Roy Haynes - Further Up The Road

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 76:08
Size: 174.3 MB
Styles: Bop, Avant-Garde
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[ 6:57] 1. Sweet And Lovely
[ 5:56] 2. Gone Again
[ 3:43] 3. As Long As There's Music
[11:18] 4. After Hours
[ 6:38] 5. Moonray
[ 4:20] 6. Reflection
[ 6:59] 7. Cymbalism
[ 8:50] 8. Solitaire
[ 4:20] 9. Sneakin' Around
[ 3:28] 10. Some Other Spring
[ 7:03] 11. Speak Low
[ 6:31] 12. Con Alma

A veteran drummer long overshadowed by others, but finally gaining recognition for his talents and versatility, Roy Haynes has been a major player since the 1940s. He worked early on with the Sabby Lewis big band, Frankie Newton, Luis Russell (1945-1947), and Lester Young (1947-1949). After some engagements with Kai Winding, Haynes was a member of the Charlie Parker Quintet (1949-1952); he also recorded during this era with Bud Powell, Wardell Gray, and Stan Getz. Haynes toured the world with Sarah Vaughan (1953-1958); played with Thelonious Monk in 1958; led his own group; and gigged with George Shearing, Lennie Tristano, Eric Dolphy, and Getz (1961). He was Elvin Jones' occasional substitute with John Coltrane's classic quartet during 1961-1965, toured with Getz (1965-1967), and was with Gary Burton (1967-1968). In addition to touring with Chick Corea (1981 and 1984) and Pat Metheny (1989-1990), Haynes has led his own Hip Ensemble on and off during the past several decades. When one considers that he has also gigged with Miles Davis, Art Pepper, Horace Tapscott, and Dizzy Gillespie, it is fair to say that Haynes has played with about everyone. He led dates for EmArcy and Swing (both in 1954), New Jazz (1958 and 1960), Impulse (a 1962 quartet album with Roland Kirk), Pacific Jazz, Mainstream, Galaxy, Dreyfus, Evidence, and Storyville. In 1994, Haynes was awarded the Danish Jazzpar prize, and two years later, he received the prestigious French Chevalier des l'Ordres Artes et des Lettres. In the late '90s, Haynes formed a trio with pianist Danilo Perez and bassist John Pattitucci, and they released their debut album, The Roy Haynes Trio Featuring Danilo Perez & John Pattitucci, in early 2000 on Verve. Haynes' son Graham is an excellent cornetist. Haynes paid tribute to Charlie Parker in 2001 with Birds of a Feather, his fourth release for the Dreyfus Jazz label, which was subsequently nominated for a Grammy in 2002; Fountain of Youth followed two years later. Also released in 2004, Quiet Fire compiled two of his prior releases for Galaxy (1977's Thank You Thank You and 1978's Vistalite) into one back-to-back record. Whereas appeared in mid-2006, and it earned Haynes a Grammy nomination for Best Jazz Instrumental Solo. ~Biio by Scott Yanow

Further Up The Road

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Barney Wilen - Modern Nostalgie (Starbust Forever)

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:58
Size: 155,6 MB
Art: Front

(6:07)  1. Forever
(7:56)  2. Angelica
(5:04)  3. Recado
(4:28)  4. Espinhos Do Ser
(5:01)  5. Wave
(4:59)  6. Bemsha Swing
(4:01)  7. Darn That Dream
(5:31)  8. Stardust
(7:17)  9. In A Sentimental Mood
(2:38) 10. J'ai Le Cafard
(4:48) 11. Tu Ne Sais Pas Aimer
(4:42) 12. Tenderly
(3:18) 13. As Time Goes By

Barney Wilen's mother was French, his father a successful American dentist-turned-inventor. He grew up mostly on the French Riviera; the family left during World War II but returned upon its conclusion. According to Wilen himself, he was convinced to become a musician by his mother's friend, the poet Blaise Cendrars. As a teenager he started a youth jazz club in Nice, where he played often. He moved to Paris in the mid-'50s and worked with such American musicians as Bud Powell, Benny Golson, Miles Davis, and J.J. Johnson at the Club St. Germain. His emerging reputation received a boost in 1957 when he played with Davis on the soundtrack to the Louis Malle film Lift to the Scaffold. Two years later, he performed with Art Blakey and Thelonious Monk on the soundtrack to Roger Vadim's Les Liaisons Dangereuses (1960). Wilen began working in a rock-influenced style during the '60s, recording an album entitled Dear Prof. Leary in 1968. In the early '70s, Wilen led a failed expedition of filmmakers, musicians, and journalists to travel to Africa to document pygmy music. Later Wilen played in a punk rock band called Moko and founded a French Jazzmobile-type organization that took music to people living in outlying areas. He also worked in theater. By the mid-'90s, he was working once again in a bebop vein in a band with the pianist Laurent de Wilde. Much of Wilen's later work was documented on the Japanese Venus label. ~ Chris Kelsey  http://www.allmusic.com/artist/barney-wilen-mn0000117853/biography

