Lupa Santiago & Anders Vestergard Quintet - Lisboa Sessions

Size: 117,7 MB
Time: 50:49
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. Sliding (8:03)
02. Lais (7:45)
03. Another Perspective (5:30)
04. Pizindim (5:26)
05. X-Directions (4:04)
06. Antes Tarde (5:37)
07. Paraspasm (7:17)
08. Ornethology (7:02)

Lupa Santiago from Brazil is one of the most well renowed jazz guitarists in South America. He has recorded and played on numerous recordings and performed in South America, Europe and United States.

Anders Vestergård born in Finland but living in Sweden is highly involved in the modern jazz sene in Sweden and has led, recorded and performed with several groups in Europe, Brazil, United States and Russia.

When meeting in Denmark 2013 Anders and Lupa set up the plans to make a record together and contaced highly acclaimed musicians from Irland and Portugal which eventually led to a week of playing and recording their music in Lisbon 2014.

Lupa Santiago & Anders Vestergård Quintet comes out of earlier collaborations both of them have done with the other musicians on different occasions playing in Brazil, Sweden, Ireland, Portugal, Denmark and South Africa. When meeting in 2013 they set up the plans to make a record together and contaced the other musicians which eventually led to a week of playing and recording our music in Lisbon 2014. It’s all original music composed by both of them. They wanted to create music characterised by strong melodies, rhythmic creativity and dynamic interplay with improvisations that can go in any direction.

Lisboa Sessions

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Jay McShann - Havin' Fun

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 71:46

Size: 164.3 MB

Styles: Piano blues

Year: 1998

Art: Front

[ 6:13] 1. Jumpin' The Blues

[ 7:32] 2. Nevertheless

[ 6:34] 3. Vine Street Boogie

[ 6:54] 4. Summertime

[ 5:56] 5. Margie

[10:37] 6. Sometimes I Wonder

[ 7:13] 7. Lullaby Of Birdland

[ 7:26] 8. Just Squeeze Me

[ 7:16] 9. All Of Me

[ 6:01] 10. Wellington Street Bounce

The team of pianist-vocalist Jay McShann and bassist Major Holley was very natural. Their 1986 engagement at Toronto's Café des Copains was the first time they had worked together in years, but the spontaneity adds to the fun of the music. Holley contributes swinging and witty basslines along with occasional bowed solos (singing along with his bass), while McShann plays and sings more standards and less blues than usual. The great deal of joy in this collaboration can be heard in such songs as "Jumpin' the Blues," "Margie," "Lullaby of Birdland," and McShann's lengthy "Sometimes I Wonder." ~Scott Yanow

Havin'Fun  

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Arturo Sandoval - Americana

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:32
Size: 118.0 MB
Styles: Trumpet jazz
Year: 1999
Art: Front

[4:18] 1. Just The Way You Are
[5:19] 2. Come Back To Me
[4:18] 3. Englishman In New York
[4:48] 4. Let's Stay Together
[5:42] 5. All Night Long (All Night)
[3:28] 6. Baby, Come To Me
[4:38] 7. Killing Me Softly With His Song
[5:41] 8. If You Leave Me Now
[3:35] 9. She's Out Of My Life
[4:20] 10. We've Only Just Begun
[5:20] 11. Isn't She Lovely

Cuban trumpeter Arturo Sandoval offers a love letter to American pop songwriting on Americana (N Coded Music NC-4206-2; 52:09), featuring his takes on an interesting lineup of selections, from the truly classic (Al Green's Motown immortal "Let's Stay Together") to pop muzak (Peter Cetera's "If You Leave Me Now"). All are subject to Sandoval's lively, percussion-centered interpretations, which jell well for a gospel romp on Stevie Wonder's "Isn't She Lovely" and a seductive, slow-burning Latin waltz on the Roberta Flack chestnut "Killing Me Softly." Sandoval uses his mute trumpet and fluegelhorn for gentle romance on the Carpenters' "We've Only Just Begun" (which also takes off into a smooth jazz ride), and "Just the Way You Are," highlighted by a sweet Latin guitar sway, if slightly marred by tinny keyboards. Most surprising is the punch lent to "All Night Long," which Sandoval injects with a wow-worthy horn chorale, uncovering and accentuating calypso and Latin elements of Lionel Richie's bubblegum tune. Sandoval's enthusiastic approach, highlighting both technical skill and lyrical melodic interpretation, allows listeners to revere and rethink this interesting cross section of Americana. ~Hilarie Grey

Americana     

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Miki Purnell - Swingin' To The Sea

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:22
Size: 150,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:22)  1. On Green Dolphin Street
(5:13)  2. Bluesette
(6:30)  3. Estate
(5:55)  4. A Night In Tunisia
(4:32)  5. Like Me
(3:31)  6. Swingin' On A Star
(4:16)  7. Sexy, Sexy
(5:16)  8. Moon And Sand
(6:28)  9. Maiden Voyage
(3:40) 10. The Nearness Of You
(5:11) 11. Free
(6:22) 12. The Island
(3:59) 13. Sunny San Diego Sunday

