Dick Hyman & Tom Pletcher - If Bix Played Gershwin

Styles: Piano And Cornet Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:55
Size: 137,8 MB
Art: Front

(2:55)  1. I Got Plenty O' Nuttin'
(3:51)  2. Oh, Lady, Be Good!
(3:36)  3. Sweet and Low-down
(3:27)  4. I Got Rhythm
(2:58)  5. But Not for Me
(2:56)  6. Kongo Kate
(3:27)  7. I've Got a Crush on You
(3:00)  8. Rialto Ripples
(3:16)  9. The Half of It, Dearie, Blues
(3:20) 10. 'S Wonderful
(2:48) 11. Yankee Doodle Rhythm
(2:54) 12. I Was So Young
(3:01) 13. Fascinating Rhythm
(4:11) 14. In a Mist
(2:43) 15. Sunny Disposish
(4:28) 16. Embraceable You #1
(4:24) 17. Embraceable You #2
(2:30) 18. Somebody Loves Me

Pianist Dick Hyman has to be recognized as one of the foremost students of historical jazz. The authentic-sounding retro background tracks you hear behind scenes in many Woody Allen movies came from bands led by Hyman and his like-minded sidemen. Cornetist Tom Pletcher obviously shares Hyman’s enthusiasm for exploring old works and making them new again, as demonstrated on this joyous paean to two musical geniuses of the early 20th century. The concept and name for the album comes from a 1996 concert Hyman and Fletcher performed at the 92nd Street Y as part of its jazz series. The theme is so appropriate and simple, it’s surprising it hadn’t been done before. Both George Gershwin and Bix Beiderbecke were active in the ‘20s, the former changing the face of American musical theater, the latter changing the face of jazz. Both also died before their time, Gershwin of a brain tumor, Beiderbecke of alcoholism. Left to his own devices, Hyman’s piano playing sometimes suffers from his reverence for the music. This is usually more evident in his solo and duo work. Happily, on this album Hyman is nestled in a wonderful group that demonstrates an appreciation for the music while not displaying it in a museum display case. 

Dan Levinson’s clarinet and C-melody sax, David Sager’s trombone and Bob Leary’s banjo and guitar help maintain the authentic sound. At the same time, modern recording techniques afford them room for nuanced playing and subtlety not possible in the primative studios of the music’s original era. Vince Giordano, himself every bit a musicologist as Hyman, is a rollicking joy on the bass sax while Ed Metz Jr. plays his drums authentically, but with a lighter feel of someone exposed to a later generation of players. Hyman’s arrangements are perfect period pieces. If his chart on “I Got Rhythm” is guaranteed to get toes tapping, “But Not for Me” will conjure up elegant couples out for a night on the town in the roaring ‘20s. He does engage in a little musicologist speculation, playing Beiderbecke’s “In a Mist” as might have been done by Gershwin, with snippets of Gershwin tunes thrown in. ~ Mitchell Seidel  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/if-bix-played-gershwin-tom-pletcher-arbors-records-review-by-mitchell-seidel.php

Personnel: Dick Hyman piano, Tom Pletcher cornet, Dan Levinson clarinet & C-Melody saxophone, David Sager trombone, Vince Giordano bass saxophone, Bob Leary guitar & banjo, Ed Metz Jr drums

If Bix Played Gershwin 

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Laura Taylor - My Funny Valentine

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:56
Size: 130,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:15)  1. But Not for Me
(4:26)  2. You're My Thrill
(6:12)  3. My Funny Valentine
(3:22)  4. Just Friends
(4:10)  5. My Buddy
(6:06)  6. Spellbound
(4:44)  7. Ghost of a Chance
(5:06)  8. I Fall In Love Too Easily
(3:51)  9. Speak of Love
(3:39) 10. I Remember You
(5:41) 11. Lovelight
(3:37) 12. Let's Get Lost
(2:42) 13. He Was Too Good To Me

Laura's style is influenced by Shirley Horn, Peggy Lee, Chet Baker, Stan Getz, and in arrangements by her long-time collaborator,the great pianist Steve Kuhn.John Huddy of The Miami Herald, in an article about the great Tony Bennett, wrote, “Bennett scampers over to a desk, {and} returns with a pocket-size tape recorder. The hotel orchestra leader, Jerry Marshall, had brought a beautiful young Miami singer backstage.Bennett says with unrestrained enthusiasm, ‘she’s really unique, you gotta listen to her. I think she’s really something.’ Bennett plays a demo tape for the singer, Laura Taylor, praising every note. He sounds like a proud father describing the latest success of a talented offspring.” Bennett is not alone in his reaction to singer/songwriter Laura Taylor…Michael Paskevich, The Las Vegas Review Journal:“Taylor’s stylized singing presents her with plenty of challenges and she proved up to the task during her 45 minute early set.Taylor’s closing take on “Mountain Greenery” found her turning the song inside-out and making it her own, no mean feat when it comes to show standards, and further served notice that Taylor is a name to watch for.” Joe Delaney, The Las Vegas Sun: “…a beauty with voice to match, plus a fine jazz feel, Laura Taylor treated all concerned to a varied program that included requests and a world-class treatment of “The Nearness of You”.”

Bob Shemeligian gave Laura a full page review in Show Biz Magazine under the heading:  Songstress Laura Taylor Mesmerizes Audiences With Silky Vocal Stylings… “Many of Taylor’s listeners agree that the singer’s most remarkable quality is her voice. It’s not uncommon to see listeners captivated by Taylor’s vocal range as if they’re floating in a dream.” Laura is the product of a rich musical background. Her mother was a Juilliard graduate, concert pianist and teacher, and her father was a successful business man and gifted singer. Together they instilled in Laura a love for music which has been a guiding force in her life. Born in New Haven, Connecticut, Laura was raised in Watertown, New York and Monroe, Ohio. At seventeen, Laura was awarded a scholarship to study opera at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music with the great voice teacher, Professor Robert Powell. After two years of study with Professor Powell, his untimely death prompted a move into commercial music and jazz for Laura. Still in her teens, she began her professional career performing in small clubs, eventually going into commercial and studio work.. Laura was the solo voice on the national campaign for United Airlines’ Fly the Friendly Skies of United- and also the now-famous Wouldn’t You Really Rather Have a Buick? campaign. A move to Miami, Florida was followed by a long association with Criteria Recording Studios, which included vocal contracting and singing for Beatles’ producer, George Martin on a soundtrack for the film Honkey Tonk Freeway, a song demo for the Bee Gee’s Morris Gibb, and solo background work for Tom Dowd on the Firefall Elan album, for which she was presented a platinum album.

Laura signed her first record deal with Criteria’s own label- Good Sounds Records- whose parent company and distributor was T.K. Records. This opened the door for Laura’s dual talents as singer and songwriter. Her first album was called Dancin’ In My Feet. The title song, Dancin’ In My Feet, became the theme song for the nationally syndicated TV show Disco Magic and rose to #4 on Billboard’s national disco chart. Three of her original songs- Lady Scorpio- All Through Me- and Some Love- also made Billboard and Record World charts. During this same period, on three separate occasions, Laura electrified Miami Dolphins fans with her a cappella version of The Star Spangled Banner. Laura’s success as a songwriter continued when Diana Ross included her original song Think I’m In Love on her album Why Do Fools Fall in Love. The song was also selected as the flip-side of Ms. Ross’ single release. This resulted in Laura being presented with her second platinum album. Enthusiasm for Laura both as a singer and songwriter led to appearances on Midnight Special, The Dinah Shore Show and The Merv Griffin Show, where she showcased several of her original songs.

