Chet Atkins - The Essential Chet Atkins: The Columbia Years

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:44
Size: 125.3 MB
Styles: Country-jazz-pop
Year: 2004
Art: Front

[3:52] 1. Bourree
[4:14] 2. Cosmic Square Dance
[3:17] 3. Wobegon (The Way It Used To Be)
[3:07] 4. Maybelle
[3:49] 5. Dixie McGuire
[3:18] 6. Jam Man
[4:01] 7. Poor Boy Blues
[3:00] 8. Road To Gundaghi Waltzing Matilda
[4:24] 9. Sneakin' Around
[4:34] 10. Dream
[3:30] 11. After You've Gone
[2:57] 12. I'll See You In My Dreams
[3:12] 13. Young Thing
[4:05] 14. Imagine
[3:15] 15. So Soft, Your Goodbye

The Essential Chet Atkins: The Columbia Years collects 15 tracks from eight albums recorded between 1983 and 1997. While Atkins never fully gives up his country roots, much of this material leans in a definite jazz-pop direction, highlighted by memorable collaborations with Mark Knopfler on "Poor Boy Blues," "So Soft, Your Goodbye," and "I'll See You in My Dreams." Atkins also trades licks with Tommy Emmanuel on "Dixie McGuire" and "Road to Gundaghi/Waltzing Matilda," as well as longtime buddy Jerry Reed on "Sneakin' Around." The selections have been digitally remastered so every tiny musical nuance can be detected, which should no doubt satisfy guitar enthusiasts and Atkins fans. ~Al Campbell

The Essential Chet Atkins: The Columbia Years

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Andy Bey - Shades Of Bey

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:30
Size: 115.6 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals, Soul jazz
Year: 1998
Art: Front

[4:40] 1. Like A Lover (O Cantador)
[5:47] 2. Midnight Blue
[6:24] 3. Get It Straight
[5:17] 4. Pretty Girls (The Starcrossed Lovers)
[4:19] 5. River Man
[6:18] 6. Dark Shadows
[3:42] 7. Believin' It (Half & Half)
[4:10] 8. Some Other Time
[6:56] 9. The Last Light Of Evening (Blood Count)
[2:54] 10. Drume Negrita

Andy Bey's bass-baritone voice has aged over the last thirty-odd years, but it's aged well; he now sings in a husky drawl that sounds all the more warm and intimate for being a bit ragged around the edges. When he goes into falsetto, as on "Midnight Blue," athe sound is so dark that you don't recognize it as falsetto at first. This album peaks early on with "Like a Lover," a wistful love song with only the gentlest, sparest guitar accompaniment. But there are many other beautiful moments, the best of which always come on the slow numbers: the Billy Strayhorn classic "Pretty Girl," on which Bey sounds like Billy Eckstine with a weathered patina to his voice, and the surprising Nick Drake cover, the moody and intense "River Man." His vocal version of Thelonious Monk's "Straight, No Chaser" is fun, but it tends to expose the limitations of his range; however, he makes the uptempo "Believin' It" work beautifully -- Geri Allen's edgy, modernist piano contrasts nicely with Bey's effusive, bop-inflected delivery. ~Rick Anderson

Shades Of Bey

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Joe Locke, Milt Jackson Tribute Band - Rev-Elation

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 57:50

Size: 132.4 MB

Styles: Post bop, Vibraphone jazz

Year: 2005

Art: Front

[7:23] 1. The Prophet Speaks

[7:09] 2. Young And Foolish

[7:15] 3. The Look Of Love

[7:13] 4. Rev-Elation

[5:47] 5. Opus De Funk

[8:44] 6. Close Enough For Love

[7:20] 7. Big Town

[6:56] 8. Used To Be Jackson

Joe Locke was invited to join Milt Jackson's former rhythm section (pianist Mike LeDonne, bassist Bob Cranshaw, and drummer Mickey Roker) for an engagement at Smoke in New York City that served as a tribute to the late vibraphonist. They gelled as a group and promptly booked a week at Ronnie Scott's in London, where this CD was recorded, primarily utilizing repertoire drawn from the rhythm section's days backing Jackson. Locke's blues-inflected solo in the opener, "The Prophet Speaks," and his playfulness in "Opus de Funk" are complemented by LeDonne's light touch on electric piano. Two of the charts come from Jackson's partnership with the late Ray Brown. Brown's soulful scoring of Burt Bacharach's "The Look of Love" adds a tense vamp at the end of each chorus, while Locke and LeDonne (back on grand piano) dig into Brown's hard bop vehicle "Used to Be Jackson." In addition to enjoyable treatments of a pair of standards, LeDonne contributed the soulful "Rev-elation" and Locke the sauntering "Big Town." Cranshaw and Roker provide terrific support throughout the disc. This intimate live recording gives the listener a front row table at this London nightclub. ~Ken Dryden

Rev-Elation 

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Randy Sandke and the Metatonal Big Band - The Subway Ballet