When I discovered that Miki Purnell, the jazz songstress making her album debut with Swingin’ to the Sea, was not merely a singer but a medical doctor as well, before I had even listened to it, I thought I had the perfect sentence to open my review if I didn’t like it. “Don’t quit your day job.” Then I heard the lady sing. And while I think she could have chosen some of her material more wisely, one thing is certain. This is a lady who can sing. If Purnell is half as good with her patients, quitting her day job would be nothing short of criminal. I guess she should simply work them both. Born in Japan, Dr. Purnell studied classical piano as a child, but it wasn’t until she was in college that she first heard any jazz. As she puts it on her website, “I heard ‘Blue In Green’ by Bill Evans and Miles Davis and it hit me so strong that I could not resist the temptation to sing jazz. I was also deeply impressed by Chet Baker and Ella Fitzgerald. I was inspired not only by their improv but by the stories of their lives.”

Medical school came first, and after graduation, Purnell began her practice first in Hawaii and then in San Diego. But as is often the case, once you get the itch, eventually you have to scratch. She began to study voice, and eventually it was suggested that if the singer was serious about music, she needed to record an album. Purnell was serious. Swingin’ to the Sea makes it clear just how so.

As far as the choice of material is concerned, a singer can go with the tried and true or work with original or lesser-known material. Each has advantages and disadvantages. Singing classics gives you songs that your audience knows and loves while putting you in competition with all the vocalists who worked on the song before you, a competition you may well lose. On the other hand, while unfamiliar material may not engender comparisons; it may well be unfamiliar for a reason. Purnell solves the problem the way many singers do; she does a mix of both. Of the 13 tunes on the album, more than half are well-known pieces, and to these she adds two of her own and two by Dave MacKay, who helps out on piano.

She does a playful version of “Swinging on a Star,” a sappy song made famous by Bing Crosby in the movie Going My Way which paled in comparison with some of the other tracks. Her version of “Estate,” on the other hand,  is a smoldering take on the classic. Herbie Hancock’s “Maiden Voyage” allows Purnell to show her chops, holding notes and doing a bit of scat singing. It also features some fine solo work from Lori Bell on flute and Kevin Koch on drums. Dizzy Gillespie’s “A Night In Tunisia” begins exotically with Reiko Obata joining her on the koto, but very quickly Purnell starts to swing. It is a dynamic treatment of the classic. Her version of “Bluesette” is equally appealing, especially in her climactic give-and-take with Bell.

“Sexy, Sexy” and “Sunny San Diego Sunday” are the two Purnell originals, and while her vocals are fine, my own preference (with one exception) would have been for better-known material. I would have been much happier to see what she could do with more songs in the vein of ones on here such as “On Green Dolphin Street” and “The Nearness of You.” Joey Carano has a sweet guitar solo on the former. MacKay’s “Free” and “Like Me,” along with “Moon and Sand” and “The Island” round out Miki Purnell’s excellent debut album. ~ Jack Goodstein  http://blogcritics.org/music-review-miki-purnell-swingin-to-the-sea/

Swingin' To The Sea

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Roy Haynes & Quincy Jones - Jazz Abroad

Styles: Jazz, Hard Bop
Year: 1954
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:36
Size: 102,5 MB
Art: Front

(6:15)  1. Pogo Stick
(5:32)  2. Liza
(5:39)  3. Jones' Bones
(5:51)  4. Sometimes I'm Happy
(4:49)  5. Little Leona
(5:02)  6. Miss Mopsy
(5:56)  7. Gone Again
(5:29)  8. Hagnes

"Jazz Abroad" was originally a Mercury LP with two totally distinct faces, except that they were both recorded in Stockholm. On one side signed by Quincy Jones, his first session on 10 vovembre leader in 1953, including Lars Gullin and Art Farmer and Alan Dawson on drums. And a B-side dedicated to Roy Haynes, canning 3 October 1954. Four compositions for sextet formed on site (three weeks before a meeting in Paris with a different sextet for the Vogue label). 

Roy Haynes and bassist Joe Benjamin were now on tour with Sarah Vaughan and the concert of the singer in Stockholm was coupled with that of the Illinois Jacquet training which included Shahib Shihab and Adrian Acea. The tenor and trombonist them were the heyday of the local scene ...Translate by google ~ Alex Dutilh  http://www.francemusique.fr/jazz/jazz-au-tresor-roy-haynes-jazz-abroad-18081

Personnel: Bjarne Nerem - Sax Tenor;  Sahib Shihab - Sax Alto, Baritone;  Arne Domnérus - Clarinet, Sax (Alto);  Lars Gullin - Sax (Baritone);  Art Farmer – Trumpet;  Ake Persson - Trombone, Choir, Chorus, Soloist;  Jimmy Cleveland - Trombone, Choir, Chorus;  Adriano John Acea – Piano;  Joe Benjamin, Simon Brehm – Bass;  Roy Haynes, Alan Dawson – Drums;  Quincy Jones - Arranger, Composer, Director

