6:15)  7. Sun Out
(4:23)  8. Yesterday's Child

Born in Columbia, SC, on June 16, 1924, tenor saxophonist Lucky Thompson bridged the gap between the physical dynamism of swing and the cerebral intricacies of bebop, emerging as one of his instrument's foremost practitioners and a stylist par excellence. Eli Thompson's lifelong nickname the byproduct of a jersey, given him by his father, with the word "lucky" stitched across the chest would prove bitterly inappropriate: when he was five, his mother died, and the remainder of his childhood, spent largely in Detroit, was devoted to helping raise his younger siblings. Thompson loved music, but without hope of acquiring an instrument of his own, he ran errands to earn enough money to purchase an instructional book on the saxophone, complete with fingering chart. He then carved imitation lines and keys into a broom handle, teaching himself to read music years before he ever played an actual sax. According to legend, Thompson finally received his own saxophone by accident a delivery company mistakenly dropped one off at his home along with some furniture, and after graduating high school and working briefly as a barber, he signed on with Erskine Hawkins' 'Bama State Collegians, touring with the group until 1943, when he joined Lionel Hampton and settled in New York City.

Soon after his arrival in the Big Apple, Thompson was tapped to replace Ben Webster during his regular gig at the 52nd Street club the Three Deuces , Webster, Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, and Art Tatum were all in attendance at Thompson's debut gig, and while he deemed the performance a disaster (a notorious perfectionist, he was rarely if ever pleased with his work), he nevertheless quickly earned the respect of his peers and became a club fixture. After a stint with bassist Slam Stewart, Thompson again toured with Hampton before joining singer Billy Eckstine's short-lived big band that included Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and Art Blakey  in other words, the crucible of bebop. But although he played on some of the earliest and most influential bop dates, Thompson never fit squarely within the movement's paradigm his playing boasted an elegance and formal power all his own, with an emotional depth rare among the tenor greats of his generation. 

He joined the Count Basie Orchestra in late 1944, exiting the following year while in Los Angeles and remaining there until 1946, in the interim playing on and arranging a series of dates for the Exclusive label. Thompson returned to the road when Gillespie hired him to replace Parker in their epochal combo  he also played on Parker's landmark March 28, 1946, session for Dial, and that same year was a member of the Charles Mingus and Buddy Collette-led Stars of Swing which, sadly, never recorded. More Bio ~ https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/lucky-thompson/id3539270#fullText

Personnel: Lucky Thompson (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone); Cedar Walton (piano, electric piano); Billy Higgins (drums).

Home Comin'

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Karla Harris - Sings the Dave & Iola Brubeck Songbook

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:01
Size: 129,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:25)  1. Take Five
(3:56)  2. The Duke
(3:36)  3. Easy As You Go
(5:07)  4. Far More Blue
(7:43)  5. In Your Own Sweet Way
(4:16)  6. There'll Be No Tomorrow
(3:42)  7. My One Bad Habit
(5:11)  8. Summer Song
(7:41)  9. Strange Meadowlark
(5:25) 10. Weep No More
(4:53) 11. Trav'lin Blues

First-Ever Studio Recording Featuring the Vocal Songbook of Dave and Iola Brubeck! Featuring the dynamic vocals of Karla Harris and a top-flight, acclaimed group of musicians (Ted Howe, Tom Kennedy, Dave Weckl), this recording is unlike any other. This project, authorized by the Brubeck estate, intends to pay homage to Brubeck's distinctive musical styling and gorgeous melodies while shaping each arrangement based on the story the lyrics tell. In her Summit Records debut, Karla Harris Sings the Dave and Iola Brubeck Songbook, vocalist Karla Harris brings something rarely heard in a Brubeck tribute: Lyrics. This new release is the first-ever studio recording featuring the vocal songbook of Dave Brubeck's music with lyrics written by the person who had an especially close insight into the iconic jazz pianist's music-his wife of 70 years, Iola Brubeck. 

Harris, a marvelous singer who gained a strong presence on the Pacific NW jazzscape after living for years in Portland, is poised to enter the national stage with this contemporary, respectful and musically innovative tribute. Not since a 1961 live recording of the Dave Brubeck Quartet with guest vocalist Carmen McRae has there been an album of vocal versions of this music, and no one has ever gone into the studio to record and release the Brubeck Songbook as a dedicated vocal project. The project is the brainchild of Los Angeles-based producer, arranger and pianist Ted Howe, whose previous recordings include chart-topping tributes to Gershwin, Elton John and Ellington. Howe, a lifelong Brubeck fan who remembers the first time he heard the pianist in 1954 ('his playing floored me,' he recalls) cites Brubeck as a major inspiration in his own career, and has long wanted to produce a vocal tribute of the composer's music. Impressed with Harris after working with her at a 2013 concert he produced in Atlanta, Howe approached the singer with the idea. 'I loved the concept immediately. It was intriguing, to say the least,' Harris says. 'I had no idea words existed for so many of the songs Dave Brubeck composed or that Iola wrote so many of those lyrics. They've really gone largely undiscovered.' Work got off the ground when Howe, through the Brubeck estate, received a copy of a rare, out-of-print Dave Brubeck songbook published more than 30 years ago-a copy provided by Iola herself in early 2014 for this project, shortly before her passing. 

