Saturday, April 18, 2015

Richie Hart - Blues In The Alley

Size: 125,0 MB
Time: 53:45
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2004
Styles: Jazz: Mainstream Jazz, Guitar Jazz
Art: Front

01. Well You Needn't (4:03)
02. Blues In The Alley (5:50)
03. Sandu (6:19)
04. The Fox (4:51)
05. Black Pearls (3:47)
06. Georgia On My Mind (5:26)
07. Autumn Leaves (6:39)
08. Fresh Air (7:25)
09. On A High Note (6:21)
10. West Side Story Medley (3:00)

Richie Hart leads a stellar band that captures the classic guitar/organ combo sound accurately with a swinging groove. His original compositions ensure that jazz and blues will find a comfortable seat every time his unit takes the stage.

With his trio, Hart interprets "Sandu" in a classic repose. His guitar brings back the song's original feeling. Swinging lightly and improvising spontaneously, he sends lyrical phrases spinning this way and that. By including a delicious bass solo and trading fours with the drummer, Hart has applied the basic concepts of modern jazz to his arrangement.

Because Hart performs without pick, his sound remains velvety smooth. Wes Montgomery and George Benson serve as his greatest influences. Hart, an Associate Professor of Jazz Guitar at Berklee College of Music in Boston, caresses a ballad melody such as "Georgia on My Mind" or Lalo Schifrin's "Theme From The Fox" with its natural essence. His seamless phrasing makes each melodic fragment shine. ~By Jim Santella

Gerry Niewood adds a colorful tenor presence on "Autumn Leaves" and John Coltrane's "Black Pearls." Hart seems to enjoy the interplay as guitar and saxophone weave their melodies spontaneously. Niewood and Hart share an adventurous nature but remain focused on their mutual respect for tone quality.

Hart's medley of songs from West Side Story , performed a cappella, includes "Somewhere" and "Tonight" in a lovely soliloquy that easily captures the heartfelt passion those songs convey. If you've never been in love before, this is the place to start. Recommended, Richie Hart's Blues In The Alley has a place for all lovers of jazz and blues.

Personnel: Richie Hart- guitar; Rick Petrone- bass; Joe Corsello- drums, percussion; Pete Levin- keyboards; Gerry Niewood- tenor saxophone on "Black Pearls" and "Autumn Leaves."

Blues In The Alley

Jutta Hipp & Zoot Sims - Jutta Hipp With Zoot Sims

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:51
Size: 123.3 MB
Styles: Hard bop, Piano jazz, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1956/1996/2008
Art: Front

[8:38] 1. Just Blues
[6:06] 2. Violets For Your Furs
[6:38] 3. Down Home
[6:12] 4. Almost Like Being In Love
[7:25] 5. Wee-Dot
[6:48] 6. Too Close For Comfort
[6:09] 7. These Foolish Things
[5:51] 8. 's Wonderful

Bass – Ahmed Abdul-Malik; Drums – Ed Thigpen; Piano – Jutta Hipp; Tenor Saxophone – Zoot Sims; Trumpet – Jerry Lloyd. Recorded at Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, NJ; July 28, 1956.

Jutta Hipp, a talented German pianist, came to the United States in the mid-'50s and quickly gained some attention. However, she was soon criticized for sounding too close to Horace Silver and, after recording this final Blue Note album, she gradually dropped out of music. Reissued in 1996 on CD with two extra selections, Hipp's boppish music on the set is very enjoyable and swinging. Oddly enough, she does not sound at all like Silver on the date, making one wonder why she soon left the jazz world. Teamed up with great tenor Zoot Sims (who dominates the music), somewhat hesitant trumpeter Jerry Lloyd (who briefly came out of retirement), bassist Ahmed Abdul-Malik, and drummer Ed Thigpen, Hipp sounds excellent on a couple of basic originals and such standards as "Violets for Your Furs," "Almost Like Being in Love," and J.J. Johnson's "Wee Dot." This formerly rare set is well worth picking up by straight-ahead jazz collectors. ~Scott Yanow

Jutta Hipp With Zoot Sims

Sonny Stitt, Bud Powell, J.J. Johnson - S/T

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:37
Size: 115.9 MB
Styles: Bop, West Coast jazz
Year: 1950/1982/1990
Art: Front

[2:56] 1. All God's Chillun Got Rhythm
[2:19] 2. Sonny Side
[2:33] 3. Bud's Blues
[3:44] 4. Sunset
[2:40] 5. Fine And Dandy (Take 1)
[2:39] 6. Fine And Dandy (Take 2)
[3:26] 7. Strike Up The Band
[3:10] 8. I Want To Be Happy
[2:32] 9. Taking A Chance On Love
[3:03] 10. Afternoon In Paris (Take 1)
[3:01] 11. Afternoon In Paris (Take 2)
[3:03] 12. Elora (Take 1)
[3:08] 13. Elora (Take 2)
[2:41] 14. Teapot (Take 1)
[3:02] 15. Teapot (Take 2)
[3:44] 16. Blue Mode (Take 1)
[2:49] 17. Blue Mode (Take 2)

Recording Date ; October 17, 1949 - January 26, 1950, Remastered. Bass – Curly Russell, Nelson Boyd; Drums – Max Roach; Piano – Bud Powell, John Lewis; Tenor Saxophone – Sonny Stitt; Trombone – J.J. Johnson.