Forming the Laura Taylor Trio, Laura moved to New York and enjoyed engagements at the St. Regis Hotel, the Oak Room in the Plaza Hotel, and an exclusive six year contract at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. During this time, she also appeared in concert at Carnegie Recital Hall, which featured her trio,The Manhattan School of Music String Quartet, and special guest artist,Dave Samuels, from the group Spiro Gyra. Working in New York also gave Laura the opportunity to perform as part of the legendary Joe Henderson Quartet performing two Henderson compositions she wrote lyrics for, Isotope and Black Narcissus, and hearing Mr. Henderson perform two of her original compositions, Lovelight and Spellbound. Continuing her association with great jazz musicians, Laura was asked to record Isotope with jazz piano great Steve Kuhn on his CD, Porgy. Also featured on this CD are her vocal and lyrics to Steve’s beautiful Lullaby composition. Opening for the great comedian, Don Rickles, in Atlantic City and Las Vegas led to a long engagement in the Starlight Theater of the Desert Inn Hotel and a move to Las Vegas. Continuing her jazz career, she performed several times on the legendary Monday Night Jazz series broadcast on National Public Radio and hosted by Alan Grant. Laura’s other concert appearances included opening the Las Vegas Government Center, several Las Vegas Jazz Society concerts and two appearances at the Riviera Hotel’s Monday Night Jazz with Don Menza. 

Critical acclaim and national radio airplay have been given to Laura’s three recent jazz CDs: Mountain Greenery featuring jazz greats Jack Sheldon, Pete and Conte Condoli, Red Holloway and guitarist Joe Lano; Cry Me a River, a tribute to the late Julie London, featuring Joe Lano and Tom Warrington, and Songs of the Winter Season, also featuring Joe Lano.

Laura is currently releasing her fourth CD…My Funny Valentine…Memories of Chet Baker…featuring jazz legends Steve Kuhn, Eddie Gomez and Lewis Nash. Check current news on the web site for the release date. While continuing to live in Las Vegas, Laura does many special events and concerts, the most recent being The Duke Ellington Sacred Concert with Laura as the featured soloist with the Las Vegas Master Singers and the UNLV Jazz Ensemble performing this incredible work. Upcoming performances include her fifth appearance on The Dennis Bono Radio Show and a concert for the Henderson Arts Council on August 26th (also check current events for more information). http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/laurataylor

Personnel:  Steve Kuhn, piano; Eddie Gomez, bass; Lewis Nash, drums

My Funny Valentine

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Lester Young & Harry 'Sweets' Edison - Going For Myself

Styles: Saxophone And Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1957
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:51
Size: 174,2 MB
Art: Front

( 6:16)  1. Flic
( 5:53)  2. Love Is Here To Stay
(10:05)  3. St. Tropez
( 8:19)  4. Waldorf Blues
( 6:55)  5. Sunday
( 5:20)  6. You're Getting To Be A Habit With Me
( 5:51)  7. Ballad Medley : A Ghost Of A Chance / Cover The Waterfront
( 6:14)  8. Perdido
( 6:55)  9. St. Tropez [alt. take]
( 7:43) 10. You're Getting To Be A Habit With Me [alt. take]
( 6:17) 11. Waldorf Blues

This release presents the complete original Verve LP "Going for Myself" reuniting Lester Young and Harry “Sweets” Edison, one Pres’ last studio albums ever. Backing Pres and Sweets are superb musicians like Oscar Peterson, Louie Bellson and Herb Ellis. Five extra tracks have been added to the contents of the original album, including three alternate takes and two tunes not included on the originally issued set. Lester Young’s final years weren’t easy. His poor health and alcoholism began to limit his talents and even his capacity to play. The sessions included here were two of his last studio dates ever. After the second one, he would only enter the studio on two other occasions: the following day, on February 8, 1958, with Harry Edison again, and with Roy Eldridge added (the results of this session were included on the posthumous album Laughin’ to Keep from Cryin’) and a year later, on March 2, 1959, in Paris, France. Lester would die one week later on March 15, 1959, at the age of 49. The original album contained six tunes (tracks 1-6 of our CD), but more material was recorded on the two sessions, including two new tunes that weren’t issued on Going for Myself (a nice ballad medley and a nearly complete version of “Perdido”) and four alternate takes. To complement our set, we have added the two aforementioned new tunes, and three of the existing alternates. http://www.freshsoundrecords.com/going_for_myself-cd-5358.html

Featuring: Lester young (ts & cl), Harry Edison (tp), Oscar Peterson, Lou Stein (p), Herb Ellis (g), Ray Brown (b), Louie Bellson, Mickey Sheen (d)

Going For Myself

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Nat Pierce And His Orchestra - The Boston Bust-Out

Styles: Piano Jazz, Big Band, Swing
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:22
Size: 152,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:05)  1. What Can I Say (After I'm Sorry)
(2:46)  2. What's New?
(2:29)  3. You Were Meant For Me
(2:46)  4. Paradise
(2:57)  5. King Edward The Flatted Fifth
(2:16)  6. Pat
(3:05)  7. That's The Kinda Girl
(3:17)  8. Sheba
(3:01)  9. Babylon
(2:43) 10. Indian Summer
(2:41) 11. King For A Day
(2:43) 12. Oh You Crazy Moon
(3:46) 13. Body And Soul
(2:27) 14. All The Things You Are
(3:04) 15. Boppin' In Boston
(3:48) 16. I Cover The Waterfront
(3:47) 17. Is This The Thing?
(3:50) 18. Indian Summer
(3:15) 19. You May Not Love Me
(3:33) 20. Lonesome Crowd
(2:51) 21. Oh You Crazy Moon

Boston had a strong but greatly underpublicized bop scene in the late '40s. This Hep CD, which adds a previously unreleased session plus one extra cut to the original LP, features pianist/arranger Nat Pierce, altoist Charlie Mariano and trombonist Sonny Truitt both in big bands and combos. 

The other personnel is mostly pretty obscure although baritone great Serge Chaloff is showcased on two numbers and there are three fairly straight vocals by Teddi King. The rare studio recordings range in influences from Dizzy Gillespie to Claude Thornhill and the Miles Davis Nonet; highly recommended for bop collectors. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-boston-bust-out-mw0000613971

Personnel: Nat Pierce (piano); Mert Goodspeed (vocals, trombone); Teddi King (vocals); David Chapman , Charlie Mariano (alto saxophone); Randy Henderson, George Hamilton Green (tenor saxophone); George Meyers, Serge Chaloff (baritone saxophone); Lennie Johnson, Bill Adams, Billy Adams, Dud Harvey, Don Stratton, Perry Wilson (trumpet); Sonny Truitt, Joe Laconi, Ace Lane, Bob Carr (trombone); Ralph Burns (piano); Country Joe McDonald, Pete DeRosa (drums).

