Matt Monro, Nelson Riddle - Matt Sings, Nelson Swings

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:34
Size: 102.0 MB
Styles: Vocal, Swing
Year: 2007
Art: Front

[2:33] 1. Brother John
[2:16] 2. Come Back To Me
[2:59] 3. What To Do
[2:32] 4. Let's Face The Music And Dance
[3:01] 5. In The Arms Of Love
[3:16] 6. Walk Away
[2:48] 7. It's Alright With Me
[3:58] 8. Born Free
[5:26] 9. When You Become A Man
[3:16] 10. Shadow Of Your Smile
[4:43] 11. The John F. Kennedy March
[3:16] 12. Softly As I Leave You
[4:25] 13. Strike Up The Band

Neither Matt Monro or Nelson Riddle need any introductions as they are both legends in their own field of work. Matt the versatile crooner with a string of hits and great recordings behind him and Nelson one of the most successsful arrangers and orchestrators ever, having worked for Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee and Nat King Cole amongst many others. This album is a recording of the one and only time that Matt and Nelson worked together. It was recorded in front of an invited audience at the BBC Television Centre in 1967. The recording has been remastered giving it a top quality sound.

Matt Sings, Nelson Swings

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Patrice Monahan - Going Places

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 32:45
Size: 75.0 MB
Styles: Jazz vocals
Year: 2008
Art: Front

[3:30] 1. All Of Me
[4:54] 2. You Go To My Head
[3:39] 3. I Ain't Got Nothin But The Blues
[4:03] 4. East Of The Sun
[2:45] 5. The Tender Trap
[5:04] 6. Cry Me A River
[3:29] 7. Do Nothin Til You Hear From Me
[2:48] 8. Blame It On My Youth
[2:30] 9. Straighten Up And Fly Right

Patrice is a multi-talented performer including: Jazz Vocalist - Pianist, Percussive Tap Dancer, Educator - Music as Therapy.

Versatile Boston based Patrice Monahan has been performing, composing, arranging, directing, coaching and teaching piano, voice and tap dance for over 20 years. "Please don't ask me to pick just one." Her roots are in the simplicity of folk music and its storytelling, the love of the script, dance and lyric through her extensive work in film acting, musical theater and cabaret. She loves the element of improvisational surprise. Patrice's musicians are of "the best." The audience can't help but feel the excitement and pull of the tight ensemble performances. It is the ease of swing in her vocal dance and her clear melodic and lyric connections that make her performances so captivating.

Going Places

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Nicholas Payton, Lew Soloff, Tom Harrell, Eddie Henderson - Trumpet Legacy

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:26
Size: 126.9 MB
Styles: Trumpet jazz
Year: 1997
Art: Front

[7:29] 1. So What
[5:56] 2. Jordu
[5:58] 3. My Funny Valentine
[5:12] 4. Lotus Blossom
[8:44] 5. The Sidewinder
[6:29] 6. There's No You
[4:23] 7. Fire Waltz
[4:25] 8. Nostalgia
[6:44] 9. That's Earl, Brother

Four masters of the trumpet, two generations apart, get together for an inspired session to pay homage to Dizzy, Miles, Satchmo, Clifford Brown, Chet Baker, Lee Morgan, Kenny Dorham, Booker Little, and Fats Navarro. All four play together on the opening "So What" and the closer, Gillespie's "That's Earl Brother"; they split off in different groupings on the other tracks. With Mulgrew Miller on piano, Peter Washington on bass, and Carl Allen on drums, the rhythm section is well in the pocket, and while none of the tunes are copies of their more famous namesakes (no chorus quoting here), the spirit is dead on the money on every track, making for some exciting jazz very well played. Highlights include "Jordu," "Nostalgia," "My Funny Valentine," "The Sidewinder," and "There's No You." An inspired and accessible session. ~Cub Koda

Trumpet Legacy

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Scott Hamilton Quartet - Our Delight!

