Earl Hines - Paris Session

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 37:56

Size: 86.9 MB

Styles: Piano jazz

Year: 2010

Art: Front

[4:18] 1. I Surrender Dear

[5:09] 2. I Cover The Waterfront

[2:18] 3. Second Balcony Jump

[4:21] 4. A Pretty Girl Is Like A Melody

[2:40] 5. Tourisme

[5:25] 6. Blue Because Of You

[2:18] 7. Somebody Loves Me

[2:51] 8. Sixty-Five Faubourg

[5:26] 9. On The Sunny Side Of The Street

[3:04] 10. Sweet Sue

Earl Hines, a mainstay of 20th century jazz piano, is here presented in a rare solo recording from 1965, sounding not at all dated nearly half a century later. This session gathers seven evergreens together plus three Hines originals, including his by-now-standard "Second Balcony Jump."

"I don't think I think when I play," Hines says, "I have a photographic memory for chords, and when I'm playing, the right chords appear in my mind like photographs long before I get to them... I always challenge myself. I get out in deep water and I always try to get back. But I sometimes get hung up. The audience never knows, but that's when I smile the most, when I show the most ivory... If I'm working a pretty melody, I'll just slip in to a waltz time or cut the tempo in half. My mind is going a mile a minute, and it goes even better when I have a good piano and the audience doesn't distract me. I'm like a race horse."

Paris Session

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Sarah Vaughan - Soft And Sassy

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:13
Size: 96.7 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz, Standards
Year: 1993
Art: Front

[2:00] 1. Sometimes I'm Happy
[1:26] 2. I Cried For You
[3:21] 3. Out Of This World
[2:35] 4. Serenata
[2:18] 5. You're Blasé
[2:58] 6. Over The Rainbow
[3:07] 7. Say It Isn't So
[2:14] 8. Stormy Weather
[2:09] 9. All Of Me
[3:34] 10. How Long Has This Been Going On
[2:21] 11. Day In, Day Out
[2:27] 12. Tenderly
[1:32] 13. What Is This Thing Called Love
[2:44] 14. Summertime
[3:41] 15. Poor Butterfly
[3:38] 16. I'll Be Seeing You

1961 performances from "the Divine One" for the Navy Swings public service program, so rare they're not even listed on her discographies! Includes All of Me; Tenderly; What Is This Thing Called Love?; I'll Be Seeing You, and more.

Soft And Sassy

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Kenny Burrell - I'm Just A Lucky So-And-So

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:46
Size: 173.5 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[6:40] 1. Tres Palabras
[4:40] 2. Weaver Of Dreams
[9:52] 3. Midnight Special
[4:14] 4. Guilty
[4:51] 5. Out Of This World
[7:58] 6. Back At The Chicken Shack
[3:10] 7. Why Was I Born
[6:01] 8. Delilah
[4:37] 9. I Thought About You
[4:42] 10. Montono Blues
[1:49] 11. No More
[5:29] 12. Little Girl Blue
[4:46] 13. Close Your Eyes
[6:50] 14. It's Getting Dark

As one of the premier jazz guitarists—and in the estimation of many, as the premier jazz guitarist by virtue of technique, output and memorable recordings—Kenny Burrell has created work heard, analyzed, transcribed, taught and enjoyed by legions of educators and aspiring guitarists. Epitomizing exquisite taste on his instrument-whether in an easy swing, balladic sensitivity or a bop feel—Burrell has assumed the challenge of performing in so many forms with such sophistication that he understates the difficulty of his work. Kenny Burrell listeners' appetites never will be sated because his playing is of such a quality that new facets can be discovered with every listening.

I'm Just A Lucky So-And-So

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Aurore Quartet - Resumé

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:17
Size: 151.7 MB
Styles: Gypsy jazz
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[5:01] 1. Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen
[4:16] 2. Babik
[4:03] 3. Gone With What Draft
[2:15] 4. Il Y A Du Soleil Dans La Boutique
[3:14] 5. Q10
[3:27] 6. La Tireuse
[4:20] 7. Czardas
[4:13] 8. Macha
[3:46] 9. Johnny Tu N'es Pas Un Ange
[4:50] 10. Sto Kuna
[3:45] 11. Malijo
[7:21] 12. Quand Je Monte Chez Toi
[6:12] 13. Le Rififi
[3:08] 14. Calusul
[2:40] 15. La Danse Du Sabre
[3:38] 16. C'est Mon Dernier Bal

Aurore Voilqué – violon et chant – Siegfried Mandacé – guitare – Thomas Orhesser – guitare – Basile Mouton – contrebasse – Jérôme Etcheberry – trompette – Stéphane Chandelier – batterie – Sanseverino – guitare et voix.

