Zoot Sims, Bucky Pizzarelli - Elegiac

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:58
Size: 157.9 MB
Styles: Bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1980/1996
Art: Front

[4:25] 1. Lester Leaps In
[7:23] 2. Willow Weep For Me
[5:16] 3. Limehouse Blues
[5:50] 4. My Old Flame
[4:17] 5. In A Mellow Tone
[2:21] 6. I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good)
[2:38] 7. Satin Doll
[2:52] 8. Take The A Train
[6:32] 9. Fred
[6:46] 10. Jean
[5:42] 11. Stompin' At The Savoy
[5:52] 12. Memories Of You
[4:26] 13. Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise
[4:32] 14. The Girl From Ipanema

This generally interesting but only adequately recorded set, which was issued for the first time on this 1996 CD, features duets played by Zoot Sims (doubling on tenor and soprano) and guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli. The pair mostly sticks to swinging standards, other than Neal Hefti's "Fred" and Rod McKuen's "Jean," and there are some strong moments (particularly on "Lester Leaps In," "Limehouse Blues" and "Softly As In a Morning Sunrise"), but one does miss the bass and drums after awhile. ~Scott Yanow

Elegiac

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Isaac Valenzuela - Hush Little Baby

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:55
Size: 141.7 MB
Styles: Smooth jazz
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[4:50] 1. Hush Little Baby
[4:58] 2. Corazón (Feat. Amparo Sánchez)
[5:02] 3. Call On Me
[4:19] 4. Come What May (Feat. Jacob Valenzuela)
[4:49] 5. Hush Little Baby (Feat. Eric Mcnair & Kyndal Robertson)
[4:34] 6. Come Rain Or Shine
[4:31] 7. In Season
[5:02] 8. Call On Me (Feat. Linda Lee)
[3:41] 9. New Day
[5:00] 10. Corazón (Instrumental)
[3:30] 11. Hola Mi'jito (Instrumental)
[3:58] 12. Where From Here
[4:02] 13. Cachinnate
[3:33] 14. Hola Mi'jito

This dynamic album features distinguished musicians of Texas such as drummers Sean McCurley, Jason Thomas, and Chris Knox. Renowned musicians also include Jacob Valenzuela on trumpet, producer Joel McCray on keyboards, Todd Parsnow on guitar, and Sean Byrd on bass. A dynamic debut album with heart touching & captivating melodies flowing through various rhythms of celebration and romance with illustrious vocals by Amparo Sánchez, Eric McNair, & Kyndal Robertson. You're gonna love it!

Hush Little Baby

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Lenny Welch - Since I Fell For You

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 28:11
Size: 64.5 MB
Styles: Middle of the road, R&B
Year: 1965
Art: Front

[2:52] 1. Since I Fell For You
[2:37] 2. A Taste Of Honey
[2:37] 3. Ebb Tide
[2:28] 4. You Can Have Her
[2:15] 5. I Need Someone
[2:35] 6. Mama, Don't You Hit That Boy
[2:45] 7. You Don't Know Me
[2:35] 8. Stranger In Paradise
[2:26] 9. Are You Sincere
[2:26] 10. It's Just Not That Easy
[2:29] 11. I'm In The Mood For Love

Lenny Welch (born Leon Welch, May 15, 1938), is quite the MOR (Middle of the Road)/pop singer/songwriter! Lenny possesses a wonderful gift: he can entertain millions with his songs! This album proves that Lenny has the vocal chops to perform anything her wants; and that's grand. In addition, I should note that this review is for the record album version of this album; there are two additional versions of the album on CD, one of the Collectables label and the other on the Neon label. If you choose one or even both of the CD versions of this album you'll get several different tracks; this gives people the opportunity to choose and that's a plus.~Martin G. Sherwin

Since I Fell For You

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Clark Terry - OW

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:38
Size: 143.4 MB
Styles: Bop, Trumpet jazz
Year: 1996/2003
Art: Front

[5:39] 1. My Secret Love
[7:26] 2. Ow
[9:45] 3. Just An Old Manuscript
[6:47] 4. Georgia On My Mind
[6:12] 5. Mack The Knife
[6:17] 6. Take The A Train
[5:33] 7. Straight, No Chaser
[6:56] 8. God Bless The Child
[7:59] 9. Rebecca

Bass – Dewey Sampson; Drums – James Martin; Piano – Johnny O'Neal; Trumpet – Clark Terry.

This is the first-time release of a live (Atlanta, Georgia) club session from 1981, and contains nine tunes with 63 minutes of playing time. Besides Clark Terry, the rhythm section consists of prominent U.S. musicians, of which Detroit pianist Johnny O’Neal is best known. The repertoire – chosen by Terry, himself, from among his own favorites songs - includes both jazz evergreens like ”God Bless the Child” and ”Georgia On My Mind” and bebop standards like Monk’s ”Straight, No Chaser” and Clark Terry’s own ”Rebecca”. Clark Terry was an early major influence on Miles Davis, performed in both the Count Basie (late 40’s) and Duke Ellington (1951-59) Orchestras, and wrote many several jazz standards. The live setting of this performance clearly inspires both Terry and the rhythm group to even greater heights than in the studio, with the tunes lasting an average of 7 minutes. Throughout his career, Clark Terry performed his brand of explosive, joyful music countless times; fortunately a few memorable occasions were documented – and saved – for posterity, including this very special performance at E.J.’s in Atlanta.

