Kim Nalley - She Put A Spell On Me: Kim Nalley Sings Nina Simone

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 55:04

Size: 126.1 MB

Styles: Jazz vocals, Soul jazz

Year: 2006

Art: Front

[4:01] 1. My Baby Just Cares For Me

[6:42] 2. On The Evening By The Moonlight

[4:11] 3. See-Line Woman

[9:23] 4. You Can Have Him

[4:23] 5. I Put A Spell On You

[7:38] 6. House Of The Rising Sun

[4:31] 7. Trouble In Mind

[4:59] 8. Mississippi Goddamn

[7:48] 9. I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free

[1:23] 10. Extro (Band Introductions)

Kim Nalley (vocals) Tammy Hall (piano) Greg Skaff (guitar) Michael Zisman (bass) Kent Bryson (drums).

"Nina Simone was a singer, a social commentator, and a fighter. Often called the High Priestess of Soul, she was revered for her command of folk, blues, protest songs, and show tunes. So is it any wonder that Kim Nalley's CD "She Put a Spell on Me: Kim Sings Nina Simone" has been so popular? Nalley, whose hand in reopening the North Beach hot spot Jazz at Pearl's has made her into something of a hero in her own right, seems the perfect choice to interpret and pay tribute to the late, great Dr. Simone." -San Francisco Weekly.

"I've always been influenced by Nina Simone, " Nalley says, "by her singing and her absolutely amazing piano playing. And I've always been moved by her music and by her insistence on speaking out about civil rights and women's rights."

She Put A Spell On Me: Kim Nalley Sings Nina Simone, has been shortlisted for Grammy Award consideration in the Best Jazz Vocal category (2006). Active members of the Recording Academy vote from among the CDs on this list to select the five nominees in each category that will go on to compete for the Grammy.

She Put A Spell On Me was recorded live in 2005 during a five-night run at Jazz at Pearl's, the classy San Francisco nightclub that Nalley co-owns with her husband, Steve Sheraton. The CD immediately attracted glowing reviews, not least for its impressive range of material. Nalley takes on difficult and controversial material such as "Mississippi Goddamn," Simone's protest of anti-civil rights terrorism, moving jazz ballads like Irving Berlin's "You Can Have Him, " African chant in "See-Line Woman" and well-known folk tunes such as "House for the Rising Sun." The degree to which Nalley succeeded in capturing the essence of Nina Simone's spirit, while remaining true to her own musical heart and style, has now been made clear once again by this well-deserved recognition from the Grammy Awards nominators for She Put A Spell On Me: Kim Nalley Sings Nina Simone.

She Put A Spell On Me: Kim Nalley Sings Nina Simone

---

Big Jay McNeely - Nervous

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:49
Size: 125.5 MB
Styles: West Coast blues, Jazz-blues, Saxophone jazz
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[2:32] 1. Nervous Man, Nervous
[2:17] 2. Big Jay Shuffle
[2:41] 3. 3-D
[2:50] 4. Roadhouse Boogie
[2:46] 5. Real Crazy Cool
[3:49] 6. Body And Soul
[3:21] 7. Deacon's Hop
[2:18] 8. The Goof
[2:48] 9. Insect Ball
[3:43] 10. Tenderly
[3:20] 11. There Is Something On Your Mind
[2:35] 12. Back... Shack...Track
[3:39] 13. I Got The Message
[2:40] 14. Nervous Man, Nervous
[2:46] 15. Texas Turkey [take 1]
[2:13] 16. She Don't Work
[3:04] 17. Third Dimension (3-D) [take 2]
[2:35] 18. Nervous Man, Nervous
[2:46] 19. Deacon's Hop

A thorough 19-track examination of McNeely's early heyday, incorporating a live 1951 reprise of his signature "Deacon's Hop," and the King label classics "3-D," "Nervous Man Nervous," and "Texas Turkey," a handful of live 1957 efforts that include the crazed "Insect Ball," and McNeely's original hit version of the incendiary blues ballad "There Is Something on Your Mind" (with Little Sonny Warner handling the Ray Charles-influenced lead vocal). ~Bill Dahl

Nervous

---

Dexter Gordon - The Classic Blue Note Recordings (2-Disc Set)

Recording Date: August 29, 1962 - May 29, 1965. Superb playing partners include Bud Powell, Freddie Hubbard, Philly Joe Jones and Billy Higgins.

A master of the tenor sax in the small-group bop setting, Dexter Gordon's marvelous tone, elegant lead lines, and deliberate behind-the-beat phrasing made him an obvious influence on John Coltrane and Sonny Rollins, among others, and although his body of work is much lauded, he still manages to be somehow underappreciated in the pantheon of great tenor sax players. Beset with drug and other personal problems throughout his career, Gordon had several "comebacks," but none more striking than his 1961 to 1965 sojourn with Blue Note Records, a period that produced Gordon's best work. Gordon released nine albums for the label in the early '60s, and this two-disc, 18-track compilation takes cuts from such stellar LPs as Clubhouse, Our Man in Paris, One Flight Up, and Go! to make a nice overview of the Blue Note years. The consistency on display here is startling, and if Gordon wasn't as openly exploratory as Coltrane or Rollins, he didn't really need to be. He knew the pocket and he knew when to move it. Barring purchasing all of Gordon's Blue Note albums individually (which isn't currently possible -- Blue Note really should reissue all of them), picking up this set is probably the next best thing. ~Steve Leggett