Jazz Abroad

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Viper Mad Trio - Buddy Bolden's Blues

Styles: New Orleans Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:32
Size: 102,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:36)  1. Buddy Bolden's Blues
(3:21)  2. 8 9 & 10
(3:08)  3. Just Squeeze Me
(3:17)  4. Shorty's Got to Go
(4:20)  5. Lotus blossom
(3:47)  6. Bucket's Got a Hole In It
(2:47)  7. I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles
(4:13)  8. I'm Beboppin' Too
(4:37)  9. I'm Confessin' That I Love You
(4:15) 10. Sweet Marijuana Brown
(2:53) 11. Hot Nuts
(3:13) 12. Viper Mad

You know by the very title here that Buddy Bolden's Blues is proudly old-timey, and yer dead right in thet thar conjecture, Jethro, but it also has a very distinctive twist to it. For one, the group is a trio of just guitar, trumpet, bass, and vocals, but the gig's captained by the pixyish Molly Reeves, who's far from a Tinkerbelle…unless Tink's been roller skating around the speakeasy and ogling the boys 'n menfolk, winking and waggling her bustle. There's precious little about Molly that indicates any shade of shrinking violet, no siree. She's half coquette, half temptress, and more than a little vamp lessee now, that makes three halfs, right?; yeah, that's about right and Ryan Robertson is constantly beelining around her with a belled trumpet, sassy, perky, and hopsteppin'.

BB's Blues is just plain ol' ribald fun through and through, a collection of a dozen classic tunes and an obscure gem or two (Leonard Feather's Sweet Marijuana Brown, f'rinstance…and, okay, now we know where daughter Lorraine got her too cool off-kilter wont), all given the loving grinning once-over, bassist Kellen Garcia taking up the down-lo with Reeves occupying an interesting zone covering both fetching guitar picking and drum work. Drumwork Yep! "But, Mark," you say, gobsmacked, "you said there was only gee-tar, (s)trumpet, bass, and vocals!" Well, ya gotta pay attention, Jerome, because what you think is a half-brushed / half-stick bottom rhythm is actually Reeves doing semi-damped strumming and stun-strum that adroitly ape what a percussionist would lay beneath the ensemble.

The promo lit mentions the pre-WWII nature of the disc and refers to Cab Calloway and Louis Jordan cool! but don't forget later mad catz like Leon Redbone and Bette Midler, and there's more a trifle of Rickie Lee too, not to mention a smidge of her one-time beau, Tom Waits…minus the cigar-chompin' basso, of course. Yep, this is the kind of music no one with heart and soul, as well as an itch and a yearnin', can pass by. Even God, when he climbs down from that Sistine Chapel thing of his, sparks up the Victrola and lays an ear to precisely this ilk of naughty and humorous hanky-panky. Hey, don't take my word for it, it's in the Bible! Somewhere. I think. ~ Mark S. Tucker  http://www.acousticmusic.com/fame/p09618.htm

Personnel:  Molly Reeves – Guitar & Vocal;  Kellen Garcia – Bass & Background Vocal;  Ryan Robertson – Trumpet & Vocal

Buddy Bolden's Blues

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Toquio Bossa Trio - Angel Eyes

Styles: Bossa Nova
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:37
Size: 111,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:00)  1. Tim Dom Dom
(4:52)  2. Girl from Ipanema
(4:39)  3. Samba De Orly
(4:54)  4. Angel Eyes
(3:39)  5. Moment's Notice
(4:41)  6. Vento No Canavial
(6:05)  7. Mas Que Nada
(5:02)  8. Ela é Carioca
(5:33)  9. Gift
(5:09) 10. Tristeza

Toquio Bossa Trio and is a piano trio of Brazilian music (bossa nova and samba), which is a patient's ChuNaru-do dental clinic "Kazuo Yoshida," Mr. is a member. It is insanely cool. Actually it is flowing as BGM even during practice in ANNEX. Patients healed in the music, medical staff has got a power. When asked to listen to Brazilian patients, she was telling me as "very nostalgic, nimble feeling is it's the best!". Album name is "Angel Eyes". Please enjoy slowly and carefully. Translate by google  http://chuseido.com/chuseidoblog/2011/01/toquio-bossa-trio.html

Angel Eyes

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Alma Micic - Introducing Alma

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 50:02

Size: 114.6 MB

Styles: Jazz vocals

Year: 2004

Art: Front

[5:03] 1. Day Dream

[3:07] 2. Corcovado

[2:52] 3. Close Your Eyes

[6:17] 4. Something To Live For

[4:00] 5. Yesterdays

[6:48] 6. That April Day

[6:55] 7. Sejdefu Majka Budjase

[6:27] 8. Infant Eyes

[3:05] 9. I Remember You

[5:24] 10. But Beautiful

On her début recording, singer Alma Micic presents a program of ten songs from the Great American Songbook or jazz standards with one original and a traditional Montenegrin "Sejdefu Majka Budjase."