The Boston Bust-Out

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Roland Kirk with Jack McDuff - Kirk's Work

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1961
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:19
Size: 77,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:15)  1. Three For Dizzy
(5:09)  2. Makin' Whoopee
(6:17)  3. Funk Underneath
(3:56)  4. Kirk's Work
(4:22)  5. Doin' The Sixty-Eight
(3:54)  6. Too Late Now
(4:24)  7. Skater's Waltz

Technically his third album, following Introducing Roland Kirk (Chess, 1960), and a previously unissued R&B session (Triple Threat), Kirk's Work pre-dates the boundless surrealism of his post-Rahsaan era. Sharing the bill with organist Jack McDuff, the record is commonly regarded as a fairly straight-ahead date made years before Kirk gradually transformed from a stunning virtuoso multi-instrumentalist into an iconic musical shaman. While not as outrageous as some of Kirk's later albums, this sublime 1961 date has its fair share of unusual subtle surprises, providing a few early examples of the man's twisted genius. Already displaying remarkable prowess on his menagerie of thrift-store horns (manzello, stritch, siren), Kirk displays each to its own effect. His ability to play two and three saxophones at a time is already apparent, although his mastery of circular breathing was still a few years away. 

He limits his doubling to supportive riffing, rather than intertwining solo counterpoint, but the distinctive sound of his massed horns is still present."Funk Underneath" showcases Kirk's nascent vocalized flute stylings, blending gruff vocalizations with soaring flute harmonics. The dark-hued title track and "Skater's Waltz" demonstrate Kirk's aggressive hard bop attack, something he perfected over the course of his Atlantic Records tenure as he ascended from swinging modernist into unclassifiable genius. The rhythm section contributes heavily to the session, providing more than just run of the mill backbeats for Kirk to riff over. Jack McDuff's greasy down home organ instills the session with a buoyant sensibility, celebratory and optimistic. Benjamin and Taylor are a tight, snappy rhythm section, Taylor strikes hard and deep, sounding at times like Roy Haynes. "Doin' The Sixty-Eight" finds the rhythm duo deep in a pulsating polyrhythmic groove, dragging Kirk and McDuff headfirst into the infectious Latin rhythms. A solid and infinitely enjoyable album easily overlooked in the massive and convoluted discography of such a diverse artist, Kirk's Work is more than just an embryonic session. It's an accessible classic, the sort of unconventional soul jazz/hard bop hybrid that only Roland Kirk could deliver. ~ Troy Collins  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/kirks-work-rahsaan-roland-kirk-prestige-records-review-by-troy-collins.php
 

Personnel: Roland Kirk: tenor saxophone; manzello; stritch, flute, siren; Jack McDuff: Hammond organ; Joe Benjamin: bass; Arthur Taylor: drums.

Kirk's Work

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Dusko Goykovich - In My Dreams

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:13
Size: 125,5 MB
Art: Front

(7:29)  1. In my dreams
(6:53)  2. St.Germains de Pres
(4:13)  3. Sequoia song
(4:59)  4. Introduction
(8:02)  5. Skylark
(5:21)  6. One morning in may
(4:28)  7. All about love
(5:13)  8. Little Teo
(7:30)  9. I miss you so

Born in 1931 in Jajce (Bosnia), Dusko Goykovich studied at the Music Academy in Belgrade from 1948 to 1953. As a youth he played with several jazz and dixie bands, mostly for dancing audiences and eventually on parties at the embassies of the capital. When the 18-year-old joined the Radio Big Band of Belgrade, he was considered a talented young jazz man who also can read music. When he left the band five years later, he had grown into a fine big band player and featured soloist. Dusko went to Germany where he quickly became an integral part of its uprising young jazz scene. In 1956 he made his first record as a member of the Frankfurt All-Stars. After a short stint in the big band of Munich's Max Greger, Dusko stayed for four and a half years with Kurt Edelhagen's band, then Europe's leading jazz orchestra. Francy Boland, Claus Ogermann, Jerry van Rooyen and Rob Pronk were among the arrangers who worked for Edelhagen. In addition to being the band's premier trumpet soloist, Dusko performed with such as Stan Getz and Chet Baker. It came as no surprise when in 1958 he was invited to play with the Newport International Youth Band at the Newport Jazz Festival. Other members of the Newport band included Albert Mangelsdorff, Ronnie Ross, George Gruntz, and Gábor Szábo. Following the performance at Newport, Dusko's trumpet became very popular in Europe. In 1961 the Berklee School of Music offered the 29-year-old a grant for studying composition and arrangement in Boston where Herb Pomeroy was to become one of his teachers. Looking forward to writing his own arrangements for his great love, the big band, Dusko concentrated on his studies at Berklee so exclusively that he regrettingly turned down offers by Count Basie, Stan Kenton and Benny Goodman to join their bands. While at Berklee Dusko (now also on flugelhorn) recorded with the Berklee School Quintet and Orchestra including fellow students such as Gary Burton, Mike Gibbs, Sadao Watanabe, Steve Marcus, Mike Nock, and Dave Young.

When he had just finished his studies and prepared his return to Germany, Dusko received a call from Canadian bandleader Maynard Ferguson offering him Rolf Ericson's place (who had just left to join Ellington). Of course, Dusko accepted. Ferguson, a virtuoso trumpeter himself, featured him as a second trumpet soloist and even used some of his big band arrangements. When Ferguson's band split in 1964, Dusko joined Woody Herman and stayed with him for a year. It was his work for Herman that founded Dusko's international reputation as an outstanding big band player and soloist. “Woody Herman encouraged me a lot,” Dusko recalls. “He not only accepted my big band charts (with a single exception), but also recorded all of them.” The same year Dusko (together with Sal Nistico) left Herman's band and returned to Europe, eager to record his own music. Mal Waldron and Nathan Davis played on his sextet album (1966) that emphasized Dusko's personal, Balkan-influenced style. In those years, Dusko - by then a member of the leading league of international jazz artists - also worked with Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Gerry Mulligan, Clark Terry, Lee Konitz, Sonny Rollins, Phil Woods, Duke Jordan, Thad Jones-Mel Lewis, Slide Hampton and many more. He continued his big band career as a member of the Clarke-Boland Big Band in 1966 that assembled some of the best musicians living in Europe, among them US ex-patriates Benny Bailey, Idrees Sulieman, Johnny Griffin, Sahib Shihab, Jimmy Woode and - of course - Kenny Clarke. The CBBB was probably the finest jazz orchestra of the sixties, but it seldom played for live audiences at all.

After his time at Berklee, Dusko Goykovich began writing big band charts of all of his compositions and many standard tunes. He has been asked to play his arrangements with many European big bands, among them Dutch Skymasters and NDR big band. In Munich (where he settled down in 1968) Dusko soon started his own “rehearsal” big band including such as Rolf Ericson, Palle Mikkelborg, Rudi Fuesers, Ack van Rooyen, Ferdinand Povel, and Frank St. Peter. Due to the difficulties in organising a European free-lance orchestra, this band broke up in 1976 and was revived only for some performances in 1981/82. Yet in 1986 Dusko was able to re-found his own orchestra which has been on the scene ever since. In 1993, he also started a much-acclaimed international comeback as a recording artist with his prize-winning CD “Soul Connection” featuring Tommy Flanagan, Jimmy Heath, Eddie Gomez and Mickey Roker. Soul Connection was followed by “Bebop City” which featured young alto sax wizard Abraham Burton, Kenny Barron on Piano, Ray Drummond on bass and Alvin Queen on drums. 1996 saw the fullfillment of a long stanbding wish for Dusko: the recording of his own big band playing his music, “Balkan Connection”. 1997 saw the release of the 2-CD set “Balkan Blue”, another high point in his career. Disc One features a wonderfully relaxed quintet with Italian master saxophonist Gianni Basso and Disc Two is an extended work performed by the NDR Philharmonic with a jazz rhythm section and Dusko Goykovich as soloist. His compositions arranged by Palle Mikkleborg ( who had done a similar piece of work for Miles Davis ). Balkan Blue evokes strong memories of Miles Davis work with Gil Evans - a seminal recording of our days. http://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/duskogoykovich

Personnel: Dusko Gojkovic (trumpet, flugelhorn); Bob Degen (piano); Jarrod Cagwin (drums).

