Holly Cole - The Best Of Holly Cole

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:03
Size: 105.4 MB
Styles: Cabaret, Vocal jazz
Year: 2000
Art: Front

[3:20] 1. Trust In Me
[4:37] 2. Calling You
[3:10] 3. God Will
[2:58] 4. Blame It On My Youth
[4:10] 5. I Can See Clearly Now
[4:18] 6. Don't Let The Teardrops Rust Your Shining Heart
[2:35] 7. Cry (If You Want To)
[3:44] 8. Jersey Girl
[3:28] 9. Train Song
[2:54] 10. I Want You
[3:57] 11. Make It Go Away
[3:25] 12. I've Just Seen A Face
[3:21] 13. Alison

As leader of the Holly Cole Trio, the smoky-voiced jazz chanteuse has created an impressive catalog over the last decade with her longtime cohorts Aaron Davis (piano) and David Piltch (string bass), seamlessly mixing blues, pop, and jazz. This collection gathers tunes which allow the sultry singer to stand out above sparse yet often playful arrangements. The first three tracks epitomize the diversity of her approach. On "Trust in Me," she plays it subtle and sly, asking her lover to "trust in me," sometimes singing a few bars a capella. She shows her wares as a torch singer on "Calling You," while a spry arrangement of Lyle Lovett's "God Will" offers a glimpse of her blues persona. Part of Cole's charm comes from the way she interacts with her mates; the first verse of "I Can See Clearly Now" is sung richly over Piltch's plucky solo bass before Davis' piano and a gentle string section glide in. Many people were puzzled that a singer who excels at jazz standards would tackle the Tom Waits catalog, but some of the best tracks from the Waits tribute Temptation show up here as well. "Jersey Girl" is particularly impressive, with Cole's low voice rising above a chorus of "sha-la"s and Davis and Piltch's simple percussive magic. ~Jonathan Widran

The Best Of Holly Cole

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Peter Martin - In The P.M.

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz

Year: 2013

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 60:23

Size: 138,5 MB

Art: Front

(7:11)  1. Never Let Me Go

(7:31)  2. If It's Magic

(4:53)  3. You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To

(3:56)  4. Come Rain Or Come Shine

(5:27)  5. Modern Cacophony

(5:32)  6. Only in a Dream

(5:28)  7. The Answer

(6:10)  8. Lament

(5:11)  9. 'Ting for Ray

(5:59) 10. The Nearness Of You

(3:01) 11. It Could Happen To You

Known to most as Dianne Reeves' musical director, pianist Peter Martin takes her stellar touring trio on a musical journey through jazz's heartland on In the P.M.; guest vocalist Erin Bode adds a warm and welcome lyricism to the session. Familiar standards and fresh originals turn the trio loose with unbridled energy. As Martin interprets "Come Rain or Come Shine" a cappella, he turns it up a notch. His keyboard technique takes him all over the place. Elsewhere, with bass and drums in a cohesive respite, the pianist lights sparks that ignite the music indelibly. Gregory Hutchinson and Reuben Rogers turn in a stellar performance, both individually and as Martin's musical partners. Leisurely ballads and hard-driving romps allow the trio to express a wide range of emotions. Martin sweeps his melodies in an uplifting fashion, exploring dramatic romps with intuitive play. He and Rogers communicate well, adding octave unisons to the formula on occasion. Their tender-hearted interpretations result in a genuine landscape that's filled with floating melodies and uplifting harmonies. Rhythmically, the trio meets each occasion head-on with soul-stirring confidence.

Rogers' "'Ting for Ray" saunters casually with a Ray Brown walk and blues-hued strides. Featuring Rogers' bass, the trio takes this one to the height of expressive blues. His bass converses with the heartfelt charm of a blues pioneer. Martin works hard to keep the jazz tradition alive. While appearing around the country with Dianne Reeves, he drives forcefully from the piano bench with a natural sense of musical organization. In a 2002 AAJ interview, he credited Wynton Marsalis for the leadership that has affected him and others around the world amicably. At age 13, Martin's father arranged a meeting between two that has since borne fruit. Thanks to the role model that Marsalis has provided, artists such as Peter Martin stand out as well for their true dedication to the field of mainstream jazz. ~ Jim Santella  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/in-the-pm-peter-martin-maxjazz-review-by-jim-santella.php

Personnel: Peter Martin- piano, Fender Rhodes; Reuben Rogers- bass; Greg Hutchinson- drums; Erin Bode- vocals on "You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To," "The Nearness of You" and "It Could Happen to You."

In The P.M.

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Pam Lawson - Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers - A Celebration In Song

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:34
Size: 137,6 MB
Art: Front

(2:56)  1. I Won't Dance
(3:52)  2. Flying Down to Rio
(2:28)  3. A Needle in a Haystack
(2:57)  4. Night and Day
(3:37)  5. The Continental
(2:56)  6. I'll Be Hard to Handle
(3:06)  7. Isn't This a Lovely Day
(2:04)  8. Top Hat, White Tie and Tails
(2:34)  9. Let Yourself Go
(2:03) 10. I'm Putting All My Eggs (In One Basket)
(2:35) 11. Let's Face the Music and Dance
(2:27) 12. Pick Yourself Up
(4:29) 13. The Way You Look Tonight
(3:06) 14. A Fine Romance
(2:06) 15. Slap That Bass
(4:11) 16. Gershwin Medley
(4:32) 17. Change Partners
(3:16) 18. Cheek to Cheek
(4:10) 19. Smoke Gets in Your Eyes

