Randy Johnston - People Music

Styles: Vocal And Guitar Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:11
Size: 118,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:51)  1. Garden State
(5:22)  2. Nostalgia For What Never Was
(4:19)  3. Parchman Farm
(8:01)  4. Chavez
(5:57)  5. Everyday Heroes
(5:02)  6. Trouble
(4:58)  7. Humpty Dumpty
(6:09)  8. Passing By
(5:27)  9. Cold Duck Time

Perhaps more than any other musical instrument, the guitarists of today come drenched in the music of highly diverse musical genres. The instrument has been a fulcrum of expression, from folk, country and blues to jazz and rock with a smidgen of classical thrown into the mix as well. Thinking about it, the task of developing as a guitarist has got to be daunting, with all of those musical bases to cover.  With People Music, celebrated guitarist Randy Johnston demonstrates that not only has he been exposed deeply to these forms, but that he is truly masterful at exploiting the very best of each. The CD is a stellar showcase, generously displaying Johnston's technical and improvisational virtuosity as well as his breadth. Originally from Detroit that Midwest melting pot of musical forms Johnston grew up from age 13 in Richmond, Virginia. The Motown soul-funk-jazz juices mingled with his Southern blues experiences and the developmental result is an extraordinary talent. A vaunted sideman, he's recorded with artists including Ira Sullivan, Houston Person, Joey DeFrancesco, Etta Jones, and another speedballer, Johnny Griffin.

Johnston's jazz technique is crisp, highly direct and focused. His longer lines mesh intelligently with shorter pulse-bursts and his technique never overshadows musical content. And, when organ phenom Pat Bianchi joins in with his earthy B3 sound, the result is jazz-tinged heavy blues. The paring of Johnston with Bianchi is brilliant, as each plays off the other's significant technical chops. The timbre of Johnston's hard-picked strings with Bianchi's foot bass and blistering hands is a joy. The opening "Garden State" displays foot-pounding drive, while the shuffle blues "Nostalgia for What Never Was" advises that, at its core, Johnston's blood runs blue. The vampish "Chavez," sextuplet-metered and more cerebral than the other cuts here, allows both Johnston and Bianchi to stretch out modally. Johnston offers up two organ-supported vocals with Mose Allison's "Parchman Farm" and "Trouble." While Johnston's singing is not up to his superior guitar playing (how could it be?) these selections offer an earthy funkiness,s with Ray Charles-ian overtones. Johnston's rock-blues style embraces Wes Montgomery and George Benson with his octave work in his solos.

"Everyday Heroes" has a kick-off-the-shoes, "Sittin'-On-the-Dock-of-the-Bay" feel. Drummer Carmen Intorre, Jr. sets up Chick Corea's "Humpty Dumpty," the burner of the date, before Bianchi takes off and demonstrates he can swing and develop cogent "Giant Step-like improvisational ideas superbly. Intorre is wise enough to give support to these cookers without stepping on their toes. Eddie Harris's "Cold Duck Time," a vintage rocker for sure, gets a fun funk revisit and closes out a superior effort. People Music has a sincerity about it that's hard to top. The playing is absolutely first-rate and highly approachable. And there is a solid respect for the jazz and blues: after all, those genres developed from "people music," and the people playing here do so with respect, gusto and consummate soul. ~ Nicholas F.Mondello  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/people-music-randy-johnston-random-act-records-review-by-nicholas-f-mondello.php

Personnel: Randy Johnston: guitar, vocals (3, 6); Pat Bianchi: Hammond Organ; Carmen Intorre, Jr. drums.

People Music

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Spencer Day - Vagabond

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 52:16
Size: 96,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:14)  1. Till You Come To Me
(3:20)  2. Someday
(3:24)  3. Everybody Knows (The Family Skeleton)
(4:25)  4. Weeping Willow
(4:06)  5. Joe
(3:45)  6. Vagabond
(4:37)  7. Summer
(0:44)  8. Vagabond (Reprise)
(3:51)  9. Little Soldier
(4:45) 10. Out Of My Hands
(3:45) 11. I Got A Mind To Tell You
(3:07) 12. Maybe (Tuesday Morning)
(4:03) 13. 25
(4:02) 14. Better Way

Jazz-influenced singer/songwriter Spencer Day's third studio effort and debut for Concord Records, 2009's Vagabond is a softly cinematic piece of crossover pop that positions Day as a kind of thinking man's crooner, or at least a crooning storyteller. A piano player with a burnished baritone voice and a knack for literate moody ballads, Day will of course draw quick and easy comparisons to other similarly inclined contemporaries like Peter Cincotti, Jamie Cullum, and Norah Jones which, though true enough, slightly reduces Day's own weighty album presence. Vocally, Day has a bit of the emotional swagger of Michael Bublé leavened with just enough downtrodden urban skew as to make one think Day has, at the least, listened to Tom Waits. 