Three classic Sonny Stitt sessions from 1949-50 are heard here in full. Stitt, who had been out of action due to his "personal problems," not only made a full-fledged comeback on these dates but debuted on (and stuck exclusively to) tenor rather than playing alto, where he was being assailed as a Charlie Parker imitator. He is featured on eight titles from a pair of quartet dates with pianist Bud Powell (who himself is in top form), bassist Curly Russell, and drummer Max Roach. In addition, Stitt is a sideman on a quintet outing headed by trombonist J.J. Johnson and also including pianist John Lewis, bassist Nelson Boyd, and Roach. Together the latter band performs three of Johnson's originals plus the original version of Lewis' "Afternoon in Paris"; all four titles are heard in two versions apiece. Highly recommended for all serious bop collections. ~Scott Yanow

Sonny Stitt, Bud Powell, J.J. Johnson

Michael Dease - Dease Bones

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:43
Size: 145.9 MB
Styles: Trombone jazz
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[4:38] 1. Personal Trainer
[5:03] 2. Lullaby For Rita
[5:15] 3. Wee Dot
[2:31] 4. Lament
[6:43] 5. New Blues
[4:08] 6. Sentimental Young Fool
[6:26] 7. Believe
[4:39] 8. Agrodolce
[6:05] 9. Let's Do This
[5:39] 10. It's All Right With Me
[3:27] 11. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
[9:04] 12. Slide's Blues

Michael Dease: trombone; James Burton: trombone; Robert Edwards: trombone; Marshall Gilkes: trombone; Nicholas Hagen: trombone; Ryan Keberle: trombone; Marques Young; Kris Bowers: piano; Nial Djuuliarso: piano; Matt Heredia: bass; Ryland Kelly: bass; Ben Meigners: bass; Marion Felder: drums; Mark Whitfield: drums. Special Guests: Joseph Alessi: trombone; Tom Barber: flugelhorn; Vincent Gardner: trombone; David Gibson: trombone; Wycliff Gordon: trombone; Brandon Lee: trumpet.

Trombones galore are what you'll find in Dease Bones. Young musician/educator Michael Dease ardently crafted and assembled some friends and fellow 'bone players for this recording of camaraderie, immaculate sounds and swinging tempos forged in the vein of greats such as Slide Hampton and J.J. Johnson. But Dease's new framework is built upon not only the instrument's history but also its present resurgence as noted in recent efforts by seminal players: Rick Parker's New York Gravity (Fresh Sound New Talent, 2004), Alan Ferber's Scenes From An Exit Row (Fresh Sound New Talent, 2005) and Josh Roseman's New Constellations: Live in Vienna (Accurate Records, 2007). The illustrious odd-shaped instrument is audibly in good hands.

The one thing that's differentiates Dease Bones from its peers is the classic mainstream sound. Having gigged from pop (Paul Simon, Alicia Keys) to bop (Wynton Marsalis, The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra), Dease could easily choose a path other than straight-ahead. Yet although the influence is absent of electronics and/or a contemporary leaning; this recording is evidence that the vitality of the music is what really counts. From the very first notes of "Personal Traner, with its mellifluous chorus of seven 'bones, additional instruments and hot rhythm section; the music rings true. The timbre of the trombones can span from sweet purrs to ferocious growls and these players exploit every facet on J.J. Johnson's smooth "Wee Dot, slower tunes such as "Lullaby for Rita, and a version of "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas that's memorable in or out of the holiday season.

The music radiates on all fronts—solos, arranging, and special guest performances from veterans (Wycliffe Gordon) and newcomers (Marshall Gilkes) on the Slide Hampton tune "Slides Blues with everyone adding their spice. Who says this music is outdated and is best left in the past? The truth be told, the essence of swing is always in style and Dease Bones confirms that fact. ~Mark F. Turner

Dease Bones

Ithamara Koorax & Juarez Moreira - Bim Bom: The Complete Joao Gilberto Songbook

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:54
Size: 93.6 MB
Styles: Brazilian jazz, Bossa Nova
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[2:16] 1. Bim Bom
[4:57] 2. Hô-Bá-Lá-Lá
[4:07] 3. Forgotten Places
[2:26] 4. Minha Saudade
[3:04] 5. Você Esteve Com Meu Bem
[4:29] 6. Valsa (Bebel)
[2:52] 7. An Embrace To Bonfá
[2:22] 8. Glass Beads
[2:18] 9. João Marcelo
[5:08] 10. Undiu
[3:03] 11. Acapulco
[3:46] 12. Hô-Bá-Lá-Lá

Though guitarist and vocalist João Gilberto is acknowledged as the father of bossa nova, the song—“Chega de Saudade”—with which he ignited what would become a global bossa craze was created not by Gilberto, but by Antonio Carlos Jobim and Vinicius de Morares. On the flip side of Gilberto’s 1958 recording of “Chega de Saudade” was his own “Bim Bom” (inspired by a passing gaggle of washerwomen).

So it can be considered near-equally seminal—and it is with “Bim Bom” that vocalist Ithamara Koorax and guitarist Juarez Moreira open this first-ever complete collection of Gilberto’s compositions. They number a mere 11, written across two decades between the early ’50s and early ’70s. Yet together they capture a vital slice of Brazilian jazz history, defining a visionary genius who, as producer (and longtime intimate of the reclusive Gilberto) Arnaldo DeSouteiro notes, “inspired a complete revolution in Brazilian music, in terms of rhythm, melody and harmony.” Paying absolute respect to Gilberto, DeSouteiro was meticulous with regard to tempos and keys as he guided Koorax and Moreira through these 12 tracks (the 12th an English-language version of “Hô-Bá-Lá-Lá” crafted for Sylvia Telles in 1960).

Koorax, arguably Brazil’s finest contemporary jazz vocalist, and Moreira, a guitarist who can fairly be recognized as the João Gilberto of his generation, respond in kind. A better trio to pay such beautiful and integral homage to Gilberto could not likely be assembled. Bim Bom is not only an album of gloriously elegant reverence but also a recording of essential importance. ~Christopher Loudon

Bim Bom

The Al Cohn Quintet - Featuring Bob Brookmeyer

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:44
Size: 91.0 MB
Styles: Bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1956/2005
Art: Front

[3:21] 1. The Lady Is A Tramp
[3:35] 2. Good Spirits
[4:19] 3. A Blues Serenade
[2:53] 4. Lazy Man Stomp
[2:46] 5. Ill Wind (You're Blowin' Me No Good)
[3:34] 6. Chloe
[3:41] 7. S-H-I-N-E
[2:34] 8. Back To Back
[3:47] 9. So Far So Good
[3:52] 10. Winter
[2:40] 11. I Should Care
[2:37] 12. Bunny Hunch

Recording Date: December 3-5, 1956. Bass – Teddy Kotick; Drums – Nick Stabulas; Piano – Mose Allison; Tenor Saxophone – Al Cohn; Trombone – Bob Brookmeyer.

