London-Meader-Pramuk-Ross - Royal Bopsters Project

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:47
Size: 141.4 MB
Styles: Vocalese, Group harmony vocals
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[4:35] 1. Music In The Air
[5:30] 2. On The Red Clay
[4:55] 3. Peace (Feat. Sheila Jordan)
[5:54] 4. Basheer, The Snake & The Mirror
[4:52] 5. Senor Blues (Feat. Mark Murphy)
[6:19] 6. Invitation
[4:13] 7. Bird Chasin'
[6:16] 8. Music Is Forever (Feat. Annie Ross)
[4:57] 9. Bebop Lives
[6:09] 10. Just Step Right Up
[4:21] 11. Nothing Like You Has Ever Seen Before (Feat. Bob Dorough)
[3:41] 12. Let's Fly

Amy London, Darmon Meader, Dylan Pramuk and Holli Ross: vocals; Steve Schmidt: piano; Sean Smith, Cameron Brown: bass; Steve Williams: drums; Steven Kroon: percussion; Roni Ben Hur: guitar; Mark Murphy, Bob Dorough; Jon Hendricks; Sheila Jordan; Annie Ross: vocals.

Central to this recording is vocalist Mark Murphy, who can only be considered in the same thought as Eddie Jefferson and King Pleasure in the field of vocalese. He is featured on 4 of the 12 selections on the disc, with the other "Royal Bopsters" showing up on one each. Murphy's contributions are the highlights of the release. He reprises his 1970 recording of Freddie Hubbard's "Red Clay" as "On the Red Clay." Murphy is in excellent voice. He also re-addresses his take on Horace Silver's "Senor Blues," which he sings with punch and vigor. Amy London provided be lyrics to Charlie Parker's "Chasin' the Bird" retitled "Bird Chasin'" which includes a spirited reading of passages from Jack Kerouac's On The Road, bringing the entire Beat theme to a full boil. The pinnacle of the recital occurs on a re-tooling of Murphy's interpretation of Miles Davis' "Boplicity" (presented here as "Bebop Lives") in cooperation with Holli Ross. It is exquisite.

This is not to short change the other royals. Arkansas Jazz Hall of Fame member Bob Doroough presents his "Nothing Like You has Every Been Seen Before" and remains vital in his early 90s as does Jon Hendricks on "Music in the Air." Shelia Jordan percolates on Horace Silver's "Peace," while the inestimable Annie Ross kills on "Music is Forever." This project unites a new voice in Jazz Quartet singing, whose ideas are fresh and plans are set. The project is well framed by excellent liner notes provided by New York City Music writer James Gavin, whose own Deep in a Dream remains the definitive cultural commentary on the life of trumpeter Chet Baker. If all musical projects could be this well programmed... ~C. Michael Bailey

Royal Bopsters Project

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Roberto Menescal & Trio - Balansamba 2005

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 41:55

Size: 96.0 MB

Styles: Latin jazz

Year: 2013

Art: Front

[4:21] 1. Adriana

[3:06] 2. Ha Controversias

[4:41] 3. Nanã

[2:32] 4. Mas Que Nada

[4:01] 5. Swingueira

[3:48] 6. Agarradinhos

[2:24] 7. Ciúme

[2:58] 8. Sabedoria

[3:17] 9. A Morte De Um Deus De Sal

[1:27] 10. Balansamba

[3:10] 11. Samba Da Pergunta

[2:12] 12. Tem Dó

[3:53] 13. Swingueira

Maestro Roberto Menescal has been a huge name for at least the past 4 decades, and he's still jamming big time as demonstrated in this fabulous instrumental CD recorded in his own label Albatroz.

That magnificent hybrid semi-acoustic Condor guitar of his sounds soooo Bossa Nova and contemporary at the same time; it's just amazing; Here he's backed by his Trio formed by a) Adriano Souza / Keyboards, b) Joao Cortez / Drums and c) Adriano Giffoni / Bass, plus having his friend Oscar Castro-Neves on cut no. 9 and his son Marcio as Producer and Mixer. ~Papetti

Balansamba 2005   

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Kai Hoffman - Luckiest Girl Alive

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:36
Size: 99.8 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz, R&B
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[3:43] 1. Lucky Lips
[2:07] 2. Jump Jack Jump
[1:59] 3. It's Raining Outside
[2:51] 4. The Night Is Never Long Enough
[2:18] 5. Luckiest Girl Alive
[3:10] 6. Tv Is The Thing This Year
[2:43] 7. Star Of Fortune
[5:01] 8. Late Night Joints
[2:20] 9. I Want You To Be My Baby
[4:42] 10. Seat Of Your Pants
[2:37] 11. Lies Lies Lies
[3:52] 12. Hot Rockin' Diva
[2:29] 13. Deep Sea Ball
[3:38] 14. Drown In My Own Tears

Kai Hoffman: vocals; Dan Faulkner: saxophones, backing vocals; Simon Picton: guitar, backing vocals; Liam Dunachie: piano, backing vocals; Dave O'Brien: bass, backing vocals; Mez Clough: drums, backing vocals; Nina Ferro: backing vocals (2, 5, 10).

Kai Hoffman is the self-confessed Luckiest Girl Alive, or so this album would have it. She certainly sounds like a contender for the title across most of the 14 songs, crafting a definite and infectious feel-good atmosphere along with her quintet. Hoffman was raised in Boston but has been based on London for some years, hosting regular club nights at Ronnie Scott's Club since 2008. Her striking visual image is matched by her musical style—which results from her obvious love of '50s and '60s R&B and rock and roll as well as swinging jazz. Luckiest Girl Alive is her second solo album. It follows Do It While You Can (Broad Reach Records, 2013), but with an all-new set of musicians.