This is especially true on such cathartic pop moments as the character song "Joe" and the lilting and soulful title track. Elsewhere, Day evinces a kind of '60s Elvis quality on the slippery-slick opening number, "Till You Come to Me," and brings to mind a young Harry Connick, Jr. on the slow swinger "I Got a Mind to Tell You." However, it is such superb tunes as the yearning love song "Out of My Hands" and the would-be classic "Maybe (Tuesday Morning)" that help Vagabond rise above the crossover fray and reach toward something more akin to the best of Harry Nilsson and Randy Newman. Ultimately, all of Vagabond is immaculately produced, and a steady mix of strings, horns, and other "old-school" elements combined with Day's own creative merits helps color the album as a kind of latter-day traditional pop love letter. ~ Matt Collar  http://www.allmusic.com/album/vagabond-mw0000822881

Vagabond

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The Western Swing Authority - The Western Swing Authority

Styles: Country
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:46
Size: 104,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:17)  1. Stay All Night
(4:06)  2. All of Me
(4:13)  3. Panhandle
(4:50)  4. Faded Love
(3:20)  5. Miles and Miles of Texas
(5:01)  6. Blues for Dixie
(2:58)  7. Leaving and Saying Goodbye
(5:05)  8. Honeysuckle Rose
(3:32)  9. Cherokee Maiden
(6:57) 10. Sweet Memories
(2:22) 11. Redwing

The Western Swing Authority is a unique collaboration of some of Canada’s top studio and touring musicians. Their common love of Western Swing and “new classic’ original songs pay homage to the roots of traditional music. Audiences agree that the fun they have onstage together is infectious. Their live shows are upbeat and the musicianship is top-level, making The Western Swing Authority a favourite with music lovers of all genres and ages. Though individually the members’ touring and recording credits are impressive, it is the sound that the band is creating as a whole that is garnering attention and recognition worldwide. Recently signed to eONE Music Canada, The Western Swing Authority’s third album, “NOW PLAYING” was brought to life this past Feb 2015. Fans all over the world, including Texas ( the birthplace of Western Swing) have revered the band’s fresh take on classics, and their original material alike. http://www.thewesternswingauthority.com/bio/

“As Merle Haggard brought the music of Bob Wills and Western Swing to a new generation of listeners, The Western Swing Authority is paying it forward not only by recording and performing these classics, but also writing new material proudly carrying on the style of traditional Western Swing music.”  “It’s impossible to listen to this record and not feel happy afterwards.” ~ Country Perspective

“A retro treat” ~ New Canadian Music

“Lush and fabulous. ” ~ Robert Oermann, Music Row Magazine

“Perhaps the finest album I have heard for some time” ~ Russell Hill Maverick Magazine

The Western Swing Authority

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Barney Wilen - Jazz

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:06
Size: 107.8 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[4:24] 1. Swing 39
[4:16] 2. Vamp
[3:30] 3. Ménilmontant
[3:36] 4. John's Groove
[6:33] 5. B.B.B. (Bag's Barney Blues)
[4:25] 6. Swingin' Parisian Rhythm (Jazz Sur Seine)
[2:17] 7. J'ai Ta Main
[5:48] 8. Nuages
[3:02] 9. La Route Enchantée
[2:43] 10. Que Reste-T-Il De Nos Amours
[3:44] 11. Minor Swing
[2:42] 12. Epistrophy

Barney Wilen made a strong impression on the Paris scene in the mid 1950s. Wilen was a self taught player and became one of Europe's best and more modern saxophonists.

Bernard Jean Wilen, AKA Barney was born March 4, 1937, in Nice to a French mother and an American father. He studied the alto and, at 16, moved to Paris where he played with Henry Renaud, Bobby Jaspar and Jimmy Gourley He grew up mostly on the French Riviera; the family left during World War II but returned upon its conclusion.

According to Wilen himself, he was convinced to become a musician by his mother's friend, the poet Blaise Cendrars. As a teenager he started a youth jazz club in Nice, where he played often. He moved to Paris in the mid-'50s and worked with such American musicians as Bud Powell, Benny Golson, Miles Davis, and J.J. Johnson at the Club St. Germain. He was very fortunate to tour and record with Miles Davis in 1957. This led to him performing on the soundtrack to the Louis Malle film “Lift to the Scaffold” in 1957. The recording won the Prix Louis Delluc the next year.

Two years later in 1960 he performed with Art Blakey and Thelonious Monk on the soundtrack to Roger Vadim's Les Liaisons Dangereuses. He also appeared at the 1959 Newport Jazz Festival, one of the first non-Americans to do so. During the '60s, Wilen explored with free jazz and Indian music. He appeared at the 1967 Berlin Festival and engineered Archie Shepp's 1969 live performance at the Algiers Festival.

In the late 70's and 80's he returned to playing the ballads of his influences Sonny Rollins and Harold Land leading to him being awarded the Grand Prix Charles Cros in 1987. In the 90's he continued to be active, playing at many European summer jazz festivals and recording. He died of cancer May 25, 1996 in Paris, France. Much of Wilen's later work was documented on the Japanese Venus label.

Jazz

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Marty Paich - The Picasso Of Big-Band Jazz

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 39:01

Size: 89.3 MB

Styles: West Coast jazz, Piano jazz

Year: 1957/1989

Art: Front

[5:54] 1. From Now On

[4:24] 2. Walkin' On Home

[5:07] 3. Black Rose

[3:59] 4. Tommy's Toon

[3:08] 5. New Soft Shoe

[3:32] 6. What's New

[5:07] 7. Easy Listenin'

[3:05] 8. Martyni Time

[4:42] 9. Nice And Easy

Marty Paich was a pianist, composer, arranger, producer, music director, and conductor. In a career which spanned half a century, he worked in these capacities for such artists as Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, Sarah Vaughan, Stan Kenton, Ella Fitzgerald, Mel Tormé, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Linda Ronstadt, Stan Getz, Sammy Davis Jr, Michael Jackson, Art Pepper, and a hundred others.

