Gordon Lee - One Two Three

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:37
Size: 141,4 MB
Art: Front

(6:11)  1. Afternoon Shadows
(5:38)  2. Moon Shower
(5:07)  3. Strawberry Fields Forever
(6:11)  4. Too Much News
(5:36)  5. Shame, Shame
(6:27)  6. Melancholy May
(5:11)  7. Autumn Leaves
(4:52)  8. Spring In The Park
(5:54)  9. In A Sentimental Mood
(5:20) 10. Keep A Low Profile
(5:06) 11. Pepper Song

Like many jazz musicians, pianist Gordon Lee has made a living playing all sorts of musical styles as an accompanist, while occasionally getting to record a jazz date of his own. One of the first Portland-based artists to record for the fledgling label Diatic, Lee's engaging originals are the primary focus, mostly trio settings with bassist Andre St. James and bassist Carlton Jackson, highlighted by his haunting "Afternoon Shadows" and the ominous "Melancholy May." His two solo features include a dramatic original ("Shame, Shame" and a dreamy interpretation of Duke Ellington's "In a Sentimental Mood" that takes on a pastoral air. Tenor saxophonist Renato Caranto (who has also recorded as a leader for Diatic) is added on three duo selections, though the standard "Autumn Leaves" and Lee's gospel-flavored "Pepper Song" prove far more compelling than the Beatles' tired "Strawberry Fields Forever," which doesn't translate so easily into jazz. ~ Ken Dryden  http://www.allmusic.com/album/one-two-three-mw0001523897

One Two Three

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Arnett Cobb - Deep Purple: The Definitive Black & Blue Sessions, Toulouse, France 1973

Size: 117,3 MB
Time: 50:35
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2002
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. Deep Purple (8:12)
02. Claude Of Mine (6:34)
03. Cobb's Blues (9:09)
04. Swannee River (7:42)
05. Cobb's Boogie (5:57)
06. Willow Weep For Me (8:12)
07. Light Like That (4:45)

Featuring Milt Buckner, Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown and Michael Silva.

Cobb was born Arnette Cleophus Cobbs in Houston, Texas. His musical career began with the local bands of Chester Boone, from 1934 to 1936, and Milt Larkin, from 1936 to 1942 (which included a period on the West Coast with Floyd Ray). He replaced Illinois Jacquet in Lionel Hampton’s band in 1942, staying with Hampton until 1947.

Cobb then started his own seven-piece band, but suffered a serious illness in 1950, which necessitated spinal surgery. Although he re-formed the band on his recovery, in 1956 its success was again interrupted, this time by a car crash. This had long term effects on his health, involving periods in hospital, and making him permanently reliant on crutches; nevertheless, Cobb worked as a soloist through the 1970s and 1980s in the U.S. and Europe.

Deep Purple

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Alexis Cole & Bucky Pizzarelli - A Beautiful Friendship

Size: 127,6 MB
Time: 54:25
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. A Beautiful Friendship (4:15)
02. East Of The Sun (4:07)
03. Honeysuckle Rorse (3:24)
04. I Thought About You (5:16)
05. If I Were A Bell (3:28)
06. Just Friends (3:36)
07. Mood Indigo (3:50)
08. Blue Moon - Moonglow (3:40)
09. On The Street Where You Live (5:37)
10. Stardust (2:57)
11. Stompin' At The Savoy (3:46)
12. On The Sunny Side Of The Street (3:15)
13. These Foolish Things (3:01)
14. Watch What Happens (4:07)

On this release, vocalist Alexis Cole joins forces with guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli. Joining them are are Nicki Parrott on bass and vocals, Frank Vignola on guitar, Anat Cohen on clarinet, and Warren Vache on trumpet.

Called "one of the great voices of today," by Jonathan Schwartz, Alexis Cole has been compared to classic jazz singers such as Sarah Vaughan and Anita O'Day. She's performed with the Boston Pops and New York Philharmonic on stage at venues from Avery Fisher Hall to the Kennedy Center.Her nine recordings, which feature musical luminaries such as Fred Hersch, Eric Alexander, Matt Wilson, Harry Pickens, Don Braden and Pat LaBarbara, have received high praise in the jazz press and are spun on radio world-wide.

In addition to her many performances on great stages, Alexis can be seen at top jazz venues like Dizzy's Club at Jazz at Lincoln Center, Birdland, The Jazz Standard, Blues Alley, and Billboard Live, Tokyo. Cole is the recipient of a Swing Journal Gold Disk award, and was a winner of the NY Jazzmobile and Montreux Jazz Festival vocal competitions, and a finalist of the Sarah Vaughan Competition.

Bucky Pizzarelli is an American jazz guitarist and banjoist, and the father of jazz guitarist John Pizzarelli and upright bassist Martin Pizzarelli. The list of musicians Pizzarelli has collaborated with over his career includes Les Paul, Stephane Grappelli, and Benny Goodman. Pizzarelli acknowledges Django Reinhardt, Freddie Green, and George Van Eps for their influences on his style and mode of play.

