Steve Lacy - Soprano Sax & Reflections

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:00
Size: 160,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:22)  1. Day Dream
(6:44)  2. Alone Together
(5:23)  3. Work
(4:05)  4. Rockin’ In Rhythm
(8:23)  5. Easy To Love
(4:31)  6. Little Girl, Your Daddy Is Calling You
(5:14)  7. Hornin’ In
(4:19)  8. Skippy
(4:06)  9. Reflections
(6:05) 10. Four In One
(4:38) 11. Bye-ya
(4:53) 12. Ask Me Now
(7:13) 13. Let’s Call This

The initial impact of hearing modern blowing on a soprano sax was somewhat like that of discovering an unfamiliar instrument in contemporary jazz. With Steve Lacy, the Bechet vibrato was smoothed to a sound more in keeping with the new trends in jazz. It was his own conception. He stood alone as a developing voice on a somewhat limited instrument.

On these early quartet recordings, he is backed by two first-rate rhythm sections, featuring the great Wynton Kelly on Soprano Sax, and the succinct, punching Mal Waldron on Reflections, an enthusiastic tribute to Thelonious Monk’s compositions. Lacy, who was fascinated by the pianist's music, said, “Monk’s harmony comes from the melody. If you just play from the harmony, you're missing something. Monk has got his own poetry and you’ve got to get the fragrance of it.” These sides showed that, besides Monk, he had also been listening to Sonny Rollins, John Coltrane, and Miles Davis. http://www.freshsoundrecords.com/soprano_sax_&_reflections_2_lp_on_1_cd-cd-5246.html

Featuring: Steve Lacy (ss), Wynton Kelly, Mal Waldron (p), Buell Neidlinger (b), Dennis Charles, Elvin Jones (d)

Soprano Sax & Reflections

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Jessica Young - Jump In

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:38
Size: 82,1 MB
Art: Front

(2:40)  1. Jump In
(3:26)  2. I'll Do What I Want To
(3:34)  3. Why Can't I Say
(3:33)  4. Where I Became Me
(3:31)  5. She Played the Fool
(3:19)  6. Reason to Stay
(2:19)  7. Sometimes That Happens
(2:58)  8. I Don't Need You
(2:36)  9. Passenger Side
(3:19) 10. Lemondrops & Kegstands
(4:19) 11. Angel of 343

Jessica Young is a 26 year-old from Denver, NC. She started playing the piano at the age of 3; and later, earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree with a concentration in Piano Performance from Queens University of Charlotte. After attending college, she learned how to play guitar, and starting writing songs. She has been to Nashville to record her first album, but returned to her roots in North Carolina to record her second album with an independent label. Her music can make you want to dance, cry, or feel great. ~ Bio http://www.sonicbids.com/band/jessicayoung/

Jump In

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Toots Thielemans - Harmonica Jazz

Styles: Harmonica Jazz
Year: 1984
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:28
Size: 84,0 MB
Art: Front

(2:44)  1. Scotch on the Rocks
(2:58)  2. Sophisticated Lady
(2:12)  3. Cocktails For Two
(4:36)  4. Don't Be That Way
(3:11)  5. Stars Fell on Alabama
(2:23)  6. I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart
(2:22)  7. I'm Putting All My Eggs In One Basket
(2:00)  8. Skylark
(4:30)  9. Diga Diga Doo
(2:44) 10. So Rare
(2:17) 11. On the Alamo
(4:25) 12. Sonny Boy

Jean 'Toots' Thielemans is widely regarded by most people as the most accomplished harmonica player in the world. Of course, that's not all he does and it would be a great injustice to label him as just a good harmonica player. If you are not into Jazz, you may not have heard of his name but you have probably heard his music many times and I suspect you liked it. He is equally good at playing guitar, the accordeon and many other instruments. For instance, you will never hear anyone whistle jazz better than Toots. Born on 29 April 1922 in Brussels, he quickly got interested in music and was playing the accordeon at age 3. Later he started playing the harmonica and the guitar. He got seriously hooked on jazz in earnest during the German occupation and has been influenced predominantly by Django Reinhardt, another Belgian who invented a particular way of playing the guitar, and the legendary Charlie Parker. Other influences were Toots Mondello and Toots Camarata, resulting in Jean Thielemans being nicknamed 'Toots' early on in his career.