The luckiest girl alive must, almost by definition, have the luckiest lips. Hoffman opens proceedings with a swinging version of Leiber and Stoller's "Lucky Lips"—complete with Dan Faulkner's gritty R&B tenor solo. It's a great track, even if listeners of a certain age might associate it more closely with UK pop's legendary Cliff Richard. "Jump Jack Jump" leaps along in fine vintage rock and roll style—guitarist Simon Picton adds a brief but authentic-sounding solo and Nina Ferro's backing vocal is a fine match for Hoffman. The band's own backing vocals are enthusiastic and fun—at their best on the call-and-response chorus of "I Want You To Be My Baby" and the jolly if silly "Deep Sea Ball." Hoffman's voice—clear, precise, diction coupled with a sassy edge—suits the upbeat material which forms the bulk of the album's tracks. On the slow, downbeat "Late Night Joints," written by Hoffman and bassist Dave O'Brien , she's less convincing in the role of a world-weary habitué of early- hours bars despite atmospheric backing from the band. On "The Night Is Never Long Enough" and the slinky "Seat Of Your Pants," both slow numbers but with a seductive and romantic tone, she's back on form. It's not all plain sailing for Hoffman. "TV Is The Thing This Year," she declares, even though her own television appears to need an inordinate amount of attention from the local repairman. Yet she sounds incredibly pleased even when it's obvious that the repairman needs to visit every night. Well, she is the Luckiest Girl Alive. ~Bruce Lindsay

Luckiest Girl Alive

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Howard Alden, Helmut Nieberle - Timelines

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:25
Size: 133.8 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[4:44] 1. Up The Lazy River
[5:18] 2. Sonata L 398
[3:17] 3. When It's Sleepy Time Down South
[3:57] 4. Don't Get Around Much Anymore
[5:04] 5. Migalhas De Amor
[5:14] 6. If Dreams Come True
[2:54] 7. Malvalsia
[3:00] 8. Basin Street Blues
[3:32] 9. I Fall In Love Too Easily
[5:34] 10. Pergolesi Swing
[2:19] 11. Siciliano BMV 1031
[4:17] 12. The Touch Of Your Lips
[4:40] 13. Doce De Coco
[4:28] 14. Migalhas De Amor

Howard Alden - Benedetto 7 string guitar, Gibson Tenor-Banjo; Helmut Nieberle - Sonntag 7 string guitar, Rozini classical 7 string guitar.

Of Howard Alden: "He may be the best of his generation," writes Owen Cordle in JazzTimes. George Kanzler of the Newark Star Ledger proclaims that he is "the most impressive and creative member of a new generation of jazz guitarists." And Chip Deffaa of the New York Post observes that he is "...one of the very finest young guitarists working today."

It seems that the only thing regarding Howard Alden on which the critics have debate is whether the remarkable jazz guitarist is one of the best or simply the best. Born in Newport Beach, California, in 1958, Howard began playing at age ten, inspired by recordings of Armstrong, Basie and Goodman, as well as those by guitarists Barney Kessel, Charlie Christian, Django Reinhardt and George Van Eps.

Helmut Nieberle (Germany) bio: Nieberle wendete sich mit zwölf Jahren als Autodidakt der Gitarre zu. 1973 entdeckte er die Musik Django Reinhardts; 1978 führte der Besuch eines Konzertes von Barney Kessel, dazu, dass er im Laufe diverser Amerikareisen Workshops bei Joe Pass, Attila Zoller, Barney Kessel, Herb Ellis, Karl Ratzer, Jim Hall sowie Peter Leitch absolvierte. 1979 begann er als Sologitarrist in Richard Wiedamanns Rabo Swing Maschine. 1980 studierte er über Fernkurs an der Berklee School of Music Bigband-Arrangement. Die Musik Django Reinhardts beeinflusste seine erste eigene Band Stringbag (mit Geiger Stefan Kalmer).

1982 entstand zusammen mit dem Sänger Axel Prasuhn das Duo Voice & Strings. Im Folgejahr arbeitete er mit Häns’che Weiss zusammen und gründete das Quintett Cordes Sauvages, mit dem er mehrere Alben veröffentlichte. 1987 begegnete er Helmut Kagerer, mit dem er ein langjähriges, von der Kritik hochgelobtes Gitarren-Duo-Projekt bildete, das diverse Alben vorlegte. Gelegentlich spielte er auch bei Joe Kienemann. Daneben entstanden Plattenaufnahmen mit Arthur Blythe, Jim Mullen, The Kagerer Four, Otto Sander, Albert Josipovic, David Gazarov und Milorad Romic. Auch hat Nieberle in Augsburg Theatermusik geschaffen.

Nieberle unterrichtete seit 1980 an der Städtischen Musikschule in Regensburg, am Freien Musikzentrum in München, an der Universität Augsburg sowie an verschiedenen Volkshochschulen.

Timelines

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Engelbert Wrobel's Swing Society - Delicado

Styles: Clarinet And Saxophone Jazz, Swing
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:51
Size: 148,2 MB
Art: Front

(3:35)  1. Henderson Stomp
(6:07)  2. Lean Baby
(2:33)  3. Easy Mood
(4:19)  4. Nightfall
(3:39)  5. Frolic Sam
(2:44)  6. Louis Xv
(4:31)  7. Windjammer
(2:43)  8. Wanda
(3:26)  9. Delicado
(4:58) 10. All The Things You Are
(4:31) 11. The Trout
(4:24) 12. I Want To Be Happy
(3:39) 13. I've Got The World On A String
(3:58) 14. Good Queen Bess
(3:49) 15. All I Do Is Dream Of You
(3:47) 16. My Blue Heaven

Engelbert Wrobel was born on 11.19.1959 and made already in childhood with his talent as a clarinetist in the marching band his Eifeler home eveningsa stir before it began to be interested in the traditional jazz. The foundation of the Happy Jazzmen , his first school band, was not long in coming. With her ??winning " Angels" - as his friends call him - including 1st prize in youth jazzt .While studying classical clarinet e at the Music Academy in Dusseldorf , he was a space in Rod Mason's Hot Five offered. With the Hot Five , he gained 3 ½ years touring experience in Europe before then in 1989 his own e Swing Society founded .