It’s hard not to like Pam Lawson. As the audience is greeted by the soft, languid rendition of “I Won’t Dance” as they file in, Lawson meets them like old friends with a big smile and easy manner, setting the tone for the next hour. This show lives up to it’s subtitle as A Celebration In Song, and is an opportunity for the singer to share her love of the music from the classic 1930s films of Fred and Ginger. Interspersed with a witty narrative of anecdotes gleaned from autobiographies by the iconic Hollywood pair, Pam Lawson takes us through the music from the nine RKO Radio Pictures movies featuring the dancing duo. On a blank stage and backed brilliantly on piano by Tom Finlay, and on double bass by Ed Kelly, Pam Lawson, in a flowery tea-dress, invites the audience to sing along or even dance if they dare. With the house lights up throughout, it feels almost like you are relaxing in your Granny’s living room on a rainy afternoon listening to music that never seems to age and will still get everyone’s toes tapping.

Lawson has a fine alto voice that skips happily along the bouncing melodies of Irving Berlin and Cole Porter, though at times nerves show through during this opening performance with some of the higher, sustained notes missing their pitch slightly and the odd forgotten line. However, her friendly manner means you forgive the occasional slip, especially when she wraps you up in her velvety lower tones during a medley from 1937’s “Shall We Dance” composed by Gershwin. Opting for a clean sound with no noticeable reverberation coming through the small PA, the only textures in the vocals come from Lawson herself; her natural vibrato, hushed sultry air and occasional well placed stronger notes. Despite professing not to dance, Pam sashays across the stage during each number and even gets in a small tap routine: after all, as she says, you can’t do Fred and Ginger without one. Her diction is spot on and her animated delivery conveys the meaning of each song in a way that many singers struggle with. 

The highlight has to be the rendition of “Slap That Bass”, as the duet between Ed Kelly’s bass and Lawson’s voice during the introduction compliments each instrument wonderfully. Pam Lawson clearly loves the repertoire she performs and her enthusiasm for the genre shines through the hour long show. For those who share this affection there is probably no better way to spend an afternoon than humming along with fingers drumming to the music of some of the greatest films from Hollywood’s Golden Age. http://www.edinburghspotlight.com/2012/08/fringe-review-pam-lawson-fred-astaire-and-ginger-rogers-a-celebration-in-song/

Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers - A Celebration In Song

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Randy Weston - Marrakech In The Cool Of The Evening

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:44
Size: 160,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:42)  1. In The Cool Of The Evening
(4:37)  2. Portrait of Billie Holiday
(5:36)  3. Two Different Ways to Play the Blues
(7:32)  4. Portrait of Dizzy: A Night in Tunisia...
(3:22)  5. Lisa Lovely
(4:25)  6. Uli Shrine
(3:51)  7. Blues for Elma Lewis
(4:51)  8. Ballad for T
(4:04)  9. Valse Triste Valse
(6:28) 10. Where?
(3:37) 11. Let's Climb a Hill
(5:12) 12. The Jitterbug Waltz
(6:06) 13. Blues for Five Reasons
(6:14) 14. Lotus Blossom

Over the course of his career, Randy Weston has occasionally revisited the solo piano context. Here, opening with Nat "King" Cole's "In the Cool of the Evening," Weston thoughtfully mixes his own compositions with telling covers (Billy Strayhorn, Dizzy Gillespie, and Fats Waller). Alone at a piano, it's evident how expansive and orchestrally-oriented Weston's musical thinking is; he utilizes beautiful density and open atmospherics with equal aplomb, and all with gorgeous melodicism. The album was digitally recorded live to 2-track in the ballroom of the La Mamounia Hotel in Marrakech, Morocco, a perfect setting for Weston, preserving both the cool and broad sound of the large room and the warmth of his piano playing. http://www.allmusic.com/album/marrakech-in-the-cool-of-the-evening-mw0000644281

Personnel: Randy Weston (piano).

Marrakech In The Cool Of The Evening

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Rev. Marv Ward - Catharsis

Styles: Rock
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:25
Size: 79,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:09)  1. Bouncing Baby Boogie
(5:41)  2. I'm Just Drivin'
(3:30)  3. I Believe In You
(4:30)  4. Angels Call
(5:03)  5. Legba in My Dreams
(3:13)  6. Daydreaming
(3:58)  7. Runinn' Free
(5:19)  8. Judgement Day

Eight smoking tracks that range from a Freddie King inspired instrumental, Blues-Rock, Americana, to a funky throw down that will get your toes tapping and your head scratching. Guest Artist include, Shrimp City Slim on piano, Todd Edmonds of The Otis Taylor Band on bass, Mike Fore on harmonica, LJ Errante on mandolin, and Kristen Elaine Harris on fiddle. Veteran blues guitarist Marv Ward grew up in the small town of Lorton, Virginia. He played his first gig at 10 and started performing professionally at age 16. He's played in literally dozens of bands over the past 45 years and has secured his place among bluesmen with his straight-forward no-nonsense blues style.  It's a little bit Delta, a litle bit Piedmont, a whole lot of R&B, but mostly, it's straight up Rev. Marv Ward. 