In an interview in 1983 with a Belgian radio station, he said : “My parents had a pub and each Sunday there was an accordionist. They have told me that when I was in my cradle, I already was imitating the gestures of the musician. One of the clients said “that kid wants to play accordion”. My father bought me a little cardboard accordion, and when I was three I got this little machine. (plays a little bit, accompanied by the barking of his little dog called Duke Yorkshire Ellington Thielemans)”. He made his big breakthrough when he went on European tour with Benny Goodman in 1950. He moved to America in 1952 (and became a US citizen the same year) where he is extremely well-known, especially among the jazz community. Quincy Jones said this about him in 1995 : “I can say without hesitation that Toots is one of the greatest musicians of our time. On his instrument he ranks with the best that jazz has ever produced. He goes for the heart and makes you cry. We have worked together more times than I can count and he always keeps me coming back for more”. Toots hates his favourite instrument, the harmonica, being called a 'miscellaneous instrument'. Indeed, the late Clifford Brown said : “Toots, the way you play the harmonica they should not call it a miscellaneous instrument”.

His successes include harmonica solo contributions to film scores for Midnight Cowboy, The Getaway, Sugarland Express, Cinderella Liberty, Turks Fruit (Turkish Fruit), Jean de Florette and others. In 1962 he had a massive hit with 'Bluesette'. He also did many concerts and recordings with legends such as George Shearing, Ella Fitzgerald, Quincy Jones, Bill Evans, Jaco Pastorius, Natalie Cole, Pat Metheny, Paul Simon and Billy Joel. Many people also will remember him from the music used for the 'Old Spice' TV commercial. Toots succeeded in doing something that is very difficult for Jazz musicians: being well-known by the general public and still practice high-class Jazz. Receiving the high appreciation of his peers and connoisseurs is no mean feat and Toots is regularly voted first in his category in the famous Down Beat Jazz Magazine in the USA by critics and public. In 1981, Toots suffered from a major stroke that left part of his body with little feeling. Today he has pretty much recovered from the stroke and admits that while he may not be able to play as many notes as he used to, he can still “play the good ones”. He has always suffered from asthma which makes his success even more remarkable. http://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/tootsthielemans

Harmonica Jazz

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Denise Perrier - Live At Yoshi's : Blue Monday Party

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:18
Size: 154,7 MB
Art: Front

(11:18) 1. Ellington Medley: Don't Get Around Much Any More/Do Nothing Til ..
( 5:13)  2. All Of Me
( 5:51)  3. Until The Real Thing Comes Along
( 6:25)  4. Ain't Misbehavin'/I'm Gonna Sit Right Down & Write Myself a Letter
( 6:19)  5. Polka Dots And Moonbeams
( 6:18)  6. I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart
( 4:01)  7. I'll Take Romance
( 7:57)  8. On The Sunny Side Of The Street
( 5:47)  9. More Today Than Yesterday
( 8:06) 10. Big Long Slidin' Thing

Denise Perrier has spent most of her thirty-year career performing in the San Francisco Bay  Area and touring    Europe,  Latin America and Asia. With her latest CD, "Denise Perrier and the Novosibirsk Philharmonic Orchestra," she has moved to  a higher level of artistry and popularity.  Harkening back to the time when a singer told the story and left the rest to the instrumentalists, Denise has a very  welcoming straight-ahead style, concentrating on the standards and adding blues and Latin for variety. Her  musical configuration, Denise connects with audiences - that’s her forte.  She is known as  “the voice with a  heart.”  Blessed with a rich contralto voice and the ability to sing ballads and blues with equal artistry, Denise has performed in the theatrical revue "In the House of the Blues,"  portraying Bessie Smith; and the vaudeville “One Mo’  Time.”