Styles: Trumpet Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:13
Size: 141,2 MB
Art: Front

(1:18)  1. The Subway Ballet: Watch the Closing Doors
(5:35)  2. The Subway Ballet: Dance of the Downtown Punks
(1:07)  3. The Subway Ballet: Electriglide
(4:27)  4. The Subway Ballet: Dance of the Wall Street Brokers
(1:34)  5. The Subway Ballet: Steel Wheels
(4:33)  6. The Subway Ballet: Dance of the Hassidic Diamond Merchants
(1:13)  7. The Subway Ballet: Making Tracks
(4:20)  8. The Subway Ballet: The Blind Beggar Encounters the Korean
(1:01)  9. The Subway Ballet: Momentum
(4:38) 10. The Subway Ballet: Dance of the Midtown Career Women
(0:43) 11. The Subway Ballet: Straphanging
(4:39) 12. The Subway Ballet: Pas de Deux
(1:14) 13. The Subway Ballet: Express Stop
(9:14) 14. The Subway Ballet: 125th Street
(4:36) 15. Music from 1988: Red Hook Blues
(3:13) 16. Music from 1988: Happy Birthday Berlin
(5:10) 17. Music from 1988: How Did It Get So Late
(2:27) 18. Music from 1988: Realization

Trumpeter Randy Sandke, considered a mainstream jazz stylist, reveals another side on this release, compiled from two sessions recorded about fifteen years apart. The Subway Ballet is a wild suite scored for big band (substituting vibes and xylophone for piano) that utilizes a metatonal harmonic approach, frequently sounding like snippets of music written for a suspense movie. Key centers are often fleeting, though most of the charts seem tightly scored. Sandke's compositions fit his individual titles perfectly; it is easy to conjure characters to match them as the music unfolds. Sandke's setting for the piece is in the early '80s, when New York City was viewed as a dangerous place. "Watch the Closing Doors and "Dance of the Downtown Punks are very ominous, followed by the breezy, playful "Electricglide, showcasing trombonist Wycliffe Gordon to good effect, who sounds like he would have enjoyed playing with Spike Jones. Sandke pulls all stops in the hilarious "Dance of the Hassidic Diamond Merchants, which blends traditional Jewish themes with David Krakauer's deliciously loopy clarinet solo. "Making Tracks, featuring alto saxophonist Ted Nash, is suggestive of Eric Dolphy's late work. Although no one has yet choreographed Sandke's intriguing ballet for dancers, it would be a challenging, worthwhile venture.

The last four selections are grouped as "Music From 1988, described by Sandke as unreleased music that never found a home. The highlight, the gritty "Red Hook Blues, finds Jim McNeely making a rare appearance on organ. The eerie "How Did It Get So Late is a modern classical effort intermingling scored and improvised sections. Less interesting are "Happy Birthday Berlin, an ear-jarring techno track that seems out of place and "Realization, with the flavor of a generic rock soundtrack to an '80s action flick. ~ Ken Dryden  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-subway-ballet-randy-sandke-evening-star-records-review-by-ken-dryden.php

Personnel: Chuck Wilson: alto sax, flute, piccolo; Ted Nash: alto sax, flute; Scott Robinson: tenor sax, soprano sax, clarinet; John Allred: trombone; Joe Barati: bass trombone; Steven Bernstein: trumpet, slide trumpet; Erik Charlston: percussion, xylophone, vibraphone; Mike Christianson; trombone; Greg Cohen: bass; Jim Czak: voices; Glenn Drewes: trumpet; John Goldsby: bass; Wycliffe Gordon: trombone; John Riley: drums; John Hayward: drum machine; David Krakauer: clarinet; Jim McNeely: organ, piano; Bob Millikan: trumpet; Gerry Neiwood: flute, alto sax; Randy Sandke: trumpet, flugelhorn, electric guitar, keyboards, piccolo trumpet; Jack Stuckey: bass clarinet, baritone sax; Kenny Washington: drums; Walt Weiskopf: clarinet, tenor sax; Scott Wilson: clarinet, flute, soprano sax, tenor sax.

The Subway Ballet

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Phil Traynor - Still Life

Styles: Jazz, Smooth Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:16
Size: 94,8 MB
Art: Front

(6:01)  1. Martin's Joy
(4:34)  2. For a Moment
(4:49)  3. I Remember Christmas Eve
(4:53)  4. Door to Babylon
(4:43)  5. Legacy #5
(5:10)  6. Down 'n' Out
(5:15)  7. Debbie's Wind
(5:48)  8. Embryo

Still Life is Phil Traynor's fourth CD, and represents over two years of work. Collaborating with some of the finest national and international guitarists, including national fingerstyle champion and Emmy® nominee Pete Huttlinger, Guitar Player Magazine "Guitar Superstar" winner Vicki Genfan, international jazz and fingerstyle virtuoso Adam Rafferty, and some of the Tampa Bay area's finest talent; including Stacey Knights on flute , Dan O'Hara on keyboards , Douglas Lichterman on guitars, Austin Vickrey on saxophone, Kevin Clark on trumpets, and Chris Barbosa on the viola, and dear friends like sax and flute virtuoso Brian Dyre; Still Life is a delightful collection of old-school smooth and contemporary jazz compositions spanning three decades, and bursts with the joy and love that poured into its creation. http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/philtraynor2