Album: The Classic Blue Note Recordings (Disc 1)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:07
Size: 149.1 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz, Hard Bop
Year: 2003

[ 6:23] 1. Soy Califa
[ 6:41] 2. I'm A Fool To Want You
[ 6:28] 3. Hanky Panky
[ 7:28] 4. Darn That Dream
[ 8:14] 5. A Night In Tunisia
[ 6:29] 6. Cheese Cake
[ 5:19] 7. Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry
[ 5:41] 8. Mcsplivens
[12:20] 9. Society Red

The Classic Blue Note Recordings (Disc 1)

---

Album: The Classic Blue Note Recordings (Disc 2)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:22
Size: 129.0 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz, Hard bop
Year: 2003
Art: Front

[7:42] 1. Heartaches
[5:39] 2. Three O'clock In The Morning
[6:03] 3. Don't Explain
[6:12] 4. It's You Or No One
[5:20] 5. Modal Mood
[4:13] 6. Ernie's Tune
[6:42] 7. Broadway
[7:25] 8. You've Changed
[7:02] 9. Second Balcony Jump

The Classic Blue Note Recordings (Disc 2)

---

Mikel Gaztelurrutia - The New Jazz Voices Ensemble

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:30
Size: 117.9 MB
Styles: Piano jazz, Vocal harmony group
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[5:47] 1. Roxanne
[3:32] 2. Caravan
[5:59] 3. Samba Do Novo Amor
[4:40] 4. Do Nothing Til You Hear From Me
[4:49] 5. Don't You Worry About A Thing
[4:37] 6. A Blossom Fell
[3:15] 7. I Got Rhythm
[5:46] 8. Boulevard Of Broken Dreams
[1:26] 9. Take The A Train
[3:09] 10. Mood Indigo
[1:28] 11. Satin Doll
[1:13] 12. It Don't Mean A Thing
[5:45] 13. Oinazez

Take a handful of jazz standards - works of Ellington and George Gershwin-, season with a pair of infallible "popular classics" as Roxanne (The Police) or Do not you worry about a thing (Stevie Wonder) - and all rounded off with a piece in key of Bossa -Samba Do Novo Amor "and a beautiful composition of Aita Donostia-Oinazez-to round out its international flavor. The result: an exotic dish that will surprise diners who like the delicate flavors.

Special disc recorded at the Coliseum theater Eibar (Gipuzkoa) from the hand of the pianist Mikel Gaztelurrutia. Built on a tremendously solid trio work(Vincent Thomas-drums, Richie Ferrer-bass-and Mikel Gaztelurrutia-piano- ), the repertoire of The New Jazz Voices Ensemble contains little gems.

The voice is the real leitmotiv of this project, giving it unique: perhaps some small versions of it trite naivety of their choice, but in all of them you can appreciate a creative approach made from the affection and respect for the original one and a thorough and detailed work. The uninitiated will discover a flawless collection of songs in a very affordable context. Those whom they are familiar repertoire, can enjoy the classics with a not normal treatment.

The New Jazz Voices Ensemble

---

Leon Russell - Life Journey

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:47
Size: 109.4 MB
Styles: Album rock, Country-Blues-Rock
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[2:16] 1. Come On In My Kitchen
[3:10] 2. Big Lips
[4:49] 3. Georgia On My Mind
[4:06] 4. That Lucky Old Sun
[4:16] 5. Fever
[3:26] 6. Think Of Me
[4:27] 7. I Got It Bad & That Ain’t Good
[5:41] 8. The Masquerade Is Over
[4:09] 9. I Really Miss You
[5:23] 10. New York State Of Mind
[2:52] 11. Fool’s Paradise
[3:05] 12. Down In Dixieland

Prior to his Elton John-endorsed career resurrection via the 2010 duet album The Union, Leon Russell cranked out self-released oddities to little notice. Once The Union again made Russell a draw, there was little chance that he would revive his MIDI keyboards, and Life Journey indeed stays far, far away from those cramped, tinny settings, preferring to revive the loose-limbed, woolly Tulsan rock & roll that made his reputation. Working with Tommy LiPuma -- a veteran producer who had never recorded with Russell but who helmed many successful jazz sessions, including George Benson's Grammy-winning Breezin' -- Russell primarily sticks to standards, whether they're by Robert Johnson, Hoagy Carmichael, or Billy Joel, and that's how it should be. Although he's a fine songwriter, as evidenced here by his two originals -- "Big Lips" and "Down in Dixieland," raucous numbers both -- Russell is a stylist, bending songs to fit his swinging piano and slow drawl. He may occasionally follow a straight line with a ballad but he knows how to draw out the phrases on "That Lucky Old Sun," finding an unexpected contour in familiar melody, and he finds funk in "Come On in My Kitchen" while tearing up "Fever" and leaving "New York State of Mind" as a splashy big-band celebration of the Big Apple. This small list suggests how Life Journey touches upon much of the music Russell has sung over the years -- it's heavy on R&B, blues, jazz, and swing, but strangely lacking in much country -- and LiPuma is a perfect match for this celebratory approach. Where The Union occasionally veered toward the austere, Life Journey is robust and soulful, emphasizing the raggedness of Russell's voice and smooth boogie in his playing. It's a joyous thing to hear, a record that recaptures much of the magic of Leon's Shelter records without being fussy. ~Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Life Journey