Ce titre Résumé a été choisi tout naturellement car cet album est l’essence des musiques et des sons d’Aurore Quartet. Avec ses reprises et ses compositions originales, Résumé aborde le jazz et fait danser la phrase musicale de telle façon que son swing est baigné d’une sensualité dynamique et d’un feeling authentique pour cette fin d’été. Grâce à cette recherche de progression constante, le swing de Résumé laisse une empreinte d’énergie, de joie, de vitalité et de légèreté. Ces compositions jubilatoires réveillent le jazz, sans en trahir l’esprit et donne envie de les entendre aussi en live.

Resumé

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Charlie Shavers - The Complete Charlie Shavers With Maxine Sullivan

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:10
Size: 89,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:17)  1. Dark Eyes
(3:32)  2. Dawn on the Desert
(6:10)  3. Moten Swing
(8:09)  4. Story of the Jazz Trumpet
(4:48)  5. Rose Room
(3:44)  6. Flow Gently Sweet Rythm
(2:31)  7. Molly Malone
(2:40)  8. If I Had a Ribbon Bow
(3:16)  9. Windy

Charlie Shavers was one of the great trumpeters to emerge during the swing era, a virtuoso with an open-minded and extroverted style along with a strong sense of humor. He originally played piano and banjo before switching to trumpet, and he developed very quickly. In 1935, he was with Tiny Bradshaw's band and two years later he joined Lucky Millinder's big band. Soon afterward he became a key member of John Kirby's Sextet where he showed his versatility by mostly playing crisp solos while muted. Shavers was in demand for recording sessions and participated on notable dates with New Orleans jazz pioneers Johnny Dodds, Jimmy Noone, and Sidney Bechet. He also had many opportunities to write arrangements for Kirby and had a major hit with his composition "Undecided." After leaving Kirby in 1944, Charlie Shavers worked for a year with Raymond Scott's CBS staff orchestra, and then was an important part of Tommy Dorsey's Orchestra from 1945 until past TD's death in 1956. 

Although well-featured, this association kept Shavers out of the spotlight of jazz, but fortunately he did have occasional vacations in which he recorded with the Metronome All-Stars and toured with Jazz at the Philharmonic; at the latter's concerts in 1953, Shaver's trumpet battles with Roy Eldridge were quite exciting. After Dorsey's death, Shavers often led his own quartet although he came back to the ghost band from time to time. During the 1960s, his range and technique gradually faded, and Charlie Shavers died from throat cancer in 1971 at the age of 53. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/artist/charlie-shavers-mn0000179732/biography

Personnel: Charlie Shavers (trumpet); Maxine Sullivan (vocals); Hank D'Amico, Buster Bailey (clarinet); Russell Procope (alto saxophone); Benny Morton (trombone); Ken Kersey, Billy Kyle (piano); Panama Francis, Specs Powell (drums).

The Complete Charlie Shavers With Maxine Sullivan

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Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie, Joe Williams - One O'Clock Jump

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:06
Size: 108,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:02)  1. Too Close for Comfort
(3:35)  2. Smack Dab in the Middle
(3:27)  3. Amazing Love
(3:33)  4. Only Forever
(3:00)  5. Don't Worry 'Bout Me
(3:03)  6. Stop, Pretty Baby
(4:27)  7. One O'Clock Jump
(1:55)  8. Jamboree
(2:37)  9. I Don't Like You No More
(8:30) 10. From Coast To Coast
(3:00) 11. Too Close for Comfort ( Alternative Take)
(2:20) 12. One O'Clock Jump  (EP version)
(4:33) 13. One O'Clock Jump (Alternative Take)

This recording could be considered a near-sibling to April In Paris, since several of its tracks date from sessions out of the same month. Others overlap with material cut for The Greatest! Count Basie Plays . . . Joe Williams Sings Standards, and it isn't as compelling a record, either as a Joe Williams vehicle or a Basie showcase, as either of those, though it does have its moments, most notably the original finale, Arranger Ernie Wilkins' "From Coast to Coast," an 8½-minute blow-out; the Ella Fitzgerald-Joe Williams duet on "Too Close For Comfort," and the title track, rearranged by Wilkins but close to the classic rendering, which features lively solos by Frank Wess, Benny Powell, Frank Foster, and (especially)Joe Newman and Henry Coker. 

Williams is the dominant presence on the album, singing on seven of the original 10 tracks, and his presence is a bit of a drag on some of the proceedings, especially "Only Forever." His work with Basie from this era is better represented on Count Basie Swings, Joe Williams Sings, although he and the band acquit themselves very well here on "Stop, Pretty Baby, Stop," where all hands are firing on all cylinders at once for a change. The bonus tracks include a heavier, punchier outtake of "One O'Clock Jump" featuring the same soloists, plus a Williams-solo version of "Too Close For Comfort." The CD is a good package, with superb sound, though some historical notes would've been nice to put the sessions in perspective. A handy mid-priced reissue. ~ Bruce Eder  http://www.allmusic.com/album/one-oclock-jump-mw0000245828

Personnel: Count Basie (piano); Ella Fitzgerald (vocals); Joe Williams (vocals); Freddie Green (guitar); Frank Wess (flute, tenor saxophone); Marshall Royal (clarinet, alto saxophone); Bill Graham (alto saxophone); Frank Foster (tenor saxophone); Charlie Fowlkes (baritone saxophone); Reunald Jones, Joe Newman , Thad Jones, Wendell Culley (trumpet); Henry Coker, Benny Powell, Bill Hughes (trombone); Sonny Payne (drums).

