Lena Horne - Love Songs

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:13
Size: 115,9 MB
Art: Front

(2:16)  1. It's Love
(3:12)  2. Love Me Or Leave Me
(3:21)  3. The Man I Love
(3:35)  4. You're The One
(3:25)  5. People Will Say We're In Love
(3:09)  6. Don't Take Your Love From Me
(3:20)  7. Love Is The Thing
(3:15)  8. Someone To Watch Over Me
(2:41)  9. At Long Last Love
(3:27) 10. I'm Confessin' (That I Love You)
(3:05) 11. Love Me A Little Little
(3:19) 12. Let Me Love You
(3:08) 13. Mad About The Boy
(3:00) 14. I'm Through With Love
(2:41) 15. What Is This Thing Called Love?
(3:14) 16. You're My Thrill

Some of the more jazz-oriented highlights of Lena Horne's recording career are on this CD. Unfortunately the full personnel is not given, although the recording dates and the various orchestra leaders are. As one can ascertain from the CD's title, the emphasis is on love songs, but most of the music swings too. Horne is heard with the orchestras of Charlie Barnet in 1941 ("You're My Thrill"), Artie Shaw in 1941 ("Don't Take Your Love From Me" and "Love Me a Little Little" which also include uncredited solos from trumpeter Henry "Red" Allen and altoist Benny Carter), Lou Bring (also 1941), Marty Gold (1961), and her husband, Lennie Hayton (1955 and 1958). Among the highlights are "Love Me or Leave Me," "At Long Last Love," "I'm Confessin'," and "Mad About the Boy." If the packaging was more complete and the music programmed in chronological order, the rating would have been higher, for the music is quite good. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/love-songs-2000-mw0000673007

Personnel: Lena Horne (vocals); Artie Shaw (clarinet); Benny Carter (alto saxophone); Charlie Barnet (tenor saxophone); Henry "Red" Allen (trumpet).

Love Songs

---

Stephane Grappelli & Phil Woods - Anything Goes

Styles: Jazz, Hard Bop
Year: 1987
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:51
Size: 90,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:59)  1. All Of Me
(4:19)  2. Star Eyes
(4:34)  3. Anything Goes
(5:06)  4. Don't Blame Me
(2:38)  5. Moonlight In Vermont
(4:55)  6. It Might As Well Be Spring
(4:05)  7. Have You Met Miss Jones
(3:16)  8. Love Song
(3:56)  9. Sing Hallelujah

The 1987 session featured on Stephane Grappelli's edition of the Who's Who in Jazz series has been released on a variety of labels and is the only recorded meeting between Grappelli and Phil Woods. With guitarist Marc Fossett and bassist Jon Burr (two of the violinist's regular sidemen), plus the great Louis Bellson on drums, the musicians clearly are enjoying themselves as they delve into nine standards and Grappelli's "Love Song." No one musician dominates, as the solo breaks are generally short and passed around between everyone. 

The resulting music is quite unlike anything else in either Grappelli's or Woods' vast discographies. Highlights include a pulsating "Caravan," with Woods' boisterous solo, "Have You Met Miss Jones?" (with Woods switching to clarinet), and Grappelli's lyrical samba-flavored interpretation of "It Might as Well Be Spring." Two proofreading blunders by Who's Who in Jazz should be noted; the opening track is not "All of Me" but actually "You Took Advantage of Me," while the final selection is correctly titled "Hallelujah." ~ Ken Dryden  http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=1130267&style=music&fulldesc=T

Personnel: Stéphane Grappelli (violin); Marc Fosset (guitar); Phil Woods (clarinet, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone); Louis Bellson (drums).

Anything Goes

---

Emily Remler - Take Two

Styles: Guitar Jazz

Year: 1982

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 44:27

Size: 102,1 MB

Art: Front

(4:54)  1. Cannonball

(4:58)  2. In Your Own Sweet Way

(6:48)  3. For Regulars Only

(5:23)  4. Search for Peace

(6:50)  5. Pocket Wes

(6:41)  6. Waltz for My Grandfather

(2:30)  7. Afro Blue

(6:20)  8. Eleuthra

Emily Remler's second recording as a leader finds the 24-year-old guitarist still very much playing in the Wes Montgomery vein, although showing her own musical personality here and there. She is joined by pianist James Williams, bassist Don Thompson, and drummer Terry Clarke on a challenging set of material filled with obscurities. Certainly such numbers as Cannonball Adderley's "Cannonball," Dexter Gordon's "For Regulars Only," McCoy Tyner's "Search for Peace," and Monty Alexander's "Eleuthra" are rarely performed. Better known are "In Your Own Sweet Way" and "Afro Blue"; Remler also contributes two originals. Throughout the date the guitarist displays a great deal of potential, much of which would sadly go unrealized due to her early death. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/take-two-mw0000076188

Personnel: Emily Remler (guitar), James Williams (piano), Don Thompson (bass), Terry Clarke (drums).

Take Two

---

Pat Martino - Stone Blue

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:52
Size: 137.0 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 1998
Art: Front

[ 4:25] 1. Uptown Down
[ 6:46] 2. Stone Blue
[ 9:15] 3. With All The People
[ 7:26] 4. 13 To Go
[ 8:08] 5. Boundaries
[ 3:39] 6. Never Say Goodbye
[ 6:13] 7. Mac Tough
[13:24] 8. Joyous Lake
[ 0:32] 9. Two Weighs Out

One could viably look at the recordings of renascent guitar hero Pat Martino's recordings of the last few years and pose the musical question: will the real Martino stand up? His Muse releases showed an artist in recovery from his life- and music-threatening brain aneurysm operation of 1980, and his 1996 album The Miracle may be his boldest complete effort yet in the post-op years. Last year's Blue Note debut, All Sides Now, was an odd hit-and-miss affair, a set of dialogues with guitarists with whom he didn't always have much to talk about with. He gets along well with the musicians on his newest album, a quasi-reunion with drummer Kenwood Dennard and keyboardist Delmar Brown, who played with him on his legendary 1976 album Joyous Lake.