---

Hal Singer & Massimo Farao Trio - We're Still Buddies

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 59:25

Size: 136.0 MB

Styles: Contemporary jazz

Year: 2005

Art: Front

[8:55] 1. There Is No Greater Love

[9:22] 2. In A Sentimental Mood

[3:10] 3. Jungle Juice

[5:47] 4. Were Still Buddies

[9:29] 5. Solitude

[4:30] 6. Thinkin Of Paola

[5:05] 7. Almost Like Being In Love

[5:43] 8. For All We Know

[7:21] 9. On The Trail

Equally at home blowing scorching R&B or tasty jazz, Hal "Cornbread" Singer has played and recorded both over a career spanning more than half a century. Singer picked up his early experience as a hornman with various Southwestern territory bands, including the outfits of Ernie Fields, Lloyd Hunter, and Nat Towles. He made it to Kansas City in 1939, working with pianist Jay McShann (whose sax section also included Charlie Parker), before venturing to New York, in 1941, and playing with Hot Lips Page, Earl Bostic, Don Byas, and Roy Eldridge (with whom he first recorded in 1944). After the close of the war, Singer signed on with Lucky Millinder's orchestra.

Singer had just fulfilled his life's ambition -- a chair in Duke Ellington's prestigious reed section -- in 1948, when a honking R&B instrumental called "Cornbread" that he'd recently waxed for Savoy as a leader began to take off. That presented a wrenching dilemma for the young saxist, but in the end, his decision to go out on his own paid off; "Cornbread" paced the R&B charts for four weeks and gave him his enduring nickname. ~bio by Bill Dahl

Massimo Farao plays tuneful melodic piano trio jazz with echoes of Bill Evans, Oscar Peterson & Makoto Ozone. Highly recommended.

We're Still Buddies

---

Suss Von Ahn - Train To Stockholm

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:55
Size: 110,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:36)  1. Train to Stockholm
(3:51)  2. Give Me a Winter
(4:15)  3. Spending My Time
(3:06)  4. My Foolish Heart
(3:05)  5. Alone Again, Naturally
(4:28)  6. The Way My Heart Sings
(3:02)  7. This Time
(4:31)  8. Could It Be
(2:42)  9. Song of Happiness
(2:15) 10. Straighten Up and Fly Right
(3:30) 11. Gotta Be
(3:22) 12. Misery Boulevard
(2:42) 13. Hush Now
(3:24) 14. When Was the Day

In the follow up to ”Zeldas Park”(2004) Suss von Ahn once again shows her strength as a songwriter, pianist and singer. Most of the tracks on the new album are a mix of jazz and pop with a lot of attention paid to arrengements and colour extravaganza from Stockholm Session Strings and Stockholm Power Horns. “Train to Stockholm” and “Gotta be” has been released as singles in Scandinavia and has got a lot of airplay. Extraordinary musicians like Per Lindvall on drums and Mats Öberg on harmonica contributes. Most of the songs are written by Suss but two covers are included. One of them “Alone again,naturally” (Gilbert O´Sullivan) is taken from Suss´Japanese album “Cry me a river”(Spice of Life) and the other is Nat King Cole´s “Straighten up and fly right” in a wonderful a cappella version.  http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/sussvonahn2

Train To Stockholm

---

Russell Malone - Playground

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:44
Size: 119,1 MB
Art: Front

(6:34)  1. You Should Know Better
(3:35)  2. You've Got a Friend
(4:29)  3. Blues For Mulgrew
(3:50)  4. Something To Live For
(4:43)  5. Sugar Buzz
(5:24)  6. Playground
(4:19)  7. Remind me
(4:57)  8. We've Only Just Begun
(6:48)  9. Invisible Colors
(7:01) 10. Mandela

Russell Malone is a guitarist’s guitarist. He shares with Joe Pass the distinction for being equally a superb accompanist and leader, as evidenced by recordings with Diana Krall, Harry Connick, Jr., Shirley Horn and Wynton Marsalis as well as his own recordings. He opens MaxJazz's inaugural String Series with two originals for jazz quartet. "You Should have Known Better" is a breezy, almost pop-oriented piece that features Malone’s brilliant chord soloing, heavily influenced by George Benson. "Blues for Mulgrew" is a straight-ahead offering that blazes at light speed out of the current Jazz Mainstream. Malone plays musical pinochle with pianist Martin Bejerano, weaving in and out of those same twelve bars. The first standard is Billy Strayhorn’s "Something to Live For." Here, Malone shows his superb ballad stripes, playing is a light grace that never once stoops toward cliché. The very same can be said for the solo recital of Carole King’s "You’ve Got a Friend," a song that has been patiently waiting to enter the jazz standards canon. Malone shows that he can play the guitar as one would play the piano. 