Still Life

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Kristine Mills - Kristine Mills Music

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 20:50
Size: 47,9 MB
Art: Front

(2:12)  1. All of Me
(2:40)  2. Vivo Sonhando
(3:00)  3. Everytime We Say Goodbye
(2:29)  4. Blue Skies
(2:29)  5. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
(2:35)  6. Route 66
(2:54)  7. Bônus: Vivo Sonhando - Trio
(2:28)  8. Bônus: You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To - Trio

This, my first cd, is a brief glimpse into the songs and styles that have made me the musician I am today. You'll find a touch of Texas-style blues in each of the tracks whether they are heart-wrenching Cole Porter songs from the Great American Songbook to lush renditions, sung in Portuguese, of a Bossa Nova classic by Antonio Carlos Jobim. I believe that the voice is simply another instrument in the ensemble  just one among the others from the piano to the bass and even the drums. They all speak all work together communicating in our unique language music. https://www.cdbaby.com/cd/kristinemills

Kristine Mills Music

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Seth Walker - Sky Still Blue

Styles: Vocal, Pop/Rock
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:00
Size: 94,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:31)  1. Easy Come, Easy Go
(3:45)  2. Trouble (Don't Want No)
(4:01)  3. Grab Ahold
(3:54)  4. Another Day
(2:56)  5. Tomorrow
(3:25)  6. All That I'm Asking
(4:05)  7. High Wire
(4:16)  8. For A Moment There
(3:59)  9. Either Way I Lose
(2:59) 10. Jesus (Make My Bed)
(4:03) 11. Way Too Far

Since On the Outside, his 2005 debut, songwriter and guitarist Seth Walker has been gradually refining his approach. Early records were full-band exercises of electric Texas juke joint blues. On 2012's fine, self-produced Time Can Change, he showcased a greater diversity in his writing and arrangement. Walker relocated to New Orleans in 2012, and the influence of the Crescent City's musical rainbow is reflected on the excellent Sky Still Blue. Produced by Oliver Wood (Wood Brothers), it is the leanest recording in his catalog. Walker's road band, bassist Steve Mackey and drummer/percussionist Derrick Phillips, are the primary players, but Wood (who co-wrote five tunes here) brought in a handful of supplemental musicians including brother Chris Wood (Medeski, Martin & Wood) on upright bass. Opener "Easy Come, Easy Go" is swampy, jazzy blues, whose melody and lyrics nod toward eternal hepcat Mose Allison, while the guitar work reveals both T-Bone Walker and Jimmie Vaughan.

"Trouble (Don't Want No)" and the slow, moody gospel blues "Jesus (Make My Bed)" are excellent portraits of the rumbling, gritty aspect of Walker's playing and singing. If one listens closely NOLA's deep impression on the songwriter can be heard throughout, but it's especially evident in the slow, slippery combination of gospel and R&B in "Grab Ahold" (one of the tunes the McCrary Sisters appear on) and in the acoustic R&B on "Tomorrow," with its greasy backbeat and upright bass and piano. "All That I'm Askin'" is double-time, second-line funk orchestrated by Ephraim Owens' double-tracked trumpet locking with Chris Wood's upright bas. Here Afro-Cuban and pre-bop jazz meet gritty, vintage R&B, featuring breaking rimshot percussion and chunky guitar vamps along with Brigitte DeMeyer's backing vocal. 

The McCrarys add a sweet chorus to Walker's soulful croon in the Big Easy R&B of "For a Moment There." Van McCoy's soul classic "Either Way I Lose" is interpreted as a jazz-laden blues, with a killer vocal and beguiling guitar work. As evidenced here, Walker has become an excellent singer adding to his skills as a songwriter and guitarist. He has deliberately streamlined his sound and applied what he's learned to what he already knows. The sum is that Sky Still Blue is his finest recording to date. ~ Thom Jurek  http://www.allmusic.com/album/sky-still-blue-mw0002666296

Personnel: Seth Walker (vocals, guitar); Oliver Wood (guitar, background vocals); Ephraim Owens (trumpet); Jano Rix (piano, organ, Wurlitzer organ, drums, percussion, background vocals); Chris Wood (upright bass); Derrek Phillips (drums, percussion); The McCrary Sisters, Brigitte DeMeyer (background vocals).