She was featured in the Grammy-nominated CD, "Color Me Blue," with Brother Jack McDuff and, in addition to the latest one,  has produced four CDs: "The Second Time Around" (2008),  "I Wanna Be Loved" (1997), also with Houston Person, and  "East Meets  West" (2001) which includes sides performed in Russia.  In 2004, she came out with "Live at Yoshi's; Blue Monday Party," which received much critical acclaim and reached high on the jazz charts.   Denise was born in Louisiana but moved to the East Bay Area with her family at the age of five.  Denise didn't sing extensively in church, but her family had a jukebox, and she heard records by Billie Holiday and the other great early jazz singers.  Denise started singing in public when she was in a Haitian and Afro-Cuban dance group, obtaining her first professional engagement with a vocal ensemble called the Intervals.  Louis Armstrong saw the group and put them in his entourage for a performance in Las Vegas.  Shortly afterwards, Denise was recruited for a three-month gig in Australia, which turned into an extended stay in the Far East. 

She performed in Hong Kong, the Philippines, Taiwan,    Formosa, Japan, Guam, and other Asian cities, staying for    almost five years with Hong Kong as her home base. She also spent a year and a half in Vietnam during the war touring military bases. Denise returned to the United States, lived in New York for five years, and then settled in San Francisco, where she became one of its most popular performers. She performs extensively in the San Francisco Bay Area's most prestigious venues as well as touring Latin America and Europe.  http://www.deniseperrier.com/BIO.htm

Personnel: Denise Perrier (vocals); Ray Loeckle (saxophone); Steve Campos (trumpet); Bryan Gould (trombone); Al Plank (piano); Harold Jones (drums).

Live At Yoshi's : Blue Monday Party

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Tim Hegarty - Tribute

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:00
Size: 160,6 MB
Art: Front

( 7:34)  1. A New Blue
( 6:55)  2. Amsterdam After Dark
(10:05)  3. Simone
( 8:35)  4. Ineffable
( 7:21)  5. New Picture
( 7:03)  6. Not To Worry
( 6:48)  7. Low Profile
( 4:25)  8. Gingerbread Boy
( 7:14)  9. Pannonica
( 3:55) 10. Inner Urge

Tim Hegarty's Tribute is an audible panegyric on the great saxophonist-composers. It's a well-crafted, straightforward date that highlights Hegarty's love for those who've come before and the work that they've done on paper and on record. The list of saxophonists that Hegarty has studied includes George Coleman, Jimmy Heath, Frank Foster, Joe Henderson, John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, Charlie Parker, and Michael Brecker; the first four on that list are represented on the composition side during this program and the rest come out in various ways as Hegarty winds his way through the music. Sonically speaking, Hegarty's tenor comes off like a more lustrous Joe Henderson with a dash of Dexter Gordon thrown into the mix. His soprano is broader sounding and less shrill than most. He sounds phenomenal on both horns, riding atop the to-die-for rhythm section of pianist Kenny Barron, bassist Rufus Reid, and drummer Carl Allen.

This quartet, augmented by vibraphonist Mark Sherman on five tracks, doesn't try to reinvent the wheel by deconstructing or wildly reconstructing anything. This is more of an old school outfit, content to simply take a song and run with it. They play out-and-out classics (Henderson's "Inner Urge" and Foster's "Simone") deliver a few lesser known Heath tunes along with his most famous composition ("Gingerbread Boy"), and tackle a pair of Hegarty originals with class and assuredness. Thought was clearly put into the way the songs would be arranged or structured, but nothing was thought-to-death. Many outings of a similar nature tend to be underwhelming or overcooked, but this one came out just right. ~ Dan Bilawsky  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/tribute-tim-hegarty-miles-high-records-review-by-dan-bilawsky.php

Personnel: Tim Hegarty: tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone;  Mark Sherman: vibraphone (2-6);  Kenny Barron: piano;  Rufus Reid: bass;  Carl Allen: drums.