OW

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Eric Gale - Touch Of Silk

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1980
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:43
Size: 89,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:46)  1. You Got My Life In Your Hands
(5:06)  2. Touch Of Silk
(4:19)  3. War Paint
(4:33)  4. Once In A Smile
(6:32)  5. With You I'm Born Again
(8:42)  6. Au Privave
(4:42)  7. Live To Love

In 1980, guitarist and composer Eric Gale came off the commercial success of 1979's Part of You (produced by Ralph MacDonald) and didn't do the obvious thing. Rather than make another record that swung for the smooth jazz fences, he made a darker, deeper, funkier, and bluesier album with legendary New Orleans producer Allen Toussaint. The sessions included the cream of the Crescent City's jazz-funk crop as well as mates Charlie Earland, Grover Washington, Jr., and Idris Muhammad, three of soul-jazz's greatest lights with special guest Arthur Blythe on the Charlie Parker nugget "Au Privave" as a curve ball. Toussaint wrote four of the album's seven tracks, and they range from the murky blue soul-jazz of "You Got My Life in Your Hands" to the sweet, boudoir-perfect urban-styled title track. Gale is a consummate soloist, full of lilting and biting grooves, with stunning phrasing that maximizes the rhythmic effect of his high strings (such as on "War Paint"), and he never plays an extra note. The beautiful ballad "With You I'm Born Again" has Washington playing some of his most haunting soprano, and the wildly funked-up "Au Privave," a holdover from the bop generation that keeps its original flavor despite the three-instrument front line of Earland's B-3, Blythe's alto, and Gale's chunky bottom strings (which are accented in his comping through the changes), is nothing short of astonishing. This is one of the great versions of the tune, especially in this modern context, and offers solid proof of Gale's bebop roots. This is an even better side available in the U.S., but only as an expensive Japanese import.~Thom Jurek http://www.allmusic.com/album/touch-of-silk-mw0000740343

Personnel:  Bass - David Barard;  Drums - Idris Muhammad, James Black;  Guitar - Eric Gale;  Keyboards - Allen R. Toussaint, Robert Dabon;  Organ - Charles Earland;  Percussion - Kenneth Williams;  Producer - Allen R. Toussaint;  Saxophone - Arthur Blythe,Gary Brown, Grover Washington, Jr., Harold Vick

Touch Of Silk

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Dee Dee Bridgewater - Eleanora Fagan To Billie With Love

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:55
Size: 119,4 MB
Art: Front + Back

(3:32)  1. Lady Sings the Blues
(3:01)  2. All Of Me
(5:10)  3. Good Morning Heartache
(4:43)  4. Lover Man
(5:10)  5. You've Changed
(2:14)  6. Miss Brown To You
(6:14)  7. Don't Explain
(4:55)  8. Fine and Mellow
(2:47)  9. Mother's Son-in-Law
(5:13) 10. God Bless the Child
(4:33) 11. Foggy Day
(4:16) 12. Strange Fruit

It shouldn't come as much of a surprise that Dee Dee Bridgewater chose to record a tribute album to Billie Holiday. In quick succession beginning in the mid-'90s Bridgewater cut tribute albums to Ella Fitzgerald, Horace Silver, and Kurt Weill, and prior to that, in the late '80s, she was nominated for an award for her one-woman star turn in a European theater production of Lady Day, the Holiday story. That Bridgewater would eventually turn to Holiday (whose given name of Eleanora Fagan explains the title) for an album-length exploration was almost a given it was just a question of when. It's one of her grandest efforts, too. With arrangements by Edsel Gomez (who also provides piano) and a stellar cast of participants including bassist Christian McBride, saxophonist/flutist/bass clarinetist James Carter, and drummer Lewis Nash, Bridgewater doesn't attempt to mimic Holiday's mannerisms or inflections but, as one would expect of such a gifted artist, to absorb and reframe Holiday this is pure Bridgewater, not another performance of Lady Day. Gomez, for his part, quite often pulls the arrangements squarely away from Holiday territory to reinvent these classic songs for a modern audience. The opening "Lady Sings the Blues" is both instantly recognizable yet freshly reconceived as something of an uptempo blues packed with polyrhythmic punch. "All of Me," which follows, is taken at near-breakneck speed, Bridgewater jumping ahead of the beat, following Carter's thrilling soprano sax solo with a raging scat that's more Ella than Billie. Not everything is meant to redefine, though: "God Bless the Child" is mostly true to the original, though Carter's soprano solo again brings the tune into the new century, and "Lover Man," though livelier than Holiday's take, is offered in a somewhat timeless and straightforward manner. 