'It felt like we were uncovering hidden treasure,' Harris says of looking through the music for the first time. 'There was as an opening verse to 'Strange Meadowlark,' for example, that we didn't know even existed. And there was Iola's name listed as lyricist on tune after tune, making it clear this songbook belonged to them both. Her words were sophisticated, filled with imagery and emotion; they changed my experience of some of these songs. I wanted to sing them very much.' Included among the 11 tracks on Karla Harris Sings the Dave and Iola Brubeck Songbook are several Brubeck classics along with a few less-known standouts, as well as some tunes from 'The Real Ambassadors,' a musical the couple wrote together in 1962. Lyrics led the way as Howe created arrangements, opening some unexpected approaches in the process. For example, 'In Your Own Sweet Way,' traditionally played as a bright swing tune, here becomes something plaintive, taking its cue from Iola's surprisingly melancholy lyrics. 'Take Five' melds a haunting new vamp with the classic Desmond progression to bring out what Harris calls 'some frustrated longing' in those lyrics written by Iola and Dave.

Karla tends to take the stage by storm and doesn't let go till it's all over. ~ Jazz Society of Oregon

A powerful singer at ease in any setting. ~ Ross Gentile, Standard In Jazz WSIE-FM

Anyone who sees and hears this gorgeous woman, at once striking and modest, will be enchanted by her performance and personality. ~ Positively Entertainment - Editorial Reviews  http://www.amazon.com/Sings-Dave-Iola-Brubeck-Songbook/dp/B00M0CVYQ0

Personnel: Karla Harris (vocals); Bob Sheppard (alto saxophone); Ted Howe (piano, keyboards); Tom Kennedy (acoustic bass, electric bass); Dave Weckl (drums).

Sings the Dave & Iola Brubeck Songbook

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Harold Ashby - Just For You

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:18
Size: 124,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:13)  1. Reminiscining
(5:12)  2. Stampash
(5:39)  3. Lotus Blossom
(5:28)  4. Forever
(5:01)  5. Tasty
(6:57)  6. Just for You
(6:19)  7. Neat
(4:30)  8. The Intimacy of the Blues
(4:44)  9. Sultry Serenade
(6:11) 10. Sweet Nothin's

Former Duke Ellington band member Harold Ashby, although approaching 75 years, shows no sign of slowing down and no decrease in his sax playing prowess. Cut for Mapleshade Records, this album also reveals that Ashby is a composer of no mean accomplishment. All but three of the tunes are his, with the others belonging to Ellington and Billy Strayhorn. Ashby's distinctive rendition of Ellington's "Lotus Blossom" is an outstanding reading. Strayhorn's "The Intimacy of the Blues" swings, and Ellington's "Sultry Serenade" is played by Ashby, with his characteristic, lightly touched tone combined with a kind of frolicking flavor. The tunes penned by Ashby run the gamut of style: "Reminiscing" is a sensual ballad while "Forever" has a faint Latin beat. The title tune is an intimate piece, reminiscent of Ellington's own "Azure," and is an album highlight. On the session's coda, "Sweet Nuthins," Ashby's tenor takes on a Hodge-esque flavor, featuring his soft-played approach to this blues-tinged number.

Ashby is supported by three gifted musicians on the scene today; their efforts are consistent with the very relaxed feeling Ashby and producer Hamiet Bluiett have established for this session. No one is being pushed here, and John Hicks' piano playing is lightly touched. Keter Betts, long-time Washington, DC resident and elegant bass player supreme, combines with premiere drummer Jimmy Cobb to provide the proper rhythmic setting for both Ashby and Hicks to ply their wares. Those who prefer their jazz sophisticated and suave, not loud and raucous, will certainly be attracted to this very good album that amply demonstrates how good this music can sound when in the right hands. ~ Dave Nathan  http://www.allmusic.com/album/just-for-you-mw0000242549

Personnel: Harold Ashby (tenor saxophone); John Hicks (piano); Keter Betts (bass); Jimmy Cobb (drums).

Just For You

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Jeff Healey - Last Call

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:16
Size: 117.4 MB
Styles: Jazz-blues
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[2:56] 1. Holding My Honey's Hand
[5:01] 2. Time On My Hands
[2:33] 3. The Wildcat
[2:59] 4. You Can't Pull The Wool Over My Eyes
[4:49] 5. Deep Purple
[3:09] 6. Hong Kong Blues
[3:57] 7. Pennies From Heaven
[4:46] 8. Autumn In New York
[3:06] 9. I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter
[2:50] 10. Black And Blue Bottom
[3:34] 11. Guitar Duet Stomp
[4:52] 12. Laura
[3:54] 13. Keeping Myself For You
[2:43] 14. Some Of These Days

Jeff Healey gained worldwide fame as a stunningly original rock/blues guitarist. His passion, however, was the infectious and joyful music from the classic jazz era. These stripped down Solo, Duo and Trio last sessions could be titled "The Real Jeff Healey." The material Jeff chose to record for his final jazz/swing disc shows his love for all musical styles.From swing guitar instrumentals first recorded by Lonnie Johnson, Eddie Lang and Joe Venuti to interpretations of songs originally done by Fats Waller, Sidney Bechet and Hoagy Carmichael.

Last Call

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Red Garland Trio - Groovy

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:04
Size: 91.7 MB
Styles: Hard bop, Piano jazz
Year: 1957/1987
Art: Front

[8:18] 1. C-Jam Blues
[6:43] 2. Gone Again
[4:39] 3. Will You Still Be Mine
[9:33] 4. Willow Weep For Me
[7:11] 5. What Can I Say
[3:38] 6. Hey Now

Bass – Paul Chambers; Drums – Arthur Taylor; Piano – Red Garland. Recording Date: December 14, 1956 - August 9, 1957

