The Cory Weeds Quintet featuring Steve Davis - Let's Go

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@VBR ~245K/s
Time: 73:14
Size: 128,7 MB
Art: Front

( 7:25)  1. Tonk
( 9:31)  2. Something Borrowed, Something Blue
( 7:54)  3. Rabbit Run
( 9:14)  4. Thinking of You
( 7:22)  5. Not So Solid
( 9:01)  6. Younger Than Springtime
( 4:41)  7. Let's Go!
( 6:40)  8. Tetracosmos
(11:22)  9. Close To Home

A tenor saxophonist with an expressive sound rooted in Jazz tradition, a label owner tirelessly documenting unsung Jazz heroes, one of Canada’s most important Jazz impresarios, the hardest-working man in Jazz business Cory Weeds is all of these things, and much more. Weeds may be best known as the founder and owner of Cory Weeds’ Cellar Jazz Club in Vancouver, which he successfully ran for more than 13 years. Weeds built the Cellar to become one of North America’s best Jazz clubs, where masters such as George Coleman, Jeff Hamilton, Louis Hayes, David “Fathead” Newman, Dr. Lonnie Smith, and the finest Jazz musicians from Vancouver and across Canada performed before it closed in February 2014.

But he wasn’t just the club owner. As a saxophonist who studied at the University of North Texas and Capilano College, Weeds spent many nights on the Cellar bandstand as a leader and sideman. He held his own when performing with icons like Joey DeFrancesco and Christian McBride. Weeds has also recorded nine albums as a leader, including: Condition Blue, The Music Of Jackie McLean (with Peter Bernstein, Mike LeDonne, and Joe Farnsworth)., As Of Now(with the Harold Mabern Trio), Let’s Go (with Steve Davis), the Juno-nominated Up A Step(Cory Weeds Quartet), With Benefits (with Lewis Nash and Peter Washington), Just Like That(with the Tilden Webb Trio), The Many Deeds of Cory Weeds (with Joey DeFrancesco),Everything’s Coming Up Weeds (with Jim Rotondi), and Big Weeds (with Peter Bernstein, Mike LeDonne, and Joe Farnsworth). In November 2o16 Weeds will release his 10th album: Happy Madness was recorded in L.A. in collaboration with The Jeff Hamilton Trio.

While the Cellar is now a happy memory, the record label Weeds established in 2001 is alive and well. Cellar Live has put out close to 100 recordings, including many that have spent extensive time on the JazzWeek charts, with many more releases planned. In addition to playing on numerous sessions, Weeds has also served as producer on more than 80 recordings.On the presentation front, Weeds founded a new non-profit organization: the Cellar Jazz Society. Dedicated to fostering public education, understanding, and appreciation of Jazz by presenting performances at public venues and educational institutions. CJS did exactly that by presenting its inaugural series of Jazz concerts in April 2014 at Pyatt Hall, a state-of-the-art theatre in downtown Vancouver. The society has since been put on hold as it joins forces with Coastal Jazz to present The Cellar Jazz Series.

Weeds is also programming Jazz at the renowned Francesco’s Restaurant on Burrard Street and a monthly series at The Italian Cultural Center as well as presenting concerts at various other venues around Vancouver under Cory Weeds Presents Beyond Vancouver, Weeds has a strong affinity with New York City. He brought so many of the Jazz mecca’s top players to his club, and has performed, toured, and recorded with many of them. Tapping in to his insider knowledge of the New York scene, he has led the New York With Weeds tour to NYC four times. Weeds leads about 40 Jazz lovers on each tour to Jazz clubs off the beaten track and private recording sessions. The sixth tour will happen in March 2016. Finally, Weeds has also worked as an educator, leading the BC Music Educators Association’s Honour Ensemble, giving clinics, and teaching privately. He has also been a Jazz disc jockey on Vancouver Co-Op Radio. http://coryweeds.com/bio/

Personnel:  Cory Weeds: Tenor Saxophone / Steve Davis: Trombone / Tilden Webb: Piano / Ken Lister: Acoustic Bass / Jesse Cahill: Drums

Let's Go

---

Bob James - Two

Styles: Piano Jazz

Year: 1975

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 38:46

Size: 89,0 MB

Art: Front

(5:53)  1. Take Me To The Mardi Gras

(5:29)  2. I Feel A Song (In My Heart)

(7:24)  3. The Golden Apple

(8:27)  4. Farandole

(5:31)  5. You're As Right As Rain

(6:02)  6. Dream Journey

Bob James largely defined pop/jazz crossover in the '70s. Two, reissued by Koch, is typical of his output. Mixing together aspects of pop, R&B and classical with just a touch of jazz, James (heard throughout on electric keyboards) put the emphasis on catchy melodies and lightly funky rhythms. The results range from insipid to pleasant, with a brass section, a string section, and vocalists (including Patti Austin) utilized to create what is essentially background music. ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/two-mw0000649582

Personnel:  Bob James - Electric Piano, Clavinet, Synthesizer (Arp Odyssey), Organ (Yamaha Yc30), Conductor, Arranger;  Eric Gale - Guitar, Bass;  Hubert Laws - Flute, Electric Flute;  Rickie Resnicoff – Guitar;  Gary King – Bass;  Steve Gadd, Andrew Smith – Drums;  Arthur Jenkins, Ralph MacDonald – Percussion;  Eddie Daniels – Clarinet;  Al Richmond, Jimmy Buffington, Peter Gordon - French Horn;Eddie Bert, Tom Mitchell, Wayne Andre, Tony Studd – Trombone;  Alan Shulman, Alla Goldberg, Tony Sophos, George Ricci, Jesse Levy, Seymour Barab, Warren Lash – Cello;  John Frosk, Lew Soloff, Marvin Stamm, Randy Brecker, Victor Paz - Trumpet, Flugelhorn;  Charles Libove, David Nadien, Emanuel Green, Gene Orloff, Harold Kohon, Harry Cykman, Harry Glickman, Harry Lookofsky, Joe Malin, Matthew Raimondi, Max Ellen, Paul Gershman – Violin;  Patti Austin - Lead Vocals;  Frank Floyd, Lani Groves, Zachary Sanders - Vocals

Two

---

The Bennie Maupin Quartet - Early Reflections

Styles: Jazz, Post-Bop
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:50
Size: 173,8 MB
Art: Front

( 2:36)  1. Within Reach
( 7:46)  2. Escondido
( 2:23)  3. Inside the Shadows
( 8:56)  4. ATMA
( 3:51)  5. Ours Again
(10:13)  6. The Jewel in the Lotus
( 3:07)  7. Black Ice
( 7:48)  8. Tears
( 2:38)  9. Not Later Than Now
( 5:46) 10. Early Reflections
( 7:13) 11. Inner Sky
( 4:23) 12. Prophet's Motifs
( 9:04) 13. Spirits of the Tatras

