Esther Phillips - The Country Side Of Esther

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 31:48
Size: 72.8 MB
Styles: Soul, R&B vocals
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[2:00] 1. I Really Don't Want To Know
[3:07] 2. Just Out Of Reach
[3:02] 3. I Can't Help It (If I'm Still In Love With You)
[3:08] 4. Be Honest With Me
[3:09] 5. I've Forgotten More Than You'll Ever Know About Him
[3:17] 6. Release Me
[2:48] 7. I'd Fight The World
[2:44] 8. Am I That Easy To Forget
[3:08] 9. After Loving You
[3:16] 10. No Headstone On My Grave
[2:06] 11. Why Should We Try Anymore

Esther Phillips was perhaps too versatile for her own good, at least commercially speaking; while she was adept at singing blues, early R&B, gritty soul, jazz, straight-up pop, disco, and even country, her record companies often lacked a clear idea of how to market her, which prevented her from reaching as wide an audience as she otherwise might have. An acquired taste for some, Phillips' voice had an idiosyncratic, nasal quality that often earned comparisons to Nina Simone, although she herself counted Dinah Washington as a chief inspiration. Phillips' career began when she was very young and by some accounts, she was already battling drug addiction during her teenage years; whenever her problems took root, the lasting impact on her health claimed her life before the age of 50.

The Country Side Of Esther

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Elvin Jones - Going Home

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:22
Size: 133.6 MB
Styles: Bop
Year: 1993
Art: Front

[12:02] 1. The Shell Game
[ 4:51] 2. Going Home
[ 3:34] 3. Cross Purpose
[ 8:36] 4. You've Changed
[11:51] 5. Truth
[ 3:59] 6. East Of The Sun
[ 6:36] 7. In 3 4 Thee
[ 6:49] 8. April 8th

Elvin Jones - drums; Nicholas Payton - trumpet; Kent Jordan - flute, piccolo; Ravi Coltrane - soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone; Javon Jackson - tenor saxophone; Willie Pickens - piano; Brad Jones - bass.

On Elvin Jones' third Enja CD of the 1990s, the legendary drummer continues with the same formula used on his previous recording, Youngblood, with one exception. Jones adds the veteran Chicago pianist Willie Pickens to a group of younger players -- trumpeter Nicholas Payton, saxophonists Javon Jackson and Ravi Coltrane, flutist Kent Jordan, and bassist Brad Jones -- as they perform a program of standards and originals powered by Jones' always dynamic drumming. Never known as a composer, Jones wrote three of the eight compositions on Going Home. "The Shell Game" sounds like a figure Jones would play on the drums; it's a brief melody that serves as a springboard for the soloists. "April 8th" begins with Jones playing a march that quickly develops into an up-tempo burner with a march-like bridge, while the title track is a down-home blues featuring Pickens' piano. "Truth," written by Jones' wife Keiko, begins with a drum solo that develops into a Japanese folk song-like melody, then develops into a finger-poppin' groove. Payton, 19 years old at the time of this recording, shows the promise here that makes him a player to watch in years to come. A welcome addition to Jones' extensive discography. ~Greg Turner

Going Home

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Marian McPartland - On 52nd Street

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:07
Size: 135.3 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2009
Art: Front

[3:07] 1. A Foggy Day
[3:47] 2. The Lady Is A Tramp
[4:17] 3. I've Got The World On A String
[4:03] 4. Manhattan
[2:57] 5. Aunt Hagar's Blues
[2:37] 6. Four Brothers
[3:23] 7. Once In A While
[6:19] 8. Just Squeeze Me (But Don't Tease Me)
[2:21] 9. Liza (All The Clouds'll Roll Away)
[3:01] 10. September Song
[3:43] 11. Embraceable You
[3:27] 12. Laura
[3:29] 13. What Is This Thing Called Love
[3:02] 14. There Will Never Be Another You
[3:33] 15. Willow Weep For Me
[2:54] 16. A Fine Romance
[2:59] 17. Lullaby In Rhythm

Marian McPartland, piano; Vinnie Burke, Bob Carter, bass; Joe Morello, drums.