Personnel:  Barney Wilen Sax (Tener, Alto, Soprano);  Olivier Hutman (Piano);  Gilles Naturel (Bass ); Peter Gritz (Drums);  Rovert Persi (Piano);  Leonardo Ribeiro (Guitar);  Serge Marne (Percussion);  Marie Moor (Vocal)

Modern Nostalgie (Starbust Forever)

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Arnett Cobb, Dizzy Gillespie, Jewel Brown - Show Time

Styles: Vocal, Trumpet and Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1988
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:21
Size: 95,1 MB
Art: Front

(7:25)  1. Sweet Mama
(4:28)  2. Nearness Of You
(5:46)  3. Just A Closer Walk With Thee
(3:23)  4. Kathy's Blues
(5:06)  5. This Bitter Earth
(4:32)  6. Time After Time
(7:29)  7. Night In Tunisia
(3:09)  8. Jazz Heritage Boogie

Tenor saxophonist Arnett Cobb's next-to-last recording was cut at a concert in Houston that was held to celebrate his 69th birthday. Cobb is in typically fine form. He plays three numbers with a rhythm section comprised of four local players; best is "Just a Closer Walk with Thee" although the lack of any romps is disappointing. His friend trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie helps out on two songs, an okay version of "Night in Tunisia" (Dizzy was past his prime) and "Sweet Mama" which contains some of Gillespie's humorous vocalizing. Jewel Brown, best-known for singing with Louis Armstrong in the 1960s, made her first public appearance in 17 years for this date, resulting in two so-so numbers. Closing the album is veteran pianist Sammy Price jamming a blues in a trio. This CD is a mixed bag, not essential but generally quite interesting. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/showtime-mw0000197698

Personnel: Arnett Cobb (tenor saxophone); Dizzy Gillespie (vocals, trumpet); Jewel Brown (vocals); Paul English, Kenny Andrews, Sammy Price (piano); Clayton Dyess (guitar); Derrick Lewis (bass); Mike Lefebvre, Malcolm Pinson (drums).

Show Time

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Clea Bradford - Her Point Of View

Styles: Vocal
Year: 1968
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:57
Size: 88,0 MB
Art: Front

(2:55)  1. My Love's A Monster
(3:19)  2. Spring Is Here
(3:00)  3. Summertime
(2:56)  4. The Thrill Is Gone
(2:51)  5. Bye Bye Blackbird
(3:11)  6. Think About That
(2:59)  7. I Need Love
(3:18)  8. A Place In The Sun
(2:48)  9. What Is This Thing Called Love
(2:59) 10. Anything Goes
(4:23) 11. Any Day Now
(3:12) 12. The View From Up Here

Vocals. Exuberant jazz and blues vocalist who had series of good albums released in '60s, enjoyed some success with Cadet in late '60s, though these were more soul-oriented records arranged by Richard Evans. She had more straight jazz sessions with Clark Terry, Oliver Nelson and others on Mainstream, Tru-Sound. ~ Ron Wynn  http://www.allmusic.com/artist/clea-bradford-mn0001161653/biography

Her Point Of View

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Mark Weinstein - In Jerusalem

Styles: Flute Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:29
Size: 108,6 MB
Art: Front

(7:26)  1. Berditchever Nigun
(4:40)  2. Repozarás
(6:27)  3. Mizmor L' David
(4:40)  4. Yaakov U' Malka
(8:44)  5. Adayin Chashoock
(3:42)  6. Ozidanie
(4:08)  7. Meir's Nigun
(6:39)  8. Breslov Nigun

Flutist Mark Weinstein has made a career of fusing world music elements with jazzy sensibilities with finesse and style. On In Jerusalem he tackles the rich Hasidic heritage of song. He and his band interpret both secular and religious tunes as well as original compositions with delightful spontaneity and ethereal diapason. The Sabbath hymn "Repozaras" opens with Weinstein's flute dancing over bassist Gilad Abro's oud like strums and dual thumping gallop of drummer Haim Peskoff and percussionist Gilad Dobrecky. Weinstein embellishes the melodic theme with lyricism and effervescence while Dobrecky lays down infectious rhythms. The resulting ambience is uplifting and celebratory. Dobrecky engages Haim Peskoff in a thunderous and thrilling duet on the blues-flavored take of "Mizmor L'David." Guitarist Steve Peskoff takes center stage with a complex, pensive improvisation that simmers with reserved passion. Weinstein deftly expands on the song's motifs with a fluid and soulful approach all the while preserving its mystical essence.