However, his name is essentially unknown outside professional circles. He took little interest in self-promotion, never acquired a personal agent, happily saw his business affairs managed by his capable first wife Huddy, and as soon as finances permitted decamped Los Angeles for a ranch in the Santa Ynez Valley north of Santa Barbara. There he engaged his twin fantasies of riding horses and operating a private museum devoted to the saddles, books, rifles and guns of the American west. For a boy raised in urban Oakland California, this was a charmed leap.

He was born Martin Louis Paich on 23 January 1925. His earliest music lessons were on the accordion, and thereafter on the piano. By age 10 he had formed the first of numerous bands, and by age 12 was regularly playing at weddings and similar affairs. Marty first attended Cole Elementary School in Oakland. After graduating from McClymonds High School he attended a series of professional schools in music, including Chapman College, San Francisco State University, the University of Southern California, and the Los Angeles Conservatory of Music where he graduated (1951) magna cum laude with a Master's degree in composition.

The Picasso Of Big Band Jazz

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Louie Bellson, Blue Mitchell - Louie Bellson Jams With Blue Mitchell

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:34
Size: 102.0 MB
Styles: Bop
Year: 1979/1994
Art: Front

[6:43] 1. Melody For Thelma
[4:46] 2. Stein On Vine
[4:47] 3. Shave Tail
[5:57] 4. Gonga Din
[3:09] 5. I Wonder Why
[7:01] 6. Ballad Medley
[5:57] 7. Blue Invasion
[6:11] 8. A Gush Of Periwinkles

This CD reissue brings back one of Louie Bellson's better small-group dates for Pablo. In addition to the drummer/leader, his septet includes trumpeter Blue Mitchell (still in good form on one of his last recordings), the underrated but great tenor Pete Christlieb, pianist Ross Tompkins, guitarist Bob Bain, bassist Gary Pratt and percussionist Emil Richards. Most intriguing about the date (which mostly sticks to group originals) is that there is a three-song ballad medley comprised not of standards but of Bellson tunes. "Shave Tail" (an older song co-composed by Bellson and Charlie Shavers) is a highlight. ~Scott Yanow

Louie Bellson Jams With Blue Mitchell

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Lisa Lauren - My Own Twist

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:31
Size: 93,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:58)  1. Sweet Seasons
(4:19)  2. A Shame
(6:06)  3. Life Goes On
(4:27)  4. My Own Twist
(2:59)  5. It Sucks To Be You
(3:55)  6. That's All She Wrote
(4:09)  7. A Little Romance
(3:36)  8. Here Comes The Sun
(3:29)  9. A Guy Thing
(3:28) 10. Yours And Mine

For all the hype in 2002 surrounding jazz hybrid vocalist Norah Jones, she can't really hold a candle to the far superior, multi-faceted Lauren, an indie artist from Chicago who artfully blends pop and jazz influences with a dash or two of country and worldbeat. So it's promotion that's missing. Or is it the narrow play lists of adult contemporary and smooth jazz stations which would rather stick with tried-and-trues and Mariah Carey and Sade instead of allowing new voices in the mix Lauren went Beatles-happy on her previous CD, and here does a cool jazz seduction with "Here Comes the Sun," also playing an elegant, purposeful piano line that challenges Fareed Haque's strumming guitar and Jim Gailloreto's silky soprano sax to keep up. 

More high-profile sax contributions come from none other than David Sanborn on the sassy, Steely Dan-inspired "A Shame," whose lyrics brim with attitude and wistful energy; Lauren sounds a bit like Marilyn Scott on this tune, and that's a compliment. Fellow Chicagoan and smooth jazz guy Steve Cole offers a tender soprano line behind one of Lauren's more romantic moments on "A Little Romance." "Life Goes On" is designed as a quartet piece, with soft, seductive drum brushes easing past a tender-hearted delivery of a lyric pondering love's mysteries. Lauren sometimes runs the risk of being overshadowed by her high-profile personnel, such as on this tune, where Fareed Haque's credit reads "homage to Pat Metheny." In the end, though, she more than holds her own. Lauren's a strong vocalist and honest songwriter, but she's also aces with cover tunes, making old songs like Carole King's "Sweet Seasons" sound fresh via colorful arrangements (this one with harmonica-laced country seasoning). ~ Jonathan Widran  http://www.allmusic.com/album/my-own-twist-mw0000210489

Personnel: Lisa Lauren (piano, keyboards); Fareed Haque (guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, slide guitar); Inger Carle, Susan Voelz (violin); Stacia Spencer (viola); Alison Chesley (cello); Jim Gailloreto (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone); David Sanborn (alto saxophone); Rob Parton (trumpet); Mike Halpin (trombone); John Blasucci (keyboards); Steve Rodby (acoustic bass); Jeff Thomas (drums, percussion); Kevin Connelley, Larry Beers, Tom Hipskind (drums).

My Own Twist

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Louis Durra - Rocket Science

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:46
Size: 112,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:06)  1. The Hardest Button to Button
(4:27)  2. One Love
(4:26)  3. Black Horse and the Cherry Tree
(4:59)  4. Home
(3:32)  5. El Mango
(4:30)  6. Nine Eleven
(3:41)  7. According to You
(4:47)  8. Living for the City
(4:08)  9. Back in the U.S.S.R.
(3:53) 10. Un Canadien Errant
(4:54) 11. In My Life
(2:18) 12. La Puerta Negra

The constant revitalization of the piano trio is one of the most rewarding developments in recent jazz history and it continues apace with Louis Durra's Rocket Science. Durra isn't introducing a major paradigm shift, but with Ryan McGillicuddy on bass and longtime compatriot Jerry Kalaf on drums, he's bringing a few fresh new tunes to the party and delivering them with a light, engaging yet imaginative flair. Rocket Science follows on from The Best Of All Possible Worlds (Self Produced, 2012) and consists, for the most part, of an intriguing mix of covers. Durra avoids the American Songbook classics, concentrating on more contemporary composers whose work is regularly adopted by jazz players Stevie Wonder's "Living For The City," John Lennon and Paul McCartney's "Back In The USSR" and "In My Life" and some who've yet to reach this status.