Engelbert Wrobel's game is characterized by a powerful sound and a brilliant technique. He is a multi-instrumentalist who knows how to play each of his instruments in style and it has processed through years of studying classical Swing features of its various models to its own musical language. On the clarinet, the influences of are Benny Goodman, Barney Bigard and Edmond Hall not to be missed; on the tenor saxophone is have him especially Ben Webster, Arnett Cobb and   Coleman Hawkins done. His style on the Alto is rooted in the tradition of Benny Carter and Johnny Hodges , the latter being hard to miss in his game on the soprano sax. Besides the Swing Society is Engelbert Wrobel as a musician in various projects active, for example, as Benny Goodman -Solist in King Of SwingOrchestra, is kind to the big band music of the great clarinetist. More..http://www.swingsociety.de/html/biographie.html (translate by Google)

Personnel: Hazy Osterwald - Vibraphone; Engelbert Wrobel - Clarinet, Alto, Tenor; Rolf Marx - Guitar; Chris Hopkins - Piano; Ingmar Heller - Bass; Oliver Mewes - Drums; Jürgen Pfeiffer - Congas on tracks 2 and 9.

Delicado

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Sarah Vaughan - Brazilian Romance

Styles: Vocal,  Brazilian Jazz
Year: 1987
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:23
Size: 83,1 MB
Art: Front

(2:59)  1. Make The City Ours Tonight
(3:33)  2. Romance
(4:00)  3. Love And Passion
(4:10)  4. So Many Stars
(2:33)  5. Photograph
(4:46)  6. Nothing Will Be As It Was
(3:02)  7. It's Simple
(3:10)  8. Obsession
(3:56)  9. Wanting More
(3:09) 10. Your Smile

Brazilian Romance is a 1987 studio album by Sarah Vaughan.This was Vaughan's last album, though she later contributed to Quincy Jones' 1989 Back on the Block. Brazilian Romance was Vaughan's third album of Brazilian music, following Copacabana (1979) and I Love Brazil! (1977). Vaughan was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Female at the 30th Annual Grammy Awards for her performance on this album.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazilian_Romance

Personnel: Sarah Vaughan (vocals); Ernie Watts (alto saxophone); Marcio Montarroyos (flugelhorn); Hubert Laws (flute); Tom Scott (lyricon); George Duke (keyboards); Dan Huff, Dori Caymmi (guitar); Alphonso Johnson (bass); Carlos Vega (drums); Paulinho Da Costa (percussion).

Brazilian Romance

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Gato Barbieri - Ruby, Ruby

Styles: Saxophone Jazz, Jazz Fusion
Year: 1977
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:48
Size: 100,6 MB
Art: Front

(6:30)  1. Ruby
(5:26)  2. Nostalgia
(5:03)  3. Latin Reaction
(5:47)  4. Ngiculela/Es Una Historia/I Am Singing
(5:54)  5. Sunride
(4:45)  6. Adios
(5:49)  7. Blue Angel
(4:32)  8. Midnight Tango

Leandro Barbieri (28 November 1932 – 2 April 2016), known as Gato Barbieri (Spanish for "the cat" Barbieri), was an Argentine jazz tenor saxophonist and composer who rose to fame during the free jazz movement in the 1960s and is known for his Latin jazz recordings of the 1970s.  

Born to a family of musicians, Barbieri began playing music after hearing Charlie Parker's "Now's the Time". He played the clarinet and later the alto saxophone while performing with the Argentinean pianist Lalo Schifrin in the late 1950s. By the early 1960s, while playing in Rome, he also worked with the trumpeter Don Cherry. By now influenced by John Coltrane's late recordings, as well as those from other free jazz saxophonists such as Albert Ayler and Pharoah Sanders, he began to develop the warm and gritty tone with which he is associated. In the late 1960s, he was fusing music from South America into his playing and contributed to multi-artist projects like Charlie Haden's Liberation Music Orchestra and Carla Bley's Escalator Over The Hill. His score for Bernardo Bertolucci's film Last Tango in Paris earned him a Grammy Award and led to a record deal with Impulse! Records. By the mid-70s, he was recording for A&M Records and moved his music towards soul-jazz and jazz-pop. Caliente! (1976) included his best known song, a rendition of Carlos Santana's "Europa". The follow-up album, Ruby Ruby (1977) were both produced by fellow musician and label co-founder, Herb Alpert. Although he continued to record and perform well into the 1980s, the death of his wife Michelle led him to withdraw from the public arena. He returned to recording and performing in the late 1990s with the soundtrack for the film Seven Servants by Daryush Shokof (1996). The album Qué Pasa (1997) moved more into the style of smooth jazz. Barbieri received the UNICEF Award at the Argentinian Consulate in November 2009. He died on 2 April 2016 in New York City. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gato_Barbieri

Charming and romantic fit the description of Gato Barbieri and the work he presents here, the album Ruby, Ruby. The production of the record, mastered and engineered handsomely by Herb Alpert, is very lush and beautiful to a lasting degree. Barbieri turns his first song, "Ruby," from an early-on haunting love ballad to an appealing and gripping all-out Latin jam session. This theme happens to find itself playing roles several times over throughout the record. The musicianship explored is captivating and adventurous, taking the listener on a passionate journey to whatever part of the soul he or she wishes to find or dares to pursue. A soaring sound at times, with Barbieri's splendid, racing saxophone melody lines. "Nostalgia" brings the delicate and eloquent guitar work of Lee Ritenour, who also takes part in the creation of "Sunride" and bits of "Ruby." As with most jazz records, percussion is responsible for playing a key role in the inception of the groove and depth of the material. Because of this album's Latin context, Barbieri does a wonderful job inspiring his friends in the rhythm section to come to life. Joe Clayton plays the textured conga on "Latin Reaction," and Lenny White leads a band of fellow passionate drummers, including Paulina da Costa, Steve Gadd, Steve Jordan, and Bernard Purdie. The entire atmosphere of the record changes smoothly in texture and tempo, drifting like a channeling stream from subdued and slow to rampant and passionately loud. Certainly, Barbieri intended it to be a delight of the first degree in the Latin scene, and one listen should win the hearts and minds of the listener. Conjuring up romance and scenes of a starry night in Latin America, this music is the soul of Latin music at its peak in the late '70s. A soothing and ethereal delight, even considering its only weakness: the lack of words and lyrics.~Shawn M.Haney http://www.allmusic.com/album/ruby-ruby-mw0000654493

Personnel: Gato Barbieri (tenor saxophone); David Spinozza, Joe Caro (guitar); Eddy Martinez (keyboards); Gary King (bass guitar); Lenny White (drums); Angel "Cachete" Maldonado (percussion).

