Billy Stewart - The Best Of Billy Stewart

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 32:15
Size: 73.9 MB
Styles: R&B
Year: 2000
Art: Front

[3:01] 1. I Do Love You
[2:35] 2. Fat Boy
[2:20] 3. Reap What You Sow
[3:19] 4. Sitting In The Park
[2:54] 5. Love Me
[2:06] 6. Strange Feeling
[3:00] 7. Secret Love
[3:00] 8. Cross My Heart
[2:53] 9. Every Day I Have The Blues
[2:50] 10. Tell Me The Truth
[4:13] 11. Summertime

Billy Stewart was an utterly singular vocal magician who belongs to a long ago era, when an enormously gifted black man could astonish listeners by writing and recording something so utterly disarming as "Fat Boy" (Bo Diddley, another unreconstructed genius, discovered Billy and obviously had a hand in the song's production). Billy Stewart could dazzle with that voice of his, but his deepest and truest music speaks to the fat boy in each of us, somehow empowering anyone whose heart ached, or who was "different", or felt unworthy of love. What makes "Sitting In the Park" such a heavenly experience is that shimmering waterfall of a bridge, when the long suffering narrator's "Why oh why oh why oh why oh why oh whys?..." mark a revelatory moment of frustrated longing, after which he decides not to sit on that park bench yet again, waiting for his beloved - who may or may not show up. Just as the fat boy needs and finds love, "Park's" narrator eventually realizes he doesn't deserve abuse or indifference, and walks away. "I Do Love You" sweeps the listener into the ecstatic intensity of Billy's boundless love, a vocal reverie that swells with joy, with the Chess session stalwarts - especially Leonard Caston's piano - creating a soundscape of stunning beauty for Billy's exquisite vocal performance, in which he finally seems to dispense with mere words altogether.

Billy Stewart was a man's man, a couragious artist whose fearless vulnerability, honesty, and sense of just how raw and squirmingly alive we all are underlies his gift, for we're elevated by how he applies that astonishing voice to songs and themes that resonate now. Billy Stewart, fat, diabetic, a vocal virtuoso, revelled in ecstasy, and embraced love yet refused to let pain and heartache define him as a victim. Sure, "Summertime" is a knockout, a musical and vocal tour de force, especially in this long version, but one is impressed more by technique than passion. That makes it exciting, and a pleasure to hear - but thankfully an exception; technique rarely trumps content in Stewart's work. The deeper secrets are revealed elsewhere, which leads me to regret that this is such a scrawny volume to represent such a big artist. And if you care about decent sound, this 2000 remaster is the only game in town. But be forwarned, "Millennium" offers 11 songs in 32 minutes, short by even vinyl standards. Why so skimpy? If you want more you have to buy the drab sounding 1990 comp, which has twice as much music. Billy Stewart really deserves a career spanning retrospective, with the sort of warm, detailed, full sound unthinkable during the early digital era (1990). ~J.P. Ryan

The Best Of Billy Stewart

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Laura Silverstein - Something Blue: Fingerstyle Guitar & More

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:46
Size: 81.9 MB
Styles: Folk-jazz guitar
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[3:27] 1. Moondance
[3:08] 2. Something Blue
[2:35] 3. Old Cape Cod
[3:21] 4. Sweet Georgia Brown
[2:01] 5. Don't Mind If I Do
[1:55] 6. Second Street Jump
[2:31] 7. Charade
[3:38] 8. Flatworld
[2:08] 9. Scarborough Faire
[3:23] 10. Midnight In Moscow
[3:34] 11. Wayfaring Stranger
[3:58] 12. All Is Well... A Lullaby

Funky, Poignant, Upbeat, Romantic, Playful, and Tender….. describe Laura Silverstein’s instrumentals played with passion on her 1930 Gibson L0 guitar. “Something Blue – Fingerstyle Guitar and More” is an eclectic compilation of instrumentals spanning centuries and genres, and featuring fingerstyle guitar, joined on some tracks by violin, mandolin, and/or bass. Playing styles ranging from folk to blues, ragtime, Hawaiian slack-key, contemporary, and swing, Laura Silverstein’s guitar playing celebrates the power, passion, and versatility of fingerstyle guitar. Laura’s performances take listeners on a journey through love, joy, humor, and life--all expressed through the wonderful and expressive voice of the guitar.