Joined here by the admirable tenor saxist Eric Alexander and reliable bassist James Genus, the group navigates through a set of Martino originals that revisit his own corner of the fusion landscape. Mostly, the playing is intense-Martino's own, instantly identifiable style, the eloquent, clean-toned scramble-and the material builds off its built-in tensions, as in the opening "Uptown Down," the fast little postlude "Two Weighs Out," and the title track. The breezy tonalities of "With All the People" may veer a bit too close to smooth jazz for comfort, but the lyricism of his ballad "Never Say Goodbye" is darkly sweet.

Ironically, Brown's overly digital sounds now sound dated, in this age when the raw beauties of older keyboard sonorities are the rage. What sounds timeless here is the leader, wailing with a kind of concurrent wisdom and go-for-broke commitment to improvisational abandon. The truth is that Martino stands up every time he plays. Hints of Martino's unique power is contained in each episode of his work, this latest chapter included. ~Josef Woodland

Stone Blue

---

Madeline Eastman - Art Attack

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:32
Size: 122.6 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 1994
Art: Front

[4:08] 1. The Thrill Is Gone
[4:39] 2. Gypsy In My Soul
[3:32] 3. Sonhos
[4:38] 4. I Like You, You're Nice I Like You
[4:38] 5. The Boy Next Door
[3:33] 6. Evidence
[5:00] 7. Say It Isn't So
[3:05] 8. My Heart Stood Still
[5:23] 9. Nefertiti
[3:09] 10. Telephone Song
[3:35] 11. MC
[2:44] 12. It Never Entered My Mind
[2:38] 13. You Can't Go Home Again
[2:44] 14. Love Came On Stealthy Fingers

Singer Madeline Eastman's third release for the Mad-Kat label shoots out in a lot of different directions, some more successful than others. Eastman is at her best on explorative workouts (such as a wordless version of "Nefertiti" in which she is joined by The Turtle Island String Quartet), uptempo pieces where she can scat and swing and on sensuous ballads such as "The Thrill Is Gone." In contrast, her treatment of "Gypsy in My Soul" comes across as overly pushy, the lyrics of Blossom Dearie's "I Like You, You're Nice/I Like You" are not too inspired and Eastman's decision to sing in Portuguese (as heard on Ivan Lins's "Sonhos") is a mistake. An energetic version of Thelonious Monk's "Evidence" and a hard swinging "My Heart Stood Still" are much better. The supporting cast includes a trio with pianist Kenny Barron and drummer Tony Williams on half of the program; Bay Area musicians were enlisted for most of the other tracks. To Madeline Eastman's credit, she consistently stretches herself and is not afraid to take chances. The hits far outnumber the misses on this very interesting release. ~Scott Yanow

Art Attack

---

The Dave Bailey Sextet - One Foot In The Gutter

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:36
Size: 173.1 MB
Styles: Bebop, Contemporary jazz
Year: 2007/2012
Art: Front

[11:02] 1. One Foot In The Gutter
[12:58] 2. Well you needn't
[19:41] 3. Sandu
[17:13] 4. Blues For J.P
[ 7:55] 5. Two Feet In The Gutter
[ 6:44] 6. Our Miss Brooks

Bass – Peck Morrison; Drums – Dave Bailey; Piano – Horace Parlan; Tenor Saxophone – Junior Cook; Trombone – Curtis Fuller; Trumpet – Clark Terry. Recorded at Columbia 30th Street Studio, New York City, on July 19 and 20, 1960. Digitally remastered at La Source Mastering Paris, France.

All sides here were recorded during a series of blowing sessions that put great emphasis on the soloists. The moving spirit behind them was drummer Dave Bailey. All musicians involved play without strain, generating the kind of explosion only jazz can create. The three opening tunes were issued on the album One Foot in the Gutter, the first Bailey did as a leader, and as he himself explained in the original liner notes, “we had unusual freedom throughout, not only in what we played, but in what we did, and at one point you can hear Clark Terry and Junior Cook enthusiastically applauding one of Curtis Fuller’s solos. That was the spirit of the session, and the audience joined right in.”

One Foot In The Gutter

---

Chet Atkins - Read My Licks

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:17
Size: 96.8 MB
Styles: Country-pop guitar
Year: 1994
Art: Front

[3:14] 1. Young Thing
[4:09] 2. Mountains Of Illinois
[3:29] 3. After You've Gone
[3:01] 4. Every Now And Then
[4:06] 5. Somebody Loves Me Now
[3:41] 6. Norway (Norwegian Mountain Song)
[4:33] 7. Read My Licks
[3:55] 8. Take A Look At Her Now
[3:42] 9. Around The Bend
[4:34] 10. Dream
[3:48] 11. Vincent

Chet Atkins is one of the most influential personalities to ever come out Nashville. Credited with creating the commercial middle-of-the-road "Nashville Sound," Atkins--a guitar virtuoso as well as a keen-eared record executive--remains at the forefront of the country music scene. READ MY LICKS won him a Grammy in 1995.

