Danny Weis - Sweet Spot

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 52:19

Size: 119.8 MB

Styles: Smooth jazz, Guitar jazz

Year: 2005

Art: Front

[4:21] 1. Sweet Spot

[3:28] 2. Turn It Up

[3:45] 3. Cat's Meow

[0:42] 4. Country Licks (Interlude)

[3:57] 5. Angel's Flight

[0:44] 6. Apricot Brandy (Interlude)

[4:49] 7. Graham Street Shuffle

[6:06] 8. What Would It Take

[0:37] 9. Funk Tracks

[2:51] 10. Inglewood

[1:29] 11. East Of The Sun

[4:18] 12. Dinner At Nine

[3:37] 13. It's About Time

[4:45] 14. Gun Slinger

[2:44] 15. Somewhere Over The Rainbow

[3:57] 16. Keep The Faith

The smooth jazz/contemporary instrumental genre proved kind to former rock guitar gods like Craig Chaquico and Neal Schon, and a decade after they first made their mark with solo discs, Iron Butterfly founding member Danny Weis tried his hand at it -- spectacularly as it turned out. Simple research shows that Weis left the Iron Butterfly fold just before they released their classic In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida album, so Toronto's Marshmellow Records wasn't able to bill their new artist as the guy who played one of the biggest solos in rock history. Hopefully, the classic rock connections will still draw people into this very solid and enjoyable 16-track set, which opens with the airplay friendly, midtempo title track featuring the spirited duality of Weis and alto saxman Vern Dorge. There's great stylistic variety the rest of the way, from the crisp, blistering, bluesy funk (think a very hip, 2000s Average White Band) of "Turn It Up" to the Larry Carlton-flavored crying electric ballad "Cat's Meow," the blues-rock, distorted guitar-spiced bar band jams "Graham Street Shuffle" and "Inglewood," and even a tender solo reading of "Over the Rainbow." No doubt the opening track and sweet ballads like "Angel's Flight" put Weis in the smooth jazz world, but the real heart of the disc comes from tracks like "Gunslinger," a simmering, percussive, horn-drenched rocker that transcends the usual light funk of the genre. Two 43-second interludes are probably unnecessary, but the fanciful and organic "Country Licks" and "Apricot Brandy" show yet another side of Weis' deep artistry. Sweet indeed. ~Jonathan Widran

Sweet Spot

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Kenny Drew, Jr. & Larry Coryell - Duality

Styles: Piano And Guitar Jazz
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:12
Size: 151,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:39)  1. Silver's Serenade
(7:43)  2. Farmer's Waltz
(6:56)  3. The Night Has a Thousand Eyes
(4:56)  4. Szabodar
(6:47)  5. A Silent War
(5:53)  6. Nostalgia in Times Square
(6:28)  7. Oil on Water
(7:11)  8. Goodbye Mr. Jones
(5:46)  9. Duality: Nenad's Sonata
(8:48) 10. Moanin'

The jazz duo affords its participants wonderful opportunities to stretch out creatively. Ideas, suggestions and negotiations of all musical kinds percolate back and forth. And, in the best of instances, they birth new nuggets for further development and exploration. At the same time, the duet framework can possibly limit, as competitive natures and stylistic dichotomies might overtake the mutual partnership and pose distraction. Duality, which features the marvelous talents of pianist Kenny Drew, Jr. and guitarist Larry Coryell, epitomizes the absolute best in piano-guitar duo playing. The improvisational banter, the interplay and feeding of ideas throughout this effort is pure listening joy. Drew and Coryell work so well together that interest never wanes, regardless of tempo, tune or musical genre. What emanates from the musical mind-melding of these the two superbly cooperative and inventive artists is jazz elegance, swing, and subtle, creative power.

Horace Silver's "Silver's Serenade" sends the duo mission off on a neat mid-tempo foray. Whether guitar takes the melody, as Coryell's mellow playing does on this cut, or Drew's keyboard elsewhere, the result is a richness, a fullness easily giving an illusion of a larger musical unit. Both these fine players understand and brilliantly display the subtleties of accompanying a soloist. "Farmer's Waltz" lilts lightly, with Drew and Coryell stretching out and never straining. Drew's touch, as his ability to stretch an improvisational idea, is all taste, with technique never dominating musicality. Likewise, Coryell deploys masterful technical wizardry to grab an idea, run with it and share. What makes Duality so much fun is the respect that permeates it; this is no cutting contest. Drew, ever the technician, and Coryell, a true virtuoso, take snippets of ideas, and permutate and volley them back and forth. "The Night Has a Thousand Eyes" puts the duo in a fire-starter, up-tempo environment; both answer the bell, with ideas drawn from their respective, burning technical abilities. 

Each player contributes original compositions as well: Coryell with three; and Drew with two. There's occasional subtle humor and note play, too, with Drew quoting a comped "New York, New York" during Charles Mingus "Nostalgia in Times Square." Coryell's "Oil on Water" broods, and Drew's salute to Hank Jones, "Goodbye, Mr. Jones," swings. "Duality: Nenad's Sonata" sends up Coryell's acoustic and amplified guitars running rapid fragments and comping chords in a stellar multi-movement showcase of strum. Bobby Timmons' classic, "Moanin,'" gets a cool, swinging treatment, with both Drew and Coryell displaying marvelous, soulful statements. Duality is a prime example of first class musicianship and sublime improvisational partnership. Duo albums or that of any sized ensemble simply don't get more enjoyable than this. ~ Nicholas F.Mondello  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/duality-larry-coryell-random-act-records-review-by-nicholas-f-mondello.php
 

Personnel: Kenny Drew, Jr.: piano; Larry Coryell: guitar.