Additional personnel: Lee Ritenour (guitar); Herb Alpert, Jon Faddis, Alan Rubin, Lew Soloff, Marvin Stamm (trumpet); Tom "Bones" Malone, John Gale (French horn); David Taylor , Paul Faulise (trombone); Don Grolnick (organ); Ian Underwood (synthesizer); Eddie Guagua (bass guitar); Steve Gadd (drums); Joe Clayton (conga drum); Paulinho Da Costa, Portinho (percussion); Nadien.

R.I.P.
Born: 28-11-1932/Died: 02-4-2016

Ruby, Ruby

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Spike Robinson & Eddie Thompson Trio - At Chesters (Volume 1) And (Volume 2)

Tenor saxophonist Spike Robinson made his first trip to England after 33 years in 1984, just three years after he started to become well-known due to his first LP. Two live CDs were cut for the Hep label, and they feature Spike sounding pretty close tonewise to Stan Getz. Assisted by the excellent but underrated pianist Eddie Thompson, bassist Len Skeat and drummer Jim Hall, Robinson features his "Four Brothers" sound on some ballads and swinging versions of "S'Wonderful," "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You," "Ow" and "Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone." Every Spike Robinson release is worth getting by straight-ahead jazz collectors, including this set, which was reissued on CD in 1991.~Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/at-chesters-vol-1-mw0000665368

The second of two CDs featuring the cool-toned tenor saxophonist Spike Robinson during a gig in England is the equal of the first volume. Robinson is teamed with pianist Eddie Thompson, bassist Len Skeat, and drummer Jim Hall on eight veteran standards including "You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To," "East of the Sun," and "The Way You Look Tonight." One of the last tenormen to have the "Four Brothers" sound, Robinson sometimes sounds a bit like Stan Getz but generally has his own sound within that tradition. Solid swinging and straight-ahead music.~Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/at-chesters-vol-2-mw0000616861

Personnel:  Spike Robinson (tenor saxophone);  Eddie Thompson (piano);  Jim Hall (drums);  Len Skeat (bass).

Spike Robinson & Eddie Thompson Trio - At Chesters (Volume 1)

Styles: Saxophone And Piano Jazz
Year: 1984
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:48
Size: 130,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:11)  1. 'S Wonderful
(5:44)  2. Flamingo
(6:32)  3. Emily
(6:35)  4. I'm Gettin' Sentimental Over You
(7:52)  5. I Should Care
(8:28)  6. Everything Happens To Me
(7:52)  7. Ow
(8:32)  8. Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm

At Chesters (Volume 1)

Spike Robinson & Eddie Thompson Trio - At Chesters (Volume 2)
Time: 54:51
Size: 126,1 MB
Art: Front

(7:16)  1. You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To
(8:50)  2. Emily - Take 2
(7:16)  3. East Of The Sun
(8:05)  4. But Beautiful
(6:43)  5. The Way You Look Tonight
(7:23)  6. Skylark
(6:44)  7. I'm Beginning To See The Light
(2:32)  8. That's All

At Chesters (Volume 2)

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Tommy Newsom & His Octo-Pussycats - S/T

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:13
Size: 128.7 MB
Styles: Mainstream jazz, Saxophone jazz
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[4:16] 1. Titter Pipes
[5:28] 2. Detour Ahead
[8:04] 3. Cinnamon And Clove
[6:55] 4. In A Mellow Tone
[7:11] 5. Speak Low
[8:02] 6. Come Sunday
[5:26] 7. Poor Little Rich Girl
[5:52] 8. Maids Of Cadiz
[4:55] 9. Upper Manhattan Medical Group

If you're over 35-years-old, chances are good that you remember Tommy Newsom (if at all) as the tenor saxophonist for the NBC Orchestra during the Johnny Carson years, and as that ensemble's stand-in conductor when Doc Severinsen wasn't around. The running joke on the show was that Newsom was so square -- he'd stand there quietly, hands clasped behind his back, a little smile on his face, while Johnny and Ed poked fun at him for his implacable Midwestern reserve. Those who bought that pose may be surprised by the fiery swing, fierce energy and uncompromising chops that Newsom brings to his recorded work -- there's nothing reticent or modest about his beautifully dancing composition "Titter Pipes" or his sturdily swinging arrangement of the Noël Coward tune "Poor Little Rich Girl." In fact, his arrangements are about as impressive as his playing and that of the rest of his octet -- though the best track of all is probably that wonderful "Titter Pipes," the sole original on what is otherwise a program of standards. The album's only less-than-stellar moment comes at the weak and out-of-tune flute solo on "Cinnamon and Clove." Highly recommended overall. ~Rick Anderson

Tommy Newsom & His Octo-Pussycats

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Erroll Garner, Billy Taylor - Separate Keyboards

