Milton Mezz Mezzrow And Frankie Newton - The Big Apple

Styles: Clarinet Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:31
Size: 106,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:02)  1. Old Fashioned Love
(3:24)  2. Apologies
(2:59)  3. Sendin' The Vipers
(2:52)  4. Thirty Fifth And Calumet
(3:14)  5. Blues In Disguise
(2:33)  6. That's How I Feel Today
(2:34)  7. Hot Club Stomp
(2:21)  8. The Swing Session's Called To Order
(2:55)  9. A Melody From The Sky
(2:27) 10. Lost
(3:00) 11. Mutiny In The Parlor
(2:39) 12. The Panic Is On
(3:30) 13. I've A Muggin'
(3:06) 14. The Minor Jive
(3:12) 15. The Blues My Baby Gave To Me
(2:35) 16. Rompin' At Victor

Mezz Mezzrow occupies an odd and unique place in jazz history. Although an enthusiastic clarinetist, he was never much of a player, sounding best on the blues. A passionate propagandist for Chicago and New Orleans jazz and the rights of blacks (he meant well, but tended to overstate his case), Mezzrow was actually most significant for writing his colorful and somewhat fanciful memoirs, Really the Blues, and for being a reliable supplier of marijuana in the 1930s and '40s. In the 1920s, he was part of the Chicago jazz scene, at first helping the young white players and then annoying them with his inflexible musical opinions. Mezzrow recorded with the Jungle Kings, the Chicago Rhythm Kings, and Eddie Condon during 1927-1928, often on tenor. In the 1930s, he led a few swing-oriented dates that featured all-star integrated bands in 1933-1934 and 1936-1937. The French critic Hugues Panassie was always a big supporter of Mezzrow's playing and Mezz was well-featured on sessions in 1938 with Tommy Ladnier and Sidney Bechet; "Really the Blues" is a near-classic. Mezzrow had his own King Jazz label during 1945-1947, mostly documenting ensemble-oriented blues jams with Bechet and occasionally Hot Lips Page. After appearing at the 1948 Nice Jazz Festival, Mezzrow eventually moved to France, where he recorded fairly regularly during 1951-1955 (including with Lee Collins and Buck Clayton), along with a final album in 1959. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/artist/mezz-mezzrow-mn0000383696/biography

The Big Apple

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Maria Muldaur - Jazzabelle

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:36
Size: 120.4 MB
Styles: Jazz-blues vocals
Year: 1993/2006
Art: Front

[2:56] 1. Your Molecular Structure
[4:32] 2. Weeping Willow Blues
[4:48] 3. Everybody Cryin' Mercy
[3:43] 4. Rio De Janeiro Blue
[3:22] 5. You're My Thrill
[2:57] 6. Long As You're Living
[5:45] 7. Elona
[3:32] 8. Do Your Duty
[4:18] 9. Don't You Feel My Leg (Don't You Get Me High)
[6:30] 10. September Rain
[4:57] 11. Southern Music
[5:12] 12. Where

Bass – Al Obudinsky (tracks: 1, 3, 7, 10), Chris Severin (tracks: 4, 5, 9), Roly Salley* (tracks: 2, 6, 8); Drums – Billy Kilson (tracks: 4, 5, 9), Mike Hyman (tracks: 1 to 3, 6 to 8, 10 to 12); Piano – David Matthews (tracks: 1, 6, 10), David Torkanowsky (tracks: 4, 5, 9), John R. Burr (tracks: 2, 3, 7, 8, 11, 12); Producer, Vocals – Maria Muldaur; Saxophone – Jim Rothermel.

Maria Muldaur's Jazzabelle is a set of jazz and blues material recorded with piano trios, which are fronted by David Torkanowsky, Dave Matthews, and John R. Burr. ~Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Jazzabelle

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Dave Newman - Fathead Comes On

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 70:29

Size: 161.4 MB

Styles: Soul jazz, Saxophone jazz

Year: 1962/2013

Art: Front

[3:05] 1. Unchain My Heart

[5:37] 2. Cellar Groove

[3:39] 3. Alto Sauce (Feat. Hank Crawford)

[4:27] 4. Hello There

[5:13] 5. Scufflin' (Feat. Hank Crawford)

[4:01] 6. Esther's Melody (Feat. Hank Crawford)

[6:35] 7. Lady Day

[7:22] 8. Batista's Groove

[4:36] 9. Skylark

[7:55] 10. Night Of Nisan

[7:04] 11. Cousin Slim

[6:31] 12. Summertime

[4:19] 13. Congo Chant

Alto Saxophone – Dave "Fathead" Newman (tracks: A3, B2); Bass – Edgar Willis (tracks: A1, A3, B1, B2), Jimmy Jefferson (tracks: A2, A4, B3); Drums – Bruno Carr (tracks: A1, A3, B1, B2), Charlie Persip (tracks: A2, A4, B3); Flute – Dave "Fathead" Newman* (tracks: A1); Piano – Hank Crawford (tracks: A1, A3, B1, B2), Norris Austin (tracks: A2, A4, B3); Tenor Saxophone – Dave "Fathead" Newman (tracks: A2, A4, B1, B3); Trumpet – Marcus Belgrave (tracks: A2, A4, B3).