There's a pleasing variation in mood and pace. Jack White's "The Hardest Button To Button" gets a foot-stomping groove from Durra's left hand and Larry Steen's bass; Michael Buble and Alan Chang's "Home" is a melancholy ballad; Juan Villarreal's "El Mango" has a jaunty, up-tempo beat with a Vince Guaraldi cheeriness. Durra's "Nine Eleven," the album's sole original composition, is a lovely tune, performed beautifully by Durra with particularly sympathetic and respectful support from McGillicuddy and Kalaf. Two of the album's most left-field selections leave the most lasting impressions. KT Tunstall's "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" loses a little of Tunstall's assertiveness but gains a shuffling, funky feel from Kalaf's drums.

The trio performs "Un Canadien Errant," a traditional song from Quebec, as a gently, wistful waltz with an occasional shift in pulse and emphasis that surprises without spoiling the mood it also gives McGillicuddy the chance to take the spotlight with his own lyrical solo. Durra, McGillicuddy and Kalaf play three or four nights a week around Los Angeles and this consistent work clearly helps them to knit together as a unit. Durra has also played some critically acclaimed shows at the Edinburgh Festival, not the easiest of places to make an impression. All this experience and expertise, coupled with Durra's inspired song selection, gives Rocket Science a special spark. ~ Bruce Lindsay  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/rocket-science-louis-durra-self-produced-review-by-bruce-lindsay.php
 

Personnel: Louis Durra: piano; Ryan McGillicuddy: bass; Jerry Kalaf: drums; Larry Steen: bass (1, 7).

Rocket Science

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Joe Locke - Force of Four

Styles: Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:56
Size: 126,0 MB
Art: Front

(6:09)  1. Like Joe
(8:22)  2. Ruminations
(7:56)  3. Ricky's Tune
(7:13)  4. No Moe
(5:16)  5. Available in Blue
(6:48)  6. Alpha Punk
(8:20)  7. Laura
(4:49)  8. Blue November

Certain sounds are so easy to love: the blurry whine of a muted trumpet, the beefy growl of a robust tenor saxophone, the rich, frictional cry of the cello, and the buoyant, sustained ring of a mallet hitting a key on a vibraphone. Vibraphonist Joe Locke's profile seems to have risen on a sharp angle since Live in Seattle (Origin Records, 2006), a CD that found its way onto several critic's top ten of the year lists. Since then he has offered up Live at JazzBaltica (MaxJazz, 2006) and Sticks and Strings (Music Eyes, 2007), proving that his excellence was no one-off affair. Force of Four finds Locke in the company of a crack quartet his vibraphone and a piano trio offering up perhaps his finest recording to date. And though the instrumental make-up is the same as that of the legendary Modern Jazz Quartet (MJQ), Locke and company are more about energy and forward momentum and grooves than they are about a chamber atmosphere.

"Like Joe" is a bouncy tribute to tenor titan Joe Henderson that features seamless piano/vibes interplay. It's easy to think that the two instruments could bump heads and step on each other's toes, but that's never the case on this disc. "Ruminations" has a pensive atmosphere and drifting quality, and a sublime quartet weave of sound.

"No Moe," from the pen of Sonny Rollins, is tight groove that brings in one of the album's two guests, trumpeter Thomas Marriott, playing a beautiful muted horn. "Alpha Punk" and "Blue November" feature tenor saxophonist Wayne Escoffery the former an energetic romp that brings the Yellowjackets sound to mind, the latter a relaxed dark-toned piece of introspective beauty.

Joe Locke might just be this generation's Milt Jackson. And with Force of Four he might be headed to the year's top ten lists again. ~ Dan McClenaghan  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/force-of-four-joe-locke-origin-records-review-by-dan-mcclenaghan.php

Personnel: Joe Locke: vibes; Robert Rodriguez: piano; Johnathan Blake: drums; Ricardo Rodriguez: bass; Wayne Escoffery: tenor sax (6, 8); Thomas Marriott: trumpet (4).

Force of Four

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Jessica Gall - Little Big Soul

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:04
Size: 106,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:08)  1. Breaking Waves
(3:22)  2. Come Rain Or Come Shine
(3:33)  3. Saturday Night
(3:53)  4. Beautiful Girls
(3:25)  5. Part Of My Dreams
(4:50)  6. The Moment When You Need Me
(4:11)  7. On The Other Side
(3:26)  8. Summer Evening
(3:23)  9. Road To Salvation
(3:41) 10. You Are
(4:20) 11. Touch The Rain
(3:46) 12. Little Big Soul

While her debut album mainly featured cover songs, she has taken a new direction with "Little Big Soul", creating an innovative soundscape together with producer Robert Matt and her pianist Bene Aperdannier. “I love the space on the album. Pedal steel guitar and dobro have brought a warm Southern States vibe to the Spree!” One should approach Jessica Gall with an open mind. True, there have been many female vocalists in the last few years; but her voice delivers sound in a unique way. Jessica Gall has really found her own voice. https://herzogrecords.bandcamp.com/merch/cd-little-big-soul-jessica-gall