Duality

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Mélanie Dahan - La Princesse Et Les Croque-Notes

Styles: Vocal, Chanson
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:21
Size: 127,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:58)  1. La Salle Et La Terrasse
(4:29)  2. L'enfant Maquillé
(6:52)  3. La Princesse Et Le Croque-Notes
(6:14)  4. Les Poètes
(4:57)  5. J'aimerais Tant Savoir
(1:44)  6. Rimes
(4:10)  7. Je Hais Les Dimanche
(6:29)  8. Si Tu Me Payes Un Verre
(5:17)  9. A Bicyclette
(3:42) 10. La Mer À Boire
(1:01) 11. Je Me Suis Fait Tout Petit
(5:22) 12. Le Petit Bal Perdu

There is a certain something about La Princesse et les Croque-Notes, and it is the same je ne sais quoi that exists in the first blush of wine and in the beguiling smile of Mona Lisa. It is that mesmerizing something filled with duende and saudades. It is Spanish and African and Brazilian all rolled into French, but above all it is, tantalizing, memorable, chanson and jazz. Melanie Dahan is a vocalist of the highest order and on this record she connects the art of chanson from its earliest times through modern chanson turning the music of Charles Aznavour, Jacques Brel and Leo Ferre into contemporary standards swirling in a powerful vortex of jazz. Blessed with a gymnastic contralto Dahan stretches her lithe voice to leap and dart and soar across a vocal stratosphere as if she were painting a canvas delicately with sound. Whether she is channeling pathos or being heraldic, Dahan appears able to pirouette across space, glide subtly between tones and she can vault from rhythmic precipice to rhythmic precipice, always seeming to recover enough to take flight again.

Her vocals are deliciously dainty on "La Salle et la Terrasse," feminine yet sinewy on "L'enfant Maquille" and majestic on "La Princesse et le Croque Notes," all the while being the model of precision in her interpretations of the inner rhythms and slurring gentility of the chansons of Aznavour and Brassens. On Claude Nougaro and Aldo Romano's "Rimes," she hits the rhythmic center of the music with aplomb and she shows she can skit puckishly on Pierre Bourouh and Francis Lai's "A Bicyclette." On every other song, especially "La mer a Boire," she finds the heart of the piece from the very first notes she begins to sing. This is contemporary chanson at its very best. There are moments though when Dahan steers her song through the heart of the polyphonic song, conjuring up spirits of rondeau, virelai and chanson baladee just a hint though, enough to praise the art and worship at the altar of its high priests and priestesses from Daufay to Piaf.

In a miraculous manner, Dahan the producer has also managed to bring just that perfect musical balance to the instrumentation of each song with the core group of bassist Marc-Michel le Bevillon and drummer Matthieu Chazarenc. But the most magnificent interplay is between vocalist and pianist. On songs like "La Salle..." and the title track, when vocalist and pianist get into the heart of the song, it feels as if medieval sorcery is at work. Not since Chick Corea and Flora Purim on Light As A Feather (Polydor, 1973) and specially on "500 Miles High," has there been such a sublime, symbiotic relationship between singer and pianist. And now Melanie Dahan and Giovanni Mirabassi on La Princesse et les Croque-Notes intertwine in a marvelous relationship of music and lyric poetry. The art of chanson cavorts sensuously with the art of jazz in an unforgettable way. ~ Raul D’Gama Rose  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/la-princesse-et-les-croque-notes-melanie-dahan-sunnyside-records-review-by-raul-dgama-rose.php
 

Personnel: Melanie Dahan: voice; Giovanni Mirabassi; piano; Marc-Michel le Bevillon: contrabass; Matthieu Chazarenc; drums; Pierrick Pedron: alto saxophone (5, 9).

La Princesse Et Les Croque-Notes

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Cootie Williams - Cootie Williams in Hi-Fi

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1958
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:09
Size: 152,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:28)  1. Just in Time
(3:17)  2. Summit Ridge Drive
(3:40)  3. Nevertheless, I'm in Love with You
(3:27)  4. On the Street Where You Live
(3:19)  5. I'll See You in My Dreams
(2:54)  6. Contrasts
(3:40)  7. Caravan
(2:37)  8. If I Could Be with You One Hour Tonight
(3:12)  9. Air Mail Special
(3:40) 10. My Old Flame
(3:23) 11. Swingin' Down the Lane
(3:02) 12. New Concerto for Cootie
(2:28) 13. Rinky Dink
(2:28) 14. Please Give Your Love to Me
(2:43) 15. Block Rock
(2:03) 16. Percy Speaks
(2:07) 17. Now That You've Loved Me
(2:29) 18. Blue Sunday
(2:19) 19. Available Lover
(2:21) 20. It's All in Your Mind
(2:34) 21. It Hurts Me
(2:08) 22. Rangoon
(2:39) 23. Boomerang

With the possible exception of cornball trumpeter Clyde McCoy, nobody could impart humanistic sounds to a plunger mute like Cootie Williams. Certainly nobody could make a trumpet growl like he did, full of feral shrieks and blasts and vocal tones galore. As a member of the Duke Ellington Orchestra during its heyday, Williams was big enough potatoes that when he left Ellington to join up with Benny Goodman in the early '40s, it prompted a tune titled "When Cootie Left the Duke." No two ways about it, the man could blow. As part of the 100th birthday celebration of all things Ellington, RCA is reissuing all the solo projects done by his famous sidemen. This 12-song album from 1958 appended with 11 more that appeared as singles from the year before shows that Williams' broad style was still mightily intact some 30 years after joining the Ellington fold. Unlike the other Ellington sidemen projects in this series, Williams performs on Cootie Williams in Hi-Fi with a full-blown big band, turning in swinging readings of such chestnuts as "Just in Time," "Summit Ridge Drive," and "My Old Flame." Oddly, these big-band sides don't honor the Duke musically except when Cootie and the band tackle old favorites like "Caravan." 

