Duke Pearson - Bag's Groove

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:18
Size: 103.7 MB
Styles: Hard bop, Piano jazz
Year: 1961/1987
Art: Front

[4:42] 1. I'm An Old Cowhand (From The Rio Grande, Take 5)
[5:24] 2. Say You're Mine (Take 4)
[4:47] 3. Le Carrousel (Take 3)
[5:45] 4. Exodus (Take 1)
[4:59] 5. Bags Groove (Take 1)
[5:28] 6. Jeannine
[4:29] 7. I'm An Old Cowhand (Take 3)
[5:27] 8. Say You're Mine (Take 3)
[4:14] 9. Le Carrousel (Alternate Take)

Pianist Duke Pearson sounds a lot like Bud Powell in spots during this trio outing with bassist Thomas Howard and drummer Lex Humphries (particularly on "I'm an Old Cowhand") but shows more individuality in his writing. His most famous song "Jeannine" is heard in one of its earliest versions and Pearson's other two originals "Say You're Mine" and "Le Carrousel" are both somewhat memorable. For the CD reissue of Duke Pearson's third trio session in two years, the original six-song program is augmented by three previously unreleased alternate takes. Recomended for straightahead jazz collectors. ~Scott Yanow

Bag's Groove

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Lee Morgan - The Rumproller

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:27
Size: 95,7 MB
Art: Front

(10:25)  1. The Rumproller
( 9:17)  2. Desert Moonlight
( 6:52)  3. Eclipso
( 7:19)  4. Edda
( 7:31)  5. The Lady

A great album by Lee Morgan  and one not to pass up! The Rumproller often gets too easily lumped next to The Sidewinder because of an obvious title and cover similarity to that hit record but like that one, the album's far more than jazz cliche – and shows Lee Morgan to be one of the greatest jazz musicians of the 60s. The set starts off with the title cut, "The Rumproller" hard-wailing soul bop, in the manner of Lee's most popular work but then it easily flows into more sensitive material that has a freer, lyrical feel like the great original tune "Eclipso" and Wayne Shorter's "Edda" both of which are superb. Lee is astounding, as always, on trumpet and the rest of the group includes the great Ronnie Matthews on piano, plus Joe Henderson, Victor Sproles, and Billy Higgins. (80s DMM pressing. Cover has some sticker residue, a number of creases, and a small tear at the bottom of the spine.) https://www.dustygroove.com/item/7557

Personnel:  Lee Morgan – trumpet;  Joe Henderson - tenor saxophone;  Ronnie Mathews – piano;  Victor Sproles – bass;  Billy Higgins - drums

The Rumproller

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Alan Broadbent Trio - Moment's Notice

Styles: Piano Jazz

Year: 2007

File: MP3@320K/s

Time: 56:10

Size: 130,3 MB

Art: Front

(6:27)  1. Flamingo

(6:13)  2. Marmaduke

(4:56)  3. Soul Eyes

(5:12)  4. Chi Chi

(7:11)  5. Willow Weep for Me

(4:55)  6. Lady Love

(6:44)  7. My Old Flame

(6:30)  8. Along Came Betty

(7:58)  9. Moment's Notice | Naima

In person, in bands like Charlie Haden’s Quartet West, Alan Broadbent can be a startling piano player, capable of impulsive outbursts. He makes damn fine piano trio records, one after the other, but they only hint at his live persona. They are more conservative, and more about his exceptional skill level, which is able to translate even momentary creative reflexes into something pianistic and elegant. His tight trio here is his regular working Los Angles-based unit, with bassist Putter Smith and drummer Kendall Kay. The overall mood is one of reflective quietude, even on headlong lines like Charlie Parker’s “Marmaduke” and Coltrane’s title track.Broadbent is a special ballad player. His rendering of Mal Waldron’s “Soul Eyes” communicates fervent adoration. He touches in the parameters of “My Old Flame” in careful, significant chords and spare right-hand gestures that eventually become long twisting lines like meandering thoughts. “Willow Weep for Me” is a halting waltz, a contemplation that almost sounds too private to be shared. One complaint: Smith should take a vow of verbal silence when he solos. His mutterings are not only distracting, they sound slightly demented.~Thomas Conrad http://jazztimes.com/articles/21215-moments-notice-alan-broadbent

Moment's Notice

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Richie Cole - New York Afternoon: Alto Madness

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1977
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 34:38
Size: 79,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:38)  1. Dorothy's Den
(4:05)  2. Waltz For A Rainy Be-Bop Evening
(6:52)  3. Alto Madness
(4:43)  4. New York Afternoon
(3:12)  5. It's The Same Thing Everywhere
(4:59)  6. Stormy Weather
(5:07)  7. You'll Always Be My Friend

This Muse album features the group that altoist Richie Cole and the late singer Eddie Jefferson co-led in the mid-'70s. They had a mutually beneficial relationship, with Cole learning from the older vocalist and Jefferson gaining extra exposure from associating with the popular young saxophonist. Their spirited set, which has two Jefferson vocals, is highlighted by "Waltz for a Rainy Be-Bop Evening," "New York Afternoon," "Stormy Weather" and "Alto Madness."~Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/new-york-afternoon-alto-madness-mw0000308734

Personnel: Richie Cole (alto saxophone); Eddie Jefferson (vocals); Vic Juris (guitar); Mike Tucker (piano, electric piano); Rick Laird (electric bass); Eddie Gladden (drums); Ray Mantilla (percussion).