Tribute

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The Colorifics - Where There's Smoke

Styles: Vocal, Jazz Pop
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:43
Size: 107,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:45)  1. Walking In The Shade
(2:35)  2. Never You Mind
(4:23)  3. Hocus Pocus
(3:37)  4. Venezuela
(4:15)  5. Chit Chat
(3:13)  6. Sweet Talk
(2:31)  7. Oh Ah
(4:14)  8. Playing The Fool
(3:52)  9. Night Of The Coloured Lanterns
(4:13) 10. Come Sin With Me
(5:03) 11. Where There's Smoke
(4:56) 12. Hastings and Main

Always entertaining, often riveting, the Colorifics combine the best elements of strong catchy song writing, flawless musicianship and energetic stage presence to deliver engaging performances unparalleled by an other band. Mixing a dazzling array of genres into a cohesive blend of unique musical stylings, the Colorifics take the stage like they were born to it. Formed in 1995, the band has toured internationally, across Canada, released 4 full length albums to critical aclaim, played shows everywhere from smoky alternative venues to some of the city’s biggest soft seater theaters and has been the proving grounds for some of Vancouver’s finest Jazz and Pop musicians. Having recently aquired new singer Melissa Bandura, the band is exploring some new melodic heights. With the addition of Mel’s perfect pitch, smoky sweet sound, sultry stage presence and occasional tasty violin forays, the Colorifics are infused with new energy and vitality. The live show is a constant stream of colour, different genres and rythyms woven in a tapestry of sweet melodies, now slow and sweet, now fast and intricate. 

Casual and confident on stage, the Colorifics keep it coming at a delightful pace. With unique original songs rivalling jazz standards of the past and pop hits of today, one can’t help but sing along and dance. It’s hard to believe a four piece (drums, bass, guitar and vocals) can produce this much sound and variety of feeling. Often incorporating 4 part harmony and featuring many duets, the Colorifics’ highly arranged songs manage to retain a catchy simplicity that excites the average listener whilst still engaging even the more experienced members of the music community. Executed with poise, class, professionalism, and a lot of sass, the music of the Colorifics is a welcome refreshment for the musical soul. http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/thecolorifics

Where There's Smoke

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Roy Hargrove Big Band - Emergence

Styles: Trumpet Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:03
Size: 160,5 MB
Art: Front

( 4:15)  1. Velera
( 5:33)  2. Ms. Garvey, Ms. Garvey
( 6:00)  3. My Funny Valentine
( 6:37)  4. Mambo For Roy
(13:36)  5. Requiem
( 6:59)  6. September In The Rain
( 5:56)  7. Everytime We Say Goodbye
( 3:29)  8. La Puerta
( 5:51)  9. Roy Allan
( 7:17) 10. Tschpiso
( 4:26) 11. Trust

As a trumpeter, composer, and an arranger, Roy Hargrove has been a mainstay of the contemporary music scene in a variety of formats for nearly two decades. Nevertheless, his big band experience has been limited mostly to his appearances with the Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Big Band, with which he has most ably proved himself an heir to the late trumpet legend's mantle. Hargrove has been steadily accumulating big band experience in his own right since 1995, however, and Emergence is therefore most aptly titled, for it represents Hargrove's full-fledged emergence into the large ensemble idiom. While the tone poem "Requiem," by composer and trombonist Frank Lacy, was probably intended as the CD's tour de force, it's a major disappointment. After a most promising brass fanfare, with an arpeggiated woodwind countermelody reminiscent of Ravel's "Daphnis et Chloe," "Requiem" lapses into an eight-minute ostinato vamp under self-indulgent alto and trombone solos, accompanied only by the rhythm section. Eight minutes is an unusually long time for the full band to lay out, and Hargrove's own contribution is limited to a few brief exchanges with the trumpet section. The saving grace is the recapitulation of the opening tutti. 