Little Big Soul

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Ray Brown, Monty Alexander, Johnny Griffin, Martin Drew - Summerwind

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:15
Size: 129,5 MB
Art: Front

( 7:02)  1. Blues For Groundhogs
(10:16) 2. Medley: Sophisticated Lady/Rocks in My Bed
( 3:27)  3. Put Your Little Foot Right Out
( 6:20)  4. Consider
( 3:13)  5. Swamp Fire
( 5:54)  6. Summerwind
( 2:34)  7. Griff and Me
( 4:26)  8. Delaunay's Dilemma
( 2:04)  9. Hard Times
( 3:11) 10. Thanks for the Memory
( 2:23) 11. Woogie Boogie
( 5:20) 12. Street Life

Time and time again, the Manhattan Bop Police have claimed that a jazz album isn't legitimate unless it is recorded in the 212 area code. But if that's true, why did so many jazz heavyweights from Dexter Gordon to Bud Powell spend so much time living and recording in Europe? Why have so many important jazz indies (Steeplechase, Storyville, Owl, Black Lion, Timeless, among countless others) had European addresses? The fact is that if you're a serious jazz connoisseur, your CD collection is probably full of recordings that were made in Europe. Ray Brown certainly spent plenty of time performing overseas; Ludwigsburg, Germany, in fact, is where Brown recorded Summerwind, a 1980 session that finds the acoustic bassist forming a quartet with tenor saxophonist Johnny Griffin (one of the reasons jazz musicians are proud to be from Chicago), pianist Monty Alexander, and British drummer Martin Drew. 

This hard-swinging combination of American, Jamaican, and British improvisers enjoys a strong rapport on a diverse program that ranges from Ray Charles' "Hard Times" to pianist John Lewis' "Delaunay's Dilemma" to the title track (a song that is closely identified with Frank Sinatra). The inclusion of a song associated with Ol' Blue Eyes should come as no surprise to admirers of Alexander, who has never made a secret of his passion for Sinatra's legacy. Nor has Alexander made a secret of his love of R&B; one of the highlights of this CD is a piano trio performance of the Crusaders' "Street Life" (which Griffin is absent from). Although the Crusaders are primarily an instrumental jazz group, they enjoyed a major R&B hit in 1979 when they featured singer Randy Crawford on "Street Life"; on Summerwind, however, the tune works nicely as an acoustic bop/soul-jazz instrumental. This rewarding CD is well worth searching for. 

~ Alex Henderson  http://www.allmusic.com/album/summerwind-mw0000701893

Personnel: Ray Brown (bass instrument); Monty Alexander (vocals, piano); Johnny Griffin (saxophone); Martin Drew (drums).

Summerwind

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Joe Williams, Count Basie - Greatest! Count Basie Plays, Joe Williams Sings Standards

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 1990
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:46
Size: 80,1 MB
Art: Front

(2:18)  1. Thou Swell
(2:49)  2. There Will Never Be Another You
(3:37)  3. Our Love Is Here To Stay
(2:35)  4. 'S Wonderful
(2:24)  5. My Baby Just Cares for Me
(3:54)  6. Nevertheless
(2:25)  7. Singin' in the Rain
(3:05)  8. I'm Beginning to See the Light
(2:27)  9. A Fine Romance
(3:58) 10. Come Rain Or Come Shine
(2:37) 11. I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me
(2:32) 12. This Can't Be Love

When it comes to accompanying a singer, there is probably no better jazz orchestra than the Count Basie Band. They swing so hard, that no matter who is singing with them, they seem to find a way to prop up even the best of jazz stylists. Such is the case with Joe Williams, a singer who should need no formal introduction to jazz fans. Williams' deep and rich tone is immediately recognizable and is, indeed, one of the great voices the idiom has produced. On THE GREATEST!!, Buddy Bregman's arrangements can often be angular and edgy. Other times, especially on the ballads, his arrangements are soft, mellow and lush. For example, on "My Baby Just Cares For Me," the brass shoots razor-sharp notes against a canvas of swingin' reeds. 

In contrast, on "Nevertheless," the music is serene and romantic, wistful and sentimental. Highlights on this album include the diverse and familiar "Singin' In the Rain," "A Fine Romance," and "I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me." http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=1177317&style=music&fulldesc=T

Personnel: Count Basie (piano, organ); Joe Williams (vocals); Buddy Bregman (arranger); Marshall Royal (alto saxophone, clarinet); Bill Graham (alto saxophone); Frank Foster (tenor saxophone); Charlie Fowlkes (baritone saxophone); Thad Jones, Reunald Jones, Wendell Culley (trumpet); Henry Coker, Bill Hughes, Ben Powell (trombone); Freddie Green (guitar); Eddie Jones (bass); Sonny Payne (drums).

Greatest! Count Basie Plays, Joe Williams Sings Standards

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Lauren White - Meant To Be

Size: 100,1 MB
Time: 42:13
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Angel Eyes Your Heart Is As Black As Night (4:33)
02. I Can't Be New (4:29)
03. Chove Chuva (3:52)
04. Heart's Desire (3:59)
05. Wish (4:00)
06. Music After The Rain (3:37)
07. Now You Know (4:29)
08. The Meaning Of The Blues (4:18)
09. Everything Must Change (5:02)
10. Meant To Be (Saudades De Casa) (3:50)

Eminently soulful and stylish Los Angeles based vocalist Lauren White may be a relatively new face on the indie jazz scene, but she’s been leading up to her emergence with Meant To Be with a colorful career as a performer that includes appearing in musical shows on and off Broadway, acting on soap operas and working as a popular cabaret performer for many years.

