Ben Wolfe - The Whisperer

Styles: Straight-ahead/Mainstream
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:55
Size: 137,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:04)  1. Heroist
(6:00)  2. Hat in Hand
(4:40)  3. Community
(5:57)  4. Love Is Near
(5:14)  5. S.T.F.U.
(5:55)  6. Camelot's Lean
(7:01)  7. Chronos
(3:49)  8. All the Things You Are
(6:12)  9. The Whisperer
(5:33) 10. Becoming Brothers
(2:28) 11. The Balcony
(2:57) 12. If Only

Ben Wolfe is the man responsible for double bass duties for some of the most popular names in jazz. As well as his six previous albums as leader, in a recording career that extends back to the '80s Wolfe can also be heard on a fist-full of recordings by Harry Connick Jr, Diana Krall and Wynton Marsalis among others. What keeps him gainfully employed by some of the jazz world's biggest hitters? The Whisperer, a superb combination of great tunes and great playing, soon answers that question. Wolfe's partners on The Whisperer pianist Orrin Evans, drummer Donald Edwards and saxophonist Stacy Dillard might not be as world-renowned as Krall, Marsalis and company, but they're prodigiously talented. Like Wolfe they all have impeccable taste, never over-playing, always supportive of each other. Evans' comping is a masterclass in timing and effectiveness, Edwards is equally capable of combining with Wolfe to create and maintain the pulse or to spring from Wolfe's steady bass rhythm to weave his percussion around the melody.

Wolfe's talents as a writer are also much in evidence with the exception of a mournful take on Jerome Kern's "All The Things You Are" the tunes are Wolfe's own. "Hat In Hand" and "Camelot's Lean," featuring Dillard on soprano, demonstrate the quartet's laid-back, controlled, playing. The sound becomes noticeably warmer when Dillard moves to tenor sax on the melancholy "Love Is Near," Dillard's silky tone giving the number a softness that contrasts with the cooler soprano. "Heroist," anchored by Evans' emphatic left hand and featuring Dillard's wildest soprano, "The Balcony" tenor and piano interweaving melodies built on the pulse of bass and drums and the moody "Chronos" showcase a more up-tempo side. "The Whisperer" is a mid-tempo swinger Wolfe and Edwards set up a sense of urgency, Evans' comping evokes added suspense and Dillard's tenor completes the noir-ish atmosphere. For drama, it's the album's star attraction. 

Trumpeter Josh Evans joins in for "S.T.F.U." Over Edwards and Wolfe's bouncing, cheerful, rhythm, Dillard's soprano and Evans' trumpet engage in a conversation, or perhaps it's an argument, before coming together for the closing section. As for the rather enigmatic title "Some Things Feel Unusual," or "Sunny Times For Us" perhaps? It doesn't really matter: probably best to keep quiet about it. The Whisperer, by contrast, deserves to have its appearance shouted from the rooftops: a fine recording. 

~ Bruce Lindsay http://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-whisperer-ben-wolfe-posi-tone-records-review-by-bruce-lindsay.php
 

Personnel: Ben Wolfe: bass; Orrin Evans: piano; Stacy Dillard: soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone; Donald Edwards: drums; Josh Evans: trumpet (5).

The Whisperer

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Shelly Manne & Russ Freeman - Shelly Manne & Russ Freeman

Styles: Jazz
Year: 1955
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 17:26
Size: 40,0 MB
Art: Front

(2:44)  1. The Sound Effects Manne
(3:09)  2. Everything Happens To Me
(3:03)  3. Billie's Bounce
(2:47)  4. With A Song In My Heart
(2:29)  5. A Slight Minority
(3:11)  6. Speak Easy

Shelly Manne made a countless number of records from the 1940s into the '80s but is best-known as a good-humored bandleader who never hogged the spotlight. Originally a saxophonist, Manne switched to drums when he was 18 and started working almost immediately. He was with Joe Marsala's band (making his recording debut in 1941), played briefly in the big bands of Will Bradley, Raymond Scott, and Les Brown and was on drums for Coleman Hawkins's classic "The Man I Love" session of late 1943. Manne worked on and off with Stan Kenton during 1946-1952, also touring with Jazz at the Philharmonic (1948-1949), and gigging with Woody Herman (1949). After leaving Kenton, Manne moved to Los Angeles where he became the most in-demand of all jazz drummers. He began recording as a leader (his first session was cut in Chicago in 1951) on a regular basis starting in 1953 when he first put together the quintet Shelly Manne & His Men. 

Among the sidemen who were in his band during their long string of Contemporary recordings (1955-1962) were Stu Williamson, Conte Candoli, Joe Gordan, Bob Enevoldsen, Joe Maini, Charlie Mariano, Herb Geller, Bill Holman, Jimmy Giuffre, Richie Kamuca, Victor Feldman, Russ Freeman, Ralph Pena, Leroy Vinnegar, and Monty Budwig. Manne, who had the good fortune to be the leader of a date by the André Previn Trio that resulted in a major seller (jazz versions of tunes from My Fair Lady), always had an open musical mind and he recorded some fairly free pieces on The Three and the Two (trios with Shorty Rogers and Jimmy Giuffre that did not have a piano or bass, along with duets with Russ Freeman), and enjoyed playing on an early session with Ornette Coleman. In addition to his jazz work, Manne appeared on many film soundtracks and even acted in The Man with the Golden Arm. He ran the popular club Shelly's Manne-Hole during 1960-1974, kept his music open to freer sounds (featuring trumpeter Gary Barone and tenor saxophonist John Gross during 1969-1972), played with the L.A. Four in the mid-'70s, and was very active up until his death. Throughout his career Shelly Manne recorded as a leader for Savoy, Interlude, Contemporary, Jazz Groove, Impulse, Verve, Capitol, Atlantic, Concord, Mainstream, Flying Dutchman, Discovery, Galaxy, Pausa, Trend, and Jazziz, in addition to a few Japanese labels. 

