Ronnie Walker & SwingThing - All Or Nothing At All

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:20
Size: 110.6 MB
Styles: Swing
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[4:12] 1. All Or Nothing At All
[4:05] 2. You Are The Sunshine Of My Life
[4:13] 3. The Eye Of The Tiger
[4:20] 4. Almost Like Being In Love
[6:10] 5. Hello
[3:39] 6. Isn't She Lovely
[4:40] 7. Come Fly With Me
[2:59] 8. Lover Come Back To Me
[4:23] 9. Have I Told You Lately
[4:19] 10. Witchcraft
[5:16] 11. Moondance

“SWINGTHING” is a 4/5 piece jazz/swing band which specialises in jazz and swing music in the “rat pack” style but is equally at ease performing in a variety of genres. To underline this versatility, Swingthing recently had the pleasure of performing for Camilla Dallerup and Ian Waite in a ballroom dancing weekend held at the Lodore Falls hotel on the shore of Lake Derwentwater near Keswick. A prominent feature of “Swingthing” is the fabulous voice of Ronnie Walker who styles himself on Frank Sinatra. Ronnie has been on the circuit for many years and has performed in venues all over the country. He is not limited to one particular style , however, and is perfectly at home with rock n roll and other dance music. He is ably accompanied by Brian Melville -keys. Brian has been a musician for many years and has performed in a variety of venues in the UK and Europe. His first love is jazz music but is not averse to playing any type of music when the occasion arises. Favourite bands include Chick Corea Electrik Band, The Yellowjackets, Dave Weckl Band and Dave Brubeck Quartet. Brian is currently playing a Roland FP3 electric piano and a Korg M1 synthesizer Paul Williamson is a recent addition to the band. Paul has acquired experience in a number of genres and is now keen to try his hand at jazz and swing music. Dave Thompson - drums. Dave is a highly experienced percussionist who has played professionallly in Europe and the Middle East. Having learned his trade in Birmingham he moved north where he now resides.

All Or Nothing At All

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Saheb Sarbib Quartet - Seasons

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:10
Size: 92.0 MB
Styles: Avant Garde jazz
Year: 1982/2010
Art: Front

[4:53] 1. One For Mo (Dedicated To Muhammed Ali)
[5:07] 2. Partners In Wonder (Dedicated To Ornette Coleman)
[6:40] 3. Nymph Of Darkness
[2:41] 4. Aries' Dance (Dedicated To Cecil Taylor)
[4:57] 5. Round Trip
[5:15] 6. Seasons
[6:39] 7. Living Right On Central Park (Dedicated To Paul Motian);
[3:55] 8. Jumpin' Jack (Dedicated To Karim)

Alto Saxophone – Mark Whitecage; Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Mel Ellison; Bass, Piano – Saheb Sarbib; Drums – Paul Motian.

Although Saheb Sarbib switches between bass and piano and contributed all but one of the eight selections heard on this disc (every piece but Ornette Coleman's "Round Trip"), this live set is most notable for the saxophone solos of Mel Ellison (on alto, soprano and tenor) and altoist Mark Whitecage. With the support of drummer Paul Motian, Sarbib lays down a solid foundation for the adventurous horns. The music is quite coherent but often free, making for a stimulating listen. ~ Scott Yanow

Seasons

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David Berger & The Sultans Of Swing - Hindustan

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:45
Size: 139.1 MB
Styles: Swing, Big band
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[4:08] 1. Stompin' On A Riff
[5:19] 2. No Refill
[7:57] 3. Hindustan
[4:56] 4. Monkey Business
[3:53] 5. Bumper Cars
[4:32] 6. Poor Butterfly
[2:23] 7. Too Marvelous For Words
[3:46] 8. The Very Thought Of You
[2:51] 9. I Don't Hurt Anymore
[5:29] 10. Do It Again
[6:38] 11. The Rising Storm
[4:52] 12. A Whole New You
[3:54] 13. Parting Words

Hindustan is the fourth recording of composer/arranger/conductor David Berger and his band The Sultans of Swing. This spectacular documentation of big band jazz in full swing features vocalist Aria Hendricks and 15 first-call, world-class musicians. It was recorded in Malmo, Sweden at the end of a Scandinavian road trip in September 2005. Berger, who formed The Sultans Of Swing in 1996, explains the significance of this: “Every time we go on tour the music improves daily. After a few days we surpass the highest level we ever achieved as a band. By the end of the tour we are all on a high that doesn’t require artificial stimulants. I’ve always wanted to capture our peak moments on a recording. Well, here it is! So if you can’t hear us live, or you want to re-experience what it felt like when you did, this album is for you.” Hindustan follows Berger’s critically acclaimed CD, Marlowe, and is his most compelling expression to date--as creator, composer, producer and conductor.

Hindustan proudly and exuberantly displays its lineage to the famous big bands of a bygone era; however, the music that is conceived from Berger’s mind and soul, and played by these master musicians, is anything but retro, and far from being a throwback. This is due in part to its emotional impact, which ranges from the universal and timeless feelings of ebullience (swing) to those of lamentation (the blues). Berger elaborates, “Over the past 70 years most people have forgotten the feeling of swing (what Albert Murray calls ‘the American imperative’), if they are old enough to have known it at all. Still this music infects those who are lucky enough to be exposed to it. In those moments we truly feel alive.”

Throughout the recording it is pleasingly evident that, like the great bandleaders that have put their indelible stamp on the jazz idiom, Berger has composed and arranged this music with these particular players in mind. And, in return, they have expertly crafted their improvisations to complement and complete the written music. David Berger and The Sultans Of Swing sound like one glorious, magnificent instrument on Hindustan--one that is capable of providing much pleasure to the ear, heart and mind.