Tackling such diverse fare as pop standards and folk rock, Atkins is equally adept at capturing the breezy jazz feel of Johnny Mercer's string-accented "Dream" as he is with a spare, solo interpretation of Don McLean's "Vincent." Incorporating vocal assistance from sweet-voiced Suzy Bogguss and meaty instrumental backing from guitarist Mark Knopfler, fiddler Stuart Duncan and country piano legend Floyd Cramer, Atkins constructs a full spectrum of sound. But it is Atkins' own nimble and intricate fingerpicking that is the true centerpiece here. Country-based, with jazz, blues, pop and classical inflections, Atkins gracefully glides through styles as if he were skating on smooth ice. There is a constant motion when he plays, utilizing the three-finger-style Travis technique, with the melody floating above the booming lower notes. This method makes the solo "Vincent" as full-sounding as any of the more orchestrated tracks. ~AMG

Read My Licks

---

Pee Wee Russell - Pee Wee Russell In England

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:29
Size: 165.9 MB
Styles: Clarinet jazz
Year: 1965/2006
Art: Front

[ 6:48] 1. There'll Be Some Changes Made
[ 5:23] 2. Sugar
[ 8:41] 3. Rose Room
[ 8:20] 4. Rosetta
[ 8:11] 5. If I Had You
[ 7:58] 6. 'deed I Do
[ 5:47] 7. Pee Wee's Blues
[14:28] 8. Untitled Blues
[ 6:49] 9. Indiana (Back Home...)

Pee Wee Russell with John Armatage (drums), Ray Crane (trumpet), Pete Strange (trombone), Cyril Keepher (tenor sax), Archie Sample (clarinet), Collin Bates (piano), Dave Green (bass), and Sandy Brown (clarinet). Recorded at Manchester Sports Guild, England, October 17th, 1964.

The idiosyncratic jazz clarinetist Pee Wee Russell is heard in a live 1964 performance backed by a band led by the British drummer Johnny Armatage. Recorded in Manchester, U.K., the set includes a variety of traditional jazz favorites, such as "There'll Be Some Changes Made," "Back Home Again in Indiana," and "If I Had You."

Pee Wee Russell In England

---

Clémentine - Les Voyages

Styles: Vocal, Brazilian Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:57
Size: 106,0 MB
Art: Front

(1:58)  1. Catavento
(2:58)  2. Liebestraum
(3:01)  3. Les Voyages
(4:18)  4. Tristeza (Goodbye Sadness)
(2:16)  5. Pourquoi Pas
(3:37)  6. Aquarela Do Brasil
(3:15)  7. Nos Vimos Ya (Haven't We Met)
(1:04)  8. Rendez-Vous A Montmartre
(2:46)  9. Syracuse
(3:04) 10. Tudo Bem, Tudo Bom
(2:10) 11. Saint-Tropez Blues
(2:19) 12. Crepuscule Au Pont De Tolbiac
(4:53) 13. Águas De Março
(4:27) 14. Nina
(3:44) 15. Al Anochecer

Clémentine is a French singer and songwriter based in Japan. She debuted in France in 1988 with the single, "Absolument Jazz". In addition to many releases as a singer, she has appeared regularly on the entertainment segment for NHK Educational TV "French TV". Collaborates frequently with other artists, mostly in Japan. Recently she has often collaborated with her daughter, Solita, who is also a singer.

Born in Paris but traveled widely as a child. With her father transferring first to Mexico and later around the world, she grew in touch with Bossa Nova and other local flavors of music. Returned to France and started Piano lessons at age 10 and Jazz school at age 12. Started her professional career in 1987 by sending a demo tape to Jazz greats Johnny Griffin and Ben Sidran, and was subsequently given an opportunity to record several songs with them. In 1988 released her first single, "Absolument Jazz" with CBS France. Signed a contract with Sony Music Entertainment Japan in 1990, and released many singles and albums. From 2003 to 2005 switched to the Epic Records Japan label, and from 2005 to 2008 to Toshiba EMI. Returned to Sony Music Entertainment in 2008.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cl%C3%A9mentine_%28musician%29

Les Voyages

---

Charles Lloyd - The Water is Wide

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:27
Size: 156,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:38)  1. Georgia
(5:02)  2. The Water Is Wide
(4:36)  3. Black Butterfly
(3:45)  4. Ballade And Allegro
(5:13)  5. Figure In Blue
(5:39)  6. Lotus Blossom
(8:35)  7. The Monk And The Mermaid
(7:37)  8. Song Of Her
(7:29)  9. Lady day
(4:15) 10. Heaven
(5:13) 11. There Is A BalmIn Gilead
(4:19) 12. Prayer

Tenor saxophonist Charles Lloyd pursues a slightly different angle on his new and seventh “ECM” release titled, The Water Is Wide. Lloyd continues to utilize the exemplary talents of drummer Billy Higgins and guitarist John Abercrombie, who both performed on the artist’s previous effort, Voice In The Night. While the saxophonist also enlists young wunderkind pianist Brad Mehldau and bassist Larry Grenadier who comprise two thirds of the pianist’s working trio. 

Perhaps Lloyd is plotting a new course in contrast to his earlier ethereal dreamscape style recordings as the saxophonist directs his strategies towards bluesy and moody renditions of Hoagy Carmichael’s “Georgia” and the traditional “The Water Is Wide”, among other standards and Lloyd originals. Throughout, the saxophonist’s infamous Coltrane inspired angular attack and tantalizing inflections meld wonderfully with Mehldau’s warm, thoughtful phrasing and Abercrombie’s poignant undercurrents. Yet the combined rhythmic artistry of Billy Higgins and Larry Grenadier proves to be indispensable throughout this rather ubiquitous mix, which also includes Billy Strayhorn’s endearing “Lotus Blossom”, and Duke Ellington’s lesser known, “Heaven”.