Al Cohn and Bob Brookmeyer appeared on a number of record dates together, each appearing as a sideman with the other, in addition to joint appearances on a number of Manny Albam-led sessions, among others. But this disc, initially issued by Coral on LP in 1957, was one of the hardest to acquire until its 2005 reissue as a limited-edition CD. With the assistance of pianist Mose Allison, bassist Teddy Kotick, and drummer Nick Stabulas in the rhythm section, Cohn and Brookmeyer inspire one another throughout the sessions. Brookmeyer contributed the upbeat "Good Spirits" and breezy "Lazy Man Stomp." Cohn's strong originals include the cool ballad "Winter" and the swinging "Back to Back." They also update a number of standards from earlier decades, including Brookmeyer's exotic setting of "Ill Wind" (a terrific feature for Cohn) and Cohn's surprisingly uptempo setting of the usually hackneyed "Chloe." Since this CD reissue will no longer be available after March 2008, cool jazz fans are advised not to miss this edition. ~Ken Dryden

Featuring Bob Brookmeyer

Jon Gordon & Bill Charlap - Contrasts

Styles: Piano And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:13
Size: 122,4 MB
Art: Front

(8:37)  1. Stardust
(6:53)  2. Young At Heart
(3:11)  3. Bye Ya
(5:26)  4. For Sue
(5:30)  5. These Foolish Things
(3:01)  6. Contrasts
(5:54)  7. I Fall In Love Too Easily
(6:41)  8. Compensation
(6:24)  9. Over The Rainbow
(1:32) 10. Epilogue

A precocious, well- studied pianist, trading eights with two alto giants. The common denominator in both of these recent releases would at first glance appear to be pianist Bill Charlap. However, the relationship goes much deeper. Alto saxophonist Jon Gordon was a school chum of Charlap's at New York City's High School for the Performing. Phil Woods's was Gordon's principle teacher and produced Contrasts for Double-Time records. The disc was recorded in Phil Wood's home. Phil Woods's mentions Voyage in the liner notes for Contrasts and recorded voyage aboard the Queen Elizabeth II with Bill Charlap's working trio. Bill Charlap has been a member of Phil Woods's Quintet since 1995. Thus this is music that runs deep. Bill Charlap is fresh off of his success with an earlier duet outing with Warren Vaché, 2gether. 

On that recording, Charlap proved an encyclopedic knowledge with the American Songbook both in terms of content and performance. He, while being considerable younger than the veteran Vaché, played with a keenly intelligent empathy, never sounding out of place. Here Charlap's empathy surpasses that which he showed Vaché. Having known Gordon for so long paid off. Contrasts is a fine duet recital of standards and originals. Jon Gordon has a very interesting dry tone compared to that of his mentor Woods. Gordon sounds like an amalgam of Frank Morgan and Johnny Hodges with an edge of Art Pepper. Not exactly a "wounded bird" as Morgan's tone was once described. Gordon's tone is parchment fine, maybe a 'wounded bird" with an IQ of 160. Gordon and Charlap approach their material much in the same way, very respectfully and with heightened sensitivity. 

This results in dramatically performed music that is never melodramatic. Charlap is a ballad performer on par with Fred Hersch and Hersch's muse, Bill Evans. This philosophy dovetails perfectly with Gordon's approach. Made up of mostly standards, Contrasts, offers jazz from the confines of the duet that is never claustrophobic or smothered. Both men allow one another plenty of space to look for the right notes. "Stardust" is taken as a lengthy dissertation on nostalgia. "Young at Heart is innocence in carnate. "Over the Rainbow" may be the perfect ballad for these balladeers. "For Sue" was written by West Coaster Jack Montrose for Jon Gordon's mother. It is performed like an unbroken sigh. This is a alto-piano duet disc on par with Art Pepper's Goin' Home and Frank Morgan's Double Image. ~ C.Michael Bailey  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/contrasts-with-jon-gordon-voyage-with-phil-woods-bill-charlap-double-time-jazz-review-by-c-michael-bailey.php

Personnel:  Jon Gordon: Alto Saxophone; Bill Charlap: Piano.

Sophia Shorai - Wave (Re-Release)

Styles: Brazilian Jazz, Bossa Nova
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:19
Size: 86,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:06)  1. I Remember You
(3:49)  2. No More Blues
(2:06)  3. O Pato
(3:26)  4. Dindi
(4:15)  5. Desafinado
(2:47)  6. Little Boat
(3:13)  7. Wave
(3:23)  8. Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars
(2:57)  9. Summer Samba
(3:57) 10. Black Orpheus
(4:14) 11. Meditation

A singer with equal parts heart, charm and individuality, Shorai has been a mainstay on the Minneapolis jazz scene for the past 10+ years.  With five self-released albums under her belt, she mixes old classics, modern revivals and her own pop gems with ease and soul.  Shorai has collaborated with many of the Midwest’s finest and most celebrated musicians and has garnered international vocal recognition through commercials, television shows and films.

“Sophia has everything a singer could want: soul, versatility and comfort in a number of musical settings and styles, a marvelous set of ears, unique style, and a visceral love of music and performance. Whether she’s belting or crooning, she breaks hearts.”~ Adam Levy, guitarist, singer/songwriter for The Honeydogs

“There’s a charming girlish innocence and coquettish soulfulness to this young singer’s rendering of jazz standards.”~ Jon Bream, Star Tribune

“One simply enjoys the expressive, emotional, yielding, welcoming, accepting, and enduring quality which Sophia delivers vocally to nudge our musical sensibilities in a strong and viable manner.” ~ George W. Carroll, NiteLifeExchange.com

“Sophia Shorai has one of the sweetest voices…Not many others could hit her perfectly girlish, almost childish tone…” ~ Annie D’Souza, MetroMix Mpls

“There’s a halo around her voice. She’s one of the most naturally gifted singers I’ve ever heard.” ~ Daniel Eikmeier, Artist & Media Relations, Dakota Jazz Club  http://sophiashoraimusic.com/

Bobby Hackett - Halfway To Everywhere

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:36
Size: 175,1 MB
Art: Front