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 33:44

Size: 77.2 MB

Styles: Piano jazz

Year: 1955/2009

Art: Front

[2:56] 1. A Cottage For Sale

[3:02] 2. Rosalie

[3:02] 3. Everything Happens To Me

[2:48] 4. Stairway To The Stars

[3:01] 5. September Song

[2:56] 6. All The Things You Are

[2:36] 7. Mad Work

[2:32] 8. Solace

[2:40] 9. Night And Day

[2:43] 10. Alexander's Ragtime Band

[2:39] 11. The Bug

[2:43] 12. Take The 'A' Train

For this CD (put out by the Japanese Denon label), there are six selections apiece from pianists Erroll Garner and Billy Taylor. The Garner titles (which are also available elsewhere) are rhapsodic ballads that are both melodic and whimsical. The Taylor sides include the four songs that he cut at his very first session as a leader (March 20, 1945) plus two cuts made with a quintet (comprised of tenor saxophonist Jon Hardee, organist Milt Page, bassist John Simmons and drummer Shadow Wilson) in 1949. Despite the brief playing time (just 36 minutes) and lazy packaging (which includes three major misspellings on the back cover), the music is enjoyable and worth picking up if it can be found at a budget price. ~Scott Yanow

Separate Keyboards  

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Lena Horne - Being Myself

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:09
Size: 87.4 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 1998
Art: Front

[3:40] 1. Some Of My Best Friends Are The Blues
[2:25] 2. As Long As I Live
[4:24] 3. Autumn In New York
[3:14] 4. It's All Right With Me
[3:35] 5. A Sleepin' Bee
[5:47] 6. Imagination
[4:40] 7. How Long Has This Been Going On
[3:12] 8. After You
[3:51] 9. Willow Weep For Me
[3:16] 10. What Am I Here For

At 81, Lena Horne's voice has retained its wonderful clarity and abundant expression. She seems to sound better in every outing, and these 10 tracks underscore that conviction. Her distinctive style is most evident on the ballads, "As Long as I Live," "Autumn in New York," "Imagination," "Willow Weep for Me" and "How Long Has This Been Going On?"

Horne's blues bag is enhanced by tenor saxophonist Houston Person and organist Bobby Forrester on "Some of My Best Friends Are the Blues" and guitarist George Benson on "It's All Right With Me." Also on the album are vibraphonist Milt Jackson, saxophonist Donald Harrison, pianist Mike Renzi, bassist Benjamin Brown, drummer Akira Tana, and her longtime producer, Rodney Jones, on guitar. A thoroughly enjoyable half-hour-plus. ~Patricia Myers

Being Myself

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Richie Havens - Sings Beatles And Dylan

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:04
Size: 167.3 MB
Styles: Folk rock
Year: 1986/2003
Art: Front

[2:44] 1. Here Comes The Sun
[2:47] 2. If Not For You
[4:30] 3. Lay Lady Lay
[5:14] 4. In My Life
[3:52] 5. Strawberry Fields Forever
[3:22] 6. All Along The Watchtower
[5:11] 7. Imagine
[3:01] 8. My Sweet Lord
[4:28] 9. It's All Over Now, Baby Blue
[3:10] 10. Eleanor Rigby
[5:16] 11. Just Like A Woman
[3:29] 12. The Long And Winding Road
[4:32] 13. Let It Be
[4:49] 14. License To Kill
[4:54] 15. The Times They Are A-Changin'
[5:02] 16. Working Class Hero
[4:13] 17. Rocky Raccoon
[2:21] 18. With A Little Help From My Friends

Richie Havens is probably the only '60s icon who could get away with an album like this without apology. But for the presence of the electric keyboards, synth bass, and '80s-style drums, these performances by Havens could easily have appeared 18 years earlier. His performances of "Here Comes the Sun," "If Not for You," "Strawberry Fields Forever," and "Lay Lady Lay" all display a satisfying intimacy, and "Rocky Raccoon" is just plain fun, but his cover of "The Long and Winding Road" is probably the best version of this song ever done, with "Let It Be" not far behind. Overall, they're more sophisticated than some of Havens' earlier work, a mix of soul and folk traditions with an overlay of rock, that any longtime fan will appreciate. ~Bruce Eder

Sings Beatles And Dylan

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Don Friedman - Jazz Dancing

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:17
Size: 83.1 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[3:44] 1. Donna Lee
[4:41] 2. Just Friends
[3:45] 3. Billie's Bounce
[5:11] 4. Well You Nedn't
[5:25] 5. Jazz Dancing
[4:43] 6. Woody N' You
[3:59] 7. Yardbird Suite
[4:45] 8. Half Nelson

There have been moments in every concert and club date of Don Friedman’s I’ve attended when I found it hard to credit my ears. It’s not just the technical virtuosity. That’s to be expected of performers at his level. Rather, it’s a combination of emotional depth and harmonic complexity that come together with all those notes. For me, they result in the kind of beauty that takes my breath away. Most pianists we hear perform on this afternoon’s Steinway offer us programs of meticulously composed, arduously rehearsed and beautifully played works. The difference today is that Don will be making up all the important stuff as he goes.

The music we call jazz has come a long way since Civil War surplus band instruments began to turn up in the street markets of New Orleans. From marching bands to dance hall frolics; from blues improvisations based on an elemental twelve-bar pattern to more sophisticated versions of popular songs; from jitterbug dance bands to night club acts; from self-taught sufficiency to conservatory trained prodigies, jazz has evolved from what the critic Clement Greenberg once called classical folk art to what musicians throughout the world today endorse as one of the highest fine arts.

Among the greatest challenges to purveyors of this art form is solo performance; that is, without supporting players. Because of the unique melodic, percussive and harmonic potential of their instrument, by far the largest number of solo performers in jazz are pianists. The solo pianist must perform the percussive function of a drummer and the harmonic function of a bass player while at the same time focusing on a melodic line. But solo piano performance has developed at the same pace as jazz itself, from ragtime to stride, from stride to swing, from swing to bebop, from bebop to free form. And with each stylistic transformation, new harmonic possibilities revealed themselves. You will hear echoes of all these styles in Don’s music since they are all incorporated, if only unconsciously. His playing can be voluptuously romantic. But whatever its content, its emotions are palpable.