A Beautiful Friendship 

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Fernando Rusconi Hammond Organ Trio - Oscuridad

Size: 136,7 MB
Time: 59:17
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz: Jazz Funk, Hammond Organ
Art: Front

01. La Era De Los Modernos Pt. 2 (4:40)
02. Free And Elastic (8:53)
03. The Winner (5:20)
04. Estuvo Aqui (7:23)
05. Buga Buga Boogaloo (5:44)
06. Funny Blues (5:14)
07. Oscuridad (6:38)
08. New Directions (7:12)
09. La Era De Los Modernos Pt. 1 (3:38)
10. Amazing Grace (4:31)

The trio began operating in early 2000 and so far has recorded 5 albums, "Conclusiones" (2002), "Equilibrio" (2005), "Nada mas que decir" (2008), "Lost In Time" (2010). "No moon, no sun, no age" (2012)
From his early training with Pablo Vernieri and Marcelo Von Schultz, different musicians have joined at each stage; Pablo Fiorentini, James Suggs, Santiago Castelani, Miguel Tallarita, Ezequiel Piazza, Luis De la Torre and David Cantoni, among others.
By late 2008, the group consolidated with the addition of Ryan Anderson on guitar and Timoty Cid on drums, giving a dramatic change and affirming their musical direction which developed from his second album "Equilibrio" to a side with more funk and power, with many echoes of the 60s and 70s without losing the essence of jazz, with a sound more raw, rough, almost rock, stripped of everything digital and focused in its entirety to an aesthetic marked by good vintage and similar instruments.

He has made presentations across the country and abroad, such as the Jazz Festival of Buenos Aires, Cycle Jazzología in the San Martín Theatre, Hall A, B and Muiño of the San Martín Theatre, Jazz Festival of Moron, Hall Leopoldo Marechall of the Victoria Auditorium of San Juan, ND Ateneo, Niceto, Thelonius Club, Notorious, Jamsessions (Program channel 7), the blades of Villa Gessell, Auditorium Theatre in Mar del Plata, Neuquen, Uruguay, Corrientes, Comodoro Rivadavia, Chaco, Catamarca, Bariloche, Córdoba, Río Cuarto, Rafaela, Sunchales, Rosario, San Rafael, San Juan, Mendoza, Atlantic Coast, Chascomús, Zárate, Campana, Jazz Festival of La Plata, sample music from La Plata, among others.

In 2010, as part of the presentation of his new album "Lost In Time", the group made a tour through Argentina and Uruguay with Medeski, Martin and Wood, a renowned American trio, who in the 90's revolutionized jazz with an exquisite fusion of funk, soul, rock and groove. The group also performed at The Coliseum Bs.As, Libertador Theatre of Cordoba, La Trastienda in Montevideo Uruguay, and the Theatre Español in Neuquen.

Fernando Rusconi, Hammond B3 Organ Hohner Clavinet D6 and Pablo Vernieri, electric guitar with Marcelo Von schultz on Battery.

Fernando Rusconi:
He graduated from the Conservatory of Music “Alberto Ginastera” in Moron. He studied Instrumentation,Orchestration and Composition later on in Modern Harmony, Counterpoint, . Simultaneously, he studied Jazz improvisation and Development Sound-System Analog and Digital.

In the nineties, with the acquisition and restoration of his first Hammond B3 Organ, he ventured into the specific technique of this instrument in jazz and into the organ functioning style of renowned organists from the sixties.

Beginning in 2000 to this date, he serves as a Professor of "Harmonic Piano" after winning first place in difficult contests coveringthat subject taking place at the "Conservatorio de música Juan José Castro", Martinez (contests 2002/03 /04); “Conservatorio de musica Alberto Ginastera" Moron (contests 2001/02/03/04) ”Escuela superior de Arte de Campana” (contests 2000/01/02), "Conservatorio de música”, Chivilcoy (contests 2002/03) "Escuela Popular de Música" Lujan (competition 2007).

Oscuridad

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Charl Du Plessis Trio - Gershwin Songbook

Size: 133,1 MB
Time: 57:29
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz: Piano Jazz, Vocals
Art: Front

01. I Got Rhythm (3:09)
02. Someone To Watch Over Me (4:43)
03. Fascinating Rhythm (3:30)
04. Lets Call The Whole Thing Off (2:00)
05. I Loves You Porgy (5:33)
06. I Got Plenty O' Nuttin' (3:00)
07. Our Love Is Here To Stay (3:58)
08. The Man I Love (3:26)
09. S' Wonderful (3:43)
10. Embraceable You (4:00)
11. Rhapsody In Blue Pt. 1 (9:29)
12. Rhapsody In Blue Pt. 2 (2:53)
13. Rhapsody In Blue Pt. 3 (2:58)
14. Summertime (5:02)

The Charl du Plessis Trio is one of the most versatile and respected crossover ensembles in South Africa. The diverse style of music this trio performs ranges from Baroque, Latin, Swing, Classical to Funk and sets them apart from other instrumental groups. The trio consists of Steinway Artist Charl du Plessis (piano), Werner Spies (bass) and Hugo Radyn (drums).

The Charl du Plessis Trio was founded in 2006 to further the enjoyment of jazz music and prove that classic music lovers can enjoy jazz too. This unit recorded their first album TRIO in 2007 with jazz standards and compositions by Du Plessis. Since their first national tours this trio has become South Africa’s most wanted cross-over performers on radio, television and stage with country-wide tours each season. In 2009 the first international tour followed with sold-out performances in China, Switzerland and the Netherlands.

Since 2009 the trio has returned to China and Switzerland annually and is active as performers, teachers and clinicians in master classes and workshops.

The SHANGHAI BRUNCH album was released in 2011 and won Best Instrumental Album prize at the KykNet Ghoema awards and was nominated for a SAMA award. This disc featuring cross-over arrangements of classical music in a jazz style received rave reviews and has become one of the trio’s best-selling recordings. The trio was awarded the trophee for Best New Production at the Vryfees National Arts Festival in 2010 and 2013. They regularly perform with South African singer/entertainer Nataniël and has recorded two albums and two live DVD with this iconic artist.

