Vaughn Wiester's Famous Jazz Orchestra - Dreams Come True

Styles: Jazz, Post-Bop, Big Band
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:31
Size: 172,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:33)  1. Boo Boo Be Doop
(4:19)  2. Wailin' In The Woodshed
(3:59)  3. Love Letters
(6:19)  4. Interloper
(5:56)  5. Make Someone Happy
(7:34)  6. Dearly Befuddled
(5:59)  7. Theme & Variations #3
(4:59)  8. The Whole Man
(3:18)  9. Prez Conference
(5:16) 10. Rhoda Map
(3:52) 11. Springsville
(7:38) 12. Mon Ami Jobim
(3:06) 13. Walkin' By the River
(7:37) 14. Orange Sherbet

Big Band Jazz in the Post-Swing manner of Count Basie, Woody Herman and Stan Kenton. In this issue we are proud to present three dazzling commissions we know you will enjoy.

First, Bill Holman graciously agreed to restore for us his 1952 swinger, "Boo Boo Be Doop." This irreverently titled jewel was written for Stan Kenton and has been missing for nearly 50 years. Thanks to Bill it's now a Famous Jazz Orchestra exclusive! Second, the illustrious, personable and immensely gifted Bill Mathieu decided to write us a dedication to Holman. His eloquent essay, "The Whole Man," was premiered on September 24, 2007 on the occasion of Willis' fourth appearance with FJO. This stunning masterpiece would seem to mock Mathieu's remark that he's not written for big band in 45 years! And finally, it was our friend Roland Paolucci who suggested a co-comission to Holman for "Theme And Variations #3." Good idea, Roland! This recording is of the official premier performance, with Mr. Holman leading the band. (Roland and I shake hands a lot...What a pal!)

Still more Dreams Come True...Our buddy Chas Baker at Kent State thought we might attempt to persuade the extraordinary Mark Lopeman to prepare a performance version of “Springsville” after the Gil Evans arrangement. Mark has generously donated this luminous transcription to FJO’s library. We know you’ll agree it’s perfect with Jim Powell in the solo role! As far as I know, we one of the only two orchestras playing John Hall’s “Dearly Befuddled,” the other being the Carl Saunders Band out in LA. Pretty good company! We not only play the chart, but we’ve got John Hall! We are so pleased to have become acquainted with Joe Coccia, a most amiable gentleman living in Cranston, Rhode Island. Here are two of his charts, both written in 1957 for Stan’s band. I am personally overjoyed to be playing Joe’s beautiful arrangement of “Walkin’ By The River,” one of the lovliest charts I’ve ever heard. Yes folks, a Dream Come True! more...http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/vaughnwiesters2

Collective Personnel: Saxes: John Vermeulen, Jay Miglia, Bryan Olsheski, Joe Graziosi, Bob LeBeau, Matt Adams (10), Gordon Shaffer (12); Trumpets: Erik Gimbel, Larry Everhart, Jim Powell, Bob Larson, Phil Winnard, Jack Schantz (4), Max Roach (4), Ben Huntoon (10), Warren Clark (9), Alan Paar (13); Trombones: Ryan Hamilton, Matt Ellis, John Hall, Bill England (bass trombone), Jessica Sneeringer (1,2,5), Evan Oberla (11), Matt Smith (bass trombone) (12); Tuba: Sean Maloney, Kie Watkins (4); Horns: Scott Strohm, Tiffany Damicone, Mariah Cheyney (1,2,5), John Busic (3), Kristin Pruitt (4); Rhythm: Derek DiCenzo, Aaron Quinn (1,2,5,7), Rob Smeets 13), Andrew Hartman (3) guitar - Larry Cook, bass - Steve Schaar, John von Ohlen (3) drums - Jim Luellen, Ed Cottle (6,12), Jon Eshelman (7) piano - Margie Coyle, percussion; Bill Holman, conductor (7)

Thank You Mat!
Dreams Come True

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Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes - I Don't Want To Go Home

Styles: Pop/Rock
Year: 1976
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:03
Size: 80,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:42)  1. I Don't Want To Go Home
(3:12)  2. Got To Get You Off My Mind
(3:22)  3. How Come You Treat Me So Bad
(5:05)  4. The Fever
(3:27)  5. Broke Down Piece Of Man
(3:33)  6. Sweeter Than Honey
(3:22)  7. Fanny Mae
(2:45)  8. It Ain't The Meat (It's The Motion)
(2:44)  9. I Choose To Sing The Blues
(3:46) 10. You Mean So Much To Me

When Bruce Springsteen first rose to fame in the mid-'70s, more than a few critics were bemused by the prospect of a rock star from Asbury Park, NJ, one of the Garden State's less scenic locales, but when Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes dropped their classic debut album I Don't Want to Go Home the same year as Born to Run, for a moment it seemed as if the Jersey Shore could be the secret center of the rock & roll universe. At its best, I Don't Want to Go Home sounds like the work of the greatest bar band in the history of the world; pumping out superb covers of lesser-known R&B classics (with Lee Dorsey and Ronnie Spector on hand to contribute guest vocals) as well as like-minded originals; the Jukes are admirably tough but versatile on this record, adding the right touch of swagger on "How Come You Treat Me So Bad" and "Broke Down Piece of Man" while sounding suitably heartbroken on the title cut and generally proving they can play anything they set their minds to and make it cook. 