Alma Micic has a nice way with a ballad and opens with the Strayhorn/Ellington "Day Dream," then moves on to an up-tempo, non-bossa "Corcovado." She mixes more ballads like "Something to Live For" and "But Beautiful" with swingers like "Yesterdays" and "I Remember You," on which Micic demonstrates a decent scatting ability. The original composition, "That April Day," has traces of the Ellington classic "Chelsea Bridge" and Micic offers a vocal version of Wayne Shorter's "Infant Eyes" with uncredited lyrics.

Of special mention is the piano trio led by Brandon McCune that provides fine support with bassist Sean Conty and drummer Israel Bannerman. McCune demonstrates mastery of block chording in the manner of Red Garland. ~Michael P. Gladstone

Alma Micic, voice; Brandon McCune,piano; Sean Conly, bass; Israel Bannerman,drums.

Introducing Alma

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Milt Jackson, Hubert Laws - Goodbye

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:32
Size: 83.7 MB
Styles: Hard bop, Vibraphone jazz
Year: 1974/2004
Art: Front

[5:47] 1. Old Devil Moon
[6:44] 2. SKJ
[6:43] 3. Opus De Funk
[7:57] 4. Detour Ahead
[9:20] 5. Goodbye

Recorded in 1973 as a foray away from the Modern Jazz Quartet, Milt Jackson's second entry on the CTI label is also one of its highlights. This is one of Creed Taylor's finest productions both in terms of material and sidemen. Drummer Steve Gadd, flutist Hubert Laws, bassist Ron Carter, and pianist Cedar Walton accompany Jackson on the majority of the album. Indeed, Jackson's ability to swing funky is evidenced to delightful extremes on "Old Devil Moon," with a rolling cymbal shakeout from Gadd, whose rim shots and tempo-pushing musculature are a sharp contrast to those of the MJQ's Connie Kay.Likewise, Laws, whose playing is usually over the top, stays inside melodic nuances here and provides Jackson with an essential harmonic foil. And Ron Carter is playing throughout with a popping edge he never had before or since. On Jackson's own SKJ, recorded in December of 1972, Don Sebesky conducted a jazz orchestra for Taylor that included Herbie Hancock, Freddie Hubbard, Billy Cobham, Carter, a string section, a reed and woodwind and brass section, and a harp. Sounds sticky, eh? Hardly, Jackson is pure Bags here, playing it blue-black and rolling out around the ends of the turnarounds into deep, funky, post-bop terrain. The orchestra is mixed way down and is added for texture so the sextet is what one hears most -- along with a burning Freddie Hubbard solo. The other number of real note here is a ripping rendition of Horace Silver's "Opus de Funk," which sprawls the slim harmonic edge, rolls it out on a carpet, and turns it inside on itself, before rolling through the blues to move the intervals into a sequence Silver might not have considered when he wrote it, but which Jackson reveals was in there all the time. ~Thom Jurek

Goodbye

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The Jodi Beach Trio - West Of The Moon

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:56
Size: 121,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:42)  1. Stardust
(5:39)  2. Besame Mucho
(3:04)  3. You Stepped Out of A Dream
(5:09)  4. East of the Sun (And West of the Moon)
(3:19)  5. Tenderly
(5:18)  6. Pure Imagination
(3:35)  7. If You Want To Hear I Love You
(3:22)  8. I See A Face In the Clouds
(3:55)  9. One Warm Day
(4:46) 10. Days of Wine and Roses
(3:44) 11. What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?
(5:18) 12. When You Wish Upon A Star

This release features soaringly romantic arrangements of timeless jazz classics book-ending some spicy Latin flavored original love songs. Lush vocals and classic "old school" instrumentals will take you back in time and touch your heart. Moon, stars, & dreams have long been subjects that have fascinated and inspired poets, musicians and artists of all types. I am often drawn to lyrics that reflect these images. There is a fairy tale that tells of a prince who lives in a castle “east of the sun and west of the moon.” It is believed that this story inspired Brooks Bowman to write the dreamy lyrics for his song. “I wish that we could live up in the sky, to live among the stars, the moon, just you and I.” 

Sounds delightful to me! This collection of songs will take you on a musical journey of love through the stars to the moon and back. My hope is that you enjoy them as much as we do! I hope that this music transports you to another place and time...where we can all visit in a place “east of the sun and west of the moon” where we will “live in a lovely way, on love in the pale moonlight”….keep wishing on stars….and believing in the power of your dreams. http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/jodibeachtrio

West Of The Moon

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Denny Zeitlin - Wherever You Are: Midnight Moods for Solo Piano

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:01
Size: 156,7 MB
Art: Front

(6:01)  1. Body and Soul
(6:55)  2. Good-Bye
(7:10)  3. Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars/How Insensitive
(9:16)  4. Last Night When We Were Young
(6:33)  5. I Hear a Rhapsody
(3:51)  6. Time Remembers One Time Once
(9:28)  7. The Meaning of the Blues
(4:24)  8. My Dream Is Yours
(8:49)  9. You Don't Know What Love Is
(4:31) 10. Wherever You Are