The saxophonist’s rich melodious phrasing and soulful expressionism on Cecil McBee’s “Song Of Her” offers the optimum in softly executed sentiment and lush balladry whereas you can almost hear Billie Holiday’s voice seeping through Lloyd’s sultry and altogether deeply moving lines on his original composition, “Lady Day”. Simply put, Charles Lloyd has rarely sounded better as the musicians seemingly interrogate each other’s souls during these sixty-eight enlightening minutes. Without a doubt, The Water Is Wide should find it’s way into quite a few top ten lists for the year 2000. Highly recommended. ~ Glenn Astarita  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-water-is-wide-charles-lloyd-ecm-records-review-by-glenn-astarita__23485.php

Personnel:  Charles Lloyd; Tenor Saxophone: Brad Mehldau; Piano: John Abercrombie; Guitar: Larry Grenadier; Double-Bass: Billy Higgins; Drums

The Water is Wide

---

Georgie Fame - Lost in a Lover's Dream

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:35
Size: 116,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:11)  1. Wide-Eyed and Legless
(5:10)  2. My Foolish Heart
(4:35)  3. Skiing Blues
(2:04)  4. Blossom
(3:24)  5. Say When
(4:57)  6. Don't Blame Me
(3:37)  7. Medley: There's No More Blue Time / Breezin' All the Way
(3:42)  8. Singing Horn
(4:56)  9. Cry Me a River
(4:44) 10. I Can't Get Started (With You)
(4:12) 11. How Blue
(4:58) 12. Lost in a Lover's Dream

Thanks to the million-selling success he achieved with “The Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde” in 1967, British vocalist and keyboardist Georgie Fame is often misbranded as yet another pop star who turned to jazz when the hits stopped coming. In fact, Fame’s jazz leanings date to the beginning of his career (“Night Train” was the lead track on his 1964 debut album). He’s toured with the Basie band, recorded with Annie Ross and paid tribute to Mose Allison alongside Ben Sidran and Van Morrison. Allison’s influence on Fame has been tremendous. His loping, drawling style is eerily similar. Indeed, anyone unfamiliar with Fame’s history might, upon hearing Lost in a Lover’s Dream, be easily fooled into thinking he grew up with Allison in Mississippi.

Recorded in Slovenia with just guitar (Primoz Grasic) and bass (Mario Mavrin), the album is split fairly evenly between standards and Fame’s own compositions. Most of the original tunes have appeared on previous discs but sound fresh against such beautifully minimalist backing. Fame opens with “Wide-Eyed and Legless,” a paean to unconquerable bad habits worthy of Tom Waits; revisits his witty “Skiing Blues,” the mountainside littered with double entendres; and reprises “Blossom,” the sweet bouquet to Blossom Dearie he first recorded in 1969 (two years earlier, Dearie ignited their musical flirtation with “Sweet Georgie Fame”). As for covers, Fame proves a sublime balladeer across “Don’t Blame Me,” “My Foolish Heart” and “Cry Me a River,” and sprinkles a marvelous “I Can’t Get Started” with references to his multifarious jazz history. ~ Christopher Loudon  http://jazztimes.com/articles/66412-lost-in-a-lover-s-dream-georgie-fame

Personnel: Georgie Fame (vocals), Primoz Grasis (guitar), Mario Mavrin (bass guitar).

Lost in a Lover's Dream

---

Tom Tallitsch - Heads Or Tales

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:51
Size: 121,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:19)  1. Coming Around
(6:20)  2. Tenderfoot
(6:02)  3. Double Shot
(5:31)  4. Perry's Place
(5:15)  5. Flat Stanley
(5:58)  6. Travel Companion
(5:17)  7. The Lummox
(6:45)  8. Dunes
(3:20)  9. Don't Let It Bring You Down

Lots of sharp changes here deft tenor work from Tom Tallitsch, really cooking strongly alongside the Hammond of Jared Gold! Gold's fast becoming one of our favorite contemporary players on his instrument  and for this sweet little set, he brings out a lot of Larry Young-like lines arcing and curving with an angular feel that's really great and setting fire to Tom's tenor nicely, as it runs alongside the organ with a Joe Henderson sort of vibe. Guitar is from Dave Allen, drums from Mark Ferber, and titles include "Tenderfoot", "Coming Around", "Double Shot", "Flat Stanley", "Travel Companion", and "Dunes".  https://www.dustygroove.com/item/619310

Personnel:  Tom Tallitsch - tenor saxophone;  Dave Allen – guitar;  Jared Gold – organ;  Mark Ferber - drums

Heads Or Tales

---

Bilgeri - A Man And A Woman

Styles: Pop/Rock
Year: 1993
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:01
Size: 183,4 MB
Art: Front

(3:58)  1. I'm GonnaTake You home
(4:20)  2. A Man And A Woman
(3:56)  3. Don't Stop
(4:10)  4. Breaking Free
(3:35)  5. I've Gotta Get A Message To You
(4:11)  6. Deep In My Heart
(3:39)  7. Step Back In Time
(3:48)  8. It's You
(4:08)  9. Just A Heartbeat Away
(4:15) 10. Captain Midnight

Reinhold Bilgeri forms to become a teacher in secondary German, geography, philosophy and psychology and teaches at the gymnasium of Feldkirch until 1981. During the 1970s, he formed with writer Michael Köhlmeier duo Bilgeri & Köhlmeier  (de). He enjoyed success in 1973 with the song Oho Vorarlberg. Bilgeri also has a regional reputation with his rock band "Clockwork" until the beginning of his solo career in 1981. With Videolife, it ranks among the best sellers in Austria that year. With other titles like Love Is Free or Some Girls Ladies are there between twenty times in the pop charts.In the early 1990s, he married model and actress Beatrix Kopf  (de). They have a daughter, Laura, born in 1995. 