As one might expect, there's no way a singer with Bridgewater's commitment to jazz history could release a Holiday tribute without tackling "Strange Fruit," the controversial anti-lynching landmark that remains Holiday's most daring moment, and it's saved for last here. It's an eerie, ominous interpretation, Bridgewater's raw vocal up front and fraught with emotion. Carter's brooding bass clarinet and McBride's bass lend a foreboding quality to the take, Nash relies heavily on his cymbals to dramatic effect, and Gomez's piano is subtle, allowing the nakedness of Bridgewater's voice at times unaccompanied  to retell this story that can never be told enough. It's a stunning finale to one of the finest Billie Holiday homages ever recorded.~Jeff Tamarkin http://www.allmusic.com/album/eleanora-fagan-1915-1959-to-billie-with-love-from-dee-dee-mw0001957190

Personnel: Dee Dee Bridgewater (vocals); Edsel Gomez (piano); Lewis Nash (drums).

Eleanora Fagan To Billie  With Love

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Pat Metheny - 80/81 Disc 1 And Disc 2

Disc 1
Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1980
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 41:33
Size: 95,4 MB
Art: Front

(20:52)  1. Two Folk Songs: 1st, 2nd
( 7:31)  2. 80/81
( 6:00)  3. The Bat
( 7:08)  4. Turn Around

Disc 2
Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 1980
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:43
Size: 88,9 MB
Art: Front

(14:31)  1. Open
( 6:58)  2. Pretty Scattered
(13:19)  3. Every Day ( I Thank You )
( 3:52)  4. Goin' Ahead

Pat Metheny's credibility with the jazz community went way up with the release of this package, a superb two-CD collaboration with a quartet of outstanding jazz musicians that dared to be uncompromising at a time when most artists would have merely continued pursuing their electric commercial successes. From the disbanded Keith Jarrett American quartet came bassist Charlie Haden and tenor Dewey Redman who alternates with and occasionally plays alongside tenor Michael Brecker and Jack DeJohnette provides more combustible drumming than Metheny had ever experienced on record before. Yet Metheny's off-kilter wandering on solo electric guitar is a comfortable fit for the post-bop rhythmic crosscurrents of this music. Indeed, Haden and Metheny are in total sympathy, perhaps celebrating their mutual Missouri roots, and Metheny's difficult "Pretty Scattered" which he mockingly described as "Guitar Revenge!" nearly manages to stump even Redman and Brecker. The first of the "Two Folk Songs" is a great example of the Metheny folk-jazz fusion, with furious strummed guitar underpinning Brecker's melodic line and excursions on the outside and DeJohnette's spectacular drums. Another remarkable track is "Open," a group improvisation that finds DeJohnette shaping the track's direction with a pushing solo and Metheny and the saxes emerging at the end. The two original LPs were organized so that the more distinctive Metheny fusions were on sides one and four and the overt jazz tracks occupied sides two and three.~Richard S.Ginell http://www.allmusic.com/album/80-81-mw0000649642

Personnel: Pat Metheny (guitar, acoustic guitar); Michael Brecker (saxophone, tenor saxophone); Dewey Redman (tenor saxophone); Jack DeJohnette (drums, snare drum, cymbals).

80/81 Disc 1 And Disc 2

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Jesse Belvin - The Blues Balladeer

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:46
Size: 148.3 MB
Styles: R&B
Year: 1990/2006
Art: Front

[2:52] 1. Daddy Loves Baby
[2:33] 2. My Love Comes Tumbling Down
[3:11] 3. Dream Girl
[2:28] 4. Daddy Loves Baby
[3:18] 5. Dream Girl (Alt Take)
[3:06] 6. Confusin' Blues Aka Jesse's Blues
[2:20] 7. Baby Don't Go
[2:33] 8. Confusin' Blues
[2:40] 9. Blues Has Got To Me
[2:25] 10. Hang Your Tears Out To Dry
[2:57] 11. Dream Girl
[2:27] 12. Don't Stop (Pretty Baby)
[1:56] 13. Love Me
[3:17] 14. Puddin' 'n' Tane
[3:23] 15. Open Up Your Heart
[3:06] 16. What's The Matter
[2:50] 17. Ding Dong Baby
[2:41] 18. One Little Blessing
[2:29] 19. Gone
[2:16] 20. Love, Love Of My Life
[2:17] 21. Where's My Girl
[2:11] 22. Let's Try Romance
[2:44] 23. Come Back
[2:35] 24. Love Of My Life

The best of Jesse Belvin's early soul sides, dating between 1952 and 1958 (though principally done between 1952 and 1955) and originally released by Art Rupe's Specialty label and related imprints such as Recorded In Hollywood, including the Jesse & Marvin sides ("Dream Girl," and etc.). Even at this early date, Belvin was a master balladeer, able to gently coax the sultriest and most sensual meaning from any song, but he was also a master blues singer, as is evident from the 1952 B-side "My Love Comes Tumbling Down." The 24 tracks on this CD includes ten previously unreleased tracks, among them an outtake of Jesse & Marvin's "Dream Girl," and a group of Belvin demos, among them the beautiful, moody "Jesse's Blues" from early 1952. A large portion of the songs here were written by Belvin, although the latest tracks on the disc, dating from 1956 and 1958, are collaborations (none previously released) between Belvin and his wife Jo Ann, who was also responsible for forcing her husband to take a professional approach to the business side of songwriting. They're all well crafted, very romantic and sensual soul -- "Let's Try Romance" and "Love of My Life" (the latter from late 1958) both bridge the gap to some degree between Belvin's early- and mid-1950s R&B sound and his move into a more romantic pop vein with his signing to RCA in 1958; "Come Back," by contrast, is a solid rock & roll number, complete with a very prominent guitar and drums, and with one more take to tighten up the playing might have become a classic of the genre. ~Bruce Eder