While Springsteen fans were initially attracted to this album by the presence of two otherwise unavailable tunes by the Boss, "The Fever" and "You Mean So Much to Me," his bandmate, Steve Van Zandt, turned out to be the secret weapon on this album, producing the sessions and writing three of the album's best songs, and Southside Johnny Lyon's vocals are powerful and fully confident on every track, even while trading verses with legends like Dorsey and Spector. If I Don't Want to Go Home didn't quite capture the sweat and physical power of a live Southside Johnny gig, it got the band's heart and soul on tape with tremendous accuracy, and it's a masterful set of hard-boiled blue-eyed soul. ~ Mark Deming http://www.allmusic.com/album/i-dont-want-to-go-home-mw0000191790

I Don't Want To Go Home

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Jerry Bergonzi & Joachim Kuhn - Signed By:

Styles: Piano And Saxophone Jazz

Year: 1991

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 66:45

Size: 153,1 MB

Art: Front

( 6:09)  1. Manipulations

( 7:51)  2. A Different Look

( 4:19)  3. Signed by:

( 2:53)  4. Two steps back

( 3:15)  5. Easy to read

( 7:42)  6. I ching reading

(11:06)  7. Come back to the island

( 7:33)  8. Yesterdays

( 9:56)  9. Heavy hanging

( 5:57) 10. Our love is here to stay

A fine, high-powered tenor saxophonist with a tone influenced by John Coltrane, a mastery of chord changes, and a strong musical imagination, Jerry Bergonzi has long had an underground following in the Boston area. He started on clarinet when he was eight, switching to alto at 12, and finally to tenor two years later. Bergonzi was inspired early on by Sonny Rollins, Coltrane, and Hank Mobley. He attended Lowell University and then after graduation played electric bass in local bands behind singers and strippers, saving up enough money to move to New York in 1972. After struggling in the Big Apple for seven years and gaining some recognition as a member of Two Generations of Brubeck and of the Dave Brubeck Quartet (with whom he appeared on several Concord albums during 1979-1981), Bergonzi moved back to Boston in 1981, where he developed a strong career both as a tenorman and as an educator. He has since led several groups (including two called Con Brio and Gonz) and recorded for the Plug, Not Fat, Red, and Blue Note labels. Bio ~Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/artist/jerry-bergonzi-mn0000329114/biography

Although not a free jazz musician, per se, Kuhn has been an avant-gardist; he began attempting a fusion of contemporary classical elements with jazz very early in his career. Kuhn's intense virtuosity is a reflection of his training. He studied classical composition and piano for 12 years, beginning when he was a small child. He performed as a classical pianist up until 1961, at which point he began playing in a Prague-based jazz quintet. He led a trio from 1962-1966, and in 1964 began playing with his much-older brother Rolf Kuhn, an accomplished clarinetist. In the '70s, Joachim Kuhn led his own groups, and played with the violinist Jean-Luc Ponty. Kuhn had a measure of commercial success in the '70s. His star faded a bit in the '80s, but Kuhn kept active, playing challenging forms of jazz and recording occasionally. A 1997 release, Colors: Live From Leipzig, a duo with Ornette Coleman, helped fuel new interest in Kuhn; both men were in top form and the album received excellent reviews. Bio ~ Chris Kelsey http://www.allmusic.com/artist/joachim-k%C3%BChn-mn0000783907/biography

Personnel:  Piano – Joachim Kühn; Tenor Saxophone – Jerry Bergonzi

Signed By

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Red Norvo & Ross Tompkins - Red & Ross

Styles: Vibraphone And Piano Jazz
Year: 1979
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:41
Size: 95,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:40)  1. Whisper Not
(7:09)  2. The One I Love Belongs To Somebody Else
(8:28)  3. How About You
(6:24)  4. It Might As Well Be Spring
(7:09)  5. All Of Me
(6:49)  6. Everything Happens To Me

Vibraphonist Red Norvo, 48 years after his first recording, sounds in fine form on this live set with pianist Ross Tompkins, bassist John Williams and drummer Jake Hanna. Tompkins, who takes the opening "Whisper Not" as his feature, fits in well with the masterful vibist and their two-chorus duets in the middle of "The One I Love" and "All of Me" (during which the bass and drums drop out) are the high points of a spirited and consistently swinging session. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/red-and-ross-mw0001881466

Personnel:  Bass – John Williams (8) ; Drums – Jake Hanna ; Piano – Ross Tompkins ; Vibraphone – Red Norvo

Red & Ross

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Seldon Powell - End Play

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:41
Size: 157.2 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[7:06] 1. Hackensack
[9:24] 2. Body And Soul
[8:03] 3. Push And Pull
[7:32] 4. Just In Time
[4:30] 5. Park And Ride
[8:31] 6. Ow!
[6:04] 7. Flintstones
[9:07] 8. Sel's Idea
[8:20] 9. Straight No Chaser

Ace saxophonist Seldon Powell came to the attention of the worldwide jazz audience in the mid fifties when he made tow fine albums for the Roost label. Strangely, however, although greatly respected by his contemporaries no major recording concern ever saw to fit to give him its backing and his opportunities as leader were few and far between. There are though many fine examples of his playing on numerous dates with the likes of Gerry Mulligan, Louie Bellson, Neal Hefti, Clark Terry and many others. Candid featured Seldon on its Basie Alumni record Swinging for the Count in the early nineties and this rare set with Seldon as leader reunites Seldon and Clark having fun at Birdland in 1993. Candid had planned more recordings with Seldon but sadly it was not to be and this set became Seldon's 'End Play'.

End Play

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Torsten Goods - Love Comes To Town

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:50
Size: 137.0 MB
Styles: Vocal and guitar jazz
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[4:12] 1. You Wind Me Up
[3:58] 2. When Love Comes To Town
[4:07] 3. Freedom Every Day
[5:22] 4. Put It Where You Want It
[3:47] 5. Unlucky Like Me
[4:03] 6. Right Here Waiting
[4:36] 7. Brutal Truth
[4:17] 8. Weekend At The A-Trane
[5:02] 9. Someone Like You
[4:44] 10. Summer Lovin'
[3:28] 11. Outa Here
[5:31] 12. Night Life
[2:54] 13. They Can't Take That Away From Me
[3:44] 14. Berlin P.M.

'I feel like a propeller on an aeroplane from 1975,' says Berlin-based singer-guitarist Torsten Goods at the end of the opening track, You Wind Me Up. His 2008 CD 1980 took songs from the year of his birth as its theme. This summery, breezy recording seems to go back to the 70s for inspiration, though half the tracks are co-written by Goods himself.

His guitar style has been compared with George Benson, and the three instrumentals have something of Benson's virtuosic joie de vivre: precise phrasing with a cool, laid back feel. Goods' own Weekend at the A-Trane and Berlin P.M., could be from Benson's Breezin' era, with guest Felix Lehrmann's fine funky drumming on the latter. (Wolfgang Haffner drums superbly through the rest of the album in tandem with bassist Christian von Kaphengst) The Crusaders' Put it Where You Want It has a Steely Dan-like Fender Rhodes groove; Goods moves from BB King-like bluesy soloing to some speedy gypsy jazz lines.