The Rev. has played his original and visionary blues stylings in venues all over the country and has shared stages with music legends such as Aerosmith, Joan Baez, Dave Van Ronk, Paul Geremia, Maria Muldaur, Nappy Brown, John Hammond, Bob Margolin, Big Bill Morganfield, Mac Arnold, Mooky Brill and many more. “CATHARSIS” his latest CD, and " I Should Know Better" plus “Love Like You Never Been Burned” his earlier works only hint at the warmth and appeal of this veteran guitarist and his talented band. Expect sizzling Piedmont picking, Delta blues, greasy rags, and straight-ahead rocking urban blues from this South Carolina singer, songwriter, guitarist and poet. http://www.marvward.com/

Catharsis

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Conte Candoli All Stars - Little Band, Big Jazz

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 28:39
Size: 65.6 MB
Styles: Trumpet jazz, Bop
Year: 1960/2008
Art: Front

[4:03] 1. Muggin' The Minor
[4:57] 2. Mambo Diane
[5:02] 3. Countin' The Blues
[3:58] 4. Zizanie
[5:07] 5. Macedonia
[5:31] 6. Little David

Conte Candoli (tp), Buddy Collette (ts), Vince Guaraldi (p), Leroy Vinnegar (b), Stan Levey (d).

For the first time on CD. Opportunities to lead his own record date have been surprisingly rare through the years for the talented bop trumpeter Conte Candoli. This obscure LP is one of only two albums Candoli headed during 1958-84! Candoli teams up with other West Coast players of the era (tenor saxophonist Buddy Collette, pianist Vince Guaraldi, bassist Leroy Vinnegar and drummer Stan Levey) for six of his fairly basic originals including such numbers as "Muggin' the Minor," "Mambo Diane" and "Countin' the Blues."

Little Band, Big Jazz

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Harold Land - Lip Service

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:59
Size: 164.8 MB
Styles: Bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[4:49] 1. Don't Explain
[8:20] 2. Catacomb
[7:44] 3. Terrain
[5:32] 4. Klact-Oveeseds-Tene
[6:53] 5. Hear Ye!
[6:46] 6. Compulsion
[5:25] 7. Rosie's Spirit
[7:03] 8. Ursula
[4:57] 9. Pari Passu
[7:46] 10. Triplin' Awhile
[6:41] 11. Somara

Harold Land is an underrated tenor saxophonist whose tone has hardened with time and whose improvising style after the 1960s became influenced by (but not a copy of) John Coltrane. He grew up in San Diego and started playing tenor when he was 16. After working locally and making his recording debut for Savoy (1949), Land had his first high-profile gig in 1954 when he joined the Clifford Brown/Max Roach Quintet. Land performed and recorded with the group until late 1955 when due to family problems he had to return home to Los Angeles (where he has been based ever since). He played with Curtis Counce's band (1956-1958), recorded a pair of memorable albums for Contemporary (1958-1959), led his own groups in the 1960s, and co-led groups with Bobby Hutcherson (1967-1971) and Blue Mitchell (1975-1978). Harold Land continued freelancing around Los Angeles up until his death in 2001. Land recorded as a leader (in addition to Savoy and Contemporary) for such labels as Jazzland, Blue Note, Imperial, Atlantic, Cadet, Mainstream, Concord, Muse, and Postcards. His son, Harold Land, Jr., occasionally played piano with his groups. ~bio by Scott Yanow

Lip Service

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Jonah Jones - I Dig Jonah!: The Capitol Records Collection

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:27
Size: 145.3 MB
Styles: Trumpet jazz
Year: 2000/2010
Art: Front

[2:38] 1. On The Street Where You Live
[2:29] 2. You're Just In Love
[2:18] 3. Baby Won't You Please Come Home
[2:01] 4. Tangerine
[2:07] 5. Get Me To The Church On Time
[2:41] 6. I Can't Get Started
[2:09] 7. Baubles, Bangles And Beads
[2:09] 8. No Moon At All
[3:37] 9. Swing, Moten
[4:52] 10. St. James Infirmary
[2:05] 11. Lullaby Of Broadway
[2:28] 12. Night Train
[2:05] 13. I Dig Chicks!
[2:33] 14. Put On A Happy Face
[2:43] 15. Struttin' With Some Barbeque
[2:44] 16. Dansero
[2:28] 17. South Of The Border
[2:23] 18. Around The World
[2:08] 19. It's A Blue World
[2:11] 20. Pennies From Heaven
[2:19] 21. More Than You Know
[2:11] 22. A Touch Of Blue
[2:51] 23. They Can't Take That Away From Me
[2:07] 24. Lazy River
[2:58] 25. Memories Are Made Of This

A talented and flashy trumpeter, Jonah Jones hit upon a formula in 1955 that made him a major attraction for a decade; playing concise versions of melodic swing standards and show tunes muted with a quartet. But although the non-jazz audience discovered Jones during the late '50s, he had already been a very vital trumpeter for two decades. Jones started out playing on a Mississippi riverboat in the 1920s. He freelanced in the Midwest (including with Horace Henderson), was briefly with Jimmie Lunceford (1931), had an early stint with Stuff Smith (1932-1934), and then spent time with Lil Armstrong's short-lived orchestra and the declining McKinney's Cotton Pickers. Jones became famous for his playing with Stuff Smith's Onyx club band (1936-1940), recording many exciting solos. He gigged with Benny Carter and Fletcher Henderson and became a star soloist with Cab Calloway (1941-1952), staying with the singer even after his big band became a combo. Jones played Dixieland with Earl Hines (1952-1953), toured Europe in 1954 (including a brilliant recording session with Sidney Bechet), and then led his quartet at the Embers (1955), hitting upon his very successful formula. His shuffle version of "On the Street Where You Live" was the first of many hits and he recorded a long series of popular albums for Capitol during 1957-1963, switching to Decca for a few more quartet albums in 1965-1967. Jonah Jones recorded a fine date with Earl Hines for Chiaroscuro (1972) and still played on an occasional basis in the 1980s and early '90s; he died April 30, 2000, at the age of 91. ~bio by Scott Yanow