In 2013 the Charl du Plessis trio was invited to perform at the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz Festival in Johannesburg alongside some of the biggest names in international jazz: Ahmad Jamal, Abdullah Ibrahim, Terence Blanchard and Tia Fuller.

Charl du Plessis has just released his first LIVE CD and DVD box set PIMP MY PIANO in 2013 featuring live recordings made in the Sand du Plessis Opera House in Bloemfontein, South Africa. This recording features three guest artists; Juan Oosthuizen (guitar), Lizelle le Roux (violin) and Jeanne-Louise Moolman (viola) performing music ranging from Mozart to Lady Gaga. This production won a SAMA Award for Best Engineer: Peter Auret.

Charl du Plessis is a Steinway Artist and one of the most respected pianists in South Africa performing across various styles and diciplines and as soloist with some of the country’s leading syphony orchestras. Werner Spies is a multi-talented bass player and teacher. Hugo Radyn is a free-lance jazz drummer and teacher high in demand for his specialised musicianship and quality of playing.

In July 2013 the Charl du Plessis trio recorded their fourth album LIVE IN SWITZERLAND in Ernen, Switzerland. The Trio just released their fourth disc featuring the vocal talents of Musanete entitled Gershwin Songbook.

Gershwin Songbook

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Gail & The Guys - Gail & The Guys Celebrate The Ladies And Remember Bernie

Size: 99,3 MB
Time: 38:56
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Sunday Kind Of Love (3:33)
02. At Last (4:05)
03. Hey There (3:39)
04. Turn Around (2:38)
05. How Long Has This Been Going On (3:06)
06. Cry Me A River (4:15)
07. Just One Of Those Things (2:40)
08. The Man I Love (3:56)
09. The Boy Next Door (3:00)
10. Over The Rainbow (3:05)
11. Stormy Weather (2:42)
12. Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye (2:11)

I promise you will understand every word of these timeless standards. And I hope you will smile as I do when you hear the expressive play on piano, trumpet, double bass, and percussion by "The Guys."
"Have bar stool, can sing!" has been my message to small combos in Florida and Maine and their welcoming audiences. How fulfilling it has been to call out, " Over The Rainbow in E flat ! " and take off for everyone's enjoyment.
Searching questions led to the choices and sequence for this album: Who are my favorite past women vocalists? What pairs of their best-loved songs can I sing meaningfully?
Finally, an unexpected family event changed our lives and became part of the music content and art design. My only son, Chicago's beloved musical theatre performer Bernie Yvon, left us suddenly in a vehicle accident on September 6, 2014. Now everyone will remember Bernie in bright colors and hear my spoken dedication recorded ironically months before our loss....."For my number one son of all time...." as well as the fitting last song, Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye."
I believe Bernie is pleased with our result and hope you will be also.

Gail & The Guys Celebrate The Ladies And Remember Bernie

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Novecento - All The Best

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 79:38
Size: 182.3 MB
Styles: Pop-jazz
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[4:25] 1. Anytime
[3:29] 2. Surround Me
[4:39] 3. A New Day
[5:51] 4. Artic
[3:17] 5. For A Moment
[4:08] 6. Endless Night
[5:18] 7. It's Time To Go
[4:29] 8. The Night-(2014 Version)
[4:31] 9. Cry
[4:25] 10. Anytime (Instrumental Version)
[4:01] 11. Broadway
[4:33] 12. Vision
[4:27] 13. Tell Me Something
[4:21] 14. Let Me Breathe
[5:04] 15. Now That You've Gone
[4:05] 16. I Want You More
[4:19] 17. Movin' On
[4:06] 18. Excessive Love

Lino Nicolosi guitar; Rossana Nicolosi Bass; Pino Nicolosi keyboards; Dora Nicolosi Voice.

The band Novecento was formed in 1984 and released the track "Movin' on" which became number one in Italy. In the same year the group won the “revelation of the year” award.

Over the years the band has produced and worked with many international stars such as Sting, Billy Preston, Randy Crawford, Dominic Miller and Billy Cobham to name just a few. They signed with ZTT (Trevor Horn’s label) for the European market and are distributed in America under the Atlantic label. In 2001 they wrote and produced the album by Billy Cobham (celebrated drummer and icon of the seventies) published by 24 Sony affiliates throughout the world.

All The Best

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Caroline Dahl - Night House

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:07
Size: 135.3 MB
Styles: Piano jazz, Boogie woogie
Year: 2003
Art: Front

[3:49] 1. Junebug Boogie
[4:45] 2. Highballing The Overnighter
[5:41] 3. Payday Boogie
[5:53] 4. Mexicali Rose Medley
[3:27] 5. Jackson Ramble
[5:41] 6. Night House
[3:27] 7. River City
[4:11] 8. Rumbah Numbah
[3:13] 9. Waltz For Jake
[4:08] 10. Swanee River Boogie
[3:24] 11. Nerve Knot
[4:15] 12. Devil Digit
[3:36] 13. Mary Lou's Blues
[3:31] 14. Tearing Up Heaven

"Night House" is Caroline's second CD and it has 14 instrumental songs featuring her extraordinary piano playing. Twelve of the songs are her original compositions and all are in the American roots styles of boogie-woogie, blues, jazz and country swing. One reviewer has said about "Night House" -- "Caroline's impulsive beats and relentless rhythms drive her sound into near-frenzy. Totally original, but far from being over-stated, she pumps out the songs in a way that would make Jerry Lee Lewis beg for mercy."