New York Afternoon: Alto Madness

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Jimmy Witherspoon - 'Spoon / Hey, Mrs. Jones

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 63:51

Size: 146.2 MB

Styles: Urban blues/Jazz vocals

Year: 2015

Art: Front

[2:45] 1. Lover Come Back To Me

[2:24] 2. A Blues Serenade

[2:43] 3. Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me

[2:47] 4. Ain't Misbehavin'

[2:46] 5. We'll Be Together Again

[2:45] 6. I'll Always Be In Love With You

[2:12] 7. Just A Sittin' And A Rockin'

[2:49] 8. Just One More Chance

[2:32] 9. Music, Maestro, Please

[3:28] 10. It Only Happens Once

[2:57] 11. I'm Beginning To See The Light

[3:28] 12. Don't Worry 'bout Me

[2:19] 13. Hey, Mrs. Jones

[2:30] 14. In The Dark

[2:34] 15. Tanya

[2:10] 16. I Ain't Mad At You, Pretty Baby

[2:18] 17. Have Faith

[2:17] 18. Lovey Dovey

[3:08] 19. I Don't Know

[2:22] 20. Warm Your Heart

[2:21] 21. Wee Baby Blues

[2:45] 22. If You Live The Life, You Pay The Price

[2:31] 23. Pink Champagne

[2:49] 24. The Masquerade Is Over

Twofer: Spoon + Hey, Mrs. Jones (2 LPs on 1 CD). Jimmy Witerspoon (vcl), with Bob Florence & H.B.Barnum Orchestras feat. Gerald Wilson, Conrad Gozzo (tp), Si Zentner, Frank Rosolino (tb), Lanny Morgan (as), Teddy Edwards, Ben Webster (ts), Gerry Wiggins (p), Al Viola (g), Jimmy Bond (b), Earl Palmer (d).

Jimmy Witherspoon was more than just a pitch-perfect blues belter, able to bend a note or a phrase with great expressiveness, with the attack and blues feeling to stamp his individuality on the idiom. He was also blessed with the musicality, taste, sheer jazz feel and lyric smoothness that allowed him to perform persuasively in more sophisticated settings. Both sides of his musical personality are encompassed in two late-50s, early-60s albums made in stellar company. The first, Spoon, was produced by David Axelrod in 1959 for Hollywoods HiFi Records, but the label cancelled its jazz series before the album came out. Spoon wouldnt see the light until 1961, when Reprise took over the master and released it. It was a great two-date session featuring a swinging all-star orchestra arranged and conducted by Bob Florence, and with such soloists as Teddy Edwards, Gerald Wilson, Lanny Morgan and Gerry Wiggins.

Reprise later recorded Hey, Mrs. Jones!, giving Witherspoons forceful, vigorous and exuberant voice an excellent backing by the fresh, deft arrangements of H.B. Barnum. In a wide-ranging program strings and rhythm feature on some pieces, and a brassy big band on others, with Spoons vocals garnished by good solos from tenors Harold Land and Ben Webster. Together, these albums amply show the range of one of the greatest of all blues singers.

'Spoon Mrs. Jones    

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Ben Sidran - Nick's Bump

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 48:08

Size: 110.2 MB

Styles: Smooth jazz

Year: 2003

Art: Front

[3:28] 1. Little Sherry

[4:34] 2. Cryin' Blues

[7:11] 3. Black Jack

[5:01] 4. Blue Panther

[0:20] 5. The Cats

[5:57] 6. Zambia

[5:07] 7. Mean Greens

[5:50] 8. Listen Here

[6:31] 9. Blue Minor

[4:04] 10. Nick's Bump

Groove-oriented jazz didn't start with the organ combos and soul-jazz groups of the '60s and '70s; plenty of grooving occurred with Dixieland in the '10s and '20s and swing in the '30s and early to mid-'40s. But soul-jazz did remind the jazz world that it was still OK for an improviser to groove -- that not everything had to be as complex and demanding as John Coltrane's "Giant Steps" or Sonny Rollins' "Oleo." And those soul-jazz and jazz-funk grooves of the '60s and '70s continue to hold up well after all these years, which is why Ben Sidran celebrates that era on this 2003 date. Although Sidran is known for his singing, he favors an instrumental setting on Nick's Bump; this time, Sidran uses the Hammond organ and the electric piano to get his points across -- and he savors the funkier side of post-swing jazz whether he is embracing Sonny Clark's "Blue Minor," Donald Byrd's "Black Jack," or three Eddie Harris compositions ("Listen Here," "Mean Greens," and "Cryin' Blues"). If Nick's Bump sounds dated, it is dated in the positive sense -- dated as in remembering how rewarding a particular era was and being faithful to the spirit of that era. Nick's Bump recalls a time when soul-jazz players realized that jazz was losing more and more listeners to R&B and rock -- and that the only way to win over those Marvin Gaye, Rolling Stones, and James Brown fans was to groove and be accessible. Soul-jazz, unfortunately, didn't restore the mass appeal that jazz enjoyed during the Great Depression and World War II, but it was a noble effort -- one that Sidran happily remembers on Nick's Bump, which falls short of essential but is still an infectious, enjoyably funky demonstration of what he can do in an instrumental setting. ~Alex Henderson