I Dig Jonah!: The Capitol Records Collection

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Rumer - Boys Don't Cry

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:35
Size: 95.2 MB
Styles: Pop-rock, Adult Alternative
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[4:08] 1. P.F. Sloan
[3:18] 2. Travelin' Boy
[3:29] 3. Sara Smile
[3:25] 4. Be Nice To Me
[2:46] 5. The Same Old Tears On A New Background
[3:44] 6. Soulsville
[3:32] 7. Welcome Back
[4:02] 8. Flyin' Shoes
[2:37] 9. Just For A Moment
[2:24] 10. It Could Be The First Day
[4:07] 11. Brave Awakening
[3:58] 12. A Man Needs A Maid

Rumer's sophomore effort, 2012's Boys Don't Cry, is a retro soft rock covers album that finds the vocalist tackling tracks by various male artists of the 1970s. As with her acclaimed 2010 debut, Seasons of My Soul, Boys Don't Cry showcases Rumer's gentle and sweetly soulful vocal style that is clearly perfectly suited to this material. In fact, for anyone already familiar with her, it almost goes without saying that Rumer sounds a lot like soft pop icon Karen Carpenter. However, rather than coming off as a copycat, Rumer always sounds like the real thing and seems like she has genuine respect and love for Carpenter and the rest of the soft singer/songwriter titans. She nailed Bread's "Goodbye Girl" on Seasons for gosh sakes, and Boys Don't Cry takes its cue from that cover and not the original material written in a retro style that made up most of Seasons. Here we get Rumer's take on such laid-back cuts as Jimmy Webb's "P.F. Sloan," Todd Rundgren's "Be Nice to Me," and Hall & Oates' "Sara Smile," among others. Adding to the '70s soft rock vibe is the lush orchestral production from Steve Brown, who was also responsible for the sound of Seasons. These are organic and rich-sounding tracks that frame Rumer's voice in sparkling piano, cinematic bits of strings, rounded horn parts, the twang of the occasional pedal steel guitar, and even a poignant harmonica line, as on Townes Van Zandt's "Flyin' Shoes." Kudos to Rumer for not just covering the most well-known cuts from the best-known '70s artists, but also including such lesser-known numbers as Clifford T. Ward's "Home Thoughts from Abroad" and Terry Reid's "Brave Awakening." ~Matt Collar

Boys Don't Cry

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Rita Marie - So Many Stars

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:50
Size: 110,9 MB
Art: Front

(2:08)  1. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
(5:55)  2. You Go To My Head-Coots/Gillespie
(4:48)  3. So in Love
(3:22)  4. Old Devil Moon
(4:34)  5. Easy Street
(3:37)  6. It's All Right With Me
(3:44)  7. Slow Hot Wind
(3:19)  8. Why Don't You Do Right
(3:37)  9. No Moon At All
(3:29) 10. How Deep Is the Ocean
(4:18) 11. You Must Believe in Spring
(3:54) 12. So Many Stars

This is the debut CD of Rita Marie performing some of her favorite classic jazz tunes. The collection includes a unique variety of songs written by Cole Porter Irving Berlin, Michelle Legrand, Sergio Mendez, Henry Mancini, as well as other fine composers spanning the first half of the last century. The warm and sensual vocals will enchant and inspire you. These romantic and moving songs are masterfully delivered by some of South Florida's finest jazz musicians. Enjoy this listening experience which is of course, all about LOVE! http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/ritamarie1

Personnel: Rita Marie (vocals); Jeff Padowitz (piano); Giuseppi Pucci (drums).

So Many Stars

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Michael Feinstein - Livingston & Evans Songbook

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:37
Size: 172,3 MB
Art: Front

(2:24)  1. You're So Right For Me
(4:56)  2. Mona Lisa
(2:57)  3. What Fools These Mortals Be
(2:40)  4. Buttons and Bows
(3:49)  5. The Late Scene
(1:59)  6. Bonanza / Mr. Ed
(3:01)  7. All the Time
(3:37)  8. How Much Will I Love You
(2:39)  9. His Own Little Island
(2:58) 10. Silver Bells
(2:57) 11. Ya' Got Class
(4:51) 12. Never Let Me Go
(4:33) 13. Jubilie-Jubilo
(3:18) 14. Tammy
(3:03) 15. Through Children's Eyes
(4:20) 16. To Each His Own
(3:26) 17. Almost in Your Arms
(2:32) 18. Henriette
(3:07) 19. The Mating Season
(2:12) 20. Whatever Will Be Will Be (Que Sera, Sera)
(2:37) 21. As I Love You
(3:36) 22. Anywhere But Here
(2:54) 23. Wish Me a Rainbow

There are major songwriters whose names are as well known as those of the singers of their songs, and there are others who are largely unknown, requiring a list of their biggest hits to bring their accomplishments into focus. The team of Jay Livingston and Ray Evans fits into the latter category, probably because they wrote primarily for the movies rather than the Broadway stage and because their heyday occurred from the late '40s to the late '50s, instead of during the perceived golden age of the 1930s. So, here's the list: "Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)," "Mona Lisa," and "Buttons and Bows" were their Oscar-winners, and among their other hits were "Silver Bells," "Tammy," and "To Each His Own." All those songs are featured on Michael Feinstein's tribute album, the flagship release on his new Feinery imprint for Concord Records. The album was made very much with the support of Livingston and Evans.