Goods sings on most of the tracks. In recent years he's been working with soul singers Narada Michael Walden and Sarah Connor, and some of his songs have a jazz-dipped-in-soul sound, a little like Jamie Cullum. Swedish soul singer Ida Sand guests on her composition Brutal Truth. Here and on several songs Goods scats brilliantly in unison with his guitar solo (again Benson-like), and you always wish it would last just a little longer. Sand also guests on U2's much-covered soul-rock When Love Comes to Town (A fine arrangement that could be straight off a Bobby Bland album). Goods' voice sounds very like James Taylor here- also on his own Unlucky Like Me and You Wind Me Up, with his lazy warm tone, but his guitar style is more Pat Martino.

At times Goods has Michael Bublé’s soft plush tone and superb timing; Goods' Freedom Every Day recalls Bublé's Haven't Met You Yet. He covers Richard Marx' ballad Right Here Waiting with a gentle breathiness over Jan Miserre's excellent modern jazz piano reharmonisation and mellow trumpet solo from Till Brönner. (Miserre’s also co-written several tracks with Goods.) His voice sounds smooth and buttery as he duets with Viktoria Tolstoy on his Motown-ish Summer Lovin’ and the only standard, They Can't Take That Away From Me. Perhaps the jazziest track is a cover of Willie Nelson's Night Life, in slow 12/8, sung with a low-key vulnerability, the way Peter Cincotti does, with rich tenor sax from Marcus Lindgren.

The album's pleasantly retro sound comes in part from the fab Blood Sweat and Tears-like horn arrangements (by Miserre, Lindgren and trombonist Nils Landgren) though they're quite low in the mix. I'd love to hear Goods at a summer festival with a big band blasting out the horn lines. This album should appeal to fans of Jamie Cullum and Michael Bublé, but Torsten Goods has a sassy energy all his own. ~Alison Bentley

Love Comes To Town

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Steve Khan - The Blue Man

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:55
Size: 86.8 MB
Styles: Fusion, Guitar jazz
Year: 1978/2009
Art: Front

[7:01] 1. Daily Bulls
[5:59] 2. The Blue Man
[5:25] 3. Some Down Time
[5:50] 4. The Little Ones
[4:51] 5. Daily Valley
[8:46] 6. An Eye Over Autumn (For Folon)

Steve Khan's second release was a self-produced/arranged gem. It was similar in many respects to his prior debut, yet fans will probably recall this release as their all-around favorite from Steve Khan's '70s era recordings. The horn section and solos are still there, but Khan does more conversational soloing with the reed lines. This is especially evident on "An Eye Over Autumn," and its fusion jam-fest.

The Blue Man might seem, overall, tighter, focused, and polished, and Khan's guitar tone more overdriven, more jazz rocking, and intensely penetrating in solos and intricate ostinato embellishment around song themes. The delicate reverb, delay, and crystal-clear tones on his solos are rarely heard done so well these days. Khan shows a mastering of tone and subtle bends. His phrasing is so melodic and emotionally rich that it delivers a spine-chill "rush" nearly every ten or fifteen notes. The keyboards and vibes are wonderful, sexy-silky-smooth, like a fine wine, Steely Dan, jazz rocker ballad throughout. Horns do more staccato bursts, and the percussion is more varied and polyrhythmic, becoming outright funkified boogie in places. That Latin-flavored Santana-esque groove slips through in spots. Khan again offers a beautifully executed acoustic/electric guitar outing, echoing a Larry Coryell friendship on "Daily Valley."

This release is excellent. It's no wonder his name is resident now with the lists of the great jazz guitarists of fame and genius. ~John W. Patterson

The Blue Man

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Dick Hyman - The Party's Over

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:35
Size: 86,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:39)  1. Embraceable You
(2:49)  2. I Wish You Love
(2:05)  3. It's All Right With Me
(2:58)  4. Here's That Rainy Day
(4:37)  5. Little Girl Blue (From Jumbo)
(3:40)  6. Long Ago (And Far Away)
(2:20)  7. Moon River (From Breakfast At Tiffany's)
(3:50)  8. Tea For Two
(3:04)  9. The Most Beautiful Girl In The World
(2:07) 10. A Barrel Of Keysy
(3:16) 11. Young And Foolish
(3:04) 12. The Party's Over

A very versatile virtuoso, Dick Hyman once recorded an album on which he played "A Child Is Born" in the styles of 11 different pianists, from Scott Joplin to Cecil Taylor. Hyman can clearly play anything he wants to, and since the '70s, he has mostly concentrated on pre-bop swing and stride styles. Hyman worked with Red Norvo (1949-1950) and Benny Goodman (1950), and then spent much of the 1950s and '60s as a studio musician. He appears on the one known sound film of Charlie Parker (Hot House from 1952); recorded honky tonk under pseudonyms; played organ and early synthesizers in addition to piano; was Arthur Godfrey's music director (1959-1962); collaborated with Leonard Feather on some History of Jazz concerts (doubling on clarinet), and even performed rock and free jazz; but all of this was a prelude to his later work. In the 1970s, Hyman played with the New York Jazz Repertory Company, formed the Perfect Jazz Repertory Quintet (1976), and started writing soundtracks for Woody Allen films. He has recorded frequently during the past several decades (sometimes in duets with Ruby Braff) for Concord, Music Masters, and Reference, among other labels, and ranks at the top of the classic jazz field. In 2013, Hyman teamed up with vocalist Heather Masse for a set of standards on the Red House label called Lock My Heart. ~ Scott Yanow & Al Campbell, Rovi  https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/dick-hyman/id324403#fullText

The Party's Over

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China Moses & Raphael Lemonnier - This One's for Dinah