(2:41)  1. I Found A New Baby
(2:19)  2. But Not For Me
(3:30)  3. Wild Man Blues
(2:27)  4. Oh Baby
(2:29)  5. Sweet Georgia Brown
(2:35)  6. When A Woman Loves A Man
(2:37)  7. Butter And Egg Bossa Nova (I Want A Big Butter And Egg Man)
(3:26)  8. Embraceable You
(2:25)  9. Everybody Loves My Baby
(2:47) 10. The Good Life
(2:22) 11. Exactly Like You
(2:42) 12. Moma's Gone, Goodbye
(3:54) 13. Sentimental Blues
(2:39) 14. S' Wonderful
(3:40) 15. When The Saints Go Marching In
(2:35) 16. Rags To Riches
(2:20) 17. Someday You'll Be Sorry
(2:30) 18. 'Deed I Do
(3:36) 19. I'll Never Be The Same
(2:55) 20. Oh Baby
(2:58) 21. The Shadow Of Your Smile
(2:30) 22. Struttin' With Some Barbecue
(3:43) 23. Swing That Music
(2:53) 24. New Orleans
(3:20) 25. I Guess I'll Have to Change My Plan
(3:29) 26. Way Down Yonder in New Orleans

Bobby Hackett's mellow tone and melodic style offered a contrast to the brasher Dixieland-oriented trumpeters. Emphasizing his middle-register and lyricism, Hackett was a flexible soloist who actually sounded little like his main inspiration, Louis Armstrong. When Hackett first came up he was briefly known as "the new Bix" because of the similarity in his approach to that of Bix Beiderbecke, but very soon he developed his own distinctive sound. Originally a guitarist (which he doubled on until the mid-'40s), Hackett performed in local bands, and by 1936 was leading his own group. He moved to New York in 1937, played with Joe Marsala, appeared at Benny Goodman's 1938 Carnegie Hall concert (recreating Beiderbecke's solo on "I'm Coming Virginia"), recorded with Eddie Condon, and by 1939 had a short-lived big band. 

Hackett played briefly with Horace Heidt, and during 1941-1942 was with Glenn Miller's Orchestra, taking a famous solo on "String of Pearls." Next up was a stint with the Casa Loma Orchestra, and then he became a studio musician while still appearing with jazz groups. Hackett was a major asset at Louis Armstrong's 1947 Town Hall Concert, in the 1950s he was a star on Jackie Gleason's commercial but jazz-flavored mood music albums, and he recorded several times with Eddie Condon and Jack Teagarden. During 1956-1957, Hackett led an unusual group that sought to modernize Dixieland (using Dick Cary's arrangements and an unusual instrumentation), but that band did not catch on. Hackett recorded some commercial dates during 1959-1960 (including one set of Hawaiian songs and another in which he was backed by pipe organ), he worked with Benny Goodman (1962-1963); backed Tony Bennett in the mid-'60s; co-led a well-recorded quintet with Vic Dickenson (1968-1970); and made sessions with Jim Cullum, the World's Greatest Jazz Band, and even Dizzy Gillespie and Mary Lou Williams, remaining active up until his death. Among the many labels Bobby Hackett recorded for as a leader were Okeh (reissued by Epic), Commodore, Columbia, Epic, Capitol, Sesac, Verve, Project 3, Chiaroscuro, Flying Dutchman, and Honey Dew. ~ Scott Yanow, Rovi  http://www.shazam.com/discover/artist/9601/album/65461040

Henry Mancini & His Orchestra - Uniquely Mancini

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:03
Size: 92,5 MB
Art: Front

(2:50)  1. Green Onions
(3:37)  2. Stairway to the Stars
(3:01)  3. Night Train
(3:53)  4. Lullaby Of Birdland
(3:24)  5. Chelsea Bridge
(3:52)  6. C Jam Blues
(2:32)  7. Banzai Pipeline
(3:39)  8. Rhapsody in Blue
(3:16)  9. Cherrs!
(3:30) 10. Lonsome
(2:43) 11. Hot Canary
(3:41) 12. Moonlight Serenade

Henry Mancini was not the first composer to introduce jazz elements into film and television scoring, but he was the first to become wildly successful with the public, particularly with the slinky, playful theme for the Pink Panther movies and the brassy, big band sound of the TV series Peter Gunn. Mancini was equally adept at broader, lyrical pop styles, especially in the song "Moon River," the achingly beautiful theme for the film Breakfast at Tiffany's. He won 20 Grammy awards out of 73 nominations and became a familiar public figure as a gentle, avuncular presence on his own syndicated musical TV series and as a frequent guest conductor of orchestral pops concerts.

Young Enrico Nicola Mancini played piccolo and flute with his father in a local Sons of Italy band. In his early teens, he determined to become a film composer and was sent to Pittsburgh to study piano and arranging. Mancini entered Juilliard to study piano in 1942, but within a year was drafted; Glenn Miller arranged for him to play with a service band until he was assigned to combat duty in Europe. Discharged in 1946, Mancini joined the Glenn Miller Orchestra as pianist and arranger. The following year, he followed his wife-to-be to Los Angeles, where he wrote music for bands and radio shows, while bolstering his composition skills through studies with Ernst Krenek and Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco. Mancini landed a job with Universal Pictures in 1952; over the next six years, he worked on 100 films, most of them forgettable low-budget affairs. He made his reputation in 1954, though, with his score for The Glenn Miller Story, which garnered his first Academy Award nomination.

Universal laid Mancini off in 1958, but the composer quickly developed an association with producer Blake Edwards, scoring his TV show Peter Gunn, the theme from which won him a recording contract with RCA. Mancini began issuing extremely popular and award-winning LPs of arrangements of pop and jazz hits, ultimately working on crossover albums with such classical artists as James Galway and Luciano Pavarotti.