One O'Clock Jump

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Charlie Ventura - Charlie Ventura Plays Hi Fi Jazz

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:09
Size: 78,4 MB
Art: Front

(2:37)  1. Runnin' Wild
(2:25)  2. Honeysuckle Rose
(3:16)  3. When The Saints Go Marching In
(2:51)  4. It's Only A Paper Moon
(3:03)  5. Sweet Sue, Just You
(2:10)  6. Dark Eyes
(2:28)  7. Bill Bailey, Won't You Please Come Home
(3:28)  8. Stardust
(2:31)  9. Sweet Lorraine
(2:42) 10. Harvest Moon
(3:23) 11. Exactly Like You
(3:09) 12. I've Got You Under My Skin

By 1956 tenor-saxophonist Charlie Ventura no longer had a regular band and was drifting into semi-retirement. In fact, other than an album for King the following year and a set for Famous Door in 1977, this Lp was his final recording. Teamed with the then-unknown pianist Dave McKenna, guitarist Billy Bean, bassist Richard Davis (at the beginning of his career) and drummer Mousey Alexander, Ventura switches between tenor, alto, baritone and bass saxophones. The repertoire is filled with swing and dixieland standards including such unlikely songs as "When The Saints Go Marching In," "Bill Bailey" and "Sweet Sue" (in addition to a remake of Ventura's old hit with Gene Krupa "Dark Eyes") but the interpretations are full of spirit and swing. Although it may not look too promising, this budget Lp (which is long out of print but may be found at a cheap price) is actually well worth picking up. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/charlie-ventura-plays-hi-fi-jazz-mw0000931007

Personnel:  Bass – Richard Davis;  Drums – Mousey Alexander;  Guitar – Bill Bean;  Piano – Dave McKenna;  Saxophone – Charlie Ventura

Charlie Ventura Plays Hi Fi Jazz

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Canadian Brass - Take the A Train: The Best of Duke Ellington

Styles: Big Band

Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:23
Size: 136,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:24)  1. It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)
(4:38)  2. Echoes Of Harlem
(3:34)  3. Sophisticated Lady
(3:22)  4. The Cottontail Caper
(2:09)  5. Pitter Panther Patter
(3:17)  6. Come Sunday
(1:48)  7. I've Got To Be A Rug Cutter
(2:50)  8. Solitude
(4:04)  9. Blood Count
(4:40) 10. Life Is Lonely
(2:20) 11. Come What May Places
(3:39) 12. A Week in Paris
(2:46) 13. Portrait of Cootie
(3:02) 14. Portrait of Johnny
(3:56) 15. New World a-Comin'
(5:47) 16. Harlem/Sunday Morning
(3:00) 17. Take the "a" Train

If you know anything about the Canadian Brass you know that the group is capable of just about anything musically. What the group has done here is expertly interpret the music of the most legendary composer of American jazz, the great Duke Ellington, for the brass quintet medium with nary a note sounding out of place. Ellington classics like "It Don't Mean a Thing," "Sophisticated Ladies," and "Cottontail" are richly arranged by arranger Luther Henderson and ring gallantly with the bell tones of refined brass. The sound of the group is so complete that the listener never misses the familiar big-band setting in which Ellington's tunes are traditionally performed. Also included are three variations on Billy Strayhorn's signature "Lush Life," the centerpiece of the set. Finally, the disc would not be complete without the resounding swing of "Take the 'A' Train," performed here with all the pageantry that this music so richly deserves. Ellington enthusiasts and music fans in general will find this disc to be as enjoyable time and again, just like the Duke himself. http://www.allmusic.com/album/take-the-a-train-the-best-of-duke-ellington-mw0000666578

Canadian Brass: Jens Lindmann (trumpet, piccolo trumpet); Ronald Romm (trumpet, flugelhorn); Gene Watts (trombone); Chris Cooper (French horn); Chuck Daellenbach (tuba).