In December 2002, the title Silver Bell is widely distributed on the German radio and television. After a compilation of his success in 2005, he published a jazz album Jazzz it - Songs von Gershwin bis Deep Purple including collaborations with Joe Meixner  (de), Harry Sokal  (de), Willi Langer  (de), Christian Lettner  (de) or The RounderGirls. Furthermore, Bilgeri written. In 2005 he published Der Atem des Himmels ("Heaven's Breath"), a novel inspired by the catastrophic avalanche in the Großes Walsertal  (de) in 1954. In late 2006, his show mixes his jazz pieces and passages readings his novel. In 2009, he signed the film adaptation and realization of the movie  (in) comes out in 2010. Translate by Google  https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reinhold_Bilgeri

A Man And A Woman

---

John Fedchock New York Big Band - Like It Is

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:56
Size: 160.1 MB
Styles: Big band
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[7:17] 1. You And The Night And The Music
[6:19] 2. Like It Is
[5:49] 3. Never Let Me Go
[7:04] 4. Just Sayin'
[8:25] 5. Ojos De Rojo
[7:39] 6. Hair Of The Dog
[7:52] 7. (Unknown) -Havana
[5:40] 8. Just Squeeze Me
[5:32] 9. For Heaven's Sake
[8:14] 10. Ten Thirty 30

John Fedchock: trombone; Mark Vinci: alto saxophone, flute; Charles Pillow: alto saxophone, soprano saxophone; Rich Perry: tenor saxophone; Walt Weiskopf: tenor saxophone; Gary Smulyan: baritone saxophone (1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9); Scott Robinson: baritone saxophone (2, 7, 8, 10); Tony Kadleck: trumpet, flugelhorn; Craig Johnson: trumpet, flugelhorn; Scott Wendholt: trumpet, flugelhorn (2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 20); John Bailey: trumpet, flugelhorn (1, 4, 9); Barry Ries: trumpet, flugelhorn; Keith O'Quinn: trombone; Clark Gayton: trombone; George Flynn: bass trombone; Allen Farnham: piano; Dick Sarpola: bass; Dave Ratajczak: drums; Bobby Sanabria: percussion (2, 5, 7).

Veteran trombonist and big band leader John Fedchock, has had a history of showcasing some of the finest contemporary ensemble music ever presented, and on the audacious Like It Is, keeps that tradition alive on the fifth album from his 16-piece New York Big Band. A group by the way, that has been around and swinging for over two decades boasting a personnel listing of all-stars and jazz luminaries which, have garnished the eventual Grammy nods with the four previous recordings. The inspiration for the album, may have been the desire to present large orchestrations with a respect and feel of the past big band voice augmented by an infusion of the modern approach to ensemble music, offering a terrific, propulsive and engaging big band sound "like it is" now!

Featured here are five Fedchock originals and five new dynamic arrangements of jazz standards from composers Arthur Schwartz and Ray Evans to Duke Ellington and Cedar Walton offering a blast from the past with a new twist, together with a percolating pop from the present essentially, affirming the main theme of the album. Drummer Dave Ratajczak introduces the sizzling opener "You and the Night and the Music," followed by solo moments from the leader, Mark Vinci on alto and Rich Perry on tenor saxophone turning the familiar melody into a challenge to discern but certainly accomplishing the goal of sounding new and vibrant.

The percussive beats of the title track has a Latin-tinge and features the great Charles Pillow on an alto solo accompanied by the hard-blowing trumpet of Barry Ries leading the band. Continuing with the Latin theme, Fedchock introduces a superb arrangement of Walton's classic "Ojos De Rojo" featuring pianist Allen Farnham doing his utmost to sound like a Latin jazz artist of note. Other players featured on this gyrating piece are all-stars Scott Wendholt on trumpet and the legendary baritone master, Gary Smulyan. While not a Latin jazz project, Fedchock does includes one more Latin-styled piece with the Afro-Cuban rhythms of "Havana," showcasing Bobby Sanabria's percussions and Vinci's voice on the flute.

The Evans classic composition "Never Let Me Go," allows Fedchock the opportunity to take center stage on his own recording as he offers a warm and intimate voice on the piece making it a trombone feature and the first soft balladic tune of the album. On the swinging side of the musical ledger you have the original "Just Sayin,'" the powerful-sounding "Just Squeeze Me," and the brassy hard-driving finale tune "Ten Thirty 30."