In My Dreams

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Hampton Hawes - Here and Now

Styles: Piano Jazz

Year: 1965

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 39:25

Size: 90,4 MB

Art: Front

(7:01)  1. Fly Me to the Moon

(4:44)  2. What Kind of Fool Am I?

(4:08)  3. The Girl from Ipanema

(3:39)  4. Rhonda

(5:29)  5. Dear Heart

(5:07)  6. People

(4:29)  7. Chim Chim Cher-ee

(4:43)  8. The Days of Wine and Roses

For this interesting but not essential CD reissue, pianist Hampton Hawes, along with bassist Chuck Israels and drummer Donald Bailey, tries his best to uplift then-current songs (plus his original "Rhonda") including "Fly Me to the Moon," "What Kind of Fool Am I," "Chim Chim Cheree," and even "People." In general, the treatments are somewhat straight-ahead ("The Girl from Ipanema" is taken as swing rather than bossa nova), and Hawes' solos transform some of the tunes a bit. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/here-and-now-mw0000674696

Hampton Hawes Trio: Hampton Hawes (piano); Chuck Israels (bass); Donald Bailey (drums).

Here and Now

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Jaimee Paul - Too Marvelous: The Songs Of Johnny Mercer

Size: 101,7 MB
Time: 43:35
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

01. Too Marvelous For Words (2:39)
02. Day Of Wine And Roses (3:24)
03. Moon River (4:19)
04. That Old Black Magic (3:44)
05. Skylark (3:55)
06. Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive (3:50)
07. Autumn Leaves (3:25)
08. Fools Rush In (3:18)
09. I Remember You (3:37)
10. Something's Gotta Give (3:43)
11. Laura (3:29)
12. P.S. I Love You (4:05)

Growing up in Southern Illinois, Paul was influenced by many musical forms and styles; but jazz and it's rich nuances and history held a special place in her heart. In 2008, her love for and amazing interpretation of these standards led to a recording contract with Green Hill Music, signing on as their first female jazz vocalist. Paul's first album, 'At Last', reached #1 on the iTunes album charts. Jaimee is now preparing to release her newest album 'Bonded'. This album is a daring tribute to the most famous Bond themes in music history. She delves into the spirit of the artists and finds new glory in the songs. Paul fearlessly tackles the great memories of iconic songs, and brings them to a new level.

Jaimee is married to and works closely with her trumpet player, Leif Shires. Leif hails from Fresno, California, and grew up around a very eclectic mixture of music. His loves and interests have ranged from Jazz, Latin, Funk, Pop, Indy, Gospel and Rock to Classic R&B most notably with the legendary Memphis Horns. Shires is also signed to Green Hill as a solo trumpet player who has already released a couple of albums as well.

Both artists have been recognized in their fields by many notable artists and remain in high demand with their fellow musicians in Nashville which they currently call home. Jaimee has traveled around the world with vocal powerhouse Wynonna, and with Pop singing sensation Kelly Clarkson.

Too Marvelous

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Roswell Rudd & Heather Masse - August Love Song

Size: 104,5 MB
Time: 45:28
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Modern Jazz, Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Social Call (3:36)
02. Love Song For August (5:08)
03. I'm Going Sane (One Day At A Time) (5:58)
04. Mood Indigo (4:43)
05. Winter Blues (4:07)
06. Blackstrap Molasses - Old Devil Moon (5:59)
07. Con Alma (4:09)
08. Open House (4:04)
09. Tova And Kyla Rain (2:49)
10. Love Is Here To Stay (4:50)

How unlikely is the pairing of youthful and exuberant vocalist like Heather Masse and the free jazz deity of one Roswell Rudd? It is almost the punchline for a punny joke. Yet, we have August Love Song and what can we make of it?

First, the cover art recalls the movie poster of Summer of '42 (Warner Brothers, 1971) crossed with Love Story (Paramount, 1970). But this love story is one of music...ageless, constant, basic, organic. Both a sepia nostalgia and a fresh, post-modern veneer are evident in these ten well-crafted pieces. They are brilliant contradictions that perfectly complement one another.

Rudd and Masse met one another about four years while appearing on A Prairie Home Companion where Masse has appeared many times, both as a solo ace and as a member of the Wailin' Jennys, a popular folk group consisting of alto Masse, with soprano Ruth Moody and mezzo Nicky Mehta (the current lineup). Masse has made two recordings with the Wailin' Jennys and two solo recordings, her last being the well-received Lock My Heart (Red House Records, 2015) made with pianist Dick Hyman. Of that recording, All About Jazz critic Dan Bilawsky said: ..."Masse may or may not be back on the folk side of the fence but, if she has indeed flown on, she'll hopefully come back to visit jazz on occasion; a songbird with her talents, after all, should be free to fly wherever she pleases." This spirit is in no way diminished on August Love Song.

Behold this curious chemistry where Rudd and Masse prod and feed off one another. Masse emulates Rudd with the most spirited scat and vocalese of recent memory and Rudd digs deep, way past his freedom days, back to when Kid Ory transmogrified into Tricky Sam Nanton crossed with Al Grey on their way to the Eminent JJ Johnson. This chemistry, alchemy really, blooms from the small confines of a quitar-bass rhythm section supporting the two principals. This gives the music a '20s and '30s Hot Club aroma, but that aroma is pine- needle sharp with gin...the good stuff, too. Masse grows languid from Rudd's almost boozy blowing, characteristically in the lower register.

Perfect is Masse and Rudd's command of Gigi Gryce's "Socal Call" as realized by Bessie Smith, Billie Holiday, and Betty Carter. She slows her crack phrasing to the rheology of Molasses. The two build a monument worthy of being strolled through with the diptych made up of "I'm Going Sane (One Day at a Time)" and "Mood Indigo," the latter introduced by Rudd with a growling "It Don't Mean a Thing." The pair duet on the Ellington piece and the results are that of a smoky diamond awaiting proper discovery. Masse reaches deep herself and finds the blues and she is not shy in sharing them with us. A musical center of beautifully titrated honey and Quaaludes languidness.

But we have yet to hear the best. The medley of "Blackstrap Molasses" and "That Old Devil Moon" look clean and clear as water from the old home place well, except for the razor bite of the moonshine when you hear it. This is music that makes you wish you could live forever just to hear more of it. Rudd and Masse close with a sweetly quaint "Our Live is Here to Stay," capping as fine a recording as I believe I can bear. ~Michael C. Bailey

Personnel: Heather Masse: vocals; Roswell Rudd: trombone; Rolf Sturm: guitars; Mark Helias: bass.