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:29
Size: 150,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:56)  1. Get Happy
(7:04)  2. Four
(5:27)  3. Lonely Moments
(6:59)  4. Serenade To Sweden
(6:12)  5. Our Delight
(6:53)  6. Change Partners
(7:05)  7. Tee Pee Time
(4:49)  8. Isfahan
(8:27)  9. Taking A Chance On Love
(6:33) 10. In Walked Bud

Scott Hamilton was born in 1954, in Providence, Rhode Island. During his early childhood he heard a lot of jazz through his father’s extensive record collection, and became acquainted with the jazz greats. He tried out several instruments, including drums at about the age of five, piano at six and mouth-organ. He had some clarinet lessons when he was about eight years of age, but that was the only formal music tuition he has ever had. Even at that age he was attracted to the sound of Johnny Hodges, but it was not until he was about sixteen that he started playing the saxophone seriously. From his playing mainly blues on mouth organ, his little band gradually became more of a jazz band. He moved to New York in 1976 at the age of twenty-two, and through Roy Eldridge, with whom he had played a year previously in Boston, got a six-week gig at Michael’s Pub. Roy also paved the way for him to work with Anita O’Day and Hank Jones. Although it was the tail-end of the of old New York scene, a lot of the greats were still playing and he got to work and learn from people like Eldridge, Illinois Jacquet, Vic Dickenson and Jo Jones. 

Eldridge was Scott’s champion, but pulled no punches, and could be extremely critical, something for which Scott has always been grateful. In December of the same year John Bunch got Scott his first recording date, for Famous Door, and was also responsible for him joining Benny Goodman. He continued to work with Goodman at different times until the early 1980s. In 1977 he formed his own quartet, which later became a quintet, with Bunch added to the group. The same year Carl Jefferson heard him, and began recording him for his Concord record label. More than forty albums later he is still recording for them, having made many under his own leadership, several with his regular British quartet of John Pearce, Dave Green and Steve Brown, including his latest, Nocturnes & Serenades. The Quartet plus two guests, Dave Cliff and Mark Nightingale recorded Our Delight! for Alan Barnes’ Woodville label. A new release, Across the Tracks on Concorde is due this May. Along the way he has made albums with Dave McKenna, Jake Hanna, Woody Herman, Tony Bennett, Gerry Mulligan, Flip Phillips, Maxine Sullivan, Buddy Tate, Warren Vache, many with Rosemary Clooney and a number with another of his mentors, Ruby Braff, with whom he played residencies at the Pizza Express Jazz Club, London in the mid-1980s. Over the years Scott has also performed and recorded with such touring bands as the Concord Jazz All Stars, the Concord Super Band and George Wein’s Newport Jazz Festival All Stars. For some years he was based in London, where he first played in 1978, but now travels the world from Italy. Each year, in addition to two or three residencies with the quartet at the Pizza Express Jazz Club, British jazz club dates and festival work including Brecon, where he is one of the patrons, he regularly tours Germany, the Netherlands, Scandinavia, Japan, Spain and Italy. He returns to America three or four times a year to play at festivals, including in 2007, the New York JVC festival in June and Irvine, California in September, and in February 2008 for three nights at the Lincoln Centre New York. His playing has best been described by fellow tenor saxophonist and writer, Dave Gelly: “Following a Scott Hamilton solo is like listening to a great conversationalist in full flow. First comes the voice, the inimitable, assured sound of his tenor saxophone, then the informal style and finally the amazing fluency and eloquent command of the jazz language.” Scott was awarded the ‘Ronnie’ for International Jazz Saxophonist of the Year in the 2007 inaugural Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Awards.  It is no wonder that Scott Hamilton is in demand the world over. (Brian Peerless) http://www.scotthamiltonsax.com/

Personnel:  Scott Hamilton (Tenor sax); Mark Nightingale (Trombone); John Pearce (Piano); Dave Cliff (Guitar); Dave Green (Bass); Steve Brown (Drums).