It’s always inspiring when artists new to the public don’t play it safe by rehashing the same old standards we’ve heard a million times. More than simply a genre-transcendent 10 track set celebrating White’s many influences, Meant To Be is a true invitation. With her beautiful voice and crisp, emotional phrasing that goes inside the lyrics, she opens a door beyond these fresh interpretations of magical (and sometimes obscure) gems that will hopefully prompt listeners to embark on a whimsical musical discovery tour of their own.

It’s exciting to come along for the right as she doesn’t simply revisit, but fully re-imagines pieces by a fascinating and diverse roster of renowned artists and songwriters. The launching pad was Jorge Ben’s bossa classic “Chove Chuva” (originally recorded by Sergio Mendes), and she and her producer, keyboardist and chief arranger Quinn Johnson whip up a delightfully exotic treat. Wrapping the listener’s heart around their fingers, they tap into the catalogs of Susan Werner (“I Can’t Be New”), Dave Frishberg/Alan Broadbent (“Heart’s Desire”), Joshua Redman (“Wish,” with lyrics by one of the album’s arrangers, Eli Brueggemann), Stephen Sondheim (“Now You Know” from “Merrily We Roll Along”), Bobby Troup (“The Meaning of the Blues”), Bernard Ighner (“Everything Must Change”) and Ivan Lins (“Saudades de Casa,” refashioned in English as “Meant To Be”).

White also takes a unique liberty for a jazz-oriented recording by doing two original “mashups” (unexpected medleys)—one featuring the classic “Angel Eyes” mixed seamlessly with Melody Gardot’s “Your Heart Is As Black As Night,” the other blending the early Carole King tune “Music” with John Coltrane’s “After The Rain.”

Drawing on her long history and love of collaborations, Lauren brings these arrangements to life with a host of Los Angeles jazz stalwarts, including bassists Trey Henry and Hussain Jiffry, drummers Ray Brinker and Kevin Winard, saxophonist Bob Sheppard, and guitarists Bob Mann and Kleber George. Although Lauren’s sultry voice and keen phrasing are the driving forces of Meant To Be, she says that the album is the dynamic result of a one of a kind synergy she shares with Johnson and the album’s executive producer, Clifford Bell. She met both of these key creative partners through Michael Orland (renowned for his work as Associate Musical Director on “American Idol”), who co-produced Lauren’s 2010 self titled debut album with guitarist Ted Perlman (“Buffalo Sound”) and performed traditional cabaret shows with her many times at Los Angeles venues like the Cinegrill and the Bel Age Hotel.
There are a lot of excellent standards interpreters around, but if you’re looking for fresh voices and songs that haven’t been done too often, Lauren White’s Meant To Be is an exciting place to start. ~Jonathan Widran

Meant To Be

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Cory Weeds - Up A Step: The Music Of Hank Mobley

Size: 139,5 MB
Time: 60:22
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2012
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. A Dab Of This And That (7:25)
02. Up Over And Out (7:13)
03. Bossa For Baby (6:10)
04. Baptist Beat (8:30)
05. Up A Step (8:06)
06. I See Your Face Before Me (8:28)
07. Straight, No Filter (6:34)
08. Perfectly Hank (7:53)

Featuring Cory Weeds, tenor saxophone / Oliver Gannon, guitar / Mike LeDonne, Hammond B3 organ / Jesse Cahill, drums

Last fall, the Vancouver, B.C.-based tenor saxophonist Cory Weeds (b.1973) began planning this CD–his fifth as a leader. “Over a number of years,” says Weeds, “I’ve gotten to know (the New York-based pianist and organist) Mike LeDonne (b.1956) as a friend,” he explains, “and we’ve played together a lot. I’ve booked him at my jazz club in Vancouver (Weeds, of course, owns The Cellar there) several times. And I recorded my first CD as a leader (2008's BIG WEEDS, Cellar Live CLO11308) with him (and Peter Bernstein and Joe Farnsworth). So I decided to bring him to The Cellar for two nights, put together a little tour for right after that–two nights in Bellingham (Washington), two in Seattle, and two in Edmonton–and the last night of the tour, do a live record.”
But, from there, Weeds was in the weeds. “I needed an original concept for the album,” he says. “Then I talked to Mike (LeDonne), and he suggested doing an album of Hank Mobley tunes. And I thought that was a fantastic idea, but I wanted to avoid things like ‘This I Dig of You,’ which has been recorded a lot…So I started looking up what Hank had written…”Weeds immediately zeroed in on one of his favorite Mobley songs: “A Baptist Beat,” from Mobley’s 1960 album ROLL CALL. And, LeDonne singled out five others: “A Dab Of This And That” and “Bossa For Baby” from Mobley’s 1967 date FAR AWAY LANDS; “Up A Step,” from Mobley’s 1963 LP NO ROOM FOR SQUARES; “Up, Over And Out” from the 1968 Mobley album REACH OUT; and “Straight No Filter,” from Mobley’s LP of the same name (recorded in 1963, but unreleased until 1985). Then, the two agreed on a Weeds choice, the Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz ballad “I See Your Face Before Me,” from the 1937 Broadway show BETWEEN THE DEVIL–recorded by Mobley on his 1965 album DIPPIN’, as well as by John Coltrane, Frank Sinatra, Johnny Hartman and Miles Davis–and a blues, LeDonne’s own “Perfectly Hank.” And, the organist went to work writing arrangements.