Laura’s guitar playing reflects the influences of John Fahey, John Knowles, Judy Fjell, Kay Eskenazi, Harmony Grisman, Eddie Pennington, Kent Hillman, Eric Schoenberg, Pat Donohue, Doc Watson, and Marcel Dadi. Laura loves to share her passion for fingerstyle with others, teaching guitar at the Pacific Northwest Women’s Music Celebration, WildJamminWomen, and Women Making Music. She’s a regular participant at Puget Sound Guitar Workshop, where she learns from and networks with other guitarists from around the country every summer.

Something Blue: Fingerstyle Guitar & More

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Rachel Z - Trust The Universe

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1992
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:39
Size: 141,2 MB
Art: Front

(7:29)  1. Nardis
(5:16)  2. I Won't Cry 4 Us
(5:01)  3. Monk's Other Women
(7:01)  4. Inamorata
(4:21)  5. Under The Suit
(6:12)  6. Forgive Me
(3:42)  7. Save My Soul
(3:56)  8. Go!
(4:59)  9. One Night
(4:29) 10. Trust The Universe
(4:56) 11. When The Cats Away
(4:11) 12. Iyakutanda

Keyboardist Rachel Z divides her debut CD into mainstream and contemporary sections, but in reality she plays basically the same in both sessions, emphasizing her acoustic work in a style most influenced by Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, and occasionally Bill Evans. The music is usually soulful enough for the jazz lite listener and contains just enough chance-taking for more serious jazz collectors. Nothing too unexpected occurs, but this enjoyable set has some fine solos from the leader and the contrasting saxophones of David Sanchez and David Mann.~Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/trust-the-universe-mw0000094905

Personnel: Rachel Z (piano, keyboards); David Mann (soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone); David Sanchez (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone); Charnett Moffett (acoustic bass); Victor Bailey (electric bass); Al Foster, Lenny White (drums); Gumbi Ortiz (percussion).

Trust The Universe

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Richie Cole - Bossa Nova Eyes

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1985
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:25
Size: 136,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:31)  1. Dear Hearts And Gentle People
(3:57)  2. I Remember Sonny Stitt
(4:44)  3. Makin' Whoopee
(5:28)  4. 2 Degrees East, 3 Degrees West
(2:37)  5. Bossa Nova Eyes
(5:26)  6. Serenata
(3:13)  7. Seems Like Old Times
(3:14)  8. Anna Maria
(3:11)  9. Dc-10

Altoist Richie Cole's first album in three years is typically hard-swinging but adds little to his legacy. Best are "I Remember Sonny Stitt," "Makin' Whoopee" and "Serenata" although "Seems like Old Times" was not too necessary. Cole plays a bit of his rarely-heard baritone, pianist Dick Hindman has some good solos and singer Janis Siegel guests on the title track but few surprises occur.~Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/bossa-nova-eyes-mw0000957645

Personnel:  Richie Cole - Alto & Bariton Saxes;  Dick Hindman - piano;  Paul Warburton - bass; Colin Bailey - drums;  Babatunde – Percussion;  Janis Siegel - vocal.

Bossa Nova Eyes

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Larry Young - Testifying

Styles: Hard Bop, Soul Jazz
Year: 1960
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:52
Size: 107,6 MB
Art: Front

(9:54)  1. Testifying
(5:18)  2. When I Grow Too Old To Dream
(7:37)  3. Exercise For Chihuahuas
(5:07)  4. Falling In Love With Love
(6:23)  5. Some Thorny Blues
(7:07)  6. Wee Dot
(5:23)  7. Flamingo

Organist Larry Young was 19 when he made this, his debut recording. Although he would become innovative later on, Young at this early stage was still influenced by Jimmy Smith, even if he had a lighter tone; the fact that he used Smith's former guitarist, Thornel Schwartz, and a drummer whose name was coincidentally Jimmie Smith kept the connection strong. R&B-ish tenor Joe Holiday helps out on two songs, and the music (standards, blues and ballads) always swings. Easily recommended to fans of the jazz organ.~Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/testifying-mw0000276468

Personnel: Larry Young (organ); Joe Holiday (tenor saxophone); Thornel Schwartz (guitar); Jimmie Smith (drums).