Our Delight!

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Kinga - It's Magic

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:37
Size: 126,3 MB
Art: Front

(4:50)  1. It's Magic
(6:15)  2. Ain't No Sunshine
(4:33)  3. What A Difference A Day Made
(6:09)  4. This Bitter Earth
(4:01)  5. Mood Indigo
(4:22)  6. I Think It's Gonna Rain Today
(3:26)  7. Love Me Or Leave Me
(5:27)  8. Guess Who I Saw Today
(2:42)  9. Swingin' Machine
(5:12) 10. I Must Have Left My Heart
(4:20) 11. What's With You
(3:15) 12. Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood

Jazz and pop chanteuse Kinga was born in Poland, then moved with her family to Amsterdam before settling in Ottawa, Ontario. While being baptized at four months of age, she screamed out, and the attending priest predicted that Kinga would become a singer. Her parents gifted Kinga with appreciation for music, including and especially jazz, at an early age: Her father played in a jazz cabaret while her mother constantly played vocal pop and jazz records by The Platters, Tony Bennett, Frank Sinatra and the like. By age thirteen, Kinga had studied classical piano and voice theory, and began immersing herself classical and contemporary music, both jazz and pop. She soon began performing at recitals and competitions, and helped assemble and lead a jazz quartet (called West Berlin) that played in and around Ottawa until all its members graduated from high school. She also discovered and began learning the repertoires of many great jazz vocalists, including Diana Krall, Dianne Reeves, Sarah Vaughan, Natalie Cole, and especially Ella Fitzgerald.

Kinga moved on to Humber College, studying voice and theory under Trish Colter, Lisa Martinelli, and Lisa Sullivan; she also served as instructor for voice, piano, theory, ear training and improvisation to child and adult students. “The most important experiences during my time at Humber College were working alongside very talented and reputable musicians, learning different aspects of the jazz world, and lastly, winning the Duke Ellington Honoree award in my final year there,” Kinga recalls. Kinga has subsequently spread her vocal talents as smooth, heady and sophisticated as a well-matured brandy  throughout Canada:  She has sung the American and Canadian national anthems for the Toronto Blue Jays, Toronto Maple Leafs (in partial French, for a sold-out contest against the Montreal Canadians), the Toronto Raptors, and internationally-broadcast Hockey Night in Canada. Kinga has performed with pianist Renee Rosnes, flugelhornist Guido Basso, and Don Thompson’s jazz ensemble, and appeared at the National Jazz Awards, the Royal Ontario Museum, Canada’s Walk of Fame, and on CTV and CBC Radio.

Guess Who I Saw Today brings all Kinga’s influences and experiences full circle. Knowing that a great singer’s best friend is a great song, her debut release features new interpretations of Ellington’s classic “Mood Indigo” and such familiar tunes as “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood” and “This Bitter Earth.” Its title track was first recorded by Nancy Wilson. Songs by such talented singer-songwriters as Randy Newman (“I Think It’s Going to Rain Today”), Bill Withers (“Ain’t No Sunshine”) and Mose Allison (“What’s With You” and “Swingin’ Machine”) round out the set. Guess Who I Saw Today was arranged and produced by pianist Bill King. “I could tell during our first practice sessions, the voice fit comfortably around the rich melodies and could deliver a heartfelt interpretation of the lyrics,” producer King recalls.For Kinga, the most important thing about this debut is her emotional connection to each track. Each song reflects a time or point in her life where she experienced an emotional roller coaster – whether it was love, happiness, heartache, anger or frustration  and these experiences speak to and through each song on Guess Who I Saw Today. http://www.kinga-jazz.com/

It's Magic

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Ryan Kisor - Donna Lee

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:50
Size: 110,3 MB
Art: Front

(6:48)  1. Songs For My Father
(3:11)  2. Donna Lee
(6:41)  3. Short Story
(5:37)  4. Up Your Tempo
(6:03)  5. Rip Tide
(7:21)  6. I Had The Craziest Dream
(5:32)  7. Work Song
(6:34)  8. Zingaro

One of the youngest of the so-called Young Lions, Ryan Kisor first gained attention when he won the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz's first trumpet competition in 1990 at age 17. He had earlier studied trumpet with his father, played with a local band when he was ten, and started studying classical music two years later. Kisor discovered jazz at 14 and developed quickly, playing both jazz and classical music locally. In the summer of 1988, he was inspired at a jazz camp by Clark Terry. 