Styles:  Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:09
Size: 135,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:29)  1. Fine Fine Daddy
(3:21)  2. Dinah's Blues
(2:59)  3. Mad About the Boy
(4:31)  4. Lover Come Back to Me
(4:51)  5. Is You or Is You Ain't My Baby
(5:25)  6. Blue Gardenia
(4:49)  7. Teach Me Tonight
(5:41)  8. Cry Me a River
(2:35)  9. Call Me Irresponsible
(3:51) 10. Fat Daddy
(3:33) 11. Goodbye
(4:43) 12. Evil Gal Blues
(7:17) 13. What a Difference a Day Makes
(0:59) 14. Gardenias for Dinah

Once upon a time, the Queen of the Blues was visited in her dressing room backstage by a woman and her baby daughter. The Queen of the Blues picked up the baby, looked at her and said, "She's gonna be a singer. She's definitely gonna be a singer." The prediction came true. The Queen was Dinah Washington; the baby, Dee Dee Bridgewater. Many years passed. Bridgewater married film director Otis Moses and had a daughter of her own, who Moses insisted be named China. When her mother was away touring, China was looked after by her grandmother. One day she flicked through her gran's record collection, found a record and put it on. It was by Dinah Washington. Her grandmother was horrified, thinking the music far too suggestive for such young and tender ears, and took the record off. That did it. Young China saw Dinah Washington as forbidden fruit and whenever her grandmother wasn't around, she would play her records.

More years passed. Dee Dee Bridgewater took her daughter to live with her in Paris, France. Here China has returned to the forbidden fruit of her childhood. Accompanied by a big band led by pianist Raphael Lemonnier, she's cut an album paying tribute to Washington. Things get off to a great start with the 12-bar blues "Fine Fine Daddy" and Moses' own "Dinah's Blues." She also does an excellent job on Noel Coward's "Mad About the Boy," which in 1992 29 years after Washington's death made the charts after being used to advertise jeans on television. "Lover Come Back to Me" is a swinging affair, with some solid trumpet work from Francois Biensan followed by some nice scatting by saxophonist Daniel Huck. Then Moses handles Louis Jordan's "Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby?" with aplomb and there are good, workmanlike solos by Fabien Marcoz (bass) and Lemonnier.

She's less sure of herself though on the slow ballad "Blue Gardenia." And "Teach Me Tonight" is quite frankly a mess. Her flippant, meandering and at times downright strident vocal eradicates any meaning the old song might still have in the modern age. She's still got a lot to learn from her mother. The mawkishly melodramatic "Goodbye" is little better, with Moses coming on like Screaming Jay Hawkins toward close of play. She's far more self-assured on "Cry Me A River" and the two up-tempo blues "Fat Daddy" and "Evil Gal Blues." Her version of Washington's greatest hit, the ballad "What A Diff'rence A Day Makes," is really quite remarkable. A bright new star has entered the jazz firmament. The album easily makes up for its failings in the enthusiasm and good humor it conveys. It should have ended with "What A Diff'rence A Day Makes." Instead it closes with "Gardenias for Dinah," an embarrassing 50-second soliloquy by Lemonnier very French, very solemn. Washington would surely have laughed her socks off. 

~ Chris Mosey http://www.allaboutjazz.com/this-ones-for-dinah-china-moses-blue-note-records-review-by-chris-mosey.php
 

Personnel: China Moses: vocals; Raphael Lemonnier: piano; Fabien Marcoz: bass; Jean-Pierre Derouard: drums; Daniel Huck: alto saxophone; Francois Biensan: trumpet; Jean-Claude Onesta: trombone; Aurelie Tropez: alto saxophone and clarinet; Frederic Couderc: tenor and baritone saxophone; Raphael Dever: bass; Henri Le Ny: additional vocals.

This One's for Dinah

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David Kikoski - Live At Smalls

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:26
Size: 136,5 MB
Art: Front

(10:10)  1. Inner urge
(11:33)  2. Dirty Dogs
(11:06)  3. Billie's Bounce
(12:53)  4. 7/4 Ballad
(13:41)  5. Grey Areas

Veteran David Kikoski has long been deserving of wider recognition. In spite of a sizable discography, Live at Smalls is one of his few recordings as a leader for an American label. Joining him for this club outing are bassist Hans Glawischnig and drummer Obed Calvaire, both of whom provide strong support. Kikoski tackles two jazz standards, starting with a pulsating long workout of Joe Henderson's sizzling "Inner Urge," showcasing all three musicians in top form. Their subtly hip take of Charlie Parker's "Billie's Bounce" is an understated affair that allows plenty of space. Kikoski's compositions merit praise as well. The theme of his lighthearted "Dirty Dogs" is immediately infectious, a post-bop number with a Latin undercurrent. The brooding nature of "7/4 Ballad" is a sharp contrast to the remainder of the set, a poignant song that deserves to have lyrics. Kikoski's tension-filled "Grey Areas" is another fine extended workout that closes this memorable set. ~ Ken Dryden http://www.allmusic.com/album/live-at-smalls-mw0002001932

Personnel: Dave Kikoski (piano); Obed Calvaire (drums); Hans Glawischnig (bass).

Live At Smalls

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Billy May - A Band Is Born / Big Band Bash

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:44
Size: 158,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:14)  1. All Of Me
(3:25)  2. If I Had You
(3:03)  3. Charmaine
(2:38)  4. Unforgettable
(3:00)  5. Fat Man Mambo
(3:15)  6. Lean Baby
(3:12)  7. My Silent Love
(2:36)  8. There Is No Greater Love
(2:54)  9. I Guess I'll Have To Change My Plan
(2:45) 10. Mayhem
(2:48) 11. When My Sugar Walks Down The Street
(3:18) 12. Lulu's Back In Town
(2:59) 13. You're Driving Me Crazy
(3:15) 14. When Your Lover Has Gone
(3:02) 15. Perfidia
(2:43) 16. My Last Affair
(2:50) 17. Easy Street
(2:43) 18. Gone With The Wind
(2:21) 19. Diane
(2:33) 20. Please Be Kind
(2:28) 21. Tenderly
(2:26) 22. Orchids In The Moonlight
(2:11) 23. Romance
(2:52) 24. From The Land Of The Sky Blue Water

