Stan Getz, The Oscar Peterson Trio - Stan Getz And The Oscar Peterson Trio

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:08
Size: 142.3 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz, Piano jazz
Year: 1957/1986/2011
Art: Front

[ 7:34] 1. I Want To Be Happy
[ 5:15] 2. Pennies From Heaven
[10:09] 3. Ballad Medley Bewitched, Bothered, And Bewildered I Don't Know Why
[ 4:37] 4. I'm Glad There Is You
[ 4:54] 5. Tour's End
[ 4:07] 6. I Was Doing All Right
[ 5:30] 7. Bronx Blues
[ 6:34] 8. Three Little Words
[ 3:34] 9. Detour Ahead
[ 6:07] 10. Sunday
[ 3:44] 11. Blues For Herky

In that quintessential breakthrough year of modern jazz -- 1957 -- Norman Granz was fond of pairing the legendary drummerless trio of Oscar Peterson with several different stars from the Jazz at the Philharmonic concert series. In this case, Stan Getz is the nominee, and Granz could not have found a better match for the pianist alongside his peerless combo than the ripe, mature, and bebopping tenor saxophonist. It was a one-shot deal, the only official collaboration between Getz and Peterson, expanded on this edition of the Silver Collection series with tracks from the complete session, with no alternate takes or bonus tracks and recorded entirely in monaural. Unlike Art Tatum -- who could never really restrain his notions to always cut loose -- Peterson sounds relatively relaxed on this date, understanding that Getz was also not going to shred up every tune they played. With guitarist Herb Ellis and bassist Ray Brown, the quartet members not only have all the rhythmic cohesion they need without a formal timekeeper, but interact in a way that approaches telepathic or magical. In short, the quartet is in the zone like few groups ever achieve in a studio setting. They zip through a bop-based edition of "I Want to Be Happy," a hopped-up adaptation of "Sweet Georgia Brown" titled "Tour's End," and the flawless "Three Little Words" like they are child's play. The strong Kansas City cum Texas-style guitar of Ellis cannot be denied during "Bronx Blues," while Getz reins in the countrified air of the jam in a laid-back but downtown fashion. During the great song (penned by Ellis) "Detour Ahead," heard here in an instrumental, post-Billie Holiday version, the ensemble shows ultimate flexibility, heightened by the tenor saxophonist's touching yet firm grasp of the melody. Aside from the closer, "Blues for Herky," with a choppy guitar from Ellis and a New Orleans-type feel, the rest of the material consists of ballads or midtempo cool tunes. This is where Peterson is most surprising, toning down his act, interpreting the songs with the precision of a diamond cutter, and using his acute listening skills to the fullest. Those bedazzled by the utter virtuosity of the pianist should listen more closely to this recording to hear how his taste level is as elevated as the monster technique he possesses. While "I Was Doing All Right" approaches a lounge sound, the five-tune "Ballad Medley" displays Peterson at his best, especially on his feature, "How Long Has This Been Going On." On this great album for the times and all time, these wonderful musicians are on from the word go, providing 60 priceless minutes of music that any mainstream jazz lover can embrace. ~Michael G. Nastos

Stan Getz And The Oscar Peterson Trio

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Lisa Lauren - Lisa Lauren Loves The Beatles

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:45
Size: 143.7 MB
Styles: Jazz-pop vocals
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[3:18] 1. The Word
[4:20] 2. Love Me Do
[6:17] 3. Dear Prudence
[4:03] 4. Eight Days A Week
[3:34] 5. Can't Buy Me Love
[3:12] 6. What You're Doing
[3:59] 7. I'm Looking Through You
[4:11] 8. I've Just Seen A Face
[5:25] 9. And I Love Her
[4:30] 10. With A Little Help From My Friends
[4:21] 11. Eleanor Rigby
[4:17] 12. All My Loving
[3:14] 13. I'm Happy Just To Dance With You
[3:33] 14. Here Comes The Sun
[4:25] 15. The Word

Singer/songwriter and pianist Lisa Lauren's 4th CD is a compilation of Beatles tunes, endearingly titled, Lisa Lauren Loves the Beatles. A mix of pop, jazz, folk, and world music, the CD's understated, acoustic arrangements bring new life to these classic favorites. Special appearances by Grammy award winning sax player David Sanborn, singer/songwriter Willy Porter, and high-profile Chicagoans like Howard Levy, Fareed Haque, Steve Rodby and Neal Alger give the compilation an added cachet.

Lisa Lauren Loves The Beatles   

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James Carter - Present Tense

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:58
Size: 144.2 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[7:29] 1. Rapid Shave
[7:15] 2. Bro. Dolphy
[5:04] 3. Pour Que Ma Vie Demeure
[6:03] 4. Sussa Nita
[5:11] 5. Song Of Delilah
[6:02] 6. Dodo's Bounce
[8:27] 7. Shadowy Sands
[4:23] 8. Hymn Of The Orient
[4:44] 9. Bossa J.C
[8:14] 10. Tenderly

James Carter’s first outing for EmArcy is an unselfconscious mix of influences, more three-dimensional than his various tribute discs and the recent organ-trio blowouts Live at Baker’s and Out of Nowhere. The saxophonist fronts a versatile, hard-swinging band with Dwight Adams on trumpet, D.D. Jackson on piano, James Genus on bass and Victor Lewis on drums. Percussionist Eli Fountain and guitarist Rodney Jones add flavor on three tracks each. Carter, as always, plays multiple horns, but his improvising gains force at the high- and low-register extremes, on flute, baritone sax and bass clarinet.