Nick's Bump

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Betty Carter - I'm Yours, You're Mine

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:43
Size: 123.0 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 1996
Art: Front

[ 7:40] 1. This Time
[ 9:33] 2. I'm Yours, You're Mine
[ 6:27] 3. Lonely House
[ 7:42] 4. Close Your Eyes
[ 7:15] 5. Useless Landscape
[ 4:48] 6. East Of The Sun
[10:17] 7. September Song

I'm Yours, You're Mine is a 1997 studio album by the American jazz singer Betty Carter. Recorded in January 1996, this was the last album that Carter recorded before her death in February 1998.

Howard Reich, writing in the Chicago Tribune said that "No doubt Betty Carter's singing is an acquired taste, but to those who have acquired it, she's a uniquely appealing artist. The elongated lines, exotic colors and unusual ornaments she brings to every cut on this recording...attest to the singular nature of Carter's singing.

I'm Yours, You're Mine

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Illinois Jacquet - Bosses Of The Ballad: Illinois Jacquet And Strings Play Cole Porter

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 75:01
Size: 171.8 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 1965/2005
Art: Front

[2:35] 1. I Love You
[6:16] 2. Las Vegas Blues
[2:35] 3. Get Out Of Town
[4:30] 4. Harlem Nocturne
[6:43] 5. Can't We Be Friends
[3:15] 6. So In Love
[5:06] 7. Achtung
[4:04] 8. I Concentrate On You
[5:56] 9. Have You Met Miss Jones
[3:27] 10. You Do Something To Me
[3:50] 11. Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye
[5:42] 12. Lullaby Of The Leaves
[3:15] 13. Use Your Imagination
[3:26] 14. All Through The Night
[3:12] 15. Begin The Beguine
[3:20] 16. It's All Right With Me
[3:27] 17. Do I Love You
[4:11] 18. I've Got You Under My Skin

Bossess of the Ballad (subtitled Illinois Jacquet and Strings Play Cole Porter) is an album by saxophonist Illinois Jacquet recorded in 1964 and released on the Argo label featuring Cole Porter compositions performed by Jacquet and an orchestra.

Bosses Of The Ballad: Illinois Jacquet Plays Cole Porter

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Donald Byrd - 'Mustang!'

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1966
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:00
Size: 91,8 MB
Art: Front

(8:31)  1. Mustang
(5:27)  2. Fly Little Bird Fly
(5:54)  3. I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good
(6:43)  4. Dixie Lee
(7:43)  5. On the Trail
(5:39)  6. I'm So Excited by You

Trumpeter Donald Byrd made many worthwhile records during the sixties. Mustang, the first of four terrific Blue Note sessions Byrd made with ill-fated alto sax man Sonny Red between 1966 and 1967, is one of the great ones. Much of the success of this recording is due in no small part to Red's top-drawer participation. Pianist McCoy Tyner and under-valued tenor great Hank Mobley are exceptional throughout as well. All excel on the "Sidewinder" groove of the title cut, the "Watermelon Man" funk of the excellent "Dixie Lee," the familiar Blue Note bop of Byrd's "Fly Little Bird Fly" and "I'm So Excited By You" and the well-done covers of Grofe's "On The Trail" and Ellington's "I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good." The CD also includes two similar bonus tracks ("Gingerbread Boy" and "I'm So Excited By You") recorded by Byrd in 1964 with Jimmy Heath (in place of Red and Mobley) on tenor. Mustang is excellent jazz and a most highly recommended purchase. Next, let's hope Blue Note plans to release Byrd's excellent Blackjack, another superb Byrd-Red collaboration from 1967 featuring Cedar Walton and Billy Higgins.~Douglas Payne http://www.allaboutjazz.com/mustang-donald-byrd-blue-note-records-review-by-douglas-payne.php?width=1920 

Players: Donald Byrd (trumpet) with Sonny Red (alto sax); Hank Mobley (tenor sax); McCoy Tyner (piano); Walter Booker (bass); Freddie Waits (drums); Jimmy Heath (tenor sax), Joe Chambers (drums).

Mustang!

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Salena Jones - Salena Jones Meets Kenny Burrell & Richie Cole

Styles: Vocal, Guitar And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:40
Size: 148,3 MB
Art: Front

(2:31)  1. It Dont Mean A Thing
(4:39)  2. Mr Bojangles
(3:30)  3. I ll Never Be Free
(4:01)  4. Wave
(3:24)  5. In A Sentimental Mood
(4:27)  6. Without You
(3:28)  7. You Fascinate Me So
(4:27)  8. We re All Alone
(5:08)  9. Stormy Weather
(5:18) 10. Georgia On My Mind
(5:43) 11. When I Fall In Love
(4:05) 12. Bridges
(5:20) 13. If I Should Lose You Now
(4:18) 14. Love Letters
(4:12) 15. For All We Know

Born in Newport News, VA, in 1944, Salena Jones (real name: Joan Elizabeth Shaw) would over the course of a 60-plus-year career become one of the leading vocalists of swing music, performing in a number of countries in Europe and Asia and recording a number of albums. Jones got her first break at the famed Apollo Theater in New York, winning a talent contest that resulted in a record deal. She spent the early part of her career touring and performing with such leading lights as Louis Armstrong, Cab Calloway, and Duke Ellington.