This 1962 David "Fathead" Newman album picks up where 1961's STRAIGHT AHEAD left off. However, this release is slightly less bebop-oriented. Instead, Newman blends together hard bop with his own R&B roots. (He was a key member of Ray Charles's band for many years.)

FATHEAD COMES ON is a very bluesy album, but also contains its share of tricky melodies and ambitious arrangements. Highlights include "Unchain My Heart," which is the funkiest tune on the disc, and "Cellar-Groove," which begins with a clever train rhythm; here the locomotive sound is simulated by the repetitive hi-hat work of Charlie Persip and the boogie-woogie playing of pianist Norris Austin. The disc ends with "Lady Day," a tribute to Billie Holiday, which is, not surprisingly, a somber ballad. Hard-bop records from this era typically lean on the influence of Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, but FATHEAD COMES ON is a statement unto itself, and therefore, a very compelling listen. ~AllMusic

Fathead Comes On

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Jimmy McGriff - The Best Of The Sue Years 1962-1965

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:26
Size: 170.4 MB
Styles: B3 Organ blues/jazz
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[2:32] 1. I've Got a Woman
[3:54] 2. All About My Girl
[4:55] 3. M.G. Blues
[4:15] 4. The Last Minute
[4:35] 5. One of Mine
[4:56] 6. Spindletop
[6:52] 7. The Deacon
[5:47] 8. Frame for the Blues
[5:36] 9. A Thing for Jug
[3:25] 10. Kiko
[3:51] 11. All Day Long
[4:55] 12. Helly Betty
[3:21] 13. Discotheque U.S.A
[4:55] 14. Blues for Mr. Jimmy
[3:53] 15. Sho' Nuff
[3:00] 16. Blues for Joe
[3:37] 17. Cash Box

One of the all-time giants of the Hammond B-3, Jimmy McGriff sometimes gets lost amid all the great soul-jazz organists from his hometown of Philadelphia. He was almost certainly the bluesiest of the major soul-jazz pioneers, and indeed, he often insisted that he was more of a blues musician than a jazz artist; nonetheless, he remained eclectic enough to blur the lines of classification. His sound- deep, down-to-earth grooves drenched in blues and gospel feeling made him quite popular with R&B audiences, even more so than some of his peers; what was more, he was able to condense those charms into concise, funky, jukebox-ready singles that often did surprisingly well on the R&B charts. His rearrangement of Ray Charles' "I Got a Woman" was a Top Five R&B hit in 1962, and further hits like "All About My Girl," "Kiko," and "The Worm" followed over the course of the '60s. McGriff spent much of the '70s trying to keep pace with the fusion movement, switching to various electric keyboards and adopting an increasingly smooth, polished style. As the '80s dawned, McGriff gave up trying to sound contemporary and returned to his classic organ-trio sound; as luck would have it, vintage soul-jazz soon came back into vogue with a devoted cult of fans and critics, and McGriff was able to recover his creative vitality and take his place as one of the genre's elder statesmen. ~bio by Steve Huey

The Best Of The Sue Years 1962-1965 

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Jeremy Pelt - Identity

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:46
Size: 169,1 MB
Art: Front

( 6:42)  1. Re-Invention
( 8:54)  2. Eddie's Story
( 5:11)  3. Seek
( 7:38)  4. Suspicion
( 7:40)  5. Eye of the Beholder
( 5:29)  6. Celestial
( 4:42)  7. Angular
( 6:31)  8. Haiku
(11:41)  9. Scorpio
( 9:14) 10. Dusk

Most of the best composers, like Ellington and Shorter, have also been great players. The two processes are mutually reinforcing. Jeremy Pelt's Identity shows him to be on this two-fold path. It's all original material performed with Frank LoCrasto on keyboards, Vicente Archer on bass, and Eric McPherson on drums all on a par of excellence with Pelt in their playing. This particular group formed just recently, yet it already has sharp rapport. If it stays together, it'll likely become one of the better groups out there. Pelt pulls off the difficult trick of being simultaneously cerebral and inviting. His tone strikes a warm balance between brightness and suffusion. The more aggressive tunes comprise the stronger material on Identity, and Pelt doesn't bury the lead, opening with his strongest track, "Re-Invention." The tune is bothcontrapuntal and harmonic, yet without traditional comping from LoCrasto. The introspective, darkly enigmatic melody is made of simple gestures taking on cumulative meanings throughout the sixteen-bar form. The writing recalls '60s-period Wayne Shorter. Yet, as with Shorter, the music follows its own internal logic. It also strikes a balance between a "free" feeling and closed form, which may be the highest level of craft for the modern improviser. LoCrasto's counterpoint acts like an oblique, reluctant shadow with a mind of its own. Both Pelt and LoCrasto use ideas from the melody, and each other, to inform their solos with mindfully small gestures and build larger concepts.