After establishing his reputation in the 1960s and 1970s with artists including Miles Davis, Andrew Hill and Herbie Hancock, Bennie Maupin mysteriously disappeared for over a decade. Re-emerging in the 1990s, it's still only been recently with the release of the overdue reissue of his 1974 ECM classic, The Jewel in the Lotus in 2007, and his first album as a leader in eight years, the sublime Penumbra (Cryptogramophone, 2006) that the woodwind multi-instrumentalist has returned to greater visibility. Early Reflections's instrumentation may be a more conventional setting than Penumbra's woodwinds/bass/drums/percussion line-up, but it's just as fine, its generally subdued tone broken by occasional bursts of fiery intensity. Like Polish trumpeter Tomasz Stanko who nurtured a young Polish piano trio that has supported him since Soul of Things (ECM, 2000) but has also built its own independent reputation with Trio (ECM, 2005) Maupin has "discovered" an equally fine trio of Polish musicians in pianist Michael Tokaj, bassist Michal Baranski and drummer Kukasz Zyta. 

Like Stanko's find, Maupin's group demonstrates elegant simplicity on the balladic "Inner Sky" and delicately propulsive "Atma." The latter is one of two to feature Hania Chowaniec-Rybka a singer who, despite this being her first improvisational album away from classical and Tatras folk roots, melds beautifully with Maupin's soprano sax, and with his alto flute on the dark-hued closer, "Spirits of the Tatras." Her improvisational prowess during the extended free opening to "Spirits of the Tatras" transcends conventional scatting with the same kind of timbral explorations as innovators including Meredith Monk and Sidsel Endresen. But while its intro is more vibrant in tone, it ultimately morphs into a brooding ballad feature for the impressionistic Tokaj. Solo space abounds on the softly Latin-esque "Escondido," a feature for Maupin's signature bass clarinet; the hauntingly beautiful "Tears," with Maupin again on alto flute; the in-and-out-of-time ballad "Inner Sky"; and a more rhythmically defined waltz-time retake of The Jewel in the Lotus' title track that, beginning in simmering subtlety, turns into a burning modal workout for Tokaj and Maupin's most powerful solos of the set.

Breaking up the extended tracks are four miniature collective improvisations that bear a surprising sense of construction. The opening "In Reach," in particular, demonstrates the kind of deep interaction normally only heard from groups with considerably more than the two years this group has under its belt. Recent years have seen a resurgence of interest in artists who first made their name in decades past. It's only been in the past decade that Tomasz Stanko and Enrico Rava have achieved the international visibility they've always deserved, and Maupin can now be added to that list, thanks to Cryptogramophone. 

Penumbra and the equally outstanding Early Reflections book-end The Jewel in the Lotus a promise Maupin never managed to follow up demonstrating two very different sides and making it clear that he's truly back and better than ever.~John Kelman http://www.allaboutjazz.com/early-reflections-bennie-maupin-cryptogramophone-review-by-john-kelman.php

Personnel: Bennie Maupin: bass clarinet; tenor and soprano saxophones, alto flute; Michal Tokaj: piano; Michal Baranski: bass; Lukasz Zyta: drums, percussion; Hania Chowaniec-Rybka: voice (4, 13).

Early Reflections

---

Nicolas Meier - Mr. MoonJune Recommends: Nicolas Meier

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:32
Size: 158,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:58)  1. The Wind (Part III The Lightness Of The Wind)
(6:00)  2. October In Ankara
(6:59)  3. Senses
(5:10)  4. Marble Dance
(1:51)  5. Sunset
(6:18)  6. Adiguzel
(6:45)  7. Déjà Vu
(7:57)  8. Breeze
(7:24)  9. Yemin
(5:04) 10. Flight Of The Bumblebee (Adagio)
(5:02) 11. Guidance

In just a few short years UK-based Swiss guitarist Nicolas Meier has carved a reputation out as one of the UK’s most original guitarists. Drawing on a love of Turkish, Eastern music, Flamenco, Tango all mix with jazz, Meier has developed his own unique sound with his regular group (latest release was his eight album with his full band.) See Media page for more details. London based Swiss guitarist Nicolas Meier is one of the stars of a vibrant British jazz scene, his trademark sound, as heard on his Naim albums, a mixture of Methenyesque jazz and spicy Turkish and world music rhythms. While in 2006 Meier and his band won the prestigious Grand Prize Of The Jury and 1st Prize Jazz Guitar at Jazz a Juan Revelations 2006: A competition open to the finest new jazz musicians and bands in Europe and run by the legendary Jazz A Juan Festival. He has become increasingly well known in his adopted country where his Nicolas Meier Group featuring some incredible musicians (listed below) has toured extensively for the last 8 years.

Meier draws on a multitude of influences: Jazz, Flamenco, Latin and middle-eastern music are all passionately explored in a series of heartfelt acoustic modern jazz originals and all represent part of Meier’s musical and personal world. His wife Songul is Turkish and he has spent time there and in Spain and ‘Orient’ draws on the melodies and rhythms of both countries. Writing in the Guardian, John Fordham described Meier as” elegant in tone and bubbling with ideas… his originality as a writer, a player and a team leader dispatches any doubts” and described his debut album Orient as ‘a seductive balance of strong themes, inventive improvising and dynamic variety’. Meier who was born in 73 first picked up the guitar when he was 12. His parents, both art lovers, had wide-ranging musical tastes and he was exposed to classical, jazz, Latin, flamenco, rock and pop. And it was an early gift from his father of Joe Satriani’s legendary ‘Surfing with the Aliens’ and Tony MacAlpine’s Maximum Security (major intelligent rock guitar-god albums) that first really convinced a young Meier to get practicing. Perhaps his old man was worried because he was subsequently taken on a family outing to the Montreux Jazz festival (in what would become an annual pilgrimage) where he heard Carlos Santana with special guest Wayne Shorter. And later that summer Meier was blown away when he saw John McLaughlin’s trio in Antibes (Trilok Gurtu and Jeff Berlin). In fact Mclaughlin’s album Live at the Royal Festival Hall would be a major influence on Meier with its mix of many styles.