An institution at the Hickory House in the 1950's, McPartland's trio went through several personnel changes. Concord's "Hickory House Trio Reprise" captured live recordings of her 1954-1956 version with Bill Crow and Joe Morello. But that was after her group hit its stride. Savoy's "On 52nd Street" perhaps is even more significant because it includes two of McPartland's early bassists, Vinnie Burke and Bob Carter, who joined her group after the shakeout period involving her first accompanists, bassist Max Wayne and drummer Mel Zelnick. Just as interesting is the fact that "On 52nd Street" documents one of recording engineer wizard Rudy Van Gelder's earliest achievements in reproducing jazz as close as possible to its live performance sound, even with the crude equipment he must have worked with. Credit super-sleuth and legendary producer Orrin Keepnews with tracking down that fact. On "On 52nd Street," McPartland seems to be of two minds: entertaining and breezy in front of a live audience as they clink drinks and clatter and chatter (thanks Rudy for minimizing that sound), and meditative and explorative in the studio where the last five tracks were recorded. That split personality which establishes her genius seems to exist even today: Marian the entertainer who can charm the coldest listener and Marian the versatile intellectual who can play in the style of any pianist who appears on her radio program. Absorbing ideas and styles like a sponge, McPartland shows her influences from Shearing as she block-chords her way through, say, "Willow Weep For Me," and from Powell as she exhibits bop influences in her assured right-hand improvisations. Providing a hint of the Marian to come, "On 52nd Street" enlarges the Savoy Jazz re-release schedule with yet another worthy contribution that's worth every penny of its cost. And maybe more.

On 52nd Street

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Various - Blue Bacharach: A Cooler Shaker

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:17
Size: 144.9 MB
Styles: Bop, Crossover jazz
Year: 1999
Art: Front

[2:32] 1. Stanley Turrentine - This Guy's In Love With You
[1:57] 2. Nancy Wilson - Wives And Lovers
[8:10] 3. Reuben Wilson - I Say A Little Prayer
[2:30] 4. The 3 Sounds - The Look Of Love
[6:39] 5. Stanley Turrentine - What The World Needs Now
[2:08] 6. Lou Rawls - They Don't Give Medals (To Yesterday's Heroes)
[6:43] 7. Grant Green - I'll Never Fall In Love Again
[3:56] 8. Richard Groove Holmes - Do You Know The Way To San Jose
[5:51] 9. Stanley Turrentine - Walk On By
[5:16] 10. The Jazz Crusaders - Promises, Promises
[2:46] 11. Ernie Watts Quintet - Knowing When To Leave
[2:42] 12. Stanley Turrentine - Always Something There To Remind Me
[8:58] 13. Grant Green - Wives And Lovers
[3:02] 14. Nancy Wilson - Alfie

Blue Bacharach: A Cooler Shaker features Blue Note interpreting Bacharach standards like "Always Something There to Remind Me," "I Say a Little Prayer," and "This Guy's in Love With You." Nancy Wilson's "Alfie," Grant Green's "Wives & Lovers," Stanley Turrentine's "Do You Know the Way to San Jose," and the Ernie Watts Quintet's "Knowing When to Leave" help make this album an interesting and entertaining combination of classic songwriting and sophisticated jazz. ~Heather Phares

Blue Bacharach: A Cooler Shaker

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P.J. Perry - Worth Waiting For

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:20
Size: 154.2 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 1991
Art: Front

[4:50] 1. I Cried For You
[3:44] 2. Stardust
[5:03] 3. You'd Be So Easy To Love
[4:27] 4. Blue And Sentimental
[5:20] 5. Poor Butterfly
[3:28] 6. Blue Daniel
[4:15] 7. The Star-Crossed Lovers
[4:33] 8. Namely You
[6:19] 9. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
[7:13] 10. My Old Flame
[3:20] 11. Dig
[5:36] 12. Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye
[4:35] 13. My Ideal
[4:30] 14. Never Let Me Go

A top Canadian altoist who is still relatively unknown in the United States, P.J. Perry is a bop-oriented veteran who occasionally resembles Sonny Stitt. However Perry's sounds on both alto and tenor are fairly original and he has the bop vocabularly down pat, with few hints of later developments. Joined by a top-notch rhythm trio for this set of swing and bop standards (pianist Kenny Barron who takes "Star Crossed Lovers" as an unaccompanied feature, bassist Chuck Deardorf and drummer Victor Lewis), P.J. Perry is an underrated but major player who deserves to be discovered by straightahead jazz fans. ~Scott Yanow