Jackson asserts his Don Pullen influence from the gate on Dave Burns’ “Rapid Shave,” which opens the album in crisp 24-bar modified blues mode. Carter’s “Bro. Dolphy,” with its spiraling bass clarinet line, seems to maintain the same pace but just as soon morphs into an elegant ballad, until the out chorus. “Shadowy Sands,” another bass clarinet standout, has Carter channeling Harry Carney (the tune’s original interpreter) while the band shifts from sultry bolero to deep swing. There are nods to Clifford Brown as well: a funky “Song of Delilah” and an extremely fast “Hymn of the Orient,” which has its excitement but tends to blur the curious harmony of the bridge. Jones plays taut bebop on “Dodo’s Bounce” (Carter’s flute feature) and enticing acoustic guitar on two Latin-tinged numbers. One of these, the rowdy “Bossa J.C.,” would seem the perfect sendoff, but Carter ends instead with an eight-minute “Tenderly.” Nicely played, but anticlimactic. ~David Adler

Present Tense

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Charlie Shavers - The Everest Years

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:10
Size: 126.3 MB
Styles: Swing, Trumpet jazz
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[2:27] 1. Girl Of My Dreams
[2:28] 2. September In The Rain
[2:36] 3. What Can I Say After I Say I'm Sorry
[2:31] 4. Bye Bye Blackbird
[2:44] 5. Pennies From Heaven
[2:35] 6. The Best Things In Life Are Free
[2:55] 7. Taking A Chance On Love
[2:21] 8. In A Little Spanish Town
[2:42] 9. My Old Kentucky Home
[2:46] 10. Blues For Choo Loos
[2:18] 11. All Of Me
[3:16] 12. Russian Lullaby
[3:17] 13. It's All Right With Me
[2:29] 14. Loch Lomond
[3:12] 15. Undecided
[2:37] 16. That Was Yesterday
[3:09] 17. I Will Follow You
[3:51] 18. Chin Up, Ladies
[2:36] 19. Independence Hora
[2:10] 20. As Simple As That

The last prime period of trumpeter Charlie Shavers' career was during the period of time when he led four albums for Everest (1959-1961). Five selections from each of the records are on this sampler. On three occasions, Shavers is heard with the Ray Bryant Trio, playing in a format that Jonah Jones was having great commercial success with at the time. Shavers is a bit less uninhibited than Jones was during that period, and downright spectacular on some of the pieces. The final session, music from the forgotten play Milk and Honey, has the trumpet joined by organist Wild Bill Davis and guitarist Les Spann in a quintet. He seemed to have limitless technique, a warm sound, and a strong wit. The performances all clock in around three minutes or less, but Shavers says a lot in a brief period of time, making this an excellent overview of his work on Everest. ~Scott Yanow

The Everest Years

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Kenny Davern - The Hot Three

Styles: Clarinet Jazz
Year: 1988
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:16
Size: 99,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:00)  1. Fidgety Feet
(5:29)  2. Chimes Blues
(3:43)  3. Shim-Me Sha-Wabble
(4:43)  4. Liberty Inn Drag
(3:31)  5. Some of These Days
(3:38)  6. Ballin' The Jack
(4:11)  7. See See Rider
(5:34)  8. It Don't Mean A Thing
(4:13)  9. Tennessee Waltz
(3:08) 10. My Blue Heaven

Described in The New York Times as "the finest clarinetist playing today" in the 1990s, that high praise wasn't far off the mark, as it applied to Kenny Davern in the autumn of his life, at the peak of his powers. Call him a jazz purist, even a snob, but Davern believed in playing standards, and that he did. Tunes by George Gershwin, Eubie Blake, Fats Waller, Irving Berlin; what are sometimes referred to as Great American Songbook tunes. He was often praised for the clarity and pureness of his tone, and often played outdoor festival gigs without amplification. Davern was born in Huntington, on New York's Long Island, on January 7, 1935. He lived with his grandparents in Queens, New York after his own parents split up, and was shuffled through a maze of foster homes in Brooklyn and Queens in his youth. He began playing clarinet when he was 11, via the radio. He heard Pee Wee Russell playing "Memphis Blues" with Mugsy Spanier's Ragtimers, and right then, he had a revelation. He knew he wanted to spend the rest of his life playing traditional and blues-based jazz.  One big break was a phone call from trumpeter Harry "Red" Allen, who he accompanied locally on gigs around Queens while still in high school. He began playing clarinet and switched to saxophone for a time in high school, but switched back to clarinet before auditioning for pianist Ralph Flanagan's big band in the early '50s. Davern recalled he got the clarinet-playing part in Flanagan's band by bluffing his way in, saying he had another gig and the sooner he could audition, the better. He played with the bandleader in 1953 and 1954.

While still a teen, Davern made his recording debut with Jack Teagarden, and four years later, he recorded his first album under his own name, In the Gloryland, for the Elektra Records label. Davern's discography is extensive and includes many albums for the Concord, Chiaroscuro, and Arbors labels. Like any other focused musician, Davern devoted a lot of time to what he called his apprenticeship period, when he worked as a sideman to other bandleaders and recorded little under his own name. He collaborated on-stage and in the recording studio with trombonist Teagarden, trumpeters Harry "Red" Allen and Buck Clayton, and drummer Jo Jones. After he hit 40, he began having thoughts about leading his own group, and by that point, he'd been playing professionally for more than two decades. Davern always considered himself fortunate to have played with many of the pre-bebop jazz stylists in clubs in Manhattan in the '40s.

