Heather Keizur - J'ai Deux Amours

Size: 148,1 MB
Time: 63:49
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2010
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

01. J'ai Deux Amours (5:11)
02. Comment Allez-Vous (3:12)
03. Les Parapluies De Cherbourg (4:35)
04. La Vie En Rose (6:15)
05. Look Of Love (4:04)
06. Plus Je T'embrasse (4:07)
07. Fais-Moi Valser (5:25)
08. You And I (5:25)
09. Les Feuilles Mortes (5:14)
10. I Love Paris (4:36)
11. Hymne À L'amour (4:36)
12. Never Let Me Go (7:12)
13. Deed I Do (3:52)

Romantic is the mood of this collection of French and English love songs sung in the sometimes sultry, sometimes soulful voice of new jazz vocalist Heather Keizur on this unique album featuring a string quartet, mandolin and a melodica in addition to the masterful accompaniment of piano, saxophone, bass and drums.

Heather Keizur has a lot of love and life in your voice. Her beautiful voice is joined on this album by some world class players: Steve Christofferson on piano and melodica, David K Mathews on piano, Michael Zisman on bass and mandolin, Akira Tana on drums, Joe Cohen on sax, Jeremy Cohen on violin, Philip Santos on violin, Keith Lawrence on viola, and Joseph Hebert on cello.

The stories in these songs come through with passion. Heather's voice is beautiful and mature and her timing is
exquisite. Her songs provide a romantic mood and a touch of Paris.

J'ai Deux Amours

---

Larry Carlton & David T. Walker - @ Billboard Live Tokyo

Size: 164,1 MB
Time: 70:58
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. Burnable (Live) (10:33)
02. Nite Crawler (Live) ( 6:42)
03. March Of The Jazz Angels (Live) ( 6:51)
04. Soul Food Cafe (Live) ( 7:48)
05. A Place For Skipper (Live) ( 7:56)
06. 10PM (Live) (10:18)
07. The Well's Gone Dry (Live) ( 8:01)
08. Feel Like Makin' Love (Live) ( 4:27)
09. My Baby By My Side (Live) ( 8:19)

For the first time, guitar greats Larry Carlton and David T. Walker share the stage. Recorded at the Billboard Live in Tokyo Japan, this album features classics composed by Larry as well as David T. You will enjoy taking a step back in time with tracks like the Crusaders The Well's Gone Dry and the groovy blues tune My Baby By My Side.

The @ Billboard Live Tokyo

---

The Bosman Twins - When Lions Roar

Size: 154,4 MB
Time: 65:58
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz: Soul Jazz
Art: Front

01. Manisfestation (3:25)
02. Life Moves Forward (3:50)
03. Pootie (5:17)
04. Cruising Through The Mall (5:22)
05. Many Moons (7:28)
06. Seclusion (3:27)
07. Mariposa (5:36)
08. My Daddy Was A Horn Playa (Feat. Cheryl D.S. Walker) (6:04)
09. When Lions Roar (6:50)
10. Bosz (4:56)
11. Everything Must Change (4:37)
12. DB Blues (4:48)
13. Tuned In (4:12)

"When Lions Roar" is the Bosman Twins’ inaugural foray into original compositions and features many of the jazz worlds finest musicians, including Jeff Anderson, Montez Coleman, Eric Slaughter and Ptah Williams. The album also features guests artists Daryl Darden, Robert U. Griffin, Jr. and Longineu Parsons, Jr.

The sophisticated, stylish and Emmy Award winning identical twins Dwayne and Dwight Bosman are nationally and internationally known among jazzdom's best. The Bosman Twins interpret jazz in all of it's permutations, shapes and sounds. Think Jazz and think about sharp riffs, or sudden wails that burst into searing melodies. If you think Coltrane, Gershwin and Charlie Parker and Miles Davis; New Orleans, Kansas City, Chicago or the legendary 52nd Street in the Big Apple you will think of The Bosman Twins who embody all things jazz. The Bosman Twins mesmerize with smooth melodies, grove with funky rhythms and electrify audiences with their straight ahead.

The Bosman Twins have been the subject of jazz themed articles in several publications, including national Geographic, Ebony, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, The Riverfront Times, St. Louis Magazine, Take Five Magazine and TV Guide. Standouts at the Soho Jazz Festival in London, the Twins have also played extensive European dates with the Legendary Fontella Bass, and over the years they have performed with other great entertainers such as Curtis Mayfield, Roy Ayers, Lester Bowie and have shared the stage with Branford Marsalis, Freddie Cole and many others.

When Lions Roar

---

Callie Cardamon - Time And The Weather

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:58
Size: 99,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:21)  1. Blue Tomorrow
(4:21)  2. Time & The Weather
(4:00)  3. Spanish Wine
(3:59)  4. Sometimes I Need A Mother
(5:20)  5. Algiers
(3:57)  6. Steady
(4:31)  7. Sweet Tuesday
(3:27)  8. Simple Pleasure
(6:56)  9. Lifetime To Lifetime
(3:02) 10. Rainbow Street

A beautiful, moody, savvy collection... Cardamon's voice is as lush and seductive as any I've heard in some time. Her material is strong and here's an item Cardamon co-wrote all 10 tracks. . .this is my needle in the haystack album of the year. Best get up with Callie and savor her classy wares. Definitely one of the most righteous debuts in recent memory. ~ Philip Van Vleck, The Spectator

Callie Cardamon's "Time and the Weather" is nothing short of spectacular!" ~ Female FYI

Cardamon's vocals hold their own in the context of a very demanding style of singing. 