Red Garland's third recording as a leader has him playing very well, somewhat energetic and more inclusive in his direction to span the mainstream jazz palate beyond the cool exterior he emanates. The title might be a bit deceptive, for this is not a project where soul-jazz or early boogaloo influences turned jazzmen into groovemeisters -- it's a swinging groove. With bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Art Taylor, Garland has all the support he needs to wing it in a variety of directions. Recorded in that most legendary year of jazz, 1957, Garland is coming into his own in a more confident way, buoyed by his association at the time with Miles Davis. Chambers is flawless in his support role, and on this recording deserves a close listen, especially for students of the acoustic upright. They immediately dig in on the opener "C Jam Blues," with Garland at his heartiest during his bridge solo, they agree in the affirmative during the entirety of the hard bop take of "Will You Still Be Mine?," and repeat but modify the melody à la "Cool Blues" in an adept display of artistry for "Hey Now." Of course Garland has to play a ballad or two, as on "Willow Weep for Me," luscious with chord sequences, and really reflects the influence of Erroll Garner in that chiming, two-handed sustenato style for Garner's "Gone Again." It is said that by the third recording, most musicians should have their style down pat and begin attempting to take the music to a higher level. You really hear that in this recording, which was a springboard to making Red Garland one of the most revered and respected jazz pianists of the modern era. ~Michael G. Nastos

Groovy

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Teddy Charles & His Sextet - Salute To Hamp

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:39
Size: 111.4 MB
Styles: Vibraphone jazz
Year: 2010/2013
Art: Front

[5:09] 1. Air Mail Special
[2:40] 2. Midnight Sun
[2:23] 3. On The Sunny Side Of The Street
[2:20] 4. He's Gone Again
[3:18] 5. Stompin' At The Savoy
[3:14] 6. Flying Home
[3:43] 7. Stardust
[4:00] 8. Blue Hamp
[2:53] 9. Moonglow
[2:42] 10. On The Sunny Side Of The Street (Alt Take)
[3:17] 11. Stompin' At The Savoy
[2:40] 12. Moonglow (Alt Take 4)
[4:14] 13. Blue Hamp (Alt Take 5)
[2:55] 14. Jack The Bellboy
[3:04] 15. Jack The Bellboy (Alt Take 3)

Bass – Addison Farmer; Drums – Charlie Smith, Ed Thigpen; Piano – Hank Jones; Tenor Saxophone – Zoot Sims; Trombone – Bob Brookmeyer; Trumpet – Art Farmer; Vibraphone – Teddy Charles.

Trained at the Juilliard School of Music, Teddy was able to reach effortlessly into modern classical music theory and deploy modal scales on solos—giving his compositions and recordings a fresh, hip sound. But what made Teddy's style special was that he was able to combine long-hair thinking with street-smart swing, and for Teddy, swing, ultimately, was everything.

There was no shortage of great vibraphonists in the late '40s. Lionel Hampton, Milt Jackson, Red Norvo, Terry Gibbs and Marjorie Hyams all could drop jaws. But Teddy represented something new—a sound that seemed to be visiting from the future. And as it turned out, that's exactly where it came from, since he would influence many young vibraphonists who followed.

Salute To Hamp

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Toots Thielemans - Smooth And Easy

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 73:23

Size: 168.0 MB

Styles: Harmonica jazz

Year: 2011

Art: Front

[5:15] 1. Isn't It Romantic

[7:14] 2. East Of The Sun

[2:27] 3. Don't Blame Me

[2:44] 4. Scotch On The Rocks

[2:12] 5. Cocktails For Two

[2:23] 6. I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart

[2:58] 7. Sophisticated Lady

[4:36] 8. Don't Be That Way

[3:11] 9. Stars Fell On Alabama

[4:30] 10. Struttin' With Some Barbecue

[4:27] 11. Imagination

[3:46] 12. 18th Century Ballroom

[7:02] 13. Soul Station

[4:53] 14. Fundamental Frequency

[4:40] 15. On The Alamo

[4:30] 16. Diga Diga Doo

[2:01] 17. Skylark

[4:25] 18. Sonny Boy

Today Jean “Toots” Thielemans remains a strong favorite among jazz aficionados and professional critics alike. His music CDs continue to delight (many of which were recorded in the 2000s) and have introduced him to entire new generations of keen fans. Apart from his popularity as an accomplished musician, he is well liked for his modesty and kind demeanor. In his native Belgium, he is also popular for describing himself as a Brussels “ket”, which means “street kid” in old Brussels slang. He received a joint honorary doctorate from the Vrije Universiteit Brussel and the Université Libre de Bruxelles (Belgium) and in 2001 Thielemans was ennobled a baron by King Albert II of Belgium.

In 2005 he was nominated for the title of De Grootste Belg (The Greatest Belgian). In the Flemish version he ended 20th place, in the Walloon version he ended 44th place.

Smooth And Easy

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Joan Regan - Just Joan

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:48
Size: 109.5 MB
Styles: Vocal
Year: 1956/2009
Art: Front

[2:49] 1. It Could Happen To You
[2:07] 2. When I Grow Too Old To Dream
[4:19] 3. I Know Why (And So Do You)
[2:54] 4. I've Got A Feelin' You're Foolin'
[3:13] 5. Deep In A Dream
[2:31] 6. Home
[3:27] 7. Sinner Or Saint
[2:55] 8. That Old Feeling
[3:55] 9. All The Things You Are
[2:46] 10. Someone To Watch Over Me
[3:29] 11. Never In A Million Years
[3:22] 12. For All We Know
[2:45] 13. Ricochet
[2:20] 14. Someone Else's Roses
[2:48] 15. If I Give My Heart To You
[2:01] 16. Wait For Me Darling

Joan Regan is a traditional pop music singer born in the UK at Romford, Essex on 19 Jan 1928. She was popular during 1950s and 1960s, appearing on the variety circuit in numerous shows, and also on TV. She did a Royal Command Performance in 1955 and was a regular at the London Palladium. Originally a talent spotted by impresario Bernard Delfont and signed by Decca Records, she had a hit with ‘Ricochet’ in 1953. Subsequently she made 4 albums, had her own TV programme and international touring engagements. A number of these were in the USA and across Europe.