The non-album tracks are a varied lot. "Rinky Dink" sounds like a Bill Doggett outtake (and features some uncharacteristically bluesy rock & roll guitar from Kenny Burrell!); other tracks skirt the place where blues and R&B meet jazz, at the end of a dark alley. But just listen to that closing blast from Williams on "New Concerto for Cootie," which officially closed the original LP, and you'll know that Cootie Williams remained a Duke man to the end. ~ Cub Koda  http://www.allmusic.com/album/cootie-williams-in-hi-fi-mw0000644877

Personnel: Cootie Williams (trumpet); Romeo Penque, Elwyn Fraser, Phil Bodner, Boomie Richman, Al Klink, Stanley Webb, Nick Caiazza (saxophone); Lou McGarity, Billy Byers, Bobby Byrne, Chauncey Welsch (trombone); Richard Hixon (bass trombone); Hank Jones, Henry Rowland, Lou Stein (piano); Tony Mottola, Barry Galbraith, George Barnes (guitar); Eddie Safranski (acoustic bass); Osie Johnson, Don Lamond (drums).

Cootie Williams in Hi-Fi

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Anton Schwartz - Flash Mob

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:57
Size: 159,0 MB
Art: Front

(6:08)  1. Flash Mob
(5:09)  2. Swamp Thang
(7:47)  3. Cumulonimbus
(6:48)  4. Pangur Ban
(6:33)  5. Alleybird
(7:52)  6. Spurious Causes
(7:19)  7. La Mesha
(4:28)  8. Epistrophy
(6:07)  9. Glass Half Missing
(4:12) 10. The Contender
(4:29) 11. Dawn Song

No matter how sophisticated his writing or wide-ranging his solos, Bay Area tenor saxophonist and composer Anton Schwartz never strays far from the verities of hard-bop blues and roots on his fifth album, Flash Mob. Even his quintet’s cover of Thelonious Monk’s “Epistrophy” rides on a second-line rhythm. “Swamp Thang,” meanwhile, is the sweetest, fastest medium-tempo boogaloo you’d want to hear this side of “Watermelon Man.” The opening, title track at first sounds like a typical minor-mode hard-bop flagwaver. But pianist Taylor Eigsti accelerates his solo to a furious tempo with bassist John Shifflett and drummer Lorca Hart weaving a dense pattern of counter rhythms alongside him. Eigsti lays down a beautiful variety of patterns before Schwartz’s solo takes things down for more spare ruminations.

Schwartz also knows how to leave space in his songs. “Cumulonimbus” changes shapes by alternating a rubato theme with a driving 3/4 bridge, and offers a short, rhapsodic unaccompanied passage from Eigsti. On the slow blues “Alleybird,” trumpeter Dominick Farinacci takes the first solo with just bass accompaniment before Eigsti joins in and the piece assumes a gospel fervor. Just about all of these songs have the kind of shapely themes you can imagine other players wanting to cover. In fact, Schwartz’s tempo-shifting “Spurious Causes” is a good match for “La Mesha,” the Kenny Dorham ballad that follows it. There are other pleasures, such as the complementary styles of Schwartz and Farinacci, the former ardent and gritty, the latter dark-hued and lyrical. But for everybody here, the tune’s the thing. Which is another good lesson from hard-bop. 

~ Jon Garelick  http://antonjazz.com/reviews/downbeat-flash-mob/

Personnel: Anton Schwartz: tenor saxophone; Dominick Farinacci: trumpet & flugelhorn; Taylor Eigsti: piano; John Shiffet: bass; Lorca Hart: drums.

Flash Mob

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Dick Johnson Quartet - Music For Swinging Moderns

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:53
Size: 171.5 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[3:08] 1. The Lady Is A Tramp
[4:06] 2. The Things We Did
[3:07] 3. The Belle Of The Ball
[3:13] 4. Honey Bun
[3:34] 5. Why Was I Born
[3:06] 6. Poinciana
[4:12] 7. Like Someone In Love
[5:38] 8. Stars Fell On Alabama
[3:34] 9. You've Changed
[6:32] 10. Lee-Antics
[2:30] 11. It's So Peaceful In The Country
[3:05] 12. Aw C'mon Hoss
[4:23] 13. Stella By Starlight
[4:38] 14. Me 'n' Dave
[3:51] 15. It's Bad For Me
[5:13] 16. The End Of A Love Affair
[7:24] 17. Foderol
[3:32] 18. The Loop

Dick Johnson (as), Dave McKenna, Bill Havemann (p), Chuck Sagle, Dave Poskonka, Wilbur Ware (b), Philly Joe Jones, Bob McKee (d). Sessions recorded in Chicago, 1956 and in New York, 1957.

Dick Johnson, was the lead alto sax in Buddy Morrow’s orchestra when he made his recording debut as a leader. Buddy featured Johnson most notably in a jazz quartet unit within the band, which helped him develop a considerable personal following during the band’s frequent college concerts. Johnson also appeared at Newport’s Jazz Festival in 1957. As a soloist, he was striking, apt to plunge from Charlie Parker-like cascades of 16th bars notes into a swing-era style, reminiscent of a modern Jimmy Dorsey. Besides Parker, he also revealed nuances of Art Pepper, Lee Konitz, and Paul Desmond, all distilled into a personal style. This CD compiles for the first time on one set his first two quartet albums from 1956 and 1957, when he surged towards the top ranks of jazz altoists.