Meanwhile, Mancini and Edwards would collaborate on 26 movies between 1960 and 1993. Three of Mancini's most enduring hits came from 1961: "Moon River" from Breakfast at Tiffany's, the similarly lush theme from Days of Wine and Roses, and the playful "Baby Elephant Walk" from Hatari! Despite averaging three film scores a year through the 1980s, Mancini would always be best-remembered for these earliest efforts, along with the theme from 1964's The Pink Panther and perhaps his score for the 1983 TV miniseries The Thorn Birds. He was a more versatile composer than his mainstream fans may think; for example, he adopted an avant-garde style for the 1985 science fiction movie Lifeforce. Mancini's final work was on a stage adaptation of Edwards' Julie Andrews vehicle Victor/Victoria, which originated as a 1982 film and opened on Broadway in 1995, shortly after the composer's death, running more than 700 performances. Bio ~ James Reel  http://www.allmusic.com/artist/henry-mancini-mn0000678009/biography

Friday, April 17, 2015

Billy Valentine - Travelin' Light

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:26
Size: 99.4 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz, Easy Listening
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[2:47] 1. Everbody Needs Somebody
[4:47] 2. I Cover The Waterfront
[4:19] 3. Embraceable You
[2:33] 4. Jitterbug Waltz
[3:54] 5. It's Magic
[5:07] 6. She's Funny That Way
[3:44] 7. On The Street Where You Live
[4:41] 8. Darn That Dream
[4:31] 9. My Foolish Heart
[4:17] 10. How Deep Is The Ocean
[2:42] 11. I'm Travelin' Light

Multitalented vocalist Billy Valentine's varied career has taken him across the United States, throughout the many countries of Europe and even to Oman, a small country in the Middle East. Lately, he's been frequenting local Los Angeles clubs, such as Café Cordiale in Sherman Oaks, and both The Vic and The Casa Del Mar Hotel in Santa Monica. Since its premiere in 2004, His glorious singing voice can be heard every week on the television series, Boston Legal, from the theme song right through to the end of each and every episode.

Billy began his professional career as a solo artist opening for such luminaries as Donny Hathaway and Roberta Flack in the 1970s. He also was the lead singer for the group Young Holt Unltd. Billy and his brother John went on to form the duo The Valentine Brothers, touring and producing four albums from 1975-1989. The duo co-wrote the memorable hit single "Money's Too Tight (To Mention)," which appeared on their album First Take. "Money's Too Tight" gained widespread popularity in 1986 when it was released as a single, and on video, performed by Simply Red. Billy's singing career quickly expanded into theatre and film. In 1977, he toured with the first national touring company of The Wiz as one of its main orchestra voices, staying with the show for over 3 years. In the mid 1980s, he sang lead vocals for the documentary, Champions Forever, a film about Ali, Frazier and Foreman. In the early 1990s, Billy was the singing voice for the lead vocalist character in Robert Townsend's feature film, The Five Heartbeats. He joined the show It Ain't Nothin' But the Blues, performing at the Geffen Theatre in Los Angeles and the San Diego Rep in the late '90s.

Billy's singing talents have also been in demand as a demo recording artist for such high-profile producers and writers as Gerry Goffin, Mark Isham, Burt Bacharach and Hal David. Keeping pace with his expanding singing career, Billy has written numerous songs, collaborating with such greats as Will Jennings and co-writing three songs on the Neville Bros. Family Groove album. He also co-wrote the title track "My World" for the incomparable Ray Charles. During the '70s and '80s, Billy tried his hand at producing with several projects, including "Crazy For You," by Sly Stone and Jesse Johnson, two songs on the feature film soundtrack, Soul Man, and the album Vesta from Vesta Williams for A&M Records. As a musical artist, Billy feels he has been most profoundly influenced by the soulful talents of Otis Redding, Nat King Cole and Carmen MacRae.

Travelin' Light

Rita Wilson - AM/FM

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:03
Size: 123.8 MB
Styles: Easy Listening, Country-pop
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[3:53] 1. All I Have To Do Is Dream
[3:25] 2. Never My Love
[3:12] 3. Come See About Me
[3:54] 4. Angel Of The Morning
[3:28] 5. Walking In The Rain
[3:46] 6. Wichita Lineman
[3:56] 7. Cherish
[2:40] 8. You Were On My Mind
[3:31] 9. Good Time Charlie's Got The Blues
[4:14] 10. Love Has No Pride
[4:14] 11. Please Come To Boston
[5:34] 12. Will You Love Me Tomorrow
[4:03] 13. Faithless Love
[4:07] 14. River

"AM/FM" features Wilson's takes on a variety of songs by the Everly Brothers ("All I Have to Do is Dream"), the Association ("Cherish"), Glen Campbell ("Wichita Lineman"), Joni Mitchell ("The River"), the Supremes ("Come See About Me" and more. Conceptually, she says the 11-song set hearkens back to her youth. "The songs I selected reminded me of what I heard on the radio, AM or FM," Wilson explains. "The AM stuff are things I remember my parents playing, either in the car or on the HiFi at home. Then FM radio came into existence...and I had my own car and full control of the dial. The AM section represents all this hope, giddiness, romance, joy, then the singer-songwriters came around for the FM side and were like, 'Yeah, that didn't quite work out, and let me tell you this little story about it...' "

Patti Scialfa and Sheryl Crow guest on a pair of songs each on "AM/FM," along with Jackson Browne ("Good Time Charlie's Got the Blues"), Chris Cornell ("All I Have to Do is Dream") and Vince Gill ("Faithless Love"). But the real coupe, she says, was having Jimmy Webb play piano on his "Wichita Lineman." "My producer (Fred Mollin) had coincidentally produced some of Jimmy's albums, and after we knew I wanted to cut 'Wichita Lineman' he said, 'Maybe I should get Jimmy to come in and play piano on this,' " Wilson recalls. "I said, 'Are you joking?' 'No, I'll ask him,' and Jimmy said sure. He happened to be in L.A., so we got together and it was the first song we cut. He was so gracious and amazing, I still can't believe it."

AM/FM

Herb Geller - All Right With Me

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 78:09
Size: 178.9 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[4:57] 1. Come Rain Or Come Shine
[3:05] 2. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
[5:25] 3. Crazy He Calls Me
[3:13] 4. I've Got A Feeling I'm Falling
[3:40] 5. Gin For Flugelhorns
[4:56] 6. Rockin' Chair
[5:15] 7. The Heather On The Hill
[3:01] 8. If I Were A Bell
[4:21] 9. Owl Eyes
[5:13] 10. Blues In The Night
[4:32] 11. Tardi At Zardi's
[4:21] 12. Outpost Incident
[4:52] 13. Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered
[2:50] 14. Two Of A Kind
[3:58] 15. Arapahoe
[5:05] 16. Suppertime
[5:29] 17. Vone Mae
[3:46] 18. The Answer Man

After he heard a performance by Benny Carter when Geller was 14, he decided to become a professional musician. Carter and Hodges were his early models, their influences soon leavened by the impact of Charlie Parker. Geller worked with a cross section of the major players in Los Angeles, recording copiously with, among others, Bill Holman, Shorty Rogers, Andre Previn, Quincy Jones and Chet Baker. He recorded three albums as a leader for Emarcy Records at a time when the label was riding high in the jazz world and was on hundreds of albums in the fifties. Among them, he recorded with Dinah Washington, Max Roach, Clifford Brown, Bill Holman, Clark Terry, Maynard Ferguson and Kenny Drew. Geller said in a recent conversation that of the thirty or so albums he recorded under his own name his favorite was You’re Looking At Me. That 1997 Fresh Sound CD had a rhythm section of the young Swedish pianist Jan Lundgren and two Los Angeles stalwarts, the late bassist Dave Carpenter and drummer Joe LaBarbera. Lundgren became one of Geller’s favorite collaborators.