Sky Still Blue

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Nicolas Folmer - Plays Michel Legrand

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:14
Size: 138,2 MB
Art: Front

(5:50)  1. Oum Le Dauphin
(3:20)  2. Watch What's Happen
(6:05)  3. Tu Dormiras Longtemps
(8:43) 4. The Windmills Of My Mind (Les Moulins De Mon Cœur)
(6:38)  5. Once Upon Summertime
(2:47)  6. Quand Ça Balance!
(5:02)  7. A Quiet Room
(6:40)  8. Papa Can You Hear Me
(4:34)  9. You Must Believe In Spring
(5:50) 10. What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life
(4:40) 11. Summer 42

After “I comme Icare” (Django d’Or new talent) and “Fluide”, Nicolas Folmer, considered as one of the best trumpttist of his generation, signs his third album as leader and is charged with deep emotion for Michel Legrand revisiting his repertoire who really becomes a very important part of French cultural patrimony. Nicolas Folmer, orchestratist himself (he is especially the co-leader of the Paris Jazz Big Band) and unconditional of the composing style and interpreter of Michel Legrand who has proposed this confirmed project. Michel Legrand was invested into this project as well playing piano and singing for 2 headings of this album, and also keeping Nicolas Folmer company and his group in concert. http://www.cristalrecords.com/cristalrecords/en/419

Personnel:  Nicolas Folmer : Trompette, arrangements;  Thierry Eliez : piano;  Jérôme Regard : contrebasse (sauf titres 7, 11);  Mauro Gargano : contrebasse (7, 11);  Benjamin Henocq : batterie;  Michel Legrand : piano, chant (7, 11)

Plays Michel Legrand

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Brother Jack McDuff - Bringin' It Home

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:15
Size: 131.1 MB
Styles: Hard bop, Soul jazz
Year: 1999
Art: Front

[5:16] 1. Cold Duck Time
[7:10] 2. The Scratch
[6:02] 3. Girl Talk
[6:43] 4. After Hours
[8:12] 5. This Masquerade
[5:52] 6. A Time For Love
[3:07] 7. Moohah! Joe Dukes
[8:09] 8. Summertime
[6:40] 9. Pettin' The Cat

1999's Bringin' It Home is a welcome surprise from the killer organist Jack McDuff, whose '90s work was largely devoid of the energy and wit of the classic albums that had made his name. McDuff invites two members of his old crew to the session, saxophonist Red Holloway and guitarist George Benson, who had first made his name playing with McDuff in the '60s. Benson, in particular, sounds revitalized by the association, playing with more spunk than he's managed in years. A couple of decades' worth of crossover jazz will take the fire out of anyone's playing, but Benson's solo on Eddie Harris' "Cold Duck Time" is a marvel of funky economy that sounds like Steve Cropper with hot jazz chops. The other key member of McDuff's classic lineup, the late drummer Joe Dukes, is remembered with McDuff's sweet and playful tribute "Moohah! Joe Dukes." Simply recorded, sounding like it was cut live in the studio, Bringin' It Home sounds bracingly direct, and though it doesn't rank with McDuff's best work, it's a sight better than anyone could have expected at such a late date. ~Stewart Mason

Bringin' It Home

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Chris Connor - Lush Life

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:16
Size: 76.2 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 1959/2010
Art: Front

[3:04] 1. All About Ronnie
[2:48] 2. Miser's Serenade
[2:16] 3. Everything I Love
[2:59] 4. Indian Summer
[2:17] 5. I Hear Music
[2:42] 6. Come Back To Sorrento
[2:52] 7. Out Of This World
[2:51] 8. Lush Life
[2:27] 9. From This Moment On
[3:24] 10. A Good Man Is A Seldom Thing
[2:30] 11. Don't Wait Up For Me
[3:00] 12. Fly Me To The Moon

One of the classy, cool jazz vocalists from the 1950s, Chris Connor was in the midst of a comeback at age 48 when she appeared at the Great American Music Hall on October 22, 1976. A one-time singer for the Stan Kenton Orchestra, she had a successful run as a solo artist with Atlantic Records, beginning with 1956's self-titled debut and concluding with 1962's Free Spirits. There followed a lull in her recording career until 1972's Sketches on the obscure Stanyan label, which included her jazzy renditions of pop hits of the day. For this GAMH performance, the husky-voiced singer with the perfect intonation, fluid phrasing and assured sense of swing alternated between jazz standards and interpretations of current pop tunes. Her sublime take on Billy Strayhorn's melancholy, harmonically rich "Lush Life" is imbued with deep understanding of the lyrics and a stirring delivery. The full range of Connors' haunting voice is on display here. She is clearly in command of her emotive powers at this stage in her career.

Lush Life

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Grant Stewart - + 4

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:57
Size: 137.2 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[7:29] 1. You 'n' Me
[8:39] 2. Yesterdays
[6:42] 3. Cohn On The Cob
[5:57] 4. Limehouse Blues
[8:59] 5. The Folks Who Live On The Hill
[8:27] 6. Sabia
[7:22] 7. Lonely Town
[6:20] 8. You Leave Me Breathless

Grant Stewart: tenor saxophone; Joe Cohn: guitar; Bill Charlap: piano; Paul Gill: bass; Willie Jones III: drums.