Worth Waiting For

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Jim Snidero - Stream Of Consciousness

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:30
Size: 118,4 MB
Art: Front

(7:18)  1. Stream Of Consciousness
(9:04)  2. Nirvana
(4:58)  3. Fear One
(9:17)  4. Vantage
(6:14)  5. Black Ice
(7:39)  6. Wisdom's Path
(6:56)  7. Town

The jazz world would likely forgive saxophonist Jim Snidero if he fell prey to artistic stagnation every now and then, but he might not forgive himself. He's kept a steady flow of solo albums coming through the pipeline for a quarter century and, while other artists who are equally prolific find themselves falling back on tired formulas and the same old tunes to fill out their records, Snidero continues to surprise with each addition to his discography. When Snidero arrived at the Savant label in 2007, he pulled the pianistic rug out from under himself, making Paul Bollenback his new go-to harmonic companion; he's been working different scenarios, with the guitarist by his side, ever since. Tippin' (2007) took Snidero back to organ territory, which he explored earlier on as a sideman with Jack McDuff; Crossfire (2009) found the saxophonist mixing it up on bop, ballad and bossa-based tunes, while Interface (2011) broadened the sax-guitar-drum-bass viewpoint of its predecessor by adding acoustic guitar to the mix and bringing young gun drummer McClenty Hunter into the fold. Now, Snidero brings something new to the table again. Stream Of Consciousness, while working off the same instrumental template as Snidero's two prior releases, is vastly different. Snidero moves further afield than ever before, pushing the envelope in all the right ways. Free jazz filigree doesn't find its way into his work, but Snidero does go out on a limb here with probing tunes that push at the walls of convention ("Stream Of Consciousness" and "Fear One"). His version of outward-bound music still retains firm structure in most respects, with modal manners and pulsating cymbals grounding the title track, for example, but they look toward the great beyond and feel free of the shackles of jazz norms and niceties.

Drummer Rudy Royston and bassist Linda Oh, two first-call rhythm guns on the New York scene who've established a strong bond while working together with trumpeter Dave Douglas, deserve much of the credit for the fresh sounds on this CD. Royston's rocket fuel-propelled drumming is at the center of the title track and "Fear One," and Oh's slick-as-hell bass makes "Black Ice" the grooving stand out on the album. They prove equally important in waltzing scenarios ("Wisdom's Path") and blissful states ("Nirvana"). Snidero has never sounded better. The creative and tonal hallmarks that have made him such a respected player remain intact, but his fiery disposition is balanced with a focused and friendly quality, slicing through the mix or simply drawing focus and floating in the musical ether that surrounds him on "Vantage." This may be the strongest album in a discography packed with winners. A change, once again, has done Snidero good; while Stream Of Consciousness may not be typical for him, what is? ~Dan Bilawsky https://www.allaboutjazz.com/stream-of-consciousness-jim-snidero-savant-records-review-by-dan-bilawsky.php
 

Personnel: Jim Snidero: alto saxophone; Paul Bollenback: guitar; Linda Oh: bass; Rudy Royston: drums.

Stream Of Consciousness

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Salena Jones - Over The Rainbow

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:56
Size: 145,3 MB
Art: Front

(2:42)  1. Perdido
(2:36)  2. And The Angels Sing
(4:51)  3. Over The Rainbow
(2:20)  4. Cherokee
(3:45)  5. Canadian Sunset
(4:19)  6. It Amazes Me
(2:40)  7. Sermonette
(3:32)  8. Until I Met You
(3:25)  9. Silk Shiny Stockings
(4:31) 10. You Go To My Head
(3:41) 11. In A Mellow Tone
(4:40) 12. Soul Shadows
(3:54) 13. I'll Know
(3:24) 14. The Touch Of Your Lips
(4:19) 15. Imagine My Frustration
(4:08) 16. After You