A Band Is Born/Big Band Bash collects two of Billy May's early '50s albums onto one CD. Both albums balance his big-band roots with a bit of the pop he would explore in his later work. "All of Me," "Fat Man Boogie," and "Lulu's Back in Town" are some of A Band Is Born's exuberant highlights, while "Orchids in the Moonlight," "Perfidia," and "Tenderly" make Big Band Bash a more romantic but still swinging  affair. A pair of May's most engaging albums. ~ Heather Phares http://www.allmusic.com/album/a-band-is-born-big-band-bash-mw0000111314

A Band Is Born / Big Band Bash

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Dion - Complete Singles A's & B's 1957-1961

Size: 179,7 MB
Time: 78:23
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Pop Rock, Doo Wop
Art: Front

01. Dion & The Timberlanes - The Chosen Few (2:45)
02. Dion & The Timberlanes - Out In Colorado (2:29)
03. Dion & The Belmonts - I Wonder Why (2:17)
04. Dion & The Belmonts - Teen Angel (2:10)
05. Dion & The Belmonts - No One Knows (2:34)
06. Dion & The Belmonts - I Can't Go On (Rosalie) (2:12)
07. Dion & The Belmonts & Orchestra - Don't Pity Me (2:33)
08. Dion & The Belmonts & Orchestra - Just You (2:28)
09. Dion & The Belmonts - A Teenager In Love (2:33)
10. Dion & The Belmonts - I've Cried Before (2:45)
11. Dion & The Belmonts - Every Little Thing I Do (1:59)
12. Dion & The Belmonts - A Lover's Prayer (2:16)
13. Dion & The Belmonts - Where Or When (2:35)
14. Dion & The Belmonts - That's My Desire (2:32)
15. Dion & The Belmonts - When You Wish Upon A Star (2:24)
16. Dion & The Belmonts - Wonderful Girl (2:35)
17. Dion & The Belmonts - My Private Joy (UK B Side) (2:00)
18. Dion & The Belmonts - In The Still Of The Night (2:38)
19. Dion & The Belmonts & Orchestra - A Funny Feeling (2:15)
20. Dion & The Belmonts & Orchestra - Swinging On A Star (UK B Side) (2:21)
21. Dion - Lonely Teenager (2:15)
22. Dion - Little Miss Blue (2:17)
23. Dion - Havin' Fun (2:18)
24. Dion - North East End Of The Corner (2:31)
25. Dion - The Kissin' Game (2:56)
26. Dion - Heaven Help Me (2:00)
27. Dion - Somebody Nobody Wants (2:43)
28. Dion - Could Somebody Take My Place Tonight (2:37)
29. Dion - Runaraound Sue (2:37)
30. Dion - Runaway Girl (2:26)
31. Dion - The Wanderer (2:38)
32. Dion - The Majestic (2:26)

Bridging the era between late-'50s rock and the British Invasion, Dion DiMucci (born July 18, 1939) was one of the top white rock singers of his time, blending the best elements of doo wop, teen idol, and R&B styles. Some revisionists have tried to cast him as a sort of early blue-eyed soul figure, although he was probably more aligned with pop/rock, at first as the lead singer of the Belmonts, and then as a solo star. Drug problems slowed him down in the mid-'60s, yet he made some surprisingly interesting progressions into blues-rock and folk-rock as the decade wore on, culminating in a successful comeback in the late '60s, although he was unable to sustain its commercial and artistic momentum for long.

When Dion began recording in the late '50s, it was as the lead singer of a group of friends who sang on Bronx street corners. Billing themselves as Dion & the Belmonts (Dion had released a previous single with the Timberlanes), their first few records were prime Italian-American doo wop; "I Wonder Why" was their biggest hit in this style. His biggest single with the Belmonts was "A Teenager in Love," which pointed the way for the slightly self-pitying, pained odes to adolescence and early adulthood that would characterize much of his solo work.

Dion went solo in 1960 (the Belmonts did some more doo wop recordings on their own), moving from doo wop to more R&B/pop-oriented tunes with great success. He handled himself with a suave, cocky ease on hits like "The Wanderer," "Runaround Sue," "Lovers Who Wander," "Ruby Baby," and "Donna the Prima Donna," which cast him as either the jilted, misunderstood youngster or the macho lover, capable of handling anything that came his way (on "The Wanderer" especially).

In 1963, Dion moved from Laurie to the larger Columbia label, an association that started promisingly with a couple of big hits right off the bat, "Ruby Baby" and "Donna the Prima Donna." By the mid-'60s, his heroin habit (which he'd developed as a teenager) was getting the best of him, and he did little recording and performing for about five years. When he did make it into the studio, he was moving in some surprisingly bluesy directions; although much of it was overlooked or unissued at the time, it can be heard on the Bronx Blues reissue CD.

In 1968, he kicked heroin and re-emerged as a gentle folk-rocker with a number four hit single, "Abraham, Martin and John." Dion would focus upon mature, contemporary material on his late-'60s and early-'70s albums, which were released to positive critical feedback, if only moderate sales. The folk phase didn't last long; in 1972 he reunited with the Belmonts and in the mid-'70s cut a disappointing record with Phil Spector as producer. He recorded and performed fairly often in the years that followed (sometimes singing Christian music), to indifferent commercial results. But his critical rep has risen steadily since the early '60s, with many noted contemporary musicians showering him with praise and citing his influence, such as Dave Edmunds (who produced one of his periodic comeback albums) and Lou Reed (who guested on that record). Dion continued to be active as the 21st century opened, releasing Déjà Nu in 2000, Under the Influence in 2005, and Bronx in Blue in 2006. His first major-label album since 1989's Yo Frankie, entitled Son of Skip James, was released by Verve in 2007, while 2008's Heroes: Giants of Early Guitar Rock saw him tackling 15 songs from the classic rock & roll era. Influenced by a conversation with rock critic Dave Marsh about his long and still relevant career, and a dare from his wife Susan to prove it, Dion cut Tank Full of Blues, producing and playing the guitars on the recording himself and writing or co-writing all but one track on the set. Issued on Blue Horizon, it is the final recording in the trilogy that began with Bronx in Blue. ~ by Richie Unterberger