Testifying

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Sammy Price - Boogie & Jazz Classics

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:24
Size: 106.3 MB
Styles: Jazz/Blues Piano, Jump blues
Year: 1975/2008
Art: Front

[3:07] 1. My Blue Heaven
[3:03] 2. Saint James Infirmary
[2:29] 3. Gee Baby, Ain't I Good To You
[3:12] 4. Sunday
[3:38] 5. J.C. Speaks
[3:21] 6. Can't Help Lovin' That Man
[2:03] 7. Stormy Weather
[3:25] 8. Berne's Boogie
[3:01] 9. Sammy & J.C. Boogie
[3:11] 10. Barefoot Boogie
[2:46] 11. Untitled Boogie
[4:36] 12. Goin' Back Home Boogie
[2:09] 13. Cow Cow Boogie
[3:04] 14. Don't Blame Me
[3:12] 15. Ain't Misbehavin'

Price, a delightful, romping pianist in the vintage barrelhouse and boogie-woogie genres, interpreted, reworked, and remade a series of traditional blues and jazz tunes on this fine 1975 release. Everything, from song selection to solos, is wonderful. ~Ron Wynn

Boogie & Jazz Classics

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Hillary Capps - A Perfect Dozen

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:38
Size: 97.6 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[4:31] 1. Come Rain Or Come Shine
[3:09] 2. Lullaby Of Birdland
[4:30] 3. East Of The Sun
[4:54] 4. You Don't Know Me
[3:44] 5. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
[2:23] 6. One Note Samba
[3:08] 7. Unchain My Heart
[2:53] 8. Time After Time
[3:08] 9. They Can't Take That Away From Me
[2:17] 10. Twisted
[2:29] 11. At Last
[5:26] 12. The Nearness Of You

Ours is an age that reduces amateur vocalists to fanatical reality-television contestants. So it’s comforting to discover that there are still singers like Hillary Capps in the studio, honing their talents the time-honored way. A Perfect Dozen is the twentysomething jazz songstress and Underhill native’s solid debut release, a sturdy collection of 12 classic jazz vocal standards.

Despite her youth, Capps is already a veteran, and her savvy is obvious to the listener straight away, a capacity fashioned by an interesting combination of talent and pedigree. Since the age of 16, she has been performing with her father, a noted Vermont jazz artist, educator and studio engineer. He ably backs her on the record with the ensemble that bears his name, The Joe Capps Group.

Even veterans of the jazz stage will have to respect the younger Capps’ fearless song selections. Tom Jobin’s “One Note Samba” and Etta James’ “At Last” aren’t exactly campfire tunes. And they are certainly not for hobbyists, given their technical and emotional requirements. But Hillary Capps manages this challenge with impressive command of these and other classic selections. Her remarkably clean voice prevails delightfully over the skillful backing musicianship found throughout A Perfect Dozen. ~John Pritchard

A Perfect Dozen

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Jimmy King Band - Shanghai At Night

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:22
Size: 142.8 MB
Styles: Big band
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[4:58] 1. Shanghai At Night
[3:39] 2. The Last Waltz
[3:23] 3. Evening Primrose
[3:54] 4. As Time Goes By
[2:22] 5. Money Honey
[4:31] 6. Rose, Rose, I Love You
[3:20] 7. Amor Amor
[3:54] 8. Sleepy Lagoon
[4:19] 9. Rosebush In Blossom
[3:47] 10. Boogie Woogie
[1:58] 11. Hawaii Sunrise
[3:34] 12. In The Mood
[3:29] 13. Begin The Beguine
[4:04] 14. Shangri-La
[2:38] 15. Hawaii Paradise
[3:44] 16. Rum And Coca-Cola
[4:40] 17. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes

The Paramount Dance Hall is the grand old lady of Shanghai's past. But in 1930, it was the most expensive and elaborate ballroom of its age, with a specially designed wooden dance floor with cantilevered springs. Now, the old songs still play, and the elderly dancers twirl stiffly — but the Paramount is a tired reminder of what once was.

Today, a small group of jazz musicians are re-creating the sounds of the old days for a series of concerts in Shanghai. These elderly veterans of the jazz scene play with the same verve as they did in the 1940s. The roaring nightlife of Shanghai came to an end after the Communist revolution in 1949. Finally in 1980, as Shanghai opened up once more, the management of the Peace Hotel decided to start a jazz band, the first in China. Back at the Paramount, the band still plays on.