Livingston (who died of pneumonia on October 17, 2001, at age 86) sings along and plays piano on several songs, and he and Evans submitted to an extensive interview printed in the CD booklet. The songwriters have also provided a number of lost songs from aborted projects that add considerably to their catalog. Writing on assignment, Livingston and Evans were versatile to a fault, such that it's hard to find a consistent style to their work. Feinstein imposes his own style, however, singing the ballads with his exaggerated smoothness and the novelty songs with appropriate sprightliness. On occasion, one wishes for more instrumentation and fuller arrangements to do justice to songs written with Hollywood orchestras in mind, but the intimacy of the songbook approach brings out the songwriters' craftsmanship well. Melissa Manchester's torchy performance of "Never Let Me Go" is a particular standout. ~ William Ruhlmann  http://www.allmusic.com/album/livingston-and-evans-songbook-mw0000226773

Personnel: Michael Feinstein, Jay Livingston (vocals, piano); Melissa Manchester (vocals); Wayne Johnson (guitar); Warren Luening (trumpet); Shelly Markham, Page Cavanaugh (piano); Phil Mallory, Cliff Hugo (bass); Dave Tull (drums).

Livingston & Evans Songbook

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Paul Desmond - From the Hot Afternoon

Styles: Saxophone Jazz

Year: 2000

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 57:21

Size: 132,1 MB

Art: Front

(3:00)  1. Outubro (October)

(4:33)  2. Gira Girou (Round n' Round)

(3:09)  3. Faithful Brother

(4:01)  4. To Say Goodbye

(3:31)  5. From The Hot Afternoon

(3:46)  6. Circles

(3:05)  7. Martha & Romao

(2:46)  8. Catavento

(4:25)  9. Canto Latino (Latin Chant)

(4:41) 10. Crystal Illusions

(4:21) 11. Gira Girou (Round n' Round)

(2:49) 12. Faithful Brother

(3:56) 13. From the Hot Afternoon

(2:31) 14. Catavento (Alternative Take)

(4:01) 15. Canto Latino (Latin Chant)

(2:38) 16. From the Hot Afternoon

Paul Desmond's first genuine all-Brazilian album under the Creed Taylor signature was a beauty, a collection of songs by the then-moderately known Edu Lobo and the emerging giant Milton Nascimento, then only in his early twenties. All Desmond has to do is sit back and ride the Brazilian grooves while lyrically ruminating on whatever pops into his head. It sounds so effortless -- until you try it yourself. The swirling, often gorgeous orchestral arrangements are by Don Sebesky (one CD edition mistakenly gives Claus Ogerman credit on the cover), Airto Moreira leads the samba-flavored percussion forces, and Lobo and his wife Wanda de Sah appear on three of Lobo's four songs. Lobo's "To Say Goodbye," "Circles," and "Martha and Romao" have exactly the brand of wistful sadness that Desmond could communicate so well; on the former, de Sah has to sing well below the register with which she is comfortable, and the strain is painfully obvious. Some of Nascimento's best early tunes are here, including the tense title track, the popping "Catavento," and "Canto Latino." "Catavento" inspires a particularly inventive solo from Desmond where he pulls out one of his age-old tricks, quoting "St. Thomas." This 2000 Verve "By Request" edition adds no less than six alternate takes to the package. ~ Richard S.Ginell http://www.allmusic.com/album/from-the-hot-afternoon-mw0000653404

Personnel: Edú Lobo (vocals, guitar); Paul Desmond (saxophone, alto saxophone); Wanda de Sah (vocals); Dorio Ferreira (guitar); Margaret Ross (harp); Lewis Eley, George Ockner, Avram Weiss, Eugene Orloff, Sylvan Shulman, Raoul Poliakin, Max Pollikoff, Matthew Raimondi, Paul Gershman (violin); Charles McCracken , George Ricci (cello); Stanley Webb , Stan Webb (flute, alto flute, percussion); Don Hammond, Hubert Laws (flute, alto flute); George Marge, Phil Bodner (clarinet, oboe, saxophone); Irvin "Marky" Markowitz, Marvin Stamm (trumpet, flugelhorn); James Buffington (French horn); Paul Faulise (bass trombone); Pat Rebillot (electric piano, keyboards); Airto Moreira (drums, percussion); Jack Jennings (percussion).

From the Hot Afternoon

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Norm Drubner - Let's Fall In Love

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:54
Size: 87,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:28)  1. Isn't It a Lovely Day
(2:15)  2. How About You
(2:53)  3. I Don't Know Enough About You
(3:19)  4. My Funny Valentine
(2:40)  5. Let's Fall in Love
(4:18)  6. Where or When
(3:08)  7. Too Marvelous for Words
(4:58)  8. Maybe You'll Be There
(2:36)  9. The Day Isn't Long Enough
(2:48) 10. Day in Day Out
(2:25) 11. You'll Never Know
(3:00) 12. If You Were the Only Girl in the World

With his warm, breathy voice, Norm Drubner can reflect the emotional pulse of even the most familiar of jazz standards. Suddenly, what once seemed to be so engrained in the consciousness that new feelings were muted becomes fresh and alive once again. On his latest album Let’s Fall in Love, Drubner doesn’t do the usual, which is a paint-by-numbers rendition of classic material, so often the case with other artists. Instead, Drubner offers his own interpretation of them, letting his personal affection and experiences for each song drive every performance.