All Right With Me

The Righteous Brothers - Unchained Melody: The Very Best Of The Righteous Brothers

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:12
Size: 85.2 MB
Styles: Blue eyed soul, AM pop
Year: 1990
Art: Front

[3:45] 1. You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'
[3:35] 2. Unchained Melody
[3:22] 3. (You're My) Soul And Inspiration
[2:47] 4. Ebb Tide
[3:47] 5. Just Once In My Life
[2:16] 6. The White Cliffs Of Dover
[3:02] 7. He
[3:22] 8. Hung On You
[2:18] 9. Little Latin Lupe Lu
[2:36] 10. Go Ahead And Cry
[3:09] 11. See That Girl
[3:09] 12. On This Side Of Goodbye

At 12 tracks, Very Best of the Righteous Brothers: Unchained Melody is considerably lighter than the ambitious double-disc Rhino Anthology, and it doesn't cover nearly as much ground; in other words, no "Rock & Roll Heaven" or any other '70s material is here. However, for those listeners who want a straight-up dose of the biggest Righteous Brothers' hits, this offers the peaks of their peak, highlighted, naturally, by "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'," "Unchained Melody," "(You're My) Soul and Inspiration," and "Little Latin Lupe Lu." ~Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Unchained Melody: The Very Best Of The Righteous Brothers

George Shearing, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, Louis Stewart - The MPS Trio Sessions (4-Disc Set)

George Shearing: George Shearing (piano); Louis Stewart (guitar); Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen (bass instrument). Recording information: MPS-Studio, Villingen, Germany (06/??/1977-11/06/1980); Music Center Sound Studio, Wembley, England (06/??/1977-11/06/1980).

For those fortunate enough to hear and own the immaculately produced Germany/Black Forest based MPS recordings, distributed as imported pristine virgin vinyl LPs that were pressed in the '70s, you already know the quality of this four-CD set of George Shearing's trio. With the peerless Dane Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen and Ireland's genius guitarist Louis Stewart, they can hardly do anything wrong musically. The first three CDs have Shearing playing standards, occasionally contemporizing his repertoire on Chick Corea's "Windows" and "500 Miles High," doing NHOP's "Cowboy Santa" and "My Little Anna," and offering two of his own originals, "The Fourth Deuce" and "G & G." The final CD has the threesome accompanied by strings, arranged and conducted by the brilliant Robert Farnon, and while a bit syrupy, lend pleasant late-night contrast at the end of a long day to the proceedings. This is a welcome addition to Shearing's collections discography, and a reminder of how good, in a short time period, MPS and producer Hans Georg Brunner-Schwer were. ~ Michael G. Nastos

Album: The MPS Trio Sessions (Disc 1)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:48
Size: 136.9 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[2:49] 1. Tricotism
[4:20] 2. Windows
[5:18] 3. No Moon At All
[2:45] 4. Some Other Spring
[4:08] 5. Wait Till You See Her
[3:33] 6. Tune Up
[5:18] 7. The Party's Over
[3:39] 8. The Lamp Is Low
[5:28] 9. Lazy Afternoon
[4:49] 10. Cowboy Samba
[2:48] 11. Cheryl
[4:46] 12. Miles High
[5:28] 13. I Wished On The Moon
[4:31] 14. Old Folks

The MPS Trio Sessions (Disc 1)

Album: The MPS Trio Sessions (Disc 2)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:56
Size: 128.1 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2014

[5:12] 1. Jordu
[7:32] 2. P.S. I Love You
[3:53] 3. Everything Happens to Me
[5:39] 4. Here's That Rainy Day
[3:02] 5. Invitation
[6:10] 6. In Your Own Sweet Way
[6:13] 7. Alice in Wonderland
[7:02] 8. All This and Heaven Too
[5:14] 9. No Greater Love
[5:55] 10. Con Alma

The MPS Trio Sessions (Disc 2)

Album: The MPS Trio Sessions (Disc 3)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:52
Size: 125.6 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2014

[5:31] 1. The Fourth Deuce
[4:35] 2. The Wine of May
[6:16] 3. Don't Get Around Much Anymore
[5:11] 4. Consternation
[7:05] 5. sweet and lovely
[3:46] 6. My Little Anna
[3:58] 7. Sweet Lorraine
[2:56] 8. Louis Ann
[5:49] 9. G & G
[3:17] 10. Poinciana
[6:24] 11. This Can't Be Love

The MPS Trio Sessions (Disc 3)

Album: The MPS Trio Sessiions (Disc 4)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:17
Size: 101.4 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[4:59] 1. Fjarlins Vingor
[4:51] 2. Last Night When We Were Young
[3:47] 3. Amaryllis
[5:08] 4. Strange Enchantment
[4:11] 5. Look at That Face
[5:14] 6. Portrait of Jennie
[5:29] 7. Song Bird
[5:41] 8. This Is All I Ask
[4:55] 9. A Nightingale Sang in Berklee Square

The MPS Trio Sessiions (Disc 4)

Allan Holdsworth - None Too Soon

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:46
Size: 116.2 MB
Styles: Fusion
Year: 1996
Art: Front

[3:07] 1. Countdown
[5:38] 2. Nuages
[5:27] 3. How Deep Is The Ocean
[5:40] 4. Isotope
[7:42] 5. None Too Soon, Pts. 1 & 2
[5:53] 6. Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)
[7:40] 7. Very Early
[3:21] 8. San Marcos
[6:14] 9. Inner Urge

For his ninth album, guitar wizard Allan Holdsworth takes on jazz classics by saxophonists John Coltrane and Joe Henderson, pianist Bill Evans and more, plus pop classics just as famous for their jazz interpretations, in a set put together by Holdsworth's longtime musical associate and pianist, Gordon Beck. "Gordon chose most of the tunes, which I hadn't grown up playing and so wasn't that familiar with," Holdsworth recalls. "When he taught me one, it would be just like I was learning a piece of original music."