The Blues Balladeer

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Sandy Dennison - Love You Madly: Sandy Dennison Sings Duke Ellington

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:28
Size: 131.5 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2003
Art: Front

[6:36] 1. Love You Madly
[4:23] 2. Don't Get Around Much Anymore
[4:21] 3. Everything But You
[5:12] 4. I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good
[4:17] 5. I'm Just A Lucky So-And-So
[4:40] 6. It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)
[4:01] 7. I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart
[6:33] 8. Do Nothin Til You Hear From Me
[5:44] 9. I Didn't Know About You
[5:46] 10. I'm Beginning To See The Light
[5:49] 11. Ain't Got Nothin' But The Blues

Sandy Dennison is a wise woman. On her debut CD, "Love You Madly," she sings 11 evergreens by Duke Ellington and his assorted collaborators. The choice of material is evidence of Dennison’s good taste, but she’s also smart enough to approach the songs in a straight-ahead, understated manner. Dennison knows that the songs are great, and she knows better than to mess with a good thing.

"Love You Madly" arrives years after Dennison first started performing. She put her career on hold in the 1970s to raise a family and then a surgery left her unable to sing. She, however, still felt the desire to sing, and not long ago worked her way back to performing in clubs around Portland, Ore. Dennison doesn’t have a big voice, but it bursts with good cheer. Her enthusiasm can be heard throughout the easy-listening album and is one of her best assets. The mood of the CD is set with the title song, which opens the album. Dennison’s snappy delivery works well. You can practically see her winking as she sings a line that may sum up the long road she took in making the CD, "Good things come to those who wait so I’ll relax and wait for fate..." The song also gives her band plenty of room to get into the act. She is backed on the CD by Darrell Grant on piano, Mel Brown on drums, Andre St. James on bass and Dave Evans on sax. Overall, "Love You Madly" is a charming CD. ~Donna Kimura

Love You Madly: Sandy Dennison Sings Duke Ellington

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Ron Levy's Wild Kingdom - Funky Soul Grooves

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 77:42
Size: 177.9 MB
Styles: Jazz-funk
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[ 4:49] 1. Organ Colossus
[ 5:27] 2. Chillin' Out
[ 7:15] 3. The Soulside
[ 6:36] 4. Better Save Yo'seff
[ 6:03] 5. In The Middle The King
[10:07] 6. Like, Like Dope
[ 6:12] 7. Slinky
[ 5:55] 8. Like Back In The Day
[ 3:33] 9. Funk Finger
[ 6:12] 10. Hittin' It Hard And Sweet
[ 5:26] 11. Finding My Way
[ 6:19] 12. Greaze Is What's Good
[ 3:42] 13. Meter Made

This album is part of a four part series showcasing Ron Levy as a composer and master musician. It is an anthology drawn from the various recordings Mr. Levy produced, arranged and played his signature sound on piano, electric piano, vibes, guitar and Hammond organ. There are even a couple of his Blues inspired vocals!

Historically over the last twenty years, Ron has blended many different styles and genres into his own unique musical gumbo within each of his critically acclaimed and popular recordings. Enough so, he has now been able to assemble four separate full length albums comprised in each genre of grooves. These album titles aptly describe each particular mood and vibe contained in each of them: “Mo’ JAZZY Grooves” - “FUNKY Soul Grooves” - “Mo’ BLUES & Grooves” and “LATIN-a-licious Grooves”.

This newest collection is in addition to his three previously released anthologies: Ron Levy’s Wild Kingdom - “Best Grooves and Jams” - “Jazz-a-licious Grooves” and “Best of RLWK”. As usual, Levy has always surrounded himself with many of the most talented musicians in the world throughout his long and celebrated career. They all have interpreted his compositions with soulful empathy, adding their own unique artistic creative contributions and styles to help fulfill Ron’s vision of his original compositions and are featured throughout all four albums. Included in this collection are: Karl Denson, Melvin Sparks, The Memphis Horns, Idris Muhammad, James Gadson, David T. Walker, Stanley Banks, Jeff Lockhart, Crispin Cioe, ‘Sax’ Gordon, Albert Collins, Tutu Jones, Johnnie Bassett, Preston Shannon, Smokey Wilson, Bobby Forte, Jim Spake and Scott Thompson, Anson Funderburg and Sam Myers, Kim Wilson, Jimmie Vaughan, Roomful of Blues, Lowell Fulson, Larry Davis and Ronnie Earl.

Funky Soul Grooves

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Leon Russell - The Best Of Leon Russell

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:02
Size: 167.2 MB
Styles: Rock
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[ 2:46] 1. Tryin' To Stay 'live
[ 2:58] 2. Shoot Out On The Plantation
[ 3:42] 3. If It Wasn't For Bad
[ 4:04] 4. A Song For You
[ 3:57] 5. Hummingbird
[ 2:57] 6. Tight Rope
[ 4:02] 7. Delta Lady
[ 3:59] 8. Stranger In A Strange Land
[ 5:04] 9. A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall
[ 4:19] 10. This Masquerade
[ 3:32] 11. Out In The Woods
[ 3:46] 12. If I Were A Carpenter
[ 2:59] 13. Heartbreak Hotel
[ 3:30] 14. Lady Blue
[ 5:12] 15. Back To The Island
[16:08] 16. Medley Jumpin' Jack Flash Young Blood

2011 collection from the singer, songwriter, band leader and session man. In addition to the 2011 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee's major chart hits and album standouts, this 16-track collection features "If It Wasn't For Bad," the lead single from The Union, Russell's 2010 collaborative album with Elton John, and his live performance of "Jumpin' Jack Flash/Youngblood" from 1971's The Concert for Bangladesh. Includes 'Tightrope', 'Lady Blue' and many others.