The Fedchock band has so many top-notch players providing stellar solo moments that it seems all deserve mention such as standouts like alto saxophonist Walt Weiskopf, baritone man Scott Robinson, bassist Dick Sarpola and Tony Kadleck among many others. Trombonist/band leader John Fedchock and his amazing New York Big Band turn in another special performance delivering a muscular sound in a finesse manner and in the finest tradition of big band music just Like It Is and should be. ~Edward Blanco

Like It Is

---

Frank Sinatra - Christmas

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 29:50

Size: 68.3 MB

Styles: Holiday, Vocal

Year: 2013

Art: Front

[3:57] 1. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

[2:16] 2. Mistletoe And Holly

[3:10] 3. The Christmas Waltz

[3:02] 4. Whatever Happened To Christmas

[1:59] 5. Jingle Bells

[2:35] 6. White Christmas

[3:26] 7. The Christmas Song

[1:39] 8. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town

[3:09] 9. I'll Be Home For Christmas

[2:07] 10. Christmas Memories

[2:26] 11. Silent Night

Sinatra's best holiday tunes in one package.

Christmas

---

Cedar Walton Trio & Dale Barlow - Manhattan After Hours

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:48
Size: 155.2 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2003
Art: Front

[8:42] 1. My Heart Stood Still
[6:54] 2. Don't Blame Me
[5:50] 3. Relaxin' At Camarillo
[6:42] 4. Con Alma
[9:01] 5. Darn That Dream
[7:50] 6. Euphoria
[6:36] 7. I Want To Be Happy
[8:25] 8. Harpy
[7:42] 9. Like Someone In Love

Cedar Walton - piano Billy Higgins - drums Dave Williams - bass Dale Barlow - tenor saxophone.

Cool enough to play at your dinner party, yet hot enough for a serious listen, The Cedar Walton’s Trio releases “Manhattan After Dark” featuring Dale Barlow.

Walton is among the elite of jazz history. He has appeared on such legendary recordings as John Coltrane’s “Giant Steps’ and several others by Art Blakey (whose band, The Jazz Messengers, he joined in 1961), Dexter Gordon, Ornette Coleman, Lee Morgan, Freddie Hubbard and many, many others.

True to his reputation, Walton’s playing on ‘Manhattan After Dark’ is a study of amazing piano technique and intense street-wise urban instincts. His interaction with featured guest, tenor saxophonist, Dale Barlow, especially on the tracks ‘My Heart Stood Still’ and ‘Con Alma’ is a wonderful representation on how the greats recorded and interacted with their band. The album was recorded live in the studio and allows for ‘in the moment’ intuitive movements, as well as lyrical subtleties that pass from musician to musician in their solos.

While “Manhattan After Dark” offers little in modern day innovation, it distinguishes itself as a beautifully performed and record piece that can be enjoyed for several years to come. The Cedar Walton Trio offers a lesson in the beauty of music and the elegance of jazz. ~Charlie B. Dahan

Manhattan After Hours

---

Akiko - Mood Swings

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:26
Size: 111,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:40)  1. Old Devil Moon
(6:05)  2. Mood Swings
(4:43)  3. Overstay
(5:57)  4. Footprints on the Moon
(5:59)  5. Before Dawn
(4:56)  6. The Gift
(1:12)  7. Belgrade
(7:31)  8. Old Fisherman's Daughter
(6:20)  9. Sophisticated Lady

Tokyo born Akiko started playing piano at age of 4. She started to listen to rock / punk music, when she was a junior high school student, & then began to take her interest in various kinds of music, including 70s disco music, 60s oldies, 50s rock + country and western. Above all those music, she was especially inspired by old black music like jive, jump blues & doo wop. At age of 18, she happened to listen to Sarah Vaughan & Ella Fitzgerald  thus, discovering jazz. Afterward, she started to sing as a professional at Jazz Club in Tokyo, when she was a university student.

In 2001, Akiko signed with Universal Jazz. After she had gained highest praises at International Jazz Meeting in New York, she recorded her debut album in Paris. Legendary French Producer, Henri Renaud, produced this album. Her debut album "Girl Talk" was selected as Swing Journal's Gold Disc (Seal of Approval) and ranked at 1 of Jazz Chart in Original Confidence (Japanese Bill Board). Right after the debut, akiko made success with her debut concerts in 4 major cities (Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya and Fukuoka). And in October, she performed at Blue Note Tokyo with her trio. As the result of these aggressive activities, she won New Star Award of 2001, Swing Journal Jazz Disc Award.

In 2002, Akiko released her 2nd album "Hip Pop Bop" which features 2 songs produced by UK's pop unit, Swing Out Sister. The album also ranked at 1 of Jazz Chart in Original Confidence. In summer, she appeared with her own trio at several jazz festivals in Japan and captured more than 30,000 audiences. In 2003, Akiko released her 3rd album "akiko's holiday" which was recorded in New York. She picked up 12 jazz standards sung by legendary singer, Billie Holiday. On several tunes, she sang modern way in R&B/Hip Hop touch, with several guests like Roy Hargrove. This album was selected as Swing Journal's Gold Disc (Seal of Approval). In October (of 2003), Akiko was awarded "Defining Beauty Award" by world-famous cosmetic company "Estée Lauder". Right after receiving the award, she released her 4th album "Mood Swings". Tatsuo Sunaga, A Japanese famous DJ produced this album. With this album, Akiko has started to appeal to not only jazz fans but also young audience as "The coolest jazz singer in Japan". As the result, she won Jazz Vocal Award of 2003, Swing Journal Jazz Disc Award.