Davern moved to the New Jersey Shore town of Manasquan from New York City in 1965, and he blamed the rise of rock & roll for diminished incomes suffered by many of his friends who played traditional jazz. He began to forge his own path and career with his own recordings, leading his own ensembles in the late '70s. For much of the '80s and part of the '90s, he spent upwards of 230 nights a year on the road, and it wasn't until the mid-'90s that he curtailed his travel schedule significantly, playing only a number of select festivals each year. His notable recordings include anything he recorded for the Florida-based Arbors Records label in the '80s and '90s and into the new millennium. "I like to play music that makes me feel good," Davern said in an interview. "I like to listen to it when I play it, and most of that music was played by people who happened to be born around the turn of the century. The lyrics may be corny, but the tunes are not. And the tunes will survive." Davern passed away at his home in Sandia Park, New Mexico, on December 14, 2006, after having a heart attack. He was 71. 

~ Bio  https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/kenny-davern/id67679938#fullText

Personnel: Kenny Davern (clarinet); Art Hodes (piano); Don DeMichael (drums).

The Hot Three

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Gery Scott - Old, Devil Moon

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:15
Size: 175,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:01)  1. Memories Of You
(2:22)  2. Gypsy in My Soul
(2:48)  3. Witchcraft
(3:31)  4. Lady Is A Tramp
(3:25)  5. Sunday Morning
(2:21)  6. Jeepers, Creepers
(3:28)  7. Old, Devil Moon
(3:39)  8. Summer Love
(2:28)  9. Certain Smile
(4:01) 10. Don't Be That Way
(1:57) 11. Everybody Loves My Baby
(2:21) 12. Way Down Yonder New Orleans
(2:45) 13. Please Don't Talk About Me
(2:20) 14. Ma/ He's Making Eyes At Me
(2:12) 15. I've Found A New Baby
(2:19) 16. Shine
(2:43) 17. Alright, Okay, You Win
(2:44) 18. Mack The Knife
(2:22) 19. Yes Sir That's My Baby
(2:14) 20. I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter
(3:43) 21. Siboney
(2:08) 22. After You've Gone
(2:36) 23. Lonesome Road
(2:30) 24. Song Is You
(2:13) 25. This Can't Be Love
(3:38) 26. Birth of the Blues
(3:14) 27. Thou Swell

Gery Scott (5 October 1923 – 14 December 2005) was a jazz and cabaret entertainer and teacher, whose performing career spanned 26 countries and over 60 years. She was noted for her powerful stage persona and engaging delivery, with material ranging from the songbooks of Cole Porter, George Gershwin, Irving Berlin, Harold Arlen, Lorenz Hart, Cy Coleman and all the "standards" as well as Noël Coward and some pop material. Whilst she was well known to British audiences during the later part of the Second World War, she achieved most of her fame outside the UK. 

More Bio ~ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gery_Scott

Old, Devil Moon

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Eddie Thompson Trio - Memories Of You

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:31
Size: 143,4 MB
Art: Front

(6:09)  1. C Jam Blues
(6:50)  2. Rosetta
(5:05)  3. Memories of You
(6:39)  4. Misty
(6:21)  5. Paris Mambo
(5:13)  6. Round Midnight
(4:40)  7. Love Will Find a Way
(6:05)  8. Satin Doll
(4:21)  9. Memories of You (Alternate)
(6:30) 10. Round Midnight (Alternate)
(4:34) 11. Love Will Find a Way (Alternate)

Born Edgar Charles Thompson, 31 May 1925, London, England, d. 6 November 1986, London, England. Born blind, Thompson learned to play piano as a child. In the late 40s he was active in London clubs, playing with Carlo Krahmer, Vic Feldman and others. In the 50s he played on radio, in studio bands, made records under his own name and with Tony Crombie, Tommy Whittle, Freddy Randall and others and by the end of the decade was house pianist at Ronnie Scott’s club. In the early 60s he went to the USA to live, playing regularly at the Hickory House in New York. Back in the UK in the early 70s, he led a trio that toured extensively and frequently backed visiting American jazzmen, including Buddy Tate, Ruby Braff and Spike Robinson.

A dazzlingly inventive player in his early days, Thompson sometimes delivered bravura performances at the expense of feeling but in his maturity he made many memorable appearances at concerts around the UK. He had an enormous repertoire and when in musical sympathy with a guest he could be the best of accompanists. His solo playing was long overlooked by record companies but Alastair Robertson of Hep Records compensated for this with some excellent sessions in the early 80s. Thompson’s death at the age of 61 came when he was at the height of his powers. 

~ Bio  http://www.allmusic.com/artist/eddie-thompson-trio-mn0000795920/biography

Memories Of You

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John Cocuzzi - For All We Know

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:56
Size: 158,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:41)  1. On The Sunny Side Of The Street
(4:51)  2. Don't Worry 'Bout Me
(3:52)  3. I Go For That
(4:44)  4. Beautiful Love
(5:18)  5. The Glory Of Love
(6:39)  6. St. James' Infirmary
(5:48)  7. For All We Know
(3:22)  8. You're Getting To Be a Habit With Me
(3:58)  9. I Love You, Honey
(5:39) 10. Cry Me A River
(4:31) 11. Come Rain Or Come Shine
(4:51) 12. Last Night on the Back Porch
(7:34) 13. I've Got It Bad (and That Ain't Good)
(3:01) 14. Everybody Loves My Baby

Listening to this CD is like having John play piano right in your own living room. There's a sampling of jazz, blues, and swing, all done in John's unique style.