Born in Newport News, VA, in 1944, Salena Jones (real name: Joan Elizabeth Shaw) would over the course of a 60-plus-year career become one of the leading vocalists of swing music, performing in a number of countries in Europe and Asia and recording a number of albums. Jones got her first break at the famed Apollo Theater in New York, winning a talent contest that resulted in a record deal. She spent the early part of her career touring and performing with such leading lights as Louis Armstrong, Cab Calloway, and Duke Ellington. Her first forays overseas, to Spain and the U.K., were in the mid-'60s and were to begin a life spent mostly outside the rather fickle confines of the United States. In 1978, she made her first appearance in Japan and performed there on an annual basis. By the first decade of the 21st century, she had performed on most continents, recorded more than 40 albums, and sang at the 2006 Shanghai International Jazz Festival.~Chris True http://www.allmusic.com/artist/salena-jones-mn0000290681

Over The Rainbow

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Junior Mance - Softly as in a Morning Sunrise

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1994
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:15
Size: 158,8 MB
Art: Front

(7:47)  1. Softly as in a Morning Sunrise
(6:35)  2. The Man from Potters Crossing
(5:52)  3. Sunset and the Mocking Bird
(4:45)  4. Broadway
(7:34)  5. Deli - Blues for Blakey
(6:09)  6. Gee Baby, Ain't I Good to You
(9:12)  7. Lady Bird
(3:49)  8. Wee
(6:48)  9. Sunday Go to Meetin'
(4:38) 10. Inside Out
(6:00) 11. C.C. Rider

This 1994 CD gives listeners an excellent example of pianist Junior Mance's playing. Featured in a trio with bassist Jimmy Woode and drummer Bobby Durham, Mance performs a wide-ranging set that includes a few originals, blues, and standards (including "Broadway," "Lady Bird" and the title cut) that he practically turns into the blues. Mance's style, which mixes bop, R&B and soul-jazz, is quite appealing and is heard in its prime throughout this splendid session.~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/softly-as-in-a-morning-sunrise-mw0000124047

Personnel:  Junior Mance (piano); Jimmy Woode (bass); Bobby Durham (drums).

Softly as in a Morning Sunrise

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Ron Levy's Wild Kingdom - Zim Zam Zoom

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:51
Size: 116.4 MB
Styles: Soul/Blues/Jazz organ
Year: 1996
Art: Front

[ 5:54] 1. Zim Zam Zoom
[ 6:08] 2. C.C. Rider
[ 6:41] 3. Lost Tribes
[ 6:50] 4. U Rockin' Me
[ 4:28] 5. Sons Of Abraham
[ 4:40] 6. Silver Cannonball 2
[10:28] 7. Last Go Round
[ 5:39] 8. Lonely Avenue

If you like blues and funky soul-jazz (with just a twist of the future), this is an album to enjoy. Hammond B-3 artist Ron Levy gathers some of the greatest groove players of all time for this steam session, including Melvin Sparks on guitar and the great Idris Muhammad on drums. Call it retro or acid-jazz if you want, but groove lover Levy never stops playing that funky soul-jazz long enough to look back. This album carries the groove tradition on, maintaining that integrity. Produced by Bob Porter. ~Michael Erlewine

Zim Zam Zoom

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Charlie Singleton - At His Best

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 32:10
Size: 73.6 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[2:22] 1. Gone With The Wind
[2:20] 2. Blow Mr. Singleton
[3:10] 3. Cry
[2:39] 4. Swinging Away
[2:59] 5. Lonely Lover Blues
[2:40] 6. Cat's Paw
[2:46] 7. Super Chief
[2:26] 8. Jiving With Dr. Jive
[2:29] 9. Pony Express
[2:36] 10. Broadway Beat
[2:51] 11. Oozing Along
[2:46] 12. The Boardwalk

Charlie Singleton was a New York City-based saxophonist and bandleader who worked in a jump blues/R&B vein during the late '40s and early '50s. During his tenure with Atlas Records; one of the first New York based, Black owned independent record labels of the early fifties, Charlie recorded a number of highly influential jump blues instrumentals and also backed many of the groups who recorded for Atlas including the great jump blues singer, H-Bomb Ferguson. This collection focuses on the sides Singleton cut as a leader between 1952 and 1953. All selections newly remastered.