One of Don’s greatest strengths is his mastery of jazz harmonics. It isn’t necessary to know the technical details. Just feel the waves of exquisite, always understandable sound propelling a piece forward as he develops the inexhaustible harmonic potential of one of his originals – or of a standard, a song we will all recognize when he finally presents it to us, simply and discreetly, as his gift. ~Warren Obluck

Jazz Dancing

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Eddie Thompson Trio With Roy Williams - When Lights Are Low

Styles: Piano And Trombone Jazz
Year: 1980
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:42
Size: 125,7 MB
Art: Front

(7:04)  1. The Lamp Is Low
(5:39)  2. Keepin' Out Of Mischief Now
(3:36)  3. Never Say Yes
(7:18)  4. When Lights Are Low
(5:44)  5. Don't Stop The Carnival
(5:50)  6. I've Got The World On A String
(6:33)  7. Mister Bojangles
(4:03)  8. Fred
(8:52)  9. It Never Entered My Mind

Born Edgar Charles Thompson, 31 May 1925, London, England, d. 6 November 1986, London, England. Born blind, Thompson learned to play piano as a child. In the late 40s he was active in London clubs, playing with Carlo Krahmer, Vic Feldman and others. In the 50s he played on radio, in studio bands, made records under his own name and with Tony Crombie, Tommy Whittle, Freddy Randall and others and by the end of the decade was house pianist at Ronnie Scott’s club. In the early 60s he went to the USA to live, playing regularly at the Hickory House in New York. Back in the UK in the early 70s, he led a trio that toured extensively and frequently backed visiting American jazzmen, including Buddy Tate, Ruby Braff and Spike Robinson. A dazzlingly inventive player in his early days, Thompson sometimes delivered bravura performances at the expense of feeling but in his maturity he made many memorable appearances at concerts around the UK. He had an enormous repertoire and when in musical sympathy with a guest he could be the best of accompanists. His solo playing was long overlooked by record companies but Alastair Robertson of Hep Records compensated for this with some excellent sessions in the early 80s. Thompson’s death at the age of 61 came when he was at the height of his powers.https://itunes.apple.com/nz/artist/eddie-thompson-trio/id134752047#fullText

Personnel:  Bass – Len Skeat;  Drums – Jim Hall (4);  Piano – Eddie Thompson;  Trombone – Roy Williams (3) (tracks: 2, 9)

When Lights Are Low

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Jane Horrocks - The Further Adventures of Little Voice

Styles: Vocal, Stage & Screen
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 45:48
Size: 122,1 MB
Art: Front

(3:47)  1. Hello Dolly
(3:04)  2. The Best Is Yet To Come
(5:04)  3. It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)
(3:50)  4. Dream A Little Dream
(3:45)  5. Just In Time
(3:35)  6. You're Just In Love (with Ewan McGregor)
(5:56)  7. It Was A Very Good Year
(3:14)  8. That Old Black Magic (with Robbie Williams)
(3:45)  9. Crazy
(3:37) 10. Too Close For Comfort
(4:12) 11. Baby Won't You Please Come Home (with Dean Martin)
(1:53) 12. Once I Loved

Jane Horrocks may not be a household name outside of the United Kingdom where she is based, and in some critics' quarters in New York, but she is an extraordinarily gifted actress who made strong men weak at their knees with her performance in Mike Leigh's Life is Sweet in 1989. She appeared in the cult TV series Absolutely Fabulous, did radio performances in England and appeared as Sally Bowles in the adaptation of Cabaret. And although she provided the voice of one of the chickens in Chicken Run, it is her performance in Mark Herman's small film Little Voice that took full advantage of her outsized talent and uncanny ability to channel the personas of the great singers of the 1950s and 1960s with herself as the medium. In the film's denouement, Horrocks as LV imitated the voices of Marilyn Monroe, Judy Garland and Shirley Bassey in one impassioned plea to her mother's boyfriend (played by Michael Caine). Summoning the ghosts of these formidable women, she displayed a rich palette of emotional colors from the gentle coos of Marilyn to a stentorian Bassey and segue without effort as Judy Garland echoing her famous line in her Carnegie Hall audience. That single scene may be unforgettable for most viewers, but it is her proven singing abilities in the film that will surely bring her closer to many people where her luminous talent can best be seen.

After the film's album made its way into people's living rooms, Horrocks came out with a solo album entitled The Further Adventures of Little Voice a release that endeavoured to showcase her vocal talents in various musical settings. She will sing by channeling the vocal inflections of Judy Garland, Marlene Dietrich, Marilyn Monroe, Billie Holiday and Shirley Bassey in songs these singers were not known to have recorded. The album's photos showed Horrocks do a Marilyn pout, a Julie London pose, and show an authentic Garland mannerism. The songs ranged from jazz staples like "The Best Is Yet To Come" to Ervin Drake's "It Was A Very Good Year." The musical accompaniment was topnotch as it recruited the very best New York session players who were known to have provided musical accompaniment to some of the great ladies of jazz. Horrocks showed her range in the first song ("Hello Dolly") that brought together the five voices of the musical icons she was paying homage to. It started with the reedy voice of Billie: "Hell-loww Judy"; and was answered by the crystalline grandness of Garland: "Well, hello Billie. It is nice to have you back where you belong." This sequence was followed by the swoops of Bassey and the croons of Marilyn and the unmistakable baritone of Dietrich. When the crescendo of the big-band instrumentation reached fever pitch, Horrocks quoted the famous lines of Garland and Marilyn in their movies interspersed with the other ladies' distinctive vocal mannerisms (of particular interest was Bassey's jive-like song-speech). Horrocks ended the cacophonous din with LV's famous "Shut up!" that conjured schizophrenic patients hearing other voices in their heads. It was as brilliant as the actual performances of the women she is channeling. Perhaps even more so when one realizes that Horrocks provided all the vocal pyrotechnics.