Her first forays overseas, to Spain and the U.K., were in the mid-'60s and were to begin a life spent mostly outside the rather fickle confines of the United States. In 1978, she made her first appearance in Japan and performed there on an annual basis. By the first decade of the 21st century, she had performed on most continents, recorded more than 40 albums, and sang at the 2006 Shanghai International Jazz Festival.~Chris True http://www.allmusic.com/artist/salena-jones-mn0000290681

Personnel:  Salena Jones – Vocal;  Kenny Burrell – Guitar;  Richie Cole – Saxophone.

Salena Jones Meets Kenny Burrell & Richie Cole

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Bill Frisell - Ghost Town

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2000
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:56
Size: 145,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:19)  1. Tell Your Ma, Tell Your Pa
(6:33)  2. Ghost Town-Poem for Eva
(6:28)  3. Wildwood Flower
(0:47)  4. Creep
(5:44)  5. Variation on a Theme (Tales from the Farside)
(5:10)  6. Follow Your Heart
(3:27)  7. I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry
(5:00)  8. What a World
(3:14)  9. My Man's Gone Now
(3:20) 10. Outlaw
(2:30) 11. Whan I Fall in Love
(2:48) 12. Big Bob
(5:34) 13. Winter Always Turns to Spring
(4:02) 14. Justice and Honor
(0:50) 15. Fingers Snappin' and Toes Tappin'
(2:04) 16. Under a Golden Sky

While Bill Frisell has released plenty of albums under his own name, this is his first true solo album the first on which he plays all of the instruments himself. These include electric and acoustic guitar, six-string banjo, and bass, as well as the occasional looped sample. To call the music he creates on this album "introspective" would be something of an understatement. This won't come as a complete surprise to his fans there has always been a gentle and meditative quality to his music, and even when he's gotten wild with his trio or with downtown pals like John Zorn or Vernon Reid, those moments of abrasive abandon have always seemed like detours from his more natural, but no less inventive and interesting, sweetness and good humor. But there's a darkness around the edges this time out that is unusual, as if he's lonely playing by himself and a little bit unnerved at the thoughts and feelings he's being forced to face on his own. His rendition of the A.P. Carter classic "Wildwood Flower" starts out with an extended Delta-blues introduction, which is a pretty unusual choice. There are other cover versions, including Hank Williams' "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" and Gershwin's "My Man's Gone Now," both of which deeply explore the emotional wreckage described by the songs' lyrics; his own compositions, such as the vaguely surfy "Variation on a Theme" and the slightly ominous "Big Bob," seem to be cut out of similar cloth. 

There are moments of light relief, such as the gently lovely title track and the brief banjo interlude "Fingers Snappin' and Toes Tappin'," but the overall mood here is relatively dark, though consistently beautiful. ~ Rick Anderson http://www.allmusic.com/album/ghost-town-mw0000603707

Solo performer: Bill Frisell (acoustic & electric guitars, banjo, loops).

Ghost Town

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Teddy Wilson - Moments Like This

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 79:00
Size: 182,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:26)  1. Alone with You
(3:09)  2. Moments Like This
(3:01)  3. I Can't Face the Music
(3:06)  4. Don't Be That Way
(2:57)  5. If I Were You
(3:17)  6. You Go to My Head
(3:12)  7. I'll Dream Tonight
(2:53)  8. Jungle Love
(3:15)  9. Now It Can Be Told
(2:57) 10. Laugh and Call It Love
(2:46) 11. On the Bumpy Road to Love
(2:52) 12. A Tisket A Tasket
(3:06) 13. Everybody's Laughing
(2:48) 14. Here Is Tomorrow Again
(2:42) 15. Say It with a Kiss
(3:12) 16. April in My Heart
(3:03) 17. I'll Never Fail You
(3:11) 18. They Say
(2:56) 19. You're So Desirable
(3:03) 20. You're Gonna See a Lot of Me
(2:48) 21. Hello, My Darling
(2:56) 22. Let's Dream in the Moonlight
(3:09) 23. What Shall I Say
(3:03) 24. It's Easy to Blame the Weather
(3:10) 25. More Than You Know
(2:50) 26. Sugar (That Sugar Baby of Mine

Teddy Wilson had a wonderful gift for musical paraphrase and melodic symmetry. His light-fingered, mellifluous approach to the piano was unparalleled among his peers. Art Tatum was a virtuoso genius, and Earl Hines was a great practitioner of stride piano stylings, but Wilson's subtle and dynamic playing made his brand of swing especially popular among '30s jazz audiences. Moments Like This features classic performances from Chu Berry, Benny Carter, Roy Eldridge, and Ben Webster among others, and many fine vocal selections from Nan Wynn and the great Billie Holiday, including gorgeous renditions of "You Go to My Head," "On the Bumpy Road to Love," "Let's Dream in the Moonlight" and other romantic classics. The band swings with elegance, and Wilson supports each vocalist with the kind of charm and musical insight that few before or after have equaled. http://www.allmusic.com/album/moments-like-this-mw0000080097