His tone is thick and round and sumptuous and is nowhere better showcased. His quartet interpretation of the Carpenters’ "We’ve Only Just Begun" exists in perfect harmony with the King composition. Vibraphonist Joe Locke joins Malone on bopish "Sugar Buzz," both musicians swinging relentlessly while squeezing out 64th notes effortlessly. This is certainly a virtuoso performance vehicle. Alto saxophonist Gary Barth Joins him on "Mandela," providing the piece a John Coltrane-esque plaintive wail reminiscent of "Alabama" and "A Love Supreme." Russell Malone is an understated guitarist whose technique and taste have made him very much in demand during recent history. ~ C.Michael Bailey  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/playground-russell-malone-maxjazz-review-by-c-michael-bailey.php

Personnel: Russell Malone (guitar); Gary Bartz (alto saxophone); Joe Locke (vibraphone); Martin Bejerano (piano); Tassili Bond (bass); E.J. Strickland (drums).

Playground

---

Paul Tillotson - Lindy Hop Blues: Live at Jelly Roll

Styles: Jazz, Retro Swing
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:56
Size: 128,9 MB
Art: Front

(0:57)  1. Mildred's Intro
(3:22)  2. Satin Doll
(2:54)  3. Shotgun Boogie
(4:36)  4. Dear Old Dad
(2:53)  5. Soul Swinga Nova (Soul Bossa Nova)
(4:26)  6. Pink Panther
(4:51)  7. The Way You Look Tonight
(2:33)  8. C Jam Blues
(3:45)  9. Big Swinging Taxi (Big Yellow Taxi)
(2:52) 10. Tebadadeda
(2:56) 11. Easy Does It
(5:16) 12. Blackbird
(5:53) 13. Lindy Hop Blues
(4:06) 14. Tidbits
(4:29) 15. Blues for Stephanie

The Power of dance is a positive force that makes me high. High on jazz. High on dancing. High on life. There is an unspoken dialogue between the dancers and the musicians, and when that connection happens, dancing is not just physical. It’s soulful. On Sept. 22, 2007, the Paul Tillotson Love Trio got everyone high. I mean if they can get 93 year-old Frankie Manning out on the floor, you know they’re doing something right! Paul has that special ingredient that is hard to explain. Too many musicians these days don’t realize it’s not about how many notes you play, it’s really about playing together: together as a band and together as one with the dancers. 

I can’t dance if the music doesn’t move me. When Frankie and I danced to Satin Doll, we could feel the Love Trio’s connection on every beat. The Love Trio’s music is so swingin’ and so beautiful that I was compelled to dance all night. This CD is a way to share-and preserve- the magical energy radiated by the Love Trio every night they play. I was lucky to be a part of that evening, and now you can too. I hope these songs continue to move you for years and years to come, as they moved me the first time I heard them. Thank you Paul, James, and Mike. Thank you Jelly Roll Productions. Thank you dancers. The light was on and shining bright that night! ~ Dawn Hampton  (Slide Hampton’s sister/Dance Royalty)  http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/tillotson6

Lindy Hop Blues: Live at Jelly Roll

---

Ramsey Lewis - Them Changes

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1970
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:59
Size: 104,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:43)  1. Them Changes
(6:30)  2. Drown In My Own Tears
(8:18)  3. Oh Happy Day
(8:00)  4. Do Whatever Sets You Free
(5:12)  5. Something
(6:19)  6. See The End From The Beginning, Look Afar
(3:54)  7. The Unsilent Minority

Pianist and composer Ramsey Lewis has been a major figure in contemporary jazz since the late 1950s, playing music with a warm, open personality that's allowed him to cross over to the pop and R&B charts. Lewis was born in Chicago, Illinois on May 27, 1935, and was introduced to music by his father, who directed the choir at a local church and enjoyed the music of Duke Ellington and Art Tatum. Lewis began studying the piano when he was four years old, and was soon accompanying the choir at Sunday services. At the age of 15, he joined a jazz combo called the Cleffs, who played at parties and dances. Lewis was interested in a leaner, more bebop-oriented sound, and when the group splintered after several members joined the military, he formed the Ramsey Lewis Trio with two other former Cleffs, bassist Eldee Young, and percussionist Redd Holt. The trio became a fixture on the Chicago jazz scene, and they were signed to a deal with Chess Records, releasing their first album, Ramsey Lewis & His Gentlemen of Jazz, in 1956. Lewis and his trio continued to record and tour steadily over the years, building a sizable audience among jazz fans, but their career received a serious boost in 1965, when they recorded a swinging version of Dobie Gray's hit "The In Crowd" at a gig in Washington, D.C.

Chess released the track as a single, and it became a sizable pop hit, earning Lewis his first gold record, as well as a Grammy award for Best Jazz Performance. As Lewis' star rose, he returned to the pop charts in 1966 with versions of "Hang on Sloopy" and "Wade in the Water." Meanwhile, Young and Holt left Lewis' trio to form their own group, Young-Holt Unlimited, and the pianist hired a new rhythm section, Cleveland Eaton on bass and Maurice White on drums. In 1970, White resigned to form his own group, and Morris Jennings signed on as the trio's new percussionist. Lewis continued to record for Chess until 1972, when he moved to Columbia Records, and as his music developed a more contemporary groove, White's group, Earth, Wind & Fire (also on Columbia), was beginning to enjoy considerable success on the R&B charts. White produced Lewis' 1974 album Sun Goddess, in which he experimented with electronic keyboards for the first time, and several members of EWF played on the sessions; it became a major crossover hit and took Lewis to the upper ranks of the smooth jazz/fusion scene. Lewis would continue to record R&B-influenced material through the '70s, but continued to explore his roots in more traditional jazz sounds as well as Latin rhythms. In 1983, he went into the studio with Eldee Young and Redd Holt again for the album Reunion; in 1984, he collaborated with Nancy Wilson on The Two of Us; in 1988, he recorded with London's Philharmonia Orchestra for the album A Classic Encounter, and in 1989, Lewis and Dr. Billy Taylor cut a set of piano duets, We Meet Again.