~ Icon Editorial Reviews  http://www.amazon.com/Time-Weather-Callie-Cardamon/dp/B00002MZ76

Time And The Weather

---

Gene Harris, Scott Hamilton Quintet - At Last

Styles:  Piano and Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1990
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:53
Size: 160,0 MB
Art: Front

(6:44)  1. You Are My Sunshine
(4:13)  2. It Never Entered My Mind
(5:00)  3. After You've Gone
(6:57)  4. The Lamp Is Low
(5:13)  5. At Last
(7:01)  6. Blues For Gene
(6:10)  7. I Fall In Love Too Easily
(6:38)  8. Some Of These Days
(5:34)  9. Stairway To The Stars
(6:17) 10. Sitin' In The Sandtrap

As part of Concord Records’ programme to release classic recordings on hybrid Super Audio CD (SACD) comes At Last , a 1990 session that finally realized pianist Gene Harris’ wish to record with tenor saxophonist Scott Hamilton. For fans of mainstream jazz that leans to the West Coast sound, this is a fine record that swings comfortably; safe, but full of life. Harris, who has released over thirty-five recordings as a leader and over seventy as a sideman, has an easy-going style that owes much to Oscar Peterson but is less rambunctious. Hamilton, who emerged in the ‘70s as one of the few young saxophonists who wasn’t lured in by the fusion movement, has a similar number of recordings as a leader and well over a hundred as a guest, including work with Charlie Byrd, Ruby Braff, Rosemary Clooney and Woody Herman. He combines the swing of Zoot Sims with the warmth and sentimentality of Ben Webster’s more romantic side. Guitarist Herb Ellis, who has recorded well over a hundred albums in a long career that has included work with Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holliday, Coleman Hawkins and Stan Getz, is a remarkable player with a rich dark tone and formidable chops. 

Bassist Ray Brown, who graced literally hundreds of recordings with legends including Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holliday and Charlie Parker, was no less of a giant himself when he sadly passed away in 2002. His robust tone and impeccable time made him the first call bassist for artists too many to count. Drummer Harold Jones, who has worked with artists including Ernestine Andersen, Count Basie and Sarah Vaughan, has a relaxed sense of swing that makes him the perfect choice for this set of mainly standards. 

Together the quintet demonstrates an effortless ability to swing; as much felt as heard, they bring a grace and elegance to the material. Brown’s “Sittin’ in the Sandtrap” may be simple stuff, but Brown’s relentless yet relaxed walk and Jones’ subtle shadings provide an ideal vehicle for Hamilton, Harris and Ellis to strut. “After You’ve Gone” is an up-tempo burner that features especially nimble work from Hamilton, while the light bossa groove of “The Lamp is Low” exposes the more tender side of his playing. Milt Jackson’s “Blues for Gene” gives Brown a rare chance to solo, demonstrating his typical lyricism and broader sense of time; Ellis plays just behind the beat, delivering a solo that is perfect in construction; Harris’ solo comes from Peterson by way of Art Tatum. This group is not necessarily about a daring sense of adventure or moving things forward; what it is about is a relaxed and pleasantly engaging sound that fits comfortably and entices with its familiarity. An inspired mainstream performance with exceptional remastered sound, At Last is a fitting addition to Concord’s continuing series of reissues. ~ John Kelman  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/at-last-gene-harris-concord-music-group-review-by-john-kelman.php

Personnel: Gene Harris (piano), Scott Hamilton (tenor saxophone), Herb Ellis (guitar), Ray Brown (bass) Harold Jones (drums)

At Last

---

Heads Of State - Search for Peace

Styles: Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:08
Size: 156,5 MB
Art: Front

( 5:46)  1. Impressions
( 4:32)  2. Uncle Bubba
(11:41)  3. Search for Peace
( 7:28)  4. Capuchin Swing
( 7:21)  5. Soulstice
( 9:26)  6. Crazy She Calls Me
( 7:23)  7. Summer Serenade
( 6:55)  8. Lotus Blossom
( 7:33)  9. I Wish I Knew

Heads of State is an all-star group featuring saxophonist Gary Bartz, pianist Larry Willis, bassist Buster Williams and drummer Al Foster. The quartet's debut album, Search for Peace, will be released July 17 by Smoke Sessions Records. JazzTImes is pleased to present this exclusive album preview for a limited time only. http://jazztimes.com/sections/AlbumPreviews/articles/164384-jt-album-preview-heads-of-state-s-search-for-peace

In the distinguished roster of jazz clubs in Buffalo history, the most unjustly unsung, by far, was Bemo Crockett’s Revilot Club on East Ferry Street near Jefferson. It operated magnificently in an era when jazz was not yet flourishing in Buffalo as it would soon when W. D. Hassett’s Downtown Room in the Statler and Ed Lawson’s Tralfamadore took hold and changed Buffalo live jazz listenership in a big way.