At His Best

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Joyce Moreno - Raiz

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:32
Size: 122.6 MB
Styles: Samba, Bossa Nova
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[3:24] 1. Copacabana
[2:51] 2. Meu Piao
[4:14] 3. O Barquinho
[2:57] 4. Tamba
[6:56] 5. Desafinado
[4:38] 6. O Morro Nao Tem Ves
[4:38] 7. Na Baixa Do Sapateiro
[2:45] 8. Cartao De Visita
[3:18] 9. Ceu E Mar
[5:14] 10. Nos E O Mar
[2:05] 11. Vestido De Bolero
[3:46] 12. Tristeza De Nos Dois
[6:40] 13. Canto De Yansan

The Portuguese word "raiz" translates to "roots" in English. On this date, the iconic Brazilian singer Joyce Moreno celebrates 50 years in the music business by returning to them. She and her band explore classic bossa and samba tunes from the Brazilian canon with the kind of elegance and grace that have been hallmarks of her career. In addition to singing, she is both guitarist and musical director. Her band includes husband Tutty Moreno on drums and percussion, bassist Rodolfo Stroeter, and jazz pianist Helio Alves. The program is rich, filled with tunes from some of Brazil's greatest composers. Two highlights are "O Barquinho" and "Nos E O Mar" by Roberto Menescal. He discovered Moreno in 1964 after hearing a home recording of her and assisted greatly in launching her career. Though she's thanked him publicly before, she does so again here -- he is the only guest, playing guitar on both of his songs. The inventively arranged two-song medley of Dorival Caymmi tunes, "Vestido de Bolero"/"Requebre Que Eu Dou Um Doce," is a set highlight. Also included are Tom Jobim and Vinicius De Moraes' "Desafinado," which gets a gorgeous reading as its folk roots peer through bossa and jazz. Jobim's "O Morro Nao Tom Vez" beams through burning samba. The set's greatest surprise, however, is inclusion of Luiz Eça's "Tamba," delivered in a gorgeous arrangement with Moreno's chanted vocal as percussion and piano ride atop a groove that walks the line between Sergio Mendes' "Mais Que Nada" and Afro-Cuban jazz. The closer, "Canto de Yasaan" by Baden Powell and Ildásio Tavares, is introduced by electric bass harmonics before a crystalline piano whispers to the fore. In this number, Moreno is her most vocally expressive, allowing the emotional power in lyric and melody to come through unrestrained by the nuance or arrangement. Raiz is gorgeous. It offers continued -- and inspired -- proof that Moreno remains one of the great interpretive singers in the Brazilian MPB tradition. Add to this that her skills as a guitarist and arranger are undiminished by time, and the word "iconic" fits like a glove. ~Thom Jurek

Raiz

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Dave Pell - Dave Pell Plays Artie Shaw

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 31:02
Size: 71.1 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2002/2011
Art: Front

[2:42] 1. Nightmare
[3:29] 2. Yesterdays
[3:15] 3. Stardust
[3:42] 4. Jungle Drums
[2:20] 5. I Concentrate On You
[2:59] 6. Frenesi
[3:05] 7. Moonglow
[3:13] 8. September Song
[2:41] 9. Could Be
[3:32] 10. I Could Write A Book

Dave Pell is one of the founding fathers of West Coast jazz. After relocating to Los Angeles in 1944, Pell played on Bob Crosby's radio show and freelanced, joining Les Brown's band in 1947. In the years that followed Dave became one of California's most prolific studio musicians and ensemble leaders, forming a popular octet from the ranks of Brown's orchestra. Dave was a virtuoso player at an early age, able to mimic the sound and tone of virtually any popular tenor saxophonist.

In the early 1950s, Dave was instrumental in developing West Coast jazz's sound and mystique. An early developer of linear, "storytelling" jazz solos, he also earned extra cash as a photographer at the start of the 1950s. With a Rolleiflex, Dave documented the emerging West Coast jazz scene. He took dozens of cover photos, including the famous Gerry Mulligan Quartet 10-inch LP, Pacific Jazz's first release. Today Dave owns one of Lester Young's tenor saxophones and plays it regularly in concert, much to the delight of audiences. Young's only other known horn is at Rutgers University's Institute of Jazz Studies.