"Seek," "Suspicion," and "Angular" are the other relatively aggressive tunes. While they don't push boundaries, they share a spirit with many current artists exploring rhythmic complexity and form while maintaining swing and drive. The musicians incorporate occasional odd structures and rhythmic displacements into the blowing sections instead of discarding them as compositional quirks.Despite the appearance of some special guests on Identity, the quartet is central. Archer's turn on "Celestial" is a highlight, as is McPherson's blowing over the vamp at the end of "Suspicion." As for the relaxed, slower material on Identity, it's often beautiful but occasionally so introspective as to implode under its own weight. An exception is the engaging "Haiku," where Pelt and LoCrasto both make deeply personal statements while recalling two of the greatest ballad interpreters on their instruments.

The media affair regarding Pelt is well underway. Identity may lead some critics to celebrate the arrival of the "future of jazz," or cause others to feel compelled to refute such claims. But the reality is not so black and white. Those who are preoccupied with finding an artist to label the "future of jazz" can't see the trees for the forest. Innovation is sometimes incremental and often not easy to detect. It's all a continuum. We need faith that the pursuit of excellence supplies the energy to keep jazz moving forward. Innovation need not always be a "change of the century." It often hides in the shadows, tucked into a brilliant corner like a precocious child smiling to himself with a secret. There may well be such a child tucked into Identity. ~ John Dworkin http://www.allaboutjazz.com/identity-jeremy-pelt-maxjazz-review-by-john-dworkin.php

Personnel: Jeremy Pelt: trumpet and flugelhorn; Frank LoCrasto: keyboards; Vicente Archer: bass; Eric McPherson: drums. Special guests: Myron Walden: saxophone and bass clarinet; Warren Wolf: vibes; Mike Moreno: guitar.

Identity

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Lisa Kirchner - Something To Sing About

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:02
Size: 163,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:12)  1. In Autumn
(4:20)  2. Prince Of The City
(1:48)  3. Fort Tryon Park
(2:30)  4. Sigh No More Ladies
(5:11)  5. Suicide In C Monor
(3:47)  6. Early In The Morning
(4:15)  7. Leila's Song
(5:26)  8. Crazy Love, Crazy Heart
(2:35)  9. The Little Horses
(4:26) 10. Acrostic Song
(3:50) 11. Barefoot
(3:05) 12. Lily
(6:35) 13. Strange
(3:45) 14. Photograph Song
(3:21) 15. Night Make My Day
(4:07) 16. Sophie Rose-Rosalee
(2:56) 17. Under The Willow Tree
(4:45) 18. Long Time Ago

Lisa Kirchner's album Something to Sing About on first (and even second) glance has all the look of a straightforward collection of songs by American composers, including Ives, Corigliano, Adams, Rorem, Del Tredici, Harbison, Bolcom, Barber, and Leon Kirchner (the singer's father, a Pulitzer Prize-winning composer, but in fact, all the composers in that list also won the prize), as well as some from more of a pop tradition like Robert Telson and Wynton Marsalis. Closer inspection of the credits, though, offers a clue that something is up; the accompanying instruments include piano, alto sax, accordion, bass, guitar, and drums. But you really have to hear the songs to get a handle on the album's uniqueness. Kirchner is a jazz singer whose voice has the character of a cabaret chanteuse, so her style is not at all like that of the kind of bel canto-trained singer for whom most of these songs were written. Although her vocal quality is jazz-inflected, she sings the songs basically straight-on (except for some improvised riffs thrown in during transitions and sometimes adding repeats), just as they were originally written. 

Her accompanying ensemble, however, may or may not reflect composers' original version, so the overall effect is definitively more jazz than classical. In these performances, the songs sound not like crossover  classical music dressed up as jazz but like they were written as jazzy pop tunes, even though, paradoxically the tunes are presented essentially unaltered, just as the composers wrote them. It's initially disconcerting, particularly in familiar songs like Barber's "Under the Willow Tree," where Barber has one truly weird modulation in the transition but this version has a dizzying string of truly weird modulations before settling down. But, it works. As odd as the premise sounds and as surprising as the initial impressions are, these performances sound like persuasive, frequently beguiling, renditions of jazz standards. Kirchner's dusky voice is seductive and wears well, and she sings with easy spontaneity and intuitive musicality. Much credit goes to the band for the inventiveness of its accompaniment. The sound is clear, immediate, and very clean. The voice is foregrounded in a style more characteristic of pop than classical. The album should interest fans of cabaret singing and crossover, as well as adventurous fans of classical vocal music. ~ Stephen Eddins  http://www.allmusic.com/album/something-to-sing-about-mw0002143047

Personnel: Lisa Kirchner: vocals; William Schimmel: accordion; Xavier Davis: piano; Vicente Archer: bass; Ron Jackson: guitar; Willie Jones,III: drums; Sherman Irby: alto saxophone.