Interestingly Meier’s passion for both rock and jazz persists to this day. Something he partly credits to his teacher Francis Coletta (at the Conservatoire Fribourg) who while inspiring a profound love of jazz and world music encouraged the young man to transcribe rock solos as well! In fact Meier is one of the rare musicians who plays both metal and jazz and has written books on both : ‘Heavy Metal part I: Rhythm Guitar’ and ‘Jazz part I: Chord Tones’. Both published by «www.ibreathemusic.com ». Meier states of his two seemingly divergent loves :“I deeply love both styles. There is magic in each style that the other one doesn’t have. I just love metal’s power and energy and at the same time I love jazz’s deep emotion. Both styles can give high energy but in different directions or different worlds”.

Meier studied arranging with Max Jendly and Francis Boland before earning a scholarship to Berklee in Boston, USA and immersing himself in classic Amercian jazz (Parker, Coltrane, Miles etc) and playing acoustic jazz and fusion. He graduated and returned to Switzerland in 98 and formed the « Meier Group » who became festival regulars and he jammed in Montreux with the likes of Rachelle Ferrel, George Duke, Macy Gray and Will Calhoun. But Meier missed the vibe of Boston, the energy of America and looking around for somewhere that combined European culture and American ‘drive’ he settled on London as the perfect synthesis. Arriving in London Meier met drummer Asaf Sirkis who he credits with helping open his ears to Middle-Eastern music as well as helping him find his feet in London. “He is such a passionate player that I just had to keep playing with him whenever I could and I met Gilad Atzmon through him and many other great players”.

Meier’s Turkish wife Songul is a major influence on his music with the composition Last Rose on his debut album Orient a passionate tribute to her and his new album Silence Talks closes with A Rose In The Pyrenees remembering a happy holiday together. And they have travelled together in her home land. “I fell in love with Turkish rhythms, their instruments, their traditional songs and even their pop music which is very different to western pop drawing on eastern influences’ Other influences include pianist Chick Corea (who moves effortlessly between fusion and acoustic contexts) and of course Pat Metheny (who isn’t? asks Meier) but also the classic guitar album “Friday Night in San Francisco” by Al Di Meola, Paco de Lucia and John McLaughlin.“I loved all the styles they were playing, Latin and tango with Al, Flamenco with Paco, and Indian music with John. Which is one of the reasons that I love all these styles of music and wanted to explore them on this album.”He also cites the great Flamenco guitarist Tomatito as an influence from time spent in Sevilla and Barcelona with his friend and piano player Jose Reinoso.

Meier’s sound is rooted in his love of playing jazz on acoustic guitar, especially his Godin nylon string guitar. It’s a sound that lends itself especially to flamenco and middle-eastern music and it’s all these influences and more that Meier has so brilliantly fused together in his music. He also plays fretless acoustic guitar, which sounds something like a cross between an acoustic guitar and the oud (an Arabic stringed instrument) and the Saz, a traditional Turkish instrument. While his new album also features fretted and steel guitars, Godin glissentar (11 stringed insturment) and a baglama. As well as leading his own band, Meier has worked with the likes of Harry Beckett, Dave O’Higgins, John Etheridge, Gilad Aztmon, Renato D’Aielo and Deidre Cartwright. He has also recorded “Guidance” featuring Vivaldi’s 4 Seasons with a guitar orchestra (acoustic, electric & synth guitars) for American Classical label Centaur and he continues to lead “Seven7” his nu-metal band as after two full length albums which have had outstanding reviews, will be back performing this summer www.seven7.name. Meier is a guitar tutor at Goldsmiths University and at the “Academy of Contemporary Music” in Guildford. http://www.truthinshredding.com/2014_12_10_archive.html

Mr. MoonJune Recommends: Nicolas Meier

---

Ernie Wilkins & His Orchestra - Hard Mother Blues

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:20
Size: 78.6 MB
Styles: Jazz/Funk/Soul
Year: 1970/2007
Art: Front

[3:19] 1. Evil Ways
[2:33] 2. Midnight Hour
[3:04] 3. Dock Of The Bay
[2:55] 4. Funky Broadway
[4:14] 5. I Can T Make It
[3:58] 6. Big Foot Country
[2:38] 7. Next Year S Blues
[2:12] 8. Respect
[3:20] 9. Thank You
[3:25] 10. No Money Blues
[2:37] 11. Spoonful

Bass – Chuck Rainey; Drums – Grady Tate; Guitar – Arthur Bitker, Billy Butler, Dave Spinosa, Lionel Chamberland; Piano – Frank Owens; Saxophone – Billy Mitchell, Chris Woods, Hubert Laws, Joseph Temperley; Trombone – Benny Powell, David Bargeron, J. Billy Ver Planck, Jack Jeffers, John Gordon; Trumpet – Snookie Young, Joe Newman, Lloyd Michaels, Ray Copeland.

A fine, slippery bop tenor sax player, and a creator of sharp-edged arrangements for bop and swing big bands who helped define the Count Basie Mk. II style of the 1950s, Ernie Wilkins had been a regular fixture on the American jazz scene until 1979, when he pulled up stakes and moved to Europe. He first learned piano and violin, then studied music at Wilberforce University before going into the Navy during the war. He caught on with the Earl Hines band in 1948 and worked around the St. Louis area before joining the Basie band in 1952. He remained in the Basie fold until 1955, but continued to freelance arrangements to the Count, as well as arrange for and perform with the Dizzy Gillespie band that toured the Middle East and South America in 1956. Also in 1956, he wrote three of the six movements of the exciting Wilkins/Manny Albam The Drum Suite (RCA Victor) -- reputedly the first time anyone had tried to integrate four drummers into one band -- and led big band albums under his own name for Savoy and Everest in the 1950s. He was the staff composer for the Harry James orchestra from 1958 to 1960 and served as musical director for albums by Nat Adderley, Sarah Vaughan, Buddy Rich, Oscar Peterson, and Dinah Washington, among others. In 1968, he joined Clark Terry's Big B-A-D Band, serving as a composer and music director, after which he assembled his own band and became head of A&R for the Mainstream label (1971-1973). He would continue to provide Basie with arrangements and toured Europe with Terry in the late '70s, ultimately settling in Copenhagen in 1979, where he formed the Almost Big Band. Most of the recorded examples of Wilkins' work on sax are as a sideman with Basie and Terry. ~bio by Richard S. Ginnell

Hard Mother Blues

---

Chinaza - Changes

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:34
Size: 115.8 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[1:53] 1. MHB
[4:43] 2. The Flow
[6:21] 3. Plush
[5:58] 4. Changes
[3:57] 5. Jealous Guy
[4:46] 6. Moments Like These
[7:29] 7. Closer
[0:49] 8. Interlude
[6:08] 9. In December
[6:21] 10. Whatever Lola Wants
[2:03] 11. MHB

Chinaza – vocals; Sebastian Weiss – piano, rhodes; Eric St-Laurent – guitar; Pepe Berns – bass; Heinz Lichius – drums. Recorded in July 2004 at A-Trane Studio, Berlin, and in June 2004 and May 2005 at Audiocue Tonlabor, Berlin.