Music For Swinging Moderns

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Wardell Gray - Way Out Wardell

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:24
Size: 94.8 MB
Styles: Bop, Swing, Saxophone jazz
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[ 6:08] 1. Blue Lou, Pt. 1
[10:26] 2. Sweet Georgia Brown
[ 3:00] 3. Tenderly
[10:22] 4. Just You, Just Me (Just Bop)
[11:25] 5. One O'clock Jump

This album was recorded live in Los Angeles in 1948, and finds the great Wardell Gray amidst some of the finest musicians of the time. In the late 1940s, the West Coast jazz scene introduced the big band jazz concert idea to the public. At this time in his short career, Gray was starting his ascent and would achieve lasting fame in tenor sax history. The recorded sound on the album is tinny, given that it was recorded in a hall, and the echo is distracting. However, the compact disc cleaned much of this up, and the dueling between the two tenors shines right through. Vido Musso, the other fine tenor here, was with Stan Kenton for a time. His punchy style plays off the smoother swing of Gray. There's also some strong, bright soloing by Howard McGhee, Ernie Royal, Barney Kessel, and Red Callender. The rhythm section swings hard throughout the session, and Gray knows how to ride the wave with a vengeance. He had that effortless tone of Lester Young, and was full with the fire of bop at the same time. His improvisation was prodigious, and he could translate a landslide of ideas through his horn. The genius Erroll Garner, then only 35, renders a fine solo version of "Tenderly." The compact disc version adds the bonus cut "Sweet Georgia Brown." This is what ignited jazz at the summit sounded like in concert in the late 1940s. Recommended. ~Mark Romano

Way Out Wardell

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Nat King Cole - The Nat King Cole Story (2-Disc Set)

This double CD finds Cole revisiting his earlier hits with new versions. The 36 selections mostly focus on his pop successes of the 1950s, although there are a few wistful looks back at his trio days. Not as essential as the original renditions of these popular recordings, the remakes nevertheless find Cole in peak form and comprise a highly enjoyable retrospective of his vocal career. ~Scott Yanow

Album: The Nat King Cole Story (Disc 1)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:51
Size: 125.6 MB
Styles: Vocal
Year: 1991

[2:35] 1. Straighten Up And Fly Right
[3:20] 2. Sweet Lorraine
[2:56] 3. It's Only A Paper Moon
[2:54] 4. Route 66
[3:02] 5. (I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons
[3:09] 6. The Christmas Song
[2:52] 7. Nature Boy
[3:44] 8. Lush Life
[3:22] 9. Calypso Blues
[3:25] 10. Mona Lisa
[2:34] 11. Orange Colored Sky
[3:23] 12. Too Young
[3:25] 13. Unforgettable
[3:00] 14. Somewhere Along The Way
[2:41] 15. Walkin' My Baby Back Home
[2:44] 16. Pretend
[3:03] 17. Blue Gardenia
[2:33] 18. I Am In Love

The Nat King Cole Story (Disc 1)

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Album: The Nat King Cole Story (Disc 2)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:30
Size: 111.0 MB
Styles: Vocal
Year: 1991
Art: Front

[2:54] 1. Answer Me, My Love
[2:52] 2. Smile
[2:48] 3. Darling, Je Vous Aime Beaucoup
[2:40] 4. The Sand And The Sea
[2:56] 5. If I May
[2:40] 6. A Blossom Fell
[2:24] 7. To The Ends Of The Earth
[2:48] 8. Night Lights
[2:40] 9. Ballerina
[3:12] 10. Stardust
[2:28] 11. Send For Me
[2:24] 12. St. Louis Blues
[2:24] 13. Looking Back
[3:06] 14. Non Dimenticar
[3:09] 15. Paradise
[1:54] 16. Oh Mary, Don't You Weep
[2:13] 17. Ay, Cosita Linda
[2:47] 18. Wild Is Love

The Nat King Cole Story (Disc 2)

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Dave Mason - Long Lost Friends: The Best Of Dave Mason

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:58
Size: 164.7 MB
Styles: AOR Rock
Year: 1995
Art: Front

[3:14] 1. Baby... Please
[4:31] 2. Misty Morning Stranger
[3:02] 3. It's Like You Never Left
[3:21] 4. Show Me Some Affection
[3:01] 5. Every Woman
[2:55] 6. Bring It On Home To Me
[4:07] 7. You Can't Take It When You Go
[3:41] 8. Split Coconut
[3:05] 9. You Can Lose It
[4:27] 10. Long Lost Friend
[2:59] 11. We Just Disagree
[4:06] 12. So High (Rock Me Baby And Roll Me Away)
[3:16] 13. Let It Go, Let It Flow
[3:50] 14. Will You Sill Love Me Tomorrow
[3:01] 15. Don't It Make You Wonder
[3:36] 16. Save Me
[6:21] 17. Feelin' Alright
[4:20] 18. Only You Know And I Know
[4:56] 19. All Along The Watchtower

"The Best of Dave Mason at Columbia" would be a more accurate title, as this doesn't include work from his early-'70s LPs for Blue Thumb. The 19 tracks spotlight selections from seven albums that he recorded for Columbia. Including the hits "We Just Disagree," "Let It Go, Let It Flow," and "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow," it charts his move from easygoing early-'70s FM rock to a more mainstream AOR pop sound. ~Richie Unterberger

Long Lost Friends: The Best Of Dave Mason

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George Masso & Dan Barrett - Let's Be Buddies

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:23
Size: 163.4 MB
Styles: Dixieland, Trombone jazz
Year: 1993/2006
Art: Front

[5:48] 1. Get Out And Get Under The Moon
[6:18] 2. Am I Blue
[6:27] 3. My Melancholy Baby
[5:19] 4. Indian Summer
[6:12] 5. George's And Dan's Most Excellent Blues
[5:41] 6. Whispering Grass (Don't Tell The Trees)
[5:35] 7. Miss Annabelle Lee
[6:39] 8. Creole Love Call
[5:50] 9. When Lights Are Low
[3:49] 10. Constantly
[4:04] 11. How About Me
[3:46] 12. Linger In My Arms A Little Longer, Baby
[5:49] 13. Let's Be Buddies

George Masso (trombone, piano); Dan Barrett (vocals, cornet, trombone); Frank Vignola (guitar); Benny Aronov (piano); Joe Ascione (drums). Recording information: Skyline Studios, New York, NY (07/14/1993/07/15/1993).