The Russian dance "Ozidanie" is performed gently like a lullaby as Weinstein's mellifluous lines float within a hypnotic atmosphere. Dobrecky's instruments chime and cascade like rainfall while Haim Peskoff spellbinding solo complements Abro's deeply sonorous and heady reverberations. Abro demonstrates breathtaking agility as he constructs a complex extemporization with surefootedness and alacrity on Steve Peskoff's cinematic "Adayin Chashoock." Weinstein showcases his characteristic charm and elegance as his warm, thick phrases undulate over the rumbling, rattling refrains. Peskoff's unhurried and expressive string work builds a captivating monologue that draws upon Middle Eastern harmonies and Western Classical structural rigor. The engaging album concludes on a high note with the sublime "Breslov Nigun." Rolling thuds and primal beats set a dramatic ambience that Weinstein's muscular, yearning flute enhances. 

Steve Peskoff's thick resonant chords add a serene and solemn mood. An intriguing group conversation gives way to Abro's poetic and angular monologue. Weinstein's expectant and evocative tones close the piece with nocturnesque melancholy. ~ Hrayr Attarian  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/in-jerusalem-mark-weinstein-zoho-music-review-by-hrayr-attarian.php
 

Personnel: Mark Weinstein: concert, alto and bass flutes; Steve Peskoff: guitar; Gilad Abro: bass; Haim Peskoff: drums; Gilad Dobrecky: percussion.

In Jerusalem

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Illinois Jacquet - Jacquet's Street

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:33
Size: 118.0 MB
Styles: Bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1976/2008
Art: Front

[ 7:43] 1. Rock A Bye Basie
[ 3:57] 2. Don't Blame Me
[ 7:02] 3. Baptiste Blues
[ 4:39] 4. Jacquet's Street
[10:01] 5. Broadway
[ 4:01] 6. Don't Blame Me
[ 6:17] 7. (Back Home Again In) Indiana
[ 7:50] 8. Taps Miller

This is a consistently inspired sextet date featuring the great tenor Illinois Jacquet. Released by the French Black & Blue label and made available in the U.S. by the now-defunct Classic Jazz on an LP, the set teams Jacquet with complementary mainstream players: trumpeter Francis Williams, trombonist Al Cobbs, pianist Milt Buckner, bassist George Duvivier and drummer Oliver Jackson. Jacquet and his sidemen put plenty of spirit into basic jam tunes including "Rock A Bye Basie," "Broadway' and "Taps Miller," coming across like a small-group from Count Basie's Orchestra. Fun and swinging music. ~Scott Yanow

Jacquet's Street

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Shawn Colvin - Uncovered

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:00
Size: 119.1 MB
Styles: Folk
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[4:24] 1. Tougher Than The Rest
[3:58] 2. American Tune
[4:29] 3. Baker Street
[4:16] 4. Hold On
[5:08] 5. I Used To Be A King
[3:52] 6. Private Universe
[5:10] 7. Heaven Is Ten Zillion Miles Away
[3:07] 8. Gimme A Little Sign
[6:28] 9. Acadian Driftwood
[3:11] 10. Lodi
[4:32] 11. Not A Drop Of Rain
[3:18] 12. Til I Get It Right

On her new album Uncovered, acclaimed singer/songwriter Shawn Colvin shines with sublime sensitivity, casting new light on an exquisitely curated collection of songs from some of the most admired writers in popular music history. Uncovered's twelve tunes include songs by Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon, Tom Waits, Stevie Wonder, Robbie Robertson and Graham Nash to name a few, but in their selection and delivery, they are pure Shawn Colvin. As Shawn says: "Unless a song moves you, it doesn't matter what you do with it."

Born in Vermilion, South Dakota and raised in part in Illinois and Ontario, Shawn Colvin was already a well-traveled and seasoned performer by the time she won her first Grammy for Best Contemporary Folk Album with her debut Steady On in 1989. In the decades since, Colvin has released a string of superlative albums and established an enduring reputation as one of America’s great live performers. Her lasting appeal is due in part to her willingness to lay herself bare coupled with a dry wit; intrigued parties would do well to investigate Colvin's superb memoir Diamond In The Rough (William Morrow Publishing, 2013).

"The title Uncovered has a few meanings," Shawn explains. "It means uncovering as in an excavation, and uncovered in the sense of vulnerability. This album was made very spontaneously, we didn't over-think or overdub it. One of my friends said to me, 'You sound so exposed on this record!' and I think that's the thematic key, vulnerability."

Uncovered

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Acme Swing Co. - California Premium Hops

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:48
Size: 91.1 MB
Styles: Neo-swing
Year: 1999/2012
Art: Front

[3:55] 1. Acme Swing Company
[4:00] 2. Warm It Up
[3:51] 3. Bouncin' At The Hiball
[4:38] 4. Hep Cat
[3:24] 5. Quake City
[3:21] 6. 2 A.M
[4:26] 7. Deal Me In
[5:02] 8. Where You At
[3:46] 9. You're Just Enough
[3:21] 10. All But Broke

Tom Beyer (vocals), Chris Cox (trombone), Ben Pfeiffer (bass), Nick Rous (saxophone), Isaac Carter (guitar), Henry Hung (trumpet), Jason Bodlovich (drums).