"This is the music that resulted from the nights at 219's Basin Street Lounge in Alexandria, VA. Thanks to all of the 'regulars in Old Town for the many great nights of music." ~ Mr. BIG at BIG CEE Music

John Cocuzzi was born at Andrews Air Force Base, just outside Washington DC. He grew up accompanying his jazz musician father (drummer) on jobs and sitting-in at jam sessions with the older players. As a young man exposed to great jazz, he was fortunate to get acquainted with these players and their music. There was live music everywhere John went; thus began his musical life path. John established himself in the DC area as a dynamic stylist on vibes, piano, drums, and vocals. He has been working with the best players in classic jazz for over 20 years and continues to attract new fans wherever his music takes him.

"For All We Know," John's first solo piano outing, is an exquisite gem of a recording. He wears his heart on his sleeve or in this case, on his fingers. You can feel the music breathe. The recording quality itself lets you feel that you are inside the piano. His vocal and piano styles are so personal that I found myself mesmerized by the performance.

Every song on this wonderful CD is a work of art. You could pick any one as your favorite, and I wouldn't argue with you. But put them all together, and the cumulative effect is like spending three days in the Louvre, followed by a week in Florence. ~ Ed Polcer, Brooklyn, New York  http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/cocuzzijohn

For All We Know

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Billy Butler - Night Life

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:06
Size: 155.9 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2001
Art: Front

[9:26] 1. Blow For The Crossing
[4:02] 2. Golden Earrings
[4:16] 3. The Thumb
[5:45] 4. Honky Tonk
[3:01] 5. B+B Calypso
[5:42] 6. Seven Come Eleven
[3:27] 7. Medley: Autumn Nocturne/You Go To My Head
[5:12] 8. Yesterday, Today And Tomorrow
[4:55] 9. Girl Talk
[5:42] 10. Dancing On The Ceiling
[3:50] 11. Hold It
[4:08] 12. Evening Dreams
[3:46] 13. The Butler Did It
[4:47] 14. Sweet Georgia Brown

Billy Butler is well known to guitarists only, as the co-author of the early R&B funked-up standard "Honky Tonk," with organist Bill Doggett. The two albums featured in this single disc two-fer reissue -- Guitar Soul and Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow, both released in 1970 -- offer a wider view of the man and his music. The opening track on Guitar Soul is a cut worthy of the Meters in its New Orleans-styled second-line funk called "Blow for the Crossing." Nine and a half minutes in length, it's dark, spooky, greasy, and funky as hell. With Seldon Powell on tenor, Sonny Phillips on organ, Specs Powell on drums, and Bob Bushnell on bass, it's a jam du jour. Everybody solos, but Butler and Phillips are the pair that bend the tune all over the place like Gumby on Pokey. With an elongated melodic line played by Powell on the saxophone and punched-up by the drums, there's nothing to keep the body still in its massive groove-o-phonics. But the almighty groove wasn't Butler's only strength. With a saxophonist like Houston Person, he could play the most elegant swing -- as in their read of the Rodgers & Hart classic "Dancing on the Ceiling" on the second half of the album, or as a solo guitarist he could play from the Montoya fake book as he does on "Golden Earrings," with a classical guitar. There's even a reworked version of "Honky Tonk" here that adds the explosiveness of Butler's playing to the grove of the original. Further, there's the gorgeous jazz-only medley of "Autumn Nocturne" and "You Go to My Head," where Butler and Seldon Powell reach for the most subtle nuances possible to get the melodic idea across by understatement. Solos wind into one another, each one keeping the melodic fragment inherent in the harmonic changes of the breaks so it's there, in both tunes, ever present like a ghost that can't decide which direction to turn and just hovers there. The wildest tune on the Person sessions on the second half of the album is Neil Hefti and Booby Troup's "Girl Talk." Before this I could never have imagined hearing this tune as an instrumental, but it works like grease on a bicycle chain with Butler punching up the melody and bending his strings all over it to make the language impenetrable to all but his rhythm section, and Person who flies over the top making the simple pop song into a work of groove jazz artistry. This disc is a welcome introduction to one of the great, all-but-lost talents in jazz history. Billy Butler was a guitarist's guitarist and an innovator in both production and arrangements. This disc is solid from top to bottom and reveals the restless spirit of a quiet yet demanding artist. ~Thom Jurek

Night Life

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Robert Stewart - Nat The Cat: The Music Of Nat King Cole

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:40
Size: 118.3 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[5:54] 1. Nat The Cat
[4:31] 2. Make Her Mine
[8:31] 3. Harlem After Midnight
[4:06] 4. Blue Gardenia
[5:22] 5. Somewhere Along The Way
[3:54] 6. A Blossom Fell
[2:27] 7. That Sunday, That Summer
[3:59] 8. The Sand And The Sea
[2:47] 9. I Don't Want To See Tomorrow
[6:03] 10. The Ruby And The Pearl
[4:00] 11. Mona Lisa

Robert Stewart, ts; Ed Kelly, p; Mark Williams, bs; Sly Randolph, dr; K. Stewart, piano; R. Stewart, fl.