August Love Song

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Alexis Cole - Dazzling Blue

Size: 124,2 MB
Time: 53:22
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

01. St. Judy's Comet (3:03)
02. Jonah (3:31)
03. Dazzling Blue (4:35)
04. Something So Right (6:21)
05. Another Galaxy (5:17)
06. Nobody (3:44)
07. Song About The Moon (4:12)
08. Everything About It Is A Love Song (4:35)
09. Long, Long Day (4:09)
10. Love (4:06)
11. That's Where I Belong (4:28)
12. Quiet (5:16)

Inspired by Paul Simon's contributions, Alexis Cole offers this very special treatment of his music. With Dazzling Blue, vocalist Cole and producers David Chesky and Nicholas Prout sifted through some of Simon's lesser known compositions.

Herein they are presented in unalloyed simplicity, emphasizing the incandescent quality, and unadorned beauty of his lyrics. Ms. Cole has a marvelous voice of great depth. Her clear, warm resonance strips away all ornamentation and gets you to the marrow of the songwriter's stories. The vocals are haunting, and a testament to Cole's cross-cultural vocal training. Cole is joined by an excellent group of musicians whose collective body of work is well known to roots music aficionados. Jeff Haynes and Gus Courtsunis on percussion; Marvin Sewell on acoustic and electric guitars; Mark Peterson on bass, Julie Harris on Native American flute, and background vocals from Maria Quintanilla and Evan Sundquist; they are all an integral part of the whole.

Part of the Chesky Binaural + Series, all recorded with a single microphone, the band appears right before you with this spacious, lush and multi-dimensional recording. Now headphone users will hear the same three-dimensional sound and imaging as audiophiles have for the past 25 years with Chesky Recordings.

Also these new Binaural+ Series albums capture even more spatial realism for the home audiophile market, bringing you one step closer to the actual event. You will hear some of the most natural and pure music ever recorded.

Dazzling Blue

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The Horace Silver Quintet (feat. J.J. Johnson) - The Cape Verdean Blues

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1965
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:44
Size: 101,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:58)  1. The Cape Verdean Blues
(9:36)  2. The African Queen
(7:31)  3. Pretty Eyes
(7:15)  4. Nutville
(8:37)  5. Bonita
(5:45)  6. Mo' Joe

After the success of Song for My Father and its hit title cut, Horace Silver was moved to pay further tribute to his dad, not to mention connect with some of his roots. Silver's father was born in the island nation of Cape Verde (near West Africa) before emigrating to the United States, and that's the inspiration behind The Cape Verdean Blues. Not all of the tracks are directly influenced by the music of Cape Verde (though some do incorporate Silver's taste for light exoticism); however, there's a spirit of adventure that pervades the entire album, a sense of exploration that wouldn't have been quite the same with Silver's quintet of old. 

On average, the tracks are longer than usual, and the lineup -- featuring tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson (a holdover from the Song for My Father sessions) and trumpeter Woody Shaw  is one of the most modernist-leaning Silver ever recorded with. They push Silver into more advanced territory than he was normally accustomed to working, with mild dissonances and (especially in Henderson's case) a rawer edge to the playing. What's more, bop trombone legend J.J. Johnson appears on half of the six tracks, and Silver sounds excited to finally work with a collaborator he'd been pursuing for some time. Johnson ably handles some of the album's most challenging material, like the moody, swelling "Bonita" and the complex, up-tempo rhythms of "Nutville." Most interesting, though, is the lilting title track, which conjures the flavor of the islands with a blend of Latin-tinged rhythms and calypso melodies that nonetheless don't sound quite Caribbean in origin. Also noteworthy are "The African Queen," with its blend of emotional power and drifting hints of freedom, and "Pretty Eyes," Silver's first original waltz. Yet another worthwhile Silver album. ~ Steve Huey  http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-cape-verdean-blues-mw0000204335

Personnel:  Bass – Bob Cranshaw;  Drums – Roger Humphries;  Piano – Horace Silver;  Tenor Saxophone – Joe Henderson;  Trombone – J.J.Johnson (tracks: 4 to 6);  Trumpet – Woody Shaw 

The Cape Verdean Blues

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Dina Blade - S' Wonderful

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:19
Size: 106,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:04)  1. S'Wonderful
(4:18)  2. On the Street Where you Live
(5:16)  3. That's All
(3:10)  4. Summer Samba
(2:38)  5. In the Cool Cool Cool of the Evening
(3:46)  6. How Strange
(3:52)  7. Waltz for Debby
(2:11)  8. It's Allright with Me
(4:32)  9. Suddenly It's Spring
(3:46) 10. That Old Black Magic
(4:10) 11. The Boy Next Door
(2:42) 12. On the Atchinson, Topeka and the Santa Fe
(2:48) 13. Too Marvelous for Words

Backed by a rhythm section of world class musicians, Dina Blade delivers classic jazz standards with a relaxed vocal style that is "smooth and delicious" ~ KMUN radio

I have been singing all my life. I began accompanying myself on the guitar at age eleven, singing folk songs. Eventually I added jazz standards and bossa nova to my repertoire. One day I received a recording of vocal exercises as a gift. It stayed on the shelf for ten years. When I scheduled my first jazz vocal recording session, I decided to try the exercises in preparation. Within three weeks I noticed a remarkable improvement in my breath control, pitch and range, and I was hooked! Today, as a professional vocalist, I have found vocal exercises to be an absolutely essential part of my daily routine. My vocal students are busy folks, and I wanted to give them a fun tool to help them stay relaxed while they warm up to sing. Thus, this cd was born. "Nothing complicated here, and you can use it anywhere." ~Victory Music Review  http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/dinablade5

S' Wonderful

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Eddie Daniels & Gary Burton - Benny Rides Again

Styles: Vibraphone And Clarinet Jazz
Year: 1992
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:39
Size: 135,8 MB
Art: Front

(3:42)  1. Sing, Sing, Sing
(5:44)  2. Stompin' At The Savoy
(4:12)  3. Moonglow
(3:51)  4. Airmail Special
(5:13)  5. Let's Dance
(4:07)  6. Slipped Disc
(5:29)  7. Memories Of You
(3:01)  8. Avalon
(5:22)  9. In A Mist
(4:55) 10. Grand Slam
(3:33) 11. After You've Gone
(5:47) 12. Goodbye
(3:37) 13. Knockin' On Wood

During 1991-92, clarinetist Eddie Daniels and vibraphonist Gary Burton teamed up on a tour, performing a tribute to Benny Goodman and Lionel Hampton. Never mind that they sound nothing at all like their predecessors. On the CD that resulted from the collaboration, the duo use pianist Mulgrew Miller (who sounds much more like McCoy Tyner than Teddy Wilson), bassist Marc Johnson and drummer Peter Erskine for 11 songs associated with the King of Swing plus Bix Beiderbecke's "In a Mist." Actually the most memorable selection is "Knockin' on Wood," which has nothing to do with Goodman or Hampton (it was a feature for Red Norvo) and features Burton romping on a xylophone. Other highlights include a surprisingly brief "Sing, Sing, Sing," "Airmail Special," "Slipped Disc" and "Avalon." ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/benny-rides-again-mw0000073047

Personnel:  Bass – Marc Johnson;  Clarinet – Eddie Daniels;  Drums, Percussion – Peter Erskine;  Piano – Mulgrew Miller;  Vibraphone, Xylophone – Gary Burton

Benny Rides Again

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Jeff Richman - Hotwire

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:34
Size: 118,8 MB
Art: Front