"Night House" has a couple of songs showcasing Caroline's solo piano, while the duets, trios and quartets feature the outstanding San Francisco Bay-area musicians Bowen Brown and Kent Bryson on drums, Tim Wagar on bass, Tom Rigney on violin, and Rob Sudduth on tenor sax. This self-taught master pianist of American indigenous piano styles is originally from Louisville, Kentucky, where she played with the Metropolitan Blues All Stars (June Appal Records, Taxim Records). San Francisco has been her home for over 30 years, where she currently performs solo around the Bay area and with Tom Rigney & Flambeau.

Night House

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Johnny Rivers - Greatest Hits

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 29:45
Size: 68.1 MB
Styles: AM pop
Year: 1990
Art: Front

[2:33] 1. Memphis
[2:15] 2. Maybellene
[2:29] 3. Midnight Special
[2:46] 4. The Seventh Son
[3:43] 5. Where Have All The Flowers Gone
[3:03] 6. Secret Agent Man
[3:33] 7. Poor Side Of Town
[3:05] 8. Baby I Need Your Lovin'
[2:52] 9. The Tracks Of My Tears
[3:22] 10. Rockin' Pneumonia And The Boogie Woogie Flu

Johnny Rivers is a unique figure in the history of rock music. On the most obvious level, he was a rock star of the 1960s and a true rarity as a white American singer/guitarist who made a name for himself as a straight-ahead rock & roller during the middle of that decade. Just as important behind the scenes, his recordings and their success led to the launching, directly and indirectly, of at least three record labels and a dozen other careers whose influence extended into the 1970s, 1980s, and beyond.

Rivers was very much a kindred spirit to figures like Buddy Holly and Ronnie Hawkins, with all of the verve and spirit of members of that first wave of rock & rollers. He had the misfortune of having been born a little too late to catch that wave, however, and took until the middle of the next decade to find his audience. Born John Henry Ramistella on November 7, 1942, in New York, his family moved to Baton Rouge, LA, in 1948, and it was there that his musical sensibilities were shaped. His father, who played the mandolin and guitar, introduced him to the guitar at an early age, and he proved a natural on the instrument.

Meanwhile, Ramistella also began absorbing the R&B sounds that were starting to turn up on the airwaves at the dawn of the 1950s. Additionally, he got to see performers like Fats Domino and Jimmy Reed in person, and by the time he entered his teens, he was immersed in rhythm & blues. ~Bruce Eder

Greatest Hits

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Denny Zeitlin - Slickrock

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:49
Size: 155,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:36)  1. You And The Night And The Music
(9:42)  2. Wishing on the Moon
(6:55)  3. Every Which Way
(3:41)  4. Put Your Little Foot Right Out
(5:54)  5. It Could Happen To You
(8:01)  6. Body And Soul
(4:38)  7. Sweet Georgia Brown
(4:55)  8. E.S.P.
(3:37)  9. Just Passing By
(2:35) 10. Dawn, Gathering
(5:09) 11. On the Trail
(5:17) 12. Recovery
(2:43) 13. On the Trail Again

With his straight-ahead acoustic piano trio, Denny Zeitlin improvises over familiar standards and fresh originals. As a practicing psychiatrist in the San Francisco Bay Area, he also teaches at the University of California and lectures on the psychology of improvising. A good teacher should always demonstrate when necessary, and who better for the task than one who’s devoted a lifetime to jazz performance? Zeitlin has juggled two careers to fulfillment, and he continues to demonstrate his capacity to lovers of the tried-and-true formula.

The four-part suite that closes the album introduces yet another facet of the pianist’s many interests. Zeitlin has written this suite as a token of his love for mountain biking. His dramatic piece depicts the adventure that weekend cyclists absorb while traveling over slickrock in various parts of the world. Momentum carries the suite through its phases; one must always stop to rest and enjoy the view from time to time. Piano, bass and drums thunder out recollections of the way such a scenic outing can capture your heart. Physical exertion and occasional rest areas make for a full weekend and a healthy lifestyle. Zeitlin has translated these ideas into a mesmerizing musical form. 

Standards such as “Body and Soul” ring familiar, offering proof that no two improvised performances are ever the same. As the trio slow dances comfortably through this chestnut, their spontaneous inventions flow naturally. A bass solo and a cloudy sky of wire brush swirls give the pianist the kind of support desired. Wayne Shorter’s “E.S.P.” proves more drama, with its up-tempo walk and arpeggio-laden romps. Zeitlin’s lesson in improvisation is just what the doctor ordered. ~ Jim Santella  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/slickrock-denny-zeitlin-maxjazz-review-by-jim-santella.php

Personnel: Denny Zeitlin: piano; Buster Williams: bass; Matt Wilson: drums.