There's something magnificent about a top-level artist alone with a piano, immersed in a mood of quiet nights, under quiet stars. Denny Zeitlin, a versatile music maker who wrote the electro-acoustic symphonic soundtrack for the 1978 remake of the science fiction classic Invasion of the Body Snatchers, has released a handful of excellent trio albums on the MaxJazz and Sunnyside labels, but since 2010, has concentrated on solo perforomances. Precipice (Sunnyside Records, 2010) and Labyrinth (Sunnyside Records, 2011) are both live recordings of solo piano outings. Zeitlin continues his solo run with Wherever You Are Midnight Moods for Solo Piano. On previous albums, Zeitlin has always included varied programs, with Midnight Moods though, he tries a different tangent a thematic album. Featuring a sustained mood, dealing in gentle ballads with the kind of extended ruminative atmosphere that Frank Sinatra pioneered with his In the Wee Small Hours (Columbia Records, 1955).

The tunes are familiar standards, some bossa-nova and a couple of classic Zeitlin originals. Opening with the often covered "Body and Soul," from the 1930 Broadway review Three's a Crowd, and brought irretrievably into the jazz cannon by saxophonist Coleman Hawkins' 1939 take on the tune. Zeitlin reharmonizes and injects a stately atmosphere, his exquisite touch and early classical background shining through.Gordon Jenkins' "Good-bye" was covered beautifully in the jazz piano arena by Keith Jarrett and Bobo Stenson, and here Zeiltin explores the fragility of the tune through use of rubato, sounding as if he's feeling his way into uncharted territory. Antonio Carlos Jobim's most beautiful of works, "Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars" transitions into "How Insensitive," then slips back and forth between the two tunes.

Zeitlin also revisits two of his most cherished originals, "Time Remembers One Time Once," from his 1983 ECM Records album of the same name a beautiful duet recording with bassist Charlie Haden and "Wherever You Are." The former evoking the feeling of the universal search for human connection while the latter is a tender description of love's transcendence. Wherever You Are Midnight Moods for Solo Piano is Denny Zeitlin's most intimate and contemplative sets of songs, and perhaps the loveliest work from a top jazz pianist at the height of his expressive powers. ~ Dan McClenaghan  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/wherever-you-are-midnight-moods-for-solo-piano-denny-zeitlin-sunnyside-records-review-by-dan-mcclenaghan.php
 

Personnel: Denny Zeitlin: piano.

Wherever You Are: Midnight Moods for Solo Piano

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Tony Messina - All About Love And Life

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:33
Size: 116,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:26)  1. Wave
(3:59)  2. Yesterday When I Was Young
(3:03)  3. That's Life
(3:21)  4. Desperado
(3:19)  5. New York State of Mind
(4:08)  6. So Many Stars
(3:48)  7. You Woke My Senses
(2:48)  8. Call Me Irresponsible
(3:41)  9. What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?
(3:09) 10. April Smiled
(4:24) 11. Everything Must Change
(3:16) 12. If
(4:21) 13. The Way You Look Tonight
(3:44) 14. Misty

Tony Messina's singing style is classical/jazz fusion with traces of swing with a natural sense of crooning.

"'All About Love and Life' is first rate, elegant and utterly enjoyable."Bob Collins - Music Director WRHU FM New York  Oct 15, 2014

"'All About Love and Life' is a pure delight. This one's keeper". Scott Harper - Host, Tuesday Nite Straight Ahead  KAJX FM Aspen Public Radio Oct 26, 2014  http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/tonymessina9

All About Love And Life

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Alberta Hunter - Amtrak Blues

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1980
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:30
Size: 90,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:23)  1. The Darktown Strutters Ball
(3:50)  2. Nobody Knows You When You're Down & Out
(2:38)  3. I'm Having A Good Time
(3:44)  4. Always
(3:49)  5. My Handy Man Ain't Handy No More
(3:24)  6. Amtrak Blues
(4:14)  7. Old Fashioned Blues
(4:12)  8. Sweet Georgia Brown
(3:59)  9. A Good Man Is Hard To FInd
(4:13) 10. I've Got A Mind To Ramble

Alberta Hunter's second recording since launching her remarkable comeback (she was 83 when this album was cut) finds the veteran blues singer (a survivor of the 1920s) still in surprisingly strong form and full of spirit. Such songs as "Darktown Strutters' Ball," "My Handy Man," "Old Fashioned Love" and "I've Got a Mind to Ramble" are given fine treatment by Hunter, who is joined by the Gerald Cook quartet, trombonist Vic Dickenson, trumpeter Doc Cheatham and tenorman Frank Wess on various tracks. 