This entire album is dedicated in loving memory of the great Nat King Cole. May his spirit and his music live through eternity. ~Robert Stewart

One of the most impressive hard bop tenor saxophonists to emerge during the 90s, Oakland, CA native Robert Stewart did not take even take up the instrument until the age of 17; however, he so completely immersed himself in the music of Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster, Sonny Rollins and John Coltrane - as well as the work of his personal mentor, Pharoah Sanders - that he quickly developed his own muscular tone. ~Scott Yanow

Nat The Cat: The Music Of Nat King Cole

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The Buckinghams - Time & Charges

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 29:16
Size: 67.0 MB
Styles: AM pop
Year: 1967/2012
Art: Front

[2:28] 1. Don't You Care
[2:25] 2. Pitied Be The Dragon Hunter
[2:44] 3. And Our Love
[2:25] 4. Why Don't You Love Me
[3:29] 5. You Are Gone
[2:37] 6. I'll Be Back
[2:46] 7. Mercy, Mercy, Mercy
[2:22] 8. Remember
[3:40] 9. The Married Life
[4:15] 10. Foreign Policy

Producer James William Guercio took on such a major role in the Buckinghams' second album that he amounted to a more influential force, perhaps, than anyone in the band. He arranged, conducted, and wrote or co-wrote six of the ten selections. Most noticeably, there were orchestral arrangements, complete with tympanis and blaring horns, that wouldn't have been out of place in film scores, large jazz bands, or even (at their most dissonant) early Frank Zappa records. Obviously he and/or the band were trying to be more experimental than they could on their hit singles, and the inclusion of the hit pop singles "Don't You Care" and "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" made the LP all the more a strange affair. Not nearly as rock-oriented as their debut album, it was a quirky failure, as the Buckinghams were ultimately much more suited towards making AM singles than delving into somewhat strange orchestrated horn rock (although Guercio's songs were usually fairly hummable love songs when the arrangements were stripped away). In fact, the strongest cut other than the hit singles, "Remember," could have been a hit without the oddball horn charts. ~Richie Unterberger

Time & Charges

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Andrea Wright - September In The Rain

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:10
Size: 80.5 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[3:16] 1. September In The Rain
[3:11] 2. Day By Day
[3:30] 3. Falling In Love With Love
[3:26] 4. Where Is Love
[3:33] 5. Lullaby Of The Leaves
[3:14] 6. Watch What Happens
[3:27] 7. I've Grown Accustomed To His Face
[4:05] 8. Day Dream
[3:01] 9. I'm Beginning To See The Light
[4:22] 10. For All We Know

Harry Whitaker, piano; Saul Rubin, guitar; Noriko Ueda, bass; Quincy Davis, drums; Warren Vaché, trumpet; Andrea Wright, vocals.

Andrea migrated to New York City to pursue a performance career and her artistry flourished when she met jazz / bebop vocalist Marion Cowings. Mentoring her in his New York Smalls Jazz Vocal Workshop, she found her own identity through improvisation and now has a considerable jazz standard repertoire.

In 2009 she released her first studio Jazz Album September in the Rain. At home in New York Andrea has played Jazz spots like Carlyle Hotel’s Bemelman’s Bar and the Friar’s Club, most recently for Mayor Dinkin’s book signing. She has toured internationally in Japan, Cyprus and Canada. In addition to a US state Department tour, Andrea continues to work closely with Mercedes Ellington and The Duke Ellington Center for the Arts to promote American Jazz education and history.

September In The Rain

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Eddie Harris - The In Sound

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 35:52

Size: 82.1 MB

Styles: Hard bop, Saxophone jazz

Year: 1965/2005

Art: Front

[5:29] 1. The Shadow Of Your Smile

[5:08] 2. Born To Be Blue

[6:02] 3. Love For Sale

[4:45] 4. Cryin' Blues

[4:41] 5. 's Wonderful

[9:44] 6. Freedom Jazz Dance

This is one of Eddie Harris' great records and fortunately all of the music from the LP has returned as part of a reissue in the Rhino/Atlantic CD series (combined with Harris' Mean Greens date). The underrated but popular tenor-saxophonist introduces his standard "Freedom Jazz Dance," plays one of the earlier versions of "The Shadow of Your Smile," romps on "Love for Sale" and "'S Wonderful," and also performs "Born to Be Blue" and his own "Cryin' Blues." Harris is heard in prime form in a quartet/quintet with pianist Cedar Walton, bassist Ron Carter, drummer Billy Higgins, and sometimes trumpeter Ray Codrington. A gem. ~Scott Yanow

The In Sound                

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Connie Evingson - Fever: A Tribute to Peggy Lee

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:36
Size: 116,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:52)  1. I Love Being Here With You
(6:22)  2. Some Cats Know
(4:52)  3. I Wanna Be Loved
(2:44)  4. He's a Tramp
(6:30)  5. Black Coffee
(2:39)  6. It's a Good Day
(3:10)  7. Why Don't You Do Right
(4:26)  8. Fever
(3:47)  9. I Don't Know Enough About You
(2:41) 10. I'm Gonna Go Fishin'
(5:04) 11. Where Can I Go Without You
(4:24) 12. Is That All There Is?

It's a daunting task to record a tribute album to a legend like Peggy Lee, if for no other reason than every song will be compared to the original, but Minneapolis-based Connie Evingson does it, and does it well. While she uses similar arrangements, she doesn't try to sound like Lee. Her voice is deep and sultry like Lee's, but it's also somewhat lighter. To her credit, Evingson's tribute is not only to songs that Lee sang, but to those she wrote, reminding us that the multi-talented Lee was also a composer of some note. Most of the tunes on the album are familiar Lee fare. On "Black Coffee," Dave Karr's tenor sax assumes the role that Conte Candoli's muted trumpet played on the 1953 release. "It's a Good Day," written with former husband, guitarist Dave Barbour, was a big pop hit for Lee in 1947. 