After winning the Monk contest, he was signed by Columbia, coming out with a couple of interesting if slightly premature CDs as a leader. Since that time, Ryan Kisor (whose originality has developed gradually) has freelanced around New York, most notably with the Mingus Big Band and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. ~ Scott Yanow https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/ryan-kisor/id31291224#fullText

Personnel:  Ryan Kisor – trumpet;  Sam Yahel – organ;  Peter Bernstein – guitar;  Greg Hutchinson – drums

Donna Lee

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Barbara Dennerlein - Plays Classics

Styles: Jazz, Hard Bop, Post-Bop
Year: 1988
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 42:42
Size: 98,5 MB
Art: Front

(3:47)  1. Redken Blues
(3:19)  2. Night and Day
(8:03)  3. Georgia On My Mind
(3:38)  4. Meditation
(3:03)  5. How High The Moon
(6:53)  6. Satin Doll
(5:00)  7. Take The A Train
(4:36)  8. Yesterday
(4:18)  9. This Old Fairy

A superb collection of classics by Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn, Count Basie, Cole Porter, Hoagy Carmichel, Antonio Carlos Jobim, the Beatles and a powerful organ trio with guitar, drums and Barbara’s exceptional left foot playing exciting bass lines.

Perhaps once or twice in a generation a young musician appears out of the blue, breathing spectacular new life into an old musical genre long regarded as passé. So it was with Barbara Dennerlein who was largely responsible for the rebirth of interest in the almost-forgotten Hammond B3. This album, “Barbara Dennerlein Plays Classics”, was recorded when Barbara was only 24 years old, long before worldwide fame that followed. It shows a mastery of the instrument far beyond her years, and stunning bass pedal work that is the envy of other jazz organists. Already by this time, this Munich native had reached the pinnacle of the German and European jazz scene, with far greater fame soon to come. “Barbara Dennerlein Plays Classics” captures that moment in time as a star of the European jazz scene was on the verge of worldwide recognition.  Here, with dazzling Dennerlein style, the Barbara Dennerlein Trio pays homage to some of the unforgettable songs of the ‘50s and ‘60s…. classics that recall names like Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn, Count Basie, Cole Porter, Hoagy Carmichel, Antonio Carlos Jobim, and later, the Beatles. Barbara leads her trio effortlessly through swing, bop, ballads, blues, and even a tasty bossa, then tops it all off with two of her own compositions. Through it all, it’s all too easy to forget there is no bassist playing that tight bass… it’s just Barbara’s lightning-fast left foot. This is a truly delightful album, bound to become a favorite. In listening, one can easily see why this young 24 year old was already on the road to achieving recognition worldwide. http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/dennerlein10

Personnel:  Barbara Dennerlein Hammond organ & footpedal bass;  Christoph Widmoser guitar;  Andreas Witte drums

Plays Classics

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Diane Johnston, Harry Allen, Grant Stewart, Neal Miner & Phil Stewart - For The Love Of It

Size: 99,6 MB
Time: 43:09
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2012
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. I've Got You Under My Skin (3:45)
02. It Might As Well Be Spring (5:59)
03. Juicy Lucy (4:18)
04. Everything Happens To Me (5:11)
05. You Make Me Feel So Young (6:10)
06. To Donald (4:03)
07. This Can't Be Love (3:53)
08. Secret Love (5:21)
09. Love Walked In (4:26)

This CD is primarily jazz standards with one original tune by Diane Johnston, composer and pianist/vocalist. Diane Johnston is a jazz pianist/singer/arranger who has performed in various clubs and venues in Manhattan and the New England area. The quartet is made up of experienced jazz musicians including Harry Allen ( tenor sax) , Grant Stewart ( tenor sax) , Neal Miner (bass) and Phil Stewart. ( drums) The playing is swinging, mainstream jazz.