The sonic experience is heightened by the extreme care taken to record the band live in the studio without headphones, mix it with absolutely no compression and run it through an analog board, so that what you hear on this CD is as close to a live performance as ever captured on any jazz CD. Leif Marten Olofsson the CEO/Chief Designer of Marten Design, makers of top-of-the-line audiophile speakers says, ”In the autumn of 2005 I had the pleasure to see and listen to David Berger and his Sultans of Swing live in Sweden. Since then they have been a favourite for me both musically, and when we do demos with our speakers. This latest album has a directness and uncompressed dynamic that shows all the benefits of our speakers. Fantastic! “

Hindustan

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Pamela Hines Trio - 3.2.1.

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:54
Size: 116,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:33)  1. 34 Skidoo
(5:17)  2. B Minor Waltz
(6:39)  3. Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most
(4:43)  4. East of the Sun
(4:40)  5. Loose Blues
(7:17)  6. Sangre Joven
(6:37)  7. If You Could See Me Now
(3:20)  8. Loose Blues
(6:43)  9. I Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out to Dry

Pianist Pamela Hines has been busy on the jazz scene for fifteen years, producing many excellent CDs featuring her quartets and quintets, as well as pairings with several top-notch vocalists. A first-rate composer of engaging and memorable tunes who put out one of the coolest Christmas albums, New Christmas (Spice Rack, 2008), she should be better known. 3.2.1, a superb, mostly trio affair, might just push her profile closer to where it belongs. Most of Hines' recordings, including New Christmas, have relied heavily on her own compositions. 3.2.1. takes a different tack, leaning on standards with an emphasis on material by pianist Bill Evans, starting right off with his "34 Skiddoo." Here, however, Hines and trio mates David Clark (bass) and Yoron Israel (drums) sound feistier happier, even than the normally introspective Evans.

On "B Minor Waltz," the trio cools things off a bit, showcasing Hines' exquisite touch and Israel's supple brush work, but the bounce in the trio's step is still there, riding Clark's warm heartbeat. The classic "East of the Sun" takes things out on the edge, an up-tempo high-wire roll, with Hines sounding particularly caffeinated. The album title refers to its music being presented with the trio on seven tunes, a duo on one and solo on another. The old American Songbook chestnut, "I Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out to Dry," is laid down as a piano solo rumination, its sweet reverence suggesting, perhaps, that a future CD-length solo excursion might be in order for Hines. ~ Dan McClenaghan http://www.allaboutjazz.com/321-pamela-hines-spice-rack-records-review-by-dan-mcclenaghan.php

Personnel: Pamela Hines: piano; Yoron Israel: drums; David Clark: bass.

3.2.1.

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Tom Harrell - Time's Mirror

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:34
Size: 116,0 MB
Art: Front

(8:19)  1. Shapes
(3:31)  2. Autumn Leaves
(4:01)  3. Daily News
(2:47)  4. Dream
(5:06)  5. Chasin' The Bird
(8:43)  6. São Paulo
(8:09)  7. Time's Mirror
(9:54)  8. Train Shuffle

Tom Harrell has received rave reviews from his fellow jazz musicians for years, but he only started receiving the attention he deserved from a wider audience in the latter half of the 1990s. A number of Harrell's compositions and arrangements on this outstanding big band session date from the 1960s but are just now being recorded; it is more than worth the wait. The background harmonies behind the soloists on the hard-driving "Shapes" are incredible; the tense "Daily News" with his rich flugelhorn, the haunting ballad "Times Mirror," and the foot tapping blues "Train Shuffle" are all candidates to become jazz standards. His treatments of "Autumn Leaves," "Dream" and "Chasin' The Bird" display vivid imagination. 

Harrell's playing on trumpet and flugelhorn is sparkling, and tenor saxophonists Alex Foster and Don Braden as well as pianist Xavier Davis also shine. Highly recommended! ~ Ken Dryden  http://www.allmusic.com/album/times-mirror-mw0000668736

Personnel: Tom Harrell (trumpet, flugelhorn); Craig Bailey (alto saxophone, flute); Mark Gross (alto saxophone, clarinet); Alex Foster (tenor saxophone, flute); Don Braden (tenor saxophone); David Schumacher (baritone saxophone); Joe Magnarelli, Chris Rogers, David Weiss, James Zollar (trumpet, flugelhorn); Earl Gardner (trumpet); Conrad Herwig, Mike Fahn, Curtis Hasselbring (trombone); Douglas Purviance (bass trombone); Xavier Davis (piano); Kenny Davis (bass); Carl Allen (drums).

Time's Mirror

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Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band - Life In The Bubble

Styles: Big Band
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:19
Size: 145,4 MB
Art: Front

(6:45)  1. Life in the Bubble
(6:16)  2. Why We Can't Have Nice Things
(8:15)  3. Synolicks
(8:18)  4. Years Of Therapy
(6:44)  5. The Passage
(6:47)  6. Garaje Gato
(8:19)  7. Does This Chart Make Me Look Phat?
(4:25)  8. Get Smart
(3:33)  9. On Green Dolphin Street
(3:54) 10. Party Rockers

Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band's 2014 effort, Life in the Bubble, showcases the ensemble's lively, crisply swinging jazz sound. Included here is a mix of standards and originals including such songs as the hard-driving "Why We Can't Have Nice Things," the lively Latin-tinged "Garaje Gato," their freewheeling take on the classic "On Green Dolphin Street," and others. ~ Matt Collar http://www.allmusic.com/album/life-in-the-bubble-mw0002637151

Personnel: Andrew Synowiec (guitar); Sal Lozano (flute, piccolo, alto saxophone); Brian Scanlon (clarinet, tenor saxophone); Jay Mason (bass clarinet, baritone saxophone); Eric Marienthal (soprano saxophone, alto saxophone); Gordon Goodwin (tenor saxophone, piano); Kevin Garren (tenor saxophone); Willie Murillo, Dan Fornero, Dan Savant, Wayne Bergeron (trumpet); Charlie Morillas, Francisco Torres, Andy Martin , Craig Gosnell (trombone); Rick Shaw (acoustic bass, electric bass); Bernie Dresel (drums); Joey De Leon, Jr. (percussion).