(7:21)  1. Hit Spot
(4:02)  2. Seven Up
(3:59)  3. Chloe
(4:33)  4. "Oh, Yeah?"
(5:53)  5. North Shore
(4:46)  6. One Last Kiss
(4:42)  7. Little Waves
(5:57)  8. Solar City
(4:45)  9. Golden Arrow
(5:32) 10. Miles Per Hour

I was all in from the start of this album or maybe before seeing that Jeff Richman is backed up by George Whitty on keys and the one-two punch of Jimmy Haislip (bass) and Vinnie Colaiuta (drums). That alone made me want to break into a chorus of “Hallelujah” (Handel, not Cohen). Of course, Richman's resume is long and storied and "Hotwire" (Nefer Music Records) only pads that brilliant career. Colaiuta’s kick and high hat opened the album on “Hit Spot.” Fold in Whitty, Haislip and Richman and you’ve got the makin’s! Not only does Haislip handle to bass but produces the album, as well. George Whitty contributes extraordinary keyboards to make any fusion aficionado stand up in salute. Jeff Beal on trumpet is a sweet addition to the track which, at 7:24, is the longest track of the album. It gives a broad vision of the shape of things to come. “Seven Up” drops the fusion approach and becomes more melodic while that rhythm section keeps things lively. Joining Beal’s trumpet is Brandon Fields on sax and these two combine with Whitty and Richman for a little bit of a Jazz-Funk exercise. Like all the tracks but one, Jeff Richman wrote “Chloe” and is more of a ballad which is taken up by the quartet alone. The pace is leisurely and sweet without losing itself in sentimentality. It is playful and energetic and thoughtful and, obviously, dedicated to his daughter.

Jan Hammer’s great composition “Oh, Yeah?” follows next with Jeff Lorber sitting in for Whitty. Jimmy Branly sits at the congas and the result must be exactly what Hammer had long ago envisioned. Richman is at a harmonic high and creates a fascinating version of the song with Richman taking over Hammer’s keyboard parts. A great swag track. A complete reshuffling of the line-up occurs for “North Shore.” Anthony Jackson takes on the bass with Gary Novak on drums and Mike Stern doubling Richman on guitar. Gary Fukashima accompanies on acoustic piano and performs beautifully atop the driving rhythm section in support of Richman’s sweeping color. Josefine Löfgren provides lovely backing vocals that remind of the great vocalisations from Nana Vasconcelos. Richman and Fukashima are splendid together and equally reminiscent of Pat Metheny and Lyle Myles together. Colaiuta and Whitty return for “One Last Kiss” with Dean Taba on acoustic bass and Mitchel Forman on acoustic piano. It is a more straight-up Jazz ballad with Richman alternating between the clean and the fuzzy so very compellingly. The support group is more subdued here as Richman takes true center-stage. There is a melancholy sweetness that is highlighted by Forman’s acoustic piano and Whitty’s swells and shimmers. So well done.

The original quartet returns with the addition of Scott Kinsey on piano for “Little Waves.” Whitty introduces a cool, churchy approach against Richman’s advancing and ascending lead guitar. Scott Kinsey’s piano gets a good solo turn backed by the staggered rhythms of Colaiuta. Jazz goes to church here. “Solar Waves” keeps Haislip on bass but the drums are handled by George Borlai. Kinsey remains on the keyboards. The chord changes grab the listener’s attention throughout the piece. Haislip offers what sounds like a tip of the hat to John Wetton in a couple of spots. Kinsey gets some spotlight time and holds the door open for Richman’s coolest moments. The coda is smoking hot. One of the most well-crafted pieces on the album is “Golden Arrow.” The core musicians are back with Beal on flugelhorn. The pearl-stringed doublets create a nice groove and Beal lights it up with that flugelhorn. Enter Jeff Richman who takes complete command. Haislip rejects the doublets and maintains a steady stride behind the theme, in step with Colaiuta. It is a piece that seems predictable but the switched up drum patterns and bass runs stagger against the melodic line and creates something unexpected. Beal is fascinating in his pacing with Whitty and Richman. It is perhaps his standout moment on the album. It is also one of Richman’s greatest moments in an album full of great moments. The composition itself is a monument.

The album concludes with “Miles Per Hour.” The line-up for the finale is the same as on “North Shore” with the sole omission of Josefine Löfgren’s vocals. The title is probably in reference to Richman’s son named Miles. It is a fun and raucous romp with exciting rhythms and Richman himself cutting swaths of merriment throughout the piece. The rhythms are more straight-forward here which allows greater emphasis on the melody and harmonies. A nice closer. “Hotwire” is Jeff Richman’s seventeenth album as a leader and is as exciting as anything that has gone before in his 35+ year career. It is another grand meeting of compositions and performances. The supporting artists are absolutely top-flight and they are spot-on for Richman’s compositional mastery. Richman assumes whatever role the piece requires lead or support and the music is allowed to truly shine through. Fortunately, he has the virtuosity to meet or even exceed his writing brilliance. ~ Travis Rogers  http://jazztimes.com/community/articles/162600-jeff-richman-walks-the-hotwire

Hotwire

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Engelbert Wrobel's Swing Society - Sophisticated Swing

Size: 156,7 MB
Time: 66:57
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2000
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. Coquette (3:47)
02. Rose Room (4:30)
03. El Salon De Gutbucket (5:12)
04. Gilly (4:07)
05. Manoir De Mes Reves (5:14)
06. Shoe Shine Boy (4:46)
07. Hop, Skip And Jump (3:43)
08. Nine O'clock Beer (4:33)
09. Promenade Aux Champs Elysees (5:20)
10. Sophisticated Swing (3:43)
11. Thou Swell (3:27)
12. New Orleans (4:51)
13. 9.20 Special (3:56)
14. Jubilee (3:14)
15. I Love Paris (6:28)

Engelbert Wrobel may be an unknown name in the United States but he has recorded five CDs in Europe with his Swing Society (based in Germany) and can certainly hold his own with any mainstream swing player around today. Wrobel, who sounds equally adept on clarinet, soprano, alto and tenor, is joiend by a strong four-piece rhythm section which includes pianist Chris Hopkins, plus special guest Dan Barrett. Somehow the blend of the two horns often makes the group sound as if it has four. The arranged ensembels (which alternate with solos and jammed passages) are colorful and creative within the genre of prebop. "Coquette" has the group sounding like John Kirby's Sextet, "Gilly" is close to the Benny Goodman Sextet, the ghost of Sidney Bechet emerges during "Promenade Aux Champs Elysees" and other numbers find Wroble ranging in styles from early Coleman Hawkins to Pete Fountain. Barrett, who is equally skilled on cornet and trombone, is a major asset and the rhythm section is both tight and loose. Wonderful and very enjoyable music. ~by Scott Yanow

Sophisticated Swing

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LaVon Hardison - Come Together

Size: 80,9 MB
Time: 34:18
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz/Soul Vocals
Art: Front

01. Tomorrow (3:13)
02. Sunny (4:32)
03. Maybe (2:27)
04. Come Together (2:57)
05. Alfie (5:25)
06. Unchain My Heart (3:54)
07. Better Than Anything (3:45)
08. They Long To Be Close To You (3:31)
09. Some Other Time (4:30)

Personnel:
LaVon Hardison: Vocals
David Joyner: Piano & Organ
Osama Afifi: Bass
Jeff Busch: Drums & Percussion
Brad Schrandt: Flute & Sax

Come Together is Hardison’s third album, but it truly marks a new beginning for the wildly talented singer. Building on the jazz interpretations of Choices (2006) and the inspirational bent of Everyday Gifts (2008), this long-awaited recording finds Hardison using her ineffable presence to tie together a wonderfully diverse selection of tunes with a first-class group of musicians.