In 1992, Lewis signed with the successful jazz label GRP Records, and in 1995, he launched the side project Urban Knights, in which he collaborated with a handful of successful crossover jazz stars, including Grover Washington, Jr., Earl Klugh, and Dave Koz. In 1997, Lewis added disc jockey to his résumé, hosting a popular show on Chicago's WNUA-FM that ran until 2009; the show went into syndication in 2006 under the name Legends of Jazz with Ramsey Lewis, and is still on the air. In 2005, Lewis looked back on his roots in gospel music with the album With One Voice, which earned him the Stellar Gospel Music Award for Best Gospel Instrumental Album. In 2007, he was commissioned to write a jazz ballet for the Joffrey Ballet Company, and "To Know Her …" debuted at Highland Park, Illinois' Ravina Music Festival, where Lewis is artistic director of the festival's jazz series, and helped found their Jazz Mentor Program. Lewis has also written several pieces for string ensemble and orchestra that have premiered at Ravina; highlights were featured on the 2009 album Songs from the Heart: Ramsey Plays Ramsey, his first release from Concord Records. In addition to his work as a performer, composer, educator, and disc jockey, Lewis has received five honorary doctorate degrees, won the National Endowment for the Arts' Jazz Master Award in 2007, and is one of the few noted jazz artists to carry the Olympic Torch, having briefly escorted the flame as it passed through Chicago en route to the 2002 Winter Games. Bio ~ Mark Deming  http://www.allmusic.com/artist/ramsey-lewis-mn0000334770/biography

Personnel:  Ramsey Lewis – piano, el. piano (Fender Rhodes),Phil Upchurch – el. guitar (Fender),Cleveland Eaton – el. bass (Fender), Morris Jennings - drums

Them Changes

---

Rebecca Kilgore & Dave Frishberg - Not A Care In The World

Size: 120,1 MB
Time: 51:15
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1997
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Evenin'/Topsy/Swing, Brother, Swing (3:37)
02. Not A Care In The World (2:28)
03. A Kiss To Build A Dream On (2:47)
04. Samba Da Minha Terra/So Danço Samba (4:16)
05. All My Life (2:43)
06. An Occasional Man (2:38)
07. I've Got A Feelin' You're Foolin' (2:47)
08. In The Land Of Oo-Blah-Dee (2:35)
09. My Melancholy Baby (2:42)
10. Night Wind (2:26)
11. Blah, Blah, Blah (2:31)
12. South American Way/Say Si Si (3:15)
13. Talkin' To Myself About You (3:06)
14. Kiss And Run (3:06)
15. Georgia On My Mind (3:20)
16. Ballerina/I Won't Dance (4:46)
17. The Glow-Worm (2:05)

Rebecca Kilgore and pianist Dave Frishberg are a match made in jazz heaven. Kilgore's appealing, easygoing vocals capture the essence of every song, whether scatting through Mary Lou Williams' "In the Land of Oo-Blah-Dee" or the witty, seductive lyrics of "An Occasional Man." Frishberg's inventive piano lines help to inspire the singer, especially with his Waller-like stride piano on "I've Got a Feeling You're Foolin'," along with the addition of guitarist Dan Faehnle, who plays on ten of the CD's 17 tracks. Only the Gershwin Brothers' "Blah, Blah, Blah" doesn't measure up to the rest of the CD, but that's due to the tedious joke of the rather dated lyric. ~Review by Ken Dryden

Not A Care In The World

---

Maggie Blue - To The King: A Tribute To Elvis Presley

Size: 100,5 MB
Time: 40:15
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Pop/Rock/Blues/Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Heartbreak Hotel (2:42)
02. Stuck On You (2:48)
03. Love Me Tender (3:36)
04. Can't Help Falling In Love (3:53)
05. Don't Be Cruel (3:05)
06. Are You Lonesome Tonight (3:48)
07. Loving You (2:46)
08. Let Me Be Your Teddy Bear (2:52)
09. I Want You, I Need You, I Love You (3:57)
10. Good Luck Charm (2:27)
11. Love Me (3:29)
12. All Shook Up (4:46)

The songs on the CD appeal to me for many reasons, not just because Elvis sang them. Even though it was many years ago, the music and lyrics are still relevant today. They're all about love and life, and have a universal appeal. It transcends time. The music reflects emotions that we've all felt at one time or another -- loneliness, fear and vulnerability, love and desire. Overall, there's a sense of optimism in this collection of songs, which appeals to me because I'm an optimistic person by nature.

I've always had a lot of respect for Elvis Presley's talent as an artist and performer, and the way he was able to communicate and convey emotions. He sang from the heart, and that's why he touched so many people.