Life In The Bubble

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Marion Brunelle - Ahora Existo

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:04
Size: 101,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:02)  1. Ahora Existo
(3:47)  2. Dime Algo
(3:53)  3. Corazón Rosado
(4:29)  4. No Te Mereces
(3:45)  5. Todos Los Días
(6:05)  6. Secreto
(3:49)  7. Sin Ti
(5:25)  8. Tiempo Lejos
(4:08)  9. Amar, Temer Y Partir
(4:37) 10. Como Ángel

Imagine the joy of sipping a cocktail on a mid-Summer afternoon or the feeling of wanting to suddenly declare your love to someone in the middle of a crowded elevator; Marion has the persuasion of doing just that. With her velvety and warm voice in combination of latin-inspired rhythms, this Montreal born young singer-songwriter mixes her Québécois roots with zouk and her own unique blend of soul music. She sings about romance, which invokes the feeling of innocence that you might feel being with your first love. Her songs are touching and her sincere lyrics are bound by catchy and beautiful melodies that you can’t help but sing along to.

After collaborating with different Quebec artists over the years (Wesli, Anodajay, Dubmatique), she left for Cuba for a year to find new inspirations and sang with musicians of the Havana Jazz scene (Yadasny Portillo, Julito Padrón). This journey has allowed her to bridge her pop-jazz influences and Latin flavors and resulted in the production and completion of her sophomore album Ahora Existo to be launched soon. Recorded at Lucero Records Studios, in Havana Cuba, and completely in Spanish, the album features top Cuban musicians such as Roberto García (Afro Cuban All Stars), Keisel Jímenez (Habana de Primera) and Frank Rubio (Issac Delgado) under the direction of piano player and producer Andy Rubal. Songs are a well-engineered blend of pop and jazz with subtle Cuban rhythms and flavours. “Ahora Existo for me is the testimony of a love affair that made me feel alive for the first time of my life”, Marion explains. The 10-track album includes many music styles from latin jazz to bachata and kizomba, and a Spanish version of “Sans Toi” (Sin Ti), from Marion’s first album La Pluie Tombe. Great arrangements and catchy lyrics make this an original and refreshing album. She has made appearances in various TV and radio shows (A Puro Corazón, A Buena Hora, 23 y M) and shared the stage with Cuban stars Waldo Mendoza and Omara Portuondo.

In 2012 she released her debut La Pluie Tombe (The Rain Falls) independently, that has been described as “a unique, sensual, luminous, fresh and delicate album”. She has since then collaborated with several artists throughout the Americas and in Europe and produced 4 videos. With her Cuban and Canadian partners by her side, the show they present is both intimate and festive. Words, rhythms and music all come together to take us on a tropical dream and make us fall in love with the one and only: Marion ~ Bio http://www.marionbrunelle.com/#!bio/c10fk

Ahora Existo

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Leila Olivesi, David Binney - Utopia

Styles: Contemporary Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:16
Size: 129,2 MB
Art: Front

(6:27)  1. Le Monde De Cyrano (feat. David Binney)
(6:42)  2. Sunland (États Et Empires Du Soleil)
(6:30)  3. Night and Day
(9:29)  4. Revolutions
(8:01)  5. Con Calma (feat. David Binney)
(6:11)  6. Symphonic Circle (feat. David Binney)
(7:46)  7. Lune (États Et Empires De La Lune) [feat. David Binney]
(5:07)  8. Summer Wings

For her fourth album as a leader, pianist and vocalist, Leila Olivesi takes her inspiration from Etats et Empires du Soleil et de la Lune, a novel by 17th Century writer Cyrano de Bergerac. Combining social criticism, adventure novel and philosophical discourse, it is a major work of the time and it foreshadows science fiction. Olivesi's Utopia is a similarly modern work written in the universal language of music. 

She is joined by Manu Codjia on guitar and Yoni Zelnik on bass, and American saxophonist David Binney for three tracks. ~ Editorial Reviews http://www.amazon.com/Utopia-Leila-Olivesi/dp/B00TE80ZZO

Personnel:  Alto Saxophone – David Binney (tracks: 1, 5 to 7);  Contrabass – Yoni Zelnik;  Drums – Donald Kontomanou;  Guitar – Manu Codjia;  Piano – Leïla Olivesi;  Vocals – Leïla Olivesi (tracks: 2, 5)

Utopia

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Joachim Kühn Trio - Voodoo Sense

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:00
Size: 135.1 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[19:50] 1. Kulu Se Mama
[ 8:40] 2. Gbalele
[ 7:55] 3. L'eternal Voyage
[ 5:16] 4. Voodoo Sense
[ 7:58] 5. Crossing The Mirror
[ 9:18] 6. Firehorse

The fourth outing from German pianist Joachim Kühn, Moroccan vocalist and guembri (bass lute) player Majid Bekkas, and Spanish drummer Ramon Lopez continues the trio's exploration into free-jazz and North African roots that began with Kalimba ( ACT Music, 2007). The percussion and rhythms of the Magreb were more prominent on Out of the Desert (ACT Music, 2009) which featured a cast of Berber musicians, while Chalaba (ACT Music, 2011) returned to the stripped down trio format. Here, Kühn again opts for a percussion-heavy approach, augmented on half the tracks by saxophonist Archie Shepp. The result is an intoxicating brew of Afro-centric jazz—rhythmically dynamic, free spirited and emotionally charged.