Take the A Train: The Best of Duke Ellington

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Anita Wardell - Kinda Blue

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:48
Size: 95.7 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[3:19] 1. I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues
[3:56] 2. Loose Bloose
[3:29] 3. Little Girl Blue
[5:25] 4. Learnin' The Blues
[3:12] 5. The Wrong Blues
[6:52] 6. The Meaning Of The Blues
[3:37] 7. Limehouse Blues
[4:12] 8. Teenie's Blues
[4:16] 9. Parker's Mood
[3:25] 10. Born To Be Blue

This is a straightahead jazz singer's album of blues-related songs, so what can a contemporary singer do to step out of the crowd of generic rivals, or rise above the great performances of the past? Anita Wardell, the UK-resident Australia-raised singer, has been one of the most engaging live performers on standard material over a decade, and last year's Noted album rightly won acclaim. The yearning, lost-love quality that inevitably clings to some of this material gives the album something of a languorous, dinner-jazzy quality and Wardell reserves her compelling combination of Norma Winston's stillness and purity and her own forceful swing and bop-scat agility for the later stages.There's a fine account of The Meaning of the Blues, some quirkily Monkish instrument-like improve and a little Hammond organ earthiness, with excellent pianist Robin Aspland typically sharp-eared. But hardnosed jazzers might want a bit more grit and edge. ~JF, The Guardian

Kinda Blue

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Plas Johnson - Hot, Blue & Saxy

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:09
Size: 151.4 MB
Styles: Soul-jazz, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1992
Art: Front

[4:34] 1. This Can't Be Love
[5:49] 2. Hittin' The Jug
[3:58] 3. Nobody Does It Better
[6:15] 4. Ease On Down The Road
[6:34] 5. Since I Fell For You
[6:23] 6. What A Difference A Day Makes
[4:45] 7. Save Your Love For Me
[7:09] 8. Canadian Sunset
[3:43] 9. I'm Just A Lucky So And So
[6:26] 10. Star Eyes
[4:43] 11. I've Got It Bad And That Ain't Good
[5:43] 12. Never Make Your Move Too Soon

Jazz aficionados know him by name, but almost anyone exposed to music is familiar with his playing. His is the purring sax solo on Henry Mancini's famous "Pink Panther" movie theme song. Plas is the featured soloist heard on countless albums including those of such artists as Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee, Nat King Cole, Barbra Streisand, Quincy Jones, Ray Charles, Ella Fitzgerald, Linda Ronstadt and Sarah Vaughan.

Plas was born in Donaldsonville, Louisiana, about 60 miles north of New Orleans. As teens, Plas and brother Ray formed a band, the Johnson Brothers Combo, that played in and around New Orleans for a number of years. Plas left New Orleans in 1951 to go on the road with the Charles Brown Blues Band. The road, a stint in the Army and a permanent move to California followed. Plas attended the Westlake School of Music for over a year; then his studies were derailed by an overloaded schedule of record dates. He was brought to the attention of Johnny Otis, who immediately added him to his blues aggregation. Johnny then introduced Plas to Dave Cavanaugh, who held an influential A&R position at Capitol Records, where he soon became a regular session sideman and soloist during Capitol's halcyon years.

Plas has been one of the most well known and sought-after musicians around the California studio scene. He joined "The Merv Griffin Show" band in 1970, where he remained for the next fifteen years, joining an all-star lineup, which also included such prominent instrumentalists as Ray Brown, Herb Ellis, Jake Hanna, Benny Powell, Jack Sheldon, Kai Winding and others. Plas' recent recordings include his own albums, "Christmas in Hollywood", "Evening Delight", and "hot, blue & saxy", and a Milestone recording with Red Holloway, "Keep That Groove Going!" You may also find him around town occasionally with his own group, at jazz festivals all over the world, and in the recording studios. Plas Johnson combines some of the best elements of jazz and blues and is admired and emulated by sax players worldwide.

Hot, Blue & Saxy

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Chris Daniels & The Kings - 10

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:57
Size: 107.5 MB
Styles: Jazz-blues
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[3:31] 1. Howlin' At The Moon
[4:29] 2. Killing Floor
[4:40] 3. White Hot Lightning
[5:00] 4. Soul Mine
[4:42] 5. Bluz Cruz
[4:40] 6. Who's Makin Love
[5:29] 7. Come On Sit Down In My Kitchen
[4:07] 8. Gimme What Ya Got
[4:24] 9. It's All Good
[5:52] 10. Crossfire

Chris Daniels, rhythm guitar, vocals; Colin “Bones” Jones, lead guitar; Randy Amen, drums, vocals; Kevin “Bro” Lege, bass, vocals; Darryl “Doody” Abrahamson, trumpet, vocals; Jim Waddell, alto, tenor sax, flute, vocals.

Chris Daniels & the Kings have toured over two continents and have been asked to appear in such diverse places as South America, Curacao, Japan, and all over Europe. Chris has appeared with the B.B. King, Uncle Cracker, Blues Traveler, The Neville Brothers, Delbert McClinton, Sister Hazel, Sheryl Crow, Robert Cray, Taj Mahal, Al Kooper, Bonnie Raitt, Ziggy Marley, The Fixx, to name only a few. They are headliners on international festivals, like Ribs & Blues Festival with their buddies THE B-MASTERS, at Marktrock, Berchem Blues, and the Lokeren festivals in Belgium, and the Kings have toured as the back up band for Sonny Landreth, David Bromberg, Al Kooper, Bo Diddly, Francine Reed and Dutch guitarist Jan Rijbroek inplaces like Paris and Amsterdam, and for Bonnie Raitt, members of Little Feat, and Was Not Was at the Roxey in LA to name only a few they have worked with in the States. Die hard fans from Italy to Holland rocked with this remarkable artist who has appeared on HDnet all High definition TV, VH-1, TNN, Much Music/Canada, NIppon TV/Japan, Crooked River Grove, KUSA, and on Onhe Filter, AVRO, KAVRO, Paris MTV, and Brussles 1, in Europe, and on Swing TV in Buenos Ares, Argentina.