Dave Pell Plays Artie Shaw

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George Shearing - On The Sunny Side Of The Strip

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1958
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:59
Size: 87,1 MB
Art: Front

(4:33)  1. Jordu
(2:56)  2. As I Love You
(4:42)  3. Confirmation
(3:59)  4. The Nearness Of You
(3:15)  5. Mambo Inn
(3:42)  6. Bernie's Tune
(4:09)  7. Some Other Spring
(4:46)  8. Joy Spring
(5:52)  9. Drume Negrita

This is one of five live George Shearing Quintet LPs whose contents were reissued as part of a Mosaic CD box set. Superior to the pianist's studio mood music albums of the period, this set is quite bop-oriented with such songs as "Jordu," "Confirmation," "Bernie's Tune" and "Joy Spring" being given the Shearing treatment. 

Vibraphonist Emil Richards, guitarist Toots Thielemans, bassist Al McKibbon and drummer Percy Brice complete the quintet while as usual the congas of Armando Peraza help out on a couple of Latin pieces. [Long out of print on vinyl, a CD version was released in 1993.] ~ Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/on-the-sunny-side-of-the-strip-original-mw0000619536

Personnel: George Shearing (piano); Toots Thielemans (harmonica); Emil Richards, Armando Perrazza (percussion); Al McKibbon (bass);  Percy Brice (drums).

On The Sunny Side Of The Strip

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Joanne Brackeen & Ryo Kawasaki - Trinkets And Things

Styles: Piano and Guitar Jazz
Year: 1978
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:37
Size: 97,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:08)  1. Trinkets And Things
(6:04)  2. Shadowbrook Air
(5:09)  3. Winnie And Woodstock
(4:43)  4. Fair Weather
(6:42)  5. Whim Within
(7:31)  6. Spring Of Things
(7:20)  7. Haiti B

A wonderful little record from pianist Joanne Brackeen unlike anything the artist ever recorded, as it's just a set of duets with guitarist Ryo Kawasaki, who brings in some really beautiful elements to the mix! Ryo plays an acoustic nylon string guitar, but with a dexterity that most other players would use on electric and the balance of his instrument with Brackeen's piano is sublime full of colors and imaginative tones, but also a fair degree of rhythmic impulses too which guide the duo in ways that are completely refreshing throughout! 

And yes, Ryo could be slick on other records, but he's definitely not here and instead finds a special space alongside those choppy blocks of sound that Joanne plays so well. Titles include a great reading of Kawasaki's "Trinkets & Things" plus "Shadowbrook Air", "Spring Of Things", "Fair Weather", "Whim Within", and "Winnie & Woodstock". © 1996-2016, Dusty Groove, Inc.https://www.dustygroove.com/item/764023

Personnel:  Guitar – Ryo Kawasaki ;  Piano – Joanne Brackeen

Trinkets And Things

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Jeff Lorber - Shades Of Soul

Styles: Jazz Funk, Fusion 
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:23
Size: 115,4 MB
Art: Front

(4:25)  1. All Night Long
(4:37)  2. Then And Now
(4:52)  3. Enjoy Yourself
(3:50)  4. Gazpacho
(4:13)  5. Love Come Down
(4:36)  6. We Got To Live Again
(4:57)  7. Get Wid' It
(5:10)  8. San Vicente
(5:09)  9. Shades Of Soul
(4:34) 10. Gangsta Jam
(3:52) 11. Hey Uh

Although his name does not appear on the outside of this CD, this is really a Jeff Lorber project. Lorber contributes funky keyboards and a drum machine. The music is quite derivative R&B-ish dance music, featuring the core trio of Lorber, guitarist-vocalist Marlon McClain and bassist-vocalist Nathaniel Phillips, joined by many guests. The late Art Porter, who passed away in 1996, is heard on two selections (one imagines that his part was saved and mixed in with other musicians in modern times) and there are also a pair of guest spots for trumpeter Chris Botti. Some of the music features vocals while other selections are easy listening instrumental pop, but there are no real surprises or spontaneity. At best, this set works fine in the background, suitable for parties in which no one is listening closely to the music.~Scott Yanow http://www.allmusic.com/album/shades-of-soul-mw0000159727