"Another interesting aspect of this CD is that I am interpreting Elvis' songs from a female perspective. Jennifer Warnes did the same thing when she sang Leonard Cohen's music."

The 12 songs on this CD are meant as a fitting tribute to the incredible singer, artist and performer -- truly The King.

Personnel:
Maggie Blue (vocals)
Greg Geeves (keyboards, synthesizer)
Mario Gilbert (flute, sacxophone, clarinet, blues harmonica)
Ronald MacPrough (guitar)

That's To The King

---

Kirk Knuffke - Arms & Hands

Size: 142,8 MB
Time: 61:09
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Modern Jazz
Art: Front

01. Safety Shoes (2:29)
02. Bright Light (5:29)
03. Root (3:49)
04. Pepper (3:58)
05. Chirp (5:46)
06. Umbrella (3:53)
07. Notwithstanding (3:01)
08. Next (4:51)
09. Arms & Hands (4:22)
10. Elevator (3:37)
11. Bonderizer (3:40)
12. Tuesday (2:27)
13. Use (3:34)
14. Atessa (4:02)
15. Thanks A Lot (6:05)

Sometime, watch children as they eat the M&Ms. They will separate the colors into several piles—green, red, brown, yellow, orange, and blue. It's not that each color tastes different, except for maybe blue—I don't remember ever seeing that color before. Nonetheless, they go about savoring each color batch as an independent experience. Those little candies come to mind while attending to cornetist Kirk Knuffke's release Arms & Hands. The disc (released as both CD and LP) is a trio recording with Knuffke's newest band of bassist Mark Helias and drummer Bill Goodwin, but it also features three guest musicians; saxophonists Daniel Carter and Jeff Lederer and trombonist Brian Drye. Like the little candies, the guest appearances and the trio pieces are cut from the same clothe, but there is a tempting urge to divide up this recording.

Maybe that's because Knuffke has spliced his career into so many different directions. He has braided his horn into the bands of Matt Wilson, Allison Miller, Jeff Lederer, Andrew D'Angelo, and David Ullmann bands, plus his own groups Ideal Bread, Sifter (with Wilson and Mary Halvorson) and duo outings with Jesse Stacken, Mike Pride, and Brian Drye. He also works with this trio's partners in the separate bands, Helias' quartet and Goodwin's Ornette project.

The trio music here is dazzling. The combination of Helias' bass, which has kept time for Anthony Braxton and Cecil Taylor, and Goodwin's drums which have backed Phil Woods and Art Pepper, fuses the out and the in. Tricky, off-kilter pieces like "Root" and "Tuesday" satisfy those seeking challenging compositions, yet the groove is so inviting. Knuffke's cornet playing is (as always) flawless. He can deliver burning runs, slur and chirp notes, all with full command of his most demanding instrument.

Add the guests and the music doesn't taste better, it is just coated differently. Drye's trombone flavors the opening track "Safety Shoes," a meter-shifting feel good (no great) piece. Carter swoops upon "Bright Light" and "Atessa" with a notion that it is hip to be inside Knuffke's conceptions. Lederer's appearance with soprano honors Steve Lacy on "Chirp" and his tenor gives a nod to Sonny Rollins' appreciation of cornball. The band turns a potentially clichéd tune like Ernest Tubbs' country song "Thanks a Lot" into a very hip swinger. ~Mark Corroto

Personnel: Kirk Knuffke: cornet; Bill Goodwin: drums; Mark Helias: bass; Brian Drye: trombone; Daniel Carter: alto saxophone; Jeff Lederer: soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone.

Arms & Hands

---

Magnolia - That's Plenty

Size: 101,4 MB
Time: 40:00
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz Vocals, Swing
Art: Front

01. That's A Plenty (2:37)
02. Is You Or Is You Ain't My Baby (3:56)
03. Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea (3:57)
04. Smooth Operator (2:32)
05. C'mon A My House (2:48)
06. Take My Love (2:34)
07. It's All Right With Me (3:43)
08. Where's The Money Honey (2:46)
09. I Want To Be Evil (3:55)
10. Too Darn Hot (4:13)
11. Big Spender (6:54)

Band Members:
Anton Jarl
Paco Weht
Francesc Capella
Myriam Swanson

Myriam Swanson introduces her repertoire more jazz with her project Magnolia. Singer, composer and performer, she began his career very young in underground formations.
Her taste for eclecticism has led to the creation of various projects such as her album of bossa-nova Brazilian Moods (2007) with Cesc Pascual; the session Five Minutes Before with Jordi Mena (Bunbury) a work of topics filled with darkness and depth; Early Blues Mood with Amadeu Casas where a lot of the primordial sources of gender on a repertoire rarely heard or Magnolia, a quartet of jazz where in addition to revisit the classics is a repertoire that contains themes of Etta James or Rosemary Clooney.
Better known as a singer of Rhythm n ' Blues, Myriam Swanson has been "the voice" of the "Taboo" in the Sala Apolo during two seasons. Their collaboration with Mario Cobo and Anton Jarl still emerges a new training, Flamingo Tours, for four projects cannot overcome the artistic restlessness. ~online translation from Spanish

That's Plenty

---

Harry Allen - Hits By Brits

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 58:17

Size: 133.4 MB

Styles: Saxophone jazz

Year: 2007

Art: Front

[7:04] 1. Cherokee

[7:16] 2. Roses Of Picardy

[6:56] 3. Just In Time

[4:18] 4. These Foolish Things

[6:33] 5. I Hadn't Anyone Till You

[4:31] 6. You're Blasé

[7:05] 7. Limehouse Blues

[3:34] 8. A Nightingale Sang In Berkely Square

[5:48] 9. Got A Date With An Angel

[5:08] 10. The Very Thought Of You

Recording Date: November, 2006. Drums - Chuck Riggs: Guitar – Joe Cohn; Saxophone – Harry Allen; Trombone – John Allred; Bass - Joel Forbes.