Married 3 times, she lived in Florida for a time, finally settling in Kent, England with her 3rd husband. He predeceased her, and she died September 12 2013. She is survived by 2 sons from her first marriage and a daughter from her second. She will be remembered by her numerous fans, especially so as she had performed many of her concerts near the end of her career in aid of various charities. She had blonde hair and a broad smile, and her uplifting vocal style and voice lives on in her recordings.

Just Joan

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Archie Semple - Hard Candy

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 78:05
Size: 178.8 MB
Styles: Clarinet jazz
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[4:23] 1. Deep Sleep
[3:03] 2. Summer Is Coming In
[2:14] 3. Queen Bess
[2:59] 4. Lady Sings The Blues
[3:49] 5. Up Jumped You With Love
[3:25] 6. Buddy's Habits
[3:34] 7. Back In Your Own Backyard
[3:26] 8. Kansas City Stomps
[5:09] 9. Night People
[2:41] 10. The One I Love Belongs To Somebody Else
[4:01] 11. I'm Coming Virginia
[4:55] 12. What'll I Do
[3:19] 13. Sugar Babe
[2:39] 14. My Foolish Heart
[3:29] 15. Side Walk Blues
[3:06] 16. She's Funny That Way
[3:36] 17. Just Another Day
[3:24] 18. Ostrich Walk
[5:04] 19. I'm Confessin' (That I Love You)
[3:48] 20. After My Laughter Came Tears
[2:52] 21. King Porter Stomp
[2:59] 22. Lullaby Of The Leaves

b. Archibald Stuart Nisbet Semple, 1 March 1928, Edinburgh, Scotland, d. 26 January 1974. After first playing clarinet in bands in his homeland, Semple moved to London in the early 50s. There he became an important voice in the burgeoning traditional jazz scene, playing with the bands of Mick Mulligan, Freddy Randall and Alex Welsh, with whom he remained until the early 60s. During that decade he played with various bands, led his own small groups and made many records, despite the fast-encroaching effects of a severe drinking problem. A very distinctive player with a rich and quirky musical imagination, Semple was one of the most strikingly individualistic musicians to emerge from the sometimes predictable British trad scene. His presence in the already formidable Welsh band helped to create much memorable music. ~bio by AMG

Hard Candy

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Stan Getz - The Best Of The Verve Years (2-Disc Set)

This two-CD sampler is most highly recommended for listeners not familiar with Stan Getz's recordings of the 1950s and '60s. Starting with a version of "Stella by Starlight" that co-stars guitarist Jimmy Raney, this set matches Getz's cool tenor with such artists as trumpeters Dizzy Gillespie and Conte Candoli, trombonist J.J. Johnson, baritonist Gerry Mulligan, pianists Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans and Chick Corea, valve trombonist Bob Brookmeyer and vibraphonist Gary Burton. Also included are his two main bossa nova hits "Desafinado" and "The Girl from Ipanema" along with a couple of tracks from Getz's highly-rated Focus album. It's a fine overview of the great tenor's middle years. ~Scott Yanow

Album: The Best Of The Verve Years (Disc 1)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:43
Size: 159.6 MB
Styles: Post bop, West Coast jazz, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1991

[2:41] 1. Stella By Starlight
[6:36] 2. Hospitality Creek
[3:32] 3. Nobody Else But Me
[7:22] 4. Flamingo
[6:02] 5. Summertime
[8:51] 6. Shine
[7:50] 7. Blues For Mary Jane
[3:53] 8. It Never Entered My Mind
[8:22] 9. My Funny Valentine
[4:54] 10. Tour's End
[3:54] 11. You're Blasé
[5:42] 12. A Ballad

The Best Of The Verve Years (Disc 1)

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Album: The Best Of The Verve Years (Disc 2)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:01
Size: 164.9 MB
Styles: Post bop, West Coast jazz, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1991
Art: Front

[4:40] 1. Early Autumn
[8:31] 2. Evening In Paris
[6:10] 3. Her
[8:08] 4. I'm Late, I'm Late
[5:49] 5. Desafinado
[5:46] 6. Manha De Carnaval (Morning Of The Carnival)
[3:19] 7. Insensatez (How Insensitive)
[5:21] 8. The Girl From Ipanema
[5:04] 9. Melinda
[3:58] 10. Here's That Rainy Day
[8:03] 11. Con Alma
[7:07] 12. Sweet Rain

The Best Of The Verve Years (Disc 2)

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Wendy Lee Taylor - All You Have To Do

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:48
Size: 127.8 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[2:48] 1. That Old Black Magic
[3:04] 2. Don't Look At Me That Way
[3:26] 3. Anyone Can Whistle
[4:09] 4. After You Who
[5:06] 5. Plus Je T'embrasse
[4:53] 6. Trav'ling Light
[3:00] 7. Boy Next Door
[3:49] 8. All You Have To Do
[2:47] 9. I Concentrate On You
[3:06] 10. Could It Be You
[4:46] 11. Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue
[2:49] 12. Teach Me Tonight
[3:00] 13. Bonjour Tristesse
[3:59] 14. Not A Day Goes By
[5:00] 15. Chez Moi

Wendy Lee Taylor (voc), Pierre Christophe (p), Luigi Trussardi (b), Mourad Benhammou (dm), Cindy Taylor (vib, perc), Fabien Mary (tp), Pierrick Pedron (as), David Sauzay (ts, fl), Xavier Richardeau (bs), Michael Joussein (tb), Laurent Colombani (arr), Michel Delage (arr) Recorded in February 2008, Paris Duration : 56’ 38’’ Safety Records 201002 (Intégral)

Australian singer and dancer Wendy Lee Taylor has trodden a singular path; following an international career in musical theatre, a stint as one the famous Bluebell girls at the Lido de Paris, founding a vocal trio (The Jazzberries), she returned to musical comedy (1999 ‘Lautrec’ written by Charles Aznvour and created for the Shaftesbury Theatre in London) before finally recording her first album “Let’s Do It” (2005) She continues a career encompassing her two fundamentals, dance and singing. ‘All You Have To Do’ is an album recorded some time ago but only recently released, successfully ambitious, as the profusion of horns convivially marries with an absence of pretention.