Up A Step

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Aled Jones - Reason To Believe

Size: 116,8 MB
Time: 49:44
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2007
Styles: Pop
Art: Full

01. No Frontiers (4:33)
02. Reason To Believe (3:33)
03. Some Kind Of Wonderful (Feat. Cerys Matthews) (3:34)
04. If (2:40)
05. Father And Son (3:41)
06. Hallelujah (3:19)
07. Angel (3:47)
08. All My Trials Lord (4:12)
09. Always There (4:12)
10. The Rose (3:21)
11. You've Got A Friend (4:48)
12. Be Still My Soul (4:36)
13. Whenever God Shines His Light (3:22)

One would never guess that Reason to Believe was an Aled Jones album, after all, wasn't he the choir boy with the angelic soprano voice singing the sorts of songs one would hear regularly on Songs of Praise or other religious television programs? Well, yes he was, but even choir boys grow up, and Jones shows a maturity in his voice on Reason to Believe that is both surprising and pleasant. There were still the religious overtones on tracks such as "Hallelujah," "All My Trails Lord," "Be Still My Soul," and "Whenever God Shines His Light," which was the only up-tempo track among of a sea of ballads, but the rest of the album was a mix of non-religious originals and cover versions. He duets with Cerys Matthews on "Some Kind of Wonderful," and Gretchen Peters joined him on the opening track "No Frontiers." Unlike both the original Cat Stevens and the Boyzone cover version of "Father and Son," he doesn't bother differentiating his voice between the two viewpoints. When he sings a beautiful original ballad like "Angel" or "Always There," one is left wondering why he felt the need to record inferior cover versions of David Gates' "If," Bette Midler's "The Rose," and James Taylor's "You've Got a Friend." His version of the title track is closer to the Glen Campbell version than the more famous Rod Stewart recording, but then it really would be too much to ask Aled Jones to sound like the biggest gravel-voiced crooner of all. ~by Sharon Mawer

Reason To Believe

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Jody Kidwell - My Funny Valentine

Size: 115,0 MB
Time: 49:14
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz/Pop/Classical Vocals
Art: Front

01. Lorelei (2:40)
02. Charade (2:47)
03. Is You Is Or Is You Ain't (2:56)
04. Everytime We Say Goodbye (4:29)
05. My Funny Valentine (3:50)
06. I Get A Kick Out Of You (5:04)
07. No Moon At All (2:57)
08. Here's That Rainy Day (2:52)
09. All The Things Things You Are (4:42)
10. What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life (3:29)
11. Come Rain Or Come Shine (2:37)
12. Can't Help Lovin' That Man (4:32)
13. Cry Me A River (3:24)
14. The Night Has A Thousand Eyes (2:50)

Jody Kidwell, Mezzo-Soprano, was a winner in the third Luciano Pavarotti International Voice Competition, and was later chosen by Mr. Pavarotti to appear in Luisa Miller filmed by PBS. Gian Carlo Menotti directed her in his opera, The Saint of Bleecker Street and her portrayal of Desideria was heralded by critics as "all stops out singing..haunting..steamy..intense".

As Zulma in Opera Company of Philadelphia's L'Italiana in Algeri, Ms. Kidwell was heard and seen on WHYY's Philadelphia Performs series. Other roles include Carmen in Carmen, Isabella in L'Italiana in Algeri, Olga in Eugene Onegin, Maddalena in Rigoletto.

Recently Ms. Kidwell appeared with Opera Columbus as Aldonza/Dulcinea in Man of LaMancha, and as Dido in Dido and Aeneas, with the Lehigh Chamber Symphony in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Ms. Kidwell is equally known for her character work as Czipra in The Gypsy Baron, Mrs. McLean in Susannah, and Mrs. Peachum in Kurt Weill's Threepenny Opera. At home on the concert stage, Ms. Kidwell has performed the major concert works of Verdi, Beethoven, Rossini, Elgar, DeFalla, Mahler and Mozart with the North Carolina Symphony, The Las Vegas Philharmonic, The Philadelphia Orchestra, The National Symphony of San Jose, Costa Rica and Bogota, Columbia. She has also sung the major oratorio works of Bach, Handel, and Mendelssohn. She can be heard on the Lyrachord label in Mozart's Requiem with Vox Ama Deus.

Last spring Ms. Kidwell was soloist with the Vox Ama Deus ensemble in Bach's B Minor Mass at the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia. Additionally, Ms. Kidwell has performed with Peter Nero and the Philly Pops and is a regular guest with the Ocean City Pops on the famous Jersey Shore Boardwalk at the Music Pier. In August 2008, Ms. Kidwell was guest soloist with the Philharmonic Orchestra of Bogota in Mahler's Das Lied von der Erde. Ms. Kidwell returned to the Kimmel Center in November as soloist in Beethoven's Missa Solemnis, with Vox Ama Deus; to be released on the Lyrachord label.

Ms. Kidwell resides in Philadelphia and is Cantorial soloist at Congregation Rodeph Shalom and a member of the faculty at Settlement Music School.