Evingson's version features some outstanding guitar work by Reuben Ristrom. While Evingson brings her own style to these tunes, on "Fever," she pretty much follows Lee's finger-poppin' tom-tom arrangement. Another Lee classic, the sardonic "Is That All There Is?," is one of the album's highlights; Karr's flute is prominent on this cut. The Duke Ellington-Lee composition "I'm Gonna Go Fishin'" is the album's barnburner, with Karr's sax swinging at a frenetic pace behind Evingson. Despite the fast pace, though, they never lose their place, and Evingson's diction remains crisp. Things slow down considerably on "Where Can I Go Without You?" On this tune more than any, Evingson shows that she has a style all her own. Featuring a set of fine Minneapolis musicians, this album is not only a tribute to the inestimable brilliance of Peggy Lee, but also to the singing talent of Connie Evingson. ~ Dave Nathan  http://www.allmusic.com/album/fever-a-tribute-to-peggy-lee-mw0000011855

Fever:A Tribute to Peggy Lee

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Jeff Rupert + Dirty Martini - Save Your Love For Me

Styles: Latin And Brazilian Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:58
Size: 122,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:04)  1. Desafinado
(4:46)  2. Eu Quero Um Samba
(3:11)  3. Falsa Bahaina
(3:28)  4. Save Your Love For Me
(4:15)  5. Lotus blossom
(4:51)  6. Leva E Traz
(6:08)  7. Nancy With the Laughing Face
(4:05)  8. So danço samba
(4:50)  9. Love For Sale
(5:03) 10. Cherokee
(4:19) 11. The Jester
(3:39) 12. Change Partners and Dance With Me
(1:15) 13. Desafinado (Reprise)

Jeff Rupert and Dirty Martini began playing Bossa Novas a few years ago. Jeff Rupert had been in NYC for a year, and upon returning to Orlando in 2002 rejoined Keith Wilson and Chuck Archard, who introduced Jeff to Chris Rottmayer. It was that first gig as a quartet that the group realized that we were all in a similar space.... yearning to play music full of passion, with a lyrical quality. Bossa Nova loosely translated means new flair. 

While most of the repertoire on this recording is not new, perhaps the idea of playing purely for the sake of passion is something we rekindled in ourselves. In addition, it is our pleasure to add vocalist Michelle Amato, who contributes to the passion on two cuts of this recording. As we chose repertoire for our gigs and this recording, it became obvious that the tunes had a similar quality- they made us smile. If music is merely a metaphor for the life experience, then perhaps we have embraced its unforeseen passion and hope it reaches you through our debut album. Cheers. http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/rupertmartini

Save Your Love For Me

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Nina Ferro - Waiting For The Sunset

Styles: Jazz Soul
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:28
Size: 139,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:50)  1. Sweet Dreams
(3:25)  2. Tossin' & Turnin'
(4:50)  3. Creepin'
(5:25)  4. Waiting For the Sunset
(5:03)  5. Overcrowded Dreams
(4:52)  6. All I Have to Do Is Dream
(5:08)  7. I Wanna See You
(5:20)  8. I Should Care
(3:29)  9. I'm Only Sleeping
(3:48) 10. Talking In My Sleep
(4:40) 11. All Night Long
(9:33) 12. Dreamweaver

"A fabulous performer with a knockout voice." ~ Tony Bennett

Nina Ferro is a multi award winning vocalist and songwriter, whose warm sensuous voice, impeccable timing and stunning vocal range have done much to establish her enviable international reputation. Her wealth of experience has seen her perform at festivals, clubs and concerts throughout the USA (San Diego, Las Vegas, Arizona and Californian Jazz Festivals, The Landing Jazz Club Texas), Europe (Copenhagen, Malta, Brecon, Haugesund, Malmo, Gent, Breda, Dusselldorf Jazz Festivals), Asia and Australia (Sth Pacific and Kobe Jazz Festivals and the Melbourne, Sydney and Perth International Festivals, Melbourne Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony) and The Middle East (Bahrain Music Festival). Originally hailing from Australia and now residing in London, Nina is fast establishing her mark as one of the hottest Soul-Jazz vocalists on the UK scene. Nina has appeared alongside such greats as Tony Bennett, Hugh Jackman, Jose Feliciano, Michael Buble, Billy Ocean, Ricky Martin, Curtis Stigers, Gilbert O'Sullivan and Kyle Eastwood. Jazz legends including Chick Corea, Dave Sanborn, Jimmy Scott, Monty Alexander and Les Paul. As well as The Commitments, The Blues Brothers Band, The Cat Empire and The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.

Nina has been performing regularly at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club, Cafe De Paris, The Barbican, 606 Club, Shepherd's Bush Empire, Pizza on the Park, Octave Jazz Bar, The Spice of Life and many more. Nina's music can be regularly heard on BBC Radio 2 and her own albums, songs, and performances have received rave reviews world wide.

"Ms Ferro's mellifluous voice reflected her warm personality & as Bob Hope said of Dinah Shore: "Naturally the voice is good. Just look where it's been." Jack Massarik, Evening Standard, London.

"Ferro's voice is a pleasure to hear.... natural, sexy and effortless." Cadence Magazine, New York.

"What an amazing voice, a standout performance." Hugh Jackman.

This soul-full songstress has a quality of tone, honest emotion and technique that make her performances nothing short of inspirational. Her energetic style and musical grace ensure an entertaining and powerful evening of slick Jazz Standards, sultry soul as well as her own original compositions.

"Nina Ferro may be an unfamiliar name to some in the US but that won't last long. Nina's voice is smooth, consistent and rich. Her energy and feeling for the music is fresh and infectious. The US will want to hear more of this stellar vocalist." - Paul Pearce, Bass World Magazine, USA.