Complete Singles A's & B's 1957-1961

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Sally Night - Night Time

Size: 167,8 MB
Time: 72:09
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. I Wanna Be Loved (5:49)
02. So In Love (5:51)
03. Born To Be Blue (5:53)
04. Drown In My Own Tears (5:20)
05. Just One Of Those Things (5:56)
06. I Got It Bad (9:38)
07. Blues In The Night (6:30)
08. Supa Doopa (4:25)
09. I'm Just Foolin' Myself (2:29)
10. No Soap No Hope Blues (2:50)
11. 24Hr Lovin' (6:42)
12. Too Close For Comfort (3:14)
13. Baby Don't You Go Away Mad (2:32)
14. Star Eyes (4:52)

Since her recent arrival in New York & USA Sally Night has recorded 2 new albums for Venus Records, made an opening performance at the 1st Miami- Nice Jazz Festival in Miami, Florida, made several appearances at Birdland Jazz Club NYC, performed in Tokyo at the Billboard Live Club for AXN TV and has been invited to sing as a guest singer with Jazz legends Cedar Walton, Buster Williams, Bucky Pizzarelli & performed and recorded with a polithera of other Internationally acclaimed musicians.

Sally Night's first love is music. She grew up singing in church, her various schools, playing various instruments & listening to Jazz, Classical music, Opera and other styles of music at home. Her Farther & Mother loved jazz and performed locally. Although she studied and was trained to sing Opera and has a great love of that music, she found it too restrictive.

After a long musical break and extensive traveling, Sally started to sing and perform Jazz in France. Then she started to tour Europe and work with the great Philadelphia born drummer Bobby Durham (who accompanied Ella Fitzgerald & Oscar Peterson) who taught her how to swing and encouraged her to start composing. After recording a couple of albums and receiving great reviews in Europe for her live shows & recordings and several visits to New York, Bruce Lundvall, EMI-Blue Note Records persuaded Sally to move to New York in 2012!

Night Time

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Richard Geere - Cool Cats: Essential Vintage Jazz

Size: 149,3 MB
Time: 63:54
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz: Swing, Boogie Woogie, Big Band
Art: Front

01. Swing, Swing, Swing (2:52)
02. Ala Mode (3:10)
03. Early Ellington (3:31)
04. Slow Rhumba (5:12)
05. Small Big Band Blues (1:23)
06. Basie Swing (3:15)
07. Jazz Club Blues (2:16)
08. Muted Trumpet Miles Atmosphere (2:03)
09. Soul And Body (4:39)
10. The Moon Was Blue (3:21)
11. Cocktail Swing Businessmen's Bounce (2:34)
12. Swing The In Blues (2:06)
13. 1930S Society Dance Orchestra (78 Rpm Version) (1:26)
14. Sax Swing (With Sticks) (1:22)
15. Sax Swing (With Brushes) (1:22)
16. Cotton Club Cabaret (3:47)
17. I Got Rhythm Changes (2:56)
18. New Orleans Parade (2:06)
19. Tin Roof Louis (3:13)
20. Fats Meets Nacio Herb (2:12)
21. Boogie Woogie Blues (2:01)
22. This Joint Is Jumpin' (2:45)
23. Minor Swing Time (2:42)
24. 1930S Society Dance Orchestra (1:27)

"The music of "Cool Cats: Essential Vintage Jazz" will give your wig a solid flip! What a solid release! Swell to hear the music of the 20's, 30's & 40's is being kept alive. Benny Goodman and Glenn Miller would be proud." Ida Garcia, Rug Cutter's Swing, Jazz 88.3 FM.

Los Angeles-based Pianist/Composer Richard Geere (Harry James Orch., Glenn Miller Orch., Tex Beneke Orch., Billy Vaughn Orch., Disney) has brought together some of the country's finest vintage jazz players to pay tribute to the 20's, 30's & 40's.

This classic era of America's unique art form is in very good hands, with this collection of all-new compositions and authentic interpretations. There are some wonderful "soundalikes" with The City of Los Angeles All Stars paying tribute to Duke Ellington, Bunny Berigan, Bix, Django, Harry James, Benny Goodman, Fats Waller, Gene Krupa and company.

Swing dancers, jazz historians and "early jazz" lecturers have all been blown away by this album's authenticty. "The players on this new cd are widely acknowledged as the best in Los Angeles, if not the country" comments Geere, a former music director for BBC television. "We've had interest in this album from all over the world, from Japan to the Czech Republic - and it's only just been released!".

All the players are veterans of countless jazz festivals around the world. "The City of Los Angeles All Stars" are dedicated to promoting and preserving classic jazz styles.

Cool Cats

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Andrea Wood - Kaleidoscope

Size: 145,9 MB
Time: 62:44
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Intuition (Feat. Donny McCaslin) (4:40)
02. The Arabesque Of Love And Loss (Feat. Donny McCaslin) (7:00)
03. Interlude I (1:02)
04. You And I (6:33)
05. Take A Chance (4:57)
06. Nature Boy (Feat. Donny McCaslin) (6:33)
07. Interlude Ii (0:41)
08. The Little Things (5:25)
09. Kaleidoscope (Fall In Place) (6:06)
10. Call Me Maybe (4:05)
11. Parting Ways (6:11)
12. Three Little Birds (4:54)
13. Doowop (Feat. Nick Wood) (Bonus Track) (4:31)

Jazz vocalist Andrea Wood demonstrates old school influences combined with contemporary adult-pop aesthetics. Her vocals have a rich, thick texture that fattens the tracks on her latest release Kaleidoscope. Mixed and arranged by Andrew Sheron, the recording shows flecks of R&B/soul and soft-pop elements in numbers like “The Little Things” and “Kaleidoscope (Fall in Place).” The slow, fluid strides of her vocals are entrancing reminiscent of Sarah Vaughn with a touch of Joss Stone’s deep sensual voicing. The rippling inflections in Wood’s vocals travel from one crescendo to the next, demonstrating the vast elasticity of her range and the complete control she has over her register.