MC
Ziddu

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Benny Goodman - Date With The King + Mr. Benny Goodman (Bonus Track Version)

Size: 179,4 MB
Time: 76:30
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2014
Styles: Jazz
Art: Front

01. Memories Of You (Rosemary Clooney) (3:33)
02. Can't We Talk It Over (3:15)
03. That's A' Plenty (3:59)
04. A Fine Romance (3:02)
05. It's Bad For Me (2:54)
06. Goodbye (Rosemary Clooney) (3:09)
07. Bugle Call Rag (2:45)
08. One O'clock Jump (3:50)
09. Avalon (3:13)
10. Don't Be That Way (3:01)
11. Down South Camp Meeting (3:08)
12. Sing, Sing, Sing (7:21)
13. Moonglow (3:24)
14. And The Angels Sing (Martha Tilton) (3:11)
15. China Boy (3:33)
16. Goodbye (Instrumental Version) (3:16)
17. Shine (1:04)
18. It's Been So Long (2:55)
19. Alicia's Blues (3:41)
20. Seven Come Eleven (3:37)
21. Memories Of You (Instrumental Version) (3:17)
22. I Got Rhythm (4:27)
23. Let's Dance (0:45)

Complete 1955 album Date with the King which combined the talents of the Benny Goodman sextet and singer Rosemary Clooney her only existing session with the clarinettist, though in fact she only performs three songs on what was originally issued as a 10 inch LP. Other personnel for this session: Buck Clayton (trumpet), Urbie Greene (trombone), Dick Hyman/Claude Thornhill (piano), Aaron Bell (bass), Bobby Donaldson (drums).

Paired with the complete LP Mr Benny Goodman the Benny Goodman Story which was recorded during the same week and featured both a big band and a quintet with Lionel Hampton

Includes seven bonus tracks from the same dates.

MC
Ziddu

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Jessie Laine Powell - Fill The Void

Size: 126,0 MB
Time: 54:02
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz/R&B/Soul Vocals
Art: Front

01. Fill The Void (4:38)
02. Round Midnight (6:23)
03. My Funny Valentine (6:28)
04. Shalom (4:51)
05. You're Ok (5:30)
06. I Will Be Here For You (4:03)
07. Lay It Down (3:25)
08. Antonio's Song (4:44)
09. Make Me A Believer (5:54)
10. Lay It Down (Piano Mix) (3:29)
11. On The Edge (Remix) (4:32)

With her husky, soul-tinged delivery, and her R&B and Gospel roots, Jessie Laine Powell is captivating her audiences and making them fall in love with jazz all over again.

To jazz lovers across the globe, Jessie Laine Powell has been deemed a timeless classic jazz voice. Born in Lexington Kentucky, Jessie grew up in a home filled with the gospel music of the church and that of her talented siblings. But it was the jazz influence of Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, Nancy Wilson, Shirley Horn and the Lawrence Welk Show that stirred her soul and begun to dominate her musical taste. As a result, Jessie followed her love for the stage, the orchestra setting and jazz standards to Hollywood, California where she was afforded the opportunity to open up for the sultry jazz great Nancy Wilson. Jessie has since gone on to add countless television, theatrical and radio appearances to her growing performance resume.

After a few successful performance years on the West Coast, Jessie decided to take her sound and craft back to its rightful home in Lexington, Kentucky. A fixture in the Central Kentucky music scene for years, it was a fateful meeting from a church friend that set up a musical partnership that would last for years. A lunch meeting with then local producer, and jazz artist, Eric Copeland, began a project that would eventually become her first album, “On the Edge”. Filled with gospel and jazz, this project gave Jessie her first product to share with her growing fan base.