The Revilot once known as the Bon Ton was a wonderful club which booked the cream of early 1970s jazz musicians. Some of its best moments were predictable groups led by Herbie Hancock, Elvin Jones, Bill Evans and McCoy Tyner, for instance. But some were as unpredictable as can be. Who would have expected drummer Roy Haynes to assemble one of the most powerful quartets heard live at the time? Almost as unpredictable was a group led by alto saxophonist Gary Bartz who was seldom considered a jazz star even though some amazing records called “Harlem Bush Music” were made by a group called Gary Bartz’s NTU Troop (named after a noun suffix in Bantu language).

In keeping with his life of total unpredictability in jazz, here in the 21st century, featuring alto saxophonist Bartz, is a powerhouse quartet of musicians who call themselves Heads of State and are veteran jazz musicians who all had experience playing in bands that played Bemo Crockett’s Revilot Club.

Bartz is the lead solo voice with pianist Larry Willis, bassist Buster Williams and drummer Al Foster. You don’t find a more well-traveled quartet of jazz musicians than this. But, in its straightforward mainstream way, it is a wonderful way to reintroduce Bartz, an unusual alto saxophonist who must now be understood to be almost singular. The alto is an instrument usually thought to be utterly beholden in jazz to Charlie Parker ever since he and Dizzy Gillespie overturned jazz with bebop in the 1940s. Bartz, though, in 2015, is a lyrical player--a singer on his instrument but one with a lusty tone rather than the exquisite sound of, say, Johnny Hodges (whom Duke Ellington used to refer to as his band’s “Lily Pons.”)

Bartz is very much his own player when you hear him in the 21st century. When this band played the Smoke Club at first, they were booked as the Larry Willis All-Stars but one listen to this disc and it’s obvious why Bartz was one of the most stellar of all performers at the Revilot Club in the early ’70s. Timeless music, beautifully played. 

~ Jeff Simon http://buffalo.com/2015/06/25/news/music/disc-reviews/disc-review-heads-of-state-search-for-peace/

Personnel: Gary Bartz (soprano saxophone, alto saxophone); Larry Willis (piano); Al Foster (drums); Buster Williams (bass).

Search for Peace

---

Kenny Barron Super Trio - Super Standard

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:42
Size: 155,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:28)  1. All of Me
(7:20)  2. Bye Bye Blackbird
(5:03)  3. Cherokee
(3:59)  4. Cleopatra's Dream
(6:48)  5. Doxy
(8:11)  6. Misty
(5:51)  7. Stolen Moments
(4:21)  8. Summer Night
(5:33)  9. Sunset and the Mockingbird
(5:47) 10. Sweet and Lovely
(6:18) 11. Willow Weep for Me
(3:02) 12. Yesterdays

Super Trio is the name given by the Japanese Venus label to a trio of Manhattan based musicians, consisting of pianist Kenny Barron, bassist Jay Leonhart, and drummer Al Foster. Contractual reasons may have prevented the CD's release under Barron's name and like many Venus dates, this is not a working trio, but one assembled for the record date. As one of the busiest pianists around, Barron has a wealth of music at his fingertips and he doesn't disappoint with fresh approaches to standards and jazz compositions that make up this session. Leonhart occasionally shows a sense of humor in his solos, while Foster is a capable drummer who has worked with many stars, in addition to occasionally recording as a leader. The driving "All of Me" is a nice switch from the typical relaxed arrangement, while the Latin-flavored take of Bud Powell's "Cleopatra's Dream" swings. Barron's scoring of "Misty" proves lyrical and spacious, while he personalizes Duke Ellington's rarely performed "Sunset and the Mockingbird" with his distinctive touch. It is difficult not to think of Art Tatum when one sees "Willow Weep for Me" followed by "Yesterdays," but Tatum was not on Barron's mind for these performances. The former is a showcase for Leonhart's masterful arco playing, with the latter being a bouncy post-bop rendition of this old chestnut. ~ Kenny Dryden  http://www.allmusic.com/album/super-standard-mw0000744618

Personnel: Kenny Barron, piano; Jay Leonhart, bass; Al Foster, drums

Super Standard

---

Sonny Clark - Leapin' And Lopin'

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:12
Size: 126.4 MB
Styles: Hard bop, Piano jazz
Year: 1961/2008
Art: Front

[6:19] 1. Somethin' Special
[6:43] 2. Deep In A Dream
[7:47] 3. Melody For C
[5:39] 4. Eric Walks
[7:37] 5. Voodoo
[7:13] 6. Midnight Mambo
[5:39] 7. Zellmar's Delight
[8:11] 8. Melody For C