Upon listening to this album, I was immediately impressed by Tom Beyer's origional lyrics, especially the song "Where You At." The energy level of the individual players is very strong which is hard to find in the "neo-swing" arena. There is a rough edge to this band that is unlike any other I have seen in this scene, with the possible exception of Royal Crown Review. In fact, I saw Acme live with Royal Crown, and they really gave them a run for thier money. I'm sure they would say the same themselves. It is quite clear that the neo-swing craze is nearing it's end, but for those people out there who are interrested in the MUSIC, you owe it to yourself to listen to these guys before you hand up your wingtips. Furthermore, if you can catch these guys live, it will really shock you. ~Amazon

California Premium Hops

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Captain & Tennille - The Best Of Captain & Tennille

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:18
Size: 92.3 MB
Styles: Adult Contemporary, Soft rock
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[3:17] 1. Love Will Keep Us Together
[2:37] 2. The Way I Want To Touch You
[3:46] 3. Muskrat Love
[3:22] 4. Shop Around
[3:17] 5. Wedding Song (There Is Love)
[3:12] 6. Lonely Night (Angel Face)
[4:30] 7. Come In From The Rain
[2:42] 8. Circles
[2:16] 9. We Never Really Say Goodbye
[3:46] 10. Can't Stop Dancing
[3:17] 11. You Never Done It Like That
[4:10] 12. Do That To Me One More Time

Everyone knows that 'Love Will Keep Us Together' became their first No. 1 million seller in the summer of '75. But all twelve of these A&M and Casablanca recordings were not only hits in their own right, but also fan favorites, making this millennium collection the most concise assembly of Captain & Tennille material to date.

The Best Of Captain & Tennille

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Dave Brubeck & Carmen McRae - Tonight Only!

Styles: Vocal, Saxophone And Piano Jazz

Year: 1960

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 57:50

Size: 133,1 MB

Art: Front

(10:02)  1. Melanctha

( 2:53)  2. Weep No More

( 4:27)  3. Talkin' And Walkin'

( 2:58)  4. Briar Bush (Aka Southern Scene)

( 2:07)  5. Paradiddle Joe

( 6:21)  6. Late Lament

( 2:42)  7. Strange Meadowlark

( 5:02)  8. Tristesse

( 7:32)  9. Tonight Only

( 4:33) 10. There'll Be No Tomorrow

( 1:38) 11. Easy As You Go

( 2:23) 12. Summer Song

( 2:29) 13. In The Lurch

( 2:37) 14. My One Bad Habit

One of the more obscure Dave Brubeck albums is really a showcase for the young singer Carmen McRae who performs nine numbers: six composed by the pianist/leader, one song apiece by altoist Paul Desmond and bassist Eugene Wright and the lesser-known standard "Paradiddle Joe." McRae is in fine voice but strangely enough all of the songs (except for "Strange Meadowlark") have been long forgotten. Stronger material would have resulted in a more memorable session. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/tonight-only-mw0000856833

Personnel:  Dave Brubeck (piano);  Paul Desmond (alto sax);  Joe Morello (drums);  Eugene Wright (bass);  Carmen McRae (vocal).

Tonight Only!

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Ehud Asherie - Organic

Styles: Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:11
Size: 100,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:59)  1. Tonight
(4:57)  2. Valse Pra Jelena
(4:02)  3. The Stopper
(6:20)  4. Coquette
(5:29)  5. It's Possible
(5:22)  6. Favela
(6:46)  7. Apostrophe
(5:13)  8. Blues For Fats

Contrary to what some might believe, the designation of a musician as an organist or pianist does not have to be mutually exclusive. While some players choose to focus all of their time and energy on one of these instruments, many others prefer to branch out and try their hand at both. Fats Waller wasn't afraid to work in both worlds, and a whole list of modern-day players, including Gary Versace, Larry Goldings and Sam Yahel, are adept on both instruments. Ehud Asherie can now be added to that list. His string of piano-led discs on the Posi-Tone Records label have already positioned him as a rising jazz star on that instrument, but Organic is all about the organ, and he pushes the piano aside for this one.