The standout track is the twenty-minute opener, "Kulu Sé Mama," originally written by percussionist Juno Lewis for saxophonist John Coltrane's album of the same name recorded in late 1965, though released two years later. Shepp, who was championed by Coltrane as part of the emerging free jazz scene, reprises the role played by Pharoah Sanders, improvising with joyous abandon. It's a fairly faithful interpretation, particularly in terms of emotional intensity —though in the potent momentum provided by talking drum, calabash, conga, kalimba, karkabou (metal hand-held clackers) and djembe—and Kühn and Shepp's exuberant improvisations—it's definitely more voodoo than gospel blues in spirit—a powerful evocation of roots and ancestory.

Kouassi Bessan Joseph and Gouria Danielle's celebratory vocal chants bring a strong African flavor on "Gbalele," with Kühn's scurrying improvisations underpinned by Lopez and Bekka's drive, Bessan's talking drums and Abdessadek Bounhar's clattering train-rhythm pulse on karkabou. The same insistent rhythms color "Voodoo Sense," with Bekka's balaphone (wooden marimba) adding additional texture, while Shepp's free improvisations stir up the brew. The saxophonist and Kühn are on lyrical form on the balladic gem "L'eternal Voyage"; Lopez's brushes and Bekka's slow bass pulse set the tone initially but there's a smoldering edge to the bluesy improvisations that unfold, accentuated by intermittent cymbal crashes.

European classicism characterizes Kühn s playing on "Crossing the Mirror," an edgy, slow-paced trio number without an obvious rhythmic compass. The three musicians' meandering paths are closely bound up in this abstract yet hypnotic improvisation. "Firehorse" lives up to its colorful name, charging and rearing up with an unrelenting intensity. Kühn's untethered soloing is punctuated by Lopez' lashing cymbal and spurred by the general rhythmic propulsion. Bekka in turn solos, supported by Lopez' bustle before the trio reunites in a heady maelstrom of dissonant piano, rumbling bass and cracking drums. The sudden conclusion provides a dramatic exclamation mark to a stirring nine minutes of unrelenting tension and passion.

One wonders if' Kühn's European/North African/Iberian trio has reached a kind of creative peak with Voodoo Sense, because for emotional energy alone it will be difficult to top. On the other hand, they could continue in the same vein indefinitely—like Keith Jarrett's trio, though plying original material—recreating more of the same haunting magic. ~Ian Patterson

Joachim Kühn: piano; Majid Bekkas: guembri, vocals & kalimba (1), balafon (4); Ramon Lopez: drums &percussion; Archie Shepp: tenor saxophone (1, 3-4); Kouassi Bessan Joseph: talking drum, zinu congas (1, 2, 4), vocals (2); Gouria Danielle: percussion (1,4), vocals (2); Daily Jean Eric (calabash); Gilles Ahadji: djembe (1, 4); Abdessadek Bounhar: karkabou (1-2, 4).

Voodoo Sense

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Lisa Lois - Smoke

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:21
Size: 97.0 MB
Styles: Neo Soul, Adult contemporary R&B
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[2:56] 1. No Good For Me
[3:12] 2. Little By Little
[3:34] 3. I Know Who I Am
[3:18] 4. Promises Promises
[3:34] 5. Sophia
[2:54] 6. Move
[4:12] 7. Too Much Is Never Enough
[3:44] 8. Owe It All To You
[3:35] 9. Watching You
[3:58] 10. Smoke
[3:33] 11. Hallelujah [acoustic Version]
[3:45] 12. Hallelujah

After rising to fame on the Dutch version of the reality television show X Factor, Lisa Lois made her full-length album debut with Smoke, a soul-pop effort produced in London that follows in the footsteps of Amy Winehouse and innumerable other British vocalists with the same style. While the style of Smoke is overly typical of the soul-pop style popularized by Winehouse on her international blockbuster Back to Black (2006), albeit heavy on straight-edged ballads and without the throwback vibe of that landmark album, it's a suitable showcase for Lois as a vocalist with impressive pipes. Well aware of her mainstream appeal as a first-place winner on X Factor, the heretofore unknown London-based production team TMS (Tom Barnes, Peter Kelleher, Ben Kohn) crafts a full album's worth of soul-pop that's firmly middle of the road. Hence the reliance on strong-willed ballads and sappy string arrangements. For instance, whereas Winehouse sang about how her man knows that she's no good on "You Know I'm No Good," Lois sings how her man is no good for her on "No Good for Me." This album-opening highlight is one of several songs that were penned for Lois by British singer/songwriter Pixie Lott and songwriter/producer Phil Thornalley. This is another notable difference between Lois and Winehouse, who wrote her own songs on Back to Black. Lois may not be a songwriter in her own right, but she's surely capable of delivering the goods as a vocalist. There's no better instance of this on Smoke than album-closing cover of the Leonard Cohen standard "Hallelujah," performed sparely with only acoustic piano backing. It's an impressive rendition of an all-too-familiar song, and it speaks to the vocal talent of Lois, not to mention her command of English. ~ Jason Birchmeier

Smoke

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Dave Pike - Peligroso

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:28
Size: 149.9 MB
Styles: Vibraphone jazz
Year: 2000
Art: Front

[6:34] 1. Peligroso
[9:35] 2. Beauty And The Beast
[4:27] 3. Sandunga
[4:23] 4. Brenda
[5:53] 5. Boptism
[6:52] 6. Cayo Coco
[5:36] 7. Tumbao Pa' Mi Timbal
[4:20] 8. Breakin' It In
[2:42] 9. Bronx Blue
[6:03] 10. Primero Amor
[3:14] 11. Back To The Roots
[5:45] 12. Class Action Suite