Grant Stewart is a young Canadian tenor saxophonist with a big, burly sound and plenty of drive. On Grant Stewart + 4, he demonstrates his command of both his instrument and the hard bop idiom. He swings without pretense and his top-shelf sidemen move things along with considerable brio. Stewart's improvisations are marked by long, rolling lines and heated swing. He displays a cohesive sense of invention even at the fastest tempos, as on "Limehouse Blues," for example. And while Stewart is deeply indebted to Sonny Rollins, he's clearly looking for his own approach, making interesting and original note choices throughout. His flaring solo on "Lonely Town" is especially good.

Guitarist Joe Cohn is also a big part of the success of this album, through sleek, clean solos and clever arrangements, which serve to lift these proceedings well above the usual blowing date. Cohn is highlighted on "Yesterdays," on which he interacts sensitively with Stewart, and where his arrangement adds a fresh dimension to the oft-played chestnut. Pianist Bill Charlap nearly steals the album. His improvising is absolutely fresh and distinctive, using space to advantage, varying phrase lengths, and overall providing a classic reminder that jazz is, after all, supposed to be the sound of surprise.

In keeping with the sound of surprise, Grant Stewart + 4 successfully mines the tricky terrain of repertoire with rarely played songs, clever originals, and less conventional song treatments. "You Leave Me Breathless," for example, is played as an up-tempo romp, rather than a ballad. In fact, most of the program is played at fast and even faster tempos, and Stewart's cooking rhythm section nails it every time. Even at the fearsome speeds of "Limehouse Blues" and "You Leave Me Breathless," bassist Paul Gill and drummer Willie Jones III maintain solid, vibrant swing. Grant Stewart + 4 may not be innovative, but it is very, very good.

+ 4

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Mose Vinson - Piano Man

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:52
Size: 89.0 MB
Styles: Piano blues, Boogie woogie
Year: 1997/2015
Art: Front

[2:15] 1. Pinetop's Boogie Woogie
[2:02] 2. Same Thing On My Mind
[3:44] 3. I've Been Playing Ever Since I Was Five Years Old-Dishrag, He's Dead Now
[3:05] 4. 4 O'clock In The Morning
[1:29] 5. What A Friend We Have In Jesus
[1:30] 6. Precious Lord Take My Hand
[1:33] 7. Darktown Strutter's Ball
[1:33] 8. Just Because
[3:12] 9. My Mule
[2:09] 10. What Is Your Life
[1:59] 11. Three Hand Boogie
[1:19] 12. Boogie Woogie
[2:58] 13. Tell It Like It Is, My Girlfriend Won't Be Still
[1:59] 14. My Father Was A Gambler
[2:09] 15. 44 Blues
[1:36] 16. Me And Booker T
[2:21] 17. That's All Right Little Girl
[1:51] 18. Leaning On The Everlasting Arms

One of Memphis' last practitioners of barrel house blues and boogie woogie piano, Mose Vinson was family and a regular fixture at Center programs and festivals for over twenty year before his death in 2002. His music sessions transformed the Center's Beale Street locations into something special. You never knew who might show up and learn from Mose. One week it might be Rufus Thomas. Another, it might be Marcia Ball or Cybill Shepherd. But audiences, especially children, were drawn to Vinson who would light up at the presence of youngsters. He loved to call them up on stage to playfully give them piano lessons.

Mose Vinson began tinkling the ivories as a child. Though young people often had to work in the fields around his native Holly Springs, Mississippi, he knew his hands were not made to pick cotton! By his teens, he had begun playing jazz and blues and joined a touring show, establishing himself as a musician. "I just play my own style," he says. "I never did practice anyone else's style." He played local juke house and parties throughout the '30s and '40s in rural communities and neighborhoods in Mississippi and Tennessee. In the early 1950s, Sam Phillips asked Mose Vinson to accompany a number of Sun Records blues artists, most notably James Cotton in 1954. During that time, Phillips also had Vinson cut some tracks, but they remained unreleased until the 1980s.

In 1997, Mose had his day in the sun when "Mose Vinson: Piano Man", an album of his favorite blues, boogie woogie, and religious tunes, was produced by Jim Dickinson, Knox Phillips and Center for Southern Folklore Executive Producer, Judy Peiser. The 2007 Memphis Music & Heritage Festival was dedicated to his memory and re-released "Mose Vinson: Piano Man" with a Poster showing Mose playing at a country juke house. ~Patricia Hennessy

Piano Man

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Deanna Witkowski - From This Place

Styles: Vocal And Piano Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:17
Size: 138,4 MB
Art: Front

(6:44)  1. Let My Prayer Rise (Psalm 141)
(5:34)  2. I Heard The Voice Of Jesus Say
(4:49)  3. From This Place
(2:37)  4. Evening Mass: Kyrie
(3:07)  5. Evening Mass: Gloria
(2:53)  6. Evening Mass: Sanctus
(2:43)  7. Evening Mass: Agnus Dei
(6:53)  8. O, The Deep, Deep Love
(2:52)  9. Christ The Light
(3:19) 10. Never Before
(1:39) 11. Make Your Wonders Known
(5:45) 12. Pass Me Not
(3:51) 13. Keep In Mind
(2:48) 14. Take My Life And Let It Be
(3:36) 15. Song Of Simeon

Deanna Witkowski takes the spiritual road on From This Place through gospel, Catholic liturgy, blues and jazz, and 19th century text to which she has written music. Sacred music and jazz have come together through Mary Lou Williamsand Duke Ellington, to name two, while John Coltrane brought in his own ardent beliefs to several of his compositions. Witkowski's sacerdotal calling is strongl manifested, particularly in the sincerity of her singing.