Drubner’s ability to communicate real feelings into these tunes is a huge key to his success. On “My Funny Valentine,” the gentle romanticism in Drubner’s vocals pierces the heart; his lovely singing is perfectly balanced with the sublime piano playing. Together, they light the candles of amore. On “You’ll Never Know,” Drubner’s voice is in front of the mix, giving it heightened intimacy; it almost sounds like he’s whispering it to your ear. The strong production values and tasteful instrumentation on Let’s Fall in Love further complement Drubner’s vocal strengths. The sweetly melodic piano of “The Day Isn’t Strong Enough” and the sweeping beauty of “Too Marvelous for Words” create a blissful listening experience, especially on these simmering spring afternoons. http://news.allaboutjazz.com/vocalist-norm-drubner-captures-emotional-highs-of-jazz-classics-on-new-cd.php

Let's Fall In Love

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Dmitri Matheny - Starlight Cafe

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:07
Size: 135.3 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 1996
Art: Front

[8:45] 1. Stardust
[7:18] 2. When Lights Are Low
[6:18] 3. Twilight World
[6:09] 4. Spring Skylight
[5:01] 5. Whisper, Muse
[6:39] 6. Geneva
[4:13] 7. Soca Nova
[6:03] 8. Corcovado (Quiet Nights)
[5:03] 9. Saturn's Child
[3:34] 10. When You Wish Upon A Star

Already tabbed a "Talent Deserving Wider Recognition" in the 1998 Down Beat Critics' Poll, flugelhornist Dmitri Matheny seems on the verge of establishing himself as a major new jazz star. His third release on San Francisco's Monarch label may just put him over the top.

Conceived as a "collection of nocturnes," Starlight Cafe is a quiet, hauntingly beautiful album of ballads and standards (including "Stardust," "Corcovado," "When You Wish Upon a Star," and Benny Carter's "When Lights Are Low") plus several of Matheny's similarly themed originals. The 34-year-old Nashville native, now a stalwart on the Bay Area jazz scene, is a velvety smooth player who favors the lyrical and poetic side of jazz over the fire and brimstone side championed by many of his contemporaries. His tone and overall approach bear the strong influence of his mentor, the impeccable "flumpet" player Art Farmer. His ballad playing also recalls that of another master of California romanticism, Chet Baker.

The album was recorded live in Berkeley with a drummer-less trio featuring the fine pianist Darrell Grant (ex-Betty Carter, Frank Morgan, Tony Williams) and bassist Bill Douglass (Mario McPartland's West Coast partner). Matheny and his talented cohorts have made a highly enjoyable album of late-night jazz that proves you don't need to make a lot of noise to make a strong impression. ~Joel Roberts

Starlight Cafe

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Helen Forrest - The Voice Of The Name Bands

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:14
Size: 117.3 MB
Styles: Vocal, Big band
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[3:02] 1. Moonray
[2:50] 2. Yes, My Darling Daughter
[2:42] 3. The Devil Sat Down And Cried
[2:50] 4. I Don't Want To Walk Without You
[3:22] 5. I Had The Craziest Dream
[2:29] 6. Close To You
[3:34] 7. Day In, Day Out
[2:56] 8. How High The Moon
[2:49] 9. Shake Down The Stars
[3:18] 10. Deep In A Dream
[3:12] 11. All The Things You Are
[2:58] 12. It Never Entered My Mind
[3:23] 13. Skylark
[2:58] 14. You Made Me Love You
[3:10] 15. Deep Purple
[3:08] 16. Taking A Chance On Love
[2:26] 17. Baby, What You Do For Me

Helen Forrest (April 12, 1917 – July 11, 1999) was an American singer. She served as the “girl singer” for three of the most popular big bands of the Swing Era (Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman, and Harry James), thereby earning a reputation as “the voice of the name bands.” Helen was born Helen Fogel in Atlantic City, New Jersey on April 12, 1917. Her parents, Louis and Rebecca Fogel, were Russian-born Jews.

At the peak of her career, Helen Forrest was the most popular female singer in the United States. Because of her work with the bands of Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman, and Harry James, she is known as “the voice of the name bands” and is regarded by some as the best female vocalist of the swing era. In addition, AllMusic describes Forrest as “a performer that some might not consider a jazz vocalist, but one with exceptional ability to project lyrics and also an excellent interpreter.” Also, IMDb describes Forrest: “though Helen was not, perhaps, a jazz singer in the truest sense, she brought to her songs a wistful ‘girl-next-door’ quality” through her “femininity and warmth of her voice and the clear, emotional phrasing of her lyrics.” In his book The Big Bands, writer George Simon wrote, “Helen was a wonderfully warm and natural singer.” Over the course of her career, Helen Forrest recorded more than 500 songs. In 2001, she was posthumously inducted into the now-defunct Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame. According to many of her fans, Forrest is reported to have been a warm, amiable woman who was always willing to chat with her fans and sign autographs. Despite Helen Forrest’s legacy, her grave is still marked with a temporary grave marker (as of 2010).