Shanghai At Night

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Ben Webster - The Verve Years

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:20
Size: 154.2 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 1992
Art: Front

[4:31] 1. Bounce Blues
[3:35] 2. Danny Boy
[3:21] 3. Cotton Tail
[3:55] 4. Chelsea Bridge
[4:46] 5. Prelude To A Kiss
[3:56] 6. What Am I Here For
[3:04] 7. Sophisticated Lady
[7:37] 8. Who's Got Rhythm
[4:31] 9. Time After Time
[5:51] 10. Fajista
[6:15] 11. The Touch Of Your Lips
[2:32] 12. How Deep Is The Ocean
[4:57] 13. When I Fall In Love
[4:29] 14. Makin' Whoopee
[3:54] 15. Sunday

Another fine edition of Verve's budget series Compact Jazz, this Ben Webster sampler rounds up some stellar selections from the tenor giants '50s stay with the label. Webster is in top form throughout, collaborating with the likes of Gerry Mulligan, Oscar Peterson, Billy Strayhorn, and Ralph Burns. He show his brevity, too, ranging from an update of his Ellington swing staple, "Cotton Tail," to an indelible ballad like "Time After Time" and Strayhorn's complex "Chelsea Bridge." And helping on the support end, Hank Jones, Barney Kessel, Ed Thigpen, and many others provide Webster with a steady stream of ideal backdrops. A perfect introductory disc. ~Stephen Cook

The Verve Years

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John Scofield - Past Present

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:29
Size: 120,4 MB
Art: Front

(7:10)  1. Slinky
(5:20)  2. Chap Dance
(6:34)  3. Hangover
(6:30)  4. Museum
(5:03)  5. Season Creep
(5:21)  6. Get Proud
(5:23)  7. Enjoy The Future !
(5:01)  8. Mr. Puffy
(6:03)  9. Past Present

During the course of his storied career, guitarist/composer John Scofield has never shown much of of a predilection to repeat himself. Rather, he navigates through projects as diverse as trio outings, experiments with horns, collections of ballads and collaborations with the likes of Gov't Mule and the Grateful Dead's Phil Lesh in a such a way that, when he completes a cyle of activity, he's grown discernibly as an artist.  Which is why the title of Past Present so suits Sco's concept of return to a lineup similar to one he fronted in the early Nineties. Apart from the frontman's evolution as an instrumentalist, writer and recording artist, the distinguishing factor here is the presence of bassist Larry Grenadier, whose work with pianist Brad Mehldau and guitarist Pat Metheny, among many others, reaffirms an appetite for adventure similar to the bandleader's. Both establish an uncanny bond with the musicians who appeared on the aforementioned records, saxophonist Joe Lovano and drummer Bill Stewart.

As evinced by his playing on the opener, "Slinky," Grenadier has an abiding gift for understatement he shares with Scofield. The guitarist always relishes immersing himself within the interactions of any group he's playing with not just Medeski Martin and Wood so the spotlights he affords Lovano, like the one on "Season Creep," is no surprise. In fact, it's John Scofield's modesty and humility, a tone in place even as he acted as producer, that elevates not just the playing of those around him, but his own as well. And pithily as he solos completely in line with the austere graphics of Past Present, including the somber cover portrait he invariably whets the appetite for more by the time he's finished, as is the case with "Enjoy the Future!" And in doing so, during, for instance, "Museum," he deftly interweaves the staccato attack of a blues guitarist and the fluid approach of a pure jazz player.

It's well-nigh impossible to mistake John Scofield for any other active guitarist. Scofield also distinguishes himself as a composer here, writing all nine tunes, including the title track; apart from the delicious mix Mark Wilder preserved in his mastering, the songwriter's melodies tickle the ear to compel repeated playing on their own terms, but, as with "Hangover," also offer inspiration for all four of these players to improvise and elicit additional nuance from the changes. Within such intervals throughout "Mr. Puffy," for instance, neither Grenadier or Stewart remain merely support players; rather, as individuals and partners in the rhythm section, they imprint their personalities on material such as "Chap Dance," by weaving their own instrumental patterns inside, outside and around the melody. It's a measure of the solidarity of this quartet that, if Past Present were used in a blindfold test, the listener might be hard pressed to determine who the top-billed player actually is, the highest compliment to be paid to the genuinely selfless, joyful musician that is John Scofield.~Doug Collette http://www.allaboutjazz.com/john-scofield-past-present-by-doug-collette.php

Personnel:  John Scofield: guitar;  Joe Lovano: tenor saxophone;  Larry Grenadier: double bass;  Bill Stewart: drums

Past Present

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Ann Peebles - Straight From The Heart

Styles: Vocal, Soul
Year: 1971
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 26:00
Size: 61,3 MB
Art: Front

(2:28)  1. Slipped, Tripped & Fell In Love
(2:38)  2. Trouble, Heartache & Sadness
(2:25)  3. What You Laid On Me
(2:59)  4. How Strong Is A Woman
(2:24)  5. Somebody's On Your Case
(2:28)  6. I Feel Like Breaking Up
(2:50)  7. I've Been There Before
(2:58)  8. I Pity The Fool
(2:16)  9. 99 Pounds
(2:28) 10. I Take What I Want