George Masso: Born in Cranston, RI in 1926, jazz trombonist and pianist George Masso has excelled in just about every area of the music business: performer, composer, recording artist, arranger and educator. In 1945-46, he served as first trombonist and arranger for the 314th Army Special Services band in Europe, then spent a year on the road with Jimmy Dorsey. He later taught music in the Cranston public schools for eleven years and another eight at UConn. He returned to the road in the mid 1970s, touring internationally and/or recording with a host of musical giants including Benny Goodman, Bobby Hackett, The World’s Greatest Jazz Band of Yank Lawson & Bob Haggart, Woody Herman and George Shearing. Along the way, he has recorded more than a dozen albums as a leader and co-leader which are considered classics around the world and is also a classical composer and arranger of note with many published works and orchestral performances.

Dan Barrett: A major player in the small-group swing movement of the 1980s and '90s, Dan Barrett's trombone is equally at home in Dixieland and swing settings. He started on trombone in high school and played in California with the South Frisco Jazz Band and the Golden Eagle Jazz Band, two fine trad groups. At the urging of Howard Alden, Barrett moved to New York in 1983 where he worked with the Widespread Depression Orchestra, played at Eddie Condon's club, and in 1985 was with Benny Goodman's Orchestra. Barrett came to fame through his series of recordings (both as a leader and as a sideman) with Concord; among his many projects were co-leading a quintet with Howard Alden that was reminiscent of John Kirby's band of the 1940s, despite having very different instrumentation. Dan Barrett, who also played with Buck Clayton's big band, switched to the Arbors label in the 1990s where he became musical director and recorded frequently.

Let's Be Buddies 

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Cleo Laine - Jazz

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:26
Size: 141,5 MB
Art: Front

(6:40)  1. Just A Sittin' And A Rockin'
(5:55)  2. My One And Only Love
(4:00)  3. Walking Shoes
(6:41)  4. I Told You So
(4:05)  5. It Don't Mean A Thing
(4:28)  6. Won't You Tell Me Why
(4:33)  7. Bluesette
(6:42)  8. Midnight Sun
(3:46)  9. Lady Be Good
(4:18) 10. St. Louis Blues
(5:09) 11. A Child Is Born
(5:03) 12. You Can Always Count On Me

Cleo Laine has always had a beautiful voice with a very wide range and she sounds her best in jazz settings. Laine isn't that much of a jazz singer herself since she does not improvise (her scatting passages tend to be played in unison with her husband, John Dankworth) but she swings. Jazz is one of her best sets of the '90s, teaming her with five reeds (including Dankworth), guitarist Larry Koonse and one of two rhythm sections. Gerry Mulligan guests on "Walking Shoes" and "Midnight Sun," Clark Terry is exuberant on "Just A-Sittin' and A-Rockin'" and a medium-tempo version of "A Child Is Born," Toots Thielemans is a strong asset on three songs, Jane Ira Bloom co-stars on "I Told You So" and Mark Whitfield is on the two Terry numbers. Throughout, Cleo Laine is heard in prime form, not offering surprises as much as confirmation of her love for jazz. Recommended. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/jazz-mw0000264515

Personnel: Cleo Laine (vocals); Larry Koonse, Mark Whitfield (guitar); Toots Thielemans (harmonica); Ray Loeckle, Jerry Niewood, Gerry Niewood, Roger Rosenberg, John Dankworth (reeds); Jane Ira Bloom (soprano saxophone); Gerry Mulligan (baritone saxophone); Clark Terry (trumpet, flugelhorn); John Campbell, John Campbell , Mike Renzi (piano); Jim Zimmerman, Terry Clarke (drums).

Jazz

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Larry Coryell & Emily Remler - Together

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1985
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:15
Size: 103,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:55)  1. Arubian Nights
(5:50)  2. Joy Spring
(6:32)  3. Ill Wind
(5:49)  4. How My Heart Sings
(7:03)  5. Six Beats, Six Strings
(5:34)  6. Gerri's Blues
(8:30)  7. How Insensitive

This interesting and one-time matchup features Larry Coryell and Emily Remler on a set of guitar duets. It is easy to tell the two players apart, yet their styles were quite complementary. Highlights of the date (which has four standards, Pat Martino's "Gerri's Blues," and two Coryell originals) include "Joy Spring," "How My Heart Sings" and "How Insensitive." ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/together-mw0000649460

Personnel: Larry Coryell (guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar); Emily Remler (guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar)

Together

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Junko Onishi - Live at the Village Vanguard And II

Album:  Live at the Village Vanguard
Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:35
Size: 127,6 MB
Art: Front

( 8:27)  1. So Long Eric
( 9:16)  2. Blue Skies
( 6:32)  3. Concorde
(10:45)  4. How Long Has This Been Going On
( 6:31)  5. Darn That Dream
(14:02)  6. Congeniality

This is a memorable set. When pianist Junko Onishi performs songs from the likes of Charles Mingus ("So Long Eric"), John Lewis ("Concorde"), and Ornette Coleman ("Congeniality"), she interprets each of the tunes as much as possible within the intent and style of its composer. "So Long Eric," although performed by her trio, gives one the impression at times that several horns are soloing together; in addition, polyrhythms are utilized part of the time, Ornette's "Congeniality" has a strong pulse but fairly free improvising, while "Concorde" sounds both distinguished and full of blues feeling, like John Lewis himself. Onishi's exploration of "Blue Skies" uplifts the warhorse through the use of colorful vamps and an altered melody, she takes the slow ballad "Darn That Dream" as a medium-tempo stomp, and her original, "How Long Has This Been Goin' On," is brooding but not downbeat and swings hard without losing its serious nature. There is not a weak selection in the bunch and the interplay between Onishi, bassist Reginald Veal, and drummer Herlin Riley is quite impressive. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/live-at-the-village-vanguard-mw0000175639

Personnel: Junko Onishi (piano); Reginald Veal (bass); Herlin Riley (drums).