The catchy cadence of her vocal rhythm in “Call Me Maybe” is shrouded in smooth jazz atmospherics, embroidering Olli Hirvonen’s guitar solo as the chords emanate a vaporous smolder in the wawa-tinged effects. Keyboardist Angelo Di Loreto gingerly trickles notes beside Wood’s vocals, drifting in sensual strokes which give the track a romantic sparkle. The lithesome sway of Ethan O’Reilly’s bass is pronounced with clarity as the keys project warmth through the melodic progressions.

The bluesy ethers of “Three Little Birds” are molded to Wood’s sultry vocal expansions and contractions, driven by an instinct that displays a kindred connection to the lyrics. Her attachment to the song is perceivable and penetrates the listener’s thoughts, affecting the audience positively. The rhythmic Brazilian vibrations of “Intuition” are infectious, and the island-imbued grooves of “Nature Boy” are alluring.

Magnetic and statuesque, Andrea Wood’s vocals give her a star-like quality in the class of Sarah Vaughn and Joss Stone. There is a genuine quality in her voice, a natural attachment to the classic jazz style that gives it credibility as a music form able to capture human emotions. ~by Susan Frances

Personnel: Andrea Wood – vocals, Angelo Di Loreto – piano, Fender, Rhodes, Hammond B3, and Wurlitzer, Olli Hirvonen – electric and acoustic guitars, Ethan O’Reilly – acoustic and electric bass and backing vocals, and Philippe Lemm – drums, percussion, and backing vocals

Kaleidoscope

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Mike Barone Big Band - Live At Donte's 1968 / Flight Of The Bumblebee

Album: Live At Donte's 1968
Size: 173,9 MB
Time: 74:54
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1998
Styles: Jazz: Big Band
Art: Front

01. Tumbling Tumbleweeds ( 5:22)
02. Deedle-Dydle ( 4:27)
03. I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good ( 4:37)
04. My Melancholy Baby (13:29)
05. The Masquerade Is Over ( 5:19)
06. Juss Messin' Around ( 7:13)
07. Put Your Arms Around Me Honey ( 8:02)
08. By Candlelight ( 4:40)
09. The Non-Viennese Waltz Blues (13:19)
10. Flupp ( 4:46)
11. My Heart Belongs To Daddy ( 3:36)

In 1968, trombonist Mike Barone had a rehearsal band comprised mostly of Los Angeles-based studio musicians who occasionally played for the fun of it at the legendary Donte's. The music on this CD was privately taped (the recording quality is excellent) and not released for the first time until 30 years later. Barone wrote most of the arrangements and the lineup of soloists includes altoist Med Flory (the future leader of Supersax); pianist Mike Wofford; trumpeter Steve Huffsteter; and the tenors of Bill Hood, Lou Ciotti, and (on "Juss Messin' Around") the young Tom Scott. The music is essentially swinging hard bop, even such unlikely material as "T" and "The Non-Viennese Waltz Blues." This is a valuable piece of otherwise long-lost musical history that has fortunately been saved by the V.S.O.P. label.

Live At Donte's 1968

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Album: Flight Of The Bumblebee
Size: 160,0 MB
Time: 68:57
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2009
Styles: Jazz: Big Band
Art: Front

01. Flight Of The Bumblebee (4:21)
02. Easy Does It (4:32)
03. Exceptionally Moist (7:12)
04. Trottin' (5:06)
05. The Other Half (7:42)
06. Lobbers No More (7:05)
07. Put Your Arms Around Me, Honey (5:52)
08. Limes Away (7:14)
09. Slow Walkin' (3:04)
10. Minus Five (5:34)
11. Sprung Time (4:58)
12. Avalon (6:11)

Big band leader, composer, arranger and trombonist Mike Barone notes, on the jacket of Flight Of The Bumblebee, that "Rimsky-Korsakov is turning over in his grave as we speak, or maybe he isn't." One thing is for sure, the energy level of this band is enough to raise the dead. The band is flying high on every tune of this live big band offering.

The majority of Flight Of The Bumblebee's twelve songs are Barone originals, with the exception of the RImsky-Korsakov title track and "Avalon," by Al Jolson, Buddy DeSylva and Vincent Rose. All of the compositions are hard hitting, heavy swinging tunes. Some may start out pretty, as in "The Other Half," or even in jazz waltz mode, like "Put Your Arms Around Me, Honey," but in typical Barone fashion, he throws in a catch, time shift or just pure fire.

The soloists do a great job of building excitement, the trumpets especially, care of Bob Summers, Adolfo Acosta, Tony Bonsera, Mark Lewis and Pete DeSiena. Summers blows superbly on "Lobbers No More," a song written on the chord changes of John Klenner and Sam Lewis' "Just Friends." Pianist Andy Langham takes a fiery solo to set the swinging mood, while Tom Luer follows Summers with a contrasting, smooth as honey alto saxophone solo.

Other tunes that swing hard include "Limes Away" and "Sprung Time," featuring Lewis' cooking trumpet solo. The tune also features a fresh-sounding baritone solo by Brian Williams, swinging hot and heavy with bebop sensibilities. Bob Leatherbarrow's drumming keeps the band in the groove, while bassist David Tranchina is solid throughout. Flight Of The Bumblebee is another fine offering from a tight, well led band that puts it all out there. ~by Paul J. Youngman

Personnel: Mike Barone: leader, trombone; Tony Bonsera: trumpet; Pete DeSiena: trumpet; Adolfo Acosta: trumpet; Mark Lewis: trumpet; Bob Summers: trumpet; Charlie Loper: trombone; Dick Hamilton: trombone; Dave Ryan: trombone; George Thatcher: trombone; Tom Luer: saxophone; Keith Bishop: saxophone; Kevin Garren: saxophone; Vince Trombetta: saxophone; Bryan Williams: saxophone; Andy Langham: piano; David Tranchina: bass; Bob Leatherbarrow: drums.