Dave Pike has long been one of jazz's and Latin music's finest vibraphonists although he often gets overlooked. Peligroso, which is dedicated to Cal Tjader and Milt Jackson, was his first Latin jazz project in years. The influence of Tjader in particular is felt throughout the catchy boppish tunes which include eight of Pike's originals. Strong support is given by trumpeter Carl Saunders, trombonist Rich Pullin, Michael Turre on flute and baritone, and a rhythm section with Bobby Matos on timbales and Robertito Melendez on congas. The music is joyful, swinging, and infectious; difficult to resist! ~Scott Yanow

Peligroso

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Various Artists - Blue Note Plays Burt Bacharach

Styles:  Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:37
Size: 121,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:16)  1. The Jazz Crusaders - Promises, Promises
(5:57)  2. Stanley Turrentine - Walk On By
(3:41)  3. Lou Rawls - Any Day Now
(3:57)  4. Richard "Groove" Holmes - Do You Know The Way To San Jose?
(6:46)  5. Grant Green - I'll Never Fall in Love Again
(2:01)  6. Nancy Wilson - Wives And Lovers
(2:31)  7. Three Sounds - The Look Of Love
(4:29)  8. Stanley Jordan - One Less Bell To Answer
(6:43)  9. Stanley Turrentine - What the World Needs Now Is Love
(3:44) 10. Earl Klugh - The April Fools
(3:04) 11. Nancy Wilson - Alfie
(4:23) 12. Ernie Watts - Knowing When to Leave

Unfortunately, the 2004 issue of Blue Note Plays Bacharach falls short of the similar (now deleted) compilation from 1999, Blue Bacharach: A Cooler Shaker, also on Blue Note. Usually when a compilation disc is reissued, songs are added to the original program rather than omitted, which isn't the case in this instance. While Blue Bacharach originally had 14 tracks, this version has been whittled down to 12 tracks, nine of which are repeats. The three newly added songs, "The April Fools" by Earl Klugh, "One Less Bell to Answer" by Stanley Jordan, and "Any Day Now" by Lou Rawls, were recorded in 1976, 1986, and 1990, respectively, undermining the overall continuity of the '60s-based arrangements. Still, it's nice to have Bacharach standards played in a lively soul-jazz groove by Stanley Turrentine, Grant Green, Richard "Groove" Holmes, and Reuben Wilson, along with Nancy Wilson's outstanding vocals on "Wives and Lovers" and "Alfie." Blue Note Plays Bacharach is a passable compilation, but keep your eyes open for a used copy of the superior Blue Bacharach: A Cooler Shaker. ~ Al Campbell  http://www.allmusic.com/album/blue-note-plays-burt-bacharach-mw0000697637

Personnel: Nancy Jo Wilson , Lou Rawls (vocals); Cornell Dupree, Dennis Budimir, Grant Green, John Michael Gray (guitar); Earl Klugh (acoustic guitar); Ernie Watts (alto saxophone, tenor saxophone); Bobby Ray Watson, Frank Strozier, James Spaulding, Anthony Ortega (alto saxophone); Wilton Felder (tenor saxophone, electric bass); Eddie Harris, Plas Johnson , Rick Margitza, Stanley Turrentine (tenor saxophone); Bill Green , Howard Johnson , Richard Aplanalp, Pepper Adams (baritone saxophone); Larry McGuire, Herbert Anderson, Freddie Hill, Jack Walrath, Jerry Rusch, Blue Mitchell, Buddy Childers (trumpet); William Peterson (electric trumpet); Peter Myers, Lou Blackburn, Steve Turre, Wayne Henderson , Billy Byers, Frank Strong (trombone); Michael Wimberly, Ernie Tack (bass trombone); Richard Tee (piano, organ); Gene Harris, Clarence MacDonald, Joe Sample, Lou Levy, McCoy Tyner (piano); Richard "Groove" Holmes, Emanuel Riggins (organ); Eluriel Tinker Barfield, Jimmy Lewis (electric bass); Chris Parker , Donald Bailey , Idris Muhammad, Mickey Roker, Paul Humphrey & the Cool Aid Chemists , Roberto Marín, Stix Hooper, Kenny Dennis (drums); Ken Watson, Candido Camero (congas); Richard Landrum (bongos); Milt Holland (percussion).

VA - Blue Note Plays Burt Bacharach

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Laura Theodore - What Is This Thing Called Jazz?

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:14
Size: 97,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:26)  1. Lullaby Of Birdland
(3:37)  2. Someday My Prince Will Come
(5:10)  3. In A Sentimental Mood
(3:26)  4. Summertime
(3:51)  5. There Will Never Be Another You
(4:04)  6. The Man I love
(3:53)  7. I Got It Bad
(2:59)  8. What Is This Thing Called Love?
(2:57)  9. The Lady Is A Tramp
(5:13) 10. As Time Goes By
(2:32) 11. When I Fall In Love

Laura Theodore's voice is a diverse instrument. It plummets to alto depths in "Lullaby of Birdland" where it also heads way over the top. She likes showing off her spectacular range and vocal stylings on most of the standards here. Theodore's musicianship and that of her band produce plenty of wonderful musical moments. But her vocal gyrations sometimes make you feel like you're on an exhausting roller coaster ride.~ Sunsh Stein http://jazztimes.com/articles/9730-what-is-this-thing-called-jazz-laura-theodore

Personnel: Laura Theodore (vocals); Kelly Conner, Don Rebic (piano); Eric Wollman (guitar); Leon Dorsey, Donald Gladstone (bass); Vincent Ector, Neil Tufano (drums).