Slickrock

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George Michael - Songs From The Last Century

Styles: Vocal, R&B
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:02
Size: 96,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:19)  1. Brother Can You Spare a Dime?
(4:08)  2. Roxanne
(4:22)  3. You've Changed
(1:41)  4. My Baby Just Cares for Me
(5:19)  5. The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
(5:10)  6. Miss Sarajevo
(4:09)  7. I Remember You
(2:37)  8. Secret Love
(4:02)  9. Wild Is the Wind
(6:09) 10. Where or When/It's Alright with Me

Unlike many covers albums, Songs From the Last Century is a cohesive, enjoyable diversion. With the help of co-producer Phil Ramone, George Michael has crafted a warm, intimate album built around a small combo of piano, guitar, bass, and drums. Orchestras, big bands, harps, and on one occasion, a rock band augment the basic combo, yet the flourishes never change the essential, close-knit nature of the group. For the first time ever, Michael sounds relaxed. He's lying back, singing songs he loves, not worrying about chart success, and the end result is quite fetching, even if it isn't perfect. The main flaw with Songs From the Last Century is that it's so smooth, it's occasionally a little sleepy, a trait that's emphasized by Michael's fairly predictable taste in covers "Brother Can You Spare a Dime," "My Baby Just Cares for Me," and "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face," among others. Nevertheless, he does bring style and sophistication to these standards, even such often-covered yet still difficult tunes as "Wild as the Wind." When his selections are idiosyncratic whether it's a jazzy reading of "Roxanne," the brassy "Secret Love," the little-remembered "I Remember You," or a revelatory reading of "Miss Sarajevo," a song commonly dismissed as a U2 side project the album is delightful. Certainly, Songs From the Last Century isn't a major work; it's a way for Michael to decompress and have some fun, and the diehards who stuck with him through the turbulent '90s are likely to be charmed. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine  http://www.allmusic.com/album/songs-from-the-last-century-mw0000672369

“Songs From The Last Century was nominated for the 2001 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album.”

Personnel includes: George Michael (vocals); Rob Mathes, Torrie Zito, Rob Mounsey (arranger, conductor); Jeff Mironov, Hugh Burns, Phil Palmer, Howie Gondewe (guitar); Elena Barere, Laura Hamilton (violin); Sue Pray, Maryhelen Brennard (viola); Richard Locker, Diane Barere (cello); Corky Hale, Stacey Shames (harp); Pamela Sklar, Katherine Fink (flute); Virgil Blackwell (clarinet, bass clarinet); Diane Lesser (oboe); Kim Laskowski (basoon); Rich Dallesio (English horn); Jim Hynes, Tony Kadleck (trumpet); Charlie Pillow, Andy Snitzer, Ken Hitchcock (woodwinds); Rob Mathes, Rob Mounsey (piano); Chris Cameron, Peter Gordeno (keyboards); David Finck (acoustic bass); Steve Walters (bass); Lewis Nash, Shawn Pelton, Frank Tontoh (drums); Danny Cummings (percussion).

Songs From The Last Century

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Johanna Schneider Quartet - Pridetime

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:14
Size: 164,4 MB
Art: Front

(6:23)  1. Moondance
(6:07)  2. Lonely Dancer In The Rain
(5:19)  3. Circus Infinitus
(4:37)  4. Throw It Away
(6:35)  5. Since I Fell For You
(6:18)  6. Melody Of Great K.J.
(4:42)  7. Waters Of March
(7:28)  8. Mondgesang
(6:12)  9. Ethiopian Moon
(6:19) 10. Turn Out The Stars
(2:57) 11. My Song
(8:13) 12. Pridetime

The survival reflex. A bit of swing. . . Oh well, let's just call it groove, catchy, iPod compatible harmonies, with which you can hum along, clever, comprehensible texts, a veteran band and listening hurdles that are not too high. After all, the CD is supposed to sell well and not scare off people even partially interested with the plague and cholera branding "jazz". This path of least resistance provides at least a little bit of attention for every woman with a reasonably pleasant voice who is blessed with good looks. Many talented vocalists, who once began training as jazz singers with big ambitions, are now anchored in the safe harbor of the spirit of the times.

But there are exceptions thankfully! Johanna is one such exception, who thumbs her nose at the trend to randomness and anonymity in the German vocal jazz scene with courage, perseverance, improvisation pleasure and a refreshing tendency towards perfectionism. When did you last hear a singer scat so wildly in these times of pop-jazz elves, with a distinctive expression almost approaching its own language of art at times. When was there a vocal album recently by a young person, who has dedicated herself completely to jazz and takes every freedom of phrasing, whether in the interpretation of standards or her very personal own songs? "Oliver Hochkeppel asks in the liner notes to Johanna Schneider's debut album" Pridetime," which adds a new, very bright shimmering gem to the successful Jazz thing Next Generation series.

It's a question of her own credibility for the 28-year-old singer who grew up in Bamberg: Do not give way, even if reason offers a different solution, but instead trust your instincts. That's why she left Munich after passing her university preliminary examination in 2009, despite important personal and professional ties. The power woman from the Franconian part of Bavaria met Romy Camerun at a workshop, who teaches the Essen Folkwang University of the Arts. "I knew immediately that I had to study under her," Johanna Schneider recalled. Just a gut feeling. She works regularly as a duo with the pianist from Essen Marc Brenken, was awarded the WDR Jazz Award with the NRW Youth Jazz Orchestra in 2013 and helped to establish the a-cappella female quintet "Cayenne". However, her old Munich quartet still remains her top priority. With pianist Titian Jost, one of her former teachers, bassist Andy Kurz and drummer Bastian Jütte, she has three of the best representatives of swinging jazz in Germany on her side. The fact that the seasoned crew contributes essentially to the unmistakable sound of "Pridetime" goes almost without saying. In addition, Ack van Rooyen and Tony Lakatos enriched two tracks with their thrilling flugelhorn and tenor saxophone solos.