The Best Of Leon Russell

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Ray Bryant, Bobby Henderson, Sir Charles Thompson - Key One Up

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:02
Size: 155.8 MB
Styles: Soul jazz, Piano jazz
Year: 2000/2008
Art: Front

[4:00] 1. Ain't Misbehavin'
[3:43] 2. Blue Turning Grey Over You
[2:12] 3. Handful Of Keys
[5:14] 4. Jitterbug Waltz
[3:06] 5. Keepin' Out Of Mischief Now
[3:36] 6. Squeeze Me
[4:30] 7. Sugar
[4:00] 8. Swingtime In The Rockies
[6:23] 9. Honeysuckle Rose
[6:24] 10. These Foolish Things
[4:06] 11. Sweet Georgia Brown
[4:38] 12. Sweet Lorraine
[2:36] 13. Bicycle Built For Two
[3:25] 14. Sometimes I'm Happy
[5:17] 15. Little Susie
[4:44] 16. Spider Kelly's Blues

This compilation is culled from three albums produced by John Hammond in the '60s. The collection is rather interesting as a comparison of the styles of these three fine traditional jazz pianists. Henderson's unaccompanied pieces are a direct line from the stride playing of Fats Waller, while Sir Charles Thompson's playing is more akin to Duke Ellington's playful style, and he gets great support from Jo Jones on drums, Freddie Green on guitar, and Walter Page on bass. Ray Bryant himself seems poised somewhere between the two, with equal doses of ragtime and bop. It's a feast of fine keyboard work throughout. ~Tim Sheridan

Key One Up

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Gerry Mulligan - Gerry Meets Hamp

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:35
Size: 138,8 MB
Art: Front

(6:18)  1. Apple Core
(7:09)  2. Song For Johnny Hodges
(6:13)  3. Blight Of The Fumble Bee
(7:44)  4. Gerry Meets Hamp
(8:35)  5. Blues For Gerry
(6:08)  6. Line For Lyons
(5:47)  7. Walking Shoes
(5:24)  8. Limelight
(6:12)  9. Fables Of Faubus

This session led by Gerry Mulligan was initially released by Who's Who in Jazz and has been released under different names by many labels. It is one of a series of recordings for the label in which vibraphonist Lionel Hampton plays with another giant of jazz, usually with a rhythm section specifically assembled for the date. Joining them are pianist Hank Jones, guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli, drummer Grady Tate and on selected tracks, conga player Candido Camero. The baritone saxophonist and the vibraphonist complement one another very well. Mulligan brought both new and old charts to the session. He revisits one of his older works "Apple Core," along with a somewhat rock-ish (due to Pizzarelli's odd playing on this track) "Walking Shoes" and "Line for Lyons;" this session marks his sole recording of "Song for Johnny Hodges," a melodic tribute to Duke Ellington's great alto saxophonist. Hampton's contributions include the brisk blues romp "Gerry Meets Hamp" and the loping "Blues for Gerry." 

This CD unfortunately omits "Ain't Misbehavin'," which has only appeared on the Kingdom Gate edition of this session. This a worthwhile meeting of the two, who combined forces once again to join Charles Mingus for the bassist's final session as a leader and performer just a few days after this album was completed. ~ Ken Dryden http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=1795775&style=music&fulldesc=T

Personnel: Gerry Mulligan (baritone saxophone); Lionel Hampton (vibraphone); Hank Jones (piano); Bucky Pizzarelli (guitar); George Duvivier (bass); Grady Tate (drums); Candido (congas).

Gerry Meets Hamp

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Diane Schuur - Music Is My Life

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:02
Size: 131,0 MB
Art: Front

(8:01)  1. Invitation
(3:13)  2. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
(4:36)  3. That Old Devil Called Love
(9:06)  4. Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered
(3:14)  5. Keepin' Out Of Mischief Now
(5:17)  6. Good Morning Heartache
(3:58)  7. I Only Have Eyes For You
(5:42)  8. Nardis
(4:12)  9. Music Is My Life
(6:17) 10. If You Could See Me Now
(3:19) 11. Somewhere Over The Rainbow

While most jazz singers probably do not improvise enough, in the case of Diane Schuur, the less she gets away from the melody the better. The reason is obvious: Schuur has a beautiful voice but she rarely seems to know what to do with it! Her improvising can be screechy and erratic. Fortunately, Schuur mostly sticks to the themes on this strong release. Utilizing a variety of top jazz musicians, including pianist Alan Broadbent (Schuur plays piano herself on two songs) and tenor saxophonist Nino Tempo (who always emulates Stan Getz), Schuur mostly uplifts standards on her colorful outing. She goes a bit over the top with her singing on "Invitation" but her versions of "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered," "Keepin' Out of Mischief Now" and "If You Could See Me Now" are quite lovely, and she takes "Over the Rainbow" as a haunting, unaccompanied vocal. This is one of her better releases and an excellent example of what her live shows were like during 1998-1999.~Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/music-is-my-life-mw0000047988