Bio ~ https://itunes.apple.com/nz/artist/shelly-manne/id269437#fullText

Personnel: Drums – Shelly Manne;  Piano – Russ Freeman

Shelly Manne & Russ Freeman

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Tecora Rogers - Jazzy Lady

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:26
Size: 171,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:35)  1. Love Me Or Leave Me
(4:25)  2. Embraceable You
(5:37)  3. Moondance
(5:35)  4. The Nearness Of You
(7:05)  5. Nightingale Sang In Berkerley Square
(4:23)  6. Almost Like Being in Love
(5:42)  7. You've Changed
(4:34)  8. You Take Me Away
(4:41)  9. At Last
(3:22) 10. The Boy From Ipanema
(5:36) 11. Lush Life
(3:06) 12. L.O.V.E.
(6:30) 13. Georgia on My Mind
(4:10) 14. The Shadow of Your Smile
(4:57) 15. What a Wonderful World

Tecora Rogers was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois and has been singing since joining the Angelic Choir at her church at the age of six. Now internationally renowned, Tecora Rogers' gift is her ability to reach into the soul of the listener and make them feel the warmth she feels as she communicates through song. This talented singer, writer, actress and producer also host her own television program since August 1996. The Tecora Rogers Show airs every Monday at 10:00pm on Channel 19 in Chicago. Tecora hosted her own radio program in 1998 on WYCA, Hammond, IN.

Tecora performed the American National Anthem at the Chicago Sky WNBA Game in September 2008. She performed in the legendary Jazz Unites Jazz Festival in Chicago in August 2007 and in 2008 Tecora opened for Dr. Donald Byrd, renowned trumpeter. Tecora was invited to teach gospel music at the Moscow College of Improvised Music in Moscow, Russia. She developed three choral groups who performed in a final concert on Sunday 27 July 2008 in Moscow. Tecora also performed concerts at the House of Composers and Jazz Town in Moscow. In addition, she was invited to perform at the 5th Annual Blues Festival in Vologda, Russia. Tecora’s touring credits include: concert performances throughout the United States, Switzerland, France, Italy, Spain, Slovenia, Belgium, Germany, China and Singapore. 

Tecora recently completed a 10-concert jazz tour throughout Russia in March 2009. Tecora has been selected to perform with 3BT (Three Brothers on Tenor) with renowned saxophonists Wilton Felder, Ronnie Laws and Gary Davis. Tecora will be the featured vocalist in a string of concerts beginning on May 8, 2009 at the Osthoff Resort “Jazz on the Vine Festival”.  In 2003 Tecora had the opportunity to establish her own gospel group “The Chicago Spirituals” who toured Italy for the first time in December 2004 and continues to tour annually. Tecora Rogers & the Chicago Spirituals are the official gospel group for Spirit of Chicago Cruises and they are entering their 4th season performing the gospel cruises for the cruise line. http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/tecorarogers7

Jazzy Lady

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Fred Hersch - Thelonious: Fred Hersch Plays Monk

Styles: Straight-ahead/Mainstream, Piano Jazz
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:01
Size: 121,7 MB
Art: Front

(3:42)  1. 'Round Midnight
(4:50)  2. In Walked Bud
(4:51)  3. Crepuscule with Nellie/Reflections
(3:14)  4. Think of One
(5:31)  5. Ask Me Now
(3:33)  6. Evidence
(7:02)  7. Five Views of Misterioso
(4:52)  8. Let's Cool One
(3:17)  9. Bemsha Swing
(6:07) 10. Light Blue/Pannonica
(4:19) 11. I Mean You
(1:38) 12. 'Round Midnight Reprise

I had the opportunity to see the Fred Hersch Trio perform at the Wildwood Jazz Festival (Little Rock) in 1996. At the time I was unfamiliar with him and thus had no expectations of his performance. I found him to be a precise performer and exceptional arranger. His trio was razor sharp, sculpting standards and originals with the direction of his innovative arrangements. One of the highlights he and his trio performed was Monk?s "In Walked Bud". A year later I was happy to read in downbeat that Hersch had a Monk project in the works which was released in January.  Thelonious: Fred Hersch Plays Monk is one of the most unique treatments of Monks music I have heard. A critical juxtaposition can be made to Marcus Roberts very traditional treatment of Monk. Where Roberts comes off a fundamentalist, Hersch comes off an impressionist.

To mature this metaphor: if Monk?s music is a collection of water lilies, then Hersch plays the part of Monet performing them, painting them. Hersch as impressionist is best illustrated on " Round Midnight" which opens with an upper register whisper of the ballad melody. The entire piece is played lightly, almost ethereally, with a minimum of arrangement. It is played as if almost in a daydream. I can imagine "Five Views of Misterioso" being the result of Debussy interpreting Monk's most famous blues while slumming on the Left Bank. Hersch plays the minimalist on "Misterioso, altering the essence of the song with each consideration. He plays with a light touch that is never aggressive and always sensitive. A brief digression: Hersch is no blues player. This fact is illustrated in the fact that "Misterioso" aside, Hersch plays none of Monk's hard blues ("Straight, No Chaser", "Blue Monk"). Also, the blues are conspicuously absent from his most recent recordings, Live at Maybeck, Passion Flower, and Plays Rodgers and Hammerstein. He is, however, a ballad and light standard player nonparallel. Fred Hersch is to ballad playing what Gene Harris is to blues playing. There are songs on Thelonious that Hersch does play pretty straight. "In Walked Bud" is precise and rollicking, as well as "I Mean You." "Let's Cool One" is a minimalists dream, evolving from a right hand, single note presentation of the theme through an insinuating left hand who finally meets the right in the sparest of bass lines. "Bemsha Swing" is a Monk walk in Central Park, moderately paced and tasteful. Tasteful. That is how to describe this entire record. I should like to hear a Hersch recording of Miles Davis most popular ballads. I hope he records one. ~ C.Michael Bailey  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/thelonious-fred-hersch-plays-monk-fred-hersch-nonesuch-records-review-by-c-michael-bailey.php

Personnel: Fred Hersch: Piano.

Thelonious: Fred Hersch Plays Monk

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Various Artists - Bossa Nova [Original Soundtrack]

Styles: Brazilian Jazz, Bossa Nova
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:58
Size: 110,5 MB
Art: Front

(1:57)  1. Useless Landscape (Inutil Paisagem)
(1:08)  2. One Note Samba
(4:48)  3. Mary Ann's Theme / Suddenly / It Had to Be You (Tinha de Ser Com Você)
(3:36)  4. Suddenly
(3:44)  5. How Insensitive
(5:21)  6. The Girl From Ipanema (Stereo Version)
(2:51)  7. Wave
(3:30)  8. Águas De Março (Waters Of March)
(4:12)  9. Corcovado (Quiet Nights Of Quiet Stars)
(4:16) 10. Chega De Saudade
(3:07) 11. Inútil Paisagem
(1:16) 12. Suddenly
(2:30) 13. Juan's Theme
(2:21) 14. Once I Loved
(3:13) 15. Soul Mates