"If i can make it, you’ll gonna make it, too." Norah Jones in a conversation with Chinaza at Makor Club, Upper East Side, New York City, November 28, 2001. Norah Jones really did make it. That’s a fact. Now it’s time for something new – Chinaza.

"My grandmother named me Chinaza – 'God responds'. Something I still believe in. My vision is to translate things I picture – and hardly can describe – into music. Modest Mussorgsky's 'pictures at an exhibition' inspired me to adapt his concept to my album. Every song has its own story, its individual picture and shines in all different colours. But together they build a complete work of art.

Jazz? Pop? Jazz-Pop? To me it’s a Jazz album. Not only because I like Jazz so much. In Jazz I simply experience the freedom of letting music happen, without possibly questioning the boundaries to Pop or even Soul. That's why I want to thank everyone who shares this experience – and especially thank YOU for responding.

When I met Norah Jones in New York she played at Makor with no admission charge – at that time she was not known at all to a brighter audience. After her gig we talked for a while – you can name it typically New York small talk – about music in general and success in particular. The main question for both of us was: How can I become more successful. But we had no master plan how this could work for us. So she encouraged me. And I encouraged her. A few weeks later Norah Jones had her first review in the New York Times. The hype started…” ~Chinaza, Berlin 2005

Changes

---

Randy Weston - Modern Art Of Jazz

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:00
Size: 91.6 MB
Styles: Post bop, Piano jazz
Year: 1957/2013
Art: Front

[3:00] 1. In A Little Spanish Town
[4:16] 2. J.K. Blues
[5:01] 3. Well, You Needn't
[4:48] 4. How High The Moon
[3:00] 5. Loose Wig
[5:09] 6. Stormy Weather
[3:41] 7. Run Joe
[5:19] 8. Don't Blame Me
[5:41] 9. A Theme For Teddy

Trumpet – Ray Copeland; Baritone Saxophone, Alto Saxophone – Cecil Payne; Piano – Randy Weston; Bass – Ahmed Abdul-Malik; Drums – Wilbert Hogan, Willie Jones.

This album has three tracks that feature Weston and his rhythm section in a quintet setting, and the remaining tracks as a trio. The music on each track is superb. For me the highlights are Weston (naturally), but also the gorgeous tone of Cecil Payne's baritone saxophone as well as his command of alto sax, and Ahmed Abdul-Malik's bass. Abdul-Malik, in particular, has a technique that has always fascinated me and this album provides ample examples of his playing.

The album is comprised of mainly standards, but three tracks - Loose Wig, J.K. Blues and Theme for Teddy - are Weston's own compositions. A surprise is Weston covering a Monk tune (Well, You Needn't) since few of Monk's compositions were intended for improvisation. ~Mike Tarrani

Modern Art Of Jazz

---

Tanny Mas Band - True Illusions

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:51
Size: 121.0 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[2:54] 1. Ain't No Sunshine
[4:36] 2. Mornin'
[3:29] 3. El Final
[3:34] 4. This Masquerade
[4:12] 5. Just The Two Of Us
[3:12] 6. Viernes Tarde
[2:27] 7. You Are So Beautiful
[3:32] 8. Unchain My Heart
[5:00] 9. What A Difference A Day Makes
[5:30] 10. On The Beach
[4:44] 11. Georgia On My Mind
[3:43] 12. Summer In The City
[2:31] 13. What A Wonderful World
[3:19] 14. Knock On Wood

During his career, Tanny Mas was not only a part of different established music groups, his musical differences brought him to take part of unaccountable projects which made him develop and mature musically, and thanks to this he had the opportunity to meet many musicians who share the same differences. With these thoughts in mind, Tanny teamed in summer 2009 with the drummer Toni Beltran, he decided to ground his own group, where he plays Bass guitar and is the lead-singer. The group has developed in different phases. During the development of the Tanny Mas band many musicians have come and gone, and re-shaped the band from trio to quartet, then to quintet to finally after 2 years of reforming to the current formation.

Tanny Mas Band have collaborated with famous jazz and soul musicians, like Max Suñer and the singer Lenny Zacatek from the Alan Parsons Project. Tanny Mas Band presents itself as a mature band with an eclectic musical range which to inspires to adapt to the wide public, combining a sophisticated repertoire based on jazz standards and jazz-fusions with a lighter repertoire based on contemporary pop, rock, blues and soul classics.

True Illusions

---

Bud Shank Quartet With Bob Cooper - Jazz At Cal-Tech

Styles: Jazz, Hard Bop
Year: 1956
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:48
Size: 112,3 MB
Art: Front

(8:01)  1. When Lights Are Low
(7:01)  2. Old Devil Moon
(4:34)  3. The Nearness Of You
(2:12)  4. How Long Has This Been Going On/Tea For Two
(3:05)  5. Tea for Two
(4:30)  6. Lullaby of Birdland
(6:00)  7. Somebody Loves Me
(6:39)  8. Moonlight In Vermont
(6:43)  9. The King

The near-telepathic interplay that distinguishes all of Bud Shank's collaborations with reedist Bob Cooper reaches a dazzling peak with the live Jazz at Cal-Tech. A deceptively freewheeling set recorded with pianist Claude Williamson, bassist Don Prell, and drummer Chuck Flores, it boasts a simmering intensity often missing from Shank and Cooper's subsequent studio sessions, channeling the energy of the audience to add a new edge to their creative give and take, particularly on a rousing rendition of Count Basie's "The King." No less impressive is a lovely ballad medley featuring "How Long Has This Been Going On?" and "Tea for Two." ~ Jason Ankeny http://www.allmusic.com/album/jazz-at-cal-tech-mw0000868495

Personnel:  Bud Shank - alto and flute;  Bob Cooper - tenor and oboe;  Claude Williamson – piano;  Don Prell – bass;  Chuck Flores - drums

Jazz At Cal-Tech

---

Tom Harrell - Light On

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:53
Size: 152,9 MB
Art: Front

(7:48)  1. Va
(8:17)  2. Sky Life
(9:11)  3. Contrary Mary
(4:20)  4. Fountain
(7:20)  5. Nights at Catalonia
(5:56)  6. The Gronk
(5:03)  7. Architect of Time
(7:39)  8. Bad Stuff
(6:17)  9. Blue Caribe
(3:56) 10. Va (Reprise)

As the business of music makes the wobbly transition from unified collections of songs to individual tracks as the primary currency of recorded music, jazz continues to embrace the increasingly antiquated format of the album to great effect. Such is the case with trumpeter Tom Harrell's Light On, a bonafide collection of compositions and performances that are conspicuously unified, and an open challenge to the notion of "album as anachronism" in the digital age. This collection of songs was meant to be swallowed whole. All the ingredients for a fine "album" are there intricate but accessible melodies, potent and personal improvisations both individually and collectively, even Rudy Van Gelder, one of the prime architects of the art of the long player, whose touch on the faders brings together familiar sounds and textures that evoke the past, yet present music that is decidedly modern.