Personnel: Diane Schuur (vocals, acoustic & electric pianos); Jeff Clayton (alto saxophone); Nino Tempo (tenor saxophone); Marcus Printup (trumpet); Ira Napis (trombone); Emil Richards (vibraphone); Alan Broadbent (piano); Dean Parks (guitar); Roger Hines, Chuck Berghofer (bass); David Gibson, Larance Marable, John Guerin (drums).

Music Is My Life

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Bob Mintzer Big Band - Get Up!

Styles: Saxophone Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:30
Size: 141,0 MB
Art: Front

(5:30)  1. Get Up!
(6:03)  2. Land of Oak
(6:15)  3. It’s Your Thing
(6:38)  4. I Thank You
(6:07)  5. Sing a Simple Song
(7:41)  6. Truth Spoken Here
(7:34)  7. Elegant People
(7:45)  8. Civil War
(7:52)  9. Yeah Yeah Yeah

Funk and R&B are the dominant sonic strains on Get Up! saxophonist-composer Bob Mintzer's twentieth big band release overall and his fifth for the MCG Jazz imprint. In October of 2014, Mintzer took to the stage for two nights at Pittsburgh's Manchester Craftsmen's Guild, armed with some of his grooving big band arrangements and accompanied by a group of his heavy hitter musician friends Yellowjackets, big band mainstays, and studio greats among them. The music they made, captured here for all to hear, is straight-down-the-middle, solo-heavy stuff, built from the bottom up with slick underpinnings, tight section work, supportive background riffs, and punchy interjections. Mintzer expertly plays section against section, creating tongue and groove connections between brass and reeds while the rhythm section lays down the foundations.

Most of the music on Get Up! sits in the same stylistic realm, but Mintzer keeps things interesting by investigating different subcategories under the funk and R&B umbrella(s). There's the James Brown-inspired title track, an ode to Oakland funk ("Land of Oak"), a sleek, flute-enhanced take on a Wayne Shorter composition ("Elegant People"), an expansion on a number originally written for the Yellowjackets ("Civil War"), three late '60s soul classics ("It's Your Thing," "I Thank You," and "Sing A Simple Song") and more. And then there are the soloists to contend with. Mintzer leaves plenty of room for his high profile band mates to blow, a move that proves to be a smart one. More than half of the seventeen musicians involved in the project get to shine at one time or another, bringing their unique gifts into sharp focus. Highlights include a fiery solo from trumpeter John Daversa ("It's Your Thing"), a scorching guitar spot from Ray Obiedo ("Sing A Simple Song"), a hip showing from pianist Russell Ferrante ("Civil War"), and an adrenalized performance from the leader ("Truth Spoken Here"). As unidirectional sets go, this one is pretty strong, highlighting groove music in various forms while showcasing some major talent. With Get Up!, Mintzer proves, once again, that he's a force to be reckoned with in the big band world.~Dan Bilawsky https://www.allaboutjazz.com/get-up-bob-mintzer-mcg-jazz-review-by-dan-bilawsky.php
 

Personnel: Bob Mintzer: tenor saxophone, flute; Robert Sheppard: alto saxophone, flute; Lawrence Feldman: alto saxophone, flute; Bob Malach: tenor saxophone, clarinet; Roger Rosenberg: baritone saxophone, clarinet; Tony Kadleck: trumpet; Frank Greene: trumpet; John Daversa: trumpet; Scott Wendholt: trumpet; Keith O'Quinn: trombone; Michael Davis: trombone; Andy Hunter: trombone; David Taylor: bass trombone; Ray Obiedo: guitar; Russell Ferrante: piano; Will Lee: bass; William Kennedy: drums.

Get Up!

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Eric Le Lann - Cap Frehel

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 1991
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:38
Size: 109,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:26)  1. Cap Frehel
(9:37)  2. Nuit a credit
(6:13)  3. Footprints
(5:09)  4. Marion la nuit
(1:55)  5. Paquerette
(6:34)  6. Richard Lenoir
(5:09)  7. To Bix
(5:59)  8. Petoucas
(2:33)  9. Scorpion ascendant Belon

Born in Ploeuc-sur-Lie (Côtes d'Armor) in November 1957 Eric Le Lann was introduced to the trumpet by his father, a dentist and amateur trumpet player. After high school, he decided to leave his native Britain in 1977 and moved to Paris where he became a professional musician. During the first months of this professional career, Eric Le Lann done recording sessions in the studio, accompanied by numerous entertainers like Bernard Lavilliers, the Gibson Brothers and Henri Salvador (in the big band of Eddy Louiss) and assiduously frequent jazz clubs. With over twenty years, the young trumpet player already has a strong musical personality that will lead to rapidly emerge in front of scenes of jazz: he won in 1979 the first national competition of Jazz Price of Defense (Paris).