She recorded three duets with three musically disparate singers/actors: Ewan McGregor, Robbie Williams and Dean Martin. Ewan McGregor did a creditable "You're Just in Love" from Annie Get Your Gun while Horrocks was singing in her Bassey persona. Rock singer Robbie Williams sounded anachronistic at first and a tad out of place, but later on dissolved with Horrocks in the musical interplay. Dean Martin's honeyed croon proved that you can't go wrong with a singing veteran whose familiarity with the songs is evident in the subtler change in vocal dynamics. But Horrocks is the obvious gem and star of this recording. She seamlessly enters the skin of Marilyn and sing songs not usually associated with the former Norma Jean Baker. The listener will wonder how much of Marilyn's vocal particularities Horrocks mastered. She can sustain a ballad channeling Dietrich's husky contralto ranges and effortlessly slide to Lady Day's raspy understatements. Horrocks made the transition so skillful and discreet one feels that you are listening to the great singers themselves, which can sometimes be a problem. Horrocks' dexterous imitation makes you remember the singers more than the artist whose inch-perfect delivery will make one forget it is her record. But the delight is reimagining how your favorite songs would sound in your favorite singers' known vocal qualities.

An exciting parallel: singer Madeleine Peyroux in her 1996 album, sounded exactly like Billie Holiday. It was reported that in a Carnegie Hall concert, she shocked the audience by her consistent Lady Day vocals that when the concert was over, the audience was convinced it was no longer impersonation but actually hearing how Billie sang songs like "La Vie En Rose." Sadly, Peyroux is no longer waxing records despite her innate musicianship and keen understanding of songs. Perhaps, people would rather listen to Billie than her modern incarnation. Peyroux may no longer be active in recording, but it is refreshing to know that Horrocks is still with us and will hopefully make more records in the future. As always, the pleasure is hearing and discovering how songs (even modern ones) sound in the immortal vocal affectations of the immortal singers the previous century ever produced with Horrocks as the medium. A musical performance of a Horrocks, just like a Peyroux always showcases the cerebral approach to making music by summoning the radiance of timeless voices but in songs they may never even dream of including in their repertoire. Horrocks is the magic link that can make this impossible possible.~Joseph Palis http://www.erasingclouds.com/14lv.html

The Further Adventures of Little Voice

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Clark Terry - Portraits

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:36
Size: 129,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:03)  1. Pennies From Heaven
(4:37)  2. Sugar Blues
(4:43)  3. Autumn Leaves
(3:52)  4. Finger Filibuster
(5:47)  5. Little Jazz
(5:13)  6. When It's Sleepy Time Down South
(8:13)  7. Jive at Five
(3:50)  8. Ciribiribin
(3:34)  9. Ow
(4:31) 10. I Can't Get Started
(6:08) 11. I Don't Wanna Be Kissed

Flugelhornist Clark Terry recorded quite frequently in the 1980s, and his consistency was very impressive. Terry's good humor, joyful and immediately distinctive sound, and creative, bop-oriented ideas combined to form a very accessible style. This Chesky CD finds C.T. joined by pianist Don Friedman, bassist Victor Gaskin and drummer Lewis Nash for a variety of superior standards and Terry's lone original "Finger Filibuster." The songs all pay tribute to various trumpeters, and some, such as "Pennies from Heaven," "Little Jazz" and "I Don't Wanna Be Kissed," were not performed by the flugelhornist all that often; the resulting music is fresher than usual and often quite inspired. Recommended.~Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/portraits-mw0000203781

Personnel: Clark Terry (trumpet, flugelhorn), Don Friedman (piano), Victor Gaskin (bass), Lewis Nash (drums).

Portraits

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Horace Parlan - Speakin' My Piece

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1960
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:02
Size: 125,4 MB
Art: Front

(6:08)  1. Wadin'
(6:20)  2. Up In Cynthia's Room
(6:13)  3. Borderline
(6:54)  4. Rastus
(7:41)  5. Oh So Blue
(6:11)  6. Speakin' My Piece
(6:50)  7. Rastus (Alternate Take)
(7:41)  8. Oh So Blue (Alternate Take)

Horace Parlan had a gift for relaxed, swinging hard bop which placed his piano in a central, yet unassuming role. Speakin' My Piece is one of the first albums to find Parlan getting all the ingridients right, from his own subtle playing to soliciting fine contributions of his backing band. Stanley Turrentine, in fact, turns out to be an excellent complement to Parlan, playing in a similarly tasteful style. Five of the six numbers are band originals, and each number is quite similar bluesy, gently swinging hard bop. No one pushes too hard on Speakin' My Piece, preferring to create an intimate atmosphere with milder numbers and performances. Such an approach gives each muscian Parlan, Turrentine, bassist George Tucker, drummer Al Harewood a chance to shine with lyrical, melodic solos and/or sympathetic support, resulting in a charmingly low-key session.~Stephen Thomas Erlewine http://www.allmusic.com/album/speakin-my-piece-mw0000536889

Personnel:  Horace Parlan – piano;  Tommy Turrentine – trumpet;  Stanley Turrentine - tenor saxophone;  George Tucker – bass;  Al Harewood - drums

Speakin' My Piece

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Darren Barrett DB Quintet - Live And Direct 2014

Size: 139,6 MB
Time: 60:21
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. True ( 9:01)
02. Announcements 1 ( 1:18)
03. Yes Oh Yes (11:08)
04. The King Is Among Us (12:37)
05. Straight Down The Middle (10:38)
06. Mi Les ( 5:13)
07. Announcements 2 ( 0:51)
08. Creative Locomotion ( 9:32)

Born in Canada to Jamaican parents, Barrett did his undergraduate work at the Berklee School in Boston and went to Queens College for his post-Grad years. He moved on to the Thelonious Monk Institute where he was a member of its first group of graduates - in fact, Mr. Barrett won the 1997 Monk International Jazz Competition. He's gone on to play with the Roy Hargrove Big Band, Herbie Hancock, Esperanza Spalding and many others. He's also issued 6 CDs as a leader, including 2 in 2014, "Energy in Motion: The Music of the Bee Gees" and "Live and Direct 2014" with his dB Band.