Sonny Clark's fifth Blue Note recording as a leader is generally regarded as his best, especially considering he composed four of the seven tracks, and they all bear his stamp of originality. What is also evident is that he is shaping the sounds of his quintet rather than dominating the proceedings as he did on other previous dates. Tenor saxophonist Charlie Rouse and trumpeter Tommy Turrentine play very little harmony on the date, but their in-tune unison lines are singularly distinctive, while bassist Butch Warren and a young drummer Billy Higgins keep the rhythmic coals burning with a steady glowing red heat. Among the classic tunes is the definitive hard bop opener "Somethin' Special" which lives up to its title in a most bright and happy manner, with Clark merrily comping chords. "Melody for C" is similarly cheerful, measured, and vivid in melodic coloration, the CD containing a slightly longer alternate take. "Zellmar's Delight," not included on the original LP, finally has the tenor and trumpet playing harmony during a tricky, progressive melody, not at all conventional, which is perhaps why it was initially omitted. The showstopper is "Voodoo," the ultimate yin/yang, dark, late night, sly and slinky jazz tune contrasted by Clark's tinkling piano riffs. Warren wrote the exciting hard bopper "Eric Walks" reminiscent of a Dizzy Gillespie tune, while Turrentine's "Midnight Mambo" mixes metaphors of Afro-Cuban music with unusual off-minor phrases and the stoic playing of Rouse. Tenor saxophonist Ike Quebec plays a cameo sans the other horns on the soulful ballad "Deep in a Dream," exhibiting a vocal quality on his instrument, making one wonder if any other sessions with this group were done on the side. Top to bottom Leapin' and Lopin' is a definitive recording for Clark, and really for all time in the mainstream jazz idiom. ~Michael G. Nastos

Leapin' and Lopin' 

---

Jeanette Lindström - Sinatra-Weill

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:19
Size: 131.2 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 1999/2002
Art: Front

[8:16] 1. Speak Low
[8:01] 2. My Ship
[5:07] 3. The Tender Trap
[5:37] 4. Blame It On My Youth
[7:13] 5. Fly Me To The Moon
[6:10] 6. Lonely House
[4:52] 7. All My Tomorrows
[6:00] 8. The Lady Is A Tramp
[5:58] 9. Lost In The Stars

Swedish vocalist Jeanette Lindström once prompted legendary music producer Quincy Jones to voice the portentous words: “An old soul in a young singer”, and: “She really understands what jazz is all about!” In 1995, Lindström made her major breakthrough. After being awarded the “Jazz in Sweden” prize, she recorded her debut album, Another Country, on the Caprice record label that year. This was followed in 1997 by I Saw You. In 1998 she recorded and toured with Norrbotten Big Band, led by trumpeter Tim Hagans in collaboration with pianist Kenny Werner, resulting in a CD featuring music by Kurt Weill as well as repertoire associated with Frank Sinatra, which was released in 1999. For several years, Lindström worked with pianist Steve Dobrogosz as a duo. In 2000, they released Feathers (Prophone Records). She has also toured and recorded with bass player Anders Jormin (Once, Dragon Records, 1997).

Sinatra-Weill

---

Jim Hall - Something Extraordinary

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 75:14

Size: 172.3 MB

Styles: Guitar jazz

Year: 2015

Art: Front

[6:09] 1. Time After Time

[4:29] 2. Alianca

[3:53] 3. The Lonely Time

[2:40] 4. California, Here I Come

[6:13] 5. The Girl From East 9th Street

[4:14] 6. Crazy She Calls Me

[4:51] 7. Mack The Knife

[3:46] 8. That's The Way It Is

[7:24] 9. Two Degrees East, Three Degrees West

[3:05] 10. The Green Country (New England Mood)

[5:06] 11. Samba Cepeda

[2:40] 12. Time Enough

[5:33] 13. The Swamp People

[4:53] 14. O Gato

[2:02] 15. Greensleeves

[4:38] 16. Show Me The Way To Go Home

[3:32] 17. The Train And The River

IN THE INTRO TO JIM HALL’S MAY 1983 cover story, Jim Ferguson and Arnie Berle wrote, “While most jazz guitarists are bebop-influenced and therefore somewhat alike stylistically, Jim Hall has managed to develop an approach rivaling that of Django Reinhardt, Charlie Christian, and Wes Montgomery in individuality. Inspired by tenor sax men Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins, and Ben Webster, Hall’s horn-like solos are either passionately lyrical or abstract and angular, but never predictable. Yet he’s equally know for the notes he doesn’t play—his work is unusually sparse. And Hall’s playing always reflects the gentle warmth and thoughtfulness of his own personality.”

Hall had an extraordinary career that saw him work his melodic magic with the greatest jazz musicians on the planet, including Sonny Rollins, Bill Evans, Ella Fitzgerald, Ornette Coleman, Ron Carter, Chet Baker, Steve Gadd, and many, many others. Along the way he made a profound impact on scores of jazz guitarists such as Pat Metheny, John Scofield, John McLaughlin, Bill Frisell, and just about anyone whoever played a lilting melody.

Jim Hall passed away December 10, 2013, less than a week after his 83rd birthday and the world and the world of music are poorer because of it.

Something Extraordinary  

---

Cyrille Aimée & Diego Figueiredo - Just the Two of Us

Styles: Vocal And Guitar Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:03
Size: 110,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:09)  1. Sunny Days
(4:54)  2. Tea for Two
(3:32)  3. Samois a Moi
(5:11)  4. Willow Weep for Me
(5:01)  5. Just the Two of Us
(3:42)  6. Invitation
(3:16)  7. Midnight Sun
(5:21)  8. Morena Boca de Ouro
(2:18)  9. Je Suis Seule Ce Soir
(4:03) 10. Dos Gardenias
(2:42) 11. Paper Moon
(3:49) 12. Samba em Preludio

Cyrille Aimée (pronounced Surreal M – A ) has proven herself to be an unstoppable, undeniable talent in the modern age of jazz and pop music. Internationally renowned and praised for her unparalleled abilities, Cyrille’s vocal stylings are synonymous with musical genius. Her culturally rich background has supplied her with the driving force of Dominican rhythm and the incredible swing of the French Gypsies. Taking these natural abilities with her across the world, she has done nothing short of receiving rave reviews and a loyal following in each country she graces with her voice.