"Let My Prayer Rise (Psalm 141)" is a gospel tune with Donny McCaslin laying the groove on the tenor saxophone. His warmth embraces the innate fervor with Witkowski adding to the impact with her pure, soaring voice. McCaslin is comfortable in several situations and this is one more for him; he makes it a memorable experience. Laila Biali and Kate McGarry join Witkowski on the a capella "Never Before," the purity of their harmonies circling and descending in a cloak of velvet. The words, written by Witkowski, are a testament to her faith and sound unabashedly naked in their sensibility; they harken back to the time when the human soul sought the spirit of the Lord and found communion with it. The mood is relaxed when Peter Eldridge turns up for a quartet to take on the joyous "Keep in Mind" accompanied by the piano and a melodic turn of phrase on the electric bass by John Patitucci. The juxtaposition of the two works well with the intensity of the first being calmed by the relaxing timbre of the second.

The modern does not escape her and Witkowski gives "Take My Life and Let it Be" and "Song of Simeon" straightforward contemporary turns. They are intensely personal evocations, but "Take My Life and Let It Be" may be in better form because of the harmonies. Witkowski comes up solidly on the side of faith and those who lean towards religious music will be rewarded. ~ Jerry D’Souza  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/from-this-place-deanna-witkowski-tilapia-records-review-by-jerry-dsouza.php

Personnel: Deanna Witkowski: piano, vocals; Donny McCaslin: soprano and tenor saxophones; John Patitucci: acoustic and electric basses; Scott Latzky: drums; Laila Biali: vocals (5, 7, 10, 13); Peter Eldridge: vocals (5, 7, 13); Kate McGarry: vocals (5, 7, 10, 13).

From This Place

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Phil Traynor - Autumn Breeze

Styles: Jazz, Smooth Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:58
Size: 119,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:58)  1. Brownstone
(6:23)  2. Autumn Breeze
(5:33)  3. Abby
(4:53)  4. Thoroughly Lorber
(3:24)  5. Alone
(6:31)  6. Across Gibraltar
(3:52)  7. Faeries in the Glen
(5:39)  8. Songabout
(2:47)  9. Thoughts to Myself
(4:23) 10. In Flight
(2:30) 11. Brownstone (reprise)

Autumn Breeze is the culmination of 25 years of songwriting, arranging, and playing experiences. It is a passionate collection of jazz with influences ranging from Jeff Lorber to Chuck Mangione to Bob James to Pat Metheny, and other greats in the jazz and folk world. Phil has put together a distinguished group of outstanding musicians on this CD; including Emmy® winner and two-time Grammy® winner Chris Vadala (The Chuck Mangione Quartet); Emmy® nominee, and national fingerstyle guitar champion Pete Huttlinger (John Denver, LeAnn Rimes, many others); Tampa Bay smooth jazz saxophone and vocal legend Stacey Knights; guitarists John Kelly, Douglas Lichterman, and Jimmy Dacey; keyboardist Dan O'Hara; and the incredible brass work of Bayside Horns. http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/PhilTraynor1

Autumn Breeze

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Roger Kellaway - Ain't Misbehavin'

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1986
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:18
Size: 136,2 MB
Art: Front

(7:36)  1. A Time For Love
(8:33)  2. Here's That Rainy Day
(5:49)  3. Ain't Misbehavin'
(7:17)  4. How Deep Is The Ocean
(7:25)  5. Blue and Green
(8:43)  6. Skylark
(7:10)  7. Emily
(6:43)  8. Alice Blue Gown

Roger Kellaway is a brilliant two-handed pianist whose versatile style and strong sense of humor keep him open to idioms ranging from swing to free jazz, pop to classical. On this date, he digs into six standards. "A Time for Love" and "Here's That Rainy Day" drag a bit, but things improve after that, particularly during a mid-tempo "How Deep Is the Ocean" and an adventurous exploration of "Skylark." Ain't Misbehavin' is one of Kellaway's better jazz dates. [A Japanese edition of the CD was also released.] ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/aint-misbehavin-mw0000528037

Personnel: Roger Kellaway (piano).

Ain't Misbehavin'

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Rick Fay & Friends - Hello Horn!