In 2004, Akiko collaborated with Tatsuo Sunaga again and released her 5th album "Mood Indigo". This album was awarded ADLIB magazine’s 2004 Best National Club/Dance Disc Award. In September, she performed at Tai-chung Jazz Festival in Taiwan and captured more than 6,000 audiences. In June 2005, Akiko released her first live album “Simply Blue” which was recorded at jazz club, Motion Blue Yokohama. In November, She released a new studio album produced by Yasuharu Konishi (ex. Pizzicato Five) titled “Little Miss Jazz & Jive Goes Around the World!” which focused on her musical roots; jive music. In connection with “Little Miss…”, she produced a jive compilation CD titled “akiko presents Rockin’ Doo Wop, Jump & Jive.” In April 2006, Akiko released her first best album “Collage.” In July, she made Blue Note tour (Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya and Fukuoka), and the live performance in Osaka was released as digital album on iTunes Store.

Akiko’s 2007 started in Brazil, for the recording of her new album “Vida” with her co-producer, GIRA MUNDO. The album was supported by famous Brazilian musicians incl. Marcos Suzao and Art Lindsey, which was released in April. She made a Japan tour with this album and also performed at major pop festivals incl. Fuji Rock Festival. Also, during this period, her past albums were released in Korea that she visited Korea for both promotion and performing at jazz festival. In the end of same year (2007), akiko released her first Christmas album “a white album” which was produced by Yasuharu Konishi. Simultaneously, her second jive compilation “akiko presents Rockin’ Doo Wop, Jump & Jive Vol. 2” was released targeting for the party seasons. In 2008, after the successful Billboard Live/Blue Note tour in spring, akiko started to work on two albums simultaneously in studio, by self-producing her albums. Concepts for these albums were to express “What’s Jazz?” from two different points of view. “What’s Jazz? -STYLE-” released in October expressed her love to good old acoustic jazz, whereas “What’s Jazz? -SPIRIT-” released in November was to express her vision as the music should always reflect the trend, collaborating with track makers of club music field incl. Yukihiro Fukutomi and Hajime Yoshizawa.

In June 2009, Akiko released her new album “HIT PARADE” which was a tribute to LONDON NITE, the legendary rock DJ event in Tokyo, where she largely spent her times as a teenager. Having Kensho Onuki, who was the organizer of LONDON NITE as her supervisor, akiko picked various pop/rock hit tunes of 60’s-90’s which were ‘LONDON NITE classics’ and collaborated with LONDON NITE DJs/producers for each track creation In summer of 2009, Akiko visited Oslo, Norway to make her new album with the producer/keyboardist and also the owner of Jazzland label, Bugge Wesseltoft. During her stay in Norway, she performed with Bugge at PUNKT, one of the most cutting-edge music festivals in Norway. The album is scheduled to be released in early December. Akiko has also collaborated for various artists incl. Haime Yoshizawa, STUDIO APARTMENT, Yukihiro Fukutomi, arvin homa aya, Yuji Ohno, , just to name a few. Akiko is one of the few vocalists whose total creation are paid attention; not only her music but also the album covers and her own fashion. http://www.last.fm/music/Akiko/+wiki

Mood Swings

---

Michel Petrucciani - So What - Best Of

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:37
Size: 162,1 MB
Art: Front

(7:40)  1. Summertime
(3:03)  2. Little Peace In C For U
(9:19)  3. Home
(3:32)  4. J'aurais Tellement Voulu
(6:14)  5. Chloe Meets Gershwin
(3:08)  6. Brazilian Like
(7:03)  7. So What
(6:47)  8. Les Grelots
(3:51)  9. Looking Up
(4:03) 10. Besame Mucho
(5:50) 11. Why
(6:20) 12. Michel's Blues
(3:41) 13. Penny's From Heaven

Bill Evans wrote in the liner notes for his Grammy Award-winning album Alone that "to understand music most profoundly one only has to be listening well." If you listen to an Evans album and follow it with So What, you will understand well that Evans' music lived in the small but profound hands of Michel Petrucciani. So What is a recorded odyssey of Petrucciani's work on Dreyfus Jazz; a compilation that shows a well-seasoned jazz pianist playing beautifully in the style of his influences like Evans, Ellington, Debussy, and Ravel. Throughout the album, Petrucciani's playing is so spirited and disciplined, like his piano predecessors, that a first-time listener would never know that he was afflicted with osteogenesis imperfecta, also known as glass bone disease. The disease ultimately led to Petrucciani's death in 1999 when he was only 36, but it didn't stop him from becoming an accomplished musician who had a joie de vivre, as his French countrymen would say. 

So What opens up with a Gershwin standard, "Summertime," featuring a duet with a long-time companion of Petrucciani, French jazz organist extraordonaire Eddy Louiss. Petrucciani solos on "Summertime" with a light swing, but he cascades across the keyboard very strongly with Tin Pan Alley stride. Louiss plays the warm, mellow tone of the organ in a stop-and-start bebop style while Petrucciani comps aggressively. "Summertime" and "Les Grelots" (also featuring a duet with Louiss) were originally taken from a three-night show at the Paris club Petit Journal Montparnasse. "Home" and "So What," extracted from Petrucciani's Trio In Toyko, feature popular session drummer Steve Gadd and bassist Anthony Jackson. The trio's rendition of "So What" is energetic, even without front line horns. Petrucciani states the famous modal chorus and then breaks into a heavily classical influenced solo that sounds more like the Romantic pianist Debussy than Evans' original solo on Davis's "So What."