~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/amtrak-blues-mw0000193668

Amtrak Blues

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Lokua Kanza - Plus Vivant

Styles: R&B
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:46
Size: 122,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:55)  1. Voir le jour
(3:35)  2. Camera dans le coeur
(3:47)  3. Envie d'aventure
(3:18)  4. Tu es l'infini
(3:36)  5. Plus vivant (avec Corneille)
(3:44)  6. Aller simple pour l'infini
(3:44)  7. Laisse-moi le remps
(3:11)  8. Si tu pars
(4:05)  9. Anticyclone
(3:58) 10. A tes cotes
(3:36) 11. La clef des champs
(3:36) 12. Le monde est fou
(4:25) 13. Mal a dire
(0:33) 14. Piololo
(3:37) 15. Plus vivant (solo)

Lokua Kanza has one of the most exceptional voices of Africa. It has a clarity that rings out, calls you from what you're doing and begs you to sit down and listen.His last album, released in 2001, was a piece of work that was close to perfect. Toyebi Te brought Lokua's home country of Congo to the listener in powerful and touching songs, spiced with intricate rhythms tapped out on bottles and call-and-response vocals, in his mother tongue of Lingala. With his children speaking amid the melodies and the sound of the rain coming down, it was a genuine work of art. Four years later, Lokua has brought out Plus Vivantwhichprompts me to ask,what has happened to his Africa? Plus Vivant is a fifteen-track album of guitar introspections; some done in an R&B style ("Le monde est fou"), some haunting acoustic ballads ("Mal a dire"), and some upbeat tracks,which point towards the Congolese style without being overpowering. There's some beautiful piano, some exceptional guitar solos and it's all very pleasant. However, it isn't until track seven, "Laisse moi le temps". that I begin to remember the Lokua of Toyebi Te and I find myself up and moving to this uplifting, finely arranged and rhythmically interesting song. 

The unknown percussion instrument sounds like something beating against a tin roof, the electric guitar resounds like a smile, and the smooth voice of Lokuapulls the whole thing together.The album only peaks like this again in a duet with French R&B singer Corneille, but this is quite a collaboration, and their voices do each other justice in the way that others can only dream of. There's also a thirty two second snippet of something magical, "Piololo", that comes in so briefly with its chimes and humming vocals that it's gone before I can say Toyebi Te.Still, if there are moments when I wonder why Lokua has recorded an album entirely in French, all is redeemed by the sound of his voice. It is as vibrant as ever, allowing me to think of him still as the voice of the African continent. ~ Rose Skelton  http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/9vw6

Plus Vivant

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Lola Haag - Good Morning Heartache: A Tribute To Billie Holiday (2002)

Size: 122,5 MB
Time: 52:22
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2002
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Lover Man (4:20)
02. He's Funny That Way (3:27)
03. Am I Blue (2:43)
04. (I Don't Stand) A Ghost Of A Chance (3:19)
05. Good Morning Heartache (2:16)
06. Darn That Dream (2:51)
07. In A Sentimental Mood (2:37)
08. Crazy He Calls Me (3:58)
09. Just One More Chance (3:47)
10. You Don't Know What Love Is (3:51)
11. Come Rain Or Come Shine (4:23)
12. (I'm Afraid) The Masquerade Is Over (4:02)
13. Travelin' Light (2:58)
14. I'm Glad There Is You (3:26)
15. God Bless The Child (4:19)

Big Chair Records recently released Lola Haag's third CD entitled "Good Morning Heartache, a Tribute to Billie Holiday". Containing 15 classic jazz tunes identified with Lady Day, the CD delights the ear with Lola's unique interpretations of songs familiar to the jazz world. Lola has an unusual ability to get inside of a lyric and transform it into a very personal expression. Her version of "He's Funny That Way" illustrates clearly how Lola finds the core of the song and makes it her own. The playful style she delivers in "Darn That Dream" and "Am I Blue?" contrast effectively with the reflective soulful renditions of "Lover Man" and "You Don't Know What Love Is". Particularly delightful is Ms. Haag's sexy version of "Come Rain Or Come Shine". She does save the best for last when she closes the CD with a moving version of Billie Holiday's composition "God Bless The Child".

Lola grew up singing with her family along to the records of Bing Crosby and The Mills Brothers and there is a little Bing in her style. She caresses the lyric with relaxed, delicate buoyancy and with rich, sensual low tones that are uncharacteristic of many singers of contemporary jazz, especially female singers. It is not unusual during one of her performances to see couples make eye contact, take each other hands and move their chairs a little closer together. Her live performances seamlessly blend hot swinging jazz with sensual ballads and bluesy melodies and remind one of the intimate mood reminiscent of an after hour's club.

In a recent interview, Lola was questioned about her approach to her music. She responded, "I attempt to get inside the head and the heart of the woman telling her story through the song. The lyrics are the most important thing for me. I try to be true to them. The melody seems to just fall into place when I focus on the message of the words and the woman's story becomes my story." Lola laughed when asked what personally drew her to the blues of Billie Holiday. "Email me privately and we'll talk", she said with a smile.