Cyrille Aimée was a finalist in the prestigious Thelonious Monk Vocal Competition of 2010, performing in front of a jury of Al Jarreau, Kurt Elling, Dianne Reeves, Dee Dee Bridgewater. In 2007, Cyrille won both the first and public prize in the Montreux Jazz Festival Competition. Cyrille Aimée (pronounced Surreal M – A) has proven herself to be an unstoppable, undeniable talent in the modern age of jazz and pop music. Internationally renowned and praised for her unparalleled abilities, Cyrille’s vocal stylings are synonymous with musical genius. Her culturally rich background has supplied her with the driving force of Dominican rhythm and the incredible swing of the French Gypsies. Taking these natural abilities with her across the world, she has done nothing short of receiving rave reviews and a loyal following in each country she graces with her voice. Cyrille’s discography and musical history is an impressive list for any musician, jazz or otherwise. At the young age of 26, she has already released four CDs internationally, including “Cyrille Aimée & The Surreal Band” and “Smile” with Brazilian guitarist Diego Figueiredo. The Japanese label Venus Records has just released Cyrille and Diego’s latest duo album “Just the Two of us” this past November, 2010. Cyrille Aimée has been featured on compilations, feature film soundtracks across the globe and on the albums of Denis Chang and David Reinhardt. She fronted France’s latest worldwide sensation ‘Caravan Palace’ on their European tour and performed in front of crowds that number over 10,000 people.Her latest record “Cyrille Aimée & friends Live at Smalls” features Roy Hargrove and Joel Frahm and is released under the label SmallsLIVE.

Diego Figueiredo was born in Franca, Brazil, in 1980, and at the age of 4, he used to strike poses carrying his small guitar. At six, he got a mandolin, which was kept in a very special place in his house. Diego played many instruments before choosing the electric guitar when he was twelve, playing in theaters and local pubs, revealing the great art of improvising and harmonizing. At 15, he conquered theaters and nightclubs in many different Brazilian states, playing solo or with renowned musicians.He has studied classical guitar, Brazilian Popular Music and jazz in conservatories in Franca, Ribeirão Preto and Tatuí.

In 1999, he won first place in a contest in South America ,  he was awarded a scholarship to study at Berklee College of Music. He has played and shared the stage with , Hermeto Paschoal, Geraldo Azevedo, Sebastião Tapajós, Demônios da Garoa, Vanusa, Renato Borghetti, Osvaldo Montenegro, Jair Rodrigues, Elomar, Toquinho, Tunai, Paulinho da Viola, Nando Cordel,  Moraes Moreira, Fafá de Belém, Amelinha, Los Hermanos, Zeca Baleiro, Miyazawa and others. http://pdxjazz.com/cyrille-aimee

Just the Two of Us

---

European Jazz Piano Trio - Artfully

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:41
Size: 167,1 MB
Art: Front

(9:02)  1. Everything I love
(5:04)  2. Leibermans
(7:56)  3. The Peacocks
(8:27)  4. Artfully
(6:44)  5. A Ballad and Five Brothers
(3:01)  6. Sophie
(6:46)  7. Vivi's Waltz
(6:29)  8. Tricotism
(6:04)  9. Love Rolls On
(6:42) 10. I've Got My Feet to Keep Me Warm
(6:21) 11. The Peacocks

In 1999 Bill Charlap formed The European Jazz Piano Trio, with renowned Irish drummer Stephen Keogh and the fast rising British bass player Mark Hodgson. The trio immediately formed an exciting and creative alternative to Bill's New York based trio featuring Peter and Kenny Washington and have gone on to make several successful European tours and enjoy a constantly growing European audience.  In 2000 The European Jazz Piano Trio recorded their first CD, 'Gift' (Ashbrown Productions), with George Sherring's guitarist Louis Stewart.  http://www.jazzcds.co.uk/artist_id_59/biography_id_59

Artfully features Bill Charlap piano, Mark Hodgson bass, Stephen Keogh drums

Artfully

---

Stefano Battaglia Trio - Songways

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 78:08
Size: 179,1 MB
Art: Front

(12:11)  1. Euphonia Elegy
( 5:09)  2. Ismaro
( 7:22)  3. Vondervotteimittis
(13:50)  4. Armonia
( 6:09)  5. Mildendo Wide Song
( 6:51)  6. Monte Analogo
( 3:40)  7. Abdias
( 8:42)  8. Songways
( 5:17)  9. Perla
( 8:52) 10. Babel Hymn

Since his relationship with ECM began in 2003, Stefano Battaglia has been consistent in his use of different constellations for each recording, from 2006's double-disc Raccolto, where the Italian pianist worked with two different trios, and 2007's Re: Pasolini, another two-CD set where one employed a more broadly defined sextet and the other a string-centric quintet, to the vulnerable duo of 2010's Pastorale, with percussionist and electronic manipulator Michele Rabbia a largely constant companion throughout these three recordings. Battaglia's reliance on unusual contexts also contributed to the broader landscape of his emergent ECM discography. So it was something of a surprise when he reenlisted drummer Roberto Dani and double bassist Salvatore Maiore, who'd both performed on Re: Pasolini's sextet disc (and, in the case of Maiore, one of Raccolto's two trios). Clearly Battaglia felt compelled to further explore a specific chemistry with these two players, but in a more intimate setting. Rather than adhering to conventions often suggested by this standard configuration, however, The River of Anyder (2011) turned out to be career-defining album of unsettling and unpredictable beauty.