“I was really excited to be able to mix jazz standards with other songs,” Hardison says. “Instead of trying to choose songs from a particular genre, I chose songs that have a melody or meaning that tell a story.”
With ease, Hardison erases the boundaries between jazz, funk, and soul, re-inventing well-loved tunes including “(They Long to Be) Close to You,” “Sunny,” and “Tomorrow.” She infuses The Beatles’ “Come Together” with rhythms that would be at home in New Orleans, and you can hardly imagine anything better than her version of the jazz standard “Better Than Anything.”

When Hardison smolderingly implores you to “Unchain My Heart,” you’ll gladly comply, if only because you sense her affection for the 1964 Ray Charles version of the song. “Ray Charles is a huge influence for me,” she enthuses. “He managed to do country, R&B, whatever – and he always understood the song and made it his own.”

What emanates from Hardison is not merely an admixture of those who came before. It’s everything she’s done, heard, seen and felt, plus a huge helping of musicianship, all drawn into her very own musical time machine. The result? An irresistibly distinct take on life and the living of it —from raucous to somber, gleeful to introspective. And there’s joy. Always joy.

Come Together

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Joel Evans & Friends - Just What The Doctor Ordered

Size: 151,9 MB
Time: 64:36
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz/Blues/Pop Vocals
Label: Cinemasters
Art: Front

01. Just What The Doctor Ordered (Feat. Tim Hockenberry) (3:45)
02. Changing My Tune (Feat. Dante Marchi) (3:21)
03. I Still Believe In The Blues (Feat. John Lee Sanders) (4:17)
04. Anytime That I'm With You (Feat. Michael Dees) (3:03)
05. Sunday Morning (Feat. Roberta Donnay) (4:05)
06. The Devil's Daughter (Feat. Patrick Maier) (3:57)
07. Someone's Fav'rite Someone (Feat. Michael Dees) (3:51)
08. Now That You're Gone (Feat. Shanna Carlson) (4:02)
09. Probably The Sunny Day (Feat. Patrick Tuzzolino) (4:02)
10. Jump Right In (Feat. Patrick Maier) (3:12)
11. One Of A Kind, Kind Of Love (Feat. Patrick Tuzzolino) (4:29)
12. I Like The Way (Feat. David Sparkman) (4:31)
13. Out On A Limb (Feat. Adam James) (2:57)
14. Boogie With My Baby (Feat. Tami Damiano) (3:43)
15. Star Bright (Feat. Laurie Gunning Grossman) (3:43)
16. You Made A Believer Out Of Me (Feat. Mark Winkler) (3:42)
17. Do That (Feat. Patrick Maier) (3:47)

With his unique brand of swing and jazz songs, prolific composer Joel Evans delivers a marvelous offering: seventeen new and original tracks in classic and retro styles - Just What The Doctor Ordered!

Tim Hockenberry, semifinalist on NBC's "America's Got Talent" competition, sings the title track. The song was also covered as a duet by Roberta Donnay and Nicolas Bearde on Roberta's 2015 DownBeat Magazine TOP 50 album (4-5 star reviews). The song's co-writer is the marvelous writer/performer Barbara Martin.

Track #8, "Now That You're Gone", was licensed for acclaimed Writer/Director Joss Whedon's indy film, "In Your Eyes", starring Zoe Kazan. Lyric by hit songwriter Andre Pessis.

Track #9, "Probably the Sunny Day", is heard in episode #407 of Showtime's hit series, "Shameless". The song was co-written by Nashville songwriter extraordinaire, Lisa Aschmann.

Track #14, "Boogie with my Baby", is an homage to the Andrews Sisters. Its wonderful lyric is by LA's multi-talented Adryan Russ, writer of lyrics and music for film, television, musical theater and the pop world. It was featured on CBS' "Young & Restless".

Featuring wonderfully talented male and female guest vocal artists, Just What The Doctor Ordered provides an entertaining variety of styles. Songs like the up-tempo 50s-60s Vegas lounge track “Changing My Tune” and the bright, brisk, spirited jazz combo “Anytime That I’m With You” are standouts.

Just What The Doctor Ordered

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Diane Nalini - After Dusk

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:26
Size: 102,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:37)  1. Stars Fell On Alabama
(5:24)  2. My Funny Valentine
(4:02)  3. Quand Elle Rit Aux Eclats
(5:49)  4. After Dusk
(4:01)  5. Carolina
(3:36)  6. La Mer
(3:38)  7. The Portrait On The Wall
(5:04)  8. La Maison Sous Les Arbres
(4:21)  9. How Long Has This Been Going On
(4:50) 10. Every Time We Say Goodbye

Diane Nalini’s new album, 'Kiss Me Like That,' is a collection of 13 songs celebrating humanity's fascination with the sky. From the title track's infectious rhythms, to ‘Cuando sale la luna’ - Diane’s sultry ode to the moon, her original compositions on this album are all influenced by the wonders of the sky and stars. Her six original songs are perfectly complemented by classic jazz standards chosen carefully for this project, like “Stardust”, “Skylark”, “They All Laughed”, as well as her intimate interpretations of folk & pop songs such as James Taylor's “Sweet Baby James” and Sting's “Valparaiso.” Songs from Kiss Me Like That have already attracted considerable interest in the media, being previewed nationally on CBC Radio's “The Sunday Edition”, “Fresh Air”, “As It Happens”, “Metro Morning” and CBC Radio Two's documentary programme, “Inside the music.” It has also garnered praise and airplay on Radio-Canada's “Espace Musique.” Maclean’s Magazine, Canada's national news magazine, also did a full-page article on her recently. Singer/songwriter Diane Nalini's previous album put a uniquely modern spin on the words of William Shakespeare. Her latest CD “Songs of Sweet Fire” is a collection of fifteen sonnets and songs from the plays set to her original jazz, funk, and blues music. “It was very important to me to let the phrasing of the words dictate the style of music I wrote for each song. I decided to set only those songs which were in more modern sounding English, to highlight the timelessness of Shakespeare's words,” says the singer of her compositions. “Songs of Sweet Fire” is Diane's third album. In a review of Diane's recent performance at the Guelph River Run Center, the Kitchener-Waterloo Record wrote: “A gifted arranger and vocalist... Nalini made an auspicious Guelph concert debut... the highlights were three passages from literature she set to jazz - “Sigh No More” from Much Ado About Nothing, and “The Lover and His Lass” from As You Like It, as well as Alfred Lord Tennyson's “Cradle Song.”