Good Morning Heartache

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Markusphilippe - Saxnbass

Size: 129,2 MB
Time: 55:54
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2012
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. Angel Eyes (4:55)
02. Hey Joe (3:27)
03. Invitation (5:01)
04. One For My Baby (4:08)
05. Moonglow (5:11)
06. Cold, Cold Heart (3:52)
07. The Look Of Love (5:26)
08. Pink Panther (3:24)
09. Body And Soul (5:01)
10. Do Nothing Till You Hear From Me (4:28)
11. Round Midnight (4:27)
12. Wet Willie (2:55)
13. Mo Better Blues (3:34)

What started out as a practice project, with the aim of avoiding the isolation of solo rehearsal, quickly developed an astounding momentum of its own. Early recordings were received with such enthusiasm that it was decided to launch markusphilippe officially, and record the duo's first album, saxnbass. A very extrordinary project indeed.

Philippe Chrétien,
trained in piano and trumpet by Chester Gill, found his way to his preferred instrument, the tenor saxophone, in 1979.

He gathered international performing experience with highly acclaimed musicians and DJs exploring a vast musical diversity, all of which contributed to the evolution of his particular, very personal style.

In his solo project he also proves to be an accomplished composer, producer and DJ. Elegantly understated, his gala performances are all about creating a relaxed and sensual atmosphere.

Philippe Chrétien is immediately recognisable by his soulful sound and feeling. In the words of Jack Kreisberg (Blue Note, New York): "He's got a killer sound!".

With markusphilippe, he comes just that bit closer to his sound ideal of reduction and transparency.

Markus Fritzsche,
gave up his medical studies half way through for a career in music. He's never regretted it for a minute.

A self taught musician, he won a silver medal at the 1985 Cannes Film Festival for his music to the "Canada Dry Tough in the West" TV advert, his break-through in the film business. From then on he wrote the music for countless cinema films and TV advertisments, some of which were seen by half the world. His best known work in Switzerland: the Migros jingle.

His "alter-ego" has always been as a bass player. It got him out of the studio into the wide world, to contact with people, to new challenges, and particularly to teamwork. Over the years he's played with many Swiss and international stars in every style imaginable, with highlights including the main stage at the Montreux Jazz Festival.

With Philippe Chrétien as his ideal partner, he's now reached a high point with saxnbass. In his typical, highly musical style.

Saxnbass

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Esther Kaiser - Learning How To Listen: The Music Of Abbey Lincoln

Size: 146,3 MB
Time: 62:47
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Learning How To Listen (5:49)
02. Blue Monk, Pt. 1 (0:52)
03. The Music Is The Magic (4:09)
04. First Song/Conversation With A Baby (9:11)
05. Avec Le Temps (5:53)
06. And It's Supposed To Be Love (5:03)
07. Blue Monk, Pt. 2 (0:48)
08. Throw It Away (7:35)
09. A Turtle's Dream (7:12)
10. Love Has Gone Away (5:51)
11. Storywise (5:37)
12. Blue Monk, Pt. 3 (0:52)
13. Being Me (3:50)

"Esther Kaiser’s artistry lies in her ability to make something grave sound light and playful." (Nürnberger Nachrichten)
"As soon as she enters the stage, the sun comes up. Vocalist Esther Kaiser has the kind of charisma that can brighten gloomy days." (Hessische Niedersächsische Allgemeine
Zeitung)

Esther Kaiser, born in Freiburg i. Br. (Germany) in 1975, has been one of the country’s most versatile and genre-bending representatives of contemporary German vocal jazz for several years. As a recording artist, jazz professor and live performer who is involved in a variety of projects, she constantly seeks to merge jazz and improvisation with different musical styles.

Esther Kaiser sees herself as a singer of jazz songs and a storyteller.

This philosophy connects her deeply to jazz vocalist and composer Abbey Lincoln, who inspired Esther Kaiser to finally dedicate a full album to her "spiritual sister" after being immersed in a multitude of projects as a songwriter and lyricist.
The album "Learning How To Listen - the Music of Abbey Lincoln" (to be released in January 2015) was deemed as a grant-worthy studio project by RBB (Berlin-Brandenburg Radio Broadcasting) jazz authority Ulf Drechsel. It was subsequently recorded and produced by the RBB.

On this album Esther Kaiser approaches the music of the exceptional Abbey Lincoln, who passed away in 2010, in her own, unapologetically unique way. Effortlessly transcending categories and displaying a great deal of freshness and creativity, her heartfelt respect and admiration for the grande dame of American jazz is palpable.

Learning How To Listen

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Le Bang Bang & Martin Kalberer - In Our Blood

Size: 126,7 MB
Time: 54:31
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Don't Give Up (5:10)
02. The First Day Of Your Life (4:29)
03. In Your Blood (3:56)
04. Soothe Me Blue (5:21)
05. I Want You Back (5:27)
06. Shape Of A Cloud (3:28)
07. Our Castle Turns To Sand (5:02)
08. Undream A Dream (3:37)
09. Fall Forward (3:55)
10. Here Comes The Sun (4:52)
11. Time Stood Still (4:10)
12. Follow Me Home (5:01)

LE BANG BANG don’t beat their heads against the wall but use their brains to open new doors. A singer and a bass player – bang. Stefanie Boltz and Sven Faller master the power and epic grandeur of rock classics by AC/DC, Radiohead, Yes, Bowie or Metallica just as effortless as the multi faceted shades of the more subtle music of Joni Mitchell or Michel Legrand. Neither headless nor lofty, „HEADBANG“ is music for the soul, feet and mind.