It's also clear that Battaglia enjoyed the experience because, for the first time since commencing his work with ECM, the pianist has delivered a second recording with the identical lineup. With Songways, Battaglia continues to explore a similar direction as Anyder, equally defined by gossamer lyricism and delicate interaction, whether in the context of stricter form or more open-ended rubato freedom. But here, the diaphanous interplay is more profound, even as Battaglia's writing for the trio has become increasingly specific, allowing each member greater freedom to more fully realize their roles in what is an equilateral triangle of finesse, melodism and subtle power. The album opens with "Euphonia Eulogy," one of two tracks that break the 12-minute mark, but there the similarities between them end. "Euphonia" is a tone poem that nevertheless possesses its own forward motion through an underlying turbulence that unfolds slowly but relentlessly, as Battaglia asserts a rolling motion with his left hand, even as he layers spare melodies with his right. Maiore adds unpredictable yet somehow inevitable harmonic movement, while the delicate pitches of Dani's cymbal splashes and soft tom rolls transcending texture to create gentle melodic counterpoint. "Armonia," on the other hand, relies more fully on space and darker textures, with Maiore only entering halfway to more firmly define form and pulse, even as Battaglia turns to building a long-form melody that feels somehow connected to antiquity even as it clearly occupies a contemporary harmonic space.

It's an approach that Battaglia's trio refers to often: concepts steeped in historical and cultural premises while never feeling time-stamped. Instead, the same out of time rather than of a time quality that so defined River of Anyder is even more omnipresent on Songways' 10-song, 78-minute program. Songways capitalizes on the strength of a trio that's been honing its craft in multiple contexts for eight years, finding beauty in every nook and cranny even as it eschews the obvious, and continues to hone its profoundly lyrical language with music that paints vivid pictures and evokes cinematic landscapes, encouraging the imagination to run where it will. ~ John Kelman  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/songways-stefano-battaglia-ecm-records-review-by-john-kelman.php

Personnel: Stefano Battaglia: piano; Salvatore Maiore: double bass; Roberto Dani: drums.

Songways

---

Steve - Farmers Market

Styles: Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:26
Size: 136,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:19)  1. Night in Tunisia
(3:36)  2. Cloudburst
(5:19)  3. Stockholm Sweetnin'
(4:33)  4. Joyspring
(5:14)  5. I Can't See a Spring
(4:46)  6. Blue Daniel
(6:35)  7. Four
(5:08)  8. Social Call
(5:04)  9. The Boss
(6:36) 10. Farmer's Market
(7:09) 11. Lady B Good

Finally this album is now released for all international listeners!Originally released 2011 in Sweden the album was a great success for Stockholm based group Steve. Steve consists of singer Karina Kampe, Flugelhorn and cornet player Anders Ellman, Pianist Petter Carlson, Bassist Ulf Hammarstrand and drummer Mats Jadin. The music originates from the golden jazz era of Be Bop but also incorporates new compositions by the bands members. Songs include Cloudburst, Farmer's Market and Night in Tunisia. Karina Kampe has written new lyrics to formerly instrumental Blue Daniel as well as providing the heart wrenchingly beautiful "I Can't See a Spring" dealing with the loss of a loved one. Steve performs all over Europe and now hope to expand over the Atlantic as well. Very well received performances include the Bb Club in Berlin as well as Stockholm- as well as Tallinn jazz festival.  More...http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/steve92

 

Farmers Market

---

Various - American Graffiti (Highlights)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:43
Size: 109.3 MB
Styles: Oldies
Year: 1973/1998
Art: Front

[2:09] 1. Bill Haley & His Comets - Rock Around The Clock
[2:16] 2. Del Shannon - Runaway
[2:17] 3. Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers - Why Do Fools Fall In Love
[2:14] 4. Buddy Holly - That'll Be The Day
[2:18] 5. Chuck Berry - Almost Grown
[2:37] 6. The Platters - Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
[2:06] 7. The Diamonds - Little Darlin'
[2:07] 8. The Regents - Barbara Ann
[2:00] 9. The Crickets - Maybe Baby
[2:24] 10. Fats Domino - Ain't That A Shame
[2:38] 11. Chuck Berry - Johnny B. Goode
[3:20] 12. The Flamingos - I Only Have Eyes For You
[2:42] 13. The Five Satins - To The Aisle
[2:39] 14. The Del Vikings - Come Go With Me
[1:55] 15. Johnny Burnette - You're Sixteen
[1:50] 16. The Clovers - Love Potion No. 9
[2:35] 17. The Skyliners - Since I Don't Have You
[2:39] 18. The Platters - Only You (And You Alone)
[2:42] 19. The Spaniels - Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnight
[2:05] 20. The Beach Boys - All Summer Long