The program is evenly split between Asherie originals and covers, ranging from Leonard Bernstein's "Tonight" to Antonio Carlos Jobim's lesser-known "Favela," and guitarist Peter Bernstein is superb across the entire album. His clean-toned, single note lines are always a treat and his soloing on the charming ballad "Coquette" is an album highlight. Asherie's organ playing is unpretentious and pleasing, never running into modern-day abstractions or resorting to clichés. The momentary stops on the second syllable of "Tonight" add a hint of mischief to an otherwise fairly straightforward performance, and the aforementioned "Coquette" adds a touch of grace to the album. "The Stopper" a sorely neglected Sonny Rollins tune features lots of stop-time punctuations and unison hits beneath Dmitry Baevsky's alto saxophone proclamations. Baevsky's searing solo work energizes the rest of the band and drummer Phil Stewart delivers an explosive solo. Jobim's "Favela" is taken a bit faster than usual, with a samba-like groove on the bottom, and Asherie kicks things off with a Morse code-like lick. Stewart's solo, with some festive tom-dominated playing over his steady samba footwork, is the highlight here.

Asherie's originals include a mellow jazz waltz ("Valse Pra Jelena") with Bernstein showing some Grant Green-like tendencies delivered in a more modern fashion and a tribute to Fats Waller ("Blues for Fats") that clearly owes a debt to the man himself. Asherie isn't likely to give up the piano on a permanent basis, but the aptly titled Organic's presents an alternate view of the keyboardist's work, and is a welcome addition to his already impressive catalog. ~ Dan Bilawsky  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/organic-ehud-asherie-posi-tone-records-review-by-dan-bilawsky.php
 

Personnel:  Ehud Asherie: organ;  Peter Bernstein: guitar;  Dmitry Baevsky: alto saxophone;  Phil Stewart: drums.

Organic

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Joey Calderazzo Trio - Live

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:07
Size: 163,0 MB
Art: Front

(12:21)  1. The Mighty Sword
( 8:26)  2. Rainbow
(12:04)  3. To Be Confirmed
(11:17)  4. The Meaning of the Blues
( 9:37)  5. Time Remembered
(17:20)  6. Trieste

This new document of live-action jazz did not originate at the Village Vanguard, or anywhere near New York City for that matter. Joey Calderazzo’s trio is heard stretching out at Daly Jazz in the relatively remote locale of Missoula, Mont. If this set offers any indication, the venue is just as inspiring a room as some of its big-city counterparts. Pianist Calderazzo, also a member of Branford Marsalis’ quartet, takes his time on these six tracks, stretching out for an average of 10 minutes per tune. Bassist Orlando le Fleming and drummer Donald Edwards fill out the group and give their leader a foundation that is alternately steady or reactive; they often punctuate solos with a gallop that pumps up the energy leading into the next chorus.

“To Be Confirmed” begins with a funky groove based on a New Orleans second-line feel, but rather than simply sticking to a crowd-pleasing romp, the trio shifts into a walking 4/4 tempo that inspires the pianist to create several choruses that flow seamlessly into one another. Calderazzo spends a fair amount of time exploring his lyrical side with Keith Jarrett’s “Rainbow,” Bill Evans’ “Time Remembered” and Bobby Troup’s “The Meaning of the Blues.” But the highlight of the album is the 17-minute reading of Paul Motian’s “Trieste.” Beginning with a gentle 5/4 riff, it turns into a wave of chords that Le Fleming and Edwards build into cascades of sound. The performance comes off as both a unique interpretation and a musical profile of the composer. ~ Mike Shanley  http://jazztimes.com/articles/93158-joey-calderazzo-trio-live-joey-calderazzo-trio

Personnel: Joey Calderazzo (piano); Donald Edwards (drums); Orlando Le Fleming  (bass).

Live

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Tisziji Munoz - Divine Radiance

Styles: Guitar, Straight-ahead/Mainstream
Year: 2003
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:20
Size: 142,9 MB
Art: Front

( 1:10)  1. Moment Of Truth
(16:14)  2. Visiting This Planet - Leaving This Planet
(16:17)  3. Initiation By Fire
( 4:26)  4. Fatherhood
(24:12)  5. Divine Radiance

Quick! Name a shredding electric guitarist heavily influenced by late-period John Coltrane... If you said Sonny Sharrock, you're probably not alone; Sharrock built a career out of translating the turbo-charged tenor saxophone sounds of Coltrane, Albert Ayler and other first-generation avant-garde players to the guitar. Few know, however, that Sharrock, who seems peerless, has company in this arena.

When the sextet led by guitarist Tisziji Muñoz, and featuring Coltrane collaborators Pharoah Sanders (who also worked with Sharrock) and Rashied Ali, charged into "Initiation by Fire" at the Village Underground last month, the first thing I thought of was Sharrock's Ask the Ages. Everything from the instrumentation to the highly melodic quality of the written music to the thicket-like counterpoint of Muñoz and Sanders recalled that seminal release. Listening to Divine Radiance, I still think of Sharrock, but I notice that these two players use melody in very different ways. While Sharrock famously tried (very successfully, e.g. on "Devils Doll Baby" from 1986's Guitar ) to "find a way for ... terror and ... beauty to live together in one song," Muñoz' performances tend to be either terrible (in the most ironically positive sense) or beautiful. 