Jessie’s ability to captivate audiences worldwide also landed her a performance role in the new movie “Heart of a Champion”; directed and produced by Richard Fitzpatrick who meticulously sought out music and soloists that could convey the message of hope and perseverance that would be make a lasting impression both on screen and through the music. This being the case, Jessie was given the green light to make the needed impact for the movie soundtrack.

With her new release “Filled the Void”, Jessie leaves her fans feeling refreshed, renewed inspired and motivated as she takes them on an intimate journey of the art form. Through the melodic blend of her gospel inspired jazz vocals and the seamless marriage of the contemporary and traditional jazz sound, Jessie is on target once again to have her listeners and performance attendees screaming from the rooftops…. I LOVE JAZZ!

MC
Ziddu

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Tony Foster - Project Paradiso: Tony Foster Plays Ennio Morricone And Henry Mancini

Size: 114,1 MB
Time: 48:53
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz: Piano Jazz
Art: Front

01. A Flower Is All You Need (From L'ultimo Treno Della Notte) (4:09)
02. Love Theme (From Cinema Paradiso) (4:46)
03. Slow Hot Wind (From The Big Lebowski) (5:24)
04. It Had Better Be Tonight (From The Pink Panther) (3:38)
05. Deborah's Theme (From Once Upon A Time In America) (4:41)
06. Theme From U Turn (6:25)
07. Love Circle (From Metti, Una Sera A Cena) (4:11)
08. Mr. Mancini (5:18)
09. Nothing To Lose (From The Party) (4:23)
10. Theme From The Pink Panther (5:53)

The power of a strong melody has always inspired Tony Foster as a pianist and composer. The inspiration for “Project Paradiso” arose from the influence and recognition that strong melodies have had across all genres of film, and the ability of these melodies to elevate the films themselves.

Many of our favorite films would be diminished immeasurably were it not for the moods, emotions, and drama created by the accompanying music. Two iconic film composers that perfected this craft have been the Italian composer Ennio Morricone and the American-Italian Henry Mancini. The influence of these two composers has resulted in this recording in which Foster has arranged and adapted nine of their film compositions for the classic jazz piano trio format.

These nine songs include some extremely well-known and recognizable melodies but also some less-known which Foster was drawn to and felt would fit well with his trio. The tenth song on the album is a Foster original melody paying tribute to Henry Mancini entitled “Mr. Mancini.” It's important to note that one thing Foster shares with both Morricone and Mancini is their Italian heritage. Foster's great-grandfather Giovanni (John) Pompilio came to the USA around 1900 from Bari, Italy, and was an oboist and professor of music who lived in Chicago,IL, Winnipeg Manitoba, and Calgary Alberta Canada.

Joining Foster at the piano for this cinematic performance is Canadian drummer Joe Poole and Seattle’s Nate Parker on the bass. Recorded at Seattle’s Jack Straw Cultural Center in October of 2016, Foster, Poole, and Parker’s performances offer an artistic take on the material which swings, grooves, flows, sometimes explodes, while at other times is filled with romance.

Ennio Morricone is a composer, orchestrator, conductor, and former trumpet player who was born November 10th, 1928 in Rome, Italy. Over the past seven decades, Morricone has composed over 500 scores for cinema and television, as well as over 100 classical works. His filmography includes over 70 award-winning films, including all Sergio Leone films since the Dollars Trilogy (such as Once Upon a Time in the West and Once Upon a Time in America), all Giuseppe Tornatore films (since Cinema Paradiso), The Battle of Algiers, 1900, Exorcist II, Days of Heaven, several major films in French cinema, in particular the comedy trilogy La Cage aux Folles I,II, III and Le Professionnel, The Thing, The Mission, The Untouchables, Bugsy, In the Line of Fire, Disclosure, Mission to Mars, Ripley's Game, The Best Offer, and The Hateful Eight. At age 87, he is the oldest winner of a competitive Oscar. He received an Oscar in 2016 for Best Original Score for The Hateful Eight. His musical artistry has touched millions to be sure. Morricone continues to perform and compose music today!