Harrell's playing is typically relaxed and confident, and that confidence and capability is also evident in his selection of sidemen. This group has just the right balance of musical personalities that function as a cohesive unit without sacrificing each musician's distinct identity. All nine of the compositions heard here are Harrell's, each with memorable and infectious melodic hooks and satisfying harmonic structures. "Skylife," with it's subtle but assertive funky groove is probably the best example of how Harrell is able to create music that is simultaneously accessible and intricate. Tenor saxophonist Wayne Escoffrey delivers an arresting solo so typical of his stellar performances on every track, and Danny Grissett's touch on Fender Rhodes brings a warmth and blithe fluency that makes highly crafted lines go down easier than one might expect. Indeed, Escoffrey consistently attracts the most attention. His dense and plaintive phrasing contrasts effectively with Harrell's soft spoken interjections and pleasing tone. The saxophonist's dizzying work on both takes of "Va, the wry wit and virtuosity on tracks like "Contrary Mary," the up-tempo "Gronk" and "Blue Caribe" reveals an arresting, inventive voice of considerable skill and emotional depth, delivering provocative and complex lines with a highly distinctive flavor.

"Nights at Catalonia" evokes the exoticism of a Horace Silver composition and presents Harrell's sound at its best, with a typically sparse and introverted exploration that deepens the mystery hidden in the subtle rhythmic pulse so ably created by drummer Johnathan Blake and bassist Ugonna Okegwo. "Bad Stuff" presents that rhythm section unleashed, as the quintet engages in a spirited, swinging romp. Light On is among the rarest of jazz releases that is sure to please the casual listener as well as the hardcore aficionado. Both will be swept up in the intensity and precision of the performances, and both will walk away humming the same melodies that linger stubbornly in memory and stick to the ribs. This is music that invites the listener along for the ride and rewards those who take the trouble to climb aboard. Like the very best of jazz, Harrell's quintet seeks to communicate and illuminate, and succeeds handsomely in doing both.~ Ken Kase http://www.allaboutjazz.com/light-on-tom-harrell-highnote-records-review-by-ken-kase.php

Personnel: Tom Harrell: trumpet; Wayne Escoffrey: tenor saxophone; Danny Grissett: piano, Fender Rhodes; Ugonna Okegwo: bass; Johnathan Blake: drums.

Light On

---

Jerry Bergonzi - Shifting Gears

Styles: Saxophone Jazz

Year: 2012

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 57:09

Size: 131,1 MB

Art: Front

(9:26)  1. Flying Red

(5:48)  2. High Tops

(7:15)  3. They Knew

(7:57)  4. Wibble Wobble

(7:51)  5. Doin' the Hen

(8:01)  6. Zoning

(6:19)  7. Dr. Zoltan

(4:30)  8. Between Worlds

Jerry Bergonzi has spent his career based in Boston, his hometown. But despite only having lived in New York for several years, he is still widely regarded as one of the finest tenor players on the international scene. This album of originals highlights Bergonzi’s penchant for upper extended note clusters, dizzying arpeggios and an airy, quicksilver sound that puts him right alongside the late Michael Brecker for his fluid and sweeping harmonic vision. A longtime faculty member at New England Conservatory, Bergonzi reunites here with sidemen from the constellation of colleges in the area. Trumpeter Phil Grenadier, brother of bassist Larry Grenadier and an accomplished bandleader in his own right, teaches at Brandeis University; pianist Bruce Barth met Bergonzi while studying at NEC; bassist Dave Santoro teaches at Berklee; and drummer Andrea Michelutti, who lives in Paris, is the wild card.

Bergonzi spent a decade working with Dave Brubeck, and this foundation allows him to seamlessly bend the edges of traditional harmony. A professional-level pianist to boot, Bergonzi elevates jazz theory to a fine art, and it shows in his deconstruction of a tune’s form for improvisation. This wizardry is especially evident on “High Tops,” which repurposes “Speak Low,” and “Between Worlds,” which takes creative license with “How High the Moon.” Both tunes are barely recognizable to the untrained ear, but as with Hemingway’s iceberg principle, the rooting in standard repertoire is keenly felt. Opener “Flying Red” has a pervasive dissonance married to a lilting melody, an odd contradiction that Bergonzi resolves through improvisatory sleight of hand. He reaches a fever pitch on “Wibble Wobble,” a topsy-turvy tune that serves as a master class on how to build a solo.~ Aidan Levy http://jazztimes.com/articles/58691-shifting-gears-jerry-bergonzi

Personnel: Jerry Bergonzi: tenor saxophone; Phil Grenadier: trumpet; Bruce Barth: piano; Dave Santoro: bass; Andrea Michelutti: drums.

Shifting Gears

---

Cory Weeds - Condition Blue: The Music Of Jackie McLean

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:28
Size: 141,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:25)  1. Condition Blue
(6:04)  2. Slumber
(6:35)  3. Capuchin Swing
(5:52)  4. My Old Flame
(5:42)  5. 'Snuff
(5:21)  6. Marilyn's Dilemma
(6:04)  7. Das Dat
(6:05)  8. Jacknife
(7:42)  9. Bluesanova
(6:33) 10. Blues In a Jiff

Jackie McLean was a hard-bop alto saxophonist with a fiery tight tone, who recorded extensively in the ‘50s and ‘60s mainly with Blue Note Records. Although his forays with an organ was confined to two albums with Jimmy Smith Open House and Plain Talk, Cory Weeds’ decision to use an organ on this session does not stray off the mark. Condition Blue accomplishes the band’s intention, to acknowledge a saxophonist who had an exploratory vision. In a set list of either McLean originals, or compositions associated with him, this tight-knit band delivers the goods in firm, yet flexible style. The key players in this session in addition, to the cooly effective altoist Weeds, are Mike LeDonne, a B-3 player of energetic disposition, and creative guitarist Peter Bernstein. Also along is drummer Joe Farnsworth who is a propulsive player.