A lean, tough set that was not only a triumph for Peebles, but illustrated how the Hi label had surpassed its crosstown Stax rival for quality Memphis soul in the early '70s. The guitars are spare, funky, and bluesy, the horn section punchy, and the material far earthier and down-home than the increasingly formulaic grooves at Stax. There were three modest R&B hits on the album ("Slipped, Tripped and Fell in Love," "I Feel Like Breaking Up Somebody's Home," "Somebody's on Your Case"), much of which was penned by Peebles or her husband Don Bryant. Peebles' vocals were convincingly biting, and she never, unlike many other singers of the era, tried too hard for her own good. The main flaw of the record is its length (26 minutes), which was short even by early-'70s standards.~Richie Unterberger http://www.allmusic.com/album/straight-from-the-heart-mw0000099467

Personnel:  Backing Vocals – Rhodes, Chalmers And Rhodes;  Bass – Leroy Hodges;  Bass Saxophone – James Mitchell;  Drums – Howard Grimes;  Guitar – Teenie Hodges;  Organ, Piano – Charles Hodges;  Tenor Saxophone – Andrew Love, Ed Logan;  Trombone – Jack Hale;  Trumpet – Wayne Jackson

Straight From The Heart

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Larry Young - Groove Street

Styles: Hard Bop, Soul Jazz
Year: 1962
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:18
Size: 92,7 MB
Art: Front

( 4:57)  1. Groove Street
( 5:29)  2. I Found A New Baby
( 9:27)  3. Sweet Lorraine
(14:27)  4. Gettin' Into It
( 5:57)  5. Talkin' 'Bout J.C.

Larry Young's third and final Prestige recording (reissued in the OJC series on CD) concludes his early period; he would next record as a leader two and a half years later on Blue Note, by which time his style would be much more original. For his 1962 outing, Young is joined by the obscure tenor Bill Leslie, guitarist Thornel Schwartz and drummer Jimmie Smith for some original blues and two standards ("I Found a New Baby" and "Sweet Lorraine"). 

Nothing all that substantial occurs, but fans of Jimmy Smith will enjoy the similar style that Larry Young had at the time.~Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/groove-street-mw0000644712

Personnel: Larry Young (organ, keyboards); Thornel Schwartz (guitar); Bill Leslie (tenor saxophone); Jimmie Smith (drums).

Groove Street

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Oscar Brown, Jr. - Movin' On

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:05
Size: 75.7 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 1972/2002
Art: Front

[3:09] 1. A Dime Away From A Hotdog
[4:29] 2. Walk Away
[3:28] 3. Feel The Fire
[4:23] 4. A Ladiesman
[3:41] 5. No Place To Be Somebody
[3:17] 6. To Stay In Good With You
[3:25] 7. Gang Bang
[3:15] 8. First Lady
[3:55] 9. Young Man

Oscar Brown, Jr.'s vocal and lyrical talents shine on this reissue of his 1972 album Movin' On. Brown's witty, politically conscious scats meld art and humor into innovation. Movin' On's nine songs, including highlights like "A Dime Away from a Hot Dog," "Ladiesman," and "No Place to Be Somebody" enhance Brown's reputation as an inventive jazzman. ~Heather Phares

Movin' On

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Eddie Cano - Eddie Cano Quintet

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 29:00
Size: 66.4 MB
Styles: Latin jazz
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[2:45] 1. Poinciana
[2:37] 2. S'wonderful
[2:44] 3. Dancing In The Dark
[2:23] 4. For You
[2:20] 5. It's Easy To Remember
[1:42] 6. Mimi
[2:18] 7. I Don't Know Why
[2:32] 8. Time Was
[2:17] 9. Softly As In A Morning Sunrise
[2:29] 10. Crazy Rhythm
[2:21] 11. Moonlight In Vermont
[2:26] 12. Catalina

Edward "Eddie" Cano (June 6, 1927 – January 30, 1988) was an Afro-Cuban jazz and Latin jazz pianist born in Los Angeles, California. He began his musical career with Miguelito Valdés and his orchestra. Cano has worked with many other notable musicians including Bobby Ramos, Les Baxter, Jack Costanzo, Buddy Collette, and Tony Martinez. He was also first president of the Hispanic Musicians Association. He also recorded a slew of albums for various labels, including Reprise Records and RCA Records. He also explored boogaloo and tropical music. Eddie Cano died from an apparent heart attack on January 30, 1988.