Personnel: Teddy Wilson (piano); Billie Holiday (vocals, background vocals); Nan Wynn (vocals); Allan Reuss, Al Casey (guitar); Ernie Powell (clarinet, cornet); Pee Wee Russell (clarinet); Benny Carter (alto saxophone, tenor saxophone); Edgar Sampson, Johnny Hodges, Tab Smith, Nuncio "Toots" Mondello (alto saxophone); Chu Berry, Gene Sedric, Lester Young , Ben Webster, Bud Freeman (tenor saxophone); Harry James, Jonah Jones, Roy Eldridge (trumpet); Bobby Hackett (cornet); Benny Morton, Trummy Young (trombone); Cozy Cole, Jo Jones , Johnny Blowers (drums).

Moments Like This

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Bobby Darin - The Swinging Side Of Bobby Darin

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 31:02

Size: 71.1 MB

Styles: Vocal pop

Year: 2005

Art: Front

[1:56] 1. I Got Rhythm

[2:19] 2. I'm Beginning To See The Light

[1:47] 3. I'm Sitting On Top Of The World

[2:44] 4. There's A Rainbow 'round My Shoulder

[2:56] 5. Fly Me To The Moon

[1:56] 6. All Of You

[2:54] 7. Hello, Young Lovers

[2:42] 8. Just In Time

[2:07] 9. This Nearly Was Mine

[2:49] 10. Make Someone Happy

[2:11] 11. I Wanna Be Around

[2:09] 12. On The Street Where You Live

[2:26] 13. The Good Life

During the early '60s, the Capitol Tower had begun to lose its luster as the home of traditional pop. Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin had departed for Reprise, which soon became the home of pop with recordings from Sinatra and Martin plus Sammy Davis, Jr. One of Capitol's counter moves was to sign Atco's Bobby Darin, who had started as a teen idol but, thanks to his smashes "Mack the Knife" and "Beyond the Sea," crossed over to adult audiences. Darin boasted additional appeal thanks to his knockout club act and a series of film appearances (five in 1962 alone) that eventually earned him an Academy Award nomination. It seemed like a natural fit. Unfortunately, Darin never filled the shoes of Sinatra or even Martin. As his Atco period displayed, he was much better when he introduced material. Unlike most jazz singers, he wasn't a standards singer at heart and couldn't bring anything fresh to his readings of "Fly Me to the Moon," "All of You," or "I Got Rhythm." The Swinging Side of Bobby Darin, released to coincide with the 2004 Darin bio-pic Beyond the Sea, presents a short program of Darin's jazz sides recorded at Capitol. (Since Darin was even then moving into folk-pop, few of these songs were even released at the time.) Capitol initially paired him with Billy May, an obvious choice for arranger, and the results certainly fit the bill for swinging in the '60s. Before long, however, Darin had left behind the world of traditional pop, and Capitol never recouped its investment. ~John Bush

The Swingin' Side Of Bobby Darin   

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Vincent Herring - Secret Love

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:16
Size: 126.5 MB
Styles: Bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1993
Art: Front

[4:43] 1. Have You Met Miss Jones
[5:32] 2. Skating In Central Park
[6:12] 3. Secret Love
[5:30] 4. If You Never
[8:49] 5. Autumn Leaves
[4:46] 6. My Foolish Heart
[7:19] 7. Solar
[4:29] 8. Chelsea Bridge
[7:52] 9. And Then Again

Altoist Vincent Herring's release is an impressive effort. Although he still sounds fairly close to Cannonball Adderley at times, Herring is continuing to develop as a fine modern bop stylist. Accompanied by a strong rhythm section (pianist Renee Rosnes, bassist Ira Coleman, and drummer Billy Drummond), Rosnes explores Kenny Barronis' "And Then Again" and eight standards, including Jobim's lesser-known "If You Never," John Lewis' "Skating in Central Park," and Billy Strayhorn's lyrical "Chelsea Bridge." ~Scott Yanow

Secret Love

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Lena Seikaly - Written In The Stars

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:41
Size: 120.6 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[5:27] 1. East Of The Sun
[5:20] 2. Gravitation
[5:56] 3. When I Fall In Love
[4:41] 4. A String Of Questions
[6:10] 5. The Very Thought Of You
[4:09] 6. You Go To My Head
[4:57] 7. Snapped
[5:40] 8. Duke Ellington Sound Of Love
[4:57] 9. It Only Takes A Moment
[5:20] 10. Written In The Stars