In 1998, the original two-album set gets reduced to a single compact-disc selection to coincide with the 25th anniversary re-release of the original motion picture American Graffiti -- hence this best-of compilation, a curious release in and of itself. Still utilizing voice-overs from the late disc jockey Wolfman Jack, who had a memorable cameo in the movie, American Graffiti Highlights: 25th Anniversary Edition pares the original two-disc set down to highlights from Chuck Berry ("Johnny B. Goode," "Almost Grown"), Buddy Holly ("That'll Be the Day," "Maybe Baby"), the Platters ("Only You," "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes"), great rocking one-shots from Fats Domino, Del Shannon, Johnny Burnette, Bill Haley, and the Beach Boys, and plenty of great doo wop from the Spaniels, the Skyliners, the Clovers, Dell Vikings, the Five Satins, the Flamingos, the Regents, and the Diamonds. Even in this truncated 20-track form, this is still one great little oldies compilation to add to the collection. ~Cub Koda

American Graffiti (Highlights)

---

Wynton Marsalis - Standards And Ballads

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 71:12

Size: 163.0 MB

Styles: Trumpet jazz

Year: 2007

Art: Front

[5:08] 1. When It's Sleepy Time Down South

[4:07] 2. Stardust

[7:13] 3. Embraceable You

[6:16] 4. Reflections

[5:42] 5. After You've Gone

[2:53] 6. The Seductress

[6:16] 7. My Ideal

[5:59] 8. Spring Yaoundé

[5:08] 9. Melancholia

[2:48] 10. Where Or When

[5:54] 11. Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry

[5:04] 12. April In Paris

[5:20] 13. I Can't Get Started

[3:19] 14. Flamingo

Drawing from previous Columbia albums that were originally released between 1983 and 1999, this compilation serves as a best of collection when it comes to jazz’s traditional partnership with the romantic song. It’s a love-fest. What’s more, trumpeter Wynton Marsalis shares his passion for these fourteen chestnuts with his audience fluently, readily and sincerely.

Whether it’s the open horn on “Embraceable You” with piano trio or the muted Louis Armstrong tribute on “When It’s Sleepy Time Down South,” Marsalis lays it down accurately. He gets his point across. With strings, as on “Stardust,” he’s in ecstasy, just sitting back comfortably and letting the emotion flow.

The trumpeter has been criticized for several decades. That kind of discussion seems to follow fame like a lost dog on a country road. Just when you think it’s gone, you see it again over your left shoulder. Marsalis never deserved most of the criticism that was shoveled his way. Not for his trumpet playing, that is. He remains one of the best there is. Technically brilliant, rich in tone, fluid in seamless transition and conservative in his approach to improvisation, he marks the center of what jazz is.

Standards And Ballads   

---

Linda Ronstadt - Hummin' To Myself

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 36:58

Size: 84.6 MB

Styles: Vocal, Standards

Year: 2004

Art: Front

[4:31] 1. Tell Him I Said Hello

[2:21] 2. Never Will I Marry

[4:23] 3. Cry Me A River

[2:42] 4. Hummin' To Myself

[3:09] 5. Miss Otis Regrets

[3:33] 6. I Fall In Love Too Easily

[2:59] 7. Blue Prelude

[4:26] 8. Day Dream

[3:24] 9. I've Never Been In Love Before

[2:48] 10. Get Out Of Town

[2:36] 11. I'll Be Seeing You

Beginning with her 1983 album What's New, Linda Ronstadt broke away from the pop/rock world and collaborated with Nelson Riddle on a trilogy of traditional pop standards that were confidently performed and well-received. Riddle's satiny arrangements swirled around Ronstadt's rich voice as she played the kind of demure chanteuse who might have been headlining at a fashionable nightclub back in the day. The albums were lush and beautifully crafted but by the third album the formula had become tired and the novelty had worn thin. Twenty years later another fading rocker, Rod Stewart, recorded his own highly successful standards trilogy and perhaps it was his success that spurred Ronstadt to revisit the traditional pop catalog once again. Hummin' to Myself is basically a throwback to her albums that were throwbacks when first recorded. This time around Ronstadt and arranger Alan Broadbent dispense with the full orchestra in favor of a smaller big band-style combo and this setting actually works in her favor. As a rock vocalist, Ronstadt could growl with the best and there was a certain spark in songs like "Get Closer" that let a listener know that this pretty woman had a slightly naughty side. That spark was appropriately missing from the Riddle albums and with Hummin' she has a chance to incorporate a little of her rock bawdiness into her selection of standards. She does this to perfection on "Never Will I Marry," as Frank Loesser's jazzy tune showcases a performance that is sassy and one of Ronstadt's best covers. To a lesser extent, the title track and "Get Out of Town" have some zest to them, but even with the lighter arrangements, her reliance on ballads like "Cry Me a River" and "I'll Be Seeing You" take up the majority of space and bog down the disc. Even her down-tempo version of "Miss Otis Regrets" completely stifles the song's comedic, yet tragic, story line. Ronstadt was on to something when she dispensed with Riddle's orchestrations in favor of Broadbent's big-band arrangements, but the spunk shown in a few tunes isn't enough to fully carry the disc. However, with its different approach Hummin' to Myself is quite possibly Linda Ronstadt's most successful standards outing. ~Aaron Latham