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:35
Size: 146,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:17)  1. Shine
(4:15)  2. Limehouse Blues
(4:31)  3. Squeeze Me
(4:58)  4. Someday Sweetheart
(4:38)  5. Japanese sandman
(3:11)  6. Rose of Washington Square
(4:16)  7. Two Buck Tim
(3:58)  8. Hello Horn!
(4:48)  9. Spain
(4:12) 10. Lone Pine
(5:15) 11. Do What Your Mother Did
(5:14) 12. Gee Baby Ain't I Good To You
(5:21) 13. Cake Walking Babies from Home
(4:36) 14. Take-a-Bow Blues

The second release from the Arbors label once again features multi-reedist Rick Fay on clarinet, tenor and soprano. The most notable aspect of this CD is that the colorful cornetist Ernie Carson is well showcased, featured with the septet that also includes trombonist Charlie Bornemann and a four-piece rhythm section. 

All three of the horn players sing in spots as best they can, but it is the instrumentals (most notably "Shine," "Japanese Sandman," "Spain" and "Cake Walkin' Babies From Home") that make this a recommended set for Dixieland fans. https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/hello-horn!/id207961553

Personnel: Rick Fay (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone).

Hello Horn!

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Ben Paterson - For Once In My Life

Size: 138,9 MB
Time: 59:52
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz: Hammond Organ
Art: Front

01. Cuban Chant (5:56)
02. I'll Close My Eyes (6:35)
03. 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover (4:13)
04. Cry Me A River (6:01)
05. For Once In My Life (7:47)
06. Decision (3:51)
07. Nutville (4:23)
08. Blues For C.F (4:47)
09. Near Miss (4:59)
10. We'll Be Together Again (4:47)
11. I've Never Been In Love Before (6:27)

For Once in My Life is Ben Paterson's fourth album as a leader but first as an organist. In his native Philadelphia—home to such giants of the Hammond as Jimmy Smith, Shirley Scott, Charles Earland and Joey DeFrancesco—Paterson was known as a pianist. He began doubling on organ while living in Chicago, and by the time he moved to New York City in 2013 was gigging regularly on organ and piano all over Manhattan, from Harlem in the north to Greenwich Village in the south. One of the reasons he made the move to organ, Paterson says, is "I get to be the bassist."

That he does. On the other hand, that doesn't mean Paterson is shy of any rhythmic support on this agreeable session, as his teammates in the trio are the splendid guitarist Peter Bernstein and drummer George Fludas, long a mainstay on the Chicago scene and someone who keeps unerring time while giving Paterson and Bernstein ample space in which to flex their creative muscles. As an organist (as he was as a pianist), Paterson eschews flash for substance, preferring for the most part to let the music speak for itself. Even though the technique is sound, there is little in the way of bombast or running the scales for swaggering's sake. Instead, Paterson shapes his solos with care, using a nimble right hand to underscore his purpose while adding expansive chords when needed.

Fludas has the first word on Ray Bryant's rhythmic "Cubano Chant," the opening theme in a program that encompasses five standards, original compositions by Paul Simon ("50 Ways to Leave Your Lover"), Sonny Rollins ("Decision") and Horace Silver ("Nutville"), and Paterson's "Blues for C.F." and "Near Miss." Besides the title selection, the standards are Billy Reid's "I'll Close My Eyes," Arthur Hamilton's "Cry Me a River," Carl Fischer / Frankie Laine's "We'll Be Together Again" and Frank Loesser's "I've Never Been in Love Before." The trio plays each one close to the vest, drawing out the harmonious assets before plumbing its more innovative depths.

Paterson imparts the melody on every number save "We'll Be Together Again," a showcase for Bernstein's burnished guitar. While he and Paterson are front and center most often, Fludas makes the most of the occasional chance to unveil his chops. The three work well as a team, and For Once in My Life marks an impressive debut for "organist" Ben Paterson. ~by Jack Bowers

Personnel: Ben Paterson: organ; Peter Bernstein: guitar; George Fludas: drums.

For Once In My Life

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Elsie Bianchi Trio - The Sweetest Sound

Size: 106,3 MB
Time: 45:26
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1965/2015
Styles: Jazz: Swing, Cool Jazz, Vocals
Art: Front

01. Teach Me Tonight (3:11)
02. Fallin' In Love With Love (4:02)
03. Little Bird (3:06)
04. A Sleepin' Bee (3:51)
05. The Shadows Of Paris (4:08)
06. Fiddler On The Roof (3:33)
07. The Sweetest Sound (2:48)
08. Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most (4:22)
09. Meditation (3:46)
10. Why Did I Choose You (3:50)
11. Little Blues (3:38)
12. Guess Who I Saw Today (5:07)