Appropriately enough, the original soundtrack to Bossa Nova mixes classic bossa nova by Antonio Carlos Jobim with an original score by Eumir Deodato of the fusion group Deodato. "Wave," "The Girl From Ipanema," "Corcovado," "Aguas de Marco," and "Inutil Paisagem" are some of the Jobim standards included on this sophisticated and romantic soundtrack. ~ Heather Phares  http://www.allmusic.com/album/bossa-nova-original-soundtrack-mw0000061436

Bossa Nova [Original Soundtrack]

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John Tchicai - In Monk's Mood

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:46
Size: 153,2 MB
Art: Front

(6:25)  1. Monk's Mood
(4:53)  2. Coming On the Hudson
(4:34)  3. Light Blue
(6:15)  4. Ugly Beauty
(9:42)  5. Round About Midnight
(4:28)  6. Cool Copy
(8:45)  7. Easy Street
(9:15)  8. Ruby My Dear
(6:13)  9. Ask Him Now
(6:11) 10. Monk's Mood

John Tchicai has long been devoted to avant-garde jazz, having played with Albert Ayler, John Coltrane, and Pierre Dørge's New Jungle Orchestra, plus extensively recording as a leader. This session is a bit of a twist, as producer Nils Winther responded to Tchicai's interest in recording once more for Steeplechase by suggesting that he switch back from tenor to alto, while also devoting most of his program to the music of Thelonious Monk. While this might seem restrictive to most artists, Tchicai flourished in this setting, borrowing his wife's instrument and quickly finding common ground with veterans Steve LaSpina (bass) and Billy Drummond (drums) and the fast-rising younger pianist George Colligan. While songbook-type CDs often come off as tepid affairs, Tchicai's staccato approach to the alto and his way of often extending its range to where it sounds much like a soprano gives this predominately ballad collection a very fresh sound. 

Of particular interest is the leader's choice of relative obscurities like “Coming on the Hudson" and “Light Blue." The CD opens and closes with “Monk's Mood," the opener with the full band and the finale (which was actually recorded first) omitting Drummond, both of which feature Colligan on a Hammond organ that happened to be available in the recording studio. Tchicai also adds two originals to the mix, the free jazz vehicle “Cool Copy" and a loose reworking of Monk's “Ask Me Now," titled “Ask Him Now." While this session may not be as free-form as many Tchicai fans would prefer, it is very valuable music and proves to be an excellent introduction to those who might not already be familiar with this veteran's recorded output. ~ Ken Dryden  http://www.allmusic.com/album/in-monks-mood-mw0001787700

Personnel: John Tchicai (alto saxophone); George Colligan (piano, Hammond b-3 organ); Billy Drummond (drums).

In Monk's Mood

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Ulysses Owens Jr - Unanimous

Styles: Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:54
Size: 158,1 MB
Art: Front

(10:32)  1. Good and Terrible
( 9:30)  2. Con Alma
( 7:49)  3. E.S.P.
( 8:17)  4. Prototype
( 8:46)  5. Party Time
( 8:47)  6. Beardom X
( 2:45)  7. You Make Me Feel So Young
( 5:56)  8. Cherokee
( 6:28)  9. Cute and Sixy

Ulysses Owens Jr. is one of the handful of legitimate jazz triple threats working the scene today. As a performer, producer and educator you would be hard pressed to name another drummer whose talents could be on par with with Owens. Oh...and did I mention he is a Grammy winner as well? Ulysses Owens Jr. is indeed the real deal. Unanimous is the most recent offering from Owens and is easily one of the years finest releases for a plethora of reasons. Owens has an all-star line up including Grammy winner Nicholas Payton on trumpet, Jaleel Shaw on alto saxophone, Grammy Winner Christian McBride holding down the bass chair and Christian Sands on piano. "Good And Terrible" kicks off the release and even as a more mid tempo tune, Owens has a distinct pop of vitality to his playing with horn players Dease, Shaw and Payton turning in superb performances. The old school working band sound from the Blue Note days is accentuated by the shifting harmonics of the composition itself thus old school becomes new cool without ever becoming pretentious or self indulgent. "Party Time" is deceptively subtle blues infused gem. 

A groove you can use where once again Jaleel Shaw absolutely slays this number. The finesse and swing of Owens drives this musical train along with a nice walking bass line from McBride. While Payton and Shaw only play of a combined total of six of the nine tracks their contributions alone are worth the price of  the recording alone. Pianist Christian Sands is a perfect fit for the rhythm section with a deft touch and a keen sense of melody he pushes "Party Time" to a new level of swing. What's a straight ahead record without a standard? The eclectic choice of "You Make Me Feel So Young" plays right in the bands wheelhouse. There is a slight reharmonization of the melody but just enough to show an inventive musician not a musician trying to reinvent the musical wheel. Straight ahead jazz just kicked up enough to build a unique balance of texture to keep things interesting. I tend to shy away from the overly technical reviews. I keep it simple. It works or doesn't. You can be a theoretical genius and lay an artistic egg but not here. Ulysses Owens Jr. firmly establishes himself as a name to remember and Unanimous as a release well worth checking out!  5 Stars and one of the sleepers of the year!  http://www.criticaljazz.com/2012/06/ulysses-ownes-jr-unanimous-criss-cross.html

Personnel: Ulysses Owens Jr,: drums; Nicholas Payton: trumpet (1-5); Jaleel Shaw: alto saxophone (1,2,5,6); Michael Dease: trombone: (1,2,); Christian Sands: piano; Christian McBride: bass.

Unanimous

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Trudy Kerr - My Old Flame: Remembering Chet Baker

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:28
Size: 130,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:35)  1. My Old Flame
(5:13)  2. I Remember April
(3:38)  3. Do It the Hard Way
(3:59)  4. While My Lady (Baby) Sleeps
(2:45)  5. Get Happy
(4:56)  6. You Make Me Feel So Young
(4:58)  7. Makin Whoopee
(4:03)  8. Tea for Two
(5:08)  9. But Not for Me
(6:08) 10. Love for Sale
(5:09) 11. My Heart Stood Still
(3:25) 12. Bernie's Tune
(2:25) 13. Look for the Silver Lining

Trudy Kerr is renowned as one of the UK's finest jazz vocalists. Mojo Magazine says of her singing "Trudy Kerr is the genuine article - She is a Joy!" All About Jazz has described her as "100% real jazz musician with fluid phrasing and a mellifluous, warm and sensuous tone." Born in Australia, Trudy moved to the UK in the early 1990's to pursue a career in Jazz. She got her big break when Ronnie Scott asked her to perform at his Club and Trudy's career grew from there. She has performed at many major venues and festivals in the UK as well as engagements in Europe, her homeland Australia and the Far East. To date Trudy has released ten albums on the Jazzizit Record Label (The Rhythm of Life 2012, Reunion 2010, Like Minds 2009, Deja Vu 2007, Jazz for Juniors 2006, Cloudburst 2005, My Old Flame 2001, Day Dream 2000, Trudy 1998 and Sweet Surprise 1997) and has collaborated both live and in the studio with world class musicians including Mulgrew Miller, Jan Lundgren, Georgie Fame, Bob Dorough, Michael Garrick, Acker Bilk, Jamie Cullum, Geoff Gascoyne (her husband), Tom Cawley, Seb de Krom, Jim Mullen plus many more. 