10

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The Band - Moondog Matinee

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:56
Size: 139.5 MB
Styles: Roots rock
Year: 1973/2001/2015
Art: Front

[3:22] 1. Ain't Got No Home
[3:19] 2. Holy Cow
[2:54] 3. Share Your Love
[5:38] 4. Mystery Train
[2:45] 5. Third Man Theme
[2:59] 6. Promised Land
[3:09] 7. The Great Pretender
[3:24] 8. I'm Ready
[3:46] 9. Saved
[4:16] 10. A Change Is Gonna Come
[3:13] 11. Didn't It Rain
[3:26] 12. Crying Heart Blues
[3:28] 13. Shakin'
[5:00] 14. What Am I Living For
[5:02] 15. Going Back To Memphis
[5:07] 16. Endless Highway

The Band essentially went back to being the Hawks of the late '50s and early '60s on this album of cover tunes. They demonstrated considerable expertise on their versions of rock & roll and R&B standards like Clarence "Frogman" Henry's "Ain't Got No Home," Chuck Berry's "The Promised Land," and Fats Domino's "I'm Ready," but of course that didn't do much to satisfy the audience they had established with their original material and that, two years after the disappointing Cahoots, was waiting for something in the same league with their first three albums. ~William Ruhlmann

Moondog Matinee

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Tony Bennett, Bill Charlap - The Silver Lining: The Songs Of Jerome Kern

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:17
Size: 106.0 MB
Styles: Vocal
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[4:36] 1. All The Things You Are
[2:54] 2. Pick Yourself Up
[3:22] 3. The Last Time I Saw Paris
[3:11] 4. I Won't Dance
[3:22] 5. Long Ago And Far Away
[3:27] 6. Dearly Beloved
[3:54] 7. The Song Is You
[4:48] 8. They Didn't Believe Me
[2:44] 9. I'm Old Fashioned
[2:52] 10. The Way You Look Tonight
[3:28] 11. Yesterdays
[2:17] 12. Make Believe
[2:39] 13. Nobody Else But Me
[2:35] 14. Look For The Silver Lining

There’s a track on Tony Bennett’s new album, “The Silver Lining: The Songs of Jerome Kern,” that suggests a return to form: “I Won’t Dance,” which recently served as a his-and-hers set piece in his marquee collaboration with Lady Gaga. This new version of the tune, arranged as a springlike waltz, features Mr. Bennett alone on vocals, with a sparkling piano trio. He sounds crisp but at ease, maybe a touch relieved — like someone given the chance, at last, to trade klieg lights for candle-glow. The reality is probably less cut-and-dry for Mr. Bennett, who has stood squarely at the intersection of jazz and popular song since the advent of the long-playing record. At 89, he retains the boyish spark in his tenor, and a remarkable degree of the plangency. So while “The Silver Lining” pulls him back to modest scale after big productions — including two No. 1 albums, “Cheek to Cheek” (with Lady Gaga) and “Duets II” (with her and others) — it doesn’t carry a feeling of meek retrenchment.

It does convey a trademark commitment to the American songbook; a proud constancy, undaunted by notions of obsolescence; and a spirit of conversation, with the album’s premise and personnel, and with Mr. Bennett’s own career continuum. The album is jointly credited to the jazz pianist Bill Charlap, and its voice-and-piano intimacy recalls “The Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Album” of 40 years ago. Jerome Kern turns out to be the ideal touchstone for Mr. Bennett: He was a suave melodist who married classical form with jazz inflection, and many of his tunes have long been standards. “The Way You Look Tonight” and “All the Things You Are” are each rendered here as a duet, with Mr. Charlap in exquisite form. ~Nate Chinen

The Silver Lining: The Songs Of Jerome Kern

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Sathima Bea Benjamin - Musical Echoes

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:35
Size: 136,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:50)  1. All Too Soon
(7:25)  2. Caravan
(5:26)  3. Falling in Love with Love
(4:01)  4. I'll Follow My Secret Heart
(8:09)  5. They Say Its Wonderful
(8:05)  6. Musical Echoes
(5:40)  7. Someone to Watch over Me
(7:52)  8. Something to Live For
(6:03)  9. Star Eyes

Musical Echoes marks Sathima Bea Benjamin's return to recording after Cape Town Love (1999). This album was recorded in her hometown, Cape Town, and reflects a certain sense of return for the vocalist. My own association with her music goes back to 1979 and her second album, Sathima Sings Ellington, the first release on her own Ekapa label. Over the years, I've continued to be impressed with her unique voice and consistency. Upon hearing this 2006 update, I have to conclude that, from a historical perspective, Benjamin has the qualities that place a distinctive jazz vocalist in their own category, just like Sarah Vaughan, Abbey Lincoln and others.