LENA SEIKALY is a fresh voice on the national jazz scene from Washington, D.C. Named “one of Washington’s preeminent jazz singers" and “brightest voices in jazz" (The Washington Post), as well as a “major league young talent in jazz" by Duke Ellington’s biographer, Dr. John Hasse, Lena is already making her mark as both a revivalist of traditional jazz vocals, as well as an innovator in contemporary vocal jazz styles. She began her training at age four with piano, continued with classical voice in her teens, and went on to complete a B.M. in classical vocal performance at the University of Maryland School of Music. It was in college where Lena discovered a strong passion for jazz, and embarked on a fervent education of jazz history, styles, theory and composition before pursuing a jazz career in the Washington, D.C. area. Most recently, she was named one of eleven semi-finalists for the 2015 Thelonious Monk Institute International Jazz Vocals Competition. She was a Strathmore Artist-In-Residence in 2009-2010, a participant in the prestigious Betty Carter Jazz Ahead residency in Washington, D.C. (2009) where she worked closely with Dr. Billy Taylor, Carmen Lundy, George Cables, Curtis Fuller, Winard Harper and others, and a participant at the Jazz Aspen Snowmass program in Aspen, CO (2005), directed by Christian McBride.

As the leader of her own trio, quartet and quintet, Lena has headlined at such renowned D.C. venues as Blues Alley, the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage, the Atlas Theater, Strathmore Mansion, and at festivals across the U.S. (including the Elkhart Jazz Festival and Mel Bay Jazz Festival) and in Holland, Switzerland, and France. Lena has self-produced three albums – Written In The Stars (2009), Lovely Changes (2011) and Looking Back (2013) – all three received critical acclaim from music critics in leading D.C. online and print publications, and the latter two of which were released to sold-out shows at Blues Alley. Lovely Changes earned her the titles of D.C.’s “Best Vocalist" and “Best Composer" for 2011 by the Washington City Paper, while Looking Back — a tribute to Ethel Waters, Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald, and featuring “lost songs" from the 1920s and ‘30s — was dubbed “the work of a supremely confident master of her instrument" by the same publication.

Lena is also very active in the D.C. area as a professional classical mezzo-soprano, a recording artist in varying genres, and arranger, and in 2012 had the unique privilege of being commissioned to arrange a suite of Antonio Carlos Jobim’s music for a 16-piece version of the New Orchestra of Washington, which premiered later that same year. An avid educator, Lena was the jazz vocal instructor at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts during 2008-09, and has lead seasonal workshops at the Strathmore Music Center for aspiring jazz vocalists since 2010. As a Palestinian American, Lena has also been involved in many Arabic fusion projects both in the U.S. and abroad — in summer of 2015, she toured in Palestine (West Bank) and Israel as the featured vocalist with Al-Manara, a European-Palestinian ensemble performing original music based on the life of its Palestinian composer and founder, Ramzi Aburedwan.

Written In The Stars

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The Los Angeles Jazz Ensemble - Jazz For A Sunday Brunch

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 68:31

Size: 156.9 MB

Styles: Contemporary jazz

Year: 2015

Art: Front

[2:35] 1. Lullaby Of Birdland

[2:26] 2. They Can't Take That Away From Me

[4:16] 3. More Than You Know

[2:51] 4. I'll Remember April

[2:17] 5. We'll Be Together Again

[2:24] 6. Secret Love

[2:29] 7. I Get A Kick Out Of You

[3:19] 8. Shine

[2:48] 9. Tenderly

[2:21] 10. This Can't Be Love

[2:36] 11. These Foolish Things

[2:16] 12. Crescendo Date

[3:44] 13. Memories Of You

[3:18] 14. Willow Weep For Me

[2:12] 15. Nola

[2:32] 16. Three Little Words

[1:56] 17. Southern Fried

[3:52] 18. If I Had You

[2:17] 19. I Love Paris

[3:32] 20. Moonglow

[1:56] 21. Baubles Bangles And Beads

[2:22] 22. Body And Soul

[1:52] 23. Bernie's Tune

[2:56] 24. Lots Of Living To Do

[3:12] 25. Poor Butterfly

Jazz For A Sunday Brunch

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Bob Scobey's Frisco Band - Rompin' And Stompin'

Styles: Trumpet Jazz, Big Band
Year: 1959
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:25
Size: 97,7 MB
Art: Front

(2:33)  1. Colonel Bogey March
(3:13)  2. The Pearls
(3:00)  3. Kansas City Stomp
(3:28)  4. Buddy Bolden's Blues
(3:58)  5. Skit-Dat-De-Dat
(3:49)  6. The Chant
(2:38)  7. Shake It And Break It
(3:45)  8. Canal Street Blues
(3:49)  9. Fidgety Feet
(4:40) 10. Dallas Blues
(3:52) 11. London Blues
(3:36) 12. Black Bottom Stomp

Trumpeter Bob Scobey still had a spirited Dixieland group in 1959, but the addition of pianist Art Hodes for this date clearly uplifted the band. Scobey performs six songs associated with Jelly Roll Morton (including "The Pearls," "Kansas City Stomp" and "The Chant"), plus six other songs dating mostly from the 1920s. A strictly instrumental date (although Clancy Hayes helps out the rhythm section on banjo), clarinetist Brian Shanley, trombonist Jim Beebe and the tuba of Rich Matteson are strong assets, along with Hodes and Scobey. Well worth searching for by Dixieland collectors. https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/rompin-stompin/id453951910

Rompin' And Stompin'

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Agneta Baumann - Sentimental Lady