The most energetic and effective track, "Divine Radiance," a marathon collective improvisation in the general mold of Trane's "Ascension," undoubtedly falls into the latter category. Here, Sanders and fellow tenor man Ravi Coltrane alternate between hoarse brays and molten runs that clearly evoke the elder Coltrane, while Muñoz matches them shard for shard. The guitarist has an impressive range of sounds at his disposal; he shuffles pyrotechnic upper-register somersaults, blues-metal chunks that recall Vernon Reid, and ambient string scrapes. In total contrast to "Radiance" is "Fatherhood," a gem-like guitar/synth duet featuring Paul Shaffer, who uses a plush, vibraphone-like tone. When Muñoz and Shaffer initiated this piece at the Underground, I was totally taken aback by its unabashed lushness. On record, Muñoz' ringing notes float over the cloud of Shaffer's New Age atmospheres, and if one can abide the considerably dated sound of the synth, the piece is quite affecting.

While the performances on Divine Radiance do seem a bit one-dimensional in comparison with Sonny Sharrock's best work, Tisziji Muñoz's latest is, on its own terms, an extremely well-played (Ali in particular is in fine, bruising form) example of post-Coltrane free jazz that fans of this style will certainly enjoy.  This review originally appeared in the July 2003 issue of All About Jazz - New York. ~ Hank Shteamer  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/divine-radiance-tisziji-munoz-dreyfus-records-review-by-hank-shteamer.php

Personnel: Rashied Ali - Drums, Cecil McBee - Bass, Paul Shaffer - Organ, Synthesizer, Piano, Don Pate - Bass, Pharoah Sanders - Saxophone, Ravi Coltrane - Saxophone, Tisziji Munoz - Synthesizer, Guitar.

Divine Radiance

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Jerri Winters - Somebody Loves Me

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:28
Size: 81.2 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 1957/2000/2010
Art: Front

[2:27] 1. Sometimes I'm Happy
[2:58] 2. It's Always You
[2:42] 3. I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good
[2:19] 4. Somebody Loves Me
[3:58] 5. Dark Shadows
[2:27] 6. Ridin' On The Moon
[3:59] 7. All Or Nothing At All
[3:28] 8. In Other Words (Fly Me To The Moon)
[2:54] 9. Crazy In The Heart
[2:20] 10. There Will Never Be Another You
[3:01] 11. Kind Of Moody
[2:49] 12. I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me

Jerri Winters' lone Bethlehem date pairs the singer with the Al Belletto Sextet, whose lively, no-frills performance proves a sympathetic match with Winters' smoky vocals. While Winters' stint with Stan Kenton proved her aptitude for navigating bold, progressive arrangements, Somebody Loves Me places her in a series of simple but engaging settings that showcase the full range of her talents -- a wonderfully idiosyncratic but immediately accessible singer with sass and wit to spare, she puts an indelible stamp on material like "Ridin' on the Moon," "Dark Shadows," and "Sometimes I'm Happy." The Belletto band's contributions are no less impressive, proving that straight-ahead jazz can be just as colorful and dynamic as its edgier siblings. ~Jason Ankeny

Somebody Loves Me

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Blue Plate Special - Tracks

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:43
Size: 139.0 MB
Styles: Country, Bluegrass
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[3:11] 1. This Thing I Got For You
[3:16] 2. Ship Comes In
[4:00] 3. She Left Me
[3:43] 4. Devil Played A Bluegrass Song
[2:45] 5. Can't Put My Finger On It
[3:11] 6. Sweet, Sweet Love
[4:39] 7. Can't Go On
[3:28] 8. Canton Ohio
[3:34] 9. Insomnia
[5:34] 10. Tell Me Something
[4:49] 11. I Want To Know
[4:27] 12. Been There Done That
[3:13] 13. Mercedes Benz
[2:42] 14. If You Don't Mean It
[3:30] 15. I Second That Emotion
[4:32] 16. No Place To Go

Bluegrass-inspired group from Bergen County, New Jersey. Original songs in varied styles of Americana music.

Tracks

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Ramsey Lewis, Billy Taylor - We Meet Again

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:05
Size: 128.4 MB
Styles: Piano jazz, Crossover jazz
Year: 1990
Art: Front

[4:35] 1. I'm Just A Lucky So And So
[6:19] 2. Django
[4:35] 3. Cookin' At The Continental
[5:42] 4. Somewhere Soon
[7:41] 5. We Meet Again
[7:20] 6. Quite Now
[5:15] 7. Soul Sister
[6:52] 8. Waltz For Debby
[7:41] 9. Nigerian Marketplace

Features Billy Taylor as Lewis and Taylor played duets on several songs composed by Taylor as well as songs composed by Duke Ellington, Chick Corea (who wrote the title song of the album), Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans and Horace Silver.