Tenor saxophonist Harry Allen can evoke Lester Young disciples like Stan Getz or Zoot Sims one minute and the heavier swing-era tenorists the next. On his latest release, Allen’s sound and articulation lean toward the aggressive end of the scale, although on ballads like “You’re Blasé” and “A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square,” he often brings to mind a reflective Sims or Ben Webster.

All the tunes are by Englishmen, except “Just in Time,” whose composer, the American Jule Styne, was born in London. Well-known bandleader Ray Noble wrote “The Very Thought of You,” “I Hadn’t Anyone Till You” and the classic jazz vehicle “Cherokee.” Also included are “Roses of Picardy,” “These Foolish Things,” “Limehouse Blues” and “Got a Date with an Angel.” The informal arrangements consist largely of Allen, guitarist Joe Cohn and trombonist John Allred (on four tracks) stating the melody, taking choruses, trading phrases and taking the chart out.

Allen is in great form, whether swinging ebulliently or caressing a melody, and the virtuosic Allred is consistently impressive. Cohn seemingly inherited dad Al’s melodic sense, as he spins nimble, tuneful lines at any tempo. The fine rhythm section also includes bassist Joel Forbes and drummer Chuck Riggs.~David Franklin

Hits By Brits

---

Walter Wanderley - Talkin' Verve

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 48:24

Size: 110.8 MB

Styles: Latin jazz

Year: 1998

Art: Front

[3:01] 1. Popcorn

[2:28] 2. Agua De Beber

[2:15] 3. Amazonas

[2:35] 4. The Girl From Ipanema

[3:10] 5. Summer Samba (Samba De Verão)

[3:44] 6. Blue Island

[2:43] 7. Taste Of Sadness

[4:22] 8. Crickets Sing For Anamaria

[2:35] 9. Canto De Ossanha

[3:19] 10. A Different Beat

[2:19] 11. Call Me

[3:12] 12. Wave

[3:48] 13. Bossa Na Praia (Beach Samba)

[3:01] 14. Music To Watch Girls By

[3:30] 15. Goodbye Sadness (Tristeza)

[2:16] 16. Batucada Surgiu

Possibly because he favored drippy orchestrated arrangements crossed with bossa nova beats, organist Walter Wanderley never received much attention when he was recording in the '60s. However, in the rush to uncover forgotten "lounge" recordings, Verve stumbled upon his records and decided that his overblown, occasionally campy Latin jazz was worth reissue. They assembled a 16-track compilation from his three albums for Verve, effectively selecting highlights like "Popcorn," "Agua de Beber," "The Girl from Ipanema," "Summer Samba," "Wave," "Beach Samba," and "Music to Watch Girls By." It's a good summary of his Verve years, featuring the best tracks from his uneven albums. There are certainly better places to hear bossa nova, even pop-oriented Latin jazz, but there are still some good moments on Talkin' Verve, especially if you favor kitsch over quality. ~Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Talkin' Verve 

---

Friend 'n Fellow - 2 albums: Covered / Discovered

What are the essentials of powerful musical expression? We believe a soulful black female voice and a virtuoso acoustic guitar. Provided they are of the caliber of Friend 'n Fellow. Depth, class and entertainment from an exceptional duo that plays so efficiently that they actually should be called a "band" with their incredible dynamics and emotionality. The names of these two experienced musicians are: Constanze Friend (vocals) studied modern voice in Weimar. As the singer of the R&B Band "Mr Adapoe", Constanze was a guest at many European festivals, e.g. as a support act for Alvin Lee and James Brown. Thomas Fellow (guitars) studied concert guitar for seven years in Weimar. He has won prizes at international competitions and has been on concert tours throughout Europe, the U.S.A. , India and South America. Professor Thomas Fellow is the chairman of the Department of Guitar/World Music at the Conservatory of Music in Dresden, and conducts courses at various other music conservatories and festivals.

Friend 'n Fellow have been performing as a duo since 1991. 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.

In the music of FRIEND 'N FELLOW the intensity of blues, the sound of soul and the freedom of jazz unite in a very unique way. Deeply impressed and moved, the audience follows the virtuoso way these two exceptional musicians perform together.