Swiss singer-pianist Elsie Bianchi may not be a household name, but from the early 1950s through the 60’s she was one of the best jazz singers in Europe. Her sensuous voice and hip phrasing has shades of Anita O’Day. Elsie first gained fame through her appearances at the Zurich Jazz Festival in the early 50’s. Elsie and husband bassist Siro Bianchi toured the USA in 1958-59, playing at the legendary Lighthouse jazz club south of LA. She and Siro then began playing winters in Europe and summers in America before permanently moving to the States. Siro and MPS ‘house drummer’ Charly Antolini make it a tight trio. The standards Teach Me Tonight and Falling in Love show off Bianchi’s sophisticated voice and relaxed piano play, along with some impressive scatting. Elsie sticks to piano on the up tempo Latin Little Bird. There’s the comfortable swing of A Sleepin’ Bee, Mancini’s atmospheric waltz the Shadows of Paris, a jazzy instrumental on Fiddler On The Roof, and the title tune, an up-tempo piece of hopeful love. Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most is an evocative instrumental ballad. Jobim’s Meditation brings on the bossa groove, and Elsie croons the heart-felt ballad Why Did I Choose You. Little Blues features the composer on piano and the trio in a shuffle groove. The ballad Guess Who I Saw Today tells the story of love betrayed.

The Sweetest Sound

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Scott Hamilton & Jeff Hamilton Trio - Hamilton & Hamilton: Live In Bern

Size: 156,7 MB
Time: 67:50
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz: Mainstream Jazz
Art: Front

01. September In The Rain (Live) (4:50)
02. All Through The Night (Live) (5:39)
03. Watch What Happens (Live) (5:11)
04. Soul Eyes (Live) (4:40)
05. This Can't Be Love (Live) (5:05)
06. There'll Be Some Changes Made (Live) (3:44)
07. Sybille's Day (Live) (5:23)
08. Key Largo (Live) (6:16)
09. Woody 'n' You (Live) (7:11)
10. The Champ (Live) (4:14)
11. Ballad For Very Tired And Very Sad Lotus Eaters (Live) (3:52)
12. You And The Night And The Music (Live) (5:16)
13. Centerpiece (Live) (6:24)

Saxophone master Scott Hamilton and drum maestro Jeff Hamilton have over four decades of experience each in the world of mainstream, swinging, jazz. Despite those many years on the scene Live In Bern is their first release together. It's been a long wait, but it's been worth it.

Before the important discussion—about the music—a word about the band and the album title. This isn't an album by the "Scott Hamilton & Jeff Hamilton Trio"—to be accurate, it's Scott Hamilton with the Jeff Hamilton Trio. Neither, despite the title, does it sound like a live album. It was recorded in Bern—in Marians Jazzroom, during a single session lasting less than eight hours—but while the venue is certainly a club, there's no sense of an audience being present. So "as live" might tell it more like it is.

The sound quality is excellent, from bassist Christof Luty's lower register to Jeff Hamilton's hi-hat, with Scott Hamilton's tenor and Tamir Hendelman's piano coming across with exceptional clarity and warmth. So while the Hamilton brothers (no, they're not, only joking) get name-checked on the CD cover, pianist Hendelman and bassist Luty deserve honorable mentions for their own contributions, which do much to give the tunes a full, rich and above all swinging feel.

There are plenty of familiar standards here—the cool and relaxed swing of "September In The Rain," a slow and dreamy "Key Largo"—but there's also one or two lesser-known (or at least less frequently recorded) tunes. Billy Strayhorn's "Ballad For Very Tired And Very Sad Lotus Eaters" stands out in this exalted company, the melodic and evocative tenor sax floating over an understated accompaniment from the remaining players.

There's just one original number, Jeff Hamilton's "Sybille's Day": a joyful mid-tempo tune driven by the composer's shuffle beat. However, the mix of familiar and not-so-familiar old tunes never sounds tired or hackneyed. This is a wily quartet of musicians whose flair and vivacity jumps out of the speakers, ensuring that this collection of straight-ahead gems sparkles from start to finish. ~by Bruce Lindsay

Personnel: Scott Hamilton: tenor saxophone; Tamir Hendelman: piano; Christof Luty: bass; Jeff Hamilton: drums.

Hamilton & Hamilton Live In Bern

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Ann Hampton Callaway - Hope Of Christmas

Size: 121,2 MB
Time: 51:49
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz Vocals, Holidays
Art: Front

01. On Union Street (A Christmas Toast) (4:10)
02. The Hope Of Christmas (4:07)
03. One Star (4:31)
04. Discovery (5:08)
05. I Believe (3:46)
06. I Saw A Sparrow (3:15)
07. Santa Doesn't Like Me (3:36)
08. Christmas Isn't Christmas At All (4:41)
09. I Want To Play Santa (4:27)
10. What Good Is Being Cranky (When It's Christmas Time) (4:02)
11. My Gift Of Thanks (4:18)
12. Fly With The Angels (5:44)

HE HOPE OF CHRISTMAS is a new collection of Christmas songs interpreted by multiplatinum-selling singer, Tony nominated actress, pianist and leading champion of the American songbook, Ann Hampton Callaway, with lyrics by two-time Emmy® Award winner William Schermerhorn, and featuring twenty-nine of the world's best jazz musicians, including Five Play, New York Voices, Hubert Laws, Claudio Roditi, Gerald Albright, The Ted Rosenthal Trio and more.

Hope Of Christmas

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