Personnel:  Jeff Lorber - keyboards, drum programming;  Marlon L. McClain - guitars, vocals;  Nathaniel Phillips - bass, vocals;  Rayford Griffin - additional drums;  Patrick Lamb- tenor sax on Love Come Down;  Wirlie Morris - drum programming and keyboards on Love Come Down

Shades Of Soul

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Teddy Edwards, Les McCann - It's About Time

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s

Time: 77:08

Size: 176.6 MB

Styles: Bop

Year: 1959/2008

Art: Front

[5:33] 1. Our Love Is Here To Stay

[5:50] 2. Frankly Speaking

[4:55] 3. Fools Rush In

[4:35] 4. Undecided

[7:05] 5. Beve's Comjumulations

[5:22] 6. Willow Weep For Me

[5:17] 7. Lover Come Back To Me

[3:17] 8. I'll Remember April

[3:42] 9. Time After Time

[2:42] 10. When You're Smiling

[2:57] 11. Imagination

[3:29] 12. I Hear A Rhapsody

[2:12] 13. The New Symphony Sid

[5:12] 14. My Kinda Blues

[2:28] 15. Takin' Off

[4:42] 16. Tempo De Blues

[3:33] 17. Sittin' And Sighin'

[2:10] 18. Bye Bye Blackbird

[1:59] 19. Billy

Bass – Leroy Vinnegar; Drums – Ron Jefferson; Piano – Les McCann; Tenor Saxophone – Teddy Edwards.

Teddy Edwards was one of the top tenor saxophonists in jazz when he recorded these sessions, a consistent performer since the post-bop days of the late 1940s. Living in California, however, had denied him the kind of acclaim accorded some of his Eastern counterparts. But on these sessions, backed by three capable and effective rhythm sections, he showed he was among the most authoritative and dependable tenors in contemporary modern jazz.

The pianists all had very distinct styles. Les McCann was one of the more firmly established musicians to have shifted into the funk gear. Amos Trice, like Edwards, was a product of the Los Angeles post-bop black scene; and Englishman Ronnie Ball, since his early years under the Tristano influence, had developed a very personal and versatile style. Completing the quartets were some of the most highly regarded rhythm men on the West Coast in bassists Leroy Vinnegar and Ben Tucker, and drummers Ron Jefferson, Tony Bazley and Al Levitt.

On some of these sides we can also hear Gloria Smyth, a younger singer of boundless energy, with a warm and appealing feel for lyrics, that enjoyed some success in her in person appearances. A happy atmosphere prevails on these fine, long-unavailable sessions, all of which share a sense of mutual support and engagement by players on top of their game.

It's About Time

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Joyce Breach - Nothing But Blue Skies

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:06
Size: 153.6 MB
Styles: Vocal jazz
Year: 1997
Art: Front

[2:55] 1. Blue Skies
[4:15] 2. If I Had You
[4:11] 3. Somebody Loves Me
[3:20] 4. You're An Education
[5:39] 5. I Can Dream, Can't I
[3:33] 6. Sand In My Shoes
[3:53] 7. But Not For Me
[4:17] 8. P.S. I Love You
[3:04] 9. I've Heart That Song Before
[3:40] 10. Look At That Face
[2:26] 11. Too Marvelous For Words
[6:36] 12. The Nearness Of You
[3:22] 13. A Hundred Years From Today
[4:30] 14. What's New
[4:13] 15. Love Is Here To Stay
[4:09] 16. You're Gonna Hear From Me
[2:54] 17. Just One Of Those Things

Joyce Breach is a fine cabaret singer with a deep voice who mostly sings songs fairly straightforwardly. This is one of her most jazz-oriented releases, not because she starts improvising any more than normal, but due to her strong sidemen: trombonist Bob Havens, clarinetist Bobby Gordon, pianist Keith Ingham, bassist Bob Haggart and drummer Hal Smith (who is the leader of the backup quintet). Most of the selections are either from the swing era or played in that style, and there are plenty of short solos from Havens and Gordon. Breach sounds fine on such tunes as "Somebody Loves Me," "I Can Dream, Can't I," "But Not for Me" and "A Hundred Years From Today," although she rarely makes any of the vintage standards her own. ~Joyce Breach