To celebrate her extensive discography reaching double figures, Jazzizit Records have just put the finishing touches to a Trudy Kerr Compilation called Contemplation. It consists of fifteen tracks of some of Kerr's greatest recorded moments and will be available for a Christmas release. On a live performance you'll hear "her highly skilled nimble voice" (Steve Rubie, 606 Club, Chelsea, London) deliver a diverse repertoire that could include compositions by Chick Corea, Horace Silver, John Coltrane, Wayne Shorter, Fats Waller, Bill Evans, Antonio Carlos Jobim and of course the Great American Songbook standards.

She is fast becoming a prolific lyricist having penned many vocalese (putting words to instrumental solos). Her performance of vocalese has been described by Jazzwise Magazine as "stunning and virtuosic with machine-gun fire delivery of the melodic line." Trudy's recent album with Geoff Gascoyne, The Rhythm of Life, was also full of exciting new repertoire penned by the husband and wife team. Jamie Cullum describing the songs as "new standards of today". Trudy is currently working on an original song project with pianist Andrea Vicari and hopes to release the album in the summer of next year. She is also a very successful vocal coach holding teaching posts at Trinity Laban, Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Chichester University and London Centre of Contemporary Music where she coaches the up and coming vocal stars of tomorrow in various genres. As well as performing an eclectic mix of music on her gigs, she also performs an outstanding set celebrating the music of Chet Baker and Gerry Mulligan with her regular trio, Tom Cawley (piano), Geoff Gascoyne (bass) and Sebastian de Krom (drums), alongside two of the UK's finest musicians, Dick Pearce (trumpet) and Derek Nash (tenor saxophone). 

Additionally, she has developed a Children's Show called Jazz for Juniors and has toured schools, festivals and venues around the UK. Trudy also presented The Jazz Hour weekly on BBC Radio Southern Counties alongside veteran presenter Roger Day. ~ Bio  http://www.trudykerr.com/profile/biography

My Old Flame

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Cyrus Chestnut Quartet - Cyrus Chestnut Quartet

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:51
Size: 123,6 MB
Art: Front

(7:38)  1. No Problem
(7:06)  2. Annibelle Cousins
(5:54)  3. Dream
(4:31)  4. What's Happening
(5:00)  5. Waltz For Gene and Carol
(7:06)  6. Solace
(7:59)  7. Indigo Blue
(8:33)  8. Mustard

A certain naturalism and hard-earned grace run through the compositions and playing of Cyrus Chestnut, the Baltimore-bred modern-mainstream player best known for his work as a resourceful solo pianist and dynamic leader of trios. But those qualities shine through again on The Cyrus Chestnut Quartet , his first recording as a leader in that format. Joined by recent triomate Dezron Douglas on bass, tenor and soprano saxophonist Stacy Dillard and drummer Willie Jones III, Chestnut unveils a half-dozen new tunes that make worthy additions to his impressive body of originals. Gospel-blues shades color several pieces, notably “Annibelle Cousins,” its laidback groove driving a slinky melody sounded by Dillard’s tenor and tagged with a seeming nod to the spiritual “Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho.” The piece, one of the album’s highlights, proceeds with a long open section for Douglas’ melodic solo, punctuated with slides and galloping figures, before opening up for sprawling turns by Dillard and Chestnut. 

Blues textures also liven the medium-tempo groover “Indigo Blue,” featuring another subtle-to-splashy piano turn, and the slow-moving closer, “Mustard,” characterized by a Kind of Blue feel. Douglas’ contribution, “What’s Happening,” is a zippy bop gem with well-utilized space for Jones, while Barney Wilen’s opening “No Problem” features a catchy head attached to rhythms that switch from Latin-tinged to swing. Chestnut’s other tunes here the lovely ballad “Dream,” the soprano-led charmers “Waltz for Gene and Carol” and “Solace” are similarly invigorated with the help of a group of accomplished players whose sensibilities mesh nicely with the leader’s approach. 

~ Philip Booth  http://jazztimes.com/articles/54424-the-cyrus-chestnut-quartet-cyrus-chestnut

Personnel: Cyrus Chestnut (piano); Stacy Dillard (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone); Willie Jones III (drums); Dezron Douglas (bass).

Cyrus Chestnut Quartet

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Torben Westergaard - Tangofied II

Styles: Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:23
Size: 88,4 MB
Art: Front

(2:40)  1. Waltz Me
(4:14)  2. Don't Leave Any Thoughts Behind
(6:06)  3. Minor Me
(3:48)  4. Chacarera
(3:47)  5. Året Rundt
(3:13)  6. No Man Is an Island
(4:30)  7. Dinamargentina
(4:19)  8. Huayno
(2:05)  9. S.W.A.N.
(3:36) 10. Earth Matters (Katrine Ring remix)

On Tangofied II, bassist Torben Westergaard blends two seemingly contradictory influences of Nordic jazz and Argentinean tango.  But by deftly finding the commonalities in the folk music inherent to both forms, Westergaard unites the two as one, and what begins as an odd curiosity is transformed into something that comes off as a natural, an almost pragmatic form of expression.“Waltz Me” leads right out with the ensemble’s blending formula of the two, disparate influences.  The fluid grace of tango meshes nicely with a Nordic sensibility, as spurts of motion twist around the calm heart of the song, each leaving the other undisturbed while sounding perpetually in synch.  

“Don’t Leave Any Thoughts Behind” doesn’t shake the developing trend, shifting between sharp bursts of propulsion and long effortless glides with the same fluid grace as the opening track. It’s interesting to hear how the Nordic and Argentinean influences adapt to those times when their opposite takes on a stronger role for a particular song.  The moody, drifting piece “Minor Me” speaks from the streets of Copenhagen, but guitarist Ernesto Snajer’s guitar works in some sounds of the Rio de la Plata, providing a valuable, intermittent shift in perspective.  “Dinamargentina” dishes out the tango cadences, and while the song is dominated by an unqualified exuberance, Westergard slips in passages of a deeper serenity informed by the Nordic influence.