Johanna Schneider already developed the aspiration necessary for such ambitious projects in childhood. Thanks to her single mother, she enjoyed a solid musical education, learned violin and piano as well as ballet dancing. The theater, musicals and training as a speaker followed. Johanna has sung ever since she can remember. She performed with her own band on stage when she was 14 composed her own songs at 16. The very first, i.e., "My Song", now shows up among the twelve songs of "Pridetime", which Johanna either all composed herself or for which created completely new arrangements in the case of her favorite songs "Moon Dance" by Van Morrison, "Throw It Away" by Abbey Lincoln, " Since I Fell For You "by Buddy Johnson," Ater Of March "by Antonio Carlos Jobim and " Turn Out The Stars "by Bill Evans.

As a result, "Pridetime" becomes a journey through a very personal musical experience with unexpected discoveries and very different influences. Melancholic ballads, sizzling swing and African rhythms merge to become a coherent musical language. Johanna is not afraid to cross the Rubicon to the German language either, for example, in "Circus Infinitus" and "Mondgesang". This is because her lyrics are as different as their overall presentation and her CD. Oliver Hochkeppel calls the extraordinary debut CD of the young singer "A story of self-assertion and the pride to be her own pilot again after many tears." Johanna Schneider can be rightly proud of it. And people can consider themselves fortunate that someone finally remembers the actual goal of the vocal jazz: namely, to enchant. http://www.doublemoon.de/en/cddetails/dmchr71156.shtml

Musicians: Johanna Schneider voc;  Tizian Jost p, rhodes, vibraphone;  Andreas Kurz b;  Bastian Jütte dr;  Special Guests: Ack van Rooyen flh (track 2 & 9);  Tony Lakatos ts (tracks 5 & 6); Rakel Salazar voice (track 6 & 8).

Pridetime

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Lili Anel - I Can See Bliss From Here

Size: 112,1 MB
Time: 48:38
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Something To Do (4:10)
02. Blindsided (5:31)
03. Living For Today (3:08)
04. The Best Part Of Me (Song For Joey) (4:05)
05. Go Home (3:53)
06. Losing My Faith (3:17)
07. Got Me Thinking (5:58)
08. Out Of Control (4:19)
09. This Love Is Over (4:34)
10. Blindsided #2 (5:41)
11. Today (3:57)

With I Can See Bliss From Here, singer-songwriter Lili Anel presents a set of personal songs that deeply touch the listener's ear, mind and soul, and bring to mind the confessional yet universal genius of such songwriters as Tracy Chapman, Phoebe Snow and Roberta Flack—they really are that well-written. "These are the songs I want to put out to the world at this time," she says simply. "It's what I wrote. They reflect where I am right now."

I Can See Bliss From Here reflects all the hustle and bustle of Añel's own life: As her bio explains, she's "a New York-born Cuban-African American" who has lived the past decade in Philadelphia, where she befriended pianist Dale Melton, who co-produced Bliss, her sixth release. "We have much in common," Añel explains. "A love of the music by The Band, among others, and a shared ideology of community in music." (Lili and Dale are both identical twins, too.)

"Something to Do" tells the story of how she grew up in Harlem ("I was born and raised in the barrio on 110th Street," she begins) atop a chugging Latin rhythm spiced with horns. Añel then recalls her mother, who worked to support her family six days out of seven and died in her early 50s, and shares a wonderfully self-effacing (not self-pitying) verse about her shaved head and the autoimmune disease Alopecia Areata, which causes hair loss): "I shaved my head bald today. You see, most of my hair had fallen out anyway. And when people laugh at me, I just smile because I believe they're just scared it could be them instead of me."

A song to her son, "The Best Part of Me (Song for Joey)" swims in deceptively deep, shifting musical and emotional currents ("On the day that you were born, my heart melted")—a beautiful idea, beautifully played and sung.

But Bliss also lifts Añel's vision to more broad horizons. Her moaning vocal and Tom Hampton's groaning guitar scrape out the raw and ragged, tough as nails "Go Home," a contemporary blues that begins with the story of how she was "written up at work" because she "laughed too loud" but ends with her calling on the heavens to take her home for good. Liner notes by New York Music Hall of Fame Director Robbie Woliver call this "the album's biggest revelation, (is) an infectious field-holler-styled blues lament that takes modern-day work drudgery to another level."

Because this entire set is about carrying on in the face of circumstances that suggest you'd be better off packing it in, "Losing My Faith" might have been this set's title track. Its chorus is this set's most beautiful melody, and frees Añel's voice to float and soar like a songbird. It's a tribute to her creativity and spirit that Lili Añel Can See Bliss From Here. ~by Chris M. Slawecki

Personnel: Lili Añel: vocals, acoustic guitar, Gretsch electric guitar; Dale Melton: grand piano, Hammond organ, Wulitzer electric piano, Telecaster guitar; Kevin Hanson: lead nylon string guitar; Tom Hampton: Resonator, Fender Jaguar Baritone Custom guitar; Charlie Alletto: guitar; Patrick Hughes: trumpet; David Fishkin: alto saxophone; Steven Gokh: tenor saxophone; Larry Toft: trombone; Bill Zinno: upright bass; Mike Kurman: electric bass; Chico Huff: electric bass; Charlie Patierno: drums; Fred Berman: drums; Ben Wittman: percussion, drums; Yasuyo Kimura: congas, bongos, guiro; Victor Rendon: timbales.