Something To Sing About

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Scott Colley - This Place

Styles: Contemporary Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 58:11
Size: 106,8 MB
Art: Front

(8:02)  1. Mr. Day
(7:16)  2. Long Lake
(5:42)  3. Aurora
(8:38)  4. This Place
(4:58)  5. Ugly Beauty
(3:52)  6. Airegin
(9:00)  7. The Peacocks
(5:11)  8. The Blessing
(5:28)  9. Simultaneity

The subliminal empathy shared by bassist Scott Colley, saxophonist Chris Potter, and drummer Bill Stewart is masterfully illustrated on Colley's latest album, This Place. Colley's tutelage with Charlie Haden clearly informs his knack for developing warm, simpatico lines that are nearly always melodically astute yet never showy. On originals like his hypnotic title track, Colley can create a simple bass figure that grounds and propels the gorgeous melodies of Potter and the textural and rhythmic splendor of Stewart. Colley's most sensual performance on this date, however, is his haunting "Long Lake," where he delivers a heartfelt counter melody beneath Potter's raspy tenor and Stewart's shimmering brushes.

Much of This Place gently nudges toward the avant-garde without giving way to the noisy antics associated with it. The stark arrangement of Thelonious Monk's "Ugly Beauty" features Potter's bass clarinet and Colley's ghostly improvising on the melody, which he does with an obliqueness that suggests '70s loft jazz. Colley's rambling original "Simultaneity" provides the record's most suspenseful moments, as Potter's twisting tenor zigzags against Colley's prowling bass lines. Devoid of any grandiose ambition or ego-driven solos, This Place succeeds at illustrating Colley's remarkable talents as a bassist and composer. ~ John Murph  http://jazztimes.com/articles/11559-this-place-scott-colley-trio

Personnel:  Chris Potter - Tenor Saxophone & Bass Clarinet;  Scott Colley - Acoustic Bass;  Bill Stewart - Drums

This Place

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Van Morrison - Pay The Devil

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 45:34

Size: 104.3 MB

Styles: Country, Country-jazz

Year: 2006

Art: Front

[2:12] 1. There Stands The Glass

[2:36] 2. Half As Much

[3:07] 3. Things Have Gone To Pieces

[2:52] 4. Big Blue Diamonds

[4:10] 5. Playhouse

[2:28] 6. Your Cheatin' Heart

[2:19] 7. My Bucket's Got A Hole In It

[2:45] 8. Back Street Affair

[3:00] 9. Pay The Devil

[3:53] 10. What Am I Living For

[4:40] 11. This Has Got To Stop

[2:48] 12. Once A Day

[2:42] 13. More And More

[5:56] 14. Till I Gain Control Again

With stunning album-length explorations of jazz and 1950s acoustic skiffle and a country-rockabilly collaboration with Linda Gail Lewis behind him, Van Morrison continues exploring classic country with compelling reinterpretations of standards from the 1950s to the 1970s. He reaches back over half a century for Hank Williams Sr.'s "Half As Much," "Your Cheatin' Heart," and "My Bucket's Got a Hole in It" and Webb Pierce's landmark honky-tonk hits "Back Street Affair," "There Stands the Glass," and "More and More." Moving to the mid-'60s, he capably explores George Jones's "Things Have Gone to Pieces" and Connie Smith's "Once a Day." The 1970s are his limit, however, as he probes Rodney Crowell's "'Til I Gain Control Again." Three Morrison originals blend nicely into this mix, as do two non-country favorites: Chuck Willis's "What Am I Living For" and a gleeful spin on Blue Lu Barker's 1938 jazzy, single-entendre favorite "Don't You Make Me High." Recorded in Ireland with uncluttered hard-country backing, Pay the Devil reiterates Morrison's own musical diversity and flair for making any song his own. ~Rich Kienzle

Pay the Devil      

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Renee Rosnes Trio - A Time For Love

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:11
Size: 121.7 MB
Styles: Post bop, Piano jazz
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[6:44] 1. A Time For Love
[4:55] 2. Suddenly It's Spring
[5:04] 3. Lush Life
[4:37] 4. Lullaby Petite
[5:44] 5. I Was Doing All Right
[5:39] 6. Invitation
[4:12] 7. Wait Till You See Her
[4:35] 8. Ballad To The East
[4:33] 9. Dizzy Spells
[2:30] 10. The Bad And The Beautiful
[4:33] 11. The Duke

Renee Rosnes - piano; Peter Washington - bass; Lewis Nash - drums.

A classic trio outing featuring the exquisite rhythm team of Peter Washington and Lewis Nash. Ms. Rosnes explores a variety of rich material. From such masterpieces as "Lush Life" and "A Time For Love" to music penned by legendary pianists Oscar Peterson, Ray Bryant and Dave Brubeck, this recording spans the emotional palette. Ms. Rosnes' solo performance of film composer David Raksin's "The Bad and The Beautiful" is simply haunting. Another standout is the pianist's own "Dizzy Spells," a cascading, memorable melody based on Dizzy Gillespie's "Con Alma."