A voice and a bass can be more than enough to magically create an evening’s program that can compete with a philharmonic orchestra in richness of colors and dynamic range. LE BANG BANG have proven this ability in countless exciting concerts since the premiere of their debut „BANG BANG“

STEFANIE BOLTZ / Voice
Since being discovered as a teenager while singing in the bathtub, she has permeated all means of expression with her voice from beat-boxing to reciting poetry. She has been part of the award-winning a cappella formation ‘Stouxingers’, worked as a D-jane and was sought after as singer and speaker for TV and film. She is a member of the renowned 30’s vocal girl group ‘Croonettes’ and the critically acclaimed Jazz duo ‘Boltz & Stauber’ with guitarist Philipp Stauber.

SVEN FALLER / Bass
Sven Faller is internationally acclaimed for his unique style on the acoustic bass. Between 1994 and 2000 he lived in New York and received his degree from The Mannes College of Music in 1997. He has performed with a variety of artists including Scott Hamilton, Robbie Ameen, Arlo Guthrie, Charlie Mariano, Don Menza, Chico Freeman, Bobby Watson, Konstantin Wecker and Trio Elf, whose latest CD ‚Elfland’ features Brazilian star vocalist Milton Nascimento.

In Our Blood

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Charlie Parker - Best Of The Complete Savoy & Dial Studio Recordings

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:58
Size: 137.3 MB
Styles: Bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 2002
Art: Front

[2:52] 1. Tiny's Tempo
[2:53] 2. Koko [original Take 2]
[3:01] 3. Moose The Mooche
[2:53] 4. Yardbird Suite
[2:58] 5. Ornithology
[3:03] 6. A Night In Tunisia
[3:04] 7. Cool Blues
[3:00] 8. Relaxin' At Camarillo
[2:43] 9. Chasing The Bird [new Take 2]
[2:58] 10. Cheryl
[2:34] 11. Milestones [original Take 1]
[3:40] 12. Embraceable You
[2:53] 13. Scrapple From The Apple
[3:47] 14. Out Of Nowhere
[2:56] 15. Quasimodo
[3:01] 16. Bird Feathers
[2:53] 17. Barbados
[2:52] 18. Merry-Go-Round
[3:23] 19. Marmaduke
[2:24] 20. Merry-Go-Round

This compilation whittles Charlie Parker's output on the Savoy and Dial labels down to 20 essential tracks. The booklet is certainly impressive for a best-of item; producer Orrin Keepnews offers a complete sessionography, richly informative track-by-track annotation, and an introductory essay. Interestingly, he includes several originally unissued takes as representative of Parker's best and elects to scrap the 1946 Dial session that yielded a notoriously smacked-out reading of "Lover Man" and ended with Parker being institutionalized. Listeners who can't be bothered with endless alternate takes won't find any here, but devotees will want to seek out the full set, The Complete Savoy and Dial Studio Recordings 1944-1948, also brought forth by Savoy in 2002. ~David R. Adler

Best Of The Complete Savoy & Dial Studio Recordings

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Annie Kozuch - Here With You

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:09
Size: 89.6 MB
Styles: Vocal
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[3:40] 1. Chega De Saudade
[2:48] 2. I Love Being Here With You
[2:56] 3. How Deep Is The Ocean
[5:03] 4. Corcovado Quiet Nights
[4:03] 5. You've Changed
[3:43] 6. I'm Through With Love
[3:27] 7. Nosotros
[4:09] 8. Carinhoso
[2:27] 9. You're Getting To Be A Habit With Me
[4:01] 10. Who Can I Turn To
[2:47] 11. Somos Novios

Trilingual Annie Kozuch was raised in Mexico City and took to show business early. A subject of screen as well as song, it is a surprise that Here With You is her first disc. She sings in all her languages (English, Spanish, Portuguese) on this recording, with the Portuguese song, Jobim's "Chega De Saudade" ("No More Blues") being the pick of the bunch. "Chega De Saudade" is considered, by many, to be the first Bossa Nova composition, having been recorded by Joao Gilberto in 1958.

Guitarist Richard Padron and flautist Cecilia Tenconi make this a fully Bossa Nova experience. Breezy and sexy, Jobim's music could have only come from Southern Hemispheric climes, and Kozuch knows how to tap into the humidity. The gentle, swaying rhythm established by the band enables Kozuch to draw from the song all of the longing held in the lyrics,"Que ela regresse, porque eu não posso Mais sofrer" (..."let him come back; I can suffer no more"). ~C. Michael Bailey

Annie Kozuch: vocals; Frank Ponzio: piano; Saadi Zain: bass; Vito Lesczak: drums; Samuel Torres: percussion; Richard padron: guitar; Cecilia Tenconi: flute and saxophone; Jose Gallegos: electric piano.

Here With You

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