What Is This Thing Called Jazz?

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Tom Harrell - The Auditorium Session

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:56
Size: 140,0 MB
Art: Front

( 5:45)  1. I Nodi E Il Pettine
( 6:59)  2. Accross the City
(10:11)  3. Sei in Sei
( 6:05)  4. The Sun, The Moon and You
( 4:42)  5. Remembering Mingus at Music Inn
( 7:48)  6. Autumn In New York
( 6:01)  7. Fountain
( 6:17)  8. Walking On the Beach
( 7:04)  9. Little Girl

A first-rate trumpet soloist, generally considered by many musicians to be the top hard bop trumpeter of the 1980s and '90s, Tom Harrell has performed in a distinguished fashion for several bandleaders. His style mixes together the power of Clifford Brown with the lyricism of Chet Baker. Harrell grew up in Northern California and toured with Stan Kenton (1969), Woody Herman (1970-1971), and Horace Silver (1973-1977). He moved to New York in the mid-'70s, and played during this period with Cecil Payne, Bill Evans (1979), the Lee Konitz Nonet (1979-1981), and George Russell (1982). Harrell traveled the world with the Phil Woods Quintet (1983-1989) and went on to generally lead his own bands, recording for Contemporary and Chesky before landing at RCA for 1996's Labyrinth; subsequent outings included 1997's The Art of Rhythm, 1999's Time's Mirror, 2001's Paradise, and 2003's Wise Children. In 2007, Harrell moved to High Note and released Light On. Harrell continued in a similar vein with his atmospheric 2009 release Prana Dance and 2010's Roman Nights. In 2011, he released the similarly expansive The Time of the Sun. ~ Ron Wynn & Scott Yanow https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/tom-harrell/id243770

Personnel: Tom Harrell (trumpet & flugelhorn), Maurizio Giammarco (tenor & soprano saxophones), Fabio Zeppetella (electric guitar), Dario Deidda (electric bass), Fabrizio Sferra (drums)

The Auditorium Session

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Orrin Evans - The Evolution of Oneself

Styles: Piano Jazz

Year: 2015

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 78:20

Size: 181,0 MB

Art: Front

(2:22)  1. All the Things You Are (Prelude)

(6:06)  2. For Miles

(0:40)  3. Genesis I (Interlude)

(7:08)  4. Autumn Leaves

(5:09)  5. Wildwood Flower

(4:07)  6. Sweet Sid

(0:28)  7. Genesis II (Interlude)

(6:20)  8. Jewels & Baby Yaz

(6:46)  9. Iz Beatdown Time

(5:47) 10. Spot It You Got It

(0:34) 11. Genesis III (Interlude)

(2:17) 12. Feb 13th

(5:37) 13. A Secret Place

(5:26) 14. Ruby Red

(5:28) 15. Tsagli's Lean

(5:27) 16. Professor Farworthy

(1:44) 17. All the Things You Are (Springtime Feathers)

(6:47) 18. All the Things You Are

Pianist Orrin Evans takes stock of the pivotal moments that shape the trajectory of a life on The Evolution of Oneself, his scintillating new release on Smoke Sessions Records. The album is itself a landmark in Evans’ musical evolution, introducing a remarkable new piano trio with two longtime associates but first-time collaborators: bassist Christian McBride and drummer Karriem Riggins. The result is a raw and thrilling excursion incorporating a startlingly wide range of influences, from jazz and neo-soul to country and hip-hop.

As suggested by the title, The Evolution of Oneself explores deeply personal terrain, with Evans reflecting on the road he’s traveled to become the man and musician he is today. “This album is about personal evolution,” he explains. “For me, there have been different moments or people in my life that have made me evolve. You can call it change, but ultimately you’re still the same person from the day you came out of your mother’s womb. But you evolve, and that process is what this record is about.” More...http://www.orrinevansmusic.com/about.html

Personnel:  Orrin Evans – Piano;  Christian McBride  - Bass;  Karriem Riggins – Drums

The Evolution of Oneself

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Tanja Siebert - Small Day Tomorrow: A Tribute To David Frishberg & Bob Dorough

Size: 103,3 MB
Time: 44:22
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2003
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Better Than Anything (4:12)
02. My Attorney Bernie (4:49)
03. Baby You Should Know It (4:22)
04. Small Day Tomorrow (5:47)
05. I've Got Just About Everything (3:45)
06. Peel Me A Grape (4:24)
07. Blizzard Of Lies (4:37)
08. But For Now (4:21)
09. The Message (4:08)
10. I'm Hip (3:53)

Ingenious, ironic and witty music by jazz greats Bob Dorough and Dave Frishberg. Without a doubt nobody sings these songs more charmingly, humourously and pleasurably than Tanja Siebert with her refreshing quartet.

You don´t know Tanja Siebert?
Well, maybe that is because you live on the other end of the earth...Tanja is a singer from Berlin, who just recently released her first record. It is a tribute to two of the great song writers in jazz Bob Dorough and David Frishberg.

You don´t know Bob Dorough or David Frishberg?
Bob Dorough after an almost 50-year career as a pianist, singer and composer was inducted into the jazz hall of fame in his homestate Arkansas. American audiences do not only know him as a unique jazz musician but also as the musical head of the Schoolhouse Rock series.

David Frishberg (singer, pianist and composer as well) has also played with the jazz greats (e.g. Zoot Sims, Gene Krupa) since the sixties. The London Daily Telegraph has called him the "Woody Allen of Song". It´s a special treat to see Bob Dorough and David Frishberg perform together, yet impossible to decide who is more ingenious, ironic and witty.