We Meet Again

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Chris Daniels & The Kings - Louie Louie

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:42
Size: 88.6 MB
Styles: Jump blues, Swing
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[2:52] 1. If You're So Smart, How Come You Ain't Rich
[2:44] 2. All For The Love Of Lill
[3:31] 3. Sure Had A Wonderful Time Last Night
[3:25] 4. Penthouse In The Basement
[3:13] 5. Azure-Te (Paris Blues)
[2:22] 6. Choo Choo Ch'boogie
[3:36] 7. Shine
[2:16] 8. (You Dyed Your Hair) Chartreuse
[4:46] 9. You Rascal You
[2:55] 10. Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens
[3:16] 11. Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby
[3:35] 12. Five Months
[0:04] 13. Bonus Track

When jump blues experienced a rebirth in popularity in the '90s and bands like the Cherry Poppin' Daddies and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy hit big, quite a few young acts jumped on the bandwagon and started embracing the music and fashions of the '40s. Chris Daniels & the Kings, however, weren't jumping on any bandwagon -- formed in the mid-'80s, the Colorado outfit was playing jump blues and jive before those styles came back in fashion. The title Louie Louie will make many rockers think of the Kingsmen's '60s smash, but that isn't one of the songs you'll find on this CD. Rather, Louie Louie takes its name from the artists that lead singer/guitarist/producer Daniels calls "the three Louies": Louis Jordan, Louis Prima and Louis Armstrong. Though one can hear the influence of all of those Louies on this fun, entertaining album, Jordan's influence is especially song. In fact, many of the songs that Daniels embraces come from Jordan's repertoire, including "Is You or Is You Ain't My Baby," "Choo-Choo-Ch Boogie" (one of Jordan's biggest hits), "If You're So Smart, How Come You Ain't Rich" and "Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens." With the dark-humored "I'll Be Glad When You're Dead, You Rascal You," Daniels chooses a song that was recorded by all three Louies. As the album's producer, Daniels is careful not to overproduce -- he was obviously going for an organic approach. Although not brilliant, Louie Louie is competent, enjoyable and sincere. ~Alex Henderson

Louie Louie

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Marlene VerPlanck - Once There Was A Moon

Size: 108,8 MB
Time: 41:28
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2008
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. I'm In Love Again (2:11)
02. Where Do You Go From Love (4:11)
03. The Best Thing For You (1:50)
04. Around About Half Past Nine (3:42)
05. It Might As Well Be Spring (2:37)
06. I've Got You Under My Skin (3:59)
07. What Are You Afraid Of (3:30)
08. Evening Star (3:03)
09. Then Say It's Spring (2:03)
10. Better Luck Next Time (2:40)
11. You're Laughing At Me (3:01)
12. Ev'rything I Love (2:49)
13. Dearly Beloved (3:05)
14. Once There Was A Moon (2:41)

Marlene VerPlanck is a singing canary of the old- fashioned sort—one who consistently picks great songs and then sings them in a brightly chirping soprano so that every single lyric is quite intelligible. The songs come out radiating an aura of a singer in love with what she's doing. Maybe that all ought to be commonplace in music, but it isn't. On Once There Was A Moon she continues to demonstrate what a reliable custodian she is of the American Songbook.

Although some of the songs here are well-known, VerPlanck has a way of going her own fresh way with them. For instance, Irving Berlin's "The Best Thing For You" (and the simplicity of Berlin's song fits hand-in-glove with her style) gets a racing-breathlessly-down-the-street-in-love-hooray delivery. By contrast, Cole Porter's "I've Got You Under My Skin" finds her in an after-hours meditation, the mood somehow both insouciant and cheerfully obsessed.

Happily, along with those gems there are more than a few old treasures to (re)discover. Among them is Segal/Wells' slyly seductive "What Are You Afraid Of?" When she invitingly warbles "Take your shoes off, baby," surely only a fool would delay. Resonant and haunting, Benny Carter's romantic "Evening Star" offers an irrefutable reminder of what a fine songwriter that great musician also was. Another gem is Bob Haymes/Marty Clarke's "They Say It's Spring." A breathless consideration of love in bloom, it's irresistible and, as throughout, Tedd Firth's piano accompaniment is the keyboard Baccarat for serving up VerPlanck's dry martini vocalizing. ~Andrew Velez

Personnel: Marlene Ver Planck: vocals; Tedd Firth: piano; Rich DeRosa: drums; Steve LaSpina: bass.