A Time For Love

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Stan Getz, Kenny Barron - People Time (2-Disc Set)

This album, a series of duets laying the wondrously inquisitive piano of Kenny Barron next to the breathy, half-lit tenor of Stan Getz, was both the last public appearance and the final recording in the life of Getz. Recorded with astonishing clarity live at Copenhagen's Montmartre Café, People Time serves as a passionate coda to the life of this great saxophonist. Many of the tunes seem chosen for their emotional content, as if Getz were aware this might be his swan song. Speculation aside, this is a remarkably gorgeous, exquisitely paced recording. Throughout, Getz and Barron exhibit both a deep understanding of the material as well as sympathetic, truly harmonious playing. Never rushed, never brash, People Time lingers over melodies, fleshing them out and extracting every ounce of feeling. A must-have for fans of both artists. ~S. Duda

Album: People Time (Disc 1)

itrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 56:17

Size: 128.9 MB

Styles: Contemporary jazz

Year: 1992

[9:25] 1. East Of The Sun (And West Of The Moon)

[8:19] 2. Night And Day

[5:24] 3. I'm Okay

[7:59] 4. Like Someone In Love

[8:48] 5. Stablemates

[9:08] 6. I Remember Clifford

[7:11] 7. Gone With The Wind

People Time (Disc 1)

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Album: People Time (Disc 2)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 59:09

Size: 135.4 MB

Styles: Contemporary jazz

Year: 1992

Art: Front

[9:54] 1. First Song (For Ruth)

[8:35] 2. There Is No Greater Love

[9:19] 3. The Surrey With The Fringe On Top

[6:21] 4. People Time

[7:54] 5. Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise

[9:31] 6. Hush-A-Bye

[7:33] 7. Soul Eyes

People Time (Disc 2)

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Antonio Faraò - Next Stories

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:16
Size: 112.8 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2002
Art: Front

[5:10] 1. I'm Waiting
[9:39] 2. Theme For Bond [dedicated To My Wonderful Dog]
[4:29] 3. Creole
[4:03] 4. Sweet
[7:28] 5. Next Stories
[4:40] 6. I Could Have Done More
[4:01] 7. What Is This Thing Called Love
[6:38] 8. Few Days
[3:04] 9. Sabrina And Joseph

Extraordinary Italian pianist Antonio Faraó was born in Rome in 1965. He attended the Giuseppe Verdi Conservatory in Milan in the '80s, where he refined his musical gifts. Faraó began cultivating his profound love of jazz at clubs when he was only in his teens. Even then, those around him didn't miss the natural talent for piano the young man had been blessed with. Faraó started touring at an early age, playing festivals like Lugano, Merano, Lyon, Umbria Jazz, Palermo, and many others. In 1987, at only 22, he won the New Talent Prize at the X1 Music Review. Four years later, he was voted Pianist of the Year, winning the Four Roses Prize. In 1998, he was invited to enter into the international competition for the Concours Martial Solal. Faraó came away as the winner. In 1999, he saw the release of his debut album, Black Inside, on the Enja Records label. Bassist Ira Coleman and drummer Jeff "Tain" Watts accompanied Faraó's piano work. With post-bop tracks like "Latin Dance," "Sweet," and "My One and Only Love," the album combined a Mediterranean touch with the African-American jazz styling that Faraó became known for. A sophomore effort titled Thorn followed in early 2001. As Faraó's reputation grew he was able to attract several jazz heavy-hitters to the studio, resulting in albums with saxophonist Bob Berg (2002's Far Out), bassist Miroslav Vitous (2005's Takes on Pasolini), and drummer Andre Ceccarelli (2008's Woman's Perfume and 2011s Domi). He then paired with saxophonist Joe Lovano, bassist Ira Coleman, and drummer Jack DeJohnette for 2014's Evan. In 2015, Faraó made his Verve label debut with Boundaries, which featured several of his longtime Italian collaborators including saxophonist/drummer Mauro Negri and bassist Martin Gjakonovski.

Next Stories

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The Mills Brothers - The Best Of The Mills Brothers

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:52
Size: 77.5 MB
Styles: Vocal harmony group
Year: 2000
Art: Front

[2:36] 1. Paper Doll
[2:44] 2. Lazy River
[3:06] 3. You Always Hurt The One You Love
[2:35] 4. Till Then
[2:27] 5. Across The Alley From The Alamo
[3:12] 6. I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm
[2:54] 7. Someday (You'll Want Me To Want You)
[2:45] 8. Nevertheless (I'm In Love With You)
[3:11] 9. Be My Life's Companion
[2:38] 10. The Glow Worm
[2:44] 11. Standing On The Corner
[2:53] 12. Cab Driver

It might not strike one listening to the music on this collection--smoothly crafted, perfectly harmonized pop often set to gently loping swing rhythms--that the Mills Brothers were actually outstanding pioneers of black music. Their close harmony work, based on the barbershop quartets of a previous era, were an innovation in '30s popular music, arguably laying the groundwork for '50s doo-wop and by extension even the music of the Backstreet Boys and 'N Sync (but don't hold that against them!). This collection serves as a good introduction to the Mills Brothers' legacy, serving up a dozen of their infectious hits, a few of which ("Lazy River," "You Always Hurt the One You Love") still stand among the definitive renditions of the classic American songbook. And what other band has had a seven-decade career (their sons, nephews, and grandsons now filling the ranks), scoring Top 40 hits ("Paper Doll" and "Cab Driver") 46 years apart? ~Jerry McCulley