The Voice Of The Name Bands

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Johnny Nash - The Best Of

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 48:22

Size: 110.8 MB

Styles: Reggae

Year: 1996

Art: Front

[2:45] 1. I Can See Clearly Now

[2:43] 2. Dream Lover

[2:42] 3. Hold Me Tight

[2:44] 4. There Are More Questions Than Answers

[2:54] 5. Let's Be Friends

[3:23] 6. Cupid

[3:55] 7. Reggae's On Broadway

[3:21] 8. Let's Move And Groove Together

[3:12] 9. Guava Jelly

[3:02] 10. Wonderful World

[3:01] 11. Stir It Up

[2:51] 12. Ooh, What A Feeling

[2:40] 13. Loving You

[3:16] 14. Tears On My Pillow (I Can't Take It)

[2:46] 15. All I Have To Do Is Dream

[3:00] 16. Halfway To Paradise

Born John Lester Nash, Jr. in Houston, Texas, he began as a pop singer in the 1950s. He released four albums for ABC-Paramount, with his self named debut in 1958. Around 20 singles were released between 1958 & 1964 on a variety of labels such as Groove, Chess, Argo and Warners. He also enjoyed success as an actor early in his career appearing in the screen version of playwright Louis S. Peterson's Take a Giant Step. Nash won a Silver Sail Award for his performance from the Locarno International Film Festival.

Besides "I Can See Clearly Now," Nash recorded several hits in Jamaica, where he travelled in early 1968, as his girlfriend had family links with local TV and radio host and novel writer Neville Willoughby. Nash planned to try breaking the local rocksteady sound in the United States. Willoughby introduced him to a local struggling vocal group, Bob Marley & The Wailing Wailers, Members Bob Marley, Bunny Wailer, Peter Tosh and Rita Marley introduced him to the local scene.[2] Nash signed all four to an exclusive recording contract with his JAD label and also an exclusive publishing contract with Cayman music. An advance was paid in the form of a weekly wage and JAD also financed some of their recordings, some with Byron Lee's Dragonaires and some with other local musicians such as Jackie Jackson and Lynn Taitt. None of the Marley and Tosh songs he produced were successful. Only two singles were released at the time: "Bend Down Low" (JAD 1968) and "Reggae on Broadway" (Columbia, 1972), which was recorded in London in 1972 on the same sessions that produced "I Can See Clearly Now." It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc by the R.I.A.A. in November 1972.[3] The I Can See Clearly Now album includes four original Marley compositions published by JAD: "Guava Jelly", "Comma Comma", "You Poured Sugar On Me" and the follow-up hit "Stir It Up". "There Are More Questions Than Answers" was a third hit single taken from the album.

The Best Of

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Nilson Matta - East Side Rio Drive

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:47
Size: 114.0 MB
Styles: Latin jazz
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[6:04] 1. Sertao
[6:22] 2. Boogie Stop Shuffle
[3:50] 3. Mojave
[5:49] 4. E Menina
[6:24] 5. Verde
[4:15] 6. Blue In Green
[0:44] 7. Proemio Do Mingus
[5:16] 8. Lucas De Nadine
[6:45] 9. Angela
[4:13] 10. Mambo Inn

At the center of it all is Nilson Matta, who is both an outstanding bassist and an exceptional maestro, to employ another overused term. As a bandleader, he has an innate sense of orchestration, of flow, of sequence, of musical space and together with New York based producer/arranger Humberto (Howard) Léder (no stranger to mixing musical cultures, e,g. B.B.King with legendary Brazilian percussionist Nana Vasconcelos), they masterfully conceived an idea to make one piece, with specifically-sized ensembles and a unique groove, and to proceed emotionally and logically, how to make a well-known melody seem fresh and exciting, and then, how to contrast it with something not quite so familiar.

East Side Rio Drive

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Susannah McCorkle - As Time Goes By

Styles: Vocal Jazz

Year: 1986

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 44:26

Size: 104,0 MB

Art: Front

(3:34)  1. September In The Rain

(4:16)  2. I Can't Give You Anything But Love

(4:03)  3. Taking A Chance On Love

(4:56)  4. For All We Know

(5:12)  5. As Time Goes By

(3:12)  6. I Get A Kick Out Of You

(6:03)  7. Alone Together

(4:16)  8. Pennies From Heaven

(4:52)  9. You Don't Know What Love Is

(3:57) 10. Blues In The Night

McCorkle was born in Berkeley, California. She studied modern languages at the University of California, Berkeley. McCorkle began singing professionally after hearing recordings of Billie Holiday in Paris in the late 1960s. She nearly became an interpreter at the European Commission in Brussels, but moved instead to London in 1972 to pursue a career in singing. While in the UK, she made two albums which, although well received, enjoyed only limited circulation. In the late 1970s, McCorkle returned to the United States and settled in New York City, where a five-month engagement at the Cookery in Greenwich Village brought her to wider public attention and elicited rave reviews from critics.

During the 1980s, McCorkle continued to record; her maturing style and the darkening timbre of her voice greatly enhanced her performances. In the early 1990s, two of the albums McCorkle made for Concord Records, No More Blues and Sábia, were enormously successful and made her name known to the wider world. She was recorded by the Smithsonian Institution which at the time made her the youngest singer ever to have been included in its popular music series. McCorkle played Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher and Alice Tully Halls five times and Carnegie Hall three times, and was featured soloist with Skitch Henderson and the 80-piece New York Pops in a concert of Brazilian music. Thanks to her linguistic skills, McCorkle translated lyrics of Brazilian, French, and Italian songs, notably those for her Brazilian album Sabia. She had a special affinity for Bossa Nova and often cited Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Waters of March" as her personal favorite. McCorkle also had several short stories published and, in 1991, began work on her first novel. She published fiction in Mademoiselle, Cosmopolitan Magazine, and non-fiction in the New York Times Magazine and in American Heritage, including lengthy articles on Ethel Waters, Bessie Smith, Irving Berlin and Mae West.