The session begins with the title track “Condition Blue” which is one of McLean’s own compositions. From the getgo, this is a hard swinger with Weeds doggedly self-assured,  Bernstein then following in an unfussy fashion, before LeDonne briskly adds his voice. Another McLean original is “Capuchin Swing” which along with the previous number comes from McLean’s album of the same name for Blue Note in 1960. Driven by Farnsworth’s quicksilver drumming, Bernstein sets the pace with a long sinewy solo, after which Weeds shows that he is a skilfully inspired player. Not to be outdone, LeDonne  chimes in with some bopish phrasing.

“My Old Flame” is offered in a relaxed groove, with Weeds running through the melody before Bernstein picks up the bridge, and Weeds again completes the theme, before taking off in solo mode. Throughout the number, the band shows that they can play with uncomplicated cohesion. The two other McLean originals are “‘Snuff” and “ Das Dat”. On the former, the number starts off with some intricate interplay between Weeds and Bernstein, before Weeds expands the theme with a sure-footed solo. Bernstein then slides into an incisive improvisation, with LeDonne swirling around on the B-3. On the latter composition, the band finds an earthiness in the structure of the tune, that inundates the music with fluency. Of the remaining tracks, one of the more interesting is “Bluesanova” written by Lee Morgan, that appeared on McLean’s album Consequence, on which he shared the front line with trumpeter Morgan.  The band pitches their interpretation with a bossa nova time signature, coupled with a hard-bop line, and some soul-jazz thrown in for good measure. All in all, the band shows that they are sympathetic and sophisticated collaborators.~ Pierre Giroux http://audaud.com/2015/07/cory-weeds-condition-blue-the-music-of-jackie-mclean-cellar-live/

Personnel: Cory Weeds (alto saxophone); Peter Bernstein (guitar); Mike LeDonne (Hammond b-3 organ); Joe Farnsworth (drums)

Condition Blue: The Music Of Jackie McLean

---

Oscar Peterson, Stephane Grappelli - Jazz In Paris: Oscar Peterson-Stephane Grappelli Quartet Vol 1

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:55
Size: 89.1 MB
Styles: Bop, Piano jazz
Year: 2001
Art: Front

[4:47] 1. Them There Eyes
[5:34] 2. Flamingo
[4:33] 3. Makin' Whoopee
[4:41] 4. Looking At You
[4:58] 5. Walkin' My Baby Back Home
[9:44] 6. My One And Only Love
[4:35] 7. Thou Swell

One of the nice things about jazz is the cross-pollination of different players in multiple settings. No one would've thought of pairing swing violinist Stéphane Grappelli and bop pianist Oscar Peterson, for instance, but the match works very well. The pair have expanded into a quartet on this reissue with the aid of double bassist Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen and drummer Kenny Clarke. The set, recorded in 1973 in Paris, includes a handful of standards, from Pinkard/Tracey/Tauber's "Them There Eyes" to Rodgers & Hart's "Thou Swell." As one might guess, Grappelli is in his own element on upbeat, swinging pieces like "Makin' Whoopee" and "Walkin' My Baby Back Home." Peterson likewise joins in the spirit of these pieces, making them the most interesting interpretations on the album. Other material, like the lingering "Flamingo" and "My One and Only Love," are also enjoyable, but seem rather tepid in comparison. The latter composition is also handicapped by its nearly ten-minute length. Peterson and Grappelli end with a nice, bouncy version of "Thou Swell" that brings the whole affair to a satisfying close. Quartet, Vol. 1 isn't a perfect recording, but it is an enjoyable one, showing how much fun it is to pair unlikely musicians in the studio and see what happens. ~Ronnie D. Lankford Jr

Jazz In Paris: Oscar Peterson-Stephane Grappelli Quartet Vol 1

---

Kevin Hassett's A Game - Take Two For Rosa

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:11
Size: 110.3 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[3:50] 1. Moonlight In Vermont
[3:23] 2. I Thought About You
[4:32] 3. Summer Samba
[3:05] 4. Do Nothing Til You Hear From Me
[4:04] 5. I'm Afraid The Masquerade Is Over
[3:31] 6. Tangerine
[4:35] 7. Autumn Leaves
[4:01] 8. I Can't Get Started
[3:17] 9. In The Wee Small Hours
[2:22] 10. But Not For Me
[2:50] 11. Teach Me Tonight
[5:24] 12. I've Got You Under My Skin
[3:12] 13. For Sentimental Reasons

'At the end of last year I recorded and arranged a Great American songbook CD entitled “Take Two for Rosa” with jazz artist Kevin Hassett’s A Game. The title was inspired by the birth of my daughter Rosa, right in the middle of the recording sessions!' ~Gary Davies

Take Two For Rosa

---

Sue Raney - Complete Capitol Years 1956-1960 (2-Disc Set)

"In the late '50s and early '60s, Capitol Records had two leading jazz-oriented pop singers on its roster -- June Christy and Peggy Lee -- and then added another young singer, Sue Raney. Raney cut a few albums which seemed to quickly disappear, never to be heard from again until now [...] On the 1958 release 'When Your Lover Has Gone,' Raney is supported by the estimable Nelson Riddle, whose arrangements and orchestrations have graced the recordings of many of the top singers of the last four decades (among the more notable, Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra). The second album, 'Songs for a Raney Day,' was cut under the leadership of another Hollywood music icon, Billy May. His arrangements on this album are much softer than the blaring brass a la the discs he cut with Sinatra and Anita O'Day. This is a gentler, softer May, appropriate for an album of songs that capture the essence and moods of rainy weather. Although very young when these sessions were recorded, there's more than a hint of the consummate artistry that was to characterize Raney's singing over the next 40 years. The style, diction and appreciation for good melodies which became a staple of Raney's albums are already evident, and each album has well-known standards. But there are songs penned by composers not often recorded, like Ann Ronell's "Rain on the Roof," a reminder that Ronell did much more than "Willow Weep for Me." Unfortunately, the promise created by these two albums never quite materialized. Raney, despite her outstanding recordings, never entered studios with the frequency commensurate with her talent, which doesn't say much for the music business." ~Dave Nathan

Album: Complete Capitol Years 1956-1960 (Disc 1)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 57:28

Size: 131.6 MB

Styles: Vocal jazz

Year: 2013

[2:48] 1. Everytime

[3:08] 2. The Careless Years

[2:09] 3. What's The Good Word Mr Bluebird

[2:37] 4. Don't Take My Happiness

[1:53] 5. Please Hurry Home

[2:38] 6. Till There Was You

[3:00] 7. When Your Lover Has Gone

[3:08] 8. I Stayed Too Long At The Fair

[2:22] 9. If I Could Be With You (One Hour Tonight)