Hummin' To Myself

---

The Tom Kubis Big Band - Keep Swingin': The Tom Kubis Big Band Plays Steve Allen

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 69:04

Size: 158.1 MB

Styles: Swing, Big band

Year: 1997/2008

Art: Front

[3:41] 1. Jumpy Blues

[4:45] 2. Tango Blues

[4:30] 3. Hoagy's Indiana

[3:37] 4. Le Jazz Hot

[3:12] 5. Oh, That Face

[3:44] 6. Sultry Samba

[4:44] 7. Cold September Morning

[2:54] 8. Jump, John

[3:35] 9. In The Winter, In The Summer

[3:00] 10. Mama Used To Do The Cha Cha

[5:12] 11. Something Mysterious

[6:56] 12. You Got To Have The Blues Sometimes

[3:29] 13. Keep Swingin'

[4:22] 14. Happy Tuesday

[2:05] 15. Chittlins

[4:41] 16. Payin' Your Dues

[4:29] 17. Livin' In L.A.

Steve Allen wrote a countless number of songs in his career, most of which have been long forgotten. On two CDs (of which this is the second), bandleader Tom Kubis and his orchestra perform Kubis' arrangements of some of Allen's tunes. Although the melodies are generally not memorable, the band's performances are impeccable, reasonably inventive, and swinging. Many soloists are heard from along the way, including Kubis himself (on tenor and soprano), trumpeters George Graham, Jeff Bunnell, and Stan Martin, all three trombonists, guitarist Grant Geissman, altoist Sal Lozano, and Rusty Higgins on tenor. Jack Sheldon guests on "Tango Blues" (which he sings) and "Chittlins," while Steve Allen himself sings the humorous if downbeat "Livin' in L.A." ~Scott Yanow

Keep Swingin': The Tom Kubis Big Band Plays Steve Allen

---

Cyrus Chestnut - Earth Stories

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1996
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:52
Size: 112,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:44)  1. Decisions, Decisions
(6:12)  2. Grandmama's Blues
(4:05)  3. My Song in the Night
(3:34)  4. Nutman's Invention #1
(4:20)  5. Blues from the East
(6:06)  6. Cooldaddy's Perspective
(4:30)  7. Maria's Folly
(6:28)  8. East of the Sun (And West of t
(2:28)  9. Gomez
(4:34) 10. Whoopi
(2:47) 11. In the Garden

Cyrus Chestnut's third Atlantic CD continues to showcase his tremendous growth as a thought-provoking pianist and composer. "In the Garden" is an inspirational solo indicating his gospel roots. "East of the Sun (And West of the Moon)" proves his ability to create a novel trio arrangement of a standard tune covered by numerous musicians. The remaining tracks include a number of outstanding originals, especially the reflective "My Song in the Night" and the playful "Maria's Folly." ~ Ken Dryden  http://www.allmusic.com/album/earth-stories-mw0000181948

Personnel: Cyrus Chestnut (piano); Antonio Hart (alto saxophone); Steven Carrington (tenor saxophone); Eddie Allen (trumpet); Steve Kirby (bass); Alvester Garnett (drums).

Earth Stories

---

Kenny Werner - Coalition

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:57
Size: 132,9 MB
Art: Front

( 8:38)  1. Phonetics #2 (Folk Dance)
( 7:09)  2. April Blue
(10:29)  3. Flying
(12:06)  4. Swan Song
( 8:41)  5. Tune 4
(10:52)  6. Wishful Dreaming

Kenny Werner suggests that Coalition be the name of this bass-less quintet as well as the title of their debut, and the often-roiling alliance of cultures at play here fortifies the moniker on both counts. In the liner notes, he says he built the group around Beninese guitarist Lionel Loueke and Puerto Rican alto saxophonist Miguel Zenón the musicians “I most wanted to learn from.” Ample leeway is given to both. Zenón’s antic, funky “Phonetics #2 (Folk Dance)” leads off, with handclaps surging into one of the saxophonist’s patented slippery-quick rhythmic excursions. Loueke’s “Flying” is more than twice the length of his duet rendition with Esperanza Spalding on his 2010 record Mwaliko, largely due to the guitarist making like Ladysmith Black Mambazo with his multitracked vocals before a succession of audacious jazz-rock solos, highlighted by Zenón and then Werner on electric piano.

Werner’s leadership is subtly exerted. The other four compositions are his and, as fans might expect, include a ballad to swoon for (“Swan Song”) and a sophisticated but zesty Afro-Latin vehicle (“Tune 4”). Werner anchors the former with a lengthy, barely accompanied rumination on acoustic piano. On the latter, he fills the seams while Danish saxophonist Benjamin Koppel quotes “St. Thomas” during his mezzo-soprano solo and Hungarian drummer Ferenc Nemeth roams his kit with glee. Coalition provides the latest evidence that there is no typical Kenny Werner project. The pianist-composer-improviser keeps veering forward in directions that challenge his listeners and himself. The consistent quality of his outings rewards remaining hot on his trail. ~ Britt Robson  http://jazztimes.com/articles/147623-coalition-kenny-werner

Personnel: Lionel Loueke (vocals, guitar); Benjamin Koppel (alto saxophone, baritone saxophone); Miguel Zenón (alto saxophone); Kenny Werner (piano, electric piano); Ferenc Nemeth (drums, percussion).

Coalition

---