The Best Of The Mills Brothers

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Hank Jones - I Remember You

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1977
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:55
Size: 163,0 MB
Art: Front

(6:02)  1. I Remember You
(5:51)  2. Young No More
(3:12)  3. You Took Advantage of Me
(4:59)  4. Love Walked In
(5:05)  5. Dat Dere
(4:50)  6. I'll Be Around
(2:45)  7. Let's Fall In Love
(5:22)  8. Like Someone In Love
(7:28)  9. Theme for Jobim
(3:15) 10. It's the Talk of the Town
(6:09) 11. I Remember You (take 3)
(5:23) 12. Young No More (take 2)
(5:06) 13. Love Walked In (take 1)
(5:21) 14. Like Someone In Love (take 1)

Made for the French Black & Blue label and released in the U.S. on a Classic Jazz LP, this outing features pianist Hank Jones emphasizing the swing side of his flexible musical personality. Teamed up with bassist George Duvivier and drummer Oliver Jackson, Jones adds beauty and melodic ideas to such veteran numbers as "You Took Advantage of Me," "Love Walked In," "Like Someone In Love" and (easily the most recent tune) Bobby Timmons' "Dat Dere." A fine set that will be difficult to find. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/i-remember-you-mw0000271609

I Remember You

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Horace Silver - Music For Lovers

Styles: Hard bop, Piano jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:47
Size: 121,2 MB
Art: Front

(2:47)  1. Prelude To a Kiss
(5:58)  2. Peace
(3:52)  3. I Remember You
(5:05)  4. For Heaven's Sake
(5:17)  5. Next Time I Fall In Love
(6:57)  6. Lonely Woman
(4:13)  7. Shirl
(5:28)  8. Sweet Stuff
(6:09)  9. Cherry Blossom
(6:57) 10. My One and Only Love

Here are ten tracks showcasing the utter beauty of Horace Silver's playing and in some cases, composing jazz ballads. These tunes are lushly romantic and utterly soulful. Recorded between 1952 and 1968, this collection features such notable Silver compositions as "Peace," "Shirl," "Sweet Stuff," "Lonely Woman," and the gorgeous "Next Time I Fall in Love." The rest is choice as well especially for a budget-priced set  and includes Silver's read of Duke Ellington's masterpiece "Prelude to a Kiss," accompanied by Art Blakey and Curly Russell from 1952, and Guy Wood and Robert Mellin's "My One and Only Love," with Art Farmer, Hank Mobley, Louis Hayes, and Teddy Kotick. This isn't the funky, soul-jazzin' Silver, but the romantic, poetic balladeer whispering to lovers. ~ Thom Jurek  http://www.allmusic.com/album/music-for-lovers-mw0000673174

Music For Lovers

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Hamilton All Star Band - Swinging With The Stars (Disc 1) And (Disc 2)

Formed in 1984 by lifelong Hamilton resident Dr. Russ Weil, the HASJB has developed into one of the premier amateur big band organizations in Canada. The HASJB has an impressive record, having been twice named the most outstanding band in its class in Canada. It is the recipient of 10 consecutive regional gold awards, 3 national gold awards, an award of excellence at the Clark Terry Jazz Festival at the University of New Hampshire, 3 awards of excellence at the Tri-C Jazz Festival in Cleveland, Ohio and standing invitations to many of the world’s great jazz festivals.

In 1995, 2000, 2003, 2007, and 2012 the band performed at the world -famous Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, an event that has over the years, been graced by the greatest names in jazz. The band has played eight concerts in Montreux and has made appearances at jazz festivals in Vienne, Avignon, Juan-les-Pins, Aix les-Bains, Aix-en-Provence and Reims in France along with Freiburg in Germany, SanRemo in Italy and additional concerts in Brienz, Switzerland. Special appearances came at the request of the Federal Minister for Canadian Heritage and the Canadian Ambassador to France to promote Canadian culture by performing an all-Canadian program in 2000 and 2003 at the Canadian Embassy in Paris and again at the Ambassador’s home for a private diplomatic function to celebrate Canada Day 2000. In 2003 and 2012, the tour included a special concert for the Juno Beach Memorial to Canadian Veterans in Courseulles-sur-Mer, France, with a program featuring the music of WWII. In 2007, the HASJB was the headline act in Ste. Die-de-Vosges, France for the 400th anniversary of the naming of the Americas by the scholars of Ste. Die.

In 1998, the HASJB was featured at the International Association for Jazz Education Conference in New York City, an event attended by some 8000 jazz artists and educators from all over the world. In Canada, they have performed for the Prime Minister, the Governor General and at a special celebration for the Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II in Hamilton before over 15,000 appreciative fans.

Membership - There are three bands in the organization. Membership is available to all between the ages of 11 and 25. Entry to each ensemble is by audition. All groups are completely open and non-discriminatory. Each band usually consists of 5 saxophones, 5 trumpets, 5 trombones, guitar, bass, piano, drums and vocalist and the vocal jazz group can have up to 16 singers. During the past 27 years, over 750 musicians have participated in the All Star organization and many have gone on to pursue additional studies or professional careers in music or music education all over the world.