Live at the Village Vanguard

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Album: Live at the Village Vanguard II 
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:26
Size: 129,3 MB

( 9:19)  1. House of Blue Lights
(10:27)  2. Never Let Me Go
(10:24)  3. Brilliant Corners
(20:29)  4. Ringo Oiwake
( 5:45)  5. Tea for Two

This is a follow up release of additional material from the May 1994 concerts at the Village Vanguard by the 20-something piano sensation, the first volume having been released in 1995 to wide attention. Onishi is a master of the post-bop piano, playing with speed and command. She is also characterized by a heavy-handed, propulsive approach. The album is a traditional piano trio setting. For these concerts, she appeared with new rhythm section mates, bassist Reginald Veal and drummer Herlin Riley, but they must have got their act together during the week at the club, for their playing is tight and assured. Being a live album, it includes only five pieces, all lengthy treatments, of jazz compositions "House of Blue Lights" and "Brilliant Corners," two standards, and a Japanese tune, "Ringo Oiwake." On the repertory pieces, Onishi plays stirringly but adds nothing new, while the Japanese song runs over 20 minutes long, including extended bass and drum solos. The length of these trio tracks might be great, depending on your point of view. ~ Sid Gribetz  http://jazztimes.com/articles/9576-live-at-the-village-vanguard-2-junko-onishi-trio

Personnel: Junko Onishi (piano); Herlin Riley (drums).

Live at the Village Vanguard II

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Rick Derringer - Free Ride

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:18
Size: 112.9 MB
Styles: Jazz-pop guitar
Year: 2002
Art: Front

[3:57] 1. Jazzy Koo (Rock & Roll, Hoochie Koo)
[4:05] 2. Hot & Cool
[4:11] 3. Celestial Love
[4:15] 4. Free Ride
[4:08] 5. Big City Loneliness
[4:50] 6. Good 2 Go
[4:08] 7. Frankenstein (Smooth Frank)
[3:09] 8. Hold
[4:24] 9. Blue Velvet
[5:07] 10. Jump, Jump, Jump
[6:59] 11. Rhapsody In Red

An instrumental jazz-pop album from Rick Derringer? That isn't the sort of project that one ordinarily expects from the singer/guitarist who is best known for his hard-rocking 1974 smash, "Rock & Roll, Hoochie Koo," but in fact, Free Ride is primarily an album of instrumental jazz-pop. Derringer doesn't get into any crunching hard rock guitar on this 2002 release; instead, his guitar playing brings to mind George Benson's more commercial work. Blending jazz, funk, and pop, Derringer takes dead aim at the smooth jazz market. But for the most part, he maintains his integrity and avoids outright elevator music -- someone who appreciates Benson's Breezin' but finds Kenny G and Dave Koz boring will likely find Free Ride to be generally pleasant, if slightly uneven. Most of the songs are Derringer originals, although he puts an instrumental spin on three '70s classics: "Rock & Roll, Hoochie Koo," Edgar Winter's "Frankenstein," and the title song (which Dan Hartman wrote when he was with Winter). The latter is the most disappointing of the three; "Free Ride" ends up being turned into elevator music, while Derringer's remakes of "Rock & Roll, Hoochie Koo" and "Frankenstein" have more bite. The only tracks that find Derringer singing are "Hold" and the melancholy "Big City Loneliness," both of which are likable adult contemporary items à la Gino Vannelli. Free Ride isn't the masterpiece that it could have been; Derringer has killer chops, and from a creative standpoint, he would have been better off providing an album that has more blowing, more improvisation, and less production -- not necessarily hard bop, but perhaps something along the lines of the jazz-funk that Grant Green gave listeners in the early '70s. Nonetheless, Free Ride is generally decent, and it is superior to most of the stuff that smooth jazz stations are quick to play. ~Alex Henderson

Free Ride

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Sidney Bechet - The Best Of Sidney Bechet

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:03
Size: 146.6 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz, New Orleans jazz
Year: 1994
Art: Front

[4:09] 1. Summertime
[4:45] 2. St. Louis Blues
[4:24] 3. Blue Horizon
[3:38] 4. Muskrat Ramble
[3:08] 5. Porto Rico
[3:05] 6. Way Down Yonder In New Orleans
[3:46] 7. Bechet's Fantasy
[2:56] 8. Blame It On The Blues
[4:11] 9. Old Stack O'lee Blues
[3:05] 10. I Found A New Baby
[3:03] 11. I Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate
[2:59] 12. When The Saints Go Marching In
[3:15] 13. Basin Street Blues
[2:48] 14. Copenhagen
[2:54] 15. I Ain't Gonna Give Nobody None Of My Jelly Roll
[3:33] 16. Black And Blue
[4:04] 17. All Of Me
[4:09] 18. Rose Of The Rio Grande

Sidney Bechet was jazz's first great saxophone soloist. When Alfred Lion began Blue Note Records, he made Bechet one of his cornerstone artists. Bechet recorded for Blue Note from 1939 into the 1950s, making several stunning recordings in the traditional New Orleans jazz vein. Although no single disc collection could adequately depict Bechet's contributions, this 18-track set contains several outstanding blues, stomps, ballads and jams, featuring Bechet alongside many fellow luminaries. From wailing slow tunes to feisty exchanges and sentimental melodies, this is an excellent batch of Sidney Bechet performances. ~Ron Wynn

The Best Of Sidney Bechet

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Lena Horne - The Essential Lena Horne: The RCA Years (2-Disc Set)

A scintillating and seductive singer, a great beauty, an enduring star and an African-American woman who profoundly influenced the world around her throughout a long,richly varied career. Lena Horne was a unique figure in American culture during the 20th century. Winner of four Grammys and a Tony Horne made some of her finest recordings for RCA Victor in the 1940s and 1950s,and they return to the catalogue in this collection of golden standards that begins and ends with the irreplaceable versions of her haunting signature song, "Stormy Weather".