Once There Was A Moon

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Preston Smith - Beneath The Surface

Size: 101,7 MB
Time: 36:37
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz: Smooth Jazz
Art: Front

01. I Funked It Up (3:33)
02. Strasbourg St. Denis (3:45)
03. In The Pocket (5:53)
04. People Make The World Go 'round (4:49)
05. He Loves Me (5:15)
06. I Shot The Sheriff (4:36)
07. Ain't No Sunshine (4:12)
08. Summertime (4:30)

Trumpeter Preston Smith, a resident of Houston, teaches band and music at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic School. He was also the host of the Straight Ahead Jazz Night at the famous Red Cat Jazz Café in downtown Houston which has a long history of showcasing jazz artists of various genres. Smith is also making a name for himself as a premier performer in the area thanks to many performances with his quintet, and additional freelance gigs in the region. His Recent CD “Beneath the Surface” has sold throughout the US, and Internationally.

Preston started his college career as a scholarship musician at Texas Wesleyan University in Dallas, Texas. He continued his study of trumpet performance at Western State College of Colorado where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music Performance in 2000. While studying jazz and classical music in college, Preston performed professionally with multiple groups throughout Colorado and collaborated with several on a variety of recording projects. He played with Dixieland, jazz, funk, rock, and Latin groups throughout the state and performed in several notable venues including One World Festival, UNC Jazz festival, and the Montana Traditional Jazz Festival.

Afterwards Smith took a full assistantship to pursue his Masters of Music at Southeastern Louisiana University. While there, Smith was a member of the faculty brass quintet and played lead trumpet in the top big band. Smith then started his teaching career, and played professionally throughout Southern Louisiana. In 2002, he was invited by Tom Benson (Saint’s Owner) to play the national anthem before the Dallas Cowboy’s vs New Orleans Saint’s NFL Game in the Louisiana Superdome.

While in Louisiana Preston began to record and play professionally there and throughout Texas, Alabama, and Florida. He recorded his first solo album, “One Night Stand,” at Word of Mouth Studio in New Orleans. Smith also recorded and toured with Jive Train, a funk R&B group, as well as appearing with the R&B band, Coffee, featuring Ernest Scott on the TV show, Louisiana Jukebox. “In the Cool,” his second solo album was released in 2003, and several of his originals were featured on the “Hammond Toast to the Arts” CD, and on the Strawberry Jam Toast to the Arts Festival compilation album.

After brief stint as co-owner of SugaCane’s Jazz ‘n Blues restaurant and club in Hammond, Louisiana, Smith moved to Houston to become a high school administrator. In 2012, Smith again turned to his horn and music in earnest. He recorded a 3 song CD called “In the Pocket”, and started performing throughout the Houston area. In 2015, Preston released his newest Album “Beneath the Surface” is selling on all major markets including itunes, amazon, Spotify, cdbaby, and many more. It has been showcased on radio across the US and internationally in over 15 countries, as well as Sirius XM Radio.

Preston is an endorsing artist for Phaeton Trumpets. Smith plays on a Phaeton Matte Black PHT-XP45 Bb trumpet, and a Phaeton Gloss Black Onyx PHTF-2650 flugelhorn.

Beneath The Surface

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Champian Fulton - After Dark

Size: 125,9 MB
Time: 54:01
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Ain't Misbehavin' (2:14)
02. That Old Feeling (3:54)
03. What A Difference A Day Made (3:44)
04. Blue Skies (4:37)
05. Keepin' Out Of Mischief (4:11)
06. A Bad Case Of The Blues (4:55)
07. Travelin' Light (7:21)
08. Mad About The Boy (5:28)
09. All Of Me (5:47)
10. Baby, Won't You Please Come Home (6:13)
11. Midnight Stroll (5:32)

Champian's new album, "After Dark", features the music of Dinah Washington. Let her tell you the story of how this record came to be;

"The first time I heard Dinah Washington, I was a little girl. I fell in love with her big voice and clean phrasing while listening to “The Fats Waller Songbook” and “For Those In Love.” The sound of her voice was everything I wanted to be: strong and sassy; she was clearly having fun in her life. I became completely obsessed. I listened to her records so much that I easily memorized every word and every note. Clark Terry, a family friend, thought it was most amusing to have me sing his solos, as well as Jimmy Cleveland’s and Wynton Kelly’s, while we were at parties. I can remember him telling his friends Joe Williams and Sir Roland Hanna, among others, that I could recite the entire album. On occasion he would ask me to sing “Long John, The Dentist”, which is a rather risqué tune, but of course the humor of an 8-year-old girl singing that song was lost on me until I was much older.

As I grew up, I discovered Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday, Helen Humes… But I always came back to Dinah. I collected her entire discography, read everything about her, and asked all my musician friends if they had known her. The more I heard and learned, the more I was fascinated. Every musician I spoke to admired her artistic integrity, her ability to make a hit recording in one take, and her no-nonsense attitude.

I have never loved the idea of a “tribute” record, but in the past few years I have been revisiting Dinah’s music more and more. She has comforted me when I needed it, made me laugh, and warmed my heart. In recording this album of her songs, I hope to do the same for you. I hope this record makes you smile, feel loved, and brightens your evenings. Put it on in those quiet moments After Dark. ~Champian"

After Dark

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