The rest of So What features live Petrucciani originals in Germany; a duet with Petrucciani's father, Tony, on guitar; and an all-star quartet featuring fellow French violinist Stephane Grappelli, bebop legend/drummer Roy Haynes, and bassist George Mraz. So What is an outstanding overview of the diverse, but well-grounded musical palette and channeled technique from which Petrucciani created vivid jazz piano improvisations. ~ Aaron Rogers  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/so-what-the-best-of-michel-petrucciani-michel-petrucciani-dreyfus-records-review-by-aaron-rogers.php

Personnel:  Michel Petrucciani,piano;  Eddy Louiss,organ;  Geoge Mraz,Anthony Jackson,bass;  Roy Haynes,Steve Gadd,drums;  Stephane Grappelli,violin;  Tony Petrucciani,guitar;  Bob Brookmeyer,trombone;  Flavio Boltro,trumpet;  Stefano Di Battista,saxophone;   Graffiti String Quartet

So What - Best Of

---

Cory Weeds - As of Now

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:41
Size: 121,1 MB
Art: Front

(6:54)  1. Rakin' and Scrapin'
(5:37)  2. Art Blakey, Art Blakey
(5:11)  3. Everybody Loves a Lover
(3:48)  4. Have You Met Joan
(5:50)  5. Lost in the Stars
(6:17)  6. Edward Lee
(5:26)  7. Jamaica Plum Jam
(7:11)  8. Pop Goes the Weasel
(6:24)  9. Aon

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

But he wasn’t just the club owner. As a saxophonist who studied at the University of North Texas and Capilano College, Weeds spent many nights on the Cellar bandstand as a leader and sideman. He held his own when performing with icons like Joey DeFrancesco and Christian McBride. Weeds has also recorded nine albums as a leader, including: Condition Blue, The Music Of Jackie McLean (with Peter Bernstein, Mike LeDonne, and Joe Farnsworth)., As Of Now(with the Harold Mabern Trio), Let’s Go (with Steve Davis), the Juno nominated Up A Step(Cory Weeds Quartet), With Benefits (with Lewis Nash and Peter Washington), Just Like That(with the Tilden Webb Trio), The Many Deeds of Cory Weeds (with Joey DeFrancesco),Everything’s Coming Up Weeds (with Jim Rotondi), and Big Weeds (with Peter Bernstein, Mike LeDonne, and Joe Farnsworth). In November 2016 Weeds will release his 10th album: Happy Madness was recorded in L.A. in collaboration with The Jeff Hamilton Trio. While the Cellar is now a happy memory, the record label Weeds established in 2001 is alive and well. Cellar Live has put out close to 100 recordings, including many that have spent extensive time on the JazzWeek charts, with many more releases planned. In addition to playing on numerous sessions, Weeds has also served as producer on more than 80 recordings.

On the presentation front, Weeds founded a new non–profit organization: the Cellar Jazz Society. Dedicated to fostering public education, understanding, and appreciation of Jazz by presenting performances at public venues and educational institutions. CJS did exactly that by presenting its inaugural series of Jazz concerts in April 2014 at Pyatt Hall, a state–of–the–art theatre in downtown Vancouver. The society has since been put on hold as it joins forces with Coastal Jazz to present The Cellar Jazz Series.Weeds is also programming Jazz at the renowned Francesco’s Restaurant on Burrard Street and a monthly series at The Italian Cultural Center as well as presenting concerts at various other venues around Vancouver under Cory Weeds Presents.Beyond Vancouver, Weeds has a strong affinity with New York City. He brought so many of the Jazz mecca’s top players to his club, and has performed, toured, and recorded with many of them. Tapping in to his insider knowledge of the New York scene, he has led the New York With Weeds tour to NYC four times. Weeds leads about 40 Jazz lovers on each tour to Jazz clubs off the beaten track and private recording sessions. The sixth tour will happen in March 2016.

Finally, Weeds has also worked as an educator, leading the BC Music Educators Association’s Honour Ensemble, giving clinics, and teaching privately. He has also been a Jazz disc jockey on Vancouver Co-Op Radio.  http://www.turnerentertainmentgroup.com/coryweeds.html
 

Personnel:  Cory Weeds: Tenor Saxophone;  Harold Mabern: Piano;  John Webber: Acoustic Bass;  Joe Farnsworth: Drums

As of Now

---

Tito Puente & Phil Woods - Salsa Meets Jazz

Styles: Latin Jazz, Salsa
Year: 1988
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:29
Size: 99,8 MB
Art: Front

(4:28)  1. Corner Pocket
(3:24)  2. Salsa Caliente
(4:13)  3. Consternation
(7:22)  4. Pannonica
(3:58)  5. Carioca
(3:35)  6. Guajira Soul
(5:35)  7. Repetition
(5:00)  8. Carinoso
(5:51)  9. Con Alma

For this particular Tito Puente recording, his exciting three-horn, three-percussion Latin jazz octet (which includes longtime saxophone soloist Mario Rivera) is joined by alto great Phil Woods on three of the eight selections, including Thelonious Monk's "Pannonica" and "Repetition." Such songs as "Corner Pocket," "Carioca" and Dizzy Gillespie's "Con Alma" sound perfectly natural in this Afro-Cuban jazz setting, and Puente (well featured on vibes and timbales) is responsible for two originals and seven of the nine arrangements. The music is danceable, adventurous and quite fun. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/salsa-meets-jazz-mw0000652604

Personnel: Tito Puente (timbales); Phil Woods (alto saxophone); Mario Rivera (tenor saxophone, flute); Piro Rodriguez, Bill Ortiz (trumpet, flugelhorn); Joe De Jesus (trombone); Sonny Bravo (piano); Rebecca Mauleon (synthesizer); Bobby Rodriguez (bass); Johnny Rodriguez (bongos); Jose Madera (congas); Frank Figueroa, Jose Alexis Diaz (background vocals).

Salsa Meets Jazz

---