Diane started singing at the age of three. She was born in Montreal, Canada, and is of Belgian and Goan descent. “She captures jazz at its most sophisticated and joyous level,” writes Elle Magazine Canada. In a recent review of “Tales... My Mama Told Me”, Irwin Block of the Montreal Gazette wrote: “Diane Nalini has the voice, the phrasing, confidence, clarity and control to make a tune her own and turn it into a nuanced thing of beauty.” Her debut album “After dusk” was described by London's Time Out magazine as “a gorgeous collection, sung with quiet enunciated power”. “Her artistry shines through on two wide- ranging albums, After Dusk and the newly released Tales... My Mama Told Me”, writes Canada's Globe and Mail. While breathing new life into jazz standards, she also performs her own compositions, as well as Brazilian songs and French chanson. She has performed for President Bill Clinton, Sir Paul McCartney, the President of Malta, the Canadian High Commissioner to London, and former Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke, and recently gave concerts at the London, Montreal and Malta Jazz festivals. Diane was nominated for the Grand Prix de Jazz General Motors at the 2002 Montreal International Jazz Festival, and was one of two finalists for the UK's Young Jazz Vocalist of the Year awards for 2001. In October 2005, she opened for legendary 3-time Grammy winning songwriter Jimmy Webb at Guelph's River Run Center. More recently, she had the pleasure to perform with the wonderful David Knopfler (founder of 'Dire Straits') for the North American launch of his new album Ship of Dreams.

Other highlights have included performances at the London Jazz Festival (2001), the Montreal International Jazz Festival (2002, 2001, 1994), the Celebrate Toronto Festival (2005), as well as Montreal’s 350th Anniversary Festival (1992). Her songs have received airplay in the UK (BBC Radio 3), as well as Denmark and Brazil. In Canada, her music has been heard coast- to-coast on the CBC programs 'Jazzbeat', 'After Hours', 'Disc Drive', and 'This Morning' with Shelagh Rogers. She has also been featured on Radio-Canada by radio personalities Dan Behrman, Stanley Péan, Dorothée Berryman and André Vigean, on the Espace Musique channel. Diane was interviewed several times on CBC Radio’s 'Morningside' by the late, great Peter Gzowski. She has taught jazz singing and given jazz workshops at the University of Oxford, and conducted a songwriting workshop at the 3rd annual Millenium Scholarphip “Think Again” conference on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Canada. 

She was recently invited to chair a pannel discussion at the Guelph International Jazz Festival Colloquium (2005) on “Improvisation: risks and responsibilities.” Earlier in the summer, she was a guest presenter at a one-day conference on “Art and democracy,” hosted by Concordia University's Center for Continuing Education. Diane studied Chinese watercolour painting and caligraphy for 10 years with the late Virginia Chang. She exhibited and sold paintings with the Montreal-based Ting Sung Group. For her new album, Songs Of Sweet Fire, she painted 16 original watercolour paintings inspired by the mood of the songs. They accompany Shakespeare's lyrics in a full-colour, deluxe 20 page booklet. “I wanted to give something extra to all my wonderful, supportive fans. Something connected to the songs in a unique way.” She is also an accomplished dancer, having performed and studied classical ballet, jazz and modern dance for over 15 years. She was a soloist with Les Ballets de la jeunesse in her late teens. She also studied jazz ballet and modern dance for several years, and performed as a soloist in various shows by Montreal choreographers Sheila Lawrence and Claudine Bouchard. Her most recent performance combining dance and singing was as the female lead in GLA Productions’ staging of “Fame - the musical”, at the Old Fire Station Theatre in Oxford in 2000. Diane went to England on a Rhodes Scholarship and obtained a doctorate from the University of Oxford. She has since returned to Canada and has taken up a faculty position at the University of Guelph, Ontario. http://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/dianenalini

Awards:  Nominated, Grand Prix de Jazz, Montreal International Jazz Festival 2002 - Runner-up, Young jazz vocalist of the year award, UK, 2001

After Dusk

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Ruby Braff Feat. Coleman Hawkins - Braff!

Styles: Trumpet And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1989
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:51
Size: 94,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:08)  1. Stardust
(4:48)  2. Here's Freddie
(4:05)  3. Indian Summer
(2:56)  4. Blue Turning Grey Over You
(3:40)  5. Just One More Chance
(3:24)  6. When My Dreamboat Comes Home
(3:10)  7. You're Lucky To Me
(3:22)  8. Moonglow
(3:12)  9. It's Been So Long
(2:38) 10. Too Marvelous For Words
(3:31) 11. How Long Has This Been Going On?
(2:50) 12. 'S Wonderful

This reissue LP from 1989 in CBS's short-lived Portrait series features the great trumpeter Ruby Braff playing with three very different but equally swinging groups. Four of the best performances, including "Stardust" and "It's Been So Long," showcase Braff with a rhythm section that includes pianist Dave McKenna. 

Braff also meets up with tenor saxophonist Coleman Hawkins, baritonist Ernie Caceres and trombonist Lawrence Brown in an all-star nonet and with vibraphonist Don Elliott in a sextet. The emphasis is on veteran swing standards (Braff does contribute the original "Here's Freddie") and jamming ensembles. This enjoyable program, which is worth searching for, will hopefully be reissued on CD. ~ Scott Yanow  http://www.allmusic.com/album/braff!-mw0000727631

Personnel: Ruby Braff (trumpet);  Coleman Hawkins (tenor saxophone);  Don Elliot (trumpet);  Dave McKenna (piano).

Braff!

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Eddie Harris - Exodus to Jazz

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1961
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 39:45
Size: 91,6 MB
Art: Front

(6:43)  1. Exodus
(3:43)  2. Alicia
(2:53)  3. Gone Home
(5:34)  4. A.T.C.
(2:48)  5. A.M. Blues
(3:24)  6. Little Girl Blue
(5:12)  7. Velocity
(4:34)  8. W.P.
(2:02)  9. Exodus (Single Version)
(2:48) 10. Alicia (Single Version)

One of the biggest hit jazz LPs of the post-rock & roll era, Eddie Harris' Exodus to Jazz seemed to come completely out of left field. It was the debut album by a previously unknown artist from an under-publicized scene in Chicago, and it was released on the primarily R&B-oriented Vee Jay label, which had originally signed Harris as a pianist, not a tenor saxophonist. The impetus for its breakthrough was equally unlikely; Harris adapted Ernest Gold's stately, somber theme from the Biblical film Exodus which had been covered for an easy listening hit by Ferrante & Teicher and made it into a laid-back jazz tune. Edited down to 45-rpm length, it became a smash, reaching the pop Top 40 and pushing the album to the upper reaches of the charts a nearly unprecedented feat for instrumental jazz in 1961. 

Its stunning popularity sent jazz critics into a tizzy after all, if it was that accessible to a mass audience, there just had to be something wrong with it, didn't there? In hindsight, the answer is no. Exodus to Jazz is full of concise, easy-swinging grooves that maintain the appealing quality of the strikingly reimagined title track (particularly Harris' four originals). Far removed from his later, funkier days, Harris plays a cool-toned tenor who owes his biggest debt to Stan Getz's bop recordings, though there are touches of soul-jazz as well. He's no slouch technically, either; he plays so far and so sweetly in the upper register of his horn that some still mistakenly believe he was using an alto sax on parts of the record. Exodus to Jazz paved the way for numerous other crossover successes during the '60s (many in the soul-jazz realm), and while that may not be a credibility-boosting trend to start, the music still speaks for itself. ~ Steve Huey  http://www.allmusic.com/album/exodus-to-jazz-mw0000117010

Personnel: Eddie Harris (tenor saxophone); Joe Diorio (guitar); Willie Pickens (piano); Harold Jones (drums).

Exodus to Jazz

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