Benjamin met the innovative pianist Dollar Brand (later known as Abdullah Ibrahim) in the late '50s, but the two fled South Africa in 1962 due to the political climate of the day. They moved to Europe, where they stayed for much of the 1960s, which gives the release of this album a sense of bittersweet homecoming. She is joined by pianist Stephen Scott (currently with Sonny Rollins), bassist Basil Moses and drummer Lulu Gontsana, the latter both well-regarded South African musicians.

The music presented is, as always, consistent with her standards, and a tribute to the songbooks of Duke Ellington, Rodgers & Hart, Gershwin and Berlin. Benjamin lends a South African pulse to "Falling In Love With Love," offers a beautifully rendered ballad version of "Someone To Watch Over Me," and delivers a most interesting hypnotic take on "Caravan." Her peerless versions of "They Say Its Wonderful" and "Something To Live For" are also highlights. Finally, on the title tune, an original composition, the vocalist reflects on music and its healing powers. ~ Michael P. Gladstone http://www.allaboutjazz.com/musical-echoes-sathima-bea-benjamin-ekapa-review-by-michael-p-gladstone.php

Personnel: Sathima Bea Benjamin: vocals; Stephen Scott: piano; Basil Moses: bass; Lulu Gontsana: drums.

Musical Echoes

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Canadian Brass - Swing That Music: A Tribute to Louis Armstrong

Styles: Big Band
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:51
Size: 122,0 MB
Art: Front

(2:42)  1. Swing That Music
(2:25)  2. Carolina Shout
(2:23)  3. Promenade
(2:18)  4. Bebop Bach
(2:25)  5. Cool Bach
(1:56)  6. Dixie Bach
(3:18)  7. Struttin' With Some Barbecue
(3:26)  8. Sweet Georgia Brown
(4:47)  9. St. Louis Blues
(3:56) 10. Black and Blue
(3:05) 11. Way Down Yonder In New Orleans
(4:02) 12. Black Bottom Stomp
(3:17) 13. Strike Up The Band
(4:08) 14. Sleepless Night
(0:52) 15. Three-Quarter Blues
(3:19) 16. Ain't Misbehavin'
(4:25) 17. Blueberry Hill

First emerging in 1970, the Canadian Brass went on to establish brass music and instruments as a newly vital force in classical performance. A quintet (longtime members included trumpeters Frederic Mills and Ronald Romm, French horn player David Ohanian, trombonist Eugene Watts, and tuba player Charles Daellenbach), the Canadian Brass' virtuosic, classically trained style is widely credited for infusing a neglected group of instruments hampered by a rather limited repertoire with new vitality and relevance; performing everything from Mozart and Bach to Gerswhin and jazz, the group paved the way for an entirely new measure of acceptance for brass ensembles. The first Western chamber ensemble ever to tour the People's Republic of China, they also headlined venues including New York's Carnegie Hall, Orchestra Hall in Chicago, the Academy of Music in Philadelphia, the Ambassador Auditorium in Los Angeles, and the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.; in addition to their many live performances, the quintet also issued myriad recordings. ~ Jason Ankeny  https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/canadian-brass/id243599#fullText

Personnel: Joe Burgstaller, Brandon Ridenour, Ryan Anthony (trumpet); Shachar Israel, Eugene Watts (trombone); Charles Daellenbach (tuba); Jeff Nelsen (horns)

Swing That Music: A Tribute to Louis Armstrong

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Diane Marino - A Sleepin' Bee

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 79:56
Size: 183,5 MB
Art: Front

(2:51)  1. This Can't Be Love
(6:33)  2. Incompatibilidade De Genios
(5:25)  3. Sister Sadie
(6:24)  4. You Don't Know What Love Is
(5:03)  5. A Sleepin' Bee
(7:22)  6. Chovendo Na Roseira
(6:00)  7. My Little Suede Shoes
(6:27)  8. Don't Misunderstand
(7:36)  9. All Blues
(5:32) 10. The Old Country
(3:35) 11. O Morro Nao Tem Vez
(8:25) 12. Angel Eyes
(8:36) 13. Killer Joe

Singer/pianist Diane Marino was born in Manhattan, NYC. She received her early piano training of classical studies and improvisation from the age of 10. Diane was accepted on NYC'S 'Famed' High School for the Performing Arts as a classical piano major. She later attended the Mannes College of Music in Manhattan where she studied piano with world-renowned concert pianist Murray Perahia. While working towards her Bachelor of Music degree in piano performance, Diane began singing with small groups in the NYC tri-state area, After graduating from Mannes, she was singing professionally 6 nights a week. It was only natural and a matter of time before she would combine her singing and piano playing skills. Diane performed solo gigs for several years in the NYC area before teaming up with bassist Frank Marino. The duo formed the nine member Brazilian group, 'Som Brasileiro' (Sounds of Brazil) in 1993 and have performed at numerous jazz festivals, venues and concerts in the Southeast sharing the bill with artists such as Tania Maria, Pete Escovedo, Joe Henderson and Dr. John, to name a few.