I Can See Bliss From Here

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Joe Smith & The Spicy Pickles - High-Fidelity

Size: 104,0 MB
Time: 42:33
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz: Big Band, Swing
Art: Front

01. Slow Cookin' (Theme Song) (0:54)
02. Obviously (3:31)
03. The Pen Is Mightier (3:32)
04. The Baltiquerque Stomp (3:39)
05. Benny's Blues (4:06)
06. Chubby's On The Way (3:20)
07. Chelsea After Dark (3:35)
08. Gin & Tonic (4:21)
09. It's Alright For A Night (3:40)
10. Dark Elixir (4:47)
11. The Gherkin Train (3:20)
12. Slow Cookin' (Reprise) (3:43)

Personnel:
Joe Smith - Trumpet
Prescott Blackler - Trombone
Elijah Samuels - Clarinet and Tenor Sax
Al Scholl - Guitar
Joseph Chudyk - Drums (and vibes on The Pen is Mightier)
Adam Sammakia - Bass

Denver-based vintage jazz group Joe Smith & The Spicy Pickles present their second full length album, and fourth overall release, "High-Fidelity", an album of all original swing music inspired by the classic small group sounds of the late 30’s and early 40’s. The concept behind “High-Fidelity” is to provide a smart recording of new, danceable tunes for the swing and blues communities. The album aims to give dancers and listeners alike more of what they love, but haven’t heard before. The band leader and self-admitted purist, Joe Smith, deliberately cut out all of the excessive noise that detracts from the album’s primary objective: delivering quality music. Devoid of crowd funding, pretentious artwork, and politics, the music speaks for itself. With the debut of “High Fidelity”, the Pickles bring forth the band’s identity. They do not intend to merely mimic the greats, but aspire to create new tunes that celebrate the refined spirit of pre-war swing and entertainment. Written with historic acumen in composition, arrangement, tempo, rhythm, and sound quality - along with true vintage instruments and set-up - the band crafts an accurate and authentic sound that reintroduces American swing to a new generation.

As a group, the band honed their recording process and musicianship to provide a pristine sound that is decidedly unique. The album opens and closes with the band’s theme song “Slow Cookin'” in an homage to the big band era’s days of radio shows. “The Pen is Mightier” pays tribute to the small group Goodman sound featuring a melody played by Elijah Samuels on clarinet, Joseph Chudyk on vibes, and Al Scholl on guitar. Featuring Prescott Blackler on trombone and Adam Sammakia on bass, “The Baltiquerque Stomp” is a fast, driving number with a nod to early jazz. "Benny's Blues" is an ode to current New Orleans trumpet player, Ben Polcer, and “It's Alright for a Night” pays tribute to Cole Porter. The band takes inspiration from Billy Strayhorn and the Duke Ellington Orchestra for “The Gherkin Train”, which features Elijah Samuels on tenor sax. All tracks on the album were composed and arranged by horn players, Elijah Samuels, Prescott Blackler, and Joe Smith.

High-Fidelity

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Karen Marguth - Just You, Just Me (With Kevin Hill)

Size: 101,8 MB
Time: 36:13
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To (3:56)
02. Just You, Just Me (2:46)
03. I'm Beginning To See The Light (2:33)
04. Love's Got Me In A Lazy Mood (3:52)
05. Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gives To Me (2:18)
06. I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good) (4:13)
07. Imagination (2:27)
08. Harpo's Blues (4:48)
09. It's All Right With Me (3:15)
10. Baby, What's Your Alibi (2:40)
11. The Moon Is Made Of Gold (3:21)

So, there was this gig where a five-piece band was booked to play for three hours. No big deal, right? Only thing was, the bassist and vocalist were the only two to show up.
The show must go on, and all that, so they forged through and at the end looked at each other and said, "Damn, we should have recorded that."So into the studio they went to try and capture a bit of what had happened, and the result is this album.

Eleven tunes, all duos with just bass + vox, featuring bassist Kevin Hill and vocalist Karen Marguth.

Critic John McDonough, of DownBeat and NPR, writes this about the album: "It will fall to others to allot their own official praise to this, Karen's newest and perhaps most courageous work. I say that only because it takes a rather spunky singer to go into the world with only an acoustic bass man - the redoubtable Kevin Hill - at her side. But unlike Mary Tyler Moore's crusty old editor-boss, Ed Asner, I like spunk. Karen's has the benefits of voice, technique, and taste. They are the kind of refining influences that turn common spunk into high art."

The album covers an impressive range of material, from Cole Porter and Duke Ellington, to Phoebe Snow and Nellie Lutcher.

Take a listen, and discover why Jazz Magazine of France named Karen "one of the essential chanteuses of all time," and Cadence Magazine called her "indeed, a REAL jazz singer, with pinpoint intonation and a supple voice allowing her to phrase and scat with audacity."

Just You, Just Me

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Dick Hyman - House Of Pianos

Size: 135,4 MB
Time: 58:21
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz: Piano Jazz
Art: Front

01. Send In The Clowns ( 7:30)
02. Sweet Georgia Brown ( 5:58)
03. Yesterdays (10:13)
04. Blue Monk ( 4:08)
05. Ugly Beauty ( 4:13)
06. Beat The Clock Theme ( 1:56)
07. All The Things You Are (11:04)
08. Theme From The Purple Rose Of Cairo ( 2:09)
09. Misterioso ( 4:48)
10. Take The A Train ( 6:16)

It’s a mystery how Dick Hyman can have reached the age of 88 and still be “Dick who?”, even in some jazz circles. A pianist of genius, master of many jazz styles and a prolific composer (including the music for 11 Woody Allen films), he’s still busily playing solo recitals. This one was recorded live just a year ago, covering everything from Send in the Clowns to Blue Monk, with significant nods to Duke Ellington and Jerome Kern, and it’s as sparkling as ever. For ingenuity and wit, linked to outrageous virtuosity, Hyman is simply untouchable. His own two pieces are by far the shortest here, but at just over two minutes the Purple Rose of Cairo theme is a little gem.