Enrico Nicola "Henry" Mancini was an American composer, conductor and arranger born April 16th, 1924 in Cleveland Ohio who is best remembered for his film and television scores. Often cited as one of the greatest composers in the history of film,[2][3] he won four Academy Awards, a Golden Globe, and twenty Grammy Awards, plus a posthumous Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1995.

His best known works include the jazz-idiom theme to The Pink Panther film series ("The Pink Panther Theme"), his "Moon River" to Breakfast at Tiffany's, and the theme to the Peter Gunn television series. The Peter Gunn theme won the first Grammy Award for Album of the Year. Mancini also had a long collaboration on film scores with the film director Blake Edwards.

MC
Ziddu

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Alison Lewis - Seven

Size: 141 MB
Time: 27:49
File: FLAC
Released: 2016
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Blackbird (4:01)
02. Cheek To Cheek (2:55)
03. Like A Rolling Stone (4:28)
04. Mr. Right For Right Now (3:50)
05. Seesaw (4:15)
06. Midnight Sun (3:14)
07. My Funny Valentine (5:03)

Straight from the mouth of AXS Jazz Reviewer Susan Frances: "Whether singer/songwriter Alison Lewis is performing an American Songbook classic or one of her own original tracks, she makes the tunes on her debut self-release Seven project a human quality. Moved by intuition, she instinctively connects emotionally to the lyrics, making the listener contemplate each word, seeing songs like Irving Berlin's "Cheek to Cheek" and Bob Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone" in a new light, a way that makes the songs seem even more brilliant than their original version. Her treatment of the tracks gives them a mesmerizing glint that revitalizes the songs.

John Lennon and Paul McCartney's rarely covered track "Blackbird" is laden with Lewis' authentic imprint as the smooth texture and shimmery resonance of her vocals cradle the words, giving them a bluesy luster composed of her own blend. Accompanied by pianist Mitchel Forman, Lewis' vocals soar above the keys while draped in the folksy accents of Andrew Synowiec's lap steel. So much about Lewis' delivery is rooted in her own making, showing little influence of other artists in her mindset, which is a rare find.

The reposing atmospherics of Berlin's "Cheek to Cheek" give the original springy number a new look as the frolicking piano motifs are reworked by Forman, catering to Lewis' interpretation which contemplates each lyric deeply, emphasizing the underlying emotions. "Like a Rolling Stone" is also revamped with a contemplative undertone, bolstering a country twang emanating from Synowiec's guitar as Ray Brinker's hand percussion carves out a catchy rhythmic groove. The cool jazz vibrations ruminating through Lewis' original track "Mr. Right for Right Now" is clamped in finger-snapping beats structured by Kevin Axt's bass and adorned in Synowiec's bluesy acoustic guitar chords, making for a melody that could unarguably become a new American Songbook classic.

Lewis' other original number "Seesaw" is clad in candlelight tones formed by Adam Shulman's piano prose as the torchlight mood of "Midnight Sun," penned by Lionel Hampton and Sonny Burke, gently illuminate Lewis' smooth vocal swagger. The balladry swells of "My Funny Valentine," written by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart, bring out the uplifting tint in Lewis' register as her vocals bow and retract seamlessly.

Lewis prides herself on re-imagining the melodic motifs of classic tracks whether from the pop or jazz realms. She blurs the line between the two. Her vocals take listeners deeper into the lyrics, uncovering an uplifting spirit in the melancholy air of "My Funny Valentine" and a hint of sorrow in the upbeat rhythm of "Cheek to Cheek." Intuition is her guide and treating life's experiences with warmth is her inspiration.

MC
Ziddu

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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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