Holdsworth pops the top off of None Too Soon (recorded in 1996 but remastered to take advantage of 2012's digital technology) with a frantic electric guitar introduction to Coltrane's "Countdown" that screams out "Mahavishnu Orchestra"! After he settles into a more measured approach, the sound of Holdsworth's synthesizer-guitar flows between jazz-rock, jazz and progressive rock in a single voice, like different aspects of the same musical continuum. Holdsworth and Beck modernize Django Reinhardt's emotive classic "Nuages" with harmonized synth-axe and keyboards which shift and rock upon subtle pulses from the rhythm section of bassist Gary Willis bass and drummer Kirk Covington, cohorts in the jazz-rock fusion institution Tribal Tech. "How Deep Is the Ocean" sounds nothing like the Irving Berlin ballad: Beck uses it as a framework for him and Holdsworth to rock out and jam while bass and drums toss its powerful rhythms back and forth like waves rocking the ocean. Beck's original title suite ("None Too Soon Part One / Interlude / None Too Soon Part Two") is well-considered and articulate in design and execution.

"Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)" paints an impressionistic watercolor of The Beatles' brooding, timeless classic in soft but bright guitar chords that more than once suggest Pat Metheny in sound and structure; after Beck brilliantly plays the acoustic piano role of Lyle Mays, Holdsworth's electric guitar roars back in and shreds this "Wood" to splinters. Holdsworth's meandering but profoundly emotional sound that opens "Very Early," written by Bill Evans, also suggests Metheny in a ruminative mood, while Beck spreads out a bright, dynamic acoustic piano solo like a blanket through the rest of the tune. Holdsworth takes a bop-oriented approach to Joe Henderson's "Isotope," twisting and elongating melodic phrases like a sharp John Scofield, and, after another sparkling Beck solo, returns for a closing solo that explodes with the bright yet brittle metallic edge of harder rock guitar.

Allan Holdsworth: guitar and synthaxe; Gordon Beck: digital piano, keyboards; Gary Willis: bass guitar; Kirk Covington: drums.

None Too Soon

John Mcdermot - Stories Of Love

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:48
Size: 107,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:04)  1. Dindi
(4:35)  2. I Concentrate On You
(3:14)  3. In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning
(3:15)  4. Quiet Nights (Of Quiet Stars)
(3:37)  5. Put Your Dreams Away (For Another Day)
(2:59)  6. If You Never Come To Me
(4:10)  7. Meditation
(4:42)  8. This Is All I Ask
(3:28)  9. How Insensitive (Insensatez)
(3:09) 10. Girl from Ipanema
(4:03) 11. Change Partners
(4:26) 12. Once I Loved

Celtic balladeer John McDermott was born in Scotland, but following his family's relocation to Canada in the mid-'60s, he went on to hone his crystalline tenor at Toronto's St. Michael's Choir School. After graduating he accepted the position of circulation manager with a Toronto newspaper; discovered while singing at a private party, McDermott was befriended by publishing magnate Conrad Black, who funded the sessions that led to the release of the singer's smash 1992 debut, Danny Boy, a record originally intended as a gift for his parents' golden wedding anniversary. Old Friends followed in 1994, and a year later McDermott issued Christmas Memories; with 1996's Love Is a Voyage, he even earned a Canadian Juno Award nomination as Male Vocalist of the Year. 

When I Grow Too Old to Dream appeared in 1997, and a year later he resurfaced with If Ye Break Faith,We Shall Not Sleep (retitled Remembrance for American consumption). Between 1998 and 2006 he released Old Friends, Time to Remember, Celtic Tenor, and Love Is a Voyage, as well as a collection of some of his most beloved material called Timeless Memories: Greatest Hits. He reunited with Irish Tenors Finbar Wright and Anthony Kearns during this period, recording a new album with the Tenors (2005's Deus Meus) and embarking on a U.S. tour in 2004. In 2007, McDermott found himself with three new albums and an EP under his belt: O Canada, When I Grow Too Old to Dream, On a Whim: Songs of Ron Sexsmith, and Daughter of Mine. ~ Bio  https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/john-mcdermott/id15982836

Sonny Stitt - Endgame Brilliance: Tune-Up! & Constellation

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1972
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 78:01
Size: 178,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:00)  1. Constellation
(4:47)  2. I Don't Stand A Ghost Of A Chance With You
(3:31)  3. Webb City
(6:39)  4. By Accident
(3:55)  5. Ray's Idea
(5:02)  6. Casbah
(5:13)  7. It's Magic
(5:35)  8. Topsy
(4:55)  9. Tune Up
(5:35) 10. I Can't Get Started
(4:31) 11. Idaho
(4:29) 12. Just Friends
(4:33) 13. Blues For Prez And Bird
(4:26) 14. Groovin' High
(9:42) 15. I Got Rhythm

Although the "endgame" part of this CD's title is not quite accurate (the sets from 1972 were made a decade before Sonny Stitt's passing), the "brilliance" definitely fits. Two of the prolific saxophonist's most exciting sessions ever were his Muse albums, Constellation and Tune-Up. This essential single CD reissues the complete contents of both dates. Strangely enough, Constellation is listed in this set as having been recorded June 27, 1971 (it is actually from 1972), and thus cut earlier, so it takes up the first (rather than the second) half of this CD. On both dates, Stitt (doubling on tenor and alto) is joined by the superb bop pianist Barry Harris and bassist Sam Jones with either Roy Brooks or Alan Dawson on drums. Stitt, who recorded many quartet sets through the years, was very inspired on both of these occasions. His renditions of "Constellation," "Webb City," "Just Friends," and "Groovin' High" in particular are quite memorable. 