Album: The Essential Lena Horne: The RCA Years (Disc 1)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:48
Size: 148.4 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2010

[3:21] 1. Stormy Weather
[3:20] 2. Good-For-Nothin' Joe
[2:55] 3. I Ain't Got Nothin' But The Blues
[2:41] 4. Where Or When
[3:22] 5. How Long Has This Been Going On
[3:21] 6. One For My Baby (And One More For The Road)
[2:39] 7. What Is This Thing Called Love
[3:09] 8. Love Me Or Leave Me
[3:15] 9. Let Me Love You
[2:55] 10. Mad About The Boy
[1:52] 11. From This Moment On
[3:15] 12. Love Is The Thing
[2:50] 13. If You Can Dream [from Meet Me In Las Vegas]
[2:10] 14. It's Love
[2:51] 15. Summertime
[3:06] 16. New-Fangled Tango
[2:15] 17. That Old Feeling
[3:29] 18. Any Place I Hang My Hat Is Home
[4:30] 19. Mood Indigo I'm Beginning To See The Light
[7:20] 20. Cole Porter Medley How's Your Romance After You Love Of My Life It's

The Essential Lena Horne: The RCA Years (Disc 1)

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Album: The Essential Lena Horne: The RCA Years (Disc 2)
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:27
Size: 147.6 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[1:59] 1. Just One of Those Things
[2:58] 2. Honeysuckle Rose
[4:02] 3. Ain't it the Truth
[2:32] 4. Give Me Love [From I, Mobster]
[3:11] 5. Someone to Watch over Me
[2:25] 6. Push de Button [From Jamaica]
[3:26] 7. Speak Low
[3:33] 8. The Rules of the Road
[2:12] 9. You Don't Have to Know the Language
[3:53] 10. Napoleon
[2:38] 11. At Long Last Love
[2:40] 12. I Concentrate on You
[3:02] 13. Take It Slow, Joe [From Jamaica]
[7:15] 14. Jule Styne Medley A Ride on a Rainbow Never Never Land I Said No Some
[2:43] 15. I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart
[4:20] 16. The Man I Love
[3:58] 17. Watch What Happens
[3:41] 18. I Will Wait for You (Je Ne Pourrai Jamais Vivre Sans Toi)
[3:51] 19. Stormy Weather

The Essential Lena Horne: The RCA Years (Disc 2)

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Bruno de Filippi - Evergreen

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:47
Size: 84.2 MB
Styles: Harmonica jazz
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[4:14] 1. Alfie
[3:42] 2. Bolero
[4:00] 3. Estate
[4:31] 4. I Know Why/As Time Goes By
[2:40] 5. Parlami D'amore Mariù
[4:22] 6. Passione
[3:14] 7. St. Thomas
[4:20] 8. Stardust
[2:21] 9. Tenderly
[3:17] 10. The Entertainer

Sensitive to every high-quality music style, in the sixties and seventies Bruno De Filippi plays his guitar in the recordings of the most famous Italian singers: Mina, Caterina Valente, Johnny Dorelli and Ornella Vanoni. During his forty-years carrer he also works with the most important jazz musicians on the international scene (Louis Armstrong, Bud Shank, Gerry Mulligan, Astor Piazzolla, Les Paul, etc.), and in Italy (Tullio De Piscopo, Enrico Intra, Franco Cerri, Guido Manusardi, Renato Sellani, Lorenzo Petrocca, etc.).

During the seventies he starts playing chromatic harmonica in solos with Mina, Pino Daniele, Toquiño, Rossana Casale, Caterina Valente, Gino Paoli. Since 1986 onwards he records in his name the album “Harmonica”, “Sweet Jazz from Italy”, “Portrait in Black and White”and “Different Moods” that has the special feature of containing the jazz- suite “Metamorfosi” (mastered and republished by M.A.P. in 2000), composed by Bruno for harmonica and strings quartet.

Evergreen

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Django Reinhardt - All Star Sessions

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:11
Size: 108.0 MB
Styles: Gypsy jazz, Continental jazz, Guitar jazz
Year: 2001
Art: Front

[2:23] 1. Montmartre
[2:59] 2. Low Cotton
[2:18] 3. Finesse
[2:30] 4. I Know That You Know And You Know That I Know
[3:00] 5. Solid Old Man
[2:44] 6. Honeysuckle Rose
[2:59] 7. Crazy Rhythm
[3:17] 8. Out Of Nowhere
[2:59] 9. Sweet Georgia Brown
[3:01] 10. I'm Coming Virginia
[3:13] 11. Farewell Blues
[3:03] 12. Blue Light Blues
[3:11] 13. Blue Moon
[2:58] 14. Avalon
[3:20] 15. What A Diff'rence A Day Made
[3:10] 16. Stardust