Cano spent most of his career trying to find the balance between jazz and Latin jazz styles. He found an appreciative audience for a series of albums under his own name released in the '50s and '60s by labels such as Atco, Reprise, and RCA, his following similar to that of vibraphonist Cal Tjader and bandleader Les Baxter. Cano also drew on dance crazes such as the cha cha and the Watusi to promote his efforts. His family was rich musically, Cano's father a bass guitarist, his grandfather a member of the Mexico City Symphony. Cano studied bass with his grandfather and private teachers, also studied piano and trombone, spent two years in the Army beginning in 1945, and then began hitting stages in a group led by Miguelito Valdés.

Eddie Cano Quintet

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Anita O'Day, Cal Tjader - Time For 2

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 31:45
Size: 72.7 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 1962/1999
Art: Front

[2:45] 1. Thanks For The Memory
[2:59] 2. It Shouldn't Happen To A Dream
[2:46] 3. Just In Time
[2:21] 4. Under A Blanket Of Blue
[2:48] 5. That's Your Red Wagon
[3:02] 6. Peel Me A Grape
[2:26] 7. An Occasional Man
[2:20] 8. The Party's Over
[2:23] 9. I Believe In You
[1:54] 10. Mr. Sandman
[3:23] 11. Spring Will Be A Little Late This Year
[2:32] 12. I'm Not Supposed To Be Blue Blues

In another experiment, producer Creed Taylor teams O'Day with the alternately Latin and bop-grounded quartet of vibraphonist Cal Tjader -- and he gets some amazing performances from this team. O'Day sounds as if she is delighted with Tjader's polished Afro-Cuban grooves, gliding easily over the rhythms, toying with the tunes, transforming even a tune so locked into its trite time as "Mr. Sandman" into a stimulating excursion. Indeed, O'Day's freewheeling phrasing becomes downright sexy on "That's Your Red Wagon" and Dave Frishberg's delicious parody of a spoiled honeybunch, "Peel Me a Grape." Also, thanks to Taylor's obsession with good engineering and tasteful applications of reverb, O'Day's voice sounds much fuller and more attractive in his productions than on her Norman Granz-produced albums. ~Richard S. Ginnell

Time For 2

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Jim Rotondi - Blues For Brother Ray

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:46
Size: 118.5 MB
Styles: Post bop
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[6:06] 1. What'd I Say
[5:56] 2. Baby, It's Cold Outside
[5:11] 3. Brother Ray
[5:44] 4. Cry Me A River
[6:59] 5. One Mint Julep
[7:22] 6. Makin' Whoopee
[8:21] 7. Lonely Avenue
[6:04] 8. Georgia On My Mind

Jim Rotondi isn't the first jazz artist to pay tribute to Ray Charles. Singer Roseanna Vitro, for example, paid tribute to the soul icon on her 1997 session Catchin' Some Rays: The Music of Ray Charles. But it is safe to say that paying tribute to Charles isn't an idea that has been beaten to death in the jazz world; there haven't been nearly as many jazz tributes to Charles as there have been jazz tributes to Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, Harold Arlen, or George Gershwin. And on Blues for Brother Ray, Rotondi offers a hard bop/post-bop instrumentalist's take on Charles' repertoire. Joining Rotondi on this 52-minute CD are tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander, guitarist Peter Bernstein, organist Mike LeDonne, and drummer Joe Farnsworth; because the album prominently features an organist and focuses on songs associated with a major R&B legend, one naturally expects to hear some soul-jazz -- and sure enough, the soul-jazz factor is quite strong on groove-oriented but improvisatory performances of "Lonely Avenue" (which absolutely oozes with blues feeling), "What'd I Say," "One Minute Julep," and "Makin' Whoopee." But Rotondi goes for more of a post-bop approach on "Cry Me a River," which finds LeDonne's organ playing taking on a Larry Young-minded quality (as opposed to the Jimmy Smith/Jack McDuff/Richard "Groove" Holmes aesthetic LeDonne usually favors on Blues for Brother Ray). And "Georgia on My Mind" is a major surprise; instead of performing the Hoagy Carmichael standard as a slow ballad, Rotondi transforms it into ultra-fast bop. A consistently engaging acknowledgement of Charles' legacy, Blues for Brother Ray is easily one of the best albums in Rotondi's catalog. ~Alex Henderson

Blues For Brother Ray

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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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