Flight Of The Bumblebee

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Irene Kral - The Band And I

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 31:09
Size: 71.3 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 1958/2006
Art: Front

[2:10] 1. I'd Know You Anywhere
[3:40] 2. Detour Ahead
[2:32] 3. Comes Love
[1:59] 4. Everybody Knew But Me
[2:52] 5. Lazy Afternoon
[2:58] 6. What's Right For You
[2:43] 7. I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart
[2:55] 8. Memphis In June
[2:04] 9. This Little Love
[2:30] 10. The Night We Called It A Day
[2:30] 11. It Isn't So Good
[2:11] 12. Something To Remember You By

he Band and I pairs Irene Kral with Ernie Wilkins and Al Cohn, whose energetic, robust arrangements capture a dimension of the singer rarely glimpsed on record -- upbeat and persuasive, with little of the spectral melancholy that hangs over her later, more familiar sessions. The titular backing unit in question, led by trumpeter Herb Pomeroy, expertly bridges the gap between traditional big band and modern-era jazz, creating a soulful, lightly swinging showcase that inspires Kral to deliver some of her most appealing performances -- cuts like "This Little Love" and "I'd Know You Anywhere" boast a radiance sadly absent from subsequent sessions. ~Jason Ankeny

The Band And I

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Pete Levin - Deacon Blues

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:37
Size: 152.5 MB
Styles: Organ jazz
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[5:19] 1. Deacon Blues
[6:48] 2. Uptown
[6:37] 3. Sail On Sailor
[6:00] 4. First Gymnopedie
[3:58] 5. Once Lost
[6:38] 6. Icarus
[3:59] 7. Sad Truth
[7:06] 8. Eclipse
[5:41] 9. Might Have Been
[8:31] 10. Dragonfly
[5:55] 11. Mean To Me

Pete Levin hasn't done a lot of recording under his own name, even though he's been a professional musician for decades. But this veteran of both jazz and pop eschews musical boundaries in this wide-ranging outing on Hammond organ, assisted by guitarists Joe Beck or Mike DeMicco, electric bassist Tony Levin, drummer Danny Gottlieb, and percussionists Ken Lovelett and Carlos Valdez. From the world of rock, Levin offers a snappy, grooving treatment of Donald Fagen's "Deacon Blues" and a laid-back rendition of Brian Wilson's "Sail on Sailor" that borders on smooth jazz. His catchy reworking of impressionist composer Erik Satie's First Gymnopedie takes this familiar 20th century piece into a completely new direction. Levin's "Might Have Been" is a dark, bluesy vehicle for Beck. His interpretations of two Jimmy Giuffre compositions also merit praise. The playful conclusion is a straight-ahead setting of the decades-old standard "Mean to Me." This is a fun outing by a musician who needs to get under the spotlight a bit more frequently. ~Ken Dryden

Deacon Blues

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Norman Mapp - Jazz Ain't Nothin' But Soul

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:52
Size: 130.2 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 1961/2012
Art: Front

[4:37] 1. In The Night
[3:55] 2. Blues In Bloom
[5:00] 3. I Worry About You
[2:08] 4. Who Do You Think You Are
[2:11] 5. Dream Girl
[3:36] 6. Daddy Knows
[2:54] 7. Jazz Ain't Nothin' But Soul
[3:56] 8. Moanin'
[3:47] 9. When I'm With You
[3:24] 10. Free Spirits
[7:53] 11. Two For One
[6:09] 12. Bowl Of Soul
[7:16] 13. For Lester

Norman Mapp (vcl), Clark Terry (tp), Seldon Powell (ts, fl), Tommy Flanagan (p), George Duvivier, Peck Morrison (b), Dave Bailey (d).

Discovered by Dinah Washington in a Harlem nightclub, Norman Mapp (1928-1988) was a singer and composer whose public renown never quite matched either his talent or the high regard in which he was held within the jazz community. That much is clear from even a cursory glance at the personnel on these fine sessions from the start of the Sixties. They include such notables as trumpeter Clark Terry, multi-reedman Seldon Powell, pianist Tommy Flanagan and drummer Dave Bailey, who do so much to showcase Mapp at his best here.

The singer wrote eight of the ten tunes on “Jazz Ain’t Nothin’ But Soul”, his most celebrated album, investing the music with the warmth, taste and sensitivity for which he was celebrated. Both as accompanist and as soloists, Terry, Powell and Flanagan respond inventively to the singer and the material, creating a gem of its kind.

As a bonus, three tracks from “We Paid Our Dues” with Seldon Powell’s quartet and its leader’s vastly under-rated tenor in Lesterian mode, are included.

Jazz Ain't Nothin' But Soul

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Tommy James & The Shondells - The Essentials

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:12
Size: 80.6 MB
Styles: AM pop
Year: 2002
Art: Front

[2:50] 1. Hanky Panky
[2:31] 2. Say I Am (What I Am)
[2:11] 3. I Think We're Alone Now
[2:39] 4. Mirage
[2:16] 5. Gettin' Together
[2:53] 6. Mony Mony
[3:26] 7. Crimson And Clover
[4:23] 8. Sweet Cherry Wine
[4:01] 9. Crystal Blue Persuasion
[3:07] 10. Ball Of Fire
[2:02] 11. She
[2:46] 12. Draggin' The Line

The Essentials is a fine 12-track introduction to the music of Tommy James & the Shondells. Starting off with the song that made them stars -- the good-time oldies staple "Hanky Panky" -- and ending up with Tommy James' first solo hit, "Dragging the Line," this 12-track collection rounds up the group's hits and spotlights the dual nature of their career. The disc is pretty much split between the good-time frat rock staples that the band began their career with (the dramatic "I Think We're Alone Now," "Mirage," and the guaranteed dancefloor-filler "Mony Mony") and the slightly more psychedelic pop sounds they experimented with (the amazing "Crimson and Clover," "Sweet Cherry Wine," and "Crystal Blue Persuasion"). The cool thing about the band was that their attempts to broaden their sound were just as popular as their simple party songs. That is a rare occurrence in rock; James managed to pull it off by always finding killer hooks and melodies. Just try getting the chorus of "Crystal Blue Persuasion" or "Dragging the Line" out of your head after hearing them. Due to the lack of rarities or unusual tracks, devoted fans of Tommy James & the Shondells don't really need this disc. It is aimed at the casual music fan who wants the hits and only the hits, and on that count it certainly succeeds.

The Essentials

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