“Chacarera” and “Huayno” illustrate the diversity of Argentinean folk and tango musics.  Westergaard’s ensemble embraces the regional traits corresponding to both chacerera and huayno while sticking to the album’s winning formula.  The guest vocal on “Året Rundt” allows Westergaard to mute the predominant influences on this album and simply craft a pretty song for the ensemble members, comprised of both Danish and Argentinean musicians, to just let their musicianship flow. A curious album with a curious sound that reveals the facets to its beauty slowly, patiently, and fully over time. “Chacarera” and “Huayno” illustrate the diversity of Argentinean folk and tango musics.

Westergaard’s ensemble embraces the regional traits corresponding to both chacerera and huayno while sticking to the album’s winning formula.  The guest vocal on “Året Rundt” allows Westergaard to mute the predominant influences on this album and simply craft a pretty song for the ensemble members, comprised of both Danish and Argentinean musicians, to just let their musicianship flow. A curious album with a curious sound that reveals the facets to its beauty slowly, patiently, and fully over time. http://www.birdistheworm.com/torben-westergaard-tangofied-ii/

Your album personnel:  Torben Westergaard (bass), Ida Nørholm (cello), Anders Banke (bass clarinet), Alejandro Sancho (guitar), Ernesto Snajer (guitar), and guests:  Mariano “Tiki” Cantero (percussion, voice), Victor Carrion (quena, sikus), Jacob Andersen (percussion), Adi Zukanovic (sonics), and Andrea Pellegrini (vocal).

Tangofied II

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Barbara Higbie - Scenes From Life

Size: 125,2 MB
Time: 53:33
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz: Piano Jazz
Art: Front

01. Irreducible Mind (4:33)
02. Walking (3:17)
03. West On County D (3:15)
04. Emma And Esi (3:22)
05. Bella (4:22)
06. Vw Bug (3:32)
07. Variations On A Happy Ending (5:24)
08. Ewe Tune (3:33)
09. Michael's Song (3:49)
10. Duet (4:21)
11. Lena's Dream (2:52)
12. Resurrection (2:37)
13. Neptune (8:28)

Pianist Barbara Higbie is not only a historied keyboardist but her early work with Darol Anger on the hallowed now-defunct Windham Hill label is one of the reasons for that imprint's early success and continuation. Considering WH was one of the few indy startups that became something of a household word without having breathed life as a sub-label in one of the mainstream's perpetual attempts to capture and co-opt whatever new wrinkles happened to appear as genres arose and fell, that's saying quite a bit. She also has worked with artists as near and familiar as Bonnie Raitt and Cris Williamson and then as eccentric and brilliant as Terry Riley and the Kronos Quartet. Quite a spread. You don't gain those kinds of alliances by having the simplistic chops of, say, a Steven Halpern. Of course, it also helps that Higbie's a bit of an instrumental allsorts and in other ventures sings, plays violin (does so on half the cuts here as well), and slings a guitar...besides her Grammy-nominated composing skills.
The focus in Scenes from Life is clearly on Higbie and her work via a Yamaha CFIIIS Concert Grand, a Steingraeber Concert Grand, and one other unnamed keyboard, all of which emit full, rich, well defined sonorities. The 13 tracks to Scenes were created following a film score assignment for an abandoned movie based upon the Tucker Malarkey novel Resurrection. You won't get pyrotechnics in Higbie's work, she's not the sort of person to score an Arnold Schwarzenegger or Jean-Claude Van Damme movie, but instead here underscored by strings by the acclaimed ex-Kronos cellist Joan Jeanrenaud and Aryeh Frankfurter (violin, viola, cello) spunky or contemplative pastorales, classicalist-oriented ditties, comps with rag or Celtically influenced airs, and so on, everything very much agreeable to cinema and atmospherics.
My favorite track is VW Bug, which favors a bright, animated, repetitive structure larking about on a sunny summer's day. It's followed, however, by the equally interesting Variations on a Happy Ending in which an autumnal shading is discernable, that interim in September in which the air cools, leaves turn, and the last hoorah is had before snow approaches from just over the horizon. Then there are the puzzlers, as in Irreducible Mind, a zen concept well embodied in floating minimalist succinctness, an exercise in austere beauty and gentle enigma, but is it really a zen gig? Or is it just philosophical? A statement of isolated aesthetics? And what do we make of the arch overtones popping up amid the Satie-vian picturesqueness? I'm not saying, neither is Higbie, and that's one of the games we play with art. Sometimes the meaning is as plain as the nose on our collective face; other times, it seems we're watching ourselves from a distance and wondering who we are. More than a little of both occurs in this release. - Mark Tucker --FAME Review

A Grammy-nominated composer/pianist/violinist, Berkeley-based Barbara Higbie returns with a new album. And that's certainly cause for applause. Higbie has recorded with many top artists, including Carlos Santana. She hadn't released a full-length studio project since she gave birth to a daughter 12 years ago. The listener is drawn in immediately by "Irreducible Mind." There's a reflective, cinematic quality to "Variations on a Happy Ending." "Ewe Tune" has a Vince Guaraldi jaunty feel. "Michael's Song" offers emotional depth. Kronos Quartet's cellist Joan Jeanrenaud adds another special musical texture. "Lena's Dream" is another moving number. "VW Bug" chugs merrily along. The project was initially inspired by an assignment for Higbie to score a film based on Tucker Malarkey's historical novel, "Resurrection." The movie has yet to be made, but the composition of that title has a power all its own. And we have an immersive album that tells its own dramatic story. Higbie plays the SF Jazz Center with Will Ackerman, Liz Story, Lewis Patzner and Todd Boston on Friday. --Paul Freeman from Mercury News

Scenes From Life

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Deborah Latz - Sur L'Instant

Size: 81,6 MB
Time: 35:04
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Love Theme (From 'Spartacus') (4:05)
02. Throw It Away (5:32)
03. Weep No More (4:51)
04. All The Things You Are (4:53)
05. Four (2:22)
06. Blue Monk (3:07)
07. Mr. P.C (1:39)
08. Nature Boy (4:55)
09. Over The Rainbow (3:36)

New York-based jazz singer, songwriter, arranger, and actress Deborah Latz is brimming with musical discoveries and brings a fresh sound to every performance. Displaying a wide ranging talent, Deborah can move from a deep and soulful ballad, to scatting on a bebop tune, to trading fours with a hip hop artist, all the while delighting audiences with her personal warmth and consummate musical skill.