AWARDS: 4th Place for "Tossing & Turning" (Rock/Metal/Indie Category) Australian Song Writing Association Competition 2006. Yalumba Jazz medal for most up and coming Jazz Artist. Congratulations to the "CAT EMPIRE" on winning an Aria Award for their album "Cities" (Nina is a featured vocalist on several tracks). http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/ninaferro4

Waiting For The Sunset

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Richard Tee - Strokin'/Natural Ingredients

Styles: Jazz Funk, Soul
Year: 1979/1980
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:41
Size: 167,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:57)  1. First Love
(5:27)  2. Every Day
(5:23)  3. Strokin'
(5:04)  4. I Wanted It Too
(5:32)  5. Virginia Sunday
(4:46)  6. Jesus Children of America
(4:43)  7. Take the 'A' Train
(6:11)  8. What A Woman Really Means
(6:12)  9. Wow
(4:32) 10. The Nuts Off The Screw
(4:34) 11. Tell It Like It Is
(4:43) 12. Us
(4:51) 13. Back Door Man
(4:40) 14. Spinning Song

Native New Yorker Richard Tee is one of the unsung heroes of jazz, funk and soul. He was a ubiquitous session pianist during the 1960s, '70s and '80s and he's mainly remembered - he died in 1993 from prostate cancer - for his work accompanying jazz legends, among them Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Hank Crawford and George Benson, but he also made significant contributions to albums by rock and pop artists; namely George Harrison, Billy Joel, David Bowie and the Bee Gees. A versatile musician, then, Tee was also a member of the Big Apple-based session supergroup, Stuff, in the late '70s and during the same timeframe cut a couple of albums for Bob James' CBS-distributed Tappan Zee imprint. Often overlooked and underappreciated, those two long out-of-print albums have just been reissued as a tasty twofer by the Cherry Red imprint, Robinsongs. Tee's hallmark was rolling, gospel-infused acoustic piano licks and on '79's 'Strokin'' he doesn't disappoint. 

The set was helmed by Bob James who had worked with Tee on many C.T.I./Kudu sessions for producer Creed Taylor and features a stellar line-up of sideman: including fellow Stuff members Eric Gale and Steve Gadd plus bassist Chuck Rainey, percussionist Ralph MacDonald, and horn men, Tom Scott and the Brecker brothers. The opener, the Chuck Rainey-penned, 'First Love,' is a driving instrumental with a disco-funk backbeat that highlights Tee's churchy piano chords. He supplies a textured, resonant vocal on the ballad 'Every Day,' a song he co-penned with Bill Withers. The rest of the album is devoted to slick, adroitly-executed but soulful instrumentals, such as the blithely grooving title cut which spotlights Tee's piano and 'I Wanted It Too,' a slice of mirrorball funk which features Tee on organ and Hugh McCracken on harmonica. 'Virginia Sunday' is a dreamy ballad whose mellow mood is quickly dispelled by a superb jazz-funk deconstruction of Stevie Wonder's 'Jesus Children Of America.'

The set closes with a highly imaginative retooling of Duke Ellington's Billy Strayhorn-penned 'Take The A Train,' which not only shows off Tee's virtuosity on the piano but also his sublime arranging skills as it morphs from a quasi-piano concerto into a seismic chunk of disco-funk. Also produced by Bob James, 1980's 'Natural Ingredients' featured mainly the same line up of musicians but laid more emphasis on Tee as a vocalist. It opens with the pianist's funked-up vocal take on the Ralph McDonald/William Salter tune, 'What A Woman Really Means' (a song also recorded at an earlier juncture in the '70s by Donny Hathaway). 'Now' is a fine instrumental distinguished by a bluesy Eric Gale guitar solo while the humorous 'The Nut's Off The Screw' - another Tee/Bill Withers co-write - is a fluid slice of four-on-the-floor funk featuring Tee's husky vocal and some evocative harmonica playing.  Aaron Neville's 'Tell It Like It Is' also gets a run out but is rejigged as a chugging, late night groover. Willie Dixon's blues classic, 'Back Door Man,' also gets a makeover, transmogrified into an undulating funk groove propelled by slapped bass. 

The album's closer, believe it or not, is Tee's take on 'Spinning Song' by classical composer, Felix Mendelssohn, which is transfigured into piano-led romp through blues, jazz, gospel and funk styles. The piece cogently not only demonstrates the pianist's genius at melding different musical elements into a cohesive whole but also succinctly encapsulates his unique and immediately recognisable piano style. It's been 21 years since Richard Tee's death but excellent reissues like this will certainly help in keeping his memory alive. ~ Charles Waring  http://www.soulandjazzandfunk.com/reviews/2717-richard-tee-strokin-and-natural-ingredients-robinsongscherry-red.html

Strokin'

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April Hall - Something Like That

Size: 100,5 MB
Time: 41:28
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2000
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Something Like That (4:49)
02. Prides Crossing (3:22)
03. Round About The Middle (2:52)
04. Jeri (4:17)
05. Shadow Of A Woman (2:22)
06. I Climb The Trees (3:50)
07. Likeness To Castles (3:49)
08. The Ohio (4:29)
09. Kisses Aren't Promises (4:52)
10. Holding On (3:19)
11. Mr. I'll Save You (3:22)

April Hall has delivered a fantastic, honest, heart-felt recording! "Something LikeThat" is absolutely packed with clear powerful vocals and memorable melodies. April passionately tells her stories. Coupled with dazzleing vocal arrangements, this recording has a jazzy angellic-gospel feel.

April Hall and her band have the rare ability to deliver slightly different music styles, yet keep the records overall consistent heart-felt feel. Given the experience of all musicians involved "Something Like That" is more of a musical story book. April Hall accompanied by Malcom Granger -Acoustic Guitar, Mark Poniatowski-Acoustic Bass, Mike Piehl-Drums and Melissa "Chip" Lewis Background vocals help set this recordings sexy/seductive, passionate tone.