In 1980, the reputation of Le Lann is growing and it is engaged in the quintet of pianist René Urtreger ribs of Jean-François Jenny-Clark (bass), Aldo Romano (drums) and Jean-Louis Chautemps (saxophones). René Urtreger (born 1934) is an accomplished musician, renowned, from the "American School" bop: he recorded with Chet Baker, Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Lester Young, Dexter Gordon, Philly Joe Jones .. . experienced pianist, very demanding, he chooses his soloists with great taste, and it is through the front door Eric Le Lann integrates the middle of French jazz. The disc quintet Live Antibes is published in 1980 and gives a fair idea of ??the high quality of the group. In 1980 still, Eric Le Lann performs sixty dates with singer Henri Salvador, he will find twenty years later. The same year, bassist Henri Texier engages in his first quartet (which we find drummer Bernard Lubat, future creator of Uzeste festival). At that time enjoying a solid reputation, trumpeter gives in 1981 a series of concerts with the American saxophonist Pepper Adams, former member of Charles Mingus. It is also invited by the bass player Jacques Vidal and guitarist Frédéric Sylvestre in recording a disc, Vidal Sylvestre + 2 (with drummer Eric Dervieu). He recorded a few years later two discs with this remarkable duo. 1981 is the year when Eric Le Lann integrates Onztet bassist and conductor Patrice Caratini. He was also invited by pianist Martial Solal to integrate his big band, with whom he takes part in many European festivals (The Hague, Prague, Pori, Montreux, Berlin). Le Lann became the main soloist of the orchestra, the starting point of collaboration between the two men which still continues today. In 1982, Eric Le Lann presents his personal project, a quartet. He invited three exceptional musicians, but modern connoisseurs of tradition and history of jazz piano Olivier Hutman, Cesarius Alvim on bass and André Ceccarelli on drums. He published with this orchestra the disk Nightbird (1983), participated in the festival of European radio stations in Stockholm and wins Django Reinhardt awarded by the Academy of Jazz. The quartet has a flexibility, a sound and a remarkable unity. The music that is born is both very melodic and very rhythmic, and takes on a new dimension on stage. Far from fashions, rooted in the tradition of a nice jazz listening, swinging "American" quartet affirms immediately by maturity and respect, and stands out from most contemporary experiences of European scene  who seeks and monopolizes the press.More..Translate by Google http://www.ericlelann.com/fr/biography

Personnel:  Eric Le Lann – trumpet;  Lionel Belmondo – saxophone;  Jean-Michel Pilc - piano, synthesizer;  Richard Bona - electric bass

Cap Frehel

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Bill Haley & His Comets - Rock Around The Clock

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 38:58
Size: 89.2 MB
Styles: Rock n Roll
Year: 1956/2004
Art: Front

[2:08] 1. Rock Around The Clock
[2:28] 2. Shake, Rattle And Roll
[2:27] 3. Abc Boogie
[2:51] 4. Thirteen Women
[2:40] 5. Razzle Dazzle
[2:57] 6. Two Hound Dogs
[2:29] 7. Dim, Dim The Lights
[2:34] 8. Happy Baby
[2:13] 9. Birth Of The Boogie
[2:36] 10. Mambo Rock
[2:43] 11. Burn That Candle
[2:18] 12. Rock-A-Beatin' Boogie
[2:19] 13. R-O-C-K
[3:26] 14. The Saints Rock And Roll
[2:43] 15. See You Later, Alligator

Rock Around the Clock was basically the Shake, Rattle & Roll 10" disc with four fine 1955 vintage numbers "Two Hound Dogs," "Razzle Dazzle," "Rock-a-Beatin' Boogie," and "Burn That Candle"added on. Frannie Beecher's break on "Razzle Dazzle" was worth the price of the platter (probably all of four dollars, albeit in 1956 dollars, when that represented most of a tank of gas, eight subway rides, or dinner for two at a drive-in restaurant), and the band as a whole never sounded more inspired and driven. Most of the tracks have been widely reissued, but this release shows off some of the most exciting music that you could buy in one shot in 1956 this and Elvis' first two albums were as good as rock & roll LPs got that year. ~Bruce Eder

Rock Around The Clock

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Abbey Lincoln - Precious And Rare: The Complete 1956-1958 (2-Disk Set)

The complete set of Abbey Lincoln's early recordings consists of three original albums (Abbey Lincoln's Affair; That's Him!; It's Magic) plus songs from singles and soundtracks including five unreleased tracks. The two CDs have been carefully remastered and the 32-page booklet includes some superb comtemporary documents, a text in English and French, as well as a detailed discography.

Album: Precious And Rare: The Complete 1956-1958 (Disc 1)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 72:17

Size: 165.5 MB

Styles: Jazz vocals

Year: 2011

[4:58] 1. Strong Man

[5:51] 2. Happiness Is A Thing Called Joe

[3:53] 3. My Man

[2:58] 4. Tender As A Rose

[3:22] 5. That's Him

[3:54] 6. I Must Have That Man!

[4:22] 7. Porgy

[4:24] 8. When A Woman Loves A Man

[6:35] 9. Don't Explain

[2:59] 10. Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man

[2:45] 11. I Am In Love

[4:00] 12. It's Magic

[3:32] 13. Just For Me

[3:19] 14. An Occasional Man

[4:27] 15. Ain't Nobody's Business

[4:42] 16. Out Of The Past

[3:15] 17. Music, Maestro, Please!