On her fourth album, sur l’instant, vocalist Deborah Latz enjoys the company of two superb musicians, the pianist Alain Jean-Marie and the bassist Gilles Naturel. Gone are the drummers, guitarists and horn players that fleshed out the striking performances on her previous recordings. Yet by reducing the instrumentation, the focus is drawn ever more closely to the fine points of Latz’s evolving art. Set in relief against her compatriot’s sensitive and open-eared accompaniment, Latz displays the expressive depth and masterful interpretive skills that mark her as one of the most gifted singers of her generation.

The instinctive nature of the project reflects Latz’s stated goal: to produce an album that demonstrates her deeply felt affinity for swing and the elemental three B’s of jazz: Blues, Bebop and Ballads. A straightforward notion perhaps, but Latz has brought a distinct sense of personal wisdom to the game. Drawing on classics composed by, or associated with, jazz masters, nodding only occasionally to familiar American Songbook standards, Latz exhibits a rare understanding of what makes jazz vocalizing so powerful. As the album’s title asserts, the ability to pinpoint and make use of what’s happening ‘in the moment’ remains the key to her vibrant and emotive performances.

Sur L'Instant

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Steve Torok - Eye To Eye

Size: 150,1 MB
Time: 64:47
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz: Funky Jazz, Saxophone Jazz
Art: Front

01. Sister Sadie (6:09)
02. Summertime (5:20)
03. Nature Boy (5:31)
04. Ommetaphobia (5:52)
05. Ben (5:50)
06. Blue Skies (4:05)
07. The Haunting (7:35)
08. Star Wars Suite: Main Theme Mambo (5:25)
09. Star Wars Suite: Imperial Funk (4:07)
10. Star Wars Suite: Cantina Swing (3:30)
11. Gita (5:50)
12. Nature Boy (Live) (With Elephant Percussion) (5:26)

Southern California saxophonist, arranger, composer Steve Torok has performed with Stevie Wonder, Usher, The Temptations, Four Tops, Sheila E, O'Jays, Brian Bromberg, Pete Escovedo, Dan Siegel, Taj Mahal, and many others. His saxophone playing or arrangements have been featured on numerous national recordings including the hit TV shows The Voice and American Idol. Notable jazz artists including funky trombonist Fred Wesley, saxophonists Ernie Watts, Tom Scott, and Kenny G, vocalist Carmen Bradford, and klezmer violinist Yale Strom have performed his arrangements.

Eye to Eye, co-produced by Dan Siegel, represents an eclectic array of Steve’s works: original tunes, arrangements of standards, jazz arrangements of Star Wars music (created for Lucasfilm, Ltd. and premiered at Star Wars Celebration III), and music with elephant percussion. See below for a note from Steve regarding both the Star Wars and Elephant music. The recording features some of the best Los Angeles studio musicians. See below for full credits.

Steve is a professor at MiraCosta College in Oceanside, CA where he chairs the department, teaches saxophone, improvisation, music theory, and history, and directs both MOJO (MiraCosta Oceanside Jazz Orchestra) and the Jazz Collective. MOJO was awarded a 2015 Downbeat Magazine Student Music Award for Outstanding Large Jazz Ensemble. Steve was also selected as a clinician and ensemble director for the 2015 Jazz Education Network Conference in San Diego. Past teaching positions include the University of Southern California, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham-Southern College, Idyllwild Arts Academy, and Mount San Jacinto College.

Steve holds a BFA in saxophone performance from Carnegie Mellon University, an MM in Jazz Studies from the University of Southern California, and has achieved ABD status in the music education doctoral program at Boston University.

Musicians:
Tenor Sax: Steve Torok
Acoustic and Rhodes Piano: Llew Matthews
Acoustic Piano and Synth: Dan Siegel
Electric and Acoustic Bass: Reggie Hamilton
Drum Set: Rayford Griffin
Electric Guitar: Carmen Grillo
Acoustic Guitar (The Haunting): Allen Hinds
Vocals: Yvette Cason
Percussion: Lenny Castro (Main Theme Mambo, Ben, The Haunting, Nature Boy)
Congas: Nelson Guzman (Blue Skies, Summertime, Ommetaphobia, Imperial Funk)
Rain Stick: Lori Craig Torok (The Haunting)

Horn Section (Summertime, Ommetaphobia, Blue Skies, Main Theme Mambo, Imperial Funk)
Alto and Tenor Sax: Steve Torok
Trumpet 1: Dan Fornero
Trumpet 2: Brandon Shaw
Trombone: Jacques Voyemant

Horn Section (Cantina Swing)
Alto and Tenor Sax:
Steve Torok
Trumpet: Harry Kim
Trombone: Jacques Voyemant

Eye To Eye

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Josephine Arthur - Break Free

Size: 100,7 MB
Time: 37:48
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Take Time (Feat. Ben Bastin, Matt Fisher, Kristian Borring & Nick Malcolm) (2:45)
02. Don't Fight It (Feat. Rebecca Nash, Ben Bastin, Matt Fisher & Amelia Tucker) (3:41)
03. If You Love Me (Feat. Rebecca Nash) (3:22)
04. It Grows (Feat. Rebecca Nash, Ben Bastin, Matt Fisher & Kristian Borring) (3:30)
05. Twists And Turns (Feat. Rebecca Nash, Matt Fisher & Ben Bastin) (3:14)
06. On The Sunny Side Of The Street (Feat. Rebecca Nash, Matt Fisher & Ben Bastin) (3:19)
07. Stuck (Feat. Rebecca Nash, Ben Bastin, Matt Fisher & Kristian Borring) (2:56)
08. I Know You (Feat. Barry Green, Kate Stephenson & John Steel) (3:21)
09. Bygones (Feat. Rebecca Nash, Ben Bastin & Matt Fisher) (4:08)
10. Under Paris Skies (Sous Le Ciel De Paris) [Feat. Ben Bastin, Kristian Borring, Matt Fisher & Rebecca Nash] (3:29)
11. Break Free (Feat. Rebecca Nash, Ben Bastin, Matt Fisher, Kristian Borring & Nick Malcolm) (3:58)

Josephine Arthur is a West London-based Jazz singer. She started in musical theatre twelve years ago and fell in love with all the old tunes from the 1950's. Her main influences are Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan and Nina Simone, and she is continually inspired by modern singers. Her voice is warm and sweet and has been described as "like bathing in chocolate". She sings a mixture of jazz and modern standards, with swing, latin and funk rhythms.