Album: Covered

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 42:24

Size: 97.1 MB

Styles: Soul-Blues-Jazz

Year: 2005

Art: Front

[3:10] 1. Light My Fire

[3:12] 2. Fly Like An Eagle

[4:09] 3. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For

[3:37] 4. Bad Love

[1:47] 5. In The Summertime

[3:31] 6. Grandma's Hands

[4:50] 7. One More Day

[3:19] 8. How Will I Know

[2:04] 9. Can't Buy Me Love

[5:27] 10. Cajun Moon

[2:33] 11. Skylark

[3:44] 12. What A Wonderful World

[0:54] 13. What A Wonderful World (Reprise)

Covered  

---

Album: Discovered

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 51:55

Size: 118.9 MB

Styles: Soul-Blues-Jazz

Year: 2010

Art: Front

[3:54] 1. Me & Mrs Jones

[4:07] 2. Clocks

[2:22] 3. Crazy Little Thing Called Love

[4:56] 4. Both Sides Now

[4:40] 5. Moondance

[4:07] 6. Walk On The Wild Side

[2:33] 7. Ring Of Fire

[4:47] 8. A Case Of You

[3:46] 9. Shout

[4:09] 10. Here Comes The Rain Again

[6:22] 11. Have A Talk With God

[1:47] 12. If You Had My Love

[4:21] 13. Throw It Away

Discovered  

---

Ray Stevens - Misty

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:04
Size: 80.3 MB
Styles: Country-pop
Year: 1975/1990
Art: Front

[2:53] 1. Misty
[3:28] 2. Indian Love Call
[3:11] 3. Somewhere Over The Rainbow
[2:58] 4. Oh Lonesome Me
[2:48] 5. Sunshine
[2:32] 6. Cow-Cow Boogie
[3:46] 7. Young Love
[3:15] 8. Deep Purple
[3:24] 9. Mockingbird Hill
[4:02] 10. Take Care Of Business
[2:42] 11. Lady Of Spain

Ray Stevens was born Harold Ray Ragsdale in Clarkdale, Georgia on January 24, 1939. Clarkdale was a small cotton mill town twenty miles north of Atlanta. Ray’s early influences came from the radio and the jukebox at the village swimming pool where Ray and most kids spent their summers. In those days radio stations were diverse and played music of all different styles and that, along with the records that the jukebox played exposed Ray to an eclectic selection of music.

In 1975 Ray received his second Grammy Award. It was in the Best Arrangement category for the remake of the Erroll Gardner/Johnny Burke classic, “Misty.” One day in the studio while rehearsing his band for an upcoming television appearance they started clowning around with “Misty” using a banjo, fiddle and steel guitar. It sounded good. So good that Ray called his engineer to come down to the studio and the arrangement was recorded.

Misty

---

King Curtis - The Best Of King Curtis

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:15
Size: 96.7 MB
Styles: R&B-Blues-Southern Soul
Year: 1996
Art: Front

[2:31] 1. Night Train
[2:38] 2. One Mint Julep
[2:38] 3. Soul Twist
[2:56] 4. Soul Serenade
[2:50] 5. Honky Tonk
[2:33] 6. Slow Drag
[2:26] 7. Hide Away
[2:40] 8. Strollin' Home
[2:55] 9. Sister Sadie
[2:15] 10. Tanya
[2:34] 11. Summer Dream
[3:20] 12. Hung Over
[2:00] 13. Bill Bailey, Won't You Please Come Home
[2:41] 14. More Soul
[2:35] 15. Shake
[2:36] 16. A Change Is Gonna Come

Recording Date: August 23, 1962 - March 11, 1965

Best of King Curtis collects the bulk of King Curtis' singles for Capitol, plus selected album tracks. Although he didn't have many hits while on Capitol -- only "Soul Serenade" hit the charts -- this collection demonstrates the depths of Curtis' talents, showcasing his stabs at jazz and blues in addition to his trademark R&B. Instant Soul remains a stronger introduction, but for fans that want to dig a little deeper,

The Best of King Curtis is an excellent purchase. ~Stephen Thomas Erlewine

The Best Of King Curtis

---

Harry James - Trumpet Blues: The Best Of Harry James

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 52:09

Size: 119.4 MB

Styles: Big band

Year: 1999

Art: Front

[2:38] 1. Trumpet Blues And Cantabile

[5:01] 2. James Session

[4:29] 3. Moten Swing

[3:09] 4. Cherry

[3:04] 5. I'm Beginning To See The Light

[3:07] 6. Willow Weep For Me

[2:57] 7. Two O'clock Jump

[3:10] 8. Strictly Instrumental

[3:06] 9. A Sleepy Lagoon

[3:50] 10. Barn 12

[2:53] 11. I've Heard That Song Before

[3:23] 12. Blues On A Count

[3:28] 13. You Made Me Love You

[3:07] 14. Music Makers

[3:04] 15. It's Been A Long, Long Time

[1:35] 16. Ciribiribin Pts 1 & 2

Released to coincide with the publication of Peter Levinson's biography of the same name, Capitol Jazz's Trumpet Blues: The Best of Harry James is an excellent collection of 16 highlights from James' stint at Capitol between 1955 and 1958. These don't quite rank among James' very best recordings, which are generally considered to be his '30s and '40s work, but they're enjoyable latter-day waxings, finding him in a relaxed, generous mood. Among the highlights are the re-recorded title tracks and duets with Buddy Rich, Willie Smith, Corky Corcoran, and Helen Forrest. Trumpet Blues shouldn't be considered a definitive statement, but it's a nice addendum of latter-day recordings to a collection of James' classic recordings. ~Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Trumpet Blues: The Best Of Harry James

---