Diane's debut jazz quartet CD 'A Sleepin' Bee' was released in 2003 and has received national acclaim, extensive radio airplay and rave reviews. In August of 2003 Diane's CD reached # 25 in the National JazzWeek Charts and held for four weeks. WRTI radio in Philadelphia had Diane's version of "Don't Misunderstand" at #15 in their top 100 songs for 2003.This CD offers a wide array of vocal and instrumental traditional jazz standards, Latin jazz, and Brazilian jazz (sung in Portuguese).

This CD offers everything the Jazz aficionado could wish for and then some! The Diane Marino Quartet is truly unique. Pianist / vocalist Diane Marino offers a broad brush of vocal and instrumental Jazz on her nationally acclaimed CD, "A Sleepin'Bee". Diane Marino takes the listener on a musical journey with her interpretations of the Jazz evergreens on this CD. From a playful burner like the opening "This Can't Be Love"; to Jobim's lilting "Double Rainbow" sung in Brazilian Portuguese; to Diane's dark and haunting vocal on "Don't Misunderstand"; to the refreshing Latin instrumental arrangements of "All Blues" and "Killer Joe". The tunes on this CD have been chosen with care and they are performed with both professionalism and artistic adroitness. This is Jazz in its purest form presented in a remarkable tableau of artistic grouping. It's one to take home! http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/dianemarino

A Sleepin' Bee

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Buddy Greco - Jazz Grooves

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1988
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:13
Size: 133,7 MB
Art: Front

(6:09)  1. Buddy's Bounce
(3:29)  2. Scrapple From the Apple
(5:16)  3. Little Beth
(4:06)  4. Autumn Leaves
(2:56)  5. Só Danço Samba
(5:01)  6. Don't Get Around Much Anymore
(6:05)  7. I Can't Get Started
(4:16)  8. Fine And Dandy
(5:57)  9. El Greco
(3:35) 10. Stompin' At The Savoy
(5:05) 11. Samba de Orfeu
(6:13) 12. Misty

Known by his colleagues as a "singer's singer" and a "musician's musician," Buddy Greco has sold more than one million records. He is well-known for releasing songs from every genre, from jazz to country to pop music. He has performed on stage, on film and on television. Born Armando Greco in Philadelphia, Buddy Greco began singing and playing the piano at the age of four. He used his talents performing on the radio. By the age of 16 Buddy Greco had more than a decade of musical experience behind him. He was playing in the nightclub Philadelphia's Club 13 when he was spotted by Benny Goodman. Bandleader Benny Goodman was impressed by Buddy Greco's talents and hired him as a pianist, a singer and an arranger. At the age of 16 Buddy Greco was traveling the world with one of the most popular big bands of the '30s, the Benny Goodman Band. He stayed with the band for four years. At the ripe age of 20 Buddy Greco decided to pursue a solo professional music career. He began singing and performing in nightclubs and concerts. Some of his hit recordings include the popular favorites "Oh Look at Her, Ain't She Pretty," "The Lady Is A Tramp" and "Around the World."

During his musical career he has made more than 65 albums including an album of he and the London Symphony Orchestra, in which he conducted and played. In the '60s Buddy Greco's music career had been very successful. He appeared with the popular '60s rock group the Beatles in a performance for Queen Elizabeth the second. It was also in the '60s when Buddy Greco seriously began a career in film and television. In 1967 he was a regular performer on the TV series Away We Go. This nationwide television program gave Buddy Greco enormous exposure as a talented singer and pianist. He followed this series with a part in the 1969 film, The Girl Who Knew Too Much. His talents have taken him to great heights recording more than 100 hit singles. During the '70s and '80s, Buddy Greco concentrated on recording and performing. His hits included jazz, country and pop music. Audiences are astounded at the many styles of Buddy Greco. Even after more than four decades of performing, Buddy Greco still remains one of the most widely-known singers of his time. In the early 90s he toured with "The Salute to the Benny Goodman Band." 

The ensemble performed 72 shows, each garnering a standing ovation. He performed for two years at The Desert Inn Hotel in Las Vegas and in 1996 ended two world tours at Café Royale in London. With all his musical credits, Buddy Greco is an inductee of the Philadelphia Music Alliance's Walk of Fame and has entries in both the Encyclopedia of Great Musicians and the Encyclopedia of Great Jazz Singers and Musicians. Buddy Greco's musical abilities live on in his more than 60 albums and more than 100 hit singles. He writes and records scores for film and television. ~ Kim Summers  https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/buddy-greco/id408616#fullText 

Personnel: Buddy Greco (piano); Rick Riccio (flute); Joe Lano (guitar); Kenny Seiffert, Bob Sachs (bass); Gregg Field (drums).