It’s an album of standards, the majority with a sentimental mood, sung with enthusiasm and lifted by a luxurious staging: counter melodies of flute and muted trumpet on “After you who?” the excellent intro of “Plus je t’embrasse”, the atmosphere of an Art-House Film on “All you have to do”. This sentimental style without soppiness or lament suits Wendy Lee Taylor well and, in a spirit slightly “west-coast be-bop” (Teach me tonight) lets her joy take flight with power and sensitivity. It’s true that’s she has the advantage of a veritable “all-star” of today’s French be-boppers, musicians who illuminated the Franc Pinot in its prime and who distinguish themselves constantly with their own groups: Mourad Benhammou, Fabien Mary, Pierrick Pedron, David Sauzay, Xavier Richardeau, Pierre Christophe, Michael Joussein, are all impeccable and bring a beautiful momentum to the recording, not forgetting the regrettably deceased Luigi Trussardi (29th April 2010). A lovely album: simultaneously rich and simple, classic yet intimate. ~Jean Szlamowicz

All You Have To Do

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Bob Enevoldsen - Smorgasbord

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1956
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:23
Size: 138,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:52)  1. Iron Works
(5:00)  2. Loaded With Bass
(5:24)  3. Topsy
(8:27)  4. Blues & Rhythm
(5:35)  5. Don't Be That Way
(2:37)  6. Ding Dong, The Witch Is Dead
(2:16)  7. Swingin' On A Star
(3:19)  8. Swinger's Dream
(2:46)  9. My Ideal
(2:27) 10. How Low The Tune
(2:39) 11. John's Jumble
(2:17) 12. You're In Love
(2:50) 13. Thinking Of You
(2:18) 14. No Time For Love
(2:34) 15. Mr. Know-It-All
(2:51) 16. Oh, Look At Me Now
(3:00) 17. Bob's Boy

Back in the early 1950s, jazz musicians were impossibly gifted. A good number not only could play their primary instrument with enormous skill and flair, they often could play quite a few others. This was particularly true on the West Coast, where studio work was abundant but your share depended largely on how many axes you could grind. If you played only the tenor sax, your odds of being called consistently for a job were slim given the competition. But if you played three or more instruments, you could find yourself recording on several sessions a day. One of these highly versatile West Coast jazz musicians was Bob Enevoldsen, who played valve trombone, tenor sax and upright bass. Born in Montana, Enevoldsen (pronounced EE-na-vold-sin) studied music in Montana, served in the army, taught music in  Salt Lake City, and moved to Los Angeles in 1951.

There, he played valve trombone and tenor saxophone with Gerry Mulligan, Shorty Rogers, Shelly Manne and Marty Paich. Soon after he arrived, he learned the bass, perhaps as a way to play with the Harry Babasin Quartet and free up bassist Babasin [pictured] to play the jazz cello.

Enevoldsen also played bass in pianist and singer Bobby Troup's groups from 1954 onward. In 1959, Enevoldsen began working in Las Vegas show bands, and became a staff and studio musician for Steve Allen's TV show from 1962-64. In the decades that followed Enevoldsen remained a steady session and freelance musician on the West Coast. Among Enevoldsen's key recordings of the 1950s are dates with the Gerry Mulligan Tentet (starting in 1953); Shorty Rogers' Shorty Courts the Count (1954); and Bud Shank and Three Trombones (1954), on which he's joined by valve-trombonists Maynard Ferguson and Stu Williamson. Enevoldsen appears on Kenton Presents Jazz: Bill Holman (1954), Russ Garcia's challenging Wigville (1955) and the Marty Paich Dek-tette studio session with Mel Torme (1956). There were singer dates with Anita O'Day and Peggy Lee (1958), as well as swinging ensemble sessions, such as Art Pepper + Eleven (1959). From 1960 onward, Enevoldsen worked on movie soundtracks and TV show themes, and recorded jazz sessions up until his death in 2005.

Perhaps Enevoldsen's finest leadership date from the mid-1950s is Smorgasbord. The album demonstrates his versatility and humor as well as his spirited arranging skills. In addition to being a highly swinging session, it's notable for the musicians who were there and the instruments they played. The recording features Enevoldsen on valve trombone and tenor sax; Marty Paich [pictured] on piano, organ and accordion; Larry Bunker on vibes and drums; Howard Roberts on guitar; Red Mitchell on bass and piano; and Don Heath on drums. Besides the terrific small-group charts by Enevoldsen [pictured], you get to hear Paich play the squeezebox, and he does quite a fabulous job (Swinging on a Star, for example). 