The studio sessions within this CD were produced by Charles Delauney in Paris during the late '30s, when a number of prominent Americans were either passing through or temporarily taking up residence in Europe. Django Reinhardt was a relative newcomer to jazz, but quickly became a leading player on the continent, and is present on four very different sessions in this collection. A quartet led by cornetist Rex Stewart includes fellow Ellington veterans Barney Bigard on clarinet and bassist Billy Taylor, though the Americans and their gypsy guitarist eschew the Ellington songbook and find their own sound in a date dominated by originals written by Stewart or Taylor. Reinhardt is prominently featured as a soloist and proves himself in ensembles as well as backing others' solos. The only standard present is a swinging "I Know That You Know." The guitarist is part of Michel Warlop's orchestra with special guest Coleman Hawkins for a 1935 session, though the rather square arrangements haven't stood the test of time too well. The highlight of this date is "Star Dust," which includes Hawkins with only the rhythm section of Reinhardt, Stephane Grappelli (on piano), and bassist Eugene d'Hellemmes. Reinhardt and Grappelli (again, exclusively on piano) are both present in an all-star ensemble led by Hawkins, which also features Benny Carter (on both alto sax and trumpet). Carter's swinging arrangements make these four tracks a joy to hear, though Reinhardt only solos on "Honeysuckle Rose." Although most of these selections have appeared regularly on a number of earlier CDs and LPs, this current collection is worth acquiring, especially for the small-group date led by Stewart. ~Ken Dryden

All Star Sessions

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Phil Woods - Ornithology: Phil Salutes Bird

Styles: Saxophone Jazz

Year: 1994

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 74:07

Size: 170,1 MB

Art: Front

(11:08)  1. How High The Moon

( 7:41)  2. Don't Blame Me

( 7:36)  3. Star Eyes

(12:11)  4. Lover Man

( 7:43)  5. Steeplechase

(10:31)  6. All The Things You Are

( 9:08)  7. Just Friends

( 8:08)  8. Night And Day

There's little doubt that no alto saxophonist alive is more qualified to do a tribute to Charlie Parker than Phil Woods; he has mastered the bop repertoire of Bird in a career that is approaching the half-century mark, and he has developed a sound that is very distinctly his own and can be readily identified in seconds. Woods has made numerous recordings for this Italian label, which he jokingly referred to as his "retirement plan" during a 1990 interview, but this quartet date is among his best for Philology. With an Italian rhythm section led by the fine pianist Franco D'Andrea, Woods explores at length eight of Parker's favorites. An extended "How High the Moon," a rhapsodic "Lover Man," and the Latin flavored "Night and Day" are among the date's many highlights. Highly recommended! ~ Ken Dryden  http://www.allmusic.com/album/ornithology-phil-salutes-bird-mw0000995536

Personnel: Phil Woods (alto saxophone); Franco D'Andrea (piano); Gianni Cazzola (drums); Attilio Zanchi (Bass)

Ornithology: Phil Salutes Bird

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Gabrielle Goodman - Travelin' Light

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:17
Size: 101,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:16)  1. Travelin' Light
(4:21)  2. Cherokee
(3:52)  3. Over The Rainbow
(5:59)  4. Manila
(4:23)  5. Never Too Late
(3:19)  6. Blues Walk
(6:40)  7. My Funny Valentine
(4:52)  8. Use Me
(6:30)  9. Don't Explain

Sounding like a combination of Sarah Vaughan and Chaka Khan seasoned with a dash of Roberta Flack, Gabrielle Goodman is joined by a motley crew of modern musicians, swoops, scats, and whoops through a playlist of standards and originals, one of them by Goodman herself. For the most part, it seems that the arrangements, including those of the standards, are "popularized." That is, they have been designed to be attractive to fans of contemporary popular music. One exception is the Gershwin Brothers' "Someone to Watch Over Me," where Goodman opens the verse with just Kevin Eubanks' subdued guitar (one of few subdued moments on this disc) behind her. Additional instrumentation, especially Gary Thomas' tenor, joins in for a very relaxed chorus. (Thomas and his saxophones are very prominent on this disc.) But on most of the cuts, Goodman's voice soars to the heavens. "Over the Rainbow" becomes a bop aria, and on "Travelin' Light," her voice becomes a horn, competing with Thomas' tenor for the dominating position on this tune. Goodman's rendition will not remind anyone of Judy Garland's. 

The Goodman composed "Manila" is a major production. The pulse is established by drummer Buddy Williams' back beat. Barry Miles' synthesizer weaves in and out with Goodman's voice as she overdubs the background vocals. Clifford Brown's "Blues Walk" flirts with the avant-garde, as Goodman sings wordless vocals, Thomas' serendipitous sax wailing with her. This tune, with Goodman and Thomas as a two-person ensemble, is one of the album's highlights. Once more she relies on the laid-back guitar of Eubanks in her thoughtful, emotional offering of "Don't Explain," another of the album's strong performances. Many will have to give this album more than a single play before fully appreciating it, but they will assuredly be drawn to Goodman's wide-ranging, unusual but haunting presentation of the music. Travelin' Light will be particularly appreciated by those who prize a singer willing to take some major risks. [Fortunately, the lyrics are reprinted in the liner notes.] ~ Dave Nathan  http://www.allmusic.com/album/travelin-light-mw0000107892

Personnel: Gabrielle Goodman (vocals, background vocals); Michael Cain (piano); Anthony Cox (bass instrument, acoustic bass); Rubén Rodríguez (bass instrument, electric bass); Tony Bunn (electric double bass); Tony Bunn (electric bass); Mark Feldman (vocals, violin); Kevin Eubanks (guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar); Wolfgang Muthspiel (guitar, electric guitar); Gary Thomas (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone); Barry Miles, David Bunn (piano, synthesizer); Mike Cain (piano); Buddy Williams (drums); Don Alias (congas, percussion).

Travelin' Light

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