The latter recording features the same lineup that will grace The Side Door stage and they are Takeshi Ohbayashi (piano), the brothers Alexander L.J (bass) and Anthony A. Toth (drums - see below) plus the excellent saxophonist Myron Walden.

Live And Direct  

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Cheryl Bentyne - Lost Love Songs

Size: 118,5 MB
Time: 50:48
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz/Pop Vocals
Art: Front

01. This Masquerade (5:15)
02. The Lights Still Burn In Paris (4:27)
03. Land Of Make Believe (4:29)
04. Black Coffee (4:23)
05. If Ever (4:35)
06. He Was Too Good To Me (3:21)
07. Shattered (2:36)
08. Blue Prelude (3:50)
09. You Taught My Heart To Sing (5:04)
10. Love's River (4:43)
11. Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow (5:14)
12. Goodbye (2:46)

Cheryl Bentyne has recorded a lot of solo albums over the years, in addition to her work with the Manhattan Transfer. Most notably among those, a superb duo recording with the equally impressive Mark Winkler (“West Coast Cool”, 2013). This new compilation with hand-picked songs include tracks that have only been released in Japan. It is no big secret that the Japanese are crazy for jazz vocalists (Daryl Sherman’s new album is a Jap-only release, too; review follows soon).

The three albums from which they were culled are “Moonlight Serenade” and “The Lights Still Burn” (2003) and “Songs Of Our Time” (2011) and the chosen songs are a wonderful example of inventive and imaginative repertoire. And the album starts out with the most catchy and haunting arrangement of Leon Russell‘s “This Masquerade” that I’ve ever heard. Cheryl should move more towards this direction; the cute keyboards by Corey Allen plus exotic guitars all add up to a mesmerizing rendition of this classic.

“The Lights Still Burn In Paris”, a sweet dedication to the city of lights written by Don Freeman, is another sensitive gem which features mandolin (Grant Geissman) and accordion (Van Dyke Barks, not to be confused…) on a wonderful tribute. There is more exoticism on the percussive “Land Of Make Believe”, written by the great Chuck Mangione and featuring Don Alias, and a bluesy take on “Black Coffee” where Cheryl’s perfect pitch and intonation can be enjoyed.

Cheryl’s love for Brazilian composers is shared on “If Ever”, a tune written by the great Dori Caymmi with English lyrics by Tracy Mann – a sweet ballad that floats along beautifully. And the guitar/bass-only accompaniment on the Rodgers & Hart standard “He Was Too Good To Me” suits her extremely well. Her voice here is like a warm embrace from a dear friend (Grant Geissman on guitar, Kevin Axt on bass). The Jimmy Webb poem “Shattered” gets yet another special treatment here: the svelte string quartet adds grace and suaveness to this beauty which has been recorded by Linda Ronstadt (1989) and Webb himself (with Art Garfunkel, 2013).

Manhattan Transfer fans are best served on “Blue Prelude” which features the vocals of Mark Kibble (Take 6), Roger Treece, and Dave Tull on a swinging and powerful take on this Gordon Jenkins piece. McCoy Tyner‘s “You Taught My Heart To Sing” has always been one of my favorite love songs (lyrics by Sammy Cahn) and Cheryl tells this story in her signature, direct and conversational style. Simple and straight.

There is another Dori Caymmi tune, the very lush “Love’s River” and a relaxing “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow”, maybe too relaxed. The well-chosen compilation finishes in a late-night mood with percussion and accordion on the Gordon Jenkins ballad “Goodbye” which, instead of a fade-out, would have gained a lot more if the repetitive part towards the end had been stretched out a bit longer. ~Gina Jazz

Lost Love Songs

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Adrienne Fenemor - Mo' Puddin'

Size: 115,6 MB
Time: 49:56
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz: Hammond Organ
Art: Front

01. Mo' Puddin' (6:02)
02. Minor Mixup (4:48)
03. Back at the Chicken Shack (4:51)
04. Old Yeller (5:56)
05. Lovers Embrace (5:07)
06. The Boss (6:30)
07. Sunday Sermon (5:29)
08. Caribbean Day Dream (4:22)
09. Moanin' (6:47)

Jazz organist Adrienne Fenemor is a truly unique talent on today’s music scene. With today’s musicians learning jazz within the classroom, it has become an exception rather than the rule for a musician develop and learn “on the road”, playing clubs, festivals and touring.

Born in New Zealand into a musical family, Adrienne acquired her first organ in 2003 when she imported a Hammond C3 from Canada and with no jazz organ players in her country, she taught herself to play by copying recordings by Jimmy Smith, Joey DeFrancesco, Groove Holmes and Jack McDuff. Having performed at clubs and festivals throughout New Zealand and Australia, Adrienne moved to the USA in 2008.

During a year spent in the Midwest, performing at Hammond organ summits, jazz clubs and jam sessions in Cincinnati, Detroit, Dayton and Columbus, Adrienne further developed her sound on the bandstand.

Now based in New York, Adrienne actively performs throughout the city including hosting a weekly jam session in one of harlems most historic rooms. She has CD's released on HMV in Japan, EQ Muisc in Singapore and on Ode Records in New Zealand.

Adrienne has shared the stage with Joey Defrancesco, Ronnie Cuber, Bruce Forman, Victor Jones, Tony Monaco, Sherrie Maricle and and headlined at jazz clubs including Cliff Bells (Detroit), The Blue Wisp (Cincinnati, OH) and Jazz Central (Dayton, Oh), Night Town (Cleveland, OH)and performed in New York clubs including Minton's, The Garage, Smoke and the Iridium (as a special guest with Joey Defrancesco).

Mo' Puddin' is Adrienne's first instrumental album showcasing her great talent as a composer and instrumentalist.

Mo' Puddin'

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