[3:30] 10. My Ideal

[2:26] 11. It Looks Like Rain In Cherry Bloss

[3:04] 12. It's Easy To Remember

[4:02] 13. Moon Song That Wasn't Meant For Me

[2:56] 14. Heart And Soul

[3:04] 15. If You Were There

[3:20] 16. My Silent Love

[4:19] 17. I Remember You

[2:30] 18. I'll See You In My Dreams

[2:07] 19. My My How The Time Goes By

[2:16] 20. Periwinkle Blues

Complete Capitol Years 1956-1960 (Disc 1)

---

Album: Complete Capitol Years 1956-1960 (Disc 2)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 49:29

Size: 113.3 MB

Styles: Vocal jazz

Year: 2013

Art: Front

[2:48] 1. Ever

[3:08] 2. The Restless Sea

[2:42] 3. I Don't Look Right Without You

[2:53] 4. Swingin' In A Hammock

[2:05] 5. I Get The Blues When It Rains

[2:33] 6. Impossible

[2:08] 7. A Blossom Fell

[2:43] 8. Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams

[2:05] 9. The Whipoorwill Song

[2:45] 10. Rain

[2:31] 11. Rain On The Roof

[2:27] 12. Blue Tears

[3:12] 13. Exactly Like You

[2:33] 14. Wanna Laugh

[1:52] 15. My Prayer

[2:00] 16. September In The Rain

[2:00] 17. Biology

[2:30] 18. Too Soon

[1:59] 19. The Word Got Around

[2:25] 20. One-Finger Symphony

Complete Capitol Years 1956-1960 (Disc 2)

---

Elvin Jones - All Or Nothing At All: Blues Of Summer

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:22
Size: 174.8 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[ 5:17] 1. In Your Own Sweet Way
[ 3:33] 2. All Or Nothing At All
[11:31] 3. Summertime
[ 6:50] 4. Blues Back
[ 5:20] 5. Village Blues
[ 4:22] 6. Blues For Gwen
[ 9:11] 7. My Favorite Things
[ 6:35] 8. Effendi
[ 7:24] 9. Old Devil Moon
[ 9:56] 10. Greensleeves
[ 6:17] 11. There Is No Greater Love

When Elvin Jones plays the drums, the world listens. His drumming is like a force of nature: thunderous, vital and devastatingly complex. Jones moved to New York in 1955, diving headlong into the whirlwind of Bop. In 1960, Jones began working with the great John Coltrane as a member of the legendary quartet that would last for five years and make some of the most powerful music in jazz history. With Coltrane, Jones explored the elasticity of his style -- the polyrhythms flew fast and furious, reflecting his West African influences. Jones could play gently as well, backing up mellifluous singer Johnny Hartman. Since leaving Coltrane, Jones has enjoyed a successful solo career, recording several excellent albums as a leader, featuring such notable sidemen as saxophonists George Coleman and Joshua Redman. Until his death in 2004, Jones played an Art Blakey-like role in jazz, acting as a mentor for younger musicians.

All Or Nothing At All: Blues Of Summer

---

Alison Ruble - This Is a Bird

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:32
Size: 121,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:08)  1. Interlude
(5:29)  2. So in Love
(4:30)  3. If I Had You
(5:34)  4. Skylark
(4:41)  5. Always Something There to Remind Me
(3:48)  6. We Kiss in a Shadow
(4:32)  7. Lazy Afternoon
(2:53)  8. It's Magic
(4:48)  9. Something in the Way She Moves
(5:55) 10. The Night Has a Thousand Eyes
(3:09) 11. This Nearly Was Mine

It's amazing that out of the clutter of an industrial urban center like Chicago, a voice as serene and unruffled as Alison Ruble's can exist. For her debut recording, the opulent vocalist teams up with guitarist extraordinaire/producer John McLean for an intriguing journey through a collection of timeless American classics. The song selection, a mix of standard jazz fare and modern pop numbers, seems to suit Ruble's understated approach. McLean's acoustic guitar and stripped-down arrangements present fresh takes on the familiar and not-so-familiar. The opening "Interlude" invokes a Brazilian vibe, while Cole Porter's "So In Love" has a subdued hypnotic effect courtesy of McLean's droning accompaniment. 

The funky groove on "If I Had You" shows off Ruble's swinging capabilities. "Skylark" floats along with a carefree momentum. Jim Gailloreto's well-placed alto flute fills complement Ruble's unhurried phrasing and McLean's sympathetic comping. "Always Something There to Remind Me" opens with percussionist Geraldo De Oliveira's fine-tuned congas before Ruble explores the familiar Burt Bacharach staple. 

The tension-building, folk-rock sensibilities of "Lazy Afternoon" contrast nicely with the straight-ahead, strolling duet between Ruble and bassist Larry Kohut on "It's Magic." Kohut's playing throughout is inventive while maintaining solid support. Pianist Jo Ann Daugherty adds a lyrical presence, especially on the sensitive piano/voice duet "This Nearly Was Mine." Drummer Tim Davis provides a solid, low-profile pocket. This Is A Bird is an impressive debut from a fresh voice worthy of wider recognition.~ John Barron http://www.allaboutjazz.com/this-is-a-bird-alison-ruble-origin-records-review-by-john-barron.php

Personnel: Alison Ruble: vocals; John McLean: guitar; Jo Ann Daugherty: piano; Jim Gailloreto: soprano saxophone, alto flute; Larry Kohut: string bass, chapman stick; Tim Davis: drums; Geraldo De Oliveira: percussion.

This Is a Bird

---

Jackie McLean - Capuchin Swing

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1960
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:38
Size: 93,9 MB
Art: Front

(9:34)  1. Francisco
(7:33)  2. Just For Now
(4:23)  3. Don't Blame Me
(8:13)  4. Condition Blue
(6:10)  5. Capuchin Swing
(4:44)  6. On The Lion

One of Jackie McLean's more underrated albums from a plethora of Blue Note releases, 1960's Capuchin Swing finds the bebop alto saxophonist in fine form on a mix of covers and originals. While his future fascination with Ornette Coleman's free-form innovations can be sensed in some of the solos here, the majority of the album is in a classic hard bop vein. Like contemporaries Hank Mobley, Sonny Clark, and Lee Morgan, though, McLean doesn't just churn out pat jam-session fare, but comes up with consistently provocative charts and solos. Eschewing ballads, McLean focuses on mid- to fast-tempo swingers and blues. Standouts include originals like "Francisco" and "Condition Blue" and choice renditions of "Just for Now" and "Don't Blame Me." McLean enlists a sparkling lineup of hard bop stars, including trumpeter Blue Mitchell, pianist Walter Bishop, Jr., bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Art Taylor. Mitchell particularly impresses, matching many of McLean's own inspired flights with his supple and progressive playing. Along with other fine Blue Note titles like Jackie's Bag and Bluesnik, Capuchin Swing makes for a great introduction to McLean's extensive catalog. ~ Stephen Cook http://www.allmusic.com/album/capuchin-swing-mw0000224154

Personnel: Jackie McLean (alto saxophone); Blue Mitchell (trumpet); Walter Bishop Jr. (piano); Paul Chambers (bass); Art Taylor (drums).