House Of Pianos

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Ken Hymes - Inside Voice

Size: 70,0 MB
Time: 29:30
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals, Retro Swing
Art: Front

01. Ain't That Something Grand (2:22)
02. Be In Love (1:56)
03. If I Should Die (3:13)
04. Finer Things (2:48)
05. To Whom It May Concern (2:16)
06. Minor Detail (2:25)
07. Elegant Disease (2:59)
08. Dancing All Night (2:58)
09. Burning Bright (2:59)
10. Before I Go (2:38)
11. Next Time (2:52)

Inside Voice brings small combo swing into the 21st century. The lyrical forms, the topics, and the vocal approach reflect the evolution of songwriting and performance since the 50s, while making full use of the harmonic and instrumental richness of the late swing era. The title reflects the layers of meaning found within - the voice of the heart; the use of quiet dynamics, instead of always-in-your-face hyper compressed techniques; the voice itself, drawing the listener in to reflection on the things that matter in life.

The album is the result of collaboration between the singer-songwriter Ken Hymes, whose past releases have been of a more pop-rock character, and a number of talented and creative players. Producer Adam Goldman provided the brass and saxophones, while Leisl Patton (previously heard on the Grammy-contending album Dialogues and Entertainments) provided the clarinets and also bass. Multi-instrumentalist Deloy Moore laid down some lovely mandolin and dobro, while Justin Thomas added a lush vintage electric guitar sound to a couple of tracks.

Inside Voice makes the case that the harmonic complexity and lyrical craft of small combo swing music does not preclude the vocal directness and narrative complexity of more recent forms of pop music. On this project, Hymes and his collaborators have delivered something old and new... an inside voice that deserves to get out.

Inside Voice

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Karin & Mike Kelleher - Melange

Size: 117,3 MB
Time: 49:39
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz Vocals, Classical
Art: Front

01. Beautiful Pain (5:26)
02. Jeannot (3:14)
03. Ancka's Dolphin Dance (4:55)
04. Black Is The Color (4:29)
05. Chantez Les Brahms (4:18)
06. Giga (2:43)
07. Something (3:40)
08. Moonlight (Moon Dreams) (2:26)
09. Clair De Lune (5:55)
10. One Perfect Day (3:56)
11. Kyrieousity (5:03)
12. My Love Isn't (3:28)

Karin and Mike Kelleher’s new album Mélange not only blends jazz and classical compositions and styles, it also combines different eras, with unique instrumentation, including string quartet, acoustic bass, drums, guitar, oboe, and voice -- all acoustic instruments and performances.

Mélange celebrates classical and jazz composers’ influence on one another, highlighting musicians who perform -- and serving listeners who enjoy -- both genres.

Lead and Backup Vocals: Mike Kelleher
Violin: Karin Kelleher, Joanna Owen
Viola: Magaly Rojas Seay, Karin Kelleher
Cello: Todd Thiel, Peter Kibbe, Gita Ladd
Bass: Eliot Seppa
Drums and Percussion: Joe McCarthy
Oboe: Fatma Daglar
Guitar: Jim Roberts (Chantez les Brahms), Mike Kelleher (Black is the Color, My Love Isn’t)

Melange

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Jimmy Raney Trio - But Beautiful

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:06
Size: 153.6 MB
Styles: Swing, Guitar jazz
Year: 1991
Art: Front

[5:03] 1. Long Ago (And Far Away)
[6:56] 2. Blues Cycle
[7:07] 3. But Beautiful
[5:20] 4. Indian Summer
[8:39] 5. Someone To Watch Over Me
[6:33] 6. I Get A Kick Out Of You
[8:00] 7. Elegy For Ray Parker
[7:22] 8. He Loves And She Loves
[6:46] 9. The Way You Look Tonight
[5:16] 10. Long Ago (And Far Away)

Jimmy Raney (Guitar); George Mraz (Bass); Lewis Nash (Drums). Recorded December 5, 1990 in New York City, New York by Max Bolleman.

This is Raney's last recording and he sounds so good. The lines just flow. While there are no "major riffs" here the music just moves along, with the swinging being very easy. The Way You Look Tonight is very good. Nothing really special, just another fine Raney record. ~James Bonk

But Beautiful

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Flora Purim - Flora's Song

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:11
Size: 128.6 MB
Styles: Brazilian jazz
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[6:54] 1. Las Olas
[5:03] 2. Less Than Lovers
[4:50] 3. This Is Me
[9:15] 4. Flora's Song
[4:05] 5. É Preciso Perdoar
[6:22] 6. Silvia
[4:42] 7. Forbidden Love
[4:25] 8. Anjo De Mim
[5:54] 9. Lua Cheia
[4:36] 10. Anjo Do Amor

Throughout Flora's Song, the veteran Brazilian singer Flora Purim is heard in prime form. The ten compositions fit her style well; she swings in her own fashion and puts plenty of feeling into her vocals. In addition, there are many fine solos along the way, with the standouts including Harvey Wainapel's flute solo on "Flora's Song" and the steel drums of Andy Narrell on "E Precisa Perdoar" and "Forbidden Love." Whether any of the songs eventually become standards is open to question, but they are welcome additions to Flora Purim's repertoire. This is her most rewarding recording in several years, and she sounds quite happy throughout the excellent set. ~Scott Yanow

Flora's Song

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