On the other hand, the remainder of Emergence exhibits Hargrove in full flight as captain of his 19-piece ensemble. Arrangements have been furnished by baritone saxophonist Jason Marshall (the hard-bopping "Ms. Garvey, Ms. Garvey"), bass trombonist Max Siegel (a Stan Kenton esque interpretation of the Rodgers and Hart classic "My Funny Valentine"), the iconic Cuban pianist Chucho Valdes ("Mambo for Roy"), and Hargrove himself. "September In the Rain," which features Hargrove on both Harmon-muted trumpet and a mellow vocal, appears to have been arranged in a Count Basie -inspired vein by pianist Gerald Clayton. Clayton, in fact, is the son of composer, arranger, bassist, and co-leader John Clayton of Los Angeles' Clayton/Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, a major inspiration for Hargrove's aggregation. Vocalist Roberta Gambarini, Hargrove's erstwhile colleague with both the Gillespie band and jam sessions at NYC's Jazz Gallery, adds her velvet voice to Cole Porter's "Every Time We Say Goodbye" and the Spanish-language "La Puerta." On the latter track, she is reminiscent of Linda Ronstadt on her early-1990s Latino-jazz romp Frenesi (Elektra, 1992). Hargrove also seems to have absorbed influences ranging from McCoy Tyner ("Tschipiso") to Gerald Wilson ("Roy Allan") and Billy Strayhorn ("Trust") in the band's full-voiced sonorities. Emergence definitely proves that Hargrove, 39 years old at the time of this recording, is ready to add his name to the list of large ensemble leaders. ~ Robert J.Robbins  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/emergence-roy-hargrove-emarcy-review-by-robert-j-robbins.php

Personnel: Roy Hargrove: leader, composer, arranger, trumpet, fluegelhorn, vocal; Frank Greene: trumpet and flugelhorn; Greg Gisbert, : trumpet and flugelhorn; Darren Barrett: trumpet and flugelhorn; Ambrose Akinmisure: trumpet and flugelhorn; Jason Jackson: trombone; Vincent Chandler: trombone; Saunders Sermons: trombone; Max Siegel: bass trombone, arranger; Bruce Williams: alto saxophone, flute; Justin Robinson: alto saxophone, flute; Norbert Stachel: tenor saxophone, flute; Keith Loftis: tenor saxophone, flute; Jason Marshall: baritone saxophone, flute, reeds; Gerald Clayton: piano, arranger; Saul Rubin: guitar; Danton Boller: bass; Montez Coleman: drums; Roberta Gambarini: vocals.

Emergence

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Tina May - Divas

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:18
Size: 138,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:24)  1. Why Don't You Do Right
(4:36)  2. There's a Lull in My Life
(5:55)  3. Forgetful
(3:59)  4. Can't Get out of This Mood
(5:55)  5. When the World Was Young
(4:54)  6. Where You At?
(6:22)  7. Surabaya Johnny
(5:39)  8. Baltimore Oriole
(3:31)  9. Let's Get Lost
(5:50) 10. I Will Wait for You
(5:36) 11. You Don't Know What Love Is
(4:31) 12. All Through the Night

Tina May is perhaps the least likely jazz singer to be calling an album Divas. No diva herself, she's one of the band, a musician as much as a singer, and while she likes to inhabit a lyric and really get inside a song, May does so with just the right weight of performance, in both French and English here. These 12 songs are mostly associated with singers of another generation, but May brings her own personality and her unfailingly attractive vocal timbre to all of them, lending You Don't Know What Love Is a lightness of touch, an insouciance almost, that takes it some way from Billie Holiday's iconic version, and singing Let's Get Lost with all the carefree romance that Chet Baker only wistfully hinted at in his version of the song, half a century or so ago. 