Without a doubt, nobody sings these songs more charmingly, humorous and pleasurably than Tanja Siebert with her refreshing quartet.

Small Day Tomorrow

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Jan Lundgren - A Retrospective

Size: 153,4 MB
Time: 66:09
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. Shorty George (3:30)
02. Swedish Pastry (5:43)
03. If You Could See Me Now (4:59)
04. On Green Dolphin Street (8:14)
05. Restless (5:10)
06. Rockin' Chair (7:26)
07. Barney Goin' Easy (6:02)
08. Doxy (4:58)
09. I've Never Been In Love Before (5:09)
10. You Stepped Out Of A Dream (5:44)
11. Angel Eyes (5:23)
12. Spring Isn't Spring Anymore (3:46)

Personnel:
Jan Lundgren, piano, with
Track #1: Bill Perkins (ts), Dave Carpenter (b), Paul Kreibich (d). Sage & Sound Studio, 1995
Track #2: Dave Carpenter (b), Paul Kreibich (d). Recorded at Sage & Sound Studio, 1996
Track #3-4 & 6: Chuck Berhofer (b), Joe La Barbera (d). Recorded at The Jazz Bakery in Los Angeles (#3), Sage & Sound Studio (#4), 1996; Capitol Studios (#6), 1999
Track #5: Herb Geller (ss).
Recorded at Sage & Sound Studio, 1997
Track #7: Arne Domnérus (cl).
Recorded at Entourage Studios, 2000
Track #8: Andy Martin (tb), Tom Warrington (b), Paul Kreibich (d). Entourage Studios, 2001
Track #9-10: Pete Jolly (p), Chuck Berhofer (b), Joe La Barbera (d). Entourage Studios, 2001
Track #11-12: Tom Warrington (b), Joe La Barbera (d). Recorded at Entourage Studios, 2003

Besides some CDs and LPs produced in Sweden and Japan, our own master pianist Jan Lundgren has recorded sixteen albums – nine of them under his own name – on the superb and very ambitious Spanish Fresh Sound label, today distributed all over the world. All but one were produced in Los Angeles by the legendary Dick Bank. The exception, Stockholm Get-Together from 1994, was produced by Jan himself.

Lundgren retrospective Mr. Bank has now put together an excellent and varied Lundgren compilation. He has chosen twelve selections from ten of his own Fresh Sound productions, recorded between 1995 and 2003, and he presents them chronologically. He lets us listen to Jan entirely on his own, with his American trios and together with jazz celebrities like Bill Perkins, Conte Candoli, Herb Geller, Andy Martin and, last but not least, Arne Domnérus and Pete Jolly.

To mention any particular selections seems unnecessary since all original albums from which Mr. Bank has made his choices have already been reviewed. But the duo version of “Barney Goin´ Easy”, or “I´m Checkin´ Out Go´om Bye” as the Ellington/Strayhorn composition is also named, with Domnérus on clarinet is really something very special. It is drawn from Dompan!, the album that Arne himself considered his very best ever. The playful collaboration with Jolly is also something that will make you shout with joy— if you love high-quality piano jazz.

The bassists and drummers who enrich the album—in particular the radar pair of Chuck Berghofer and Joe La Barbera—are also well worth praising. And so is Jim Mooney, who is responsible for most of the excellent sound quality. He is a member of the same league as his east coast counterpart Rudy Van Gelder. Lots of roses, also, go to the man with the great ideas, a perpetual preserver of high quality and good taste, Mr. Dick Bank. He is like a manager in the highest Spanish soccer division who knows not only the exact capacity of every player but also how to bring it forth. But the most praise goes, of course, to Jan Lundgren, who today is on the same level as his great Swedish forerunners and sources of inspiration, Jan Johansson and Bengt Hallberg. ~Jan Olsson

A Retrospective

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Renee Yoxon & Chad Linsley - Impossible: Live At Musideum

Size: 119,7 MB
Time: 51:07
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Age Of Not Believing (Live) (3:54)
02. Being Green (Live) (4:26)
03. Rip Van Winkle (Live) (4:13)
04. In My Own Little Corner (Live) (6:24)
05. Dear Bix (Live) (4:55)
06. Little Prince (Live) (5:03)
07. Mimosa And Me (Live) (4:03)
08. Wonder (Live) (5:21)
09. Never Never Land (Live) (3:43)
10. Impossible (Live) (4:27)
11. Far Away Places - My Ship (Live) (4:33)

On August 2015, Renée Yoxon & Chad Linsley released their first collaborative work, Impossible: Live at Musideum. Touching on magic, dreaming, and the urge to run away, Impossible features music from and inspired by film adaptations of children’s stories. Yoxon & Linsley’s interpretations are imaginative, intimate, vulnerable, and remind the listener of childhood – at once carefree, questioning, and melancholy.

This release marks Yoxon’s third full-length album and first live album. Never straying far from her roots in traditional jazz, Yoxon’s latest collection of songs will resonate with fans of her other works, collections of standards and standard-esque originals. She says, “In searching for the roots of the standards I know and love I found myself becoming attracted to jazz interpretation of stories from my childhood. Playing these songs with Chad has been a wonderful and unique experience because of how deeply he listens and how much he cares about this music.”

Linsley brings his years of professional experience and strong love of vocal music to the project. “One of my favourite formats is the piano-vocal duo” says Linsley, “a musically intimate setting where Renée and I can interact with the song more directly. One of my favourite things about improvising at the piano is the creation of textures and space for words. The songs revolving around the theme of childhood inspire deep feeling and memories of my earliest encounters with music, a place where anything was possible.”