Jo performs regularly as part of a duo or with a trio, with the following musicians:

Rebecca Nash – Piano
Paul Jefferies - Bass
Matt Fisher – Drums

Break Free

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Aimee Allen - Matter Of Time

Size: 131,1 MB
Time: 56:12
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Matter Of Time (Feat. Romero Lubambo) (3:31)
02. Soul Cargo (4:25)
03. My Romance (4:24)
04. The Island (Feat. Romero Lubambo) (5:23)
05. Close Your Eyes (3:11)
06. New Day (4:41)
07. Sometimes You Just Know (4:17)
08. Out Of Nowhere (3:27)
09. Qu'est-Ce Qu'on Est Bien Ici (Feat. Romero Lubambo) (5:05)
10. In The Name Of Love (4:57)
11. Corcovado (Feat. Romero Lubambo) (4:35)
12. The Space Between (4:14)
13. Matter Of Time (Reprise) (3:56)

Matter of Time is a collection of highly original music about love and other transformations. Aimée’s talents as a composer and lyricist are matched by dynamic arrangements, and the album goes from new takes on the familiar, to fresh vistas in uncharted territory. With Aimée’s warm voice and soulful phrasing as the guide, this is not just any jazz vocal album.

After Aimée’s critically acclaimed Winters & Mays (Azuline Music) in 2011, this project formed, deformed, and reformed over a year and a half. It was neither effort nor circumstance that determined the contours of the album, but time. When the time was right, Aimée’s new compositions came together seamlessly with those of masters like Jobim, Ivan Lins, and Rogers and Hart, and those of her contemporaries, master bassist François Moutin, and guitarist David Allen (Aimée’s brother), to create a cohesive whole.

Aimée is accompanied by an incredible cast of musicians, including special guest Romero Lubambo, the Grammy nominated master of Brazilian rhythm. With Romero on four selected tracks, bassist Scott Ritchie on one of them, and a rhythm section comprised of François Moutin, Toru Dodo, and Jacob Melchior on nine other tracks, vocal jazz is taken on new journeys, soulful original compositions deliver depth of meaning, and standards that are given new life.

Matter Of Time

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Mingus Big Band - Que Viva Mingus!: Largely Latin

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:30
Size: 168.3 MB
Styles: Post bop, Experimental big band
Year: 1998
Art: Front

[17:26] 1. Cumbia & Jazz Fusion
[ 6:04] 2. Tijuana Gift Shop
[ 4:09] 3. Moods In Mambo
[10:09] 4. Los Mariachis
[ 6:34] 5. Far Wells, Mill Valley
[ 4:58] 6. Dizzy Moods
[ 3:51] 7. Slippers
[ 6:23] 8. Love Chant
[ 3:22] 9. Eat That Chicken
[10:28] 10. Ysabel's Table Dance

Que Viva Mingus! is an album dedicated to Mingus' considerable output of Latin-influenced jazz. The selections here include well-known Mingus compositions like "Los Mariachis," "Dizzy Moods," "Ysabel's Table Dance," and "Cumbia and Jazz Fusion," as well as some more obscure titles like "Slippers" and "Moods in Mambo," the album's oldest number, dating from 1949. Among the standout soloists are Randy Brecker on trumpet, John Stubblefield on tenor sax, Steve Slagle on soprano and alto saxes, Ronnie Cuber on baritone sax, and Dave Kikowski on piano. This is exciting, joyous, raucous, and still modern-sounding music, as fresh and challenging as the day it was written. And you can even dance to some of it. ~Joel Roberts

Que Viva Mingus!: Largely Latin

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Pete Mills - Fresh Spin

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:08
Size: 137.7 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[6:00] 1. Straight Up
[6:12] 2. Eddie
[5:21] 3. Fossil
[4:53] 4. Too Close To Call
[5:00] 5. Schlooze
[6:54] 6. Diggin' On Dexter
[6:04] 7. Crooked Cheese
[5:21] 8. Talkin' With The Tubs
[6:36] 9. Winter Rain
[5:18] 10. For A Beginning
[2:23] 11. A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing

Tenor saxophonist Pete Mills doesn't chart new musical frontiers on this 2007 release. On the contrary, he just gets it done the good old fashion way via lots of gusto, oomph and up-tempo grooves, performed with his estimable band-mates. Mills regenerates the jazz organ combo vibe here, complete with soul/funk, swing and meaty underpinnings provided by the rock solid and fluidly moving rhythmic unit.

With Hammond B-3 ace Tony Monaco and guitarist Pete McCann onboard, the musical climate here is loaded with zestful motifs amid the soloists alternating exchanges. On "Eddie, Monaco embarks upon a vengeful tear by slamming his organ into overdrive. And in other spots, the musicians comp, dart and weaver around each other's often-torrid dialogues that tend to project a multi-layered and harmonious group-centric vibe.

"Crooked Cheese is a quirky funk romp, where Mills' edgy sax lines nicely contrast Monaco's silvery chord progressions. Nonetheless, the musicians mix it all up rather vibrantly. No doubt, a good time was had by all. And check out Mills' warmly penetrating choruses on the quiet duet with McCann on Billy Strayhorn's "A Flower is a Lovesome Thing.

In sum, the ensemble merges the best of many conceivable worlds. Chops-heavy, yet compositionally sound and focused, the artists' jovial camaraderie transcends the norm. Brimming with the essence of good cheer, Mills and crew communicate a distinct sense of musical merriment during the entirety of this impacting and irrefutably entertaining jaunt. ~Glenn Astarita

Pete Mills: tenor sax; Tony Monaco: Hammond B-3 organ; Pete McCann: guitar; Jim Rupp: drums; Andy Woodson: bass.

Fresh Spin

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Wynton Marsalis - Goin' Down Home

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 65:31

Size: 150.0 MB

Styles: Trumpet jazz, Vocal jazz

Year: 2008

Art: Front

[1:25] 1. Takin' A Chance On Love

[6:18] 2. But Beautiful

[3:05] 3. Poor Butterfly

[6:17] 4. Poor Some More

[6:06] 5. Stormy Weather

[9:10] 6. Wynton 2

[2:34] 7. Blue Skies

[2:27] 8. Solitude

[7:18] 9. Wynton 3

[5:10] 10. Confessin'

[3:09] 11. Pennies From Heaven

[5:13] 12. Lover Man

[3:48] 13. East Of The Sun (And West Of The Moon)