Program - During the organization’s history, they have concentrated on music of the “big bands” with special attention to the masters - Duke Ellington and Count Basie and the wonderful music of Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday to name but a few. The All Stars often perform ‘tribute’ concerts to sold-out audiences, where they focus on the repertoire or style of a particular jazz great. The All Star Jazz Band has been featured many times at major theatres in Hamilton and has played to enthusiastic audiences at some of the great jazz venues in Toronto including “Ontario Place”, the “Montreal Bistro” and the “Rex Hotel Jazz Club”. In addition to performing with the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra on two occasions, the HASJB has released 8 CDs to date, featuring some of the greatest names in jazz, who have “guested” over the years. They include Phil Nimmons, Pat LaBarbera, Rob McConnell, Rick Wilkins, Kenny Wheeler, Guido Basso, Alex Dean, Mike Malone and David Braid - an “all-Canadian” line-up.

Organization - The All Star family consists of the Hamilton Junior Jazz Band for 11 to 15 year olds, the Hamilton Rising Stars Jazz Band, for 15 to 19 year olds, and the Hamilton All Star Jazz Band for musicians up to 25 years of age.

The Mission of Hamilton All Star Jazz Band Inc. is "Music and Youth Building a Better Community". The bands aim to be the leading arts organization for youth in the Golden Horseshoe.

Our young people act as ambassadors for our community. We focus on the development of life skills - responsibility, commitment, teamwork, leadership and respect - in an intellectually and artistically challenging environment. 

We concentrate on excellence in music performance for local, national and international audiences. HASJB Inc. provides a proud legacy that is directed by an enthusiastic group of directors, advisors and volunteers who administer a self-sustaining, multi-tiered program for young people. We are a registered charitable organization for the youth of Canada. http://www.hamiltonallstarjazz.org/history.php

Disc 1
Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:42
Size: 96,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:14)  1. On Purple Porpoise Parkway
(6:14)  2. 500 Miles High
(3:18)  3. I'm Beginning To See The Light
(6:16)  4. Bang That Wall, Harvey
(2:07)  5. The Song Is You
(9:12)  6. The Gentle Piece
(2:24)  7. Deed I Do
(7:53)  8. Bopularity

Swinging With The Stars (Disc 1)

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Disc 2
Time: 43:21
Size: 99,7 MB
Art: Front

( 8:51)  1. A Tribute To Art Fern
( 2:39)  2. Straighten Up And Fly Right
( 7:36)  3. Manteca
( 2:56)  4. Don't Be That Way
( 5:00)  5. Slauson Cutoff
( 5:37)  6. Daydream
(10:39)  7. Caravan

Swinging With The Stars (Disc 2)

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Randy Sandke, Harry Allen, Mulgrew Miller, Peter Washington, Kenny Washington - Cliffhanger

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:13
Size: 165.3 MB
Styles: Mainstream jazz
Year: 2003
Art: Front

[3:46] 1. Let's Face The Music And Dance
[7:37] 2. Nobody Else But Me
[5:01] 3. What's New
[5:38] 4. Come Rain Or Come Shine
[4:36] 5. One For Mulgrew
[8:25] 6. I Fall In Love Too Easily
[4:17] 7. Cliffhanger
[7:04] 8. One Fine Day In May
[6:28] 9. I Concentrate On You
[7:36] 10. Willow Weep For Me
[7:01] 11. No Moon At All
[4:38] 12. Limehouse Blues

Randy Sandke is a spectacular trumpeter, one who is most associated with small-group swing but is actually a forward-looking improviser capable of playing in more modern idioms too. On this set he is teamed with the Stan Getz-inspired tenor saxophonist Harry Allen, pianist Mulgrew Miller, bassist Peter Washington, and drummer Kenny Washington. Trombonist Wycliffe Gordon makes his lone appearance on the quirky title cut. Other than the three Sandke originals ("Cliffhanger," "One for Mulgrew," and the jazz waltz "One Fine Day in May"), the repertoire consists of swing standards. Sandke and Allen work particularly well together while Miller (who normally sounds closer to McCoy Tyner) proves to be quite adaptable in this setting. Sandke, who has a warm tone, a wide range, and the ability to play the adventurous ideas he thinks of, is in top form throughout. Highlights include "Let's Face the Music and Dance," a passionate rendition of "What's New," "I Fall in Love Too Easily," and "Limehouse Blues." Every Sandke recording is well worth hearing, with Cliffhanger offering a strong example of his musical talents. ~Scott Yanow

Cliffhanger

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Pete Levin - Jump

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:27
Size: 145.2 MB
Styles: B3 Organ jazz
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[6:49] 1. Jump!
[6:48] 2. Exclamation!
[6:36] 3. That Was Then
[6:47] 4. The Big Dog Is Always Right
[6:31] 5. Talk To The Animals
[5:57] 6. Nostalgia In Times Square
[6:02] 7. Little Sunflower
[5:44] 8. Candido
[7:09] 9. Alone Together
[5:00] 10. Honeysuckle Rose

Some music, just by the act of listening to it, makes you feel cooler. A great jazz organ trio can do that with ease. Whether it's Jimmy Smith, Richard "Groove" Holmes, or Pete Levin, those syncopated stabs and walking basslines on the Hammond B3, when percolating with brushed drums and warm electric guitar, have the power to relax the mind and stoke the imagination.