A survivor of breast cancer, McCorkle suffered for many years from depression and committed suicide at age 55 by leaping off the balcony of her 16th-floor apartment on West 86th Street in Manhattan. She was alone in her home at the time. The police immediately entered her home after identifying her body and found no foul play. Suicide was ruled the manner of death. One year later, in a New York magazine tribute entitled "Jazz Bird", Gwenda Blair wrote, "Onstage, singer Susannah McCorkle exuded a sultry self-confidence that won her lifelong fans. But in private, she fought depression so deep and so well hidden that a year after her suicide, even some in her most intimate circle wonder how they missed the cries for help." Haunted Heart, a biography of Susannah McCorkle written by Linda Dahl, was published in September 2006 by University of Michigan Press. ~ Bio  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susannah_McCorkle

Personnel: Susannah McCorkle (vocal),  Jimmy Heath (ts), Ted Dunbar (g), Billy Taylor (p), Victor Gaskin (b), Tony Reedus (d)

As Time Goes By

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Lee Ritenour - Overtime

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:32
Size: 168,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:48)  1. Boss City
(9:14)  2. Blue in Green
(4:27)  3. Ocean Ave.
(5:01)  4. She Walks This Earth
(5:12)  5. Sugarloaf Express
(4:38)  6. Possibilities
(6:52)  7. Papa Was A Rollin' Stone
(5:37)  8. Morning Glory
(7:24)  9. Captain Fingers
(3:47) 10. P.a.L.S.
(5:56) 11. Night Rhythms
(5:00) 12. Lil' Bumpin'
(4:30) 13. Is It You?

Overtime is really two CDs in one. On the instrumentals, particularly "Bass City" and "Blue in Green," guitarist Lee Ritenour sounds a lot like Wes Montgomery and he leads his group (which features either Ernie Watts or Eric Marienthal on tenor) through some relatively straight-ahead numbers filled with soulful and creative playing. However the five vocals numbers are much more in the R&B/smooth vein and are largely throwaways despite the occasional presence of Ivan Lins. Clearly Ritenour was going for variety on this project but will probably only satisfy his greatest fans. The jazz listeners will be turned off by the vocals and the pop/smooth fans will probably only tolerate some of the more adventurous originals. Ritenour sounds fine in both settings but probably should have recorded twice as much music and split this CD into two. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/overtime-mw0000209550

Personnel: Lee Ritenour (guitar); Ivan Lins (vocals, Fender Rhodes piano); Eric Marienthal (flute, saxophone, soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone); Patrice Rushen (piano, Fender Rhodes piano, synthesizer); Dave Carpenter (acoustic bass, double bass); Melvin Davis , Anthony Jackson (bass guitar); Steve Forman (percussion); Tim Carmen (programming); Grady Harrell, Kenya Hathaway (vocals); Ernie Watts (tenor saxophone); Chris Botti (trumpet); Dave Grusin (piano, Fender Rhodes piano, keyboards); Barnaby Finch (keyboards); Harvey Mason, Sr. , Oscar Seaton (drums); Alex Acuña (percussion); Jochem van der Saag (programming).

Overtime

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Massimo Farao Trio - I Left My Heart In San Francisco

Styles: Piano Jazz

Year: 2015

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 66:39

Size: 153,0 MB

Art: Front

(7:08)  1. I Left My Heart In San Francisco

(4:54)  2. Chega De Saudade

(6:50)  3. Whisper Not

(5:22)  4. Love Is A Many-Splendored Thing

(5:56)  5. In A Sentimental Mood

(6:15)  6. All of You

(6:25)  7. What A Difference A Day Made

(6:27)  8. Ain't Misbehavin'

(5:34)  9. I'm a Fool to Want You

(6:11) 10. Georgia on My Mind

(5:33) 11. Very Thought Of You

Massimo Farao is a wonderful Italian pianist who has played and recorded with Red Holloway, Albert "Tootie" Heath, Tony Scott, Franco Ambrosetti, Nat Adderley, Jeff Tain Watts, Jack DeJohnette and Chris Potter, among others. Venus Records' producer Tetsuo Hara must have really fallen in love with Farao's music because in less than a year he has released no less than five of the Italian pianist's albums. The debut CD by his trio Luiza was followed by Bohemia After Dark which featured his bassist Aldo Zunino in a duo setting. Now we have three new albums (Autumn Leaves, My Funny Valentine and I Left My Heart In San Francisco) that were all recorded in a three-day session in February, 2014.

It seems quite a feat for a piano trio to produce three albums-worth music in three days, but the quality of the performance is consistently high. Farao's passionate style and romanticism are very attractive along with the rich harmonies he creates. He doesn't play too many notes and his arrangements are relatively straight forward, but his choice of notes is exquisite. With his unfailing sense of swing, all his music including ballads radiates an aura of happiness. Recommended to fans of piano trios! http://www.eastwindimport.com/product-info.asp?ProductID=13340

Personnel:  Massimo Farao (piano); Aldo Zunino (bass); Marco Tolotti (drums).

I Left My Heart In San Francisco

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