[3:26] 14. Smiles

Released in 1999 by the German West Wind label, Goin' Down Home documents some of singer Pearl Brown's live performances with trumpeter Wynton Marsalis in the Canadian province of British Columbia. This CD, which also contains some studio recordings that don't feature Marsalis, is decent and enjoyable but not mind-blowing. Brown isn't a remarkable singer, but she's a pleasant, likable one whose main influences include Billie Holiday and Dinah Washington. She is not a belter or a screamer; like Holiday, Brown favors subtlety and restraint. Nonetheless, she gets her points across on familiar standards like "Lover Man" (a gem that Lady Day defined in 1944), "Stormy Monday," and "Blue Skies." Marsalis, who provides his share of noteworthy solos, is the only American musician on the CD. The other players are Vancouver residents such as Oliver Gannon (guitar), Lorne Kellet (piano), Torben Oxbol (bass), and John Nolan (drums). Whenever Marsalis solos, one is reminded of his progress. There was a time when Marsalis sounded like a poor man's Miles Davis, but by 1991 he had blossomed into a very recognizable and expressive player. Though one can cite influences ranging from Louis Armstrong to Clifford Brown, the Marsalis heard on this CD is very much his own man. Similarly, Pearl Brown is her own person despite her obvious admiration for Billie Holiday. Goin' Down Home isn't a masterpiece, but it's respectable. ~Alex Henderson

Goin' Down Home

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Carol Saboya - Belezas: The Music Of Ivan Lins and Milton Nascimento

Styles: Brazilian Jazz, Bossa Nova
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:11
Size: 124,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:08)  1. Bola De Meia, Bola De Gude (Sock Ball and Marbles)
(4:12)  2. Who Is in Love Here (a Noite)
(4:26)  3. Abre Alas (Open the Way)
(4:35)  4. Tristesse
(4:33)  5. Beleza E Canção (Beauty And Song)
(4:21)  6. Anima
(3:53)  7. Soberana Rosa (She Walks This Earth)
(4:26)  8. Doce Presença (Sweetest Presence)
(5:37)  9. Tarde (Evening)
(4:50) 10. Tres Pontas (Tres Pontas Town)
(4:23) 11. Velas Içadas (Hoisted Sails)
(4:42) 12. Estrela Guia (Oh, Shining Star)

Brazilian vocalist Carol Saboya's previous recording with her father, pianist Antonio Adolfo La e Ca: Here and There (AAM Music) was one of the highlights of 2010. She returns as headliner on Belezas: The Music of Ivan Lins and Milton Nascimento again, supported by Adolfo and his very fine quartet. Composers Lins and Nascimento represent a late '60s answer to bossa nova, which had dominated Brazilian (and a good bit of American jazz) in the late 1950s and early '60s. Called MPB (Musica Popular Brasileira), this music was less a musical genre and more a combination of original songwriting and updated folk themes. 

The twelve-song recital is sung in Portuguese and English with splendid musical direction by Adolfo and accompaniment by guitarist Claudio Spiewak, whose clean lines and elastic chording properly dress up- tempo pieces like "Tres Pontas" and ballads like "Doce Presenca," which features the excellent Hendrik Meurkens working his Latin harmonica magic. Providng soprano ("Tristesse") and tenor saxophone ("Tarde"), Dave Liebman proves a master of musical barometric pressure, manipulating a song's humidity to effect just the proper sensuousness to complement Saboya's well-balanced soprano.

In what seems an endless flood of Latin jazz, excellence always finds its way and is properly manifested in Saboya and Adolfo. The pair's specific choice of such a narrow wedge of Brazilian music tightens the focus of the disc, making it intelligent and aesthetic entertainment. There is much to be learned and enjoyed about Belezas: The Music of Ivan Lins and Milton Nascimento, and we are lucky to have it to enjoy. 

~ C.Michael Bailey  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/belezas-the-music-of-ivan-lins-and-milton-nascimento-carol-saboya-aam-music-review-by-c-michael-bailey.php
 

Personnel: Antonio Adolfo: piano; Claudio Spiewak: acoustic and electric guitars; Jorge Helder: double bass; Rafael Barata: drums and percussion; Dave Liebman: soprano and tenor saxophones (4, 9); Hendrik Meurkens: harmonica (8).

Belezas: The Music Of Ivan Lins and Milton Nascimento

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Shelly Manne - Daydreamer

Styles: Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 78:20
Size: 180,0 MB
Art: Front

( 7:00)  1. How Could It Happen to a Dream
( 6:37)  2. Cabu
(13:33)  3. Bag's Groove
( 7:44)  4. Poinciana
( 6:53)  5. What's New
( 8:28)  6. Straight, No Chaser
( 4:29)  7. Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye
(12:31)  8. If I Were A Bell
( 2:41)  9. A Gem From Tiffany
( 8:20) 10. Yesterdays

Shelly Manne made a countless number of records from the 1940s into the '80s but is best-known as a good-humored bandleader who never hogged the spotlight. Originally a saxophonist, Manne switched to drums when he was 18 and started working almost immediately. He was with Joe Marsala's band (making his recording debut in 1941), played briefly in the big bands of Will Bradley, Raymond Scott, and Les Brown and was on drums for Coleman Hawkins's classic "The Man I Love" session of late 1943. Manne worked on and off with Stan Kenton during 1946-1952, also touring with Jazz at the Philharmonic (1948-1949), and gigging with Woody Herman (1949). After leaving Kenton, Manne moved to Los Angeles where he became the most in-demand of all jazz drummers. He began recording as a leader (his first session was cut in Chicago in 1951) on a regular basis starting in 1953 when he first put together the quintet Shelly Manne & His Men. 

Among the sidemen who were in his band during their long string of Contemporary recordings (1955-1962) were Stu Williamson, Conte Candoli, Joe Gordan, Bob Enevoldsen, Joe Maini, Charlie Mariano, Herb Geller, Bill Holman, Jimmy Giuffre, Richie Kamuca, Victor Feldman, Russ Freeman, Ralph Pena, Leroy Vinnegar, and Monty Budwig. Manne, who had the good fortune to be the leader of a date by the André Previn Trio that resulted in a major seller (jazz versions of tunes from My Fair Lady), always had an open musical mind and he recorded some fairly free pieces on The Three and the Two (trios with Shorty Rogers and Jimmy Giuffre that did not have a piano or bass, along with duets with Russ Freeman), and enjoyed playing on an early session with Ornette Coleman. 

In addition to his jazz work, Manne appeared on many film soundtracks and even acted in The Man with the Golden Arm. He ran the popular club Shelly's Manne-Hole during 1960-1974, kept his music open to freer sounds (featuring trumpeter Gary Barone and tenor saxophonist John Gross during 1969-1972), played with the L.A. Four in the mid-'70s, and was very active up until his death. Throughout his career Shelly Manne recorded as a leader for Savoy, Interlude, Contemporary, Jazz Groove, Impulse, Verve, Capitol, Atlantic, Concord, Mainstream, Flying Dutchman, Discovery, Galaxy, Pausa, Trend, and Jazziz, in addition to a few Japanese labels. Bio ~ https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/shelly-manne/id269437#fullText

Daydreamer

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