"Something Like That" is a great CD. You may reach for "Something Like That" if you are in the mood for Miles Davis "Kind of Blue". The songs contain that much passion!

Something Like That

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Vince Seneri - Straight Ahead

Size: 103,5 MB
Time: 42:02
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2002
Styles: Jazz: Hammond Organ
Art: Front

01. Softly As In A Morning Sunrise (4:13)
02. Besame Mucho (5:03)
03. Gentle Rain (5:53)
04. Stolen Moments (6:57)
05. Stormy Monday (9:40)
06. There Will Never Be Another You (4:19)
07. Sugar (5:54)

Personnel:
Vince Seneri/Hammond B3
Tony Viscardo/Guitar
Buddy Williams/Drums

Vince Seneri is one of the most dynamic ‘burners’ of the Hammond B3 organ on the music scene today. Endorsed by Hammond Suzuki Organ Company USA, he is a new generation B3 player with a class and style all his own. This charismatic performer has been entertaining for over 20 years, and consistently delivers a first-class performance at all his shows. His dedication and integrity for the music and aim to please his audience is paramount. As a musician, composer, and arranger, this multi-talented artist is known for his energy and expertise with the B3. He is a true master of the instrument, and has captured the hearts of fans worldwide. Vince Seneri has performed and recorded several CDs with some of the best musicians in the business today, including: Randy Brecker, Dave Valentin, Houston Person, David “Fathead” Newman, Paul Bollenback, and Buddy Williams, His latest “Street Talk”, has special tributes to music legends Ray Charles (Unchain My Heart) and Jimmy Smith.

Straight Ahead

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George Anderson Band - From Cape Town To London (Live)

Size: 142,7 MB
Time: 61:38
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz: Jazz Funk, Vocals
Art: Front

01. Intro (Live) (1:22)
02. Herbie (Live) (5:10)
03. Cool Operator (Live) (5:03)
04. High And Mighty Love (Live) (4:21)
05. Into U (Live) (4:17)
06. Lay Ur Hands On Me (Live) (4:54)
07. Weakness (Live) (5:01)
08. Babel (Bass Solo) (Live) (2:38)
09. Latin Love (Amour Latino) (Live) (5:35)
10. Back In The Day (Live) (4:54)
11. Day By Day (Live) (6:04)
12. Brazilian Love Affair (Encore) (Live) (7:44)
13. Never Too Much (Encore) (Live) (4:28)

George Anderson’s bass has underpinned the sound of the hugely successful British jazz-funk outfit Shakatak since 1981. His very satisfying solo albums “Positivity” (2009) and “Expressions” (2012) have secured his reputation as a solo artist – and an invitation to fulfil a dream of playing in front of South African fans in December 2014.

Those fans were treated to the cream of the songs from those first two studio albums, kicking off with the insanely groovy, horn-laden Herbie. For me, a song this good underlines the relevance that British jazz-funk continues to have – I’ve always believed in it. Fans of soul vocals will love the sultry Cool Operator and High and Mighty Love. Vocalists Janine ‘Blaq Pearl’ and Mikhaela Faye Kruger really do a fine job on these songs. The ‘London’ connection on the hypnotic Weakness comes courtesy of another fine vocal from Debby Bracknell.

I’d love to have been in the audience for the crowd-pleasing Into U and Back in the Day. George grooves like crazy on these songs and the Stevie Wonder homage in Back in the Day sees him really throwing down. Of course, when a bassman fronts his own band live, we hope for a juicy solo and, oh yes, low-end fans can go nuts for Babel, just before the band flies into the utterly sublime Latin Love. It has delicious echoes of what George Duke was doing in the late 1970’s – I really can’t compliment it more highly than that. Props to drummer Bjorn Petersen’s superb off-the beat playing here. Nathan Carolus on guitar totally blazes and trumpeter Ian Smith takes a short but splendid solo, as does saxman Don Vino.

We’re warmed up now, so following a take on Shak’s own Day by Day, we launch into George Duke’s Brazilian Love Affair. What you don’t know about this song, I can’t tell you. This foot-stomping, hand-clapping masterpiece is a heartfelt tribute and, God knows, you have to really feel the music to reproduce Byron Miller’s killer bassline on this tune so well. Yes – of course GA solos on the bridge – I have lump in my throat writing this because he totally smashes it and fabulous memories come flooding back. Keyboardist Raphael Bushman, another artist whose contribution was recorded in London, has equally big shoes to fill and his soloing is outstanding. The trumpet and sax both have superb moments. Wish I’d been there...

While we’re talking of big shoes, Isaac Monty’s vocals on Never too Much are very strong and this gem, obviously, has George holding down the line just like Marcus Miller did. More than a cover version – an outstanding performance.

The deluxe digital edition of this album includes three additional songs: Funking for Cape Town (Funking for Jamaica), Wanna Make you Mine and Beauty Inner Smile. The deep funk and sharp horn work on Funking really are a fitting tribute to one of the most influential jazz-influenced dance records ever.

Be in no doubt though, George’s own compositions draw out the best in his band members and you’ll find lovely moments in the final two songs from the expanded edition – they are both real growers, just in different ways.
If you’re familiar with George Anderson’s solo output, you’ll enjoy how it sounds live. If you’re not, you have some surprises in store. In either case, you can’t fail to be drawn in by such a great collection of original songs and covers, performed with great heart and technical skill. ~Chris Mann

The From Cape Town To London

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