The high point is a nine-and-a-half-minute version of "I Got Rhythm" that features the classic saxophonist first taking a long solo on tenor and then following it up with an equally stunning flight on alto. A master of the bebop vocabulary, the competitive Sonny Stitt would have deserved fame if he had only recorded these two sessions and not bothered with the other 150 albums he led. This CD is essential for all bebop collections. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/endgame-brilliance-constellation-tune-up-mw0000020869

Personnel: Sonny Stitt (alto & tenor saxophone); Barry Harris (piano); Sam Jones (bass); Roy Brooks, Alan Dawson (drums).

Endgame Brilliance: Tune-Up! & Constellation

Carol Saboya, Antonio Adolfo, Hendrik Meurkens - Copa Village

Styles: Brazilian Jazz, Bossa Nova
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:26
Size: 116,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:55)  1. The Girl From Ipanema
(4:22)  2. Copa Village
(4:07)  3. Show de Bola
(5:03)  4. O Bôto
(4:09)  5. Como Se Fosse
(4:34)  6. Água de Beber
(5:02)  7. Pois É
(3:26)  8. Pretty World
(4:54)  9. Two Kites
(4:17) 10. Nosso Mundo
(5:33) 11. Visão

Back in 1969, pianist Antonio Adolfo was working with vocalist Elis Regina. While touring through Sweden, Regina and her band had the opportunity to connect with Toots Thielemans, leading to the recording of Elis & Toots (Philips, 1969). Now, more than forty-five years later, Adolfo finds himself in a similar situation, working alongside another sunny Brazilian singer and European harmonica player—vocalist Carol Saboya, who happens to be his daughter, and vibraphonist/harmonica player Hendrik Meurkens. Copa Village finds these three delivering a program of cheery originals and Antonio Carlos Jobim numbers. The album ostensibly draws a parallel between Rio de Janeiro's Copacabana sector and New York's Greenwich Village in the '50s and '60s; the music, however, does not. The cast may include New York-based Brazilians, and Copa Village may have been recorded in The Big Apple, but these sun-dappled songs don't speak to the intense and gritty attitude of that city. This beautiful music flows in the Brazilian breeze, inducing smiles and soothing ears as it flies along.

The album opens with "The Girl From Ipanema/Garota De Ipanema," giving Saboya a chance to work through both the English and Portuguese lyrics connected to this oft-covered song. From there, it's off to the chipper, choro-ish title track, Meurkens' "Show De Bola," and Jobim's lesser-known "O Boto." Each one is different and distinct, yet all are winsome in nature. There are reflective moments to be found further down the line, as everybody slowly glides along on "Pois é" and gently coasts through "Visão," but gaiety and effervescence often win out on this outing. Saboya, Adolfo, and Meurkens prove to be a well-matched set of charmers, delivering seductive and stylish songs in seemingly effortless fashion. ~ Dan Bilawsky  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/copa-village-carol-saboya-aam-music-review-by-dan-bilawsky.php

Personnel: Carol Saboya: vocals; Hendrik Meurkens: harmonica, vibraphone; Antonio Adolfo: piano; Claudio Spiewak: acoustic guitars, electric guitars; Itaiguara Brandao: bass; Adriano Santos: drums; Andre Siquera: percussion.

José James - Yesterday I Had The Blues: The Music of Billie Holiday

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:57
Size: 112,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:48)  1. Good Morning Heartache
(5:55)  2. Body And Soul
(5:09)  3. Fine And Mellow
(5:23)  4. I Thought About You
(5:36)  5. What A Little Moonlight Can Do
(3:22)  6. Tenderly
(6:39)  7. Lover Man
(6:12)  8. God Bless The Child
(4:48)  9. Strange Fruit

José James has a reputation as a 21st century musical renaissance man. He's issued a remarkably consistent series of records that blur the lines between soul, funk, dance music, jazz, and rock. In addition, in 2010, he released For All We Know, a fine collection of jazz standards in duet with Belgian pianist Jef Neve. It is from this place that James releases Yesterday I Had the Blues: The Music of Billie Holiday. In his liner essay he cites Holiday as the artist who made him aspire to be a jazz singer. Accompanied by pianist Jason Moran, drummer Eric Harland, and bassist John Patitucci, James delivers a program of beauty and restraint for the centennial of her birth. James, who has the ability to accomplish startling vocalese and scat techniques, brings none it. He offers these songs with nuance, subtlety, and grace, allowing his considerable discipline to inform his readings. He doesn't imitate Holiday because no one could, though many have tried but instead showcases how she opened herself to the songs themselves, and imbued them not only with sophistication but the cavernous honesty of emotional experience. 

"Good Morning Heartache" is elegantly paced and sparsely articulated. It emerges from the shadows just enough to reveal how deep these blues go and James responds to them with his own inimitable phrasing. In "Body and Soul," passion simmers with longing and disconsolate heartache as Moran layers his chords with gentle fills. They anchor James, keeping him from slipping beneath the weight of the emotional waves. In return, he allows the material to speak through him with slight skillful improvisational touches. In "What a Little Moonlight Can Do," this fine band flexes its muscles. Moran sprints through harmonically inventive runs atop Patitucci's frenetic comping as Harland adds elastic syncopation to bop. James doesn't enter until halfway through and glides through the lyric, creating contrast without limiting the swing. The slow, simmering "Lover Man" builds and dissipates tension several times in coming from the blues' deep well. On "God Bless the Child," the pianist opts for a Fender Rhodes. James uses this change to the song's advantage. He finds the seam in the lyric just as Holiday did and allows it to carry him inside the gorgeous melody, and everything gels.

"Strange Fruit" is a song covered and badly interpreted so many times it's nearly painful to hear any version but Holiday's. Until now. Accompanied only by trancelike handclaps and a chorale of (his own) hummed backing vocals in four-part gospel harmony, James imbues his haunted reading with moral authority and harrowing impact. James' phrasing is chilling. His accusation, like Holiday's before him, comes through the painful bewilderment of delivering the lyric, not overdramatization of it. On Yesterday I Had the Blues, James stays exceptionally close to the spirit of Holiday's work. 

He does so without embalming her music as a museum piece or smothering his own voice, thereby adding a real contribution to her legacy. This is his most intimate, powerful, and masterful date. ~ Thom Jurek  http://www.allmusic.com/album/yesterday-i-had-the-blues-the-music-of-billie-holiday-mw0002805344

Personnel: José James, vocals;  Jason Moran, piano, Fender Rhodes, piano; Eric Harland, drums.