Nothing But Blue Skies

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Buddy Holly & The Crickets - 20 Golden Greats: Buddy Holly Lives

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 43:56
Size: 100.6 MB
Styles: Mex-Tex, Rock N Roll
Year: 1974/2007
Art: Front

[2:16] 1. That'll Be The Day
[2:28] 2. Peggy Sue
[1:54] 3. Words Of Love
[2:06] 4. Everyday
[2:20] 5. Not Fade Away
[2:07] 6. Oh, Boy!
[2:01] 7. Maybe Baby
[2:19] 8. Listen To Me
[2:08] 9. Heartbeat
[1:45] 10. Think It Over
[2:02] 11. It Doesn't Matter Anymore
[2:09] 12. It's So Easy
[2:13] 13. Well...All Right
[1:48] 14. Rave On
[2:46] 15. Raining In My Heart
[3:00] 16. True Love Ways
[2:03] 17. Peggy Sue Got Married
[2:18] 18. Bo Diddley
[2:03] 19. Brown Eyed Handsome Man
[2:00] 20. Wishing

2007 reissue of this classic Holly hoedown of hits. Back in 1978 when the bio-pic The Buddy Holly Story was released in theaters, there were very few, if any, Buddy Holly albums in print. The movie was a hit and MCA released this excellent collection of original Buddy Holly tracks to meet the demand. Also known as Buddy Holly Lives (which is spray-painted across a wall on the album's cover), this is the best place to start if you want to experience the magic of Buddy Holly. Features all the hits including 'That'll Be The Day', 'Peggy Sue', 'Oh Boy', 'Maybe Baby', 'True Love Ways' and many more.

20 Golden Greats: Buddy Holly Lives

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Reuben Wilson - The Sweet Life

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:20
Size: 76.3 MB
Styles: Jazz-Funk-Soul
Year: 1972/2008
Art: Front

[4:44] 1. Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)
[5:30] 2. Cream Puff
[6:11] 3. Sugar
[6:24] 4. I'll Take You There
[6:12] 5. The Sweet Life
[4:16] 6. Never Can Say Goodbye

After a series of sugary soul-jazz dates for Blue Note, Reuben Wilson resurfaced on Groove Merchant with The Sweet Life. The title notwithstanding, the session is his darkest and hardest-edged to date, complete with a physicality missing from previous efforts. Credit tenor saxophonist Ramon Morris, trumpeter Bill Hardman, guitarist Lloyd Davis, bassist Mickey Bass, and drummer Thomas Derrick, whose skin-tight grooves sand away the polished contours of Wilson's organ solos to reveal their diamond-sharp corners. The material, while predictable (i.e., standbys like "Inner City Blues" and "Never Can Say Goodbye"), is nevertheless well suited to the set's righteous funk sound. ~Jason Ankeny

The Sweet Life

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Eddie 'Lockjaw' Davis - Body & Soul

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 33:15
Size: 76.1 MB
Styles: Bop, Saxophone jazz
Year: 1998
Art: Front

[5:05] 1. Leapin' On Lennox
[7:04] 2. On Green Dolphin Street
[4:09] 3. Body And Soul
[3:19] 4. Quiet Nights
[4:22] 5. Just Friends
[4:38] 6. Mean To Me
[4:35] 7. I Can't Get Started

This CD by Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis was initially issued by Black & Blue under the title Leapin' on Lenox. This Laserlight budget edition eliminates one track ("The Shadow of Your Smile") and has several misspelled and incomplete composer credits. Aside from this problem, the sound quality of this edition is very good, with Davis in robust form, accompanied by pianist Milt Buckner, bassist Jimmy Gourley, and drummer Gus Johnson. Davis' strutting blues "Leapin' on Lenox" proves to be a smashing opener, followed by a spirited "On Green Dolphin Street," which alternates between a Latin setting and hard bop. Davis is also a masterful interpreter of ballads, as heard in the lush setting of "Body and Soul," while his interpretation of "I Can't Get Started" opens with a playful exchange between the leader and the pianist. Due to the difficulty of acquiring the European edition of this music at a reasonable price for many fans, this U.S. reissue may fill the bill, even with one less track. ~Ken Dryden

Body & Soul

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