My Funny Valentine

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Jason Carroll & The Smooth Jazz Symphony - 2 Smooth

Size: 126,2 MB
Time: 54:21
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. Take 2 (4:33)
02. It Could Be Real (4:29)
03. Weather Channel (5:11)
04. Gx2 (Groove Times Two) (4:42)
05. Taste The Sun (4:38)
06. Mirrors (3:45)
07. Time Of My Life (4:22)
08. Window Shopping (4:17)
09. Come Along (3:34)
10. Remember (5:17)
11. Paradise (4:39)
12. Brand New (4:47)

Smooth jazz producer, multi-instrumentalist and artist Jason Carroll first got his name when he released his ultra smooth debut album entitled Cool which continues to fascinate smooth jazz fans around the world. Jason is known mostly for his ability to play various instruments extremely well and blend them together perfectly on his smooth works.

Jason is a pianist, drummer, bass player, guitarist, and talented producer that has produced for and worked with various artists. He recently finished his sophomore album 2 Smooth and continues to create great music. He's also recorded songs that place the guitar in the spotlight. Add that to his already soulful, funky and smooth production and you have a "revolutionized Norman Brown."

2 Smooth

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Dion Parson & 21St Century Band - St. Thomas

Size: 136,2 MB
Time: 58:26
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz Fusion, Reggae, Calipso
Art: Front

01. St. Thomas (5:15)
02. Calypso Bayou (4:51)
03. What A Wonderful World (4:40)
04. Minor Details (4:11)
05. Ambergris Cay (5:36)
06. Rockin' In Rhythm (4:13)
07. All Blues (6:10)
08. Come Now (3:40)
09. Three Little Birds (6:27)
10. 21St. Century (4:17)
11. Knights At The Round Table (9:00)

As the next generation of emerging U.S.V.I. artists, Dion Parson & 21st Century Band is fast becoming the model for musicians from the Virgin Islands. St. Thomas - an amalgam of flavors ranging from soulful melodies to hard-hitting rhythms - demonstrates the technical skills and creativity cultivated from such a lush musical and cultural heritage.

"Ultimately, St. Thomas is the musical expression of the journey through the diverse history and musical diaspora of the U.S. Virgin Islands, presented in a jazz format with the freedom of interpretation through various improvisational styles." - Dion Parson

Dion Parson & 21st Century Band: Dion Parson - Drums/Percussion Ron Blake - Tenor/Soprano/Baritone Saxophone Rashawn Ross - Trumpet Victor Provost -Steel Pan Reuben Rogers - Bass Carlton Holmes - Piano/Keyboards Alioune Faye Saber - Drums/Percussion Special Guest - Boo Reiners on Banjo.

In 21st Century Band, GRAMMY award-winning drummer and composer Dion Parson has put together a powerhouse ensemble. Comprised of seven of the world's finest musicians, the band features a fresh innovative sound that boasts a superb mix of US Virgin Islands traditions such as Quelbe, and other Caribbean infusions like reggae, calypso, soca, mento, ska, zouk, steel pan, chutney, and funk with New Orleans and African overtones. Together, these supremely talented artists deliver their special brand of Caribbean Jazz with down-home sophistication and a high energy level that has audiences-young and old- soaring to their feet time and time again. Their sold-out performances at prestigious venues like Jazz at Lincoln Center's Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola in New York City have garnered such rave reviews from fans and critics alike that the club has hosted the ensemble for week-long performances every year since June 2008.

St. Thomas

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Stan Getz - Stan Getz Plays

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 24:20
Size: 55.7 MB
Styles: West Coast jazz, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1952/2001/2013
Art: Front

[3:12] 1. 'tis Autumn
[3:01] 2. The Way You Look Tonight
[2:56] 3. Time On My Hands
[2:56] 4. You Turned The Tables On Me
[3:21] 5. Stars Fell On Alabama
[2:55] 6. Lover, Come Back To Me
[3:14] 7. Body And Soul
[2:42] 8. Stella By Starlight

Tenor saxophonist Stan Getz is in excellent form playing with one of his finest groups, a quintet with guitarist Jimmy Raney and pianist Duke Jordan. Although the music does not quite reach the excitement level of the Getz-Raney Storyville session, this music (particularly the ballads) really shows off the tenor's appealing tone. This set is rounded out by four titles that Getz cut with a quartet in 1954 that co-starred pianist Jimmy Rowles. ~Scott Yanow

Stan Getz Plays

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Becca Stevens Band - Perfect Animal

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:43
Size: 111.5 MB
Styles: Singer-songwriter, Folk
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[3:33] 1. I Asked
[5:06] 2. Imperfect Animals
[4:05] 3. Thinkin' Bout You
[5:04] 4. Be Still
[4:36] 5. 105
[5:36] 6. Tillery
[5:07] 7. You Make Me Wanna
[5:00] 8. Reminder
[5:21] 9. Higher Love
[5:11] 10. JAC

“I wanted to use the word ‘animal’ in the album title, because writing and recording this set of songs was like taming something that had a life of its own,” Becca Stevens says of her revelatory new album Perfect Animal (April 2015). ”The title came from the track ‘Imperfect Animals’ which I wrote about the instinct to strive for perfection pulling against the understanding that such a condition is not humanly possible. That’s a big theme for me, and it’s something that I go through in my daily life, in my relationships, and every time I write a song.”

Perfect Animal marks a quantum musical leap for the North Carolina-bred, New York-based artist. It boasts her most personally-charged songwriting and her most urgent, impassioned singing to date, along with vivid, adventurous arrangements that show off her fiercely expressive guitar work as well as the talents of her longstanding band: keyboardist/accordionist Liam Robinson and bassist Chris Tordini, both of whom Stevens has worked with since 2005, and drummer/percussionist Jordan Perlson, who joined three years later.

Perfect Animal

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