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2002
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:57
Size: 130,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:17)  1. Born To Be Blue
(6:18)  2. Close Enough For Love
(4:58)  3. I Didnt Know About You
(5:41)  4. Im Glad There Is You
(5:11)  5. If You Could See Me Now
(6:55)  6. What Are You Doing in The Rest of Your Life
(5:55)  7. My Ship
(5:36)  8. Only Trust Your Heart
(7:31)  9. Young And Foolish
(3:30) 10. Where Do You Start

A smooth delivery as well as her own unique way of phrasing make Agneta Baumann one of the most respected Jazz singers in Sweden. Her trio on this outing is unique in that it is not your typical piano bass and drums setup but rather trumpet bass and piano. This arrangement lends itself beautifully to Baumann’s style of singing.  Born To Be Blue sets the mood for what is to follow. Written by Robert Wells and the great Mel Torme, this piece demands vocal control as well as an emotional attachment to the melody for it to succeed. Baumann delivers in spades. An opportunity to listen to one of the finest trumpet players on the Swedish jazz scene, Broberg’s ability is on display for all to enjoy. Taking the melody in stride, Baumann’s sense of timing and relaxed approach connect with the listener in a way that is soothing, and direct. I Didn’t Know About You is one of those ballads that stands out as an exercise in restraint for whoever is interpreting it. Broberg’s sympathetic solo flows like a slow running river before Baumann’s return to the vocal. 

Another example of Baumann’s expertise in ballad singing is Kurt Weill’s My Ship. A slow moving version with nice interplay from Broberg. The mood is created and builds as Broberg’s solo progresses. Gosta Rundqvist offers some delicate yet effective piano playing that contributes to the spirit of this classic.  Rundqvist’s empathetic piano leads off Young and Foolish, another torch like song that has been covered by many vocalists over the years. Baumann stretches out on this one milking every note as if it were her last. Danielsson’s sparse bass playing is effective in that it lays the foundation for this fragile yet meaningful love song. His talent has been recognized for many years and on this number we hear why. Making ballads her main vehicle for vocal expression, Baumann offers listeners a recording suited for late night listening, relaxing and romantic evenings. Her phrasing is second to none. Baumann’s sense of enjoyment shines through on every number. This is one recording not to miss. Highly recommended.~Randy Mcelligott http://www.jazzreview.com/cd-reviews/jazz-vocals-cd-reviews/sentimental-lady-by-agneta-baumann.html

Personnel:  Bosse Broberg (Trumpet), Gosta Rundqvist (Piano), Palle Danielsson (Bass), Agneta Baumann (Vocals)

Sentimental Lady

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Bill Frisell - Disfarmer

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:43
Size: 164,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:37)  1. Disfarmer Theme
(1:15)  2. Lonely Man
(1:50)  3. Lost, Night
(1:03)  4. Farmer
(2:26)  5. Focus
(4:43)  6. Peter Miller's Discovery
(3:10)  7. That's Alright, Mama
(3:42)  8. Little Girl
(1:16)  9. Little Boy
(2:47) 10. No One Gets In
(2:48) 11. Lovesick Blues
(3:50) 12. I Can't Help It (If I'm Still In Love With You)
(4:26) 13. Shutter, Dream
(2:12) 14. Exposed
(1:52) 15. The Wizard
(4:37) 16. Think
(4:29) 17. Drink
(1:32) 18. Play
(3:36) 19. I Am Not A Farmer
(1:00) 20. Small Town
(1:53) 21. Arkansas (Part 1)
(2:19) 22. Arkansas (Part 2)
(1:54) 23. Arkansas (Part 3)
(2:06) 24. Lost Again, Dark
(2:59) 25. Natural Light
(2:06) 26. Did You See Him?

Often a cinematic writer, guitarist Bill Frisell has composed film scores in the past, including his back-to-back release of Music For The Films Of Buster Keaton: The High Sign/One Week and Go West (both Elektra/Nonesuch, 1995) and, more recently, music for the 2007 Canadian film All Hat (Emarcy/Universal, 2008). Instead of writing for images in motion, however, Disfarmer is an album of largely original music inspired by Depression-era photographer Michael Disfarmer's arresting images of rural America. Frisell manages to capture the ambience of Disfarmer's work, at times as ethereally static as those single frames, but elsewhere inspired to create pulsating Americana music that continues to skew ever so slightly a longtime definer of Frisell's best work. Violinist Jenny Scheinman, steel guitarist/mandolinist Greg Liesz and bassist Viktor Krauss are all longtime collaborators, with Krauss dating back to Frisell's much-lauded (and controversial) Nashville (Nonesuch, 1997). Disfarmer shares much with Nashville's drummer-less bluegrass vibe, as it does the even more folkloric The Willies (Nonesuch, 2002). Still, while those albums were as much a part of Frisell's persistent anti-soloing aesthetic as any he's recorded in recent years, Disfarmer is even less about playing and more about concept, despite the inescapable fact that it couldn't succeed as it does without the effortless interaction and instrumental acumen of its participants.