As the fleet-fingered Levin saunters and swings through the mentholated grooves of "Exclamation!," "That Was Then" and "The Big Dog Is Always Right," the listener is suddenly in some smoke-filled corner bar, circa 1960, decked out in a sharkskin suit and a Dobbs lid. And as if he or she needed any more fuel for the way back machine, Levin even covers Mingus' aptly titles "Nostalgia in Time Square."

Remarkably, the B3 is not Levin's first instrument. In the '70s, he got his start playing French horn with Gil Evans, then branched out as one of jazz's first synthesizer specialists. His work with a wide array of artists across the spectrum, from Miles Davis and Wayne Shorter to Paul Simon and Annie Lennox, influences his own compositions, which are both harmonically interesting and immediate. And his choice of covers reflects a playful sensibility, from Doctor Doolittle's "Talk to the Animals" to Tin Pan Alley chestnuts "Honeysuckle Rose" and "Alone Together."

Bandmates drummer Lenny White and guitarist Dave Stryker get plenty of room to stretch out - Stryker's solo on "That Was Then" is especially lovely - but mostly this is Levin administering one long, invigorating shot of B3 cool. ~Bill DeMain

Jump

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Lee Wiley & Ellis Larkins - Duologue

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 34:55

Size: 79.9 MB

Styles: Standards, Vocal jazz

Year: 1954/1984

Art: Front

[2:27] 1. My Heart Stood Still

[2:50] 2. Looking At You

[3:25] 3. You Took Advantage Of Me

[2:36] 4. By Myself

[2:37] 5. My Romance

[3:29] 6. Give It Back To The Indians

[3:04] 7. Mountain Greenery

[2:58] 8. It Never Entered My Mind

[3:19] 9. Perfume And Rain

[3:02] 10. My Funny Valentine

[2:46] 11. Then I'll Be Tired Of You

[2:17] 12. Glad To Be Unhappy

Although only 38 at the time of this recording and still in her musical prime, singer Lee Wiley was already thought of as a has-been, and was finding it increasingly difficult to locate work. Her sophisticated, gentle, yet sincere swing style was out of favor by the mid-'50s, but she still had something to say. This CD reissue features her haunting voice showcased on eight numbers with a quartet that includes trumpeter Ruby Braff, pianist Jimmy Jones, bassist Bill Pemberton and drummer Jo Jones; the best are "My Heart Stood Still," "My Funny Valentine" and especially memorable versions of "It Never Entered My Mind" and "Glad to Be Unhappy." Although pianist Ellis Larkins, who is heard on four unrelated unaccompanied solos, gets co-billing on the CD, he and Wiley never actually meet. ~Scott Yanow

Duologue

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Curtis Fuller - Soul Trombone

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:19
Size: 87.7 MB
Styles: Hard bop, Trombone jazz
Year: 1962/2011
Art: Front

[6:16] 1. The Clan
[4:53] 2. In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning
[7:36] 3. Newdles
[3:59] 4. The Breeze And I
[9:03] 5. Dear Old Stockholm
[6:28] 6. Ladies Night

Curtis Fuller was very busy as a leader between his recording debut in 1957 and these 1961 sessions, which made up his first LP for Impulse and his eighteenth overall disc of his own. Though not quite as adventurous on the trombone as J.J. Johnson, Fuller more than holds his own leading a band including Freddie Hubbard, Jimmy Heath, Jymie Merritt, and either Jimmy Cobb or G.T. Hogan on drums. The solos on this hard bop disc are superb, with Fuller giving his musicians plenty of room, while his own work is first-rate. Three of the six pieces are originals and even if they never caught on, there is no filler present anywhere. ~Ken Dryden

Soul Trombone

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Gary Burton, Rebecca Parris - It's Another Day

Styles: Vocal And Vibraphone Jazz
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:33
Size: 146,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:57)  1. Good Enough
(4:54)  2. A Deeper Dream
(4:55)  3. Emerald Mist (It's Another Day)
(5:53)  4. The Melody Is You
(4:35)  5. Our Love Is Here To Stay
(6:34)  6. Let the Flower Grow
(5:15)  7. Forest of Dreams
(6:22)  8. If The Moon Turns Green
(5:19)  9. Au Privave
(4:23) 10. Fire in the Forest
(4:52) 11. Solitude
(6:28) 12. We Can Try Love Again

Although vibraphonist Gary Burton gets top billing, this CD is actually a showcase for vocalist Rebecca Paris. 

The material is dominated by newer "contemporary" songs and pop tunes; every song except the closing voice-vibes duet is given a routine funk rhythm. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/its-another-day-mw0000108588

Personnel: Gary Burton (vibraphone); Rebecca Parris (vocals); Tommy Kamp (vocals, violin); Alan Pasqua (piano, keyboards); Chuck Loeb (guitar); Will Lee (bass, percussion); Peter Erskine (drums, percussion).

It's Another Day

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