Jazz Grooves

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Gil Mellé Quartet - Gil's Guests

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:01
Size: 121.4 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 1990
Art: Front

[6:20] 1. Soudan
[6:09] 2. Tomorrow
[4:57] 3. Block Island
[5:52] 4. Sixpence
[8:10] 5. Still Life
[3:45] 6. Ghengis
[6:36] 7. Funk For Star People
[6:46] 8. Golden Age
[4:21] 9. Herbie

Baritone saxiphonist Gil Melle didn't make very many recordings before abandoning the music business to concentrate on other artistic pursuits. This recording for the Prestige label shows him to be an intriguing composer. The performances emphasize tightly arranged ensemble playing, with fine individual playing by the quartet and the "Guests" who include trumpeters Donald Byrd, Art Farmer, and Kenny Dorham. According to Gil's web-site, the credit for Phil Woods is incorrect; rather, the saxophonist on the last three tracks is tenor Zoot Sims. Also according to the web site, Teddy Charles played vibes but doesn't show up in the credits.

Melle recorded some quartet tracks for Blue Note which have been re-released as a 3-disc set. He recorded this and several other sessions for Prestige, and then retired from jazz. This disc is not an essential classic, but IS an intersting and enjoyable set of well written and arranged songs that stands up to repeat listening. ~Someguy

Gil's Guests

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Paul Revere & The Raiders - Greatest Hits

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:59
Size: 89.3 MB
Styles: AM pop, Garage band rock
Year: 1997
Art: Front

[2:43] 1. Louie, Louie
[2:38] 2. Louie, Go Home
[2:13] 3. Steppin' Out
[2:24] 4. Just Like Me
[2:01] 5. Melody For An Unknown Girl
[2:25] 6. Kicks
[2:54] 7. Hungry
[3:06] 8. Great Airplane Strike
[3:02] 9. Good Thing
[2:48] 10. Ups And Downs
[3:11] 11. Legend Of Paul Revere
[1:27] 12. Action
[2:45] 13. (I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone
[2:51] 14. Him Or Me (What's It Gonna Be )
[2:25] 15. Peace Of Mind

Throughout the early to the mid-'60s, the nucleus of Paul Revere & The Raiders consisted of the Northwest rockers Paul Revere, Mark Lindsay, Drake Levin, Mike Smith and Phil Volk. As the band moved to the Los Angeles area, they soon connected with the legendary producer Terry Melcher and went on to record a stellar number of garage band rock classics in a very short time.

With their first successful singles like "Louie, Louie," "Just Like Me" and "Steppin’ Out," all hitting the airwaves at the same time, Dick Clark recognized their talent and soon had the band host the classic daytime rock and roll show Where The Action Is, which made them more successful concert performers and album selling artists.

Over the next few years, a huge number of hit singles, top charting albums, concert tours and international television appearances transformed Paul Revere & The Raiders into a very influential band along the lines of contemporaries like The Byrds and The Rolling Stones. To this day folks like David Bowie, Joan Jett, Sammy Hagar, The Sex Pistols, The Flamin’ Groovies and The Monkees have all gone on to record Paul Revere & The Raiders songs. Columbia Records knew the importance of this entity then and soon honored their favorite sons with their own best of album aptly titled Paul Revere & The Raiders Greatest Hits.

Greatest Hits

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Carol Welsman - Hold Me

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:17
Size: 140.3 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2000
Art: Front

[5:18] 1. Night And Day
[4:42] 2. Fragile
[4:08] 3. Love Junkyard
[4:12] 4. Hold Me
[5:09] 5. Brazasia
[5:21] 6. Talking Is Good
[5:14] 7. Bird Of Paradise
[5:10] 8. I Believe
[5:41] 9. Little Caesar
[5:56] 10. Why
[4:57] 11. Les Moulins Do Mon Coeur
[5:22] 12. And So It Goes

Spurred on no doubt by the growing popularity of the “smooth” jazz radio format, singer/pianist Carol Welsman’s latest CD is a decidedly middle-of-the-road affair. Though she’s often billed as a “jazz” singer, Hold Me contains a whole lot of “pop” and precious little jazz. Welsman floats through this 12-track collection without ever breaking a sweat, rarely displaying the vocal/piano chops she’s famous for. Hold Me is a decent easy-listening album but, as Clara Peller used to say – “Where’s the beef?” Classic tunes like "Night and Day" mixed with modern-day compositions by pop stars like Sting and Billy Joel make for less than challenging fare. This is the sort of album that fans of Diana Krall, Canada’s other fetching singer/pianist, hope she never makes. ~John Sharpe

Hold Me

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