Tracks like the collectively improvised "Shutter, Dream" are as atmospheric as anything Frisell's ever done, while the hauntingly lyrical "Think" ranks with "Strange Meeting" and "Monica Jane," both heard at their best on This Land (Elektra/Nonesuch, 1994), as some of his most poignant writing. "Focus" layers a bittersweet, countrified melody over Scheinman's relentless, Philip Glass-like layered arpeggios, while "Peter Miller's Discovery" posits strong counterpoint between Scheinman and Frisell's serpentine theme and Krauss' soft yet undeniably rhythmic lines, with Liesz weaving lines like thread through a needle. Frisell has performed this music live, and uses music boxes and looping to augment the real-time potential of 26 miniatures ranging in length from one to just under five minutes, but judicious overdubbing turns Disfarmer into a more expansive work, albeit a delicately orchestrated one. Less about soloing and more about mining the essence of the simplest melody, Frisell's quartet proves capable of empathic exploration throughout, while turning a familiar tune like Arthur Crudup's buoyant "That's Alright, Mama" into something both authentically of its period and, at the same time, unmistakably modern.

In researching Disfarmer, Frisell traveled to rural Arkansas and, as much as the album reflects in sound the utterly human photographs reproduced in the liners, it's also something of an aural travelogue, evoking emotions ranging from the thrill of discovery to gentle longing. The three-part "Arkansas" suite is a rarified summoning of times past, even as Frisell continues to twist singable melodies on their side with the slightest alteration. The feather-light but resonantly deep Disfarmer continues Frisell's pursuit of Americana; a haunting look and the intrepid supposition of what one documenter of that time may have been thinking, as he created his starkly compelling images.~John Kelman http://www.allaboutjazz.com/disfarmer-bill-frisell-nonesuch-records-review-by-john-kelman.php
 

Personnel: Bill Frisell: electric and acoustic guitars, loops, music boxes; Greg Liesz: steel guitars, mandolin; Jenny Scheinman: violin; Viktor Krauss: bass.

Disfarmer

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Conrad Herwig, Igor Butman - Reflections

Styles: Trombone And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:20
Size: 138,7 MB
Art: Front

(6:19)  1. Falling Out
(8:36)  2. King of the Mountain
(8:07)  3. Wingspan
(6:29)  4. Reflections
(8:05)  5. Olvidame
(6:59)  6. Who Cares?
(7:59)  7. Samba De Igor
(7:42)  8. Big O's Blues

"Tight" is the word that most readily comes to mind to describe this band's playing. For Reflections, his tenth release as a leader for the Dutch Criss Cross label, trombonist Conrad Herwig has joined forces with Russian tenor man Igor Butman as co-leader. Rounding out the front-line is trumpeter extraordinaire Alex Sipiagin, a name that will be very familiar to anyone who keeps up with Criss Cross releases. The music on this disc, beautifully recorded and mixed by Michael Marciano, falls mostly into the "straight-ahead" category and relies on the exceptional talents of the players and the chemistry they achieve together to bring excitement to the music. The program consists of five Herwig originals, two tunes contributed by Butman, and a swinging take on Gershwin's "Who Cares?" The three horn players blend well together and achieve a sound that is at times reminiscent of the classic Shorter/Hubbard/Fuller incarnation of the Jazz Messengers. Also in that spirit, each of the horn players seems eager to speak his piece and lead the band in a new direction. On five of the eight tunes Butman leads off the solo sections and never fails to impress with his warm, dark tone and long, coherent phrases that burn with an understated fire. Herwig follows suit with solos that often culminate in acrobatic displays of agility in the upper range of the trombone. Sipiagin also rises to the occasion magnificently and contributes some mind-blowing solos as well.

With such a strong horn section one might think that the rhythm section would recede into the background on a record like this, but that is certainly not the case on Reflections. Pianist David Kikoski offers solos that succeed in matching the intensity and wit of the horn players (his solo on "King of the Mountain" is one of the high points of the album), but it is his magnificent comping that deserves the most admiration. His playing choices are constantly informed by both the soloists and the rhythm section and his clever reactions keep the music consistently engaging. The same can be said of drummer Jeff "Tain" Watts who often sounds as though he has a third arm. Watts' playing is busy, but is always tasteful and raises the level of playing for the rest of the band. It is clear that bassist Kenny Davis is also listening to the rest of the band closely and performs admirably as an accompanist. Swing is the dominant feel of the session but there are a few exceptions. 

The second track, "King of the Mountain" has a modern straight-eighth feel and is one of the standout tracks of the set, with all the soloists doing some of their best work. The title track is a delicate tastefully-done ballad. As it's name implies, "Samba De Igor" has a relaxed Brazilian feel and Herwig's "Olvidame," which (judging by its title) one might expect to have a Latin feel as well, is actually pure funk. Overall, the musicianship and sympathy displayed on this recording makes it a rewarding experience that is worth several listens.~Andrew Luhn http://www.allaboutjazz.com/reflections-conrad-herwig-igor-butman-criss-cross-review-by-andrew-luhn.php
 

Personnel: Alex Sipiagin: Trumpet, Flugelhorn; Igor Butman: Tenor Sax; Conrad Herwig: Trombone; David Kikoski: Piano; Kenny Davis: Bass; Jeff "Tain" Watts: Drums

Reflections

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