May is also intimate and tender on Forgetful and clearly having fun with drummer-turned-assured-crooner Winston Clifford on their mischievous duet, Where You At? A cracking, crisply swinging band, superbly judged arrangements and fine soloing ensure all-round high quality. ~ Rob Adams http://www.heraldscotland.com/arts_ents/13128970.Tina_May__Divas__Hep_/

Personnel:  Tina May – vocals;  Winston Clifford – vocals;  John Pearce – piano;  Dave Cliff – guitar;  Freddie Gavita – trumpet;  Adrian Fry – trombone;  Frank Griffith - tenor sax, clarinet; Bob Martin - alto saxophone;  Andy Cleyndert - double bass;  Bobby Worth - drums

Divas

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Dick Hyman - From the Age of Swing

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:12
Size: 152,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:02)  1. From the Age of Swing
(4:24)  2. You're Driving Me Crazy/Moten Swing
(6:07)  3. Topsy
(3:24)  4. Moonglow
(4:51)  5. Them There Eyes
(6:05)  6. Dooji Wooji
(5:20)  7. Soft Winds
(4:48)  8. What Is There to Say?
(4:42)  9. 'Deed I Do
(4:31) 10. Rose Room
(3:23) 11. I Know What You Do
(5:34) 12. Mean to Me
(3:12) 13. I'm Getting Sentimental over You
(4:43) 14. From the Age of Swing (alternate take)

As the title implies, this is very much a swing set. Pianist Dick Hyman (a master of all pre-bop styles) has little difficulty emulating Teddy Wilson, Art Tatum and Count Basie (among others) plus his own style in an octet also featuring trumpeter Joe Wilder, trombonist Urbie Green, altoist-clarinetist Phil Bodner, baritonist Joe Temperley, rhythm guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli, bassist Milt Hinton, drummer Butch Miles and (on three tunes) altoist Frank Wess. The opening and closing numbers are ad-lib blues both titled "From the Age of Swing"; sandwiched in between are ten swing-era standards plus a couple of obscure Duke Ellington items. Among the highlights are "Topsy," "Them There Eyes," "Rose Room" and "Mean to Me." No real surprises occur, but mainstream fans should like this swinging set. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/from-the-age-of-swing-mw0000125036

Personnel: Dick Hyman (piano); Phil Bodner (alto saxophone, clarinet); Frank Wess (alto saxophone); Joe Temperley (baritone saxophone); Joe Wilder (trumpet, flugelhorn); Urbie Green (trombone); Bucky Pizzarelli (guitar); Milt Hinton (acoustic bass); Butch Miles (drums).

From the Age of Swing

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Russell Malone - Sweet Georgia Peach

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:14
Size: 140,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:35)  1. Mugshot
(6:20)  2. To Benny Golson
(6:17) 3. Strange Little Smile / With You I'm Born Again
(5:52)  4. Sweet Georgia Peach
(5:33)  5. Rise
(6:58)  6. Mean What You Say
(5:56)  7. Song For Darius
(5:31)  8. Bright Mississippi
(5:13)  9. Someone's Rocking My Dreamboat
(5:16) 10. For Toddlers Only
(2:38) 11. Swing Low, Sweet Chariot

Sweet Georgia Peach is one of 1998's most compelling mainstream jazz releases. Guitarist Russell Malone (b. 1963), known better for his sideman roles with Jimmy Smith, Harry Connick, Brandford Marsalis, Diana Krall and Mose Allison, has produced quite a fine jazz document here, in only his third effort as a leader. He's a musician of many gifts, who never seems consciously influenced by any particular guitarist or even a direct musical style. Indirectly, he can suggest the moodswings of Larry Coryell. But such a declaration subjugates the quality of Malone's individual conceptions. Here, Malone is captured in an all-star quartet featuring pianist Kenny Barron, bassist Ron Carter and drummer Lewis Nash. For a studio ensemble, this one is a tight unit that works quite well together. The bulk of the music consists of Malone's originals. He's a fine, notable composer with a gift for burying the implicit technique of his ideas under the genuine appeal of his melodies.