[2:51] 18. Exactly Like You

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Album: Precious And Rare: The Complete 1956-1958 (Disc 2)

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 56:57

Size: 130.4 MB

Styles: Jazz vocals

Year: 2011

Art: Front

[2:38] 1. Love

[5:03] 2. Little Niles

[2:25] 3. Love Walked In

[2:45] 4. I Didn't Know About You

[2:22] 5. Would I Love You

[2:04] 6. I Wake Up Smiling

[2:20] 7. This Can't Be Love

[2:54] 8. Crazy He Calls Me

[2:36] 9. Two Cigarettes In The Dark

[3:20] 10. The Masquerade Is Over

[3:06] 11. Take Me In Your Arms

[1:52] 12. Together

[2:59] 13. Affair

[3:08] 14. No More

[3:16] 15. Warm Valley

[2:31] 16. You Do Something To Me

[2:14] 17. Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me

[2:15] 18. The Answer Is No

[2:36] 19. Lonesome Cup Of Coffee

[2:19] 20. She Didn't Say Yes

[2:01] 21. Spread The World Spread The Gospel

Precious And Rare The Complete 1956-1958 (Disc 1), (Disc 2)

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Nat King Cole - Ballads Of The Day

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 35:25
Size: 81.1 MB
Styles: Vocal
Year: 1956/1992
Art: Front

[2:34] 1. A Blossom Fell
[3:05] 2. Unbelievable
[2:58] 3. Blue Gardenia
[3:15] 4. Angel Eyes
[3:09] 5. It Happens To Be Me
[2:59] 6. Smile
[2:56] 7. Darling, Je Vous Aime Beaucoup
[2:56] 8. Alone Too Long
[3:00] 9. My One Sin (In Life)
[2:58] 10. Return To Paradise
[2:49] 11. If Love Is Good To Me
[2:40] 12. The Sand And The Sea

Since all but one of the tracks on Nat King Cole's 1956 LP Ballads of the Day were arranged and conducted by Nelson Riddle, the album might be thought of as a Cole/Riddle ballad album on the order of Sings for Two in Love. But it really should have been called something like "Nat King Cole's Greatest Hits, 1953-1955," since it is actually a compilation assembled from recent single releases. It boasts two Top 40 hits ("The Sand and the Sea" and "My One Sin [In Life]"), two Top 20s ("Return to Paradise" and "It Happens to Be Me"), and three Top Tens ("A Blossom Fell," "Darling, Je Vous Aime Beaucoup," and "Smile"), plus five B-sides. There are some minor efforts, but also some gems, notably a version of the saloon song "Angel Eyes" (the B-side of "Return to Paradise," arranged and conducted by Billy May). This is not, perhaps, one of the great Cole/Riddle album collaborations, but the tracks remain pleasant examples of the lengthy musical partnership between the singer and his most frequent musical facilitator. ~William Ruhlmann

Ballads Of The Day

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Joey Calderazzo - Amanecer

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:13
Size: 131.0 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[6:22] 1. Midnight Voyage
[8:13] 2. Sea Glass
[5:39] 3. Toonay
[6:30] 4. Amanecer
[5:47] 5. The Lonely Swan
[5:47] 6. I've Never Been In Love Before
[6:16] 7. So Many Moons
[6:09] 8. Waltz For Debby
[6:27] 9. Lara

Joey Calderazzo: piano; Claudia Acuna: vocals (4, 7, 9); Romero Lubambo: guitar (4, 5, 9).

On Amanecer, pianist Joey Calderazzo continues to prove that playing solo is one of his strengths. His fearless and stalwart performances with the Branford Marsalis Quartet have been documented over the last few years but outside of the group his playing soars even more. Like its predecessor Haiku (Marsalis Music,2004), this recording is intimate, insightful, flowing with a quiet strength as the pianist delivers an effective set of tunes (both solo and with special guests). The music covers originals and a couple of standards as Calderazzo performs impressively in a variety of styles, adding a personal touch of modern expression. One could picture Calderazzo playing solo at some local venue with a tip jar on the piano. He quietly accepts a few requests, yet transforms them into brilliant displays of agility and adroitness as deceptively brillant chops kick in. You're later introduced to Calderazzo's new-blues standard "Midnight Voyage holding elements of Thelonious Monk quirkiness and Fats Waller playfulness, or the peaceful ponderings of "Sea Glass written by the late great saxophonist, Michael Brecker. And by the time "Toonay —a complex tune of lyrical improvisation—ends, you clearly realize he's not your average house pianist.

The esteemed guests, singer Claudia Acuña and guitarist Romero Lubambo, bring voice and strings with Latin persuasions to the title "Amanecer and "Lara, guided by Calderazzo's light and thoughtful playing. The tone of the recording maintains a tranquil aura after the ingenious solo rendition of "I've Never Been in Love Before and depending upon ones preference, the set might be a little too relaxed. But after a hectic day, its soothing qualities are remarkable. This is another fine "solo effort by Calderazzo; an artist who continues to grow within a group setting and most definitely on his own. ~Mark F. Turner

Amanecer

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