Capuchin Swing

---

Freddie Hubbard - Breaking Point!

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1964
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:55
Size: 107,8 MB
Art: Front

(10:19)  1. Breaking Point
(10:58)  2. Far Away
( 6:24)  3. Blue Frenzy
( 3:18)  4. Blue Frenzy (alternate take)
( 6:25)  5. D Minor Mint
( 6:08)  6. Mirrors
( 3:21)  7. Mirrors (alternate take)

Immediately after leaving Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, trumpeter Freddie Hubbard formed his own quintet and set the modern jazz world on its collective ear with this incredible album. Beyond hard bop and into early creative territory, Hubbard explored a sonic deliverance based on his fiery personality and a refusal to stand still or be satisfied with standardized phrasings and nomenclature. 

His effective teaming with the unique alto saxophonist James Spaulding and pianist Ronnie Mathews is particularly telling, as this set of Hubbard originals and one from drummer Joe Chambers constitutes some of the most powerful jazz music of this time period. The expansive style of Andrew Hill is identifiable especially during the title track, with the piano of Mathews leading a startling charge of several short and swift mini-theme clarion bursts, moving into calypso. This is one of the more astonishing pieces ever conceived in modern music. "Blue Frenzy" and "D Minor Mint" both display uncanny original themes within mainstream frameworks, bearing the stamp of Hubbard's fierce approach to post-Dizzy Gillespie-type trumpet. 

The former piece is an easy 24-bar blues activated into cool constraints via the style of Horace Silver but fired up by the antics of Mathews, while the latter track sports a chatty melody, humorously cackling onward. "Far Away" is the most intriguing piece rhythmically and sonically, moving from 6/4 and 3/4 to 12/6, again similar to Andrew Hill's harmonic concept with Spaulding's piquant flute accenting a hip, agile melody. The pure energy Hubbard injected into this ensemble, and the sheer originality of this music beyond peers like Miles Davis and Lee Morgan, identified Hubbard as the newest of new voices on his instrument. Breaking Point has stood the test of time as a recording far ahead of mid-'60s post-bop, and is an essential item for all listeners of incendiary progressive jazz. 

[Some reissues offer alternate takes of "Blue Frenzy" and the pretty Joe Chambers composition "Mirrors," wavering via Spaulding's flute, a reaching-for-the-stars ballad that has become a standard.] ~ Michael G.Nastos http://www.allmusic.com/album/breaking-point!-mw0000263635

Personnel: Freddie Hubbard (trumpet); James Spaulding (flute, alto saxophone); Ronnie Mathews (piano); Eddie Khan (bass instrument); Joe Chambers (drums).

Breaking Point!

---

Frank Vignola & Vinny Raniolo - Swing Zing

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:24
Size: 123,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:08)  1. Cheek to Cheek
(2:22)  2. The Best Things in Life Are Free
(3:47)  3. September Song
(3:53)  4. Cry Me a River
(4:22)  5. Joseph Joseph
(2:05)  6. I'm Getting Sentimental Over You
(4:30)  7. All the Things You Are
(3:59)  8. Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans
(4:34)  9. Whispering
(3:56) 10. Sleepytime Gal
(3:01) 11. Stardust
(4:35) 12. Tico Tico / Djangomania
(5:06) 13. Peg O My Heart / I'm Confessin'

When a press release accompanying a new album conveys more information than is found on the album itself, the supposition must be that it was recorded hurriedly with an eye toward a similarly expeditious release. Swing Zing! pairs the estimable guitarists Frank Vignola and Vinny Raniolo, who've been working together for more than five years, with half a dozen guests who are identified on the album (and in the press release) by name but not by instrument. Three of them Bucky Pizzarelli, Julian Lage and Gene Bertoncini are definitely guitarists. At least one of the others Olli Soikkeli, Audra Mariel, Gary Mazzaroppi must be a bassist, or doubles on it, as a bass seems to be present on several tracks. On the other hand, it could be a bass guitar or even a regular guitar played as a deep-throated rhythm instrument, a la Freddie Green. Sure sounds like a bass, though.

It's clear that Mariel is a vocalist, as she sings (quite well) on the Jerome Kern standard "All the Things You Are." As Mazzaroppi is also listed on that track, perhaps he's the mystery bassist (there's a photo inside the album cover of someone playing bass but he isn't identified by name). The problem is, Mazzaroppi's not noted as present on the other numbers that seem to include a bass including the upbeat opener, Irving Berlin's "Cheek to Cheek." Soikkeli sits in on "Joseph Joseph," Bertoncini on "Whispering," Lage on "Sleepy Time Gal," Pizzarelli on "All the Things" and the closing medley, "Peg O' My Heart" / "I'm Confessin.'" The solo order for any of the tracks is not given, nor is there any hint as to the speaker (left or right) through which anyone can be recognized. We are told that Lage plays the lead, Vignola the rhythm on "Sleepy Time Gal" and (for some reason) that Pizzarelli plays a 1947 D'Angelico. Otherwise, as all guitars sound basically alike to some people (not mentioning any names), that makes any individual appraisals rather improbable.

Suffice to say that everyone on the album acquits himself (or herself) well, leaving no room for complaint about the music itself aside from the fact that it is rather guitar-heavy. For those who appreciate the sound of a well-strummed guitar, that should pose no problem. As for the swing quotient, it remains fairly high throughout, reaching its apex on the medley of "Tico Tico" and "Djangomania," taken at breakneck speed by Vignola and Raniolo. Elsewhere, the music is time-tested and should be familiar to most listeners, comprising as it does "The Best Things in Life Are Free," "September Song," "Cry Me a River," "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You," "Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans" and "Stardust." No surprises there. In spite of the lack of information offered, Swing Zing! is an enjoyable album of guitar-soaked jazz that should please fans of the instrument in general and the Vignola / Raniolo tandem in particular. ~ Jack Bowers http://www.allaboutjazz.com/swing-zing-frank-vignola-fv-records-review-by-jack-bowers.php

Personnel: Frank Vignola: guitar; Vinny Raniolo: guitar; Special guests – Bucky Pizzarelli: guitar; Olli Soikkeli: guitar; Julian Lage: guitar; Gene Bertoncini: guitar; Audra Mariel: guitar; Gary Mazzaroppi: guitar.

Swing Zing

---