Check out the intriguing mid-tempo "To Benny Golson," the Larry Coryell like "Mugshot" (with an exceptionally spirited solo from Barron) and the funky "Freedom Jazz Dance" groove of the intricately-paced title track (with another great feature for Barron). The waltz he wrote for his son, "Song for Darius," offers another memorable melody and yet another expert showcase for Barron's piano artistry. Malone's playing stands out especially on the covers he performs, most especially on the evocative "Someone's Rocking My Dreamboat" and the wonderful piano-guitar duo of Monk's "Bright Mississippi." What's most surprising, though, is how Malone rethinks two late 1970s hits. Hear how he stretches Herb Alpert's disco trash, "Rise," into a compelling mid-tempo ballad. Then listen to his sincere reconsideration of the Billy Preston/Syreeta hit "With You I'm Born Again" (to my knowledge, the only other jazz cover of this was Eric Gale's in 1980). "Born Again" is preceded by Malone's "Strange Little Smile" a terrific lullaby, like his solo rendition of "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" that suggests Malone has developed quite a niche specialty. Sweet Georgia Peach offers truly enjoyable traditional jazz and provides provocative evidence of Russell Malone's emerging talents. Recommended. ~ Douglas Payne http://www.allaboutjazz.com/sweet-georgia-peach-russell-malone-impulse-review-by-douglas-payne.php

Players: Russell Malone: guitar; Ron Carter: bass; Kenny Barron: piano; Lewis Nash: drums; Steve Kroon: percussion on "Mugshot" and "Rise."

Sweet Georgia Peach

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Randy Weston - Modern Art Of Jazz

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:06
Size: 92,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:01)  1. In a Little Spanish Town
(4:17)  2. J.K. Blues
(5:01)  3. Well You Need't
(4:49)  4. How High the Moon
(3:01)  5. Loose Wig
(5:09)  6. Stormy Weather
(3:42)  7. Run Joe
(5:19)  8. Don't Blame Me
(5:43)  9. A Theme for Teddy

Placing Randy Weston into narrow, bop-derived categories only tells part of the story of this restless musician. Starting with the gospel of bop according to Thelonious Monk, Weston has gradually absorbed the letter and spirit of African and Caribbean rhythms and tunes, welding everything together into a searching, energizing, often celebratory blend. His piano work ranges across a profusion of styles from boogie-woogie through bop into dissonance, marking by a stabbing quality reminiscent of, but not totally indebted to, Monk.

Growing up in Brooklyn, Weston was surrounded by a rich musical community: he knew Max Roach, Cecil Payne, and Duke Jordan; Eddie Heywood lived across the street; Wynton Kelly was a cousin. Most influential of all was Monk, who tutored Weston upon visits to his apartment. Weston began working professionally in R&B bands in the late '40s before playing in the bebop outfits of Payne and Kenny Dorham. After signing with Riverside in 1954, Weston led his own trios and quartets and attained a prominent reputation as a composer, contributing jazz standards like "Hi-Fly" and "Little Niles" to the repertoire. He also met arranger Melba Liston, who has collaborated with Weston off and on into the '90s. Weston's interest in his roots was stimulated by extended stays in Africa; he visited Nigeria in 1961 and 1963, lived in Morocco from 1968 to 1973 following a tour, and has remained fascinated with the music and spiritual values of the continent ever since. In the '70s, Weston made recordings for Arista-Freedom, Polydor, and CTI while maintaining a peripatetic touring existence mostly in Europe returning to Morocco in the mid-'80s.