Also spectacular is Larry Bunker on vibes and guitarist Howard Roberts, who too often is overlooked among the crowd of jazz session guitarists in California during this period. As one of jazz's early valve-trombonists, Enevoldsen cannot be compared with Bob Brookmeyer. Bob was and continues to be spectacular, and the two artists weren't in the same league. But Enevoldsen was a solid player and arranger who found steady work playing three different instruments. And he played them with ease and grace. ~ Marc Myers http://www.jazzwax.com/2009/06/bob-enevoldsen-jazz-octopus.html

Personnel:  Bob Enevoldsen - tenor saxophone, valve trombone; Marty Paich - p, accordion, organ; Larry Bunker - vib, p, dr; Howard Roberts – g; Red Mitchell – b; Don Heath - dr

Smorgasbord

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Maria Muldaur - Heart Of Mine: Love Songs of Bob Dylan

Styles: Pop, Vocal
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:19
Size: 113,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:12)  1. Buckets of Rain
(3:38)  2. Lay Baby Lay (Lay Lady Lay)
(4:15)  3. To Be Alone With You
(3:13)  4. Heart Of Mine
(3:29)  5. Make You Feel My Love
(4:16)  6. Moonlight
(4:53)  7. You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go
(5:21)  8. Golden Loom
(3:30)  9. On A Night Like This
(4:08) 10. I'll Be Your Baby Tonight
(4:36) 11. Wedding Song
(3:42) 12. You Ain't Goin' Nowhere

Maria Muldaur has been taken by Bob Dylan's music from the very start. They were on the coffeehouse circuit in New York in the early '60s, and she's had occasion to sing his praises from the stage and in Martin Scorsese's film No Direction Home. And while other artists from Joan Baez to Judy Collins have cut entire albums of Dylan's tunes, none of them feels quite like this one. Muldaur, a fine blues and jazz singer, has taken the songs form Dylan's romantic canon and has fashioned them in her own image without losing their original bite, wonder, and humor. Accompanied by her road band and a slew of guests that include Amos Garrett, Danny Caron, and Suzy Thompson, she has created a dreamy, languid, memorable song cycle. 

On first listen, it was a bit off-putting with all the license she took with the material, but on second and repeated listens, it settled in like an old friend on the couch telling stories. Beginning with a slippery, country-tinged bluesy "Buckets of Rain," and moving into a jazz groove on "Lay Lady Lay," (a weak tune by Dylan even if it was a hit) in which she changes the lyrics along gender lines and transforms the tune, perhaps offering a definitive version. The blues return on "To Be Alone with You," and she delivers a wrenching version of "Heart of Mine." The other stellar cuts here are the poignant "Wedding Song," the jaunty Caribbean-flavored "On a Night Like This," the sultry "Make You Feel My Love," and a funky jazz version of "You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go," which sounds like it could have been produced by Allen Toussaint as does "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight." Recommended. ~ Thom Jurek  http://www.allmusic.com/album/heart-of-mine-love-songs-of-bob-dylan-mw0000348506

Personnel: Maria Muldaur (vocals, fiddle); Danny Caron, Amos Garrett (guitar); Chris Haugen (slide guitar); Joel Jaffe (lap steel guitar, E-bow, shaker, tambourine); Richard Greene & Beryl Marriott (violin); Suzy Thompson (fiddle, accordion); James "Hutch" Hutchinson (bass guitar); Kimberly Bass (background vocals); Cranston Clements (guitar, acoustic guitar); David Torkanowsky (keyboards); Tony Braunagel (drums, percussion).

Heart Of Mine: Love Songs of Bob Dylan

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Hank Crawford - From The Heart

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:41
Size: 88,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:19)  1. Don't Cry Baby
(3:38)  2. Sweet Cakes
(3:17)  3. You've Changed
(3:51)  4. Baby Let Me Hold Your Hand
(4:37)  5. Sherri
(3:06)  6. The Peeper
(5:00)  7. But On The Other Hand, Baby
(5:41)  8. Stoney Lonesome
(5:08)  9. What Will I Tell My Heart

Recorded in 1962 with most of the same band that made Soul Clinic, Hank Crawford turns in a simmering, deep soul performance that draws in equal parts from Ray Charles' R&B, James Moody's blues and Duke Ellington's swing. Accompanied by Texas tenor giant David "Fathead" Newman, baritone saxophonist Leroy Cooper, trumpeters John Hunt and Phil Guilbeau, bassist Edgar Willis and drummer Bruno Carr (with Sonny Forrest on guitar on three tracks), Crawford follows the soul-blues Muse into the night on this set. His four originals, including "Stoney Lonesome," "The Peeper" and "Sherri," are high points, so are his readings of Percy Mayfield's classic "But on the Other Hand," and Charles' "Baby Let Me Hold Your Hand." 

The bookends on the set are the Unger-Bernie-Johnson blues finger-popper "Don't Cry Baby" and the elegant, melancholy ballad "What Will I Tell My Heart." From the Heart features Crawford digging deep into the Memphis tradition for expression. His own playing is exceptional as is that of Newman. These solos are as notable for their restraint in the service of melody as they are for their depth of expression. This is an early highpoint for Crawford. ~ Thom Jurek  http://www.allmusic.com/album/from-the-heart-mw0000142533

From The Heart

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Nicki Parrott & Rossano Sportiello - Do It Again

Size: 153,3 MB
Time: 64:57
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2009
Styles: Jazz: Piano Jazz, Vocals
Art: Front & Back

01. Sea Changes (4:01)
02. Of Foreign Lands And People (3:58)
03. I Love The Way You're Breaking My Heart (3:04)
04. Idaho (2:29)
05. Fleurette Africaine (4:33)
06. Come Rain Or Come Shine (3:36)
07. Do It Again! (3:53)
08. Liza (All The Clouds'll Roll Away) (3:10)
09. Climb Ev'ry Mountain (7:45)
10. You're The One I Think I Waited For (3:02)
11. Sugar Sweet (3:23)
12. Sentimental Journey (4:18)
13. Wonder Why (4:53)
14. Moonglow (4:19)
15. A Sleepin' Bee (5:48)
16. Two Sleepy People (2:38)

Nicki Parrott is a rarity: a bassist who sings. And she does both very well. This is the second Arbors outing for this charming duo of her and pianist Rossano Sportiello. Parrott first came to the U.S. in 1994 from Australia via an arts grant, enabling her to study bass with Rufus Reid. From 2000 until Les Paul’s passing last year, she was the guitar legend’s Monday-night bassist at New York City’s Iridium. Her duties included supporting Paul musically and also trading funny repartee.