Impossible: Live At Musideum

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Bucky Pizzarelli - Renaissance: A Journey From Classical To Jazz

Size: 137,4 MB
Time: 58:44
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz, Classical
Art: Front

01. Tedesco Concerto Allegretto (7:19)
02. Tedesco Concerto Andantio Alla Romanza (6:43)
03. Tedesco Concerto Ritmico E Cavalleresco (7:22)
04. Send In The Clowns (3:27)
05. Have You Met Miss Jones (3:27)
06. Laura (2:56)
07. The Bad And The Beautiful (1:48)
08. Medley: Street Of Dreams/Two Funky People (4:24)
09. Stardust (4:06)
10. Satin Doll (4:29)
11. Medley: I'm Through With Love/I'll Never Be The Same (3:19)
12. Robbins Nest (3:54)
13. Medley It's Easy To Remember - This Nearly Was Mine (3:03)
14. Goodbye (2:21)

A Classical concerto performed by the Orchestra and also American Songbook Standards performed by Bucky Pizzarelli and Ed Laub (guitar duets)

Here’s another gem from Bucky Pizzarelli and Arbors Records. It opens with a classical ensemble by Mario Castelnuovo-Tedeso: Tedesco Concerto No. 1 in D, opus 99. This work is about twenty-two minutes long and Bucky is accompanied by a ten-piece ensemble with players whose careers encompass both classical and jazz.

Remainder of the recordings on this CD are from the Great American Songbook. Most, if not all, the songs will be familiar to the average jazzfan. They include: Send in the Clowns, Laura, Stardust, Satin Doll, I’m Through with Love and I’ll Never Be the Same. The recording concludes with that great Gordon Jenkins tune, Goodbye, which was for many years Benny Goodman’s closing theme.

The jazz section of this recording features guitarist Ed Laub accompanying Bucky. Ed is a regular performer and former student of Bucky’s. They both play seven-string guitars. I called Bucky to get some background on this recording. He told me how the classical group was assembled for the recording and gave me some background on his long association with both Ed Laub and Ed Berger.

Renaissance

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Carmen Souza & Theo Pascal - Epistola

Size: 105,5 MB
Time: 45:04
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz Vocals, World Fusion
Art: Front

01. Cape Verdean Blues (4:58)
02. Afro Monk (4:02)
03. Kutequatekessa Quamundos (4:00)
04. WPFL (5:15)
05. Twenty Choices (3:28)
06. Thursday (3:47)
07. Oui Ou Non (5:08)
08. Mira Me Miguel (3:03)
09. CV Railways (4:50)
10. Stratheden Road (3:12)
11. Moonlight Serenade (3:14)

„Epistola“ is the Greek and Latin word for „letter“. And as every letter does the album “Epistola” transport a message. Carmen Souza’s and Theo Pascal’s message to their fans is: everyone shall receive their message whoever is open to their music and lyrics. The album has a fancy cover showing the artists on a stamped letter. It was recorded at different places in the world - in Portugal, Great Britain and New York.

The fact that Theo Pascal is the producer and composer of 50 % of Carmen Souza’s music, led them to their decision to change the duo’s name from Carmen Souza to „Carmen Souza & Theo Pascal“.

Carmen Souza’s biggest challenge with this album was to present herself to the public as an instrumentalist. She is de facto increasingly noticed as a guitarist. So was she hired to play at the opening of the “Zevener Gitarrenwoche 2014”, a German guitar festival. But still she is noticed as a singer to most of her audience.

Carmen Souza says that music should be understood as continuous process. This process consists of the willingness to take risks and to move beyond his or her own comfort zone. That is the only way to develop. On the album “Epistola“ Carmen Souza shows her abilities at the piano.

Besides eight own songs the album contains two cover songs „Moonlight Serenade“ by Glenn Miller and the „Cape Verdean Blues“ by Horace Silver. The duo chose “Moonlight Serenade”, because the song evokes beautiful childhood associations of big band sounds from old movies, ball rooms and dance. They decided to create a reduced and intimate song version – only vocals, guitar, bass and percussion.

The Carmen Souza project has covered Horace Silver songs in the past. This time they decided on the “Cape Verdean Blues“, because they love the spirit of the song. Carmen Souza therefore wrote lyrics about the Cape Verdean liquor “Grogue”. She also proved her creativity in lyrics writing in the song “Oui ou non”. The song is about a country where an election takes place in a special ceremony. All the participants dress up and are happy. But in the end the people must realize that happiness and beauty is just a fading illusion.

There is also an interesting background behind the song “WPFL”. The title is put together from the initials of four different songs by Theo Pascal who wrote similar arrangements for them. He compares the song with a collage. It reflects the beauty, greatness and purity of nature.

Carmen Souza has Cape Verdean roots and also won several prices on the islands, but she anyhow doesn’t really feel like a part of the Cape Verdean music scene. She rather feels like an outsider, since she was neither born there nor did she ever live on the Cape Verdean islands. Although she doesn’t deny Cape Verdean influences in her music she says that she was mostly coined by Jazz and traditional Portuguese music.

“Epistola“ will be released on August 14th 2015 on Galileo MC. The tour with new musicians on board has already started and Carmen Souza and Theo Pascal elate new and old audience. Featured musicians are the British drummer Shane Forbes, the pianist Matt King from New York, the saxophonist und clarinetist Craig Yaremko and the drummer Zoe Pascal.

Carmen Souza: piano & vocals
Theo Pascal: double bass, e-bass
Shane Forbes: drums
Matt King: organ
Craig Yaremko: saxophones & clarinets
Zoe Pascal: drums (Track: 1, 8)
Producers: Theo Pascal & Carmen Souza
Executive production: Patricia Pascal
Arrangements & music: Theo Pascal
Lyrics: Carmen Souza

Epistola

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