However, starting in the late '80s, after a long recording drought, Weston's visibility in the U.S. skyrocketed with an extraordinarily productive period in the studios for Antilles and Verve. Among his highly eclectic recording projects were a trilogy of "Portrait" albums depicting Ellington, Monk, and himself, an ambitious two-CD work rooted in African music called The Spirits of Our Ancestors, a blues album, and a collaboration with the Gnawa Musicians of Morocco. Weston's fascination with the music of Africa continued on such works as 2003's Spirit! The Power of Music, 2004's Nuit Africaine and 2006's Zep Tepi, The Randy Weston African Rhythms Trio. In 2010, Weston released the live album The Storyteller which featured the then 84-year-old pianist in concert at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola, as part of Jazz at the Lincoln Center. ~ Richard S. Ginell, Rovi  https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/randy-weston/id137815#fullText

Modern Art Of Jazz

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Norm Drubner - I'm Old Fashioned

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 27:32
Size: 63,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:34)  1. There Will Never Be Another You
(2:22)  2. Time After Time
(2:05)  3. You're Getting to Be a Habit with Me
(2:51)  4. I'm Old Fashioned
(2:08)  5. Imagination
(3:07)  6. But Not for Me
(2:58)  7. My Ideal
(3:26)  8. That Old Feeling
(2:51)  9. Look For The Silver Lining
(2:06) 10. That's All

Norm Drubner was born in Connecticut and has practiced law along with operating real estate related businesses there for many years. Recently, he has turned his attention to his lifelong passion for music  especially the standards from The Great American Songbook. The results have been a series of vocal CDs performed with a smooth, light jazz touch with an emphasis on songs with great lyrics that make the melodies special. Norm is a lawyer-turned-singer who now inspires all of us would-be singers to follow our dreams while there is still time. Enjoy Norm’s interview (at right) with radio show host Don Wolff who loves jazz. http://www.normdrubner.com/

I'm Old Fashioned

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The Kenny Drew Trio - Pal Joey

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:03
Size: 87.1 MB
Styles: Hard bop, Piano jazz
Year: 1957/2011
Art: Front

[ 4:09] 1. Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered
[ 5:52] 2. Do It The Hard Way
[ 4:00] 3. I Didn't Know What Time It Was
[ 4:18] 4. Happy Hunting Horn
[ 4:43] 5. I Could Write A Book
[ 5:08] 6. What Is A Man
[ 4:09] 7. My Funny Valentine
[ 5:41] 8. The Lady Is A Tramp

It seems strange that (with the exception of a 1960 session for Blue Note) this would be pianist Kenny Drew's last session as a leader until 1973. With bassist Wilbur Ware and drummer Philly Joe Jones, Drew interprets eight Rodgers and Hart tunes, five written for the play Pal Joey and three of their earlier hits that were included in the film version. Drew contributes swing and subtle bop-based improvising to these superior melodies (which are highlighted by "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered," "I Could Write a Book," and "The Lady Is a Tramp"), and the results are quite memorable. ~Scott Yanow

Pal Joey

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Hirofumi Asaba - Easy Like

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:07
Size: 103.3 MB
Styles: Jazz guitar
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[3:59] 1. Jumpin' Asaba Blues
[3:59] 2. Easy Like
[3:18] 3. North Of The Border
[5:35] 4. Angel Eyes
[4:16] 5. Crazy Rhythm
[3:03] 6. Blues For The Poll Winners
[4:42] 7. Mean To Me
[3:58] 8. Willow Weep For Me
[4:36] 9. Give Me The Simple Life
[4:13] 10. You Are The One For Me
[3:23] 11. A Night At The Soultrane

Jazz Guitarist in Tokyo, Japan. His playing is a blend of modern and swing styles of jazz, and is strongly inspired by Barney Kessel and Charlie Christian. His upbeat, swinging guitar playing and beautiful chord solos entertain music lovers of all genres and truly stands alone in today’s jazz scene.

Hirofumi was born in Tokyo. in 1986, He started playing piano at age five, and he has been playing the guitar since he was fourteen years old. His playing has spanned genres, including punk, rockabilly, rock and roll, ska, and reggae music. He has traveled with his guitar to New Orleans,Cuba, Jamaica, Australia, and Southeast Asia, jamming with many people along the way.

In Japan, he worked in a jazz bar, where he met many great jazz musicians, including Yoshiaki Okayasu, one of the greatest jazz guitarists in Japan. Hirofumi studied jazz under Okayasu for four years.

Easy Like

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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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