On bass, Parrott is an able improviser with a marvelous, innate sense of swing, heard to great advantage on Tommy Flanagan’s “Sea Changes” and on the little-heard—these days, anyway—“Idaho” by Jesse Stone. As a singer, she’s relatively straight-ahead, devoid of unnecessary effect; a more throaty combination of Blossom Dearie and Joanie Sommers. Her simplicity works well on Milton Drake’s “I Love the Way You’re Breaking My Heart,” “Do It Again” and several other chestnuts.

Italian-born Sportiello—he came to the U.S. permanently in 2007—is a rousing player who straddles the bop of Tommy Flanagan, the traditionalism of Teddy Wilson and even a bit of ragtime. Sportiello has named Barry Harris as his mentor, and like Harris, who has called Sportiello the best ragtime pianist ever, he’s clean as a whistle and never misses, no matter what the tempo. He even tries his hand at a vocal in tandem with Parrot on “Two Sleepy People.” A Vic Damone he’s not, but the duo works, and these two should do more of it. This is the type of timeless music that used to be heard at places like the Café Carlyle. It should be again. ~By Bruce Klauber

Do It Again

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Friend 'N Fellow - Lady

Size: 104,9 MB
Time: 44:35
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2009
Styles: Jazz/Soul/Blues Fusion, Vocals
Art: Front

01. Time (4:05)
02. Strange Lady (3:31)
03. Secrets (3:11)
04. Moon, Sun, Heart 'n Star (3:44)
05. My Baby Just Cares For Me (3:27)
06. Falling Rain (3:15)
07. Lying Show (2:45)
08. Barefoot (3:34)
09. Labyrinth (3:04)
10. Your True Face (3:03)
11. Dive In (3:37)
12. Step By Step (3:37)
13. Crystal II (3:35)

Constanze Friend and Thomas Fellow performed more than 1000 concerts together and travelled from BEIJING (China Millenium Park) to SHANGHAI (Anting New Town Open Air), from MALAYSIA (Kuala Lumpur/Penang Jazz Festival) to NEW YORK (World Trade Center) and from PARIS (Elyssees Montmartre) to LONDON (The 100 Club) and shared the stage with legends as RAY CHARLES, LUTHER ALLISON and AL JARREAU. Meanwhile they became one of the most successful acoustic acts in the junction where BLUES, JAZZ and SOUL meet. Their music combines the intensity of the blues with the freedom of jazz and the sound of soul in inimitable fashion.

"You knocked me out with your playing" – Bill Evans
"I really enjoy your work" – Al Jarreau
"Killing! It absolutely sounds like a whole band" – Tommy Emmanuel
"A top-notch duo" Welt am Sonntag
"The sound of the new century" Luther Allison
"The voice of an angel" Keb' Mo'

Concerts in London, Paris, New York, Peking, Vienna, Zurich, Lucerne Festival (Lucerne, Switzerland), Tollwood-Festival Munich, Festival Internacional de la Porta Ferrada (Spain), 1st Blues & Soul Weekend (Zurich, Switzerland), Simmen Lörrach, Jazzrally Dusseldorf with Ray Charles, Al Jarreau, Simply Red, Marianne Faithful, Maceo Parker.

Constanze Friend started her musical career in the band "Mr. Adapoe" with performances at international top festivals and as the support act to James Brown and others.

Thomas Fellow won several prizes at international competitions for classical guitar and played concerts in India, South America and the USA. Prof. Thomas Fellow is the head of the education "ACOUSTIC GUITAR (concert music/worldmusic/jazz) at the Hochschule für Musik "Carl Maria von Weber" in Dresden (Germany) and "WORLDMUSIC" at the Hochschule für Musik Weimar and lead masterclasses at different conservatories and festivals in Europe and the USA. He is also the artistic director of the STRING SPRING FESTIVAL DRESDEN and the EUROPEAN GUITAR AWARD, one of the most prestigious competitions for creativ guitarplayers (next time spring 2012). He developed a comprehensive schoolbook for the guitar as a comping instrument (FELLOWBOOK).

Lady

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Thom Douvan - Brother Brother

Size: 173,2 MB
Time: 74:26
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz: Soul Jazz, Funky Jazz
Art: Front

01. Harvest For The World (4:40)
02. That's The Way Of The World (4:28)
03. For The Love Of You (4:57)
04. Anniversary (4:42)
05. Ain't Nobody (4:24)
06. You're Welcome, Stop On By (4:58)
07. What's Going On (5:16)
08. Sara Smile (3:25)
09. Isn't She Lovely (5:07)
10. So Amazing (4:21)
11. With You I'm Born Again (7:35)
12. What You Won't Do For Love (4:41)
13. The Water Is Wide (6:28)
14. Someday We'll All Be Free (4:50)
15. If I Ain't Got You (4:28)

In March 2013 The Funk Brothers -- the elite group of studio musicians who played on all the hit Motown records -- received their star on the Hollywood Boulevard Walk of Fame. West Coast guitarist Thom Douvan, who originally hails from Detroit and played with several of the original Funk brothers, decided to record a soul-jazz organ tribute of fourteen selections from the Great American Soul Songbook in honor of The Funk Brothers. In addition to Thom on guitar, the resulting record "Brother Brother" features Detroit organist Duncan McMillan, saxophonist Tony Malfatti, and five celebrity drummers sharing the drumming duties: James Gadson who played on Marvin Gaye's "I Want You" and Diana Ross's "Love Hangover," Ralph Penland who played with Carlos Santana, Herbie Hancock, and Frank Sinatra; Michael Barsimanto who played with Billy Preston, Ivan Neville and Johnny Depp; Frank Wilson who played with Jimmy Smith; and Tony Moore who played with Gerald Albright, George Benson and Robben Ford. The majority of the songs on "Brother Brother" were recorded in just two days in the studio. Thom then added legendary organist Bobby Pierce (Sonny Stitt, James Moody and Pat Martino) to record the Donny Hathaway ballad "Someday We'll All Be Free" to complete the selection.

Personnel: Thom Douvan: guitar; Duncan McMillan: Hammond organ (1-13, 15); Tony Malfatti: saxophone; Ralph Penland: drums (1, 2, 4, 12, 13); Frank Wilson: drums (3, 5); James Gadson: drums (6, 7); Michael Barsimanto: drums (8, 11, 14); Tony Moore: drums (9, 10, 15); Bobby Pierce: Hammond organ (14)

Brother Brother

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Freddy Cole - The Cole Nobody Knows

Size: 80,3 MB
Time: 34:41
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1977/2010
Styles: Jazz/Soul Vocals
Art: Front

01. Correct Me If I'm Wrong (4:34)
02. Moving On Place In The Sun (3:50)
03. Wild Is Love (2:53)
04. A Man Shouldn't Be Lonely (3:02)
05. Brother Where Are You (4:54)
06. Miss Otis Regrets (3:48)
07. Live For Life (3:21)
08. He'll Have To Go (3:22)
09. Medley: I Keep Going Back To Joe's/Waiter Ask The Man To Play The Blues (4:52)

The younger brother of Nat King Cole and uncle of Natalie Cole, singer/pianist Freddy Cole sounds a great deal like his celebrated sibling, yet has a personality of his own. Cole, whose vocals tend to be a bit darker and slightly rougher, began playing piano at five or six. He was interested in playing football professionally, but decided to pursue a career in music after a hand injury ended his career as an athlete. He debuted on vinyl in 1952 when he recorded the single "The Joke's on Me" for the obscure Chicago-based Topper Records. His next single, "Whispering Grass," on Columbia's OKeh label, was a moderate hit in 1953. In the '60s and '70s, he developed a small following recording for various small labels. Cole founded his First Shot label in the '80s and went on to record for Sunnyside and LaserLight in the early '90s. A few years later, he signed with Fantasy and enjoyed greater visibility with Grand Freddy. By 2000, Cole had signed with Telarc and released his first disc for the label, Merry-Go-Round, followed by Rio de Janeiro Blue in 2001. In the Name of Love appeared two years later featuring Cole's approach to soft pop hits made famous by Smokey Robinson, Bonnie Raitt, and Van Morrison, among others. In 2004, GRP reissued Cole's 1964 recording Waiter, Ask the Man to Play the Blues. It was followed in 2005 by This Love of Mine, in 2006 by Because of You, and in 2010, by Freddy Cole Sings Mr. B, all on the Highnote label. In 2011, Cole released Talk to Me featuring guitarist Randy Napoleon, saxophonist Harry Allen, trumpeter Terell Stafford, and others. ~by Alex Henderson

The Cole Nobody Knows

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Joshua Coleman - The Cole Porter Songbook

Size: 169,5 MB
Time: 71:52
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz: Saxophone Jazz, Vocals
Art: Front

01. You're The Top (2:11)
02. Always True To You In My Fashion (2:42)
03. I Love Paris (1:50)
04. Begin The Beguine (4:25)
05. It's De-Lovely (4:36)
06. I've Got You Under My Skin (5:15)
07. Anything Goes (2:50)
08. Public Enemy 1/Buddie Beware (4:11)
09. It's All Right With Me (Feat. Justin Sanchez) (2:47)
10. Be A Clown (2:54)
11. Do I Love You (3:51)
12. I Get A Kick Out Of You (1:48)
13. You Do Something To Me (5:42)
14. Easy To Love (3:24)
15. Just One Of Those Things (4:37)
16. So In Love (Feat. Tracey L. Withney) (4:56)
17. Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye (3:31)
18. Night And Day (2:06)
19. In The Still Of The Night (4:41)
20. Always True To You In My Fashion (Demo For Duke City Sound Stage (Bonus Track) (3:24)

"Cole Porter was born in Indiana in 1891. A talented composer and songwriter, Porter handled both music and lyrics with ease, and conquered Broadway and Hollywood with his witty songs. His work includes "Night and Day" and "I've Got You Under My Skin." However, his life was marred by a 1937 riding accident that left him unable to walk. He died in California in 1964, having written more than 800 songs."

With an interest in the anthropology of music, I've had a growing interest for some time in the spread of music during the 1920's. To give a brief history lesson George Gershwin, Cole Porter and Irving Berlin were likley the most prominent song writers and american composersof the 1920's "Tin-Pan" era. What's intresting to me about this era is that most of the music written by these people was either being used for movie soundracks or broadway musicals and did not have a very large following of professional recording musicians at the time. But what the music did have is an extremely large following of local musicians that would learn Porter and Berlin's music to play in small bars and jazz clubs of the time.

It was not until the generation after the music was written in the "Rat-Pack" era of the 1940's when professional recording artists like Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald and Ethel Merman began their careers and wanted to record the music they had listened to in the bars and clubs growing up. This generational gap started an evolution in Porter's music that gave the the performing artists each to their own interperetation and gave the music infinite diversity in infinite combinations that has continued all the way into 2014.

From Frank Sinatra's big band take on "Night and Day" released in 1942 to Lady Gaga's 2014 versions of "Anything Goes" and "Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye". The music of Cole Porter is some of the best american music that's ever been written and continues to evolve in new ways. With this album set for distribution in early 2015 entitled "The Cole Porter Songbook" I hope to give some of my own interpretations and modern twists on this music that was written nearly a century ago.

The Cole Porter Songbook

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